- •Acquaintance
- •1. Introduce yourself to the people on either side of you like in a first meeting. How would you greet these people? What would you say? What would you do, e.G. Shake hands, hug them?
- •2. Match the pairs of sentences. Put the correct letters in the boxes.
- •3. “How do you do” is formal and now quite rare. It is being replaced by “Pleased/Nice to meet you”.
- •4. Rita (r) is meeting a visitor (V) at the airport (Pic. 1). Match Rita’s sentences with the replies.
- •Thank you.
- •Pleased to meet you.
- •9. Susanne is at the New Year party at the Academy. She’s talking to some students and teachers. Complete her responses using the sentences in the bubbles.
- •10. In the dialogue below there are three people. The host knows both Student b and Student c and introduces them to each other. Practise a similar dialogue, using your real names and jobs.
- •15. Now cover the replies with a piece of paper. Start conversations with a partner and continue naturally for a few lines.
- •16. Look at these topics of conversation. Which ones are suitable when you meet someone for the first time? Why?
- •17. Read this extracts from the conversation between Victor and Susanne. Which topics do they talk about?
- •18. Find fifteen verbs in the puzzle. Use each letter once only.
- •My family
- •3. Write different names that people call you. Tell your partner which of your names you like best/ least?
- •4. How did your parents choose your name?
- •Homes and houses
- •8. What’s your favourite room? Why? Describe it.
- •9. Do you live in a flat or in a house? Do you rent it? Do you have any problems? What problems can happen between flatmates? Brainstorm ideas with the class about these issues:
- •10. Before you start reading:
- •11. Complete the following text with these words.
- •12. In small groups, design your dream home and garden. Plan your ideal home:
- •Include information about the rooms, décor, furniture, equipment, facilities, location and staff. Use your imagination!
- •Weather
- •3. Look at the photos and ask your partner about the weather.
- •4. Match the sentences on the left with the related sentences on the right:
- •5. Put the following adjectives into the correct pattern below:
- •7. Read what Victor says about the weather in Siberia. Put one of these adverbs in each sentence:
- •8. Find the words in the text that mean:
- •9. Use these words to complete the sentences:
- •10. Is it true or false?
- •In Siberia
- •11. Read the weather forecast and write your own one for the next two days.
- •Youth problems
- •Youth is a Difficult Time
- •4. Write some associations under each word in bold.
- •5. Talk to each other:
- •6. Look through the opinions and find the sentences the meaning of which is close to the following:
- •7. Find the ideas to say whether the following words are true or false. If the idea is wrong correct it.
- •8. Read the text again and complete the table.
- •9. Do you have the same problems? Your friends? Make a list of problems you want or have to solve. Let your partner give you advice.
- •10. Look at the pictures (Pic. 8a, 8b). Do they have anything in common? Write down as many words or phrases as you can to these pictures.
- •11. What notions are described below?
- •12. Read the text below and find its main idea.
- •13. Complete the sentences with a word from the box. Then write out phrases with the given words and use them in the sentences of your own.
- •Germany
- •20. What effect does alcohol have on the body? Read the following information and mark in the picture (Pic. 9) the organs that are affected due to excessive drinking:
- •Intoxication
- •21. Match the word on the left with the word on the right.
- •22. Write 10 sentences incorporating these word combinations.
- •23. Look at the picture (Pic. 10) and say what the reading passage will be about. Then read the text and check your idea. What can be the title?
- •24. Try to explain the following words. If you have some problems use your dictionary.
- •25. Scan the text once again and count how many teens are for and against curfews:
- •26. Do you like the idea of curfews? Why? Work in two teams. One team thinks it’s a good idea the other has the opposite opinion. Try to persuade each other. The following phrases can be helpful:
- •27. Look at the pictures (Pic. 11a – 11c) and guess what years they are related to.
- •28. Read about the youth of the 60s and complete the sentences:
- •Scotland in the 60s
- •35. Read the poem. What is it devoted to? Is the author young or adult? Are there such people on the streets of your city? Living on the street
- •Youth mayor to help homeless
- •41. Do you know some examples when schoolgirls become moms? Does it often happen in Russia? In other countries? Read the text about Cyfle school and match the words with their definitions:
- •42. Read the text once again and complete the sentences:
- •School for pregnant pupils
- •43. Work in pairs. Ask and answer the questions and try to make a common decision concerning this problem.
