Министерство образования Российской Федерации

Федеральное агентство по образованиюВосточно-Сибирский Государственный

Технологический Университет

Методические указания иконтрольное задание №5 по английскому языку

для студентов заочного отделенияспециальности «Социальная работа»

Составители Доржиева Г.Б. Мантатова С.С.

Левчук Э.Т.

Издательство ВСГТУ Улан-Удэ

2005

Методические рекомендации к контрольной работе № 5

Контрольная работа № 5 является заключительной всерии контрольных работ по иностранному языку,предусмотренных учебным планом для студентов заочногоотделения, специальности «Социальная работа».

Контрольная работа состоит из двух частей.Первая часть – это контрольная работа, состоящая из

пяти вариантов. В каждом варианте предложены 2 текста иупражнения к ним, подготавливающие студентов ксоставлению аннотации статьи.

Вторая часть контрольной работы предлагаетдополнительный материал, дающий студентам гуманитарныхспециальностей возможность закрепления полученныхнавыков и умений при работе с литературой на иностранномязыке.

Цель контрольной работы №5 – подвести студентов кмонологическому высказыванию и подготовить их к сдачеэкзамена по иностранному языку.

Задания построены на аутентичном материале,заимствованном из оригинальных публикаций.

Рекомендуемая литература:1. D.K. Stevenson. American Life and Institutions.

Washington D.C. 19942. Linguist Corner. Moscow News 2002 – 2004.

Ключевые слова: welfare, parents, children, American family,society, community, national programs, upbringing, Medicare,demographics.

Подписано в печать 13.01.2005г. Формат 60х84 1/16. Усл.п.л.3,26, уч.-изд.л. 3,2. Тираж 150 экз. Заказ №2.Издательство ВСГТУ. г. Улан-Удэ, ул. Ключевская,40в.

Контрольная работа №5Вариант 1

Задание I.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.Why is it necessary for Americans to hold surveys and opinion polls?

Vocabulary list:1. opinion poll – опрос общественного мнения2. census (n) – перепись3. specific (a) – особенный4. be fascinated (v) – быть очарованным5. tax (n) – налог6. descriptive (a) – описательный7. available (a) – доступный

Demographics – the Basic Picture

1. Although it is difficult to paint a picture of the average Americantoday, there is no difficulty in obtaining data to describe Americansociety. Americans seem to be fascinated by surveys, research studies,questionnaires, and opinion polls which describe them and their country.Tons of such demographic material appear each year. The main reasonso much information is available about America and Americans is foundin the Constitution.

2. The Constitution of the United States specifies that a nationwidecensus, a “head count” of all Americans, must be taken every five years.The census is necessary to determine what changes there might havebeen in the population. The number of representatives each state canelect to the House of Representatives, for example, it is determined bypopulation. Similarly, the figures are very important in establishing howmuch money from federal taxes will be returned to the states, or howmuch cities will receive in aid from the federal government. Today thecensus also gives a wealth of other information on almost any aspect ofAmerican life. The information is public and easily available, andanyone interested in accurate descriptive data on the U.S. should consultthe most recent edition of the Statistical Abstract of the United States.

3. Here we are interested in basic information about Americansociety, with more specific data given in other chapters. This type ofinformation, for example, tells us that the United States is a country withan area of 3.6 million square miles and has a population density of only

66 people per square mile. By comparison, the population density ofItaly is 491, that of the Netherlands 918, that of the West Germany 635per square mile. Also of basic interest is how the U.S. population can becategorized by race and ethnic origin.

II. Rewrite the following words, find their derivatives from the text andtranslate them.

Model: compare – comparison (сравнение)

1. compare2. describe3. represent4. question5. nation

III. Choose and write down the words with similar meaning:Model: Obtain = get, …Obtain, aid, establish, specific, wealth, get, help, prosperity, set,

peculiar.

IV. Match the following words with their definitions:Model: 1. Survey – d) examining in detail

1. survey a) the situation or position2. population b) the beginning of something3. receive c) without mistakes, exact4. figure d) examining in detail5. accurate e) to get something6. density f) the facts from which conclusion may be

drawn7. origin g) the total number of people in a given country8. wealth h) a symbol that represents a number

9. aspect i) the quantity of something per unit area10. data j) all goods and resources having monetary

value

V. Read these sentences and arrange them according to the logic of thetext.

1. The United States statistical abstract gives fully descriptive dataon all aspects of American life.

2. The goal of the census is to reveal changes in the populationevery decade.

3. It is easy to describe a typical American today becausedemographic materials appear each year.

4. The basic information about American society is connected withpopulation density.

5. A nationwide census is necessary to determine the amount ofmoney for taxes given back to the state and aid from the federalgovernment.

VI. Rewrite and translate passage 2 in written form.

Задание II.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.How are health and welfare concerns viewed in the United States?

Vocabulary list:1. self-reliant frontiersman – полагающийся на себя житель

пограничной полосы2. axe (n) – топор3. circle (v) – ставить кругом4. barn-raising (a) – строительство складов, амбаров5. ingenuity (n) – изобретательность6. pluck (n) – смелость7. compassionate (a) – сострадательный, сочувствующий8. snakebite – змеиный укус

Welfare1. The images from America’s past reflect how health and welfare

concerns are viewed in the United States. The first image is that of theself-reliant frontiersman. Armed with only an axe, a rifle, a Bible, and astrong will (and sometimes a bottle of whiskey against “snakebite”), hegoes out into the wilderness alone and survives. He asks no man for help(“God helps them that help themselves”).

2. The second historical image is that of the pioneer community,the groups that circled their wagons for protection, shared their food, andhelped each other when things got rough. They came together to buildeach other’s houses. They had great barn-rising parties in whicheveryone took part. All together helped to build the community school,hire the teacher, find the doctor, fight the fire and pay the sheriff. When

a neighbor needed help, the help was there (“A friend in need is a friendindeed”).

3. There is some historical truth in both images. Obviously manymillions did make it in America with more than a little help from theirfriends. Other had enough ingenuity, pluck and luck to make it on theirown. The famous rags-to-riches and poverty-to-power stories had andhave real-life parallels. But there are also the many who did not succeedin America. There were those who, working long hours in factories or“sweatshops”, were too tired to educate themselves when the day wasdone. There were also those who could not move to where the grass wasgreener because they were kept where the cotton grew.

4. Social welfare in the United States has always been torn betweenthe concepts of the independent, self-reliant individual and theinterdependent, caring community. Generous to other nations,Americans have been much less charitable at home. They have oftenappeared to be more compassionate towards victims of earthquakes,drought, and famine than towards people in need in their own land.There seems to be more truth in the observation that Americans veryoften are too proud to ask for help and welfare. Education and technicalskills have long since replaced the axe and the hunting rifle. But someAmericans still feel that people who can’t find some kind of worksomewhere deserve in part what they get or don’t get.

Notes:1. drought [draut] – засуха2. famine [f min] - голод3. rags-to-riches, poverty-to-power – из низов в верхи

II. а) Read the following sentences and point out the numbers of thesentences which correspond to the content of the text. b) Correct sentences with the wrong information and rewrite.

1. The main principles of relationships were to share food and helpeach other when things got rough.

2. A strong belief in God and self-reliance helped to survive to thefirst Americans.

3. Having worked in factories people moved to the places wherethe grass was greener and life conditions were better.

4. Charity is an inherent characteristic in Americans.5. Americans still follow the concept of independence and caring

community as an indispensable part of well-being.

