Idioms and Proverbs on Personal Issues. Учебное пособие

Александра Александровна Егурнова

Учебное пособие предназначено для студентов высших учебных заведений. Содержит 12 разделов личной тематики, направленных на изучение идиоматических выражений и паремий английского языка.

UNIT 1 HAPPINESS

Guess Russian equivalents of the idioms by the pictures given

Other useful idioms and their explanation

To be full of the joys of spring — to be glowing and cheerful, full of optimism and energy

To do smth (just) for kicks — to do smth because it is exciting, often dangerous

To get a (real) kick out of smth — to enjoy doing smth very much

Smth blows one’s mind — smth makes a person very excited

Smth is a dream come true — smth desired, but not likely to be realized, has actually happened

Smth is music to one’s ears — smth that makes a person feel better, happy

Smth makes one’s day — smth makes a person feel very happy

Proverbs

He is happy that thinks himself so — счастлив тот, кто себя счастливым считает.

He is happy who finds peace in his home — зачем и клад, коли в семье лад.

Every man has his delight — у всякого барона своя фантазия.

Every man is the architect of his own fortune — всяк своему счастью кузнец.

The fewer the better cheer — меньше народу — больше кислороду.

EXERCISES

1.1 Combine the words from the box below to make six idioms. Use each word once only.

1.2 Which idioms do the given pictures make you think of?

1.3 Complete each idiom in the following sentences.

1. Have you heard the news about Tom and Jill? They have won $1,000,000 on the lottery. They are………….. moon.

2. Sally’s at the greengrocer’s now buying exotic fruit. Finally her diet is over, and she’s thrilled…………. As she can eat almost anything she wants.

3. Ted is………… king because he’s finally got his driving license.

4. Yesterday John proposed to Helen, and, though she said she’d think it over, I’m sure she was in………….

5. Don’t try to talk Claire into studying German abroad with you. Every man………….. fortune.

6. The news about Helen’s miraculous recovery was………… ears of her family.

7. Tim tried many times to get into that culinary TV show, and, when he did, he was……………. world.

8. Nancy lost her first child and miscarried a second one. That’s why she was………….. nine after giving birth to her third baby.

9. William is so weird; he never eats his lunch without licking his index fingers first. Really,………….. delight.

1.4 Replace the underlined part of each sentence with an idiom.

1. Our teacher loves asking very difficult questions to fail his least favorite pupils. If he gives two or more bad marks during the lesson, it makes him feel very happy.

2. Joanna was very excited when her family came from Mexico to see her new place in Australia.

3. Michael enjoyed very much tackling tasks in Maths.

4. I wanted to visit France so much that, when I was selected as an exchange student from our school, I couldn’t believe it had actually happened.

5. My dream of having my own big house has finally come true. There’s no one in the world who could be happier than me. I’m in seventh heaven.

6. Jumping from an aircraft by parachute, climbing mountains without any safety equipment are just a few activities Frank does for fun.

7. At the training, I’ve learnt to value myself and my family. Now my motto is «Believe you’re happy and you’ll be happy.»

1.5 Match the beginning of each sentence with its ending.

1.6 Correct the mistakes in these idioms and proverbs.

1. Fred doesn’t earn much money. But every morning he greets the sun so enthusiastically. It’s really true that he is happy who thinks himself such.

2. Anna gets a real kick in songwriting.

3. There’s so much love in Kate’s eyes when she looks at her husband and children. I’d say she is happy who finds peace in her home.

4. Her holidays in India were unforgettable. She was on seventh cloud then.

5. Henry is so clever and hardworking. By 31 he’s already become a president of the company. Each man is the architect of his own fortune, indeed.

6. If my parents let me go to the party tonight, it’ll really do my day.

1.7 Give appropriate and full answers to the following questions.

1. Are you a person who gets a kick out of studying or doing sports?

2. Do you believe he is happy that thinks himself so? Why?

3. Were your parents on cloud nine when you were born, in your opinion?

4. Will it make your day if you help a passer-by? Why?

5. Is it possible for you to be floating on air because of winning some competition or contest?

6. Have you ever done anything just for kicks? What?

7. What news can be music to your ears?

8. Why do people usually jump for joy?

9. Every man is the architect of his own fortune, isn’t he?

10. Would you be over the moon if you got top marks in all your examinations?

1.8 Fill in the gaps with the information about you and your environment.

1. I’m sure that every man has his delight because…………

2. My sister/brother/cousin is often in seventh heaven when..

3. It’s a dream come true if………………………………………

4. The state of being as happy as a king is (not)…………………

5. What really blows……………… mind is…………………

6. To my mind, he is happy who finds peace in his home as….

7. It is my………………… who feels on top of the world…………

1.9 Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Я прыгал от радости, когда получил долгожданное письмо от тебя.

2. Утренняя пробежка и холодный душ заряжают меня энергией.

3. Каждый раз, когда я прихожу к бабушке, я вижу, как ее глаза лучатся от счастья.

4. Очевидно, он сдал выпускные экзамены, поэтому он в полном восторге.

5. Я не нахожу удовольствия в работе по дому.

6. Если я не успел сделать домашнее задание, то день прошел зря.

7. Когда правительство оплатило расходы по ремонту школы, директор от радости ног под собой не чуял.

8. Я не люблю столпотворения в общественных местах. Меньше народу — больше кислороду.

9. Если бы ты мне писала чаще, я был на седьмом небе от счастья.

10. Новость об отмене контрольной работы — словно бальзам на душу.

11. В прошлом году, ради острых ощущений, я прыгал с тарзанки.

12. Я был бы доволен как слон, если мне подарили компьютер последней модели.

1.10 Write a letter to your pen-friend of about 150 words describing some happy event or situation of yours. Find a proper place for at least 3 idioms.