A King and a Song

I n g r i d: There once was a king —

Mungo: King of England?

I n g r i d: No. This king's kingdom was far-flung, stretching along the banks of every winding river, spreading into all the angles of the world.

Mungo: He must have been a very strong king. The strongest! Did everything belong to him?

I n g r i d: Almost everything. One evening he was sitting on the bank of his longest river, watching the sun sink behind the weeping willows —

Mungo: And the nightingales calling from the darkening branches.

I n g r i d: Only they weren't nightingales. They were two monks ringing a tinkling bell, singing a sad lingering song in a strange tongue no longer known among the younger subjects of his farflung kingdom.

M u n g o: It's beginning to be interesting. But I'm getting hungry. Can you bring me something to eat and drink, do you think, Ingrid?

Exercise VI.Read the rhymes and learn them.

1. One busy housewife sweeping the floor,

Two busy housewives polishing the door,

Three busy housewives washing the socks,

Four busy housewives winding the clocks,

Five busy housewives cleaning with the broom,

Six busy housewives tidying up the room,

Seven busy housewives washing in the sink,

Eight busy housewives giving the cat a drink,

Nine busy housewives cooking dinner too,

Ten busy housewives with nothing else to do.

2. As I was getting along, along, along,

And singing a comical song, song, song,

The lane that I went

Was long, long, long,

And the song that I sang

Was as long, long, long,

And so I went singing a song.

3. Hush, little baby, don't say a word,

Papa's going to buy you a mocking bird.

If the mocking bird doesn't sing,

Papa's going to buy you a diamond ring,

If the diamond ring turns to brass,

Papa's going to buy you a looking-glass.

If the looking glass gets broke,

Papa's going to buy you a billy-goat,

If that billy-goat runs away,

Papa's going to buy you another today.

Exercise VII.Transcribe the proverbs and learn them.

1. No news is good news.

2. No sooner said that done.

3. Saying and doing are two things.

4. A creaking door hangs long on its hinges.

5. What's done cannot be undone.

UNIT 17. [fl — [v]

Exercise I.Read the following words paying special attention to correct pronunciation.

3. [v]—[f]

van — fan veil — fail

veal — feel vine — fine

vast — fast alive — a life

believe — belief prove — proof

Exercise II.Read the following sense-group, mind the rhythm and intonation.

vicar; a village vicar; versus a village vicar; devils versus a village vicar; evil devils versus a village vicar; seven evil devils versus a village vicar.

Exercise III.Transcribe and intone the following sentences. Practise reading them in pairs.

[v] (a) 1. Seven evil devils have no virtue.

2. Every evening Victor and Vivian visit Eve.

3. Both vow to love Eve forever.

4. But Eve is very vain.

5. Vivienne is vivacious and full of nerve.

6. Eventually Victor gives Eve up and goes over to Vivienne leaving Eve to Vivian.

[f] b) 1. The rough, tough ruffians make fierce faces to frighten the four friends.

2. The friends fight off the ruffians.

3. Four oafs fall flat on the floor and the rest flee in fear.

4. It's Phillip's fourth birthday on Friday.

5. That's funny. Phillip is fifteen.

6. But it's his fourth birthday. Phillip was born on February 29th.

[v] — [f] (c) 1. My father's job involves travelling.

2. We've lived in five different places in the last seven years.

3. I love it. I've got friends I can visit in all five places.

4. Five of the men v/ere carrying knives.

5. I grow flowers and vegetables in an old farmhouse outside the village.

Exercise IV.Read the tongue-twisters and learn them.

1. Fancy that Fan is full of fads and fancies.

2. Five fit fishers shipped six thick fish dishes.

3. That fish has a fat fin, this fish is a fish that has a thinner fin than that fish.

Exercise V.Read the text.

This is a photograph of a fat farmer arriving at a village in the valley. He's driving a van. It's a fine day, but it's November, and the leaves have fallen from the vine in the front of the photograph.

Exercise VI. Read the dialogues, mark the stresses and tunes. Learn them. Act out the dialotues.

1. At the Photographeťs

Phillip: I want a photograph of myself and my wife.

Photographer: Please fill in this form, sir. Would you prefer a full front photograph or a profile?

P h i 11 i p: A full front, don't you think, Phillippa?

P h i 11 i p p a: Yes. A full front photograph.

Photographer: Please sit on this sofa. Is it comfortable, Mrs Puffin?

P h i 11 i p p a: Yes. It feels fine.

Photographer: Mr Puffin, please give a friendly laugh.

Phillip: That's difficult. If you say something funny, I can laugh.

Photographer: And, Mrs Puffin, please look soft and beautiful.

Phillip: (laughs)

P h i 11 i p p a: Is it finished?

Photographer: Yes.

Phillip: Will the photograph be ready for the first of February?

Photographer: Yes. Please phone my office after five days, Mr Puffin.