Do you enjoy travelling? Why?

What is your favourite way of travelling? Why?

3. Is it better to travel on your own or with your friends/fam­ily? Why?

What do you think is the best season for travelling?

Do you take a camera with you when you travel? Why?

Do you agree that travelling broadens the mind? Why?

7. What would you recommend to people who want to go travelling?

 

 

TRAVELLING

Give a talk on the topic Travelling.

Remember to say:

• why people travel;

• what means of travelling are most popular with people, why;

• what means of travelling are least popular with people, why;

• some words about your last travelling.

People like to travel. That's why there are so many means of transportation. In the past many people traveled because they wanted to sell their goods or exchange the news. Now people travel on business or for pleasure when they want to see the world, to rest and to have new impressions.

There are many kinds of travelling: by train, by car, by sea, by air by coach. International travelling by coach is rather convenient and very cheap. The coach usually stops at a restaurant or a cafe. There is a toilet in the coach. But sleeping in an armchair can cause problems especially to those who are travel sick.

Travelling by train seems to be the most widespread means of transportation. It is the most convenient means of travel and it is not expensive. People can choose between a carriage with sitting places and a carriage with berths, where they can sleep well if the journey is long. People can go to any place by train because the railway system links practically all the regions of our country.

Travelling by plane is an exciting experience for those who are not airsick. Travelling by plane is rather expensive, though you can choose between economic class and business class. If you have a window seat you will enjoy the view while taking off and landing.

If you have chosen to travel by sea, you will have a chance to see marvelous landscapes and seascapes. The dawns and sunsets in the open ocean are terrific. When you are on a voyage you visit different places and you have everything on board to be able to have a good rest and entertainment. There are different types of strips to go by - cruisers, yachts and liners. However, there are some disadvantages, which are the cost of the ticket, the storms and seasickness.

Hiking is the right kind of spending free time. You pack your tent and start walking. It is slow for sure, but you can go wherever you want and stay in the place you liked as long as you want. At the same time, not all people like to walk much, though it is very good for their health.

Many people prefer travelling by car. The advantages of this kind of travelling are that you don't have to buy any tickets or carry any luggage, you can stop wherever you like and enjoy the surrounding views.

Whatever means of transportation you choose, it is very important to prepare for the trip. First, you have to book a ticket. Then you should think about accommodation and contact the hotel or hostel well in advance. You should arrive at the railway station, coach stop or airport in advance to have time to make sure everything is all right. The air companies require your coming an hour or two beforehand because you have to pass checking in, passport control, X-ray control and if you go abroad you will have to go through the Customs.

I'm not a great traveler, but I have made several trips and traveled by coach, by train and by plane. I made my last trip last summer. My parents and I went to.... It took us...hours/days to get to... by.... The journey was exciting/tiring/boring. Next time we are going to travel to... by....

 

MASS MEDIA

Give a talk on the topic Mass Media.

Remember to say:

• what role mass media plays in people’s lives;

• if newspapers and radio are as popular nowadays as they used to be, why/ why not;

• what advantages and disadvantages television brings to our life;

• why the Internet has become so popular nowadays.

There is every reason to believe that mass media play a great role in modern society. Their positive aspects are obvious. They give us useful and interesting information and news and also help us to have an enjoyable free time.

On the one hand, popular TV programmes and newspapers interview people and take their views into consideration, but on the other hand mass media choose certain people to ask questions, describe definite facts and make evaluations. Thus, mass media specialists influence the attitudes of the society towards important events and tendencies.

The most important mass media are newspapers, radio, television and the Internet. Newspapers appeared the first of the listed. The first Russian newspaper was issued in 1702 on the initiative of Peter the Great. It was entitled “Vedomosty”. Now we have all kinds of newspapers- tabloids, sports papers, business papers, kids’ papers and political papers. There are a lot of magazines to all tastes. Both newspapers and magazines are sold in the streets all around the city, but you can also subscribe to any papers and magazines at the post-office. There are daily and weekly papers; weekly, monthly and quarterly magazines.

Radio appeared much later than the first Russian newspaper. It was invented by A.S. Popov in 1895.In Russia regular radio broadcasting began in 1924. Now we can’t imagine our life without radio. There are dozens of radio stations in Russia. Everyone can choose a station to listen to. Most of them broadcast music of different styles. Music attracts listeners. You can also listen to weather forecasts, sports news, radio theatre, agricultural, political, economical programmes, talk shows, advice of lawyers, news, daily horoscope, etc. You can take part in different intellectual quizzes and win a prize. Nowadays we have many radio channels and my favourite ones are:...

