Lesson One

PRESENTING ONESELF & ASKING FOR INFORMATION

A: Hello. I m Mike. Mike North. B: Hello. I m Jane Helier. A: Nice to meet you. B: Who are you? A: I m Mike North. B: Who is he ? A: He is my friend, Mr. Palmer. B: What is your job? A: Im an officer. B: Where are you from? A: I am from Romania. And what about you? B: I am from Italy. Are you a police officer? A: No Im not. Im an SPP officer and my friend is a doctor. B: Do you know where the post-office is in this area? A: Yes, you go ahead, turn left and after that you may cross the street and finally you are in front of the Post-office. B: Oh, thank you. A: But its Sunday today and Im afraid the Post-office is not open. You may try tomorrow. B: Bad luck! But anyway, Ill go and see for myself. (.) B: Youre right. Its closed. A: Im sorry! B: Never mind. Thank you. Good bye! A: Good bye!

Vocabulary Hello,Hi!- colloquial English. Good Good Good Good morning= to 12.oo afternoon= 12.oo to18.oo evening = 18.00 to 24.00 night = when you go to bed Surname=North First name=Mike

Mike North

Grammar Focus TO BE Affirmative I am (Im) You are (Youre) He is (Hes) She is (Shes) We are (Were) You are (Youre) They are (Theyre) Examples: Can you close the window please? Im cold. Im 32 years old. My sister is 29. My brother is a policeman.He is very tall. John is afraid of dogs. Its 10 oclock.Youre late again. Ann and I are very good friends. My shoes are very dirty. I must clean them. Im tired but Im not hungry. Tom isnt interested in politics. Jane isnt at home at the moment. Shes at work. Those people are not English.Theyre Australian. Check your progress. Exercises I. Write the numbers: 1, 6, 9, 7, 2, 4, 3, 5,10, 8. Negative I am not (Im not) You are not (You arent) He is not (He isnt) She is not (She isnt) We are not (We arent) You are not (You arent) They are not (They arent) Interrogative Am I? Are you? Is he? Is she? Are we? Are you? Are they?

II. Write the full form (she is/we are/he is not etc) 1. We arent 2. Im 3. Youre 4. They arent 5. It isnt 6. Shes 7. Im not 8. Were III.Put in am/ is / are: 1.The weather .very nice. 2.I not tired 3.This case.very heavy. 4.These cases ..very heavy. 5.The dog . asleep. 6.Look! There.Carol. 7.I ..hot. Can you open the window please? 8.This castle .one thousand years old. 9. My brother and I.good tennis players. 10. Ann.at home, but her children .at school. 11. I..a student. My sister.an architect. 5

IV. Write full sentences. Use am/is/are.. 1. (my shoes/very dirty) 2. (my bed/very comfortable) 3. (your cigarettes/in your bag) 4. (I/not nery happy today) 5. (this restaurant/very expensive) 6. (the shops/not open today) 7. (Mr. Kelly s daughter/six years old) 8. (The houses in the street/very old) 9. (the examination/not difficult) 10.(those flowers/very beautiful) V. Write positive or negative sentences.Use am/am not are etc) 1.(Paris/the capital of France) 2.(I/interested in football) 3.(I/hungry) 4.(It / warm) 5.(Rome /in Spain). 6.(I /afraid of dogs) 7.(My hands/cold) 8.(Canada/a very big country) 9.(The Amazon/in Africa) 10.(diamonds/cheap) 11.(motor racing / a dangerous sport) 12.(cats /big animals) Grammar focus: Interrogative Examples: Is your mother at home? No shes out. Is it cold in your room? Yes,a little. Those shoes are nice. Are they new? Are books expensive in your country? How old is Joe? Hes 24. What colour is your car? Its blue. Where are you from? Canada. How much are these postcards?Theyre 40 pence each. Short answers: Are you tired? Yes I am. Are you hungry? No,I am not,but Im thirsty. Is he English? Yes he is. Is this seat free? Yes it is. Am I late?No you arent. VI. Make up questions with the words in brackets.Use am/is /are. 1.(your mother at home?) 2.(your parents at home?) 3.(this hotel/expensive?) 6

4.(you interested in art?) 5.(the shops open today?) 6.(the park open today?) VII. Write questions with :What/Who/How /Where/Why..am/is/are. 1.What colour your car? 2.Where my key? 3.Where my socks? 4.How old your father? 5.What colour his eyes? 6.Why John angry with me? 7.How much these shoes? 8.Who your favourite actor? 9.Why you always late?

Lesson two

AT THE AIRPORT
I.VOCABULARY 1. When you drive to the airport you see 2. First you enter the .. 3. When you want to fly you have to buy a 4. You can buy your ticket at the 5. Planes land and start on a . 6. The people who work in the plane are called the 7. The pilot in charge of a plane is also called the 8. When you are going to fly you are one of the . 9. Looking after the passengers is a task of the 10. When a plane touches the runway we call that the . 11. When a plane departs we say 12. Another word for the start of the plane is the 13. In a plane you sit in . 14. When the plane takes off you have to 15. Before you enter another country you must pass through the 16. When somebody captures a plane we call it . 17 The man who does so is a 18. When a plane is out of control and hits the ground we speak of a 19. To find his way in bad weather the pilot uses 20. Aviation is the term for the airport buildings departure lounge ticket booking office runway crew captain passengers air hostess landing the plane takes off take-off seats fasten your seat-belts customs hijacking hijacker crash radio and radar everything to do with the flying of aircraft.

II. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT LONDON AIRPORT British Airways brings you to Heathrow, Londons main airport. Heathrow handles more international flights than any other airport in the world, so that its passenger arrangements have to be good. Terminal 3, where intercontinental travellers arrive and depart, has been much enlarged to meet the big-jet era, inaugurated by the Boeing 747. 8

Down a flight of stairs marked by your flight number is your baggage reclaim unit. The customs clearance area is close at hand, and you must decide on the red or green channel. Red means you have something to declare, and your baggage will be inspected. Green means nothing to declare, and the customs men make only random checks. You will probably be able to manage your luggage yourself, with the help of a trolley. Porters are recognizable by their blue uniforms with reds lapel. Once through customs you are in the Arrivals Concourse, with bar, cafeteria, toilets, currency exchange facilities and the desks of two car-hire firms. The answer to every problem is to be found at the Information Desks of British Airways and the Airport Authority. If you want to announce your arrival to friends who have missed you for some reason, the public address system is at your disposal. III.HOME READING BRITISH AIRWAYS INTERCONTINENTAL TIMETABLE 1 January 31 March 1979 PASSENGER INFORMATION Reservations. Airlines make every effort to provide seats for which reservations have been made. Nevertheless, no absolute guarantee of seat availability is denoted by the expressions reservations and bookings and the timings attached to them. Your fare includes. On British Airways services your fare includes all meals and gratuities in flight and on the ground from the departure of the aircraft until arrival at the airport of destination shown on the flight coupon of your ticket. Stopovers. In most cases, you may break your journey at one or more places en route, and retain the benefit of the through fare, provided notice is given at the time of reservation. Hotel expenses at each stopover will be your responsibility. Validity. Tickets issued at normal one way, round or circle trip fares are valid for one year. Reduced fares. Group travel offers big reductions for members of an organization travelling together. Full details on request. Health regulations. Valid certificates of inoculation and/or vaccination, issued on a special international form, are definitely required by most countries. Portable electronic equipment. Please do not switch on portable radio receivers, transmitters or television sets whilst on board as they can cause serious interference with the aircraft radio navigation equipment. Portable recorders, hearing aids, and heart pace-makers may be used on board. Punctuality. While every effort is made to ensure the punctuality of our services, British Airways cannot accept responsibility for the delay or suspension of a service, nor guarantes that connections will be made with other services. 9

Baggage free allowance. On First Class services the free baggage allowance is 30 kilos (66 lb). On Economy Class services it is 20 kilos (44 lb.). Excess charges. Baggage in excess of the free allowance is normally changed at 1% of the First Class single fare per kilo. Your departure. The departure time shown in this timetable and on your ticket-coupon is the scheduled take-off time. The check-in time at the airport or town terminal shown on your ticket-cover allows minimum time to complete all the formalities. In your own interest you should plan to arrive at the town terminal or airport in good time as this will help to ensure that your aircraft operates on schedule. Reconfirmations cancellations. If you hold a return reservation, it is necessary to reconfirm your intention to travel with the local Reservations Office of the Carrier at least 72 hours before departure. Travel advice. Pack all you need during flight in a small cabin bag. All other articles should be packed in registered baggage. Carry your passport and health certificates with you. Do not pack them. Carry any valuables, such as jewellery, personally. For further details please see our booklet Before You Take-Off. New prospects for a channel tunnel Britain is an Island which, in the 20th century, to a large extent depends on its links with the continent of Europe. Dozens of boats, ferries and hydrofoils going back and forth across the English Channel form these links at the moment, but with the growing demands on their capacity by trade and tourism, it is not surprising that the old dream of a tunnel under the Channel has once more been revived. BBC World Service looked at the latest developments: Once again, the British and French railway authorities are considering a plan to build a tunnel under the English Channel, at its narrowest point a distance of 21 miles between the English port of Dover and Cap Gris Nez near Calais on the French side. A tunnel under the Channel, (or a Chunnel as the project has often been dubbed) would mean a train journey from London to Paris in about 4 hours, instead of the present 7 hours with two changes for the boat journey. About 120 trains a day could whizz through the Chunnel in 40 minutes, freight transportation would be speeded up by 12 hours and costs cut considerably. All the arguments in favour of closer links to the Continent have been mulled over many times before, but so far the astronomical cost ofd such a project has always ruled it out. Even now, while the British Rail chairman has been quoted talking about the physical and spiritual commitment to Europe that the Chunnel would represent, the authorities are reticent about the project, which is understandable in view of the previous history of Channel tunnel plans. A tunnel under the sea that would enable you to walk from England to France has in fact been dreamed and talked about for 176 years: in a drawing by the French engineer, Albert Matthieu, n 1802, an aristocratic coach-and-four is proceeding along a candle-lit corridor under the sea. 10

In the 1860s the Channel Tunnel company was founded; in the 1880s digging actually began, but up to the 1950s it was the question of security that prevented the competion of any plans. The last serious attempt to get such a project under way a 12 year saga of agreements, doubts and rising costs began in 1963 with a British Government, White Paper proposing a Channel tunnel. The following year the British and French governments agreed to go ahead, and both governments turned to private constructors and investors for practical proposals. But while committees studied the proposals, elections held up decisions and governments changed, inflation pushed the building costs up and up from the original 120 million to a crippling 2,000 million, including a new rail link from London to the mouth of the tunnel. When the British Government announced in early 1975 that, due to the economic crisis, the plans for a Channel tunnel would have to be abandoned, work had already started both at Dover and on the French side. In the past the Channel tunnel has always been thought about and planned by the British and French only, but now there is a new interest in the project coming from other sources. And whereas the previous plans were for a tunnel physically dug under the seabed, the plan now is to sink a concrete tube on to the bottom of the Channel.
Exercises: I. Fill in the blanks in the following excerpt using these words:being, pressing heard ,causes,way ,does,into, up Taking .(1) account the fact that you may be feeling a little nervous during the flight we would like to remind you that flying today is the safest..(2)of travelling.The noise you hear immediately after taking off is the sound of the landung gear ..(3) pulled up as the plane lifts off and gets into flight position.While the plane is taking off, it requires greater power than it(4) while cruising.In the same way,as it prepares to land,the reduced speed(5) a change in the sound of the engine. When the Fasten your seat belts and No smoking sign light..(6), a bell rings.This bell is also ..(7) when passengers ring for one of the cabin crew.During the flight you may call the air hostess by .(8) the button. II. Chech in Customs Passport Control Fill in the sentences below using the following signs you can see in on airport

Duty free baggage collection Car park Trolley Boarding pass:window 22 Departure lounge

1.People wait for their plane in the .. . 2.When waiting for a flight, you can park your car in the . 3.You can put your suitcases on a ..and take it around the airport. 4.This is the ticket which shows you the seat number on the plane. 5.Tourists can buy wine spirits,cigarettes or perfume for a smaller price at the . 6. This is where you give your luggage in before the flight:. . 7. The officers sometimes ask you to open your suitcases when you are in 8. When you get off the plane, you find your suitcases at the.

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9. This is where you show the visa on your passport..

Lesson three

AT THE RAILWAY STATION

Here we are at the railway station. Our friends are going away for their holidays. They have booked their tickets in advance, so there s no need for them to gueue up at the booking office now. As it is rather early, and their train has not arrived yet, they have to wait in the waiting-room. Next door to the waiting-room is the refreshment room; and there are other notices over the entrances to offices and rooms: station master s office, inquiry office, left-luggage and parcels offices. The porters are busy carrying the luggage to the trains or pushing it on their trolleys. All kinds of trains are passing through the station: passenger trains express, fast or slow - goods trains, local and long-distance trains. After a while, the public address system announces that our friends train is in. They pass through the gates onto the platform and the ticket-collector examines their tickets. (In British railway stations, there is a gate at the end of each platform. The ticket-collector stands at the gate and checks the travellers tickets). Immediately behind the engine are the front luggage van and the guard s van, followed by passengers carriages of the first and second class, with smoking and non-smoking compartments. The train also has a dining-car and a sleeper with upper and lower berths. As they walk along the platform they pass the book-stall where people are buying newspapers and magazines to read during the journey. Finally, they find their compartment a second-class non-smoker. They put their bags on the luggage-rack and open the window. The large hand of the station clock points to 20 minutes. The guard waves his flag and blows his whistle. The train is off. The travellers wave good-bye to the people who have come to see them off. The train moves slowly out of the station.

FLUENCY PRACTICE A. The clauses in the second column are a sequel to the ones in the first column. Match them: 1. Your train has not arrived yet, so 2. We have booked our tickets in advance, so 3. In Britain there is a gate at the end of each platform, where The ticket-collector stands and checks the travellers tickets. There is no need for us to queue up at the booking office now There is a dining-car on your train 12

The travellers wave good-bye to the people who have come to see them off 5. The guard waves his flag and you ll have to wait in the waitingblows his whistle and room 6. As the train moves slowly out of the The train is off station 4. You needn t take any food with you, as B. 1. You have suddenly decided to go to Timioara for a few days. You are going to travel by train. Now you are at the North Station. Tell the others what you do: - at the inquiry office; - ar the booking-office; - at the book-stall; - in the refreshment room; - in the waiting-room; - on the platform; - in the train; - in the compartment.

2. You come back by plane. Say what you do: - at the airport; - inside the plane. C. Give the name of the following: 1. the place where you can get information about departures and arrivals of trains, planes, ships; 2. a place where travel-tickets are sold; 3. the bags and suitcases a traveller takes with him; 4. a trip by train (bus, car etc.) from one place to another; 5. a place where trains stop; 6. the place from which people get on a train; 7. the place where you sit in a compartment; 8. the place where you put your luggage; 9. a compartment reserved for people who don t smoke; 10. a carriage where you can eat during the journey; 11. straps fastened to the sides of a seat in an aircraft; 12. the person responsible for passengers comfort during air travel; 13. the money paid for extra luggage when travelling by air; 14. the place in airports where luggage is checked before being taken to the plane. C The railway passneger routes in Britain comprise a fast inter-city network, linking the main centres of Great Britain; local stopping services; and commuter services in and around the large conurbation, especially London and south-east England.

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D. What s the difference between: 1. a travel agency a booking office; 2. a suitcase a briefcase; 3. a suitcase a trunk; 4. a fast train a slow train; 5. a left-luggage office a parcels office; 6. a passenger train - a goods train; 7. a bookshop - a book/stall; 8. a smoker a non-smoker; 9. an airport an airfield; 10. a flight coupon a flight number. E. Make nouns from these verbs: to land; - to arrive; - to take off; - to depart; - to start; - to fly.

F. Act out the following situations: 1. Your train is due out in ten minutes and you are still queuing up at the booking office. Imagine your dialogue with the clerk and the people who want to buy tickets for later trains. 2. You are sitting in the waiting-room, trying to get some sleep and your neighbour is singing. You think of possible ways of making him stop. 3. They can t find your luggage at the left-luggage office and bring bags of every possible description. Your dialogue with the clerk. 4. The clerk ar the inquiry office doesn t hear what you re saying. You don t understand her either. 5. The air in the compartment is stuffy. You try to persuade your fellowpassengers to open the window. 6. You ve missed the train to Cluj-Napoca. You have to take the plane although you ve never flown before. Describe your journey. G. Make up dialogues using some of the following: Where is the booking office ? First class or second class ? Second class return to.., please. Here you are. Which platform for the.train, please ? First train out from Platform three. I ll get a porter. Porter : You ll have to hurry up. The train is due out in ten minutes. Have you got seat reservations ? Is it a through train ? See if you can find me a non-smoker, will you ? Can I put this case on the rack for you ? Oh, thank you. 14

We re off. Let s go to the restaurant car. Lesson four

STAYING AT A HOTEL
I.VOCABULARY A.Hotel types: 1. Motor hotel: 2. Motel: 3. Commercial hotel: 4. Resort hotel: A hotel with parking facilities and other services for motorists. Normally with a first-class restaurant. With parking and other services for motorists. Normally situated on a highway. With a restaurant or cooking facilities. Normally situated in the town centre. Clientele mainly consist of travelling businessmen who stay for a couple of nights only. Normally situated at a tourist resort e.g. by the sea or in the mountains. Clientele mainly consist of people on holiday who stay a longer period than a couple of nights only. Situated near an airport. Clientele mainly consist of airline staff and people travelling by air who only stay for one night. A hotel with meeting and exhibition facilities, audiovisual equipment and banquet rooms for large and small groups. A hotel offering medical treatment, physical exercise and other recreational facilities. In operation only during the summer months. Often used as a student dormitory during winter time. A number of small individual cottages or bungalows normally with cooking facilities. Modest, moderately priced, normally with sleeping and breakfast facilities only. Other types of moderately priced accommodation.

5. Airport hotel: 6. Congress hotel: 7. Health spa: 8. Summer hotel: 9. Holiday village: 10. Hostel: 11. An inn (Br.) a motor lodge, a youth hostel: B. Room types 1. Single room: 2. Double room: 3. Twin room: 4. Studio room: 5. Suite:

A room occupied by one person A room with one large bed for two persons. A room with two single beds for two persons. A room with one bed a convertible sofa. Can be used as a single or as a twin. A sitting room connected to one or more bedrooms. 15

6. Duplex: 7. Fuction room: 8. Display room: 9. Connection rooms: 10. Adjoining rooms: C. Hotel staff: 1. Reception clerk/ Receptionist: 2. Room clerk/ 3. Key clerk 4. Front office cashier: 5. Night clerk: 6. Bellboy:

A two-storey suite connected by a staircase. A room used for entertaining (cocktail parties etc.) A room used for showing merchandise. Two or more rooms with private, connecting doors. You can move from one room to another without going to the corridor. Two or more rooms side by side with a connecting door between them Takes care of registration, in some hotels also receives room reservations and keeps them up to date. Hands out the keys and gives information to the guests about various hotel services. Is responsible for the accounts and billing. Sometimes also exchanges foreign currency. Takes care of the reception area during the night shift. Shows customers to their rooms, delivers messages and mail and carries luggage. Carries customers luggage. Receives guests, opens the door, orders taxi-cabs, etc. Takes care of customers coats, hats etc.

7. Porter: 8. Doorman: 9. Cloakroom attendant: 10. Telephone Connects the outgoing and incoming calls. switchboard operator: 11. Lift boy: Is responsible for the lifts 12. Housekeeper: Is in charge of linen, decorations and general cleanliness of the hotel. 13. Floor attendant: Is responsible for the cleanliness and often also room service of a special floor. 14. Room maid: Cleans the guest rooms. 15. Sauna attendant: Is in charge of the sauna section 16. Maintenance Takes care of the technical equipment in a hotel man: II. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT Hotel services A. Room services: Breakfast: Cleaning: Dry-cleaning: Breakfast is served in your room from 7 a.m. till 10 a.m. If you wish to have breakfast in your room, ask for Room Service on the phone. If you to have your room cleaned extra quickly, please hang the Cleaning sign on the door. Items handed in for dry-cleaning before 9 a.m. will be returned in the course of the same day. Please 16

Early call: Electricity: Ironing: Laundry: Quiet: B. Other services: Cold drinks: Conference facilities: Credit cards: Departure:

call Room Service. The panel at the head of your bed contains an automatic waking device. There is a 220 volt and 110 volt shaving plug in the bathroom of your room. Please call Room Service. Special laundry bags with lists are placed in your wardrobe. Washing handed in by 9.30 a.m. will be returned to you after 5.30 p.m. on the same day. If you wish to remain undisturbed, please hang the Do Not Disturb sign on your door. On each floor there are automatic drink and ice dispensers. See corridor signs. Information will be pleased to supply you with full details. The hotel accepts Eurocard as well as American Express. The rooms are at your disposal until 12 noon on the day of your departure. Should you require your room after that hour, kindly notify Reception before 10 a.m. The hotel assumes no responsibility for money or valuables left in any of the rooms. A safe-deposit box is avaiable free of charge. Please contact Reception. Located in the basement. Please contact Information if you wish us to take care of your car. See Cold Drinks The hotel performs numerous services for its guests. For instance, you can obtain travel, sight-seeing, theatre and cinema tickets through Information. Just lift your phone and ask for Information. (Brasserie) On the ground floor. Open weekdays: 12 noon-1 a.m. Sundays 1 p.m. 1 a.m. Set meals for guests are: Breakfast: 7 a.m. 10.30 a.m. Lunch: 12 noon 2 p.m. Dinner: 6.30 p.m. 8.30 p.m. There is a free shining machine on every floor. See corridor signs. The articles exhibited in the show cases may be purchased through Reception. Telexes are dealt with by Information.

Deposits:

Garage: Ice: Information:

Restaurant:

Shoeshine service: Souvenirs: Telex:

III. QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PRACTICE 1. What is a hotel ? Can you name some types of hotels ? 2. Where are motels usually situated ? 17

Who is the clientele of resort hotels ? What kinds of facilities does a congress hotel have ? 5. What services does a health spa offer ? 6. When is a summer hotel in operation ? 7. What is a holiday village made up of ? 8. Who uses youth hotels ? 9. What types of rooms can be found in a hotel ? 10. What does a studio room contain ? 11. What rooms are there in a suite ? 12. What is a function room used for ? 13. What is the difference between connecting and adjoining rooms ? 14. What is the role of display rooms ? 15. Who takes care of registration in a hotel ? 16. What does a concierge do ? 17. Who hands out the keys to guests ? 18. What are the responsabilities of a bellboy ? 19. Who takes care of customers coats ? 20. Who is responsible for the lifts ? 21. What does the room maid do ? 22. Who takes care of the technical equipment in a hotel ? 23. What room services may a hotel offer ? 24. What other services are available to the hotel guests ? 25. Why must you plan your holiday carefully ? What must you do in order to have a successful holiday ? Not waste valuable time; Find accommodation; Not spend too much money; Book accommodation in advance. 26. What king of rooms do you usually book in a hotel ? Single rooms; Rooms with bath/shower; Double rooms; Rooms overlooking the sea/park; Suites; etc. Rooms looking out on the town/mountains. 27. Which of the following conveniences do you consider most important in a hotel ? Name them in the order of their importance. - cold and hot; - laundry service; Running water; -air-conditioning; - telephone; - lift: - central heating; 28. What facilities are generally avaible in a big hotel ? What are these for ? Swimming-pool: Restaurant; Tennis-court; Bar; night club; TV lounge; Garage; parking space. 29. You can find some of the following in the lobbies of big hotels. What services do they offer tourists ? Hotel Office; Newsstand; Service Bureau; Stationery Information Desk; Souvenir Shop; 18

3. 4.