- •44. Scan the text “Facing the Problems of Youth” for about 10 minutes and try to answer the questions:
- •45. Read Eleanor Roosevelt’s thoughts and write down the key phrases from the text in the appropriate order:
- •Facing the Problems of Youth by Eleanor Roosevelt
- •46. Try to combine two corresponding sentence parts without looking into the text.
- •Free Time Activities
- •50. In pairs copy the table and fill it in for your partner by asking him/her questions. Then find out what he/she did or is going to do to get out of them? Give your advice.
- •52. Write an essay (about 300 words). You may choose the topic you like:
- •1. Read the text and answer the questions:
- •2. Read the text and say what jack-o’-lantern is. Jack-o'-lanterns
- •3. Match two columns:
- •4. What is the witch using to make her spell?
- •5. Let’s play. Halloween words.
- •Tricks before treats.
- •2. St. Valentine’s Day
- •3. What do you think of St. Valentine’s Day? Read what young people in Britain and the usa think of St. Valentine’s Day and then answer this question.
- •4. Read the text and try to retell it to your neighbour. Write a Valentine card to your boy/girl friend.
- •Valentines over the Years
- •5. Read the text and try to quiz.
- •3. Thanksgiving Day
- •1. Pick out the foods from the kitchen table necessary to cook a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
- •2. Match the questions with the answers.
- •3. This text is a sample of speeches made by statesmen on important days such as national holidays. Read it and say how the speech is organized. Does it have any distinct parts?
- •By the President of the United States of America
- •4. Match the parts of the speech with these brief descriptions:
- •4. Guy Fawkes Day November 5th
- •3. Look at the pictures which show how to make a jack-o-lantern. Are they placed in the right order? Write short instructions under each picture, e.G.,
- •4. Let's make a pumpkin pie! Look at these actions and choose the ones you'll need:
- •English as a Global Language
- •1. How long have you been studying English? Read the following ideas and decide which are true about you.
- •2. What language is an international one nowadays? What language should English native speakers learn? Read what James says about the English language. Do you agree with him?
- •3. Find the words in the text that mean:
- •4. Use these words to complete the sentences:
- •5. Use the words from Ex. 3 to talk about the Russian language.
- •6. Match the words with their definitions:
- •7. Read other people's comments. Write a summary of each story. What’s your opinion?
- •8. Read the text and supply the missing 40 word part. English by no means the 'universal' language
- •9. Is it difficult for you to study English? Why? Do you have your own ideas how to make the process of studying more interesting and easier? Brainstorm ideas!
- •10. Read the following tips and add them to your list.
- •11. There are at least 20 hidden words. Find them!
- •12. Find the words from Ex. 11 in the text above and read them aloud.
- •13. Ask each other questions and answer them.
- •14. Do you agree with the following statements? Prove it.
- •15. What is toefl:
- •17. Match the words and the pictures (Pic. 16a – 16i):
- •Do not bring any of the documents listed below.
- •What to Expect on Test Day
- •Personal Items
- •Seating
- •20. There are two types of toefl: the computer-based and paper-based tests. Read the text and find the answers to the questions:
- •If you had a chance to take toefl, what format would you choose? Why?
- •21. Work in 4 groups. Read the following advice for improving your reading/listening/speaking/writing skills and tell the rest of the group what you should do.
- •23. Do you like or hate to take exams? Are you always nervous? What do you do to pass your exam well? What tips can you share? Brainstorm ideas!
- •24. Look through the tips below and add some ideas to your list. A month before the examination
- •A week before the examination
- •On the day of the examination
- •During the examination
- •After the examination
- •25. Read the text again and find the words in the text that mean:
- •26. Is it true or false?
- •27. Design a poster for your friend to help him/her to get good results at the examination. As a group, choose the best poster.
- •28. Read the text about our memory and answer the questions:
- •Memory techniques
- •What is memory?
- •29. Read some information about general principles to aid memory and choose the best ones. Why have you chosen them?
- •30. Give your partner a piece of advice about effective memorizing. Let him make some notes.
- •31. Have you been to some other countries? Would you like to study abroad? Why? What are the main difficulties for foreign students?
- •32. Match the words with their definitions.
- •33. Scan the text and fill in the first 2 columns of the table:
- •34. Read the text once again and say why it is title “Happy to be in Leeds”. Happy to be in Leeds
- •35. Read the text about Letizia study abroad once again. There are 10 words hidden in the grid. Can you find and circle them? Then use any 5 of your circled answers in 5 sentences you compose.
- •36. Which adjectives go with each of these nouns? Use the phrases you have composed describing studying in Russia.
