Complete the text, using the verbs in the box

М.А. Занина

 

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК

Учебное пособие для обучения иностранному языку для общих целей студентов I курса

(черновик электронного пособия)

 

Челябинск

Unit I

Getting to Know You

Complete the text, using the verbs in the box

a)‘m enjoying b)‘m studying c) 'm going to work d) come e) live f)can speak g) started h) went

My name’s Antonio Celi. I (1) _______ from Bologna, a city in the north of Italy. I’m a student at the University of Bologna. I (2) _______ modern languages - English and Russian. I also know a little Spanish, so I (3) ______ four languages. I (4) ______ the course a lot, but it’s really hard work. The course (5) _______ three years ago.

I (6) _______ at home with my parents and my sister. My brother (7) _______ to work in the United States last year.

After I graduate, I (8) _______ as a translator. I hope so, anyway.

 

Complete the questions about Carly.

Hi. My name is Carly and I come from Australia. But I live near London now with my family and my husband Dave and our three children. I came to Britain fifteen years ago when I got married.

I’m a student with the open University. This means I watch special programmes on the television and work at home. I send my work to my course teacher every week. I’m studying art and the course is really interesting. At the moment I’m reading about Intalian painters in Italian, which is difficult because I only speak little Italian! My course started a year ago and it’s three years long. After I graduate, I’m going to look for a job in an art gallery or museum.

Where does she come from?

1) _____________ live?

2) _____________ live with?

3) What ______________ studying?

4) ______________ enjoying the course?

5) How many _____________ speak?

6) ______ did her course start?

7) What _______________ after she graduates?

Complete the questions to Carly.

1) “Which university do you go to?”

“I don’t go to university. I study at home.”

2) “______________ a job?”

“Yes, I do. A part-time job.”

3) “What ________________ at the moment?”

“I’m writing an essay.”

4) “______________ to England?”

“Fifteen years ago.”

5) “_____________ name?”

“Dave.”

6) “_______________?”

“He’s an architect.”

 

Using the examples above tell your group mates about yourself.

Read the text and answer the questions after it.

About myself

From the very start I should say that it is not an easy thing to speak about myself as it is hard to have a look at yourself from aside, but at the same time who knows you better than you yourself do?

I am a boy of seventeen. As to my appearance I'm rather tall and slim. I think that I'm even tempered, rather reserved, calm and modest. But sometimes I can lose my temper and become either angry or sad. I like staying alone and sometimes I retreat into my shell. But at the same time I like my friends, I like to laugh and joke. I have got a sense of humour. It means I understand humour and appreciate it.

There are many things in our life I like and some I dislike. I like when everything is OK. Being happy is one way of being wise. I like to study because knowledge is useful sometimes. I'm fond of reading as it gives not only knowledge, but also wonderful moments of joy and pleasure.

I was born on the 25th of April 1999 in Chelyabinsk where I live now together with my parents and my younger sister. I was sent to a kindergarten at the age of three as both my parents were working. As all the children I went to school at the age of seven. It turned out to be the best school in our town. There I got a proper training in such subjects as English, Russian, Literature, Mathematics, etc. I usually did a lot of home preparation and I really tried hard. But despite my efforts I was not good at some subjects. English, for example.

School for me was not only lessons and learning, I had a lot of friends there. We organized extra class activities such as parties and other social activities. I actively participated in most of them.

I am sociable, so I have got a lot of friends among my schoolmates. As for me, I appreciate people's honesty, kindness, sense of justice and intelligence. I don't like when people are rude and aggressive.

I am stubborn at times. But to my mind being persistent is not always a bad thing. That means if I have an aim I never leave things half done. At times I feel dissatisfied with myself, especially when I fail to do something or can't do things the way they should be done. At the same time I think I am hard-working and diligent. My greatest problem at school was talking in front of the class. I always blushed.

I passed my final exams at school and after a farewell party at the end of June I said goodbye to my teachers who encouraged me in my desire of choosing my future career. I faced a new life without school with a mixed feeling of sadness and joy.

I asked myself a lot of times what I wanted to be when I left school. A few years ago it was difficult to give a definite answer. As years passed I changed my mind several times. But it was only in my last year at school that I finally made up my mind what profession I would most like to have in the future. I realized that my strongest desire was to specialize in technology and engineering in particular. So I entered the South Ural State University and became a student of the Space Engineering Department.

And now a few words about my inclinations. I haven't got any special hobby, like collecting something, but I'm fond of reading books. They broaden my outlook. In my opinion, books are a source of emotional inspiration and romantic feeling. Besides, books help me to continue my own education. The time spent on a good book is never wasted. Reading is a rewarding pastime.

And of course I like music! I'm fond of different kinds of music. It gives me a lot of delight and pleasure. When I have some time to spare, I play computer games. I'm not keen on them but sometimes they help me to relax.

I also play different sport games such as basketball and football for health and pleasure.

And finally, the things I hope to achieve in my life are: to have a very successful career, to build the house of my dreams and to find someone in my life to share all that with.

