Read the dialogue and dramatize it

 

- Look right. Isn’t it the building of the Houses of Parliament? I recognize it from the pictures.

- You are quite right. It is the Houses of Parliament, the place where the Government has its seat. And can you recognize Westminster Abbey?

- Unfortunately not.

- Here it is, on the left. I recommend you to come here tomorrow and to see the Poet’s Corner.

- Sure I will. I’d like to visit the British Museum, the National Gallery and Buckingham Palace to watch the ceremony of the changing of the guard.

- But there’s a bus stop just over there. We’ll ask the conductor to put us down at Trafalgar Square and we’ll see the National Gallery.

- OK. And then we’ll spend the rest of the day in some of the parks nearby.

 

7. Listen to the text and give the main information about the British way of life:

 

THE BRITISH STYLE

People abroad often have very fixed ideas about the British: they are cold, reserved, aristocratic, lazy, etc. Many people believe that half Britain is always on strike, and the other half wears a suit, a bowler hat and carries an umbrella. But the British people are different from any fixed idea you may have.

One thing British people share is a love of politeness. It is important to be polite in Britain, even to people you do not know. But their politeness is not always real.

English people are very tolerant, and you rarely see anyone turning round when a funny-dressed person walks through the streets. They are waiting patiently for buses for their turn to be served. But the British do not like people who shout loudly in the street or push their way through crowds with their elbows.

People don’t put on their best clothes on Sundays, but they are relaxed and pleasantly untidy. And I like this.

 

PART II

INDEPENDENT WORK

SEASONS AND WEATHER

 

Active Vocabulary

 

keep (e.g) The weather keeps fine today.	держаться, оставаться
dull	пасмурный
bright	яркий
splash	забрызгивать, брызгать( ся )
fog (a thick fog)	туман, густой туман
foggy	туманный
beastie	ужасный, противный
hard (heavily) (e.g) It is raining hard (heavily). hard frost	cильно (ый) Идет сильный дождь. сильный мороз
frost (frosty)	мороз, морозный
sparkle (shine)	сверкать
icicle	сосулька
thaw	оттепель
degree	градус
drizzle	мелкий дождь, изморось
thunderstorm	гроза
thunder (a clap of thunder)	гром, удар грома
overcast	покрытый облаками, хмурый
lightning	молния
rainbow	радуга
to be in blossom	быть в цвету
It is raining cats and dogs.	Льет как из ведра
severe	суровый
wind	ветер
humidity	влажность
icing	гололед
pressure	давление
rain	дождь
heat	жара
drought	засуха
snow	снег
snowfall	снегопад
temperature	температура
damp (wet)	влажный, сырой
hot	жаркий
cool	прохладный
sunny	солнечный
dry	сухой
warm	теплый
cold	холодный
weather forecast	прогноз погоды
forecast the weather	предсказывать погоду
freeze melt	замерзать таять

 

 

Everyday Words and Expressions

 

What is the weather like today? - Какая сегодня погода?

Today it is hot. - Сегодня жарко.

It is windy today. - Сегодня ветренно.

It is raining. - Идет дождь.

It is snowing. - Идет снег.

It is cloudy. – Пасмурно.

It is damp. – Сыро.

The weather is fine. - Отличная погода.

I got wet through. - Я насквозь промок.

It is slippery today. - Сегодня гололед.

What is the temperature today? - Какая сегодня температура?

It is ten below (above). – Минус (плюс) десять.

What nasty weather! - Ну и погода!

Do you know the weather forecast? - Вы знаете прогноз погоды?

Tomorrow it will be raining (snowing). - Завтра будет дождь(снег).

What is the hottest (coldest) month in your country? - Какой у вас самый жаркий(холодный) месяц?

In Russia the hottest month is July and the coldest – February. В России самый жаркий месяц - июль, а самый холодный – февраль.

season - время года

winter - зима

spring - весна

summer - лето

autumn – осень

 

1. Read the following texts. Give your own arguments in favour of each season.

WINTER

 

There are four seasons in the year: winter, spring, summer and autumn. Each of them lasts three months.

Every new year begins in winter, on the first of January. This day is a holiday in our country and people decorate their flats with New Year trees. Winter begins in December and ends in February. It is cold in winter in our region and it often snows. It gets dark early in the evening and gets light in the morning. In winter we have the shortest days and the longest nights. It is rather unpleasant to get up early in the morning in winter because it is dark and cold. But winter is a good time for sports. In winter we can go in for such kinds of sport as skiing, skating and tobogganing. It is very pleasant to go skiing on a bright frosty sunny day. At the end of winter the sun begins to shine as brightly as in spring, but it is not so warm as in spring yet.

It often snows; the rivers and lakes are frozen over. The average temperature is about 5 degrees below zero. The most unpleasant thing about winter is that the sun sets early and rises late – especially in December and January. The days are short, the sky is often grey, nature is sleeping and sometimes it gets rather boring. In fact every season has its fine days and is pleasant in its own way. And it is not difficult to see this beauty.

Everything is covered with snow: the houses and streets, the fields and forests. Everything looks so beautiful in its white attire.

It often snows very hard; snowflakes fall thick and fast covering the ground with a vast white sheet.

