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1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
More and more students at school and university are using the internet to cheat* in their coursework. In Britain, about 25 % of students copy material from the internet when they write their homework. In the USA there is a similar problem. One report showed that about 54 % of students copy from the internet when they prepare for the lessons.
Of course, students rightly use the internet to help them research a topic when they are doing coursework or writing an essay. But some of them also copy and include material from the internet into their own essays without indicating that they are using someone else’s work. For example, a student who has to write an essay on Shakespeare can find lots of different essays on particular plays and themes in Shakespeare and copy one of them. So they no longer have to read books in libraries, take notes and plan their own essay.
The internet has certainly helped students to avoid the hard work of writing an original essay, but it is not the only reason why cheating is increasing. In recent years, students’ attitudes to school and university have changed. In the past, students had a more idealistic attitude towards a university education. University broadened their minds. Nowadays, a lot of students are more practical in their attitude. They are only interested in passing the exams. They want a degree only to help them get a good job.
Teachers and examiners want to stop cheating in school and university, but they do not agree about how to solve the problem. Some teachers think a student’s final grade shouldn’t depend on his/her coursework. They think that it is better to have traditional (time-limited) written exams that are held in an examination room. Another way to stop cheating is to have an oral exam at the end of the course. If students cannot answer questions about their coursework, this could indicate that they have cheated. At the same time, the oral exam would give the examiner a better idea of students’ real knowledge of the subject.
2. Is cheating becoming a problem in the USA and Britain? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. How do students cheat using the internet?
4. Why do students cheat?
to cheat [tʃiːt] – обманывать, списывать
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Librarians are saddened by the fact that young people tend only to borrow reference books rather than reading fiction for pleasure. Perhaps it’s unfashionable to read these days. However, a new trend is developing, with literary lovers leaving their books in public places, to be picked up and ‘borrowed’ by others.
The Belarusian National Technical University was the first to support the idea in our country. Several years ago, the Director of its scientific library, Alexey Skalaban, passed an internship* in Sweden. At the airport, he saw a huge glass case of books, which he learnt were available for anyone to read. It was a great idea. The question was only where such books might be kept in Minsk.
“Initially, we created a shelf in the reading hall of the University’s scientific library. Later, we installed a case in the main building. It’s available to everyone,” explains Mr Skalaban. “We want to encourage young people to read. Book-crossing is an easy way to do this.” Alexey is looking at a website devoted to book-crossing. “Look, we’ve set free almost 700 books,” he admits with pride. On the day I visited, I saw only two books in the case. The inside cover has a plate stating that it is part of the book-crossing programme, alongside a registration number showing who donated the book and when.
Library staff, students and even residents of neighbouring houses bring books. Additionally, publishing houses have donated some editions. Every year, more such ‘safe’ places are found. Not long ago, a Minsk night club installed a shelf of books. While some people dance, others gather by the shelves of books, magazines and discs. “We’ve subscribed to several magazines, while books are brought in by our guests, staff and musicians. This is how our collection grows,” says Yan Busel, who co-owns the club.
Book-crossing is gaining popularity, with safe shelves found in many libraries, as well as cafes and educational establishments. No doubt, it’s a great way to attract visitors.
2. The author says what makes librarians unhappy. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. Who was the first to introduce book-crossing in our country?
4. Why is book-crossing becoming more and more popular in Belarus?
an internship [ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp] – интернатура, стажировка
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
People often say that our modern way of life, with its individualism and fast speed, has made the world a lonely place. So many of us live and work surrounded by people, but it is hard to find true friendship. The faces we see each day are like pictures in a gallery; the talk that we hear is just sound. Perhaps this is why the websites like ‘Facebook’, ‘Contacts’ are so popular these days. They allow people to communicate and even become close without meeting up. It seems that many people’s idea of friendship has changed nowadays. But what is friendship? Aristotle was the first western philosopher to discuss friendship in a detailed way. He said that people who chose to live alone were either like animals or gods. He probably meant that it is natural to want friends. Certainly, people who choose to live without friends are frequently regarded as having problems. We either pity them or else we view them as strange.
Aristotle also said that there are three different categories of friends. In the first category, we are friends with people because of some advantage that the friendship gives us. In other words, the friendship has a practical value. Friends in this category would include bosses at work or some of our colleagues. Aristotle’s second category of friendship is based on the idea of pleasure. Friends in this category enjoy doing things together and they have a lot of interests in common.
The third category of friendship is the highest form of friendship. In this category, people are friends on a deeper level. The friendship does not depend on anything other than the friends themselves. The relationship is so close that it seems that one soul belongs to two bodies, Aristotle said. Aristotle also said that close friends must have eaten salt together. In other words, they must have shared some of life’s good and bad experiences. Most people today would probably agree that these are a fundamental part of true friendship.
2. Read aloud the extract which says about the changes in the modern society.
3. What do people think about people who have no friends?
4. What does Aristotle say about the three types of friendship?
Braslav is among the most popular destinations for Belarusians and foreigners. Now, a state programme is being developed to raise the attractiveness of the region to tourists, turning the district centre (home to 10,000) into a modern European city.
The local tourist industry is to enter a whole new level. At present, there are five tourist bases and two hotels — situated in Braslav and near the town. New facilities are going to be very comfortable. Drivyaty tourist base within the Braslav Lakes National Park, which occupies 70,000 hectares, is among the most modern and popular destinations. It’s soon to be expanded, with new hotels, a spa centre, a cafe and an indoor aqua park.
