IV. Brush up your talk

4.1. Read the proverb and comment it:

When at Rome, do as Romans do.

4.2. Read the dialogue. Learn the dialogue by heart:

 

THE RIVERS OF GREAT BRITAIN

Teacher: As you know rivers are roads of water which are as important as railways and sometimes even more important. Would anybody like to speak about English rivers? Look at the map of Great Britain.

Student: England is very rich in big, small and tiny rivers. It is difficult to find a country-side there in which there is no river.

T.: What are the greatest English rivers?

S.: They are the Thames, flowing to the West, the Trent – to the North and the Severn. The longest river in England is the Severn – about
200 miles and the longest river on the British Isles is the Shannon, which is 240 miles long. But the deepest and the busiest river is the Thames, of course.

T.: Good. You should also mention that the Thames is one of the most beautiful English rivers. Its banks are framed with rich meadows, green fields, hills. Its flow is very quiet.

S.: I've read somewhere that the Severn is also a lovely river, but it is faster than the Thames.

T.: Yes, you are right. But the Trent is still faster. In fact it is the
swiftest among the big rivers of England. It is less beautiful because it is
very busy.

S.: All these rivers are very important water-ways as they are navi-gable all the year round.

T.: Good for you.

Answer the questions:

1. What does the teacher ask?

2. The rivers are as important as railways, aren't they?

3. What are the biggest rivers of Great Britain?

4. Which is the longest river?

5. Which is the swiftest river?

6. Which is the busiest river?

4.3. Read and dramatize the dialogues with your partners. Make up your own dialogues on these models:

Task: You have been on a tour to Great Britain. You have 4 hours before leaving for the airport. Discuss with your friend how to spend this time and choose one place you would both like to go to. You can choose from:

• a shopping centre;

• a cafe;

• a museum;

• a park;

1) - So we have 4 hours before leaving for the airport. What shall
we do?

- Well, 4 hours is quite a long period of time. Why don’t we go shopping? We could buy some more gifts for our friends and relatives. I usually bring home lots of small souvenirs that remind me of the journey. Besides, it’s a good way to relax.

- Oh, no! I hate shopping. The shops are usually crowded and I am tired of too many people around me. In addition, it’s very difficult for me to choose presents.

- Well, what about going to a cafe? I’m afraid we can get hungry before the flight. Cafes are usually beautifully decorated so we could take some more pictures.

- Do you suggest spending 4 hours in a cafe? I think we’ll get bored if we spend this time in one place.

- Why? We could have delicious English tea there and try new foods. And we can speak with English people and practice our language.

- I’m afraid I don’t have enough money for a cafe. To be honest,
I didn’t plan spending any more money. I’d rather see more of the city
than sit in a stuffy cafe.

- So what do you suggest?

- Let’s go to the British Museum. It’s one of the biggest museums in Great Britain and it’s free of charge. I think we shouldn’t miss the opportunity of seeing the exhibits which are famous all over the world. Besides, there is a cafe inside and if you are hungry, you can have a snack.

- I don’t think it’s a good idea because we won’t have enough time to see the whole museum. And it’s a bit boring just to look around. I am not fond of visiting museums though I must admit that the British Museum is worth visiting.

- Oh, I agree with you and I want to see its famous library. But you are right that we won’t have enough time for everything. Why not go for
a walk to the park then?

- To the park? It sounds tempting! It’s so nice to be in the open air for a change. We have already visited so many museums! And where can
we go?

- We can go to Hyde Park, which is riot far from our hotel. Have you been there before?

- No, I haven’t been to any park in Great Britain yet. I think it would be interesting to know what they are like here.

- Of course it would. Moreover, Hyde Park is famous for its Speakers’ Corner and if we are lucky, we can see someone making a speech there.

- That’s fantastic! Anyway, we may enjoy the sunny weather and have a nice time there.

- I’m with you there! And we can take beautiful photos and show them to our families and friends. But what if the weather changes for the worse? You know, English weather is so unpredictable!

- Never mind, we’ll take our umbrellas. So what shall we decide on?

- I think that Hyde Park is the best way of spending our time. Anyway, let’s hope for the best.

- Ok. Let’s hurry.

2)- Kate? What a nice surprise! It` s great to see you!

- Hi, Ann! I haven’t seen you for ages. Where have you been?

- I’ve just come back from Britain.

- Have you? How did you like it there?

- I enjoyed it greatly. I can’t say I’ve seen a lot, but I liked the places
I visited: London, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Cambridge.

- How long did you stay there?

- For a week. I wouldn’t mind staying there longer. You know, you need lots of time to see all British landmarks.

- Sure. You visited Stratford, Cambridge, Oxford and London within
a week! How did you manage?

- Stratford and Cambridge are small towns; it took me a day to go sightseeing there. Another day for Stratford-upon-Avon – all the other time I went sightseeing in London. And I can’t say I was able to see much of London. So, I have an excuse to come back there someday.

- You are right. What impressed you most?

- The weather. When I was in London, it rained the whole time.

- Is it a joke?

- About the weather? Unfortunately, it isn`t. And if you mean the sights, I liked everything I saw there. Well, Ann, I’m afraid, I have to go. Goodbye.

- Goodbye, Kate.