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MY HOUSE

1. Ответьте на вопросы:

1) Which would you prefer to live in a new modern flat or an old traditional house? Why?

2) Which house is more suited to your family's needs and why?

3) What room do you use most in your house?

4) Which is your favourite room? Why?

5) How would you like to decorate your room?

2. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

I would like to tell you all about my home. Firstly, I must tell you that I live in Pyatigorsk. It's a very fascinating city with old traditions.

We have sprung up around the city's old centre. We live in one of such newly built areas. Though it isn't quite close to the city centre, it's only seven stops by underground from the city's main street.

We moved into our new flat five years ago. It's a four-room flat on the third floor of a seventeen-storied block of flats. Certainly there are all modern conveniences in our flat. It's fairly cosy. The layout is good. The rooms are light, though not very large. It's quite a modern looking flat with two balconies looking out on the park in front of the building. Every time I walk into my flat, I feel an immediate sense of warmth and security.

Our sitting room is quite a big room, about 20 square metres. My mother doesn't like much furniture in the flat. So in the sitting room there are two comfortable chairs and a sofa, a coffee-table, a television set and a video in the corner of the room and a piano. Of course, there is a carpet on the floor. We usually relax, watch television, listen to music in the sitting-room or have dinner on special occasions. We have two pictures on the wall of our room. They are nice copies of my favourite painting by Levitan. They make the room comfortable.

I am happy to have a room of my own. It's the smallest room in the flat but I try to keep it tidy and cosy. There is a single-bed, a desk, a personal computer, a stereo-system, a big bookcase and a wardrobe in my room. There is a little rug on the floor. There are some posters of my favourite pop star above the bed.

You may be surprised to hear when I tell you that the most popular and favourite place with all of us is a kitchen. We spend most of our time in the kitchen, not eating in fact, we like just to sit and talk there.

Our kitchen is comparatively large and looks the usual modern kitchen you can see in many other homes. The air is usually filled with the delicious smells of my mother's cooking. There is a cooker, a fridge, a washing machine, a dishwasher, a microwave, a kitchen table with four stools and some cupboards in it. There are some lovely pictures on the walls. We have regular meals in the kitchen. My family likes to sit chatting for hours after work in the evenings. But I have to bring a chair and take it away when the whole family is at table. But it's not much trouble.

Ah, yes, I haven't mentioned the hall or as we call it the cor­ridor. It's long but slightly narrow. Or perhaps it looks narrow to me because my brother Oleg keeps his bike in it.

When my friends come to my house they often describe it as a dream house, but to me it's just 'home sweet home."

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SHOPPING

1. Ответьте на вопросы:

1) Are the shops far from your house?

2) Do you like to go shopping?

3) Whom do you like to go to the shops with?

4) Do you like to look through the shop windows?

5) How often do you go shopping?

2. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

Our family has a shopping day. It is Saturday. My father gets up early on Sat­urday. He likes to say that an early riser is sure to be in luck. My father and I usually go to the shops on this day.

In the morning we ask our mother what we need. We take bags and go to the shops. First of all we go to the butcher's shop. We prefer to eat sausage and meat instead of fish, that's why we buy two kilogrammes of meat for a week. My father usually takes some tinned meat and we often prepare sup­per using tinned meat. My brother Nick likes to eat eggs and we often buy ten eggs and three chickens for a week.

We usually visit the baker's shop when we go home. My sister Mary is a sweet tooth, she likes sweets very much, that is why my father and I buy a lot of rolls and buns.

The shop assistant usually suggests to buy cakes, biscuits and tasty tea. For ex­ample, I like cakes and coffee and I very often ask my father to buy different cakes.

One says that there is no accounting for tastes. My father likes coffee and cakes too and he agrees to buy them.

One day my two friends Alex and Paul came to see me. Alex had a bag in his hand. He said that his mother had sent him to the greengrocer's shop.

I decided that I should go to the shop too, as my grandmother asked me to buy milk and cheese at the dairy. It took us ten minutes to get to the greengrocer's shop because it was not far from our house.

