Describing people: character Exercises [BA intellectual ability 38.1 Match these words with their opposites. MAbs neligent right ckver sharp) shrowd able ited _calened 1 clever introverted brainy (colloquial) 2 extroverted —dghtisted Caan pid foolish. halwined simple ily ranks daft” dumb 3 re courteous “Feniae lv four are predominantly colloquial words ea 4 ul ero ee way sing brain 0 tick or deceive: cunning, crafty” sty feenerous Kinder a * 6 unsociable half-witted Attitudes towards life ae 38. think thatthe speaker kes oF ‘pm is pessimist while Nita s optimistic ~ he always expect dhe worst to happen, Whe 2 Do you think that the speaker Hikes o dikes the people in these sentences? “he looks on the bright side 1 Dis very tify 5 Dick’s quite bossy. aecae ieee a thers iso extroverted while he cere so introverted Ben 2 Mollys usually frank. 6 Lind Dave setimporcant ir cs of tenon while il would fr rather be alone with i thoughts 5 Lizis quite broadsminded. 7 Dom’ you think Jim’ nosy? Tee eee youn op /stred-out*) aera very Busy day at work but after a 4 Soman be aggressive. 8 Jills ery orginal hot bath and a nice cup of rea, I'l soon fel relaxed a ee gible = she'd never do anything stupid naer word shes very prac Reword the sentences in 38.210 give the opposite impression (negative rather than positive ‘and down-to-earth or vce versa) a tay centive—e gets very upset or work-up, mre clog ef EXAMPLE DY wy stg cope ae ering hi, a * 38.4 Magazines often publish questionnaires which are supposed to analyse aspects of vor [EUUEMEE! Atcicude towards other people Sfaracce Look athe words Blow and then match hem the conresponding question. " . EXAMPLE Ifyou arange to meet at 7 pum. do 2 Enjoying others company sociable grezariows youarrange pom, do you aetive at 7 pam. Dieapesing with other: quarrelsome argumentative abl “Tang pleasure i others pain: vel sadistic = 7 Faris Petre to sel and others: easy-going even-tempered Tai-back** See ans eer edn Nor polite co omhers: impolite rade iflmannered | dicoarous? ‘Teta the wach to others: honest trustworthy reliable sincere Tipe wr peers ile oes ee en 1 prefer to be in the company of other people? Cahagyy if thes have what one doesnot have ones a 2 Lede tay i gy JN, One persons meat is another person's plson leet ea ere eee eset pn aga dg Fee ae fcr end psn for no prior reson? sem case ihe righthand column mean roughly th same asthe words in te lechand 6 Da you frequently disagree with what other people sy? alum except that they have negaive rather than postive connotations, : 7 Do you he swake at night if someone has sai something unkind co you? determined obstinate stubborn pigeaded decried cy Zig imean the fed mise 30.5. What questions like dhose in 38.4 could you ask to find ou if a person is the followings ci ediconfident = seleamportant arrogant full of oneself** 1 thrifty 3 sensible 5S eventempered 7 obstinate weoNenonaVorginal — eccentric, odd peculiar weed*® 2 blune 4 intelligent 6 original 8 stressed-out Wonkldrecvopen = blunt abrupe rusaue ct broud-minded = nprincipled permissive 38.6 Can you complete cach ofthese word forks? ingoirins” Ss inguinicivenosy** penerous = caravazant 1 sal. 2 empeed 3 nine ——— z= py Write a sentence to illustrate the meanings ofc asetve agressive _ouy** rate the meanings of each of your words. *Thtse words re mach moce common in writen than in spoken Eaglsh 38.7 Choose ive or sx ative from th which you thi ves from the opposite you think best describe either your {See also Units 1, 12, and 82) a ears nga ostry Use upparirrmeine) 79 78 Engh cory n Use (ippentemede)rr | 3B.5 Possible questions: thrifty ~ Do you always keep old picces of string in case they come in handy (might be tsefull? blunt = If friend asks you if you like her awful new dress, would you say ‘No"? sensible ~ Ifyou won a lot of money, would you put iin the bank rather than spend it ‘oma luxury you have always wanted? 4 incligent ~ Can you give the next letter in this sequence $, M, T, W, TF? (Ifyou are not sure of the answer, think of the days of the week.) even-tempered ~ If someone spills soup on some new clathes of yours, do you just sigh and say “That's hfe? 6 original ~ Do you never wear blue jeans? 7 obstinate — Do you become even more determined to do something if people try to persuade you not to? 8 seressed out Do you find it hard to sleep ae night because problems are going round in your head? 3B.6 Possible answers 1 self-confident ~ She's self-confident; speaking in public never bothers her at al self-centred ~ ve never met anyone as self-centred ashe is he thinks the world revolves axound him alone. ‘lFindulgent ~ Buying a box of chocolates just for yourself is very selfindulgent 2 bad-tempered ~ She's always had/-tempered ist thing in the morning although she's very good-natured at other times. sood-tempered ~ The dog is far too good-tempered to be much use a a watchdog. ‘uick-tempered ~ She's very quick-tempered; she gets very angry atthe slightest Provocation, 3 narrow-minded ~ Irs surprising how nasrow-minded he is given the fact that he is so well ravelled single-minded ~ He’ totally single-minded; he never thinks of anything but work. ‘open-minded ~ 'm sure she won't be shocked she's far tov open-minded. Unit 38 387 Poste meon ee - Anna is eventempered ~ she neve gets cross with people. She is ery bright ~ she was a "I 4 cruel kind-hearted always top ofthe clas when we were at school Se s totally honest ~ she would never Uderes akan) emel ad bear tell even a whit lie, She is generous ~ even though she doesnt have much money, she gives Barer & Sactale earns lovely presents. Shei gregarious she would slays prefer tobe with other people than 3 rude —courtous = cae fn her own. Her one fault is chat she ean sometimes get abit wound-up and, when she 38.2 1 likes 3 bikes S liken 7 alisibes does, she can do eather daft things. 2 likes 4 dislikes 6 dislikes 8 likes Unit 39 pone 5 Dick's quite asertve. ee sie and aw ind Dave sel asured. - iss Jack, He my flatmate. or Hand Lae fumates 2 Molten, § Lid Doe else 2 My grandad sill writes to his old (or forme) shipmates, 5 Lzis quite unprinipe eae 3 We were classmates in 1988, werent we? or You were a classmate of mine 4 Sam can be assertive. Jill's peculiar 4 She's not really a friend, she’s just a workmate. 38.4 1 sociable asenive 5S extavagant 7 sensitive 2 pessimistic 4 inquisitive 6 argumentative cau n Use ugpeineredte) 233 232 Engin vcs i Use (pperinemedis) a