book 1_2013

do nice things for you. People don't eye you suspiciously as someone who might be a potential thief. I don't know. I can't think of any downsides to being generally considered beautiful. Whether we like to admit it or not, our society seems to reward those who are beautiful, and sub-consciously "unrewards" those who aren't.

I'd love to hear opinions, theories, experiences, observations, etc. from both sides of the coin – those who consider themselves "beautiful", and those who consider themselves in the range between ultimate beauty and "un-beautiful".

Kate, 17 years old:

I will speak on behalf of the beautiful people... I am a beautiful girl, and I can tell you it's not at all good. It's lonely. Girls hate you before they even speak with you. Everyone thinks that you're dumb or uninteresting because you're already gorgeous. It's hard to make friends...

Don't get me wrong, I love the way I look, but it is very frustrating that I don't dress provocatively, and I smile and am friendly to everyone, but most people hate me anyway for no reason. So, regular people, hate away, and whisper all your stereotype comments to each other when I'm not looking, but don't believe for one second that someone like me doesn't see my own unique advantages. Nothing would make me think that being beautiful is a curse!

Jane, 37 years old:

This is an interesting topic indeed. First I’ll say as a child I was the “ugly duckling”. However as I grew up the funny-looking little girl vanished and I turned into a beautiful curvaceous young woman almost overnight. And… I lost every friend I had. Dating was hard because most guys only saw the outside and had no idea I had a brain too. Women not only dislike me on sight, but they hate me and always shut me out of their "clique". Beauty can be a curse like you wouldn’t believe…

I’ve noticed that beautiful women are not always happier, maybe even less happy than their less attractive friends. Yeah, it's nice to get attention, but that’s only temporary. In fact, 1) you have unattractive girls jealous of you all the time, hating you because you are beautiful and 2) it's hard to find someone who really doesn’t want a trophy wife, but loves you for who you are.

Laura, 41 years old:

Everything depends of what we used to think of the “beauty” definition. I see the real beauty as the whole, and it doesn’t concern

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about nowadays fashions and popular styles. To be physically beautiful is one thing, to be beautiful from within is a plus. Certainly, carrying yourself with grace and dignity is also necessary to being a part of beautiful. But I've seen rather plain-looking women having an aura around them that instantly attracts people. A true beauty comes from within, a good heart able to love, to give, to care, to forgive. Watch a woman as she ages. The ones with true inner beauty become even prettier as they age...

Alfred, 25 years old:

Someone would claim "it's what's inside that counts," but how would you know what's inside if the person isn't attractive? I'm sure most of you don't go up to girls thinking "Man, I'll bet she has some good morals." Being attractive will get you places. For instance, when I went into Hollister the other day, there was not one unattractive person working there. I don't know, but I guess it's better to look good than not.

Mick, 18 years old:

Sure, people have to be "initially" attracted to each other... But as soon as that phase is over attraction has absolutely NOTHING to do with it. For instance, you're given the chance to date Jessica Simpson or Paris Hilton. Initially, your reaction would be positive. Yet after time, that relationship would be doomed to failure, since the above mentioned females are about as deep as a puddle of mud. There would be no room for growth.

Joseph, 29 years old:

Hey I'm good-looking but the opposite sex won't look at me because I haven't got money. Money is the key to everything. If you get money you'll have women tripping over each other to get to you and that's a fact. So it's not what's on the inside or outside it's what's in your pocket.

Norman, 31 years old:

Being beautiful is definitely a part of the culture… For example, I read that for some tribe in Asia, traditionally, the most important sign of female beauty is a long neck. So at the age of five or six, girls are given copper neck rings. By the time they are old enough to marry their necks are about twenty-five centimetres long! It is known that in Europe and America slim girls are considered beautiful and women do everything possible to remain slim, but in

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India and some Arabic countries plump, if not fat, women are considered to be ideally beautiful… So, beauty is relative.

