LIFE in the COUNTRY or in the CITY

1. Let’s talk about different types of houses. Tell me about the house/flat you live in. We have a nice flat in a new block of flats. Our flat is on the fourth floor. It has all modern conveniences: central heating, gas, electricity, cold and hot running water, a lift and a chute to carry rubbish down. There are three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hall in our flat. The living-room is the largest and most comfortable room in the flat. In the middle of the room we have a square-table with six chairs round it. To the right of the dinner-table there is a wall-unit which has several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and some shelves. Between the two large windows there is a little table with a colour TV set on it. A small round table, a sofa and a standard lamp are in the left-hand corner.

The bedroom is smaller than the living-room and not so light as there is only one window in it. In this room there are two beds with a bedside-table between them. An alarm-clock and a small lamp with a pink lamp-shade are on the table. In the left-hand corner there is a dressing-table with a big mirror. In this room we have a built-in wardrobe with coat-hangers to hang clothes on.

It’s really wonderful to have a room for yourself. My room is not large but very cosy. There isn’t much furniture in it, only the most necessary. It has a writing-table and an armchair before it. In the right-hand corner there is a bookcase full of books, magazines and newspapers. A small table with a tape-recorder is standing in the left-hand corner. In my opinion, the study is the best room in our flat. But the warmest place in our flat is the kitchen, I think — the place where the whole family gathers every evening not only to have supper together, but also to speak and rest. I like the English proverb: “My home is my castle” because my flat is, indeed, my castle.

2. Where would you like to live: in a city or in the country? Why (not)? I would like to live in the city. I got used to have all modern appliances in my flat, it’s more comfortable than living in the country.

3. What questions will you ask your parents about the flat/house your family is going to move into? How many rooms are there in that house? Will I have my own room? Has that house all modern conveniences: central heating, gas, electricity, cold and hot running water?

4. Your friend wants to decorate his/her room. Give him/her some advice on how to furnish it? I wouldn’t recommend to overcrowd the room with the furniture. There should be everything that is necessary. In this case you’ll have enough space and air in your room. Besides it’s easier to clean such rooms. But the most important thing about the design of any room is to make it cosy.

5. They say that the room in which you live reflects you character and personality. What do you think about this idea? Some people think that one’s home is as much a reflection of his personality, as the clothes he wears, the food he eats, the friends he spends his time with. I agree that many homes reflect the ways of life and habits of their owners. In my view to live comfortably doesn’t mean to live in luxury in a detached house.

12.

NATIONAL CUISINE of ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

1. Now let’s talk about food. What do people eat in Britain? Traditional British cuisine includes fish and chips, roast beef, steak, mash, and probably famous pudding. Certainly we may find different kinds of food in any restaurant in England, but these are the popular I guess because many Englishmen, answering the question about their gastronomy stereotype, will name these things.

A real British cuisine distinguishes itself either due to its high quality and high prices, or is not so expensive if you are satisfied with Bangers & Mash. A lot of bistros, snack bars, and even pubs provide us with sandwiches as well as dishes of the European cuisine.

Small cosy restaurants became more popular than big ones, which are decorated by the fashionable designers. And one more thing is pubs where the traditions of them are combined with modern - the British cuisine nowadays. The day starts with affordable lunch in the best restaurants. You may have a snack in Fast Food Shops, where you will find pizza and hamburgers and it is also available in some small fast-food bars. If you have a wish, you may make a culinary voyage in London. Indian cuisine, Chinese cuisine, American cuisine, and even African cuisine are represented in the restaurants of London.

Some people criticize English food. They say it's unimaginable, boring, tasteless.

It is disappointing, but true that, there is no tradition in England of eating in restaurants, because the food doesn't lend itself to such preparation. English cooking is found at home. So it is difficult to a good English restaurant with a reasonable prices.

Cynics will say that this is because English have no "cuisine" themselves, but this is not quite the true.

