- •II. Do you support the idea that family traditions unite family members?
- •III. What will you ask your British friend about his /her family traditions?
- •IV. What can you advise a person who wants to have a close and happy family?
- •1. You should be kind, polite and tolerant to other members of the family.
- •V. Are there any traditions in your family that you would like to have in a family of your own?
- •II. What is your best friend like?
- •III. What questions do you usually ask when you want to get acquainted with someone?
- •IV. What can you advise a teenager who wants to make friends in a new school?
- •V. Do you think that your friend is an ideal person?
- •I. Let’s talk about education. What can you tell me about the system of education in Belarus.
- •II. Does your school differ from any other school you know?
- •III. Ask me what kind of pupil I was at school.
- •IV. What would you advise your friend to do at school to enter university?
- •V. Do you agree or disagree that our school gives a person a good start in life?
- •What can you tell me about studying at your school?
- •II. Does your school have any traditions?
- •III. Ask me questions about my school life.
- •IV. What would you advise your friend to do at school to enter university?
- •V. Some pupils think that studying at school is only lessons and homework. Do you agree with them?
- •I. Let’s talk about school traditions.
- •II. Is your school different from any other school you know?
- •II. Do you always take part in traditional school events?
- •III. What will you ask a British teenager about his/her school traditions?
- •IV. Give me a piece of advice what youth organization I can join.
- •I. Let’s talk about your future career. Do you know exactly what you want to do when you leave school
- •II. What do you need to take into consideration while choosing a career?
- •III. What questions will you ask your future employer about your future job?
- •IV. Give your classmate some advice on how to achieve his goal and find a good job in future.
- •V. Some people think that it’s necessary to speak a foreign language to get a good job. Do you agree with them?
- •I. Let’s talk about advantages and disadvantages of life in the city.
- •II. Do you think that life in the country has more advantages than in the city?
- •Card 10
- •What do you think about the location of your house (block of flats)?
- •Ask me what my flat looks like?
- •Give advice how to create a comfortable and friendly home.
- •They say that the room in which you live reflects your character and personality. Do you agree with this opinion?
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- •I. Let’s talk about food. What can you tell me about eating habits in your family?
- •II. What do you know about Belarusian cuisine?
- •III. What questions will a British teenager ask you about Belarusian cuisine?
- •IV. Which national dishes would you recommend a tourist to taste in Belarus?
- •V. Fast food is becoming more and more popular in Belarus. But scientists say it’s unhealthy. What do you think about it?
- •Card 12
- •I. Let’s talk about British meals and cuisine.
- •II. What British food would you like to taste?
- •III. What questions will you ask a British teenager about their cuisine?
- •IV. Give a piece of advice what to eat and where to go out in Britain?
- •V. Fast food is becoming more and more popular in Britain. But scientists say it’s unhealthy. What do you think about it?
- •I. Let’s talk about shopping. Who does shopping in your family?
- •Do you like shopping in our city shops? Why (not)?
- •III. What questions will you ask your British friend about shopping in his/her country?
- •IV. Give advice to foreigners about souvenirs from Belarus and where to buy them in Mogilev.
- •Parents usually give pocket money to their children. How do you usually spend your pocket money?
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- •I. Let’s talk about free time.
- •II. What are your hobbies?
- •III. What questions can you ask a British friend about his /her free time?
- •IV. Give me some advice on what to do in my free time.
- •V. Many parents think that their children should spend less time playing computer
- •Card 15
- •I. Let’s talk about customs and traditions. What is your favourite holiday?
- •II. Why do you think Victory Day is a special holiday for all Belarusians?
- •III. What questions will you ask your friend about his/her birthday celebrations?
- •IV. Which holiday celebration in Belarus will you recommend your British friend?
- •V. Today more and more people are interested in customs and traditions of different countries. What do you think of it?
- •Card 16
- •I. Let’s talk about customs and traditions. What do you think is the most popular holiday in Great Britain?
- •II. Would you like to take part in a British holiday celebration? Why (not)?
- •III. What questions will you ask a British teenager about their traditions?
- •IV. What holiday celebration would you recommend to visit in Britain?
- •V. Why do you think Great Britain is called one of the most traditional countries in the world?
- •I. Let’s talk about modern means of communication.
- •II. Are there any means of communication you can’t live without?
- •III. What questions will you ask Facebook’s owner?
- •IV. I would like to watch something interesting on tv. What can you advise me to watch?
- •V. What would be the world like without the Internet?
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- •I. Let’s talk about sport and a healthy way of life.
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- •I. Let’s talk about physical culture and sport.
- •II. What is your attitude to sport?
- •III. What questions will you ask a professional sportsman?
