Easy English (начальный этап обучения). Учебно-методическое пособие для студентов младших курсов средних специальных учебных заведений

Complete the table:

Use the following words:

acrobatics — акробатика aerobics — аэробика alpinism — альпинизм archery — стрельба из лука arm wrestling — армрестлинг athletics — атлетика

auto cross-country — автокросс baseball — бейсбол

basketball — баскетбол biathlon — биатлон boat racing — гребля boxing — бокс

chess — шaхматы

cross-country — бег по пересечённой местности; гонки по пересечённой местности

cycle racing — велогонка football — футбол

golf — гольф

gymnastics — гимнастика hockey — хоккей

horse racing — скачки judo — дзюдо

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karate — каратэ mountaineering — альпинизм

parachute jumping — прыжок с парашютом pentathlon — пентатлон, пятиборье

polo — поло (командная игра в мяч верхом на лошадях)

race — состязание в беге или в скорости; гонка, гонки; скачки; бега rally — ралли, авторалли

running — бег shaping — шейпинг shooting — стрельба

skating — катание на коньках skiing — катание на лыжах struggle — борьба

surfing — сёрфинг swimming — плавание tennis — теннис volleyball — волейбол walking — ходьба

windsurfing — виндсёрфинг

Dialogue “Do you like sport?”

-Kevin, do you like sport?

-Yes, of course. And you?

-Yes, I do. I love football. I enjoy playing it and I like watching it on TV. I also go to the gym to keep fit.

-Cool!

-And you?

-I’m not a football fan. I like boxing. I also go to the swimming pool twice a week. In winter I usually ski and skate with my friends.

-I also like winter sports. I adore snowboarding and Alpine skiing. It’s very exciting.

-And dangerous too.

-Yeah, sometimes …

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-Soon there will be the Olympic Games. Are you going to watch them?

-Yes, I am. I like the Opening Ceremony. It’s very beautiful. And you?

-I like watching biathlon and figure skating.

-Sounds interesting. And I’m going to watch ski jumping, snowboarding, bobsleigh and skeleton.

Topic 2

Christmas

Christmas is Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. For millions of Christians throughout the world it is the happiest and the busiest time of the year. No one knows the exact date of Christ’s birth but most Christians celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December. The word Christmas comes from an early English phrase that means Mass of Christ.

People of different countries celebrate Christmas in various ways. They decorate their homes with Christmas trees, wreaths and ornaments. City streets are filled with coloured lights; the sound of bells and Christmas carols can be heard everywhere.

Children write letters to Santa Claus and tell him what presents they would like to get. Many department stores hire people to wear a Santa

Claus costume and listen to children’s requests. People send Christmas cards to relatives and friends. Many companies give presents to their employees.

A Christmas tree is one of the main symbols of Christmas in most homes. Relatives and friends decorate the tree with lights, tinsel, and

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colourful ornaments. Presents are placed under the tree. On Christmas Eve

or Christmas morning, families open their presents.

Many children believe that Santa Claus arrives on Christmas Eve in a

sleigh pulled by reindeer and brings presents. Some children hang up

stockings so Santa Claus can fill them with candy, fruit and other small

gifts.

In many English-speaking countries groups of people walk from

house to house and sing Christmas carols. Some people give singers

money or small gifts or invite them for a warm drink.

Many people attend church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas

morning. They listen to readings from Bible and singing of Christmas

carols.

A traditional Christmas dinner consists of roast turkey, mashed

potatoes, cranberry sauce and a variety of other dishes. Some families have

ham or roast goose instead of turkey. Pumpkin pie, plum pudding, and

fruitcake are favourite desserts.

Vocabulary

Birth – рождение

Throughout – по всему

Exact – точный

Various – разный, различный

Wreath – венок

Ornament – украшение

To be filled with – быть заполненным

Coloured lights – цветные огоньки

Bell –колокольчик

Carols – рождественские гимны

To hire – нанимать

Request – просьба

Employee – служащий

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Join – присоединяться

Tinsel – блестки, мишура

To place – помещать, ставить

Sleigh – сани

To pull – тащить, тянуть

Reindeer – олени

To hang up – вешать

Stockings – чулочки (или носочки) для подарков

Gift – подарок

Church service – богослужение

Ham – ветчина

Roast goose – жареный гусь

Plum pudding – сливовый пудинг

Answer the questions:

1.What do people celebrate on Christmas?

2.When is Christmas celebrated?

3.What do people decorate their homes with?

4.Why do children write letters to Santa Claus?

5.What is one of the main symbols of Christmas?

6.Do people attend church services on Christmas?

7.What is a traditional Christmas dinner?

8.What are favourite desserts?

Complete the sentences:

-Christmas is a Christian holiday that …

-Christmas is celebrated …

-People decorate …

-Children write letters …

-People send …

-… is one of the main symbols of Christmas. It is decorated with …

-Presents are placed …

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-Santa Claus arrives on …

-In many English-speaking countries groups of people …

-At the church people listen to …

-A traditional Christmas dinner consists of …

-… are favourite desserts.

About the Birth of Jesus (Bible Story)

The birth of Jesus took place in this way.

