Brighton in the rain

I’ve never been to Athens and I’ve never been to Rome

I’ve seen only the Pyramids in picture books at home

I’ve never sailed across the sea or been inside a plane

I’ve always spent my holidays in Brighton in the rain

I’ve never eaten foreign food or drunk in a foreign bar

I’ve never kissed a foreign girl or driven a foreign car

I’ve never had to find my way in a country I don’t know

I’ve always known just where I am and where I’ll never go

I’ve read travel books by writers who have been to Pakistan

I’ve heard people telling stories of adventures in Iran

I’ve watched TV documentaries about China and Brazil

But I’ve never been abroad myself; it’s making me feel ill

I’ve studied several languages like Hindi and Malay

I’ve learnt lots of useful sentences I’ve never been able to say

The furthest place I’ve ever been was to the Isle of Man

And that was full of tourists from Korea and Japan

I’ve been never to Athens and I’ve never been  to Rome

I’ve only seen the Pyramids in picture books at home

I’ve never sailed across the sea or been inside a plane

I’ve always spent my holidays in Brighton in the rain

Use the verbs to complete the lyrics. You can use each one more than once.

be/ drive/drink/eat/go/have/hear/kiss/know/learn/read/sail/see/spend/study/watch

I’ve never ____________ to Athens and I've never ____________ to Rome

I've only ____________ the Pyramids in picture books at home

I've never ____________ across the sea or ____________ inside a plane

I've always ____________ my holidays in Brighton in the rain

I've never ____________ foreign food or ____________ in a foreign bar

I've never ____________ a foreign girl or ____________ a foreign car

I've never ____________ to find my way in a country I don t know

I've always ____________ just where I am and where I'll never go

I've ____________ travel books by writers who have ____________ to Pakistan

I've ____________ people telling stories of adventures in Iran

I've ____________ TV documentaries about China and Brazil

But I've never ____________ abroad myself; it s making me feel ill

I've ____________ several languages like Hindi and Malay

I've ____________ lots of useful sentences I've never ____________ able to say

The furthest place I've ever ____________ was to the Isle of Man

And that was full of tourists from Korea and Japan

WHEN TWO BECOME THREE

After two weeks of zero contact with Concettina, she surprisingly came to see me. She said she had something very important to say. ‘I did a pregnancy test!" she said.

Conci looked at the floor. The suspense was terrible.

“What was the result? I asked.

"It was positive," she replied.

“Aah! So you’re not pregnant” I said.

“Yes I am, you idiot!” said Conci. Positive isn’t an opinion! It indicates that I am pregnant!”

We remained in silence for a few minutes then I said: Conci, I don’t know what you will think about this, but I am very happy.’ She smiled immediately and embraced me. ‘Really? she said. When she embraced me I understood that I had missed her very much.

"So what about the sex?" I asked.

"John!" she shouted. “We’ve only been back together forty five seconds, be patient, please!"

“No!" I said. I am talking about the sex of the baby! Is it a boy or a girl?"

Concettina laughed. “It’s a little early to know that, Darling." To celebrate the good news we ordered pizza.

Pregnant women and Englishmen have something in common. We order very similar types of pizza.

I had a tuna fish and pineapple pizza and Conci had melon and chocolate.

We ate our pizza in silence. Both dreaming our dreams.

lf you live in Milan and you didn’t receive a telephone call from Concettina announcing her pregnancy, you are one of the very, very few. My mother instantly asked me when we intended to marry. “She’s right, we should marry,"  I decided.

I called Conci and asked her to meet me at her favourite restaurant. After the grappa at the end of the meal, I asked her to marry me. “Why do you want to marry me? she asked.

Well, because I love you and now we’re having a baby.”

Conci looked confused. “Wait a minute! Who told you that you are the father?!’

“What?! You mean you frequented another man?’

“We weren’t together, John! I was lonely!”

"It was two weeks!” I shouted. I saw that the people around us were listening intently to what we were saying, so I decided to be a hero. "Conci I love you anyway, so, if it’s ok, I want us to marry anyway.” Conci embraced me, which was her answer.

Back at the apartment I needed to talk to Dave.

"Conci is pregnant"  I announced.

Dave started to panic. “Did she... did she tell you who the father is?” he asked. He was so agitated.

“How did you know it is someone else?!” I asked. “Anyway we are going to be married!”

“I have to go!” Dave shouted, and ran out of the room.

Now, I am not stupid, and I know Dave better than his mother and I know why he ran out of the room so fast.

In this moment he is out in the city buying us a gift for our wedding. My God, he’s so predictable, that man!

Rispondi alle domande

1. What was the result of the pregnancy test?

.......................................................................
2. How did they celebrate the good news?

.......................................................................
3. What did Conci have on her pizza?

.......................................................................
4. What did John drink before asking Conci to marry him?

......................................................................
5. How long had John and Conci been separated?

......................................................................
6. What was Dave’s reaction to the news?

.....................................................................

7. How did Dave leave the room?

........................................................................
8. Where was Dave going? (according to John)

.......................................................................

QUESTION TAGS

Le Question Tags sono delle brevi domande situate alla fine di una frase affermativa o negativa. La loro funzione è quella di rafforzare il contenuto della frase chiedendone conferma. In italiano si traducono con Vero? Non è vero?
Non sei uno studente, vero?

Sei andato a letto tardi, non è vero?

In inglese, se la frase è affermativa, la question tag sarà negativa.

She is you friend, isn’t she?

Lei è una tua amica, non è vero?

Se la frase è in forma negativa, la question tag sarà affermativa.

You can’t read, can you?

Non sai leggere, vero?

COME SI FORMA?

Se la frase principale è affermativa, la question tag sarà costituita dal verbo ausiliare/modale della frase principale nella forma interrogativa-negativa contratta seguito dal pronome soggetto corrispondente.

You are Alice, aren’t you?

Sei Alice,vero?

Se la frase principale è negativa, la question tag sarà costituita dal verbo ausiliare/modale della frase principale nella forma interrogativa-positiva seguito dal pronome soggetto.

It isn’t ready, is it?

Non è pronto,vero?

Se nella frase principale non ci sono verbi ausiliari o modali, si usa DO, DOES, DID, secondo il tempo.

She loves chocolate, doesn't she?

Ama il cioccolato, non è vero?

Ci sono, inoltre, due casi nei quali si usano le question tags.

Se la frase principale ha il verbo all’IMPERATIVO, la question tag sarà retta da WILL.

Close the window, will you?

Chiudi la finestra, vuoi?

Con le frasi che iniziano LET’S, la question tag è retta da “SHALL WE?”

Let's have pizza tonight, shall we?

Abbiamo la pizza questa sera, volete?