Step 1: Identifying the problem

Comparative and superlative adjectives

USE

1We use ________________ adjectives to compare two things

Moscow is __________(large) than St Petersburg.

Beijing is __________ (populous)thanMoscow.

2 We use _____________ adjectives to compare three or more things.

Beijing is the ____________(expensive) of the three cities and Moscow is the __________(expensive).

 

FORM

Short adjectives

Add – er/-est

St Petersburg is __________(cheap) than Moscow but Beijing is the _________(cheap)

Long adjectives

Use more/mostorless/least

St Petersburg is __________(expensive) than Moscow but Beijing is the _________(expensive)

Irregular adjectives

bad- worse- worst etc.

The traffic in Moscow is _______(bad) than in St Petersburg but Beijing probably has the __________(bad) traffic of the three cities.

 

3 Complete the sentences with the comparative or superlative.

 

1 Moscow is ________(far) from London than St Petersburg

2 The traffic in Moscow is __________(heavy) than in St Petersburg

3 The weather in summer in St Petersburg is _________(wet) than in Moscow.

4 The ________(good) time to go to Moscow is July and August, because these are the ________(warm) months of the year.

5 St Petersburg is the _________(important) Russian port at the eastern end of the Gulf of Finland.

6 St Petersburg is one of the _________(young) major European cities and one of the _______(elegant) and impressive cities in the world.

7 The _________(bright) period of the White Nightsnormallylasts from June 11th to July 2nd.

8 The Neva flows from Lake Ladoga into the Gulf of Finland and is the_______(wide) and the _______(deep) river in northwestern Russia.

9 The __________(famous) of Moscow’s parks and gardens is Gorky Park.

10 One of the ______(new) addition to Moscow’s skyline is the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, near the Pushkin museum, whose gilt onion domes are visible as far away as Manege Square.

 

4 Complete the spelling rules with the examples from the sentences in Exercise 3.

 

1 Adjectives ending in –e

Add –r or –st to make comparatives or superlatives

__________ ___________ ____________

2 Adjectives ending in one vowel +consonant

Double the consonant and add –er or –est (but don’t double w)

__________ ___________ ____________

3 Adjectives ending in a consonant and -y

Remove the – y and add -ier or iest

__________ ___________ ____________

4 Some adjectives are completely irregular

__________ ___________ ____________

__________ ___________ ____________

 

5 Work in pairs and take turns.

Student A: close your book

Student B: make questions out of the sentences in Exercise 3 and ask your partner

 

Example: Which city is further from London, Moscow or St Petersburg?

 

 

Describing a small difference use a bit, a little, slightly + comparative adjective

Beijing isn’t very warm, only a bit warmer than Moscow.

Describing a big difference use far, much + comparative adjective or by far, easily +

superlative adjective

I’d really like to go to Dubai. It is easily the most exciting place.

We use as +adjective +as to say that things are similar in some way

The Neva empties as much water into the sea as the Nile

To make the expression negative we use not as/so + adjective + as

St Petersburg is not as warm as Moscow in summer

 

6 Use these words to make the comparisons stronger or weaker.

a bit, slightly, much, by far, easily, far

 

1 On summer nights the rivers and canals become more enchanting than in the daytime as the lights of the buildings, bridges and ships are reflected on the water.

2 Northern areas are generally cooler and have larger temperature ranges than southern areas.

3 St Isaac’s Cathedral is the largest place of worship in St Petersburg.

4 The Kremlin is the oldest part of the city. This is the main tourists’ attraction in Moscow.

5 The Tower of London is the most interesting work of military architecture in England.

6 Beijing is cheaper than St Petersburg.

7 Drawbridges are more spectacular at night during the period of the White Nights.

8 The Great Wall of China is the longest wall in the world.

 

7 Complete the information with the comparative or superlative form of the adjectives in the box

 

warm cool windy cold temperate mild

 

Although it is not far from the Arctic Circle, St Petersburg enjoys a moderate, maritime climate, thanks to warm air coming from the Atlantic. In fact, its climate is the____ ________ in Russia at the same latitude. This is due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. Meteorological observations show that July is the________ month, with a 17.8° C mean temperature and February the______, averaging -7.9° C. The average temperature for the year is 4.3° C

It rains an average of 200 days a year. Most precipitation occurs in August, and the least in March. Long-standing weather data indicates that snowy season generally lasts from the beginning of November to the middle of April, but there have been winters with very little snowfall. The __________ times of the year are during autumn and winter, with south, southeast and southwest winds predominating. Even though the temperature in winter is not extremely low, the high humidity can make the freezing air feel much cooler than what the temperature shows. Autumn is usually __________than spring, thanks to cyclones coming from the Gulf Stream.

