Студопедия — Make up situations in dialogue form using the Speech Patterns (to be done in pairs).
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Make up situations in dialogue form using the Speech Patterns (to be done in pairs).






TEXT FOUR THE FUN THEY HAD

By LAsimov

A professor of biochemistry and a science writer, I.Asimov is well-known as science fiction writer as well. In 1957 he won the Edison Foundation award for Building Blocks of the Universe, and in 1960 the Howard W.Blakeslee award for The Living River in which he analysed the chemical composition of the blood and related it to other manifestations in our universe, litis also the author of The Intel­ligent Man's Guide to Sciences, an encyclopedic work covering in brief essay all of science for the layman. Besides all this, Lucky Stars and The Pirates of the Aster­oids (1953), The Kingdom of the Sun (1960), The End of Eternity (1962) are only a feWscience fiction books that came from under his pen.

Margie even wrote about it that night in her diary. On the page headed May 17, 2157, she wrote, "Today Tommy found a real book!"

It was a very old book. Margie's grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather 1 told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper.

They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to — on a screen, you know. And then, when they turned back to the page before, it has been the same words on it that it had been when they read it the first time.

"Gee,"2 said Tommy, "what a waste. When you're through with the book, you just throw it away, I guess. 3 Our television screen must have had a million books on and it's good for plenty more. I wouldn't throw it away.

"Same with mine," said Margie. She was eleven and hadn't seen as many telebooks 4 as Tommy had. He was thirteen.

She said, "Where did you find it?"

"In my house." He pointed-without looking, because he was busy reading. "In the attic."

"What's it about?"

"School."

Margie was scornful. "School? What's there to write about school? I hate school."

Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector.

He was a round little man with a red face and a whole box of tools, with dials and wires. He smiled at Margie and gave her an apple, then took the teacher apart. Margie had hoped he wouldn't know how to put it together again, but he knew all right, and, after an hour or so, there it was again, large and black and ugly, with a big screen on which all the lessons were shown and the questions were asked. That wasn't so bad. The part Margie hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers. She always had to write them out in a punch code they made her learn when she was six years old and the mechanical teacher calcu­lated the mark in no time.

The Inspector had smiled after he was finished and patted Mar­gie's head. He said to her mother, "It's not the little girl's fault, Mrs. Jones, I think the geography sector was geared a little too quick. Those things happen sometimes. I've slowed it up to an av­erage ten year level. Actually, the overall pattern of her progress is quite satisfactory." And he patted Margie's head again.

Margie was disappointed. She had been hoping they would take the teacher away altogether. They had once taken Tommy's teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely.

So she said to Tommy. "Why would anyone write about school?"

Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes. "Because it's not our kind of school, stupid. 5 This is the old kind of school that they had hundreds and hundreds years ago." He added loftily, pro­nouncing the word carefully, "Centuries ago."

Margie was hurt. "Well, I don't know what kind of school they had all that time ago." She read the book over his shoulder for a while, then said, "Anyway, they had a teacher."

"Sure, they had a teacher, but it wasn't a regular teacher. It was a man."

"A man? How could a man be a teacher?"

"Well, he just told the boys and girls things and gave them homework and asked them questions."

"A man isn't smart enough."

"Sure 6 he is. My father knows as much as my teacher."

"He can't. A man can't know as much as a teacher."

"He knows almost as much, I betcha.7" Margie wasn't prepared to dispute that. She said. "I wouldn't want a strange man in my house to teach me."

Tommy screamed with laughter. "You don't know much, Mar­gie. The teachers didn't live in the house. They had a special build­ing and all the kids went there."

"And all the kids learned the same things?"

"Sure, if they were the same age."

"But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently."

"Just the same they didn't do it that way then. If you don't like it, you don't have to read the book."

"I didn't say I didn't like it," Margie said quickly. She wanted to read-about those funny schools.

They weren't even hall-finished, when Margie's mother called, "Margie! School!"

Margie looked up. "Not yet, Mamma."

"Now!" said Mrs. Jones. "And it's probably time for Tommy, too." Margie said to Tommy, "Can I read the book some more with you after school?" "Maybe," he said nonchalantly.

He walked away, whistling, the dusty old book tucked beneath his arm.

Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bed­room and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day, except Saturday and Sun­day, because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.

The screen lit up, and it said:

"Today's arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper frac­tions. Please insert yesterday's homework in the proper slot."

Margie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the old schools they had when her grandfather's grandfather was a little boy. All the kids from the whole neighbourhood came laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in schoolroom, go­ing home together at the end of the day. They learned the same things, so they could help one another on the homework and talk about it.

And the teachers were people...

