Бесплатный фрагмент - Idioms and Proverbs on Personal Issues

Preface

The textbook is intended for students of higher educational institutions.

It contains varied exercises (gap filling, error correction, translation, speaking and writing full-answer activities, etc.), which are intended for the development of socio-lingual competence and improvement of an ability to make an indirect translation of idiomatic expressions and proverbs in English texts.

The material used in exercises is taken from the authentic books and grouped into twelve sections on personal issues, which are sure to help students overcome translation problems in different communicative situations as well as to boost their professional growth by developing critical and creative thinking, original opinions, abilities to analyze, compare and abstract.

The Key section gives students the opportunity to self-check.

Введение

Предлагаемое учебное пособие предназначено для студентов ВУЗов всех форм обучения.

Книга содержит разнообразные упражнения (заполнение пропусков, исправление ошибок, перевод, устные и письменные задания с развернутым ответом и др.), которые направлены на формирование социолингвистической компетенции и закрепляют практические навыки опосредованного перевода выражений и текстов, содержащих идиоматические обороты и паремии английского языка.

Материал для упражнений подобран из аутентичных книг и сгруппирован по 12 разделам личной тематики, которые призваны помочь обучаемым в различных коммуникативных ситуациях избежать трудностей перевода, а также способствуют их профессиональному росту, развивая критическое и творческое мышление, самостоятельность суждений, способность анализировать, сравнивать и обобщать.

В пособии имеется раздел «Ключ» (Key), который предоставляет возможность самопроверки.

UNIT 1 HAPPINESS

Guess Russian equivalents of the idioms by the pictures given

Other useful idioms and their explanation

To be full of the joys of spring — to be glowing and cheerful, full of optimism and energy

To do smth (just) for kicks — to do smth because it is exciting, often dangerous

To get a (real) kick out of smth — to enjoy doing smth very much

Smth blows one’s mind — smth makes a person very excited

Smth is a dream come true — smth desired, but not likely to be realized, has actually happened

Smth is music to one’s ears — smth that makes a person feel better, happy

Smth makes one’s day — smth makes a person feel very happy

Proverbs

He is happy that thinks himself so — счастлив тот, кто себя счастливым считает.

He is happy who finds peace in his home — зачем и клад, коли в семье лад.

Every man has his delight — у всякого барона своя фантазия.

Every man is the architect of his own fortune — всяк своему счастью кузнец.

The fewer the better cheer — меньше народу — больше кислороду.

EXERCISES

1.1 Combine the words from the box below to make six idioms. Use each word once only.

1.2 Which idioms do the given pictures make you think of?

1.3 Complete each idiom in the following sentences.

1. Have you heard the news about Tom and Jill? They have won $1,000,000 on the lottery. They are ………….. moon.

2. Sally’s at the greengrocer’s now buying exotic fruit. Finally her diet is over, and she’s thrilled …………. As she can eat almost anything she wants.

3. Ted is ………… king because he’s finally got his driving license.

4. Yesterday John proposed to Helen, and, though she said she’d think it over, I’m sure she was in ………….

5. Don’t try to talk Claire into studying German abroad with you. Every man ………….. fortune.

6. The news about Helen’s miraculous recovery was ………… ears of her family.

7. Tim tried many times to get into that culinary TV show, and, when he did, he was ……………. world.

8. Nancy lost her first child and miscarried a second one. That’s why she was ………….. nine after giving birth to her third baby.

9. William is so weird; he never eats his lunch without licking his index fingers first. Really, ………….. delight.

1.4 Replace the underlined part of each sentence with an idiom.

1. Our teacher loves asking very difficult questions to fail his least favorite pupils. If he gives two or more bad marks during the lesson, it makes him feel very happy.

2. Joanna was very excited when her family came from Mexico to see her new place in Australia.

3. Michael enjoyed very much tackling tasks in Maths.

4. I wanted to visit France so much that, when I was selected as an exchange student from our school, I couldn’t believe it had actually happened.

5. My dream of having my own big house has finally come true. There’s no one in the world who could be happier than me. I’m in seventh heaven.

