- •I. Look through the list of English words and their Russian equivalents before reading the text.
- •II. Read and understand the text. Write out and learn the new words. The System of Education in Belarus
- •III. Answer the following questions for discussion.
- •V. Answer the following questions:
- •Supplementary reading
- •I. Read and understand the text. Consult the dictionary where necessary. Write out the new words and learn them. Prepare to answer the questions after the text. Belarus State Economic University
- •II. Learn more about yourself from the “Student’s Day”. Student’s Day
- •How's Your Timing?
- •IV. Take part in the discussion.
- •V. Explain each of the following proverbs. Find a proper equivalent in your native language. Give a situation from your own experience.
- •Part 2 Education in Great Britain
- •General Information about Education in Great Britain
- •State Schools
- •Private Schools
- •Higher Education
- •The System of Education in England and Wales
- •II. Answer the questions:
- •III. Say whether the statements are right or wrong.
- •IV. Explain the meaning of the following words "majority "(n), "progressive "(adj), "Easter "(n).
- •V. Compare the most important information about the system of education in Great Britain and in Belarus.
- •VI. Study the vocabulary notes before reading the text.
- •VII. Read and understand the text. Higher Education in Great Britain
- •Supplementary reading
- •University Life at Oxford Today
- •IV. Study the vocabulary notes before reading the text.
- •V. Read the text. Consult the dictionary. Write out and learn the new words. Cambridge University
- •VI. Mark true and false statements.
- •VII. Choose the appropriate Russian equivalents for the following English phrases and sentences.
- •Part 3 Education in the usa
- •The System of Education in the usa
- •III. Answer the questions for discussion:
- •IV. Read the text. Consult the dictionary where necessary. Write out the new words and learn them. Higher education in the United States
- •III. Read the text and get ready to speak about the problems of teenagers: Generation Gap
- •IV. Answer the questions:
- •V. Agree or disagree with the following statements:
- •VI. Find synonyms to these words in the text:
- •XI. Comprehension check. Choose the best alternative according to the text:
- •XII. Study the vocabulary notes before reading the text.
- •XIII. Read the text and get ready to answer the questions after it.
- •XIV. Answer the questions:
- •I. Read and translate the text “Appearance and Character”, paying special attention to the words and phrases in bold type.
- •II. After reading the text and learning the vocabulary answer the following questions:
- •III. Memorize the words below to speak about people’s age and to describe their appearance.
- •IV. Complete the following exercises. Use the text and topical vocabulary.
- •It takes all sorts (to make a world)
- •I. Read the text and translate it into Russian.
- •It Takes All Sorts
- •Appearances are deceptive
- •VII. Study the vocabulary notes before reading “a true story”.
- •VIII. Read the text. Get ready to comment on it. A True Story
- •IX. Answer the questions for discussion:
- •II. Read what they both say about their friendship and find out if you were right.
- •IV. The following is a summary of Tina and Will's friendship. Put the lines of the summary in the correct order.
- •Part 2 Talking about Friendship and Love Problems.
- •II. Read the text. Get ready to comment on it.
- •III. Answer the following questions for discussion:
- •Unit 5 Healthy Way of Life Health Care
- •I. Read the text consulting the dictionary. Make your topical vocabulary and learn it. Prepare for a discussion.
- •Elements of physical health.
- •Exercise
- •Medical and dental care.
- •Supplementary reading good days, bad days
- •III. Questions for discussion:
- •I. Read the text consulting the dictionary and get ready for a discussion.
- •II. Questions for discussion:
- •III.Study the vocabulary and read the text.
- •Transformation of the countryside
- •IV. Questions for discussion:
- •Supplementary reading
- •I. Study the vocabulary to read and understand the text better. Prepare for a discussion.
- •National Peculiarities of the New Year Holiday
- •Each Fairy Tale Holds a Grain of Truth
- •The Emergence of Ded Moroz and Snegurochka (a girl made of snow)
- •II. Questions for discussion:
- •III. Study the vocabulary to read and understand the text better. Prepare for a discussion.
