EXERCISE 1. Translate the following sentences, pick out idioms, find Russian equivalents where possible

Translate the following sentences, pick out idioms, find Russian equivalents where possible.

1. She was the life and soul of the party.

2. Poor Norman knew no more about the stage than a babe unborn.

3. When I heard Crawford talking about “trouble - makers”, that was the last straw.

4. He’d be a fish out of water in England.

5. After all, what’s eight thousand pounds? A drop in the ocean.

6. As a rule I wasn’t touchy by nature, but Howard had a knack of getting under my skin.

7. “In my young days”, said Brown, “our young ladies earned their living by winding wool, sewing and knitting.”

8. You go and do good, I shan’t get in your way.

9. They say you can’t keep a good man down, but it’s no use hanging a millstone round your neck.

10. As soon as I did, I knew it was a false step.

11. Don’t be a dog in the manger, Sheppey.

12. I don’t want to be a laughing-stock in public. I suffer from Shyness and lack of communication.

13. He wouldn’t lift a finger for any of us. I don’t know what you feel, but I shall be inclined to stick in my heels about him.

14. “What about them? Why my father should want to merry again at his age” – “I can understand that,” said Philip. “After all, he had rather a raw deal in marriage.”

15. He took me out to dinner the other night and I had a talk with him. We were speaking about books because reading is my cup of tea.

16. Martin’s a dark horse. I should like to know what he wants for the college.

17. “By the way, Staffy, who’s going to be your best man?”

18. It was a miracle how he kept body and soul together.

19. But, if I were you, I shouldn’t talk too much in public about your plans. People might think you were too ambitious.

20. We keep in touch on the whole in most astonishing way.

21. Well, to cut a long story short, Isabel asked her to come to the apartment one day at three so that they could go together for the final fitting.

22. “Are you quite comfortable in that chair?” asked Larry. “As comfortable as I can be when my head’s giving me hell.” “Well, let yourself go quite slack. Take it easy.”

23. You can’t let him play ducks and drakes with our money like that.

24. Nothing that concerned me was at a stake.

25. It was night still, but the stars were pale in the sky, and the day was at hand.

26. “I’m sorry, but George isn’t able to come to lunch on Wednesday.” “What about Friday?” “Friday’s no good either. I thought it useless to beat about the bush. The fact is, his people aren’t keen on his lunching with you.”

27. He said he’d give me board and lodgings.