III. Read the text again and write out treats of character that describe aself-made person:

Model: Interdependence, …1. generosity2. strictness3. wildness4. interdependence5. strong will6. compassion7. self-reliance8. sympathy9. charity10. ingenuity

IV. Entitle each paragraph of the text using the given headings:1. Two historical images.2. Compassionate Americans.3. Self-reliance is a treat of character of the first frontiersman.4. Americans prefer to obtain welfare support.5. Mutual assistance in pioneer community.

V. Rewrite and translate passages 2,3 in written form.

VI. Clichés for rendering of the article:I. INTRODUCTIONThe headline of the article

- The article I’ve read (looked through) is headlined …(isentitled…, is called…)

- The article under rendering is entitled…- The article is headlined…

II. GIST (the main idea of the article)- The article is devoted to …, is about…, is concerned…- The article deals with …, touches upon …, concerns…- The main idea of the article is…

III. SUMMARY (the contents of the article)- The story opens with…- In the introduction to the article the author mentions…- The author believes, depicts, dwells on, touches on, explains,

considers, analyses, comments on, points out, enumerates,makes a few critical remarks on, accuses, exposes.

- The article goes on to say that…- According to the article...- The story ends with…- Finally, the author concludes that…

IV.THE PROBLEMS raised in the article. The author’s treatment of theproblems.

- The author raises the problem of …- Saying all these the author raises the problem …- The problem raised by the author is very serious / acute,

pressing…V. COMMENTS (your treatment of the problem).

- I agree with the author here… - I disagree with the author and I’d like to reason it…

- In my commentary I’d like to dwell on …/ point out, emphasize,outline, analyze…

VI. CONCLUSION (your opinion of the article).- In conclusion I’d like to say…- I found the article up-to-date / urgent, topical, dull, of no value,

of no importance…- The article turned out to be very informative…


Задание I.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.What is the composition of the “traditional” American family?

Vocabulary list:1. affect (v) – влиять2. the Census Bureau – Бюро переписи населения3. household (n) – домашний круг, семья4. sample (n) – образец5. survey (n) – исследование6. couple (n) – супружеская пара7. divorce (n) – развод8. wedlock (n) – брак

Changes in the “Traditional” American Family

1. The U.S. government is interested in trends that affect theAmerican family. To investigate how families are changing, every tenyears the U.S. Census Bureau collects data on all American households.From the information it receives, the bureau examines such importantaspects of American life as family size and composition. It can thencompare its findings with the results of the censuses taken in the past toidentify trends in the American family.

2. Information from a sample of 57,400 households surveyed by theCensus Bureau in March of 1990 indicates that the “traditional”American family – a family consisting of two parents and children underthe age of 18 - is on the decline. The “traditional” family made up only40 percent of U.S. households in 1970, 31 percent in 1980, and 26percent in the year 1990. The more than 70 percent of households fallingoutside of the category “traditional” family includes - householdsconsisting of never–married parents and children, divorced parents andchildren, couples without children, parents and children over 18 years ofage, people living alone, and unrelated adults living in the samehousehold.

3. Findings of this survey reveal other interesting trends inAmerican family life. One finding was that while the rate of divorce and

childbirth out of wedlock (involving couples not married) continued toincrease, both of these phenomena increased at a slower pace during the1980s than during the previous decade. But the number of unmarriedcouples living together appears to be increasing rapidly, with the numberin the 1990 survey showing an 80 percent increase over the number in1980. The long-term general trend toward smaller families was shown tocontinue, with the size of the average American household droppingfrom 3.67 people in 1940, to 3.14 in 1970, to 2.76 in 1980 to a low of2.63 in 1990.


Model : find – findings (зд. новые факты),

1. find2. marry3. relate4. composite

5. child

III. Choose and write down the words with similar meaning:Model: reveal = make known, …

Reveal, go on, rapidly, fall, continue, make known, include, quickly,drop, involve.

IV. Match the following words with their definitions:Model: 1.data – e) the figures or facts from whichconclusion may be drawn

1. data а) to decay, fall2. investigate b) a person’s step in walking3. trend c) to establish as the same or similar4. indicate d) a general direction5. identify e) the figures or facts from which

conclusion may be drawn6. rate f) be not connected to each other by marriage7. pace g) to point out8. increase h) the measure of something to a fixed unit9. decline i) to become larger or greater10. unrelated j) to examine carefully


1. It was noticed that the rate of divorce and childbirth out ofwedlock increased more slowly during the 1980s than during theprevious decade.

2. There are many interesting trends in American family life.3. The US Census Bureau gathers data on all the US households.4. The size of the typical American family is constantly

decreasing.5. According to the last Census Bureau survey never married

parents and children, divorced parents and children, coupleswithout children became more widespread in Americanhouseholds.


Задание II.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.What national programs does the federal government finance?

Vocabulary list:1. shelter (n) – приют, пристанище2. voluntary service – добровольная служба3. charity (n) – благотворительность4. eligibility (n)– право на избрание5. insurance (n) – страхование6. nutrition (n) – питание, пища7. recipient (n) – получатель8. alleviate (v) – облегчать смягчать

The Social Welfare Legislation

1. The welfare situation improved greatly through social welfarelegislation of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the mid-1930s. Today, of course,there are many federal, state and local programs that helped theunemployed, shelter, and feed the homeless, and care for the sick. Localcommunity institutions, churches, charitable groups, and voluntaryservice organizations also play a large part. There is no single welfaresystem, but rather a mosaic of measures created to help those in need.

2. If someone losses his or her job, for example, there may be anumber of benefits he/she is entitled to, ranging from full pay up to acertain period, reduced percentage thereafter, state unemploymentcompensation, eligibility for retraining, pension plan, and paymentsfrom a company–sponsored or private unemployment insurance.Health costs may also be covered by union contract with themanagement. In case of long-term unemployment, federal funds can beclaimed.

3. The federal government sets nationwide standards for theminimum hourly wage level, or the official poverty level. It finances andorganizes national programs such as Social Security, Aid to Familieswith Dependent Children, the Food Stamps program, UnemploymentInsurance, and Workmen‘s Compensation, Supplemental SecurityIncome, Medicare, and Medicaid. These different program help alleviatefinancial problems for the elderly and/or those who cannot work orafford proper nutrition and health care. In 1986, over $450 billion wasspent by the federal government on social welfare.

4. Programs and amounts of support vary greatly among the statesand depend on the individual social and economic situation of therecipient.


1. Federal programs depend on economic status of the recipient.2. The welfare situation dramatically changed during Franklin D.

Roosevelt period of governing.3. There aren’t benefits that can be obtained by individuals, if they

are fired.4. The federal government sets nationwide standards.5. There are many welfare programs created to help unemployed

and poor people.

III. Read the text again and write out funds which can help if youa) are in need of foodb) are sickc) are unemployedd) have many children

Model: a – Social Security

1. Medicare2. Social Security3. Supplemental Security Income4. Food Stamps program5. Medicaid6. Unemployment Insurance7. Workmen’s Compensation8. Aid to Families with Dependent Children

IV. Entitle each paragraph of the text using the given headings:1. Role of the different programs.

2. Help for unemployed. 3. Medicaid federal programs. 4. Organizations and funds. 5. Variety of federal programs from state to state.

















