WEATHER
1. Advantages and disadvantages of summer and autumn.
I think, that the best time of the year is early summer. The cold winds and the heavy
rains have all gone and the sun is warm for the fist time. Of course it rains sometime,
but not so often as in autumn. A hot weather has set in. People enjoy the sun and go to
the seaside, where they enjoy game of tennis, volleyball and etc. There are plenty of
cherry, strawberries, raspberries, apricots, peaches and other fruits. In summer you don’t
have to care that you will not have enough vitamins. And what pleasure can compare
with that of watching the glorious sunrise and sunset! But sometimes it’s hardly the
breath of air, and sometimes the air is wet and not a leaf is string. Strange as it might
seem, I like thundering very much. And it can be only in summer-time, if the day is
very hot and close.
What about the autumn? I think that the autumn is a time of very good weather with
clear blue skies and beautiful leafs. But sometimes the weather lives much to be desired.
The shorter days and longer nights are coming. But is there anything more beautiful
than Indian Summer, when we have one. And what shall we do without apples, pears,
grapes which get ripe in September and October? The sky is overcast, the weather is
very uncertain. It’s beginning to drizzle any moment so you have to care an umbrella
with you.
I can’t say I like summer more than autumn, I like them both. Autumn is very
romantically time, I suppose, and summer is the season when everyone have a rest.
2. Advantages and disadvantages of winter and spring.
I don’t like winter at all. It a season of snowstorms, and of ice, frozen rivers and ponds,
and of slippery streets. One must take care not to be frost-bitten because the winter in
Russia is very severу and its beastly cold outside. Because of the long frost the ice is
hard enough and people get skates and skate on the rivers and pools. But I do not. For
me the only advantage of winter is the opportunity to read, because I don’t like
tobogganing and skiing, so, I stay at home. I take a cup of coffee or hot tea with sweets,
and read some interesting book.
So, I like spring more then winter. Of coarse the weather is changeable, but it’s much
warmer outside and you can go for a walk and not to catch a cold. The trees put forth
little buds and new leaves. The streets become green again by and by. The flowers begin
to bloom. I go to the country or to the parks of our city to make photos with beautiful
flowers: lilacs, daffodils, narcissus and tulips.
For me, in compare with winter in spring we have a spell of wonderful weather. You
know that there is a summer to follow and it will continue keep fine, it’s cleaning up
and nights are starlit. And when you get up in the winter morning, it’s very cold and
dark outside and you are shivering and you can’t say at all that we’ll have a fine day.
3. The best time to go on holyday.
The best time to go on holyday is summer.
A hot weather has set in. People enjoy the sun and go to the seaside, where they enjoy
game of tennis, volleyball and etc. There are plenty of cherry, strawberries, raspberries,
apricots, peaches and other fruits. In summer you don’t have to care that you will not
have enough vitamins. And what pleasure can compare with that of watching the
glorious sunrise and sunset! But sometimes it’s hardly the breath of air, and sometimes
the air is wet and not a leaf is string. Strange as it might seem, I like thundering very
much. And it can be only in summer-time, if the day is very hot and close. I suppose
summer is the season when everyone have a rest.
4. The winter is the main season in Russia.
In our country we have snow even in October. And spring isn’t hurrying at all. It can be
cool even in May. That’s why I agree that winter takes half of the Russian year.
Winter is a season of snowstorms, and of ice, frozen rivers and ponds, and of slippery
streets. One must take care not to be frost-bitten because the winter in Russia is very
severу and its beastly cold outside. Because of the long frost the ice is hard enough and
people get skates and skate on the rivers and pools. But I do not. For me the only
advantage of winter is the opportunity to read, because I don’t like tobogganing and
skiing, so, I stay at home. I take a cup of coffee or hot tea with sweets, and read some
interesting book.
When you get up in the winter morning, it’s very cold and dark outside and you are
shivering and you can’t say at all that we’ll have a fine day. That’s why people in
Russia don’t like winter much. And if in England fog is a great disaster, I can tell the
same about the snow in Russia. Snow stops the traffic on the roads and people can’t
come to their work-places in time. Cars are broken because of the strong frost. From the
practical point of view winter in Russia winter bring lots of troubles and you don’t want
to put up with its discomfort but you have to.
5. My favorite season.
I think, that the best time of the year is early summer. The cold winds and the heavy
rains have all gone and the sun is warm for the fist time. Of course it rains sometime,
but not so often as in autumn. A hot weather has set in. People enjoy the sun and go to
the seaside, where they enjoy game of tennis, volleyball and etc. There are plenty of
cherry, strawberries, raspberries, apricots, peaches and other fruits. In summer you don’t
have to care that you will not have enough vitamins. And what pleasure can compare
with that of watching the glorious sunrise and sunset! But sometimes it’s hardly the
breath of air, and sometimes the air is wet and not a leaf is string. Strange as it might
seem, I like thundering very much. And it can be only in summer-time, if the day is
very hot and close. The best time to go on holyday is summer and everyone like to have
a rest.
