A. What should you do if you don’t know how to get to some place?

B. I usually look up a map of the city or ask someone to direct me to the place.

1. If you are not sure whether you are going in the right direction, what should you ask a resident of the city?

2. Not to lose my way in a strange city I usually ask someone ‘Am I right for…?’ or ‘Shall I reach … if I go straight ahead?’

III

1. I wonder if you could tell me the way to the nearest hotel. I’m a stranger here.

2. If you walk, it’ll take you about twenty minutes to get there. But you’d better take a bus.

1. Where must I get off?

2. The bus will take you straight to the hotel.

IV

1. I say, we are so pressed for time. What do you think we should see in your city first?

2. The city is known for its numerous places of interest and memorials. Let’s make a guided tour of the city.

1. Can we see most of them in one tour?

2. I think we can.

V

1. Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the Museum of Arms?

2. I’m terribly sorry. I really don’t know. I am a stranger here myself. You’d better ask the militiaman over there.

VI

1. I see your city is quite a new one.

2. Oh, no. Its foundation dates back to the 12^th century A.D. We are simply in a new district of the city.

1. I see. It seems to me, the ancient part is the centre of the city, isn’t it?

2. That’s right. There you’ll find old buildings, churches, small shops – all in narrow crooked streets.

VII

1. Do you happen to know the way to the nearest bookshop?

2. Well, let me see… Go straight on and then take the second turning to the right. It’s just a five minutes’ walk from here.

1. Thank you.

2. Not at all.

VIII

1. I’d like to draw your attention to Yasnaya Polyana. The museum of L. Tolstoy is worth visiting.

2. But I’ve already been there!

1. Really? What were you impressed by while visiting the museum?

2. Oh, there were so many interesting things to see – clothes, books, a lot of manuscripts.

1. What impressed you most of all?

2. I was deeply impressed by the attitude of the people towards this historical and cultural memorial.

II. Complete the dialogues

I

1. I wonder if you could tell me the nearest way to the centre of the city?

2. ……….

1. Is it far from here?

2. ……….

1. Thanks a lot.

2. ……….

II

1. ……….?

2. With pleasure. Go straight on and then turn to the left.

1. ……….?

2. No, it is not. It will take you only five minutes to get there.

1. ……….

2. Not at all.

III

1. Excuse me, could you tell me if this is the right way to the Art Gallery?

2. ……….

1. Is it far from here? Can I walk there?

2. ……….

1. How long will it take me to get there?

2. ……….

IV

1. ……….?

2. Oh, yes. It’s very far. You’d better take a bus.

1. ……….?

2. Turn round the corner, go two blocks down the street and there it is.

V

1. ……….?

2. Go down this street, pass the traffic lights, then take the first turning on the right. Shall I accompany you?

1. ……….

III. Render the dialogues in English.

I

1. В каком городе вы живете?

2. Я живу в Туле. Это старинный русский город недалеко от Москвы.

А. Вы там родились?

B. Да, Тула – мой родной город. А где вы родились?

1. Я родом из Курска.

II

1. Чем знаменит Ваш город?

2. Исторически Тула – оружейный центр. Впервые казенный оружейный завод был основан в Туле по указу Петра I.

1. А другие заводы есть в Туле?

2. Разумеется. Тула – крупный промышленный центр.

1. Что вы советуете посмотреть в вашем городе?

2. Полагаю, что музей оружия представляет большой интерес.

IV. Make up your own dialogues asking the shortest way:

• from the Tula Kremlin to the Monument to Peter the Great;

• from the central park to the Museum of Arms;

• from the Tula Kremlin to the Art Gallery;

• from the Museum of Regional Studies to the Central Post Office.

V. Render the following in the form of a dialogue.

Ваш знакомый приезжает на несколько дней в Тулу. Он никогда раньше не был в вашем городе, и просит вас посоветовать ему, с чего начать осмотр города. Вы охотно соглашаетесь. В Туле много мест, которые стоит посмотреть. Для начала вы предлагаете побывать в тульском Кремле, в музее оружия, в Тульском государственном университете. Ваш знакомый просит объяснить ему, как добраться до центра.

