Topic 1: Family
Read and translate the text:
My family
I am Alex Novikov. Alex is my first name and Novikov is my surname. I am 17 years old. I want to tell you a few words about my family. My family is large. I have got a mother, a father, a sister, a brother and a grandmother. There are six of us in the family.
First of all some words about my parents. My mother is a teacher of biology. She works in a college. She likes her profession. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair. She is 44 but she looks much younger. She is tall and slim.
My father is a computer programmer. He is very experienced. He is a broad-shouldered, tall man with fair hair and grey eyes. He is 46. My father often sings and when we are at home and have some free time, I play the guitar and we sing together. My father knows all about new radio sets and likes to repair old ones. He is also handy with many things. When he was small, he liked to take everything to pieces. My grandmother told me a story that once my father tried to "repair" their kitchen clock. He managed to put all the wheels and screws back again - but the clock didn't work. They had to give it to a repairman. But that happened a long time ago. Now he can fix almost everything: a vacuum cleaner, a washing machine, a fridge and what not. He's got a few shelves where he keeps everything he needs. On the table there is always a radio in pieces.
My parents have been married for twenty-six years. They have much in common, but they have different views on music, books, films, sports. For example, my father likes horror films and my mother likes "soap operas". My mother doesn't go in for sports. But my parents have the same opinion about my education and upbringing.
My parents are hard-working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of me and my father. She is very good at cooking and she is clever with her hands. She is very practical. My father and I try to help her with the house work. I wash the dishes, go shopping, tidy our flat.
I want to become a student. I'd like to learn foreign languages. I think I take after my father. I'm tall, fair-haired and even-tempered. I always try to be in a good mood.
We have got a lot of relatives. We are deeply attached to each other and we get on very well.
Answer the questions:
1. What is your first name? What is your surname?
2. How old are you?
3. When is your birthday?
4. Is your family large? How many are you in the family?
5. Have you got any brothers or sisters?
6. What are your parents? Where do they work?
7. How long have your parents been married?
8. Do they have much in common?
9. Do you spend a lot of time with your family?
10. What sorts of things do you do together?
11. Who runs the house in your family?
Vocabulary:
name (first name, Christian name)
patronimic, middle name
surname, second name
namesake
maiden name ,
nickname
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pet name
call
call by first name
call smb. after -
change one's name back
call smb. names , -
good-looking ,
wife
husband
slim
experienced ,
broad-shouldered
to play the guitar
to repair ,
to be handy with smth -
to take to pieces
to manage c,
to fix ,
to have much in common
to be fond of smth -
to go in for smth -
opinion
upbringing
to take care of smb -
she is good at cooking
she is clever with her hands
to tidy
pensioner
to run the house
to knit
accountant
joint venture company
scientist
relative
to be an only child
twins
family pedigree
grandchildren
ancestor
Godfather
to be single ,
well-educated -
ex (former)
to wish smb. all the happiness in the world
sister-in-law
brother-in-law
mother-in-law ,
father-in-law ,
daughter-in-law
son-in-law
to lose one's temper for no reason
uncle
aunt
nephew
niece
cousin ,
to miss smb. badly -
nursery school
to take after
fair-haired
even-tempered
to be in a good mood
to be deeply attached to smb
to get on well
marriage
date
to date smb -
make a date
a boy- (girl) friend ()
court smb -
courtship
fall in love
propose to smb
be engaged to smb
engagement
break one's engagement
fiance(e) ,
marry smb ,
marry for love ,
be married/ get married ,
marriage certificate
marriage for convenience
illegal marriage
misalliance
batchelor
dowry
wedding ,
wedding service
civil marriage
wedding ring
matrimony ,
spouse , ()
prenuptial agreement
bride's maids
best-man
new(ly)-weds
honey-moon
divorce
argue, have a row, quarrel ,
to find faults with smb. -
Read the dialogues. Use the questions, ask for and give extra information:
1.
- I say, Ann. You've got some relatives here, haven't you?
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- Yes, I have some.
- What relatives have you here?
- My aunt's family lives here.
- Do you often go to see them?
- Yes, I do. I visit them as often as possible. They are so nice, jolly and kind.
- Is their family large?
- Rather. There are five of them: my aunt, her husband and their three children.
- So you have three cousins. How nice! How old are they? What are their names? You are fond of them, aren't you?
- Not so many questions at once, please. Let's visit them one of these days. I'll introduce you to them all.
2.
- Good afternoon, Alice. Come in.
- Good afternoon, Lily. How are you?
- Quite well. Won't you sit down? Make yourself comfortable. How are you?
- Very well, thank you. I'd like to invite you to my wedding-reception. I'm getting married next month.
- Oh! This is a lovely surprise. Who is the lucky fellow?
- James Brown. We've known each other since childhood.
- My congratulations. I wish all the happiness in the world.
- Thank you.
Translate into English:
1. .
2. - .
3. .
4. - .
5. .
6. .
7. - .
8. .
9. .
10. .
11. .
12. ? 30 , 4 .
13. .
14. - .
Topic 2: Education
Read and translate the text:
Education. Universities. Schooling
The education system in the Russian Federation has a number of important and interrelated problems. To solve them it is necessary to create a high material and technical basis and to educate a new man worthy to live in the future society considering the market and management problems on a high level. These aims may be achieved by the further development of science and engineering which, in its turn, depend to a great extent on the proper organization of higher education in all its forms: full time, part-time and extra-mural. Young people in our country have every opportunity to study and to get a higher education. Some students pay for their education, some student get scholarships, students can find the books necessary for their studies in the libraries and reading rooms of their colleges and universities. They can also make experiments, carry out research work and different kinds of practical work in the laboratories and workshops of their higher schools. They do not have to pay for using books, workshops or laboratories.
To enter the university you have to take entrance examinations which are rather different. Students are able to study at the day-time departments and by correspondence. A student who does not work and attends a day-time department is called a full-time student. A student who works and comes for the session twice a term is called an extra-mural student.
The training of specialists of our universities combines theoretical studies with practical work and industrial training. At the end of each term students have to submit their course (term) papers or designs.
Each year thousands of young people enter higher technical schools. The training course in most of them usually lasts from 5 to 6 years. Generally, the curriculum for the first and second-year students includes such subjects as mathematics, physics, chemistry, mechanics, strength of materials, elements of machines, drawing, a foreign language, marketing, management, finance and a number of others. Specialization, as a rule, begins in the third year. To pass the examination successfully students have to work hard during the academic year. They may fail at the examination if they miss classes and do not study regularly. Students must take exams and credits in time. Sometimes they are allowed to take them in advance.
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Read and translate the text:
