MINISTERUL EDUCAfiIEI AL REPUBLICII MOLDOVA

ISBN 978-9975-61-682-9

9 789975 616829

MINISTERUL EDUCAIEI AL REPUBLICII MOLDOVA

ENGLISH AWARENESS
ENGLISH
AWARENESS
Galina CHIRA, Margareta DUCIAC, Maria GSC,
Elisaveta ONOFREICIUC, Mihai CHIRA

Working
Together
ENGLISH AS A MAJOR LANGUAGE

STUDENTS BOOK 10

STUDENTS BOOK 10
Editura ARC

CZU 811.111 (075.8)

E 57
Manualul a fost aprobat prin Ordinul nr. 281 din 04 mai 2012 al Ministrului Educaiei. Manualul este elaborat conform
Curriculumului disciplinar (aprobat n 2010) i finanat din resursele financiare ale Fondului Special pentru Manuale.
Acest manual este proprietatea Ministerului Educaiei al Republicii Moldova.
coala .................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Manualul nr. ............................................................................................................................................................................
Anul
de folosire

Numele de familie
i prenumele elevului

Anul
colar

Aspectul manualului
la primire
la returnare

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Dirigintele clasei trebuie s controleze dac numele elevului este scris corect.
Elevul nu va face nici un fel de nsemnri n manual.
Aspectul manualului (la primire i la returnare) se va aprecia: nou, bun, satisfctor, nesatisfctor.
Comisia de evaluare: Zinaida Orfin, grad didactic superior, Liceul Teoretic M. Eminescu, Sngerei; Nina Enina, grad didactic nti,
Liceul Teoretic Antioh Cantemir, Chiinu.
Recenzeni: Galina Burdeniuc, dr. habilitat n metodica predrii limbilor strine; Constantin I. Ciobanu, dr. habilitat n studiul artelor, Institutul Patrimoniului Cultural, Academia de tiine a Moldovei; Iulia Ignatiuc, conf. univ., dr., Universitatea
Al. Russo, Bli; Ion Negur, conf. univ., dr. n psihologie, eful Catedrei de psihologie a Universitii Pedagogice de
Stat Ion Creang din Chiinu
Redactor: Iulia Ignatiuc, conf. univ., dr., Universitatea Al. Russo, Bli
Copert i concepie grafic: Mihai Bacinschi, Alexandru Popovici
Tehnoredactare: Marian Motrescu
Fotografii: Iulian Sochirc, Tudor Iovu, Anne Scheuerman
Desene: Galina Buca, Anatoli Smileaev
Editura Arc se oblig s achite deintorilor de copyright, care nc nu au fost contactai, costurile de reproducere a imaginilor
folosite n prezenta ediie.
Reproducerea integral sau parial a textului i ilustraiilor din aceast carte este posibil numai cu acordul prealabil scris al
Editurii ARC.
Toate drepturile asupra acestei ediii aparin Editurii Arc.
The authors are grateful for the opportunity to acknowledge the people and the organizations that have helped this project
become a reality.
Special thanks to the administration of the Bell School Saffron Walden, the UK, particularly to Rosemery Wilson, Head of
the Bell Teacher Training. Their valuable assistance in organizing special courses for textbook writers has facilitated the process
of developing the textbooks for the lyceum level in Moldova. For their careful reading of the first draft and valuable suggestions,
as well as for their guidance and consultation, our appreciation to: Bruce Milne, Barbara Webb, and Gillie Canningham, Teacher
Trainers, authors of coursebooks in English.
We would like to thank the Soros Foundation and the Peace Corps of the United States of America in Moldova for gracious
support and for providing access to various materials.
We would also like to acknowledge the teachers and students who have piloted and commented on materials included in this
textbook.
Editura ARC, 2012
Galina CHIRA, Margareta DUCIAC, Maria GSC, Elisaveta ONOFREICIUC, Mihai CHIRA
ISBN 9975-61-682-9

Coming together is a beginning;

keeping together is a progress;
working together is success.
Henry Ford
American Industrialist

Dear friend,
You are about to start a new three-year cycle in learning English. By the end of
it, you are expected to reach an advanced level in using the language.
English Textbook is the first book of the series. The present course encourages
you to review the elements of grammar, enrich your vocabulary, and develop your
speaking abilities.
Your trip will be diverse. With English Textbook you will travel through the
world of literature, get to know the English-speaking countries, and discuss various
topics of everyday life in Moldova and abroad. We encourage you to think critically
and express your opinion while participating in class discussions, group and pair
work, debate, and while completing various assignments. The textbook challenges
you to be active, make decisions, solve problems, and be inventive in your project
works.
To get you started and learn more about the present book, we ask you to do
the quiz below.
Good luck!
The authors
Quiz
How many units are there in the textbook?
How many lessons are there in each unit? Are all the units and lessons similar? What is different?
Where can you find information about the English-speaking countries and
Moldova?
How is vocabulary presented to you?
How is grammar presented?
What kind of information can you find in the Info Boxes, Life Skills boxes,
Learner Training rubric?
What does the Supplement include? Comment on each of its sections.
What do you like about the textbook so far?

CONTENTS

1 UNIT

2 UNIT

ON THE PATH
TO KNOWLEDGE

LESSON 1

Enjoy your Journey

LESSON 2

On Education

PERSPECTIVES
ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS

LESSON 1

Family Ties

24

10

LESSON 2

Age and Youth

28

LESSON 3

Literary Focus. Killing Time or Learning? 14

LESSON 3

Literary Focus. Valuing Friendship

32

LESSON 4

Culture and Civilization. Just Different

18

LESSON 4

Culture and Civilization. The Oldest

Institution in the UK

36

LESSON 5

More English?

20

LESSON 5

More English?

38

3 UNIT

4 UNIT

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

ON RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITIES

LESSON 1

Fitness and You

42

LESSON 1

Im Having the Time of My Life

60

LESSON 2

Making Choices

46

LESSON 2

Browsing for Books

64

LESSON 3

Literary Focus. Learn to Love Yourself

50

LESSON 3

Literary Focus. The Reading Public

68

LESSON 4

Culture and Civilization.

Medical Care. History and Facts

54

LESSON 4

Culture and Civilization. Nothing

Ventured, Nothing Gained

72

LESSON 5

More English?

56

LESSON 5

More English?

74

5 UNIT

6 UNIT

THINGS WE CANT
DO WITHOUT

LEARNING ACROSS
CULTURES

LESSON 1

Shopping

78

LESSON 1

Language the Treasure of a Nation

LESSON 2

Eating Out

82

LESSON 2

The Country of Traditions

100

LESSON 3

Literary Focus. Just a Bite...

86

LESSON 3

The Country of Democracy

104

LESSON 4

Culture and Civilization. Transportation

System in London

90

LESSON 4

The Land of Paradise

108

LESSON 5

More English?

92

LESSON 5

Literary Focus. Believe It or Not!

112

LESSON 6

More English?

116

SUPPLIMENT
Holidays and Customs
Trying Your Hand at Writing Poems
Essay writing tips
Transitional Devices / Linking Words / Phrases
Tape Scripts
List of Irregular Verbs

119
120
128
129
131
132
141

96

ON THE PATH TO KNOWLEDGE

UNIT 1

If you wish to have a rich and lasting heritage, truly love

your motherland,
your family,
your nation,
school,
and books.
Aurelian Silvestru

Do you know
how many people speak English around the globe?
where and when the first schools started?
how British and American schools grade their students?

LESSON 1
Enjoy Your Journey
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.
Henry Ford

DISCUSSION POINTS AND WRITING

Dear students,
You have passed into a new stage of your school
life. Open the door to the future to find a world full of
new information and new activities that will give you the
possibility to acquire knowledge at a deeper level and
gain life skills.
The lyceum level is a very important one, it is meant
to prepare you for the baccalaureate exams and independent life after graduation.
The way is not easy, but motivation and perseverance will make it.
Enjoy your journey.

In your notebook answer the following questions to set

your expectations toward the lyceum level. Keep your
notes brief.

a. What do you expect to learn during the three years

ahead of you?
b. How different do you think you will be in three years?
Write at least ten adjectives to describe yourself.
c. What joys and difficulties do you envision you will meet
on your way?

Work in pairs. Share your expectations. Identify common

expectations as well as differences. What do differences
speak of?

As a class, discuss how you see yourselves in three years

and how you can make your expectations come true.

Work in groups and discuss the following topics. Choose one student in each group to be the reporter. He or she can make notes of
the discussion and report back to the rest of the class.

a. advantages of knowing English (Use the Info Box as a reference.)

b. the problems some people have in learning English
c. the best ways of learning English

READING

Read the introduction to the text. Explain why it is entitled My Life

List.

Skim the text and name the categories under which the author
grouped the goals. Tell which of the categories is more appealing to you and why.

Match the geographical names in the text with their transcription in the Pronunciation Key. Pronounce the names of places
correctly and find them on the world map.

Read the text and say which goals John Goddard did not
achieve.
Skimming
To skim material is to look at it in order to take in the general subject, the divisions, and the major headings.
You might skim a table of contents to see if the chapters in a book have the information that you want. You might also skim a magazine, checking article titles to
see if you want to read any of them.

English in the World Today

One fifth of the worlds population
speaks English to some level of competence.
Over 300 million people speak English
as a first language.
Worldwide there are over 1400 million
people living in countries where English
has official status.
It is estimated that over one billion
people are learning English.
English is the favoured language of
international diplomacy, communication,
technology, and scholarship.
More than half of worlds technical and
scientific periodicals are in English.
Half of business deals in Europe are
conducted in English.
English is the official voice of the air
and sea.
Today English is the basic language
of the World Wide Web. English is the
medium for 80 per cent of the information stored in the worlds computers.
English is the language of Shakespeare
and many other great
writers.

My Life List
One rainy afternoon an inspired
15-year-old boy named John Goddard
sat down at his kitchen table in Los
Angeles and wrote three words at the
top of a yellow pad, My Life List.
Under that heading he wrote down
127 goals. He has completed most of
his goals. Each time he accomplished
a goal he checked it on the list. Here
are some of the goals set by young
John.
Explore:
the Nile River
the Amazon River
the Congo River
the Colorado River
the Yangtze River, China
the Niger River
the Orinoco River, Venezuela
Rio Coco, Nicaragua
Study Primitive Cultures In:
The Congo
New Guinea
Brazil
Borneo
The Sudan (John was nearly
buried alive in a sandstorm.)
Australia
Kenya
The Philippines
Tanganyika (now Tanzania)
Ethiopia
Nigeria
Alaska

Climb:
Mount Everest
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Ararat, Turkey
Mount Kenya
Mount Cook, New Zealand
Mount Rainer
Mount Fuji
Mount Vesuvius
Mount Baldy, California
Carry out careers in medicine
and exploration (Studied
premed and treats illnesses
among primitive tribes)
Visit every country in the
world (30 to go)
Learn to fly a plane
Photograph:
Victoria Falls, Rhodesia
(Chased by a warthog in the
process)
Sutherland Falls, New Zealand
Niagara Falls
Retrace travels of Marco Polo
and Alexander the Great
Explore Underwater:
Coral reefs of Florida
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
(Photographed a 300-pound
clam)
the Red Sea
the Fiji Islands
The Bahamas

premed [pri: med], n. a program of premedical study or training to prepare for the
formal study of medicine
chase [tels], v. - to go after and try to catch, pursue, follow

warthog [ w:thg], n. a wild African hog (a pig) with two pairs of tusks (long
pointed teeth) and protuberances on the face

retrace [rl trels], v. - to trace (to follow the trail of) again
reef, [ri:f], n. a ridge of rock, sand, or coral at or near the surface of water
clam [klm], n. any of various bivalve mollusks (with a shell consisting of two
parts), many of which are edible (fit to be eaten)

Visit:
North and South Poles
Great Wall of China
Panama and Suez Canals
Easter Island
The Galapagos Islands
Vatican City (Saw the pope)
The Taj Mahal
The Eiffel Tower
The Tower of London
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Follow River Jordan from the Sea
of Galilee to the Dead Sea
Swim In:
Lake Victoria
Lake Superior
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Titicaca, South America
Lake Nicaragua

Pronunciation Key

[ alfl ta]

[ mzn]

[ rrt]

[ lsk]

[b h:mz]

[ b:nl]

[ b:ldi]

[br zll]

[ d:dn]

[ evrest]

[ flllpi:nz]

[ fi:di:]

[ flrld]

[ fu:di:]

[ gllli:]

[g lpgs]

[i:l pl]

[ jksi:]

[kli f:nl]

[ kk]

[klllmn d:r]

[ kenj]

[kl r:d]

[ kg]

[ kk]

[nal gr]

[ nald]

[nal dlri]
[nall]

[nlk rgj]

[nju: glni]

[nju: zi:lnd]

[rl nk]

[s trelli]

[ pnma:]

[ pi:z]

[r dlzl]

[ relnl]

[ slnd]

[su d:n]

[ sulz]

[su: plrl]

[ t:dm h:l]

[tg nji:k]

[tnz ni:]

[ t:ki]

[tltl kk]

[ taln]

[ vtlkn]

[vene zwell]

[vlk t:rl]

[vl su:vls]

LISTENING

Match the descriptions below with the pictures and the words from the listening text.

a. lobster [ lbst)]

b. coyote [ka
l ti]
c. ostrich [ str
lt]
d. cheetah [ ti:t]

Animals and Birds

1. a large, long-necked flightless African bird with long, bare legs
2. a small wild horse of Western North America
3. a large marine crustacean with five pairs of legs, of which the first
pair is large and claw-like
4. a large saltwater mollusk having an ear-shaped shell
5. a large thick-skinned herbivorous mammal of Africa and Asia,
with one or two upright horns on the snout (nose)
6. any of several oxlike African or Asian mammals; the American bison
7. a very large marine mammal
8. jaguar, any of various wild leopardlike cats of North and South
America, especially a large species with a yellow and gray coat
marked with black spots
9. a wolf-like animal common in Western North America
10. a reptile having a long body, four legs, and a tapering (becoming
narrower towards the end) tail

h. abalone [b lni]
i. whale [we
ll]
j. lizard [ llzd]

e. rhinoceros
(rhino)

[ ral nsrs]

f. buffalo [ b fl]
g. bronco [ brk]

f
g

e
i
j

Weapons

a. arrow [ r]
b. epee [ epel]
c. boomerang
[ bu:mr]
d. bow [b]
e. rifle [ra lfl]
f. sabre [ selb]
g. lariat [ lrlt]

1. a fencing sword with a bowl-shaped guard and a long three sided

narrow blade and a guard over the tip
2. a heavy cavalry sword with a one-edged, slightly curved blade
3. a firearm with a long barrel containing spiral grooves (long narrow
channels)
4. weapon used to shoot arrows
5. a straight, thin shaft (body) that is shot from a bow having a
pointed head and flight stabilizing feathers at the end
6. a rope with a running noose (a loop); lasso
7. a flat, curved missile that can be thrown so that it returns to the thrower

1
c
b

d
f

Moving Objects

a. glider [ gla ld]

b. freighter [ frelt]
c. blimp [bllmp]

d. surfboard [ s:fb:d]

1. a non-rigid, buoyant (remaining afloat in a liquid or rising in air or

gas) aircraft/airship or dirigible
2. a light, engineless aircraft designed to glide after being towed
aloft into the sky
3. a vehicle, especially a ship, for carrying freight (goods, cargo)
4. a narrow, somewhat rounded board used for surfing

a
d

Sports

a. polo [ pl]
b

b. surfing [ s:fl]
c. fencing [ fensl]
d. ju-jitsu [du: dltsu:]

1. the art, practice, or sport in which an epee, foil, or sabre is used

for defense and attack
2. a Japanese art of self-defense
3. the sport of riding the crests of waves into shore on a surfboard
4. a game played by two teams on horseback, equipped with longhandled mallets (long-handled hammers used to strike a ball) for
driving a wooden ball

Listen to the second part of the text My Life List and pick up three goals that seem to you the most
exciting ones. Share them with the class and say why you consider them exciting.

Listen to the text again and answer the questions:

Work in groups. Decide what qualities a person would need to achieve the goals set by John Goddard.

a. Do you find the goals set by John Goddard easy or difficult to achieve?
b. Which goals seem to you more difficult/least difficult to achieve?
c. What obstacles could prevent him from achieving the goals set?

WRITING

1 Using the train analogy set goals for yourself. Refer to the list of

The Goal Setting Train

When you set goals for yourself consider that
there are 4 steps to goal setting: WHAT, WHY,
WHEN and HOW.
Goal setting is like a train trip.
What: Your goal is your destination. Where
do you want to go? It must be specific and
measurable, so you will know when you have
reached it.
Why: Your values are your locomotive. They
pull you along, they drive you forward.
When: Your deadline is your arrival time.
Dont keep putting your goals off until later.
When the date arrives, you will know if you have
accomplished your goals.
How is the way you accomplish the goal, the
way you get there. Are you going to take the
shortest way, or the longest way? Are you going to go first class? Are you going to do it right
the first time? How much are you willing to pay
for your ticket?

expectations you wrote at the beginning of this lesson to get you

started.

a. Write a list of goals for the next three years.

b. Next to each goal write the qualities that you will need to
achieve it.
c. When you have finished, share at least one of your goals with
the rest of the class.

At home write your Life List. You can keep it for years. Each
time you accomplish a goal, put a check mark next to it.

3 For each of the goals in your life list, set concrete short term

objectives/tasks/steps. Accomplishing the tasks you will accomplish your goals. Share your goals and objectives with your
classmates.

What
How

The Classification of Nouns

a notebook
a child
a story
countable
an opinion
a thought
abstract
an interest
wool
common
concrete buckwheat
English
uncountable
dignity
abstract whiteness
success
proper

Moldova

concrete

Noun

When

Why

Characterize the nouns below according

to the criteria of the classification you
have learned.

e.g. growth abstract, uncountable, common

noun
joy
honesty
ceremony
ocelot
ice-cream
flower

goal
running
surfing
idea
basket
dreaming

education
potato
behaviour
sorrow
glue
attic

LESSON 2
On Education
The fate of empires depends on the education of youth.
Aristotle

DISCUSSION POINTS

Match the parts to reconstruct sayings or quotations. Agree or disagree with them. Prove your
point of view.

The brighter you are,

The object of teaching a child
The doors of wisdom
Wise men learn by others harm;
Learn from the skilful;
Being uneducated is not as dishonourable
Genius without education

is like silver in the mine.

as being unwilling to learn.
the more you have to learn.
is to enable him to get along without a teacher.
he who teaches himself has a fool for a master.
are never shut.
fools scarcely by their own.

Brainstorm a list of sayings and proverbs about learning and education in your native language. Translate them and comment on their meaning.

READING

Consult the Pronunciation Key box and learn to pronounce the

words correctly.

Read the passages below. Fill in the gaps with the following words:

liberal, priestly, behaviour, tier, charge, nobles, despised, network, mend,

common, organizing, programme, scriptures.

Education in the Past

The first teachers were fathers and mothers, but very early in the history of man children began to be taught by people other than their fathers
and mothers. It is thought that schools first started in Egypt 5,000 to 6,000
years ago and that it was the invention of writing which made them necessary. Reading and writing were quite different from the skills used in everyday life, and writing made it possible to store up knowledge which grew
with each generation. Specially trained people were therefore needed to
teach it.
nded the
........ atte ading,
..
..
f
o
s
n
e so
ght re
a. Only th hools, which tau
...... .
c
s
n
..
ptia
od .... ....
o
g
d
n
first Egy
a
n
n was oreducatio
physical
educatio
,
y
r
tu
n
e
d largely
9th c
d consiste
ntil the 1
n
u
a
,
,
a
s
e
in
s
h
s
b. In C
social cla
rding to
o
c
c
a
heart.
d
e
ganiz
........ by
..
..
..
e
th
g
of learnin
at should be taught
........ caste decided wh
....
....
e
th
dia
In
nt
cie
c. In an
ople were divided.
groups, into which pe
or
s,
ste
ca
ur
fo
e
th
to each of
the scriptures.
was allowed to learn
Only the priestly caste

10

Greek philosophers, or thinkers,

always discussed what education
should try to do and what it should
include. Plato wrote a book called
The Republic, which is one of the
best books ever written on education. Since those days, Greek ideas
have influenced European education,
especially secondary and university
education.

Pronunciation Key

Athena [ i:n]

Athenian [ i:nln]

Egypt [ i:dlpt]

Egyptian [ i:dlpn]
Rome [rm]

Roman [ rmn]

Sparta [ spa:t]

Spartan [ spa:t()n]

China [ taln]

Chinese [tal ni:z]

Great Britain [ grelt brlt()n]

British [britl]

India [ lndi]

Indian [ lndin]

t
ilding wha
ns were bu
ia
t
n
a
e
th
th
e
A
n
o
d. The
education
.
..
is
..
h
..
..
f
..
o
..
..
s
..
ll the side
we call a
develop a
n
a
m
appreciate
a
s
help
make and
to
im
h
s
lp
to find the
nature, he
helps him
d
n
a
s
g
in
portant
beautiful th . They thought it im
nd
f life
the mind a
best way o
y as well as
h
d
ic
o
h
b
e
w
g
th
ainin
to educate
physical tr
f
g
o
n
.
..
li
..
st
..
..
re
..
w
ping,
m
had a ........
ju
,
g
in
t on,
of runn
s time wen
A
consisted
s.
u
c
is
d
reading the
ention to
tt
a
and throw
l
ia
c
e
ere
paid sp
nd these w
education
terature a
li
the
d
s
n
a
a
n
g
w
n
r, kno
e
h
ing, writi
c
a
te
l
ia
t edua spec
le were no
p
o
taught by
e
p
..
..
..
anship,
. ........
in craftsm
dramatist
d
e
in
a
tr
y were
cated: the
des.
ip, and tra
sh
n
a
m
rk
o
w

rs we
n, the first teache
e. In Great Britai
ey taught
e craftsmen. Th
read about wer
t, to cook
, write and coun
children to read
early 19th
r shoes. In the
and ........... thei
hing was
n system of teac
century the mai
r could
stem. The teache
the Monitor sy
by using
of 100 or more
manage a class
him. The
onitors to help
older pupils or m
e somedesks which wer
schools had long
teacher
......... so that the
times arranged in
ass.
child in a large cl
could see every

y
gave a purely militar
and warlike people,
rd
ha
a
n
,
ke
ns
ta
ta
re
ar
Sp
we
e
es
f. Th
noble famili
e of seven, all boys of
. They were kept un
education. At the ag
gr
sent to live in oups
re
we
d
g,
an
tin
es
ou
m
sc
ho
ry
ta
from their
hunting, mili
e
line and were taught
der very strict discip
... literature, and som
....
apons. They ........
we
of
e
us
e
th
d
an
g
swimmin
uld not even read.
people think they co
e the
hey wer . .
t
d
n
a
.,
..
..
.............. t free of ..........
ood at ..
n
g
e
y
ols
r
m
o
e
n
h
v
r
c
e
e
s
hese
e gov
t
ns wer
h
f
t
a
o
y
m
..
b
o
..
n
..
R
......
ls ru
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Big School in
Stratford-uponAvon, UK.
Built in 1417.
Used as school
since 1553. It
is believed that
Shakespeare
was educated
here

Read the Info Box and explain what rhetoric is.

Do you think it should be taught in schools?
Why, or why not? If yes, what would the benefits
be?
Complete the following table.

a. Write down the school subjects mentioned in the

text and mark the places where they were taught.
b. Compare the subjects taught in different countries to identify similarities and differences.
c. Underline the subjects that are still taught in
schools today.
Places

Subjects

Athena

Rome

Sparta

Tell what impressed you most about education

in the past and why.

Tell what is common and what is different

between education in the past and education in
modern times.
China

Reading
Good behaviour

Rhetoric [ retrlk] the art of effective expression and the

persuasive use of language; oratory; the art of influencing the
thought and conduct of an audience.

11
11

India

Egypt

Great Britain

LISTENING

Look at the pictures and reflect on different ways of learning.

a. What can you learn from each of these sources of information?

b. Which of them do you find more efficient and why?
c. Can you name other sources of learning?

Listen to the opinions of a teacher and a parent about school and education. How would you answer the questions that the parent and the
teacher ask at the end of their letters?

Replace the underlined words in the following sentences from the text
you have just listened to by their synonyms. Consult the Learner Training rubric and the Word House.

length, modest, old-fashioned, drop, reduced

a. Todays children are unlikely to open a book after they leave school
and, in time, books will become obsolete.
b. Their parents have no time either they are too busy working to
make sure their kids have everything they need and also too tired when
they get back home to do much else than flop into an armchair and switch
on cable TV.
c. My students find books boring, probably because computerized visual effects and televised soap operas have shortened their attention span,
impoverished their vocabulary and dulled their imagination.
d. In my humble opinion, reading is essential to help develop lively,
creative, critical and literate minds.

Listen to the texts again and fill in the table below.

a. Pick out of each of the two opinions key arguments in favour of watching
TV, using computer technology, and reading. Note them down in the table.
b. Add your own arguments to each section in the table.
c. Discuss the arguments in class. Prove the importance of each of the sources
listed.

Reading books is
important because

Watching TV is
important because

Using computer technology

is important because

obsolete [ bsli:t] [bs li:t],

adj. no longer in use or fashion; no longer useful or functioning
flop, [flp], v. to fall heavily and
noisily
span, [spn], n. the length
of time that something lasts or
continues

impoverish [lm pvrl], v. to

reduce to poverty; to deprive of
natural richness or strength
dull [dl], v. to become or
make something dull
humble [hvmbl], adj. marked by
meekness or modesty; showing
submissive respect

Synonyms
Synonyms are words
that possess almost the
same general meaning.
e.g. large - big
beautiful - good-looking,
pretty - lovely, handsome
Synonyms which are
identical in meaning are
called complete or absolute
synonyms.
Few words in a language are identical in
meaning, we usually find
them in terminology.
e.g. scarlatina - scarlet fever
semasiology - semantics
synopsis - summary
parka - anorak
shoestring - shoelace

SPEAKING AND WRITING

Resolution a statement to be debated.
Argument a unit of discourse in which beliefs are supported by reason.
The starting point of an argument is an assertion, which states the belief,
position or point of view that the arguer is going to expand or support.
Here is what I believe and I will show you why I believe it.
Evidence specific life examples, statistics, factual references, appeal to
authority (dictionary, encyclopedia, the Bible, the Constitution, etc.)

12

Write arguments for and against

the resolution Education is the
key to success; give supportive
evidence.

Debate the topic in class.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Some nouns may be both countable and uncountable depending on
their use. Among these we can enumerate the following:

1. Nouns denoting both single items and substances 3. Nouns which can refer to something specific or general.
e.g. a chicken/ chicken
e.g. a light/ light
There are many chickens in the yard.
Not a light could be seen in the house.
We dont eat chicken very often.
Light travels faster than sound.
2. Nouns which refer to objects or material.
4. Nouns ending in -ing.
e.g. an iron/ iron
e.g. a painting/painting
Can you lend me your iron?
There was a painting by Turner on the wall.
This kitchen utensil is made of iron.
Painting was the only thing he liked while at school.

Noun Formation
to sculpture a sculpture
to sound a sound

disagreement
misunderstanding
to freeze frost

public inn/house pub

Frederick Fred
craftsmanship

to drip drop

1 Study the above scheme. Can you name the four ways of forming nouns? If not, do exercise 2.
2 Match the words with their definitions
1. contraction
2. deflexion
3. conversion
4. affixation
5. derivation

a. the forming of nouns by adding either a prefix or a suffix (or both of

them) to the stem of the word.
b. the formation of a noun from another part of speech without adding any
derivative elements.
c. the shortening of a word by omitting its first part, its middle or its ending.
d. the formation of one word from another word.
e. the derivation of one word from another by changing the vowel.

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Fill in the blanks with a/an, the, (no article)

1. He doesnt like to drink wine.

2. What is paper made of?
3. reading is his favourite occupation.
4. My mother bought me blue ribbon.
5. This has always been wine of high quality.
6. Where is paper I was reading two minutes ago?
7. She was asked to deliver speech at the reunion
tomorrow.
8. Tell him to buy tea for me and beer for my fa-

ther.
9. good knowledge of a foreign language is always a
priority.
10. Is glass really made from sand?
11. There was flour everywhere in the kitchen.
12. education is what he lacks at present.
13. Is that piece of clothing made from wool or
cotton?
14. When did he come into fortune?

Form nouns from the following words:

1. wide
2. to improve
3. to plan
4. citizen
5. to shoot
6. to defend

7. secure
8. to meditate
9. to show
10. similar
11. to feed
12. identify

13. deep
14. percept
15. to strike
16. to connect
17. to lift
18. meek

13

19. train
20. devise
21. choose
22. to require
23. correct
24. long

LESSON 3
LESSON 3

Literary Focus
Killing Time or Learning?
A distinctive feature of a good school is to make the student learn more than he
is taught, even more than the teacher himself knows.
Mihai Eminescu
DISCUSSION POINTS

Work in groups. Look at the two pictures. Tell

how you would describe the teacher-student
relationships in each of them.

Decide what the missing word in the middle of

the circle is.

generation

gender

communication

?
trade

credibility

information

Answer the questions:

a. What does each of the word combinations

in 2 mean?
b. When does a teacher-student communication gap occur?
c. How does such a gap influence the atmosphere in class?

READING

Read the title. Predict what the text will tell you about the relationships between teachers and students.

Scan the text. Check whether your predictions were right. Share the results
with your classmates.

Read the text. Answer the questions:

1. Why are students sometimes turned-off?

2. What does Ellen Glanz suggest doing to end the teacher-student battle?
3. Out of the three options mentioned by Ellen Glanz which one would you choose?
Why?
a. confess openly to the teacher
b. copy someones sheet
c. make up an excuse
4. Why are many students obsessed with getting very good and excellent marks?

Scanning
Scanning is another kind
of rapid reading. You
scan when you want to
find a specific piece of
information quickly. When
you scan, you do not read
every word. You run your
eyes quickly down the
page looking for a specific
idea, fact, detail. Scanning
demands that you ignore
all but the key item being
searched for.

Why Are Students Turned Off?

Casey Banas

A teacher pretends to be a student and sits in on

several classes. What does she find in the typical class?
Boredom. Routine. Apathy. Manipulation. Discouragement. If this depressing list sounds familiar, you will be
interested in the following analysis of why classes often
seem to be more about killing time than about learning.
Ellen Glanz lied to her teacher about why she
hadnt done her homework; but, of course, many
students have lied to their teachers. The difference
is that Ellen Glanz was a twenty-eight-year-old high
school social studies teacher who was a student for
six months to improve her teaching by gaining a fresh
perspective of her school.
She found many classes boring, students doing as

14

little as necessary to pass tests and get good grades,

students using ruses to avoid assignments, and students manipulating teachers to do the work for them.
She concluded that many students are turned off because they have little power and responsibility for
their own education.
Ellen Glanz found herself doing the same things
as the students. There was the day when Glanz wanted to join her husband in helping friends celebrate
the purchase of a house, but she had homework for a
math class. For the first time, she knew how teenagers feel when they think something is more important than homework.
She found a way out and confided: I consi-

dered my options: confess openly to the teacher,

copy someone elses sheet, or make up an excuse.
Glanz chose the third optionthe one most widely
ruse [ru:z], n. deceitful way of doing something
usedand told the teacher that the pages needed to

purchase [ p:ts], n. something bought

4 complete the assignment had been ripped from the

confide [kn fald], v. to tell a secret; tell confidentially

book. The teacher accepted the story, never checkrip, [rlp], v. to pull, tear or cut something quickly and with
ing the book. In class, nobody else did the homeforce

work; and student after student mumbled responses

promote [pr mt], v. to encourage, support

when called upon.

regard [rl ga:d], v. to consider to be

Finally, Glanz said, the teacher, thinking

dispense [dls pens], v. to distribute, administer
that the assignment must have been difficult, went
cheat [ti:t] (on), v. to act in a dishonest way; to win an
over each question at the board while students copadvantage or profit

5 ied the problems at their seats. The teacher had

encounter [ln kant] v. to meet
stint, [stlnt], n. period of time spent at a particular activity
covered the material and the students had listened

assume [ sju:m], v. to take for granted or true

to the explanation. But had anything been learned?
crackdown, n. severe measures to restrict or discourage
I dont think so.
undesirable
people or actions
The system encourages incredible passivity,
Glanz said. In most classes, one sits and listens. A
teacher, whose role is activity, simply cannot undertimated that half to two-thirds of a class cheated on
stand the passivity of the students role, she said.
a given test, Glanz said. Worse, Ive encountered
When I taught, Glanz recalled, my mind was
students who feel no remorse about cheating but are
annoyed that a teacher has confronted them on their
6 going constantlyfiguring out how to best present
an idea, thinking about whom to call on, whom to
actions.
draw out, whom to shut up; how to get students
Glanz has since returned to teaching at Lincolninvolved, how to make my point clearer, how to
Sudbury. Before her stint as a student, she would
respond; when to be funny, when serious. As a
worry that perhaps she was demanding too much.
student, I experienced little of this. Everything was
Now I know I should have demanded more, she
done to me.
11 said. Before, she was quick to accept the excuses of
Class methods promote the feeling that students
students who came to class unprepared. Now she
have little control over or responsibility for their own
says, You are responsible for learning it. But a
education because the agenda is the teachers, Glanz
crackdown is only a small part of the solution.
said. The teacher is convinced the subject matter is
The larger issue, Glanz said, is that educators
7 worth knowing, but the student may not agree. Many
must recognize that teachers and students, though
students, Glanz said, are not convinced they need
physically in the same school, are in separate worlds
to know what teachers teach; but they believe good
and have an on-going power struggle. A first step
12
grades are needed to get into college.
toward ending this battle is to convince students that
Students, obsessed with getting good grades to
what we attempt to teach them is genuinely worth
help qualify for the college of their choice, believe
knowing, Glanz said. We must be sure, ourselves,
the primary responsibility for their achievement rests
that what we are teaching is worth knowing.
with the teacher, Glanz said. It was his responsibil8 ity to teach well rather than their responsibility to
Phrases and Idioms
learn carefully.
to lie to someone = to tell lies
Teachers were regarded by students, Glanz said,
to find something boring (interesting, comfortable) to
9 not as people, but as role-players who dispensed
become informed or aware of, by experience or trial
information needed to pass a test.
to turn somebody off (cause him to) lose interest, desire,
But the sad reality, Glanz said, is the failure of
etc.
teachers to recognize their tremendous communicato make up an excuse to give reasons for not complying
tion gap with students. Some students, she explained,
to get someone involved (in) to cause to take part (in)
believe that effort has little value. Some have heard
to be obsessed with to be excessively preoccupied with
reports of unemployment among college graduates
to feel (no) remorse about something to feel (no) regret
10 and others, and after seeing political corruption they
for doing something
conclude that honesty takes a back seat to getting
ahead any way one can, she said. I sometimes es-

15

Write the word that goes with each clue below.

The numbers in brackets correspond to the
paragraphs in the text.

1. You usually use this word when you mean

something new, bright, cool, not stale, not tinned.
(1)
2. It refers to things, activities which are not
interesting at all. (2)
3. People use this word when they are given the
right or power to choose. (4)
4. We use this word to show that a person
doesnt speak distinctly. (4)
5. We pronounce this word when we doubt
something that can not be believed. (6)
6. No meeting, conference, seminar can be
organized and held without having one. (7)
7. The word is used to mean the thing(s) done
successfully, with effort and skill. (8)
8. Its equivalent of the answer to an equation
or problem. (11)

5. She cant distinguish between an artist

and an amateur.
a. original b. accomplished c. trained
6. All our attempts to stop him from leaving
the country ended in .
a. loss b. deficiency c. failure
7. There was not enough evidence for the jury
whether the defendant was guilty or not guilty.
a. to infer b. to conclude c. to sum up

A.
1. boring
2. to purchase
3. to accept
4. funny
5. to gain
6. separate
7. honesty
8. failure
9. to annoy
10. common

In the following examples choose the word

which fits the meaning in the sentence.

e.g. What you really lack is the ability to see

things in .
a. prospect b. relation c. perspective
1. The best thing to do now is to my sins and
ask God for a blessing.
a. acknowledge b. confess c. deny
2. A clever politician knows how to his supporters.
a. manipulate b. handle c. manage
3. I recognized him the very moment I saw him
but I couldnt his name.
a. recollect b. recall c. remind
4. Do you believe the three-month courses will
help him for this post?
a. to adapt b. to nominate c. to qualify

For each word in column A that comes in the

text find a word in column B which is opposite
in meaning. The first example has been done for
you.

B.
a. unusual
b. dishonesty
c. interesting
d. success
e. serious
f. to lose
g. to soothe
h. to sell
i. united
j. to reject

Form strong partnerships with gain, lose, and

miss. Use some of the correct word partnerships
in sentences of your own.

a match
time
a fortune
a friend
chance
the favour of
a train
school

recognition
heart
ones balance
ground
an advantage
face
the upper hand
the boat

SPEAKING

Discuss the following.

a. What makes students tell lies when they

dont do their homework?
b. Why do some students find classes boring?
c. What causes students passivity and what
should be done about it by both teachers and students?
d. What is more important to you, grades or
knowledge? Explain why.
e. Have you ever cheated on any test in any
subject? How did you feel afterwards?

f. What are you relationships with your teachers? Are you really in two separate worlds? Explain.
g. Where and why does the teacher-student
communication gap begin? Suggest ways of diminishing it.
h. Which principles (both for teachers and students) do you think could facilitate the teachinglearning process in your school/ class?

16

Comment on Ellen Glanzs words from the last

two paragraphs.

LITERARY FOCUS

Apply Your Knowledge

Nonfiction is prose writing that deals with real people, events, and places. One
major type of nonfiction is the essay.
An essay is a composition of three or more paragraphs that present and develop
one main idea.
Some essays are formal that is, tightly structured and written in an impersonal
style. Others are informal, with a looser structure and more personal style.
There are four common types of essays:
Expository essays present or explain information and ideas.
Descriptive essays paint a vivid picture that expresses one main impression of
a person, an object, or a scene.
Persuasive essays state an opinion on a subject and use facts, examples, and
reasons to convince readers to adopt particular points of view.
Literary essays are of two types:
a. book review, in which the writer briefly summarizes the contents.
b. critical essay, in which the writer analyzes and interprets a work of literature.
An essay should have:
an introduction
a body
a conclusion
The introduction of an essay
a. captures the readers attention,
b. establishes the tone,
c. contains the thesis statement.
Tone is the writers attitude toward his or her subject and audience.
The thesis statement states the main idea and makes the writers purpose clear.
The paragraphs that make up the body of an essay develop the main idea
expressed in the thesis statement and show the writers point of view in a clear and
convincing way.
The purpose of the conclusion is:
a. to summarize the main points;
b. to state an opinion, argument based on the information or evidence in the essay;
c. to suggest other areas to explore that will enlarge the readers understanding
of the subject.
Steps for Writing an Essay
1. Write a thesis statement.
2. Write an introduction that includes your thesis statement.
3. Use your outline to write the paragraphs in the body.
4. Use connecting devices to link your thoughts.
5. Add a concluding paragraph.
6. Add a title.
7. Revise your essay for structure, well-developed paragraphs, unity, coherence, emphasis, and varied and lively sentences and words.
8. Check your grammar, spelling, and manuscript form.

1. What kind of essay are the

passages below from? How do
you know?
a. Most birds migrate in
silence, but not geese. Whether
you are walking down a city
street, standing in a suburban
backyard, or working in a rural
wood lot, you know when geese
fly away.
b. In Ernest Hemingways
novel The Old Man and the Sea,
the main character, Santiago,
endures severe physical hardships. He also suffers a painful
loss. Despite the suffering and
loss, the novel is affirmative and
hopeful.
c. Although I love movies,
going to see them drives me crazy.
For one thing, getting there takes
a lot of time. Another problem is
that the theatre itself is seldom a
pleasant place to be. Half of the
seats seem to be falling apart.
2. a. In Why Are Students
Turned Off?, which sentence(s)
is (are) used to attract the readers interest?
b. The thesis is presented in
the second sentence;
the third sentence;
the fourth sentence.
c. The thesis contains a plan of
development.Yes. No.
d. Which words in the thesis
announce the major supporting
points in the essay?
e. Agree upon the topic sentence of each paragraph.
f. Which sentences contain the
concluding thought of the essay?

WRITING
Play the role of a student observer in one of your
classes. Then write an essay stating the atmosphere in that particular class and give detailed reasons why you think it is either interesting or boring.
Read your essay in class. (See Steps for Writing an
Essay).

You might want to consider the following:

The teacher: tone, enthusiasm, teaching methods

and aids, sense of humour, understanding, cooperation,

level of interest, ability to handle questions, etc.
The students: discipline, enthusiasm, participation,
motivation, attitude, cooperation, support, etc.
Add other factors, if necessary (how many students
did their homework, how much was learned, how the
students were appreciated, what the teacher-student relationship was).

17

LESSON 4
Culture and Civilization
Just Different
READING

Work in groups. Brainstorm stereotypes (generate similar ideas about something) that
Moldovan students have about schools in the UK and the USA.

To get familiar with the educational systems abroad, read the opinions of two Moldovan students about schools in the United Kingdom and the USA. Tell what you like and dislike about
the schools in the two countries? Support your opinion with arguments.

My name is Corina, and I am

a pupil at West Buckland School
in Barnstaple, Devon.
Our school is a private one,
and quite small compared to other schools in Great Britain. It has
about 600 pupils. Some of them
are day pupils, and some live in
boarding houses.
The boarding houses are
either for boys or for girls only.
Some of the houses are very big
(40-50 pupils) but some of them are rather small (16-20
pupils). Each boarding house has a house parent who takes
care of the pupils and organizes different activities during
weekends or even during the week.
West Buckland School was founded in 1898 and has a
lot of traditions and rules. Everybody has to wear a school
uniform (see the picture above) until 16:20, when school
ends. Girls are not allowed to wear jewelry or colour their
hair.
School starts at 9:15 but there is breakfast for boarders at 8:00. The lunch break is from 13:15 to 14:25, and
then the school day continues. Boarders have to be back in
their boarding houses between 18:20-20:20 when there is
preparation time. During this time everybody has to stay in
the room and study. The pupils are also allowed to watch
TV or listen to music during this time. Boarders also have
to be in their houses by 22:45.
All the subjects are distributed in five blocks and a
pupil in the 6th form (that is years 12 and 13, the equivalent of years 11 and 12 in Moldova) is able to study four
subjects, each one from a different block.
There are a lot of extra-curricular activities you can
participate in. There is a great variety of sports, music lessons, a theatre club, and a debating society.
Within the school there are a lot of fields specially designed for rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, golf, and squash.
There is also a big gym, and all the classrooms are provided
with necessary equipment. Six-formers have their own six
form center, where there is a TV, a stereo system, a pool
table, and a snack bar.

There are a lot of meetings during the week. On Mondays there is a school meeting where the headmaster or
headteacher is always present. On Tuesday there is a house
assembly. (There are four houses and each pupil belongs
to one of them.) A house is like a separate group and they
always compete with each other in different events. On
Thursday there is a six form meeting where all six formers
are gathered, and a lot of interesting themes are discussed.
Sometimes there is a boarders meeting where the issues of
boarders are discussed.
A new system of studying was introduced in the year
2000 all the pupils from lower six (year 12) take exams at
the end of the year.
During each lesson teachers provide pupils with brand
new information from the Internet and from magazines.
Pupils have to study more by themselves rather than the
teachers providing all the necessary information. Lessons
are very silent: pupils dont usually talk and they are respectful toward their teachers. During tests the students
never copy, even if they dont know the answer or are uncertain about it. There are no catalogues and the marks
are put on their test papers, just for the students to see
their mistakes and do better next time.
Marks are given from A to E and sometimes in points
(e.g. 16/22) or percentages (e.g. 67%).
In my school everybody is very friendly. The relationships with teachers are very close, and the teachers always
try to help if needed.

n
o
i
t
a
z

e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
u
C
C and

n
o
i
t
a
z

e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
u
C
C and
n
o
i
t
a
z
e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
Cu and C
West Buckland School in Barnstaple, Devon, UK

18

My name is Inga, and I have

graduated from Nevada Union
High School in Grass Valley,
California.
American high school is often stereotyped in the minds of
Moldovan teenagers. It is viewed
as a time of continuous partying,
easy classes, and straight As.
The reality is far from this picture. It is true that overall American classes are oriented toward
an average student, and if you go to school and do your
homework, its possible to be classified as a good student.
Still, studying in an American school can be difficult and
even tough.
There is a system called honors in most of the
schools and only the best students who maintain their GPA
(Grade Point Average) above a certain level can be enrolled in these special classes, which can be qualified as advanced. The level of students in these classes is above and
average; so is the grading system. For example, if you get
an A in an honor class, your grade for that class will be
5.00 points instead of 4.00 as in regular classes. The grading system is as follows: an A equals to 4.00, a B to
3.00, a C to 2.00 and a D to 1.00. An F is 0.00 and
the class has to be retaken in order to graduate from high
school. There is a minimum of credits required for graduation. Every subject taken for a period of one semester has
a corresponding number of credits. For example a biology
class equals to three credits. In high school almost all the
classes have the same amount of credits because they are
required for graduation.
Another difference between American and Moldovan
schools is that you can choose what you want to study. It is
not absolutely liberal, but still the student has something to
say about what he/she wants to study. There is a guideline
for what should be taken and some of the obligatory classes
include English for four years, and Math for two, three or
four years (depending on the school you are in and the college you want to go to). The other subjects are electives
(or at least this is what they are called). Every student has
to take two science classes (and there are four different
science classes available, such as Physics, General Science,
Chemistry and Astronomy). So, the student has the choice
of any two of these in order to graduate.
At my school, we had classes from early in the morning (7:35 AM) to 2:30 PM. Everybody had seven periods;

the 4th was lunch. Every day we had the same classes; the
schedule doesnt change for a whole semester. The students in every class are different, there is not such a notion
as class 10 a or b, or a class teacher. Students are
much more independent than in Moldova.
My school is a public school. It is a big one. It has
almost 3000 students, all high school students. There were
no meetings organized for students, only the Students
Government Body was getting together to discuss issues
related to school life.
There is no uniform required for students: uniforms
are usually obligatory for private schools only. There are
certain restrictions on what types of clothes you can were
at school. There is also a uniform required for Physical
Education classes.
Each of the schools in the United States has counselors. These are people who can give you advice concerning the school subjects, or about continuing studies at college or university.
There were a lot of extra-curricular activities organized for students at my school, all in all over 40 clubs of
different kinds.
The relationships between students and teachers are
much more informal than in Moldova. Students and teachers are very friendly. Teachers are viewed more as friends
than higher level educators.
There are different ceremonies organized in American schools. Among them are Prom and Graduation
ceremonies. For graduation, students wear special robes
(see the picture above).
Prom is held three-four weeks before the school ends.
Its a big formal dance where only seniors are invited.
Grad night is another event held for the entire night, the
day following the graduation. There is also a senior trip
somewhere in the country.

n
o
i
zat

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v
t
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u
C and C

n
o
i
zat

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l
i
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t
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C and C
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C and C

Nevada Union High School in Grass Valley, California, USA

Work in pairs. Discuss what is common and what is different between the educational systems
in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Moldova. Fill in the following table:
The UK

Grading System
School Day/Timetable
......................................

19

the USA

Moldova

LESSON 5
More English?
1
2

Looking at the title, guess what the text might be about.

Read the text and explain why you find the authors view an optimistic or pessimistic one.
Prove your point of view.

To do rather than to think or feel...

The tendency of culture is, and will probably continue to be, towards science and away from art and literature...
I imagine that a hundred years hence every fairly
educated person will know a good deal of mathematics,
a fair amount of biology, and a great deal about how to
make machines. Education, except for the few, will become more and more what is called dynamic, i.e. will
teach people to do, rather than to think or feel. They
will perform all sorts of tasks of extraordinary skill, but
will be incapable of considering rationally whether the
tasks are worth performing...
The daily press, presumably, will be killed by broadcasting. A certain number of weeklies may survive for
the expression of minority opinions. But reading may
come to be rare practice, its place being taken by listening to the gramophone, or to whatever better invention
takes its place. Similarly, writing will be replaced, in ordinary life by the Dictaphone.

Bertrand Russell, Skeptical Essays (1935)

* A hedonist believes that gaining pleasure is the most important thing in life.