6. The weather and my mood.
The only season that have influence on my mood is winter. In our country we have
snow even in October. And spring isn’t hurrying at all. It can be cool even in May.
That’s why I agree that winter takes half of the Russian year.
Winter is a season of snowstorms, and of ice, frozen rivers and ponds, and of slippery
streets. One must take care not to be frost-bitten because the winter in Russia is very
severу and its beastly cold outside. Because of the long frost the ice is hard enough and
people get skates and skate on the rivers and pools. But I do not. For me the only
advantage of winter is the opportunity to read, because I don’t like tobogganing and
skiing, so, I stay at home. I take a cup of coffee or hot tea with sweets, and read some
interesting book. When you get up in the winter morning, it’s very cold and dark outside
and you are shivering and you can’t say at all that we’ll have a fine day. That’s why
people in Russia don’t like winter much. And if in England fog is a great disaster, I can
tell the same about the snow in Russia. Snow stops the traffic on the roads and people
can’t come to their work-places in time. Cars are broken because of the strong frost.
From the practical point of view winter in Russia winter bring lots of troubles and you
don’t want to put up with its discomfort but you have to.
7. The weather in spring, summer, autumn, winter.
The best time of the year is spring and early summer. The cold winds and the heavy
rains have all gone and the sun is warm for the fist time. Of course it rains sometime,
but not so often as in autumn. A hot weather has set in. People enjoy the sun and go to
the seaside, where they enjoy game of tennis, volleyball and etc. There are plenty of
cherry, strawberries, raspberries, apricots, peaches and other fruits. In summer you don’t
have to care that you will not have enough vitamins. And what pleasure can compare
with that of watching the glorious sunrise and sunset! But sometimes it’s hardly the
breath of air, and sometimes the air is wet and not a leaf is string. And it can be only in
summer-time, if the day is very hot and close. In spring the weather is changeable, but
it’s much warmer outside and you can go for a walk and not to catch a cold. The trees
put forth little buds and new leaves. The streets become green again by and by. The
flowers begin to bloom. I go to the country or to the parks of our city to make photos
with beautiful flowers: lilacs, daffodils, narcissus and tulips.
What about the English autumn? I think that the autumn is a time of very good weather
with clear blue skies and beautiful leafs. But sometimes the weather lives much to be
desired. The shorter days and longer nights are coming. But is there anything more
beautiful than Indian Summer, when we have one. And what shall we do without
apples, pears, grapes which get ripe in September and October? The sky is overcast, the
weather is very uncertain. It’s beginning to drizzle any moment so you have to care an
umbrella with you.
Sometimes England has no snow at all in winter, but the North and Scotland usually
have some after Christmas. If there a long frost and the ice is hard enough, then
everyone who has skates gets them out and skates on the rivers and pools. The east wind
is cold and blows in from the North Sea. Than all England shivers, especially in the
east. The Welsh are lucky, because Wales is in the west and is warmer than most of
England.
The foggy weather is the very worst. The thick white fog rolls in from the sea all over
London and the cities, and then mixed with smoke from million chimneys. The fog gets
thicker and dirtier, and yellower and full of black soot. In London this is called smog.
Mixture between smoke and fog. Than it’s dark in the middle of the day and people cant
see their way, buses and cars craw along slowly with their lights on, blowing their horns
and everyone coughs. Everyone in England hates the yellow fog.
8. A frosty winter day, a hot summer day, a dull autumn day, a lovely spring
day.
Winter-day is a day of snowstorms, and of ice, frozen rivers and ponds, and of slippery
streets. One must take care not to be frost-bitten because the winter-days in Russia is
very severу and its beastly cold outside. Because of the long frost the ice is hard enough
and people get skates and skate on the rivers and pools. But I do not. For me the only
advantage of this day is the opportunity to read, because I don’t like tobogganing and
skiing, so, I stay at home. I take a cup of coffee or hot tea with sweets, and read some
interesting book. When you get up in the winter morning, it’s very cold and dark outside
and you are shivering and you can’t say at all that we’ll have a fine day. And if in
England fog is a great disaster, I can tell the same about the snow in Russia. Snow stops
the traffic on the roads and people can’t come to their work-places in time. Cars are
broken because of the strong frost. From the practical point of view winter-days in
Russia winter bring lots of troubles and you don’t want to put up with its discomfort but
you have to.
The best days of the year are in early summer. The cold winds and the heavy rains have
all gone and the sun is warm for the fist time. Of course it rains sometime, but not so
often as in autumn. A hot weather has set in. People enjoy the sun and go to the seaside,
where they enjoy game of tennis, volleyball and etc. In summer days you don’t have to
care that you will not have enough vitamins because there are a lot of fruits. And what
pleasure can compare with that of watching the glorious sunrise and sunset in summer
day! But sometimes it’s hardly the breath of air, and sometimes the air is wet and not a
leaf is string. And it can be only in summer-days, if the day is very hot and close.
What about the autumn-day? I think that this day is a time of very good weather with
clear blue skies and beautiful leafs. But sometimes the weather of autumn days lives
much to be desired. The shorter days and longer nights are coming. But is there
anything more beautiful than Indian Summer day, when we have one. Today the sky is
overcast, the weather is very uncertain. It’s beginning to drizzle any moment so you
have to care an umbrella with you in that autumn-day.
