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FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION EXERCISES FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
Scopul caietului de exerciţii. Modalităţi de utilizare.
Caietul de exerciţii la limba engleză, nivel intermediar-avansat, îşi propune să dea studenţilor care urmează cursurile Facultăţii de Comunicare şi Relaţii Publice în sistemul Învăţământ Deschis la Distanţă (IDD) posibilitatea de a exersa situaţii comunicaţionale şi terminologia specifică teoriilor comunicării. Pentru a avea dreptul de a accede la examenul scris, toţi studenţii din seriile de avansaţi vor avea obligaţia de a completa integral caietul de exerciţii, cu scris de mână, de a îl organiza sub forma unui dosar şi de a îl preda profesorilor în ziua testării. Pentru a avea dreptul de a accede la examenul scris, toţi studenţii din seriile de intermediari vor avea obligaţia de a completa jumătate din caietul de exerciţii (temele 1-7), cu scris de mână, de a îl organiza sub forma unui dosar şi de a îl preda profesorilor în ziua testării. Acest caiet va reprezenta numai o condiţie obligatorie pentru intrarea în examen, nu va constitui parte din nota studentului, care se va obţine pe baza testului scris. Fiecare temă din caiet, ca şi din curs, este concepută în patru părţi, de aproximativ aceeaşi mărime şi importanţă în structura generală. Cea dintâi componentă este una comunicaţională, cuprinzând exerciţii de scriere corectă în limba engleză, de la prezentare până la scrisori oficiale sau interviuri pentru obţinerea unui post, de la modalităţi de concepere a unui articol sau interviu pentru un ziar până la organizarea unor conferinţe de presă. A doua structură cuprinde exerciţii de gramatica limbii engleze, referitoare la verb, cel mai important şi mai dificil subiect de discutat. Partea a treia conţine cerinţe de compoziţie pe marginea textelor de comunicare despre componentele comunicării, propagandă, presă scrisă şi electronică, relaţii publice, creare de imagine, structura organizaţiei, imaginea politică, imaginea comercială. A patra componentă a cursului cuprinde exerciţii de vocabular uzual la început, pentru ca pe parcurs să evolueze către probleme mai nuanţate şi cât mai apropiate de domeniul comunicării sociale şi al relaţiilor publice.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
I. COMMUNICATION – PAST AND FUTURE 1. Describing a person You are on the beach and you see an empty blanket on which there are a few objects spread around. You look at them and you wonder who is the person that owns these objects. And you are waiting for it to appear…The list of objects is the following: some chewing gum, a film, a comb, a belt bag, some car keys, a camera, a picture of two old persons, some sun-tan lotion, a pair of headphones, a mirror, a towel, a pencil, a book, a letter Now use your imagination. In the space given below, try to write a description of this person’s life, answering the questions: Is this person a man or a woman? Where does he/she come from? How old is he/she? What is his/her job? Is he/she married or single? What is he/she doing at the moment? What colour are his/her eyes?
2. Choose one of the following topics and have a dialogue, in the space given below: a. You are strolling downtown. Suddenly you meet an old friend of yours whom you have not seen since you were in elementary school. You are surprised to learn that he has become a millionaire. b. You are walking down the street. Suddenly you see a friend in front of you. You run up to him and say hello, but when he turns around you discover that he is a stranger. c. You are a teacher in the first day of school. Present yourself in front of the class and prompt the conversation with the students.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
3. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: 1. It (be) …………… for the first time that John and Mary ever (be) …………… so late. 2. It was not until she (say) …………… “yes” that she (wonder) …………… whether she (do) …………… wrong. After all, she really (not know) …………… him. 3. He asked the butler whether he (notice) …………… anything different about his master the previous night. Jackson (reply) …………… that he (notice) …………… nothing of the kind. 4. “How long you (be) …………… with him?” “23 years, Sir. Ever since he (start) …………… to be anything at all”. 5. I told you we (have) …………… guests at 8 o’clock and Mr. Johnson (be) …………… the first and (smoke) …………… a lot of cigarettes. 4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: Agent Cooper (wake) …………… up at 6 sharp, as he always (do) ……………, no matter where he (be) …………… or what he (do) …………… the previous day. His first thought was the realisation that he (wear) …………… the pinstriped suit, and when his eyes (fall) …………… on the reports piled around him, the events of the previous evening (come) …………… back to him. He (go) …………… to his club for supper, just (finish) …………… his turtle soup and (look) …………… forward to the second dish, when his meal rudely (be) …………… interrupted by a call from his superior. Once he (drink) …………… his black coffee, Cooper (think) …………… carefully what to put on. He (see) …………… M. at 9 o’clock that morning and (be) …………… keen on impressing the latter. Glancing at himself in the mirror, it (strike) …………… him that he (put) …………… on weight recently. He (have) …………… to pay more heed to his diet in the future. 5.Translate into English: 1. Copiii se joacă în parc în fiecare zi. 2. Duminica trecută am scris câteva scrisori, apoi am ascultat un concert la radio. 3. De când eşti aici? Am venit azi dimineaţă şi de atunci te aştept. 4. - De ce nu porţi ochelarii? – I-am pierdut. 5. Prietenii noştri nu vor veni în vacanţă la noi. 6. Acest băiet, care s-a născut acum, e nepotul meu. Pentru că să vedeţi domniile voastre: eu am avut şase fete, dintre care cea mai mare, pe care mă gândeam s-o mărit după ginere-meu, după ce va fi ieşit dascăl, s-a măritat după dascălul din Strântea, a doua s-a măritat după Mitrea lui Buduc, care acum e ctitor la biserică, pe a treia a luat-o ginere-meu, popa din Clădeni, cele două mai mici iată-le aici, iară Mili s-a măritat după ginere-meu, protopopul, şi a născut pe acest copil, care acum e nepotul meu. (Ioan Slavici – Budulea Taichii)
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
6. Explain the type of noise which led to the following funny miscommunications: a. During the 1985 Christmas season, an 800 (call and win) number was set up so that children could call Santa Claus and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Unfortunately, the phone lines got crossed and the little toddlers were connected to a Las Vegas bookie who dutifully informed them about the betting line on football games. b. A leading national shoe company premiered this slogan in 1987: “We’ll only sell you the right shoe”. c. A Seattle newspaper published a commemoration column in which Diana, Princess of Wales, was referred to as the “Princess of Whales”. d. When Chevrolet introduced its Nova model in South America they were puzzled by the low sales. Someone then pointed out that “no va” was Spanish for “it doesn’t work”. e. In 1984 the Coca-Cola company introduced a new advertising campaign to promote a soft drink, Tab. The theme of the campaign was “Let’s taste new Tab”. The commercials on billboards and flies were a success, but on radio and TV people heard “Less taste, new Tab”. The company had to remove the ads at considerable loss.
7. Give the synonyms and the antonyms of the following words: source encoding cheap original response noise to initiate to enter to buy to manage 8. Complete the passage with these words: information technologies accumulation unified structure development revolution competition stabilisation
global signals productivity worship shape unions labour survival
The human race is on the threshold of a new emerging civilisation: the ……… civilisation. It is an extension and a successor to the agricultural and industrial civilisation that have determined our ………structure until now. Agricultural civilisation was the first to take concrete ………. It was established in fertile alluvial areas in the Middle East from the ………of agricultural production,
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
fact which assured the ………of Homo sapiens and the ………of large amounts of social surplus. The increasing dependence of agricultural productivity on the sun and manual labour had as result the ………of two social aspects: a religion of sun ……… and a system of agricultural slave ……… Industrial ………provided the means by which industrial civilisation flourished. Its origins lay in the natural sciences and the machinery of the industrial ………made this possible. New society systems emerged, with the free ………of private business, comodity markets, parliamentary democracy and labour ………. The monuments of the agricultural civilisation are the pyramids and temples and those of the industrial civilisation are factories and skyscrapers. The information civilisation depends on computer and communication ………, being thus invisible. Its products are ………symbols and images. It is global, it does not take into account soil or city, because it spreads all over the world in ………form. It aims to the mutual understanding and ………thinking of citizens overriding national interests and deepening different cultures. 9. Using the verbs to declare, to proclaim, to pronounce and to state, translate the following sentences into English: a. S.U.A. a declarat război Iugoslaviei. b. Vă declar soţ şi soţie. c. Vă rugăm să declaraţi tot ce ştiţi şi să nu ascundeţi nimic. d. În urma numărării voturilor el a fost declarat preşedinte. e. A fost declarat cel mai bun jucător al turneului. f. Vom declara poziţia noastră presei după pronunţarea sentinţei. g. Aveţi bunuri de declarat la vamă? h. Mă declar cu totul împotriva acestei acţiuni. i. Vreţi să faceţi o declaraţie acum sau după ce v-aţi consultat avocatul? j. Faimoasa Declaraţie de Independenţă a Statelor Unite ale Americii a fost proclamată pe 4 iulie 1776. 10. Write down the nouns deriving from the following verbs: believe; threaten; agree; suggest; express; refer, form, correct, intend, analyse, correspond, lose, promiss, irritate, damage, inherit, decide, declare, insult, sustain.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
II. PROPAGANDA AND PERSUASION 1. The following sentences are taken from phone calls. Imagine the reply before or after each of them. a. Who’s calling, please? b. Thanks for calling. c. Just a moment, please. I’ll put you through. d. Which extension do you want? e. Oh, I’m sorry. I must have dialled the wrong number. f. Good morning, can I help you? g. Sorry? Can you repeat, please? h. Could we meet some time soon? i. Would morning or afternoon suit you best? j. Sorry, the line is busy. 2. Write a dialogue beginning from one of the following stories, in the space given below: a. You are at home alone. Suddenly the telephone rings. You pick up the receiver and hear a strange voice at the other end of the line… b. You know that a friend of yours is very upset because he/she hasn’t passed an important exam for a scholarship in the United States of America. So you phone him/her to comfort the person. How do you start the conversation and how do you continue it? c. A slight acquaintance calls you on the phone to invite you at a party. You don’t really like the person, so you have to quickly find good excuses for not going there.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
3. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: a. I (make) …………… cakes. That is why my hands are covered with flour. b. I (not understand) …………… what you (wait) …………… for. c. I am sorry I (not come) …………… to class lately. I (work) …………… late in the evenings for this fortnight. d. I really (enjoy) …………… myself at that moment. e. I (think) …………… to buy a new house last year, during the elections, but I (change) …………… my mind ever since. f. I don’t know what time we (eat) ……………, it (depend) …………… when Helen (get) …………… here. g. I supported you at the time because I (feel) …………… you (be) right. h. I (live) …………… here. i. Sorry I (not fix) …………… the plug yet. I (mean) …………… to get round to it, but I just (not find) …………… the time. j. At the meeting Peter (not understand) …………… what (be) …………… decided because too many people (talk) …………… at once. 4. The sentences below contain one mistake each. Correct it: a. I have once studied the guitar for three years. b. I am here since three o’clock, but nobody has come yet. c. When she arrived, I was waiting for three hours and a half. d. I have seen him three days ago. e. Will you have been having dinner out tonight? f. I knew she will arrive before long. g. I think it’s raining tonight. h. You are hating this party. i. I am seeing a rabbit over there. j. He always forgets people’s names. 5. Translate into English: a). Crede că se comportă foarte frumos. b). Mereu zice că îmi cumpără o rochie nouă. c). De-abia am început să vorbesc că m-a şi întrerupt. d). Obişnuia să cânte când făcea duş, dar asta s-a întâmplat înainte de accident. e). A plouat de la 3 la 5. 6. Resume the following text, extracting the main ideas, in no more than five lines: Out of the millions of things that happen every day, print and electronic journalists decide what few things are worth reporting. Deciding what is newsworthy is not an exact science, but there are common elements that characterise it. The most important feature of a newsworthy event is timeliness, because news is new and yesterday’s news is old news. A consumer who picks up the evening paper or turns on the afternoon news expects to be told what has happened earlier the same day. News is perishable and stale news is not interesting. Another quality of news is proximity, because readers and viewers want to learn about their neighbourhood, town, country. All other things being equal, things from close to home are more newsworthy than news from a foreign country. Psychological proximity is also important, for example subway riders from Bucharest will
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
be more interested in a material about the New York subway than the people in the same town not travelling by this means of transport. Prominence is another feature, as the more important a person, the more valuable he or she is as a news source. Political leaders, sports and entertainment figures, but also dangerous criminals give media coverage. Another golden rule is that people are interested in events with consequences on their lives, with impact. A tax increase, drought, inflation, earthquakes, all these events have consequence and are widely mediatised. The last quality we mention is human interest, stories that arouse emotion in the audience by being ironic, bizarre, tragic. Typically, these items concern ordinary people who find themselves in circumstances with which the audience can identify. Thus, when the winner of the state lottery gives half of his winnings to the elderly man who sold him the ticket, it becomes newsworthy. Anyhow, it is not easy to establish what is news.
7. Translate into English: Comunicarea este un cuvânt la modă azi. Mai ales comunicarea în masă s-a dezvoltat extrem de rapid după cel de-al doilea război mondial, când eforturile s-au concentrat asupra eficienţei propagandistice. Iniţial, s-a considerat logic să se înceapă cu sursa, acest punct de vedere dovedindu-se o gravă eroare care îşi are rădăcinile în renumita teorie a glonţului. Potrivit acesteia, sursa (cel care comunică) foloseşte o combinaţie de mesaje şi strategii de media pentru a influenţa un public ce trebuie convins, aşa cum un glonte urmăreşte o ţintă precisă. Comunicarea scrisă sau vorbită se constituia atunci când cuvintele ce urmau să constituie mesajul erau selectate şi aranjate pentru a fi emise pe piaţă. Mai târziu specialiştii au ajuns la concluzia că impactul comunicării este mai mare dacă se începe cu publicul ţintă, cel ce dă sens mesajului, pe măsură ce informaţiile primite sunt procesate în contextul credinţelor, atitudinilor, motivaţiilor şi necesităţilor oamenilor. Astăzi teoria lui Schramm, potrivit căreia comunicarea este o relaţie tranzacţională între două sau mai multe părţi între care este schimbată informaţia, este comun acceptată. Dacă cel care comunică nu înţelege publicul căruia i se adresează, transferul de semnificaţii nu se produce. Capacitatea sursei de a se pune în locul receptorului a fost denumită empatie, aceasta începând să funcţioneze în primii ani de viaţă, atunci când copilul învaţă să preia rolul altuia.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
8. Give the synonyms and the antonyms of the following words: effective careful publicity employee stable adequate ability manager to persuade to extend 9. Complete the passage with these words. There are two words in surplus in the table. public respected rising
reap
market fame wealth ambition jet set whizz-kid success best-seller achieve rocketed expanding potential
What is success? Achieving a long-held ………. ? Earning a million by the time you are twenty five? Joining the ……….? ……….to the top of your chosen profession? Writing a ……….? ……….means different things to different people, but one has managed to ………. all this in a very short space of time. Jeff Johnson was still at university when he realised the ……….profits to be made from the sale of posters to an eager public. The poster stall he organised every Sunday was regularly surrounded by enthusiasts eager to find something new. So, after graduating, he took a loan, rented office space and acquired a stock of posters. Soon his business was ………. rapidly and he was able to purchase a warehouse, which he renovated and used as a centre for his operations. Other shops were opened in different parts of the country and sales ………. Hard-headed businessmen crowded to buy shares in this ……….’s company when it went public and Jeff was able to ……….the rewards of his hard work by taking time off to buy a house and get married. He is still only in his mid-twenties, a father of two, and a ……….businessman with a product which is a ……….leader. To admirers of his accomplishments he points out that he has had to make sacrifices. “It’s difficult to maintain one’s privacy”, he says. “Once you are successful, you have to live in the ……….eye to a certain extent”. 10. Translate the following sentences: Susţine că n-a văzut nimic. Afirm cu toată răspunderea că n-am văzut-o la ora respectivă acolo. Acuzatul îşi menţine declaraţia. Ea susţine că soţul ei ar fi bătut-o. Afirmaţi că aţi fost martoră la accident cu toate că aţi fost văzută în altă parte? Susţine să i se plătească daune în urma accidentului. Ştiu că minte, dar susţine acum că n-a spus nimic. Ea tot susţine într-una că ei nu i s-a spus nimic. După toate acestea vă mai susţineţi punctul de vedere? Cotidianul “The Times” susţine că are informaţii precise cu privire la scandal.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
III. MASSES OR ELITES? 1. Make all the changes and additions necessary to produce, from the following sets of words and phrases, sentences which together make a complete letter. Dear Diana a. Thank you/much/your letter/arrive/few days ago. b. It be lovely/hear/you. c. I be sorry/I not write/such/long time/but I/be very busy. d. As you know/we buy/new house/September. e. It be/very bad condition/and it need/a lot/work. f. We finish/most/it now/and it look/very nice. g. Peter and I/decide/give/house-warming party/May 3rd. h. You think/you able/come? i. Please give me/ring/let/know/you/make it. j. I/really/look forward/see you again. Love, Jenny 2. Write a letter to your internet supplier, showing that you are very pleased with the services rendered up to now and that you hope they will keep on working like that. Do not forget to write down the addresses, the date, the proper salutation and complimentary close.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
3. Give passive equivalents to the following active sentences: a. The dog frightens her. b. The team is carrying out an interesting experiment. c. You found the door shut. d. She was cooking dinner when he came. e. They have built three blocks of flats by now. f. They had been digging the garden for two hours when it started to rain. g. Somebody will do justice. h. She said somebody would announce him. i. Did your mother tell you we had left? j. They have given him the job he was looking for. 4. Make passive sentences using the tense required by the adverbials: 1. (promise, an electric train, little Jimmy) for his birthday. 2. (arrange, the furniture) right now. 3. (embroider, my grandmother, this tablecloth) when she was a girl. 4. (destroy, the little hut, the wind) during the storm. 5. (analyse, the problem) tomorrow. 6. (attack, the monkeys, the explorers) the previous day. 7. (congratulate, he) when I saw him. 8. (throw away, that junk) this morning. 9. (look, into the matter) next week. 10. (not live, in this castle) for 200 years. 5. Translate into English: Duminică noaptea s-a abătut asupra Marii Britanii o furtună puternică, care a provocat moartea a 5 persoane şi rănirea gravă a altor 8. Au fost înregistrate de asemenea zeci de răniri uşoare. Numeroase întreruperi ale curentului electric au fost determinate de vântul extrem de violent. Maşinile staţionate pe trotuare au fost purtate de vânt la zeci de metri depărtare. Una dintre victime a fost atinsă de un arbore smuls de vânt. Importante pagube au fost aduse şi unor nave care staţionau în porturi. Au fost recepţionate apeluri SOS lansate de o navă aflată în larg.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
6. Read the following text and then answer the questions: Mass communicators have a set of common characteristics which distinguish them from other groups and institutions. First of all, mass communication is produced by complex and formal organisations characterised by specialisation, division of labour, focussed areas of responsibility. This means that mass communication will be the product of a bureaucracy. As in most bureaucracies, decision-making will take place at several different levels of management and channels of communication within the organisation will be formalised. Another important factor that characterises the mass communicator is the presence of multiple gatekeepers. A gatekeeper is a person or group which has control over what material eventually reaches the public. Gatekeepers exist in large numbers in all mass communication organisations, some being more obvious than others. The third rule is that mass communication organisations need a great deal of money to operate, so that they have to have strong financial resources in order to penetrate the market. That is the reason why small companies unite and form “mega-media concerns”. Another characteristic of mass communicators is that these organisations exist to make profit. The consumer is the ultimate source of this profit, but there are various secondary means of financing. Last but not least, mass communication organisations are highly competitive. Since the audience is the source of profit, mass communicators compete with each other as they attempt to attract the public. Questions:Which are the five characteristics of mass communicators? What is a gatekeeper? Why should mass communication be formalised? Which is the ultimate source of mass communicators? Why do mass communication organisations compete? What are mega-media concerns?
7. Complete the missing words in the following texts: a. The struggles which ………to transform the legitimate hierarchies through the legitimating of a still ………art or genre, such as photography or the strip cartoon, or through the ………of minor or neglected authors, are precisely what creates legitimacy by creating belief in the value of the ………in which the value is produced and reproduced. These arts, not yet fully legitimate, which are ………or neglected by the big holders of educational capital, offer a ………and a revenge to those who, by appropriating them, try to remove the existing systems, having in the same time a great impact over the ………. Missing words: aim, disdained, game, illegitimate, refuge, audience, rehabilitation. b. What makes a best seller? This is a sixty-four dollar question. It can be answered, ………largely by guess and summarise, and never satisfactory to the ………who wants a formula. The creation of a best seller does not follow an exact ………anymore than does the making of a ………man. Moreover, since there is not just one ………audience, no single formula could be expected. There are certain elements of………appeal, as religion, sensationalism, information and guidance, or adventure, democracy, humour, ………, juvenile suitability, timeliness and so on. Missing words: though, best seller, pattern, successful, inquirer, characterisation, popular.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
8. Write an essay about soap operas.
9. Give the synonyms and antonyms of the following words: profit agent extensive irrational popular
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
distinguished revenue demand to gather to conceal 10.Complete the sentences with these phrases: standing ovation soap opera supporting roles low-budget prime-time box-office success sub-titles final curtain 1. Despite being a critical disaster, the film was a huge ……… 2. The orchestra and their conductor were given a………at the end of the concert. 3. People who are addicted to a particular ………seldom miss an episode. 4. It wasn’t until the ………fell that the audience voiced their disapproval by hissing and booing. 5. At the local arts cinema, foreign films are usually shown with ………, and only occasionally dubbed. 6. Compared with most American blockbusters, it was a ………film, as very little funding was available. 7. Programmes on ………television attract the greatest number of viewers. 8. Although the lead actor and actress were excellent, the ………were very well acted, too. 11. Join the halves: a. If money were not spent on advertising, it would give manufacturers the opportunity to b. Some firms spend large sums of money on advertising to c. The target audience is the selection of the population to d. A jingle is a short tune to e. Ego bait is intended to f. Many manufacturers see advertising as an insurance policy which gives them the opportunity to g. Advertising can be seen as a means to h. The advent of satellite television has opened up possibilities for international advertising agencies to i. A hoaring is a site for poster advertising which some firms use to j. If manufacturers do not advertise when sales fall they might have to k. The Trade Descriptions Acts were passed to l. The purpose of much advertising expenditure on established brands is to
1. flatter the target audience by pandering to their self image and making them more receptive to the advertising message. 2. substantially reduce the cost of the goods to the consumers. 3. remind the public the name of the brand. 4. ensure that advertisers do not make false statements about their products, services. 5. attract the attention of people such as pedestrians and motorists. 6. communicate between those with goods and services to sell and those who might benefit from those goods and services. 7. Reduce large numbers of their workers. 8. which the advertising message of a television or radio is sung. 9. whom the advertisement is intended to appeal 10. restrict the entry of competitors into the market. 11. advertise throughout the world with a single commercial. 12. Protect themselves against their own toooptimistic forecasts.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
12. Translate the following sentences, using the following verbs and phrasals: to account for, to elucidate, to explain, to expound, to interpret. 1. Încearcă să-i explici, sigur va înţelege. 2. Asta explică de ce n-au venit la timp. 3. Adaugă şi o notă explicativă la scrisoare. 4. Teoria aceasta trebuie să fie explicată în detaliu pentru a fi înţeleasă corect. 5. E o neînţelegere care se cere explicată cât de curând. 6. Explică acest pasaj în mod personal! 7. Va trebui să te explici! 8. Oboseala nu explică totul! 9. Mâine va ţine o prelegere şi îşi va explica doctrina. 10. Adaugă un comentariu la lucrare, acesta va explica sensul întregii acţiuni.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
IV. THE POWER OF THE PRESS 1. Translate into English a letter of request and a letter of application: a. Domnule Decan, Subsemnatul …………………, student în anul ……… la Facultatea ……………… din cadrul Universităţii…………., vă rog să îmi aprobaţi cazarea în unul din căminele universităţii pentru anul universitar 1999-2000. Solicit acest lucru deoarece am absolvit anul universitar anterior cu media ……şi nu domiciliez în această localitate. Vă mulţumesc anticipat. Data:…………. Semnătura:…………….
b. Stimate domn, Ref.: Asistent – Departamentul Relaţii Publice Am aflat prin intermediul anunţului apărut în ziarul “România liberă” din data de 25 octombrie 1999 despre oportunităţile de angajare pe care firma dumneavoastră de publicitate le oferă studenţilor. După cum veţi vedea din Curriculum Vitae alăturat, sunt sudent în anul …… la facultatea …………….Am obţinut rezultate foarte bune în anii de studiu anteriori, iar perioadele de practică au constituit începuturile formării mele ca viitor specialist în domeniu. Aş dori să scot în evidenţă calităţile pe care consider că le posed şi care cred că vin în întâmpinarea cerinţelor postului oferit de dumneavoastră. Calităţi comunicaţionale - ştiu să mă fac uşor înţeles şi reuşesc în multe cazuri să îi conving pe ceilalţi să adopte ideile mele, lucrez foarte bine în echipă.Cunoştinţe teoretice de comunicare socială şi relaţii publice - dobândite la cursurile şi seminariile din facultate.Cunoştinţe temeinice de limba engleză şi computer - dobândite pe perioada liceului şi a anilor de facultate. Dacă aceste abilităţi sunt de interes pentru firma dumneavoastră, sper că mă veţi contacta la adresa menţionată mai sus. În cazul unui interviu, vă voi explica mai amănunţit de ce consider că sunt potrivit pentru postul de asistent la Departamentul Relaţii Publice.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
2. Rearrange the following paragraphs in the correct order to make up a covering letter. a. At the moment I am working part time as an independent agent for Romanian and German importers of Chinese textiles and chemical products. I find the relevant Chinese factories for the buyers, negotiate for them and translate their contracts into Chinese, Romanian or English. b. I would appreciate if you considered meeting or speaking with me within the next two months about the possibility of my working for your company. c. I am writing in order to enquire about the possibility of an opening in your company. My goal is to find a position in an international company and I would be interested in either research and development or marketing and sales. d. Please find enclosed my CV containing further details of my educational background experience. e. I am particularly interested in finding a position that would offer me management training, and that would involve my knowledge of chemical processes and my foreign language skills. f. My long experience of actively participating in committee meetings as a representative of my student unit has given me good presentation skills, as I am able to present ideas clearly and concisely to an audience. g. The liaison work I have been doing has been challenging. I have learnt a great deal about the cultural differences in conducting business with Asian and European clients. h. I see my strong points as my ability to lead teams and manage tasks and groups, take the initiative, solve problems, make decisions and open and maintain friendly relationships with people from all walks of life, I have limitless energy and I am willing to work hard to achieve all the goals of any task I am set. 3. Make up phone a dialogue or a letter on the following topics: a. You are a student. Arrange through the telephone an appointment at your dean with the secretary of the faculty. b. Write a letter of thanks for the scholarship offered to you by the board of the faculty. c. Write a polite letter of refusal to take part in the opening ceremony of an organisation.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
4. Supply the correct tense of the verbs in brackets: a. I won’t call you if nothing (to happen)………………. b. If the engine (not to be cold) ………………, don’t pull out the choke control. c. I will call the electrician if the lights (to fail) ……………… again. d. If more governments (to wake up) ………………to what is happening, perhaps he would be able to avoid the disaster. e. It would be risky if you (to drive) ……………… this old car to Spain. f. I would take the day off if I (to have) ……………… stomach ache. g. I (to stop) ……………… working if I won a lot of money. h. If they (to change) ……………… more money, they could have stayed in a hotel. i. Perhaps dad wouldn’t have been so surprised if he (to hear) ……………… the boys talking about it. j. Even I had run as fast as I could, I (to miss) ……………… the bus. 5. Complete the following conditional structures: a. If it doesn’t rain for months ………………. b. If a driver sees a zebra crossing the street ………………. c. I shall be happy if ………………. d. I should be rich and successful if………………. e. I won the prize unless ………………. f. If I went to visit London, ………………. g. I should have called you if ………………. h. I would have bought myself a new car in case………………. i. Had I been in your place ………………. j. Unless he had told me differently ………………. 6. Translate into English: a. 1. Dacă îţi vei face datoria, vor fi mulţumiţi. 2. Dacă ne-am fi oprit acolo, am fi ajuns înapoi foarte târziu. 3. Nu fura merele dacă ceilalţi băieţi nu-l îndemnau să o facă. 4. Dacă îl vei întreba ce înseamnă pentru el reclama, îţi va spune ceva ciudat. 5. Dacă ai lua un ziar, ai găsi probabil un număr de cuvinte pe care nu le înţelegi. 6. Dacă din întâmplare nu voi veni la timp, nu mă aştepta. 7. Dacă aş fi în locul tău, aş face orice mi-ar spune. 8. Dacă aş fi fost atât de obosit, mi-aş fi luat câteva zile de concediu. 9. În caz că m-ar fi căutat, sora mea nu m-ar fi dat la telefon. 10. Să fi ştiut ce mă aşteaptă, nu m-aş fi angajat acolo. b. …şi tot astfel, dacă închid un ochi, văd mâna mea mai mică decât cu amândoi. De aş ave trei ochi, aş vede-o şi mai mare, şi cu cât mai mulţi ochi aş ave, cu atâta lucrurile toate dimprejurul meu ar păre mai mari. Cu toate astea, născut cu mii de ochi, în jurul unor arătări colosale, ele toate, în raport cu mine păstrându-şi proporţiunea, nu mi-ar păre nici mai mari, nici mai mici decât îmi par azi. (Mihai Eminescu – Sărmanul Dionis)
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
7. Read and translate the following text and then answer the questions. At the individual level, the functional approach to media is given the general name of the uses-andgratifications model. In its simplest form, this model posits that audience members have certain needs that are satisfied by using non-media and media sources. The actual needs satisfied by the media are called media gratifications. Our knowledge of these gratifications typically comes from surveys that have asked people a large number of questions about how they use media. Several researchers have classified the various uses and gratifications into a fourfold category system: cognition, diversion, social utility, withdrawal. Cognition means the act of coming to know something. When a person uses a mass medium to obtain information about something, than he or she is using the medium in a cognitive way. Diversion can take many forms, including: stimulation, or seeking relief from boredom or the routine activities of everyday life; relaxation, or escape from the pressures and problems of day-to-day existence; emotional release of pent-up emotions and energy. Psychologists have also identified a set of social integrative needs, including our need to strengthen our contact with family, friends and others in our society. The media function that addresses this need is called social utility, and this usage can take several forms: that of conversational currency (media provide a common ground for social conversation) or that of parasocial relationship (the TV set represents a voice in the house for people who might otherwise be alone). On the other hand, humans occasionally need to escape from certain activities and they use media not only for relaxation but also for purposes that are best described as withdrawal uses. At times, people use the mass media to create a barrier between themselves and other people or other activities. For example, the media help people avoid certain chores that must be done. Questions:To what does the “uses and gratifications model” refer? Which are the main gratifications obtained through the media? Which are the basic forms of diversion through media? What is social utility?What is parasocial relationship?What is withdrawal?
8. Translate into English: În general, mass media sunt clasate în categorii, în funcţie de câteva criterii: întinderea audienţei (potenţială/efectivă, locală/naţională/internaţională); natura mesajelor (audiovizuale/textuale); înclinaţii spre anumite obiective (funcţii – a informa/a distra). Criteriul cel mai pertinent de a le deosebi constă în modalitatea de comunicare deosebindu-se trei mari familii: mediile autonome, care nu au pentru transmitere un suport tehnic specific (cărţi, ziare); mediile de difuziune, care au ca suport de difuziune undele hertziene şi care pot acoperi simultan spaţii foarte mari (radio, TV); mediile de intercomunicare, permiţând o comunicare la distanţă în dublu sens (telefonul). După alte criterii, mediile pot fi clasificate în: medii de prezentare (vocea, corpul, faţa), cele care folosesc limbajul natural al cuvintelor, mimica, gestica; medii de reprezentare (cărţile, pictura, fotografiile, arhitectura), cu caracter simbolic şi coeficient de creativitate; mediile mecanice (telefon, radio, TV).
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
9. Write an essay giving your opinion about the role of media in one of the following situations: a. The rise and fall of super-stars in music industry (example: Michael Jackson). b. The image of the president of a country for the citizens (example: the role of media during the Watergate scandal, which lately brought to the resignation of president Richard Nixon).
10. Do the following exercises: a.Complete each sentence with a word formed from one of these verbs: catch, censor, circulate, cover, criticise. 1. The new gallery was given the seal of approval by the Observer’s art ………, who wrote several enthusiastic articles about it. 2. Roy Richardson is one of the BBC’s veteran cricket……….3. Under the Government’s wartime ………rules, all newspaper articles had to be checked by officials before being printed. 4, The tabloids have excellent ………of scandal and sport: the quality papers deal with everything else. 5. The local newspaper’s………fell dramatically when the editor was sacked. 6. That jingle from the teabag ad is so ………that I can’t get it out of my head. b. Choose the correct word or phrase from the pair in brackets to complete each sentence: 1. The actors have been ………the play all this week. (rehearsing/repeating). 2. The audience applauded wildly when the director appeared on the ……… to take his bow. (scene/stage) 3. I’ve been watching a fascinating new ………of art programmes. (serie/series) 4. Although the play has a large number of ………, it is comparatively easy to follow the plot. (characters/persons)
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
5. If you don’t like that programme, you can always switch over to a different ………. (channel/canal) 6. The latest television dramatisation was filmed entirely ………in a country village not far from here. (in the wild/on location) 7. Which ………did Marlene Dietrich play in her last film? (role/performance) 8. What a wondeful ………of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that was in the Evening Herald? (critic/review) 11.Give the synonyms and antonyms of the following words: to motivate promotion usual satisfying compliance to recruit ability relevant casual skill purposeful link reliance regulation premise 12.Translate into English the following sentences, using the verbs to notice, to observe, to perceive and to remark. 1. Am observat imediat toate schimbările din cameră. 2. A observat cineva că am întârziat? 3. Nici nu am observat când a venit tata. 4. Ai făcut o observaţie cam obraznică. 5. Observă-l cu multă atenţie, să vezi ce face. 6. Nu observ să fie vreo diferenţă între desene. 7. L-am observat de mult, fii liniştit. 8. Am observat o uşoară ezitare în răspunsul ei. 9. L-am observat imediat în acel grup zgomotos. 10. Am observat că nu mai purta inelul de logodnă.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
V. THE NEWSPAPERS AND THE MAGAZINES 1. Complete the following sentences which open and close business letters: a. Our firm is aware that you are exporters of ……… b. Your name was given to us by……… c. We are informed that your firm produces………and we would be interested in……… d. If you are interested in buying our merchandise we inform you that……… e. We are very interested in your offer as so ……… f. If you agree with our terms, please ……… g. We are looking forward to ……… h. We thank you for your confidence in us and ……… i. Having favourably solved our first offer, we hope ……… j. We would certainly appreciate ……… k. You may be sure of ……… l. Enclosed to this letter ……… m. With our best thanks ……… n. We kindly entrust you that we are able to settle the matter ……… 2. Translate into English the following letters: a. Letter of ordering Stimate domnule Causio, Veţi găsi alăturat comanda noastră, Nr. DR4316, de pulovere pentru tineri, toate culorile şi mărimile pe care le oferiţi în catalog. Am hotărât să acceptăm reducerea de 15 % şi condiţiile de plată pe care le doriţi, dar insistăm să rediscutăm aceşti termeni contractuali în viitorul apropiat. Veţi găsi alăturat documentele de transport şi ordinul de plată de la Banca Northminster din Birmingham. Dacă nu aveţi în stoc obiectele solicitate, vă rugăm să nu ne trimiteţi altele care să le înlocuiască. V-am fi recunoscători dacă aţi face livrarea în termen de 6 săptămâni. Aşteptăm cu nerăbdare răspunsul dumneavoastră. Cu respect, Lionel Crane Director general
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
b. Letter of complaint Stimate domnule Causio, Vă scriu pentru a face o plângere în legătură cu transportul de pulovere pe care l-am primit ieri în urma comenzii noastre din data de 10 martie. Cutiile în care erau ambalate puloverele erau desfăcute şi păreau că s-au rupt în timpul transportului. Din documentele pe care ni le-aţi trimis, am constatat că 30 de obiecte au fost furate, având valoare generală de 1.500 £. Din cauza deteriorării cutiilor, alte câteva obiecte nu mai pot fi vândute ca articole noi. Pentru că vânzarea s-a făcut în bani ghiaţă, vă rugăm să ne contactaţi urgent pentru a stabili compensaţiile. Veţi găsi alăturat o listă cu bunurile dispărute şi cele deteriorate, iar noi vom păstra stocul intact până când vom primi instrucţiunile dumneavoastră. Cu respect, Lionel Crane Director general
3. Choose a topic and write a letter: a. Request for a catalogue from a firm of tapes and cassettes whose products you have seen at a fair. b. You are the director of an advertising agency, answer to the proposal of co-operation of a television station. c. Answer the two letters you have translated before, on behalf of Mr. Causio. d. Write a letter of complaint for the products you have ordered from a company of cosmetics. The items arrived to you very damaged. e. You are the manager of a firm which offers shipment for goods. Write a reply to another company, explaining the ways in which you can help them with transport. f. You are the manager of a small company. Write a letter to a larger company in the same field, proposing to co-operate in certain activities.
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Caiet de exerciţii
4. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Exercises for advanced students
Finish the sentences: It is important that this paper ……… My mother took me to the cinema so that I ……… He didn’t dare ski lest he ……… I wish you ……… I suggest that he ………
5. Replace the Infinitive in brackets with the appropriate forms of the Subjunctive: 1. You had better (to listen) ……… to me. 2. It is likely that he (to be) ……… awarded a prize. 3. I wish you (to learn) ……… better. 4. I asked her if this (to be) ……… what she meant. 5. You look as if you (to be) ……… tired. 6. Whoever they (to be) ……… tell them to wait. 7. Even though she (to ask) ……… she would not have been given an answer. 8. It is high time you (to make up) ……… your mind whether you want to do the job or not. 9. She had rather (to come) ……… with you. 10. I should like to have a rest rather than (to join) ……… you on the trip. 6. Translate into English: a. A sugerat să ne petrecem vacanţa la mare. b. Mă îndoiesc că va fi aici până mâine. c. Dacă este nevoie putem să ne oprim acum. d. Ai face mai bine să mergi cu noi. e. Chiar dacă ai fi insistat nu l-ai fi convins. f. S-a hotărât ca proiectul să fie gata până la sfârşitul lunii. g. Ar fi bine să notezi aceste lucruri ca să nu le uiţi. h. Mi-e teamă să nu se strice vremea. i. Prefer să învăţ totul de la început. j. Mi s-a ordonat să-mi schimb programul de lucru. k. Oriunde ar lucra, ea întotdeauna va fi lăudată de toată lumea. l. Indiferent ce gândeşti despre mine nu-ţi dau rochia mea s-o porţi la bal.
7. Conceive a composition on one of the following topics: a. Things you would rather do. b. If you were the first man on the moon, what would you write back home? c. Which are your secret wishes?
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
8. Translate into English: a. Pentru aniversarea celor zece ani de la căderea Zidului Berlinului, ministrul federal german pentru problemele tineretului, Christine Bergmann, şi autorităţile noii capitale a Germaniei reunificate au invitat circa 1000 de tineri din Europa la o sărbătoare ce va dura mai multe zile şi care va avea punctul culminant pe 9 noiembrie, seara, de-a lungul urmei fostului Zid şi mai ales în faţa Porţii Brandenburg. În plan politic, foştii preşedinţi sovietic şi american, Mihail Gorbaciov şi George Bush, protagoniştii reunificării germane, fostul şi actualul cancelar, Helmut Kohl şi respectiv Gerhard Schroeder, vor lua cuvântul pe 9 noiembrie în Bundestag (camera inferioară a parlamentului german). În perioada 5-10 noiembrie, tineri cu vârste cuprinse între 16 şi 25 de ani, veniţi din Germania şi alte 24 de ţări europene, vor avea ocazia să cunoască oraşul şi istoria sa şi să discute mai ales cu martori direcţi ai căderii Zidului Berlinului. În zilele denumite de guvernul german Festivalul european al tineretului, tinerii vor asista la numeroase conferinţe privind rolul Berlinului în Europa şi relaţiile Est-Vest, având ocazia de a-şi face cunoscute opiniile privind edificarea în comun a continentului european, declara doamna Bergmann […]. (România Liberă, 4 noiembrie, 1999).
b. Revoluţia din decembrie 1989 a adus în spaţiul cultural românesc o problemă puţin dezbătută: rolul elitelor în societate. Până la acel moment teoria socială şi politică avusese drept principale ţinte grupările socio-profesionale, structurile şi raporturile dintre clasele sociale. Dinamica socio-politică postdecembristă a scos la iveală insuficienţa unui asemenea tip de analiză. Diversitatea actorilor politici, coagularea raporturilor dintre liderii sau promotorii proceselor schimbării şi diversitatea structurii sociale ce se înfiripau în societatea deschisă de implozia totalitarismului, aduceau în prim planul reflecţiei sociale nevoia de nuanţare a discursului clasial. Şi aceasta întrucât, dincolo de clase şi categorii sociale, de acţiunea colectivă, spontană sau organisată, articularea structurilor politice democrate şi a societăţii civile a focalizat interesul social asupra aflării şi impunerii de lideri. Să ne amintim de sloganul începuturilor revoluţiei “Avem nevoie de un Havel al nostru”, care, în afara conotaţiilor antiiliesciene, a fost expresia ofertei reduse de personalităţi apte să-şi asume promovarea transformării radicale beneficiind, în acelaşi timp, de o acceptare socială convenabilă. Paradoxal, odată clamat, acest imperativ nu a fost prilej de compromis între personalităţi sau grupări politice aflate în centrul evoluţiilor politice. Dimpotrivă, orgoliul unora a prevalat în faţa oportunităţilor revoluţiei, iar sloganul şi-a accentuat repede trăsăturile luptei staliniste pentru putere, transformându-se practic în “Jos Iliescu!”. Revoluţia nu a fost furată ci a fost ratată, unele dintre “elitele” aflate la startul revoluţiei nefiind pregătite pentru a stăpâni complexitatea partiturii, au optat pentru aria învrăjbirii în speranţa de a-şi consolida poziţiile. (Alexandru Florian – “Elitele şi revoluţia”, in “Societate şi cultură”, 1/1998).
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
9. Read the following text and then answer the questions. […] The ongoing political and economic transformations in the Republic of Moldova have induced a process of reorganisation in the sphere of media and in the legal framework of the journalist work. The lack of proper legal regulation in the totalitarian era has made it practically impossible for the media to publish any critical information concerning the upper ruling circles and a whole range of social phenomena. The legislative vacuum engulfing the sphere of social life was affecting the media as well. In recent years, media situation has changed considerably. In the course of establishing a government of law, society could not disregard the media. There was an urgent need to establish a legal basis for the work of journalists. The recent political and social changes disclosed many social cankers: drugs, prostitution, organised crime, corruption in the upper levels of government, the existing problems of multiethnic relations, the decreasing social status of the language of the most numerous ethnic group in the country, the need to adopt the Latin alphabet. The media were the first to sound the alarm; however, the response consisted in threats and accusations aimed at the most intrepid and honest journalists. The lack of media legislation was more than obvious. The long-awaited day came in 1999 with the adoption of the Press and Media Act (still within the former Soviet Union). On its ratification, the act came into effect in the Republic of Moldavia. This act eliminated the strict political control over the press and provided acceptable work conditions for the journalists. It established the freedom of media and the inadmissibility of censorship. Now there was more freedom, but the responsibility of the editorial staff and the author for the published information increased as well. Nevertheless, the freedom of press is not absolute. The press is prohibited from disclosure of state secrets, propaganda of war, cruelty, and violence, race, national, and religious discrimination. Another important point is the legalisation of the right to publishing. The act established that media may be founded by government agencies, lawfully acting parties and organisations, as well as by private persons of legal age. The act also regulated the relations between editors and founders, editors and authors, stipulating also the right of the editors to collect information. Thus, conditions were set to grant freedom of speech and freedom of press and to give all power structures the opportunity to propagate their views through the mass media. This legislative act was in line with the requirements of the respective historical period […]. (“Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Press in the Republic of Moldova”, by Alla Byelostechnik, in “Balkan Media, vol. V, no. 2, summer 1996/1997).
