UNIT 1
1. Listening Comprehension
Imagine you are travelling abroad by plane. On board of the plane you can watch and listen to travel agencies’ commercials inviting you to visit different countries.
Listen to the commercial about Australia. Complete the following information about Australia using the appropriate geographical names below. You will hear the text twice.
- Sydney
- Great Victoria
- Canberra
- Kosciusko
- Great Dividing Range
- Melbourne
- Great Sandy
- Murray
- Tasmania
- Australian Alp
- Adelaide
- Brisbane
- Darling
- Perth
- Port Jackson Bay
Australia is formed of one big island and one small one called (1) __________.
The most famous Australia’s mountain chaine is the (2) __________.
Its eastern part is called the (3) _________.
Its highest point is called (4) ___________.
The longest river in Australia is (5) ___________.
The largest city in Australia is (6) ___________.
The largest deserts are the (7) __________ and the (8) _________.
Sydney overlooks (9) _______________.
The best known river in Australia is the (10) _________.
The western state city is (11) _________.
(12) _____________ is located in South Australia.
2. Reading Comprehension
Read the text. Five sentences can been removed from it. Choose from the sentences A-G below one which fits each gap (1-5). There are two extra sentences which you do not need to use.
A. They have to make new friends wherever they go.
B. People have few babies because of birth control and the high cost of raising children.
C. Values and people are changing in the United States.
D. The Americans worry about the same things as other people in the world, about their children, and what their lives will be.
E. They seldom moved from one place to another and usually knew their neighbours well.
F. Religion is a private issue.
G. The Americans are getting older and the number of senior citizens increases.
A Changing America
In the past fifty years American society has changed much. Fifty years ago most Americans lived in small communities.
(1) _________________________________________.
Life was so personal that people often joked about it. It was difficult to have privacy in small community like that. Some people dreamed about moving to big cities, but most people were happy to live all their lives in the same place.
Now people often move from place to place. It is rare to find people whohave lived all their lives in one community. They go to warmer parts of the country, to some of the older cities, to some large suburban areas.
(2) _________________________________________.
The American population is changing. There are now more Asian Americans and Spanish Americans than ever before.
(3) _________________________________________.
The American family has changed too. The number of divorces increased. Americans are not likely to remain in a marriage that has problems. They are not forced by economic, social or religious pressure to stay married.
(4) _________________________________________.
American women work more now, but still don’t have the same opportunities for equal salaries and career as men. They often find that they have two jobs now: taking care of the house and the children and working at the office.
(5) _________________________________________.
They worry about international terrorism. They know that this time is a period of change and many difficulties, but perhaps the pioneer spirit which built the country will help Americans change, improve and adapt to the future.
3. Use of Englsh (Grammar/Vocabulary)
1. While you are in Britain you may possibly want to send a postcard or even a small packet to your family at home.
Rewrite the following questions you may ask so that they sound more polite. There is an example (0) at the beginning.
- Where can I get the city map? Could you tell me, where I can get the city map?
- Where is the nearest post office?
- Is there a post office near here?
- What are the opening hours for post offices?
- How much is the postcard to Russia?
- How should I fill in this form?
- Is this the right way to put the address?
- Are there any weight limits for small packets?
- Can I pay by Thomas Cook traveller’s card?
- Do I have to pay extra for this stamp?
- Did you receive any letters for my name?
2. Choose the correct word or word combination in brackets to complete the information about Australia and its people. There is an example (0) at the beginning.
0 (Thanks to the fact that/Thanks to/So) its geographical position Australia is called the Land Down Under. 1 (Because/That’s why/So that) most Australians live near the sea, sport is very popular, especially water sports. Australians are largely of Britain origin 2 (because/due to/so) they maintain close ties with the mother country. 3 (Because/ So/That’s why) many Australians live near the coast, it’s not surprising that ‘going to the beach’is almost a way of life. 4 (So/Due to/That’s why) its overall flatness and regular coastline, Australia is often called a ‘sprawling pancake’ (растекшийся блин). A lot of children live on cattle or ship stations hundreds of kilometres from towns, 5 (because/due to/that’s why) they go to boarding schools or stay at home and take correspondence courses. One of the most interesting things about Australia’s geography is its animal life, 6 (because/so/that’s why) it has many animals that are unlike those found in other parts of the world. 7 (Thanks to/Due to the fact that/So that) Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere, far away from Asia, Africa, and Europe, it has been called the ‘last place on the earth’.
3. Use the articles before the geographical names if necessary and the words from the box below to complete the facts about well-known places. There are two examples (0) (00) at the beginning.
- Canyon
- deepest
- flat
- desert
- island
- range
- oceans
- Plain
(0) The Sahara is the largest (00) desert in the world.
(1) ___ Lake Baikal is the (2) ______ in the world.
(3) ___ Pacific is the largest of the four (4) ______.
(5) ___ Cordillera is the most extensive mountain (6) ______ in the world.
One of the most famous tourist attractions in (7) ____ America is (8) ____ Grand (9) _______ in (10) ___
Arizona.
(11) ___ Australia is the world’s largest (12) ______.
The relief of (13) ___Russia is mostly (14) ______. It’s located on (15) ____Great Russian (16) _____ and (17) ___ Western Siberian Plain.
4. Cultural Awareness
1. Mark this information about countries with T if it is true and with F if it is false.
- Great Britain is the world’s largest island.
- In the USA people live within four time zones.
- In the UK the seasons are the other way round.
- Cockney is spoken in Australia.
- The USA is known for the frontier experience.
- Great Britain covers a territory of two large islands: Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- The USA is sometimes called the Land Down Under.
- Russia is located on two plains: the Great Russian Plain and the Eastern Siberian Plain.
- British people started the fashion for seaside holidays.
- Many Australians live far away from towns in the outbacks.
2. Translate the following sentences.
- Соединенное Королевство – это островное государство.
- Соединенные Штаты Америки омываются Атлантическим океаном на востоке и Тихим океаном на западе.
- Озеро Байкал – одно из самых больших озер в России.
- Сибирь богата природными ресурсами.
- Австралия расположена к югу от экватора.