SPEAKING
1. Let’s talk about art. What art do you enjoy most?
Our world has become a very visual one – we have art all around us. Art is an important
part of our lives, as it stimulates our mind. It gives us the opportunity to explore our creative
side. Art in any form entertains, informs, educates and enlightens us in every possible way. It
gives us the meaning of everything we see around us. Without art, our lives would simply
become plain, boring and lifeless.
Art is an expression of one’s self. Through art, we can express our emotions, such as
happiness, love, sadness or grief. It is our medium to share our hidden talents, and for the
world to know how creative we are.
How many art galleries have we visited, how many paintings did we admire, how many
sculptures did we take a second or third glance at? Each form of art is different, but they are
somehow related to our souls and emotions. Any form of art makes us realise how great these
works of art are and it touches us within. Art teaches us to become observant and appreciative.
The most frequent association with the word art is painting. Painting has had a long and glorious
world history as an independent art. As for me, not long ago I got interested in modern art (abstract art).
I got enchanted by the flying shapes and colourful patterns of the works by Mark Chagal, Pablo Picasso,
Salvador Dali, Jackson Pollock, Kazimir Malevich. Understanding abstract art is easy: all it requires is
an open mind and a big imagination. You have to open up your intuition to see where the painting takes
you. Abstract art allows the viewer to decide what the artwork is about, on a very personal level. Abstract
art is open to interpretation, and that is one of the beautiful things about it!
Influence of art on people is great. Even if it’s not your job but a part of your day-to-day
life. It’s expression, but it’s more than just expression. It’s something that plays a part in your
ability to be happy and satisfied.
Feeling frustrated, depressed, anxious, angry? Art is the ultimate personal healer during
stressful times.
Art keeps you young. Not physically, but mentally. Art keeps you open to new things
and helps you see the universal things that matter. Your mind is flexible, less fearful, you
learn more, you take yourself less seriously.
In conclusion I’d like to quote Pablo Picasso: “The purpose of art is washing the dust of
daily life off our souls.” I couldn’t agree more! Art heals, gives hope and motivates us to keep
on going whatever happens.
2. Are Belarusian artists and writers well-known in the world?
First of all, I’d like to mention that our outstanding writers Yanka Kupala and Yakub
Kolas, Kondrat Krapiva, Vasil Bykov, Vladimir Korotkevich are well known both in our
country and abroad. Their works are translated into many European languages. We are also
proud of our famous artists Mark Shagal and Mihail Savitskiy.
3. Imagine you are a journalist speaking to a famous actor/artist/composer. What questions would you
ask him?
General: ______________________________________________________________________
Alternative: ___________________________________________________________________
Subject: ______________________________________________________________________
Special: ______________________________________________________________________
Disjunctive: ___________________________________________________________________
51
4. My niece is very good at drawing. Can you give her a piece of advice on what career to choose?
It should be noted that nowadays your niece has a lot of opportunities. If she has got
computer skills, why not think of web-designing? If she takes a special course, she can become
an interior designer and decorate flats. If she likes writing, she can work for a newspaper and
write reviews about different exhibitions and become a critic.
5. A lot of people don't understand modern art. Do you?
As for me, I’m keen on modern art and I strongly believe that it is easy to understand:
all it requires is an open mind and a big imagination. You have to open up your intuition to
see where the painting takes you. Abstract art allows the viewer to decide what the artwork is
about, on a very personal level. Abstract art is open to interpretation, and that is one of the
beautiful things about it!
EXTRA EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Match the words with their definitions.
influence mind ultimate frustrated
observant flexible grief purpose
1. a person's intellect
2. deep sorrow, esp. that caused by someone's death
3. the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or
something
4. feeling or expressing distress and annoyance, esp. because of inability to change or achieve
something
5. basic or fundamental
6. ready and able to change so as to adapt to different circumstances
7. aim
8. quick to notice things
Exercise 2. Find in the text the words describing feelings and emotions. What life situations can
cause you to have such feelings?
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Exercise 3. Write about your favourite form of art.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
52
CARD 8
VOCABULARY LIST
53
READING
1. Read the story and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Great grandad
It was a funny and surprising thing that brought Grandad back to me. It was algebra. I
couldn’t cope with algebra in my first year at secondary school, and it made me mad. “I don’t
see the point of it,” I screamed. “I don’t know what it’s for!”
Grandad, as it turned out, liked algebra and he sat opposite me and didn’t say anything
for a while, considering my problem in that careful expressionless way of his.
Eventually he said, “Why do you do PE1 at school?”
“What?”
“PE. Why do they make you do it?”
“Because they hate us?” I suggested.
“And the other reason?”
“To keep us fit, I suppose.”
“Physically fit, yes.”
He reached across the table and put the first two fingers of each hand on the sides of my
head.
“There is also mental fitness, isn’t there? I can explain to you why algebra is useful. But
that is not what algebra is really for.”
He moved his fingers gently on my head.
“It’s to keep what is in here healthy. PE is for the head. And the great thing is you can
do it sitting down. Now, let us use these little puzzles here to take our brains for a jog2.”
And it worked. Not that I fell in love with algebra. But I did come to see that it was
possible to enjoy it. Grandad taught me that maths signs and symbols were not just marks on
paper. They were not flat. There were three-dimensional, and you could approach them from
different directions. You could take them apart and put them together in a variety of shapes,
like Lego. I stopped being afraid of them.
I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but those homework sessions helped me to discover
my Grandad. Algebra turned out to be the key that opened the invisible door he lived behind
and let me in.
Now I learnt that Grandad’s world was full of miracles and mazes3, mirrors and
misleading signs. He was fascinated by riddles and codes and labyrinths4, by the origin of
place names, by grammar, by slang, by jokes — although he never laughed at them — by
anything that might mean something else. I discovered My Grandad.
1 PE [ˌpiːˈiː] физкультура
2 to take our brains for a jog [əˈdʒɒɡ] шевелить мозгами
3 a maze [meɪz] путаница
4 a labyrinth [ˈlæbərɪnθ] лабиринт
2. The author says she had problems with algebra. Find this extract and read it aloud.
54
3. How did the girl’s Granddad help her understand the subject?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. What else did the author understand about her Granddad?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
EXTRA EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Match the words to make phrasal verbs and find them in the text. Make your own
sentences using them.
1. turn a. apart
2. let b. down
3. put
4. take c. in
5. sit d. out
e. together
Exercise 2. Complete the table with the characteristics of the author’s discoveries and speak
about them.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
55
LISTENING
Listen to the member of the Greenpeace organisation telling a story about whales and answer the
questions below.
1. How did Uncle Roger explain to the boy why the whales were on the beach?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. How did the people help them?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. How did this event affect the story-teller’s life?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
One night there was a big ________ with huge waves. It stopped only in the morning.
We were having breakfast when we ________ somebody ________ "Whales!" We ran to
the beach. I will never forget what I saw that morning. Two whales were lying on the
________, they were so helpless. "Are they dead?" I asked Uncle Roger. "One is dead, but the
other is still ________," he answered in a sad voice. "Why did they do it?" I continued asking
him. "Nobody knows for ________ but many people believe that whales sometimes ________
themselves on the beach. They sort of go crazy. ________ water makes them that crazy. As
you know plants and factories throw ________ into the water," he added angrily.
There were a lot of people on the beach. Some people brought ropes and we began to
________ him into the water. It was hard as he was very heavy. I will never forget the moment
when the whale began moving in the water and a fountain of water came out of ________.
We all felt happy.
The whale disappeared but the ________ stayed in my heart forever. I think it is the main
reason why I decided to study the ocean and protect animals. Now I am a member of
Greenpeace and my ________ is to protect whales both from hunting and the many other daily
threats they face.
EXTRA EXERCISE
Retell the story using picture prompts.
56
SPEAKING
1. Let’s talk about choosing a career. What would you like to become?
What do you want to be when you grow up? We have heard this question many times
during our school years. Perhaps, it was difficult for us to give a definite answer earlier. But
now we understand that the time to choose our future profession has come. Finishing school
is the beginning of an independent life for millions of school-leavers. Many roads are open
before us. No wonder that it is not an easy thing to make the right choice.