(Currency) Exchange Hairdresser s; Desk; Post-office; Barber s 30. What are people requested to do on arriving at a hotel ? Register at the hotel; Sign in; Fill in an arrival card/form. 31. What would you write at each of the following ? Surname; Permanent address; First name; Purpose of visit; Nationality Identity card/Passport No.; Date and place of birth: Signature: 32. What is the procedure of signing out ? IV. CONVERSATION PRACTICE A. Dialogue: AT A HOTEL Receptionist: Good evening sir. Can I help you ? Visitor: Good evening. I d like a room for two nights. Receptionist: Single or double ? Visitor: Single, please. Receptionist: Have you booked a room ? Visitor: No, I m afraid not. I didn t know I would be coming until this morning. Receptionist: I ll see what we have, sir. We are quite full at present. Now, let me see yes, I can offer you a room on the sixth floor. Room 623. Visitor: Has it got a private bathroom ? Receptionist: No, it hasn t but there is a bathtoom down the hall. Visitor: Well, I don t think I really need a private bathroom. All I want is a quiet room away from the noise of traffic. I don t sleep very well. Receptionist: This room is very quiet, sir. It s on the top floor, and it overlooks a back street. Visitor: Good. I ll have it. Receptionist: Will you sign the register, please. Visitor: What about my luggage ? Receptionist: The porter will take your case up immediately. Are you here on business, sir ? Visitor: Partly business and partly pleasure. Oh, I d like to be called in the morning at seven o clock. Receptionist: All right, sir. B. Complete the following dialogue with the visitor s replies: Receptionist: 1. Good evening, sir. Can I help you ? 19 Visitor: 1..

2. Single or double ? 3. Have you booked a room ? 4. I ll see what we have, sir. I can offer you a single room without a bath, room 623. 5. No, I m afraid not. 6. Yes, sir, this room is very quiet. It s on the top floor. 7. Will you sign the register, please ?

2.. 3. 4. 5. 6 7.

C. Fill in the missing words: 1. Please..at the reception desk over there. 2. Please.this form. 3. Where was your passport..madam ? 4. Do you have British..? 5. ..is my surname . 6. My first name is.. 7. What is your ..in your home country ? 8. When were you? 9. The will take your.to your room. 10. Please..the date of your arrival. D. Practise a similar conversation between the receptionist and a guest, using the registration form to help you. REGISTRATION FORM Please use block letters ANNOUNCEMENT OF ARRIVAL for police authorities Surname. First name Address in native country. Date and place of arrival in country Occupation. Date of arrival at hotel Where from ?. Date of departure.. Where to ? Date and place of birth Citizenship. Passport No Where and when issued. Duration of stay. Name and address of hotel.. . Room No.. Signature 20

E. What is the difference between: 1. a hotel a motel a hostel: 2. a boarding house a guest house; 3. signing in signing out; 4. booking a room cancelling a room F. Name the following: 1. you write your name, address and nationality in it; 2. a place where hotel guests can meet visitors and friends; 3. foreigners can change their money there; 4. a holiday place where you can also be under medical attention; 5. a hotel for travelling businessmen; 6. a hotel for airline staff and people travelling by air; 7. a room for two single beds for two persons; 8. a room with one large bed for two persons; 9. a two storey suite connected by a staircase; 10. a room occupied by one person; 11. the person who opens the door and orders taxis; 12. the person in charge of the sauna section; 13. the person who connects phone calls; 14. the place where you can deposit your valuables. G. Topics for conversation/composition: 1. It s two o clock in the morning. You booked a room at a hotel two weeks ago but nobody at the reception seems to know anything about it. You are talking to the reception clerk trying to get a room. 2. There are a lot of modern conveniences in the hotel, but several of them are out-of-order. Complain to the hotel manager about it. 3. You have stayed in an excellent hotel, where all the staff have tried to be very helpful but they have only got on your nerves. You are now signing out and talking to the reception clerk. 4. You are the hotel manager. An important guest has just arrived and asks you about your hotel. You tell him about available facilities. 5. Types of hotels in your town/area. 6. Rooms suitable for: - single guests; - married couples; - couples with children. 7. Services available in big hotels. 8. The staff necessary to operate a large hotel. 21 5. a double room a twin room; 6. a suite a duplex; 7. a garage parking space; 8. a newsstand a stationery.

9. Getting accommodation in a hotel. 10. The ideal type of hotel. 11. Read this advertisment. Then try to write a similar one for the main hotel in your town. V. HOME READING Letter from a Hebridean Hotelkeeper The Hebrides teem with good natural ingredients: heather and seaweedfed mutton, wild red-deer venison, a vast variety of fish from salmon to octopus, and superb shellfish (I particularly recommend those ferocious giant langoustines, recognisable by their rose-pink carapaces, who have whittled away a redious week in a creel by devouring their smaller relatives). Putting your hands on all this stuff is a strenuous full-time business, though. Ask the estates for salmon, and you find it s all being blast-frozen and dispatched south, though anonymous phone calls offer you them by the hundredweight. Scallop divers get the bends, prawn fishers lose their gear in Atlantic storms, Calum who grows our potatoes shows an unshakeable faith in beastly Kerr s Pinks. And what of exotica ? Well, everything from cream to Kiwi fruit is exotic in Harris, and has to be organized by letter or telephone to make its way to the post van or the twice-weekly bus. Probably the turbot will arrive by 5 p.m. if not I ll still have three hours to replace it but the Stilton and grapes (to be served at 8.45) aren t scheduled to arrive till 8.15 (quick dash down the drive in the rain). I used to count on things, before the strawberry episode. They featured on the menu the bus arrived the cartons were there but not the strawberries. They must have shared a back seat with one who couldn t resist temptation. Then there was the gentleman who came specially to enjoy our cheeseboard. I ordered 30 worth of the stuff from a reputable Edinburgh supplier. The cheese-loving gent came and went no sign of the cheese. A bank holiday intervened, followed by a suppurating parcel of exploded Stilton and ther horrors. One learns to make other arrangements never to order from one firm when you could order from two. It s not economic sense, but it saves embarrassment. If we wanted to make a profit. I suppose we would rely on frozen, portion-controlled, utterly reliable, utterly boring supplies, and forget all about the halibut too small for Billingsgate, the half-boxes of prawns, too few for market, delivered at midnight fot two hours of weary preparation, the egg that Henrietta looks as if she might lay at any minute so that Mrs X needn t have a battery one in her scrambled. We couldn t stand the boredom of it, though. All the enjoyment of our work comes from doing it as well as we possibly can, and better than anyone has a right to expect in such a far-flung locality. We don t believe in can t, and are prepared to go on trying till we drop dead with the effort. This may not be long if we don t improve on our Mark I electrical stunner for lobsters, which 22

consiste of the mains run through a bath of salt water to be operated with one s free hand in one s pocket. Incidentally, lobsters thus stunned before being dropped into boilling water are full of curd and don t shed claws. It s complete rubbish that they have to be dropped in snapping and kicking to develop their best flavour. We d like that to be publicised. The device was dreamt up by an Oxford professor, but there s no model on the market. Winter ! That s the season, according to lady customers, when I must make all the desserts and bread and freeze them for summer. I never know what to say. I hope I ve never agreed with this horrendous misconception. We are becoming more and more obsessive about the freshness of our food. We like salmon from the sea not the river, lobster that hasn t been ponded, fish that hasn t languished on ice, venison (but it must be a first-rate beast) that has been hung for three days, not three weeks. The porridge does not brew overnight in the Aga, and we don t compose Crecy soup of yesterday s leftover vef pace the Stornoway diner who confidently so asserted. As for those dishes beloved of female cookery writers which keep well in a refrigerator for a week or in a freezer for three months, may they and their authors go to perdition.

23

Lesson five

AT THE RESTAURANT
I.VOCABULARY A. 1. When you want to order something in a restaurant, you try. 2. The waiter comes and brings you.. 3. A three-course meal for a fixed price in called. 4. Roast beef or steak and vegetables are usually. 5. Ice-cream, cakes, pie or fruit may be ordered for 6. After you eat in the restaurant you pay B. 1. Pub is short for.. 2. Over the door outside the pub we mostly find a. 3. On it is the. 4. English people go to a pub.. to catch the waiter s eye the menu (card) a table d hte meal the main course desert the bill public house sign name of the pub to be in a sociable environment/to drink or eat something/to meet other people talkative satisfied publican drinks/sandwiches/crisps/ nuts/pies inn (hotel) Inkeeper (hotel proprietor) barrels or bottles draught beer ale refreshing cork dork-screw

5. The barman is often a friendly and 6. He keeps his customers. 7. The owner of the pub is called the. 8. At the bar you can buy.. 9. A public house where you can find board and lodgings is called an.. 10. The owner is the 11. Beer and wine are kept in.. 12. Beer from the barrel is called. 13. Another type of English beer is called. 14. When you' re warm, beer and ale are very. 15. When you want ro open a bottle of wine you must pull out the.. 16. You can do that easily with a. 24

C. I pint is.. I litre is.. I gallon is.. II.VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT

0.57 litres 1.76 pints 4.55 litres

SOME TRADITIONAL BRITISH DISHES AND DRINKS Bangers and Mash. Sausages and mashed potatoes. Traditional pub dish. Cornish/Devonshire Cream. Thick, rich cream usually served over frutis and deserts. Cornish Pastry. Small pastries filled with meat, onion and potato. Dover Sole. There are many recipes for this delicious fish, but perhaps it is best when plain grilled. Fish and Chips. Fried fish and potatoes seasoned with salt and vineger. A fine British institution ! Gingerbread. Spicy cake often made is the shape of a man and decorated with currants. Goose. A Christmas favourite. Ham. As popular for breakfast as it is for dinner. Often smoked. Herring. Delicious baked, fried, grilled or smoked (kippers). Irish Stew. Mutton, potatoes, carrots and onions. Lamb. Prepared in many ways, but perhaps best when roasted and served with mint sauce. Lobster. Grilled, boiled or baked and served in rich sauce. Mince Pies. Small pies filled with currants and spices. A Christmas favourite. Oysters. Some say the real reason Julius Caesar invaded Britain 2,000 years ago was his attraction to the delectable British oyster. Some of the most prized come from Colohester. Porridge. Boiled catmeal with milk or cream and fravoured with salt or sugar. A Scottish breakfast favourite. Roast Beef. The most famous of Britain's national dishes. A favourite choice for Sunday lunch. Served with roast potatoes, green vegetables and, of course, Yorkshire pudding. Salmon. Served hot, cold or smoked. Scoth salmon is the best in the world. Scotch Broth. Thick, cremy vegetable soup. Steak and Kidney Pie/Pudding. A mixture of steak, kidney and mushrooms. A pub favourite. Syllabub. A refreshing dessert made from brandy, fresh fruit, white wine or sherry, cream and sugar. Tea. A British way of life. Although traditionally ' tea time'is approximately 4 p.m. a 'nice cup of tea' is liable to be produced at any time of day, usually accompanied by biscuits and/or cakes.

25

'High Tea' is a meal you would expect to get in a Scottish or North Nountry guest house instead of dinner. It combines afternoon tea (bread and butter, cakes, biscuits, etc). with cold meat and/or a hot dish. Yorkshire Pudding. Savoury baked batter. Traditional acccompaniment to roast beef. Bitter. Clear and golden, it is the most popular of British daught bears. Served by the pint or half pint. Brown Ale. A dark, sweet bottled beer. Mild Ale. Dark, full-flavoured draught beer. Low in alcoholic content. Sometimes combined with bitter. Pale Ale. A slightly fizzy bottled beer. Cider. Fermented apple juice. Often quite strong so beware ! Irish Coofee. A mixture of coffee, whiskey and sugar drunk through a top layer of cream. Whisky. Mellow, golden Scotch whisky is the best in the world. III. QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PRACTICE

1. Do you usually eat ar home ? At a canteen ? In a restaurant ? At a snack bar ? Advantages and disavantages of each. 2. What is a table d'hote/an a la carte dinner in a restaurant ? 3. On what occassions do people eat out ? Why is it customary to mark important events in restaurants ? 4. Study the menu below and choose what you like, making a substantial meal of live courses. Use the formulas given below: I'll takefor the first course/ I'll order. Please.beefsteak.once/twice. What would you say to.? No, thank you. I don't care for. BILL OF FARE Sausage. Chicken soup Salmon. Clear soup. Herring Noodle soup. Caviare. French soup Vegetable salad. Grills Olives Beefsteak Butter Rump-steak. Cheese Roast chicken Ham Lamb chop Boiled egg, mayonnaise dressing.. Mutton chop Jellied meat.. Pork chop Jellied fish Cutlets.. Roast liver Mixed grill Stewed meat 26 Cod fillet Perch Trout. Sturgeon Plaice Carp. Pike Zander Halibut Dessert Grapes Apples Pine-apple Stewed fruit Cakes.

Tart. Icecream.. Strawberries Fruit salad Drinks Soft drinks Lemonade Orange juice Tomato juice Mineral water Tea Coffee Alcoholic drinks Beer Wine Champagne Brandy Whisky Liqueur

5. Look at the menu again and devise a menu for one of the following people or gropus of people: 1. a spoiled ten-year-old boy; 2. a New Year's party; 3. a girl of 18 who is going to marry in two weeks and wants to lose weight; 4. a convinced vegetarian; 5. a footballer who will take part in the World Cup championship. 6. In what case do you leave the choice of dishes to the waiter ? 7. When are you likely to use/hear these expressions ? Will you pass me the salt, please ? Certainly. May I have another helping of porridge ? Help yourself. Would you like some more soup ? No, thank you! Will you please lay the table for four ? Will your please clear the table ? Please lay another plate on this table. Say when. Waiter ! The menu, please. Have you made your choice ? What do you recommend ? Pork disagrees with me. Ive had enough, thank you. 8. Why is it advisable to reserve tables in advance when you want to go to a restaurant ? - taken/vacant seats/tables. 9. What arefish and chips ? 10. How is herring prepared in Britain ? 11. What is an Irish Stew ? 12. What are mince pies ? 13. What is porridge ? 14. What is roast beef usually served with ? 15. What is Scotch broth ? 27

16. What is syllabub made from ? 17. What is high tea ? When is it served ? 18. What kind of dessert is trifle ? 19. What does Yorkshire pudding traditionally accompany ? 20. Why do English people like to go to the pub ? IV. CONVERSATION PRACTICE A. Dialogue: At. The Restaurant Mr. Parker: Come on, children, sit down at the table. Right. Dont put the fork in your mouth, Richard. Stop playing with the salt-cellar, Charlie. That doesnt mean you can start playing with the pepper-pot. Or with the mustard. Leave the spices and the cruet-stand alone. Mrs.Parker: Lets try and catch the waiters eye. Ah, excuse me Mr. Parker: Ill attract his attention excuse me (A waitress appears behind them) Waitress: What would you like ? Mr.Parker: Could we have a menu, please ? Thank you. What shall we have: the table dhte or the la carte ? Mrs. Parker: Lets have the set lunch, the three-course meal for the fixed price. What is it ? Mr.Parker: First course, soup or fruit-juice. Charlie likes fruit-juice and Whats the soup of the day ? Waitress: Tomato. Mrs. Parker: Richard likes tomato soup, dont you, Richard ? What about the main course ? Mr. Parker: Here, let me have a look. Main course: choice of fried fillet of cod, chipped potatoes, peas, roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, the same vegetables-hmm. Mrs.Parker: Well, Ill take the steak and kidney pudding with mashed potatoes and cabbage. George ? What about you ? Mr. Parker: The same, but Ill have it with roast , please. Boys ? Richard: Id like roast beef and Yorkshire pudding with vegetables. Waitress: And whats it to be for you ? Charlie: Fish and chips, please. Waitress: Good. So thats two steak and kidney, one roast, one mashed, both with cabbage, one roast beef, veg and one fish. Would you like to order the sweet now ? Mr.Parker: Let me see. Ice-cream or apple-tart and custard. Ice-cream, boys ? Richard and Charlie: Yes, please. Mr. Parker: What flavours have you got ? 28

Waitress: Vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, ripple. Charlie: Id like vanilla, please. Richard: Strawberry for me, please. Mr. Parker: This crme caramel on the menu Waitress: Im afraid its off. Mrs. Parker: Thats all right. The apple-tart will do instead. Two. Waitress: Can I get you anything else ? Something to drink ? Mrs. Parker: Just some water, please. (The waitress goes) B. Find the right ending for each sentence below: 1. In the evening John has dinner at a. 2. If you want to dine at a restaurant you had better .a table 3. If you cant come dont forget to. Your reservation 4. You ask the waiter to see the 5. Or you ask him what he can.. 6. First you can have soup or a salad as a. 7. Then follows the main course i.e. 8. Finally, you can order a.. 9. Normally service and V.A.T. are included in the.. 10.If you are quite content with the service you may give the waiter some extra money. This is called a.. 11.After dinner you can drink a.or go straight back to the hotel. Goodnight, sleep tight ! C. Name the following: 1. the man who serves you in a restaurant; 2. the list of dishes to be ordered in a restaurant; 3. sweet food served at the end of a meal; 4. the man who serves drinks in a bar; 5. a public house where you can find board and lodgings; 6. the owner of an inn; 7. beer from the barrel; 8. 0.57 litres; 9. boiled oatmeal with milk or cream; 10.small pies filled with currants and spices; 11.fermented apple juice; 12.thick, creamy vegetable soup; 13.a drink taken before going to bed; 14.the first part of a meal; 15.a meal for a fixed price. 29 a) reserve b) cancel c).restaurant d) .menu e).dessert f) .steak or fish. g).recommend. h).starter. I).bill. j)nightcap k).tip.

D. Whats the difference between: 1. a table dhte meal an la carte meal; 2. a barman a publican an innkeeper; 3. Tea high tea; 4. Cream cake trifle; 5. Irish stew stewed fruit; 6. Steak and kidney pudding Yorkshire pudding; 7. Brown ale mild ale pale ale. E. Reply to the following questions of the waiter: Would you like this table by the window ? Will you have the table dhte or the la carte ? What will you have first ? What about the main course ? How would you like the steak ? What vegetables would you like with it ? Would you like to order the sweet now ? Will you be having anything to drink ? F. Tick the answer you agree with most and give your reasons. 1. What proportion of a persons income should be spent on food; a) less than 50 per cent ? b) between 50-75 per cent ? c) more than 75 per cent ? 2. Do you think people should drink alcohol: a) at each meal ? b) only at parties ? c) never ? 3. The main reason for a diet should be: a) to lose weight B) to keep fit c) to save money 4. Which of these is a key to a successful party: a) a good wine ? b) a tasty dessert ? c) appetizing hors doeuvres ? 5. What do you appreciate most when you have dinner at a restaurant ? a) the taste of the food ? b) the politeness of the staff ? c) the interior decoration ? d) the price ? e) unusual dishes ? 6. Act out the following situations: 1. A dialogue with a friend before and after a dinner party to which you have been invited. The good cooking of the hostess is well-known. 2. You are in a restaurant, you are hungry and order a big lunch. Everything you order seems to be off. (Dialogue with the waiter). 30

3. Youve invited a friend to have dinner with you in a restaurant. But when you have to pay the bill you realize that you have left your wallet at home. You want to talk to the head waiter. 4. You are having a meal in a quite expressive restaurant. You cooked. You complain to the waiter. V. HOME READING

Eating In England The English have a bad reputation for food. Altrough we produce meat and dairy prodution (that is, milk, cheese, eggs) of good quality, as well as our own fruit and vegetables, foreigners often complain that English cooking is unimaginative. Before Britain became an industrial country some two centuries ago, more people lived in the country and produced the food they ate. There was also more time for cooking. But when people moved to the cities and worked long hours in factories, things changed. Fresh foond was not so easily available and there wasnt so much time to prepare meals. Many of the traditional recipes were lost. This process happened very quickly in Britain because it was one of the earliest countries to become industrialized, and people living in the cities lost contact with the country within a short time. However, today, Britains colonial past has also brought food from other countries. People from India and Bangladesh, from Hong Kong, Italy, Cyprus and Turkey have, in many cases, opened restaurants where they serve the food of their country of origin. More and more will find an Indian or Chinese restaurant in almost any town in the country. Curries and spaghetti dishes have become so popular that we often cook them at home, so supermarkets and delicatessens sell all the necessary ingredients. In London especially, you can try the cooking of very many countries, but if its a traditional British meal youre looking for, you still wont go hungry. A joint of roast beef, pork or lamb, with roast potatoes and other vegetables is what the British often eat for Sunday lunch and these dishes, as well as traditional pies or stews, are on the menu in a lot of restaurants. You can complete your meal with one of the famous English puddings. A search for delicacies may take you to the food hall at Harrods or Fortnum and Masons, two of Londons most exclusive shops, which provide a full selection of high quality food. If your money cheaper delicacies such as jellied eels, mussels, or potted shrimps sold from the barrows and old pie shops in the East End. Of course theres one typical English meal thats not too expensive so try some fish and chips !

31

Lesson six

GETTING ABOUT TOWN

I.VOCABULARY A.1 In a town there is a lot of.. 2 Therefore we say that in a town the traffic is 3 Pedestrians must walk on the 4 If possible you must cross the street on a.. 5 If you don t take care when crossing you may. accident 6 When you cross the street without looking you can be.. 7 If you have lost your way you can ask a. 8 Then you ask.. 9 A street where the traffic goes in one direction is a.. 10 Cars drive on the.. 11 Traffic-lights are used to.. 12 A green light means: 13 A red: light means: 14 In England traffic on a roundabout has.. 15 When two cars drive into each other, they B. 1. Buses, trains and cars are 2. In London you can also travel 3. The underground in London is called the.. 4. During the rush hour. 5. 6 a.m. means. 6. 8 p.m. means.. 7. When you want to go by bus you go to a. 32 traffic heavy pavement zebra-crossing cause an knocked down by a car policeman officer, please could you tell me the way to Baker Street ? one way street. road regulate the traffic go/cross stop right of way collide means of transport. by underground tube Many people are going to and fro their work. six o clock in the morning eight o clock in the evening. bus-stop or a busstation.

