WORKING DAY OF A STUDENT

 

I. Words and word combinations to be remembered:

 

to get up – вставать

to wake up – просыпаться, будить

an alarm clock – будильник

to do morning exercises – делать зарядку

to make the bed – заправлять постель

to shave – бриться

to clean one’s teeth – чистить зубы

to wash – мыть(ся), умывать(ся)

to take a warm (cold) shower – принимать теплый (холодный) душ

to dry oneself – вытираться

to comb one’s hair – причесываться

to be ready for smth – быть готовым к чему-либо

to get ready for smth – готовиться

to be in a hurry - спешить, торопиться

to be late for classes – опаздывать на занятия

to leave for the University – уходить в универcитет

to get to the University by bus (trolley-bus, tram) – добираться до университета автобусом (троллейбусом, трамваем)

a credit test book – зачетная книжка

to apply make-up/cosmetics – накладывать макияж

to get to work late/on time – приезжать на работу поздно\ вовремя

be/ feel sleepy (refreshed, tired) – быть сонным\ хотеть спать (чувствовать себя бодрым/ усталым)

to catch a bus – садиться на автобус

to brush up on smth – освежать в памяти

to catch up on smth – восстанавливать знания

to do one's hair – делать прическу

to do the cleaning – делать уборку

to do the cooking – готовить

to do the homework – делать домашнее задание

to do the housework – делать работу по дому

to get dressed – одеться

to organize one's time – планировать время

to go to keep-fit classes – ходить на спортивные занятия

to have a hasty bite – наскоро перекусить

to sit up late – засиживаться до поздней ночи

 

 

II. Read and translate the texts:

I.

I'm in the first year at the university, where I'm studying English. My elder sister, Betty, is studying history at the same university. Betty can organise her time wisely, whereas I do not know what order I should do things in. I find it hard to get up on time, and usually I do not get enough sleep. I have to wind two alarm-clocks to make sure I do not oversleep.

My sister, an early riser, is awake by 7 o'clock, refreshed and full of energy. While I'm wandering round the kitchen, fighting the urge to go back to bed, my sister manages to have a quick shower, make her bed, put on makeup, do her hair, eat a full breakfast and set off to the university. It takes me an hour and a half to get ready. I have a hasty bite and rush out of the house. Even if I catch a bus at once I still arrive at the university 15 minutes late, which always makes me feel guilty.

My studies keep me busy all day long. I have 14 hours of English a week. I also have lectures and seminars. At lunchtime I meet my sister and we have a snack at the university cafe. After classes I make myself go to the library where I spend about six hours a week reading for my seminars.

My sister and I come home tired. I always find excuses to put my homework off. Unlike me, my sister manages to do the housework and get down to homework. I like the idea of going to bed early, but quite often I have to sit up late, brushing up on my grammar and vocabulary, though I feel sleepy. My sister says that keeping late hours ruins one's health. Of course, I agree.

As my sister and I do not get any time off during the week, we try to relax at the weekend. One of my greatest pleasures is to lie in bed and read my favourite books. My sister is a sporty person. To keep herself fit, Betty goes for a run in the park; from time to time she works in the gym.

I hate staying in, and sometimes on Saturday night my sister takes me out to a concert or a play. Sometimes we go to a party or to a disco. But more often than not I end up catching up on my studies and my sister goes out. I wonder how I manage to spoil my leisure time.

Every Monday when I awaken I think I should start a new life. I honestly think that I must become well-organised and correct my daily routine. I make plans to go to keep-fit classes, to do shopping with my sister, to do the cleaning and to do a hundred other good things. But then I remember that I have to call on my school friend in the evening, and I put off my plans till next Monday. It is always better to start a new life in a week.

 

II.

John Naylor, 24, is a successful businessman. Let's follow him through a typical day.