Answer the questions:

1. Why is it not an easy thing to speak about yourself?
2. Does the boy have a sense of humor?
3. Why is this guy fond of reading?
4. Was he good at English?
5. What extra class activities did they organize with the friends?
6. What does he appreciate in people?
7. What was his greatest problem at school?
8. Why is reading a rewarding pastime?
9. What are the things he hopes to achieve in her life?

 

2. How different we are!

 

1. Read the following descriptions of people. Then match the descriptions with names from the box:

 

 

Mary knows what is fashionable because she watches BBC, CNN, and reads beauty magazines. She is always up-to-date with fashion. Mary listens only to the most fashionable music. Her parents aren't very happy because every season they have to buy her completely new clothes. Not because her old clothes are too small, or worn, but because they are out of fashion. She doesn't talk about people - she talks about what they wear.

Nick's favourite subject at school is PE (physical education). When a teacher asks him about anything other than sport his face goes blank. People speak to him slowly, and with simple words. Nick is very strong, but when you ask him about the situation in the Balkans, or what the capital city of Sweden is, he simply doesn't know. But when you ask him about the football league, Nick knows everything - the names of the teams, all the players, and the number of goals in each match.

"Don't worry, don't worry..." — it never works. Sue always worries. If you are ten minutes late she thinks you are dead or something really bad has happened. Everybody worries about tests at school but Sue can't sleep, doesn't eat and starts panicking three days before any test. Anywhere she goes - a picnic, a trip, the mountains, etc. - she always worries about everything and everybody. She is

also afraid of meeting new people.

Peter, a born pessimist, never looks on the bright side of life. He wakes up in the morning, goes to the bathroom, looks in the mirror and thinks "Another unlucky day". He loves watching football on TV but seldom plays because it is very dangerous. He rarely goes for a walk in the forest because there are lots of spiders and mosquitoes and they are very dangerous, too. Before a test he tells everyone that he is going to fail. Mike doesn't know he is a pessimist. He thinks he is just careful.

 

3. Describe any hero you like but don’t say your group mates who it is. Let them guess him/her!

Speak about yourself using the questions:

How old are you?

Where are you from?

What is your hobby?

Unit II

Family life

Vocabulary practice

I.. Give the English equivalents to the following words and phrases:

Поддержка и любовь, гармоничная семья, семейные ценности, родительская власть, стабильный брак, целомудрие, забота о престарелых, нуклеарная семья, расширенная семья, поколение, члены семьи/домочадцы, здоровое общество, стабильная семейная жизнь, упадок, неполная семья, высокий уровень разводов, два основных типа семьи, реклама, недостаток дисциплины, воспитывать детей, кровь.

 

Expressions with family

family gathering = a meeting / celebration of family members: "There's a small family gathering next week."

family resemblance = where members of the family look / act similar: "You can see a distinct family resemblance between the father and the son."

to start a family = to start having children: "They want to wait a couple of years before starting a family."

to run in the family = a characteristic that is common among family members: "Baldness runs in his family."

to bring up / raise a family = to have and look after children: "It's difficult to raise a family on one income."

a family car = a car big enough to transport a family: "The Volvo Estate is a popular family car."

family-size = large quantity item: "We need to buy family-size packets of biscuits!"

family-friendly = a policy that favours families: "This hotel is family-friendly."

family doctor = a doctor who looks after general medical needs: "There are a number of good family doctors in this area."

family man = a man who prefers to spend his time with his family: "John is a family man."

family values = traditional ideas about what a family should be: "Some political parties often emphasise family values and the importance of marriage."

family name = surname: "What's your family name?"

 

 

Reading

Ø The number of nuclear families in the world is decreasing year by year. What are the consequences of this process? Is situation similar in all countries?

Ø You are going to read two short texts about family life in Britain and the USA. What is common? What are the differences? Make the list of problems/tendencies and share it with your groupmate.

 

The british Family

“There is no such thing as society,” Mrs. Thatcher once said. “Only individual men and women, and families.” many people disagree with her, but there remains a strong feeling that the immediate or ‘nuclear’ family is the basic unit of society, and that traditional family values remain the mainstay of national life.

The nuclear family is usually pictured as a married couple, with two children, ideally a girl and a boy, and perhaps their grandmother, or ‘granny’, in the background. As a picture of the way most British live, this becomes increasingly unrealistic each year. If the picture includes the traditional idea of the man going out to work while his wife stays at home, it is probably true of less than 10 per cent of the country. Even without such a limited definition, only 42 per cent of the populationlive in nuclear family households, an even within this group a considerable of parents are in their second marriage with children from a previous marriage.

Social attitudes and behaviour are undoubtedly changing. The number of people living alone has risen significantly. The British are clearly becoming a more solitary nation in their living habits. This will have social implications, for example housing needs in the future.

There is an increasing proportion of men and women living together before marriage. For example, in 1961 only 1 per cent of first-time married couples had previously been living together. By the year 2012 it was estimated that most couples lived together before marrying. Others living together, or ‘ cohabiting ’, never get married.

