 ПОЗНАВАТЕЛЬНОЕ Сила воли ведет к действию, а позитивные действия формируют позитивное отношение Как определить диапазон голоса - ваш вокал Игровые автоматы с быстрым выводом Как самому избавиться от обидчивости Противоречивые взгляды на качества, присущие мужчинам Вкуснейший "Салат из свеклы с чесноком" Натюрморт и его изобразительные возможности Применение, как принимать мумие? Мумие для волос, лица, при переломах, при кровотечении и т.д. Как научиться брать на себя ответственность Зачем нужны границы в отношениях с детьми? Световозвращающие элементы на детской одежде Как победить свой возраст? Восемь уникальных способов, которые помогут достичь долголетия Классификация ожирения по ИМТ (ВОЗ) Глава 3. Завет мужчины с женщиной
Оси и плоскости тела человека - Тело человека состоит из определенных топографических частей и участков, в которых расположены органы, мышцы, сосуды, нервы и т.д.
| Topic Eight: Daily Routine
Dictation 21 A Typical English Day An Englishman's day begins when he sits down to breakfast with his morning newspaper. As he looks through the headlines there is nothing he likes better than his favourite cornflakes with milk and sugar (porridge if he lives in the North), fried bacon and eggs, marmalade on toast and tea or instant coffee. After breakfast, except on Saturdays and Sundays which are holidays, he goes to work by train, tube, bus, car, motor scooter or bike. He leaves home at about seven forty. At offices or factories there is a short break at eleven. Then at midday everything stops for lunch. Most shops close for an hour from 1 to 2 p.m. Englishmen are fond of good plain food, and they usually want to know what they eat. They like beefsteaks, chops, roast lamb and Yorkshire pudding, fried fish and chipped potatoes. There are usually two courses in the afternoon – a meat course with a lot of vegetables and a sweet dish to follow, perhaps sundae and custards with hot beverages to finish. Then back to work again with another break in the middle of the day, for tea or coffee, sometimes with a scone or biscuits. The working day finishes at six. When an Englishman gets home he likes to inspect his orchard before the evening meal called high tea, dinner or supper depending on its size. When his meal is over, he may do a little gardening and then have a walk to the "local" (the nearest beerhouse) for a drink. There are a lot of people at the pub and he can play darts, dominoes, billiards and draughts or discuss the weather and current events. But if an Englishman stays at home, he listens to the radio or watches TV. Then at any time between 10 and 12 p.m. he is ready to go to bed.
Dictation 22 Everyday Life in a British Family Let's see how Kitty, an English woman, passes her day. In the morning she cleans up the house, and it includes doing the beds, dusting the furniture, sweeping the floor, airing the flat, washing the dishes, brushing her children's clothes, doing shopping and cooking dinner. Her afternoon she devotes to sewing, ironing and two or three times a week to social work.
There is a tradition in England that women do their laundry on Mondays when the bed linen is washed. Kitty laughs and says that she and a good many other females don't follow it. "I do my washing when I have time," – she says. We ask Kitty if her children help her about the house. She says that if parents are sensible, kids help a great deal with the household. For instance, her sons make their beds, tidy and vacuum the rooms and lay the table. The girls look after the babies and that is a good help to Kitty. Her husband is also good at assisting her in housekeeping. He saves a lot of money by putting right anything that goes wrong, repairing such things as the microwave oven, the lawnmower, the sewing machine. But Kitty tries to keep the evenings apart from getting the family meal for anything Fred (her husband) wants to do. Twice a month she goes to the cinema with him, sometimes to a concert, getting an unmarried friend to come and babysit. Frequently they go along to the public house for a drink and Fred plays a game of chess or draughts and discusses the latest news or TV programme with his friends and colleagues.