- •37. In pairs discuss advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. Fill in the third column in Ex. 33.
- •38. Look at the title and say what the reading passage will be about. Then read the text and draw up its plan. You’re Not Just Part of a Program, You’re Part of a Family
- •39. Is it true or false?
- •41. Would you like your child to be an exchange student? Why?
- •42. Read the following article about German- Russian relations and write out the events happened in the years pointed out:
- •43. Find the answers in the text above:
- •44. Work in two teams. One team will represent a German university, the other one will stand for the Russian university. Try to attract foreign students. The words below can help you:
- •45. Use these words to complete the text:
- •2010 Competitive graduate schools Bologna
- •46. What do you know about daad?
- •Daad (The German Academic Exchange Service)
- •47. Look at the map below (pic.18) and say what countries and cities have regional offices and information centres of daad? What cities have you been to?
- •48. Read the information about the German Academic Exchange Service then ask and answer questions using the following words:
- •49. Project task.
- •50. There are a lot of Russian student go abroad not only to study but to get work experience. What such projects do you know? Have you ever gone to another country to work? Your friends?
- •51. Match each of the following lines of words with one of the words below:
- •52. Read the following information about jobs available for students. Think of a job, describe it and let the rest of the group guess it. Work and travel program
- •Types of Jobs
- •53. There are some jobs that are forbidden for students. Look through the list given below and say why they are forbidden.
- •54. When do Russian students have an opportunity to go to the usa to work? How long? rules & regulations
- •55. According to the information below fill in the table:
- •Eligibility to Participate on the Work & Travel usa Program
- •56. Talk with your partner about your ability to go to the u.S. Concerning each point of Ex. 55. Do you have any problems? How can you solve them?
- •Life in the usa
- •Important Laws
- •65. Give your advice how to avoid getting into trouble being abroad. The following ideas can be helpful:
- •66. What problems can happen at work? Brainstorm ideas with the group. Read about some of them and say what you should do in case of trouble. Problems at work
- •67. Match the words with their definitions.
- •68. Make up 5 questions using the words above and let your partner answer them.
- •69. Student a is an employer, Student b is an employee. Discuss the salaries and additional payment using the following text. Getting Paid
- •Telephoning
- •1. Look at the pictures. What are you going to talk about?
- •2. Match the words with their definitions:
- •Leaving and Taking Messages
- •9. Read the call and complete the notes.
- •10. Work in pairs. Read the phone call aloud. Take turns to be Mary and Anfisa.
- •11. Add as many Useful Phrases from the dialogue as you can!
- •Making arrangements
- •19. Work in groups of four. You need to arrange a meeting at a time when you are all free. Decide the reason for the meeting and agree when and where it will take place.
- •Voicemail
- •20. If the person you want to speak to is not there, you may hear this:
- •Environment
- •Pollution waste protect recycled damage factory emission environmentalist
- •6. Use these words to complete the sentences:
- •7. List of problems
- •8. What causes the damage? Brainstorm ideas!
- •9. Match the beginnings of the sentences with their endings. Highlight the things that damage the environment.
- •15. Read the second part of the article and match the problems with the paragraphs that describe them.
- •27. Read the text and choose the best answers to the questions 1 – 4.
- •A. Trade-off b. For one and all c. Chronic problem
- •33. Are these statements true or false? Prove your ideas.
- •How Green Are You?
- •37. In groups, write a Green Party manifesto, giving your proposals for an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
- •38. Be ready to discuss some environmental problems.
- •Economy
- •1. The Russian Federation
- •1. Study the following country profile and make up as many questions as you can:
- •6. Match a word on the left with a word on the right to make common expressions:
- •7. Now use the phrases in the following sentences:
- •8. Read the text, translate it and check up your answers.
- •9. Answer the questions:
- •10. Tell about geographical location and mineral resources of our country using your answers.
- •11. Match a word on the left with a word on the right to make common expressions and translate them:
- •12. Match these expressions with their definitions.
- •13. Study the following words from the text:
- •14. Read the text about the government and politics in Russia and answer the questions after it:
- •19. Using the dictionary find the definitions to your own associations to the word “economics”.
- •20. Read and translate the text below about Russia’s economy.
- •21. Discuss with your partner if the modern economic situation in Russia is on the rise. Use your associations. Prove your ideas with the facts from the text you have read. Economy
- •22. Match the beginnings of the sentences with their endings.
