TWO

QUESTIONS
Aim of this unit: to offer a brief presentation of the main issues related to
interrogation in English
Objectives: to help students understand and identify the differences between
English and Romanian with respect to an important grammatical process
(i.e. interrogation). To help students learn how to correctly formulate
interrogative sentences in English.
Contents:
2.1. Direct vs. Indirect Questions
2.2. Quirks Classification of Direct Questions
2.2.1 Yes/No Questions
2.2.2 Wh- Questions
2.2.3. Alternative Questions
2.3. Minor Types of Questions
2.3.1

Tag Questions

2.3.2

Echo Questions

2.4. Key Terms. Optional Exercises

2.1. Direct / Indirect Questions

Like Romanian, English makes use of two main types of questions:
-

direct questions (Did Susan give Tom the parcel? Why havent you done your
homework yet? How long are you going to sulk?)

indirect questions (He asked if Susan had given Tom the parcel. Bill asked his
son why he hadnt done his homework yet. Bill asked Susan how long she was
going to sulk.)

We shall leave the problem of indirect questions aside, for a subsequent section. This
section will only deal with the opposition between direct and indirect questions, focusing
on direct questions mainly.
If we try to analyze the examples above, it appears that direct questions
are characterized by:
a) the placing of an auxiliary in front of the subject (this phenomenon is also called
subject auxiliary inversion):
(1) Will Jane meet the president today?
(O s fac Jane cunotin cu preedintele azi?)
b) the initial positioning of an interrogative or wh element
(2) Who will Jane meet?
(Cu cine o s se ntlneasc Jane?)
(3) What is she talking about?
(Ce spune acolo?)
c) rising question intonation
(4) Can you do it?
(Poi face asta?)
As is obvious from the translation of the examples under (1), (2), (3) and
(4), all the features that characterize interrogation in English are to be found in Romanian
as well. However Romanian learners have difficulty in formulating Present and Past
questions, due to the fact that:
a) Romanian does not have do-insertion
Compare the following examples:
(5) Do you know English?
(6) tii englez?

b) unlike English, Romanian can drop the subject in a sentence since the verbal ending is
sufficient enough for a speaker to know what kind of person it is that performs the action
(e.g. the verbal form tii has an inflection that tells us that the subject is a second-person
singular one)
Due to these differences, Romanian students somehow have trouble
formulating correct interrogative sentences in English.
________________________________________________________________________
Activity 1: Translate the following questions in English, paying attention to the
characteristics of interrogative sentences mentioned above:
Unde eti, Bill?/ Pe cine iubeti mai mult i mai mult, pe mama, sau pe tata?/ Oare a
plecat spre cas sau este nc acolo?/ Cnd v-ai cstorit?/ Cum ai ajuns aa de repede?/
Ct a costat fusta cea nou?/ Oare de ce nu se mulumesc cu ct ctig?

It can be said that the interrogative force of direct questions is provided by

two of the characteristics we mentioned: the fact that the subject changes places with the
auxiliary, by means of Subject Auxiliary Inversion, and the specific rising intonation a
speaker attaches to the sentence he utters.
Unlike direct questions, indirect ones do not make use of Subject
Auxiliary Inversion, and their intonation is not rising (and this is obvious even
graphically, since we do not use a question mark with indirect questions). In the case of
indirect questions, the interrogative force we were speaking about has been taken over by
the main verb that introduces the indirect question. Compare:
(7) Where are you going?
(Unde te duci?)
to
(8) He asked her where she was going.
(A ntrebat-o unde se duce)
The fact that the meaning of indirect questions is tightly linked to the main verb that
introduces them is reinforced in English by the necessity that the tense within the indirect
question should correspond to the tense in the main clause ( that is, the rules of the
sequence of the tenses need to be observed: in example (5), the Past Tense in the main

clause matches the Past Continuous in the subordinate). It would be therefore incorrect to
say something like:
(9) He asked her *where she is going.
because, in this case, the sequence of the tenses is violated.
Likewise, it would be wrong to say (in standard English):
(10)He asked her *where was she going.
Since the question is not direct any more, Subject Auxiliary Inversion is not required, and
the sentence would be deemed grammatically wrong.

