Иностранный язык (английский язык). Сборник упражнений по переводу и разговорной речи. Учебное пособие

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Составление развернутого, аргументированного высказывания на иностранном языке с учетом индивидуальных предпочтений и особенностей является основной задачей. Прочитайте выбранный текст и начните с перевода. Попробуйте сократить или упростить текст. Найдите синонимические ряды основных лексических конструкций, поработайте с антонимами. Выберите и заучите слова и выражения из текстов, если они подходят для вас и описывают вашу ситуацию. Механическое заучивание всего текста не допускается.

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Topic 1

Me and my family

My family is not large. It consists of four people: my mother, my father, my younger brother and me. My mom is forty. She works as a skilled doctor and is respected by her colleagues as a highly qualified specialist. She is a very nice woman. She is tall and thin. She has big brown eyes, her hair is long and fair. My dad is smart and athletic. He is an engineer by his profession. He spends much time at work and travels on business a lot. He tries to keep fit and goes to the gym regularly. My brother is at school; he is very good at math and studies well. In his free time, he plays computer games and goes to a sport club. My granny does not live with us but we come to see her very often. As for me, I am a second-year student of Higher School of Print and Media Technologies of Saint Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design. My major is IT technologies in media design. In my free time I do some sports (now I play basketball in my University team), watch films and read books. I want to use English in my future work. I try to spend much time with my family. In the evenings we often have a meal together and share our thoughts and ideas. Sometimes we go to the theatre or to a concert. When the weather is fine, we like to go for a walk. I love my family very much.

Topic 2

My role model

Famous people, who make a lot of money, are teenagers admiration. However, they do not even know their personality. I think admiration is a kind of respect. Nevertheless, there are not many people in this world who have that kind of respect from me. My father is the only person who entered my life and made me look at things differently.

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The first reason that I admire my father is that he teaches me about life experience. Experience is what you learn as you go through your life. As a child, you always learned that people really nice and generous. That is not true. As you step into the real world, you will see the people’s real faces. When I was not happy and depressed, I just didn’t show it but my father said to me that I could express my feelings. When I feel sad, I can talk to him now. I won’t feel better unless I share my feelings with him.

He takes care for his family first before he can take care of him is the second reason why I admire my father. My father always takes care of me and our family first before he can take care of himself. For example, he recommended me to get education at the university, he taught me to drive our car and made me get a driving licence at the age of eighteen. He doesn’t make a fuss about anything. He is always calm, generous and thoughtful. He is respected at work. I love my father, he is indispensable. Nobody had ever done so much for me and there will be no one who would do the same things like my father.

Topic 3

Leisure and entertainment. Friends and friendship

In the modern world people are short of time and they have to plan if they want to have a rest. Sometimes spare time’s only the weekend. In my point of view rest is as important as work. So I try to have a good time in the best way possible for me.

On the one hand I like spending my free time with the close people who has the same interests. I also like to stay alone at home, when I’m tired and I don’t want to see anybody and talk to anybody, very often I would like to leave a noisy city and go away to the countryside. On the other hand I may go to different places in the city such as disco clubs, art galleries, cinema, theatre, concerts halls.

I have some friends who like to broaden their mind during their free time. I think it’s a good idea to go to the library where I can read a lot of interesting books in the reading room to get ready for my studies. It’s impossible for me to read in bed because I come back home late at night. Or I can go to the museums and art galleries where I can see the works of famous painters and sculptors of all times. I can spend hours in front of my computer in search for knowledge.

If you want to be as fit as a fiddle, you can do sport. There are many sports clubs, swimming-pools, and sport grounds. Sport will give you strength and energy.

Moreover, there are less energetic activities, such as board games. For example, chess, cards, crosswords.

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I have a hobby. It helps me relax, dream and enjoy my life. There are so many hobbies to choose: painting, computer programming, photography, fishing, gardening, cooking, walking, learning languages, collecting something. So my hobby is walking over long distances. It really helps to release the tension and refresh the mind. Tastes differ. I think if I can choose a hobby according to my character and taste I am lucky.

