by Alan Townend22. Phrasal verb bring or «Upbringing»....................................
In this story you will see many examples of what are called Phrasal
Verbs. These are simply verbs that consist of two parts — the verb +
a preposition.
Our current story focuses on the verb bring used with different
prepositions. Let me tell you the meaning of one of them — bring up.
The simple verb bring usually means to take something or someone
with you as in these sentences:
«Don't forget to bring your passport when you come to the airport.»
«Please bring a friend when you come to the party tonight.»
When you add a preposition to bring, you create a new verb and a
new meaning. Bring up, means to educate a child and look after it
until is an adult. Look at this sentence:
«Charlie's parents were killed in a road accident and so he was
brought up by his aunt and uncle.»
Now read the short story and try to work out what the phrasal verbs
mean.
«Upbringing»
Sheila Hammond was only twenty-three when she was elected as a
Member of Parliament, the youngest woman member in its whole
history. Naturally the press showed a great interest in her and her
family, invariably asking her how she had managed to be elected at
such a young age. Her answer never altered. She owed it all to the
way she had been brought up by her mother, Mary. Her father had
died of a heart attack when she was only two after his business had
been brought down following a financial scandal. Criminal charges
had been brought against him but the matter was closed on his
death. The press decided to bring up this information without being
able to get at the truth thanks to Mary's skillful management. In fact
during the election as Sheila went round from house to house
canvassing, Mary would always bring up the rear. It was difficult
sometimes to work out who was standing for Parliament, Sheila or
Mary. Her mother had observed early on that Sheila was very good
at defending herself and always arguing her case well, which had
decided her to bring her daughter on in the art of public speaking.
The awareness that Sheila had had all her life about her father's
apparent «disgrace» brought her up against the necessity constantly
to be on her guard. Sheila had never really explained what her father
had done. All she would hint at was that the whole business had
brought shame on the family name, although her father was totally
innocent.
Sheila coped admirably in her first few days, using her negotiating
skills to the full. After only six weeks in the job she even managed to
bring about a reconciliation between two of her colleagues who were
having a petty dispute and also succeeded in bringing a matter