In the early 16lh century, Duchess Yclena, who was married to Grand Duke Alexander (who ruled over Lithuania and Russia) and actually owned Braslav, founded a monastery on the site. Fragments of this ancient settlement will be restored as part of the Braslav district’s tourism development programme.
The ancicnt Belarusian town has many interesting sporting traditions, including an international fishing contest, which has been gathering hundreds of fishermen from Belarus, Russia and Latvia for the past few years. Sports lovers and those who enjoy the outdoor life are sure to be delighted by the town’s new rowing channel, ski-roller track and ski slope, in addition to a sports complex with an ice rink.
The local cinema is to be fully modernised, with new halls opened, while an entertainment complex will be built, offering billiards and bowling. A new shopping centre, with a cafe for children, is also planned, alongside a lake-river museum, with an aquarium.
This wonderful resort town should please tourists with its modernised infrastructure and Braslav district could soon become an international tourist destination. One potential investor is to start construction of a new sanatorium very soon.
State programmes for regional development are already working in the Polesie and Naroch Lake areas.
2. The author tells us about sporting traditions that exist in Braslav. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What new things will tourists see in Braslav?
4. Why will it be interesting to visit this Belarusian town?
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Like the great detective Sherlock Holmes, Conan Doyle also had many wonderful talents. Many people do not know that he wrote many other kinds of books: science fiction, historical adventures, horror stories and stories of the supernatural. He also wrote factual books on history and politics. In everything he did, he showed his incredible creative energy.
Conan Doyle came from an artistic family and he was a natural writer. His father was a talented artist and his mother was a very good story-teller. In his autobiography, Conan Doyle wrote: “The stories that my mother told me when I was a child stand out more powerfully than the real facts of my life.” Conan Doyle went to boarding school when he was nine years old. At school, he entertained his school friends with stories that he had invented. After graduation from Edinburgh University he had his own medical practice in London, but he did not have many patients, so he was not earning a lot of money as a doctor. That’s why Conan Doyle made good use of his free time by writing stories. Soon, Conan Doyle began to have his stories published. He now began to understand that writing could provide a better income than medicine. Conan Doyle was not satisfied with being just a writer of original and entertaining stories. He was also a great man of action. When he was a young man, he sailed as a ship’s doctor on voyages to the Arctic and to West Africa. When the Boer War* in Africa started, Conan Doyle volunteered to fight. He was not accepted because lie was too old (he was 40). However, he still went to South Africa as a doctor to treat the wounded* and the sick. He later wrote a history of the Boer War.
Conan Doyle was determined to do some good in society. He tried to enter Parliament, but he wasn’t successful. Conan Doyle was more successful in his work to improve the law system. He worked very hard to help people who had been wrongfully sent to prison.
Conan Doyle did many things in his life, but he will naturally be remembered most as a writer, a creator of Sherlock Holmes.
2. Conan Doyle had many talents. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. How did his writing talent develop?
4. Which facts prove that Conan Doyle took an active part in social life?
the Boer War [ˌbəʊəˈwɔː] – англо-бурская война
the wounded [ˈwuːndɪd] – раненые
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Jane Turner began her chocolate making business in a village near the seaside resort, of Torquay about three years ago, before that she had worked for a large food processing company in south-west England. We talked to her about her experiences.
Why did you decide to make such a big change of lifestyle?
“First of all, I was not happy in my job. Though it was a well-paid job, the work was very stressful and I had to work long hours. I just wanted to improve the quality of my life. I also wanted to live by the sea again. I knew that it would be difficult to find a good job in this area, so I decided to set up my own business.”
How did the chocolate making begin?
“It had always been my dream. I found a suitable building in a village and installed all the equipment. My sister and a couple of her friends came to work with me and about six months later we were ready to start making cakes. After the cake business had begun to do well and we were supplying hotels and restaurants on a regular basis, I began trying to make my own chocolates. It is not easy to make good chocolate as there are so many factors involved: creativity, the quality of ingredients, even the temperature of the room. When I had developed a good enough range of chocolates, I sent some to the hotels and restaurants. They liked them and ordered more. That is how the chocolate making grew.”
Have you made any mistakes?
“Oh, yes, a lot. Perhaps the biggest mistake was trying to sell our cakes and chocolates over the internet. It was a disaster. First of all, it was expensive to get a professionally designed website set up. Then it was difficult and expensive to deliver cakes and chocolates to places that were far away. We had to use special packaging to protect the cakes and chocolates, which was also expensive. Sometimes, the chocolates arrived late, or despite everything they were damaged. Then we had to deal with some very angry customers!”
What are your plans for the future?
“We are thinking of setting up our own shop in Torquay with cake and chocolate making facilities inside.”
2. Why did Jane Turner start her business? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. How did her chocolate business develop?
4. What mistakes did she make?
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Agatha Christie wrote some of the best detective stories in English. Her own life also contains a mystery that has only recently been solved.
The story began like this. At 9.45 pm on December 3rd 1926, Agatha Christie left her home in the south of England, saying that she was going out for a drive in her car. The next morning, her car was found quite far away crashed. The front end of the car was in some bushes, the headlights* were still on. Inside, there were only some women’s clothes and Agatha Christie’s driving license. The detective in charge of the case, William Kenward immediately organized a big search of the area. Policemen came from different parts of the country to help in the search, even some famous detective writers were asked to help. Archie Christie, Agatha’s husband, told everyone that his wife was suffering from amnesia*. However, soon the police discovered that the marriage between Archie and Agatha Christie was not a happy one, and that Archie and Agatha were having problems. But he could not admit that his marriage was in trouble because people might have thought that he had had something to do with her disappearance.