- •IV. What can you advise a person who wants to lead a healthy way of life?
- •V. Why do you think great sportsmen can be called outstanding people? Do you know any
- •Card 20
- •I. Let’s talk about clothes and fashion.
- •II. Do you know any famous designers?
- •III. What questions would you ask a fashion designer?
- •IV. What advice can you give to your friend to look fashionable and stylish?
- •V. What style in clothes do you prefer and why?
- •Card 21
- •I. Let’s talk about travelling. What role does it play in your life?
- •II. What’s the best place you’ve been to?
- •III. What questions should you ask a travel agent to learn more about a tour?
- •V. What would make you wiser-travelling around the world for 10 years or reading 10,000 books?
- •Card 22
- •I. Let’s talk about environment. People say that our planet is in danger. Do you share this opinion?
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- •I. Let’s talk about weather and climate. What is happening to weather and climate nowadays?
- •II. Are you weather dependent?
- •III. What questions would you ask a meteorologist?
- •IV. What can you advise people on how to slow down (замедлить) the global warming?
- •V. People say “There is no bad weather, there are bad clothes.” What do you think of it?
- •Card 24
- •I. Let’s talk about Belarus.
- •II. Do you know any symbols of our country?
- •III. What questions about Belarus will you hear from a British teenager?
- •IV. What Belarusian sights would you advise a foreigner to visit?
- •V. Do you think that geographical position of Belarus has advantages or disadvantages?
- •Card 25
- •I. Let’s talk about Britain.
- •II. Do you know any symbols of Great Britain?
- •III. What would you ask a British teenager about their holidays and traditions?
- •IV. What sights in Britain would you advise me to visit?
- •V. Why do you think Great Britain is one of the most visited countries in the world?
IV. Which holiday celebration in Belarus will you recommend your British friend?
Besides public holidays, Belarus has many customs and traditions.
1. If my friend visits Belarus in summer, I will advise him to see celebration of Kupalle. Kupalle is celebrated in the night from the 6th to the 7th of July. It is a day of summer solstice (солнцестояние). The symbols of Kupalle are collecting plants and herbs, a big fire, folklore songs and dances, ritual food, fortune-telling and looking for a blossoming fern flower (цветущий папоротник).
2. In winter my friend should see celebration of Kalyady. In Belarus it is a week between New Year and the 7th of January. Kalyady has ancient, pagan (языческие) traditions. The holiday is usually associated with carol-singing, special ritual food, fairs (ярмарки), puppet theatres (“Batleika”) and fortune-telling.
V. Today more and more people are interested in customs and traditions of different countries. What do you think of it?
I think customs and traditions are part of historical and cultural heritage of any country. They pass knowledge and experience of the nation from generation to generation. Customs and traditions reflect the national character. There is a famous saying “ Custom is the Second Nature.” That’s why, if you really want to know the country, it’s better to start with its customs, traditions and the way of life.
Card 16
I. Let’s talk about customs and traditions. What do you think is the most popular holiday in Great Britain?
It’s common knowledge that the British are lovers of traditions. Each season in Britain is connected (связаны) with various traditions, customs and festivals. Traditions can be divided into different classes: those connected with ceremonies, with sport and entertainment, with holidays and folklore.
I think the most traditional holiday in Great Britain is Christmas. This holiday is celebrated on the 25th of December together with the family, relatives and friends. A few weeks before Christmas people send cards, put up Christmas decorations inside and outside homes, decorate Christmas tree. The symbols of Christmas are carol singing (хоровое пение), Father Christmas, exchanging presents, roast turkey and Christmas pudding.
One more popular holiday is New Year. It is associated with making New Year’s Resolutions. (давать обещания) People promise to start doing something good in the New Year. Popular resolutions include improving health, finances, career, education, traits of character.
II. Would you like to take part in a British holiday celebration? Why (not)?
As for me, I’m especially interested in Halloween which is celebrated on October, 31, the eve of All Saints’ Day. Halloween's customs dated back to a time, when people believed in devils, witches and ghosts. They thought that they could do all kinds of damage to property. Some people tried to ward off the witches by painting magic signs or nailing a horseshoe. Today the day is marked by costume-balls or fancy-dress parties. On the night of Halloween children or grown-ups visit houses and ask the residents if they want 'trick' or 'treat'. If the people in the house give children a 'treat' (money or sweets), then the children will not play trick on them. Another Halloween custom is to scrape out a pumpkin, cutting eyes, nose and mouth in its side and lighting a candle inside. This is made to scare the friends. This holiday is not widely celebrated in our country, that is why I’d like to take part in all preparations. In my opinion Halloween is associated with something magic, secret and strange, and that’s what I’m fond of.