In spring day the weather is changeable, but it’s much warmer outside and you can go
for a walk and not to catch a cold. The trees put forth little buds and new leaves. The
streets become green again by and by. The flowers begin to bloom. In such days I go to
the country or to the parks of our city to make photos with beautiful flowers: lilacs,
daffodils, narcissus and tulips.
9. English talking about the weather.
The English are famous for their tea and their weather. And the English are always
talking about their weather. But English weather is never the same two days running.
The weather in England reminds me of winning candidate who promises everything but
you never know just when to expect it at all. For example, when you went to bed it was
raining. During the night it froze hard, and the wind blew some chimneys down. When
you got up in the morning, it was foggy, when you finished your breakfast at ten
o’clock and went out the sunshine was brilliant, the weather balmy and delicious and
the mud and slush deep and-pervading. Sometimes it’s April in January, and March
often behaves like December or May.
People always talking about changes, and they always discussing the news. That’s the
main reason, I suppose, why the weather-theme is favorite in England. The weather
never stays the same, it brings lots of surprises – good and worse.
FLATS
1 The advantages and disadvantages of living in the central part of the city
There are different points of views at on living in the centre of the city.
From one point of view, children are the main reason why town-planning will make
flats for families popular. But I can’t agree with it, because children often need
medicines or a doctor/ medical help/ care. And there are a lot of round-the-clock shops
in the centre. Moreover, the service is better there.
In the city-centers most of buildings consist of shops, office blocks, luxury flats and
public buildings. So you can always get what you want or what you need. People, who
live in the suburbs form the tidal wave of passengers surging by train and bus to the
offices and shops in the centre and ebbing away to the suburbs at night. Travelling the
rush-hours is horrible. If you live in the centre, your way to work much shorter, and the
English underground will always help you get where you want.
From the other point of view the big problem of living in the centre of the city is high
rents. If you have a flat of your own, you’re lucky, because being a tenant is a great
burden. Houses and flats are commodities and are bought and sold like other
commodities. They are allocated, not according to social need, but according to the
naked ability to pay. Private tenants who cannot pay higher rents may be evicted, for the
housing shortage is so great that the landlord can usually find a tenant who is willing to
pay what he demands. The second main problem with living in the centre is bad
ecology. The thick white fog rolls in from the sea all over cities and mixes with smoke
of the cities. In London this called smog. It’s not very healthy of course.
It’s hard to live in the city-centers, they are overcrowded, but it’s more comfortable
from other points of view. And the person is free to choose.
2. The agvattages ang disadvantages of living in the suburbs
There are difference point of views at living in the suburbs.
From one point of view, children are the main reason why not amount of town-planning
will make flats for families popular. In the suburbs of British towns there must be
several million compact residences with three bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs and
two rooms and a kitchen downstairs. There live a large suburban nation. They don’t
want to bring up their children in a cramped flat ten or twelve floors up in the middle of
the city, with it’s shops, factories and where’s no room to turn around.
Anyway, there are lots of troubles with living in the suburbs. …Usually it’s a little
semi-detached house with the little garden beside. There is no central heating, and it’s
very cold in winter there. People who live in the suburbs have to work in the centre of
the city and the way is long of course. They form the tidal wave of passengers surging
by train and bus to the offices and shops in the centre and ebbing away to the suburbs at
night. The traveling the rush-hours is horrible.
As for me, I’d not prefer living in the suburbs. I just think about of the situation, when I
need some medicine, but I can’t get it because there’re no chemist's shop where I live.
And I can’t say that children are the main reason why not amount of town-planning will
make flats for families popular, because children often need medicines or a doctor.
3. Speak about housing problems in Great Britain
The overwhelming majority of new buildings in England are two-storey houses. In
recent years a considerably higher proportion of new housing has been in the form of
flats and blocks of flats has now become a common feature on the urban scene. In city
centers most of the new buildings consist of shops, office blocks, luxury flats and public
buildings. In the inner parts f many Brutish industrial towns and cities large areas of
slums still continue to exist, however. These overcrowded houses are considered unfit
for people to live in, but they are nevertheless still occupied, for the rate of slum
clearance is slow in relation to the size of the problem. There is still an acute housing
shortage in many parts of Britain. The essence of the problem in contemporary Britain
is that housing is regarded first and foremost as a source of profit for financiers,
landowners and builders and not as a social service. Houses and flats are commodities
and are bought and sold like other commodities. They are allocated, not according to
social need, but according to the naked ability to pay.
Broadly speaking, three main alternatives are open to a family seeking a home in
contemporary Britain: they may rent a house or flat from a private landlord; they may
rent a public-owned council house or flat; or they may buy a house of their own, usually
on a mortgage.
