Studies of written english

П

This time you will learn more about the smallest thought units that build up writing, beginning with a paragraph and how they work within the paragraph.

Key-wordsare main words in the passage that help to emphasize the main point and understand the subject you are writing about. That is why key-words are the first elements to choose when setting your mind on writing on a certain subject and there are different ways to use them in a paragraph: repeating them, using synonyms, bringing them in close semantic relation.

E. g. "He read the letter slowly and carefully. It was not the kind of case he wanted, it was not the kind of case he had promised himself. It was not in any sense an important case..." (From "The Nemean Lion" by A. Christie). Hercule Poirot, the famous detective of A. Christie's had been dreaming of an unusual case. That one about the kidnapping of a dog was a disappointment. It was not a proper case for him.

The central thought of the paragraph is emphasized by repeating the key-word, otherwise echo-word.

Assignments:

1. Go over the test "A Day's Wait" and pick out the key-words and phrases that indicate the topic: of illness and treatment. Arrange them into three groups according to the ways that are commonly used to point out the central thought. Which isthe largest group and why?

2. Prepare a list of key-words end phrases before writing a paragraph: a) describing how the poor boy looked before the doctor саше; b) telling a story of his recovery; c) arguing about the turning point in his illness; d) explaining the difference between miles and kilometers, between the Fahrenheit thermometer and the Centigrade thermometer.

LABORATORY EXERCISES (II)

1. a) listen to the text "A Victim to One Hundred and Seven Fatal Maladies", mark the stresses and tunes, b) Repeat the test following; the model.

2. Listen to the dialogue "A Visit to the Doctor". Repeat the text in the interval and record your version. Compare your version with the original and correct your mistakes.

3. Respond to the following suggestions. Begin your sentences with "Hadn't we (he) better.."?

4. Extend the statements. Begin your sentences with "It's time you (he, etc.)" + a verb in the Past Subjunctive.

Write a dictation. Check the spelling using a dictionary.

Translate the given sentences into English. Check them with the key.

7. Listen to the text "Doctor Sally" or some other text on the topic. Get ready to act it out in class.

CURIOSITY QUIZ FOR EAGERS

Crossword Puzzle

Across

1. Stop a hole in a tooth with cement, etc. 3. Seize something with the teeth (also cause a sharp pain). 11. Fill a hole in a tooth with cement, etc. 13. Fibers (волокна) connecting the brain with all other parts of the body and carrying feelings to the brain. 14. Let out the air suddenly through the nose and the mouth (usu. when having a cold). 18. An instrument for measuring temperature. 19. A kind of medicine having good effects on the body. 23. The middle joint of the leg where the leg bends. 25. A hollow in the lungs (каверна). 27. A person who practises medicine and treats people. 28. The drink made by pouring boiling water on dried leaves bearing the same name, often used as a tonic. 29. A coloured liquid used for writing with a pen. 30. Take one's clothes off. 31. Come into two or more parts; crack a bone, joint.

Down

2. Breathing organs found in man and animal. 3. Take air into the body and send it out. 4. Exist. 5. The degree of heat or cold in the air, water, body, etc. 6. Be still, relax after work, efforts, etc. 7. Small spots (red or pink) close together on the skin (usu. a symptom of a disease). 8. Difficulty in digesting food. 9. Be aware through the senses. 10. A catching disease marked by fever and small spots that cover the whole body (common among children). 12. Give medical care to people in order to cure them. 15. A high temperature. 16. The red liquid in the body. 17. The regular beating of the arteries as the blood is forced along them. 20. An open sore (язва, нарыв) on internal organs. 21. A special choice of food ordered by a doctor. 22. Ill, unwell. 24. A person specially trained to look after sick people. 26. A short sleep. 27. Not clearly seen.

UNIT THREE

SPEECH PATTERNS

1.You like the way they work.

Ilike the way the doctor treats the child. Do you like the way she wears her hat? I don't like the way you speak to me. The teacher didn't like the way the children behaved in class.

2.It is always interesting for tourists to take a trip along the Thames in a boat.

It was difficult for the students to make notes of his lecture.

It will be convenient for you to live in our hostel.

It would be useful for him to give up smoking.

It would have been natural for the sick man to fall asleep after the injection.

EXERCISES

I. Say whether you like or dislike the way:

1. the doctor treated the boy (in the story "A Day's Wait");

2. the boy behaved during his illness;

3. Hemingway described the boy's mood;

4. you spent your summer holidays;

5. the students of your group work at their English;

6. you were taught English at school;

7. women dress nowadays;

8. the girls in your group dress their hair.

