1B - Conversation Lesson - Social life and hobbies

Question 1

I’m loving it.

Which state verbs can be used in continuous tenses to emphasise the strong feeling?
particularly when talking about temporary situations.

And it’s very common for native speakers to move between simple and continuous tenses in casual conversations.

Answer 1

Love, like, hate, want, need, feel.

• • Is there anything you are loving at the moment?
  • Yeah, I absolutely love doing athletics.
• I’m loving this weather!
• He’s hating having to take the bus to work while his car’s out of action.

• She was feeling upbeat about her new job.

UK /ʌpˈbiːt/ US /ˈʌp.biːt/

We also sometimes use state verbs in continuous tenses to make requests and ask awkward questions in order to make them more polite.

• Dad … I was wanting to borrow some money.
• Sorry, I haven’t finished the report yet. I’ll be needing a bit more time.

Question 2

If I were to

You heard George use the unreal conditional clause ‘if I were to …’ during the conversation. His full sentence was as follows:

‘Oh, there’s a few things. I feel like if I were to change my haircut, when people start to notice that, that’s one.’

George uses this structure to say that it’s very unlikely that he will change his haircut, probably because he wouldn’t want anyone to notice! You could write the sentence simply with ‘change’ in the past simple with the same meaning (‘if I changed …’). However, ‘if I were to change’ is stronger and makes the idea seem less likely to happen.

Translate the next sentences:

• Если бы ты выйграл гонку/забег, что бы ты сделал?
• Если бы Кенет попросил бы меня выйти за него замуж, я бы упала замертво от шока.

Answer 2

• If you were to win the race, what would you do?
• If Kenneth were to ask me to marry him, I would probably drop dead from shock.

Question 3

круг друзей
социальный круг
the people who you regularly meet and spend time with.

Answer 3

social circle
circle of friends
group of friends
friendship group

Question 4

быть с похожими по духу людьми

This phrase describes how the people you hang around with all share similar interests, opinions and values.

Answer 4

to be with like-minded people

Question 5

как правило, склонен, как правило

• мне комфортнее в
  маленьком кругу друзей,
  чем в большом.
  he feels he is more successful in that type of situation

Answer 5

tend(s) to; to do better

I tend to do better in smaller groups of friends and not large ones.

Question 6

принудить/заставлять кого-то/себя делать что-то

to make oneself/sb do sth

• я пыталась заставить себя общаться в более больших группах… но у меня это изматывает.

Answer 6

to force sb/ oneself into sth

• I’ve tried to force myself into bigger groups… I just find it exhausting.

Question 7

формировывать, лепить
(плесень, форма, шаблон)

• я обнаруживала, что я пытаюсь слепить себя под других людей, пытаясь угодить каждому. и потом ты обнаруживаешь, что ты уже не являешься собой.

Answer 7

to mould

• I find myself moulding to the other people trying to please each one, and then you end up just not being yourself.

Question 8

обретать опору/почву под ногами, влиться в коллектив, найти себя, адаптироваться, найти своё место

to become

• familiar with and confident in a new situation
• когда тебе 20 это сбивающая с толку время, потому что каждый идёт найти свою дорогу занимает долго времени.
• у тебя долго заняло времени адаптироваться, когда ты начал новую работу?

Answer 8

to find one’s feet

• Your 20s is such a confusing time because everyone goes off in a different direction, and it takes a long time before you find your feet.
• Did it take you long to find your feet when you started your new job?

Question 9

в свои 20 (20-29 лет)

Answer 9

in your 20s

Question 10

в свои 21-23
ему 24-26
ей 27-29

Answer 10

I’m in my early 20s = 21-23

He’s in his mid (not middle!) 20s = 24-26

She’s in her late 20s = 27-29

Question 11

в начале XX века
в 1901-1933 годах

• первый самолёт был создан в начале 20-го века

Answer 11

in the early 20th century

• The first aeroplane was invented in the early 20th century. (1901-1933)

Question 12

в середине XX века
в 1934-1966 годах

• моя мама родилась в середине 20-го века.

Answer 12

in the mid 20th century

• My mother was born in the mid 20th century. (1934-1966)

Question 13

в конце 20-го века
в 1967-1999 годах

• сотовые телефоны стали использоваться с конца 20-го века.

Answer 13

in the late 20th century

• Cell phones started being used in the late 20th century. (1967-1999)