8. When you want to go by train you go to a. 9. The next bus is due at six means.. 10. You can find the time for the arrival of the next bus 11. When there are many people on the bus we say 12. Another word for taxi is. 13. Buses with two storeys are. 14. Long-distance buses are called. 15. Coaches travel to. 16. Buses are mainly used for C. Match the name of the driver to the means of transport: Car Bus Tram, underground, train Taxi Bicycle Plane Bus-driver Taxi-driver Pilot Engine driver Driver/chauffeur Cyclist

railway-station. the next bus will arrive at six o clock on the time-table the bus is crowded. cab double-deckers. coaches further destinations local transport

D. Form sentences from the table below acording to the meaning: Road Motorway Kerb A(n) Street Pavement Avenue Lane Is the edge of the pavement Is a narrow country road, usually between hedges and banks Is a route, a way for getting to a place and may be private or public Is a wide street usually bordered by trees Is a road in a city or in a town with houses on one or both sides. Is built especially for fast traffic, usually with two or more carriage ways Is a paved way at the side of a street for people on foot

II.VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT THE HIGHWAY CODE Paragraphs 38-49 The safety of pedestrians. Animals 38. Drive carefully and slowly when pedestrians are about, particularly in crowded shopping streets, when you see a bus stopped, or near a parked 33

mobile shop. Watch out for pedestrians coming from behind parked or stopped vehicles, or from other places where you might not be able to see them. 39. Three out of four pedestrians killed or seriously injured are either under 15 or ever 60. The young and the elderly may not judge speeds very well, and may step into the roads when you do not expect them. Give them, and infirm, or blind, or disabled people, plenty of time to cross the road. 40. Drive slowly near schools, and look out for children getting on or off school buses. Stop when signalled to do so by a school crossing patrol showing a Stop-Children sign. 41. Be careful near a parked ice-cream van children are more interested in ice-cream than in traffic. 42. When coming to a zebra crossing, be ready to slow down or stop to let people cross. You must give way once they have stopped on to a crossing. Signal to other drivers that you mean to slow down or stop. Give yourself more time to slow down or stop on wet or icy roads. 43. Never overtake just before a zebra crossing. 44. In traffic queues, leave zebra crossing clear. 45. At pedestrian crossings controlled by lights, or by a police officer or traffic warden, give way to pedestrians who are still crossing when the signal is given for vehicles to move. 46. A flashing amber signal will follow the red stop signal at some pedestrian crossing. When the amber light is flashing, give way to any pedestrians on the crossing but otherwise you can proceed. 47. When turning at a road junction, give way to pedestrians who are crossing. 48. Be careful when there are pedestrians, processions, or other marching groups in the road, particularly where there is no footpath. Give them plenty of room. Be especially careful on a left-hand bend and keep your speed down. 49. Go slowly when driving past animals. Give them plenty of room and be ready to stop if necessary. Do not frighten the animals by sounding your horn . Watch out for animals being led on your side of the road and be especially careful at a left-hand bend. III.QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PRACTICE 1. What is traffic ? 2. At what times is traffic in town very heavy ? Why ? 3. What parts of the street are used by pedestrians ? What part is used for traffic ? Use: Road: pavement; island; pedestrian/zebra crossing. 4. What/Who is traffic directed by ? Are policewomen more efficient than policemen ? Why (not) ? 5. What are these for ? Lamp-posts (street lamps); bus/tram stops;milestones. 6. What is the role of traffic-lights ? 7. What does each light (red, amber, green) mean ? 8. What means of transport are there in a town ? 9. What about London/Bucharest ? 34

10 10.Where can you get on a bus ? 11.Describe travelling by bus. Use: get on/off a bus; to pay the fare; change; ticket; bus-stop; request stop; vacant/occupied seats; rush hours. 12. What are buses in London like ? 13. What are coaches ? Where do they travel ? 14. What s your favourite means of transport in a town ? Why ? 15. Which is the quickest way of travelling a short distance in a big town ? Explain why. 16. When are the rush-hours in a large town ? 17. What are the advantages of the underground in a big city ? 18. What kinds of roads are the following ? In which of them de you find the heaviest traffic ? - in town: main streets; side streets; one-way streets; boulevards; thoroughfares; avenues; cul-de-sacs. - in the country: motorways; lanes; cul-de-sacs. 19. Which roads are better for traffic ? - long-short; - straight-winding; - broad (wide) narrow; - paved unpaved; - two lane four-lane; - cobbled asphalted. 20. What is, in your opinion, the ideal road for motoring ? 21. Give reasons why drivers must observe each of the following rules: - observe traffic lights/pedestrian crossings; - drive at less than 60 kilometres an hour in a built-up area; - dip the headlights at night when there s other traffic about; - not overtake unwisely; - not drive under the influence of alcohol; - not exceed the speed limit on the motorway. 22. What may happen to the car when the driver does not observe the traffic regulations ? - run into. - have one s driving licence endorsed; - come into collision with - overturn; - be charged with a motoring offence - have a crash; - be stopped by a police car; - pay a fine. 23. Which are, in your opinion, the most common causes of traffic accidents ? List the following in decreasing order of importance; - too many road signs; - one-way streets; - too few road signs; - congested parking; - too many traffic lights; - careless drivers; - faulty traffic lights; - drunken drivers; - no traffic lights; - tired drivers; - narrow streets; - careless pedestrians; - faulty vehicles. 24. What does each of the following signs warn motorists about ? Uneven road; Two-way traffic; Side road; 35

Road works ahead; Slippery road; Crossroads; Bend to right; Roundabout; Lavel crossing. 25. Ask the way from one point in the town to another. You may ask in any of these ways: - Excuse me, could you tell me the way to. ? - Is this the way to.?/How can I get to? Where s.? Choose some of these expressions for your answers: Cross the road. Keep straight on. Turn right at the next - crossroads - set of traffic lights Take the second (turning) to the right/left. Go diagonally across the park - next door to the Post-Office; - opposite the Telephone Exchange on the corner; - round the corner; It s - further along this road; - not far from the Railway Station; - at the far end of this street. 26. Tell a tourist the way to the following places in your town (from the Railway Station): the Fire Station; the General Post-Office; the Bus-Station; the Market Hall; the Town Hall; the Telephone Exchange; the Public Library; the National Theatre; the Open Air Swimming-Pool. 27. How must drivers drive in crowded shopping streets ? 28. What is the road behaviour of young and elderly people ? 29. What must a driver do when coming to a zebra crossing ? 30. Are drivers allowed to overtake before a zebra crossing ? Why not ? IV.CONVERSATION PRACTICE A. DIALOGUE: GETTING ABOUT TOWN John: Bob: John: Bob: John: Bob: John: Bob: Man: Well, we ve only got a day in London, so we must see as much as possible. Where shall we go first ? How about the Tower of London ? Good. How do we get there ? You ve got the map. I mean, should we catch a bus, or go by tube, or walk ? Let s catch a bus. You see more. There s a bus-stop, with a queue at it. Is it the right bus, though ? Let s ask. Excuse me, does this bus go to the Tower of London ? No, no the bus you want stops round the corner. 36

John: Man:

And which bus do we want for the Tower ? You should catch a 70, get off at Tooley Street and cross Tower Bridge. Bob: Thank you very much. So we need a 70 - there s one - let s run made it ! John: Shall we go upsrairs ? You see more from the top-deck. Bob: What a good idea ! Oh, here comes the conductor. John: Two to the Tower of London, please. Conductor: That ll be two eights, please. John (gives him money): Thank you. John: Thank you. Conductor: Any more fares, please, any more fares. Bob: Ooh excuse me, can you tell me where to get off, please ? Conductor: It s the third, or fourth stop after London Bridge Station it depends on the request stops - I ll tell you when we get there. John: What are we going to see afterwards ? Bob: One of the museums the British Museum for instance. John (looking at the map): I m not sure how to get there from the Tower. Bob: Oh, we ll ask someone the way when we ve finished in the Tower. Somebody s sure to know the best way to get to the British Museum ! Conductor: You two up there this is your stop ! Come on. John Oh, thank you (They rush downstairs and jump off). Bob B. You want to see the sights in a town you are visiting for the first time. Make up a dialogue, using some of the following: - Where shall we go first ? - How do we get there ? - Shall we catch a bus/walk ? - Is that the right bus go to .? - Excuse me, does this bus go to.? - Excuse me, can you tell me were to get off, please ? - I ll tell you when we get there. - What are we going to see afterwards ? - We ll ask someone the way. - This is your stop. C. Give one word for: 1. driving backwards; 2. using the accelerator pedal; 3. using the brakes; 4. Switching on the ignition; 5. Changing the direction of travel; 6. Driving into another car.

D. Express the following in one or two words: 1. stones indicating the distance from the nearest big town; 2. lights controlling traffic; 3. the place where two or several roads cross; 37

4. the place where pedestrians can cross the street; 5. public vehicles moving along fixed routes and stopping at fixed points; 6. long-distance vehicles transporting people across country; 7. the part of the car where you can put luggage; 8. the petrol is kept in it; 9. they clean the windscreen when wet or dirty; 10. the money you must pay if you commit a motoring offence. E. What is the difference between: 1. road pavement street; 2. traffic lights lamp posts; 3. bus-stop bus station; F. Topics for conversation/composition: 1. 2. 3. 4. What kind of people are most likely to lose their way ? Under what circumstance do people get lost (most easily) ? Getting lost in a big/small town. You are waiting at a bus-stop. There is an old lady waiting, too. No bus is coming and after half an hour you sympathize with each other and make comments on how bad the bus service is. 5. A friend of yours has just arrived in Bucharest and would like to come to your place. He telephones you from the North Station but as you are unable to go and meet him at the Station you tell him how to get to your place. 6. Imagine a dialogue with a traffic policeman whom you want to convince that you haven t committed any motoring offence. He seems to be of a different opinion. 7. A driver s correct behaviour: - before a zebra crossing; - in crowded shopping streets; - when elderly people are crossing the street; - near schools; - when driving past animals. 8. The commonest cause of traffic accidents/traffic jams. 9. The road behaviour of a good driver. 10. The role of the police in protecting pedestrians lives. 11. Steps taken to avoid traffic jams/accidents. 12. Your opinion of the ideal road for moanswer the following questions; V.HOME READING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE To most members of the public traffic policing means law enforcement.When caught speeding or parking in the wrong place, many people tell the police: You d be better employed catching criminals. Such a 38 4. Motorway lane; 5. Bus coach; 6. Lorry van cab.

comment might well have been made to an officer who, only hours earlier, had investigated a fatal accident in which several people had been killed. Some 6,500 people are killed and about 300,000 injured every year on our roads. There is not enough money to build roads which could prevent all accidents (even if it were possible) and the accident-proof car is still some years away. So the police must play their part in accident prevention, which is, in fact, the most important area of traffic policing. Each accident invariably has several causes: the aim is to remove one or more of those causes. Part of the police investigation is to find out exactly why an accident happened, so that it will not happen again under the same circumstances. Individual accidents are studied, statistics are studied all to find that common theme. Is the link the vehicle ? Is it the driver ? Is it the weather ? Is the warning sign hidden ? Is the road surface faulty, or too slippery? Obviously such a study can result in a driver being prosecuted: that is one of the duties which has devolved on to the police. But the more important aspect is the work carried out to find out why the accident happened, so its repetition can be prevented. When, as the Lincolnshire Police found, young motor cyclists were having too many accidents possibly because they were lacking in experience and were not making themselves sufficiently conspicuous - they held special road checks and told them how to help themselves. They held special evening meetings to get their messages over. They made certain recommendations to the Department of Transport. They enlisted the aid of motor cycling stars. All part of traffic policing. The results of this work cannot yet be full assessed, but the signs are encouraging. At the end of 1976 casualties involving motorbikes and mopeds had increased by 50 per cent over the 1974 figure. By the end of 1978 the first full year of reversed: there were fewer accidents than in the previous year, despite an increase in two-wheeler motor traffic. The techniques used in the Lincolnshire campaign are applied in other areas but, of course, any increase in such activity has to be balanced with the necessary deployment of police resources in other fields. Even so, it is vital that the police should make a greater effort to gain the co-operation of the public, for the public are at risk. The motor-cycle accident campaign was just one example of police accident prevention. There are many more. Some are simple like trying to convince people that wearing seat belts saves lives; some are more complicated like putting forward the police view as to which side of a city a bypass should be constructed. All are aimed at protecting life. Unfortunately, there are no prices for accident prevention: perhaps because very few people intend to drive or ride so as to kill or injure. The link betweem the faulty tyre, the dangerous parking, the excessive speed or the insecure load and the accident is not clear to members of the public at the time. However, next time a police officer tells you about your missing rear light or even prosecutes you for it try to consider the deeper implications. He is trying to protect your life (and property). 39

Lesson seven

THE BIG STORES

I.VOCABULARY A. 1. Things to eat and things to use can be bought in brigger or smaller 2. People buy bread 3. Meat and chicken are sold.. 4. One can find fresh fruit and vegetables 5. Milk, cheese and eggs can be bought 6. Flour, rice and sugar are sold. 7. One can buy medicines. 8. People buy their cigarettes. 9. Paper, pencils and ballpoints are sold 10.Books can be found. 11.When you enter some shops the doorbell. 12.The goods are laid out on the 13.You can buy these goods. They are 14.The goods they sell are called the. 15. The people seeling the goods are the.. 16.Regular buyers are called 1. A large shop selling all kinds of goods is a. 2. The departments are on different. 3. The toy counter is on the 4. The food department is downstairs in the.. 5. The shoe department is. 6.It is on the.. 7.The clothes department is on the 8.There they sell. 9.Hats are in the 10.Stockings, tights and sochs are sold in the. 1. Clothes worn on the beach are.. 2. In the water women wear bikinis and 40 shops at the baker s at the butcher s at the greengrocer s at the dairy at the grocer s at the chemist s at the tobacconist s at the stationer s at the bookshop rings counters for sale merchandise shop-assistants customers department store floors ground floor basement upstairs first floor second floor ready-to-wear clothes millinery department hosiery department. beach-wear swimming-caps

B.

C.

3. Men fo swimming in. 4. Barbara is at a party. She is wearing an 5. It is worn outside with a 6. Barbara s clothes are up to date, ahe is dressed. 7. Barbara s husband is wearing a threepiece. 8. Around his neck he has a. 9.Jeans and jumpers are clothes for 10.Teenagers like wearing. 11.Outside clothes are clothes for people who need. 12.Clothes for moters-to-be are called D. 1. With what do most people shave ? 2. In an old-fashioned razors there are. 3.After shaving you can use an 4.When you shave with an old-fashioned razor you have to use a. 5.What do you use for cleaning your teeth ? 6. What things are there on the dressing-table for your nails ? 7. And for your cheeks ? 8. And your lips ? 9. To smell nice ? 10.When you go on holiday you can put all these things in aand take them with you. 11. With what do you brush your hair ? 12. You can also comb it with a. 13. Bald people sometimes wear. II.VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT SHOPPING IN LONDON

swimming-trunks. evening dress fur cape in the letest fashion evening-suit bow tie. everyday wear (casual wear) T-shirts. large sizes maternity wear. whit electrical razors razor-blades after-shave lotion shaving-soap or shavingcream a tooth-brush and toothpaste a nail-brush/a nail-file, nail-varnish,nail-scrissors power-puff lipstick perfume toilet bag with a hair-brush comb wigs or hair-pieces

Oxford Street is probably the most famous shopping street in London and is divided into two-parts, east and west. The busiest section of Oxford Street runs from Oxford Circus to Marble Arch. It is here that most of the major department stores are grouped, the biggest being Selfridges, the second largest department store in London. The large food hall, restaurats, kitchenware and cosmetic departments are very popular. The largest branch of the Marks & Spencer chain is also situated near Marble Arch. This open-plan store specialises in ready-to-wear clothes for all the family, food and household efects. 41

Farther along Oxford Street is John Lewis, an excellent shop for household equipment and fabrics. Oxford Street is also renowned for its vast selection of shoe shops, as well as fashion. Just outside Oxford Circus Underground station, you will find the Wedgwood pottery shop, world-famous for its fine pottery, porcelain, glass and gifts. A lovely shop in which to browse for gift ideas. Another famous shopping area is Tottenham Court Road, renowned for its high-class furniture shops and radio and electrical equipment. The largest furniture shop is Heal & Son Ltd. Others specializing in this field are Habitat, a very popular shop with younger people as it sells ultramodern functional furniture and accessories at everyday prices; and Ryman who specialize in modern office furnishings and equipment. Tottenham Court Road is also renowned for its hi-fi equipment. Here you will find anything from spare parts to the very latest in stereo and quadrofonic systems. Lyon House and Lasky are the two largest hi-fi and electrical equipment suppliers. Another shop to specialize, but in a different field, is Paperchase: a delightful shop dealing in beautiful wrapping paper, unique greeting cards, posters and other paper items and a lovely shop in which to browse. III.QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PRACTICE 1. Where do you buy bread ? What kind of bread do you like: white or brown ? 2. Which vegetables do you usually buy at the greengrocer s and which at the market ? 3. What s the difference between a stationer s and a bookshop ? Name Some items you buy at the stationer s. 4. What do they sell at the dairy ? 5. Where are goods laid out in shops ? 6. Who sells them ? 7. What is a department store ? 8. Can you name a few departments ? Where are they usually situated ? 9. In which of the departments listed in column A can you get the goods to be found in column B? A Knitted goods Haberdashery Electrical equipment China and Glassware Stationery Cosmetics Record department B. Notepaper, postcards, pencils Hand cream, lipstick, scent, mascara, eye-shade Car-rings, bracelets, necklaces Records Thread, tape, ribbons Jumpers, pullovers, cardigans Cups, plates, teapots 42

Jewellery

Light bulbs, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners

10. The goods mentioned above can be bought in smaller shops. Name some items you can buy at the following: a record shop; an electrical shop; a tobacconist s; a hardware shop; a chemist s; a china shop; a toy-shop; a shoe shop; a furniture shop. 11. Do you do your shopping in a department store or do you prefer to go shopping to smaller shops ? Why ? 12. Do you like to go shopping ? Why/Why not ? 13. What s your favourite time for shopping, in the morning or in the afternoon ? Give your reasons. 14. Would you rather go shopping alone or have a friend with you ? Why ? 15. Are the periods before holidays (i.e. New York s Eve) a good or a bad time for shopping ? What are the advantages and disadvantages of such periods ? 16. What are sales ? How many sales are there a year ? Can you discover real bargains in a sale ? 17. What is the importance of shop-windows ? What kind of goods are displayed in shop-windows ? 18. Do shop-windows influence you in your choice ? Why (not) ? 19. Do you go shopping only when you need something or whenever you have money on you ? Give your reasons. 20. Can you name some shops and department stores in Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road ? What do they specialize in ? IV.READING FOR COMPREHENSION THE BIG STORES OF LONDON One of the features of London is the number of big stores, most of which are to be found in or near the West End. These stores are a mixture of tradition and modernity. They developed in the nineteenth century; they maintain the dignity of that century, yet they are always ready to follow new trends. The big stores of London are vast buildings, many storeys high, equipped with speedy lifts and escalators, with well-planned lighting, ventilation and heating. Departments are carefully named; Budget Dresses are really cheap dresses but no customer likes to be thought of as a cheapshopper. The same applies to Ready-to-wear; it used to be used for the garments that were not made-to-measure, though now off-the-peg clothes are the rule rather than the exception. Mother-to-be or Lady-In-Waiting will often be found instead of conventional Maternity Wear. Then there are newer words for the new trends in fashion Mix-and-Match, Unisex, which are used alongside the more oldfashioned names: Haberdashery, Millinery, Gowns, and sometimes still the words derived from the French Mantles for coats, Layette for baby-wear. 43

Another feature of London s shopping life is the chain-stires, in which the goods are displayed on open counters. A wide variety of goods is offered chiefly foodstuffs, household goods, clothing and stationery. These chain-stores have branches in most British towns of importance. One very well-known firm of chemists has shops in many parts of London (and elsewhere); here you may buy not only medicines but also cosmetics and toilet supplies. Dairy firms have shops in various parts of London, too, and in these you may buy not only dairy produce but also groceries, soap and household articles. Most of the food stores, called supermarkets, operate on the self-service system: you go in, pick up a basket, walk round the shop and choose what you want. At the exit there is a check-out point a cash-desk where you pay for all your goods together. V.FLUENCY PRACTICE A.Find the right ending for each sentence below: 1. Department stores are 2. Escalators are. 3. Budget dreasses are 4. Ready-to-wear garments are.. 5. Maternity wear is. 6. Chain-stores are.. 7. Chemist s shops are 8. Dairy shops are 9. Supermarkets are.. a. moving stairways, carrying people up and down to various floors. b. .cheap dresses c. clothes worn by mothers-to-be. d. big stores where all kinds of goods are sold e. clothes which are massproduced, not made-to-measure f. stores where a variety of goods are offered-displayed on open counters g. shops where milk, cheese, eggs, butter are sold h. big food stores i. shops where medicines, cosmetics and toilet supplies are usually sold

B. Talk about the big stores of London. Main ideas: - location of most department stores; - modern conveniences in department stores; - names of departments; - characteristic features of chain-stores; - chemist s shops in London; - dairy shops; - supermarkets.

44

C. Describe one of the big department stores in Bucharest of in your town. Main ideas: - opening and closing times; - departments; - selling system; - display of goods; - the relationship: shop assistant customer. D. To what specialized shops do you go if you to buy the following: bread rolls; onions; cheese; chocolates; meat; fish; rice; oranges. E.1 Where can you find the following: Greeting cards; Writing paper; Casseroles; Watches and clocks; Saucepans and kettles; Newspapers; Teapots; Papernags; Jewels; Cigarettes; Tights; Furniture

E. Find the right ending for each sentence below: 1. In Britain, a butcher sells 2. a milkman sells 3. a baker sells 4. a grocer sells 5. a bookseller sells 6. a chemist sells 7. a greengrocer sells 8. a tobacconist sells 9. When you want to buy a ring you go to the 10.When you want to buy a fresh chicken you go to the F. Name the following: 1. clothes for mothers-to-be; 2. clothes for people who need larger sizes; 3. clothes for everday wear; 4. a dress worn at a formal party; 5. men s swimsuits; 6. up-to-date clothes; 7. clothes worn on the beach; 8. lotion used after shaving; 9. you clean your teeth with them; 10. you comb your hair with it; 45 a).bread and cakes. b)meat, sausage and chickens c) dairy products d).books e).groceries f)fruit and vegetables g).toothpaste, cosmnetics and soap as well as medicines h)tobacco, cigars, cigarettes. i)jeweller s j) butcher s

11. bald people sometimes wear them; 12. the goods sold in a shop; 13. the people selling the goods; 14. regular buyers; 15. they sell hats there; 16. they sell tights and stockings there; 17. a large shop selling all kinds of goods; 18. the goods are laid on them. G. Match the pairs of antonyms: 1. winter wear 2. morning dress 3. ready-made 4. short-sleeved 5. expresive 6. in fashion a) evening dress b) tailor made c) summer wear d) out-of-fashion e) long-sleeved f) reasonably priced

1. To which department in the Co-op Bargate Store would these people go: - a recently married couple; - a twenty-year-old girl; - a tourist before leaving the town; - pop music fan; - a couple on their golden wedding day. 2. Add other departments to the advertisement. I. What is the difference between: 1. a shop a department store; 2. a lift an escalator; 3. ventilation - heating; 4. a department a counter; 5. a grocer s a greengrocer s 6. a market a supermarket; 7. ready-to-wear clothes clothes made-to-measure; 8. a stationer s a bookshop.

