Fill in the missing parts of the dialogue.

- Shall we go sightseeing today?

- What places of interest do you want to show me first?

- What about going to the Summer Gardens?

- But I think we've got a lot of time today.

-  It can't be helped then. We'll visit it some other day. Then let's go on a bus or trolley-bus and go along Nevsky Avenue.

- All right, I agree to all you say. But remember we shall have to leave some time for dinner.

Speak of any sight you like. Make use of the following phrases: a beautiful panorama (bridge, arch), a splendid (magnificent) building/structure, an impressive monument/ memorial, a picturesque view, an unforgettable sight, a striking impression, a memorable experience.

You are on a conducted tour. What questions would you ask your guide?

"WHICH DO YOU PREFER— LIFE IN THE CITY OR THE COUNTRY?"

When William Evans was 18 he said "Good bye" to his mother, left his village and went to London. After a few days he found a job in a bank in the city centre, and he also found a small flat in the suburbs to live in.

Every morning he got up at 7 o'clock and left the house at 7.30. He caught the tube to the city and began work at 9 o'clock. Every day he got on the train which was always crowded and then he stood there for 40 minutes, sometimes he read the newspaper, but he usually just thought about his mother and his village in Wales.

After 6 months he won some money in the football lottery. He went to a pub with some friends and they drank a lot of beer and talked about William's money and enjoyed themselves.

He decided to send some money home to his mother and he spent the rest of the money on a little red car. He also bought a street map of London and found the quickest way to get to work.

The first day he got up at 8 o'clock and left the house at 8.30. He got to the city centre at 9 o'clock, but then for a long time he was looking for somewhere to park. At last he found a parking meter but he was late for work, and every two hours he had to go out and put some money into the meter. The second day he left home earlier, but he couldn't find a parking meter anywhere. He put the car into a car park, which cost him 1 dollar for the day.

On Wednesday it took him more time to get to the centre.

He left the car in the car park again, and he was 20 minutes late for work. On Thursday he sat for 20 minutes in a traffic jam and was late for work again.

The next day he got up very early. It was a very, very cold morning and the car didn't start. After a quarter of an hour William ran to the tube station, but he was late again. His boss told him he had to be on time in future. William was very excited because he didn't want to lose his job. He was sure he would be at the office on time.

The next day he got up early and went by tube, but he forgot that it was Saturday. When he got to the bank, he found that it was closed.

What do you think he did? Yes, he sold his car, took his things from his flat and went back to his village in Wales.

Answer the questions:

1. How did William's life change when he was 18?

2. How did William usually get to the bank?

3. What did he do with the money he had won in the lottery?

4. Why was William constantly late for the work?

5. What happened on Saturday?

6. What did he do after that?

7. Why did William decide to leave his village and go to London?

8. Why did he buy a car?

9. Why did William decide to go back to his village?

Dialog

Mary and David’s friend Luisa from Serbia comes to them on a short visit. They meet her at the station.

Mary: Hi, Luisa! We are happy to see you safe and sound. How was the trip?

Luisa: It was great. The plane landed smoothly in the airport and then I went to the railway station to take the train to Liverpool. I was so much excited that I was looking out of the window all the time. The fields, meadows and forests were flying past me and I tried to breathe in the air and enjoy the smell of herbs, flowers and fresh hay.

David: I have an impression that you crossed the countryside leaving out towns and villages.

L: Oh, no. The train stopped at Leeds, York, Manchester… I understand they are important industrial areas. But I was impressed by the countryside much more. Probably, I come from an industrial town myself and I longed to see something different.

M: I am afraid you’ll be disappointed with Liverpool. We can’t boast there are a lot of meadows or fields in it. It is also an industrial area and a large seaport. Of course, we’ve got a few sights worth while looking at. 

L: Oh, dear, stop being too modest. Liverpool is a great city, very famous throughout the entire world because of four special musicians called the Beatles. I am sure the whole city is saturated with the atmosphere of their music.

D: Really, I can’t understand why everyone is so crazy on their music abroad. As for me, I am not a fan of theirs. Besides they were popular so long ago, most of the people in Britain hardly remember them.

M: You’ve gone too far, David. Not so few people admire their music here. Of course, there have been many other musical trends, which were also very popular, the Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd, for example.

D: I hope we might discuss our music passions at home. Well, ladies, it’s time to get into the car. Luisa, I think you are tired after the flight and the train. You need a warm bath and a proper rest.

M: … and a good dinner won’t do you any harm.

L: Well, my dear friends, I haven’t come to you for food and sleep. I long for new experiences.

D: And they are going to start as soon you get into the car.

L: Fine. What street are we running along?

D: It’s Lime Street, the central street of the city.

L: I have never thought that Liverpool is hilly! These houses look very old. I see ivy struggling between the stone cracks.

M: Sure they are! If my memory doesn’t fail me they were built in the thirties of the past century. People built their houses of grey stone at that time which got a yellowish tint eventually. Now we’re turning the corner to the left and can find ourselves in Hope Street.

L: Oh, what a splendid cathedral! It looks very modern. Looks like you know a rocket that’s about to take off.