St Petersburg weather is famed for being rather changeable. It’s not unusual for the temperature and the atmospheric pressure to take a nosedive or for the wind velocity and direction to change drastically – all in one day. Overcast weather with cloud cover is frequent.

Along the coastline of the Gulf of Finland, the bathing season lasts from mid-June until the end of August. During the summer, water temperature is usually 10° C to 24° C. The Neva is about 2 or 3 degrees ________than the Gulf.

 

8 Find in the text English equivalents to the following words/phrases:

морской умеренный климат, широта (географическая), осадки, циклон,

скорость ветра, резкое падение, резко, атмосферное давление, хмурая погода,

средняя температура, высокая влажность.

 

 

9 Give a one-minute talk on the climate and weather in St Petersburg.
Use the following words/phrases:

- moderate, maritime climate

- the influence of the Gulf Stream

- mean temperature

- is/are the warmest/coolest/windiest/month/months

- the bathing season lasts from… until

- it is not unusual for the temperature…

- along the coastline

- occasional sunny days

- high humidity

 

10 Read the information. What would you like to add?

Moscow features a humid continental climate with long, cold winters and warm humid summers. The summer which typically lasts from May and concludes in October sees surprisingly warm and appealing weather particularly through the months of June, July and August. Temperatures remain comfortable until well into September, although by the end of October night-time frosts are beginning to become commonplace and most precipitation comes in the form of snow. For about three to five months each year Moscow is generally snow covered. The snowy winter weather results in beautiful scenery. January and February tend to be the coldest time of the year in Moscow.

On occasion, warming wind arrives from the south and can briefly raise the temperature to around 0° C. Winter daylight hours in Moscow are short and the weather doesn’t start to noticeably improve until April – the big spring thaw, when everything soon turns to slush.

 

Match the meanings 1-5 with the words/phrasesinbold from the text.

1fine weather -

2 sometimes but not often -

3 make something happen -

4 for a short time -

5 continue for a particular

period of time -

6 come to an end -

 

Find English equivalents in italics to the following words/phrases:

влажный континентальный климат, вплоть до сентября, начинают устанавливаться

повсеместно, заметно улучшаться, весенняя оттепель, превращается в слякоть.

 

Give a one-minute talk on the weather and climate in Moscow.

Make use of the following words /phrases:

- humid continental climate

- long, cold winters

- relatively short, hot summers

- heat waves are possible in the warmest months…

- precipitation falling as snow (as rain)

- the snow begins to thaw …

- is generally blanketed in thick snow…

- temperatures begin to drop off in …

- the chance of an “Indian summer”

 

Compare and contrast the weather and climate in Moscow and St Petersburg.

 

 

11 Read the information and find 10 spelling mistakes in it.

Climate change caused by human activities that emit greenhause gases into the air is expected to afect the frequency of extreme weather events such as draught, extreme temperatures, flooding, high winds, globel warming and severe storms.

The various goods of nesessity that the numerous factories and industries are churning out, are not only exhausting our naturel resources at an alarming rate, but they are also generating wastes that are the sourse of serious enviromental issus.

Nevertheless, one wise way to do that is to recicle used goods. Although we have overworked the planet, we can stop destruction and degradation of the environment by inculcating civic responsibility into the young generation.

 

12 Match these words and phrases to the definitions.

 

organic reusable disposable eco-friendly packaging biodegradable recycling detergent

 

1 not bad for the environment

2 process of treating used objects and materials so that they can be used again,

3 can be changed back to a harmless natural state by the action of bacteria, and will therefore not damage the environment

4 produced without using artificial chemicals

5 made to be thrown away after use

6 materials used to wrap or protect goods that are sold in shops

7 that can be used again

8 a liquid or powder that helps remove dirt from clothes or dishes

 

13 Which is the odd one out?

Find the item in each group that doesn’t combine with the adjective.

 

1 disposable plastic bottle/ pen//computer/handkerchief

2 reusable carrier bags/glass jars/electricity/packing materials

3 energy-efficient bike/dishwasher/cooker/fridge

4 biodegradable plastic bags/food waste/paper /cotton

5 refillable glass bottle/ink cartridge/paper/lighter

6 eco-friendly detergent/pollutant/organic food/business

 

14 Choose the correct alternative

 

1Glass is one material that is 100% recyclable/reusable, although every product doesn’t have that quality.

