М. А. Рылова
Методическое пособие
Для студентов 1-ого курса Смольного университета
Предмет: Английский язык
Темы
Санкт-Петербург
Год
Contents:
1. Topics:
Lifestyles
Homes
Meals and Cooking
Celebrations
Communications
Music and dances
Services
Architecture and buildings.
Questions and tasks for credit
Useful phrases, words and expressions
- Lifestyles
Generally lifestyle depends on the place you live in: in town or in the country. It depends on the national customs and traditions of the people. It depends on the difference between rich and poor. The customs of social behaviour have changed much over the last years. The discipline in family is not very strict. Sometimes it is a problem.
The family structure has changed a lot. The head of the family is not always a father who took all the main decisions. Now in good families the decisions are taken together. So to say, they are more democratic. We can say that a traditional form of the family itself came to an end. There’s a tendency of a parent living apart and coming as a guest to the children to communicate, to support. People’s ideas about marriage have changed a lot too. In earlier times the girls felt that if they weren’t married by the age of 21 – 22 they would be left on the shelf.
People who live in the cities work at factories, shops, offices they use the transport to get to work and they live in the suburbs with blocks of flats, with clean air and green playgrounds for children. They mostly are eating out in cafes, Mc Donald’s etc. They usually have meat, fish, chicks, pizza and drink tea or coffee. Some have dinner at home. Main meal times in Britain are from 8 to 9 a.m. – breakfast, at 1 p.m. – lunch and between 5 and 9 p.m. – dinner.
On average they’ve got a highly-paid job, if they have it at all.
A great part of the people live in the villages. They do different jobs in the field: they plou [plau] (пахать) the soil, loose [s] (рыхлить, бороновать) it, sow [sou] (сеять) grains (зерно) – wheat (пшеница), rye (рожь), oats (овес), as you sow you shall mow [mou] (что посеешь, то и пожнешь).
They plant vegetables. They get up at 5 – 6 o’clock in the morning to take care of domestic animals – cows, sheep, pigs etc. In autumn they gather in/harvest the crops. They have lack of time to have a rest, to watch TV, they have ordinary food: soup, borsch, milk, eggs and so on.
As you see, styles differ but difficulties are alike.
Concerning teenagers and young people, they, as usual, care about such routine things as:
· Food – cooking – eating at home – out-eating;
· Clothes – appearance counts! – fashion – style;
· The problem of choosing a profession – a job or a higher education?
· Relationship – their behaviour with friends, mates, a boy/girl friend, with parents, at work – you should remember, that the boss is not always right, but he is always the Boss;
· Problems of love, marriage, a family, children are just for them.
Other items are sports and hobbies.
Relaxation – where to go – to the theatre, to the circus, to the zoo, to the stadium, ride a bike, to the disco-bar, to the casino [kə`sı:nou]
What to read – a prose or poetry – Veller or Ulitskaya, or Tolstoy etc.
Questions for credit:
1. Do you find computer useful? Why?
2. What computer games do you prefer?
3. How much time do you spend playing computer games?
4. Are you allowed to do it?
5. Do you follow the fashion?
6. What is the “style?” (not “what”, but “how”)
7. Do you prefer military style to sports one?
8. Where do you prefer to live – in town or in the country?
9. How do you spend your free time?
10. Who in your family is good at hunting mushrooms/berries?
11. Do you get bored at the museum or do you enjoy watching items (pictures, sculptures)?
12. What is the best place for you to have a rest/to relax?
13. What household duties do you have?
14. What can you cook better/best?
15. Do you think education is important?
16. Why is it important nowadays?
17. Can you imagine an evening without TV?
18. Is a mobile phone a mean of communication or entertainment?
Useful phrases:
the boss is not always right, but he is always the Boss
appearance counts!