Activity 2 Analyse the following sentences in terms of the opposition direct/indirect

questions; identify the incorrect sentences.
What is going on? / What have you two been up to? / What you two have been up to? / I
wonder what have you two been up to? / I wonder what is going on. / I wonder: what is
going on? / I wonder: what have you two been up to? / I wonder what you two have been
up to. / I dont know whom she fancies. / Who does she fancy? / I dont know who does
she fancy. / Who is she? / I dont know who is she. / I dont know who she is. / He asked
me who she is. / He asked me who she was. / He asked me: who is she?
Activity 3: Translate the following texts in English, paying attention to indirect questions:
a) i, ca s fie limpede despre ce-i vorba, i povestete foarte amnunit ce fel de trup
are, ce culoare are pielea, cum merge ea de obicei i cum merge dac se tie privit.
b) N-ar fi drept s spun ce prere are el despre dragoste i despre felul de a fi al femilor
ntruct experiena lui n materie e modest.
c) - tii ce, spune la un moment dat femeia, am s-i dau numele i adresa mea. Am s
in minte numele i adresa ta. Nu tiu ct mai putem sta de vorb.
d) Brbatul spune un nume i o adres. Femeia spune cum o cheam i unde locuiete,
sau mai bine zis, unde locuia nainte s fie arestat.
(Tudor Octavian Zid ntre un brbat i o femeie)

2.2. Quirks Classification of Direct Questions

A first possible classification of questions is related to whether these
questions are long or short. Short questions tend to lose some of their content, being
typical of spoken language. Compare for instance:
(11)What do you want?
(Ce vrei/pofteti?)
to
(12)What?
(Ce?)
or
(13) Where are you going?
(Unde te duci?)
to
(14) Where to?
(ncotro?)

Activity 4: Transform the following long sentences into short ones:

Is there any trouble? / Do you like my new T.V set? / Do you want me to come along? /
What is it that you want? / Why dont you join us? / Would you like to have dinner with
me? / Have you heard from her lately? / Are there any bad news? / Is there any mail for
me today? / What should I do that for?

Another criterion of classification is, as Quirk shows, the type of answer

the respective question requires. In this case, one can speak of three classes of questions:
those questions that need a yes/no answer, those that need an elaborate answer and those
that need an alternative answer. Let us provide examples and a short presentation of each
of the aforementioned types of direct questions.

2.2.1. Yes / No Questions

As their name suggests, yes/ no questions are those particular questions
that receive a yes/ no answer.
Here are a couple of examples:
(15) Have you read Great Expectations?
(Ai citit Marile Sperane?)
(16) Did you go to the party?
(Te-ai dus la petrecere?)

Activity 5: Form questions and say which of them are Yes/No questions:
1. (you / pick up the children from school) ?
2. ( you / lend me some money) ?
3. (which / you like best) ?
4. (who / talk to last night)?
5. (you / hear from her these days) ?
6. (what time / shops close today) ?
7. (you / keep a secret) ?
8. (when / the accident happen) ?
9. (how long / wait for me?)
10. (what / you do lately) ?

Since questions qualify as non-assertive contexts, one would expect them

to make use of Negative Polarity Items:
(17) Did anyone call last night?
(M-a cutat cineva asear?)
(18) Has the boat left yet?
(A plecat deja vasul?)

Those yes / no questions that prefer to use Affirmative Polarity Items, instead of Negative
Polarity ones, are said to be positively oriented, that is the answers to these questions
are supposed to be positive:
(19) Did someone call last night?
(M-a cutat cineva asear?)
Yes, they did.
(Da).
(20) Has the boat left already?
(A plecat deja vasul?)
Yes, it has.
(Da).
A sub-type of yes/ no questions is represented by the so-called declarative questions,
which are so named because they are not characterized by Subject Auxiliary Inversion.
The declarative question is a type of question which is identical in form to a statement,
except for the final rising question intonation:
(21) You realize what the RISKS are?
(i dai seama de riscuri?)
(22) He didnt finish the RACE?
(N-a terminat cursa?)
Another sub-type of yes / no questions is supplied by negative questions:
(23) Didnt you know she was my Mum?
(Nu tiai c e mama mea?)
(24) Cant you be more patient?
(Nu poi s ai i tu mai mult rbdare?)
(25) Wont you tell me who you went out with?
(Nu-mi spui i mie cu cine te-ai ntlnit?)