At this point, the police received a letter. In the letter, Agatha told Archie’s brother that she was going away to rest in Yorkshire, Harrogate. The police now went there and looked for her at all the hotels. But they did not find Agatha Christie as she had not checked in using her real name. Instead, she had introduced herself as Neele, a visitor from South Africa.
The situation was very upsetting for the police as they didn’t find her. Instead, the musicians in the dance band at the hotel recognized her. It was not an easy story to believe and most people did not in fact believe it. But all what we know now is that she did not do it for publicity. She did it as she was going through an unhappy time with her husband. Later, in fact, their marriage broke up and they got divorced. However, her disappearance did make Agatha Christie the most popular crime writer in the country.
2. How did the story begin?
3. What are the details of the police investigation?
4. Why did Agatha Christie disappear according to the article?
mysterious [mɪsˈtɪərɪəs] – таинственный
headlights [ˈhedlaɪts] – фары
amnesia [əmˈniːzɪə] – амнезия, потеря памяти
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Pablo Picasso was one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He experimented in many different styles and changed the world of art during his time. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain in 1881. His father was a drawing teacher. At 10 Pablo became his father’s pupil and at the age of 13 he held his first exhibition. His family moved to Barcelona in 1895 where Pablo joined an art academy. In his early period the young artist painted life as he saw it around him – in cafes and on the streets. Then they moved to Paris, the centre of art and literature.
In 1901 a close friend of Picasso shot himself. This had a great influence on Pablo. He was very sad and began painting his pictures in grey and blue tones instead of bright, vivid colours. This part of his career is called his Blue Period (1901-1904).
Later on, he changed his painting style and started using more earth colours – rose, pink or brown. He liked to paint pictures of circus life with dancers and acrobats. This Rose Period lasted until 1907.
When Picasso started working with his friend and fellow painter Georges Braque in Paris they started experimenting with a new style that was called cubism. Picasso and Braque didn’t want to show nature as it really was. They thought that all objects in nature had geometric forms. In cubism, objects were cut into many flat shapes, which looked like a puzzle. All the sides of a person’s face, for example, were shown at once, maybe even with three eyes instead of two.
In 1936 Civil War broke out in Spain. During this period he painted his masterpiece Guernica. It shows the terrified people of the ancient Spanish town which was bombed during the Civil War. Picasso was shocked by this inhuman act and in his painting he shows people running in the streets and screaming with their mouths wide open. To display his sadness and anger he used only black and white as well as shades of grey.
He continued his work up to his death in 1973. For his great imagination and skill he is called ‘El Maestro’ of modern art.
2. The most famous painting of Picasso is Guernica. Read aloud the extract about it.
3. Where did Picasso learn to paint?
4. Picasso worked in different styles. Which styles are mentioned in the article? What are their typical characteristics?
Pablo Picasso [ˈpæbləʊ pɪˈkæsəʊ] – Пабло Пикассо
geometric [ʤiːəʊˈmetrɪk] – геометрический
Guernica [gɜːˈniːkə] [ˈgɜːnɪkə] – Герника
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
It would be difficult to find someone who does not like chocolate. In the United States, chocolate is bought more often than any other kind of sweet. In Britain, each person eats an average of 11 kg of chocolate per year. That is a lot of chocolate! In the US people eat about 200 chocolate bars per second as a matter of fact. People love chocolate so much that they often think it is a bad habit. But there is good news for all chocoholics: eating chocolate does less harm to you than you might think.
People often believe that chocolate causes a number of health problems including bad teeth, obesity* and skin problems such as acne*. Studies carried out in the United States, however, give no support to this idea.
Specific tests were carried out. One group of people who suffer from acne was given regular amounts of chocolate, while another group of similar sufferers had no chocolate at all. At the end of the test period the two groups were compared. No difference in the condition of the acne sufferers was noticed.
Chocolate contains fat and sugar, so if you ate a lot of chocolate you would probably put on weight. But reasonable amounts of chocolate in your diet will not make you fat. People usually get fat because they eat too much food in general, especially if they are not very active.
What about the effect on your teeth? Chocolate can damage your teeth, but the danger is less than many people believe. It is good to know that eating a certain amount of chocolate may even be good for you. Chocolate contains protein, vitamins and minerals. Scientists believe chocolate may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is that it can help you fight off illness. The important thing is not the chocolate in itself, but the pleasure that it gives you. Even the smell of chocolate can have a positive effect on your immune system. It is nice to smell chocolate of course, but it is much better to eat it. And the great thing is that you can eat it without fear.
2. People eat a lot of chocolate. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What health problems do people traditionally connect with eating chocolate?
4. What facts prove that chocolate can be good for our health?
obesity [əʊˈbiːsɪtɪ] – ожирение
acne [ˈæknɪ] – угревая сыпь
In our history, there have been some remarkable children. Mozart is a famous example. After he had heard a piece of music a couple of times, he could write it down on paper. He composed symphonies while he was still a child. Today we also hear stories of very gifted* children.
Ruth Lawrence, from the UK, became famous at the age of 12, when she began her studies at Oxford University. She was the youngest student ever to attend a university in the UK. Before going to university, Ruth was taught at home by her father. While she was a student, her father was always by her side. He attended all her lectures with her. Ruth did very well at Oxford. She got a first class degree in mathematics. Now Ruth is a mathematics professor.
These young people are, however, extremely special. Because of that they naturally feel different to other children of their own age. They can become lonely. Michael Howe, a professor of psychology says, “It is good to be good at something while you are young, but if you do not have friends or other experiences you will not have a satisfying life.” Gifted children who understand quicker than their classmates can also become lazy. They can behave badly in class because they are bored.
