Exercise 4, p. 263

A. 1. I clean forgot about the time/the passage of time./

I completely forgot that there was such a thing as time./The

fact that the time was passing and sooner or later this would

end had slipped my mind. It was wonderful. 2. He was very

careful not to leave any signs/marks that could let people

know where he had been or what he had done. 3. You are

thinking in a way that’s likely to lead to an incorrect result./

You are after the wrong person/You are barking up the wrong

tree/You are suspecting the wrong person/You’ve chosen

 

a wrong way. 4. It was that, that eventually made our friend

guess/understand what had happened. 5. I hope you don’t

expect me to follow all the details? 6. The dim white contour

of her summer dress was all that I could see. 7. I begin to see -

not what you would like me to see - the shape of a face and

a form - but the shape of a mind./ I begin to see - not what

you would like me to see - not the way he/she looks but the

way his/her mind works. 8. He was prepared to accept the

bad things in life as well as the good ones./He realized that it

wouldn’t be all plain sailing and was prepared to face the

problems as they came./He realized that there might be

problems and difficulties and was prepared to face them.

9. Mrs. Steptoe believes in treating poor relations unkindly/

looking down her nose on poor relations and being unpleasant

to them. 10. Hance was an old man with a brusque/impolite

tongue and compassionate eyes. 11. She shook hands

very firmly looking me straight in the face. 12. Do you mind

looking through/glancing at these accounts? 13. Well, I don’t

suppose there’s hope of making you understand the realities

of life/there’s no hope of making you give up your illusions

and see life as it really is. 14. He pictured the image of the girl

to himself/He saw the girl in his mind’s eye. 15. She has no

opinions of her own: she sees everything just like her mother.

16. She gave/told me the main points of the article but I read

it myself. 17. He spoke briefly about the events of those stirring

days. 18. I can never get over the marvels of modern science.

19. The Christmas tree, of what they had never seen the

likes, filled them with admiration and amazement/awe.

20. Finch considered whether he should embrace the boy -

give him a hug and a kiss. 21. It’s very surprising/I’m very surprised/

it’s a miracle you got here at all. 22. The X-ray treatment

has remarkably improved his condition.

B. 1. A lean old gentleman rose from his chair and hobbled

forward to meet me/and walked forward in such a way

that it was evident that one of his legs or feet was injured, stiff

or malformed. 2. He tried to prevent me from what I intended

to do by making empty promises. 3. This will make me

spend a lot of money. 4. I can’t stand this noise any longer.

I am going to try and put an end to it. 5. Don’t try to assume

that air of injured dignity: I can see through you pretence/

 

 

Don't try to pretend that your dignity is injured: I know that

you are play-acting. 6. He tried not to think about/to forget

the incident. 7. I think in those days we sometimes hesitated/

didn’t dare to show our emotions. 8. I thought if we had

spent one evening together perhaps he would dare to ask me

of his own accord another time. 9. He is capable of speaking

24 hours running/in a row/non-stop/without stopping.

10. A wet railway line/Wet rails and ties ran into the desolate

distance. 11. We didn’t know what the future held in store for

us/We hadn’t the least notion/the faintest idea what would

happen to us in the future. 12. A girl in a cotton dress and

straw hat ran up to him her hands held out. 13. You have the

air of one who can dictate the terms/who has all the trumps

(and will have everything their own way). 14. She can stand

her ground with anyone and she isn’t one to be trifled with.

15. Can I suggest an alternative solution that’s likely to

work/an alternative sensible solution? 16. I’d like to be able

to behave in this town in a way that shows that I have no

cause to be ashamed of myself and that I expect respect.