Lesson 1. THE AVERAGE BRITISH FAMILY.
Exercise 1. Work with the vocabulary and find Russian equivalents to the words marked out in the text "The Average British Family".
TEXT 1. THE AVERAGE BRITISH FAMILY.
1. There is, of course, no such thing as the average British family, but statistical data can help us to understand a society and social trends. 2. The average British family lives in a semidetached house with a garden in the South of England. They own their house, which is situated in the suburb of a large town. The house has three bedrooms. On average they have two children and a pet. The family drives a two-year-old Ford Cortina. 3. He works in the office of an engineering company for 40 hours a week and earns 200 pounds per week. He starts at 9.00 in the morning and finishes at 5.30 in the evening. He goes to work by car, which takes him 20 minutes. He does not particularly like his job, but there are chances of promotion. 4. She works in a service industry for three days a week and earns 95 pounds. She works locally and goes there by bus. She quite likes her job as it gets her out of the house, she meets people, and it is close to the children’s school. 5. The children go to a state school which is a few miles from home. A special bus comes to pick them up every day. They are at school from 9.00 to 3.30. 6. The most popular evening entertainment is watching TV or video, which the average person does for two and a half hours a day. After that, the next most popular activity is visiting friends, going to the cinema or a restaurant, or going to the pub. The most popular hobby is gardening and the most popular sports are fishing, football and tennis.
VOCABULARY
a few / немного, несколькоa semidetached house / половина коттеджа
a job / работа
own / собственный
locally / недалеко от дома
a promotion / продвижение
entertainment / развлечения
a pub / пивной бар
state, / государство государственный
Ford Cortina / марка автомобиля
to earn / зарабатывать
a suburb / пригород
to like / любить, нравиться
close / близко
to pick up / подбирать
per week / в неделю
a service / сфера услуг
a pet / домашнее животное
industry / промышленность
average / средний, - яя
on average / в среднем
particularly / особенно
Ex.2. Answer the following questions to the text:
1. Where does the average British family live?
2. What kind of house do they live?
3. What does the average British family consist of?
4. Do they work? Where do they work?
5. How much do they earn?
6. How long does it take them to get to their work?
7. What do their children do?
8. What kind of evening entertainment do they have?
9. What is the most popular hobby?
10. What is the most popular activity?
11. What is the most popular sport?
Ex.3. Find out all the irregular verbs from the text. Give the tense and voice forms.
Ex.4. Give synonyms and antonyms to the following words.
like large
go few
job special
watch next
Ex.5. What parts of the speech do these words refer to:
importance explanation
unspeakable truthfulness
breakage noisy
impolitely accompaniment
Ex.6. Make your own sentences using the following words:
takes I a week
work TV 100
to on works
half am for
it football 5
to get now and
me watching he
an hour pounds
my earn
days
TEXT 2. “A LIFE IN THE DAY OF LINDA McCARTNEY”
“A life in the day of” is a feature which appears in the Sunday Times newspaper every week. Well-known people describe an ordinary day in their life, and they talk about their habits and routines, their family and their work. The article opposite is about Linda McCartney, the wife of Paul McCarney. She died some years ago. He was one of the members of the Beatles in the 1960s and 1970s.
We live in two-bedroom house so as soon as James(2) starts calling ‘Mummy, Mummy’, around seven every morning, he wakes everyone up. Being his mother I like to be the first to greet him, so I get up. I take him downstairs and start getting breakfast ready. Before long the other kids – Heather (almost 17), Mary (10) and Stella (8) – are also down. If Paul is recording or we are touring I try to make sure he’s not disturbed. But if he isn’t working he gets up at the same time and join the kids at breakfast. He’s an excellent father, vary involved and protective towards them.
It seems mad to have moved from a large house in London to a small place on the South Coast, but it’s so much cozier. Paul and I are in the kind of business where we can be totally detached from our kids and hardly see them grow up. If you have enough money to live in a big house, one kid could be up in the attic and another could be in the west wing and you’d hardly see them. The kids travel everywhere with us. When touring abroad we usually rent a house and make it our base so we can return to the kids each night. We’re all vegetarians, so breakfast is eggs laid by our own hens, home-grown tomatoes, fried vegetarian sausages, cereals and whole-wheat bread.
Quite often Paul comes with me when I drive the girls to school. Mary and Stella go to a local primary school. I drive Mini because being American I’m used to wide roads, so with a small car I’ve no fear about scraping it. I buy most of the kids’ clothes at Mother-care. I look at their catalogue or go into the shop and pick out things that are made from natural fibers. I myself feel most comfortable in jeans and T-shirt. I don’t really spend that much – even though Paul pays all the bills!
Because we have a big breakfast and a big dinner about six we don’t have lunch. So about that time I’m doing jobs around the house. Paul never helps me. He likes tidiness but he is not too tidy himself! If I’m working or going out I have a woman in to do the cleaning. But I always do the cooking because I enjoy it. I cook for six every day.
If I’m lucky during the day I go for a ride on my stallion called Lucky Spot. He’s got a lovely temperament. Horse riding is a marvelous form of exercise, both physically and spiritually. One interest we share closely is football. We rarely get to see matches but we always watch it on television. Paul is a great Liverpool fan, so we support Liverpool. 10. Most of our evenings are spent in front of television. I watch “Dallas”, “top of the Pops”, “Old Grey Whistle Test” and some quiz shows. 11. Before I turn in for the night I always go to the kid’s bedroom and give them each a kiss.
Ex.1. Complete the sentences.
