Meeting 6

Ok. No Problem
Talking about: complaints, household chores,
request, excuse, apologize
 Neighbor vs
Neighbor
Read the situations in the list below.
What would you do in each situation?

*The woman in the apartment plays her

piano after midnight.

*The family across the street never cleans

up their yard. The garbage blows into
your yard.

*The guys next door always parks his car

in front of your driveway.
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Have things like this ever happened to you? If so, you may ask
yourself, “who are these people? Why are they doing these things
to me?”
These days, many people don’t know their neighbors. Sometimes
we share a friendly wave or say hello, but a lot of people don’t
even know their neghbors’ names! When you don’t know
someone, it’s easy to build up frustration and resentment.
You think, “maybe they like to annoy me,” or “maybe they do it
to deliberately.”
Believe it or not, your neghbors probably don’t mean to irritate
you. Often, they don’t even know that they are getting on your
nerves.
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So, before you take extreme measures to fix the problem, you
should discuss it with them first .
When you approach your neighbors, you should talk to them in a
friendly manner. Compliment their children or do something else
to make them feel good. Then explain the situation. And if you
can think of a simple solution, suggest it.
If talking doesn’t work, ask another person help. This person can
listen to both sides of your story and help you and your neighbor
resolve the situation.
Finally, sometimes it’s a good idea to avoid the problem.
Depending on the issue, it might be best just to stay out of your
neighbor’s way.
 Glossary
Resentment (noun) : anger that grows over time
Deliberately (adv) : on purpose
Irritate (verb) : to make somebody angry
Nerves (noun) : a condition in which one is very nervous and
worried
Measure (verb) : a step taken in order to achieve something
I. Read the article. Find the words in italics in the article. Then match
each word with its meaning.

1. Resentment ( b ) a. a way of behaving.

2. Deliberately ( d ) b. anger that grows over time.
3. Irritate ( f ) c. end of problem or difficulty.
4. Measure ( e ) d. on purpose
5. Manner ( a ) e. a step taken in order to achieve something
6. resolve ( c ) f. bother or annoy.
 II. Check (√) the questions that the article answers. Then find sentences
in the article that support your answers.

□ 1. why don’t many people know their neighbors?

□ 2. why do we become angry at neighbors?
□ 3. what are some extreme measures you can take to solve a problem?
□ 4. how should you do approach a neighbor about a problem?
□ 5. what can you do when discussion doesn’t work?
 Vocabulary Focus
A. Two-part verbs, will for responding to requests

With nouns With pronouns Requests and responses

Turn down the TV Turn it down Please turn down the music
Turn the TV down OK. I’ll turn it down
Pick up your things Pick them up Pick up your clothes, please.
Pick your things up All right. I’ll pick them up

Requests with modals and Would you mind….. ?

Modal + simple form of verb
Can you turn the stereo off?
down?
Could you close the door, please?
door,
Would you please take your garbage
out?
Would you mind …. + gerund
Would you mind turning the stereo
Would you mind closing the
please?
Would you mind not putting your
Garbage here?
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A. Complete the requests with these words
passed away, do without, look forward to, called off, made up,
carried away, break out, run out, put up with, keep up.
1. Don't smoke in the forest. Fires ........ easily at this time of the
year. ( break out )
( look forward to )
2. I ............... seeing my friends again.
3. I'm afraid; we have( run out )
.........of apple juice. Will an orange juice do?
( keep up )
4. Your website has helped me a lot to ........ the good work.
( called off )
5. A friend of mine has ....... her wedding.
( put up with )
6. His mother can't............. his terrible behavior anymore.
7. As an excuse for being late, she (...............made up ) a whole story.
8. I got( carried away )
................ by his enthusiasm.
( without )
9. I just cannot ..................my mobile. I always keep it with me.
10. she was very sad because her father( ..................
passed away )
last week.
 B. Complete the phrasal verbs according to their meanings in
brackets.

Take off, sit down, look up, put out, look after, find out , try on,
get on, fill in, hurry up
(Take off )
1. ......... your shoes. (Remove)
2. Somebody has to( ........... look after)
the baby. (Take care of)
3. She wants to ( ............find out)
the truth? (Discover)
4. Where can I (........... try on ) !". the sweater? (See if it fits)
5. (hurry in ). (Be quick)
........
( sit down )
6. Why don't you .......... ? (Take a seat)
7. I will(...........
get on ) the train now. (Enter)

8. ( look up ) the word in a dictionary. (Consult a dictionary)

...........
9. I want to(........fill in )the form. (Complete)
10. The firemen ........... the fire. (Extinguish)
( look after )
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C. Complete the phrasal verbs according to their meanings in brackets.

Away offthe phrasal

C. Complete for verbsup
with theon particles.
correctin down
1. I don't know where my book is. I must look ...... ( for )it.

2. Fill (......the
in ) form, please
( down )
3. The music is too loud. Could you turn ....... the volume, please?
( on )
4. Quick, get...... the bus or you'll have to walk home.
5. Turn( off....)the lights when you go to bed.
6. Do you mind if I switch(..... in )
the TV? I'd like to watch the news.
( away )
7. The dinner was ruined. I had to throw it .......
8. When you enter the house, take (....... off )
your shoes and
put( ......
away )
your slippers.
9. If you don't know this word, you can look it (..... up )
in a dictionary
rcise
1. Before you take extreme measures to fix the problem, you should
…….. it with them first.
a. Discuss d. hate
b. Break e. delay
c. Deny

2. When you approach your neighbors, you should talk to them in a

…….. manner.
a. Rudely d. impolitely
b. Friendly e. confidently
c. Bossy

3. Sometimes it’s a …… idea to avoid the problem.

a. Bad d. better
b. Worse e. Good
c. Pretty
4. When you don’t know someone, it’s easy to build up ……. and resentment.
a. Glad d. Frustration
b. Anger e. stressful
c. Happiness

5. What does “Manner” mean?

a. bother or annoy d. end of problem or difficulty
b. on purpose e. Anger that grows over time.
c. a way of behaving