Verbs with two objects in the passive

Some verbs eg give can have two objects.

Someone gave Jimmy the money. (The two objects are Jimmy and the money.)

In cases like this, we can make two different passive sentences.

Jimmy was given the money. The money was given to Jimmy.

In general, it is more usual for passive sentences to begin with the person.

Other verbs which can have two objects include send, offer, show, pay, teach, promise, tell and others.

I was sent a telegram. She will be told the news.

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The passive with by and with

1 By + agent

Compare:

Active: Columbus discovered America. Passive: America was discovered by Columbus. Active: The strong winds blew down a number of trees. Passive: A number of trees were blown down by the strong winds.

We sometimes use the subject of an active sentence (eg Columbus, the strong winds) as "the agent" in a passive sentence. When this happens, we use by to introduce the agent in the passive.

We only use by + agent when it is important to say who or what is responsible for something.

2 With + instrument

We use with to talk about an instrument which is used by the agent to do something. Compare:

I was hit with an umbrella. I was hit by an old lady.

3 With + material

We also use with to talk about materials or ingredients.

The room was filled with smoke. Irish coffee is made with whisky.

Stative passive

a) I locked the door five minutes ago.

b) The door was locked by me five minutes ago.

c) Now the door is locked.

d) Ann broke the window.

e) The window was broken by Ann.

f) Now the window is broken.

The passive form may be used to describe an existing situation or state, as in (c) and (f). No action is taking place. The action

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happened before. There is no "by phrase." The past participle functions as an adjective.

When the passive form expresses an existing state rather than an action, it is called the "stative passive."

Self check

I. Supply the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1. There isn't any food left. All of it (eat)! 2.1 couldn't wear my suit last Saturday. It (clean). 3. We didn't go to the party on Saturday because we (not/invite). 4. Wine (produce) in many parts of France. 5.1 can't find my car anywhere. I think it (steal). 6. By the time I arrived at the concert hall, there were no tickets left. They (all/sell). 7. How many languages (speak) in Switzerland? 8. The Tower of London (build) at the beginning of the eleventh century. 9. "What's going on in the hall?" "The windows (wash)". 10. Our house (break into) last week. 11. We couldn't use the photocopier yesterday morning. It (repair). 12. When (television/ invent)? 13. A compass (use) for showing direction. 14. Have you heard? The old police station (repaint). 15. The 1986 World Cup for soccer (play) in Mexico. 16. Millions of cars (export) from Japan every month. 17. Football (play) all over the world.

18. I (frighten) to death when I drove through Paris last month.

19. His car (damage) in an accident last month. 20. "What's happened?" "The window (break)." 21. "Can I take the documents?" "I'm afraid not. They (not/type) yet." 22. An island (surround) by water. 23. The electric bulb (invent) by Thomas Edison. 24. Even though construction costs are high, a new dormitory (build) next year. 25. The class was too large, so it (divide) into two sections. 26. A bracelet (wear) around the wrist. 27. The Johnsons' house burned down. According to the inspector, the fire (cause) by lightning. 28. "Is the plane going to be late?" "No. It (expect) to be on time." 29. The new highway (complete) sometime next month. 30. The World Cup soccer games (televise) all over the world. 31. The Washington Monument (visit) by hundreds of people every day. 32.1 had to wait a little. When I came the students (test). 33. Last week I (offer) a job at a local bank, but I didn't accept. 34.1 read about a hunter who (kill) by a wild animal. The hunter's fatal accident (report) in the newspaper

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yesterday. 35. My sweater (make) in England. 36. Language skills (teach) in every school in the country. 37. Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (perform) at the concert last night. 38. This com­position (write) by AH. That one (write) by Yoko. 39. Paper, the main writing material today, (invent) by the Chinese. 40. When (the room/clean)? 41. How (the window/break)? 42. (anybody/ injure) in the accident?. 43. My brother (bite) by a dog last week. 44. How often (these rooms/clean)? 45. Many foreign movies (show) on television. 46. "Is this an old movie?" "Yes, it (make) in 1949." 47. Tony (bear) in Rome. Where (you/bear)? 48. The documents (type) by the time you return. 49. The accident (see) by several people. 50. The books (send) tomorrow. 51. There are a lot of students in the hall. A new film (show). 52. Maria is happy. She (offer) a good job. Peggy is also very happy. She (award) a scholarship. 53. Rice (grow) in many countries. 54.1 (tell) to be here at ten o'clock. 55. "(you/send) an invitation to the wedding?" "No." 56. Dinner (serve) at six. 57. A test (give) in the next room right now. 58. You (send) a bill at the end of the month. 59. Fred is pleased. He (pay) five hundred dollars in consulting fees. 60. Don't water the plants. They just (water). 61. The news (announce) tomorrow. 62. The fanner's wagon (pull) by two horses. 63. That play (write) by Shakespeare. 64.1 think Ann (invite) to the party tomorrow. 65. A new idea (suggest) by Shirley. She is very proud of it. 66. The librarian said that the book (return) to the library some days ago. 67. By this time tomorrow, the announcement (make). 68. (that course/teach) by Prof. Jackson? I know that it (not/teach) by Prof. Adams. 69. There is a nasty smell coming from the sitting-room. The floor (paint) there. 70.1 (interview) by the assistant manager. I was very excited during the interview, but I got the job. 71. America (discover) by Christopher Columbus.

II. Change the sentences from active to passive. Include the "by-phrase " only if necessary.

1. Bob Smith built that house. That house was built by Bob

Smith.

2. Someone built this house in 1904. This house was built in 1904. (by someone = unnecessary)

3. People grow rice in India. 4. People speak Spanish in Venezuela.

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5. Do people speak Spanish in Peru? 6. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. 7. When did someone invent the wheel? 8. People sell hammers at a hardware store. 9. People use hammers to pound nails. 10. The president has cancelled the meeting. 11. Some­one has cancelled the soccer game. 12. Someone will list my name in the new telephone directory. 13. Someone serves beer and wine at that restaurant. 14. Something confused me in class yesterday. 15. Something embarrassed me yesterday. 16. Someone has changed the name of this street from Bay Avenue to Martin Luther King Way. 17. Someone filmed many of the Tarzan movies in the rain forest in Puerto Rico. 18. My uncle will meet you at the airport. 19. Lightning didn't cause the fire. 20. Mr Snow hasn't taught that course since 1990. 21. The best chess player will win the match. 22. A special committee is going to settle the dispute. 23. Did the army surround the enemy? 24. The Persians invented windmills around 1 500 years ago. 25. No one will collect the garbage tomorrow. 26. People spell "writing" with one "t". 27. People spell "written" with two "t's." 28. The University of Minnesota has accepted me. 29. People held the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea. 30. No one delivers the mail on holidays. 31. My grandmother made that table. 32. Did my directions confuse you? 33. A maid will clean our hotel room. 34. A doctor has examined the sick child. 35. The police arrested James Swan. 36. The news will amaze you. 37. The news will shock Steve. 38. Did Johnny break the window? 39. They are fixing my car today. 40. Look! Someone is feeding the seals. 41. People didn't build Rome in a day. 42. Someone cut down that tree last week. 43. Sally made that pie. 44. Someone is considering Jack for that job. 45. Three continents surround the Mediterranean Sea. 46. Where do they file that information? 47. Before we arrived, someone had chained the dog to the fence in the backyard. 48. Did the noise from the neighbour's apartment annoy you last night? 49. Do they make those tractors in this country, or do they import them?. 50. They will not provide pencils at the test, so please bring your own. 51. Someone has offered Mike the opportunity to study abroad. 52. When I was living in Kuwait, my neighbour taught me Arabic. 53. Someone awarded Jason a medal for distinguished service in the military. 54. The real estate office will send you a copy of the sales contract. 55. Someone handed me a telegram when I opened the door. 56. People gave Mr

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Finch a gold watch upon his retirement from the company. 57. So­meone was making the coffee when I walked into the kitchen.

58. Translators have translated that book into many languages.

59. Jim's daughter drew that picture. My son drew this picture.

60. The judges will judge the applicants on the basis of their originality. 61. Is Professor Rivers teaching that course this semester? 62. The mail carrier had already delivered the mail by the time I left for school this morning. 63. Someone established this school in 1900. 64. The police caught the bank robber. 65. So­meone discovered gold in California in 1848.66. There is a party tomorrow night. Someone has invited you to go to that party. 67. People used candles for light in the seventeenth century. 68. So­meone had already sold the chair by the time you returned to the store. 69. They will tell you the result tomorrow. 70. We pay for your return ticket. 71. Nobody told me that George was ill. 72. His colleagues gave him a present when he retired. 73. We will send you your examination results as soon as they are ready. 74. They didn't ask me my name. 75. They don't pay Jim very much. 76. They didn't offer Ann the job. 77. Somebody stole my bag in the shop. 78. The police have arrested three men. 79. The bill includes service. 80. They cancelled all flights because of the fog. 81. So­mebody accused me of stealing the money. 82. They are building a new ring-road round the city. 83.1 didn't realise that someone was recording our conversation. 84. They have changed the date of the meeting. 85. Brian told me that someone had attacked and robbed him in the street. 86. They promised Robert an interview for the job. 87. They showed Sarah the photographs. 88. Normally, they pay me salary every month. 89.1 think that they have sent us the wrong tickets. 90. I hope that someone will give Sally the message. 91. They didn't ask me for my address. 92.1 thought that someone had told you about the meeting. 93. First we send you a letter inviting you to an interview. 94. Has anyone answered your question? 95. Somebody found your keys on top of the photocopier. 96. A scientist discovered penicillin in 1928.97. They didn't look after the children carefully. 98. He hasn't slept in this bed. 99. They threw him out. 100. Burglars broke into the house. 101. They took down the notice. 102. People often take him for his brother. 103. This college is already full. We are turning away students the whole time. 104. The crowd shouted him down. 105. We called in the police. 106. You are to leave this here. Someone will

