Vocabulary
Exercise 57. Translate the sentences from English into Russian.
Compensation is available for people who have developed asthma as a direct result of their work.
His decision had depressing results for business.
We happened to discover how much we had in common.
President Clinton displayed no lack of vigor when he began to speak.
I don’t know how to travel light. When packing it seems to me that I will need thousands of things.
How much it costs depends upon how much you buy.
I hope a spell of fine weather will keep up.
It seemed that he was determined to oppose her.
The implication is that this battery lasts twice as long as other batteries.
He is a changed man since you left.
There was a major campaign to oppose the building of a nuclear reactor.
The Indian summer will set in next week.
A blanket of snow covered the land. The winter came.
In autumn there are steady rains. It makes me feel sad.
I will not change the decision rain or shine.
He tricked his way into a job as a hospital doctor and killed a patient through lack of care.
The final election results will be announced on Friday.
Exercise 58. Identify a word or word combination by its definition.
something that has happened or the event that was caused by the happenings
not to have something
to go somewhere far away
the condensed moisture of the atmosphere falling visibly in separate drops
to be against something
a lot of soft white bits of frozen water that fall from the sky in cold weather
to continue to exist or happen
to become different
to put down
not to tell the truth
Exercise 59. Find in the box synonyms to the words below. Explain the difference. Provide examples to illustrate the meanings of the words.
To rely to journey to take place to conduct to look deficiency to trust consequence to come about want effect outcome to trip to occur to appear to act |
Result
lack
to depend
to travel
to happen
to seem
to behave
|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Exercise 60. Complete the gaps using the words and word combinations. Make sure that you use the correct grammatical form. Retell the text.
The climate and the weather of the British Isles
The British Isles which are surrounded by the ocean have an insular c_________________(1) that is moist, temperate and maritime. It is m__________________(2) than that of Central Europe. The three things chiefly determine the c__________________(3) of Great Britain. They are: the position of the island in the temperate belt; the fact that the prevailing winds blow from the west and the south-west; the warm current - the Gulf Stream that flows from the Gulf of Mexico along the western shores of England. Due to the moderating i____________________(4) of the sea and of the Gulf Stream, the July temperature is lower than in any other country of the same latitude and the January temperature is higher. That's why the British ports are ice-free and rivers in England don't freeze throughout the year.
The West of the Island, where the highlands and the mountains l_________________(5), is affected by the winds off the oceans and the Gulf Stream. The soft westerly winds bring r___________________(6) that is called «mist» so soft and warm it is. The East, where the plains l___________________(7), is mainly affected by f_____________________(8). Bitter easterly winds are said to come straight from Siberia. That's why it is c____________________(9) in the East than in the West of the British Isles.
The moods of British w_________________(10) are really surprising. It c___________________(11) with the change of the season but sometimes cold winter comes back, when spring seems already to be here, or warm fine summer days return in mid-October.
The English are famous for their u_______________________(12) weather and they are always talking about it. Everyone can notice that the weather is never the same two days running.
The best time of the year in England is the spring and early summer. Spring is the driest season. Cold dry winds blow, the skies are clean and calm, sometimes it r___________________(13). In early summer the wind sends fine sunny w__________________(14) with blue skies in which clouds build up by day and die away at night. Thunderstorms are common and the counties in the east get most rain in this season. Though it is mainly drier in the east than in the west. Great floods occur in the hills and do the worst damage to the valleys.
Needless to say that it r___________________(15) quite often all the year round. The English even say that they have only three variants of the weather: when it rains in the morning, or when it rains in the afternoon, or when it rains all day long. That's why England is such a green country.
The autumn is sometimes a time of very good weather, with clear blue skies and the sun shining every day. But the spring is still better, because after the spring comes short English summer, when people go to the s__________________(16), In the autumn even when the sun shines there is the winter to follow.
In early autumn, especially after a fine summer, the air is damp as the sun sinks lower. The temperature falls, mist and fog appear in the evening. Strong winds bring stormy w___________________(17) with heavy rains and gales.