gather in/harvest the crops
plant vegetables
as you sow you shall mow [mou] (что посеешь, то и пожнешь)
sow [sou] (сеять) grains (зерно) – wheat (пшеница)
rye (рожь)
oats (овес)
plou [plau] (пахать) the soil, loose [s] (рыхлить, бороновать)
playgrounds
be left on the shelf
- Homes
My District and My Flat
As you know, Vladivostok, the capital of the Primorsky region, occupies the peninsula of Murav’ev-Amursky which is washed by Amur and Ussuri gulfs. One part of this peninsula, called Egersheld (it was named after one of the explores of Russian Far-East), is my native district. Egersheld is known from the foundation of Vladivostok. More then one hundred years ago the first houses for the seamen appeared in it. Since that time Egersheld is known as the working center of the city. Now, for example, the territory of the commercial port is situated in this district. Egersheld is the most environmental friendly district in the city as it is open to strong sea winds which blow out all harmful substances in the air and clouds of dust. Of course, this has a negative side – the average temperature in the district in winter is lower than in the other parts of Vladivostok. As my native district occupies very special geographical position (in fact, Egersheld – is a small peninsula of Murav’ev-Amursky peninsula) so its citizens may admire beautiful sea scenes every evening when the sun is hiding for the horizon. These seascapes are really breathtaking and very often you may see dozens of artists trying to carry this wonderful sight to paper or canvas.
Now about my flat. I live in Sipyagina, 31. Our flat is not very large, its double-roomed. If you know the word “khrushovka”, you may imagine what is our flat looks like. Besides these two rooms we also have a kitchen and a bathroom. I think there is no any outstanding thing in our flat that is worth describing. We have a TV set in one of the rooms, two wardrobes, two working tables, and small bookcase where our home library is kept.
My Flat
We have a nice flat in a new block of flats. Our flat is on the fifth floor of a nine-storied building. It has all modem conveniences: central heating, running hot and cold water, electricity, gas, a lift and a chute to carry rubbish down. We have a three-room flat which consists of a living-room, a bedroom, a study (which is also my room), a kitchen, a bath-room and a toilet. There are also two closets in our flat. Our flat has two balconies. The living-room is the largest and most comfortable one in the flat. In the middle of the room we have a square dinner-table with six chairs round it. To the left of the dinner-table there is a wall-unit which has several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and some shelves. At the opposite wall there is a piano and a piano stool before it. To the right there is a little table with colour TV set on it. Opposite the TV set there are two cozy armchairs. A divan-bed and a standard lamp are in the left-hand corner. In front of the armchairs there is a small round table for newspapers and magazines. There is a thick carpet on the floor. Two water-colours hung on the wall above the divan-bed. In the evening we usually draw the curtains across the windows, and a red lampshade gives a warm colour to the room. 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, two dressing-tables and a wardrobe. In the corner of the bedroom there is a small colors TV set. On the dressing table there is an alarm-clock and small lamp with green lamp-shade. Our study is the smallest room in the flat, but in spice of it, it is very cozy. There isn't much furniture in it, but there are a lot of shelves full of books. It has a writing table, an armchair and a bookcase too. A small round table with cassette-recorder is standing in the right-hand corner of the study. Besides there is a small sofa near the wall opposite the bookcase. This room was my father's study, but as I grew older, it has become my room. And in my opinion it is the best room in our flat. My friends used to come to my place to have a chat or to play chess in the evening, and they say my room is very comfortable. I share their opinion.
My Flat
I live in a 5-stored block of flats in Yushno – Sakhalinsk. It’s not a very picturesque plaice but we have a yard and a Kodak Express under the window.
My flat is on the third floor. It’s very comfortable and well planed. I have all modern conveniences, such as central heating, electricity, cold and hot running water and a telephone. There are three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a balcony in it. The largest room in my flat is the living room. My family uses it as a sitting room. There is a sofa, two armchairs, a coffee table, a TV set and a VCR (video) in it.
We have two small rooms in our flat and one of them is my. It is not big but very cosy. There is a wardrobe near the wall and a desk near the window. My bad is at the left corner. I like my room wary much because it is my room.
