Páginas brillantes de la literatura inglesa -5

Aquí tenéis la 2ª parte del divertido episodio sobre el desmañado Uncle Podger, tomado del capítulo tres de Three Men in a Boat de Jerome K. Jerome:

We would find the hammer for him, and then he would have lost sight of the mark he had made on the wall, where the nail was to go in, and each of us had to get up on the chair beside him, and see if we could find it; and we would each discover it in a different place, and he would call us all fools, one after another, and tell us to get down. And he would take the rule, and remeasure, and find that he wanted half thirty-one and three-eighths inches from the corner and would try to do it in his head, and go mad.
And we would all try to do it in our heads, and all arive at different results, and sneer at one another. And in the general row, the original number would be forgotten, and Uncle Podger would have to measure it again.
He would use a bit of string this time, and at the critical moment, when the old fool was leaning over the chair at an angle of fort-five, and trying to reach a point three inches beyond what was possible for him to reach, the string would slip, and down he would slide on to the piano, a really fine musical effect being produced by the suddenness with which his head and body struck all the notes at the same time.
And Aunt Maria would say that she would not allow the children to stand round and hear such language.
At last, Uncle Podger would get the spot fixed again, and put the point of the nail on it with his left hand, and take the hammer in his right hand. And, with the first blow, he would smash his thumb, and drop the hammer, with a yell, on somebody's toes.
Aunt Maria would mildly observe that, next time Uncle Podger was going to hammer a nail into the wall, she hoped he'd let her know in time, so that she could make arrangements to go and spend a week with her mother while it was being done.
'Oh! you women, you make such a fuss over everything,' Uncle Podger would reply, picking himself up. 'Why, I like doing a little job of this sort.'
And then he would have another try, and, at the second blow, the nail would go clean through the plaster, and half the hammer after it, and Uncle Podger be precipitated against the wall with force nearly sufficient to flatten his nose. 
Then we had to find the rule and the string again, and a new hole was made; and, about midnight, the picture would be up - very crooked and insecure, the walls for yards round looking as if it had been smoothed down with a rake, and everybody dead beat and wretched - except Uncle Podger.

GLOSSARY

to do it in his head - calcularlo mentalmente
to sneer at - burlarse de
row - pelea
he would smash his thumb - se golpeaba el pulgar
yell - alarido
toe - dedo del pie
to pick oneself up - levantarse (tras haberse caído)
the nail would go clean through the plaster - el clavo atravesaba por completo el yeso
to flatten - aplastar
crooked - torcido
insecure - inseguro
to smooth down - alisar
rake - rastrillo
dead beat - agotado
wretched - desgraciado, infeliz

EJERCICIO

Rellena los espacios en blanco y luego mira el texto para comprobar si tus respuestas son correctas:


We would find the hammer for him, and then he would have ..... sight of the mark he had made on the wall, where the nail was .... go in, and each of ... had to get up on the chair beside him, and see if we ....find it; and we would ......discover it in a different place, and he would .... us all fools, one after another, and tell us to get down. And he would take the rule, and remeasure, and find that he wanted half thirty-one and three-eighths inches from the corner and would try to do it in his head, and ....mad.
And we would all try to do it in our heads, and all arive ...... different results, and sneer at .... another. And in the general row, the original number .....be forgotten, and Uncle Podger would have to measure it .......
He would use a ......of string this time, and at the critical moment, when the old fool was leaning over the chair .... an angle of fort-five, and trying to reach a point three inches ....... what was possible for him to reach, the string would slip, and down he would slide on to the piano, a really fine musical effect .... produced by the suddenness with which his head and body ..... all the notes at the same time.
And Aunt Maria would say that she would not .......the children to stand round and ....such language.
At last, Uncle Podger would get the spot fixed again, and put the point of the nail on it with his left hand, and take the hammer in his .... hand. And, with the first blow, he would smash his thumb, and drop the hammer, with a yell, on somebody's toes.
Aunt Maria would mildly observe that, next time Uncle Podger was .....to hammer a nail into the wall, she hoped he'd ......her know in time, so .... she could make arrangements to go and spend a week with her mother while it was .......done.
'Oh! you women, you .......such a fuss over everything,' Uncle Podger would reply, picking himself ...... 'Why, I like doing a little .... of this sort.'
And then he would have another try, and, ....the second blow, the nail would go clean through the plaster, and half the hammer after it, and Uncle Podger be precipitated .......the wall with force nearly sufficient to flatten his nose. 
Then we had ..... find the rule and the string again, and a new hole ......made; and, about midnight, the picture would be up - very crooked ....insecure, the walls for yards round looking ..... if it had been smoothed down with a rake, and everybody dead......and wretched - except Uncle Podger.

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Páginas brillantes de la literatura inglesa- 4

Comparto hoy con vosotros la primera parte de otra divertida página, tomada del capítulo tres de Three Men in a Boat de Jerome K. Jerome:

You never saw such a commotion up and down a house in all your life, as when my Uncle Podger undertook to do a job. A picture would have come home from the frame-maker's, and be standing in the dining-room, waiting to be put up; and Aunt Podger would ask what was to be done with it, and Uncle Podger would say:
'Oh, you leave that to me. Don't you, any of you, worry yourselves about that. I'll do all that.'
And then he would take off his coat, and begin. He would send the girl out for sixpenn'orth of nails, and then one of the boys after her to tell her what size to get; and, from that, he would gradually work down, and start the whole house.
'Now, you go and get my hammer, Will,' he would shout; 'and bring me the rule, Tom; and I shall want the step-ladder, and I had better have the kitchen chair, too; and, Jim! you run round to Mr Goggles, and tell him, "Pa's kind regards and hopes his leg's better; and will he lend him his spirit-level?" And don't you go, Maria, because I shall want somebody to hold me the light and when the girl comes back she must go out again for a bit of picture-cord; and Tom! - where's Tom? - Tom, you come here; I shall want you to hand me up the picture.'
And then he would lift up the picture, and drop it, and it would come out of the frame, and he would try to save the glass, and cut himself; and then he would spring round the room, looking for his handkerchief. He could not find his handkerchief, because it was in the pocket of the coat he had taken off, and he did not know where he had put the coat, and all the house had to leave off looking for his tools, and start looking for his coat; while he would dance round and hinder them.
'Doesn't anybody in the whole house know where my coat is? I never came across such a set in all my life - upon my word I didn't. Six of you! - and you can't find a coat that I put down not five minutes ago! Well, of all the -'
Then he'd get up, and find that he had been sitting on it, and would call out:
'Oh, you can give it up! I've found it myself now. Might just as well ask the cat to find anything as expect you people to find it.'
And when half an hour had been spent in tying up his finger, and a new glass had been got, and the tools, and the ladder, and the chair, and the candle had been brought, he would have another go, the whole family, including the girl, and the charwoman, standing round in semi-circle, ready to help. Two people would have to hold the chair, and a third would help him up on it, and hold him there, and a fourth would hand him a nail, and a fifth would pass him up the hammer, and he would take hold of the nail, and drop it.
'There!' he would say, in an injured tone, 'now the nail's gone.'
And we would all have to go down on our knees and grovel for it, while he would stand on the chair, and grunt, and want to know if he was to be kept there all the evening.
The nail would be found at last, but by that time he would have lost the hammer.
'Where's the hammer? What did I do with the hammer? Great heavens! Seven of you, gaping round there, and you don't know what I did with the hammer!'