JUST FOR FUN

Read the jokes and retell them to your friends.

The bus was crowded. A passenger sitting next to the window suddenly closed his eyes and turned his head aside. The man next to him asked, “Are you feeling ill? Can I do anything for you?” – “I am quite well”, answered the man. “Only I hate to see old ladies standing”.

* * *

The traffic was very heavy in the street. Suddenly a man ran to the policeman who was standing in the middle of the street.

Man. What is the shortest way to the hospital?

Policeman. If you just stand where you are standing now, you’ll get there immediately. This is the shortest way there.

* * *

Little John, in a crowded bus, is sitting on his father’s lap. An elderly lady enters the bus, and Johnny at once jumps down, politely takes off his hat, and says: “May I offer you my seat?”

* * *

A traveller, on arriving at a railroad station, asked a local man: “Well, my friend, as this is my first visit to your town, could you tell me how many hotels you have here?

Local man. We have two.

Traveller. Now, which of the two would you recommend?

Local man. Well, frankly speaking, it’s like this, sir: whichever one you go to, you’ll be sorry you didn’t go to the other.

* * *

A woman hired a taxi. It began to race along, passing trams, cars, policemen, etc. The woman was frightened, and said to the taxi-driver:

“Please, be careful. This is the first time I am riding in a taxi.”

“It’s all right,” answered the taxi-driver. “It is the first time I am driving a taxi.”

* * *

When Conan Doyle arrived in Boston, he was at once recognized by the cabman whose cab he had engaged. When he was about to pay his fare, the cabman said:

“If you please, sir, I should prefer a ticket to your lecture.”

Conan Doyle laughed. “Tell me,” he said, how you knew who I was and I’ll give you tickets for your whole family.”

“Thank you, sir,” was the answer. “On the side of your travelling-bag is your name – Conan Doyle.”

Read the following proverbs and sayings. Pay attention to the participles used in them. Match the English and the Russian variants.

1. A barking dog does not bite.

2. A penny saved is a penny gained.

3. Don’t change horses when crossing a stream.

4. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

5. The least said, the soonest mended.

6. Forewarned is forearmed.

7. Let sleeping dogs lie.

1. Коней на переправе не меняют.

2. Собака, которая лает, редко кусает.

3. Катящийся камень мхом не обрастает.

4. Грош сбереженный – грош заработанный.

5. Меньше слов, больше дела.

6. Не буди лихо, пока спит тихо.

7. Предупрежден – значит вооружен.

UNIT 2

Grammar: 1. The Gerund 2. The Gerundial Construction 3. The Gerund and the Participle Texts: A. The Internet B. The Language of Computers C. Socializing on the Internet Conversation: Moscow

Грамматический материал

THE GERUND. ГЕРУНДИЙ

Герундий – неличная форма глагола, которая сочетает в себе одновременно свойства существительного и глагола. Герундий выражает действие, представляя его как название процесса.

Запомните! Герундий образуется путем прибавления суффикса -ing к основе глагола:

ask – asking

go – going

read – reading

Примечание. Герундий не имеет соответствующей формы в русском языке.

1. Глагольные свойства герундия

1. Герундий имеет категорию относительного времени и залога, следовательно, существуют простые и сложные формы герундия.

Формы герундия

	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Indefinite Gerund	asking reading	being asked being read
Perfect Gerund	having asked having read	having been asked having been read

She likes reading detective stories.	Она любит читать детективы.
He dislikes being interrupted.	Он не любит, когда его прерывают.
He thinks of going to the South.	Он думает поехать на юг.

Perfect Gerund выражает действие, предшествующее действию глагола-сказуемого:

I remember having seen this film some years ago.	Я помню, что видел этот фильм несколько лет назад.
I remember having been told about this film.	Я помню, что мне рассказывали об этом фильме.

2. Герундий может иметь прямое дополнение:

Reading scientific literature is useful.

Чтение научной литературы полезно.

3. Герундий может определяться наречием:

Reading fluently is very important.

Очень важно бегло читать.