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(Oral Topics)

ST FRIENDS

Friendship plays a very important role in our life. People usually make friends when they go to the same school, work together or live nearby. It's difficult to ex­plain how two quite different persons make friends. You can have a lot of acquaintances but only a few true friends. It depends on many things. Among them are age, social status, mutual interests and sometimes personal qualities. It is easier to make friends with persons who are much alike you, though sometimes these factors are of no importance.

Now I want to tell you about people whom I consider to be my friends. One of them is Nick. He is an old friend of mine. We went to the first form together because he lived next door to me. Now he is a tall young man with dark hair, blue eyes and oval face. He is rather strong and well-built because he is a sportsman. He played vol­leyball well in our school team.

He is going to enter the Mathematical faculty of the University this year. He was always strong in mathemat­ics and he helped me very often with my home tasks. I think he will be able to pass his entrance examinations and become a student.

My another best friend is Marina. She is a very pretty girl. She has big blue eyes, fair hair and a nice smile. She isa schoolgirl now. She studies well and she wants to be­come a doctor. She will try to enter the Medical Institute next year and I hope her first attempt will be successful. I'm sure she will make a good doctor.

I often meet my friends. We talk about our school life and our schoolmates. I like to spend my free time with my friends.

Words

friendship — дружба

important— важный

same— тот же

nearby— поблизости

difficult— трудно

to explain— объяснять

quite— совсем, почти

a lot of— много

anacquaintance — знакомый

true— настоящий

to depend on— зависеть от

among— среди

age — возраст

social status— социальное положение

mutual— общий

person— лицо, человек

alike— похожий

though — хотя

factor — фактор

importance— важность

to consider— считать

tall— высокий

rather— довольно

to enter— поступать I attempt— попытка I successful— успешный

Questions

1. How important is friendship in our life?

2. When do people usually make friends?

3. What does true friendship depend on?

4. How did you get acquainted with your friends?

5. How does your friend look like?

6. Do you think that the appearance of your friend plays an important role in friendship?

7. How often do you meet with your friends?

8. Do you have any classmates whom you consider to be your friends?

SPORTS

Sport is very popular among people in all the coun­tries of the world. Sport makes people healthy, keeps them fit, more organised and better disciplined. It unites people of different classes and nationalities. Many peo­ple do sports on their personal initiative. They go in for skiing, skating, table tennis, swimming, volleyball, foot­ball, basketball, body-building etc.

All necessary facilities are provided for them: stadi­ums, sport swimming-pools, skating-rinks, football fields. But, of course, one have to pay for these services.

Sport is paid much attention to in our schools and colleges. Physical training is a compulsory subject. Dif­ferent sports and games are popular with my class­mates. All my friends go in for different kinds of sport, such as water sports (that is swimming, sailing, row­ing), gymnastics, horse-racing, wrestling, fencing, weightlifting, boxing, football, basketball, volleyball, etc.

Physical training lessons at our college are held out-of-doors In summer. When it is cold outside the lessons are held indoors in our college gymnasium.

Professional sport is also paid much attention to in our country. In the city where I live, there are different sport societies, clubs and sport schools. Practically all kinds of sports are popular in our country, but gymnas­tics and tennis enjoy the greatest popularity.

The most popular kinds of sports in the United States are baseball, basketball and American football. In Eng­land popular kinds of sports are golf and rugby. English­men like football too. It is their national kind of sports.

Words

all over the world — во всем мире

to be fond of — зд. любить

healthy — здоровый

to be fit — быть в форме

personal initiative '■— личная инициатива

skiing — лыжный спорт

skating — коньки

body-building — культуризм

facilities — помещения, оборудование

swimming-pool — плавательный бассейн

skating-rink — каток

attention — внимание

compulsory — обязательный

sailing — парусный спорт

rowing — гребля

wrestling — борьба

fencing — фехтование

weightlifting — штанга

out-of-doors — на воздухе

indoors — в помещении

sport societies — спортивные общества

Questions

1. Why do people all over the world are fond of sports and games?

2. What are summer sports and what are winter sports?

3. What kind of sports are popular with your friends?

4. Do you have to pay for sports facilities, such as sta­diums, swimming pools and tennis courts?

5. What can you say about physical training lessons at your college?

6. What kinds of sport are most popular in our coun­try?

7. What are the sports organisations in our country?

8. What are the most popular kinds of sport in Amer­ica and England? What other American or English kinds sports do you know?

10. Are American football and baseball popular inRussia? Why and why not?

TRAVELLING

Almost all people are fond of travelling. It is very in­teresting to see new places, another towns and countries. People may travel either for pleasure or on business. There are various means of travelling. As for me there is nothing like travelling by air; it is more comfortable, more convenient and, of course, far quicker than any oth­er means of travelling. There is no dust and dirt of a rail­way or car journey or troubles with changing from one train to another train.

With a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined. From the comfortable seat of a railway car­riage you have a splendid view of the whole country-side. If you are hungry, you can have a meal in the dining-car; and if a journey is a long one you can have a comfortable bed in a sleeper.

Travelling by ship is not very popular now. That is because it has become very expensive and not many peo­ple can afford it. Bu it is very pleasant to feel the deck of the ship under your feet, to see the rise and fall of the waves, to feel the fresh sea wind blowing in the face.

Many people like to travel by car. It is interesting too, because you can see many places in a short time, you can stop when and where you like, you do not have to buy tickets or carry your heavy suitcases.

Words

to be fond of— любить что-либо

means of travelling— способы путешествия

far quicker— гораздо быстрее

dust— пыль

dirt —грязь

trouble— беда, неприятность

combined— соединенный с чем-либо

Splendid — великолепный

country-side— сельская местность

sleeper— спальный вагон