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call for it later on. 107. They sent for the doctor immediately. 108. People always laugh at him. 109. He is a good specialist. Everybody speaks highly of him. 110. The students always listen attentively to this lecturer. 111. Everybody insisted on his arrival. 112. We didn't hear of her for some time. 113. Nobody paid any attention to his behaviour. 114. I hope they will approve of my work. 115. They always read to her because she has poor sight. 116. The children took great care of the dog. 117. They never refer to this book. 118. The milkman brings the milk to my door but the postman leaves the letters in the hall. 119. People steal things from supermarkets every day; someone stole twenty bottles of whisky from this one last week. 120. Normally men sweep this street every day, but nobody swept it last week. 121. The postman clears this box three times a day. He last cleared it at 2.30. 122. Women clean this office in the evening after the staff have left; they clean the upstairs offices between seven and eight in the morning. 123. We never saw him in the dining-room. A maid took all his meals up to him. 124. Someone left this purse in a classroom yesterday; the cleaner found it. 125. We build well over 1,000 new houses a year. Last year we built 1,500. 126. We serve hot meals till 10.30, and guests can order coffee and sandwiches up to 11.30. 127. Passengers leave all sorts of things in buses. The conductors collect them and send them to the Lost Property Office. 128. An ambulance took the sick man to hospital. 129. The hall porter polishes the knockers of all the flats every day. — Well, he hasn't polished mine for a week. 130. They are repairing my piano at the moment. 131. They invited Jack but they didn't invite Tom. 132. The guests ate all the sandwiches and drank all the beer. They left nothing. 133. Has someone posted my parcel? 134. Why did no one inform me of the change of plan? 135. I'm afraid we have sold all our copies but we have ordered more. 136. They haven't stamped the letter. 137. They didn't pay me for the work; they expected me to do it for nothing. 138. She didn't introduce me to her mother. 139. Theythrew away the rubbish. 140. A Japanese firm makes these television sets. 141. An earthquake destroyed the town. 142. We ask tenants not to play their radios loudly after midnight. 143. They brought the children up in Italy. 144. They have taken down the For Sale notice, so I suppose they have sold the house. 145. We have warned you. 146. A lorry knocked him down. 147. They returned

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the keys to me; someone had picked them up in the street. 148. They have tried other people's schemes. Why have they never tried my scheme? 149. We use this room only on special occasions. 150. They are pulling down the old theatre. 151. Why didn't they mend the roof before it fell in? 152. The burglars had cut a big hole in the steel door. 153. The organizers will exhibit the paintings till the end of the month. 154. Who wrote it? 155. He expected us to offer himajob. 156. They showed her the easiest way to do it. 157.Lightning struck the old oak. 158. The lawyer gave him the details of his uncle's will. 159. Students are doing a lot of work. 160. They will wear evening dress. 161. People used the house as a hospital during the war. 162. People are poisoning millions of fish in the North Sea.

163. They suddenly realised that someone was following them.

164. They have recently made redundant a lot of people in our town. 165. Someone had given her the wrong number. 166. So­meone will announce the winners of the competition next week. 167. They usually mark the papers in July. 168. When we got to the airport, we heard that they had cancelled all the flights. 169. When are they going to finish the new ring road? 170. People must not leave bicycles in the hall. 171. Members may keep the books for three weeks. After that they must return them. 172. You should open the wine about three hours before you use it. 173. You must not hammer nails into the walls without permission. 174. No one can do anything unless someone gives us more information. 175. You can't wash this dress; you must dry-clean it. 176. Passengers shouldn't throw away their tickets as inspectors may check these during the journey. 177. You must keep dogs on leads in the garden. 178. Visitors must leave umbrellas in the cloakroom. 179. We can't repair your clock. 180. We have to pick the fruit very early in the morning; otherwise we can't get it to the market in time. 181. The police shouldn't allow people to park there. 182. You mustn't move this man; he is too ill. You'll have to leave him here. 183. We had to give the books back; they did not allow us to take them home. 184. You shouldn't leave these documents on the desk. You should lock them up. 185. You will have to finish this work by Friday. 186. Good news! They may offer me a job soon. 187. People cannot control the weather. 188. Someone ought to repair this broken window. 189. People can pick tomatoes before they are completely ripe. 190. You shouldn't put bananas in the freezer. 191. Jack has a right to know. You ought to tell him the

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news immediately. 192. Don't worry. We can repair your watch very easily.

III. Use active or passive, in any appropriate tense, for the verbs in brackets.

1. A valuable painting (steal) from the Central Art Gallery late last night. The thieves (enter) the gallery through a small upstairs window. 2. Walt Disney (creat) the cartoon character Mickey Mouse. 3. This problem (discuss) at the last meeting. 4. In 1964 Martin Luther King (win) the Nobel Prize. In 1968 he (assassinate) in Memphis, Tennessee. 5. The president (arrive) in Rome yesterday afternoon. Later he (interview) on Italian TV, 6. Teachers (give) a new pay rise by the government. The news 1 (announce) earlier today. 7. These photos (take) by my sister. 8. The I game (win/probably) by the other team tomorrow. They're a lot better than we are. 9. There was a terrible accident on a busy downtown street yesterday. Dozens of people (see) it, including my friend, who (interview) by the police. 10. In my country, certain prices (control) by the government, such as the prices of medical supplies. However, other prices (determine) by how much people are willing to pay for a product. 11. Yesterday the wind (blow) my hat off my head. I had to chase it down the street. I (want, not) to lose it because it's my favourite hat and it (cost) a lot. 12. Right now Alex is in the hospital. He (treat) for a bad burn on his hand and arm. 13. Yesterday a purse-snatcher (catch) by a dog. While the thief (chase) by the police, he Gump) over a fence into someone's yard, where he met a dog. The dog (keep) the thief from escaping. 14. The first fish (appear) on the earth about 500 million years ago. Up to now, over 20,000 kinds offish (name) and (describe) by scientists. New species (discover) every year, so the total increases continually. 15. The morning paper (read) by over 200,000 people every day. 16. Last night my favourite program (interrupt) by a special news bulletin. 17. That's not my coat. It (belong) to Louise. 18. Our mail (deliver) before noon every day. 19. The "b" in "comb" (pronounce, not). It is silent. 20. A bad accident (happen) on Highway 95 last night. 21. When I (arrive) at the airport yesterday, I (meet) by my cousin and a couple of her friends. 22. Yesterday I (hear) about Margaret's divorce. I (surprise) by the news. Janice (shock). 23. A new house

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(build) next to ours next year. 24. Radium (discover) by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. 25. When (your bike, steal)? — Two days ago. 26. A: (you, pay) your electric bill yet? B: No, I haven't, but I'd better pay it today. If I don't, my electricity (shut off) by the power company. 27. A: Did you hear about the accident? B: No. What (happen)? 28. The Eiffel Tower (be) in Paris, France. It (visit) by millions of people every year. It (design) by Alexander Eiffel (1832-1923). It (erect) in 1889 for the Paris exposition. Since that time, it (be) the most famous landmark in Paris. Today it (recognize) by people throughout the world. 29.1 don't have my car today. It's in the garage. It (repair) right now. 30. Kate didn't have her car last week because it was in the garage. While it (repair), she took the bus to work. 31. I'm sorry, but the computer job is no longer available. A new computer programmer (hire, already). 32. What products (manufacture) in your country? 33. The examination papers are scored by machine. The students (tell) their results next week. 34. The organizers (exhibit) the paintings till the end of the month. 35. The teacher (assist) by two graduate students during the exam yesterday. 36. A: Where (buy, you) that beautiful necklace? B: I (buy, not) it. It (give) to me for my birthday, (like, you) it? 37. Soon after I (apply) for a job with the United Nations two years ago, I (hire). 38. Yesterday we went to look for an apartment. I really liked it, but by the time we got there, it (rent, already). 39. There's going to be a story in the local newspaper about my neighbour, Mrs Morris. Tomorrow she (interview) by one of the local reporters about her doll collection. Over the years, she (collect) more than 400 dolls all over the world. 40. Ali and Mustafa (complain) to the landlord many times since they moved into their present apartment, but to date nothing (do) about the leak in the roof and the broken window in the bedroom. 41. The darks' living room (redecorate) in blue and white. They want it to look nice for their daughter's wedding reception. 42. The old clock wasn't ticking because it (wind, not). Someone forgot to do it. 43. The news of the victory (broadcast) throughout the country over the radio and television. Everyone (hear) about it almost as soon as it (happen). 44. Only coffee and dessert (serve) at the reception yesterday. 45. Kim wants very badly to make the Olympic team next year. She (train) hard for the last two years. 46. Mark is a genius. By the time he (graduate), he (offer) jobs by a dozen computer companies. 47. When

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I (finish) my work, I'm going to take a walk. 48. After the test papers (return) to the students in class tomorrow, the students (give) their next assignment. 49. The Olympic Games (begin) in 776 B.C. in Olympia, a small town in Greece. At that time, only Greeks (allow) to compete in them. 50. "Miss Jones, please type those letters before noon." "They (already, type). They're on your desk." 51. "Can't we do something about the situation?" "Some­thing (do) right now." 52. "Has the committee made its decision yet?" "Not yet. They (still, consider) the proposal." 53. Something funny (happen) in class yesterday. 54.1 (agree) with you on that subject. 55. Let's go ahead and do it now. Nothing (accomplish) by waiting. 56. "When can I have my car back?" "I think it (finish) late this afternoon."

IV. Supply the stative passive of the given verbs. Use the Simple Present or the Simple Past.

1. It is hot in this room because the window (close). 2. Yes­terday it was hot in this room because the window (close). 3. Sa­rah is wearing a blouse. It (make) of cotton. 4. The door to this room (shut). 5.We can leave now because class (finish). 6. The lights in this room (turn on). 7. This room (crowd, not). 8. We can't go any farther. The car (stick) in the mud. 9. We couldn't go any farther. The car (stick) in the mud. 10. My room is very neat right now. The bed (make), the floor (sweep), and the dishes (wash). 11. We are ready to sit down and eat dinner. The table (set), the meat and rice (do), and the candles (light). 12. Where's my wallet? It (go)! Did you take it? 13. Hmmm. My dress (tear). I wonder how that happened. 14. Don't look in the hall closet. Your birthday present (hide) there. 15. Excuse me, sir. Could you give me some directions? I (lose). 16. That's hard work, I (exhaust). I need to rest for a while. 17. The children (excite) about going to the circus. They're looking forward to seeing the elephants, the clowns, and the acrobats. 18. George (dress) in his best suit today because he has an important interview this afternoon. 19. Lousie is probably sleeping. The lights in her room (turn off). 20. Carolyn and Joe were married to each other for five years, but now they (divorce). 21. You told me one thfhg and John told me another. I don't know what to think. I (confuse). 22.1 love my wife. I (marry) to a wonderful woman. 23. I thought I

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had left my book on this desk, but it isn't here. It (go). I wonder where it is. 24. We can't eat this fruit. It (spoil). We'll have to throw it away. 25. Vietnam (locate) in Southeast Asia. 26. A: "The TV set doesn't work." B: "Are you sure? (it/plug in)?" 27.1 (accustom) to living here. 28.1 (satisfy) with the progress I have made. 29. I (not acquaint) with that man. Do you know him? 30. Mark Twain (know) for his stories about life on the Mis­sissippi. 31. My car (equip) with air conditioning and a sun roof.