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
Questions: What changed in the Moldavian legislation concerning media in the beginning of the 90’s? Was it easy for the Moldavian journalists to do their job? What difficulties did they encounter? What were the main provisions of the Press and Media Act of 1990 in Moldova? Was this law all that the journalists needed to protect their work conditions? Do you think it is easy to work as a journalist in a small former communist country?
10. Insert in the blanks the right word: a. We should consider the major changes in ……….that were prompted by the success of the mass press during the 1833-1860 period. In short, we can identify four such changes. The ……….press, sold for a penny daily, changed the basis of economic support for ………., the pattern of the newspaper ………., the definition of what constituted ……….and the ……….of news collection. Before the penny press, most of a newspaper’s economic support came from ……….revenue. The large circulation of the penny press made ……….realise that they could reach a large segment of potential ……….by purchasing space. Moreover, the ……….of the popular papers cut across political ……….and social ……….lines, thereby assuring a ……….advertiser of a broadly based audience. As a result, advertisers were greatly attracted to this new ……….and the ……….newspapers relied significantly more on advertising revenues than did their predecessors. The missing words are the following: distribution, buyers, potential, mass, penny, subscription, class, medium, readership, techniques, advertisers, newspapers, news, party, journalism. b. Appearing with the consolidation trend and enjoying a short but lively reign was ……….journalism. At the end of World War I, the United States found itself facing a decade of prosperity: the ……….twenties. The radio, Hollywood, the airplane, prohibition and Al Capone were all ……….that captured national attention. It was perhaps inevitable that ……….would reflect the times. The papers that best exemplified jazz journalism all sprang up in New-York between 1919 and 1929; all were characterised by two features: they were ………., printed on a page that was about one half the size of a normal newspaper page; they were all richly illustrated with ………. The New-York Daily News had a slow start but by 1924 ……….on. Its tabloid size was easier for the people to ……….while reading on buses and ……….; it abounded with photos and ……….; writing style was simple and ………. The “News” also blended a large portion of ………. with its news. Comic ………., gossip ………., advice to the lovers, ………. and sports were given large chunks of space. The missing words are the following:horoscopes, roaring, subways, gossip, jazz, tabloids, caught, handle, topics, photographs, cartoons, newspapers, strips, short, entertainment.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
11. Translate into English, using the verbs to earn, to gain and to win: a. Cât câştigi la firma aceea? b. Câştigă bine, are o casă mare şi o maşină frumoasă. c. Nu câştigi nimic dacă nu spui adevărul. d. A câştigat premiul întâi la concursul de informatică. e. E un tip interesant, a câştigat faimă internaţională cu invenţia lui. f. I-a câştigat încrederea, a angajat-o ca secretară particulară. g. Trebuie să facem ceva să câştigăm timp. h. Finala a fost câştigată la puncte. i. Câştigătorii vor primi câte un bilet de călătorie gratuit. j. Îşi câştigă existenţa cum poate, nu se descurcă grozav. 12.Do the following exercises: a. Supply the suitable words: A person who sends news, articles, reports to a newspaper who looks through the manuscript of an article, corrects it, suggests changes and prepares it for printing who sets up type for printing who buys a newspaper, magazine regularly who is engaged in publishing, editing or working for a newspaper b. Match the words on the left with the correct definitions. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
obituary leader horoscope review gossip column headline deadline cartoon
A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H.
is called ………. is called ………. is called ………. is called ………. is called ……….
critical assessment of a book, film leading editorial article regular article about celebrities announcement of a death, with a short biography phrase or title at the top of an article humorous or satirical drawing time limit for reporting news prediction of someone’s future according to the sign in the zodiac
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
VI. THE RADIO AND THE TELEVISION 1. Fill in the following CV format: CURRICULUM VITAE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Family name: ……… First names: ……… Date of birth: ……… Nationality and Passport No: ROMANIAN - ……… Civil status: ……… Contact address: ……… tel.: +40 ……… 7. Education: Institution Faculty of ……… Date: from (month/year): October 19… to (month/year) October 19… Bachelor of Arts Degree(s) or Diploma(s): Institution Faculty of ……… Date: from (month/year): October 19… to (month/year) October 19… Master of Arts in ……… Degree(s) or Diploma(s): Institution University of ……… - Faculty of ……… Date: from (month/year): October 19… to (month/year) May 19… Degree(s) or Diploma(s): Post-graduate in ……… 8. Language skills: (Mark 1 to 5 for competence) Language Reading Speaking Writing Romanian Mother tongue English 5 5 5 French 5 4 3 9. Membership of professional bodies: - ……… 10. Other skills: computer literate 11. Present position: ……… 12. Years within the firm: ……… 13. Key qualifications: - ……… 14. Professional Experience Record: Date: from October 19… (month/year) June 19… to (month/year) ………, Romania Location ……… Company ……… Position ……… (what your tasks are) Description 15. Others: - dynamic, pro-active - good communication/organisational skills
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Exercises for advanced students
2. Interview Myths. Here are some assumptions about job interviews, some correct, some not. Decide which of them are real tips for success in an interview situation. 1. a. While waiting in the office, you should just sit and wait to be called. b. I can predict and prepare for 80% of the questions the interviewer will ask me. Preparation will help me do well. c. If the interviewer asks me if I have any negative points or weaknesses I should indicate that I have none. d. It is perfectly acceptable to call the employer within two weeks of submitting my job application materials to ask when I might expect to hear about the final decision. They often fail to do that. e. The most important time of the interview is the last five minutes, when I discuss salary, ask about hiring decision and close the interview. f. I should keep my answers as short as possible, so the interviewer will have time to ask more questions. g. I can also ask questions regarding the organisation of the company. h. I should say that I am looking for a job which can offer me greater challenge and more opportunities for using my skills. i. Most employers issue invitations to interview by phone. 2. a. My job interview begins as soon as I walk through the office door. As I might be under observation all the time, I could ask the secretary some friendly questions about the organisation, in case they ask her opinion about me. b. The interviewer is the only one who can ask questions. c. Be tactful, by turning a possible negative situation into a positive one. For example, “I tend to neglect my family because I often work too late.” d. I should mind how I look and sit. What the interviewer thinks about me in the first minutes will set the tone of the interview. e. I cannot prepare for an interview because: I do not know if I will get an interview; I do not know what the interviewer will ask; actually, once I am invited to an interview, I almost have a job. f. Once I submit my application papers for the job, the proper thing to do is to wait until I hear from the employer. g. The interviewer is looking for thoughtful answers that indicate some depth on my part. So I should go from general responses to specifics that indicate my depth of knowledge and interest. h. If asked why I am leaving my job, I should criticise my colleagues or say I find my present work boring and underpaid. i. Invitations to interviews normally come by letter or telegram.
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Exercises for advanced students
3. Fill in the blanks with modal verbs: 1. As the others insist on it you ………as they say. 2. You ………go to Predeal, you look very tired. 3. “You ………finish your work before going on holiday”. “I know I………”. 4. I ………take these pills three times a day. 5. You ………smoke cigars, they will ruin your health. 6. I want to get thinner. What ………I do? You ………see a doctor about it. 7. You ……… stop drinking, or else you will get drunk. 8. If you ………kindly wait here, I‘ll look for him. 9. I expected him to be reasonable, but he ………listened to me. 4. Rewrite the following sentences beginning with “He said”, “He didn’t know”: 1. What will John do about it? 2. You can go there if you try. 3. May I leave the room now? 4. Will you come to my place tomorrow? 5. I must see him immediately. 6. You needn’t do such a bad thing. 7. Can I come with you? 8. You must read this book. 9. You shall go to the university. 10. Must I attend the meeting?
5. Translate into English: a. 1. Mai bine ai sta acasă până te simţi mai bine. 2. Trecuse de miezul nopţii şi am propus să plecăm, dar el nici nu voia să audă. 3. Aş prefera să nu-ţi spun ce ştiu despre el. 4. Fereastra nu se deschide, trebuie să o repari. 5. Ar trebui să te duci la concert, de ce să-l pierzi? 6. Să răspund la telefon? 7. Îmi pare rău, nu s-ar fi cuvenit să spun asta. 8. Nu îndrăzni să le povesteacă prietenilor întâmplarea de teamă să nu râdă de el. 9. Trebuie să mă duc acolo chiar acum? Nu, nu este nevoie. 10. Eram sigură că prietenul meu nu va avea curajul să-mi spună ce gândeşte. b. Stau deseori pe un scaun în cârciuma mea preferată, să beau un pahar de bere şi să citesc ziarul de seară. Abia dă cu ochii de mine, când Tom îşi trage scaunul lângă al meu şi începe: “Poate am dreptate, sau poate greşesc”, spune el, “dar e un lucru pe care trebuie să-l admit, Elena e sigur cea mai drăguţă fată din lume!” Rareori mă iartă de povara de a-l asculta. Câteodată îmi vine să-i zic: “Hei, bătrâne, mai curând mi-aş citi ziarul decât să te ascult”, dar de obicei nu mă lasă inima să-i spun. Îmi zic doar mie: “Chiar trebuie să vorbească atât de mult despre ea? De ce uită că există o limită a drepturilor prieteniei şi că prietenii nu ar trebui să devină atât de groaznic de plicticoşi? Ar trebui să existe o lege împotriva acestui lucru. Cât despre mine, dacă stau să îl ascult de fiecare dată cănd mă duc la cărciumă, nu-mi rămîne decăt un singur lucru de făcut, să-mi schimb cârciuma. Şi apoi nici nu mă interesează frumuseţea Elenei. Sigur, nu îndrăznesc să-i spun toate astea lui Tom.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
6. Translate into English: Suscitate de televiziune, controversele asupra efectelor mediilor audiovizuale au continuat să agite spiritele. Unele persoane au rămas obsedate de teama că televiziunea, prin impactul direct şi masiv al mesajelor, amalgamează sistemele de valori şi criteriile aprecierilor estetice, ducând la degradarea vieţii culturale, iar pe de altă parte, că aceasta îndeplineşte mai curând o funcţie conservatoare, în sensul că este utilizată de telespectator pentru a-şi confirma opiniile şi valorile existente mai curând decât pentru a le schimba. Televiziunea, se subliniază adeseori, are efecte puternice, dar acţionează preponderent în direcţia conservării atitudinilor şi valorilor dominante ale sistemului.
7.Translate the following text and then summarise it in your own words. Historians identify four stages in the evolution of broadcast programming. The first covers the debut of commercial radio in the 1920s. Having no precedents, experiments and entrepreneurs were unsure about what kinds of programmes people would like to hear. Radio attracted thousands of personalities from many fields. Commercials were brief and discrete. The second period is called “the golden age of radio”, beginning with 1928. At the time, the airwaves were filled with action and adventure, with vaudeville comedy, and the first entertainers appeared. The third stage of programming lasted from 1945 until the early 1950s, when television began its explosive growth. Unlike that of radio, the debut of television was free from confusion about what constituted effective programming. Television was perceived as “radio with pictures” and the structure of the industry was modelled on those of radio; performers and executives were drawn from radio. At the beginning of the fourth stage, the golden age of television, the reconstituted radio programmes dominated the television ratings. The variety show was the most popular programme, then the action-adventure programmes took over.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
8. Fill in the blanks: Motion pictures and … … … are possible because of two… … … of the human perceptional system: the phi phenomenon and the persistence of … … …The phi phenomenon refers to what happens when a person sees one light… … …go out while another one close to the original is illuminated. To our eyes, it looks like the light is actually… … … from one source to another. In persistence of vision, our eyes continue to see an image for a … … … second after the image has actually disappeared from view. These are the missing words:quirk, source, television, split, vision, moving 9. Remember the following words and phrases. Try to make sentences with them: Electronic media: radio, wireless set, tape-recorder, cassette recorder, record player, transistor, walkie-talkie, hi-fi/stereo equipment. Wave lengths: short, medium, long, ultra-short, VHF. Activities for radio and television: to broadcast, to be on the air, to turn/switch on/off, to turn down the volume, to listen to, to turn over to another channel. What is wrong with your TV set? Flashing; hissing; stripes on the screen, it has atmospherics, distortion of the picture, the pictures go blank.
10. Translate they following sentences, paying attention to the verbs to rise and to raise: 1. Ultimul congres al partidului de guvernământ şi-a închis şedinţa. 2. Micii întreprinzători au reuşit să scoată din sărăcie numeroase familii americane în secolul trecut. 3. La ultima şedinţă, nimeni nu a ridicat nici o pretenţie referitoare la data următoarei întrevederi. 4. Pentru a contracta un împrumut, orice firmă trebuie să prezinte o documentaţie riguroasă. 5. Mă tem că această problemă s-a ridicat şi în anii precedenţi, dar nu a avut nici un ecou. 6. Şi-a făcut o mulţime de duşmani din cauza felului său arogant de a fi. 7. Deşi se trezeşte foarte devreme, întârzie aproape de fiecare dată. 8. Se spune că marile companii americane au ridicat mulţi preşedinţi la putere. 9. Această persoană reuşeşte întotdeauna să se ridice la înălţimea situaţiei. 10. Astăzi este tot mai greu să fii în ton cu moda.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
VII. REVISION 1. Write a short letter to Professor Jane Baker of Oxford University to thank her for leading the workshop you organised at the faculty in Bucharest. Mention that you hope to invite her next year to talk about another aspect of the same topic.
2. A friend recently recommended a holiday company for particular destination. You took his advice and had a wonderful holiday. Write a note to thank him for his recommendation and describe one or two highlights of the holiday.
3. Write a letter of application to an advertising company which has published in the local newspaper the specifications for the position of copywriter.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
4. Translate into English: Ar trebui să-l scrie. Trebuie să-l scrie. A putut să-l scrie. Se poate să-l fi scris. Probabil că l-a scris. Ar fi putut să-l scrie. Poate să-l scrie. Va putea să-l scrie. Ar putea să-l scrie. Va trebui să-l scrie. S-ar putea să-l scrie. Ar fi trebuit să-l scrie. Nu era nevoie să-l scrie. Nu i s-a permis să-l scrie.
5. Translate the following text: Strether hesitated. “No – she’s not well, I’m sorry to have to tell you”. “Ah”, said Chad, “I must have had the instinct of it. All the more reason then that we should start straight off”. Strether had now got together hat, gloves and stick, but Chad had dropped on the sofa as if to show he wished he would make his point. He kept observing his companion’s things; he might have been judging how quickly they could be packed. He might even have wished to hint that he would send his own servant to assist.
6. Provide an alternative sentence beginning with the words in bold: a. I think he should leave at once. It’s time ………… b. John thinks he knows all the answers. He talks as if ………… c. I would like you to clean the blackboard instead of telling jokes. I’d rather ………… d. Why didn’t you tell me first thing in the morning? I wish ………… e. My sister is getting married to a crook. I hope she’ll change her mind. If only………… f. John wants to play the piano in order to earn money. He wants to play the piano in order that ………… g. I will tell him the truth to avoid being punished. I’ll tell the truth for fear that ………… h. Go change that dress immediately! I insist that ………… i. It would be better for you not to obey the order. You had better ………… j. How about teaching them a lesson? I suppose ………… 7. Choose the correct form: 1.
2.
What do you usually do in your free time? a. I am swimming and reading a lot. b. I go swimming and do a lot of reading. c. I have been swimming and reading a lot. d. I am always reading and swimming. Why do you feel so tired now? a. I have been working too much recently. b. We painted our flat. c. I am being ill so I am receiving treatment. d. I have got a flu.
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Caiet de exerciţii 3.
4.
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Exercises for advanced students
Thank you for the lovely dinner. This roast … … … a. tastes superb. b. is tasting superb. c. has superb taste. d. has been tasting superb. I wonder … … …to make it. a. how long it did take b. how long did it take c. how long it took d. how long took Here you are at last! … … …for you for 35 minutes. a. I have been waiting b. I have waited c. I had been waiting d. I waited He … … …to me about his future plans over a year ago. a. has spoken b. had last spoken c. last spoke d. recently spoke The parties … … …agreement last week if they had had more time. a. must reach b. could reach c. could have reached d. might reach I am sorry I haven’t given you a ring, I … … …too busy over the past week. a. was b. have been c. had been d. am It is high time … … …where to go this summer. a. you will decide b. you decided c. you should decide d. for deciding If you … … …decide very soon, you will end up staying at home. a. won’t b. don’t c. wouldn’t d. aren’t to It’s a pity you didn’t come to England. As you … … …there before, you would have enjoyed every minute of the trip. a. weren’t b. haven’t been c. hadn’t been d. had been I … … …her something confidential, but I changed my mind. a. was to tell b. wanted to say c. was going to tell d. was going to say … … …half of the villa had burnt down. a. By the time the firemen arrived b. By the time the firemen had arrived c. When the firemen arrived d. When the firemen had arrived When you … … …him again you will surely notice the difference in his appearance. a. see b. will see
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Caiet de exerciţii
15.
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Exercises for advanced students
c. are going to see d. are seeing He said he … … …to go to the theatre as he had seen Hamlet three times. a. didn’t want b. doesn’t want c. wouldn’t d. won’t I … … …that my teeth are in a bad state. a. told b. am said c. have been told d. have been said I … … …it was a good idea, but now it is too late. a. wouldn’t think b. think hardly c. don’t think d. mustn’t think I wonder what the problem is. The guests … … …come about seven. a. should b. ought to c. should have d. ought to have to Your hair is very untidy. You … … …. a. can have it cut. b. need have it cut. c. should have it cut d. need cutting. I wish John … … …drink so much at every party. a. did not b. does not c. would not d. not to
8. Discuss in the space given below the ethics of media.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
9. Translate into English: 1. Profesiile necesită o pregătire specială. Meseriile necesită muncă manuală calificată. 2. Zidarii, zugravii, geamgii, dulgherii, electricienii, instalatorii şi tâmplarii lucrează cu toţii să construiască o casă. 3. Economiştii sunt specializaţi în management, marketing, comerţ, finanţe sau contabilitate. 4. La aceste birouri sunt angajaţi funcţionari, dactilografe şi secretare. 5. Avocatul apărării s-a întâlnit cu avocatul acuzării şi cei doi au hotărât să ceară schimbarea judecătorului. 6. Regizorul, actorii şi actriţele au făcut grevă pentru că nu erau plătiţi suficient. 7. Mecanicul de locomotivă s-a plâns şoferului de taxi că are o muncă foarte grea. 8. Ţesătoarea a dus pânza croitoresei care a făcut o rochie frumoasă şi apoi s-a întâlnit cu pălărierul pentru ca acesta să facă o pălărie potrivită.
10. Translate into English: Puţine întreprinderi au ca scop comunicarea. Majoritatea întreprinderilor au un alt scop: de a vinde un produs sau serviciu, de a satisface o nevoie socială, de a realiza planuri sau de a duce unele politici. Şi totuşi, pentru a face toate acestea, întreprinderile consumă enorm de mult timp, energie şi bani comunicând. Oamenii din întreprinderi comunică în multe feluri: de la om la om, discuţii în doi, în grupuri neofociale, în şedinţe, oral, la telefon, în scris, cu ajutorul calculatoarelor sau terminalelor, prin scrisori şi rapoarte. Toate aceste metode alcătuiesc aşa-zisa comunicare verbală.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
VIII. WHAT IS PUBLIC RELATIONS? 1. Write about the rules of a debate.
2. Write down for or against opinions on one of the following topics: Suggested topics: 1. Fantasy is worthier than knowledge. 2. The pen is more powerful than the sword. 3. Schools destroy the personality. 4. The place of the woman is in the kitchen. 5. The engine of society is selfishness.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
3. Exercises: a. Put the verbs in brackets at the correct Long or Short Infinitive: 1. He has decided (become) ………… a mechanic. 2. Will you (come) ………… to the theatre with me? 3. You ought (revise) ………… for your exams this week. 4. We can (wait) ………… for you here. 5. I saw them (cross) ………… the street. 6. I asked her (repeat) ………… the question. 7. I’d rather (wait) ………… for you outside. 8. He is (return) ………… tomorrow. 9. They were seen (compare) ………… notes. 10. This book is too difficult for her (understand) …………. b. Put the verbs in brackets at the correct Infinitive or Gerund: 1. I will remember (give) ………… your mother your message. 2. I remember (meet) ………… him at your birthday last year. 3. Please stop (interrupt) ………… me in the middle of a sentence. 4. He stopped (talk) ………… to his former pupils. 5. Did you forget (give) ………… him that message? 6. I definitely recall (leave) ………… my coat in this room. 7. I like (cycle) …………. 8. I like (walk) ………… in the rain. 9. I meant (tell) ………… you, but I forgot. 10. He tried (sell) ………… newspapers, (work) ………… in a café and various other jobs before he took up (write). 4. Translations: a. 1. Sunt sigur că argumentele mele o vor face să se răzgândească. 2. L-am sfătuit să renunţe la slujba aceea. 3. Am auzit-o pe Carolina cântând aseară la concert; nu m-am aşteptat să aibă o voce atât de frumoasă. 4. Le voi permite copiilor să meargă la plimbare mâine dimineaţă. 5. I-am cerut să nu spună nimănui ceea ce vedea acolo. 6. Nu are nici o scuză că a întârziat. 7. Mulţumesc că m-ai ajutat să găsesc acest hotel. 8. Ei au insistat să mă duc acolo în seara aceea. 9. Faptul că îi ştie numele este surprinzător. 10. Se gândeşte să participe totuşi la acest concurs. b. Că, vezi, mintea e însetată de priceperea lucrurilor, de pătrunderea tainelor; şi osânda de a înfrânge această sete, de a trăi fără potolirea ei, însemna osânda de a te întoarce la una din formele trecute, de care natura n-a fost mulţumită, înseamnă osânda de a ucide în tine tocmai însuşirea cu adevărat şi cu deosebire omenească. (I.Al.Brătescu-Voineşti – Cele mai vechi amintiri).
5.Write about the future plans you have for your life and career, using as many Infinitive and Gerund forms as you can.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
6. Translate the following text: To aid in understanding the history of formal public relations as well as its practice today, Professors James E. Grunig of the University of Maryland and Todd Hunt of Rutgers: The State University of New Jersey have constructed four models of public relations. All four models are practiced today, but the “ideal” one – that in increasing use – is the two-way symmetric model. They explain their models in their 1984 book Managing Public Relations: Press Agentry/Publicity. Propaganda is the purpose, sought through one-way communication that is often incomplete, distorted, or only partially true. The model is source→receiver. Communication is viewed as telling, not listening, and little if any research is undertaken. P.T. Barnum was the leading historical figure during this model’s heyday from 1850 to 1900. Sports, theater, and product promotion are the main field of practice today. Public Information. Dissemination of information, not necessarily with a persuasive intent, is the purpose. The model is source→receiver. Research, if any, is likely to be confined to readability tests or leadership studies. Ivy Lee is the leading historical figure during this model’s early development period from about 1900 into the 1920s. Government, nonprofit associations, and business are primary fields of practice today. Two-Way Assymetric. Scientific persuasion is the purpose and communication is two-way, with balanced effects. The model is source→receiver with feedback (←) to the source. Research is both formative, helping to plan an activity and to choose objectives, and evaluative, finding if the object has been met. Ivy Lee is the leading historical figure during the model’s period beginning in the 1920s. Competitive business and public relations firms are the primary places of practice today. Two-Way Symmetric. Gaining mutual understanding is the purpose, and communication is twoway with balanced effects. The model is group→group with feedback (←). Formative research is used mainly both to learn how the public perceives the organisation and to determine what consequences the organisation has for the public, resulting in the counseling of management about policies. Evaluative research is used to measure whether a public relations effort has improved both the understanding publics have of the organisation and that which management has of its publics.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
7. Imagine a dialogue between Mr. Wakefield and his wife in the text below: “Let us now imagine Wakefield bidding adieu to his wife. It is the dusk of an October evening. His equipment is a drab greatcoat, a hat covered with an oilcloth, top-boots, an umbrella in one hand and a small port-manteau in the other. He has informed Mrs. Wakefield that he is to take the night coach into the country. She would fain inquire the length of his journey, its object, and the probable time of his return; but, indulgent to his harmless love of mistery, interrogates him only by a look. He tells her not to expect him positively by the return coach, nor to be alarmed should he tarry three or four days; but at all events, to look for him at supper on Friday evening.” (“Wakefield”, by Nathaniel Hawthorne)
8. Match the words listed below with the dictionary definitions which follow: shareholders, dividends, strategic, tactical, expertise, eminent, frequently, obligations, remuneration, delegation, curtness, co-ordinate, diversify, objectives, take-over, integrity, executive, enterprise, administration, conflicting, majority, arbitrary, initiate, compliance, generalist. 1. To avoid the situation where all the eggs are in one basket. 2. Someone in a position of authority. 3. An undertaking with a view to profit. 4. The quality of being reliable and straightforward. 5. Brevity to the point of rudeness. 6. Payments made to those who own the equity of a company. 7. To bring together effectively. 8. The decision which chooses the direction in which the company is going. 9. The part of a business concerned with day-to-day problems. 10. Opposing or varying 11. Meeting with the set requirements. 12. Someone who is able to contribute to a business in a variety of its departments. 13. Having a reputation in a particular branch of business, such as law. 14. The sort of decision which is not based on facts. 15. The opposite of rights. 16. Targets or goals. 17. To commence or start. 18. More than half, for example, of votes cast. 19. Part proprietors of a company. Those who collectively own the equity. 20. Specialised skill or knowledge. 21. A description for salary, usually reserved for more senior officers. 22. The act of giving authority to one’s subordinates, while retaining the responsibility for the outcome. 23. The situation when a majority of a company’s voting shares are acquired by outsiders. 24. Occurring often. 25. The decision which concerns using the resources which have been allocated to the best possible effect.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
9. Using the verbs to look for, to seek and to search, translate the following sentences into English: a. Caută bine, sunt sigură că l-am pus acolo! b. Ce cauţi? Pot să te ajut? c. Ei, ai găsit ce-ai căutat, ce să-i faci! d. Hai să căutăm bine prin toate sertarele. e. La treizeci de ani Buddha a plecat în căutarea înţelepciunii. f. O echipă de salvare a şi plecat deja în căutarea echipajului pierdut. g. După ce l-au căutat bine prin buzunare i-au dat drumul. h. Am scotocit toate hârtiile degeaba, n-am găsit ce căutam. i. Te-am căutat prin mulţime dar nu te-am găsit. j. Se pare că o cauţi cu lumânarea, o s-o încurci! 10. Find synonyms and opposites for the following words: mobile public to confirm to reveal to distinguish to decline, rashly autocratically decisively purposefully to concentrate
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
IX. WHO IS THE IMAGE BUILDER? 1. Translate the following article from The Times: Alan Hamilton watches the Queen venture into a strange world of trainers and plastic washing-up bowls Those determined to portray the monarch as a people’s Queen could hardly have designed a more populist day out for her yesterday: she spent the morning in Ellesmere Port, shopping for kitchenware and a pair of trainers, sustaining herself with a visit to a drive-in McDonald’s. Being the Queen, she bought neither canvas shoes nor plastic washing-up bowl, and no Big Mac passed the royal lips. But as an exercise in carefully stage-managed window-shopping, it opened the eyes of both Sovereign and subjects. Her visit to the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet Village fitted the new pattern that has emerged to counter criticisms of remoteness that surfaced after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Typically on an away day, the Queen now meets far more ordinary people in everyday situations and far fewer flunkeys. As the royal limousine drew up outside the burger bar, there seemed a momentary danger that the Queen might have to go inside to learn the mysteries of Quarter-Pounders and Chicken McNuggets; but she was spared, and her meeting was restricted to meeting the staff on the pavement outside. She looked a mite glum. Pausing briefly to talk to members of a shopping motability group, and to be told that it would cost her £3 to hire a battery wheelchair, the Queen decided to walk, first to Whittard’s Coffee and Kitchenware store to browse among the utensils. “She was fascinated by the plastic bowls; she couldn’t make out what they were made of”, the manageress Katie Bellis said later. The shop presented her with a green glass bowl and some barbecue tools, which may yet find employment at Balmoral. The royal shopping entourage moved on to the Reebok store, where she engaged the manager Darryl Peacock in conversation on the latest in sports shoes. “I asked if she would like to buy a pair, but she just smiled. She did take an interest in one sweater which she said Prince Philip might like”, Mr. Peacock reported. Earlier the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, had toured the nearby Blue Planet aquarium, the largest in Britain, to come face to face with a sand tiger shark; fortunately there was stout protective glass between them. The rest of her day, which included visiting a hospital and a power station, seemed deeply traditional by comparison.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
2. Answer the following questions: a. You receive at the editorial office a press release of the miners in the Jiu Valley, announcing the organisation of a meeting in Bucharest during the next day. What steps do you undertake in order to verify the information and to accomplish a complex material? b. You receive an anonymous telephone informing you that the headquarters of an important political party is on fire. What do you do as a reporter? c. You are the reporter responsible for the field of public transport at a national newspaper. What sources would you use for obtaining information? d. Order according to the importance the following topics discussed at the press conference of the mayor: • critics addressed to the town counsellors of the opposition; • announcement regarding the closing of hot water for two weeks for maintenance works; • announcement regarding the opening of a new subway station. Give reasons for your answer. e. Conceive three pieces of information which could be transformed into articles. Why have you chosen them? f. Could the description of the Botanical Gardens in Bucharest be a text to be published in an informative newspaper? Why?
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
3. Pass the following sentences from the Direct to the Indirect Speech: a. 1. Mary said to me, “I’d like to go out”; 2. They always say, “These exercises are too difficult for us”; 3. Doris is saying, “Behave yourself, Peter!”; 4. Dan is always saying, “I have left my notebook at home”; 5. The teacher has said to the pupils, “I want to have a look at your homework”; 6. John and Tom are saying, “We haven’t done our homework”; 7. “I am leaving for the seaside tomorrow”; 8. “We watched TV last night”; 9. “We have never been here before”; 10. “I know what the teacher will say”.
b. Where does your father work? Who are your friends? What is your daily programme? What time do you get up in the morning? When did you move to this school? When will you finish school? When did you buy this camera? When are you going to take your first photo? Can they develop your films at the photographer? Do you think the pictures will come out clearly? Will you take pictures of your friends? Will you give me a photo, too?
4. Translate into English: a. 1. Elevul l-a înterbat pe director când trebuie să se prezinte la cabinetul său. 2. Funcţionarul ne-a sfătuit să citim atent instrucţiunile înainte să deschidem cutia. 3. Secretara întreabă dacă trebuie să bată la maşină toate rapoartele. 4. Mama mi-a atras atenţia să nu uit de întâlnire. 5. Doctorul ne-a spus că nimeni nu are voie să vorbească cu pacientul până a doua zi. 6. Voia să ştie de ce prietenii mei au plecat aşa de devreme. 7. Bătrânul ne-a spus că el nu încuie niciodată uşa din spate. 8. Profesorul i-a întrebat pe elevi dacă au înţeles lecţia sau nu. 9. George s-a scuzat spunând că nu e vina lui. 10. Profesorul voia să ştie cine a participat la olimpiada de matematică.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
b. Translate into English the following dialogue, then change the text into an Indirect Speech: “Domnul şef se uită de mai multe ori, când la flăcău, când la banii din portofel, şi după o lungă tăcere întrebă: - Mai era cineva cu tine? - Nimeni. - Ai spus la alţii? - La nimeni. Am venit p-ici pe poteca din dos, drept la dumneavoastră. Domnul şef tace, apoi: - Ia ascultă, măi Niculăiţă, parcă aşa te cheamă… - Aşa. - Să nu mai spui la nimeni, până nu s-o ivi păgubaşul, că te aude spunând cum e portofelul şi se scoală vreunul şi zice că el l-a pierdut, fără să-l fi pierdut el. Nici mătii, nici lui tat-tu să nu le spui până nu se arată păgubaşul, auzi? - Auz! - Bine ai făcut că l-ai adus, bravo! Eşti băiat cinstit. Şi să ştii c-o să spui eu păgubaşului să te cinstească frumos.”
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
5. Translate the following text and then make a summary, emphasising the main features of the image builder: Creatorul de imagine va încerca, ori de câte ori i se oferă posibilitatea, să-şi lege mesajul de personaje sau imagini deja intrate în mitologia modernă, încercând să profite de suportul de credibilitate oferit de acestea. Pentru a vorbi despre o reclamă comercială, să ne-o amintim pe cea a unui produs cu totul nou în România în momentul respectiv, TROPIKANA, care a intrat în conştiinţa publică prin racordarea la chipurile unor foarte cunoscuţi fotbalişti români. La un cu totul alt nivel de profesionalism, folosind efectul de sinergie, bazat pe imensul succes la public al emisiunii MUPPETS, realisatorii francezi au imaginat un serial ce a pornit de la aceeaşi bază (păpuşi de un grotesc neagresiv) pentru a evolua spre un spectacol de satiră politică, păpuşile înfăţişând personaje reale. Departe de a se supăra, politicienii francezi sunt foarte flataţi de interesul pe care îl trezeşte persoana lor, chiar dacă, în aparenţă, propaganda este negativă. Creatorul de imagine a înţeles că adevărata consacrare a politicianului, intrarea sa în mitologia contemporană, era simbolizată de trecerea sa în “imaginea” păpuşilor din familia MUPPETS. De ce? Foarte simplu. A înţeles această lege fundamentală a psihologiei mass media: politicieni sunt cu miile, emisiunea MUPPETS, în conştiinţa publică, este unică. În tehnologia specifică muncii de creare a imaginii, acest procedeu se numeşte transferarea imaginii de marcă, fiind folosit de câte ori se poate, şi la toate nivelele, prin selectarea a tot ceea ce, în memoria afectivă a publicului standard, poate trezi un reflex de plăcere sau de interes. Din momentul în care s-a stabilit un slogan, s-a ales purtătorul principal de imagine, urmează identificarea imaginilor de marcă cu care ne putem asocia sinergetic sau pe care le putem confisca, folosindu-ne de un eventual efect de proximitate. Bazânduse pe cunoaşterea valorilor ce întrunesc consensul în cazul publicului standard, creatorul de imagine poate analiza rapid nivelul de amplitudine al mesajului trimis, ca şi natura, forţa şi durata feedbackului.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
6. Develop the following sentences using the words and phrases given below: She likes all kinds of music. Her sister doesn’t. Their parents are very fond of musical instruments. Only Jimmy, the elder brother, is such a lazy boy. As for their grandmother, well, she will never be able to enjoy a musical party. to have a musical ear, barrel-organ, strings, to be a music fan, cello, to key an instrument, winds, to fiddle about, musical conductor, to set a poem to music, to play the second fiddle, juke box, to be as fit as a fiddle, to face the music.
7. Choose the right word to complete the following sentences: Dan was a (1,2), but sometimes his behavior (3) his friends. One summer night as he (4) in an armchair by the window and tried (5) a detective story, the door flung open and the lights (6). It was rather (7) for him to realise what (8). However, a (9) panic seized him. He could only (10) and (11) beating of his heart. He (12) to his feet and ran (13) the window. Can you (14) who (15) the light again? 1 – genial, innocent, inspired, diligent, clever 2 – shop-assistant, chemist, librarian, antiquary, confectioner 3 – to astound, to upset, to bewilder, to puzzle, to vex, to confuse 4 – to sit, to stand, to stay, to set 5 – to remind, to recall, to remember, to recollect 6 – to blow out, to quench, to extinguish, to turn off, to go out 7 – light, easy, slight, heavy, difficult, hard 8 – to happen, to occur, to go on, to come about, to befall 9 – vast, huge, big, large, great 10 – to hear, to listen 11 – strong, powerful, fierce, hard, intense, towering 12 – to jump, to spring, to leap, to bounce, to bound 13 – to close, to fasten, to shut, to lock, to bolt, to bar 14 – to realise, to fancy, to guess, to foretell, to divine, to find out 15 – to light, to kindle, to switch on, to stir up, to put on 8. Find appropriate words to complete the following text: In the Western democracies emphasis is laid on the freedom of the individual, both as a consumer and the owner of resources. As a …………he expresses his choice of goods through the price he is willing to pay for them. As the owner of a factor of production (his own labor), he seeks to obtain as large a …………as possible. If he wants more of the good than is being …………at the current price, he will “bid up” the price. As a result, resources are attracted so that …………industry and supply expands. On the other hand, if consumers do not want a particular good or service, its price fall, …………make a loss and resources leave the industry. There is no …………of labor; people are free to work wherever they choose. The role of government is simply to correct any…………which might develop in the system. However, Western governments do not settle for a passive role. Rather they take it upon themselves to re-distribute …………income, succour the sick and the underprivileged, generate national wealth and provide for national defense. To achieve these ends, they are …………to raise taxes from the population and in doing this they are almost bound to become ………….
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
9. Read the following passage carefully. Then give it a title and summarise it in about 100 words. The world faces an energy crisis in the not so distant future. For the time being, there are plentiful supplies of oil, but the situation will not last. Oil supplies are finite, and what happens when the world’s reserves are exhausted? Britain is comparatively fortunate. It has North Sea oil and gas, and they will give self-sufficiency for another couple of decades. It also has substantial reserves of coal. According to some estimates, these reserves could last for other 60 years. That should give Britain a breathing space at least until alternative forms of energy are developed. There is a worldwide search for new sources of energy. The government of Saudi Arabia has been making encouraging progress in the development of solar energy. Plants they have built in the desert are turning the race of the sun into what can only be described as permanent sources of energy. So successful have the experiments been that when they eventually run out of oil – as run out of oil they must – they will be switching to an even more durable form of energy. Not only has the government of Saudi Arabia been working hard to develop solar energy, they have also been working hard to convert the desert to rich agricultural land. Impossible? By no means! Beneath the Arabian Desert lies an enormous water basin. The problem is to bring up those water supplies from the bowels of the earth. How to do it? Sink wells deep into the earth, seeking water this time instead of oil. As the water is drawn from the earth, it is spread over the crops of wheat and vegetables and of course they flourish in such an environment. Perhaps it is unrealistic to expect all governments to play such a positive role in the development of their economy and the long term wellbeing of their people, but they do set the standards by which other governments can be judged.
10. Translate the following sentences: a. Cine a condus această campanie? b. Condu-l afară pe domnul, te rog. c. Condu-mă şi arată-mi ce merită văzut pe aici. d. Are stil, conduce campania publicitară foarte eficient. e. Echipa gazdă conduce cu două goluri la zero. f. Ştii să conduci? Atunci condu-mă, te rog, la gară. g. Experienţele acestea sunt greu de condus. h. L-a condus până la reuşita finală. i. Toate aceste urme ne conduc uşor spre făptaşi. j. Ia-l de mână şi condu-l să nu se rătăcească.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
X. THE ORGANISATION 1. Translate the following text: “Pentru funcţionarea administraţiei publice din România, cunoaşterea experienţei franceze este utilă” Interviu cu dl. Michel Daynac, profesor la Universitatea de Ştiinţe Sociale din Toulouse - Domnule Daynac, în primul rând, spuneţi-ne cu ce ocazie aţi venit la Timişoara. - Am venit pentru un seminar organisat de Consiliul Judeţean Timiş, privind problemele de dezvoltare economică locală, seminar care este o parte dintr-o serie mai largă de seminarii (din care câteva s-au desfăşurat deja). Aceste schimburi, să le spunem, fac parte din schimburile generale franco-române, iar în particular ele sunt posibile datorită relaţiilor ce există între Universitatea din Toulouse şi Consiliul Judeţean Timiş. - Pentru că aţi avut contacte cu reprezentanţi ai Consiliului Judeţean Timiş, v-aş ruga să caracterizaţi aceste întâlniri cu autorităţile locale. - Apreciez faptul că, la rândul lor, participanţii la aceste seminarii şi contacte au considerat util schimbul de experienţă. Pentru ca serviciile de administraţie publică din România să funcţioneze normal, cunoaşterea experienţei franceze în domeniu a fost, cred eu, foarte interesantă. Asta şi dacă ţinem seama de similitudinile dintre sistemul administrativ francez şi cel român. - Cum vedeţi pe viitor această colaborare? - Din punctul meu de vedere, sunt foarte interesat de aceste seminarii. Tocmai de aceea am acceptat un prim contact în domeniul meu de activitate. La o adică, aş putea foarte bine analiza anumite probleme cărora specialiştii dumneavoastră le caută încă rezolvarea. - În această seară aţi avut un prim contact cu Şcoala de Înalte Studii Europene Comparative, mai precis cu viitori specialişti în probleme europene. Ce impresie v-au lăsat cursanţii? - Impresia lăsată este una foarte bună. Această conferinţă – improvizată – la care am participat a fost una caldă, iar întrebările ce mi s-au pus au fost foarte interesante. (“Realitatea bănăţeană”, mai 1995)
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
2. Answer the following questions, referring to the text above: a). What could make interesting the publication of this interview: the topics of this seminar; the hypothesis that it would have been organised for the first time; the fact that it is done with a personality from abroad; the fact that something important and with real chances to be applied has been decided on this occasion. b). Reformulate or improve the title. c). Reformulate the first question and, implicitly, the first answer. d). What else should we have found out from this interview? e). What pieces of information asked by the reporter go beyond the topic announced in the title?
