ЧАСТЬ 2 Тексты и упражнения для обучения чтению

СОДЕРЖАНИЕ

ЧАСТЬ 1 Устная практика

1. Моя биография. Моя семья (My Biography. My Family)

2. Мой рабочий день (My Working Day)

3. Мой университет (My University)

4. Мой родной город (My Native Town)

5. Республика Беларусь (The Republic of Belarus)

6. Великобритания (The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

7. США (The United States of America)

8. Моя будущая профессия. Учитель начальной школы (My Future Profession. A Teacher of Primary School)

9. Моя будущая профессия. Филолог (My Future Profession. Philologist)

10. Моя будущая профессия. Историк (My Future Profession. Historian)

11. Моя будущая профессия. Биолог (My Future Profession. Biologist)

 

ЧАСТЬ 2 Тексты и упражнения для обучения чтению

1. Цель школы (The Purpose of School)

2. Значение образование (The Value of Education)

3. Почему мы изучаем английский язык (Why Do We Study English)

4. История и историография (History and Historiography)

5. Терроризм (Terrorism)

6. Генетические нарушения (Human Genetic Disorders)

7. Кофеин (Caffeine)

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to be born, to be married, hard-working, to study by correspondence, to enter the University, a favourite subject, to be a first-year student, to be fond of, sociable, to be attached.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

 

MY BIOGRAPHY. MY FAMILY

I am Olga Kovaleva. I was born on the twenty fourth of February 1991 in the town of Krichev, Mogilev region. I live there with my parents. I am not married. My father is a driver. He is 48. He is very hard-working. My mother is a kindergarten teacher. She has much work about the house and I always help her. I have a younger sister. She is a pupil. She is lovely. I also have an elder brother. He is an engineer. Our family is very united.

When I finised school I decided to enter Mogilev State University named after A. Kuleshov. I did well at school, my favourite subjects were Literature and Languages. Now I am a first-year student of the Faculty of Pedagogic and Psychology of Childhood (the Pedagogical Faculty, the Faculty of Slavonic Philology, the Historical Faculty, the Faculty of Natural Sciences). I study by correspondence. Besides, I work at school because I love children and want to become a good teacher.

I can add that I have a wide circle of interests. I have not much time to watch TV but sometimes I spend an hour or two watching an interesting film or a news programme. In the evening I often read newspapers or magazines. I am also fond of reading books and listening to music. My hobbies are knitting and embroidery. I like fresh air and exercise, too. I’m sorry I have not much time for doing sports. But some aerobics in the morning, a swimming-pool twice a week, a ski-walk on a frosty day are of great help. I’m very sociable, I have many friends. We spend much time together, go out to the cinema or to the disco party, discuss our problems. But most of all I like my family. We all are great friends and deeply attached to each other.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

закончить школу, широкий круг интересов, смотреть телевизор, читать книги, вязание, вышивание, бассейн, обсуждать проблемы.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is your name?

2. How old are you?

3. When and where were you born?

4. Where do your parents live?

5. What are they?

6. Where do you study?

7. Do you work? Where?

8. How do you spend your free time?

9. What are your hobbies?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to take examinations, to get up, to make one’s bed, to do morning exercises, to wash oneself, to have breakfast (dinner, supper), lectures and practical lessons, credit tests, to work hard, to go out for a walk.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

MY WORKING DAY

I study at Mogilev State University named after A. Kuleshov. I’m a first-year student of the Faculty of Pedagogic and Psychology of Childhood (the Pedagogical Faculty, the Faculty of Slavonic Philology, the Historical Faculty, the Faculty of Natural Sciences). I study by correspondence. Twice a year I come to the University to take examinations. This time is very busy for me.

We have our classes in the morning. I get up at 7 o’clock. I make my bed, do my morning exercises and wash myself. After bathroom I dress myself. Then I have breakfast. I leave home and go to the University. It takes me twenty minutes to get to the University. I often come on time because I don’t like to be late fo classes.

We have three lectures and practical lessons every day with short breaks between them. At the lecures we take notes. At practical lessons we study and discuss different problems. Besides, we have credit tests and examinations. We work hard.

After classes I go to the canteen and have dinner there. After dinner I usually go to the reading-hall where I get ready for my practical classes or write a report.Then I go home and have a short rest. I read books and newspapers, make telephone calls, go out for a walk, visit my friends, watch TV, listen to music. As a rule I have very little free time on my week-days. But when I have some spare time I do some work about the house: do the shopping and the cleaning.

On week-days I usually go to bed at eleven o’clock.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

учиться заочно, приходить вовремя, столовая, читальный зал, готовиться к занятиям, свободное время, ходить в магазин, ложиться спать.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. Where do you study?