Travelling is also a good way to spend my free time. Visiting new places, seeing sights and meeting new people is a very exciting and useful relaxation.

People like dreaming but each person chooses his or her own way of spending free time, either passive or active. In any case leisure should be refreshment and a source of inspiration.

Topic 4

English holidays

There are many holidays widely celebrated in the UK. The main are Christmas, New Year, Easter and Halloween.

Christmas is celebrated on 25 December with Christmas tree, Christmas chicken staffed with apples and Santa putting his presents for good children in stockings wearing over the chimney.

When talking about the New Year in Britain, one cannot forget telling about the traditional custom of First Footers on the New Year’s Day. It is believed that the first person over the threshold on the New Year’s Day will dictate the luck brought to the particular house in the New Year. This tradition is mainly followed in Scotland and Northern Ireland with the first footers bringing in a piece of coal, bread and whisky while crossing the threshold.

Easter is the most important festival in the Christian church year. It begins with Good Friday. Easter falls on a different day each year because Easter Sunday is the Sunday after the first full moon after the first day of spring (21 March). Easter eggs, Easter Rabbit (Easter Bunny) and sending Easter cards are tradition not only in Britain.

On 31 October English people celebrate Halloween, thought to be the one night of the year when ghosts, witches, and fairies are especially active. No one really knows the origins of Halloween. What we do know for sure is that Halloween is on the eve of a major Catholic festival, All Saints (the 1st of November) and the eve of the pagan Celtic festival known as Samhain. Pumpkin lanterns and orange-and-black garlands decorate the houses; people usually have carnivals and wear scary masks and costumes of witches and ghosts.

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Besides these big holidays Britain has less known but very specific holidays, for example Bonfire night celebrated on 5 November.

Four hundred years ago, in 1605, a man called Guy Fawkes and a group of plotters attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London with barrels of gunpowder placed in the basement. They wanted to kill King James and the king’s leaders. It was a small group of Catholics who felt that the government was treating Roman Catholics unfairly. They hoped that King James 1st would change the laws, but he did not. Their plot failed and the plotters were executed.

Throughout England, towns and villages people light huge bonfires, let off magnificent fireworks, burn an effigy (a homemade model of a man, like a scarecrow) and celebrate the fact the Parliament and James I were not blown sky high by Guy Fawkes.

As well as burning effigy of Guy Fawkes, the bonfires are used to cook potatoes wrapped in foil and to heat up soup for the crowds that come to watch the fireworks. The traditional cake eaten on bonfire night is Parkin Cake, a sticky cake containing a mix of oatmeal, ginger, treacle and syrup. Other foods include sausages cooked over the flames and marshmallows toasted in the fire.

There is one more very specific British holiday - the Queen’s Official Birthday which is now celebrated on the first, second, or third Saturday in June, and is marked in London by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour, which is also known as the Queen’s Birthday Parade. The Queen’s Official Birthday does not coincide with when she was born. Edward VII (who reigned 1901–1910, and whose birthday was in November) moved the ceremony to the summer in the hope of good weather.

Other British holidays are St Valentine’s Day celebrated now all over the world on the 14 of February with traditional sweetheart cards and presents, Mother’s Day (celebrated 3 weeks before the Easter), St. Patrick’s Day (the greatest Irish holiday celebrated on the 17 of March) and April Fool’s Day (on the 1 of April).

Topic 5

Russian holidays

Like the whole world, Russian people love celebrating their holidays. Celebrations in Russia reflect many aspects of its history, culture and traditions. Some Russian festivities are official public holidays and government offices, schools and banks have their days off. These are New Year (January, 1st – 5th), Orthodox Christmas (January, 7th), Defender of the Motherland Day (February, 23rd), International Women’s Day (March, 8th), Spring and Labour

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Day (May, 1st), Victory Day (May, 9th), Russia Day (June, 12th), National Unity Day (November, 4th) and Constitution Day (December, 12th).