Most, but not all, privately rented accommodation consists of older houses and
tenements, but is nevertheless is great demand. Rents are high and have been rising
rapidly ever since the mid fifties, when the Conservatives began to remove controls,
thus allowing the free play of supply and demand to determine the level of rents. Private
tenants who cannot pay higher rents may be evicted, for the housing shortage is so great
that the landlord can usually find a tenant who is willing to pay what he demands. As a
result of this policy there are many thousands of homeless families in Britain’s big
cities, notably in London.
In the inter-war period, and particular in the immediate postwar years, large numbers of
council houses were built to provide decent accommodation for working people at rents
which they could afford. A council houses are democratically allocated on the basis of
waiting of priority lists. It’s extremely difficult to obtain a council house of flat
nowadays, unless the council is forced to re-house people rendered homeless by slumclearance or road-building projects.
Becoming an owner-occupier is not a very satisfactory solution of the housing problem.
The burden of mortgage repayments is very heavy.
A person looking for a place to live is free to choose but only in different ways of being
exploited. Whichever alternative he chooses, whether he is a private or a council tenant
or an owner-occupier, he pays dearly for the privilege of having a roof over his head.
4. Describethe types of houses most typical of the british towns and vilages
No visitor in Britain can help being struck by the may building sites and the relatively
large number of the new houses and flats that he sees in the suburbs of towns and cities
all over the country. The overwhelming majority of new buildings in England are twostorey houses, built either in rows (terraced houses), in pairs (semi-detached houses – it
means that one house is joined to another as a twin), or singly (detached houses). In
recent years a considerably higher proportion of new housing has been in the form of
flats and blocks of flats has now become a common feature on the urban scene.
Nevertheless British prejudice in favor of houses has only been modified, not
fundamentally changed. An increasing number of people, chiefly elderly persons and
childless, prefer to live in bungalows. In city centers most of the new buildings consist
of shops, office blocks, luxury flats and public buildings.
5. Describea flat you would like to live in6
The living-room must be the largest and most comfortable one in the flat. In the middle
of the room we have a square dinner-table with six chairs round it. To the left of the
dinner-table there is a wall-unit which has several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and
some shelves. At the opposite wall there is a piano and a piano stool before it. To the
right there is a little table with colour TV set on it. Opposite the TV set there are two
cozy armchairs. A divan-bed and a standard lamp are in the left-hand corner. In front of
the armchairs there is a small round table for newspapers and magazines. There is a
thick carpet on the floor. Two water-colours hung on the wall above the divan-bed. In
the evening we usually draw the curtains across the windows, and a red lampshade
gives a warm colour to the room. The bedroom can be smaller than the living-room and
not so light as there is only one window in it. In this room there is a big bed, dressingtable and a wardrobe. In the corner of the bedroom there is a small colors TV set. On the
dressing table there is an alarm-clock and a small lamp with green lamp-shade. My
study is the smallest room in the flat, but in spice of it, it is very cozy. There isn't much
furniture in it, but there are a lot of shelves full of books. It has a writing table, an
armchair and a bookcase too. A small round table with cassette-recorder is standing in
the right-hand corner of the study. Besides there is a small sofa near the wall opposite
the bookcase. And in my opinion it is the best room in our flat.
I can imagine like my friends used to come to my place to have a chat or to play chess
in the evening, and if they say my room is very comfortable. I share their opinion.
6. what is your idea of a well_finished flat?
I’d like to dream about my own flat and my room. I’d like to have a nice flat in a new
block of flats. Our flat can be on the fifth floor of a nine-storeyed building. It has all
modem conveniences: central heating, running hot and cold water, electricity, gas, a lift
and a chute to carry rubbish down. I wish I had a three-room flat which consists of a
living-room, a bedroom, a study, a kitchen, a bath-room and a toilet. There are also two
closets in my flat. My flat has two balconies. The living-room is the largest and most
comfortable one in the flat. In the middle of the room we have a square dinner-table
with six chairs round it. To the left of the dinner-table there is a wall-unit which has
several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and some shelves. At the opposite wall there is
a piano and a piano stool before it. To the right there is a little table with colour TV set
on it. Opposite the TV set there are two cozy armchairs. A divan-bed and a standard
lamp are in the left-hand corner. In front of the armchairs there is a small round table for
newspapers and magazines. There is a thick carpet on the floor. Two water-colors hung
on the wall above the divan-bed. In the evening we usually draw the curtains across the
windows, and a red lampshade gives a warm color to the room. The bedroom is smaller
than the living-room and not so light as there is only one window in it. In this room
there are two beds, two dressing-tables and a wardrobe. In the corner of the bedroom
there is a small colors TV set. On the dressing table there is an alarm-clock and small
lamp with green lamp-shade. My study is the smallest room in the flat, but in spice of it,
it is very cozy. There isn't much furniture in it, but there are a lot of shelves full of
books. It has a writing table, an armchair and a bookcase too. A small round table with
cassette-recorder is standing in the right-hand corner of the study. Besides there is a
small sofa near the wall opposite the bookcase. And in my opinion it is the best room in
our flat.
I can imagine like my friends used to come to my place to have a chat or to play chess
in the evening, and if they say my room is very comfortable. I share their opinion.