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
3. Complete the sentences below with a suitable verb, making sure that it fits grammatically into the sentence: a. The anxious husband …………down the door when he smelt gas coming from the kitchen. b. Prices of all sportswear are going to be …………by 20%. c. The rebellious boy was told to …………down to studying by his concerned parents. d. The psychiatric nurse …………down yesterday because of the strain of work. e. The hypochondriac got a shock the other day when he …………down with flu. f. That irresponsible youth was always …………down his parents until he got married and left home. g. Our snobbish neighbour …………down on us because we aren’t as well off as he is. h. On the last day, the boy scouts …………down their tents, packed their bags and caught the bus home. i. The insurance underwriter …………down the details of the accident on his notepad. j. Bill was …………down by the police because he was too short. 4. Rewrite the sentences, using a phrasal verb with down, to produce the opposite meaning of the words in italics: a. We all stood up when the managing director came in. b. The building society has set up a branch in Warmsley. c. Inflation has been rising steadily since Christmas. d. When Caroline heard the terrible news, she remained calm. e. Rain was gently falling. f. The teacher quietly put the book on the table. g. The company will probably want to publicise the results. h. The old lady was adamant that her cat should be kept alive. i. After three days of continuous bombardment, the White Tower remained standing. j. Having Bruce to stay has really cheered me up. 5. Write down a composition about organisations, using as many phrasal verbs as you can.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
6. Translate into Romanian: Decision-making ordinarily presumes an ordering of the confusions of life. The classic ideas of order in organisations involve two closely related concepts. First, it is assumed that events and activities can be ordered in chains of means and ends. We associate action with its consequences, and participate in making decisions in order to produce intended outcomes. Thus, consequential relevance arranges the relation between solutions and problems and the participation of the decision makers, second, it is assumed that organisations are hierarchies in which higher levels control lower levels and in which policies control implementation. Observations of actual organisations suggest a more confusing picture. Actions in one part of an organisation appear only loosely coupled to actions in another. Solutions seem to have only a vague connection to problems. Policies aren’t implemented. And decision makers seem to wander in and out of decision arenas. The whole process has been described as a kind of funny soccer game: Consider a round, sloped, multi-goal soccer field on which individuals play soccer. Many different people (but not everyone) can join the game (or leave it) at different times. Some people can throw balls into the game or remove them. Individuals, while they are in the game, try to kick whatever ball comes near them in the direction of goals they like and away from goals they wish to avoid. Disorderliness in organisations has led some people to argue that there is very little order to organisational decision making. A more conservative position, however, is that the ways in which organisations bring order to disorder is less hierarchical and less a collection of means-ends chains that is anticipated by conventional theories. There is order, but it is not the conventional order. In particular, it is argued that any decision process involves a collection of individuals and groups who are simultaneously involved in other things. Understanding decisions in one arena requires an understanding of how those decisions fit into the lives of participants. The logic of order is temporal. Problems, solutions, and decision makers fit together because they are available at the same time. Thus, decisions depend on attention, and important elements of the distribution of attention are exogenous to any specific decision process.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
7. Complete the following text about Executive Directors with the words below: A modern business enterprise is often a ………… system requiring a lot of …………, which is provided by the public when they ………… shares in the company. Since they have ………… the capital, it is appropriate that they choose the people who are to ………… the company for them, namely the board of directors. Many of the ………… also have executive responsibilities. Thus, a marketing director may be a full director of the board, ………… by the shareholders at the annual ………… meeting like the other directors. Yet he might also be responsible for the day-to-day ………… of the marketing department. Most of his time will be ………… on administrative matters, organising market research, dealing with ………… and generally ensuring that the ………… sales are maximised. But he will function as a director when the board of directors meets. The ………… of managing director also ………… the roles of chief executive with membership of the board and this allows him to act as a vital ………… between the board of directors and their ………… management team. The managing director is also chairman of the board of directors. Executive directors have the advantage that they are ………… involved with the ………… affairs. If the board of directors wish to move in a ………… direction, the executive directors will know whether such a ………… of action is practicable. For example, the board might wish to ………… their products in a particular ………… market. The market would be profitable for the company, but the ………… director knows that his team of salespeople lack the experience to take advantage of the situation. Or perhaps the board would like to ………… the advertising expenditure during the ………… year but the ………… director knows that the company will have to meet some heavy commitments during the ………… months and it would be better to ………… the campaign. Perhaps the best board is one which contains a ………… of executive and non-executive directors. In this way the board has the ………… of some directors who know the practical problems ………… by the business, while others bring their own ………… to expertise to the boardroom. Words: link, increase, capital, certain, combines, benefit, general, directors, company’s, delay, provided, mixture, course, appointed, advertising, management, actively, sell, run, brand, coming, marketing, complex, post, coming, company’s, spent, overseas, faced, financial, buy, appointed. 8. Choose the suitable word or phrase: 1. a. b. c. d. 2. a. b. c. d. 3. a. b. c. d. 4. a. b. c. d. 5. a. b. c. d.
Flamingos were about to have died out until laws were passed to protect them. become confined become extinct become infected become deformed Caves are often formed by selective wearing away of cliffs by the sea. erosion evasion extension eradication All drinks that include saccharin must be marked with a warning label because saccharin may cause cancer. packages medications beverages desserts Like snakes, many insects grow up by throwing away their skin several times. digesting stretching discarding mending A chance sample can often provide information about a larger population. prudent genuine random modified
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
9. Translate the following sentences, using the verbs to breed, to grow, to increase, to raise, to rear: 1. L-au crescut cu greu, erau foarte săraci în tinereţe. 2. E un tip bine crescut, distins şi politicos. 3. Hai să-l vizităm, e un cunoscut crescător de câini. 4. Întotdeauna i-am admirat pentru felul cum şi-au crescut copiii. 5. Au rase selecţionate, se ocupă de mult de creşterea cailor. 6. Turiştii s-au prezentat la biroul lor în număr crescând. 7. De ce nu încerci să creşti ceva în grădina aceea enormă? 8. Trebuie să creştem cantitatea de mărfuri livrate firmei lor. 9. Cresc animale din tată în fiu. 10. Vânzările din luna aceasta au crescut simţitor. 10. Answer the questions related to the following text: The nuclear family, consisting of a mother, father and their children may be more an American ideal than an American reality. Of course, the so-called traditional American family was always more varied than we had been led to believe, reflecting the very different racial, ethnic, class and religious customs among different American groups. The most recent government statistics reveal that only about one third of all current American families fit the traditional mold and another third consists of married couples who either have no children or have none still living at home. Of the final one third, about 20% of the total number of American households are single people, usually women over 65 years of age. A small percentage, about 3% of the total, consists of unmarried people who choose to live together; and the rest, about 7 %, are single, usually divorced parents with at least one child. Today, these varied family types are typical and therefore normal. Apparently, many Americans are achieving supportive relationships in family forms other than the traditional one. Questions: With what topic is the passage mainly concerned? What does the author imply about the American family? How many single people were identified in the survey? Who generally constitutes a one person household?
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
XI. THE IMAGE OF THE POLITICIAN 1. Peter Robinson, the Personnel Manager at Alpha, has called for a meeting of his staff next Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. You are a member of his team but have arranged to visit a couple of local schools on Friday, hoping to recruit some new clerical staff. You are not sure how long this will take and might not be able to get to the meeting until later. Draft a memorandum to the Personnel Manager explaining the situation.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
2. Having received the report on the accident, the Works Manager wants the supervisor to make sure all the welders follow the safety rules in the future. He also wants to know the address of the hospital and the visiting hours so he can go and see her. Taking into account the guidelines for a report (conciseness, precision, the use of headings and subheadings, the use of title and subject specifications, the use of conclusions and recommendations) you are asked to draft a proper memorandum for him to sign.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
3. Write a newsrelease on the topic of the change of the General Manager in the firm in which you work.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
4. Complete each of the sentences below with a suitable verb, making sure that it fits grammatically into the sentence: a. He …………into the filing cabinet and helped himself to the top secret documents. b. …………in the next layby. I’d like to get out and stretch my legs for a bit. c. They say they’ll …………in the hostage if the ransom isn’t paid by tomorrow. d. And after the game’s over, I may …………in for a cup of coffee. e. You might try Mrs. Willow across the road. She …………in lodgers. f. No matter how cruel and offensive you are to me, I won’t …………in and give you a divorce. g. As soon as he’d …………in the coupon, he went out to post it. h. Excluding overtime pay, how much do you …………in a week? i. Excuse me, what time does the London to Manchester train …………in? j. When you’ve finished writing …………in the test paper to the invigilator. 5. Add it where necessary to the following sentences, and say what it means or might mean: a. Here is the hair-dryer. You can plug in over there. b. The door was flung open and Gloria burst in. c. I’ll probably stay in tonight as I’ve got a cold. d. Have you finished the report? Hand in tomorrow, please. e. Rolf pulled in for petrol at the motorway services. f. The new clerk needs to be the right sort of person to fit in here. g. I don’t think poor Mrs. Gates can take all in. h. Well, I give in! I’ll do whatever you like! i. That horse is completely wild. You’ll have to break in! j. If you’d like a lift, get in! 6. Write down a composition about the political campaigns, using as many phrasal verbs as you can.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
7. Translate into English: Prima problemă care apare, din punctul de vedere al creatorului de imagine din România, este că aceste semnale ale realităţii cotidiene îndreptate în flux continuu către filtrul colector al mass-media nu sunt decât arareori pre-elaborate la nivelul imaginii sau, atunci când există asemenea intenţie, ea se realisează haotic, cel mai adesea neprofesionist. În acest caz, selecţia se mută exclusiv în zona de acţiune a editorilor de programe sau şefilor de secţii de la marele ziare. Ei se vor afla în faţa unei mase enorme de fapte brute ce reprezintă tot atâtea mesaje potenţial interesante, lipsindu-le însă forma, expresia simbolică adecvată. Deoarece în ţara noastră nu există încă o preocupare profesionistă din partea creatorilor de imagine pentru o codare a mesajelor în sensul formulării lor corecte şi descifrabile la nivelul filtrului informaţional, greşelile din acest domeniu vor avea consecinţe importante, generând efecte paralizante în conştiinţa publicului. Problemele devin şi mai complicate, gradul lor de gravitate creşte, în măsura în care spre filtrul mass-media se îndreaptă elemente componente ale unor fapte politice. Să ne aminitim de perioada nu foarte îndepărtată denumită “era comunicatelor de presă”. Era timpul în care mass-media difuza, obositor şi cu relevanţă mică pentru publicul standard, comunicate, contracomunicate, replici multiple la prima sau la a doua categorie, cel mai adesea date simultan şi prezentate publicului în bloc comun, pentru respectarea principiului echidistanţei. Amuzante pentru ziariştii profesionişti, poate utile pentru comentatorii şi analiştii politici, ele nu produceau din punctul de vedere al creatorului de imagine decât confuzie şi, la limită, adversitate.
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Caiet de exerciţii
Exercises for advanced students
8. One way of extending your vocabulary is by learning to use all the forms of a word. For example, to access (verb) – access (noun) – accessible (adjective). Complete the following table with other parts of speech besides the verb: Verb Noun Noun Adjective Concept Agent to administer administration administrator administrative to supervise to manage to operate to apply to inform to account to maintain to acquire to realise to choose to remember 9. Complete the expressions by matching the verbs on the left with the appropriate phrase on the right: 1. to clear a. a big order 2. to fix b. for a meeting 3. to pick up c. with a new product 4. to cut d. 200,000 $ worth of sales 5. to appeal to e. your problem 6. to pull out of f. an optimistic target 7. to get together g. young consumers 8. to appreciate h. an opportunity 9. to miss i. the recession 10. to be successful j. stock levels 10. Translate into English, using the verbs to detect, to discover, to find out: a. Am publicat de curând o lucrare despre epoca marilor descoperiri geografice. b. În cele din urmă s-a descoperit totul şi s-a dat publicităţii. c. Ei, ce-ai descoperit, e bine sau nu? d. Materialul are unele defecte dar sunt greu de descoperit la prima vedere. e. S-au descoperit urme de vopsea verde pe hainele celui accidentat. f. S-a descoperit cine îi trimitea scrisorile acelea anonime? g. Uite ce am descoperit în pod, cărţi vechi şi valoroase. h. N-am reuşit să-i descopăr numele. i. E mare scandal pe şantier, s-au descoperit vicii ascunse la elicea cea nouă. j. În final, după multe investigaţii, am descoperit totul din relatările lor separate.
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Exercises for advanced students
XII. MARKETING 1. Translate the following text: First comes the question: “Should we hold a news conference or not?”. Frequently the answer should be: “No!”. The essential element of a news conference is news. If reporters and camera crews presumed that in a conference they have heard propaganda instead of facts, or information of minor interest to a limited group instead of news which is relevant to the large audience, they go away disgusted. Their valuable time has been wasted – and it is valuable. Editors complain that they never have enough staff hours available to cover everything they would like to cover; if they send reporters to a conference that has been called merely to satisfy the host’s sense of self-importance, they resent the fact. The next time, they probably won’t send reporters. Notices usually are sent by fax or mail, but some organisations use special delivery methods for major conferences in the belief that the extra impact justifies the additional cost. Every news outlet that might be interested in the material should be invited. An ignored media outlet may become an enemy, like a person who isn’t asked to a party. The invitation should describe the general nature of the material to be discussed so, an editor will know what type of reporter to assign. What hour is best? This depends upon the local media situation. If the city has only an afternoon newspaper, 9 or 9:30 a.m. is good, because this gives the reporter time to write a story before a midday deadline. If the city’s newspaper publishes in the morning, 6 p.m. is a suitable hour. Another prime goal of news conference sponsors is the early evening news casts on local television stations, or even network TV newscasts if the information isn’t important enough. A conference at 2 p.m. is about the latest that a television crew can cover and still get the material processed at a comfortable pace for inclusion in a dinner hour show. This time period can be shortened in an emergency, but the chances of getting on a show diminish as the processing time decreases. A warning: a public relations representative in a city with only an afternoon newspaper who schedules a news conference after that paper’s deadline, yet in time for the news to appear on the early evening television newscasts, makes a grave blunder. Newspaper editors resent such favoritism to television and have long memories. Knowledge of, and sensitivity to, local news media deadlines are necessary elements of a public relations representative’s work. Deadlines for radio news are less confining than those for newspapers and television, because radio newscasts are aired many times a day. The conference hours suggested for newspapers and television are suitable for radio as well, though. Some organisations provide coffee and possibly sweet rolls for the media guests as a courtesy. Others find this gesture unnecessary because most of the newspeople are in a hurry, more concerned with getting the story than with enjoying social amenities. Liquor should not be served at a regular news conference. Such socialising should be reserved for the press party. At some news conferences, photographers are given two or three minutes to take their pictures before questioning begins. Some photographers complain that, thus restricted, they cannot obtain candid shots. If free shooting is permitted, as usually is the best practice, the physical arrangements should give the photographers operating space without allowing them to obstruct the view of reporters. A final problem in managing a news conference is knowing when to end it. The public relations representative serving as backstage timekeeper should avoid cutting off the questioning prematurely. To do so creates antagonism from the reporters. Letting a conference run down like a tired clock is almost as bad. At every conference there comes a moment when the reporters run out of questions and the danger of dull repetitions arises. A speaker may or may not recognise this. If not, the practitioner may step forward and say something like “I’m sorry, but I know some of you have deadlines to make. So, we have time for just two more questions”.
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Exercises for advanced students
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Exercises for advanced students
2.Exercise: The national headquarters of the Continental Oil Company in Los Angeles. For the past month, a false rumour has been circulating that the company will move its headquarters to Houston. In fact, plans are on the drawing board for a new, larger headquarters building in Los Angeles. The rumour probably started because the company had a managers’ conference in Houston several months ago. This was rumoured to be a high-level meeting to take a look at Houston real estate and decide on a sight for the new headquarters. The rumour is beginning to affect the employee morale in Los Angeles. The president of Continental Oil, upon the advice of public relations council, decides to put the rumour to rest in a speech at the annual employee recognition banquet next week. You are assigned to write the ten-minute speech for the president. Would you include in the speech a direct reference to the rumour? Would you take the opportunity to ridicule the rumour? Write a draft of the speech for the president.
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3. Conceive tactics of organising a press conference on one of the following topics: a. The board of a university has been reinforced with a series of businessmen. Try to explain the good effects of such a decision to the press. b. The Alpha Company presented in the previous course tries to explain to the press what has happened during the accident at the Welding Section and which are the consequences. c. A firm launches a new product on the market. d. A politician explains why he has chosen to run for a place in the senate. e. A politician explains why he has lost the elections.
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Exercises for advanced students
4. Complete each of the following sentences with a suitable verb, making sure that it fits grammatically into the sentence: 1. The colonel …………off in mid sentence as soon as he saw the soldier yawning on parade. 2. Overcome with tiredness, the cleaning lady …………off while polishing the managing director’s desk. 3. His attempt at winning the singing competition didn’t …………off because he lost his voice the day before. 4. The gardener got angry with the little boy for …………off a branch from the apple tree. 5. In all his years as a criminal, Tedd Fellon never once …………off for committing an offence. 6. We should …………off now, otherwise we’ll miss our bus. 7. When the alarm …………off every morning at six, he jumps out of bed. 8. It was a pleasant surprise for Barbara to …………off early from work. 9. I wanted to order roast beef but the waiter told me it …………off. 10. That cake smells awful! It must have …………off. 11. It’s been years since a bomb …………off in our district. 12. The judge …………off the accused as it was his first offence. 13. We’d better …………off the picnic if it’s going to rain. 14. That flower …………off beautiful fragrance. 5. Decide whether the definitions are true or false. Give the correct definition if necessary: 1. pick off collect a person from a place 2. live off survive 3. round off complete, give the finishing touch to 4. be off separate someone from another person 5. scare off frighten someone away 6. switch off stop concentrating 7. show off make someone feel embarrassed by behaving badly 8. set off cause to explode 9. see off be present at someone’s departure 10. rip off steal from or cheat someone. 6. Write down a marketing plan.
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Exercises for advanced students
7. Find the words or expressions which are the closest in meaning to the words in italics in the expressions below: 1. There are three issues we need to discuss… 2. …have to settle for September … 3. … a trade fair coming up at the end of … 4. August is out … 5. Hardly time to get over to London … 6. Can’t we make it the second weekend…? 7. I’ve found the ideal spot… 8. Does that include everything? 9. …to sort out the details… 10. What’s your view, Ron? Words:a. travel; b. fix; c. is that all inclusive?; d. items; e. location; f. agree to; g. arrange; h. opinion; i. taking place; j. cannot be considered. 8. Match the words below with their opposites: 1. overstate; 2. major; 3. vital; 4. home-grown; 5.short-term; 6. genuine; 7. maverick; 8. obvious. a. unimportant; b. conformist; c. long-term; d. unexpected; e. superficial; f. understate; g. minor; h. external. 9. Translate into English the following sentences, using the verbs to make and to do: 1. O să fac tot ce o să pot. 2. Fă-mi o cafea, te rog! 3. Ce să-i faci, trebuie să te împaci cu situaţia. 4. Ce mai faci? 5. L-am făcut să-şi taie părul. 6. Cine ţi-a făcut rochia asta? 7. Fă-mi, te rog, acest serviciu. 8. Ce faci cu pensula aia aici, o să te pătezi. 9. A făcut o grămadă de bani. 10. Mă duc să-mi fac un permanent. 11. Cum faci tu maioneza? 12. Am făcut o mare descoperire. 13. M-ai făcut foarte fericit cu această veste. 14. Bine ai făcut că mi-ai spus la timp. 15. Băiatul ăsta pare făcut pentru înot. 16. Fă-mi şi mie loc pe sofa lângă tine. 17. Fă-ţi temele şi du-te la joacă. 18. Mi-a fost greu să-i spun adevărul, dar am făcut-o totuşi. 10. Make your own 10 sentences with the verbs to do and to make.
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Exercises for advanced students
XIII. THE IMAGE OF A PRODUCT 1. Comment on the negotiation techniques.
2. Discuss negotiation techniques related to one of the following topics: a. The trade union of the teachers requires a 30% raise in salary from the Ministry of Education. b. The personnel of a research institute requires a variable work hour from the management. c. Two parties negotiate the places in the government in case they win the elections together. d. A party negotiates with the ruling party to support its initiatives in Parliament. e. The representatives of two countries negotiate the end of a conflict.
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3. Complete each of the sentences below with a suitable verb, making sure that it fits grammatically into the sentence: 1. Haven’t you ever considered …………up smoking? 2. It mustn’t have been the curdled milk that made him …………up his dinner. 3. I tried to …………up Tim when I was in Los Angeles, but he must have changed his address. 4. If you …………up any more of my time, I’ll kick you. 5. Come on, stop arguing. Let’s …………up! 6. Spring term usually …………up just before Easter. 7. The rebels couldn’t win, so they decided to …………up. 8. We are thinking of …………up a small car hire firm. 9. No amount of money can …………up for the damage you’ve done. 10. The doctor says Arthur will …………up and about in a couple of days. 4. Match each phrasal verb with the correct definition. 1.stir up; 2. sum up; 3. own up; 4. draw up; 5. hang up; 6. call up; 7. liven up; 8. dress up; 9. settle up; 10. speak up; 11. stay up; 12. flare up. a. confess, admit; b. come to a stop (of a vehicle); c. summon for military service; d. put on smart clothes; e. try to cause (trouble); f. raise your voice; g. not go to bed early; h. summarise; i. make more lively; j. suddenly become angry; k. pay all that is owed; l. finish a phone call. 5. Conceive arguments for and against advertising.
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Exercises for advanced students
6.Think of the advantages and disadvantages of each medium (billboards, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, internet) and give examples of concrete situations.
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7. Translate into English: - E cineva la voi acasă? îl întrebă Nang oprindu-se şi vorbind cu copilul peste umăr. Băiatul dădu din cap afirmativ. - Cine e ? reluă Nang. Copilul spuse că e vorba de două surori ale lui mai mari. - Numai ele sunnt acasă? întrebă Nang. - Păi cine să mai fie? se miră băiatul şi adăugă că tata e plecat şi că i-a lăsat singuri, n-a mai venit pe acasă de mult. Unde era dus? Copilul răspunse că el nu ştia, că ştiau cele două surori ale lui, dar acum ele erau în casă şi nu puteau să iasă afară… De ce? Nu răspunse în prima clipă la această întrebare, apoi îşi ridică privirea şi spuse că el trebuie să aştepte, acuma nu poate să mănânce orezul… (Marin Preda, Întâlnirea din pământuri)
8. Form positive and negative adjectives from the following nouns, according to the model: Friendliness friendly unfriendly Speed Qualification Efficiency Strength Effectiveness Extent Security Sophistication Rain 9. Summarise and explain the following text: It was the first photograph that I had ever seen, and it fascinated me. I can remember holding it at every angle in order to catch the flickering light from the oil lamp on the dresser. The man in the photograph was unsmiling, but his eyes were kind. I had never met him, but I felt that I knew him. One evening when I was looking at the photograph, as I always did before I went to sleep, I noticed a shadow across the man’s thin face. I moved the photograph so that the shadow lay perfectly around his hollow cheeks. How differennt he looked! That night I could not sleep, thinking about the letter that I would write. First, I would tell him that I was eleven years old, and that if he had a little girl my age, she could write to me instead of him. I knew that he was a very busy man. Then I would explain to him the real purpose of my letter. I would tell him how wonderful he looked with the shadow that I had seen across his photograph, and I would most carefully suggest that he grow whiskers. Four months later when I met him at the train station near my home in Westfield, New York, he was wearing a full beard. He was so much taller than I had imagined from my tiny photograph.
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Exercises for advanced students
“Ladies and Gentlemen”, he said, “I have no speech to make and time to make it in. I appear before you that I may see you and that you may see me.” Then he picked me right up and he kissed me on both cheeks. The whiskers scretched. “Do you think I look better, my little friend?”, he asked me. My name is Grace Bedell, and the man in the photograph was Abraham Lincoln.
10. Translate into English the following sentences, using the verbs to abuse, to affront, to insult, to offend, to outrage: 1. Ştiu că nu e uşor, dar încearcă să înghiţi această ofensă. 2. Nu vreau să te jignesc, dar cred că nu ai dreptate. 3. De ce ai înfruntat-o, ştii că nu o să îţi ierte niciodată aşa o insultă în public. 4. Felul tău de a vedea lucrurile e de-a dreptul jignitor, ai reuşit să insulţi pe toată lumea. 5. O insulţi dacă râzi de ea. 6. Accidentul e vina lui, nu pot suporta să fiu vătămat şi insultat. 7. Nu pot să mă las ultragiat de ziarul dumneavoastră, aşa că vă voi da în judecată pentru insultă. 8. Am considerat o insultă faptul că nu mi-a adresat nici un cuvânt la petrecere. 9. L-a insultat dar el nu s-a supărat. 10. Nu trebuie să te simţi insultat!
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Exercises for advanced students
XIV. REVISION 1. a. b. c. d. e.
Write pro and against discourses on one of the following topics: The national character is largely influenced by climate; A politically and economically united Europe is desirable; “Religion is the opium of the people” (Karl Marx); “All art is useless” (Oscar Wilde); There can be no freedom without discipline.
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Exercises for advanced students
2. You are a news reporter for a popular newspaper and have been sent to cover a serious traffic accident. Write an article for your newspaper.
3. Imagine an interview with a person who is in charge with the development of an important event (e.g. a ceremony, a demonstration, etc.).
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4. Translate into English: De prisos să mai spun cât am rămas de uluit de ceea ce s-a întâmplat în ultimul sfert de oră; cât despre Anghel, efortul pe care trebuie să-l fi făcut l-a dat gata: cuprins, cum spunea, de o migrenă cumplită, ne-a rugat să-l însoţim într-o încăpere întunecoasă, unde s-a lungit pe o canapea, cerând să i se aducă şi un şervet ud pe care să şi-l pună pe frunte. Când am repovestit, şi eu şi ceilalţi, mai pe urmă, această întâmplare, nimeni n-a reuşit să ne explice nimic şi de fapt mi-am dat seama că nici nu regretam realmente că nu cunoşteam cauza tainică a incidentului.
5. Write statements consistent with the verbs and adverbs given and then change them into Indirect Speech: 1. “………”, he complained. 2. “………”, he promised. 3. “………”, he snapped. 4. “………”, he groaned. 5. “………”, he announced. 6. “………”, he said angrily. 7. “………”, he said passionately. 8. “………”, he said brutally. 9. “………”, he said accusingly. 10. “………”, he said fiercely. 11. “………”, he declared. 12. “………”, he said sympathetically. 13. “………”, he gasped. 14. “………”, he said complacently. 15. “………”, he retorted. 6. Re-write the following text in the Direct Speech: “Mr. Harding told the Archdeacon that he had informed Sir Abraham he would resign and that consequently he must do so. The Archdeacon couldn’t agree that this was at all necessary, and pointed out that nothing Mr. Harding said is such a way to his own counsel could be in any way binding on him. He had simply been there to ask his lawyer’s advice. The Archdeacon felt sure that Sir Abraham had not advised such a step. Mr. Harding agreed that he hadn’t. The reverend crossexaminer went on to say that he was sure Sir Abraham had advised him against it, which, again, Mr. Harding could not deny. Pressing home his advantage, the Archdeacon expressed his assurance that Sir Abraham must have advised Mr. Harding to consult his friends. Mr. Harding having been obliged to assent to this proposition also, the Archdeacon concluded by saying decisively that Mr. Harding’s threat of resignation therefore amounted to nothing and that they were just where they had been before.” (The Warden, by Anthony Trollope)
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Exercises for advanced students
7. Choose one of the four possibilities closest in meaning to the sentences you will see below: 1. If you touch my daughter again I will kill you. The parent says he will a). fill in somebody. b). do in somebody. c). take in somebody. d). pull in somebody. 2. John earns quite a lot. John a). brings in a lot. b). pulls in a lot. c). gives in enough. d). gets in too much. 3. I am so pleased my holiday starts tomorrow. I can’t wait! The speaker is a). putting forward her holiday. b). looking forward to her holiday. c). bringing forward her holiday. d). having her holiday brought forward. 4. The climbers had to stop and return home as the weather was so bad. The climbers were forced to a). hold back. b). take back. c). turn back. d). keep back. 5. The Howards are decorating their flat at the moment. The flat is being a). done up. b). made up. c). filled up. d). broken up. 6. I don’t know how Jim survived after that car crash. Jim managed to a). get through. b). pull through. b). look through. d). go through. 7. She likes to imitate people. She a). puts them off. b). writes them off. c). takes them off. d). lays them off. 8. The lift is out of order. The lift has a). come down. b). run down. c). gone down. d). broken down. 9. Dick can’t tolerate this job any longer. Dick can’t a). keep up with the work. b). put up with the work. c). take up his job. d). give up his job. 10. On the second day of their honeymoon they quarrelled. The couple a). were knocked out. b). ran out. c). fell out. d). carried out. 8. Match the phrasal verb headlines with the explanations below. There are two possibilities for each one. Comment upon them. a) LADY DIVINA CUT UP b) KINLOCK TO WRAP UP c) HATCHET’S DRAWERS GONE THROUGH d) DUKE RUNS DOWN ANIMAL RIGHTS SUPPORTERS e) PRINCE TAKEN IN BY PRO 1. Customs officers strip search ex-PM by mistake 2. Maid caught snooping in ex-PM’s bedroom 3. Conman tricks Prince out of 5,000 pounds 4. Magician’s trick goes horribly wrong 5. Opposition leader catches pneumonia 6. Divina distressed at death of goldfish 7. Duke orders chauffeur to drive into animal rights supporters 8. Opposition leader told to cool it 9. Prince put up by call girl after being kicked out of Palace 10. Duke criticises animal rights activists for sabotaging grouse shoot.
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9. Comment on the organisation chart and try to apply it at an organisation you are familiar with.
10. Translate into English: Cei patru tigri mici ai Asiei: Coreea de Sud, Taiwan, Hong Kong şi Singapore au demonstrat în jumătatea a doua a secolului nostru posibilitatea decolării economice, a ieşirii din subdezvoltare, a intrării în marea familie a economiilor avansate şi prospere. Au urmat tigri mijlocii, la distanţă de zece-douăzeci de ani, din zona ASEAN: Malaezia, Indonezia, Tailanda şi Filipine. Şi fiindcă mai rămânea timp până în 2000, surpriza s-a produs. China a adoptat ritmurile de creştere ale tigrilor. Mai întâi să recunoaştem că în lume primul indice care este lipit pe fruntea unei ţări, paşaportul sau buletinul ei, clasificarea absolută şi finală, este produsul pe cap de locuitor. Sociologi, umanişti, istorici încearcă în zadar alte semne distinctive: spiritualitatea, fericirea, armonia, creativitatea. Pentru literatură toate sunt bune, dar nu ţin loc de criteriul economic, universal admis, ce rezistă oricărei dezbateri. Dar după el urmează imediat alt indice, rata creşterii acestui produs. Spune-mi cât produci ca să-ţi spun cine eşti, spune-mi cum creşti, ca să-ţi spun pe cine contez.
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UNIVERSITATEA VALAHIA DIN TÂRGOVIŞTE DEPARTAMENTUL PENTRU ÎNVĂŢĂMÂNT LA DISTANŢĂ ŞI FORMARE CONTINUĂ
PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR DISTANCE - LEARNING STUDENTS
Carmen ANTOHE
TÂRGOVIŞTE 2005
CONTENTS CUVÂNT ÎNAINTE...............................................3 CHAPTER ONE – BASIC ENGLISH................................4 Lesson one – Introducing oneself (conversation)…………………………………5 Lesson two- Getting around (conversation)……………………………………..8 Lesson three – Nationalities-Countries (conversation)…………………………12 Lesson four – A student’s daily Programme …………………………………..16 Lesson five – The family………………………………………………………..20 Lesson six – Weather …………………………………………………………..24 Lesson seven – Meals…………………………………………………………..29 Lesson eight – At the library……………………………………………………33 Lesson nine – What’s your job?......................................37 Lesson ten – At a public meeting……………………………………………….41 CHAPTER TWO – ENGLISH FOR GEOGRAPHERS AND HISTORIANS.............................45 Lesson one – Great Britain…………………………………………………….46 Lesson two – London…………………………………………………………..51 Lesson three – The United States of America………………………………….60 Lesson four – American Cities………………………………………………….66 Lesson five – Australia………………………………………………………….72 Lesson six – Important People in Britain……………………………………….76 Lesson seven – Famous British Seamen………………………………………..79 Lesson eight – Europe’s Premodern Heritage………………………………….81 Lesson nine – Bucharest………………………………………………………..84 Lesson ten – Romania…………………………………………………………..89 CHAPTER THREE – ENGLISH FOR ECONOMISTS……………………96 Lesson one – Advertising……………………………………………………….97 Lesson two – How to Stage Successful Trade Fairs and Exhibitions………….103 Lesson three – Tourist Industry and Touristic Activity………………………..107 Lesson four – Foreign TradeComposition – Development Trends…………….110 Lesson five – The International Monetary Fund………………………………114 Lesson six – Economic Co-operation………………………………………….119 Lesson seven – Marketing – Past and Present………………………………..123 CHAPTER FOUR – SUPLIMENTARY READINGS-ENGLISH AND AMERICAN HOLIDAYS, LITERATURE AND CIVILIZATION………….126 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Hallowe’en…………………………………………………………….127 Thanksgiving Day………………………………………………………129 Christmas………………………………………………………………131 St. Valentine’s Day…………………………………………………….134 Easter………………………………………………………………….137 William Shakespeare…………………………………………………..141 American literature.........................................144 Habits and ways - Tea …………………………………………………146 2
Cuvânt Înainte În condiţiile civilizaţiei actuale, când comunicarea largă între oameni şi popoare a devenit o realitate obişnuită, cunoaşterea unei limbi de circulaţie internaţională este o necesitate. Dacă în Evul Mediu limba latină a fost pentru europeni limba comună a culturii şi ştiinţei, astăzi, în epoca ordinatoarelor, a zborurilor cosmice, a transformărilor urbane spectaculoase şi a dezvoltării fără precedent a schimburilor internaţionale, toţi cetăţenii lumii învaţă limba engleză pentru a se înţelege între ei. Engleza este astăzi limba ştiinţei, a tehnicii, a comerţului. Lumea ştiinţifică şi intelectuală foloseşte poate cel mai mult această limbă, puţini fiind oamenii de ştiinţă şi cercetătorii care să nu o cunoască şi să nu îşi redacteze lucrările direct în engleză. Ilustrările de mai sus nu epuizează nici pe departe lista posibilă. Să ne referim acum la oamenii simpli şi mai puţini simpli. Cine nu a trecut prin momentul penibil când nu putem înfiripa o conversaţie cu un străin, când suntem reduşi la gesturi, mimică sau interjecţii? Unele persoane sunt dispuse să remedieze carenţa prin studiu, sistematic chiar. Altele, se izolează sub imperiul fricii îndărătul unor „porţi zăvorâte” şi cred că limba engleză este inaccesibilă lor, după cum studierea ei (chiar la nivel elementar) li se pare un efort inutil sau, oricum prea mare. Unul din scopurile acestui curs este să demonstreze că inaccesibilitatea e o prejudecată, iar efortul merită să fie întreprins până şi de către cei din fire lenevoşi. În învăţarea limbii engleze la un nivel mediu de cunoştiinţe se ajunge fără dificultate şi sperăm că acest curs conceput pentru studenţii de la forma de învăţământ la distanţă, va demonstra că necesitatea cunoaşterii limbii engleze se poate satisface de către oricine, uşor şi cu plăcere. Acest curs practic de limba engleză este destinat studenţilor de la specializările Geografie, Istorie-Geografie şi profilul Economic anii I şi II, care doresc să aibă o pregătire corespunzătoare în domeniile de interes. El a fost conceput în aşa fel încât, în cei doi ani de studiu ai limbii engleze, să ajute la consolidarea cunoştiinţelor acumulate până aici, precum şi la însuşirea de noi elemente specifice specializării studiate.
Mult Succes!
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CHAPTER ONE - BASIC ENGLISH
Introducere Chapter one – Basic English (Capitolul unu – Engleza de bază) se adresează atât studenţilor de la specializarea Geografie, Istorie-Geografie cât şi celor de la profilul Economic. Însuşirea unui limbaj de specialitate nu se poate face fără a avea o bază solidă, de aceea capitolul conţine în principal elemente practice şi applicative la îndemâna acelora care doresc să-şi însuşească, să consolideze şi să folosească un limbaj minim de limba engleză. Cele zece lecţii care alcătuiesc capitolul cuprind teme axate pe principalele aspecte ale vieţii cotidiene – de muncă, sociale, culturale – având drept scop să formeze deprinderi de limbă necesare însuşirii ulterioare a limbajului legat de problematica geografică, istorico-geografică şi economică. Fiecare lecţie cuprinde un text însoţit de o temă gramaticală prezentată sugestiv şi concis prin structuri, scheme şi tabele. Schemele gramaticale prezintă probleme de gramatică şi construcţii pentru a căror înţelegere şi mai ales folosire, studenţii întâmpină dificultăţi. Expunerea gramaticală este urmată de diferite tipuri de exerciţii lexicale şi gramaticale menite să formeze deprinderi de limbă la cei ce studiază limba engleză. Obiective operaţionale: după parcurgerea primului capitol studenţii vor putea să:  se prezinte şi să facă cunoştiinţă cu alte persoane vorbitoare de limba engleză;  poarte o conversaţie simplă, referitoare la locul natal, meserie, şi să ceară indicaţii pentru a ajunge în locul dorit;  vorbească despre programul său zilnic, despre vreme şi mesele principale;  poată să se descurce în diferite situaţii cum ar fi la bibliotecă şi la diferite întâlniri publice;  completeze un curriculum vitae;  recunoască, să diferenţieze şi să folosească în aplicaţii practice timpuri verbale precum prezentul simplu şi continuu, prezentul perfect simplu şi continuu, mai mult ca perfectul simplu şi continuu;  capete deprinderi pentru traduceri din şi în limba engleză;
Capitolul unu conţine următoarele lecţii: 1. Lesson one – Introducing oneself ………………………………………….5 2. Lesson two – Getting around ………………………………………………8 3. Lesson three – Nationalities-Countries …………………………………..12 4. Lesson four – A student‟s daily programme ……………………………..16 5. Lesson five – The family ………………………………………………….20 6. Lesson six – Weather ………………………………………………......24 7. Lesson seven – Meals …………………………………………………….29 8. Lesson eight – At the library ………………………………………......33 9. Lesson nine – What‟s your job? ………………………………………….37 10. Lesson ten – At a public meeting ……………………………………….41
Bibliografie selectivă: - Bantaş, Andrei (1991) – Essential English, Ed. Teora Bucureşti - Galiş, Livia & colaboratorii (1982) – Limba Engleză pentru învăţământul superior economic, Ed.Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti - Gălăţeanu-Fârnoagă, Georgiana (1993) – Gramatica Limbii Engleze, Ed. Omegapress, Bucureşti -* * * - Speak English Nr. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6/ 1990 4
LESSON ONE CONVERSATION INTRODUCING ONESELF (PREZENTARI) FORMAL J.D.: Excuse me. Who are you? S.R.: I‟m Sandra Reynolds. I‟m your English teacher, and who are you? J.D.: How do you do. My name‟s Jane David. I‟m a student. K.S.: And my name is Ken Smith. I‟m a student, too. S.R.: How do you do. (I‟m) glad to meet you. (It‟s) nice to meet you. J.D.: It‟s nice to meet you, too. Greetings S.R.: Good morning. (Good afternoon; Good evening). J.D.: Good evening. How are you? S.R.: I‟m fine thank you. And how are you? J.D.: Very well, thank you./ Rather unwell. S.R.: Good bye. See you later. J.D.: Good night. See you tomorrow. Atenţie! Nu se spune niciodată „Good day”, nici la întâlnire nici la despărţire. În engleza modernă este o formă de expediere a interlocutorului, ceva de felul „Poţi pleca”. VERY FORMAL J.D.: Good morning, Professor Reynolds. Let me introduce myself. My name‟s Jane David. I‟m your new student. S.R.: How do you do. Welcome to our courses. My name‟s Sandra Reynolds. J.D.: How do you do. I‟m pleased to meet you, Professor Reynolds. S.R.: I‟m your English Professor. What are you studying this term? J.D.: I‟m studying English language this term and English literature next term. S.R.: Till tomorrow then. J.D.: It‟s been nice knowing you. Good bye for now. INFORMAL J.D.: Hi, I‟m Jane. I‟m a new student. Who are you? K.S.: Hi, I‟m Ken. I‟m a new student, too. Glad to know you. Where are you from? J.D.: I‟m from Canada. Are you from Canada, too? K.S.: No, I‟m not. I‟m from Scotland. J.D.: Oh, how nice! K.S.: See you soon. J.D.: Bye-bye for now.
I. EXPLANATORY NOTES 1. Name = First name = Christian name = Given name: Jane, Jennifer, Robert, Mary, Kenneth, Sandra etc. Surname = Family name = Last name: Reynolds, David, Bush, Smith, MacDonald, O‟Casey, Roberts etc.
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2. How Do We Address People? There are different ways of addressing people and of speaking: Informal or friendly – between friends, teenagers, young people (classmates), businessmen; Formal – between acquaintances and also for older people or people in higher jobs. Very formal – for people we want to show respect to. How do we address unknown people? “Excuse me, sir (madam, officer/constable etc.)” “Ladies and gentlemen” (when addressing an audience). How about people we know? “Hi, Ted / Hi, Betty” (more used for young people). “Hello, Fred / Hello, Barney” (it is slightly more formal). We can greet acquaintances or people we know whether they are older or in higher jobs with “hello”, or “good morning / afternoon / evening”. At a very formal level, respect may be shown by adding their name: ”Hello, Mr. Smith” (for gentlemen), “Hello, Mrs. Reynolds” (for married ladies), “Hello, Miss David” (for unmarried ladies), or “Hello, Mes Green” (for ladies, when their marital status is not important). If the persons have titles, they are used in calling them: “Professor Hill”, “Dr. Brown”, “Dean Roberts” (only one title - the highest – is used together with the surname). For very high ranks we can use: “Your Excellency”, “Your Highness”, “Your Sanctity”. II. GRAMMAR 1.PERSONAL PRONOUNS (Pronume personale) Desemnează persoanele ce pot apărea într-un dialog interlocutorul) sau înlocuieşte obiectul despre care se vorbeşte.
Singular
Plural
Person 1 person 2nd person 3rd person
Nominative I you he, she, it
1st person 2nd person 3rd person
we you they
st
Dative (to) me (to) you (to) him (to) her (to) it (to) us (to) you (to) them
(vorbitorul,
Accusative me you him, her, it
us you them
2. Verb TO BE present tense – link verb (verb de legătură) Affirmative I am You are He, she, it is We are You are They are
Interrogative
Negative
Am I? Are you? Is he, she, it? Are we? Are you? Are they?
I am not You are not He, she, it is not We are not You are not They are not
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InterrogativeNegative Am I not? Are you not? Is he,she,it not? Are we not? Are you not? Are they not?
În engleza vorbită este mai folosită forma contrasă: I‟m a teacher. / I‟m not a teacher. You‟re a student. / You‟re not a student. He‟s a policeman. / He‟s not a policeman. She‟s an air – hostess. / She‟s not an air – hostess. It‟s an animal. / It‟s not an animal. We‟re workers./ We‟re not workers. You‟re engineers. / You‟re not engineers. They‟re taxi – drivers. / They‟re not taxi – drivers. Verbul TO BE ca verb de legătură (link verb) se foloseşte: cu un substantiv (la singular, întotdeauna precedat de articolul nedefinit „a” sau „an”) „I am a mother”; cu un adjectiv, „He is tired” sau cu adverb de loc, „He is in the room” / „He is there”. EXERCISES I. Substitute the nouns in the following sentences by the personal pronouns in the correct case. Model: I like this book. I like it. 1. I am very pleased with this test paper. 2. John arrives at the faculty early. 3. I always give George good books to read. 4. Three students are talking about the exam. 5. The assistant-lecturer is asking Henry a question. 6. The professor is lending the student a book. 7. Students are very attentive during seminars. 8. I see my coleague going to the library. 9. Give mother a glass of water, please. 10. Read the lesson, please. 11. Let‟s go and see grandmother. 12. I want to give my grandparents a present. 13. I‟ll thank father tomorrow. 14. Look at Tom and me! 15. I can‟t see your friends. 16. Give the cat some milk. II. Fill in the blanks using the personal pronouns in brackets in the correct case: 1. This is a book for .. (he). 2. John always buys text-books for .. (they). 3. I never speak to .. (she) during lectures. 4. I am putting .. (it) on the shelf. 5. Every day, I see .. (you) in the classroom. 6. I pay attention to .. (it). 7. I tell .. (she) not to be late. 8. She requests .. (they) to take part in the scientific session.