The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen:

"When we add the fractions 1/2 and 1/4 8 — "Margie was think­ing about how the kids must have loved it in the old days. She was thinking about the fun they had.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

1. his grandfather: graphic means (italics, bold type, etc.) are very often used as expressive means of the language to enhance a part of the utterance in order to convey in written form the emphatic intonation of the speaker.

2. gee (interj.): a very common mild euphemism based on the first syllable of the word "Jesus". Used to express surprise or the like. (Russian: Вот так так! Вот это да! Здорово!)

3.1 guess (Am. colloq.): I think.

4. telebooks: authors of science fiction (SF) very often coin new words to describe advanced technology of the future. The term is used by I.Asimov in the meaning "books shown on a TV screen".

5. stupid (colloq.): a stupid person.

6. sure (Am. colloq.): inevitably, without fail.

7.1 betcha (illit.): I am sure.

8. 1/2 and 1/4 — one half and one quarter; 1/8 — one eighth; 1/3 — one third.

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

Vocabulary Notes

1. stand vi 1) to be in an upright position, as to stand still (straight, motionless); to stand with one's back to smb.; to stand in one's light; to stand leaning against smth., to stand in a line; to stand on end to rise up on the head as a result of fright or astonishment, e. g. His hair stood on end. to stand out to be outlined, to be prominent, e. g. The green roof stood out against the clear sky. His work stands out from that of the others, to stand up for smb. (smth.) to defend or support smb. (smth.), e. g. George stood up for precedent, it stands to reason it goes without saying, e. g. It stands to reason that we must do the job as well as possible. 2) to bear smth., e. g. Montmorency couldn't stand George's music. I cannot stand heat (pain, his jokes, the climate, etc.). to stand one's ground to be firm, e. g. Everybody was against him, but he stood his ground. 3) to remain unchanged, e. g. The agreement stands. 4) to provide and pay for, as to stand treat (z. e. pay the bill); 5) to support, e. g. We must stand by each other. 6) to be, e. g. He stands 6 foot in height, to stand for to mean, e. g. M.P. stands for Member of Parliament.

2. hate vt to have a strong dislike for; wish evil to; (collag.) regret, e. g. My cat hates dogs. I hate troubling you (to trouble you).

hate n hatred; extreme dislike or ill-will, e. g. He was filled with hate for his enemy.

hateful adj feeling, showing or causing hate, as a hateful crime, hateful glances, hateful lie.

hatred n hate; strong ill-will; {collog.) strong dislike, e. g. He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.

3. smile vi/t 1) to have a smile on one's face, e. g. He never smiles. What are you smiling at? Fortune has always smiled on (upon) him. 2) to express by smiling; drive away by smiling, as to smile away vexation (grief), e. g. He is not a man to smile away vexation.

smile n 1) the act of smiling; a smiling expression, e. g. There was a pleasant (cruel, ironical, etc.) smile on her face, to be all smiles to look pleased, e. g. The little boy's face was all smiles when he saw his new toy. 2) pi. favour, support, as to enjoy the smiles of fortune.

4. pat vi/t 1) to tap or hit smth. lightly (often as a sign of affection), as to pat a dog, e. g. Amy patted her shoulder with warmth. 2) to carry out the action of patting, make a patting sound, e. g. She patted the books into a neat pile. He patted his foot listening to the music.

pat nl|a slight tap or stroke given with the open hand, e. g. He gave me a friendly pat on the shoulder. 2) a light sound made by striking lightly with smth. flat.

5. take vi/t 1) to seize or lay hold of with the hand(s), or with an instrument; to grasp, capture, as to take a person's hand, to take hold of smth., to take a man prisoner; 2) to accept; receive; buy regularly, e. g. He took the house for a year. Who took the first prize? I shall take a holiday tomorrow. He was taking a nap. You must take your chance. 3) to carry; remove; borrow without permission; steal, e. g. Take these letters to the post. He's always taking other people's ideas. 4) to go with; conduct; escort, as to take a guest home; 5) to feel; experience, as to take pride in one's work, to take an interest in politics; 6) to eat; drink; receive into the system, e. g. He took a deep breath. 7) to assume; presume; conclude; suppose; regard; understand, e. g. I took him to be an honest man. Do you take my meaning? We may take it for granted. 8) to assume a certain attitude, e. g. Take care what you say. Did he take any notice of you? He has taken a dislike to me. She took her little brother to task. He took great pains to help me.

take after to resemble, e. g. Whom do you take after in your family? take down 1) to pull down, take to pieces, as to take down an old building; 2) to write down from dictation, e. g. The postmistress began to take down the message.

