ЕДИ (2020-2021)
ШАГ (Архив)
Информационные материалы для проведения мероприятий информационно-образовательного проекта «ШАГ» – «Школа Активного Гражданина» – для учащихся учреждений профессионально-технического и среднего специального образования в мае 2021 года
Дата проведения: 25.05.2021 г.
Тема: «Семья – опора государства, оплот свершений и побед».
Дата проведения: апрель 2021
Тема: «О духовных и нравственных ценностях: диалог поколений»
25.03.2021 Тема: «Беларусь и Россия: история становления и развития Союзного государства» (ко дню единения народов Беларуси и России).
24.09.2020 в рамках информационно-образовательного проекта "ШАГ" учащиеся информационного центра "Спадчына" (педагог дополнительного образования Мишута В.М.) выступили перед учащимися групп нового набора специальности «Начальное образование» с темой "АКТИВНЫЙ ГРАЖДАНИН: МОИ ПОСТУПКИ - МОЯ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТЬ". В первом блоке "Активный - значит ответственный" учащимся была представлена информация об особенностях административной и уголовной ответственности несовершеннолетних. Было обращено внимание на то, что каждый гражданин, в том числе несовершеннолетний, обязан соблюдать законы государства, заботиться о родителях, уважать права и интересы других граждан, традиции и культурные ценности белорусского народа, других наций и народностей, овладевать знаниями, бережно относиться к окружающей среде и всем видам собственность.
С помощью информационного блока "Учимся понимать друг друга" учащиеся узнали о медиации как новом способе разрешения и урегулирования споров и конфликтов, происходящих в коллективах учащихся, студентов. Особый интерес вызвала практика и результаты использования служб медиации в различных учебных заведениях. В подведении итогов встречи было подчёркнуто о важности выстраивания взаимоотношений с учащимися учебной группы на основе взаимопонимания, взаимоуважения, дружественности, искренности, честности. Учащиеся были проинформированы о том, что в случае возникновения конфликта или сложной ситуации, они могут обратиться к куратору, психологу, преподавателям, руководству колледжа.
Состав информационной группы: Мишута В.М., Новаш Ксения (22Н), Ковель Карина (32Т), Савчиц Никита (31Н)
Темы (очень короткие)
№1 (Accomodation)
Everyone can find the type of house he or she likes. One can live in a cottage or a farmhouse. There are also semi-detached houses, where you have only one neighbour. A block of flats is the cheapest way of living in a town. There are also detached houses, where you can live without any neighbours.
№2 (Education)
In Belarus children begin going to school at the age of six or seven. First they study at the elementary school. From the fifth form the secondary education begins. After that children have to decide either to continue their studies in the tenth and eleventh forms at a general secondary school, or to transfer to specialized colleges. After finishing school or college young people may enter institute or university to get the higher education.
№3 (Environment)
For thousands of years people lived in harmony with environment. But now our ecology becomes worse. Many species of animals and birds are disappearing nowadays. People destroy wildlife and cut down trees. There are a lot of ecological problems. Among them are the growth of population and pollution of water and air. Also there is the Greenhouse effect.
№4 (Belarus)
The Republic of Belarus is situated in the centre of Europe. It borders on Latvia, Lithuania, the Ukraine, Russia and Poland. Its present population is about 9 million people. There are a lot of rivers and lakes in our country. Forests cover a large part of Belarus. Belarus has a moderately continental climate. Belarus is a developed country. The Republic of Belarus has a well-developed science and educational system.
№5 (Great Britain)
Great Britain, the largest island in Europe, contains England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom has an area of 244,000 square kilometres. The capital of the country is London. English is the official language. The population of the U. K. is nearly 60 million people. The climate of Great Britain is mild. The main river of Great Britain is the Thames. The U. K. is a parliamentary monarchy. The Prime Minister is the head of the government.
№6 (Science and modern technologies)
Technology is everywhere. We see it any place we go to and almost all of us carry some piece of technology with us every time we leave the house. Almost everyone watches TV. A lot of people have computers and laptops. Some use tablets or smartphones. When people are not at home, they use their smartphones, tablets and laptops to connect to local wireless networks. Most people can’t imagine their life without their gadgets.
№7 (Art)
Art is the combination of talent and technique. An artist is a man who can do something well with his own hands and tools. The word ‘art’ has a special meaning. It means something beautiful. For example, the paintings of skilled painters are appreciated and admired by millions of people today, by those who can see their beauty. There are a lot of types of art. Art inspires the human spirit. Painters, sculptors, musicians, writers, weavers - they all contribute to a better life for us.
№8 (Your future career)
I am going to become a kindergarten teacher. I think my future profession is very important. I love children very much. I like spending time with smaller children. To my mind it is the most important and noble thing to teach and to bring up children. I'll try to help them to become good and clever people, to be honest and kind. Children are our future and I want them to be really good and educated people.
№9 (My family)
I’d like to tell you about my family. It’s not very large. My mother doesn’t work. She is good and clever. She can do everything and she teaches me a lot of things. I like her very much. My father works in the police. He has a very responsible work. He helps people. I have a sister, her name is Marina. She is a student. When she graduates, she’ll become an engineer. She is a creative person. She is sociable and she has a lot of friends. I like my family.
№10 (Youth and Society)
Youth is a period of life which is very important for everyone. One’s entire life is rooted in their early years. The morals and beliefs, range of interests, education, health and habits are all laid in childhood and youth. Second, youth is a time when a person is trying to find their place in the world. There are several problems the young generation face. They are the problems of choosing a career and getting education, the problem of independence and money, the problem of unemployment of young people, the generation gap.
№11 (Mass media)
Mass media plays a very important role in modern society. The most important means of media include radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and Internet. These sources inform, educate and entertain us. My favourite media resource is Internet. It represents all sources in one. Internet is the media resource which has successfully displaced all other means from use. If I had no Internet at all, I would choose television. This is another media resource which I find engaging and useful.
№11 (Mass media)
№13 (International cooperation)
There are many organizations in the world, which work and cooperate together in dealing with international problems. Among them are the United Nations Organization, The Red Cross League, Greenpeace and many others. For example, the United Nations is an organization to which nearly all the countries of the world belong. Its central aim is to maintain peace and security in the world, to develop friendly relations among nations. There is also Greenpeace. It is an international organization, which deals with ecological and environmental problems.
№14 (Character and stereotypes)
A nation is a group of people who share common history and usually a language and usually, but not always, live in the same area. People who belong to various nations may differ and they always differ from one another. For example, the Germans are regarded as scientifically-minded and industrious. Speaking about the English we can say that they're reserved and tradition-loving. To my mind, they have a specific sense of humor. The Russians are industrious, tough, brave, progressive and suspicious. The Belarusians are hospitable and tolerant.
№15 (Outstanding people)
Belarus is a talented nation. Cyril Turovsky is a writer and orator who lived in the 12th century. Francisk Scoryna made a great contribution to the development of Belarusian culture and science. Belarusian poets and writers Yakub Kolas, Yanka Kupala, Vladimir Korotkevich, Ivan Melezh, Vasily Bykov are well-known not only in Belarus, but in other countries as well. The world famous artist Marc Chagall was born in Belarus and started his artistic career here. Belarus remembers its national heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of their people. They are Nikolay Gastello, Konstantin Zaslonov, the defenders of the Brest Fortress and many others.
№16 (Tourism)
Twenty years ago he majority of people stayed at home to have holidays in their country. Today the situation is different. You can book a holiday through the Internet or by phone. We can travel by car, by train or by plane, if we have got a long distance tour. Some young people prefer walking or hitch-hiking when they travel, paying nearly nothing. If you like traveling, you have got to have money, because it is not a cheap hobby. Modern tourism has become a highly developed industry, because a lot of people like to visit new places.
№17 (Accomodation)
№18 (My family)
№19 (Your future career)
№20 (Belarus)
№21 (English-speaking country. Australia)
Australia is the only country in the world that is also a continent. It is the sixth largest country and the smallest continent. Australia lies between the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The country's official name is Commonwealth of Australia. The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of states. The capital of the country is Canberra. Australia is a constitutional monarchy like Great Britain. Queen Elizabeth II, is also queen of Australia and country's head of state. But she has little power in the Australian government. Australia is one of the world's developed countries.
№22 (Character and stereotypes)
№23 (Youth and Society)
№24 (Education)
№25 (Tourism)
Проверка
Списки зачисленных
Абитуриентам
Информация о ходе приёма документов
Экзаменационные билеты
АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК
№ 1
I. 1. Read the newspaper opinion column and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Are you proud of being Belarusian?
I am Belarusian because my parents who gave me life and brought me up are Belarusian. And what if I were born in a different country on a different continent? In my opinion, a sense of pride in your country, a sense of belonging to a particular nation develops in a person with time. Therefore at my age, by the way I am 18, I can say quite positively, that I am proud to live in Belarus.
The real treasure of Belarus is its wonderful nature. The country has hundreds of wild forests, rolling hills, green valleys, sweetscented meadows and golden fields. Beloveshzkaya Pushcha is the only place where you can meet mighty European bison in the wild. Belarus is also famous for its clear lakes and ribbonlike rivers, that’s why it’s called a blueeyed one. The resorts of lakes Naroch and Braslav are open all year round and let tourists experience the unforgettable peaceful atmosphere.
I am proud of the rich heroic history of my country and its people. Although for many centuries we were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania1, the PolishLithuanian Commonwelth2 and then the Russian Empire3 we have managed to stay united and haven’t lost our uniqueness. Many foreigners admit that our people are extremely sociable, hospitable, and generous and we are welcoming with visitors. We are also described as resourceful and peaceful. When socializing, Belarusians are open, warmhearted, funloving, humorous and outgoing in spite of all the difficulties they face in their life.
Of course I’m proud of our national holidays and traditions, especially those which are deeprooted and typical of our nation such as Kalyady, Maslenitsa, Dazhynki. They are unique and make us stand out. Besides, they are of particular interest for tourists because they reflect our culture.
In conclusion, I’d like to say that I’m proud of my country and its people. Each time I go abroad I tell foreigners about our great past and achievements. Each time I leave the country I want to come back again, because I miss it. If I were a talented painter, I would start drawing pictures with its beautiful landscapes; if I could compose verses, I would write lyric poems about it. Belarus is the place where my heart will always belong to!
1 the Grand Duchy of Lithuania [ˈɡrænd ˈdʌtʃɪ əv ˌlɪθjʊˈeɪnɪə] Великое Княжество Литовское
2 the PolishLithuanian Commonwelth [ˈpəʊlɪʃ ˌlɪθjʊˈeɪnɪən ˈkɒmənwelθ] Речь Посполитая – федерация Королевства Польского и Великого Княжества Литовского
3 the Russian Empire [ˈrʌʃn ˈempaɪə] Российская империя
2. When did the author understand that he/she is proud of being Belarusian? Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What makes the author be proud of his/her Motherland?
4. What would the author do if he/she were a creative person?
II. Listen to the story about a girl and answer the questions below.
1. Why was Whitney worried about going to college?
2. How did she find a friend?
3. What lesson did Whitney learn?
III. Let’s talk about accommodation.
№ 2
I. 1. Read the newspaper opinion column and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
UNESCO World Heritage1 List
Belarus joined UNESCO in 1954. For many years, Belarus has been building up fruitful and dynamic relations with international organizations. Belarus programme of UNESCO activities includes numerous interesting projects in the fields of education, science, information, communications, and, of course, culture. In October 1988, Belarus joined the Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Today four Belarusian sites have already been included into the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 1992, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, a natural heritage object and a unique European forest reserve which has been protected since the 14th century, was the first one to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 2000, the Mir Castle Complex, which was built at the beginning of the 16th century, was also added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The successful combination of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture2 makes Mir Castle one of Europe’s most impressive castles. In 2005, two more sites were included into the UNESCO World Heritage List. They are the Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwills in Nesvizh and the Struve Geodetic Arc points3.