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LESSON TWO CONVERSATION – GETTING AROUND 1. (British version) Liz: Hi, Jenny, How are you? Jenny: Rather unwell this morning. And you? Liz: Oh, I‟m fine, thanks, but I‟m sorry for you. Why are you such in a hurry? It‟s pretty hot today, isn‟t it? Can I help you? Jenny: I‟m late for class, and I want to buy some stationery, you know, writing paper, notebooks and a ball-(point) pen. Is there a stationer‟s near here? Liz: Yes, of course. Can you see that restaurant over there? Jenny: The one on the corner? Liz: Turn at the restaurant and keep straight on up to the next cross-roads; go across the road and take the first turning to the left. The stationer‟s on the left side of the street. You can‟t miss it. Jenny: Thanks a lot. But that‟s quite a distance. Liz: Yes, that‟s right, but you can find there everything you need: there are writing paper, pads, envelopes, refills for your pen, erasers and even a marvelous assortment of greeting cards and diaries. There are also glue, ink, thumbtacks a.s.o. * * * 2. (American version) Jenny: Pardon (Excuse) me, officer. Where‟s the City Bank? Policeman: It‟s downtown, five blocks from here, straight ahead. Jenny: Is it on the left? Policeman: No. It‟s on the right. It‟s across the coffee shop. Jenny: Thanks very much. Policeman: You‟re welcome. VOCABULARY stationery – papetărie notebook – blocnotes, carnet ball-(point) pen – pix cross-road – intersecţie writing paper pad – tampon pentru hârtia de scris envelope – plic refill – mine de pix eraser – gumă de şters diary – jurnal (intim) glue – lipici ink – cerneală thumbtack – pioneză Explanatory notes: 1. block (in America) = “cvartal”, grup de case pătrat sau dreptunghiular între 4 străzi. block of flats / apartment house = bloc downtown = în sau spre centrul comercial al unui oraş 2. Expressing GRATITUDE (expresii de mulţumire): Thanks – Thank you – Many thanks – Thanks a lot – Thanks again – Thank you very much – Thank you very much indeed – Thank you ever much for (letting me know)… - It‟s been really marvelous… 8
3. Possible responses, depending on the occasion (posibile răspunsuri, în funcţie de ocazie): Don‟t mention it (I‟m glad to help you) – It‟s all right – It‟s my pleasure – You‟re welcome – I‟m very much obliged to you Study and remember (expressions):  It takes you only ten minutes to get there – vă trebuie numai zece minute ca să ajungeţi acolo  Turn to the left/right! – Luaţi-o spre stânga  Go straight on/ahead! – Mergeţi tot înainte  The red light is on – Semaforul arată roşu  Trolley buses run till … o´clock – Troleibuzele circulă până la ora …  Would you mind telling me the way to …? – Sunteţi amabil să-mi spuneţi care este drumul către …?  Could you put me right? – M-aţi putea îndruma?  This way, please! – Pe aici, vă rog!  Take the first turning to the left/right – Luaţi-o pe prima stradă la stânga/dreapta  At the next crossroads turn to the left/right – La prima intersecţie luaţi-o la stânga/dreapta  It´s on the right hand side – Este pe partea dreaptă  Can you direct me to …? – Îmi puteţi arăta direcţia către …?  Is this the right way to …? – Acesta este drumul către …?  You are still some way off … – Sunteţi încă la o oarecare distanţă…  It´s just round the corner – Este chiar după colţ  We happen to be going in that direction ourselves – Întâmplător şi noi mergem în această direcţie  I´m trying to find my way to … - Încerc să găsesc drumul către …  You are going the wrong way – Mergeţi într-o direcţie greşită  Is it much of a walk? – Este mult de mers pe jos?  Do I take this street or that? – Să o iau pe această stradă, sau pe cealaltă?  It´s quite a distance – Este destul de departe  Which is the quickest way to …? – Care este calea cea mai rapidă către … GRAMMAR 1. Verbul TO BE exprimând existenţa – there is / there are (este, se află, se găseşte / sunt, se află, se găsesc) Cuvântul neaccentuat „there”este urmat de o formă a verbului TO BE în propoziţii care exprimă noţiunea de existenţă (este o expresie care nu există în limba română. Limba franceză are ceva asemănător în expresia „il y a”). Se foloseşte ori de câte ori subiectul propoziţiei este o persoană oarecare nedefinită sau un obiect, iar predicatul este verbul TO BE. Această expresie introduce noi informaţii interlocutorului: Exemple: There is (There´s) a pen on the desk. There are (There‟re) two books on the table. There is a glass on the table. There are lots of interesting buildings in Edinburgh. There are writing paper pads .. There is glue in the bottle. Observaţi că: a) There se foloseşte în loc de subiect; b) There is se foloseşte înaintea unui substantiv la singular; c) There are se foloseşte înaintea unui substantiv la plural; 9
Interogativul se formează: Is there a stationery near here? Are there many children in the room? Negativul: There is not (isn´t). / There are not (aren´t). Observaţi că şi în acest caz există forme contrase, neaccentuate. Atenţie! Să nu confundaţi cuvântul THERE din expresiile THERE IS şi THERE ARE cu adverbul THERE care se traduce cu ACOLO. Într-o propoziţie ele pot apărea împreună. Ex. There are two chairs there. (Sunt două scaune acolo). 2. THE PLURAL OF NOUNS (Pluralul Substantivelor) Rules
Examples
a. Majoritatea substantivelor formează pluralul adăugând -s la forma singularului: b. Substantivele care se termină în -sh, -ch, -tch, -ss, -s, -x primesc -es
c. Când substantivele se termină în -y precedat de o consoană, -y se schimbă în i şi se adaugă –es: d. Substantivele care se termină în -f, -fe îl schimbă pe f în v şi se adaugă -es: e. Substantivele care se termină în -o precedat de o consoană primesc -es: f. Substantive cu pluralul neregulat:
Singular bedroom picture tap glass bus brush watch box party country
Plural bedrooms pictures taps glasses buses brushes watches boxes parties countries
leaf life tomato potato man woman child tooth foot goose mouse
leaves lives tomatoes potatoes men women children teeth feet geese mice
Terminaţia pluralului se citeşte: [s] [z] după consoane surde: după vocale şi consoane [p], [t], [f], [k], [h], [θ] sonore: [b], [d], [v], [g], [l], [m], [n], [η], [r], [ð] clocks jugs taps towels baths films
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[iz] după: [s], [z], [ſ], [tſ], [dз] wages classes brushes watches buses
EXERCISES I. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the phrase: 1. There .. a teacher in the classroom. 2. There .. two teachers in the classroom. 3. There .. many pupils in the classroom. 4. There .. a dog in the room. 5. There .. books and notebooks on the shelf. 6. There .. books on the floor. 7. There .. a blackboard on the wall. 8. There .. many pictures on the wals. 9. There .. a map in the classroom. 10. There .. many flowers in the garden. II. Change these sentences according to the patterns: a) There is a large table in the room. (small) / There isn‟t a small one. b) There are two black cats in the garden. (white) / There aren‟t two white ones. 1. There is a short pencil in the pencil-box. (long) 2. There are three glasses on the table. (clean) 3. There are two green books in the bag. (brown) 4. There is a young man in the room. (old) 5. There are two large armchairs in the room. (small) 6. There is an old newspaper on the table. (new) 7. There is a white dog in the schoolyard. (black) 8. There are two red blouses on the chair (blue). 9. There is a tall man in the garden. (short) 10. There are two fat cats under the tree. (thin) III. Make questions and answers. 1. There is a kitchen in the flat. (Yes) 2. There are two living-rooms in the flat. (No) 3. There is a dog in the classroom. (No) 4. There are three cats in the schoolyard. (Yes) 5. There are two books on the desk. (No) 6. There is a book on the floor. (No) 7. There is a dining-room in the house. (Yes) 8. There are two bedrooms in the house. (Yes) 9. There are three armchairs in the living-room. (Yes) 10. There is a bookcase in the bedroom. (No) IV. Rewrite the sentences, making the words in brackets plural: 1. Our students‟ club often organizes (evening party). 2. She has just put ten (tomato) on the plate. 3. All the (child) who have reached the age of six go to school. 4. Have you already brushed your (tooth)? 5. She has bought two (loaf). 6. Have you turned off the hot and cold (tap)? 7. You go to the library after (class), don‟t you? 8. She has put six (glass) on the table. 9. There are many fallen (leaf) on the ground. 10. I have never seen such beautiful (picture). 11. (Woman) have equal rights with (man) in our country. 12. They have put the (watch) into (box) that do not exceed an overall length of two (foot). V. Use the plural of the nouns in brackets making the necessary changes. In case no change is possible, explain the reasons: 1. He was thanked for his (work) at the hospital. 2. They were fully aware of the (spirit) of the time. 3. The poet published his new (volume) at the start of the century. 4. The Chinese invented the (compass). 5. The (information) didn‟t come in time. 6. I have a small (cactus) at home. 7. Don‟t fight with him. His (force) is enormous. 8. I feel a (pain) in my leg. 9. It‟s a (damage) that can‟t be repaired. 10. I won‟t take anybody‟s (advice). 11. I don‟t like his (manner) of speech. 12. Six to eight hours of practice a day gave him a great (ability) for playing the piano in less than a year. 13. Lots of (people) come to the Romanian seaside every summer. 14. I like the (fabric) my husband brought me as a birthday present. 15. She has a brooch of diamonds set in (platinum).
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LESSON THREE NATIONALITIES – COUNTRIES Jenny: Meet my friend, Ingrid. Pedro: Hello. Ingrid: Hello. Pleased to meet you. What nationality are you? Pedro: I‟m from Peru./ I‟m Peruvian. Where are you from? Ingrid: I‟m from Sweden./ I‟m Swedish. Pedro: Is your family in London, too? Ingrid: No, my family is in Sweden and in Australia. Pedro: Oh! Ingrid: Are you in London on holiday or on business? Pedro: I‟m on business. I‟m a physicist. I‟m working in a Research Centre for three months. It‟s not far from London. What about you? Are you a student, or a post graduate student? If not, what‟s your job? Ingrid: No, I‟m not a student. I‟m visiting an English family for a year to brush up my English. Are you staying in a private house, too? Pedro: At the moment I‟m staying at a hotel. Ingrid: Isn‟t too expensive? Pedro: It sure is, but tomorrow morning I‟m registering for a special Nuclear Physics Course, and then I‟m moving to a bed-sitter. Look! Here is my registration card. Be so kind and help me to fill it in. * *
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MOVING IN Because the hotel is too expensive, Pedro wants to rent a nice, small apartment / flat. So, he has two ways to find it: 1. Direct conversation Pedro: Excuse me, are you Mrs. Scott? Mrs. Scott: Yes, I am. Pedro: How do you do, Mrs. Scott. I‟m Pedro Gonzales your new tenant. You‟re the landlady, aren‟t you? Mrs. Scott: Yes, I am. How do you do, Mr. Gonzales. Nice to meet you. This is Maggie Baxter. She‟s your neighbour. Maggie: Hello, Pedro, nice to meet you. Pedro: Hello, Maggie, glad to see you, too. Can I see the bed-sitter Mrs. Scott? Is it upstairs? Mrs. Scott: Of course you can. Come in, please. It‟s upstairs. My flat is downstairs. Pedro: Oh, it‟s very nice. 2. On the phone Five three oh, four nine seven eight. Mrs. Scott: Hello? Pedro: It‟s about the flat / apartment to let in the morning paper ads. Is it still to let? Mrs. Scott: Oh yes, of course it is. Pedro: Can you tell me about it? Mrs. Scott: There are two rooms: a living-room and a bedroom, and also a kitchen and a bathroom, of course. You can come and see it. Pedro: Where is it? 12
Mrs. Scott: It‟s in the neighbourhood of the University College, near Regent‟s Park. Pedro: What‟s your address? Mrs. Scott: 54 Drummond Street, near Euston Station. Pedro: Oh, and how much is the rent? Mrs. Scott: Two hundred pounds / £ 200 a month. Pedro: I can come in twenty or thirty minutes. Is that all right? Mrs. Scott: Yes, of course. Oh, wait. What‟s your name? Pedro: Pedro Gonzales. Mrs. Scott: Can you spell it? Pedro: P-E-D-R-O G-O-N-Z-A-L-E-S Mrs. Scott: Thank you. See you in half an hour. Pedro: Good bye. See you soon. VOCABULARY bed-sitter = bed-sitting-room – garsonieră, cameră combinată ads. – (prescurtare de la advertisements) – reclamă, publicitate GRAMMAR 1.
Affirmative Form
THE PRESENT TENSE (Common Aspect) Timpul Prezent (Aspectul Comun) Negative Form
Interrogative NegativeForm Interogative Form I work I do Do I work? Do I not work? You work not(don‟t)work Do you work? (Don‟t I work?) He, she, it works You do not work Does he, she, it Do you not work? He,she,it does not work? Does he, she, it We work (doesn‟t) work Do we work? not You work We do not work Do you work? work?(Doesn‟t They work You do not work Do they work? he.) They do not work Do we not work? Do you not work? Do they not work? Rules Examples 1. Timpul prezent, aspectul comun, se foloseşte pentru a arăta o acţiune Students study for their exams. obişnuită sau repetată în prezent. 2. Adeseori este folosit cu adverbe de Every year, the Academy organizes tipul: often, usually, never, always, post-graduate courses. every year. 3. Poate arăta o acţiune viitoare, dacă este însoţit de un adverb de timp We sit for an exam tomorrow. exprimând viitorul. In acest caz, acţiunea viitoare face parte dintr-un program stabilit. 4. Este folosit în loc de prezentul I like this book. continuu cu acele verbe care nu sunt întrebuinţate la forma continuă (to like, to dislike, to love, to hate, to want, to own, to consist of/in, to belong) 13
THE PRESENT TENSE (Continuous Aspect) Timpul Prezent (Aspectul Continuu) Se formează cu verbul TO BE la prezent şi participiul prezent (forma în – ing) a verbului de conjugat. Mai simplu, se poate exprima: TO BE + Ving ( „V” este verbul de conjugat). Affirmative Form
Negative Form
I am (I‟m) working You are working He, she, it is working
I am not working You are not working He, she, it is not working We are not working
We are working You are working They are working
You are working They are working
Interrogative Form
NegativeInterrogative Form Am I working? Am I Are you working? working? Are you Is he, she, it working? working? Is he, she, it working? Are we working? Are we working? Are you working? Are you working? Are they working? Are they working?
not not
Rules 1. Prezentul continuu arată o acţiune în curs de desfăşurare în momentul vorbirii. Uneori, momentul acţiunii este fixat prin adverbe de timp ca: now, at the present moment. 2. Prezentul continuu exprimă uneori o acţiune ce caracterizează subiectul întro anumită perioadă de timp. Aceasta rezultă din context. 3. Ca şi aspectul comun, poate arăta o acţiune viitoare care a fost planificată într-un moment prezent, dacă este însoţit de un adverb de timp exprimând viitorul.
not not not not not not
Examples They are studying for tomorrow‟s examination. We are not planning our holidays at the present moment. What are you doing here in Bucharest? I am studying economics.
They are coming to see us next week.
EXERCISES I. Put the following sentences in the third person singular: 1. We listen to courses. 2. They take down notes. 3. You study for your exam. 4. I like learning when I enjoy the subject. 5. You always lend me your text-books. 6. I go home at 2 o‟clock. 7. I usually come to the faculty at 8 o‟clock. 8. I pay attention to what the lecturer says. 9. You like being in time for the courses. II. Make the following sentences – a) interrogative b) negative 1. I leave home at 7 a.m. every day. 2. This student speasks English very well. 3. He reads very fast. 4. Students read sports magazines every day. 5. He writes his 14
homework in the afternoon. 6. I always go to the cinema with pleasure. 7. He likes to watch television on Saturday evening. 8. He likes Latin grammar. 9. He reads a few pages of Spanish literature every week. 10. You write many letters. III. Use the verbs in brackets in the present tense (common or continuous aspect): 1. Students from other countries (come) to get trained as economists at the Academyof Economic Studies. 2. We (attend) classes regularly. 3. He (like) English. 4. Today, we (study) commercial correspondence in our English seminar. 5. We (rehearse) for a show this evening. 6. They (meet) at 8 o‟clock tonight. 7. She just (leave) for the mountains. 8. He (not like) to borrow the books, he (prefer) to buy them. 9. Where you (hurry)? 10. We (hurry) to the lecture-hall as we (not want) to be late. IV. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in parantheses using Present Tense Simple or Continuous: 1. I .. the water for coffee in a special pot (to boil). 2. Come and make the coffee! The water .. (to boil). 3. This shop .. at 8 a.m. and .. at 8 p.m. (to open; to close). 4. I .. the book to read the new lesson (to open). 5. Don‟t shout that loud! I .. you very well(to hear). 6. Don‟t interrupt them! They .. to a scientific broadcast (to listen). 7. I .. what you .. (to see; to mean). 8. Wait aminute, will you? I .. them off (to see). 9. A man .. with his nose (to smell). 10. Usually she .. a very quiet child, but now she .. naughty (to be; to be) V. Put the verbs in parantheses in the Present Tense Simple. Notice the adverbs they are associated with: 1. Mother never .. (to go out) without a shopping bag. 2. We often .. (to play) chess in the evenings.3. They usually .. (to do) their shopping at this supermarket. 4. She always .. (to listen to) the concerts broadcast on the radio on Sunday mornings. 5. I occasionally .. (to read) a thriller before going to sleep. 6. Our kids frequently .. (to break) something while playing hide-and-seek in their room. 7. Grandmother hardly ever .. (to take) a sleeping pill. 8. They always .. (to come) in time. 9. My husband never .. (to catch) anything when he .. (to go) fishing. 10. Do your friends sometimes .. (to ask) you to babysit? VI. Fill in the blanks with prepositions: 1. Except .. Romanian students, there is also a considerable number .. students coming .. other countries. 2. There are canteens providing meals .. the students. 4. This term, we insist .. commercial correspondence. 5. Students attend conferences .. various subjects. 6. This professor gives lectures .. political economy. 7. All higher education institutes are endowed .. libraries. 8. The students spend their holidays .. the mountains.
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LESSON FOUR A STUDENT‟S DAILY PROGRAMME to get up bedroom
The clock has just struck six. Mary is in her bedroom. She has got up, opened the window and turned on the radio. She is doing her morning exercises to the music. bathroom It is half past six. Mary has got into the bathroom. She is standing at the wash-basin. What has she just done? She has just turned on the hot and cold taps. What is she going to do next? She is going to pour some water into the glass and brush her teeth. Then she is going to have a shower. She doesn‟t have a bath in the morning. She takes a bath before she goes to bed. Mary has already brushed her teeth with her tooth-brush and tooth-paste. She has had a warm shower. She has dried herself on the towel and has got dressed. What is she doing now? She is doing her hair in front of the lookingglass. dining-room It is seven o‟clock. Mary is in the dining-room. Has she already had her breakfast? No, not yet. She is laying the table for breakfast. She has just put some coffee-cups, a sugar-bowl, a milk-jug and some plates on the table. Is she going to have breakfast by herself? No, she is not. She is waiting for her brother who hasn‟t shaved yet. to leave for It is half past seven. Mary and her brother have just finished their breakfast. They are in a hurry. They are leaving for the Academy of Economic Studies. to get to It takes them twenty minutes to get to the Academy by bus. They arrive there ten minutes before the bell rings. So they have a chat with their fellowstudents. Only six students of their group are from Bucharest, the others either come from different parts of the country, or from other countries. They usually have a lot of things to talk about. class The classes begin at eight o‟clock and are over at ten minutes to two three times a week. Twice a week they have classes in the afternoon. They regularly seminar attend lectures and seminars. After classes in the morning they have their lunch at the student‟s canteen. Then they go home on foot. On their way home they do some shopping. After a rest short rest they do their homework and read up for seminars. Then Mary prepares something for dinner and her brother helps her. They have their dinner at seven o‟clock in the evening. After dinner they usually look through some newspapers or magazines, or read some novels or listen to music, or watch a film on TV. On Sundays they often go to the students‟ club that regularly organizes various cultural activities such as evening parties, cinema shows, lectures on music and literature with recitals by famous musicians and actors. office
meeting business
MORNING AND EVENING - What do you usually do at your office? - In the morning I receive letters and cables which I have to answer that very day. My secretary usually helps me to type the answers. Twice a week I have a meeting where we discuss different business questions with our chief manager. Almost every day I have business interviews, talks or conferences with the representatives of the foreign firms we have done business with lately. In the afternoon I usually make appointments on the phone with engineers of the producing enterprises or foreign businessmen for the next day. Sometimes I make business trips with a view to concluding sales contracts. 16
- What do you usually do in the evening? - We generally stay at home and watch TV. Once a week we go to the pictures. Occasionally we go to a dance. - Have you been to the theatre this month? - Yes, we have been to the theatre twice this month. VOCABULARY bedroom - dormitor to strike (struck, struck) – a bate, a suna to get up (got, got) – a se scula to get into – a intra to get to – a ajunge la to get dressed – a se îmbrăca bathroom – camera de baie to stand (stood, stood) – a sta în picioare sugar-bowl – zaharniţă milk-jug – cană de lapte to shave – a se bărbieri plate – farfurie to leave for (left, left) - a pleca lately – în ultimul timp to do one‟s hair – a-şi aranja părul, a se coafa to turn on (the radio, the tap) – a deschide (radioul, robinetul) to pour some water – a turna (ceva) apă to dry oneself on the towel – a se şterge cu prosopul to lay (laid, laid) the table – a pune masa to have breakfast / lunch / dinner – a lua micul dejun / prânzul / cina to be in a hurry – a se grăbi to have a chat – a sta de vorbă to read up for seminars – a se pregăti pentru seminarii to do one‟s homework – a-şi face temele to have / to take a shower – a face un duş to conclude a sales contract – a încheia un contract de vânzare-cumpărare to make an appointment – a fixa o întâlnire with a view to (+gerunziu) – în vederea, pentru a GRAMMAR THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE (Perfectul Compus) Perfectul compus se formează cu ajutorul verbului to have la prezent şi cu participiul trecut al verbului de conjugat: TO HAVE + V3
Affirmative Form I have finished You have finished He, she, it has finished
Common Aspect Negative Form
Interrogative(-Negative) Form I have not (haven‟t) Have I (not) finished? finished. (Haven‟t I finished?) You have not finished. Have you (not) finished? He, she, it has not Has he, she, it (not) (hasn‟t) finished. finished? (Hasn‟t he,she,it 17
We have finished You have finished They have finished
We have not finished You have not finished They have not finished
finished?) Have we (not) finished? Have you (not) finished? Have they (not) finished?
Participiul trecut al verbelor regulate se formează din forma scurtă a infinitivului, prin adăugarea desinenţei –ed, după următoarele reguli ortografice: Spelling Rules 1) Verbele terminate la infinitiv în – e mut pierd această vocală înaintea desinenţei –ed 2) Verbele terminate la infinitive în –y precedat de o consoană, schimbă y în i
Examples to live – lived to arrive – arrived to celebrate – celebrated to study – studied to dry – dried to hurry – hurried 3) Verbele monosilabice terminate într- to stop - stopped o consoană precedată de o vocală scurtă dublează consoana finală 4) Verbele plurisilabice, terminate într- to pre`fer / preferred o consoană precedată de o vocală şi to com`pel / compelled având accentual pe ultima silabă, to `travel / travelled precum şi verbele terminate în –l, indiferent de accent, dublează consoana finală The use of the Present Perfect Tense – Common Aspect Rules 1. Present Perfect exprimă o acţiune trecută care are legătură cu prezentul. a) Legătura poate fi temporală: acţiunea începe în trecut şi continuă în present. Momentul începerii acţiunii se indică prin cuvântul since (prepoziţie, conjuncţie, adverb) – din, de când. Durata acţiunii se redă printr-o locuţiune adverbială introdusă prin prepoziţia for – de: b) Legătura poate fi cauzală: acţiunea sa terminat, dar urmările ei continuă să existe în present: 2. Present Perfect se referă la o perioadă de timp încă în curs, ceea ce este indicat prin adverbele sau locuţiunile adverbiale: today, this week, this summer, this month, lately, of late, this morning, this year, in the last few years. 3. Present Perfect exprimă o acţiune care a avut loc într-un trecut foarte apropiat. El este însoţit atunci de adverbe de timp nedefinit ca: often,
Examples I have seen this film. I have known him for many years. We have not seen him since Monday. He has not slept well since that night.
Mary has opened the window. She has turned on the tap.
Have you been to the theatre this month? She has worked much this week.
The clock has just struck six. She has already brushed her teeth. He hasn’t shaved yet.
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seldom, ever, never, just, yet, always, already. EXERCISES I. Speak about Mary‟s working day according to the plan: a) What she usually does in the morning (before breakfast). b) What she generally does at the Academy of Economic Studies. c) What she usually does after classes and in the evenings. d) How she spends her time on Sundays. II. Complete the dialogues using the words in brackets: “When do your classes begin?” (8 o‟clock; generally; in the morning0 “How many classes do you have every day?” (not more than six; sometimes four) “Do you go straight home after classes?” ( not always; the library or the readingroom; sometimes) “What do you usually do there?” ( to read books and magazines; to make notes on; to look through newspapers) “And when do you usually do your English lessons?” (to have got the necessary books; if; to do one‟s homework at home) “Do you work in the library till late in the evening?” (not to stay; late) “And how do you spend your time in the evening when you are free?” (to watch television; to go to the pictures or to the theatre; to go to see one‟s friends) “Do you go to bed late?” (not very; at about 11; as a rule). III. Use “since” or “for” and translate the sentences into Romanian: 1. I haven‟t seen her … Sunday. 2. I haven‟t seen them … 1980. 3. We haven‟t seen them … ten years. 4. She has been here … morning. 5. We have been here … an hour and a half. 6. He hasn‟t shaved … two days. 7. I have known him … five years. IV. Insert: a) the past participle of the regular verbs: to open, to turn, to pour, to brush, to dry, to shave, to finish, to stay, to watch, to live: 1. He has just … the window. 2. She has just … on the radio. 3. She has already … her teeth. 4. She has already … some water into the glass. 5. We have already … our breakfast. 6. Has she … herself on the towel? 7. Has he already …? 8. Have you … at home and … a film on TV? 9. They haven‟t … in Constantza. b) the past participle of the irregular verbs: to see, to strike, to get up, to put, to do, to go, to come, to have, to be, to lay, to stand, to leave: 1. I have … this film on TV. 2. The clock has just … seven. 3. George hasn‟t … yet. 4. Have you … a sugar-bowl on the table? 5. Why haven‟t you … your hair? 6. Jane has … to the students‟ club. 7. Has your brother … home? 8. She has just … a cold shower. 9. Have you … to the pictures this week? 10. Who has … the table for breakfast? 11. Who has just … at the wash-basin? 12. They have just … for their office. V. Translate into English: 1. Nu v-am văzut de doi ani. Unde aţi fost? 2. Cine a deschis robinetul de apă caldă? 3. N-am luat încă micul dejun. 4. Aţi terminat micul dejun? – Da, mi-a plăcut foarte mult. 5. Cât este ora le dvs.? – Ceasul meu a stat. 6. De când sunteţi la Bucureşti? – Sunt aici de duminică. 7. De când locuieşte fratele tău în Bucureşti? – Din 1974. 8. De când aveţi televizorul? – Numai de două luni. 19
LESSON FIVE THE FAMILY student parents brother son grandparents daughter uncle cousin
family
relative aunt
Mary is twenty years old. She is a student of the Faculty of the Agrarian Economy and Accounting. She lives with her parents in Bucharest. Her father is a worker. He works as a welder at a large plant. Her mother is a weaver at a textile mill. Mary has a brother. Mary‟s brother, John is a doctor at the Brâncovenesc Hospital. He has been working there since 1979. He has a family of his own: a wife and three children: two sons and one daughter. Helen, John‟s wife, is an assistant-lecturer at the Academy of Economic Studies. Mary‟s grand mother and grand father are pensioners. They live in Braşov. Their grand sons and grand daughter often spend their holidays at their grand parents‟. Mary‟s uncle lives in a provincial town. He is a miner. His wife is a very kind woman and a good housewife. Jane, their daughter, is Mary‟s cousin. Mary‟s great grand mother lives with them. * * * John: Where do you live? Peter: I live with my parents and grand parents in Bucharest. John: Have you got any sisters and brothers? Peter: Yes, our family is quite a big one: I have three brothers and two sisters who are twins. John: Are they older than you? Peter: I have only one brother who is older than me. The others are all younger. John: What is your elder brother? Peter: He is a civil engineer. He lives in Constantza. He is married and has two children. My sister-in-law is an economist. I can tell you I‟m very proud of being an uncle. I love my niece and my nephew very much. John: Oh, I‟m sure you do. Do they often come to Bucharest? Peter: No, they don‟t. You see, most of our relatives live there – my uncles, aunts, and all my cousins. VOCABULARY parent – părinte; tată sau mamă father – tată mother – mamă welder – sudor weaver – ţesător son – fiu daughter – fiică great grandparent – străbunic sau străbunică grand mother – bunică grand father – bunic grand daughter – nepoată de bunică (bunic) grand son – nepot de bunic (bunică) housewife – gospodină sister – soră brother – frate cousin – văr sau verişoară twins – gemeni 20
civil engineer – inginer constructor to marry – a căsători; a se căsători sister-in-law – cumnată brother-in-law – cumnat uncle – unchi aunt – mătuşă niece – nepoată (de unchi sau mătuşă) nephew – nepot (de unchi sau mătuşă) relative – rudă in-laws – rude prin alianţă bachelor – celibatar spinster – celibatară an only child – copil unic mill – uzină, fabrică, filatură, moară GRAMMAR I. POSSESIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS ( Adjectivele şi pronumele posesive) Possessive Adjectives Singular my – meu, mea, mei, mele
Plural our - nostru, noastră, noştri, noastre your – vostru, voastră, voştri, voastre their – lor
your – tău, ta, tăi, tale his – lui her – ei its – lui, ei Possesive Pronouns Singular mine – al meu, a mea, ai mei, ale mele yours – al tău, a ta, ai tăi, ale tale his – al lui, a lui, ai lui, ale lui hers – al ei, a ei, ai ei, ale ei its – său, a sa, ai săi, ale sale
Plural ours – al nostru, a noastră, ai noştri, ale noastre yours – al vostru, a voastră, ai voştri, ale voastre theirs – al lor, a lor, ai lor, ale lor
Pronumele posesiv înlocuieşte atât numele obiectului posedat cât şi al posesorului. Pronumele posesive nu determină substantive ca adjectivele posesive, ci le înlocuiesc. Observaţi mai jos diferenţa dintre adjectivul şi pronumele posesiv şi pronumele personal în cazul dativ/acuzativ: Posesive adjective Posesive pronoun Personal pronoun It‟s my car. It‟s mine. It belongs to me. II. DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS (Adjectivele şi pronumele demonstrative)
Singular Plural
de apropiere this these 21
de depărtare that those
Se traduc: this – acest, această; aceste, aceasta that – acel, acea; acela, aceea these – aceşti, aceste; aceştia, acestea those – acei, acele; aceia, acelea
1. Possessive Adjectives Where is my book? She gave me his address.
Possessive Pronouns This book is mine. I have lost my pencil – Please, give me yours. This is not their house, theirs is bigger than his. The new coat is his. This nice dress is hers. This house is ours. The fault is mine. These seats are theirs.
Our classroom is very nice . His coat is new. Her dress is nice. Our house stands in a quiet street The room is large. Its walls are white. . 2. Demonstrative Adjectives This young man is my best friend. That house is very small. These pencils are good. Those flowers are roses.
Demonstrative Pronouns This is my dictionary and that is hers. These are his magazines, and those are mine.
III. THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE (Prezentul perfect continuu) Se formează cu ajutorul verbului TO BE la prezentul perfect şi participiul prezent (-ing) al verbului de conjugat: HAVE (HAS) BEEN + Ving Affirmative I have been working / I‟ve been working You have been working He, she, it has been working/He‟s been … We have been working You have been working They have been working
Interrogative Have I been working? Have you been working? Has he, she, it been working? Have we been working? Have you been working? Have they been working?
Negative I have not been working / I haven‟t been You have not been working He, she, it has not been working We have not been working You have not been working They have not been working
Interrogative - Negative Have I not been working?/ Haven‟t I been Have you not been working? Has he, she, it not been working? Have we not been working? Have you not been working? Have they not been working?
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Prezentul perfect la aspectul continuu se foloseşte: 1. pentru o acţiune care a început în trecut şi care continuă şi în present: I‟ve been waiting for him for half an hour. (I‟m still waiting for him) 2. pentru o acţiune care a început în trecut şi care tocmai s-a încheiat: I‟m so sorry I‟m late. Have you been waiting for me for a long time? EXERCISES I. Enlarge upon: a) Your own family. b) Three relatives. Describe each one to a friend: - What each relative looks like. - Where he / she lives and works. - What his / her interests are. II. Ask questions to the following sentences, according to the model: Model: I’ve been waiting for you for half an hour. How long have you been waiting for me? 1. He has been teaching French for two years. 2. I‟ve been writing the letter for an hour. 3. The children have been playing in the park since they came from school. 4. She has been working in the garden since 8 o‟clock. 5. The boys have been fishing since early in the morning. 6. He has been staying with us for a week. 7. He has been reading since I have been here. 8. I have been peeling potatoes for twenty minutes now. 9. She has been teaching at this school for five years. III. Write the following sentences in the plural: 1. This is an interesting book. 2. That clock is slow. 3. This little boy is Mary‟s brother. 4. That young man is a student at the Faculty of Trade. 5. This family is a very big one. 6. That play was very good, the acting was wonderful indeed! 7. That is a naughty boy, isn‟t he? 8. This is the most beautiful crystal glass I‟ve ever seen. 9. That dictionary was printed in 1903. 10. This is the ring she lost yesterday. IV. Replace the underlined words by possessive adjectives: 1. John’s book is on the desk. 2. The children’s toys are neatly arranged on the shelves. 3. My sister’s room is very large and clean. 4. Where are mother’s shoes? 5. Our brother’s new books are extremely valuable 6. Mary’s old flat looks quite shabby. 7. The students’ copybooks are all on the desks. 8. Your sister’s watch is very nice and keeps good time. V. Translate into English: a) 1. Familia lor este foarte numeroasă. 2. Casa noastră este situată pe o stradă extrem de liniştită. 3. Familia ei locuieşte în Bucureşti; unde locuieşte a ta? 4. Fratele ei mai mare lucrează de doi ani la o uzină de tractoare. 5. Inelul lui de logodnă este aici; unde este al tău? 6. Această tânără este fata cumnatului vostru, nu-i aşa? 7. Acestea sunt darurile de nuntă pe care le-au primit tinerii căsătoriţi de la bunica lor. 8. Aceste verighete sunt pentru nunta lor de argint. 9. Florile acelea le-am cumpărat pentru stăbunica mea. 10. Apartamentul acela este încă neocupat.
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LESSON SIX WEATHER People everywhere enjoy talking about the weather, “Isn‟t the weather nice today?” or “Hasn‟t the weather been awful lately?” are excellent beginnings for informal conversations. Weather conditions across Romania are varied but generally speaking it is climate a temperate continental climate. season The year is divided into four seasons: spring which begins officially with the equinox in mid March and then summer, autumn and winter. temperature Temperatures in Romania are measured according to Centigrade not like in England and in the United States where they are measured according to the Fahrenheit scale, on which 32 degrees is the freezing point of water and 212 degrees the boiling point. Fahrenheit temperatures can be converted to Centigrade, and vice versa by the use of simple formulas that may be found in any general reference book. severe Winter weather varies widely: with severe conditions in the northern parts of the country and milder conditions in the southern areas. In the mountains, subzero temperatures are common and there is much snow. In the south there are fewer days with freezing temperatures. Spring is a delightful season. The temperatures are moderate, and the blooming trees and flowers make the city and the countryside bright with colour. Everyone longs to get outside and enjoy the new season. Many students find it hard to concentrate on their work and we jokingly refer to this condition as “spring fever”. hot Summer is longer and hotter in the southern part than in the northern one. The mountains and the sea coast generally enjoy moderate temperatures. Summer is the great season for all sports in the open air. Most people take their vacations during summer, and the highways are crowded. mild Autumn, like spring, has many mild days and comfortable temperatures. Nature puts on its second display of colour, with the red and yellow of the leaves rain and the bright fall flowers. Toward the end of autumn, there is abundant rain, as the weather gradually gets colder and winter sets in. weather Scientific weather forecasting is a serious matter and the concern of the forecasting Romanian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. The weather reports and prediction are printed in most newspapers and are read regularly over the radio and TV. weather
cloud
* * * A: Do you think we‟ll be able to go to the beach tomorrow? B: Why not? Have the plans changed? A: No, but I‟m worried about the weather. It might rain. B: It certainly seems fine now. There‟s not a cloud in the sky. A: Yes, but you know how quickly the weather can change around here. B: Not a chance. The Weather Institute has announced fine weather. A: What time shall we be on the beach? B: Any time after day-break. Would seven o‟clock do? Or perhaps you want to make it even earlier? A: Seven o‟clock is all right with me.
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VOCABULARY awful – groaznic climate – climă equinox – echinox solstice – solstiţiu degree – grad to freeze – a îngheţa to convert – a transforma mild – blând delightful – încântător lately – în ultimul timp informal – neoficial accuracy – exactitate flood – inundaţie high wind – vânt puternic boiling point – punct de fierbere to be converted – a fi transformat reference book – carte de referinţă weather forecasting – timpul probabil according to – în conformitate cu to long – a năzui din tot sufletul, a dori fierbinte / cu pasiune, a tânji display – expunere, expoziţie, prezentare, etalare GRAMMAR THE PAST TENSE ( Timpul trecut) Affirmative
Negative
Interrogative
InterrogativeNegative I visited I did not visit Did I visit? Did I not visit? You visited You did not visit Did you visit? Did you not visit? He, she, it visited He,she,it did not Did he,she,it Did he,she,it not visit visit? visit We visited We did not visit Did we visit? Did we not visit? You visited You did not visit Did you visit? Did you not visit? They visited They did not visit Did they visit? Did they not visit? The use of the Past Tense Rules Examples 1. Past Tense exprimă o acţiune trecută They asked me to come earlier. terminată care nu are legătură cu prezentul. 2. Exprimă o acţiune care are loc într- I met him at a concert two weeks ago. un moment precis în trecut. 3. Exprimă o acţiune care are loc în cursul unei perioade terminate, We spent our vacation at the seaside exprimată prin adverbe de timp definit last year. ca: yesterday, last night, last week etc. 4. După „when” se foloseşte When did they graduate from the întotdeauna Past Tense când acţiunea institute? are loc în trecut 5. Pentru a exprima o acţiune repetată He used to come and see us every week 25
în trecut folosim used + infinitiv, would end. + infinitivul scurt She would walk about the garden for hours. ADJECTIVES – DEGREES OF COMPARISON ( Adjectivele – gradele de comparaţie)
pozitiv 1. Adjective monosilabice 2. Adjective bisilabice terminate în: -y -ow -er -ble Adjective plurisilabice Comparativul a) de superioritate b) de egalitate c) de inferioritate Superlativul a) absolut b) relativ c) de inferioritate Când se compară două lucruri sau fiinţe se foloseşte în general comparativul precedat de articolul hotărât, iar când se compară trei sau mai multe lucruri sau fiinţe se foloseşte superlativul. În limba engleză există comparative duble care denotă o intensificare ce se redă prin: a) repetare (din ce în ce mai, tot mai) b) cu ajutorul unor astfel de cuvinte sau expresii ca: far, still, ever, much, a great deal etc. Pentru a reda „cu cât mai..cu atât mai” se folosesc două comparative precedate de „the” Superlativul absolut se mai poate forma cu ajutorul următoarelor adverbe: extremely, terribly, exceedingly, quite. Most se foloseşte numai în cazul adjectivelor cu comparaţie analitică.
tall
Comparaţia sintetică comparativ superlativ taller the tallest
pretty narrow clever able
prettier the prettiest narrower the narrowest cleverer the cleverest abler the ablest Comparaţia analitică interesting more the most interesting interesting taller than, more interesting than as tall as, as interesting as not so tall as, less tall than, not so interesting as, less interesting than very tall, very interesting the tallest, the most interesting the least tall, the least interesting John is the taller of the two brothers. John is the tallest of his classmates.
The days are getting shorter and shorter. The problems to solve are more and more interesting. His exercise is far better than hers. We attach ever greater significance to this work. The longer the days the shorter the nights. The more you study the better you know your lesson. This is an extremely attractive book. They lived in a terribly noisy street.
It was a most beautiful day.
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Superlativul relativ al tuturor This homework is far more difficult than the adjectivelor poate fi accentuat previous one. prin far şi by far. Yesterday‟s trip was less enjoyable than we expected by far.
EXERCISES I. Enlarge on: a) The weather conditions in Romania. b) The four seasons and their main characteristic. c) Your favourite season. II. Give the comparative and superlative degrees of the following adjectives: Sad, grey, dry, lovely, heavy, simple, mild, few, bright, hard, hot, yellow, abundant, serious, dangerous, dull, fresh, thick, cool, severe. III. Change the following sentences into the past: 1. Weather conditions change quite often. 2. The day is rainy and we can‟t go on the trip. 3. I like to watch the snowflakes fall from the grey sky. 4. The streets are slippery and we have to be careful. 5. Towards the end of autumn the temperature grows colder. 6. Snow begins to melt under the bright sunrays. 7. Everything looks fresh, new and joyous. 8. We listen to the weather forecast on the radio. IV. Use the adjectives in brackets in the proper degrees of comparison: 1. Winters are (mild) in the southern areas of our country. 2. In the south there are (few) days with freezing temperatures. 3. Last year we had (heavy) snowfalls than usual. 4. In September we may have some of (lovely) autumn days. 5. The sky is cloudless and if the heat wave lasts, we might have (hot) month. 6. I feel (good) in spring than in any other season. 7. Yesterday we had a very cold day but today it is much (cold). 8. It isn‟t any (warm) today than it was yesterday, is it? 9. Which is the part of our country with (abundant) rainfall? 10. In spring flowers have (bright) colours. 11. In winter we have (low) temperatures with few days above the freezing point. 12. Summer is (good) season for outdoor sports. 13. Today it is (little) windy than yesterday. 14. I am sure my exercise is as (good) as yours. V. Fill in the blanks with the suitable forms of the adjectives or adverbs in brackets: 1. (soon, good) The…the rain stops the…2. (strong) The wind gets…and…3. (much, good) The…he worked the…results he obtained. 4. (early, good) The…we start the…5. (little) He seemed to get…and…interested in the subject. 6. (high, cold) The…we climbed the…it became. 7. (much, rich) The…you read the…becomes your vocabulary. 8. (fine, much) The…the weather the.. agreeable our stay in the mountains. 9. (few) There are…and…mistakes in your exercises. VI. Translate into English: 1. Anul trecut am avut o iarnă aspră. 2. Noaptea trecută vântul a suflat foarte puternic. 3. Când a început să plouă? 4. Încercau să se concenterze asupra subiectului. 5. Merge la munte în fiecare vacanţă de iarnă. 6. Buletinul meteorologic a anunţat timp frumos. 7. A plecat ieri cu trenul şi se întoarce peste două săptămâni. 8. Nu am urmărit explicaţia. 9. Am hotărât să-mi schimb 27
proiectele de vacanţă. 10. Luna trecută am făcut o excursie foarte frumoasă în nordul ţării. 11. Nu i-am recunoscut după atâţia ani. 12. În fiecare an merge în Deltă pentru câteva zile. 13. Când aţi vizitat Nordul Moldovei? 14. S-au hotărât în legătură cu data plecării. 15 Clima unei ţări depinde de poziţia sa geografică. 16. În România găsim o climă temperat-continentală caracterizată de existenţa a patru anotimpuri. 17. Vremea se schimbă odată cu schimbarea anotimpurilor. 18. În ţara noastră avem ceaţă destul de rar dar în Marea Britanie sunt multe zile cu ceaţă.