The shop was big. The shop windows were nice.

Alex explained that his father had al­ready bought carrots, tomatoes and he had to buy potatoes, onions and cucum­bers. We looked at the counters and saw fresh vegetables. We asked the shop as­sistant to weigh three kilogrammes of potatoes, one kilogramme of onions and two kilogrammes of cucumbers. When she had weighed the vegetables she said how much it cost. Alex took money from the pocket, paid for the vegetables and put all vegetables into his bag. The bag be­came very heavy and Mike helped Alex to carry it. He thought that a friend in need was a friend indeed.

Then we went to the dairy. We did not take a bus, we went on foot. When we came to the dairy there were a lot of people there. We could see many fresh foods there, but I was asked to buy milk and cheese. It took us twenty minutes to stand in a queue, but it was obvious that we should buy fresh milk and cheese.

When I returned home my grandmoth­er was glad that I had bought such tasty cheese and fresh milk and she thanked me for shoppings.

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MEALS

1. Ответьте на вопросы:

1) What kind of food do you like and why?

2) What kinds of food don’t you like and why?

3) Do you eat healthily?

4) How often do you eat out with friends or family?

5) Do you enjoy eating out?

2. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

Some people have three or four meals a day. Others eat little amounts at some intervals throughout the day.

The first traditional meal is usually breakfast. People have it early in the morning at 7 or 8 o'clock before going out. Some people have light breakfast, consisting of a sandwich with cheese or sausage, or scrambled eggs with a slice of bread and butter. Others prefer more solid and substantial food, like fried or boiled potatoes with ham or chop; or porridge (rice, semolina or buckwheat por­ridge); or macaroni with sausages. The usual drink for breakfast is a cup of coffee or strong tea with sugar, milk or lemon. Most people skip breakfast because they don't have time. Dinner is the biggest meal of the day. Some people have dinner at work; others have it at home when they come from work.

Dinner usually begins with an appetizer: a little salad, a piece of herring or perhaps some pickled or marinated mushrooms, tomatoes or cucumbers.

The main course of the dinner is soup. For the 1^st course we may eat chicken soup or cabbage soup (shchi), or beetroot and cabbage soup (borshch), solyanka, noodle soup or just broth- In spring and summer when it's hot it's so nice to have the soup called "okroshka", a traditional Russian dish (cold kvas with chopped vegetables and meat).

For the second course we eat roast meat or stewed meat and fried or boiled potatoes, or spaghetti. Many people like fish for dinner. All these dishes are juicy and tender.

For the dessert we drink a glass of mineral water, lemonade or juice. Traditional drinks are mors and kvas. Sometimes we have fresh or canned fruit. If you aren't on a diet you may enjoy a piece of cake or pie. In summer everybody adores to have a piece of melon or watermelon.

In our country many families also prefer to eat take-away food for dinner instead of cooking or eat at the McDonald's which have recently become popular in Russia for the obvious reasons. They are cheap and fast served.

Supper is the last meal of the day. Supper must be a light meal because it isn't good to eat much in the evening. The proverb says, "After dinner sleep a while, after supper walk a mile". Although many people prefer mashed potatoes with pickled or fresh ve­getables (tomatoes, cucumbers, carrot, leek). Others eat stewed cabbage with a beefsteak or fried liver or kidneys. We finish supper with a glass of tea or milk.

A special Russian dish is "pyelmeni" – small cases of pasta containing chopped meat (beef and pork mixed). Pancakes with honey, caviar are one of the most popular dishes on the Russia table. They can be served as a main dish or as a dessert. There are small ones called oladyi and big round ones called bliny. They are also made in great quantity at Maslenitsa, a week-long spring festival the last week before Lent.

Most supermarkets sell a range of prepared meals to be cooked in the microwave.

There are the Food Courts in the cities that seats a lot of people and caters for every taste with dishes from all around the world. The aromatic smells that come from the Food Courts arc so delicious that your mouth will water. In recent years foreign foods have become a regular part of our life. The restaurants contain many delicatessens offering cuisine from many countries including France, Italy, Greece, Japan and Poland. So nowadays many people prefer to eat out. There are a lot of places offering good value for money and having interesting decor.