When choosing a future career, we should consider different factors. To my mind, the
most important thing is to follow your heart. It means young people should understand what
they are really good at and where their passion is. Usually a person has a talent in this or that
area: science, art, doing something with their hands or sympathizing with people who are in
need. We all have talents. If we do what we love, we get more satisfaction from our work and
can get better results. If not, soon we will feel bored and feel not in the right place.
What takes me, I’d like to become a(n) _________________because I’m good at
__________ and __________. I think I’m rather ______________, ______________ and
______________. My future job will involve _______________________________
______________________________________________. I hope it will be well-paid and I will
have good working conditions. I hope it will be in great demand so I will be able to avoid
unemployment. To my mind the profession of a(n) ________________ is prestigious. I hope
I will get satisfaction from my job so it will be challenging and rewarding.
“Every man is a maker of his own fortune” said the Irish writer and politician Richard
Steele, so we think about our future today, otherwise we might have no future at all.
2. Does a person need to possess special qualities to become a good specialist in this or that particular
field? Why?
First of all, I’d like say that to become a good specialist one should love his job, be
interested in it and be eager to develop his or her skills and qualifications. To my mind
different occupations require different features of character. It goes without saying that to
become, for example, a good doctor you must be patient, caring and kind. Teacher’s work
requires love for children, profound knowledge of subjects, and the ability to explain. But at
the same time any employer looks for such traits of character as accuracy, diligence, honesty,
the ability to get on with colleagues and work as part of a team.
3. What questions will you ask your future employer at a job interview?
General: ______________________________________________________________________
Alternative: ___________________________________________________________________
Subject: ______________________________________________________________________
Special: ______________________________________________________________________
Disjunctive: ___________________________________________________________________
4. Give some advice on how to behave at a job interview to create a positive impression.
The interview is mostly about selling your personality. We have plenty of opportunities
to make our personality shine. First, you are to prepare well for it: research, find out as much
as possible about the company you apply for. Write a CV and a cover letter properly. Prepare
the appropriate clothes. Don’t forget to rehearse and get some feedback from friends. When
57
you are at a job interview you should be friendly and positive, answer the questions clearly.
Be natural, be yourself and your job will be in your hands.
5. Some people think that it is necessary to speak a foreign language well to get a good job. Do you agree
with them?
I’m absolutely positive about it. Modern world is a global community. To be a member
of this community you should know a universal language. So in order to be a success in the
society it’s a good idea to learn for example English. Only in this case you’ll be in process and
up to date. There is no doubt that knowing a foreign language can help you find a good job
especially in big cities. With the help of a foreign language you can take part in different
international projects and promote yourself on the international arena.
58
CARD 9
VOCABULARY LIST
59
READING
1. Read the interview with a British businessman and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
AN INTERVIEW
Journalist: Do people in your country depend a lot on technology for communication?
Businessman: Yes. Everybody’s using all kinds of phones, mobiles and Internet services.
I think the benefits of the computers cannot be denied. They save valuable time and space.
Time-consuming tasks such as checking bank accounts can now be done in a matter of
minutes and a large volume of information is economically stored on tiny disks. In addition,
with immediate access to the Internet, we can always keep up with global and current issues
and explore the world from the comfort of our homes.
Journalist: Do you manage to keep up with the development of technologies?
Businessman: I think the fact that methods in business have moved ahead at such speed
has meant that we generally have to keep up with it all, whether we want to or not. Otherwise,
we’ll be left behind. In fact this need to keep up has also entered the home, where a lot of
people spend much money on computer equipment when all they do is play games.
Journalist: How different would everyday life be without technological means of
communication?
Businessman: Of course, life would be very different without all these means of
communication. For those working in the world of business, life would be much more difficult
as it would take much longer to get in touch with other companies and to come to agreement
on important matters. Basically, if we didn’t have email systems at home or mobile phones,
etc., it wouldn’t be the end of the world. I mean, we survived before, didn’t we?
Journalist: How do you feel about mobile phones?
Businessman: I personally find them useful and necessary. They’re convenient if there’s
an emergency on a business trip or when you’re in the middle of nowhere or need to contact
the police or your family for example. Though, I do feel that they are overused in many cases.
Think about how many people spend hours just chatting about silly, unimportant things or
looking through sites for no special reason even at work.
2. What are the benefits of the computers? Read aloud the extract which describes them.
3. How do businessmen benefit from using technological means of communication at their workplace?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. When are technological means of communication misused?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
60
EXTRA EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Match the words to make phrases and find them in the text. Make your own sentences
using them.
1. keep a. behind
2. get b. up with
3. left
4. access c. to the Internet
5. looking d. through
e. in touch
Exercise 2. What are pros and cons of technological means of communication? Complete the table.
PROS CONS
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
LISTENING
Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where does the action take place?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What happened to the furniture in the grandmother’s room?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
61
3. Why were Martin and his friend scared?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Martin: OK! That’s the end of the _______. Don’t forget your homework for tomorrow!
Student A: Wow, I liked that _______ story! Do you think it’s true?
Student B: Oh, no, I don’t think so. It’s _______ in a book.
Student A: Let’s ask him. Do you believe on ghosts, Martin?
Martin: Oh, er… Well… I did have a _______ experience once.
Student A: Really?
Martin: Yes… My grandmother has a big, old house near London… She was in the garden
and my friend and I _______ in the living room and suddenly we heard a noise upstairs. It
wasn’t a big noise. We thought may be a mouse or something. Anyway, we went _______
and… it seemed to be coming from my grandmother’s bedroom.
Students A and B: Did you go in?
Martin: Yes, we went inside and well, it was amazing _______. All the furniture in my
grandmother’s bedroom was on the left _______ of the room, and the carpet was on the other
side of the room.
Students A and B: Oh!
Martin: And this furniture is really heavy – a very heavy wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a bed –
these things would take four _______ to lift and it was really scary!
Students A and B: Wow!
Martin: And all we heard was a tiny noise… for no more than around a minute. My
grandmother said it happened _______ before, too. The really strange thing is… she didn’t
seem to mind!
EXTRA EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Are these statements true or false? Correct the false ones.
1. Martin doesn’t believe in ghosts.
2. Martin’s granny has a big new house near London.
3. The boys were in the living-room when they heard a noise upstairs.
4. The carpet was on the other side of the room.
5. Martin’s granny said it had never happened before.
Exercise 2. Prove that it was/wasn’t a real ghost. Have a class debate.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
62
SPEAKING
1. Let’s talk about your family. What is family for you?
I believe that everything has its beginning in the family. In my opinion, a family is an
emotional center of a person’s life, transmitter of culture, traditions, moral values, and the
place where children are raised. It is a place where you feel support and understanding, where
you learn how to behave, communicate and interact with other people.
In united families parents are honest with their children without moralizing and bossing
them around, and children in their turn learn how to get on with other people. Members of
such families treat one another with understanding and compassion. They always share
domestic chores. Children living in such families feel safe at home. They trust parents, share
their secrets and problems with them, ask parents for useful advice and rely on them. They
don't run away from home as they feel happy living there.
My family means the world to me. It consists of ______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
I love my parents, because they take care of me, they are kind and sympathetic; they are
always ready to help me. My parents never ignore me; they always support and understand
all my problems. I can’t live without their help and respect, and I know that they also need
my attention.
I do think both parents and children are responsible for good and friendly relationship
in the family. Every member of the family must support and respect one another. There are a
number of activities which help members of the family to be on friendly terms: discussing all
the family plans together, going on trips, visiting museums, theatres, exhibitions and
exchanging opinions about them.
Speaking about my family, I do appreciate that my parents trust and respect me, rely on
me. In my turn, I try to help them with household chores. I share my joys and sorrows with
them. I'm happy to say that my home is the place where everybody understands, respects and.
loves me. To my mind, this is the way things should be in any family.