take in 1) to receive, admit, as to take in lodgers; 2) to make smaller, reduce, as to take in a dress; 3) to understand, as to take in a lecture; 4) to deceive, cheat, as to be taken in when buying a watch.

take off 1) to remove, as to take off one's hat, coat; 2) to take one's departure, to set off, e. g. The plane took off from Croydon airport. 3) to leave, to depart (informal), e. g. Take yourself off.

take over to succeed to; assume control of (a business, management, duties, etc.), e. g. When shall you be ready to take over?

take to 1) to form a liking for, e. g. The baby gas taken to her new nursemaid. 2) to fall into the habit of, e. g. He took to gardening when he retired.

take up 1) to occupy, e. g. The work takes up too much time. 2) to admit, e. g. The bus stopped to take up passengers. A sponge takes up water. 3) to continue; pursue further, as to take up one's story.

take up with to associate with, e. g. She had taken up lately with June.

6. level n a flat area of surface; a degree of height (lit. and fig.), as to be above (below) sea-level; the level of knowledge (development); low (high, average, cultural, intellectual, economic, scientific) level; to be on a level with smth. (smb.), e. g. The water in the river was on a level with the banks. His knowledge is quite on a level with a fourth-year student's, on the level (colloq.) honest(ly), e. g. Is he on the level?

level adj 1) having a flat, horizontal surface, as level road, level ground; to make a surface level; 2) even, well-balanced, steady, as to speak in a level voice, e. g. He has a level head (is level-headed), syn. flat.

level vf 1) to make level or flat, as to level a building (a village, a city) to the ground, e. g. The German fascists levelled many villages to the ground. 2) to bring to a horizontal position; to raise and aim, e. g. The hunter levelled his gun at the beast.

7. regular adj 1) unchanging, usual, habitual, as regular habits; to keep regular hours, e. g. He has no regular work. 2) following, or arranged according to a rule, a plan, or definite order; harmonious, as regular features, a regular figure; 3) properly qualified; recognized, trained, as a regular doctor; the regular army; 4) (colloq.) through; complete, as a regular rascal.

regularly adv 1) in a regular manner, as a garden regularly laid out; 2) at regular intervals, constantly; habitually, e. g. He was practising regularly for the last two weeks.

8. scream vi/t 1) (of human beings, birds and animals) to give a loud, sharp cry, esp. of pain or strong emotion; (of human beings) to say in a shrill loud voice, as to scream in anger, to scream with laughter, e. g. The baby screamed all night. This parrot screams but does not talk.

2) (of wind, machines, etc.) to make a long loud shrill noise, e. g. The jets screamed overhead.

scream n a loud, shrill, piercing cry, expressing pain, fear, anger, etc., e. g. The sound of the screams was loud enough for him to hear, a (perfect) scream (colloq.) a person or thing that is very funny or ridiculous, e. g. "Reginald, you are now the head of the family." — "I know," I said. "Isn't it a scream?"

9. fit vi/t 1) to be the right shape or size (for); to be fit or suitable (for), e. g. This coat does not fit me. This key doesn't fit the lock. 2) to make suitable or ready; cause (a thing or person) to be of the right or suitable size, shape, condition, etc. (for), as to fit oneself for one's new duties; to fit a plank in a floor; to fit smth. on to put on (a coat, etc.) in order to make it fit, e. g. I am going to the tailor's to have my coat fitted on; to fit in to occupy or have a suitable or right position or relation, e. g. How will my arrangements for the holidays fit in with yours?

fit adj 1) suitable or suited (for); good enough (for), e. g. The man is not fit for the position. Do as you think fit. We must decide on a fit time and place. 2) proper, right, e. g. He didn't think fit to do what I suggested.

3) strong and well; in good health, e. g. I hope you're feeling quite fit. He has been ill and is fit for nothing.

10. love vt 1) to have a strong affection or deep, tender feeling for; be in love with, as to love one's parents, one's country; 2) to have kind feeling towards, e. g. You ought to love children to become a teacher. 3) ta.be very fond of; enjoy, find pleasure in, as to love comfort (golf, sea­bathing), e. g. She loves to have (loves having) a lot of dogs round her. "Will you come with me?" — "I should love to."

love n 1) strong liking; friendliness, tenderness, as a love of learning; a love«of one's country, unrequited love; to give (send) one's love to to give, send an affectionate greeting; not to be had for love or money impossible to get by any means; 2) a feeling of affection, passion or desire between the sexes; to be in love (with) to have this feeling, e. g. Learnder was in love with Hero, to fall in love (with) to begin to love; to be (to fall) head over heels in love (with) syn. affection, devotion.







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