2. Do you know many recipes? Unfortunately, I don’t know many, but I really want to learn some from my mother. She is a really wonderful cook.

3. What questions can you ask a British friend about their eating habits? What is your favourite British drink? What dish would you recommend me? How many times do you prefer to have meals every day?

4. My friend wants to know more about national cuisines. Which national dishes would you recommend him to taste? I would recommend some of the various British puddings, beef and pork dishes and delicious desserts.

5. A lot of pupils refuse to have meals at school. What do you think about it? We spend a lot of time at school. So it’s necessary to have a snack at midday just to keep you going on. That’s why we have to go to a school canteen to have lunch. Our school canteen leaves much to be desired. It has become a tradition with our canteen to serve chops and watery mashed potatoes every day with a glass of tea or stewed fruit. Nevertheless sometimes you may choose something to your taste.

18.

HEALTHY WAY of LIFE

1. Let’s talk about healthy way of life. What can you do to become a healthier person? It is widely known that life expectancy is increasing. But the reason why the average figures are higher than they used to be, say, hundred years ago is not that all people live longer than before. One reason is that, due to medical research, many illnesses were eliminated; the second one is that fewer people die in wars. Generally, the life of modern man is endangered by many factors. One is the increasing pollution of the environment by industry and transport; another one is sedentary lifestyle of people living in cities and towns. The third one is the quality of food we eat and water we drink. The fourth one is that living in big cities leads to epidemics of many catchy illnesses.

Physical fitness is a general state of good physical health. For anyone who really wants to be healthy, fitness has become an integral part of their lives. It is a well-known fact that even moderate physical activity can protect you from heart diseases and strokes, obesity and influenza. There are many ways of keeping fit. Firstly, you could visit health and fitness clubs. Secondly, regular exercise is necessary. People of different ages can choose or design exercises that will fit them. Some people do aerobics or yoga; others prefer weight training in a gym. Many people prefer walking or jogging which are the cheapest and most accessible sports. Doing some sport or other on a regular basis is the best way of keeping fit.

A healthy diet is an important part of staying healthy, too. This diet contains reduced amounts of cholesterol, fat, sugar and salt. It helps protect our body from a wide range of diseases; the most dangerous are heart diseases, liver diseases, and cancer. To stay healthy one must, of course, abstain from smoking. Everybody knows smoking is hazardous for your health and can lead to fatal diseases like cancer. Smoking should undoubtedly be banned in all public places.

2. Do you agree that smoking is an unhealthy habit? Why (not)? Of course, I agree. Smoking is harmful for all people and especially for children. It’s known from statistics that smoking kills 2,5 million people a year. Also smoking may cause heart diseases and spoil your teeth and skin. So it is better not to begin smoking because in future you will have to make a lot of efforts so as to get rid of this bad habit.

3. What questions will you ask a person who keeps to a slimming diet? What do you need to eat? How often are you going to visit a fitness club? Will aerobics and yoga be helpful to lose weight?

4. What can you advise a person who wants to lose weight? I can advise not to follow someone’s advice from your friends or mates but to have regular exercises and to move as much as possible, to eat more fruit and vegetables and reject junk food, to eat in small portions at regular hours and be positive in your attitude towards your appearance. I think people should love themselves and take care of their souls and bodies.

5. What is the best way to promote a healthy way of life among young people? Why is it important to stay healthy? There are many ways of keeping fit. Firstly, you could visit health and fitness clubs. A lot of health and fitness clubs, public leisure centres, huge indoor water parks are very popular among people of all ages. Secondly, regular exercise is necessary. People of different ages can choose or design exercises that will fit them. Some people do aerobics or yoga; others prefer weight training in a gym. Doing some sport or other on a regular basis is the best way of keeping fit.

19.

