Топики по английскому языку. Топики Тексты для чтения Экзаменационные вопросы Цветкова И. В. Клепальченко И. А
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THE BRITISH PRESS Probably in no other country are there such great differences between the various national daily newspapers — in the type of news they report and the way they report it. On the one hand, there are the "quality" newspapers: The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, the Financial Times and The Daily Telegraph. These concern themselves, as far as possible, with factual reports of major national and international events, with the world of politics and business and with the arts and sport. On the other hand, there are the "populars" and "tabloids," so-called because of their smaller size. The tabloids — the most widely read of which are The Daily Mail, The Daily Express, the Daily Mirror, The Sun and The Daily Star — concentrate on more emotive reporting of stories often featuring sex, violence, the Royal Family, film and pop stars, and sport. It's often said that the popular press aims to entertain its readers rather than inform them. The tabloid press is much more popular than the quality press. In some countries, newspapers are owned by government or by political parties. This is not the case in Britain. Newspapers here are mostly owned by individuals or by publishing companies, and the editors of the papers are usually allowed considerate freedom of expression. This is not to say that newspapers are without political bias. Papers like The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Express and The Sun, for example, usually reflect Conservative opinions in their comment and reporting, while the Daily Mirror and The Guardian have a more left-wing bias. In addition to the 12 national daily newspapers there are nine national papers which are published on Sundays. Most of the "Sundays" contain more reading matter than daily papers, and several of them also include "colour supplements" — separate colour magazines which contain photographicallyillustrated feature articles. Reading a Sunday paper, like having a big Sunday lunch, is an important tradition in many British households. Besides, nearly every area in Britain has one or more local newspapers. The British are one of the biggest newspaper-reading nations in the world. Names The Times [taimz] the Financial Times [fai,naenfl 'taimz] The Independent [indi'pendant] The Daily Telegraph [,deili 'teligraif] The Gardian ['ga:djan] The Daily Mail ['deili 'meil] The Daily Express [,deili iks'pres] the Daily Mirror [,deili 'mira] The Daily Star [,deili 'sta:] The Sun [влп] Vocabulary various ['vearias] различный, разнообразный national ['naejnl] национальный, государственный daily ['deili] ежедневный to report [ri'port] сообщать, писать, печатать on the one hand с одной стороны "quality" ['kwoliti] newspapers пресса "высокого качества" (для бизнесменов, политиков и т.д), газеты полного формата to concern [kan'satn] oneself with заниматься, интересоваться factual ['faektjual] фактический, основанный на фактах major ['meidja] главный, основной international [jnta'naejnl] международный politics ['politiks] политика, политические взгляды, убеждения on the other hand с другой стороны "popular" [popjula] газета для широкой публики "tabloid" ['taebloid] малоформатная газета со сжа- тым текстом и большим количеством иллюстра- ций; бульварная пресса to concentrate ['konsantreit] on сосредоточиваться на emotive [i'mautiv] reporting эмоциональная подача материала to feature ['fi:tja] помещать в газете (на видном месте) violence [vaialans] насилие royal ['roial] family королевская семья it's often said часто говорят to aim стремиться to entertain [.enta'tein] rather than inform скорее развлекать, чем информировать to own [aim] владеть This is not the case in Britain. He так обстоит дело в Британии. individual [jndi'vidjual] личность, индивидуум, частное лицо publishing company ['клтрэп!] издательство editor ['edita] редактор to allow [a'lau] разрешать, предоставлять considerate [kan'sidarit] freedom значительная свобода bias f'baias] предубежденность, пристрастие, уклон to reflect [ri'flekt] отражать conservative [kan'saivativ] консервативный comment f'koment] комментарий left-wing левый in addition to кроме, помимо "Sundays" газеты, публикуемые по выходным matter ['maeta] материал supplement ['SAplimant] приложение feature article ['fi:tjer 'a.