Л.В.Слуднева, Е.В.Гречина, Н.И.Перфильева

ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ АГЕНСТВО ПО ОБРАЗОВАНИЮ

ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ ВЫСШЕГО И ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ

ИРКУТСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ЛИНГВИСТИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

Л.В.Слуднева, Е.В.Гречина, Н.И.Перфильева

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК:

ПРАКТИКУМ УСТНОЙ И ПИСЬМЕННОЙ РЕЧИ

Учебное пособие

Часть I

 

 

Рекомендовано УМО по образованию в области лингвистики

Министерства образования и науки РФ

в качестве учебного пособия для студентов, обучающихся

по специальности «Теория и методика преподавания иностранных языков и культур» направления «Лингвистика и межкультурная коммуникация»

 

ИРКУТСК

Печатается по решению редакционно-издательского совета ИГЛУ

ББК 81.432.1 - 923

Слуднева Л.В., Гречина Е.В., Перфильева Н.И.

Английский язык: практикум устной и письменной речи. [Текст]: Учебное пособие / Слуднева Л.В., Гречина Е.В., Перфильева Н.И. – Иркутск, 2008.

 

Цель пособия – взаимосвязанное развитие навыков устной и письменной речи у студентов, изучающих английский язык для практического использования в профессиональной деятельности, в том числе в области межкультурной коммуникации. Кроме того, в нем впервые предпринимается попытка поэтапного формирования навыков и умений аргументированной речи. Обучающий материал сгруппирован вокруг актуальных для повседневного общения тем и широко отражает культурные реалии Великобритании и США.

Предназначен для студентов языковых вузов и факультетов английского языка.

 

Рецензенты:

Г.Г.Бондарчук – профессор кафедры лексикологии английского языка факультета ГПН МГЛУ, канд.филол.наук;

 

Кафедра английской филологии Бурятского государственного университета.

 

ISBN 978-5-88267-266-8

© Слуднева Л.В., Гречина Е.В., Перфильева Н.И.

П Р Е Д И С Л О В И Е

Настоящее учебное пособие – первая часть комплекса “Английский язык: Практикум устной и письменной речи”. Оно предназначено для студентов специальности “031201. Теория и методика преподавания иностранных языков и культур” (1-4 семестры).

Пособие построено на принципах современной теории обучения и ставит целью дальнейшее обучение нормативным знаниям системы языка студентов, владеющих английским на базовом уровне, формирование у них коммуникативной и социо-культурной компетенций. Кроме того, в нем впервые предпринимается попытка поэтапного формирования навыков и умений аргументированной речи в ее устной и письменной разновидностях.

Предполагается, что настоящее учебное пособие будет использоваться параллельно со следующими учебниками: Р.В.Резник, Т.С.Сорокина, Т.А.Казарицкая Практическая грамматика английского языка: 4-е изд. – M.: Флинта: Наука, 1999. и Е.Б.Карневская, Л.Д. Раковская, Е.А. Мисуно. Практическая фонетика английского языка: - Мн.: Высш.шк., 1990. Это даст возможность охватить весь материал, предлагаемый стандартными программами по данной специальности. Приблизительное количество часов, на которое рассчитана первая часть комплекса – 750 часов (аудиторные часы и самостоятельная работа); из них 450 часов отводится на 1-2 семестры, 300 часов – на 3-4 семестры.

 

СТРУКТУРА УЧЕБНОГО ПОСОБИЯ

Единица организации и планирования обучающего материала – тематический комплекс. В первой части пособия содержится семь тематических комплексов – ‘Housing’, ‘Meals. Eating Habits’, ‘Shopping’, ‘Teaching and Learning’, ‘Going to the Doctor’, ‘Cinema. Theatre. Television’, ‘Travelling’, каждый из которых состоит из следующих частей:

Часть 1. Вводный текст (Introductory Text) представляет собой культурологический комментарий, в котором содержатся краткие сведения о реалиях современной жизни стран изучаемого языка (Великобритании и США) В нем вводится часть лексики, подлежащей активному усвоению, а также приводятся определения изучаемых явлений, исторические и социологические факты, некоторые статистические данные. В вводных текстах пособия освещается, в целом, более 100 реалий.

Блок вокабуляра (Topical Vocabulary) содержит необходимый лексический минимум в виде таблиц-схем, позволяющих воспроизвести некоторую стереотипную ситуацию реальной жизни, соотносимую с данной темой. Формально таблицы-схемы представляют собой набор слов и словосочетаний, обозначающих “действующие лица’, “объекты”, ‘действия, производимые с объектами”, т.п. Таблицы сопровождаются дополнительным вокабуляром (Additional Vocabulary) и, в некоторых случаях, разговорными фразами и клише, после чего следует серия лексико-грамматических упражнений разного типа (Vocabulary Practice). Первое упражнение данного блока ставит целью семантизацию лексики, представленной в таблицах-схемах. Оно построено по принципу выбора из множества и, в большинстве случаев, требует обращения к словарю. Последующие упражнения рассчитаны на активизацию и расширение словарного запаса за счет деривации, словосложения, синонимии, антонимии. Часть из них ставит целью раскрытие особенностей семантики лексических единиц, адекватный выбор артиклей и предлогов. Каждый блок содержит переводные упражнения. Всего продуктивному усвоению подлежат более 900 слов и словосочетаний, относящихся к нейтральному и разговорному стилям речи.

