6. Retell the text.

ORAL SPEECH PRACTICE

I. Mind your grammar when you speak

1. Suggest that your friend should do something:

Model : I suggest that you (should) go to the exhibition.

Prompts: to learn more about the Anglo-American legal system, to make a report on the development of statute law in the UK, to look through the description of these precedents, to speak to the plaintiff first of all.

2. Say that your friend should have done something:

Model : You should have spoken to her.

Prompts: to learn English, to read his report, to visit the exhibition, to do it, to write a letter to her, to speak to the investigator.

3. Express disapproval:

Model A: Kate didn't even write to me.

B: Oh, really! At least she should have written to you!

Prompts: John – not to send a telegram, Bob – not to wait for me, Jane – not to speak to me, Pete – not to telephone, Sam – not to answer my question, Bill – not to thank Jane.

4. Agree with your friend's statement:

Model 1: A: I know they must sign a new contract.

B: Yes, a new contract must be signed.

Prompts: to discuss his testimony; to find all the facts; to investigate this crime; to finish the article; to open the exhibition.

Model 2: A: I hear you have done it.

B: Yes, it has been done.

Prompts: they – to close the shop; he – to build a cottage; you – to receive her letter; she – to complete her work.

Model 3: A: After they had finished the discussion of the verdict, the jurors returned to the courtroom.

B: You are right. Having finished the discussion of the verdict, the jurors returned to the courtroom. (After finishing the discussion of the verdict, the jurors returned to the courtroom.)

Prompts: 1. After he had found Jim's address, Tom sent him a telegram. 2. After they had discussed the case, they began to study the documents. 3. After I had tried various topics of conversation, I asked her what her occupation was. 4. After I had inquired about the date of the trial from the clerk, I asked my lawyer if I could be awarded a redress. 5. After the investigator had read most of the documents relating to the crime, he decided to speak to the witness once again.

5. Say you are sorry for not having done something:

Model: A: You didn't read my note.

B: Oh, I'm really very sorry for not having read your note.

Prompts: not to do it; not to collect all the facts in time; not to translate the text; not to learn the new words; not to discuss the results of the expertise; not to study the claim.

II. Conversational formulas

Ways of asking for/giving an opinion

Asking for an opinion

What do you think about/of ...? What's your opinion of ...? How do you find ...?

– Что вы думаете о ...? – Каково ваше мнение о ...? – Как вы находите ...?

Giving an opinion

It's my opinion that ... In my opinion ... I (honestly/really) think that ... I don't think you are right.

– Мое мнение таково ... – По моему мнению, ... – Я действительно думаю, что ... – Я не думаю, что вы правы.

Exercises

1. Read and practise the following flashes of conversation, work in pairs or in groups of three:

1

A: What do you think of television?

B: In my opinion television is very helpful in getting informa­tion.

2

A: How do you find the last film of Mikhalkov?

B: I really think it is a masterpiece.

3

A: Don't you think that to watch TV is to waste time?

B: That's exactly my opinion.

C: But I don't think so. There are a lot of useful programmes.

4

A: What's your opinion of him?

B: He is very intelligent, I must say.

A: That's my opinion too.

2. Translate the Russian phrases in the following flash­es of conversation:

1

A: Won't it be better if we stop quarrelling and discuss the situation?

В: Именно таково и мое мнение.

2

A: Mrs. Howard, I think that our young people have too much freedom.

В: Согласна с вами, Mrs. Slow. In our times young people were more modest.

3

A: You see, по моему мнению, sport is a waste of time.

В: Я не думаю, что вы правы. Sport helps us to keep healthy and young.

3. Express your opinion on the following statements:

1. You learn more from television than from books. 2. Everyone must have higher education. 3. Science makes us wiser. 4. Reading one and the same book several times is boring. 5. Only Great Jove makes a marriage successful. 6. A child must be taught a foreign language as early as possible. 7. The proof of the pudding is in its eating. 8. Out of sight out of mind. 8. Legal profession is very important for the society.