For centuries the Nesvizh Palace used to be the residence of the Radziwills, one of the richest families in Europe. Today the National Historical and Cultural MuseumReserve Nesvizh is a wonderfully restored castle, which is visited by hundreds of tourists from all parts of the world. No wonder, it has become a landmark of Belarus.
The Struve Arc is a world famous construction. The same sorts of points are in ten countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova, all together 265 points. According to the historical data, there were 31 geodesic points in Belarus, and only 19 survived.
Belarus is going to propose to add Independence Avenue in Minsk for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Socialist Postwar Architecture in Central and Eastern Europe.
1 heritage [ˈheritidʒ] культурное наследие
2 Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture [ˈɡɒθɪk, bəˈrɒk, rɪˈneɪsəns ˈaːkɪtektʃə] архитектура готики, барокко и ренессанса
3 the Struve Geodetic Arc points [ˈstruːv ˌdʒiːəʊˈdetɪk ˈaːk ˈpɔɪnts] Геодезическая дуга Струве, представляющая собой цепь опорных пунктов наблюдения
2. Belarus is a member of UNESCO. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. Which Belarusian sites are included on the list for protection?
4. What other sites does the Belarusian government want to be on the UNESCO List?
II. Listen to the career counsellor speaking about choosing a career and answer the questions below.
1. Why is choosing the right job very important?
2. Which jobs are popular among young people at present?
3. What advice does the speaker give?
III. Let’s talk about the education.
№ 3
I. 1. Read the newspaper opinion column and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
My ideal school
My ideal secondary school is a safe haven1. It shouldn’t be a place you hate going to, but a place you enjoy attending. I believe it should be social, as well as educational experience. A school should always have a soul… there should always be laughter ringing through the corridors. (Angela, 15, Moscow)
My ideal school is a school quite unlike any school we’ve heard of. This school consists of a large library and basic recreational facilities. There are no classrooms. The school is built on the idea of active learning. No student is forced to learn. (Tanya, 14, Rome)
School is the mould2, which shapes our future. It’s where we spend most of our valuable time — childhood. Yet I know from firsthand experience that many aspects should be changed: the impersonal attitude of some teachers who do everything only for results, instead of creating happy moments and valuable life experience for young people. These young people are far from being an ‘empty pot’ who are ready to be filled with knowledge. They are simply locked boxes full of potential which should be discovered by caring and encouraging teachers. (Anna, 15, Riga)
Schools may be getting good results but they are not helping the students as individuals. It seems to me that it’s the learner who should ask questions. Give us the freedom to ask questions and do help us to find answers. Don’t you see we learn more from our experience and when people trust and respect us? We learn from our mistakes as well. (Hero Joy, 14, Kent)
I think differences make the world go around. Good teachers know it more than Maths rules. I think school must teach differences. And at the moment some schools are doing the opposite, trying to make everyone normal. (Kate, 13, London)
Schools should develop creativity and dreams. When schools teach people not to seek knowledge on their own, people become passive. Everybody has the right to be free and choose what to be and what not to be, schools do not give that option, they have a ‘well organised’ systematic life for you, in which you have to fit. (Luis, 15, Boston)
1 a safe haven [ˈheɪvn] надёжное, безопасное место
2 a mould [məʊld] матрица, шаблон
2. One of the children says that school should have a soul. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What do the children want to change at school?
4. Why do the children want more freedom?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. What is wrong with the accommodation?
2. Why did the boy oversleep?
3. What agreement did he reach with the person on Reception?
III. Let’s talk about the environment.
№ 4
I. 1. Read the part of a diary and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Anna’s diary
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 1942
Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because I’ve never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the thoughts of a thirteenyearold schoolgirl. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. I feel like writing, and I have an even greater need to get all kinds of things off my chest1.
“Paper has more patience than people.” I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands. I was bored and wondering whether to stay in or go out. I finally stayed where I was and decided to start a diary. Yes, paper does have more patience, and since I’m not planning to let anyone else read this notebook, unless I should ever find a real friend, it probably won’t make a bit of difference.
Now I’m back to the point that prompted me to keep a diary in the first place: I don’t have a friend. Let me put it more clearly, since no one will believe that a thirteenyearold girl is completely alone in the world. And I’m not. I have loving parents and a sixteenyearold sister, and there are about thirty people I can call friends. I have a bunch of admirers who can’t keep their adoring eyes off me and who constantly try to catch a glimpse2 of me in the classroom. I have a family, loving aunts and a good home. No, on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend.
All I think about when I’m with friends is having a good time. I can’t bring myself to talk about anything but ordinary everyday things. We don’t seem to be able to get closer, and that’s a problem. Maybe it’s my fault that we don’t trust each other. In any case, that’s just how things are. That’s why I started the diary.
To enhance3 the image of this longawaited friend in my imagination, I don’t want to write only about facts, but I want the diary to be my friend, and I am going to call this friend Kitty.
1 to get off one’s chest чистосердечно признаться в чем-либо, облегчить душу
2 to catch a glimpse [ɡlɪmps] увидеть (на мгновение)
3 to enhance [ɪnˈhaːns] усилить
2. The author writes when she decided to keep a diary. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What close people did Anna have?
4. Why did Anna start writing in a diary?
II. Listen to Alice speaking about her first job and answer the questions below.
1. What job did Alice do?
2. What difficulties did she have?
3. What kind of knowledge and skills did she get at her first job?
III. Let’s talk about Belarus.
№ 5
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Be kind and stay safe
Everybody knows that we should be polite and kind to people in real life and online. Unfortunately this doesn’t always happen. Where can you report online abuse1 or unkind messages to yourself or your friends? Do you know how to report and complain about harmful information online? For example, if you see an inappropriate tweet on Twitter you can click on ‘more’ and then choose ‘Report tweet’. You can then block all further tweets from that user.
Even celebrities can be cyberbullied2. Tom Daley, the British Olympic diver, was abused online. His father died during the 2012 Olympic Games and Tom received some very cruel tweets about his indifference towards his father’s health.
Here are our top tips for staying safe online:
1. Be nice! Treat people online as you do in real life.
2. Don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t want people in real life to see.
3. Check your privacy and security settings on social media sites and keep them as private as possible. Make sure you know exactly who can see your posts.
4. Don’t ever post personal information like your home address, your email or your phone number.
5. If you see something online that worries or upsets you, tell an adult about it straight away.
6. Take part in Safer Internet Day.
Safer Internet Day, or SID for short, tries to help people to use the Internet correctly. SID started in 2004 and is organised in February every year in 74 countries around the world to promote safe and responsible use of online technology and mobile phones. Each year there is a different topic such as cyberbullying or social networking. The focus for SID’s next campaign is “Let’s create a better internet together”. SID organisers want children and young people, parents and teachers, as well as businessmen and politicians to work together to build a better internet for all of us, but particularly for children.
There are special lessons prepared for schoolchildren on Safer Internet Day in Britain. You can find out about SID on this website: http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/.
1 abuse [əˈbjuːs] оскорбление
2 to be cyberbullied [ˈsaɪbəbʊlɪd] быть преследуемым в киберпространстве
2. The journalist writes how to stop bad messages on Twitter. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What can we do to stay safe online?
4. Why is SID a good way to stop abuse on the Internet?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where does the conversation take place?
2. What is the man interested in?
3. How much do you need to pay monthly?
III. Let’s talk about Great Britain.
№ 6
I. 1. Read the story and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Christmas Tree
Just before Christmas in 1944, a letter arrived at our house in Philadelphia. The postmark was from Tuskegee, Alabama, so we all knew who it was from. We excitedly gathered around Mother as she opened it.
My Dear Mother,
I did not get the leave I expected for Christmas. I will miss all of you. Please leave the Christmas tree up until I make it back. I hope to be home by March.
Love from your son,
Clifton.
I was 17 years old at the time. My heart sank. I felt a deep sadness that my favourite brother would not be home for Christmas. He was one of the Tuskegee Airmen1 and was responsible for maintaining2 the airplanes flying off to fight in World War II. My mother, being the optimist, said, “Well, it looks like we’ll get to have two Christmases this year!” After Christmas, my sister and I worked together to make sure we kept that Christmas tree looking as pretty as possible. This was no easy feat.
By midJanuary, the branches dropped so low to the ground that they became a sliding board for the decorations. Each day, ornaments would come crashing to the ground and there were new pine needles3 all over the wooden floor. My sister and I took turns sweeping them up. We moved the ornaments to the stronger branches on the tree, hoping they would stay on.
Each time we freshened that tree up, my sister and I were full of thoughts about Clifton and how happy we would be to see him again. It made us feel that he was close by, even though he was hundreds of miles away. On March 5, the doorbell rang. We ran to the door and gave Clifton a big hug. As he hugged Mother, I could see him looking over her head at the Christmas tree.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “Thank you.” Clifton opened his presents and told us all sorts of stories about his work in Tuskegee. That night as we slept, we heard a crash in the living room. We all ran to see what had happened. The tree had toppled4 onto the sofa and there were needles and broken ornaments everywhere.
We all had a good laugh. It was fortunate that Clifton got home!
1 Tuskegee Airmen [tʌsˈkiːɡiːˈeəmən] пилоты из Таскиги
2 to maintain [meɪnˈteɪn] обслуживать, готовить
3 a pine needle [ˈpaɪnˌ niːdl] сосновая иголка
4 to topple [ˈtɒpl] опрокинуться, свалиться
2. The family got a message from Clifton. Find the extract which says about it and read it aloud.
3. What was Clifton’s job?
4. Which facts show that all the family loved Clifton very much?
II. Listen to three teenagers talking about homework and answer the questions below.
1. Why does the first speaker dislike doing homework?
2. What does the second speaker have regrets about?
3. What are the benefits of doing homework according to the third speaker?
III. Let’s talk about science and modern technologies.
№ 7
I. 1. Read the story and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
The Condemned Room1
Dear Mom,
I am working very hard on cleaning my room. But I want to go to Katy’s this afternoon to work on our Halloween costumes. Can I finish tomorrow? I would get up early and do it before breakfast and I’ll do a good job. Please, write back.
Love, The Prisoner in Tower # 3
Dear Prisoner, No.
Love, Mom.
For days Sam’s mother never came up to her room. And then one day Sam came home from school and found the Condemned sign on her door. Her mother had made the sign. It said: “The room is condemned. Its owner may not go anywhere or do anything until the area is restored”. In other words, Sam was to stay in until she cleaned her room.
It wasn’t fair. She was always getting the Condemned sign. Her brother hardly ever did. And his room was really disgusting, with posters of rock stars and basketball stars and movie stars wearing tiny bikinis covering every inch of his walls. But, her mother pointed out, his floor was clean and his desk as well. That was all she cared about.
Sam had been in her room for three hours now. She sat on the floor, looking at everything she was supposed to be putting away. It was possible she might be there all day. There were her clothes, lying high on her chair and overflowing onto the floor. Dirty shoes. An umbrella from when it rained on Tuesday. Library books. Magazines with pictures of cool teenmovie stars that Rebecca had given her. Her piano music from yesterday’s lesson. And different little things: nail polish remover, cotton balls, a tennisball, a note pad from Katy, rocks from rock collection they were making for science, pencils, chewing gum. And about twelve dirty handkerchiefs.