In the winter months Britain is affected by polar air. Then there are cold dry biting winds which bring black frosts. Sometimes England has no s______________(18) at all, but the North and Scotland usually have some after Christmas. If there is a long frost and the ice is hard enough, then everyone who has skates gets them out and skates on the rivers and pools. The east cold wind blows in from the North Sea and all England shivers, especially in the East. The Welsh are luckier because Wales is in the West and it is warmer than most of England. February and March are the months with most s___________________(19), but in the Scottish Highlands it can f________________(20) as late as June.
Exercise 61. Translate from Russian into English.
PART А
В новостях сказали быть осторожным на дороге, на улице пурга.
Он был прекрасным попутчиком в путешествии, но ему всегда не хватало внимательности.
Джейн всегда говорила, что на нее можно положиться при любых обстоятельствах. Но мы-то знаем, что все зависело от ситуации.
Осенью часто идет дождь. Иногда он становится затяжным и может лить несколько дней, временами он ослабевает, а потом усиливается снова.
После снегопада дороги засыпало, и проехать было невозможно. Многим казалось, что жизнь остановилась.
На улице небольшой дождик, я быстро добегу до машины и не промокну.
В Парламент было внесено предложение изменить основной закон. Многие члены Парламента возражали, но голосование было назначено на следующую неделю.
Я люблю вставать по утрам рано и выходить на пробежку. Поздней осенью и ранней весной погода ужасная. Но мне не важно, какая погода, я все равно отправляюсь в лес на пробежку.
Я люблю ездить на курорт, мы целый день валяемся на пляже, загораем. Дети на берегу ищут ракушки, которые мы потом везем домой, как сувениры.
Что произошло вчера? Я положила деньги на стол и ушла. Когда я вернулась вечером, денег на столе не было. Но я точно помню, что деньги лежали на столе, когда я уходила. Мне кажется, кто-то заходил, пока меня не было.
На улице весна и погода установилась замечательная. Стало тепло. Выглянуло солнце. Даже небольшой дождик не испортит мне хорошего настроения.
PART В
Однажды Эрнст Хемингуэй сказал, что мир – это прекрасное место, чтобы жить, и за него стоит побороться. Согласитесь: наша планета – бесценный подарок, который мы должны сохранить для будущих поколений. Люди забыли об этом и уже многие земли превращены в пустыни. Экология ухудшается с каждым днем.
Быстрое развитие промышленности и различные действия человека наносят непоправимый ущерб природе. К сожалению, уже сегодня мы не можем исправить последствия нашего отношения, мы можем лишь изменить его в будущем.
Отравление окружающей среды: почвы, воздуха и воды – это быстро распространяющаяся эпидемия человечества и если тенденция не изменится, это может привести к вымиранию человека, как вида. Жаль, что проблемы окружающей среды занимают так мало место в заголовках газет.
Перенаселенность, загрязнение воздуха и чрезмерное потребление энергии приводит к обезлесению, озоновым дырам, кислотным дождям, что способствует, в свою очередь, глобальному потеплению.
Надеюсь, что люди в последние пару десятилетий начали осознавать весь ужас своего положения. Ведь мы зависим от природы в той же или в даже большей степени, чем она от нас. В конце 1960х была организована неправительственная организация Гринпис, которая решительно возражает против любых действий человека, влекущих за собой нанесение вреда природе.
В последние десятилетия для сокращения потребления энергии были предложены другие источники энергии. В разных странах в зависимости от особенностей климата предлагается использовать энергию воды, ветра и солнца для получения достаточного количества электроэнергии.
Exercise 62. Read the weather forecast. Underline the words that describe the weather. Write them out. Be ready to describe the weather according to the following forecast.
Monday night
Some clear spells at first, but cloud will tend to increase from the west overnight. Most parts remaining dry although cloud may thicken enough for some light rain in places. Rather windy and very mild.
Tuesday
A rather cloudy but mostly dry day with some bright or sunny spells developing. Quite windy to start but gradually easing later. Feeling warm despite the wind.
Wednesday to Friday
Wednesday and Thursday rather warm and cloudy but mostly dry, although some brighter spells may occur, especially during Thursday. Staying dry and rather warm with sunny spells on Friday.
Review of UK weather on 09/10/11
A cloudy, mild and breezy night everywhere with outbreaks of rain for much of the UK.
The rain was heavy at times across Cumbria, north Wales and western Scotland.
