Text. Summer holidays in England

Dear Mario,

I was very glad to have a letter from you and to know that you and your wife are keeping well and busy. I'm glad too that you are both coming to England again this summer.

You say you want a different kind of holiday this year. Perhaps when you were here last year, I took you to see too many historic buildings and places. You saw most of the places that tourists usually see. So this year you want a rest from sightseeing. You don't want to come as tourists. You want the kind of holiday that middle-class English people usually have, not too expensive, of course. You want to meet English people who are on holiday and to have plenty of chances to make friends with them.

I don't like crowds when I'm on holiday. I remember that when I was a small boy we — my brothers and sisters and I — always tried to get away from other people. We always had our holidays on the coast. Sea and sunshine, that's what we looked forward to every summer. We always went to a small fishing village on the Devon coast. And if, when we got to the place where we usually bathed, there were other people there, we stopped and said, "Oh, we can't bathe here today! Somebody's got here before us!" Today people seem to like crowds. You say you wish to meet and make friends with as many people as possible, so I won't suggest a quiet fishing village.

Hotels at the large seaside towns on the south coast are expen­sive. You say you want to come here in July or August. Those are the two months when hotel rates are highest.

You'd soon make friends at a hotel, but if you want to meet lots of English people, you might like to go to a holiday camp. That

doesn't mean sleeping and eating in tents. Holiday camps in Eng­land are permanent buildings with every modern convenience and comfort. There are wooden cabins with good beds, electric light, running hot and cold water. There are large buildings — a dining-hall, a large hall for dancing (and good dance bands), a cinema, a theatre, a bar, a cafe, rooms for games such as billiards. In fact there is, in the camp, everything you want. The camp usually has its own swimming-pool and tennis courts.

There are usually lots of children in holiday camps. There are nurses to look after small children, so that the parents can be free to amuse themselves. That's one reason why holiday camps are popular with married couples who have very young children. They not only get a holiday from work, but also a holiday from the children.

Here's another suggestion — a walking holiday. Walking holi­days are much cheaper than the kind of holidays I've been telling you about. You know something about the Youth Hostels Associa­tion, I'm sure. It's international. There are hostels all over England now where you can get a bed and a cheap meal. Members of the association can even take their own food to the hostels and cook it in the kitchen. They have to help by sweeping and cleaning the rooms, or washing up after meals. But that's not a hardship, is it? A walking holiday depends for enjoyment upon the weather, of course. I can't promise you good weather!

Thank you for your very kind invitation 1o visit you and stay with you. I'm sorry I can't accept it this year; we've already made our plans. But next year, perhaps, if it's convenient to you then.

Please write and let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know. I'm always glad to help you

My wife joins me in best wishes to you both.

Yours sincerely, John Grant

Comprehension

/. Listen to the text "Summer Holidays in England" and answer the questions'

Where are Mario and his wife going to spend their holidays? Where did they spend their holidays last year? What kind of holi­days did they have? What kind of holiday would they like this year? What is John's idea of a good holidav? What are holiday camps in England like? Why are they convenient for the people with children? What services does the Youth Hostels Association provide?

//. Read the text and analyse the language peculiarities o/ the text. Do some exercises in the next section to remember them.

Special Difficulties

/. Report the following suggestions: e.g. A: (Paul): Shall we start on Friday? B: Paul suggests starting on Friday.

1. Shall we play tennis? 2. Let's rebuild the garage. 3. Shall we hitch-hike? 4. Why not drink the local wine? 5. Let's go for a walk. 6. Let's take the dogs out. 7. Why don't we bring guitars and make our own music? 8. Let's climb the mountain. 9. Why don't we cook over an open f ire? 10. Shall we eat in restaurants? 11. Let's carry the boxes upstairs. 12. Let's go on a motor-tour. 13. Shall we sleep in Youth Hostels? 14. Let's spend the day on the beach.

15. Shall we find out about pop festivals? 16. Let's pick apples. 17. Shall we move the piano? 18. Let's swim across the river.

//. Make up dialogues using the verb "suggest" + gerund:

e.g. — Why didn't you go to his flat?

— Well, Ann suggested going to his flat but I didn't think

it was necessary. Why didn't you...

1. record this coversation 2. look at his passport 3. consult a lawyer 4. discuss it with me 5. wait a few weeks 6. check his figures

7. read the small print 8. find out about his previous work 9. make some enquiries about him 10. take his photograph 11. follow him home 12. borrow a tent 13. see the manager 15. tell your parents

16. phone Bill

///. Respond to the following using the verb "offer":

e.g. A: Peter paid [or me. -

B: He offered to pay for me too, but I refused.

Peter...

1. painted my door 2. waited for me 3. lent me $5 4. found me a job 5. got me a seat 6. showed me the way 7. washed my car

8. helped me 9. carried my luggage 10. saw me off 11. met my train 12. tuned my guitar 13. drove me home 14. looked after my dog 15. typed my essay 16. dug my garden 17 repaired my washing machine 18. fixed my TV

IV. Fill in the gaps. Use either "suggest" or "offer": 1. I... him an interesting book to read 2. He... a visit to the theatre. 3. We... her our help. 4. Mike... to carry my suitcase but I said it wasn't heavy 5. He... discussing the matter at our next

meeting. 6. Did he... any money? 7. What shall we do on the weekend? — Well, what do you...? 8. I was very busy and Mary... to buy a ticket for me.

V. Fill in the gaps. Use the nouns "suggestion" or "offer":

1. Did you accept his... of help? 2. Have you any... to make? 3. Your... seems interesting to me. 4. He offered me some money. I was surprised at his.... 5. I like your... but I'm not sure whether I'll be able to join you.

VI. Make up short dialogues as shown in the example:

e.g. A: When you get home you'll be able to ski, won't you? B: Yes, I'm looking forward to skiing.

When you get home you'll be able to..., won't you?

1. swim in the sea 2. skate 3. ride your horse again 4. meet your friends 5. speak your own language again 6. fish in the river 7. have a good holiday 8. sunbathe 9. get a good job 10. continue your university course 11. start your training 12. go out without an umbrella 13. open a language school 14. write a book about your experiences

e.g. A: He wanted to go but I said "No". B: But why didn't you let him go?

He wanted to... but I said "No".

1. stop 2. help 3. pay 4. hitch-hike 5. tell the truth 6. leave early 7. drive home 8. bring his passport 9. decide for himself

10. sail round the island 11. join the club e.g. A: He bullies his sisters.

B: But why do you let him bully his sisters.

He...

1. kicks his brother 2. shouts at his sisters 3. fights with the neighbours' children 4. answers back 5. disobeys me 6. breaks the furniture 7. misses school every Monday 8. watches TV all Satur­day 9. plays his stereo till 2 a.m. 10. stays in bed all Sunday

11. talks with his mouth full 12. rides his bicycle along the pave­ments 13. uses awful language

VII. Make up sentences using the prompts: e.g. he/rich

He seems to be rich.

1. she/know him 2. he/have plenty of money 3. she/like children 4. he/ afraid of smth 5. she/dislike him 6 he/interested in art 7. you/tired 8. she/surprised 9. she/energetic

VIII. Translate into English (self check):

1. Кажется, они знают друг друга. 2. Он производит впечат-

ление очень умного человека. 3. Я с нетерпением жду встречи с тобой. 4. Николай предложил мне свою палатку, но я отказался. 5. Я предложил отправиться в пятницу утром. Мои друзья согла­сились. 6. Завтра я уезжаю в командировку. Нина предложила присмотреть за моим сыном. 7. Его предложение помочь уди­вило нас. 8. Аня предложила провести отпуск в Ялте. Мне по­нравилось ее предложение.

Text Exercises

/. Ask questions about a) holiday camps in England; b) the Youth Hostels Association.

//. Speak on a) the way John Grant prefers to spend his holi­days; b) holiday camps and their conveniences; c) a walking ho­liday.

///. When did you last have your holiday? Where and how did you spend it? What kind of holiday do you prefer?