The thing to do, Sam decided, was sort everything into piles. A pile of dirty laundry, a pile of her dresser drawers, a pile to throw away. That was how her father, the organization man, would do it. She sighed. It was impossible to imagine she couldn’t leave her room all weekend. She decided to paint her finger nails instead.
1 a condemned room [kənˈdemd ˈruːm] комната, признанная небезопасной для проживания
2. The author tells us about her brother’s room. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What made Sam’s Mum write a message?
4. Is Sam going to clean the room? Why do you think so?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where was Tina going to?
2. What happened at the airport?
3. Why was Tina scared during the flight?
III. Let’s talk about art.
№ 8
I. 1. Read the story and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Great grandad
It was a funny and surprising thing that brought Grandad back to me. It was algebra. I couldn’t cope with algebra in my first year at secondary school, and it made me mad. “I don’t see the point of it,” I screamed. “I don’t know what it’s for!”
Grandad, as it turned out, liked algebra and he sat opposite me and didn’t say anything for a while, considering my problem in that careful expressionless way of his.
Eventually he said, “Why do you do PE1 at school?”
“What?”
“PE. Why do they make you do it?”
“Because they hate us?” I suggested.
“And the other reason?”
“To keep us fit, I suppose.”
“Physically fit, yes.”
He reached across the table and put the first two fingers of each hand on the sides of my head.
“There is also mental fitness, isn’t there? I can explain to you why algebra is useful. But that is not what algebra is really for.”
He moved his fingers gently on my head.
“It’s to keep what is in here healthy. PE is for the head. And the great thing is you can do it sitting down. Now, let us use these little puzzles here to take our brains for a jog2.”
And it worked. Not that I fell in love with algebra. But I did come to see that it was possible to enjoy it. Grandad taught me that maths signs and symbols were not just marks on paper. They were not flat. There were threedimensional, and you could approach them from different directions. You could take them apart and put them together in a variety of shapes, like Lego. I stopped being afraid of them.
I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but those homework sessions helped me to discover my Grandad. Algebra turned out to be the key that opened the invisible door he lived behind and let me in.
Now I learnt that Grandad’s world was full of miracles and mazes3, mirrors and misleading signs. He was fascinated by riddles and codes and labyrinths4, by the origin of place names, by grammar, by slang, by jokes — although he never laughed at them — by anything that might mean something else. I discovered My Grandad.
1 PE [ˌpiːˈiː] физкультура
2 to take our brains for a jog [əˈdʒɒɡ] шевелить мозгами
3 a maze [meɪz] путаница
4 a labyrinth [ˈlæbərɪnθ] лабиринт
2. The author says she had problems with algebra. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. How did the girl’s Granddad help her understand the subject?
4. What else did the author understand about her Granddad?
II. Listen to the member of the Greenpeace organisation telling a story about whales and answer the questions below.
1. How did Uncle Roger explain to the boy why the whales were on the beach?
2. How did the people help them?
3. How did this event affect the story-teller’s life?
III. Let’s talk about your future career.
№ 9
I. 1. Read the interview with a British businessman and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
AN INTERVIEW
Journalist: Do people in your country depend a lot on technology for communication?
Businessman: Yes. Everybody’s using all kinds of phones, mobiles and Internet services. I think the benefits of the computers cannot be denied. They save valuable time and space. Timeconsuming tasks such as checking bank accounts can now be done in a matter of minutes and a large volume of information is economically stored on tiny disks. In addition, with immediate access to the Internet, we can always keep up with global and current issues and explore the world from the comfort of our homes.
Journalist: Do you manage to keep up with the development of technologies?
Businessman: I think the fact that methods in business have moved ahead at such speed has meant that we generally have to keep up with it all, whether we want to or not. Otherwise, we’ll be left behind. In fact this need to keep up has also entered the home, where a lot of people spend much money on computer equipment when all they do is play games.
Journalist: How different would everyday life be without technological means of communication?
Businessman: Of course, life would be very different without all these means of communication. For those working in the world of business, life would be much more difficult as it would take much longer to get in touch with other companies and to come to agreement on important matters. Basically, if we didn’t have email systems at home or mobile phones, etc., it wouldn’t be the end of the world. I mean, we survived before, didn’t we?
Journalist: How do you feel about mobile phones?
Businessman: I personally find them useful and necessary. They’re convenient if there’s an emergency on a business trip or when you’re in the middle of nowhere or need to contact the police or your family for example. Though, I do feel that they are overused in many cases. Think about how many people spend hours just chatting about silly, unimportant things or looking through sites for no special reason even at work.
2. What are the benefits of the computers? Read aloud the extract which describes them.
3. How do businessmen benefit from using technological means of communication at their workplace?
4. When are technological means of communication misused?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where does the action take place?
2. What happened to the furniture in the grandmother’s room?
3. Why were Martin and his friend scared?
III. Let’s talk about your family.
№ 10
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
What is a good family?
Building a successful family is like building a house. Both need a plan. The best way to be organised as a family is to talk about family matters. By doing this, families enjoy a special closeness and stability. Choosing to spend time with your family sends a message more powerful than words.
How much time should families spend together? That varies from family to family. Families with young children usually spend most of their time together because young children need a great deal of physical care and guidance. Families with teenagers may spend less time together because teens naturally want to spend more time with their friends. Healthy families keep a good balance between ‘too much’ and ‘not enough’ time together. They spend enough time to satisfy all family members.
Nothing unites a family more than its traditions which include different norms, ways of behavior, customs and views. In united families these traditions are deep-rooted and passed from generation to generation.
Strong families take time to be together and talk to one another. They share their hopes and dreams, feelings and concerns over common meals. Members of successful families feel they really belong to their family. They celebrate their victories and help each other learn from their mistakes. They do their household chores together and go to the theatre. At the same time, strong families adapt relationships and family rules when needs arise. Since no family knows what tomorrow will bring, being adaptive is a good trait for family members to develop.
Recent studies affirm the importance of love in families. Research shows that expressions of affection towards children reduce behaviour problems and help children’s development. Strong families notice and share positive aspects of each member. They notice the talents, skills and achievements, special qualities and characteristics that make the other person unique. They find ways to be positive even when another family member makes a mistake and make an effort to develop closeness and show love at home.
2. The author explains what makes a successful family. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What makes a family united?
4. How much time should family members spend together?
II. Listen to the girl speaking about her eating habits and answer the questions below.
1. What problem does the girl have?
2. What makes the girl think that her habit is harmful?
3. Why can’t she stop eating chocolate?
III. Let’s talk about youth and society.
№ 11
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
PYTHAGORAS1
Pythagoras is often described as a very important mathematician, yet we know little about his achievements. What we do know is that he was the leader of a society which was half scientific and half religious. It was a secret society and today Pythagoras is still a mysterious figure.
It is believed that Pythagoras was born on the Greek island of Samos. His father was a merchant, and as a child, Pythagoras travelled with him selling their goods. Pythagoras was well educated. He learned music and poetry and had three philosophers to teach him who introduced Pythagoras to mathematics and advised him to travel to Egypt to learn more about mathematics and astronomy. So in 535 BC, Pythagoras travelled to Egypt where he visited many temples and took part in discussions with priests. Many of the customs he learnt in Egypt he came to adopt. For example, the Egyptian priests refused to eat beans and wear animal skins, as did Pythagoras later in his life.
In 525 BC the King of Persia invaded Egypt. Pythagoras was taken prisoner and was transported to Babylon. It was here, taught by the Babylonians, that he reached perfection in arithmetic and music. When Pythagoras returned to Samos he founded there a school which was called ‘The Semicircle’. It seems that the people of Samos did not appreciate the teaching methods of Pythagoras and they treated him rudely and improperly. Furthermore, they wanted to involve Pythagoras in local politics against his will. For these reasons, he went to Italy.
Pythagoras believed that numbers rule the universe and that numbers are present in all things. He also connected mathematics to music and recognized the healing power of music. He used it as a kind of therapy to help those who were ill. Another of his beliefs was that there are three types of men: those who love wisdom, those who love honour and those who love wealth.
Pythagoras was a mathematician, an astronomer, and a philosopher. Today we remember him best for his famous geometry theorem, known as Pythagoras’ theorem.2
1 Pythagoras [paɪˈθæɡərəs] Пифагор
2 Pythagoras’ theorem [paɪˈθæɡərəsɪz ˈθɪərəm] теорема Пифагора
2. Where did Pythagoras go to learn mathematics and astronomy? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. Why did Pythagoras go to Italy?
4. What are the three types of men according to Pythagoras?
II. Listen to the interview with Mr Ron Cansler taken by the Youth Magazine and answer the questions below.
1. How old is Mr Cansler?
2. What kind of life did he have when he was young?
3. What does he recommend listeners to do?
III. Let’s talk about the mass media.
№ 12
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
AMELIA
Possibly the most famous female pilot ever, Amelia Earhart was born in 1897 in Kansas, the USA. Amelia had a difficult and unsettled childhood. Her family travelled a great deal so her father could find work. Although she often missed school, Amelia was nevertheless considered to be very bright academically. She enjoyed reading and poetry as well as sports, especially basketball and tennis.
After graduating from high school, instead of going to college, Amelia decided to study nursing. During the First World War, she worked as a military nurse in Canada. When the war ended she became a social worker back in America and taught English to immigrants. In her free time, Amelia enjoyed going to air shows and watching aerial stunts1, which were very popular during the 1920s. Her fascination with flying began when, at one of those shows, she took a tenminute ride, and from that moment on she knew she had to learn to fly.
Amelia took on several odd jobs to pay for the flying lessons and after a year, she had saved enough money to buy her own plane. She organised crosscountry air races for women pilots and formed a now famous women pilots’ organisation, called the ‘NinetyNines’. One day Amelia received an invitation to be the first woman ever to make the flight across the Atlantic from Canada to Britain. Amelia made the flight in 1928 and, although she was only a passenger and two men flew the plane, it made her a celebrity. She also met there her future husband, George Putman, a publisher, who arranged the flight and organised all the publicity.
In 1932 Amelia and George decided Amelia should make the Atlantic crossing from America to Britain alone. She broke several records on this flight; she became the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo, the only person to have flown it twice and she established a new transatlantic crossing record of 13 hours and 30 minutes. Understandably, she became even more famous as a result earning respect for women pilots all over the world by proving that women could fly as well as men, if not better.
1 an aerial stunt [ˈeərɪəl ˈstʌnt] фигура высшего пилотажа
2. How did Amelia get interested in flying? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What invitation did Amelia receive one day?
4. Why did Amelia become famous?
II. Listen to the conversation between Nancy and her mum and answer the questions below.
1. What do Nancy’s parents worry about?
2. Why does Nancy refuse to do household chores?
3. What arguments does Mum use to make Nancy clean the room?
III. Let’s talk about the mass media.
№ 13
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
THE STRESS OF COMMUTING1
In today’s modern world, people are constantly looking for ways to avoid stress and improve their lifestyle. Too much stress can lead to a variety of illnesses from headaches to high blood pressure. Simple things, such as driving to and from work on a daily basis, can be such a stressful experience that many people are left feeling totally exhausted. Cars can give normally peaceful people a feeling of power that can make them more aggressive.
Fortunately, there are various means of public transport to choose from within modern towns and cities. Sometimes, all we need to do is to change a few of our longstanding habits in order to discover a much more comfortable way of life. By simply planning journeys, not only can we save time and money, but we can also reduce stress levels dramatically. By using public transport everybody wins. Most towns and cities are wellcovered by bus, tram and metro services. While making use of these services, you are also helping against increasing levels of pollution.
