1. What is happening to weather and climate nowadays?
2. Do you have a favourite season?
3. What questions would you ask a meteorologist?
4. What can you advise a person who is weather dependent?
5. They say there’s no bad weather, there are bad clothes. What do you think about it?
Билет № 24
I 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Never forgotten
The first stone has been laid in the foundation of the new building of the Museum of Great Patriotic War History. A time capsule has been laid into the foundation and, by spring 2013, the building is to open. Architects have done their best to make the fivestorey, multilevel building, with each of its four sections symbolising a year of the war.
The decision to set up a museum dedicated to the fight against Nazi fascism1 was taken in 1942. It opened its doors in Minsk in July 1944. Millions of people have visited it since and, with the passing years, the need for a new, more spacious and wellequipped building has become clear. Each year, over 150,000 people visit the museum. Of course, they hope to find objective information and leave with a lasting impression.
The new museum will be located near the centre of the Belarusian capital, on a hill near the MinskHeroCity Memorial and Pobedy Park. It will primarily reflect the heroic deeds of the Belarusian people and the big role of the Red Army in defeating Nazis2. However, technical innovations, such as dynamically lit electronic maps, electronic catalogues, interactive facilities will help visitors to receive brighter impressions.
We cannot change the fact that fewer witnesses of those dramatic military battles survive today, but we can preserve the past for new generations. Most schools in Belarus have a small museum of military glory, set up by enthusiasts. Professional historians have done much to develop this patriotic movement, preparing dozens of educational textbooks for pupils and teachers, helping to explain the events of 1941—1945.
Why is interest in these distant events so keen? The territory of contemporary Belarus has seen over 200 wars in the past centuries and our nation showed heroism and patriotism on so many occasions. From 1941—1945, we fought against Europe’s strongest army. Belarus paid a high price for its victory — 9,200 towns and villages were burnt and there were millions of victims. This can never be forgotten.
1 fascism [ÈfQSIz(«)m]
2 Nazi [ÈnAùtsI]
2. The author explains when the museum was created and how it has changed over the years. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What will the visitors be able to see in the new museum?
4. Why are people interested in the Museum of Great Patriotic War History?
II Listen to the three people speaking about how they spend their weekends and answer the questions below.
1. What does the first speaker do at the weekend?
2. What does the second speaker do at the weekend?
3. What does the third speaker do at the weekend?
Script:
Speaker 1: Well, I try to make the most of my weekends, especially in the summer, when you’ve got more chance to get outside. I know some people like seeing films or concerts, but it’s important to me to keep fit, so I always do plenty of running, and, say, tennis or swimming. There are usually some friends around to join in.
Speaker 2: The truth is, I really look forward to the weekend, and then when it finally arrives, most of the time I’m completely broken. So then when all my friends start calling up, “Where are we going tonight?” and so on, I end up staying in, being very lazy, maybe just watching a bit of TV, a film on DVD, something like that.
Speaker 3: I’m studying so hard at the moment for my exams that I can’t go wild at the weekends. But I like going to the park with my friends sometimes, or maybe going for a bike ride by myself. It depends. I tend to be more active in the winter, actually — going to the gym, or helping my dad with stuff in the house. I might see a friend or two, especially if there’s some sport to watch, then we can watch a match together.
III Let’s talk about the Republic of Belarus.
1. What can you tell me about our Motherland?
2. What famous Belarusian people do you know?
3. What questions about Belarus do you expect to hear from a British teenager?
4. What Belarusian sights would you advise a foreigner to visit?
5. You are to write a short article about Belarusian people for a foreign newspaper. How would you describe our people?
Билет № 25
I 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
surprise party
Liz was just finishing the final details for the surprise party she was planning for her husband. She had been thoroughly preparing for this event, designing every aspect of the party from the invitations to the food, and she was very excited about it. Family members whom Andrew hadn’t seen in years were flying in from Poland in a few days. Liz had tracked down several college friends, and they were coming from various places across the country. A band and dancers were invited.
The best part for Liz was that she knew Andrew did not have any idea about the party. She could not wait to see the look on his face when he walked into a big “Surprise!” in his own home.
The party was supposed to be on Saturday. As Liz was daydreaming about picking relatives up at the airport the next day and taking them to their hotel, Andrew walked into the kitchen and said, quite certainly, “Sweetheart, I don’t want anything special done for my birthday.”
“What do you mean?” Liz responded calmly, though her heart began to beat.
“I mean that I don’t want a surprise party.”
“Okay,” Liz said. “Not a problem.”
Liz’s mind raced. There was nothing she could do about Andrew’s request now. And, frankly, she didn’t want to. Liz had been planning this for more than a year. The party would go off as she intended. She did not want all of her effort to fail.
When Andrew came home Saturday evening from playing soccer with friends, he was shocked. Tears filled his eyes. This response was something Liz had not predicted. Among the crowd he saw friends whom he had not seen in nearly 20 years and family members who had come from Poland just for this evening. But along with being deeply moved, he was also angry with his wife. He knew he could be emotional, and he did not like people to see him that way. That was why he did not like being surprised.
Salsa music filled the home of Liz and Andrew. Liz whispered “I love you” in Andrew’s ear, they shared a kiss, and the two danced the whole night.
2. The author describes the preparations Liz made for the birthday party. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What did Andrew ask Liz for?
4. How did Andrew feel at the party?
II Listen to the three people speaking about things that make them angry about mobiles and answer the questions below.
1. What makes the first speaker angry?
2. What annoys the second speaker?
3. What does the third speaker complain about?
Script:
Speaker 1: I am a shop assistant and I work in a shop and what really makes me angry is when I am serving somebody and then their mobiles ring and they answer the phone and start having a conversation. It is really annoying1. I think if you are in a shop and talking to a shop assistant, you shouldn’t answer the phone.
Speaker 2: I hate when people talk very loudly on their mobile phones in public places. The other day I was in the waiting room at the doctor’s and there was a man whose mobile rang about every ten minutes and we all had to listen to him talking loudly to his wife, then to his boss, then to a garage mechanic… I think if you are in a public place, you should speak really quietly or go somewhere else. And you don’t have to shout — the other people can hear you perfectly well.
Speaker 3: What really annoys me is people who use their phones a lot when they are with other people — like you are out having a meal with someone and they spend the whole time talking on the phone or texting messages to other people to arrange what they are doing the next day. I think it is very rude.
1 to annoy [«ÈnI] раздражать
III Let’s talk about Great Britain.
1. What do you know about this country?
2. Would you like to visit Britain? Why (not)?
3. What would you ask a British teenager about national holidays in Britain?
4. Give me a piece of advice on what sights to see in London.
5. Do the British differ greatly from Belarusian people in character? Why?