General information in English

We're not far from… or We're quite close to…

It's about a mile / kilometer / two blocks from…

We're opposite / next to / in front of / across the road from / round the corner from the supermarket.

 

Giving directions in English

Come off the motorway / highway at Junction / Exit 12.

Follow the signs to …

Go straight on / left / right at the lights / at the roundabout /at the junction of … and …

Go past the supermarket.

You'll come to / see …

It's the first turning on the right after the bank.

 

Use landmarks to help

You'll see a large sign / roundabout.

On your left you'll see an industrial centre / a hospital / the police station.

Just after the shopping centre (or mall).

Go past the petrol station / the garage.

 

Final tips

If you're giving directions over the phone, remember to speak slowly to allow the other person to write things down.

Check that the other person has understood.

If you're speaking face-to-face with someone, use your hands to show left, right, or straight on.

Use ”please“ when you ask someone to give you directions. It's polite, and will normally get you what you want!

Task. Read the dialogue. Role-play a similar conversation.

Taxi! Taxi!

A: Taxi! Taxi!

B: Where do you want to go, sir?

A: The corner of 58th Street and Third Avenue.

B: Corner of 58th and 3rd, no problem, jump in.

A: Thanks.

B: I hope you didn't get too wet out there.

A: No, I had an umbrella so I was okay.

B: I picked up a lady a few hours ago. She was soaking wet.

A: It's a wild storm alright.

B: You never know what the weather will do.

A: Have you heard the score in the Yankees game?

B: Yeah, the Yankees are winning at the start of the eighth inning.

A: Good. They should win from there.

B: Here we are, sir. Corner of 58th and Third.

A: Great. How much do I owe you?
B: That's seven dollars fifty.

A: Here's ten. Have a nice day.

B: Thank you sir, you too.

Task. Read the dialogue. Role-play a similar conversation.

Seeing the Doctor

D: Hello, what's the matter?

P: Good morning. I have a terrible ache in my lower back.

D: How long has your back been bothering you?

P: I've been having pain for about the last two weeks.

D: Do you have any history of back problems?

P: No, this is the first time.

D: Are you taking any medicine at the moment?

P: No, just an aspirin from time to time to kill the pain.

D: OK. Let's have a look at your back. Please take off your shirt....

Task. Read the dialogue. Role-play a similar conversation.

A terrible stomachache

D: Good morning. Please have a seat here. What´s the problem?

P: I have a terrible stomachache.

D: Do you have diarrhea?

P: Yes, I do.

D: Do you have any other symptoms?

P: Yes, I feel sick.

D: You mean you feel nauseous?

P: That’s right. I feel like vomiting. And right now I feel dizzy, too.

D: When did the symptoms start?

P: This morning. Yesterday evening I ate something raw.

D: All right. Please take off your clothes to the waist and lie down there.... Just tell me if it hurts when I do this.

P: It doesn’t hurt.... Ouch. It hurts there.

D: Okay. Let´s hope it´s just indigestion, but we´ll need to run some diagnostic tests to be sure. We´ll run a blood test and we´ll also need a urine sample.

P: Can you give me something for the time being?

D: Yes, I´ll give you a prescription for indigestion tablets.

 

LITERATURE

1. Меркулова Е. М., Филимонова О. Е., Костыгина С. И., Ивано­ва Ю. А., Папанова Л. В. Английский язык для студентов университетов. Чтение, письменная и устная практика. Серия ”Изучаем иностранные языки“.— СПб.: Издательство Союз, 2000.— 384 с.

2. MacKenzie. English for Business Studies. A course for Business Studies and Economics students. – Cambridge University Press, 2002.

3. Сатинова В. Ф. Британия и британцы. – Мн.: Выш. шк., 2004.

4. Viney, P. Survival English. International Communication for Professional People / P. Viney. – Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2004. – 95 p.

5. Бартошевич И. А. Свободное время. Путешествие = Spare Time& Travelling: учеб.-метод. Пособие для студентов гуманитар. вузов / И. А. Бартошевич – Барановичи: РИО БарГУ, 2009 – 92с.

6. English for socialcommunication = Английский для общения: вводный курс по англ. языку / сост. Н.А. Гиркина – Минск: Издательство МИУ, 2009. – 56 с.

 

CONTENTS

Введение………………………………………………………………………..
PART I……………………………………………………………………………………….
UNIT 1ABOUT YOU ………………………………………………………..................................
Character and Appearance …………………………………………………………………..
Applying for a Job…………………………………………………………………..................
The Curriculum Vitae………………………………………………………………………….
My Future Profession…………………………………………………………………………
UNIT 2FAMILY LIFE……………………………………………………………………..
Family As the Key Social Structure ………………………………………………….
Family: Perspectives…………………………………………………………………..
Family Life …………………………………………………………………………….
UNIT 3 ENGLISH AS A WORLD LANGUAGE …………………………………………..
Why Foreign Languages Learning Is Important For Us ………………………………
How to Learn a Foreign Language …………………………………………………….
English in My Future Career………………………………………………………….
UNIT 4 UNIVERSITY. STUDENT’S LIFE ………………………………………………..
Higher Education in Belarus…………………………………………………………..
Polessky State University……………………………………………………………..
Biotechnological Faculty………………………………………………………………
College Life …………………………………………………………………………..
UNIT 5 PLACES AROUND MY TOWN ………………………………………………….
Travelling ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Public Transportation…………………………………………………………………………
UNIT 6EACH MAN IS A CREATOR OF A TEMPLE CALLED HUMAN BODY ……...
Each Man Is a Creator of a Temple Called Human Body …………………………….
How to Improve Your Mental Health …………………………………………………
UNIT 7 AT THE DOCTOR’S ……………………………………………………………….
At the Doctor’s ……………………………………………………………………….
Health Is the Greatest Wealth ……………………………………………………….
PART II………………………………………………………………………………………
Describing People ………………………………………………………………………
Family Relations ………………………………………………………………………
English Courses ……………………………………………………………………….
Asking the Way ……………………………………………………………………….
Taxi! Taxi!…………………………………………………………………………….
Seeing the Doctor ……………………………………………………………………..
A Terrible Stomachache ……………………………………………………………..
Литература……………………………………………………………………...