Блок вокабуляра завершается серией диалогов, включающих приемы на подстановку, расширение, реконструкцию роли одного из говорящих. Часть из них подлежит заучиванию наизусть.

Далее следует оригинальный художественный текст, заимствованный из произведений классических и современных писателей Великобритании и США. На данном этапе предполагается углубленный лексико-грамматический анализ, пересказ и интерпретация содержания. Для достижения наибольшей концентрации тематической лексики тексты подвергались сокращению. После текста даются примечания, в которых объясняются некоторые социо-культурные факты, идиоматические выражения, а также приводится список транскрибированных имен собственных. Цель последующих упражнений – достижение максимального количества повторных обращений к тексту и контроль понимания прочитанного.

Блок Speak Up обеспечивает прочное закрепление языкового материала и его использование в процессе речевого общения. Здесь развиваются навыки и умения свободного монологического и диалогического высказывания. Каждый из блоков, в частности, содержит набор ситуаций Cue Cards, в которых обозначены участники диалога, определены их роли, поставлены конкретные коммуникативные задачи. Aкцент делается на такие функциональные типы как диалог-обмен мнениями, диалог-обмен впечатлениями, диалог-распрос, диалог-беседа по интересующей тематике. Завершающее задание - ролевая игра, организованная по принципу имитации общения, что соответствует коммуникативному и личностно-ориентированному характеру обучения, при котором обучаемый рассматривается как его активный участник.

Часть 2 (Part 2. Arguments in Practice) содержит необходимый материал для последовательного развития навыков аргументированной речи. Аргументация в рамках данного учебного пособия рассматривается в широком контексте деятельности человека, а термины “аргументация” и “аргументативный дискурс” используются как нестрогие синонимы. Содержание аргументативного дискурса определяется как ряд высказываний (написанных или произнесенных), которые были выдвинуты в защиту одной или нескольких точек зрения. Акцент ставится на одну из сфер аргументативной коммуникации, а именно аргументацию социально-бытового общения, хотя, в ряде случаев, для анализа привлекаются масс-медийные и рекламные типы дискурсов.

На первом этапе вводятся краткие пояснения, в которых в доступной форме объясняются цели, структурные составляющие единичного акта аргументации, ее способы. В качестве базовой в пособии используется модель С. Тулмина, в которой основное внимание уделяется двум составляющим – тезису (claim), представляющему собой формулировку основной доказываемой идеи и аргументу (support), утверждению или утверждениям, с помощью которых обосновывается убедительность тезиса. Далее объясняется различие трех основных видов тезиса, детализируемое в каждом последующем тематическом комплексе. Закрепление достигается за счет упражнений типа Classifying Claims и Defending or Rejecting Claims. Обязательный компонент данной части - языковой материал, необходимый для выполнения речевых действий, непосредственно вовлеченных в процесс аргументации – высказывание мнения, запрос мнения, оценка мнения партнера, согласие/несогласие, убеждение/разубеждение, т.п.

Отличительная черта обучающих материалов данного раздела – отражение проблемного характера самого предмета обсуждения. Это, в частности, такие вопросы как вегетарианство, необходимость следования диете, использование животных в индустрии моды, целесообразность экзаменов в средней и высшей школе, роль телевидения в жизни современного человека, массовый туризм, т.п. Эти и другие проблемы находят освещение в текстах. Первый тип текстов – краткие высказывание конкретных личностей по актуальным проблемам повседневной жизни, сохраняющие особенности разговорного стиля. Их источником служат журнальные статьи и глобальная сеть Internet. Ряд высказываний под рубрикой Here’s one person’s opinion составлены авторами данного учебного пособия и отражают их собственное мнение. Тексты второго типа – отрывки из публицистических произведений, в которых выражена некоторая точка зрения или оценка описываемых фактов, событий, состояний дел. Большая их часть носит явно дискуссионный характер. Поскольку тексты этого типа характеризуются достаточно высоким уровнем языковой сложности, они снабжены примечаниями с переводом на русский язык наиболее трудных словосочетаний и предложений. Оба типа текстов служат материалом для анализа как с точки зрения представленных в них аргументов, так и языковых средств их выражения. Кроме того, в них развиваются навыки беспереводного чтения. В большинстве случаев заголовки текстов формулируются в виде вопроса, что, само по себе, является стимулом для последующего высказывания, в котором будет выражена точка зрения обучаемого по данной проблеме.

В завершающем задании Discussion Points формулируются дополнительные, иногда весьма спорные, нюансы основной темы. Его цель – развернутая реплика монологического характера или диалог с приведением собственных аргументов “за” или “против”.

Важно иметь в виду, что способ подачи материала предполагает заданную последовательность в работе. Авторы не рекомендуют начинать работу над следующим уроком без тщательной проработки и усвоения предыдущего.