2. How often do you come to the university?

3. When do you get up on week-days?

4. What do you usually do in the morning?

5. Do you come on time to the University?

6. How many classes do you have every day?

7. What do you do at the lectures and practical classes?

8. What do you do after classes?

9. When do you go to bed?

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

one of the oldest higher educational establishments, to be named after, to be founded in, to last for, to be divided into, exams and credit tests, daytime and correspondence departments, an extra-mural student,to dream about, to come true.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

 

OUR UNIVERSITY

 

I study at Mogilev State University. It is one of the oldest higher educational establishmentsin Belarus. It was founded in 1913. Our University is named after A. Kuleshov, a rather famous Belarusian writer.

At present, our University is the largest educational, scientific and cultural centre in the eastern part of our republic. There are 11 faculties, the lyceum, scientific laboratories and an experimental block. The University course lasts for four or five years. Professors and lecturers give lectures and conduct practical classes. An academic year is divided into two terms, each ending in examination session that includes exams and credit tests.

The University has daytime and correspondence departments. More than 50 per cent of our students study by correspondence. They are extra-mural students. They are given instructions how to study and work on their own.

As for me, I am an extra-mural student. I study at the Historical Faculty. Our Faculty trains teachers of History, archaeologists as well as specialists in spheres of politics and religion.

I have always dreamed about getting a higher education. Now my dream is coming true. In some years I shall receive a diploma and start working in the field of education.

 

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

учиться в университете, быть названным в честь, научная лаборатория, студент-заочник, учиться и работать самостоятельно, получить высшее образование, получить диплом, работать в сфере образования.

 

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What university do you study at?

2. Where is it situated?

3. When was it founded?

4. How many faculties are there at your university?

5. Are you an extra-mural or a daytime student?

6. What faculty do you study at?

7. Why did you choose this department?

8. Do you work?

9. Is it connected with your specialty?

10. Where will you plan working after getting higher education?

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to visit, a version, a grave, a regional city, to lie on, picturesque, industrial enterprises, synthetic and artificial fibres, a lyceum, places of interest.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

MY NATIVE TOWN

 

There are many beautiful cities and towns in the world. I would like to visit some of them, but there is no place like home.

My native town is Mogilev. It was founded in 1267. There are many versions about the origin of its name. One of them says that Mogilev took its name after a young man Masheko who was very powerful, as powerful as a lion. After his death, people made up a hill over his grave and called it “The Lion’s Grave”. Maybe the name of Masheko gave rise to the name of the city Mogilev.

Present Mogilev is a regional city of the republic Belarus. It lies on the picturesque river Dnieper, Eastern part of Belarus. Its population is about 450 thousand people.

Mogilev is an industrial town. A great number of industrial enterprises produce automobiles, agricultural machines, scrapers, lifts, electric devices, synthetic and artificial fibres, silk fabrics, footwear and other goods.

Cultural life is rich enough for the regional centre. There are two theatres, several museums, big libraries, many cinemas and clubs in the town. Mogilev is an educational centre. There are many general and vocational secondary schools, colleges, gymnasiums, lyceums and several higher educational establishments. Mogilev is a beautiful town. There are many places of interest in it: the Complex of St. Nicolas Church, St. Stanislav Cathedral, Sovietskaya Square (Trade Square), Leninskaya Street (Vetrenaya), Gorky park, Mogilev Drama Theatre Local Law Museum, Belynitsky– Birulya museum and etc.

I love my native town. I was born here and live with my family and it is a wonderful place to live.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

родной город (деревня), дать название городу, население, культурная жизнь, образовательный центр, прекрасное место, любить город, жить в городе (деревне).

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is your native city (town, village)?

2. Where is it situated?

3. When was it founded?

4. What legends connected with your native place do you know?

5. Is your native town an industrial one?

6. What do you know about cultural life?

7. What is your favourite place in your native town?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to be born, to be situated, to border on, to be divided into, a capital, science, a refrigerator, to be well off, cattle breeding, to be noted for.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

 

Belarus is my homeland. It is the place where I was born. Belarus is situated in the Eastern part of Europe. It borders on Latvia and Lithuania in the North, Russia in the East, the Ukraine in the South and Poland in the West.

The climate of Belarus is continental with a comparatively mild winter and warm summer. There are 3000 rivers, flowing over the territory of Belarus. The longest rivers are the Dnieper and the Neman. The republic has over 10000 lakes. The largest of them is Naroch.

The population is over 10 million people. The territory of Belarus is divided into 6 regions: Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Minsk and Mogilev. The capital of the republic is Minsk. It is the biggest scientific, cultural and industrial centre.

Modern Belarus is a large economic region. It has developed machine-building and chemical industries. It also produces tractors, lorries, motorcycles, metal-cutting machines, electric motors, potash fertilizers, paper, refrigerators and freezers, TV and radio sets, bicycles and textiles. Agriculturally, Belarus is well off in cattle breeding. We have a strong emphasis on flax growing. Grain and potatoes are among the main field crops.

To complete the picture, I'll say that Belarus is noted for its high-skilled manpower trained at the Republic's universities, institutes, vocational and specialized colleges and schools. Our scientists’ achievements in the fields of mathematics, physics, nuclear power engineering, chemistry and biology are known the world over.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

родина, мягкая зима и тёплое лето, самая длинная река, областной центр, машиностроение, химическая промышленность, сельское хозяйство, быть известным во всем мире.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is your native country?

2. Where is it situated?

3. What countries does Belarus border on?

4. What is the climate in our country?

5. Is Belarus a country of rivers and lakes?

6. How many regions are there in Belarus?

7. Prove that Belarus is a large economic region.

8. What can you tell about education and science in Belarus?

9. What do you know about ecological situation in your native country?

10. What places of interest in Belarus do you know?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

official name, to be situated, to consist of, to be washed by, mild, fabrics, the head of the state, the Queen, the House of Lords, the House of Commons.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

GREAT BRITAIN

 

The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is situated on two large islands called the British Isles. The larger island is Great Britain, which consists of three parts: England, Scotland and Wales. The smaller island is Ireland and there are about five thousand small islands.

The United Kingdom consists of 4 parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The country’s shores are washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Irish Sea. The English channel separates Great Britain from the continent.

The total area of the U.K. is 244.00 square kilometers with a population of 56 million. It is one of the most populated countries in the world. The greater part of the population is urban. About 80 percent of people live in numerous towns and cities.

The surface of the British Isles varies very much. There are many mountains in Scotland, Wales and northwest of England but they are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain. The northern part of Scotland is mountainous and is called the Highlands. Scotland is also famous for its beautiful lakes, which are called Lochs.

There are many rivers in Great Britain but they are not very long. The Thames is the most important river in the country. The longest river is the Severn.

The climate of Great Britain is damp. Winters are mild and summers are cool and rainy. There is much rain and fog in autumn and winter.

Great britain is a highly developed industrial country. Its industry produces automobiles, vessels, fabrics and other goods.

London is the capital of the country. It is the biggest industrial, cultural and political centre.

The head of the state is the Queen. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

остров, берег, общая площадь, население, самая длинная река, мягкая зима и прохладное лето, промышленный центр, производить.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is the official name of the British state?

2. Where is it situated?

3. What parts does the UK consist of?

4. What is the total area and population of the country?

5. What can you say about the surface of the country?

6. What is the climate of the state?

7. What are the most important rivers in the country?

8. What does its industry produce?

9. What is the capital of the country?

10. Who is the head of the state?

11. What do you know about the British Parliament?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to strech, to border on, total area, to be situated, leading producer, manufacturing industries, the Senate, the House of Representatives, to consist of, to elect.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

THE USA

 

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China). It is also the biggest English-speaking country. The USA lies in North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA consists of 50 states and the District of Columbia where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is more than 270 million.

If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley which is located in Alaska.

America's largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.

The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part is continental. The south has a subtropical climate. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.

The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It's the world's leading producer of copper and oil and the world's second producer of iron ore and coal. Among the most important manufacturing industries are aircraft, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, furniture and paper.

The United States is a federal union of 50 states, each of which has its own government. The seat of the central government is Washington, DC. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The head of the state is the President, elected every four years. The two main political parties are the Republican and the Democratic parties.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

англоязычная страна, столица, население, горы, климат, штат, правительство, глава государства.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. Where is the USA situated?

2. What countries does it border on?

3. What is its area and population?

4. What is the capital of the state?

5. What are the highest mountains in the USA?

6. What are the largest rivers in the country?

7. Does the climate of the country vary greatly? Prove it.

8. What are the main industries?

9. How many states are there in the USA?

10. Who is the head of the state?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to make a choice, an extra-mural student, a first-year student, a kindergarten, primary school, pedagogic and psychology, to graduate from, well-educated, to teach, to learn.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

 

THE PURPOSE OF SCHOOL

If you ask yourself why children go to school, you’ll probably say that they go to learn their own language and other languages, arithmetic, geography, geometry, history, science and all other subjects. That is quite true: but why do they learn these things? And are these things all that they learn at school? We send our children to school to prepare them for the time when they will be big and will have to work for themselves. They learn their own language so that they will be able to tellothers clearly what they want and what they know, and understand what others tell them. They learn foreign language in order to be able to benefit from what people in other countries have written and said and in order to make people from other countries understand what they themselves mean. They learn arithmetic in order to be able to measure and count things in their daily life, geography in order to know something about the world around them, and history to know something about human beings they meet every day. Nearly everything they study at school has some practical use in their daily life, but is that the only reason why they go to school?

No. There is more in education than just learning facts. We go to school above all to learn how to learn, so that, when we leave school, we can continue to learn. A man who really knows how to learn will always be successful, because whenever he has to do something new which he had never had to do before, he will rapidly teach himself how to do it in the best way. The uneducated person, on the other hand, is either unable to do something new, or does it badly. The purpose of school, therefore, is not just to teach languages, arithmetic, geography etc, but to teach pupils the way to learn.

 

Exercise 1. Study the following word-combinations:

the purpose of school – цель школьного образования

some practical use – какие-либо практические применения

human beings – люди

science and other subjects – естественные науки и другие предметы

a foreign language – иностранный язык

the only reason – единственная причина

in the best way – наилучшим образом

 

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1. What is the subject-matter of the text?