Задание I.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.What were the reasons for immigration for people from all over theworld? Did they come by their own choice?

Vocabulary list:1. starvation (n) – голод2. persecution (n) – преследование3. refugee (n) – беженец4. turmoil (n) – беспорядок, смятение5. heritage (n) – наследие6. intoleration (n) – нетерпимость7. disaster (n) – катастрофа8. flee (fled, fled) (v) – бежать прочь

Patterns of Immigration

1. Major changes in the pattern of immigration have been caused bywars, revolutions, periods of starvation, persecutions, religiousintoleration, and, in short, by any number of disasters which led peopleto believe that America was a better place to be. More than a millionIrish, for instance, emigrated to America between 1846 and 1851in orderto escape starvation and disease in Ireland. During the same period, largenumbers of other Europeans fled political persecution. And in the 1870sanother wave of refugees left the political turmoil of eastern andsouthern Europe to seek freedom and a future in America. The largeststreams of European immigrants came between 1900 and 1920, that is,before, after, and during World War II. At other times, for example,during the Depression and during World War II, smaller numbers ofimmigrants came to the U.S. Since the 1960s, more and more peoplehave fled the poverty and wars in Asia and Latin America in the hope offinding a better life in the United States.

2. There is, of course, another side to America’s ethnic pluralismand racial variety, one that Americans, more than any other people, areaware of. The first slaves brought to what is today the United Statesarrived to Virginia on board a Dutch ship in 1619. On the eve of theAmerican Revolution, slavery was already firmly established in what

was shortly to be the United States of America. In 1776, probably abouta fifth of all inhabitants in the British colonies in America were Negroslaves.

3. Between 1777 and 1804, all states in the new republic north ofMaryland abolished slavery. However, neither the north nor the southwould escape the grave social, economic, political, and moral problemsthat are the heritage of slavery. Although the Civil War (1861 – 1865)brought an end to slavery in all of the states, discrimination againstblacks would continue. Ironically, some countries that were among thegreatest slave – trading nations for so long, such as Portugal, Spain, andEngland, have largely escaped the consequences which almost allAmericans have come to accept as rightly theirs. Americans know thatalthough most of their ancestors came to America by choice, a greatmany did not.


Model: plural – pluralism (плюрализм)

1. plural2. tolerance3. starve4. persecute5. slave

III. Choose and write down the words with similar meaning:Model: Disease = illness, …

Disease, turmoil, establish, accept, continue, adopt, go on, illness,commotion, found.

IV. Match the following words with their definitions:Model: 1. abolish – f) to put to an end

1. abolish a) to search for2. slave b) the opportunity3. eve c) to move from one country to settle

elsewhere4. inhabitant d) a person held against his will and

made to work for another5. escape e) forefather6. emigrate f) to put to an end

7. consequence g) the evening before a special day orholyday

8. seek h) to get free9. ancestor i) the natural result from a preceding

action10. choice j) a person who resides permanently


1. Slavery was abolished in all the states north of Maryland in thelate 18th and early 19th centuries.

2. Ethnic pluralism and racial variety characterizes Americansociety.

3. Many people have immigrated to the USA because of wars,revolutions, periods of starvation, persecutions, and religiousintoleration in order to find a better life.

4. The first slaves appeared in America, in Virginia.5. The majority of European immigrants came to the United States

in the first decades of the 20th century.V1. Rewrite and translate passage 1 in written form.

Задание II.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.What do “workfare” programs require?

Vocabulary list:1. per capita – на человека2. assess (v) – оценивать

3. recipient (n) – получатель 4. remedial (a) – коррективный

5. exempt (v) – освобождать6. encourage (v) – способствовать7. decent (a) – минимальный

Welfare Support

1. There are, however, astonishing difference in the degree towhich states provide welfare support for their citizens. Counting state

and local funds only, the state of New York spends about $385 a year foreach one of its citizens on its poor, while Arizona only spends $68, andFlorida $78 per capita of their populations. Obviously if one is poor orsick, it is better to be in New York than in Arizona.

2. Likewise, although the states should be spending an equalamount of money when given federal funds (federal grants often requirematching funds from states and local communities), each state’s welfaredepartment assesses its own citizen’s needs. As a result, in the AFDSprogram, designed to benefit children being raised in single-parentfamilies, Alaska provides over six times as much assistance (in 1986, anaverage of $730 per month to a parent with two children) as doesAlabama (only $118 per family). Some states provide a lot of help, andothers, giving very little, seem to hope that their poor will go elsewhere.

3. Since the 1070s, a number of states have started so-called“workfare” (work + welfare) programs which require welfare recipientsto work or to participate in job training programs. In about half of states,programs are in effect which try to place welfare recipients in public-service jobs. Families with preschool children are exempted from workrequirements. By providing remedial education, vocational training, andchildcare, state governments want to encourage welfare recipients,especially families receiving AFDS, to get jobs with decent wages andprospects for long-term employment.

4. Some of state’s workfare programs have met with goodsuccess. In Massachusetts, for example, 20,000 welfare recipients wereplaced in jobs within two years. California’s new welfare-reform lawprovides for up to two years of training for unfilled jobs to welfarerecipients, and free childcare. Other states have started similar efforts tohelp people get off welfare and into permanent jobs.


1. Different states provide equal welfare support for their citizens.2. The AFDS program is aimed to help sick people.3. Families receiving AFDC are encouraged by government.4. Participation in workfare programs is obligatory.5. Workfare programs in Massachusetts and in California have

been highly appreciated by people.

III. Read the text again and write out the amount of money and helpprovided for welfare support in the following states.

1. Alaska2. California3. New York4. Massachusetts5. Alabama6. Florida7. Arizona

IV. Entitle each paragraph of the text using the given headings:

1. Successful results of the welfare programs. 2. Childcare is the main target of the US government support. 3. Welfare program for single parent families. 4. Different standards of welfare support. 5. Job training programs.








- The article goes on to say that…- According to the article...- The story ends with…

- Finally, the author concludes that…IV.THE PROBLEMS raised in the article. The author’s treatment of theproblems.








Задание I.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.When was the Social Security program established?

Vocabulary list:1. be desperate – быть доведенным до отчаяния2. through applied intelligence – применяя сообразительность3. fade (v) зд. – уходить4. rural (a) – сельский5. welfare (n) – социальное обеспечение6. slavery (n) – рабство7. undertake (v) – предпринимать8. dam (n) – дамба

History of American Welfare

1. From the days of British colonial rule in North America until the1930s, there was little disagreement about the proper role of governmentwith regard to the welfare of the American people. Local governmentgave a small amount of money to the very poorest, but most peoplerefused to accept this help unless they were desperate. In the late 19th

and early 20th centuries, a number of nations in Europe were establishingand administering government-funded public welfare programs.

2. No equivalent movement existed in the United States until thebeginning of the 20th century. Millions of European immigrants hadalmost limitless opportunities to establish a good life for themselves, andmany of them, through applied intelligence and hard work, succeededbeyond their wildest dreams. Such opportunities were not alwaysavailable to Black Americans (most of whom were held in slavery untilthe end of the Civil War in 1865) and Native Americans. The majorityof Americans could, if they worked hard, establish themselves incomfort, both socially and economically within a generation of two.Government aid was unnecessary for this majority.