His mother Mary has been promised to Joseph to be his wife. But before they came together, she was found to be with Child by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband was an honorable man and did not want to disgrace her. So he decided to divorce her secretly.

After Joseph had thought about it, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take your wife Mary home with you: for her Child is from the Holy Spirit. She will have a son and you will name Him JESUS, because He will save His people from their sins.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord`s angel had commanded. He took his wife home with him and she had a son. And he named Him JESUS.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea when Herod was king. Then

Wise Men came from the east to Jerusalem. “Where is the Child who was born King of the Jews?” they asked. “We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

When King Herod heard about it, he became alarmed and all Jerusalem with him. He called together all the ruling priests and tried to

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find out from them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in

Judea,” they told him.

Then Herod secretly called the Wise Men and found out from them the exact time the star appeared. As he sent them to Bethlehem, he said:

“Go and search carefully for the little Child, and when you find Him, report to me so that I too may go and bow down before Him.”

After hearing the king, they started out. And there was a star they had seen in the east. It led them on until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was. They were extremely happy to see the star. They went into the house and saw the little Child with His mother Mary. They knelt and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasure chests and offered Him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

But God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went back to their country by another road.

After the Wise Men left, Joseph in a dream saw an angel of the lord, who said: “Get up, take the little Child and His mother and flee to Egypt.

Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill

Him.” Joseph got up at night, took the little Child and His mother, and went to Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod.

When Herod saw that the Wise Men had tricked him, he became very angry and sent men to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and in all the country around it, up to two years old.

But when Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to

Joseph in Egypt and told him: “Get up, take the little Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel. Those who tried to kill the little Child are dead.”

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Vocabulary

Promise – обещать

The Holy Spirit – Святой дух

Honorable – благородный, порядочный

Disgrace – опозорить, обесчестить

Divorce – дать развод

The Lord – Господь

Appear – появляться

Sins – грехи

Wise Men – волхвы

The Jews – иудеи, евреи

Worship – поклоняться, чтить

Alarmed – встревоженный, обеспокоенный

Priest – священник

Find out – выяснять

Exact - точный

Bow down – поклониться

Lead on – led – led – вести, указывать дорогу

Kneel – knelt – knelt – преклонять колена

Treasure chest – сундук с сокровищами

Gift – дар, подарок

Frankincense – ладан

Myrrh – мирра

Warn – предупреждать, предостерегать

Flee – спасаться бегством

Trick – обмануть

Dialogue “Choosing a present”

-Christmas is coming. Have you bought all the presents, Gill?

-No, I haven’t. I have bought presents for my friends but I don’t know what to buy for my parents and for my sister. Can you help me?

-Well, it’s rather difficult. Let me think … What does your sister like?

Does she have any hobby?

-She like reading and travelling.

-Then give her some interesting book!

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-She has a lot of books in her room.

-Hmm … She also like travelling … What about a new photo album to keep travel memories?

-A good idea! She is fond of photography and she has a lot of pics.

-And now let’s choose something nice for your parents. What about a beautiful lamp for their bedroom?

-They have two lamps on their bedside tables.

-Do they have a good alarm-clock?

-Yes, they do. They seem to have everything.

-I see. Maybe your parents will be glad to get the mugs with their photos and a box of chocolates, won’t they?

-I like this idea. Thank you for advice!

-You are welcome.

Topic 3

The History of Great Britain

In prehistoric times Britain was a part of the continent. The first people came there over dry land. The present English Channel which separates Britain from Europe appeared at the end of the Ice Age. The first inhabitants of the island came from the Iberian Peninsula where Spain is located after 3000 BC. After 2000 BC people from the east of Europe entered the country. The two peoples intermixed.

After 800 BC the Celts arrived from Central Europe. The name

“Britain” comes from the name of a Celtic tribe known as the Britons. In

55 BC. Julius Caesar, the Roman ruler, invaded Britain. The Celts fought well and he left the country. In 54 BC he invaded the country with a larger

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army. The Celts were defeated. He made the Celts pay a regular tribute to Rome. In 43 AD the country was conquered by the Romans. The Romans built many towns and connected them by good roads. The largest of the towns was called Londinium. The town was built on the river Thames. The occupation continued till the beginning of the 5th century (410 AD).

By the end of the 5th century the greater part of the country was occupied by Germanic tribes: the Jutes, the Saxons and the Angles. In 829 the greater part of the country was united under the name England. The northern part was called Scotland. In the 11th century a united Scottish kingdom was formed.

In 1066 William the Conqueror and his people came to England from Normandy in France. The French language became the official language of the ruling class for the next three centuries. England began to spread its power on Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

In 1603 the son of Mary Queen of Scots James Stuart became James I of England. The unification of Scotland and England took place in 1707. They formed a single parliament in London. The country became known as Great Britain.

The adoption of Christianity in England took place in 664. In the 16th century Henry VIII of England quarreled with Rome and declared himself head of the Anglican Church, which was a Protestant Church. The Irish people were divided into two religious groups: Catholics and Protestants. Henry VIII tried to force Irish Catholics to become Anglican. After a long struggle the southern part of Ireland became a Free State. The northern part of Ireland remained part of the UK. But even now there are problems there connected with religion.

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