Topic Nine: Climate and Weather Dictation 23 Weather in New York The only thing you can rely on is that New York weather is entirely unreliable. A temperature change of as much as 40ºF (degrees Fahrenheit) within a single day is not uncommon. It may be freezing cold one afternoon, and bright, warm and sunny the very next morning or unfortunately vice versa. According to the US Weather Bureau, New York City has a modified continental climate. New Yorkers live in a relatively damp climate of cold winters and warm, humid summers. Hot spells can be difficult to bear. During the summer months there are brief but intense thunderstorms. Showers which continue for a few days are not rare. On an average it will rain or snow 120 days out of a year. New York has many beautiful sunny days, especially during autumn. July is the hottest month of a year, with a temperature of 73.9 ºF (degrees Fahrenheit) and the coldest months are January and February when people can experience a temperature of 30.8º (degrees). Most of the bitterly cold winds that come to New York are from the northwest.
Dictation 24* The British Climate The weather on the British Isles frequently changes but at the same time it is rather mild. In winter months Britain is affected by polar air. Then a cold, biting wind springs up and brings frosts. January and February are the months with most snow though it can fall as late as June in the Scottish Highlands. Spring is the driest season. The sky is calm and clear, sometimes it drizzles. Thunderstorms are common in summer and the counties in the east get most rain, which is heavier in the hills and later great floods come. In early autumn, especially after a fine summer, the air is damp as the sun sinks lower. And strong winds bring stormy weather and gales. The moods of British weather are really surprising. It is true there are a lot of showers in London but the constant dense fog belongs more to fiction than to reality. Droughts occur, but crops are never a complete loss, nor do animals perish. Sometimes a little whirlwind (a "twister") can destroy houses, heavy snowfalls and icy roads can stop traffic but fog is the greatest disaster that can happen, causing accidents. These events fill the newspapers, but in contrast with the heatwaves in New York, blizzards on the prairies or hurricanes in Florida and tornadoes in Kansas, British weather seems indeed favourable.
Topic Ten: Pastimes Dictation 25 A Sunday Picnic Organizing and hosting a picnic for the family and friends is a great way to bring everyone together for outdoor activities, food and fun. All you need is a little planning, packing and sunshine to create a memorable day. Last Sunday we went picnicking. It was such a spur of the moment decision, but it turned out to be a perfect afternoon. Isn't it strange how the most special moments in life are also often the most random? So we drove to the bay and found a splendid picnic spot. Mom spread a buffet table with glorious amounts of food piled high in metal bowls, straw baskets and the like. The younger children cruised down it and were tempted by the barbecued chicken being made by Dad. It turned out to be delicious and we managed it rather quickly and then had Mother's fabulous salad, with pasta, raisins and broccoli dressed with mayonnaise. After the meal we decided to entertain ourselves. Dad constructed a raft and we dived off it splashing about with our feet. Then my younger brother Sam nearly got drowned as he had a mouthful of water. My elder brother Tim hurt his leg on a rock while jumping into the water. Dad thought it would be safer for us if we played some games. So we played badminton and volleyball while Mother was having a nap. All of a sudden the sun went in and the sky was overcast so we had to look for a shelter immediately. Fortunately the rain didn't last long and we didn't get a soaking. When the clouds lifted it was time for us to go home. All in all, the picnic was superb and relaxing and definitely a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon together.
Dictation 26* Pastimes The way a man spends leisure time can tell more about his character than his work. For most men work is a necessity in order to earn a living. A great number of people have not even been able to choose the occupation, but have been forced by economic reasons to take the first job that came their way. But in free time they do what they desire and their real selves are reflected in the activities. Some people are completely passive. They go to a place of entertainment where no effort is required: a cinema or a dancing hall. And if the latter is chosen, they do not dance but simply sit and watch others. A different type of person hurries home from work full of eagerness to begin some scheme which they have been planning for spare time. Perhaps their hobby is carpentry or model engineering and gardening or they might wish to write a book, or to study some subject in which they are interested. This is a creative type of personality and their free hours are full of promise and they can look back on them with satisfaction when they review what they have achieved. Leisure should refresh and help people to battle with the problems of life. Frequently this freshness comes not from doing anything, but from filling one's mind with springs of beauty. A man gets full value from contemplating nature, listening to music or reading highbrow literature. By this a person can form his own source of inspiration. That is a wonderful pastime. Topic Eleven: Town Life Dictation 27 Budapest Budapest has a population of over two million people. One in every five Hungarians lives there. The River Danube divides the city into two parts. Six bridges join them. On the west bank there are the woods and hills of Buda and the old town. On the east bank there is the bigger and more modern Pest, the business and shopping centre. From Buda there are wonderful views of Pest and the river. For nearly a thousand years Buda and Pest were two towns. Then in 1873 they joined and became one city, Budapest. Budapest is very unusual because it has two completely different parts. You can choose the peace and quiet of Buda's woods or the excitement of Pest, where there are exquisite theatres, restaurants, bars, and luxurious expensive boutiques. The public transport system in Budapest is one of the best and cheapest in the world. You can travel easily by underground, bus, tram, and taxi, but driving a car in Budapest is not a good idea as there are a lot of junctions, complicated crossroads and a lot of traffic jams. Moreover there are not many parking lots and the streets are crooked and narrow. So in the daytime it's tough to find a space to park. Most cars are old, so the level of pollution is very bad. The healthiest thing to do in the city is to visit one of the thirty spa baths and swimming pools. The mineral waters of Budapest are famous and a very popular way to relax.