- •Attention! Ded Moroz Wanted!
- •Fact of the Matter
- •Ded Moroz Likes Belarus
- •IV. Questions for discussion:
- •V. Study the vocabulary to read and understand the text better. Prepare for a discussion.
- •VI. Combine the words with the help of the preposition of :
- •VII. Give the three forms of the following verbs:
- •VIII. These words can be used both as verbs and nouns. Make up youe own sentences to show the difference in their usage:
- •X. Read the text consulting the dictionary: "Kalyady" Has Come!
- •XI. Give the Russian equivalents to the following words and phrases:
- •XII. Questions for discussion:
- •Unit 7 Great Britain and Its People
- •I. Study the vocabulary to understand the information given in the texts. Read the texts and get ready for a discussion.
- •Population and Nationalities
- •Who are the English?
- •Who are the Scots?
- •II. Questions for discussion:
- •Supplementary reading
- •I. Study the vocabulary to understand the text better. Read the text and do tasks after it.
- •II. Mark true and false statements.
- •Getting about London
- •VII. Answer the following questions:
- •VIII. Prepare a dialogue about traffic in London:
- •IX. Study the vocabulary and read the text.
- •Visiting london
- •X. Answer the questions for discussion:
- •XI. Study the vocabulary notes and read the text:
- •Public holidays and celebrations in britain
- •XII. Questions for discussion:
- •XIII. Read about social customs in Britain. Social customs in britain
- •XV. Study the vocabulary notes read the text and discuss it with your group mates.
- •British traditions and customs
- •The Stone of Destiny
- •XVI. Questions for discussion:
- •Unit 8 The usa and Its People
- •I. Learn the new words and read the text “American Values and Beliefs”:
- •American Values and Beliefs
- •Freedom
- •Individualism
- •Idealizing What Is Practical
- •Volunteerism
- •Psychology of Abundance
- •Mobility
- •Patriotism
- •Progress
- •American Dream
- •II. Answer questions for discussion:
- •III. Read the text consulting the dictionary. Write out the new words and learn them. Southern women – still ladies?
- •IV. Answer the questions:
- •V. Go through the vocabulary notes to understand the text better:
- •VI. Choose the right translation for the underlined words.
- •VII. Mark and correct the wrong statements.
- •VIII. Answer the questions.
- •Supplementary reading
- •I. Study the vocabulary notes to understand the text better.
- •Social customs in the usa
- •II.Complete the phrases:
- •IV. Read the text consulting the dictionary and get ready to discuss it: Sports in America
- •V. Answer the following questions:
- •Part 4 Cultural Differences
- •I. Read the following texts and answer the questions after them.
- •About Belarusian people
- •British Character
- •American Character and Belief System
- •Some Perceptions of Americans
- •II. Students divide into 3 groups to sum up the information about Belarus, Great Britain and the usa.
- •I. Study the vocabulary notes. Read the text consulting the dictionary.
- •The Weather and Climate
- •II. Answer the questions for discussion:
- •III. Read the text, understand it and do the tasks after it. Weather and our daily life
- •IV. Which of the following does not refer to precipitation?
- •V. The excessive lack of rain may lead to__.
- •Part 2 Global Warming
- •III. Study top ten effects of global warming and prepare for a discussion: Top 10 Worst Effects of Global Warming
- •10. Rising Sea Level
- •9. Shrinking Glaciers
- •8. Heat Waves
- •7. Storms and Floods
- •6. Drought
- •5. Disease
- •3. Conflicts and War
- •2. Loss of Biodiversity
- •1. Destruction of Ecosystems
- •IV. Questions for discussion:
- •Part 3. Environment
- •Environmental Problems
- •II. Questions for discussion:
- •III. Use the words in the box once each to complete the paragraph below. Notice that the stressed syllable changes in this group of words.