-tikl] большая статья в газете (посвященная какой-либо одной теме), очерк household ['haushauld] семья; люди, живущие в одном доме local f'laukl] местный Questions 1. What "quality" newspapers do you know? 2. What do they concern themselves with? 3. What does a "tabloid" mean? 4. What "popular" newspapers do you know? 5. It's often said that the aim of the popular press is to entertain its readers rather than inform them. What kind of materials do these newspapers concentrate on? 6. Are "quality" papers more popular than "tabloids"? 7. In some countries, newspapers are owned by government or by political parties. What about Britain? 8. What's the difference between daily newspapers and "Sundays"? 9. What does a "colour supplement" mean? 10. Are the British one of the biggest newspaper-reading nations in the world? About Myself MY FAMILY I am Alex Sidorov. Alex is my first name and Sidorov is my surname. I am seventeen years old. I want to tell you a few words about my family. My family is large. I've got a mother, a father, a sister, a brother and a grandmother. There are six of us in the family. My mother is a teacher of biology. She works in a college. She likes her profession. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair and green eyes. She is forty-four but she looks much younger. She is tall and slim. My father is a computer programmer. He is very experienced. He is a broad-shouldered, tall man with fair hair and grey eyes. He is forty-six. My father often sings and when we are at home and have some free time, I play the guitar and we sing together. My father knows all about new radio sets and likes to repair old ones. He is also handy with many things. When he was small, he liked to take everything to pieces. My grandmother told me a story that once my father tried to "repair" their kitchen clock. He managed to put all the wheels and screws back again — but the clock did not work. They had to give it to a repairman. But that happened a long time ago. Now he can fix almost everything: a vacuum cleaner, a washing machine, a fridge and what not. He's got a few shelves where he keeps everything he needs. On the table there's always a radio in pieces. My parents have been married for twenty-six years. They have much in common, but they have different views on music, books and films. For example, my father likes horror films and my mother likes "soap operas". My father is fond of tennis. My mother isn't interested in sports. But my parents have the same opinion about my education and upbringing. My parents are hard-working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of me and my father. She is very good at cooking and she is clever with her hands. She is very practical. My father and I try to help her with the housework. I wash the dishes, go shopping and tidy our flat. My grandmother is a pensioner. She lives with us and helps to run the house. She is fond of knitting. My sister Helen is twenty-five. She is married and has a family of her own. She works as an accountant for a small business company. Her husband is a scientist. They've got twins: a daughter and a son. They go to a nursery school.My brother Boris is eleven. He is a schoolboy. He wants to become a doctor but he is not sure yet. Three months ago he dreamed of being a cosmonaut. I want to become a student. I'd like to learn foreign languages. I think I take after my father. I'm tall, fair-haired and even-tempered. I always try to be in a good mood. We've got a lot of relatives. We are deeply attached to each other and we get on very well. Vocabulary good-looking красивый, миловидный to go in for smth заниматься чем-либо slim стройный opinion [ a'pinjan] мнение experienced [ik'spiarianst] опытный, квалифициро- upbringing ['Ap,briniQ] воспитание ванный, со стажем to take care f kea] of smb заботиться о ком-либо broad-shouldered Lbroid'Jaulded] широкоплечий she is good at cooking она хорошо готовит to play the guitar [gi'ta:] играть на гитаре she is clever with her hands у нее умелые руки to repair [itpea] чинить, исправлять to tidy [laidi] убирать, приводить в порядок to be handy with smth уметь делать что-либо, быть pensioner ['penfana] пенсионер искусным в чем-либо to run the house вести хозяйство to take to pieces ['pirsiz] разбирать на части to knit [nit] вязать to manage ['тзетйз] суметь, справиться, ухитриться accountant [a'kauntant] бухгалтер wheels [wi:lz] and screws [skru:z] колесики и винтики scientist ['saiantist] ученый to fix чинить, исправлять twins близнецы vacuum cleaner [vaekjuam,kli:na] пылесос nursery ['пз:зэп] school детский сад washing machine ['wojio ma'Jm] стиральная машина cosmonaut ['kozmanoit] космонавт fridge [frid3] холодильник to take after быть похожим, пойти (в кого-либо из and what not и так далее, и тому подобное родителей) in pieces разобранный на части fair-haired [fea'head] светловолосый to have much in common иметь много общего even-tempered [,i:vn'tempad] уравновешенный views [vju:z] on smth взгляды на ... to be in a good mood быть в хорошем настроении horror ['hora ] film фильм ужасов to be deeply attached [a'taetjt] to smb быть сильно "soap opera" "мыльная опера", многосерийная привязанным к кому-либо мелодрама to get on well быть в хороших отношениях, ладить to be fond of smth увлекаться чем-либо друг с другом Questions 1. What is your first name? What is your surname? 