SPORT

1. Let’s talk about sport. What is the role of sport in your life? Sport has been developing with the developing and growth of the mankind. To my mind we can hardly overestimate the meaning of sport in our life and day-to-day activities, because its main purpose is to bring up the harmoniously developed generation of strong and healthy people. Sport makes our bodies strong, quickens our reaction, and shapes the wits. It also prevents us from getting too fat, gives us so valuable practice in making eyes, brain and muscles work together and makes us more self-organized and better disciplined.

I'm absolutely sure that doing sports is the best way to keep fit. There is always a kind of sport which will suit you and there are many different kinds to choose from. If you like team games, try hockey, football, volleyball or basketball. Games for you to play with a friend include badminton, squash and tennis, and if you enjoy doing things on your own, you may take up swimming, riding, golf or athletics.

I'm sure you know an axiom: "Sport makes people healthy". No doubt, that's true, but frankly speaking one knows that there are some kinds of sport which you cannot go in for if you are not healthy enough. Say, body-building. If you have a heart decease or other sickness, attending the body-building trainings will bring you nothing but harm. And also, going in for sport is always connected with a great risk, because any athlete can get an injury. But it doesn't mean at all that people shouldn't go in for sports. I only want to say that they should be careful and remember that the health is given to a human being only once, so, do your best not to lose it.

2. Do you agree that bad habits, like smoking, can be dangerous? Why (not)? Of course, I agree. Smoking is harmful for all people and especially for children. It’s known from statistics that smoking kills 2,5 million people a year. Some aren’t even smokers. They are people who live or work with heavy smokers. Also smoking may cause heart diseases and spoil your teeth and skin. So it is better not to begin smoking because in future you will have to make a lot of efforts so as to get rid of this bad habit.

3. What questions will you ask a professional sportsman? Who influenced on your decision to become a professional sportsman? Is your salary worth continuing doing sports? What do you do to escape injuries?

4. What can you advise a person who doesn’t know what kind of sport to take up? First of all I would recommend deciding several things like whether he or she wants to take it up professionally or not, outdoors or indoors, team or individual. Then it will be very useful to visit some sports clubs, talk to people who go in for sport for some years. Then it will be time to make decisions.

5. What health problems does fast food lead to? What should you do to avoid them? Fast food is high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, eating too much over a long period of time can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. Fast food also lacks many of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals our bodies need. It's helpful to remember that with fast food, moderation is important.

Leisure time

1. Let’s talk about your hobbies. What do you like doing in your free time? It is known, that people can do all kinds of things in their spare time. They go shopping, play football, and collect records or stamps. Of course, some of the time activities, like visiting relatives or taking driving lessons, may not be fun; nevertheless this is the way to spend your free time.

In big cities people spend their free time by going to the theatre, cinema, museums, art galleries, concert hall, fitness or disco clubs. When I have some free time I can choose any of them. But when the weather is fine, I like to go for a walk along the boulevards and streets of the city with my friends, enjoying its architecture.

As for me, I prefer to spend my free time doing three things: doing swimming, pursuing my hobby which is collecting rare books, or listening to music in which I prefer jazz and classical music. Doing sports (I have been doing swimming since I was 7) helps me keep fit and be always in high spirits, as well as build up stamina and get tempered. The first reason why I collect books is that I am really keen on reading: Books open to me a whole world of events and people. The second one is that collecting rare books is getting to know history better. Reading a book is getting information about the period it describes, feeling its atmosphere and getting to know historical figures of the period.

I enjoy listening to music, as music helps me relax and relieve stress. When I listen to music, classical, jazz, rap or any other type of music I enjoy, I forget about the troubles of everyday life. Secondly, music affects my emotions. Each type of music sets distinct mood and changes mine. The choice of music I listen to depends on my state of mind and mood.

2. Do you find useful to go to the theatre or cinema? Why (not)? As for me, I'm fond of going to the cinema. It's a pity, I don't always have time for it. It's an open secret that we live in a very difficult time now. But people do need something amusing and pleasant, something to laugh at. That's why I give my preference to comedies.