3. In 1929, tens of thousands of people lost their jobs because of asevere economic decline known as the Great Depression. The President,Herbert Hoover, introduced programs to solve the problem, but changinga system takes time. Within days after Roosevelt took office in 1933, the

old idea that direct federal government support was not a useful way tohelp people faded into history. Suddenly, congress was establishingmany public welfare programs which were radically different from anyearlier activities undertaken by the American government. Thegovernment began using its money and power to provide jobs for peopleon public projects such as nature conservation, building dams, repairingroads, renovating public buildings and establishing new electricalsystems for rural areas.

4. Among the programs that began during the Depression years wasthe Social Security program, approved in 1935.


Model: limit – limitless (безграничный)

1. limit2. poor3. necessary4. act

5. govern

III. Choose and write down the words with similar meaning:Model: establish = accomplish, …

Establish, keep, succeed, assist, hold, create, majority, accomplish,support, the greater number.

IV. Match the following words with their definitions:Model: 1. severe - b) harsh, stern

1. severe a) to express favorable opinion2. accept b) harsh, stern3. refuse c) to decay, fall4. generation d) to deny5. conservation e) the average time interval between the birth of

parents and that of their off-spring6. renovate f) concerning, connected with

7. with regard to g) ready for immediate use 8. decline h) to return to a good condition 9. approve i) to agree 10. available j) protection


1. Almost all Americans could become rich in the near future ifthey worked hard.

2. Due to the US government, such public projects as natureconservation, building dams, repairing roads, renovating publicbuildings and establishing new electrical systems for rural areasbegan to work.

3. Herbert Hoover took measures in order to improve a severeeconomic decline during the Great Depression.

4. Great opportunities to establish good life were opened forimmigrants in the USA.

5. History of American welfare started from the beginning of the20th century when the government commenced to take specialinterest in helping poor people to survive


Задание II.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.Why do employees strike?

Vocabulary list:1. run (v) зд. – управлять, ведать4. retirement home – дом для престарелых5. shelter (n) – приют, пристанище6. a token fee – символическая оплата7. a white-collar employee – служащие8. “fringe” benefit – дополнительные льготы9. bare (a) – простой10. consideration (n) – соображение

Health Care1. By law, health care is available to those without any money or

insurance. States, counties, and cities all run or support hospitals, mentalinstitutions, retirement homes and shelters for the homeless. Again, thequality of care varies with the state, county, and community. Somespend a great deal, others the bare minimum. Universities and similarinstitutions also often support and staff free health and dental clinics.

Most large universities sponsor free legal aid clinics that provide legalassistance and advise for a token fee.

2. What makes the U.S. different from many other countries is thedegree to which payments for health, retirement, and even housing comefrom private sources. Workers in industry and white-collar employeesexpect health insurance agreements for them and their families, benefits,and pensions as part of their contracts. Companies and employers oftenpay a large part of these benefits.

3. Many unions offer unemployment benefits to their members,supplementing governmental sources. Some unions also have their ownretirement plans and several even own and manage retirementcommunities. When employees strike, therefore, they often ask for“fringe” benefits, better retirement payments, better or fuller medicalcare, and so on. Similarly, when an individual is considering working fora business or even a city or state government, or changing jobs, some ofthe most important considerations are, for example, retirement benefits,family health and dental plans, or life insurance. In many cases thebenefits Americans receive from such sources exceed those from thegovernmental programs available to everybody.

4. Still there are many individuals who have never worked, or havenever been able to, or who have remained unemployed for long periods.These people are forced to rely on the basic governmental programs andno one who has to do so can live comfortably.


1. The quality of health care varies from state to state.2. Health insurance is a part of a contract for clerks and workers.3. Universities and institutions do not support dental clinics.4. Americans receive health care from different sources:

governmental and private.5. People who do not work live comfortably thanks to

governmental programs.

III. Read the text again and write out the sources from which Americansget health care:

1. state2. county3. private programs

4. shelters5. cities6. mental institutions7. dental clinics8. governmental programs9. unions10. universities

IV. Entitle each paragraph of the text using the given headings.1. Governmental programs are available to everybody.

2. Health care for unemployed people. 3. Different states, different quality of care. 4. Volunteer and charitable organization help. 5. Private companies assign payments for health.

















Задание I.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.What facts are most Americans troubled by?

Vocabulary list:1. ethnic background – этническое происхождение2. ancestry (n) –предки3. affiliation (n) – присоединение4. decent (a) – минимальный5. starvation (n) – голод6. adjust (v) – поправлять7. minority (n) – меньшинство

Prosperity and Poverty

1. Describing America and American society by race and ethnicbackground, ancestry, and religious affiliation gives fundamentalinformation about the United States today. Other basic information isconcerned with economic factors. What does the average American earnand how is income distributed? Also important is where Americans live.How many live in urban and how many in rural areas? What are thelargest cities?

2. Approximately 100 years ago the United States overtook GreatBritain to become the richest nation in the world. Since then, whethermeasured by average income or by gross national product (GNP), theU.S. has remained among the wealthiest nations. In 1985, for example,the median family income of all Americans was about $27,700. In otherwords, one half of all families earned more than this amount each year,and one half less. What this means is that, as a whole, the Americanpeople are a very prosperous nation. Nonetheless, Americans are veryconcerned with that percentage of their countrymen who fall below whatthey consider “a descent standard of living”. This is not starvation: it isbeing poor in relation to the rest of the nation. Most Americans aretroubled by the fact that some social, ethnic, and racial groups show adisproportionate number of people living below the official povertylevel.

3. The “official poverty level” is set by the federal government andadjusted from time to time. This is interpreted as the stage at which adecent standard of living can no longer be expected. In 1985, forexample, the official poverty level for a four-person family was $10, 989per year. This amount refers to earned income only. It should be notedthat this poverty figure does not already include any welfare benefits,housing support, aid to children, food stamps, Medicaid, or other helpfrom federal and state programs. Nor does it include the free schoolbreakfast and lunch programs or the surplus food program whichdistribute food free of charge to the poor.

4. Among the areas with many people below the poverty level isAppalachia, that mountain region which includes parts of such states asWest Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Thousands of peoplethere need better housing, medical treatment, and other services. Muchpoverty also exists among minority groups. The average incomes ofAmerican Indians, blacks, and Hispanics continue, as a whole, to belower than those of whites.


Model: 1. minor – minority (меньшинство)

1. minor2. country3. starve4. proportion5. prosper

III. Choose and write down words with opposite meaning:Model: Rich – poor, …

Rich, income, spend, prosperity, urban, earn, poverty, rural, poor,expenditure.

IV. Match the following words with their definitions:Model: 1. income - i) money received in return for work

1. income a) a symbol that represents a number2. approximately b) an amount beyond what is needed3. median c) people4. treatment d) almost accurate or exact

5. society e) to contain6. prosperous f) to divide among many7. include g)something that is halfway between

two different parts8. surplus h) medical care9. figure i) money received in return for work10. distribute j) successful


1. People living below the poverty level become aware of betterhousing, medical care and other help.

2. Americans are a prosperous nation in whole, but there are someethnic and social minorities that stand in need of state support.

3. The average income depends on place of residence: urban orrural.

4. The federal government sets the official poverty level.5. A century ago Great Britain was the richest country according to

the gross national product.


Задание II.I. Read the text and answer the question in written form, using thevocabulary list.What factors influence juvenile criminality today?