2. What subjects do children learn at school?

3. What do they learn arithmetic/geography/history for?

4. Is learning facts the only purpose of education?

5. What is the purpose of school in your opinion?

 

 

 

THE VALUE OF EDUCATION

Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we don’t educate children only for the purpose of educating them; our purpose is to fit them for life. As soon as we realize this fact, we will understand that it is very important to choose a system of education which will really prepare children for life.

It is not enough just to choose the first system of education one finds; or to continue with one’s old system of education without examining it to see whether it is in fact suitable or not.

In many modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that, by free education for all – whether rich or poor, clever or stupid – one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation. But we can already see that free education for all is not enough; we find in such countries a far larger number of people with university degrees than there are jobs for them. Because of their degrees, they refuse to do what they think “low” work; and, in fact, work with the hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries. But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is far more important than that of a professor: we can leave without education, but we die if we have no food. If no one cleaned our streets and took the rubbish away from our houses, we should get terrible diseases in our towns. In countries where there are no servants because everyone is ashamed to do such work, the professors have to waste much of their time doing housework.

In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means that we must be educated in such a way that, firstly, each of us can do whatever job is suited to his brain and ability, and, secondly, that we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society, and that it is very bad to be ashamed of one’s work, or to scorn someone else’s. Only such type of education can be called valuable to society.

 

Exercise 1. Study the following word-combinations:

ends and means – цели и средства

to fit for life – приспосабливать к жизни

for some time – в течение некоторого времени

free education – бесплатное образование

a university degree – университетский диплом

to be suited to one’s abilities – соответствовать способностям

 

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1. What is the purpose of education according to the text (in your opinion)?

2. Why is it necessary to examine any system of education before choosing it?

3. Can “free education for all” solve all the problems of society?

4. What sort of education can be called valuable to society?

 

 

WHY DO WE STUDY ENGLISH

 

HISTORY AND HISTORIOGRAPHY

History, in its broadest sense, is the totality of all past events, although a more realistic definition would limit it to the known past. Historiography is the written record of what is known of human lives and societies in the past and how historians have attempted to understand and interpret them. The concern of all serious historians has been to collect and record facts about the human past and often to discover new facts to fill up as many gaps as possible in our historical knowledge.

Except for the special circumstance in which historians record events they themselves have witnessed, historical facts can only be known through intermediary sources. These include testimony from living witnesses; narrative records, such as previous histories, memoirs, letters, and imaginative literature; the legal and financial records of courts, legislatures, religious institutions, or businesses; and the unwritten information derived from the physical remains of past civilizations, such as architecture, arts and crafts, burial grounds, and cultivated land. All these, and many more sources of information provide the evidence from which the historian deciphers historical facts. The relation between evidence and fact, however, is rarely simple and direct. The evidence may be biased or mistaken, fragmentary, or nearly unintelligible after long periods of cultural or linguistic change. Historians, therefore, have known that the information requires careful attention and they have to assess their evidence with a critical eye.

The purpose of history to understand human life can never be fulfilled by the mere shifting of evidence for facts. Fact-finding is only the foundation for the selection, arrangement, and explanation that constitute historical interpretation. The process of interpretation informs all aspects of historical inquiry, beginning with the selection of a subject for investigation, because the very choice of a particular event or society or institution is itself an act of judgment that asserts the importance of the subject. Once chosen, the subject itself suggests a provisional model or hypothesis that guides research and helps the historian to assess and classify the available evidence and to present a detailed and coherent account of the subject. The historian must respect the facts, avoid ignorance and error as far as possible, and create a convincing, intellectually satisfying interpretation.

 

Exercise 1. Study the following words:

record – запись

gap – пробел

to witness – быть свидетелем чего-либо

testimony – свидетельское показание; утверждение

to decipher – расшифровывать

evidence – доказательство, подтверждение; свидетельство

to assess – оценивать, давать оценку

inquiry – исследование, изучение

to assert – утверждать; заявлять

coherent – связный, логически последовательный

 

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1. What is history and historiography?

2. Through what sources can historical facts be known?

3. What is the purpose of history?

4. Why can this purpose never be fulfilled by the mere shifting of evidence for facts?

 

 

TERRORISM

Terrorism is the systematic use of terror or unpredictable violence against governments, publics, or individuals to attain a political objective. Terrorism has been used by political organizations with both rightist and leftist objectives, by nationalistic and ethnic groups, by revolutionaries, and by the armies and secret police of the governments themselves.