Our kitchen is not very large but light. It’s very well equipped. We have got a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a coffee maker and a toaster. In evenings we like have tea and have rest in it.
- Meals and Cooking
Meals and Cooking
When we cook, we boil, roast, fry or stew our food. We boil eggs, meat, chicken, fish, milk, water and vegetables. We fry eggs, fish and vegetables. We stew fish, meat, vegetables or fruit. We roast meat or chicken. We put salt, sugar, pepper, vinegar and mustard into our food to make it salted, sweet, sour or simply tasty. Our food may taste good or bad or it may be tasteless.
The usual meals in England are breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner or, in simpler houses, breakfast, dinner, tea and supper.
For breakfast English people mostly have porridge or corn-flakes with milk or cream and sugar, bacon and eggs, marmalade with buttered toast and tea or coffee. For a change they can have a boiled egg, cold ham, or fish.
English people generally have lunch about one o'clock. At lunch time in a London restaurant one usually finds a mutton chop, or steak and chips, or cold meat or fish with potatoes and salad, then a pudding or fruit to follow.
Afternoon tea can hardly be called a meal. It is a substantial meal only in well-to-do families. It is between five and six o'clock. It is rather a sociable sort of thing, as friends often come in then for a chat while they have their cup of tea, cake or biscuit.
In some houses dinner is the biggest meal of the day. But in great many English homes, the midday meal is the chief one of the day, and in the evening there is usually a much simpler supper — an omelette, or sausages, sometimes bacon and eggs and sometimes just bread and cheese, a cup of coffee or cocoa and fruit.
Useful phrases:
Avocado
Bread
Broccoli
Cereal
Cheese
Kiwi fruit
Nuts
Olive oil
Pasta
Prawns
Green
Pepper
Raspberries
Rice
Strawberries
Yoghurt
- Celebrations
British Holidays
There are a number of holidays, which are celebrated in Great Britain every year.
One of them is, of course, New Year's Day on the first of January. It is not so popular in England as in our country, but it is rather popular in Scotland. On that day people usually visit their friends and there is a lot of dancing and eating. In Scotland people bring a piece of coal for good luck in the New Year.
The next holiday of the year is St. Valentine's Day. It is on the 14th of February. People buy or make Valentine cards and send them to the people they love.
In March there is Mother's Day. All the children, little or adult ones, come to their mothers on that day to express their love and gratitude.
In April there is Easter. At Easter children eat chocolate Easter eggs. Sometimes parents hide them in the ho-use or in the garden and children have to look for them.
In June there is Father's Day. On Father's Day children give or send their fathers and grandfathers cards and presents.
On the 31st of October there is a Halloween. They say ghosts and witches come out on Halloween. People make lanterns out of pumpkins. Some people have Halloween parties and dress as witches and ghosts.
The 25th of December is Christmas Day. It is one of the people's favourite holidays. People put Christmas trees in their houses and decorate them. There are beautiful Christmas decorations in the streets. On Christmas Eve everybody puts the presents under the Christmas tree. People say that at night Father Christmas puts presents into the stockings which children usually hang on their beds. The traditional Christmas meal is roast turkey and Christmas pudding.
Christmas
The word "Christmas" is derived from the words "Christ's Mass" - the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. But although Christmas is undoubtedly a Christian celebration, it is also true to say that it is an unusual combination of pagan and Christian festivities.
A Christmas tree stands in everybody's living room at Christmas, shining its good cheer around the room. Sitting on the very top of the tree is a silver star surrounded by tiny lights. All the branches are hung with silver bells, tinsel and sparkling lights. Around the base of the tree lie the gifts and toys wrapped up in bright colourful paper.
The Christmas tree has spread its influence around the world. In fact America adopted it before it found its way to England early in Queen Victoria's reign. Now every Christmas British people are sent a huge fir tree from Norway which stands in Trafalgar Square, in the centre of London, shining down on all the people who gather on Christmas Eve.
