Task 8.Match the two halves of the proverbs about Family Life. Can you explain their meaning? Is there any equivalent in your native language?
| 1. A chip of | a. than water. |
| 2. Like father, | b. fall far from the tree. |
| 3. To be tied to | c. of the family |
| 4. Black sheep or Bad egg | d. like son. |
| 5. The apple doesn't | e. one’s mother’s apron strings. |
| 6. Blood is thicker | f. the old block. |
Task 9.Write down a short context situation where it is possible to use one of these proverbs.
e. g. Tom’s father has never had any working experience. Now Tommy has no intention to apply for a job, even though he has graduated from University. No wonder, a chip off the old block!
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Task 10.Match the Idioms to describe types of people on the left with the correct definition on the right.
| 1.The apple of someone’s eye | a. Someone who spends a lot of time sitting and watching television |
| 2.A bighead | b. Someone who turns up at parties without being invited to them |
| 3.A blackleg | c. The minimum number of people that can run an office successfully |
| 4.A busybody | d. A person who loves taking dangerous risks |
| 5.A chatterbox | e. The person someone loves most and is very proud of (e. g. a grandchild) |
| 6.A couch potato | f. Someone with lots of modern ideas, energy and enthusiasm and who achieves a lot while still young |
| 7.A daredevil | g. A person who talks a lot especially about things that are unimportant |
| 8.A figurehead | h. Someone who continues to work when their fellow workers are on strike |
| 9.A gatecrasher | i. Someone who is the leader of a country or organization, but in name only. He or she doesn’t have any real power. |
| 10.A pain in the neck | j. Someone who always wants to know about other people’s private lives |
| 11.A skeleton staff | k. Someone who is very conceited, vain or boastful |
| 12. A whizz kid | l. A person who is very annoying |
(taken from Peter Watcyn. Test your idioms. Penguin English Guides, p. 21)
Task 11.Draw your family tree.Choose the idioms from the Task 10 to describe your family members and relatives.
Task 12.Read the following description of a person. Underline all the adjectives and phrases that describe personality.
I remember visiting my grandfather Edward when I was a small child. We lived in the same neighbourhood, so I had the chance to see him quite often.
Grandfather Edward was cheerful, outgoing and had a good sense of humour; he told jokes and smiled a lot. When I was a child, he was always patient with me. He never scolded me, even when I was naughty or made a mess. He was a persuasive person. It was his style to reason with people and they usually came around to his point of view. In difficult times he was reliable and a tower of strength for his family, providing support and encouragement.
I definitely could not call him a coach potato. My grandfather always kept himself busy. In his spare time he would go fishing with his friend Bill, work in his garden, and repair small items in his workshop.
Now that my grandfather has passed away, I miss chatting with him and laughing at his clever humour. But I will always remember his quiet wisdom, his affectionate touch, and his love of life.
(based on Mission: FCE 2, p. 27)
Task 13. Write an essay about “Your family members”. Describe their features of character, the way they look like and their values (200 words).