J. Topics for free conversation/composition: 1. Make a comparison between a department store and a small shop (kinds of goods, display, time necessary for shopping etc.) 2. Trying to buy a present for a rather snobbish friend. 3. Going to the sales. 4. Going shopping od the 31st of December (in the morning, in the evening). 5. Unusual things that may happen while shopping. 6. The shops in your street/part of town 7. Advantages and disadvantages of shopping areas. 8. Comment on the home reading: No British Things? by Lord Allen. 46

VI.HOME READING No British Things? by Lord Allen Buy British is a hackneyed slogan, perhaps even banal, but all the same it has some economic sense behind it. I have recently realized though, the immense practical difficulties which face the ordinary shopper who wants to carry out this injunction. I am all in favour of international trade; and it is a pleasure to buy good British products in, say, Beverly Hills. I recongnize, too, that for some rather special products, notably motorcars, the purchaser is able to make a conscious and deliberate decision whether to buy British or to buy foreign; and that for yet other products, such as watches and cameras, we have simply given up. But, for the rest, have we in practice enough freedom of choice. The other day I bought a pair of ordinary gardening gloves; when I undid the package, itself an increasingly difficult operation, I found that they had been made in Canada. Inside a new mackintosh a small label disclosed that it had been made in Denmark. A bedside clock I ordered from a mail order firm turned out to be German. My lawnmower and hedge trimmer both have American motors. My electric razor is American, but made in France. My wife and I each have a camera; one is Japanese; the other is German, but made in Singapore. A new sink for the kitchen is French, as are some picnic tumblers. Close examination of a spectacle frame disclosed that is the proper Germany. A reelto-reel tape recorder (I hope that is the proper description) is Swiss. A portable radio and a cassette recorder, not surprisingly, are Japanese. When an American-made electric carving knife packed up, the only replacement readily available was French. This is by no means an exotic list of purchases. Something like it would be found in many households. It is not that foreign products are particularly cheap. Nor are they always well made and reliable. I may have been less lucky than some. But the fact is that the aperture on the Japanese camera stuck and ruined four reels of holiday film. The face of my bedside clock is so cluttered that it is difficult to read the time and, anyway, I have abandoned it, ar it was so noisy that I found it difficult to sleep and when I at last fell into an exhausted slumber the alarm was not loud enough to wake me up. Even my splendid tape recorder has begun to make loud scratching noises. 47

The Japanese radio shows its contempt for the UK market by giving the names only of European stations, which it cannot get from here although, unlike some others, at least it does not go in for American spelling. The battery of the hedge trimmer no longer retains any charge. A screw came out of my spectacle frame, which then fel apart. All the buttonholes on an American shirt came unstitched; and the Japanese cassette recorder, as I write, is back at the repair shop for the fifth time. My experiences of disaster may be unusual. But the acquisition of a whole range of foreign-made goods in the course of ordinary shopping is not. It is not that the purchaser goes out to buy foreign products; often they are all he can get. Given our economic problems, and recognising as well our deep commitment to international trade, I cannot help but wonder why we cannot put in a rather bigger effort to make things ourselves.I do not want to pick on the Canadians in particular,but is it really beyond us to make our own gardening gloves? When we ourselves depend so much on exports, we obviously cannot close our own doors to imports. But need we fling them open quite so wide ?

48

Lesson eight

AT THE POST OFFICE

I.VOCABULARY A. 1. Another word for the post is the.. 2. Each letter or postcard must have a. 3. The money you have to pay for the stamp is the.. 4. The man who delivers the letters is the 5. On the pillar-box you find the time of 6. The man in charge of the post office is the.. 7. You buy writing-paper. 8. Putting your name at the end of a letter is called.. 9. The name you put there is your.. 10. Before mailing it you must put the letter in an 11. On the back of the envelope you write. 12. On the front of the envelope you write. 13. On the envelope you stick.. 14. Then you put the letter in a. 15. The place where the postman delivers your private mail is the.. 16. Big firms often have a P.O.B. That is a. 17. You can send your letter by.. mail (postage) stamp postage postman collection postmaster at the stationer s signing a letter signature envelope Your own address (the address of the sender) the name and address of the addresses a stamp piller-box letter-box post(office) box (a box number) ordinary mail (first or second class), express (special delivery), as registered mail printed matter

18. Newspapers and magazines sent by post are called.. 49

B.

1. Post Office Savings Bank means that

2. Money can be sent by post in the form of a 3. The money in a country is called the. 4. How much one currency is worth in terms of another depends on the 5. If you have no cash on you, you can pay 6. People travelling abroad often use.. 7. Cheques are kept in a. 8. When you pay by cheque you must also show your 9. Everyone who puts money in a bank must have or open an.. 10. The money you have in a bank is our 11. The sum of money which is owed to a bank is the 12. The bank sends you a list of transactions called a. 13. When you have used more money than there is on your account the statement will show an.. 14. He is in the red means. II.VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT

you can deposit or writhdraw money from an account there postal order (money order) currency rate of exchange by cheque travellers cheques cheque-book banker s card account balance/credit debt statement overdraft he owes money to the bank (overdraft)

Letters. In Britain letters are brought from pillar-boxes to a Head or Branch Post Office where they are sorted. Then they are carried to their destination and delivered. In towns there are several collections and deliveries a day. The letters whose receivers are unknown are either returned to the senders or carried to the dead-letter office. There are also registered letters and printed matter. Letters arrive more quickly by registered post and compensation is offered in case of loss or demage. Documents and papers of little or no monetary value may be sent by recorded delivery. Recorded delivery is particulary suitable when a record of posting and delivery is needed rather than compensation for loss. Telephone. When you are not a telephone subscriber, you must go to a call-box. If you cannot use the dial telephone, the exchange puts you through to your correspondent, but you must not forget to say your number figure by figure and remember that the figure o (nought) is read as the letter O . III. QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PRACTICE 50

1. What can people do at the post-office? What do you go to the post-office for ? - buy stamps/postcards/envelopes; - send letters/telegrams/money orders/parcels; - draw a State/old age pension; - make telephone calls; - buy/renew a television/radio licence; - deposit/withdraw money from the post office bank. 2. Who is in charge of the post office ? 3. What is another word for Post ? 4. When do you send postcards and when do you send letters to your friends/relatives ? 5. Where do you put the letter after you write it ? 6. What do you write on the back/front of the envelope ? 7. Where do you stick the stamp (s) ? 8. What is postage ? 9. Where do you drop the letter after you have written it and put it in the envelope ? 10. Who delivers the letters ? 11. How many collections a day are there in a big town ? 12. Where does the postman deliver your private mail ? 13. How do you ussually send letters ? Which is the cheapest/quickest/safest way ? - by surface mail; - by registeres post; - by air mail; - by recorded delivery. 14. When is recorded delivery used ? 15. What happens to the letters whose receivers are unknown ? 16. What is printed matter ? 17. How long does - an ordinary letter - an airmail letter take - a registeres letter - a telegram; a parcel to reach Oradea if you send it from Bucharest ? 18. What s a mail van ? 19. What must you do if you want to send a telegram ? get a telegram form; - fill in the form with capital letters. When do people send telegrams ? 20. Expand these telegrams into complete sentences; ARRIVE 10 PM PLEASE MEET JANE RETURN IMMEDIATELY HOUSE BURGLED POLICE REQUIRE LIST ARTICLES PARCEL NORTH STATION COLLECT TOMORROW LATEST CONTRACT CANCELLED DANGER BANKRUPTCY REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS BOY WILLIAM EIGHT POUNDS BOTH WELL 21. Have you ever received a postal order ? Who was it from ? 22. What details must be filled in on a postal order form ? - the payee s name and address; - the sender s name and address; 51

- the amount to be sent. 23. What does the Post Office Savings Bank mean ? 24. What are some of the things people save money for ? 25. What kinds of things do you use cheques for ? 26. What are travellers cheques ? When are they used ? 27. Where are cheques kept ? 28. What is a bank account ? 29. What is the money you have in a bank called ? 30. What is the debit ? 31. What does the post office clerk do when you want to send a parcel ? Why are all these done ? - weigh it on the scales; - seal it with wax; - give you a receipt. 32. What kinds of pensions are paid by the State ? IV.READING FOR COMPREHENSION THE POST OFFICE The Post Office has many duties and has hundreds of thousands of officials: postmasters who are in charge of post offices, post-office clerks and many postmen. It is the postman who brings many items of news to everybody, going round from house to house, and dropping the letters into our letter-boxes. The Post Office not only delivers and sends letters and other mail, but also controls the telegraphs and telephones, issues television and radio licences and registers them, and pays out pensions and allowances. Do you want to send a telegram ? Just ask for a telegram form at the counter and fill it in. A telegram reaches the addressee in two or three hours. Remember: the charge depends on the number of word, so try to convey your message in as few words as possible. (You can also dictate a telegram over the telephone). If you want to post an ordinary letter, a postcard or a small parcel, you needn t go to the post office, you can drop it into the nearest letter-box. In Britain these boxes are either fixed in the wall, or they are iron cylinders painted red, called pillar-boxes, standing by the kerbstone. The time of the next collection is indicated on a little plate, which is changed by the postman every time he comes to collect letters. In cities pillar-boxes are emptied several times a day, but in villages there may be only one or two collections. The letters whose receivers are unknown are either returned to the senders or carried to the dead-letter office. If you want your letter to arrive more quickly than by ordinary post, you can send it by Air Mail. When you send a parcel, you hand it to the assistant, who weighs it on the scales. You pay according to the weight of the parcel and the clerk gives you a receipt. Then, if the parcel is lost or stolen, you can claim payment from the post-office. 52

Do you want to have a conversation with a friend of your who lives in another town ? Then you make a long-distance. You either ask the operator to connect You, or, if your friend lives in a bigger town you may dial the call yourself. You first dial the code number for the town that you are calling and them the number of the subscriber. If you make a local call, you go into the telephone-box and lift the receiver. When you hear the dialling tone indicating that nothing is wrong on the line, dial the number want. When your hear rapid pips, you press in the coin, and then you can speak. V. FLUENCY PRACTICE A. Match the two columns according to the comprehension passage above: 1. There are dozens of people working in a he brings news to everybody and Post-office; drops letters into our letter-box 2. The postmen is one of the most the clerk weighs the parcel on popular officials; the scales and then gives you a receipt. 3. The Post Office delivers and sends a postmaster, post-office clerks, letters and other mail; many postmen. 4. If you want to send a telegram, you or you may use iron cylinders first ask for a form painted red, called pillar-boxes, standing by the kerbstone. 5. In Britain, you may drop letters into you first dial the code number letter-boxes which are fixed in a wall and then the number of the subscriber 6. In cities, pillar-boxes are emptied you lift the receiver, hear the several times a day dialling tone, dial the number and press in the coin. 7. In order to send a parcel you have in villages there are only one or to go to the post-office; two collections. 8. It is posssible to make a direct besides, it issues TV and radio call to a big town; licences and pays out pensions and allowances. 9. It is easy to make a local call from then you fill it in and pay the a telephone-box charge which depends on the number of words. B. C. Talk/write about postal and telephone services. Main ideas: people whose work is connected with the post-office; duties of the post-office; sending telegrams; sending letters; sending parcels; making telephone calls (trunk / local calls). Speak about writing and getting a letter. Main ideas: 53

- writing paper; - adddressee; - writing the letter; - stamp; - signature; - ordinary mail; - envelope; - pillar-box; - sender; - registered mail;

- collection; - sorting; - delivery; - letter-box; - dead-letter office.

D. Name the following: 1. newspapers and magazines sent by post; 2. the place where your postmen delivers your private mail; 3. the quickeast kind of mail; 4. the money you pay for a stamp; 5. money sent by post; 6. cheques used by people travelling abroad; 7. the man who delivers the letters; 8. the man in charge of the post office; 9. the sum of money owed to a bank; 10. the money you have in a bank; 11. the money in a country; 12. the name you put on a letter; 13. the person who sends the letter; 14. the person who receives the letter. E. What s the difference between: 1. a pillar-box a letter-box 2. a collection a delivery; 3. ordinary mail express delivery; 4. A postmen a postmaster; 5. The sender the addressee; 6. A credit a debit.

F. Topics for conversation/composition: 1. Sending a telegram/parcel. (Dialogue with the post-office clerk, with details of how much it will cost to send the telegram/parcel and how long it will take to reach its destination). 2. A dialogue between the person who has received the parcel and his friend, discussing what might be in it. 3. Work in a post-office. 4. A postmen s working day. 5. Writing and sending a letter. 6. Sending telegrams. 7. Resaons for sending letters/postcards to people. 8. The role of registered post. VI. HOME READING AT THE POST OFFICE In England there are Post-Offices and Sub-Post-Offices. The latter are very interesting places, because they are shops as well in small villages they may be the only shop: 54

The Postmistress: Mrs. Murphy:

Hello, Mrs Murphy ! What can we do for you ? I ve come to collect my old-age pension for two weeks, if I may. Postmistress: Oh, yes, off to see your daughter, are you ? Mrs. Murphy: That s right oh and you can give me a couple of 8 p stamps, too. Postmistress: There you are, there s your change. Ah, Mr. Grosvenor, what can we do for you ? Mr. Grosvenor: I ve got these important papers to send to London. Postmistress: Do you want them registered or sent recorded delivery ? Let s see, how big are they ? Well, they ll have to go recorded delivery, because we don t do registered parcels any more. Fill in the name and address on there. Then I ll stamp it and there we are. Ah, Mr. Wallace How s Mrs. Wallace. ? Mr. Wallace: It s a boy, it s a boy ! Postmistress: Ah, well, we ve got special telegrams for that just let me give you a form and you can fill it in ar the desk over there. Here s a pen. Mrs. Barclay: Can you tell me how much these letters will cost ? There s one for my son in Sweden. Should I send it by air or sea ? Postmistress: All letters go to Europe by air. Yes, and what else ? Mrs Barclay: This one to London. Postmistress First or second class ? Mrs. Barclay: Oh, make it second class, it s not urgent. Postmistress: There s your change. Thank you. Finished your telegram ? Good. Just let me count the words. Right. Anything else ? Mr. Wallace: Oh, yes. Here s some money to go into my wife s Post.Office Savings Account. There s her book. And I d like a television licence form, please. Postmistress: Believe me, it s a waste of money you won t have time To watch television with that new baby around !

55

Lesson nine

ON THE TELEPHONE
I VOCABULARY 1. When you make a telephone-call you lift the. 2. Then you. 3. If you dont know the number you can lock it up in the. 4. When you cant find it there you can dial. 5. Making a call to a place far away is called a. 6. To most countries in Europe you can phone 7. Then first dial the 8. If you have not got enough money you can ask for a person-to-person call and 9. That means that the receiver of the call 10. When there is a difficulty with the connection the operator may tell you to. 11. When the person we want to call is already speaking to someone else we say that 12. When the phone is not working we say II. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT The Language of Telephoning The language of telephones and telephoning is worth getting right. First, the verbs. You telephone someone, or phone them, or ring them or give them a 56 Receiver Dial the number (telepfone) directory Directory inquiries Long-distance call or a tunk call Direct International code-number Have the charges reversed Has to pay for it Hold the line The line (number) is engaged its out of order

ring. If youre American, you call them, or call them up. The telephone exchange can be just the exchange but never phone exchange. If you use a public telephone, you make a call from a phone boy (in a restaurant or at a station), or from a telephone kiosk (in the street). The post office calls them payphones, but nobody else does. If youre using a public telephone and want the person at the other and to understand youre running out of time or money, you say youre ringing from a call box. Apart from getting a wrong number, you may get a crossed line, or a bad line. Try again, or ask the person at the other and to speak up. When youre speaking to someone by phone, youre on the phone. III QUESTION.AND.ANSWER PRACTICE 1. What conveniences does a telephone offer ? 2. What verbs can be used when you want to say youre going to make a telephone call ? 3. What is a telephone extension ? 4. How can you make a local telephone call from a public telephone box/callbox ? - look up the number in the directory; - wait for the dialling tone; - lift/pick up the receiver; - dial the number; - drop the coin into the slot; - hang up the receiver. 5. What are the disadvantages of using a call-box ? 6. What kind of trunk-calls can you make from your town ? - direct trunk-calls; - dial the operator to ring the number for you. 7. What services does the Inquiry Bureau/Office offer ? 8. Explain what a transferred charge call is. 9. When are these phrases used ? You are wanted on the phone. Hold on, please. The line is busy/engaged Can you leave a message ? The line is free/clear. Sorry. Wrong number. You are through Who is (that) speaking ? Ill ring you buck later. This is Mary speaking Hold the line. 10. Who uses the telephone most in your family ? Why ? 11. Do you prefer a party-line telephone or a private line ? Why ? Advantages and disadvantages of each. 12. Read the following instructions for using a call-box in Britain. Think of a similar set of instructions for using a Romanian call-box. TO MAKE A CALL Have money ready 5 o or 10 p Lift receiver 57

Listen for continuous purring Dial number or code and number When you hear rapid pips, press in coin To continue a dialled call put in more money during conversation or when you hear rapid pips again

IV. CONVERSATION PRACTICE A. Dialogue: On the Telephone by Ona Low Megan, who comes from a Welsh village, is spending a week in London with friends. She has just had lunch with an aunt. Erica Antrim. Erica wants to take Megan to the theatre. Erica: Megan: Erica: Theres a good play on at the Siddons theatre. Lets go tonight. Im sorry, I cant manage tonight. Im free on Friday, though. Good. Ill book the seats now. Look, theres an empty telephone box. Can you look up the number for me I havent my glasses with me. Heres the right directory Megan: Its 987-3624. Erica:Have you used a telephone like this before ? Megan: No, Tell me what I have to do. Erica:You lift the receiver and wait usually only a second-for the dialling tone. Can you hear it ? Megan: Yes, I can. Erica:Now Im going to dial the number I want. Now wait ! Listen. Thats the number engaged signal. Its very difficult getting a theatre box office on the telephone the number always seems to be engaged. Lets try the next box we come to. (They walk along to the Underground station and find a box free there. Erica dials again). Erica: Good. The pips - were through. Now I put two pence in this slot quickly you must have the money ready, otherwise you can be cut off again. Hallo. In that the Siddons Theatre box office ? Box office: Speaking Erica: Have you any seats at a reasonable price for the Friday evening performance this week ? 58

Box office: The only seats we have left are at the back of the stalls, one pound fifty pence. Erica: My I have two et 1.507 When must I collect them by ? Box office: Half an hour before the performance at the latest. After that they may be sold. They are Row W. 39 and 40. What name is it, please ? Erica: Antrim. A-N-T-R-I-M. Thank you. Good-bye. (She replaces the receiver) Thats settled. Im so glad. I do hope theyre good seats.

B. Answer these questions about the dialogue: 1. Where does Megan come from ? 2. Who has she just had lunch with ? 3. Where does Erica want to take Megan ? 4. Where do they go to book the seats ? 5. Where does Megan look up the number of the theatre box office ? 6. Can Erica get the box office on the phone ? Why not ? 7. Where does she try again ? 8. Who answers her ? 9. Does Erica book seats for the Friday evening performance ? 10. When must she collect them by ? C. Read the following dialogues which contain some typical set phrasses used on the phone: 1. Mr. Squeers lifts the receiver and dials 2031. Mr. Johnson: Mayfair two oh three seven. Mr. Squeers: Can I speak to Mr. Johnson please ? Mr. Johnson: Speaking. Mr. Squeers: Good morning. This is George Squeers speaking. 2. Secretary: Onley Hall 4104 Squeers: Can I speak to Mr. Davis, please ? Secretary: Just a moment, please. Ill put you through. Davis: Hallo. Davis here. 3. Voice: Eastwood 3248 Squeers: I wonder if I could speak to Mrs. Rogers, please. Voice: Im afraid shes not in just now. Squeers: Oh, well, would you give her a message, please ? Would you tell her that George Squeers called and that Ive managed to buy two tickets for her and her husband for tonights performance. Voice: Yes, Ill tell her. Would you repeat your name, please ? Squeers: George Squeers S-Q-U-E-E-R-S. Voice: All right, Mr Squeers. 59

Squeers:

Thank you. Good-bye.

4. Voice: Hello Squeers: Can I speak to Dick Foster, please ? Voice: Foster ? There is no Goster here. Im afraid youve got the wrong number. Squeers: Oh, Im so sorry. Voice: Thats all right.

D. Choose from column B the sentences that are connected with those in column A. A B 1. Im sorry. Im quite busy right now. a) Can you leave a message ? 2. My wife isnt in. b) Can I speak to Mary ? 3. Hallo. This is Ann speaking. c) Ill ring you back later 4. May I use your telephone ? d) Mine is out of order 5. Hold on, please ! e) Ill put you through in a moment 6. Hold the line ! f) Ill be back in a moment. D Read these rules about spelling names and telephone numbers in English on the phone. Then practise spelling your name and telephone number.

When spelling the same letter twice, British people usually say double B, double E, as in RUBBER: R-U-double B-E-R, or FEED: F- double E-D, but Americans dont. Telephone numbers: O is pronounced (ou) (Br.), zero (Am.). The British say double 7 in a number like 6774, but Americans say six-seven-seven-four. This is the British system: A for Andrew B for Benjamin C Charlie D David E Edward F Frederick G George H Harry I Isaac J K L M N O P Q R for Jack for King Lucy Mary Nellie Oliver Peter Queenie Robert S T U V W X Y Z for Sugar Tommy Uncle Victory William Xmas Yellow Zebra

My name is Philip Binham. Philip: P for Peter, H for Harry, I for Isaac, L for Lucy, I for Isaac, P for Peter. Binham: B for Benjamin, I for Isaac, N for Nellie, H for Harry, A for Andrew, M for Mary. (Philip Binham) 60

Give synonyms to the following: - to phone someone; - to put the coin in the slot; - to call back; - long-distance calls; - to lift the receiver; - Dont hang up ! - the number is engaged; - the line is free; - Hold the line while the operator puts you through ! - There is something wrong with our phone.

F. Name the following: 1. a list of names of people in alphabetical order with their addresses and telephone numbers; 2. the part of the telephone you lift to your ear, and also speak into; 3. short-distance calls of up to about twenty miles; 4. telephone calls over longer distances; 5. the person who puts you through when make a trunk-call; 6. the narrow opening in a public telephone where you drop the coin; 7. the sound which tells you the telephone can be used; 8. a phone that is not working. G. Make up a short dialogue using the following: A: Can I speak to. ? B: Speaking Who shall I say is calling ? Just a moment, please, Ill put you through. Hang up the receiver and dial again. A: Im afraid shes not in just now. B: Oh, well, would you give her a message ? Please forgive my troubling you. Im afraid youve got the wrong number. Hold the line. H. Topics for free conversation/composition: 1. You have never used a public telephone before. Your friend is giving you instructions. 2. You have forgotten the telephone number of the person youre going to ring up. Phone Directory Inquiries. 3. A young man is making a phone call from a telephone-box. He is trying to bring the conversation to an end as he has noticed the queue outside. 4. People outside the call-box are complaining. 5. You have to make an urgent phone call. Give your reasons for interrupting someone elses call. 6. Inpleasant talk with the lady with whom you have been sharing the same party-line telephone for several years. 7. Your experience in making a long-distance call. 8. Advantages and disadvantages of having a telephone at home. 61

9. The use(e) of the telephone directory. 10. Using public telephone-boxes: advantages and drawbacks. 11. Private telephone lines versus party-lines. 12. Telephone services (alarm calls, transferred charge calls, emergency calls, telegrams). V. HOME READING CALL-SERVICES WITHIN THE UNITED KINGDOM Alarm calls. A useful service, at a small fee not only for early morning alarm calls but also, for example, as a reminder of an appointment. Alarm calls for early morning should be booked before 10.30 p.m. the previous evening. Fixed-time calls. A call can be booked in advance with the operator to be connected at ar about a specified time. Also a daily fixed-time call over a period of consecutive days can be arranged. A small extra charge is made. Personal calls. These can be useful on trunk-calls to guests in hotels or someone in a large firm. A personal call fee is payable whether or not the call is successful, but the charge for the call can be brought to the person required, or an acceptable substitute, can be brought to the telephone. If the person wanted cannot be found, a message can be left for him to ring the operator when he is available. Transferred charge calls. For an additional charge the cost of the call can be transferred to the called number if it is accepted when the operator offers the call. The operator should be told that a transferred charge call is wanted before other particulars are given. Telegrams. An inland telegram can be sent from any telephone. Just dictate your message to the telegraph office see your Dialling Code Booklet. From your residential or business telephone the cost is debited to your bill. Directory enquiries. If you cannot find the number you want in the directory or you do not have the directory concerned call DIRECTORY ENQUIRIES.

