Talking about art, music and politics

- You are fond of art, aren’t you?

- Yes, I am. I am not very good at painting but I try to go to every art

exhibition. Besides, I’ve read a lot about Russian painters.

- Do you collect books on painting?

- I wouldn’t say so. I’ve several books on art, but in general I borrow

books from our libraries. Are you fond of art?

- Yes, I am. Besides, I like music, or to be more exact classical music.

- Who is your favourite composer?

- I like Chaikovsky, Rakhmaninov, Mussorgsky…

- I appreciate your taste. Modest Mussorgsky depicted the most tragic

events of Russian history in his operas. Take his opera “Boris Godunov”…

- Don’t you think that Mussorgsky and Andrey Tarkovsky have very much

in common?

- That’s exactly what I mean. Their talents match.

* * *

- What are you reading? What’s the title of the book?

- It’s “A Farewell to Arms” by Hemingway.

- What do you think of it?

- As a matter of fact Hemingway is one of my favourite writers. I have read all of his novels and stories in Russian. Now I am reading the book in the original.

- Any language problems?

- Sometimes I’ve got to look up some words in the dictionary. That’s all.

frankly speaking Ernest Hemingway is not among my favourite writers. I prefer

detective stories.

- Tastes differ.

Talking politics

- When I was looking through the paper the other day, I came across a very interesting article dealing with the development of cultural relations between this country and Great Britain.

- I’d like to read it too. Where was it published?

- Let me think… I believe it was in The Independentof June 3, …

I’ll give you a copy of it.

- Do please.

* * *

- What does the article deal with?

- It’s devoted to the latest achievements in science and technology.

* * *

- Anything new about the negotiations in today’s papers?

- Nothing much. No agreement has been reached so far.

* * *

- Does the newspaper comment on the coming election in the USA?

- It carries an article which says that the Democratic/the Republican

candidate addressed a big rally in…

* * *

- As is reported from … over ten thousand transport workers went on

strike in … last week.

Invitation

- Are you doing anything special on Saturday night?

- No, I don’t think so. Why?

- Well’ I’m having a little party and I’d like you to come.

- Thank you. That would be very nice. What time?

- Half past seven.

- Fine. I’ll see you then.

ПРИЛОЖЕНИЯ 2

CONVERSATIONAL FORMULAS

Expressing and finding out intellectual and emotional attitudes.

- expressing one’s opinion:

-I think…

-I feel that…

-As far as I’m concerned….

- asking for someone’s opinion:

-Do you think that…?

-What do you feel/think about…?

-Are you sure that…

- giving reasons:

-I think … is right because…

- … That’s why I feel that …

-… and so I think that…

- asking for reasons:

-Why?

-Why do you think that…?

-What makes you feel that…?

- defending one’s opinion:

-Yes, but what I really mean is …

-What I am trying to say is …

-On the contrary, I …

-What you said is really an argument for my point of view.

I feel …

- agreeing / supporting other people’s opinions:

-That’s what I feel, too.

-I think so, too.

-Exactly.

-I (fully) agree with you.

-X put it very well.

-I feel that X is right.

-X raised some good points.

-O.K.

- disagreeing / contradicting other people’s opinions:

-I don’t agree.

-I don’t think so.

-That’s not …

-You can’t say that.

-That’s no proof.

-That’s not the point / question / problem…

-But surely…

-Oh, no…

- stating whether something is right or wrong

-True.

-That’s right.

-That’s it exactly.

-Wrong.

-That isn’t right.

-Absolutely not.

- expressing certainty and uncertainty, probability and possibility

-Yes, that`s right.

-I’m absolutely certain that…

-I’m sure that…

-There is definitely…

-There may be…

-Perhaps…

-…might…

-I’m not at all sure if…

-… could be …

-I don’t think that…

-… is not very likely.

-That could /may /might happen.

-… is not possible.

- making comparisons

-… is not as … as …

-… are as … as …

-… is a much more important … than …

-… are less important than …

-There are far fewer /not as many arguments for …

as against…

-You can’t compare … with …

-You have to compare … with …

- expressing interest or indifference

-I’m interested in …

-I’d like to know more about …

-I’d like to do something on …

-… sounds interesting.

-… doesn’t interest me.

-I don’t care.

-What a boring topic.

- expressing likes and dislikes

-I love /I like…

-…is great /very good /fun /fantastic.

-I enjoy …

-What I like best is …

-I hate /dislike …

-What I don’t like about … is …

- stating preferences

-I’d rather…

-I prefer … to …

-I’d much rather … than …

- expressing intentions

-I’m going to…

-In 10 years’ time I’ll…

-When I’m twenty I’ll…

-I want to…

-I intend to …

- expressing doubts

-I can’t say if…

-I have my doubts about it.

-Do you think that …? I doubt it.

-It’s very doubtful whether…

-You haven’t convinced me yet.

-You may have a point there, but I’m still not sure…

- expressing personal insights

-I learnt that…

-I became clear that / obvious that…

-I realized that…

-I found out about…

ПРИЛОЖЕНИЯ 3