Say whether the following statements are right

or wrong according to Russells essay.

Bertrand Russell thinks literary education is

doomed to disappear.
Practical and mechanical skills will become
less important.
People will be much more apt to criticize and
reason.
Fewer books and papers will be read.
Music and writing will both become things of
the past.
Everyone will work fewer hours to spend
more time looking after their families.

If wars are eliminated and production is organized

scientifically, it is probable that four hours work day
will suffice to keep everybody in comfort. It will be an
open question whether to work that amount and enjoy
leisure, or to work more and enjoy luxuries; presumably some will choose one course, some the other. The
hours of leisure will no doubt be spent by most people
in dancing, watching football and going to the movies.
Children will be no anxiety, since the State will care of
them; illness will be very rare; old age will be postponed
by rejuvenation till a short time before death. It will be a
hedonists* paradise, in which almost everyone will find
life so tedious as to be scarcely endurable.

Project Work. Form two working groups.

a) Imagine that you are part of a group formed
by representatives of the Ministry of Education and teachers from different schools that
is elaborating a plan for improving the educational system of Moldova. Within your group
make suggestions and write them down. When
working on your project, consider the following:
subjects taught, conditions for studies, teach-

Classify Bertrand Russells predictions into

three categories:

Those that have already come true.

Those that are likely to come true within the
next few decades.
Those that have not yet come true and will
probably never come true.

Tell which of the authors predictions you would

like to happen and which not. Explain your point
of view.

Give your opinion of the future of education, the

media and our lifestyle.

ers role, parents role, etc. Use visuals (diagrams,

drawings, etc.) to be more convincing.
b) When you finish, each group will take turns in
presenting the project to the other group and giving
arguments to support it. The other group will take
the role of Parliament and will have to either approve or reject the project and support the decision
taken.

20

Match the following words and expressions with

their synonyms.

1. skill
2. educate
3. enhance
4. faculty
5. qualified
6. enroll

a. enter
b. ability
c. competent
d. department
e. deepen
f. teach

laboratory
personality
media
book
fresh
highly
play
work
competitive
language
tuition
boarding
fire
computer
extra-curricular
teachers
nurses
permission
under
lunchroom
home
house
highly
back
community

10 Give antonyms to the following words and expressions.

literate
experience
educated
profound knowledge
to enter school

ignorant
capable
to do well at an exam
final exams
absent

11 Write nouns corresponding to the following

adjectives.

creative
knowledgeable
diligent
successful

educated
ignorant
intellectual
perseverant

competent
responsible
confident
active

12 Form nouns from the following verbs.

explain
know
inform
progress
teach

13

admit
train
appreciate
cooperate
orient

Match the following words to form compound

words or word combinations. Spell them correctly.
In some cases more than one variant is possible.
Two examples have been done for you.

participate
probe
suspend
achieve
examine

qualified
development
activity
drill
man
work
slip
graduate
examination
proficiency
educated
house
store
lab
center
lounge
office
ground
shop
monitor
assistant
parent
fee
pack
college

Characterize the nouns in bold type in the sentences given below according to the criteria of classification and formation you have learned from the schemes of lessons 1 and 2.

1. Do you need an excuse?

2. Becky knew nothing about the appointment.
3. He took a long breath and said nothing.
4. The agonizing slowness was harder to endure
than no motion at all.
5. It wont be very easy to make a run all through
the stubblefield.
6. Her mothers death was a great loss for her.
7. With wordless disapproval he set down one after
the other the seven small trunks. (E.G. Speare)

14 Unscramble the letters to make a word

8. When you speak about this matter I am always

out of my breath.
9. How long shall we tolerate his irresponsibility
and childish behaviour?
10. She cant have failed at the exam: she studied a
lot.
11. Roosevelt continued to favour unemployment
programs based on work relief rather than welfare.
12. May you have success!

Example: The Headmaster of a school is also called ____________________ (riipcnalp=Principal) .

1. The _____________ (hcoca) was upset because his team had lost the game.
2. Students went to the school ______________ (rfcetaeia) during their lunch hour.
3. We can watch films at our school _______________ (etaterh).
4. Students in the USA schools have ____________ (klcesor) where they can keep the textbooks.
5. The Physical Education classes are held at the __________________ (umygnsmiya) .
6. You use a _________________ (ihgigterhlh) to underline important information in the text.

21

15

Answer each question with a word or word combination.

1. What does the student receive after successfully completing a school?

2. Who may pay for a students education?
3. What is the grant awarded to a student by the university called?
4. What is the person who examines a student during the exam called?
5. What would you say if a student didnt pass an exam and has to repeat the course?
6. How can you describe an extraordinarily good student? (Give more adjectives.)
7. How would you describe a person who doesnt give up in front of difficulties and seeks to reach the goal?
8. How do you describe a person who manages to do a lot of things in a short period of time?
9. What kind of knowledge do you need before you study the advanced areas of a subject?
10. What are people who attend the same classes in school called?
11. What is the process of changing the educational system in a country called?
12. What is the institution that takes care of children during the day called?

16 Work in small groups. Prepare and role-play real school life humorous situations in front of your classmates. Use vocabulary related to the topic school.

17 Analyze the information below. Find in the Culture and Civilization lesson some of the
following words and compare their use in British and American English.
American English

alumnus [ l mns], graduate

campus [ kmps]
class, year, form (private schools), grade (US only)
elementary school, primary school
faculty (US only), staff (at university)
high school (US only), secondary school
class
student

dormitory [ d:mtri] (dorm)

principal, headmaster/headmistress (private schools)
grade
public school
freshman
sophomore
[ sfm:]

junior [du:ni]
senior [ si:ni]

British English

graduate [ grdut]
campus, grounds (GB only)
class, year, form,
primary school
staff
secondary school
lesson (mostly GB), class
pupil (mostly GB), student
boarding [b:dl] house
headmaster/headmistress, principal (college)
grade, mark (GB only)
public school
1st year student
2nd year student
3rd year student
4th year student

18 Reflect on

Principles of Learning
Learning depends on motivation.
Learning depends upon the capacity to learn.
Learning depends upon past and current experiences.
Learning depends upon the active involvement of the learner.
Learning depends upon an atmosphere of respect.
Learning depends upon critical, reflective thinking.
Learning is observing.
Learning is enhanced when learners achieve self-direction.

some basic
principles of
learning (see
the Life Skills
box) and comment on each of
them.

19 Project work. Complete a list of countries in which English has official status and mark them on the
world map.

a. Write down the names of the English-speaking countries you know, and mark these countries on the
world map. Use your imagination to make it look nice.
b. Compare your list with those of your colleagues to check for accuracy, and compile a common list for
the whole class/group.
c. Revise the Phonetic Support and Reading Guide at the end of the book to assist you in pronouncing the
names of English-speaking countries. Use a dictionary to check your pronunciation.

22

PERSPECTIVES ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS

UNIT 2

Our lives are shaped by

those who love us.

John Powell

Do you know
how many hours a week a woman spends on housework?
how to behave when having misunderstandings with grown-ups?
which institution in the United Kingdom is the oldest?

LESSON 1
Family Ties
The men and women who for good reasons and bad, revolt against family, are, for good
reasons and bad, revolting against mankind.
Chesterton

DISCUSSION POINTS

Work in groups to define the word family.

Agree or disagree with the following statements, give arguments to support your opinion.

a. Read the Learner Training information and give your own definition
of the word family.
b. Compare the definitions given by different groups and as a class come
up with a more complete and precise one.
c. Search the dictionary for the definition of the word family and compare it with the definition given by you. How are they similar? How are they
different?

Having a big family is much better than having a small one.

Arguments in the family are helpful in solving problems.
The husband should be the head of the family.
Children should participate in making family decisions.
Keeping in touch with your relatives is a matter of duty.
People should not invite guests to their homes. Receiving guests takes
a lot of time and is a lot of trouble.

READING

Comment on each of the two pictures. Would you

prefer any of them to have as an ideal version for your
future family? Why, or why not?

Read the list of household chores below and do the

exercises following them.

Dusting furniture, cleaning windows, doing dishes,

repairing household appliances, washing clothes/ doing
laundry, beating/ vacuuming carpets, polishing shoes,
mowing the lawn, weeding plants, cutting the hedge,
feeding animals, cleaning after animals, looking after
children, cooking food, painting/ whitewashing walls,
watering plants, trimming trees, shoveling snow, cleaning the apartment/house, sweeping/ washing the floor,
ironing clothes, walking the dog, gardening, hanging a
picture on the wall, repairing the lock.
a. Discuss which of these tasks are usually done
by men, and which are done by women. How do these
responsibilities change from family to family?
b. Explain how much time you spend on housework,
and what your responsibilities are.
c. Provide examples to prove that many times men/
women can achieve proficiency in jobs traditionally performed by the opposite sex.

24

Definition means:
1. the act of defining or making definite, distinct or clear
2. the formal statement of the
meaning or significance of a
word, phrase, etc.
3. the condition of being
definite, distinct, or clearly
outlined
The definition of the word
should be formulated clearly,
and as precisely as possible.
When defining a word,
consider all possible meanings of it.
Write the most frequently
encountered meanings before
less common meanings.
Rare, archaic, or obsolete
senses are usually listed last.

Scan the following texts and state their main ideas. How are they similar/different?

Womens Changing Role

By Alison Landes, Carol D. Foster, Cornelia B. Cessna
In the 1940s and 1950s the archetypal household was
one in which the father went to work every day and the
mother stayed home to raise the children. Now most families with children in the USA have two working parents, or
a working parent with no spouse.
Even though more women than ever are working
outside the home, women still spend much more time on
housework than men. An analysis of the National Survey
of Families and Households found that women spend an
average of 15 hours a week cooking and cleaning up afterwards compared to a mans four hours. Women spend close
to 12 hours a week cleaning the house and washing clothes;
men spend just over two hours.
The more a woman works, the more she earns, and
the higher her level of education, the more equally she
shares the housework with her spouse; however, the division of tasks still tends to be along gender lines.

Women like when men participate in household

chores. A study of more than 1000 married couples found
that the more a husband shared in the chores, the less the
wife thought about divorce. Another study has found that
married men with more education share significantly more
in every chore than the married men with less education.

archetype [ :kitalp], n. an original model after which other

similar things are patterned
spouse [spas], [spaz], n. ones husband or wife
gender, n. the condition of being male or female; classification of sex

survey [ s:vel], n. a detailed inspection or investigation

chore [t:], n. a daily or routine task

Working Fathers
By Sally Hawksmore
More British and American fathers are taking on a
share of their childrens care.
I dont want to be the sort of father that I had, says
Arnold Redmond, father of two children. His view is typical of many fathers in America and Britain these days. A
recent survey showed that 93% of men and women agreed
that both parents should share the care of their children.
Some of the issues facing these men are similar to
those that faced women thirty years ago, when they started
to go out to work. First there is a guilt. Women tend to feel
guilty about not being around for their children. Men seem
to feel guilty that they are not providing enough. Both also
have the uncomfortable feeling that they are breaking the
tradition of men working, and women raising families.
Another issue is the attitude of employers. Even
today, many men and women are expected to behave as if
they have no other life than work. Few of the companies
that say they give equal opportunities to women are happy
when a man wants to be home for his family.
There can also be difficulties at home. While men
have been reluctant to give up their role as main wage
earner for the family, women have been reluctant to give
up their roles as main care giver to the children.

But some of the issues these modern men have to face

are different from those women faced. Thirty years ago
women were fighting to take a step up. Today men are seen
to be taken a step down if they choose to be at home.
This is because it is a step down to earn less than their
partner. So far the stay-at-home dad is only seen in large
numbers in the US and the UK. But many men are still not
convinced. Even when they are walking their children to
school, they still think theyll be better off as the managing
director.

face, [fels], v. to meet, encounter

provide [pr vald], v. to supply means of existence: provide

for ones family

employer [lm pll], n. one that employs others, hires for work

opportunity [p tju:nti], n. - a favourable time or occasion

for a certain purpose
wage, [weld], n. payment for work done or services rendered

reluctant [rl lktnt], adj. unwilling; adverse.

Tell whether the following statements are true or false according to the texts. Correct those
that are false.

a. In the 1940s and 1950s the main responsibilities

of the house fell upon women.
b. Most women in the USA have a job now.
c. Today men in the USA spend almost five times
fewer hours on housework than women do.
d. Women would rather do the household chores
by themselves.

e. The more educated a man is, the more conscious

he is about the need to help his wife.
f. Women would prefer to spend more time with
their children.
g. Most employers support men being home to
raise children.

25

Underline the facts from the texts that

are also relevant to Moldovan families
and comment on them.

Explain what roles women and men

should have in taking care of their
homes and families. Use phrases from
the following.

Expressing Opinions
1. My feeling is that ...
2. I would tend to think that ...
3. There is no doubt that ...
4. I believe ...
5. I think this is true/not true ...
6. I am convinced that ...

7. To my knowledge ...
8. As far as I know ...
9. I disagree/I dont agree/I agree with ...
10. I think he/she is right/wrong/biased ...
11. What we have to realize is ...
12. In my opinion ...
13. From my point of view...

LISTENING

1
2

Listen to a text about domestic violence and entitle it.

Match the following words from the listening text with the corresponding definitions and state
forms of husband-to-wife abuse.

1. beat
2. hit
3. grab
4. push
5. kick
6. threaten
7. shove
8. slap

a. to come in contact with forcefully; strike

b. strike out with the foot
c. to exert force against (an object) to move it
d. to take or grasp suddenly; snatch
e. to push forcefully or rudely
f. to blow with the open hand or with something flat
g. to strike repeatedly
h. to indicate danger or other harm; endanger.

abuse [ bju:z], v. to maltreat; to attack with insults

instance [ lnstns], n. - a case or example

admit [d mlt], v. to acknowledge; confess

claim [klelm], v. to state to be true

victimize [ vlktlmalz], v. to make a victim of

Listen again and comment on the sentence from the text: Surveys depend on what the respondents choose to report and their accuracy cannot be verified.

Answer the following questions.

a. What do you think the reason for domestic violence is?

b. How do you think women feel when abused by their husbands?
c. In your opinion, how should women act in such situations?

SPEAKING

Due to the very difficult economic situation many

men, and very often women, leave Moldova to
work abroad and earn money to provide for their
families. Discuss in groups.

Recollect a usual day with your family. What

would you do or say differently to contribute to
a positive atmosphere in the family and make its
members feel good?

a. How does this change the roles and responsibilities of each of the parents and children?
b. What are the positive and negative effects of
this on families?
c. How does it affect society in general?
d. What problems do people who want to leave
the country and work abroad face?

Work in pairs and complete the following tasks.

Describe the ideal family. What should each

member of the family do to maintain a healthy,
positive relationship with the others.

a. Remember a case when somebody in your

family did something nice for you and share it with
the partner.
b. Make up short dialogues on each of the
situations to express appreciation to members of
your family for what they have done for you.
c. Present the situations and dialogues in front
of the class.
d. Tell why showing appreciation is important.

WRITING
Write a list of nouns to express notions that should serve as a base for a happy family and
come up with one or more sentences using each of them. Share your lists with the class. The
first example is given for you.

e.g. Support. At difficult moments of our life, we all need support and our parents, children,
brothers and sisters are the people who offer it to us first. Offering support to people I love makes
them feel good and makes me feel good, as I know I can be useful to others. Support from others
helps each of us overcome difficulties.

26

The Number of Nouns

c. Nouns ending in -o.
Many of these nouns in the plural
are spelt with -es.
e.g. hero heroes, tomato tomatoes,
potato potatoes, echo echoes
Exceptions:
piano pianos
photo photos
radio radios
studio studios
Filipino Filipinos
solo solos
soprano sopranos
d. Nouns with irregular spelling.
e.g. foot-feet, man-men, child-children
e. Nouns with the same singular and plural
forms.
e.g. deer, sheep, trout, Chinese

Countable nouns can be singular or plural.

Singular countable nouns can be used with the indefinite articles a/an.
e.g. an objective objectives an owl owls
a plan plans
a class classes
Plural countable nouns can be regular or irregular.

To form the plural of most regular nouns we add -s.

The irregular plurals fall into several categories.

a. Nouns with regular spelling but irregular

pronunciation. The ending -s is read [z].
e.g. oaths, truths, youths, mouths
b. Nouns with irregular pronunciation and spelling.
e.g. loaf loaves, shelf shelves,
thief thieves, wife wives

Note: The following nouns have regular and irregular plural pronunciation and spelling: scarf/ scarfs or
scarves, dwarf/ dwarfs or dwarves, hoof/ hoofs or hooves; wharf/ wharfs or wharves.

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Read the following plurals and comment on

their spelling and pronunciation.

knife
grotto
embargo
belief
gulf
echo
sheriff
luxury
youth

a. books, discs, stamps, myths, adults, types

b. items, kids, bells, boys, keys, stores
c. glasses, sentences, noises, eyelashes,
branches, packages, lodges, apologies

Write the plural of the following nouns. Check

their pronunciation.

Which of the five categories (a, b, c, d, e) do the

following irregular noun plurals fall into?

mouse, kangaroo, woman, mosquito, fish, handkerchief, zoo, elf, bath, self, path, hoof, Eskimo, Vietnamese, volcano, oath

roe
half
tariff
wolf
ox
wreath
employee
phrase
turf

Englishman
dash
epoch
cameo
judge
ego
staff
grown-up
tuxedo

Uncountable Nouns and Their Countable Equivalents

Some uncountable nouns cannot be used as countables. Quite a different word must be used.

e.g. bread a loaf

work a job

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

poetry a poem
money a coin; a note

a piece of ..., a sheet of ..., a cube of ..., a cup of ..., a

jar of ..., a kilo of ..., a game of ..., a glass of ..., a pot
of ..., a jug of ..., a package of ..., a lump of ... .

We can refer to a single item, to a part of a whole or

a collection of items by means of partitives.

They can be singular

e.g. a piece of information
a box of matches
a loaf of bread

Add nouns to form partitives denoting specific

pieces of uncountable nouns.

They can also be plural.

e.g. two pieces of cloth
six packages of flour
two loaves of bread

We can use a piece and a bit with a large number of

countables (concrete or abstract).

e.g. singular: a piece of/ a bit of chalk, meat, plastic

plural: pieces of/ bits of chalk, meat, plastic
Some other specific partitives are:
a bar of chocolate, a lump of sugar, a slice of bread, a
tube of toothpaste, etc.

27

Fill in the gaps with a partitive to form a meaningful word combination.

1. A of salt will be enough for the soup.

2. There isnt a of milk left in the jug.
3. Who knows what a of man he is.
4. Is he a member of the of directors?
5. I need six of wool to knit a pullover for him.
6. The of ants was flying to a new colony.
7. Has anyone seen my of keys?
8. This year the of potatoes was excellent.
9. We bought her a of cutlery as a present.

LESSON 2
Age and Youth
AGE and YOUTH have always struggled between themselves based on values and morals shared.
But no matter what happens, one thing is undebatable both of them ARE WONDERFUL!

DISCUSSION POINTS

Name the reasons for the most common misunderstandings

between you and grown-ups.

a. List things that your parents, teachers or other grown-ups

dont like about you.
b. List things that you dont like about the grown-ups.

Work in groups. Prepare and perform a skit to reflect on the

generation gap problem.

a. Roleplay a situation that would show a misunderstanding between adolescents and grown-ups.
b. Discuss the situations presented. Explain how each situation
could be solved or avoided.

Brainstorm a list of qualities that you think could help you get
along better with people around you, in order to gain their
respect.

READING

1
2

Analyze the picture and make up a short story based on it.

Read the text below. Explain why it is entitled Lost Respect.

Lost Respect

Respect is a word often used concerning attitudes toward adults. I have been raised always to
be polite and considerate of my elders. I believe
strongly in this idea and would never display any
type of disrespect anyway. But frequently I wonder
why it is that I as typical teenager, or, as some say, a
young adult, have rarely been shown that same respect from those same adults.
A good example occurred recently when a few
friends and I went to the mall. One of my friends
purchased a compact disc at each of two record
stores. As he was leaving the second store, the
alarm went off, and two employees rushed at him.
One, a woman, grabbed his packages, and the disc
that he had bought at the first store fell to the floor
and cracked. She threw it back into the bag.
Meanwhile, the other employee found that
the cashier had never cleared the alarm device
on the second disc. Thats why the alarm had

28

by Amy DePrisco

sounded.
There was no apology. The woman clerk
kicked out my friend and me, and when my friend
returned to tell her that she has broken his disc
from the first store, she denied it and threatened
to call security.
Now do you think that if we had been 20 years
older, we would have been subjected to the same disrespect and hostility? I seriously doubt it. We were
stereotyped under the label teenagers. And how
do you think most adults react to the word? With
thoughts of rude and disrespectful kids? I think that
is exactly how they define us.
The whole incident was totally the stores fault,
yet my friend was the one who was accused and
threatened. He was an innocent customer who was
purchasing that stores items keeping the store in
business, paying employees salaries and he was
treated like a thief.

What those employees forget is that teenagers

are major consumers when it comes to businesses
like record stores. According to The New York
Times, young people between the ages of 11 and
17 spend an average of $63 a month on items like
records, cassettes, compact discs, clothing, jewelry,
an other luxuries that many adults find trivial.
I cannot tell you how many times I have been
in a grocery store or a clothing store or a drugstore
and thanked the cashier and in return have received

mall [ml], [m:l], n. a large complex containing stores

and restaurants in a few buildings situated near each other or
in a single large building; an urban street lined with shops and
closed off to motor vehicles

purchase [ p:ts], v. to obtain in exchange for money,

buy

employee [lm plli:], n. a person who has been hired to

work for another

apology [ pldi], n. a statement expressing regret for

an offense or fault
clerk [kl:k], US [kl:rk], n. a salesperson in a store

deny [dl nal], v. to declare untrue, contradict

subject [sb dekt], v. to expose, to cause to experience

or undergo

label [ lelbl], n. a small piece of paper or cloth, attached to

an article to identify it, or its owner
grunt [grnt], v. to utter with a low guttural sound

sneeringly [ snlrlli], adv. with a slight raising of one

corner of the upper lip, expressive of open disrespect

Find in the text one synonym to each group of

words given below. Paragraphs are indicated
for you.

a. thoughtful, polite, courteous, attentive, gallant, solicitous (1)

b. express, convey, communicate, manifest,
show off, exhibit (1)
c. break, collapse, split, drop (2)
d. apparatus, appliance (3)
e. aggression, aggressiveness, belligerence, antagonism, antipathy (5)
f. little, unimportant, insignificant, inconsequential, small, negligible (7)
g. whisper, mutter, murmur (8)
h. abstinent, objective, realistic, down-to-earth,
pragmatic, serious, temperate (10)

The author uses the phrase to feel degraded

(12). Give other phrases meaning the same.

a dirty look or a nasty comment about being a

smart-mouthed kid. Sometimes the clerks mumble
something that sounds like Youre welcome, although not really. But the middle-aged woman in
front of me is asked how she is and is told to have
a nice day.
At Christmas in the post office, the clerk offered the elderly man in front of me a choice of
9 stamps with Christmas trees or with the Three Wise
Men. When it was my turn, he threw me a sheet of
Wise Men and grunted at my thanks.
One night, while I and a very sober group of
friends were leaving a local convenience store, a po10
lice officer walked up and sneeringly told us not to
get smashed. Ha, ha! Big joke!
When I work as a cashier in my fathers store
in the summer, customers watch me constantly,
11
waiting for me to count their change incorrectly.
I find these situations so deeply insulting because I was raised in a good home and am a responsible person. I was brought up with strong morals
12
and values, and when adults assume differently, I
feel degraded.
I try to give adults the benefit of the doubt. For
all I know, I could be, thanking murderers at the supermarkets and holding doors open for child abusers. But I am as polite to them as I would be to my
13 own parents. I think that we should be treated with
the same respect that we offer. And though not all
of us offer respect to our elders, the ones who do
deserve a lot more than they get.

Answer the questions:

a. What is your opinion about the behaviour of

the woman clerk in the shop?
b. What other examples in which grown-ups
show disrespect toward teenagers does the author
show?
c. How does the author react to these situations?

Comment on the sentence I try to give adults

the benefit of the doubt. (13)

Comment on the first and last paragraphs of the

text. How do they explain the main idea?

Have you encountered situations when you

have been treated with disrespect? How did you
react to them?

Often adults show disrespect toward teenagers.

Why do you think this happens? How does it affect the teenagers?

29

READING AND SPEAKING

The following are extracts from students essays on the topic Parents and Children Two
Generations. Explain whether you agree or disagree with the ideas expressed. Support your
point of view.

ifferent tole more ind

tt
li
a
e
b
ld
ids try
parents shou they ought to let their k
I think that
at
taken
e
th
n
ar
ildren
ildren. I mea
lves. If the ch
se
g for
in
em
h
ward their ch
th
yt
y
er
b
d solve ev
r problems
an
ei
e
th
id
e
ec
lv
d
so
to
arents
l always dere of, and p
and they wil
e,
on
al
ve
li
too much ca
to
ont be able
ars old
them, they w
.
ts
en
Florin, 17 ye
ar
p
r
ei
th
on
d
pen

at
and shout
have to yell
e
ts
th
l
en
al
ar
p
at
at
think th
le think th
em, others
by
th
ly
te
on
Some peop
ca
ed
u
lv
ed
be so
n in order to
ren have to
s, but
their childre
ts and child
en
h both idea
it
ar
w
p
e
n
re
ee
w
ag
et
I
b
.
ing
s
em
m
en
le
th
b
pro
me, dep d
anding
propriate ti
and underst
ap
g
sed
e
u
in
th
e
ss
b
at
n
cu
d
is
ca
d
situation
t
as to be use
h
rs
h
fi
e
ac
th
ro
,
p
to shout at
example
each ap
e parent has
e child. For
th
th
at
of
th
e
n
ag
e
ea
on th
/her, because
dont m
vere with him
ild is little. I
se
ch
e
e
b
th
to
life, and
en
as
h
w
really know
. He just h
d
t
il
sn
ch
oe
d
is
h
d
t
girl an
p, they beand bea
little boy or
dren grow u
il
a
l
ch
il
d
st
en
h
is
W
id
.
the k
ow before, an
y times
ey didnt kn
trouble man
th
s
ed
lv
se
at
u
so
th
e
ca
b
gs
is
n
th
thin
ing ca
stand many
oint everyth
gin to under
ts. At this p
ic
fl
n
co
r
fo
eed
years old
there is no n
.
Cristina, 16
ssing things
cu
is
d
st
ju
by

Explain the following picture. What is

the painters message?

e
parents ar
ren whose
d
il
to
ch
g
s
in
h
ay
yt
an
Nowad
dont have
or robbers
. Thats why
gs
in
th
drunkards
ad
b
al
them except
eft are soci
learn from
king and th
n
ri
d
g,
in
k
.
h
drugs, smo
y to fight wit
s old
at people tr
Vlad, 16 year
problems th

ding can beisunderstan

m
le
tt
li
ts and
a
even
ween paren
Sometimes
gument bet
they
ar
en
ig
h
b
w
a
t
n
re
futu
s be patie
ay
w
al
to
ld
come in the
ce
ou
her chan
e parents sh
ve them anot
gi
to
,
children. Th
n
ts
re
en
d
il
ar
r the p
to their ch
important fo
are talking
so
al
is
It
e.
mistak
r children.
correct the
g bad for us.
ter with thei
at
m
e
th
ss
want anythin
t
aron
discu
d
d
an
us
we become p
Parents love
is, but when
ry
th
ve
d
is
an
l
st
il
w
er
t und
good
Often we don l see that the parents
en
d list to
e wil
r parents an
ou
t
ec
ents too, w
sp
re
e more life ex
We have to
iser and hav
w
at
e
important.
th
ar
,
ts
ey
n
th
re
a
rp
because
u know, dea
their advice
want to let yo s.
e
w
d
n
A
.
ce
u
perien
s old
you love
Ana, 17 year
as much as
we love you

Read the poem. Tell what Age and Youth are compared
to and write down the adjectives that describe youth
and age.

Age is
Youth is

Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-1494),

Grandfather and Grandson

Age and Youth

W. Shakespeare
Crabbed Age and Youth
Cannot live together:
Youth is full of pleasance,
Age is full of care;
Youth like summer morn,
Age like winter weather;
Youth like summer brave,
Age like winter bare.

Youth is full of sport,

Ages breath is short;
Youth is nimble, Age is lame;
Youth is hot and bold,
Age is weak and cold;
Youth is wild and Age is tame.
Youth, I do adore thee!

WRITING AND SPEAKING

Write arguments for and against the resolution

Adolescence is the best period of our life.

2
30

Split into two groups and debate the topic in

class.

Collective Nouns and Their Plurals

a Some collective nouns can be used with singu-

d Some collective nouns though plural in form

lar or plural verbs.

They are singular when we think of them as a

whole group. In this case they may be replaced by
which, that or it.
e.g. The committee has not yet decided the
agenda for the next session. It is still debating on
this problem.
They are plural when we think of them in a
more personal way, as the individuals that make up
the group.
e.g. The company, who are said to be real professionals, have already begun their activity. Their
products are supposed to become well-known all
over the world.

must always be followed by a verb in the singular.

e.g. news: What is the news?

games: billiards, bowls, darts, dominoes
Dominoes is not as popular as darts.
Names of cities: Brussels, Naples, Athens
Naples has a population of 23.17 mln. people.
We came to a crossroads.

e Some collective nouns ending in -ics take a

singular verb.

e.g. gymnastics, physics, Mathematics

Note: economics, ethics, phonetics, statistics and
acoustics take a singular or plural verb.

f Some collective nouns have a plural form and

Some collective nouns have irregular plural

forms but can be followed by either a singular
or a plural verb.

are followed by a plural verb.

e.g. the minority, the public, the majority

Allow the youth to do what it considers/ they
consider necessary.

e.g. glasses, trousers, clothes, earnings, goods,

means, quarters, riches, stairs, thanks, belongings,
etc.

g Some collective nouns have different meanings

in the singular and plural.

c Some collective nouns do not have plural forms

e.g. custom/customs; scale/scales; minute/minutes; look/looks; ash/ashes; bone/bones; list/lists;

quarter/quarters; etc.

but they are followed by plural verbs.

e.g. people, cattle, the police

The police have arrived at the crime scene.

10. Whom the quarters in our neighbourhood

belong to?
a. does
b. do
11. The cattle grazing in the meadow.
a. was
b. were

Choose the best variant

1. Darts not so popular as dominoes.

a is
b. are
2. Economics very interesting.
a. was
b. were
3. The government not yet been appointed.
a. has
b. have
4. Only a few people present at the meeting.
a. was
b. were
5. Bad news fast.
a. travel
b. travels
6. The police not far from where we stopped.
a. was
b. were
7. The council decided to meet at 9 oclock.
a. have
b. has
8. Athens the place I would like to visit.
a. is
b. are
9. Gymnastics strength and coordination.
a. develop
b. develops

Translate the sentences. Pay attention to how

you translate the collective nouns.

1. The staff have already left home.

2. Has the commission published the findings
already?
3. It wont take us long to get through customs.
4. The house was burned to ashes.
5. Would you like to take the minutes of the meeting?
6. Measles is an infectious disease marked by an
eruption of distinct red circular spots.
7. Statistics is not taught in schools.
8. Where did the thanks come from?
9. The acoustics of this concert hall is excellent.
10. Shes beginning to lose her looks.

31

LESSON 3

Literary Focus
Valuing Friendship
DISCUSSION POINTS

Friendship cannot stand always on one side.

Proverb

Look through Shakespeares poem on the right. Fill in the

gaps with the words from the box below the poem.

Work in groups. Discuss what you think makes a good friend.

Do you agree or disagree with the writer? Explain why.

Work in the same groups. Discuss the following and share

your answers with the other groups.

a. What is your idea of a devoted friend?

b. If you expect your friend to be devoted to you what will
you do in return?

Meditate on the quotation of the lesson. Find out about other

peoples ideas and opinions.

He that is thy friend indeed,

He will help thee in the ... :
If thou sorrow, he will weep;
If ... wake, he cannot ... ;
Thus of every ... in heart
He with ... does bear a ... .
These are certain signs to ...
... friends from ... foe.
William Shakespeare
part, flattering, know, grief, need,
thou, sleep, faithful, thee.

READING

1
2

Scan the first part of the text and state who you believe was a true friend, Hans or the Miller.
Read the text. Look for evidence that could support your initial opinion.

The Devoted Friend

Part I
Once upon a time there was an honest little fellow
named Hans. He lived in a tiny cottage all by himself,
and every day he worked in his garden. In all the country-side there was no garden so lovely as his.
Little Hans had a great many friends, but the most
devoted friend of all was big Hugh the Miller. Indeed,
so devoted was the rich Miller to little Hans, that he
would never go by his garden without leaning over the
wall and plucking a large nosegay, or a handful of sweet
herbs, or filling his pockets with plums and cherries if it
was the fruit season.
Real friends should have everything in common,
the Miller used to say, and little Hans nodded and
smiled, and felt very proud of having a friend with such
noble ideas.
Sometimes, indeed, the neighbours thought it
strange that the rich Miller never gave little Hans anything in return, but Hans never troubled his head about
these things, and nothing gave him greater pleasure
than to listen to all the wonderful things the Miller used
to say about the unselfishness of true friendship.
So little Hans worked away in his garden. During
the spring, the summer, and the autumn he was very
happy, but when the winter came, and he had no fruit or

Oscar Wilde

flowers to bring to the market, he suffered a good deal

from cold and hunger.
There is no good in my going to see little Hans
as long as the snow lasts, the Miller used to say to his
wife, for when people are in trouble they should be left
alone, and not be bothered by visitors. That at least is
my idea about friendship, and I am sure I am right. So I
shall wait till the spring comes, and then I shall pay him
a visit, and he will be able to give me a large basket of

32

tiny [ talni], adj. very small

pluck, v. pick (flowers, fruit)

nosegay [ nzgel], n. bunch of cut flowers (esp. sweetscented)

cask [ k:sk], n. barrel for liquids

sail, n. set of boards attached to the arm of a windmill to
catch the wind
wheel-spoke, n. any of one of the bars or wire rods connecting the hub (centre) of a wheel with the rim (outer edge)
porch [p:t], n. built-out roofed door-way or entrance to
a buiding

trudge [ trd], v. to walk wearily or heavily

sluggish [ slgl], adj. inactive, slow-moving

primroses and that will make him so happy.

You are certainly very thoughtful about others,
answered the Wife.
But could we not ask little Hans up here? said
the Millers youngest son. If poor Hans is in trouble I
will give him half my porridge, and show him my white
rabbits.
What a silly boy you are! cried the Miller; I really dont know what is the use of sending you to school.
You seem not to learn anything. Why, if little Hans
came up here, and saw our warm fire, and our good
supper, and our great cask of red wine, he might get
envious, and envy is a most terrible thing, and would
spoil anybodys nature. I certainly will not allow Hans
nature to be spoiled. I am his best friend, and I will always watch over him, and see that he is not led into any
temptations.
How well you talk! said the Millers Wife.
Lots of people act well, answered the Miller;
but very few people talk well, which shows that talking
is much the more difficult thing of the two, and much
the finer thing also.
As soon as the winter was over, and the primroses
began to open their pale yellow stars, the Miller said to
his wife that he would go down and see little Hans.
Why, what a good heart you have! cried his Wife;
you are always thinking of others. And mind you take
the big basket with you for the flowers.
So the Miller tied the sails of the windmill together
with a strong iron chain, and went down the hill with the
basket on his arm.
Good morning, little Hans, said the Miller.
Good morning, said Hans, leaning on his spade,
and smiling from ear to ear.
And how have you been all the winter? said the
Miller.
Well, really, cried Hans, it is very good of you to
ask, very good indeed. I am afraid I had rather a hard
time of it, but now the spring has come, and I am quite
happy, and all my flowers are doing well.
We often talked of you during the winter, Hans,
said the Miller, and wondered how you were getting
on.
That was kind of you, said Hans; I was half

afraid you had forgotten me.

Hans, I am surprised at you, said the Miller;
friendship never forgets. That is the wonderful thing
about it, but I am afraid you dont understand the poetry of life. How lovely your primroses are looking, bythe-bye!
They are certainly very lovely, said Hans, and
it is a most lucky thing for me that I have so many. I am
going to bring them into the market and sell them to the
Burgomasters daughter, and buy back my wheelbarrow
with the money.
Buy back your wheelbarrow? What a very stupid
thing to do! I will give you my wheelbarrow. It is not in
very good repair; indeed, one side is gone, and there is
something wrong with the wheel-spokes; but in spite of
that I will give it to you. I know it is very generous of
me, and a great many people would think me extremely
foolish for parting with it, but I am not like the rest of
the world. I think that generosity is the essence of friendship, and, besides, I have got a new wheelbarrow for myself. Yes, you may set your mind at ease, I will give you
my wheelbarrow.
Well, really, that is generous of you, said little
Hans, and his funny round face glowed all over with
pleasure.
And now, as I have given you my wheelbarrow, I
am sure you would like to give me some flowers in return.
Here is the basket, and mind you fill it quite full.
I dont think that it is much to ask you for a few
flowers. I may be wrong, but I should have thought that
friendship, true friendship, was quite free from selfishness of any kind.
My dear friend, my best friend, cried little Hans,
you are welcome to all the flowers in my garden and
he ran and plucked all his pretty primroses, and filled
the Millers basket.
The next day he heard the Millers voice calling to
him from the road.

33

Phrases and Idioms

to feel proud of to feel pride or dignity
to trouble ones head about something to worry about
something
to suffer a good deal (from something) to feel or have
pain, loss etc. from
there is no good in (doing something) its no use doing
something
to be in trouble to have problems; to have difficulties
to pay someone a visit to visit someone
to smile from ear to ear to give a wide smile
to set ones mind at ease to become less troublesome; to
think less about something
to take pains to do something to make a great effort,
work hard, to do something

Dear little Hans, said the Miller, would you

mind carrying this sack of flour for me to market? I
think that, considering that I am going to give you my
wheelbarrow, it is rather unfriendly of you to refuse.
Oh, dont say that, cried little Hans, I wouldnt be
unfriendly for the whole world; and he ran in for his cap,
and trudged off with the big sack on his shoulders.
It has certainly been a hard day, said little Hans
to himself as he was going to bed, but I am glad I did
not refuse the Miller, for he is my best friend, and, besides, he is going to give me his wheelbarrow.
Early the next morning the Miller came down to
get the money for his sack of flour, but little Hans was
so tired that he was still in bed.
Upon my word, said the Miller, you are very
lazy. I think you might work harder. Idleness is a great
sin, and I certainly dont like any of my friends to be idle
or sluggish. I want you to come up to the mill as soon as
you are dressed, and mend my barn-roof for me.
Poor little Hans was very anxious to go and work in

his garden, for his flowers had not been watered for two
days, but he did not like to refuse the Miller, as he was
such a good friend to him.
He worked there all day long, till sunset, and at
sunset the Miller came to see how he was getting on.
Ah! said the Miller, there is no work so delightful as the work one does for others.
It is certainly a great privilege to hear you talk,
answered little Hans, sitting down, and wiping his forehead, a very great privilege. But I am afraid I shall
never have such beautiful ideas as you have.
Oh! they will come to you, said the Miller, but
you must take more pains. At present you have only the
practice of friendship; some day you will have the theory
also.
Do you really think I shall? asked little Hans.
I have no doubt of it, answered the Miller, but
now that you have mended the roof, you had better go
home and rest, for I want you to drive my sheep to the
mountain tomorrow...

Find the words listed below in the text. Based

on the context clues, define each word. Then
check your definitions in a dictionary.

a. honest
b. pleasure
c. market
d. to be bothered
e. envious

dangerous, to accept, mean, friendship, thoughtful, privilege, admiration, to be offended

f. to learn
g. generosity
h. to be anxious
i. sin
j. privilege

1. How can you be so for your future

career!
2. Never in my life have I been treated with so
much and neglect.
3. She was so insistent that we couldnt her
invitation to accompany her.
4. His lack of communication puts him at a
when he meets new people.
5. It was of you to share your dinner with me
and lodge me for the night.
6. We have never been on either with our
neighbours or acquaintances.
7. I greatly by your promise to give us a
hand whenever we need it.
8. They assured us that it was quite to cross
the river in a boat.

Match each word on the left which comes from

the text with a synonym on the right.

1. trouble
2. dreadful
3. tiny
4. generosity
5. to happen
6. lovely
7. trench
8. to gleam
9. strange
10. blessed

Fill in the sentences with words opposite to the

words below:

a. queer
b. to occur
c. enchanting
d. lucky
e. appalling
f. wee
g. ditch
h. misfortune
i. benevolence
j. to glow

LISTENING

Before listening to the second part, match a

verb from column A with a noun from column B
to form meaningful phrases.

A.

1. to run
2. to be
3. to lose
4. to arrive
5. to knock
6. to send
7. to fall

B.

a. distressed
b. at the door
c. (on) errands
d. in torrents
e. ones way
f. in(to) trouble
g. at the house

34

Listen to the second part of the text. Make notes

of facts which prove whether the Miller was or
wasnt a good friend.

Predict what the ending of the story might be.

Write it down. Discuss it with a partner.

Listen to the third part of the text. How does the

ending of the story compare with the predictions in 3? What made you choose that ending?

SPEAKING

Work with a partner. Discuss the following.

Work in three groups. Consider the following

situations. Share your opinions with the other
groups.

sometimes lose their heads or hearts and allow

people like Miller to decide their fate?
c. Everyone lives his life according to some
principles which in some cases resemble a proverb.
What mottoes do you think guided the two characters in their lives? Be as specific as possible.
What principles do you live by? How do they
help you to assert yourselves? Use specific reasons
and examples to explain why you think they are
important?

a. Quote the Millers words to show how greedy

he was. Which of his actions prove his greediness?
Give concrete examples.
b. Do you agree or disagree with the statement: Real friends must have everything in common? Explain why.
c. Find in the text other quotations about friendship. Which ones do you agree with? Exchange
opinions with the other pairs.

a. The Miller took advantage of Hanss kindness. What kind of people do characters like Miller
usually take advantage of? Why? Give specific
examples. What would you have done if you had
been Hans?
b. Do you really think it takes one pains and
time to become smart and wise enough in order to
generate beautiful ideas? Why do some people
who are wise enough sometimes act foolishly?
Work out some pieces of advice for those who

LITERARY FOCUS

Work as a class. Exchange opinions on the following:

a. Why do you think the author ended the

story this way? Why doesnt he tell the reader what
became of the Millers family?
b. Theres no moral to the story given by the
author. Why? Think of your own and try to explain
why you have chosen it.
c. Which of the two characters do you sympathize with? Why?
d. Is the theme one characteristic of our society? Why do you think so? Use specific examples to
support your point of view.

Apply Your Knowledge

The setting of a story is where and when the

action takes place. Some stories have only minimal
description of setting, in other literary works the
setting is described in detail.

1. Which of the following best describes the setting of the story

The Devoted Friend?
a. a market
c. a garden
b. a country-side
d. other than the above mentioned

Characters are the people who take part in the

action. The main character is the person the story
is mostly about. The other characters, called minor
characters, interact with the main characters and
help move the story along.

2.1. The main character of the story The Devoted Friend is:
a. Hans
c. the doctor
b. The Miller
d. both Hans and the Miller
2.2. Who are the minor characters of the story and how do
they help develop the story?

Often main characters undergo changes as

the plot unfolds. Such characters are called dynamic characters. Other characters remain the same.
They are called static characters.

3. Which of the characters in the story may be called dynamic

and which ones are static? Why?

Characters whose many personality traits are

revealed by the author, are sometimes referred to
as round characters. Characters who are described
more simply, are reffered to as flat characters.

4. Classify the characters from the story into round and flat.
What details give you clues to understand the very different
characters of Hans, the Miller, the Millers wife, the
Millers son, the doctor?

WRITING
In about 150-200 words write your own ending of the story. Feel free to either exclude or add
some new facts or actions to produce something valuable. Share it with the class.

35

LESSON 4
Culture and Civilization
The Oldest Institution in the UK
READING

1
2

Explain what you know about the monarchy and Royal Family in the United Kingdom.
Split into two groups. Read the text Royalty in the UK and prepare five questions based on it for
the other group to answer. Take turns in asking questions.

Royalty in the UK
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy.
This means that it has a monarch (a king or a queen) as
its Head of State.
The monarchy is the oldest institution in the United
Kingdom going back to the 9th century.
The rules of descent provide that the sons of the
Sovereign are in order of succession to the throne according to the seniority, or, if there are no sons, the daughters
in order of seniority.*
There is no interregnum between the death of one
Sovereign and the accession of another. The automatic
succession is often summoned up in the phrase The King
is dead; long live the King! Immediately after the death of
a monarch an Accession Council issues the proclamation
for the new Sovereign.
The Coronation of the Sovereign follows some months
after the accession.

Horse Guards Parade. The Queens Birthday is also celebrated as Commonwealth Day.
The Queen is very rich, as are other members of the
royal family. The Queens image appears on stamps, notes
and coins.
In old times the monarch personally exercised supreme
executive, legislative and judicial power. Today everything
is done in the Queens name. It is her government, her
armed forces, her law courts and so on. She appoints all
the Ministers, including the Prime Minister. Everything is
done, however, on the advice of the elected Government,
and the monarch takes no part in the decision-making process. Thats why it is said that nowadays the Queen reigns
but does not rule.
There are still many important public functions that
the Queen performs.
The Queen summons, prorogues and dissolves
Parliament. Normally she opens the new session with a
speech from the throne, which outlines her Governments
programme. Before a bill, which has passed all its stages in
both Houses of Parliament, becomes legal it must receive
the Royal Assent. The Queen appoints or dismisses
Government ministers, judges, and members of diplomatic
corps. As temporal head of the established Church of
England, she makes appointments to the leading positions
in the Church.
In addition to being head of all armed services,
the Queen is Colonel-in-Chief of several regiments and
corps in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth
countries. The Queen has the power to conclude treaties, to declare war and to make peace, to recognize
foreign states and governments, and to annex and cede
territory.
One of the most important duties the Sovereign
performs is to act as a host to the heads of States of
Commonwealth and other countries when they visit the
United Kingdom. The Queen confers honours, she presents annually some 2,200 orders, decorations and medals. The Queen pardons those convicted of crimes under
English law.

n
o
i
t
a
z

e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
u
C
C and
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The present United Kingdoms monarch is Elizabeth

II, born on April 21, 1926.* The Queens full title is
Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of
Her other Realms and Territories. Queen, Head of the
Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, etc, etc, etc.
The Queen is the personal symbol of the State and
of national unity. The Queens birthday is today officially
celebrated early in June by Trooping the Colour, when
the Queen personally reviews the troops drawn up on the

Buckingham Palace. Royal Residency

36

Hundreds of royal visits to various parts of the country for public functions keep the royal family in close touch
with new development. These are usually centred on an
event of local importance, or some national event, or sport
event. There are also royal concert performances in aid
of charity and visits to schools, universities, hospitals and
factories.
It is customary at Christmas for the Queen to speak
on radio and television to all people of the Commonwealth
as their head. The Queen lives in Buckingham Palace.

20 pence. Millions of pounds went to the fund from

the selling of Elton Johns CD of Candle in the Wind.
Charity concerts and other events are organized.

Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997)

Britains royal family has always
embraced philanthropy. The Queen,
as well as Prince Charles, are patrons
of hundreds of charities. Princess
Diana, though, transformed a family
obligation into a phenomenally successful personal calling. Mr. Stephen
Lee, director of Britains Institute of
Charity Fundraising Managers stated that Her overall effect on charity is probably more significant than any other persons
in the 20th century. The sale of Dianas dresses only (the
most profitable charity action in the history of Christies)
raised $3.25 million for cancer and AIDS charities.
If you talk to most of the people who benefited from
Dianas charity, they will not mention money but her personal gestures. People remember the way she shook hands
with a patient at the opening of Britains first AIDS ward
in 1987 and helped dispel the myth of contagion through
casual contact. Travelling to Angola and Bosnia to campaign against land mines, she helped pave the way for the
anti-land mine treaty signed by more than 120 nations in
Ottawa.
But probably the most powerful thing about Diana
was the trust she could set with people. She was very simple in her relationship with everybody. Diana had this gift
to be able to meet people and sit and listen, said Roger
Singleton, chief Executive of Bernardos, a British charity
for disabled and disadvantaged children. Diana herself
told Frances Le Monde newspaper I pay attention to
people, and I remember them.

