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प्रश्न
1. This play has been translated into English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or my treasure in an English play?
Read through the play carefully, and find expressions that you think are not used in contemporary English, and contrast these with idiomatic modern English expressions that also occur in the play.
3. Look up the following phrases in a dictionary to find out their meaning, and then use each in a sentence of your own.
(i) You may take it that
(ii) He seems to be coming round
(iii) My foot’s gone to sleep
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उत्तर
1. Expressions not used in contemporary English
1. “my darling”, “my beauty”, “my precious”, “my angel”, “my beloved” (here, an older man is addressing an adult man)
2. “…and so on…” (here, it is used after a sentence in order to complete it)
3. “…and all that sort of thing.” (not explaining what it is, just leaving it as it is)
4. “...and all that.” (again leaving the sentence as it is)
5. “the scarecrow”, “the stuffed sausage”, “the wizen-faced frump” (In this way, they hurled insults at each other)
6. “And how may you be getting on?” (Here, Lomov is asking Chubukov about his well-being)
Modern English expressions
1. “Madam”, “my heart”, “honoured Natalya Stepanovna” (used by Lomov for Natalya)
2. “Honoured Stepan Stepanovitch” (used by Lomov for Chubukov)
3. “I beg your pardon…”
4. “My dear fellow” (Chubukov addressing Lomov)
5. “malicious, double-faced intriguer”, “fool” (Chubukov insulting Lomov)
3. (i)You may take it that I am lying, but in fact it will help you in the long run.
(ii) He seems to be coming round after the trauma of his father’s death.
(iii) After the three hour long yoga session, my foot’s gone to sleep.
संबंधित प्रश्न
Use the following phrase in your own sentence.
By fits and starts
You have read the expression ‘not to lose heart’ in this text. Now find out the meanings of the following expressions using the word ‘heart’. Use each of them in a sentence of your own.
1. break somebody’s heart
2. close/dear to heart
3. from the (bottom of your) heart
4. have a heart
5. have a heart of stone
6. your heart goes out to somebody
Here is sentence with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy adventure sports of Coorg. (para 6)
Complete the table by explaining the following phrases/ sentences in your own
words:
| Phrases | Meanings |
| happy memories light up a life that is nearing its close |
|
| the sounds helped him along his lonely way | |
| the cold used sleep to extend its sway over all things even as a false friend lulls his chosen victim with caressing smiles |
|
| when the evening of his life was drawing in, he left his old ways and suddenly took a new turn |
|
| the whole universe is built up through love and that the grief of separation is inescapable |
|
| the post-master, a man with a face as sad and as inexpressive as a pumpkin, would be seen sitting on his chair inside |
|
| And so the clerk, like a worshipper of Lord Vishnu, repeated his customary thousand names |
|
| The haughty temper of the official had quite left him in his sorrow and anxiety, and had laid bare his human heart |
Find words or phrases from the passage that mean the same as the following.
(a) to renovate, redo, or revise (paragraph 1)
(b) trying to win the favor, preference, or goodwill of (paragraph 1)
(c) come in small numbers (paragraph 4)
(d) well-off; rich (paragraph 5)
(e) friendly (paragraph 6)
(f) wanting or enjoying expensive pleasures (paragraph 6)
Match the phrases in Column A with their meanings in Column B
| Column A | Column B |
| (a) break out | (i) to try to find somebody or something |
| (b) to look for | (ii) as a rule or in general taking all relevant factors into account |
| (c) to take over | (iii) start suddenly and strongly |
| (d) to go into | (iv) to obtain or assume control of something, or gain control of something from somebody else |
| (e) on the whole | (v) to begin a job or career in a particular area of activity |
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase:
to get out of.
Find out the meaning of the following phrase. Use them in your own sentence.
knock someone down
Discuss with your partner about the different idioms/proverbs related to word ‘tomorrow’. One is done for you
- Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
- ________________________
- ________________________
- ________________________
Find out expressions/phrases which denote, ‘going away’, from each stanza. One is given below. “Vanish in the throng”.
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
win lots of money
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentence that follow.
I ______ the school gate when I heard the school bell ring.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentence that follow.
After the death of my pet dog, my ______ when dad got me a new pup.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentence that follow.
Do not stoop to ______ just to gain something from someone.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentence that follow.
The artist completes his paintings _________.
Write as many phrases as you can using ‘enough’ and use them in your sentences.
Example: good enough
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase, in your notebook.
be afraid of
Discuss with your partner and find proverbs, idioms, or phrases of similar meaning to the one given and fill them in the stars given below:

Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase:
'pitched in to help'
