Lesson 12

MARIA :  To think that we’ve been invited by a real lady!
JOHN :  She may be Lady Stoke-Newington but that doesn’t mean she’s a real lady! Far from it.
MARIA : Oh, don’t be silly. It’s a great honor. She’s very well known. You know she opened the Conservative Fête last Sunday, down in the village.
JOHN :  So what?
MARIA : How d’you mean ‘so what’? I’ve heard that her family came over with the Conqueror.
JOHN :  They must be pretty old by now.
MARIA : Well if you feel like that about it you needn’t go. I certainly shall. One of the pleasures of living in England is meeting interesting people.
JOHN :  Just because she’s got a handle to her double-barrelled name it doesn’t mean she’s interested- ing.
MARIA : Well, I like moving in the best circles. I think breeding counts.
JOHN :  Well, certainly without it, none of us would be here.
MARIA :  I only hope that when we do go over to Lady Stoke-Newington’s, you won’t let me down
JOHN :  You mean you’re afraid I’ll go in my gardening clothes and hiccup the whole time?
MARIA :  I’ll have to get a new dress.
JOHN :  And new shoes? and white gloves! I can see that moving in society is going to cost us a fortune.

MARIA : Well, why not? Just think we’ll meet a lot of their friends and go to smart parties and we can do some entertaining here as well – invite them back.
JOHN :  Oh! lovely, with me in the evening dress the whole time or in tails like a waiter.
MARIA : Really Harry, you’re such a bore. I know you were born in a humble home but things are different now.
JOHN :  As if your family were such great shakes.
MARIA :  Well they were, shall we say, a little more refined than yours. I’ve always wanted to meet the British aristocracy.
JOHN : Why?
MARIA : Well because they’re the only aristocracy that’s still worth anything.
JOHN : Only because they never had their heads cut off.

1. Why does Maria feel honored by Lady Stoke-Newington’s in-invitation?
2. Where did Lady Stoke-Newington’s ancestors come from?
3. Why does Maria think John’s attitude is silly?
4. Why is Maria worried about taking John to meet Lady Stoke- Newington?
5. What does Maria want before she goes to the party?
6. Why does John suggest she should have white gloves?
7. Does Maria come from an aristocratic family?
8. What sort of home does John come from?
9. Why does Maria want to meet the British aristocracy?

Maria’s snobbishness is expressed in her use and John’s of the following:

It’s a great honor. They were a little more refined than yours.
I like moving in the I want to meet the British aristocracy.
best circles You’re such a bore.
Breeding counts Your family was not in such great shakes. Lady Stoke-Newington a real lady wife of Sir Anthony Stoke-Newington a lady of good manners and breeding
the Conqueror William the Conqueror from Normandy conquered England in 1066
a handle aristocratic title

1. double-barrelled name : of two surnames joined by a hyphen
2. to count : to be important
3. let someone down :  to make someone appear inferior
4. hiccup : sudden stopping of breath with a cough-like sound
5. a bore : an uninteresting person
6.humble : low rank or position
7. no great shakes : not very good
8. refined : cultured