V. Translate from Russian into English.

1. Об этом фильме много говорят. Я думаю его стоит по­смотреть. 2. Он очень сердит. С ним никогда так не разговари­вали. 3. Вам не придется ждать. Документы будут проверены и письма напечатаны, когда вы придете. 4. Роман написан мо­лодым талантливым автором. 5. Не говори таких вещей. Над тобой будут смеяться. 6. Когда пришел директор, все было го­тово: документы были проверены и письма были напечатаны. 7. Почему так холодно в зале? — Его как раз проветривают. Читальный зал проветривается несколько раз в день. 8. Он квалифицированный врач. О нем хорошо отзываются. 9. Мож­но взглянуть на документы? — Их все еще печатают. 10. Де­тей поведут в театр в воскресенье. 11. Дворец Спорта еще стро­ился, когда я приехал в Минск. 12. Эта картина нарисована неизвестным художником. 13. К вечеру работа была законче­на. 14. Поторопись. Тебя ждут 15. Где будет построена новая библиотека? 16. Что производится на этой фабрике? 17. Пись­мо не может быть отправлено сегодня, так как оно еще не под­писано директором. 18. Иностранным студентам показали ау­дитории, лаборатории и общежитие Московского универси­тета. 19. Его прервал шум в коридоре. 20. Стекло бьется очень легко. 21. В котором часу закрывается читальный зал? — Он закрывается в 10 часов вечера. 22. Этот вопрос сегодня обсу­ждаться не будет. 23. Я не хочу показывать вам свою статью, пока она не будет закончена. 24. Как только журналы будут получены, мы покажем их вам. 25. Какой вопрос обсуждался на собрании, когда вы пришли? 26. К сожалению, ничего не было сделано, чтобы помочь ему закончить работу. 27. Доку­менты уже подписаны? — Нет еще. 28. Когда был воздвигнут этот памятник? 29. Интересная проблема обсуждается сейчас

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в клубе. 30. Она счастлива. Ей предложили интересную рабо­ту. 31. В этом доме не живут 32. Школу построят к началу учебного года. 33. Газеты и письма доставляются рано утром. 34. Он сказал, что работа будет завершена в срок, если будут получены все необходимые сведения. 35. Мне были даны все необходимые указания. 36. Меня попросили придти немного позже, потому что мое заявление все еще рассматривалось.

Fluency

Listen, read and practise.

I Need Some Information

A: Hello?

B: Oh, hello. I need some information. What currency is used

in Japan? A: Where? B: In Japan.

A: I'm not sure. Isn't it the yen? B: Oh, yes. And do they drive on the left or the right? A: I think the left, but I'm not sure. B: Oh. Well, is English spoken much there? A: I really have no idea. B: Uh? Well, what about credit cards? Are American Express

cards used there? A: How would I know? B: Well, you're a travel agent, aren't you? A: What? A travel agent? This is Linda's Hair Saloon. B: Oh, sorry, wrong number.

A. Study and practise the conversation.

B. Complete these sentences using the passive and suitable verbs below.

eat grow make up manufacture speak teach wear

1. Both cars and computers... in Korea. 2. English... in many schools in Russia. 3. A great deal of cotton... in Egypt. 4. Frogs

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and snails... in France. 5. Canada... of ten provinces and two territories. 6. Kimonos... sometimes... in Japan. 7. French... not widely...in Great Britain.

Now use the verbs above and write sentences like these about your country. Use the passive. Then compare with a partner.

Recycling

Nick: Jenny, listen to this. Over 8 million tons of paper are used in Britain every year, but only some of it is recyc­led. One ton of rubbish is thrown away every year by the average British family of four — like us!

Jenny: I know. Only a little waste glass is recycled. Plastic isn't recycled at all. And last year over 7 billion drink cans were thrown away.

A. Use the present passive of the verb in brackets.

1. 70 billion cups of tea (drink) in Britain every year. 2. A billion litres of fruit juice (buy) by the British every year. 3.20 million litres of milk (drink) every day. 4. 9 million chickens and turkeys (kill) every week. 5. Not everybody eats meat. Meat (not eat) by three per cent of British people. 6. 3,500 litres of water (use) by the average British family every week. 7. In Britain over 15 million newspapers (read) every day. 8. Over 30 million television sets (own) by British families. 9. Every day enough rubbish (produce) to fill Trafalgar Square up to the top of Nelson's Column!

B. Nick is doing a project on rainforests. He has made notes. Put his notes into sentences like this'

eg rainforests — find — along the equator Rainforests are found along the equator.

1. thousands of square kilometres of rainforest — destroy — every year 2. 6,000 trees — cut down — every hour 3. wood — sell — to many countries 4. wood— make into — furniture 5. rain­forests — burn down—by farmers 6. animals—kill—by the fires 7. houses — destroy — by the fires 8. many kinds of animals and plants — lose — when the rainforests disappear 9. some medici­nes — make from — rainforest plants 10. weather — change — by the destruction of the rainforests

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Isn't This Country Incredible!

Victor: What a nice camera!

Roberto: Thanks. It's Japanese.

Victor: Isn't this country incredible? It seems like everything

is imported.

Roberto: Yeah, TVs, stereos, and cameras are often made in Japan. You can get running shoes from Korea. Clothes are made in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Watches are imported from France and Switzerland. Victor: Even fruit and vegetables are imported from Mexico

and Chile during the winter.

Roberto: Yes. And a lot of cars are imported, too. I think Ame­ricans are fascinated by foreign products. Victor: Well, sometimes they're designed better. And some­times they're a lot cheaper, too.

Roberto: Say, have you got the time? I want to take some pic­tures before class tonight. Victor: It's 3:00.

Roberto: Oh, I'd better go. It's getting late. Victor: Yeah. I'd better go, too. I haven't done my homework yet.

A. Correct the statements that are wrong. Say "That's right" or "That's wrong."

1. Americans often buy foreign cameras, TVs, stereos, and cars.

2. Koreans sometimes buy American running shoes.

3. American clothes sometimes come from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

4. Americans never import watches from Europe.

5. Americans import onions and potatoes from Mexico.

6. Other countries often make cheaper cars, stereos, and clothes than the United States.

1'. Roberto thinks he should go so he'll have enough time to

take some pictures before class.

8. Victor thinks he should go so he can take a shower before , class.

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Finding a Job

If you have left school and haven't got a job, don't despair. Jobs are advertised in the local papers under "Situations Vacant". Go to your local Job Centre or Employment Office. If they haven't got a suitable job for you, at least good advice is given there. Also, remember to read notices. Job vacancies are posted up on notice boards outside firms and factories. Local jobs are displayed on cards in shop windows and at post offices. When you have found a job that interests you, make an appointment for an interview. Sometimes, an interview is arranged by telephone, but often a written application is required. Application forms are provided for this purpose by the firms. Sometimes, the applicant is tested at the interview. Don't be nervous, do your best.

Don't feel that you have to take the first job that is offered to you. Go to the Careers Office and ask about the Youth Training Scheme. Many on-the-job courses and schemes are organized by the Youth Training Scheme and they pay you during the training.

A. How can you find a job in your country?

They where surprised

Jewellery and coins were stolen last night from the home of Mr and Mrs G. Sinclair of Clark Street, Bristol. At about 1.30 a.m., a young man was seen in the Sinclairs' garden by a neighbour. The police were informed immediately by the neighbour's wife. Ten minutes later, the man was caught as he was leaving the garden and was taken to the police station for questioning. His pockets were searched. Rings and gold coins worth over £3000 were found. When the man was questioned about the theft, he said, "It was easy. A window was open and the safe wasn't locked."

The jewellery and coins were returned to the Sinclairs the next morning. A policeman said, "They were surprised. They hadn't noticed the theft."

A. Do you know a story about a theft?

'Where was this Taken?

Olga: You know, we've never seen the pictures you took of New York.

Roberto: No? Didn't I show them to you after I got back?

Victor: No.

Roberto: Well, I have them with me.... This is the Empire State Building. It's probably the most famous building in New York. It was built in less than two years. It was begun in 1929 and finished in 1931.

Susan: Isn't that incredible?

Roberto: This is the United Nations.

Olga: It was built sometime after World War I ended, wasn't it?

Victor: After World War II.

Olga: I mean World War II. Where was this taken?

Roberto: From the top of the World Trade Center. Did you know the Statue of Liberty was designed by a Frenchman?

Victor: Uh-huh. Bartholdi. It was given to the United States by France on the 100th birthday of U.S. independence.

Susan: You know a lot about history.

Victor: History was my favourite subject in school after mu­sic, that is!

I Note: center амер. = centre

A. Correct these statements.

1. Roberto hasn't been to New York. 2. The Empire State Building isn't very famous. 3. The Empire State Building was built in less than a year. 4. The UN was built after World War I. 5. The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States by England.

B. Bring to class a picture of your favourite building, painting, or sculpture or a copy of your favourite book. Work with a group. Your classmates will ask you questions about your picture or book.

What's this called? Where was it done?

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When was it done? Who was it done by?

159

Youth Hit by Van

At 5.05 p.m. on Saturday 19 July, there was an accident at the junction of Euston Road and St. Pancras Road when a boy of 16 was knocked off his bicycle by a delivery van. Luckily, he was not seriously injured. Patrick Kay, the 1 6-year-old boy, was taken to St. Pancras Hospital where he was treated for shock and a broken arm. The accident was witnessed by several people, and it was reported minutes later by the driver of the van, Mr Ralph Ripley, 45, of Wimbledon. Both the youth and the driver of the van were questioned afterwards by the police, who took the names and addresses of three witnesses.

A. Have you ever witnessed an accident? What was it like?

An interview

Joe Burns is a famous racing-driver. He is being interviewed on a sports programme.

Reporter: You've had a very dangerous life, haven't you, Joe? I mean, you've almost been killed several times, ha­ven't you?

Joe: Yes. I suppose that's right.

Reporter: When was your worst accident?

Joe: Г d say last year. It was during the British Grand Prix.

I smashed into a wall. The car was completely ruined and my left leg was broken. Luckily, nobody was killed.

Reporter: Is that the only time you've been... er...close to death?

Joe: No. Once, during the Mexican Grand Prix, two cars in front of me had a bad accident. One of them ran into the other. I swerved to avoid them and hit a fence My car was badly damaged but luckily I wasn't even hurt.

Reporter: You must enjoy danger. I mean, you wouldn't be a ra­cing-driver if you didn't, would you?

Joe: I don't know about that. I had a very frightening ex-

perience quite recently. I was frightened to death! I thought I was going to be killed at any moment.