Задания в разделе Tasks for Writing направлены на овладение продуктивной письменной речью нейтрального характера в пределах изученной тематики. В начале раздела приводится информация справочного характера и даются образцы композиционно-речевых форм, подлежащих усвоению. Данные образцы служат моделями для последующих высказываний, а также выступают в качестве вспомогательных средств обучения письму как технике использования орфографической системы языка. На начальном этапе студенты обучаются написанию различных видов параграфа – описательного, повествовательного, аргументативного, простейшей инструкции (описанию серии действий), затем – написанию частного письма, письма-жалобы, рецензии на спектакль (фильм). Формы письма соответствуют тематической направленности комплекса.

Цель заданий Tasks for Listening – развитие умений понимания оригинальной монологической и диалогической речи с опорой на изученный языковой материал и фоновые знания. Диалоги и тексты для аудирования записаны на кассеты; в качестве дикторов привлекались носители языка (британский вариант).

 

Первая часть комплекса апробирована на кафедре английского языка ИГЛУ на 1-2 курсах и рекомендована для использования в учебном процессе.

Авторы выражают глубокую признательность Саймону Причарду и Дженнифер Саттон (Великобритания), взявшим на себя труд прочитать рукопись и начитать на пленку материалы для аудирования.

 

Авторы

 

 

CONTENTS

 

 

UNIT 1. HOUSING Pages

Introductory Text 10-12

Part 1

Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 12-20

Text: Choosing a House (from ‘Evergreen’ by B.Plain) 20-26

Speak up 26-30

Part 2

Introduction to Argument. The Structure of Argument 30-31

Classifying Claims 31

Expressing Agreement., Disagreement 32-33

What is Comfort to You? 33-34

Can We Arrive at a True Impression of a Person Unless

We See Them in Their Home? 34-35

Has the Old Sentimentality of Neighbourhoods Receded? 35

Text: Housing in Great Britain 36-37

Discussion Points 37-38

Tasks for Writing. Descriptive Paragraph 38-39 Tasks for Listening 40-41

Part 1

Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 44-54

Text: Too Pretty to Eat (from ‘The Secret Language of Old

White Ladies’ by P.Anthony) 54-60

Speak up 60-63

Part 2

Claims of Fact. Fact or Opinion? 63-65

Expressing Disbelief, Doubt, Surprise 65-66

Does the Russian Cuisine Reflect the Fatalistic Russian

Mentality? 66-67 Do Eating Habits Reflect Our Character? 67-68

Text: A Native Twist 68-70

Discussion Points 70-71

Tasks for Writing. Expository Paragraph 71-73

Tasks for Listening 73-74

 

UNIT 3. SHOPPING

Introductory Text 75-77

Part 1

Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 78-90

Text: A Perfect Fit (from ‘Lace’ by S.Conran) 90-95

Speak up 96-99

Part 2

Claims of Value 99-101

Is Shopping a Wasteful of Time? 102

In What Way is Shopping Different from Buying? 102-103 Which is Better: to be a Shopper or a Shopaholic? 103-104

Text: Shopping as a Spiritual Adventure 104-105 Defending or Rejecting Claims. Discussion Points 105-107

Tasks for Writing. Narrative Paragraph 107-109

Tasks for Listening 109-110

Part 1

Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 114-123

Text: The School Routine (from ‘Lace’ by S. Conran) 123-129

Speak up 129-132

Part 2

Claims of Policy 132-133

Reassuring People. Putting Defensive Arguments 133-136

Should Unmotivated Students Be Forced to Go

to Universities? 136

Friendship or the Honour Code? 137

Is Being Friends with the Students a Drop in the

Standards? 137-138

Text: A Sore Point 138-140

Discussion Points 140-142

Tasks for Writing. Giving an Opinion 142-144

Tasks for Listening 144-145

 

UNIT 5. GOING TO THE DOCTOR

Introductory Text 146-147

Part 1

Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 148-159

Text: ‘How to Live to Be 2000’ (by S. Leacock) 159-164

Speak up 164-169

 

Part 2 Criticizing Attitudes 169-170

Defending or Rejecting Claims. 170-171

Discussion Points 171-172

Living in the Russian Style 172-174

Text: How to Beat Holiday Stress 174-176

Tasks for Writing. Personal Letters 176-178

Tasks for Listening 178-180

 

 

Part 1

Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 184-192

Text: A Special Treat (from ‘Act of Will’

by B. Bradford) 192-197

Speak up 197-201

Part 2 Presenting Arguments For and Against an Issue:

TV or not TV? 201-203

Does Television Know Its Place? 203-204

Terrible or Terrific? 204

Is Acting a Risky Business? 205

Text: Television: the Beginning of the End? 205-207

Text: Theatre or Cinema? 208-209

Defending or Rejecting Claims. Discussion Points 209-211

Tasks for Writing. Review 211-213

Tasks for Listening 213-214

 

UNIT 7. TRAVELLING

Introductory Text 215-217

Part 1

Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 217-226

Text: The Journey of Escape (from ‘Destina-

tion Unknown’ by A. Cristie) 226-231

Speak up 231-235

Part 2 Giving, Accepting, Rejecting Advice 235-237

Is Travelling Frustrating or Exciting? 237-238

Text: The Arguments Against Mass Tourism 238-239

Defending or Rejecting Claims. Discussion Points 240-241

Tasks for Writing: Letter of Complaint 241-243

Tasks for Listening 243-244

 

