bogatyreva_m_a_uchebnik_angliiskogo_yazyka_dlya_neyazykovyh

Questions

1.How long is Mr. Sembler going to stay in the hotel?

2.What kind of room would he like to live in? Must it be a special hotel room?

3.When does he prefer to have meals?

5. Safety first.

The hotel manager tells visitors to the USA to observe their personal safety (безопасность).

Copy her pieces* of advice using either of the modal verbs from the box below. Make up two lists of instructions expressing a) obligation; b) mild obligation.

Remember!

to take care of sth / sb – позаботиться о чём л. / ком л.

Note!

valuables [ vxljVqblz] – ценности, драгоценности

* Слово “piece” может сочетаться с неисчисл. существительными для

обознач. множественного числа, например: advice – two pieces of advice; news – several pieces of news; art – new pieces of art (новые произведения искусства).

400

When in America,

–do not carry a lot of spending money or valuables with you;

–give cash to the manager to put it in the hotel safe;

–take care of your passport, plane tickets and other personal documents;

–do not walk alone at night;

–never ride in a car with a stranger;

–look like you know where you are going;

–do not give any personal information on the phone to a person you do not know;

–always cooperate with the police;

–finally, be careful, but don’t be afraid. Most Americans are very friendly and are happy to help you.

6. Roleplay the following situation.

You receive a call from your work contact in New York who is planning a business trip to Moscow in April. Talk to him on the phone.

Prepare a few questions based on the following key words beforehand.

1.LENGTH OF FLIGHT

2.ACCOMMODATION [q,kPmq deiS(q)n] – жильё

3.CULTURAL PROGRAMME

4.TOURS

5.SIGHTSEEING

6.PUBLIC TRANSPORT

7.THE WEATHER IN SPRING

8.CLOTHES

You may start like this.

Hello, Julia. It’s Martin Pike from New York.

Hello, Martin. How are you? It seems ages since we last spoke. I’m fine, thanks. I’ d like to have a word with you about my trip. Julia, I have no idea if I should learn a few Russian words before I go.

401

9. Anna liked New York so much that she decided to stay there. Now she is married to an American. Her friends from England sometimes ask her about her opinion (мнение) of American people.

Complete their questions with the words in brackets.

1.(nice) Do you think Americans are nicer than English people?

2.(ambitious) Do you think Americans ___________ English people?

3.(kind) Do you think Americans _______________ English people?

4.(interesting) Do you think Americans __________ English people?

5.(democratic) Do you think Americans __________ English people?

6.(happy) Do you think Americans ______________ English people?

7.(religious) Do you think Americans ____________ English people?

8.(generous) Do you think Americans ____________ English people?

10. Say in what way one European city is different from another.

Use the following words.

tidy – dirty – busy – noisy – friendly

403

interesting – dangerous – exciting – depressing

On your own.

Think of any two countries that you know well and write down the summary of your ideas. Read it out in class.

11. Ask your friend what he/she thinks about the facts listed below.

Cheaper – much cheaper; more expensive – much more expensive

A: Town life is more active than country life, isn’t it?

B.I think country life is much quieter than town life.

1.The climate of Great Britain is milder than on the continent (dry).

2.The streets of New York are cleaner than the streets of Paris (dirty).

3.Paris is bigger than Madrid (small).

4.Trips in Madrid are more expensive than in Rome (cheap).

5.The buildings in New York are more modern than the buildings in Rome (old).

6.The Underground in London is better than the Metro in Paris (bad).

7.The people in Greece are more open than in Scandinavian countries (reserved).

11a. Using the sentences of task 11 find out if these things are identical in some way.

404

Example:

A. Is country life as active as life in town?

B.No, it isn’t. It’s much quieter.

12.Read John’s report about his trip to France. In which country are these things more expensive, according to the report?

Write B for Britain or F for France.

13. Read and practise the following dialogue.

Roleplay some more conversations using the clues below.

A:Look! I don’t drive as carefully as I need to.

B:That’s not true. You drive more carefully than me.

A:You’re just saying that!