Commonwealth
Once the British Empire included a large number of countries all over the
world ruled by Britain. The process of decolonization began in 1947. Many
countries gained their independence. Now there is no longer an empire.
But the British ruling classes tried not to lose influence over the former
colonies of the British Empire. An association of former members of the
British Empire and Britain was founded in 1949. It is called the Commonwealth. It includes many countries such as Ireland, Sudan, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand and others. The Queen of Great Britain is also the
Head of the Commonwealth.

CANDLE IN THE WIN

n
o
i
t
a
z

encer
In memory of Diana Sp
on
By Elt John

e.
Goodbye Englands ros
r heart.
ou
in
w
gro
May you ever
ced itself
pla
t
tha
ce
gra
You were the
apart.
Where lines were torn
ntry,
You called out to our cou
those in pain.
And you whispered to
n,
ave
Now you belong to he
r name.
you
t
ou
And the stars spell
lived your life
And it seems to me you
d:
win
the
Like a candle in
set
sun
the
h
wit
Never fading
in.
set
n
When the rai
l always fall here,
And your footsteps wil
est hills:
Along Englands green
t long before
ou
Your candle burned
l.
Your legend ever wil

e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
u
C
C and

n
o
i
zat

e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
u
C
C and
n
o
i
t
a
z
e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
u
C
C and

She is gone, but she will always remain in the

memory of those whom she helped and in the memory
of mankind. At Dianas funeral the singer Elton John
sang new words to an old song: Good bye, Englands
Rose, the song is entitled Candle in the Wind.
Even after her death Dianas goodwill and tireless
efforts keep working. The Diana, Princess of Wales
Memorial Fund has been established. In the first three
days one business gave three million pounds and a child

37

Loveliness weve lost;

ut your smile.
These empty days witho
carry
This torch well always
child.
den
gol
ns
tio
For our na
,
And even though we try
rs;
tea
to
us
s
ng
bri
The truth
s the joy
res
exp
t
no
can
rds
wo
r
All ou
years.
the
gh
You brought us throu

e,
Goodbye Englands ros
hout your soul,
wit
t
From a country los
your compassion
of
gs
win
Wholl miss the
know.
More than youll ever

Name other countries besides the United Kingdom that are monarchies. Discuss advantages
and disadvantages of monarchy.

LESSON 5
More English?
1

Work in two groups. In your group read one of the following passages to learn more about marriage
and anniversaries in the USA or in the UK. Insert the words and phrases into the correct place in your
text. Present your text in front of your colleagues.

Marriage in the USA

Many American women are choosing single life
or getting married later in life. They are more ... than
women used to be. Many Americans are ... ... more than
once in their lives. Many ..., especially those of younger
adults, do not survive the pressures of modern life.
A wedding is both a legal and a social event. A couple applies for a ... ... in the county where they reside.
Each state has different laws regarding marriage, but in
general the married ... must be at least 18 year old and
not related by ... . A ... ... is required to get a marriage
license. After a marriage license is issued, the ... may
be married at the ceremony of their choice in front of
a ..., minister, priest, or Rabin. Wedding ceremonies
are usually held at ..., churches, chapels, or synagogues.
Some people choose to get married in less ... places: at
their home or the home of a friend, or in outdoor settings such as a park.
On the day of the wedding, it is considered bad
luck for the ... (the man getting married) to see the
... (his wife-to-be) before the wedding ... begins. The
best ..., a friend or relative of the groom holds on the

wedding ... and helps the groom get ready. One of

his important jobs is to keep the groom from getting
nervous! The men in the wedding party are the groom
and his best man, and the ... (those who welcome the
guests and meat them at the ceremony). Each man in
the wedding party usually dresses formally - in a ... .
A bride traditionally wears a white ... gown. In formal
weddings, the bride also wears a .... The bride chooses a
close friend or relative to be her ... of honour, or matron
of honour if the woman is married. During the wedding
ceremony, the maid of honour or matron of honour
holds the bridal ... of flowers. One of the ... usually helps
the bride get ready. Younger girls of the family may
serve as flower girls. The maid of honour, bridesmaids,
and flower girls are part of the wedding party and usually ... alike for the ceremony.
At the conclusion of the wedding ceremony, there
is usually a ..., with dancing and a banquet. Traditionally, the brides parents hold the reception. After
the reception, the ... ... leave for their ... . Sometimes,
the place for their honeymoon is kept in secret.

reception, independent, newly weds, bouquet, man, blood test, honeymoon,

wedding, bride, dress, bridesmaids, veil, marriage license, groom, maid,
ushers, tuxedo, birth, marriages, rings, ceremony, judge, couple, partners, getting married, courthouses, formal

Wedding Superstitions in England

In England the wedding preparations, ceremony and
fiest have all become loaded with ritual practices to ward
off evil and ... the marriage with fortune and fertility.
The choice of date is important. May is traditionally unlucky for ... and many modern couples marry
between Easter and May. The tradition that the brides
parents should pay for the wedding dates back from two
or three centuries ago, when wealthy families would
pay an eligible ... to take an unmarried daughter off
their hands in exchange for a large ... . At most formal
weddings, brides still get married in ... white many
other colours are considered unlucky. A bride will also
ensure that her wedding ... includes something old,
something new; something borrowed, something blue.
Old maintains her link with the past; new ... the

future; borrowed gives her a link with the present;

and blue symbolizes her purity.
Even a modern bride will observe the ... about
wearing her dress before the ceremony. The groom
mustnt see her in it until she enters the ... . The ...
should be put on for the first time as she leaves for the
church. Its a lucky ... if the bride should see a chimney
sweep on her way to church. Sometimes a sweep is paid
to attend the ceremony and kiss the bride - a relic of the
old idea that soot and ... are symbols of fertility.
After the ceremony, the couple is showered
with the ... to bless the marriage with fertility.
One old ... was for the bride and sometimes the
groom to negotiate some obstacles as they left the
church guests would ... them with ropes of flowers, for

38

example, or with sticks that had to be jumped over.

After that the bride is faced with the feast. The
most important item is the ... cake, whose richness

symbolizes ... , just as it has done since Roman times.

Today, the first ... is cut by the bride to ensure a ...
marriage.

fruitful, outfit, wedding, omen, impede, fertility, slice, ashes, bachelor, church, confetti,
bless, virginal, custom, veil, symbolizes, taboos, dowry, weddings

Write a letter to your friend from abroad. Tell him/her about wedding traditions in Moldova. Use the
adequate vocabulary.

What gender are the following nouns?

Supply opposites to the following words and

word combinations.

a. baby
b. spinster
c. heiress

young
eldest
a small family
to be alike
a close relative

g. deer
h. prosecutor
i. ewe

to get married
to be of age
a child
a bachelor
to be married

j. passenger
k. spouse
l. sir

m. liberty
n. employer
o. Filipino

Form nouns. In some cases more than one noun

is possible.

to relate
to resemble
to be engaged
to propose
to be born

to get acquainted
to appreciate
to marry
young
own

child
union
friend
adopt
partner

Form compounds and word combinations related to the topic from the nouns given.

e.g.

mother - mother-in-law, grandmother, great grandmother, foster mother, stepmother, godmother

atmosphere baby
aunt
brother

d. master
e. chairman
f. guest

children daughter family

couple
day
father

fellow marriage moon relationship son

wedding
house mate
name sister
violence age

Match the words with their definitions.

1. a child relying on or requiring the aid of another for support

2. a female servant in a house
3. a person employed to take care of a child
4. a person who is legally responsible for a child
5. a woman who has remained single beyond the conventional age of marrying
6. an unmarried man
7. one of two or more persons having the same parent
8. one of three children born at one birth
9. one of two offspring born at the same birth
10. one that is fully grown or mature, esp. a person who has attained legal age
11. ones husband or wife
12. something decided upon by a person or authority
13. those who have equal standing with the others
14. to attack with insults, to maltreat

a. spouse
b. dependent
c. sibling
d. spinster
e. maid
f. bachelor
g. triplet
h. will
i. peers
j. twins
k. adult
l. nursemaid
m. abuse
n. guardian

8 Express the following in one word.

a child in the earliest period of its life; baby
a child of ones aunt or uncle
a person during the period of physical and psychological development between childhood and
adulthood
a child whose parents are dead
a man who receives guests

a person approaching old age

a person from whom one is descended; forefather
a person who has just got married
a woman who receives guests
the father and mother of a child
the ceremony or celebration of a marriage
to withdraw from business

39

9 Write the opposite gender of the nouns below and tell what gender they are.
father
sister
daughter
emperor
grandfather
great-grandfather
aunt

10

master
great-aunt
bachelor
nephew
mare
brother-in-law
father-in-law

tiger
daughter-in-law
stepdaughter
stepfather
foster mother
godfather
fianc

Form the plural of the following nouns and arrange them in two columns.

man
woman
policeman
foot
tooth
goose
child
Englishman
ox
salmon
policewoman
brother
mouse
louse
penny
deer
grouse
plaice

boy, monkey, luxury, factory, key, apology, toy,

country, story, dictionary, joy, party, Fry, day,
Kennedy, play, guy
Form the plural of the following nouns and arrange them in two columns.

- Column 1: add -s to the noun to form the plural

- Column 2: add -es to the noun to form the plural
building, potato, tub, bus, class, dress, box, table,
fox, chicken, watch, match, bush, book

13 Form the plural of the following nouns.

soprano
Filipino
kilo
hero
potato
embargo
cargo
zoo
commando
concerto
grotto
mosquito
folio
tornado
bacterium
volcano
fungus

radio
buffalo
studio
video
cameo
photo
piano
halo
solo
tomato
echo
Eskimo
alumna
oratorio
kangaroo
criterion
alga

cactus
medium
vertebra
erratum
formula
syllabus
alumnus
index
hypothesis
cumulus
memorandum
emphasis
diagnosis
tuxedo
nucleus
bamboo
curriculum

Mister
mistress
landlady
host
heir
bear
maternal relatives

11 Give the plural of the following nouns.

- Column 1: add -s
- Column 2: change -y in -i and add -es

12

bride
wife
grandson
earl
widow
fiance
ram

sheep
hovercraft
Portuguese
1980
trout
fish
swiss
craft
Chinese
swine
Japanese
MP
Vietnamese
spacecraft
herring
1890
VIP
aircraft

Foreign Plurals of Nouns

Singular
Ending
-us
-is
-a
-on
-ex, -ix
-um

Plural
Ending
-i
-es
-ae
-a
-ices
-a

stimulus stimuli
analysis analyses
alga algae
phenomenon phenomena
appendix appendices
curriculum curricula

Note: There is a tendency for foreign words adopted in English to develop regular plural forms.

14 Choose one of the topics given below and write an essay on it.

Give your opinion about friendship.

Describe your best friend.
Explain the proverb The only way to have a friend is to be one.
Tell how similar or different you are from your friend.

40

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

UNIT 3

The very best medicine that a

family can have in the house
is cheerfulness.
Proverb

Do you know...
how you can protect and promote your health?
why exercise is good for your heart and muscles?
what things you must do to keep your body working well?
why it is important to get to know yourself?
how to develop your self-esteem?

LESSON 1
Fitness and You
When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no Ill start tomorrow.
Tomorrow is disease.
Terri Guillemets

DISCUSSION POINTS

Look at the photograph below and try and guess

what the doctor and the girl in the photograph
are talking about. Share your ideas as a class.

Work in pairs. Discuss what medical problem

you might have if

you stay too long in the sun.

you get wet on a cold day.
you are a permanent couch-potato.
you run unusually fast for a bus.

Ask your classmates:

Comment on the teaching of the quotation of the

lesson. As a class, discuss why it is important to
lead a healthy lifestyle.

how often they go to the doctors;

if they have ever been hospitalized;
if they take medicines when they fall ill;
if they take vitamins;
if they go for regular medical check-ups;

READING

Read the text and get its central idea. Guess the meaning of the words foundation, to endure and
flexible.

All-around fitness is the foundation of good health

and well-being. The term fitness refers to the ability
to endure or withstand stress and to be able to perform
daily tasks vigorously and alertly, to enjoy leisure time
activities and to effectively meet emergency demands.
Fitness is also the state of a body that can work at its
best. Physically fit people can work or play harder, and
with less effort than people who are not fit.
Despite the well-known benefits of physical activity, many adults and many children lead a relatively
sedentary lifestyle. They remain inactive for most of
the day with little or no exercise. Excessive inactivity is
detrimental to our health and it can contribute to a lot
of preventable causes of death. Lack of exercise causes
muscle atrophy and increases susceptibility to physical
injury. People who dont exercise have higher death
rates. Low levels of activity can also increase a persons
risk of developing heart disease, cancer, obesity and
other diseases. It is well-known that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death all over the world.
On the contrary, physical activity reduces the risk
of premature mortality in general, and of coronary heart
disease, high blood pressure and diabetes in particular.
Proper exercise can improve the health of the organs
that help us breathe. It can strengthen our heart and
make our blood flow better. As a result, the health of all

our cells is improved in a way that we can feel. Our body

needs exercise to stay healthy. Exercise gives our body
strength. It makes our body flexible, or able to bend and
stretch easily. Exercise also builds up our endurance,
that is, the ability of our body to work for a long time
without tiring.
By including moderate amounts of physical activity in their daily lives, people can substantially improve
their health and enhance the quality of their lives. Physical activity also influences a persons mental alertness
and emotional stability. Exercise helps to reduce stress,
tension, anxiety and depression, and improves the efficiency of the bodys systems, thus slowing down the
aging process. Regular exercise, especially aerobics, can
boost our self-image and self-esteem.

42

withstand [wl stnd], v. to resist or oppose, especially

successfully

detrimental [detrl mentl], adj. harmful

death rate, n. the number of deaths for every 100 or 1,000
people in a particular year in a particular place

enhance [ln h:ns], v. to increase in strength or amount

boost [bu:st], v. to increase the value, reputation, strength, of

Now, what do the words foundation, to endure and flexible mean in the text? Choose the
phrase that best suits the context.

a foundation means:
a. founding or establishing (of a town, school,
church, etc.).
b. something that is founded, e.g. a college.
c. fund of money for charity, research, etc.
d. (often pl) strong base of a building, on which it
is built up.
e. that on which an idea, belief, etc is based;
starting point.
to endure means:
a. to suffer pain, hardship, etc.
b. to tolerate, to put up with.
c. to last; to continue in existence.
flexible means:
a. capable of being easily bent.
b. adaptable to change.
c. willing or disposed to yield.

Read the text again and note the important

details.

Answer the questions below about details.

Say which of the facts mentioned in the passage

may be used to support the points below.

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the top risk factors for heart disease.
At its core, physical fitness involves the performance of the heart, lungs and muscles.
Exercise reduces stress and improves the
quality of life.

Find in the text words that fit the following definitions:

a state characterized by health, happiness and prosperity; characterized by or accustomed to much sitting and little physical activity; a persons typical approach to living, including moral attitudes, preferred
entertainment, fads, fashions, etc; a physical hurt or
wound, especially when caused accidentally.

a. What keeps people from living balanced

lives?
b. What are some advantages of leading a more
active lifestyle?
c. How can physical activity increase peoples life
expectancy?

As a class, explore what the term fitness

means to you and tell the difference between
active and inactive lifestyles. Discuss why it
is important to form some good health habits
while you are young.

Think of a title for the text. Read the phrases below and choose the one that best expresses the
main idea of the text. Justify your choice. Feel
free to supply your own title to the text.

1. Healthy and Not Healthy.

2. The Influence of Exercise on Mental
Health.
3. Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases.
4. Health Benefits of Regular Physical Activity.

LEARNER TRAINING

Polysemy
A word is polysemantic when it has many meanings.
Most words of the English language are polysemantic.

Thus the word tone has the following meanings:

a. sound, especially with reference to its quality, pitch,
duration, feeling, etc.
b. the pitch aspect of a (usually stressed) syllable
c. (sing.only) general spirit, character, morale of a
community, etc.
d. shade (of colour), degree (of light)
e. (music) any one of the five larger intervals between
one note and the next
f. proper and normal condition of (parts of) the body

43

In a polysemantic word the main and secondary

meanings are distinguished.

In the case above, the main meaning of the word

tone is the first one, while the others are secondary.
The word is polysemantic in the language but in actual speech it is always monosemantic. It is the context
that makes the polysemantic word monosemantic.
e.g. Shes bought a carpet in tones of blue.
This speaks of the familys low moral tone.
He cant keep a serious tone of his voice.

Translate the sentences. Point out the main and the secondary meanings of the words in bold type.

fitness
1. They are doing exercises to improve their fitness.
2. No one questions her fitness for the job.
exercise
1. Walking, running, rowing and cycling are all
healthy forms of exercise.
2. The exercise of patience is essential in diplomatic negotiations.

3. These maths exercises are very difficult.

strength
1. She doesnt have the strength to walk upstairs.
2. How is the strength of alcoholic liquors measured?
3. I employed the boy on the strength of your
recommendation.
4. Mind is your strength.
5. The police force is 500 below strength (needs
500 more men).

LISTENING

Before listening to the text, match the words with their definitions.

1. strength
2. stamina
4. aerobics
5. calisthenics

a. physical exercises intended to develop healthy, strong and beautiful bodies

b. a form of very active physical exercise which is usually done in a class with music and
is intended to strengthen the heart and lungs
c. the quality or state of being strong; bodily or muscular power; vigour
d. the strength of body or mind to fight tiredness, discouragement, or illness

Listen to the text Elements of Physical Fitness. Check on your definitions. Translate the words.
Use a dictionary, if necessary.

Listen to the text again and check whether the statements below are true or false.

True

False

a. In order to be completely fit, all the main elements of physical fitness must be present.
b. As people get older, they gain more flexibility.
c. A good exercise programme includes both calisthenics and stamina training.
d. Aerobic exercises decrease stamina.
f. Exercise is an important way to keep your mind and body fit.

SPEAKING

Create several phrases that advertise the advantages of practising aerobics.

Rank the following suggestions as ways of

ensuring physical fitness starting with those you
consider the most effective. Justify your choice.

1. Avoid eating junk food.

2. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
3. Improve memory and attention with scientific
brain games.
4. Learn and train the fine arts of yoga and meditation.
5. Strengthen your legs with isotonic work out.
6. Sleep well.

7. Socialize.
8. Undertake a physical training regime.
9. Do as many push ups as you can.
10. Work out for at least 20 minutes a day.
11. Take the proper supplements.
12. Exercise in the morning.
13. Incorporate exercise into the daily chores.
14. Practise jogging on a regular basis.
15. Refuse to use lifts.
16. Stop smoking.

As a class, decide what other important skills

have been left out. What else can be done in
order to stay healthy?

WRITING
Plan and write a 250-word essay illustrating Platos quotation that states that Lack of activity destroys
the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it
and preserve it. The essay will include introduction, body and conclusion, an explicit thesis statement,
logical development/support and explicit discourse markers.

44

The Genitive/ Possessive Case

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

1
2

Do you know another name for the Genitive Case?

Comment on the following examples. Summarize the information. Find out if your classmates
are of the same opinion. Draw a chart to illustrate the rules.

1. My sons books have no dog ears in them.

2. When the hostesss ring was lost, everybody suspected
her neighbour.
3. What do you know about the womens association in
this city?

4. The woman next doors husband is an engineer.

5. Have you read any of Dickens (or Dickenss) books?
6. Nobody ever spoke about the workers wages.
7. Today about eight percent of the worlds population
are left-handed.

Add s where necessary. Use sound arguments to motivate your choice. Formulate some
rules.

1. Nora and Susan parents are doctors.

2. Her brother-in-law sister is an actress.
3. How did you like the editor-in-chief speech?
4. What do you know about Henry the Eighth reign?
5. I read nothing about the NGO statute.

6. The MP decision will be published in tomorrow newspaper.

7. By whom will the Queen of England throne be inherited?
8. Nobody expected to ever meet the girl from Pennsylvania mother.

Note: The s construction is not possible when we speak about non-living things. Every s construction can have an of equivalent, but not every of construction can have an s equivalent.
e.g. Eminescus poetry the poetry of Eminescu but: the key of the door
the foot of the mountain

Use possessive nouns in the following sentences.

1. baby is ten months old.

2. Why is face covered with freckles?
3. This is Ronald. He is our nephew.
4. I really cant tell you my address. They left only
two days ago.
5. Do you know what old ... tales are?

6. Mothers dont sometimes approve of their decision.

7. The noise drives me crazy.
8. She has never read ghost stories.
9. His axe handle broke while he was cutting a small
sapling.

Note: The s/s construction can be used on its own when we refer to:
c. a noun that is implied:
e.g. Is this Peters bag? No, its Nicks.
d. medical practitioners:
e.g. The child is afraid of going to the dentists.
He must go to the doctors.

a. a place where someone lives:

e.g. She is staying at her uncles.
b. shops, businesses:
e.g. I cant go to the butchers today.
She is at the dressmakers now.

Give examples using the possessive forms enumerated above.

45

LESSON 2
Making Choices
The first wealth is health
Emerson

DISCUSSION POINTS

As a group, discuss your answers to the following questions:

Restate in your own words the quotation of the lesson. What idea about the interrelationship between
health and human values does it convey? Comment on the teaching of this quotation.

a. What health-related challenges do young people from countries all over the world face in everyday life?
b. What kind of knowledge and skills must adolescents gain in order to take care of their own health?

LISTENING

Listen to a passage stating why it is important to learn how to make healthful choices. While listening,
decide whether statements 1-4 are true (T) or false (F).

1. During your life, you will be making choices about your career development.
2. A good choice is the one that is best only for you.
3. It is necessary to learn how to make your own responsible decisions and healthy choices.
4. A good approach to solving problems is to break a problem into steps.

Listen to the passage again and then complete the statement People should view mistakes as learning
opportunities because

Young people face difficult choices and decisions every day. Learn to make decisions in accordance
with the following tips: In order to take a right decision, first consider the challenge you are being
faced with. Next, think of both positive and negative consequences of your choices, and, finally, come
up with your final decision upon the issue under consideration.

READING

You are going to read a text about young peoples individual

responsibility to promote healthy lifestyles. Try to imagine
what the text will tell you about the major health hazards and
healthy choices.

Read the text and state whether your predictions were true.

Its Up to You and Me!

Are you careful about the choices you make?
What does to lead a healthy active life mean? Do
you love what you are doing? How do you feel about
your life today? Ask yourself these questions honestly as you read on and state what factors can influence your health.
Young people face a multitude of health-related challenges: unsafe neighbourhoods, violence,
family problems, and chronic, untreated health
conditions. Medicines can stop pain and help people recover from their illnesses. However, they can
also become harmful if they are used improperly.
Using substances that are against the law or are not
supposed to be taken into the human body is drug
abuse. Drug abuse, also called substance abuse or

chemical abuse, is a disorder that is characterized by a

destructive pattern of using a substance that leads to
significant problems or distress. Drug abuse is a very
dangerous phenomenon and damages the peoples body
and mind.
Despite the ample and conclusive evidence that
smoking cigarettes regularly can cause such diseases as
chronic bronchitis, emphysema, certain types of cancer,
ulcer, heart disease, and although the majority of young
people can realize the dangers of this harmful habit,
many teenagers continue to smoke. It is well - known

46

that most heavy smokers lead shorter lives than nonsmokers, and yet a great number of young people all
over the world begin smoking each year. Teenagers can
also become addicted to alcohol, moreover, they can
become alcoholics much more quickly than adults. In
this age of AIDS, there are many social, personal and
emotional consequences for the people who have it or
the virus that causes it (HIV). Unfortunately, teenagers
can also get the AIDS virus, thats why it is imperative
that they should learn how to make thoughtful, healthful
decisions which may prevent them from getting AIDS.
Health involves every area of your life. Taking care
of your health by making wise choices is your responsibility. Today, more than ever, teenagers should take
control of their health. Its up to them to be responsible
for their own life style. This simple commitment is the
first step toward a long and healthy life. No one else
can make this commitment for them. They are the only
ones who can shape their behaviour in ways that affect
their health.

Explain the following in your own words.

In the text, find words which mean the same as

unsafe neighbourhoods; untreated health conditions;

conclusive evidence; harmful habit; heavy smokers
a. something that by its nature or character serves as
a call to battle, contest, etc.
b. to regain the strength or control of (oneself)
c. the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier.

multitude [ mltltju:d], n a great number of persons or

things

ample [ mpl], adj of adequate or more than adequate

extent, size, or amount

addicted [ dlktld], n devoted or given up to a practice or habit or to something habit-forming, as a narcotic,

cigarettes, etc.

commitment [k mltmnt], n a pledge or promise;

obligation

Explanatory Notes:
Emphysema a diseased condition in which the
lungs become swollen with air, causing difficulty in
breathing and often preventing the proper action of the
heart.
Ulcer a sore place appearing on the skin inside or
outside the body which may bleed or produce poisonous
matter: a stomach ulcer/mouth ulcers

In your own words, explain the dangers of

smoking and drug abuse. Discuss what the
author means when he says that drug abuse
damages the peoples body and mind.

Make an analysis of the text. Which of the ideas

in the text have you found to be poorly argued
or contradictory, if any? What facts would you
add to the text to make it more persuasive?

SPEAKING

Do you agree with the opinion that the knowledge of self is a prerequisite to understanding others?
Explain your point of view.

Study the information in the Info Box for a few minutes. Then answer the questions that follow.

We all have a mental picture of who we are, how we look, what

we are good at, and what our strengths and weaknesses are. This
mental picture (our self-image) contributes to our self esteem. Self
esteem is our opinion of ourselves.
Low self-esteem, or a negative estimate of ones worth, is
characterized by submissiveness, passivity, helplessness, timidity, self-doubting, self-punishing, and a feeling of inferiority. People
with low self-esteem are hit harder by failure in any endeavour.
On the contrary, when someone sees themselves in a positive way, they display good self-esteem. A positive estimate of
ones worth is characterized by self-confidence, independence,
assertiveness and self-respect. A positive self-image gives young
people the power and confidence to take on lifes challenges and
to overcome difficulties in the life long run. They accept their
strengths and can easily identify their areas of development.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

a. Healthy self-esteem will enable you to be happier and live to your full potential.
b. Start building your self-esteem now.
c. Self-esteem is your overall opinion of yourself.
d. Everyone is special by being different.
2. Why is it important to help your friends and family develop a positive self-image when their selfesteem is low? Give 2-3 reasons to justify your
answers.

47

Sometimes teen confidence can cross over into

overconfidence. It has been proved that too much
self-esteem (overconfidence) may be just as damaging as too little self-esteem. In small groups,
discuss the consequences of too much or too
little self-esteem, and then, as a class, work out
some steps to overcoming self-image problems
and building healthy, positive self-esteem.

Good health is something you can choose to strive for. Study the information you can find in the
boxes below and explain how various aspects of health can affect each other.

h
dividuals, as
Social Healt
urselves as in
o
e
se
e
w
w
ho
er people.
Relates to
ract with oth
te
in
e
w
w
o
h
nes family.
ale, and
harmony in o
male or fem
f
o
it
u
rs
u
p
e
Includes th
Emotional Health
Includes ways of expressing our
emotions in a healthy way.
Includes the degree to which one
feels positive and enthusiastic about oneself and life.

Physical Health
ess of the body.
the overall soundn
Physical health is
e to a high level
ities which contribut
e
Encourages activ
and appropriate us
ng medical selfcare
di
clu
in
s,
es
lln
we
of
m.
of the medical syste
drugs and excessive
the use of tobacco,
s
ge
Discoura
n.
alcohol consumptio

Personal Health
Relates to how
we see ourselves as
person, how our eg
a
o develops, what we
hope
to achieve, and ho
w we define succ
ess for
ourselves.
Includes findi
ng self-fulfilment
unique ways.
in
Mental Health
Encourages creative,
stimulating mental activities.
Relates to how we get
information, knowing where
to get information we need
and how to use the information we receive.
Spiritual Health
Involves seeking meaning and purpose of human existence.
Involves developing a strong sense
of personal values and ethics.

Work in pairs. Choose a picture. Decide what aspect of health it refers to. Describe the picture
you have chosen.

WRITING

Developing a Healthy Personality

Imagine that the UN has recently decided to allocate $10 million for the development of health education programmes in Moldova. With so many areas
in need of funding, they need your help in deciding
how the funding should be divided up. Pick one issue
dealing with personal health care and write an intent
letter to the UN, illustrating why they should allocate

funds for your cause. Letters to the UN should be one

full page in length and include substantial background
knowledge. Letters need to include the who, what,
where, why, when, and how of the importance of the
development of a mature and healthy personality in
the teen years.

48

Compound Adjectives
Ways of forming compound adjectives.

noun + adjective (crystal-clear)

noun + past participle (horse-drawn)
noun + present participle (hard-working)
adjective + adjective (red-hot)
adverb + adjective (evergreen)

numeral + noun (two-day conference)

adjective + noun + ed (blue-eyed, dark-haired)
ordinal numeral + noun (second-hand car)
well, badly + past participle (well-done)
ill, poorly + past participle (poorly-informed)

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Form compound adjectives that mean the same

as:

1. a girl with fair hair;

2. a trip that lasted three months;
3. a cart drawn by two horses;
4. a table that is lit by a candle;
5. a flat situated on the fifth floor;
6. a person with eyeballs turned towards the nose;
7. praise that is fully deserved.

Translate the following compound adjectives.

1. a long-distance telephone call

2. a double-breasted coat
3. a long-drawn-out visit
4. a point-blank refusal
5. an evil-minded man
6. a cold-hearted reception
7. a one-sided argument
8. tender-hearted parents

Fill in the gaps with the following compound adjectives:

good-sized; nine-room; hard-kept; well-ordered; night-coming; old-fashioned; barren-looking; three-act; car-sick.

1. Gold is a secret.
6. Folks who lived quietly in communities never faced
2. It was a plain curiosity that made me follow that up to such a situation like his.
trail.
7. The rest of the meat had been pulled from the tree
3. He was alone under the sky.
and a hunk had been cut off.
4. They bought a house in the suburbs of the city. 8. It was a play and we enjoyed it.
5. The rider would turn off the trail into the hills. 9. Being she always travels by train.

Comparison of Adjectives
The comparative degree of adjectives can be represented by:
c. The Comparative of Equality (Similarity)
a. The Comparative of Superiority

It can be expressed by:

1. as as (As busy as a bee.)
2. the same (The two bags are the same.)
e.g. not so/ as beautiful as; less important
Note: A comparative may be made stronger by:
3. the same as (Her hairdo is the same as mine.)
1. using much or far
4. almost, exactly, just, nearly + as + adjective
e.g. She is much younger and far happier than me. (He is almost as smart as his brother.)
2. repeating the adverb more if the adjective contains more 5. almost, exactly, just, nearly + like + noun (She
than one syllable
is just like her mother.)
e.g. It is more and more difficult to do it.
6. almost, exactly, just, nearly, (not) quite + the
3. repeating the comparative if the adjective is monosylabic
same (The twins are exactly the same.)
e.g. worse and worse; taller and taller
7. completely, entirely, quite + different (These
4. using the adverb ever before the comparative
four girls are completely different.)
e.g. ever cheaper; ever more exquisite
e.g. longer; more interesting; better; farther

b. The Comparative of Inferiority

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

1
2

Make up your own examples to illustrate each of the cases mentioned above.
Match the comparatives of equality with the suitable words in the box.

as fresh as , as strong as , as cool as , as deaf as , as blind as , as clear as ,

as sly as , as slow as , as sweet as , as mad as

49

a post, a hare, a fox, a

horse, a bat, a tortoise,
a daisy, honey, a crystal,
a cucumber

LESSON 3
Literary Focus
Learn to Love Yourself
I am cool with myself and I dont care what you think.
Karice Baker-Quow

DISCUSSION POINTS

Read the quotation of the lesson. Think for a

minute or two and then decide what kind of
person might have said that. Share your ideas
with a partner.

6. Never shall we forget the cool reception she

gave us last summer.
7. The mayor decided to meet with the strikers
to keep the city cool.

Working with the same partner, think of a situation when one may /must / (need to) say that.
Find out what other situations are.

Work as a class

b. Replace each idiom in the sentences below

by a suitable expression from the box.
1. Dont take it close to your heart, Bill. Cool it!
2. If you cant behave properly, boys, just sit
down and cool your heels.
3. I just stared at him while he was yelling. I
knew that would cool him down.
4. Cool off, Becky. There is no sense getting so
excited.
5. Is Bob still in love with Sally? No, hes cooled
off a lot.

a. Guess the meanings of cool in the following sentences.

1. He is always cool when he is in financial difficulties.
2. Be careful, the tea is not cool enough to
drink.
3. She was given a cool reply, but she didnt despair.
4. This artist always uses cool colours.
5. How cool to borrow so much money and pretend to forget about giving it back!

a. It would reduce his anger.

b. The passion has died away.
c. Calm down.
d. Take it easy!
e. Wait.

READING

If I looked like you Id kill myself. Imagine in what circumstances someone might say this to
someone else. Share your views with a partner.

You are going to read a text about a girl who should have been born black but, because of a
medical condition, was born white. Work in groups.

a. Predict what the medical condition might be.

b. What problems do you think she faced. Discuss and make a list of these problems.

Now read the text and find the answers to these questions:

Whats the name of her medical condition?

What problems did she actually face? List them.
What adjectives would you use to characterize Karice?

SKIN DEEP
15-Year-old Karice Baker-Quow, from London, is a black girl who looks white.....

I was born with albinism. Its a skin disorder,

which means I dont have the pigment that determines my colour. So although my whole family is
black, Im missing the melanin that would give me
black skin and hair.
It kind of runs in the family. My great aunt was

an albino and then it skipped a few generations until me. My mum had no idea when she was pregnant
so it was a total surprise when I was born. My par10 ents were like: Lets try and clean her up and shell
get darker, but then my grandparents explained it
all to them.

50

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

I never thought of albinism as a problem until I got to the end of primary school. In secondary
school it was worse cause there were more people
to deal with. Because my family had never treated
me any differently and had always looked past the
colour of my skin, I was surprised that other people
found it so hard to accept.
Most people werent interested in me as a person, they just saw the albino thing. I was really confident as a child and would go and speak to anyone,
but all that stopped at secondary school. I started to
lose confidence in a big way and would only speak
to people I knew.
Some people call me names; others just stare
or ask questions. But not in an inquisitive way, its
more a kind of Uuugh! Why is your hair white?
When Im out with my mum, cause shes small
and quite young, they think Im out with a friend.
They look totally shocked and confused when I say
shes my mum. People have also said things like If
I looked like you Id kill myself. They are hurtful
but Im learning to deal with them more now. They
dont realise that Ive heard it all before.
I cope with racism like all black people do. I
guess I just get it from both sides. Fitting in with
groups of friends has been really hard. In a way I
know how mixed race people feel. Ive had black
people say to me You think youre white, and white
friends say You cant hang around with us cause
you dont know how it is. Youre not white, youre
black. I want to think I can have a good time with
everyone, white or black and that it doesnt matter
as long as they are good friends.
I havent got a boyfriend at the moment or had
one for a while. There is a boy in my year that I
like and I told him recently. He gave me a cute, shy
smile. Hes hopefully going to the same college as
me, so fingers crossed. I like boys who are slightly
shy and sensitive cause they dont intimidate me.
I cant stand gobby, arrogant boys. Theyre usually
the sort that get together with their mates and take
the mickey.
In terms of culture Im West Indian. Im black,
I love eating black food and listen to black music
like soul and garage, although I dont listen to just
that. I like a mixture really. I identify with West Indian traditions and values. Albinism has opened my
eyes to that more. Id never relax my hair as people see it and know Im black. If I looked, dare I
say it, normal I probably wouldnt be as bothered

albinism, n. the condition of an albino

albino, n.-(pl. albinos) animal or person born without
natural colouring matter in the skin and hair (which are
white) and the eyes (which are pink)

inquisitive [ln kwlzltlv], adj. having (too much)

interest in something

hurtful [ h:tful], adj. causing suffering

gobby [ gbl], adj. one who talks much in an insulting

way

65

70

75

80

85

51

about my hair but I kind of grasp on to that identity.

I speak West Indian at home with my family like
many black families do. In fact, sometimes I forget
that my skin is a different colour to theirs because
they are so supportive and my albinism just isnt an
issue to them.
I used to tear myself up thinking, Why do people say these hurtful things? Then I realised, Im
not unhappy with being an albino; its not an issue
for me. I realised if it wasnt for other peoples negativity, there wouldnt be a problem. Theyve made
me lose my self-confidence but theyre not worth it.
Im going to do A-levels and go on to university. I
want to be a lawyer, so Im going to be dealing with
people and standing up in front of audiences all the
time.
If there are any readers who knew someone
with albinism, Id say dont suffocate them with
sympathy. Theres nothing worse than people feeling sorry for you. And whether youve got albinism
or not, you have to learn to love yourself. It sounds
cheesy, but if you dont then its easier for other
people to upset you. Youve got to say, Im cool
with myself and I dont care what you think. Thats
what Ive learnt to do.

Phrases and Idioms

to deal with - to be concerned with
to have/lose confidence in oneself - to believe/not to believe in
oneself
to call someone names - to insult or abuse someone
to hang around with - a. to spend a lot of time with
b. to waste away time with
to cross ones fingers - to wish for luck; to hope for a good
outcome
to take the mickey - to tease; to play tricks/jokes on
they are not worth it - they dont deserve it
it sounds cheesy - its sentimental; its too good to be true
to be cool with ... - to be calm, unexcited

Read the text more carefully and tell whether the following are True or False. Find the line in the text
which supports your point of view.

a. The whole family was surprised when Karice

was born white.
b. Karice still hasnt got used to the hurtful
things people say to her.
c. Karices family has found it difficult to accept
her for what she is.

d. Karice feels her situation is similar to those

who have a white father and a black mother (or vice
versa).
e. Being an albino is not a problem for Karice.

What words in the text mean the same as

a. the natural colouring matter in the skin

(line 2).
b. to recognize, to approve (19).
c. to look fixedly (26).
d. not long ago (49).
e. behaving in a proud, superior manner (53).
f. exact likeness (65).
g. question that arouses for discussion (69).
h. gathering of people for the purpose of hearing a speaker (79).
Use the context to rephrase the following sentences making sure the underlined parts are
re-written in your own words. The first has been
done for you.

a. It kind of runs in the family. (line 6)

It appears in most members of the family.
b. It skipped a few generations until me. (7)
c. My family have always looked past the colour
of my skin. (16)
d. I cope with racism like all black people do. (37)
e. I like boys that are slightly shy and sensitive
cause they dont intimidate me. (53)
f. I identify with West Indian traditions and values. (59)
g. Id say dont suffocate them with sympathy.
(81)
h. It sounds cheesy, but if you dont then its
easier for other people to upset you. (85)

The expressions below are phrasal verbs.

Choose the correct definitions.

1. clean up (line 10)

a. make clean b. put in order c. get rid of
2. deal with (16)
a. manage b. be concerned with c. behave towards
3. be out (30)
a. on strike b. not fashionable c. not at home
4. fit in (38)
a. belong b. match c. conform
5. grasp on (to) (64)
a. accept b.attach c.understand
6. tear up (70)
a. distress b. damage c. torment

52

Bread and butter is a collocation. That means

the two words combine in a way characteristic
to language. Do the exercises below to learn
more about collocations.
a. Match a word from column A with a word from
column B to form collocations.

A. 1. mother and
2. strong
3. Tom and
4. baby
5. soft
6. heavy
7. to miss
8. to make
9. to and
10. to lose

B. a. drink
b. rain
c. son
d. tea
e. Jerry
f. sitter
g. confidence
h. fro
i. a train
j. a mistake

b. Cross out any incorrect collocations.

to do

a favour
homework
coffee
sense
an attempt
sums

hard

problem
bags
winter
man
traffic
rock

to set

an example
courage
the stage
free
the blame
a clock

little

boy
money
traffic
mistake
deal
time

c. Add more words that collocate with to tell,

to make and to feel.

a lie
to tell

to make
a mistake

sorry
to feel

at ease

SPEAKING
Discuss the following.

1. Explain the title of the text. Do you think it is a

suitable one? Why? Think of your own title. Support
your choice.
2. Beauty is but skin-deep is a proverb. Explain
it. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Explain why. Find equivalents in your native language
that mean the same. Think of some situations to illustrate the proverb.
3. Define the word discrimination. Race discrimination is a collocation. Brainstorm other words that
collocate with the word discrimination. Explain what
they mean.
4. Can you think of any concrete examples when
someone you know suffered after he/she had been
treated differently? Discuss them with the class.
5. Do you think a person should be treated any
differently because of some disease, handicap or any

other problems he/she has got through no fault of his/

her own? Use specific reasons and examples to support
your point of view.
6. Is Karices case a discriminatory one? Why do
you think so? What kind of discrimination does she
face? How does she manage to cope with it?
7. What kind of picture do you get of Karice as a
person? Cite the text to support your opinion.
8. Comment on the last paragraph . How does this
paragraph reveal Karices character? Can you think of
any other strong adjectives to describe her? Explain
your overall reaction to the attitude and behaviour of
some of those who are interested in nothing more but
her albinism.
9. How would you handle the situation if you were
Karice?

WRITING
Karices letter is one of the many sent to different newspapers and magazines, especially
by teenagers, who expect to receive answers from readers. Consider the situations below.
Choose one of them and write a letter. Use the information from the Learner Training rubric.

After you have read Karices letter you decide:

a. to write an answer and tell Karice what you think
about her case. You try to encourage her and give her
some advice.
b. to write a letter to the magazine stating your opin-

ion about the rubric. How useful and/or interesting it is,

how it helps the teenagers to cope with their problems.
c. to write a letter to the magazine describing a
problem of yours or somebody elses you know and,
asking to be published. See the form below.

Writing Letters
There are different types of letters.
a. a friendly letter is an informal message that allows you to share news with friends you
may not often see.
b. a social letter is written for a specific reason. It may be a letter of invitation, thank-you
letter, etc.
c. a business letter is written to request information, to place or correct orders, or to apply
for jobs.
d. an order letter follows the same general form as other business letters.
e. a letter of request is written to obtain information or catalogues or to request special
favours.

biographies
essays
letters
memoirs
speeches

true-life adventures
journals
interviews
informative articles
autobiographies

Writers City ZIP Code

Date the Letter is Written

Salutation
Body

Closing
Signature

Apply Your Knowledge

LITERARY FOCUS
Unlike fiction, nonfiction contains
mostly factual information. Nonfiction
includes a wide variety of writing, such
as:

Writers Street Address

Heading

State what kind of nonfiction writing these definitions refer to.

a. a true account of a persons life told by someone else
b. a form of autobiographical writing in which a person recalls significant
events in his or her life
c. a relatively short piece of writing on a single subject
d. appears in magazines, newspapers as well as textbooks, encyclopedias,
etc, and provides facts about a specific subject
e. a type of nonfiction found in popular magazines and books
f. a conversation conducted by a writer or reporter, in which facts or statements are elicited from another person
g. an account of a persons life written by that person
h. a talk or public address

53

LESSON 4
Culture and Civilization
Medical Care. History and Facts
READING

As you read this selection, pay close attention to some of the facts about the health care
system in Great Britain. Organize the facts and gather some more information about the topic
under discussion.

Medical Care in Great Britain

Britain is one of many European nations that have
state-run health care systems. The National Health
Service (NHS) of Great Britain was established in 1948.
At its foundation, the principle of equal treatment was a
defining element. Every citizen of Great Britain was supposed to have equal access to all necessary medical services regardless of their financial status. Nowadays, The
National Health Service (NHS) provides a full range
of medical services that are available to all residents,
without regards for their income. In case of emergency
or accident, a visitor to the UK may have the same free
medical services. The finance comes mostly from general
taxation.
Medical facilities are advanced and life expectancy
rates range from 77.2 to 81.6 years. Infant mortality is
4.62 deaths/1,000 live births.
Britain today is a welfare state that looks after its
citizens in need: the old, the sick, the unemployed.
Some people prefer to pay for treatment when they
are ill. They get more choice, and, thus, they can choose
when, where and by whom they can be treated. The

private health insurance provides the same coverage

that is provided by the National Health Service (NHS),
but people availing the private health insurance can
get better access to higher quality care with reduced
waiting times. Alternative medicine, i.e. reflexology,
osteopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, etc. is mostly
private but sometimes available on the NHS.
The first examination is normally conducted by a
general practitioner, called GP.
When you visit your doctor or hospital you have to
pay only for the medicines. However, certain groups
(low income groups, children, people over the age of
60, pregnant women and people with certain illnesses)
are exempt from charges. Central government is directly
responsible for the NHS, administered by a range of
local health authorities and boards throughout Britain
acting as its agents, and for the social security system.
Recently, different projects designed to improve health
care in inner city areas and among ethnic minorities
have been developed.

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Read the text below and say which facts given in the text were new to you.

How to Become a Doctor in the USA

Young men and women who choose

a career as a doctor in the United States
face a long, difficult, and expensive
training period. Premedical education
begins in college. Medical schools are
crowded and can admit only a certain
number of new students each year. Most
medical schools are part of a university.
Traditionally, a medical school offers
a four-year course of study. Upon graduation, they receive either Doctor of
Medicine (M.D.) degree or a Doctor
of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree. After
graduating from medical school, doctors
serve at least a year as a hospital intern.
Interns examine patients and prescribe
treatment, but they are supervised by

experienced doctors. Most doctors specialize in a particular field of medicine

after their internship. To prepare for a
speciality, they must train for at least
three years as a hospital resident. During
residency, doctors work with the kinds of
patients they will treat as specialists. To
become certified specialists, doctors must
complete residency training and pass
a rigorous examination given by their
speciality board. Some doctors undertake
further specialization training, called a
fellowship, for two or three years. These
doctors, known as fellows, must pass
another difficult examination after completing their training.
In the United States, every state

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requires doctors to obtain a license before they may

practise medicine in the state. Every state and province
requires doctors to meet certain standards of professional conduct. Doctors also have their own code of

ethics. They must also keep up with medical progress

by reading medical journals and books, by attending
medical conferences, and consulting with other medical
specialists.

Read the selection below and state how the health care system in Moldova is different from
the ones described above. How are the health care systems in Great Britain and the Republic
of Moldova similar?

Health Access in the Republic of Moldova

The reform of the health system in the Republic of
Moldova started in 1995, when the World Bank and the
Moldovan Government started negotiating the enhancement of the quality of the health system. In 1995, the
Basic Law on Health Care was passed making provisions
for private health care. Dental surgeries and pharmacies
are almost all private. The health care system is funded
from three main sources: general taxation, regional taxation and direct private funding. A further law on health
care passed in 1999 sanctioned hospitals to generate
income from additional sources other than national and
local budgets.
The Ministry of Health and the nations Health
Minister are responsible for healthcare in Moldova. All
citizens and registered long-term residents are entitled
by law to equal access to a minimum amount of free
healthcare. The basic package of the offered services of
free healthcare is limited to emergency assistance and
treatment for acute illnesses.
Primary health care services are delivered at a local
level by health posts, family doctors offices, health centres
and family doctors centres linked to local level hospitals.
There is a regional hospital operating in each region
with state level institutes providing specialized care. The
rural areas of Moldova have varying levels of medical
facilities beginning with a network of 1,011 health posts
which are staffed by a medical practitioner, midwife and
an assistant. These health posts provide general medical
care and immunizations to patients. There are also health
centres in rural areas which have inpatient facilities. Over

recent years, specific actions have been undertaken to

strengthen primary health care institutions in rural communities. However, there are still many challenges facing
the health care system. Towns in Moldova with a population of over 3,000 people have policlinics which provide
a wider range of services including paediatrics, dentistry,
gynaecology and in some instances outpatient surgical
treatment. These facilities have two nurses per Doctors,
midwives and medical assistants. Moldova is home to 100
hospitals across the country, 5 outpatient clinics and a
psychiatric hospital in Chisinau.
In 2004, the Moldovan government introduced mandatory (social) health insurance (MHI) aimed at ensuring
sustainable health financing and improved access to services for poorer sections of the population. The government pays contributions for non-employed groups but the
self-employed citizens of Moldova, which include many
agricultural workers, must purchase their own cover.
Currently, about 75% of the population of the country
is covered by health care insurance. The Government
pays contributions for the unemployed as well as retired
citizens and long term residents
Access to quality health services is a key problem for
Moldova. The Ministry of Health has been involved in
a number of health promotion programmes that deal
with tuberculosis control, prevention of viral hepatitis,
diarrhoeal disease and cholera, anti-rabies and iodine
deficiency disorder prevention programmes. There are
environmental health concerns due to the high levels of
pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture.