Public transport systems have improved considerably in recent years and there is now more focus on environmentally friendly forms. For example, old tram systems have been reintroduced into many European cities, making movement across large areas much faster and ‘cleaner’.
Another way of reducing levels of both stress and pollution is an introduction of an environmentally friendly network of cycle tracks. The aim of building cycle tracks is to motivate people to use their bicycles instead of their cars. So, next time you see your neighbor or colleague waiting at a bus stop as you drive by, don’t feel sorry for him because he will, no doubt, arrive at the office much earlier than you as you will still be fighting to find a parking space.
Or you might consider another way of getting to work. Carpooling2 is a relatively new and convenient system when several people arrange to share one private car to get to work. And some companies have already introduced a plan where those who carpool get preferential parking in the company garage.
1 commuting [kəˈmjʊːtɪŋ] ежедневные поездки на работу в город из пригорода и обратно
2 to carpool [ˈkaːpuːl] ездить на одной машине, подвозить по очереди
2. The network of public transport has improved lately. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. How can we help reduce pollution?
4. Why is carpooling convenient?
II. Listen to the advice how to make a good friend and answer the questions below.
1. How do people feel if they have no friend?
2. What qualities does a good friend have?
3. Why is it good to be a real friend?
III. Let’s talk about international cooperation.
№ 14
I. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Video Blogger
In April 2007, a 16yearold English boy named Charlie McDonnell was studying for his exams. But he was bored, so he turned on his computer and started surfing the web. He soon found a website called YouTube and within minutes he was watching a video of another teenager sitting in his bedroom and talking to his computer about how bored he was. ‘I could do better than that!’ thought Charlie. So, using a cheap computer and a webcam, he made his first video blog and posted it on YouTube under the name Charlieissocoollike.
A few days after the first video Charlie found that he had 150 subscribers. Encouraged by this, he went on to make more videos. A month later Charlie’s audience grew and he started to get hundreds of video messages from his fans. “It was really strange,” says Charlie. “I’d been talking to my computer for a month and suddenly my computer started talking back to me!”
His next big success came a few months later when Oprah Winfrey, the famous American TV host, showed one of Charlie’s comedy videos called How to be English on her programme, which made him popular in the USA too.
Charlie also realised he could use his fame to help people less fortunate than himself. To celebrate his 18th birthday, he raised £5,000 for cancer research. He raised four times as much when he copresented a live show on the Internet. He stayed awake for 24 hours performing challenges from viewers. All the money went to the children’s charity UNICEF1.
But what is the secret of his popularity? “I just make videos that I would want to watch,” he says, “and I’m not trying to sell anything. I’m just trying to talk with people and that’s it for me.” His honesty and modesty are perhaps the main reasons why Charlie is so well liked. And of course, he is a talented song writer, camera man, actor and singer.
And if you were wondering how Charlie did in his exams back in 2007...well, he passed with nine A grades and one B! He says that he wants to go on to study at university in the future but decided to try and make a career on YouTube before that.
1UNICEF [ˈjuːnɪsef] Детский фонд ООН
2. Charlie says how the idea of making a video crossed his mind. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. How did he become popular?
4. Why do people like Charlie?
II. Listen to Huan, a Chinese man, speaking about moving out and answer the questions below.
1. Why do young people prefer to live with their parents in Hong Kong?
2. How did Huan’s parents react to his decision?
3. What are the advantages of living on your own?
III. Let’s talk about national character and stereotypes.
№ 15
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
MAKE YOUR HOME GREENER
Residential buildings are responsible for consuming 27% of the total amount of energy consumed within Europe and are the biggest source of global warming in the world. This is a fact that has, until recently, been overlooked by lawmakers trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, who have concentrated their efforts on industry and transport. The EU has now passed a new law which intends to cut considerably carbon dioxide emissions1 from buildings. This means that each of us can now save the planet from the comfort of our own homes.
The first things we can do are simple and easy. We can block up draughts2, switch off unnecessary lights and make sure cold and hot water taps are not left running. The next step requires more planning and some expense, but as well as saving energy, we will also save on bills. Many homes have window and roof insulation3 but it is rarely enough. Full insulation can have a dramatic effect on energy consumption. We should use energy efficient light bulbs. These are usually expensive to buy but consume less than half the energy of standard bulbs. These bulbs last much longer than conventional light bulbs reducing the consumption of resources. Also, thermal solar panels are very efficient. They are capable of providing all the hot water you need.
We can install a ‘grey’ water recycling system. At present water used to flush the toilets is of the same drinkable quality that comes out of the taps4. This is an unnecessary waste of energy used in water purification. A grey water recycling system cleans water that has been used for washing and sends it through the toilet system reducing the use of clean drinking water.
New buildings have more energy saving features in their design. They can have a wooden structure, extensive insulation, electronic environmental controls, triple glazing5, a nonpolluting heating system and a turf6 roof. However, it is how we deal with our present homes that will determine housing’s contribution to global warming. It’s down to each of us, so get insulating!
1 carbon dioxide emissions [ˈkaːbən daɪˈɒkˈsaɪd ɪˈmɪʃnz] выбросы углекислого газа
2 а draught [draːft] сквозняк
3 insulation [ˌɪnsjʊˈleɪʃn] изоляция, утепление
4 a tap [tæp] кран
5 glazing [ˈɡleɪzɪŋ] вставка стекoл
6 turf [tзːf] торф
2. What energy saving features in the design of the building are used nowadays? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What can we do to cut carbon dioxide emissions from buildings?
4. What is considered to be an unnecessary waste of energy used in water purification?
II. Listen to the tour guide and answer the questions below.
1. What sort of tour is it?
2. What will the tourists see on the tour?
3. Why does the tourist ask to return the money?
III. Let’s talk about outstanding people.
№ 16
I. 1. Read the extract and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
MR WEMMICK’S “CASTLE”
Wemmick’s house was a little wooden cottage in the middle of a large garden. The top of the house had been built and painted like a battery loaded with guns. I said I really liked it. I think Wemmick’s house was the tiniest I had ever seen. It had very few windows and the door was almost too small to get in.
‘Look,’ said Wemmick, ‘after I have crossed this bridge, I raise it so that nobody can enter the Castle.’
The ‘bridge’ was a plank1 and it crossed a gap about four feet2 wide and two feet deep. But I enjoyed seeing the smile on Wemmick’s face and the pride with which he raised his bridge. The gun on the roof of the house, he told me, was fired every night at nine o’clock. I later heard it. Immediately, it made an impressive sound.
‘At the back,’ he said, ‘there are chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits. I’ve also got my own little vegetable garden and I grow cucumbers. Wait until supper and you’ll see for yourself what kind of salad I can make. If the Castle is ever attacked, I will be able to survive for quite a while,’ he said with a smile, but at the same time seriously.
Then Wemmick showed me his collection of curiosities. They were mostly to do with being on the wrong side of the law: a pen with which a famous forgery3 had been committed, some locks of hair, several manuscript confessions written from prison.
‘I am my own engineer, my own carpenter, my own plumber and my own gardener. I am my own Jack of all Trades4,’ said Wemmick, receiving my compliments. Wemmick told me that it had taken many years to bring his property to this state of perfection.
‘Is it your own, Mr. Wemmick?’
‘Oh yes, I have got a hold of it a bit at a time. I have absolute ownership now. You know, the office is one thing, and private life is another. When I go to the office, I leave the Castle behind me, and when I come to the Castle, I leave the office behind me. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to do the same. I don’t want to talk about my home in a professional manner’.
1 plank [plæŋk] брус, доска
2 feet [fiːt] — мн. ч. от foot — мера длины, равная 30,48 см
3 а forgery [ˈfɒdʒərɪ] подделка документа
4 Jack of all Trades мастер на все руки
2. ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’. Read aloud the extract which proves this idea.
3. What do we understand about Wemmick’s home life?
4. Why does Wemmick call himself Jack of all Trades?
II. Listen to a part of the interview with a thirteen-year old writer, Sally Myers, and answer the questions below.
1. What made Sally write the book?
2. What did Sally’s Dad think about the book?
3. How did Sally’s life change after publishing the book?
III. Let’s talk about tourism.
№ 17
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
MOTHER TERESA
Mother Teresa was a simple nun1. She never wanted to be famous, but everyone in the world knows who she is.
Mother Teresa was born in 1910 in what is now Macedonia2. She was the youngest of three children. Agnes’3 father died when she was a child. Her mother made dresses to support the family. Agnes’ mother also liked to do charity work, such as visiting the sick. Agnes often went with her, and she enjoyed helping these people.
Even as a child, Agnes wanted to be a nun. When she was 18 years old, she joined a group of nuns in India. There, she chose the name Teresa. Then she went to Calcutta to work at St. Mary’s School, in a convent4. Sister Teresa worked there for 20 years and eventually became the principal.
One day in 1946 Sister Teresa was riding on a train to Darjeeling5. She looked out of the window and saw dirty children wearing rags and sleeping in doorways. Sick and dying people were lying on dirty streets. At that moment, she believed God sent her a message. She decided to go to work with the poor.
Two years later, Sister Teresa left the convent and opened a school for the kids from poor families. Though at the very beginning the school had no roof, no walls, and no chairs, later it became wellknown all around India. In 1948, Sister Teresa started her own group of nuns. They were called the Missionaries of Charity. The nuns lived in the slums6 with people who were poor, dirty, and sick. It was hard work and the days were long. But many young nuns came from around the world to join Mother Teresa.
Later, she started homes for children without families. She also started clinics. Over the years, news of her work spread around the world. Many people sent her donations of money, others came to work with her. By 1990 the Missionaries of Charity were working in 400 centres around the world.
Mother Teresa got the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. But she always said her greatest reward was helping people. Her message to the world was: ‘We can do no great things — only small things with great love’.
1 a nun [nʌn] монахиня
2 Macedonia [ˌmæsəˈdəʊnɪə] Македония
3Agnes [ˈæɡnɪs] Агнес
4 a convent [ˈkɒnv(ə)nt] монастырь
5 Darjeeling [daːˈdʒiːlɪŋ] Дарджилинг (город)
6 slums трущобы
2. The author writes about Mother Teresa’s family. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. Why did Mother Teresa decide to devote her life to people in need?
4. What did Mother Teresa do for people?
II. Listen to the interview and answer the questions below.
1. What does Jackie want to become?
2. Why has she chosen this profession?
3. Why is it important for students to do sport at school?
III. Let’s talk about accommodation.
№ 18
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
The most mystique1 picture
Every hour about 1,500 people visit the Louvre Museum in Paris with the specific intention of seeing one particular painting: the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Most of these visitors look at the painting for about three minutes before they walk back to the tourist buses outside.
Leonardo loved the painting very much and people say that he took it everywhere with him. The painting was originally ordered by a rich businessman in Florence, who wanted a portrait of his wife, Lisa. Leonardo began the painting in 1503 and he finished it about three or four years later. The fact that Leonardo wanted to keep the painting himself, adds to the Mona Lisa’s mystique.
Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile has fascinated everyone who has ever seen the painting. In his Lives of the Artists, written just a few years after Leonardo’s death, Giorgio Vasari wrote, ‘While painting Mona Lisa Leonardo employed singers and musicians to keep her happy and so avoid the sadness that painters usually give to portraits. As a result, there was a smile that seemed divine2 rather than human; and those who saw it were amazed to find how alive and real it appeared.’
Modern art critics also emphasise how the portrait seems alive and real. ‘She is like a living person,’ writes art historian E.H. Gombrich, ‘She seems to change before our eyes. Even in photographs we can experience this strange effect. Sometimes she seems to be looking down on us, and sometimes we can detect sadness in her smile. All this sounds rather mysterious, and it is; that is so often the effect of a great work of art.’