3. What questions can you ask a British friend about his/her free time? Have you got a lot of free time? Do you often go to the theatre or to the cinema? Do you go in for sports?

4. Give me some advice on what to do in my free time? There are a lot of things to do in your free time. Your plans may depend on several factors: time, your mood, money and may be weather or some other details. To my mind the best way to relax at the weekend in summer is to go somewhere to the country and enjoy nature and quietness. Sometimes it is very pleasant to go for a walk to the park, to eat out, to go to the cinema or to the museum.

5. Many parents think that children should spend less time playing computer games, that they should play outside or do some sport instead. What do you think about this? Unfortunately, today’s children are spending a lot of time in front of the TV, playing on consoles and staring at computer screens. In my view, playing outdoors is so important for children – not only to help them stay active and healthy, but also to socialize with friends.

17.

MASS MEDIA

1. Let’s talk about mass media: TV, newspapers, radio. Which of these does your family like? Mass media are one of the most characteristic features of modern civilization. People are united into one global community with the help of mass media. People can learn about what is happening in the world very fast using mass media. The mass media include newspapers, magazines, radio and television. The earliest kind of mass media was newspaper. The first newspaper started in 59 B.C. Magazines appeared in 1700′s. Radio and TV appeared only in the 20th century.

TV is the source of valuable information. It brings the world to our living room, where we can see people of other countries; learn their customs, traditions and problems. We can see great events and famous people. The choice of programmes, modern television provides, is really wide: the news, feature films, talk shows, music programmes, documentary films, educational programmes, serials, interviews.

On the other hand, television and the Internet encourage passive enjoyment. They cut us off from the real world. Sometimes there is too much violence and crime on TV and on the Internet. Parents worry about the effect that television has on children.

Speaking about my personal preferences on TV, I wouldn’t say a lot, as I’m not a TV fan. But some of my peers still watch TV, often tuning into a particular season of TV show or sporting event like football. The members of my family also demonstrate great diversity in their tastes. My mother enjoys watching lifestyle programmes, talk shows, soaps, drama and sitcoms. My father prefers news and sports programmes. Sometimes I watch music programmes.

To tell you the truth, I’m not really interested in any traditional media. Television, radio and newspapers are becoming less and less popular. I don’t read newspapers. Instead I watch the news summarized on the Internet. Sometimes I enjoy reading magazines or cheaper tabloids.

2. Is there any means of communication you can’t live without? I can’t live without any means of communication. To tell you the truth we should have rest from any form of communication. But I can’t imagine my everyday life without the Internet. In my view, the Internet is a great source of information and entertainment for many people.

3. What questions will you ask people who live without a TV set, computer or radio? Where do you find information? Why don’t you use radio? Is it boring to live without news?

4. I’d like to watch an interesting programme on TV. What can you advise me? It depends on your preferences and interests. Sometimes people watch TV just to relax. In this case my advice may be very different. So, I personally would recommend you to watch any programmes on Discovery Channel. If you’ve got a pet you would enjoy watching Animal Planet Channel. Also there are many programmes about education and culture. So you’ve got a great choice.

5. Many people say that newspapers and radio are not as popular as TV and very soon they will lose their importance. What is your point of view? I really don’t think they will lose their importance. Probably they will change the forms. Many newspapers will be transformed into electronic versions on the Internet. As for radio, it has already lost its importance in its initial way of existence. Nowadays we can listen to the radio through the Internet.

8.

CHOOSING a CAREER

1. Let’s talk about your future career. What would you like to become? There are many interesting and useful professions and it is really not an easy task to choose the right one.

I began to think about my future profession at the age of 15. My favourite subjects at school were mathematics and English. My teachers encouraged me in my desire to become an economist. Now I know well what I'm going to do after leaving school. I opted for a career in business economics. I came to this decision little by little. It was my father who aroused my interest in that field. You see, he is a chief economist at a large plant and I often saw him work at home and discuss business matters with his colleagues. Later I got interested in the matter.

