Card 17 Let’s talk about modern means of communication.

1) What modern means of communication do you know?

To begin with I’d like to point out that means of communication have changed our life greatly. Nowadays we cannot imagine human contact without modern technology devices. Thanks to new technologies people are communicating more than ever before. Modern means of communication have made the distance between people unimportant. Mobile phones are portable and let us contact others wherever they and we are. Furthermore, mobile phones offer the possibility of texting. Text messaging is the most convenient and cheapest form of communication.

Emails have replaced letters and postcards almost completely. People prefer emails, which are quicker and for sure reach the addressee.

Video conferences are often used by business people and scientists and they don’t need to travel to remote places.

To keep in touch with our families and friends that live far away we use such programs as Skype or Messenger, we can talk with our relatives for free and without time limits.

A lot of people especially teenagers communicate in social networks such as vkontacte, facebook, twitter, odnoklasniki. They share the news, pictures, funny videos, jokes, songs and so on.

We can communicate with those who share the same passion from all over the world. On forums people share their experiences and help each other solve problems they have run into.

To sum it up I’d like to say modern means of communication have made our life easier and more interesting.

Let’s talk about mass media: TV, newspapers, radio, the Internet. Which of these do your family like?

The mass media nowadays is (are) mostly associated with television, press and the Internet. Especially the latter has become overwhelmingly important. It is estimated that the most popular leisure time activity is watching TV. The sets are often on up to 8 hours a day. TV is a powerful means of shaping public opinion. It has changed the perception of the world we live in, though it prevents us from communicating with each other, as it demands silence and attention.

Radio is scarcely mentioned but not ousted by other kinds of mass media.

Although TV has replaced newspapers as the average source of information, newspapers and magazines provide more complete views coverage for those who want details and analyses of national and international affairs.

The World Wide Web is a great help for teachers, students, doctors and parents. But unfortunately it (as perhaps everything) is a missed blessing because there’s little control and no censorship over information on the Internet actually. As a result some absurd and foolish information is often spread.

The role of the mass media in the contemporary society is difficult to overestimate. They have become part of our life. They report about various aspects of life, form and affect public opinion.

As for our family, we use different means of mass media. My parents prefer watching news on TV to reading newspapers.

My brother (sister) and I enjoy surfing the Internet.

2) Is there any means of communication you can’t live without? Why (not)?

At present the majority of people can hardly imagine themselves without cell phones. I think it isn’t just a tribute to fashion it’s a necessity.

It isn’t a secret that today many people feel quite helpless if they have left their mobile phones at home. First of all cell phones give us an opportunity to keep in touch with people in any place and at any time. Besides, modern phones are multi-functional: they provide access to the Internet, have various games, cameras, memory sticks, etc.

Nevertheless we can’t deny that mobile phones provoke a range of problems. Mobile communication requires quite a lot of money and people have to control the amount of money on their accounts constantly. But the greatest disadvantage of cell phones is certainly their harmful influence on people’s health.

In my opinion phones are an integral part of life and we can’t stop it. I personally need it every day to keep in touch with my friends and relatives, though I try to avoid idle ['aidl] talks on the phone to reduce the influence of harmful radio waves.

3) What questions will you ask a newsreader about his or her work?

How much time do you get ready for the news? Where do you get information from? Do you think the Internet is a reliable source of information? Can you read the news in other languages? How many hours a day do you work?

4) My cousin spends a lot of time chatting in Contact and it makes all the family angry.

What can you advise him to do in this situation?

I would advise him to spend more time with his friends outdoors. His parents should persuade him that there are things in life which are more important than the Internet.

5) Some people believe that success at work depends on how good your communication skills are. What is your point of view?

In my opinion communication skills are very important since every day we need to communicate with different people around us. And having good communication skills can improve our relationship with them. If we can effectively communicate, people understand us much better. Good communication helps us get what we need and become more confident.

Communication skills are essential in all spheres of life: be it an interview or working out a solution with a team or writing a report. The success hinges ([hɪnʤiz] зависит) on the ability to communicate effectively. Promotions come to those who can communicate effectively at all levels, from senior management level to the lowest employee.

Communication skills comprise writing skills, speech skills, listening skills, non-verbal skills. Good listening skills are part of good communication; you need to understand what the other person is saying to you.

Communication includes non-verbal clues such as tone of voice, facial expression, gestures ['ʤesʧə], and body posture (['pɔsʧə] осанка, поза). Communication is a compromise ['kɔmprəmaɪz] as everyone has a right to have their own opinion. We should remember about it if we want to be a success.

Can the internet replace all the other means of mass media? What is your point of view?

I think it can. Nowadays Internet-radio, Internet-television and electronic newspapers have come into being. The electronic news update more frequently than it appears on TV or issues in press. None of the conventional mass media can be at our disposal 24 hours a day. Many people today read everyday news on the Internet, there are Wi-Fi hot spots providing us with Internet access everywhere.

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Card 18 Let’s talk about a healthy way of life.

1) What do people do to keep fit?

I'm absolutely sure that doing sports is the best way to keep fit. There is always a kind of sport which suits us and there are many different kinds to choose from - hockey, football, volleyball or basketball. Games to play with friends include badminton, squash and tennis, and if you enjoy doing things on your own, you may take up swimming, riding, golf or athletics.

Regular physical activity (20-30 minutes a day, 3-4 times per week) helps prevent diseases and makes the quality of life better. People who are physically fit prolong their life by 24 per cent. So, the more we exercise, the better for us.

2) Do you personally follow the rules of healthy way of life? Why (not)?

Yes, I do. Is there anything more important than health? I rather doubt it. If your body suffers from any disorder your mind suffers with the body, too. You can’t be good either at work or at studies. Aches and pains lead to irritation, nervous breakdown and stress. So, the advantages of the healthy way of life are obvious. We must remember the laws of the healthy lifestyle — moderate eating and drinking, regular physical exercises, reasonable hours of work and rest, perfect cleanliness, positive attitude towards people and things around us — lay the foundations for long happy life.

3) What questions will you ask a person who keeps to a slimming diet?

How long have you been keeping to a slimming diet? Are you pleased with the result? Do you feel better? What food does your diet include? Will you go on keeping to that diet?

4) What activities can you advise a person who wants to have a healthy way of life?

If a person wants to have a healthy way of life, I would advise him to do sport. It helps feel and look better. It’s also important to keep to a healthy diet and get enough sleep.

And I think positive attitude to life is the key to success.

5) What health problem does fast food lead to? What should you do to avoid it?

Fast food is easy and convenient and lots of people like its taste. Fast food looks and tastes nice because of additives (['ædətɪvz] добавки (пищевые) such as artificial ([,ɑ:tɪ'fɪʃ(ə)l] искусственный) colours and flavourings ([fleɪv(ə)rɪŋ] заправка; придание вкуса). It doesn’t give us nutrients (['nju:trɪənts] питательные вещества) and vitamins. So it makes people fat and obesity leads to serious health problems – heart and stomach diseases.

To avoid it we should keep to a healthy diet and cook food ourselves. Psychologists believe if we cook, we are interested in life. There’s no way to guarantee a long and healthy life, but there are three ways to make it possible. The first is to drink a lot of water, the second is to walk a lot and the third is to cook.

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Дата добавления: 2015-10-02