Vocabulary list:1. juvenile crime – подростковая преступность2. drug abuse – зависимость от наркотиков3. survey – исследование4. standards of upbringing – нормы воспитания5. family background – происхождение6. the handling of cases – ведение дел7. minor offences –незначительные преступления8. offences of a grosser nature – преступления серьёзного

характера

Family Background

1. The commonest way of attempting to explain juvenile crime isby looking to family background for the causes of young person’scriminality. A great deal of interest has been made to focus, not least, onthe social status of parents as evidenced by occupation, education,income etc. The great majority of studies, both Swedish andinternational, show that there are connections between family socialstatus, e.g. parental social class, and children’s criminality. Thisconnection, however, is a relatively weak one, and there are someindications that social status does less to influence juvenile criminalitytoday than it did, for example, shortly after the Second World War.

2. The connection with parental social status is consistently weakerfor self-declared criminality than for recorded criminality. This may bebecause the risk of discovery and also the handling of cases by theauthorities vary as between children from different social classes. Alikelier explanation, however, is that self-declaratory studies reveal agreater number of minor offences, while recorded criminality is of agrosser nature. Other factors, such as parental criminality, parental drugabuse, mental problems and broken families, appear as a general rule tohave more influence than social status in determining whether or notyoung persons turn to crime.

3. One factor which appears to be more closely connected withjuvenile crime than any of those mentioned previously is the way inwhich young persons have been brought up. The absence of clearstandards of upbringing, whether reflected by lack of norms or anunstable code of norms, presents what in this type of survey is anunusually close connection with juvenile criminality. The strictness ofnorms, on the other hand, does not appear to be very important.


1. Family background is an important factor of children’scriminality.

2. The connection between family social status and juveniledelinquency is rather strong.

3. Whether or not young persons turn to crime depend on parentalcriminality, drug abuse, mental problems and divorced parents.

4. Proper upbringing prevents young people from unstable code ofnorms.

5. Strictness of norms for children appears to be a major factor ofupbringing.

III. Arrange the factors which influence the growth of juvenile crime,using the information from the text in grosser nature.

Model:1. parental drug abuse2. parental occupation, education, income3. upbringing4. social status5. minor offences6. mental problems7. offences of a grosser nature8. broken families9. strictness of norms10. family background

IV. Entitle each paragraph of the text using the given headings:1. The connection of parental social status with children’s criminality.

2. Surveys of family background. 3. The commonest factors of juvenile crime. 4. Standards of upbringing.

V. Rewrite and translate passage 2 in written form.





III. SUMMARY (the contents of the article)

- The story opens with…- In the introduction to the article the author mentions…- The author believes, depicts, dwells on, touches on, explains,










PART IIAdditional Texts for Reading

Text I1. Read the title and sub-heading of the text. What do you think themain idea of the text will be? Write down the correct letter.a) Geniuses are born with a special talent that other people don’thave.b) Geniuses achieve success though hard work rather than aspecial talent.

II. Read the text and answer the question in written form:1. What do Dineshi, the Yusof children and Mozart have in

common?2. Who is Professor Howe?3. What does the example of Billy Sidis show about genius?4. Is this statement true or false according to the text?

“Anyone can be a genius if he or she works hard enough”.What is your opinion?

THE SECRET OF GENIUSFor years people have said that geniuses are born with a special

talent. New Research challenges that view.

1. She looks like any other little girl in her first year atschool: a smart uniform, a happy smile and a bag of books. ButDineshi, a five-year-old from west London is so clever that sheseems almost unreal. With an IQ of 160, Dineshi knew thealphabet, the days of the week and the months of the year whenshe was one and a half. She started reading just before her secondbirthday and writing just after it. “When she was a baby, I realizedshe was exceptionally bright,” says Dineshi's mother, “so I tried toprovide an environment to help her develop intellectually. I startedgiving her lessons and she enjoyed them.”

2. Mr. and Mrs. Yusof from Coventry know all aboutcreating an environment that encourages intellectual development.

Mr. Yusof gave up his job to educate their children at home. Theywere encouraged to read books from an early age and they watchtelevision only occasionally, usually for “educational” programs.Sufiah, the eldest daughter, went to university when she was 13.Her brother started his university studies at 12. Their mother said:“You must have the correct environment - the schooling, thefamily, the support, they must all come together.”

3. By comparison with others, such children seem incrediblyintelligent. But according to Professor Michael Howe, apsychologist at Exeter University, they do not have an inbornsuperhuman talent. Their remarkable achievements are the resultof practice, persistence, and an encouraging environment. Wouldthese children have achieved so much if their parents hadn't giventhem so much attention? Professor Howe doesn't think so. Thecase of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart seems to support ProfessorHowe's theory. Mozart was composing music by the age of five,and at six or seven he was giving professional concerts aroundEurope. Most people believe this was the result of inborn genius.But Professor Howe claims that Mozart's childhood compositionsare largely arrangements of other composers' work. Most impor-tantly, according to Professor Howe, his father was an extremelyambitious music teacher who made his son practice more thanthree hours a day. By the time he was six, he had probably spent3,500 hours studying music.

4. Are geniuses happy? As a child in the early 1900s, BillySidis was described as “the most remarkable boy in the UnitedStates”. Brilliant at languages, he taught himself Latin at four andcould read and speak eight languages when he was six. At eleven,he gave a lecture to the University of Harvard Mathematical Club.He was a genius until everything, began to go wrong. His parentshad pushed him to develop his exceptional intelligence, but hadtotally neglected other important skills. For example, Sidis did notknow how to dress himself properly even by the time he was anadolescent. Finally, he suffered a breakdown. There are plenty ofpeople who have high IQs but never achieve anything great.

5. They are bright, but they lack the drive to get on:motivation. Thomas Edison, the inventor of electric light, saidgenius was 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration. According toProfessor Howe, we should all be able to excel if we try hardenough. The following anecdote illustrates his point. A famousgolf champion had produced some amazingly good shots. “I wish Ihad been as lucky as you were,” said one of his opponents at theend of the day. “It's funny,” said the golf champion, “the harder Ipractice, the luckier I get.”

Notes:1. I.Q. - intelligence quotient - уровень интеллекта2. persistence - настойчивость

III. Write out at least 10 personality adjectives that describe agenius. Discuss with your partner and prove that they really suitfor a genius.

1. happy 11. persistent2. strong 12. relaxed3. clever 13. ambitious4. pleasant 14. unstable5. bright 15. skillful6. unreliable 16. anxious7. encouraged 17. motivated8. depressed 18. weak9. remarkable 19. lucky10. lazy 20. humble

IV. a). Read the article again and decide if the statements beloware true (T), false (F) or there is no information (NI). b). Correct the false ones in written form.

1. Dineshi had an IQ of 160 when he was 10.2. The Yusofs think that the correct schooling, the family and

the support help to become a genius.3. Most people believe that incredible abilities are inborn.

4. Professor Howe, a psychologist at Exeter, believes thatMozart was insane.

5. It took many years for Thomas Edison to develop a lightbulb, with actually worked.

6. High IQs does not mean a great success in life.

V. Read the text again carefully paragraph by paragraph andanswer these questions in written form.

1. When did Dineshi start to write?2. What does environment mean in lines 15, 20 and 31?3. According to Professor Howe, why are Dineshi and the

Yusof children geniuses?4. How does the case of Mozart support professor Howe’s

ideas?5. Why did Billy Sidis suffer a breakdown?6. What is Thomas Edison’s opinion about genius?