Dictation 28 Prague In the heart of Europe there is a small country the Czech Republic. Its capital Prague has a population of over one million people. It is not an immense city, but it attracts thousands of tourists annually as it is certainly one of the most picturesque cities. It is built on seven hills on the banks of the River Vltava. Fifteen bridges cross the winding river. The most famous is Charles Bridge, which joins Prague castle and the old town. The view of it from the river is simply gorgeous. Some people say Prague is the most beautiful city in the world! They call it "The Golden City" because it still has many statues and medieval buildings. Perhaps the most popular of them is the Old Town Hall with its amazing 15th century astronomical clock. The chief peculiarity of the city is the quay paved with stones where pedestrians can stroll enjoying the scenery. People also call Prague "Europe's School of Music". There are many concert halls and every May there is a unique festival "Prague Spring". Visitors can enjoy not only spiritual advantages of the city but can experience the joys of life as well. There are more than twenty fashionable theatres, many old pubs, luxurious bars and exquisite restaurants. In spite of the size of the city the public transport service is rather rapid and extended. There is now a modern underground, but traffic is still a real problem caused by different reasons: first of all a great number of traffic lights in the city centre slow down the streams of cars. Secondly there are a lot of walking areas especially in the ancient part of the city. Lastly the streets are rather narrow. So it is often better to walk and feel the atmosphere of the city with its pretty little streets.
Topic Twelve: Shopping Dictation 29 How to Shop in America. In America, just as in England, you can see stores with the same counters and windows in every town and village. Shopping, however, happens to be an art of its own and you have to learn slowly where to buy various things. If you are hungry, no matter how strange it may sound, you go to the chemist's which is called a drug store in the United States. In larger ones you are likely to get drugs, too, but their main business consists of selling stationery, candies, toys, belts, fountain pens, furniture and imitation jewellery. There is a food counter with high stools in front of it and they serve juices, coffee, sundaes, ice-cream, sandwiches, omelettes and other egg dishes there. If you want cigarettes, you are expected to go to the grocer's; if you wish to have your shoes cleaned, start for the barber's; if you need a radio, go to a man's shop; if you desire a suitcase, head for the chemist's. On the other hand if you want to send a telegram, avoid the post office, because they are sure to be handled by private companies. Nor has the post office anything to do with the telephone either, as this service is supplied by the American Telephone and Telegraph Co. It is impossible to find public conveniences in America in the British sense of the word because a lavatory turns out to be a strictly private enterprise, well hidden from the public eye. Whatever you buy, it may be exchanged later for something else in the same store. This seems to be a wonderful pastime with the Americans. It is not unusual at all to see a lady bringing back a hat with a lot of fruit on it and exchanging it either for real fruit or a real hat; or to see somebody bringing back a refrigerator with the remark that he "made a mistake and now he wants to subscribe to the Reader's Digest instead". So to buy the things you really need, you should be actually very careful, or there are chances you'll join the majority wishing to exchange the things you have for some you don't.
Dictation 30* |