B:No, I mean it, I really mean it.

Note!

fluently [ flu:qntlI] – свободно, бегло

405

14. Read how Sylvia Weston, an American visitor to London, compares lifestyles in Great Britain and the USA.

Cultural Note

Lifestyle is a way of living including the kind of home one lives in; the things one owns; the kind of job one does; the leisure activities one enjoys.

Remember!

immediately [I mJdIqtlI] тотчас, сразу violent [ vaIqlqnt] – буйный, несдержанный, преступный

efficient [I fISqnt] – исполнительный, умелый to pollute [pq lHt] – загрязнять

lead free petrol – неэтилированный бензин compulsory [kqm pAlsqrI] – обязательный hardworking – работящий

“My first impression of Britain is that people are much more formal. For example, in the States we use first names almost immediately but here I have to be more careful. And British people are generally more polite. A New Yorker says: “Give me the check, will you!” when he finishes a meal but here in Britain they say: “Excuse me, do you think you could give me the bill?”

I don’t find a lot of difference in prices.

They’re about the same as in the States, I guess. It’s the same with accommodation. I think it’s a bit cheaper in London than in New York but there’s not a lot of difference.

One thing is certain, though, London is not as violent as New York. Some friends of mine who live in the Bronx have four locks on their door! I also prefer the subway here. It’s cleaner and quieter, although the service isn’t as efficient. On the whole, though, London is more polluted than New York because everyone there has to use lead free petrol but in Britain it’s not compulsory.

406

When it comes to work and business, my impression is that the British are much less hardworking than Americans. Sometimes I think the British don’t know what a day’s work means.”

15. Tasks.

a) Are these statements true or false?

In London Sylvia noticed that people used their first names only after they got to know each other quite well.

The American guest found a lot of difference in accommodation and prices.

She was surprised to learn that most people in GB preferred to have four locks on their door.

The visitor to London disliked the service in the subway. She was very much impressed by the British working habits.

b) Scan the text and focus on the differences that Sylvia discovered in the two cultures.

What did she say about these things?

c) How did Sylvia characterize people in Britain and the USA? Did she say that the Americans were more or less sociable /

polite / businesslike / reserved than the British? d) Suggest your title to the text.

16.Listening “An American in Britain”

a) Listen to the recording and tick the columns according to who says what.

Remember!

Texas [teksqs] – Техас (штат в США)

to misunderstand sb/sth – неправильно понять

407

b)Report what each of the men said or asked during the conversation.

c)Listen again and summarize answers to the following ques-

tions.

1.Where did Mr. Kipling want to go?

2.Why did he have to address a Londoner?

3.What did the American like about London? Did he really mean it?

4.Was he sincere when he compared London to his ranch house back in Texas?

5.Was he the only person who thought so? Why? / Why not?

6.What view did the Londoner take? How did he react when the foreigner called England the country of slow change?

7.What attracted the Londoner’s attention? Why?

8.Was the skyscraper as tall as the buildings in Dallas or New York? What did the foreigner think about it?

408

9.Do you agree that different positions reflect different lifestyles?

10.What is ironic about the story?

d)Read these statements and say which of them best expresses the main idea of the text.

English people have a good sense of humor.

The Londoner showed as much patriotism as Mr. Kipling. The American lifestyle has a certain snob value.

The Englishman saw the humour of the situation and taught Mr. Kipling a lesson.

17. How does lifestyle in Russia differ from that in the USA? Discuss the following points.

Do people start work early in both countries?

Do most people working in Moscow live in the suburbs and have to travel to the centre by train?

Are travel cards as popular in Russia as in America? Do Russians like eating out as often as the Americans?

Are there fewer road accidents in Russia because the Russians are less careless drivers? To what extent is family life different in Russia (in using cars, shopping for food and clothes / doing sports / watching TV, etc.)?

Do the Russian people show their feelings much more openly than American people?

Are the Russians more or less generous / democratic compared to the Americans?

Is tourist trade becoming popular both in Russia and in the USA?

17a. Using the ideas above point out things that are similar in the two cultures.

409