 

UNIT 1. H O U S I N G

INTRODUCTORY TEXT

 

A house is a building for one household, or family to live in. English houses in most cases are built of brick or stone. Most of them consist of two floors with a garden at the front and back. On the ground floor there is a front room, a living-room, a kitchen and a hall, from which a staircase leads to the landing on the first floor. On this floor there are two or three bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory. The entrance from the street is called the front door; and the entrance from the yard is the back door. Englishmen prefer to live in their own houses in the suburbs. In Great Britain there are many types of houses, such as detached houses (houses that are not joined or connected), semi-detached houses (houses joined by one shared wall) and terraced houses ( a row of houses on raised land).There is also another type of house built by the local authorities, which is called a Council house, whose rents are low and which are for those who are comparatively poor.

· The right to privacy and personal freedom is unquestioned by the British. Perhaps it is the lack of space that has fostered and maintained their individualism. There is a common saying among the British people, ‘ My home is my castle. The wind can come in, but the Kings and Queens and human beings can never come in without my permission.’ When an Englishman moves to a new house, he often builds a fence around the house to separate himself from his neighbours.

· The typical house in the USA consists of some bedrooms, a living- room, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Some people prefer colonial style houses – big two-storey houses with columns made of brick or wood. Others live in ranch -houses – simple elongated one-storey houses typically with a low-pitched roof. There are also the Spanish style houses with their red tiles and arches. People who can’t afford a house live in trailers which are houses on wheels. A ‘ mobile home ’ is a small ‘house’ pulled by the family car. Some of them have a driver’s cab. Behind the cab is a room with beds, a kitchen, a table and a washing place. Apartments are houses with flats to let. A lot of people live in coops (condominiums). A condominium is a multi-unit structure in which each apartment is owned by the person who lives there. Most expensive cities for houses are New York City, Los Angeles and Boston.

· To buy a house, most people in Great Britain and the USA borrow money from a bank. In this case they mortgage a house. A mortgage is an agreement to pay back the money. Suppose they mortgage a house through a building society, for which they can borrow up to 95% of the value of the house. Then they have to pay back a little of the loan on the house each month. In about twenty years they may pay off the mortgage and become full owners of the house. If they fail to pay the mortgage over a certain period of time, the building society has the right to reclaim the property.

· The most practical way to set a house exchange in the U.K. and the USA is to use one of the agencies which can put potential clients in touch with each other. To be included in a directory you pay a registration fee, fill in a form, listing everything about your home. There will usually be a photograph of your house in the directory – and perhaps also of your family as well as your preferences as to location: town, country, seaside and so on.

· Home ownership is one of the definitions of success in Great Britain and the USA. Generally people are judged by the houses they live in. A lot of things are taken into account. It is not only the size and architecture of the house but also the type of neighbourhood. Neighbourhoods are the people living near one another. The types of neighbourhoods are very often defined by the ethnic origin and economic status of their residents. To improve local conditions and to solve problems of safety and sanitation, concerned neighbours form block associations. They clean up and beautify the streets, make them more secure. The members of the associations collect money to put up better lights, buy trees and plants for the sidewalks and entrances to buildings.

 

 

Answer the following questions.

 

1. What kind of houses is most typical of Great Britain?

2. What is a) a detached house? b) a semi-detached house? c) a terraced house? d) a Council house?

3. Why do you think the right to privacy and personal freedom is unquestioned by the British? What does the saying ‘My home is my castle’ mean?

4. Why do you think Englishmen prefer to live in the suburbs?

5. What does a typical American house look like?

6. What is a) a ranch-house? b) a ‘mobile home’? c) a condominium?

7. What is the most practical way to set a house exchange in the U.K. and the USA?

8. What is a mortgage?

9. What is a neighbourhood? What are the types of neighbourhoods defined by?

10. What things about a house are taken into account while judging about a person’s success?

PART 1

 

TOPICAL VOCABULARY

HOUSE

Types of Dwelling	Parts of the House	Types of Rooms	People in the House
block of flats bungalow   detached (semi-detached) house   mansion terraced house weekend house	attic/garret/loft balcony basement canopy ceiling floor landing porch roof staircase	bathroom bedroom dining-room kitchen living-room lounge nursery pantry sitting-room study	host (hostess) householder housekeeper landlord (landlady) lodger

 

Types of Furniture and Things to Furnish the Room	Modern Conveniences And Fittings	Things People Do
armchair bookshelf built-in furniture carpet chest of drawers china-cabinet cupboard curtains cushion fireplace mantelpiece rocking-chair standard-lamp wall-units wardrobe	burglar alarm electricity heating lift meter pipe rubbish-chute running–water tiles	advertise for a flat build / put up a house exchange a house let a house (a room) rent a house (a room)   do the flat (the house) do repairs / fix redecorate / refurbish /renovate   destroy / demolish reconstruct restore

 

Additional Vocabulary: to answer the door; to climb up the stairs; to feel home-sick; to live next door; to paper the walls; to overlook the sea (river, park, etc); to own a house; to ring the bell; to share a room; to whitewash the ceiling;

home appliances; a house-warming party; the inside of the house; a multistoreyed house; a separate room; a temporary dwelling; upholstered furniture.