2. Are you on good terms with your parents and grandparents?
I try to do so. We, teenagers, are often noisy and worry about the things which are not
important to our parents. Both sides are sometimes more sensitive than sensible. If one of the
sides calms down, it may end peacefully. It always takes patience to sort out some
misunderstanding.
3. What will you ask your British friend about his / her family?
General: ______________________________________________________________________
Alternative: ___________________________________________________________________
Subject: ______________________________________________________________________
Special: ______________________________________________________________________
Disjunctive: ___________________________________________________________________
4. What can you advise people who want to get on well with their parents?
Sometimes teenagers have difficulty communicating effectively with their parents.
Teenagers are full of energy and always have what to say on this or that matter. Sometimes
63
we are impatient and careless. Our parents and grandparents are more experienced and
careful with everything they touch. If you want to have a good relationship with your parents
and grandparents you should try to be polite and listen to others. Think over your actions and
don’t hurry when you make decisions. Once they see that you are sensible, you’ll win their
respect.
5. They say that parents and children have difficulties understanding each other because of the generation
gap. What do you think about this problem?
To my mind the root of the evil lies in the fact that teenagers and their parents don’t
want to admit that kids are ready for making their own decisions and parents are still
responsible for their kids’ actions. Parents should trust their kids more. Teenagers should
show more respect to their parents’ point of view. Any problem can be worked out if both
sides look for solutions.
EXTRA EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Match the words with their definitions.
compassion many
responsible
a number of possessing or displaying prudence
a strong feeling of sympathy and sadness for the suffering or bad luck
sensitive of others and a wish to help them
sensible an unpleasant but necessary task
evil
solution a means of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation
chore
capable of being trusted
something that is harmful or undesirable
having or displaying a quick and delicate appreciation of others'
feelings
Exercise 2. Fill in the gaps using the words from ex. 1.
1. She was __________ enough to stop driving when she got too tired.
2. He is __________ enough for this job.
3. She shows __________ to the sick.
4. I don't see the cleaning and cooking as a __________ at all.
5. They identified __________ problem areas.
6. There is no obvious __________ to the problem.
7. She's overly __________ to criticism.
8. We must return good for __________.
Exercise 3. Are these statements true or false? Explain why.
1. Good families treat one another with misunderstanding and compassion.
2. Household chores help family members to be on friendly terms.
3. It is better to be sensitive then sensible.
4. To work out any problem family members should be patient.
5. Generation gap is the main reason why it’s not easy to sort out quarrels with parents.
64
CARD 10
VOCABULARY LIST
65
READING
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
WHAT IS A GOOD FAMILY?
Building a successful family is like building a house. Both need a plan. The best way
to be organised as a family is to talk about family matters. By doing this, families enjoy a
special closeness and stability. Choosing to spend time with your family sends a message
more powerful than words.
How much time should families spend together? That varies from family to family.
Families with young children usually spend most of their time together because young
children need a great deal of physical care and guidance. Families with teenagers may spend
less time together because teens naturally want to spend more time with their friends. Healthy
families keep a good balance between ‘too much’ and ‘not enough’ time together. They spend
enough time to satisfy all family members.
Nothing unites a family more than its traditions which include different norms, ways
of behavior, customs and views. In united families these traditions are deep-rooted and passed
from generation to generation.
Strong families take time to be together and talk to one another. They share their hopes
and dreams, feelings and concerns over common meals. Members of successful families feel
they really belong to their family. They celebrate their victories and help each other learn from
their mistakes. They do their household chores together and go to the theatre. At the same
time, strong families adapt relationships and family rules when needs arise. Since no family
knows what tomorrow will bring, being adaptive is a good trait for family members to
develop.
Recent studies affirm the importance of love in families. Research shows that
expressions of affection towards children reduce behaviour problems and help children’s
development. Strong families notice and share positive aspects of each member. They notice
the talents, skills and achievements, special qualities and characteristics that make the other
person unique. They find ways to be positive even when another family member makes a
mistake and make an effort to develop closeness and show love at home.
2. The author explains what makes a successful family. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What makes a family united?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. How much time should family members spend together?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
66
LISTENING
Listen to the girl speaking about her eating habits and answer the questions below.
1. What problem does the girl have?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What makes the girl think that her habit is harmful?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Why can’t she stop eating chocolate?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
I know that I have a big problem. I can't stop _____ chocolate!
I started eating chocolate as a child. My sisters and I all ate a lot of different kinds of
chocolate. However, my sisters and I are ______ now and I'm the only one who still eats it a
lot. So, how much do I eat? Well, I have about 10 ______ of chocolate a day. At Christmas
we got a giant family-sized bag of chocolate sweets, I ate the whole bag on my own in two
days!
I know eating a lot of chocolate is ______ for my health. There's a lot of _______ in all
types of chocolate. There's also a lot of _______. I think that's why I have many spots on my
face, and I'm a little _________ too. I know that it's also very bad to take and eat chocolate
that's not ______ but I can't stop myself.
What can I do? At the supermarket _________always chocolate for sale while I wait to pay
for my shopping. At the station — bus, train, underground - there's always chocolate ______
sale in machines. Sometimes I try to stop but if I don't have any, I get very bad __________.
However, as soon as I have some chocolate I feel better and happier too. I try to speak to my
family but nobody understands. They all like chocolate _____ nobody wants to eat 10 bars
___ day, and nobody understands why I do.
I need help! Please tell me what I _______ do to stop eating chocolate!
67
SPEAKING
1. Let’s talk about youth and society. Today young people take an active part in the social life of the
country. How do they do it?
I believe that the teenage years are the most wonderful. At this age we start a new adult
life. We get more and more freedom. We think more for ourselves and do not blindly accept
the ideals of our parents and grandparents. To put in a nut shell we constantly need to express
ourselves. That’s why we join together in a group to dance, read books, play sport games and
become members of youth organizations.
There are a lot of youth organizations in Belarus: the Belarusian Republican Youth
Union (BRSM), the Belarusian Republican Pioneer Organization, the Association of
Belarusian Scouts, the Belarusian National Scout Organization, etc.
What takes me, I’m a member of the BRSM, the biggest youth organization in Belarus,
which includes about 500,000 young people from 14 till 31. The main aim of this organization
is to promote patriotism, develop youth’s initiative and involve young people in useful public
activities. Everyone can find something to their taste. Those who want to help people in need
go to hospitals and orphanages and work with disabled or sick people, those who need care
and love. Some young people who are full of creative ideas can take part in festivals,
exhibitions and contests to show their talents. They also provide young people with working
places in summer.
Today many young people participate in exchange programmes organized either by
schools or youth organizations. When students arrive in different countries, everything is
different for them: the way people eat, sleep, work, etc. When they come back their
understanding of themselves is better, their view of another nation is different, the stereotypes
are broken. They also learn to represent their own country.
Though it’s not easy to find the way in life still being involved in the social life of the
country makes us feel more grown up and it trains us to be more confident. The real life is
here in the family, in the country we live in.
2. Have you ever joined a youth organization? Why (not)?
As I have already told, I’m a member of the BRSM, the biggest youth organization in
Belarus. The members of the BRSM are involved in different activities such as camping,
sporting events, visiting memorials. They are interested in concerts and competitions, charity
and volunteering, take part in construction brigades.
3. What questions would you like to ask a person who has joined a new international organization?
68
1. General: ___________________________________________________________________
2. Alternative: ________________________________________________________________
3. Subject: ____________________________________________________________________
4. Special: ____________________________________________________________________
5. Disjunctive: ________________________________________________________________
4. Your British friend wants to join some youth organization. What can you advise him?
I’d recommend to be a member of the UK Youth Parliament. It provides opportunities
for 11-18 year olds to use their elected voice to bring about social change. Being a member of
this organization means to be involved in all the projects, charity activities, to discuss the most
vital problems that worry young people. Once elected MYPs organize events and projects,
run campaigns and influence decision makers on the issues, which matter young people.
5. A lot of young people in Europe work in hospitals and kindergartens as volunteers. What do you
think attracts them to this kind of work?
