Пословица не даром молвится. Пособие для учителей английского языка

Example: "She has not been here since Monday?"

"I believe not."

"Then you have been there?"

"Yes."

"What day?"

He hesitates. Shall he make a clean breast of it? Yes: in for a penny, in for a pound.

"I've been there five days," replies he slowly, and looking down. (R. Broughton)

Task 2. Complete the following proverbs.

1) Every cloud .........................

2) ........................ than never.

3) Don't cross ........................ you get to it.

4) Half a loaf ....................

5) ........................ in for a pound.

Тask 3. Find English equivalents to the Russian proverbs below.

На безрыбье и рак рыба.

Назвался груздем ─ полезай в кузов.

Взялся за гуж ─ не говори, что не дюж.

Нет худа без добра.

Лучше поздно, чем никогда.

Не стоит беспокоиться раньше времени.

Task 4. In the following passages find proverbs, or parts of proverbs, explain their meaning in English.

1) Every cloud has its silver lining but it is sometimes a little difficult to get it to the mint. (B. Stevenson)

2) The first time he was found there by the newspapers didn’t matter because you're crazy enough to do anything, but now it would be the final straw to break the back of this whole ridiculous situation. (J. Aldridge)

3) Hugo felt that he was about to swoon, that he had suffered just as much as a mart, could suffer, and that Fate was dropping the last straw on the camel's back. (A. Bennett)

4) "Tomorrow seemed such a long time off, that I thought I must know the worst or the best before the sun came up again. I don't quite know which it is now; which is it, Esther?" ─ "It's neither the one nor the other; it's the second best," she answers, all smiles again, at seeing some prospect of her admirer's departure. "It is that I really am very much obliged, though, all the same I wish you would think better of it and that I'll try." So with this half-loaf he goes. (R. Broughton)

5) The Spaniard seemed to catch sight of the bottle. "I'm so thirsty, do you mind if I have a glass of champagne?" Julia was silent for a fraction of a second. It was his champagne and his compartment. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound. "Of course not." He poured himself a glass, lit a cigarette and sat down on the edge of her bed. (W. S. Maugham)

Task 5. Use appropriate proverbs to fill in the blanks.

1) The fact that almost immediately John found a better job than the one he lost is further proof of the saying that ......................... (H. Whitford, R. J. Dixson)

Task 6. Find phraseological units and state what proverbs they originate from.

1) Lancashire has seen its export markets whittled away over the past years often by what seemed in one way or another unfair practices. To be attacked in the home market, which now absorbs 75 per cent of Lancashire's output, is the last straw. (W. J. Ball)

2) There's a silver lining Through the dark clouds shining, Turn the dark cloud inside out, Till the boys come home. (B. Stevenson)