- •26. Read the supplementary information about foreign relations and military of our country. Before reading the text study some new words and expressions:
- •Stations
- •Future development
- •37. Using the internet or some other sources find the information about the current phase of construction.
- •38. Work with a partner. Discuss the following questions:
- •2. Great Britain
- •1. Study the following words from the text:
- •2. Range this words into two columns: one is describing the geological location, the nature and another is describing the government.
- •3. Knowing the words from the text can you predict about what is it?
- •4. Read the text, translate and entitle it.
- •5. Are these statements true or false?
- •6. Find English equivalents and use them in the sentences, of your own:
- •7. Open the brackets:
- •12. Explain the following words using dictionary. Choose any five to make sentences.
- •13. Match the beginnings of the sentences with their endings.
- •14. Read and translate the following text paying attention to the vocabulary:
- •Economy
- •15. Find English equivalents and use them in the sentences, of your own:
- •16. Find synonyms to the words from the text.
- •17. Are these statements true or false? Correct wrong statements.
- •18. In pairs. Ask and answer your own questions using information from the text.
- •19. Work with a partner. Discuss economic situation in the uk. Is it on the rise or not? Use your answers from the previous exercise.
- •20. Read and translate the text about production in the uk. Production
- •25. Give the summary of this text using the words from your own vocabulary and your answers.
- •26. Look through the following information. Name the banks of England, the main export and import partners.
- •Russian-British projects secure large investments in Russian economy
- •Economic Issues
- •The Death of Economics
- •35. Which of the following topics does the article discuss?
- •36. What are your personal reaction to the article?
- •37. Find the words and expressions in the article which mean:
- •38. Without referring to the text, complete the following notes on the article using the pairs of words in the boxes.
- •39. What do you think about Russia’s economy? Is it strong or not? Would you say it was about to enter a period of growth or decline?
- •40. Complete these words by adding the vowels. Each word can follow the adjective economic.
- •41. Now complete the following using some of the word partners above:
- •43. In each example, use another form of the word in capitals to complete the sentence.
- •44. Using the statistics below, complete these sentences describing a country’s economic situation:
- •If you don’t know some words consult the dictionary! And try to memorize them!
- •46. Write an essay (not less than 200 words) “Russia and Great Britain: economy and prospects of development” Bibliography
- •Contents
If you had a chance to take toefl, what format would you choose? Why?
21. Work in 4 groups. Read the following advice for improving your reading/listening/speaking/writing skills and tell the rest of the group what you should do.
Group 1. Reading skills
1. Read as much and as often as possible in English.
- Read texts on a variety of topics. (Read both academic and non-academic materials. Read about subjects that interest you and that DON’T interest you.)
- Write basic questions to test your understanding of a text. (Write questions and answers about the first paragraph. Then guess what might be discussed in the next paragraph.)
- Use your knowledge of grammar to try to comprehend difficult sections of a passage. (Think carefully about the relationship between independent and dependent clauses. Look at pronouns and find the nouns that they refer to. Look at relative pronouns (who, that, which, whom, whose) used in adjective clauses (for example, The student whose classmates are taking the TOEFL test....) and find the nouns they refer to.)
2. Continually expand your vocabulary knowledge.
- It is important to increase your vocabulary on many subjects because you will have to read about various topics at the university. (Review glossaries/lists of terms used in academic texts.)
- Develop a system for studying new words. (Write each word on a card and mix up the cards each time you study them. Write the context (the sentence the word was used in) to help you learn correct word usage. Group the words according to topic or meaning and study the words as a list of related words. Study vocabulary by making a list of opposites (words with different meanings) and synonyms (words with similar meanings).
- Expand your vocabulary by analyzing the parts of a word. This will help you understand some unknown words that you see.
- Use the context to guess the meaning of unknown words.
- Use resources to help you study vocabulary. (Use an English-English dictionary to learn correct meaning and word usage.)
- Practice correct usage by making sentences with new words.
3. Study the organization of academic texts and overall structure of a reading passage.
- Read an entire passage from beginning to end. (Look for the main ideas of the article. Look for the supporting details. Pay attention to the relationship between the details and main ideas.)
- Learn to recognize the different styles of organization that you find in articles in English in order to understand the way an article is structured. (Pay attention to the connecting words/transitions used for specific relationships.)
- Outline a text to test your understanding of the structure of a reading passage. (Begin by grouping paragraphs that address the same concept. Pay attention to how the key ideas in one paragraph relate to the main points of the next paragraph. Write one sentence summarizing the paragraphs that discuss the same idea. Look at connections between sentences. Look at how the end of one sentence relates to the beginning of the next sentence. Think about the connection between the ideas of the two sentences. Combine the sentences using appropriate transitions words to show the relationship between ideas.)
