EPISODE 19
LEVEL B2
READING COMPREHENSION
WOMEN’S CLOTHES
„What do you normally wear to work?” asks Livia.
„Well, if I am seeing a client, I usually wear a white blouse, a dark jacket and a knee-length skirt or sometimes smart trousers. And high heels, definitely. That’s my equivalent of a man’s suit – except for the heels of course, but I read somewhere that high-heeled shoes give a woman authority normally associated with a man. Why are you asking anyway?”
„Well, I used to work mostly at home, writing, so I would normally wear a sweatshirt – you know, one of these big cotton sporty tops – and a pair of yoga pants (= tight but comfortable cotton pants). Now that I am back to working at the clinic I should probably wear something less casual, smarter, but I don’t really know what to choose.”
„If I were you, I’d go for cardigans in basic colours, combined with more flirty, feminine tops.”
„What do you mean, tops?”
„All sorts of little T-shirt-like things, or camisoles – similar to T-shirts, but without sleeves – or simple dresses, this will save you the trouble of choosing a top and a bottom, since a dress replaces a skirt and a top.”
„I wish I could still wear my sweatshirts. It’s just so much easier!”
„I know, I wish I had this kind of comfort too.”
More contexts for the new words:
- When I go to the gym, I often wear a sweatshirt and sweatpants.
(= loose-fitting pants comfortable for doing sports) - She has shoulder-length hair.
(= her hair falls down to her shoulders)
EXERCISE 1
Give words for these definitions.
- a T-shirt without sleeves = …………………………………..
- shoes which are not flat = …………………………………..
- a sweater with buttons = …………………………………..
- tight but comfortable cotton pants = …………………………………..
- a skirt between mini and maxi = …………………………………..
- the opposite of smart = …………………………………..
- a big cotton sporty top = …………………………………..
EXERCISE 2
Which of the clothes from the text do you wear:
– at work
– at home
– when you go out with friends?
ENGLISH IN USE
Look at these two sentences from the text:
I wish I could wear my sweatshirts.
I wish I had this kind of comfort.
They do not describe something that exists or happens in the real world, but rather a wish, something imagined. In the first example, Livia can’t wear her sweatshirts any more, but she would be happier if she could – notice the use of the 2nd conditional here. Similarly to the conditional structure, we use Past Simple to express this kind of idea. Sometimes it is also possible to use Past Continuous – compare:
It rains a lot in England. Richard hates rain. Richard wishes it didn’t rain so much.
It is raining at the moment. Richard would like to go out but has no umbrella. Richard wishes it wasn’t raining.
Be careful about negations. If the sentence describing the actual state of things is a negative one (like in our example – Livia can’t wear her sweatshirts any more), the „wish” sentence will not include a negation. On the other hand, if the „reality” sentence is a positive one, the „wish” sentence will be negative, as in the examples about Richard.
In any sentence following this pattern, particularly if the subject of it is „I”, it is possible to replace the „I wish” structure with „if only”. Thus we can say:
I wish I had more free time. OR If only I had more free time.
I wish I didn’t have to work so much. OR If only I didn’t have to work so much.
IDIOM CLOSE-UP
A/ What clothes did Susan wear for the party?
B/ She was DRESSED TO KILL.
If you are dressed to kill, you make yourself look really good by wearing your best clothes.
PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP
- If you DRESS UP, you dress smartly.
You’ll have to dress up for the office party – I don’t think a pair of jeans will do.
- Another meaning of DRESS UP is to put on clothes that make you look like someone else, for fun.
All children love dressing up.
- If you DRESS DOWN, you wear clothes that are more informal than the clothes that you usually wear.
All the office workers dress down on Fridays.
- If you DRESS someone DOWN, you tell someone off for doing something bad.
He was given a real dressing down for making such a stupid mistake.
EXERCISE 3
Complete the gaps with ‘up’, ‘down’, or ‘to kill’.
- You don’t need to dress ………………………….. to go to the pub – jeans and a T-shirt will do.
- He dressed ………………………… as a cowboy for the party.
- She was very shy and modest, and always dressed ………………………… on her first date with a man.
- The boss dressed him …………………………. for coming late to work.
- She put on her best clothes – she was dressed …………………………….
NEWS
SUMMER TRENDS
Do you already know what’s in this summer? The fashion gurus are coming back to basics, and rediscovering the trends from the past. So, if you have a pair of flared jeans which look like from the 60s, coupled with a flowery blouse and huge sunglasses, you’re bound to look cool this summer. On the beach, a bikini is a must, but you are free to experiment with the fabric, and use even as unusual materials as lace or leather. On your head, a baseball cap is mandatory, but you have greater freedom with the footwear, where anything goes. On cooler days, try wearing a lightweight cotton coat – a complete novelty this season, which is guaranteed to keep you warm, but not sweaty. The trendy colours are all hues of pink and beige, which guarantee a feminine and subtle look.
GLOSSARY
– flared – wider at the bottom
– bound to – sure to
– mandatory – obligatory
– hues– shades
>>Answers
KEY TO EXERCISES
Ex.1
- a camisole
- high-heeled shoes
- a cardigan
- yoga pants
- a knee-length skirt
- casual
- a sweatshirt
Ex.3
- up
- up
- down
- down
- to kill
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