Мій улюблений письменник. Моя улюблена книга.

1.

Reading is one of my hobbies and that’s why I try to use every spare minute to read. I like different kinds of literature. I like Russian and foreign, classic and modern literature. I usually read different books: love stories, detective stories or historical novels. I want to tell you about my favourite writer. It is Alexandra Marinina. She is considered to be a Russian Queen of detective prose. The works of this author are clever and really interesting. In all books there are the same characters and starting a new book you meet old friends. The author used to work as an investigator and she knows how to arouse the reader’s interest and at the same time writes the facts that could take place. Many detective novels by Marinina are translated into foreign languages and foreign readers can compare our writer with Agatha Christie. When I got acquainted with these books I was greatly impressed by the wit and humour. The main character, a slender and weak woman, doesn’t need to fight with the criminals using judo or something like that. She is very clever and intelligent. Her brain works as a good computer and she knows how to derive benefit from it. All the actions and characters are described so vividly that I had a feeling of our possible meeting when I visited Moscow last summer. Unfortunately I don’t have complete works by Marinina, it’s impossible, she’s still writing. But I always recommend my friends to read these books.

 

2.

I am fond of reading. I like to read books about adventures, great people and famous travelers, stories about animals and birds, fairy-tales and fables. I have read a lot of interesting books, but my favorite book is "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. This well known book is popular with the children all over the world. The main character of the book is Tom Sawyer, who lived in a small town on the Mississippi River. He was a boy with a wild imagination. He liked to play games with his friends. They often dreamed of different adventures. Tom was sometimes naughty and never quiet. But his friends liked him because he was kind and brave. Besides, he was noble.

I liked Tom Sawyer very much because he was always bright and full of ideas. Tom teaches us to be noble, kind and brave. He also teaches us to be a true friend. I have learnt a lot about the life of children in America from this book.

 

Vocabulary:

to consider [kan'sida] — вважати

character ['kserakta] — персонаж

investigator [m'vesti,geita] — слідчий

to compare [kam'pea] — порівняти

to get acquainted [a'kwemtid] — познайомитися

wit [wit] — дотепність

to derive benefit [di'raiv 'benifit]

скористатися vividly ['vividh] — жваво

unfortunately [An'fo:t[mtli] — на жаль

to recommend [,reka'mend] — радити, рекомендувати

 

Questions:

Do you like reading?

Have you read books by Marinina?

Did you like them? Why?

What is your favourite character?

What is your favourite writer?

 

 

Teacher ________________I.S.Kokovihinа

1. READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT.

2. RETELL THE TEXT.

My Favourite Book (1)

My favourite book is "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe. D. Defoe (1660—1731) was a great master of realistic detail. The novel "Robinson Crusoe" was written in 1719. The novel is praise to human labour and the triumph of man over nature.

 

Defoe shows the development of his hero. At the beginning of the story we see an inexperienced youth, a rather frivolous boy, who then becomes a strong-willed man.

Robinson Crusoe's most characteristic trait is his optimism. His guiding principle in life become "never say die" and "in trouble to be troubled is to have your troubles doubled".

He had confidence in himself and in man. He believed it was within the power of man to overcome all difficulties. Crusoe was an enthusiastic worker and always hoped for the best.

 

Defoe is a writer of the Enlightenment. He teaches people how to live, he tries to teach what's good and what's bad. His novel "Robinson Crusoe" is not only a work of fiction, an account of adventures, a biography and an educational pamphlet.

It is a study of man, a great work showing man in relation to nature and civilization as well as in relation to labour and private property.

My Favourite Book (2)

My favourite book is "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I first discovered these stories when I was about twelve and I've loved them ever since. They're brilliantly written, full of bizarre crimes and they've got a terrific Victorian atmosphere.

 

When you read them you really feel like you've been carried back to nineteenth-century London.

 

All the twentieth century detectives like Miss Marple and Inspector Morse seem really boring compared to Sherlock Holmes.