Lisa, 28 years old:

This article made me think of a friend of mine who is the coolest person to hang out with. She’s vivacious, intelligent, has an amazing sense of humour, and can interact on so many levels. You can have a night out on the town with her, a deep philosophical discussion, a political debate... She’s up for anything and can’t keep track of the offers she gets from guys. She projects an aura of someone who’s fun and deep, the person everyone wants to hang out with.

But there was the most surprising thing – it took me a good two years to realise this girl was actually quite plain-looking. She’s just the plain girl with a great personality, wit and sense of fun. And, looking at how much fun she has, in spite of her plain looks, it made me think that maybe beauty is neither curse nor blessing. It's in the way you treat yourself and enjoy your life as it is…

(based on: http://www.techimo.com/forum)

b) Read, practice and learn the following words:

Curse – ; blessing – ; to assume –

; ; intimidating – , , ; perk – , ; to bend over backwards – ( .)

; suspiciously – ; thief – ; sub-consciously –

; ultimate – , ; on behalf of –

…; dumb – ( ..) ; gorgeous – ; to frustrate – , ; to whisper – ; to vanish – ; to shut out of – ; dignity – ; instantly – ; to bet – ; to doom –

; to hang out – ( .) , ; vivacious

– ; to keep track of – …; ; in spite of – ; wit – , .

c) Find in the text:

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45.Choose the sentences that you agree with:

1.Our jealousy of other people’s beauty makes us hate them.

2.Being beautiful is definitely a part of the culture.

3.Plain-looking people can project an aura of someone who’s fun and deep, the person everyone wants to hang out with.

4.I guess it's better to look good than not.

5.Money is the key to everything if you got money you'll have women tripping over each other to get to you and that's a fact.

6.I’ve noticed that beautiful women are not always happier than their less attractive friends.

7.A true beauty comes from within, a good heart able to love, to give, to care, to forgive.

8.If you are beautiful, it may be hard to find someone who really doesn’t want a trophy wife, but loves you for who you are.

9.Hardly anyone does any special favours for those they don't find attractive.

10.Women with true inner beauty become even prettier as they age.

46.a) Find in the text words similar in meaning to the following:

1) a precious thing, esp. one taken in war or hunting, etc; 2)

evil, misfortune; 3) strikingly beautiful or magnificent; 4) full of high spirits; lively or vital; 5) immediately, at once; 6) a formal, stately bearing; a sense of self-importance; 7) practical intelligence; the talent of using unexpected associations between contrasting ideas to make a clever humorous effect; 8) not attractive; 9) to frequent the company (of someone); 10) to disappear.

b) Find in the text the English equivalents for the following Ukrainian phrases.

1) , ; 2)

; 3) ; 4)

; 5) ; 6) ; 7) ; 8)

; 9) , ; 10)

.

47.* Find in the text sentences with the following expressions and read them aloud. Translate them into Ukrainian and let your

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classmates translate them back into English without consulting the textbook.

1) On the other side of the coin; 2) that relationship would be doomed to failure; 3) man, I'll bet; 4) a true beauty comes from within; 5) dating was hard because; 6) those perks; 7) because you're already gorgeous; 8) who really doesn’t want a trophy wife; 9) their necks are about twenty-five centimetres long; 10) to be physically beautiful is.

48.Translate into English.

1." ". 2.

,

, . 3.

,

. " , , – !" –

. 4. ,

. 5.

, , , . 6.

, , . ,

, . 7.

.

. 8.

, . 9.

, , –

. 10. ,

.

49.* a) Look through the text (Ex. 44) again. Which of the messages expresses the idea that corresponds to your own views? Prove your choice with the facts from real life.

b) Share your own opinion as to the problems discussed on the forum with your classmates.

Grammar revision:

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs; Present Continuous; Present Continuous and Present Simple

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Mind!

–Present Continuous denotes actions as happening now, while Present Simple – usual, routine actions.

–Verbs denoting sense perception, feelings and mental activities (to be, to see, to hear, to know, to understand, to prefer, to like, to love, to hate, to have (meaning possess) and the like) are not used in Continuous and Perfect Continuous tenses. Simple and Perfect forms are used instead.