Southern England stayed mainly dry, with a little drizzle at times.
It remained rather cloudy for much of the UK throughout the day, with some rain and drizzle, mainly in the west.
The rain was persistent and heavy at times across western Scotland, Northern Ireland and northwest England such as over Cumbria and the Pennines.
There were also some cloud breaks across the eastern side of Scotland and also east Devon and parts of central southern and southeast England. This leads to warmer than average temperatures across parts of the south.
It was a windy day everywhere with a strong and gusty west to south westerly wind. The evening remained mild, cloudy and windy in most places, with further rain across the Pennines, Northern Ireland and western Scotland.
Extremes of temperature, rainfall and sunshine for the 24 hours ending 09 October 2011
UK Review - July 2011
After a generally fine first few days, the weather became unsettled. With low pressure close by, it was rather cool with showers and periods of rain, heavy and prolonged at times across northern areas.
A brief settled interlude towards mid-month was followed by a return to low pressure and cool, unsettled conditions.
The last week saw higher temperatures and drier weather but still with plenty of cloud at times.
It was a rather cool month overall, with mean temperatures ranging from around 1 °C below average over England and Wales to about 0.5 °C below over Scotland, making this the coolest July since 2000.
With several chilly nights, in terms of minimum temperature it was the coldest July across the UK since 1980.
Overall, monthly rainfall totals were typically close to the July averages but with significant regional variation.
It was wet in a broad swathe from north-east England across eastern Scotland with about twice the average in places. In contrast, Orkney and the Western Isles had a relatively dry month with about a third of the normal amount.
It was also drier than average across parts of the Midlands. Sunshine totals were generally close to or somewhat below average, especially across parts of southern England, but it was sunnier than normal over Northern Ireland and especially south-western Scotland.
A maximum temperature of 27.3 °C was recorded at Gravesend (Kent) on the 5th.
A minimum temperature of -0.8 °C was recorded at Kinbrace (Highland) early on the 13th. In the 24 hours ending at 0900 on the 18th, 96.0 mm of rainfall was recorded at Capel Curig (Conwy). A wind gust of 58 m.p.h. was recorded at Needles Old Battery (Isle of Wight) on the 8th.
UK Review - December 2010
December 2010 was the coldest December in 100 years, with snow falling in most areas of the UK and temperatures struggling to get above freezing during the day.
A combination of sustained low temperatures and frequent snowfalls affected everyday life in most parts of the UK for much of the month. The emergency services, local authorities, transport organisations and utilities were put under great pressure.
Exercise 63. Translate the following weather forecast from Russian into English:
В конце рабочей недели, как всегда, о погоде. В ближайшие два дня, субботу и воскресенье, 22 и 23 октября, синоптики прогнозируют в столичном регионе плюс 5-7 градусов днем, а ночью – не ниже 1 градуса тепла. Возможен мокрый снег.
А уже в понедельник, 24 октября, благодаря фронту с северо-востока, снег с дождем гарантирован. К ночи вторника, 25 октября, столбик термометра опустится до минус 4 градусов.
Погоду в Москве и Санкт-Петербурге будет определять обширный антициклон. "Вначале это будет его более холодная часть. Поэтому в ночные часы ожидаются отрицательные температуры в Москве, - сообщил заведующий отделом краткосрочных прогнозов погоды и опасных явлений по территории России Гидрометцентра Александр Голубев. - В ночь с субботы на воскресенье температура воздуха понизится до минус 2-4 градусов, местами в Подмосковье - до минус 7. Затем начнется постепенное повышение температуры".
По словам специалиста Гидрометцентра, вся следующая рабочая неделя будет теплой, солнечной, с температурами днем от 3 до 8 градусов тепла. Такая же погода примерно ожидается и в Санкт-Петербурге.
В столице и области в субботу будет облачно с прояснениями, местами возможны небольшие осадки. По информации Росгидромета, в мегаполисе воздух прогреется до 3–5 градусов, в Подмосковье столбики термометров покажут от ноля до плюс пяти, ветер северо-западный, 3–8 метров в секунду.
