Английский язык. Пятьдесят тем для продолжающих. Уровень В1

19. Is Julia good or bad at maths?

20. What kind of teacher is she really?

Training 1

The best teachers are always very strict, but they make their lessons really interesting. You work hard and they don’t accept any sort of low quality homework. They pack a lot into the lessons. They talk to us as intelligent adults. They expect that we can understand what they are explaining and work fast. The best teachers have strong characters and they are really interested in their subject.

Training 2

The other teachers that are good, but not brilliant, are a bit too easy-going. They are not strict and don’t have a strong character. You can give in poor homework and not learn anything. They try to make their lessons interesting but they can’t keep discipline and their students don’t listen, and sometimes do terrible things in the classroom.

5. Birthdays and Name Days

We don’t actually have name days in Britain. So, we celebrate only birthdays. Of course, these are big events for children. Usually parents buy one big present for the child and other small presents. And, of course, all the other family members give the child presents, and school friends, too. Parents usually organize the birthday party. And children usually arrive in the early afternoon. There is always a birthday cake with candles. And the birthday child has to blow out all the candles and make a wish. Parents organize games. A birthday party for ten, fifteen or twenty small kids is a difficult experience. Teenagers are a different problem for parents. Teenagers want to have discos. They want beer and music and they don’t want their parents in the house. One of the most important birthdays for a teenager is their eighteenth birthday. That is usually the age where parents will try and give them a big important present, for example, driving lessons. Some rich parents give their eighteen-year-old a car. And the next important birthday is the twenty-first. I think a birthday is like a family holiday. And the family will come together for a meal in the evening. Sometimes friends or family organize a surprise birthday party. A person comes home. And suddenly everybody jumps out from the darkness and says, “Surprise! Happy Birthday!” I think that is really nice. That happened to me once. And we had a great evening. I think it was one of my best birthdays. Actually, I like special surprise birthdays, like surprise parties or surprise presents, like a flight in a hot air balloon. That is a really great present.

1. Do the British usually celebrate name days?

2. What do they celebrate?

3. Who likes birthdays most of all?

4. What kind of presents do parents usually buy?

5. Who else usually gives presents to a birthday child?

6. What do parents often organize?

7. What is a child’s birthday party like?

8. Why is a birthday cake so important?

9. What does the birthday child have to do?

10. Why is a teenager’s birthday party a problem for parents?

11. What is a typical teenager’s birthday party like?

12. What is one of the most important birthdays?

13. What kind of presents do parents try to give on this occasion?

14. What is a typical present from well-to-do parents?

15. When is the next important birthday?

16. Why do we say a birthday is like a family holiday?

17. What is a surprise party like?

18. Has Julia ever had a surprise party?

19. How did she like her surprise party?

20. What else can make a birthday really special?

Training 1

Birthdays are big events for children. Usually parents buy one big present for the child and various other, small presents. All the other family members and school friends give the child presents, too. Parents usually organize a birthday party. There is always a birthday cake with candles. The birthday child has to blow out all the candles and make a wish. And parents usually organize games.

Training 2

A birthday is like a family holiday. The family will come together for a meal in the evening. Sometimes friends or family organize a surprise birthday party. A person comes home and suddenly everybody jumps out from the darkness and says, “Surprise! Happy Birthday!” Julia likes special surprise birthdays, she likes surprise parties or surprise presents, like a flight in a hot air balloon, which is a fantastic present.