7. What is your idea of a convenient flat?
I’d like to dream about my own flat and my room. I’d like to have a nice flat in a new
block of flats. Our flat can be on the fifth floor of a nine-storied building. It has all
modem conveniences: central heating, running hot and cold water, electricity, gas, a lift
and a chute to carry rubbish down. I wish I had a three-room flat which consists of a
living-room, a bedroom, a study, a kitchen, a bath-room and a toilet. There are also two
closets in my flat. My flat has two balconies. The living-room is the largest and most
comfortable one in the flat. In the middle of the room we have a square dinner-table
with six chairs round it. To the left of the dinner-table there is a wall-unit which has
several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and some shelves. At the opposite wall there is
a piano and a piano stool before it. To the right there is a little table with colour TV set
on it. Opposite the TV set there are two cozy armchairs. A divan-bed and a standard
lamp are in the left-hand corner. In front of the armchairs there is a small round table for
newspapers and magazines. There is a thick carpet on the floor. Two water-colours
hung on the wall above the divan-bed. In the evening we usually draw the curtains
across the windows, and a red lampshade gives a warm colour to the room.The bedroom
is smaller than the living-room and not so light as there is only one window in it. In this
room there are two beds, two dressing-tables and a wardrobe. In the corner of the
bedroom there is a small colors TV set. On the dressing table there is an alarm-clock
and small lamp with green lamp-shade. My study is the smallest room in the flat, but in
spice of it, it is very cozy. There isn't much furniture in it, but there are a lot of shelves
full of books. It has a writing table, an armchair and a bookcase too. A small round table
with cassette-recorder is standing in the right-hand corner of the study. Besides there is
a small sofa near the wall opposite the bookcase. And in my opinion it is the best room
in our flat.
I can imagine like my friends used to come to my place to have a chat or to play chess
in the evening, and if they say my room is very comfortable. I share their opinion.
8. Describe your dream house
A big beautiful house is almost everyone’s human one of the sweetest dreams. The first
thing which our mind thinks about before building the house is a location. It’s a very
significant and difficult question, which constructs a logical chain of our daily life: what
is the cause of the selected place, where should we get up every morning, what should
we do after. If my mind serves me well the subject of the composition is a dream. So I
would rather not build a house somewhere in a quiet place, in opposite: I would build
two houses! The location of the first one should be exactly in the city center or at least
near that, so I could get to work in time and receive my respectable guests.But the
second one should be far away from noisy and dirty atmosphere, may be, near the lake
or near the mountain river. It must be a very attractive and beautiful place, so I could
spend there my free time and take a rest, listening to the bird songs and the whisper of
the warm caressing wind. The fresh, light and pure energy should fill my veins and
bless me form the inside! My house should be an irreplaceable part of a nature and my
well being. Looking through the window I should see the incredible panorama of the
talking to each other friendly trees and alive essences.The interior and the architecture
of my dream house should be modern and very expensive. I will involve the most
experienced architectures and designers of the world. Bright big windows should last
form a floor up to a ceiling, a lot of lights should be automatically switched on during
the evening, a big pool filled with warm water should be surrounded by the decorative
bushes and etc. Wavy bends, blackouts, whiteouts, the imposing of wooden and glass
lattices must construct the professional style of that building. From the outside and the
inside it should look like a next step to the future design. And of course the area must be
as big as you can imagine. My house will carry my future lifestyle and it should make
me feel comfort, very comfort!
9. Where would you prefer to live in a flat or in a house of your owm?
There are difference point of views at living in the suburbs or in the city-centers.
From one point of view, children are the main reason why not amount of town-planning
will make flats for families popular. In the suburbs of Britain’s towns there must be
several million compact residences with three bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs and
two rooms and a kitchen downstairs. There live a large suburban nation. They don’t
want to bring up their children in a cramped flat ten or twelve floors up in the middle of
the city, with it’s shops, factories and where’s no room to turn around.
Anyway, there are lots of troubles with living in the suburbs. Usually it’s a little semidetached house with the little garden beside. There is no central heating, and it’s very
cold in winter there. People who live in the suburbs have to work in the centre of the
city and the way is long of coarse. They form the tidal wave of passengers surging by
train and bus to the offices and shops in the centre and ebbing away to the suburbs at
night. The traveling the rush-hours is horrible.
As for me, I’d not prefer living in the suburbs. I just think about the situation, if I need a
medicine very much, but I cant have it because there’re no chemist's shop where I live.
And I cant say that children are the main reason why not amount of town-planning will
make flats for families popular, cause children often need medicines or a doctor.
10. Speak about advantages and disadvantages of buying and renting a house
or a flat
Houses and flats are commodities and are bought and sold like other commodities. They
are allocated, not according to social need, but according to the naked ability to pay.
Broadly speaking, three main alternatives are open to a family seeking a home in
contemporary Britain: they may rent a house or flat from a private landlord; they may
rent a public-owned council house or flat; or they may buy a house of their own, usually
on a mortgage.
