My flat

I live in a nine-storey house. I live on the second floor. Our flat is very comfortable. It has all modern conveniences, such as central heating, electricity, gas, cold and hot water and a telephone. There are three rooms in our flat: a living room, a bedroom and a children's room. We also have a kitchen, a bathroom, an entrance hall, a toilet and a balcony. There is also a lift in the building and a rubbish-chute. In front of the house there is a small garden.

The flat is not large but well-planned. The living-room is the largest and the most comfortable. Let me describe it. In the left-hand corner there is a little table with a TV set and a video recorder on it. In the opposite corner there is a sofa and two arm-chairs. Near them there is a bookcase. Against the wall there is a nice sideboard. In the middle of the room there is a coffee table. On the floor we have a nice thick carpet. The curtains on the window match the wall paper. All this makes the room cozy.

Our kitchen is rather large. There, is a gas-stove, fridge, cupboard and a square table with four stools around it. On the wall above the table there are three kitchen cabinets. As well as that there are different fixings and fittings.

We like our flat very much.

Questions:

1. Do you live in a nine-storey house?

2. On what floor do you live?

3. Does your flat have all modern conveniences? What are they?

4. How many rooms are there in your flat? What are they?

5. Which is the largest room? Which is the most comfortable?

6. Describe one of the rooms.

Hobbies.

A hobby is a favourite occupation of a person. Hobbies differ like tastes. Some people like gardening or travelling, others prefer reading or doing sports, and the others enjoy knitting and sewing, or collecting stamps. If you have chosen a hobby to your liking, you have made your life more interesting.

Sometimes it is difficult to find time for a hobby because of your work or studies. But when I am free, I try to spend my spare time on my hobby.

I like reading, painting, listening to music, going to the cinema of theatre. But most of all I’ am keen on collecting stamps. I began collecting at school. The fact is I had some pen-friends in different countries. It was fun to exchange stamps with them. I’ve enriched my collection since then. And now I’ve got three big albums. Every time I look through my stamps, I remember my friends and forget my problems. It helps me to relax and feel happy.

Questions:

1. What is your favorite occupation?

2. Is it difficult for you to find time for your hobby? Why?

3. Does your hobby help you in your life?

4. When did you begin to do your hobby?

5. What else would you like to do in your free time?

My Institute.

I study at Nizhny Novgorod branch of Moscow Institute of Economics, Management and Law. It has already been training students for 12 years. We have two faculties at our branch: of economics and law. Students can choose one of three departments: full-time, part-time or extra-mural.

It is very important to have a higher education now. So many young people enter our institute every year, though they have to pay for their studies.

The building of the institute is situated not far from the center of the city. There are a lot of classrooms, computer-rooms, a library with a reading hall and a café in it.

All the students are to learn such compulsory subjects as History, Philosophy, English, Maths, and others. They also take special subjects according to their future profession.

An academic year is divided into two terms. At the end of each term we have an examination session. We usually have to take a lot of credits and exams. So we must work hard at different subjects during the year. We should attend all lectures and seminars and do our best to make progress in studies. All this will help us in future become qualified specialists and get a well-paid job.

Questions:

1. What year student are you?

2. What department do you study at?

3. What subjects do you learn at the institute?

4. What is your favourite subject? Why?

5. Where is your institute situated?

6. Do you try to go far in your studies? What do you do for that?