 

The alarm clock goes off at 7:00 a. m. John jolts out of bed at the same time. The automatic coffee maker kicks on in the kitchen. He jumps in the shower, shaves, opens one of the half-dozen boxes of freshly laundered white shirts waiting on the shelf, finishes dressing, and pours a cup of coffee. He sits down to a piece of whole wheat toast while he nips through the Fleet Street Journal. It takes him about 15 minutes to wake up and get ready. His briefcase in one hand and gym bag in the other, he hops in the car, ready to start the day.

He clocks in at exactly 7:45 a. m. He takes a seat in front of the computer and prepares for hours of phone calls and meetings that occupy his mornings.

At noon John rashes to the health club where he strips off the grey suit and changes into his T-shirt, shorts and the latest in design running shoes for tennis. In an hour he is sitting in the club dining room where he has scheduled lunch with a potential client. They discuss business over sparkling water, pasta and a cup of coffee.

At 2:30 p. m. he is back at his office, eager for several more hours of frantic meetings and phone calls. At 6:00 p. m. John phones out for delivery of dinner to keep him going through the next two to three hours he'll spend at his office.

John gets home at 10:00 p. m. just in time to sit down to a bowl of frozen yoghurt and a rerun of this season's most popular drama series before turning in.

 

III.

I am a student. I study at Altai State Technical University. I am in the first year of the full-time department, so I go to the University every day except Sunday. It takes much effort to study at the University and I try to keep regular hours. My classes begin at 8.15. I live far from the University, so I must get up very early. The alarm clock wakes me up at 6.30 a.m. Sometimes I turn off the alarm and lie in bed until my mother wakes me up again. While my mother wakes me up she is repeating the words: «An early riser is sure to be in luck».

I jump out of bed, open the window, do my morning exercises to the music, make the bed and go to the bathroom. In the bathroom I shave, clean my teeth and wash my face and hands. Sometimes I take a cold or a warm shower. Then I dry myself on a towel and comb my hair in front of the mirror. Then I go back to my room and dress. In some minutes I am ready for breakfast. I usually have a cup of tea or coffee and a sandwich or two. I am always in a hurry because I don’t want to be late for classes. At 7.30 I leave home for the University. I usually get to the University by bus. The bus stop is only a few minutes’ walk from my house. It takes me about half an hour to get to the University. So, I come to the University some minutes before the bell rings. I have enough time to get everything ready for my classes. My days are not like each other because I have a different time-table every day. As a rule I have 2 or 3 lectures and a seminar or a lab. Sometimes there is a gap of 2 hours that comes in between lectures or practical classes and it’s not convenient for both students and teachers. I do my best not to miss classes because I know that missing classes is a sure way to fail at exams. At about 12 o’clock I have a break for lunch. I don’t go to the canteen; I take a snack in the buffet. After the break classes go on. They are usually over at about 2 o’clock. After classes I usually go home but sometimes I stay in the reading-room to get ready for a seminar. After a day of hard work I feel very tired and I hurry home. At home I have dinner and a short rest, and then I do my homework and help my mother about the house. In the evening I watch a serial or a detective story on TV. Sometimes I go out with my friends. I go in for sports. Twice a week I play volley-ball in the University gym. I return home at 8 p.m. and have supper. When I stay at home in the evening I have supper with my parents. At supper we talk about different sort of things, including plans for the coming day.

At about 12 o’clock I go to bed. As you see, I am very busy and I always look forward to the week-end.

 

Answer the following questions:

 

1. What takes up most of these people’s time?

2. What things do you like / dislike about their daily routines?

3. Is their daily routine always the same?

4. Is their daily routine very different from yours? How?

5. What do you think about their social life?

6. Are they satisfied with their lives? Why?

7. What's your busiest day?

8. What do you usually do?

9. What time do you get up?

10. Where do you usually have breakfast, lunch?

11. What do you usually do after classes?

12. What time do you usually go home?

13. What do you do at the end of the day?

14. What do you do in your spare time?

15. What time do you usually go to bed?

16. What activities do you enjoy? Which do you dislike?

 

 

III. Read, translate and reproduce the dialogues:

 

Dialogue 1.