Volunteer movement is a very unique phenomenon in a society. In this kind of work
people have no any material motivation. The people who work as volunteers have some
spiritual intentions and motivation. Some of them want to help other people, others hope to
get some experience in this kind of work because they want to connect their lives with this
sphere of activity. Also there are people who have overcome some situations or difficulties in
their lives and now they want to help others.
.
69
CARD 11
VOCABULARY LIST
70
READING
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
PYTHAGORAS1
Pythagoras is often described as a very important mathematician, yet we know little
about his achievements. What we do know is that he was the leader of a society which was
half scientific and half religious. It was a secret society and today Pythagoras is still a
mysterious figure.
It is believed that Pythagoras was born on the Greek island of Samos. His father was a
merchant, and as a child, Pythagoras travelled with him selling their goods. Pythagoras was
well educated. He learned music and poetry and had three philosophers to teach him who
introduced Pythagoras to mathematics and advised him to travel to Egypt to learn more about
mathematics and astronomy. So in 535 BC, Pythagoras travelled to Egypt where he visited
many temples and took part in discussions with priests. Many of the customs he learnt in
Egypt he came to adopt. For example, the Egyptian priests refused to eat beans and wear
animal skins, as did Pythagoras later in his life.
In 525 BC the King of Persia invaded Egypt. Pythagoras was taken prisoner and was
transported to Babylon. It was here, taught by the Babylonians, that he reached perfection in
arithmetic and music. When Pythagoras returned to Samos he founded there a school which
was called ‘The Semicircle’. It seems that the people of Samos did not appreciate the teaching
methods of Pythagoras and they treated him rudely and improperly. Furthermore, they
wanted to involve Pythagoras in local politics against his will. For these reasons, he went to
Italy.
Pythagoras believed that numbers rule the universe and that numbers are present in all
things. He also connected mathematics to music and recognized the healing power of music.
He used it as a kind of therapy to help those who were ill. Another of his beliefs was that there
are three types of men: those who love wisdom, those who love honour and those who love
wealth.
Pythagoras was a mathematician, an astronomer, and a philosopher. Today we
remember him best for his famous geometry theorem, known as Pythagoras’ theorem.2
1 Pythagoras [paɪˈθæɡərəs] Пифагор
2 Pythagoras’ theorem [paɪˈθæɡərəsɪz ˈθɪərəm] теорема Пифагора
2. Where did Pythagoras go to learn mathematics and astronomy? Read aloud the extract which says
about it.
3. Why did Pythagoras go to Italy?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
71
4. What are the three types of men according to Pythagoras?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
LISTENING
Listen to the interview with Mr Ron Cansler taken by the Youth Magazine and answer the questions
below.
1. How old is Mr Cansler?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What kind of life did he have when he was young?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. What does he recommend listeners to do?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Journalist: Mr Cansler, how does it feel to be one hundred?
Mr Cansler: Well, _______, I'm not one hundred yet. My birthday's in two weeks' _____.
Journalist: You're in perfect ______, what do you do to keep fit?
Mr Cansler: Nowadays, people seem _________ crazy about having a healthy lifestyle. When
I was young, nobody thought about such things. I was one of ______ children in my family.
We had no idea what a healthy _______ was. We were happy if we had enough to eat. There
was no need to take any exercise, the work on the farm was hard, and we spent all _______-
outdoors. You had to be strong; I lost one brother and one sister quite early, but those that
_________ lived into an old age. We all probably took _________ my father, who died at the
age of ninety-four.
Journalist: Have you ever smoked?
Mr Cansler: Well, I haven't tried _________, no. But once I thought I'd look interesting with
a pipe so I tried that. But my wife couldn't __________ it, so after a week or so I threw the
pipe away.
Journalist: What can you _________ our listeners?
Mr Cansler: I don't think you can do anything to guarantee a _____ life. You can’t avoid
hardships, even tragedies. What you ____ do is be as active as possible and have a positive
attitude.
Journalist: Thank you, Mr Cansler.
72
SPEAKING
1. Let's talk about mass media: TV, newspapers, radio. How popular are these means of
communication?
There are a lot of different ways of getting new information. In the past the only way
to learn about the world was travelling. But to travel around the world you need a lot of
money. That is why the main source of information for millions of people is mass media.
Mass media include newspapers and magazines, radio and, of course, television and the
Internet.
Television is a reflection of the modern world. It gives you an opportunity to travel all
over the world, to see different people and to learn about their customs and traditions. When
you need immediate information about the latest world events, you switch the TV on. There
is always a great variety of programmes on TV: the news, lifestyle programmes, talk shows
and game shows. A lot of people like TV news because they can see everything with their
own eyes. Besides, TV has the power to educate and broaden our minds.
Some people think that the only way to be in the know of everything is to read
newspapers and magazines. Newspapers are packed with the latest news, information,
fashion and facts. They cater for a variety of political views, interests and levels of education.
Papers are generally divided into “quality papers”, or broadsheets, and “popular papers” that
are half the size of a broadsheet. But the size is not the only thing that makes them different.
“Quality papers” are serious, with long, informative articles, while “popular papers”, known
as “tabloids”, have a more sensational reporting style and contain more human-interest
stories than news.
There are also a lot of magazines and other periodicals. Whatever your interest, there
is likely to be a magazine about it – from sport, cookery and farming to religion, computers,
cinema and more. Young people do not buy newspapers, but they do buy magazines,
especially children below the age of 10.
Still, many people prefer the radio. It's good to listen to in the car, or in the open air,
or when you do something about the house. Radio broadcasts are valued mainly for their
music programmes.
The Internet has recently become another important source of information. It is a
computer system that allows millions of people around the world to receive and exchange
information about almost everything. All the latest information is available to you at any hour
of the day and night. If you have the internet access, you may read newspapers online, watch
films, listen to music, listen to the radio and even watch television online. I use the Internet
every day for various purposes: I chat with friends all over the world, read news and find
necessary information for my studies.
73
In my opinion, we can’t say exactly which source of information is the best. We should
keep in mind that almost everything can be a blessing or a curse depending on the way we
use it. The effect mass media has on us largely depends on our choice of what we watch and
read. So let’s make intelligent choices.
2. Are printed media losing popularity? Why?
People say that “old-school” mass media such as newspapers and magazines are losing their
popularity. Experts say that it is mostly because of our fast moving life, the invention of
smartphones, easy and quick access to the Internet. But I think that newspapers and
magazines have conquered a place in people’s daily routine, that’s why they will exist in the
future.
3. What questions will you ask people who live without a TV set, computer or radio?
1. General: ___________________________________________________________________
2. Alternative: ________________________________________________________________
3. Subject: ____________________________________________________________________
4. Special: ____________________________________________________________________
5. Disjunctive: ________________________________________________________________
4. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to watch TV, but I'd like to do it. What would you
recommend me to watch?
First of all, I would ask about your interests. Sometimes people watch TV just to relax. So, I
personally would recommend you to watch any programmes on MTV Channel. If you’ve got
a pet, you would enjoy watching special programmes about cats and dogs on Animal Planet
Channel. Also there are many programmes about education and culture. There are a lot of
channels for studying English. So you’ve got a great choice.
5. British writer and journalist Andrew Brown said, “The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless
that for some people it is a complete substitute for life”. What do you think of it?
The Internet is a great source of information and entertainment for many people. Personally,
I can’t imagine my life without the Internet. Thanks to it I have an access to news, documents,
images, sounds, video and games, I can stay in touch with friends worldwide, book tickets
and buy things online. However, spending much time in front of the screen is a problem
nowadays, especially for children. They forget about the real world, about their real friends,
stop studying well. Besides, there is a lot of rubbish online, which can effect negatively on
children’s healthy mental development. To sum up, the Internet becomes dangerous when it
is misused.
EXTRA EXERCISES a keep up
b appreciate
Exercise 1. Match the words with their synonyms c smart
d lately
1 value e accept
2 receive
3 to be in the know
4 various
5 recently
74
6 intelligent f different
Exercise 2. Decide whether the statements are true or false. Correct the false ones
1. Mass media is the main source of information for millions of people because it’s
unnecessary to spend a lot of money on travelling in order to keep up with the latest news.
