Post-reading Activity

Task 1. Write out phrases characterizing a typical Belarusian and arrange them in the order of priority from your point of view.

Task 2. How does the author prove that under the simple sometimes delicate outlook strong character and staying power are hidden? Are you of the same opinion? Give the examples to support your idea.

Task 3. Can you contradict to Hertzen's opinion about a Belarusian as a person who "had lost his tongue"?

Listening practice

T A P E S C R I P T 1

Pre-listening Activity

Go through the following list of verbal combinations and translate them.

1. to stay on at school;

2. to earn a decent living;

3. to give the boat fare;

4. To make chocolate bars;

5. to get used to;

6. to be made to feel;

7. to treat somebody very differently.

Listening Activity

Task 1. Listen to the recording and choose the correct continuation for the following statements.

1. The girl left the shoe-factory and became a nanny because …

1. she wanted to earn more money.

2. she wanted to work with children.

3. she had to work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the factory.

2. The girl came to Slough, Buckinghamshire, as …

1. her father knew the place well.

2. the boat fare was cheap.

3. most of the people from her part of the country went there.

3. When the girl went back to Ireland people treated her differently because …

1. she was rich.

2. she had been to England.

3. she had been to college.

Task 2. Listen to the recording again and give answers to the following questions.

1. Where did the girl find her first job in England?

2. What did the girl have to get used to in England?

3. How was the girl made to feel in England?

4. Where did the girl move to in the late 1960’s?

Post-listening Activity

T A P E S C R I P T 2

Five o’clock news

Pre-listening Activity

Task 1. a) First recall the definition of the terms “ethnic group” and “minority”.

b) Do you know any examples of the people’s persecution because of some ethnic peculiarities?

c) Have you ever heard about the minorities movement for equal rights?

Task 2. Get familiar with the meaning of the word which you’ll hear in the pieces of news.

1. to grant a judgment – to give or transfer by legal procedure;

2. a testimony – a statement made under oath or to established a fact;

3. a suit - any form of evidence, proof an action to secure justice in a court of law;

4. an attorney – a lawyer powered to act for another;

5. a sermon – a speech on religion or morals;

6. to be assassinated – to be murdered by an assassin;

7. a garbage man – a person who collects or clean out garbage.

Listening Activity

Task 1. Listen to two pieces of news and choose the best completion of the sentence.

1.The family has been granted $30 00 as …

1. a gift from IBM in New York.

2. the decision of the court against a landlord.

3. as an award from his company in Chicago.

2. The owner refused to rent an apartment because …

1. the apartment had already been leased.

2. the Williams had refused to pay rental deposit.

3. he didn’t like the Williams family.

3. The Williams family has won their case in the federal court because …

1. there’s no racial discrimination in the USA.

2. there’s a special paper prohibiting racial discrimination in the USA.

3. the attorney for Mr. Wexler turned out to be a low professional.

4. Americans have gathered to …

1. celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther King.

2. to commemorate the 40 years of the death of Martin Luther King.

3. to commemorate the anniversary of the death Martin Luther King.

5. Dr. King was …

1. killed during his last sermon in the church.

2. assassinated two weeks after his last sermon.

3. assassinated some hours after his last sermon in the church.

6. Dr. King came to Memphis because …

1. he had been invited by the church.

2. his arrival to Memphis had been caused by the invitation of the American Federation of State.

3. his arrival had been caused by the striking garbagemen.

Task 2. Listen to the news again and answer the following questions.

1. What was the Williams family looking for and why?

2. Why did Mr. Thorton Williams have to appeal to the court?

3. Why is the Williams’ case the top story of the news programme?

4. What was Dr. Martin Luther King?