The Anglo-Saxons had little use for towns and cities. But they had a great effect on the countryside, where they introduced new farming methods and founded the thousands of self-sufficient villages which formed the basis of English society for the next thousand or so years.
Britain experienced another wave of Germanic invasions in the eighth century. These invaders, known as Vikings, Norsemen or Danes, came from Scandinavia. In the ninth century they conquered and settled the extreme north and west of Scotland, and also some coastal regions of Ireland. Their conquest of England was halted when were defeated by King Alfred of the Saxon kingdom of Wessex. This resulted in an agreement which divided England between Wessex, in the south and west, and the ‘Danelaw’ in the north and east.
However, the cultural differences between Anglo-Saxons and Danes were comparatively small. They led roughly the same way of life and spoke two varieties of the same Germanic tongue (which combined to form the basis of modern English). These similarities made political unification easier, and by the end of the tenth century England was one kingdom with a Germanic culture throughout.
Задание 2. Расставьте события в правильном порядке (согласно тексту).
1. A number of tribes from the north-western Europe invaded and settled in Britain.
2. Vikings came from Scandinavia.
3. The Romans imposed their own way of life and culture.
4. The Romans occupied Britain.
5. The Anglo-Saxons introduced new farming methods and founded the thousands of villages.
6. A Celtic tribe called the Scots migrated from Ireland to Scotland.
7. King Alfred defeated Danes.
8. An army of Celtic Britons under the command of King Arthur fought with the Anglo-Saxons.
9. Celts arrived in the country from Europe.
10. England became one kingdom with a Germanic culture.
English Language Centre [Reading and Speaking Practice]
Задание 1. Прочитайте текст о роли английского языка и скажите, сколько людей в мире разговаривают на этом языке.
English has become a world language, because of the political and economic progress made by English-speaking nations in the past 200 years, and is likely to remain so, gradually consolidating its position.
A variety of facts about usage support this view. According to conservative estimates, mother-tongue speakers have now reached around 300 million; a further 300 million use English as a second language; and a further 100 million use it fluently as a foreign language. This is an increase of around 40 % since the 1950 s. More radical estimates, which include speakers with a lower level of language fluency and awareness, have suggested that the overall total these days is more than 1,000 million. The variation results largely from a lack of precise data about English language use in such areas as the Indian sub-continent and China, where there has been a burst of enthusiasm for English language studies in recent years, with over 100 million people watching the ВВС television English series Follow Me.
One visitor, returning to China in 1979 after a gap of 20 years, wrote: «In 1959, everyone was carrying a book of the thoughts of Chairman Мао; today, everyone is carrying a book of elementary English».
Задание 2: Определите, какие утверждения соответствуют тексту, исправьте неверные из них.
1. English is not only the world language now, it will also be the world language in the future.
2. Some estimates show that 700 million people speak English; other estimates suggest that more than 1,000 million people speak English.
3. People in China would rather watch TV than study English.
4. In 1959 people in China preferred Mao’s books to other books.
Задание 3. Ответьте на вопросы, выбрав один из предложенных вариантов ответа.
1. Why has English become a world language?
a) Because people in China speak it.
b) Because it is easy enough.
c) Because English-speaking nations have been leading in economic and political progress.
2. Why is it difficult to estimate how many people use English?
a) Many of them give up at an early stage.
b) Nobody can estimate how many people use it in India and China.
c) It is difficult to count people.
3. Why do many people in China watch a Follow me programme?
a) They like to watch BBC programmes.
b) They want to know more about English-speaking countries.
c) They want to learn English.
4. What is the idea of the last paragraph?
a) In China people have become indifferent to books which are not in English.
b) In China people consider learning English to be more important than Mao's wise thoughts.
c) In China most people know English on the elementary level.
Задание 4. В предложенной аннотации подставьте подходящие по смыслу слова.
English is a world l _______________. 300 million people use it as a m _______________, 300 million people use English as a s ________ language; and 100 million people use it as a f ___________ language. More radical e __________ have suggested that more than 1,000 million people speak English nowadays. People in China are especially interested in English.
Задание 5. Примите участие в беседе, опираясь на информацию, полученную из текста. Дополните недостающие фразы в диалоге.
Your friend: I wonder how many people in the world speak English?
You: Well, you know, quite a lot.
___________________________________________________________
Your friend: That’s amazing! Why is English so popular?
You: It’s strange that you don’t know it. Just because … .
Your friend: Do you learn English?
You: Sure, I do my best. I read texts in English and practice speaking English.
Your friend: How clever you are! How can I start learning English?
You: Take a book of elementary English and … .
Your friend: OK, I see.
Задание 6. Инсценируйте диалог.
Topic 4
Задание 1. Прочитайте рассказ «Американский Перец» и скажите, к чему привело то, что в семье никто не знал английского языка.
The American Pepper
«Mummy! Mummy!» shouted little Murna racing from the front door through to the kitchen. «There's a parcel. The postman's brought a parcel!»
Her mother, Savni, looked at her in surprise. She had no idea who could have sent them a parcel. Maybe it was a mistake. She hurried to the door to find out. Sure enough, the postman was there, holding a parcel about the size of a small brick.
«From America, madam», he said. «See! American stamps».
It was true. In the top right-hand corner of the brown paper parcel were three strange-looking stamps, showing a man's head. The package was addressed to Savni, in big, clear black letters.
«Well, I suppose it must be from Great-Aunt Pasni», said Savni to herself, as the postman went on his way down the street, whistling. «Although it must be twenty years since we heard anything from her. I thought she would have been dead by now».
Savni's husband Jornas and her son Arinas were just coming in from the garden, where Murna had run to tell them about the parcel. «Well, open it then!» said Arinas impatiently. «Let's see what's inside!»
Setting the parcel down in the middle of the table, Savni carefully began to tear open the paper. Inside, there was a large silver container with a hinged lid, which was taped shut. There was also a letter.
«What is it? What is it?» demanded Murna impatiently. «Is it a present?»
«I have no idea», said Savni in confusion. «I think it must be from Great-Aunt Pasni. She went to America almost thirty years ago now. But we haven't heard from her in twenty years. Perhaps the letter will tell us». She opened the folded page cautiously, then looked up in dismay. «Well, this is no help!» she said in annoyance. «It's written in English! How does she expect us to read English? We're poor people, we have no education. Maybe Pasni has forgotten her native language, after thirty years in America».
«Well, open the pot, anyway», said Jornas. «Let's see what's inside».
Cautiously, Savni pulled the tape from the neck of the silver pot, and opened the lid. Four heads touched over the top of the container, as their owners stared down inside.
«Strange», said Arinas. «All I see is powder». The pot was about one-third full of a kind of light-grey powder.
«What is it?» asked Murna, mystified.
«We don't know, darling», said Savni, stroking her daughter's hair. «What do you think?» Murna stared again into the pot.
«I think it's coffee», she announced, finally. «American coffee».
«It's the wrong colour for coffee, darling», said Jornas thoughtfully. «But maybe she's on the right track. It must be some kind of food». Murna, by now, had her nose right down into the pot. Suddenly, she lifted her head and sneezed loudly.
«Id god ub by doze», she explained.
«That's it!» said Arinas. «It must be pepper! Let me try some». Dipping a finger into the powder, he licked it. «Yes», he said, «it's pepper all right. Mild, but quite tasty. It's American pepper».
«All right,» said Savni, «we'll try it on the stew tonight. We'll have American-style stew!»
That evening, the whole family agreed that the American pepper had added a special extra taste to their usual evening stew. They were delighted with it. By the end of the week, there was only a teaspoonful of the grey powder left in the silver container. Then Savni called a halt.
«We're saving the last bit for Sunday. Dr. Haret is coming to dinner, and we'll let him have some as a special treat. Then it will be finished».
The following Sunday, the whole family put on their best clothes, ready for dinner with Dr. Haret. He was the local doctor, and he had become a friend of the family many years before, when he had saved Arinas's life after an accident. Once every couple of months, Savni invited the doctor for dinner, and they all looked forward to his entertaining stories of his youth at the university in the capital.
During dinner, Savni explained to the doctor about the mysterious American pepper, the last of which she had put in the stew they were eating, and the letter they could not read.
«Well, give it to me, give it to me!» said the doctor briskly. «I speak English! I can translate it for you».
Savni brought the letter, and the family waited, fascinated, as the doctor began to translate.
«Dear Savni: you don't know me, but I am the son of your old Great-Aunt Pasni. She never talked much to us about the old country, but in her final illness earlier this year, she told us that after her death, she wanted her ashes to be sent back home to you, so that you could scatter them on the hills of the country where she was born. My mother died two weeks ago, and her funeral and cremation took place last week. I am sending her ashes to you in a silver casket. Please do as she asked, and spread them over the ground near where she was born. Your cousin, George Leary».
Задание 2. Ответьте на вопросы, выбрав один из предложенных вариантов ответа.
1. Where does this story take place?
a) America, b) Arinas, c) India,d) The text doesn't say.
2. How was the parcel wrapped?
a) in brown paper, b) in silver paper, c) in grey paper, d) in tape.
3. Who was Savni?
a) a little girl, b) the Great-Aunt, c) the mother of the family, d) the son of the family.
4. Why don't the family read the letter?
a) They are too impatient to look in the container,
b) It is addressed to the doctor.
c) It is in English,
d) It is missing.
5. What does Murna think is in the pot?
a) dust, b) ashes, c) coffee, d) pepper.
6. Why does Arinas think that the powder is pepper?
a) It tastes very hot,
b) It makes Murna sneeze,
c) It is written on the pot.
d) The letter says so.
7. What does the family do with the powder?
a) They keep it to give to the doctor,
b) They send it back to America.
c) They make drinks with it,
d) They put it on their food.
8. Why does Savni save the last bit of the powder?
a) as a souvenir,
b) for Dr. Haret,
c) to analyse it,
d) to spread it on the hills.
9. How does Dr. Haret solve the mystery?
a) He analyses the powder,
b) He recognizes the powder.
c) He is a friend of Pasni,
d) He translates the letter.
10. What was really in the pot?
a) coffee, b) Great-Aunt Pasni, c) dust, d) special American pepper.
Adjective — прилагательное
Case — падеж
Conditionals — способы выражения условия
Gender — род
Gerund — герундий
Infinitive — инфинитив
Modal verb — модальный глагол
Noun — существительное
Number — число
Numerals — числительные
Participle — причастие
Passive voice — пассивный залог
Present — настоящее (время)
Past — прошедшее (время)
Pronoun — местоимение
Reported Speech — косвенная речь
sb — somebody
sth — something
V — verb — глагол
Verbals — неличные формы глагола
Wishes — выражение желаний
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