II. SENTENCES ON SYNTAX AND IDIOMS

FOR VIVA VOCE PRACTICE

CHAPTER I

I

1. We have been here for more than ten minutes.

2. It was not without difficulty that the captain was taken from among the dead.

3. Is not the making of a book a trade, as the making of a clock? 4. Why do you not wish to have your work printed?

5. That man knows how to set himself off to advantage.

6. You must have a very short memory if you do not remember that.

7. Of all your friends, there is only one that I know.

8. It was in vain that I tried to make myself understood.

9. How long had you been waiting for me when I arrived?

10. Everything had been so carefully prepared that the plan seemed likely to succeed.

11. My companion was quite astonished when I made him notice it. 12. Why did you not tell me earlier?

13. Do not lay the blame upon us, they alone are responsible for it. 14. There is no other expression that satisfies me.

15. When it is fine and I have nothing to do, I always go for a

walk in the afternoon.

16. Thinking he recognised the voice, he suddenly rose.

17. You ought not to say anything about it, if he does not mention

it to you.

18. It seemed to me that success was impossible.

19. It seemed as if the whole town was asleep.

20. That justice which his contemporaries denied to him, he obtained from posterity.

CHAPTER II

II

1. He is fit for anything, his friends say, which always means that he is fit for nothing.

2. Is it enough that they should be indigent for the State to be bound to succour them?

3. I wonder whether they will profit by that lesson.

4. As soon as they heard me, they both turned their heads in my direction.

5. Neither shrank from danger nor tried to risk his life.

6. His sister was quite surprised when she heard of his departure. 7. If you send me his jewels, you need not trouble yourself about

his person.

8. I know how wealthy they are, but do not esteem them the more for it.

9. There is nothing, however hard, that he does not readily understand.

10. Do you know him by sight?—No, only by name.

II. When his turn came, he spoke without fear or hesitation.

12. Is it true that they have not enough to live upon?

13. It is reported that war has just been declared.

14. If it were not so, would he think of making you believe it? 15. He often imagines he expresses his own thoughts, when he is only the echo of some one he has just seen.

16. How poor he must be ! His coat is threadbare.

17. They knew nothing about it, and so their surprise was great. 18. The two armies were within gunshot.

19. He has always behaved very badly to me.

20. What would become of us if he should happen to die?

CHAPTERS III, IV

III

1. Why do men and women so rarely agree on a woman's merit? 2. Have you not yet heard that they left our town last week?

3. Such ways no longer suit a woman of forty.

4. To see him one would think that he is a foreigner.

5. There is no one that is not charmed with his modesty.

6. I very much doubt whether you will succeed.

7. I have no doubt that what he says is perfectly true.

8. A woman keeps her own secret better than that of others. 9. Such were the obstacles which seemed likely to stop them. 10. I value your friendship more than you think.

II. In his devotion to this noble cause he yielded to none.

12. Ought there not to be much more cordiality between them? 13. If one faithful friend is enough for one's self, one cannot have too many for the service of others.

14. We must laugh before being happy, for fear of dying without having laughed.

15. Is it not difficult for a proud man to forgive those who complain of him rightly?

16. There is no vice that does not resemble some virtue.

17. No one can tell which of the two will prevail.

18. There are places we admire; there are others in which we should like to live.

CHAPTER V

IV

1. Do stay; you cannot be in the way anywhere.
2. It is not very difficult; who could not do as much?
3. If I were in your place, I should distrust that man.

4. Perhaps you will not believe it, but I assure you that he intends to refuse.

5. How talkative these children are! Make them keep silent. 6. Would you address him by the title of My lord, if you were to speak to him?

7. The general resigned rather than obey.

8. I never say anything of which I am not absolutely sure.

9. He finished his story more confidently than he had begun it. 10. Do you approve of the way in which they have acted? II. We had not yet arrived when they were already gone. 12. If he did it, it was without my knowledge.

13. There is nothing I am not ready to do for you.

14. Is not that the gentleman whose brother we met yesterday ? 15. If it is fine and we go out, shall you come with us?

16. Do not allow yourself to be frightened by these threats.

17. It often happens that we see each other two or three times

a day.

V

I. I have at last made the culprit confess his crime.

2. How sweet these flowers smell!

3. To believe it is to be greatly mistaken.

4. The carriage went so fast that we soon lost sight of it. 5. The two friends were more than eighty when they fell out. 6. If you had not come to our help, we should have perished. 7. It seemed as if their courage should have been invincible. 8. I cannot understand what has made them act in such a way. 9. Let us suppose that he does it: what will happen? 10. I suppose you are too tired to accompany us.

11. Pray do not refuse, were it only to please me.

12. The doctor's house was situated half-way up the hill.

13. Had not the grave been sprinkled with holy water?

14. I had read the passage so quickly that I had not understood

its meaning.

15. He was in despair, for he had let out his secret.

16. I have been told that they are both enjoying perfect health.

17. It is an error to think that such men are rare.

18. Good wine needs no bush.

19. We never buy our clothes ready-made.

20. I am looking for some one who can help me in my work. 21. What have you been doing since the day we met? 22. I very much regret you were not informed of it earlier. 23. Everybody believes me to have more wealth than I possess. 24. Never fear, it will not be difficult to upset his tactics.

CHAPTER VI

VI

1. That is not within my province.

2. The thing had been done without any one noticing it. 3. Would to heaven I were not his client !

4. What do you want me to do for you?

5. It was the vicar who prevailed in the end.

6. They say that he had not enough left to get himself buried with.

7. Take away that pistol from that child, he will hurt himself.

8. I could not have believed it if I had seen it with my own eyes.

9. His patience at last triumphed over every obstacle.

10. I do not know any one who is not of that opinion.