If parents find that their child is especially talented, they have to take some important and difficult decisions. They have to help their child develop but they cannot push their child too hard. If they do, the child may have serious problems later in life. However, if a child is especially gifted, it is clear that they need a special kind of education. These children need to be motivated. This means that they have to study with people who are older than them. But at the same time they must be allowed to be children too.
Despite her great success, Ruth Lawrence does not want her own children to be brought up and educated in the same way she was. They will be sent to a normal school and she has said that she wants them to develop and grow only in a natural way.
2. Ruth Lawrence was a gifted child. Read aloud the extract which says about her.
3. What kind of problems can wonderkids have?
4. What should parents and teachers do for their gifted children?
gifted [ˈgɪftɪd] – талантливый
Ruth [ruːθ]
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
“Researching family history is a true passion rather than just a hobby for many people”, says Julie Mason. “It is wonderfully exciting when you learn more about the ancestors*.”
Julie began researching her family’s past in order to find out her roots*. She says: “When you discover your roots, it gives you understanding who you are.” John Paul Thompson, has a different reason for wanting to research his family’s history. “After my father died I found myself with photo albums full of old photographs with no labels. I wanted to find out more about the others.” Some of the things that people discover about their families can be very surprising. When Jean Sandwell researched her family history she had a very big shock. She found out that she had been adopted as a baby. After she had accepted this situation, Jean tried to find her real parents. “I discovered that my mother emigrated to Australia in 1966,” says Jean. “In 1982 I went to Australia to meet her. It was a very emotional experience for both of us.”
So what is the best way to start researching your family history? “Interview all your family members before it is too late,” says Julie Mason. “Make a basic family tree of your close family and step by step make it bigger. Of course, it is not easy to have accurate information from relatives about things that happened in the distant past. It is quite normal for different family members give different versions of the same events. It is very important to check everything.”
Public records in local libraries and in national archives* are also important to the family historian. Old newspaper reports are often kept on in local libraries. Sometimes, researching your family history can be lonely work. Remember that you can find a lot of help on the internet. Of course, it is not easy to trace your family history a long way back and you must be very patient. Believe me, in the future, your children, and their children may be very grateful to you for recording it.
1. Jean Sandwell made a shocking discovery. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
2. Why do people start tracing their family histories?
3. What recommendations does the author give to discover your roots?
an ancestor [ˈænsəstə(r)] – предок
roots [ruːts] – корни
an archive [ˈɑːkaɪv] – архив
Mason [ˈmeɪs(ə)n]
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Seventeen: What was your experience with bullying* in high school?
Audra Mari: One Sunday, I came home and there was a big picture on the door. It was basically making fun of me because I’m tall. Once the girls prepared a slogan to support a football team. The slogan wishing good luck faced the team, but the back of the slogan read “Go Home Mari”. And the whole student section saw it. One time during lunch, I was sitting with all my friends, and a girl came up to me and threw a paper lunch bag at me. She said, “You can eat this for lunch, it is for horses.”
Seventeen: What was going through your head when all of this was happening?
Audra Mari: At first, I tried to keep it in and not tell anyone except for my friends because I thought that it’d finish after the first few weeks, but this happened all year. So finally, I told my mum, I told her everything. She talked to the administration, and they brought the girls in and talked to them about it. The girls were punished. So you just have to bring it to the attention of adults.
Seventeen: In spite of all this, you still managed to make it to the Miss Teen USA competition and win it. How did you find the confidence to go for it?
Audra Mari: You just have to ignore it and have confidence* in yourself. I was a three-sport athlete – hockey, soccer, and volleyball – and I gave them up to do my modelling career.
Seventeen: What’s your advice for girls dealing with bullies today?
Audra Mari: Stay confident and know that this is not the end of the world, that you are not going to be in high school for the rest of your life. There are mean girls wherever you go, but you don’t need to be with them when you get older. You’re not in a classroom with them, you’re not eating lunch with them, so look past it and know that it’s going to end. Looking back, I’d say you just need to focus on what you want to achieve and not let people get in your way or upset you. Also, tell a trusted adult, tell all your friends, tell anyone you can. If you keep it inside, it’s just going to eat you.
2. Mary was cruelly bullied. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. How did she react to bullying?
4. What advice does she give to other children?
to bully [ˈbʊlɪ] – дразнить, запугивать
confidence [ˈkɒnfɪdəns] – уверенность
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
A painting has been discovered that experts say is a picture of one of the world’s best-known writers, William Shakespeare. He is thought to have written at least 36 plays, which include the world-famous Hamlet, Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet. Yet surprisingly little is known about Shakespeare’s life, the way he worked, or what he looked like.
Shakespeare was born in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in England in 1564. He left the town when he was about 20, leaving behind a wife and three children. After this period he worked as an actor and writer of plays in London. In 1594 he helped form a new theatre company and wrote plays for the next 20 years. After this he retired to Stratford-upon-Avon where he died in 1616. He is buried in a local church.
Several portraits exist that are supposed to be those of Shakespeare’s. Yet many experts think these paintings are probably pictures of someone else, or were painted at least 100 years after Shakespeare died.
The Shakespeare expert and the owner of the newly-discovered painting say they are 90 % sure it is of William Shakespeare. Alec Cobbe owns the painting. It has been in his family’s possession since the early 1700s. They did not know who the person in the painting was. A few years ago Mr Cobbe went to a Shakespeare exhibition and saw a painting of Shakespeare called the Janssen portrait. He was amazed by how similar it was to the painting owned by his family.