to be continued

GLOSSARY

to undertake to do sth - ocuparse de hacer algo
frame-maker's - tienda del fabricante de marcos
sixpenn'orth of nails - seis peniques de clavos
to start the whole house - alborotar toda la casa
step-ladder - escalera de tijera
kind regards - saludos
spirit-level - nivel (herramienta)
to lift up - levantar
to save the glass - salvar el cristal
to spring - saltar
to leave off looking for his tools dejar de buscar sus herramientas
to hinder - estorbar
to come across sb/sth - toparse con alguien/algo
might just as well - más me valdría
candle - vela
to have another go - intentarlo de nuevo
charwoman - mujer de la limpieza
hammer - martillo
in an injured tone - en tono lastimero
to grovel for sth - buscar algo a gatas
to grunt - gruñir
to gape - mirar embobado

EJERCICIO

A ver cómo andáis de memoria. Rellenad los espacios en blanco y luego mirad el texto para comprobar si vuestras respuestas son correctas:


You never saw .... a commotion up and down a house in all your life, ... when my Uncle Podger undertook to ... a job. A picture would have come home ...the frame-maker's, and be standing in the dining-room, ..... to be put up; and Aunt Podger would ask what was to be ...with it, and Uncle Podger ....say:
'Oh, you ...that to me. Don't you, any of you, worry yourselves about that. I'll do all that.'
And then he would take ... his coat, and begin. He would send the girl out for sixpenn'orth of nails, and then one of the boys ... her to tell her what size to get; and, from that, he would gradually work down, and start the ...house.
'Now, you go and get my hammer, Will,' he would shout; 'and ... me the rule, Tom; and I shall want the step-ladder, and I ...better have the kitchen chair, too; and, Jim! you run round to Mr Goggles, and tell him, "Pa's kind .... and hopes his leg's better; and ...he lend him his spirit-level?" And ...you go, Maria, because I shall want somebody to hold me the light and when the girl comes back she must go out again for a ...of picture-cord; and Tom! - where's Tom? - Tom, you come here; I shall want you to hand me up the picture.'
And then he would lift up the picture, and drop it, and it would come out of the frame, and he would ...to save the glass, and cut ...; and then he would spring round the room, looking ...his handkerchief. He could not find his handkerchief, .... it was in the pocket of the coat he had taken off, and he did not know ... he had put the coat, and all the house had to leave ...looking for his tools, and start looking for his coat; ...he would dance round and hinder them.
'... anybody in the whole house know where my coat is? I never came ... such a set in all my life - upon my word I didn't. Six of you! - and you ... find a coat that I put down not five minutes ...! Well, of all the -'
Then he'd get up, and find that he ... been sitting on it, and would call out:
'Oh, you can give it up! I've found it ... now. Might ...as well ask the cat to find anything ... expect you people to find it.'
And when half ... hour had been spent in tying up his ..., and a new glass had been got, and the tools, and the ladder, and the chair, and the candle had been ..., he would have ... go, the whole family, ... the girl, and the charwoman, standing round in semi-..., ready to help. Two people would have to hold the chair, and a third would help him up on it, and hold him there, and a fourth would hand him a nail, and a fifth would pass him up the hammer, and he would ... hold of the nail, and drop it.
'There!' he would say, in an injured tone, '... the nail's gone.'
And we would all have to go down ... our knees and grovel ... it, while he would stand on the chair, and grunt, and want to know if he ... to be kept there ... the evening.
The nail would be found at last, but ... that time he would have ... the hammer.
'Where's the hammer? What ... I do with the hammer? Great heavens! Seven of you, gaping round there, and you don't ... what I did with the hammer!'

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Páginas brillantes de la literatura inglesa- 3

Comparto hoy con vosotros una página, tomada del capítulo 4 de Three Men in a Boat de Jerome K. Jerome, que me hizo reír en su día y que todavía me divierte. Espero que a vosotros también os guste. Como el texto es de nivel algo avanzado, incluyo un glosario y un ejercicio para practicar las partículas:

I remember a friend of mine buying a couple of cheeses at Liverpool. Splendid cheeses they were, ripe and mellow, and with a two-hundred horse-power scent about them that might have been warranted to carry three miles, and knock a man over at two hundred yards. I was in Liverpool at the time, and my friend said that if I didn't mind he would get me to take them back with me to London, as he should not be coming up for a day or two himself, and he did not think the cheeses ought to be kept much longer.
'Oh, with pleasure, dear boy,' I replied, 'with pleasure.'
I called for the cheeses, and took them away in a cab. It was a ramshackle affair, dragged along by a knock-kneed, broken-winded somnabulist, which his owner in a moment of enthusiasm, during conversation, referred to as a horse. I put the cheeses on the top, and we started off at a shamble that would have done credit to the swiftest steam-roller ever built, and all went merry as a funeral bell, until we turned a corner. There, the wind carried a whiff from the cheeses full on our steed. It woke him up, and, with a snort of terror, he dashed off at three miles an hour. The wind still blew in his direction, and before we reached the end of the street he was laying himself out at the rate of nearly four miles an hour, leaving the cripples and stout old ladies simply nowhere.
It took two porters as well as the driver to hold him in at the station; and I do not think they would have done it, even then, had not one of the men had the presence of mind to put a handkerchief over his nose, and to light a bit of brown paper.
I took my ticket, and marched proudly up the platform, with my cheeses, the people falling back respectfully on either side. The train was crowded, and I had to get into a carriage where there were already seven other people. One crusty old gentleman objected, but I got in, notwithstanding; and, putting my cheeses upon the rack, squeezed down with a pleasant smile, and said it was a warm day. A few moments passed, and then the old gentleman began to fidget.
'Very close in here,' he said.
'Quite oppressive,' said the man next to him.
And then they both began sniffing, and, at the third sniff, they caught it right on the chest, and rose up without another word and went out. And then a stout lady got up, and said it was disgraceful that a respectable married woman should be harried about in this way, and gathered up a bag and eight parcels and left. The remaining four passengers sat on for a while, until a solemn-looking man in the corner who, from his dress and general appearance, seemed to belong to the undertaker class, said it put him in mind of a dead baby; and the other three passenger tried to get out of the door at the same time, and hurt themselves.
I smiled at the black gentleman, and said I thought we were going to have the carriage to ourselves; and he laughed pleasantly and said that some people made such a fuss over a little thing. But even he grew stangely depressed after we had started, and so, when we reached Crewe, I asked him to come and have a drink. He accepted, and we forced our way into the buffet, where we yelled, and stamped, and waved our umbrellas for a quarter of an hour; and then a young lady came and asked us if we wanted anything.
'What's yours?' I said, turning to my friend.
'I'll have half-a-crown's worth of brandy, neat, if you please, miss,' he responded.
And he went off quietly after he had drunk it and got into another carriage, which I thought mean.
From Crewe I had the compartment to myself, though the train was crowded. As we drew up at the different stations, the people, seeing my empty carriage, would rush for it. 'Here y' are, Maria; come along, plenty of room.' 'All right, Tom; we'll get in here,' they would shout. And they would run along, carrying heavy bags, and fight round the door to get in first. And one would open the door and mount the steps and stagger back into the arms of the man behind him; and they would all come and have a sniff, and then drop off and squeeze into other carriages, or pay the difference and go first.
From Euston I took the cheeses down to my friend's house. When his wife came into the room, she smelt round for an instant. Then she said:
'What is it? Tell me the worst.'
I said:
'It's cheeses. Tom bought them in Liverpool, and asked me to bring them up with me.'
And I added that I hoped she understood that it had nothing to do with me; and she said that she was sure of that, but that she would speak to Tom about it when he came back.