2. There are four types of newspapers: broadsheets, tabloids, quality papers and popular
papers.
3. People listen to the radio just to be in the know of the latest news.
4. When you need the latest information about the world events, you should turn the TV
on.
5. We should be careful and filter all the information we get.
Exercise 3. Complete the Mind Map and retell the topic
7 1
6 2
3
5
4
75
CARD 12
VOCABULARY LIST
76
READING
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
AMELIA
Possibly the most famous female pilot ever, Amelia Earhart was born in 1897 in Kansas,
the USA. Amelia had a difficult and unsettled childhood. Her family travelled a great deal so
her father could find work. Although she often missed school, Amelia was nevertheless
considered to be very bright academically. She enjoyed reading and poetry as well as sports,
especially basketball and tennis.
After graduating from high school, instead of going to college, Amelia decided to study
nursing. During the First World War, she worked as a military nurse in Canada. When the
war ended she became a social worker back in America and taught English to immigrants. In
her free time, Amelia enjoyed going to air shows and watching aerial stunts1, which were very
popular during the 1920s. Her fascination with flying began when, at one of those shows, she
took a ten-minute ride, and from that moment on she knew she had to learn to fly.
Amelia took on several odd jobs to pay for the flying lessons and after a year, she had
saved enough money to buy her own plane. She organised cross-country air races for women
pilots and formed a now famous women pilots’ organisation, called the ‘NinetyNines’. One
day Amelia received an invitation to be the first woman ever to make the flight across the
Atlantic from Canada to Britain. Amelia made the flight in 1928 and, although she was only
a passenger and two men flew the plane, it made her a celebrity. She also met there her future
husband, George Putman, a publisher, who arranged the flight and organised all the publicity.
In 1932 Amelia and George decided Amelia should make the Atlantic crossing from
America to Britain alone. She broke several records on this flight; she became the first woman
to fly the Atlantic solo, the only person to have flown it twice and she established a new
transatlantic crossing record of 13 hours and 30 minutes. Understandably, she became even
more famous as a result earning respect for women pilots all over the world by proving that
women could fly as well as men, if not better.
1 an aerial stunt [ˈeərɪəl ˈstʌnt] фигура высшего пилотажа
2. How did Amelia get interested in flying? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What invitation did Amelia receive one day?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. Why did Amelia become famous?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
77
LISTENING
Listen to the conversation between Nancy and her mum and answer the questions below.
1. What do Nancy’s parents worry about?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. Why does Nancy refuse to do household chores?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. What arguments does Mum use to make Nancy clean the room?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Mum: Nancy, you've been home from college for _______ days now. Why don't you clean
up your room, dear?
Nancy: We don't have to clean _____ our rooms at college, Mother.
Mum: That's very nice, and I'm happy you're going to such a free-_______ institution. But
while you are here in the house I would ______ you to clean up your room.
Nancy: What difference ________ it make? It's my room.
Mum: I know, dear. But your father is very much _____ of the plague. He said this morning
if it's going to start anywhere in this country, it's going to start in your room.
Nancy: Mother, you, people, aren't interested in anything _________ important. Do you
realise how big corporations are polluting our ____________?
Mum: Your father and I are very much worried about it. But now we are more __________
about the pollution in your bedroom.
Nancy: I never do it at the college.
Mum: Of course you don't, and I'm sure the time you save goes __________ your education,
doesn't it? But we still have that old-fashioned idea about making beds in the morning. And
_______ you are at home, why don't you do it to ________ us?
Nancy: All right, all right. I'll clean up my room if it means that much to you. But I want you
to know you've ___________ my vacation.
SPEAKING
1. Let's talk about mass media: TV, newspapers, radio. Which of them do you prefer?
2. Do you think all means of communication will exist in the future? Why (not)?
3. What questions will you ask older citizens about mass media?
4. I'd like to watch an interesting programme on TV. What can you advise me?
5. Parents think that the Internet influences negatively the development of teenagers’ thinking
skills. What is your point of view?
78
CARD 13
VOCABULARY LIST
79
READING
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
THE STRESS OF COMMUTING1
In today’s modern world, people are constantly looking for ways to avoid stress and
improve their lifestyle. Too much stress can lead to a variety of illnesses from headaches to
high blood pressure. Simple things, such as driving to and from work on a daily basis, can be
such a stressful experience that many people are left feeling totally exhausted. Cars can give
normally peaceful people a feeling of power that can make them more aggressive.
Fortunately, there are various means of public transport to choose from within modern
towns and cities. Sometimes, all we need to do is to change a few of our long-standing habits
in order to discover a much more comfortable way of life. By simply planning journeys, not
only can we save time and money, but we can also reduce stress levels dramatically. By using
public transport everybody wins. Most towns and cities are well-covered by bus, tram and
metro services. While making use of these services, you are also helping against increasing
levels of pollution.
Public transport systems have improved considerably in recent years and there is now
more focus on environmentally friendly forms. For example, old tram systems have been
reintroduced into many European cities, making movement across large areas much faster
and ‘cleaner’.
Another way of reducing levels of both stress and pollution is an introduction of an
environmentally friendly network of cycle tracks. The aim of building cycle tracks is to
motivate people to use their bicycles instead of their cars. So, next time you see your neighbor
or colleague waiting at a bus stop as you drive by, don’t feel sorry for him because he will, no
doubt, arrive at the office much earlier than you as you will still be fighting to find a parking
space.
Or you might consider another way of getting to work. Carpooling2 is a relatively new
and convenient system when several people arrange to share one private car to get to work.
And some companies have already introduced a plan where those who carpool get
preferential parking in the company garage.
1 commuting [kəˈmjʊːtɪŋ] ежедневные поездки на работу в город из пригорода
и обратно
2 to carpool [ˈkaːpuːl] ездить на одной машине, подвозить по очереди
2. The network of public transport has improved lately. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. How can we help reduce pollution?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
80
4. Why is carpooling convenient?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
LISTENING
Listen to the advice how to make a good friend and answer the questions below.
1. How do people feel if they have no friend?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What qualities does a good friend have?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. Why is it good to be a real friend?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do my classmates ________ lonely and unhappy?”
While the answer varies from person to person, we all _____ to understand that they have no
friend to talk to and share their sad and happy ______________.
Have you ever asked yourself how to make a ________ friend? Of course people have
different _________ about it, but I strongly believe that the best ____________ of friendship
are compassion, attention, honesty and caring.
Compassion is the ability to feel the ________ things your friend is feeling; and then share
in the emotions your friend is going through. Listening __________ is also important. Often,
a friend doesn't heed advice, he just needs someone to listen to _____.
Another part of the friendship ____________ is honesty. Being truthful is part of that, but
also being authentic is important. Stand firm in your own values and ____________. Be
honest with your friend and be honest about who you are. Two sides of the same _______.
The last part of the recipe is caring. Let your friends know that you _______ about them
and love and respect them. Let them know by the words you use and the actions you take.
Sharing, caring, listening and doing something for another person will make your life
different: full, ____________ and interesting. You'll feel the joy you can’t _____________
being alone.
81
SPEAKING
1. Let’s talk about international cooperation. What is the position of Belarus on the international arena?
International relations have always been a significant part of the policy of the Republic
of Belarus. Back to October 1945 a delegation from our country, which wasn’t an independent
state yet, alongside other delegations signed the United Nations Charter in San Francisco.
Participation in the United Nations gives us an opportunity to ensure national security and
sovereignty to this day. In economic terms, it provides country’s internal development. Our
contribution is also essential. In the past few years, Belarus has been involved in United
Nations peace-keeping operations promoting international peace and security.
After gaining independence in 1991, Belarus paid a lot of attention to its foreign policy.
Our country has become a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), NATO’s Partnership for
Peace (PfP), the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), and the World Bank. As a co-founder of the United nations, Belarus has a
friendly working relationship with such countries as Russia, Germany, Denmark, France,
Canada, Italy, Sweden, Great Britain, the USA and many others.
