Unit Twenty-Four In Parliament

The Government regrets that discussions with the General Workers' Union have been broken off. However, in reply to the Honourable Member I have looked through the information regarding agricultural imports and exports which, compared to the official statistics, seems to be, shall we say, inaccurate. Indeed, one could, with some justification, say that he has made most of it up. So I repeat, huge wage claims will put back our campaign against inflation. Inflation is this country's number one enemy. The Government speaks for the majority of the electorate, and the people will not stand for inflation in wages or prices.'

Notes

BREAK OFF ABC The management broke off discussions with the union because they could not agree. A couple would break off an engagement when they no longer wanted to marry each other.

LOOK THROUGH AD You look through something written.

PUT BACK ABC A delay puts back your plans. If you gambled all
your savings, and lost, it would put you back where you started.

SPEAK FOR AD An elected representative speaks for the people who elected him.

STAND FOR AD This is usually used in the negative. Referees in games will not stand for any illegal play.

Exercises using verbs from the passage

A Complete these sentences:

1 This is intolerable! I won't it.

2 The delay us two and a half hours.

3 Hans Christian Andersen some of the world's best loved tales.

4 He the paper on his way to work.

5 The mutineers elected a spokesman to them.

6 The two countries diplomatic relations, and two days later were at war.

7 I know that's not true. You've it

8 The judge said that he would not disturbance in the court.

B Answer these questions:

1 Do you always read a newspaper thoroughly?

2 What does a delegate do?

3 When do people put their clocks back?

4 Name two things you would not stand for.

5 Do playwrights always make up the stories of their plays?

6 Do you look through the post when it arrives?

7 When would countries break off diplomatic relations?

8 Who speaks for a country in international meetings?

C Use the following pairs of verbs in sentences of your own:

1 put back, stand for.

2 break off, look through.

3 speak for, break off.

4 put back, make up.

A Vb + prep. + NP. B Vb+NP+ prep. C Vb pron. + prep. D Vb + prep. + pron. E Intrans.

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Exercise: