Ex. 10. Read the text and make up your own dialogues on the topic.

THE PROS AND CONS OF THE INTERNET

The Internet is without doubt one of the most important inventions in history. It was started in 1968 by the US army as a computer network without a centre. The idea was that an enemy attack couldn’t destroy a loosely-linked network of computers with no centralized control. In the 1970s many US universities joined the US army network. Then e-mail began. What’s more, when universities in Europe joined the system, it went global! In 1983 there were 1,000 computers on this system. By 1986 there were 60,000. Amazing!

It was around this time that someone invented the name “Internet” to describe this worldwide computer network. At the end of the 1980s – perhaps because of the end of the Cold War between North America and Russia, or maybe because PCs and modems became cheaper to buy, or a combination of both factors – the Internet became more popular, and more commercialized. In the 1990s cybercafés – places where you could pay to surf the web while having a snack and a drink – appeared all over the world.

But that’s not the end of the story. The Net is improving all the time. Since 1990, when the World Wide Web was created, it has changed the world and its uses are growing every day. The main use of the Internet is to find information – for your studying or job, or just to find out more about your hobbies, sports or current events. It’s much faster and easier to surf the net in search of information from all over the world than to travel to libraries in dozens of countries. You can also use the Internet to read newspapers, magazines and books, play games, plan your holiday or buy from your favourite shop.

E-mail makes it possible to send electronic messages anywhere in the world in seconds, and you can use the Internet to chat with people and make new friends.

However, the real world of the Internet may not be as perfect as it seems. With so much information available, finding what you want can take you hours. Multimedia web pages with photographs, music and video are attractive, but they make downloading slow and boring. Besides, there is too much advertising instead of real information. As for Internet friendships, sitting at home in front of a computer making “chat friends” is not the same as actually meeting people. Unfortunately, thousands of young people go online and give complete strangers detailed personal information. They shouldn’t do it because it’s extremely dangerous. Most chat users are normal, friendly people but they are still strangers. How can you trust them? You wouldn’t walk up to a complete stranger in the street and start talking about your personal things, would you?

pros and cons [‘prəuzənd ‘k n z]– «за» и «против»

without doubt [‘daut] – безсомнения

cybercafé [saibə:’kæfəi] – Интернет-кафе

surf [‘sə:f] theweb – искать, бродить по Интернету

current events [‘k rənti’vents] – текущиесобытия

search [‘sə:t ] – поиск

to download [daun’lud] – загружать, «скачивать» информацию

Ex. 11. Read the interview with Prince William from “HELLO!” magazine, October 2001 and name some of the things he likes and dislikes.

INTERVIEW WITH PRINCE WILLIAM

As he starts university Prince William gives his most revealing interview. Nineteen-year-old Prince William started at St. Andrew’s* in Scotland last week. William says, he wants to be “an ordinary student” and hopes that the media won’t invade his privacy. Here is part of his interview with Sam Greenhill.

Did you enjoy your year out before university?

W. –I loved my gap year. I wish I could have another one.

What was the highlight of that year?

W.– I loved working on a farm in England. It was the best part of my year. I enjoyed the fact I was put in as a hand and was paid and was just another guy on the farm. I got my hands dirty, did all the chores and had to get up at 4 am. I got to see a completely different lifestyle.

What did you think of your three months in Africa?

W.– I loved Africa and learned a lot from it. I met some really decent people.

Why did you choose St. Andrew’s?

W. – I didn’t want to go to English university because I’ve lived there and wanted to get away to try something else. And I do love Scotland. There is plenty of space, I love the hills and mountains and I thought St. Andrew’s had a real community feel to it.

Is history of art something you want to pursue after degree?

W. – I’m much more interested in doing something with the environment I’m not sure what yet.

St. Andrew’s is very different from Eton*. How easy will it be to make friends?

W. – I don’t choose my friends on the basis of where they are from or what they are. It’s about their character and who they are and whether we get on. I just hope I can meet people I get on with. I don’t care about their background.

Are you excited about moving away from home and being able to take more control of your life?

W. – Having more independence is quite a big thing, although I’ve always got policemen around so I’m never completely independent. However, I’m looking forward to being able to manage my own time in a relaxed atmosphere.

Will you return home often?

W. – No. Although I will miss it, it’s going to be difficult to get back home. Even if I had the time – and I probably won’t – it’s seven-and-a half by plane. I’ll be a long way from friends at home. I know a couple of guys at St. Andrew’s who are older and a couple in my year, but most of my friends are at other universities. So I would like to spend weekends with my friends. I’m not a party animal, despite what people might think, but I like to go out sometimes like anyone else.

Are you worried about media intrusion into your student life?

W. – The way the media treated me in my gap year was great and if that could continue everyone would be happy, especially me. If it does get too curious and intrusive, I will feel really uncomfortable.

*St. Andrew’s – Сент-Андрус, приморский город-курорт в графстве Файф, Шотландия.

*St. Andrew’s – старейший в Шотландии университет, основанный в 1411г.

*Eton [‘i:tn] – Итон, одна из старейших престижных мужских привилегированных средних школ, находится в г. Итоне. Основана в 1440 г. Учащиеся – в основном выходцы из аристократических семей; многие премьер-министры Великобритании – бывшие воспитанники этой школы; плата за обучение очень высокая.

Ex.12. HOME READING

Read the text and then do the following exercises.