II. Fill in missing adjectives + preposition:

1. Will it be......everybody to have our meeting after the lessons? I believe so, but I don't know if it will be......our teacher. 2. Would it be......the second-year students to read English newspapers? If you mean papers published in Britain I think it would be......them so far. 3. Which is more......a student: to read or to speak English well? If the student is going to become a teacher, it's equally ... ... him or her both to read and speak well. 4. Do you think it would be......students with bad spelling to copy English texts? It might be......them, of course, but to tell you the truth it's a very tiresome job. 5. Will it be.......students to take part in the phonetic contest at our department? Of course. It will be ......first-year students as it will give them a good chance to brush up their pronunciation.

III. Translate these sentences into English:

1. Ей будет легко подружиться с детьми — им нравится, как она с ними играет. 2, Мне было бы интересно принять участие в экскурсии, если бы я был помоложе. 3. Мне не нравится, как ты читаешь, тебе надо уделять больше внимания чтению вслух. 4. Я считаю, вам необходимо посоветоваться с врачом по поводу головной боли. 5. Мне не нравится, как эта медсестра делает уколы. 6. Первокурсникам будет интересно узнать об истории и традициях нашего института.

IV. Make up micro-dialogues using Speech Patterns 1—2:

Model: — Why didn't you come to N's recital yesterday? I liked the way he played.

— I'd have come if I were a musician as you are. But it's difficult for me to understand serious music, I prefer jazz.

TEXT. INTRODUCING LONDON

London is an ancient city. It grew up around the first point where the Roman invaders found the Thames narrow enough to build a bridge. They found a small Celtic settlement then known as Londinium and by A. D. 300 they had turned it into a sizeable port and an important trading centre with a wall which enclosed the homes of about 50,000 people.

One in seven of the population of the United Kingdom is a Londoner. About 7 million people live in Greater London. London dominates British life. It is the home of the nation's commerce and finance, the main centre of its legal system and the press. It has the largest university and the greatest possibilities for entertainment and for sport in the country. London is one of the famous capital cities of the world, and every year attracts crowds of visitors from home and abroad. They come to explore its historic buildings, to see its museums and galleries, its streets and parks, and its people.

The built-up area of Greater London stretches 50 kilometres from east to west and many of its districts are linked with particular activities, for example, parliamentary and government activity centres on Parliament Square of Westminster and Whitehall. Just as "Westminster" stands for Parliament so "Whitehall" is often used as the name for central Government.

Off Whitehall in a small side-street Downing Street — is a quiet, unimpressive house — No. 10 — the official home of Prime Minister.

Just as Wall Street in New York is the centre of commerce and finance so the City of London, sometimes called "the square mile" is the centre for money matters. Here in Threadneedle Street is the Bank of England — sometimes called "The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street" — the central banking institution whose pound notes form the main currency in the country. Fleet Street near St. Paul's Cathedral used to be a busy street full of foreign, provincial and London newspaper offices such as The Daily Express, The Daily Telegraph.

Though most of the British national newspaper offices have moved to Wapping, an area in East London, the name of Fleet Street is still used to describe the newspaper industry.

In South Kensington there are several large museums. The Victoria and Albert Museum with a magnificent collection of fine and applied arts also includes a wide-ranging display of ceramics, metalwork and a selection of Constable's masterpieces which are well worth seeing. The Natural History Museum contains plants, animals and minerals. The Hall of Human Biology enables visitors to learn about their bodies and the way they work. Exhibits in the Science Museum display the discovery and development of such inventions as the steam engine, photography, glass-making, printing and atomic physics. There is a gallery where children can experiment with working models. The Museum of London in the City presents the biography of London, from the founding of London by Romans to the Greater London of today. Within a sguare kilometre or so in London's theatre-land are over thirty theatres, showing a large range of old and modem plays. Smaller "fringe" theatres perform in clubs, pubs and at lunch time.

London is full of parks and green spaces. Hyde Park, originally a royal hunting forest, is the largest park in London. In summer the Serpentine canal which flows through the park is always full of swimmers, rowers and sunbathers. Just south of the Serpentine is. Rotten Row, a fashionable spot for horse-riding, and in one corner, near Marble Arch is Speakers' Comer; where everyone can go and air their views to anyone who will listen. Beyond Hyde Park lies another royal park, Kensington Gardens. Children gather by the statue of Peter Pan, James Barrie's well-known storybook character, or sail their model boats on the Round Pond. In the north of London is Regent's Park with a zoo and an open-air theatre. A trip along Regent's Canal in a riverboat gives a chance to see London Little Venice, a quiet countryside area for rich people only as the land here is very expensive.