6. Jumping from an aircraft by parachute, climbing mountains without any safety equipment are just a few activities Frank does for fun.

7. At the training, I’ve learnt to value myself and my family. Now my motto is «Believe you’re happy and you’ll be happy.»

1.5 Match the beginning of each sentence with its ending.

1.6 Correct the mistakes in these idioms and proverbs.

1. Fred doesn’t earn much money. But every morning he greets the sun so enthusiastically. It’s really true that he is happy who thinks himself such.

2. Anna gets a real kick in songwriting.

3. There’s so much love in Kate’s eyes when she looks at her husband and children. I’d say she is happy who finds peace in her home.

4. Her holidays in India were unforgettable. She was on seventh cloud then.

5. Henry is so clever and hardworking. By 31 he’s already become a president of the company. Each man is the architect of his own fortune, indeed.

6. If my parents let me go to the party tonight, it’ll really do my day.

1.7 Give appropriate and full answers to the following questions.

1. Are you a person who gets a kick out of studying or doing sports?

2. Do you believe he is happy that thinks himself so? Why?

3. Were your parents on cloud nine when you were born, in your opinion?

4. Will it make your day if you help a passer-by? Why?

5. Is it possible for you to be floating on air because of winning some competition or contest?

6. Have you ever done anything just for kicks? What?

7. What news can be music to your ears?

8. Why do people usually jump for joy?

9. Every man is the architect of his own fortune, isn’t he?

10. Would you be over the moon if you got top marks in all your examinations?

1.8 Fill in the gaps with the information about you and your environment.

1. I’m sure that every man has his delight because …………

2. My sister/brother/cousin is often in seventh heaven when..

3. It’s a dream come true if ………………………………………

4. The state of being as happy as a king is (not) …………………

5. What really blows ……………… mind is …………………

6. To my mind, he is happy who finds peace in his home as ….

7. It is my ………………… who feels on top of the world …………

1.9 Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Я прыгал от радости, когда получил долгожданное письмо от тебя.

2. Утренняя пробежка и холодный душ заряжают меня энергией.

3. Каждый раз, когда я прихожу к бабушке, я вижу, как ее глаза лучатся от счастья.

4. Очевидно, он сдал выпускные экзамены, поэтому он в полном восторге.

5. Я не нахожу удовольствия в работе по дому.

6. Если я не успел сделать домашнее задание, то день прошел зря.

7. Когда правительство оплатило расходы по ремонту школы, директор от радости ног под собой не чуял.

8. Я не люблю столпотворения в общественных местах. Меньше народу — больше кислороду.

9. Если бы ты мне писала чаще, я был на седьмом небе от счастья.

10. Новость об отмене контрольной работы — словно бальзам на душу.

11. В прошлом году, ради острых ощущений, я прыгал с тарзанки.

12. Я был бы доволен как слон, если мне подарили компьютер последней модели.

1.10 Write a letter to your pen-friend of about 150 words describing some happy event or situation of yours. Find a proper place for at least 3 idioms.

Unit 2 PLEASURE

Guess Russian equivalents of the idioms by the pictures given

Other useful idioms and their explanation

In one’s joy — owing to some pleasant event

Smth goes down a treat — smth that pleases

Smth is a bed of roses — a situation or activity that is comfortable or easy

To be a fair treat — to look/ be wonderful, excellent

To be in alt — to be in an elevated mood, in a state of elation

To be (as) pleased as Punch — to feel great delight or pride

To do smb’s heart good — to make smb glad or happy

To enjoy one’s life — to live in a carefree way

To get one’s jollies — to have fun to the full

To look on the bright side of things — to be hopeful about the future

To make good cheer — to have a great fun

To one’s heart’s content — until one is perfectly satisfied

Proverbs

Joy shared is joy doubled — разделенная радость — двойная радость.

A man of gladness seldom falls into madness — кто в радости живет, того и кручина неймет.

The more the merrier — где потеснее, там и веселее.

He that is ill to himself will be good to nobody — себе не в сладость, другим не в радость.

Good company upon the road is the shortest cut — с хорошим попутчиком и дорога короче.