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Cu nd Civ
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Summarize the information about the health

care systems in Great Britain, the USA and the
Republic of Moldova. Dont forget to
reduce sentences, clauses and phrases;
paraphrase the original words by using synonyms;
use transitions and other connecting devices
to make your summary flow smoothly.

With a peer, participate in a two-minute dialogue

on the topic related to health care systems in
various parts of the world. Make use of the following words and expressions:

e
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C and

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to treat somebody for some disease; treatment;

sick-leave/sick-list; to be put on the sick-list; to
prescribe a medicine (a diet); to follow the doctors
instructions; to cure somebody of some disease; to
operate; to go to the chemists (to a drug store); to
see (consult) a doctor; to examine a patient; to be
x-rayed/to have an X-ray taken; to have ones blood
tested; to have ones blood pressure tested

Reread the texts and create an outline of ideas.

Supply at least 8 supporting details that would
reflect the relationships between the pieces of
information from the reading.

55

LESSON 5
More English?
1

In small groups, discuss whether the picture

you have of yourself and the way you believe
you are seen by other people play an important
role in your behaviour.

Discuss the following.

a person, typically a woman, who is trained to take

care of sick, hurt or old people, especially as directed by a doctor in a hospital.

Supply your own definitions to the names of the

following specialists:

therapist, cardiologist, pediatrician, obstetrician, psychiatrist, anaesthetist, otorhinolaryngologist.

1. List at least three health problems associated

with inadequate physical activity. How does physical exercise help to keep your body in good shape?
2. Why do people of all ages need physical exercise?

Find a symptom in list B to fit each name of an illness in list A.

A. Mumps, flu, pneumonia, measles, chickenpox

B. dry cough, high fever, chest pain, rapid breathing
inflammation of the salivary glands, earache or
pain on eating
rash starting on body, slightly raised temperature
headache, aching muscles, fever, cough, sneezing
eruption of small red spots, fever

Guess the profession of

In each of the following extracts from students compositions there is a misprint. Replace the wrong
word by a word that should have been used instead.

a person who has been professionally trained to

treat teeth.
a doctor whose job is to perform medical operations.
a person skilled in preparing medicines.

1.They havent been reeling very well for some time.

(.)
2. I had no appetite and I was sleeping madly. ()
3. I had a pain in my chest and a rather bad bough
that I couldnt get rid of. ()
4. The doctor asked me to show him my tongs.
()
5. The nurse fixed the medicine with a tea-spot.
()

6. If you have a toothache you consult a denture.

()
7. What do you have to do when you are shortsited? ()
8. I complained of a bad headache, a main in the
back and a feeling of sickness ()
9. He diagnosed the case as the flew. ()
10. It took me a weak to set well. ()

7 Number the meanings of the following polysemantic words in the right order (first the main and then

the secondary meanings of the words). Make up sentences of your own to illustrate the different meanings of the words below.

1. aid

a. help that is given by one country to another, especially in the form of food, machines, etc.
b. support or help
c. something that provides help and especially makes a process easier or more effective

2. to prescribe

a. to say (what medicine or treatment) a sick person should or must have

b. to state ( what must happen or be done in certain conditions)

3. mixture

a. a usually liquid substance made for the stated purpose by combining other substances
b. a combination of things or people of different types
c. a set of substances mixed together so as to give a combined effect

4. tablet

a. a small round solid piece of medicine

b. a shaped flat piece of stone or metal with words cut into it
c. a small block ( of soap)

5. doctor

a. a person licensed to practise medicine, especially a physician, dentist or veterinarian

b. a person who has been awarded a doctors degree

56

Practise making decisions in small groups.

a) Consider the following situations given below. Each member of the group should come to
a decision on the problem described.
b) Report on your decisions and your reasons.
If possible, agree on a decision.

Situation 1
Pete believes that people should watch as
much TV as they like. In his opinion, people get
a lot of important information from television.
Besides, he considers that watching TV is a good
form of relaxation.
His friends agree that watching TV is an intellectual activity. At the same time, some of them
argue that people should limit their TV viewing to
one-two hours a day. They think that television creates passivity in people. People whose primary entertainment is lounging on a couch, surrounded by
junk food and fizzy drinks, eyes fixed on the TV set
are humorously called couch potatoes.
What do you think about this? How can TV influence peoples health? How much television do you
watch every day? In your opinion, what is the best way
to relax?
Situation 2
Some people start to run because they feel
desperately unfit. But the biggest pay-off for them
is the deep relaxation that they achieve by exercising. It calms people down.
At the same time, plenty of people consider
that it doesnt make any sense to run in the expectation of becoming healthier. What about the chances
of heart attack?
What would you do? Whats the best way of
obtaining some protection from heart attack? How
might a regular programme of jogging make you feel?

Situation3
Nick went to a party. He has just decided to quit
smoking. Some friends of his offered him a cigarette
and encouraged him to smoke it up right there. Nick is
aware of the challenges he is facing. He is considering
two alternatives:
Alternative I
If I accept the cigarette,
my friends will like me;
I shall look more mature;
I shall be one of them;
my girlfriend wont love my decision;
my parents will get very upset;
it might have serious negative consequences upon
my health.
Alternative II
If I say No! and leave
I wont have any problems with my parents;
There wont be any negative consequences upon
my health;
My friends will get mad at me;
I wont be punished by school officials;
What others solutions or views can you offer? What
arguments would you use in order to persuade your friend
to stop smoking?

Discuss the following list of reasons that support your opinion that smoking is bad and evaluate each
reason.

Reason
Cigarettes cause lung cancer
Strong reason
Smoking causes bad breath
Weak reason
Nicotine is addictive

Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of

heart disease
Smoking burns holes in clothes

Evaluation

Look again at the reasons in the box. Which reasons would you eliminate or what other reasons would
you include if you were to persuade a classmate never to begin to smoke? Explain your choice.

57

10

Nouns with Prepositions

In a sentence, prepositions connect nouns, pronouns
and phrases to other words.
In the English language there are many examples of
prepositions coming after or before nouns.
e.g. The teacher was surprised by the boys lack of
concern.
At the chess tournament two of our classmates were
in competition with the best chess players from all
parts of the world.
Here are a few more nouns and prepositions which
are used together:
fear of
approval of
in accordance with
at ease with
advice on
out of fashion
in answer to
a reason for
in association with
influence on
belief in
difficulty with/in

Match a word from the left with a preposition

from the right:

1. access
2. addiction
4. solution
5. respect
9. responsibility
10. connection
11. sympathy
12. awareness
13. agreement
14. love
15. arguments
16. decision
17. case
18. devotion
19. demand

a. for
b. of/for
d. of
e. with
i. to
j. for
k. for/against
l. to
m. about/on
n. to
o. with
p. for
r. for/against
s. to
t. on/about

11 Fill in the spaces with necessary prepositions

1. There are wonderful works ... art at this museum.
2. Their addiction ... surfing the Internet is perhaps
as serious as addiction ... drugs.
3. This is not a very good reason ... spending money.
4. Their dedication ... practising Debates is impressive.
5. His knowledge ... Mathematics allowed him to
win the competition.
6. Adolescents ought to show due respect ... adults.

7. She doesnt have any control ... her emotions.

8. His reputation ... being trustworthy is well known.
9. I am afraid I took your coat ... mistake.
10. My mother has a lot of wonderful recipes ... delicious pasta dishes.
11. The bond ... parents and children ought never to be
broken.
12. Her talent ... learning English is amazing.
13. He gave her a cheque ... a lot ... money.

12 Supply either the comparative or the superlative form of the adjectives in brackets.
1. It is (good) to give than to receive.
2. He is (greedy) person I have ever met.
3. Some people are (reliable) than others.
4. Becky is by far (good) student in her class.
5. (Difficult) text of all remains to be translated.
6. (Much) money you make, (much) you spend.

13

7. She is (helpless) person I have ever known.

8. The hall is much (large) and far (pleasant) than the
dining-room.
9. The weather is getting (bad) and (bad).
10. My (old) sister is five years (old) than I am.
11. Glodeni is 150 kilometres (far).

Answer the following questions

1.
2.
3.
4.

Is Moldova as large as Canada?

Is the Danube much longer than the Nistru?
Is English less difficult to learn than Chinese?
Are people leading sedentary lives as fit as sportsmen?
5. Is your friend more serious than your little brother?
7. Are airplane tickets to London as expensive as
those to New York?

14

Complete these sentences with

almost, exactly, just, nearly + like + noun:

1. David looks his brother.

2. This hotel is the Hilton Hotel.
3. The rugby ball is the ball used when playing
the American football.
4. These twins look their grandmother.
5. The practice test-paper was the Baccalaureate
examination test.

15

Add either or s where necessary:

16

Make up your own examples to illustrate each of the cases mentioned above.

1. During our excursion to London we visited St.

Paul Cathedral.
2. I will stay at my Granny during my summer vacation.

3. Teenagers need eight hours sleep every night.

4. To our heart content, we have seen a fall in prices
recently.
5. Have you watched today TV News Programme?

58

ON RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

UNIT 4

In sports and journeys men

are known.

English Proverb

Do you know...
what the most popular hobbies among youngsters are?
what the secret of the popularity of football is?
what the advantages of travelling by car are?
why books are considered to be our best friends?

LESSON 1
Im Having the Time of My Life
Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness;
it is generally the by-product of other activities.
Aldous Huxley

DISCUSSION POINTS

A recreational activity is an activity that one does for pleasure. It fosters the health and social
well-being of individuals through social interaction and constructive use of time. Work in
pairs. Make up short dialogues about various recreational activities. Which activities do you
like doing? Why do you enjoy doing these activities?

First, work in groups to complete the chart. Then share your ideas as a class. The first example has been done for you.

Kinds of Recreational Activities

Forms of Activities

Points in Favour

Diversion through Entertainment

singing, reading, listening to

music, watching movies, dancing,
aerobics, pursuit of hobbies, etc.

a source of joy
a break from monotony
a diversion from the daily routine

Recreation through Adventure

mountain biking, skiing, mountaineering, bungee jumping, river

rafting, etc.
..
..

Sports and Games

..

LISTENING

Work as a class. Talk about different hobbies,

extracurricular and recreational activities highschool students can do both after classes and
in their leisure time. Why do you think most
people pursue hobbies?

Review your notes and state which of the hobbies and recreational activities havent been
mentioned by you.

Discuss how different hobbies, recreational and

extracurricular activities can broaden the young
peoples areas of interest. In what way do they
provide relaxation to ones mind and body?

Listen to the speaker and jot down some notes

on each of the hobbies mentioned.

SPEAKING

State under what circumstances you

would use the idioms that come from
the world of sport.

to play the game means 1. to obey the rules,

2. (infml) to be fair, honest, and honourable
a sporting chance means a reasonably
good chance
fair play means honest treatment; an
absence of cheating, biased actions, etc
foul play means 1. criminal activity, 2. play
that is against the rules
to play ball (with) (infml) means to cooperate
to play games means 1. (of children) be
naughty, 2. (of adults) act without sincerity

2 Fill in the suitable expression from the exercise above.

a) Reading other peoples letters is not... ... . b) Members of

the opposing team refused to with us. c) A man has been
found dead and the police suspect ... ... . d) In debate, as well as in
other extracurricular activities, everyone should respect the principle of ... ... . e) If our plane is on time, we have a ... ... of getting
to Paris before midnight. f) People have a moral duty to play the
game in public. g) Its definitely not ... ... to cheat in exams. h) Its
not good when a sportsman intends to win by ... ... . i) It is not very
easy to ... ... in some unfamiliar surroundings. j) He is determined
to win the elections by ... ... . k) She gave me a ... ... of winning by letting me start first. l) We wanted to get the committees agreement
on the new plan of actions, but they wouldnt ... ... . m) It is not
honourable to ... ... at important sittings of the committee.

60

Distribute the means of transport from the list

below into three groups under the headings:
vessel, vehicle, and aircraft. Feel free to add
some more names of means of transport to the
lists created.

train, jet plane, cruise ship, scooter, ice breaker, motor

car (Am. automobile), yacht, ferry, lorry (Am. truck),
aeroplane (Am. airplane), passenger liner, submarine, bicycle, cargo ship, helicopter, sailing ship, bus,
motorcycle, van, tram (Am. streetcar, trolley), diesel
locomotive, boat, man-of-war, amphibian, coach.

The issue of environmentally friendly recreational

activities and their development is very popular
nowadays. Answer the following questions and
then talk about alternative ways of travelling.

a. What kind of recreational facilities should be

available for the inhabitants of large cities? b. What
are the advantages of travelling by boat? c. How can
people drive more earth-friendly? d. What makes
bird watching and horseback riding environmentally
friendly? e. How can people be green when travelling? f. What is eco-tourism?

Look at the photographs of different places of

interest from all over the world. What do you
know about each of these places? Would you
like to travel to anyone of them? Give 2-3 reasons to justify your answer.

READING

1
2

From the title, discuss what you think the passage is about.
As you read, consider the following question: What does the success of the exploring expedition, according to the author, depend on?

Conditions of Success and Failure in Travel

[From The Art of Travel or Shifts and Contrivances Available in Wild Countries
by Francis Galton, first published in Great Britain by John Murray, London, 1872]
The Art of Travel is an engaging compendium of advice to travellers and explorers in wild parts. The idea of the
work occurred to Sir Francis Galton when he was exploring South-western Africa in 1850-1851. The following excerpt is
from the chapter entitled Preparatory Inquiries which describes qualifications of a traveller, dangers and advantages of
travel, ways of obtaining information on scientific matter, etc.
Conditions of Success and Failure in Travel.--An
exploring expedition is daily exposed to a succession of
accidents, any one of which might be fatal to its further
progress. The cattle may at any time stray, die, or be
stolen; water may not be reached, and they may perish;
one or more of the men may become seriously ill, or the
party may be attacked by natives. Hence the success of
the expedition depends on a chain of eventualities, each
link of which must be a success; for if one link fails at
that point, there must be an end of further advance. It is
therefore well, especially at the outset of a long journey,

61

contrivance [kn tralvns] (usu.pl) n. a clever, often deceitful, plan; scheme

stray, v. to wander away, especially from the right or proper
path or place
eventuality, n. a possible event or result, especially an
unpleasant one
outset, n. at/from the outset (of) at/from the beginning (of)

haven [ helvn], n. (fig.) place of safety or rest

not to go hurriedly to work, nor to push forward too

thoughtlessly. Give the men and cattle time to become
acclimatised, make the bush your home, and avoid
unnecessary hardships. Interest yourself chiefly in the

Find the sentences in which the following

phrases occur. Explain what they mean.

exploring expedition, a succession of accidents,

a chain of eventualities, at the outset of a long journey, an adventurous and pleasant life.

In the passage, find words which mean the

same as:

a. causing or capable of causing death;

b. bovine animals, esp. domesticated members
of the genus Bos.;
c. for this reason; therefore;
d. a condition that is difficult to endure.

progress of your journey, and do not look forward to its

end with eagerness. It is better to think of a return to
civilisation, not as an end to hardship and a haven from
ill, but as a close to an adventurous and pleasant life.

Discuss what the expression conscious pursuit

of happiness means according to the quotation
of the lesson. What other activities, besides the
recreational ones, can make people happy?

Work in groups to make a list of possible problems encountered during a journey. Suggest
ways of settling them.

Work in pairs. Hold a dialogue based on the situation where a man is calling a travel agent to book
a trip to one of the English-speaking countries.

Work in small groups. Develop a three-week

tour plan for your families, and create travel
itineraries. As you work, take notes about each
destination you would like to visit on your trip.
Identify the precautions needed for travelling in
a foreign country.
Share your ideas as a class.

Give detailed answers to the following questions:

a. What is the main theme of the selection?

b. Why does the author consider that each link
of the expedition must be a success?

LISTENING

Look at the pictures. What is happening? Where? Think about what the people in the pictures
are saying to each other.
ARRIVALS

Listen to two adolescents describing their travelling experiences. Make notes as you listen.

Methods
of travelling

Countries

Reasons for
the journey

Problems particular
to these trips

Doina
Daniel

Discuss and confirm the travel arrangements for Doina and Daniel. Consider the following:

Listen to another text. Complete the sentences using words you have heard in the dialogue.

travel expenses
arrival and departure dates

accomodation
free time activities

Ann: Hello, Mary. I remember somebody told me that

you are going on an interesting ... to Moldova,
which is somewhere in ..., I believe.
Mary: Yes, as far as I know, its a small country in the ...
... part of Europe.

return journey
other details

Ann: You are certainly travelling there by ..., arent

you? Flying itself is a ... thing, dont you agree? By
the way, what is the purpose of your ...?
Mary: To make new..., to meet..., to get to know Moldovan ... and..., and to see how the Moldovans... .

WRITING
Write a story about what you would like to see if you took a trip around the world.

62

Adjective Derivation
APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Form adjectives from the nouns in parentheses by adding suffixes out of the following:
-y; -ly; -i(al); -ous; -ic(al); -ish; -like; -ary; -ery; -ful; -less; -wide. Make whatever spelling
changes are necessary.

1. The clowns were not so (fun) as we thought.

2. After that (rest) night she felt worried.
3. Every western towns population was made up of the
daring, the (adventure), and the skilled.
4. The (mat) jungles of arctic willows hedged the stream
in places.

Add adjective suffixes to the verbs given below. Make use of: -ent or -ant; -able or -ible;
-ive; -ed; -ing; -some; -ile; -(at)ory; -worthy.

1. It soon became (appear) that she was telling a lie.

2. Theres nothing (amaze) about walking home alone.
3. Parents like their children to be (obey).
4. You should be more (persuade) if you want to get
the job.
5. She is a kind of (quarrel), youd better avoid her.

5. Those were nothing but (boy) words.

6. The novel brought the author a (world) fame.
7. She is very (thank) to her mother for her advice.
8. What is the child (allergy) to?
9. I would prefer a (digit) watch to my old one.

6. Do you think it (advise) to wait?

7. We were sure he was a (trust) person.
8. Any physical effort should be preceded by some (prepare) training.
9. She is hardly (distinguish) from her twin sister.
10. The most (annoy) thing is that you lied to us.

Supply the correct participial adjective. Keep in mind that the -ing participle has active force
while the -ed participle has passive force.

1. The horses cropped grass and there was the (comfort)

sound of not being alone.
2. Why were they taking pictures with a (hide) camera?
3. Fancy a (marry) woman doomed to live on without
one single quarrel with her (love) husband.
4. There was a long line of (abandon) trucks and carts
on the road (lead) up the bridge.

5. Trembling from fear he came up to the gate of a

house (surround) by a tall hedge.
6. She went up to the window (overlook) the garden.
7. She is not the kind of a woman who is generally (give)
to conversation.
8. There was a balcony along the third floor (hold up)
by the columns.

Demonstrative Adjectives
In English, adjectives do not change their form when used with plural nouns.

e.g. a perfect wife perfect wives

Exceptions:

(A) Few books have been bought.

Fewer books have been bought.

a. this these; that those

b. either; the former; the latter
e.g. Mihai and Steve are friends. The former is
Moldovan, the latter is English. Both boys are smart.
c. many; much; (a) few; (a) little
Much progress has been made.
(A) Little progress has been made.
Less progress has been made.
Many books have been bought.

Note: A little, a few stress the presence of something in a

small quantity.
e.g. We have a little time left.
She has a few relatives to visit.
Little, few stress the absence of almost all quantity.
e.g. There is little time to waste.
Silvia has very few friends.
Thus:
little or few means not a lot
a little or a few means some.

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Fill in the blanks with: (a) little, (a) few.

1. She had talked with men, and they all were friends
of her fathers.
2. There was going on which he did not know about.
3. He was a sheriff, but he was running cattle and was

becoming a man of some importance.

4. He found sticks left by some previous travellers.
5. Only trees were damaged by the hurricane.
6. I still have money left, enough to buy an ice-cream.
7. people in our school are friendly.

63

LESSON 2
Browsing for Books
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
Sir Richard Steele

DISCUSSION POINTS

Work in pairs. Talk to each other about the

importance of reading. Supply specific details in
answer to the following questions:

a. What hobbies or interests do you have? Give

details on how your age group spends free time.
b. What activities in your opinion are very important for an all-round development of the individual?
c. How much time do you spend on reading? In
what way can reading be useful to people?
d. What is a book pal? Do you think it is important to have a friend you can swap books with?
e. Where can you borrow books to read? What
other printed sources of information and research
do you know?

Do you agree with the main idea of the quotation

that follows? Why or why not?

All books are divisible into two classes, the books

of the hour, and the books of all time.
Sesame and Lilies (1865) p. 16
Of Kings Treasuries

Decide which reasons best support the experts

opinion that contemporary students need to
spend more time on reding books as they help
them with their homework. Explain your answers.

Find solutions to the following situation:

You have quite a rich private library. A friend

of yours asks you to lend him a book by a wellknown author to read. You start searching the book
everywhere in your bookcases but you cant find it
because all your books are scattered all around the
shelves. How might the situation in your library be
improved? Work out a plan of arranging books in a
proper order. Group the books according to the categories given bellow: fairy - tales, adventure stories,
poetry, dictionaries, atlases, encyclopaedias, etc.
With your classmates, discuss how the classification of certain items is helpful to people.

READING

1
2

Read the text below and find a catchy title for the passage. Explain your choice.
Read the passage again and express your opinion about the authors point of view on reading.

Some people read for instruction, which is praiseworthy, some for pleasure, which is innocent, but not a
few read from habit, and I suppose that this is neither
innocent nor praiseworthy. Of that lamentable company I am. Conversation after a time bores, games tire
me, and my own thoughts, which we are told are the
unfailing resource of a sensible man, have a tendency
to run dry. Then I fly to my book as a heavy smoker to
his pipe. I would sooner read the catalogue of the Army
and Navy Stores or Bradshaw s Guide than nothing
at all, and indeed I have spent many delightful hours
over both of these works. At one time I never went out

64

praiseworthy [ prelzw:i], adj. deserving praise

lamentable [ lmntbl], adj. fml very unsatisfactory

tire [tal], v. to (cause to) become tired
unfailing, adj. (esp. of something good) always present;
never lost; continuous

frigid [ frldld], adj. cold in manner; unfriendly

venture [ vent], v. fml to risk going somewhere or doing

something (dangerous)

without a second-hand booksellers list in my pocket. I

know no reading more fruity.
I never venture far without a sufficiency of reading
matter. But when I am starting on a long journey the
problem is formidable. I have learnt my lesson. Once,
imprisoned by illness for three months in a hill-town in
Java, I came to the end of all the books I had brought

Explain what the following phrases mean:

Choose from among the meanings of the following words the ones that best convey the meaning of the author:

with me, and knowing no Dutch was obliged to buy the

school-books from which intelligent Javanese, I suppose, acquired knowledge of French and German. So I
read again after five and twenty years the frigid plays of
Goethe, the fables of La Fontaine and the tragedies of
the tender and exact Racine.
pipe, n, means:
a. a tube used for carrying liquids or gas, often
underground;
b. a small tube with a bowl-like container at
one end, used for smoking tobacco;
c. a simple tubelike musical instrument, played
by blowing.

lamentable company, a second-hand booksellers list, a sufficiency of reading matter.

game, n, means:
a. an amusement or pasttime;
b. a competitive activity;
c. wild animals, including birds and fishes, such
as are hunted or taken for sport or profit.

Comment on the personality of the main character of the selection. Cite the text.

Identify the main idea of the text and restate it in

your own words.

SPEAKING

Tell the class what type of reader you are and

what sort of books you prefer to read, as a rule.

Role play the following situations:

a. You have recently read a great book. You

want to persuade a friend of yours that it is worth
reading. Tell enough about the plot of the literary
work to get your friend interested in reading it, but
dont tell too much. Let him/her ask you questions
about the main events and characters in the story.
b. A counselor at the school you want to attend is interviewing you. The counselor notices that
you havent done any extra reading for the last two
months and asks why.
c. Someone in your class asks you to lend him/
her one of your books. He/she returns it with pages
missing. You begin to resent that he/she does this
all the time.
List several reasons to support the following
claims. Then write fact or opinion next to each
reason.

Is reading an important part of your life? List

4-5 factors that have influenced positively the
development of your personality. Discuss with
your classmates how knowledge helps people
in their life.

Read the information about E-books and discuss how they can improve peoples habit of
book-reading.

Thanks to the advanced technological developments, we are able to read books conveniently with
the help of a portable electronic book reader. We
can read such books wherever we are. E-books are
electronic versions of hard-bound books. If you have
an E-book, you can even have bookmarks on pages,
make notes, etc. on it. Highlighting pages and saving some of the portions are also possible.

Match each of the following parts of a library

with the correct number in the picture:
8

a. Reading can relax our mind and can remove

our stress and tension.
b. Book-reading will help us to express our
thoughts clearly.
c. We will learn to analyze things critically if we
practice the habit of book-reading.
d. Reading can develop our vocabulary.
e. Another great benefit of reading books is
that we can acquire a good knowledge about different topics.

65

3
1
5

7
6

library user, newspaper shelf, bookshelf,

issue desk, librarian, stack with the
stock of books, reading room, periodicals rack

Below you can see the photographs of some of the most famous libraries in the world. Look for some additional information about any of these or other buildings of libraries, reading halls, librarians, readers, etc.

The librarian declares that as a new

reader you should fill in your library card.
He/she tells you that you should be careful
with books and should not damage them in
any way. You want to find out more information about how to use the catalogues and
reference books, and whether you can find
periodicals, newspaper files and magazines to
borrow in the reading hall.

National Library, Hofburg Palace, Vienna

5
Library, Lincolns Inn,
London

Roleplay a conversation between your

school librarian and you as a subsriber to
the library.

Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

Read through the Info Box and the Learner

Training rubric and state how you can
efficiently find and use print and nonprint
sources of information.

LEARNER TRAINING
Strategies for Reading
Predict. Try to figure out what will happen next and how the
selection might end. Then read on to see how accurate your guesses were.
Visualize. Visualize characters, events, and setting to help you
understand whats happening. When you read nonfiction, pay attention to the images that form in your mind as you read.
Connect. Connect personally with what youre reading.
Question. While you are reading, question what is happening.
Searching for reasons behind events and characters feelings can help
you feel closer to what you are reading.
Clarify. Stop occasionally to review what you understand, and
expect to have your understanding change and develop as you read
on. Reread and use resources to help you clarify your understanding.
Evaluate. Form opinions about what you read, both while
youre reading and after you have finished reading. Develop your
own ideas about characters and events.

Finding Sources
Good research involves using the wealth of
resources available to answer your questions and
raise new questions. Knowing where to go and how
to access information can lead you to interesting
and valuable sources.
Reference Works
Reference works are print and nonprint sources of
information that provide quick access to both general overviews and specific facts about a subject.
These include: dictionaries, theasauruses, glossaries, encyclopaedias, almanacs and yearbooks,
atlases, specialized reference books and electronic
sources.
One kind of specialized reference is a periodical.
Many periodicals, or joumals, are intended for
specialized or academic audiences.

LISTENING

You are going to listen to a text about the importance of the New York Public Library. Try to
guess what words might be used to describe the important role the New York Public Library
plays in the process of spreading knowledge and information throughout the world.

Listen to the text and fill in the missing words.

The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation, comprises 4 in Manhattan, and 85 in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. With more materials than in any
other public library in the, it is also the largest research library with one of the largest in the
world. Computer technology makes its of holdings accessible to users There are currently 2.34
million cardholders, more than in any other in the nation.

WRITING
Write a 200 - word essay reviewing books you have recently read. Your essay should include the description of events and characters. In small groups, present your review to your classmates. Evaluate what you
have written. How can you improve the structure of the essay?

66

The Adverb
An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Adverbs fall into several types.
4 Adverbs of frequency. They modify a verb and an-

2
3

swer the question how?

e.g. carefully, awkwardly, softly, quickly
Adverbs of place and direction. They modify a
verb and answer the question where?
a.g. in Japan, to the country, from school,
over here, below, indoors, etc.
Adverbs of time. They modify a verb and answer
the question when?
e.g. recently, in June, lately, already, still, since
Note: Some words such as:

5
6

swer the question how often?

e.g. twice (a day), every (week), on weekdays,
never, always, occasionally, regularly, etc.
Adverbs of degree. They modify a verb, an adjective, a noun or an adverb and answer the question
to what extent?
e.g. quite, fairly, rather, almost, a bit, somewhat
Adverbs called intensifiers. They are used with
adjectives, adverbs and sometimes with verbs.
e.g. very (much), so (much), pretty (well), very
(good indeed), extremely (useful), greatly (admired), deeply (respected).

a) high, late, long, low, near, deep, early, fast, hard

b) hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly

123

Adverbs of manner. They modify a verb and an-

can be both adjectives and

adverbs

Comparison of Adverbs
Adverbs form their degrees of comparison in the same way as adjectives do.

A one-syllable adverb will get -er in the comparative degree and -est in the superlative degree.
Note: the definite article the is omitted before the
adverb in the superlative degree
e.g. fast - faster - fastest; soon - sooner - soonest

A two-or-more-syllable adverb will get more in

the comparative degree and most in the superlative
degree.
e.g. rapidly - more rapidly - most rapidly.

Adverbials in Final Position

An adverb or an adverbial group that is used in final position appears after the verb and any object(s) it
may have.

a. a shorter adverbial precedes a longer one;

When more than one adverbials occur in final posib. a one word adverbial of place (here, there,
tion, the usual order is: place; manner; time
e.g. She visits her mother in the country more often away) usually remains closest to the verb;
c. an adverbial of definite time (tomorrow, the
this year.
Actually, there is some degree of flexibility in the se- day before yesterday) usually comes last.
quence of adverbials in final position and mainly:

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

State whether the words in bold are adjectives or adverbs.

1. Let us have an early reply.

2. Spring may come late this year.
3. He is working on his monthly report.
4. This newspaper appears daily.
5. It happened long before you were born.
6. They tried hard to lift the log.
7. My watch is fast indeed.

Use the proper form of the word in parentheses.

1. This dress suits her (perfect) well.

2. Sue is a (real) keen chess player.
3. They tried (hard) to convince her.
4. An (unusual) hot sun was shining (direct) overhead.
5. You should practise (faithful) until your voice is under (perfect) control.
6. He was (real) an (awful) nice fellow and she found him (surprising) easy to talk to and (entire) different from others.

67

LESSON 3
Literary Focus
The Reading Public
Some books are to be tasted; others to be swallowed; and some few to
be chewed and digested.
Francis Bacon

DISCUSSION POINTS

c. Explain the meaning of each of the word

combinations in a and b.

Work with a partner.

a. Draw the arrows pointing in the correct direction.

keeping
shelf
book
year

d. Use some of them in sentences of your

own.

note

Use either brainstorming or brainwriting to

generate ideas on the topic: A good book is....
Select the best variants and write them on the
blackboard.

b. Complete the map with the words from the box below. Point the arrows correctly.
mobile, binding, store, stall, guide,
3 Explain the quotation of the lesson. How do the
statements you have written on the blackboard
record, maker, seller, mark, story.
compare with those in the quotation?

READING

1
A

Work in three groups.

a. Read the title of the text following, then look through the words and expressions given in the three
boxes below and decide which of them you think most appropriate to occur in the text. Explain why.
librarian, to guess at a glance,
language experience, bound
to make a sensation, at a
different price, to keep track
of, to have an intention, from
curiosity.

B book store, buried in a book,

a powerful thing, a charming
love story, it is safe, a slight
doubt, fiction, have a wonderful sale, up-to-date methods,
stress.

ancient classics, to be deceived in someone, to make a

sensation, masterpiece, rainy
season, a critic, a slight doubt,
a sweet story, to look well.

b. Read the text and check your answer. Note the line each of the words are met in. Explain what they
mean.

Read the text more carefully. Decide what the best answer to each question or statement is.

1. What does at a glance mean?

a. at first sight
b. immediately
c. exactly
2. When people hang around they
a. keep asking questions
b. are in a very critical state
c. stand doing nothing definitely
3. Which of the following meanings of sweet are
secondary and which is the main one?
a. charming
b. fresh and pure
d. tasting like honey

68

4. Its having a wonderful sale means:

a. the price is very low
b. there is too much of something
c. something is sold like hot cakes
5. What does one mean by shaking his/ her head?
a. he/ she is shocked
b. he/ she indicates no
c. he/ she is troubled
6. At any rate means:
a. in any case
b. at any value
c. at least

THE READING PUBLIC

After S.Leacock
Wish to look about the store? Oh, by all means,
sir, said the manager of one of the biggest book stores
in New York. He called to his assistant, Just show this
gentleman our ancient classics - the ten-cent series.
With this he dismissed me from his mind.
In other words, he had guessed at a glance that I
was a professor. The manager of the biggest bookstore
cannot be deceived in a customer. He knew I would
hang around for two hours, get in everybodys way, and
finally buy the Dialogues of Plato for ten cents.
He despised me, but a professor standing in a corner buried in a book looks well in a store. It is a sort of
advertisement.
So it was that standing in a far corner I had an
opportunity of noticing something of this up-to-date
managers methods with his real customers.
You are quite sure its his latest? a fashionablydressed woman was saying to the manager.
Oh, yes, madam, this is Mr. Slushs very latest
book, I assure you. Its having a wonderful sale. As he
spoke he pointed to a huge pile of books on the counter
with the title in big letters - Golden Dreams.
This book, said the lady idly turning over the
pages, is it good?
Its an extremely powerful thing, said the manager, in fact, its a masterpiece. The critics are saying
that without exaggeration, it is the most powerful book
of the season. It is bound to make a sensation.
Oh, really! said the lady. Well, I think Ill take
it then.
Suddenly she remembered something. Oh, and
will you give me something for my husband? Hes going
down south. You know the kind of thing one reads on
vacation?
Oh, perfectly, madam. I think we have just what

dismiss, v. to put away from the mind

glance, n. quick look

despise [dls palz], v. to feel contempt for; consider worthless

pile [pall], n. number of things lying one on another
fiction, n. (branch of literature concerned with) stories, novels
and romances
light, adj. (of books, plays, music) primarily for amusement,
not for serious entertainment of study
string, n. the first/ the alternative person or thing relied on for
achieving ones purpose
rotten [rtn], adj. (slang) very upleasant or undesirable

your husband wants. Seven Weeks in the Sahara, 7 dollars; Six Months in a Wagon, 6 dollars; Afternoons in an
Ox-cart, two volumes, 4 dollars 30 cents. Or here, now,
Among the Cannibals of Corfu, or Among the Monkeys
of New Guinea, 10 dollars. And with this, the manager
laid his hand on another pile as numerous as the pile of
Golden Dreams.
It seems rather expensive, remarked the lady.
Oh, a most expensive book, repeated the manager in a tone of enthusiasm. You see, its the illustrations, actual photographs of actual monkeys and the
paper.
The lady bought Among the Monkeys.
Another lady entered, a widow, judging by her
black dress.
Something new in fiction, repeated the manager,
yes, madam, heres a charming thing, Golden Dreams,
- a very sweet story. In fact, the critics are saying its the
sweetest thing Mr.Slush has done.
Is it good? said the lady.
Its a very charming love story. My wife was reading it aloud only last night. She could hardly read for
the tears.
I suppose its quite a safe book? asked the widow
anxiously. I want it for my little daughter.
I assure you its perfectly safe. In fact, it is written quite in the old style, like the dear old books of the
past; quite like, here the manager paused with a slight
doubt, Dickens and Fielding and - er - so on.
The widow bought Golden Dreams, received it
wrapped up, and left.
Have you any good light reading? called out the
next customer in a loud cheerful voice. He had the air
of a man starting on a holiday.
Yes, said the manager, and his face almost
broke into a laugh. Heres an excellent thing, Golden

69

Dreams; quite the most humorous book of the season.

My wife was reading it last night. She could hardly read
for laughing.
After that the customers came and went in a string.
To one lady, Golden Dreams was sold as just the reading
for a holiday, to another as the very book to read after a
holiday; another bought it as a book for a rainy day, and
a fourth, as the right sort of reading for a fine day.
Among the Monkeys was sold as a sea story, a land
story, a story of the jungle, a story of the mountains and
each time at a different price.
After a busy two hours, I drew near and from
a curiosity that I couldnt resist said, That book,
Golden Dreams, you seem to think its a very wonderful
book?
The manager knew that I had no intention of buying the book, so he shook his head. Frankly speaking,
I imagine its perfectly rotten.
Havent you read it? I asked in amazement.
Dear me, no! said the manager. His air was that
of a milkman who is offered a glass of his own milk. A
pretty time Id have if I tried to read all the new books.

Its quite enough to keep track of them without that.

But those people, I went on, deeply puzzled,
wont they be disappointed?
By no means! he said. They wont read it. They
never do.
But at any rate your wife thought it a fine story,
I insisted.
The manager smiled widely. I am not married, sir.

Match each word on the left with its definition on

the right.

1. numerous
2. advertisement
3. enthusiasm
4. manager
5. up-to-date
6. counter
7. masterpiece
8. volume
9. doubt

a. of the present time

b. one who controls business
c. a work done with great skill
d. public announcement
e. great in number
d. uncertainty of thought
f. a series of issues of a periodical
g. table where goods are shown
in a shop
h. lively interest

Phrases and Idioms

to dismiss someone from ones mind to stop thinking about
to guess (something) at a glance to form an opinion at once
to be deceived in (someone, something) to be misled (by)
to be bound to (do something) to be destined to; to be certain
to
to break into a laugh (tears) to begin laughing (crying) suddenly
to have an intention of (doing something) to have in mind
as a purpose or plan
to keep/ lose track of (somebody, something) to follow/ fail
to follow the course or development of
at any rate = in any case;

4 Identify the relationship between each pair of

words by writing Synonyms(S) or Antonyms(A).

1. curiosity interest
2. enthusiasm coolness
3. exaggeration overestimation
4. husband spouse
5. expensive cheap
6. disappointed satisfied
7. idly - lazily
8. rotten unpleasant
9. to resist to submit
10. to deceive to mislead

Circle the correct preposition in these sentences.

Complete the following sentences with nouns formed from the words given on the right.

1. They are in / on vacation now.

2. Why is she speaking on / in such a serious tone?
3. Keep aside, please, and dont get in / on my way.
4. We bought the house on / at a reasonable price.
5. He was looking in / into my eyes trying to convince me of / about his honesty.
6. Why does she insist so much on / at buying the book if she is not interested about / in reading it?

1. We know nothing about his , it may be no more than a gossip.

2. Does she always speak with that air of ?
3. They gave me a definite that the money order will be received by 2 oclock.
4. She thinks herself to be the very of beauty and wit.
5. Who will cover all their travelling ?
6. She has enough to win anyone over.
7. To our great , it started to rain.
8. We resent your that the debt should be paid at once.

70

dismiss
finally
assure
perfectly
expensive
charming
disappointed
insist

SPEAKING
Discuss the following.

1. The professor was offered a ten-cent series. Do

you know why?
2. Why did the manager dismiss the professor from
his mind?
3. Why did the professor think that the people who
bought what they had been offered might have been disappointed?
4. Why was the manager quite sure that the customers wouldnt read the books they had purchased?
5. What do you think the manager knew about
Dickens and Fielding? Give reasons.
6. Did the manager have a high opinion of all the
customers? Whom did he consider his real customers?
What was his only aim?

7. Think of some words and expressions you might

use to describe:
a. the professor; b. the manager; c. the customers.
8. What methods do the managers and shop assistants of today use to please their customers? Give a concrete example, if possible.
9. Why do some customers, even today, insist on
buying the latest books, the ones that are the most expensive, the most colourful and pleasant to look at?
10. How do you decide what to buy?
11. What does the reading public really symbolize? Explain your answer.
12. Think of another title to the story. Explain your
choice.

LITERARY FOCUS

Apply Your Knowledge

1. Is the tone of The Reading Public:
a. light and funny?
b. serious and quiet?
c. terrifying?

Tone is the attitude a writer takes toward a subject.

Tone reflects the feelings of the writer. The tone can be sad,
funny, loving, tender, humorous, etc.
The authors purpose is the reason behind his or her
writing. The aurhors purpose is usually to entertain, teach,
inform, convince, help, captivate, justify etc.

2. What was Stephen Leacocks purpose in writing this

story?

Mood is the feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates for the reader. Descriptive words, the setting, and the
figurative language contribute to the mood of a work.

What mood does St. Leacock create in this piece of literature for the readers?

Narrator is the character or voice from whose point of

view events are told.

Who is the narrator in The Reading Public? Why did

the author choose this narrator?

WRITING
Common transitions
chronological order:
first, second, then, at first,
immediately, as soon as,
after, finally, thus,
spacial order: above,
below, right, beyond, east,
inside, behind, next to, etc.
order of importance:
first, second, more/ most
important, the least, the
largest, besides, another,
one reason, to begin with,
developmental order:
furthermore, however, despite, in addition, therefore,
also, moreover, although.

Write the summary of the story The Reading Public. Follow the steps indicated in the
Learner Training rubric.
The summary is a concise condensation of a longer piece of writing, covering only the main points of
the original. It does not include personal comments or interpretations.
Feature of a Summary
1. A summary is usually no more than one third the length of the original.
2. A summary provides the main ideas of the original, omitting all of the details except a few vital ones.
3. A summary presents the main ideas in the same order as the original.
4. The summary expresses the main ideas of the original in the summary writers own words.
Steps in Writing a Summary
1. Find the main ideas (if stated directly) or express the main idea (if it is implied).
2. Reduce sentences, clauses and phrases.
3. Paraphrase the original word using synonyms and varying sentence structure.
4. Use transitions and other connecting devices to make your summary flow smoothly.
repeat a key word from an earlier sentence.
use new words to repeat an idea from an earlier sentence.
use a pronoun in place of a word used ealier.
use transitional words and phrases (see the Info Box).
5. Avoid using direct speech.

71

LESSON 4
Culture and Civilization
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
READING AND SPEAKING

1
2

Work as a class. From the title, discuss what you think the selection is about.

Find out additional information about Christopher Columbus, a skilled sea-captain and a daring
man and share your story with your classmates.

As a class, make a list of places and events in which people showed courage and willingness
to run risks in order to explore the world.

Discoverer of a New World

In the middle of October, 1492, three small ships
were nosing their way westward across the Atlantic,
the Santa Maria, of 100 tons and with a crew of 52
seamen under the Admiral of the Ocean, Cristopher
Columbus and two caravels, the Pinta and the Nina.
Their voyage was to add a vast continent to the maps
and give a new frontier to the civilized world.
At that time, men had learned that the earth was
round, but no man had yet made a journey from east
to west, or from west to east, in a great circle to prove
it. Their maps carried huge blanks, the question
marks of geography.
Columbus was a Genoese sea-captain, now in the
service of Spain. In this year, 1492, he was a man of
about forty, an experienced seaman who had voyaged
to the far-distant land of Thule. Probably, this was
the country which is called Iceland nowadays. He had
made a special study of geography and astronomy,
and had corresponded with learned men on these
subjects.
Columbus was convinced that if the world was round
it should be possible to steer west from Europe
and come at last to China. The Venetian traveller,
Marco Polo, had gone eastwards overland to China,
and there he had seen the blue waters of the Pacific

Ocean lapping the sun-warmed shore. Columbus was

convinced that the same waters washed the rocky
coasts of Spain.
Columbus had bent every effort to persuade the monarchs of Portugal and Spain to finance him and thus
encourage the great plan that had been forming in his
mind, to make westward to China.
At last, the Spanish monarch, King Ferdinand, agreed
to support that triumphant voyage financially. Columbus discovered unknown lands and annexed them for
the crown of Spain. The King appointed him viceroy
and governor-general over all those lands, with the title
of Admiral.

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The Challenge of Modernization
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Sports have always played an important part in peoples lives. Work in pairs. Discuss how
modern inventions, for example the computer, have been changing the way many sports are
played nowadays.

Sports and the Use of Computers

Today, many athletes have two coaches that help them

play better in sports. The first coach is a person who
watches the players and shows them how to perform
better. The second coach isnt a person at all. It cant

run or yell or cheer. It is made of wire, plastic, metal,

and glass. The second coach is a computer.
More and more athletes, together with their coaches
have been using computers to help them in their train-

72

pick out the right facts as quickly as a computer can.

The picture printed out by a computer shows how the
bicycle rider should push the pedals with his or her feet
to get the most power with the least work.
A computer can record how you hold a tennis racquet
or golf club when you swing it. A tennis players serve
can be broken into parts and displayed on a computer
screen where it is analyzed by his/ her trainer. Computers are used to measure the oxygen capacity of a bicyclists or a swimmers lungs. A computer also analyses
the walkers performance.
People have been playing sports for thousands of years
before computers were thought out. Yet computers
have made a big change in the way sports are played
today. With coaches and computers helping them,
todays athletes are racing faster, jumping higher, and
playing tennis better.
There is a well-known saying that two heads are better
than one. This means that two ways of thinking about
an idea are better than just one way. In sports, two
coaches are truly better than one!
from Computer Coaching
by Brett M. Goodman

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ing for sports. Computers will never take the place of

people as coaches, but they can help in many different
ways.
Coaches often use computers to keep track of numbers. With these numbers, computers can help coaches
make important decisions.
By using facts from the past, computers can help athletes prepare better for what will happen. People cant
remember as much as machines can. People also cant

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Supply answers to the following questions.

Read the text below and express your own opinion on the topic discussed. Why do you think library modernization in Moldova should become one of the priorities in the process of improving the system of
education?

a) Why do coaches and athletes use computers?

b) What helpful information can computers offer to athletes?

Children Information Skills Development Centres

Library modernization is one of the main priorities in
the process of improvement of communication and
interlibrary co-operation.
In many cities, in highly developed and less developed
countries of the world, libraries have at their disposal
Video recorders, CD players and computers. They
have CDs, CD-ROMs, video/ audio records with all
kinds of educational and entertainment programmes
as well as educational computer games, and database
subscriptions.
Computers at libraries are provided with the corresponding programmes and assist in the development
of logical services.
The first library automation systems were introduced
in the UK, USA and Canada in the early 1970s. In
Moldova, however, such library systems appeared in
the middle of the 1990s.

Steps that should be taken in order to ensure true

modernization of libraries in Moldova include: adopting a global perspective; creating a more flexible
library staff, taking full advantage of new technologies,
promoting interlibrary co-operation by adopting common policies and finding a clear place in the market.

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CD, n. a compact disc

CD-ROM, n. compact disc read-only memory; a compact
disc on which very large quantities of information can be stored
for use by a computer
database, n. a large collection of data that is stored in a
computer system in such a way that it can easily be found by a
computer user

Find out what your classmates think about the importance of new information technologies. How do
they contribute to the acquisition of a well-rounded education?

73

LESSON 5
More English?
1

Answer the questions:

Compare and contrast. How are the three pictures alike? How are they different?

Read through the following information and

explain to your partner how to play American
football.

a. What are the most popular sports in Great Britain and in Moldova? What games are popular in these
countries?
b. Have you ever watched competitions at the stadium? What were your impressions?

a. Each team has exactly eleven players on the field

at all times, but they replace each other frequently. Each
member of each team performs a precise task.
b. Teams prepare a strategy in a huddle (circular
grouping) before each play.
c. The objective of the game is quite straightforward.
The offense has possession of the ball and tries to score
with it. The defense tries to prevent the offensive advance
down the field, protecting its goal line against attack.
d. Each game consists of four quarters of fifteen minutes each.
e. The football itself is a leather ball designed for easy
flight. It looks like a lemon.

f. Players have to use their hands to play instead of their legs. There are no goal keepers.
g. The match is started with a kick-off of the
ball into the opposing teams territory.

Now explain how to play rugby. Make use of the key-words and phrases given below.

How would you explain how to play soccer? As a class, decide what makes soccer one of the
most favourite recreational activities for many people around the world.

Roleplay the following situation:

two teams of either 13 or 15 players

an oval (egg-shaped) ball
Rugby school
no substitutions are allowed

huddles are not permitted

to carry the ball over the opponents goal line
forward passing is not allowed
to pass the ball underhand, often with both hands

Your friend and you are part of the school selection committee for a sports competition.There
are a lot of good sportsmen among your colleagues but you have to select only three. Your task is to
choose the best candidates for the competition. Choose the candidates in accordance with their
a) results in sporting events
b) personality traits
c) desire to participate
Discuss and explain why it is important to state how effective they are as team players.