Another way of international cooperation is creating twin towns and sister cities
between countries to establish cultural and commercial ties. This form of social agreement
encourages friendship between different cultures and increases tourism. Belarus has a great
number of twin towns and sister cities in different parts of the world. And towns and cities of
Great Britain are among them.
It should be mentioned that Belarus receives more and more popularity on the
international arena. Minsk hosted Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2010 which took place in
the Cultural and Sport Complex Minsk Arena. And in 2014 our capital drew crowds again
due to the Ice Hockey World Championship. European Games 2019 were held in Minsk too.
Our country is also renowned for the International Festival of Arts “Slavyansky
Bazaar”. It is held annually in Vitebsk. Once started as a local festival of Slavonic song
folklore, it became international in 1995 and continues broadening the geography of its
participants.
To conclude, I should say that modern Belarus is a sovereign European state with a
peaceful foreign policy. Its government does its best to develop cooperation with foreign
partners from all over the world. Moreover, our country contributes a lot to strengthening
international security and stability.
82
2. Is it important for Belarus to organise international events?
Undoubtedly, organising international events is very beneficial for our country. On the
one hand, it gives us an opportunity to introduce our country to the world, promote our
culture and national identity. On the other hand, it improves our cooperation with other
countries. We can exchange experience, seek the support and gain new ideas.
3. You are going to travel to Britain as an exchange student. Ask questions about the exchange
programme.
1. General: ___________________________________________________________________
2. Alternative: ________________________________________________________________
3. Subject: ____________________________________________________________________
4. Special: ____________________________________________________________________
5. Disjunctive: ________________________________________________________________
4. Give advice to your friend who is hosting a foreign student.
Hosting foreign students is a unique opportunity to find out more about other cultures
and to find new friends from all around the world! But there are some relevant points which
you should bear in mind if you decide to host a foreign student. First of all, make him / her
feel welcome by introducing to your friends and family. It may sound strange but engaging
your guest in the household chores will let him / her be part of the family. Secondly, think of
the activities which can be interesting for your guest and will make his / her stay in Belarus
unforgettable. Thirdly, it will be a good idea to learn about the social etiquette in the exchange
student’s country. It can help to avoid awkward situations.
5. Social networking is a convenient way to keep in touch with foreign friends and a good possibility to
develop cooperation. What do you think about it?
It’s common knowledge that social networking has got enormous popularity
nowadays. It’s hard to find a person who doesn’t have an account in Facebook, Instagram or
Viber. It’s a rapid and convenient means of communication. And it makes it really easy to
stay in touch with foreign friends. Besides usual messages and images, most networks allow
exchanging audio and video messages with each other. Though, social networks have some
drawbacks too. They can’t be compared with live communication after all. And sometimes
the image created by a person in Internet space can differ from a real one.
83
EXTRA EXERCISES
Exercise 1. What organizations and institutions are these emblems for? Match organizations and
institutions with their descriptions.
A is an international financial institution,
consisting of 190 countries working to foster
1
global monetary cooperation, secure financial
_________________________
_________________________ stability, facilitate international trade, promote
high employment and sustainable economic
growth, and reduce poverty around the world
while periodically depending on the World
Bank for its resources.
2 B is the largest regional security organization in
the world. It is engaged in early warning,
conflict prevention, crisis management, and
post-conflict rehabilitation.
________________________ C a NATO institution, is a multilateral forum
________________________ created to improve relations between NATO
3 and non-NATO countries in Europe and those
__________________________ parts of Asia on the European periphery. The
__________________________
member states meet to cooperate and consult
4
on a range of political and security issues.
_________________________
_________________________ D is a regional intergovernmental organization of
nine (originally ten) members, plus two
5
founding non-member, post-Soviet republics in
_________________________
_________________________ Eurasia.
6 E is an international financial institution that
provides loans and grants to the governments
_________________________
_________________________ of low- and middle-income countries for the
purpose of pursuing capital projects.
F is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) program aimed at creating trust
between NATO and other states in Europe and
the former Soviet Union.
84
Exercise 2. Decide whether the statements are true or false. Correct the false ones.
1. The Republic of Belarus is a member of NATO.
2. Belarus is renowned for signing the United Nations Charter in San Francisco.
3. The contribution of United Nations to country’s development is indisputable.
4. International Festival of Arts “Slavyansky Bazaar” is held twice a year in Vitebsk.
5. Creating twin towns encourages friendship between Belarus and Great Britain.
Exercise 3. Role-play the dialogue. Student B
Student A You are hosting an exchange student from
Great Britain. Prove that Belarus plays a
You are an exchange student from Great significant role on the international arena.
Britain. You as well as your classmates
know a little about Belarus. That’s why
you were given a task to learn as much as
possible about this country and be ready to
present a report to the class.
Ask your partner all the necessary
information.
85
CARD 14
VOCABULARY LIST
86
READING
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
VIDEO BLOGGER
In April 2007, a 16-year-old English boy named Charlie McDonnell was studying for
his exams. But he was bored, so he turned on his computer and started surfing the web. He
soon found a website called YouTube and within minutes he was watching a video of another
teenager sitting in his bedroom and talking to his computer about how bored he was. ‘I could
do better than that!’ thought Charlie. So, using a cheap computer and a webcam, he made his
first video blog and posted it on YouTube under the name Charlieissocoollike.
A few days after the first video Charlie found that he had 150 subscribers. Encouraged
by this, he went on to make more videos. A month later Charlie’s audience grew and he
started to get hundreds of video messages from his fans. “It was really strange,” says Charlie.
“I’d been talking to my computer for a month and suddenly my computer started talking back
to me!”
His next big success came a few months later when Oprah Winfrey, the famous
American TV host, showed one of Charlie’s comedy videos called How to be English on her
programme, which made him popular in the USA too.
Charlie also realised he could use his fame to help people less fortunate than himself. To
celebrate his 18th birthday, he raised £5,000 for cancer research. He raised four times as much
when he co-presented a live show on the Internet. He stayed awake for 24 hours performing
challenges from viewers. All the money went to the children’s charity UNICEF1.
But what is the secret of his popularity? “I just make videos that I would want to
watch,” he says, “and I’m not trying to sell anything. I’m just trying to talk with people and
that’s it for me.” His honesty and modesty are perhaps the main reasons why Charlie is so
well liked. And of course, he is a talented song writer, camera man, actor and singer.
And if you were wondering how Charlie did in his exams back in 2007...well, he
passed with nine A grades and one B! He says that he wants to go on to study at university in
the future but decided to try and make a career on YouTube before that.
1UNICEF [ˈjuːnɪsef] Детский фонд ООН
2. Charlie says how the idea of making a video crossed his mind. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. How did he become popular?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Why do people like Charlie?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
87
LISTENING
Listen to Huan, a Chinese man, speaking about moving out and answer the questions below.
1. Why do young people prefer to live with their parents in Hong Kong?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. How did Huan’s parents react to his decision?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the advantages of living on your own?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
I want to talk about my ___________ of moving out and living on my own. Living on your
own is not very ___________ in Hong Kong. Many people still choose to live with their
parents even _______- they have a good job and they're already in their thirties.
There are several reasons behind — firstly, it's expensive to ______ a flat in Hong Kong.
Secondly, the Chinese traditional value of family is that the parents are the ones ______
brought you up. When you become an adult, you should also take good care of your parents
and you should spend more time to be with them.
When I told my people about the idea of _______________, they supported my decision.
They thought it was a good idea; it would give me time to understand how _______ it was to
live with my parents.
I really like being on my _______. First of all, I save the travelling time to work. It used to
take me one hour _________ minutes to travel to work. It also saves __________ of my
travelling cost. In addition, I gain my personal space and freedom. I make my own decisions
all the time, I can __________ my friends to come up and stay late. I would say that as you
get older, it is ____________ better to live on your own.
It is still a new experience for me but it has been _________ doing.