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LESSON SEVEN MEALS meal breakfast lunch
main course
dinner
supper
to lay the table
to clear the table
As a rule we have three meals a day: breakfast in the morning, lunch in the middle of the day, and dinner in the evening. Breakfast is a frugal meal; nevertheless it means laying the table, boiling eggs, preparing tea and coffee to be served with rolls, toast, butter, marmalade, cheese, ham and some dairy products. Lunch usually begins with some appetizers such as a glass of plum brandy, some olives, then, comes a cold or warm horsd‟oeuvre followed by a soup. We, Romanians, are fond of clear soups, consommés, bouillons, meat ball soups, dumpling soups and chicken borsch. For the main course we may usually have some grilled, roast, boiled or fried fish or meat with plenty of vegetables or rice, some fruit, fresh or stewed, a cake, some ice-cream, a pie and a cup of black coffee to finish with. We generally have water or mineral water for lunch, but on special occasions we may have wine or beer. The Romanian dinner may be a light meal consisting of a glass of tea or milk and some sandwiches or it may be a big meal with cold meat or roast poultry, an omelette, a salad, and a pudding followed by some sweets. In England, meal-times differ from ours. The English have their breakfast between seven and nine in the morning, lunch between twelve and two in the afternoon, tea between four and five o‟clock and dinner at seven in the evening. They may also have supper, a light meal at about 10 or 11, at home or at the restaurant. English breakfast is generally a more substantial meal than in our country. It consists of fruit juice, corn flakes with milk, cream and sugar or porridge, followed by fried bacon and eggs. Some marmalade made of oranges maybe spread on the toast. Sometimes they may have a boiled egg, cold ham and black or white coffee. English food is rather plain compared to ours. They are not very fond of soups and they prefer warm consommés, beef, chicken, oxtail soups or cream soups. Fish, meat or poultry which comes next is generally fried or roasted. The favourite meal with the British is mutton and lamb with a mint sauce and all sorts of sautéed vegetables and mixed salads. As for supper they may have fish, cold veal, pork or a steak and chips with some vegetables. Before having a meal we lay the table, we spread the table cloth and put on glasses, napkins, the salt cellar, the pepper box, the mustard pot, the bread basket. If it is breakfast we take the sugar-basin, cups, saucers, teaspoons, forks and knives out of the side-board. We cut the bread, the ham, the sausages and the cheese into slices and put them on a dish. For dinner we put soup plates and dinner plates before each person. The soup is brought in a soup-tureen and the other courses on dishes and plates. When the meal is over we clear the table. We clear away the plates, dishes and cutlery and wash them up in the kitchen. * * * Alice: What are we going to have for lunch today? Mother: Well, we have soup, beef steak and chips and an apple-pie. But are you already hungry? It‟s rather early for lunch. I was just baking the pie. Alice: All right. I‟ll wash my hands and set the table until everything is ready. Mother: Lunch is ready now. You may go and call the others. 29
John: Steak and chips! That‟s my favourite meal! Mother: Help yourself until they are still hot, but remember we have apple-pie for dessert. VOCABULARY frugal – frugal, cumpătat roll – chiflă, corn appetizer – aperitiv hors-d‟oeuvre – gustare înaintea mesei propriu-zise consommé – supă bouillon – ciorbă ţărănească, bulion course – fel de mâncare (ca ordine) to grill – a frige la grătar to broil – a frige la grătar to boil – a fierbe to roast – a (se) frige, a (se) prăji to fry – a (se) prăji pickles – murături poultry – carne de pasăre, păsări de curte pudding – budincă porridge – griş de ovăz fiert în lapte (terci de ovăz) plain – fad, fără gust mutton – carne de oaie lamb – carne de miel steak – friptură la grătar sideboard – bufet (cu veselă) soup-tureen – supieră dish – 1. platou de servit, farfurie; 2. fel de mâncare; pl. vase(de bucătărie) cutlery – tacâmuri helping – porţie dairy products – produse lactate plum brandy – ţuică meat ball soup – ciorbă de perişoare dumpling soup – supă cu găluşte stewed fruit – compot oxtail soup – supă de coadă de vită to lay the table – a pune masa to set the table – a pune masa to spread the table cloth – a întinde faţa de masă to clear the table – a strânge masa help yourself to… - serviţi-vă cu … GRAMMAR THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE (Trecutul Continuu) Affirmative
Negative I was not (wasn‟t) coming You were not (weren‟t) coming He, she, it was not coming We were not coming You were not coming They were not coming
I was coming You were coming / You‟re coming He, she, it was coming We were coming You were coming They were coming 30
Interrogative – Negative Was I not coming? / Wasn‟t I coming? Were you not coming? Was he, she, it, not coming? Were we not coming?/Weren‟t we coming? Were you not coming? Were they not coming?
Interrogative Was I coming? Were you coming? Was he, she, it coming? Were we coming? Were you coming? Were they coming?
Se formează din verbul TO BE la timpul trecut şi participiul prezent (-ing) al verbului de conjugat: WERE / WAS + Ving The use of the Past Continuous Tense Rules Examples 1. Trecutul continuu exprimă o acţiune în desfăşurare la un moment dat în trecut. Acest moment poate fi indicat de: This time yesterday I was preparing a) o expresie adverbială: at..o’clock, at lunch. that time, this time yesterday b) o altă acţiune: I was just having breakfast when you came. 2. Pentru acţiuni paralele în trecut, While we were having dinner we forma continuă se poate folosi atât în watched TV. propoziţia principală, cât şi în cea sau secundară. De obicei, se evită folosirea While we had dinner we were formei continue în ambele propoziţii. watching TV. 3. În vorbirea indirectă în locul Vorbire directă: She said: ”I am prezentului continuu. cooking lunch just now”. Vorbire indirectă: She said she was cooking lunch just then. REFLEXIVE AND EMPHATIC PRONOUNS (Pronumele reflexive şi de întărire)
myself yourself himself herself itself ourselves yourselves themselves oneself
Pronume de întărire I did it myself (eu însumi am făcut-o) He enjoys himself (se He himself cooked the meal distrează) (el însuşi a gătit mâncarea) She came by herself (a venit We prepared everything singură) ourselves (am pregătit totul singuri) See for yourselves (convingeţi-vă singuri) To be by oneself ( a fi singur) Pronume reflexive I cut myself (m-am tăiat)
Rules Pronumele reflexiv, se aşează după 31
Examples
verb şi se foloseşte: 1. când acţiunea verbului se răsfrânge asupra subiectului. Tendinţa actuală este de eliminare a pronumelui. 2. în diateza reflexivă. 3. în expresii idiomatice precedat de „by”, „of”, „for” (cu sensul de singur)
I cut myself while I was preparing soup. You wash (yourself) in the morning. He enjoyed himself at the party. I was all by myself when it happened. The plate fell of itself. You must see for yourself. 4. în comparaţii după „like”, „than”, He is a better cook than herself. „as” în locul pronumelui personal. Pronumele de întărire se aşează în He himself has made the layer cake. general după substantivul sau He has made the layer cake himself. pronumele pe care îl întăreşte sau la sfârşitul propoziţiei. EXERCISES I. Translate the following questions and answer them: a) 1. What does your breakfast usually consist of? 2. Is there any difference between Romanian and English breakfast? 3. Do you generally have lunch at home or at a canteen? 4. What is your favourite sweet dish? 5. Why do the English pour milk in their coffee? 6. What are the English meals? 7. What are their favourite dishes? 8. How do you lay the table for two? b) 1. Care sunt principalele mese ale zilei? 2. Obişnuiţi să luaţi o masă copioasă seara? 3. Preferaţi apă minerală sau vin la masa de prânz? 4. Ajutaţi vreodată pe părinţi la strânsul mesei? 5. Vă place cafeaua neagră sau o preferaţi cu lapte? 6. Vă place mâncarea mai gustoasă sau mai fadă? II. Answer the question using the Past Tense Continuous of the underlined verbs in your answers: Model: Why did you put salt in your coffee? (to read at breakfast time) I put salt in my coffee because I was reading at breakfast time. 1. Why didn‟t you buy anything for lunch? (to rain when I wanted to go out). 2. When did you learn that wonderful recipe? (to live with my aunt). 3. Why did the coffee boil over? (not to watch it). 4. When did you get the bad news? (to have lunch). 5. Why is your cake burned? (to do several things at a time). 6. When did you break the plate? (to try to dry it). 7. When did you cut yourself? (to sharpen the knife). 8. Why didn‟t you help the guests to some cake? (just to bake it). III. Fill in the blanks with the suitable reflexive or emphatic pronouns: 1. Don‟t eat too much or you‟ll make…ill. 2. I tried to cook the meal…3. Make…at home and tell me what‟s all about. 4. I can only speak for…5. he is a much better cook than…6. Go and see for…7. Help…to some more ice-cream. 8. We enjoyed…at the party last night. IV. Link the sentences in each pair using the words in brackets; make all the necessary changes. Model: (While) The phone rang. We had breakfast. The phone rang while we were having breakfast. 1. (while) I prepared dinner. The children laid the table. 2. (just as) The lights went off. The guests arrived. 3. (as) I remembered I was short of flour. I prepared the vegetables for the pudding. 4. (while) I dropped too much salt in the salad. I dress it. 5. (while) I dropped a plate and broke it. I cleared the table. 32
LESSON EIGHT AT THE LIBRARY library
novel poem index card catalogue author card call numer admission card shelf
to borrow
textbook
bibliography
A library is a building with a large collection of books where you can borrow books free of charge. You have only to know your way around a library and you can easily find any fact or idea you are looking for. There are all kinds of books: novels, short stories, plays, books of reference such as dictionaries, biographies, then scientific books, historical books, collection of poems, periodicals, magazines, etc. The library has a system: each book that the library owns is listed on an index card catalogue. The card catalogue can tell you immediately whether the library owns a copy of the book you want. The librarian, on the other hand, will tell you whether the book is in the library or has been lent. For each book in the library the card catalogue contains an author card, a title card and a subject card. On the upper left hand corner of each of these card is the call number by which you can find the book. If you want a book or a magazine you need an admission card issued by a member of the staff of the library. Then, you pick up an application slip, you look up the title of the book in the alphabetic or subject catalogue, you fill in the slip by entering the title of the book, the shelf mark and the author‟s name. The book will be delivered to you by a member of the staff. Moat public libraries have reading rooms provided with tables at which you may sit and read. If you want to take books for home reading you may do so by going to the lending department which runs a loan service. You may borrow one or two books at a time and you may keep them for a week or more. If by the end of this period you have not finished reading the book, you may renew it. While reading a book, make not of your thoughts and feelings as you go along. Reading is not only a pastime and a mean of education, it can lead you to a richer understanding of yourself as well as of the life around you. * * * Jane: I say Allan, can you give me some advice about reading, please? Allan: As you well know, reading is an essential part of your university life. Since all knowledge cannot be obtained in the classroom alone much of it must come from reading textbooks, reference books and other materials. The library of our Academy is well provided with a large stock of books, both in Romanian and in foreign languages. Jane: So, do you think I could find there some specialized books recommended in the bibliographies to our courses? Allan: Of course you could, there are latest editions published in our country and abroad. Jane: And what can you recommend me for my spare time, I mean something to improve my English? Allan: Try things that don‟t make difficult reading: short-stories, novels, plays, some modern authors who write in a simple straightforward style. So, start with Oscar Wilde, then G. Green, S. Maugham. Jane: Thank you very much. I shall follow your advice.
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VOCABULARY to borrow – a lua cu împrumut to look for – a căuta novel – roman short-story – nuvelă periodical – publicaţie periodică abroad – în străinătate to lend, lent, lent – a da cu împrumut to issue – a emite, a publica, (aici) a elibera o legitimaţie textbook – manual index card – fişă de cartotecă card catalogue – cartotecă, fişier author card – fişier pe autori title card – fişier pe titluri subject card – fişier tematic call number – cota (cărţii) admission card – legitimaţie de intrare shelf mark – fişier pe rafturi lending department – secţie de împrumut well provided – bine aprovizionat spare time – timp liber straightforward style – stil direct book of reference – îndreptar, carte de consultat to fill in a slip – a completa un formular statistical year book – anuar statistic the book is sold out – cartea este epuizată GRAMMAR 1. THE PAST PERFECT TENSE ( Mai mult ca perfectul) Mai mult ca perfectul se formează din forma de Past Tense a verbului TO HAVE şi participiul trecut (forma a treia) a verbului de conjugat: HAD + V3 Affirmative I had stopped / I‟d stopped You had stopped He, she, it had stopped / He‟d stopped We had stopped You had stopped / You‟d stopped They had stopped Interrogative Had I stopped? Had you stopped? Had he, she, it stopped? Had we stopped? Had you stopped? Had they stopped?
Negative I had not stopped / I hadn‟t stopped You had not stopped He, she, it had not stopped We had not stopped You had not stopped They had not stopped Interrogative-Negative Had I not stopped? / Hadn‟t I stopped? Had you not stopped? Had he, she, it not stopped? Had we not stopped?/ Hadn‟t we stopped? Had you not stopped? Had they not stopped?
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Rules - Exprimă o acţiune trecută, terminată înaintea unui moment dat din trecut. - Exprimă o acţiune trecută, terminată, anterioară altei acţiuni trecute. - Se foloseşte în propoziţii secundare temporale pentru a exprima o acţiune anterioară unui moment viitor (sau viitor faţă de trecut). - Exprimă o acţiune începută înaintea unui moment trecut şi care se continuă până în acel moment.
Examples By seven o‟clock I had translated the article. When she had finished the book, she returned it to the librarian. I shall lend you the book after I had read it. He promised he would lend me the book when he had read it himself. She told me that she had been busy since she came back from school.
2. THE GENITIVE CASE (Cazul Genitiv) Rules Genitivul prepoziţional: -se foloseşte cu substantivele care denumesc lucruri sau noţiuni abstracte. Genitivul Saxon: - se foloseşte cu substantivele care denumesc fiinţe, persoane.
Examples the colour of the wall. the city of London. the 23rd of May. the pupil‟s room the student‟s library Peter‟s mother Burns‟(s) poems
- cu substantivele care denumesc a minute‟s silence noţiuni de timp, de distanţă sau greutate a two miles‟ walk (şi cu substantive care denumesc zile, today‟s program anotimpuri) the night‟s coolness - cu substantivele care denumesc the ocean‟s roar fenomene naturale, aspecte din natură. London‟s parks - cu substantive care denumesc Romania‟s economy continente, ţări, oraşe şi cu our country‟s natural wealth substantivele: city, country, town. the car‟s performance - cu anumite substantive ca: the sun, the the sun‟s rays moon, the earth, car, ship, boat, vessel, the ship‟s crew body, mind, science. for goodness‟ sake - cu câteva substantive comune urmate for mercy‟s sake de sake. at her heart‟s desire - în expresii consecrate. at one‟s fingers‟ ends St. Paul‟s (cathedral) was rebuilt by - substantivele house, shop, store, Sir Christopher Wren. office, cathedral sunt adesea omise We buy bread at the baker‟s (shop). după substantive aflate le genitivul sintetic.
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EXERCISES I. Answer the following questions: 1. What is the library meant for? 2. What is a card catalogue? 3. What does a card catalogue contain? 4. What do you have to do if you want to read a book in a library? 5. Can we take books for home reading? 6. How long can you keep them? 7. Describe a reading room in the Faculty of Economic Studies. II. Supply the Past Perfect of the verbs in brackets: 1. Undergraduates could use the library after they (to register) as readers and (to get) an admission card. 2. He (to finish) just the books borrowed from the library when he went to take some new. 3. I read the book after I (to finish) my work. 4. My friend (not to read) an English book for years. 5. There were plenty of books that (to be rewritten) in simple language. 6. He told me he preferred to read a more difficult book that one which (to be made) simpler. 7. I (to finish) reading the story when he promised me an amusing novel. 8. By that time I already (to go through) half of the play. III. Change the following sentences so as to use a negative Past Perfect instead of the Past Tense. Make all the necessary changes: Model: I read a very interesting novel last year. I had never read such an interesting novel before. 1. It was the first time I read an English book. 2. There were many people in the reading room that day. 3. I often borrowed books from the library as a student. 4. This was the first dictionary I consulted. 5. While reading, I looked up the unknown words in the dictionary. 6. The book was first published in 1980. 7. I renewed the book for another week. 8. The writer signed the book with a pseudonym. IV. Substitute synthetic genitive forms for prepositional genitive forms: 1. He arrived at the library with a delay of a few minutes. 2. There is nothing like a holiday of a week in the company of a good book. 3. He promised to leave the place within a time of six weeks. 4. What is the point of view of the author? 5. Here is the news in the newspaper of yesterday. 6. You may find him I the office of the editor-in-chief. 7. I had to borrow the dictionary of Jane to look up some unknown words. 8. The book dealt with the economic development of Romania. V. Translate into English: a) 1. Care este programul zilei? 2. Performanţele maşinii lui sunt într-adevăr neobişnuite. 3. Cumpăr pâine la brutărie şi carne la măcelărie sau îmi fac toate cumpărăturile la supermarket. 4. Orice student de limbă engleză ar trebui să aibă dicţionarul de pronunţie al lui Daniel Jones. 5. L-ai cunoscut pe bunicul Anei şi al lui Paul, cel care era pasionat după romanele ştiinţifico-fantastice? 6. Sala de lectură a bibliotecii noastre este o încăpere mare şi luminoasă. b) 1. Învăţasem deja câte ceva despre felul de viaţă al englezilor când m-am dus la Londra. 2. Săptămâna trecută am împrumutat o carte de la bibliotecă; nu am mai împrumutat niciodată o carte până atunci. 3. Când am ajuns în sala de lectură toate locurile erau deja ocupate. 4. Bibliotecara mi-a spus că împrumutase cartea cu câteva zile în urmă. 5. Până la începutul anului universitar a făcut rezumatele tuturor cărţilor citite în timpul vacanţei. 6. La librărie am aflat că manualul fusese retipărit. 7. Mi-am amintit că am mai citit această carte cu ani în urmă. 8. Cartea fusese deja tradusă în mai multe limbi când am cumpărat-o. 36
LESSON NINE WHAT‟S YOUR JOB?
nationality job student fresher
Maggie: Jenny, this is my friend Liz Taylor. She‟s my next door neighbour … Jenny: Is this Taylor or Gaylor? Liz: Taylor. T A Y L O R. Hello! Nice to meet you. Jenny: Hello! Pleased to meet you, too. Where are you from? Liz: I‟m from Scotland. From Edinburgh. What‟s your nationality? Are you British, too? Jenny: No, I „m from Canada, from Toronto. What‟s your job? Liz: I‟m an art student, a sophomore, but I‟m a sales-assistant in the holidays. What about you? Are you a student in the University, too? If not, what‟s your occupation? Jenny: I‟m studying in London University College. I‟m a fresher. Liz: I‟m glad to have you as a neighbour. But isn‟t this flat too expensive? Jenny: Oh, yes, it is. I‟m moving to a hotel. Liz: I‟m sorry. I like it here. I‟m used to living in a house. In Edinburgh I live in a small house with my family, in a suburb, at 10 Cherry Tree Lane. Jenny: What‟s Edinburgh like? Liz: It is the capital of Scotland, which is part of Great Britain. With half a million inhabitants, it is situated on the Firth of Forth, in the south-east of the country, but it is not very big. You can see green hills from its centre. There are thousands of tourists in Edinburgh every summer, especially during the International Festival of Music, Drama and the Arts, in August and September. It is a beautiful and historic city, with large avenues, like Paris. There are lots of interesting buildings: the Edinburgh Castle is in the centre of the city on a high hill. From the Castle to Holyrood House (the former residence of Scottish Kings) there‟s a very old street, the Royal Mile. There are also beautiful parks and Botanical Gardens. It is also an industrial city and a busy port. EXPLANATORY NOTES fresher – student în primul an sophomore – student în anul doi junior – student în anul trei senior – student în anul partru (terminal) Ei sunt numiţi în general “undergraduates” sau “undergraduettes”. După absolvire ei sunt “Bachelor of Arts (or Science)” – BA sau BS/BSc. Următorul grad este cel de “Master of Arts (or Science)” – MA/MSc. Cel mai înalt grad este cel de “Doctor in Philosophy” – PhD, or “Doctor of Science” – DSc. Other jobs are: architect – architect air-hostess – stuardeză barber – bărbier, frizer carpenter – tâmplar clerk – funcţionar doctor – medic, doctor dress-maker – croitoreasă electrician – electrician hairdresser – coafeză, frizer journalist – journalist, ziarist mechanic – mechanic 37
model – model pilot – pilot postman – poştaş photographer – fotograf secretary – secretară shop-keeper – negustor taxi-driver – taximetrist, şofer de taxi teacher – învăţător, professor (în învăţământul preuniversitar) vet – veterinar waitress – chelnăriţă waiter - chelner GRAMMAR THE PAST PERFECT TENSE (Continuous Aspect) Mai mult ca perfectul (Aspectul continuu) Este alcătuit din forma de Present Perfect a verbului TO BE urmată de participiul prezent (-ing) al verbului de conjugat: HAD BEEN + Ving Affirmative Form I had been working / I‟d been working You had been working He, she, it had been working We had been working You had been working They had been working
Negative Form I had not been working/I hadn‟t been You had not been working He, she, it had not been working We had not been working You had not been working They had not been working
Interrogative Form Had I been working?
Interrogative-Negative Form Had I not been working? Hadn‟t I been ..? Had you not been working? Had he, she, it not been working? Had we not been working? Had you not been working? Had they not been working?
Had you been working? Had he, she, it been working? Had we been working? Had you been working? Had they been working? Rules 1. Timpul mai mult ca perfect-aspectul continuu arată o acţiune începută înaintea unui moment trecut care continuă şi în acel moment. 2. O acţiune repetată exprimată prin timpul mai mult ca perfect-aspect comun, poate fi uneori exprimată şi prin timpul mai mult ca perfect-aspect continuu.
Examples When you came, I had been writing letters for an hour.
He had tried five times to get her on the phone. He had been trying to get her on the phone.
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EXERCISES I. Complete the answers to the following questions about your job: 1. What‟s your job? / I‟m a(n) … (office-worker / engineer / economist / lawyer / doctor /secretary /nurse /worker / research worker) 2. Where do you work? / I work in a(n) … (office / factory / research centre / hospital) 3. How far is it from your house? / It is a … from my house. (20-minute walk / car drive / bus ride). 4. How long have you had this job? / I‟ve had this job for…years. 5. What are the working hours? / I work from…a.m. to…p.m. every day. 6. How many weeks‟ holiday do you have? / I have a…holiday every year. (twoweek / three-week / four-week). 7. What training do you have? / I went to the… (Polytechnic / University / Vocational school). 8. What are your prospects? / I can become a…in…years‟ time. (senior clerk/ deputy manager / top executive / general foreman /(chief) supervisor) II. Now, you formulate the questions necessary to interview someone about his/her job. Refer to his/her: job, workplace, distance from home, working hours, holiday, seniority in the job, training, prospects. III. Read this passage: My Job My name is Sandra Vlad, I‟m 29, I‟m married and have two children. I work in an office in a big shoe factory, as a secretary to the deputy factory manager. It is a half-hour bus ride from my house in the suburbs to the factory which is situated in the industrial district of the town. I have worked here for the past five years. My working hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., five days a week. A ten-hour day is not unusual when there are important management meetings. Every day I open the manager‟s letters, take them to him, write down the answers and then type and send them. I also answer incoming phone calls, dial some outgoing ones – to other shoe manufacturers, to raw material suppliers or to important customers - , take messages when the manager is away and handle routine enquiries. I greet the visitors and take down notes in shorthand at important executive meetings. I earn quite a good salary and have a two-week holiday every year, as I have not worked long enough to be entitled to a longer holiday. I finished a secondary school ten years ago. There I learned shothand and typing as part of the school‟s programme of vocational training. After graduation I became a telephonist and did several months‟ training with the Central PostOffice for which I worked for three years. Then I had a two-year break for children. I returned to work five years ago, and took the job I‟m still having. I enjoy my job, although it may be very tiring sometimes. I feel I play a responsible part in the factory‟s life, I am the first contact anyone has with the management. I like to be friendly and to meet lots of people. IV. Write about: Sandra Vlad‟s job; the ideal job.
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V. Fill in the blanks with little, a little, few, a few, much, many: 1. I have…pens; I can give you one. 2. I have…pens. I need them. 3. There are…sheets of carbon paper there; you may take two or three. 4. There are…sheets of carbon paper there; you may not take any. 5. There isn‟t…time left before office-hours are over. 6. There are…clerks in our office. 7. …care should be taken when writing a report. 8. There are…mistakes in this typed letter; please, re-type it. VI. Use the verbs in brackets in the Past Perfect or Past Perfect Continuous Tense: 1. When I met him he (work) in the enterprise for 10 years. 2. When I finished writing the minutes, I realized I (make) some mistakes. 3. When I passed by the office-building under construction, a man told me they (work) on it for three months. 4. When he finally arrived at the office, his colleague (wait) for him for an hour. 5. When you entered my office, I (prepare) my speech for 2 hours. 6. When the head of the department came in, I (file) papers for an hour. 7. When the office-hours were over, I (work) for 8 hours. 8. When he finished his speech, we (listen to) him for half an hour. VII. Translate into English: a) 1. Ştiam să bat la maşină şi să stenografiez de 10 ani când am venit în acest birou. 2. Scriam un referat de 2 ore când a intrat directorul şi mi-a cerut să adaug o nouă problemă. 3. El lucra de 20 de ani în industrie cân a devenit şeful secţiei. 4. Am încercat să te găsesc la telefon toată dimineaţa înainte ca în sfârşit să-mi răspunzi. 5. Negocierile au durat 2 săptămâni înainte să se semneze contractul. 6. Eram obosită când ai venit, pentru că făcusem 4 ore de traducere simultană în sala de conferinţe. 7. Scrisorile au putut fi expediate pentru că le bătusem la maşină în ziua aceea. b) – Cu ce te ocupi Jane? - Sunt stenodactilografă la o intreprindere de comerţ exterior din Bucureşti. - Îţi place meseria ta? - Da, foarte mult. De aceea am urmat cursurile şcolii de stenodactilografie. Acum, după 5 ani de experienţă, redactez 50 de cuvinte pe minut şi stenografiez 100 de cuvinte pe minut. - Care este partea cea mai interesantă a muncii tale? - Faptul că tot ce fac îmi oferă sentimentul răspunderii. Atunci când redactez o scrisoare comercială, ştiu că orice greşeală poate face o impresie proastă asupra partenerului străin şi, în consecinţă, fac toate eforturile ca scrisoarea să arate ireproşabil. Acest lucru este valabil şi pentru celelalte activităţi ale mele: imaginează-ţi ce s-ar întâmpla dacă aş îndosaria greşit documentele! - Întrucât eşti atât de conştiincioasă, bănuiesc că eşti apreciată în întreprinderea unde lucrezi. - Sper că da!
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LESSON TEN AT A PUBLIC MEETING meeting
convention
symposium
chairman
speech
bare majority
speaker to take the floor
There are different kinds of public meetings. Members of parliaments and other similar national assemblies are summoned to sessions and sittings. Delegates of the political party gather for their regular conferences or congresses. Meetings and conventions are held also by trade unions, women‟s organizations, artists, journalists, businessmen, etc. Sometimes men and women come to spontaneous rallies to protest against armaments drive, deployment of missiles, race barriers, etc, or to express their solidarity with the peoples fighting colonialism, for peace in the world. Scientists are convened to national and international symposia. The meeting can be ruled by its own “standing orders”, unwritten regulations and customs. These “rules of procedure” have been designed to enable any official gathering to be effective and legally correct. Any meeting is presided over by the chair (or the chairman), whose main duty is to conduct the meeting taking decisions on particular problems of the proceedings. He announces what the business is, gives members permission to speak, calls for a vote on a motion, announces the results of a vote and generally preserves order. All speeches or remarks of those present are addressed to the chair. The relator (raporteur)‟s duty is to give the required explanation. The secretary‟s duty is taking minutes. As soon as a person takes up chairmanship he calls the meeting to order and asks the secretary to read the minutes of the last meeting. When they have been read, he asks “Are there any omissions or errors?” If the minutes are correct, a member moves that they should be adopted. This is seconded by another member. The chairman puts the motion to a vote. If there is an error or an omission, a member moves that a correction be made. After the minutes have been discussed and approved the meeting proceeds then to “Business Arising From the Minutes”. Members may ask for explanations why certain steps have not been taken or taken in the wrong way. The purpose of any public meeting consists in exchanging opinions and views on the matter discussed and adopting a certain decision. Most resolutions are voted by a mere show of hands and considered adopted if a bare majority of members are in favour of it. For more important decisions the so-called “constitutional majority” is necessary, amounting to two-third of the members of the assembly. Speakers are to keep to the point and they must confine themselves to the time limit established by the meeting at the beginning of its work. Some members neglect these rules, they take the floor on every item on the agenda and speak endlessly. In any public meeting system and order are required. The regulations and rules must be observed. Otherwise there is more confusion than accomplishment. * * * A: What day is the opening of the Annual Scientific Conference scheduled for? B: I haven‟t seen the notice yet, but I think they won‟t be able to convene the participants earlier than tomorrow fortnight. A: They say the whole conference will be held in plenary sessions.
41
discussion
topic
B: No, I don‟t think so. It would be impossible with so many papers put for discussion. Besides plenary meetings there will be sittings of two or three specialized committees. A: I hear that the papers outlines and summaries have already been published. B: Yes, they can be consulted next week. I hope that every participant will be provided with a full set of paper outlines before the proceedings start. A: I‟m looking forward to this scientific conference, there are so many interesting topics to be discussed and debated. VOCABULARY to summon – a convoca convention – convenţie trade-union – sindicat to convene – a convoca, a întruni effective – efficient to preside – a prezida chair – (aici) preşedintele unei adunări (amer.); prezidiu chairman – preşedinte relator – prezentator; povestitor; narator proceedings – lucrările unei conferinţe motion – moţiune, propunere to move – (aici) a propune to confine – a se limita agenda – ordinea de zi outline – plan, (aici) rezumat armaments drive – cursa înarmărilor deployment of missiles – amplasarea de proiectile standing order – ordine permanentă standing regulations – regulament în vigoare to call for a vote – a cere votarea to take minutes – a face un proces verbal to call the meeting to order – a chema la ordine; a începe şedinţa a bare majority – o majoritate neînsemnată, slabă to take the floor – a lua cuvântul sitting – şedinţa committee – comitet auditing committee – comisia de cenzori item of the agenda – punct la ordinea de zi draft resolution – proiect de rezoluţie to keep the minutes – a păstra protocolul GRAMMAR THE MODAL VERBS (Verbele modale) Verbele modale can – could; may – might; must; ought to – nu primesc s la persoana III-a singular; sunt urmate de infinitivul scurt, formează negativul cu not iar interogativul ca şi verbele auxiliare. Formele contrase ale acestor verbe sunt: can’t, couldn’t; mightn’t; mustn’t. May şi ought se folosesc mai rar în forma contrasă.
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CAN - COULD Exprimă capacitate fizică, intelectuală, morală, etc şi este echivalentul lui to be able to: Exprimă îndoială, nesiguranţă (în interogativ sau negativ), posibilitate. MAY - MIGHT Pentru toate celelalte timpuri se înlocuieşte cu to be allowed to, to be permitted to Exprimă permisiunea: La forma negativă exprimă interzicerea: Exprimă posibilitatea: Exprimă admonestare, sfat, caz în care se foloseşte might: Exprimă presupunere, nesiguranţă; se foloseşte atât may cât şi might. Might exprimă mai multă nesiguranţă şi este echivalent cu perhaps sau maybe. MUST Pentru formarea celorlalte timpuri în afară de prezent, se folosesc to have to, to be obliged to, to be compelled to; Exprimă datoria, obligaţia, necesitatea: Absenţa necesităţii se redă prin needn’t: Exprimă prohibiţia (la negativ):
EXAMPLES You can read this page right now. Until a short time ago she could read without eyeglasses. It cannot be true. Can this be your paper? EXAMPLES She will be allowed to leave at 12:30. He had been permitted to wear the new coat. You may take the floor. You may not switch off the light. You may catch the bus. She might leave by 9 o‟clock train. They might write the application now. It may rain. She might play the violin. He might abstain from voting. EXAMPLES We shall have to learn this poem. We had to finish writing our papers. He must go to school. Must he buy the book? – No, he needn‟t. They must not smoke in the meeting hall. He must be at the sea-side. The gloves must be your size. EXAMPLES They ought to be on time. He ought to have brought the book he took He ought to be in the session by now. EXAMPLES He shall leave by 9 o‟clock train. They shall not go to the mountains because it was decided like that. Shall we open the meeting? Shall I ask the floor?
Exprimă probabilitatea, fiind echivalent cu probably, evidently: OUGHT TO Exprimă o obligaţie, o datorie morală, un sfat (cu referire la prezent, trecut sau viitor) Exprimă o presupunere, o probabilitate. SHALL (ca verb modal) Exprimă o necesitate, o constrângere sau o obligativitate; se foloseşte cu persoana a II-a şi a III-a: Exprimă cererea unui sfat, a unei sugestii (în propoziţii interogative la toate persoanele): Exprimă o promisiune: He shall get the questions written in time. WILL ( ca verb modal) EXAMPLES Exprimă o dorinţă (voinţă), o I will buy the book tomorrow. promisiune sau o hotărâre (este folosit We will do whatever you say. la toate persoanele singular şi plural): Exprimă o incitaţie, o rugăminte (în Will you write the minutes, please? interogativ, în general la persoana a II- Will you take the floor, please? a): 43
Exprimă ceva inevitabil: Exprimă o acţiune obişnuită, repetată: Exprimă o supoziţie:
Parents will be parents. I will have my coffee in the morning. He will be about fifty.
EXERCISES I. Enlarge upon: 1. The duties of the chair (chairman); 2. The kinds of committees elected at large conferences; 3. Kinds of public meetings; 4. Regulations of procedures adopted at meetings. II. Change the following sentences using modal auxiliaries: Model: Mister B has permission to leave the room. Mister B may leave the room. 1. It is advisable for him to go to the meeting. 2. She promises to go this afternoon to the exhibition. 3. Teachers are obliged to help their students. 4. He told George that it was possible for him to write the minutes. 5. It is necessary for all students to have I.D. cards. 6. He asked, “Do you want me to help you with the report?” 7. I guess she will leave at 3:30. 8. The students are obliged to study carefully their courses. 9. Perhaps they don‟t always know how to study. 10. Evidently she is in the hospital. III. Use the following statements in the past tense and past perfect tense: 1. We must speak for ourselves at the sitting. 2. They must improve the agenda. 3. She can take the floor and address the chair. 4. George can have the meeting postponed. 5. They may be elected in the chair. 6. She may leave the chair when the session is adjourned. IV. Fill in the blanks with can, may, must, have to, will, shall. 1….I borrow your note-book? I am afraid you… 2. He…smoke now, the children have left the room. 3. …you wait till next week? 4. You…read this report louder. 5. She…attend the meeting this afternoon. 6. I…to be at the station at 5 o‟clock as my friend is arriving. 7. Accidents…happen. 8. …he turn on the TV set? 9. …the chairman read the agenda? 10. You…have the book tomorrow. 11. I promise it…not happen again. 12. Participants in the meeting…enter their names in the list of the session. V. Translate into English: a) 1. Vei fi anunţat de îndată ce vei intra. 2. Să ridic problema în cadrul unei şedinţe? 3. Să începem discuţiile? 4. Ce să fac după ce voi da citire propunerii? 5. Să supun propunerea la vot? 6. Vei fi acasă când vom veni? 7. Data viitoare când vom pleca la munte, o să vii cu noi. 8. E foarte întuneric aici, o să aprind lumina. 9. Trebuie să vezi piesa, e foarte interesantă. 10. Ar trebui să vorbeşti englezeşte la seminarul de limba engleză. 11. Poate au schimbat programul, trebuia să fie aici la această oră. 12. Putem fuma aici? 13. S-ar fi putut să plece mai devreme. 14. Trebuie să fie cartea ei. 15. Am auzit că e bolnav. 16. Ar trebui să stea în pat. 17. De obicei mă plimb sâmbătă după masă. b) 1. Sunt surprins să aflu că George a fost ales membru în comisia de cenzori. 2. Regret că am lipsit de la şedinţa de lucru. 3. Alegerile s-au făcut prin vot secret şi s-a procedat în conformitate cu regulamentul în vigoare. 4. George putea fi contestat pe motivul ineficienţei în rezolvarea problemelor publice. 5. Am aflat că John a fost recuzat. 6. Luarea lui de cuvânt a creat o impresie bună. 44
CHAPTER TWO – ENGLISH FOR GEOGRAPHERS AND HISTORIANS
Introducere Capitolul de faţă este menit să pună la dispoziţia studenţilor de la specializarea Geografie şi Istorie-Geografie care studiază limba engleză, texte cu caracter general şi special pentru însuşirea termenilor de specialitate. Legarea materialului didactic cât mai strâns de studiul geografiei şi istoriei este scopul principal al acestui capitol. Cele zece lecţii care alcătuiesc capitolul sunt întocmite în aşa fel încât să acopere o diversitate de teme şi mai ales să răspundă tuturor problemelor de vocabular şi de structură gramaticală care trebuie însuşite de studenţii respectivi. Fiecare lecţie îi familiarizează pe studenţi cu un vocabular de specialitate într-un context de dificultate medie, tratează una sau două probleme de gramatică, în continuarea şi completarea celor studiate în capitolul de bază şi se încheie prin teme de reflecţie şi dialog precum şi cu exerciţii care pun în practică lexicul şi gramatica studiată în lecţia respectivă.
Obiectivele operaţionale. După parcurgerea integrală a acestui capitol studenţii vor avea cunoştiinţe pentru a:  recunoaşte şi folosi termeni de specialitate;  face o prezentare succintă Marii Britanii, Statelor Unite ale Americii, Australiei, României şi a capitalelor lor;  vorbi despre câteva episoade din istoria Marii Britanii, despre viaţa unora din cei mai cunoscuţi monarhi ai Angliei;  recunoaşte şi folosi viitorul, viitorul perfect;  formula o propoziţie cu ordinea corectă a cuvintelor;  transforma propoziţii de la diateza activă la diateza pasivă;
Capitolul cuprinde: 1. Lesson one – Great Britain......................................46 2. Lesson two – London...........................................51 3. Lesson three – The United States of America........................60 4. Lesson four – American Cities....................................66 5. Lesson five – Australia..........................................72 6. Lesson six – Important People in Britain............................76 7. Lesson seven – Famous British Seamen............................79 8. Lesson eight – Europe‟s Premodern Heritage........................81 9. Lesson nine – Bucharest.........................................84 10. Lesson ten – Romania..........................................89
Bibliografie selectivă: - Bantaş, Andrei (1991) – Essential English, Ed. Teora Bucureşti - Galiş, Livia & colaboratorii (1982) – Limba Engleză pentru învăţământul superior economic, Ed.Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti - Gălăţeanu-Fârnoagă, Georgiana (1993) – Gramatica Limbii Engleze, Ed. Omegapress, Bucureşti - Nicolescu, Adrian & colaboratorii (1980) – Culegere de texte pentru cursul practic de limba engleză pentru secţia geografie-geologie, Tipografia Universităţii din Bucureşti -* * * - Speak English Nr. 1, 4, 7/ 1991 45
LESSON ONE GREAT BRITAIN England Scotland Wales
island
English Channel
North Sea
Grampian
Pennine Chain
coal field
Thames Severn
Britain consists of the three, formerly separate countries of England, Scotland and Wales. Since Scotland and England joined in an Act of Union in 1707 (Wales had been incorporated in 1535), the island has been officially known as Great Britain. Now it is known politically as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its total area is of 244 130 Km2. The group of islands forming the British Isles has two main lands. Besides these there are an infinite number of islets and rocks. Even the mainlands are penetrated by the sea forming inlets on all the coats, so that no place in the island is more than about 65 miles from the sea, and the greater number of places is much nearer the sea. Great Britain is separated from the continent of Europe by the North Sea and the English Channel. At the promontory of North Foreland begins a fine line of limestone cliffs which are quite similar to those of the French coast opposite. The white cliffs of Dover, the gleaming whiteness of the Kentish shore which made the Roman invaders who landed at Deal name Britain “Albion” – these are the striking features of the chalk Country. This part of England is filed with English history. Here the very ancient and the very modern are side by side, in such close proximity as perhaps nowhere else in the world. The south coast presents many indentations, a great number of which are natural harbours, Portsmouth and Southampton among them. The coast in these parts (Davon and Cornwall) consists mainly of hard rocks, such as granites. It is deeply indented and it much resembles the French coast of Britany; so that one is naturally led to think that Britain may have been at some remote time, one and the same country as France, from which it was cut off by the subsidence of the ground under the sea level. There are many other facts which prove this. None of the seas round the British Isles are very deep; in fact in some parts of the North Sea, there is a depth of less than six meters. The rounded, flat-topped hills that give character to the English scenery, have been worn down by slowly-moving sheet of ice that once covered the whole of Northern Europe. The plants and animals found in Britain lead one to the same conclusion. The wolf and the bear, neither of which is any longer found wild in the British Isles, and the fox, all reached the country from the continent. The forests that once covered the greater part of the country were made up of common European trees like the oak in the South and the pine in the North. The highest mountains are in the central and northern parts of Scotland, in Wales and in the north-west of England. The mountains and the hills cluster round the Grampians Range, of which Ben Nevis is the highest peak (1 343 m). The Cheviot hills running from sea to sea separate England from Scotland. The Lowland Plain, to the north of the Cheviot Hills is fertile and forms a big contrast to the barren mountains of the Scottish Highlands. The Pennine Chain, called the Backbone of England, with its widespread coal – and iron-fields is the mountainous part in the centre of the country. Where the Pennine Chain ends there begins the Great Midland Plain reaching from Lincoln and Leichester to the valley of the Thames. Wales is rich in coal fields in the south and statequarries in the north. There are many rivers in Britain but none of them are very long. The Thames on which London is situated, runs through rich agricultural districts in an easterly direction into the North Sea. The Severn, which flows south-west into the Irish Sea, is the longest British river. Many rivers have been joined one to
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moist climate
sheep-farming
Ireland
economy
ship building light industry
another by means of canals, so that it is quite possible to travel by water from one part of England to the other. The climate of the British Isles is a mild climate because it is “insular”. The heat and cold are moderate. This is due to the proximity of the sea, which makes the air cooler in summer and warmer in winter, on account of a great warm sea current, the Gulf Stream, bathing the western coast. As Britain is so near a large ocean surface, it follows that the climate is very moist, the moister parts being those lying near the Ocean, that is, the west coast, which is wetter than the east coast and also the hilly parts, which condense moisture into rain. Great Britain was originally an agricultural and sheep-farming country. Today, agriculture, sheep and diary-farming are spread over the southern and south-eastern part of England, the middle and north of Scotland and the greater part of Ireland. Large quantities of fruit are grown in the South of England, especially berry-fruits and apples, cherries, pears and plums. The great wealth of Britain consists in the abundance of coal often found side by side with iron. In the north of England, the Newcastle coal field extends along the Tyne. Another large coal-field lies between the Mersey and the Humber. The most important coal and iron field, which is situated in Staffordshire and nearest to London, is well known as the “Black Country” with the two centres of metal industry Wolverhampton and Birmingham. Its northern part is called the Potteries. The coal fields of Wales contain a great quantity of anthracite. An important part in British economy is played by the iron and steel industry, the non-ferrous metals industry, engineering and ship building. The main metal processing centres are Birmingham and Sheffield in central England, then Middlesborough, Glasgow, Cardiff and Swansea. British machine building specializes in steam-engines, electric motors, machine-tools, textile equipment, locomotives, motor-cars and airplanes, produced in London, Birmingham and Sheffield. Glasgow, Newcastle and Belfast are well known for their ship building yards. Besides the heavy industry a corresponding light industry has come into being which produces textiles, glassware, porcelain, chemicals, etc. VOCABULARY formerly (adv.) – altădată, odinioară, cândva to join – a se uni; a lega, a uni; a alătura, a anexa; a cupla kingdom – regat isle – (poetic sau in nume geografice) insulă; insuliţă, ostrov island – insulă islet – insuliţă, ostrov mainland – continent; insulă principală (într-un grup de insule) rock – stâncă; rocă; cap, promontoriu inlet – golfuleţ; intrând channel – albie, matcă, canal (natural) the English Channel – Canalul Mânecii limestone – piatră de var, calcar cliff – faleză, ţărm stâncos; stânca în mare shore – ţărm, mal, coastă to land – a debarca to gleam – a licări, a stăluci (slab) striking – izbitor, frapant; remarcabil, extaordinar proximity – apropiere indentation – indentaţie, zimţuire 47
harbour – port to resemble – a semăna/a aduce cu, a semăna cu; a fi asemănător/similar cu remote – îndepărtat; de departe to cluster – a forma un grup; a se strânge, a se aduna subsidence – scădere, descreştere; tasare, denivelare; slăbire, cedare to cut off – a tăia, a separa, a despărţi depth – adâncime flat – plat, întins, neted top – vârf, parte de sus; creştet; coamă; culme, creastă, pisc to wear down – a uza, a roade sheet – strat to make up – a forma, a alcătui, a compune wild – sălbatic, nedomesticit barren – sterp, steril; neroditor; arid slate – gresie; şist moist – umed; jilav; ud moor, moorland – mlaştină; baltă; ţinut cu mlaştini de turbă şi iarbă neagră loch – lac; braţ de mare tartan – stofă ecosez; pled scoţian, tartan bagpipe – cimpoi steep – abrupt, râpos, prăpăstios indomitable – de neîmblânzit, (de) nesupus, (de) nestăpânit; refractar, îndărătnic Scotsman – (s) scoţian Scotch/Scottish – (adj.) scoţian; (s) the ~ - scoţienii; dialect scoţian Irishman/Irisher – irlandez, pl. Irishmen – irlandezi Irish – (adj.) irlandez; (s) irlandezi; limba irlandeză Irish Sea – Marea Irlandei Irish Free State, the – Statul liber irlandez Irish green – verde închis/intens Welshman, pl. Welshmen – (s) velş, galez, om din Ţara Galilor Welsh – (adj.) velş, galic, galez, din Ţara Galilor; (s) – limba velşă; the ~ - velşii, galezii seaport – port maritim bay – golf shipyard – şantier naval wharf , pl. wharves şi wharfs – chei (paralel cu ţărmul), debarcader castle – castel fortress – fortăreaţă mansion – conac mansion house – curte boierească/seniorală the Mansion House – primaria (reşedinţa oficială a lordului primar al Londrei) cottage – casă ţărănească; casă la ţară lawn – peluză fog – ceaţă GRAMMAR SENTENCES WITH THE ANTICIPATORY IT (Propoziţii cu it introductiv) Când subiectul unei propoziţii este un infinitiv sau un gerund sau o propoziţie întreagă, acesta se aşează după predicat, iar propoziţia începe cu pronumele it, care se numeşte it introductiv. 48
Examples It is good of you
to help me
It is no use
sulking
It takes an hour
to get there
It is dangerous
to drive here
It is a great joy
to meet such nice people
It is likely that
she will come by train
It was difficult
to translate that text
It was quite unexpected
her returning so soon.
