Proverbs and Sayings to Discuss

A man is known by his friends.

Before you choose a friend, eat a bushel of salt with him.

Though modesty be a virtue, yet bashfulness is a vice.

Punctuality is the politeness of kings.

Stage A

Approaching the Topic

Read, intone and memorize the following text about Jerry Acosta. Define his traits of character, views on life and his position in life. Would you like to have such a friend? Why? Jerry is looking for a wife in Russia. What kind of woman do you think would suit him?

Jerry Acosta

I am 183 cm tall and weigh 75 kg. I am 45 years old; my birthday is July 25. I am in excellent health and have a great amount of energy. I have a degree in chemistry with minors in math, physics, biology, and physical education and also have a degree in real estate. I am a high school science/math teacher and am also starting an import/export business specializing in high quality folk art and crafts made in Russia and the Ukraine. I plan to leave teaching and work on my business full time in the future.

I live in the suburbs about 60 km from the centre of Los Angeles, California near the base of a mountain range called the San Gabrial Mountains. The mountains and beaches are nearby. There are also many colleges and universities nearby. One can go to the beach and snow ski on the same day during winter! The climate is very hot during the summers (33-40C) and pleasant during the winter (16-25C).

I enjoy travelling enormously. In the summer of 1996 I travelled for over two months throughout Eastern Europe, St. Petersburg, Moscow, the Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands and Belgium. This past summer (1997) I travelled for over two months to many cities, towns and villages in Russia and Ukraine. I have been to Russia four times and Ukraine twice since 1992. I have travelled to all the Western European countries except Luxembourg and Portugal.

My hobbies and interests include: travel, hiking, camping, reading, writing, photography, exercising, basketball (I coached college level for 5 years), brickwork, stonework, carpentry, intellectual conversation, and great literature. I like both classical and rock music along with blue grass and international folk music. I play classical guitar and especially enjoy Bach.

I am an adaptable person, a good listener, a problem solver, and determined. I am optimistic and enjoy spontaneous humour. I am a very patient, kind, supportive, and loyal person. I value wisdom. I am an adventurous person and enjoy taking risks.

I have been studying Russian for over a year and can understand very simple Russian now. I presently have a private tutor (native Russian), use cassettes, books, and a Russian language training computer programme. I have improved significantly during the past summer in Russia and Ukraine.

The authors that I read include: Dostoevsky, Hesse, Kafka, W. Somerset Maughm, Winston S. Churchill and various 18^th and 19^th century English and Russian authors. Emily Dickinson (American) is my favourite poet though I seldom read poetry. I tend not to care for most American authors. I also enjoy reading history and articles in science magazines.

I enjoy science fiction films, films with historical settings, and adventure films. I also enjoy going to concerts, plays, and especially art museums particularly when I am travelling abroad.

After reading this information about Jerry write a story representing your personality, place in the world and views on life. The following Jerry’s questions will help you to do this task.

If you are interested in writing me, please tell me about yourself, your family, your friends, your job and the things you do each day. How do you feel about the world and people in general? How do you feel about your place in the world? Where and hoe large is your city? What university did you graduate from? Where have you travelled? What are your favourite places in Russia and other places you have travelled? What do you think of and know about America? If you were to live in America, what do you see as your future in America? If you remain in Russia, what do you see as your future there? Do you like pets? Tell me about your feelings about marriage, children, and education. If possible, I would like photos of you and your family.

Now read and retell the next letter of Jerry’s. He is grateful to his friend Olya for introducing him to Irene and Helga. What does he think of them? Can he be a good match to either? What is his opinion of the woman he met in Moscow? Could she make a perfect wife for him? Make a character sketch of each girl described in the letter. Whom do you like more?

January 21, 1998

Dear Olya,

Hope all is fine with you. I want to thank you for inviting me to meet your family and introducing me to Nat and Irene. Please give them my best wishes.

Your description of Irene was quite accurate. She is very forthright, exists in the here and now, and loves to dance! We had a pleasant time and following dinner, visited an art museum and went to a play. I found her very interesting and easy to talk with. Unfortunately, I think our characters, philosophy, and goals are very different.

Regarding Nat: she seems like a very kind, generous, and caring person. However, as you know only too well we were really unable to communicate with each other. Her son also seems like a nice boy and certainly needs a father. I do not see us as a viable match due to the language problem and the fact that I much prefer a more aggressive and well educated woman who has great personal confidence among other qualities.

My search for a Russian wife may not be in vain. I have met a wonderful woman in Moscow. Her name is Ksenya. Unfortunately, she is not at this time interested in coming to the United States. She was in the States (San Francisco and other places in California) for several weeks as part of a choral group when she was 16. She started at the university at age 16. She sees a clearer future for her in Moscow, would feel like “a rat leaving a sinking ship”, and feels that Russia needs people like her during these times of trouble. She majored in art history and works in the Ministry of Culture. Presently, she is at a crossroads of making decisions about the direction of her life. She speaks fluent English (American), French, and Spanish. She grew up in Cuba but her family was recalled to Moscow when she was 8. I had dinner with her family and they are very good, humorous, and intelligent people. She is 25 years old, short and quite average in appearance. She does like me and does not want to loose our relationship. She has left the door open and may very well reconsider. Can you give me some advice on this matter? Am I just dreaming and wasting my time? I hope not.

I talked with my Russian friend and Russian teacher (she graduated from Moscow State University with a PHD in Educational Psychology). She thinks Ksenya will reconsider in the next 2 months. But who really knows!

I shall close this letter now. I wish you the best that life has to offer.

With the highest regards,

Jerry Acosta

Do you think Ksenya will make up her mind to marry Jerry? Why?

Write out all words and word combinations on the topical vocabulary and use them in reproducing the contents of the letter under consideration.

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