Let me introduce myself and my family
АСТРАХАНСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ
ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ
ГУМАНИТАРНЫЙ ИНСТИТУТ
КАФЕДРА «ИНОСТРАННЫЕ ЯЗЫКИ В ИНЖЕНЕРНО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКОМ ОБРАЗОВАНИИ»
Английский язык
Сборник иностранных текстов
«Разговорные темы по дисциплине «Иностранный язык» для ФГОС 3-го поколения»
АСТРАХАНЬ 2011
Составители:
Кафедра «Иностранные языки в инженерно-техническом образовании»: к.п.н. доц. Фёдорова О.В., доц. Казанцева С.В., ст.пр. Кочегарова Н.А., ст.пр. Григорьева М.А., ст.пр. Евдоксина Н.В., ст.пр. Муратова А.С., ст..пр. Еферова А.Р., ст.пр. Кердяшева О.В., асс. Насирова В.Н., ст. пр. Спехова Л.Н., ст.пр. Хамис Е.В., ст.пр. Абдульманова Г.Р., ст.пр. Тулепбергенова Д.Ю., асс. Курпешева А.И., ст.пр. Ибляминова М.Р., ст.пр. Нурмухамбетова С.А. асс. Бутырина Е. М.
Рецензент:
к.ф.н., доцет кафедры «ИЯГЕНО» С.Н. Богатырёва
Данный сборник иностранных текстов представляет собой сборник разговорных тем по дисциплине «Иностранный язык» для ФГОС 3-го поколения. Целью сборника является формирование элементарных навыков устной речи студентов и чтения литературы по общеобразовательным темам на английском языке для извлечения необходимой информации.. Каждый текст сопровождается упражнениями, словами и выражениями, подлежащими активизации.
Представленный сборник иностранных текстов может быть использован студентами как для аудиторной, так и для внеаудиторной работы.
Сборник иностранных текстов отвечает предъявленным требованиям и может быть рекомендован к распространению через участок ротапринтной печати АГТУ и использованию в учебном процессе.
Сборник иностранных текстов одобрен и утверждён на заседании кафедры «ИЯИТО», протокол № 5 от 19.01.11
© Астраханский государственный технический университет
Part 1. Знакомство
Exercise 1: Read and translate the text, learn the active vocabulary:
Let me introduce myself and my family
I am Nikita Kuznetsov. I’m 17 years cold. I was born on the 5th of May in 1993. This year I have finished school No 1 in Astrakhan and entered the Astrakhan State Technical University. Now I’m a student of the Mechanical faculty. I always did well at school and studied with great pleasure. My favourite subjects at school were Mathematics, Literature and History. I’m fond of reading books about history and I’m fond of sports. I’ve got the first category in volleyball and I have many friends among sportsmen.
Now I want to tell you a few words about my family. My family is large. I’ve got a mother, a father, a sister, a brother, and a grandmother. There are six of us in the family.
I think I take after my father. I’m tall, fair-haired and even-tempered. I always try to be in a good mood.
We have got a lot of relatives. We are deeply attached to one another and we get on very well. We try to spend Sundays together as a family day. Our relatives often join us for tea or sometimes for dinner.
First of all, some words about my parents. My mother is a teacher of history. She works in a college. She likes her profession. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair. She is forty-seven but she looks much younger. She is tall and slim.
My father is a computer programmer. He is very experienced. He is broad-shouldered, tall man with fair hair and grey eyes. He is forty-nine. My father often sings and when we are at home and have some free time I play the guitar and we sing together. My father knows all about new TV sets and likes to repair old ones. He is also handy with many things.
My parents are hard working people. My mother keeps the house and takes care of all of us. She is very good at cooking and she is clever with her hands. She is very practical. My father and I try to help her with the housework. I wash the dishes, go shopping and tidy up our flat.
My grandmother is retired. She lives with us and helps to run the house. She likes to knit.
My elder sister Helen is twenty-four. She is married to a nice man and has a family of her own. They live in Moskow and rent a flat there. She works as an accountant for a joint stock company. Her husband Aleksey, 29, is a scientist and works in the Russian Academy of Sciences. He is a Candidate of Science and he will become a Doctor of Science in a year. They have got twins: a daughter and a son. Their children go to a nursery school.
