Сегодня по-быстрому про старое доброе «OLD» и как с его помощью резко поднять свой спикинг на TOEFL с 14 до 88 баллов. 1. Иногда «OLD» не имеет отношения к возрасту/старости. Например, BIG OLD = «большущий/здоровый». Здесь “old” это просто модификатор – типа, VERY BIG. • When I was 10, I went to a store and bought a big old bottle of apple wine and drank it by myself until I threw up. • …and it turns out, that God, he's a squirrel. Yeah, big ol’ meaty one. So I shot and ate that son of a bitch. Для разнообразия можете использовать BIG HONKING: • I couldn't help noticing that Janice has, to be polite, big honking jugs and she was wearing a white Old Style beer t-shirt without the benefit of a bra. 2. Зачем вообще это OLD? Ответ прост: все вы знакомы с POOR OLD (бедный старый), GOOD OLD (старый добрый) - тут это всё «знакомый участникам разговора». Само собой, существует и понятие BAD OLD (~старый недобрый): • For many the 1950s are the "bad old days." Cold War, McCarthyism, and the beginning of Black Rights Movement. • Still, I've found myself slipping into bad old habit of watching Dora the Explorer. • But if the bad old ways that critics point to were all that bad, then why did they work so well at first? .. и SAME OLD: • New year, same old story: sexism is already making a strong showing in Australia in 2016. 3. AGE-OLD. Ну вы поняли, «вековой»: • The study purports to have answered the age-old question: how much wood a woodchuck would chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. 4. ANY OLD. «~любой / обыкновенный / хорошо знакомый» • You don't need special devices for this; any old cucumber will do. • This wasn't just any old fan, but the president of his local fan club. • Like you they want to dance - not just any old way but a la Alvin Ailey. 5. И туда же SOME OLD: • Don't worry, I'll find some old way to do it. ============ 6. Не забываем о формах ELDER и ELDEST, которые могут быть совершенно самостоятельными существительными: • They consulted the village elders and the witch was sentenced to burn (afterwards). • My eldest is at college, studying cinematography and directing. Currently busy with his new project… I heard of some DareDorm series or whatever. 7. …и слегка архаичной форме OLDEN (как GOLD-GOLDEN, OFT-OFTEN и т.д.): • In olden times, people rarely watched TV (cause there were no motherfucking TVs around). ==== Много будешь знать – скоро состаришься. Уж если так вышло, не забудьте заодно состарить и своих друзей, репостнув эту телегу себе на стену.