2 Recycling plastic is something that is being seriously considered as it is not disposable/biodegradable and is the source of toxic wastes that are released in the environment.

3 Are battery-powered devices more energy-efficient/fuel-efficient than plug-in devices (assuming an always-on state)?

4 In the UK and Europe, grocery customers are charged for plastic bag use. Get disposable/reusable bags.

5 Energy- efficient/ refillable ink cartridges come in many shapes and sizes depending on the printer model they fit, but all serve essentially the same purpose.

6 Creating an eco-friendly/profitable business means you are mindful of the waste products your business creates, and the way it uses resources to do business.

7 A simple and yet more effective way to live eco-friendly/energy-efficient life is to either take public transport for your daily commuting needs or try pooling in with your office colleagues to save fuel and reduce your carbon footprint.

 

15 Work in pairs.Use these numerical expressions to complete the facts about recycling.

 

95% 250 pounds 2,5 million 65% 60 watt 30 cubic yards 24 hours 16.3 barrels

 

1 Recycling most of the products that we use involves much lesser amount of energy than making them anew. For example, recycling paper saves almost ______energy than making new sheets of paper.

2 If instead of making new products, one pound of steel is recycled then it saves enough energy to light a ___ ___ bulb for ___ ___ straight.

3 It is estimated that one tree absorbs almost _____ _____ of carbon dioxide each year.

4 Manufacturing new aluminum goods produces_____ more carbon dioxide than recycling old aluminum objects.

5 Americans alone throw away ___ ____ plastic bottles every hour.

6 Recycling one ton of plastic is equal to saving ___ ___ of oil and __ __ __ of landfill space.

 

16 Watch the video "6 Easy Ways to be Eco-Friendly in College"

Useful notes:

1 gallon n –(abbr. gal) a unit for measuring liquid. In the UK it is equal to about 4.5 litres; in

the US it is equal to about 3.8 litres. There are four quarts in a gallon.

1 ounce n –(abbr. oz)a unit for measuring weight, equal to 28.35 grams.

skip bottled water = avoid buying bottled water

purchase v,n – to buy something; the act of buying.

re- purpose your clothes – find new useful functions for your old clothes

surge protector – a device that keeps appliances safe from damage in case of a sudden and

great increase of current

plug something inv – to connect a piece of electrical equipment to the main supply of

electricity

unplug v – to remove the plug of a piece of electrical equipment from the electricity supply

outlet (AmE) =socket, also power point.

Work in pairs. Give reasons for each step mentioned in the video.

1 Master the Air-Dry Hairstyle

Prompts: important for ladies and longhaired gentlemen; hairdryers, curling irons,

power-hungry electronics, let your hair air dry.

2 Use Reusable Bags

Prompts: wasteful plastic bags, purchase, decent-quality reusable bags, lightweight enough

to store in your purse,

3 Skip Bottled Water

Prompts: it takes about 1,85gallons of water to make one plastic bottle, oil and

energy to make the plastic, fill the bottles , transport it, local store, reusable water

bottle, cheaper and much better for the environment.

4 Recycle

Prompts: empty bottles of soda, plastic ware, aluminum cans, old clothes, glass bottles,

pizza boxes etc. (make use of the facts about recycling in Ex 11)

5 Buy Less New Stuff

Prompts: to swap clothes, to hit up the mall every other weekend, 1800 gallons of water

required to make enough cotton for a single pair of jeans, metal zippers and

buttons, synthetic dyes and embellishments, to spend a dozen generations in

a landfill, to re-purpose your own clothes.

6 Unplug Electronics

Prompts: indicator lights, electronics on standby, ‘vampire’ power, plugged in outlet,

surge protector, appliances, plug most of your electronics into, unplug it.

 

17 TALKING ABOUT PROBLEMS

1Think of a problem you are facing at the moment. You can choose any problem you like.

2 Read the article and see if it can help you to solve your problem.

 

HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS

 

A problem is a situation that presents difficulty. Some problems arise from every facet of human and mechanical functions, some problems we cause ourselves, other problems are caused by forces beyond our control (natural disasters). Problems are a natural, everyday occurrence of life, and in order to suffer less from the tensions they cause, we must learn how to deal with them in a rational, logical fashion.

Step 1: Identifying the problem

Before a problem can be solved, you must first recognize that a problem exists. You should approach it rationally and remind yourself that every problem is solvable.

Fear can block your ability to think clearly. Once you recognize that a problem exists, your next step is to identify the nature of the problem and decide how significant the problem is.