 

 

The American Family

When Americans consider families, many of them think of a "traditional family. " A traditional family is one in which both parents are living together with their children. The father goes out and works and the mother stays home and rears the children. The biggest change in families in the United States is that most families today do not fit this image. Today, one out of three American families is a "traditional family" in this sense.

The most common type of family now is one in which both parents work outside the home. In 1950, only 20 percent of all American families had both parents working outside the home. Today, it is 60 percent. Even women with young children are going back to work. New census figures show that as of 2011, only 23% of married couple families with children younger than age 15 have a stay-at-home mother (SAHM). These days, there are more kids being raise d by single moms than by married couples where the man earns all the income and the wife stays home. - See more at: http://www.themotherco.com/2011/11/what-is-the-traditional-family/#sthash.MUPkCFGM.dpuf
In many states, single people may also adopt children. Some people take in foster children --children whose parents cannot take care of them. Another change is that families in the United States are getting smaller. In the mid-1700s, there were six people in the average household. Today the average household contains between two and three people. A household is defined as any place where at least one person is living.
One recent change is that the number of marriages is rising. The number of babies born also has been climbing steadily for the past 10 years. Many experts see these trends as a sign that Americans are returning to the values of marriage and family.

Vocabulary practice

Lead in

Ø The number of nuclear families is reducing both in Britain and in the USA. Is the situation different in Russia? What kind of difficulties are young families likely to have? Think of your and your friends’ families; share the information with your group mates.

Reading

Vocabulary practice

Grammar Spot

Your family tree

Your closest relatives are your parents: your mother and father; and your siblings (brothers or sisters). If your mother or father is not an only child, you also have aunts and / or uncles. An aunt is the sister of your mother or father, while an uncle is the brother of your mother or father. Your female child is called your daughter, and your male child is your son.

If your aunts or uncles have children, they are your first cousins. (In English, the word cousin is used, whether the cousin is female or male.) Your female cousin is your mother (or father's) niece, while a male cousin is the nephew of your mother and father.

In-laws

When you marry, your husband (or wife's) family become your in-laws. The mother of your spouse (husband or wife) is your mother-in-law and his or her father becomes your father-in-law. The term in-law is also used to describe your relationship with the spouses of your siblings. So the husband of your sister becomes your brother-in-law, while the sister of your husband becomes your sister-in-law. If you are a woman, you become the daughter-in-law of your husband's parents, and if you are a man, you become the son-in-law of your wife's parents. The same term in-law is used for all generations. The husband of your aunt is still your mother's brother-in-law, for example.

Second families

If your mother or father remarries, you can acquire a new family and set of relatives. For example, if your father marries a second wife, she becomes your step-mother. Any children she already has become your step-sisters or step-brothers.

If your mother or father remarries and has children, they become your half-brothers or half-sisters.

You might also hear people talking about their biological brother / sister etc, to mean a brother who is related by blood, rather than by marriage.(From http://www.english-at-home.com/vocabulary/talking-about-your-family/)

2. Study your family history. Create your family tree. Make up presentation. Choose the best one.

 

 

Family values

Lead in.

Ø What do you think basic human values are?

Ø Do basic values differ in different cultures?Give examples.

Ø What is valuable to you?

 

 

1. Read paragraphs 1-4 text for general understanding.

Answer the questions

1) What does belonging to a family mean?

2) What does flexibility imply?

3) How to gain respect?

4) Why is honesty so important?

5) Is it necessary to forgive people?

6) What is generosity?

7) How to achieve communication?

8) Shall we learn how to be responsible?

 

Vocabulary

Speaking and writing

Unit III

Generation Gap

I. Look at the pictures and tell what a generation gap means:

Does generation gap really exist?

What things do you differ in with your parents/grandparents (worldview, clothes, tastes, etc). Do you argue about these things?

 

II. Before reading the text answer some questions:

Ø Do you follow your parents/grandparents advice?

Ø Do you find young people sometimes too self-assured? What about you? In what spheres you think you are more competent than your parents/grandparents?

 

Generation Gap

One of the important problems of all times is a generation gap. Adult’s mentality is different from teenager's. We are the children of two epochs with different views on various subjects. Because of this parents and children sometimes argue with each other.

Some people believe that teenagers today are generally rude, lazy and ill-behaved. Other people, however, think that teenagers are not so bad. Sometimes people don’t understand teenagers. They don’t understand some problems and things which are very important in teenagers’ life, for example the lifestyles, piercing, tattoos, relationship with friends and teachers.

Some people don’t want to understand modern views, ideals and our system of values. They say that teenagers are cruel, brutal, heartless and rude. Yes, today new generation «plays» with smoking, drugs and alcohol, but this doesn’t mean that all teens are really bad!
On the other hand, today many elderly people look at the world with new eyes. Moreover, they try to understand teenagers’ problems and solve them.

Most of the quarrels between parents and children happen because of children’s marks at school and generation gap. We try to learn better, but if we have a bad mark our parents can shout at us.

In most cases «new generation» doesn’t understand their parents and becomes depressed because of this. To protest against it, teens can shock people around them. That’s why it is considered that teens today are lazy and ill-behaved. Elderly people usually compare their childhood and youth with present, they are always talking about «the good old days». People are said to become wiser with age. Sometimes it is true and sometimes it is not. I think that you can meet a wise man among the old as often as among the young. It is wrong that when wisdom always comes in old age. Sometimes when we talk to adults, they listen only to their own point of view. That’s why some teens don’t like to talk to adults. To sum it up, nowadays everyone has a different view on teen’s life. But, in fact, we should simply learn to understand each other.

Vocabulary:

1. adult – взрослый, зрелый человек

2. argue - спорить

3. brutal – бесчеловечный, жестокий

4. quarrel - ссора

5. to consider – рассматривать, обсуждать

6. wisdom – мудрость, благоразумие

1. Answer the questions according to the text:

1. Why is adult’s mentality different from teenager’s?

2. Why don’t people understand teenagers?

3. Why do most of the quarrels between the parents and their children happen?

4. Why does a young generation become depressed in some cases?

5. Is it really so that people become wiser with age? What do you think?

6. Why don’t teens like to talk to adults?

7. Do people have different views on life?

8. Do we have to understand each other?

2. Find the English equivalents of the following word combinations in the text:

1. ум, развитие взрослого человека
2. разные взгляды на вещи / на жизнь
3. спорить друг с другом
4. система ценностей
5. смотреть на мир по-новому
6. пытаться решить проблемы
7. ссоры между родителями и детьми
8. школьные оценки
9. кричать на кого-то
10. во многих случаях
11. шокировать людей вокруг
12. сравнивать что-то с чем-то
13. становиться мудрее с возрастом
14. своя собственная точка зрения
15. учиться понимать друг друга

 

3. Translate the sentences using the phrases listed above:

1. У нас разные взгляды на жизнь и разная система ценностей.
2. Мы часто спорим друг с другом.
3. Он стал мудрее и смотрит на мир по-новому.
4. Она часто ссорится с мамой из-за школьных оценок.
5. Он всегда кричит на своего сына.
6. У ребёнка есть собственная точка зрения.
7. Он очень любит шокировать людей вокруг.
8. Они иногда спорят, но учатся понимать друг друга.
9. Я не могу сравнивать два разных поколения.
10. Во многих случаях мы должны пытаться решить проблемы.

 

4. Math the words with their definitions:

 

1. adult a) the condition of being immature, inexperienced
2. child b) a point in time beginning a new period
3. age c) poorly behaved or lacking good manners
4. generation d) a mature person
5. old e) a person acting as a father or mother
6. parent f) the period of time that a person has lived or expected to live
7. ill-behaved g) a human offspring (a son or a daughter)
8. teenager h) having lived for relatively long time
9. epoch i) all the people of approximately the same age
10. youth j) a person between the ages of 13 and 19 inclusive

 

5. Complete the sentences in your own way:

1. Many young people………………………………………..
2. In my opinion the elder generation…………………………
3. Most parents………………………………………………..
4. Sometimes the teenagers……………………………………
5. Nowadays the children……………………………………...

 

III. Read the text and do some tasks after it:

Unit IV

International Communication

Ø Do you agree that the number of international contacts is obviously increasing or mass media exaggerate the importance of global communication? Give your reason.

Ø Is globalization the tool to open the doors into the universal cultural, educational, scientific, and business common space or that’s the way to lose the national integrity and disappear as a nation? Prove your idea.

Ø Do you share the opinion that knowing a foreign language is a tool that helps to survive in a “global village”? Dwell upon it.

Ø Is bilingualism or further multilingualism a necessary requirement for a modern person who wants to achieve success? Does the ability to speak several foreign languages increase a personal competitiveness while searching for a job?

Ø Can language ignorance cause problems while visiting a foreign country? Give some examples.

Ø How many and what languages do you want to learn to speak? Explain your choice.

Discussion

We all go through a very special period of time: modern world is divided into supporters of globalization, anti-globalization and even glocalization that is a mixture of 2 words: globalization and localization! But no matter what ideas you share it’s impossible to deny the importance of such phenomenon as globalization for international communication.

Share your ideas about globalization as a reality where we have to live in. What can you compare it to? Explain your choice. Below you can find some ideas.

· a paradise;

· a prison;

· a runway for the boundless world;

· a jungle, where rich countries are predators and poor countries are just prey;

· a properly organized conveyor belt where every tool fits its place;

· your choice.

Being Multilingual

 

Ø What do we call a person who knows many languages?

Ø How many languages is it possible to learn?

Ø Why people should learn foreign languages and become bilingual, trilingual, etc.

Enumerate the reasons.

 

 

Emigration

When you move to a different country or region, learning the local language will help you to communicate and integrate with the local community. Even if many of the locals speak your language, for example if your L1 is English and you move to the Netherlands, it's still worth your while learning the local language. Doing so will demonstrate your interest and respect for the new country.

Family and friends

If your partner, in-laws, relatives or friends speak a different language, learning that language will help you to communicate with them. It will also give you a better understanding of their culture and way of thinking.

Work

If your work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign languages, being able to talk to them in their own languages will help you to communicate with them. It may also help you to make sales and to negotiate and secure contracts. Knowledge of foreign languages may also increase your chances of finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips.

Many English-speaking business people don't bother to learn other languages because they believe that most of the people they do business with in foreign countries can speak English, and if they don't speak English, interpreters can be used. The lack of foreign language knowledge puts the English speakers at a disadvantage. In meetings, for example, the people on the other side can discuss things amongst themselves in their own language without the English speakers understanding, and using interpreters slows everything down. In any socialising after the meetings, the locals will probably feel more comfortable using their own language rather than English.

Study or research

You may find that information about subjects you're interested in is published mainly in a foreign language. Learning that language will give you access to the material and enable you to communicate with fellow students and researchers in the field.

Travel

Many English speakers seem to believe that wherever you go on holiday you can get by speaking English, so there's no point in learning any other languages. If people don't understand you all you have to do is speak slowly and turn up the volume. You can more or less get away with this, as long as you stick to popular tourist resorts and hotels where you can usually find someone who speaks English. However, if you want to venture beyond such places, to get to know the locals, to read signs, menus, etc, knowing the local language is necessary.

A basic ability in a foreign language will help you to 'get by', i.e. to order food and drink, find your way around, buy tickets, etc. If you have a more advanced knowledge of the language, you can have real conversations with the people you meet, which can be very interesting and will add a new dimension to your holiday.

Studying abroad

If you plan to study at a foreign university, college or school, you'll need a good knowledge of the local language, unless the course you want to study is taught through the medium of your L1. Your institution will probably provide preparatory courses to improve your language skills and continuing support throughout your main course.

Secret communication

If you and some of your relatives, friends or colleagues speak a language that few people understand, you can talk freely in public without fear of anyone eavesdropping, and/or you can keep any written material secret. Speakers of such Native American languages as Navajo, Choctaw and Cheyenne served as radio operators, know as Code Talkers, to keep communications secret during both World Wars. Welsh speakers played a similar role during the Bosnian War.

Culture

Maybe you're interested in the literature, poetry, films, TV programs, music or some other aspect of the culture of people who speak a particular language and want to learn their language in order to gain a better understanding of their culture.

Religion

Missionaries and other religious types learn languages in order to spread their message. In fact, missionairies have played a major role in documenting languages and devising writing systems for many of them. Others learn the language(s) in which the scriptures/holy books of their religion were originally written to gain a better understanding of them. For example, Christians might learn Hebrew, Aramaic and Biblical Greek; Muslims might learn Classical Arabic, and Buddhists might learn Sanskrit.

Food

Perhaps you enjoy the food and/or drink of a particular country or region and make regular trips there, or the recipe books you want to use are only available in a foreign language.

Make Points with a Date

Your bilingual or multilingual date will be impressed by any efforts you make to learn his or her language. And a date who speaks only English will be awed and wooed by hearing some intimate phrases spoken in one of the romance languages.

Stimulate the intellect

Studies show that seniors exhibit improved brain function over a period of time as they learn a foreign language. College students who learn a foreign language as children score better on exams and perform complex tasks better.

Linguistic interest

Maybe you're interested in linguistic aspects of a particular language and decide to learn it in order to understand them better.

Challenging yourself

Maybe you enjoy the challenge of learning foreign languages or of learning a particularly difficult language.

Sounds/looks good to me

Perhaps you just like the sound of a particular language when it's spoken or sung. Or you find the written form of a language attractive. If you like singing, learning songs in other languages can be interesting, challenging and enjoyable.

One language is never enough!

If like me you're a bit of a linguaphile / glossophile / linguaholic or whatever you call someone who is fascinated by languages and enjoys learning them, then one language is never enough.

Team work

Unit V

Modern world

Ø What do you think about the importance of learning about other cultures in today’s multicultural Global Village?

Ø What do you think Global Village is?

Ø What is culture? Can you give any definitions on the spot?

Ø What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “CULTURE”? Music? Art? Literature? Cultural patterns of behavior?

Ø Are beliefs and values shared by people belonging to one and the same cultural community?

Ø What does this word mean personally to you?

WHAT CULTURE IS

The quotations reflecting different points of view on what culture is are presented in this part. While reading try to identify the key words, related to the concept “culture”, paying attention to the word combinations in bold. Compare your list with your partners’ lists and decide what should be included into this list by all means. Ground your decision.

 

 

“What is culture? I believe, it is the way of life of a particular society or group of people, including patterns of thought, beliefs, behavior, customs, traditions, rituals, dress, language, as well as art, music and literature”. (Elizabeth Primrose)

“Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group from another”. (Geert Hofstede)

 

“Very often when we use the word "culture", we mean the customs, beliefs, art, music and add the other products of human thought which were made by a particular group of people at a particular time”. (Adam Cotter)

“Culture, the acquainting ourselves with the best that has been known and said in the world, and thus the history of the human spirit”. ( Matthew Arnold)

 

“Culture is the shared set of assumptions, values, and beliefs of a group of people by which they organize their common life”. (Gary Wederspahn)

“Culture is the system of information that codes the manner in which the people in an organized group, society or nation interact with their social and physical environment”. (Psychology textbook)

“Culture consists in patterned ways of thinking, freezing and reacting. The essential core of culture consists of traditional ideas and especially their attached values”. ( Clyde Kluckhohnz)

 

“Culture consists of concepts, values, and assumptions about life that guide behavior and are widely shared by people”. (Richard Brislin)

 

“Culture is an integrated system of teamed behavior patterns that are characteristic of the members of any given society. Culture refers to the total, way of life for a particular group of people. It includes what a group of people thinks, says, does and makes - its customs, language, material artifacts and shared systems of attitudes and feelings” ( Robert Kohls)

 

“Culture refers to the experience, knowledge, values, and behaviors of any one group of people”. (Carol Archer)

“Culture is a complex concept, with many different definitions, but simply put, "culture refers to a group or community with which we share common experiences that shape the way we understand the world. It includes groups that we are born into, such as gender, race, or national origin. It also includes groups we join or become part of. Jot example, we can acquire a new culture by moving to a new region, by a change in our economic status, or by becoming disabled. When we think of culture this broadly, we realize we all belong to many cultures at once. In a world as complex as ours, each of us is shaped by many factors, and culture is one of the powerful forces that acts on us. In other words, culture is central to what we see, how we make sense of what we see, and how we express ourselves”. (Marcelle E. DuPraw and Marya Axner)

“Culture is but the fine flowering of real education, and it is the training of the freezing, the tastes and the manners that makes it so”. (Minnie Kellogg)

“Culture is everything. Culture is the way we dress, the way we carry our heads, the way we walk, the way we tie our ties — it is not only the fact of writing books or building houses”. (Aime Cesair)

“Culture is to ''know the best that has been said and thought in the world."(Matthew Arnold)

 

Discussion

Look through the definitions of “CULTURE” again and answer the following questions:

Ø Do all writers interpret “culture” in one and the same way? How do the different interpretations differ?

Ø Is there any person for whom culture is nothing else but art? Music? Literature?

Ø Are there any definitions which are similar or approximately the same?

Ø Some writers think that culture will help us survive in society? Find this definition out. Do you agree? Disagree? Justify your answer.

Ø In which definition can you find the idea that culture is something that is shared by the members of a particular community?

Ø Are there any writers who believe that culture is what is learnt and taught only in society?

Ø Whose definition of the concept is the most complete, from your point of view? Justify your point.

Ø Do you think that culture is a product of historical development of human society?

Ø Is culture a way of life? Is it a manifestation of human spirit?

 

National stereotypes

You are Not Your Country

Russians

Culture background Russian culture has a long history and tradition and Russians are very proud of it. Russians consider themselves as a well educated nation. They read a lot, books are cheap, and one can afford to buy 5-10 books a month without serious damage to a family budget. Russians are also big fond of live performances at theatres and since tickets are affordable (prices in cinemas and theatres are comparable), they enjoy attending theatres: opera, musical, ballet, drama etc. Movie theatres are also becoming popular in Russia and they are equipped with the latest sound systems. When Russian people talk about movie theatres, they will usually say "cinema"; if they talk about "theatres", they mean live performances. Since both education and culture facilities used to be widely available, Russians can be considered a highly cultured nation. Their general knowledge is very good: they know a little bit about virtually everything. Intellectually, Russians are interesting people to talk to and enjoy deep subjects. Philosophy is still a mandatory subject when you study for a degree and one of the 3 compulsory subjects for PhD qualifying exam (the other 2 are foreign language and the specialty itself). At the same time the majority of Russians don't have what you call in the west "good manners". Their manners are not bad, they are just Russian. Russia is quite a tough country and Russians usually do not hesitate to say what they think. Russians are smart. They have so many difficulties and problems in life, that they can easily find a roundabout way for anything. They don't have a deep respect towards any law, including traffic rules. Russians are of some the most reckless, but at the same time skillful, drivers, and the most careless pedestrians in the world. There was no such term as "private property", that's why Russians don't care about intellectual property either. No other country in the world has such abuse of pirate software, video and audio records, CDs etc. Russians like to emphasize their different attitude towards material values and consider themselves as sincere, cordial, understanding and unselfish. They like to talk about "specifics of Russian soul" or "mysterious Russian soul", and repeat the famous phrase of a Russian poet "You can't understand Russia by your mind". Generally, Russians love their country. They can criticize it severely, but if you try to do the same they will defend it furiously. They feel like citizens of the largest county in the world, which has rich history and deep cultural roots, and they are proud of it. 1. Answer the following questions: 1. Why are Russians considered to be a well educated nation? 2. What live performances are Russians fond of? 3. What deep subject do Russian people prefer? 4. Do you agree that Russians are the most reckless and careless drivers? 5. Why do you think Russia is a tough country? 6. Why are Russians sincere and cordial nation? 2. Find the English equivalents of the phrases in the text: 1. гордиться чем-либо 2. хорошо образованная нация 3. серьёзный урон 4. оснащённый новейшими системами 5. высококультурная нация 6. общие знания 7. широко доступный 8. знать чуть-чуть обо всём 9. «жёсткая» страна 10. не колебаться 11. окружной путь 12. беспечные водители 13. невнимательные пешеходы 14. частная собственность 15. выставленный на продажу 16. откровенный и сердечный 17. яростно защищать 18. богатая история и глубокие культурные корни 3. Translate the sentences using the phrases listed above: 1. Я всегда найду выход (окружной путь) из любой ситуации. 2. Мы – высокообразованная и высококультурная нация и всегда знаем понемногу обо всём. 3. Он человек с «жёстким» характером, но очень сердечный и откровенный. 4. Это частная собственность и я не могу туда войти. 5. Наши водители очень беспечные и невнимательные. 6. Он всегда яростно её защищает, хотя она не права. 7. Я не буду колебаться и скажу всю правду. 8. Билеты в кино и в театр широко доступны всем людям. 9. Этот дом, выставленный на продажу, очень дорогой. 10. У нас у всех хорошие общие знания. 11. Война – это всегда серьёзный урон для страны. 12. У нашей страны богатая история и глубокие культурные корни. 4. Make a list of stereotypes about your country and tell what you like or dislike and why.

Russian Way of Life

Russians like to pride themselves, their way of life is different from the rest of the world. This is reflected in religious views, philosophy and day-to-day life. Christmas is celebrated in January, according to the Russian orthodox tradition. Easter is also celebrated a week later for the same reason. This sets Russians apart, in their own view, and they sometimes like to think of themselves as the Third Way (as opposed to the West and the East).

Russians tend to be more philosophical and pensive, somewhat introspective; they’d rather think something over first then do it immediately, which may come off as laziness. They may not seem to be as rational and result-driven as the Western people but in the recent years a lot of schools of thought that came to Russia such as time management and Western business thought are changing that rapidly.

Russians love to ruminate and talk about things; older Russians are often seen on benches discussing world politics in communal back yards as if they are deciding the fate of the world. A typical day of a working Russian is going to work, stopping by the shop to get something to eat, having a drink with friends or enjoying a hobby such as sports, TV watching or playing cards.

Russians love partying and having fun, known around the world for their sense of humor. It is difficult to describe the Russian way of life because Russia is a country full of contrasts and people of different backgrounds and characters.

1. True or false:

1. Life in England is a bit boring.
2. Many nations find English people a little annoying.
3. The Russian people always smile without any reason.
4. The British have a great sense of entitlement.
5. In Russia the benefits system is on the highest level.
6. Some people in their 40’s and 50’s don’t have their flats or cars.
7. Most people in the UK are heavily in debt and rely on credit cards to pay bills.
8. Many customer services in the UK are relocated to Asia.
9. Many young Brits sit at home on unemployment benefit.
10. In Russia the things are improving.
11. In Russia the way of life is the same as in the rest of the world.
12. Russians love to ruminate and talk about things.
13. Russians prefer staying at home than going to parties or having fun.
14. Russia is the country full of contrasts and people of different characters.

 

2. Answer the questions:

1. What annoys in English people?
2. Why don’t the Russian people smile?
3. Are the streets in Russia always full of people?
4. Is the UK top destination for asylum seekers?
5. Why doesn’t the UK produce anything anymore?
6. Is the economy and life getting worse in Britain?
7. Where do most Russians discuss the world politics?
8. Why is it difficult to describe the Russian way of life?

 

3. Find the words in the text according to their definitions:

1. smth. uninteresting or monotonous;
2. a good behaviour or civility;
3. excessively fat or fleshy; corpulent;
4. a person who comes to a country in order to settle there;
5. a card issued by banks, enabling the holder to obtain services on credit;
6. the condition of being unemployed;
7. lack of care or interest; lack of importance;
8. to do smth. to receive a profit; a favour;
9. to make or become better in quality;
10. to think about smth. or meditate;

 

4. Find in the text the English equivalents of the following phrases:

1. немного скучный;
2. холодный внешний вид, напыщенность;
3. очень тучный человек, корпулентный;
4. ощущать своё право на что-либо;
5. хорошее социальное пособие/обеспечение;
6. беженец, просящий о предоставлении политического убежища;
7. надеяться (положиться) на кредитную карточку;
8. унаследованный от кого-либо;
9. располагаемый доход/чистый доход
10. пособие по безработице;
11. резкое повышение платы;
12. становиться хуже;
13. быть задумчивым;
14. размышлять о чём-либо;

 

Unit VI

Lifestyle

Check the words in the box

●to eat a healthy diet ●high/low-calorie ●take vitamins●lose/put on weight●cut down on sugar/fat●give up smoking / junk food●keep fit●go swimming/dancing/jogging/skiing/skating/cycling●working out ingym

Survey: How do you stay healthy?

