Unit ii: our university

Английский язык

Методические указания

по устным экзаменационным темам для студентов I курса

Самара 2006

Составители: Е.В. Шипанова, Э.Р. Хафиятуллина

Методические указания по устным экзаменационным темам для студентов I курса всех специальностей (английский язык)/Сост.: Е.В. Шипанова, Э.Р. Хафиятуллина; Самарск. Гос. арх.-строит. ун-т. Самара,2006.

Данные методические указания по английскому языку предназначены для студентов I курса всех специальностей и содержат тематические разделы для отработки устных экзаменационных тем. Пособие содержит список слов и словосочетаний, комплекс упражнений и диалогов.

Предназначена для студентов I курса всех специальностей

Рецензент: доктор филологических наук, профессор Е.Г. Вышкин

Unit I: MY FAMILY

TEXT A

Vocabulary

good-looking-красивый, миловидный to go in for smth-заниматься чем-либо

slim-стройный opinion-мнение

experienced-опытный, со стажем upbringing-воспитание

to take care of smb- заботиться о ком-либо broad-shouldered -широкоплечий she is good at cookingона хорошо готовит to play the guitar-играть на гитаре she is clever with her hands-у нее умелые руки to repair -чинить, исправлять to tidy -убирать, приводить в порядокtwins- близнецы

pensioner- пенсионер to run the house - вести хозяйство

to take to pieces-разбирать на части to knit - вязать

to manage -суметь, справиться, ухитриться accountant -бухгалтер

wheels and screws -колесики и винтики scientist - ученый

to fix -чинить, исправлять vacuum cleaner -пылесос nursery school -детский сад washing machine-стиральная машина сosmonaut -космонавт fridge -холодильник

in pieces-разобранный на части views on smth-взгляды на …

fair-haired-светловолосый even-tempered - уравновешенный

to have much in common-иметь много общего horror film-фильм ужасов

and what not-и так далее, и тому подобное

to be fond of smth-увлекаться чем-либo

to be deeply attached to smb- быть сильно привязанным к кому-либо

to be in good mood - быть в хорошем настроении

to get on well - быть в хороших отношениях, ладить друг с другом

to take after- быть похожим, пойти в кого-либо из родителей

“soap opera”-“мыльная опера ”, многосерийная мелодрама

to be handy with smth -уметь делать что-либо, быть искусным в чем-либо

MY FAMILY

I am Alex Sidorov. Alex is my first name and Sidorov is my surname. I am seventeen years old. I want to tell you a few words about my family. My family is large. I’ve got a mother, a father, a sister, a brother and a grandmother. We are six in the family.

My mother is a teacher of biology. She works in a college. She likes her profession. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair and green eyes. She is forty-four but she looks much younger. She is tall and slim.

My father is a computer programmer. He is very experienced. He is a broad-shouldered, tall man with fair hair and grey eyes. He is forty-six. My father often sings and when we are at home and have some free time, I play the guitar and we sing together. My father knows all about new radio sets and likes to repair old ones. He is also handy with many things. When he was small, he liked to take everything to pieces. My grandmother told me a story that once my father tried to “repair” their kitchen clock. He managed to put all the wheels and screws back again – but the clock did not work. They had to give it to a repairman. But that happened a long time ago. Now he can fix almost everything: a vacuum cleaner, a washing machine, a fridge and what not. He’s got a few shelves where he keeps everything he needs. On the table there’s always a radio in pieces.

My parents have been married for twenty-six years. They have much in common, but they have different views on music, books and films. For example, my father likes horror films and my mother likes “soap operas”. My father is fond of tennis. My mother isn’t interested in sports. But my parents have the same opinion about my education and upbringing.

My parents are hard-working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of me and my father. She is very good at cooking and she is very clever with her hands. She is very practical. My father and I try to help her with the housework. I wash the dishes, go shopping and tidy our flat.

My grandmother is a pensioner. She lives with us and helps to run the house. She is fond of knitting.

My sister Helen is twenty-five. She is married and has a family of her own. She works as an accountant for a small business company. Her husband is a scientist. They’ve got twins: a daughter and a son. They go to a nursery school.

My brother Boris is eleven. He is a school-boy. He wants to become a doctor but he is not sure yet. Three months ago he dreamed of being a cosmonaut.

I think I take after my father. I’m tall, fair-haired and even-tempered. I always try to be in good mood. I am a first year student. This year I have entered Samara University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. I am interested in general engineering subjects. I like maths, chemistry, computer engineering, physics.

We’ve got a lot of relatives. We are deeply attached to each other and we get on very well.

Exercise I

Answer the questions:

1.What is your first name? What is your surname?

2.How old are you?