EXERCISES

2.1 Combine the words from the box below to make seven idioms. Use each word once only.

2.2 Which idioms do the given pictures make you think of?

2.3 Complete each idiom in the following sentences.

1. You should try that café’s numerous healthy and delicious menu items to get ………….. pleasure.

2. Ben enjoyed a delicious lunch of seafood, extremely tasty pizza and artfully designed fruit dish to ………….. content.

3. A muscle-soothing massage, a calming manicure and pedicure went ………….. treat.

4. We ………….. jollies by dancing the night away, listening to jazz music and singing our hearts out at Karaoke.

5. The festival, featuring 200 productions ranging from dramas to musical extravaganzas to kids shows, was ………….. treat.

6. Jack and Alice made ………….. at the well known as Berlin’s best party bar.

7. Bill was ………….. Punch at the Hard Rock night club.

8. Everybody loves being in his company. ………….. gladness seldom falls ……………

2.4 Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets.

1. Troy was very glad to live in close proximity to the beach. (JOLLY)

2. Enjoying herself in the heart of Chinatown, Jessie forgot that her friends had been waiting for her in the Art Gallery. (JOY)

3. Ron was in a good mood that day. That’s why he didn’t notice how his home football team lost the match. (ALT)

4. It’s a pity we can’t have a picnic today because of rain. But, cheer up, I’ve rented a DVD with Dirty Dancing. (SIDE)

5. My life is not as easy as many think it is. I work 9 to 5, don’t earn much, study in the evening to get a degree — haven’t got a minute for myself. (ROSES)

6. Please do me a favor and help me with these heavy bags. (HEART)

7. You’d better go to your grandmother’s with Henry. He is a decent and good-natured guy; your trip won’t be long and tiresome. (ROAD)

2.5 The words ’jolly’ and ’joy’ are used in many different combinations. Find at least four of them in a dictionary and explain their meaning. Provide proper translation and make up sentences of your own. See the example below.

Example: Jolly Roger is a pirate’s flag with a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

The 18th century pirates roamed the seas and attacked merchant ships to steal their goods and treasure.

A joyrider is a person who steals cars in order to drive around in them at high speed.

My mother doesn’t want me to be friends with Kevin and says he has a negative influence on me because he’s a joyrider.

2.6 Match the beginning of each sentence with its ending.

2.7 Correct the mistakes in these idioms.

1. Mandy got each conceivable pleasure at the shop retailing women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories created by cutting edge designers.

2. The arts gallery housing all handwork silk embroidery picture and oil painting did my soul good.

3. Chris is always looking for some drawbacks in people as well as in himself. He who is ill to himself will be good to nobody.

4. When my pen ran out of ink, Andrew’s spare one was down a treat.

5. I left my homework at home, didn’t manage to catch the school bus, had to walk in a heavy rain, but, looking on the light side of things, I got an A for my essay.

6. Next month William is going to visit his grandparents he hasn’t seen for ages. The boy is as please as Punch.

2.8 Give appropriate and full answers to the following questions.

1. Do you believe that joy shared is joy doubled? Why?

2. Have you ever been in alt all day long? What was the reason for joy?

3. How do young people get their jollies in your town/ city?

4. Can flattery make you quite out of breath for joy?

5. What should happen to make a poor man’s life a bed of roses?

6. Would you be bursting with joy if you won or lost something?

7. Have you ever forgotten anything in your joy? What?

8. Good company upon the road is the shortest cut, isn’t it?

9. How do celebrities enjoy their lives?

10. Is it possible to get every conceivable pleasure? How?/ Why not?

2.9 Fill in the gaps with the information about you and your environment.

1. Seeing ……………………… does ……………… heart good.

2. My friends usually make good cheer ……………………………

3. ……………… goes down a treat when I …………………………

4. I love ………………………………………… to my heart content.

5. ……………… is as jolly as a sandboy every time s/he …………

6. ………………………… is a fair treat for ………………………

7. I try to look on the bright side of things when …………………

2.10 Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Елена, побывав в столице и посетив почти все достопримечательности, была вне себя от радости.