50.Complete the sentences about you and your family.

1.Helen is the youngest person in my family.

2.People say I look much like my ________________ .

3.I look very different from ___________________ .

4.My hair is _______________ my mother’s/father’s/sister’s…

5.I’m _____________ than my brother/sister/cousin.

6.My mother is _________________ than my father.

7.My father is ___________________ person in my family.

8.In my family, my ______________ is more organized than

________________ .

9.My great-grandfather is _______________ in the family.

10.My mother is _______________ woman in the world!

51.Fill in the blanks with the correct form.

1.The three musicians play on ____ stage.

a)a new; b) a newer; c) the newest

2.She speaks in ____ voice than the last time.

a)a loud; b) a louder; c) the loudest

3.They leave ____ way they can.

a)a quick; b) a quicker; c) the quickest

4.This is ___ problem she has ever had.

a)a great; b) a greater; c) the greatest

5.My case isn’t very ____. Yours is ____.

a)heavy, heavier; b) heavier, heavier; c) heavy; the heaviest

6.Of the two skirts, that one is ____.

a)smart; b) smarter; c) the smartest

7.The weather was not very ___ yesterday, but it’s ___ today.

a)good; the best; b) better; good; c) good; better

8.I’m not so _____ as a horse.

a)strong; b) stronger; c) the strongest

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9.China has got ____ population in the world.

a)a large; b) a larger; c) the largest

10.Of the three girls this one is ____.

a)pretty; b) prettier; c) the prettiest

11.Which is ____: five, fifteen or fifty?

a)little; b) less; c) the least

12.Susan is ______ person in the whole world.

a)wonderful; b) a more wonderful; c) the most wonderful

13.I think dogs are ____ than cats.

a)intelligent; b) more intelligent; c) the most intelligent

14.Don’t talk about their family problems. Let’s talk about something ___.

a)an interesting; b) more interesting; c) the most interesting

15.This room is not so ___ as that one on the first floor.

a)comfortable; b) more comfortable; c) the most comfortable

16.Happiness is ____ than money.

a)important; b) more important; c) the most important

17.This coat is ____ of all.

a)an expensive; b) a less expensive; c) the least expensive

18.Betty is ____ than Jane, but Kate is ____ of all.

a)a hard-working; b) less hard-working; c) the least hard-working

19.This instrument makes ____ music in the world.

a)a sweet; b) a sweeter; c) the sweetest

20.These trousers are too small. I need ____ size.

a)a large; b) a larger; c) the largest

52.Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words in brackets.

The Americans are very _________ (proud) of their country. They say that in the USA the buildings are _________ (tall), the cigars are _________ (long), the cars are ________ (big), and the girls are _________ (pretty) than anywhere else in the world. The English don’t always agree. Some say the Americans are _________

(loud), __________ (rich) and __________ (noisy) than any other nationality. Other British people think there are lots of _________

(good) things about the USA like Hollywood, jazz and Superman.

It is true that most American skyscrapers are ________ (tall) than in the UK, but the British think their stately homes are ________

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(old) and ___________ (beautiful) than anything in the USA. The Americans love coke and hamburgers – people in the UK think British food is much __________(healthy). Clothes are _________

(cheap) in the USA, but fashion design in the UK is __________

(good) than design in the USA.

53. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Simple or Present Continuous:

1. Be quiet. Mother _____________ (sleep). She always

_______________ (sleep) an hour or two after dinner. 2. Listen! Mark

______________ (speak) Spanish! I never knew he's from Spain. – Actually he isn't. He ____________ (speak) English, it is his native tongue, but right now he ___________ (speak) Spanish as his business partner is from Mexico. 3. What ____ she ________ (do) in the evenings? – She usually ________ (walk) with her friends, _______ (go) to the cinema or ________ (watch) TV, but now she _________ (paint) her kitchen. 4. What _____ Amy ________ (do) at the moment? – She