 

Mind the preposition: to be located in; to be in a mess; to live in the suburbs; to make oneself at home; to move to a new flat; to be short of light;

at the seaside; in good condition; in the middle of the room; on the ground floor; on the left; on the right; on the top floor; out of town.

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

Say what we call

- ¹ a chair that is built of two pieces of wood so that you can rock yourself backwards and forwards when you are sitting in it.

- ² a heavy crosspiece that forms the bottom member of a window frame;

- ³ a party to celebrate the taking possession of a house;

- ⁴ a pipe which goes up from a fireplace so that smoke escapes into the air;

- ⁵ the space or room in a building immediately below the roof;

- ⁶ very thin clay from which cups, sauces, plates, etc. are made;

- ⁷ a tall lamp with its base on the floor.

 

 

3. Analyse the structure of the following words. State what parts of speech they are. Give their Russian equivalents.

 

air-condition er; comfort able; conveni ent; cook er; cos y; decorat ing; ex change; freez er; furni ture; hair-dri er; heat er; host ess; house holder; in dependent ly; in habit ant; loca tion; lodg er; own ership; paper ed; proper ty; re arrange; re construc tion; re decora tion; re modell ing; re nov ate; semi -detach ed; spaci ous; strang er; til ed; use ful; vacuum-clean er; ventilat ion; wood en.

 

 

Prepositions of Place

 

DIALOGUES

Notes

1. afford smth v – to be able to provide; to have enough money to spare. E.g. He couldn’t afford a house of his own.

2. commute v - to travel a long distance to one’s job each day. E.g. Commuting is a big problem of a modern city.

3. real estate n – land and whatever is attached such as buildings and natural resources.

4. Gothic Victorian – an architectural style.

5. shrubbery n – a planting of woody plants that grow low to the ground.

 

 

Proper Names

 

Anna /'ænə/ the Malones /Dq mq'loUnz/

Joseph /'Gqυzif/

 

Noun verb adjective

charity crumble maroon

disbelief reach lavish

gable stamp decent

turret arrange doubtful

fault drag shaggy

dungeon float

castle

mason

 

 

Make up a conversation.

a) between Anna and her friend after Anna saw the house for the first time;

b) between Anna and Joseph after Joseph signed the contract of sale;

c) between Anna and Joseph three years after they bought the house.

 

House

What is the house like?	How big is it?	What shape is it?	How old is it?	What colour is it?	What is it made of?
country-style   cozy lovely quiet simply-furnished well-planned	average-sized   huge large small spacious tiny	oval rectangular round square triangular	antique modern new old	Beige black blue brown coral green magnolia red white	brick concrete marble stone wood

 

Using the adjectives above make up a description of the house a) you b) your friends c) your relatives, etc. live in.

 

 

8. Work with a partner. Make up a conversation using the cue cards below.

 

CUE CARD 1 You are thinking of renting a room. Your partner is the landlord. Ask him about 1) bathroom; 2) deposit; 3) house rules; 4) public transport.

CUE CARD 2 You are thinking of buying a house. Your partner is an estate agent. Ask him/her about: 1) conveniences; 2)location of the house; 3) number of rooms; 4) price; 5) size of the kitchen.

CUE CARD 3 A friend of yours is asking you to help to furnish the house he\she moved in not long time ago. Find out: 1) about the colours of the room; 2) which room he wants to furnish; 3) which style he prefers.

PART 2

 

INTRODUCTION TO ARGUMENT

 

The nature of argument: One of the definitions is ‘Argumentation is the art of influencing others to believe or act as we wish them to believe or act’. The kinds of argument we deal with in this text-book resemble ordinary conversation about controversial issues. You may, for example, overhear a conversation like this:

A: ‘This morning while I was eating breakfast I heard an announcer describing a couple living in a modest house and growing vegetables, trees and flowers.’

B: ‘Okay, but I think that living in the country is not very ambitious.’

A: ‘Well, I read an article that said that people who lived out of town had longer life-spans.’

B: ‘... that means living around the corner and ignoring things more central to the good life, does it?’

A: ‘I don’t want to idealize life in small places, but the urban (городские) pleasures – restaurants, museums, theatres, crowds in the streets – cannot make up for a quiet and healthy life.’

In this dialogue people explain and defend their own beliefs and oppose those of others.

Arguments do not always take the form of dialogues. They may take the form of monologues, both oral and written.

 

Why study argument? Studying it can give you tools for distinguishing between what is true and what is false in what politicians, advertisers, friends, fellow-students, neighbours, etc. say trying to persuade you to accept a belief or adopt a course of action (зд. линия поведения). It can even offer strategies for arguing with yourself about a personal dilemma.

 

The structure of argument: A model of argument is based on three elements: claim, support, and warrant. The two principal elements are CLAIM and SUPPORT. They answer the questions:

 

1. ‘What are you trying to prove?’ (CLAIM);

2. ‘How can you prove it?’ (SUPPORT).

 

Claims can be of three principal kinds: claims of fact, claims of value and claims of policy.