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Reporter: Really? When was that? During your last race? Joe: No. It was on my way to this studio. I had to drive

through London during the lunch hour. A. Questions

1. What has almost happened to Joe several times? 2. When was his worst accident? Describe it 3. What happened during the Mexican Grand Prix? 4. What did Joe think was going to happen to him very recently? 5. When did his last experience take place?

B. Discuss your personal experiences using the present perfect passive and the past simple passive of the verbs in the phrases below.

eg A: Have you ever been stopped by the police? B: No, I haven't but my brother has. A: Really? Why? B: He was stopped for speeding on the motorway.

1. stop by the police 2. interview on television 3. give a surprise party 4. fine for parking 5. search by customs 6. ask to give a speech 7. involve in a road accident

Let Me Quiz You

A: Have you studied for the test tomorrow?

B: Yes, I have.

A: OK. Let me quiz you on the Panama Canal.

B: All right. Go ahead.

A: Who was the canal built by?

B: It was started by the French and completed by the Americans.

A: Right! And when was it completed?

B: It was completed in 1911.

A: No! It was completed in 1914.

B: Oh, that's right.

A. Complete the phrases in column A with suitable information in column B.

А

a) The novel 1984

b) The pyramids

В

...was designed by Bartholdi. ...was written by George Orwell.

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c) The Statue of Liberty . . . were built by the ancient Egyp-

tians.

d) The mural in the Sistine ... was written by Margaret Mit-Chapel in Vatican City chel.

e) The novel Gone With ... was painted by Michelangelo.

the Wind

B. Now change these active sentences into passive sentences with by.

a) Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mono Lisa.

b) Marie Curie discovered radium.

c) Mildred and Patty Hill wrote the song "Happy Birthday to You."

d) Mark Twain wrote the American novel Huckleberry Finn.

e) Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and the light bulb.

C. Think of six questions about famous buildings, paintings, boob, or musical compositions.

eg Who was Starry Night painted by? Who was War and Peace written by? Who was Carmen composed by?

Take turns asking your questions. Who got the most correct answers?

A very exciting

In January Martha was hired by the Fernwood Company as a secretary. In March she was sent to school by the company to study statistics and accounting. In April she was given her first raise. Just two months later, she was promoted to the position of supervisor of her department. In August she was chosen "Employee of the Month." In October she was given another raise. In November she was invited to apply for a position in the company's overseas office in England. And in December she was given the new job and was flown to London to begin work.

Martha certainly has had a very exciting year. She can't believe all the wonderful things that have happened to her since she was hired just twelve months ago.

A. Ask and answer questions on the text.

B. Speak about your career history.

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Can I help yои?

Mrs Jones: Is this Joe's Auto Repair Shop?

Man: Yes, it is. Can I help you?

Mrs Jones: Yes, please. This is Mrs Jones. I'm calling about

my car. Has it been repaired yet? Man: Not yet. It's being repaired right now.

Mrs Jones: I see. Tell me, when can I pick it up? Man: Come by at four o'clock. I'm sure it'll be ready by

then.

A. Respond to the following.

eg — Has the lamp been fixed? — No, it is still being fixed.

1. Have the floors been painted? 2. Have the things been packed? 3. Has the table been laid? 4. Have the dogs been fed? 5. Has the letter been typed? Has the radio-set been repaired? 7. Has the furniture been removed?

Make up your own sentences using this model.

A burglary

Tom: The newsagent's has been broken into. About £ 850 has been taken.

Nick: Has the thief been found?

Tom: No, not yet. The theft was only discovered an hour ago. There's a room at the back of the shop where the money is kept in a safe. This morning the cleaner noticed that the window had been broken, so she told the owner. A few people have been questioned by the police, but no­body knows much. An officer said that any information will be welcomed.

Nick: Will there be a reward?

A. Make up short dialogues using the words prompted. Prompt: dust/the furniture

— Has the furniture been dusted yet?

— Not yet.

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1. hang up/the picture 2. cut/the grass 3. fix/the brakes 4. mend/ the shoes 5. type/the documents 6. photo-copy/the letters 7. find/ the book 8. clean/the room 9. iron/the suit

B. When the pupils went back to school after the summer holidays, a lot of things had been changed.

eg New desks (buy).

New desks had been bought.

1. A lot of trees (plant). 2. New lights (put in). 3. The classrooms (paint). 4. A tennis court (build). 5. The fence (take down). 6. Five new classrooms (add). 7. New equipment (buy) for the chemistry lab. 8. Showers (install) in the changing rooms. 9. New blackboards (put up) in the classrooms. 10. The whole school (modernize).

She Only Wanted a Haircut

Alan: Have you always been interested in photography?

Carla: Oh, yes! I was given a camera for my eighth birthday.

Alan: So you became a photographer immediately after school, I imagine.

Carla: Oh, no. I did lots of different things.

Alan: What kind of things?

Carla: Well, I went to college and studied design. Oh, and on­ce I was given a job at a hairdresser's.

Alan: How long did you do that for?

Carla:Not long. I was sacked after three weeks.

Alan: Sacked? Why?

Carla:! dyed a lady's hair green.

Alan: What was wrong with that?

Carla: She only wanted a haircut.

A. Study and practise the conversation.

Qoing by fube

Laura usually leaves the office at about five o'clock, but last Monday she left at half past five. She wanted to get home by 6.30 and she ran to the bus stop but she couldn't get on a bus. There

164

were too many people and not enough buses. Laura was desperate to get home so she decided to go by tube.

In the station she went to one of the automatic ticket machines but she didn't have enough change, so she had to join the queue at the ticket window. She bought her ticket and ran to the escalator. Laura went to the platform and waited for the tube. It arrived and the crowd moved forward. Laura was pushed into the train. It was almost full but she was given a seat by a man with a moustache. Laura thanked him and sat down. She started to read her newspaper. In the tunnel the train stopped suddenly and Laura was thrown to the floor together with the man with the moustache. Somebody screamed. The lights went out. It was quarter past six on a cold wet December evening.

A. Ask and answer questions on the text. Retell the text.

Fishermen Found Safe and Sound

Three Taiwanese fishermen were rescued yesterday from a small uninhabited island in the South Pacific. The men had been lost for more than three months.

They had left Taiwan in a small fishing boat and planned to be gone for only a week. But on the fifth day they ran into a typhoon, and it badly damaged their boat. Fortunately, none of the men was hurt. After the storm passed, however, they found that the engine wouldn't start. So their boat just drifted at sea for a month. During this time, the fishermen caught fish to eat and drank rainwater to stay alive.

Finally, the boat drifted toward a small island. When it got close enough, the men jumped overboard and swam to the shore. On the island, they found fresh fruit and vegetables to eat, and they continued to live off any fish they could catch.

The fishermen lived on the island for another two months before they were rescued by a passing ship. Although the three men had lost a lot of weight, they were still in fairly good health after their long ordeal. Their families were very happy to hear that the men had been found "safe and sound" and that they would soon be home.

A. Ask and answer questions on the text. Retell the text.

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An Earthquake

An earthquake was reported in San Francisco at 7:18 this evening. Most of the damage was felt in the downtown area. Electric lines were cut but telephone service was not interrupted in most areas. It appears that no damage was done to the new earthquake-proof buildings, but, unfortunately, windows were shattered in some of the older buildings and the famous old clock in Union Square was destroyed. The clock, which is 100 years old, was popular with tourists. No injuries were reported so the Red Cross was not called to help. Also, no damage was reported in the suburbs.

A. Choose the correct answer.

1. The earthquake was reported

a. at night.

b. during the day.

2. Electric lines

a. were cut.

b. weren't cut.

3. Telephone service in most areas

a. was interrupted.

b. wasn't interrupted.

4. Windows were shattered in some of the

a. old buildings.

b. new buildings.

5. The old clock

a. was almost destroyed.

b. was destroyed.

6. How many injuries were reported?

a. No injuries were reported.

b, A lot of injuries were reported.

B. Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple passive. Retell the text.

Did you know that the greatest explosion in the world (cause) by a volcano? Krakatoa, an island in Indonesia, erupted in 1883. More than half the island (destroy). The explosion (hear) in India and Australia. Rocks (throw) more than 55 kilometres high into the air. Surprisingly, only a few people (kill), but a huge wave, 35 metres high, (create) by the explosion. Several small islands

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(cover) by the wave. 163 villages (destroy) and 36,000 people (drown). Dust (carry) all round the world, and the weather everywhere (affect) for many years afterwards.

Computers:

Now and in the Future

A computer is an electronic device. It makes calculations and processes information. Complicated problems can be solved very quickly. Millions of pieces of information can be processed in seconds. Nowadys, computers are used for many different purposes. Businesses use their computers not only to bill their customers, but also to send information to customers and to communicate with other businesses. In industry, many com­plicated machines are controlled by computers. Machines that produce chemicals, steel, and hundreds of other products are con­nected to computers. In transportation, airplanes, ships, and even spacecraft are guided by computers. In science, complicated prob­lems and scientific data are almost always analyzed by computers. Even earthquakes and hurricanes can be predicted by computers. In education, computers are used as teaching machines. In the home, people are buying computers to help them manage their households more efficiently. People can shop, make travel arrangements, and pay their bills using computers right in their own homes.

In the future, computers will be even more widely used — in our offices, our homes, and our cars. Developments are being made every day that allow computers to solve more and more complex problems. It has been said by many experts that someday computers will be able to "think" creatively like human beings. For example, someday computers may be able to understand human language and to respond to it. In the near future, sophis­ticated forms of art and music may also be created by computers. Indeed, some forms of "computer art" and "computer music" have already been produced.

Note: someday = some day (когда-нибудь, в будущем)

A. ask and answer questions on the text.

B. Speak about the use of computers.

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Dr Lin, the author of "Computers: Now and in the Future", is talking to his wife.

Dr Lin: I have such a busy day today I don't know when I'll be home.

Mrs Lin: Oh, that's right. You have to speak at the High School of Science and Technology today.

Dr Lin: That will be finished by three o'clock. But then I ha­ve to go to the office and prepare my notes for my speech at the Computer Society's annual dinner tonight.

Mrs Lin: Well, at least your magazine article has already been written and submitted to your editor. It was due today, wasn't it?

Dr Lin: Yes, at least that's done. In fact, it should be published sometime next month.

Mrs Lin: Do you think you will be given time to eat tonight or will you have to spend the entire evening answering questions?

Dr Lin: I might be asked to speak as soon as everyone sits down for dinner. In that case, I guess I'll be pretty hungry when I get home.

Mrs Lin: Do you have any idea what time you'll be finished?