В ночь на воскресенье ожидается от минус четырех до плюс одного градуса, местами подморозит до минус семи, переменная облачность и без осадков. Днем также переменная облачность, осадков не будет. В Москве воздух прогреется до плюс 2–4 градуса тепла, по области — до пяти выше ноля, ветер северный и северо-западный, 2–7 метров в секунду.
Похолодание немедленно почувствуют автомобилисты. Дороги в Подмосковье может подморозить. Инспекторы призывают водителей избегать опасных маневров на трассах, соблюдать скоростной режим и дистанцию, особенно на головных участках федеральных трасс, где наиболее интенсивные транспортные потоки.
В столичном регионе похолодает, ветер усилится, будет облачно и пройдет дождь. По прогнозу Росгидромета, воздух в Москве прогреется до 9–11 градусов тепла, по области — до 8–13 градусов. Западный ветер усилится, порывы будут достигать 12–17 метров в секунду.
Ночью облачность сохранится, дождь не прекратится. Столбики термометров в столице покажут 6–8 градусов выше ноля, в Подмосковье — плюс 5–10 градусов. В понедельник горожан также ждет типичная осенняя погода. В мегаполисе ожидается 9–11 градусов тепла, по области — 8–13 градусов. Юго-западный ветер будет дуть со скоростью 6–11 метров в секунду.
Лето закончилось, и бабье лето, похоже, тоже. Вчера был последний теплый день в этом году. Он был даже не теплым, а почти жарким — воздух прогрелся до 20 градусов. Этот показатель стал температурным рекордом. В последний раз погода так баловала горожан в этот день в 1974 году — термометры в столице показывали 19,6 градуса тепла.
Exercise 64. Make up your own forecast for:
A cold winter day in Moscow
A hot summer day in Moscow
A rainy autumn day in Moscow
A fine spring day in Moscow
Exercise 65. Prepare reports on the following topics. Mind the outline for your reports.
The problem of air pollution in the world
The essence of the problem
The reasons for the problem in Great Britain
The problem in Russia
The solutions to the problem
Your opinion of the best solution
The global problem of water pollution
The essence of the problem
The reasons for the problem in Great Britain
The problem in Russia
The solutions to the problem
Your opinion of the best solution
The problem of soil pollution in the world
The essence of the problem
The reasons for the problem in Great Britain
The problem in Russia
The solutions to the problem
Your opinion of the best solution
The damage caused by traffic in big cities
The essence of the problem
The reasons for the problem in Great Britain
The problem in Russia
The solutions to the problem
Your opinion of the best solution
The enviromental problems of big cities.
London and other big cities
Moscow and London cities traffic to compare
The solutions to the problem
Your opinion of the best solution
Genetically modified plants
What is it? When did it appear?
What are the arguments for this type of plants?
What are the arguments against?
What is your opinion?
Internet Activity
Exercise 66. Copy a BBC Video Forecast which includes as many words and word combinations from your active Vocabulary as possible.
UNIT 3 London – the capital of Great Britain
Part A Reading and Comprehension
Text London: the capital of Great Britain.
London (the largest city in western Europe) dominates Britain. It is home to the headquarters of all government departments, the country's parliament, its major legal institutions, and the monarch. It is the country's business and banking centre and the centre of its transport network. It contains the headquarters of the national television networks and all the national newspapers. It is about seven times larger than any other city in the country. About a fifth of the total population of the UK lives in the wider London area.
The name 'London' comes from the Romans. People lived here before the Romans came, but we do not know very much about them. The Romans came to England in the year 43. Their ships came up the River Thames from the sea, and they built houses and other buildings next to the River. They built a bridge over the river, and they called the town Londinium.
It was a rich town, and about 50,000 people lived in it. But soon after the year 400, the Romans left Londinium and went back to Rome, and for three hundred years London was a quiet place. Then people began to live in the town again, and it was soon rich and important. People called Angles, Saxons, and Jutes came to Britain from Germany, Holland, and Denmark. Then, in the ninth and tenth centuries, Danish ships came up the River Thames and destroyed many of Londinium's buildings.
In 1066, England had a new king - William the Conqueror from France. William came to live in London and built a castle there (today we know it as the Tower of London). London was now the biggest and most important city in England, and it got bigger and bigger.