In pre-Christian times evergreens, trees that remain green throughout the year. were worshiped in Northern Europe as symbols of eternal life. Mistletoe, hung up as a Christmas decoration is a symbol of love and reconciliation.
Holly, a well-known Christmas decoration today, has Christian associations. In Norwegian, Swedish and Danish, holly is known as "Christ's thorns", the legend being that Christ wore a crown of holly thorns before his death. Some people have seen associations between the word "holly" and "holy".
Giving presents goes back to Roman Saturnalia when good luck gifts of fruit, pastry or gold were given to friends on New Year's Day. In Britain the traditional day to give presents until relatively recently was December 26th and not as it is today, Christmas Day. December 26th is now known as Boxing Day, for it was then that the priests of the Middle Ages opened alms boxes to give to the poor.
Not all Christian customs and traditions are of ancient origin. Although various people have claimed to have designed the first Christmas card. William Egley, an English artist, seems to have the best claim. In 1842 he designed his own card and sent it to one hundred of his friends. Today three billion are sent annually in the United States alone.
English Traditions
If you arrive in Great Britain you'll hear the word “tradition” everywhere. Englishmen have sentimental love for things and traditions. They never throw away old things.
In many houses in Great Britain they have fire-places and though their bedrooms are awfully cold, the English people do not want to have central heating because they do not want to have changes.
Therefore the Yeomen-Warders are dressed in traditional medieval clothes and the traditional dress of the Horse Guards regiment has existed since the twelfth century.
In the House of Lords of the British Parliament there are two rows of benches for lords and a sack of wool for the Lord Chancellor to sit on it. This is so because in the old times wool made England rich and powerful. In the House of Commons you will see two rows of benches for the two parties: the government on one side and the opposition — on the other. In front of the benches there is the strip on a carpet and when a member speaking in the House puts his foot beyond that strip, there is a shout “Order!”. This dates from the time when the members had swords on them and during the discussion might want to start fighting. The word “order” reminded them that no fighting was allowed in the House.
Another old custom remains from the time when there was a lot of robbers in London. In those days the shouting “Who goes home?” was often heard in the Houses of Parliament and the members went in groups along the dark narrow streets of the old city. In modem London with its well-lit streets the shouting “Who goes home?” is still heard.
My birthday
I was born on the 22nd of March. Birthday is a very remarkable day for me. It is spring and the weather is fine. In the morning my parents come to my room to wake me singing "Happy Birthday, dear Andy". They give me the presents. I like to get them very much. Most people hold their birthday party on their birthdays. Usually, we hold my birthday party on Sunday next to the 22nd of March. Once or twice we went for a picnic on that day, but usually we celebrate it at home. We invite my friends and relatives to the party. I get up early in the morning on that day. My father and I go shopping to the district marketplace and supermarkets. We buy everything we need for the party. My mother stays at home to clean the flat and bake a pie and cakes. Then we lay the table together, put on evening suits and wait for the guests. At about four o'clock my relatives and friends come to congratulate me and I am glad to see them. They bring a bunch of roses for my mother and books, sweets and records for me. I thank my friends for coming and the presents. My aunts usually buy some clothes for me as a birthday present. We have an abundant dinner on this day. Mother brings the birthday cake and I blow the candles out. We dance and sing songs, make jokes and play games. When everybody is tired, we just lie on the floor and tell stories or just listen to the music in my room. I enjoy my birthday party and my friends like this day too.
My Favourite Holiday
Many great holidays and anniversaries are celebrated in our country. On the 1st of May there is May Day — the holiday of spring and labour. On the 8th of March there is Women's Day — the holiday of all women and girls. We celebrate Day of Independence of Russia on the 12th June and Day of Russian Constitution on the 12th of December. Now people celebrate some religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter. But my favourite holiday is New Year's Day, of course. It is a really wonderful holiday. People get ready for this holiday long before it. They buy New Year trees and decorate them. Every year a fairy-tale comes to every house and every family on New Year's Eve. Children and even grown-ups wait for this day because they believe that all their wishes and desires come true and different wonderful miracles happen on that day.