He took his painting to a Shakespeare expert. Since then it has been dated and X-rayed. They now believe it was painted in 1610, when Shakespeare was 46 years old – six years before he died. Mr Cobbe thinks he could prove the portrait was originally owned by the Earl of Southampton, who supported Shakespeare when he was writing his plays.
Other experts are not so sure whether it really is a portrait of Shakespeare. This, they say, is because there is no proof the Janssen portrait is actually a picture of Shakespeare either!
1. The author gives some facts about Shakespeare’s life. Find this extract and read it aloud.
2. What facts prove that the painting can be a portrait of William Shakespeare?
3. Why do some people doubt that this is a portrait of Shakespeare?
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
John tells us a hit more about shopping in London... “When I visit London one of my favourite things to do is shopping! I really enjoy hunting around for a bargain in the sales, buying something new to wear out on a Saturday night. Or alternatively, a bit of window-shopping – it doesn’t cost a penny. Sometimes I’ll spend hours just wandering around a market having a chat with my friends. There are loads of different places to go shopping in London. You can go to Oxford Street, but be warned, it gets too busy sometimes; it can be difficult to go anywhere! Alternatively for a less crowded, more relaxing shopping experience, go to Covent Garden, you can have an expensive cappuccino, and watch some (free) street theatres at the same time.
Some people like shopping in department stores, the most famous one in London is ‘Harrods’*, but for me, it’s not modern enough, and too expensive, the sort of place your parents shop. But just down the road is ‘Harvey Nies’, much more up-to-date, but not cheap. The best of all the big department stores is ‘Selfridges’ in Oxford Street, it’s a shopper’s paradise, nice clothes, and the prices. Well I can look, can’t I?
You can also try Camden, it’s busy, exciting, trendy, and there are lots of bargains! You can buy cheap jeans and cool second hand clothes in the morning and then get a tattoo and a body piercing later on! If all that shopping is too tiring, you can get some Chinese or Thai* food for £2 or £3, sit by the canal and have a drink. What could be better?
If Camden is not cultured enough, you might prefer a day in Greenwich* – a world heritage site. This is a much more relaxing day out. You can have a walk round the market and shops, and then take in a bit of London’s history – it was the birthplace of Henry VIII, Queen Mary and Elizabeth I. There’s also the park, the ‘Cutty Sark’ (an old tea clipper ship), the meridian line (where east meets west), and the old observatory... so much to do, but don’t forget the shopping!”
2. The author describes some department stores that are popular with shoppers. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What does John like about shopping?
4. Why is Greenwich interesting to visit?
a bargain [ˈbɑːgɪn] – выгодная покупка
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
One of the world’s leading universities has just begun to celebrate its 800th anniversary.
Cambridge University, in the UK, was founded in 1209. On 17th January it held a special outdoor celebration to launch a year of events marking its 800th birthday.
The University was founded by scholars from another English university, Oxford. Nobody is exactly sure why they moved to Cambridge. One record shows it happened when two Oxford scholars were arrested and then convicted of murdering a local woman. Other students protested their arrest by leaving the university and going to other towns. It was a group of these scholars that set up a university in Cambridge.
Originally only men were allowed to study at Cambridge. From 1869 women were permitted to study there, but they were not awarded degrees. Women at Cambridge were first awarded degrees in 1947.
Some of the most important discoveries in history have been made by people studying at Cambridge University. The jet engine was invented there. Scientists at Cambridge discovered the structure of human DNA. More than 80 winners of the Nobel Prize, and 15 of Britain’s prime ministers, have been graduates of Cambridge University.
Many students from Cambridge University have become famous for becoming among the best in their fields of work. Authors C. S. Lewis, who wrote the Narnia books, and A. A. Milne, who wrote Winnie-the-Pooh, also studied at the university.
On 17th January about 7,000 people gathered in the centre of Cambridge to watch a light show celebrating the anniversary. Images and illustrations were projected onto one of the famous university buildings, the Senate House. A piece of music containing exactly 800 notes was played from the nearby Great St Mary’s Church.
Cambridge is usually ranked among the top five universities in the world for its standard of research and teaching. Today, around 18,000 students study at Cambridge University.
2. The author says how the university was founded. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What important discoveries were made at Cambridge?
4. Why is Cambridge University considered one of the best in the world?
to convict [kənˈvɪkt] – осудить, признать виновным
Nobel Prize [nəʊˌbel ˈpraɪz] [ˌnəʊbel ˈpraɪz]
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
A new worldwide digital library has opened on the internet. The library website has taken four years to put together. It was officially launched at the headquarters of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in Paris, the capital of France, on 21st April.
The digital library lets people see rare items from around the world, including some of the earliest written works. These include ancient books and maps. For example, you can see a digital image of a 1,000-year-old Japanese novel, believed to be the oldest in the world, and the very first European map to include America. The map was drawn in 1562.
The library contains images of some of the earliest known Chinese writing, which is about 3,000 years old. Another item on display is called the Devil’s Bible. It’s the largest medieval book in the world. The book, which contains a copy of a collection of Jewish and Christian texts first put together by scholars 1,700 years ago, was handwritten in the 13th century. It gets its name because it also contains a large illustration of the Devil. It is now kept in a museum in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.
The World Digital Library was the idea of James H. Billington. He is the head librarian of the USA’s Library of Congress, the largest library in the world. Mr Billington hopes the new digital library will be used by young students and teachers everywhere to discover more about the world’s cultural history. The library contains about 1,200 items from 26 libraries in 19 countries. An explanation of each item is available in seven languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.