My younger brother Sergey is eleven. He is a schoolboy of the sixth form. He wants to become a doctor but he is not sure yet.
As for me, I like to spend my free time with my friends. I have many friends and I have a steady girl-friend. I think my friends are very good and we do everything what is interesting for young people – talk, dance, listen to music. In fine weather we like to be out of town. We find a nice place somewhere on the bank of the river. We lie in the sun, play different games and swim. In winter my friends and I often go to the skating-rink, we like to skate and also to ski. At weekends we like to go to the cinema, we like films about adventures. On the way home we usually discuss the films we’ve seen.
As you see, my biography is not long but I’d like to say that I’m very happy to be a student and I hope I’ll become a good specialist after graduating from the University, I’ll get a well-paid and interesting job and justify the hopes of my parents.
Vocabulary
to take after smb. –быть похожим, пойти в кого-либо из родителей
fair-haired – светловолосый
even-tempered – уравновешенный
to be in a good mood –быть в хорошем настроении
to be deeply attached to smb. – быть сильно привязанным к кому-либо
to get on well – быть в хороших отношениях, ладить друг с другом
good-looking – красивый, миловидный
slim –стройный
experienced – опытный, со стажем
broad-shouldered – широкоплечий
to repair – чинить
to be handy with smth. – уметь делать что-либо, быть искусным в чем-либо
she is good at cooking – она хорошо готовит
she is clever with her hands – у нее умелые руки
to tidy –убирать, приводить в порядок
retired – вышедший на пенсию
to run the house – вести хозяйство
to knit –вязать
joint stock company – акционерная компания
scientist – ученый
twins –близнецы
nursery school –детский сад
on the way home – по пути домой
to justify the hopes of my parents – оправдывать надежды моих родителей
Exercise 2: Answer the questions:
1. When was Nikita Kuznetsov born?
2. Has he got a family? Is his family large?
3. Does Nikita have much in common with his mother?
4. What is Nikita’s mother? Where does she work?
5. What is Nikita’s father?
6. What is Nikita’s mother good at?
7. Has Nikita got any brothers or sisters?
8. Does Nikita’s sister live in Astrakhan?
9. Does Nikita like to spend his free time with his friends?
10. What sort of things do they do together?
Exercise 3: Find the Russian equivalents for the following English words and word combinations:
To take after his mother; even-tempered; to try to be in a good mood; a lot of relatives; to be deeply attached to one another; to get on very well; a good-looking woman; to look much younger; a computer programmer; an experienced specialist; with fair hair and grey eyes; to repair TV sets; to be handy with many things; hard working people; to take care of her family; to tidy up our flat; retired; to run the house; to be fond of sports; to work in a joint stock company as an accountant; to go to the nursery school; to have a steady girl-friend; to be out of town; on the bank of the river; to skate; to ski; films about adventures; on the way home; to graduate from the University; a well-paid job; to justify the hopes of his parents.
Exercise 4: Insert the missing words from the text:
1. Now I’m a student of the … faculty.
2. I’m fond of reading books about … and I’m fond of sports.
3. I always try to be in a good … .
4. We try to spend Sundays together as a … day.
5. My father knows all about new TV sets and likes to repair … ones.
6. My mother is very good at cooking and she is … with her hands.
7. I have many friends and I have a … girl-friend.
8. In winter my friends and I often go to the … .
9. I’ll get a well-paid and interesting … and justify the hopes of my parents.
Exercise 5: Translate the following sentences into English:
1. Я родился 23 марта 1995 года в Москве.
2. В прошлом году я поступил в Технический Университет.
3. Я увлекаюсь спортом, особенно я люблю играть в футбол.
4. Мой старший брат похож на отца, он светловолосый и широкоплечий.
5. У меня очень много родственников в Астрахани, и мы в очень хороших отношениях.
6. Моя мама работает бухгалтером, а мой папа – доктор.
7. Я часто езжу к своей бабушке в Волгоград, которая сейчас на пенсии.
8. Моя младшая сестра часто помогает маме с работой по дому.
9. Мой старший брат не живет с нами, он снимает квартиру.
10. Моя младшая сестра закончит школу через год и станет студенткой нашего университета.
11. Я люблю проводить свободное время со своими друзьями, мы часто ходим в кино.
