Упражнение 1. Переведите следующие предложения на английский язык, используя may во всех возможных значениях:
1. Ты был не так уж сильно занят. Ты мог бы нам помочь.
2. Спроси его, можно ли нам осмотреть лабораторию.
З. Он мог бы сделать это для вас. Ему это совсем не трудно.
4. Он чуть не разбил окно.
5. Она, возможно, опоздает.
6. Они, возможно, работают над этой же проблемой.
7. К вечеру может пойти дождь.
8. Их, возможно, не было вчера в городе.
9. Я подумал, что если его часы были там, то и деньги могли оказаться там же.
10. Я согласен, что разрешить Питеру поехать за границу, возможно, было ошибкой. Но я думал, что это, может быть, вернет его к работе.
11. может быть, не упоминал об этом в своих письмах, но я проделал там довольно большую работу.
12. Не увидев ни своего отца, ни мальчика, Мегги подумала, что они, быть может, переставляют книги на полках.
13. Вы, возможно, слышали его имя.
14. Мне пришло в голову, что он втайне гордился сыном, хот он, быть может, и не осознавал этого.
15. У него большая семья. Я могу себе представить, что он, возможно, ищет себе работу получше.
16. Мне казалось, что гроза может разразиться в любой мо-мент.
17. Она не была шведкой, но ее можно было принять за швед, ку.
18. Может быть, он сейчас в гостинице и ждет меня.
19. Я чуть не опоздал на последний автобус.
20. Они, возможно, подумали, что мы не придем в такой дождь.
Key:
Упражнение 1.
1. You weren’t all that busy. You might have helped us.
2. Ask him if we may look round the laboratory.
3. He might do it for you. It is not at all difficult for him.
4. He might have broken the window.
5. She may be late.
6. They may be working at the same problem.
7. It may rain towards evening.
8. They may not have been in the town last night.
9. I thought if his watch was there, the money might be there too.
10. I agree it may have been a mistake to let Peter go abroad. I thought it might bring him back to his work.
11. I may not have mentioned it in my letters, but I did quite a lot of work up there.
12. Not seeing either her father or the boy, Meggie thought they might be rearranging some of the books on the shelves.
13. You may have heard his name.
14. It occurred to me that he was secretly proud of his son, though he may not have known it.
15. He’s got a big family. I can easily imagine that he may (might) be looking for a better job.
16. I had the impression that the storm might break out any minute.
17. She wasn’t a Swede, but she might have been taken for one.
18. He might (may) be in the hotel waiting for me.
19. I might have missed the last bus.
20. They may have thought that we won’t come in this rain.
Упражнение 2. на употребление модального глагола MAY. Самостоятельно придумайте ситуации по следующим схемам:
1. может быть (возможно), он ...
Не may come yet.
He may be reading in his room.
He may have forgotten about it.
He may have been expecting a letter from them.
2. может быть (возможно), он не ...
Не may not be in now.
He may not have heard from his family yet.
3. он чуть не ...
He might have fallen.
4. я, пожалуй, ...
I may as well give you a lift.
I might as well give you a lift.
5. пожалуй, лучше ...
If your mother has made up her mind, my dear, you may (might) just as well give in without any fuss.
6. можно было бы принять за ...
From a far the house might have been taken for a small inn.
7. могло бы быть и ...
Charles came out of the examination room. “How did you get on?” I asked. “It might have been worse, I suppose,” he said-
Упражнение 3. Повторение: заполните пропуски модальными глаголами can (could) or may (might):
1. When they told me I was cured and ... go, I ... tell you I was more afraid than glad.
2. His letter ... have given them the idea.
3 His knee touched the bottom. He crawled further and at last lay full length on the pebbles. He now felt so tired he ... not understand how a moment ago he ... have been capable of swimming.
4. You’ve done me a great service. I knew I ... trust you.
5. Her mother said she ... play with me if she wished.
6. He’s a nice boy. I’m glad you brought him out here. We ... have some fun.
7. He looked at the lighted window of the cottage. He ... see into a kitchen where two women were sitting by the table drinking tea.
8. She has attractive eyes. There’s something about them that holds you. She ... have been pretty once.
9. When he married her she ... not have been more than sixteen.
10. He boasted and told the most extraordinary stories which I’m sure ... not possibly have been true.
11. She ... not think what he was doing. Something ... have happened to him.
12. You ... not have proved that I wrote the letter because I didn’t.
13. It never occurred to me that I ... get measles.
14. I was just going to tell you — because of the storm I ... not be home tonight.
15. That is exactly what he did say. But I won’t talk any more about it. He ... not have been himself.
16. “To my mind she is a beautiful woman.” “Well, yes. But I don’t see what you ... have found to say to her.”
17. He hurled the heavy thing down the stairs. It made an extraordinary noise in its descent and woke Joe sleeping in his pram. The only thing I ... say to that was: “You ... have killed Joe.”
18. “I see one of my statuettes has been broken.” “I ... not think what ... have happened to it.”
19. He thought it likely that Blair ... have got away unnoticed.
20. It was dark and I ... only see the glimmer of his face.
21. You have acted very irresponsibly and you ... find yourself in serious trouble.
22. After all we don’t even know if your sister is proposing to stay in London. She ... be just passing through on her way to somewhere else.
23. One ... not get anything done nowadays.
24. “Come inside in front of the fire where you ... warm up,” she said quickly.
25. But I really feel that the late Mr Evans ... not have been a nice man.
Ключи к упражнению 3.
1. could, can
2. may
3. could, could
4. could
5. might
6. might
7. could
8. may
9. could
10. could
11. could, might
12. can
13. might
14. may
15. could
16. could
Упражнение 4. Повторение: переведите следующие предложения на английский язык, используя модальные глаголы can (could) and may (might):
1. Возможно, будет дождь.
2. Возможно, дождя не будет.
3. Не может быть, чтобы пошел дождь.
4. Неужели будет дождь?
5. Может быть, он уже видел их.
6. Может быть, он и не видел их.
7. Не может быть, чтобы он видел их.
8. Просто не может быть, чтобы он видел их.
9. Неужели он видел их?
10. Где он мог их видеть?
11. Возможно, они ждут нас.
12. Возможно, они не ждут нас.
13. Не может быть, чтобы они ждали нас.
14. Неужели они ждут нас?
15. Кого же они могут ждать?
16. Не может быть, чтобы они ждали нас.
17. Я, пожалуй, пойду.
18. Я, пожалуй, лучше останусь дома.
19. Я чуть не потерял ключи.
20. Все могло бы быть гораздо хуже.
21. Погода — хуже некуда.
22. Мне ничего не оставалось делать, как остаться с ними.
23. Я не мог не согласиться с ними.
24. Мне это совершенно безразлично.
Keys:
1. It may rain.
2. It may not rain.
3. It can’t rain.
4. Can it rain?
5. He may have seen them.
6. He may not have seen them.
7. He can’t have seen them.
8. He can’t possibly have seen them.
9. Can he have seen them?
10. Where can he have seen them?
11. They may be waiting for us.
12. They may not be waiting for us.
13. They can’t be waiting for us.
14. Can they be waiting for us?
15. Who can they be waiting for?
16. They can’t possibly be waiting for us.
17. I may (might) as well be off.
18. I may (might) just as well stay at home.
19. I might have lost the keys.
20. It might have been worse.
21. The weather couldn’t be worse.
22. I couldn’t but stay with them.
23. I couldn’t help agreeing with them.
24. I couldn’t care less.