2. Если человек живет только в свое удовольствие, он черствеет и перестает обращать внимание на окружающих его людей.

3. В последнее время Борис изучает турецкий язык, в прошлом месяце он брал уроки скалолазания, завтра он займется еще чем-нибудь увлекательным. Его жизнь бьет ключом.

4. Андрей постоянно всем недоволен. Из-за этого у него нет друзей. Верно говорят, себе не в сладость, другим не в радость.

5. Иван любит повеселиться всласть.

6. Цирк с клоунами, дрессированными животными и воздушными гимнастами — прекрасное зрелище для детей.

7. Семен работает в компании, которой владеет его отец. Поэтому работа для него — приятное времяпрепровождение.

8. Надеюсь, весь класс пойдет на выпускной. Повеселимся на всю катушку.

9. Родные были очень рады, что приз достался Николаю. А Коля был рад вдвойне.

2.11 Write a letter to your pen-friend of about 150 words describing some jolly event or situation of yours. Find a proper place for at least 3 idioms.

Unit 3 SADNESS

Guess Russian equivalents of the idioms by the pictures given

Other useful idioms and their explanation

A misery guts — a person who complains all the time and is never happy

Smth holds no joy/ pleasure for smb — smth doesn’t make smb happy

Sour grapes — jealous about smth one can’t have

To be black as night — to be joyless and cheerless

To be down in the dumps — to be unhappy

To be in low spirits — to feel sadness and despondency

To be in no mood for/ to do smth — not to feel like doing or experiencing smth

To be in/ get/ have the blues — to be depressed, to have a fit of spleen

To be out of humor — to be sad and unhappy

To be out of sorts — to be slightly unhappy or ill

To have a bad hair day — to have a day when everything seems to go wrong

To just grin and bear it — to accept a situation one doesn’t like

To kick oneself — to be annoyed with oneself for doing smth foolish or missing an opportunity

To knock smb for six — to shock or upset smb very much

To lose heart — to become discouraged

To pull/ make a wry face — to have an expression of disappointment, or annoyance

Proverbs

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy — мешай дело с бездельем, проживешь век с весельем.

Better be envied than pitied — лучше жить в зависти, чем в жалости.

It is more pain to do nothing than something — скучен день до вечера, коли делать нечего.

Joy is always trailed by sorrow — за радостью горе по пятам ходит.

Misery loves company — на людях и горе вполгоря.

EXERCISES

3.1 Combine the words from the box below to make seven idioms. Use each word once only.

3.2 Which idioms do the given pictures make you think of?

3.3 Complete each idiom in the following sentences.

1. As Bruce is peppy, playing chess holds …………… for him.

2. Liz got an F at school. That’s why she’s in no ………….. to do the shopping with friends.

3. It’s clear that nobody wants to stay after classes, but lagging behind is much worse. So, you’d better ………….. bear it.

4. As Ivan was sick, his mother didn’t let him go to the theatre with the rest of the class. That’s why he felt ……… dumps.

5. Family occasions and holidays in general made her ………… heart as she had no relatives and was an orphan.

6. Extracurricular activities were a ………….. bore for Jack because he didn’t like spending extra time at school.

7. The process of studying turned out to be very demanding. And Bob was ………….. himself for having taken up violin classes.

3.4 Replace the underlined part of each sentence with an idiom.

1. By her face Paul understood his present was not to her taste.

2. A piece of bad news upset Rose very much.

3. Ron is depressed because the weather’s changing all the time.

4. I don’t want to invite Boris to my birthday party. He’ll ruin all the fun as he’s always unhappy.

5. Mary didn’t like Michael’s look. He told her he was ill.

6. When Laura was on her way to school, she saw her classmate who was the color of a rain cloud. It crossed her mind that something unfortunate had happened to him.

3.5 Match the beginning of each sentence with its ending.

3.6 Correct the mistakes in these idioms.

1. At breakfast I broke my tooth, at lunch I choked, and in the evening I was late for the meeting. All in all, I had a bad hair do.