62

63

Lesson ten

THE WEATHER
I.VOCABULARY A. 1. Britain has a wet 2. But in summer it A. 1. Britain has a wets often. 3. When it rains for a long time everything gets 4. A light rain is called 5. When it s raining heavily we say 6. When the rain or snow falls only for a short period of time we call is a 7. When the sun is not shining we say that it s. 8. After a very hot day there may be a 9. What we see then is 10. And we hear 11. Another word for a storm is a. 12. A very violent wind is called a 13. A thick mist we call 14. When it is very hot, the heat is 15. After the rain, the sky usually 16.The air isand fresh after the rain 17. In the morning there ison the grass B. 1. In winter it often. 2. Children makein winter 3. They play with 4. In spring, the snow 5. The trees put forthin spring 6. In summer when the trees are full of flowers we say they are 7. In autumn,are harvested. 8. The leaves turn yellow and Climate Warm/sunay Wet through Drizzle it s pouring Shower Cloudy/dull/overcast Thunderstorm Lightning Thunder Gale Hurricane Fog. Oppressive. Clears up Moist Dew Snows Snowmen Snowballs Melts/thaws Buds In blossom (bloom) Crops Fall off.

C. Find in column B the definition for each item in column A 64

A Hail Lightning

Brief fall of rain Arch containing the colours of the spectrum formed in the sky after rain Sleet Rain in very small fine drops Shower Falling snow or hail mixed with rain frozen raindrops falling from the sky Fog bank of snow heaped up by the wind Drizzle Violent wind (storm) Rainbow Flash of bright light produced by natural electricity in the sky Hurricane Vapour suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth s surface II. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT A SUMMER DAY It is dawn. The sun is just appearing above the horizon. There is moist dow on the grass, which glitters in the sunshine. A cool breeze is blowing from the south-east, but no clouds are seen in the sky. The sun slowly rises higher and higher and soon it has a dazzling brightness. As day advances, the breeze increases in strength until it becomes wind. Clouds appear in the sky. At noon the sky is evercast with heavy black clouds. Suddenly there is a flash of lightning, followed by a clap of thunder. Large raindrops begin to fall. It threatens to be a heavy shower.Then it lightens again and thunders, and hailstones as large as peas fall with great rapidity. (Hail is frozen rain). Fortunately however, the hailstorm does not last long. The hail changes again to rain, and the black thunder-clouds move away. Suddenly the afternoon sun shines out brightly again from the edge of a cloud. The raindrops sparkle on the grass and the horizon is overarched by a beautiful rainbow. The air is moist and fresh after the rain. The sun is setting now and all the western sky is tinged with red, pink and gold. This beautiful sunset promises a fine day tomorrow. Even after the sun has set, the bright red remains for a while. It is dusk. The shadows darken everywhere, and the stars appear one by one. Night is coming on. III. QUESTION AND ANSWER PRACTICE 1. Which part of the world does Britain/Romania lie in ? - near the equator; - in the middle latitudes; - in the tropics; - in the polar region. 2. What is climate ? What elements are taken into account when we speak about the climate of a particular area ? - an area, a region; - weather conditions; - conditions of temperature, rainfall, wind, etc. 3. What are the characteristics of climate in the middle latitudes ? What is the climate of Britain/Romania like ? 65

- the climate: temperate, continental, insular; - four seasons; - temperature: varied;

- winds; irregular; - rainfall; bariable.

4. What is weather ? - conditions of temperature, rain, wind, sunshine, etc: - a particular area; a specific time. 5. During what parts of the day do these events happen ? The sun is rising Darkness has fallen The sun has set. The stars are twinkling in the sky. The sun is shining brightly. There is moist dew on the grass. 6. What are the characteristics of rain in summer ? - heat: oppressive/unbearable/scorching; - clouds: dark, thunder-clouds; - sky: clear, bright, overcast; - shower: thunderstorm; hailstorm; - (a flash of) lightning; - (a clap of) thunder; - it s clearing up; - rainbow.

7. These sentences describe a summer shower. Put them in the right order: - Large raindrops begin to fall. - The sky is overcast with heavy clouds. - It lightens again and thunders. - Sunddenly there is a flash of lightning. - The sky clears up. - The sun shines brightly again. - The black thunder-clouds move away. - The raindrops sparkle on the grass. - Fortunately the shower does not last long. - The rainbow appears above the horizon. - The air is moist and fresh after the rain. 8. Describe an English summer day under the following headings: - dawn (daybreak); - breeze; - morning; noon; - wind; rain; - rainbow; - afternoon; - sunset; - dusk; - night.

9. Give a simple description of spring. Use: - the snow: melts/thaws; - the birds: build nests; lay eggs. 10. What happens in autumn ? 66 - the trees: put forth buds; are in bloom; Burst into leaf.

- crops are harvested; - leaves: turn yellow; fall off; 11. snow: dreep/thick; snow ploughs; snowflake, snowstorm; snowdrift; frost; ice; icicle; 12. Why do children like winter ?

- mist; thick/dense fog; - drizzle; mud.

Describe winter in your own words. Use:

- snowball; snowman; skating-rink. IV. READING FOR COMPREHENSION THE WEATHER IN THE BRITISH ISLES The English weather is the subject of innumerable jokes and provides an inexhaustible topic of conversation: this is not because the British are too dull to think of anything else to talk about, but because there is always an element of surprise in the British climate. Like the hills and the landscape, the weather seldom runs to extremes, but the trouble is that you never can be sure when the different types of weather will occur. In theory there are four definite seasons. Spring lasts approximately from March to May and is a gentle, sunny season when the flowers bloom and the birds sing and the trees burst into leaf. The summer months, June, July and August, are in theory still summer, with long hot days and the whole nation out of doors getting suntanned. Autumn, from September to October or November, is the season of falling leaves and bonfires, of ploughing, of gradual preparation for the winter; and November is sacred to good, thick, Dickensian fogs. Winter, from December to February, should in theory be a season of bright, sparkling cold. In theory, too, the south of Great Britain is warm and the north by comparison cold; the east is dry, and the west ba comparison wet. In practice, the weather of the British Isles is generally one long series of exceptions to its own traditional rules. The one certain thing about the English weather is that it isn t what it used to be. By some inexplicable process, everybody in England who is old enough to begin looking back can remember that when he or she was a child the winters really were winters, with snow, and the summers really were summers, with heat-waves and even drought. Perhaps they were.Anyway, the English seasons of today are in a hopeless muddle. No ordinary mortal can guess from one day to another which season he will find himself in when he wakes in the morning. One takes some winter clothes as a matter of course on one s summer holiday, and starts out in dazzling sunshine with mackintosh or umbrella over one s arm. Official weather forecasts do their best with the cyclones and anticyclones and depressions over Iceland upon which the Englishman s sunshine and rain depend, but he has his own private meteorological wisdom, inherited from many generations of 67

weather-wise ancestors, and it is by that that he instinctively goes. When plans are being made for the afternoon, he is able to remind his family of the old saying, Rain before seven, fine before eleven. When plans for the following day are being discussed, he remembers, Red sky at morning, shepherd s warning,/Red sky at night, shepherd s delight. Living in so temperamental a climate, with so many exceptions to so many rules to be discussed, it is no wonder that the Englishman talks a lot about the weather. But one thing with which the foreigner can amuse himself is trying to decide when the people who talk about the weather mean less than what they are actually saying, when they mean more and when they are genuinely enjoying the fact that it is (as can sometimes happen even in England) lovely weather for the time of year . V.FLUENCY PRACTICE A. After reading the comprehension passage carefully, say which of the following statements are true and which are false. Correct the false ones. 1. Like the hills and the landscape the British weather rarely runs to extremes. 2. In theory, in spring there are long hot days and the whole nation is out of doors getting suntanned. 3. Weather forecasts often mention cyclones, anticyclones and depressions over the continent, upon which the Englishman s sunshine and rain depend. 4. It often rains in autumn, the season of falling leaves. 5. Winter is the season of bright, sparkling cold. 6. In summer flowers bloom and trees burst into leaf. 7. There are very few exceptions to the traditional rules of the English weather. B. In what seasons do these events happen ? Crops are harvested; the snow melts; Trees put forth buds; it often drizzles; It snows; flowers bloom; there is drought; leaves turn yellow; the sun rises late and sets early

C. Talk about the English and the Romanian weather. Main ideas: a) The weather in the British isles: - general features; - characteristics (in theory) of: spring, summer, autumn, winter; - the English weather (in practice); - the Englishman and the weather forecasts. b) The weather in Romania. - general characteristics; 68

- the four seasons; - the Romanians attitude towards the weather. D. Fill in the blanks with the missing adjectives: There are clouds in the sky. The sky is.with heavy clouds. The sun is shining brightly. It has abrightness. The grass is wet. There is.dew on the grass. The weather is changing from one day to the next. The weather is usually.at this time of year. 5. It s swfully hot in here. The heat is 6. Large drops are beginning to fall. It s going to be a.shower. 7. The black thunder-clouds have moved away. The sky is.again. E. What s the difference between: 1. cool cold; 2. wet damp; 3. clear overcast; 4. rain hail; 5. breeze wind; 6. dew frost. 7. Snowflake snowdrift; 8. Hurricane storm; 9. Fog mist; 10. Drizzle sleet shower; 11. Lightning thunder 1. 2. 3. 4.

F. Topics for conversation/composition: 1. Differences between the English and the Romanian climate. 2. Describe a typical spring/summer/autumn/winter day in Romania. 3. Nature in spring/summer/autumn/winter. 4. A summer shower. 5. Parts of the day. 6. Your favourite season. Give reasons. 7. Children s activities in each season. 8. Do you think the weather may affect people s character/mood/health ? In what way ? TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER H. THE TOPIC DICTIONARY 1. Information about tomorrow s weather is called the.. weather forecast. 2. When the temperature is below zero we say that it s freezing. 3. It s 30 C means. it s thirty degree centigrade. 4. We can read the temperature on the.. thermometer 5. The barometer tells us. What kind of weather we may expect. 6. If the weather gets worse, it. Deteriorates 7. Frozen ground or air is called.. frost 8. Partly frozen rain is called. sleet 69

9. Frozen raindrops which fall as little hard balls are. 10. A small ball of hail is a. 11. A storm when hail falls heavily is a. 12. A.is a very heavy fall of snow. 13. Ais a long severe snowstorm 14. A.is a deep mass of snow formed by the wind 15. A long period of dry weather (usually in summer) is called. 16. A great overflow of water is called.

hail hailstone hailstorm snowstorm blizzard snowdrift drought floods

II. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT A TELEVISION WEATHER FORECAST The weather tonight will be fine in most places east of a line from the Pennines to the Isle of Wight, but this fine weather will gradually deteriorate during the course of the night under the influence of a depression coming from the Atlantic, and clouds will have reached most places by about 6 a.m. with rain spreading from the west during the course of the morning. The outlook for the rest of the day: quite warm, the rain will develop into isolated showers, linked with sporadic outbreaks of more thundery rain and people in the West can expect one or two sunny intervals, which will give way towards sunset to high, thick clouds, without any rain. So no star-gazing tomorrow night. Minimum temperatures tonight should be about average in most parts of the country, though people on the East coast can expect a rather cold north-easterly wind from the Continental area of high pressure about fifteen to twenty miles per hour. Frost is unlikely, except on high ground in Scotland, but there may be one or two mist and fog patches in low-lying areas towards dawn. Temperatures tomorrow will be slightly above average though not very much, so don t cast a clout till May is out and if the rain gets you down, then remember: April showers/Bring May flowers . Goodnight. III. QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PRACTICE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is the importance of weather forecasts ? What s the weather like when the temperature is below zero ? Where can people read the temperature ? What does the barometer tell us ? In what seasons do these happen ? Sleet; Blizzards; Showers; 70 Frost Floods; Snowstorms

Hailstorms Drought; Drizzle;

6. Why are hailstorm dangerous for crops ? 7. How do farmers fight drought ? 8. What may happen if you are caught by a blizzard in the mountains ? 9. Why do you think the Englishman says, Britain has no climate, only weather ? 10.What is the weather like on a typical spring/summer/autumn/winter day ? fine/fair; bas/nasty; wet/damp; dry; hot, stuffy, oppressive; cool, cold, chilly; sunny; rainy; windy; cloudy; foggy; snowy.

11. In what season are you more likely to get the following information in a weather forecast ? The weather is unsettled to fair. Showers with bright intervals. Scorching heat. Local morning mist. Occasional rain in most parts, and a risk of thunder. Cool, light variable wind. Minimum temperatures slightly below zero. 12. Describe the meteorological conditions that might give rise to these remarks about the weather: Isn t it lovely weather today ? What an awful day, isn t it ? Looks a bit like rain, doesn t it ? I expect it ll clear up later. It s been rather a good winter, hasn t it ? Have you heard the weather forecast ? IV. CONVERSATION PRACTICE A. Dialogue: TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER Today s weather: Most areas will be dry, but Bob got up and turned off the radio. These weather forecasts, they get worse and worse. Highs and lows, depressions and areas of high pressure, cold fronts, warm fronts, masses of cold air, masses of warm air my grandfather could predict the weather better from the way his corns felt. Did he use the old rhymes too ? And the Donkey Barometer ? Alice asked. What s that ? This was a small China donkey with a tail of string, which one was supposed to put out on one s windowsill. On it were written various directions, of which the most striking were: If tail is dry Fine. If tail is wet.Rain. 71

If tail falls out Earthquake. There s no need to laugh. Look out of the window now: it s drizzling already. No, it looks more like Scotch mist, it s hanging in the air. It might be even sleet, it s cold enough. Of course it isn t. Look at the barometer. I remember when I was a girl we had one of our windows smashed by a hailstorm. One minute, there were no clouds in the sky, the next, there were large black thunder-clouds over-head, and hailstones like large marbles coming down. I even saw a tree struck by lightning, but it was quite a long way away, and the sound of the thunder didn t reach me for a second or two. Ah, but you ve never been caught in a snowstorm, not in a proper blizzard, with snowdrifts the feet deep - you ve never been snowed in, and had to wait for a snow plough. Nor have you. Oh yes, when I went on a skiing holiday in the mountains two years ago. In the summer of that year, I remember, there was a tremendous heatwave here cloudless skies or only fluffy cumulus temperature in the eighties. That summer was a real scorcher water shortages, everything proper drought, no rain for almost eight weeks. Then we had a very damp and chilly autumn and a warm, wet winter floods in the West country, as usual. You re right. Well, the rain s easing off, anyway. It looked like a cloudburst for a moment then. Showers can be very heavy, soak you to the skin. Yes, it certainly seems to be letting up. The sky s clearing. It ll probably cloud over again before we get up in the morning, though. Good lord, are those snowflakes ? No, it s where the dustmen dropped some of the wastepaper when they were emptying the bin. Thank goodness for that. B. Answer these questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Does Bob believe in weather forecasts ? What is Alice s attitude ? What incident in her childhood does she remember ? What unusual thing happened to Bob once ? Give several reasons why the weather is a constant topic of conversation in Britain. 6. How would you distinguish the weather in Britain from that in Romania ? C. Express the following in one word: 1. a great overflow of water; 2. a long period of dry weather; 3. a very heavy fall of snow; 4. a long severe snowstorm; 6. partly frozen rain; 7. a short summer rain; 8. a light rain; 9. a very violent wind; 72

5. a deep mass of snow formed by the wind.

10.a thick mist

Lesson eleven

WONDERS OF THE MODERN WORLD

I dont believe that today's wonders are similar in kind to the wonders of the Ancient World. They were all buildings and statues. In the last two centuries we have seen unprecedented technical and scientific achievements. These are surely our modern wonders. Here is my list. 1. Computers They have already revolutionized the way we live and work. But it is early days for computers. We don't know how much they are still changing the world. More computer wonders are yet to come. 2. Space Travel Only a few years before, men were walking on the moon, reputable scientists declared that it was impossible. But in 1969 Neil Armstrong stepped out of his space capsule and made his famous statement: That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. 3. Medical Science Surely nothing has done more for the comfort and happiness of mankind than the advance of medical knowledge ! How many millions of people have benefited from the humble aspirin ? How many lives has penicillin saved ? Average life expectancy in Europe has risen dramatically over the last hundred years, from about 50 years in 1906 to about 75 years today. 4. Holidays Yes holidays ! In fact there have always been holidays in ancient Rome there were more than 150 a year but a holiday used to mean simply a day when you didn't work. Now holiday- makers travel to all parts of the world. Perhaps you don't like so many tourists in your country, but you must agree that a phenomenon which sees the population of Greece treble in summer, and which sends office workers and shop assistants to Spain. Turkey, or the Caribbean is a wonder of the world. 73

5. The Olympic Games It is true that the Olympic Games are now commercialized and there is greed and drug abuse. However, it is a competition in which every country in the world takes part. Every four years, for a brief moment, we see these countries come together in peace and friendship. We feel hope again for the future of mankind. 6. Agriculture In 1724, Jonathan Swift wrote, Whoever makes two blades of grass or two ears of corn grow where only one grew before serves mankind better than the whole race of politicians. In Europe our farmers have done this. In 1709, whole villages in France died of hunger. Now, in Europe we can't eat all the food we produce. If only the politicians could find a way to share it with those parts of the world where there is still famine. 7. We are still here The last wonder of the modern world is simply that we are still here. We have bombs that could destroy the world but we have not used them. This is surely the greatest wonder of all ! VOCABULARY EXERCISES 1. What do you think are some of the greatest wonders of the twentieth century ? Don't just think of buildings ! 2. In what way do they say modern wonders are different from ancient wonders? Put them in order, 1-7, according to which you think is the most important (l = the most important, 7 = the least important). Computers Medical science The Olympic Games We are still here Discuss your decisions as a class. 3.Comprehension check Here are seven more statements made by Ann about her choice of wonders. Which statement goes with which wonder ? Discuss your answers with a partner. a. Surgeons can perform the most amazing operations. b. We see people from warring countries shake hands. c. Small children can program them, sometimes more easily than adults ! d. No government dares to use such weapons. 74 space travel holidays agriculture

e. Maybe visiting one country a day is not your idea od the best way to see the world ! f. We produce enough to feed the world. g. Progress in this area is slower now. Not as much money goes into research as in the 1960s. 4.Language work Complete the following with the correct auxilliary verb in the positive or negative form. Check your answers with the text. 1. Computersalready revolutionized the way we live and work. 2. We..know how much theystill changing the world. 3. Only a few years before men.walking on the moon, scientists said that it was impossible. 4. How many lives..penicillin saved ? 5. A holiday used to mean a day when you..work. 6. The Olympic Games.now commercialized. 5.Discussion What machines are important in your life ? In pairs, put the inventions in order. Which do you think is the most important ? Which has changed the world the most ? Mark them 1 for the most important down to 10 for the least im portant. The telephone The car The television The plane The space satellite The atom bomb The space rocket The computer The fax machine The washing machine

6.Work in groups of four. Try to persuade the others that your order is the right one ! 7. Talk together as a class. What other machines would you add to the list ? Writing Correcting mistakes 1. It is important to try to correct your own mistakes. 75

When you write. Look at the letter that a student has written to her friend. Her teacher has used symbols to show her the kind of mistakes she has made. T Tense P - Punctuation WO Word order Prep Preposition WW Wrong word Gr Grammar - Word missing Sp Spelling

Read the letter and correct the mistakes. 18 Greencroft Gardens London NWb Tuesday 10 May Dear Stephanie Prep Gr How are you ? Im very well. I came in London two weeks ago for to P study at a language shool. I want learn english because is a very important Gr Gr Gr language.I'm stay with a English family called Bennett. They have two son Gr and a daughter. Mr. Bennett is teacher, and Mrs. Bennett work in a hospital. Gr. English people is very kind, but they speak very quickly ! P WW I study in the morning. My teachers name is Ann. She said me my WW Gr English is OK, but I do a lot of mistakes. Ann don't give us too much WO Gr homework, so in the afternuons I go always sightseeing. London is much more WO Gr Prep big than my town. I like very much painting, and I'm very interesting for modern art, so I visit galleries and museums. I have met a give called Christina. T Gr She came from Greece and she have a lovely flat near Regent's Park. Last T Sp. night we go to the cinema, but the film wasn't very exiting. WW Do you like to visit me in London ? Why don't you come for a weekend ? 76

Write to me soon. I'd love to see you. Love, Kati Write a similar letter. Imagine you are a student (of languages ? of art ? of music ? in another town. Write a letter to a friend giving some of your news.

Lesson twelve

WRITING A LETTER
I. Examples 1. The personal letter
The Star Hotel, 14 Preston Ave., London, S.W.S., England 15th Aug. 2002

Dear Madeline, I arrived in London last night and your friend Peter met me at the station. Im glad he was there because I dont think I should ever have found my hotel alone. Although I havent seen much yet, I think Im going to enjoy myself here. Last night Peter and I went for a short walk. I had never imagined London was quite so big. We walked for over two hours and I had to take a train to get back to the hotel! Ill write again In a few days time and Im sure Ill have a lot to tell you. Yours sincerely, Andr 2. The business letter
P.O. Box 97431 Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa 19th Jan. 2000

77

West and Co., Ltd., Electrical Supplies, 57 Amhurst Crescent, London, S.W.3

Dear Sirs, The tape-recorder No. JB/4703/08 which I ordered from you on Nov. 17 th arrived last night. I very much regret to have to inform you that the machine has been badly damaged. When I opened the packing-case I found that the lid of the recorder had been cracked. Would you please let me know whether you would be willing to send me a new recorder and if I should arrange to return the damaged one to you. In the meantime, I shall hold on to the machine you sent until I hear from you. Yours faithfully. J.T. Edwards 3. The official letter Dear Mr. Minister, Your appointment as Minister of Defence offers me the pleasant opportunity to extend sincere congratulations and to wish you every success in fulfilling the highly responsible mission you have been entrusted with. I avail myself of this occasion to express my hope that the good bilateral military relations between Romania and Sweden will further develop during your mandate, to the mutual benefit of our countries. Please accept, Dear Mr. Minister, the assurance of my highest consideration. Ion Ionescu Minister of Defence I. Useful phrases: The personal letter: I am sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your last letter but 78 Vocabulary Focus:

Thank you so much for answering my letter so quickly. It was such a disappointment to learn I was sorry to hear I shall be looking forward to seeing/hearing from you soon. Please give my love/regards/ best wishes to The business letter:

In your letter of May 22nd you inquire about In reply to your inquiry of Oct. 21st, I regret that I read your advertisment in last Mondays issue of The Commercial Gazette and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. I sincerely hope you will be able to help me in this matter. I shall not act until I have received instructions from you. I would greatly appreciate an early reply . Would you please let me know as soon as possible whether you would be willing to The official letter

I take great pleasure in congratulating you on the occasion of I avail myself of this opportunity to renew the assurance of my highest consideration. I look forward to resuming our direct dialogue on topics of mutual interest. The Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland presents its compliments to . and has the honour to II. Exercises A. Write personal letters of between 80 and 100 words on each of the subjects given below: 1. You had arranged to meet a friend in town but it was quite impossible for you to be there. Explain why you were not able to meet him, apologize for the inconvenience you may have caused and suggest another meeting. 2. A friend who lives abroad will shortly be visiting your country and has asked you to make arrangements for his stay. Write a letter informing him of what you have done. 3. A letter to a friend giving him advice on what to take with him on a camping holiday. 4. You have just returned home after a pleasant visit to a relation in the country. Write a letter thanking him for 79

his hospitality and saying what you enjoyed most while you were there. 5. Write a letter to a friend of yours asking for a loan of some money which you urgently require. Say why you want it and when you expect to be able to return it. B. Write business letters of between 80 and 100 words on each of the subjects given below: 1. You ordered a new car from England but when it arrived you discovered that there was no spare wheel in the boot. Write a letter pointing this out and requesting that a spare wheel be sent immediately, by air if possible. 2. You wish to deposit money in a bank abroad. Write a letter to your local bank asking for information about how this can be done. 3. Write a letter to an English-language newspaper published in your country (e.g. Nine oclock) complaining about an article you read recently. 4. Write a letter of recommendation for an ex-employee of yours who has applied for a position with a firm abroad. 5. An organization abroad has offered scholarships for those wishing to study languages at a university. Write a letter stating your qualifications and requesting that an application form be sent to you. C. Translate into English: Stimate Domnule General, Am onoarea de a v informa c, n perioada 12 14 mai a.c., Serviciul de Informaii va organiza conferina internaional cu tema Terorism i contraterorism. O nou perspectiv asupra procesului de colectare a informaiilor. La acest eveniment vor lua parte specialiti din Europa i Statele Unite, care vor susine prezentri pe teme de actualitate, evideniind efectele atentatelor din 11 septembrie 2001 asupra mediului de securitate i schimbrile survenite n abordarea i prevenirea unor astfel de aciuni. Am fi onorai dac ai accepta invitaia de a participa la aceast conferin. Ateptnd cu interes oportunitatea unui dialog direct cu dumneavoastr, v rog s primii, Domnule General, asigurarea naltei mele consideraii. Colonel Vasile Vasilescu 80

Lesson thirteen

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU IN A JOB ?