Victor. – Are you through with your homework?

Nick. – Oh, no Victor. I have so many things to do for Monday.

Victor. – But look at you watch. It’s a quarter to twelve. It’s time to go to bed.

Nick. – Never mind. Tomorrow is Sunday. It’s our day-off.

 

Dialogue 2.

– Hello, Nick! Did you have a good day?

– Not bad! The usual sort of thing. Practical classes, lectures. You know.

– Did you try to take your English exam ahead of time?

– Well, I did. But the teacher advised me to get ready for English better.

– I see.

– After classes I went to the reading-room. It took me an hour to make an abstract of the paper recommended by our teacher of physics. And then Kate turned up. As usual.

– So, what did you do?

– We had a long talk.

– Oh, yes. What about?

– Oh, this and that. Things. You know. Then we had a lunch.

– Where did you go? Somewhere nice?

– No, just the cafe round the corner. Then I returned to the University and stayed at the reading-room till 17 (5 p.m.)

– Sounds like a boring day.

– I don’t think so. There is a very good proverb: «Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.»

– I think you are right.

 

Dialogue 3.

– Pete, you look so tired. You don’t feel well, do you?

– It’s not that. I am really tired. I am going to take my last exam. It’s English.

– Then you have a lot of work to do!

– Sure. I’ve got a small cassette-player and I listen to different texts and dialogues. I read and translate special texts and retell them. I also pay much attention to topics.

– Excuse my curiosity, what mark would you like to have in English?

– You’d better ask me what mark I don’t want to have.

– I know you have been fond of English since your childhood.

– It goes without saying that English is my favourite subject and I don’t want to have «sat» in my credit test book.

– How long does your working day last now?

– From morning till late at night.

– If you go to bed very late, I think it’s very difficult for you to get up early.

– I’m not an early riser, so I get up at 8. I am sorry I must be going. Time presses.

– Good-bye. But don’t forget to have a short rest after hard work. I wish you luck.

– Thank you. See you soon.

 

IV. Ask your friend:

1. Когда он обычно встает в будние дни

2. Что он делает перед тем, как уйти в университет

3. Когда он уходит в университет

4. Как он добирается до университета

5. Что он делает, как только приходит в университет

6. Сколько времени продолжаются занятия в университете и когда заканчиваются

7. Есть ли у него возможность перекусить в университете

8. Сколько раз в неделю у него уроки англ. Языка

9. Нравится ли ему англ. Язык

10. Что он обычно делает на уроках англ. Языка

11. Когда он остается в университете после занятий

12. В какой день он особенно устает, почему

13. Чем он занимается дома, когда возвращается из университета

14. Следует ли он пословице: «никогда не откладывай на завтра то, что можно сделать сегодня».

15. Когда он ложится спать

 

V. Act out the situations:

1. Вы встретили своего школьного товарища. Узнайте у него, в каком институте он учится, нравится ли ему учиться, какой предмет ему больше всего нравится. Поинтересуйтесь, в какое время у него начинаются занятия и как часто у них бывает урок английского языка.

2. У твоего друга был очень трудный день. Спросите, сколько у него было лекций и практических занятий, когда закончились занятия, и почему он не пошел домой, а остался заниматься в читальном зале.

3. Ваш друг вчера сдал экзамен по английскому языку. Узнайте у него, было ли трудно сдавать экзамен и, если да, то почему. Поинтересуйтесь, какую оценку он получил, сколько времени ему потребовалось, чтобы перевести текст и подготовить устную тему.

4. Завтра у вас экзамен по математике. Ваш друг не был на консультации. Он позвонил вам и спросил, в какое время и в какой аудитории будет проходить экзамен, будет ли экзамен устный или письменный. Он также поинтересовался, сколько вопросов будет в одном билете и сколько времени дается на подготовку.