The Mona Lisa is certainly a masterpiece, a magnificent work of art, but it is also a part of modern popular culture. Her image appears on plates, Tshirts, mouse pads and in advertisements. Perhaps for this reason, officials at the Louvre Museum placed the painting in a specially built area in a room with other great 16th century Italian paintings. In this way, visitors have a better chance to appreciate the painting as a work of art rather than as a tourist attraction.
1 mystique [mɪˈstiːk] таинственный
2 divine [dɪˈvaɪn] божественный
2. Why is Mona Lisa smiling? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What makes the Mona Lisa so special?
4. Why is the painting displayed in an exceptional way?
II. Listen to the conversation between two friends and answer the questions below.
1. What does Christian want to become?
2. Why does Kate need to learn English?
3. What piece of advice does Christian give to his friend?
III. Let’s talk about your family.
№ 19
I. 1. Read the book review and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Book Review
The Guinness Books of World Records1 have certainly changed a lot in the last 60 years. The first Guinness Book was published in August 1955 in London, in Britain. Most editions were small paperbacks printed in blackandwhite and contained more text than photographs. Now, there are colour pictures on every page — and the book also includes 3D images.
This fascinating collection of records is divided into chapters on Space, The Living Planet, Being Human, Human Achievements, Spirit of Adventure, Modern Life, Science & Engineering, Entertainment, Sports, and the Gazetteer2.
Here you will see and read about extremes: for example, the world’s tallest, oldest, shortest, and tiniest — people, plants, animals, buildings. Some have set records for pulling buses, kissing, swimming, ironing clothes, running, and for having the longest legs, the smallest waist, etc.
Some images are a bit strange to look at for too long — check out the woman with the longest fingernails in the world. Also, one man had 14 operations to make himself look like a cat.
There’s a wide range of amazing facts contained on these pages. What is the world’s most expensive hamburger? — It is available in a New York restaurant for $120. Who had the most hit singles on the US music charts? — Elvis Presley, of course, with 151 between 1956 and 2003 (and he died in 1977!). One of the most colourful sections shows records related to space, including some fantastic photographs of Jupiter. Take a look at the top movies such as the first summer blockbuster of all time, the first movie with Dolby sound, and the first to be more expensive than $100 million.
As always, there’s a helpful index in the back of the book, in which you can find subjects of interest in alphabetical order.
Please note that some stunts3 in this book would be quite dangerous — or at least terribly painful — for you to attempt to meet or beat them. Therefore, please don’t attempt to set any world records that would cause risk to you or to others!
1 the Guinness [ˈɡɪnɪs] Books of World Records [ˈrekɔ:dz] Книга рекордов Гиннесса
2 Gazetteer [ˌɡæzəˈtɪə] географический справочник
3 a stunt [stʌnt] опасный трюк
2. The author describes how The Guinness Books of World Records changed with time. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What information will you find in this book?
4. Why can this book be interesting for the reader?
II. Listen to the young man describing where he lived and answer the questions below.
1. Why did the man’s family have to rent a flat for about a year?
2. What was their flat in the capital like?
3. How many people is he sharing the flat with at present?
III. Let’s talk about your future career.
№ 20
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
ARE YOU READY TO BE INDEPENDENT?
Angela Rowlands recently tested her teenage children’s ability to do basic household jobs in the house. When Angela and her husband Ben went to Spain for a few weeks’ holiday on the Costa Brava, their son Mark, aged 18, and daughter Frances, aged 16, stayed at home to look after the house. The parents wanted to see how Mark and Frances would manage in the house on their own.
So when they left the house, they did not tell the children that they had prepared a few tests for them. “We took the plug1 off the microwave and took out some good light bulbs2 and put in light bulbs that did not work. We also made sure that there were other problems in the house: with an Italian coffee machine and one of the taps3 in the bathroom,” says Dr Rowlands.
When Dr Rowlands returned from her holiday, she found, as she had expected, that her children had failed the independence test. Mark and Frances had asked an electrician to change the plug on the microwave and to change the light bulbs. They also paid a specialist for repairing the bathroom tap. When they saw that the coffee maker was broken, they went to buy a new one. They even did not think to look for the missing part in the cupboard.
Dr Rowlands was not surprised by the results of her experiment. “A lot of young people today are not able to solve simple problems in the house,” she says. “They often throw things away when they are broken. This is wrong because it shows that young people do not understand how things work or are made. It can also be very expensive because you have to pay other people to do the work for you.”
But repairing broken things is only part of the problem. A lot of young people cannot cook at all. If there is no readymade meal in the fridge, or if there is nothing to warm up in the microwave, then there is no food. This can cause health problems.
The truth is that many young people do not want to learn basic household skills as they find them boring. Though, if people want to be prepared for independent life they should learn how to do simple jobs about the house.
1 a plug [plʌɡ] штепсельная вилка
2 a light bulb [ˈlaɪt bʌlb] лампочка
3 a tap [tæp] кран
2. Why did Dr Rowlands decide to test her children? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What did the parents prepare for their children?
4. Do you think the children passed the test? Why do you think so?
II. Listen to Tom speaking about his day off and answer the questions below.
1. How did Tom spend his day off?
2. What went wrong?
3. What made Tom feel frightened?
III. Let’s talk about Belarus.
№ 21
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Technology
Technology is everywhere. We see it any place we go to and, in fact, almost all of us carry some piece of technology with us every time we leave the house. We can’t imagine our life without them. But what we always forget, though, is just how useful and powerful technology can be when we want to help others.
There is not a single room in my house that does not have some gadget lying around in it. Whenever I am at home, providing that I am not sleeping, I am almost always using at least one electronic device. If you walked into my living room on any given day, you would find that, first, I have the television on (along with the other related appliances, such as the DVD player or my current favourite games console1). At the same time, even though multitasking is definitely not my strong point, I usually have my laptop resting on my knee, or I will be using my tablet or mobile phone. In the background, the technology that I am not using will most likely be on charge somewhere in the house. Even when I’m not at home I am constantly using my phone. At work or in cafés, I sit down and connect to the local wireless network on my laptop. I must admit that I waste a lot of time on the computer. Instead I could spend it doing some online volunteering.
The technology we carry about everywhere can have a great power to do good for the world and to help others and recently I discovered just how much online volunteering there is to do in the world. From using your language skills to do translations, to developing and managing projects and helping with IT work, there is so much that so many people can do to help people in their own countries and across the world. The United Nations, in fact, has a huge page on its website designed for recruiting volunteers.
This work can support the poor and help charities who otherwise would not have the funding to pay for staff. Many organisations only require you to work an hour a week — some even less. And the support provided by online volunteers can really help make a difference to those in need.
1 games console [ˈɡeɪmz ˈkɒnˈsəʊl] игровая приставка
2. The author disapproves of the way people use electronic devices. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What electronic devices does the author often use?
4. How can online volunteering help people?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. What is the flat like?
2. What do Anna and Carlos like and dislike about the flat?
3. What have they decided to do?
III. Let’s talk about any Enlglish-speaking country.
№ 22
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
From librarian to political reporter
The Pretenders is a very successful and popular TV series. In each programme there is a contestant who has just four weeks to learn to do a completely new job. At the end of the month the contestant has to do a ‘test’, where he or she has to do the new job together with three other professionals. Three judges have to identify the one who pretends.
Jessica Winters is a 26yearold librarian. She studied English Literature at the University of Bath before getting a job at the local library. She didn’t know that two of her friends had sent her name to the TV company to take part in The Pretenders. ‘When someone from the company called me, I thought it was a joke,’ said Jessica. ‘First of all, I said ‘no’, in the end my friends and my family persuaded1 me and I agreed.’
Jessica had four weeks to turn from a quiet, shy librarian into a confident TV reporter. At the end of the month she had to interview the Minister of Education. It was her test.
An experienced political journalist, Adam Bowles, had to transform Jessica into a professional. He wasn’t very optimistic when he met her. ‘Jessica needs to be a lot harder, even aggressive. She is much too sweet and shy’, said Adam. ‘Politicians will eat her alive.’ They had just 28 days to teach her how to interview people, how to be confident, how to speak clearly.
Jessica was terrified at the beginning. She watched a lot of live interviews with politicians. Adam made her read the political sections of all the newspapers. It was boring for her and she felt exhausted. Later as soon as she began making progress, she felt more relaxed.
During the interview Jessica felt nervous but wellprepared as she had done much research and had practised a lot. ‘When it was all over, came the worst part, I had to wait while the judges decided which of us they thought wasn’t a professional’. The judges gave their verdict: they were all professional reporters.
For Jessica it was a great experience and she was pleased how she did it, but actually she doesn’t feel like changing her work.
1 to persuade [pəˈsweɪd] убедить
2. The Pretenders is a famous TV programme. Read aloud the extract about it.
3. How did Jessica make it into the programme?
4. Why was it an exciting and useful experience for Jessica?
II. Listen to three people talking about their favourite countries and answer the questions below.
1. What country does the first speaker like most?
2. What makes Italy a favourite place for the second speaker?
3. Why does the third speaker like Argentina?
III. Let’s talk about national character and stereotypes.
№ 23
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Mi Luna
Mi Luna is a restaurant in the Rice Village. The atmosphere is lively, and the food is delicious. It is a Spanish cuisine restaurant that you will soon consider one of your favourite restaurants.
There are many reasons why this restaurant is special. One is that they make a wonderful dish called Pulpo con Patatas. It’s a delicious Spanish seafood dish which has the following ingredients: octopus, potatoes, salt, olive oil, and chilepiquin. (Chilepiquin is a special kind of chili that looks like red powder and is very hot.)
Another reason is the place itself. Once you are in the restaurant, you feel a Spanish atmosphere; it is painted with the classical colours that are used in Spain — red, yellow, white, and black. The way this place is decorated is really very impressive. On the walls, there are photos of Spanish bullfighters, taken at the perfect moments of their performances.
On one of the walls, you can enjoy a photo of the famous classical Spanish dance called Flamenco1. In it, the dancers are wearing the traditional clothes, and the lady has in her hands the most famous Spanish musical instrument called castanets2.
The service is pleasant, caring and quick. It makes you want to come back. The waiters just keep looking at your table to find out if you need something. If they see an empty glass, they immediately ask you if you want something else to drink. At all time, they are friendly and ready to clear all the used dishes from your table. They are always smiling because they are trying to make you feel comfortable and happy. They know each dish, so they are able to explain it to you.
On their menu, they serve a large variety of foods, and there is a section on the menu that I like most. In Spain, these dishes are called tapas3. Tapas or appetizers are dishes that have a small amount of food. In this way you will be able to try a lot of different Spanish dishes.
By the time you leave Mi Luna, you are sure to be entirely satisfied and have very good memories of the visit. It is a great place for any occasion, but it is very busy, so don’t forget to book a table first.
1 Flamenco [fləˈmeŋkəʊ] фламенко (испанский танец)
2 castanets [ˌkæstəˈnets] кастаньеты (традиционный испанский ударный музыкальный инструмент)
3 tapas [ˈtæpəs] тапас (закуска)
2. The service in Mi Luna is very good. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What makes Mi Luna look very Spanish?
4. Why should visitors make reservations in Mi Luna in advance?
II. Listen to the conversation between two friends and answer the questions below.
1. What does Margaret complain about?
2. Why does Peter need new clothes?
3. What piece of advice does Margaret give to her friend?
III. Let’s talk about youth and society.
№ 24
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
WE ARE YOUNGER THAN WE EVER WERE
If you belong to the older generation, Elderhostel is a good place to live.