Dr Lin: None.

Mrs Lin: Well, I'll have something ready for you to eat when you get here. What about transportation?

Dr Lin: That's already been taken care of. The Computer So­ciety is sending a car for me. It's picking me up at the office at six and will bring me home after the mee­ting.

Note: sometime = some time (когда-нибудь)

A. Ask and answer questions on the text.

B. Give a brief account of the conversation.

C. Roleplay the conversation.

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UNIT 10 TOPIC: CITY. SIGHTSEEING

Listen, read and practise.

A glimpse of London

London is the capital of Great Britain. It is situated on both sides of the Thames and stretches for nearly 30 miles from east to west and for nearly 30 miles from north to south. London is one of the largest cities in the world. Its population is more than eight million.

London is a very old city. It is more than 20 centuries old. The history of London goes back to Roman times. Traditionally London is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. They are very different from each other.

The heart of London is the City — its commercial and business centre. The Stock Exchange, the Royal Exchange, and the Bank of England are all there. The centre of the country's judicial system — the Old Bailey is also in the City. Few people live in the City, but over a million come to work here.

Two famous historic buildings are located in the City — the Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral. The Tower of London was built in the 11 -th century. It was used as a fortress, a royal residence and a prison. Now it is a museum of armour and also the place where Crown Jewels are kept.

A twenty minutes' walk from the Tower will take you to another historic building — St Paul's Cathedral. It was built in the 17th century by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. Wellington, Nelson and other great men of England are buried in the Cathedral.

Westminster is the centre of government and justice. Here we can see the Houses of Parliament with the famous clock "Big Ben" on one of the towers. All government offices are in White­hall. The official residence of the Queen is Buckingham Palace. The residence of the Prime Minister is at 10 Downing Street.

Opposite the Houses of Parliament stands Westminster Abbey. From Norman times British monarchs have been crowned here and since the 13th century they have been buried here. Many

169

other famous people are also buried in Westminster Abbey including statesmen, musicians and writers.

The West End is the name given to the area of Central London north from The Mall to Oxford Street. It includes Trafalgar Square, the main shopping areas of Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, and the entertainment centres of Soho, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Shaftesbury Avenue. Its name is associated with glamour and bright lights.

Trafalgar Square was built early in the last century to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. Admiral lord Nelson's statue stands on top of a column in the middle of Trafalgar Square. The square makes a good place for people to meet — coaches pick up parties of visitors, marchers unite for protest meetings, and at Christmas time carol singers gather round a huge Christmas tree which is sent to Britain from Norway every year. Behind Nelson's Column is the National Gallery, an art gallery in which you can find many old masters. Not far from the National Gallery is the British Museum. It contains a priceless collection of different things (ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures, etc.) The British Museum is famous for its library — one of the richest in the world.

Most of London's big department stores are in Oxford Street and Regent Street. Piccadilly Circus is the centre of nightlife in the West End. To the north of Piccadilly Circus is Soho, which has been the foreign quarter of London since the 17th century. Now it has restaurants offering food from a variety of different countries, as well as "adult" entertainment.

London is famous for its live theatre, and there are over thirty theatres within a square mile. Naturally there is a great variety of shows to choose from: opera, musicals, drama and so on. If you want to know what is on in London, the best place to look is in a newspaper.

The East End is an industrial district of London. It is especially famous as the centre of the clothing industry. The Port of London is also in the East End.

A. Questions

1. What is the population of London? 2. What is the City?

3. When was the Tower of London built? What was it used for?

4. When was St Paul's Cathedral built? 5. What famous men are

170

buried in the Cathedral? 6. In what district of London are most of the Government buildings located? 7. What is Big Ben? 8. What famous building stands opposite the Houses of Parliament? 9. In whose memory was the monument in the middle of Trafalgar Square set up? 10. What kind of museum is the British Museum?

11. Where are most of London's big department stores located?

12. In what part of London is the Port located?

B. Speak about London, the capital of Great Britain.

C. Have you ever been to London? What did you do? Did you like the city?

'Washington

Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia) is the capital of the United States. It became the capital on December I, 1880. It was named after George Washington, the first president, and Christopher Columbus (America was discovered by Columbus in 1492).

Spring is the best season in Washington, and it is the most popular with tourists. In the spring you can see the flowers on hundreds of cherry trees. The trees were given to the United States in 1912. They were a gift of friendship from Japan.

Washington has something for everyone — historic monu­ments, interesting museums, beautiful parks, and excellent hotels and restaurants. Some of the most important and most interesting sights are:

The Jefferson Memorial. This monument is dedicated to the third president, Thomas Jefferson. It was designed by John Russel, and it was dedicated in 1943. Inside there is a statue of Jefferson by sculptor Rudolf Evans.

The Lincoln Memorial. This beautiful monument is dedicated to Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States. It is made of marble, and it was built in 1922. In the great hall I there is a huge statue by Daniel Chester French.

The National Gallery of Art. The National Gallery contains '. one of the world's best collections of European and American > painting and sculpture. The newest building, the East Building, ', is made of pink marble and glass. It was designed by I.M. Pei, and it was opened in 1978.

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The Washington Monument. The Washington Monument was completed in 1884. It is dedicated to the first president, George Washington, and it is 555 feet high. You can take an elevator to the top or you can climb the 898 steps!

The White House. The White House is the official home of the president. It was designed by James Hoban. The first building was burned by the British in the War of 1 8 1 2, but it was rebuilt in 1818. It was also first painted white at that time.

A. Questions

1. Who was Washington, D.C. named after? 2 Where did the cherry trees come from? 3. How tall is the Washington Monu­ment? 4. When was the White House painted white? 5. Who is the Jefferson Memorial dedicated to? 6. Who designed it? 7. What is the Lincoln Memorial made of? 8. Who designed the statue of Lincoln? 9. What does the National Gallery of Art contain? 1 0. What is the East Building made of?

B. Speak about the most interesting sights in Washington.

C. Have you ever been to Washington? What do you think of it? Answer your friends' questions about the city.

New Yourk

Everyone knows something about New York — the Statue of Liberty, the skyscrapers, the beautiful shops on Fifth Avenue and the many theatres on Broadway. This is America's cultural capital, and her biggest city, with a population of nearly eight million. In the summer it is hot, hot, and in the winter it can be very cold, but there are hundreds of things to do and see all the year round.

There are five "boroughs" in New York: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Richmond. Only one of them, the Bronks, is not an island.

Manhattan, the smallest island in New York, is the real centre of the city. When people say "New York City" they usually mean Manhattan. Most of the interesting shops, buildings and museums are here, and Manhattan is the scene of New York's night life.

In 1605 the first Europeans came to Manhattan from Holland. They bought the island from the Native Americans for a few glass necklaces, worth about $26 today.

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Only 1,500,000 people live in Manhattan, but five million people work here every day. Many live in the suburbs and come to work on the subway.

Wall Street in Manhattan is the financial heart of the USA and the most important banking centre in the world. It is a street of "skyscrapers", those incredible, high buildings which Ameri­cans invented, and built faster and higher than anyone else. Per­haps the two most spectacular skyscrapers in New York are the two towers of the New York World Trade Center. When the sun sets, their 110 floors shine like pure gold.

Like every big city, New York has its own traffic system. Traffic jams can be terrible, and it's usually quickest to go by subway. The New York subway is easy to use and quite cheap. Take a look at the map. The subway goes to almost every corner of Manhattan. But be careful. It's better not to go by subway late at night.

You see more, of course, if you go by bus. New York buses are also easy to use. The "Shoppers' Shuttle" (Monday to Friday) and the "Culture Loops" (Saturdays and Sundays) stop at some of the best known stores and tourist places. You can get on and off as many times as you like in one day with only one ticket.

There are more than 30,000 taxis in New York. They are easy to see, because they are bright yellow and carry large TAXI signs. Taxis do not go outside the city but they will go to the airports. People give the taxi driver a "tip" of 15 % extra.

If you really have to drive in New York, remember that nearly all the east-west streets and most of the north-south streets are one way only. This can be difficult for the visitor who does not know his way. Try to get a map that shows the direction of the traffic, and — good luck!

A. Questions

1. What do many people know about New York? 2. What is the population of New York? 3. What is the weather like? 4. What are the five "boroughs" in New York? 5. Which of them is not an island? 6. What is the real centre of the city? 7. Who was the first to come to Manhattan? When? 8. How many people live in Manhattan? 9. How many people work there? 10. What street is the financial heart of the USA? 11. What are the two most spectacular skyscrapers in New York? 12. What is the New York traffic system like? 13. What colour are the taxis in New York?

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B. Speak about New York.

C. Has anyone in your group visited New York? Answer your friends' questions about New York.

Madrid

Madrid is the capital of Spain, and is located right in the centre of the country. It's also the largest city in Spain, with over three million residents.

Madrid is a centre for government and finance, and is an important manufacturing centre for the automotive and aircraft industries. In addition, it's one of the major publishing centres for the Spanish-speaking world.

The people of Madrid are called Madrilenos. Many Madrilenos work from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Then, at two o'clock, many stores and offices close. The custom started so that people could take an afternoon nap or siesta. Those who take a siesta go back to work again from five to eight o'clock. However, recently, many businesses have stopped closing for siesta; instead, they follow the semanta inglesa, or English week, and stay open from nine to five o'clock. Nevertheless, many people still work late, until eight in the evening. Like many people throughout Spain, Madrilenos eat dinner late, usually between 10p.m. and midnight, and theatres and cinemas begin performances late. The local style is to keep late hours, especially in the summer. During the hot months of July and August, the temperature is often over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit, or thirty-eight degrees Celsius. But Madrilenos have a variety of ways to stay cool. For example, they stroll up and down the streets or sit and talk at outdoor cafes; they can also go to discos that have an outdoor swimming pool.

Madrid has many attractions. Soccer is the most popular sport in Madrid, and the city has two major soccer teams. In addition, the largest bullring in Spain is located in Madrid. It's called Las Ventas, and it's the place where all novice bullfighters get their start. And, of course, there are world-famous art museums, such as the Prado Museum, which is the home of masterworks by artists such as El Greco and Goya.

A. Do you remember what the speaker says on each of these topics?

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• population

• industry

• life-style

— weather

— entertainment

B. Speak about Madrid, the capital of Spain.

C. Choose an interesting city or place to give a talk on. Speak about the cost of living, employment, housing, industry, location, population, size, weather, etc. Be ready to answer any questions about the place you are talking about.