On New Year' s Eve people get together to see “the old year out and the new year in”. They eat tasty food, drink champagne, dance and have a good time together. They wish each other happiness and good luck in the new year and put the presents under the New Year tree. Children like this holiday very much. They wait for New Year presents, which, they believe, Father Frost bring to them. Everybody is merry on that day and wishes the next year to be good and happy and all one's troubles and disappointments to remain in the past.
- Communications
Mobile Fever
I am standing in a queue at the supermarket. The woman in front of me is talking on her mobile while the shop assistant is filling her bags. I’ll say something if she doesn’t stop soon. No. I won’t. My phone’s ringing now. If it’s my boyfriend, I’ll tell him he’s late again! “Oh, it’s you Mum. Well, I’m just…”
Why are we so addicted to mobile phones? There are now over forty million people in Britain with mobiles and if the present trend continues, every man, woman and child in Britain will soon have one – or two, or three!
They can be expensive and are possibly bad for us. You can spend a fortune if you see your mobile a lot. According to some scientists, if we go on using mobiles, we’ll cook our brains. Some people even think that radiation from mobiles causes cancer. Psychologists say we are becoming dependent on mobiles. Dr Oliver James talks about “phoneliness” – in modern society we are lonely, so if people ring us up or send us text messages, we feel wanted.
Teenagers are among the biggest users of mobiles, and “texting” is creating a new language full of abbreviations such as “How RU?” In Japan, surveys show teenagers are reading less and mobile use is affecting the marks of secondary school students. A big problem in Britain is crime. Last year half a million British teenagers were victims of mobile phone theft.
As technology improves, mobiles can do more and more. If you have one of the new multimedia mobiles, you can log on to the Net, pay for things, play games, interact with TV programmes and take photos to send to your friends.
Very tempting, isn’t it? If I have the money next month, I’ll get one of those new with a camera… I’ll be able to send photos of the supermarket queue to my boyfriend. And if I get one with an Internet connection, I won’t have to come to this supermarket at all. I’ll sit at home and order everything with my mobile. What a good idea!
Useful phrases:
Queue – [kju:] – очередь In front of – впереди, перед
To talk – разговаривать To talk on mobile – говорить по мобильнику
While – в то время, как Shop assistant - продавец
To fill – заполнять, наполнять To ring – звонить
To be late – опаздывать I’m late – я опоздал
Just – только, всего лишь To be addicted to – привыкнуть, зависеть
Trend – тенденция Expensive – дорогой
Possibly – возможно To spend a fortune – потратить состояние
A scientist – ученый To go on – продолжать
According to something – согласно чему-либо To use – использовать, пользоваться
To cook brains – «консервировать» мозги Radiation – радиация
To cause – причинять Cancer – рак
Psychologists – психологи To become dependent – стать зависимым
To feel wanted – чувствовать себя нужным Lonely – одинокий
Abbreviation – аббревиатура (сокращение многословного названия до значения первых букв)
Surveys – социологические опросы To affect – влиять
A Victim – жертва Theft – воровство
To improve – совершенствовать (-ся) Net – сеть
To pay – платить Tempting – современный
Camera – фотоаппарат Internet connection – Интернет связь
To order – заказывать
Образец пересказа текста:
The story is about the problem of using mobile phones. The author (автор) describes the problem of tendency (тенденция) of addiction to them in modern British society (общество). The author dwells (рассуждает) on the troubles (проблемы) that can be caused by radiation from mobile phones and psychological problems.
Scientists think that if we go on using mobile phones, we’ll cook our brains. Some people even think, that radiation from mobiles causes cancer.
Psychologists say that people use mobiles to avoid (избежать)loneliness (одиночество) – if a person writes to you or rings you up, you feel wanted.