Visitors can search the library in different ways. They can enter historical dates to see what items were made in the world at that time. They can also sort their searches by similar topics or by country. You can visit the new World Digital Library at www.wdl.org
2. The author tells us about the person who created the library and why he decided to do it. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What ways are used to search the library?
4. Why is it a good idea to create such a library?
Stockholm [ˈstɒkhəʊm]
Arabic [ˈærəbɪk]
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
When the senior class of Gardane School heard that it might not get a new teacher for their elementary school, the pupils wrote to the Minister of Education. They live in or near a village in a mountainous district of Martonia where it is difficult to recruit doctors and teachers. Their request was published in a national paper and has become a common topic of conversation in a country where there is great concern about people leaving rural areas for the cities. This is the letter:
Dear Minister,
We are writing to ask for your help. We need a new teacher for the senior class in our school, and we are worried because our parents have been told that the Ministry cannot find one. Our school is very important to us and we like coming here to learn.
Gardane is a small village. Every visitor from the city says our valley is very beautiful and that we are lucky to live here. So why isn’t there a new teacher who wants to come here? We don’t mind how old the new teacher is, or whether it’s a man or a woman. They should like the country and outdoor life, and be healthy. We would like someone who is patient, happy and does not shout. The teacher should be clever and know how to help us understand things. We’d like our teacher to be properly dressed and to come on time. They should be kind, make us feel happy in the school, and help us make our classroom nice. We would like someone who thinks of exciting things to do, inside and outside school. For example, our last teacher got us to write down the history of the village which our grandparents knew – we didn’t realise how much the village had changed; make a nature calendar so we learned more about farming and about the animals and plants in our valley; read all sorts of books and write a newspaper about our village.
If the Ministry does not send us a teacher, we will have to leave our families and our valley to go to school.
Please help us!
Yours sincerely
The pupils of Gardane school.
The pupils have not had a reply yet, and so far the Ministry has refused to comment on the situation.
2. The children mention some qualities that their future teacher should possess. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. Why did children like their last teacher?
4. What will happen if the school doesn’t get a new teacher?
Gardane [gɑːˈdæn]
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
People often ask which language is the most difficult to learn, and it is not easy to answer because there are many factors to take into consideration. A native speaker of Spanish, for example, will find Portuguese much easier to learn than a native speaker of Chinese because Portuguese is very similar to Spanish, while Chinese is very different. The greater the differences between the second language and our first one, the harder it will be for most people to learn. Many people answer that Chinese is the hardest language to learn possibly influenced by the thought of learning the Chinese writing system. The pronunciation of Chinese appears to be very difficult for many foreign learners, too. However, for Japanese speakers, who already use Chinese characters in their own language, learning this language will be less difficult than for speakers of languages using the Roman alphabet.
Some people seem to learn languages readily, while others find it very difficult. Teachers and the circumstances in which the language is learned also play an important role, as well as each learner’s motivation for learning. If people learn a language because they need to use it professionally, they often learn it faster than people studying a language that has no direct use in their day-to-day life. British diplomats and other embassy staff have found that the second hardest language is Japanese, which will probably come as no surprise to many. But the language that they have found to be the most problematic is Hungarian, which has 35 grammatical cases.
Different cultures and individuals from those cultures will find different languages more difficult. In the case of Hungarian for British learners, it is not a question of the writing system, which uses a similar alphabet, but the grammatical complexity, though native speakers of related languages may find it easier.
2. The author explains why people find Chinese a very difficult language to learn. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What factors play an important role in learning a language?
4. Why do British diplomats find it difficult to learn Hungarian?
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
From children to senior citizens, mobile phones have become a craze* as a way of staying ahead with the technology. With our fast lifestyles, we have no time to meet our relatives or friends and are left with the only option of talking over the phone. Here comes the need of mobile phones, which allow us to stay connected wherever we are and whenever we need to.
Everybody today owns at least a basic mobile phone. What makes it easy to use is its user-friendly nature, small size and its numerous attractive features. However, people are always eager to replace their mobile phones with the latest models having more advanced features.
As the technology is scaling new heights, mobile phones are becoming cheaper and cheaper and the customer is getting more for less. A great way of amusing yourself is by playing games on your mobile phone. If you want to store your precious moments, you can use its video recording feature. Mobile phones can become expressions of who we are by getting mobile ringtones, wallpapers, which turn your phone into a unique device.
Whatever may be said against mobile phones their advantages have always scored over their disadvantages. They have proved useful for every purpose. Nothing is as comfortable as a mobile phone for communicating over a distance. You cannot be present at the same time at more than one place, but if required you can just make use of your mobile phone and get your work done.
Mobile phones have definitely become the most vital part of our lives. It is hard to imagine life without mobiles. Indeed, mobile phones keep you connected round the clock. They are now inexpensive, easy to use, comfortable and equipped with almost every latest feature you desire. Today, a technologically advanced mobile phone can perform as many tasks as well as that of a personal computer. Even remote countries have started having mobile phone services.
2. The author explains why people need mobile phones nowadays. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What features can be found in modern mobile phones?
4. Why are mobile phones a vital part of our life?
a craze [kreɪz] – идея фикс, пунктик
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
I was either ten or eleven when I wrote my first song. I don’t remember. My mum was struggling financially and emotionally, so I didn’t talk a lot. Finally, she told me if I couldn’t talk about what was bothering me, I should write about it. So she gave me a notebook, and my poems turned into lyrics.