Activity 6: In the following dialogues, make negative questions using the words given and
decide if the expected response would be Yes or No, as in the example:

1. A: Youre still in your pyjamas. Arent you supposed to be getting ready? (supposed
to / get ready)
B: No. Ive still got plenty of time.
2. A: Your mother is shouting for you. ? (hear her)
B: . , but I want to play basketball a little longer.
3. A: Youve been learning German for years. .. . (speak yet)
B: ., but Im too shy to try in front of strangers.
4. A: What a lovely hairdo! . (tell me who does it for you)
B: .., because you always copy everything I do!
5. A: Why arent you coming to the party? (feel like getting out)
B: , but Ive got to babysit tonight.
6. A: You look down. ? (enjoy the film)
B: . It was the kind of film that really depresses me.
7. A: She had her tenants evicted. ..? (a mean thing to do)
B: .. . Shes got a reputation for being heartless.
8. A: That was a rather tactless thing to say. (realise she was Anns
sister?)
B: .. . You could have mentioned it earlier.
9. A: There was a terrible car crash. .? (see it on the news)
B: . I didnt get home until late last night.
10. A: Its past your bedtime. ? (be in bed by now)
B: .. . Im allowed to stay up late at the weekend.

2.2.2 Wh questions
Wh- questions are formed with the aid of one of the following simple
interrogative words:
Who/ whom/ whose, what , which
When, where, how, why
The wh-phrase appears in sentence-initial position and Subject Auxiliary
Inversion takes place:

(26) a. On what did you base your prediction? (formal)

b. What did you base your prediction on? (informal)
(Pe ce i bazezi pronosticul?)

Activity 7: Ask questions where the word/phrase in bold is the answer:

Pete works for British Telecom./ Sara owns two cars. / Shes tall and fair. / Its nearly
seven oclock./ I have French lessons twice a week. / I went to Hawaii on holiday. /
There are six students in my class. / I wasnt at work today because I was ill. / Davids
car was stolen. / Shakespeare wrote King Lear./ Weve lived here for ten years. / My
new car cost 10,000dollars. / Kays gone out shopping. / Shirley got married to Ben. /
Thats my pen. / She lives in the suburbs./ She dropped her glasses.
Activity 8: Write questions in which the bold type words are the answers:
So I was glad for the company of Rosalie. As more old buildings are demolished I must
constantly shift about the city, trying to find places where I resided in life, places where
a shred of my soul remains to anchor me. There are still overgrown bayou islands and
remote Mississippi coves I visit often, but to give up the drunken carnival of New
Orleans, to forsake human companionship (witting or otherwise) would be to fully accept
my death. Nearly two hundred years, I cannot do that. (Poppy Z. Brite Short Stories)

Note that there is a group of informal intensificatory wh words (who ever, what ever,
why ever, etc) that convey to the question an emphatic meaning:
(27) What ever did you do that for?
(De ce oi fi fcut tu asta?)
(28) Why ever didnt he tell me?
(De ce oare nu mi-o fi spus?)
There are, of course, other forms of intensification available:
(29) Who on earth did this?
(Cine o fi fcut una ca asta?)
(30) Who the hell does he think he is?
(Cine naiba se crede?)

(impolite)

(31) Why in heavens name did you say that? (impolite)

(Pentru numele lui Dumnezeu, de ce ai spus aa ceva?)

Activity 9: What is the syntactic function of the wh phrase in the following examples?
Whoever opened my letter? / Which toys did they buy? / Whose card is this? / How large
did he build his boat? / When do you meet Susan? / How long did that last? / Where shall
I put these? / Why are you doing this?/ How did you solve the problem? / What job does
he have?/ Who did he turn to be?

There are certain cases where there are two wh phrases present in the question:
(32) Susan has hidden something somewhere.

What has she hidden where?

(Ce a ascuns i unde l-a pus?)

Where has she hidden what?

(Unde i ce a ascuns?)

2.2.3. Alternative questions

Alternative questions are those questions that receive an alternative
answer:
(33) A: Would you like to smoke a cigarette or a pipe?
B: A cigarette.
(A: Fumezi o igar sau o pip?
B: O igar.)
Any positive yes/no question can be converted into an alternative one by adding the
phrase or not, or a matching negative clause:
(34)

Yes / no question:

Are you coming?

Vii?

(35)

Alternative question: Are you coming or not?

(Vii sau nu?)
Are you coming or arent you?

(Vii sau nu vii?)