Lyn Cone Age: 88 years old “I don’t exercise. I just enjoy life. Keep smiling, I always say.”	Li Chang Age: 24 years old “I go to a gym three times a week. I usually go after work.”	Herb Wood Age: 48 years old “Stay healthy? Well… I smoke. And I don’t exercise. I sit at a desk all day. I do take vitamins…sometimes.”
Nobuyuki Oda Age: 52 years old “I get my exercise at my job. I’m a construction worker. I stand from 8 in the morning to 6 in the evening. I’m always bending and lifting heavy things. Do you want to see my muscles?”	Velia Cruz Age: 28 years old “I love sports – all kinds! I love tennis, soccer, baseball, and basketball. I have to work during the week but I try to play sports on the weekends.”	Megumi Saito Age: 35 years old “I have three children. One is three. One is four. One is six. They’re always running. I can never sit down. That’s my exercise – running after children. Oh…excuse me…there they go now!”

Practice

1. Which one is a healthy lifestyle? Check (√) the appropriate answers.

	jogging		taking vitamins
	swimming		doing aerobics
	dancing		smoking
	smoking		getting enough to sleep
	meditating		going to bed late
	walking a lot		eating junk food
	playing sport		working out in a gym
	riding a bicycle		playing computer games at night
	drinking beer every day		taking yoga classes
	staying in good moods		Eating healthy food

 

Think and share.

Tell the class what you do often/seldom/never/sometimes.

Your health

Group/pair work

Can you calculate the number of hours you spend on the activities per day or per week? (e.g. I spend 2 hours a day cycling to school and one hour a day watching TV).

• Which of the activities in the questionnaire might be good for your heart?
• Which activities can be called sedentary?
• Give other examples of sedentary activities.

 

 

Discussion

Cell Phones Affect Memory

 

Are cell phones making the human race stupid? According to a new study out of Britain, the answer is "yes." We rely too much on technology, which has reduced out brain power. And it's measurable.

Professor Ian Robertson of Trinity College Dublin conducted the study. His research showed that most citizens in Britain have to remember five passwords, five pin numbers, two number plates, three security ID numbers, and three bank account numbers just to get through life every day. But most people have become incapable of remembering all this information, so use only one or two passwords. It highlights what many people also expressed as "information overload." Cell phones, Blackberries, and other memory devices offer a solution to the numbers and codes the average person has to remember. But Robertson said that people use the devices instead of their memory. And the less you use your memory, the poorer it becomes.

The study discovered that one quarter of all Britons didn't know their home phone number. And only a third of those surveyed could remember more than three birthdays of their immediate family members.

The study arranged the figures into age groups, which provided clearer answers. About one third under the age of 30 couldn't recall their home phone numbers, and had to check their cell phone or other device. In the same age bracket, only 40% could give important dates, such as birthdays or anniversaries, for family members. For people over 50, 87% could remember details about their families. The study also discovered that 58% incorrectly assumed that they couldn't remember all the numbers and codes used daily.

 

Myths about sleep

About seventy countries around the world use daylight savings time. Each spring, clocks

get moved forward one hour because the daytime hours are longer in the summer. Each fall,

clocks get moved back one hour because the daytime hours are shorter in the winter.

Adjusting the clocks helps the environment because we use less energy.

However, there are health benefits with daylight savings time too. If you sleep one hour

more because of the change in time each fall, your chances of a heart attack decrease.

Unfortunately, the number of heart attacks increases in the spring when you lose an hour of

sleep.

Since we are talking about sleep, did you know there are a lot of myths about sleep? For

example, you should sleep seven or eight hours of sleep, not five or six. Some people say

they need less sleep, but this is untrue and there are consequences. If you sleep too little,

you will work less effectively. Not enough sleep also damages your heart and immune

system. In addition, if you drive with six hours of sleep or less, it's almost the same as

driving drunk. You will have worse reaction times and more accidents. Lastly, if you usually

sleep too little during the week but then sleep a lot on the weekend, this pattern is also

harmful. Irregular sleep patterns can cause stress.

So what can you learn from this article? Use the change in time to make some lasting

changes to your sleep habits.

 

 

Грамматический Комментарий

Части речи

Часть речи	Функция
Noun (n)-существительное	Обозначает предмет, лицо или явление
Verb (v)- глагол	Обозначает действие или состояние
Adjective (adj) - прилагательное	обозначает качество предмета, лица или явления
Pronoun (pro) - местоимение	Заменяют существительные и другие части речи
Adverb –(adv) - наречие	Обозначает качество действия
Numeral (num) - числительное –	обозначает количество
Conjunction (conj)- союз	Служебная часть речи, соединят слова и предложения
Article -артикль –	Служебная часть речи, определитель существительного
Preposition (prep) -предлог.	служебная часть речи, устанавливают связи между словами (членами пред