UNIT 1
Text 1. ABOUT MYSELF
Hello, friends. Let me first introduce myself. My name is Boris or Borya for my friends. My surname or last name is Sokolov. I was born on the 2nd of October in Sochi, Krasnodarsky Krai. This is the most beautiful city in Russia situated on the Black Sea coast. Now I am a first-year student at the Technical University. In four years I'll be an engineer. I’m going to get a Bachelor’s degree.
Now let me describe my appearance. I am tall and slim and have fair hair and blue eyes. Some people say that I am handsome. I think I am just good-looking. I love sports and music. I was very serious about a career in gymnastics when I was in the 5th form. But then I broke my arm and doctors didn't let me go in for gymnastics. I love to listen to modern music and dance, especially I enjoy street dance. I dance a lot and I hope I am good at it. I also love swimming. I always swim in the Black sea when I visit my parents, my dear family.
I would like to tell you about my family. There are five people in our family. My father's name is Vladimir Stepanovich. He is a mathematician by education and businessman by profession. My mother's name is Tatyana Petrovna. She is a housewife. She has much work about the house because I have a younger sister. She is a schoolgirl. My sister Natasha is in the fifth form. My grandmother, my mother's mother, lives with us. She is very kind. Though she’s over 70, our grandma is active, enthusiastic and helps us a lot.
Our family is very friendly, we have many friends. In summer many relatives come to visit us. And, of course, they use a chance to spend several weeks in beautiful Sochi.
In May I finished school No 17 in Sochi. I did well in all the subjects but my favourite subjects at school were Physics and Computer Science. I also enjoyed English lessons.
I am very interested in learning English because I always wanted to become a programmer or maybe a businessman. I also think that the knowledge of foreign languages helps in everyday life and career.
Two years ago I travelled much around Europe. I visited France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. There the knowledge of English helped me a lot.
As you see, my biography isn't very long yet. But we'll meet again in the next lesson and I'll tell you more about myself. See you later...
Vocabulary:
introduce — представлять, знакомить
Black Sea coast — побережье Черного моря
a first-year student — студент(ка) первого курса
region— область
appearance— внешность
slim — стройный
career— карьера
gymnastics — гимнастика
mathematician — математик
housewife — домохозяйка
several — несколько
to do well — зд. успевать
chance — случай, шанс
kind — добрый
a lot — много
the Netherlands — Нидерланды
the United Kingdom — Соединенное Королевство (Великобритания)
Add to your active vocabulary (пополни свой активный словарь):
tall — высокий
short — маленького роста
stout — приземистый, коренастый
slim — стройный
fat — толстый
plump — полный
fair hair — светлые волосы
blonde — блондин(ка)
brunette — брюнет(ка)
gray hair — седые волосы
bаld headed — лысый
short sighted — близорукий
smart, clever, bright — умный
stupid — тупой, глупый
boring — скучный
fun to be with — веселый человек
easy-going — легкий в общении
quiet — спокойный
impulsive — порывистый, импульсивный
aggressive — агрессивный
rude — невежливый, грубый
shy, confused — застенчивый
active — активный
talkative — разговорчивый
enthusiastic — полный энтузиазма, энтузиаст
Exercise 1.1. Please, introduce yourself. The questions below will certainly help you:
1. What is your name?
2. Where and when were you born?
3. Where do you live now?
4. How old are you?
5. Describe your appearance and character.
6. Are you married? Have you got a family?
7. How many people are there in your family?
8. Do you have brothers, sisters, grandparents in your family? How old are they? What do they do?
9. Did you study well at school?
10. What school did you finish?
11. Did you do well in English at school? What was your favourite subject?
12. What are you going to be? Who helped you to choose your future profession?
13. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
14. What sport do you go in for?
15. What do you like to read?
Образование множественного числа имен существительных
1. Множественное число существительных образуется путем прибавления к основе окончания -s: a boy — boys, a trick — tricks, a pen —pens, a girl — girls.
2. Множественное число существительных, основа которых оканчивается на -ch, -s, -ss, -sh, -x, а также существительных, имеющих, как правило, окончание –согласная+о, образуется путем прибавления к основе
окончания -es; a bench — benches, a bus- buses, a glass — glasses, a box — boxes, a potato — potatoes.
3. Существительные, оканчивающиеся на –согласную+у во множественном числе имеют окончание -ies: an army — armies, a fly — flies, a lady — ladies.
4. Конечное f(-fe), как правило, меняется на -ves: a calf — calves, a knife — knives, a shelf — shelves, a wife — wives (но: roof — roofs).
5. Ряд существительных образует множественное число не по общим правилам:
а) изменяется корневая гласная: a man - men, a woman - women, a foot - feet, a tooth - teeth, a goose - geese, a mouse - mice
б) добавляется окончание -en: an ox — oxen. a child — children.
в) заимствуются формы единственного и множественного числа из латинского и греческого языков:
a formula – formulae (formulas), a crisis – crises, a criterion – criteria, an index – indices, a bacterium — bacteria, an axis — axes
6. В английском языке есть существительные, которые имеют одну (общую) форму для единственного и множественного числа: a deer (олень) - deer (олени), a sheep (овца) - sheep (овцы), a fish (рыба) - fish (рыбы), a swine (свинья) – swine (свиньи).
Некоторые существительные имеют только единственное число (неисчисляемые существительные): advice, information, news, knowledge, furniture, luggage, money.
Некоторые - только множественное число: clothes, shorts, riches, damages, goods, manners, thanks.
З
апомните:
this is — these are
that is -— those are
there is — there are
it is — they are
Exercise 1.2. Decide which of the following nouns (существительные) are countable (исчисляемые) or uncountable (неисчисляемые):
Time, water, machine, music, snow, word, coffee, money, idea, family, darkness, knowledge, sea, hour, tree, silver, meat, happiness, information, speed, book, news, house, friend, milk, student, pen, paper, clothes, picture, air.
Exercise 1.3. Read and translate the sentences. Decide which of the underlined nouns are countable or uncountable and explain why:
1. We have read all the official papers. There were some sheets of paper on the table. 2. Two coffees, please. I like strong coffee. 3. Give me two glasses. Are they made of glass or plastics? 4. Many thousands of bricks are produced at the factory. Our school is built of brick.
Exercise 1.4. Write down the following nouns in plural:
A star, a tree, a waiter, the queen, an eye, a shelf, a box, a city, a boy, a watch, a mouse, a dress, a tooth, the child, an ox, a deer, the life, a tomato, this man, that match, this tea-cup, that wall, that mountain, this lady, that window, this knife
Exercise 1.5. Put the following sentences in plural and write them down.
1. A new house is in our street. 2. This story is very interesting. 3. There was a woman, a man, a boy and a girl in the room. 4. Why don't you eat this potato? 5. This strawberry is still green. 6. Does your tooth still ache? 7. His child studies very well. 8. Is this worker an Englishman or a German? — He is a Frenchman. 9. I have hurt my foot. 10. The wolf was shot. 11. This metal is very hard. 12. That ship is a Russian one. 13. This town is very large. 14. Is that girl your sister? 15. Is this student coming with us, too? 16. The woman didn't say anything.