Who are the Cockneys?

A Cockney is a Londoner bom within the sound of Bow Bells that ring out from a church, called St. Mary-le-Bow, in the East End of London. The East End, which lies to the north and east of the City of London, has always been the home of the native London working class.

Quite apart from their accent Cockney people have, over many genera­tions, evolved a colourful, slangy mode of speech that is uniquely their own. How it all began and how far it goes back is extremely difficult to say. But books on English slang refer to it and Bernard Shaw must have known it very well.

The slang derives from several sources. The most predominant is rhym­ing slang: a word is replaced with a phrase of two or three words that rhymes with it. For example:

ear - bottle of beer; dress - more or less; dog - London fog; mate (friend) -china plate; good - Robin Hood, etc. So originally rhyming slang might well have been a kind of code used by criminal groups to pass on secret information

to each other.

Most native English speakers only know a handful of Cockney phrases and use them to add a bit of fun and variety to their speech.

You can hear a lot of Cockney spoken at London street markets, such as Portobello where they sell antiques and less valuable things for collectors, and Petticoat Lane, situated in the City of London. If you go there on a Sunday morn­ing, you may be lucky enough to see a Pearly King and a Pearly Queen. They are the Cockney monarchs. On important days they wear special costumes, which have thousands of pearl buttons on them.

The Covent Garden fruit and vegetable market that used to be next to the world-famous Covent Garden Opera House and where Eliza Doolittle sold her flowers, doesn't exist any longer, so you can hardly hope to hear any Cockney spoken in that place. But wherever you go in Cockneyland you will be given a friendly welcome.

PART 2

8.

1.1 advise you not to run through this contract quickly but to look it through

more carefully. 2.1 always looked up to him.

3. We've run out of petrol. We have to stop and fill up. 4.1 hear the police have been looking into this crime for a long time but

without success.

5. All people like being looked after, don't they?

6. We're looking forward to seeing you in Moscow.

7. Drive more slowly or you can run somebody over.

UNIT NINE

PART1

7.

1. When I'm tired, I enjoy watching television. It's relaxing.

2. They decided to get married.

3. He is such a violent man! Can you imagine being married to him?
4.1 couldn't help laughing when I heard his story.

5. He admitted making several mistakes.

6. I'm not in a hurry. I don't mind waiting for you.

7. We were hungry, so I suggested having dinner early.

8. He offered to give us a lift to the airport.

9. Do you know whether they have agreed to take part in the project?

Keys

10. She avoids talking to strangers in the street.

11. They arranged to meet at 8 o'clock outside the cinema.

12. He practices playing the piano every day.

13. I'll do the shopping after I've finished cleaning the flat.

14. He had expected to finish work early but he had to stay at work
till 10.

15. I can't stand waiting in queues.

8.

1. Don't forget to turn off the light before leaving the house.

2.1 regret saying it to him. I shouldn't have done it.

3. Please, stop talking and let's begin our lesson.

4.1 remember locking the car but where have I put the key?

5. We regret to say that we won't be able to fulfil your order.

6. We came across him in the street and stopped to have a chat.

7. I'm sorry; I forgot to congratulate you on your birthday.

9.

It happened a few years ago. We arranged to go to Paris from London for a short holiday. But it turned out to be a bad experience. When we got to the airport in London we heard that our flight had been delayed. We had to wait in the airport for 3 hours, and when, at last, the flight was announced, we felt ex­tremely exhausted. Our travel agent had booked a guided tour of Paris at night, but we realized that we were going to miss it because of our flight's delay. So we checked in at the hotel, which, by the way, didn't seem very nice at all and went to bed.

The next day we decided to go sightseeing by ourselves. When we left the hotel, the sun was shining and it was very warm, so we left our coats and um­brellas at the hotel, because we didn't want to carry heavy bags with us. While we were standing in the queue to go up the Eiffel Tower it started raining and it didn't stop till late in the evening. Of course, we could do nothing but go to the restaurant. We were sitting there eating delicious French food, drinking mar­vellous French wine and waiting for the rain to stop. Then we caught a taxi back to our hotel. The next day we remembered to take our umbrellas and coats, but the day was warm and sunny.

You may ask me what places of interest in Paris I remember - not many, I'm afraid. Travelling can be tiring but not memorable sometimes!

PART 2

8.