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CELEBRATIONS

1. Ответьте на вопросы:

1) Which is your favourite holiday? Why?

2) How do you celebrate your favourite holiday?

3) Do you get presents for each holiday or just for one?

4) Is Christmas an occasion for big family gatherings in your country?

5) Do you believe that customs play an important part in cul­ture?

2. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

People in every culture celebrate holidays. Russian people have also many traditional holidays, old and new, that they celebrate in ail seasons. Although the word 'holiday' literally means 'holy day', most Russian holidays are not religious, but commemorative in nature and origin.

There are dates and events in the life of our country that are memorable to every Russian people. They are Victory Day, May Day, Women's Day and Independence Day. They are public holi­days. People don't work on these days.

There are several religious holidays, which appeared many years ago. They are: Christmas, Easter and New Year.

There is one more holiday which is loved by everybody: adults and children. This is New Year's Day celebrated with present-giv­ing by Ded Moroz (Father Frost), decorating New Year trees and joyful parties. People begin to prepare for this holiday beforehand.

Everything is decorated in the traditional way. Many people send special greeting cards. They usually put their presents under the New Year tree. New Year's Eve is celebrated on December 31^st in our country. It is a time for people to welcome the coming of the New Year. On New Year's Eve many people attend parties or get together with their families, neighbours or friends while others choose to goto a restaurant or clubs. Around the time of New Year people wish each other "Happy New Year". In Moscow some people spend the evening at Red Square. Crowds gather and wait for 12 o'clock when the chimes of the famous Spasskaya Tower ring out. Everyone wish each other a happy and healthy new year. No matter where New Year's Eve is spent, the feeling is the same. People cheerfully celebrate this joyful occasion. January 1^st is now a national holiday, too.

In Russia Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7^th with all-night services in church. At Christmas people celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. People spend time with their families and eat special food. It's the time of merry-making and present-giving.

Country Defendant's Day is celebrated on February 23^rd which is devoted to soldiers and officers and everyone else who ever defended the country or is in the Army. These people are greeted with special cards and given presents. Concerts are also given in their honour.

Maslenitsa is a festival lasted for a week. People celebrate it at the end of February or at the beginning of March. This festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring and Lent. People say 'goodbye' to winter. They invite their friends, their nearest and dearest to see each other. Since old times people have cooked pancakes with sour cream, fish, caviar or butter, sugar, honey. They are different in size and are made each day of the week. People have a lot of fun. They have fires, burn straw scarecrows of winter with songs and dances; People have snow fights and snow battles outdoors and often have horse trips in sledges March 8^th is Women's Day in our country. It is a symbol of coming spring, of love, and of respect for all women. Men and young boys try to please their mothers, sisters and girl-friends by giving them presents, flowers and chocolates. There are special TV and radio programmes about women.

From earliest times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Orthodox Christian festivals is Easter (Paskha), when Chris­tians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated in March or April. It depends on the church calendar. For the greater part of the people of our country these holidays are the days of family reunion, relax and happiness. Churches hold special services on this day. Russians cook a special Easter cake at home (or often small Easter cakes, each cake for each member of the family). You can also buy such Easter cakes in the shops. They are called "kulitchi". Children like them very much. They colour eggs, which are traditionally linked with the festival. People enjoy traditional Russian dishes. Everyone gives presents of Easter eggs, originally painted with bright colours.

Day of Spring and Labour is traditionally marked on May 1^st. On this day the workers of Russia are honoured along with the coming of spring. In previous period the holiday was called May Day and was celebrated with huge parades in big cities all over the country (the former Soviet Union). Now people prefer to go out into the street and take part in all kinds of outdoor activities.

In fact May 9^th is a special Memorial Day, a day to remember those who died in the Second World War. Victory Day is the end of the Soviet Union's participation in World War II in Europe. Parades and processions of veterans are held in big cities. People lay flowers in Moscow's Park Pobedi and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

We celebrate Russian Independence Day on June 12^th when Russia became an independent country, the Republic of the Rus­sian Federation after the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991. This is an official holiday. Independence Day was established by the 1^st

President of our country Boris Yeltsin, but nowadays President Vladimir Putin has made it into a big celebration.