The plague often came to London, but 1665 was the worst year of all. It was called the Year of the Great Plague. Then a year later, in 1666, there was a big fire - the Great Fire of London. It began in a house in Pudding Lane, near London Bridge. The Great Fire of London went through street after street after street, and it did not stop for four days.
More than a quarter of a million people lost their homes in the fire. It destroyed St Paul's Cathedral and eighty-eight other churches. But it also destroyed most of the worst old building.
The original walled city of London was quite small. (It is known colloquially today as 'the square mile'.) It did not contain Parliament or the royal court, since this would have interfered with the autonomy of the merchants and traders who lived and worked there. It was in Westminster, another 'city' outside London's walls, that these national institutions met. Today, both 'cities' are just two areas of central London. The square mile (also known simply as 'the City') is home to the country's main financial organizations. During the daytime, more than a quarter of a million people work there, but fewer than 10,000 people actually live there.
Two other well-known areas of London are the West End and the East End. The former is known for its many theatres, cinemas and expensive shops. The latter is known as the poorer residential area of central London. It is the traditional home of the Cockney and for centuries it has been home to successive waves of immigrant groups.
There are many other parts of central London, some of them quite distinctive in character, and central London itself makes up only a very small part of Greater London. In common with many other European cities, the population in the central area decreased in the second half of the twentieth century. The majority of’ Londoners live in its suburbs, millions of them travelling into the centre each day to work. These suburbs cover a vast area of land stretching in all directions. The most recent trend has been an expansion of London to the east, down towards the Thames Estuary.
Like many large cities, London is in some ways untypical of the rest of the country in that it is so cosmopolitan. Although all of Britain's cities have some degree of cultural and racial variety, the variety is by far the greatest in London. More than 300 languages are spoken there; its restaurants offer cuisine from more than 70 different countries. In fact, nearly a third of the people in London were born outside Britain.
The variety does not stop there. London has most of both the richest and the poorest areas in Britain. Despite this, you have less chance of being the victim of a crime there than you have in many other British cities. In late 2007, it was voted the most popular city in the world in an on-line poll of international tourists. It is also the most frequent choice for Chinese companies expanding into Europe. This popularity is probably the result of its combination of apparently infinite cultural variety and a long history which has left intact many visible signs of its richness and drama.
/after Britain for Learners of English/
Exercise 1. Find in the text English equivalents for the following words or word combinations.
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Exercise 2. State whether it is true or false. Correct the false statements, if any.
It is home to the headquarters of all government departments, the country's parliament, its major legal institutions, and the monarch.
The Romans were the first who settled in this place. Before the Romans came here, people hadn´t lived in the territory.
The Great Fire destroyed St Paul's Cathedral and eighty-eight other churches.
The original walled city of London, known simply the City, contained Parliament and the royal court.
Central London can be divided into 3 parts the City the West End and the East End.
Central London makes up a large part of Greater London.
The majority of Londoners live and work in the suburbs of London.
Although all of Britain's cities have some degree of cultural and racial variety, the variety is by far the greatest in London.
London has most of both the richest and the poorest areas in Britain. You have more chance of being the victim of a crime there than you have in many other British cities.
In 2007 it was voted to be the most popular city in the world.
Exercise 3. Rephrase the following sentences from the text to bring out the meaning of the words and word combinations.
London dominates Britain.
The plague often came to London, but 1665 was the worst year of all. It was called the Year of the Great Plague.
The Great Fire of London went through street after street after street.
The original walled city of London was quite small. (It is known colloquially today as 'the square mile'.)
For centuries the East End has been home for successive waves of immigrant groups.
There are many other parts of central London some of them quite distinctive in character.
The suburbs of London cover a vast area of land stretching in all directions.
Like many large cities, London is in some ways untypical of the rest of the country in that it is so cosmopolitan.
The variety does not stop there.
This popularity is probably the result of its combination of apparently infinite cultural variety and a long history which has left intact many visible signs of its richness and drama.
Exercise 4. Answer the questions.
What parts will we divide London into? What are these parts famous for?
What was originally called London? What is situated there today?
Who built the city?
Who breathed new life into the city, after the Romans had left?
What disasters are the most notorious in the history of London?
What government and legal institutions can you name? Where are they situated in London?
Is London a dense-populated city? Where do Londoners live?
What makes London the most popular city in the world?