GLOSSARY

ripe and mellow - muy curado
and a two-hundred power scent about them - y con un olor de 200 caballos/y con un fortísimo olor
that might have been warranted to carry three miles - que es seguro que podría haberse olido a tres millas de distancia
and knock over a man at two hundred yards - y tirar para atrás a un hombre a 200 yardas
my friend said that if I didn't mind he would get me to take them back with me to London - mi amigo dijo que si no me importaba si se valía de mí para llevarlos de vuelta conmigo a Londres
he did not think the cheeses ought to be kept much longer - no creía que los quesos aguantarían mucho más tiempo
cab - coche de caballos
ramshackle - desvencijado
knock-kneed - patizambo
broken-winded - de respiración dificultosa
we started off at a shamble that would have done credit to the swiftest steamroller ever built - partimos a un paso lento que habría hecho honor a la apisonadora más veloz jamás construida
all went merry as a funeral bell - todo fue alegre como una campana tocando a muerto
the wind carried a whiff from the cheeses full on our steed - el viento trajo una bocanada procedente de los quesos que le dio de lleno a nuestro corcel
It woke him up - lo despertó
and, with a snort of terror - y con un bufido de terror
he dashed off at three miles an hour - salió disparado a tres millas por hora
he was laying himself out - iba lanzado
leaving the cripples and stout old ladies simply nowhere - apartando del camino a los tullidos y a las  gruesas ancianas
It took two porters as well as the driver to hold him in - hicieron falta dos mozos además del cochero para pararlo
to have the presence of mind - tener la suficiente presencia de ánimo
to light a bit of brown paper - quemar un poco de papel de estraza
the people falling back respectfully on either side - echándose la gente respetuosamente para atrás a ambos lados
crusty - gruñón
notwithstanding - no obstante
rack - portaequipajes
to squeeze down - hacerse un hueco
to fidget - moverse inquieto
very close in here - muy estrecho aquí dentro
quite oppressive - muy agobiante
to sniff - olfatear
they caught it right on the chest - les alcanzó el olor en pleno pecho
disgraceful - vergonzoso
to be harried about - ser agobiada por todos lados
to sit on - seguir sentado
seemed to belong to the undertaker class -  parecía ser alguien de las pompas fúnebres
it put him in mind of a dead baby - le recordaba a un bebé muerto
some people made a fuss over a little thing - alguna gente protestaba por una insignificancia
we yelled, and stamped, and waved our umbrellas - gritamos, pateamos y agitamos los paraguas
'what's yours?' - ¿que quiere usted tomar?
half-a-crown's worth of brandy - media corona de coñac
neat - solo, sin agua
which I thought mean - lo cual me pareció mezquino
As we drew up at the different stations - Cuando parabamos en las distintas estaciones
plenty of room - mucho sitio
to stagger back - tambalearse para atrás
to drop off - retirarse
to go first - irse a la primera clase
she smelled round for an instant - olió a su alrededor durante un instante
'Tell me the worst' - dime lo peor

EJERCICIO

Rellena los huecos con las partículas usadas en el texto:

I remember a friend of mine buying a couple of cheeses at Liverpool. Splendid cheeses they were, ripe and mellow, and ... a two-hundred horse-power scent .... them that might have been warranted to carry three miles, and knock a man ..... at two hundred yards. I was in Liverpool ... the time, and my friend said that if I didn't mind he would get me to take them ... with me to London, as he should not be coming up ... a day or two himself, and he did not think the cheeses ought to be kept much longer.
'Oh, with pleasure, dear boy,' I replied, 'with pleasure.'
I called ... the cheeses, and took them ... in a cab. It was a ramshackle affair, dragged along ... a knock-kneed, broken-winded somnabulist, which his owner ... a moment of enthusiasm, during conversation, referred ... as a horse. I put the cheeses ... the top, and we started ... at a shamble that would have done credit ... the swiftest steam-roller ever built, and all went merry as a funeral bell, until we turned a corner. There, the wind carried a whiff ... the cheeses full on our steed. It woke him ..., and, ... a snort of terror, he dashed ... at three miles an hour. The wind still blew ... his direction, and before we reached the end ... the street he was laying himself out ... the rate of nearly four miles an hour, leaving the cripples and stout old ladies simply nowhere.
It took two porters as well as the driver to hold him in ... the station; and I do not think they would have done it, even then, had not one of the men had the presence ... mind to put a handkerchief ... his nose, and to light a bit ... brown paper.
I took my ticket, and marched proudly ... the platform, with my cheeses, the people falling ... respectfully ... either side. The train was crowded, and I had to get ... a carriage where there were already seven other people. One crusty old gentleman objected, but I got ..., notwithstanding; and, putting my cheeses upon the rack, squeezed down ... a pleasant smile, and said it was a warm day. A few moments passed, and then the old gentleman began to fidget.
'Very close ... here,' he said.
'Quite oppressive,' said the man next ... him.
And then they both began sniffing, and, ... the third sniff, they caught it right ... the chest, and rose up ... another word and went .... And then a stout lady got ..., and said it was disgraceful that a respectable married woman should be harried about ... this way, and gathered up a bag and eight parcels and left. The remaining four passengers sat on ... a while, until a solemn-looking man in the corner who, ... his dress and general appearance, seemed to belong ... the undertaker class, said it put him ... mind of a dead baby; and the other three passenger tried to get ... of the door ... the same time, and hurt themselves.
I smiled ... the black gentleman, and said I thought we were going to have the carriage ... ourselves; and he laughed pleasantly and said that some people made such a fuss ... a little thing. But even he grew stangely depressed ... we had started, and so, when we reached Crewe, I asked him to come and have a drink. He accepted, and we forced our way ... the buffet, where we yelled, and stamped, and waved our umbrellas ... a quarter of an hour; and then a young lady came and asked us if we wanted anything.
'What's yours?' I said, turning ... my friend.
'I'll have half-a-crown's worth ... brandy, neat, if you please, miss,' he responded.
And he went ... quietly after he had drunk it and got ... another carriage, which I thought mean.
From Crewe I had the compartment ... myself, though the train was crowded. As we drew up ... the different stations, the people, seeing my empty carriage, would rush ... it. 'Here y' are, Maria; come along, plenty ... room.' 'All right, Tom; we'll get in here,' they would shout. And they would run ..., carrying heavy bags, and fight round the door to get ... first. And one would open the door and mount the steps and stagger ... into the arms of the man ... him; and they would all come and have a sniff, and then drop off and squeeze ... other carriages, or pay the difference and go first.
From Euston I took the cheeses down ... my friend's house. When his wife came ...to the room, she smelt round ... an instant. Then she said:
'What is it? Tell me the worst.'
I said:
'It's cheeses. Tom bought them in Liverpool, and asked me to bring them up ... me.'
And I added that I hoped she understood that it had nothing to do ... me; and she said that she was sure ... that, but that she would speak ... Tom ... it when he came back.