Rule Examples O propoziţie cu it introductiv poate It was she whom I met on Monday. avea forţă emfatică servind la It was yesterday that I saw him. accentuarea oricărei părţi a propoziţiei. It is apples that he likes best. It was three years ago that I first met your friend. EXERCISES I. Speak on: 1. Great Britain‟s two mainlands; 2. The English Channel; 3. Britain‟s forms of relief; 4. Britain‟s natural resources. II. Say it in one word, choosing from the words below: barren, moist, remote, iron, cliff, sea, to spread, scenery, join, slate 1. Far apart; far distant in space. 2. The aggregate of features that give character to a landscape. 3. To extend or be distributed over a considerable area of time. 4. To bring together or in contact; connect; to bring together in a particular relation or for a specific purpose, action etc; unite. 5. A ductile, malleable, silver-white metallic element, used in its crude or impure carbon containing forms for making tools, implements, machinery, etc. 6. Level or slightly rolling land, usually with a sandy soil and few trees, and relatively infertile. 7. A fine grained rock that trends to split along parallel cleavage planes. 8. Moderately or slightly wet; damp. 9. The high steep face of a rocky mass overlooking a lower area. 10. The salt waters that cover the greater part of the earth‟s surface. III. Ask each other questions on the following text: The Great Fire of London The fire began on the second of September, 1666 at ten o‟clock at night. The flames first broke out at a baker‟s shop, near London Bridge. It spread and spread, and burned and burned for three days. The nights were lighter than the days; in the day time there was an immense cloud of smoke, and in night time there was a great tower of fire mounting up into the sky, which lighted the whole 49
country ten miles round. Showers of hot ashes rose into the air and fell on distant places; flying sparks carried the conflagration to great distances and kindled it in twenty new spots at a time: church steeples fell down with tremendous crashes; houses had been intensely hot and dry, the streets were very narrow, and the houses mostly built of wood and plaster. Nothing could stop the tremendous fire but the want of more houses to burn; nor did it stop until the whole way from the Tower of the Temple Bar was a desert composed of the ashes of 13 000 houses and 89 churches. (Charles Dickens) IV. Translate into English using the anticipatory it: 1. N-are rost să plângi. 2. Este greu să urci acest munte. 3. E ciudat că el nu a apărut încă. 4. Ne trebuie două ore să terminăm referatul. 5. Când vom putea (va fi posibil) afla rezultatele examenului de admitere? 6. Se speră ca el să-şi îmbunătăţească metodele de studiu. 7. A fost o nesăbuinţă (to be foolish) că te-ai prezentat la concurs fără o pregătire tmeinică. 8. Are importanţă cine vorbeşte mai întâi? 9. Este fără însemnătate (immaterial) pentru noi dacă ne vom caza ăntro cameră la parter sau la etaj. 10. S-au gândit (to occur to) că e prea târziu să mai cumpere bilete. V. Complete the following sentences: 1. It is a great joy … 2. It was he whom … 3. It is no use … 4. It was quite unexpected his … 5. It is likely that … 6. It was on Saturday that … 7. It is grapes that… 8. It was difficult to … 9. It was a friend of John‟s who … 10. It was foolish his … 11. It was necessary that … 12. It occurred to me that … 13. It was good of you … 14. When will it be possible for them … 15. It takes her two hours to … VI. Translate into English: Dezvoltarea industrială din ultimul timp a schimbat atât de mult Oxford-ul încât oraşul Cambridge, un oraş cu o frumoasă arhitectură, este acum mult mai frumos. Armonia lui a fost puţin alterată de firmele magazinelor, de cinematografe, etc. În ceea ce priveşte numele de Cambridge, unii oameni de ştiinţă consideră că originea lui este cuvîntul latinesc Camborium. Se spune că această universitate a fost creată după instrucţiuni primite din partea mănăstirilor din Paris. La început, cuvântul Universitas a însemnat un grup de persoane, o corporaţie, apoi o breaslă a studenţilor sau a profesorilor, nu o clădire în care se audiau cursuri. Istoricii Oxfordului pretind că în anul 1209 a existat o răzvrătire în oraş şi că mulţi studenţi au fost nevoiţi să părăsească Oxford-ul; ei s-au dus la Cambridge şi au format acolo un prototip de Universitate. Fondatorul unui colegiu, în sensul de astăzi al cuvântului, a fost Walter de Merton din Oxford care în 1264 a redactat statutul pentru activitatea de fiecare zi a învăţăceilor lui.
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LESSON TWO LONDON London
City
Tower Bridge
Mansion House
London, the capital city of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the country‟s largest port, its main industrial, financial, commercial and cultural centre. It lies in the South Eastern part of the island, in the London Basin, 51030‟ N latitude, while the prime meridian of 00 passes through the old observatory at Greenwich. The climate of the London Basin is characterized by heavy rainfalls, irregular from year to year, (with extremes of 70 – 130%) that range, depending on the relief, from 813 mm to 635 mm annually. That is why one gets the impression that it is always raining in London. The English themselves say that year has 365 days out of which 65 are good days and 300 rainy. Temperatures in the area vary little, between 11,70C and 13,10C, the average being higher in London‟s built-up area because of heat retention by buildings, smoke cover and artificial heating. The history of London goes back to Roman times, though finds of preRoman dates indicate that, as elsewhere along the Thames, the area was occupied by a succession of small prehistoric communities. Under the Romans, the stronghold of Londinium, one of the nineth Coloniae of Britain, greatly developed, becoming a flourishing commercial and military centre with roads radiating from the city to various parts of Britain. From that time down to the present day, London has been continually increasing in size and population. Nowadays, London is about 14 miles (22 km) from East to West and 9 miles (14 km) from North to South being, as far as the number of inhabitants is concerned, one of the world‟s largest cities. It lies on both banks of the Thames, “the River” as Londoners call it, which divides London into two unequal portions and forms, roughly speaking a capital M as it crosses the city from West to East. No less than 19 bridges, 6 of them for railways only, cross the Thames. The finest of them is the Tower Bridge which has two crossings, a footway and a drawbridge that can be raised for the passage of large vessels. London is divided into three main parts with different histories and functions. The City, lying to the North of the River, roughly the London of the Middle Ages, covers only about a square mile. It is the financial and business centre of Great Britain, the traditional home of English banking. Here we can find the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange, the Royal Exchange, the Mansion House as well as the headquarters of many of the wealthiest companies and corporations in the world. About half a million people work here and, when the workday is over, when businessmen and clerks go home, the City becomes deserted, as only a few thousand people actually live here. The working class of London is concentrated in the East End, the home of the poor, a vast area running eastward from the City. The development of the heavy, clothing and furniture industries concentrating mainly on the banks of the Thames and its tributaries, needed large quantities of cheap-sweated labour.
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East End
West End
historic monuments Trafalgar
Tower of London
National Gallery
British Museum
Overcrowding, casual employment and subsistence wages have turned the East End into an area of great poverty. It includes all the main dock area, it is heavily industrialized, with miles of factories, warehouses, dirty-looking little dwellings and slums. The smell of the Thames and of the cargoes unloaded from the ships hang over the East End. The West End is the rich part of London, the fashionable residential area of the rich. There are very expensive shops, restaurants and clubs here, theatres, concert halls and cinemas, public buildings, museums, monuments and parks. The character of the West End is governmental, professional and cultural. There are lots of places worth seeing in London, depending on your special interests. Those who are fond of history, for instance, will find historic monuments and places reminding of past ages, of London‟s tormented history. Among them we can mention Trafalgar Square, so named in memory of the great victory of Trafalgar. Right in the middle of the Square stands the Column of Nelson, a monument 184 feet high, representing Nelson‟s famous victories. Worth visiting is also the Tower of London built in 1087 by William the Conqueror, a royal palace, a fortress and a prison in the past, a museum at present, sheltering the crown jewels and other treasures. Another historic building, a fine example of the classic style is St. Paul‟s Cathedral, the crowning achievement of Britain‟s greatest architect, Sir Christopher Wren. Art lovers will be overwhelmed by the unrivalled collections of paintings and other important works of art to be found in art galleries. The most famous of them are the National Gallery housing a collection of the chief European Schools of Painting and Tate Gallery exhibiting British paintings of all periods, modern foreign painting as well as modern sculpture. London‟s museums are world-renowned and cover a wide variety of interests. Thus, among the exhibits of the British Museum, visitors can admire priceless antiquities: prints, drawings, manuscripts, coins and medals, ethnography of Egyptian, western Asiatic, oriental, Greek and Roman as well as of British origin. The visitors involved in or just fond of literature may visit the British Museum Library, the country‟s largest library which shelters rare books and old, valuable manuscripts. This is a copyright library which receives a free copy of every book printed in the United Kingdom. The tourists might be also interested in seeing the Poets‟ Corner in Westminster Abbey, where the most outstanding English poets and writers are buried. Those visiting London can have a walk along the streets of the city: Regent Street, Oxford Street, Bond Street with their busy shopping centres, along Fleet Street with its numerous editorial offices, or along side streets whose names remind us that this was once the shopping centre of London: Bread Street, Milk Street, Ironmonger Street, a.s.o. We can form an idea of the number of London streets, lanes and blind alleys from the fact that, if laid end to end, they would form a line 5,000 km long. Tired after having walked so much, the visitor may have a rest in one of the large parks and gardens of London, “the lungs of London” as they are called,
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that stretch in an irregular green belt for nearly three miles between Whitehall and Kensington. This is a different London where the noise of the town ceased, where everything is quiet and calm. VOCABULARY to lie, lay, lain – a sta întins, a zace; a fi situat find – descoperire stronghold – fortăreaţă crossing – loc de trecere, traversare pentru pietoni footway – alee pentru pietoni; trotuar drawbridge – pod mobil headquarters – sediu actually – de fapt tributary – afluent casual – întâmplător, ocazional subsistence – existenţă; mijloace de trai warehouse – depozit slum – mahala cargo – încărcătură to unload – a descărca tormented – chinuit, torturat to shelter – a adăposti treasure – comoară crowning – încununare to be overwhelmed – a fi copleşit unrivalled – inegalabil, inegalat to house – a adăposti drawing – desen to be involved in – a fi implicat în…, (aici) a se interesa de… to be buried – a fi înmormântat lane – stradă îngustă lung – plămân belt – centură, curea to cease – a înceta to range from… to – a varia între … şi …; a fi situat între … roughly speaking – în general vorbind Stock Exchange – bursa de acţiuni Royal Exchange – bursa din Londra Mansion House – reşedinţa lordului primar al Londrei cheap-sweated labour – mână de lucru prost plătită to turn into … - a transforma în places worth seeing – locuri ce merită văzute crown jewels – bijuteriile Coroanei crowning achievement – realizarea cea mai de seamă world-renowned – vestit în întreaga lume copyright library – bibliotecă cu drepturi de reproducere rezervate side street – stradă laterală blind alley – fundatură căderea Imperiului Roman – the downfall of the Roman Empire legiune – legion 53
ţintă – aim hoardă barbară– wild horde ţinut – land a chema în ajutor – to call to one‟s aid a pune stăpânire pe – to take possession of … de aici înainte – from that time on … a cunoaşte o dezvoltare rapidă – to witness a rapid development plin de mărfuri – loaded with goods a îndrepta – to straighten cărămidă – brick bine poiectat – well-designed a lua locul – to replace casă pe jumătate din lemn – half-timbered house GRAMMAR WORD – BUILDING (Formarea cuvintelor)
I. Derivarea
a) Sufixe pentru formarea subst. b) Sufixe pentru A.Sufixe formarea verbelor c) Sufixe pentru formarea adjectivelor 1. Afixaţia a)Prefixe pentru formarea adjectivelor b)Prefixe pentru B. Prefixe formarea subst. c)Prefixe pentru formarea verbelor 2. Reducerea a) reducerea începutului cuvântului b) reducerea sfârşitului cuvântului c) reducerea unei părţi din interiorul cuvântului d) comprimarea mai multor cuvinte 3. Alternanţe fonetice 4. Abrevierea
II. Schimbarea categoriei 1. fără schimbare de formă gramaticale 2. cu schimbare de formă 3. cu modificarea accentului III. Compunerea
I. Derivarea I.1. Afixaţia A. Sufixe
a) sufixe substantivelor:
Rules pentru
Examples formarea 54
- ment - al -t - ance - ence - (t)ure - sion - ssion -y - ery
Verb to achieve to withdraw to extend to convey to exist to mix to proceed to conclude to permit to deliver to rob
Substantiv achievement withdrawal extent conveyance existence mixture procedure conclusion permission delivery robbery
- tion - ation - ition - ification - er - or - ant - ent
to distribute to transport to compete to qualify to produce to edit to assist to reside
distribution transportation competition qualification producer editor assistant resident
- ness - ity - ce
Adjectiv weak possible evident
Substantiv weakness possibility evidence
b) sufixe pentru formarea verbelor: - ize - ate - ify
- en c) sufixe pentru formarea adjectivelor: - al - ial - ic - ical - ian - an - ish - ese -i -y - ary - ed - ly - ar - ful - less
Substantiv drama origin class Adjectiv black Substantiv tradition commerce economy economy Egypt Asia Britain China Iraq mist legend wood friend circle care care 55
Verb to dramatize to originate to classify Verb to blacken Adjectiv traditional commercial economic economical Egyptian Asian British Chinese Iraqi misty legendary wooded friendly circular careful careless
- ous - ish
glory child
- ive - able - ible
Verb to compare to perish to divide
glorious childish Adjectiv competitive perishable divisible
B. Prefixe Rules a) prefixe pentru formarea adjectivelor: - prefixe negative un in – im – ir – il – - alte prefixe (în general de origine greacă şi latină) inter - (between) intra - (within) multi - (many) sub (under, below) super - (above, over) trans - (through, across) pre – (before) b) prefixe pentru formarea substantivelor: - prefixe negative dis – in – im – mis – mal – - alte prefixe (în general de origine greacă şi latină) co (together) ex (former) post - (after) pre - (before, earlier) pro - (in favour of) c) prefixe pentru formarea verbelor: - prefixe negative dis – mis – - alte prefixe en – contra – (against) ex – (out of) re – (again)
Examples
pleasant definite possible rational legible
national departmental coloured normal natural continental Roman
advantage justice balance behaviour practice
author member graduate history administration
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unpleasant indefinite impossible irrational illegible
international intradepartmental multicoloured subnormal supernatural transcontinental pre-Roman
disadvantage injustice imbalance misbehaviour malpractice
co-author ex-member post-graduate pre-history pro-administration
to agree to understand
to disagree to misunderstand
able to indicate port to fill
to enable to contraindicate to export to refill
I. 2. Reducerea a) reducerea începutului cuvântului b) reducerea sfârşitului cuvântului c) reducerea unei părţi din interiorul cuvântului d) comprimarea mai multor cuvinte
motorcar photograph bicycle
car photo bike
fourteen nights
fortnight
I. 3. Alternanţe fonetice Verb to lose to sing to breathe
Substantiv loss song breath
Adjectiv long deep wide
Substantiv lenght depth width
I. 4. Abrevierea TV G.P.O. B.A. M.A. M.P. U.N.O.
- television – General Post Office – Bachelor of Arts – Master of Arts – Member of Parliament – United Nations Organization
II. Schimbarea categoriei gramaticale Rules 1. fără schimbare de formă a) substantivizarea adjectivului b) substantivizarea adverbului c) substantivizarea verbului d) substantivizarea adverbului, prepoziţiei, conjuncţiei, articolului
Examples good – the good being – a being to rest – a rest inside – the inside of an affair
2. cu schimbare de formă (adăugarea semnului pluralului – s) la: a) adjectiv b) participiu c) numeral d) verb e) prepoziţie, conjuncţie, adverb, etc.
rich saving second to dislike in, out up, down
3. cu modificarea accentului (substantivele sunt accentuate pe prima 57
Substantiv 'record
Substantiv riches savings seconds dislikes the ins and outs of a problem the ups and downs of life Verb to re'cord
silabă, iar verbele pe a doua)
'import 'export 'combine
to im'port to ex'port to com'bine
III. Compunerea Rules a) substantiv + substantiv b) adjectiv + substantiv c) pronume + substantiv d) gerunziu + substantiv e) verb + substantiv f) adverb + substantiv g) majusculă + substantiv h) substantiv + verb + -er i) substantiv + gerunziu j) substantiv + adverb k) verb + adverb l) adverb + verb
Examples football, businessman, post office highbrow, coldcream he-goat, she-goat living-room, skating-rink killjoy overshoes, best seller X-ray, H-bomb, D-Day watchmaker, baby-sitter sightseeing, housekeeping passer-by, looker on knowhow, go-between income, outbreak
EXERCISES I. Enlarge upon: a) London‟s geographical location. b) The climate in the London Basin. c) The development of the city since ancient times. d) The City e) The East End f) The West End g) The main places worth seeing in London: - historic buildings and monuments; - art galleries; - museums; - London‟s streets; - London‟s parks and gardens. II. Fill in prepositions and adverbs where necessary: A. Do you live … the hostel … our Institute? B. Oh, no. I am … Bucharest and live … Magheru Blvd. But why? A. Well, I wanted to call … a friend … mine who lives … the hostel, but I am not sure I can find the way there. Is it far … the Institute? B. No, not very far. It will take you … 25 minutes to get there. A. How can I get there … here? B. Take bus 134. It will take you right there. A. Can‟t I get there … trolley-bus? B. Yes, you can. But if you go … trolley-bus you‟ll have to change; that‟s why the best way … you to get there is … bus. A. And where do I get … ? B. You have to go as far as x street stop, there you get …, turn … the corner, walk a short distance … the street and … less than 5 minutes you will find yourself … the hostel. A. It‟s perfectly clear.
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B. It is quite easy to get there. But … case you lose your way, you may ask it … a policeman or … any passer-by. A. Thank you very much. Good-bye. III. Add noun-forming suffixes to the following verbs: to achieve, to attach, to equip, to establish, to govern, to fulfil, to improve, to invest, to manage, to state; to betray, to dispose, to renew, to survive, to withdraw; to conclude, to include, to divide, to provide, to corrode, to revise; to deliver, to discovery, to recovery, to master; to administer, to alter, to continue, to form, to occupy, to register; to certify, to clarify, to fortify, to identify, to justify, to qualify. IV. Fill in the blanks with words related to the underlined ones: 1. He defined that word for me, and his … was correct. 2. I know Henry is an acquaintance of yours. Are you … with his brother as well? 3. The final date for applications has been extended to September 15th. This … will enable more students to apply. 4. If our team wins the game, we shall celebrate and we hope you will come to the … 5. Edmund Hillary ascended Mt. Everest; he made the first … of the highest mountains of the world. 6. The log walk exhausted him. We notice his … right away. 7. He exceeded the sped limit. He was driving in … of the limit. 8. He resembles his father very strongly. The … is really amazing. 9. I have a lot of camping equipment. I can … you if you want to go camping next week. 10. Manny new countries have emerged in Africa and their … has increased the number of members in the U.N. 11. We were amazed to see them and our … showed in our faces. 12. They wish to facilitate the building of the dam, and so they are giving the engineers every … 13. Do you know the origin of that old saying? It‟s a translation of a proverb that … in France. 14. That matter is of concern to the entire nation. It‟s of … importance. 15. His father was in navy and he has been always interested in … affairs. 16. He wants to study agriculture and so he sits for the entrance exam at the Faculty of … Sciences. 17. A certain part of the town has been set aside for industry. All … buildings must be located there. V. Translate into English: După căderea Imperiului Roman, legiunile romane s-au retras din Britania care a devenit ţinta unor atacuri puternice din partea unor hoarde barbare. Neputând rezista atacurilor, locuitorii acestor ţinuturi i-au chemat în ajutor pe saxoni, care, la rândul lor, cu ajutorul altor triburi au pus stăpânire pe întreaga ţară care a devenit capitala Regatului Saxon de răsărit. De aici înainte, oraşul va căpăta o importanţă tot mai mare. Comerţul a cunoscut o dezvoltare rapidă, portul fiind permanent plin de mărfuri, iar oraşul a înflorit în special după marele incediu din anul 1666 când a fost reconstruit în mare parte. Cu această ocazie s-au făcut multe îmbunătăţiri: străzile au fost lărgite şi îndreptate, case de cărămidă bine proiectate au luat locul vechilor case pe jumătate din lemn.
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LESSON THREE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
United States
The Appalachians
Rocky Mountains
Grand Canyon
Mississippi
Gulf of Mexico
The main landmass of the United States lies in central North America with Canada to the North, Mexico to the South, the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West. The two newest states, Alaska and Hawaii, are separated from the continental United States; Alaska borders on north-western Canada and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific. The diversity of the country stems from the fact it is so large and has so many kinds of land, climate and people. It stretches 2,575 kilometres from north to south, 4,500 kilometres from east to west. There are pine forests dotted with lakes and mountain peaks covered with snow. There are meadows with brooks and trees, sea cliffs, wide grassy plains, broad spreads of grapevines and sandy beaches. On the Atlantic shore of the United States, much of the northern coast is rocky and uninviting, but the middle and southern Atlantic coast rises gently from the sea. The Appalachians, which run roughly parallel to the east coast, are old mountains with many coal-rich valleys between them. To the West of the Appalachians lie plateaus built up over the centuries from bits of stone that were washed down from the mountains and then cut into small hills by streams. Beyond is the great Central Lowland. North of the Central Lowland, extending for almost 1,600 kilometres are the five Great Lakes which the United States shares with Canada. West of the Central Lowland are the Great Plains. They are stopped by the Rocky Mountains,“the backbone of the continent”. The Rockies are considered young mountains: of the same age as the Alps in Europe, the Himalayas in Asia and the Andes in South America. Like these ranges, they are high, rough and irregular in shape. One region was formed of material which was washed down from the Rockies and pressed into rock. This now encompassed the Colorado Plateau, in which the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is cut, 1,6 km in depth. Volcanoes built the Cascade Mountains. The Sierra Nevada range and the ridges of the Great Basin, on the other hand, were formed when a strained portion of the earth‟s crust broke into high blocks of rock. At the border of the Pacific Ocean lie the Coast Ranges, relatively low mountains in a region where occasional earthquakes show that the process of mountain-building has not yet stopped. In the Northern Hemisphere, the western portions of continents are especially favoured by the prevailing winds. This is because the western lands gather the rains as they come off the ocean blown by storms that circle from west to east. Unfortunately, the Cascade Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, so close to the west coast, catch the largest share of the rain of the Pacific Ocean before it can go further inland. As a result, there is little rain for almost the whole western half of the United States, which lies in the “rain shadow” of the mountains. The United States is crossed by great rivers. The Mississippi is one of the world‟s great continental rivers. Its waters are gathered from two-thirds of the United States and, together with the Missouri, the Mississippi flows some 6,400 km from its northern sources in the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico, which makes it one of the world‟s longest waterways. 60
prairie
Great Lakes
The Mississippi has been called the “father of waters”. Through all its lower course, it wanders along, appearing lazy and harmless. But people who know the river are not deceived by its appearance, for they have had many bitter struggles with its floods. The two great rivers of the Pacific side are the Colorado in the south and the Columbia, which rises in Canada and drains the north. In the dry western country, both rivers, very different in character, are vital sources of life. The Rio Grande, about 3,200 km long, in the Southwest, forms a natural boundary between Mexico and the U.S. In the U.S. there are all kinds of unexpected differences in climate. For instance, all along the western coast, the temperature changes little between winter and summer. In some places, the average difference between July and January is as little as 100C. But in the north central part of the country, summer and winter are worlds apart. There, the average difference between July and January is 360C and more violent extremes are common. In the eastern part of the United States, the difference between summer and winter is also very distinct, but not so extreme. Near the south western corner of the country, the climate is mild and spring-like in winter but in summer the temperature may reach equatorial intensity. In Alaska, almost continuous daylight in summer makes the short growing season an intense one. A rich and well-known part of the Unites States is the Middle West, with the states of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. It comprises about 25% of the area of the country, about one third of the population and nearly 60% of its agriculture. The climate of this region is largely of the continental type, the winters being severe and the summers long and hot. It is in agriculture that this section has acquired and holds first place in the United States. The level prairies offer a fine opportunity for the use of the most improved types of farm machinery. Because of the climate and the soil, grain is the principal crop of this section, as are cotton and tobacco in the south. Winter wheat grows chiefly in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. The principal region for corn growing is the belt from central Ohio to central Kansas and from the Ohio River to Wisconsin. Another commodity of this region is sugar beet. The cattle and meatpacking industries play an enormous part in the economic life of the people of this section. The meat-packing industry has centred in Chicago because of transportation facilities. In meat production Illinois is first and Iowa – second. The principal minerals of this region are gold, iron, cooper and coal. The principal deposits of iron are in northern Michigan. Most of this ore is smelted in Pennsylvania but a large number of blast-furnaces are located along the Great Lakes. The iron industry naturally gave rise to much of the iron and steel manufacturing of this section. The centre of general manufactures in the United States is a little west of central Ohio. According to value, about one third of the manufactured products of the United States come from the central states. VOCABULARY desert – deşert meadow – pajişte brook – pârâu grapevine – vie rocky – stâncos 61
uninviting – neîmbietor roughly – aproximativ plateau – podiş strained – presat, apăsat crust – scoarţă tilted – înclinat, în pantă earthquake – cutremur opportunity – posibilitate grain – cereale deposit – zăcământ to be separated from – a fi separat de to border on – a se învecina cu to stem from – a proveni din dotted with – presărat cu prevailing winds – vânturi regulate lower course – curs inferior upper course – curs superior downstream – în aval upstream – în amonte to become apparent – a deveni evident natural boundary – frontieră naturală to be worlds apart – a fi foarte deosebit tunnel – tunel bridge – pod geographic boundary – graniţă geografică rainfall – precipitaţii abundant vegetation – vegetaţie luxuriantă sparse vegetation – vegetaţie sărăcăcioasă mountain ridge- creasta muntelui orchard – livadă pasture – paşune wilderness – sălbăticie stretch of land – întindere de pământ waterway – cale navigabilă surface soil – solul subsoil – subsolul the turn of the century – începutul secolului capped with snow – acoperit de zăpadă GRAMMAR THE PASSIVE VOICE (Diateza Pasivă) Diateza este categoria gramaticală specifică verbului care exprimă raportul dintre verbul predicat, pe de o parte, şi subiectul şi obiectul (complementul direct) al verbului predicat, pe de altă parte. Verbul este la diateza pasivă când subiectul gramatical suferă acţiunea săvârşită de obiect: This letter (subiect) has been written (predicat) by Lucy (obiect). Această scrisoare a fost scrisă de Lucy Timpurile verbului la diateza pasivă se formează din timpul corespunzător al auxiliarului “to be” şi participiul trecut al verbului de conjugat. 62
I. Common Aspect Affirmative
Negative
Present Tense Past Tense
I am asked I‟m asked I was asked
Present Perfect Tense
I have been asked I‟ve been asked
I am not asked I‟m not asked I was not asked I wasn‟t asked I have not been asked I haven‟t been asked I‟ve not been asked I had not been asked I‟d not been asked I hadn‟t been asked
Past Perfect I had been asked Tense I‟d been asked
Future Tense
I shall be asked I‟ll be asked
I shall not be asked I shan‟t be asked
Future Perfect Tense
I shall have been I shall not have been asked asked I‟ll have been asked I shan‟t have been asked Conditional I should be asked I should not be Present I‟d be asked asked I shouldn‟t be asked Conditional I should have been Past asked I‟d have been asked
I should not have been asked I shouldn‟t have been asked
Interogative (Negative) Am I (not) asked? Was I (not) asked? Wasn‟t I asked? Have I(not) been asked? Haven‟t I been asked? Had I (not)been asked? Hadn‟t I been asked? Shall I (not) be asked? Shan‟t I be asked? Shall I (not) have been asked? Shan‟t I have been asked? Should I (not) be asked? Shouldn‟t I be asked? Should I (not) have been asked? Shouldn‟t I have been asked?
II. Continuous Aspect Present Tense Past Tense
I am being asked I‟m being asked I was being asked
I am not being asked I‟m not being asked I was not being asked I wasn‟t being asked
Am I(not)being asked? Was I (not) being asked? Wasn‟t I being asked?
Singurele timpuri care se folosesc la aspectul continuu diateza pasivă sunt Present Tense şi Past Tense, în locul celorlalte timpuri folosindu-se timpurile corespunzătoare ale aspectului comun.
The Use of Passive Voice Examples
Rules Diateza pasivă se foloseşte: a) când nu se cunoaşte subiectul logic Depositors are requested to fill in the al propoziţiei; când acesta este evident forms in blue ink only. sau lipsit de importanţă. 63
b) când complementul prezintă mai mult interes decât subiectul logic. c) când din anumite motive, vorbitorul nu vrea să menţioneze subiectul logic.
Mary was sent many telegrams on her birthday. The money has been already sent out by Money Order
EXERCISES I. Enlarge on: a) The location of the United States; b) The diversity of the country‟s forms of relief; c) The climate of the United States; d) The main mountain ranges – their characteristics; e) The main rivers – their economic importance; f) The Middle West – its relief and climate characteristics; g) Aspects of economic development in the Middle West. II. Ask questions on the text and answer them: The majestic Rocky Mountains stretch all the way from Mexico to the Arctic. Like the Alps, they are high, sharp and rugged. Compared with the Appalachians in the East, they are young and their faces of bare rock are capped with snow, even to the south. In the high valleys, there are remains of glaciers while below them are clear, icy lakes which the glaciers made. More than 100 million years ago, the earth was violently folded and compressed where the Rockies now stand, and the mountains rose and fell and rose again. The Sierras pushed upward. Lava poured over the land in great floods to build the Columbia Plateau, and the Colorado River began to cut the Grand Canyon. As the mountains rose for the last time, the coast ranges near the Pacific broke into pieces, leaving great cracks along which huge blocks of the earth still shift occasionally. III. Make the following sentences passive: 1. They built bridges over valleys and rivers. 2. He had to accept the terms of rebuilding the plant. 3. The variations in temperature affected crop growing. 4. Wide expanses of forests cover the surface of the United States. 5. Volcanoes built the Cascade Mountains. 6. Lava poured from inside the earth and created the high Columbia table land. 7. The Sierra Nevada Mountains catch the largest share of the rain off the Pacific Ocean. 8. They shall build a big hydro-power station on the Rio Grande. IV. Use the verbs in brackets in the correct tense: 1. It is in agriculture that this section (to acquire) first place. 2. Because of the climate and the soil, grain (to be) the principal crop of this section. 3. Since the beginning of this century heavy industry (to grow) rapidly. 4. The meat-packing industry (to centre) in Chicago. 5. They (to decide) to build a modern network of railways. 6. The ore deposits (to give rise) to an important automobile industry. 7. A large number of industries (to be located) along the Great Lakes. 8. A severe winter (to ruin) these years agricultural yield. 9. Cattle raising (to be carried on) largely in the states farther west. 10. The ore deposits in these regions (to exceed) those produced in other places. V. Fill in with prepositions: The ancient waters that brought soil … these mountain valleys had no way … reaching the sea, so they spread out .. shallow lakes. As the water slowly 64
evaporated, minerals remained … the lake beds. Great Salt Lake, … example, contains an estimated six thousand million tons … salt. Another lake holds millions … tons … soda. The lakes change size and shape … the rainfall and sometimes dry up completely … arid weather. … the land … little water, farming was very difficult – and would have been impossible … a series … irrigation canals that bring water … the high mountains streams … the dry valleys below. VI. Translate into English: Parcul Naţional ai Munţilor Stâncoşi este un muzeu geologic ce conţine rămăşiţele unor munţi vechi, canioane, păduri şi gheţari. Parcul Naţional Zosemite este vestit pentru cascadele sale care au o înălţime de 730 m şi văile împrejmuite de înălţimi de peste 900 m. Dar poate că nici un peisaj nu este compatibil cu Marele Canion al fluviului Colorado. Acolo, timp de un milion şi jumătate de ani, marele fluviu a dăltuit în stânca muntelui. Părţile cele mai impresionante ale canionului se află în interiorul Parcului Naţional al Marelui Canion. Mai mult decât orice alte porţiuni din Statele Unite, munţii şi deşerturile continuă să constituie cele mai mari întinderi ale ţării. Aceste ţinuturi, care odinioară barau calea călătorilor obosiţi, au devenit în prezent locuri pentru vacanţe de vară şi de iarnă.
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LESSON FOUR AMERICAN CITIES
New York
Washington
capital
Capitol Building
White House
There are many big towns in the United States of America. They can be counted easily spreading the map. Yet, it is impossible to do the same thing with the small towns. New York is considered to be the most interesting city of the United States. Perhaps after New York, Chicago might be called the richest city; San Francisco – the most beautiful; Cincinnati – the most agreeable and civilized; Santa Fe – the most original due to the well-preserved traditions; Cleveland and Buffalo – the smokiest; Los Angeles – cumbersome, disorderly, hot and smoky and Washington – the most provincial of all the big towns. I. WASHINGTON, D.C. The capital of the United States is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia (D.C.) was named in honour of Columbus, the discoverer of America; it is a piece of land of one hundred square miles, and it does not belong to any state. The terms Washington and the District of Columbia are practically synonymous. The nation‟s first president, George Washington, selected the site for the District and laid the corner-stone of the Capital Building where Congress meets. Washington, D.C. has been the capital since 1800. At the beginning of the 19th century, the new capital was called “Wilderness City” and the “City of Streets without Houses”. At the time of its foundation there were few trees and houses. Now Washington has more trees than any other city. The wide avenues are lined with old shady trees the branches of which frequently meet in a continuous arch high above the street. The plan of the city in which the streets run north and south, east and west, intersected by avenues laid out diagonally, forms spacious circles and triangles developing into small parks. Having combined both the rectangular plan and the wheel-shape plan, Washington has become one of the most carefully planned cities of the United States of America. Broad avenues named after the states radiate like the spokes of a wheel from centres which are placed within the rectangular pattern of the streets. The city of Washington is divided by Capitol Street into four quarters. The centre of the city is the Capitol Building which stands on Capitol Hill, the highest point in the city. Home of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the structure itself contains 430 rooms. From the Capitol to the Executive Mansion (home and office of the President better known as the White House) runs broad Pennsylvania Avenue, about a mile and a half in length and flanked with trees. The corner-stone of the Executive Mansion, as it was originally known, date from October 13, 1792. The British troops that arrived in Washington in 1814, were indirectly responsible for the name “White House”. Following the burning of the building, the marks of fire on the sand stone walls concealed by painting the whole building white. But it remained the “Executive Mansion” until the administration of Theodore Roosevelt, when “White House” appeared on the President‟s stationery and the term became official. In perfect alignment with the Capitol are Union Square, the Washington Monument, a 555-foot obelisk, and the Lincoln Memorial with its Reflecting 66
Potomac River
Lincoln Memorial
queer
Pool. The Memorial is designed like a Greek Temple, with 36 Doric columns representing the states in the Union at the time of Lincoln‟s death. The dominant feature of the building is the magnificent, realistic figure of Lincoln seated in the centre of the open temple. The statue was carved from marble by sculptor Daniel Chester French. One of the most important places of interest in Washington is the Smithsonian Institution, established in 1846 by an act of the United States Congress with funds bequeathed by James Smithson, an English scientist who had never visited the United States of America. The Smithsonian Institution is an independent federal establishment devoted to public education, basic research and national service in the arts, science and history. It is the world‟s largest museum complex and an important centre for research. Its 13 museums and the National Zoo possess more than 70 million objects and specimens. About 1% of the total is on public display, with the rest used for research. Another place of interest is John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, a theatrical complex on the Potomac River. It is the sole official memorial to President Kennedy in the capital, opened in 1971. Financed both by the government and private funds, the marble building hoses a 2,200-seat Opera Hall, a 2,700-seat Concert Hall, a 1,100-seat Eisenhower Theatre, The American Film Institute Theatre and some restaurants. Driving around the Tidal Basin one may see the Thomas Jeffreson Memorial designed after the Pantheon in Rome, which Jeffreson admired so much. This tribute to the third President contains a striking 19-foot bronze statue of Thomas Jeffreson and panels that quote from his most famous writings including the Declaration of Independence. In Arlington National Cemetery, the Virginia side of the Potomac possesses the nation‟s famous burial ground. Its Tomb of Unknowns, formely called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, is guarded day and night by an armed sentry. The cemetery is also the burial place for two former Presidents, William H. Taft and John F. Kennedy. Far from being the largest city of the United States, Washington is, in political sense, however, the centre of the nation, the law-making city of the country. It is also the seat of five universities and of several independent law colleges, art schools and private schools. In many respects, Washington, D.C. is a perfect normal American city. Its rivers are polluted. The air is periodically toxic from exhaust fumes. It has traffic jams, tasteless office buildings, Parent-Teacher Association (P.T.A.) meetings and other common hazards of urban life. To 9,000,000 tourists every year, the only abnormality is what they come to see, the home of the nation – the White House, the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian Institution. Beyond its official buildings, the natives, rise each morning, crowd into buses and car pools, go to work, return at night, to the naked eye not different from the inhabitants of any other American city. But Washington is the queerest of all the cities in America. Behind the monuments and official buildings lies a palpitating municipality torn between its role as home of the United States Government and home for over 800,000 human beings.
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financial centre
regular streets
Big Apple Hudson River
skyscraper
Manhattan
downtown
Wall Street
Statue of Liberty
II. NEW YORK CITY New York, the biggest industrial, trade, financial and cultural centre of the United States of America, is situated at the mouth of the Hudson River. It is not an old city. It appeared approximately 300 years ago. Its territory is about 310 square miles. The five boroughs comprising the city are: the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Richmond. Four of them are islands. The Bronx is the only one attached to the American mainland. It is easy to find your way about in New York as it is laid out regularly. All streets are regular and planned. The streets running north and south are called “Avenues” and the streets have numbers instead of names. New York is a blend of all cities – the most exciting city in the world. That‟s why the Americans call it the Big Apple. Manhattan is the name of the island which forms the heart of New York. The island is 13 miles long, 2 miles wide and lies at the mouth of the Hudson River. East of it runs the East River. Although fewer than 2 million of the city‟s eleven million people live on the island it is in essence what the world regards as “New York City”. Here is the heart of America‟s business and culture; it is the city of skyscrapers. Looking at the harbour you see the clusters of tall buildings in the financial district. To the visitor New York means skyscrapers, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Centre, tremendous traffic, dazzling neon advertisements, Central Park, Times Square, Off-Broadway theatres, Harlem, the avenues and famous streets – and all these are to be found in Manhattan. The skyscrapers were built in recent times but you find it hard to believe that what you see is man-made. Iridescent in the sunlight, the smoky glass walls of the gigantic buildings ribbed with steel or copper, reflect the neighbouring buildings, the sky and the clouds. Looking downtown, to where the tip of Manhattan wedges into the Atlantic, you now likewise see the gleaming facets of new skyscrapers. In the newer part of New York the skyscrapers do not press down upon a man as do the massive buildings of Wall Street. Standing on the corner of Park Avenue and one of the streets of the Fifties, you get a sense of space. The effect is achieved by the stepped shape of the skyscrapers. From the pavement you see only the first step of 15 to 20 stores. Higher, the building seems to recede, leaving the sky open. Many New Yorkers are terribly impressed with mere size; to them “bigger” and “better” seem to mean the same thing. Within a very short stay in New York, a tourist is told that the Cathedral in New York is the largest “Gothic” Cathedral in the world; that the finger of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour is 8 feet long and that forty people can stand inside its head; that the Rockeffeler Centre cost 100 million dollars to build, has 13,000 telephones, and its hanging gardens are four times the size of the famous hanging gardens of Babylon that were one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. It is not necessary to take the subway or any other means of transport to reach New York‟s anti-world. You need only walk down a few blocks off Fifth Avenue to land in the kingdom of poverty. The wealthy sections of New York are but small glittering islands in the dark ocean of this vast city. And it is not only Negroes and Puerto Ricans who live in the neglected houses. They have as neighbours many Americans of European origin, whose forefathers once crossed the ocean in search of the Promised Land on the banks of the Hudson.
