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A zoo job ( pre-intermediate+)

I. Read the following story and supply English equivalents for :

-родители (неформ)

-заразиться какой-то инфекцией

-вживаться в роль гориллы

-кривляние

-продолжать раскачиваться

-дожить до (какого-то события)  

A zoo job

   In high school, I needed money. I was able to drive, had a girlfriend, and liked to go out with my friends. My folks didn't have much money and I needed to pay my own way.

I had already done jobs working at restaurants and grocery stores and wanted to try something more interesting. While searching around, I stopped at the zoo and started entertaining people by miming different animals - I have quite a talent for that, you know. I even received some coins for my mimes.

 

The zoo director happened to be around. He liked my style.  And he said he had an interesting job that he felt I could handle. We walked through the back alleys and tunnels of the zoo that most people never see until we got to the gorilla cage. But, it was empty.

 

The director told me that their gorilla named Kong had caught a bug and was in quarantine for the next week. Kong was getting old and they were even now shopping around for a replacement since Kong just sits on a tree branch holding onto a rope all day. When the crowds started arriving on the weekend, they'd be disappointed to have no gorilla since everyone enjoys the gorilla exhibit, even a boring old gorilla.

 

The director said he had a gorilla suit I could wear if I would be interested in sitting on the branch for 4 hours at a time so the people would at least have something to look at. It sounded good to me, not the usual high school job, so I told him I would.

 

The next day I went to the zoo, put on the gorilla suit and climbed into the cage. I sat on the branch holding the rope and soon there was a crowd of children pressing their faces to the bars. It didn't take long for me to start getting bored, so I would scratch my armpits, thump my chest, and twirl the rope. About an hour passed and I began to really get into this gorilla stuff. I would grab the rope and swing across the cage. The kids thought it was great so I started swinging higher and higher. 

 

In the next cage there was a lion and he was becoming irritated by my antics and began to pace his cage and roar. I kept swinging and started to swing to the lion's side of the cage and would use my feet to push off from his bars. I could really swing out far and he roared even louder. It was actually pretty fun and the kids were really enjoying the show.

 

All of a sudden I missed the bars, flew through, and dropped right into the lion's cage! I landed on my back and was stunned but immediately got up and ran to the front of the cage to the crowd, screaming "Help me, help me, I'm not who you think I am!"

 

Just as I yelled, the lion jumped on my back and knocked me to the ground. His head was at my neck and I was sure I'd never make it to graduation. Then he whispered in my ear, "Shut up stupid, or you'll get us both fired".

II. Answer the questions:

1. What made the narrator search for a job? ( Use: to be forced to V1)

2. What was the young man good at? 

3. What job did the zoo director offer him? 

4. What had happened to the real gorilla? ( Use: to happen to have V3)

5. What did the author do in the gorilla’s cage? What for? ( use: for smb to V1)

6. Was the public aware of the fraud? (Use: impossible for the public to V1)

7. What happened to the author when he was swinging to the lion’s side of the cage? ( Use: smb happened to V1)

8. What did the young man feel having fallen into the lion’s cage? (to be about to V1)

9. Did the lion kill the young man? 

10. What did the lion do to him?

III. Retell the story

IV. Study the following grammar rules

You can use should after a number of verbs, especially:

-  demand=требовать  -  insist=настаивать -  propose=предлагать -  recommend=рекомендовать -  suggest=предлагать 

Examples:

- They insisted that we should take a break after the meeting.

- I demanded that he should finish his work before the deadline.

- What do you suggest I should wear to the event?

- I insist that something should be said about the unfair treatment.

We also say It’s important/vital/necessary/essential that ... should ...:

Examples:

- It's essential that everyone should  complete the survey  on time.

- It's important that you should  attend the training session  next week.

You can also leave out 'should' in all such sentences

Examples:

- It's essential that everyone complete the survey on time. (= that everyone should complete the survey)

- I demanded that he finish his work before the deadline. (= that he should finish his work)

- What do you suggest I wear to the event? (= that I should wear)

- I insist that something be said about the unfair treatment. (= that something should be said)

This form (be/do/have/apologize etc.) is sometimes called the subjunctive. It is the same as the infinitive (without to).

You can also use normal present and past tenses:

Examples:

- It's essential that everyone completes the survey on time.

- I demanded that he finished his work before the deadline.

V. Paraphrase these sentences so that there will be no 'should'.

For example: It is necessary that we should be there before 3 o'clock.--> It is necessary that we should be there before 3 o'clock.

  1. It’s important that all the animals should be vaccinated in the zoo.
  2. I demanded that he should work as a real gorilla for the event.
  3. What do you suggest I should do to compensate for moral damages?
  4. I insist that something should be done about the unethical practices.
  5. It's essential that everyone should visit the zoo at least once.

VI. Combine each two sentences using 'should':

For example: The summer is cold. It is strange.--> It is strange that the summer should be cold.

  1. The gorilla is speaking in a human voice. It is strange.
  2. He needs to earn money. It is necessary.
  3. They offered such a strange job. I was surprised.
  4. The zoo-keepers must vaccinate all the animals.It is essential.
  5. She said, "You should visit the zoo."

VII. Translate these sentences into English using the rules above:

  1. Я предлагаю Вам поработать живой гориллой.
  2. Он порекомендовал мне сидеть спокойно и ничего не делать.
  3. Очень важно, чтобы детям в зоопарке было интересно и познавательно. 
  4. Странно, что горилла говорит человеческим голосом.
  5. Важно, чтобы все животные в зоопарке были вакцинированы.
  6. Я настаиваю на том, чтобы наши деньги за билет были нам возвращены.
  7. Я настаиваю на том, чтобы наш моральный ущерб был компенсирован. [to compensate for moral damages /emotional distress]

VIII. Make up a monologue:

You are the mother of a small boy who witnessed the incident in the lion’s cage. Tell about it. What impression did the scene make on the child? What did the child make of a talking ape? Are you visiting this zoo again?

IX. Make up the dialogue:

The mother of a small boy comes to the zoo director and demands her money back. She is indignant at the way the zoo cheats children and their parents, as well as show scenes of violence. She is worried about her child’s psychics. The director apologizes and offers a discount for their next visit to the zoo or a free lunch in the zoo cafeteria.  Prompts:

- It is outrageous! I will write to the city council and the police! = Это возмутительно! Я напишу в городской совет и в полицию.

- to throw the book at…= осудить по всей строгости закона

- to have one’s license revoked ...=потерять лицензию, to revoke=отзывать

- To ruin smb’s psychics/psyche= разрушить чью-то психику

- To expect smb to talk in a human voice= ожидать, что горилла будет говорить человеческим голосом

- Bloody scenes= кровавые сцены

- Who do you take us for?= За кого вы нас принимаете?

- I do apologize!= Ну я же извиняюсь!

- Ma’am, please accept my sincere apologies.= Мадам, пожалуйста, примите мои искренние извинения.

- A temporary substitution for…= временное замещение 

- For children to V1 = чтобы дети что-то [сделали]

- You see,…= Видите ли,…

- The thing is,… = Дело в том, что…

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