LEARN ENGLISH WITH A SMILE

Once a salesman, who had been travelling for years on a certain railway in America,
found to his surprise that the train had come in on time.
He immediately went to the guard and said:
Heres a cigar. I want to congratulate you. I have been travelling on this railroad for
fifteen years, and this is the first time I have seen a train coming in on time.
Keep the cigar, said the guard, this is yesterdays train.

74

9 Here

are some people explaining why they are

fond of travelling. What methods of travelling are
they describing? Which of the methods of travelling have not been mentioned by the speakers?

7 With your partner, decide how you can learn

more about the people in your own country by

visiting other countries.

8 Make up short dialogues or situations using the

Jane: It is more comfortable, more convenient

and, of course, far quicker than any other methods
of travelling.
Bill: From the comfortable corner seat you have
a splendid view of the whole country-side. Besides, if
the journey is a long one, you can have a wonderful
bed in a sleeper.
Nick: I love to see the beautiful sunset at sea, to
hear the cry of the sea-gulls, and to see the rise and
fall of the waves.
Ann: I love to take mountain paths through the
heather, to wander by the side of quiet lakes and
through the shade of woods.

remarks below.

a. Its up to you - we can either fly or go by train.

b. Porter, will you see for my luggage, please?
c. The suitcase and bag can go on the luggage-rack.
d. No, we didnt. We only saw its coast from the
deck.
e. If I had a lot of money, Id travel to ... .
f.Lets take the Metro, itll be the quickest way to
get there.
g. How long does the train stop at...?
h. We got very tired from our three day journey on
the train.

Mind the difference between the synonyms of the word travel.

The general activity of moving from place to place is

travel. It means making a journey, especially a long one in
foreign countries, in search of pleasure, adventure, etc.
Journey is travel from one place to another, usually
taking a rather long time.
Trip is a course of travel, either for business or pleasure.
Tour is 1. a long journey including the visiting of a number of places in sequence. 2. a journey for fulfilling engagements, as by musicians, politicians or theatre companies.
Voyage is 1. a journey by ship, especially for a long
distance. 2. a long journey through air or space.

Globetrotting is travel widely over the world, usually for

sightseeing.
Peregrination is 1. a course of travel; journey. 2. travel from
one place to another, especially on foot. 3. a long and wandering journey, especially in foreign countries.
Ramble is 1. a long walk in the countryside. 2. an aimless
walk for pleasure.
Excursion is 1. a short journey, usually for pleasure or
enjoyment (=trip). 2. a trip or visit to an interesting place,
especially one that is arranged or recommended by a holiday
company or tourist organization (=outing).

10 Insert the missing words in the sentences below. Consult the Learner Training information.
1. He came home after years of foreign ... .
2. Did you go to Rome during your ...?
3. The ... from England to Australia used to take
several months.
4. Well have time for a ... to France next weekend.
5. The National Youth Theatre is on ... in the north
of the country at present.
6. We went on a guided ... round the castle.
7. Another pleasant ... is the coral reef in Bermuda,
18 miles away.
8. At each port we went ashore and made most wonderful ... into the depth of the country.
9. Mark was sent to the Far East on a business ... .
10. A ... is a long journey on a ship or in a spacecraft.
11. The well-known jazz band are currently on a
four-month ... of Latin America.
12. In New Zealand, Toms father took him on an ...
to Auckland.
13. He was on a ten days ... across the desert.

14. Every year, more and more people discover that ...
whether for a month or an entire vacation, is the
perfect way to meet new people and see a lot of
countries.
15. They enjoyed the two hours ... through the woods.
16. I really got a huge amount of satisfaction out of following my friends ... online.
17. My friend and his family are headed out for a two year ... around the world.
18. They do enjoy a ... in the countryside and through
the woods.
19. The ... of the Westminster Abbey was exciting.
20. Several days ago, I enjoyed a quick ... to Orheiul
Vechi which is situated not far from Chiinu.
21. The ... across the Pacific Ocean took five weeks.
22. I love going on shopping ... with my sister.
23. Before setting on a ... through the USA, we bought
a map.
24. ... expenses will be paid by sponsors.
25. On the return ... we visited the old medieval castle.

75

11 Fill in the blanks with prepositions wherever

necessary:

1. When the teacher entered the classroom

the Lowood charitable institution, all the boys
rose their feet to greet him.
2. The old man could hardly climb the stairs.
3. The door opened, a man motioned me to enter, and I was admitted the house.
4. I did enjoy my thirty days vacation the Alps,
but I was very lonely my friends whom I had
left home.
5. The dog is hiding ... the porch ... the house.
6. The train went ... the tunnel.
7. This plateau is ... sea level.
8. They have been gone ... Paris ... Wednesday.
9. He had to leave the office early ... Thursday.
10. The small lizard crawled out ... the rock.
11. The ball went ... the basket.

12.The football rolled ... the road.

13. Jane spilled the juice ... the carpet.
14. The policeman told the young man to drive ... the
city.
15. The weather was hot and the children jumped ... the
pool.
16. Place your groceries ... the shopping bag, please!
17. The students went ... the headmasters room.
18. Our new neighbours moved ... the house next door
two weeks ago.
19. It took us 7 hours to fly ... Paris ... New York.
20. When did you arrive ... London?
21. The train arrived ... the railway station later than we
expected.
22. The courageous boys decided to swim ... the river.
23. The computer monitor is ... the lamp.
24. The teacher read the newspaper article ... class.
25. The insect crawled slowly ... the log.

12 Express the following in one word.

1. What are stories or novels about imaginary
people and events, as compared to other sorts of literature like history or poetry?
2. What is a book giving a list of the days of a
year, together with the latest information on many
topics, including famous people, business trends,
government and sports?
3. What is a special kind of nonfiction book
which tells the story of a persons life?

13

Place the adverbials in parentheses in

the most usual position. Note other possible positions for these adverbs. The
table on the right will help you.

1. (hardly) There is any place to put up the

tent.
2. (enough) I came to school early.
3. (quite) We enjoyed climbing the mountain.
4. (rather) He was pleased to win the prize.
5. (sometimes) The child is not very well.
6. (from time to time) She comes to see us.
7. (during) Nobody came to visit granny the
entire winter.
8. (usually) She walks home (after classes).
9. (suddenly) The puppy came up to the
stranger and began to bark.
10. (this evening) I had a telephone call.
11. (almost never) She loses her temper.
12. (thoroughly) The case is being investigated.
13. (seldom, in summer) We stay in the city.
14. (frequently) They are absent from
school.

4. What is writing that is about real facts or events

rather than imagined things; not poetry, plays, stories or
novels?
5. What is a book or a set of books dealing with every branch of knowledge, or with one particular branch,
usually in alphabetical order?
6. What is a book that is looked at when one needs
information rather than read from beginning to end?

TYPES of Adverbs
Adverbs of manner

Adverbs of place
and direction
Adverbs of time
definite

indefinite

Adverbs of frequency

Adverbs of degree

Intensifiers

76

POSITION
final
but also:
mid-position,
initial-position
final
but also:
initial
final
but also:
initial
mid-position
but also:
initial
final
mid-position
but also:
final
initial
final
but also:
mid-position
They appear directly
before the words
they modify

THINGS WE CANT DO WITHOUT

UNIT 5

The difference between a good

public worker and a bureaucrat
is that a good public worker
finds a solution for any problem
but a bureaucrat makes
a problem of any solution.

Do you know...
what a Shopping Centre is?
how to find the best place to eat?
where to travel in London?

LESSON 1
Shopping
The customer is always right.
Modern English Saying

DISCUSSION POINTS
Discuss the following.

a. Do you like shopping?

b. What things do you like to buy?
c. Who does the shopping list in your family?
d. Are you always satisfied with the things you buy?
e. What do you do if the goods you bought are not qualitative?
f. Look at the following goods and products and say in
what types of shops they can be bought.

department store a large shop where many types of goods are sold
in different departments;

fishmonger [ flmg], a person whose job is to sell fish in a shop;

baker [ belk], a person whose job is baking and selling bread;

butcher [ bt] a person whose job is to sell meat

types of shops: book shop, households, drug store, greengrocers,
mens/ womens underwear, shoe department, sport clothes, sport tools,
etc.
safety food food that is not offensive

READING

Read the text and tell if the gentlemen have been succesful in shopping. Explain why.

The other day my friend George came to see me

and brought a small book with him. It was a guide to
English conversation for the use of foreign travellers.
George said, My idea is to go to London early on
Wednesday morning and spend an hour or two going
about and shopping with the help of this book. I want
one or two little things a hat and a pair of bedroom
slippers.
On Wednesday we arrived at Waterloo station
and went to a small boot shop. Boxes of boots filled the
shelves. Black and brown boots hung about its doors
and windows. The man, when we entered, was opening
with a hammer a new case full of boots.
George raised his hat, and said good morning.
The man did not even turn around. He said something which was perhaps Good morning and went on
with his work.
George said: I have been recommended to your
shop by my friend, Mr.X.
The answer to this in the book was Mr.X. is a

worthy gentleman; it will give me the greatest pleasure

to serve a friend of his.
What the man said was: Dont know him; never
heard of him.
This was not the answer we expected. The book
gave three or four methods of buying boots; George had
selected the most polite of them centred round Mr.X.
You talked with the shopkeeper about this Mr.X. and
then you began to speak about your desire to buy boots,
cheap and good. But it was necessary to come to business with brutal directness. George left Mr. X, and
turning back to a previous page, took another sentence.
It was not a good selection; it was useless to make such
a speech to any bootmaker, and especially in a bootshop
full of boots.
George said: One has told me that you have here
boots for sale.
For the first time the man put down his hammer,
and looked at us. He spoke slowly. He said: What do
you think I keep boots for to smell them?

78

He was one of those men that begin quietly and get

more angry as they go on.
What do you think I am, he continued, a boot
collector? What do you think Im keeping this shop for
my health? Do you think I love the boots, and cant
part with a pair? Do you think I hang them about here
to look at them? Where do you think these boots are
a historical collection? Did you ever hear of a man
keeping a boot shop and not selling boots? Do you think
I decorate the shop with them? What do you think I am
a prize idiot?

I have always said that these conversation books

are practically useless. We could not find the right answer in the book from beginning to end. I must say that,
George chose the best sentence that was there and used
it. He said: I shall come again, when perhaps, you have
more boots to show me. Till then, good-bye.
With that we went out. George wanted to stop at
another boot shop and try the experiment once more.
He said he really wanted a pair of bedroom slippers. But
I advised him to buy them another time.
(After Jerome K. Jerome)

Answer the following questions.

a. Why did George fail to buy what he wanted?

b. Didnt he know enough English?
c. Did he choose a wrong way to ask for the goods
he wanted?
d. Did he use the wrong sentences?

LISTENING

1
Department Store
Supermarket
Shopping Centre/Mall
Market Place

2
3

You are going to listen to several dialogues.

Choose from the list below the types of shops
the conversations are taking place in.

Shoe Repair
Dry Cleaner
Wearing Apparel
Appliance Sales

Specialty Shops
Boutiques
Households
Book Shop

Listen to the dialogues again and write down the phrases you find useful while shopping.
Make up your own dialogues using the phrases you have written down.

SPEAKING

Look at these pictures and answer the following questions.

Look up the following words in a dictionary. Use them in either sentences or short situations of your own.

1.What is the difference in the buying /selling process in these places?

2. How are the customers rights observed in these places?
3. Where are the products safer?
4. In what country does each of the types of trade prevail?
5. Whats your opinion about street trading?

lease, leasehold, franchise, franchisee, bargain, bargaining power, bargain-hunting, instalment, buy in instalments, purchase, purchaser, purchasing
power.

79

3
4
5

Read the Info Box and compare the three types of shopping centers.
What kind of shopping centers are there in your neighborhood/village/town/city?
What services are there available in your community?

Shopping Centre
Shopping center, also called SHOPPING MALL, or SHOPPING
PLAZA is a 20th-century adaptation of the historical marketplace,
with accommodation made for automobiles. A shopping centre is a
collection of independent retail stores, services, and a parking area
conceived, constructed, and maintained by a management firm as a
unit. Shopping centres may also contain restaurants, banks, theatres,
professional offices, service stations, and other establishments.
Shopping centres are generally of neighbourhood, community, or
regional scope. The smallest type, the neighbourhood centre, usually
has a supermarket as a focus, with daily convenience shops such as
a drugstore, shoe repair, laundry, and dry cleaner accompanying it.
The community shopping centre contains all of the abovementioned services in addition to a medium-sized department store or

Drug Store
Shoe Repair
Dry Cleaner
Department Store
Variety Store

Supermarket
Wearing Apparel

[ prl]
Appliance Sales

[ plalns]

Repair Stores
Speciality Shops

[spei lti]
Boutique

[bu: ti:k]

variety store, which acts, with the supermarket, as a focus. Wearing apparel,
appliance sales, and repair stores are also found here.
The regional shopping centre provides a full range of shopping services
comparable to those found in a small central business district. On larger sites
motels, medical centres, or office buildings may also be provided.
Car-parking facilities are a major consideration in shopping-centre design.

Read the dialogue; fill in the gaps with the modal verbs: can, could, must, should, ought to. Explain your
choice. Make up similar dialogues on the topic.

Making a Complaint
Customer: Good morning, miss. Id like to speak to the manager.
Manager: I am the manager, sir. How
I help
you?
C: Oh, really? Its this radio. It doesnt work.
M: Mm, did you buy it here?
C: Pardon? Of course I bought it here. Look, you switch it on
and nothing happens.
I see your receipt?
M:
C: Receipt? I havent got one.
M: Oh, you
have obtained a receipt when you
bought it.
C: I probably did. I
have thrown it away.
M: Ah, well, have you got any other proof of purchase, the
guarantee, for example?
C: No. It
have been in the box. I threw that away too.
M: Oh, dear. You really
have kept it. We

know the exact date of purchase.

C: What? I only bought it yesterday! That young man over there
served me. Oh, I paid by cheque. Ive got the cheque stub.
M: Thats all right then. Did you check the radio before you
left the shop?
C: Check it? No, it was in the box. I expected it to work. It
wasnt a cheap radio, its a good make.
M: You
have checked it.
C: Come on! Stop telling me what I
have done,
and do something! Either give me my money back or give
me another radio.
M: Theres no need to get aggressive, sir. Let me look at it ...
mm ... . You see this little switch on the back?
C: Yes?
M: Its on mains, and it
be on battery. You really
read the instructions.
C: Oh!

Make a research report about the goods on sale in your favourite shop. Refer to the Learner Training.

LEARNER TRAINING

How to Write a Research Report

To write a research report, a writer gathers information
from several sources, takes notes of the sources and organizes
the notes into an outline. Then he or she writes the report
based on the notes and outline.
While writing pay attention to the following
1. Use your notes and outline to write your research report.
2. Write an introduction that identifies your topic. Include

interesting sentences to capture the attention of the audience.

3. Try to compare statistic data available.
4. Write one paragraph for each subtopic in your outline.
5. Follow your outline to write details about your topic.
6. Give your research report a title.
7. Make sure your report has a conclusion.

80

The Simple Tenses

Simple Tenses are also referred to as Indefinite Tenses.
TENSE
SIMPLE
PRESENT

EXAMPLES
Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius.
The earth goes round the sun.
I go jogging every morning.

MEANING
a. events or situations that exist always;
general statements of fact, or universal truths.
b. usual/habitual or everyday activities.

Form: simple form of the verb; -s or -es ending for third person singular; do/does for questions and negatives
Simple Present is often used with the following adverbs and expressions of time: always, often, usually, sometimes, regularly, rarely, hardly ever, never, every day/week/month/year
TENSE
SIMPLE
PAST

EXAMPLES
MEANING
They lived in Rome for six years, but
activities or situations that began and ended at a
now they are living in Athens.
particular time in the past which have no connecI successfully passed my exam last week. tion with the present. Time is usually indicated.

Form: -ed ending for regular verbs; simple past form for irregular verbs; did for questions and negatives
Simple Past is often used with the following adverbs and expressions of time: three/two days/years ago, last
week/months/year, in 1997/2006, etc.
TENSE
SIMPLE
FUTURE

EXAMPLES
(f) They will call us tonight.

MEANING
The action will happen at one particular time
in the future.

(g) He will take an exam tomorrow.

Form: shall/will + simple form; shall/will for questions and negatives

Simple Future is used to express predictions about something that the speaker thinks will be true or will
occur in the future, willingness to help, offering to do something, agreement to do something, promise to do
something, request to do something.
We often use will with probably, I expect, Im sure, I think, I dont think, I wonder. After I hope we generally
use the present; will is also possible.

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form:

1. In England, people hands when they

meet for the first time. (to shake) 2. They on the
telephone almost every evening. (to talk) 3.They
late at school last Monday. (to arrive) 4. Americans
never late to an appointment. (to come) 5.
Yesterday Frank in the inter-school competition. (to run) 6. Children a lot of milk. (to drink).
7. My baby sister two cups of milk yesterday. (to
drink) 8. I think they to busy next term (to be)
9. She much money on clothes. (to spend) 10.
Columbia good coffee. (to produce). 11. We
usually our lessons at 8:30 in the morning. (to
begin) 12. Yesterday we our classes at 9 oclock
in the morning (to begin). 13. The Earth on its
axis. (to revolve) 14. Look at the sky. I am sure it
a beautiful day. (to be) 15. Dont worry; I promise I
home on time. (to come)

Practise the negative and interrogative forms of

the simple tenses:

1. In the morning they watch television or

read. 2. Father worked in the afternoon. 3. My best
friend likes pop-music. 4. We spent our holidays in
the mountains. 5. They will buy the newspaper the
next morning. 6. Those restaurants serve lunch and
dinner. 7. This ice - cream has a delicious taste. 8.
Grandma will read her grandsons a fairy-tale.

81

Answer the questions, using one of the simple

tenses:

1. What kind of school do you attend? 2. What

subjects did you learn last year? 3.Do your parents
like classical music? 4. Do you live in a new block
of flats? 5. What form will you be in next year?
6. What did you have for breakfast in the morning? 7. What will you do when you leave school?
8. When will the second term finish?

LESSON 2
Eating Out
One mans meat is another mans poison.
English Proverb

DISCUSSION POINTS
Discuss the following

1. Look at the pictures. Tell where you

like to eat and why.
2. Tell about the advantages and disadvantages of all these places.
3. Where do you think the food is safer?
Why?
4. Is it cheap or expensive to eat out?

a pub
a canteen
a barbeque

a bar

a restaurant

a caf

at home

McDonalds

READING

Read the texts and compare the two authors opinions about eating habits.

Text I
This week we decided to look at a small family-run
restaurant in the village of Wardleton. The Old Mill is
newly opened and overlooks the River Wardle, and we
had heard several favourable comments about it. Because we had been advised to book early, we managed to
get a nice table with a view of the quay. We were made
very welcome and the service was excellent because it is
a small family business. The proprietor, Jeff Dean, runs
the kitchen himself and his wife, Nelly, showed us to
our table.
Although the choice of items on the menu was
very extensive, it was rather traditional. A long menu
always worries me, because a large menu often means
a large freezer! We started with Wardle Trout and although it was fresh, it was spoilt by the number of herbs.
For my main course I chose the pepper steak, which was
the speciality of the day. I thought it was almost perfect
because the chef had chosen excellent meat and it was
cooked just long enough.
My wife ordered the roast lamb, and although the
quality of the meat was good, she thought it was a little
underdone. Though the vegetables were fresh, they came
in very small portions and were rather over-cooked for

our taste. However, the bread was fresh because it had

been baked on the premises. I have often complained
in this column about the difficulty of finding any restaurant which serves a fresh fruit salad. Luckily, this one
did. Even though it must have been very time-consuming
to prepare, it was a delight to see, and I had a second
helping.
As usual I chose house wine, as this is often the best
way to judge a restaurants wine list. It was a French-bottled table wine which was quite satisfactory and reasonably priced. The bill, including coffee and brandy, came
to 37, which was acceptable for the class of restaurant,
although that did not include service.
Text II
The worlds two biggest burger chains, McDonalds
and Burger King, are planning big expansions in UK
to supply what they believe is the nations increasing
appetite for fast food.
McDonalds intends to open 100 restaurants each
year, to add to the 830 it has at present. Its big rival,
Burger King, which has 455 restaurants, is to open 55
new outlets this year.
Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at Thames

82

University, declared himself an opponent. I would be

congratulating the companies if they were moving into
selling fruit and vegetables, but selling more burgers is
hardly the sort of advance that the British diet needs
he said.
Professor Lang believes that American fast food
wave has changed our eating habits. They have had fish
and chips, Cornish pasties and sandwiches for a long
time, but the difference is that the burger chains set up
in prime High Street spots to tempt us in.
We cant say people arent enjoying it. They are
buying it and eating it. But does this represent a wholesome healthy food culture? My honest opinion is no.
The answer, says Professor Lang is to get the British

back into their kitchens by teaching children to cook.

Children used to learn to cook either at home
around the age of 6 to 8 or at school between 12 and 15.
Now they miss the second chance and are subject to the
burgerization attitude of why bother to cook when
you can nip out and get a burger or a pizza?
Food analyst Umesh Raichads said about the
McDonalds and Burger King plans that: There is
definitely room for this massive expansion. People are
eating out much more than they used to. These chains
are having to expand now to keep out the competition
from pizzas and other ethnic foods. They are hoping
to eat over stomach share and they want to win before
anyone does.
The Guardian

What words in the texts mean the same as?

In your own words, try to explain the meaning of

each of the words in italics from the texts above.

Read the text about Pubs in the UK and fill in the correct articles. Comment on their usage.

1. a solid landing place where ships load and unload, often built of stone
2. plant whose leaves or stems are used in medicine,
seasoning, food, or perfume
3. meat or fish for frying or grilling
4. a house or building with its grounds
5. shop that sells goods made by a particular company
6. a pie filled with meat, fish, jam, etc.
7. to appeal strongly; attract

3 Answer the questions:

1. What eating habits are emphasized in the first

text?
2. What did they like and what did they dislike
about the restaurant?
3. What does the author of the second text complain about?
4. What does professor Tim Lang suggest?
5. What does the word burgarization mean?
6. Which of the two restaurants would you like to
eat at and why? Explain your choice.

PUBS in the UK
Public House or PUB, in the UK, is an establishment
providing alcoholic liquors to be consumed on the premises. ... British common law early imposed social responsibilities for ... well-being of travellers upon the inns and taverns,
declaring them to be public houses which must receive all
travellers in reasonable condition who were willing to pay
... price for food, drink, and ... lodging.
During ... time of Tudor (1485-1603), selected innkeepers were required by ... royal act to maintain stables; in
addition, some innkeepers acted as ... unofficial postmasters and kept stables for ... royal post. In the mid-1600s,
some public houses even issued unofficial coins which ...
innkeepers guaranteed to redeem in ... realms currency.
The early inns or taverns were identified by ... simple
signs, such as lions, dolphins, or black swans. In the 18th

century, ... word Arms was appended to many pub names,

indicating that ... establishment was under the protection
of ... particular noble family, although some heraldic signs
were references to ... original ownership of the land on
which ... inn or tavern stood. Some 200 of ... old coaching
and posting inns, including a few that date back more than
400 years, are still operating in England and Wales under
... management of ... Trust House companies, groups begun in ... early 20th century in order to prevent the old inns
from becoming ... merely local taverns.
Although ... public houses were traditionally owned
and operated by licensed victuallers or publicans, by the
early part of ... 20th century many of them were owned or
otherwise connected to ... comparatively small number of
... brewery companies.

Make two-minute presentations on the following topics. Use simple tenses.

Going Shopping
Eating Out

Are you fond of going shopping?

When do you usually go shopping?
Whom do you go shopping with?
What do you usually buy?
When do you think you will go shopping again?
What are you going to buy?

When did you last eat out?

Where and who did you go there with?
What did you order?
What food did you like most and why?
Are you going to visit the same place again?
Will you invite your friends or your family?

83

SPEAKING

Group work. Look through Julias diary and discuss her eating habits and diet and decide if
the food she ate is healthy or not.

TUESDAY
e
BREAKFAST: Porridg
and bread
LUNCH: Tomato soup
gernut biscuits
Gin
4
N:
OO
MID-AFTERN
an
ips d beans
TEA: Scotch pie, ch
nts
eam cone, Glacier Mi
IN BETWEEN: Ice-cr
es
t Cornflak
SUPPER: Crunchy Nu

I wouldnt say I am a fussy eater and

the only thing I really dont like is fish. Im
always scared Ill swallow a bone! I try to eat
a balanced diet and I always have breakfast,
lunch, and tea which are quite healthy because I have them at home. Sometimes Im
not so good between meals and eat crisps
and chocolate. Theres a McDonalds near
my house, so its really easy to go in there
and buy a burger! I never used to eat vegetables but Im starting to eat more of them
now. I try to eat fruit fairly often too. But
looking at what Ive eaten all week, there
doesnt seem to be much fruit!

SUNDAY
BREAKFAST: Porridge, toast and jam
LUNCH: 2 bread rolls with sausage
MID-AFTERNOON: a chocolate bar
TEA: Roast beef, potatoes, cauliflower, roast potatoes, broccoli, sweetcorn, apple pie
IN BETWEEN: Sandwich, Kit Kat
SUPPER: Cornflakes, cheese and onion crisps

SATURDAY
BREAKFAST: Rice Krispies and toast
LUNCH: Chicken soup
MID-AFTERNOON: Cheese and onion crisps.
Mars Bar
TEA: Lasagne, chips and garlic bread
IN BETWEEN: 2 Kit Kats
SUPPER: Packet of crisps, toast

AY
WEDNESD Porridge
ST:
A
BREAKF
ich
am sandw cuits
and fruit
H
:
H
LUNC
ice-cream
bis
,
2
d
:
a
N
re
O
b
O
ic
N
rl
R
MID-AFTE i bolognese and ga
hett
s
kes with
TEA: Spag Wall nuts, banana
ut Cornfla
:
N
N
y
E
E
ch
n
W
T
ru
IN BE
owl of C
Another b
SUPPER:
ilk!
ice-cold m
MONDAY

BREAKFAST: Porridge and toast MID-MORNING: Apple

LUNCH: Chicken soup TEA: Ham salad, pasta and roast potatoes
IN BETWEEN: Tomato flavoured crisps
SUPPER: Crunchy Nut Cornflakes

Work with a dictionary and translate all the dishes Julia ate.

Make up a recommended healthy

1. It is necessary that... 2. Young people need much... 3. They should
diet for people of your age. Use
eat...
4. It is recommended that... 5. It is very important that...
the phrases in the box.

WRITING
Imagine you are a party organizer. A friend asked you to organize his birthday party in a pub.
Tell him your suggestions about food, drinks and music. Write the menu. You can choose
from the list below.

MENU:
1. APPETIZERS
2. SOUPS
3. MAIN DISHES
a)meats b)poultry c)fish
4. SIDE DISHES
5. BEVERAGES
6. SWEETS
7. CHEESE

Apple pie, Apple sauce, Avocado vinaigrette, Beef Wellington,

Blue cheese dressing salad, Butter, Camembert, Coffee, Cream
of mushroom, Dumplings, Farmhouse cheddar, Fruit salad,
Grilled tomatoes, Grilled veal, Hot chocolate, Pork chops, Prawn
cocktail, Roast duck, Spice cake, Turkey, Yorkshire pudding

84

The Progressive Tenses

Progressive Tenses are also referred to as Continuous Tenses.
TENSE
PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE

EXAMPLES
He is playing right now.

MEANING
a. He went to play after breakfast. It is 12:00 and he
is still playing. He began to play in the past, the
action is in progress at the present time, and will
probably continue.
b. Often the activity is of a general nature:
something generally in progress this week, this
month, this year.
c. In special circumstances, a present progressive is
used with always to complain, to express annoyance
or anger. Forever and constantly are also used with
the present progressive to express annoyance.

My friend is writing a course paper

this month.
I am trying to improve my English.
Ann is always/forever/constantly
complaining about everything
in the world. I am tired of listening
to her.

Form: am/is/are + verb+ing (present participle), am/is/are for questions and negatives
TENSE
PAST
PROGRESSIVE

EXAMPLES
He was playing when we arrived.

MEANING
a. He went to play after breakfast. We arrived at
12:00. He was still playing. The action began before
and was in progress at a particular time in the past.
It probably went on.

While mother was cooking, he was

cleaning the rooms.

b. Sometimes the past progressive is used in both

parts of a sentence when two actions are in progress
simultaneously.

Form: was/were + verb+ing (present participle), was/were for questions and negatives
TENSE
FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE

EXAMPLES
He will be playing when we arrive.

MEANING
He will go to play before we arrive. The action will be
in progress at a particular time in the future.
Probably he will continue to play.

Form: will be + verb+ing (present participle), will be for questions and negatives

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Supply the correct tense form and then change

the sentences into the interrogative and negative:

1. They English now. (to learn) 2. The girl

a cake at the moment. (to make) 3. I another
book on history now.(to read) 4. At 12:30 yesterday we lunch in the park.(to eat) 5. Yesterday
morning I through the park. (to be jogging) 6.
The child the piano while his classmates to
him.(to play, to listen) 7. You constantly your
gloves. (to lose) Take better care of your things.
8. While I , you at a disco. (to work, to dance)
9. What you when the plane landed? (to think

about) 10. What at 11:00 tomorrow? (to happen)

11. She forever her living room. (to redecorate) 12.
Kate her back when she in the garden. (to hurt,
to work) 13. At 9 oclock tomorrow she a book. (to
read) 14. What you this evening (to do), while I ...
(to cook)? 15. What your mother (to read) when she is
on holiday? - She (to read) adventure stories, but now
she (to read) a book on history. 16. My mother usually
(to cook) soup for lunch, but today she (to cook) beef.
17. I usually (to have) a salad, but I (to have) a sandwich
now. 18. What Bob (to do) in the kitchen? He (to taste)
the soup to see if it needs salt .

85

LESSON 3
Literary Focus
Just a Bite...
Give a clown your finger, and he will take your hand
Proverb
DISCUSSION POINTS

Work in pairs.

Work in groups. Make a list of words and expressions

you think might be connected with the text. Explain
your choice.

a. Look at the picture. Think of different interpretations of the situation. Discuss them with your partner.
b. Decide upon the most appropriate variant and
share it with your class.

LISTENING

Listen to the introduction of the story. Predict

the following:

a. The place the action takes place.

b. What the relationship between the two characters is.

Listen to the next extract and check on your

predictions.

Work in the same groups. In no more than 5-6

sentences anticipate what will happen next and
how the story will end. Use the list of words and
expressions from 2 (Discussion Points).

READING

Read the story. Compare its content with what you have anticipated in 3. Share the findings
with your class.

The Luncheon
by W. Somerset Maugham
...I was startled when the bill of fare was
brought, for the cost was much higher than I had
thought.
I never eat anything for luncheon, she said.
5 I never eat more than one thing. A little fish perhaps. I wonder if they have any salmon.
Well, it was early in the year for salmon and
it was not on the bill of fare, but I asked the waiter
if there was any. Yes, a beautiful salmon had just
10 come in, it was the first they had had. I ordered it for
my friend. The waiter asked her if she would have
something while they were cooking it.
No, she answered, I never eat more than
one thing. Unless you had a little caviare. I never
15 mind caviare.
My heart sank a little. I knew I could not order
caviare, but I could not very well tell her that. I told
the waiter to bring caviare. For myself, I chose the

20

25

30

35

86

cheapest dish on the menu and that was a mutton

chop.
Then came the question of drink.
I never drink anything for luncheon, she said.
Neither do I, I answered quickly.
Except white wine, she said as though I had
not spoken. These French wines are so light. Theyre
wonderful for digestion.
What would you like? I asked.
She gave me a bright smile.
My doctor wont let me drink anything but
champagne.
I turned pale. I ordered half a bottle. I said that
my doctor had absolutely forbidden me to drink
champagne.
What are you going to drink then?
Water.
She ate the caviare and she ate the salmon. She

65
bill, n. written statement of charges for goods delivered or
services given
fare [fe], n. food provided at table

salmon [ smn], n. (pl. unchanged) large fish, valued for

food and the sport of catching it with rod and line

caviare [ kvi:], n. pickled roe (eggs) of the sturgeon or

certain other large fish
mutton [mtn], n. flesh of fully grown sheep, eaten as food

asparagus [s prgs], n. plant whose young shoots are

cooked and eaten as a vegetable; the shoots

revenge [rl vend], n. deliberate injury to the person from

whom injury has been received

luncheon [ lntn], n. = lunch

pardonable [ p:dnbl], adj. that can be forgiven (excused)

weigh [wel], v. to measure how heavy something is by
means of scales

stone [ stn], n. a unit of weight; equal to 14 pounds

40

45

50

55

60

70

75

80

talked of art and literature and music, but I wondered what the bill would come to.
I see that you like to eat a heavy luncheon. I
am sure it is a mistake. Why dont you follow my
example and just eat one thing?
I am only going to eat one thing, I said as the
waiter came again with the bill of fare.
She waved him aside with an airy gesture.
No, no, I never eat anything for luncheon.
Just a bite. I couldnt possibly eat anything more
unless they had some of those giant asparagus. I
should be sorry to leave Paris without having one
of them.
My heart sank. I had seen them in the shops
and I knew that they were terribly expensive.
Madame wants to know if you have any of
those giant asparagus, I asked the waiter. I tried
with all my might to make him say no. A happy
smile appeared over his broad face, and he told me
that they had some very large, and splendid. I ordered them.
We waited for the asparagus to be cooked. Panic caught me. It was not a question now how much
money I should have for the rest of the month, but
whether I had enough to pay the bill.
The asparagus appeared. They were great. I

85

90

watched her eating them.

At last she finished.
Coffee? I said.
Yes, just an ice-cream and coffee, she answered.
I ordered coffee for myself and an ice-cream
and coffee for her.
Then a terrible thing happened. While we
were waiting for the coffee, the head waiter
came up to us bringing a large basket full of huge
peaches.
You, see. she said, you have filled your
stomach with a lot of meat and you cant eat anything more. But Ive just had a bite and I shall enjoy
a peach.
The bill came and when I paid it I found that
I had no money left. When I walked out of the restaurant I had the whole month before me and not a
penny in my pocket.
Follow my example, she said as we shook
hands, and never eat more than one thing for
luncheon.
Ill do better than that, I answered. Ill eat
nothing for dinner tonight!
Humorist! she cried, jumping into a cab.
You are quite a humorist!
But I have had my revenge at last. I do not
believe that I am a revengeful man, but when the
immortal gods take hand in the matter, it is pardonable to observe the result with self-satisfaction. Today she weighs twenty-one stones.

Phrases and Idioms

to keep body and soul together to stay alive, though with
some difficulty; to survive
to live (far) beyond ones means to spend more money
than one can afford
to be startled at (something), (to do something) to be
greatly surprised; shocked
to be on the bill of fare to be on the list of sold goods/
food provided at a table
his heart sank he felt all hope was lost; His heart failed him
to follow ones example to copy or imitate a persons
conduct
to have a bite to eat very little (food)

Read the text more attentively. Decide whether the following statements are True or False.

a. The lady weighed each of her words.

b. The narrators mood changed several times during that evening.
c. The narrator was very attentive to what the lady was saying about literature, art and music.
d. The lady did not get the message when the narrator said he would eat nothing for dinner that night.

87

ise to keep that ring until the following Friday when

we kept our wedding anniversary.
4. Keep fit in order to be able to keep the goals
and if you keep going like that we shall keep you in
this position.
5. It is quite difficult for a woman to keep her
family and, more than that, to keep a house and a
shop, and manage to keep pace with everything that
is new.

Find words and phrases in the text which could

be replaced by:

man who serves

uncontrolled, quickly
food in a restaurant (8) spread fear (60)
if not (14)
in the end (65)
meal (19)
as much as
completely (33)
necessary (67)
movement
take delight in (78)
of the hand (45)
living forever (92)

Give the opposite of the words in bold.

1. She cant forget the last quarrel she had with

her mother-in-law.
2. Did he spend a lot of money while abroad?
3. I dont know whether she was offended by
my remarks.
4. They keep late hours and nothing can be
done about it.
5. Why did you choose to travel by the most
expensive route?
6. Hes not fond of either strong drinks or
strong coffee.
7. She turned red when she heard her name
called.
8. She is a pleasant person to work with.
9. What he dislikes most is going to the movies
and travelling by bus.

a. to keep away - avoid coming near

b. to keep something back - withhold; refuse to give
c. to keep down - hold under control
d. to keep off - a. remain at a distance
b. refrain from
e. to keep on (at) - continue
f. to keep out (of) - remain outside
g. to keep to - stick closely to
h. to keep somebody up - delay from going to bed
i. to keep something up - a. maintain
b. continue
c. observe (customs)

The verb to keep has many meanings. Can you

guess its meanings from the following sentences? Consult a dictionary, if necessary.

1. Keep in mind that you should keep it a

secret, besides, Ill keep an eye on you to keep you
from telling it either to your sister or friends.
2. Tell her keep her remarks to herself and Ill
try my best to keep smiling as if nothing had kept
me from keeping my diary.
3. He assured us that he would keep his prom-

In combination with prepositions the verb to

keep acquires quite different meanings. Study
the meanings of the following phrasal verbs:

Fill in the gaps with the correct preposition:

1. It was dark and I didnt notice the Keep ...

the grass notice.
2. What made the teacher keep you ... for two
more hours?
3. She will never learn to keep ... her anger.
4. We shall never find out what kept him ... so
long.
5. I always try my best to keep ... of their quarrels.
6. Its the old people who still keep ... these customs.

To keep body and soul together is an idiom meaning to stay alive, though with some difficulty.
Match up the idioms with their meanings.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

to keep ones hand in something

to keep cool
to keep ones nose clean
to keep someone in line
to keep ones weather eye open
to keep the wolf from the door
to keep ones ear to the ground
to keep ones own counsel
to keep late hours
to keep ones chin up

a. to keep out of trouble

b. to keep ones spirits high
c. to be calm
d. to listen carefully
e. to retain ones control of something
f. to maintain oneself at a minimal level
g. to keep ones thoughts and plans to oneself
h. to make certain someone behaves properly
i. to be on guard
j. to stay out very late

88

Choose the correct idiom to be used in each of the situations below.

Situation 1.
- When does your sister take the exam?
- In two days.
- Tell her I wish her good luck.

to keep something under

wraps

Situation 2.
- Have you heard about their engagement?
- What engagement?
- Oh, they still keep it a secret, dont they?

to keep a straight face

to keep a civil tongue

to keep someone
on tenterhooks

Situation 3.
- Sue, please, tell me what makes
you so unhappy. Dont keep me
in suspense, please!

Situation 4.
The boy is so rude. Everybody
will turn away from him if he
doesnt speak decently.

to keep ones fingers crossed

Situation 5.
- I knew it was Jack who played
the trick. He couldnt keep his
face from laughter.

SPEAKING
Discuss the following.

1. How accurate were the predictions you made at

the beginning? Discuss with your classmate the details
that either helped or misled you.
2. The narrator says he was too young to have learnt
to say no to a woman. How do these words reveal his
manners and his life experience?
3. What kind of person do you think the lady was?
Try to portray her.
4. Would the plot of the story have been different
if the woman had been younger and more charming?
Why?

5. Is it possible that such a lady (should) be contemporary with us? What makes you think so?
6. What could a lady who eats only one thing at a
time look like? Choose words and phrases from the ones
below to describe her. Add some more of your own.
tall, plump, frail, overweight, graceful, lean-limited,
bony, nimble, sluggish, graceless, lightweight, robust, skinny, slim-waisted, (in)elegant, dystrophic, dynamic, scraggy,
lanky.
7. What would have happened if the young man
hadnt had enough money to pay the bill?

LITERARY FOCUS

Apply Your Knowledge

First-Person Point of View

A story told from the first person point of view has a narrator who is a
character in the story and uses the pronouns I, me, and my. A first person
narrator tells the story as he or she experienced it. One advantage of this is that
the narrator can vividly describe his or her own thoughts, feelings, and observation. This helps the reader feel close to the narrator or to the action.
Narrative nonfiction tells a true story that includes a real setting, all the
elements of a plot and a point of view. It may also have a theme.

Personal Narrative

introduces
the incident
including the
people and place
involved

describes the
event using descriptive details and
possibly
dialogue
makes the significance clear

Writing a Narrative
A successful narrative should:
focus on a clear, well-defined incident;
tells the out- make the importance or significance of the event
come or result of
clear;
the event
show clearly the order in which events occurred;
presents the
use descriptive details that appeal to the senses to
writers feelings
describe characters and setting;
about the
use dialogue to develop characters;
experience
maintain a consistent tone.
Ending

Middle

Beginning

1. Why do you think the author

uses the first-person point of view in
The Luncheon?
2. What do you get from the
first-person narrator in this story?
3. How does this narrative
point of view affect the way you
picture the woman? Explain your
answer.

WRITING
Write a narrative about something that actually happened to you or to someone you know. Follow the scheme and the tips for writing a narrative.

89

LESSON 4
Culture and Civilization
Transportation System in London
READING

Work in pairs. Read the information in the pamphlets of London transportation system. Make a list
of positive and negative features of Londons transportation system, and report it to the class.

Dear Visitor
As Mayor of London, I am delighted to welcome you
to our great city.
There are thousands of things to do and see in London. From amazing architecture to wide open spaces and
from West End shows to East End markets, London has it
all. And with one of the most comprehensive transport networks in Europe, its all very simple to get around. You can
hop on one of Londons famous red buses, travel on the Underground, take a boat trip, catch a cab or just walk through
The Underground is
running 20 hours a day, every day
and serving all parts of central
London. The Underground (or
Tube) is one of the easiest ways to travel.
The map shows every Underground line
by name and in a different colour making it
really easy to plan your route to all the citys
main attractions.
Tickets can be purchased from ticket
machines and ticket offices at all stations.
Entering and leaving the Underground is
made simple by the ticket operated gates.
At the end of your journey, if the value on
your ticket is used up, the gate will open but
your ticket will be retained. The Underground
is divided into six fare zones* with Zone 1
covering central London.

the citys historic streets.

This guide gives you the information you need to travel
around London. At the back you will find maps showing bus,
Underground and Rail routes. If you want further information you can ring the London Travel Information Centre on
020 7222 1234 at any time of day or night.
I wish you all the best on your visit to London.
Ken Livingstone
Mayor of London and Chair of Transport for London

Request. To stop a bus put out

your hand and the bus will stop,
unless already full. To get off at
a request stop ring the bell once
and in good time to let the driver know. Night
buses (prefixed with the letter N) treat all
stops as request stops.

n
o
i
t
a
z

e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
u
C
C and
YOU CAN
...by bus
With over 17,000 bus stops all
across London youre never far
from a bus route. And with only
two cash single fares covering the whole of
London, its especially simple to get around.
The bus network is divided into four zones:
Zone 1 covering central London and Zones
2, 3 & 4 covering outer London.
In London there are two types of bus stop
which are treated differently:
Compulsory, Buses always stop
here unless full.

TRAVEL IN
LONDON BY
...by boat
Daily riverboat services operate
from most central London piers.
Services go to and from Greenwich
and the Thames barrier in the east and,
during the summer, as far as Hampton Court
in the west. You can purchase tickets for
most trips at the pier or, in some cases, on
the boat.

...by tram
Tramlink serves the centre of
Croydon and radiates out to
Wimbledon. Leaving approximately
every 15 minutes it is one of the most
user-friendly ways to travel in south London.
Tickets can be purchased from automatic
ticket machines located at all tram stops and
Travelcards are accepted for travel.
...by rail
The National Rail network
covers the entire country,
leaving from central London
locations and spanning out to even the
remotest spots in the UK. Travelcards are
accepted within the Greater London area.
Beyond that you will need to purchase a
ticket for your journey either from the train
station or, in some cases, on the train.
...by taxi
Travelling in one of Londons
famous black cabs at any time of
day or night gives you a unique,
convenient and easy way of getting from
place to place and, more importantly, from
door to door. They are all wheelchair accessible and have many other aids for disabled
customers.

e
i
r
l
i
u
v
t
i
l
u
C
C and

n
o
i
t
a
z

90

LISTENING

Listen to the recorded tour of Central London and mark the routes on the map.

3
4

Listen again and write down expressions indicating directions.

Say how you go:

a) from Westminster Cathedral to the Tower Bridge;

b) from Waterloo Station to St. Pauls Cathedral;
c) from Victoria Station to Piccadilly Circus.
Use the prepositions given below.
movement from

point

to

at

from

volum

into

in

out of

plan

onto

on

off

process

to

at

from

around

SHOP
STREET

across

CORNER

ugh

ou

thro

ab

past (the shop)

nd
rou

RIVER

placement

ove

movement to

along

Look at the map of Central London and set up five destinations to reach, starting from Trafalgar Square.

91

LESSON 5
More English?
1

Look through the list of products below and write recipes for your favourite dishes. Refer to
the Learner Training rubric for guidance.

Dairy Products
milk
eggs
yogurt
cheese
margarine
butter

Frozen Food
carrots
sweet corn
ice cream
fish fingers

Tinned Food
baked beans
peas
pears
mandarins
tuna

Meat
chicken
mince
bacon
lamb
pork
salmon

Fruit
pineapple
banana
apple
grape
pear
grapefruit
orange
lemon
lime
melon
watermelon
coconut
mango
papaya
strawberry
kiwi fruit
peach
avocado
plum
Vegetables
cauliflower
asparagus
onion
cabbage
leek
potato
parsley
celery

HOW TO WRITE A RECIPE

While writing a recipe, one should
be very careful in order not to miss
the necessary information. If a small
detail is missing the dish is not going
to be a success.
While writing the recipe pay attention
to the following:
1. First list all the necessary ingredients.
2. Then list the operations one should
perform in order to prepare the dish
he/she wants.
3. Use imperatives (infinitive without
to) of the verbs that express the actions one should perform.
4. Dont forget to warn the performer
of possible risks.

Imagine you work in a Moldovan restaurant where many foreigners come to eat. You need to
help the guests choose the dish by explaining what it contains and how it is prepared. You
may choose from the pictures below.

92

Fill in the gaps with the right word on buying

things.

5. George is wearing the blue and red .... tie I gave him.
a) designed b) lined c) pictured d) striped
6. He left his ..... at the station and went sightseeing.
a) handbag b) purse c) sack d) suitcase
7. Can you .... that strange perfume she is wearing?
a) feel b) notice c) see d) smell
8. Bright colours dont ... her pale skin.
a) agree b) fit c) match d) suit
9. I gave Mary a black silk scarf with pink......
a) balls b) marks c) spots d) stains

1. She kept her money in a brown leather......

a) package b) packet c) parcel d) purse
2. I must buy a new leather ..... to go round my
suitcase.
a) rope b) strap c) string d) thread
3. If your belt is too tight, you should..... it.
a) lengthen b) loose c) loosen d) release
4. I gave her ..... stockings for her birthday.
a) a b) a couple of c) any d) a pair of

Complete the following sentences using the

words in the box.

1. Which are your favourite vegetables: ... or ... ?

2. The best way to ... water is to put it in a ... .
3. Carrots can be steamed or they can be eaten ... .
4. Indian ... relies heavily on ... spices.
5. Put the mixture in a baking ... and put it into a
preheated ... .

6. With pizza even the best ... may taste dull without the
right ... .
7. A four ... meal of an ... , soup, meat and dessert is
enough for me.
boil, kettle, cuisine, course, aperitif, oven, spices,
ingredients, bitter, raw, pan, egg plant, cabbage

Roleplay a dialogue that can take place in a restaurant, a pub, a bank, a shop, at the post office. Make
use of the following words and expressions and the Learner Training rubric.

to pay by check, tip, to cash, to withdraw, withdrawal machine, to try on, to send a telegram, to pay the bill, to
see the menu, the specialty of the day, to have a discount, to ask for a receipt, credit card, to complain.

LEARNER TRAINING

How to Write a Dialogue

In a dialogue, a writer tells the exact words that one
person says to another.
While writing a dialogue do the following:
1. Place quotation marks before and after the exact
words of a speaker.
2. Use a comma to separate a quotation from the
rest of the sentence unless a question mark or an exclamation mark is needed.