Terrorism has been practiced throughout history and throughout the world. The ancient Greek historian Xenophon wrote of the effectiveness of psychological warfare against enemy populations. Roman emperors such as Tiberius and Caligula used banishment, expropriation of property, and execution as means to discourage opposition to their rule. The Spanish Inquisition used arbitrary arrest, torture, and exe­cution to punish what is viewed as religious heresy. After the American Civil-War (1861—65) defiant Southerners formed a terrorist organization called the Ku KIux Klan to intimidate supporters of Reconstruction. In the latter half of the 19th century, terrorism was adopted by adherents of anarchism in Western Europe, Russia, and the United States. They believed that the best way to effect revolutionary political and social change was to assassinate persons in po­sitions of power. From 1865 to 1905 a number of kings, presidents, prime ministers, and other government officials were killed by anarchists' guns or bombs.

The 20th century witnessed great changes in the use and practice of terrorism. Terrorism became the hallmark of a number of political movements stretching from the extreme right to the extreme left of the political spectrum. Technological advances such as automatic weapons and compact, electrically detonated explosives gave terrorists a new mobility and lethality.

Terrorism's public impact has been greatly magnified by the use of modern communications media. Any act of violence is certain to attract television coverage, which brings the event directly into millions of homes and exposes viewers to the terrorists' demands, grievances, or political goals. Modern terrorism differs from that of the past because its victims are frequently innocent civilians who are picked at random or who merely happen into terrorist situations. Terrorist vio­lent acts include kidnap­pings, assassinations, skyjackings, bombings, and hijackings.

 

Exercise 1. Study the following words and word-combinations:

unpredictable – непредсказуемый, непрогнозируемый

violence - насилие, применение силы

objective – цель

warfare – война, военные действия

banishment – изгнание, ссылка

torture – пытка

to assassinate – убивать(обычно политического или видного общественного деятеля)

hallmark – критерий, признак

impact – влияние

to mafnify – увеличивать, усиливать

demand – требование

grievance – жалоба

innocent civilians – невинные граждане

kidnapping – похищение людей

skyjacking – угон, похищение самолёта

hijacking – воздушное пиратство

 

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1. What is terrorism?

2. What examples of terrorism do you know throughout history?

3. Why has terrorism's public impact been magnified in the 20th century?

4. How does modern terrorism differ from that of the past?

 

HUMAN GENETIC DISORDERS

A genetic abnormality is nothing more than a rare, uncommon version of a trait, as when a person is born with six toes on each foot instead of five. A genetic disorder is an inherited condition that sooner or later will cause mild to severe problems. A syndrome is a recognized set of symptoms that characterize a given disorder.

As alleles underlying severe genetic disorders put people at great risk, they are rare in populations. Why, then, don’t they disappear entirely? There are two reasons. First, rare mutations introduce new copies of the alleles into the population. Second, the harmful allele is pared with the normal one that may cover its functions, so it still can be passed to offsprings.

The example of genetic disorder is Huntington disease. It is characterized by progressive involuntary movements and deterioration of the nervous system and eventual death. Symptoms may not even start to show up until an affected person is passed age thirty. Most people have already reproduced by them. Affected individuals die during their fortieth or fifties, before they might realize that they have transmitted the mutant allele to thir children.

Males show the recessive phenotype more often than females. A recessive allele can be masked in females, who may inherit a dominant allele on their other X chromosome. The allele is not masked in males who have only one X chromosome. A son can not inherit the recessive allele from his father. A daughter can. If a daughter has a genetic disorder, there is a 50 percent chance each son of hers will inherit the allele.

Color blindness, an inability to distinguish among some or all colors, is a common X-linked recessive trait. For example, in red-green color blindness, the individual lacks some or all of the sensory receptors that normally respond to visible light of red or green wavelengths.

Hemophilia A, blood-clotting disorder, is a case of X-linked recessive inheritance. In most people, a blood-clotting mechanism quickly stops bleeding from minor injuries. Clot formation requires the products of several genes, some of which are on the X chromosome. If any of X-linked genes is mutated in a male, the absence of its functional product prolongs bleeding. About 1 in 7 000 male inherits the mutant allele for hemophilia A.

 

Exercise1. Study the following words:

toe – палец ноги

disorder – нарушение

recessive – отступающий, удаляющийся

color blindness – дальтонизм

wavelength – длина световой волны

blood-clotting – свёртывание крови

bleeding – кровотечение

 

 

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1. What is a genetic abnormality?

2. Why is a genetic abnormality a very rare phenomenon in life?

3. What is Hungtington disease?

4. Why do males show the recessive phenotype more often than female?

5. What are color blindness and hemophilia? How do they occur?

 

 

CAFFEINE

Caffeine has many biological effects and, is the most widely and frequently consumed “drug” in the world. Approximately 80% of people in the world consume caffeine daily. Coffee and tea account for most of this intake, but soft drinks such as cola are also significant sources of caffeine. Other dietary sources include cocoa and chocolate. Cocoa and chocolate also have a high content of theobromine, which is structurally very similar to caffeine but is a much weaker psychostimulant.

Caffeine is also contained in some medicines, where it is combined with the painkillers aspirin, paracetamol or codeine.