That's where Conan Doyle, really makes you believe that Holmes is unique — a genius with amazing mental powers.

 

Normally I only read detective stories once. I mean, why read them again when you know what happens in the end?

 

With the Sherlock Holmes stories, though, its different.

Each time I re-read them I discover more and more to enjoy.

My Favourite Book (3)

I've recently read a book, which has made a very deep impression on me. It is named "Gone with the Wind" The author of the book is Margaret Mitchell. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in a family of the president of the Atlanta Historical Society.

All the family was interested in American history and she grew up in an atmosphere of stones about the Civil War.

 

After graduating from the college Margaret Mitchell worked for a time for the Atlanta Journal. In 1925 she got married. In the following ten years she put on paper all the stories she had heard about the Civil War.

The result was Gone with the Wind. It was first published in 1936 and became the talking point of all America.

 

In 1939 the book was made into a highly successful film. Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable played the leading roles. Vivien Leigh won the Oscar. Everyone loved her high-spirited and beautiful heroine, Scarlett O'Hara.

 

The story is set around the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865), when the Southern states went to war with the North to defend their way of life.

 

It was a way of life in which rich gentry lived in large houses and owned huge areas of land, cultivated by black slaves. Scarlett O'Hara was born in one of those rich houses.

 

But "Gone with the Wind" is also about a love triangle. While Scarlett loves the quiet, gentlemanly Ashley Wilkes, the wild and decidedly ungentlemanly Rhett Butler is in love with her.

 

Not so long ago, in 1991, a publishing company asked Alexandra Ripley, a historical novelist, to write the continuation of the story. Her novel "Scarlett" was not in the same class as the original. Critics have been writing very bad reviews of "Scarlett" but the book is popular with the public.

 

Teacher ________________I.S.Kokovihinа

 

 

1. READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT.

2. RETELL THE TEXT.

My Favourite Writer (M. Lermontov)

 

One of Russia's most celebrated poets of all times, Michael Lermontov was born in Moscow in the family of a nobleman. He spent his childhood and youth in Tarckany, in the province of Penza.

In 1830 Lermontov entered the Moscow University, but very soon he had to leave it. Then he entered St. Petersburg School of Cavalry Cadets. He finished it and served in the Hussar Regiment of the Imperial Guard.

In 1837 the poet was exiled to the Caucasus for his poem "Poets Death". In 1840 Lermontov was exiled to the Caucasus for the second time. He was provoked into personal quarrel with his schoolmate. The quarrel led to a duel. On July 15th, 1841 the poet was killed. He was not even 27 at that time.

Lermontov began writing when he was very young. One of his first writings to be published was his verse tale "Hadji Arbek".

But he won fame as a poet after his poem "Poets Death" was published. Lermontov's poems "Demon" "Mtsyri" his great novel "A Hero of Our Time" and his play "Masquerade" are masterpieces of Russian literature.

Whether he wrote poetry, drama or prose, the stamp of his genius was to be found on his works. Lermontov's influence as of a poet and a thinker on all Russian writes can't be overestimated

 

My Favourite Writer (I. Turgenev)

 

I'm fond of reading. Usually I borrow books from the library, but I have a lot of them at home, too. I like to read books about famous people and detective stories. Literature means much in my life. It helps to form the character and to understand life better.

There are some names in Russian and Foreign literature that are very dear to me.

In Russian literature I highly appreciate Ivan Sergiyovych Turgenev. For me he is a real intellectual and aristocrat, a man of culture, devoted to literature, music and art. Though he lived abroad for a long time he didn't stop to be a Russian writer-for a moment. He created a number of national characters in his books. The image of Turgenev s woman, deeply feeling, faithful and tender is an ideal of a Russian woman for me. It doesn't lose its charm even today.

Of the present day writers and poets I like Eugenij Evtushenko, Valentin Rasputin, Valentin Pikul, Boris Vasyljev. Their works are very human and realistic. They assert high moral principles in life.

