3 Аттестация TheEnglishabouttheEnglishWeather

Exercise 1.Read and translate the text.

The English weather on the whole is not exceptionally good. It's very damp, we have a lot of rain. Our weather is very changeable: a fine morning may change into a wet afternoon and evening. Conversely, a miserable morning may give place to a glorious afternoon.

The English summer is usually disappointing. We expect during winter to have two or three months of extremely good weather, sunshine and hot weather, hot enough to bathe, to go to the sea. But summer months are often cool, there is always plenty of rain. Planning summer holidays is not easy because you can never depend on the weather. One year June may be hot and sunny and July and August rainy, another year it might be the other way round. So many people who look forward to the summer holidays, if they can afford it, go abroad for their holidays, though there are so many lovely beaches on the English coast.

The English winter is not cold. The temperature seldom falls below 3-4 degrees. The usual temperature is about zero. The air is frequently damp and foggy. It often rains and it seldom snows. The snow melts very quickly.

Autumn is the season of foggy, windy days. A spell of sunny weather in October is called an Indian Summer.

Spring is a warm and beautiful season. Spring flowers start to bloom from February. The weather in spring however, is changeable, and even if the sky is blue without a single cloud in the morning there is no guarantee that it may not rain within a short time. It is always wise to take a mac or an umbrella.

No conversation ever starts in England without a comment on the weather. It is almost a formality like shaking hands. "How do you do?", "Nice day today, isn't it?", "Isn't it hot today?", "Isn't it a beastly day?", "Shocking weather, isn't it?" - these remarks are often used when speaking about the weather.

Exercise 2.Are the sentences true or false? Correct the false sentences. Begin your sentence with one of the following: I don't think so; I'm afraid you are wrong; on the contrary; it's not so; far from it; you are quite right; I agree with you; as far as I know.

1. The English weather is very changeable. 2. The English summer is usually fine. 3. It is usually cold in winter. 4. Spring is a very pleasant season. 5. The weather in autumn isn't very pleasant as a rule. 6. The English like to speak about the weather. 7. An Indian Summer is a spell of rainy weather in summer. 8. The English like to spend their holidays on the English coast. 9. In winter the snow doesn't melt. 10. The English take an umbrella only in rainy weather.

Exercise 3.Imagine you've just come from England. Your friends want to know about the English weather. They are asking you questions. (10 questions)

Meals in Britain

A traditional English breakfast is a very big meal - sausages, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms... . But nowadays many people just have cereal with milk and sugar, or toast with marmalade, jam, or honey. Marmalade and jam are not the same! Marmalade is made from oranges and jam is made from other fruit. The traditional breakfast drink is tea, which people have with cold milk. Some people have coffee, often instant coffee, which is made with just hot water.

Many visitors to Britain find this coffee disgusting!

For many people lunch is a quick meal. In cities there are a lot of sandwich bars, where office workers can choose the kind of bread they want - brown, white, or roll - and then all sorts of salad and meat or fish to go in the sandwich. Pubs often serve good, cheap food, both hot and cold. School-children can have a hot meal at school, but many just take a snack from home - a sandwich, a drink, some fruit, and perhaps some crisps.

Tea means two things. It is a drink and a meal! Some people have afternoon tea, with sandwiches, cakes, and, of course, a cup of tea. Cream teas are popular. You have scones (a kind of cake) with cream and jam.

The evening meal is the main meal of the day for many people. They usually have it quite early, between 6.00 and 8.00, and often the whole family eats together.

On Sundays many families have a traditional lunch. They have roast meat, either beef, lamb, chicken, or pork, with potatoes, vegetables, and gravy. Gravy is a sauce made from the juices.

The British like food from other countries, too, especially Italian, French, Chinese, and Indian. People often get take-away meals - you buy the food at the restaurant and then bring it home to eat. Eating in Britain is quite international!

Exercise 2.Are the sentences true or false? Correct the false sentences.

1. Many British people have a big breakfast. 2. People often have cereal or toast for breakfast. 3. Marmalade is different from jam. 4. People drink tea with hot milk. 5. Many foreign visitors love instant coffee. 6. All British people have a hot lunch. 7. Pubs are good places to go for lunch. 8. British people eat dinner late in the evening. 9. Sunday lunch is a special meal. 10. When you get a take-away meal, you eat it at home.

Exercise 3. Ask questions so that the sentences below could be answers.

1. The traditional breakfast drink is tea. 2. Many visitors to Britain find this coffee disgusting! 3. Pubs often serve good, cheap food, both hot and cold. 4. School-children take a snack from home. 5. The evening meal is the main meal of the day for many people. 6. Gravy is a sauce made from the juices. 7. The British like food from other countries, too, especially Italian, French, Chinese, and Indian. 8. Take-away meals you can buy at the restaurant.

Exercise 1.Read and translate the text.