Idiomatic expressions.

3. Find the expressions in the text which mean the following:

1. to fall in love with someone the first time you see them

2. to be completely or deeply in love

3. to try to forget your troubles and disappointment by drinking alcohol

C. Work in pairs. Discuss the following questions.

• Do you believe in love at first sight? Why? / Why not?

• Do you agree with the saying 'It's love which makes the world go round'? Why? / Why not?

• Some people say 'True love never dies'. Do you agree? Why? / Why not?

• What impression do you think you give of yourself when you first meet people?

• Imagine someone is always criticizing you. What would you do or say?

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• Would you have a relationship with someone your parents didn't approve of?

• If you have a relationship with someone, how important is it that you both have a lot in common (that you are both keen on sport, for example)?

• What kind of things make you stop liking someone?

• What would make you end a relationship with someone?

• When do you think is the right time to live a more quiet, stable life and get married?

4. Translate into English.

1. Они уехали во Францию и обосновались в Париже. 2. Я остыла к своему дружку. 3. Почему отменили собрание? 4. Их брак разва­лился. 5. Обсуждая новую пьесу, друзья поссорились. 6. Вначале он показался мне искренним, но я была разочарована в нем. 7. Он пригласил меня в ресторан, но я отказалась пойти с ним. 8. Они встречаются уже год. 9. Мать бранила ее за то, что она поздно вер­нулась домой. 10. Он раз и навсегда отказался от привычки курить.

D. Look at how the time expressions below are used to sequence the events in the story 'Across a crowded room'.

At first after a while after some time the following year However, it wasn't long before as the weeks passed in the end

Using these time expressions, as well as the multi-word verbs, idiomat­ic expressions, and prepositions you have learnt in this unit, write a description of either:

• a romantic play, book, or film that you know, or

• the development of a romantic relationship.

Happily Ever After

I = Interviewer H = Helen

I: How did you meet your husband?

H: It was on a blind date, actually. A friend invited me to meet some­one she knew. She said he was very nice, so I went along, and as soon as I met him, I fell for him. I thought he was wonderful. We started to go out with one another, and then I invited him home to meet my parents, and they took to him immediately — they thought he was a lovely person.

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I: So meeting him was an important event?

H: Oh, yes. it was a turning-point in my life. You see, whereas I'd always had my head in the clouds, he was very practical and realistic — he had his feet firmly on the ground.

I: Do you remember when he asked you to marry him?

H: Yes, very clearly. We were walking in the park and he proposed to me completely out of the blue. I really wasn't expecting it.

I: How did you feel about marrying him?

H: I was over the moon. I thought it was the most wonderful thing that could ever have happened to me.

I: And do you still feel that way today?

H: Oh, yes, we're devoted to one another.

I: What do you think has made your marriage such a success?

H: The fact that we've always supported and helped one another. I've always stood by him. and he's never let me down once. We're a partnership.

I: So you never have any arguments?

H: Well, we have our ups and downs now and then—everybody does — but I know that underneath it all we were made for each other.

I = Interviewer G = George

I: How did you meet your wife?

G: We worked for the same company. She was about the same age as me, and she struck me as a very nice person. As time passed I came to look on her as a friend. We spent some time together and then we started going out with one another.

I: What did your parents think of her?

G: When I introduced her to my mother she said she couldn't un­derstand what I saw in her. She thought she was very ordinary and not at all the right person for me.

I: Do you think your mother's opinion influenced you in any way?

G: I think it made me have second thoughts about marrying her, but we still got married a few months later.

I: What was life like after you got married?

G: Things were all right for a while but then we began to quarrel. We always kissed and made up in the end, but there were still problems between us.

I: Why was that?

G: I think the main thing was that we weren't really suited to one another. After we got married we started to see one another in a different light. We spent less and less time together, we became interested in different things, and gradually we grew apart.

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I: What happened then?

G: We started having terrible arguments and I behaved very badly towards her. I tried to make up for it, but she couldn't forgive me. In the end we split up. I suppose it was inevitable really.

I: And how did this experience affect you?

G: I think it changed my outlook on life. I certainly don't see it

through rose-coloured spectacles any more.

I: Would you marry again?

G: I would, but it would have to be the right person, and there would have to be a lot more give and take. Otherwise I don't think it would work.

A. Questions.

1. How did Helen and George meet their partners? 2. What did they think of their partners when they first met them? 3. What did their par­ents think of their partners? 4. How did Helen and George feel about marrying their partners? 5. Why did their marriages succeed or fail?

B. Practice.

1. Match the multi-word verbs in A with the definitions in B.

A B

to fall for someone to take to someone / something to stand by someone to let someone down to look on someone as something to see in someone/something to make up/to make it up (with someone) to grow apart (from someone) to make up for something 10. to split up

В to compensate for something to become friends again after an argument to provide help or support for someone when they are in trouble to fall in love with someone to consider someone as some­ thing to find a particular quality in someone/something to disappoint someone, often by breaking a promise or agree­ment to end a relationship or marriage to begin to likesomeone/some­thing to develop separate interests and become gradually less close to someone

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2. Read the sentences. Then say the sentences again, using the multi­ word verb prompts. The first one has been done for you.

1. When I was in trouble she gave me help and support.

(stand by)

When I was in trouble she stood by me. 2.1 have always considered you to be my closest friend.

(look on as)

3. I'm depending on you, so don't disappoint me! (let down)

4. The children liked her the moment they met her. (take to)

5. She fell in love with her skiing instructor. (fall for)

6.1 don't understand what she finds attractive about him. (see in)

7. She tried to compensate for the trouble she had caused. (make up for)

8. After a year they ended their relationship. (split up)

9.1 think we've become less close to one another. (grow apart) 10. They had an argument but later they became friends again. (make up)

3. Translate into English.

1. Когда у меня неприятности, мой друг всегда поддерживает меня.

2. Мне он понравился с первого взгляда. 3. Им сразу понравился новый учитель. 4. Он пристрастился к игре в азартные игры. 5. По­чему они расстались? 6. Я не знаю, что он в ней находит. 7. Они поссорились, но потом помирились. 8. Я должен искупить вину за то, что я сделал. 9. Он ненадежный человек. Он много раз подво­дил меня. 10. Мы в последнее время очень отдалились.