2. How old are you? 3. When is your birthday? 4. Is your family large? How many are you in the family? 5. Have you got any brothers or sisters? 6. What are your parents? Where do they work? 7. How long have your parents been married? 8. Do they have much in common? 9. Do you spend a lot of time with your family? 10. What sort of things do you do together? 11. Do you go out with your parents? 12. Who runs the house in your family? 13. What are your household duties? 14. What is your father's hobby? 15. Can you describe your mother? MY FLAT Wе live in a new 16-storeyed block of flats in Strogino. It's situated in a very picturesque place not far from the Moskva River. There's a big supermarket on the ground floor and it's very convenient to do everyday shopping. Our flat is on the fifth floor. It's very comfortable and well-planned. We have all modern conveniences, such as central heating, electricity, gas, cold and hot running water and a telephone. There are three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hall in our flat. There's also a balcony and we can enjoy a lovely view of the river. The largest room in our flat is the living room and we use it as a dining room and as a sitting room. In the middle of the room there's a big table and six chairs round it. Opposite the window there's a wall unit with lots of books, a TV-set and a video cassette recorder. There are two comfortable armchairs and a small coffee table in the right-hand corner. There is also a sofa and an electric fire in our living room. We like the living room best of all, because in the evenings we gather there to have tea, watch TV, talk and rest. My room is the smallest room in our flat, but it's very cosy and light. There's a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, an armchair and several bookshelves in my room. There's a thick carpet on the floor. The walls in my room are lightbrown and there are some big posters on them. I like my room very much, but from time to time I change it round. I quite often move the bed and change the posters on the wall. Our kitchen is large and light. It's very well-equipped. We've got a refrigerator, a freezer, a microwave oven, a coffeemaker and a toaster. We haven't got a dishwasher yet, because it's very expensive. But I'm sure we'll buy it in the near future. Vocabulary 16-storeyed ['sto:rid] 16-этажный convenient [kairvhnjant] удобный, подходящий block of flats многоквартирный дом comfortable ['k/vmfatabl] удобный, комфортабель- to be situated ['sitjueitid] быть расположенным ный, уютный picturesque [,piktja'resk] живописный well-planned хорошо спланированный supermarket ['su:pa,ma:kit] супермаркет modern conveniences ['modn kan'vi:njansiz] совре- ground floor ['graund 'flo:] первый этаж менные удобства central heating ['hhtirj] центральное отопление electricity [tlek'tristtl] электричество gas [gaes] газ running water водопровод balcony ['bselkani] балкон to enjoy [in'djoi] наслаждаться lovely ['l/wli] красивый, прекрасный view [vju:] of вид на living room жилая комната dining ['dainio] room столовая sitting room гостиная wall unit [-ju:nit] стенка video cassette recorder ['vidieu ke'set ri'ko:de] видеомагнитофон armchair ['a:mtjea] кресло left-hand corner левый угол coffee table журнальный столик electric fire [i'lektrik 'faia] электрический камин cosy ['keuzi] уютный light [lalt] светлый wardrobe [-wo:draub] платяной шкаф desk письменный стол bookshelf книжная полка (мн. ч. bookshelves) carpet [-ka:pit] ковер poster ['peuste] плакат to change round менять местами (мебель и т.п.) well-equipped [i'kwipt] хорошо оборудованный refrigerator [rifridsareita] холодильник (сокр. fridge) freezer [1ri:za] морозильная камера microwave oven ['maikraweiv 'ЛУП] микроволновая печь coffemaker кофеварка toaster ['tauste] тостер dishwasher ['dij,wojaj посудомоечная машина expensive [iks'pensiv] дорогой Questions 1. Do you live in a house or in a block of flats? 2. Which floor is your flat on? 3. Is your flat well-planned? Is it comfortable? 4. How many rooms are there in your flat? 5. Have you got a dining room (a sitting room, a study)? 6. Where do you usually have your meals? 