And this is very important nowadays. My favourite writer is O'Henry, too. In my childhood I was deeply impressed by his story "The Last Leaf". Since then I bear in my heart the image of a young girl suffering from the incurable illness, and her friends doing all they can to give her hope and bring back to life.

 

Teacher ________________I.S.Kokovihinа

 

1. READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT.

2. RETELL THE TEXT.

Відвідування музею

The town I live in is not very large and there are no big galleries and museums in it. But we have a good Natural History Museum in our town. Last week I was on an excursion there. First we listened to a lecture on the history of our region which was very interesting. Then a guide showed us the exposition of the museum. We walked through its halls looking at different stands with exhibits. There were ancient vases and coins, dishes and bowls, tools and arms. The guide told us about the origin and the age of the exhibits and answered our questions. The girls asked questions about national costumes and dishes and the boys were interested in arms. The next hall was even more interesting. There we saw stuffed animals and birds. It was a small zoo of the region nature. There was also an aquarium full of different fish, tortoises and shells. The collection of minerals was interesting, too. I have learned very much from my visit to the museum.

Vocabulary:

exhibit [lg'zibit] — експонат

guide [gaid] — гід, екскурсовод

coin [kom] — монета

arm [a:m] — зброя

ancient ['einfant] — стародавній

aquarium [a'kwo:nam] — акваріум

 

Questions:

Do you often go to the museums?

Do you generally go there alone or do you take a guide?

What museums are there in your city/town?

How many museums are there in your city/town?

What kind of museums are you most interested in?

Describe your impressions of the excursion.

 

Teacher ________________I.S.Kokovihinа

MY LAST VISIT TO THE MUSEUM

 

As the old saying goes man cannot live by bread alone. Any human being needs nourishment for his soul as wfell. One of the places where one can get spiritual food is a museum. Museums are an essential part of any culture and society.

Last year I went to see a friend who lives in Kyiv. I did an awful lot of sightseeing. I enjoyed my stay there immensely. But what I found absolutely unforgettable was my visit to the Taras Shevchenko Museum.

During the conducted tour I learned much about the museum in general, about the main stages of Ukrainian poet's life and in the history of our country. The exposition of the museum includes more than 800 works of the great poet and painter and his personal belongings. The most frequently visited are the halls reflecting Shevchenko's life and work. I marvelled at the finest Shevchenko's water-colours and pencil drawings from the museum's collection. I found the rare publications of "Kobzar", Shevchenko's first book of poetry, and a separate edition of his poem "Haidamaky" the most interesting.

Some of the galleries, which deal with section "Shevchenko and Our Time", stand out in my memory very vividly: models of monuments to Shevchenko in Ukraine and other countries, the collections of his works in the foreign languages, the vast collection of folk songs, legends and proverbs about the poet, portraits of Shevchenko.

But what is more important, I received an emotional experience. Needless to say, that like any other museum, it should be taken a little at a time. The Taras Shevchenko Museum enjoys a truly universal popularity. I wish I could visit it over and over again.

 

VOCABULARY

nourishment ['nʌrɪʃment] — живлення; їжа; пожива (для розуму тощо)

essential [ɪ'senʃ(ə)l] — важливий, істотний

to do an awful ['ɔ:ful] lot of sightseeing ['saɪt,si:ŋ] — оглянути величезну кількість пам'яток

conducted tour ['kəndʌktɪd tuə] — екскурсія з гідом

exposition [,ekspə'zɪʃ(ə)n] — експозиція музею, виставка

to marvel ['ma:v(ə)l] — захоплюватися

water-colour [' wɔtə'kʌlə] — акварель

separate edition ['seprɪt ɪ'dɪʃ(ə)n] — окреме видання

to deal [di:l] with — мати відношення до, бути пов'язаним із

to enjoy popularity [,popju'læntɪ] — користуватися популярністю

 

QUESTIONS

 

1. Do you like going to the museums?

2. Do you often go to the museums?

3. What museums do you prefer to visit?

4. Do you generally go alone or on a conducted tour?

5. What museums are there in you native city?

6. Where can you get spiritual food?

7. What does the Taras Shevchenko museum exhibit?

Teacher ________________I.S.Kokovihinа

Theme “Theatre. Visiting of theatre.”