Day of People's Unity or National Unity Day was first celeb­rated in Russia on November 4,2005. The holiday commemorates the popular uprising which ejected the Polish occupying force from Moscow in November 1612, more generally the end of Time of Troubles. The name of the occasion may be explained as follows: all the walks and classes of the Russian society willing by united to defend and preserve their motherland, when the end of it seemed inevitable, though there was no leader to guide the people. So, "the strength of every state is in the unity of its people," - can be like a motto to accompany the holiday.

In the past the government used the festival on November 7^th to commemorate the anniversary of Great October Revolution which brought them to power. This day was once celebrated by military parades in Red Square. Now it is called Day of Reconciliation and Harmony. This day is marked by marches and demonstra­tions. Nowadays the atmosphere is less military. For many people it is just another day-off.

December 12^th was Constitution Day. This holiday celebrated the new Constitution of 1993. The Constitution guarantees real rights and freedoms to people in our country. These basic rights are the right to work, to rest, the right to education and the light to housing. The Constitution has articles about the duties.

We also celebrate lots of professional holidays and anniversa­ries of an important past event which are not public holidays and people work.

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HOLIDAYS

1. Ответьте на вопросы:

1) Do you prefer a summer or winter holiday?

2) What interesting places have you visited on holiday?

3) Where do you prefer spending your holidays: in your country or abroad? Why?

4) What makes a perfect holiday?

5) How active do you like to be on holiday?

2. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

Probably nobody can imagine modern life without travelling. Now the words "travelling", "tourism" and "holidays" have the same associations. Some years ago travelling abroad was very rare and only few people could afford it, but now thanks to the travel revolution, longer holidays, bigger salaries and the change of the policy of the country more and more people visit other countries.

More and more people are fond of travelling. Millions of people travel around the globe to see other countries and continents, modern cities and ruined ancient towns. Many people think that holidays are a wonderful chance to relax, have fun and explore new places, to enjoy picturesque places or just have a change of scene.

Some people travel on business, others for pleasure to spend their holidays in a warm country. Many people enjoy visiting foreign cities, museums and galleries. Travelling is an excellent way of gaining knowledge of other countries' history and there­fore tourism plays an important role in breaking down negative national stereotypes. The best way to study geography is to travel and the best way to get to know and understand the people is to meet them in their own homes.

In my opinion, going sightseeing is a very good way of spending a holiday. Every city or country has something special such as archeological sites or famous landmarks. It's wonderful to see those places for yourself, not just in books or on TV. If I had a chance, I'd go to London. I have learnt a lot of interesting things about this marvellous city and, of course, I'd like to see everything with my own eyes: St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Tower, famous bridges and Trafalgar Square with its Nelson's Column. I'd like to take a tour around the city sitting in a red double-decker bus or just wander around the streets enjoying the historical buildings, modern grand hotels, theatres, shops or just people. Of course, I'd like to have a rest in one of the famous London parks breathing fresh air, feeding the birds and animals. On such a trip I'd take a camera, a pair of comfortable shoes, a couple of guide-books and a map.

There are a lot of types of holidays. Some people prefer skiing holiday or mountaineering holiday. Others like seaside holiday or scuba diving. For others it'd be something extreme. For example, going on a safari to discover Africa by Land Rover seems a rather attractive idea. Teenagers enjoy camping holiday.

If I went to the seaside, I'd take a swimming costume, suntan lotion, sunglasses, a cap, light clothes, a camera and a first-aid kit. I think such holidays should last for a fortnight (two weeks). But if you decided to go to the mountain skiing resort, you should take warm clothes, a skiing costume, skis, goggles, a camera and first-aid kit. You can enjoy your stay in beautiful chalets with real wood fires to keep you warm even in the worst snowstorms.