Activity 10: Find the word which should not be in the sentence:
1. Could you mind come a bit earlier tomorrow?
2. How far is it the cinema?
3. He used to work in a bank, didnt use he?
4. Didnt they not go to the concert last night?
5. Would you like have a piece of cake?
6. Lets stay for another few days, shall we stay?
7. How long is she be spending in America?
8. What Anne does she plan to do in the summer?
9. There was a fax for you this morning, wasnt it there?
10. Who did left the gate open?
11. You cant be serious, can you be?
12. Would you mind to photocopying this letter for me?
13. Dont forget to take some spare socks, will you not?
14. That was Jeremys brother, wasnt it he?
15. John goes jogging every morning, doesnt he go?
16. Would you mind to picking some things up at the supermarket?
17. Thats your car, isnt it this?
18. How long have you be lived in London?
19. Dont forget to ring the dentist, will you not?
20. How long time does it take to get there?
21. Would you to like a cup of coffee?
22. Didnt you not see him yesterday?
23. Who did told you about the problem?
24. Whose it is this book?
25. What did he say it about the assignment?
Activity 11: Translate the following, paying attention to the different types of questions:
A. Ani ntregi, uneori disperat, n-am fcut altceva dect m-am strduit s ngrop urmele
de durere n mine, am ncercat s-mi repar deformaiile, s-mi nfrng frica, nelinitea

infantil. Toate vechi, deci, acum ns parc m-am pierdut; particip la povestea asta
cu sentimentele i nu cu raiunea. Pot reveni, deci, oricnd la vechile triri? Sau vreau
doar s strng documente despre un univers tulbure, plin de germeni viruleni, despre
o lume dur, necrutoare? Cui i-ar folosi ele? Cei ce vin au n spate zeci de secole de
istorie, la fel ca i cei ce se duc, ca i cei ce au fost, dar cum nici lor nu le-a folosit
experiena altora la nimic, nu vd cui i-ar folosi documentele mele? i cine-i
judectorul, dac prin absurd exist? ntotdeauna vor exista stadii evolutie, iar protii,
inactivii, laii, mediocritile vor fi majoritari si vor avea grij s condamne la anulare
orice idee nou, strin priceperii lor, vor amna-o n cel mai fericit caz. Atunci? Smi argumentez ideea c oamenii se afl in preziua unui nou salt evolutiv? Dar i fr
nite biografii n plus am aceast certitudine. Trebuie s se ntmple ceva () Poate
m aflu n stadiul definitivrii unui drum propriu i, naiv, visez c odat cu mine se va
schimba i lumea. Drumdar ce drum? Am multe anse pentru a m schimba, a
ncepe ntr-un fel viaa de la capt, indiferent de risc. Riscul? Ratarea, pe care oricum
am simit-o, i tiu gustul.
B. Nu-mi amintesc din ntreaga poveste dect un singur lucru: stteam n cancelarie n
faa mesei directorului i pe fa mi se proiecta lumina unei uriae lmpi de bioru:
Unde ai fost? Ce-ai fcut pn la 12 noaptea?Cu cine ai avut ntlnire? Recunoate,
c altfel i spunem noi! Nu-l vedeam din cauza luminii care m orbea, ghiceam doar
unde se afl. Spune! striga el. Uit-te la mine dac ai curaj. Cu cine ai avut
ntlnire? Lumina m ameea, simeam c nu m voi putea mica din cauza
tranpiraiei. Ai fost n parc noaptea. Cu cine ai avut ntlnire, ce legturi ai? n ce
scop?
C. M obsedeaz mereu ansa pe care generos mi-am acordat-o atunci, dar i drumul,
lung, negru, pe sub bolile din care, nentrerupt, picur apa roietic, murdar,
obolanii trecnd indoleni prin faa mea i curenii de aer cald, umed, puturos. i, de
atunci, n afar de faptul c mi-am acordat mereu cte o ans, m ntreb, contaminat
desigur i de cinismul inteligentului meu unchi: La ci zei te poi opune ntr-o
via, domnule profesor, cnd armele tale sunt rudimentare i trupele decimate? i
Carol, nu se poate, exclus, absolut exclus s nu fi simit n secunda aceea uria
atrnat deasupra lui, golul alb, orbitor, care i-a determinat alegerea, viaa? Oare e

drept, e cinstit s-i obosesc degeaba, cnd nu-i pot face nici un bine, cnd n-am cum
s-l ajut? i, la urma urmei, chiar cnd prin absurd a putea, ar avea rost s le fac
dreptate? La ce le-ar folosi, cnd aceast cutare ncpnat a dreptii i mai ine n
via?
(Augustin Buzura Feele tcerii)

2.3. Minor Types of Questions

There are two minor types of questions we would like to mention in the following
subsections: tag questions and echo questions.
2.3.1. Tag Questions
Tag questions, or disjunctive questions are mostly typical of spoken English. They
can be attached to:

an imperative

(36) Open the door, will you?