2. No wonder Tom was black as cloud yesterday; he crashed his dad’s car.

3. I don’t know why, but, every time I share my troubles with my friend, I feel better — misery likes company.

4. Susan is not in mood to talk because she’s just quarreled with her boyfriend.

5. When Peter is down into the dumps, you’d better not bother him.

6. She’s always out of sots on the eve of her birthday.

3.7 Give appropriate and full answers to the following questions.

1. Can you guess when a person is in low spirits? How?

2. What kind of situation is not the end of this world?

3. Under what circumstances do people lose heart?

4. Are there any people who get the blues because of the weather?

5. Which month of the year can put a damper on skiing and snowboarding?

6. Would a piece of bad advice or a piece of good advice knock you for six?

7. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, doesn’t it? Why?

8. Does playing volleyball or dusting the furniture hold no pleasure for you?

9. Will you make a wry face if you hear a sick joke? Why?

10. It is more pain to do nothing than something, isn’t it? Why/ why not?

3.8 Fill in the gaps with the information about you and your environment.

1. It’s sour grapes when ………… say (s) that something isn’t good, but it really is.

2. ………………………….…………….…… is a real misery guts.

3. ……………. kick (s) ……………. for having …………………………

4. When ……………. am (is/are) out of humor, …………….………..

5. ……………. just grin (s) and bear (s) it if ………………. can’t change anything.

6. It’s a frightful bore to ………………………….… for ………………

7. ……………………………… believes that misery loves company.

3.9 Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Что случилось? Ты мрачнее тучи.

2. Наконец-то, Вова получил пятерку, но потерял дневник. За радостью горе по пятам ходит.

3. Вчера Мария не спала всю ночь, поэтому сегодня она не в настроении идти на дискотеку.

4. Извини, что не написал тебе раньше. Мне нездоровилось.

5. Все сегодня идет не так: утром проспала и опоздала на работу, днем поругалась с начальником.

6. Хотя я живу бедно и одеваюсь не по моде, но я выиграю этот грант на обучение за рубежом. Лучше пусть все завидуют, чем жалеют.

7. Я была в подавленном настроении, потому что моя учительница сказала, что моя контрольная работа — это что-то с чем-то.

8. Когда Диана видит, что Том работает без энтузиазма над их общим проектом, у нее руки опускаются.

9. Андрей хандрит уже вторую неделю подряд.

10. Его неуместные шутки отбили у меня всякую охоту выходить с ним куда бы то ни было.

11. Билли — бездельник и постоянно твердит, что скучен его день до вечера, коли делать нечего.

12. Помогать бездомным животным ему было не в радость.

13. Перестань плакать, у тебя будет еще много предложений работы. Это не конец света.

3.10 Write a letter to your pen-friend of about 150 words describing some sad event or situation of yours. Find a proper place for at least 3 idioms.

Unit 4 POSITIVE ATTITUDE

Guess Russian equivalents of the idioms by the pictures given

Other useful idioms and their explanation

Down-to-earth — with no illusions; practical and realistic

Like gold dust — difficult to find or obtain

Out of this world — extremely enjoyable or impressive

Smth goes with a swing — smth is successful and exciting

To be as good as gold — to be of the highest reliability, exemplary in deportment

To be on good terms with smb — to be friendly with smb

To break the ice — to do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a strained situation

To get on with smb — to like and have a friendly relationship with smb

To give smb credit for smth — to acknowledge or praise smb for smth

To have smth in common with smb/ smth — to share interests or characteristics; to resemble one another in specific ways

To have what it takes — to have the necessary qualities for success

To hit the spot — to be exactly what is required

To make the best of smth — to use smth as well as possible

To pay attention to smb/ smth — to take notice of smb/ smth

Proverbs

A hedge between keeps friendship green — с соседями дружи, а тын городи.

All are not friends that speak us fair — в очи льстит, а за глаза костит.

Civility costs nothing — от учтивых слов язык не отсохнет.

Do well and have well — когда хочешь себе добра, то никому не делай зла.

Handsome is as handsome does — не тот хорош, кто лицом пригож, а тот, кто для дела гож.

EXERCISES

4.1 Combine the words from the box below to make seven idioms. Use each word once only.