Speaking

DIALOGUE 1

An interview

Robert: Excuse me; are you the Russian students who’ve been visiting England?

Boris: Yes, that’s right!

Robert: I’m a reporter from the “Mirror”. I’d like you to tell me something about

your visit. Were you invited by the National Union of Students, the biggest

students’ organization of Great Britain?

Boris: Yes, we were.

Robert: How long have you been here?

Boris: Since last Monday.

Robert: And what have you seen during your visit?

Boris: Oh, we’ve been to so many places, I really don’t know where to begin. First, we visited Cambridge, then Oxford and Stratford- on-Avon – the town where Shakespeare was born.

Robert: It’s a pity you’ve had such bad weather.

Boris: Well, we expected rain when we came to England and we are sorry we had no fog.

Robert: You’ll have to come again one winter, if you want to see a real London fog. Well, what did you like best in England?

Boris: Oh, the Jodrell Bank telescope, one of the biggest radio-telescopes in the world. I am studying astronomy, you see.

Robert: Now, may I ask you what you disliked most?

Boris: But really, we enjoyed everything.

Robert: Nonsense! There must be something you don’t like. Apart from the weather, of course.

Boris: There was just one thing, you know. They woke us every morning at seven with a horribly strong cup of tea with milk.

Robert: I am glad it wasn’t anything worse.

Boris: The train will be leaving in a moment. I’m afraid we have to say good-buy.

17. Memorize and reproduce Dialogue 1.

18. Make up dialogues of your own using Dialogue 1 as a model.

Situations: You meet your friend and ask him about:

a). his recent visit to Great Britain;

b). English weather;

c). the things you like and dislike in Great Britain.

DIALOGUE 2

Talking of impressions about britain and the British a British reporter puts questions to three American students who recently spent a year at British universities.

Reporter: After nearly a year in Britain, what are your impressions of the country and people?

Michael: Sharing a common language is important; in spite of what some Americans say, we do speak the same language. As a result, there’s great interest in the literature of the other nation – not to mention pop music and television.

Laura: I’m much more struck by the personality difference. British people often talk about loudness of Americans but I think Americans are more open.

Steve: Personally I’ve found it more difficult to have serious discussions with British students than with other European students. It’s really difficult to talk with a British student about anything more serious than football or beer.

Michael: I don’t agree. I’ve had discussions on serious things with English students. But I have to admit that “British reserve” so much talked about is a reality; the British I’ve met are hard to get to know.

Laura: We shouldn’t be too critical. There are a lot of things which we like here.

Michael: Well, I think that the observation that the British are more polite is true. And, as far as I have been able to see, the cities of Britain haven’t yet reached the point of no return in crime* that some of our cities have.

Reporter: Finally, what strikes you as the most important difference between the two nations?

Steve: The pace of life. Everyday life moves much faster in America; everything is much more intense. But I think things are changing in Britain and in ten years it’ll be the same here.

Note: *the point of no return in crime – (зд.) очень высокий уровень преступности.