· a chance to unwind - возможность расслабиться
· to spend quality time with family / friends
· to get away from studies / work / stressful environment
· to have a change of routine / scenery
· to visit new places / experience new things / cultures
· to broaden your horizons
· to visit family or friends abroad
Commercial benefits of tourism
· creates new jobs in the tourist industry
· boosts the local economy
· attracts media attention to the resort
· ensures good level of infrastructure
· improves services & facilities for local residents
· provides revenue to protect /maintain local heritage
Negative aspects of going on holiday
· can be stressful (to be out of your comfort zone)
· can be difficult to cope in a foreign country / unfamiliar place - незнакомое место
· may encounter travel problems (plane/train delays / traffic jams)
· may not have access to health facilities/services
· may lose your luggage
· may not be able to speak the local language
Disadvantages for local community
· can cause overcrowding
· tourists may not respect local customs/traditions
· can cause excess of litter / noise
· may cause damage to local environment / possible vandalism
· area becomes too built-up due to increase of hotels/shops etc
· natural landscape/beauty may be spoilt
· may cause increase in prices of local services and goods
School
Electronic assistant: What grade are you in?
Student: I am in the ninth grade.
Electronic assistant: Do you enjoy studying at school?
Student: As for me, I enjoy studying at school. To my mind, school is an attractive place for students who do well in most subjects, for those who don’t it is boring and uninteresting.
Electronic assistant: What are some essential qualities every teacher should have?
Student: As for me, every teacher should be able to catch student's attention. It is very important to make your subject interesting to the others. Also, teacher should be a subject specialist and a kind, helpful person.
Electronic assistant: What is an ideal teacher like for you?
Student: I guess that an ideal teacher is a highly skilled professional with high level of competence in the subject taught, educated, prepared and organized. Besides, the best teacher knows how to pass knowledge in the most effective way with the help of modern technology. She has the mastery of motivating everybody to learn.
Electronic assistant: What is yourfavourite subject?
Student: My favourite school subject is English. I believe that studying languages helps me improve my memory and makes my brain work better. Besides, knowledge of foreign languages helps to develop friendship, understanding among people and find a good job.
Electronic assistant: What would you like to change in your school?
Student: Though I like my school very much, there is one thing I would like to change. It would be nice to replace hard copy books with e-books. E-books are not only convenient and economical, they are also better for the environment than paper books.
Electronic assistant: What traditions are observed at your school?
Student: Frankly speaking, there is ceremony of the first and the last bell. After exams parents organize a party for school-leavers. We also have a very nice tradition called «Former pupil meeting».
Electronic assistant: Do you think the traditional classroom will disappear in the future?
Student: I think more people will study independently, using different technologies rather than sitting in a classroom. Maybe students will attend a lesson just once a week, and spend the rest of their time following online courses or watching video lessons.
Useful Vocabulary
School
· nursery / primary / secondary school / education
· state school / private school / boarding school
· all girls / all boys / single-sex / co-ed school
· to go to / attend school
· the curriculum / syllabus
· extra-curricular activities
· school trips / holidays
· school playground / dinners / uniform
· school pupils / teachers
· schoolchildren / schoolboy / schoolgirl
· to sit / do / take an exam
· to resit / retake an exam
· to revise / to study (for an exam)
· to pass / to fail an exam
· to get exam results
· to get qualifications / to be qualified
· to leave school / a school-leaver
· to drop out of school / a dropout
· to be academic / to be an all-rounder
University/College
· tertiary / higher / further education
· colleges of higher education / technical colleges / universities
· to apply for a course
· to get an (un)conditional offer
· to do a course in [subject]
· halls of residence / student accommodation
· student union / student body
· a fresher / an undergraduate / a graduate
· a graduation ceremony
· to get a university degree / a Masters
· to graduate from university / to graduate in [subject]
· to be a qualified [job title] / to qualify in [subject]
· to take a gap year
· to drop out of university
Computer
Electronic assistant: Do you use computer very much?
Student: Frankly speaking, I use computer a lot. I have a laptop I use for my studies, to stay connected to my friends and relatives living far away, to research on various topics, for entertainment I watch movies and play games. I also frequently use World Wide Web for communication purposes.
Electronic assistant: When do you use a computer?
Student: Actually, I use the computer every day at home, usually in the evenings and after dinner. I use it mainly for education and to check my emails, check Facebook updates and post messages and sometimes I use it to watch movies or play games. I also frequently use World Wide Web for communication purposes.
Electronic assistant: What do you use laptop/computer for?
Student: Actually, I use it mainly for education and to check my emails, check Facebook updates and post messages and sometimes I use it to watch movies or play games. I also frequently use World Wide Web for communication purposes. / It helps me with my studies and it entertains me when I’m down. It is very light and fits in my bag easily, so I take it with me to school.
Electronic assistant: What was your impression when you used a computer the first time?
Student: I remember the day when I used the computer the first time. I was in class 4 at that time. I vividly remember how fascinated I was with the computer.
Electronic assistant: How did you learn to use a computer?
Student: Frankly speaking, I learned to use a computer through school lessons. Later I got my own personal desktop at home and I learned a little more by using it more at home. Now I have a laptop that I use regularly.
Electronic assistant: Have computers changed your life in anyway?
Student: Yes, definitely. Computers have changed my life. I am well connected with all my friends and relatives across the globe. I think it’s a very good source of information. Many everyday tasks can be done in a matter of a few clicks and in a few seconds.
Electronic assistant: Do you think computer are useful in everyday life (how)?
Student: Yes, computers are very useful in everyday life. We can pay our bills, book tickets, shop for anything, set reminders, connect with relatives and friends, research, entertain ourselves, upload (photos, video, music, games) by using a computer.
Electronic assistant: Computers are now used a lot in education. What do you think of this?
Student: I think it is the need of the day to make use of computers in education. It not only makes the lessons more interesting, it also helps make the children more techno savvy (техно подкованный), as technology is used in almost all fields.
Electronic assistant: Do you play computer games?
Student: Yes, sometimes I play word games, puzzles games on my computer.
Electronic assistant: Do you think computers are perfect now or do they still need to be improved?
Student: I think the computers technology keeps changing and there is always something new that needs to be added as time passes. So, in the future I can foresee a lot of changes and improvements that are made to the computers.
Electronic assistant: Do you think we need to know much about computers?
Student: Not too much, but there is definitely a couple of essential things everyone should know. First of all, you need to know how to enter a web address and how to navigate websites. It is very important nowadays to be able to surf the net for the information you need.
Electronic assistant: How effective is the use of computers in the classroom?
Student: In my opinion, using computers in the classroom is very effective. I think it is important for students to become competent in the use of computers to prepare them for the workplace. I also think that having computers so easily available gives teachers the opportunity to introduce students to the variety of information on the Internet.