Дайте ответы на следующие вопросы:

1. What is the capital of Tatarstan?

2. Where is Kazan situated?

3. When was Kazan founded?

4. What is the population of Kazan?

5. Are there many parks and gardens in Kazan?

6. There are many monuments to famous people in Kazan, aren`t there?

7. What does the Kazan Kremlin symbolize?

8. What is the most unusual structure in the Kremlin complex?

9. Is Kazan a big educational centre?

10. The traffic is very heavy in Kazan, isn`t it?

11. Are there many industrial enterprises in Kazan?

Dialogue: At the airport

Dymov: Good morning, Mr. Mennon.

Mennon: Hello, Mr. Dymov.

D.: Did you have a good flight?

M.: Yes, on the whole it was quite fine.

D.: The car is waiting for us. Shall we go?

M.: Yes, of course.

D.: The program of your stay in our city is quite intensive. We’ve a lot of sights to visit.

M.: Yes, I would like to see as many places of interest as possible. I have never had a chance to visit your city.

D.: Then maybe you’d like to have a sightseeing tour about the city right after lunch?

M.: Yes, why not. I’ve heard a lot about the Kremlin.

D.: We will visit it. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. Here is our car.

M.: Fine.

to wait	ждать, ожидать
be disappointed	быть разочарованным

FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN THE LIFE OF A MODERN MAN

The great German poet Goethe once said, "He, who knows no foreign language, does not know his own one". Learning foreign language is especially important nowadays. Some people learn languages because they need them in their work, others travel abroad, for the third studying languages is a hobby.

Every year thousands of people from Russia go to different countries as tourists or to work. They can`t go without knowing the language of the country they are going to. A modern specialist cannot work with an imported instrument or a machine if he is not able to read the instruction how to do that.

Of the 2700 languages spoken in the world today, only English is a truly global language. It has become the language of the planet. English has an official or a special status in 75 countries with a total population of over 2 billion.

English is the language of computer technology, media and Internet. It is the dominant language or in some instances even the required international language of communications, science, diplomacy, aviation, entertainment, radio and business. In Europe, where there are as many different languages as there are countries, nearly half of all business deals are conducted in English.

English is the language of sports and glamour. It is the official language of the Olympics and the Miss Universe competition. Finally, five of the largest broadcasting companies in the world (CBS, NBC, ABC, BBC and CBC) transmit in English to audiences that exceed one hundred million people.

A scientist, a historian, a diplomat are, as a rule, polyglots, because they need foreign languages in their work. Stewardesses, pilots, air traffic control officers must learn English because it is the language of international communication.

So a modern and a cultured person must learn foreign languages.

New words and expressions:

foreign	иностранный
especially	особенно
to travel	путешествовать
modern	современный
global language	универсальный язык
dominant language	господствующий язык
business deal	сделка
to conduct	проводить
competition	конкурс
broadcasting company	телекомпания
audience	аудитория
to exceed	превышать
as a rule	как правило
air traffic control officer	диспетчер авиалиний