Claims of fact are based on facts. They attempt to prove that something is (was or will be) true. For example:

 

1. Modern builders use the constructional know-how developed by the ancient Egyptians.

 

2. First houses in different countries of the world were made of wood.

3. Five per cent of American homes started as mobile homes.

 

Claims of value (ценность) emerge when people argue what is good or bad, beautiful or ugly, important or unimportant. For example:

 

1. A home is a place with deep and happy memories.

 

2. The most important thing about the house is its appearance.

 

3. Living out of town is better than living in a big city.

Claims of policy assert what should be done to solve a problem.

For example:

 

1. Local authorities (местные власти) should build more houses for the population.

 

2. We should respect other people’s right to privacy.

 

 

CLASSIFYING CLAIMS

There is a list of claims below. Which of them are a) claims of fact b) claims of value c) claims of policy? Which of them do you agree / disagree with? Why or why not?

1. Men build houses but women make homes.

 

2. There’s no place like home.

 

3. Home is where the heart is. (Pliny the Elder)

 

4. The most important thing about the house is its appearance.

 

5. Blocks of flats are most common type of houses in Russia.

 

6. Living out of town is better than living in a big city.

 

7. The richer the person is the richer house he has.

 

8. Housing in Great Britain is better than in most countries.

 

9. Seeing the person’s home you can arrive at a true impression of his relationship with other people and the world.

 

How to say you partly agree

1) Yes, I agree with you in a way but…

2) There’s much in what you say but ….

What Is Comfort to You?

This is how two different persons – a well-known interior decorator and an architect - answer this question:

1. ‘Comfort to me is a room that works for you and your guests. It’s deep upholstered furniture. It’s having a table handy to put down a drink or a book. It’s also important that if someone pulls up a chair for a talk, the whole room shouldn’t fall apart. I’m tired of decorating lacking in natural quality.’

2. ‘Imagine yourself on a winter afternoon with a pot of tea, a book, and two or three huge pillows to lean back against. Now make yourself comfortable. Not in some way you can show to other people...I mean so that you really like it, for yourself. You put the tea where you can reach it: but a place where you can’t possibly knock it over. You put the cushions behind you to support your back, your neck, your arm: so that you are supported just comfortably, just as you want to sip your tea, and read, and dream.’

(http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/)

 

HOUSING IN GREAT BRITAIN

The divisions between the social classes have always been reflected in the geography of towns, with the bigger and better houses concentrated in the districts most favourable to health. The much more decorated houses of the late nineteenth century, though less elegant, have come back into fashion. In many cases the ‘nice’ parts of towns would be in the west, because the prevailing south-west wind blew the smoke towards the east. In such areas many single-family houses, both Georgian and Victorian, had four or five floors, with basements and top floors kept for servants and children.

The period from 1945 produced a huge growth of social housing, built by local authorities for letting at low rents with the help of central government subsidies.

Change from traditional English housing patterns was seen as a triumph of modern planning and technology. But by the 1970s things were going wrong. The entrances were not supervised. There was vandalism, robbery and violence, litter and graffiti.

It turned out to be that local councils were not the right bodies to manage people’s houses. So councils were obliged to sell their houses to any tenants who wanted to buy them and could afford to do so.

New private building flourished. But the houses became more expensive.

The situation created difficulties for first-time buyers too young to have accumulated savings. Also, with a house in the south-east costing two or three times as much as its equivalent in the north, it became difficult for people to move from north to south.

But the majority of the people were living in their own houses, bought before the time the prices jumped up. All these people are comfortably housed, except for some of the very old, and people living in vandalized council flats and houses. There are few houses without proper heating or sanitation, and there is little overcrowding.

(http: // www.enmedia.edu)

 

DISCUSSION POINTS

 

1. The saying goes ‘A house is not a home.’ Do you agree or disagree with it? Use specific examples to support your answer.

 

2. Living in a city has both advantages and disadvantages. Which of the following – a choice of public transport, eating in good places, visiting museums, the fresh air of the countryside, visiting theatres and cinemas, living in a peaceful place - is the most important for you? Why?

 

3. Charles Dickens once said: ‘In love of home, the love of country has its rise.’ Do you agree or disagree with it? Why or why not?

 

4. Some people think that the most important room in a house is a kitchen. It’s not only where we cook and eat but it’s also the main meeting place for family and friends. Do you agree or disagree with it? Use specific details to support your answer.

5. Here is a list of factors you might consider when deciding on a house to buy: price, location, proximity (зд. близость) to public transport, central heating. Add your own ideas and put them in order of importance for yourself.

 

6. Speak about the efforts you have made to be comfortable in your room or elsewhere. Explain why these particular arrangements are necessary for your comfort.

 

TASKS FOR WRITING

TASKS FOR LISTENING

 

INTRODUCTORY TEXT

 

· British meals are an important element in family life. They have a great cementing effect when the family members sit together round the table at a definite time.

Breakfast is often a rather hurried and informal meal. The fresh milk for breakfast is delivered to the house in bottles. A full breakfast commonly begins with a cereal like corn-flakes, to which milk and sugar are added. Then fried eggs, bacon or sausages may follow with fried bread or fried potatoes. Buttered slices of toast conclude the meal, and tea or coffee is drunk with it. But most people have less than this for breakfast, and some have a hot drink or no breakfast at all.

