Family Album USA 24 — Parting Friends

assembly hall: a large room in a school for meetings, shows, and graduation ceremonies

peeled: with the skin (of a vegetable or fruit) taken off

sliced: cut into thin, flat pieces

Give me a break. = Don’t ask me to do that now.

final: final examination; an important test at the end of a course

farewell party: a party for someone who is going away

I’m broke. = I don’t have any money.

should have saved: didn’t save, and it’s too bad. Use should have + a past participle to express a regret—to say that you are sorry that something didn’t happen.

to remember (me) by: to remind (her) of (me); for (her) not to forget (me)

X-rays: photographs of the inside of the body

fractures: breaks or cracks in a bone

lifeguard: someone who swims well and whose job it is to watch people swimming—to be sure that they are safe

pool: an indoor or outdoor tank of water for people to swim in

I’m . . . short of cash. = I don’t have enough money.

What’d you have in mind? = What were you thinking about? Here, d means «did.»

flashy: bright, and attracting a lot of attention

If you could lend me the money, I could pay you back. = If you were able to lend me the money, I

would be able to pay you back (pay you back — return the money to you).

This sentence is an example of the present (or future) unreal conditional. In the //clause, use a past verb or auxiliary. In the main clause, would or could usually comes before a simple verb. Use this grammar to imagine about the present or the future. Here, Robbie is imagining that his father will lend him the money. (Later in this episode, you will study more about unreal conditional sentences.)

can manage (it): will be able to do (something that might be difficult). Of course, lending Robbie enough money to buy a watch will not really be difficult for Philip. Philip is not using this phrase in a serious way.

You’re not so bad yourself. = You’re not so bad, either; you’re OK, too. You can use this expression after someone compliments you.

Activities

SHOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE
Use should have + a past participle when it’s too bad that something didn’t happen.

Robbie wants to buy a gift for Alexandra, but he doesn’t have enough money.

(It’s too bad that he didn’t save some money.)

Use shouldn’t have + a past participle when it’s too bad that something happened.

Robbie forgot to put the milk back into the refrigerator.

(It’s too bad that he forgot to put the milk back into the refrigerator.)

Fill in the blanks below with should have or shouldn’t have + the past participle form of the verb in parentheses.

1. Robbie didn’t save enough money. He ________ (put) some money in the bank.

2. He went fishing yesterday. He _____ (study) yesterday, and he probably ______ (go) fishing.

3. He didn’t review any problems in his math textbook. He _____  (look) in the book.

4. Robbie is going to miss Alexandra when she goes back to Greece. But he never told her that he would miss her when she goes back home. He ______(say)  , I’ll miss you. He ______(wait) so long to tell her how he feels.

MONEY TALKS
Complete each of the following sentences with a phrase from the box below.

1. Robbie has no money to buy a gift for Alexandra. He tells Ellen that he ________.

2. Robbie doesn’t tell his father that he has no money at all, but he says that he doesn’t have enough. He tells Philip that he ________.

3. Robbie doesn’t want to buy Alexandra a wristwatch that attracts much attention. He tells Philip that he doesn’t plan to buy anything _______.

4. Robbie wants to borrow some money from his father. He will return it after he starts earning money from his summer job. He promises to ________ the loan.

5. Philip will be able to lend Robbie the money. He tells Robbie that he _________ it. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could skip the examinations…? This is another example of the present (or future) unreal conditional. Robbie is imagining that there won’t be any examinations. But of course, this is not really true. (See page 129 for more about the use of this grammar.)

I have to run. = I have to leave immediately.

decorating: adding things to make something more attractive

in (her) honor: as a celebration (for her)

rock ‘n’ roll: a form of popular music with a strong, regular beat. Rock ‘n’ roll (rock) songs usually have very simple words and are popular as dance music. Another spelling of this phrase is rock-and-roll.

U.S. LIFE
Rock ‘n’ roll is a type of music that began in the United States in the 1950s. This music developed from jazz and the blues. (The blues is a type of sad folk song with a slow jazz beat.) Singers, such as Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Little Richard, were the first people to record this music. Elvis Presley, the «King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,» was the first musician to make this music popular around the world. For many years, Elvis was the top-selling solo recording artist. In fact, more than I billion of his records have been sold worldwide. Today, rock ‘n’ roll is still very popular. It is still the #1 selling music in the U.S.

YOUR TURN

• What type of music do you like most?
• Do you listen to rock ‘n’ roll?

Activities

IMAGINING WITH IF
At the beginning of Act II, while studying math with Alexandra, Robbie imagines that his final exams will be canceled. He doesn’t want to wait till Saturday for the party.

To imagine about the present or the future, use a past verb or auxiliary in the if clause. Use would (or could or might) before the main verb in the simple form.

In present or future unreal conditional sentences, always use were as the past form of be in the if clause. Never use was.

The sentence in each of the two pictures above is also correct with the if clause at the end of the sentence instead of at the beginning.

Robbie would give his big graduation party today if they really canceled the exams.

He would tell all his friends about it if the big party were today.

A. With Robbie, imagine that the party can be sooner. Complete each sentence below with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1. If all his friends came to the big party, Robbie ______(shop)  for lots of food.

2. He would buy all the food for the big party if he ______ (go) shopping in the supermarket.

3. Everyone ______(have) a great time at Robbie’s big party if he bought all that food.

B. Imagine that there is no music at the big party and that people aren’t having fun. Complete each sentence below with the correct form of the verb in parentheses. One answer has a negative form.

1. If Robbie _____(play) some more music, everyone could be dancing and having fun at the big party.

2. If the big party _____(be) much fun anymore, everyone might go home.

3. If everyone left the big party, Robbie _____(be) alone.

4. It would be great if the exams ____(be) really canceled. 

insisted: said strongly

Hear, hear! This expression shows approval.

had it engraved: had letters or a design cut into a surface

too much: difficult to believe; incredible

Activities

I’M GOING TO MISS YOU»
What was the order of events in this episode? Number the sentences from / to 8 to show the right sequence. Write the correct number on each line at the left.

__ a. Robbie invited Alexandra to the party.
__ b. Ellen suggested giving a farewell party for Alexandra.
__ c. Robbie asked Philip to lend him some money to buy a wristwatch for Alexandra.
__ d. Alexandra gave Robbie a wristwatch.
__ e. Robbie gave Alexandra her wristwatch at the airport.
__ f. Alexandra began to help Robbie study math.
__ g. Alexandra’s parents said she could stay for the party and leave on Monday.
__ h. Alexandra called Robbie to say that she was leaving for Greece on Saturday.

WATCH WORDS
Who made each of the following statements? And to whom was he or she speaking? Fill in each blank with the correct name.

1. _____ said to _____ «I’d like to give her a nice going-away present.»
2. _____ said to _____ «I’m sure Alexandra would be happy with something simple . . . .»
3. _____ said to _____» . . . she’ll think of me when she looks at the time.»
4. _____ said to _____ «It’s lovely, Robbie.»
5. _____ said to _____ «I think you might be amused.»
6. _____ said to_____ «I knew we thought alike, but this is too much!»