Deschide ua, da?
(37) Lets go there, shall we?
(Hai s mergem acolo, da?)
but the most frequent kind of tag questions are the ones attached to:

declarative sentences

(38) She went to Prague, didnt she?

(S-a dus la Praga, nu-i aa?)
We shall deal with the latter type in more detail. Depending on whether they match the
polarity of the main sentence or not, tag questions can be:

constant polarity tags

Constant polarity tags have the same polarity as the host sentence (i.e. if the host or
main sentence is affirmative, the tag is affirmative too; if the host sentence is
negative, the tag is negative too). The suggestion is that in this case, the speaker using
the tag disagrees with what the main sentence states. In this way, constant polarity

tags can be a means of expressing irony, sarcasm; this is why constant polarity tags
have also been called reactive tags, or comment tags, since they reveal the
speakers reaction to the situation he comments upon:
(39) John: And Sue hasnt graduated yet.
( i Sue nu i-a dat nc licena)
Harry: She hasnt graduated yet, hasnt she?
(Aha, deci nu i-a dat licena, hm?)
(40) A: Wheres the rest of the money?
(Unde e restul de bani?)
B: Im afraid its all spent.
(Din pcate, au fost cheltuii.)
A: Oh, its all spent, is it?
(Deci, au fost cheltuii, hm?)

reversed polarity tags

Reversed polarity tags are those tags that are negative when the host sentence is
affirmative and vice versa.
Depending on whether the intonation of the respective tag is rising, or falling,
reversed polarity tags can be split in their turn into two categories:

with a rising intonation, the speaker is not sure about what he says and he
expects an answer:

(41) Theyre moving, arent they?

(Se mut, nu?)

with a falling intonation, the speaker is sure about what he says and doesnt
really expect an answer:

(42) He caused the accident, didnt he?

(El e cel care a cauzat accidentul, nu?)

Activity 12: Fill in the appropriate question tag:

You have got enough money. / Surely you have enough money. / He will be on time. /
There is enough food for everyone. / She used to talk a lot. / Everyone felt happy about it.

/ I am dressed smartly enough. / Thats your car over there. / You will pick me up, after
all. / You will pick me up at 7. / Lets eat dinner now. / Dont leave without me. / Be a
nice girl and bring me that stick. / You have been invited. / There are a lot of cars on that
street. / She left an hour ago . / He hates his wife. / He simply hates empty words. / That
was your father. / Tell me,/ Let me know, / Ann cant speak French. / She has a
brother. / I am older than you. / I must go now. / I may not see you tomorrow. / I may see
you tomorrow. / You ought not to smoke. / The boy never watched his sister. / The boy
often watched his sister. / He hasnt any money in his pockets. / He had his tooth filled
two weeks ago. / He has to marry Susan. / There are sure to be two books in that drawer. /
There happened to be a spare seat in the back of the room. / Few people like her. / A few
people like her. / Each of us is staying. / I dont think you like my music. / I think you
dont like my music. / I think you like my music. / They said he liked music.
Activity 13: Discuss the differences in meaning or emphasis (if any) between the
sentences:
1. He used to play squash, didnt he?/ He used to play squash, did he? / Didnt he use to
play squash? / Did he use to play squash?
2. Isnt this a great party? / This is a great party! / This is a great party, isnt it? / Is this a
great party, or what?
3. Didnt she do well in her exam! / She did very well in her exam. / How did she do in
her exam?/ Didn t she do well in her exam? / Did she do well in her exam?
4. Isnt it strange that everyone thinks they are experts on education? / Its strange that
everyone thinks that they are experts on education.
5. So you enjoyed my talk, did you? / So you didnt enjoy my talk? / So didnt you
enjoy my talk? / So did you enjoy my talk?
Activity 14: Add question tags to these sentences; then rewrite 1 to 4 as negative
questions:
Wed better stop work soon./ Im right about this. / Youd rather stay in bed than get
up early / Anyone can apply for the scholarship / If we dont get a move on, there
wont be much time left / Lets have a rest / Nobody anticipated what would
happen / Do try to relax. / He never used to study so hard.. / They ought to work
much harder