Elderhostel, founded in 1975, is the world’s largest educational and travel organisation for older adults. Its aim is to excite people’s minds and enrich people’s lives promoting and encouraging different activities among the older generation. There are no examinations or marks. All that you need, in order to enroll on a programme, is enquiring mind1 and an adventurous spirit. Also, of course, you need to believe that learning and discovery continue all your life. There are expert instructors and experienced group leaders for field trips and cultural excursions.
Elderhostel offers a large number of programmes in a huge variety of areas. Amongst other things, it provides simple, online information on activities and services. First of all, there are traditional programmes. Here, people study ancient history, literature, and art, and can learn about different cultures, modern people and issues.
Also, Elderhostel believes that physical activity helps people to keep a positive selfimage and contributes to the sense of wellbeing both mental and physical. Many programmes have keepfit equipment and a large number of social and cultural events take place there, as well as sporting activities. Regular physical activity can prevent many common illnesses, such as high blood pressure and asthma and it helps people who already have such illnesses. Alongside the usual sports like swimming, hockey and cricket, bowling and tennis, you will find “Dog Clubs” and “Flying Clubs”. Then there is a group of adventure programmes involving activities like hiking, kayaking2, biking and studying whales.
There are also programmes which give people the chance to help communities in different ways, such as protecting endangered species, tutoring school children and building affordable housing.
Finally, there are programmes which take place aboard a boat, anywhere from Antarctic to the Mississippi River.
The word ‘old’ has a very different and very positive meaning in Elderhostel!
1 enquiring mind [ɪnˈkwaəɪrɪŋ maɪnd] пытливый, проницательный ум
2 a kayak [ˈkaɪæk] каяк (лодка)
2. What kind of organisation is Elderhostel? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What activities does Elderhostel offer?
4. Why does the word ‘old’ have a positive meaning in Elderhostel?
II. Listen to three people speaking about how they met their partners and answer the questions below.
1. Why was the first speaker surprised?
2. When did the second speaker ask the girl out?
3. Why did the third speaker think that the girl was awful when they first met?
III. Let’s talk about education.
№ 25
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION
The Internet nowadays is like a huge city full of many different kinds of places and people. As in a real city, there are certain places which are suitable for youngsters and others which need to be avoided.
The Internet neither belongs to nor is controlled by any one person, organisation or government. It gives all of us the opportunity to create materials for others to see. On the other hand, as in ordinary life, there are those who might use it for illegal purposes. The freedom of the Net offers exciting opportunities for youngsters and, by being aware of the possible dangers and taking steps to avoid them, they can happily explore that online world in safety.
The Internet has enabled and advanced new forms of human interactions through instant messaging, Internet forums, and social networking. Common sense will certainly help children to use the Internet safely. It is preferable, for example, for parents to get to know who their children are meeting online and make sure they never give out personal information about themselves. Although it is an excellent tool for learning, playing and communicating with others, youngsters should not be allowed to become so involved that they forget other activities important to their development. How often do we hear of youngsters spending all their free time in front of the computer, isolating themselves from other people their age? Computers are admirable tools that improve the quality of life, but when used sensibly. Steve Jobs said: “Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them”. Obviously, surfing as a family activity is the best solution, so that any problems that are found can be discussed together.
Parents need to think about safety issues and agree on a set of rules. Just as youngsters are given instructions on road safety, they also need to be instructed on how to travel safely along that superhighway.
2. The author says that the Internet offers exciting opportunities for youngsters. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What is surfing the Internet compared to?
4. Why is it important to use the Internet sensibly?
II. Listen to three people speaking about their work-life balance and answer the questions below.
1. What does the first speaker complain about?
2. How has the life style of the second speaker changed?
3. What does the third speaker think about his way of life and the typical Japanese work-life balance?
III. Let’s talk about tourism.
Аудирование (вопросы и текст)
Exam Listening Scripts
Card 1
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Listen to the story about a girl and answer the questions below.
1. Why was Whitney worried about going to college?
2. How did she find a friend?
3. What lesson did Whitney learn?
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There was a time when Whitney didn’t have a lot of friends. She was a bit shy and reserved and kept herself to herself.
When it came time to go to college, Whitney was quite nervous. She was going to share a room with someone she didn’t know, with a complete stranger, and live far from her parents. And she had no idea how she was going to make friends in this situation.
The first week of classes changed Whitney’s life forever. In her English class, she was asked to say some words about herself. So she told everyone some facts about her life and her studies. The final question for each student was always the same: “What is your goal* for this class?” Whitney said that her goal was to make just one good friend.
While most of the students sat in silence, one student came to Whitney and held out his hand and introduced himself. He asked if she would be his friend. The whole room was silent — all eyes focused on Whitney. She smiled and gave her hand to the boy. A friendship was formed. It was a friendship that lasted all through college. It was a friendship that brought two people together in marriage.
Whitney learned the power of asking for what she wanted, being honest and taking action.
Card 2
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Listen to the career counsellor speaking about choosing a career and answer the questions below.
1.Why is choosing the right job very important?
2.Which jobs are popular among young people at present?
3.What advice does the speaker give?
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Choosing a profession is one of the most important decisions that influences all our lives. It is like choosing a wife or a husband to have children with, choosing friends to rely on.
There are many reasons for choosing this or that profession. Nowadays everybody’s top priority is money. In our materialistic world young people usually try to get jobs that are paid well — jobs connected with business, information technologies, politics, and so on. Jobs connected with education and science are not so well paid, that is why they are not so popular among young people.
Let me give you one piece of advice. Take into consideration such things as talent and personal interest! Usually a person has talent in this or that sphere — science, art, music, etc. If you haven’t got abilities for the profession you have chosen, later you will face a lot of difficulties. You will definitely have to study harder and spend more time training.
Interests are also very important. Isn’t it great, when your job brings you moments of great pride, joy and satisfaction? If you are not interested in what you are doing, you will never achieve good results, and very soon you will feel that you are not in the right place.
Card 3
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Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. What is wrong with the accommodation?
2. Why did the boy oversleep?
3. What agreement does he reach with the person on Reception?
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Jane: Hi! My name’s Jane.
Peter: Hi, I’m Peter.
Jane: Have you been in London long?
Peter: I got here last week. I guess I’ve been in the hotel for a week now.
Jane: I’ve just arrived. What’s the hotel like?
Peter: It’s OK. Not perfect, but for this price, it’s not bad.
Jane: Why? What’s the matter with it?
Peter: Well, the heating doesn’t always work, it was freezing in here yesterday, and the breakfast is very early in the morning, today I overslept and missed it completely!
Jane: You overslept? Why was that?
Peter: You see, there’s another boy in this room and he snores* like really badly! And I couldn’t sleep at all!
Jane: Oh no! Well, I don’t know what we can do about the breakfast, or the roommate, but why don’t we ask the hotel to fix the heating?
Peter: Hmmm, yes, what a good idea! Why didn’t I think of that?
Peter calls reception.
Reception: Hello, reception.
Peter: Hello, I wonder if you can help me, the heating in our room doesn’t seem to be working, could you send someone to fix it?
Reception: What seems to be the problem with it?
Peter: I don’t know, sometimes it doesn’t work.
Reception: (sigh) I’ll send someone along tomorrow.
Peter: Do you think you could send someone today? It’s really quite cold.
Reception: OK, I’ll see if the engineer is here today.
Peter: Thank you very much.
Card 4
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Listen to Alice speaking about her first job and answer the questions below.
1. What job did Alice do?
2. What difficulties did she have?
3. What kind of knowledge and skills did she get at her first job?
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My name is Alice and I’d like to talk with you about my first job. After leaving school last year, I decided it would be a good idea to visit my relatives in Australia and improve my English. My uncle invited me to work in his shop, and thus I became a shop assistant. Of course I hadn’t had any previous experience in this kind of job and I was a bit worried. Those days were the best training you can imagine. I really learnt a lot. If you are a shop assistant, dealing with customers is one of the most difficult things to do. I discovered that some people came to our shop not only to buy things but to talk with us. Now I think I can understand people’s behaviour much better than before, and especially that of the elderly. The most difficult thing is money. When you work for the first time you feel really strange about it. For about a month I kept making mistakes. But I was very lucky my uncle always helped me to get out of the trouble. I learnt a lot from him. All in all, my first job was a very positive experience. I think I’ve become more tolerant and open, more serious and responsible. Even though I had a lot of work to do, I have also managed to become somehow relaxed and easy-going.
Card 5
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Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where does the conversation take place?
2. What is the man interested in?
3. How much do you need to pay monthly?
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Jackie: Hi! I’m Jackie. Welcome to Abbey Health Club!
Man: Thanks.
Jackie: If you follow me I’ll give you a quick tour. Through there is the swimming pool. It’s open all the time except for Thursday afternoons, when it’s closed for cleaning.
Man: I see.
Jackie: You can take classes in the pool if you like. We have ‘Swim for fitness’ classes and ‘Water aerobics’. All classes are an hour.
Man: OK. And where is the gym?
Jackie: It’s just up here. You can come here and exercise any time. There are lots of fitness classes. We’ve got aerobics, cycling, running... lots of things. We have very experienced coaches who will give you all necessary instructions how to keep fit and have fun. You will build good muscles and look slim.
Man: How about yoga? Is there a yoga class?
Jackie: Sure. We have ‘Yoga for beginners’ and ‘Intermediate yoga’.
Man: Great. Oh... and is there a car park?
Jackie: Yes, but you have to pay... about one pound for an hour, I think. We’re open from six in the morning to ten at night Monday to Friday, and on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. So... do you want to join?
Man: Er... how much is it?
Jackie: Well, it’ll be £50 a month.
Man: I see. Well, thank you for your time.
Jackie: Thank you! See you soon, maybe!
Man: Yes... maybe.
Card 6
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Listen to three teenagers talking about homework and answer the questions below.
1. Why does the first speaker dislike doing homework?
2. What does the second speaker have regrets about?
3. What are the benefits of doing homework according to the third speaker?
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Speaker 1
Homework affects my family. Whenever we want to go out as a family, we can’t because I have my homework to do. And it just puts us in a bad mood. Nobody likes to help me with my homework. When I get home I want to relax instead of having to work in my spare time. I wish I could see the day when there is no homework. I hope to see such a day.
Speaker 2
In high school I did very little homework, except right before tests. I usually copied homework. I graduated and got into a really good college: now I’m dying. I can’t do my homework properly just because I have huge amounts of it. I practically have no time to finish it all even though I have no job, not to mention that I never party or go out. It’s a pity that I haven’t got used to doing homework.
Speaker 3
Everybody hates homework at some point just because we get too much of it. I used to hate the idea of homework, but within the last years I realised that any school wants what’s best for your own future. You may be young, and you really don’t understand what homework does, but it develops a sense of logic. Not only does it make you more intelligent, but it also enhances* your personality. It makes us more disciplined and ready for future working obligations*.
Card 7
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Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where was Tina going to?
2. What happened at the airport?
3. Why was Tina scared during the flight?
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Man: And what about you, Tina? Have you got a story about a journey you remember?
Tina: Yes, I have actually. There’s one journey I’ll never forget. I was going to Hong Kong, from London. The flight was early in the morning, so I made up my mind to spend the night before the flight in a hotel near the airport. When I woke up it was after five o’clock. You know you have to get there early to check in, right? So I panicked, took my bags and rushed outside, looking for a taxi. Luckily, after a few minutes an airport bus came along. When I got there, it was actually nearly six so I thought, you know, I’ve missed my plane. The whole terminal was empty except for a huge crowd of people at one end and luckily, that was the queue for my flight. It was delayed! Yeah. I was really pleased... but the delay went from one hour to nine hours! Finally, at around three o’clock, the plane took off. But the worst part was yet to come! After a few hours there was a huge storm and the plane started bouncing around all over the place. I was really scared. And then! The worst thing of all — the oxygen masks dropped down. I put my mask on and just sat there in absolute terror. Anyway, the plane didn’t crash, thank God, and we got to Hong Kong OK in the end, but what a journey! I’ll never forget it.