Economics is the science of making choices, which is based upon the facts of our everyday life. Economists study our everyday life and the system, which affects it. To become a good specialist in economic matters and business one must know many sciences, such as business economics, finance and credits, statistics, history of economic theory and philosophy, mathematics, as well as economic management, etc.

If I pass my entrance exams successfully and enter the University I'll try to study to the best of my abilities to achieve my life's ambition and to justify the hopes of my parents. I also hope that I'll never regret my choice and get a well-paid and interesting job afterwards.

2. Does a person need to possess special qualities to become a good specialist in this or that particular field? Why? Yes, a person needs to possess special qualities to become a good specialist in every field because only qualified specialists are real professionals.

3. What questions will you ask your future employer at a job interview? What will be the working conditions? How much will you pay me? Are there any perspectives of advancement?

4. Give me some advice on how to behave at a job interview to create a positive impression on the employer. Show up for the job interview a little early. Being late is a bad first impression and can blow the job. Use your body language to convey your confidence. Speak professionally. Don't ramble or use slang in your answers. Stay positive during the interview. Ask the interviewer some questions about the position and the company. Send a thank you note afterward.

5. Some people think that it is necessary to have a good command of a foreign language to get a good job. Do you agree with this? It is very important for a specialist in business matters to speak at least one foreign language. It should better be English as it is the most popular language of international business communication. You'll be able to follow business developments in the world by listening to radio and TV news, by reading newspapers or magazines, or by getting in contact with your business partners abroad.

Travelling

1. Let’s talk about travelling. What role does it play in your life? People on our planet can't live without travelling now. Tourism has become a highly developed business. There are express trains, cars and jet-air liners all of that provide you with comfort and security. Those who live in the country like going to a big city, visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City-dwellers usually like acquired holiday by the sea or in the mountains.

Most travelers carry a camera with them and take pictures of everything that interests them. Later, perhaps years later, they will be reminded by the photos of the happy times they have had. Nowadays people travel not only for pleasure but also on business. You have to go to other countries to take part in different negotiations, to sign contacts, to participate in different exhibitions, in order to push the goods produced by your firm or company о Travelling on business helps you to get more information about achievements of other companies» which will make your own business more successful.

There are a lot of means of travelling: by sea, by plane, by car, on foot. Tastes differ. That is why it is up to you to decide which means of travelling you would prefer. All means of travelling have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans.

I like to travel. First of all, the members of our family usually have long walks in the country. Such walks are called hikes. If we want to see countryside we have to spend a part of our summer holidays on hikes. During such hikes we see a lot of interesting places, sometimes we meet interesting people. It's useful for all members of our family. As for me, it's more comfortable to travel by train and by plane. When I travel by plane, I don't spend a lot of time going from one place to another, I like to fly. If I travel by train or by plane my friends see me off at the railway station or in the airport.

I like to travel by car. It's interesting too, because you can see many things in a short time. Sometimes we go to the seaside for a few days. As usual the weather is warm and we can swim. So I can say that I enjoy all kinds of travelling very much.

2. How do you like to travel? As for me, I enjoy all kinds of travelling very much. I think it's more comfortable to travel by train and by plane. But I also like to travel by car. It's interesting too, because you can see many things in a short time.

3. What questions should you ask a travel agent to learn more about a tour? How many nights will I have in Egypt? How much does my trip cost? How will I get there?

4. You’ve visited some foreign countries. Which of them did you like most and would recommend your friend to visit? I enjoyed Spain most. Warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the unique architecture of this country give pleasure to everyone who visits it.

5. Today people are tired of exotic countries and prefer to spend holidays in the countryside in Belarus. What can attract people to it? Certainly, low prices and unique beauty of our nature can attract people to stay people in Belarus.