Like many capital cities, London grew up along a major river. The Thames divides London sharply in two. Most of central London is on the north bank of the river. The Thames at London is tidal and there have been several serious floods. The risk of this is increasing as southern England is sinking in relation to sea level. Threat of disaster, however, has been lessened by the construction of a flood barrier.

It is always interesting for tourists to take a trip along the Thames in a boat as it gives a striking panorama of London. The best way to see the city quickly is from the top of London red double-decker buses. Special tourist buses go on two-hour circular tours. The other quick and easy way of getting around London is by "tube" — the Underground railway. During the "rash hours", when office workers hurry to and from work, the tube train doors can hardly close behind the crushed crowds.

London is an ancient city. But it is also a living city and like all living cities it is constantly developing.

VOCABULARY NOTES

1. historic adj исторический (имеющий историческое значение, вошедший в историю), е.g. historic place, date, speech, event, battle, etc. 1812 was a historic year for Russian people.

historical adj исторический (связанный с историей, имеющий отношение к истории), е.g. historical materialism, science, principles, method, approach (to); historical novel, picture, play, film; historical department, museum, etc.

history n история, е.g. the history of our country, the history of the language; a history lesson; the History Museum.

Note 1:In names of academic subjects no article is used, е.g. History of the English language is a difficult subject

Note2: The Russian word история has several English equivalents: а) история (ход развития чего-л.) — history, е.g. This town has an interesting history.; b) рассказ, повествование — story, е.g. Idon't like stories of such kind. He told us the story of his whole life.; с) происшествие — event, е.g. Tell us something about this strange event. But: A funny thing happened to him. (С ним произошла забавная история.) There's a pretty kettle of fish! (Вот так история!)

2. worth n ценность, е.g. It's a discovery of great worth. This information is of no worth.

worth adj predic стоящий; worth smth., е.g. This picture is not worth the money you've paid for it. This problem is not worth our attention. This job is not worth the time we've spent on it.; worth doing smth., е.g. This film is worth seeing. Books of that kind are not worth reading. This problem isn't worth discussing. His illness is hardly worth troubling about.; worth while, е.g. It isn't worth while seeing the film. It isn't worth while sitting here till 5 o'clock. It is worth while trying to catch the train, I think it's worth while speaking to him about it. Cf.: This book is worth reading. — It is worth while reading this book.

worthyadj достойный, е.g. She is a very worthy woman.; to be worthy of smth.,smb., е.g. His behaviour is worthy of great praise.

unworthy adj недостойный

3. masterpiece n шедевр

piece n 1. кусок, ps a piece of chalk (wood, paper, etc.)

Syn. lump, slice. A slice is a thin, flat piece cut off from anything, as a slice of bread (cheese, lemon, ham, etc.). A lumpis a small specially shaped or shapeless piece, as a lump of sugar (butter, etc.).

to piecesна куски, е.g. The cup fell and was broken to pieces.

2. отдельный предмет, часть, е.g. a piece of furniture; a, piece of poetry (стихотворение); a piece of painting (картина); a piece of advice (совет); apiece of news (новость);

3. монета, е.g. a two-shilling piece, a gold (silver) piece

Syn. coin (used more often than piece)

4. human adj человеческий, свойственный человеку, е.g. a human nature, the human body, human affairs, a human being (человек); hu'maneadj гуманный, человечный

Ant. cruel

inhuman adj бесчеловечный, as inhuman treatment

humanity n (uncountable) 1. человечество, as a crime against humanity

Syn. man'kindn (uncounfable). But 'mankindмужчины, мужской пол

2. гуманность, человечность, as to treat people with humanity

the Humanitiesгуманитарные науки; syn. the Arts, е.g. Are you interested in the Humanities (the Arts) or in the Exact Sciences (естественные науки) ?

5. to strike (struck, struck)υt 1. ударяться, бить; to strike smb., to strike smb. (smth.) on smth. е.g. He struck the boy a violent blow. The man struck Lanny on the face. He struck his fist on the table.

Syn. to hit (hit, hit), е.g. Why did he hit the boy?; to hit one's hand (foot, head, etc.) on smth., е.g. I hit my head on the low shelf.

Note: strikeand hit may be used in the same sense — to strike or to hit smb. — but care should be taken to use the proper verb m traditional word combinations such as to strike a matchчиркнуть спичкой, e, д. Somebody struck a match so that we couid see each other.