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This glaring poverty is startling to see in the richest country of the capitalist world. It fits ill with the widely circulated notion of America as a land of opportunity for all and its widely vaunted high standard of living. VOCABULARY shady – umbros disorderly – neîngrijit wheel-shape – în formă de roată spoke – spiţă marble – marmură to bequeath – a lăsa prin testament tribute – omagiu sentry – santinelă hazard – (aici) eveniment queer – ciudat, straniu borough – sector, comitat cluster – grup, buchet, mănunchi dazzling – orbitor iridescent – irizat ribbed – striat to wedge into – (aici) a pătrunde în facet – faţetă to recede – a se depărta, a se retrage subway – metrou glittering – strălucitor forefather – strămoş vaunted – lăudat to lay the corner-stone – a pune piatra de temelie law-making city – oraş legislativ burial place – loc de veci law college – colegiu de drept to fit ill – a nu se potrivi an array of skyscrapers – un şir de zgârie-nori in search of – în căutarea piedestal – pedestal muzeu etnografic – ethnographic museum rafinărie de petrol – rubber works a se ridica la – to amount to Notes 1. Washington, George (1765 – 1799) – 1st president of the U.S.A. 2. Jeffreson, Thomas (1743 – 1826) – 3rd president of the U.S.A.; statesman and writer. 3. Roosevelt, Theodore ( 1858 – 1919) – 26th president of the U.S.A. 4. French, Daniel Chester (1850 – 1931) – American sculptor, best known works are “The Minute men of Concord”, the bronze doors of the Boston Public Library and many fine statues and portrait busts. 5. Smithson, James (1765 – 1826) – British chemist and mineralogist; founded Smithsonian Institution. 6. Kennedy, John Fitzgerald (1917 – 1963) – 35th president of the U.S.A. 69
7. Lincoln, Abraham (1809 – 1865) – 16th president of the U.S.A.; called “The Great Emancipator”: it was during his presidency that the Emancipation Proclamation which gave freedom to Negro slaves was adopted on January 1st, 1863. GRAMMAR THE FUTURE TENSE (Viitorul simplu) Viitorul simplu desemnează un eveniment posterior faţă de momentul vorbirii. În structura viitorului simplu intă verbul auxiliar shall la persoana I singular şi plural, will la persoana a II-a şi a III-a singular şi plural şi infinitivul scurt al verbului de conjugat. Affirmative I shall bring / I‟ll bring You will bring/You‟ll He, she, it will bring We shall bring You will bring They will bring
Negative I shall not bring/I shan‟t You will not bring He,she,it will not bring We shall not bring You will not bring They will not bring
Interrogative (-Negative) Shall I (not) bring? Will you (not) bring? Will he,she,it(not) bring? Shall we (not) bring? Will you (not) bring? Will they (not) bring?
The use of the Future Common Tense Rules Examples Viitorul exprimă o acţiune sau stare I shall join your sport association next care se va petrece după momentul week. vorbirii. Pentru a preciza momentul Will he soon come back? viitor în care se va petrece acţiunea se They will shortly celebrate the victory folosesc adverbe sau expresii of our sportsmen. adverbiale de timp: tomorrow; the day Will he go to a football match after tomorrow; next month, week, tomorrow? year; soon; shortly; in a month’s time; in two months’ time, etc. EXERCISES I. Enlarge on: a) 1. Characteristic features of some big and small American towns. 2. Location and history of Washington, D.C. 3. Lay-out of the city. 4. Population. 5. Significance of the city nowadays. 6. Places of interest in Washington. b) 1. Location of New York. 2. Population of New York. 3. New York boroughs. 4. Lay-out of the city. 5. Importance of New York today. 6. Position and significance of Manhattan. 7. Places of interest. 8. New York‟s anti-world.
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II. Use the sentences given below in the interrogative form and then in the negative form: 1. He will play for our faculty team tomorrow. 2. I shall go training every day next winter. 3. She will go in for figure skating in a month‟s time. 4. They will set up new records next year. 5. We shall soon be awarded gold and silver medals. 6. We shall go nowhere tonight as the weather is bad. III. Fill in the blanks with prepositions or adverbs: a) New Yorkers have always exercised great common sense … naming the city‟s streets. Canal Street was once, … fact, a canal. Maiden Lane was the site … a freshwater stream where 17th century maidens did their laundry. When the northern city was laid out it was done … convenience … a grid, … numbered streets (East even, West odd). So it comes as no surprise that the name Wall Street means just that … the earliest days this was the northern-most barrier, separating the town … the wilderness and its “hostile Indians” or, more likely … the British settlers … the coast … New England. It was a fortified stockade rather than a wall, and now it is a canyon … walls … skyscrapers that seem all the higher because … the narrowness … one … the most famous streets … the world. The name itself, Wall Street, is known less as a thoroughfare than as an entity – the capital … the financial world. However, the street itself is rich … history, and a walk … it gives a capsule view … early New York … an easy walking distance. b) The American suburban houses have no hedges or fences separating them … the pavement or … each other. There are none … those little shut-off gardens; generally just a strip … grass … trees … it. The American … his home does not object … being seen … everyone – he actually likes it. And … the house, instead … the separate hall, living-room, dining-room so typical … the English and European house, the American has the “open plan” house, just one large room where all the family activities go … …, perhaps, a “dining recess” or a “kitchenbreakfast-room”. IV. Translate into English: 1. New York, cel mai mare oraş din lume şi cel mai mare centru industrial, comercial şi financiar al Statelor Unite, nu este un oraş prea vechi. 2. Oraşul New York este compus din cinci sectoare: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Richmond şi Bronx. 3. Toate sunt insule cu excepţia sectorului Bronx, care reprezintă o parte din continent. 4. Statuia Libertăţii se află pe o mică insulă în largul portului New York. 5. Statuia a fost dăruită Statelor Unite de către guvernul francez în anul 1884. 6. Statuia împreună cu piedestalul are o înălţime de circa 100 de metri. 7. Este uşor să te deplasezi prin oraş deoarece a fost construit în formă de dreptunghi. 8. Cincisprezece bulevarde lungi traversează oraşul de la nord la sud şi circa 300 de străzi scurte de la est la vest. 9. Populaţia New York-ului reprezintă un adevărat muzeu etnografic. 10. Se spune că sunt mai mulţi italieni la New York decât la Roma şi mai mulţi irlandezi decât la Dublin. 11. Populaţia New York-ului se ridică la peste 19 milioane de oameni. 12. New York este cel mai mare port maritim al Statelor Unite. 13. Foarte dezvoltată este industria de echipament electronic, de aparate de precizie şi de instrumente. 14. La periferia oraşului se găsesc rafinăriile de petrol, uzine de cauciuc, turnătorii de cupru etc.
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LESSON FIVE AUSTRALIA
Canberra
flat
Murray River
kangaroo Melbourne
trade
sheep
coal
It is the smallest continent, lying between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans. It extends from east to west some 3,860 km and from north to south 3,220 km. With the island state of Tasmania to the south, the continent makes up the Commonwealth of Australia. There are five continental states: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, as well as the Northern territory and the Australian Capital Territory, containing Canberra. Australia‟s external territories include Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory. The Australian continent is on the whole exceedingly flat and dry. Less than 50.8 cm of precipitation falls annually over 70% of the land area. From the narrow coastal plain in the west the land rises abruptly in a rough plateau that occupies the western half of the continent. In the south-west corner of the continent, there is a small moist and fertile area, but the rest of the western Australia is arid, with a large desert area. The northern region fronts partly on the Timor Sea, separating Australia from Indonesia; it also belongs to the plateau, with tropical temperatures and winter dry seasons. In Eastern Australia, there are the mountains of the Eastern Highlands which run down the entire east and south-east coasts. The longest of the Australian rivers, the Murray River and its tributaries, drains the southern part of the interior basin that lies between the mountains and the great plateau. The rivers of this area are used extensively for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Australia, remote from any other continent, has many distinctive forms of plant life – as for instance species of giant eucalyptus – and of animal life, including the kangaroo. It also has many unusual birds. Most of the rich farmlands are in the east and particularly the south-east. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide are the leading industrial and commercial cities. Australia is highly industrialized and manufactured goods account for about two thirds of the total value of production. The leading manufactures are iron and steel products, transportation equipment and machinery. Australia is one of the great trading nations, with one quarter to one third of its export income derived from the sale of wool, meat and wheat. The chief buyers are the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States. Other main exports are iron ore and non-ferrous ore. The leading imports are metal products, petroleum, machinery and textiles. They come mainly from Great Britain, the USA and Japan, too, which makes for a favourable trade balance. The country is self-sufficient in food and the raising of sheep and cattle and the production of grain have long been staple occupations. Tropical and subtropical produce: citrus fruits, sugar cane and tropical fruits are also important and there are numerous vineyards and diary and tobacco farms. Australia has valuable mineral resources, including coal, iron, bauxite, uranium and gold. The country is highly urbanized: about three fifths of the population lives in the cities of more than 100,000 inhabitants. Since World War II, the government has been encouraging immigration and permanent arrivals have been averaging more than 100,000 people annually. The population has increased by more than 60% in this period. Canberra is the Federal Capital.
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Sydney
Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, with 2.5 million people, is the largest city of the country, including one-fifth of the population of the whole continent. Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, has 2 million people. It is the centre of cultural life in Australia. The University of Melbourne is the institute of higher education in the country, followed by the New Monash University. Other big cities are Adelaide, the capital of South Australia and Perth, the capital of Western Australia. VOCABULARY rough – aspru, brut; (aici) accidentat, pietros plateau – platou, podiş; (pl) plateaux, plateaus moist – umed to drain – a drena, a usca, a asana; (aici) a primi apele kangaroo – cangur to account for – a justifica, a explica staple – principal indigenous – băştinaş aborigenes – băştinaşi, aborigeni to average – a forma o medie slaughter – măcel ranch – fermă, moşie, crescătorie de vite non-ferrous ores – minereuri neferoase trade balances – balanţă comercială the raising of sheep and cattle – creşterea oilor şi vitelor to become extinct – a dispărea, a se stinge a dispune – to be endowed with forţă de muncă – labour zone urbane – urban areas sol – soil fier – iron cupru – copper aur – gold aluminiu – aluminium rafinarea petrolului – oil distillation şantier de construcţii navale – shipbuilding yard petrochimie – petrochemistry industrie extractivă – extractive industry industrie prelucrătoare – processing industry Study and remember Koala bear – ursul Koala flying opossum – oposum zburător ant eater/bear – furnicar gorges – chei mountainside, slope – versant precipice – prăpastie range of mountains – lanţ de munţi to slaughter cattle – a tăia vite reef – recif 73
shark – rechin densely populated – cu populaţie densă shearer – muncitor care tunde oile drover – văcar, oier to border on – a se învecina cu shipping line – linie de navigaţie coastal shipping – nave de cabotaj, flotă de cabotaj subsidiary – filială overseas-controlled – dirijat din stăinătate gross value – valoare globală EXERCISES I. Enlarge on: 1. Australia‟s geographical position. 2. Australia‟s relief. 3. Australia‟s trade. 4. Australia‟s cities. II. Fill in the blanks with articles where necessary: 1. In .. south-west corner of Australia, there is .. small moist and fertile area. 2. In .. Eastern Australia there are .. mountains of .. Eastern Highlands which run down .. entire east and south-east coast. 3. .. longest of .. Australian rivers, .. Murray River and its tributaries, drains .. southern part of .. interior basin that lies between .. mountains and .. great plateau. 4. Remote from any other continent, Australia has many forms of .. plant life. 5. Australia is one of .. world‟s great trading nations. 6. .. main exports are iron ore and non-ferrous ore. 7. .. leading imports are metal products, petroleum, machinery and textiles. 8. .. country is self-sufficient in .. food and .. raising of sheep and cattle. III. Complete the following if-clauses: 1. If I had time, .. 2. If Romania had a tropical climate, .. 3. If John had a map of Australia, .. 4. If you wanted to see a kangaroo, .. 5. If I were interested in tropical fauna, .. 6. If the climate allowed it, .. 7. If you were here, .. 8. If I were asked to speak about Australia‟s population, .. IV. Supply the correct tense of the verbs in brackets: 1. Wild animals (to do) well in Australia. 2. Rabbits brought to Australia in 1788 (to adapt) perfectly until, by the middle of the 19th century, they (to become) a distinct menace to sheep raising. 3. In 1907, a fence, 1,610 km long , (to build) from the north coast to the south to prevent the rabbits from invading Western Australia. 4. After the agreement (to make) to build Canberra, ten years (to pass) before much (to do) about it, though a superb site (to select). 5. In 1911, many architects (to invite) to an international competition to design the city of Canberra. 6. The first prize (to go) to an American, walter Burley Griffin. Many of his ideas were retained. V. Change the following sentences using the subjunctive mood: Model: It is difficult for them to obtain good crops in a dry climate. It is difficult that good crops should be obtained in a dry climate. 1. It is easy for the geography teacher to give a lecture on Australia. 2. It is easy for your students to speak about trade between countries. 3. It is easy for John to go hunting. 4. It is difficult for the European man to adapt to life in Australia. 5. 74
It is impossible for kangaroos to live in a cold climate. 6. It was impossible for the indigenous population to live in big cities.7. It is impossible for her to climb a rough mountain. VI. Ask questions which can be answered by the underlined words: 1. The Australian continent is on the whole flat and dry. 2. The longest of all Australian rivers is the Murray River and its tributaries. 3. The rivers of this area are used extensively for irrigation and hydroelectric power. 4. There are many unusual birds in Australia. 5. Melbourne is a highly industrial and commercial city. 6. Japan is now Australia‟s largest wool buyer. 7. Australia has valuable mineral resources including coal, iron, bauxite, uranium and gold. 8. Most of the aborigines live in reservations. 9. Canberra is the Federal Capital of Australia. 10. Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, has 2.5 million inhabitants. VII. Translate into English: Australia dispune de mari resurse naturale, de forţă de muncă puţin numeroasă în raport cu aceste resurse şi cu întinderea ţării, de un mare număr de locuitori în zonele urbane; toate acestea fac ca întreaga industrie (atât cea extractivă cât şi cea prelucrătoare) să fie concentrată în jurul marilor oraşe. De fapt, marile oraşe au apărut şi s-au dezvoltat numai acolo unde erau condiţii favorabile de climă, de sol sau resurse naturale uşor expolatabile. Sud-estul Australiei, statele Victoria, Noua Galie şi sudul Australiei dispun de imense resurse ale subsolului cu o activă industrie extractivă: fier, cupru, aur, aluminiu. In ceea ce priveşte industria prelucrătoare, se remarcă trei mari centre în aceleaşi regiuni: Adelaide (industria construcţiilor de maşini, industria chimică, prelucrarea lemnului şi industria alimentară), Melbourne (şantiere de construcţii navale, producţia de aur, de utilaj agricol, rafinarea petrolului şi petrochimia, producţia de îngrăşăminte, industria alimentară şi textilă – mai ales pe bază de lână) şi Sydney (siderurgie, şantiere navale, prelucrarea petrolului, industria textilă şi alimentară).
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LESSON SIX IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN BRITAIN
monarch Henry VIII
throne
Anne Boleyn Thomas More
ruler Elisabeth I
Golden Age
The British look back with pride on their past and on the many famous figures who made their contribution to British history. Two of the most prominent monarchs in British history were Henry VIII and his daughter Elisabeth I. Henry VIII (1505 – 1547), scholar, musician, politician, a true Renaissance ruler, was one of England‟s strongest and most colourful kings. He was 17 when he came to the throne. Although his beard was red, he was considered the “Bluebeard” of British history, as he married six times and had two of his wives executed. He divorced two, one died giving birth to his only son Edward and the sixth outlived him. There is a rhyme helping children remember their succession: “ Divorced, beheaded, died, Divorced, beheaded, survived”. King Henry very much wanted a male heir to follow him to the throne, but the only living child resulting from his marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was a daughter. So, he wanted a divorce and the freedom to marry again. In those days it was easier for a king to have someone executed than to get a divorce. He had to ask permission from the Pope, the Head of the Catholic Church in Rome. When the Pope refused to allow Henry to divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn, lady-in-waiting to the queen, the king acted drastically: he broke away from Rome and became “Supreme Head of the Church of England”. Sir Thomas More, brilliant political and literary figure of the time was executed for refusing to accept this. Thus, Henry married Anne Boleyn, ordered the monasteries dissolved and transferred their wealth and property to the royal coffers. In this way, the power of the state, centralized in one figure, grew to an unprecedented extent. Unfortunately, Anne Boleyn was unable to give birth to a son. Just as with Catherine, her only living child was a daughter and ultimately Henry had Anne beheaded. This daughter however, was to become one of the greatest rulers to sit on the throne of England, Queen Elisabeth I. Elisabeth I (1558 – 1603), the last and greatest of the monarchs belonging to the Tudor House, is a symbol of national glory. She was 25 when she came to the throne. As a person she combined a violent temper, great personal magnetism and a brilliant art of how to lead and manage Englishmen. She said of herself: “I may have the body of a woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England too”. Although Queen Elisabeth herself never traveled outside England, she encouraged geographical discoveries and colonial expansion. The famous “Sea Dogs”, such men as Sir Francis Drake who sailed around the world and Sir Walter Raleigh who settled colonists in Virginia – named for the Virgin Queen Elisabeth – fought for England‟s supremacy at sea. After the defeat of the “Invincible Armada” in 1588, as the Spanish fleet called until then, English traders, explorers and colonizers were able to travel all over the world, bringing fame and riches to their country. As a true representative of Renaissance ideals, Queen Elisabeth supported not only the expansion of geographical boundaries, but also of man‟s thinking. A great patron of artist, her reign has also been called the “Golden Age of English Literature”. Prose, poetry and drama flourished in her time. The dominant literary 76
figure of the period, outshining all the others by his genius, was William Shakespeare. Thus, under Henry VIII England embarked upon a period of progress, wealth and power, which reached its brilliant climax under Elisabeth I. VOCABULARY prominent – 1. proeminent; 2. (despre persoane) distins, important scholar – erudit, savant, om de ştiinţă male – bărbătesc, masculin, mascul heir – moştenitor to behead – a decapita lady-in-waiting – doamna de onoare coffer - visterie ultimately – la sfârşit, la urmă, în fine defeat – înfrângere fleet – flotă boundary – limită, graniţă to embark upon – (fig.) a începe ceva; climax – punct culminant GRAMMAR Compare:King Henry had two of his wives executed.- he ordered and somebody else did it. King Henry executed two of his wives. – he did it himself In English the verb TO HAVE + NOUN + PARTICIPLE = a face pe cineva să facă ceva EXERCISES I. Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: prominent, scholar, male, heir, to behead, lady-in-waiting, ultimately, defeat, fleet, boundary, to embark upon, climax (faceţi schimbările necesare): 1. The Danube forms a natural … between our country and Bulgaria. 2. Queen Elisabeth never married and died without an … 3. The action reached its … when the killer kidnapped the little girl. 4. If you don‟t want to upset him, let him win; he can‟t stand … 5. I hope that in 1991 you … a happier time of your life. 6. In the Elisabethan theatre the parts of women were acted by… 7. … she agreed that she had been wrong. 8. Thomas More was one of the greatest Humanists … 9. In the 16thcentury England had experienced seamen and a powerful … 10. James Joyce is one of the … figures of modern literature. 11. What do you think is more painful, to be hanged or …? 12. The young prince fell in love with one of his mother‟s … II. Answer the following questions: 1. Who was Henry VIII? 2. How many wives had Henry VIII? 3. What happened to them? 4. Why did King Henry want a divorce from his first wife? 5. Why was it not easy for him to get a divorce? 6. What did King Henry do? 7. What happened to the monasteries and their wealth? 8. What was Anne Boleyn‟s fate? 9. Who was Elisabeth I? 10. What kind of person was she? 11. What did she encourage? 12. Who were Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh? 13. What happened in 1588? 14. Why has the reign of Queen Elisabeth been called “Golden Age of Literature”?
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III. Correct the following sentences: 1. Henry VIII married twice. 2. He executed all his wives. 3. He divorced his first wife because he wanted a daughter. 4. The Pope became the head of the English Church. 5. Queen Elisabeth I was King Henry VIII‟s aunt. 6. In 1588 the Spanish fleet gained supremacy at sea. 7. The art of gardening flourished in this period. IV. Turn the following sentences into the Passive: 1. People always admire this picture. 2. Someone has broken two of my plates. 3. No one has ever beaten Alex at tennis. 4. People speak English all over the world. 5. Did anyone ask any questions about me? 6. They held a reception in his honour. 7. Somebody left the dog in the garden.
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LESSON SEVEN FAMOUS BRITISH SEAMEN islander
Lord Nelson naval glory pirate Francis Drake
“Golden Hind” “Invincible Armada”
Walter Raleigh
supremacy at sea
The British are islanders. They speak of their country as “our island home” and, indeed, no place in Great Britain is farther than 120 km from the coast. The sea has always been close to the hearts and thoughts of the British. It has been a favourite subject of their poets and musicians, and many of the famous figures in British history, men like Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, James Cook or Lord Nelson were seamen. During the reign of Queen Elisabeth I the great era of British exploration, colonization and naval glory began. With the undeclared support of the Queen, the British pirates plundered the gold-laden Spanish ships, filling the coffers of the crown. One of these pirates was Francis Drake (1540 – 1596), the famous sailor who, throughout the ages, has acquired an almost legendary aura. In 1577 Drake sailed around the world in less than three years and brought back tremendous riches with him. After his return, Drake the pirate was knighted by Queen Elisabeth on the deck of his ship, the “Golden Hind”. In 1588 Sir Francis Drake and his seamen defeated England‟s greatest rival at sea, the “Invincible Armada” as the Spanish fleet was called, thus gaining immortality and his country‟s supremacy at sea. Sir Walter Raleigh (1552 – 1618), seaman, courtier and poet at the same time, was one of the most brilliant figures at the court of Elisabeth I. With the approval of the Queen he sailed to North America and settled the first English colonists on the eastern coast, in place he called Virginia, in honour of Elisabeth, the Virgin Queen. Later Raleigh explored South America in the vain hope of finding the legendary “City of Gold”, El Dorado. The death of Elisabeth in 1603 meant Raleigh‟s downfall, as King James I, her successor, distrusted the bold and fiery-tempered courtier. After an unfair trial Raleigh was sentenced to death for treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London. For more than 12 years he lived there as a prisoner, studying science and writing a lengthy “History of the World”. All his efforts to gain the King‟s favour failed and in 1618 Raleigh died under the executioner‟s ax. Thus, undaunted and experienced seamen like Drake and Raleigh opened up horizons of a new World and secured their country‟s supremacy at sea which, in the centuries to come, enabled Britain to found a huge empire overseas. VOCABULARY laden (with) – încărcat, împovărat to aquire – a dobândi, a obţine, a agonisi tremendous – enorm, puternic, foarte mare vain – 1. (aici) van, fără valoare, înţeles sau rezultat; 2. înfumurat, îngâmfat, vanitos bold – curajos, îndrăzneţ, undaunted – neînfricat to secure – 1.( aici) a obţine, a câştiga; 2. a întări, a consolida EXERCISES I. Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: laden, to acquire, tremendous, fleet, vain, bold, undaunted, to secure:
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1. In only one year Paul managed … a fairly good knowledge of French. 2. Ian McKellen‟s performance of Richard III was a … success. 3. All he can offer you are … promises. 4. How was the Spanish … called in the 16thcentury? 5. His brilliant speech … him unanimous admiration. 6. Characters in romantic novels are all handsome and … 7. The trees in the orchard were … with big, juicy apples. 8. I like his direct and … manner. II. Choose the correct word for each sentence: 1. Sir Francis Drake was a a) poet b) pirate c) general 2. Sir Francis Drake sailed a) on Spanish ships b) to Australia c) around the world 3. Sir Francis Drake defeated a) the English fleet b) the Spanish fleet c) the Italian fleet 4. Sir Walter Raleigh was a a) king b) pirate c) seaman 5. Sir Walter Raleigh settled colonists in a) South Africa b) Virginia c) New Zealand 6. Sir Walter Raleigh died because he a) had malaria b) was very old c) was beheaded
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LESSON EIGHT EUROPE‟S PREMODERN HERITAGE
civilization
maritime trade
science
innovation Greece
cultural core
Romans
regional interaction
urban centre culture
infrastructure
lingua franca
Modern Europe was peopled in the wake of Pleistocene‟s most recent glacial retreat – a gradual withdrawal that caused cold tundra to turn into deciduous forest and ice-filled valleys into grassy vales. On Mediterranean shores, Europe witnessed the rise of its first great civilizations – on the islands and peninsulas of Greece and later in Italy. Greece lay exposed to the influences radiating from the advanced civilizations of Mesopotamia and the Nile Valley, and the intervening eastern Mediterranean was crisscrossed by maritime trade routes. ANCIENT GREECE As the ancient Greeks forged their city-states and intercity leagues, they also made impressive intellectual achievements (which peaked during the fourth century BC). Their political science and philosophy have influenced politics and government ever since, and great accomplishments were also recorded in such fields as education, literature, architecture and the arts. The fragmentation of Greece‟s habitat led to local experimentation and success, followed by active changes of ideas and innovations. But internal discord persisted as well; in the end this contributed to Greece‟s decline. By 147 BC, the Romans had defeated the last sovereign Greek intercity league. Nevertheless, what the ancient Greeks had accomplished was not undone: they had transformed the eastern Mediterranean into one of the cultural cores of the world, and Greek culture became a major component of Roman civilization. THE ROMAN EMPIRE The center of civilization and power now shifted to the Romans in present-day Italy. The Greeks never achieved politico-territorial organization on the scale that Imperial Rome would accomplish. At its greatest expansion (in the second century AD), the Roman Empire extended from Britain to the Persian Gulf and from the Black Sea to Egypt. The variety of cultures brought under Roman control and the resulting exchange of ideas and innovations yielded many opportunities for regional interaction – particularly in southern and western Europe. Areas that hitherto supported only subsistence modes of life were drawn into the greater economic framework of the empire, and suddenly there were distant markets for products that had never found even local markets before. Foodstuffs and raw materials now flowed into Rome from most of the Mediterranean Basin. With a population that at its peak reached perhaps one million, the city itself was the greatest single marketplace of the empire and the first metropolitan-scale urban center in Europe. That urban tradition came to characterize Roman culture throughout the empire, and many cities and towns founded by the Romans continue to prosper to this day. Roman urban centers were connected by an unparalleled network of highway and water routes, facilities that all formed part of an infrastructure needed to support economic growth and development. (Today, a modern state‟s infrastructure would include railroads, airports, energy-distribution systems, telecommunications networks, and the like). More than anything else, however, the Roman Empire left Europe a legacy of ideas – concepts that long lay dormant but eventually played their part when Europe unified by acquiescence than it was under the Romans, and at no time did Europe come closer to obtaining a lingua franca (common language) than during the age of Rome. 81
Finally, Europe‟s transformation under Roman rule heavily involved the geographic principle of areal functional specialization. Before the Romans brought order and connectivity to their vast domain, much of Europe was inhabited by tribal peoples who lived at a subsistence level. Many of these groups lived in virtual isolation, traded little, and fought over territory when outsiders encroached on it. Peoples under Rome‟s sway, however brought into its economic as well as political spheres and farmlands, irrigation systems, mines and workshops appeared. Thus Roman-dominated areas began to take on a characteristic that has marked Europe ever since: particular peoples and particular places concentrated on the production of particular goods. Parts of North Africa became granaries for urbanizing (European) Rome; Elba, a Mediterranean island, produced iron ore; the Cartagena area of southeastern Spain mined and exported silver and lead. Many other locales in the Roman Empire specialized in the production of particular farm commodities, manufactured goods, or minerals. The Romans knew how to exploit their natural resources; at the same time, they also learned to use the diversified productive talents of their subjects. VOCABULARY to people – a popula withdrawal – retragere intervening – (adj.) care s-a petrecut între timp; (subst.) intervenţie, amestec to forge – (aici) a întări; a forja; a falsifica league – ligă, alianţă, coaliţie, confederaţie core – miez, parte centrală, nucleu to shift – a se muta, a schimba to yield – a produce, a realize hitherto – până acum, până în zilele noastre framework – ramă, cadru, context foodstuff – aliment raw material – materie primă legacy – moştenire dormant – inactiv, adormit, latent acquiescence- consimţământ, aprobare to encroache upon – a încălca sway – dominaţie, stăpânire granary – grânar lead – plumb commodity – marfă subject – (aici) cetăţean supus GRAMMAR THE SEQUENCE OF TENSES (Concordanţa Timpurilor) În limba engleză timpul verbului din propoziţia secundară depinde, în genere, de timpul verbului din principală. Această dependenţă, se numeşte “concordanţa timpurilor”(The Sequence of Tenses).
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Propoziţia principală 1. Prezent; Prezentul perfect He thinks He has thought
Propoziţia secundară → Orice timp she is crossing the street she crosses the street she crossed the street she will cross the street she will have crossed the street by now → Orice timp afară de viitor (if) you allow her. (what) we have done (did) (if) she is crossing the street. Timp trecut
2. Viitor She will cross the street I shall tell her I shall see 3. Timp trecut a) acţiuni simultane Past Tense I thought b) acţiunea din secundară Trecut I thought c) acţiunea din secundară Trecut I thought
→
→
→ Past Tense (that) she crossed the street. she was crossing the street when I saw her. - este anterioară celei din principală → Mai mult ca perfect: (that) she had crossed the street. she had been crossing the street yesterday at 2 o‟clock. - este posterioară celei din principală a) Viitorul în trecut (Future in the Past) (that) she would cross the street she would be crossing the street when I saw her. b) Viitorul Perfect în trecut (Future Perfect in the Past): she would have crossed the street by the time the traffic light stopped
EXERCISES I. Enlarge upon: a) Greek civilization; b) Roman civilization; c) Europe‟s transformation under Roman rule. II. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in parantheses: Model: Don‟t wait for her if she …(to be) late. Don‟t wait for her if she is late. 1. If you…(to need) me, give me a ring! 2. Tell her to come if she…(to want) to. 3. It is cold in here if the radiator…(to be) off. 4. You can talk to her if she…(to be) in. 5. Don‟t read if you…(not to want) to!. 6. Take the book if you…(to like) it. 7. If you…(to be) lucky you can still find him at the office. 8. You can‟t buy the typewriter if you…(not to have) enough money. 9. She is not at home if nobody…(to answer) the door. 10. Ask him to lend me some money if he (can). 11. I shall bring you candies if you…(to behave) well. 12. I will help them with their exercises if I…(to have) time. 13. Nobody will harm you if you…(to keep) quiet. 14. You will learn much more easily if you…(to watch) me do it.
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LESSON NINE BUCHAREST capital
Romania Charter city of Bucharest
Athenaeum
administrative capital
Bucharest is the capital of Romania, the most important political, administrative, economic and cultural centre of the country. Located in the middle of one of the richest and most populated regions of Romania, Bucharest occupies an area of 228 sq. km. The present day area of Bucharest was inhabited from very early times but the birth certificate of the town is the Charter issued by Vlad the Impaler on 20th September 1459, mentioning the existence of the “city of Bucharest”. For 200 years from that moment on, the princes of Wallachia would take residence either in Târgovişte or in Bucharest, which eventually became the capital. The city began to develop in the 16th century during the reign of Mircea Ciobanul who built on the site of some 14th century fortification a new princely court known as “Curtea Veche” (Old Court), the remains of which have survived to the present day. “Old” Bucharest (as it exists today) dates from the mid or late 19th century, a rich dowry of buildings and monuments of which we mention: the University, C.E.C. (Savings Bank), the Romanian Athenaeum and many other such genuine pieces of architecture. In the contemporary years, Bucharest has undergone a new stage of development. A modern city with broad streets and theatres, concert halls, cinemas, abundant vegetation, parks and a girdle of lakes, this is what strikes one as the characteristic features of our capital. As the political and administrative capital of our homeland, Bucharest is the headquarters of all ministries and other central governmental bodies and institutions responsible with the coordination of the political, economic, social, scientific, educational, cultural and artistic life of the country. The impetuous development of the city has also turned Bucharest into a great industrial centre, as it includes in its area all that defines a modern industry, from iron and steel, metallurgy, machine building, to textiles, food products and other consumer goods. In the sphere of cultural, scientific and artistic life, Bucharest has witnessed essential transformations. A vast educational network of primary and secondary schools, well known high schools, as well as higher education institutes – humanistic, polytechnical, economic, medical and pharmaceutical, artistic and sports, has been created. The capital has a large number of houses of culture and arts, libraries, theatres and opera houses, concert halls, well known museums as the History Museum of Romania, the Art Museum, the “Grigore Antipa” Museum of Natural Sciences, the Village Museum and of Folk Art, considered as one of the most interesting and best organized ethnographical museums in the open air throughout the world, and many such cultural and artistic institutions. * *
Parliament Building
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Peter: This weekend we are all to explore Bucharest on foot. Emily: That‟s a bright idea, indeed. What do you say, John? John: I‟m all for it. There‟s a lot to be seen around Bucharest and so we better take advantage of Peter‟s offer. Where shall we start? Emily: Let‟s start with an older part of Bucharest, say, the Parliament Building. 84
Calea Victoriei
History Museum
Cişmigiu Gardens
Peter: Good idea, Emily. We shall proceed towards Calea Victoriei, after we have crossed the Dâmboviţa River, passed by Unirea Market and left behind the Law Courts. John: I know the itinerary. I hope Calea Victoriei will be less crowded than on week days. We shall have the chance to admire the graceful buildings of the History Museum of Romania and of the Savings Bank, the multi-storey department store “Unirea Shopping Center” and with that we shall practically find ourselves right in the middle of one of the busiest shopping centers of the city. Emily: Enough of this description. I know you are more familiar with the sites of Bucharest than the rest of us. Rather than choose a strict itinerary, let‟s ramble about the centre of Bucharest and allow our imagination to guide our steps. Peter: Agreed. And if any one of us feels tired, especially you Emily, we shall take refuge in the cool shade of the Cişmigiu Gardens, have refreshments and rest for as long as we please. VOCABULARY capital – capitală area – suprafaţă, arie reign – domnie century – secol site – loc, amplasament fortification – fortificaţie, loc întărit court – curte remains – ruine to survive – a supravieţui dowry – zestre genuine – adevarat, real girdle – centură headquarters – sediu sole – singurul, unic to exert – a exercita to witness – a fi martorul network – reţea ethnographical – etnografic multi-storey building – clădire cu multe etaje to undergo development – a înregistra o dezvoltare state power – putere de stat to carry into effect – a traduce în viaţă home policy – politică internă foreign policy – politică externă to turn into – a transforma iron and steel industry – industrie siderurgică machine-building industry – industrie constructoare de maşini food products – produse alimentare consumer goods – bunuri de larg consum higher education institute – institute de învăţământ superior settlement – aşezare establishment – aşezământ district – district, cartier in the neighbourhood – în vecinătate to surround – a înconjura 85
stately house – casă impunatoare to set the foundations of – a pune bazele unprecedent – fără precedent picturesque – pitoresc square – piaţă civic centre – centru civic shopping centre – centru commercial residential district – cartier de locuinţe Town Hall – primărie Law Courts – tribunal Ministry – minister Prosecutor‟s Office – procuratură Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Camera de Comerţ şi Industrie The National Bank of Romania – Banca Naţională a României The National Theatre – Teatrul Naţional The Romanian Opera House – Opera Română preocupare – concern silvicultură – forestry a pune accentul pe – to lay emphasize on intelectualitate – intelligentsia atelier – workshop GRAMMAR 1. FOREIGN PLURALS (Plurale străine) memorandum – memoranda datum – data phenomenon – phenomena crisis – crises nucleus – nuclei terminus – termini stimulus – stimuli formula – formulae index – indices index – indexes Words that are frequently used often have an English plural: memorandum – memorandums formula – formulas terminus – terminuses 2. THE FUTURE PERFECT – CONTINUOUS ASPECT (Viitorul Perfect – Forma Continuă) Affirmative Form
Negative Form
I shall have been arriving. You will have been arriving. He, she, it will have been arriving.
I shall have not been arriving. You will have not been arriving. He, she, it will have not been
Interrogative Form NegativeInterrogative Form Shall I have been Shall I have not arriving? been arriving? Will you have Will you have not been arriving? been arriving? Will he, she ,it Will he, she, it have been have not been arriving? arriving? 86
We shall have been arriving. You will have been arriving. They will have been arriving
arriving. We shall not arriving. You will not arriving. They will not arriving.
have Shall we have been been arriving? Will you have have been arriving? been Will they have been arriving? have been
Shall we have not been arriving? Will you have not been arriving? Will they have not been arriving?
Contracted Forms (Formele Contrase): 1. I‟ll have been arriving; he‟ll have been arriving; we‟ll have been arriving, etc. 2. I shan‟t have been arriving; you won‟t have been arriving; we shan‟t have been arriving, etc. 3. Shan‟t I have been arriving? Won‟t he have been arriving? Shan‟t we have been arriving? etc. Use of the Future Perfect – Continuous Aspect Rules Examples Viitorul Perfect la Forma Continuă I shall have been working on my paper denotă o acţiune începută înaintea unui for an hour by the time you came back. moment dat în viitor şi care se continuă By the 1st of October he will have been în acel moment viitor. finishing his project. EXERCISES I. Enlarge on: a) The location of our capital city. b) Some aspects related to the history of Bucharest. c) Bucharest – a political and administrative centre. d) Bucharest – an industrial centre. e) The cultural, scientific and educational development of Bucharest. II. Fill in the blanks with prepositions: 1. After World War II, the new edifices … Bucharest harmoniously fit the scenary of the town. 2. “The People‟s House” is one … the most stately building … the capital. 3. The Television Building is a real place, meant … spreading art and culture. 4. The new National Theatre … the University Square is one of the most important edifices … the country. 5. The Circus, the Exhibition Hall and the Bucharest International Fair wholly built … concrete and glass rank as the most original architectural achievements … the city. III. Make up questions to which the following sentences could be the answers: 1. The Palace of the Republic was built between 1930 and 1937. 2. The Mogoşoaia Palace has been restored and at present it shelters a Museum of Brâncovan Art. 3. The Brâncovan art is the consequence of the cultural development of Wallachian architecture in the 18th century. 4. The National Gallery in the Art Museum of Romania contains most valuable works by famous painters and sculptors.
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IV. Replace the infinitives in brackets by the required tenses: 1. They (to meet) in the library every morning. 2. They (to talk) about the city‟s modern development. 3. They (to visit) the old quarters of the town now. 4. Every day she (to come) to the Academy at 8 o‟clock. 5. Our friends are in the reading room. They (to study) for the English seminar. 6. I often (to go) to see a good exhibition. 7. How you (to feel) after your stay in the mountains? 8. Somebody (to ask) of you. 9. They (to build) a new modern school in their district. 10. He (to work) hard to improve his knowledge. 11. If all (to go) well, I shall finish my diploma paper in two weeks. 12. If you (to get) to the art gallery before us, wait till we (to come). 13. I hear that you (to give up) the idea of joining them on their trip. 14. They not yet (to come) from the library. 15. The rain (to stop) but a cold wind is still blowing. 16. I (to sit) here while listening in to the radio you (to get) ready with your exercises. 17. When they (to return) from the trip they (to relate) what they (to see) in North Moldavia. 18. (to be) surprised what progress she (to make)considering how little English (to know). 19. By the 1st of January they (to fulfill) their production plan. V Insert the appropriate possessive adjectives and pronouns: 1. Let each of the students take … own pace. 2. I decided to take … share in the work. 3. … next trip will be better planned. 4. … recent visit of the museum was very rewarding. 5. I don‟t think that … paper was much better than … 6. … previous results were highly appreciated. 7. … contribution in working out the programme was better this year. 8. … knowledge of mathematics is quite remarkable. 9. Whose project was accepted … or …? 10. I realized it dad not been … fault but … 11. I am asking you what … speciality is. 12. They decorated … classroom beautifully for the occasion. VI. Translate into English: 1. Bucureştiul se dezvoltă ca un mare centru modern al ţării. 2. Învăţământul se bucură de numeroase facilităţi în vederea formării de specialişti. 3. În fiecare zi la acestă oră colegii noştri studiază în bibliotecă. 4. Învăţăm pentru a dobândi cunoştinţe tot mai bune de limbă engleză. 5. Conferinţa începe peste 10 minute. 6. El pleacă în călătorie abia luna viitoare. 7. Este ideea lui nu a ta. 8. Studenţii grupei noastre se prezintă bine pregătiţi la examene. 9. Stă la masa de scris şi îşi scrie exerciţiile. 10. Ai obţinut datele necsare proiectului? 11. Am aplicat o serie de formule matematice la studiul economiei. 12. Experţii au făcut o analiză profundă a efectelor negative ale crizelor financiară şi monetară. 13. Se vor referi la principalele tendinţe şi fenomene de pe piaţa materiilor prime.
