A Student
Nick Harrington is eighteen and in his final year at school. He’s taking three ‘A’ levels this summer in Maths, Physics and Computer Studies. Unfortunately, he hasn’t worked very hard and his teachers are not happy with his progress. They think he is spending too much time playing his guitar and reading music magazines.
‘We’re supposed to spend every evening and weekend revising for exams but I can’t be bothered. I hate revising. It’s so boring. I’ll be glad to see the last of my physics textbook. I’m sorry I didn’t take music instead for ‘A’ level.’
Although he claims that he can’t sing very well, Nick is quite a talented musician and plays the piano as well as the guitar. 'One thing which impresses people is that I can listen to something and then just play it. I’m lucky, I suppose. I’ve got a good ear for music.’
In his spare time he plays in a band. They usually play together three evenings a week. He has given a few concerts at school but he’s not allowed to give any public performances in town. He would like someone important in the music business to ‘discover’ him but he knows that is easier said than done.
Nick goes to an expensive private boarding school called Eton, where he lives during the term. His friends at home who go to the local state school sometimes tease him about going to a private school. Nick doesn’t care too much about what they say. ‘School’s only a small part of your life. In some ways it doesn’t really matter where you go. It’s the future that’s important. The best part of this year is that I’m leaving school at the end of term!’
b) Write questions for these answers.
Example: Eighteen. - How old is Nick?
1. Maths, Physics and Computer Studies.
2. Because it’s boring.
3. The piano and the guitar.
4. He plays in a small band.
5. Three evenings a week.
6. A private boarding school.
7. At the end of term.
Choose the correct form of the verbs.
Dear Karen,
(1) I’m having/ I
have a great time here in
England. My university term (2) isn’t
starting / doesn’t start
until the autumn, so (3) I’m taking /
I take the opportunity to improve my
English. (4) I’m staying / I stay
with some English friends who (5) are
owning / own a farm. On weekdays (6)
I’m catching / I catch
a bus into Torquay to go to language classes. (7) I’m
making / I make good progress, I think.
My friends (8) say / are saying
my pronunciation is much better when I arrived, and (9) I’m
understanding / I understand almost
everything now. At weekends (10) I’m
helping / I help on the farm. At the
moment (11) they’re harvesting / they
harvest the corn and (12) they’re
needing / they need all the help they
can get. It’s quite hard work, but (13) I’m
liking / I like it. And (14) I’m
developing / I develop some strong
muscles!
(15) Do you come / Are you coming to visit me at Christmas? (16) I’m spending / I spend the winter holiday here at the farm. My friends (17) are wanting / want to meet you and there’s plenty of space. But you must bring your warmest clothes. (18) It’s getting / It gets very cold here in the winter.
Let me know as soon as (19) you’re deciding / you decide. And tell me what (20) you’re doing / you do these days.
Do you miss me?
Love,
Paul
Make up sentences using the following prompts. The first verb should be in the present simple, and the second verb in the present continuous.
come from/but/live
I come from Australia, but at the moment I’m living in Switzerland.
speak/and/learn
______________________________________________________
normally/like my work/but/not enjoy
______________________________________________________
go on a lot of training courses/and/do a course in CAD
_____________________________________________________
work from 9 to 5/but/stay late
_____________________________________________________
travel a lot/and/visit Australia
_____________________________________________________
have several subsidiaries in Europe/and/set up another one in Brussels
_____________________________________________________
normally/export a lot to Greece/but/not get many orders
_____________________________________________________
Translate into English.
- Кто сейчас сдаёт экзамен? - Моя подруга.
- Почему Вы не смотрите телевизор? - Я готовлюсь к занятиям.
Вечно она со всеми ссорится!
Он работает теперь в другом месте, и дела у него идут хорошо.
Я обычно не смотрю телевизор каждый день. Но сегодня идёт фильм "Унесённые ветром» (“Gonewiththewind”), и я смотрю телевизор.
- Что делает твой племянник?
- Он работает в саду.
Мои коллеги обычно работают четыре дня в неделю. На этой неделе они работают пять дней.
- Почему она плачет? – Я не знаю.
- Твой английский становится лучше. – Спасибо.
У них сейчас урок немецкого языка.
Samпроводит слишком много времени, играя на гитаре.
Margaretходит в частную школу. Она очень занята сейчас. Она готовится к экзаменам по математике.
Когда вода замерзает, она превращается в лёд.
Пётр обычно отвечает на письма после обеда, но сейчас он пишет запрос (enquiry) нашим партнёрам по бизнесу.
Служащие нашей компании заканчивают работу в 6 часов вечера.
Господин Громов принимает сейчас представителей английской фирмы. Они обсуждают условия платежа и поставки (termsofpaymentanddelivery).
- Что ты делаешь?
- Я просматриваю корреспонденцию (tolookthroughthecorrespondence) от иностранных фирм – поставщиков (suppliers).
- Со сколькими иностранными фирмами вы имеете дело (dealwith) сейчас?
- Обычно у нас несколько партнёров, но сейчас мы сотрудничаем (cooperate) только с двумя.
Так как наша компания расширяется (toexpand), мы ищем квалифицированный персонал (staff) для своих новых отделений (branches).