The Russians usually celebrate holidays with plenty of food and presents. The most popular holiday is New Year’s Day. Russian people decorate fir-trees, cook delicious meals, make fireworks. All children wait for Father Frost and his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snowmaid) to get presents from them. On Christmas people visit their relatives and friends and tell fortunes.

Defender of the Motherland Day is also known as Men’s Day because all Russian men and boys, active servicemen and war veterans get warm greetings and special presents from their families, friends and colleagues. International Women’s Day has been celebrated in Russia since 1913 and it is the day for all mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and girlfriends. Spring and Labour Day appeared in Russia on the 1st of May in 1890 after the strike of Chicago workers who demanded an 8-hour working day.

Victory Day is a sacred and dramatic holiday for Russia. The whole country commemorates millions of victims of the Great Patriotic war. Russia Day became a national holiday after the Declaration of Sovereignty was adopted in 1991. Moreover, National Unity Day commemorates the liberation of Moscow from Polish occupation in 1612 and is celebrated with parades. Constitution Day is a celebration of the adoption of the Russian Federation Constitution in 1993.

Unofficial Russian holidays are also observed. There are religious and foreign celebrations among them: Old New Year (January, 14th), St. Valentine’s Day (February, 14th), Orthodox Easter Sunday, Maslenitsa (Shrovetide), Cosmonaut’s Day (April, 12th), Halloween (October, 30th) and Mothering Sunday (in November).

Some Russians celebrate the New Year according to the Julian calendar that was used in Russia before 1918 and they call this holiday Old New Year. Easter is always celebrated with painted eggs and church services. Maslenitsa is a holiday of meeting the Russian spring with such rituals as eating pancakes and burning a dummy of winter.

Topic 6

Friendship and my best friend

According to the dictionary friendship is a feeling and behaviour that exist between people, but what these feelings are and what this behaviour is everyone should decide for himself. I consider that friendship is a gift from the God. That’s why I highly appreciate it. I think it is hard to find a close

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friend because people are unique creatures of nature, all of them have their own habits, opinions and judgments which differ from others.

It makes sense to say that friendship can be compared to a tree. Its seed should find good soil and under favourable conditions it will grow into a tree. As the years go by the tree stands firmer and firmer on the ground and if it is strong enough it will survive all the storms and winds, but to help it we should take care of it and love it.

In my opinion lucky are the people who have real friends. As for me I’m happy to have lots of friends, some of them are close, some are less, but all of them make my life interesting and enjoyable and I can’t imagine my life without them, because friendship means very much for me. Being friends means making allowances for the other person’s faults, being tolerant to each other moods. The most important thing about friends for me is being able to share secrets, to tell each other your problems and share your worries, to help each other out.

In my opinion an ideal friend should possess such qualities as honesty, sincerity, faith, tolerance and respect in attitude to you. A friend is a person who can help you in no time, lend you a hand, whom you can wake up in the middle of the night just to say you feel worried or who is eager to do everything for you waiting nothing in return, who supports you in all your beginnings and who will never betray you. A really close and devoted friend can be not only the same sex as you. It does not matter your best friend is a girl or a boy. I think that her or his soul, character and attitude to you are considerably more important. I disagree with people who say that boys are better friends than girls. Such people think that a boy friend can never spread false stories about you or tell your secrets to the entire world, but to my mind it depends on his moral qualities. I knew one boy who began to spread stories about me, saying I was dishonest, unreliable and impudent, when we broke our relations, but I still actually believe in friendship between fellows and girls, in fact I have equal amount of boys and girls among my close friends.

Nevertheless it isn’t an easy thing to be a true friend and before somebody can name you his best friend you should prove your friendship. Everyone can have only one or two true friends, because a friend to all is a friend to none. I believe that faithful friend can brighten your life and make it more interesting, vivid and enjoyable. You are interested in your friend with all his positive and negative traits of personality and your friend in his turn can understand and forgive you everything. You shouldn’t tell a lie to your friend, there mustn’t be hypocrisy in your speech and even in thoughts. Before telling your friend something, before doing anything you should think a lot and guess what kind influence it will render

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on him and on his life. Therefore, I think that it is difficult to be a real friend, but in reality all of us try to achieve the ideal of a true friend.