The principle of television was offered at the end of the19th century by A. di Paiva and the Russian scientist P.I. Bakhmetyev independently. However, only in the 30-s of the 20^th century regular TV broadcasting began in Moscow and St. Petersburg and in the 50-s all over the USSR. The first TV sets’ screens were as big as a pocket book and they were black and white. Nowadays it is impossible to find a house without a TV set. No doubt, that television started to produce great influence on people. It combines all the advantages of other media and satisfies different tastes. TV has become more popular than radio and newspapers. Many programmes keep people informed of current events in politics, sports, and economics. Besides informational programmes, you can watch a lot of entertainments. They let people relax, make them forget about their problems and help them to focus on pleasant things. There is no doubt that different people choose different programmes. Some enjoy detective movies, other are fond of horror films. Some people are interested in music concerts. Others like “soap operas”, chat shows and TV games.

However, nowadays, many programmes and films show too much violence and blood. It is bad for all the people especially for children, because it can damage their ideas of normal life. Another negative influence of TV is that it doesn’t stimulate creative thinking and makes people dependent on the views expressed by others. People begin to forget how to occupy their free time. Television prevents people from communicating with each other, from visiting friends or relatives.

 

The Internet is the newest kind of mass media. In the Internet people can find any information they need. It can be called a kind of combination of newspapers, radio, TV and computers. All main newspapers and broadcasting companies have their sites in the Internet. So you can find the latest news there without buying a newspaper; you can find there information about different countries, pop stars’ songs and even prepared papers on all topics. Via e-mail and in chat rooms we can communicate with people all over the world.

All the mass media have their advantages. They supply us with political, cultural and other important information, entertain and give food for thought, but they also have some disadvantages. For example, you can watch TV only in the places with the TV aerial and electricity. The worst thing about mass media is advertising. They catch our attention and interrupt broadcasting. It is irritating especially if a good film is interrupted by advertising soap or beer. One more disadvantage is that information is not always reliable especially in the Internet. However, it is hard to imagine modern society without mass media today.

 

Speaking activity 1:

 

I. Give a talk of 2-3 minutes discussing all the 3 statements given below

These are some of the opinions about television:

· Television programmes gather big audiences. Apart from their entertainment value, they provide useful topics of conversation.

· Television helps us to relax after a hard day's work. We can then cope better with the next day's work.

· Television may lead to poor health through rushed meals, lack of sleep, lack of exercise and eyestrain.

Which of the above do you agree or disagree with? Share your opinions and experiences. You will be asked some further questions related to what you have said. Be prepared to make commentson the spot.

Speaking activity 2:

Here are some statements about watching TV. Put them into the column of advantages and the column of disadvantages. Explain your choice:

 

ADVANTAGES	DISADVANTAGES

 

· People forget the art of conversation, visiting their friends and relatives.

· Some kids do their homework in front of TV.

· TV brings the world into our living room: we learn about other countries, various peoples’ customs, occupations, opinions and problems.

· TV helps to rest after hard work.

· TV programs have entertainment value; they provide useful topics for conversation.

· Many people waste their time in front of TV.

· We see famous people and great events which will pass into history.

· Some children do not enrich their personalities watching TV instead of taking up a hobby, having an outside activity or visiting some club or society.

· TV leads to poor health- rushed meals, lack of sleep, lack of exercise and eyestrain.

· We become more cultured people by learning more of the arts and culture.

· We become better informed by watching documentaries, news and science programmes- they raise economic, social and political issues of the day.

 

WRITING ACTIVITIES

Writing activity 1

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend.

…Have you ever thought what you are going to do in the future? As for me, I really don’t know what career to choose although my parents say it’s time I made my choice. What kind of job would you prefer to do? Have you asked your parents for advice? Would you like to follow in their footsteps? Anyway, we’ve got some time to think. Let me know what you think about it. All the best, Jack

Write a letter to Jack. In your letter

· answer his questions

· ask 3 questions about his hobbies and leisure activities

Write 100 - 140 words. Remember the rules of letter writing.

 

Writing activity 2

You got a letter from your English pen friend John. At the end of his letter he asks the following questions:

…Your English is very good. I wonder how many English lessons a week you have.

What other subjects do you study at school? Which of them do you like best? Do you have a lot of homework every day? Where can young people in St.Petersburg spend their free time?

Hope to hear from you soon…

Write a letter to answer John’s questions. Write 100-140 words.

Writing activity 3

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend.