I grew up in a very hardworking family. But we didn’t have lots of money. I was the kid whom friends’ parents bought Christmas presents for. One year, though, when I was in the sixth grade, my mom got a bonus at work, and instead of paying off bills, she bought me a CD player and four CDs.
I eventually got several college music scholarships but passed on them to move to Los Angeles in 2001. Everyone thought I was crazy to do it, but I moved to California anyway and got work singing backup*. A friend and I lived in a house with some other people, and we finally saved enough money to get our own place. The day we moved into our apartment, the building burned down. I stayed in my car for a few days so I could get enough money to drive back to Texas. When I got home, a friend told me about the American Idol audition* in Dallas.
Looking back on the show, I find it strange going back and performing on Idol last spring. Everyone was always supportive and nice. But I think they were so nice because no one thought I was going to win. Members of the crew came up to me after the finale and told me they didn’t think I could have won.
I recently gave a self-esteem workshop for Girl Scouts in Nashville, and I told the girls that I wasn’t a role model for my weight. Sometimes I’m thicker when I’m around my family and I’m eating more. Sometimes I’m thinner because I’m on the road and that takes a lot out of me. But I do feel it’s important to talk to girls about weight. They see these images, and there’s no way they’ll ever live up to them.
Everyone says I’m down-to-earth. It would be very hard for me to keep up any sort of celebrity persona. It’s just not me. I’m comfortable in my skin. I’m outspoken. I don’t know any other way to be.
2. The author explains what made her write songs. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. Why were all the people nice to her during the show?
4. What did she talk to Girl Scouts in Nashville about?
a backup [ˈbækʌp] – подпевка
an audution [ɔːˈdɪʃ(ə)n] – проба, прослушивание
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Halloween is always celebrated on 31 October. On that night, many people will look like frightening creatures such as vampires or ghosts. They do this with the help of special clothing and face paint.
Halloween traditions developed from Celtic beliefs in ancient Britain. The Celts believed that spirits of the dead would return to their homes on October the thirty-first, the day of the autumn feast. They built huge fires to frighten away evil spirits that night.
People from Scotland and Ireland brought these ideas with them when they came to America. Some believed that spirits played tricks on people on the last night of October. Historians say many of the Halloween traditions of today developed from those of ancient times. They say that wearing a mask to hide a person’s face is similar to the way ancient villagers covered their faces to make evil spirits go away.
On Halloween night, American children put on masks and other clothing. They go from home to home shouting “Trick or treat”! If the people in the homes do not give them a treat, the children may play a trick on them. Some adults put on costumes and attend Halloween parties. They also decorate their homes. They might clean out the insides of pumpkins and cut funny faces on the surface. Then, they place a burning candle inside. Some hang fake* bats, spider webs and other things around the home.
The National Retail Federation is predicting that Americans will spend more on Halloween treats and products this year. The group says about six point nine billion dollars will be spent in all. That is eighteen percent more than last year when Americans spent five point eight billion dollars to celebrate Halloween. The National Retail Federation also has information about what Americans will be wearing for Halloween this year. It says zombie costumes are tops among women, men and children.
2. The author describes how the ideas of celebrating Halloween came to the USA. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What do adults and children do to get ready for Halloween?
4. Why do many people celebrate this holiday nowadays?
fake [feɪk] – поддельный, искусственный
Celtic [ˈkeltɪk]
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
The financial-economic crisis of the 2009 was the third of its kind for Smilovichi Felting Factory’s Director, Vasily Saban. However, each time his unique company recovered from its challenging situation. Mr Saban, 55, has not only survived these times of trouble but has discovered a solution for ‘his’ factory – the company modernized its felt boot production, with the range of wool-made products expanded.
“This branch may be one of the oldest but it has seen progress,” says Mr Saban, looking at black-and-white photos from the 1950–1960s. “In 1928 Smilovichi staff made just 8-10 pairs of felt boots daily; the figure is ten times larger now, the quality has also improved. We are now working on making women’s felt boots more attractive and fashionable, without giving them high heels!”
Felt boots have been worn for over two centuries but still enjoy popularity with villagers, builders, the military, steel workers and ice fishermen. In recent years, felt boots have even gained special status, being bought in Russia, the Baltic States, Ukraine and Finland; Smilovichi-made footwear is worn with pleasure.
The company makes 37 different wollen products – including felt boots for children and adults, technical felt, woollen blankets and pillows, and sets for banyas. Its major supplies of raw materials are based in Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan. The company has managed not only to avoid bankruptcy but to advance significantly in its traditional manufacture. The process of felt boot making is complicated and labour intensive, including 36 operations, with only a few of them mechanised.
...I went to Smilovichi to buy felt boots for my sister and ended up buying some for myself and my family. They are beautiful and warm and environmentally friendly, being produced from sheep’s wool, without addictive and synthetic glue*. Anyone wearing Smilovichi-made felt boots must surely feel warm; their footwear has been made with love and keeps the warmth of their makers’ hands.
2. The director of the felting factory tells us about the factory’s achievements over the years. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What does the factory produce?
4. Why are felt boots becoming more and more popular all over the world?
felt boots [ˈfeltˌbuːts] – валенки
glue [gluː] – клей
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Rakov is a wonderful place. Once it was a big city – a cultural, religious and economic centre. Today, it’s just a village located 40 km from Minsk.
I’ve heard plenty of stories about the origin of this unusual name – Rakov. Some connect the name with the Belarusian word ‘raka’, or the first settler, named Rak, or, even, the ancient Egyptian sun god Ra.