3. Begin a new paragraph each time the speaker

changes.
4. Be sure that the dialogue sounds like real people
talking.
5. Use words such as: said, called, answered, whispered, shouted, retorted, exclaimed, explained, wondered,
and concluded to express the speakers mood.

Match the words from column A with the ones from column B
to form meaningful sentences/ phrases. Translate them.

A. 1. he is one
B. a. on the sore place
2. one can see
b. than a dozen girls
3. one always knocks oneself
c. of the craft
4. no one is
d. the line somewhere
5. one boy is more trouble
e. with half an eye
6. one must draw
f. indispensible
7. one mans meat
g. deserves another
8. one foot is better
h. to shin a cat
9. theres more than one way
i. is another mans poison
10. one good turn
j. than two crutches

93

7 Complete the sentences using one/

ones.

1. She is the best

2. Here are some books on American
literature. Which ?
3. We have always considered her

4. Our house seems to be as

5. Your composition is not so
6. They say that
7. I like your hair-do, but the
8. We shall of course invite them, but

Fill in with either each or every. Refer to the explanation in the box.

Each or Every?
Each means every one, thing, group, person
taken separately or individually.

1. apartment in the building wants some

repairs.
2. student is requested to contribute to the communitys well being.
3. As they had both worked so hard, they were
praised.
4. Could you speak to of the girls on this matter?
5. I am sure woman enjoys receiving compliments.
6. success is worth being mentioned and encouraged.
7. of us is responsible for his own behaviour.
8. We have been late but for different reasons.
9. I would like of you to motivate your absence.
10. You have reason not to be satisfied.

Supply the correct forms of the verbs

in brackets.

1. We must stop talking. The play (to begin) now.

2. When the teacher (to walk) into the classroom
the boys (to play) chess and the girls (to talk).
3. She (to prepare) dinner when a quarrel (to break
out) among the children.
4. He says he (to be angry) if you (not, to come) to
his party. I (to agree) with him that without you
the evening (to be) boring.
5. I think I (to see) them last night at the mall.
They (to buy) vegetables.

e.g. Each of the boys wants to play in the

team.
Every means all or each one of.

e.g. Not every pupil in the group was

allowed to take the exam.
Note: When every is used attention is
directed to the whole, when each is used attention
is directed to the unit or individual.
e.g. Did you pay them?
Yes, every one of them.
How much?
Each of them got his fair share.

6. When we (to leave) he was playing. I assure you

that when we return he (still, to play).
7. We went through beautiful rooms, and I (can) see
that they (to be) rooms of a hospital. At the door of
one room the nurse (to stop, to smile, and to ask)
me to be silent. We (to look) into the room. The
two boys (to sit) near the bed of a girl who (to look)
about twenty years old. She (to wear) a nice silk
jacket, and she (to listen) attentively while the little
boys (to talk).
(A.J. Cronin. The Two Gentlemen of Verona)

Defining relative clauses are used to give essential

information about a person, thing, or place.
Use:
who for people;
which for things or animals;
where for places
That can be used instead of who/which.
Who, which, and that are often omitted when the
verb after the relative pronoun has a different subject. The boy (who) we met yesterday is a very good
football player. (The subject of met is we)
Whose = of who or of which. It cant be omitted.

10

Complete the sentences to give some extra

information. Use commas where necessary.

1. Disco parties are a good way of getting relaxed.

2. The waiter was very polite.
3. The dog is homeless.
4. Our literature teacher has arisen our interest
in reading.
5. The owner is my brother in law.
6. Finally I finished writing the essay .

94

Complete with who, whose, which or where

1. The restaurant La Taifas is a place you can

eat national Moldovan food.
2. Shops and pubs are places offer public services.
3. The man reads a lot is usually a good public
speaker.
4. The cats owners like animals are usually welltaken care of.
5. I like restaurants they serve good food.
6. I applied to the university ... is said to be one of
the best in the region.

Non-defining relative clauses are used to give some

extra information about a person or thing.
The extra information is not essential.
Non-defining relative clauses always have a comma
before who/which/where/whose and a comma or full
stop at the end of the clause to separate this extrainformation from the main one.
e.g. 1. John, who is our cousin, has just got married.
2. I came to the party, where my friends were
having a lot of fun.

LEARNNING ACROSS CULTURES

UNIT 6

The world is my country,

All mankind are my brethren,
And to do good is my religion.

Thomas Paine

Do you know
what language family tree English belongs to?
what the national symbols of Moldova, the UK,
and the USA are and what they represent?
how to write a Haiku poem?

LESSON 1
Language the Treasure of a Nation
He who doesnt know a foreign language knows nothing about his own.
Goethe

DISCUSSION POINTS

Explain the quotation of the lesson. Why did

Goethe consider it important to know foreign
languages?

Analyze the Indo-European language family tree

scheme and answer the following questions.

Discuss in groups and explain why language is

considered to be the treasure of the nation.

Explain what the abbreviations A.D. and B.C.

mean.

Read the two texts below and answer the questions after each of them.

a. What group of languages does the Romanian language belong to?

b. What group of languages does your native
language (if other than Romanian) belong to?

Explain what the picture represents. Tell the

legend connected with it. Where is this monument situated?

IRISH GAELIC

EN
OLD

PERSIAN
MODERN PERSIAN

HINDI

BENGALI

SLOVENE

POLISH

BULGARIAN

RUSSIAN

CZECHO-SLOVAK

SERBO-CROATIAN

ARMENIAN

LITHUANIAN

WELSH

ALBANIAN

ERSE

IRISH

GERMAN

DUTCH

FLEMISH

SCANDINAVIAN

FRENCH

ENGLISH

H
IC

OLD PERSIAN

SANSCRIT
LEN

INDO-EUROPEAN

HEL

IC

AN

RM

LIC

GE

ITA

CELTIC

LATIN

ATTIC GREEK

KOINE

It is believed that around 5000

B.C., the population of Eastern
Europe spoke the Indo-European 1000 A.D.
language.
As time progressed and people 500 A.D.
moved to other parts of the globe,
new directions developed. Those
1 A.D.
were Hellenic (later Attic Greek
and Koine), Italic (later Latin), 500 B.C.
Germanic, Celtic, Albanian, Armenian, Balto-Slavic and Indo-Iranian
(later Sanskrit and Persian) lan- 1000 B.C.
guages. Around 1-1000 A.D. many 2000 B.C.
of these directions split more and 3000 B.C.
thus the multitude of the languages
4000 B.C.
existing today appeared.
The Indo-European language 5000 B.C.
family is not the only one in the
world, but it is one of the most widely spread. Almost
half the people in the world today speak a language
belonging to the Indo-European family. Some exam-

S
GLI

1500 A.D.

ITALIAN

2000 A.D.

SPANISH

Where Do Languages
Come From?

ROMANIAN

Check again the Indo-European language family

tree scheme to trace the origin of the English
language. What other languages influenced
English and during what periods of time?
MODERN GREEK

PORTUGUESE

READING

VIC

SLA

TO-

BAL

IAN

RAN

O-I

IND

ples of other language families are the Semitic, which

includes the current languages Hebrew and Arabic, or
Ural-Altaic, which includes Finnish and Hungarian.

a. When did the population of Eastern Europe speak the Indo-European language?
b. What groups of languages evolved from the Indo-European language?
c. What other language families besides the Indo-European do you know?

96

The Language of Shakespeare

Statue of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avone

Pronunciation Key

Hellenic [he lenlk]

Attic Greek [ tlk gri:k]

Koine [kln]

Italic [l tllk]

Latin [ ltln]

Germanic [d: mnlk]

Celtic [ keltlk, seltlk]

Albanian [l belnln]

Armenian [a: mi:nln]

Balto-Slavic [ b:lt sla:vlk]

Indo-Iranian [ lnd l relnln]

Sanskrit [ snskrlt]

Persian [ p:n]

Semitic [sl mltlk]

Hebrew [ hi:bru:]

Arabic [ rblk]

Ural-Altaic [ jurl l telik]

Finnish [ flni]

Hungarian [h gerln]
Irish [alrl]
Welsh [wel]

Angles [ glz]

Saxons [ sks()n]

Jutes [ du:ts]

Dutch [ dt]

Scandinavian [skndl nelvln]

Norwegian [n: wi:dn]

Swedish [ swi:dl]

Danish [ delnl]
Norman [n:mn]
French [frent]

The English language belongs to the Indo-European family and it is very

old. It has changed very much throughout the centuries. If you had an opportunity to read Shakespeare, you could obviously notice the difference between
the English language spoken today and the one of his epoch.
Throughout history, other languages have influenced English. Though
initially of Germanic origin, it has been in fact replaced around 500 B.C. by
the Celtic language. Celts moved to Britain from the Central and Western
Europe. The Celtic language evolved into the Irish and Welsh languages that
are spoken today in some parts of the United Kingdom.
During the Roman period, A.D. 43400, Latin influenced the Celtic
language, and some Latin words entered the Celtic language.
In 449 the Germanic tribes the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, invaded Britain. All spoke dialects of a language that scholars call West Germanic.
Other current West Germanic languages, along with English are Dutch and
German. West Germanic was closely related to North Germanic, which survived today in the Scandinavian languages such as Norwegian, Swedish, and
Danish. Originally, both West Germanic and North Germanic were the same
language, called Germanic. They all spoke Old English, which replaced Celtic.
Old English was spoken until the year 1000. The name term English goes back
to the name of one of the Germanic tribes - the Angles.
During the Norman Conquest of 1066, William the Conqueror imposed a
new government, and tried to impose on Britain the conquerors French. From
then until about 1475, the language is called Middle English. During that time
English was very much under the influence of French and
thousands of French words entered the language.
Around 1475 the English language began to change.
A lot of sounds changed their pronunciation and spelling
changed as well. Thus, the Modern English appeared. It suffered many changes since 1500 and it continues to develop.
Development of science, technology and society in general
brings new valuable additions to the language nowadays.
a. What are the periods of evolution of the English language
called?
b. What languages influenced English during each of the periods?
c. What are the languages spoken on the territory of the United
Kingdom today?
d. Why is English
called the language of
Shakespeare?
e. Why are languages in
continuous change?
split, [spllt], v. to separate or divide into two or more
spread, [spred], v. to become or make something widely
or more widely felt, known, available or used.

evolve [i vlv], v. to develop naturally and usually gradually

scholar [ skl], n. a person who has a deep knowledge of

an academic subject

conquest [ kkwest], n. the action or an instance of

conquering somebody/something; defeat

impose [lm pz], v. to make somebody endure something that is not welcomed or wanted

97

LISTENING

Listen to an article by Yolande Devere about the

future of the English language and say whether
the authors predictions are optimistic or pessimistic. Explain why you think so.

Listen again attentively and list possible threats

that can weaken the position of the English language in the world and analyze them critically.
Fill in the following table.
Threats as
stated by the
author

Why they occur

(explanation from
the text)

Do you consider
them real threats
or not? Explain

Write down possibilities mentioned in the text

for the future of the English language. What
possibilities do you see for its future?

trade [treld], n. the business of buying and selling

goods; commerce

affect [ fekt], v. to have an influence on

promote [pr mt], v. to contribute to the progress of

desire [dlzal], n. a wish, longing

authority [: rti], n. the right or power to inforce

laws, determine, influence or judge

extinction [lk stlkn], n. no longer existing in active

form

Analyze the last sentence of the article.

Answer the questions that stand as the title of

the article. Do you share the authors concern
about the future of English?

a. What is the authors message to the reader?

b. Would you leave the word decade as it is or would
you replace it with another word denoting a period of
time? Explain why.

SPEAKING

Work in groups and complete

the following tasks.

a. List historical events

that happened on the territory of
Moldova and explain how they
influenced the development of
the Romanian language.
b. Give examples of words
having roots that come from
other languages.

Read the Info Box and explain

the significance of the holiday celebrated in Moldova on
August 31.

Moldovas State hymn is the masterpiece of

Alexei Mateevici Limba noastr (Our Language),
written at the beginning of the 20th century. It is
an ode dedicated to the mother tongue. What is
the native language compared with in the poem?
Explain each of the comparisons.

WRITING
Write a short essay about your mother tongue.

98

The movement for national emancipation brought by Gorbaciovs Perestroica was one of the first elements of
democracy in Moldova. The fight for
the Romanian language was a part of
this movement. More than one million
signatures were gathered in favour of
decreeing Romanian the official state
language and returning from the Cyrillic
script to the Latin one, specific for
languages of Latin origin. On August 31,
1989, this step was accomplished. August 31 was declared a national holiday
Limba noastr (Our Language). People
do not work on this day. Celebrations
and different events, concerts, etc. are
organized throughout the country.
Following that first step, a series of
decisions have been taken concerning
the minority languages on the territory
of Moldova. Now students can study
Bulgarian, Gagauz, Ukrainian and other
minority languages at school.

The Perfect Tenses

TENSE
PRESENT
PERFECT

EXAMPLES
We have already written the test.

MEANING
a. We finished writing before now. The exact time is
not important.
b. The Present Perfect also expresses the repetition
of an activity before now. The exact time of each
repetition is not important.
c. The Present Perfect also, when used with since or
for, expresses a situation that began in the past and
continues to the present.

We have had four exams so far

this year.
She has known her neighbor for
fifteen years.
I have had this watch since my
eighteenth birthday anniversary.

Form: have/has + past participle, have/has for questions and negatives

TENSE
PAST
PERFECT

EXAMPLES
We had already written the test
when the bell rang.

MEANING
First we finished writing. Later the bell rang. Our
writing was completely finished before another time
in the past.

Form: had + past participle, had for questions and negatives

TENSE
FUTURE
PERFECT

EXAMPLES
We will already have written the
test when the bell rings.

MEANING
First we will finish writing. Later the bell will ring.
Our writing will be completely finished before
another time in the future.

Form: will have + past participle, will have for questions and negatives

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Use the correct form of the verbs in parentheses

1. It seems ages since I (to see) you. Where you (to
be)?
2. Of course their relation cant last, but when it
comes to an end it (to be) a wonderful experience
for him. She really (to make) a man of him.
3. I (to try) to find out where they are, but all my
attempts (to fail).
4. They were beaming with pride when their son announced he (to break) a swimming record at school.
5. By the time winter sets in my granny (to store) a lot
of delicious food.
6. Great heavy tears ran down her cheeks. She (not to
cry) like that since she was a child.
7. Aunt Maria called us and said she already (to
announce) Mike about the departure, so I suppose
that when we come to him at two, he already (to
pack) his things.
8. Nobody knows that he (to decide) to sell his parents house.
9. I never (to ask) you before to do me a favour, but at
the moment I need your trust and understanding.

10. The company that (to promote) the competition contributed with both money and equipment.
11. He affirmed he (to get) all the necessary forms but
didnt think it was a matter of great urgency.
12. We (to be) here for a long time but we (to see) nobody
to enter the office.
13. After the heavy rain they were glad to discover that
none of the crops (to suffer) from it.
14. By the end of the week they (to raise) enough money
for the abandoned children.
15. The doctor supposed the lady (to die) from sudden fright.
16. Its too late. The children (to go) to bed by the time we
are home.
17. Julia didnt enjoy the event as much as she (to expect) to.
18. She couldnt understand what her mother (to mean) by
saying that she didnt care for herself.
19. Lets wait till tomorrow. By that time they (to come) to
a decision.
20. She always reflects whether she fully (to consider) all the
view points on the matter discussed.
21. But for all the hardships we have had, we (to make) a
fortune by now.

99

LESSON 2
The Country of Traditions
There is no other nation that clings to the past with the tenacity of the British.
The Briton has a sense of the continuity of history.
V.M.Pavlotski

DISCUSSION POINTS

Find on the title page of the unit pictures representing the United Kingdom. What kind of
information about the country can you bring
based on them?

Explain why the UK is called the country of tradition. What speaks for it?

Brainstorm interesting information you know

about the UK.

Scan the text to underline information that is new

for you. Discuss it in class.

Read the text again. Consult the map of the UK

and find the places mentioned in the fact file.

READING

Look through the Fact File of the UK. Explain

what a fact file is. Underline its characteristics in
your notebook.

Skim the fact file for specific headings in each

part. Give a general heading for each part. Parts
are numbered for you.

Fact File of the UK

I.
Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland (the United Kingdom or the UK),
member state of the European Community
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National holiday: birthday of Queen Elizabeth II,
celebrated on the second Saturday in June
Capital: London
Independence: unified entity since the 10th century.
The union with Wales in 1284, Scotland in 1707, Ireland
in 1801. The Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern Irish countries remained
part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland and
the current name of the country, the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in
1927.
Flag: known as the Union Flag, or Union Jack
Currency: pound sterling, consists of 100 pence;
coins with the value of one penny, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50
pence, and one pound, and two pounds.
II.
Location: Western Europe, islands including the
northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the
North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of
France.

Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W
Area total: 244,820 square km (94,248 square
miles)
Land boundaries: 360 km
Border countries: Ireland 360 km
Coastline: 12,429 km, 1000 km from North to South
coast, and 800 km across the widest part.
Islands: Great Britain as the largest island. The
next largest comprises Northern Ireland. The large
island chain known as the Hebrides fringes Western
Scotland, and to the north east of the Scottish mainland
are the Orkney and the Shetland.
Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains
and level to rolling plains in east and southeast. In the
centre of England there is a range of hills called the
Pennines, known as the backbone of England.
Elevation extremes: the lowest point Fenland, 4
m; the highest mountains in Scotland and Wales: Ben
Nevis - 1,343 m and Snowdon - 1,085 m
Longest rivers: the Severn (354 km); the River
Thames (346 km)
Climate: mild and temperate. Temperature rarely
above 32 C or low -10 C.
Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas,
tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead,
silica, arable land

100

III.
Population: 62,262,000 (2010 estimates)
Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural); adjective: British
Ethnic groups: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish
2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian,
Pakistani, and other 2.8%
Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the
population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about
60,000 in Scotland).
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Muslim,
Presbyterian, Methodist, Sikh, Hindu, Jewish
IV.
Legal system: common law tradition with early
Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial
review of Acts of Parliament
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February
1952); Heir Apparent Prince Charles, son of the Queen
Head of government: Prime Minister
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the
Prime Minister; the Prime Minister is the leader of the
majority party in the House of Commons
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament comprised
of House of Lords and House of Commons (members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: House of Lords - no elections; House of
Commons elections once in five years
Judicial branch: House of Lords (highest court

of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are

appointed by the monarch for life). Supreme Courts of
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
Political parties and leaders: Conservative and
Unionist Party, Democratic Unionist Party (Northern
Ireland); Labour Party; Liberal Democrats; Party of
Wales; Scottish National Party or SNP; Sinn Fein
(Northern Ireland); Social Democratic and Labour
Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland); Ulster Unionist
Party (Northern Ireland)

entity [ entti], n. the fact of existence, sth that exists independently

partition [p: tln], n. the act or process of dividing sth into

parts

currency [ krnsi], n. a form of money in actual use as a

medium of exchange

comprise [km pralz], v. to consist of, to include

fringe [frlnd], v. to form a border around sth, to surround sth

rugged [ rgld], adj. having a rough irregular surface

elevation [ell veln], n. a height, as above sea level, to which

sth is elevated
tin, n. symbol: SN. A malleable, silvery metallic element used
to coat other metals to prevent corrosion. Atomic number 50.

limestone [ lalmstn], n. a sedimentary rock composed

chiefly of calcium carbonate
ore [:], n. a mineral or rock from which a valuable constituent, esp. a metal can be mined or extracted
lead [led], n. symbol: PB. A soft, bluish-white dense metallic
element, used in solder and type metal bullets, radiation shielding
and paints. Atomic number 82

silica [ slllk], n. a crystalline, compound SI02, that occurs

abundantly as quartz, sand and other minerals

suffrage [ sfrld], n. a vote, the right or priviledge of voting

peer [pl], n. a nobleman
heir [e], n. one who inherits or is legally entitled to inherit the
property, rank, title, etc.

Pronunciation Key

Hebrides [ hebrldi:z]

Orkney [ :kni]

Shetland [ etlnd]

Pennines [ penaln()s]

Fenland [ fenlnd]

Ben Nevis [ ben ni:vls]

Snowdon [ snd()n]

Severn [ sev()rn]

Thames [ temz]

Gaelic [ gelllk]

Work in two groups to check your knowledge

about the United Kingdom.

a. In each group write questions based on the

information from the fact file.
b. Organize a contest. Teams should take
turns in asking questions.
Choose one person from each team to help
the teacher judge the contest. Each correct
answer will make up for one point. Each additional relevant information from the team
responding to the question will count as 0.5
points. Good luck!

WRITING
Using the information given in the Fact File of the
UK, write a report about the United Kingdom. Underline the verbs, prepositions, adverbs, pronouns,
conjunctions, and other words that helped you link
the brief information from the fact file to form sentences and paragraphs.

SPEAKING
Make a short oral presentation based on your
report about the UK in front of your classmates.
Refer to Learner Training at the end of the book for
guidance.

101

LISTENING

Name the four regions forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Show them on
the map.

2
3
4

If you had the choice of visiting one of the four regions of the UK, which one would it be? Explain why.
Listen to the text and say what impressed you most.
Fill in the words from the text in the following sentences.
a. The Lancastrians and the Yorkists were the two ... houses for the English throne in the Wars of the
Roses.
b. The Norsmen landed in Scotland with the intention of ... and settling in the country.
c. As they arrived late in the day, ... and tired after a long march, they ... their camp and rested, not
expecting the enemy before the next day.
d. They intended to take the Scots by surprise and ... them in their sleep.
e. One of the Norsemen stepped on a ... .
f. The sudden and sharp pain he felt caused him to ... .
g. There is ... evidence that Welshmen wore ... on St Davids Day in Shakespeares time.
i. An equally ... observance on St. Patricks day is wetting the Shamrock, the ... aspect of Irish loyalty to
their patron saint.

leeks
weary
contending
pitched
plundering
tenacious
slaughter
shriek
convivial
thistle
conclusive

Look at the four symbols. Tell what region of the

U.K. each of them represents and explain their
significance.

Listen to the four parts of the text again and

take notes to complete the following table.
area

population

languages

capital

England
Wales
Scotland
Northern
Ireland

ADDITIONAL READING
Read the information about the national symbols of the UK. Answer the following questions:

1. What does the flag of the UK represent?

2. What is represented on the UK coat of arms?
3. How old is the UK national anthem?

National Symbols
Union Jack
The flag of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
is known as the Union Flag or Union
Jack. It is blue and it is made up of three
crosses. The upright red is the cross of St.
George, the patron saint of England. The
white diagonal cross (with the arms going into the corners) is
the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red
diagonal cross is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of
Ireland. St. David is the patron saint of Wales.
The design and colours (especially the Blue Ensign) have
been the basis for a number of other flags including other
Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as British overseas territories.

Anthem
The British national anthem was established as such in
1745, making it the oldest in the world. The anthem is based
on a 17th century song.
Coat-of-arms
Since 1837 the royal coat-of-arms
has depicted a shield with the three
English lions, the Scottish lions and the
Irish harp, surrounded by the Ribbon of
the Order of Garter, the highest award
of the UK, with its motto Honi soit qui
mal y pense. (Shame on him who thinks
evil of it.) The shield is supported by an
English lion and the Scottish unicorn, standing on a field with
the emblems of England (the rose), Scotland (the thistle) and
Ireland (the shamrock). Below this is the royal motto Dieu et
mon droit (God and My Right).

102

The Perfect-Progressive Tenses

Perfect-Progressive Tenses are also referred to as Perfect Continuous Tenses.
TENSE
PRESENT
PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

EXAMPLES
She has been cooking for
three hours.

MEANING
Event in progress: cooking.
When? Before now, up to now.
How long? For three hours.

Form: have/has been + present participle, have/has been for questions and negatives
TENSE
PAST
PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

EXAMPLES
She had been cooking for three
hours when the guests called.

MEANING
Event in progress: cooking
When? Before another event in the past.
How long? For three hours.

Form: had been + present participle, had been for questions and negatives
TENSE
FUTURE
PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

EXAMPLES
She will have been cooking
for three hours by the time the
guests call.

MEANING
Event in progress: cooking
When? Before another event in the future.
How long? For three hours.

Form: will have been + present participle, will have been for questions and negatives

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

1. Where in the world you (to be)? We (to look)

for you?
2. Why is she so nervous?
Dont you know? She (not to be sleeping) very
well for the last three nights.
3. It seems ages since I (to see) you. What you (to
do) with yourself all this time?
Nothing very much. I (to have) a good time for
the last two weeks. I (to enjoy) every minute,
encouraging myself and thinking that God still
loves me.
4. For four generations, Isgros (to serve) the finest
quality of Italian pastry.
5. His father came in from outdoors. He (to work)
in the garden, as he often did, until it was actually too dark to see.
6. He (to live) in the house about a week when
he discovered that the mailbox belonging to his
apartment (to disappear).
7. When the judge began to investigate, it turned
out that Rosys friend (to draw) her money into
his account for several months already.
8. He (not to act) like a father lately, has he?
9. Your eyes are red. You (to cry)?

10. Before your arrival, we (to be) in the garden. I (to

plant) my favourite flowers and my husband (to
mow) the grass.
11. Cezara and Tudor are wonderful dancers. By next
July they (to dance) in Codreanca for seven years.
12. She was breathless. She (to run) all the way to the
cabin.
13. I (to work) at this problem for an hour before I
asked my father to help me.
14. They (to travel) for three months by the time they
return.
15. She said the children (to play) since they went out.
16. Tim (to make) the same spelling mistakes since I
started teaching him.
17. We (to correspond) since I moved to this town.
18. How long she (to study) French before she left for
Paris?
19. The child is so dirty. He (to play) in the wet sand
since morning.
20. My eyes are aching. I (to read) the report for the
whole afternoon.
21. By the time we finish the tenth form, we (to write)
a lot of essays and summaries .

103

LESSON 3
The Country of Democracy
America is so vast that almost everything said about it is likely to be true,
and the opposite is probably equally true.
James T. Farrell

DISCUSSION POINTS

Find on the title page of the unit pictures representing the United States of America. What kind
of information about the country can you bring
based on them?

Explain why the USA is called the country of

democracy. What speaks for it?

Brainstorm interesting information you know

about the USA.

READING

1
2
3

Skim the text to divide it into logical parts. Entitle each part.
Scan the text to underline the information that is new for you. Discuss it in class.
Read the text. Consult the map of the USA and find the places mentioned in the text.

Discovering the USA

The United States of America (the US or the
USA) is situated in the central and southern parts
of the continent of North America, and includes the
state of Alaska and the Hawaii Islands in the Pacific
Ocean. Its area is of 9,372,614 square km or 3,623,420
square miles.
The United States of America is a federal
republic. It consists of 50 states and the District of
Columbia. The largest state is Alaska (1,530,700 sq.
km). The smallest state is the Rhode Island (3,100 sq.
km). Each state has a governor and legislature.
The US capital is Washington, D. C. (District of
Columbia). The population of the capital is 567,094
people. The largest city is New York (over 18 million
people). The country celebrates its national holiday,
Independence Day, on the 4th of July, the day when
it declared independence from Great Britain in 1776.
The flag of the USA is called the Stars and Stripes.
The countrys currency is the Dollar. You can
find 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 1000 bills. A dollar consists of 100 cents. Its interesting that coins have their
specific names: one cent coins are called pennies, 5

cents coins are called nickels, 10 cents, are called

dimes, 25 cents are named quarters, 50 cents are
half-dollar. One dollar coins can also be found.
The relief is mostly lowlands and mountains.
In the west there are the Rocky Mountains, the
Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada, the highest
mountains in the USA. In the east there are the
Appalachian Mountains. The highest point is Mount
McKinley, Alaska (6.198 m).
The US has wonderful lakes and large magnificent rivers that have always attracted tourists. In the
northeastern part there is the region of five Great
Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan,
Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Here there is the
Niagara River and the famous Niagara Falls. The
largest rivers in the USA are the Mississippi River,

Pronunciation Key

Hawaii [ h waii]

Rhode [ rd]

Cordillera [k:dil jrs]

Appalachian [p lelln]

Huron [ hjrn]

Michigan [ mlign]

Erie [ lrl]

Ontario [n terl]

Mississippi [mlsi slipl]

Missouri [ml zrl]

104

Ohio [ hal]

Columbia [k lmbl]

Hudson [ hdsn]

Yukon [ ju:kn]

Polynesian [pll ni:n]

Eskimo [ esklm]
Puerto Rican

[ pw:t ri:k()n]

Mexican [ mekslkn]

Yiddish [ jldl]

the Missouri and the Ohio. The largest rivers in the

west are the Columbia River and the Colorado River
that run into the Pacific Ocean. The St. Lawrence
River and the Hudson River are in the east. The
Yukon is the largest river in Alaska. The Mississippi
is the longest river (3.950 km). The Mississippi and
the Missouri form one of the longest rivers in the
world 7,330 km.
The coldest climate is in the north. In Alaska, in
the district of Yukon, the climate is arctic. Along the
western coast and in the southeast the climate is hot
and dry; in the central part it is continental.
Natural resources include coal, copper, lead,
phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury,
nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, crude oil, natural gas, timber.
The population of the USA is 313,576,000
people (2012 estimates). People in the US are called
Americans. The nations ethnic diversity is chiefly
due to large-scale immigration, most of which took
place before 1920. Whites comprise about 88 per
cent of the population, black people 11 per cent,
and other races the remaining one per cent. Though
mainly European and African in origin, Americans
are derived from nearly all races and nations, including Chinese, Arab, Polynesian, Eskimo, and Native
Americans (0,7%).
English is the official and predominant language
in the country. Spanish is the preferred language of
sizeable minorities in New York City (chiefly Puerto
Rican migrants), Florida (immigrants from Cuba),
and along the Mexican border. Other minority languages include Italian, German, Polish, Yiddish,
Russian, Native American languages, Chinese and
Japanese.
The predominant religions are Protestant,
Roman Catholic, Mormon, Jewish, and Muslim.
The USA is one of the most democratic countries in the world. There are two main political
parties in the USA: the Democratic Party (symbol-

ized by a donkey) and the Republican Party (its

symbol is an elephant). The President is the head
of state and government and is elected for four
years. The bicameral Congress consists of an upper
house or Senate and a Lower House or House of
Representatives. The Senate consists of 100 members two from each state, chosen by popular vote
for a six-year term. The House of Representatives
has about 450 members elected by popular vote
every two years. The President, Vice President and
Cabinet represent the executive branch. The judicial
branch includes Federal District Courts, Courts of
Appeal and the Supreme Court.

legislature [ ledlslelt], n. a body of persons empowered

to make laws
copper [kp], n. symbol: CU. A ductile, malleable, reddishbrown metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat
and electricity and is used for electrical wiring, water, piping, and
corrosion-resistant parts. Atomic number 29.

phosphate [ fsfelt], n. a salt or ester of phosphoric acid, a

fertilizer containing phosphorus components

bauxite [ b:ksalt], n. the principal ore of aluminum, with

ferric oxide and silica as impurities

nickel [ nlkl], n. symbol: NI. A silvery, hard, ductile, ferromagnetic metallic element used in alloys, in corrosion-resistant
surfaces and batteries, and for electroplating. Atomic number 28.

potash [ pt], n. potassium carbonate, potassium hydroxide; any of several compounds containing potassium, esp. soluble
compounds, used chiefly in fertilizers

tungsten [ tstn], n. symbol: W. A hard, brittle corrosionresistant gray to white metallic element used in high-temperature
structural materials and electrical elements. Atomic number 74.
zinc [zik], n. symbol:ZN. A bluish-white lustrous metallic
element used to form a wide variety of alloys, including brass,
bronze, and various solders, and in galvanizing iron and other metals. Atomic number 30.

timber [ tlmb], n. trees as a wooden land considered as a

source of wood.

WRITING
Work in groups.

a. Write a Fact File of the USA based on the information from the text.
b. Share your fact files with the other groups and analyze them critically. Take into consideration the fact
file outline and criteria for writing a fact file that you came with in the previous lesson.
c. Put your fact files nicely on paper using drawings, graphs, pictures, etc. and display them in your
school.

105

LISTENING

1
2
3

Look at the following pictures. Tell what they represent and why these places
are important to people in the USA.
Listen to a text about the places in the pictures and tell what interesting information you remembered.
Listen to the text again and answer the questions below:

1. Where was the Liberty bell made?

2. Why is the Liberty Bell called so? What other names did it have?
3. When and where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
4. What is the name of the sculptor who created the Statue of Liberty? Who
helped him?
5. Where did the money for the statue come from?
6. What does the figure of the statue represent? What does it symbolize?
7. Who wrote the poem that was placed on the plaque in the pedestal? When was
it written? What is the message of the poem?
8. What did you learn about the museum at the base of the statue?
Tell what statue is considered symbolic to Moldovan people and explain why.

ADDITIONAL READING
Split in groups and scan the texts below to answer the following questions. Choose one person to represent the group while sharing the answers with your colleagues.

1. What are the national symbols of the USA?

2. Why is the flag of the USA called the Stars and
Stripes? What other names do you know for it?

3. Why was the bald eagle chosen as a national symbol?

4. What is the national motto of the US?
5. What is represented on the Great Seal of the US?

National Symbols
The Flag of the U.S. the Stars and Stripes
June 14 is Flag Day in the USA.
A legend says that Mrs. Betsy Ross made the first Stars
and Stripes in her home in June 1776, at the request of a committee composed of George Washington, Robert Morris, and
George Ross.
A resolution adopted June 14, 1777 read: Resolved; that
the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and
white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.
The horizontal red and white stripes on the flag represent the original thirteen American states. The stars in the
flag - white on a deep blue background - represent the number of the states making up the United States.
Americans treat their flag with respect. There are many
rules for the flag: for example, you should display it only during the day, and you should fold it in a special way. In some
schools there is a flag in each classroom, and children stand in
front of the flag and say the pledge of Allegiance:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America
And to the Republic for which it stands;
One nation, under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

The Great Seal of the U.S.

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed
a committee consisting of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams
and Thomas Jefferson to bring in a device for a seal of the

United States of America. After many delays,

a verbal description of a design was finally
approved by Congress on June 20, 1782. The
seal shows an American bald eagle with a ribbon in its mouth bearing the device E pluribus
unum (One out of many). In its talons are the
arrows of war and an olive branch of peace. On the reverse
side it shows an unfinished pyramid with an eye (the eye of
Providence) above it.

The Bald Eagle

This magnificent bird can be found on many things in
the United States.
Since ancient times, eagles have been a sign of power. It
was decided in 1782 that the bald eagle, which was unique to
North America, be the emblem.
The bald eagle is not really bald. The head of the adult
bird is white, and was called bald by the people from England
who first settled in America. To them, bald meant white or
white-streaked, not hairless!
The bald eagle still serves as the American national bird,
a symbol of the size and strength of the nation.

United States National Motto

In God We Trust, designed as the US National Motto
by Congress in 1956, originated during the Civil War as an
inscription for US coins. It first appeared on some US coins in
1864, disappeared and reappeared on various coins until 1955,
when Congress ordered it placed on all paper money and coins.

106

The Passive Voice

Many verbs may be used to make statements about the same event in two different ways.

Active Voice
Passive Voice

(a) The child (subject) dropped the ball (object).

(b) The ball (original object) was dropped by the child (original subject).

In the passive, the original object of an active

verb becomes the subject of the passive verb: The
child in (a) becomes the subject of the passive verb
in (b). (a) and (b) have the same meaning.
Note: Mainly transitive verbs are used in the
passive voice. The passive voice requires
forms of the verb be as tense auxiliaries.
A transitive verb is a verb that takes an object.

The passive voice is preferred when the doer of

the action is unimportant or unknown. The passive
voice is commonly found in textbooks, in scientific,
technical or business reports, and in newspaper
stories.
e.g. This carpet was made in Moldova.
The matter has already been
investigated.

The by phrase is included only if the writer/

speaker wants to focus attention on the subject of the
sentence, or it is important to know who performs
the action.
e.g. A party in his honour has recently
been given by his friend.
Oliver Twist was written by Charles
Dickens.
Note: With verbs that take indirect objects, either the
direct or the indirect object may be the grammatical
subject of the passive verb.
e.g. He sent them application forms.
They were sent application forms.
Application forms were sent to them.
Form of the passive: be + past participle

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Forms of the Passive Voice

Passive Voice

Present
Simple

persuade, persuades

am
is
are

Past
Simple

persuaded

was
persuaded
were

Future
Simple

shall
persuade
will

shall be persuaded
will

persuading

123

123

persuaded

am
is
are

123

123

Present
am
Continuos
is
(Progressive) are

123

Active Voice

123

Tense

being persuaded

was
being persuaded
were

Present
Perfect

have persuaded
has

have
been persuaded
has

Past Perfect

had

had

Future
Perfect

shall have
will persuaded

123

been persuaded

shall have been persuaded

will
123

123

123

persuaded

123

was
persuading
were
123

Past
Progressive

107

Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice:

1. He didnt clean the room yesterday.

2. I shall send a letter to my friend next Monday.
3. Who wrote this book?
4. We were discussing the text when he entered.
5. They have already chosen the topic of the discussion.
6. When did you receive this information.
7. He must feed his pet every day.
8. My grandfather built this house two years ago.
9. What pets do people keep in their houses?
10. I shall give her all the papers tomorrow.
11. We always help him when he is in trouble.
12. If you dont take me to the station, I will miss
the bus.
13. Will you return the book to Mary tomorrow?
14. We dont usually write articles about music for
the school newspaper.
15. How many friends will you invite to the party?
16. My mother didnt help me write the essay in
English.
17. Do you often help your mother about the
house?

LESSON 4
The Land of Paradise
Wonderful traditions, interesting people, good food, beautiful vineyards this is Moldova.
Jennifer OConnel

DISCUSSION POINTS

Find on the title page of the unit pictures representing Moldova. What kind of information about
the country can you bring based on them?

If you were to go abroad for an exchange

program what would you take from Moldova to
represent our country? Explain why.

Your friend from abroad has come to visit

Moldova. He doesnt know much about the
country and tries to get as much information
as possible by asking diverse questions. Form
pairs. Make up dialogues.

READING AND SPEAKING

Divide into four groups. Each group will choose one part of the Fact File of Moldova to work on it.

a. Read your part. Consult the map of Moldova and find the places mentioned in the fact file.
b. Underline the most important information in your part.
c. Add any other relevant information that you know.
d. Prepare a short presentation and deliver it in front of your classmates.

Fact File of Moldova

I. General data
Official title: Republic of Moldova
Status: Democratic Republic; approved by the
European Council, UN Country
Country Telephone Code: + 373 (Moldova); 22
(Chisinau)
Capital: Chiinu
Independence: 27 August 1991 from the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics
National Holiday: Independence Day, 27 August
State Flag: Tricolor.
Currency: Moldovan Leu (MDL); 1 Moldovan leu
= 100 bani. Coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 bani

II. Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania.

The Republic of Moldova is situated in central
Europe.
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Area: total area: 33,843 square km; land area:

33,371 square km; water: 472 square km. The distance

between the north extreme limit and the south extremity is 350 km, from east to west - 150 km.
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size
of Hawaii
Land boundaries: total 1,389 km; Romania 450 km,
Ukraine 939 km; coastline 0 km.
Relief: gently rolling hilly plain in the north, thick
deciduous forests in the center, numerous ravines and
steppes in the south
Elevation extremes: lowest point Nistru river 2 m,
highest point Mount Blneti 430 m
Main rivers: Nistru and Prut
Climate: moderately continental with hot summers,
warm and long autumns, and relatively mild winters.
The average annual air temperature is +8, +10 C (in
January between -3 to -5 C; in July between +20 to
+25 C). Summers are long, hot and relatively dry, but
winters are short and mild or temperate.
Average annual precipitation: about 400 mm in the
south and 600 mm in the central part and the north
Soil: black (chernozem) soil, rich in humus predominates
Natural resources: lignite, gypsum, dolomite
Flora: remarkably rich. Extremely favourable combination of climate conditions and the soil makes it
possible to obtain rich harvest of cereals, fruits and
vegetables.

108

III. Population and Language

Population: 4,320,748 (2007 estimates)
Languages: The state language is Romanian.
Ukranian, Russian, Gagauz, Bulgarian are also spoken.
Religions: Eastern (Moldovan) Orthodox 98%
Jewish 1.5%, other religions in small numbers
Ethnic divisions: Moldovan/Romanian, Ukrainian,
Russian, Gagauz, Jewish, Bulgarian, etc.
Native population constitutes the majority.
Largest cities/towns: Tiraspol, Balti, and Bender.

IV. Political system

Constitution: approved on September 29, 1994 - the
most significant event of internal policy. Dignity, rights
and liberty of a person, free development of personality, right and political pluralism are the supreme guaranteed values.
Head of State: President of the Republic of Moldova, represents the state and is the guarantee of sovereignty, national independence, unity and territorial
integrity of the country; elected for four years.
Legislative body: Parliament with 101 deputies as its
members. It is the representative of the supreme body

of people and it is the unique legislative authority of the

state. The Parliament is elected for 4 years by general,
equal, direct, secret and free vote
Legal voting age: 18 years of age, universal
Executive body: the Government assures the implementation of internal and external policy of the state
and exercises general management of public administration.
Judicial body: Supreme Court of Justice

deciduous [dl sldus], adj. shedding foliage at the end of the

growing season

ravine [r vi:n], n. a deep, narrow cut in the earths surface,

esp. one worn by water
steppe [step], n. a vast semiarid grass-covered plain

lignite [ llgnalt], n. a low-grade, brownish-black coal

dolomite [ dlmalt], n. a magnesia-rich sedimentary rock

resembling limestone

humus [ hju:ms] n. a brown or black organic substance

consisting of decomposed animal or vegetable matter

dignity [ dlgnti], n. the condition of being worthy or honorable

LISTENING

Look at the following pictures.

Tell any legends you remember connected with them.

Listen to the four legends about Moldova. Stop the tape after
each of them to answer the following questions.

a. Why is Moldova called the land of paradise? What speaks for it?
b. Where does the name Moldova come from?
c. How did the storks save the Moldovans?
d. Why dont Moldovans use sweet basil in food preparation?

109

ADDITIONAL READING

Read the information about the national symbols of Moldova. Tell what makes you proud of
your country.

Answer the following questions.

a. What do the colours on the flag of Moldova represent?

b. What is represented on the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Moldova? What is the significance of each element?

National Symbols
The Flag of Moldova
The state flag of the
Republic of Moldova is
Tricolored. The colours are
arranged vertically in the following order from the flag
pole: blue, yellow, red.
The coat-of-arms is printed on the central yellow
stripe of the Tricolor.
Blue represents the sky and peace
Yellow represents the sun and wheat
Red represents the blood of those who died for this land

The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Moldova

The Coat of Arms consists of a
shield divided horizontally into two parts:
the upper part is red, and the lower part
is blue with an aurochss head showing
between its horns an eight-pointed star.
On its right the aurochss head is flanked
by a five-petal rose, and on its left by a
slightly inclined crescent. All heraldic elements present
on the shield are of golden (yellow) colour. The shield is
laid on the breast of a natural eagle carrying in its beak a
golden cross, in its right claw a green olive-tree branch,
and in its left claw a golden scepter.

The Eagle represents progress.

The Cross represents Christianity.
The Laurel represents eternal victory.
The Scepter represents strength.
The Shield is a symbol of defence for the nation.
The Blue head is a historical symbol representing the
continuance of Moldova as a nation.
The Star represents purity. The Moon and the Sun
represent eternity.

shield [si:ld], n. - an article of protective armor carried on the

forearm; a means of defense; protection
aurochs [:rks], n. a large black European wild ox extinct
since 1627
flanked [flnkt], adj. to be placed or situated at the side of

crescent [ kresnt], n. the figure of the moon in its first quarter,

with concave and convex edges terminating in points; sth shaped
like a crescent

heraldic [he rldlk], adj. of or pertaining to heralds or heraldry

beak [bi:k], n. the horny, projecting mouth parts of a bird
claw [kl:], n. a sharp, often curved nail on the toe of an animal

sceptre [ sept], n. - a staff carried by a sovereign as an emblem

of authority

laurel [ lrl], n. a shrub or tree of the Mediterranean region,

having aromatic evergreen leaves
olive [llv], n. a semitropical fruit, yellow flowers and leathery
leaves

WRITING

Write a poem about Moldova. Choose one or two of the tasks below. Use the Trying Your Hand
at Writing Poems in the Supplement.

a. Compose a couplet or a quatrain about your motherland.

b. Write a Haiku poem to describe the beauty of Moldovan nature and its seasons.
c. Write a cinquain to describe national music or dance.
d. Write a limerick about funny personages of Moldovan fairy tales.
Share the poems with your colleagues and compile a small booklet of those. If possible,
multiply the booklet to share with teachers and other students. Display the best poems in the
school newspaper.

110

Reported Speech
3.a. When the predicate of the Principal Clause
is in the Present Indefinite Tense the predicate of the
Subordinate Clause does not change.
e. g. He says: We have never been to Boston.
Remember:
1. Statements are usually introduced by that, which He says that he has never been to Boston.
b. When the predicate of the Principal Clause is in
may also be omitted.
the
Past
Indefinite Tense the predicate of the Subordinate
e.g. He says: I often keep late hours. He says
Clause
should
be in one of the past tenses, too.
(that) he often keeps late hours.

Indirect Speech is a report of what somebody has

said, which does not reproduce their exact words.

2. a. General questions are introduced by if or

whether.
e. g. Mary asked: Will your sister take the exam,
Kay? Mary asked Kay if her sister would take the exam.
b. Special questions are introduced by interrogative words, such as where, why, when etc.
e.g. She asked: Where does Henry live? She
asked where Henry lived.
c. Imperatives are introduced by the to-Infinitive
or not+to-Infinitive.
e.g. Mother said: Behave yourselves, boys.
Mother told the boys to behave themselves. Mother
said: Dont lose your heart, Jane. Mother advised
Jane not to lose her heart.

The following changes should be remembered:

Present Indefinite(Simple) Past Indefinite
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Past Indefinite Past Perfect
Future Indefinite Future-in-the-Past
Note: a. It is not always necessary to change the verb
when you use reported speech. If you are reporting something and you think it is still true, or you report general truth
or facts, you do not need to change the tense of the verb.
e.g. She said: London is bigger than Cambridge. She
said that London is bigger than Cambridge. He said: The
sun rises in the East. He said that the sun rises in the East.

c. When you report something that took place at

an exact time in the past you do not need to change the
Note: Remember that in reported questions the order of tense of the verb.
e.g. Our teacher said: I went to Great Britain in
words is the same as in statements.
e.g. He asked: Why is she leaving? He wanted to know 1998. Our teacher said that he went to Great Britain
in 1998.
why she was leaving.
Adverbs change as follows:
nowthen, thisthat, thesethose, tomorrowthe
next day, in 10 days10 days later, next daythe next
day; the following day, herethere, recentlynot long
before, todaythat day, last the previous, yesterday
the day before, agobefore

4. If you say who you are talking to, you should

use tell. Otherwise you use say. If you dont say who
he/she/they told, you have to use talk or speak.
e.g. They told us about their daughter. They said
(that) their daughter had left for France. They talked
(spoke) about their trip to Oxford.

APPLYING THE KEY SKILLS

Change the following sentences into Reported
Speech.

1. Do you want me to read to you, I asked.

2. All boys like candy, she said. Eat this candy.
Ill bring you some more.
3. Please, she said, what does the telegram
say? Will you read it to me?
4. Ann, whats the time? My watch has stopped.
she added.
5. When I am in the country, he replied, I
never wish to leave it; and when I am in town it
is pretty much the same. (Jane Austen)
6. You must not be too severe upon yourself,

replied Elizabeth. (Jane Austen)

7. Do you suppose them to be in London?
Yes; where else can they be so well concealed?,
she said. (Jane Austen)
8. Youd better keep him interested, said I, till we
get the scheme going loosen up.
9. I am sorry. Whats the matter?, he asked.
I havent been sleeping very well the last two or
three nights, she said calmly. (S. Maugham)
10. Try not to be too late, she said to Julia.
Its going to be a heavenly party.
Ill come as soon as ever I can. (S. Maugham)

111

LESSON 5
Literary Focus*
Believe It or Not!
We make our own fortunes and we call them fate.

DISCUSSION POINTS

1
2
3
4
5

Disraeli

Look at the pictures. What do they have in common?