… When I think about leaving school it is clear I’m going to miss my school friends, classes and teachers very much. They are so important to me. We seem to be very friendly and enthusiastic about participating in all the school events. What does school mean to you? Do you feel the same about it? Do you think you will miss school? Are you going to meet your school friends after you finish school? I have lived in London most of my life but I’d really love to travel to other countries…

Write a letter to Nicole.

In your letter

· answer her questions

· ask 3 questions about her plans for travelling.

 

Writing activity 4

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Rob.

… and then there’s this chess tournament on Saturday. If I win, I’ll be the champion of our school. Who knows? Oh, yeah. I wanted to ask you something. We have to write a report on technology for school. Could you tell me a few things about how you use technology in your life? You know, computers, mobiles, TV, that sort of things. Oh, and tell me something about the other members of your family, too, and how they use technology. Anyway, I was talking to Sam the other day and he says that…

Write a letter to Rob.

In your letter

· answer his questions

· ask 3 questions about playing chess

Write 100 – 140 words. Remember the rules of letter writing.

 

Writing activity 5

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend.

… By the way, we are doing a project at college on the fashion industry in different countries. It would be nice if you could tell me what clothes are popular with teenagers in Russia. Do you have any special fashion for teens? What kind of clothes do you prefer? Write back soon. All my love, Jessica.

Write a letter toJessica.

In your letter

· answer her questions

· ask 3 questions about her tastes in clothes.

Writing activity 6

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend.

… I hope you enjoyed your summer holidays. Where did you spend them? Please, tell me about the most interesting things you did. By the way, we are moving house and I am sending you my new address. Write back soon. Love, Alice.

Write a letter to Alice.

In your letter

· tell her about your summer holidays,

· ask 3 questions about the new house.

Writing activity 7

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Daisy who writes:

... Yesterday, we went by train to London to visit the Science Museum. Unfortunately after storm the rail track was covered in leaves and branches. Our journey took 4 hours! But our short visit was great! Do you often make long train journeys, if at all? Where can people go by train in Russia? Do you personally like train rides, why?... On the train I finished the new book by Stephanie Meyer so even a slow journey can be OK.

Skype me soon,

Daisy

Write a letter to Daisy. In your letter

· answer her questions

· ask 3 questions about the book

Writing activity8

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Ann.

… Yesterday I had arguments with my mother about watching TV. Do you spend much time in front of TV? What programmes do you like best and why? Do you and your parents always agree what programmes to watch and what do you do if your interests are different?

Write a letter to Ann. Answer her questions.

Writing activity 9

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend.

… When I think about leaving school it is clear I’m going to miss my school friends, classes and teachers very much. They are so important to me. We seem to be very friendly and enthusiastic about participating in all the school events. What does school mean to you? Do you feel the same about it? Do you think you will miss school? Are you going to meet your school friends after you finish school? I have lived in London most of my life but I’d really love to travel to other countries…

Write a letter to Nicole.

In your letter

• answer her questions

· ask 3 questions about her plans for travelling.

 

Model for Writing a Personal Letter
			YOUR ADDRESS
			THE DATE
	GREETING:	Dear John,
	INTRODUCTION:	Thank you for your last letter...
	MAIN BODY:	In your letter you asked me about….
	CONCLUSION:	Sorry, I must finish…
	ENDING:	Best wishes,
	SIGNATURE:	Kate.
№ абзаца	WHAT IS REQUIRED Что требуется в письме	REMARKS Рекомендации	EXAMPLES Примеры
	ADDRESS Aдрес	Адрес пишущего указывается в правом верхнем углу.	Saint-Petersburg Russia
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	DATE Дата	Под адресом дата.	9^th September 2012
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	GREETING Обращение	С новой строки письмо начинается с обращения, после которого ставится ЗАПЯТАЯ.	Dear John, Dear Mary,
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	INTRODUCTION Начало письма	Ссылка на предыдущие контакты, где автор благодарит адресата за ранее полученную корреспонденцию. Извиняется, что не писал раньше.	Thank you for your last letter... Thank you, I was glad to get your last letter… I' m sorry that I haven't written to you…
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	MAIN BODY Основная часть письма	В ней должны быть раскрыты все аспекты, указанные в задании. Каждый параграф пишут с новой строки, пропустив строчку.	In your letter you asked me about…. I was glad to hear that you …
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	CONCLUSION Конец письма	Автор упоминает о дальнейших контактах.	I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
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	ENDING Завершающая фраза письма	Эта фраза зависит от степени близости автора и адресата, после неё ВСЕГДА ставится ЗАПЯТАЯ.	Best wishes, All the best,
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	SIGNATURE Подпись автора	Личные письма подписывают без указания фамилии.	Olya Misha

 

Демонстрационный вариант 2011 года

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