Activity 15: a)Rewrite each sentence so that its meaning remains unchanged, using a
question tag at the end. The passive is required in each one.
b) Then rewrite each of your newly formed passive sentences as negative
questions:
Experts are finding new ways of using the computers all the time. / New uses
One day robots and computers will do all our work for us. / All our work
I dont think that computers could be installed in every classroom. / Computers
No one has yet invented a robot teacher. / No robot teacher
The government should pay teachers on results. / Teachers
Students parents often support them. / Students
Student loans might replace grants. / Grants

2.3.2. Echo Questions

Quirk discusses two categories of echo questions:
2.3.2.1. Recapitulatory echo questions - questions which repeat part or all of the
message, as a way of having its content confirmed
In their turn, recapitulatory echo questions can be further split into:
a) general echo questions characterized by the fact that they have the same order
as declarative questions (see 2.2.1.) but a rising intonation (instead of a falling
one, as is the case with declarative questions):
(43) A: I didnt like that meat.
(Nu mi-a plcut friptura aia.)
B: You didnt like it?
( Nu i-a plcut?)
(44) A: My husband speaks Chinese.
(Soul meu tie chinez.)
B: Chinese?
(Chinez?)

b) special echo questions the wh- word can be placed in sentence initial position
or not. If the wh- phrase is fronted, Subject Auxiliary Inversion takes place,
accompanied by rising intonation:
(45) A:I saw Bill yesterday.
(Ieri l-am vzut pe Bill.)
B: You saw WHOM yesterday?
(Pe cine ai vzut ieri?!)
(46) A: Switch that light off.
(nchide lumina aia.)
B: Switch WHAT off?
(Ce s nchid?!)
(47) A:We went to Amsterdam.
(Ne-am dus la Amsterdam.)
B: WHERE did you go?
(Unde ai fost?!)
(48) A: He is an astronaut.
(E astronaut)
B: WHAT is he?
(Ce e?!)
Such sentences often express surprise, consternation, disbelief, misunderstanding:
(49) A:My husband eats bugs.
(Soul meu mnnc insecte.)
B: He eats WHAT?
(Ce mnnc_?!)
2.3.2.2. Explicatory Echo Questions ask for the clarification, rather than the
repetition, of something just said. The difference between recapitulatory and explicatory
echo questions lies in the type of intonation they possess: as we have seen, with
recapitulatory echo questions, intonation is rising, whereas with explicatory echo
questions, intonation is falling:

(50) A: Take a look at this.

(Uit-te la asta.)
B: Take a look at WHAT?
(La ce s m uit?)
(51) A: Oh, dear, Ive lost the letter.
(Vai, am pierdut scrisoarea.)
B: WHICH letter have you lost?

(i.e. which letter do you mean, rather than

did you say, you have lost?)

(Ce scrisoare ai pierdut?)

Activity 16: Formulate echo questions in relation to the underlined word and comment
on their meaning:
My sister dyed herself green. / I think Ive found a solution. / I think Ive found a hair in
my soup./ We are looking for a purse. / We are looking for a pixie. / He is interested in
music./ He is interested in blue movies.

2.4. Instead of Conclusions

tabel cu clasificarea intrebarilor pentru Alina vezi pagina 36 carte portocalie

Activity 17*: Translate the following:

