Plans for the Coming Summer

This dialogue is a conversation between two sisters, Alice and Julia. The vacation's coming and the girls discuss their plans for the summer. So, the conversation begins.

- Oh, Alice, what do you think of going to the seaside for a week or a fortnight? To my mind, it would be wonderful.

- Well, I'd rather go to our brother-in-law's farm in Devonshire. We went there last year and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

- It was really pleasant to go round the fowl-houses and collect the eggs. I also had to feed the cocks and hens, ducks and drakes, turkeys and geese. It was great fun!

- Going to the farm is out of the question!

- You don't say so! Life in the country is so peaceful. And the scenery around there is perfectly beautiful. It's a heavenly spot! The house is square and old. It stands on top of a hill and looks way off over miles of green meadows to another line of hills.

- −Nevertheless, Alice, I still insist on going to the seaside, because we'll have to work hard if we stay on a farm.

- −Oh, take it easy, Julia. There's always work that mustn't be neglected, and we can work if we want to but, of course, we're not obliged to. We just do as we please. Besides, I'm sure you'd enjoy a week or two in the open air.

- −But, Alice, just think what wonderful time we will have, walking up and down the front, listening to the band on the pier, doing more or less anything we please.

- −But if you want to have a really quiet and healthy holiday, you should go and stay on a farm.

- −You can't say it's not healthy to go to the seaside. A swim now and then or better still every day will do you a lot of good. We ought to be very healthy and strong if we bathe every day. And there's no opportunity on a farm to go swimming or sun-bathing.

- −But I'm not fond of swimming. As a matter of fact, I'm not such a strong swimmer as you. You're always saying I splash about too much with my feet.

- −But just remember how happy we were paddling in the water, playing on the beach and making castles and forts and channels in the sands, when we were children.

- −Oh, I never knew a person as obstinate and stubborn as you!

- And doesn't it mean that you'll go with me to the seaside?

- It does. By the way, where are we going to?

- I think we'll choose the south coast. However, it really doesn't seem to matter very much.

- And what shall we do? Take rooms, or stay at a hotel, or what?

- I'd rather take a furnished house. And what do you say to inviting our friends to join us? They'll find a house nearby and make a large party. It'll be great fun.

- Oh, I'd love to. On the whole, rest at the seaside as well as on the farm must be a delightful change for us after living all the year in town.

- You're perfectly right. So, let's talk it over with our friends.

- OK.

Let’s Have a Picnic

This dialogue is a conversation between two girl-friends, Alice and Julia. They discuss how to spend the coming weekend. So, the conversation begins.

- Oh, Alice, I'm so glad the weekend is coming. The weather is so fine. I'm looking forward to having a good rest after the week of work.

- I think we should have a picnic. To my mind, it's wonderful to spend a couple of days in the open air. We'll invite our friends to join us and we'll have a delightful time somewhere in the country.

- A picnic in the country?! But it always takes so much time to make all the preparations. And quite the most important feature of the picnic and its greatest problem is the lunch.

- Oh, Julia, picnic lunches are always just the same and therefore require little imagination. So, we won't have to trouble about thinking up a meal. Fried chicken is always popular as well as hard-boiled eggs. Almost everything else that comes in a can or a paper bag is good for a picnic-lunch.

- These containers are very important as, after the contents have been eaten, they are strewn about and identify the picnic ground. I do think there's already enough garbage in our forests and rivers.

- But Julia, we'll be as good as gold. And now let's talk about something more pleasant. So, we'll find a nice place on a body of water at some high altitude.

- You're being brilliant! Everyone will enjoy the opportunity to have something to fall into or to fall off. A body of water is absolutely essential.

- It is. We'll take fishing tackles along and go fishing. What do you think about having some fried fish for our lunch?

- No fish was ever known to have been caught on a picnic, but fishing serves as an excellent excuse for getting out of the way while the heavy work is being done.

- OK. There'll be no fishing as you're against it.

- But what am I going to do the whole day?

- Oh, make your mind easy. Collecting wood for the fire provides occupation for those who don't know how to amuse themselves. Besides, we can play volleyball or badminton, go swimming and lying in the sun.

- But what shall we do if there's no sun but a steady drizzle or a thunder storm instead?

- Oh, you're being intolerable! As for me, I'm sure the weather will keep warm and fine, and we'll enjoy ourselves immensely.

- We definitely will. I remember our last picnic being wonderfully marked by John’s running into the hornets' nest and Laura's twisting the ankle.

- Oh, no! It'll be absolutely different this time. We'll have a very good day and when it gets dark, we'll gather round the fire.

- Yes, and we'll be suffering from mosquitoes, and to make matters worse, someone will suggest singing.

- But, Julia, is there the tiniest thing that you do like in picnics?

- There is. They usually reawaken in my heart the truth of the old saying, that there's no place like home.

- Oh! . . .

A Visit to Moscow

This is a conversation between a Russian girl Natasha and a Canadian tourist named Edward. Natasha is going along Tverskaya Street. Suddenly she bumps into a young man standing on the pavement with a map in his hands.

- Oh, I am so sorry!

- Don`t worry! That`s OK. I shouldn`t have stood here like a lamp-post. Oh, sorry, but I don`t know your name.

- My name is Natasha Mironova. I`m a first-year student at Moscow State University. And what`s your name? Where are you from?

- My name is Edward Wright. I`m from Canada.

- Do you live in Ottawa?