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Páginas brillantes de la literatura inglesa -2

Siguiendo con mi programa de páginas selectas de la Literatura Inglesa, le toca hoy el turno al arranque de la novela Pride and Prejudice de Jane Austen. He leído varias veces esta novela y visto algunas versiones cinematográficas y siempre me ha encantado. La página que hoy comparto con vosotros es realmente genial y es considerada por muchos como prototipo de ese fino humor inglés no exento de sarcasmo. Si os apetece, tras los banquetes de Nochebuena y Navidad, podéis dedicar unos minutos a leer o releer esta página e incluso contestar a las comprehension questions que incorporo:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.
'My dear Mr Bennet,' said his lady to him one day, 'have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?'
Mr Bennet replied that he had not.
'But it is,' returned she; 'for Mrs Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.'
Mr Bennet made no answer.
'Do not you want to know who has taken it?' cried his wife impatiently.
'You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.'
This was invitation enough.
'Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.'
'What is his name?'
'Bingley.'
'Is he married or single?'
'Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a-year. What a fine thing for our girls!'
'How so? how can it affect them?'
'My dear Mr Bennet,' replied his wife, 'how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.'
'Is that his design in settling here?'
'Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But is is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.'
'I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr Bingley might like you the best of the party.'
'My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.'
'In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.'
'But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood.'
'It is more than I engage for, I assure you.'
'But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general you know they visit no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not.'
'You are over scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.'
'I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is no half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference.'
'They have none of them much to recommend them,' replied he; 'they are all silly and ignorant, like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.'
'Mr Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.'
'You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.'
'Ah! you do not know what I suffer.'
'But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.'
'It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.'
'Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.'
Mr Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.
Mr Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr Bingley. He had always intended to visit him, though to the last always assuring his wife that he should not go; and till the evening after the visit was paid she had no knowledge of it.........

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.- How many daughters do Mr and Mrs Bennet have?
a.- 3; b.- 4; c.- 5
2.- How long had they been married?
a.- 23 years; b.- 40 years; c.- 33 years
3.- Who told Mrs Bennet that Netherfield had been let?
a.- Mrs Long; b.- Mr Morris; c.- Lady Lucas
4.- Why was Mrs Bennet so keen on Mr Bennet's visiting Mr Bingley?
a.- To welcome him into the neighourhood; b.- Because she wanted her family  to be friends with Mr Bingley; c.- Because if Mr Bennet did not visit him first, it would be impossible for her and her daughters to visit him later
5.- Which of these three statements about Mr Bingley is true?
a.- He wants to get married; b.- He's well-off; c.- He's a widower
6.- Why does Mrs Bennet want Mr Bingley to meet her daughters?
a.- Because he's very handsome; b.- Because one of her daughters is in love with him; c.- Because she hopes he may fall in love with one of her daughters
7.- Which of his daughters does Mr Bennet prefer?
a.- Jane; b; Lizzy; c.- Lydia
8.- Why?
a.- Because she's more handsome than her sisters; b.- Because she's wittier than her sisters; c.- Because she's the eldest
9.- What was Mrs Bennet's opinion about Lydia?
a.- That she was very pretty; b.- That she was rather good-humoured; c.- That she was very hard-working
10.- How do you think Mrs Bennet took her husband's commentary that Mr Bingley might like her better than her daughters?
a.- She thought that her husband was being jealous; b.- She was angry because she suspected her husband was pulling her leg; c.- She was pleased because she took her husband's commentary as a compliment
11.- What do you think was Mrs Bennet's main goal in life?
a.- That her children would go to university; b.- To rub shoulders with the nobility; c.- To get all her daughters suitably married.
12.- Do you think Mr Bennet did not really intend to visit Mr Bingley?
a.- No, he was only teasing his wife; b.-Yes, he never visited anybody. c.- Yes, he'd rather wait till other young men came into the neighbourhood to visit them all. 

CLAVE
1.- c; 2.- a; 3.- a; 4.- c; 5.- b; 6.- c; 7.- b; 8.- b; 9.- b; 10.- c; 11.- c; 12.- a.