- •IV. Learn the new words. Read and translate the text.
- •International environmental problems
- •V. Put 10 questions of all types to the text to make up a plan.
- •VI. Retell the text, using your questions as a plan.
- •VII. Learn the new words, read and translate the text.
- •Toxic waste problem in the Belarusian capital
- •VIII. Ask questions in the form of a plan.
- •IX. Prepare to speak about toxic waste problem in Minsk. Part 4. Ecological Culture
- •Ecological culture of citizens
- •II. Answer the following questions:
- •III. Go through the vocabulary notes to understand the text better:
- •The Right to Favourable Environment
- •IV.Questions for discussion:
- •Part 5. Animals and Wild Life
- •I.Study the vocabulary to read and understand the text better:
- •Sport & Leisure
- •II. Questions for discussion:
- •III. Prepare a short dialogue with your group mate:
- •IV. Study the vocabulary notes. Read the text consulting the dictionary.
- •Wildlife Protection
- •V. Read the text consulting the dictionary. The Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve
- •VI. Questions for discussion:
V. Answer the following questions:
1. What is the immense popularity of sports in America indicated by?
2. What are the opportunities for keeping fit and playing sports in the USA?
3. Who promotes the muscular, healthy body as the American beauty ideal?
4. What are opportunities to go in for sports for young Americans?
5. How do high schools and colleges recognize outstanding athletic achievements?
6. Do student athletes receive strong community support?
7. What kinds of sport facilities are offered to adults?
8. Where do Americans with high incomes improve their health?
9. Football, baseball, and basketball are the most popular sports in America, aren’t they?
10. Do American spectators prefer aggressive and sometimes bloody sports?
11. Are American fans less violent than sports crowds in other countries?
12. Does sport as a professional occupation bring high profits?
13. What does sport mean for the majority of common Americans?
Part 4 Cultural Differences
I. Read the following texts and answer the questions after them.
About Belarusian people
Belarus is a presidential republic. Belarus is situated in the centre of Europe at the crossing of roads going from East to West and from North to South. Our land has been very attractive geopolitically for many foreign countries.
Belarusian traditions and features of the national character were formed in the course of complex history. The country was engulfed (engulf-поглощать, завалить) by many military conflicts, World Wars, national liberation revolts, revolutions and repressions. So our extraordinary history cultivated special character traits of our people, the main of them are tolerance and diligence (прилежание, усердие).
Different from anyone else, Belarusians are able to adapt to any circumstances — not to change the circumstances but to change themselves, to accept these circumstances, to live them naturally, in harmony and even with pleasure.
The second aspect of the Belarusian character is that a Belarusian holds tight to what he has gained. He regards the external world with little trust.
At the same time, in the view of Belarusians themselves, they are loved and respected by everyone. People turn to Belarusians for help and support, because they know that a Belarusian will always be responsive and helpful. Belarusian people always enjoy receiving guests and are perfect at this. This tradition is alive today.
To sum up, Belarusian features of character are: tolerance and a lack of temper (отсутствие раздражительности). Belarusians are kind, soft, soulful, and hospitable. They are easy to be ruled; they are hard-working, reserved, not very jolly; they are rather pessimistic, stubborn and peaceful…
Belarus is a polyethnic and polyconfessional state in which over 130 nationalities reside. So it isn’t surprising how the past and the present, traditions of the East and the West exist in close relations here. For a long time people of different nationalities and creeds (убеждения, символы веры) have been living in peace and consent in this country.
Belarusians are pro-active, relaxed and free. New Belarusians are rather inclined to intellectual jobs. They earn their living by using brains rather than by digging the soil (земля, почва). The young generation has more Belarusian identity than the Soviet generation. New Belarusians express more interest in their roots and history. Many Belarusians, both young and old, are fond of gardening very much.
Questions for discussion:
How would you describe our people if you have to write a short article about Belarusian people for a foreign newspaper?