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Базовый курс английского языка - Эккерсли К.Э.

Эккерсли К.Э. Базовый курс английского языка — М.: Лист Нью, 2002. — 704 c.
ISBN 5-7871-0174-X
Скачать (прямая ссылка): bazoviykursangliyskogo2003.djvu
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"But, Hank," I said to a young man I know here, "don't you sometimes want privacy, to be by yourself?" "If 1 want privacy," said Hank, "I go to bed."
With this sociability goes overwhelming hospitality. I don't think any door in the world is more open to the stranger than is the American's. You get taken to parties at the houses of your friends and of your friends' friends; you are invited to theatres, dinners, sports meetings, motor trips; from the first minute you are on "first name" terms with the people you meet; they all show the keenest interest in your affairs and ask you to let them know if they can help you.
"Yes," said a somewhat cynical young American to me, "and by the following week they have forgotten all about you. They like new things. No one strikes up acquaintance sooner than we do, and nobody finds it harder to make a real friendship."
Well, that may be what happens to male visitors, but I must say the young men here, even after three or four weeks, certainly don't seem to have forgotten all about me! But I agree that they like new things, a new car every year, the latest thing in television, this year's, or, if possible, next year's, washing-machine. In England-and in France- I knew people who had lived in the same house and been in the same job for twenty, thirty, forty years, and who would hate to pull up their roots and change to something new. That's not the American way of life. They love change, they call it "the spirit of adventure", a spirit that they think is more characteristic of America than of Europe. There may be something in this.
They still like to "move away", to change homes and jobs. They seem to be constantly pulling down old and often quite beautiful houses or throwing away things merely because they are old. They have none of the Englishman's sentimental love for things because they are old.
The young American said tome, "America is a prosperous country; it has the highest standard of living in the world. There is a car (sometimes two) in practically every home. Thousands of people have tennis courts or swimming pools in their gardens. They go for good holidays, cruises or visits to Europe.
"You complained because, when you ordered a steak in a restaurant, it was so big that you had to leave three-quarters of it and it had to be thrown away." (That's quite true, it covered the whole plate. I
655¦
don't think even Hob could have eaten it.) "That," he continued triumphantly, " is why we have the highest standard of living in the world. It is because you-and millions of other people-leave three-quarters of your steak uneaten that our butchers and farmers are prosperous. If Americans didn't get a new car every year (though their old one is quite good) thousands of our workpeople would be out of work. America is prosperous because it has a 'waste economy'; and the greater the waste, the greater the prosperity."
I have a feeling that there is something wrong in this argument- but I can't see what it is!
All good wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Lucille.
The Non-Finltes (5): Gerund and Infinitive
One of the difficulties in learning English is that after some verbs you must use the gerund, after others you must use the infinitive, and after some you can use either.
Verbs followed by the Gerund
Some of the verbs followed by the gerund are: avoid, dislike, enjoy, finish, mind (= object to), e.g.
He couldn't avoid meeting them.
He enjoys asking questions but dislikes answering them.
When you have finished talking, we will continue the lesson.
. Do you mind passing the salt?
Verbs followed by the Infinitive
Verbs followed by the infinitive are: (a) all the "Special" verbs, (b) the verbs expect, hope, mean (=intend), promise, want and certain others, e.g.
(Special verbs) You ought to try harder. You must do this work. I shall see him tomorrow.
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(Other verbs) My friends expect to arrive here on Saturday and I hope to meet them at the airport.
They mean to stay with us for a month.
I want to learn English and I promise to work hard.
¦ УПРАЖНЕНИЯ
1. Работа со словами. Придумайте предложения:
reserve (What is a reservedseaf.); ill-mannered (What is the opposite?); enquire; privacy (use also private)', sociability (use also social, sociable, society); suburban (use suburbs); hedge; strip (compare stripe); activities (use also active); recess; overwhelming; hospitality (use also hospitable); acquaintance; sentimental; prosperous; triumphantly; economy
2. Объясните следующие выражения:
to keep oneself to oneself; personal questions; to shut him off from his neighbours; an open-plan house; to be on first-name terms; to strike up an acquaintance; a waste economy
3. Перепишите следующие предложения в восклицательной форме:
1. America is a very big country. (What...!) 2. I have been very happy here. (How...!) 3. They seem to waste a lot of food. 4. Everyone is very hospitable here. 5. She sings beautifully. 6. This car goes at a great speed. 7. He has been very kind to her. 8. He has done a lot for you. 9. Her face is very pale. 10. We are glad to see you.
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