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Rewrite the text, using PHRASAL VERBS to replace the underlined words:
The novels of Charles Dickens document people's great fear of poverty during the 19th century. Even those who were earning good salaries would set aside part of their earnings in case they fell upon hard times. They would store the family silver in locked drawers in case they ever had to take it to the pawnbroker's shop. A wife who was afraid of her husband's drinking habits would conceal anything she obtained which her family could depend on in a crisis. Generous gifts could always be pawned at a later date. Some women even turned to prostitution so that they could provide treats for their children.
The average 19th century family had to manage without many things which we would now regard as necessities. They certainly had to forego the opportunity of family holidays. There were numerous officials who would collect money owed, but no state departments to distribute income support or social security benefits. The hardest thing for men to abandon was also the cause of family ruin. They could get rid of all the food in the pantry, but they could not abandon the bottle.
Alcoholism figures prominently in novels of this period, but readers liked happy endings. Consequently, mobility is not always downwards. There are also many "rags to riches" stories where orphans receive unexpected fortunes and change places with discredited landlords as the owners of large estates. Let's hope these heroes don't start drinking and become like the pigs in George Orwell's "Animal Farm".
Earn, produce as revenue |
bring in |
Forego, waive |
pass up |
Obtain, come to have |
come by |
Forego, manage without |
do without |
Receive (money) |
come in for |
Abandon, cease doing |
give up |
Store |
put away |
Abandon |
cut out |
Set aside |
put by |
Abolish, get rid of |
do away with |
Depend on (in a crisis) |
fall back on |
Provide facilities |
lay on |
Collect |
bring in |
Distribute |
give out |
Start |
take up |
Conceal, withhold |
keep back |
Change places with |
take over from |
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