12. Летом, когда погода хорошая, мы любим ездить за город, лежать на солнце, плавать; зимой, мы часто катаемся на коньках и на лыжах.
13. Я хочу стать хорошим специалистом и найти хорошо-оплачиваемую работу после окончания университета.
Exercise 6: Retell about your family, your studies, hobbies, free time using the active vocabulary from the text.
Exercise 7. Read and translate the dialogue into Russian, learn it by heart:
Nick:Pleased to meet you. My name is Nick and yours?
Peter:My full name is Peter Popov. I am very glad to share a room with you in a hostel. I think we’ll get on well, shan’t we?
N: I hope so. What year student are you?
P: I’m a first-year student of the law faculty, I’m only 17. And you?
N: I am a second-year student. You see, I entered the University after the Army. So I’ll be 22 in two days.
P: My best congratulations, Nick. And what place do you come from?
N: I was born in Brest. It’s rather far from here. My family lives in the country. And what about your family?
P: My parents live in Molodechno. It’s not far from Minsk. It takes me two hours to get there by electric train. My father is an engineer and my mother is a teacher. I am the only child in our family. And have you got brothers or sisters?
N: Oh, my family is very large. I have parents, grandparents, two sisters and a brother.
P: Do you live together?
N: We all live in a big private house. The remarkable thing is that we practically never quarrel. Come and see us. I’ll be glad to introduce you to my family.
P: All right. I’ll be glad to know them all.
Exercise 8. Translate the sentences into English:
Меня зовут Михаил. Мне 20 лет. Я студент второго курса медицинской академии. Я хочу стать врачом и работать в больнице нашего города. Мне нравятся занятия в институте, и я стараюсь не пропускать их.
Я родился в Волгограде, закончил школу №5 и уехал к бабушке в Астрахань. Летом я обычно езжу к родителям. Я не женат, но у меня есть девушка. Она тоже студентка медицинской академии.
Exercise 9. Read and translate the dialogue into Russian:
Nick: Mum, I want to tell you something important.
Mother: What is it, dear?
Nick: I’m going to get married.
Mother: Get married?! You must be joking.
Nick: Nothing of the kind. It’s my final decision. I’m not a child any more.
Mother: Good heavens! (О боже!) But you are only 18. I hope you are not serious.
Nick: Absolutely serious.
Mother: But who is that poor thing? (бедняжка)
Nick: It’s Helen, you know her. Helen is my dream, the best girl I’ve ever met! I can’t see my life without her.
Mother: Oh, no! She is too young. She can’t even cook, likes good clothes and doesn’t work yet. Your marriage is sure to fall on my shoulders.
Nick: Don’t worry. It is not as bad as that. We are going to live with her family.
Exercise 10. Read and translate the text, learn the active vocabulary:
About myself
Hello, friends. Let me first introduce myself. My name is Ann or Anya for my friends. My surname or last name is Sokolova. I was born on the 2nd of October in Sochi, Krasnodarsky Krai. This is the most beautiful city in Russia situated on the Black Sea coast. Now I am a first-year student at the Technical Academy. In five years I’ll be an engineer.
Now let me describe my appearance. I am tall and slim and have fair hair and blue eyes. My friends say that I am pretty. I think I am just good-looking. I love sports and music. I was very serious about a career in gymnastics when I was in the 5th form. But then I broke my arm and doctors didn’t let me go in for gymnastics. I love to listen to modern music and dance. I dance a lot and I hope I am good at it. I also love swimming. I always swim in the Black sea when I visit my parents, my dear family.
I would like to tell you about my family. There are five people in our family. My father’s name is Vladimir Stepanovich. He is a mathematician by education and businessman by profession. My mother’s name is Tatyana Petrovna. She is a housewife. She has much work about the house because I have a younger sister. She is a schoolgirl. My sister Natasha is in the fifth form. My grandmother, my mother’s mother, lives with us. She is very kind and helps us a lot.
Our family is very friendly, we have many friends. In summer many relatives come to visit us. And, of course, they use a chance to spend several weeks in beautiful Sochi.
In May I have finished school No 5 in Sochi. I did well in all the subjects but my favourite subjects at school were Physics and Computer Science. I also enjoyed English lessons.
I am very interested in learning English because I always wanted to become a programmer or maybe a businesswoman. I also think that the knowledge of foreign languages helps in everyday life and career.