As usual the roads are slippery and one must be careful when crossing the roads. But sometimes there are sunny days. The snow on the roofs begins to melt and icicles hang from the roofs of the houses. When it gets warmer it often sleets. The unpleasant time comes when the thaw begins. In the frosty morning we can see frosted branches of the trees. The ground rings like iron under people’s feet. Toward the end of winter the weather grows milder, the snow begins to melt, the sky becomes blue and the days grow longer. Gradually winter is being replaced by spring.

I like winter with its frosty sunny days. It is a pleasure to go for a walk then.

SPRING

 

The most pleasant season in Europe is spring, which lasts from March till June. The Earth is warmed by the rays of the sun. The weather gets gradually milder. The sky is blue and cloudless. Under the bright sunrays snow and icy sheets of the rivers and lakes begin to melt and soon there is no more snow and ice but plenty of water. Little streams run (flow) merrily in the streets, woods and fields. The days grow longer. The sun rises at 5 a. m. and sets at 7 p. m. Nature awakens from its long winter sleep. The white snowdrops appear. How lovely it is!

The air is fresh, it smells of the damp earth and the young buds on the trees. The birds have come back from warm lands, they get their nests ready for summer and sing songs among the trees.

The trees are filled with new life and soon they will come into leaf.

The fields and the meadows dress in green. Soft spring showers of late April and of early May water the earth and make the grass grow.

But really spring-like weather sets in May. Different kinds of fruit-trees flower at the same time. The orchards are in blossom.

It does not rain often but sometimes first thunderstorms break out. Everything looks so new, bright and fresh.

Some people call spring the season of hope and happiness.

But the weather in spring can be still changeable. Sometimes it is cold enough and even rather frosty at night.

 

SUMMER

 

The warm spring Sundays gradually become hotter and hotter and little by little summer replaces spring. Summer sets in June. The days are the longest as the sun rises early and sets late in the evening. The trees are in leaf, flowers begin to blossom and their sweet perfume fills the air.

Summer brings us a lot of flowers, berries, fruit, and vegetables. It is the farmers’ busy season, as they must work in the fields. In June summer is in its beauty. On most days the sky is cloudless, the sun shines brightly. Everything looks so beautiful and attractive that one cannot help admiring its beauty. It is very pleasant to get out of town on days like these. The river glittering in the sun is calling us to go bathing, boating, fishing.

Many of us are fond of lying in the sun. Picking berries and mushrooms is one of the most favourite pastimes of many people.

But if the summer is hot and dry and there are long periods without rain, the heat becomes oppressive. The dust covers the grass and the leaves. But all of a sudden black clouds overcast the sky and at the same time we have a storm with thunder and lightning.

It usually brings relief. The rain cools the air and lays the dust. The hot sun ripens the corn and fruit. Everything is ready for the harvest.

Summer is the time when the most people have their holidays. Some of them are fond of country landscapes, others – seacoasts or hiking.

 

AUTUMN

 

In September summer yields to autumn. It is a season of gradual transition from the warmth of summer to the cold of winter. When autumn begins it is still warm, when it ends it is cold. First it gets cooler, then colder. Autumn often opens with fine weather. September has fewer rainy days than October. The sun sends down the soft light. The sunrays although bright are not so warm as they were in summer. The green leaves turn yellow. The countryside is clothed in gold, red and brown. When the light wind blows the leaves begin to fall down from the trees in a shower of gold and red, covering the ground with the beautiful, soft, colored carpet. Warm days of early autumn are called “Indian Summer” or “Golden Autumn”. People enjoy being out-of-doors in such weather. They go to the country to admire the landscape and go to the forest to pick nuts and berries and to gather mushrooms. But the weather is rather changeable. It often rains and frequently drizzles. The weather becomes nasty. In late autumn the landscape becomes gray and dull. A cold wind drives heavy low clouds across the sky. The roots are wet and the streets are muddy. People are dressed in raincoats and carry umbrellas, as they do not want to get through. Autumn brings with it the harvest time when the crops are gathered in and the fruit is picked. Apples, pears, plums are ripen now. The farmers work hard. It is necessary to finish work before the weather gets rainy and cold.

Autumn is a season of beautiful sunsets and bright colours and the season of fogs, biting winds and miserable chilly days. People prefer to stay indoors as it is so unpleasant to go out.

 

IN THE BEST OF HEALTH

1. Are you interested in healthy living? Complete the questionnaire to find it out.

 

1.	Do you have breakfast?	always	usually	sometimes	never
2.	Are you careful about what you eat and drink?	always	usually	sometimes	never
3.	How often do you weigh yourself?	every day	once a week	from time to time	never
4.	How often do you exercise?	every day	once a week	from time to time	never

2. If in your answers dominate the following, then:

 

1. Always, usually, every day.

You are quite interested in healthy living. You do your best to be in a good form and feel fine. You are a purposeful and ambitious person and make your dreams come true.

2. Sometimes, from time to time.

You remember that you should care of health only when you’ve got problems with it - extra-weight, headache and others. You should be more attentive to your organism and be more regular and organized in everyday activities.