Mr Brown in Edinburgh

Mr Brown was in Edinburgh on business for his bank. He had caught a train from King's Cross Station in London at ten o'clock that morning and now he had arrived in Edinburgh. It was five o'clock in the evening. He had enjoyed a comfortable journey and had had a good lunch on the train. He had booked a room at the Queen's Hotel a few days before, so when he got out of the train at Waverley Station, he took a taxi straight to the hotel.

When he got to the hotel he signed the book, the clerk told him the number of his room and the porter gave him his key. He went up to the third floor in the lift and the lift-boy showed him to his room. It was a comfortable room with a good bed. That night Mr Brown slept well until the maid brought him some tea at seven-thirty next morning.

Mr Brown had not been in Edinburgh for many years, and he was looking forward to seeing the city again. So when he had finished breakfast he decided to go for a walk before keeping his first appointment at 11 o'clock. He came out from his hotel into Princess Street, one of the widest and most beautiful streets in the world. It has fine shops on one side and gardens on the other, with Edinburgh Castle high on its Rock and Arthur's Seat beyond. The Scots are very proud of their capital city. As Mr Brown walked along, he remembered some of the exciting events that had happened here and some of the great men who had walked along these same streets — the things they had done, and the books they had written. He was surprised when he looked at his watch and saw that it was almost eleven.

His first appointment was with an old friend John Macdonald, the manager of the Edinburgh branch of his bank. Mr Macdonald

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spent some time showing him round the city. During the three days he was there, Mr Brown saw most of the places of interest. He visited St Giles' Cathedral and the royal palace which is called Holyroodhouse; he walked along the narrow streets of Old Edinburgh and up to the grey castle. He found, too, that Edinburgh does not live only in the past. New Edinburgh has modem houses and wide streets. His friend told him that every year in September a Music and Drama Festival is held, to which people come from all over the world; new plays can be seen and new music can be heard, and visitors can meet people from other countries and talk about the things that interest them.

When at the end of his visit, he sat in the train which was carrying him south to London he made up his mind that he must come back soon to spend a holiday in this city in which the past comes so close to the present.

A. Ask and answer questions on the text.

B. Take turns asking each other about an interesting city or place you have visited. Use these questions or other questions of your own.

What's an interesting city or place you have visited? How big is it? What's the weather like there? Is there much unemployment? And what about industry? What's the transportation like? Is there any pollution there? What's the cost of living like? What kind of housing do people have? Are rents expensive? What can you do there? Are there many tourist attractions? What's good to buy there? What's the nightlife like? What else do you like about it?

C. Write about your trip to an interesting city or place.

Small Towns and big Cities

Today, people all over the world are moving out of small towns in the country to go and live in big, noisy cities. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the countryside to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.

In many countries, the main reason people come to live in towns and cities is work. After one or two large factories or

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businesses have been built in or near a city, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow. There is usually a residential area nearby, where the factory workers can live. The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and stores, so more people come to live in the area to provide these services — and so a city grows.

In every major city in the world, there is a business district where the big companies have their main offices. In the United States, this is usually in the downtown area of the city. It is here that you can see the huge skyscrapers containing many floors of offices. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial and business areas. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big yards. There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores in shopping malls where you can buy all you need.

But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger and bigger? Maybe not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller towns.

A. Decide whether these statements are true or false according to the passage.

1. Many people from small towns go to live in big cities.

2. Urban areas contain mainly hills, mountains, rivers and streams.

3. Many people go to live in urban areas to find work.

4. Factories are built inside residential areas.

5. Business districts are usually in the downtown area of the city.

6. Workers often live in skyscrapers in the suburbs.

7. The suburbs of a city usually contain more trees and parks than the downtown areas.

8. The movement from country to city will definitely continue in the future.

B. 1. Do you live in a rural area, a town, or a big city? 2. Where would you like to live? Why?

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Living in the City

Living in a city has both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, it is often easier to find work, and there is usually a choice of public transport, so you don't need to own a car. Also, there are a lot of interesting things to do and places to see. For example, you can eat in good restaurants, visit museums, and go to the theatre and to concerts. What is more, when you want to relax, you can feed the ducks or just sit on a park bench and read a book. All in all, city life is full of bustle and variety and you need never feel bored.

However, for every plus there is a minus. For one thing, you might have a job, but unless it is very well-paid, you will not be able to afford many of the things that there are to do, because living in a city is often very expensive. It is particularly difficult to find good, cheap accommodation. What is more, public transport is sometimes crowded and dirty, particularly in the rush hour, and even the parks can become very crowded, especially on Sundays when it seems that every city-dweller is looking for some open space and green grass. Last of all, despite all the crowds, it is still possible to feel very lonely in a city. In conclusion, I think that city life can be particularly appealing to young people, who like the excitement of the city and don't mind the noise and pollution. However, many people, when they get older, and particularly when they have young children, often prefer the peace and fresh air of the countryside.

A. Ask and answer questions on the text.

B. Give the synonymous words from the text to the following:

in spite of pros and cons

another point is that one advantage is that all things considered for instance to sum up in my opinion

one disadvantage is that especially

moreover finally

C. 1. Do you live and/or work in a city? Is it very big? How many advantages and disadvantages of city life can you think of?

Write them down.

2. Write about the pros and cons of living in the country.

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3. Discussion: Advantages and disadvantages of living in a big city and in the country.

4. Write a few lines about your hometown

Conversation Practice Listen, read and practise.

1.

My hometown.

Woman: So tell me about your hometown, Joyce.

Joyce: Well, it's a real small town...

Woman: Really? What's it like there?

Joyce: Oh, I think it's a very boring place.

Woman: Why?

Joyce: Well, there's nothing exciting to do. No good restau­rants. No nightlife of any kind. I really get bored there.

Woman: Oh, that's too bad.

Joyce: Yeah, but lots of people love it there because it's so pretty.

Woman: Yeah?

Joyce: Uh-huh. It has lovely scenery — lots of mountains, ri­vers, lakes, trees...

Woman: Well, I don't know, Joyce, it sounds like a nice place!

Joyce: Well, yeah, if you like to go hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. But, you know, I'm not the outdoor type! I'm a real city person!

2.

Woman: Do you come from a big city, Lou?

Lou: Oh, yes, I do. It's pretty big.

Woman: What's it like there?

Lou: Oh, it's a really great place! It has some fantastic art museums, and wonderful theatres, and terrific res­taurants of all kinds... like Greek, Russian, French, Thai, Japanese...

Woman: Ah... really? And how are the prices? Is it expensive?

Lou: Yeah, yeah, I guess so. Food costs a lot... both in the supermarket and in restaurants. And apartments!

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They're so hard to find... and the rents are pretty high. Woman: Yeah, I guess it's expensive everywhere these days.

3.

Man: Hey, Nick. Are you going home for the holidays?

Nick: No way!

Man: Oh, why not?

Nick: I don't like my hometown. Too many people, too many buildings, too many factories. It's big and it's ugly! IH-" ke places that are small and quiet. Like here!

Man: Is your hometown as bad as that?

Nick: Yes, it's pretty bad. It doesn't even have any good res­taurants.

Man: No, c'mon, Nick! No interesting theatres or nightlife?

Nick: No, not really.

Man: It sounds like a terrible place.

Nick: Yeah, it really is.

A. What do they say? Write Yes or No.

Interesting Big Expensive Beautiful 1.Joyce 2. Lou 3.Nick

B. Talk about your hometown. Ask questions like these and other questions of your own.

What's your city or hometown like? Is it an interesting place? Is it safe? What's shopping like there? Is it expensive? Is the transportation good? Does it have good restaurants? What are the things you like most about your hometown? What are the things you don't like about it?

C. Have a conversation about your hometown.

4.

Linda: Whereabouts in Canada are you from?

Steve: I'm from Toronto.

Linda: I've never been there. What's it like?

Steve: It's a great city! It has good museums and wonderful

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restaurants. And the nightlife is exciting, too. Linda: Really? Is it expensive there? Steve: Well, it's not bad, but apartments are fairly expensive. Linda: Toronto sounds like a nice place. I've heard it has a

good subway.

Steve: Oh, yeah. It's excellent. And the buses are good, too. Linda: And what about shopping? Steve: There are some great shopping centres and department

stores. Do you know the Euton Centre? Linda: The Euton Centre? No. What's that? Steve: Huh! It's one of the biggest shopping centres in the

world. It has everything, and the prices are pretty good,

too.

Linda: Well, I hope some day I'll get a chance to go there. Steve: I hope so, too. If you ever go, I'll show you around the

city...

Linda: You will? Great! Thanks! Steve: OK.

A. Questions

1. Where is Steve from? 2. What does Steve think of Toronto? 3. What does Steve say about the transportation and shopping in Toronto?

B. What places of interest would you show your foreign guest if she/he came to your hometown?

C. Situation: Your friend from London has come to your home­town. At the moment you are showing him/her around the town. You are a good guide, you know your hometown very well.

5.

Andy: Whereabouts are you from, Carla?

Carla: I'm from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Andy: Oh? What's it like there?

Carla: Well, it's a beautiful little tourist town, and the climate's great. Actually, it's a centre for American Indian cul­ture, and there are also lots of artists there. Georgia O'Keeffe, the famous painter, used to live there.

Andy: Really? It sounds like an interesting place! I'd like to go there sometime.

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Carla: Yeah, you'd enjoy it, Andy. And whereabouts in Eng­land are you from, Andy?

Andy: I'm from Bath.

Carla: Really? Where's that?

Andy: It's near Bristol. It takes about an hour and a half to get there by train from London.

Carla: You know, I've always wondered why it's called "Bath". How did you get that name?

Andy: Because of its famous hot springs. Throughout history, people have gone there to bathe—that's why it's called

Bath. Carla: Ah! Is it an old city, then?

Andy: Oh, yes. In fact, it's an old Roman city, with lots of lo­vely old stone buildings.

Carla: Andy, it sounds really interesting! I'd love to visit Bath some day.

Andy: Well, just let me know when you plan to come and my family and I'll take care of you.

Carla: Really? Thanks! And I'd do the same for you if you ever visit my hometown of Santa Fe.

Andy: OK, then, that's a deal!

A. Questions

1. Where is Carla from? 2. What's it like there? 3. Where is Andy from? 4. Where is Bath? 5. How did it get that name? 6. Is Bath a new or an old city?

B. Take turns talking about your favourite city. Talk about it like this and answer any questions other students may have.

My favourite city in North America is Santa Fe. It's in New Mexico. It's an old city with lots of interesting Spanish and Indian buildings. It's fairly small, and it's really beautiful...

'What's Mexico like?

David: Can you tell me a little about Mexico? Maria: Yes, sure. What would you like to know? David: Well, when's the best time to visit? Maria: Mmm, you should go in the winter or spring. The wea­ther is nice then. It's not very hot.