If you drink a caffeine-containing drink, caffeine is rapidly absorbed from your gastrointestinal tract into your bloodstream. Peak concentration is reached after about 40-60 minutes. It is then distributed throughout the entire body, including the brain, and appears in all bodily fluids, including saliva and breast milk. Caffeine does not accumulate in the body because it is efficiently excreted, mainly in the urine. In adults, the elimination half-life of caffeine – the time it takes for half of the caffeine to be eliminated from the body - is around 3-6 hours. This time is increased during pregnancy and decreased in smokers.

Possible health risks that have been studied in relation to caffeine consumption include cardiovascular disease, cancer and psychiatric disorders. There is no evidence that it causes cancer, but there is concern that by raising blood pressure caffeine contributes to cardiovascular disease. Caffeine can also aggravate existing problems of anxiety, especially panic disorder. It does not, contrary to popular views, appear to contribute to depression or aggression.

Caffeine is consumed by large numbers of people, so its overall impact on human health is potentially huge. Unfortunately, this impact is difficult to quantify, partly becase in most of the relevant studies caffeine consumption has not been measured accurately.

 

Exercise 1. Study the following words and word-combinations:

cardiovascul – кардиососудистая система

to consume – потреблять; поглощать

drug – лекарство; наркотик

gastrointestinal tract – желудочно-кишечный тракт

intake – потребление, поглощение

soft drinks – безалкогольные напитки

saliva – слюна

urine – моча

 

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1. Is caffeine one of the most widely and frequently consumed drugs in the world?

2. What substance is structurally very similar to caffeine but much weaker psychostimulant?

3. Is caffeine contained in some medicines?

4. Why do people who consume much coffee have definite risk for their health?

 

СОДЕРЖАНИЕ

ЧАСТЬ 1 Устная практика

1. Моя биография. Моя семья (My Biography. My Family)

2. Мой рабочий день (My Working Day)

3. Мой университет (My University)

4. Мой родной город (My Native Town)

5. Республика Беларусь (The Republic of Belarus)

6. Великобритания (The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

7. США (The United States of America)

8. Моя будущая профессия. Учитель начальной школы (My Future Profession. A Teacher of Primary School)

9. Моя будущая профессия. Филолог (My Future Profession. Philologist)

10. Моя будущая профессия. Историк (My Future Profession. Historian)

11. Моя будущая профессия. Биолог (My Future Profession. Biologist)

 

ЧАСТЬ 2 Тексты и упражнения для обучения чтению

1. Цель школы (The Purpose of School)

2. Значение образование (The Value of Education)

3. Почему мы изучаем английский язык (Why Do We Study English)

4. История и историография (History and Historiography)

5. Терроризм (Terrorism)

6. Генетические нарушения (Human Genetic Disorders)

7. Кофеин (Caffeine)

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to be born, to be married, hard-working, to study by correspondence, to enter the University, a favourite subject, to be a first-year student, to be fond of, sociable, to be attached.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

 

MY BIOGRAPHY. MY FAMILY

I am Olga Kovaleva. I was born on the twenty fourth of February 1991 in the town of Krichev, Mogilev region. I live there with my parents. I am not married. My father is a driver. He is 48. He is very hard-working. My mother is a kindergarten teacher. She has much work about the house and I always help her. I have a younger sister. She is a pupil. She is lovely. I also have an elder brother. He is an engineer. Our family is very united.

When I finised school I decided to enter Mogilev State University named after A. Kuleshov. I did well at school, my favourite subjects were Literature and Languages. Now I am a first-year student of the Faculty of Pedagogic and Psychology of Childhood (the Pedagogical Faculty, the Faculty of Slavonic Philology, the Historical Faculty, the Faculty of Natural Sciences). I study by correspondence. Besides, I work at school because I love children and want to become a good teacher.

I can add that I have a wide circle of interests. I have not much time to watch TV but sometimes I spend an hour or two watching an interesting film or a news programme. In the evening I often read newspapers or magazines. I am also fond of reading books and listening to music. My hobbies are knitting and embroidery. I like fresh air and exercise, too. I’m sorry I have not much time for doing sports. But some aerobics in the morning, a swimming-pool twice a week, a ski-walk on a frosty day are of great help. I’m very sociable, I have many friends. We spend much time together, go out to the cinema or to the disco party, discuss our problems. But most of all I like my family. We all are great friends and deeply attached to each other.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

закончить школу, широкий круг интересов, смотреть телевизор, читать книги, вязание, вышивание, бассейн, обсуждать проблемы.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is your name?

2. How old are you?

3. When and where were you born?

4. Where do your parents live?

5. What are they?

6. Where do you study?

7. Do you work? Where?

8. How do you spend your free time?

9. What are your hobbies?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to take examinations, to get up, to make one’s bed, to do morning exercises, to wash oneself, to have breakfast (dinner, supper), lectures and practical lessons, credit tests, to work hard, to go out for a walk.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

MY WORKING DAY

I study at Mogilev State University named after A. Kuleshov. I’m a first-year student of the Faculty of Pedagogic and Psychology of Childhood (the Pedagogical Faculty, the Faculty of Slavonic Philology, the Historical Faculty, the Faculty of Natural Sciences). I study by correspondence. Twice a year I come to the University to take examinations. This time is very busy for me.