I am sure you will agree that nowadays there are various ways of acquaintance. Some people make friends when they are travelling or on weddings, others prefer to find friends with the help of newspapers or the Internet. Somebody can get acquainted with his future friend when he even doesn’t expect it, for example, when he simply walks in a park or goes anywhere by public transport.

I believe that friendship should be sincere. In my opinion, your friend should be attentive to you, he or she should be reliable, honest and he or she should trust you, because, I think, trust probably the most important feeling that exists between friends, but it never appears by itself, it is the result of a long friendship.

Topic 7

My home

Humans have always been dreaming of living in a luxurious house and accordingly my dream is also similar with the other human beings. I want to live in a large and luxurious house as I do not want experience any challenge with my living at home.

The house should be a duplex building with spacious rooms and corridors. There should be ample space for movement after placing the furniture. Besides, the rooms need to be well ventilated and south facing is preferable. Generally, the south-faced houses have natural light and air supply. So, one does not need to spend more bucks after electricity or arrangement for artificial air coolers. Besides, the houses should also contain several bedrooms. The living room needs to be spacious as I have to place a wide range of furniture than the regular living rooms in the tiny apartments. Besides, the house should have sufficient numbers of bathrooms with modern fittings and facilities. I would like to have a balcony with my bedroom facing the south side from where I could smell the fragrance from the garden. At the night times, I will place a chair on the balcony to enjoy the night views, especially the moonlit nights.

Though I love rural regions more than the urban areas for a tranquil environment, I wish to have the house at the corner of an urban street. I chose to live in a corner of the city for several reasons. First, such corner areas are usually free of the bustle of the cities. Since there are few crowds, the noise level remains at a minimum level that is pleasant. Secondly, the cities are blessed with modern facilities which are unavailable in the rural areas. The connections of the internet or large shopping malls or standard groceries are not available. But I need those to lead my life. Generally, the rural areas are quiet and I

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will create such an environment around my house. But if the house is in the centre or middle of any street, it is impossible to bring the rural flavour inside the house. If I surround the house with foliage and gardens, it will look like a large house in the rural areas. Moreover, I will have access to the necessary places and public transportation facilities which are also rare in the rural areas.

The house should have all the modern amenities and facilities. It should have a telephone connection to link with the rest of the world in line with my cellular phone. Besides, internet connection with satellite television network is a must. I usually do not watch television but my parents do. For them, I need to have a satellite television network. The house should also have a fine garage to keep my Porsche 911 (though older, the car is of great use) with me. A small driveway is a plus with the garage. The doors should be made with the finest woods while the windows would be made of Thai glass without any grills or restrictions. The roof of the house should also be large and I intend to grow some small plants on the rooftop garden. Besides, the entire building should have the opportunity to be covered with small plants that go attached to the walls. The other issues like the fittings, tiles and necessary elements in the kitchen and bathrooms should be of the top class.

I generally prefer to live in a large house for its benefits. I have been born and brought up into a large house and being a nuclear family we did not have many family members except the three of us (my parents and me). So, I had ample spaces to move on inside the house and play around the day. So, the habit of living in a large house has been formed since my early childhood. I cannot live in small apartments and those appear like a cage to me. Breathing becomes difficult (literally). Besides, I also need a quiet place to live in. So, I need a large house with all the available facilities of the modern days and at the same time, it should be peaceful. Neither my parents nor I prefer noise and do not make so as well. A silent environment in a large house is the most desired thing for me and my family.

A house of my dream

People like dreaming. When they dream, they hope for better things in their life, for example, money, education, expensive cars, different positions at work and welfare. I would like to tell you about my dream house. I am going to build it not far from a lake with crystal water where there are a lot of trees. I would live there with my family. I hope my house is to be a three-storeyed building. There would be a lot of flowers around my house. It’s necessary to have a garage and a parking place. If there were a small forest, we could walk and listen to the sounds of nature.