Most, but not all, privately rented accommodation consists of older houses and
tenements, but is nevertheless is great demand. Rents are high and have been rising
rapidly ever since the mid fifties, when the Conservatives began to remove controls,
thus allowing the free play of supply and demand to determine the level of rents. Private
tenants who cannot pay higher rents may be evicted, for the housing shortage is so great
that the landlord can usually find a tenant who is willing to pay what he demands. As a
result of this policy there are many thousands of homeless families in Britain’s big
cities, notably in London.
In the inter-war period, and particular in the immediate postwar years, large numbers of
council houses were built to provide decent accommodation for working people at rents
which they could afford. A council houses are democratically allocated on the basis of
waiting of priority lists. It’s extremely difficult to obtain a council house of flat
nowadays, unless the council is forced to re-house people rendered homeless by slumclearance or road-building projects.
Becoming an owner-occupier is not a very satisfactory solution of the housing problem.
The burden of mortgage repayments is very heavy.
A person looking for a place to live is free to choose but only in different ways of being
exploited. Whichever alternative he chooses, whether he is a private or a council tenant
or an owner-occupier, he pays dearly for the privilege of having a roof over his head.
11. Speak about your flat, house or country-house
I’d like to have a nice flat in a new block of flats. Our flat can be on the fifth floor of a
nine-storied building. It has all modem conveniences: central heating, running hot and
cold water, electricity, gas, a lift and a chute to carry rubbish down. I wish I had a threeroom flat which consists of a living-room, a bedroom, a study, a kitchen, a bath-room
and a toilet. There are also two closets in my flat. My flat has two balconies.The livingroom is the largest and most comfortable one in the flat. In the middle of the room we
have a square dinner-table with six chairs round it. To the left of the dinner-table there
is a wall-unit which has several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and some shelves. At
the opposite wall there is a piano and a piano stool before it. To the right there is a little
table with colour TV set on it. Opposite the TV set there are two cozy armchairs. A
divan-bed and a standard lamp are in the left-hand corner. In front of the armchairs there
is a small round table for newspapers and magazines. There is a thick carpet on the
floor. Two water-colours hung on the wall above the divan-bed. In the evening we
usually draw the curtains across the windows, and a red lampshade gives a warm colour
to the room.The bedroom is smaller than the living-room and not so light as there is
only one window in it. In this room there are two beds, two dressing-tables and a
wardrobe. In the corner of the bedroom there is a small colors TV set. On the dressing
table there is an alarm-clock and small lamp with green lamp-shade. My study is the
smallest room in the flat, but in spice of it, it is very cozy. There isn't much furniture in
it, but there are a lot of shelves full of books. It has a writing table, an armchair and a
bookcase too. A small round table with cassette-recorder is standing in the right-hand
corner of the study. Besides there is a small sofa near the wall opposite the bookcase.
And in my opinion it is the best room in our flat.
I can imagine like my friends used to come to my place to have a chat or to play chess
in the evening, and if they say my room is very comfortable. I share their opinion.
12. Do you have a room with a view? Describe the view from your window.
I can’t say that I’ve got a room with a view.
My room is on the third floor and I can see only the school and the tops of the trees.
But I know that behind the school there is a beautiful park “Tsaritcino”. My window is
big enough and if I stay on my window-sill, I can see this misty park in all its beauty.
The Gothic style of the half-built palaces of Tsarisino reminds of ancient English castles
by some elements. I can’t see the palace, of course. Anyway I know, it’s there. As usual
in this season there is a lot of snow on the streets, and there is no exception in my case.
On the left as far as I remember there is a playground for the children.
I cant say that I live in the centre of the city, but my district is not suburbian at the same
time. I love the place I live and my view from the window.
HOMEREADING
1. Why was the Happy Prince so much admired by the citizens?
The Happy Prince was so much admired by the citizens because he was very beautiful.
The statue was gilded all over with thin lives of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright
sapphires and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt. And one of the town councilors
remarked that he was as beautiful as a weathercock. Every time the citizens looked at
him, they thought that there was someone in the world who was really quite happy.
“The Happy Prince had never deemed of crying of anything”, - they said. And Charity
Children said that he looked like an angel.
2. Was the Happy Prince really a happy one?
The Happy Prince wasn’t really a happy one. When he was alive and had a human heart,
he thought that he was really a happy one. He lived in the Palace and in the day time he
played with his companions in the garden and in the evening he led the dance in the
Great Hall. A very lofty wall ran round the garden. The Happy Prince never cared to ask
what laid beyond it. Everything around him was so beautiful. So he lived and so he
died. When he died citizens made a statue in his favor. From his tall column his could
see all the ugliness of his city. Though his heart was made of lead he could not choose
but weep. He understood that he was not really a happy one. He felt a pity because he
was happy while other people were unhappy.
3. How did the Happy Prince helped the poor? Were his actions appreciated by
anyone?
There was a little swallow who wanted to spend his night under the Statue of the Happy
Prince. The Prince was crying because he was very sad, and the Swallow decided to
help him. The first person they helped was a sick son of a seamstress. The Swallow
brought them the ruby from the Happy Prince’s sword. The Happy Prince also helped
the playwright. The Swallow brought him the sapphire from the Happy Prince’s eye.