We have our classes in the morning. I get up at 7 o’clock. I make my bed, do my morning exercises and wash myself. After bathroom I dress myself. Then I have breakfast. I leave home and go to the University. It takes me twenty minutes to get to the University. I often come on time because I don’t like to be late fo classes.

We have three lectures and practical lessons every day with short breaks between them. At the lecures we take notes. At practical lessons we study and discuss different problems. Besides, we have credit tests and examinations. We work hard.

After classes I go to the canteen and have dinner there. After dinner I usually go to the reading-hall where I get ready for my practical classes or write a report.Then I go home and have a short rest. I read books and newspapers, make telephone calls, go out for a walk, visit my friends, watch TV, listen to music. As a rule I have very little free time on my week-days. But when I have some spare time I do some work about the house: do the shopping and the cleaning.

On week-days I usually go to bed at eleven o’clock.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

учиться заочно, приходить вовремя, столовая, читальный зал, готовиться к занятиям, свободное время, ходить в магазин, ложиться спать.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. Where do you study?

2. How often do you come to the university?

3. When do you get up on week-days?

4. What do you usually do in the morning?

5. Do you come on time to the University?

6. How many classes do you have every day?

7. What do you do at the lectures and practical classes?

8. What do you do after classes?

9. When do you go to bed?

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

one of the oldest higher educational establishments, to be named after, to be founded in, to last for, to be divided into, exams and credit tests, daytime and correspondence departments, an extra-mural student,to dream about, to come true.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

 

OUR UNIVERSITY

 

I study at Mogilev State University. It is one of the oldest higher educational establishmentsin Belarus. It was founded in 1913. Our University is named after A. Kuleshov, a rather famous Belarusian writer.

At present, our University is the largest educational, scientific and cultural centre in the eastern part of our republic. There are 11 faculties, the lyceum, scientific laboratories and an experimental block. The University course lasts for four or five years. Professors and lecturers give lectures and conduct practical classes. An academic year is divided into two terms, each ending in examination session that includes exams and credit tests.

The University has daytime and correspondence departments. More than 50 per cent of our students study by correspondence. They are extra-mural students. They are given instructions how to study and work on their own.

As for me, I am an extra-mural student. I study at the Historical Faculty. Our Faculty trains teachers of History, archaeologists as well as specialists in spheres of politics and religion.

I have always dreamed about getting a higher education. Now my dream is coming true. In some years I shall receive a diploma and start working in the field of education.

 

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

учиться в университете, быть названным в честь, научная лаборатория, студент-заочник, учиться и работать самостоятельно, получить высшее образование, получить диплом, работать в сфере образования.

 

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What university do you study at?

2. Where is it situated?

3. When was it founded?

4. How many faculties are there at your university?

5. Are you an extra-mural or a daytime student?

6. What faculty do you study at?

7. Why did you choose this department?

8. Do you work?

9. Is it connected with your specialty?

10. Where will you plan working after getting higher education?

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to visit, a version, a grave, a regional city, to lie on, picturesque, industrial enterprises, synthetic and artificial fibres, a lyceum, places of interest.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

MY NATIVE TOWN

 

There are many beautiful cities and towns in the world. I would like to visit some of them, but there is no place like home.

My native town is Mogilev. It was founded in 1267. There are many versions about the origin of its name. One of them says that Mogilev took its name after a young man Masheko who was very powerful, as powerful as a lion. After his death, people made up a hill over his grave and called it “The Lion’s Grave”. Maybe the name of Masheko gave rise to the name of the city Mogilev.

Present Mogilev is a regional city of the republic Belarus. It lies on the picturesque river Dnieper, Eastern part of Belarus. Its population is about 450 thousand people.

Mogilev is an industrial town. A great number of industrial enterprises produce automobiles, agricultural machines, scrapers, lifts, electric devices, synthetic and artificial fibres, silk fabrics, footwear and other goods.

Cultural life is rich enough for the regional centre. There are two theatres, several museums, big libraries, many cinemas and clubs in the town. Mogilev is an educational centre. There are many general and vocational secondary schools, colleges, gymnasiums, lyceums and several higher educational establishments. Mogilev is a beautiful town. There are many places of interest in it: the Complex of St. Nicolas Church, St. Stanislav Cathedral, Sovietskaya Square (Trade Square), Leninskaya Street (Vetrenaya), Gorky park, Mogilev Drama Theatre Local Law Museum, Belynitsky– Birulya museum and etc.

I love my native town. I was born here and live with my family and it is a wonderful place to live.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

родной город (деревня), дать название городу, население, культурная жизнь, образовательный центр, прекрасное место, любить город, жить в городе (деревне).

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is your native city (town, village)?