M: Yes, it is a Catholic cathedral. One day we’ll go there and have a better look at it.

D: Luisa, now we are turning to the right after the traffic lights have turned green. And I hope, we’ll reach our house in a couple of minutes, which is within five hundred yards from here.

Dialog 2.

Mary is walking along the street in her neighbourhood and is accosted by a passer-by.

Stranger: Excuse me, can you tell how I could get to the nearest bank?

M: OK. Let me think a little. There are number of banks in the vicinity. Does it make any difference to you which bank to get to?

S: No, I don’t think so. Any would do.

M: OK. Would you like to walk there or go by underground?

S: Is it as far as that?

M: It is not very far, but it’ll take you about twenty minutes to walk there. It could be reached much quicker by tube.

S: I think I’d rather have a stroll. The weather is fine and I have pretty much time to spare.

M: Well, go straight along this street. It is called Baker Street. After you have covered two blocks, turn to the right and you’ll see the public library there. Turn the library and you’ll see a small park. Opposite the park there’s a narrow lane, with trees on both sides of it. It is called Lime Lane. Go down Lime Lane and you’ll see a small corner market there on the right. The bank is just opposite the market.

S: Thank you very much.

M: You are welcome. (Mary takes her mobile earpiece and calls David.) Hello, Dave! A moment ago a stranger asked me where the nearest bank was.

David (a bit irritably): And what of it?

M: He looks so strange! His clothes are rather untidy his hair is unkempt and the look of his eyes is worried. He doesn’t know the neighbourhood, and he doesn’t care what bank to go to. I think he is a robber.

D: Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill! Probably he is from the country and that’s why it is difficult for him to find a bank.

M: Well, Dave, I’d rather call the police, to be on the safe side. You know, there are so many criminals nowadays. And the other day I read in a newspaper about a bank robbery…

D: Well, my dear, there’s no need to describe what our papers publish. If he looked so conspicuous, call the police and we’ll discuss it at home.

M: I’ll call them right away.

Render in English:

        Каким оказался Вашингтон на самом деле? Прежде всего, он не походит ни на одну из столиц Европы, его нельзя сравнить ни с каким-либо другим городом США. Для столицы такой свехдержавы как Соединенные штаты Америки это очень небольшой город. В нем проживает только 607 тысяч жителей. Посетителю Вашингтон может показаться городом без четкой планировки, хотя это не совсем верно. Генеральный план застройки города был выполнен много лет назад Пьером Ланфаном (Pierre L’Enfant). Центр города – здание Капитолия, с системой улиц по принципу шахматной доски, дополненных широкими авеню, которые расходятся лучами как спицы колеса. Капитолий является также отправной точкой города, от которой нумеруются или получают букву дома (вместо названия). В Вашингтоне нет небоскребов, так как высота их лимитирована, они не могут быть выше здания Капитолия. Американцы гордятся своей столицей и ее достопримечательностями. И действительно, в Вашингтоне есть на что посмотреть. Взор зарубежного туриста обращается, прежде всего, к Белому Дому. Именно туда обычно выстраиваются длинные очереди посмотреть на здание резиденции президента Америки. Белый Дом – действительно уникальное сооружение Америки и отличается от дворцов России более демократичным или, проще говоря, скромным убранством. Здесь нет такой помпезности, роскоши и богатства, которую мы привыкли видеть во дворцах Москвы или Санкт-Петербурга. Тем не менее, в простоте стиля угадывается тонкий вкус как архитекторов, так и временных обитателей резиденции главы государства.

В Вашингтоне располагается самая большая и самая значительная библиотека мира, именуемая Библиотекой Конгресса. Осматривая памятные места Вашингтона, нельзя не заглянуть на Арлингтонское национальное кладбище, «усыпальницу американских героев войны» (the Shrine of America’s hero dead), где покоятся профессиональные военные и их семьи; Могилу неизвестного солдата. Жертвам Вьетнамской войны был сооружен отдельный мемориал – Мемориал Ветеранов Вьетнамской войны. К нему часто приходят родственники и друзья, возлагают венки, приносят цветы, подарки, сувениры, прикрепляют письма, которые они до сих пор пишут погибшим.

Незабываемое впечатление на гостя американской столицы неизменно производит театр Форда, место трагической гибели президента А. Линкольна. Театр до сих пор является действующим, в нем регулярно проходят репетиции и спектакли. Одновременно здесь проходят экскурсии и показывают ложу президента, в которой он находился со своей женой в вечер своего убийства. Смертельно раненого, Линкольна перенесли в дом напротив театра Peterson’s House, где он скончался, не приходя в сознание. Как и в любой столице, и Вашингтон не является исключением, посетители могут получить удовольствие (посетителей могут порадовать) от посещения чисто национальных музеев: музея американской истории, Национальных архивов, Национальной галереи искусства, музей холокост США и много других.

Незабываемое впечатление производит Смитсоновский институт (Smithsonian Institution), включающий Национальный зоологический парк и множество научно-исследовательских институтов, Смитсоновскую астрофизическую обсерваторию.