What is divination or fortune telling? Are such practices as astrology, palm reading, tarot cards, mediums

and ouija [ wl:j] boards popular today? Why or why

not?
What kind of people and when do such people usually
turn to fortune-tellers, and why?
Do you believe in the prophecies of fortune-tellers?
Why or why not? Do they really help people to seek
out ways of overcoming lifes problems? How?
Recall any cases (from real life, literature, etc) when crooks fooled
trustful people. Share them with your classmates.

READING

Work in two groups.

Work individually. Match each verb to a noun to

form correct word partnerships.

Group 1. Scan the text to find as much information as possible to be able to answer the questions addressed by group 2.
Group 2. Write down as many questions as you manage in order to learn about the most relevant facts you
are interested in, by asking group 1.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

to read
to get
to do
to shake
to hurt
to tell
to shudder at
to cash
to receive
to call up

a. a revelation
b. a check
c. ones horoscope
d. an interview
e. the spirits
f. ones fortune
g. prophecy
h. the thought of
i. ones feelings
g. ones head

Read the text. As you read:

Read the text again and try to guess what sensational arrest the man from the Evening Times
wanted to know about. What makes you think so?

tick the correct word partnerships;

correct those that are wrong;
find out :
a. whether Mrs. Easy was superstitious.
b. how Mr. Easy reacted to Mr. Yahis prophecies.
c. how much money Mrs. Easys ransom was worth.

Mrs. Easy Has Her Fortune Told

Mrs.Easy upon entering her apartment finds a friend
waiting for her.
Oh, my dear Mary, Im so sorry, Im just exhausted.
Ive just had such an exciting experience! Im just done
out, I must tell you all about it. Ive just come from having my fortune told, at least I dont mean that, I mean
having my horoscope read. You must excuse my being so
breathless, Im not really breathless, its just the excite-

Stephen Leacock

ment. My dear Mary, I must say it, I cant keep it to myself - Im going to be kidnapped! Yes, kidnapped, now, at
any minute, right here!
Did Mrs. Brown say that was my fortune? Oh,
goodness, no! I dont mean I went to old Mrs. Brown,
or anybody of that class - shes all right, of course, Mrs.
Brown, Ive often been to her and shes a dear old soul.
I must have gone to her nearly once a week last winter.

* This lesson is optional.

112

But she never says anything, and even what she says is
so ordinary, dont you know. She prophesied that Henry
would live to ninety. Thats all right. I hope he does,
Im sure, and Henrys good as husbands go anyway. But
ninety! And after all thats not the kind of thing you
pay to hear. Of course, she did prophesy that wed go
to Bermuda at Easter. But that had been in the paper
anyway.
But this fortune-teller is utterly different. Hes not
just a fortune-teller. Hes a Yogi soothsayer-its different, hes Mr. Yahi-Bahi, it means a Hindu, only higher
up. You see, I know all about India because Henry and
I were on a round-the-world cruise and we had a whole
day in Bombay, and there was a Chinese gentleman on
board with us, a Mr. O-Hoo, and hed been at Harvard
for four months and he told us all about the Hindu religion and why it is so far ahead of Christianity.
And Mr.Yahi-Bahis caste is on the top of all.
Would you believe? Before he came here he sat on the
top of a post for a month - with just a loin cloth on - and
just meditated. So then he came here and began casting horoscopes - thats what its called - and Mary! Such
wonderful results! Do you know that he told Mrs. Faith
that something dark was hanging over her - and that
very month her chauffer left her; and he told Mrs. Gull
that there was a fate over her youngest son, the one at
college: and there was. He was sent home for drinking
at the end of the term.
Oh, hes just wonderful. And my dear! No money!
He scorns it! You can offer it if you like just as a courtesy, but he just quietly refuses. Money, to him, is just
dirt. You see his expenses are nothing; contemplation
doesnt cost anything.
So its very hard to get an interview. Why, my dear, I
had to wait for ever so long. You see, I couldnt have my
fortune told - only it is not really called that, its receiving
a revelation - I couldnt receive a revelation till I was fit
to receive it - thats part of the method.
So I had to qualify by contemplation: I had to
send in ten dollars (not to Mr. Yahi-Bahi, to Mr. Ram
Spudd, his assistant) and then contemplate for a week.
At first, it was awfully hard. I dont mean the ten dollars, that was easy, but to contemplate. You see, you
have to think of nothing. I managed to learn fairly well,
and at the end of the week I got a message, a thought
message ( it was sent by post) to tell me to send ten dollars again and keep on contemplating. So I knew I had
succeeded
After contemplating like that for four weeks I went
to see Mr. Yahi-Bahi himself for the first time. I asked
his assistant if I could see Mr. Yahi-Bahi and he said he
was in meditation, and mustnt be disturbed. I laid down

Commentary
Bermuda Isles, Bermudas a group of islands in the Atlantic

Yogi [ jugl] one who practices Yoga, a system of meditation,

exercises (India)

Parsee [ p: sl:] a member of a Sun-worshipping sect in India

Isis [ alsls] the Egyptian goddess of fertility

Osiris [u salrls] the chief god of ancient Egypt

ten dollars on a little side table - just unobtrusively, so

as not to insult him. Mr. Spudd, the assistant, waved his
hand and the ten dollars had gone! My dear, he has deastralized it! I saw myself. One minute it was there! and
the next gone!
So I came like that three more times and each time
Mr. Yahi-Bahi was meditating. I laid ten dollars on the
table and each time it was de-astralized! Then I got
afraid it was bad taste and might hurt his feelings so
the next day I didnt put any money down - and perhaps
the shock you see its all subtle - the shock woke up
Mr. Yahi out of his meditation and he said he would see
me. He was such a strange-looking man, so tall and yet
he wasnt really tall, I suppose it was his long gown, and
his eyes, so deep, like pools of molasses! He took my
hand between his, looked into my eyes and said -You
have a soul!, and then he said - Dark things are impending over you, and I said, What are they? But he
just shook his head and was gone. I had just closed my
eyes and he vanished!
Once, when I went to him, he called up the spirits
of Napoleon, and I talked to Napoleon, behind the curtain, and he asked me so queer questions; if I had an
extra key of my apartment, and he said to leave it with
Mr. Yahi. So I did, but I dont want Napoleon coming
over at night. I said to Mr. Yahi Id have an extra lock
put on and just imagine, my dear, the spirit of Joan
of Arc warned me not to. I think that if Mr. Yahi gives
the key to Napoleon he will let me know.
Two days ago I got a revelation from Mr. Yahi. He
said something terrible is going to happen to Henry and

113

prophecy [ prflsl], n, foretelling future events

prophesy [ prflsal], v, to tell what will happen

utterly [ tll], adv, completely, totally, absolutely

cruise [kru:z], n, journey or travel from place to place

courtesy [ k:tlsl], n, a polite or thoughtful act

molasses [m lslz], n, a sweet, brown syrup obtained in

the process of making sugar

loincloth [ llnkl], n, a piece of cloth worn around the

body at the hips

impend [lm pend], v, to be likely to happen soon

he must leave town at once, and take nothing with him

of any value. I called Henry up on the phone as soon as
I got home and said, Mr. Yahi says the sand is low in
your glass and Henry said, I fell down badly in the water-hole and I said, Henry, youve got to get under the
protection of Osiris, and he said, Whats wrong with
the police? You know that mocking way Henry is.
But when he came home I told him about Napoleon having our key. I thought he was jealous.
That was yesterday and today I went round again
and Mr. Yahi was there - he was not meditating - and
told me my horoscope. He said Im going to lose Henry
- Im just shuddering at the thought of it.
Mr. Yahi said that Im in hourly danger of being
kidnapped! Yes, kidnapped! and held for ransom! I
asked him how much and he said he would try to find
and he looked into a crystal ball, all dark and shining looked and said the figures were there but were hard
to read and asked how much would I pay, and I said it
would depend on Henry and Mr. Yahi shook his head
and said the figures looked like a hundred thousand

to him. I said I was glad it wasnt more; and he looked

again and said he believed it was a hundred and fifty
thousand, and added, Isis guard you! I asked what I
would do, and he said I should pack everything I had of
value and leave it here, with the secret mark to guard it.
He said, put the mark on anything valuable, like jewels,
and if I decided for a reason to leave it, mark plainly
RANSOM. Then he said I should leave town and take
nothing with me. You see, he explained to me that protection in the Yogi doctrine is only for the week - and
I must leave behind even all my money. He said Osiris
would
Is that some one at the door dont take the chain
off it, Martha. A young man from the Evening Times,
you say, about the sensational arrest? I dont know
about the sensational arrest shut him out, Martha.
But my goodness, sensational arrest, does that mean
that the kidnappers are caught already? Isnt Osiris
wonderful - just think of divining what they were going
to do before they did it! Well, thank goodnessTheres
the telephone again, Martha

LISTENING

Listen to the ending of the text. Check how accurate the predictions you made about the sensational arrest were. Have you thought about the two magicians? What reasons did you have for thinking so?

Listen again and try to remember the context the following words are used in: Bengalee, crooks,
sheep, soul, hen, Irish, laughing.

3
4

Comment on the ending and on Mrs.Easys mood.

Find in the text words that mean the same as:

very tired
ones lot or fortune
usual; according to habit or custom
person who claims to foretell the future
disclosure of divine truth
to disappear, especially suddenly
not usual or normal
real worth
what is taught as true

6. Let this notice be a to you to be more careful.

(warn)
7. Try to take a decision if you want to succeed.
(reason)
8. I called them but nobody picked up the receiver. (repeat)

Fill in the gaps with words formed from those in

parentheses.

She is to have got a scholarship. (fortune)

The exam period is the most one. (exhaust)
She loves her parents . (dear)
When we told him about making compromises
he looked at us and left without saying a word.
(scorn)
5. Keep away from using words; they wont bear
it any more. (hurt)
1.
2.
3.
4.

114

Fill in the word form chart and give examples

of collocations or idioms with any of the words
from each group.

noun
breath

verb

adjective

adverb

to mean
prophetic
hopefully
belief
to succeed
dependable
riskily

3. The Olympians masons, (gigantic one-eyed Cyclopes), had built the great walls on much the
same plan as royal palaces on earth.
4. Opposite Poseidon sat his sister Demeter, goddess of all useful fruits, grasses, and grains.
5. When a child, he was a rover: he was fond of
wandering over the fields and woods in the neighbourhood.
6. A counsellor, the teacher explained, is a person
who gives advice, an instructor or leader in a
summer camp.
7. New York, called the metropolis of the United
States, is the most important city of this country.
8. In a few minutes they will be driving back to civilization to Paris.

Very often authors use definitions or any other

signals, such as: is called, means, refers to, is, Mr.
X. defines, is defined as, as well as punctuation
(colon [:], semi-colon [;], dash [-], parentheses ( ),
to help the readers understand words and their
meanings, without looking them up in a dictionary. These signals also help readers to better
understand what the writer really meant.

E.g. Hes a Yogi soothsayer - its different; hes

Mr.Yahi-Bahi, it means a Hindu, only higher up.

a. Explain the way the authors used such signals in the sentences below and how they help
the reader.

1. Ive just come from having my fortune told, at

least I dont mean that, I mean having my horoscope read.
2. But she never says anything, that is, what she says
is so ordinary.

b. Find in the text sentences containing signals

that provide definitions and comment on them.

SPEAKING
1. Do you think the title fits the story? What information is carried by the title? Think of your own title to
the story. Explain your choice.
2. What form of narration prevails in the story? What is
the relation between the narrator and the other characters? How are the beginning and the ending of the
text related? Does the plot of the story include all the
stages of development?
3. What is the mood prevalent in the story? What is the
authors purpose in writing the story? Does the author make any critical remarks on the way the characters act? Does he make any conclusions? What is
characteristic of Stephen Leacocks writings? (make
reference to The Reading Public also).
4. Bring evidence from the text to show that Mrs. Easy
was superstitious. Was she a clever person? What

proves her ignorance?

5. What did Mr. Easy think about fortune-telling? How
did he treat his wife and why? What shows that he
had a sense of humour?
6. What proves that Mr. Easy was more clever than his
wife? Do you think he ever lost his patience while
talking to his wife? Why did he listen so attentively to
his wifes story about Napoleon?
7. What would the two magicians have done if they
hadnt been arrested?
8. What is your overall attitude towards the characters?
What does each of them symbolize?
9. Is the topic worth being discussed? Why or why not?
10. What conclusions should be drawn and remembered?
Apply Your Knowledge

LITERARY FOCUS
Style is the particular way in which a piece of literature is written. Style is not what is said but how it is
said. Many elements contribute to style, including word
choice, tone, sentence length, figurative language and
point of view.
Sarcasm is the use of language to hurt, wound,
ridicule, taunt.

Choose a paragraph from the story whose style you found

interesting. Discuss with your classmates how the author used
some of the elements that contribute to the style of the story.
The author is sarcastic about Mrs. Easy. Comment on the
way he expresses his sarcasm.

WRITING
Prepare and deliver a speech in class on one of the following tasks.

1. Write a one-day astrological horoscope for all the signs of the zodiac. It may be either serious or comic, written either in prose or in verse.
2. People always ask themselves questions that intrigue them, like: Why? What if? I wonder? Ask yourself
some of these questions and then search for information to find answers to them.
3. Write a persuasive speech on the topic: Fortune-telling / palm-reading/mediums, etc. is a good/a bad thing.

115

LESSON 6
More English?
1

Read the passage below and explain why it is important to know about the differences between British and American English.

Compare the opinions of different people about the two variants of the English language. Are
they contradictory or alike? What is the main idea of each quotation?

British English and American English

Each intelligent person should be aware of the differences in the British and American English in order
to make correct use of those. Which dialect to choose
is the matter that can be decided by each individual
h Dictionarys words are
Most of the Oxford Englis
eths;
y as they are Queen Elizab
just as much my vocabular
es
enc
ently, but... these differ
we speak them a bit differ
n
tha
ubling, more interesting
are more amusing than tro
inconvenient.
Kenneth G. Wilson, 1986

depending on whom he is speaking to - an American

or Englishman.
Find below opinions about the differences of
British and American English.
ver been so
sh have ne
li
g
n
ant
E
f
o
the domin
arieties
d
v
n
a
o
,
tw
d
e
e
in
h
T
that
imag
learly been
c
ople have
e
s
a
p
h
s
,
a
w
t
o
n
differe
decades n
ilarity.
for several
and
greater sim
n
tendency,
e
v
e
d
arckwardt
n
a
.M
e
H
c
n
rt
e
e
rg
lb
e
A
964
of conv
h Quirk, 1
Sir Randolp

faintThe English used in the United States and that used in England are so overwhelmThere is not the
ingly alike that such differences as do exist hardly justify anyone in advancing a claim of
ere ever
est chance of th
superior excellence for either the so-called American language or the English language.
n language
being an America
The really surprising thing about the English of England and that of the United States is
ish.
as apart from Engl
ock, 1943
not that they differ slightly, but that their difference is as slight as it is.
ac
Le
n
he
Step
Mitford M.Mathews, 1931.

Read the following extract from Rudyard Kiplings poem. Explain its meaning.

We and They
Rudyard Kipling

Father, Mother, and Me,

Sister and Auntie say
All the people like us are We
And everyone else is They.
And They live over the sea
While we live over the way,
But would you believe it? - They look upon We
As only a sort of They!

All good people agree,

And all good people say,
All nice people, like us, are We
And everyone else is They:
But if you cross over the sea,
Instead of over the way,
You may end by (think of it!) looking on We
As only a sort of They!

Work in groups.

a. Choose a topic out of the ones that you have discussed in this unit to prepare and deliver a
presentation in English for younger students.
b. The presentation should include at least three items out of the following: useful advice, a skit,
a game, a story, a comical drawing.
c. Prepare visual aids to help you with the presentation.
Discuss what youve learned as a result of this activity.

116

Match the following nouns with their definitions. Find the words in the Info Box and translate the sentences in which they occur. Form your own sentences or word-combinations with each of the words.

1. record
2. couplet
3. manuscript
4. epic
5. extract
6. tale
7. edition
8. line

a. a passage selected from a poem, book, piece of music, etc.

b. two lines of verse of equal length one after the other
c. a row of words on a page of writing or in print
d. a document that is written by hand, not typed or printed; an authors work when it is not yet a
printed book
e. a story, often that is simple to read or understand
f. a long poem about the deeds of great men and women, or about a nations past history
g. the total number of copies of a book, newspaper, etc. issued at one time
h. permanent account, esp. in a document or computer, of facts, events, etc.

Read the Info Box. Try to recognize Old English

and Middle English words in the passages given
as examples, and provide their Modern English
equivalents. How much can you understand out
of these passages?

How much do you think English will change in

100-200 years? Try to guess what might influence this change.

Read the following passage. Explain what in

your opinion makes it funny.

LEARN ENGLISH WITH A SMILE

Old English Period
The earliest Old English records date back
from about the year 650. Most surviving Old
English manuscripts, however, are from the
tenth and eleven centuries, including the single
surviving manuscript of the epic poem Beowulf.
The English of these times is much different
from that of today. The extract below is taken
from records of English written documents of
old times. The first lines of the Lords Prayer
as written in the southwest of England about
the year 1000 says: Faeder ure, thu the eart on
heofenum, si thin nama gehalgod...
Midlle English Period
Chaucer wrote during the Middle English
period and died in the year 1400, the English is
much more easily recognizable as the language
we speak today. See below the famous opening
couplet of Chaucers Canterbury Tales:
What that Aprille with his shoures sote,
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the
rote.
Shakespeare, like Chaucer, wrote in the
London dialect of English, so did other writers
of his time. It is important to realize that more
current editions of Shakespeare do not keep the
original spellings. Here is a famous line from
Hamlet as found in an edition printed in 1604
(the second Quarto edition: O that this too too
sallied flesh would melt

European Commission News

The European Commission has just announced an
agreement whereby English will be the official language of the
European Union (rather than German, the other candidate language).
As part of the negotiations Her Majestys government conceded that
English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a
five year phase-in plan that would be known as Euro-English.
In the first year the soft c will be replaced by an s. Sertainly,
this will make some sivil servants jump with joy. The hard c will then
be dropped in favour of the k. This should klear up konfusion and
keyboards kan have one letter less.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when
the troublesome ph will be replaced by the f. This will make words
like fotograf shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be
expekted to reach the taget where more komplikated changes are
possible. Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters,
which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also al wil agre
that the trouble of the silent e in the languag is disgrasful and it
should go away...
By the 4th yar peopl wil be replasing th with z and w with
v.
During ze fifz yar unesesary o can be droped from vords kontaining ou, and similar changes vud of korz be aplid to ozer kombinations
of leters.
After zis fifz yar ve vill hav a reli sensible riten styl. Zer vil be no
mor trubl or dificultis and evri vun vil find it esi tu onderstnd ech ozer.
Ze drem vil finaly kum tru.

117

10 Change the following sentences to passive forms. Be sure to use the same tense
as in the original sentence.

1. He has made only a few mistakes in his dictation.

2. They are investigating the case right now.
3. The fire has entirely destroyed the house.
4. His parents permit him to do whatever he
pleases.
5. Well have finished all the work by the time you
come home.

6. Several aspects of this subject require further discussion.

7. We have to fill out these forms.
8. She has already made the reservations.
9. I hope I didnt offend you.
10. While she was cleaning the attic she found some
letters addressed to her granny.

13 Give the two possible ways of restating the

11 In the following sentences containing passive

verbs without agents, use the verb form required by the time expression.

following sentences in the Passive Voice. Do

not change the tense, and do not include the
agent unless it is necessary for the meaning.

1. Most of the work (complete) before they left for

the seaside.
2. Their house (paint) when a fire broke out.
3. A new law (vote) in the Parliament right now.
4. The children (already, take) to their granny.
5. The crystal egg (lose) and nothing (hear) about
it since that time.
6. His behaviour (discuss) when his parents (invite)
to come to school.
7. The saplings they brought yesterday (plant) right
now in the school garden.
8. A delicious dinner (prepare) by the time they arrive.
9. The patient (must, take) to the hospital and his
relatives (should, inform) about the accident.

12 Use any of the given words and phrases to in-

troduce it: to explain, to inquire, to ask, to reply, to

add, to exclaim, to remark, to interrupt, to prompt, to
repeat, to point out, to retort.

1. She gave the letter to Johnny to copy it.

2. We have mailed them the answer today.
3. My mother will buy me some warm clothes for
winter.
4. The bank had lent us the money we needed.
5. A local firm offers her a good job.
6. My bank is sending me a huge credit card bill.
7. Somebody sent us a very mysterious package.
Shall I open it?
8. Karen mailed a check to the bank.
9. The doctor explained the problem to the patient.
10. She has never told us about her misfortunes.
11. The hotel is furnishing him everything he needs.

14 Change the sentences into Indirect Speech. Use

1. Never mind who I was talking to.

2. I am looking for my friend, I dont know where
he is. He was here at 11 oclock.
3. She has been informed there werent any strangers in the hotel.
4. I tell you, I have never met this person, its a
mistake, I think.
5. When we find him, well all have a good laugh
together.
6. Why is he in such a hurry to leave?
7. When can you take up your duties, Doctor
Manson?
8. Its your duty to help us. Its a game, but a
damned important one for all of us.
9. Has she deserved that you should treat her like
this?
10. How is she going to live? Dont you care for
her any more?
11. John Wesleys Chapel was built in 1778.
12. What do you want with me?
13. Ill always come to see you in the evening,
Frank.

118

the words given in brackets.

1. I must say it, I cant keep it to myself. (to cry out)

2. Martha, put the chain back on the door. (to
insist)
3. Wait till I ring and tell Martha to make a cocktail.
(to ask)
4. Martha, is the chain on the door? Dont open it
for anyone. (to inquire, to order)
5. I do hope, I havent kept you waiting long. (to
explain)
6. Mrs. Brown never says anything and even what
she says is so ordinary. (to remark, to continue)
7. Thats not the kind of thing you pay to hear. (to
point out)
8. You must excuse my being so brainless, Im
not really brainless, its just the excitement. (to
remark)
9. Oh, thank you, Martha, put them down here
beside the others. (to tell)
10. Is that some one at the door? dont take the
chain off it, gracious dont let any one in,
Martha. (to be anxious to know, to implore)
11. Ive just had such an exciting experience. (to
explain)
12. Royal Festival Hall was built for the 1951
Festival of Britain. (to add)

SUPPLEMENT
HOLIDAYS AND CUSTOMS
PHONETIC SUPPORT
READING GUIDE
TRYING YOUR HAND
AT WRITING POEMS
TAPE SCRIPTS
METRIC SYSTEM
LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS

Holidays and Customs

The word holiday literally means holy day. It is synonymous with celebration.
Most public holidays in the United Kingdom are also
known as Bank Holidays. People do not go to work, but on
many of these days, shops stay open.
In the strict sense, there are no national holidays in the
United States. Each of the 50 states has jurisdiction over

its holidays. In practice, however, most states observe the

federal (legal) public holidays, even though the President
and Congress can legally designate holidays only for federal
government employees.
People in Moldova celebrate both public and religious
holidays.

August
AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY
LAST MONDAY IN AUGUST
On the Bank Holiday in the UK, the towns folk usually flock into the country and to the
coast. If the weather is fine, many families take a picnic-lunch or tea with them and enjoy
their meal in the open. Great amusement parks do a roaring trade with their scenic railways,
shooting galleries, water-shoots, Crazy Houses, Haunted Houses, and so on. Trippers will wear
comic paper hats with slogans such as: Kiss Me Quick and they will eat and drink the weirdest mixture of stuff you can imagine. Bank Holiday is also an occasion for big sports meetings,
mainly all kinds of athletics. There are also horse race meetings all over the country.

INDEPENDENCE DAY
AUGUST 27
August 27 is a holiday to celebrate the anniversary of Moldovas independence from the former Soviet
Union. When Perestroika started many of the former
Soviet Republics declared themselves independent. The
Independence of Moldova was declared on August 27 in

1991 as a result of the struggle for independence of the progressive movements of the Republic. Moldova took a new
democratic way in its development.
On Independence Day many concerts, meetings and literary activities are held in the parks and throughout the towns
celebrations are organized.

LANGUAGE DAY
AUGUST 31
This is a special day to celebrate the return to the Latin
alphabet for the Romanian language on August 31, 1989.
Celebrations are held throughout the country. There are

many literary activities in which many writers, poets, and

government officials take part. This day is also considered an
official holiday.

This day has been a federal holiday since 1894. Its purpose
is to honour the nations working people. In many cities the
day is marked by parades of working people representing the
labour unions. For most Americans, it also marks the end of
the summer season, during which most of them take vacations - although vacations can be taken at other times of the

September
LABOUR DAY
FIRST MONDAY IN SEPTEMBER
year. Public schools and other schools below the college level
open just before or after Labour Day.

October
COLUMBUS DAY
SECOND MONDAY IN OCTOBER
This day commemorates the landing in the New World on October 12,
1492 of the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus. President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed every October 12 as Columbus Day. Since 1971, it has been celebrated on the
second Monday in October. The major celebration takes place in New York City, which
holds a huge parade each year.

120

HALLOWEEN
OCTOBER 31
Halloween means holy evening and takes place on October 31st.
At parties, people dress up in strange costumes and pretend they are witches or ghosts. They
cut horrible faces in pumpkins and put a candle inside, which shines through their eyes. People
play different games such as trying to take an apple from a bucket of water using their mouth
only.
Children dressed in white sheets knock on doors at Halloween and ask if you would like a trick
or treat. If you give them something nice, a treat, they go away. However, if you dont, they play a
trick on you, such as making a lot of noise or spilling flour on your front doorstep.

November
VETERANS DAY
NOVEMBER 11
This holiday was originally called Armistice Day and was established to honour
those Americans who had served in the World War I. It falls on November 11, the day on
which that war ended in 1918. Nowadays it honours veterans of all the wars in which the
United States has been involved. Organizations of war veterans hold parades or other special ceremonies. The President or other high official places a wreath on the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, D. C. There are
soldiers buried there from each war the United States has fought in since World War I.

THANKSGIVING
FOURTH THURSDAY IN NOVEMBER
The American Thanksgiving holiday began as a feast of thanksgiving in the
early days of the American colonies almost 400 years ago when the Indians taught
the pilgrims how to grow crops, hunt and fish, in other words, helped them survive.
Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and sharing. Even if they live far away, family members
gather for a reunion. All give thanks for the good things that they have.
Thanksgiving traditional menu includes stuffed roast turkey, sweet potatoes, white mashed
potatoes, creamed corn, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce.
Many people attend religious services on Thanksgiving Day. Civic groups and charitable
organizations offer a traditional meal to those in need, particularly the homeless.
Each year, Macys, the largest store in the world, organizes the Thanksgiving Day parade in
New York City.

GUY FAWKES NIGHT

NOVEMBER 5
In 1605, King James I was on the throne. As
a Protestant, he was very unpopular with Roman Catholics.
Some of them planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament
on November 5 of that year, when the King was going to
open Parliament. Under the House of Lords they stored
thirty-six barrels of gunpowder, which were to be exploded
by a man called Guy Fawkes. However, one of the plotters
Remembrance Day is observed throughout Britain in
commemoration of the million or more British soldiers,
sailors and airmen who lost their lives during the two World
Wars. On that day special services are held in the churches
and wreaths are laid at war memorials throughout the
country and at Londons Cenotaph. The two-minute silence
begins at the first strike of Big Ben booming 11 oclock, and
is broken only by the crash of distant artillery and perhaps
by the murmur of a passing jet. When the two-minute
silence is over, members of the Royal Family or their
representatives and political leaders come forward to lay

spoke about these plans and Fawkes was discovered, arrested and later hanged. Since that day, the English traditionally
celebrate the 5th of November by burning a dummy, made
of straw and old clothes, on a bonfire, at the same time letting off fireworks. This dummy is called a guy (like Guy
Fawkes) and children can often be seen on the pavements
before November 5 saying, Penny for the guy. If they collect enough money they can buy some fireworks.

REMEMBRANCE DAY (POPPY DAY)

SUNDAY NEAREST NOVEMBER 11
wreaths at the foot of the Cenotaph. Then comes
the march past the memorial of ex-servicemen and women, followed by an endless line of ordinary citizens who have come
here with their personal wreaths and their sad memories.
On that day, artificial poppies, a symbol of mourning, are traditionally sold in the streets everywhere, and people wear them
in their buttonholes. The money collected in this way is later
used to help the men who had been crippled during the war
and their dependants.

121

December
CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 25
It seems that nearly every family in the USA
has its own unique Christmas observances.
Many people are especially proud of Christmas traditions
brought to the United States from their countries of origin.
The wonderful diversity of foods, music and songs, prayers
and stories all make Christmas the holiday of holidays in
the United States. Some family members go to choose a
Christmas tree to buy and bring home. Others decorate the
house, or wrap presents. And of course, each household
needs to make lots of food! The Christmas table looks much
like a Thanksgiving feast of turkey and ham, potatoes and
pie. No Christmas is complete without lots of desserts.
On Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, there are religious ceremonies at churches attended by families. Special
Christmas songs, or carols, are sung and heard all during the
holiday season.

Charity actions are

organized. Members of
organizations such as the
Salvation Army dress
up as Santa Claus and
stand on the sidewalks outside stores to collect money for
their own soup kitchens. People contribute new or used toys
for children in hospitals and orphanages. Employees give a
small part of their pay-checks as a donation to a favourite
charity. Such groups and organizations try to emphasize the
true message of Christmas to share what you have with
others.
American children believe that Santa Claus lives at the
North Pole with his wife. On December 24, Christmas Eve,
Santa hitches his eight reindeer to a sleigh, and he delivers
presents to children all around the world, that is, if they had
been good all year.

CHRISTMAS
For most British families, Christmas is the most important
festival of the year.
On the Sunday before Christmas in the United Kingdom
many churches hold a carol service where special hymns are
sung. Sometimes carol-singers can be heard on the streets
as they collect money for charity. People are reminded of
Charles Dickens story Christmas Carol. Most families decorate their houses with brightly-coloured paper or holly, and
they usually have a Christmas tree in the corner of the front
room, glittering with coloured lights and decorations.
There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but
perhaps the most important one is the giving of presents.

BOXING DAY
DECEMBER 26
The 26th of December is also a public holiday
in the UK, Boxing Day, and this is the time to
visit friends and relatives or watch football.
In the country there are usually Boxing Day Meets (fox-

DECEMBER 25
Children leave a long sock or stocking at the end of their
beds on Christmas Eve, December 24, hoping that Father
Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and
bring them small presents, fruit and nuts. They are usually
not disappointed! At some time on Christmas Day the family will sit down to a big turkey dinner followed by Christmas
pudding.
Later in the afternoon they may watch the Queen on television as she delivers her traditional Christmas message to
the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
hunting). In the big cities and towns tradition on that day
demands a visit to the pantomime where once again one is
entertained by the story of Cinderella, Puss in Boots or whoever it may be the story being protracted and elaborated
into as many spectacular scenes as the producer thinks one
can take at a sit.

CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 25 BY NEW CALENDAR,
JANUARY 7 BY OLD CALENDAR
Catholic and Protestant churches celebrate Christmas on
December 25 and Orthodox churches celebrate it on January 7,
in accordance with the old calendar. There is still very little
commercialization in Moldova. Usually families have dinner
together and go to church. Children and sometimes adults go
from house to house and sing carols (colinde). Hosts give them
candies and money.
Charity donations for those in need are also organized.
At schools concerts and parties to celebrate Christmas and the
New Year are organized. The long school winter vacation starts
before December 25.

122

New Years Eve is a more important festival in Scotland

than it is in England, and it even has a special name. It is
not clear where the word Hogmanay comes from, but it
is connected with the provision of food and drink for all
visitors to your home on December 31.
At midnight on December 31 people celebrate the coming of the New Year, by holding hands in a large circle
and singing the old song Auld Lang Syne by the Scotlands
most famous poet Robert Burns.
It was believed that the first person to visit ones
house on New Years Day could bring good or bad luck.

HOGMANAY AND FIRST FOOTING

DECEMBER 31
Therefore, people tried to arrange for the person of their own
choice to be standing outside their houses ready to be let in the
moment midnight had come. Usually a dark-complexioned man
was chosen, and never a woman, for she would bring bad luck.
The first footer was required to carry three articles: a piece of
coal to wish warmth, a piece of bread to wish food, and a silver
coin to wish wealth. In some parts of northern England this
pleasing custom is still observed.

NEW YEARS EVE

DECEMBER 31 BY NEW CALENDAR, JANUARY 13 BY OLD CALENDAR
there by Mo Crciun.
The children take their bells and go with the Pluguorul
(plough) to express wishes for the New Year. It is customary
to give them treats such as candy, cookies or money.

On the 31st of December people celebrate New Years

Eve. Children, young people and adults decorate fir trees,
prepare costumes, masks, and of course, delicious meals.
Families and friends get together to celebrate at midnight
with champagne, wine and many toasts. Children are given
presents, more often they find them under the New Year
tree on the morning of January 1st; they believe it was left

January
NEW YEARS DAY
JANUARY 1 BY NEW CALENDAR, JANUARY 14 BY OLD CALENDAR
The first of January (14 of January old style) is the beginning of the New Year. In the morning children gather seeds,
go to the homes of relatives or friends and then throw the
seeds into the house while reciting special words and poems
In the United States the legal holiday is January 1, but
Americans begin celebrating on December 31. Sometimes
people have masquerade balls, where guests dress up in costumes and cover their faces with masks. According to an old
tradition, guests unmask at midnight.
Most of the television channels show Times Square in the
heart of New York City. At one minute before midnight,
a lighted ball drops slowly from the top to the bottom of a
pole on one of the buildings. People count down at the same
time as the ball drops. When it reaches the bottom, the New
Year sign is lighted. People hug and kiss, and wish each
other Happy New Year!

wishing a good New Year to the hosts. This practice is called

the sowing (semnatul). The children are then given treats,
cookies, candy, money, or other small gifts. Relatives and
friends visit each other or stay home and watch television.

NEW YEARS DAY

JANUARY 1
Many families and friends watch television together enjoying the Tournament of Roses parade preceding the Rose
Bowl football game in Pasadena, California. Today the
parade is usually more than five miles long with thousands
of participants. City officials ride in the cars pulling the floats.
A celebrity is chosen to be the grand marshal, or official master of ceremonies, the queen of the tournament rides on a
special float which is always the most elaborate one of the
parade, being made from more than 250,000 flowers.

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

THIRD MONDAY IN JANUARY
Martin Luther King was a black
clergyman who is ranked among the
greatest of black Americans because
of his crusade during the 1950s and
1960s to win full civil rights for his
people. In 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated while
he was leading a workers strike in Memphis, Tennessee.
Martin Luther Kings death did not slow the Civil Rights
Movement. Black and white people continued to fight for

freedom and equality.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan declared the third
Monday in January a federal legal holiday commemorating
Dr. Martin Luther Kings birthday. Schools, offices and federal agencies are closed for the holiday. On Monday there
are quiet memorial services as well as elaborate ceremonies
in honour of Dr. King. All weekend, popular radio stations
play songs and speeches that tell the history of the Civil
Rights Movement.

123

February
VALENTINES DAY
FEBRUARY 14
St Valentine was a priest who
lived in Rome and died for his faith in AD 170. His feast
happens to fall on February 14th the traditional day for
lovers. But this is mere coincidence. He was not noted for
helping lovers in distress and was not therefore the true
patron saint of lovers.
There was in early times a strong belief that on this day,
birds choose their mates. To some extent this might explain
why lovebirds seem to be such popular motifs on Valentines
cards. There used to be a custom in England on St.
Valentines Day, mentioned by Chaucer and Shakespeare:
the names of young unmarried men and girls were mixed up
and drawn out by chance. The person of the opposite sex

whose name came

after yours was your
chosen Valentine
for
the year.
Just over a century ago it became fashionable to send pretty lace-edged
cards. Anonymity is, of course, part of the thrill of sending
Valentine cards you must not say who you are. The person
receiving it must be left to wonder. It is good to know that in
this troubled world, love is still living and spreading a little
happiness, especially in dreary February.

PRESIDENTS DAY
THIRD MONDAY IN FEBRUARY
Until the mid-1970s, the birthday of George Washington, first president of the
United States (February 22) was observed as a federal holiday. In addition, the birthday of
Abraham Lincoln (February 12), president during the Civil War (1861 1865), was observed
as a holiday in most states. In the 1970s, Congress declared that in order to honour all past
presidents of the United States, a single holiday, to be called Presidents Day, would be
observed on the third Monday in February. In many states, however, the holiday continues to
be known as George Washingtons birthday.

PANCAKE DAY
FEBRUARY
Ash Wednesday is the day in February when the Christian
period of Lent begins in the UK. This refers to the time
when Christ went into the desert and fasted for 40 days.
Although not many people actually give up eating dur-

ing this period, on Pancake Tuesday, the day before Ash

Wednesday, they eat lots of pancakes. These are made from
flour, milk and eggs, and cooked on a hot pan.

March
CELEBRATION OF SPRING - MRIOR
MARCH 1
During the first ten days of March, there are many concerts, musicals and entertainment to celebrate spring. As a token of love, friendship and greeting, people give and wear
small red and white flowers, mostly a handmade decoration, to signify an age-old legends of
Martisor. People wear the Martisor emblem until the last day of March when they hang it on a
tree limb to assure a good harvest.

WOMENS DAY
MARCH 8
Womens Day is mostly celebrated at work places, schools and
families. At schools, children prepare concerts and invite their mothers and
grandmothers. They express their appreciation and their love for the care
given to them. Men offer flowers and small presents to women at work places.
In families food is prepared by men and children, they present gifts, candy and
flowers to their wives/mothers and grandmothers.

124

ST. PATRICKS DAY

MARCH 17
Just like many other holidays, St. Patrick has its origins in
ancient times. A young boy named Patrick lived on the British Isles. During the war,
he was captured and taken as a slave to what is now Ireland. Patrick was very religious
and felt that he was called by God to convert Celtic people to the Christian religion. He
became a missionary. Once, several people came up to tell him that they found it difficult
to understand the belief in the Holy Trinity. Patrick thought for a moment, then stooped
down and picked one of the plentiful shamrocks growing wild around Ireland and
explained the concept. From that time, the shamrock has been the symbol of Ireland.
St. Patrick died on March 17, and the Irish people set aside the day to mourn. He
became the Patron Saint of Ireland. Americans have inherited this custom as many emigrants are of Irish origin.

April
APRIL FOOLS DAY
APRIL 1
In the sixteenth-century
France, the start of the New Year was observed on April 1.
Then in 1562, Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar for the
Christian world, and the New Year fell on January 1. There were
some people, however, who did not believe in the change of the
date, so they continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1.

Others played tricks on them and called them April

fools. They sent them on a fools errand or tried to make
them believe that something false was true.
Today people in many countries of the world play
small tricks on friends and strangers alike on the first
of April. Most April Fool jokes are in good fun and not
meant to harm anyone. The American humourist Mark
Twain wrote: The first of April is the day we remember
what we are the other 364 days of the year.

ARBOUR DAY/EARTH DAY

APRIL 22
In the 1840s, the mid-western state of Nebraska was a territory within a
wide prairie. There was no shade from the sun or wind, and crops did not grow well in
the dry earth.
Sterling Morton, a journalist who moved to those lands advocated planting trees to
help life on this vast barren plain. Nebraskans planted almost one million trees on the
first Arbour Day. In 1882 Nebraska declared the Arbour Day as a legal holiday. Later
the date was changed to April 22, Mortons birthday.
On April 22, 1970 Arbour Day activities were modified to emphasize the critical
importance of the environment and to make Americans aware of the destruction of the
Earths natural preserves. This day was called Earth Day and observed by twenty million
Americans. Twenty years later, Earth Day was observed once again in Washington D.C.
and since then it is observed annually.

May
MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS
FIRST MONDAY IN MAY
The beautiful springtime festival of May Day is observed
in every nation, each according to its own customs and traditions. In most countries on May 1, a new life begins for
both nature and man.
Britain likes to celebrate the end of winter. Their celebrations are connected with dancing, which is performed to

encourage life and growth and drive away harmful spirits.

Children may be seen dancing round the maypole on village greens, wearing their brightly- coloured scarves into a
beautiful pattern. Morris men dance all day long on May 1
waving their white handkerchiefs to drive away the evil spirits and welcome in the new ones.

LABOUR DAY
MAY 1
This is a day of the working people. It is a day off and people stay at home, or often go to the forest for
a picnic with family and friends. More often the second of May is a day off as well.

125

VICTORY DAY
MAY 9
This holiday was initially established to honour those who
had served in World War II. It falls on May 9, the day when
World War II ended. It honours veterans of all the wars in
which Moldovans have been involved, including veterans of

MOTHERS DAY
SECOND SUNDAY IN MAY
England was one of the first
countries to set aside a day to recognize mothers. In the eighteenth century when many people worked as household servants for the rich, Mothering Sunday was given to them to
return home to be with their mothers. Later, in the twentieth
century, one Sunday was established as a holiday for mothers.

the Afghanistan war and Transnistrian conflict. Flowers are

placed on the monuments of those who died during wars,
and meetings are held.

In the USA, Mothers Day did not become an official holiday until 1914.
On Mothers Day morning, some children follow the
tradition of serving their mothers breakfast in bed. Other
children will give their mothers gifts which they have made
themselves or bought in stores. Adults give their mothers
red carnations, the official mothers day flower. People try to
show how much they appreciate their mothers.

MEMORIAL DAY
LAST MONDAY IN MAY
This holiday is a day on which Americans honour the dead. Originally a day on
which flowers were placed on graves of soldiers who died in the American Civil War, it has
become a day on which the dead of all wars and all other dead are remembered in the same
way. Church services, visits to the cemetery, flowers on graves, or even silent tribute mark the
day with dignity and solemnity. It is a day of reflection.
In many communities, special ceremonies are held by the veterans of military services in cemeteries, or at monuments to those who had died in the wars. Some hold parades and others hold
memorial services or special programmes in churches, schools or other public meeting places.
On Memorial Day, the President or Vice President of the United States gives a speech and
lays a wreath on the tombs.

Other Spring Holidays

EASTER
At Easter, people celebrate the idea of the new
birth by giving each other chocolate Easter eggs, which are opened and eaten
on Easter Sunday.
Egg-rolling is a traditional Easter pastime which takes place on Easter
Sunday or Monday, and consists of rolling coloured, hard-boiled eggs down
a slope until they are cracked and broken after which they are eaten by
their owners. The tradition of rolling the eggs is kept in the USA as well. The
ancient custom of dyeing eggs at Easter time is still very popular.
The Easter bunny originated in pre-Christian fertility lore. The rabbit was
the most fertile animal our ancestors knew, so they selected it as a symbol of
new life. Today, children enjoy eating candy bunnies and listening to stories
about the Easter bunny, who supposedly brings Easter eggs in a fancy basket.

EASTER
Easter is celebrated at churches in traditional all-night services with the congregation standing the entire time. In the
early morning people go out of the church and form circles
around the building. Each family prepares a display on the
ground or in a basket which includes Easter cake (pasca),
red coloured eggs, wine, other food, and a lighted candle.
The priest dips a branch of basil into a large bucket of water,
and splashes generously droplets of holy water over the
people and their food in a traditional blessing. Everybody is

supposed to eat blessed food in the morning before eating

something else for three consecutive days. Easter Monday is
also celebrated as an official holiday. Children visit relatives
and are given coloured eggs, cookies, candies and money.
For forty days after Easter, instead of the greeting, Bun
ziua, the greeting is Hristos a nviat with the response
Adevrat a nviat. On the fortieth day, people say Hristos
s-a nalat, with the response Cu-adevrat s-a nlat.

126

EASTER FOR THE DEAD (PATELE BLAJINIILOR)

A week after Orthodox Easter, there is a Easter for the
Dead, when people go to the cemetery with food and wine
to visit with family and friends and remember those who
have died.
To decorate, towels are spread on the graves and individual arrangements are placed on the towels. Each arrangement
includes colac (special braided bread), red coloured eggs,
a bit of candy or mini bagel, and a slender church candle.
These special arrangements are called poman, and they are
given as a gift to other people to remember the dead person with the words de sufletul lui ... (for the soul of). The
meaning of this saying is that people believe that the soul of
the dead will rest in peace, having all that he needs in the

other world.
There is much visiting as people go from one grave to
another with an exchange of the arrangements which are
presented with prosop (a towel), and the sharing of wine.
There are no toasts, and a person will often dribble a bit
of wine alongside the grave with the words: de sufletul lui
ands-i fie rna uoar. The exchanges may also include
a cup or mug filled with candies or sweets and perhaps even
sugar or rice. Afterwards they eat and drink, and continue
their celebration at home.
The Monday after the Easter of the Dead is an official
holiday.

June
THE DERBY
FIRST WEEK IN JUNE
The annual race for the Derby at Epsom racecourse
in Surrey (UK) is perhaps the most famous single event in
the whole world. The day is almost a public holiday. It is
Derby Day (it takes place in the first week in June) and it is
attended by an army of bookmakers to record their bets, of
gypsies ready to tell their fortunes and side-show proprietors
to provide amusement during the hours of waiting. Of those

who stay away, the majority, even of those who do not gamble habitually, will do so in a small way on Derby Day. Every
office, club, shop and factory will run its Derby sweepstake
which you enter in the hope that you will, draw the name of
the winning horse out of a hat and thus win all the money
contributed by the various competitors.

FLAG DAY
JUNE 14
On June 14, 1777, Congress proposed that the United States have a national flag
instead of the British Union Jack. June 14 is celebrated as the Flag Day. Americans treat their
flag with much respect.

July
THE USA INDEPENDENCE DAY
JULY 4
This day is regarded as the birthday of the United States as a free and
independent nation. Most Americans simply call it the Fourth of July, on which date it
always falls. The holiday recalls the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July
4, 1776.
Every July 4, Americans have a day off. Since the holiday occurs during the summer
when the weather is good, it is usually celebrated with outdoor activities, such as picnics, sporting events, parades, and fireworks displays. Generally, picnics with patriotic
speeches and parades are held all over the United States. It is also a day on which fireworks displays fill the skies in the evening. The flying of flags, which also takes place on
Memorial Day and some other holidays, is common. The afternoon activities would not
be complete without lovely music, a friendly baseball game, three-legged races, and a
pie-eating or watermelon-eating contests. Some cities have parades with people dressed
as the original founding fathers who march in parades to the music of high school bands.
Wherever Americans are around the globe, they will get together for a traditional 4th of
July celebration!

127

TRYING YOUR HAND AT WRITING POEMS

A poem is an expression of a poets perception of
the world. A poem contains the elements of imagery,
rhythm and rhyme.
Imagery is a special use of words that makes them
suggest more than they mean in ordinary speech. By
using imagery the poet helps the reader form mental
pictures.
Rhythm is the pattern of accented and unaccented
syllables in a line of poetry. This pattern gives a poem
its beat.
Rhyme is a regular pattern of similar sounds. In the
end rhyme sequential or alternate lines end in words
similar sounds words (for example fan and ran). Any
regular pattern of vowel sounds, no matter where it
occurs in the poem, qualifies as rhyme.

Line 4 four words that express a feeling about

the subject
Line 5 one word that refers to or is a synonym
for the subject
Butterflies
Gentle creatures
Fluttering, searching, landing
Lovely flashes of light
Miracles.

Couplet
A couplet is a pair of lines that rhyme. The couplet
may be complete in itself or it may be part of a longer
poem.
The artist stirred some blue and green
To paint an underwater scene.

Haiku
The haiku originated in Japan. It is an unrhymed
poem made up of three lines and 17 syllables. The first
and third lines have five syllables each, and the second
line has seven. Traditional Japanese haiku describes
something in nature, with reference to one of the seasons. Although the poems are brief, they convey much
feeling.
The autumn wind blows,
Calling the leaves on the ground
To join him in dance.

Quatrain
A quatrain is a four-line poem. Its scheme may be
aabb, abab, abcb, or abba. Quatrains are often combined to form a long poem.
There is nothing quite so peaceful
As the sound of gentle rain,
Pitter-pitter-patting
Against my window pane.