Teenagers are among the biggest users of mobiles, so they even develop new language full of (полный, наполненный, переполненный чем-либо) abbreviations, such as “How RU?” (How are you?).
The author seems to think (по-моему, автор считает/думает) that if people use mobiles not only as a mean of communication, they will become lazy (ленивый) and disable (неспособный) to think or do anything.
As for me, I think, that in spite of (несмотря на, вопреки чему-либо) technological progress, we shouldn’t forget (мы не должны забывать) about the main function of mobile phones – communication.
We can use it in many ways, but not forget (забывать) about our friends, our responsibilities (обязанности). Anyway (в любом случае, все равно) you can’t breathe (дышать)fresh air (свежий воздух), walking in virtual world (виртуальный мир).
Advantages and disadvantages of TV
TV has good and bad sides. First of all it keeps people informed, we can learn a lot of information watching TV. We can choose programs that appeal to us more, because TV provides programs for all interests. Sometimes we can relax, entertain ourselves when we are tired. Advertisement on TV gives us information about different products and it makes easier to choose things to buy. When we watch TV we learn about the world, famous people and global or recent news.
But TV has a lot of disadvantages. It takes a lot of time and it makes us lazy. And it's very harmful for our health, especially eyes. Some violent programs and films make people violent. Violence becomes a vital problem. There is too much advertisement on TV. Sometimes it can encourage us to buy things we don't need at all. Watching TV takes all free time from almost all people. We just watch it, we do not concentrate and we waste time.
In my opinion we need TV inspire of its disadvantages. People need something like information center. As for me I watch TV about an hour a day. I watch it when I want to learn news or relax and entertain myself. People need TV, but it can't be the main thing in their life. It's interesting, but not the main thing in our life.
I don't really know what we must do to make TV better. I think we can do nothing. We just should not sit hour by hour watching TV. I think we must watch only the most important and interesting things. Because if we watch everything we'll become mad.
My Favourite TV Program
The most popular entertainment in our home life is television. We have a choice between five channels ORT, RTR and 3 commercial channels. There is also a cable TV station in our town. Television plays an important role in our life. It informs people about current events both national and international, the latest achievements in science and culture, and offers some programs, which are both interesting and stimulating. Every day we can see different tips of programs on TV. News is broadcast at regular intervals. They also present operas, ballets, music concerts and various shows. Broadcast for schools are produced on five days of the week, during school hours. In the late afternoon and early evening TV channels showed special programs for children. In the evenings and at weekends there are broadcasts of sports events. A large time of TV evening’s time is occupied by films and serials, but as for me I like quizzes. A quizzes–program is a question and an answer competition which offers money and other prizes and to the winners. Such programs as “Wonders field”, “Brain ring”, What, Where, When”, “Guess the melody” are my favorite ones, because they are both informative and interesting. But best of all I like the programs of “Travels club”, because it gives me a chance to travel of other the world with out living home. Far away countries and their customs and traditional are come into my living room.
Music and dances
JOHN LENNON
The he formed, The Beatles, changed pop music forever. From their first single, “Love Me Do) (a Lennon – McCartney composition), in 1962, people recognized something different in their music than the usual pop songs at the time. Their songs seemed more tuneful, more exciting than what most artists were recording at the time. The Beatles were also more attractive than many other performers. Many more people began to listen to pop music than before. Soon, the group’s following was like nothing anyone had ever seen: a hysteria that the newspapers called “Beatlemania” swept Britain and soon, America.
Their second single, “Please Me” reached number one in March 1963. When the media focused on the new group, it soon became clear that Lennon was not like other pop stars. His answers to reporters’ questions showed an unusual intelligence and sense of humour. His character soon shone out: he always behaved in a completely different way than other people and hated artificiality. He was never quite comfortable with the Beatles’ “nice” image. In fact, it was Lennon who began to break away from this image and change the public image of the Beatles. His and McCartney’s music changed and became more “psychedelic”. The Beatles were no longer those four clean-cut young men that even parents liked.