1. Paul and I are in the kind of…
2. Because we have a big breakfast…
3. If I'm lucky during the day…
4. Before I turn in for the night…
5. It seems mad to have mooved…
6. I drive a mini because…
Ex. 2.Answer the question:
What do you already know about Linda McCartney?
Ex.3. Write questions about Linda McCartney.
Example:
When does she get up?
Ex.4. Think over the questions:
Do you think Linda is happy in her life? Why?
What do you think takes up most of Linda’s days?
Is there anything in the article that surprises you?
Ex.5. Write down about your ordinary day.
TEXT 3. DESCRIBING A PERSON.
Of all my relatives, I like my Aunt Emily the best. She’s my mother’s youngest sister. She has never married, and lives alone in a small village near Bath. She’s in her late fifties, but she’s quite young in spirit. She has a fair complexion, thick brown hair which she wears in a bun, and dark brown eyes. She has a kind face, and when you met her, the first thing you notice is her smile. Her face is a little wrinkled now, but I think she is still rather attractive. She is a sort of person you can always go to if you have a problem. She likes reading and gardening, and she still goes for long walks over the hills. She’s a very active person. Either she’s making something, or mending something, or doing something to entertain herself. She’s extremely generous, but not very tolerant with people who don’t agree with her. I hope I am as contented as she is when I’m her age.
Ex. 1. Find the beginning of the sentences.
1. … in a small village near Bath.
2. … still rather attractive.
3. … to entertain herself.
4. … when I'm her age.
5. … quite young in spirit.
Ex.2. Fill in the missing forms of the verb «to be» where it is necessary:
I … John. Meet my family. These people … my parents. They like traveling, and they … in many countries. This young woman … my sister. Her name … Ann. That good-looking man … my uncle. He … playing chess with my father. Peter and Mary’s children … schoolchildren. They … doing well. They will … students next year. These … my granny and grandpa. They … in their late fifties, but they … looking quite young. They … very kind.
Ex. 3. Fill in the missing pronouns:
… name is Martin. I like reading much. This is … book. Those books on the table are also … . A friend of … likes reading too. … name is Tim. He often takes … books to read and gives me … . Usually I ask … sister to take a book for … at school library. I wrote a story by … . … likes it. I want to be a writer.
Ex.4. Describe somebody of your relatives.
Ex.5. Prepare your own topic based on the 3 previous texts.
Lesson 2 SAMARA UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
Exercise 1. Work with the vocabulary and find Russian equivalents to the words
marked out in the text ”Samara University of Architecture and Civil
Engineering”.
VOCABULARY
highly-qualified - высоко квалифициро- tutorials – занятия с преподавателем ванный (в группе из 3- 4 студентов)
state supported - государственный attend – посещать
admit (into) – принимать post–graduate courses- аспирантура
study (at) – учиться general engineering subjects – обще-
faculty - факультет технические предметы provide – обеспечивать strength of materials – сопротивле-
ние материалов
offer – предлагать elements of machines – детали
water supply and sewerage – водоснаб- машин
жение и водоотведение - computer engineering – ЭВМ, вычис-
leisure – досуг лительная техника
town planning – градостроительство grant - стипендия
well-equipped – хорошо оснащенный acquire - приобретать
depend (upon) – зависеть от science and engineering - наука и
course of study – курс обучения техника
requirement – требование supervision - руководство
particular – определенный examination period - сессия
curriculum – учебная программа research – научно-исследова-
intense - напряженный тельская работа
meet the requirements удовлетво- make up - составлять
рять(отвечать) требованиям variety of - ряд, множество
academic year – учебный год hostel – общежитие
TEXT 1. SAMARA UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE
AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
There are many higher educational establishments in Samara. The University of Architecture and Civil Engineering is one of them. It trains highly-qualified specialists for construction and service industries.
The University was founded in 1930. It’s a state supported institution. This means the tuition is free.
To be admitted into the University applicants are to pass entrance examinations. Students are able to study at full-time or extra-mural departments. There are five faculties here, namely: The Faculty of Civil Engineering, the Faculty of Architecture, the Faculty of Building Technology, the Faculty of Engineering Systems and Environmental Structures and the Faculty of Engineering Economics.
The University provides training in specialities such as civil engineering, heating, ventilation and gas, water supply and sewerage, power construction, town planning, building materials, production of precast units, etc.
The Academy has a big library, many classrooms, well-equipped labs, a big computer center, an assembly hall and a canteen.
The course of studies lasts 5 – 6 years depending upon the particular faculty or department requirements.
The higher education curriculum is very intense and students have to work hard to meet its requirements. The academic year in Russia’s higher educational institutes begins on the first of September and is divided into two semesters. During this time students attend lectures, seminars and tutorials in many different subjects. The first- and second- year students study general engineering subjects such as maths, physics, chemistry, mechanics, strength of materials, elements of machines, drawing, computer engineering, a foreign language as well as a number of other subjects.
Specialization begins in the third year with further subjects available. The students acquire not only theoretical knowledge of construction science and engineering but also obtain production experience. They do practical work under the supervision of specialists. At the end of each semester students obtain credits and take exams. Those who do well receive grants. On graduating from the Academy our students receive a special higher-school certificate.
The graduates with an inclination towards research work have the opportunity to continue their studies at post-graduate courses.
However, studies are not the only thing that makes up a student’s life. The Academy offers a variety of leisure facilities. The Academy has a big sports complex for those who go in for sports. Students from out of the city live in the hostel or in privately rented accommodation. Most students find it interesting but difficult to study at the Academy, especially the first-year students as they do not know how to organize their work and time.