 

1. READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT.

2. RETELL THE TEXT.

VISITING THEATRE

There is a great number of theatres in Russia, but the most famous of them are in Moscow. If you want to visit a theatre, you need to buy a ticket. Sometimes it is difficult to buy a ticket right before the show, and one have to do it an advance. Supposed, now you have bought the ticket.You pass through an entrarce and go to the cloakroom to leave your coat there. In the foyer you are offered binoculars and the programm, in which they mention tonight’s show actors, the producer and the artists.Then you enter the hall. There are rows of seats here. There is a pit near the stage. There are boxes on both sides of the pit. The boxes tickets are most expensive and prestigious. A dress-circle is higher than the pit. The balconies are higher than the dress-circle. There is a beautiful chandelier in the hall. The chapest tickets are for the second and the third level balconies, so most of the audience are students and youth there. All theatres differ from each other. They stage their plays, have their actors and actreesses. But on the other hand all theatres have a box-offlice, a cloak-room and almost all theatre performances begin at the same time in all theatres.I am a theatre lover. I prefer to attend drama theatres and the Bolshoi. Since I like to sit in the pi I try to buy tickets beforehand. Usually I look through a playbill before going to the theatres.Two months ago I saw “Duck Hunting” by Vampilov in Sovremennik Theatre. The play was exciting. The main role was played by Oleg Junkovsky,one of my most favourite actors. I think he is very talented. My seat was near the stage. The performance had two parts. As usually, I went to cafe and had a cake and a cup of tea during the interval. There was a storm of applauds in the end. On the way home we discussed the play with my brother. Usually I go to theatre with my friends. I like to discuss the play if I have seen it with my friends.Someimcs they show theatre productions and musicals on TV. They are quite interesting because you can see the play of the famous actors fróm abroad. But the impression is quite different becausce there is no curtain and the darkness of the hall and your applauds could not be heard by the actors you liked. Live theatre is much better.I have a dream to go to London and visit some plays in the Royal Shakespeare Company, Old Vic Theatre and the National Theatre.

 

Active Words and Word Combinations:

entrance — вхід

cloak-room - гардероб

beforehand — заздалегіть

stage - сцена

performance — вистава

applauds — оплески

impression — враження

dream - мрія

darkness – темрява

 

Questions

1. Are there many theatres in Russia?

2. Which theatres are famous in Russia? in the world?

3. Do theatres differ from each other?

4. Tell about the inteior of one the theare you know.

5. Where you can buy a ticket?

6. Why is it the most wise to buy ticket beforehand?

7. What can you see in the foyer?

8. Where can you buy a program?

9. What do you do during the Interval?

10. What was the last play you saw? Who did play the main role?

11. Who are your favourite theatre actors? actresses?

12. Did you ever watch theatre perfomances on TV? Did you like them?

Teacher ________________I.S.Kokovihinа

Theme “Cinema. Visiting of cinema.”

1. READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT.

2. RETELL THE TEXT.

 

A Visit to the Cinema

Once I read an article about various kinds of entertainment. According to it TV, radio and cinema have made great changes in the entertainments with which people fill their free time.

There was a time when people knew what to do to enjoy themselves: they played games, sang, played musical instruments, went out shooting.

Nowadays we can get entertained by the TV, the radio, the theatre or the cinema. Cinema is available no matter where you live. You can always find the film you like among horror films,. thrillers, westerns, detective, love, musical films or comedies.

Not so long ago most people used to visit cinema every week. Often cinema houses were overcrowded. But at present video production has flooded the market and cinema became less popular.