7. Is there much furniture in your flat? Do you change it round from time to time? 8. What is there in your room? 9. Are there any pictures on the walls of your flat? 10. What colour are the walls in your room? 11. What is your kitchen like? 12. How often do you redecorate the rooms? MY WORKING DAY On weekdays the alarm-clock wakes me up at 6.30 and my working day begins. I'm not an early riser, that's why it's very difficult for me to get out of bed, especially in winter. I switch on my tape-recorder and do my morning exercises. Then I go to the bathroom, take a warm shower, clean my teeth and shave. After that I go to my bedroom to get dressed. Usually my mother makes breakfast for me. But when she is away on business or just doesn't have to get up early, I make breakfast myself. While having breakfast, I listen to the latest news on the radio. I leave the house at 7.30 and go to the nearest underground station. Last year I tried to enter Moscow University, but unfortunately I failed my entrance examinations. So I thought I should work somewhere. It wasn't easy to find a job, but I managed to get a position of a secretary in a small business company. They agreed to take me because I had studied typewriting, computing and business organisation at school. And besides, I passed my English schoolleaving exam with an excellent mark. It takes me an hour and a half to get to work. But I don't want to waste my time on the train. I've got a small cassette-player and I listen to different texts and dialogues. Sometimes I read a book and retell it silently. If I come across an interesting expression I try to memorise it. I also write some English words on flashcards and learn them. I usually arrive at work at ten minutes to nine though my working day begins at 9 sharp. There are always some fax messages to translate from English into Russian. Sometimes my boss wants me to write a letter to our business partners abroad. There are also a lot of phone calls which I have to answer. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon we have lunch. We usually have lunch in a small cafe just round the corner. At 2 o'clock we come back to work. And we work hard till 5 o'clock. During the working day we also have several short coffee breaks. But sometimes we have no time for them. I come home at about 7 o'clock in the evening. My parents are usually at home, waiting for me. We have dinner together. Then we sit in the living room, drink tea, watch TV or just talk. Occasionally I have to stay at work till 6 or even 7 o'clock in the evening. When we have a lot of things to do we go to work on Saturdays. So by the end of the week I get very tired. All I can do on Sundays is to sleep till eleven o'clock, watch television, listen to music and read something in English. And still I always look forward to my next working day because I like my job. I think I get a lot of useful experience. Vocabulary to be an early riser рано вставать excellent ['eksalant] отличный especially [i'spejali] особенно to waste [weist] time терять время to do morning exercises делать утреннюю зарядку to reten [rjle|] (retold) пересказать to get dressed одеваться to come across встретить, натолкнуться unfortunately [Arvfo:tJ(a)natli] к сожалению to memorize [-memaraiz] запомнить to fail [fell] не сдать, провалить (об экзаменах) а flashcard [1taejle.d] K a entrance T'entrans] examinations вступительные , I i * 1 a fax message ['mesidjj сообщение по факсу a^SkTof a secretary ["sekratri] место секретаря а Partner ^'^ паРтнеР a company ['клтрэШ] компания abroad C9'bro:dl за границей typewriting ['taipraitio] машинопись to answer a Phone са11 ответить на телефонный computing [kam'pju:tig] работа на компьютере besides [bi-saidz] к тому же, кроме того a break [breik] перерыв business organization ['biznis piganai'zeifn] occasionally [a'kei3nali] время от времени делопроизводство experience [iks'piarians] опыт Questions 1. Do you get up early? Is it easy for you to get up early? 2. Do you wake up yourself or does an alarm-clock wake you up? 3. Do you do morning exercises? Do you do your morning exercises to music? 4. Which do you prefer: a hot or a cold shower in the morning? 5. How long does it take you to get dressed? 6. What do you usually have for breakfast? 7. Some people look through newspapers or listen to the latest news on the radio while having breakfast. What about you? 8. When do you usually leave the house? 9. Do you work? Where do you work? 10. What do you usually do on your way to work (school, etc.)? 11. Where do you usually have lunch (dinner)? 12. What time do you come home? 13. How do you spend your evenings? 14. What time do you usually go to bed? |