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In the house on the ground floor there would be a living room with a fireplace. This room must be very sunny and warm. There would be comfortable furniture to sit and relax in the evenings. I think it’s necessary to have home cinema and satellite receiver. On the ground floor there would be a kitchen and a dining room. I really enjoy cooking myself. My friends would come to see me and taste my delicious food.

Then a wide staircase takes you to the first floor where there are four bedrooms. It would be nice to have a room for guests. Two rooms are for children where there are a lot of modern toys to play with. I like to read books and I have a good collection of foreign, Russian and history books, that is why I need a library and a study to work on my computer. There would not be much furniture in the house but only necessary pieces.

On the third floor there would be a gym. In the gym fitness machines, a race track, a tennis table are good not only for health but for entertainment. Our house is a beautiful place at any time of the year. In winter it’s warm and cosy, in summer it’s cool because there is a good ventilation system. I would like to have many different electrical appliances in our house. They make our life more comfortable. Moreover, the house should have access to continuous civic facilities like gas, water and electricity supply.

Our house looks peaceful and calm. I want to live in such a house for many reasons. I would like to work for an international company and I will be very busy. Moreover, I need to plan and make some strategic decisions. I need a comfortable place to think over the matters. Therefore, I want to live there.

Topic 8

My native city and my favourite sights

St. Petersburg is the second largest city of Russia. Its population is about 5 million people. St. Petersburg is an important, cultural and educational centre. The total area is 606 sq. km.

The city originated as a sea port. It was founded in 1703 by the Russian tsar Peter I and at that time was Russia’s only outlet to high seas. In 1712 it became the Russian capital city and remained the capital until 1918, when the capital city was moved back to Moscow. In 1914, the WWI broke out, the city’s original name St. Petersburg (a German word meaning the city of St. Peter) was changed into Petrograd (which was a mere translation from German into Russian). In 1924, after the death of Vladimir Lenin, the head of the first Soviet government, the city was renamed Leningrad. Then in 1991, as a result of an opinion poll of the city’s residents, its original name St. Petersburg was restored.

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St. Petersburg is a wonderful city: at every turn there is something to catch your eye. The Winter Palace, the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the Admiralty building attract thousands of tourists from every corner of the world.

There are a lot of theatres, museums, art galleries and concert halls in St. Petersburg. Many famous musicians and theatre companies come here on tours. You can listen to any music you like and watch any play. If you like classic music, you can go to the State Kapella or to the Big or Small Halls of Philharmonic Society. If you like jazz, you can go to Jazz Clubs. If you like modern pop music, you can go to concert halls. If you like rock you can go to various clubs. If you enjoy opera and ballet, you can go to opera and ballet houses. You can watch different plays in many different theatres, the most famous is the Big Drama Theatre.

St. Petersburg is famous for its museums. If you like fine art, you can spend years in the State Hermitage. My favourite museum is the Hermitage. The Hermitage contains the richest collection of pictures in the world. The second richest museum in the world, or in the State Russian Museum. If you are interested in architecture, you can go on excursion to multiple palaces and cathedrals of the city and its suburbs. Alternatively, you can just walk around the city, which is a monument as it is. If you are interested in science, you can go to the Zoological Museum, the Kunstkamera, the Zoo or the Botanic Garden. If you like sports, you can go and watch a football or hockey game. There are many cinemas in our city, which show films to all tastes.

The city is called the Northern Venice because there are 65 rivers, arms and canals with artistically decorated bridges. The Neva is the longest river of St. Petersburg. The rivers freeze in winter time and stay under ice from early December until early April.

The weather is very changeable in St. Petersburg but the coldest month is February and the warmest month is July. St. Petersburg is famous for its white night. The white nights of Saint-Petersburg last for 52 days starting on the 26th of May and ending on the 16th of July. I like St. Petersburg very much.

Topic 9

Travelling

Almost all people are fond of travelling. It is very interesting to see places, other cities and countries. In fact each nationality has its own different aim of travelling. The Americans want to take photos of themselves. The idea is simply to collect documentary proof that they have visited places of interest.

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