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Páginas brillantes de la literatura inglesa -1

Mis queridos seguidores y amigos: Es Navidad, y no es cosa de ponerse a estudiar gramática o fonética. La Navidad es tiempo de reunirse y comer con familiares y amigos, de ir de tiendas para comprar regalos, etc. Pero la Navidad es también para mí tiempo de recuerdos y, entre esos recuerdos están los libros que leí en mi juventud y que tanto me hicieron disfrutar. Es por esta razón por la que, durante las vacaciones navideñas, es mi propósito subir a mi blog algunas páginas brillantes de la literatura inglesa para que disfrutéis leyéndolas, si os queda algún hueco entre las actividades típicas de estas fechas.
Pero como dicen los ingleses "once a teacher, always a teacher", que podríamos traducir como 'un profesor no deja nunca de ser profesor' (puede aplicarse también a otras profesiones, vocacionales principalmente como, por ejemplo, la de cura: 'once a priest, always a priest), y a mí, como profesor que fui y que quiero de algún modo seguir siendo, se me ocurre que estas lecturas, a la vez que placenteras, podrían servir también de reading comprehension, por si a alguno de vosotros le apetece practicar un poco la comprensión lectora, e incorporo, por tanto, algunas comprehension questions.
Empezaré con el arranque del capítulo 1 de Travels With My Aunt, de Graham Greene, que me parece un ejemplo de fino humor inglés y que espero os guste tanto como me gustó a mí la primera vez que lo leí, en mis años jóvenes. Graham Greene es uno de mis autores ingleses favoritos y he leído la mayoría de sus libros. Conozco algo de su vida (escribió varias autobiografías, la primera A Sort of Life, en 1971, la segunda, Ways of Escape, en 1980  y, la tercera, A World of My Own, en forma de diario, publicada póstumamente en 1992, un año después de su muerte). Además, en más de una ocasión, he tenido, gracias a mis queridos monjes cistercienses, el privilegio de dormir en una habitación del Monasterio de Oseira, en Orense, donde el gran escritor durmió cuando fue a Galicia, para supervisar el rodaje de un film televisivo, basado en su novela Monsignor Quixote, con Alec Guinness como actor principal:

I met my Aunt Augusta for the first time in more than half a century at my mother's funeral. My mother was approaching eighty-six when she died, and my aunt was some eleven or twelve years younger. I had retired from the bank two years before with an adequate pension and a silver handshake. There had been a takeover by the Westminster and my branch was considered redundant. Everyone thought me lucky, but I found it difficult to occupy my time. I have never married, I have always lived quietly, and, apart from my interest in dahlias, I have no hobby. For those reasons I found myself agreeably excited by my mother's funeral.
My father had been dead for more than forty years. He was a building contractor of a lethargic disposition who used to take afternoon naps in all sorts of curious places. This irritated my mother, who was an energetic woman, and she used to seek him out to disturb him. As a child I remember going to the bathroom - we lived in Highgate then - and finding my father asleep in the bath in his clothes. I am rather short-sighted and I thought that my mother had been cleaning an overcoat, until I heard my father whisper, 'Bolt the door on the inside when you go out.' He was too lazy to get out of the bath and too sleepy, I suppose, to realize that his order was quite impossible to carry out. At another time, when he was responsible for a new block of flats in Lewisham, he would take his catnap in the cabin of the giant crane, and construction would be halted until he woke. My mother, who had a good head for heights, would climb ladders to the highest scaffolding in the hope of discovering him, when as like as not he would have found a corner in what was to be the underground garage. I had always thought of them as reasonably happy together: their twin roles of the hunter and the hunted probably suited them, for my mother by the time I first remembered her had developed an alert poise of the head and a wary trotting pace which reminded me of a gun-dog. I must be forgiven these memories of the past: at a funeral they are apt to come unbidden, there is so much waiting about.
Not many people attended the service, which took place at a famous crematorium, but there was that slight stirring of excited expectation which is never experienced at a graveside. Will the oven doors open? Will the coffin stick on the way to the flames? I heard a voice behind me saying in very clear old accents, 'I was present once at a premature cremation.'
It was, as I recognized with some difficulty from a photograph in the family album, my Aunt Augusta, who had arrived late, dressed rather as the late Queen Mary of beloved memory might have dressed if she had still been with us and had adapted herself a little towards the present mode. I was surprised by her brilliant red hair, monumentally piled, and her two big front teeth which gave her a vital Neanderthal air. Somebody said, 'Hush', and a clergyman began a prayer which I believe he must have composed himself. I had never heard it at any other funeral service, and I have attended a great number in my time. A bank manager is expected to pay his last respects to every old client who is not as we say 'in the red', and in any case I have a weakness for funerals. People are generally seen at their best on these occasions, serious and sober, and optimistic on the subject of personal immortality.
The funeral of my mother went without a hitch. The flowers were removed economically from the coffin, which at the touch of a bottom slid away from us out of sight. Afterwards in the troubled sunlight I shook hands with a number of nephews and nieces whom I hadn't seen for years and could not identify. It was understood that I had to wait for the ashes and wait I did, while the chimney of the crematorium gently smoked overhead.
'You must be Henry,' Aunt Augusta said, gazing reflectively at me with her sea-deep blue eyes.
'Yes,' I said, 'and you must be Aunt Augusta.'

Comprehension questions

1.- How long was it since Henry hadn't seen Aunt Augusta?
2.- How old was Henry's mother when she died?
3.- What was Henry's profession before he retired?
4.-Why did he retire?
5.- What do we understand by 'a silver handshake'?
6.- What was Henry's hobby?
7.- Was Henry married or single?
8.- Where did Henry's father use to take his catnaps?
9.- What is Aunt Augusta like?
10.- What did Henry wait for after the funeral?

Suggested answers

1.- Over 50 years.
2.- Eighty-six.
3.- He was a bank manager.
4.- Because there had been a takeover by the Westminster and his branch had been made redundant.
5.- A silver handshake is a sum of money, more modest than a golden handshake, which is given to someone who is made redundant or retires early.
6.- He didn't have a hobby, apart from his interest in dahlias.
7.- He was single.
8.- In all sort of curious places, for instance in the cabin of the giant crane of a block of flats that was being built and which he was responsible for as building contractor.
9.- She had brilliant red hair which she wore monumentally piled, and two big front teeth which gave her a vital Neanderthal air.
10.- His mother's ashes.







  

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Villancicos: El Tamborilero

Siguiendo con el espíritu navideño, hoy comparto con vosotros uno de los más famosos villancicos en nuestro país, 'El Tamborilero', cantado por Raphael- ¿Os suena?
Curiosamente, The Little Drummer Boy es, según parece, de origen checo y fue la pianista norteamericana Katherine Kennicott David, natural de St Joseph (Missouri), quien adaptó libremente la letra y la publicó en 1941 con el seudónimo de C.W.R. Robertson y el título Carol of the Drum. No fue, sin embargo, hasta 1955, cuando el villancico adquirió gran popularidad, con la versión grabada por la célebre familia austro-húngara, exiliada en América, the Trapp Family. En España, es muy famosa la versión cantada por Raphael y, aunque superconocida, creo que vale la pena recordarla en estos días:

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Christmas Carols: Jingle Bells

La Navidad está a la vuelta de la esquina y ya se respira en el ambiente el alegre espíritu de estas emotivas fiestas. Con este motivo, comparto hoy con vosotros una versión reducida de Jingle Bells, tal vez el más famoso villancico (Christmas Carol) en lengua inglesa.
Curiosamente, Jingle Bells fue compuesta por el estadounidense James Pierpoint, con el título One Horse Open Sleigh, para celebrar el Día de Acción de Gracias y, al parecer, fue cantada en público por primera vez en 1857, en una iglesia de Savannah (Georgia), donde James era organista, pero gustó tanto que se repitió para Navidad, convirtiéndose al cabo de unos años en un villancico tradicional: 