Two years ago I travelled much around Europe. I have visited France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. There the knowledge of English helped me a lot.
Vocabulary.
Black Sea coast – побережье Черного моря
a first-year student – студент(ка) первого курса
to describe– описывать
appearance – внешность
career– карьера
to go in for gymnastics – заниматься гимнастикой
mathematician– математик
housewife – домохозяйка
to do well – зд. успевать
the Netherlands – Нидерланды
Exercise 11: Answer the questions:
1. Where and when was Ann Sokolova born?
2. How old is she?
3. Can you describe Ann’s appearance?
4. Has she got a family?
5. How many people are there in her family?
6. Did she study well at school?
7. What school did she finish?
8. What were her favourite subjects at school?
9. What sport did she go in for when she was in the 5th form?
10. What does she want to become?
11. Is Ann interested in learning English? Why is she interested in it?
Exercise 12: Translate the following English words and word combinations into Russian:
To introduce smb.; surname; the most beautiful city; in some years; to describe smb’s appearance; tall and slim; to go in for gymnastics; to be good at smth.; mathematician by education; a housewife; to have much work about the house; to help a lot; to spend several weeks in Sochi; to do well in all the subjects; to be interested in learning English; the knowledge of foreign languages; to travel much around Europe.
Exercise 13: Please, imagine that Ann Sokolova is your friend. Introduce Ann to your group mates: describe her appearance, tell some words about her family, her studies, hobbies and interests.
Exercise 14: Read and translate the text about the biography of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Answer the questions after the text.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin – the head of the RF government
Vladimir Putin was born in Leningrad, October 7, 1952.
In 1975, he graduated with a degree in law from Leningrad State University. Later he earned a Ph.D degree in economics.
After graduation, Mr. Putin was assigned to work in the KGB. From 1985 to 1990 he worked in East Germany.
In 1990, he became assistant to the rector of Leningrad State University responsible for international affairs.
His next position was an advisor to the chairman of the Leningrad City Council.
In June 1991, he became chairman of the St. Petersburg City Council’s International Relations Committee and, starting with 1994, he combined this post with the position of First Deputy Chairman of the St. Petersburg City Government (First Deputy Mayor).
In August 1996, he was appointed deputy head of the President’s Administrative Directorate (Property Management Directorate).
In March 1997, he became deputy head of the Executive Office of the President (Presidential Administration) and head of the Central Supervision and Inspections Directorate.
In May 1998, he was promoted to first deputy head of the Presidential Administration.
In July 1998, he was appointed director of the Federal Security Service and, as of March 1999, he combined this position with that of Secretary of the Security Council.
In August 1999, he was appointed Prime Minister.
On December 31, 1999, he became acting President.
On March 26, 2000, he was elected President of Russia and was inaugurated as president on May 7, 2000.
On March 14, 2004, he was elected President of Russia for the second term.
In 2008 he became the head of the Russian Federation government.
Speaks German and English.
Married to Lyudmila Putina. They have two daughters: Maria (1985), Katerina (1986).
VOCABULARY
Ph.D. degree in economics — кандидат экономических наук
to assign— назначать на должность
to be responsible for smth. — быть ответственным за что-л.
position — положение; должность
to appoint — назначать (на должность), утверждать (в должности)
to promote — выдвигать; продвигать; повышать в чине/звании
Exercise 15: Answer the questions.
1. When and where was Vladimir Putin born?
2. What education has he got?
3. Where did he work and what positions did he hold?
4. When was he elected the President of Russia for the first term?
For the second term?
5. What can you say about his family?
6. How many languages does he speak?
Тексты для самостоятельной работы студентов:
1. Л.В. Хведченя, Р.В. Хорень «Английский язык для поступающих в вузы», Минск, 1996, стр. 164 – My biography; стр. 170 – My family.
2. И.В. Цветкова, И.А. Клепальченко, Н.А. Мыльцева «Английский язык для школьников и поступающих в вузы», Москва, 1996, стр. 96 – My family; стр. 102 – My friend; стр. 152 – Mozart; стр. 158 – Albert Einstein.
3. И.П. Агабекян, П.И. Коваленко «Английский для технических вузов», Ростов-на-Дону, 2004, стр. 23-25 – My biography after Mark Twain.
Part 2. Путешествия.