1 I was
lonely at first,'the old man admitted,'but after a time Igot used to living
alone and even got to like it.'
2 Before
trains were invented people used to travel on horseback or in stage coaches. It
used to take a stage coach three days to go from London to Bath.
3 I meant
to buy an evening paper but I .didn't see anyone selling them.
4 Tom: I
want to catch the 7 a.m.train tomorrow.
Ann: But
that means getting up at 6.00; and you're not very good at getting up early,
are you?
5 He
accepted the cut in salary without complaint because he was afraid to complain.
He was afraid of losing his job.
6 She
remembers part of her childhood quite clearly. She remembers going to school
for the first time and being frightened and putting her finger in her mouth.
And she remembers her teacher telling her to take it out.
7 Did you
remember to lock the car? ~
No, I
didn't. I'd better go back and do it now.
8 No, I
didn't move the bomb. I was afraid to touch it; I was afraid of being blown to
pieces!
9 Next time
we go house-hunting, remember to ask the agent for clear directions. I wasted
hours looking for the last house.
10 Tom:
Let's go for a swim.
Ann: I'm
not particularly keen on swimming. What about going for a drive instead?
11The
hunters expected to be paid by the foot for the snakes they caught. This meant taking
the snakes out of the sack and measuring them. They seemed to expect me to do
it; but I wasn't particularly anxious to be the first to die of snakebite.
12 After
spending two days argueing about where to go for their holiday they decided
not go anywhere.
13 He is
talking about giving up his job and going to live in the country.
14 I was
just about to leave the office when the phone rang. It was my wife; she wanted
me to call at the butcher's on my way home.
15He said,
'I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting.'
I said, It
doesn't matter at all,'but he went on apologizing for nearly five minutes!
16 The
lecturer began by telling us where the island was, and went on to talk about
its history.
17 My father
thinks I am not capable of earning my own living, but I mean to show him that
he is wrong.
18 Tom: I can't
get my car to start on cold mornings.
Jack: Have
you tried filling the radiator with hot water? That sometimes helps.
19 Did he
manage to carry the trunk upstairs? ~
No, he didn't.
He isn't strong enough to move it, let alone carry it upstairs.
20 Jack:
Don't forget to take a hacksaw with you.
Ann: What's
a hacksaw? And why should I take one with me?
Jack: It's
a tool for cutting metal. You see, Tom is bound to get into trouble for taking
photographs of the wrong things, and you'll be arrested with him. With a
hacksaw you'll be able to saw through the bars of your cell and escape.
21 Peter:
Wouldn't it be better ask Tom to leave his camera at home?
Jack: It
would be no good asking Tom to do that. It would be like asking a woman to
travel without a handbag.
22 I've got
the loaf; now I'm looking for a breadknife to cut it with. ~
I saw Paul
sharpening a pencil with the breadknife a minute ago.
23 We
stopped once to buy petrol and then we stopped again to ask someone the way.
24 When I
caught them cheating me, I stopped buying petrol there and started dealing with
your garage instead.
25 Do you
feel like dining out or would you rather have dinner at home? ~
I'd like to
go out. I always enjoy having dinner in a restaurant.
26 Your
hair needs cutting. You'd better have it done tomorrow—unless you'd like me to
have a go at it for you.
27 I tried
to convince him that I was perfectly capable of managing on my own, but he
insisted on helping me.
28 Jack: I
don't mind traveling by bus, but I hate standing in queues.
Tom: I
don't care for queuing either; and you waste so much time waiting for buses.
I think
it's better to go by tube, or taxi.
29 He took
to following me about and criticizing my work till I threatened to hit him.
30 I have
to stay here; I'm on duty. But you needn't wait; you're free to go whenever you
like.
31 In Animal Farmthe old pig urged the
animals to rebel) against man but he warned them not to adopt man's habits.
32 There is
no point in arriving half an hour early. We'd only have to wait. ~
I don't
mind waiting. It's better to be too early than too late.
33 I always
try to come in quietly but they always hear me going upstairs.
It's
impossible to climb an old wooden staircase at night without making a noise.
34 If you
agree to work for me I'll see about getting you a work permit.
35 We'd
better start early. We don't want to risk getting caught in a traffic jam.
36 He
suggested calling a meeting and letting the workers to decide the matter
themselves.