2. бить (о часах), е.g. It has just struck half past four. This tower clock strikes the hours.

3. поражать, удивлять, а д. We were struck by bis strange behaviour. It struck me that he had grown so old. Many things might strike us as unusual in a foreign country.

Syn. to surprise, to astonish, to puzzle

Nоte: to be struck means "to be filled suddenly with a strong feeling of surprise". That distinguishes the verb to strike from its synonyms to astonishand to surprise; to astonishis stronger in meaning than to surprise, е.g. I shouldn't be surprised if it rained. I'm not surprised at seeing you here, I've been told about your arrival. I was astonished at seeing him so changed. I was struck by his sudden death.; to puzzlemeans "to make a person think hard before finding an answer", e.g. His letter puzzled me. (= I didn't know why he had written it)

striking adj, as striking likeness (news, contrast) stricken pp. terror-stricken; horror-stricken; panic-stricken

Note: the verb to strike has homonyms: a) strike υi бастовать, b) strike n забастовка, е.g. All the railway workers joined the strike.; to go on strikeобъявлять забастовку

6. circular adj круглый, круговой, е.g. There is a circular railway running round Moscow. A circular staircase led to the top of the tower.

circulate υ 1. циркулировать, е.g. Blood circulates in the body.; 2. передаваться, распространяться, е.g. Bad news circulates quickly.

circulation n 1. циркуляция, е.g. The circulation of air is rather bad here, that's why it is stuffy.; 2. распространение, обращение (денежное), е.g. Only silver and copper coins are in circulation now.

blood-circulationn кровообращение

circle n 1. круг, окружность, е.g. It's almost impossible to draw a circle without a pair of compasses (без циркуля).; 2. группа, круг людей, е.g. Не belonged to the business circle of the town.

NOTES ON HOMONYMS

Homonyms are words that coincide in form, but have different meanings and. may (or may not) belong to different categories or parts of speech. Homonyms may coincide both in phonetic and in graphic form, as ball, n (мяч) and ball, n (бал) or fair, adj (светлый, справедливый и др. знач.) and fair, n (ярмарка). They may coincide only in pronunciation, but have different graphic forms, as sea, n and to see, v. They may coincide in spelling, but be differently pronounced, as lead [led] n (свинец) and to lead [li:d] υ (вести).

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY (I)

Words

ancient adj finance n piece n

astonish υ flood n possibility n

built-up adj historic adj pound n

circle n historical adj puzzle υ

circular adj human adj sea level

circulation n humanity n settlement n

coin n (the) Humanities slice n

commerce n lump n stretch υ

currency n mankind n strike υ

double-decker n masterpiece n striking adj

entertainment n Parliament n traffic n

exhibit υ parliamentary adj worth n, adj

worthy adj

Word Combinations

to break to pieces to go on a tour to turn smth. into smth.

a panorama (view) of to have a possibility for to be a surprise to

to stand for smth. to strike a match to be worthy of smth.

to strike a blow a piece of advice to go on strike

fine and applied arts to be a surprise to smb. to take a trip

Proper Names

Roman the Victoria and Albeit Museum

the Thames Constable

Londinium the Natural History Museum

Westminster the Science Museum

Whitehall the Museum of London

Downing Street Hyde Park

Fleet Street the Serpentine

St. Paul's Cathedral Marble Arch

South Kensington Kensington Gardens

Regent's Park

EXERCISES

1. Read the text and talk as the following points(A. Grammar, B. Word usage, С. Word-formation):

A. 1. What tense group is mainly used in the text and why?

2. Find passive voice constructions and translate the sentences with them.

B. Translate the sentences beginning with just as ... sointo Russian.

C. Search the text for compounds, comment on their structure. Find derivatives with the suffixes -ment, -er, -lyand classify them according to the category of speech.

II. a) Search tee text and the footnotes for the English equivalents of the sentences and phrases listed below:

A.1. превратить маленькое кельтское поселение в крупный торговый город; 2. иметь возможности для развлечений и занятий спортом; 3. музей стоит осмотреть; 4. великолепное собрание произведений изобразительного и прикладного искусства; 5. совершить прогулку на речном трамвае по Темзе; 6. обозначать, подразумевать; 7. открывается панорама города.

B.1. солидные, «серьезные» газеты; 2. сообщения о событиях внутри страны и за рубежом; 3. спортивные новости; 4. сплетни, не представляющие интереса; 5. перейти на десятичную денежную систему; б. монета в 50 пенсов.