Friends and Friendship

School

A group of English pupils has arrived at our school; try to make an excursion inside and outside your school.

Our school is situated in Flyorov Street. It’s the largest school in our town. Our school is 25 years old. It looks nice and lovely. It’s a clean and attractive three-storeyed building. When you enter it you can see a large light entrance hall decorated with flowers and pictures. The cloakroom, the canteen, the gym, the workshops, the headmaster’s office and the classes for junior pupils are on the ground floor. On the first floor you can find a teachers’ room, classrooms for junior and senior pupils. We are proud of our assembly hall, where all kinds of performances, concerts and meetings are held. It has comfortable seats and is nicely decorated. On the second floor there are different classrooms with required equipment. For instance, we’ve got two computer classrooms, a language classroom. Our school library is also on the second floor. In the library there are not only textbooks, but there is fiction, newspapers and magazines. The school building itself is of a typical design, it is beautiful and well-planned. Near the school there is a big playground where we like to play different games and ski in winter.

2. What role does school play in every pupil’s life?

I’m absolutely sure that school plays an important role in every pupil’s life. School provides us not only with knowledge in science and humanities but gives us assistance in facing the outside world. It’s also a place where we make friends, learn to value moral qualities in people and develop our talents and skills. It’s common knowledge that success of school education depends mainly on the teachers, their professional skill, their attitude to the subjects they teach and the kind of relationship they can establish with the pupils.

3. Imagine that you are an exchange student in Great Britain. What questions would you ask British students? (Ask 3 questions.)

1. What problems do you have at school, if any?

2. What would you like to change at your school?

3. What extra-class activities do you take part in?

4. Your friend doesn’t know how to choose his future profession. Give some advice.

Topic “Future Profession”

5. What does school mean to you?

School means a lot to me in many ways. First it provides a high level of education. Now when I’m finishing school my heart is full of gratitude to most teachers for the knowledge they’ve given me and to many of my friends who have made my school life enjoyable. I will always look back at my school years as the happiest in my life.

Houses and Homes

1. Let’s talk about houses and homes. What type of house do you live in? Describe your house/flat in particular.

We live in a nine (five)-storeyed block of flats. It is situated in a very picturesque place, not far from the centre of the city. Our house is a short walk from the bus stop. It usually takes us about twenty minutes to get to the centre of the city. Our flat is on the _________ floor. There are _________ rooms in our flat: a living room, my parents’ bedroom, my own room. We also have a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet and a hall in our flat. There is also a balcony where we can grow flowers in summer.

The living room is the largest and most com­fortable room in the flat. Our living room is very cosy and light. We use it as a dining-room and as a sitting-room. In the evenings we stay here together watching TV, listening to music, talking or discussing family matters. There is a wall unit, a sofa with two armchairs. There is a small coffee table between two com­fortable armchairs.

My parents’ bedroom is very comfortable and spacious. It reflects their tastes, hobbies and the way of life. There are a lot of books and souvenirs there.

The room I like best is my room. It is nice and cosy. There is a bed, a bookcase, a computer table, a ward­robe and an armchair in my room. There are sev­eral bookshelves on the walls of my room.

Our kitchen is rather large and comfortable. There is a refrigerator, a gas-cooker, a cupboard, a sink and a little table in the middle of the kitchen. There are some chairs round the table. Our kitchen is very well equipped. We have got a microwave oven, a coffeemaker, a dishwasher and a toaster. I like our flat very much. I think there is no place like home.

Friends and Friendship

1. Let’s talk about your best friend and friendship.

Lucky are the people who have friends. I'm happy to have lots of friends, too. Some of them are very close, some are less. But all of them make my life interesting and enjoyable. I appreciate friendship. It makes happiness glow brighter and grief less painful, because we have friends to share it. When we doubt our ability to fulfill our aspiration or to reach our secret goal it is our best friend who encourages us. And we trust our friend and are grateful. Friendship is a bridge between loneliness and fellowship, despair and hope, setbacks and success. That's why a true friend is a priceless gift. They are rich who have true friends, says a proverb and I agree.

I think, ________________ is my best friend. We have much in common: the same tastes, interests and attitude to life. Very often our opinions coincide, sometimes they differ. But we can always compromise, there's mutual understanding between us. I like his/her appearance. __________________________________________________________________________. We are the same age. We spend a lot of time together discussing books, films, performances, solving our problems, planning our future. We can talk about everything. I appreciate my friend's advice. I know, that the way to have a friend is to be one, so my friend can rely on me I won't let him/her down.

2. What qualities do you value in your friend? Why?

My friend possesses a brilliant sense of humour and often makes me laugh. He/she is very sociable and easygoing, so it’s always interesting to communicate with him/her. My best friend is my helper, adviser and supporter. I can always rely on him/her in every situation. He/she gives me a sense of emotional comfort and moral support.

