Exercise 27

I. Match the idioms in the left column with their Russian equivalents in the right column.

1. to build one's castle upon the sand А. выступать (перед аудиторией)

2. to build castles in the air В. указать кому-либо надверь

3. room at the top С. припереть кого-либо к стенке

4. to do something under the table D. создавать что-либо непрочное

5. to be in the chair Е. ковёр-самолёт

6. to take the floor F. захлопнуть дверь перед носом

7. a window on the world G. председательствовать

8. to camp on somebody's doorstep Н. верхняя ступенька социальной лестницы

9. to shut the door in somebody's face I. ломиться в открытую дверь

10. to show somebody the door J. строить воздушные замки

11. to force an open door К. окно в мир

12. to call somebody on the carpet L. у стен есть уши

13. a magic carpet M. дать кому-либо нагоняй

14. walls have ears N. делать что-либо секретно

15. to drive somebody to the О. обивать пороги wall

II. Think of the situations where you can use these idioms.

Exercise 28

Highlight the meanings of the proverbs, making up short situations. Tell them in class.

1. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

2. Do not burn your house to get rid of the mice.

3. As you make your bed, so you must lie on it.

4. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

5. Charity begins at home.

6. Home is where the heart is.

7. East or West — home is best.

Exercise 29

Translate the following quotations and comment upon them.

'A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.'

George Moore

'A house is not a home.'

Polly Adler

'Houses are built to live in and not to look on; therefore let use be preferred before uniformity, except where both may be had. '

Francis Bacon

'Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.'

John Howard Payne

Exercise 30

Role-play "Buying a House"

Setting: A real estate agency in London.

Situation: Different people come to the office and have a talk with real estate managers. All of them want to move somewhere: to sell or to buy houses or flats. The managers offer them different housing variants.

Characters:

Card I—II — Mr Sinless and Mrs' Pure, the real estate managers.

Card III-IV - Mr and Mrs Woolworth. Their family of three wants to move to the countryside from the centre of London.

Card V—VI — Mr and Mrs Littlewood, a retired couple who want to move from a huge house to a smaller one.

Card VII—VIII — Mr and Mrs Sunwin, a young couple who before anything else want to buy a house of their own.

Card IX—X — Mr and Mrs Hewlett. Their family of se­ven wants to move to a bigger house in the suburbs.

WRITING