pages 51-52 exercise 1 a) I know about the existence of this movie, but I haven't watched it. b) As for advice for those who are going to meet with partner's parents, we think you need to be polite and kind. On the other hand, you don't have to pretend to be the perfect person, just be yourself and be human. c) WikiHow says that you need to make a good first impression, be polite, and have a nice conversation. They also advise not to worry too much. d) 1) You need to do some ' homework' before you go. Ask your girlfriend about her parents. Where does her mother work? Does her father like football? Do you have any common interests? If you do this, it will be easy to have a conversation with them. 2) Make sure you dress to make the right impression. Don't wear a suit, but don't just wear your old jeans and the Che Guevara T -shirt you bought in the market. 3) Be punctual. It's very important not to be late at a first meeting. 4) When they greet you at the door shake the father's hand firmly (no father Likes a weak handshake!). Ask your girlfriend what kind of greeting her mum will prefer. 5) Call her parents Mr. and Mrs. (Smith) until they ask you to call them 'Dave' and 'Sharon'. 6) Be ready to answer questions about yourself! Her parents will want to know everything about you and your ambitions. Make a good impression! 7) If you are invited for a meal, eat everything they give you and say something positive about the meal, like 'This is absolutely delicious!'. Offer to do the washing-up after the meal. To show them that you are a 'new man'). 8) Be yourself, and don't be a 'yes' man. If they ask you for your opinion, be honest. However, try not to talk about controversial subjects – this isn't the moment to give your views on religion and politics! 9) If the conversation is dying and you can't think what, ask them what to say your partner was like as a child. This is a brilliant tactic! ALL parents love talking about their children and it shows you have a deep interest in their daughter. e) The meeting starts badly, but ends well. f) 1 He arrives late; he calls them by their first names he gives his opinion too strongly about meat eaters; he doesn't say anything positive about the food; he doesn't offer to help with the washing-up; he doesn't find out before meeting him if the father likes football; he wasn't very good at answering questions about himself; his answers are very short, so the conversation dies. 2 He asks to see photos of Suzy as a child and he says she looked 'sweet'. g) I think that all these tips are relevant to my country. I also think that this will suit both a girl and a guy, since the tips are universal Page 53 exercise 2 grammar A. a) If you do this, it will be easy to have a conversation with them. after adjectives b) Offer to do the washing-up after the meal (to show them that you are a 'new man'). to give a reason for doing something c) If the conversation is dying and you can't think what to say, ask them what your partner was like as a child. after a question word, e.g. who, what, how d) You need to do some 'homework' before you go. after some verbs, e.g. need, want, etc. B. to make (Rule 3) not to be (Rule 2) to answer (Rule 2) to know (Rule 1) to do (Rule 1) not to talk (Rule 1) C. Retelling from 52 pages In the text "How to ... Survive Meeting Your Girlfriend's Parents for the First Time", we learned a few tips for this. First of all, you should prepare for this meeting in advance, learn about the interests of the partner's parents, and then it will be easier for you to conduct a dialogue with them. Second, you should dress properly to create a good first impression. You should also be punctual and greet your partner's parents correctly. Address them as Mr. and Mrs. The next point is that you need to be ready to answer the questions of your partner's parents. Praise the food you eat, if your meeting is at dinner, offer your help. Try to be yourself, express your opinion, but do not start dialogues on sensitive topics, whether it is politics or religion. If your conversation has reached a dead end, try to ask about your partner's childhood. parents love to remember this and so they will see your interest in their child.