3. What questions would you ask your pen-friend about his/her best friend? (Ask 3 questions.)

1) Do you have much in common?

2) Have you ever quarreled?

3) Does your friendship mean a lot to you?

4. What do you do when you quarrel with your friend?

Actually we don’t often quarrel. We always try to find a reasonable decision to any problem. If any conflicts arise I prefer to talk quietly to my friend on the essence of the matter. Besides it’s important to apologize if you are wrong and admit it, not to hurt your friend’s feelings.

5. Who is a real friend in your opinion? The proverb says: “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. Do you agree with it?

I absolutely agree with this proverb, from my point of view, a real friend is a person who understands you, shows kindness, has similar life philosophies. You can always trust your friend and share your hardships. A true friend is always ready to lend you a helping hand and support you in times of need. Besides I strongly believe that a real friend is a person who doesn’t only help you and give you advice, a real friend should never envy you if you are more successful.

Trips and Journeys

1. Let’s talk about travelling. Is it difficult to imagine modern life without travelling?

Most people would agree that rest and recreation are as important as work. Different people choose different ways of spending their holidays. The most popular among them is travelling. It's difficult to imagine modern life without travelling as the technological progress of the previous century has allowed people to cover long distances in no time. People are eager to see and explore new places and learn more about different ways of life. Travelling has become a highly organized business in many countries.

2. Do you agree that travelling broadens our horizons? Why?

I really think that travelling broadens our horizons and enrich us intellectually. People travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, to enjoy picturesque places or just for a change of scene. It is always interesting to discover new things and other ways of life, to meet different people, taste different food, examine various architectural styles, visit museums and picture galleries. Travelling is a remarkable key in understanding other cultures, a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the world we live in.

3. Which questions can you ask if you are buying a ticket at the railway station? (Ask 3 questions.)

1) When does my train leave?

2) Is it a direct train?

3) What time does it reach? / When does it get in?

4. Your friend is planning summer holidays. What means of transport will you advice to choose? Why?

Nowadays people can travel in different ways. They can enjoy the comfort and speed of air-liners as well as the conveniences of modern comfortable trains and coaches or the luxury of a sea voyage. People choose this or that way of travelling according to their likings and financial possibilities. Of course, travelling by air is most convenient as in a short time you reach the place of your destination well-rested and well-fed. Naturally it is the most expensive way of travelling too. Travelling by train is slower than by plane, but it has its advantages as well. Many people are convinced that with a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined. Most trains nowadays have very comfortable seats as well as sleeping carriages and dining cars, which make even the longest journey enjoyable. Sea voyages these days have become popular again mainly as pleasure trips.

I personally prefer travelling by car. There are several reasons for it. First of all you don't need to reserve your tickets. Then you can go as slowly or as fast as you wish, stop whenever you choose and stay at any place you choose as long as you like. And, of course, you see much more of the countryside than you do travelling by plane or even by train.

5. What do you usually do on a long journey by train?

On a train you enjoy the comfort and pleasure of relaxation. Travelling by train in the daytime may seem tiring to some people while others enjoy talking to their fellow passengers, listening to music, reading a favourite book or just watching the changing landscape through the window. You don’t need to take much food with you as you can have a cup of tea or coffee without leaving your compartment. I like night journeys as well. Sleeping on board the train seems soothing and comforting to me.

Nature Protection

1. Let’s talk about nature protection. What problems does our nature face today?

The Earth is the only planet in the solar system where there is life. If you look down at the Earth from a plane you will see how wonderful our planet is. You will see blue seas and oceans, rivers and lakes, high mountains, green forests and fields. For centuries man had lived in harmony with nature until industrialization brought human society into conflict with the natural environment. With the development of civilization man's interference in nature has increased. Every year the world's industry pollutes the atmosphere with millions of tons of dust and other harmful substances. The seas and rivers are poisoned with industrial waste, chemical and sewage discharge. Their water is unfit for bathing.

People who live in big cities are badly affected by city transport and by the increasing noise level which is as bad for human health as lack of fresh air and clean water. Among the most urgent problems are the depletion of the ozone layer, the disappearance of tropical forests, acid rains and global warming that lead to unfavourable changes in the world's climate.

2. How was the ecology of Belarus affected by the Chernobyl disaster?

After the Chernobyl accident Belarus has become the zone of the ecological disaster. About 18 per cent of the country's soil are unfit for farming and some districts in the south-east of the country are dangerous to live in. Thousands of hectares of forests are contaminated with radioactive elements. The Chernobyl catastrophe has affected the destinies of millions of people.

3. Imagine that you are taking part in Greenpeace campaign. What questions would you like to discuss? (Ask 3 questions.)

1) What can cause the distruction of life on the Earth?

2) Are you for or against animal experimentation?

3) Why is international cooperation important for the successful solution of ecological problems?

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 3332