There are different forms of travelling. You can choose every­thing depending on your preferences, mood and wishes. Probably the most comfortable are package holidays. These are holidays organized by a travel company where the basic price includes flight, accommodation and food. Going on such holidays you can settle everything beforehand and fully relax during the holidays. Unfortunately such holidays are expensive.

Not all people prefer relaxation during the holidays, some people prefer active holidays. They are fun, practical and a great way to make new friends who share your interests. These interests can include foreign languages, cycling, cookery, sailing and others.

If you haven't got enough money, you can go on working holidays. You can work on a farm picking fruit in France or Israel, or if you want to go to the USA, you can work in a sum­mer camp for kids. There are hundreds of them all over the US every summer and many of them employ foreign students to help organize games and events. It is a hard work, but you are paid and get free time at the end to travel around America. More and more people want to experience real life when they are abroad, that is why they prefer Home stay holidays. Instead of staying in hotels, you live with a family in their own house. It is cheaper than package holidays and much more interesting.

People can travel on foot, by car, by bus, by train, by bike, by air, by sea and hitchhiking. But when you are going to visit some place, you must not only think where to go and what to do but also choose a method of travelling, too. While thinking about a means of transport you should take into consideration such factors of travelling as speed, comfort, safety and reli­ability. Travelling by air is more comfortable, convenient and quicker than any other method. But it's rather expensive. It can be unreliable, too because there might be delays. It'll also take you some time to get to the airport and go through the Customs. Travelling by car is very convenient. You can stop whenever you want and choose the speed. You don't have to share your car with the others. You don't depend on the tickets. But you have to drive in heavy traffic and breathe in car fume. Travelling by ship is very nice. You can enjoy a leisurely voyage. It's very slow. It can be very expensive, too. I prefer travelling by train. Trains are much safer than planes. They are cheaper and tend to be comfortable. You can walk around in a train and open the window. You can do everything you like: read, sleep, listen to the music... Trains are slower than plains, but speed isn't everything.

Sometimes things may go wrong during the holidays, so you should be very careful and be ready for the problems. For example, the flight can be delayed, unsatisfied accommodation, bad food, poor hotel service, your passport or money can be lost or stolen, noisy neighbours, lots of mosquitoes, bad weather... But no matter how it can be, people should have a good rest, as many of us work hard during the year and holidays are worth the money you spend on them. You really feel better, healthier, more energetic and full of impressions. I believe that holidays should be a change. Most people like a change of place. If they live in the country, they like to go to a big town. If they live in a city, they like a quiet holiday. When on holiday most people don't like to do things; they have to do them all the year round.

I prefer summer holidays. They are long and the weather is rather nice and warm to enjoy your rest. I try to do everything I want: swim in the river, play active games, enjoy being outside all day long, ride my bike, wear light clothes and plenty of other interesting things I can't afford during the school year. When on holidays I try to be active.

We usually spend summer holidays together: my mum, dad and me. Sometimes our dad joins us later; it depends on the time of his holiday. First, we go to a small town situated on the river where my mother's parents live. We stay there for two weeks. I go fishing with my grandfather. We also visit some museums, go on an excursion to the famous Turkish fortress which was assaulted (conquered) by the Russian Army led by the famous general Suvorov. For at least 10 days we spend time at the seaside. We can go there by bus and stay at a hotel or rent a house. Then we go to the picturesque village where my grand-grandmother lives. We go there in search of a peaceful, relaxing holiday and I am certainly never disappointed. We usually get there by train. It takes us 16 hours to get to the place from Moscow. Of course, we book the return tickets in advance in the booking office at the railway station. It's not a long trip, so I don't feel bored much or tired. I'd like to describe the place. The village is surrounded by marvelous scenery, hills and pine woods. It is situated on the bank of the small clear river. The weather is usually fine during our stay, though we come here in July and sometimes there are periods of showers and thunderstorms. I enjoy swimming, sunbathing, breathing fresh air, walking in the forest, riding a bike, studying the surrounding neighbourhoods. Sometimes I help my grand-grandmother to look after her hens and a pig. I enjoy eating fresh fruit and vegetables, just baked bread and a glass of milk. But my favourite way of spending time here is fishing. I really feel proud of myself when I am able to catch enough fish to fry it for supper. We usually spend here two weeks, take photos and enjoy spending the time.