3. Once a week, never.

You prefer to flow with the current. You are either indifferent to your health or ignorant about it. You should be more responsible and ambitious. Remember that ‘’prevention is better than cure’’.

 

3. Doctors worked out certain rules, which help to stay healthy. Let’s learn some of them.

 

THE LAWS OF HEALTH

One of the first duties we own to ourselves is to keep our bodies in perfect health. If our body suffers from any disorder, our mind suffers with it, and we areunfit to perform our social duties.

There are certain laws of health, which help to get rid of diseases and stay healthy. First of all, a constant supply of pure fresh air is indispensable to good health. For it nothing impure should remain within homes, and every room in the house should be ventilated every day.

A certain amount of exercises is necessary to keep body in good condition. All the powers we possess are strengthened by use and weakened by disuse. Therefore labour and study should succeed each other. The best way of getting exercises is to do some work that is useful for body and at the same time interesting to the mind. It is more essential for the old and young to do morning exercises, if possible, in the open air. Going in for various sports activities such as swimming, shaping, fighting, tennis and so on is very popular at present

Remember that exercises warm, invigorate and purify the body. Rest is also necessary to the health of body and mind. That is why the best time for sleep is during stillness of the night.

Late hours are very harmful to the health as they exhaust the nervous system. We should go to bed early and get up early. It is a good rule “to rise with the lark and go to bed with the lark”.

Most essential to our body is food. Our body is continually wasting, and requires to be repaired by fresh substance. Therefore food, which is to repair the loss, should be taken with due regard to the exercise and waste of the body.

Be moderate in eating. If you eat slowly, you will not overeat otherwise there is an opportunity to get overweight and problems with digestive system. We should abstain from everything that intoxicates.

Consult doctors every 6 months. They give good pieces of advice how to keep fit or diagnose the case and prescribe proper therapy if you get ill.

Thus we must remember that moderation in eating and drinking, reasonable hours of labor and study, regularity in exercise and many other essentials lay the foundations for good health and long life.

Active Vocabulary

 

to suffer from – страдать от	disease – болезнь
Intemperance - невоздержанность	harmful - вредный
to complain of – жаловаться на	essential - существенный
with due regard to – в соотношении с	to repair – возмещать
To abstain from – воздерживаться от	to get rid of – избежать

 

 

4. Find the English equivalents to the following words:

 

Здоровье, здоровый; страдать от расстройства, быть не в состоянии что-либо делать, избежать болезней, в помещении, определенное количество упражнений, силы, которыми мы обладаем, укреплять и ослаблять, физическая и умственная деятельность, чередовать, наиболее существенно, ободрять и очищать тело, вредно для здоровья, истощать нервную систему, быть умеренным, переедать, воздерживать от всего, что отравляет; отдых и развлечение, закладывать основы для здоровья и долгой жизни, установить диагноз, назначить лечение.

 

5. Paraphrase the following word combination using your active vocabulary:

 

The state of being well in the body and mind, to be in disorder, to care of a body, to become stronger/weaker, the best thing, to follow each other, to give energy, to make the body pure, to do a lot of harm, to tire out, important, in proportion with, to keep within sensible limits, to go to a doctor, to keep away from, to be a base for.

 

6. Complete the sentences using your active vocabulary:

1. There are many things which can be bought in life but …

2. If a man doesn’t keep the laws of health he …

3. Our mental and bodily powers are …

4. It’s harmful for a man’s health to sit long hours because …

5. Overeating leads to extra-weight that’s why it’s essential …

6. Some people are “larks” by nature and some people are “owls”, so …

7. Everybody wants to have good health and long life, so he should …

 

7. Answer the following questions:

1. What happens if something is wrong with body?

2. What is the simplest law of health?

3. What role does sport play in people’s life?

4. When do students usually do homework? Is it harmful or useful for health?

5. Do you have meals regularly?

6. Do you consult doctors regularly?

8. Explain the meaning of the following sentences:

1. “If our body suffers from any disorder, our mind suffers with it”.

2. “All the powers we possess are strengthened by use and weakened by disuse”.

3. “…to rise with the lark and go to bed with the lark”.

4. “The best way of getting exercises is to do some work that is useful and at the same time interesting to the mind”

5. “We should abstain from everything that intoxicates’’.

6. “Prevention is better than cure’’.

7. “An apple a day keeps a doctor away’’.

 

9. But there are still some problems with health. Here are the names of some diseases and word combinations connected with the topic.

 

to complain of - жаловаться на…

to prescribe – прописать

to recover – выздороветь

to cure – лечить

to take medicine – принимать лекарство

Tonsilitis – ангина

Appendicitis – аппендицит

Pneumonia – воспаление легких

Headache – головная боль

The AIDS – СПИД

Drug addiction – наркомания

A cough – кашель

Indigestion – несварение

 

10. Here are some extracts from medical certificates. Symptoms of what diseases are described in them?

 

1. Patient’s complaints of a headache, high temperature. A bad sleep, a cough. Nose is clogged up. (заложен).

2. After-effects (осложнения) after eating. High temperature, feeling sick (тошнота).

11. Let’s learn about treatment on health farms. What diseases are cured there?