You can signal the beginning of a spoken personal narrative like this:

Did I ever tell you about the time I . . .

That reminds me of the time I . . .

Funny you should mention this, because something similar happened to me once...

A story often has changes of direction and digression. You can signal the end of digression like this:

Anyway ...

As I was saying ...

To get back to the story ...

And we can speed up the end of the story by cutting out irrelevant detail and saying:

To cut a long story short...

Anyway, what happened in the end was ...

15.Read this simple story and try to memorize the main points. When you are ready tell your partner the story and be prepared for interruption.

Tell the story from memory. Use narrative technique. When you have told this story, listen to your partner's story and keep interrupting with

questions.

A Traveller's Tale

In the autumn of 1935, when I was a young man, I was travelling in the north-west of India. One evening, after hunting in the forest

all day, I was returning alone to the place where I had put up my tent. It was getting dark, and I was walking along a narrow path. On

my right was a wide river; on my left, a thick, dark forest. Suddenly I saw two green eyes looking at me from among the trees. A man-

eating tiger was getting ready to jump on me.

What could I do? Should I jump into the river and hope to save my life by swimming? I looked to the right. In the river there was

an immense crocodile waiting to welcome me with its mouth wide open.

I was so frightened that I shut my eyes. I heard branches moving as the tiger jumped. I opened my eyes. What do you think had

happened? The tiger had jumped right over me and was now in the jaws of the crocodile. That's a true story, believe it or not.

1. Do you believe this story? 2. Try to describe a very improbable experience like the traveller in "A Traveller's Tale", making

your account sound as truthful as possible. 3. Do you know of any stories (legends, popular beliefs) that might or might not be true?

Give all the details you can and express your attitude to them.

16.Work in pairs or small groups. Help each other to remember your hiking tours:

2. An unforgettable evening.

3. An embarrassing situation.

4. A frightening experience.

5. An experience which made you laugh.

Listen to each other's narrative but don't interrupt except to find out more details.

17.Sit in a circle. Every alternative person is A and the person on his or her right is B. If you are A, tell the person on your right a story, an

experience, a joke or a funny story about a walking tour. If you are B, listen to the story from the person on your left and tell it to the person on your

right. And so on round the class until the story comes back to the person who told it first. Was the story you told recognizable on its return? Tell the

others how it had changed. Then it's B's turn to tell a story to the person on his or her right. And so on round the circle.

18.Role-Playing.

C h a r a c t e r s :

Mrs. Alia Cordon— a discussion leader. A writer, aged 40, has been a member of various hiking tours, knows their advantages and

disadvantages.

Mrs. Jane Wilson — a scientific research worker. A lot of time in the library, laboratories. An experienced hiker. Hiking is her hobby

Mrs. Margaret Drew— a teacher, rather advanced in years. Used to be a devoted hiker in her youth.

Mrs. Pauline Jenkins — a librarian, aged 25, a bit shy. Wishes to have a lot of friends. Is a bit tired of her everyday routine. Feels

rather lonely.

Miss Ann Thompson — a very experienced psychologist. Theoretically believes that hiking can be of some help to her patients but

thinks that it can hardly be regarded as an ideal way of spending a holiday.

Miss Helen Green — a romantic girl of 20. Loves nature. Tries and sees beauty everywhere. Writes poems about nature, sunsets,

seasons of the year, birds, flowers, etc. Is not in good health. Thinks hiking can help.

Mrs. Katherine Morrow— a housewife. Has a large family. Is knee-deep in children having four of them. Very busy at home. A bit

tired of cooking and the rest of housework.

Miss Diana Hubble — a student, goes on a hike every other weekend. Has been to various places. Is fond of independence and

freedom of choice.

Mrs. Morris Cardew— a journalist, travels much by air, by train, by car, by sea. Always pressed for time. Very seldom has a

possibility to walk. Doesn't think it necessary.

Mrs. Alia Gordon (opening)

When the people of the future will turn their attention to the twentieth century, they will surely choose the label "legless peo ple"

describing us, people of the 20th century. Don't you think hiking is certainly a way out of this dangerous situation and thus a splendid

way to have a holiday. People of the 20th century are always in a hurry; they are short of time, travel at high speeds. Very often we

are deprived of the use of our eyes. In our hurry we fail to see anything on our way. Hiking seems to be the ideal way to see

everything with our own eyes, to touch everything. Certain inconveniences. Lack of great comfort. Dependence on weather and other

things. But a lot of advantages. So, the pleasure one gets from hiking is worth the trouble taken.

2.Mrs. Jane Wilson

1) 20th century people forget how to use their legs. Men, women, children move in cars, buses, etc. from a very early age. In houses

— lifts, escalators to prevent people from walking. Hiking — a superb thing in this respect. (Ask for Mrs. Margaret Drew's opinion.)

2) Inconveniences are not great, though they exist. Modern camping sites are well equipped with hot and cold running water, shops,

even dance floors. Tents — comfortable. Portable furniture is light. Gas stoves — excellent coffee and tender steaks. (Ask for

Pauline Jenkins's opinion.)

3.Mrs. Margaret Drew

1)Hiking — an ideal thing but only for the young. A lot of inconveniences, significant for those not already young. Mosquitoes,

packing and re-erecting a tent, many heavy things to carry. No real comfort. Is it a kind of a holiday of relaxation to overcome lots of

difficulties and inconveniences?

2)Agrees that hiking is cheap. But you get what you pay for. When hiking you don't pay much and you don't get much.

4.Mrs. Pauline Jenkins

1)Hotels provide more comfort, greater variety of food. But remote strained atmosphere of hotels, cold and unfriendly formal

greetings between the residents. Hiking — enormous opportunity to meet different people, share your pleasures, make friends.

2)Hiking provides you with a real change from everyday living. You get up earlier, go to bed earlier, develop a hearty appetite. (Ask

for Mrs. Katherine Morrow's opinion.)

5Miss Ann Thompson

1)Ideal way of spending a holiday is getting relaxed and away from other people. Camping sites are crowded. Many people go on a

hike. You must meet a lot of people, get acquainted with them. Making friends is not an easy task for everybody. Even if a place is

beautiful, all the beauty is gone because of the number of people. (Ask Helen Green's opinion.)

2)A person on a hike is quite helpless. Something goes wrong, help is required. Where to go? What to do? (Ask Diana Hubble or the

hostess of the discussion.)

6.Miss Helen Green