3.When is your birthday?

4.Is your family large? How many are you in the family?

5.Have you got any brothers or sisters?

6.What are your parents? Where do they work?

7.How long have your parents been married?

8.Do they have much in common?

9.Do you spend a lot of time with your family?

10.What sort of things do you do together?

11.Do you go out with your parents?

12.Who runs the house in your family?

13.What are your household duties?

14.What is your father’s hobby?

15.Can you describe your mother?

Exercise II

Read the dialogue and translate it:

-Hello, Ann!

-Hello, Kate! Haven’t seen you for ages! Meet my fellow student Lena.

-How do you do! Glad to meet you, Lena. Are you from St.Petersburg?

-No, I’m from Moscow. My family lives there too.

-Do you live in the hall of residence or rent a room?

-Neither. I live at my sister’s. She has a nice three-room flat not far from the center of the city.

-You are lucky. Is your sister married?

-Oh, yes. She is married and has a daughter already.

-What is her husband?

-He is a manager.

-And is your sister also a manager?

-Oh, no, she is a teacher of English.

-Do your like St.Petersburg, Kate?

-Yes, I do. All members of my family live in St.Petersburg.

-And is your family large?

-Rather. We are five: my parents, a grandmother, my younger brother and me.

-Does your grandmother work?

-No, she is a retired pensioner. She is in her late sixties. But she does a lot of housework.

-Is your brother still at school?

-Yes, he is. He is leaving school this year. He is seventeen.

-What is he going to be?

-His dream is to be an actor. He is a great theatre-lover.

Exercise III

You want to know something about your groupmates. Think of the questions you would like to ask them (their family, native town, favorite subjects at school and at the institute, hobbies, sports, TV, cinema, books, friends, future plans, etc.) Make up a dialogue in pairs.

TEXT B

THE AMERICAN FAMILY

Belonging to a family is one bond almost everyone in the world shares, but family patterns vary from country to country. The United States has many different types of families. While most American families are traditional, comprising a father, mother and one or more children, 22.5 percent of all American families in 2001 were headed by one parent, usually a woman. In a few families in the United States, there are no children. These childless couples may believe that they would not make good parents; they may want freedom from the responsibilities of child-rearing; or, perhaps they are not physically able to have children. Other families in the United States have one adult who is a stepparent. A stepmother or stepfather is a person who joins a family by marrying a father or mother.

Americans tolerate and accept these different types of families. In the United States, people have the right to privacy and Americans do not believe in telling other Americans what type of family group they must belong to. They respect each other's choices regarding family groups.

Families are very important to Americans. One sign that this is true is that Americans show great concern about the family as an institution. Many Americans believe there are too many divorces. They worry that teenagers are not obeying their parents. They are concerned about whether working women can properly care for their children.

Families give Americans a sense of belonging and a sense of tradition. Families give Americans strength and purpose.

Families serve many functions. They provide a setting in which children can be born and reared. Families help educate their members. Parents teach their children values - what they think is important. They teach their children daily skills, such as how to ride a bicycle. They also teach them common practices and customs, such as respect for elders and celebrating holidays. The most important job for a family is to give emotional support and security.

Exercise I

Answer the following questions:

1. What types of families are there in the USA?

2. What is the attitude of Americans to the types of family groups?

3. Why is a family important to Americans?

4. Why do some couples prefer to be childless?

5. What sense do families give to Americans?

6. What functions do families serve?

7. What is the most important job for a family?

Exercise II

Put all types of questions to the text.

Exercise III

Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:

Family patterns, childless couples, responsibility of child-rearing, stepparent, the right to privacy, a sense of tradition, to earn money, emotional, support and security, family groups, to obey the parents, daily skills, good relationship, to teach daily skills, respect for elders, emotional support, concern about the family as an institution.

Exercise IV

Give English equivalents to the following word combinations:

Бездетные пары, типичная американская семья, воспитание ребенка, освободиться от ответственности, отчим, стать хорошими родителями, мачеха, право на личную жизнь, повиноваться родителям, выполнять много функций, уважение к старшим, моральная поддержка, забота.

Exercise V

Make up your own topic “ABOUT MY FAMILY AND MYSELF”.

UNIT II: OUR UNIVERSITY

TEXT A

Vocabulary

highly-qualified – высоко-квалифицированный tutorials – занятия с преподавателем

state supported - государственный to attend - посещать

to аdmit (into) - принимать post-graduate courses - аспирантура

to study (at) - учиться faculty- факультет to provide - обеспечивать to offer - предлагать

elements of machines - детали машин leisure - досуг

town planning - градостроительство to acquire - приобретать

well-equipped – хорошо оснащенный science and engineering – наука и техника