Rakov was first mentioned in written chronicles* in the 15th century – noted as a place owned by the great Lithuanian dukes. 150 years later, it became a town at the centre of Rakov county, with a castle, governor and constitution. A famous Belarusian nobleman and composer Michal Oginski also owned Rakov county for some time.
Rakov reached its height of power in the 17th century, when it was owned by the Sanguszko family. Anna Sanguszko – the wife of one of the Radziwills – set up in her native city the manufacture of ceramic ware* that enjoyed great popularity all over Belarus. Ceramic pots, angel figurines and baking dishes are still found buried beneath Rakov.
Today, Rakov has neither factories nor workshops. However, its residents are proud of their clean air and wonderful landscapes. A complex of several-storey red-brick buildings, constructed in an unusual style in a Rakov residents’ garden, stands out against the village’s architectural landscape. A large inscription* on the facade reads: ‘Museum. Art-Gallery’.
Felix Yanushkevich – a restorer and a famous artist (his pictures are hung even in the Tretyakov Gallery) – owns the place. The gallery shows Felix’s works, as well as pieces by his no less talented brothers. Moreover, it holds ancient documents, furniture, musical instruments, ceramic ware. Today, the gallery has over 12,000 exhibits.
Silver water of the Rakov holy spring* is running through my fingers again. What will happen if I drop a coin? They say it means that you’re sure to return. I certainly wish to come back, since I’ve truly enjoyed seeing this unusual village with the history of a city.
2. The author tells us when Rakov was first mentioned in the chronicles and some facts about the town’s history. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What museum is situated in Rakov?
4. Why will it be interesting for people to visit Rakov?
a chronicle [ˈkrɒnɪkl] – хроника; летопись
ceramic ware [sɪˈræmɪk ˌweə(r)] – керамика
inscription [ɪnˈskrɪpʃ(ə)n] – надпись
spring [sprɪŋ] – источник, ключ, родник
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
The first stone has been laid in the foundation of the new building of the Museum of Great Patriotic War History. A time capsule has been laid into the foundation and, by spring 2013, the building is to open. Architects have done their best to make the five-storey, multi-level building, with each of its four sections symbolising a year of the war.
The decision to set up a museum dedicated to the fight against Nazi fascism was taken in 1942. It opened its doors in Minsk in July 1944. Millions of people have visited it since and, with the passing years, the need for a new, more spacious and well-equipped building has become clear. Each year, over 150,000 people visit the museum. Of course, they hope to find objective information and leave with a lasting impression.
The new museum will be located near the centre of the Belarusian capital, on a hill near the Minsk-Hero-City Memorial and Pobedy Park. It will primarily reflect the heroic deeds of the Belarusian people and the big role of the Red Army in defeating Nazis. However, technical innovations, such as dynamically lit electronic maps, electronic catalogues, interactive facilities will help visitors to receive brighter impressions.
We cannot change the fact that fewer witnesses of those dramatic military battles survive today, but we can preserve the past for new generations. Most schools in Belarus have a small museum of military glory, set up by enthusiasts. Professional historians have done much to develop this patriotic movement, preparing dozens of educational textbooks for pupils and teachers, helping to explain the events of 1941–1945.
Why is interest in these distant events so keen? The territory of contemporary Belarus has seen over 200 wars in the past centuries and our nation showed heroism and patriotism on so many occasions. From 1941–1945, we fought against Europe’s strongest army. Belarus paid a high price for its victory – 9,200 towns and villages were burnt and there were millions of victims. This can never be forgotten.
2. The author explains when the museum was created and how it has changed over the years. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What will the visitors be able to see in the new museum?
4. Why are people interested in the Museum of Great Patriotic War History?
Nazi [ˈnɑːtsɪ] – нацистский, наци
fascism [ˈfæʃɪz(ə)m] – фашизм
1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.
Liz was just finishing the final details for the surprise party she was planning for her husband. She had been thoroughly preparing for this event, designing every aspect of the party from the invitations to the food, and she was very excited about it. Family members whom Andrew hadn’t seen in years were flying in from Poland in a few days. Liz had tracked down several college friends, and they were coming from various places across the country. A band and dancers were invited.
The best part for Liz was that she knew Andrew did not have any idea about the party. She could not wait to see the look on his face when he walked into a big “Surprise!” in his own home.
The party was supposed to be on Saturday. As Liz was daydreaming about picking relatives up at the airport the next day and taking them to their hotel, Andrew walked into the kitchen and said, quite certainly, “Sweetheart, I don’t want anything special done for my birthday.”
“What do you mean?” Liz responded calmly, though her heart began to beat.
“I mean that I don’t want a surprise party.”
“Okay,” Liz said. “Not a problem.”
Liz’s mind raced. There was nothing she could do about Andrew’s request now. And, frankly, she didn’t want to. Liz had been planning this for more than a year. The party would go off as she intended. She did not want all of her effort to fail.
When Andrew came home Saturday evening from playing soccer with friends, he was shocked. Tears filled his eyes. This response was something Liz had not predicted. Among the crowd he saw friends whom he had not seen in nearly 20 years and family members who had come from Poland just for this evening. But along with being deeply moved, he was also angry with his wife. He knew he could be emotional, and he did not like people to see him that way. That was why he did not like being surprised.
Salsa music filled the home of Liz and Andrew. Liz whispered “I love you” in Andrew’s ear, they shared a kiss, and the two danced the whole night.
2. The author describes the preparations Liz made for the birthday party. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What did Andrew ask Liz for?
4. How did Andrew feel at the party?