Rate the job characteristics below with one, two, three, or four on how important each one is to you. 1. Very Important 2 Important 3. Nor very important 4- Not important at all Work indoors Work outdoors Travel on the job Speak another language on the job Use my hands Being artistic Use my creativity Use my business skills Work with numbers Have lots of public contact Help others Work where I am my own boss Work closely with others Work with words (write) Have a job where everyday is different and exciting Have a job where I know what to expect everyday Have a job that pays a lot of money Have a job where I work alone Supervise others Have a job where I work with machines 81

Don't have too much responsibility Have a job that I can forget about, so I can concentrate on my family Have a very low stress job Have a job where I work with media or music Have a job where I am constantly learning something new Have a job where I work in nature or out of a city Have a job is in the city As you look over your answers, what are some things which you know that you would like in an ideal job ? Now write a one paragraph description of your ideal job.

X-ONOMICS If you are between the ages of 16 and 25 in America, is getting a job still a piece of cake ? Well it depends on what you are looking for, but college graduates are entering a job marker in which 22% of the jobs are part-time low wage jobs which are entering a job market in which are often a dead end. Coupled with this, many college graduates are entering the job marker with a debt that can be $10,000 or more from school loans. In inner cities, unemployment among youth between the ages of 16-19 is running as high as 47%. Still, college graduates earn an average of 77/ more than high school graduates, and the gap is widening fast. Why is this increasing at such an alarming rate ? It is increasing, in part because of computerization and the need for greater Job Readiness Skills. The Department of Labor identified the following job skills necessary to be successful in today' s changing and global workplace: learning to learn, personal management on the job, group efectiveness, critical thinking, leadership, communication, and the basic skills of reading, writing and math. As society becomes more and more complex, just having your basic skills, barely gets you a job as a taxi driver these days. So what exactly are these skills ? Learning to learn skills mean that you are aware of how you learn best and you are continually learning. For most Americans, education doesn't stop with the diploma. Most professionals continue taking many on the job training courses like How to be a Good Supervisor, Working Within Teams or Problem Solving. If you have good learning to learn skills, you can accept criticism and feedback from others and you also know if you are a visual, kinesthetic, aural, or written word learner. A person with high personal management skills can set personal goals, is constantly taking on new challenges, knows his/her strengths and weaknesses, and is able to handle a 82

number of tasks and responsabilities at the same time. She or he can also organize his or her time and money. Three other job skills are those needed to work well with others, including: group effectiveness, communication, and negotiation skills. Increadingly, the workplace is becoming culturally diverse in al fields, so people must be able to get along with and communicate with people who are African-American, White, Asian, Latin, Gypsy, and Native American. To do this, people must have respect for orthers ethnic and class backgrounds, points of view and life styles. People must also be able to handle problems and conflicts as they arise and recognize both sexual and racial harassment. People need to be able to negotiate and to find win-win solutions so that everyone can get along and work in a team. People who cannot work well with others often don't last long in today's new job market. Finally, to be successful in today's job, one must have both leadership and critical thinking skills. He or she must be able to identify problems, choose appropriate solutions and then make fast and efficient decisions. They must be able to understand different types of organizational structures and solve problems within those structures. In addition, they must be able to look at the values and priorities which lie beneath many different types of organizational structures. Fundamentally, they must understand the difference between good management and good leadership. What do you think these differences are ? 1. What does a culturally diversified workplace mean ? What skills does one need to be successful in a diversified workplace ? 2. Based on the reading, what might the term Lifelong Learning mean ? 3. How are critical thinking and leadership skills taught in your school ? THE ANTI-SLACKER Basically everyone under 30 these days is part of this mysterious Generation X. In the United States there are 44.5% of these people, all born between 1965 and 1976. When the movie Slacker came our in the late 80 s, it tried to characterize this whole generation as one which had no ambition, no hope in the future, and was not interesed in entering the real world of work. Not. Now older workers watch in awe as the young X'ers enter the job market. What will they create ? What do they have to offer that the older generation does not have ? What do they bring with them ? The answer is becoming increasingly clear: They have almost everything that the past generations didn't have. Most young people enter the job force today with computer literacy, an understanding of diversity and a global mind set. These are what companies would like to instill in older workers, but on some level feel it is just too late. The problem with these young keen workers is that, in fact, companies don't really know how to manage them and often lose them. These young X'ers are more individualistic and daring than their parents were. Many of the brightest haven't even finished college, but have spent time hopping around from job to job, city to city, and have wound up finding themselves expert consultants in new 83

uncharted work areas or starting their own companies. Their hero is Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft at age 19, a Harvard drop-out and a billionaire at 31. They are the MTV generation, they don't wait, they want it now. So what are companies now having to learn about this new generation ? First, they need to anticipate unpredictable career paths. An X'er will not work year in and year out to get to the top of the company. Many successful X'er, you must offer him or her new and bigger challenges on the job or they will become bored quickly and leave fast. They are not loyal. Second, give him or her a lot of praise. These young people like to feel that they are doing a good job and like to be recognized for their talents. Third loosen up. Don't expect these young people to be coming to work in a suit. They won't. It is better to relay not only the dress code around the office but the whole atmosphere. Make the company a place where creative and inventive minds can feel free to work. Give priority to originality. Many generation X'ers grew up in unstable or changing families. Frequently, they grew up with working or single moms and dads. Many watched their parents get divorced lived through other major changes around the house and in the world. Result: They adapt very well to ambiguity and change; in fact, they thrive on it. These young people are saying embrace adversity, it creates leaders. They are not afraid of problems, but they are more afraid of people not resolving problems and ignoring them. They have watched the older generation do this. Finally, recognize that they are young and fearless. Let then try what you might think is even the unthinkable, and you just might come out ahead ! 1. What kind of office or work environment is a new younger generation worker looking for ? 2. What is your ideal working environment ? 3. Who are other examples of Generation X heroes ? To get a job there are three very important stages: the application form, the resume and the interview. In the United States there are many questions which are illegal to include on a job application. As a class, look ar the job application below and decide which questions you think are or should be illegal to ask someone applying for a job. (Answers found at the end of the chapter). APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT Lastfirstmiddle initial..date. soc.sec.#..phoneaddress.. city.state.Zip message phone..date of birth.age.. US Citizen ? Yes..No..Sex:male..female.. Race: Cauc.Hispanic.Black. Native American..Asian.Other Do you have any physical, mental, or senzorial limitations or disabilities ? 84

Yes____________ No______________ If yes, please describe: Occupation of Husband/Wife: Name of spouse's employer:. Positiondesire:..Full Time:Part time.. Date availableMinimum acceptable salary. Do you have a driver's license ?.. Have you ever been convicted of a felony ?.. Have you ever been discharged Or forced to resign from a job ?.. If yes, state the name of the organization: Education School attended Date completed Graduated

Work experience EmployerTitle.. Address..Supervisor's Name Dates worked: FromToSalary. Duties: Reasons for leaving:. The following resume is a good example for someone who does not have a lot of work experience but has other life experiences which show that he or she will be a good employee. RESUME Eileen Ryan 1020 Beach Road Seattle, WA.98102 (206-987-6543) Work Objective: To apply my communication skills and knowledge of Tourism in a forward thinking company

Work Experience: Summer Tour Guide (1994-5) Jet City Tours, Seattle, Washington. Assisted travelers in the Seattle area. Hosted guided tours. Translated French and Japanese documentation. Located reasonable accommodations and assisted travelers with problems. 85

Waitress (1992-94) The Broadway Bar and Grill, Seattle, WA. Served food and drinks to a tourist clientele. Cashiered. Assisted with food prep. Researched perspective catering jobs for company. Summer Youth Counselor (1990-92) YMCA, Seattle, Washington Helped unemployed youth find jobs. Delivered workshops on resume writing and job interviewing skills. Contacted perspective employers. Volunteer Work: Seattle Food Bank (1990-92) Volunteered once a week at the food bank. Inventoried food which was brought in to the center. Served hot coffee to customers. Seattle Aids Foundation (1993-95) Typed up information on AIDS to be distributed to various high schools in Seattle area. Also helped raise money for foundation. Education: BA. Linguistics, The University of Washington, 1995 THE INTERVIEW SCENARIO Below are the most frequently asked job interview questions. Take time and prepare your answers on another piece of paper but then be ready to roleplay them at a mock interview by one of your classmates. If an employer asks you an illegal question, how will you handle this withour answering the question ? To set up Role-Play: Five students volunteer to apply for the job. They leave the room. Three Students play the role of employers. The rest of the class observes. One by one the students are called into the room to interview. Interviewers should select only 7 questions. After the five have been interviewed the employers make their choice and the class makes theirs. Are they the same ? Discuss the strong and weak points of the interview. Discuus the strong and weak points of the interview. Discuss ways of coping with rejection after not getting a job that you wanted. Why don t you tell me about yourself ? What interests you about this position ? Why did you choose this company ? What would you say are your major strengths and weaknesses ? What skills do you think you could bring to this company ? Why should I hire you ? What is your marital status ? How does your previous experience relate to the jobs we have here ? What are your future goals or plans ? What would a previous employer say about you as an employee ? Are you a U.S. citizen ? What would your teachers say about you ? 86

 If you could describe yourself as a worker in a few words, what would they be ? What would your fellow workers say about you ? What is your height and weight ? Tell me about your favorite supervisor, what do you like about him or her ? What are three accomplishments that you are most proud of ? Who is your spouse s employer ?

THE JOB INTERVIEW Alex was nervous as he stepped into the office. He had carefully dressed in the morning. He had pressed his slacks and dry cleaned his suit. His hair was short. He looked sharp. His girlfriend had even given him a brand new tie, she saying it would bring him good luck. Well, good luck was what he needed. This was his sixth job inteview in a month. He needed a job. He and his girlfriend had been living together for just six months. It was after one month that he got laid off from his job at the warehouse. They had told him that he was a good worker, but time were tough and he was the youngest worker. They said it would be easy for him to find a job. He was pretty hopeful at the beginning, but now he was beginning to doubt himselt. Why weren t they hiring him ? What was he doing wrong ? What was he saying wrong at the interview ? Things were getting stressful at his house. He felt that his girlfriend thought he was a loser, and they didn t have any extra money to go out to eat or even to the movies. Watching TV every night was getting boring. He was always worried. His girlfriend told him that he had changed and he wasn t fun anymore. She said that he was drinking more than when she had met him. Well, it was probably true, but looking for a job every day was depressing. Rejection was depressing. Sometimes he just didn t feel like he could cope with it anymore. What was he going to do if he didn t get this job ? 87

Mr. Smith, would you like to step in to the office now ? We are ready to interview you now. Alex stepped into the office, took a deep breath and shook the manager s hand 1. What do you think equal opportunity in the work-place means ? 2. Define what you think job discriminationis.

Lesson fourteen

WELCOME TO BRITAIN
London (England), city, capital of the United Kingdom. It is situated in south-eastern England at the head of the River Thames estuary. Setted by the Romans as an important shipping point for crops and minerals, it gradually developed into the wealthy capital of a thriving industrial and agricultural nation. The expansion in the 19th century of the British Empire increased London's influence still further. Since World War ll the city's prominence on the international stage has diminished, but it remains a flourishing financial centre and home to one of the world's most important stock exchanges. In addition, it is the foremost tourist destination in Britain, a centre of academic excellence, and one of the cultural capitals of the world well deserving of the observation by Samuel Johnson that: When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. The term City of London, or the City, is applied only to a small area known as the Square Mile (2.59 sq km/1 sq mi) that was the original settlement (ancient Londinium) and is now part of the financial and business district of the metropolis. The City of London and 32 surrounding boroughs constitute the Greater London metropolitan area, which covers some 1,580 sq km (620 sq mi). The 13 inner London boroughs are Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, and the City of Westminster. The 19 outer boroughs are Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, and Waltham Forest. 88

Government and Administration London is the seat of central government in Britain. The Houses of Parliament the House of Commons (the lower house) and the House of Lords (the upper house) are located at Westminster. Downing Street (home to the Prime Minister at No 10, and traditionally the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at No 11), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Treasury, and the Ministry of Defence are concentrated around Whitehall. Various other government departments and public bodies are also sited in central London. Within the Government, the Secretary of State for the Environment has responsibility for the capital as Minister for London. The administrative structure of the legal system, and the central offices of the main political parties, are also based in London. Population Patterns and Trends In mid-1994 the population of Greater London was estimated at 6,967,500 (representing about 12 per cent of Britain' s overall population), with two thirds resident in outer London. Although the population is no longer as large as in mid-century (peaking at about 8,346,000 in the 1951 census), it has recently been increasing, rising at an average of 20,000 per year since 1984. London's population is heavily concentrated (at about 4,409 people per sq km/11,238 per sq mi) relative to other metropolitan areas in the country. The arrival of immigrants has contributed considerably to the variations in population figures, and the capital is the most ethnically diverse region in the United Kingdom. Ethnic minority communities account for over a third of the population in the boroughs of Brent, Hackney, Newham, and Tower Hamlets. Economy Economic activity in London contributes almost one sixth of Britain's nonoil gross domestic product (GDP). In mid-1995 the total number of people employed in the capital was 3.1 million (compared with over 3.5 million in 1981). About 85 per cent London's employment is now in service industries, notably in financial and business services which, at almost 750,000, may be the largest such concentration in any city in the world. Other service sectors supporting significant levels of employment include public administration (central and local government and other official agencies), retail and wholesale distribution, hotels and catering, education and health services, and transport and communications. Manufacturing makes up an important, though relatively small, part of the London economy. The financial and business services sector makes up over a third of the capital's GDP. London is one of the three main global financial centres (with New York and Tokyo) and is noted for having a larger number of international banks than any other financial centre; a banking sector that accounts for about 20 per cent of total international bank lending; one of the largest international insurance markets; the largest centre in the world for trading overseas equities; 89

the world's largest foreign exchange market; one of the world's biggest financial derivatives markets; the greatest concentration of international bond dealers; major markets for transactions in commodities; and a vast range of ancillary and support services (legal, accountancy, management, property, computer, and advertising consultancy). After World War I, London continued to thrive and sprawl. Electric trams, the underground railway system, the building of new arterial roads, the motor bus, and eventually the rise of car ownership led to the mushrooming of outer suburban dormitory areas 15 to 25 km (10 or 15 mi) from the centre. Some became employment centres in their own right. The Empire Exhibition of 1924 boosted Wembley, while air travel led to the construction of London Airport (later called Heathrow), which gave a lasting boost to the economy of west London. A new suburban culture highlighted the semi-detached house, built in huge numbers from the 1920s, affordable by the lower middle classes with the aid of cheap mortgages. It was not to everyone's taste. The life of the historians, was life without any society; no social gatherings or institutions; as dull a life as mankind ever tolerated. So long as the British Empire remained powerful, London's economy boomed, overriding the disruptions of World War I. The City's finance-houses, merchant banks, and insurance companies had no equal, and the port handled immense quantities of trade from all over the world. London also remained a major manufacturing centre, particularly for high-quality goods, becoming an early home of the motor-car and electrical industries. At the close of the 20th century, London's future remains somewhat enigmatic. As a great historical city it is a vast tourist attraction. The capital's old industrial base has, however, dramatically declined; unemployment remains high, and crime and poverty are escalating as in many Western cities. London's world position depends heavily upon the continuing success of its financial sector, but the uneasy relations between Britain and the European Union threaten to put that in doubt. Meanwhile, being an old city, the upkeep of its infrastructure is extremely expensive, and its transport system is out of date. Many believe that the emergence of impoverished, run-down inner-city areas, the growing contrast between rich and poor, and the absence of a proper democratic government for the metropolis bode ill for the future. On the other hand, London has always been multifaceted, with many distinct growth points, and a mixture of strengths enables it to respond positively to economic challenges.

Vocabulary in context : Shipping - the act of putting aboard ship ; transporting by ship ; ships Ships collectively ; accommodation on board ship To settle to dispose in stability, rest or comfort ; to adjust ; to fix etc ; Settlement act of settling ; state of being settled ;payment ; arrangement ; Placing of a minister ; a subsidence or sinking ; a settled colony 90

A local community ; an establishment of social workers aiming at The benefit to the surrounding population. Diminish - to make less, to take a part from, degrade, to grow less . Foremost (double superlative) first in place ; most advanced , first in rank and dignity. Borough a town with a corporation and special privileges granted by royal character ;a town that sends representatives to parliament . To site to locate Overall above all ,altogether; over the whole; including everything . Outer more out or without /external Census an official enumeration of inhabitants with statistics relating to them. Figure amount ; value or price; a type or emblem ; appearance; a shape; a geometrical form ; a character denoting a number. Retail sale to consumer ; in small quantities/ adjective, engaged in; concerned with. Wholesale- sale of goods; usually by the whole piece or large quantity to a retailer . By wholesale extensively and indiscriminately Catering - entertainment, vb to provide food Equity (ies) moral justice; the spirit of justice which enables us to interpret laws rightly; fairness an equitable right. Derivative derived or taken from something else; not original; that which is derived Bond ( dealer ) that which binds; link or connection or union ; a writing of obligation to pay a sum or to perform a contract /a mortgage. Commodities - an article of traffic, pl. goods, produce. Ancillary subserving ; ministery; auxiliary ;supplementary subordinate . Accountancy office ;work ; profession of an accountant. To sprawl to lie or crawl with limbs flung about; to straggle Dormitory (area) a large sleeping room with many beds ; a college hostel a small town or a suburb dormitory town /suburb (U.S) To boost to push up; to raise as price morale; to advertise or promote to supplement voltage of . Semidetached (house)- partly separated joined by a party wall to one other house only. Boom- a pole by which a sail is stretched; to go on with a rush; to become . Suddenly prosperous. Upkeep- maintenance Make up sentences using the above words

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Lesson fifteen

THE REFORM OF PARLIAMENT

The ballot is stronger than the bullet A. Lincoln The British Parliament consists of the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Bills have to pass through both Houses and receive the Royal Assent before they become Acts of Parliament. At the State Opening of Parliament the Queen reads the most gracious opening speech to the assembled Lords and Commons. The House of Lords has about 1200 peers. Some of them inherit their seat (hereditary peers),some are appointed by the Queen (life peers),and some a remembers because of their jobs(bishops or archbishops).Members are not paid a salary and are not elected by the people. However they are entitled to the cost of fares incurred in attending the House and to other expenses so incurred.The House of Commons consists of 659 members one for each constituency. About 80% are from England, the rest are from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are three main Parties: the Conservatives, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats. An election is held every five years, and the party that wins, forms the Government. Members are paid by their constituents, they are entitled to claim a deduction of their income tax for allowable expenses and are entitled to free first class railway travel or free travel by air between Westminster and their constituencies. To the right and left of the house are two Divisions Lobbies, one for the Ayes and one for the Noes. One has to be eighteen to vote. 92

When Parliament is sitting, a flag is flown in Victoria Tower and a light is on at Night, in the Clock Tower. The proceedings may take place in the House or in the Committees. At the end of a debate, the Chair puts the Question to the House. As many as are of that opinion say Aye, the contrary No. After he has collected the voices the Chair announces: I think the Ayes/Noes have it. If his decision is challenged the order is given to Clear the Lobby, divisions bells ring in all parts of the Palace to call members to vote. Members have eight minutes in which to reach the appropriate lobby. After the order is given to Lock the doors, only the members are allowed to vote. Modernizing Parliament means reforming the House of Lords. It is being Considering that the House of Lords has an anachronistic character and an Unrepresentative composition. The Government will introduce legislation to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Legislation will create a transitional House of Lords in which no one Party will be allowed to create a majority. The Government will establish an independent Appointments Commission to recommend non-political appointments to the Transitional House. The first step will be followed by long term reform. The options for long term reform will be considered by a Joint Committee if both Houses, which will be asked to examine a range of possible alternatives covering role and functions as well as composition. These important and radical changes, which are part of the Governments programme of reform of the representative institutions in the United Kingdom, will renew the House of Lords as a modern, fit and effective second chamber of Parliament for the 21 st century. Tick True or False 1.The Palace of Westminster is situated on the bank of the river Thames. 2.It is more widely known as the Houses of Parliament. 3.Bills are discussed in the House of Common and passed by the House of Lords. 4.All the members of the House of Lords are hereditary peers. 5.Elections for the House of Commons are held every five years. 6.Members of the House of Lords get higher salaries than members of the Commons. 7.A decision is taken after a debate and members vote by show of the hand. 8.If the Union Jack is flying over Victoria Tower, Parliament is in session. 9.The division bells call members to attend debates. 10.Only the members present in each lobby may vote. Build up correct sentences: 1.a holiday, people, spoil, too, can, if, many, crowds, you, like. 2.shade,some,provided,several,the umbrellas, from, sun. 3.tourists,a taxi, took, the, to arrive, closed, at the museum, it before. 4.Palace,built,style,Gothic,Westminster,was,in. 5.Parliament,are of, members, by, secret, elected, election, at ballot ,free. 93

Lesson sixteen

ACROSS THE USA

1. The United States has a federal system of government. The national government shares its powers with the states. 2. The foundation of the government of the United States is the Constitution, written almost two hundred years ago. The Constitution divides power among the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government. Each division is almost independent of the others. This is usually called the system of checks and balances. Each division has some power to act as a brake on the other divisions. The head of the executive branch is the President. The head o the legislative branch is Congress. The head of the judicial branch is the Supreme Court. 3. The President is elected by the people for a four-year term. He may ba re-elected and serve eight years altogether, but no longer than that. (A famous President, Franklin Roosevelt, was elected four times, but since then Congress has passed a law making anything longer than two terms illegal.) Under the President are ten Cabinet officers. These men are appointed by the President with the approval of the Cabinet. (There are a few independent agencies which are responsible directly to the President). 4. The legislative division is responsible for marking the laws of the country. The executive division carries out these laws in the ways described above. Congress is divided into two houses, the Senate, or upper house and the House of Representatives, or lower house. Each state sends two senators to Congress. There are now one hundred 94

senators. They are elected by the people for six year terms, but they are not all elected at the same time. One third of the senators complete their terms of office every two years. Two senators from the same state never finish their terms at the same time). Members of the House of representatives are only elected for two years. They all finish their terms of office at the same time, so that the whole House is elected every other year. There is no limit to the number of times a senator or representative may be re-elected. In many cases, the people of a state are pleased with the work of a certain senator or representative and send him back to Congress again and again. The House of Representatives has more than four times an many members as the Senate. Each state sends a different number of men according to the population. A state with many people, like New York, sends forty-three representatives. A state with few people, like Alaska, sends one. The people are counted every ten years, and the number of representatives adjusted, if necessary. A bill may be introduced in either the Senate or the House of Representatives. The only exceptions are tax bills, which must always begin in the House. If a bill is approved by one house, it then goes to the other. If it passes both houses, it is sent to the President for him to sign. If the President signs the bill, it then becomes a law. However, the President may not think it would be a good law, and he may refuse to sign it. He sends the bill back to Congress explaining why he thinks it is bad. Congress may pass the bill again in spite of the President s objections, but this does not often happen. 5. The third branch of the government is judicial. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and the head of the juridical branch. It has one chief justice and eight associate justices. The President appoints these men for life, but his choice must be approved by the Senate. There are about ninety district courts in different parts of the United States. Cases tried there may be appealed in one of the eleven courts of appealed in one of the eleven courts of appeal, and above them, in the Supreme Court. The decision of the Supreme Court is final. These federal courts only decide cases involving federal laws or the Constitution. When there is a dispute about the meaning of the Constitution or the legality of a law, it is the Supreme Court which gives the final decision. The Constitution of the United States may be changed or added to if enough people vote for it. Even though the world has altered greatly since the Constitution was written, very few changes have been necessary. Words and Phrases Legislative Judicial Executive Senator - law making having to do with the courts or with judges a man or an organization that carries out the laws a member of the United States Senate, the smaller of the 95

two houses of the legislature or Congress Representative a member of the House of Representatives, the larger or the two houses of Congress; he represents the people in a district and is sometimes called a Congressman Dispute quarrel or argument Alter change Check control or supervision to determine accuracy 1. legislative 2. judicial 4. senator 5. representative 6. dispute 7. alter 8. check Drills A. Complete these sentences: 1. The foundation of the government of the United States is the _______. 2. Power is divided among these three branches of government,_______, ______________, and____________. 3. The President is elected for a _____________year term. 4. His advisers are called ___________officers. 5. The legislative branch is responsible for making____________. 6. Congress is divided into two houses, the____________and the House of__________. 7. The President____________bills after they are passed by Congress. 8. The Supreme Court is the__________court in the country. 9. The Constitution (may, may net) be changed. 10. The Constitution (has, has not) been changed very often. B. Join the phrases in column 1 with the correct phrase in column 2, using the proper form of the verbs be or have (The phrases are not in the correct order): Example: The United States system of government a federal system The United States system of government is a federal system. 1 1. The President 2. The Senate 2 Two senators Counted eveey ten years 96 The legislative body in the United States is called the Congress. The judicial branch of the government is the executive department Miss Briggs, I d like you to meet Senator Smith. Mr. Jones is a representative from the tenth district in Kansas. They re having a dispute over boundary lines. Did you hear that our new uniforms are being altered ? He made a quick of their work.