The second eye went to the little match girl, who’s matches fell into the gutter. Then the
Prince sacrificed the leaves of the gold he had been made of. His actions were not
appreciated. People thought that a miracle happened with them. The council decided to
through away the statue, because it wasn’t beautiful anymore. The Swallow died, also.
4. Why did the Nightingale felt sorry for the student?
The young student was crying because he didn’t have the red rose and the girl he loved
would not dance with him. The Nightingale heard him. She thought that he was a true
lover. She sung of him and his love and told his story to the stars. But she had never
seen a true lover in her life before. She only thought that love is the most important
thing in the world and decided to help him.
5. What was the price of girl’s love?
The price of the girls love was the red rose. But the young student had no red rose in his
garden. The Nightingale decided to help him. Unfortunately, there was no red rose
around. But one of the rose trees told her that there was a way to get a red rose. The
Nightingale could build the red rose out of her music by the moonlight and to stain it
with her heart’s blood. She had to think with her breast against the thorn. The
Nightingale believed that love was better than life. She flew to the tree and agreed to do
such a thing to get the red rose. Next day student found the rose and brought it to the
girl. But she refused to go to dance with him because she decided to go there with
chamberlain’s nephew, who sent her some jewels. The student was disappointed and
through the rose into the gutter. He decided to go back to his books and to forget about
his love.
6. Was the student a true lover? What did he think about love?
I don’t think that student was a true lover. He didn’t even try to find the red rose; he was
only lying on the grass and crying. He was a bad philosopher, too. Because philosophers
are clever as usual, but he could not understand that the girl didn’t need his feeling, she
wanted to have the red rose. In the end when girl refused him, he didn’t try to do
anything else; he just decided to go back to his books. He told that love is stupid, useful
thing.
7. Speak about the thoughts of the Nightingale about love
The Nightingale believed that love was better than life, and it was more precious than
emeralds and dearer than opals. She sang about love night after night and told the
stories to the stars. The young student was crying because he didn’t have the red rose
and the girl he loved would not dance with him. The Nightingale heard him. She
thought that he was a true lover. But she had never seen a true lover in her life before.
She only thought that love is the most important thing in the world and decided to help
him.
8. What did the Miller think of real friendship?
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 be 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 neighbors thought it strange that the rich Miller never gave
little Hans anything in return, though he had a hundred sacks of flour stored away in his mill, and six
milk cows, and a large flock of woolly sheep; 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. The
Miller only talked about the friendship, but never did anything in return.
9. What kind of man was Hans?
Hans was not distinguished at all, as little linnet said, but he had a kind heart and a funny, round, goodhumored face. He lived in a tiny cottage and did all by himself. He worked in his garden everyday.
Nothing gave him greater pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful things the Miller used to say
about the unselfishness of true friendship. Miller never helped Hans in winter when it was very cold
out and Hans didn’t have enough money to eat smth. As for me, Hans was stupid a little bit, because
the Miller only used him. Hans continued listening Miller’s selfish words.
10. Who was the devoted friend? Miller or Hans? Why?
Hans was the Miller’s devoted friend. Miller 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.
Hans always helped the Miller, and the Miller never did anything in return, he even didn’t give Hans a
lantern when he sent Hans for the doctor. 'The Miller's son has fallen from a ladder, and has hurt
himself, and the Miller wants you to come at once. 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, and 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.
11. What is “devoted” friend in your understanding?
"'Real friends should have everything in common,' the Miller used to say. He said everything right but
it’d be better if he did everything he said. In my opinion, nothing can be normal in friendship, or any
kind of relationship without a harmony. Of course Miller should take care about Hans, while Hans
took care about the Miller. Friendship seemed like love: every person have to take care about his love.
In another way, it’s useful and gives bad results as we saw in the book.
1.Jerusha's childhood in asylum
Jerusha Abbot was a foundling. She was left on the steps of the asylum called the John Grier Home
and stayed there till she was eighteen. All eighteen year that Judy had spent in the asylum were rather
hard and miserable. Being the oldest orphan, poor Judy was responsible practically for everything. She
had to look after 11 little tots, to cook and to do everybody’s bidding, especially when Trustees came
to make their rounds. She work hard for her board even when she had finished school, and despite the
fact that she had been sent to the village high school, the convenience of the asylum always came first
and Jerusha’s education second. Because when Mrs. Lippett (the matron) wanted, she always kept her
at home to scrub.
Jerusha never complained, only once she wrote an essay, entitled “Blue Wednesday”, trying to ridicule
the life in the asylum. Later on in her letters to Daddy-Long-Legs she wrote that hated the John Grier
Home, that she would rather die than go back. She wrote that the asylum supplied the orphans only
with food and clothes, but never took care about the children’s souls. The John Grier Home’s aim was
to turn 97 orphans into 97 twins, and never cultivated kindness, sympathy and imagination in them.
Their lives were absolutely monotonous and uneventful, nothing nice ever happened and nobody, even
the Trustees never thought about the orphans’ dreams and feelings. That were the reasons why Jerusha
was happy to leave the asylum. And when she came to college she sharply felt the difference between
her life in the John Grier Home and her life in college.