Glossary

to jingle - tintinear
all the way - todo el camino/todo el viaje
dashing through the snow - corriendo/moviéndose rápidamente por la nieve
one-horse open sleigh - trineo abierto tirado por un solo caballo
o'er - forma poética de over
bobtail - caballo con la cola cortada
sleighing - viajando en trineo

Y para terminar, valga el villancico que comparto a continuación, típicamente inglés del siglo 16, mundialmente conocido, para desearos a todos vosotros, seguidores y amigos, una Feliz Navidad y un Próspero Año Nuevo 2014

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Pinceladas gramaticales: still/yet

En mi experiencia como enseñante, he tenido ocasión de comprobar que algunos alumnos tienen dudas sobre el uso correcto de still y yet. El objetivo de la presente entrada es, por tanto, despejar en lo posible dichas dudas:

-Se usa still, con el significado de 'todavía' en los siguientes casos:

a) En frases afirmativas: 
I still love you - todavía te quiero/te sigo queriendo
Andrew still works there - Andrew todavía trabaja allí/Andrew sigue trabajando allí
We still live in the same house - todavía vivimos en la misma casa/seguimos viviendo en la misma casa.

b) En frases interrogativas: 
Are you still working? - ¿estás todavía trabajando?/¿sigues trabajando?
is it still raining? - ¿está lloviendo todavía/sigue lloviendo?

c) En frases negativas o interrogativo-negativas enfáticas, es decir, frases negativas  o interrogativo-negativas que añaden un matiz de sorpresa o extrañeza: 
Haven't you still got up? - ¿todavía no te has levantado?
Hasn't your son still found a job? - ¿no ha encontrado tu hijo trabajo todavía?

Si no se da este matiz de sorpresa o extrañeza, se usa yet. Compárese:
He hasn't got married yet - no se ha casado todavía (lo encontramos normal)
He still hasn't got married - Todavía no se ha casado (nos parece extraño o sorprendente)

- Yet, por su parte, se usa en los siguientes casos:

a) En oraciones negativas, con el significado de 'todavía':
I haven't finished yet - no he terminado todavía
The boss hasn't arived yet - el jefe no ha llegado todavía

Nota: En las oraciones negativas o interrogativo-negativas puede usarse tanto yet como still, pero still suele indicar un matiz de extrañeza o sorpresa, del que carece yet:

He doesn't understand yet - no entiende todavía (nos parece normal)
He still doesn't understand - todavía no lo entiende (nos parece extraño)
Hasn't he begun yet? - ¿no ha empezado todavía? (sólo queremos saberlo)
Hasn't he still begun? - ¿todavía no ha empezado? (nos extraña)

Not yet significa 'todavía no:
"Are you ready?" "Not yet" - "¿estás lista?" "todavía no."

b) En oraciones interrogativas, con el significado, de ¿ya?:
Have they come yet? - ¿han llegado ya?
Have you finished yet? - ¿has terminado ya?

En este caso, puede usarse también already, con el mismo significado: Have they already come?; have you already  finished?, aunque  already en preguntas puede indicar en algunos contextos que algo que no se esperaba ha ocurrido ya: is it ten o'clock already? - ¿son ya las diez?

c) En ciertas oraciones afirmativas, con el significado de 'todavía', añadiendo un matiz de deseo o emoción:

We may win yet - todavía podemos ganar.

d) En ciertas frases con un superlativo, con el significado de 'hasta ahora': Their greatest triumph yet - su mayor triunfo hasta ahora; his best/worst novel yet - su mejor/peor novela hasta ahora.

Nota.- Tanto still como (and) yet pueden usarse al principio de la frase como conjuncts (adverbios de referencia anafórica), con el significado de '(y) sin embargo':
It rained every day, still/and yet we had a great time -llovió todos los días. Sin embargo, lo pasamos estupendamente. 

PRÁCTICA

Rellena los huecos con yet o still, según convenga:

1.- I haven't found a job ..................
2.- I can't believe it. Haven't you .......... found a job?
3.- Don't worry, the bank may lend us the money ............
4.- I haven't had breakfast ...............
5.- We're divorced, but we're .........good friends
6.- Are you telling me you...........haven't got a mobile phone? You must be the only one in town.
7.- At sixt-eight, my wife is ...........as pretty as ever
8.- This is her best novel.............
9.- It's very late. Haven't you ......put the children to bed?
10.- I'm ...........in love with him.
11.- They're quite poor and ............they seem to be happy.
12.- We haven't decided ...... whether to go to Vienna or to go to Prague.

CLAVE

1.- yet; 2.- still; 3.- yet; 4.- yet; 5.- still; 6.- still; 7.- still; 8.- yet; 9.- still; 10.- still; 11.- yet; 12.- yet.

Para saber más, puedes consultar mi Gramática Inglesa, 9ª ed., pp. 439-441.

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Pinceladas léxicas: to expect/to hope/to wait

To expect, to hope y to wait significan los tres 'esperar' en español, pero no son para nada sinónimos:

- To expect significa esperar en el sentido de 'creer que algo va a ocurrir, porque parece probable o porque ha sido planeado':

I didn't expect you until Friday - no te esperaba hasta el viernes
I'm expecting good news - espero buenas noticias
I expect the bus will be here in a minute - creo que el autobús estará aquí en un minuto
The defeat was to be expected - la derrota era de esperar
My daughter-in-law is expecting her second baby in May - mi nuera espera su segundo bebé para mayo
Snow is expected by the weekend - se espera una nevada para el fin de semana.

- To hope significa esperar en el sentido de 'querer que algo ocurra':

I hope you're well - espero que estés bien
The farmers are hoping for rain - los agricultores esperan que llueva
"Has Nuria passed her exam?" "I hope so" - "¿Ha aprobado Nuria su examen?" "Espero que sí".
Let's hope he makes a full recovery from his accident - esperemos que se recupere completamente de su accidente
He was hoping against hope his train hadn't left yet - se aferraba a la esperanza de que su tren no se hubiera ido todavía
I hope to God I didn't leave the car window open - Dios quiera que no me haya dejado abierta la ventanilla del coche.

- To wait significa 'esperar en algún lugar determinado a que algo ocurra' o 'esperar hasta que algo ocurra', por ejemplo esperar hasta que llegue alguien o no irse hasta que alguien llegue, etc:

I'll wait for you till seven o'clock - te esperaré hasta las siete
We're waiting for the bus - estamos esperando el autobús
The bus driver waited for the old lady to sit down before starting off - el conductor del autobús esperó a que la anciana se sentara antes de arrancar
I can't wait to open my Christmas presents - estoy impaciente por abrir mis regalos de navidad.

