Unit 7. The Place We Live in

Text 1. New York

New York is one of the largest cities in the world and the leading financial and commercial center of the US. It is a city of islands connected by 60 bridges. In comparison with such ancient cities as Rome, London or Paris, New York is quite young. It was founded in 1613 by Dutch settlers and was named New Amsterdam. When the British troops occupied New Amsterdam they called it New York after the Duke of York who was commander of the British Army. Today New York consists of some boroughs: Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island and Manhattan. It is a multinational city, called “Modern Babylon”, the people of almost all nationalities and races speak about 80 different languages.

The center of New York is Manhattan island, the heart of business and finance. Numerous skyscrapers house banks and offices. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were the symbol of New York before they were ruined during a terrible terroristic attack in 2001. New York is famous for its Statue of Liberty, located on Liberty Island. The statue was created by Frederick Bartholi and presented to the United States in 1886 as a symbol of eternal friendship between the USA and France.

 

Comprehension and discussion

What kind of city is New York?

How did it get its present name?

What is New York famous for?

What famous skyscrapers of New York do you know? Tell us about one them in short.

What other nicknames does New York have? Why did the city get these names?

 

Text 2. A View of the Dunes` House

The Dunes` House was sixteen miles outside of Burlington, a narrow road was the only access there. We took a bus to get there. The bus turned off the main road before we reached the road to the Dunes` home. So we had to walk the last two miles. We stopped at the gate, sat on the rock and surveyed the beautiful surroundings. We turned up the drive and slowly climbed what we hoped would be the last mile to the house. Soon we were out of the forest and could see the house across the lawn. It was a two-storied building with an attic. Its brick wall were plastered and whitewashed. It had a red roof and a veranda. There was a two-car garage to the right of the house. One could see a wonderful orchard and a small vegetable garden near the house.

Ask your own questions (5) and answering them summarize the text.

 

Memorize the words.

Make up 10 sentences in English and ask your friends to translate them into Russian. Comment on your friends` mistakes and correct them.

 

avenue – проспект bridge – мост block – квартал bystreet – переулок city, town – город embankment – набережная outskirts - окраина, предместье pavement – тротуар road – дорога street – улица suburb – пригород to go down town – ехать в центр города corner – угол crossing – переход (через улицу), перекресток direction – направление entrance – вход exit - выход route – маршрут seat – место stop – остановка request stop – остановка по требованию bus stop – автобусная остановка subway – подземный переход taxi rack – остановка такси turning – поворот way – путь, дорога driver – водитель, шофер passenger – пассажир passer-by – прохожий pedestrian – пешеход policeman – полицейский

stranger – незнакомец building – здание to cross-переходить, переезжать to change –делать пересадку to drive-управлять(автомобилем), ехать на автомобиле to get-прибыть, добраться to get about –передвигаться to get in (on) –входить, садиться to get off –сойти to give smb. a lift – подвезти к-л (на машине) to go –идти, ехать to go as far as …- доехать до… to knock down – сбить с ног to lose-терять to be lost – заблудиться to move – двигаться, передвигаться to pass- проходить, проезжать to reach – достигать to ride – ехать (в автобусе, трамвае) to run –ходить to turn left(right)–повернуть налево(направо) far-далеко (обычно употребляется в вопросительных и отрицательных предложениях) syn. a long way – далеко (на дальнем расстоянии) near-близко syn. in the neighborhood – поблизости a monument to smb. – памятник к-л to date back to (to date back a lay way) – уходить корнями fortress-крепость traffic jam - дорожная пробка

Remember the proverbs and sayings:

1. All roads lead to Rome – Все дороги ведут в Рим.

2. People who live in glass houses should never throw stones - Не руби сук, на котором сидишь.

Make up a story or a conversation to illustrate the meaning of one of them.

 

Conversations

Read and listen to the conversations and train them with your friends.

1. A. Excuse me, I am looking for a drugstore, please. B. Turn left and go on till the crossroads. 2. A. Excuse me, I am looking for a bank, please. B. Walk straight on and turn right. 3. A. Excuse me, I am looking for a supermarket, please. B. Oh, it's right here. Round the corner. 4. A. Excuse me, where is the marketplace, please? B. It's too far for a walk. You'd better get a cab.

5. A. Could you tell me how to ger to the railway station, please? B. Go till the crossroads and turn left. 6. A. Could you tell me how to get to the underground, please? B. Turn right and then turn left. 7. A. Could you tell me how to get to the airport, please? B. It's a thirty-minute drive from here. Get a cab.

 

Translate the sentences into English using your vocabulary:

1. Этот особняк знаменит своей прекрасной архитектурой, и туристы, отправляющиеся в тур по городу, обязательно включают его в ряд достопримечательностей, обязательных для посещения.

2. Если Вы подниметесь на купол этой часовни, то Вы сможете увидеть потрясающую панораму города с его дворцами, особняками, крепостями, проспектами.

3. Несмотря на шикарные гостиницы и рестораны, великолепные дворцы и сверкающие купола церквей, часовен и соборов, столичные города всегда полны обездоленных людей и беженцев.

4. Мне нужно добраться до вокзала. Это далеко отсюда?

5. Не могли бы Вы подсказать, как добраться до метро? – Идите прямо и поверните налево.

6. Извините, подскажите, пожалуйста, как добраться до аптеки – Идите до перекрестка и поверните направо.

7. Извините, я ищу банкомат – Он за углом.

8. Извините! Не подскажете, как добраться до вокзала? – Вам лучше взять такси.

9. Извините. Как доехать до аэропорта? – Вам следует сесть на пригородный поезд.

Make up a story starting with the words “Life in a city is…” using all the following words and word combinations: bystreet, in the neighborhood, pedestrian, policeman, to turn left, to reach, far, a monument to, bus stop, subway, it takes much time, to be lost, to get about.

Make up a conversation using your active words from Unit 7 and following the instructions:

1.You are a tourist who wants to see the famous monuments in the town. Ask a passer-by how to get there. Then ask another person the way to the bank.

 

2.You are a passer-by. Some person who looks like a tourist asks you to show the way to some local monuments and the bank. Give him the instructions how to get there.

 

Discussion