The Smithsonian

I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit so far in Washington, D.C. Today, we’re going on a tour of the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian is actually several museums, each with a different focus, situated together on a mall. These museums in total have more than sixty million items on exhibit. The first Smithsonian museum we’ll visit is the Museum of Natural History, which has various types of stuffed animals and exhibits showing the lifestyles of early American Indians and Eskimos. From the Museum of Natural History, we’ll go on to the National Air and Space Museum, where we’ll see displays that show the development of flight. In this museum you can see the airplane that Orville Wright used to make his first flight and the airplane that Charles Lindbergh used to cross the Atlantic. After we visit those two museums as a group, you’ll have free time to visit some of the other Smithsonian museums: the Museum of American History, the Smithsonian Arts-and Industries Building, and the various art museums located on the Smithsonian Mall. After our trip to the Smithsonian today, we’ll go on to the White House and Capitol Building tomorrow.

(from TOEFL Tests, by P.Sharpe. Practice Test 3)

SECTION 5

UNIT 1

Lesson A

Planning a holiday

Dialogue 1

Annie = A

Charlie = C

A -… Hey Charlie, what are you doing for your holiday, then?

C -We are going to Tunisia, to Monastir, for a couple of weeks.

A -Oh, yes? When are you going?

C -Well, we’re leaving on Saturday August 16^th and we are getting back on Sunday 31^st.

A -You’re leaving from London, are you?

C -Yes, that’s right. From Gatwick airport, early in the morning the flight leaves at 7.30 in fact.

A -What are you going to do in Tunisia, then? Sunbathe on the beach?

C -Well, I’m going to spend a lot of my time on the beach, if I can, but Gill’s got lots of ideas about visits. So we’re going to see the Sahara desert, and the Roman ruins, and she wants to go to Tunis to buy a carpet or something.

A -You’re going to have some heavy luggage when you come back, then!

C -I suppose so. We usually do! What about you, then? Where are you off to?

A -Well, we’re going trekking, actually, in the Pyrenees.

C -Trekking, are you? That sounds energetic. Are you going in a group then?

A -Yes, about ten of us. We’re meeting at Dover on Saturday evening, August 9^th at eight o’clock: that’s the Saturday before you go. We’re taking the ferry to France and then going by train to Toulouse and then by bus to Andorra.

C -So, you’re going to start walking in Andorra, are you?

A -Yes, that’s it. And we’re going to walk westward, go into Spain and then into France, and aim for Lourdes and Pau.

C -Are you camping, then?

A -Oh, yes, that’s part of the fun.

C -How long does it take you to walk all that way?

A -About twelve nights, we reckon. All being well, we’re catching the train back from Bordeaux to Calais on Saturday 23^rd and arriving in Dover on the 24^th, the Sunday.

C -That sounds really nice. I hope you have good weather.

A -Thanks, I hope so, too. And the same to you.

Dialogue 2

Greg = G

Tricia = T

G -What are you doing for your holidays then, Tricia?

T -I’m going to Italy, to Rimini, with my sister Kerry.

G -Lucky you! When are you leaving?

T -Next Friday, actually, on the evening flight. It leaves at nine.

G -Where are you flying from? Birmingham?

T -No, from Manchester. My brother Dick’s driving us to the airport.

G -How long are you going to be in Italy for?

T -Three weeks. We’re coming back on August 30^th. That’s a Friday too.

G -What are you going to do there? Lie on the beach and then go and dance the night away in a disco?

T -No, actually, not all the time. In fact, we’re going to study painting, and learn some Italian. And if there’s time we want to visit Florence and Bologna.

G -That sounds a very active way of spending a holiday. Good luck!

T -Thanks, what about you? Where are you off to?

G -Oh, I’m off with some friends from work, to Greece. We’re taking caravans.

T -That sounds great. When are you leaving?

G -We’re catching the midnight ferry from Southampton on Friday August 15^th…

T -The midnight ferry? That’s a good idea. And then you’re driving through the night, are you?

G -That’s right. And we’re hoping to get across France and Italy in time to catch the ferry from Brindisi to Patras on Sunday, the 17^th.

T -Ah, so you’re stopping one night in Italy, are you, on the way out?

G -Yes, and one night in France on the way back.

T -What are you going to do in Greece, then?

G -Well, we’ve got three weeks, so we’re spending a week on the mainland to visit Athens and Corinth and Delphi and so on, then spending the rest of the time visiting the islands.

T -That sounds pretty active, too! And when are you coming back?

G -All being well, on September 7^th, the Sunday, but you never know with caravanning!

T -I hope you have a lovely time, anyway.

G -Thanks. Same to you. I hope you enjoy your painting!

(from Fowler W., Pidcock J. Synthesis. Unit 2.1)

UNIT 1

Lesson B

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16