PRÁTICA

Rellena los huecos con la forma adecuada de to expect, to hope o to wait:

1.- They were ...............for the manager to arrive to begin the meeting - estaban esperando a que llegara el gerente para empezar la reunión
2.- The public .............the trains to run on time - el público espera que los trenes sean puntuales
3.- Is Mr White .............you? - ¿le espera el Sr. White?
4.- We ...........we'll be able to go to Greece for our summer holidays next year - esperamos poder ir de vacaciones a Grecia el verano del año que viene
5.- I can't...........to read her next novel - estoy impaciente por leer su próxima novela
6.- Have you been ..........long? ¿llevas esperando mucho tiempo?
7.- I...........your father gets better - espero que tu padre mejore
8.- The rate of inflation was higher than the government had .......- la tasa de inflación fue más alta de lo que el gobierno esperaba
9.- Is that the parcel you were ...........from Manchester? - ¿es ese el paquete que esperabas de Manchester?
10.- We don't know the verdict, but we're ..........for the best - no conocemos el veredicto, pero esperamos que todo salga bien.

CLAVE

1.- waiting; 2.- expects; 3.- expecting; 4.- hope; 5.- wait; 6.- waiting; 7.- hope; 8.- expected; 9.- expecting; 10.- hoping.

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Cleft and pseudo-cleft sentences revisited

A cleft sentence is a sentence which has been divided into two parts, each with its own verb, to emphasize a particular piece of information. The first sentence begins with It plus the corresponding form of the verb to be, followed by the element which is being emphasized, and the second is generally a that-relative clause. For example, the sentence My brother married Alice in Oxford in 1999 can be turned into the following cleft sentences:

It was Alice that my brother married (in Oxford in 1999)
It was my brother that married Alice (in Oxford in 1999)
It was in Oxford that my brother married Alice (in 1999)
It was in 1999 that my brother married Alice (in Oxford)

If the antecedent is a person, who is sometimes used instead of that:

It was my brother who married Alice
It's my wife who drives the children to school

When there is a what-clause which emphasizes the action itself, we have a pseudo-cleft sentence:

You need love becomes what you need is love

If there is an infinitive, to is optional:

You've spoilt everything becomes What you've done is (to) spoil everything

All can be used instead of what when the meaning is 'the only thing that':

The only thing I did was (to) drink a couple of beers becomes All I did was (to) drink a couple of beers.

Pseudo-cleft sentences headed by where or when are sometimes found:

Where the boss has his office is on the second floor
When I am most tired is in the evening

but, in pseudo-cleft sentences with where or when, the wh-clause is more usually found as subject complement:

Here is where the accident took place
This is where I work
Spring is when the countryside is most beautiful

Although they are not very common, pseudo-cleft sentences with who or how are also found sometimes:

Who I mean is the chief inspector or, more commonly, The chief inspector is who I mean
How he talked is with a Scottish accent or, more commonly, With a Scottish accent is how he talked

Other expressions that can be used to head a pseudo-cleft sentence are: the thing (that), the only thing (that), the first thing (that), the reason why, the place where, the person (who/that), etc.:

The reason why I went to visit him was to discuss my future
The place where I would like to go to next summer is Norway
The person (who/that) you need to see about that is Sylvia

PRACTICE

* Build up cleft sentences emphasizing the element in italics:

a- I met my wife in Paris
b- We were married in September
c- Bruno reported us to the police
d - The manager himself wants to speak to you
e - Benidorm is a nice place for a holiday, but I'm going to Marbella this summer
f - My left leg hurts, not the right one
g.- Christmas was made special for us that year by the snow
h.- When I got home I realised I had left the TV on

** Turn the following sentences into pseudo-cleft sentences, headed by the word in brackets:

a - You need a good cup of tea (what)
b - I'll write a letter to The Times (what)
c - I liked best her performance (what)
d - I only drank a couple of pints with my colleagues (all)
e.- We now need action rather than words (what)
f.- I just need ten minutes to finish that task (all)

*** Transformation exercise

a.- I washed everything except the blouse
a.- The only thing.............................

b.- I came back because I realised that I had forgotten to lock the door
b.- The reason why..........................................................

c.- You need a corkscrew to open the bottle
c.- The thing.............................................

d.- The jewels are hidden under the bedroom floor
d.- The place......................................................

e.- You need to ask my sister about that
e.- The person......................................

f.- I would like to go to New York on my next holiday
f.- The place..........................................................

g.- He just wants to stay in and watch TV
g.- All...................................................

h.- The police interviewed all the witnesses to the accident first
h.- What..........................................................................

KEY
*
a - It was in Paris that I met my wife
b - Ii was in September that we were married
c - It was Bruno who/that reported us to the police
d - It's the manager himself who/that wants to speak to you
e - Benidorm is a nice place for a holiday, but it's Marbella that I'm going to this summer
f - It's my left leg that hurts, not the right one
g.- It's the snow that made Christmas special for us that year
h.- It's when I got gome that I realised (that) I had left the TV on

**
a - What you need is a good cup of tea
b - What I'll do is (to) write a letter to The Times
c - What I liked best was her performance
d - All I did was (to) drink a couple of pints with my colleagues.
e.- What we need now is action rather than words
f.- All I need is ten minutes to finish that task

***
a.- The only thing (that) I didn't wash is the blouse
b.- The reason why I came back is that I realised I hadn't locked the door
c.- The thing (that) you need to open the bottle is a corkscrew
d.- The place where the jewels are hidden is under the bedroom floor
e.- The person (that/who) you need to ask about that is my sister
f.- The place where I would like to go to on my next holiday is New York
g.- All (that) he wants is (to) stay in and watch TV
h.- What the police did first was (to) interview all the witnesses to the accident

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Pinceladas gramaticales: ortografía de los nombres compuestos

