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Question
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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Solution
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.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Look at the italic words in the following examples.
a. We bought their biggest basket, then set off toward town.
b. One night we came upon them in the windy and deserted square.
c. He bit his lip, then in a rather put out tone he said, 'Very well.'
d. I shook my head and turned away.
Here are a few more. Match the phrases to their meanings.
| Phrases | Meanings |
| set up | to start on a journey |
| break down | to tolerate a situation or a person |
| set off | to lose control of your feelings and start crying |
| put up with | to enter |
| put off | to be faced with or opposed by |
| put on | to start/ establish a company |
| come in | to refuse/ reject |
| come across | to postpone |
| come up against | to try to get help/advice/ sympathy from someone |
| turn down | to wear |
| turn in | to meet or find by chance |
| turn to | to inform on or deliver up |
Now use the phrases given above to complete the following sentences.
1. The landlord was suspicious of the two men staying in his flat so he called the police and ……………. them …………….
2. Early in the morning we packed our bags and …………… for a hike over the mountain.
3. Janvi ……………………. some photographs of her grandfather in the old trunk.
4. My father ……………….. his own business 10 years ago.
5. The Bank …………………………….. Paul's request for a loan.
6. The Corporation's decision to reduce the leave of the employees …………………… a lot of opposition.
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 |
is / the / it / hobbies / one / best / of
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
The works of Shakespeare are the __________ of English drama.
Find out the meaning of the following phrase. Use them in your own sentence.
a black eye
Find out the meaning of the following phrase. Use them in your own sentence.
knock someone down
Guess the meaning of the following idioms and phrases and use them in sentences of your own. One is done for you.
One-size-fits-all – suitable for or used in all circumstances
Statement: The wrist watches have adjustable belts, so one- size- fits- all.
'One man army'
Guess the meaning of the following idioms and phrases and use them in sentences of your own. One is done for you.
One-size-fits-all – suitable for or used in all circumstances
Statement: The wrist watches have adjustable belts, so one- size- fits- all.
'Once bitten twice shy'
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
The crime went ______ for 11 years.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
When the baby saw its mother it gave an ______ smile.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
He contributed notably in bringing up the school.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
Our class monitor is a perfect symbol of duty and discipline.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
Accepting the great value of his research; they awarded him with a Ph.D. (degree)
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
look forward
Fill in the gap choosing the appropriate idiom.
(drown out, hits in the head with a brick, get one’s affairs in order, connect the dots, begin to dawn, stay hungy)
If you ______ you will realise that crime ultimately leads to poverty.
Fill in the blank a word or a phrase given in the brackets in their appropriate form.
“I never____________ my stomach”, she said
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase in your notebook.
in the pursuit of
Make a meaningful sentence by using the phrase ‘to look after’.