Card 8
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Listen to the member of the Greenpeace organisation telling a story about whales* and answer the questions below.
1. How did Uncle Roger explain to the boy why the whales were on the beach?
2. How did the people help them?
3. How did this event affect the story-teller's life?
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One night there was a big storm with huge waves. It stopped only in the morning.
We were having breakfast when we heard somebody screaming “Whales!” We ran to the beach. I will never forget what I saw that morning. Two whales were lying on the beach, they were so helpless. “Are they dead?” I asked Uncle Roger. “One is dead, but the other is still alive,” he answered in a sad voice. “Why did they do it?” I continued asking him. “Nobody knows for sure but many people believe that whales sometimes throw themselves on the beach. They sort of go crazy. Dirty water makes them that crazy. As you know plants and factories throw rubbish into the water,” he added angrily.
There were a lot of people on the beach. Some people brought ropes* and we began to pull him into the water. It was hard as he was very heavy. I will never forget the moment when the whale began moving in the water and a fountain of water came out of it. We all felt happy.
The whale disappeared but the memory stayed in my heart forever. I think it is the main reason why I decided to study the ocean and protect animals. Now I am a member of Greenpeace and my priority is to protect whales both from hunting and the many other daily threats they face.
Card 9
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Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where does the action take place?
2. What happened to the furniture in the grandmother's room?
3. Why were Martin and his friend scared?
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Martin: OK! That’s the end of the class. Don’t forget your homework for tomorrow! Student A: Wow, 1 liked that ghost story! Do you think it’s true?
Student B: Oh, no, I don’t think so. It’s just in a book.
Student A: Let’s ask him. Do you believe in ghosts, Martin?
Martin: Oh, er... Well... I did have a strange experience once.
Student A: Really?
Martin: Yes... My grandmother has a big, old house near London... She was in the garden and my friend and I were in the living room and suddenly we heard a noise upstairs. It wasn’t a big noise. We thought maybe a mouse or something. Anyway, we went upstairs and... it seemed to be coming from my grandmother’s bedroom.
Students A and B: Did you go in?
Martin: Yes, we went inside and well, it was amazing really. All the furniture in my grandmother’s bedroom was on the left side of the room, and the carpet was on the other side of the room.
Students A and B: Oh!
Martin: And this furniture is really heavy — a very heavy wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a bed — these things would take four men to lift and it was really scary!
Students A and B: Wow!
Martin: And all we heard was a tiny noise... for no more than around a minute. My grandmother said it happened once before, too. The really strange thing is... she didn’t seem to mind!
Card 10
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Listen to the girl speaking about her eating habits and answer the questions below.
1. What problem does the girl have?
2. What makes the girl think that her habit is harmful?
3. Why can't she stop eating chocolate?
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I know that I have a big problem. I can’t stop eating chocolate!
I started eating chocolate as a child. My sisters and I all ate a lot of different kinds of chocolate. However, my sisters and I are adults now and I’m the only one who still eats it a lot. So, how much do I eat? Well, I have about 10 bars of chocolate a day. At Christmas we got a giant family-sized bag of chocolate sweets, I ate the whole bag on my own in two days!
I know eating a lot of chocolate is bad for my health. There’s a lot of sugar in all types of chocolate. There’s also a lot of fat. I think that’s why I have many spots on my face, and I’m a little overweight too. I know that it’s also very bad to take and eat chocolate that’s not mine but I can’t stop myself.
What can I do? At the supermarket there’s always chocolate for sale while I wait to pay for my shopping. At the station — bus, train, underground — there’s always chocolate for sale in machines. Sometimes I try to stop but if I don’t have any, I get very bad headaches. However, as soon as I have some chocolate I feel better and happier too. I try to speak to my family but nobody understands. They all like chocolate but nobody wants to eat 10 bars a day, and nobody understands why I do.
I need help! Please tell me what I can do to stop eating chocolate!
Card 11
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Listen to the interview with Mr Ron Cansler taken by the Youth Magazine and answer the questions below.
1. How old is Mr Cansler?
2. What kind of life did he have when he was young?
3. What does he recommend listeners to do?
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Journalist: Mr Cansler, how does it feel to be one hundred?
Mr Cansler: Well, actually, I’m not one hundred yet. My birthday’s in two weeks’ time.
Journalist: You’re in perfect shape, what do you do to keep fit?
Mr Cansler: Nowadays, people seem to be crazy about having a healthy lifestyle. When I was young, nobody thought about such things. I was one of ten children in my family. We had no idea what a healthy diet was. We were happy if we had enough to eat. There was no need to take any exercise, the work on the farm was hard, and we spent all days outdoors. You had to be strong; I lost one brother and one sister quite early, but those that survived lived into an old age. We all probably took after my father, who died at the age of ninety-four.
Journalist: Have you ever smoked?
Mr Cansler: Well, I haven’t tried cigarettes, no. But once I thought I’d look interesting with a pipe* so I tried that. But my wife couldn’t stand it, so after a week or so I threw the pipe away.
Journalist: What can you advise our listeners?
Mr Cansler: I don’t think you can do anything to guarantee a long life. You can’t avoid hardships, even tragedies. What you can do is be as active as possible and have a positive attitude.
Journalist: Thank you, Mr Cansler.
Card 12
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Listen to the conversation between Nancy and her mum and answer the questions below.
1. What do Nancy's parents worry about?
2. Why does Nancy refuse to do household chores?
3. What arguments does Mum use to make Nancy clean the room?
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Mum: Nancy, you’ve been home from college for three days now. Why don’t you clean up your room, dear?
Nancy: We don’t have to clean up our rooms at college, Mother.
Mum: That’s very nice, and I’m happy you’re going to such a free-willing* institution. But while you are here in the house I would like you to clean up your room.
Nancy: What difference does it make? It’s my room.
Mum: I know, dear. But your father is very much afraid of the plague*. He said this morning if it’s going to start anywhere in this country, it’s going to start in your room.
Nancy: Mother, you, people, aren’t interested in anything really important. Do you realise how big corporations are polluting our environment?
Mum: Your father and I are very much worried about it. But now we are more concerned about the pollution in your bedroom.
Nancy: I never do it at the college.
Mum: Of course you don’t, and I’m sure the time you save goes towards your education, doesn’t it? But we still have that old-fashioned idea about making beds in the morning. And since you are at home, why don’t you do it to please us? Nancy: All right, all right. I’ll clean up my room if it means that much to you. But I want you to know you’ve ruined my vacation.
Card 13
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Listen to the advice how to make a good friend and answer the questions below.
1. How do people feel if they have no friend?
2. What qualities does a good friend have?
3. Why is it good to be a real friend?
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Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do my classmates feel lonely and unhappy?” While the answer varies from person to person, we all seem to understand that they have no friend to talk to and share their sad and happy moments.
Have you ever asked yourself how to make a good friend? Of course people have different ideas about it, but I strongly believe that the best ingredients of friendship are compassion*, attention, honesty and caring.
Compassion is the ability to feel the same things your friend is feeling and then share in the emotions your friend is going through. Listening attentively is also important. Often, a friend doesn’t need advice, he just needs someone to listen to him.
Another part of the friendship recipe is honesty. Being truthful is part of that, but also being authentic* is important. Stand firm in your own values and beliefs. Be honest with your friend and be honest about who you are. Two sides of the same coin.
The last part of the recipe is caring. Let your friends know that you care about them and love and respect them. Let them know by the words you use and the actions you take.
Sharing, caring, listening and doing something for another person will make your life different: full, meaningful and interesting. You’ll feel the joy you can’t experience being alone.
Card 14
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Listen to Huan, a Chinese man, speaking about moving out and answer the questions below.
1. Why do young people prefer to live with their parents in Hong Kong?
2. How did Huan's parents react to his decision?
3. What are the advantages of living on your own?
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I want to talk about my experience of moving out and living on my own. Living on your own is not very common in Hong Kong. Many people still choose to live with their parents even though they have a good job and they’re already in their thirties.
There are several reasons behind — firstly, it’s expensive to rent a flat in Hong Kong. Secondly, the Chinese traditional value of family is that the parents are the ones who brought you up. When you become an adult, you should also take good care of your parents and you should spend more time to be with them. When I told my people about the idea of moving out, they supported my decision. They thought it was a good idea; it would give me time to understand how good it was to live with my parents.
I really like being on my own. First of all, I save the travelling time to work. It used to take me one hour fifteen minutes to travel to work. It also saves two- thirds of my travelling cost. In addition, I gain my personal space and freedom. I make my own decisions all the time, I can invite my friends to come up and stay late. I would say that as you get older, it is probably better to live on your own.
It is still a new experience for me but it has been worth doing.
Card 15
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Listen to the tour guide and answer the questions below.
1. What sort of tour is it?
2. What will the tourists see on the tour?
3. Why does the tourist ask to return the money?
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Tour guide: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this fantastic tour of London by bus. As you can see, we’re on an open-top bus, so you can see all the attractions from your seat and you don’t need to walk anywhere.
Tourist: I have a question.
Tour guide: Yes?
Tourist: Do you have extra umbrellas? I mean, if it rains a lot.
Tour guide: Err, no, we don’t have any extra umbrellas, but don’t worry, I’m sure it won’t rain. Right, OK, so where are we going on our wonderful tour? Well, the tour takes two hours and we are going to visit all the famous sites. First we’ll see Madame Tussauds*, the museum with wax models of famous people and celebrities, then we’ll drive along the most famous shopping street in the world, Oxford Street. After that we’ll see Westminster Abbey* and The Houses of Parliament. As we drive along the river you’ll see the popular attraction, the London Eye, from which you can see the whole city on a sunny day. Then we’ll see Tower Bridge and the famous Tower of London before arriving at Buckingham Palace*, just in time for a cup of tea with the Queen.
Tourist: I have another question.
Tour guide: Yes?
Tourist: Can we have our money back? It’s going to rain heavily.
Card 16
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Listen to a part of the interview with a thirteen-year-old writer, Sally Myers, and answer the questions below.
1. Why did Sally decide to write a book?
2. What did Sally's dad think about the book?
3. How did Sally's life change after publishing the book?
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Interviewer: Sally Myers is a thirteen-year-old writer whose first book was published last year. Sally, tell us about that book.
Sally: Well, I loved writing. I’d had a diary for a couple of years. I wrote about my day, poems, stories... But I never showed people what I wrote. Then, because my pen-friend was moving to a new city with her family, just like I’d done the year before, I wrote down some advice for her — the things which had helped me. She thought it was great and she said I should write a little book about it for other kids. So I did.
Interviewer: Did anybody help you?
Sally: Not with the writing. I only showed it to my Dad after it was finished. He thought it was good, but he tried to stop me from sending it to any publishers. He thought I’d feel disappointed and frustrated if they didn’t like it. So, I sent it to just one company.
Interviewer: Has being an author changed you?
Sally: I don’t really think so. I just go to school, hang out with the same friends. People think I make lots of money, but it’s not true. But I do get letters from kids who’ve read my book and that’s cool as they share their own experience with me. I’ve also become more confident and now I am planning to write one more book.
Card 17
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Listen to the interview and answer the questions below.