2. Where is it situated?

3. When was it founded?

4. What legends connected with your native place do you know?

5. Is your native town an industrial one?

6. What do you know about cultural life?

7. What is your favourite place in your native town?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to be born, to be situated, to border on, to be divided into, a capital, science, a refrigerator, to be well off, cattle breeding, to be noted for.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

 

Belarus is my homeland. It is the place where I was born. Belarus is situated in the Eastern part of Europe. It borders on Latvia and Lithuania in the North, Russia in the East, the Ukraine in the South and Poland in the West.

The climate of Belarus is continental with a comparatively mild winter and warm summer. There are 3000 rivers, flowing over the territory of Belarus. The longest rivers are the Dnieper and the Neman. The republic has over 10000 lakes. The largest of them is Naroch.

The population is over 10 million people. The territory of Belarus is divided into 6 regions: Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Minsk and Mogilev. The capital of the republic is Minsk. It is the biggest scientific, cultural and industrial centre.

Modern Belarus is a large economic region. It has developed machine-building and chemical industries. It also produces tractors, lorries, motorcycles, metal-cutting machines, electric motors, potash fertilizers, paper, refrigerators and freezers, TV and radio sets, bicycles and textiles. Agriculturally, Belarus is well off in cattle breeding. We have a strong emphasis on flax growing. Grain and potatoes are among the main field crops.

To complete the picture, I'll say that Belarus is noted for its high-skilled manpower trained at the Republic's universities, institutes, vocational and specialized colleges and schools. Our scientists’ achievements in the fields of mathematics, physics, nuclear power engineering, chemistry and biology are known the world over.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

родина, мягкая зима и тёплое лето, самая длинная река, областной центр, машиностроение, химическая промышленность, сельское хозяйство, быть известным во всем мире.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is your native country?

2. Where is it situated?

3. What countries does Belarus border on?

4. What is the climate in our country?

5. Is Belarus a country of rivers and lakes?

6. How many regions are there in Belarus?

7. Prove that Belarus is a large economic region.

8. What can you tell about education and science in Belarus?

9. What do you know about ecological situation in your native country?

10. What places of interest in Belarus do you know?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

official name, to be situated, to consist of, to be washed by, mild, fabrics, the head of the state, the Queen, the House of Lords, the House of Commons.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

GREAT BRITAIN

 

The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is situated on two large islands called the British Isles. The larger island is Great Britain, which consists of three parts: England, Scotland and Wales. The smaller island is Ireland and there are about five thousand small islands.

The United Kingdom consists of 4 parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The country’s shores are washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Irish Sea. The English channel separates Great Britain from the continent.

The total area of the U.K. is 244.00 square kilometers with a population of 56 million. It is one of the most populated countries in the world. The greater part of the population is urban. About 80 percent of people live in numerous towns and cities.

The surface of the British Isles varies very much. There are many mountains in Scotland, Wales and northwest of England but they are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain. The northern part of Scotland is mountainous and is called the Highlands. Scotland is also famous for its beautiful lakes, which are called Lochs.

There are many rivers in Great Britain but they are not very long. The Thames is the most important river in the country. The longest river is the Severn.

The climate of Great Britain is damp. Winters are mild and summers are cool and rainy. There is much rain and fog in autumn and winter.

Great britain is a highly developed industrial country. Its industry produces automobiles, vessels, fabrics and other goods.

London is the capital of the country. It is the biggest industrial, cultural and political centre.

The head of the state is the Queen. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

остров, берег, общая площадь, население, самая длинная река, мягкая зима и прохладное лето, промышленный центр, производить.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is the official name of the British state?

2. Where is it situated?

3. What parts does the UK consist of?

4. What is the total area and population of the country?

5. What can you say about the surface of the country?

6. What is the climate of the state?

7. What are the most important rivers in the country?

8. What does its industry produce?

9. What is the capital of the country?

10. Who is the head of the state?

11. What do you know about the British Parliament?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

to strech, to border on, total area, to be situated, leading producer, manufacturing industries, the Senate, the House of Representatives, to consist of, to elect.

 

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text.

THE USA

 

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China). It is also the biggest English-speaking country. The USA lies in North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA consists of 50 states and the District of Columbia where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is more than 270 million.

If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley which is located in Alaska.

America's largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.

The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part is continental. The south has a subtropical climate. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.

The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It's the world's leading producer of copper and oil and the world's second producer of iron ore and coal. Among the most important manufacturing industries are aircraft, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, furniture and paper.

The United States is a federal union of 50 states, each of which has its own government. The seat of the central government is Washington, DC. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The head of the state is the President, elected every four years. The two main political parties are the Republican and the Democratic parties.

 

Exercise 3. Translate from Russian into English:

англоязычная страна, столица, население, горы, климат, штат, правительство, глава государства.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. Where is the USA situated?

2. What countries does it border on?

3. What is its area and population?

4. What is the capital of the state?

5. What are the highest mountains in the USA?

6. What are the largest rivers in the country?

7. Does the climate of the country vary greatly? Prove it.

8. What are the main industries?

9. How many states are there in the USA?

10. Who is the head of the state?

 

 

Exercise 1. Give Russian equivalents of the f