- Write a summary of the entire passage.
Group 2. Listening skills
1. Practice listening to something in English every day and gradually increase the amount of time that you listen.
- Listen to different kinds of materials. (Listen actively. Try to answer the “wh” questions. Listen passively to get the general idea of what’s being said.)
- Keep a listening log (a list of everything you listen to each day/week). (Write a one-sentence summary to remember the main idea of what you heard. Write down new expressions, idioms, and vocabulary that you hear.)
- Use dictations and other exercises to help your listening ability. (Ask an English speaker to dictate an article to you. Good sources of material are newspapers, magazines, and textbooks. First, write down exactly what you hear. Then only take notes on the important points that you hear. Do information gap exercises, using unfamiliar content and complex structures.)
2. Use the resources in your community to practice listening to English.
- Visit places in your community where you can practice listening to English.
- Watch or listen to programs recorded in English. (Watch television programs. Rent videos (turn off the captions!) or go to a movie in English. Listen to a book on tape in English. Listen to music in English and then check your accuracy by finding the lyrics on the Internet (e.g., www.lyrics.com). Listen to English language recordings that come with a transcript. Listen to each recording at least three times. The first time, take notes about the main ideas you hear. The second time, read the transcript and listen for the ideas you wrote down. The third time, write down any words and phrases that you didn't understand and look them up.)
- Go to Internet sites to practice listening. (National Public Radio (www.npr.org); CBS News (www.cbsnews.com); Randall’s Cyber Listening Lab (www.esl-lab.com); BBC World Service.com Learning English (www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish ).)
- Practice speaking English with others.
3. Begin to prepare for academic situations. (Visit academic classes in English. Record lectures or presentations and replay them several times.)
4. Listen for signals that will help you understand the organization of a talk, connections between ideas, and the importance of ideas. (Pay attention to the connections between examples. Pay attention to intonation and other ways that speakers indicate that information is important. Listen for pauses between important points.)
Group 3. Speaking skills
1. Look for opportunities to speak to native speakers of English. Interaction with others will improve your speaking ability. (Ask a native speaker to provide feedback on your pronunciation problems (if any). Join an Internet voice chat.)
2. Listen to the radio, and watch TV and movies. Pay attention to idiomatic usage of the language and different accents or speech patterns that are used.
- Write down new expressions you hear. Use the expressions in your everyday English conversations.
- Choose a character from a film or TV show. Repeat the character's words, following the intonation patterns, as he or she speaks. Include the gestures or other body language of the character you are imitating.
3. Practice speaking for a limited time on different topics without a lot of preparation. Time your responses to questions.
- Make a list of questions on topics that interest you (for example, hypothetical situations or academic topics). Answer each of the questions aloud. Try to speak for at least one minute.
4. Use books that come with audio recordings to study pronunciation, stress, and intonation in English.
5. Record yourself and then listen and transcribe what you said.
- Read a short article from a newspaper or textbook. Record yourself summarizing the article.
- Transcribe the recording and review the transcription. Think about other ways to say the same thing.
- Ask a teacher or English-speaking friend to review the transcription and mark any errors.
- Pay attention to your vocabulary and grammar mistakes.
- Correct the errors and check your pronunciation.
- Write down any changes to vocabulary and grammar you think will improve the recording.
Group 4. Writing skills
1. Practice listening to lectures and conversations in English.
- Record news and informational programs in English from the television or radio, or download talks or lectures from the Internet.
- Listen to these programs and take notes on the important points. Summarize the programs in English.
- Listen to them again to check your notes and summaries for accuracy.
2. Practice analyzing reading passages in English.
- Read two articles or chapters on the same topic or issue.
- Write a summary of each, and then explain the ways they are similar and the ways they are different.
- Practice combining listening and reading by searching for readings related to talks and lectures you or a friend or a teacher can find.
- Develop your vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening, and writing skills through extensive reading and listening in a variety of increasingly challenging academic areas.
- Write summaries and comparisons of what you have read.
- Get feedback from a teacher or friend on your comprehension, language, and writing.
22. Project task. Work in 4 groups. Prepare exercises (about 5 – 7) for training in reading/listening/speaking/writing skills according to the information you have read. Exchange your worksheets and do all the assignments. What tasks seem to be more helpful? Why?