I don’t go often to the cinema and my friends are not regular cinama-goers either. But if there is a film, which is a hit with the public, I do my best to watch it. The last film I saw was Hollywood remake of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. The action takes place in the modern world but all the rest is just like great Shakespeare had described: people, ancion, feelings. The original text was used in the film. And I have to mention that the music was great. I think the actors and the actresses did their best and looked great. I’ll remember the film for a long time.

 

Active Words and Word Combinations:

to enjoy — насолоджуватись

horror — жах

thriller — трилер

overcrowded —переповнений

to flood — наповнювати

to mention — згадувати

 

Questions:

1. What are some kinds of entertainment?

2. How did people entertain themselves when there was no TV, radio or cinema?

3. What are some kinds of films?

4. Did people use to go to the cinema often?

5. Why are there less cinema-goers now?

 

Teacher ________________I.S.Kokovihinа

1. READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT.

2. RETELL THE TEXT.

Мистецтво

 

The variety of arts is unlimited. What do you prefer: cinema, theatre, painting, music? Why?

 

Art is defined in encyclopedias as the process and result of making material works, which reflect beauty or reality. The 'creative arts' denote a number of disciplines whose purpose is to create material things which reflect a message, mood, and symbols for the viewer to interpret.

 

Art includes various forms such as prose writing, poetry, dance, acting, sculpture, painting, music, etc. The term 'arts' often means 'fine arts' — painting, sculpture, drawing, engraving. Installation art, furniture, industrial design, graphic design and others are included in applied arts. There are a variety of arts, including visual arts and design, decorative arts, plastic arts, and the performing arts. Artistic expression may take many forms: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, music and architecture. New forms include photography, film, video art, conceptual art, performance art, land art, fashion, comics, computer art. Within each form, a wide range of genres may exist.

 

Of all the forms of art, I prefer painting and music. I am really interested in painting for several reasons. Firstly, it is one of the oldest forms of art. Humans have been painting for about 6 times as long as they have been writing. The oldest painting found is over 32,000 years old. Painting is a form of art which is believed by many to express feelings and ideas in the visual form. Using visual images — colours, light and shade, forms and shape, a painter makes us understand his concept of life, share his feelings and enjoy the beauty of the world. Secondly, painting offers you a wide choice of styles, it allows us to be as specific or abstract as we please. From the wide range of various art schools and styles (realism, impressionism, cubism, fauvism, surrealism, modernism, pop art, etc.) you can choose one to your liking. The art schools I prefer are realism and impressionism, as I think they depict form and mood in the most distinct and vivid way.

 

The second form of art I am really keen on is music. The term 'music' is difficult to define. It can be explained, for example, as the art of making pleasing combinations of sounds in rhythm, harmony and counterpoint. The music that composers make can be heard through several media; the most traditional way is to hear it live, in the presence of performers. Live music can also be broadcast over the radio, television or the internet. Firstly, music helps me relax and relieve stress. When I listen to music, classical, jazz, rap or any other type of music I enjoy, I forget about the troubles of everyday life; music provides an escape from everyday problems. Stress melts away as I am taken in by the beauty of the music. It can help me feel calm and deeply relaxed. Secondly, music affects my emotions. Each type of music sets distinct mood and changes mine. In doing so, it appeals both to my mind and to the subconscious. Whether I am feeling sad, frustrated or confused, I listen to merry or tender music, and my mood shifts.

There are many divisions and groupings of music. Among the larger genres are classical music, popular music or commercial music, country music and folk music. Classical music is sophisticated and refined, but it is a universal form of communication, it historically was the music of the upper strata of society. Popular music is music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public; it is mostly distributed commercially. It is sometimes abbreviated to pop music, although pop music is more often used for a narrower branch of popular music. Pop music is usually memorable, with voices, lyrics, instruments creating catchy tunes. Pop music attracts listeners through easy sound images.