The midday lunch time is from 12.30 to 2.00 p.m. The main course consists of meat, potatoes and other vegetables. The meat is normally beef or lamb; the vegetables are commonly carrots, beans, onions and cauliflower.

The next meal is ‘tea’ in the afternoon, called ‘ afternoon tea ’. At about five o’clock the mother and children may have cups of tea, with slices of bread and butter, and cakes. If they wait a little later for the father to come back from work, they may have ‘ high tea ’, which is a cooked meal. After ‘high tea’ nothing more is usually taken except a hot drink and some biscuits before going to bed. Middle-class families have a light, early tea first. Then they have dinner at seven or eight o’clock. Some families have a small late evening meal, called supper. The supper is usually cold.

· British food is rather limited. Britain has to import a large amount of manufactured foods and ingredients in packets, tins and bottles from other countries. This in turn saves the housewife plenty of work in food preparation. In spite of this Britain has some excellent traditional food: lamb from Wales, shellfish and fresh salmon from Northern Ireland, fresh or smoked fish from Scotland, cheeses from England and Wales. Steak and mushroom pie, Lancashire hotpot, and bread and butter pudding are three of the gastronomic wonders of the world!

· The British are happy to have a business lunch and discuss business matters with a drink during the meal. The best places to eat well and cheaply in Britain are pubs.

· It is really hard to answer the question ‘What is American food?’ because it is partly Italian, partly Mexican and partly Chinese.

Americans now have a light breakfast instead of traditional eggs, bacon, toast, hash, brown potatoes, orange juice and coffee. At weekends Americans have a relaxed ‘ brunch’ which is a large late breakfast or early lunch. It is often eaten with a family or friends.

The favourite meat in North America is steak. The most popular orders in restaurants are hamburgers, fried chicken, roast beef, spaghetti, turkey, baked ham, fried shrimp, and beef stew.

· Americans are known to enjoy parties. They love to get together on weekends. Many people take a bottle of wine or some flowers when they are invited to dinner at somebody’s home. At a ‘pot luck’ dinner, all the guests bring something to eat. You should ask your hosts what kind of food they would like you to bring. Usually it is a salad, vegetable or a dessert.

· The USA is most famous for ‘ fast-foods ’. The first fast food restaurants served hamburgers, but now they serve other kinds of food as well, but not all fast food is American. The traditional British fast-food meal is fish and chips. Most fast-food restaurants have a drive-in section. Here you can order and pick up your food without even getting out of your car.

· People in Great Britain and the USA eat out a lot, and when they go to a restaurant, they don’t expect to be hungry afterwards. Most restaurants will put a lot of food on your plate – sometimes it can be too much. But if you can’t finish it all, don’t worry: the restaurant will provide you with ‘ a doggy bag ’ for carrying home leftover food.

The usual tip for waiters and waitresses in restaurants is between 15 and 20 per cent of the check. The size of the tip depends on how pleased the customer is. You are not supposed to give a tip in cafeterias or fast food restaurants.

· People spend less time cooking now. An increasing number of people eat convenience food in the evenings. Convenience meals are already cooked – all you have to do is heat them in the microwave.

 

Answer the following questions.

1. Is having meals an important part of human life? Why?

2. What does a full breakfast commonly begin with?

3. What kind of meat and vegetables are normally eaten for lunch?

4. What is a) afternoon tea? b) supper?

5. What are the best places to eat well and cheaply in Britain?

6. Why is it hard to answer the question ‘What is American food’?

7. What is the favourite meat in North America?

8. What is a) ‘brunch’? b) a ‘pot luck’ dinner?

9. What did the first fast-food restaurants serve?

10. What is the traditional British fast-food meal?

12. What is a drive-in section in a fast-food restaurant in the USA?

13. What does the size of the tip depend on?

14. What is a ‘doggy-bag’?

15. What is convenience food?

 

 

PART 1

 

TOPICAL VOCABULARY

Preparing Food

 

Types of Food	Appliances and Utensils	What People Do
Meat and poultry bacon, beef, chicken, duck, goose, ham, lamb, liver, sausage, mutton, pork, rabbit, turkey, veal, venison Fish and seafood caviar, cod, herring, lobster, oyster, salmon, shrimps, sole, squid, trout, tuna Vegetables asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, lettuce, onion, pumpkin, spinach	cooker food slicer frying pan grinder ladle microwave mincer oven pan	bake dress chop fry heat mince mix peel roast simmer stew slice stir strip stuff

Eating and Drinking

Things to Eat	Qualities and Effects of Food	Instruments	What People Do	Place
beefsteak chop clear soup cream dumplings pancakes pastry pickles pie porridge potatoes soup sour-cream	bitter delicious disgusting dry flavourless fresh greasy insipid medium nourishing rare raw savoury sour spicy stale sweet tender tough well-done	cup fork glass knife mug plate saucer spoon	bite chew cut gulp pour sip spread swallow taste	cafeteria   (fast-food) restaurant   coffee shop

At the Restaurant

People	What They Do	Menu
customer     waiter waitress	call a waiter choose smth make an order pay the bill give a tip write a complaint   lay the table take an order serve bring in (the dishes) bring the bill get a tip	starters soups main courses desserts beverages wines

Additional Vocabulary: to be (get) hungry; to be thirsty; to get smth ready; to have a bite; to have a snack; to have a substantial meal; to reserve a table;

the baker’s (bakery); the butcher’s; a cookery-book; convenience food; cuisine; the dairy’s (dairy); the fishmonger’s; garnish; a head of cabbage; home-made food; junk food; a loaf ofbread; a lump of sugar; a piece ofcake; a slice of lemon; a soft drink; a three-course dinner.

