That's a no-no

I heard a great story about the Rev. Billy Cracker. He'd gone to London to speak at a large meeting. Anyway, when he stepped off the plane there were a lot of reporters and TV cameras. The first question one of the reporters asked was, "Do you intend to visit any nightclubs in London?'' Rev. Cracker smiled at the reporter. Are there any nightclubs in London?" he answered innocently. The next morning the headline in one of the London papers was "Cracker's first question on arrival in London – Are there any nightclubs?" How would you have felt?

Rev. Aural Richards • Columbia.SC

Strangers in the night!

My story isn't funny at all. It was a very frightening experience. You see, one night I woke up suddenly. I heard the tinkle of broken glass from downstairs, and I heard the window opening. Then I heard two voices! My wife woke up too. She told me to do something. A couple of days before there had been a report about a burglary in the local paper. The burglars had been interrupted, and they had beaten up the homeowner. They'd nearly killed him. I was trembling with fear. I just didn't know what to do. In the end I didn’t go down, and they stole the sterling silverware we had inherited from my mother. Was I right? What would you have done?

Lorenzo Machado. Abeline. TX

Deep fried

I had parked my car at a local shopping mall, and I was taking a short cut through the side door of a restaurant. Halfway across the restaurant. I spotted my father eating a hamburger and french fries - he often eats there. I sneaked up behind him, put my hand over his shoulder, took a french fry off the plate, dipped it in catsup and ate it. Then I realized that the man was not my father! I was so embarrassed I couldn't say a word! What would you have done?

Cheryl Redburn. Minneapolis. MN

Or else

I'd just parked my car on a street near the football stadium in Des Moines. It was ten minutes before the start of the game and I was in a hurry. Two little boys came up to me and said. "Give us $5 and we'll watch your car while you're at the game." I told them to clear out, and one of them looked at me with big, round, innocent eyes and said, "Unless you give us the money, something might happen to your car while you're away. You know, a scratch or a flat tire. Something like that. I was furious! What would you have done?

Helen Furie. Des Moines, 10

Honesty is the best policy

I couldn't believe a story I heard the other day. It seems that a woman had just bought a house in Burlingon, Vermont. She wanted to insulate the roof, so she and her son climbed up into the attic. There, under the hot water tank, was $50.000 in cash! They turned in the money to the police. Would you have reported the find? What would you have done?

Francine Marasco. Waterbury. VT

3. A) Practise the following poem according to the intonation marked. Bonnie bell by Robert Burns

The smiling spring comes in re joicing,|

And surly winter grimly flies:

Now crystal clear are the falling waters,|

And bonnie blue are the  sunny skies;

Fresh o’er the mountains| breaks forth the morning,|

The ev’ning gilds the ocean’s swell;

All creatures joy| in the sun’s re turning,|

And I rejoice in my  bonnie Bell.

The flowery spring| leads sunny summer,|

And yellow autumn| presses near,|

Then in his turn comes  gloomy winter,|

Till smiling spring again appear.

Thus seasons dancing,| life advancing,|

Old Time and Nature their changes tell;

But never ranging,| still unchanging|

I adore| my bonnie Bell.

• What is the poet’s favourite season? Give your reasons.

• What is your favourite season? Are you looking forward to have vacations?

4. a). If you read B.Shaw’s play “Pygmalion” and saw a theatre performance (film) you could recollect the following dialogue. After watching the film ”My Fair Lady” analyze the phonetic peculiarities of mention the interaction of verbal and non-verbal components in communication.

It should be noted that such non-verbal components as phonation, kinesics, gestures, different facial expressions, head or eye movements play a great role in speech communication. They are closely connected with verbal elements in the process of speech communication. According to V.Bogdanov “non-verbal components create their own, special world, which coexists peacefully and well agreed with the verbal one”. Non-verbal actions can hardly be called secondary, because cheers of approval, glance full of hatred, ironic smile, hand movements in real speech may be much stronger than verbal actions, they may add some emphasis or particular shades of meaning to what people are saying. For e.g.: There are 3 main imperative gestures.

The first gesture may be characterized as open, amicable. From the old times people wanted to show that they had peaceful intentions, they are unarmed. The request accompanied with this gesture will most probably meet positive reaction on the part of the addressee.

In this picture the gesture acquires some shade of superiority. The addressee may take your request for a command. This gesture may cause hostility or inner resistance on the part of the addressee, depending on the relations between the speaker and the addressee.

The third gesture is the most irritant of all gestures accompanying communication. It is threatening by nature and reminds of a certain stick, by means of which a person is forced to obey.

Higgins: Say your alphabet.||

Liza: I know my alphabet.| Do you think I know nothing?| I don’t need to be taught like a child.||

Higgins: Say your alphabet.||

(thundering)

Pickering: Say it, Miss Doolittle| you will understand presently.| Do what he tells you;| and let him teach you in his own way.||

Liza: Oh, well,| if you put it like that.| Ahyee| byee,|cyee – ||

Higgins: Stop. Listen to this Pickering. This is what we pay for  as

(with the roar of elementary education.

a wounded lion)