VI. Discuss the secrets of genius with your groupmates. 1. Whom do you consider a real genius? Why? 2. Is it possible to bring up a genius?

Text III. You are going to read about a contemporary English poet.Before you do so, think about your country’s most famous poet.Answer the questions in written form.

1. Is he / she living or dead?2. What is he /she particularly famous for?3. What kind of life does / did he / she lead?4. What is his / her public image?5. What subjects are his / her poems about?

A RICH MAN IN HIS GARDEN1. James Fenton gave a poetry reading last year. He started

with “Out of the East”, the epic poem that opens Part 2 of his newcollection Out of Danger. Much of what Fenton had experiencedas a journalist in Indo-China is infused into the poem like a

bloodstain. “It's a far cry. / It's a war cry. / Cry for the war that cando this thing,” Fenton read - or rather sang. It was not just what heread, it was how he read it. Fenton punched the air, spoke his linesas if they were burning his mouth, and pranced arounddramatically. It was the most electrifying stage performance I'veever seen - and it was just a poetry reading.

2. “James,” says Christopher Reid, poetry editor at Faber andFaber, “is the nearest thing we have to a rap artist. When he reads,he doesn't mumble in the way we university poets are meant to.”

3. But James Fenton is not how poets are meant to be. Poetsare not meant to be rich. They are meant to be wild, drunk,aesthetically penniless. Fenton, described as “the most talentedpoet of his generation” a decade ago, defies this cliché. He is veryrich, though his wealth has little to do with his verse. Fenton isrich because of a musical. When he was fired as librettist of themusical Les Miserables 1985, it was thought only fair that heshould gain some reward for the work he had already done. Hisagent negotiated a percentage. Given that Les Miserables hasplayed all around the globe, this must amount to a very large sumof money indeed.

4. On the proceeds, Fenton has bought property. He owns aflat near the Adelphl Theatre in London and a farm four milesoutside Oxford. The money has also brought him independence.“When I work now,” he says, “it is only because I want to.” It'sbeen a long wait since Fenton's last volume. The Memory of Warand Children in Exile was published in 1983. Acclaim for thebook was led by another poet, Peter Porter; his view of Fentonhasn't changed. “He is a spasmodic poet, but also very popular- it'sthe way he writes, with a mixture of poetic language and realdirectness. But the important thing about him is that he doesn'tindulge himself in poetry every morning. He's devoted to theoutside world.”

5. In the Seventies, this devotion took Fenton to most pointseast - Vietnam, Cambodia and in 1986 to the Philippines, where hebecame Far East correspondent for a newspaper. In the lateEighties, he bought a prawn farm with a group of friends out there,

and spent a lot of time in the remote countryside. He settled downto write many of the poems collected in Out of Danger.

6. Fans will not be disappointed. The qualities of the lastvolume – narrative skill, wit, a taste for fantasy - are on display inabundance. There's also a new tone, a new preoccupation. At leastfive of the poems are achingly tender love lyrics. Presumablythese are addressed to someone?

7. “I wouldn't presume anything,” Fenton answers briskly.“The point is, with a lyric, you have to write about what you arefeeling, but also about what one generally feels in such situations.That's what makes the poem, not a particular person. So I wouldn'tpresume anything at all if I were you.”

8. Fenton was born in 1949, the son of a theologian. Hisinterest in English literature began only when he took his school-leaving exams. He had written to W. H. Auden, and the poetvisited the school. “He talked to us and we were absolutelytongue-tied,” says Fenton. “He was particularly nice to me.”Auden's influence was decisive. When Fenton went up to Oxfordto read English, Auden would take him out to lunch.

9. After Oxford, Fenton considered journalism. He wrote toevery newspaper north of Birmingham, but no job wasforthcoming. The poet Anthony Thwaite, then literary editor of theNew Statesman, came to the rescue. Fenton had been doingmonthly book reviews for him: when Thwaite needed an assistant,Fenton got the job.

10. His first volume of poetry was published in 1972. “Thebook was well-received,” says Fenton, “and I was convinced that Iwanted to be a poet. But the point was: how to live as poet? Ididn't want to live off poetry and I didn't want to be a literaryjournalist. If all you worked on was books, and you wanted towrite them, I figured you'd end up constantly referring to yourown reading.”

11. The book won an award and he used the money to go toVietnam. Why Indochina? “I knew l wanted to travel, either toAfrica or Indo-China.” Hisaccount of his trips to Vietnam just

after the US had pulled out, and of the fall of Saigon, remain oneof the great pieces of modem reportage.

12. Currently, he is a poet-landowner. On returning toEngland, he felt he had to be near Oxford. So he bought the farm,restored the house, created the library and set to work on a designfor the garden. The result is a vegetable plot of geometricalorderliness, a rose garden, flowerbeds and a wide, carefully tendedlawn. But it's a far cry from the East - and it's hard to believeFenton is going to stick around. “Well,” he says, “it does fulfill theideals I set myself when I started this. I thought 1 was going tobuy a house but it was the garden that was what I wanted to donext. It's a way of saying: I'm going to be here for a long time.”

II. a). Below is a list of events from the life of the poet andjournalist James Fenton. Read the article, underlining key datesand place name as you read, and write when each event happenedon the left.

Date Eventlast year………………………………

………….

………….afterschool………….

………….

gave a reading from his new poetry collectionlost job as librettist an musical Les Miserablespublished Memory of Warbecame Far East correspondent in the Philippinesbought a farm in Philippines with some friends;

started to write Out of Dangerwas bornstudied at Oxford University

published first volume of poetry, which won anaward lives on farm near Oxford

b). The article is a biographical account of Fenton’s career, butevents are not related in chronological order. At what point intime does it begin and end?

III. Read the article again and answer the multiple choicequestions that follow. Choose the best option (A,B,C or D)according to the information in the text.

1. Fenton’s public readings are unusual because of theA. quality of the poetry.B. personal reminiscence.C. passionate delivery.D. feeling for the audience.

2. Fenton’s involvement in Les MiserablesA. continued until the first performance.B. brought professional praise.C. has made him famous all round the world.D. was well-rewarded.

3. Peter Porter attributes Fenton’s success toA. his choice of themes familiar to his readers.B. his involvement to real issues.C. his commitment to poetic language.D. his international themes.

4. When asked whom he wrote the love poems in Out of Dangerfor, Fenton is

A. evasive.B. convincing.C. contradictory.D. irritated.

5. After University, Fenton got a job as Anthony Thwaite’sassistant because

A. he knew a number of poets.B. his poetry has impressed Thwaite.C. he already had some journalistic experience.D. Auden had advised him to apply.

6. Fenton decided not to pursue a career as a literary journalistbecause he

A. anticipated more success as a poet.B. thought poetry would provide sufficient income.C. wanted to write in a non-literary area.

D. felt it would limit his potential experiences.7. How does the writer of the article react to Fenton’s home?

A. He accepts Fenton’s view of it.B. He doubts if Fenton is truly settled.C. He is critical of the design.D. He is envious of what he sees.

IV. Discuss these questions:1. What impression do you get of J. Fenton as a person from

the article?2. In what ways does or doesn’t he confirm to the typical

image of a poet?3. Do you think J. Fenton was born with a special talent that

other people don’t have?4. Did J. Fenton achieve success through hardworking rather

than a special talent or both?

