ABOUT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY
Theme 1.1. Family and Friends
Key Words and Word Combinations
1. to introduce [ˌɪntrəˈdju:s] знакомить, представлять
2. lawyer [ˈlɔ:jə] юрист
3. precious [ˈpreʃəs] драгоценный, любимый
4. understanding [ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ] понимание
5. support [səˈpɔ:t] поддержка
6. first-year student [fɜ:st ˈjɪə ˈstju:dənt] студент-первокурсник
7. in-house lawyer [ˌɪnˈhaʋs ˈlɔ:jə] корпоративный юрист, штатный юрист
8. enterprise [ˈentəpraɪz] предприятие
9. judge [dʒʌdʒ] судья
10. court [kɔ:t] суд
11. justice [ˈdʒʌstɪs] справедливость; правосудие; юстиция
12. to follow the tradition [ˈfɒləʋ ðə trəˈdɪʃən] следовать традиции
13. investigator [ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪtə] следователь
14. to share smth with smb [ʃeə ˈsʌmθɪŋ wɪðˈsʌmbədɪ] делиться чем-л. с кем-л.
Pronunciation Practice
Exercise 1. Practice saying the key words and word combinations.
Exercise 2. Read international words and translate them:
school, tradition, profession, student, university, lecture, seminar, problem, secret, cottage, sport, tennis, organized, disciplined
Vocabulary
Exercise 3. Continue the list of words and give a general word to each group:
Investigators, advocates, judges …
Parents, sister, brother …
Jogging, swimming, diving …
School, institute, university …
Exercise 4. Make all possible word combinations and translate them into Russian.
sports
to do busy
to get university
to be homework
to work at ready
to study at born
to have court
fun
Grammar 1. The verb “to be”
Exercise 5. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb “to be”. Practice the dialogue with the partner.
A: Hello. What is your name?
B: Hello. My name … Vladimir.
A: And my name … Lena. … you a student of the Ural State Law University?
B: Yes, I … a first-year student. And you?
A: I … a second-year student of the Institute of Justice. Where … you from?
B: I … from Yekaterinburg, but I … born in Tyumen.
A: ….. your parents lawyers?
B: Yes, they … . My mother …. an in-house lawyer and my father … an advocate.
Exercise 6. Read and translate the following sentences.
1. My family is supportive and loving.
2. My mother is an in-house lawyer.
3. Our family is quite large by modern standards.
4. My sister is two years younger than me.
5. My dream is to become a lawyer.
6. My grandparents were investigators.
7. I will be a legal advisor.
Reading
Exercise 7. Read the text and name the adjectives that describe Ivanov’s family.
MY FAMILY
Let me introduce myself. My name is Vladimir Ivanov. I was born in Yekaterinburg in the family of lawyers. My family is the most precious thing for me, because this is where I find love and understanding, and support.
Our family is quite large. It consists of four people — my parents, my younger sister and me. My mother is an in-house lawyer at a big enterprise. My father is a judge. He works at court. My sister is a schoolgirl. After school I decided to follow my family tradition and chose the profession of a lawyer. I am a first-year student of the Ural State Law University. I study at the Institute of Justice. My dream is to become an investigator.
During the week I am very busy getting ready for lectures and seminars, so I like to have a rest at weekends. I like our late dinners with my family, when we all gather round the table. We talk, and joke, and have fun, because we are all friends. We share our problems and secrets with each other, and my parents often give my sister and me good advice.
In summer we go to our “dacha”. In fact, it’s just a small cottage on a small plot of land, but we like it a lot, and like to work in the garden, planting, digging, gathering strawberries and tomatoes. I do sports. Tastes differ, and different people do jogging, swimming, diving… But I adore playing tennis. My sister is also a tennis player. On Sundays we go to play tennis together. Sport helps people to become strong. It helps us to be more organized and better disciplined in our daily activity.
I am happy to have a loving and supportive family, and I hope that my own family will work on the same lines.
Exercise 8. Answer the questions.
1. What does Ivanov think about his family?
2. Are his family relations friendly? Why?
3. Are there any traditions in his family?
Exercise 9. Find in the text sentences with the following words. Determine what part of speech are the words. Translate them into Russian.
Law, understanding, in-house, dream, busy, joke, organized, disciplined, daily.
Exercise 10. Find words in the text that mean:
1. a higher educational institution;
2. someone who goes to a university;
3. a person who is in his or her first year at university or college;
4. classes that students have;
5. a person who gives people legal advice and legal help.
Exercise 11. Fill in the gaps using the prepositions at, for, on, in, of.
1. I was born …. Moscow.
2. I always get ready … lectures and seminars.
3. My mother works … court.
4. Ivanov’s family consists … four people.
5. … weekends I like to have rest.
6. I followed my family tradition and chose a profession … a lawyer.
Exercise 12. a) Match the halves of the sentences.
1. My family is the most precious thing for me because a. we talk and joke and have fun.
2. I like to gather with my family round the table because b. we are friends.
3. I find understanding in my family because c. this is where I find love and support.
4. I am happy to have a loving family because d. my parents always give me good advice
b) Prove that Ivanov’s family is the most precious thing for him.
Exercise 13.
a) Finish the sentences about Ivanov.
1. Vladimir is a first-year student. He studies at …
2. His dream is to become a …
3. Ivanov’s family is …
4. His parents are …
5. Vladimir does sport. He plays …
6. In summer his family goes …
b) Make up your own similar sentences about yourself.
