Text 1. A letter to a friend

Dear Ann.

At last I’ve found time to write you a letter. I’m sorry not to have written since I left home two months ago. Since my arrival I’ve visited a few famous universities and colleges, where I’ve met a lot of American students and teachers. Some of them are ethnic Ukrainians observing the Ukrainian traditions and speak Ukrainian father well.

I’ve been staying in New York for three weeks now. I take the course on modem literature at Columbia University. Re­cently we’ve had a seminar on American Literature. I’ve made a report about Jerome David Salinger. He is my favourite writ­er, and I’ve read a lot of his novels and stories. My fellow stu­dents were very surprised that I know so much about this au­thor, because some of them have never heard of him. They asked me many questions and I am proud to say that I was able to answer practically all of them.

I am going to leave for Lviv in two weeks. When I told Professor Brown (he is our reader on the course of modern literature) about it, he invited me to a farewell dinner which is going to be the following Saturday. I hope it will be a very interesting experience and I am looking forward to it.

As to my impressions of America, they are too complicated to be described in one letter. The life here is so different from what we are used to in our country. You know, the Americans are very hospitable people. But, frankly speaking, I miss my home and all my friends very much. I hope when I return back to Lviv, we shall organize a small homecoming party, and I’ll tell you everything. Fve got many pictures of New York and Columbia University, which I am going to show^T you, and I’ll gladly tell you about my life in America. And now I want to remind you an old proverb: East or West, home is best. I think you understand what I mean.

With love, Mary.

Vocabulary notes

arrive, v

arrival

to observe the traditions to be surprised to leave for (a town) a farewell dinner to be used to (smth) to look forward to hospitable, adj frankly speaking to miss (smb) a homecoming party

remind, v

прибуття

дотримуватився традицій

бути здивованим

від’їжджати (до міста)

прощальний обід

звикати до чогось

з нетерпінням чекати чогось

гостинний

відверто кажучи

скучати за кимось

вечірка з приводу повернення

додому

нагадувати

LEXICAL EXERCISES

I. Repeat after the teacher the word-combinations from the test and translate them. If necessary, consult group B.

A. To observe the traditions; to take the course on literature; to make a report; favourite writer; fellow-students; farewell dinner; interesting experience; to look forward to smth; as to; too complicated to be described; hospitable people; frankly speaking; to miss one’s home and friends; homecoming party.

В. Дотримуватися традицій; вивчати курс літератури; робити доповідь; улюблений письменник; однокурсники; прощальний обід; цікавий досвід; з нетерпінням чекати на щось; щодо...; надто складний, щоб описати; звикнути до чогось; гостинний народ; щиро кажучи; скучати за домом та друзями; вечірка з приводу повернення додому.

ІІІ.Memorise this expressions with the verb to be. Which of them are used in the letter?

to be pleased (glad) бути задоволеним, радіти

to be interested in цікавитися чимось

to be hungry бути голодним

to be thirsty хотіти пити

to be ill (healthy) бути хворим (здоровим)

to be ready for smth бути готовим до чогось

to be late for smth запізнюватися кудись

to be sorry for smb шкодувати за кимось

to be sorry about smth шкодувати з приводу чогось

to be sure (certain) бути впевненим у чомусь

to be surprised at smth дивуватися з чогось

to be mistaken помилятися

to be angry with smb сердитися на когось

to be proud of пишатися чимось

to be busy with smth бути зайнятим чимось

to be for (against) бути за (проти) чогось

to be used to smth звикати до чогось

III. Make up dialogues using expressions with the verb to be

(sеe Ex.II). Work in pairs.

IV. Match the pairs of antonyms in groups A and B.

1. sorry, leave, well, recently, never, complicated, dif­ferent, farewell,-remind, ill, late, mistaken (wrong), for.

B. healthy, forget, glad, against, correct, long-ago, ar­rive, badly,-always, simple, in time, the same, arrivals.

IV. Solve this crossword

				1
							2		3
	4		5	6	7
8		9
						10
						11
						12	13		14
	15			16
							17
				18	19	20
						21

Across: 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Down: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15

Across: 1. (5) is a famous American writer. 2. There is the proverb: «Cut twice (8) you cut». 3. English is a (9) language for us. 4.1 am very (10) to be a student of the University. 5. When we leave our family, friends and native land for some time, we (11) them very much. 6. Breakfast, dinner, (13). 7. I am, he is, you (16). 8. What part of speech is «to write»? (17). 9. This is not your book, it’s (18). 10. A preposition (19). 11. A synonym to «accurate» (20). 12. Peter has been (21)ing in New York for three weeks already.

Down: 1. There are many (1) in the sky at night. 2. The foreign language which I study at the University is (2). 3.1 have (3) a lot of stories by J.D.Salinger. 4. To (4) is to bring back to memory some fact from the past. 5. I’m very (5) for being late.

Since my (6) in America I visited a few famous universities there. 7.1 sent a (7) to my friend yesterday. 8. Before his depar­ture to America Mr, Brown gave a (9) dinner. 9. I don’t know this word. What does it (12)? 10. On my arrival home from a trip abroad I gave a homecoming (14). 11. Past Indefenite of «do» (15).

CONVERSATION PRACTICE

Speak about your impressions of your visit to some country (place, town, village, etc.). Use as many expressions with the verb to be as possible. Work in pairs. See which pair has used the greater number of expressions.

WRITTEN PRACTICE

Imagine that you have arrived in the USA (Great Britain, Austria, etc.). The purpose of your visit may be either:

1. to take a course of lectures at some university;

2. a business trip

3. a private visit What would you write to:

1. your fellow students at Lviv University;

2. to your business partners;

3. to your parents.

Section 4