In 1966, Lennon met Japanese artist Yoko Ono. She was clever and eccentric, like Lennon, and the two soon fell in love. He loved listening to her views on art and politics and admired her independent spirit. She brought something new to his life, and soon he found there was more he wanted to do on his own, or with Yoko, than he wanted to do with the Beatles. In 1968, he told the other Beatles of his decision to leave, although the real split did not come until 1971, when Paul McCartney also decided their partnership should end. Lennon married Yoko Ono in 1969.
Of all former Beatles, Lennon made the most promising start as a solo artist. In 1971, he recorded the song by which most people remember him today, “Imagine”. But in 1975 he stopped making records. For a while he and Yoko separated, partly because of the problems he was having with drugs and alcohol, but eventually he settled down with her again in New York. He also spent time trying to become an American citizen, something which was not easy because of his outspoken political and social views. In 1980, a new, positive phase both in his private life and his musical career seemed to begin. But that soon came to an end on the street out-side of his home one night in December 1980.
Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Aha you may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
Aha you may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
Aha you may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
Aha you may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Services
Music shop
Shop assistant: Good afternoon, sir, can I help you?
Customer: Yes. I’d like to buy this trumpet. How much does it cost?
Sh. Ass.: Ninety pounds.
Cust.: Thank you. But I’m afraid I’m not able to buy it. It is too expensive. Do you have any discounts?
Sh. Ass.: I’m sorry, I’m afraid, not. But especially for you we have a special offer, if you buy a case for it you’ll pay only for case. It will cost you 25 pounds.
Cust.: Oh, it’s great! I’ll buy it!
2) Restaurant
Waiter: Welcome to our restaurant! Here is your menu!
Guest: Thank you.
W.: Are you ready to order, sir?
G.: Yes. I’d like Greek salad and fried chicken with smashed potatoes.
W.: Good choice. Could I offer you our beverages: wine, beer, juice, lemonade?
G.: I’d like red wine, please.
W.: I’ll bring you in a minute.
G.: Thank you.
W.: Here is your order and your receipt. Bon appetite!
G.: Thank you.
3) Travel agency
Manager: Good afternoon. Travel agency “Solvex” Alex is speaking. How can I help you?
Client: Good afternoon. I’d like to go to Egypt for spring holidays.
M.: All, right, which resort would you like to visit Hurgada or Sharm-el-Sheik.
Cl.: I think I’ll go to Hurgada with my friend for a week: 4-star Hotel, double room with sea view.
M.: What type of boarddo you prefer?
Cl.: I’d like to have meal two times a day, please.
M.: So, do you need breakfast and lunch оr breakfast and dinner?
Cl.: Breakfast and dinner, please.
M.: O.K., so it is half-board with dinner. Do you need any extra service, for example, excursions, safari …?
Cl.: No, thank you, just rest at the sea beach.
M.: O.K. I can recommend you Hilton Plaza Hotel, it is not far from the sea beach and it has open swimming pool.
Cl.: Excellent! What should I do then? I plan to go there from the 1st till the 7th of March.
M.: You should come to our office with your passport to make an agreement and to pay 50% of the cost of your trip – that will make 300 euros per person till the 5th of February. Total cost you’ll pay on the 20th of February – 300 euros (the second part). If something changes, don’t hesitateto callus and let us know until the 20th of February (confirm you trip and pay for it or cancel it and get your money back according to our agreement).
Cl.: Thank you! I’ll drop in you firm on the 15th of February with 1200 euros. Is it possible?
M.: Yes, but not later. You see I need to book everything in advance, so it can happen so, that there won’t be any places left. So, I recommend you to make a part-time payment.
Cl.: Well. O.K. Then, I can come tomorrow, if it is so necessary.
M: Very good. Is it suitable for you to come at 2 o’clock?
Cl.: Yes.
M.: O.K. See you tomorrow, then.
Cl.: See you. Thank you. Good bye.
M.: Bye-bye.