Text IIII. Read the article:

“WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?I DON’T,” says Charles Gray

1. Sixteen years ago Charles was a college professor with ahuge six-bedroom house and a fortune of $2 million. Today helives in a small caravan where there is only second-hand furniture.There are certainly no signs that Charles was a rich man! There isa small garden outside with a few fruit trees. Charles grows somevegetables and a few flowers. He gets his clothes and a lot of otherthings from charity shops.

2. But this change is not a tragedy. Charles was happy togive up lifestyle of a rich man. He was tired of being a person whohad everything in a world where many people having nothing. Hemade the choice to give all his money away. And this, he says, hasbrought him happiness.

3. “A few years ago,” says Charles, “I was a millionaire, butI knew there were a lot of hungry people in the world”. So he gave

away all his money to charities. When he had two thousand dollarsleft, he gave away small banknotes in the streets of local poorareas. Did he feel like Father Christmas? “It was a lot of fun”, saysCharles.

4. Charles believes that many people want to earn a lot ofmoney, so that they will not have any worries. However, mostpeople never make much money. Charles Gray decided to drop outand has discovered that having only a little money makes you free.Are there any things he misses? ”No, I’m much happier now. Iwouldn’t go back to being rich for anything – no way”.

II. a). Read the article again and decide if the statements beloware true (T), false (F) or there is no information (NI). b). Correct the false ones in written form.

1. Charles Gray was a rich businessman.2. He hasn’t a TV in his caravan.3. He has a vegetable garden.4. Charles gave his money away to poor people.5. People thought he was crazy when he gave away small

banknotes in the street.6. He was happier when he was rich.

III. Match the verbs from the text with correct meanings:1. to give away a) to return2. to drop out b) to stop doing something3. to give up c) to change or leave lifestyle4. to go back d) to give someone something you

don’t needIV. Interview Charles Gray for you newspaper “Charity”:

1. Mr. Gray, there are certainly no signs that you were a richman several years ago. What was your profession before? How didyou manage to make a fortune?

Answer:2. Mr. Gray, was the change of your lifestyle a tragedy for

you or for your family?Answer:

3. There is a small garden outside. Does that mean that you area vegetarian?

Answer:4. Mr. Gray, what…?

Answer:5. Did you…?

Answer:6. Why did you …?

Answer:7. What did you…?

Answer:8. Are there…?

Answer:9. …?

Answer:10. …?

Answer:Thank you very much, Mr. Gray.

V. Discuss these questions:1. Would you like to be a millionaire? Why or why not?2. What do you think bring happiness?3. What makes people feel free?

Text IV1. What do the words “Romeo and Juliet” mean to you? Writenotes of as many things as you can think of. Remember to writeonly the key words.EXAMPLE: unhappy love story playII. Read the text and answer the question in written form:What is “Juliet Club”?

THE JULIET ADVICE LINE1. In a tiny room in the heart of Verona, Italy, a sixty-year-

old man writes letters. He gets – answers! – over 3,000 lettersevery year. He is Guilio Tamassia is the president of the Juliet

Club. Heartbroken man and women from around the world writeto him for comfort and advice.

2. The Club started when, in 1937, an Englishman wrote aletter to “Juliet, Verona”. The guardian of Juliet’s tomb decided towrite back pretending to be dead girl’s secretary. “Juliet” has beenmending broken hearts ever since! Tamassia has some helpers. Ifhe didn’t it wouldn’t be possible to answer so many letters. Hisdaughter, Giovanna, is his right hand. She speaks English verywell and helps her father answer the many letters people write inEnglish. Often, however, people write in their own language.Then, the club has to find someone to translate them. “If in thefuture we get a letter in Chinese, we’ll get it translated”, he says.“It might take time but we’ll do it. And we reply, even if it’s onlya postcard. If we didn’t answer, the writer would be verydisappointed.”

3. Some letters are simple. Many are from young people whojust cannot find their Romeo or Juliet; others are from teenagerswho find it difficult to talk to their friends and parents. Someteenagers write things like: “If my parents knew about myboyfriend, they’d be very angry.” The team always think abouttheir answers carefully and try to give good advice. They putthemselves in the writer’s position and, in certain cases, writesomething like, “I would talk openly to about the problem if Iwere you.”

4. “It’s nice to be able to say; if you do this , everything willbe OK,” says Giovanna. “But things aren’t always as simple asthat.” If they feel they can’t answer a particularly difficult letter,they ask a psychologist friend for help.

5. Postage stamps for over 3,000 letters are not cheap!Tamassia pays for them partly out of his own pocket but he alsogets help from the city council. “If they didn’t help, we justwouldn’t be able to keep the club going,” says Tamassia. And thatwould be a pity. The course of true love isn’t always smooth.When it isn’t, the Juliet club is there to help.

III. Read the article again and write out the alternative thatcompletes each of these sentences.

EXAMPLE: 1. from many different countries.

1. The writes are mainly Italian / all British / from manydifferent countries.

2. Tamassia answers the letters alone / with Juliet’s help/ with ateam of helpers.

3. All/ Some / lots / A few of the letters are in English.4. They sometimes / always / often / answer the letters.5. Many people write because their loved ones live far away /

they would like a boy/girlfriend / they want to meet Juliet.6. The answers are always easy / rarely helpful/ different in

each case.7. The expenses are all paid by Tamassia / all paid by / the

council / paid by both the council and Tamassia.

IV. Try to explain in written form what the writer means by theseexpressions.

1. His daughter, Giovanna, is his right hand.2. “Juliet has been mending broken hearts ever since.3. The course of true love isn’t always smooth.4.

V. Discuss these questions:1. Have you found your Romeo or Juliet?2. Do you find it difficult to talk to your friends or parents?3. If your problem seemed difficult for you to be solved,

would you consult a psychologist?4. If you or some of your friends were heartbroken would you

write to Juliet for comfort and advice?5. Write a letter to Juliet she will help to mend your broken

hearts.

Text VI. Read the text and answer the question in written form:What are the essential characteristics of a quarrel? (According tothe author)

QUARRELLING1. Great emotional and intellectual resources are demanded

in quarrels; stamina helps, as does a capacity for obsession. But noone is born a good quarreler; the craft must be learned.

2. There are two generally recognized apprenticeships. First,and universally preferred, is a long childhood spent in thecompany of fractious siblings. Alter several years of rainyafternoons, brothers and sisters develop a sure feel for the tacticsof attrition and the niceties of strategy so necessary in first-ratequarrelling.

3. The only child, or the child of peaceful or repressedhouseholds, is likely to grow up failing to understand that quarrels,unlike arguments, are not about anything, least of all the pursuit oftruth. The apparent subject of a quarrel is a mere pretext; the realbusiness is the quarrel itself.

4. Essentially, adversaries in a quarrel are out to establish orrescue their dignity.

5. Hence the elementary principle: anything may be said.The unschooled, probably no less quarrelsome by inclination thananyone else, may spend an hour with knocking heart, sifting theconsequences of calling this old acquaintance a lying fraud. Toolate! With a cheerful wave the old acquaintance has left the room.