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David: Really? And does Mexico have good beaches?

Maria: Yes, the beaches are excellent.

David: Oh, good! And what places should I see?

Maria: Well, you should go to Mexico City. And you shouldn't

miss the Mayan ruins. They are very interesting. David: Great! I can't wait to go there.

A. Questions

1. When is the best time to visit Mexico? Why? 2. What are the beaches like? 3. What is worth seeing?

Tell Me about Brazil

Man: I'm thinking of going to Brazil next year, Maria.

Maria: Oh, great! I'm sure you'll have a good time.

Man: What places do tourists visit in Brazil?

Maria: Well, a lot of people go to Rio for Carnival. And nowa­days, lots of people are visiting the Amazon to take river trips.

Man: Oh, really? That sounds interesting. And when's a good time to visit?

Maria: Well, I like Rio in the spring or fall because it's not too hot then.

Man: And what other cities are worth visiting in Brazil?

Maria: Well, I'd suggest Brasilia first.

Man: OK.

Maria: It's been the capital city of Brazil since nineteen sixty...

Man: Uh-huh.

Maria: It's not very big, but very, very modern. The architec­ture is very interesting. Most of the buildings were designed by Niemeier, a famous Brazilian architect.

Man: It sounds really interesting.

Maria: Yeah, it really is... and then there's Sao Paulo.

Man: Oh? Tell me about that.

Maria: It's the biggest city in Brazil and an important commer­cial centre. So lots of people go there on business... and there are not too many tourists.

Man: Oh! That's good!

Maria: It is! The restaurants are excellent — great food — and nightlife in Sao Paulo is out of this world!

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Man: Sao Paulo really sounds great! You know, actually, I'd be very interested in seeing an old city, too. Uhm... whe­re would you suggest?

Maria: Mmm... I think you'd enjoy Salvador in Bahia. It's on the northeast coast of Brazil and it's Brazil's oldest city.

Man: Oh-huh.

Maria: It has a lot of beautiful old Portuguese architecture, and it's also the centre of African culture in Brazil.

Man: Really?

Maria: And the food! My gosh, it's so good! Spicy, but deli­cious!

Man: Oh, I love spicy food. It sounds really interesting. I can't wait to go there! Do you know a good travel agent?

A. Ask and answer questions on the text.

B. A visitor wants information about your country. What places do tourists like to visit? Why? Roleplay a conversation like the one above.

Execellent Suggestions

Alex: You've been to Paris, haven't you?

Brian: Yes. As a matter of fact, I used to live in Paris.

Alex: Well, I'm planning to visit there soon. I was wondering if you could recommend some things to do.

Brian: Sure. You should definitely go to Notre Dame Cathed­ral. You also ought to see the Palace of Versailles. And you must visit the Louvre.

Alex: Those sound like excellent suggestions. Can you recommend any good places to eat?

Brian: Yes. Make it a point to eat at "Maxim's". And if you go there, I suggest that you order the duck. It's delicious.

Alex: That sounds good.

Brian: Oh, and one more thing. Be sure to have someone take your picture in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Alex: I'll do that.

Brian: Is there anything else I can tell you about?

Alex: I don't think so. You've been very helpful. Thanks a lot.

Brian: Send me a postcard, will you?

Alex: Okay.

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A. Ask and answer questions.

B. Give a brief account of the conversation.

C. Roleplay the conversation.

D. Situation: Your friend has come to your hometown. Не/she wants to go sightseeing. You are telling your friend what is worth Seeing.

Going Places

Mike is planning to visit London. He is asking a Londoner for advice.

Mike: So, Mary, where are you from?

Mary: Well, I'm from Holland, originally... but now I live in

London. Mike: Oh, really? You know, I'm planning to go to London

on vacation some time next year. What time of the year

is best for sightseeing? Mary: Well... you should go either in spring or in autumn. You

see the weather is quite nice and warm then... Mike: Ah! Mary: In winter, it's just too cold and wet and in summer there

are too many tourists.

Mike: I see. And what do you think I should see in the city? Mary: Well, you must go to the theatre. Mike: Of course!

Mary: There are lots of West End shows... Mike: Mm — hmm. Mary: You know, musicals... drama... Mike: Sounds great! What about other cultural events? Mary: Well, there's dance... ballet, modern dance, lots of inter­national companies... Mike: Brilliant! Mary: and opera... and some very good London orchestras...

and often international ones, too. Mike: Uh-huh. What museums should I see? Mary: Well, you ought to see the British Museum a^d the

National Gallery. Mike: Yes.

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Магу: And then there's the Tate, if you like modern art. Mike: Definitely!.

Mary: They're all wonderful! And you must sample the res­taurants!

Mike: Of course! Mary: Londoners love eating all different kinds of food... Greek...

Chinese... Indonesian... Thai... Mike: Can't wait!

Mary: ...and some of them are really cheap! Mike: Good.

Mary: And then, of course, you should see the usual sight. seeing attractions... The Tower of London... StPaul's Cathe­dral... Big Ben... Mike: ...and Oxford Street? Mary: Well, Oxford Street isn't very exciting these days. Soho

is much more interesting...

Mike: But is it true that... I mean, everyone says Soho is dan­gerous...

Mary: I don't think so, really. Mike: No?

Mary: It's not nearly as bad as you see on TV and in films. But all the same you shouldn't carry too much money on you, or walk around by yourself very late at night anywhere ... just like in any other big city. Make: That makes sense! Thanks for the advice, Mary. I'm su­re I'll have a great time.

А. Questions

1. What time of the year is best for sightseeing in London? Why?

2. What is worth seeing in London?

B. Has anyone in your group visited an interesting country or city? Find out more about it. Start like this and ask questions like the ones below.

A: I visited Spain last summer. B: Did you enjoy it?

What's the best time of the year to visit? What's the weather like then?

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What should tourists see and do there? What's the food like? What's the shopping like? What things should people buy? What else should visitors do there?

C. Situation: You have returned from a foreign country. Your friend is going to that country in a week. Не/she is asking you about the things to see and do there.

D. What are the most popular cities and places in your country for foreign visitors? What are the three places you would most like to visit in the world?

E. Bring to class the pictures of a city you visited. Tell your classmates about the city.

F. How many capital cities have you been to? Which do you like the most/the least? Why?

G. What are the problems facing the capital cities that you know? What is being done about these problems?

//. Think of a place you have visited recently or which you would like to visit soon. Imagine you are there now. Write a postcard to your friend. Be sure to cover all these points:

a) Say where you are and describe something you have seen or done.

b) What are your impressions of this place?

c) What do you like or dislike about it?

d) What are you looking forward to doing?

e) Think of a few words to write at the end.

Listening

A Quiet life

When Mr Brown retired, he bought a small cottage in a seaside village. The cottage was built in fifteen eighty eight, but was in very good condition. Mr Brown was looking forward to a quiet life, but in the summer holidays he got a shock. Hundreds of tourists came to the seaside village. Mr Brown's cottage was the most

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interesting building in the village and many of the tourists came to see it. From morning till night there were tourists outside the cottage. They kept looking through the windows and many of them even went into Mr Brown's garden. This was too much for Mr Brown. He decided to drive the unwelcome visitors away, so he put a notice in the window. The notice said: "If you want to satisfy your curiosity, come in and look round. Price: ten pence." Mr Brown was sure that the visitors would stop coming but he was wrong. The number of the visitors increased and Mr Brown spent every day showing them round the cottage. "I came here to retire, not to work as a guide," he complained. In the end, he sold the cottage and bought a small modern house. It is an uninteresting little place and no one wants to see it. But it is certainly quiet and peaceful.

A. Questions

1. When was Mr Brown's cottage built? 2. Why had Mr Brown bought it? 3. Where was the cottage? 4. Why didn't Mr Brown like living there? 5. How did Mr Brown try to stop the visitors from coming? 6. What did Mr Brown do with the cottage? 7. What did he buy? 8. Why is he pleased with his small modern house?

Scottish Humour

A Scottish gentleman was spending his holidays in Vienna. The town was very beautiful and his guide was a very beautiful young lady too. She was his guide in the town and in the country. "I will have the best memories of her," he thought. Before he left he decided to give her some present to thank her for her kindness. He wanted to be sure that the present was something that she'd like. And he asked her what present she'd like best of all. "You know very well," she said, "that I like to look beautiful and to put on beautiful things. Give me something for my neck, for my fingers or for my ears." Next morning the Scottish gentleman appeared with a present. A diamond ring? A golden bracelet? No, it was a piece of soap.

A. Questions

1. Where was the Scottish gentleman spending his holidays? 2. Who was his guide? 3. Did he like her? 4. What did he decide to do to thank her for her kindness? 5. What present did the girl want to have? 6. What did the Scottish gentleman give her?

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The Mayor's Order

Long ago, when there were no street lamps in towns and cities, the mayor of a town ordered the people not to go out without lanterns. The next night he met a man in a street and said to him, "Do you know my order?" "Yes, I do," answered the man. "But you have no lantern," said the mayor. "Yes, I have," said the man. "But there is no candle in your lantern," said the mayor. "The order said nothing about candles," answered the man.

The next day the people of the town learnt a new order. The order said that people must put candles in their lanterns. In the evening the mayor met the same man. "Where is your lantern?" he asked. "Here it is," said the man and showed his lantern to the mayor. "But there is no candle in if," cried the mayor. "There is," said the man and showed the candle. "But you didn't light your candle," cried the angry mayor. "The order did not say that we must light the candles."

So the mayor gave a new order. It said that the people must light candles in their lanterns.

Reading

London

London has been a capital city for nearly a thousand years, and many of its ancient buildings still stand. The most famous of these are the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral, but most visitors also want to see the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace (the Queen's London home) and the many magnificent museums.

Once, London was a small Roman town on the north bank of the Thames, but slowly it grew into one of the world's major cities with more than eight million people. Fewer people live in the centre now, but the suburbs are still growing.

Places now in the heart of London, like Westminster, once stood in the middle of green fields. Many small villages, like Hampstead, Chelsea and Mayfair, became part of London, but they still keep some of their old atmosphere. Different areas of London seem like different cities. The West End is a rich man's world of shops, offices and theatres. The old port area is now

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called "Docklands". The great ships have gone, and the area is changing very fast. There are huge new office buildings and thousands of new flats and houses.

Other parts of London are changing, too. Some of the poorer areas have become fashionable, and people with more money are

moving into them.

A hundred years ago, the river was crowded with ships, leaving for Java and Japan, New Zealand and New York, but now people travel by air, and London's main airport, Heathrow, is one of the

busiest in the world.