3. Each state 4. The House of Representatives 5. The population 6. The Constitution 7. Alaska 8. The capital of the United States 9. The Supreme Court 10.Bills

One hundred senators Located in Washington One representative One chief justice and eight associate justices More than 400 members Elected to a four year term sent to the President for him to sign Had very few changes

Lesson seventeen

YOUTH AND CRIME

PART 1 To get started, try definitions. CRIME ACTS a. arson b. assault c. burglary d. drug violation e. liquor violation f. motor vehicle theft g. possession of stolen property h. rape i. Robbery j. vandalism k. weapons violation to match the different acts of crime qith their

DEFINITIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The deliberate destruction or degacement of property. The unlawful possession, consumption, or purchase of alcohol. Unlawful taking of an automobile or motorcycle. The act of internationally placing one in fear of being physically injured. When a person knowingly or unknowinghy has stolen property. 97

6. The deliberate burning of property. 7. The act of taking personal property of another forceful entry wit hout right. 8. Unlawful taking of property from a persona by force or threat. 9. Unlawful sexual intercoursw without consent. 10. Dealing, possessing, or purchasing drugs. 11. Unlawful possession and/or use of weapon. COMPUTER CRIMES Because we have entered the age of sophisticated and inovative computer technology, we have begun to witness a new genre of crime which was unknown just two decades ago: computer crime. This type of crime can be defined loosely as unauthorized access, ude, change or taking of another' s computer system or files. Quite often high school or college students internationally try to break into a computer system in order to gain access to classified or confidential files. Corporate and government computer systems are the most popular and challenging targets for these computer hackers. Often the hackers release the private information to the p ublic or try to alter or destroy a file. Occasionally, a hacker may try to embezzle or steal money. Some hackers spread computer viruses. These viruses are designed to play practical jokes or destroy and change computer files and systems. Many people velieve that these hackers are dangerous and should be punished as criminals with lengthy jail terms and heavy fines. Others would argue that mostyoung hackers break into systems simply for the pleasure of the challenge and do not intend any harm or damage. They belive that they can be rehabilitated through counseling. In most states, computer hacking is considered a criminal offense and hackers, if caught, are prosecuted.However, most computer crimes are undetectable and are not reported to the police because corporations are hesitant to reveal their vulnerability to computer hackers. Eighteen-year old Sam and Theo hack into the local telephone company's computer system and files. They mange to alter and recreate files so that they can now make long distance phone calls and have them charged to comebody else. They decide to tell their friend Brian about their success in entering such a challenging system and eventually give him the access to free phone calls. After three months and $ 1500 of long distance phone calls, the boys were finally caught and charged with illegal trespassing, stealing and international destruction of property. 1. Are Sam and Theo guilty of the charges ? What about Brian ? Explain your response. 2. If Sam and Theo are found quilty, how should they be treated ? With a jail sentence ? A fine ?Or psychological counseling ? What about Brian ? Explain your decision.

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Lesson eighteen

KEEPING THE PEACE IN BOSNIA, AND THE PRESS

Raymond Bonner TUZLA, Bosnia-Herzegovina When a reporter approached some Army sergeants huddled around a kerosene stove for warmth recently, trying to engage them in conversation, the reception was as chilly as the weather they were trying to ward off. Can we talk to him, sir? one sergeant asked when an officer came over. Sure, said the lieutenant, tell him whatever you want, and walked off. The seasoned soldiers were as surprised as the grizzled reporter. It is a far cry from Vietnam, the war that many military commanders have openly blamed the press for losing, or Central America, where the US military advisers sometimes hid from the reporters and an Army colonel once told a couple of American reporters that he would like to get them up in a helicopter and shove them out. In the Gulf War, an official military escort had to be present when a reporter tried to interview a soldier, and woe to the journalist who tried to elude the censors. Here, the pocket-sized 16-page Soldiers Guide to Bosnia-Herzegovina has a section devoted to Meeting the Media. Far from telling the troops to hide or smartly snap No comment, sir, the guide, prepared by the US Army headquarters in Europe, tells the soldier he can be an unofficial spokesperson. 99

The Army, bowing to the prevalence of broadcasting, even advises soldiers to keep their answers short because broadcasters will edit your 30 seconds of comments into a single three-to-five second soundbite. Its been an evolution, Col. Bob Gaylord, a spokesman for the Army here, said about the militarys change in attitude toward the press. In the last couple of years weve been working hard to make people understand that the media is always going to be in the field. Long-time military affairs reporters say US officials learned a hard lesson from the extensive publicity about restrictions on press coverage during the Gulf War. Technological advancements like satellite telephones have also reduced journalists dependence on the military to get out information. And the nature of the mission here is different than it was in the Gulf. This is peacekeeping, not war making. We need the media on our side said First Sgt. Joe Kindel, who has been in the Army for 18 years. This is not exactly popular back home, and the American taxpayer is paying for it in a big way. In addition, there were so many reporters covering the war in Bosnia before US units arrived that the Pentagon efforts to restrict information would probably have been futile. (In Washington, a Pentagon spokesman, Kenneth Bacon, said there was always a tension between the need of the press for information and the requirements of military commanders to control the dissemination of details about their actions, strategy or tactics. He said US military officials had decided that open coverage was not only inevitable but could also be useful. We made a decision early on, he said, that, one, this is a peacekeeping operation. Two, it is one we want the public to understand. And three, the Army is going to do a great job and we want people to understand what kind of job they are doing.) The presence of the press is highly noticeable now, with many US papers sending at least one reporter sometimes two and at least one photographer. Until the Americans began arriving, there were only a couple of restaurants, a general store and a few houses at what is now the entrance to the base, in a remote area 10 miles outside of Tuzla. CNN, which got into the real estate business ahead of the other networks, has converted one of the restaurants in a two-story brick building with a gabled roof into a television studio. Across the street, CBS has erected a two-story building, as large as many homes, where bright lights shine on reporters doing the morning show, and the space heater out of the cameras view warms interviewers and interviewees. ABC and NBC have matching platforms along the slushy road, as do European networks. The most expensive weather coverage joked one journalist when reporters were reduced to writing about the bad weather that initially delayed the arrival of the troops. Whether the cordial relations between the military and the press holds might depend on whether the journalists start asking questions that the American commanders might prefer not to address questions like those that 100

arose last week about what role the Americans have in any investigations of sites widely believed to contain the mass graves of several thousand Muslims who were massacred by Serbian forces after the fall of Srebrenica last summer. VOCABULARY to huddle (v.) to crowd together, esp in a small space and often because of cold or fear stove (n.) an enclosed apparatus for cooking or heating rooms to ward sb/sth off (phr.v.) to prevent sth dangerous or unpleasant from affecting or harming one seasoned (adj.) experienced grizzled (adj.) having grey hair a far cry from sth/doing sth (idm.) a very different experience from sth/doing sth to shove (v.) to push sb roughly woe to sb (idm.) there will be trouble for sb to elude (v.) to avoid to snap (v.) to speak or say sth in a sharp usually angry voice to bow (v.) (down) (to/before sb/sth) to bend the head or body as a sign of respect or as a greeting soundbite (n.) a short piece of recorded speech used esp in a news broadcast on television or radio spokesperson (n.) a person who speaks on behalf of a group spokesman spokesmen spokeswoman spokeswomen story (B.E. storey) (n.) a part of a building with rooms all at the same level; a floor gable (n.) the triangular upper part of the side or end of a building, under a sloping roof slush (n.) soft, usually dirty, melting snow on the ground slush fund (idm.) a fund of money used for illegal purposes, esp by a political party WORD FAMILIES censor (n.) a person officially appointed to examine books, films, plays, letters, etc and remove parts which are considered offensive, politically unacceptable or (esp in war) a threat to security to censor (v.) censorship censorious (adj.) tending to find faults in people or things censoriously (adv.) censoriousness (n.) Note the difference! 101

to censure (v.) to criticize sb severely; to show formally that one disapproves of sb censure (n.) strong criticism; disapproval broadcast (n.) a radio or television programme to broadcast (v.) broadcaster (n.) broadcasting (n.) the sending out of programmes on radio and TV interview (n.) interview (v.) interviewer (n.) interviewee (n.) I. Find words in the text above that are opposites of: warm, inexperienced, covertly, formal, useful, inconspicuous, to demolish, dark, cheap, tense. Find words in the text above that are synonyms of: grey-haired, to conceal, to avoid, spread, unavoidable, isolated, to transform, floor, to postpone, to emerge.

II.

III. Answer the following questions: 1. How was the realtionship between the US Army and the press during the Vietnam and the Gulf War? 2. How did this relationship change during the peacekeeping operations in Bosnia? 3. What are the causes and results of this change? 4. Can you name at least three TV stations that covered the US operations in Bosnia? 5. What are the sore points which the American commanders would rather elude when being interviewed? IV. Topics for debate: 1. The Romanian press and the NATO military campaign in Yugoslavia in the beginning of 1999. 2. The extent to which the public should be informed on military operations. 3. The visibility of SPP in the Romanian mass-media.

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Lesson nineteen

PROPAGANDA AND PERSUASION

Communication has been defined as a convergence process in which sender and receiver, either through mediated or non-mediated means, create and share information. When the information is used to accomplish a purpose of sharing, explaining or instructing, it is considered informative communication. People seek information when they need to understand their world and once gained it tends to reduce uncertainty. The informative discourse is considered neutral, it is communication about a subject matter that has attained the privileged status of being beyond dispute. The informative communicator has the purpose of creating mutual understanding of data that are considered to be accurate, based on facts. Persuasion is a subset of communication usually defined as a communicative process aimed to influence others. A persuasive message has a point of view or a desired behaviour for the receiver to adopt in a voluntary fashion. It is a complex, continuing, interactive process in which a sender and a receiver are linked by symbols, verbal and non-verbal, through which the persuader tries to influence the persuadee to adopt a change in a given attitude or behaviour. Persuasion is transactional, it promises to help people by satisfying their wants or needs. Both parties, persuader and persuadee, will 103

perceive the change as mutually beneficial in the end. The best example is that of a teacher convincing his students about a certain theory. Propaganda utilises informative communication in a similar fashion, with the difference that the purpose exceeds the notion of mutual understanding. The aim of propaganda is to promote a partisan or competitive cause in the best interest of the propagandist, but not necessarily in the best interest of the recipient. The propagandist is a sender of messages who uses special talents and also scientific work to influence the attitudes of an audience. To be effective, propaganda should be adapted to the particular needs of the situation and the target audience. Defining propaganda, we can say that it is the deliberate and systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions and direct behaviour to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist. It is deliberate because it is wilful, intentional and premeditated; the term systematic means precise and methodical, carrying out something with organised regularity; it attempts to direct communication towards an objective that has been established a priori. The shaping of perceptions usually focuses on language and images, that is why slogans, symbols, posters are used. Manipulating cognitions means changing and forming peoples trust, creating new positive attitudes. The direction of a specific behaviour is the final behaviour of a propaganda effort, this representing the achievement of a response or a reaction from the part of the audience. Although propaganda takes many forms, it is almost always in some form of activated ideology. Sometimes propaganda is agitative, attempting to arouse an audience to certain ends with significant changes, some other times it is integrative, with the aim of rendering an audience in a passive, accepting and non-challenging way. Propaganda is also described as white, grey or black in relationship to an acknowledgement of its source and its accuracy of information. White propaganda comes from a source that is identified correctly, and the information in the message tends to be accurate, trying to build credibility with the audience. For example, some newspapers are for certain political parties openly and present the views of these formations. Black propaganda is credited to a false source and it spreads lies, fabrications and deceptions. For example, Radio Free Hungary attracted world attention and sympathy in Western countries for commenting the events of 1956 when the Russians sent their tanks to Budapest, but it was in fact a fake operated by the KGB with the intention to demonstrate that the United States could not be relied upon to help a country in revolt. Grey propaganda is somewhere between the two other forms, the source of the message is correctly identified but the information is inaccurate. It is used in advertising and electoral campaigns most of the time. VOCABULARY to share (v.) to give a share of sth to others; to tell sb about sth to accomplish (v.) to succeed in doing sth; to complete sth successfully to gain (v.) to obtain or win sth, esp sth that is wanted or needed 104

beyond (prep.) at or to the further side of sth to attain (v.) to succeed in getting sth to aim (v.) to try to achieve sth behaviour (n.) ones attitude and manners to link (v.) to make or suggest a connection between people or things to exceed (v.) to be greater in number or size than sth, esp than a quantity or number; to go beyond what is allowed or necessary target audience public-int attempt (n.) an effort to do sth to achieve (v.) to succeed in reaching a particular goal, status or standard, esp by effort, skill, etc to further (v.) to help the progress or development of sth wilful (adj.) deliberate to focus (on) (v.) to concentrate on sth to arouse (v.) to provoke a particular feeling or attitude end (n.) (here) an aim or purpose fake (n.) an object that seems genuine but is not to rely upon (v.) to need or be dependent on sb/sth; to trust or have confidence in sb/sth

WORD FAMILIY to persuade sb into sth/doing sth (v.) to lead sb to do sth through reasoning or argument; to convince persuasion (n.) persuader (n.) persuadee (n.) persuasive (adj.) persuasively (adv.) persuasiveness (n.) EXERCISES I. Insert the following words in the sentences below: to share, to persuade, to accomplish, to focus, target, beyond, to rely upon, purpose, to exceed, attempt.

1. He is rather discreet. He neither .. his thoughts with others, nor asks questions about the others private lives. 2. We tried our goals but we finally failed in our 3. The road continues . the village up into the hills. 4. The officer aimed carefully but he missed the . 5. You cannot . him when it comes to solving a difficult problem. 105

6. The review .. on achievements, without taking into account the failures. 7. Getting rich seems to be her only . in life. 8. Please try and .her to come with us. 9. You should not .the speed limit. II. III. Make sentences of your own using the words above. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the definition of communication according to the text above? 2. What are the features of informative communication? 3. Can you define persuasion? Have you ever participated in such a communicative process? On that occasion, were you a sender of information (persuader) or a receiver (persuadee)? 4. What is usually the purpose of propaganda? 5. What factors should a propagandist take into account for an effective propaganda? 6. What are the features of propaganda? 7. In your opinion, why are slogans and visual symbols so important within a propagandistic process? 8. What is white propaganda? Give examples. 9. Can you define black propaganda? Give examples. 10. What is grey propaganda? Give examples. IV. TOPICS FOR DEBATE: 1. The role of propaganda in organizing terrorist attempts. 2. Potential actions to be taken by the intelligence services in order to counter such terrorist attempts. 3. Propaganda in Romania prior to 1989.

106

Lesson twenty

THE IMAGE OF THE POLITICIAN

It is a five-minute biographical film, one that many Americans viewed on their TVs early in the 1980 presidential campaign. It opens with Ronald Reagan accepting his partys nomination. A flashback takes the viewer to pictures of the candidates youth in Americas heartland, small-town Illinois, to Hollywood where Ronald Reagan attracted audiences because he was so clearly one of them, to his World War II military record, to Reagans work as dedicated union man and, then, to his success as Californias governor after taking over a state in crisis. The overall message: Governor Reagan dealt with Californias problems. He will do as much for the nation. There was nothing particularly unusual about the Reagan TV ad. Candidates for public office routinely employ a variety of spot advertising, minidocumentaries, lengthy biographical sketches, televised town meetings, call-in radio shows, and other electronic devices to campaign. Other propaganda pops up in brochures, newspaper advertising, lapel buttons, bumper stickers, even would you believe? on toilet paper. Considerable time, money and artistic talent is expended on convincing voters that each candidate is a man or woman for all seasons, capable of anything the times, situation and constituents demand 107

Candidates, of course, are in a position to act out their fantasies. They dramatise their fantasies by creating rhetorical visions. These visions appear over and over again in each candidates propaganda. Each speech, brochure, position paper, slogan, TV or radio advertisement and so on is a carefully crafted effort to portray the candidates rhetorical vision. Such crafting is an artistic enterprise. Hence, campaign propaganda can be regarded as an example of fantastic art, that is, the use of artistic devices to promote a candidates rhetorical vision of his presidency. If successful, the candidates fantasy chains out to become the news medias and the voters fantasy as well. Campaign propaganda aims at mediating two closely related, overlapping fantasies. First, propaganda constructs fantasies about the candidate, his qualities, qualifications, program and destiny. Second, propaganda mediates realities about the nature of the world, the array of forces, dangers, threats and enemies that must be confronted and vanquished. The linkage of the two fantasies is essential, that is, the destiny of the candidate becomes the destiny of the political world. An entire industry now exists to construct such fantasies, craft appropriate propagandistic artifacts for them, and espouse each candidates rhetorical vision. This industry of propartists consists of specialists with a variety of skills. There are, for instance, organisers, fund raisers, pollsters, TV producers, filmmakers, advertisers, public relations personnel, press secretaries, hairstylists and all manner of consultants. The industry has developed an aesthetic style consistent with the artistry of modern advertising. Two devices in that artistry are particularly key mechanisms, positioning the candidate and fashioning the image. In commercial advertising positioning places a product at a particular point or with a particular stance as a means of distinguishing it from competing products that, in substance, are strikingly similar to the product being huckstered. The attempt is to carve out a share of the market. But it is not the unique traits or qualities inherent in the product that are stressed. Rather, advertisers mold a picture of the product as distinct because of the people who buy or consume it. Consider beers. Many are indistinguishable in taste, but TV ads alert us that Miller Lite is favored by former athletes, Schlitz is the cool and tough brew of macho James Coburn and Natural Lite is the favorite of discerning women. Now consider candidates. In 1976, Jimmy Carter and his team conceived a successful pre-campaign scenario of the news media: Jimmy Carters pollster, Pat Caddell, advised against Carters positioning himself on the liberal/conservative continuum, Caddell noted that his polls indicated a large portion of Americans were disenchanted with government and with the failure of the politicians, liberal or conservative, to solve problems. He advised Carter to position himself as the anti-Washington candidate. Carter did, carved out a whole new market, and ended up with the nomination. Positioning puts a candidate in a place to run from in a campaign. Image making is what the candidate runs as. The progress is not one-way. Voters impressions on candidates qualities derive only in part from campaign propaganda; how voters contrast the candidates fantasies with their own makes a difference. A household cleanser or trash bag may position itself to 108

carve out a market segment, but if Big Wally or the man from Glad does not conform to what the pop song calls dreams of the everyday housewife, the desired image may not follow. Fashioning image themes that strike responsive chords requires skill, resources and luck. In 1980, with varying degrees of success, the process gave us George Bush jogging while he waved and talked, to remind voters that he was not like the older Reagan; John B. Anderson telling that he was a candidate with ideas, to mark himself off from the republican pack; and Jimmy Carter dramatising himself as moral and a good family man, to denote he was no Kennedy. VOCABULARY to view (v.) to regard sth/sb as sth; to look at or watch sth carefully flashback (n.) a part of a film that shows a scene earlier in time than the main story youth (n.) the time when a person is young (trade) union (n.) an organized association of employees engaged in a particular type of work, formed to protect their interests, improve conditions of work, etc. ad(vertisement) (n.) a public notice offering or asking for goods, services, etc to pop up (phr.v.) to appear or occur, esp when not expected lapel (n.) the front part of the collar of a coat or jacket that is folded back on either side of the chest bumper (n.) a bar fixed to the front and back of a motor vehicle to reduce the effect of an impact to expend (v.) to use or spend resources in doing sth to act out (phr.v.) to act a part, usu in a real situation and for some purposes to craft (v.) to make sth skillfully, esp by hand to portray (v.) to describe or give an impression of sb or sth esp when one is not given a complete and fair picture hence (adv.) for this reason to chain out (phr.v.) to turn out overlap (v.) (here) to cover part of the same area of interest, responsibility array (n.) an impressive display or series to vanquish (v.) to defeat an opponent to espouse (v.) to give ones support to a movement, a theory pollster (n.) a person who conducts a poll of public opinion to fashion (v.) to give form to sth stance (n.) a persons position or way of standing strikingly (adv) extremely to huckster (v.) to sell things by using aggressive methods, esp in advertising to carve out (v.) to build ones career, reputation by hard work to stress (v.) to give special importance to sth 109

to mold (v.) to shape a soft substance into a particular form or object continuum (n.) a sequence of things of a similar type in which the ones next to each other are almost the same, but the ones at either end are quite distinct EXERCISES I. Insert the following words in the sentences below: to carve out, to portray, to craft, slogan, poll, to vanquish, media, voter, advertising, market. In most of the cases, the form of the words must be adjusted in accordance with the context and the appropriate grammar rules. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Power to the people is their campaign . He has been .. as a cold, calculating character. After that decisive battle, the enemy was finally . His carefully speech impressed the audience. Cigarette has been banned. She .. a name for herself as a reporter. They are conducting a public opinion in order to establish which of the three candidates is likely to be elected. 8. The .. is to blame for starting the rumours. 9. He spotted a gap in the .. and made a fortune. 10.They designed new policies in order to attract the . II. III. Make sentences of your own using the above-mentioned words. Answer the following questions: 1. Who is the politician portrayed as a dedicated union man in his electoral campaign? 2. What other official positions had Ronald Reagan held before being elected as the President of the United States? 3. What kind of propagandistic materials are used within an electoral campaign? 4. In your opinion, what are the rhetorical visions? Can you give examples of rhetorical visions of the candidates for Romanias presidency? 5. What are the elements to be considered when building the image of a politician? 6. What are propartists? 7. According to the text, is there any similarity between persuading people to buy a certain type of beer and persuading people to vote a certain candidate? 8. What strategy did Jimmy Carter adopt for his electoral campaign? 9. Who advised Jimmy Carter to adopt the above-mentioned strategy? 10.How important are the dreams of the everyday housewife in drawing up the campaign strategy of a politician? 110

IV.

