Task 1. Write out phrases characterizing a typical Belarusian and arrange them in the order of priority from your point of view.

Task 2. How does the author prove that under the simple sometimes delicate outlook strong character and staying power are hidden? Are you of the same opinion? Give the examples to support your idea.

Task 3. Can you contradict to Hertzen's opinion about a Belarusian as a person who "had lost his tongue"?

LISTENING PRACTICE

T A P E S C R I P T 1

 

Pre-listening Activity

Go through the following list of verbal combinations and translate them.

a) to stay on at school;

b) to earn a decent living;

c) to give the boat fare;

d) to make chocolate bars;

e) to get used to;

f) to be made to feel;

g) to treat somebody very differently.

 

Listening Activity

 

Task 1. Listen to the recording and choose the correct continuation for the following statements.

1. The girl left the shoe-factory and became a nanny because …

 

a) she wanted to earn more money.

b) she wanted to work with children.

c) she had to work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the factory.

 

2. The girl came to Slough, Buckinghamshire, as …

 

a) her father knew the place well.

b) the boat fare was cheap.

c) most of the people from her part of the country went there.

 

3. When the girl went back to Ireland people treated her differently because …

 

a) she was rich.

b) she had been to England.

c) she had been to college.

Task 2. Listen to the recording again and give answers to the following questions.

1. Where did the girl find her first job in England?

2. What did the girl have to get used to in England?

3. How was the girl made to feel in England?

4. Where did the girl move to in the late 1960’s?

Post-listening Activity

 

T A P E S C R I P T 2

 

FIVE O’CLOCK NEWS

 

Pre-listening Activity

Task 1. a) First recall the definition of the terms “ethnic group” and “minority”.

b) Do you know any examples of the people’s persecution because of some ethnic peculiarities?

c) Have you ever heard about the minorities movement for equal rights?

Task 2. Get familiar with the meaning of the word which you’ll hear in the pieces of news.

a) to grant a judgment – to give or transfer by legal procedure;

b) a testimony – a statement made under oath or to established a fact;

c) a suit - any form of evidence, proof an action to secure justice in a court of law;

d) an attorney – a lawyer powered to act for another;

e) a sermon – a speech on religion or morals;

f) to be assassinated – to be murdered by an assassin;

g) a garbage man – a person who collects or clean out garbage.

 

Listening Activity

 

Task 1. Listen to two pieces of news and choose the best completion of the sentence.

1.The family has been granted $30 00 as …

a) a gift from IBM in New York.

b) the decision of the court against a landlord.

c) as an award from his company in Chicago.

 

 

2. The owner refused to rent an apartment because …

a) the apartment had already been leased.

b) the Williams had refused to pay rental deposit.

c) he didn’t like the Williams family.

 

 

3. The Williams family has won their case in the federal court because …

a) there’s no racial discrimination in the USA.

b) there’s a special paper prohibiting racial discrimination in the USA.

c) the attorney for Mr. Wexler turned out to be a low professional.

 

 

4. Americans have gathered to …

a) celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther King.

b) to commemorate the 40 years of the death of Martin Luther King.

c) to commemorate the anniversary of the death Martin Luther King.

 

5. Dr. King was …

a) killed during his last sermon in the church.

b) assassinated two weeks after his last sermon.

c) assassinated some hours after his last sermon in the church.

 

6. Dr. King came to Memphis because …

a) he had been invited by the church.

b) his arrival to Memphis had been caused by the invitation of the American Federation of State.

c) his arrival had been caused by the striking garbagemen.

 

Task 2. Listen to the news again and answer the following questions.

 

1. What was the Williams family looking for and why?

2. Why did Mr. Thorton Williams have to appeal to the court?

3. Why is the Williams’ case the top story of the news programme?

4. What was Dr. Martin Luther King?

 

Post-listening Activity

 

Task 1. Express your opinion on the reasons of discrimination over ethnic minorities in different countries.

Task 2. Work in groups of 3 or 4 and discuss possible ways of solving the problems of ethnic discrimination.

TA P E S C R I P T 3

AMERICA AS SEEN BY BRITONS

Pre-listening Activity

1. What do people pay attention to when they arrive in a foreign country?

2. When you visit some new place do you observe positive or negative features first of all?

Listening Activity

Task 1. Listen to the tape “America as seen by Britons” and tick the right sentences.

a) They moved to the USA two years ago.

b) Despite of some drawbacks they enjoyed their staying in New York.

c) Sheila appreciates the possibility of doing shopping late in the evening.

d) New York subway impressed them very much.

e) All nationalities living in New York settle in a certain area.

f) It’s more difficult to make friends in the USA because the Americans are too imposing.

 

Task 2. Listen to the tape for the second time. Make a list of positive and negative sides of the life in New York for Sheila and Bob.

Post- listening Activity

 

Answer the following questions.

1. Why do both Sheila and Bob think that the life is easier in America than in England?

2. Why was it much easier for Sheila and Bob to make friends in New York?

 

TA P E S C R I P T 4

 

ENGLAND AS SEEN BY AMERICANS

Pre-listening Activity

 

1. Where do you think the difference between closely related nations may lie first of all?

2. In what spheres of life do the Americans and the English differ most of all to your mind?

 

Listening Activity

 

Task 1. Listen to the tape “England as seen by Americans” and tick the right variants.

A.

General attitude of Terry Tormsha to living in England is:

a) positive;

b) negative.

 

B.

According to Terry Tomsha the differences between two countries are in:

a) the geographical position;

b) the people;

c) the historical background;

d) the language;

e) the standards of living;

f) the attitude towards work;

g) the weather.

 

Task 2. Listen to the tape for the second time. Find the facts to prove the following.

a) It’s easier to start a conversation in the street in America.

b) Life is a lot easier in America.

c) Job goes first for Americans.

 

Post-listening Activity

Answer the following questions.

1. Why is it sometimes difficult for the Americans to get quick reaction from the English?

2. What do you think about the preferences between private life and work for the Americans and the English?

3. What is your personal attitude to the priorities of work and private life?

SPEECH PRACTICE

 

Task 1. Read the quotation opening this unit “Our own society is the only one, which we can transform and yet not destroy, since the changes, which we should introduce, would come from within”(Claude Levi-Strauss). Discuss it and see whether you properly understand the meaning of it.

Task 2. Comment on the following

1. “Our own society is the only one, which we can transform and yet not destroy, since the changes, which we should introduce, would come from within.”

2. “There is no sorrow above the loss of a native land.” (Euripides, 485-406 B.C.) Do you support this statement?

Task 3. Give sound arguments to your opponent on the following theme

“Few of us like to be told that we are average. Generalization about nationalities is usually not welcomed, even when basically accurate.”

Task 4. Role play the international conference “National Stereotypes and Economical Progress”.

You need:

- a spokesman;

- representatives of a scientific laboratory of a research institute presenting the results of their 5 year investigations of the problem of the influence of some typical national traits of character on the speed and efficiency of economical development;

- journalists presenting different types of mass media;

- representatives of the executive branch responsible for the economic development of the Republic.

 

WRITING PRACTICE

 

Task 1. Find some information about ethnic minorities in the Republic of Belarus, their position in our society and compare them with those of the USA and Britain. Write an essay on the issue “Ethnic minorities in the Republic of Belarus and their position in our society”.

Task 2. Write an essay on the following theme: “At the beginning of the 21^st century, a place for each country has not yet been specified according to its resources - financial or human - or according to its military potential. The main factor in characterizing these roles in the world processes has become the utilization of achievements by the human minds in each state.”

(Prof. V. Gaisenok)

ACHIEVEMENT TEST