So, I think that travelling is the best way of spending your holiday. And if you have a chance, choose the way of travelling for yourself and have fun.

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EDUCATION

1. Ответьте на вопросы:

1) When do children begin going to school?

2) What do they do at elementary school?

3) What education is compulsory in our country?

4) At what age can children go to specialized colleges?

5) When do students get the bachelor's degree?

2. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

If all good people were clever and all clever people were good, the world would be nicer than ever.

I think that education is a key to a good future. And schools are the first step on the education-way. Schools help young people to choose their career, to prepare for their future life, they make pupils clever and well-educated. They give pupils the opportunity to fulfil their talent.

Education in Britain developed by steps. The first step was the introducing of two kinds of school: grammar schools and secondary modern schools. Grammar schools offered a predominantly academic education and in secondary modern schools education was more practical. The second step was the introducing of a new type of school, the comprehensive, a combination of grammar and secondary modern, so that all children could be continually assessed and given appropriate teaching. These school were co-educational and offered both academic and practical subjects. However, they lost the excellence of the old grammar schools. Then after 1979 were introduced the greatest reforms in schooling. They included the introduction of a National Curriculum making certain subjects, most notably science and one modern language, compulsory up to the age of 16. The National Curriculum aims to ensure that all children study essential subjects and have a better all-round education. Pupils' progress in subjects in National Curriculum is measured by written and practical tests. More ambitious pupils continue with very specialized studies in the sixth form. They remain at school for two years more. Pupils sit for exams leaving secondary school and sixth form. They sit for the General Certificate Secondary Education at the end of the 5th-years' course. A-level or AS-levels are taken after two years of study in the sixth form. They are the main standard for entrance to university or other higher education. Some parents prefer to pay for their children to be educated at independent schools. This private sector includes the so-called public schools, some of whose names are known all over the world, for example Eton. It provides exceptionally fine teaching facilities, for example in science, languages, computing and design. Its students are largely from aristocratic and upper-class families. The Government's vision for the education system of the 21st century is that it will neither be divisive nor based on some lowest denominator. Diversity, choice and excellence will be its hallmarks in this century.

The public educational system in Russia includes pre-schools, general schools, specialized secondary and higher education. So-called pre-schools are kindergartens in fact. Children there learn reading, writing and maths. But pre-school education isn't compulsory - children can get it at home. Compulsory education is for children from 6(7) to 17 years of age. The main branch in the system of education is the general schools which prepare the younger generation for life and work. There are various types of schools: general secondary schools, schools specializing in a certain subject, high schools, gymnasiums and so on. The term of study in a general secondary school is 11 years and consists of primary, middle and upper stages. At the middle stage of a secondary school children learn the basic laws of nature and society at the lessons of history, algebra, literature, physics and many others. After 9th form pupils have to sit for examinations. Also they have a choice between entering the 10th grade of a general secondary school or going to professional school. Pupils who finish the general secondary school, receive a secondary education certificate, giving them the right to enter any higher educational establishment. One has to study in the institute for 5 years. Higher educational institutions train students in one or several specializations.

The American system of education differs from the systems of other countries. There are free public schools which the majority of American children attend. There are also a number or private schools where a fee is charged. Education is compulsory for every child from the age of 6 up to the age of 16 except in some states, where children must go to school until the age of 17 or 18. Elementary or primary and secondary or high schools are organized on one of two basis: 8 years of primary school and 4 years, or 6 years of primary, 3 years of junior high school and 3 years of senior high school. The junior high school is a sort of halfway between primary school and high school. The high school prepares young people either to work immediately after graduation or for more advanced study in a college or university. An important part of high school life is extra-curricular activities, they include band or school orchestra, sports and other social activities. There is no national system of higher education in the United States. Instead, there are separate institutions ranging from colleges to universities. They may be small or large, private or public, highly selective or open to all.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-23