Like all big cities, London has streets and concrete buildings, but it also has many big parks, full of trees, flowers and grass. These parks are both in the centre of the city and further out. It is the central parks which are the most famous.

St James's Park was first opened 450 years ago. It is very close to Buckingham Palace, and to the government offices in Whitehall. St James's Park is one often royal parks in and around London which are owned by the Crown but are open to the public free of charge. It is very attractive, with a long, narrow lake, which is occupied by ducks and other water birds.

Each park has its own character. Hyde Park, for example, was originally a hunting forest and is still popular with horseriders. Now it's famous for the Serpentine — the lake, and for Speakers' Corner, where you can listen to people giving their views on a variety of topics to anyone who will listen.

Kensington Gardens is next to Hyde Park, and it is very popular with both the old and the young. On warmer days there are always people at the Round Pond, where they come to sail their model

boats.

Regent's Park, which was originally a hunting park, is now the home of London Zoo, and an open air theatre which delights summer audiences with performances of Shakespeare's plays.

Many people live outside the centre of London in the suburbs, and they travel to work in the shops and offices by train, bus or underground. The trains are full — and expensive — and the roads are crowded with cars, but every day a million people make the journey. Some people come from far out of London, even from the coast, and spend up to four hours travelling every day.

Most people work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. From 8 until 10 every morning, and 4.30 to 6.30 every evening, the trains are crowded

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with people, and after the morning "rush hour" the shoppers come. By day the whole of London is busy. At night, the offices are quiet and empty, but the West End stays alive, because this is where Londoners come to enjoy themselves. There are two opera houses here, several concert halls and many theatres, as well as cinemas, and in nearby Soho the pubs, restaurants and nightclubs are busy half the night.

Many people think that London is all grey, but in fact red is London's favourite colour. The buses are red, the letter boxes are red and the mail vans are all bright, bright red. London is at its best when people are celebrating. Then the flags, the soldiers' uniforms, the cheering crowds and the carriages and horses all sparkle in the sunshine — if it's not raining, of course!

London has many large department stores, which sell eve­rything: shoes and shirts, paper and perfume, footballs and frying pans. The most expensive department store is Harrods in Knight-sbridge. You can buy almost anything in Harrods, and you know you're getting the best.

The smartest and most expensive shops are in Knightsbridge, but more people come to Oxford Street, London's most popular shopping centre. Most of the hundreds of shops sell clothes or shoes. The street is more than a mile long. There are several big department stores in Oxford Street. The best known are Selfridges, John Lewis and Marks and Spencer.

Oxford Street has the most shops, but in some ways King's Road in Chelsea is more fun. This is where fashionable young Londoners buy their clothes in the many small "boutiques".

You can buy what you like in the big shops, but the small markets have a lot to offer too. There are several big street markets in London, and many small ones. Some markets are open only one day a week. Go to Portobello Road on Saturday, or to Petticoat Lane on Sunday. Covent Garden market is open every day. Come here for antiques, old clothes, hand-made jewellery and many other rather special things.

British restaurants have not always been famous for their good food. Too often, they offered only fried food and chips with everything. But now, healthy food is in fashion and so is international cooking.

The British have taken good ideas from all over the world. You can eat Chinese, Indian, French, Italian and Greek food in

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any big city, and in London there's a fantastic variety of restau­rants.

Most British families only go to restaurants on special occasions, like birthdays, or wedding anniversaries. The restaurants' best customers are business people, who meet in them to talk business in a relaxed atmosphere away from the telephone. They can eat what they like because the company pays the bill! But when a man and a woman want to get to know each other better, they often go out to a restaurant together. After all, it's easier to talk in a quiet atmosphere, with soft music, wine and good food.

For visitors to London, eating out can be fun. Try Rules in the West End. The traditional menu and decor are just like they were in Queen Victoria's day, a hundred years ago. Or take a walk round Soho or Covent Garden where there are dozens of small restaurants.

But if you want that special London feeling, go to the Ritz in Piccadilly for tea any afternoon at about half past four. Too expensive? Then try England's favourite food — fish and chips. Take it away and eat it where you like — in the park, on the bus or while you walk down the street. That's what Londoners do!

Self check

I. First read these rather gloomy comments made by an unhappy town resident.

"Recently they've built a lot of skyscraper blocks here. I think they've made the town look ugly. And they're going to build more. They're going to demolish an area of terraced houses, and build flats, offices, a car park and a shopping area. In fact, when I walked past the area yesterday they were demolishing the first house. They're destroying the town, these council planners. People have sent in hundreds of protests, but it hasn't had any effect. They've taken their decision, and that's that. They're destroying the quality of life in the town."

Now, basing your answers on the passage, finish the sentences below, using the passive.

Example

More skyscraper blocks...

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Answer

More skyscraper blocks are going to be built.

1. A lot of skyscraper blocks... 2. The town... 3. An area of terraced houses... 4. A shopping area... 5. When I walked past the area... 6. The town... by these council planners. 7. Hundreds of protests... 8. Their decision... 9. The quality of life in the town...

II. Insert the correct articles (if necessary).

Black Gold

A. For many years Aberdeen has been one of (1) most important towns in (2) Scotland. On (3) north-east coast, it has been important for (4) fishing and for its port for (5) long time. (6) Forestry, (7) paper-making and (8) textiles are also important, and so is (9) manufacture of (10) whisky.

In some ways it is similar to many other towns. But there is more. It has (11) old and famous university, one of (12) oldest in (13) Europe (1494), and some of (14) best scenery on (15) British Isles.

In 1969 Britain produced its first oil from (16) North Sea. Since then Aberdeen has changed. Between 1969 and 1981 (17) oil and gas industry brought more than 500 new companies into (18) city. Since (19) start of (20) oil industry (21) harbour has become larger and much busier.

For (22) last fifteen years or more Aberdeen has been (23) international city. You can hear (24) Americans and (25) Euro­peans in (26) shops and (27) hotels. (28) number of (29) air passengers has increased 540 per cent since 1973, and (30) port is (31) biggest in (32) world.

Since 1494 this city of (33) quarter of (34) million people has been (35) educational centre. It is now also (36) industrial and entertainment centre for (37) north-east Scotland, and more than that, it's (38) oil capital of (39) Europe.

B. Jim Stewart is returning to Aberdeen after twenty years. His old school friend meets him at (1) airport.

Jim: Am I in (2) wrong place? This doesn't look like (3) old airport. What's happened?

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Friend: Eh, you've been away for several years, Jim. Since they

found (4) oil this place hasn't been (5) same. Jim: Ah, but you haven't changed a bit! Friend: I've got (6) bit less hair and (7) few more inches around

(8) waist. Mary's (9) good cook. Here, let's getyour bags... Jim: That building's new, isn't it? Friend: Yes, it's one of (10) new oil companies. It's been there

since, oh, I forgot (11) date. Anyway, for quite (12) long

time.

Jim: It's fantastic! Friend: Oh, I remember now. 1971. It's been there since about '71.

It was (13) old cinema before that. Jim: Oh, I remember that cinema. I took Fiona there...

UNIT 11 GRAMMAR: PARTICIPLE

Present participle (as adjective)

Jim: That banging door is getting on my nerves. I ha­ven't slept at all tonight. I might as well get up and make a cup of tea.

Jean: That's an interesting idea. You could close the door at the same time.

Jim: Oh! What's that flashing light over there? My goodness! It's a police car. What do they want?

Policeman (at the door): Sorry to disturb you, sir, but have you noticed a strong burning smell? I'm afraid your garage has already burned to the ground!

|USE1| In front of nouns

eg The amazing thing about the whole situation was that they were able to live for so long without water.

|USE2| After be

eg It is exciting.

The news sounds alarming. She looks appealing.

The most common present participles as adjectives are:

amazing exciting shocking

amusing frightening surprising

confusing interesting tiring

embarrassing pleasing worrying

Present partici -t (introducing an adjectival phrase)

Forester: Do you see those pine trees standing to the right of us?

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The whitish-looking ones with no leaves. Tourist: Yes. Why do they look different from all the

others?

Forester: The leaves lying on the ground give us the ans­wer. And the little insects running around all over the tree trunks will kill off the trees here. Within the next six months you will be standing in a graveyard containing only a few rotten tree trunks. Tourist: Can't the authorities do anything about it?

[USE] We can use a present participle to introduce an adjectival phrase in order to give extra information about a noun.

eg The man swimming through the water is my uncle. (= The man who is swimming through the water is my uncle.) The train arriving on platform four is one hour late. (= The train which is arriving on platform four is one hour late.)

Present participle (introducing an adverbial phrase)

Shouting loudly and waving his arms, the fat shopkeeper ran down the road. A few feet in front of him a small, thin man was sprinting away. Laughing loudly, he shouted back to the shopkeeper: "You'll never catch me. You'll never get your money back." Concentrating on his conversation with the shopkeeper, the thief had not noticed the small boy playing with his roller skates.

Bending quickly, the boy unstrapped a skate and rolled it in front of the man. The thief put his foot on to it and fell flat on his back with a bang.

| USE) Showing how, why or when

The present participle (-ing) is used to talk about an action that happens at the same time as another action, (a simultaneous action)

— I walked out of the room smiling to myself. (= When I walked out of the room I was smiling to myself.)

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— I had an accident driving to work. (= I had an accident while I was driving to work.)

The present participle as an adverbial modifier may come after the conjunctions while or when:

Jane ate her dinner while sitting in front of the television.

You can also use an -ing phrase to explain the reason why something happens.

— Knowing you wanted to go to the concert, I bought a ti­cket for you. (= because I knew you wanted to go to the concert)

— Not having a car, she finds it difficult to get around. (= because she doesn't have a car)

Perfect participle (introducing an adverbial phrase)

[USE I Showing how, why or when

The perfect participle (having done) is used when one action happens before another action, (a prior action)

— Having found a hotel, they looked for somewhere to ha­ve dinner.

— Having finished our work, we went home.

You could also say After — ing:

After finishing our work, we went home.

If the second action happens immediately after the first, you can use the simple -ing form (doing instead of having done):

— Taking a key out of his pocket, he opened the door. These structures are used mainly in written English.

Present participle (after verbs of perception)

Jane: One lunchtime Jim and I left the office and went right down to the harbour. It was lovely. We wat-

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ched boats sailing by and listened to the birds

singing.

Sally: Weren't you worried that you'd be late back? Jane: Not at all. We even paddled and felt the cool w ater

rolling over our feet! It was idyllic. Sally: Very romantic! But what happened? Did you get

back on time? Jane: Not quite, but fortunately nobody noticed us

coming in.