ORTOGRAFÍA DE LOS NOMBRES COMPUESTOS

No hay regla fija y pueden encontrarse escritos:

a) con guión:

tee-shirt – camiseta (tamb. T-shirt)

mother-in-law – suegra

lay-by – área de descanso (en carretera)

fortune-teller- echadora de cartas

rocking-chair – mecedora

freeze-frame – congelado de imagen

self-portrait – autorretrato

user-friendly – de fácil manejo

forget-me-not - nomeolvides

b) en dos palabras sin guión:

cash dispenser – cajero automático

frying pan - sartén

washing machine – lavadora

fountain pen – estilográfica

rocking chair - mecedora

walking stick – bastón

tear gas – gas lacrimógeno

fire station – parque de bomberos

diving board – trampolín

waiting room – sala de espera

c) en una sola palabra:

armchair –sillón

bathroom - cuarto de baño

postcard – tarjeta postal

dishwasher – lavaplatos

drawbridge – puente levadizo

toothache – dolor de muelas

toothbrush – cepillo de dientes

glowworm – luciérnaga
rainbow – arco iris

scarecrow  - espantapájaros

businessman – hombre de negocios

birdcage - jaula para pájaros

breadcrumb – miga de pan

loudmouth – bocazas

hunchback – jorobado
weekend - fin de semana

 d) En algunos casos encontramos varias posibilidades, aunque podría decirse que hay actualmente tendencia a escribir los nombres compuestos sin guión, en dos palabras o en una sola:

pen friend/pen-friend – amigo,-a por correspondencia

play-off/playoff – partido de desempate

post-box/post box/postbox – buzón

webpage/web page – página web
bottle opener/bottle-opener - abrelatas

e) Los nombres compuestos cuyo primer componente es una forma en –ing se escriben con guión o en dos palabras, pero nunca en una sola palabra y aquéllos cuyo segundo componente es una partícula no suelen encontrarse escritos en dos palabras:

dining room/dining-room – comedor

frying pan - sartén

passer-by/passerby –transeunte

runner-up – subcampeón, segundo (en una carrera, etc)

f) Los nombres frasales se escriben por regla general con guión o en una sola palabra:

blow-up ampliación (de fotografía), explosión

breakdown – avería

turn-off – salida de autopista o de carretera principal

workout - ejercicio físico

a diferencia de los verbos frasales de los que se derivan, que se escriben en dos palabras:

to take off - despegar

to break down – averiarse

to work out – hacer ejercicio

g) A veces, encontramos nombres frasales con las dos ortografías indistintamente, aunque podría decirse que, en general, las formas sin guión van ganando terreno en la actualidad:

ckeck-up/chechup - chequeo

take-off/takeoff – despegue

dropout/drop-out – estudiante que abandona el curso/la carrera

PRÁCTICA

Corrige la ortografía que te parezca incorrecta o inusual

a.- grown up (adulto)

b.- write off (siniestro total)

c.- close up (primer plano)

d.- turn off (salida de autopista)

e.- pacemaker (marcapasos)

f.- black out – pérdida temporal del conocimiento o de la memoria

g.- flash-back – escena retrospectiva

h.- tape measure – cinta métrica

i.- press up – flexión (a pulso, en el suelo)

j.- backup – (informática) copia de seguridad

k.- hot house – invernadero

l.- eco friendly – no perjudicial para el medio ambiente

m.- laptop – ordenador portátil

n.- face-lift – estiramiento de la piel de la cara, lifting.

CLAVE

a.- grown-up; b.- write-off; c.- close-up; d.- turn-off (tamb. turnoff); e.- correcto; f.- blackout; g.- flasback; h.- correcto; i.- press-up; j.- correcto (tamb. back-up); k.- hothouse; l.- eco-friendly; m.- correcto; n.- facelift.

Para saber más sobre el tema, ver mi Gramática Inglesa, 5ª ed., Pearson, pp. 70-71 y 628-631.

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Historias y Humor: The Two Ronnies (listening comprehension exercise)

I invite you to listen again to The Optician's by the Two Ronnies, and then fill in the gaps in the text below (the first half of the sketch): 


Client: Hello? (1)------- there?

Client: Ah! Good morning!

Client: I'm sorry I meant...

Client: (2)------! sorry, sorry, sorry, I meant to..., I meant to...

Optician: Good morning, Miss Prindergast, you're (3)------!

Client: Ah, good morning.

Optician: Oh, I'm sorry. Good morning, sir.

Client: Good morning. Erm, (4)------ I have 2 pounds of potatoes please?

Optician: No,no,no sir, this is an (5)------, sir.

Client: Eh what?

Optician: Opticians. Look, it says (6)------ over the door.

Client: Oh sorry, so it (7)-----!

Client: Well it doesn't (8)------, because I was coming here anyway. I've got it down on my list: (9)----- and opticians. You see?

Optician: Oh, I see, yes.

Client: It was the (10)----- idea, actually.

Optician: Oh yes, well, do sit down, (11)----- you?

Client: Thank you very much!...You're...you're (12)----- here, aren't you?

Optician: Yes, I've been here about 6 (13)------, yes.

Client: Yes, I thought I hadn't (14)---- you before.

Optician: The other lady left to (15)------- married.

Client: But, you're not a lady, (16)------ you?

Optician: No, no,no, I just (17)----- her job.

Optician: Would you (18)------ for a cup of tea? I've just made one.

Client: That's very (19)-----, yes.

Optician: Now tell me, what's a...what seems to be the (20)------?

Client: Well, I've just got the feeling that my (21)----- isn't quite what it used to be.

Optician: Yes? Whatever (22)------- you think that?

Client: Well, I started (23)----- into people at the office, you know? - people I work with.

Optician: Oh, really?

Client: Yes.

Optician: Yes, what (24)----- of people?

Client: Well, the people I (25)----- the office with, you see? I kept bumping into them and I (26)----- I hadn't seen them properly for a long time.

Optician: Oh, dear...Do you (27)------ sugar?

Client: No, no sugar (28)------- me thank you.

Optician: Right, here we are then, you have that. Do sit down and we'll see if we can work something (29)----- for you, shall we?

Client: Thank you very much. It can be (30)----- inconvenient, you know?, spectacles. I don't know, do you (31)---- them at all?

Optician: Er...well I must confess, yes I do I wear them, yes - but only for reading and for (32)---- things, you know?

Client: Yes, well I...I was passing by, so I thought I'd just sort of (33)---- in, you know?

Optician: Yes, yes, well you obviously (34)---- something a lot stronger.

Client: Yes, I (35)----, thank you very much!

Optician: Well, I tell you (36)---- we'll do.

Client: Yes?

Optician: We'll just have a look at some eye (37)----, shall we? And we'll just (38)---- your eyes.

Client: Right, yes.

Client: Is there a.....is there a (39)---- in here?

Optician: No, no, no, that was me. I was just...well I was just (40)---- myself, you know?

KEY

(1) anybody; (2) Oops; (3) early; (4) could; (5) opticians; (6) so; (7) does; (8) matter; (9) greengrocer's; (10) wife's; (11) will; (12) new; (13) months; (14) seen; (15) get; (16) are; (17) took; (18)  care; (19) nice; (20) trouble; (21) sight; (22) makes; (23) bumping; (24) sort; (25) share; (26) realised; (27) take; (28) for; (29) out; (30) rather; (31) wear; (32) seeing; (33) pop; (34) need; (35) do; (36) what; (37) charts; (38) test; (39) dog; (40) scratching

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