- No, I`m from Toronto. I`ve come to Russia, because I`ve heard so many nice things about this country. They say Russia and Canada have many common features. I arrived in Moscow only yesterday and now it seems to me that I`ve lost my way.

- Then I`ll try to help you. Where do you want to get to?

- Well, I wanted to see the Moscow Kremlin.

- Then you should go along Tverskaya Street until you get to Okhotny Ryad. There you should go down to the subway . Get out of it at Manezhnaya Square and then turn to the right. You`ll get to Alexandrovsky Garden. Go through it along the Kremlin wall and you`ll see the Borovitsky gates. This is where the entrance to the Kremlin is located.

- Thank you very much. But I`m afraid, I can`t remember everything at once. Could you please show me the way?

- With pleasure. If you wish, I can tell you something about other sights in Moscow.

- That would be wonderful. I want to know as much as possible about the Russian capital.

- Then you should know a bit of its history. It was founded about nine centures ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruki. It was first mentioned in chronicles in 1147. Nowadays Moscow is the largest city in Russia with its population of more than 8 million people.

- Since what time is Moscow the capital of Russia?

- Ivan the Great made it the centre of the new united country. Though Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg, Moscow remained the heart of Russia. After the October Revolution it became the capital again.

- I`ve heard about it though history isn`t my cup of tea. I think that the best known places in Moscow are the Kremlin and Red Square. Am I right?

- Oh, yes, they have more historical associations than any other place in Moscow . There you can see the masterpieces of old Russian architecture: the Kremlin and St. Basil`s Cathedral.

- There is a photo of the cathedral in my guide-book.

- It`s much more beautiful in reality.

- I have also heard a lot about the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell. The cannon and the bell are the biggest in the world. Where can I see them?

- They`re in the Kremlin. There you can also see the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Palace of Congress and many other sights.

- Natasha, I`m in Moscow for only a few days. What places of interest would you advise me to visit?

- Well, there are a lot of tourist attractions in Moscow. This city is famous for its old churches. You`re sure to admire the Temple of Christ the Savior. Besides, it`s not so far from the Kremlin.

- I`m very interested in museums. I`ve heard, that there are over eighty museums in the city.

- I advise you to visit the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery. By the way, do you like music?

- Yes, very much. I`d like to visit the Bolshoi theatre.

- Oh, there you can get a lot of wonderful impressions. And you ought to see Moscow State University, where I study. This magnificent building is situated on the Vorobyev hills.

- I`d love to visit it. But how can I get there?

- You can get there by metro. But to tell the truth, the metro is always crowded.

- I`ve already noticed that nearly everyone in Moscow is in a hurry. I would also like to see the Moscow Zoo. I`m very fond of animals.

- So am I. The Zoo is really worth seeing.

- It`s a pity that I can`t stay here longer. On Saturday I leave for St. Petersburg. But there I shall realize my dream and see the Hermitage. And please tell me Natasha, are all the Muscovites as hospitable and friendly as you?

- Oh, yes. Moscow is always glad to welcome the guests.

A Visit to Moscow

This dialogue is a conversation between two girl-friends, Mary and Alice. They came to Moscow for the first time. And now they discuss the city's sights. So, the conversation begins.

−Well, how do you like our sightseeing in Moscow, Alice?

−Oh, I like it a lot, I love it. Moscow is a wonderful city and at every turn there's something to catch your eye.

−You're perfectly right. I like Moscow's straight and broad streets and avenues. And I was greatly impressed by Kytyzovsky Avenue, which is one of the longest and busiest streets in Moscow.

−As for me, I admired Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin which represents centuries of Russian history. I was struck by the austere and powerful appearance of its walls and towers.

−And do you happen to know that like the tower of London the Kremlin was used as a fortress and a sovereign's residence?

−I do. And I might as well add that now it houses the President's Office and a number of museums, including the Armory Chamber and the Diamond Fund.

−And what do you think of St. Basil's Cathedral, which is on the southern side of Red Square? Did you like it?

−Oh! I liked it immensely. It is a unique monument of Russian national architecture. But I'm afraid I don't know much about it.

−I've heard that St. Basil's Cathedral was built in the middle 16^th century in memory of the victory over Kazan. There's a legend that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects Barma and Postnik because he didn't want them to create another masterpiece.

−Really? And speaking about places of interest, I think we should take a walk along Tverskaya Street which is famous for its monuments, hotels, restaurants and shops.

−And on the way down Tverskaya Street we will come to Pushkin Square with its bronze statue of the greatest Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. And not far from Pushkin Square there's a monument to the founder of Moscow, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky.

−I'm sure it'll be very interesting. And then let's go to the Vorobyev Hills as I'm eager to see the magnificent building of Moscow University.

−And from there we'll enjoy a most beautiful view of the whole city.

−Oh, Mary, let's go there by metro. The Moscow Metro is the most elegant subway line in the world.

−I like the idea. It'll be very interesting to see it. No two stations are alike, each station represents a theme bearing a historical event of the country, and some designs of the stations are unique and look like palaces.

−But the trip around Moscow won't be complete if we don't see its theatres, concert halls, cinemas and museums. I know that the Bolshoi Theatre is one of the best theatres in the world. It is famous for its opera and ballet.

−Yes, and as for the museums, I think one ought to see the Tretyakov Gallery. It is a treasure house of Russian and Soviet fine art. It has 50 000 works of art, including paintings, graphics and sculpture.

−So, I think that'll be more than enough for one day.

−Let's start right now then.

−OK.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 890