1.Nu tiam unde m duce, dar mi ddeam seama c avea o int: dup ce tcuse atta
timp asupra a ceea ce a fi vrut s aflu, acuma sporoviala. ntre ce ani fusese student?
Terminase oare facultatea? Cum ajunsese caseri, aa, n general, i la Oraca ndeosebi?
Cine erau prinii ei? Fusese mritat? (nu, nu purta verighet, dar) Care fusese
anturajul ei n acei ani cnd eu i Ion Micu frecventasem braseria? Venise i ea acolo des?
Cu cine? i n ce sens era geloas pe noi doi? mi reteza, ca s zic aa, din fa dorina de
a-i pune aceste ntrebri i o fcea cu o capacitate de a vorbi i a nu spune nimic enorm
prin cumul de cuvinte, care ascundeau un humor secret Ce? parc spunea, nu e
amuzant c nu e amuzant ceea ce povestesc? Ei, da, era!
(Marin Preda Cel mai iubit dintre pmnteni)
2. Crezi tu, cumnat Fenia, c iepuoara asta de Vica, care e fata lui Andrei Mortu, i
care s-a aciuat, stricata, n satul nostru, crezi tu c nu e ea n legtur cu houl de Andrei,
cu ta-su? Ferete-l, Fenio, pe Condrat de Vica, numai la oameni buni le-a sucit capul cu
dragostea ei pctoas: lui Petre Litr, lui Stavre Pici, lui Chizlinski, lui Luca Horobe,
oameni aezai, cu o cas de copii. Are gust de oameni blnzi, erpoaica, s se
ncolceasc mai bine, dup pofte. Degeaba crezi c a luat-o Condrat n ceata lui la
pescuit, ast-toamn? Ferete-l Fenio, avei i aa numai necazuri, i apoi Vica ce zice,
acum pun mai bine mna pe Condrat, c tot trebuie s plece pe front. ()
i de la Bogdaproste, unde crezi c a rsrit Vica? La Babadag! Ora mare, cu cale
ferat i cu geamie. i cum crezi c-a rsrit Vica-n Babadag? n stamb nflorat, rou i
galben, pn la clcie, i n cap cu piepteni albatri. n picioare i-ai gsit s mai
umble cu tlpile goale! umbla-n sandale de catifea alb cu catarmi rotunde. i cui
crezi c i-a sucit capul n Babadag? Lui Hogea, popa al ttarilor i al turcilor. L-a scos
din geamie. Hogea, tinerel de aptezeci i opt de ani, curat ca pereii de Pati. Oamenii
de la Babadag oameni subiri, de ora s-au fcut n-aude n-a vede de obrazul Hogii.
(tefan Bnulescu Iarna brbailor)
3. De asta erai, deci, att de sigur pe tine? De asta ai lsat s treac sesiunea de var i ai
continuat s-i vezi de munca aia simpl i grea din care mai ales ea nu vedea ce plcere

poi obine? i o lsai s vin la tine o dat la dou sptmni? i ea credea c ai i

renunat la facultate. Cum putea cineva s fie aa de sigur pe un examen de admitere n
sesiunea din toamn, cnd ea fcea pe ea i la un biet colocviu pe an? i de asta rdeai cu
superioritate acolo, sus, pe tren i-l ndemnai s vorbeasc pe tipul care s-ar fi ntors
totui la C i ar fi cutat-o din nou pe Hertha, sau cum o chema, i i-ar fi spart la orice
falca lu domnu Grasu, pe care l njurai i tu cu plcere, dei nici nu-l cunoteai? Pe urm
i-a mai venit i o alt idee. Ai zis: dar Grasu sta n-are i el vreo fat?! i i-ai vzut
deodat transfigurai.

(Mircea Nedelciu Proz scurt)

4. Nu mai are chef s fac nimic pn disear. Chiar i pn la geam se duce fr chef,
abia trndu-i picioarele. Pentru c ce o s vezi i acolo? Chiocul cu iedera, scaunele de
rchit de sub nuc Aaaa! Cum de nu este Sophie la mansard s ngrijeasc glcile lui
Grigore? Cum de a aprut aici? Ai putea crede c a ieit s-i controleze straturile de
trandafiri, dar cum se face c a ales tocmai ora aceasta fierbinte? i ce exagerare s te
mbraci aa! Ce voit epatant inut de grdin: cu plria de pai veche i fusta puin
suflecat! Nu cumva are i saboi n picioare? Ai putea crede c a ieit s ude florile, dar
de ce s uzi florile pe zpueal? i un ageamiu tie c nu se face! C i-a pierdut capul,
se vede prea bine, furtunul curge n netire i a inundat aleile, niciodat n-a fcut
grdinarul o asemenea mocirl! Dar oare cnd o fi avut vreme s fi cobort Sophie de la
mansard? i pe unde? Pe scara de serviciu? i oare cum de a ajuns plria de panama
pn n mijlocul grdinii?

(Gabriela Adameteanu Diminea pierdut)