Cinquain
A cinquain is an unrhymed poem made up of five
lines. Each line of the poem has a set number of words
and a specific function.
Line 1 one word that names a subject
Line 2 two words that describe the subject
Line 3 three verbs that describe actions related
to the subject

Limerick
A limerick is a humorous five-line poem. It is
made up of 13 beats and has a rhyme scheme of aabba.
Lines 1,2, and 5 each have three beats. Lines 3 and 4
each have two beats. The poem is named after the city
of Limerick, Ireland, although no one knows how or
where the form originated.
There was a young boy from Caboo,
Who had trouble trying his shoe.
He said to his ox,
Ill just walk in my socks.
Now all of his friends do that, too!

128

ESSAY WRITING TIPS

Am I good at writing essays?
WHAT IS AN ESSAY?
An essay is
a short literary composition
on a single subject
that presents the personal view
of the author.

HOW MUCH TIME WILL I HAVE TO WRITE MY ESSAY? HOW LONG SHOULD IT BE?
At exams and tests, including the TOEFL test, most
likely, 30 minutes will be allotted for a required length
of approximately 300 words. This is a general guideline,
though, as length and time may differ from case to case.

HOW IS ESSAY WRITING DIFFERENT FROM ORAL SPEECH?

As opposed to oral communication, people do not have the possibility to challenge
you to give reasons for your statements. So, if you want to communicate effectively
with them, you must give solid evidence for any point you make in your essay.

DOES THE ESSAY NEED TO HAVE A STRUCTURE?

The general structure is as follows:
Introductory paragraph
The introduction should be designed to attract the readers attention and give an idea of the essays
focus.
Begin with an attention grabber - several sentences.
Continue with the thesis/the central idea one or two sentences.
You may choose to add the plan of development (optional) a preview of the major points that will
support the main thesis listed in the order they will appear in the essay usually one sentence.
1st PARAGRAPH
2nd PARAGRAPH
3rd PARAGRAPH

Body (2-4 paragraphs)

Two to four supporting paragraphs. A paragraph is a group of related sentences
that develop one single idea that supports your thesis. If you have three or four main
ideas, you will have three or four body paragraphs.
Topic sentence: it is a summarizing sentence of a paragraph; it states the point to
be detailed in that paragraph, what the paragraph is about. It can be placed at the
beginning or at the end of the paragraph.
Supporting sentences: they develop and explain the paragraph idea. Give specific
reasons and evidence. Give enough specific details to excite the readers interest and
to explain the writers point.

Concluding paragraph
The conclusion brings closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on
your topic. All the conclusion needs is three or four strong sentences which do not need to follow any set
formula. Simply review the main points (being careful not to restate them exactly) or briefly describe your
feelings about the topic.
Add a final memorable thought. Include one of the following:
a thought provoking question or short series of questions following the points you made in the essay
a prediction; state what will happen in future
a call for action
a recommendation that suggests what should be done about a situation or problem
a quotation
an interesting twist of logic

129

HOW CAN I GRAB THE READERS ATTENTION IN THE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH?

Begin with startling information. This information

must be true and verifiable, and it doesnt need to
be totally new to your readers. It could simply be
a pertinent fact that explicitly illustrates the point
you wish to make.
Start with an idea or situation opposite to the one
you will develop (a surprise element).
Explain the importance of the topic (the reader
will want to continue reading).
Use an incident, brief story, or anecdote (appeal
to curiosity/grabbing attention). An anecdote is a
story that illustrates a point. Be sure your anecdote
is short, to the point, and relevant to your topic.

Ask one or two questions; remember that questions need answers.

Use a quotation, proverb, saying, advertising slogan, or someones favourite expression.
Use a dialogue. An appropriate dialogue does not
have to identify the speakers, but the reader must
understand the point you are trying to convey. Use
only two or three exchanges between speakers to
make your point. Follow the dialogue with a sentence or two of elaboration.
If the attention grabber was only a sentence or
two, add one or two more sentences that will lead the
reader from your opening to your thesis statement.

WHAT IS A THESIS AND HOW TO CORRECTLY WRITE IT?

Pick your best idea and put it down in a clear assertion that you can write your entire essay around.
Your thesis is your main point, summed up in a concise sentence that lets the reader know where youre
going, and why. Its practically impossible to write a
good essay without a clear thesis.
Common Mistakes
Do not substitute the introduction of the subject
for a true thesis idea.
e.g. The subject of this essay will be my parents.
Thesis is too broad or too narrow

e.g. My parents have been the most influential

people in my life. (the thesis is too broad)
e.g. My parent had only one child. (the thesis is too
narrow)
e.g. My parents helped me grow in three important
ways (an this is OK thesis)
e.g. My parents helped me grow in three important
ways, although in other respects I was limited (this is
a vague statement, that includes two separate ideas
and therefore hard to support)

WHAT ARE TRANSITIONAL DEVICES/LINKING WORDS? WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE?

Transitional devices help the reader to follow the writers line of thought from one idea or concept to
another. They help to move the ideas smoothly from one sentence to another, or from one paragraph to
another.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY ESSAY IS GOOD?

When you finish, evaluate your essay. Ask yourself

the following questions:
Does my essay address the topic? Does it focus on
the assigned topic? Does it complete all tasks set
forth by the assignment?
Are my thoughts organized well? Is there an effective introduction? Are the paragraphs logically arranged? Does each paragraph focus on one main

idea? Are there smooth transitions between paragraphs? Is there an effective closing?
Does the essay support all my points? Are there
sufficient specific details for each point? Are the
examples given relevant to the issue? Are the examples fully developed?
Did I use language correctly? Check for correct
grammar, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary.

130

TRANSITIONAL DEVICES / LINKING WORDS / PHRASES

Personal opinion

in my opnion, in my view, to my mind, to my way of thinking, personally I believe that, it

strikes me that, I feel very strongly that, I am inclined to believe that, it seems to me that, as
far as I am concerned, I think that
To list advantages and disad- one advantage of, another advantage of, one other advantage of, a further advantage of, the
main advantage of, the greatest advantage of, the first advantage of; one disadvantage of,
vantages
another disadvantage of, one other disadvantage of, a further disadvantage of, the main disadvantage of, the greatest disadvantage of, the first disadvantage of
firstly, first of all, in the first place, secondly, thirdly, finally, to start with
To list points
beginning first, to start with, to begin with, first of all; continuing secondly, after this/that,
To list points in a specific
afterwards, then, next; concluding finally, lastly, last but not least
sequence
what is more, furthermore, apart from this/that, in addition (to this), moreover, besides (this),
To add more points on the
not to mention the fact that, also, too, not only ... but, both ... and
same topic
with reference to, according to
To refer to other sources
because, owing to the fact that, due to the fact that, on the grounds that, since, as, in view of,
To express cause
because of, owing to, for this reason, seeing that, now that
thus, therefore, so, consequently, as a result, as a consequence, for this reason
To express effect
for fear (that), so that, so as to, in order to, in case
To express purpose
clearly, obviously, of course, needless to say
To emphasise what you say
it is a fact that, in effect, in fact, as a matter of fact, the fact of the matter is (that), actually, in
To express reality
practice, indeed, to tell you the truth
To express the difference be- initially, at first, at first sight
tween appearance and reality
for instance, for example, such as, like, particularly, in particular, especially
To give examples
To make general statements as a general rule, generally, in general, on the whole
up to a point, to a certain extent, to some extent, in a sense, in a way
To make partially correct
statements
To express limit of knowledge to the best of my knowledge, as far as I know
it is popularly believed that, people often claim that, it is often alleged that, some people
To state other peoples
argue that, many argue that, a lot of people think that, a lot of people believe that, contrary to
opinion
popular belief
yet, however, nevertheless, but, at the same time, even so, still, nonetheless, although, even though,
To make contrasting points
regardless of the fact that, in spite of the fact that, despite the fact that, while
To express balance (the other however, but, on the other hand, although, yet, at the same time, in contrast
side of the argument)
neither ... nor, either, neither, nor.
Negative addition
but, apart from, except (for)
To express exception
in other words, that is to say, to put it another way
To clarify/rephrase
similarly, likewise, in the same way
To express similarity
either, on the other hand, alternatively
To give an alternative
on the condition that, provided (that), providing (that), only if, as long as, in the event, in the
To express condition
event that, if, in case of, in case it, whether (or not), otherwise, or (else)
To express the consequence consequently, then, so, in which case, if so, if not, otherwise
of a condition
as ... as, more ... than, twice as ... as, less ... than
To express comparison
finally, lastly, above all, all in all, taking everything into account, on the whole, all things conTo conclude
sidered, in conclusion, as I have said, as was previously stated, to sum up
when, whenever, before, until, till, after, since, while, now, that, as
Time
who, that, whose, which, that, where, whom
Relatives
regarding, concerning, with respect, with regard, with refernce to, in regard, in reference to
Reference
in short, briefly, to put it briefly
Summarising

131

TAPE SCRIPTS
UNIT 1, Lesson 1

My Life List
Part II
Accomplish:
73. Become an Eagle Scout
74. Dive in a submarine
75. Land on and take off from an aircraft carrier
76. Fly in a blimp, hot air balloon and glider
77. Ride an elephant, camel, ostrich and bronco
78. Skin dive to 40 feet and hold breath two and a half
minutes underwater
79. Catch a ten-pound lobster and a ten-inch abalone
80. Play flute and violin
81. Type 50 words a minute
82. Take a parachute jump
83. Learn water and snow skiing
84. Go on a church mission
85. Follow the John Muir Trail
86. Study native medicines and bring back useful ones
87. Bag camera trophies of elephant, lion, rhino, cheetah, cape buffalo and whale
88. Learn to fence
89. Learn ju-jitsu
90. Teach a college course
91. Watch a cremation ceremony in Bali
92. Explore depths of the sea
93. Appear in a Tarzan movie (He now considers this an
irrelevant boyhood dream)
94. Own a horse, chimpanzee, cheetah, ocelot and coyote
(Yet to own a chimp or cheetah)
95. Become a ham radio operator
96. Build own telescope
97. Write a book (On Nile trip)
98. Publish an article in National Geographic Magazine
99. High jump five feet
100. Broad jump 15 feet
101. Run a mile in five minutes
102. Weigh 175 pounds stripped
103. Perform 200 sit-ups and 20 pull-ups
104. Learn French, Spanish and Arabic

105. Study dragon lizards on Komodo Island (Boat broke

down within 20 miles of island)
106. Visit birthplace of Grandfather Sorenson in
Denmark
107. Visit birthplace of Grandfather Goddard in England
108. Ship aboard a freighter as a seaman
109. Read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica (Has read
extensive parts in each volume)
110. Read the Bible from cover to cover
111. Read the works of Shakespeare, Plato, Aristotle,
Dickens, Thoreau, Poe, Rousseau, Bacon, Hemingway, Twain, Burroughs, Conrad, Talmage, Tolstoi,
Longfellow, Keats, Whittier and Emerson (Not
every work of each)
112. Become familiar with the compositions of Bach,
Beethoven, Debussy, Ibert, Mendelssohn, Lalo,
Rimski-Korsakov, Respighi, Liszt, Rachmaninoff,
Stravinsky, Toch, Tschaikovsky, Verdi
113. Become proficient in the use of a plane, motorcycle, tractor, surfboard, rifle, pistol, canoe, microscope, football, basketball, bow and arrow, lariat
and boomerang
114. Compose music
115. Play Clair de Lune on the piano
116. Watch fire-walking ceremony (In Bali and Surinam)
117. Milk a poisonous snake (Bitten by a diamond
back during a photo session)
118. Light a match with a 22 rifle
119. Visit a movie studio
120. Climb Cheops pyramid
121. Become a member of the Explorers Club and the
Adventurers Club
122. Learn to play polo
123. Travel through the Grand Canyon on foot and by boat
124. Circumnavigate the globe (four times)
125. Visit the moon (Some day if God wills)
126. Marry and have children (Has five children)
127. Live to see the 21st Century (at 75 years of age)

UNIT 1, Lesson 2

Letters to the Editor

Sir,
I recently went back to my old school and was amazed
to see that things had not changed much since I was there
over thirty years ago. Pupils were sitting at the same old
desks and using the same old books.
Why is it that no-one in our educational system
seems to realize that books are a thing of the past? Textbooks should be replaced by TV screens in every classroom, with video recorders and computer technology to

get children used to their future working environment.

Dictionaries and encyclopedias are old hat - much more
data can be stored on compact disks for computers.
Todays children are unlikely to open a book after
they leave school and, in time, books will become obsolete. When are our schools going to wake up to the fact
that the world has changed?
Emily C. Davis

132

Sir,
Recently my students reaction to reading novels has astonished me - they want to know if they are available on video
cassettes or audio tape to save them the trouble of reading!
They dont have time to read, but can spend hours
in front of a computer or TV screen. Their parents have
no time either - they are too busy working to make sure
their kids have everything they need and also too tired
when they get back home to do much else than flop into an

armchair and switch on cable TV.

My students find books boring, probably because
computerized visual effects and televised soap operas
have shotened their attention span, impoverished their
vocabulary and dulled their imagination. In my humble
opinion, reading is essential to help develop lively, creative, critical and literate minds. How on earth can we put
this vital message across to the younger generation?
Yours Keith Collings

UNIT 2, Lesson 1

Domestic Violence
You can say that for a typical woman the problem
of violence is not the violence in the streets that we hear
about all the time, but its the violence in her own home.
It is impossible to know how much abuse goes on in
peoples homes. Surveys depend on what the respondents
choose to report and their accuracy cannot be verified.
The Family Violence Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire conducted a study of family violence. It was found that the overall rate (there were 6002
families studied) of husband to wife abuse (the husband
hitting the wife) is 113 instances per 1000 couples and the
rate of severe violence (hitting, kicking, the use of a weapon) is 30 per 1000 couples. Pushing, grabbing, and shov-

ing is the more common forms of abuse (93 per 1000 couples), followed by slapping at 29 per 1000 couples. Only
small numbers of couples reported severe violence - 8 per
1000 couples admitted to being beaten, 4 per 1000 couples reported the husband had threatened the wife with a
gun or knife, and 2 per 1000 claimed that the husband had
used the knife or the gun. 5 % of the abused women, have
been abused more than once. Following the first act of
violence, 20% were abused at least once a week or more,
20% were abused once a month or more, and 14 % were
victimized six or more times a year.
Alison Landes, Carol D. Foster, Cornelia B. Cessna,
Womens Changing Role

UNIT 2, Lesson 3

The Devoted Friend

Part II
Poor little Hans was afraid to say anything to this,
and early the next morning the Miller brought his sheep
round to the cottage, and Hans started off with them to
the mountain. It took him the whole day to get there and
back; and when he returned he was so tired that he went
off to sleep in his chair, and did not wake up till it was
broad daylight.
What a delightful time I shall have in my garden,
he said, and he went to work at once.
But somehow he was never able to look after his
flowers at all, for his friend the Miller was always coming
round and sending him off on long errands, or getting him
to help at the mill. Little Hans was very much distressed
at times, as he was afraid his flowers would think he had
forgotten them, but he consoled himself by the reflection
that the Miller was his best friend. Besides, he used to
say, he is going to give me his wheelbarrow, and that is
an act of pure generosity.
So little Hans worked away for the Miller, and the
Miller said all kinds of beautiful things about friendship,
which Hans took down in a note-book, and used to read
over at night, for he was a very good scholar.
Now it happened that one evening little Hans was
sitting by his fireside when a loud rap came at the door. It
was a very wild night, and the wind was blowing and roar-

Oscar Wilde
ing round the house so terribly that at first he thought it
was merely the storm. But a second rap came, and then a
third, louder than any of the others.
It is some poor traveller, said little Hans to himself, and he ran to the door.
There stood the Miller with a lantern in one hand
and a big stick in the other.
Dear little Hans, cried the Miller, I am in great
trouble. My little boy has fallen off a ladder and hurt himself, and I am going for the Doctor. But he lives so far
away, and it is such a bad night, that it has just occurred
to me that it would be much better if you went instead of
me. You know I am going to give you my wheelbarrow,
and so, it is only fair that you should do something for me
in return.
Certainly, cried little Hans, I take it quite as
a compliment your coming to me, and I will start off at
once. But you must lend me your lantern, as the night is
so dark that I am afraid I might fall into the ditch.
I am very sorry, answered the Miller, but it is my
new lantern, and it would be a great loss to me if anything
happened to it.
Well, never mind, I will do without it, cried little
Hans, and he took down his great fur coat, and his warm
scarlet cap, and tied a muffler round his throat, and started off.

133

What a dreadful storm it was! The night was so black

that little Hans could hardly see, and the wind was so
strong that he could scarcely stand. However, he was very
courageous, and after he had been walking about three
hours, he arrived at the Doctors house, and knocked at
the door.
Who is there? cried the Doctor, putting his head
out of his bedroom window.
Little Hans, Doctor.
What do you want, little Hans?
The Millers son has fallen from a ladder, and has
hurt himself, and the Miller wants you to come at once.
All right! said the Doctor; and he ordered his
horse, and his big boots, and his lantern, and came downstairs, and rode off in the direction of the Millers house,
little Hans trudging behind him.
But the storm grew worse and worse, and the rain fell in
torrents, and little Hans could not see where he was going, or
keep up with the horse. At last he lost his way.
Part III
Hans wandered off on the moor, which was a very
dangerous place, as it was full of deep holes, and there

poor little Hans was drowned. His body was found the
next day by some goatherds, floating in a great pool of
water, and was brought back by them to the cottage.
Everybody went to little Hans funeral, as he was so
popular, and the Miller was the chief mourner.
As I was his best friend, said the Miller, it is only
fair that I should have the best place; so he walked at the
head of the procession in a long black cloak, and every
now and then he wiped his eyes with a big pocket-handkerchief.
Little Hans is certainly a great loss to every one,
said the Blacksmith, when the funeral was over, and they
were all seated comfortably in the inn, drinking spiced
wine and eating sweet cakes.
A great loss to me at any rate, answered the Miller;
why, I had as good as given him my wheelbarrow, and
now I really dont know what to do with it. It is very much
in my way at home, and it is in such bad repair that I could
not get anything for it if I sold it. I will certainly take care
not to give away anything again. One always suffers for
being generous.

UNIT 3, Lesson 1

The Elements of Physical Fitness

Exercise is necessary for fitness at any age, but it is
especially important for young people. In the development years from birth to age 20, the body is constantly
changing and growing. It needs exercise to ensure that
the muscles, bones, heart, lungs, and other organs develop properly.
The three main elements of physical fitness are
strength, suppleness and stamina. All three elements
must be present for anyone to be completely fit.
Strength is the basic muscular force needed for movement. Everyone needs strength for ordinary activities.
Suppleness, or flexibility, is the quality of muscles,
bones, tendons, and ligaments that permits your joints
a full range of movement. You can improve suppleness
by doing bending and stretching exercises. As people get
older, they tend to lose flexibility. Their joints get stiff.
Some loss of flexibility is inevitable with aging, but regular exercise will slow this aging process.
Stamina, or endurance, is the quality that enables

you to use energy to keep up movements over a long

period of time. You build stamina by doing regular,
sustained exercises of the whole body. Stamina builds
reserves of strength.
Calisthenics exercises are useful for developing
strength and suppleness. Bending and stretching and
other controlled movements are excellent for keeping bones, joints, and muscles in shape. Once you have
reached minimal levels of fitness, you might add exercises
such as push-ups and pull-ups to your programme.
A good exercise programme should combine calisthenics movements (stretching, bending, twisting) with
stamina training. As you train for stamina, you will also
build strength. The principle behind stamina training is
aerobics. Aerobic exercises increase stamina by strengthening the heart, lungs and circulation.
A fitness programme can bring lifelong benefits.
People who exercise regularly look better, feel better,
and live longer.

UNIT 3, Lesson 2
During your life, you will be making choices about
your health. A good choice is one that is best for you and
others. We all have problems, some of them big, some
of them small. To solve many of these problems requires
making decisions about healthful choices. Knowing how
to handle problems and make decisions is an important
skill to develop.
It is a good idea to have ready a set of steps to follow

when making choices and taking decisions. With a plan of

action you will be more likely to make a responsible longrun decision or a good day-to-day choice.
Expect that some of your decisions will be better
than others. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time.
When you do make the wrong choice, try not to spend too
much time feeling sorry about it. Instead, learn to profit
from mistakes.

134

UNIT 4, Lesson 1

Hobbies
There are hundreds of personal interests and ways to
spend ones free time. The most popular hobbies are philately, collecting picture postcards and books.
Hobbies are a necessary part of peoples lives. Almost
any kind of leisure-time occupations can become a hobby.
A philosopher said, Twice happy is the man who has
a hobby, for he has two worlds to live in. You can learn
the world through stamp collection. A useful hobby is collecting tape-recordings. You may have recordings of operas, folk-music or jazz concerts. It is difficult to describe
all hobbies known in the world. The main thing is that they
help you to obtain knowledge. Some people are interested in modern architecture. They collect pictures showing
interesting architectural designs. Others are interested in

photography. They always take their cameras with them

when they are on holiday.
Handicrafts attract hobbyists who can work with their
hands.
Many people participate in sports as amateurs for
personal enjoyment.
Collecting things like stamps or coins offers fascinating ways to pass the time.
Listening to music, singing, and playing the piano offers a way to relax after periods of hard work.
Swimming is a good form of recreation.
Knitting and sewing provide distraction from daily
problems.

UNIT 4, Lesson 1

Its Good to Travel

Listening ex. 2
Doina
Last summer I visited East Anglia. I went there
by plane. Travelling by air is a usual thing today. Many
people like it because it is more comfortable and much
quicker than any other means of transport. It is difficult
to describe East Anglia in a few words. And it is very difficult to see all the places of interest. The plush green
farmlands stretch northeast from London. East Anglias
flat terrain and relatively low annual rainfall are a boon
to bikers and hikers. I was especially interested to visit
Cambridge University, as I hope to come to study there
some day. Founded over 700 years ago by a group of students forced to flee the Oxford riots, the university is now
made up of 31 historic colleges. Many of the colleges are
now open to the public: highlights include Peterhouse,
the original Cambridge college, founded in 1284 and the
famous chapel of Kings College over the altar can be
seen the Rubens masterpiece Adoration of the Magi
painted in 1634. Cambridge is an architects dream, packing some of the most breathtaking examples of English
architecture into less than one square mile. I was really
pressed for time and thats why I managed to visit only
one chapel (the King), one library (the Trinitys), Christs
College, founded as Gods house in 1448). Competing in most everything with Oxford, Cambridge loses in
age and boat races but wins on charm and spectacle; the
countryfield Backs on the West bank of the River Cam
lend a pastoral air to the city.
Daniel
Two years ago I visited the city of Lyon in France.
It was a rather tiresome journey. First I travelled by bus
through Germany to Nuremberg and then I took a fast
train to Lyon. It took me three days to reach Lyon. At

last I arrived in Lyon and was very happy to meet there

my brother Dorin who is a student at INSA. We spent
a wonderful time there and it was very kind of Dorin to
show me so many places of interest there, such, as, place
Bellecour, old city, the Muse des Beaux Arts, and other
museums. The Muse de la Resistance has assembled
documents and photos of the Resistance, which was centered in Lyon. The city of Lyon prides itself on its historical dominance of the European silk industry. A brief walk
across the Sone leads to the most intriguing part of town,
Vieux Lyon. The renovated Renaissance buildings in the
St.Paul, St. Georges and St. Jean quarters are the most
costly residences in the city. A particularly interesting
church in the St-Jean quarter is the Cathdrale St-Jean.
Its northern transept holds a 14 th century astronomical
clock that shows the feast days from 600 years ago all the
way through 2000. When urban fatigue sets in, a lot of
tourists usually leave the city noise behind for the roses
of the Parc de la Tte dOr, Lyons botanical garden, so
called because it is believed that a golden bust of Christ is
buried somewhere within.
Listening ex. 3
Ann: Hello, Mary. I remember somebody told me
that you are going on an interesting trip to Moldova,
which is somewhere in Europe, I believe.
Mary: Yes, as far as I know, its a small country in the
south-eastern part of Europe.
Ann: You are certainly travelling there by air, arent
you? Flying itself is a thrilling thing, dont you agree? By
the way, what is the purpose of your visit?
Mary: To make new friends, to meet people, to get to
know Moldovan customs and traditions, and to see how
the Moldovans live.

135

UNIT 4, Lesson 2

Browsing for Books

The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and
Tilden Foundations, comprises 4 research centers in
Manhattan, and 85 branch libraries in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. With more materials than in
any other public library in the nation, it is also the largest

research library with one of the largest circulating systems

in the world. Computer technology makes its catalogues
of holdings accessible to users worldwide. There are currently 2.34 million cardholders, more than in any other
library system in the nation.

UNIT 5, Lesson 1

What sort of shop are they in?

1)

2)

3)

4)

something a bit brighter? Brown is such a dull

colour.
Ill have a look. What about red?
Yes, Ive got quite a few things that might go
with red. Could I try them on?
Yes, Ill just fetch them. One moment.

A. Good morning.
B. Good morning. Id like to cash this, please.
A. How would you like it?
B. Erm... Could I have some fives and a few one
pound coins, please?
C.Certainly.
D. Thanks.
Can I help you?
Yes, Id like some Cheedar.
Is it for cooking?
No, its to have with biscuits.
Then I recommend this one. Its mature, and
quite strong.
Could I try a little, please?
Yes, of course.
Mmm, very nice. Ill have a pound, please.
Anything, else?
No, thatll be all, thank you.
Id like some nice lamb chops, please.
English or New Zealand?
Is there much difference in price?
The New Zealand is a little cheaper, but of
course its not quite the same quality.
Could I have a look at the New Zealand?
Of course.
They look fine. Six please.
Two pounds thirty, please.
Thank you.
I like the style very much and they are very
comfortable.
Yes, they fit extremely well.
Im afraid I dont like the colour. Have you got

5)

6)

Good morning.
Hello. A large wholemeal loaf, please.
Thank you. 57 p, please.
And a half-a-dozen soft white rolls.
Do you want the ones with sesame seeds?
They are for hamburgers, so yes, thatd be all
right, wouldnt it?
Yes.
Yes. Thats fine.
Anything else?
No thanks. Not today.
Hello Tom. How are you today?
Not bad thanks. You?
OK. What can I do for you?
Id like some sprouts, Alf, please.
I couldnt get any today, sorry.
Oh. Well, Ill have some beans, then.
How many?
A pound will do. Have you got any avocados?
Lovely ones. When are they for?
Tonight please.
Here we are. Two beauties.
A lettice and a cucumber, please.
Right.
Thats it, thanks.

UNIT 5, Lesson 3

THE LUNCHEON
Part 1
I saw her at the play and in answer to her beckoning
I went over during the interval and sat down beside her.
It was long since I had last seen her. She addressed me
brightly:
Well, its many years since we first met. How time

by W. Somerset Maugham

does fly! Do you remember the first time I saw you? You
asked me to luncheon.
Did I remember?
It was twenty years ago and I was living in Plans. I
had a small apartment in the Latin Quarter overlooking a
cemetery and I was earning money to keep body and soul

136

together. She had read a book of mine and had written

to me about it. I answered thanking her and presently I
received from her another letter saying that she was passing through Paris and would like to have a talk with me;
but her time was limited and the only free moment she
had was on the following Thursday; she was spending the
morning at the Luxemburg and would I give her a little
luncheon at Foyots afterwards? (Foyots was a restaurant
so far beyond my means that I had never even thought of

going there. But I was flattered and I was too young to

have learnt to say no to a woman.)
I answered that I would meet my friend by correspondence at Foyots on Thursday at half past twelve.
She was not so young as I expected and in appearance
imposing rather than attractive. It seemed to me that she
wanted to talk about me and I was prepared to be a good
listener.

UNIT 5, Lesson 4

SIGHTSEEING IN LONDON
We start our trip at Trafalgar Square in front of the
National Gallery and go down to Westminster. On the
left you have a nice view of the Houses of Parliament
and on the right is the Westminster Abby. We pass the
Abby and turn to Victoria Street and go strait ahead to
Buckingham Gate to the Buckingham Palace. Which is
on our right. From Buckingham Palace we go to the Hyde
Park Corner through the Marble Arch and turn to Pic-

cadilly Street to reach Piccadilly Circus. Its a nice place

with very many people taking pictures at the monument.
From this place you can go to different directions. Well
go to Regents Streets as it seems one of the nicest street
in London and then we turn right to Oxford Street where
there are a great number of shops and tourists like to do
shopping here. If we turn right again we are in Charring
Cross Road which leads us back to Trafalgar Square.

UNIT 6, Lesson 1

Does English Have a Future?

Will English stay the global language or become a
minority tongue?
English is regarded as the global language but will
this still be true for the 21st century? The world in which it
is used is going through such huge changes that there is a
possibility it will lose its place as the worlds most important language.
English is the language of international trade, and
has more books, films and TV programs published than
any other language.
But as we start the twenty-first century there are
changes taking place that may affect the global dominance of English. For example, in the twentieth century,
western countries helped the spread of English. They
were the strongest economics. Now Asian economies are
growing in strength and want to promote their own cultures and languages.
Another threat to the English languages position is
old age. The rich countries are getting older or rather
their populations are made up of more old people than
young people. In the future young people with money
to spend will be found in Asia and Latin America rather
than Europe or the US. These young adults may want to
express their desires in their own languages.
The Internet is another factor. Until recently English
has been the main language of the Internet, but now there
is just as much content in non-English languages. English
itself is changing all the time. This has been true for 1500

By Yolande Devere

years, and is even more evident today. In the past English

absorbed new words from other languages. Today the
worlds of telecommunication and the Internet are rich
sources of new vocabulary.
Speakers of English as a second language give it a
life of their own. Here English develops in ways that reflect local culture or language. It becomes different from
the English spoken in Britain and the US. In France the word
asap is borrowed from English to mean quickly. There
is no such word in English, but there is an abbreviation
ASAP meaning as soon as possible.
Within the first decade of the twenty-first century,
the number of speakers of English as a second language
will outnumber native speakers. At this point, will native
speakers lose their authority over a language that is no
longer theirs? Does this matter?
There are many possibilities for the future. We can
imagine a world where English is simply an alternative
language to Chinese and Spanish. There are languages
that already have more native speakers (Chinese) or very
wide use across the world (Spanish). Or, we can imagine
a world where English has driven many of the worlds languages to extinction.
There are many factors affecting the English language and they all seem to be pulling in different directions. One thing seems sure for the future of English: it
will be important enough over the next decade for you to
invest the time learning the language!

137

UNIT 6, Lesson 2
ENGLAND
Area: 130,478 sq. km
Population: 48,999,000
Language: English
Capital: London

SCOTLAND
Area: 78,789 sq. km
Population: 5,149,000
Languages: English and
Scottish
Capital: Edinburgh

WALES
Area: 20,766 sq. km
Population: 2, 929,000
Languages:
English and Welsh
Capital: Cardiff

NORTHERN
IRELAND
Area: 14,144 sq. km
Population: 1,665,000
Languages:
English and Irish
Capital: Belfast

The Rose
The red rose was the emblem of the Lancastrians, the white rose that of the
Yorkists, the two contending Houses for the English throne in the Wars of the Roses
(14551485). All rivalry between the Roses ended by the marriage of Henry VII, the
Lancastrian with Princess Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV, the Yorkist. The red
rose has since become the national emblem of England.

The Thistle
The thistle is the national emblem of Scotland. This is how, according to a curious
legend, that homely plant came to be chosen as a badge, in preference to any other.
In very ancient times the Norsemen, old times Scandinavian invaders, once landed somewhere on the East Coast of Scotland, with the intention of plundering and
settling in the country. The Scots assembled with their arms and took their stations
behind the river Tay, the largest in Scotland, at the only practicable ford. As they arrived late in the day, weary and tired after a long march, they pitched their camp and
rested, not expecting the enemy before the next day.
The Norsemen, however, were near; noticing that no guards or sentinels protected the camp, they crossed the river Tay, intending to take the Scots by surprise and
slaughter them in their sleep. To this end, they took off their shoes so as to make the least
noise possible. But one of the Norsemen stepped on a thistle. The sudden and sharp pain
he felt caused him to shriek. The alarm was given in the Scots camp. The Norsemen were
put to flight, and as an acknowledgement for the timely and unexpected help from the
thistle, the Scots took it as their national emblem.

The Leek
Welshmen all over the world celebrate St. Davids Day by wearing either leeks or
daffodils. The link between the leek and St David is the belief that he is supposed to
have lived for several years on bread and wild leeks.
There is conclusive evidence that Welshmen wore leeks on St. Davids Day in
Shakespeares time. In Shakespeares historical chronicle Henry V Fluellen tells the
King: If your Majesty is remembered of it, the Welshmen did good service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps; which, your Majesty
knows, to this hour is an honourable pledge of the service; and I do believe your Majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavys day!
The daffodil is associated with St. Davids Day, due to the belief that it flowers
on that day. It became an alternative to the Leek as a Welsh emblem in the present
century, because some thought the leek vulgar.

The Shamrock
What the red rose is to Englishmen and, the leek and daffodil to the Welsh, the
little shamrock is to the Irish, and no Irishman worth his salt fails to wear this national
emblem on St Patricks Day, March 17. It is worn in memory of Irelands patron saint,
whose cross is embodied in the Union Jack by the thin red one under the cross of St
George.
A popular notion is that when preaching the doctrine of the Trinity to the pagan
Irish St. Patrick used the shamrock, a small white clover bearing three leaves on the
stem as an illustration of the mystery.
Shortly after the formation of the Irish Guards in 1902 the custom of presenting
the national emblem to the new regiment on St Patricks Day began. An equally tenacious observance on St Patricks Day is wetting the Shamrock, the convivial aspect of
Irish loyalty to their patron saint.

138

UNIT 6, Lesson 3
Liberty Bell
The people of Pennsylvania sent an order to
England in 1751 for the making of a bell of about two
thousand pounds weight to be used in the State House
in Philadelphia, then the capital of the US. They asked
that this inscription be cast around the bells crown:
Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof. Soon after the bells arrival to
America in 1752, it cracked the first time it rang. It was
then recast in Philadelphia and began its ringing for
freedom.
On July 4, 1776, a group of rebels, representing the
thirteen British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North
America signed a document stating that the colonies had
the right to be free and independent. This document is
known as the Declaration of Independence. Americans
celebrate July 4 as a national holiday - Independence
Day.
There is a building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
which is called Independence Hall. Here the declaration
was signed. In front of the building you can see the famous
Liberty Bell which rang on July 8, 1776 to announce the
first reading of The Declaration of Independence to the
people of Philadelphia.
The bell was known by several names besides the Old
State House Bell. It was called the Bell of the Revolution
and Old Independence. But it was not until 1839 that it
was called the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell became a
symbol of freedom, even though it could not be heard. It
began to tour the country by train, visiting such places as
New Orleans, Chicago, Charleston, Boston, Atlanta, St.
Louis, and San Francisco. Since 1915, the Liberty Bell
has been on permanent display in a glass-enclosed building in Philadelphia.
The Liberty Bell continues to proclaim liberty
throughout all land and to people throughout the world.

The Statue of Liberty

Interesting Statistics
Pedestal height: 47 meters
Statue height: 46.05 meters
Statue weight: 204 metric tons
Combined height: 92.99 meters from base of the
pedestal to the top of the torch
Torch arm: 13 meters
Face: 3 meters from ear to ear
Across each eye: 8 meters
In 1865, Edouard de Laboulaye, French historian
and admirer of American political institutions, suggested
that the French present a monument to the United States
that would be a tribute to this liberty as well as a symbol

of the friendship between the two countries. This idea

became a reality when a sculptor named Frederic August
Bartholdi sailed to the United States to find support and
a location for Frances gift.
Construction began on Lady Liberty in a Paris
workshop in 1875. The sculptor was helped greatly by
Alexander Gustave Eiffel, who designed the framework
to support the gigantic statue.
Meanwhile back in the United States, money was
being raised for the base and the pedestal necessary to
support Frances gift because of a newspaper campaign
started by Joseph Pulitzer. In less than five years about
121,000 people had given the $ 100,000 needed to build
the pedestal.
The complete statue was officially presented to the
United States in Paris, France on July 4, 1884. It was then
carefully taken apart and shipped to America. The statue
arrived in 1885 and the pedestal was completed in April
of 1886.
Liberty Enlightening the World was hoisted on
Beadloe Island (Liberty Island) on October 28, 1886,
over ten years after the work began.
The statue was made from copper sheets and it is
hollow inside. Inside there is a circular stairway from the
base to the crown. There is also a lift in it.
The figure shows a young woman. She holds a torch
in her right hand above her head and in her left hand is a
tablet with the date July 4th, 1776 on it, which symbolizes
the Declaration of Independence. The torch lights up at
night.
Over the years, Liberty Enlightening the World had
commonly been called The Statue of Liberty. American
poet Emma Lazarus wrote a poem that was placed on a
plaque in the pedestal in 1903. The words gave, and continue to give, a message of hope to all who wish to settle
in the land of liberty.
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
To many people, the Statue of Liberty is one of
Americas most cherished symbols. It is the symbol of
freedom, a freedom that millions of people have come to
America to find.
President Nixon opened a $ 2.5 million building at
the base of the statue housing the American Museum of
Immigration in 1972. It houses a permanent exhibition
of photos, posters, and artifacts tracing the history of
American immigration.

139

UNIT 6, Lesson 4
The Grapes and the Storks
Legend
An old legend says that once upon a time Tatars
invaded the country, robbing and ravishing everything on
their way. The Moldovan fighters, being less in number,
retreated to a fortress. The Tatars surrounded the fortress and tried to destroy it. The Moldovans put up a firm
resistance. The Khan then said, Let them die of hunger;
then they will surrender.
Soon the defenders of the fortress ran out of food
and water, and people began dying of hunger and thirst.
The fortress would have fallen if some storks living
in this place had not heard of the misfortune. The storks
gathered and discussed how to help the Moldovans. An
old stork said, Lets bring some grape clusters into the
fortress. Soon all the storks began carrying grape clusters into the fortress. The fighters helped themselves
to the grapes, recovered their strength, and chased the
Tatars from the country.
Since then the Moldovans have been very fond of
a stork carrying a large cluster of grapes. This symbol is
used on bottles of wine as an emblem.

How Moldova Got Its Name

Legend
A long time ago a young and strong leader named
Drago descended from the mountains to go hunting.
He was travelling with his men when they saw a wild bull
(zimbru) and chased after it. They followed it for a while
until the horses and their riders were exhausted. Soon
they arrived in a new and unfamiliar place, a beautiful
land with thick forests and many meadows through which
flowed a river. When they arrived at the river, Dragos
favourite dog, Molda, attacked the wild bull. The strong
bull threw Molda into the river and the dog drowned.
Then Drago and his men killed the bull with arrows and
cut off its head. Since that time, a bulls head has been

a symbol on the Moldovan flag. The river was named

Moldova and the land around it was called Roman,
refeering to Dragos family roots. Eventually, Dragos
people descended from the mountains and settled on that
excellent land.

The Sweet Basil

Legend
Once upon a time there was a very nice girl. One
day, it so happened that the young girl died leaving a
grieving lover after her. That year was very dry, and
because of it, all the flowers faded away. The young man
went to the grave every day. Tears and tears were shed
on the grave.
At the girls head began to grow a flower, which
being watered by his tears every day, grew very high
and gave off a charming scent. Since then the flower
was named sweet basil after the boys name. There is
a custom in Moldova to keep sweet basil in the house.
This flower is considered to be a holy one. Thats why all
the priests use it for sanctification and baptismals. It is
important to know that Moldovans do not use sweet basil
in food preparation.

The Mouth of Paradise

(Legend)
A long time ago God decided to divide the land
among the many people on the earth. He called all the
nations together and all arrived on time, except the
Moldovans who had been working late in the fields. By
the time they did arrive, all the land had been distributed
and there was not one hectare left for the Moldovans.
God felt bad about this and he gave them a piece of
heaven, so that they should live in peace. That is why
Moldova is called the mouth of paradise.

UNIT 6, Lesson 4
My husband - yes - of course, Ill speak. Hullo,
Henry, what is it? Did you hear about - what are you saying - my two crooks arrested - my two - why do you call
them my two? Mr.Yahi-Bahi and Mr. Spudd! But Henry,
they are not crooks - theyre Parsees! Mr. Ram Spudd
is a Bengalee and is one of the most soul men, Henry,
Ive ever seen. Just to hear him talk lifts one up spiritual. What are you laughing at? You say I should have
heard him talk today? - What do you mean? -hes not a

Bengalee, you say, hes just coloured and Mr. Yahi -- is

Irish - well, whats the laugh? - What did Ram Spudd say?
He said that! Just you repeat that, Henry, - Ram Spudd
said they nearly caught the old hen! Meaning me! me! An
old hen! Well, hes a dirty little sheep and I hope - he gets
what do you say - hell get five years? I hope so! - but not
poor Mr. Yahi; hes all Irish - oh, he laughed too! What!
an old hen - I hope he gets ten.

140

LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS

abide
arise
awake
be
bear
beat
become
begin
bend
bet
bid
bind
bite
bleed
bless
blow
break
breed
bring
broadcast
build
burn
burst
buy
cast
catch
choose
cling
come
cost
creep
cut
deal
dig
dive
do
draw
dream
drink
drive
dwell
eat
fall
feed
feel
fight
find
fit
flee
fling
fly
forbid
forecast
foresee
forget
forgive
forsake
freeze

abided/abode
arose
awoke/awaked
was/were
bore
beat
became
began
bent
bet/betted (Br.E.)
bid/bade
bound
bit
bled
blessed/blest
blew
broke
bred
brought
broadcast
built
burnt/burned
burst
bought
cast
caught
chose
clung
came
cost
crept
cut
dealt
dug
dived/dove
did
drew
dreamed/dreamt
drank
drove
dwelt/dwelled
ate
fell
fed
felt
fought
found
fit/fitted (Br.E.)
fled
flung
flew
forbade/forbad
forecast
foresaw
forgot
forgave
forsook
froze

abided
arisen
awoken
been
borne/born
beaten/beat
become
begun
bent
bet/betted (Br.E.)
bid/bidden
bound
bitten
bled
blessed/blest
blown
broken
bred
brought
broadcast
built
burnt/burned
burst
bought
cast
caught
chosen
clung
come
cost
crept
cut
dealt
dug
dived
done
drawn
dreamed/dreamt
drunk
driven
dwelt/dwelled
eaten
fallen
fed
felt
fought
found
fit/fitted (Br.E.)
fled
flung
flown
forbidden/forbid
forecast
foreseen
forgotten
forgiven
forsaken
frozen

141

abiding
arising
awaking
being
bearing
beating
becoming
beginning
bending
betting
bidding
binding
biting
bleeding
blessing
blowing
breaking
breeding
bringing
broadcasting
building
burning
bursting
buying
casting
catching
choosing
clinging
coming
costing
creeping
cutting
dealing
digging
diving
doing
drawing
dreaming
drinking
driving
dwelling
eating
falling
feeding
feeling
fighting
finding
fitting
fleeing
flinging
flying
forbidding
forecasting
foreseeing
forgetting
forgiving
forsaking
freezing

get
give
go
grind
grow
hang
have
hear
hide
hit
hold
hurt
keep
kneel
knit
know
lay
lead
lean
leap
learn
leave
lend
let
lie
light
lose
make
mean
meet
mislay
mislead
mistake
mow
overcome
pay
prove
put
quit
read
rend
rid
ride
ring
rise
run
saw
say
see
seek
sell
send
set
sew
shake
shear
shed
shine
shoe
shoot
show

got
gave
went
ground
grew
hung/ hanged
had
heard
hid
hit
held
hurt
kept
knelt/ kneeled (Am.E.)
knitted/ knit
knew
laid
led
leant/ leaned
leapt/ leaped
learned/ learnt
left
lent
let .
lay
lit/ lighted
lost
made
meant
met
mislaid
misled
mistook
mowed
overcame
paid
proved
put
quit/quitted (Br.E.)
read
rent
rid/ ridded
rode
rang
rose
ran
sawed
said
saw
sought
sold
sent
set
sewed
shook
sheared
shed
shone/ shined
shod
shot
showed

got/ gotten (Am.E.)

given
gone
ground
grown
hung/ hanged
had
heard
hidden
hit
held
hurt
kept
knelt/ kneeled (Am.E.)
knitted/ knit
known
laid
led .
leant/ leaned
leapt/ leaped
learned/ learnt
left
lent
let
lain
lit/ lighted
lost
made
meant
met
mislaid
misled
mistaken
mown/ mowed
overcome
paid
proved/ proven (Am.E.)
put
quit/quitted (Br.E.)
read
rent
rid/ ridded
ridden
rung
risen
run
sawn/ sawed
said
seen
sought
sold
sent
set
sown/ sewed
shaken
shorn/ sheared
shed
shone/ shined
shod
shot
shown/ showed

142

getting
giving
going
grinding
growing
hanging
having
hearing
hiding
hitting
holding
hurting
keeping
kneeling
knitting
knowing
laying
leading
leaning
leaping
learning
leaving
lending
letting
lying
lighting
losing
making
meaning
meeting
mislaying
misleading
mistaking
mowing
overcoming
paying
proving
putting
quitting
reading
rending
ridding
riding
ringing
rising
running
sawing
saying
seeing
seeking
selling
sending
setting
sewing
shaking
shearing
shedding
shining
shoeing
shooting
showing

shrink
shut
sing
sink
sit
slay
sleep
slide
sling
slit
smell
sow
speak
speed
spell
spend
spill
spin
spit
split
spoil
spread
spring
stand
steal
stick
sting
stink
stride
strike
string
strive
swear
sweep
swell
swim
swing
take
teach
tear
tell
think
thrive
throw
thrust
tread
undergo
understand
undertake
upset
wake
wear
weave
wed
weep
wet
win
wind
withdraw
wring
write

shrank/ shrunk
shut
sang
sank/ sunk
sat
slew
slept
slid
slung
slit
smelt/ smelled (Am.E.)
sowed
spoke
sped/ speeded
spelt/ spelled (Am.E.)
spent
spilt/ spilled (Am.E.)
spun/ span
spat/ spit (Am.E.)
split
spoiled/ spoilt
spread
sprang/ sprung (Am.E.)
stood
stole
stuck
stung
stank/ stunk
strode
struck
strung
strove/ strived
swore
swept
swelled
swam
swung
took
taught
tore
told
thought
thrived/ throve
threw
thrust
trod
underwent
understood
undertook
upset
woke/ waked
wore
wove
wedded/ wed
wept
wetted/ wet
won
wound
withdrew
wrung
wrote

shrunk
shut
sung
sunk
sat .,
slain
slept
slid
slung
slit
smelt/ smelled (Am.E.)
sown/ sowed
spoken
sped/ speeded
spelt/ spelled (Am.E.)
spent
spilt/ spilled (Am.E.)
spun
spat/ spit (Am.E.)
split
spoiled/ spoilt
spread
sprung
stood
stolen
stuck
stung
stunk
stridden
struck
strung
striven/ strived
sworn
swept
swollen/ swelled
swum
swung
taken
taught
torn
told
thought
thrived
thrown
thrust
trodden/ trod
undergone
understood
undertaken
upset
woken/ waked
worn
woven
wedded/ wed
wept
wetted/ wet
won
wound
withdrawn
wrung
written

143

shrinking
shutting
singing
sinking
sitting
slaying
sleeping
sliding
slinging
slitting
smelling
sowing
speaking
speeding
spelling
spending
spilling
spinning
spitting
splitting
spoiling
spreading
springing
standing
stealing
sticking
stinging
stinking
striding
striking
stringing
striving
swearing
sweeping
swelling
swimming
swinging
taking
teaching
tearing
telling
thinking
thriving
throwing
thrusting
treading
undergoing
understanding
undertaking
upsetting
waking
wearing
weaving
wedding
weeping
wetting
winning
winding
withdrawing
wringing
writing

Descrierea CIP a Camerei Naionale a Crii

Working Together: Students Book 10 / Galina Chira, Margareta Duciac, Maria
Gsc, Elisaveta Onofreiciuc, Mihai Chira Ed. a 3-a. Ch.: Arc, 2012 (Serebia
SRL). 144 p.
ISBN 9975-61-682-9
811.111(075.8)
E 57

Editura ARC, str. G. Meniuc nr. 3, Chiinu;

tel. (37322) 73-36-19, 73-53-29; fax (37322) 73-36-23;
e-mail: info@arc.moldnet.md
www.edituraarc.md
Tiprit la Serebia SRL
Com. nr. 117

MINISTERUL EDUCAfiIEI AL REPUBLICII MOLDOVA

ISBN 978-9975-61-682-9

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