Mind the preposition: to eat with a fork (spoon, knife); to go out for a meal; to help oneself to smth; to lay the table for two; to make dishes from scratch; to run out of smth; to take milk in one’s tea (coffee); to taste of smth (coffee, fish, etc); to treat smb to smth;

a recipe for a dish; f or the main course (dessert); on the menu; to one’s taste (liking).

 

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

DIALOGUES

TOO PRETTY TO EAT

 

(from ‘The Secret Language of Old White Ladies’ by Patricia Anthony)

(Abridged)

 

Jury, an electrical engineer from Russia, and Robert (an African-American) have just settled in a new place. They are doing research in the field of electronics.

The evening ended earlier than usual, because they were working the next day. Robert and Jury drove back to their new place where they had a small apartment. As soon as they pulled away from their office, not far from the beach, Robert said, ‘I saw two old ladies near our house the other day.’

Because he had been raised in the South he knew that if any little old white ladies existed within miles, they’d come over as soon as he moved in. They didn’t disappoint him. Three days after he and Jury were settled in a new place, the white ladies arrived, two spinster sisters with a pie.

Robert liked them as soon as he saw them standing at the door. Of course he invited them in, and Jury who wasn’t used to little old white Southern ladies, kept staring at them as if he wasn’t sure what they were doing there. He didn’t smile and didn’t say anything.

When the sisters spoke, they leaned forward intimately, as if they were about to tell the most wonderful secret, and their hands made gentle motions in the air. The first time one of them touched Jury on the arm, he seemed startled. He stepped aside and didn’t take part in the conversation. Then he came up to the entrance door and lit a cigarette. Robert noticed the Russian’s discomfort, and he was sure both the women had, too.

They crossed to the sofa, sat down next to each other. Miss Minnealetha took her sister’s hand. She held it tightly, looked into her lined face, swamped by the deep love she felt for her. She shook her head and her smoky gaze was tender.

‘We made the pie for you, gentlemen … thought you’d been starving.’

‘Thank you. What a nice surprise!’ Robert placed four cups of steamy coffee on the table next to the sofa. Jury joined them at the table.

Like all old white ladies, they talked a lot about shopping for food, cooking, making dishes from scratch, laying the table, and being thrifty and economical.

‘I’m sure the pie is going to be tasty,’ Robert said, speaking quickly so as to get a word in without interrupting one of them. Southerners, at least the ones who were raised right, never interrupted! ‘It looks too pretty to eat! Put it over there.’

Taking a sip of coffee, Miss Minnealetha continued, ‘I think it came out a little lumpy, and it browned all uneven.’

Robert figured the way the women were badtalking it, he had to be holding the best pie in the world. Those women! They are always badtalking what they cook!

‘Now, that’s a hundred-year-old recipe, first you take some flour and butter, then you add some …,’ she said as she turned away. ‘Handed down by a Nigra cook who’d been with our family for forty years. Could make anything … a roast beef, pickled onions or vanilla pie and other tempting delicacies… died last summer …’

‘And her lobster, pheasants with vegetables, fruit salad and all that …,’ Miss Ida said and gazed lovingly at her sister.

‘I made the fruit salad. That was quite easy as all I had to do was cut up fruit and mess it together in a bowl. It was a celebration for our brother, you know,’ Miss Minnealetha said.

Her use of the word ‘Nigra’ made Robert’s throat constrict. But he was a Southerner by birth, so his eyes never narrowed, his smile never faltered. He thought his face would crack. Jury turned back and got pale. ‘Nigra! Just outrageous!’

‘You remember how Glory’s crust was so light it just came right apart on the fork?’ Miss Minnealetha asked Miss Ida, her tone nostalgic. Miss Ida gave a charming smile. ‘Glory made the best crust in all creation,’ Miss Ida said as if that, indeed, were the last word on pie crust, and the highest and best compliment they could give a black woman.

‘ wouldn’t ever consider using an electric oven,’ he other sister said. ‘…or a microwave. Always used wood or gas. Nothing ever comes out right on electric.’

‘Can’t control the heat,’ Miss Ida explained.

When the sisters left, Jury asked Robert: ‘What did they call that old woman that’d been with the family for forty years?’

‘Nigra,’ Robert said.

‘Wasn’t that too much offensive, Robert?’ Jury asked.

‘No, it wasn’t. They give us even worse names if they want to offend us,’ Robert said.

 

Notes

 

1. raise v – to take care of until completely grown. E.g. Her parents died when she was a baby and she was raised by her aunt