88
SPEAKING
1. Let’s talk about national character and stereotypes. How will you describe a typical Belarusian?
Our world is giant and diverse. It is inhabited by hundreds of nationalities, each having
its own history, customs and traditions. When we speak about people of different
nationalities, we notice how people of this country interact, how they behave in different
situations, what makes them happy or sad. We make stereotypes.
National stereotypes are a part of human life. They mostly concern appearance,
language, food, habits and values. Stereotypes are often described in humorous stories,
anecdotes or private diaries. They come from films, books and other media.
National character and stereotypes are influenced by a great majority of factors. The
first factor is geography. People from southern countries are more cheerful and artistic than
those who live in the North. The second factor is history. The peoples in Asia are revengeful
because their ancestors often were at war with others. Africans were slaves for centuries and
because of this, they are still hard working and industrious.
We know many stereotypes concerning the United Kingdom and its natives. First,
they like symbols of tradition and stability. The British are rather conservative and their
conservatism can combine with their individualism. Their driving on the left-hand side of the
road is a good example to this. The British are more reserved than the people of many other
countries. For example, it is not a good idea to kiss when meeting a friend. Some other famous
stereotypes are that the British are always talking about the weather, love tea and drink it at
5 o’clock, are great pet lovers and have a specific sense of humour.
Belarusian people have some distinctive features as well. Our people are described as
extremely sociable, generous and hospitable. We like celebrating special occasions and
entertaining guests. Another characteristic is «peaceful». We seldom lose temper and are able
to negotiate with anyone. The Belarusians are also considered to be very resourceful and hard-
working. We love countryside very much, are religious but tolerant to different beliefs, and
have a strong network of family and friends.
To conclude I’d like to say, that stereotype is certainly not the best way to describe
people. However, living in a modern world means communicating across borders, seas and
continents. That is why we should be aware of cultural differences and try to avoid cross-
cultural mistakes.
2. Do you think it`s misleading to believe that all people have the same character and traits?
I don`t think that all people have the same character. However, the national character
exists and people of one nation usually have something in common. Of course, we should
bear in mind some peculiar features of the national character, but still we shouldn’t forget that
personalities differ.
3. Ask a British teenager what the British are like.
1. General: ___________________________________________________________________
2. Alternative: ________________________________________________________________
3. Subject: ____________________________________________________________________
4. Special: ____________________________________________________________________
5. Disjunctive: ________________________________________________________________
89
4. The British friend wants to discover Belarusian cuisine. What advice will you give him/her?
Belarus is famous for its cuisine. Many tourists come to our country to try Belarusian
food. As for me, I strongly recommend to try “draniki”. They are potato pancakes, sometimes
with meat, mushrooms, eggs or vegetables, usually served with sour cream. I think ‘draniki’
is the tastiest Belarusian dish and every family in our country has its own recipe.
5. Do you think the British differ greatly from Belarusian people in character? Why?
Between Belarusian and British people I found some common characteristics, many
Belarusian people as well as many British people think of their land as great and strong and
the best on the whole world. But the British can be particularly and stubbornly conservative
about anything British. They are rather proud of being different. It is, for example, difficult to
imagine that they will ever agree to change from driving on the left-hand side of the road to
driving on the right. It doesn’t matter that nobody can think of any advantage in driving on
the left. British people are obliged by society stereotyping to be polite. The British do not as a
rule express their real feeling. And Belarusian people are free to express their attitude, they
are sincerer. But anyway, there are plenty of things that I like about the British: their humour
whatever it hides, I like the British breakfast, English tea, gardens, romantism and the English
language.
EXTRA EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Match the words to make phrases. Read aloud the sentences containing them.
1 left-hand a working
2 distinctive b lovers
3 strong c network
4 hard d majority
5 cultural e features
6 pet f side
7 special g differences
8 great h occasions
Exercise 2. Find synonyms in the article.
1 various _________________
2 trait _________________
3 distinct _________________
4 contact _________________
5 event _________________
Exercise 3. Decide whether the statements are true or false. Correct the false ones.
1. The peoples in Africa are revengeful because their ancestors were at war with their slaves.
2. Belarusians are considered to be peaceful and generous.
3. National character and stereotypes are mostly influenced by anecdotes.
4. The British are conservative that’s why they drive on the right-hand side of the road.
5. People should know cultural differences to communicate across borders, seas and
continents.
90
Exercise 4. Unscramble questions and answer them.
1. make / how / we / stereotypes / do?
2. national / does / how / influence on / character / geography?
3. is it / to kiss / a British / meeting / when / friend / a good way?
4. Belarusian / are / a / typical / you?
Exercise 5. Make a Mind Map to speak about national stereotypes.
91
CARD 15
VOCABULARY LIST
92
READING
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
MAKE YOUR HOME GREENER
Residential buildings are responsible for consuming 27% of the total amount of energy
consumed within Europe and are the biggest source of global warming in the world. This is a
fact that has, until recently, been overlooked by lawmakers trying to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, who have concentrated their efforts on industry and transport. The EU has now
passed a new law which intends to cut considerably carbon dioxide emissions1 from buildings.
This means that each of us can now save the planet from the comfort of our own homes.
The first things we can do are simple and easy. We can block up draughts2, switch off
unnecessary lights and make sure cold and hot water taps are not left running. The next step
requires more planning and some expense, but as well as saving energy, we will also save on
bills. Many homes have window and roof insulation3 but it is rarely enough. Full insulation
can have a dramatic effect on energy consumption. We should use energy efficient light bulbs.
These are usually expensive to buy but consume less than half the energy of standard bulbs.
These bulbs last much longer than conventional light bulbs reducing the consumption of
resources. Also, thermal solar panels are very efficient. They are capable of providing all the
hot water you need.
We can install a ‘grey’ water recycling system. At present water used to flush the toilets
is of the same drinkable quality that comes out of the taps4. This is an unnecessary waste of
energy used in water purification. A grey water recycling system cleans water that has been
used for washing and sends it through the toilet system reducing the use of clean drinking
water.
New buildings have more energy saving features in their design. They can have a wooden
structure, extensive insulation, electronic environmental controls, triple glazing5, a
non-polluting heating system and a turf6 roof. However, it is how we deal with our present
homes that will determine housing’s contribution to global warming. It’s down to each of us,
so get insulating!
1 carbon dioxide emissions [ˈkaːbən daɪˈɒkˈsaɪd ɪˈmɪʃnz] выбросы углекислого газа
2 а draught [draːft] сквозняк
3 insulation [ˌɪnsjʊˈleɪʃn] изоляция, утепление
4 a tap [tæp] кран
5 glazing [ˈɡleɪzɪŋ] вставка стекoл
6 turf [tзːf] торф
2. What energy saving features in the design of the building are used nowadays? Read aloud the extract
which says about it.
3. What can we do to cut carbon dioxide emissions from buildings?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
93
4. What is considered to be an unnecessary waste of energy used in water purification?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
LISTENING
Listen to the tour guide and answer the questions below.
1. What sort of tour is it?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What will the tourists see on the tour?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Why does the tourist ask to return the money?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Tour guide: Good afternoon, ladies and _________, and welcome to this fantastic tour of
London by bus. As you ____ see, we're on an open-top bus, so you can see all the __________
from your seat and you don't need to ________ anywhere.
Tourist: I have a ________.
Tour guide: Yes?
Tourist: Do you have extra __________? I mean, if it rains a lot.
Tour guide: Err, no, we don't have any extra umbrellas, but don't worry, I'm sure it won't
rain. Right, OK, so where are we going on our wonderful tour? Well, the tour takes two
_______ and we are going to visit all the famous sites. First we'll see Madame Tussauds, the
museum with wax _________ of famous people and celebrities, then we'll drive along the
most famous shopping street in the world, Oxford Street. After that we'll see Westminster
Abbey and The Houses of __________. As we drive along the river you'll see the popular
attraction, the London Eye, from which you can see the _______ city on a sunny day. Then
we'll see Tower Bridge and the famous Tower of London before ________ at Buckingham
Palace, just in time for a cup of tea with the Queen.
Tourist: I have another question.
Tour guide: Yes?
Tourist: Can we have our money ________? It's going to rain heavily.