1. What does Jackie want to become?
2. Why has she chosen this profession?
3. Why is it important for students to do sport at school?
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Jackie: Hello, Mrs Spence. Nice to meet you.
Mrs Spence: Hello, Jackie. So, you’ve applied to do a teaching course here.
Jackie: Yes, that’s right.
Mrs Spence: I’d like you to tell me why you want to be a teacher.
Jackie: Well, I’ve always loved explaining things and helping people. I’m not looking for an easy job — I like a challenge*! I also want to work with young people.
Mrs Spence: And why have you decided to become a PE* teacher?
Jackie: I love all sports and I really believe it’s important for young people to do sport at school. Well, first of all, we all know it’s important for our health to keep physically fit. Secondly, physical exercise is good for our mental wellbeing and self-esteem. Finally, playing sport teaches young people important life lessons, like the importance of teamwork, discipline and fairness*, for instance.
Mrs Spence: OK, thank you. And, where does your passion for sport come from? Jackie: Hmm, let me think. It’s difficult to choose one thing in particular... I grew up around sport. My mum was a really good athlete, actually.
Mrs Spence: Oh, yes?
Jackie: Wc used to go and see her running marathons, which made a big impression on me as a child. I suppose it’s in my blood.
Mrs Spence: OK, thank you very much, Jackie. Now I’m going to show you around the college...
Card 18
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Listen to the conversation between two friends and answer the questions below.
1. What does Christian want to become?
2. Why does Kate need to learn English?
3. What piece of advice does Christian give to his friend?
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Christian: Hello, Kate! I hear you’re learning English now. Why?
Kate: Hi, Christian. Oh, yes. Two years ago I learned French, but now I need English for my future career.
Christian: You’re right. As for me, my ambition is to be a businessman and it’s impossible to become a successful businessman in Norway if you don’t know English. That’s why I’m learning English hard now and I attend special courses.
Kate: So do I. My ambition is to be a tourist manager. I’ll visit different countries and talk to different people. When you are in different countries, you can manage a lot better if you understand people and people understand you.
Christian: Right! English is an international language nowadays.
Kate: Your English sounds perfect. How long have you been learning it? Christian: Well, for about five years now.
Kate: Can you give me any advice about learning English?
Christian: Welt, you say you like travelling, right?
Kate: Yes, I’ve already been to some foreign countries but unfortunately, not to English-speaking ones.
Christian: That doesn’t matter. When you travel, try to speak English as much as possible. Practice is very important if you want to speak English well.
Kate: I agree with you. Thanks a lot for your advice!
Card 19
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Listen to the young man describing where he lived and answer the questions below.
1. Why did the man's family have to rent a flat for about a year?
2. What was their flat in the capital like?
3. How many people is he sharing the flat with at present?
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Young man:
When I was born, my parents were living in a house in a small village about 20 kilometres away from the capital. I was three years old when my brother was born and my parents decided we needed a larger home. So we moved into a rented flat and we lived there for fifteen months, while the new block of flats we were going to move to was being completed. I don’t think my parents liked the rented Hat because it was even smaller than our old house.
We finally moved into the capital at the beginning of 1988. Our flat wasn’t really large, only 68 square metres, but there was enough room for two adults and two small boys. There were two bedrooms, a cosy living-room with a balcony, a small bathroom and a kitchen, where we used to have the family meals as well.
We lived in the same flat all the time I was at school. I only moved house again when I started university. Rents were quite expensive so I decided to move into a shared flat. Five of us rented a large flat in the city centre. I had the time of my life! I’m still living in the same town, but I’m sharing with just one person now. It’s more comfortable, and of course, there is more privacy but I often miss the big parties we used to have.
Card 20
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Listen to Tom speaking about his day off and answer the questions below.
1. How did Tom spend his day off?
2. What went wrong?
3. What made Tom feel frightened?
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Tom: It was a beautiful sunny morning and I had the day off work. I thought it would be a good idea to visit my cousins, Paul and Bob, who had recently rented a summer cottage near the seaside. I threw a towel and a pair of swimming trunks into my bag and set off on my motorbike.
The boys were pleased to see me. “We’ve rented a speedboat to go water-skiing. Do you want to come with us?” they asked. I wasn’t sure because I had never been water-skiing before. But the boys promised to teach me how to do it. After a while I managed to stand on the skis without falling into the sea. We were having so much fun that we didn’t notice the dark clouds in the sky.
It was about six o’clock in the afternoon when Bob shouted to me: “It’s getting dark and it’s time we went back.” While they were pulling me along, the engine suddenly stopped. We tried hard to get the engine started, but we couldn’t. Then the boat slowly began to drift out to sea.
As we were sitting there wondering what to do, there was a loud crash of thunder and a flash of lightning lit up the evening sky. The sea was dark and angry and it looked as if there was going to be a storm. Paul and Bob looked worried and that made me feel frightened. Just then we saw a lifeboat approaching in the distance and we breathed a sigh of relief!
Card 21
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Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. What is the flat like?
2. What do Anna and Carlos like and dislike about the flat?
3. What have they decided to do?
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Estate agent: Well, here we are. Number 5 Oxford Street. After you.
Anna and Carlos: Thanks.
Estate agent: This is the hall, as you can see. There is a big mirror on the wall and a telephone over there too.
Anna: Is the telephone working?
Estate agent: Oh yes. You only pay for the calls you make. Now, through here to the left... this is the living room. There’s a television and...
Carlos: Look, Anna. What a big sofa!
Anna: It’s huge! We can have a good time here in the evening after work.
Estate agent: Oh, yes. It’s new, too. And if you go through that door in front of you, that’s the dining room... with a nice big table and six chairs... It has two windows so it’s very light in here, too. Now, on the left here is the bathroom with a washbasin and a shower.
Carlos: Hmm.
Anna: It’s a bit small.
Estate agent: Yes, but the shower and toilet are both new. And opposite... just here, we have the kitchen. And finally, this is the bedroom.
Anna: Oh yes! This is lovely. I like the big wardrobe where we can keep all our clothes and you won’t hang them over chairs!
Carlos: There’s a desk here too, so I can study and read books.
Anna: What do you think, Carlos?
Carlos: I think it’s OK. How much?
Estate agent: £550 a month, including bills.
Carlos: Hmm. £550. So, when can we move in?
Card 22
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Listen to three people talking about their favourite countries and answer the questions below.
1. What country does the first speaker like most?
2. What makes Italy a favourite place for the second speaker?
3. Why does the third speaker like Argentina?
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Speaker 1: What’s my favourite place? Well, that’s a really difficult question! So many countries are fantastic in different ways. I enjoyed my visits to Spain and Germany. But I think China is my favourite country and it is a very interesting place — such a mixture!
Speaker 2: My favourite country is Italy It’s got the most wonderful mountains, coasts, beaches and lakes. Its towns are fabulous — everywhere has lots of history and, of course, there are delicious things to eat. The people are so lively and friendly, too. I love it. Unfortunately, though, some of the towns are very big with lots of factories, as Italy makes things like cars, shoes and canned food products. Those towns aren’t much fun to visit.
Speaker 3: Visit Argentina if you get a chance. That’s my favourite country and you’ll just love it, too. Everyone says that Argentinians are really friendly, and it’s true! Of course, there is fantastic music and dancing as well, especially the tango. The country itself is wonderful if you love the great outdoors — huge prairies*, mountain ranges, waterfalls and in the south, glaciers*. My favourite food was the beef. I’ve never eaten such good beef before. It’s just so fresh and natural. It has a different taste to beef in other countries.
Card 23
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Listen to the conversation between two friends and answer the questions below.
1. What does Margaret complain about?
2. Why does Peter need new clothes?
3. What piece of advice does Margaret give to her friend?
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Peter: Hi, Margaret. Congratulations on your new job!
Margaret: Thanks, Peter. To tell you the truth, I’m not so sure I like it.
Peter: Oh, come on. Don’t complain. You’re making a good salary now. Last year you didn’t make anything.
Margaret: Right. Now, I’ve got money, a nice apartment and a car. But I haven’t got any time to enjoy it all. It’s just work, work and work. I work hard all day, every day.
Peter: It can’t be all that bad. You can still go to parties, and you can stay up late.
Margaret: Right, but then I’m tired at work.
Peter: I think you are too serious about everything.
Margaret: That’s easy for you to say. Anyway, what are you doing here?
Peter: Oh, I’m shopping for a new suit. I want to make the best impression possible at my job interviews!
Margaret: Are you looking for a new job?
Peter: Yes, I am. And I’m not doing very well, actually. I can’t seem to find a job. Unfortunately, I’ve only had two interviews so far.
Margaret: How about going to some of those networking groups? They’re groups of people who are also looking for work. They help each other discover new opportunities.
Peter: That sounds great! I’ll definitely try some of them.
Margaret: I’m glad to hear that. I’m sure things will look up for you soon. Peter: Yes, you’re probably right. I hope so!
Card 24
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Listen to three people speaking about how they met their partners and answer the questions below.
1. Why was the first speaker surprised?
2. When did the second speaker ask the girl out?
3. Why did the third speaker think that the girl was awful when they first met?
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Speaker 1: The first time I saw Terry was at a local dance when I was 17. Oh, he
was so handsome in those days! I remember I was standing with my best friend Vera Mills and Terry walked towards us. Well, I thought he was going to ask Vera to dance — she was the type that men would cross a dance floor for. I was so surprised when he asked me instead. We dated for two years but Terry was quite shy really, so I was the one who asked him to marry me. Thank goodness he said “Yes” or I don’t know what I would have done.
Speaker 2: Cathy and I grew up in the same neighbourhood in Birmingham, but we didn’t actually meet until we were teenagers. Funny really, living so close all that time. We met in a lift at the Town Hall. I was only going to the first floor, but I stayed with her all the way to the sixth just to talk to her. We went out that night and I asked her to marry me a month later.
Speaker 3: I thought Amy was awful the first time we met. She was introduced to me by a friend. Tim Green was his name. Anyway, she practically ignored me and she spent all night chatting and laughing with Tim. I met up with her again a few months later at a charity dinner and we got on a lot better that time. We got married on St. Valentine’s Day.
Card 25
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Listen to three people speaking about their work-life balance and answer the questions below.
1. What does the first speaker complain about?
2. How has the lifestyle of the second speaker changed?
3. What does the third speaker think about his way of life and the typical Japanese work-life balance?
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Speaker 1: l am not happy with my work-life balance at all. I work at least 50—60 hours a week so I don’t have any time at all for myself to enjoy hobbies or to see my children and spend quality time with them. I communicate with my wife leaving messages on the fridge. We hardly ever see each other because we work different hours. Also, I eat very badly because my working lunch ‘hour’ is only 10 minutes and it is not enough to have a proper meal. OK, I earn a lot but I have no free time.
Speaker 2: I didn’t use to have much time for anything because I worked too much: 40—45 hours a week. Now I am working 30 hours a week. I feel much happier. I play tennis twice a week and have long weekends. I think if you have time to enjoy your personal life you work much better and your productivity is much higher.
Speaker 3: Yes, I am happy because I’ve chosen a lifestyle that I like and that gives me a lot of freedom. But my father, on the other hand, works 70 hours a week for a car company in Japan, which I think is madness. There’s an expression in Japanese ‘karoshi’ which means dying because you work too hard. A lot of people in Japan get ill and die because they work too much. I don’t want my life to be ruled by work. I want to have time for myself.
ШАГ (Архив)
МАРТ 2019
Видеоролики, подготовленные Агентством телевизионных новостей Белтелерадиокомпании в рамках специального проекта «Мы сделали это вместе», можно посмотреть по этой ссылке.
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