6. Those who miss their first apprenticeship may care toenroll in the second, the bad marriage. This can be perilous for theneophyte; the mutual intimacy of spouses makes them at oncemore vulnerable and more dangerous in attack. Once sex isinvolved, the stakes are higher all round. And there is an unspokenrule that those who love, or have loved, one another are granted alicense for unlimited beastliness such as is denied to mere swornenemies. For all that, some of our most tenacious black bellquarrellers have come to it late in life and mastered every throw

from the Crushing Silence to the Gloating Apology, in less thanten years of marriage.

7. A quarrel may last years. Among brooding types with timeon their hands, like writers, half a lifetime is not uncommon. In itsmost refined form, a quarrel may consist of the participants nottalking to each other. They will need to scheme laboriously toappear in public together to register their silence.

8. Brief, violent quarrels are also known as rows. In all casesthe essential ingredient remains the same; the original cause mustbe forgotten as soon as possible. From here on, dignity, pride, self-esteem, honour are the crucial issues, which is why quarrelling,like jealousy, is an all-consuming business, virtually a profession.For the quarreller’s very self-hood is on the line. To lose anargument is a brief disappointment, much like losing a game oftennis; but to be crushed in a quarrel… rather bite off your tongueand spread it at your opponent’s feet.

Notes:1. apprenticeship – ученичество, школа2. fractious siblings – раздражительные братья и сёстры3. adversary – противник4. perilous – опасный5. tenacious – настойчивый6. obsession - одержимость7. stamina – выдержка8. dignity – достоинство9. fraud – обманщик10. brood – потомство11. gloating - злорадный

II. Read the article and choose the answer which you think fitsbest.1. Unschooled quarrelers are said to be at a disadvantage because

a) their insults fail to offend their opponent.b) they reveal their nervousness to their opponent.c) they suffer from remorse for what they’ve said.

d) they are apprehensive about speaking their minds.2. According to the writer, quarrels between married couples maybe

a) physically violent.b) extremely bitter.c) essentially trivial.d) sincerely regretted.

3. When quarreling, both children and married couples may,according to the writer,

a). be particularly brutal.b) use politeness as a weapon.c) employ skilful maneuvers.d) exaggerate their feelings.

4. The difference between a quarrel and an argument is said to bethat

a). the former involves individual egos.b) the former concerns strong points of view.c) the latter has well-established rules.d) the latter concerns trivial issues.

5. In the passage as a whole, the writer treats quarreling as if itwere

a). a military campaign.b) a social skill.c) a moral evil.d) a natural gift.

III. Look at paragraphs 2-5 and write out the words which meanthe same as:

a) bad-tempered (2) ………….b) brothers and sisters (2) ………….c) process of tiring or weakening (2) ………….d) excuse (3) …………..e) temperament (4) …………..f) examining closely (4) …………..g) novice / beginner (5) …………..h) husbands and wives (5) …………..

i) risks (5) …………..j) persistent (5) …………..

IV. Discuss the problems of quarrelling using the phrases:1. I think that no one is …2. It seems to me that…3. I don’t agree that…4. It is possible not to quarrel if…5. Actually the real business is…

Text VII. Read the title of the article and the first paragraph. Try toanswer the question in the title in written form. Make a short listof things that you most regret.

WHAT DO PEOPLE MOST REGRET?THE PATHS THEY FAILED TO TAKE

1. When people sit back and take stock of their lives, do theyregret the things that failed, such as a romance that foundered, thewrong career path chosen, bad grades in school? Or do they mostregret what they failed to try?

2. A small but growing body of research points to inaction— failing to seize the day — as the leading cause of regret inpeople's lives over the long term. These findings are painting anew portrait of regret, an emotion proving to be far more complexthan once thought.

3. Regret is a “more or less painful emotional state of feelingsorry for misfortunes, limitations, losses, transgressions,shortcomings or mistakes,” says University of Michiganpsychologist Janet Landman, author of several studies and a bookon regret.

4. “As a culture, we are so afraid of regret, so allergic to it,often we don't even want to talk about it,” Landman says. “Thefear is that it will pull us down the slippery slope of depressionand despair.”

5. But psychologists say that regret is an inevitable fact oflife.

6. “In today's world, in which people arguably exercise morechoice than ever before in human history, it is exceedinglydifficult to choose so consistently well that regret is avoidedentirely,” say Cornell University psychologists Thomas Gilovichand Victoria Medvec.

7. Regret involves two distinct types of emotion, whatpsychologists call “hot” and “wistful”. Hot regret is quick angerfelt after discovering that you have made a mistake, like dentingyour car, accidentally dropping a prized vase and seeing it smashinto a thousand pieces, or buying a share that suddenly plummetsin price. This is when you want to kick yourself, and it isassociated with a short-term perspective.

8. Wistful regret, on the other hand comes from having alonger-range perspective. It is a bittersweet feeling that life mighthave been better of different if only certain actions had been taken.Typically, it means something that people should have done butdidn't do. That might mean having the courage to follow adifferent career, gambling on starting a new business or pursuingwhat appears to be a risky romance.

9. Psychologists have focused on hot regret as the type mostcommon to people's experience. But a growing body of researchsuggests that wistful regret may figure more prominently inpeople's lives over the long term.

10. Asked to describe their biggest regrets, participants mostoften cited things they failed to do. People said such things as, “Iwish I had been more serious in college,” “I regret that I neverpursued my interest in dance,” “I should have spent more timewith my children.”

11. In a study of 77 participants, the researchers found thatfailure to seize the moment was cited by a 2 to 1 ratio over othertypes of regret.

12. The group, which included retired professors, nursing-home residents, undergraduates and staff members at CornellUniversity, listed more than 200 missed educational opportunities,

romances and career paths, as well as failing to spend more timewith relatives, pursue a special interest or take a chance.

13. “As troubling as regrettable actions might be initially,when people look back on their lives, it seems to be theirregrettable failures to act that stand out and cause most grief.”Gilovich and Medvec conclude.

14. Studies suggest that regrets about education areoverwhelmingly the biggest. “Not getting enough education, ornot taking it seriously enough, is a common regret even amonghighly educated people,” says Janet Landman.

15. Tied for a distant second place are regrets about work orlove. People talk about having gotten into the wrong occupation,marrying too young, or that they wish their parents had neverdivorced, or there were fewer conflicts in their family, or that theirchildren had turned out better.

16. Many people also express regrets about themselves. Theymay wish they had been more disciplined or more assertive or hadtaken more risks. The best example of this kind of regret is thelament of one of Woody Allen's characters, "I have only oneregret, and that is that I am not someone else

17. What people don't regret, however, are events that seemto be beyond their control. Person responsibility is central to theexperience of regret, according to Gilovich and Medvec. “Peoplemight bemoan or curse their bad fate, but they rarely regret it inthe sense that the term is typically understood.”

18. Their studies found that older people expressed slightlymore regrets than did young people. There is no solid evidencethat regret increases as life goes on but regrets are likely to changethroughout life.

19. For example, according to Janet Landman young womenare more likely to report family oriented regrets than young men.But by middle age men arc more likely than women to regret notspending enough time with their families.

20. And what do middle-aged women regret? Marring tooearly and not getting enough education.

II. Read the rest of the text and answer these questions.1. What two types of regret have psychologist identified?

How are they different?2. Which type is more important in people’s lives?3. What do people express most regret about?4. What do people not regret?

III. Discuss these questions:a). Ask your groupmates, your friends, your parents what theymost regret.b). Make a list of things that these people most regret:

My groupmates:My friends:My parents:

Министерство образования Российской Федерации

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