94
SPEAKING
1. Let’s talk about outstanding people. Tell me about some Belarusians who are well known all around
the world.
In my opinion to be an outstanding person means not to be like anyone else. An
outstanding person is the one who wants to do something good in his or her life and who likes
to help other people. I believe an outstanding person is a person who lives to enlighten his
native people, to speak about native land. Belarus gave birth to many famous people whose
names are known all over the world.
The names of such Belarusian thinkers as Euphrosinya Polotskaya, Kirill Turovski and
Francisk Scoryna have been known since ancient times. The most significant of F.Scoryna’s
achievements was the translation and publication of the Bible in old Belarusian.
It goes without saying that our outstanding writers Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas,
Kondrat Krapiva, Vasil Bykov, Vladimir Korotkevich are well-known both in our country
and abroad. Their works are translated into many European languages.
As for Belarusian art the names of Kazimir Malevich, Mark Shagal, Mikhail Savitski
are known far beyond the borders of our country. For example, the world famous “The Black
Square” by Kazimir Malevich is on display in the Tate Gallery in London.
We cannot help mentioning the names of outstanding sportsmen – the heroes of
modern Belarusian history. Maxim Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenko are the most famous
Belarusian tennis players. They have won a series of international titles. Darya Domracheva
is a Belarusian biathlonist. At the Winter Olympics she won gold medals and was honored
with the title “The Hero of Belarus”.
We can be proud of the achievements of our scientists. Ignat Domejko was a well-
known geologist who spent most of his life in Chile where he became a national hero. Zhores
Alferov, born in Vitebsk, won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2000. Petr Klimuk, Vladimir
Kovalenok and Oleg Novitski are Belarusian cosmonauts.
Life is going on. No doubt, Belarusian people will inscribe new names into the world
heritage.
2. Do you think a genius is born or made?
In my opinion, geniuses are made, not born. There are three keys to success: hard
work, persistence and a solid upbringing. Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla and Leonardo
DaVinci had troubles at school. Only practice made them perfect. The genius status is
achieved by putting in 5 minutes of extra work and 10 years of effort more than average people
do.
95
3. If you have a chance to interview a sportsman, what questions will you ask?
1. General: ___________________________________________________________________
2. Alternative: ________________________________________________________________
3. Subject: ____________________________________________________________________
4. Special: ____________________________________________________________________
5. Disjunctive: ________________________________________________________________
4. Your British friend is interested in Belarusian literature. What kind of books will you advise him/her
to read?
Vladimir Korotkevich is a well-known Belarusian author of historical novels, plays
and also short stories. His book The Land Beneath White Wings is about the history and culture
of Belarus from old times to today. Every line of this novel speaks of the author’s love to his
motherland, its people and its beautiful nature. I’m absolutely sure my friend should read this
book.
5. What do you think is more important: IQ, hard work, persistence or a solid upbringing on the way to
success?
I believe that having natural abilities is not enough to be successful. Working hard is
more important. There are a lot of children who show much talent in their childhood but
when they become adults, they don’t achieve their ambitions. Only gifted people who develop
their talents become a success.
EXTRA EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Match the words to make up the word combinations. Read aloud the sentences
containing them.
1 solid a work
2 European b times
3 no c player
4 ancient d a success
5 tennis e languages
6 extra f titles
7 international g doubt
8 become h upbringing
Exercise 2. Complete the table. Choose three outstanding people whose contribution is most valuable.
Explain your choice.
Maxim Kirill Vladimir Vasil Bykov Mark Kondrat Darya
Mirnyi Turovski Kovalenok Shagal Krapiva Domracheva
Mikhail Yakub Euphrosinya Oleg Victoria
Savitski Kolas
Polotskaya Novitski Azarenko
Petr Klimuk Ignat Zhores Vladimir Francisk Kazimir Yanka Kupala
Domejko Alferov Korotkevich Scoryna Malevich
96
ARTISTS COSMONAUTS THINKERS WRITERS SPORTSMEN SCIENTISTS
Exercise 3. Unscramble the questions and answer them.
1. What / it / to be / mean / an outstanding / does / person?
2. Who / native / to enlighten / lives / his / people?
3. What / of / important / is / achievement / the most / F. Skoryna?
4. Where / displayed / The Black Square / is?
5. Who / Belarusian / your / sportsman / favourite / is?
6. Who / you / is / the / person / most / outstanding / for / Belarusian?
7. What / outstanding / you / to / become / an / should / do / person?
Exercise 4. Make a Mind Map to speak about outstanding Belarusians.
97
CARD 16
VOCABULARY LIST
98
READING
1.Read the extract and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
MR WEMMICK’S “CASTLE”
Wemmick’s house was a little wooden cottage in the middle of a large garden. The top
of the house had been built and painted like a battery loaded with guns. I said I really liked it.
I think Wemmick’s house was the tiniest I had ever seen. It had very few windows and the
door was almost too small to get in.
‘Look,’ said Wemmick, ‘after I have crossed this bridge, I raise it so that nobody can
enter the Castle.’
The ‘bridge’ was a plank1 and it crossed a gap about four feet2 wide and two feet deep.
But I enjoyed seeing the smile on Wemmick’s face and the pride with which he raised his
bridge. The gun on the roof of the house, he told me, was fired every night at nine o’clock. I
later heard it. Immediately, it made an impressive sound.
‘At the back,’ he said, ‘there are chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits. I’ve also got my own
little vegetable garden and I grow cucumbers. Wait until supper and you’ll see for yourself
what kind of salad I can make. If the Castle is ever attacked, I will be able to survive for quite
a while,’ he said with a smile, but at the same time seriously.
Then Wemmick showed me his collection of curiosities. They were mostly to do with
being on the wrong side of the law: a pen with which a famous forgery3 had been committed,
some locks of hair, several manuscript confessions written from prison.
‘I am my own engineer, my own carpenter, my own plumber and my own gardener. I
am my own Jack of all Trades4,’ said Wemmick, receiving my compliments. Wemmick told
me that it had taken many years to bring his property to this state of perfection.
‘Is it your own, Mr. Wemmick?’
‘Oh yes, I have got a hold of it a bit at a time. I have absolute ownership now. You know,
the office is one thing, and private life is another. When I go to the office, I leave the Castle
behind me, and when I come to the Castle, I leave the office behind me. If you don’t mind,
I’d like you to do the same. I don’t want to talk about my home in a professional manner’.
1 plank [plæŋk] брус, доска
2 feet [fiːt] — мн. ч. от foot — мера длины, равная 30,48 см
3 а forgery [ˈfɒdʒərɪ] подделка документа
4 Jack of all Trades мастер на все руки
2. ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’. Read aloud the extract which proves this idea.
3. What do we understand about Wemmick’s home life?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
99
4. Why does Wemmick call himself Jack of all Trades?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
LISTENING
Listen to a part of the interview with a thirteen-year old writer, Sally Myers, and answer the questions
below.
1. What made Sally write the book?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What did Sally’s Dad think about the book?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. How did Sally’s life change after publishing the book?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Interviewer: Sally Myers is a _____________________ writer whose first book was published
last year. Sally, tell us about that book.
Sally: Well, I loved __________. I’d had a __________ for a couple of years. I wrote about
my day, poems, stories… But I never showed people what I wrote. Then, because my pen-
friend was moving to a new city with _____ family, just like I’d done the year before, I wrote
down some ________ for her – the things which had helped me. She _________ it was great
and she said I should write _________ book about it for other _______. So I did.
Interviewer: Did _________ help you?
Sally: Not with the writing. I only showed it to my Dad after it was finished. He _________
it was good, but he tried to _____ me from sending it to any ___________. He thought I’d feel
disappointed and __________ if they didn’t like it. So, I sent it to just ________ company.
Interviewer: Has being an __________ changed you?
Sally: I don't really think so. I just go to school, __________ with the same friends. People
think I make lots of money, but it's not true. But I do get letters from kids who've read my
book and that's ________ as they share their own experience with me. I've also become more
______________ and now I am planning to write one more book.
100
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