_________ (knit) a new sweater for herself. She ___________ (knit) all her sweaters. 5. _____ you _________ (hear) the phone? It __________

(ring). 6. _____ you ______ (see) the notice on the board? – I ______

(see) it, but I can't read it. I left my glasses at home. What is it? – The landlord asks to pay this month's rent this Wednesday, not Friday. 7. He usually _________ (drink) coffee in the morning, but now he

___________ (drink) tea. His mother-in-law can't stand the smell of coffee. 8. Look through the window. ____ it _______ (rain)? Shall I take my umbrella? 9. I usually __________ (not to take) the bus to my office. I___________ (go) by my car as a rule. But I ________ (go) by bus now as my car is broken. 10. I can't watch the football match as my mother- in-law _________ (watch) her favourite soap opera.

54. Translate into English:

1.? – , , .

2.? –

. . 3.

? – ,

. 4. ?

? 5. , . 6.

? – , . 7.

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? –

. 8. .

. 9. ! .

. 10. , .

Speaking

55*. Comment on the following proverbs and sayings:

The face is the index of the mind. A fair face may hide a foul heart. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing him. Know your own faults before blaming others for theirs. A man is known by the company he keeps.

Prosperity makes friends, but adversity tries them.

A true friend is that rare person who asks you how you are feeling and listens to your answer.

True friends are like diamonds – precious but rare. False friends are like autumn leaves found everywhere. Your best friend is your worst enemy.

56*. Give your opinion as to friendship answering the following questions about your friends and yourself.

1.What features do you appreciate in your friend most of all?

2.Do you discuss your private problems with your close friend? 3. Can you forgive if your friend lets your secrets out? 4. If your friend doesn’t share your point of view, do you consider his opinion? 5. Do you agree with the ancient saying: “Socrates is my friend but the truth is dearer to me”? Can you lie to support your friend? 6. Do you agree that the only true friend of someone is his/her mother or father? 7. What can break down the friendship, to your mind? 8. Do you argue with your friend? What usually causes your argument?

Writing

57. a) Write short descriptions (about 50 words) using all the characteristics listed below:

1. Albert: overweight, middle-aged, pert, unreliable, selfish, often loses his temper, always unsatisfied with someone or something, disagrees with people.

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2.Sally: 23, slim, easy-going, a bit absent-minded, good sense of humour, enjoyed by other people, fond of parties, delightful, fond of aerobic dancing, helps other people.

3.George: in his late 50s, energetic, determined, athletic, sensible, rich, generous, spends money on charity, married, fond of his family.

4.Lucy: 15, plump, red-haired and green-eyed, dreamy, romantic, studious, enjoys reading, writes poems, hopes to go to university, wants to be a writer.

b)Write a detailed description of your friend’s appearance and character (15-20 sentences).

58*. a) Read and translate the text in the box.

Dear Helpful Hatti,

I am writing to you about my sister and all the problems I have. She has got exquisite features, a classic profile, – a ’scintillating’ smile, a stunning figure, an attractive personality, and a marvellous sense of humour. I have got a very plain face – very ordinary features (according to my friends), a rather ugly smile, a nondescript figure, a shallow and unappealing character, and a coarse sense of humour. What should I do? She is a sparkling conversationalist, a fabulous dancer, a graceful mover, super-efficient at her job, a talented sportswoman, and a gifted musician. I am a very dull conversationalist, a clumsy dancer, an awkward mover, an incompetent fool in the office, useless at sport, and hopeless at all musical instruments. What advice would you give me?

She is always well-dressed, smart, elegant, extremely ladylike, very refined, exceptionally well-mannered, and invariably polite to everyone. I always look shabby and scruffy, tend to be rough, common, vulgar, and rude. What can I do about it? She is very cultured, welleducated, well-read. I was always backward at school, semi-literate, and am now very ignorant. She is bright, intelligent, witty, and clever. I am slow, dim, ”daft” my mother says – ”thick” says my father. Please help me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

J.B.

(based on: English Vocabulary in Use)

b) Fill in the following table using the information from the

text.

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