2. What miracle helped Jerusha to get to college? On what terms did she sent to
college?
Mr. Smith, Jerusha’s guardian, made up his mind to educate Jerusha to become a writer, because he
was impressed by her essay, written in the asylum and entitled “Blue Wednesday”, trying to ridicule
the life in the asylum. He decided that Jerusha had an originality and on the shit of that paper he wrote
about his decision. Jerusha was very surprised when Mrs. Lippett told her that.
3. What was the problems with college?
When Jerusha found herself in college at first she was confused and scared, because she had spent
eighteen blank years in the asylum. But still she was excited and happy. At first her life in college was
rather difficult: Judy had never heard about Michael Angelo and Sherlock Holmes, had never read
“Little Women” and “Vanity Fair”. She didn’t have her own clothes and even didn’t know some words
which she was supposed to know.
But soon the situation changed radically. Jerusha found new friends Sally McBride and Julia
Pendleton, she started reading and worked hard, trying to catch up with the other students. Judy was a
determined and clever girl, so she made great progress in her studies. Though she had flunked
Mathematics and Latin prose Freshman year, later she passed them both and even got a scholarship for
her knowledge of English and general excellency in other subjects.
Jerusha’s life in college wasn’t so monotonous and boring as in the asylum. She was chosen for the
spring dramatics “As you like it” out of doors and began her swimming lessons. She had read 17
novels and a lot of poetry. She spent her vacation on a farm, went to NY with Master Jervie, visit her
friend Sally in her house and there she had her first ball.
And finally, Judy’s dream came true: she had won a short story contest and her book had been
published.
Jerusha began to feel at home in college and in command of the situation. She was really happy, she
became quite independent and during her study started to earn for herself.
So, during her stay in college Jerusha was as happy as never before
4. Prove that she had a talant for writing
Mr. Smith, Jerusha’s guardian, made up his mind to educate Jerusha to become a writer, because he
was impressed by her essay, written in the asylum and entitled “Blue Wednesday”. At first, Judy was
surprised at his wish but later on she showed her talent and made big progress in writing.
When she made up her mind to become a writer, Judy started to read because nothing helps to become
a good writer better than reading.
After that, she won a short story contest (a twenty-five dollar prize) that the Monthly held every year.
Judy couldn’t quite believe it was true and she realized that she might become a writer after all.
The other her success was when her second story was published and she got $50. She believed in
herself and started working at a novel. She decided to write about the things she knew quite well –
about the JGH. She wrote that she was a realist that time, she had abandoned romanticism.
Jerusha worked hard, she liked to work on her book, she thought of nothing else. She had a writer’s
inspiration and was happy.Then she sold her story. It was going to be published serially in seven parts
and then in a book. But she wasn’t wild with joy then. She was entirely apathetic. Though she was glad
that she could begin paying to Mr. Smith. Judy wanted to return all his money, he had spent for her
education.
So, Jerusha’s dream came true: she finally became a writer and got an opportunity to pay her debts.
5. Jerusha's attitude to the rich trustee who had sent her to college
Jerusha wanted to have good relation ships with her trustee. She decided to give him a
private pet name. She wrote that Daddy was the whole family for her. He was a granny
and he was a mom and dad at the same time. Also she didn’t want to be in debt and
wanted to pay for her board and tuition.
6. Jerusha and Mr. Jervie
At first Jerusha didnt like Mr. Jervie, because he was one from Pendletons. Jerusha
wrote that she didn’t care much for Pendletons. But than she understood that he was not
Pendleton at all. They relationships look like a fairytale!=) He was the first man with
whom Jerusha spent so much time. He wanted to do smth useful and good for her, for
example, his invitation to go to the theatre was very interesting. It was not a surpise for
me when I understood that Jervie was Daddy Long Legs. I think it was normal that
Jerusha fell in love with him – nobody took care of her in that way.
7. Character scketch of Jerusha
Being brought up in the asylum, Judy never had a happy childhood. She had to work hard for her
board, to look after tots, to scrub. She said that her life was absolutely monotonous and uneventful.
Inspite of that, Jerusha was a sunny soul by nature. She thought that life of a child should be fun and
full of nice events, she thought that imagination should be cultivated in children, in order to make them
kind, generous and sympathetic. She wanted to develop personality in children but the John Grier
Home’s aim was to turn 97 orphans into 97 twins. Jerusha’s life in college wasn’t so monotonous and
boring as in the asylum. She was chosen for the spring dramatics “As you like it” out of doors and
began her swimming lessons. She had read 17 novels and a lot of poetry. She spent her vacation on a
farm, went to NY with Master Jervie, visit her friend Sally in her house and there she had her first ball.
She was very hard-working person. She had got a lot of patient. She was really a good girl.
8. Character scketch of Mr. Jervie
Mr. Jervia was very uncommon Pendleton. He was a sotialist. He wanted to give
education to the children from the asylum. He was not understood in his family. It was
hard for him I think but he never gave up.