TOPICS FOR DEBATE:

I 1. Can you remember any of the political campaigns in Romania? What II impact did it have upon you? III 2. If you were a politician, where would you start your image building IV campaign from? What slogan would you use? 3. Which type of media do you think is the most important in a political campaign? Why? 4. When establishing the agenda for the political campaign, which part of Romania should a politician start? Why? 5. Which events would you introduce, as a possible image builder, in the program of the politician you advise? In what order? Why? 6. What do you think about the ethics of a political campaign?

Lesson twenty-one

NATO ACCESION STRATEGY FROM MADRID TO PRAGUE

Dr. Ioan Mircea Pacu Minister of National Defense The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact dramatically changed the entire European security landscape. It brought new risks associated with the disintegration of the USSR and of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, and the proliferation of non-military, non-traditional cross-border threats. The disintegration in the East threatened to affect Western integration. In order to balance these risks, and in response to persistently expressed desires of the former Warsaw Pact members to join the North Atlantic Alliance, NATO decided to stabilize the East by projecting its security through enlargement. Romania was an enthusiastic supporter of this process from its initiation, illustrating its attitude by embracing the Partnership for Peace (PfP) as a necessary way station on the path to full NATO membership, and by being the first country to sign the PfP agreement when it was formally initiated in January 1994. [] Gaining admission to the alliance required an accession strategy. Romanias accession strategy took into account three basic factors influencing its international policy that have remained viable for more than a century: (1) national performance, (2) Western interests, and (3) Russia. Of these, national 111

performance was considered the most important. There were a number of goals pursued to this end including the consolidation of the democratic political system erected after the violent overthrow of the Communist regime, the gradual transformation from a command economy to a market economy based on the private initiative, and the normalization of relations with neighboring countries. [] Romania was not invited into the alliance at Madrid in 1997. The best it managed to do was to receive the nomination as the first candidate in line for consideration at the next summit dealing with enlargement. [] The causes of Romanias failure at Madrid were objective and subjective and influenced by both external and internal factors. Of the three pillars sustaining our candidacy , the last two Western interests and Russia were not sufficiently strong to compensate for the relative fragility of the first our national performance regardless of whether that fragility is explained by the incapacity to erase, in due time, one of the most difficult legacies of the communist past or by the lack of political will. [] The conditions for the next round of enlargement have been modified significantly from those existing at the Madrid summit. The most radical modifications were introduced after the tragic events of the 11 September 2001. The main difference is that, in contrast to the state of affairs at Madrid 1997, NATO is no longer limited to judging candidates on the basis of promises, expectations, or the relative effectiveness of their lobby groups. Now NATO can judge actual performance and accomplished fact. Participation in the Kososvo campaign, in the anti-terrorist campaign and, most importantly, performance in the MAP represent material yardsticks against which the ability and willingness of the potential NATO allies can be evaluated. National performance to evoke the first pillar of Romanias candidacy can now be judged in a much more objective manner than was previously possible. As for the remaining two pillars Western interests and Russia they also changed dramatically. The most important change common to both is that of attitude. If in the previous round candidates were faced with an uphill battle in which they sought to present arguments of why they should be considered for admission, now, as clearly stated by President George Bush in Warsaw 2001, all candidates sharing Western values and fulfilling the requirements are entitled to serious consideration for membership unless there are strong arguments against their admission. Moreover, geopolitical and military capability factors have increased in importance almost exponentially. For example, the problems of the Southern Flank, where Romania is located, have become much more relevant to NATO and to global security. [] Generally speaking, Romanias chances for obtaining an invitation for admission into NATO at the Prague summit, as well as the degree to which it is prepared to assume the obligations of membership, especially in the military field, are now higher than they were prior to both the Madrid and Washington summit meetings. While a more sophisticated understanding of how NATO decision-making processes work, a better understanding by the West of the risks and requirements presented by the new world order, and the improved 112

Russian-NATO relationship have all contributed to the enhancement of Romanias candidacy; the primary reason for this improvement is Romanias performance: both in achieving reform goals and in its ability and willingness to contribute to the alliance in the service of norms and values shared by us all. VOCABULARY The Warsaw Pact The North Atlantic Alliance The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) The Partnership for Peace (PfP) Membership Action Plan (MAP) the Southern Flank

- entire (adj.) whole, complete - landscape (n.) all the features of an area that can be seen when looking across it (also fig.) - to bring, brought, brought (v.) to come carrying something or accompanying somebody - cross-border (adj.) involving movement or action across a border - to join (v.) to become a member of something - to sign/ conclude/ ratify an agreement/ a treaty/ an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) a semna/ ncheia/ ratifica un acord/ tratat/ Memorandum de nelegere - to embrace (v.) to accept an idea willingly and enthusiastically - path (n.) way - to gain (v.) to obtain - to take into account (v.phr.) a lua n consideraie - to pursue (v.) to follow; to do have or take part in something - to overthrow (v.) to remove somebody/something from a position of power using force - the military (n.) soldiers, the armed forces - to make full use (v.phr.) a folosi din plin - to deal with (phr.v.) to manage something - both. and (adv.phr.) not only.. but also - legacy (n.) a thing passed to somebody by people who lived before them or from earlier events - round (n.) a regular sequence of activities - yardstick (n.) standard - previous (adj.) coming before in time and order - to seek, sought, sought (v.) to look for something Word Families - threat (n.) ameninare - to threaten (v.) - threatening (adj.) 113

- threateningly (adv.) - large (adj.) - to enlarge (v.) to become or make something larger - enlargement (n.) - to require (v.) to need or depend on something - requirement (n.) - to perform (v.) to do a piece of work - performance (n.) - to fail (v.) not to succeed in something - failure (n.) - to accomplish (v.) to succeed in doing something; to achieve - accomplishment (n.)

EXERCISES: I. Find in the text synonyms of the following words: to integrate into, aim, to topple, heritage, standard, extension, whole, way, to assess, widespread. Choose the correct definition for each of the following words:

II.

- actual = a) characteristic of the present b) existing in fact - entire = a) complete b) empty - former = a) of an earlier period of time b) suitable for official or important occasions. III. Scan the text and then decide if the statements below are true (T), false (F) or not mentioned (NM). Then correct the false statements.

1. Romania was the first country to sign the PfP agreement. 2. The Partnership for Peace was initiated in 1995. 3. Romanias accession strategy was based on five fundamental aspects of its international policy. 4. In order to address Western interest, Romania sought to make the various NATO countries aware of the opportunities and requirements connected with Caspian Sea oil. 114

5. The reform and restructuring of the Romanian armed forces involved an increase in the number of troops. 6. At Madrid, Romania received the nomination as the first candidate to be considered for admission at the next summit dealing with enlargement. 7. Romanias failure at Madrid was influenced only by internal factors. 8. During 2000, military downsizing was largely accomplished by reducing the number of conscripts called up. 9. After the tragic events of the 11 September 2001, NATOs enlargement policies suffered radical changes. 10. After the WTC attacks, NATO started to assess the candidates on the basis of their lobby groups effectiveness. IV. Topics for debate: 1. The benefits derived from Romanias being invited to join NATO. The new responsibilities. 2. Romanias relation with the United States. 3. Downsizing the military personnel. The social protection measures and their effectiveness.

Lesson twenty-two

CONTRIBUTING TO CONFLICT PREVENTION

Today the subject of conflict prevention is perhaps one of the most interesting and at the same time nearly the most significant for the international life. In order to be able to act for a genuine prevention of the conflicts, it is imperiously necessary to find out, to study and to deeply understand their roots. It seems obvious and entirely clear that in our days - more than ever before the management of diplomatic activity should take into consideration the necessity of avoiding open conflicts as a priority of international relations. To administrate in normal conditions a bilateral co-operation, one should be aware of the former disputes and old conflicts between the two parties now involved in a normalisation process of their relations. It shows the major repercussion of the study of roots of the conflicts; it gives the facility to manage the advance of the co-operation avoiding old mistakes as well as tragic historical experiences. In our area, the roots of today's disputes or open conflicts can be found in the depths of the history. But the roots of conflicts, generally speaking, could be found more clearly in the romantic goals that enlightened the 19th century elite from every country in our area. The main idea of the romantic young nationalists' leaders was the fight for independence, for the setting up of the states that have arisen from the former Ottoman or Austro-Hungarian empires. 115

During the period between the two world wars one can easily remember the nationalistic and xenophobic policies carried out by the fascism parties or by the fascist and nazi governments which had led to notorious exaggerations and even disgusting crimes. The communist period has cast a shadow on the national and nationalistic feelings, trying to annihilate this strong cultural characteristic of people. But the well known word of order of communism that any cultural activity should be national in shape and international in content was completely unable to extinguish the strong historical feelings of the people from our area. After the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the break-down of the Soviet Union, this king of nationalistic feelings knew a strong revival and gave birth to new open conflicts. How can one explain this trend ? The new independent states that were born in the former Yugoslavian space or the old Soviet area felt the same necessity to express their national identity. Besides this legitimate necessity to show up their sovereignty, the new independent states exhibit a strong nationalistic feeling, even a xenophobic policy meant to aggressive foreign policy. The results of this kind of policy were the open conflicts that happened in former Yugoslavia, as well as in the old Soviet Union area. In all former communist states, the democratisation of life brought on political stage some very nationalistic parties, which in order to earn more votes, preached the national intolerance and xenophobia. This king of manifestations could jeopardise the normal behaviour between neighbour states and even threaten peace. The Romanian Association of International Law and International Relations is very interested to continue to work with the Black. Sea University Centre for Conflict Prevention, with the aim to find out means and ways to improve cooperation between neighbour countries. On bilateral basis, in its contacts with representatives of Associations and Institutes, the Romanian Association of International Law and International Relations will continue to touch the subject of conflict prevention. In this exercise it will atemmpt not only to make known its achievements, but also to be aware of the interests of studies of its partners. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT: Genuine natural, native , real, pure. To avoid to keep oneself away from something, try not to do something. Former - past , before in time. Depth deepness, the lowest part of something. To arise to rise up, to originate from ,out of ,come into being To carry out accomplish Disgust distaste, displeasure extreme, annoyance to cast to throw off ,to drop prematurely , to add , to assign as . to extinguish to quench , to put out to put an and to, to destroy annihilate , to die out . to exhibit to hold forth or present to view ,to present formally or publicly , 116

to show . to preach to deliver a sermon , to give advice in an offensive ,deliver . to threaten offer a threat ,intimidate to indicate danger . aim point , level ,to purpose or to try to do, to direct a blow or missile , object or purpose . to improve make better ,make progress , to follow up with something to attempt try, endeavour ,make an effort, personal assault jeopardy hazard , danger. Make up sentences using the following words in sentences on your own: Genuine , avoid , be aware of , former , exhibit , threaten , improve . Make up nouns from the next words: avoid , aware , exhibit , threaten , improve.

Lesson twenty-three

TERRORISM AND COUNTERING TERRORISM, YEAR 2002

Marvin Leibstone While unable to get information capable of taking counter-terrorism directly to Osama bin Laden, to other al Qaeda leaders and indeed to all of the worlds terrorist lairs, the US/allied terrorism knowledge base has developed well during 2002, helping to undo the Taliban in Afghanistan and reduce al Qaedas capacity by more than half. The years information has also indicated that terrorism will continue for some time (Maybe decades, according to Washington and the allied capitals), but fortunately revealing enough terrorism characteristics for the proper shaping of US/allied counter-terrorism policies, organisations, strategies, missions and tactics. For instance, the following issues culled from the years US and allied government and private sector reportage. [] Terrorist cells, being of few persons, hate the risk of capture, and therefore tend to prefer acts with the least likelihood of the perpetrators being caught. Terrorisms performance inventory has included airline hijacking, ship destruction, ambushes, kidnapping, hostage-takings, the assassination of leaders, and bombings. Over the years, government security has made these tactics more difficult for terrorists to perform, with 9/11 being the tragic exception. Ironically, enhanced government security has helped lead the 117

terrorist groups toward the path of suicide bombings, as theres no fear of the perpetrators being caught and interrogated. As government security improves, a new terrorism tactic will be sought by perpetrators, one that can be planned and executed from remote locations, with little chance of apprehension. Likely for the near future are Internet attacks from far-off bases against city and state quality-of-life infrastructures such as electric power. Also likely are chemical and biological explosions set off electronically from distant locations, and employment of surface-to-air missiles against aircraft (if terrorists can obtain man-portable SAMs and smuggle them into firing position), and/or sniper attacks. Nevertheless, terrorists will return to a particular tactic as soon as related government security becomes lax. [] Suicide bombings wont be an everyday, or weekly affair over an indefinite period, many experts predict, for terrorist leaders cannot always recruit persons willing to give their lives for a cause. The suicide bombings against Israel will sooner than later become less frequent, a Middle East affairs analyst claims, adding, however, that terrorist leaders could begin saving their fewer martyrdom candidates for the Big Job, the catastrophic 9/11-style event. Implied is that expected lower frequency of suicide-activated terrorism is no indication of terrorism dwindling; rather it could signal terrorist plans for fewer but more lethal activities. [] For a campaign of successful pre-emption and reprisals, more is needed than recently gained support from the UN, from an enlarged NATO, from the likelihood of European Union Rapid Reaction Force, from newly democratic and Euro-leaning Russia and from Asian allies. For a US-led anti-terrorism coalition to exit the realms of the Quixotic and to claim victory, needed are precise understandings of year 2002s many distasteful lessons. VOCABULARY - to reveal (v.t.) to make facts known; to cause or allow something to be seen - to shape (v.t.) to give a shape or form to something - issue (n.) an important topic for discussion or argument - perpetrator (n.) a person who commits a crime or does something considered wrong - to hijack (v.t.) to seize control of a vehicle, esp an aircraft, in order to force it to go to a new destination or demand something from a government in return for the safety of its passengers and crew - to kidnap (v.t.) to take somebody away by force and illegally, esp in order to obtain money in return for releasing them - to enhance (v.t.) to increase or improve further the good quality, value or status of somebody/something - to catch (v.t.) to capture somebody/something after chasing them or by trapping them; to seize and hold somebody - missile (n.) an explosive weapon directed at a target, automatically or by means of an electronic device 118

- to smuggle (v.t.) something/somebody (into/out of/across/through sth) to take, send or bring goods secretly and illegally into or out of a country, esp without paying customs duty; to send, take or bring something/somebody secretly to or from a place, esp when this is against the rules - to claim (v.t.) to state or declare that something is a fact or is the case but not to prove this; to demand or request something because it is or one believes it is ones legal right or ones property - martyrdom (n.) a martyrs suffering or death EXERCISES: I. Find in the text synonyms of the following words or phrases: safe haven, suitable, for example, to select, criminal (n.), improved, to look for, distant, prevention, unpleasant. What do the following words or phrases mean in the text: - cell = a) each of the small sections that together form a larger structure; b) a very small unit of living matter; c) a small group of people forming a centre of political. - execute = a) to do or perform what one is asked or told to do; b) to kill, esp as a legal punishment; c) to perform something on the stage. - apprehension = a) an anxiety about something in the future; b) the action of seizing or arresting somebody, especially by the police; c) the action of learning something. - employment = a) the action of making use of something; b) the action of giving work to somebody, usually for payment; c) the action of filling in a form. V III. Answer the following questions: VI 1. Does the US/allied terrorism knowledge base contain relevant information for the actual apprehension of Osama bin Laden and of other al Qaeda leaders? 2. What methods have the terrorists developed in order to reduce the chances of apprehension? 3. Could the Internet be employed as a criminal instrument? Explain. VIIIV. Topics for debate: 1. The influence of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 upon the security environment? 2. The US/allied counter-terrorism policies. 119

II.

3. The likelihood of terrorist attacks in Romania.

Lesson twenty-four

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ADP EQUIPMENT

Certain Categories of IS equipment are an indispensable part of an anti-terrorist war. In particular, security forces are rarely in a position, particularly in an urban environment, to use conventional radio equipment: it is, by and large, too heavy, bulky and complex. Conventional military radio sets are not efficient In built up areas, they require line- of -sight or near line- of -sight transmission paths for best results .Special radio equipment has therefore been developed for IS and police work. In situations where security forces are operating from permanent bases, it is important that transmissions are scrambled or in cipher. This section of the book therefore includes some examples of portable scrambling and cipher equipment, in addition to examples of radio equipment suitable for use in IS situations. Anti terrorist operations involve the detection of illicit transmitters, and some examples of transmitter detectors and direction finding equipment, as well as encryption units and jammers are also included. Radiomicrophone detection, surveillance tape recorders, and other bugging equipment are also covered in this section, although they are more accurately categorized as espionage or anti espionage equipment. Communication in an IS context can be considered in two main categories as follows. 120

 Strategic Communications. Secure, reliable communications between the political leader responsible for committing the force and the commanders of the government agencies on the ground are extremely important .The political leadership requires up to date information on which to base decisions and needs to be able to promulgate orders quickly. In practice this procedure usually involves a government crisis office manned by the responsible minister and his advisors (in secure communication with the head of the state) and a tactical incident control centre: These communicate with one another by secure encrypted telephone. Force Tactical Communications. The force should be on one All inform radio net .This is essential if the all important co-ordination between the different groups is to work. This net will ideally be encrypted as terrorists are likely to be monitoring VHF and UHF frequencies. The net could be made up of the following elements: 1. Base station system in the force commanders HQ. This must provide the force commander with communications to his men throughout the likely area of operations ,and at the same time, provide a link with the police and the government official to whom he is responsible. He will therefore require at least two separate channels of communication, one to higher authority and one to his subordinate commander. That to higher authority will probably be a secure telephone link in most circumstances; that to his commanders will be a secure all informed radio network. Both the force commanders may operate from vehicles or helicopters, so the force radio network must include sets suitable for use with foot patrols, vehicles and helicopters. 2. Company/team system. Similarly, the company or team commander and downwards to his sub units or assault groups .His HQ will therefore be an outstation on the force commanders radio set but will be the base station or control for communications with his sub units or assaults groups. In US urban operations ,the platoon as a level of operational will often be omitted; this may not be the case in rural operations. Thus the company commander is likely to have a large number (perhaps twelve or fifteen) of small sub-units under hid command. These could be four to eight men strong and will need to be in touch with company all the time. 3. Individual handheld transceivers. Many of the small sub-units in a company (known in British Army parlance as bricks) will be operating in a sufficiently cohesive manner for radio contact between them to be unnecessary. However in some circumstances it may be appropriate for each member of a brick to be in direct contact with the brick commander by means of individual hand held transceivers. These should fill the following requirements. They should be small, compact and light weight and capable of withstanding exceptionally rough handling. They must be easily operated, body worn with a hands -off operational capability to allow the user maximum freedom to use his weapons or other equipment. The system should be a voice equipment VHF/UHF frequency range, with a minimum of three switched channels ,and it should contain built-in encryption. It should be able to be used with a covert earpiece: i.e, a 121

condition that cuts off the loudspeaker (essential for sniper, bodyguard or covert role). Similarly, it should be able to be used with discreet or covert microphones. Finally, it should be able to be used with throat microphones. This may in certain circumstances, be useful for some members of a brick. Sometimes it may be necessary to limit this facility to selected members in order to prevent congestion the net during an operation. An example of an unusually flexible and adaptable IS communication system is Cougarnet, which is manufactured by Racal, a British Company that specializes in military communications systems.(A detailed specification follows later in this section.) A brief description of the Cougarnet concept will serve here as an example of the necessary parameters for an effective IS communications system. Cougarnet is not the only system of this kind, but it is one of the most effective and one of those incorporating the latest technology. The British Army currently uses this equipment in Northern Ireland. Cougarnet is a totally secure lightweight FM radio communications system, using a synthesizer-controlled hand held radio- the very compact basic building block of the modular system. It is this modular approach that ensures the system is easy to operate and makes Cougarnet attractive to a wide range of military, paramilitary, security and emergency service units. The 2- watt personal radio can be converted easily into a high powered radio by simple connection to an amplifier, and the unit can then be used as a static base station, or a mobile or transportable manpack(depending on power supply). The radio can be changed from one role to another by simply altering the power supply. In the static role,power can be provided from an AC power supply: in the mobile role, the vehicle supply will provide the power. A heavy duty Ni-Cad battery is used for the transport role. The radio can be controlled remotely via an extended control unit,which allows the radio to be stored in a convenient place close to the antenna when being used in the mobile or static roles. At the same time, the radio is always , and, easily, available for use as a personal radio by removal from the amplifier and the connection of the battery, antenna and speaker/microphone. To ensure optimum flexibility in operation, the set has ten programable channels to gain access to any of several networks. These may be single or two frequency simplex. In operation the Cougarnet system consists of a number of unattended talk-through stations linked together to allow users operating over different frequencies in different areas to communicate with each other. These links can be switched on or off from a central controller, allowing either independent operation or integration into a command net or combined operations. A station is equipped with two radios, and ,in the event of the failure of one the other is automatically activated. A method of continuous checking is built into the system during normal operation. VOCABULARY a. line-of-sight transmission = sistem de transmisie prin releu 122

b. jam = the failure of a system or machine caused by something getting stuck or not working properly c. bugging equipment = a device that intercepts something ( i. e. a phone conversation) d. I.S. vehicle = internal security vehicle e. up-to-date information = recent, latest news; up-to-the-minute information f. brick = a small sub-unit in a company g. discreet/covert microphone = a microphone that is hidden h. built-up area = an area where there are many buildings i. data logging = a record of all the data EXERCISES I. Make up sentences of your own using the words given above. II. Answer the following questions referring to the text. a. b. c. d. e. f. Why arent conventional military radio sets efficient in built-up areas? What can you say about communication in an I.S. unit? What is specific to strategic communication? What can a net be made up of? What do you understand by brick ? Give an example of an unusually flexible and adaptable I.S. communication system. g. What is the station equipped with?

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