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LESSON TEN ROMANIA Romania
The Black Sea
Carpathian Mountains
Danube
Danube Delta
Eastern Europe
natural resources
Romania lies between 43º37´07´´ and 48º15´06´´ latitude north and 29º15´44´´ and 29º41´24´´ longitude east at the crossroads of Central, Southern and Eastern Europe. North and east Romania borders upon Ukraine and Moldova, south upon Bulgaria, south-west upon Serbia & Montenegro, and west upon Hungary. The Black Sea forms part of Romania‟s south-eastern frontier, while the Danube, the longest part of Romania‟s southern boundary, flows 1,075 km on Romanian territory. Romania, whose total area is 238,391 sq. km ranks 12th in size among the European countries. The most characteristic feature of Romania‟s relief is its variety of land forms. Around the central plateau of Transylvania rises the range of the Carpathian Mountains surrounded by foothills and plateaus, which gradually slope downwards into the plains stretching at their foot. The average altitude of the Carpathians is approx. 1,000 m, the highest altitude seldom exceeds 2,500 m (in the Bucegi, Făgăraş, Parâng, Retezat, and te Rodna Mountains). The Romanian Carpathians, with craggy but easily-accesible peaks, with restful landscape, with century-old forests of fir, beech – and oak trees as well as of other species, with numerous karst phenomena, with hospitable chalets and picturesque resorts, are among the most beautiful mountains in Europe. Most of the rivers in Romania rise from the Carpathians and flow, directly or through their main tributaries, into the broad bed of the Danube. Before its flowing into the sea, the Danube crosses Dobrudja, describing an immense arc of a circle whose end separates into three arms Chilia, Sulina and Sfântu Gheorghe. The waters of the huge river and those of the sea base created here the youngest territory of Europe – a wide stretch of lands and waters (4,340 sq.km) – the realm of aquatic plants, a fauna of a matchless richness – the Danube Delta. Owing to the relief, the river network exhibits a radial pattern. The main rivers springing from the Carpathians are longitudinal in the mountain area, gentle slope in the hilly and piedmont area and very gentle slopes in the plain. In Romania there are some 2,300 lakes covering an area of about 2,620 sq.km. The largest lakes are scattered on the sea coast, and in the Danube flood-land and the small ones dot the mountain area. Owing to the country‟s position in relation to the main atmospheric factors (east-continental, west-oceanic, south-Mediterranean air masses) and to the complexity of its relief, Romania‟s climate is a blend of the excessive continental climate of Eastern Europe. The rate and distribution of the rainfall in Romania has a number of peculiarities. The rainfall is unequally distributed in time and space, the heaviest rainfall occurs in the highlands and the highest in the lowest zones, June being the rainiest month in almost all the country, and February the droughtiest. The high temperatures of summer are counterpoised by the low temperature of winter. Owing to the favourable geographic conditions Romania is a rich country both in respect of the natural resources of the soil and of the subsoil. More than one quarter of the country‟s total area is covered by forests, with trees belonging to different species; conifers, oaks, beeches, poplars, willows, etc. The pasture lands take up almost 12 % of the area of Romania. They have favoured livestock breeding for many centuries.
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Moldavia
Transylvania
Grain crops have found favourable conditions in Romania. Wheat is grown on the Danube and the Banat plains and on the Moldavian, Dobrudjan and Transylvanian plains; maize on the moresheltered of the Carpathian foothills, the Moldavian plateau and in Transylvania. Barley which occurs most extensively in Dobrudja, is cultivated mainly as fodder for livestock. Oats do well in the west of the country in districts with heavy rainfalls. Districts planted to rye, which requires a colder climate and sandy soil, are to be found in Northern Moldavia and Western Transylvania. There are also rich crops of textile plants. Flax and hemp hold an outstanding place among the plants grown in Romania. Other industrial plants include sunflower, soya, sugar beet, tobacco and medicinal herbs. Apple-, cherry-, apricot-, pear-, plum- and peach-trees cover large areas in the hilly districts of the country. Vineyards yielding fine grapes cover considerable areas in the hilly districts, where the slopes are terraced for the vine. Fauna is also varied and includes apart from hares, foxes, wolves, bears, stags, red deer, lynxes, wild boar, pheasants, quail, wild geese, pelicans, trout, herrings, sturgeons which come up into the Danube from the Black Sea, rare specimens living in reservations such as chamois, aurochs, or the mountain cock. With a view to protecting and saving from destruction the treasures of beauty and the riches of nature, certain zones and territories in Romania have been declared natural reserves protected by law. Among them are the Retezat National Park, certain parts of the Danube Delta, the Bucegi Reserve, the Piatra Craiului, etc. Sources of mineral wealth are numerous and very important. They include gold and silver which have been mined since antiquity, natural gas, coal, oil, ferrous ores; manganese deposits, bauxite deposits, salt and building stone, etc. The land, the fauna, flora and climate form a harmonious whole in which the Romanian people have lived down the ages and where they are building up a life of plenty. VOCABULARY crossroad – drum transversal boundary – frontieră, hotar, graniţe feature – trăsătură caracteristică, particularitate plateau, pl. plateaux – platou, podiş tableland – podiş, platou depression – depresiune; şes, câmpie gorge – trecătoare, defileu, pas glade – poiană volcanic zone – zonă vulcanică volcanic crater – crater vulcanic marsh – ţinut sau pământ mlăştinos fresh water lake – lac cu apă dulce salt water lake – lac cu apă sărată flow – curgere, flux, curent; curs (al unui râu); debit to flow – a curge, a se scurge to surround – a înconjura; a împrejmui; a îngrădi foothill – înălţime subalpină slope – pantă, povârniş; versant, coastă to slope – a fi înclinat; a se înclina; a se povârni, a fi în pantă to exceed – a depăşi, a întrece plain – şes, câmpie 90
to stretch – a(se)întinde, a (se)lungi, a (se)extinde, a fi (situat), a se afla width – lărgime; lăţime; întindere to spring, sprang, sprung – a apărea, a răsări, a se ivi; a tâşni, a izvorî piedmont – piemont to scatter – a (se)împrăştia, a (se)risipi, a presăra flood – inundaţie; potop, viitură to flood – a inunda, a îneca, a potopi; a revărsa, a face să se reverse to dot – a puncta blend – amestec, combinaţie; îmbinare rainfall – (cantitate de) precipitaţii; aversă, ploaie torenţială to occur – a se petrece, a se întâmpla, a avea loc; a se întâlni, a exista, a fi drought – secetă; uscăciune to counterpoise – a contracara; a echilibra species, pl. species – specie; categorie, speţă, fel, soi, neam conifer(ous) tree – conifer oak – stejar beech – fag poplar – plop willow – salcie acacia – salcâm ash (tree) – frasin birch (tree) – mesteacăn elm (tree) – ulm fir (tree) – brad horn beam (tree) – carpen juniper (tree) – ienupăr lime (tree) – tei maple (tree) – arţar pine (tree) – pin spruce fir – molid sycamore maple – paltin tanner‟s sumach – oţetar livestock – vite; şeptel breeding – creştere (animalelor, etc.) wheat – grâu maize – porumb, păpuşoi barley – orz oats – ovăz rye – secară hemp – cânepă fox – vulpe sau vulpoi wolf – lup wild boar – porc sălbatic stag – cerb deer, pl. deer – căprioară bear – urs badger – bursuc beaver – castor marten – jder squirrel – veveriţă pheasant – fazan quail – prepeliţă 91
trout, pl. trout – păstrăv sturgeon – sturion; nisetru, morun white/great sturgeon - morun bream – plătică carp – crap mackerel – scrumbie perch – biban pike – ştiucă pikeperch – şalău salmon – somn tench - lin chamois, pl. chamois – capră neagră / de munte aurochs – zimbru coal – cărbune, cărbuni vineyard – vie, podgorie craggily – stâncos; abrupt, râpos chalet – cabană; (în munţi), vilă (în stil elveţian) resort – staţiune (climaterică, balneară etc.) medicinal herbs – plante medicinale to form a harmonious whole – a forma un tot armonios to build up a life of plenty – a construi o viaţă de belşug a înlocui – to replace a depozita – to store a da dispoziţii – to make the necessary arrangements a bate la maşină – to type(write) a reuşi la examenul de admitere – to pass the admission examination a aproba – to approve a ţine o prelegere –to deliver a lecture vrăjit – bewitched / fascinated armonie – harmony antic – ancient Carpaţii Sudici (Meridionali) – the Southern Carpathians Podişul Transilvaniei – the Transylvanian Tableland plai – flat mountainous region covered with lawns venerat – venerated pulbere – dust urmaş – descendant GRAMMAR THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD (Modul Subjonctiv) Modul subjonctiv prezintă acţiunea ca posibilă, când acţiunea este proiectată în viitor, sau ca virtuală, nerealizată, deci ireală, când acţiunea trebuia să aibă loc în trecut. Subjonctivul I (forma veche a subjonctivului, sau subjonctivul prezent) este identic în formă cu infinitivul scurt al verbului: It is necessary that he be here come in time.
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To be I be You be He, she, it be We be You be They be
The old form of the subjunctive To have I have You have He, she, it have We have You have They have
Rules 1. Această formă se foloseşte cu referire la orice timp exprimând o stare de lucruri presupusă sau inexistentă, dar realizabilă. 2. Reprezintă o acţiune ca fiind problematică dar nu contradictorie realităţii. Se foloseşte pentru a exprima un ordin, o presupunere, o îndoială, o temere, o sugestie, o condiţie, o cerere, un scop.
To speak I speak You speak He, she, it speak We speak You speak They speak
Examples It is strange that she be late. It was strange that she be late. It will be strange that she be late.
I doubt if he be among the tourists (îndoială). They suggested that the new method be applied (sugestie). He will give orders that the new car be brought (ordin). Sprint lest the other runners overtake you (scop, temere). 3. Se foloseşte în unele exclamaţii Heaven help us! pentru a exprima o dorinţă, o speranţă Curse this fog! sau un protest vehement. Expenses be hanged! Damn you! 4. Se foloseşte în unele expresii. if need be - dacă este nevoie be that as it may – oricum ar fi far be it from me to – departe de mine gândul de a … come what may – fie ce-o fi N.B. Anumite verbe sunt urmate de should + construcţii cu infinitivul. Când infinitivul este to be, should se omite uneori. He suggested that the plan (should) be drawn up. Forma veche a subjonctivului se menţine astăzi în stilul official, frazeologie juridică, limbaj ziaristic şi parlamentar, procese verbale ale şedinţelor, în poezie, ştiinţă şi tehnică. I move that an appeal be made to the parts concerned. Propun să se facă apel la părţile în cauză. EXERCISES I. Speak on: 1. The most characteristic features of Romania‟s relief; 2. Romania‟s climate; 3. Romania‟s natural resources; 4. The Danube.
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II. Say it in one word, choosing from the following words: coal, boundary, willow, silver, stag, trout, tributary, flow, chalet, counterpoise: 1. To move along in a stream, as water or other liquid. 2. Something that indicates bounds or limits; a limiting or bounding line. 3. A stream contributing its flow to a larger stream or other body of water. 4. Any of several game fishes of the genus Salmo, related the Salmo. 5. Adult male deer. 6. A kind of farm house, low and wide caves, common in Alpine regions; a cottage, a villa, ski lodge, or the like built in this style. 7. A black or dark-brown combustible mineral substance consisting of carbonized substance vegetable matter, used as fuel. 8. A white, ductile metallic element, used for making mirrors, coins, ornaments, table utensils, etc. 9. To balance by an opposing weight; to counteract or offset by an opposing force. 10. Any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, many species of which have tough, pliable twigs or branches used for wickerwork, etc. III. Read the text and ask questions on each sentence: A great number of archaeological discoveries dating back to the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic attest to the fact that present-day Romania‟s territory has been inhabited since time immemorial. The great Indo-European migration by the end of the third millennium B.C. was accompanied by the penetration and development of the Bronze and later on by the Iron Civilization. The Thracian tribes that had settled in the Carpathian-Danubian area formed a unitary community and built their own fortified centres. The northern Thracian branch – known as Getae or Dacians – having distinct ethnical and linguistic features, organized themselves politically under the leadership of Dromichaites in the Danubian Plain, in 300 B.C. The union of all Geto-Dacians into a strong, independent and centralized state, whose boundaries stretched from the Black Sea to the Middle Danube and the Northern Carpathians, was achieved in the first century B.C. by Burebista (70 – 44 B.C.). The centralized state of the Dacians was reconstituted by Decebalus (87 – 106 A.D.) and it was under his rule that it reached the apex of its development. The close relationships with the great civilization of the time – Greek, Persian and later on Roman – and their influence contributed to the progress of the Dacians. IV. Fill in prepositions or adverbs: a. The Romanian Black Sea shore begins … the place where the Danube flows … the sea through the Chilia arm (the frontier point between Romania and Ukraine) and stretches south … a distance of 245 km … Vama Veche (the frontier point … Romania and Bulgaria). But what is commonly known as “littoral” is only that part … seashore, 100 km long, where owing … the geographic conditions, resorts and sightseeing centres have been set …, namely the part stretching south … Cape Midia as far as south … Mangalia (Vama Veche). b. Nowadays Dobrudja, one … the most highly-developed regions … our country, boasts of large-size industrial and economic constructions at Constanţa, Tulcea, Medgidia, Ovidiu, of its health and climatic resorts … the littoral, … Mamaia, Eforie, Mangalia with huge hotels that have sprung … on the beaches attracting, … every passing year, many visitors to enjoy the sunshine, the foaming waves and the warm sand. Besides this, the fertilization … the Dobrudjan soil has transformed the old steppe … a fertile granary. The use … advanced agro-technical methods, productive areas have led … increased per hectare crops as well as … the development … a powerful zoo-technical sector.
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V. Translate into English using the subjunctive: 1. Au sugerat să se înlocuiască două piese. 2. Vom da dispoziţii ca toate maşinile să fie bine depozitate. 3. Mă îndoiesc că ele vor fi mâine dimineaţă aici. 4. Dacă este nevoie putem să aducem oricând alte unelte. 5. Ea a sugerat ca scrisoarea să fie bătută la maşină. 6. Mă îndoiesc că el s-ar afla printre primii reuşiţi la examenul de admitere. 7. Ei au propus ca planul să fie aprobat. 8. Să trăiască mulţi ani! 9. Ce născocire! 10. (Noi) am cerut să se ţină o prelegere despre problemele care îi interesează. VI. Complete the following sentences with the appropriate verbs given below: to take, to damage, to see to, to break, to submit, to be, to send 1. If he … the regulation, he will be fined. 2. It was necessary that he … measures immediately. 3. We suggested that she … it without delay. 4. They demanded that he … the documents. 5. He ordered that the cars … at once. 6. It is desirable that he … witness in this case. 7. They covered the machines lest they … by snow. VII. Translate into English: Dac-ar putea privi cineva de sus de tot, aşa încât să cuprindă dintr-o dată tot pământul românesc, ar rămâne vrăjit de armonia şi frumuseţea lui. În mijloc, se ridică podişul Transilvaniei, nu prea înalt (circa 500 m), înconjurat din toate părţile de munţi care-i alcătuiesc o uriaşă cunună. Mărginind coroana munţilor, se intind înălţimi mai domoale, dealurile acoperite de vii sau livezi de pomi; aceste dealuri formează în unele locuri o zonă mai largă (de pildă Oltenia), în altele mai strâmtă, ca în răsăritul Munteniei sau în ţara Crişurilor. Dealurile se isprăvesc, la rândul lor, prin câmpii întinse cât vezi cu ochii, lăcaşul grânelor. Bărăganul şi Burnazul par că nu se mai termină; la fel câmpia Tisei. Râuri numeroase izvorăsc din Transilvania care poate fi socotită drept “casa apelor” pământul românesc şi străbătând brâul de munţi, se îndreaptă spre Dunăre – fluviul venerat al strămoşilor noştri, daco-geţii,“drumul fără pulbere”al urmaşilor acestora – şi spre afluenţii ei cei mai mari. Variat şi armonios alcătuit, pământul românesc cuprinde toate formele de relief: de la ţărmul neted al mării, formând plaje întinse ce coboară pe nesimţite sub apă – exemplul tipic e Mamaia – şi de la Delta în continuă construcţie a Dunării până la plaiurile şi crestele munţilor.
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CHAPTER THREE – ENGLISH FOR ECONOMISTS
Introducere Acest capitol se adresează cu precădere studenţilor de la profilul economic şi conţine în principal elemente practice şi applicative la îndemâna celor care doresc să-şi însuşească şi să folosească un limbaj economic. Capitolul conţine lecţii ce tratează teme axate pe principalele aspecte ale vieţii cotidiene, având drept scop să formeze deprinderi de limbă necesare însuşirii limbajului legat de problematica economică propriu-zisă. Temele cuprinse în capitol se referă la activitatea de comercializare a produselor cum sunt: reclama, organizarea de târguri şi expoziţii, structura comerţului exterior, cooperarea economică, cât şi teme legate de industria turistică, noua ordine economică. Fiecare text este însoţit de o temă gramaticală prezentată concis prin structuri, scheme şi tabele. Schemele gramaticale prezintă probleme de gramatică şi construcţii mai dificil de înţeles şi mai ales, de folosit. Problematica gramaticală este urmată de exerciţii lexicale şi gramaticale menite să formeze deprinderi de limbă celor care studiază limba engleză în cadrul formei de învăţământ la distanţă.
Obiective operaţionale: Scopul acestui capitol este să:  creeze studenţilor deprinderi de exprimare în termeni economici;  asigure înţelegerea termenilor economici în limba engleză;  urmărească exersarea deprinderilor necesare pentru a putea citi şi vorbi în engleză despre marketingul contemporan;  rezolve probleme gramaticale întâlnite în expresiile uzuale din limba engleză;  poată intocmi o lucrare de specialitate utilizând termenii însuşiţi;  poată purta corespondenţă economică într-o gamă destul de largă de domenii economice: industrie, agricultură, turism;
Capitolul cuprinde următoarele teme de studiu: 1. Lesson one - Advertising…………………………………………………….97 2. Lesson two – How to stage successful trade fairs and exhibitions…………103 3. Lesson three – Tourist industry and touristic activity………………………107 4. Lesson four – Foreign trade composition-development trends…………….110 5. Lesson five - The International Monetary Fund…………………………….114 6. Lesson six – Economic co-operation……………………………………….119 7. Lesson seven – Marketing – Past and Present………………………………123
Bibiografie selectivă - Bantaş, Andrei (1991) – Essential English, Ed. Teora Bucureşti - Galiş, Livia & colaboratorii (1982) – Limba Engleză pentru învăţământul superior economic, Ed.Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti - Gălăţeanu-Fârnoagă, Georgiana (1993) – Gramatica Limbii Engleze, Ed. Omegapress, Bucureşti - Hulban, Horia & colab.(1983) – Exerciţii şi teste de limba engleză, Ed. Ştiinţifică şi Enciclopedică, Bucureşti - Nicolescu, Adrian & colaboratorii (1980) – Culegere de texte pentru cursul practic de limba engleză pentru secţia geografie-geologie, Tipografia Universităţii din Bucureşti -* * * - Speak English Nr. 1, 2, 3 / 1990 96
LESSON ONE ADVERTISING advertising
to persuade advertisment
goods services
placard
commercials
buyer
A certain amount of advertising is of an informative kind, the aim simply being to let consumers know what goods and services are available – “consumer education” as it is sometimes called. Most advertising, however, is of a persuasive kind, the aim of which is to persuade people to buy one thing rather than something else. No one can seriously pretend to remain unaffected by advertisments. It is impossible to turn a blind eye to the pressing offers to buy this or that article that fill our streets, newspapers and magazines. Even inside our living-rooms, advertisers are waiting to pounce on their prospective buyers as they tune in to their favourite radio or television programmes. In time, no matter how hard we resist, clever little tunes and catch-phrases seep into our subconscious mind and stay there. Though they seem so varied, all the advertisments have one thing in common: they make strong appeals to our emotions. So, advertising is meant to give information on certain goods or services or on enterprises offering them, so as to awaken the interest of the people at large and determine them to buy the given commodity and make use of the services offered. Advertising may take many forms. All of them appeal to the prospective buyer‟s senses (sight and hearing, above all), to his feelings, to his understanding and reasoning capacity. They should be original, suggestive and convincing. The forms of the advertising may be divided into three main sections, namely “placard” advertising, “newspaper” (or periodical) advertising and “circular” advertising. The first form includes advertisments which appear on street hoardings, in trains, on buses, etc.; street signs, neon signs, exhibitions and window-displays; commercials (screen advertisments at cinemas and on television); “sandwich” boards, and all advertisments which are displayed in public, whether in or out of doors. The second includes advertisments in all forms of newspaper or periodical, from ordinary daily paper to theatre programmes. The third form includes hand-bills, circular lettres, catalogues, leaflets, descriptive booklets, or free samples and general advertising circulars, all of which are usually delivered without payment to the persons for whom they are intended. Each of these forms of advertising has characteristics of its own, the form often adopted being quite different according to the nature of the appeal. Placard Advertising. In the case of placard advertising, the chief object of the appeal is to attract the attention of the general public. Long descriptive or reasonable statements do not lend themselves to this form of advertisment. The advertisment should be such that he who runs may read. The attention may be attracted by a phase or a picture or some piece of mechanism in motion. This type of advertisment is usually “loud”. An important means of advertising is the shop window, which not only informs the public on the assortment and quality of wares on sale, but also stimulates the taste and raises the the level of buyer‟s exactingness. The shop window is the “visiting” card of a commercial unit and contributes, at the same time, towards the achievements of the working people in the field of commodity production as well as the steady advance of trade. The shop window is equipped with stands and shelves, boxes and geometrical figures, mannequins or mere outlines of human bodies. Artificial flowers and placards enhance the decorative effect. A harmonious choice of colours, the use of mobile elements, certain light effects catch the eye too. 97
exhibition
brand
newspaper
Goods are successsfully introduced or popularized in the framework of exhibitions, arranged by a shop, by a store department, or in special exhibiting places. But visual “hooks” are not exclusively brought into play to make advertising operative, to give a brand a solid build-up. Radio or TV commercials may make a hit if they are accompanied by entertaining music and if they are not repeated until the goods they advertise have ceased to answer buyers‟ requirements. Newspaper Advertising. The methods of advertising in newspapers are very similar to those of the placard advertisments, but there is a distinct difference in many cases. Usually, a reader of a newspaper has more time to spend in reading the newspaper than he would care to give to the reading of the advertisments on a hoarding. While it is equally necessary to get his attention by some striking picture or lettering, when that attention is secured there are more opportunities for descriptive, illustrative, intelligible and literary matter. In deciding on the form of an advertisment which is to appear in the press, four considerations are necessary: 1. the particular class of periodical selected; 2. the position of the advertisment; 3. the subject-matter of the advertisment; 4. the effective display of the advertising matter. It is generally considered that the front page or the back page of a periodical is the best position for an advertisment, that the right-hand pages are better than the left-hand pages, and that advertisments opposite reading matter are better placed than those which are inserted among pages containing advertising matter only. The subject-matter is the most important of the advertisment, and the matter should be so arranged that it attracts the reader‟s attention and leaves a lasting impression on his mind. If the advertisment is for the purpose of extolling the virtues of a particular commodity, the impression left on the reader‟s mind should be such that he will remember the name and some of the advantages of that commodity. Many advertisments fail because the wording is such that it advertise an article generally, and does not leave a sufficiently lasting impression on the mind of the reader to make him think of a particular brand or make of an article. Careless wording, bad punctuation, poor display, or grammar mistakes will lessen the value of the advertisment, and, in the estimations of the reader, lower the standard of the advertising firm and the article advertised. VOCABULARY advertising – activitate de reclamă to advertise – a face reclamă advertisment – reclamă, anunţ persuasive – convingător to pounce on – a izbucni, a dezlănţui împotriva catch-phrase – expresie la modă to seep into – a pătrunde în placard – placardă; pancartă; afiş hoarding – panou pentru afişe hand-bill – mic prospect booklet – broşură circular – circulară; reclamă; prospect sample – mostră 98
lettering – (manieră de a scrie) literele subject-matter – obiect, tematică display – expunere to be inserted – a fi intercalat to be worded – a fi redactat, formulat wording – redactare, formulare brand – calitate to turn a blind eye to – a închide ochii la to tune in to – a prinde (un post de radio) street sign – firmă sandwich board – reclamă pe două placarde to secure one‟s attention – a atrage atenţia cuiva reading matter – material de citit left-hand pages – pagini cu soţ right-hand pages – pagini fără soţ to extol the virtue of a commodity – a lăuda calitatea mărfii people at large – păturile largi ale populaţiei no matter how hard we resist – oricât de mult ne împotrivim to make strong appeals – a acţiona puternic asupra to lend oneself to – a se preta la GRAMMAR THE PUNCTUATION MARKS (Semnele de punctuaţie) Punctuation Mark Rules . The “full stop” or “the Punctul se foloseşte: period” a) la sfârşitul unei propoziţii enunţiative ; b) după prescurtări grafice şi lexicale ; c) pentru separarea aşanumitului titlu lateral, adică a titlului care se scrie într-un rând cu textul ; Semnul exclamării se foloseşte la sfârşitul unei propoziţii exclamative care exprimă mirare, mâhnire, lipsă de încredere, indignare etc. or Semnul întrebării se foloseşte după întrebări speciale, generale, alternative şi disjunctive:
Examples Advertising may take many forms. e.g.; i.e.; Mr. X; Dr. Y; H. Sweet; N.Y. Placard Advertising. In case of placard advertising, the chief object of the appeal is to attract the attention of the general public.
! The exclamation mark
? The question interrogation mark
: The colon
What a fine building it is !
What‟s the aim of advertising? Can you speak about the forms of advertising? You‟ve read this letter, haven‟t you? Două puncte se folosesc: You remember his a) după cuvintele care words: introduc un citat sau un “I want to know how 99
text lung în vorbirea directă; b) înaintea unei enumerări sau după unele cuvinte ca: as, as follows, the following, thus; ; The semi-colon
„ The apostrophe
- The hyphen
– The dash
, The comma
long this state of things between us is to last.” We export the following goods: tinned meat, fish, vegetables and fruit, honey, foodstuffs and flowers. Punctul şi virgula The moon went down ; marchează o pauză mai the stars grew pale ; the mare decât cea redată cold day broke. prin virgulă. Punctul şi virgula se folosesc în fraza compusă prin coordonare. Apostroful se foloseşte How‟s business? pentru a arăta că o literă We‟ve read these sau două litere au fost classified advertisments. omise. Liniuţa de unire sau Up-to-date equipment. cratima se foloseşte Price-cutting. pentru a uni diferite părţi Subject-matter. ale unui cuvînt compus. Linia de despărţire se “She did not replace my foloseşte: a) pentru a mother – no one could separa două propoziţii do.” coordonate, legate fără Other shoe polishes just conjuncţie; clean your shoes – nicely, b) în interiorul propoziţiei cleanly, efficiently – but sau al frazei, pentru a E shoe polish lanolizes delimita cuvintele şi them. construcţiile parentetice “And all this long story sau apoziţiile explicative; was about – what do you c) pentru marcarea think?” pauzelor lungi în vorbirea Securing the problem of orală; commercials – i.e., the d) înaintea cuvintelor spoken and sung namely, i.e. după care, de advertisments – for the obicei, se pune virgula; moment, you find that there are five ways of making people particularly unhappy. Virgula se foloseşte: Trees, and bridges, and a) înaintea conjuncţiei houses were swept by the „and” la o enumerare flooded stream. care depăşeşte două My dear friend, Dear elemente; Sirs, Yours faithfully, b) după formule de Yours truly, introducere şi de On the 24th of May, 1982 încheiere în scrisori; 20 High Street, London, c) la date, între lună şi an, England iar la adrese între stradă, Nevertheless, large oraş şi stat; numbers of consumers 100
“” (Double) quotes, quotation mark, or inverted comas „‟ Single quotes
[ ] Brackets or square brackets
( ) Parantheses or marks of parantheses or (round) brackets
… The dots
d) pentru a despărţi conjuncţii, locuţiuni conjuncţiale sau adverbe ca: however, besides, moreover, that is, too, nevertheless, therefore, consequently, indeed, evidently, accordingly etc. de restul propoziţiei; e) după interjecţii; f) după propoziţii circumstanţiale de loc, timp sau condiţie; g) între propoziţii coordonate de orice fel; Ghilimelele se pun la începutul şi la sfârşitul unui citat; Ghilimelele simple se folosesc de obicei atunci când cuvântul separat prin ele se află în interiorul propoziţiei cuprinse între ghilimele duble; Ghilimelele simple se folosesc uneori şi în locul celor duble, dacă cuvintele amintite nu fac parte din vorbirea directă; Parantezele drepte sau rotunde se folosesc pentru scoaterea în evidenţă: (i) a unei părţi din text, (ii) a indicaţiilor bibliografice în literatura ştiinţifică, economică, tehnică, didactică sau de informaţie diversă; (iii) în transcrierea fonetică Punctele de suspensie se folosesc: a) pentru indicarea unei idei neterminate; b) pentru a marca pauzele lungi pe care le face vorbitorul, căutând expresiile, cuvintele cele mai potrivite sau lipsa unor cuvinte sau pasaje întregi dintr-un text citat. 101
prefer to buy goods that are advertised. I noticed another thing, moreover, which struck me greatly. Oh, Mary, my sweet girl! Well, there are many things I‟d like to tell you. If I meet him, I shall tell him about it. When the day broke, the wind blew harder and harder. It was bitterly cold, so we did not go out. “Those were his words”, she said. “Look at the „lady in grey‟, Gran; isn‟t she pretty today?” The word: „scientific‟ has a magic effect in the U.S.A. You may put up a notice. „Scalp massage‟: this is quite ineffective. But if you say: „Scientific scalp massage‟ – that is a different matter. All forms of advertising appeal to the prospective buyer‟s senses (sight and hearing, above all), to his feelings, to his understanding and reasoning capacity. “I don‟t want to write anybody else‟s articles” (J. Galsworthy) read [`ri:d] “You‟re fired …” He stared at him as he spoke… “How long are you planning to stay…?” “When one is young, you understand…”
EXERCISES I. Speak about: a) The aim of advertising. b) Forms of advertising. c) The subject-matter of the advertisment. II. Write some commercials for the following goods: tomato paste, refrigerators, computers, STIREX glassware, winter wind jackets. III. Explain the use of all the punctuation marks used in the text given below and then render its contents: Advertisments in America fill the newspapers and cover the walls, they are on the menu cards and in your daily post, on match boxes and on pamphlets, they are shouted through loud speakers and shown in the cinemas, flashed electrically and written on the sky by aeroplanes and whispered in front of your window while you sleep so that you should dream of tooth-paste, shoe polishes and soap flakes. Leaving the problem of commercials – i.e. the spoken and sung radio advertisments – for the moment, you find that there are five main ways of making people particularly unhappy. (…) The other approach on the same line is to give people statistics. You state, for instance, that AMALDA floor polish gives 42 per cent more shine to the floor with 37 per cent less effort than any other make. If anybody questions your statement and declares that its stupidity is too obvious for any child over the age of four, you smile in a superior way and explain to him that this has been „scientifically‟ proved. If he is still unconvinced, tell him that the real explanation lies in the fact that any other floor polish just cleans the floor but AMALDA platonizes it. (Abridged from “Advertisments” by G. Mikes) IV. Punctuate the following sentences: 1 Looking through the New Yorker magazine I met the following description of cars the car with youthful beauty that surrounds you with silent strength balanced beauty luxury reflected in every shining inch see its clean length knifing through clear cool air jewel bright beauty sculptured in steel There s nothing like a new car and there s never been a new car like this We proudly invite you to inspect it 2 One of the cars has a great deep breathing engine the engine of another is leanmuscled 3 But the advertisment I like best showed a picture of the car and underneath you read If you know the woman who should have this car you must admire her very much she s gentle strong and intensely feminine If you know this remarkable woman you d well adviced to marry her quickly If you re lucky you already have V. Translate into English: a) 1. Reclama comercială se referă la popularizarea mărfurilor, a magazinelor, a unor forme speciale de vânzare în scopul stimulării vânzărilor. 2. Reclama se foloseşte, de asemenea, în activităţile de prestări de servicii, turism, asigurări, transporturi şi altele. 3. Mijloacele de reclamă sunt variate, în funcţie de locul unde se organizează, de destinatarul lor. 4. Ca mijloace de reclamă se folosesc: marca de fabrică si de calitate, vitrina, afişul, anunţuri prin presă, radio, televiziune, cinematograf şi altele. 5. Reclama este o formă a publicităţii constând în difuziunea de informaţii privind anumite mărfuri şi servicii către eventuali cumpărători în scopul influenţării acestora. 102
LESSON TWO HOW TO STAGE SUCCESSFUL TRADE FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS trade fair
market
exhibition
to stage
to promote
fair
Romania‟s staging and participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions are ways of getting acquainted with the world technical progress, of stimulating the commercial activity of the foreign trade organizations, of extending business contracts, of gaining outlets, of getting directly aquainted with the markets and take advantage of the condition of the market, of adjusting Romanian-made goods to the foreign markets technical quality, display and packaging requirements to be in a position to sell directly to the end-user. In Romania there is a specialized enterprise – ITE, The Entreprise for Fairs and Exhibition, that stages every international and national fair and exhibition that take place in the Exhibition Complex of Bucharest. It also organizes Romania‟s official participation in fairs and exhibitions abroad, national and jubilee exhibitions, exhibitions in big department-stores abroad. The enterprise can also stage “turn key” exhibitions and fairs held elsewhere, granting technical assistance, carrying out the design, execution, assembling and dismantling jobs. The enterprise renders the following services for the fairs and exhibitions staged in Bucharest: - hires display areas in modern and spacious halls and open air platforms; - designs, builds and arranges panels; - secures the electric power for illumination purposes, for machinery and equipment on show; - carries out plumbing and electric installations, fits telex panels and telephone exchanges; - provides interpreters, skilled and unskilled workers; - hires publicity panels, organizes national days, receptions, cocktail parties and ensures guarded car parking areas. Any company wishing to participate in a fair or exhibition is interested in most favourable location of its stand, customs facilities, free visas, reduction of transport charges, decoration elements insurance, medical assistance and publicity. In order to make the staging or participating in a trade fair or exhibition be a success, certain principles can be carefully followed. A starting point is to establish realistic and precise objectives for participating in fairs and exhibitions. Companies go to fairs and exhibitions to launch new products, promote the existing ones, to meet the press for advertising purposes, and finally to sell the exibits or leave them on consignment or lease. Sometimes, firms simply participate to maintain competitive presence. But once the reasons of exhibiting have been defined the staff should work toward them. After the objectives have been settled next step is to choose the most appropriate exhibition or fair. Romanian experts in trade fairs and exhibitions advise companies to begin by identifying a number of likely trade fairs. The exhibitor should check which of the fairs are most suitable in terms of product themes, location and timing. To check if the organizer can provide audited data which give attendance records and visitor profiles. To contact companies that have exhibited before at the same show. Once a choise of exhibition has been made, every endeavour should be made to secure a good location where there is likely to be a steady flow of visitors. It is well to get the stand where is a major entrance, near a major 103
stand
exhibitor who is bound to attract a large number of visitors and not at the end of a blind alley, well away from the main focus of attention of the exhibition. Another principle of good exhibiting is to begin planning as far a year in advance, to avoid too much expense. Simple designs, tastefully furnished can be a success for sure. Not to make hasty changes to design that would work against the main theme of the message the company wants to put across. Another factor is to design the stand so that interviews can take place easily. If the potential customers stood about and were jostled instead of sitting and chatting calmly with the stand staff, they would soon got tired and no orders could be placed with. Since the stand staff are first people the trickle of visitors meet they must match the company‟s image, they should know everything about the product and be able to answer questions concerning the commercial agreements for its supply. Any exhibition or fair should strive for lower exhibiting costs, for economy of message and show quickly what the benefits to the customers are. VOCABULARY to stage – a organiza outlet – debuşeu to adjust – (aici) a adapta display – prezentare, expunere to grant – a acorda assembling – asamblare dismantling – demontare to hire – a închiria, a angaja appropriate – corespunzător, adecvat spacious – spaţios to plumb – a instala apă / gaze skilled – calificat location – amplasare to launch – a lansa to promote – a promova consignment – consignaţie lease – închiriere to jostle – a împinge de colo până colo insurance – asigurare to get acquainted with – a se familiariza cu to take advantage of – a profita de “turn-key” exhibition – expoziţie la cheie to render a service – a face un serviciu customs facilities – avantaje vamale audited data – date de revizie contabilă attendance records – date referitoare la participarea la expoziţii to make every endeavour – a face toate eforturile to put across – a prezenta the trickle of visitors – şir neîntrerupt de vizitatori to match the company‟s image – a se armoniza cu profilul companiei exhibitor – expozant floor space / platform floor – spaţiu acoperit world fair – târg internaţional leasing of premises – închiriere a localului
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GRAMMAR IF – CLAUSES ( Propoziţii condiţionale) Propoziţiile condiţionale se introduc prin următoarele cuvinte: if, if only, in case, on condition (that), provided (that), suppose (that), unless, as long as, whether … or, etc. Rules I. Propoziţii condiţionale care exprimă o acţiune reală. Când verbul din propoziţia condiţională exprimă o acţiune reală sau probabilă, modurile întrebuinţate sunt: indicativul în subordonată, indicativul sau imperativul în principală; Cu excepţia viitorului care nu se foloseşte în propoziţia condiţională, verbul predicativ poate fi la orice timp cerut de înţeles.
Examples - If you go to the exhibition, I can give you a lift. - If he isn’t here, he must be ill. - If you speak English, please translate this title for me.
II. Propoziţii condiţionale care exprimă o acţiune ireală. Modurile întrebuinţate sunt condiţionalul în principală şi subjonctivul în secundară. Condiţionalul prezent (principală) → Condiţionalul perfect (principală) →
- I should visit the fair if I could.
- If he enjoys appreciation, he earned it by hard work. (Present + Past) - If he didn’t answer my letter, how can I know about him? (Past – Present) - If he comes, I shall know it. (Present Future)
subjonctiv prezent (secundară) subjonctiv perfect (secundară) You would accept it at once if you knew about it. You would have accepted it at once if you had known about it. Întâlnim de multe ori should şi would în If you would call me, I should be propoziţii secundare condiţionale. În obliged to you. aceste cazuri should şi would sunt I should tell him the truth if I should verbe modale, nu auxiliare folosite la meet him formarea condiţionalului. The tenses in IF-CLAUSES Întrebuinţarea timpurilor în propoziţia condiţională este aceeaşi în limba engleză ca şi în limba română, cu următoarele excepţii: lb. română lb. engleză dacă voi fi If I am dacă voi fi fost If I have been dacă aş fi dacă aş fi fost
If I were If I had been
Examples
I should go if I am invited. I should stay if she has finished her meal. I should go if I were invited. I should have gone if I had been invited.
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Inversiunea în propoziţia condiţională se poate face când condiţionala secundară introdusă de if conţine unul dintre verbele to be, to have, could sau should. IF-CLAUSES If he were here, he would help us. If I had time, I should go there. If he had come yesterday, I should have asked him about it. If he should come tomorrow she would know about it.
IF OMITTED Were he here, he would help us. Had I time, I should go there. Had he come yesterday, I should have asked him about it. Should he come tomorrow, she would know about it.
EXERCISES I. Enlarge on: a) The advantage of staging and participating in international fairs and exhibitions; b) The ITE‟s rendering services for the fairs and exhibitions staged in Bucharest; c) The principles which make staging and participating in fairs and exhibitions be a success for sure. II. Build up sentences after the model below: Model: If the fair (to be) a success they (to get) orders placed with them. If the fair were a succes they would get orders placed with them. If the fair had been a success they would have got orders placed with them. 1. If products of several economic branches (to be) on display, the fairs and exhibitions (to be) general. 2. If a certain branch of science, technique, agriculture (to be represented) exclusively, the fairs and exhibitions (to be) specialized. 3. If the exhibition (to last) longer, we (can get acquainted with) the technological flow of these machinery. 4 If they (to carry out) proper studies in advance, we (can leave) the exhibits on consignment or lease. 5. If the company (to reach) previously an agreement with the acency on the range of exhibits, they (can set up) a successful stand. III. Change the conditional sentences omitting “if”: 1. If you should decide to stage a specialized exhibition with us we will endeavour to give you full satisfaction. 2. If they had inquired about the audit data, they wouldn‟t have experienced such troubles. 3. If they were to participate in the fair, they would have to arrange with the agency for the range of exhibits. 4. If business should result, we can let you have first class references. 5. If they had asked for information, we should have let them have it. IV. Fill in the blanks with the required tense: 1. They (to reach) the top of the mountain before the dark if they (to start) earlier. 2. I (to come) and see you off if I (not to live) so far away. 3. If we (to have) no luggage, we (to walk) home. 4. I (to meet) you if I (to know) of your arrival. 5. Everything (to be) all right, if she (to be) here tomorrow. 6. If it (to stop) raining, you (can) go for a walk. 7. We (to ship) the goods yesterday if we (to receive) the telegram. 8. They (to reach) the town earlier if they (to walk) faster.
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LESSON THREE TOURIST INDUSTRY AND TOURISTIC ACTIVITY tourism
tourist
foreign tourism tourist industry
market basket
visitors
domestic tourism accomodation tourist production
tourism services
Foreign tourism is one of the most profitable forms of economic relations.Development of international tourism like the expansion of world trade, as a whole, has been extremely uneven. Tourism appears to be growing at roughly the same rate as economic activity. The developed industrial countries are roughly divided into tourist exporting countries such as West European countries, Great Britain, France and Germany and also the United States and Canada and tourist importing countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece, Switzerland and Austria. Foreign tourism and domestic tourism clearly can and for many countries have already become a substantial source of national budget revenue, an industry. The tourist industry may, like any other industries, be measured from the point of view of inputs and / or outputs. The key inputs to the tourist industry are considered to be public goods characterized by external effects to their use such as transportation and land. Anything purchased by a tourist qua tourist may be considered as part of this industry. The market basket of such tourist purchases (and therefore the factors of production demanded in producing the goods and services involved) varies among countries, within countries by income level and over time. Changes in the mix of the tourist “market basket” and the markedly different composition of this basket between countries and groups of persons compound the problem of choosing a tourist industry yardstick. Such a yardstick can be the international tourist that has been defined as any person visiting a country, other than that in which he usually resides for a period of at least 24 hours. Those persons visiting a foreign country for less than 24 hours have been defined “excursionists”. Tourists together with excursionists comprise visitors – word that describes any person visiting a country other than that in which he resides, for any other reason than following an occupation remunerated from within the country visited. But the definition can be extended to all tourists both domestic and international, by defining a tourist as anyone who is away at least overnight from his residential place for any other reason than that following an occupation remunerated from within the area visited. On this basis, tourist nights spent in lodging accomodation would be a measure of the quantity of tourist production. It would be reasonable to assume that tourists who purchase lodging output are tourist production importers and the countries that make available such lodging output are tourist production exporters. Accommodation output may be used as the best available yardstick for the tourist industry. Accommodation output includes: a) hotels and similar establishments(boarding, houses, inns and motels) and b) supplementary means of tourist accommodation (youth hotels, recreation cetres for children, holiday centres, camping sites, mountain huts and shelters, sanatoria and convalescent homes, rented rooms and apartments). The demand for tourism by nationals of each country can be thought of as composed of a demand for tourism services within the country (domestic tourism) and of tourism services provided to the nationals of the country by other countries (international tourism). The tourist sector is characterized by exceptionally strong mutual relationships between formally independent enterprises. In a tourist resort or centre there is a need for the presence in appropriate quantity and quality of transport, hotel, catering and entertainment enterprises, tourist attractions like 107
beaches, ski slopes, historical sites, museums, auxiliary services and shopping facilities. Tourism is a potential economic factor influencing the development of international trade. It is a tertiary industry which creates prosperity through the development of communications, transportation, accommodation, catering and other consumer services. The expansion of foreign tourist travel is of a considerable importance for the economic development of any country and it is a way of consolodating contacts and a better understanding among nations. VOCABULARY roughly – în mare revenue – venit (al statului) qua – (prep)., ca purchase – cumpărătură yardstick – etalon resort – staţiune shelter – adăpost (aici) la munte hut – colibă, cabană lodging accommodation – cazare în hoteluri, motele demand for tourism – cerere turistică boarding houses – pensiune camping site – loc de parcare historical site – loc istoric amenajări – arrangements, improvements care se bazează – looking back on instalaţii de traducere simultană – language monitoring equipment GRAMMAR THE ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF PURPOSE (Propoziţia finală sau de scop) Propoziţia finală sau de scop răspunde la întrebările why = (what for?), for what purpose (= în ce scop?). Verbul în general este la subjonctiv dar se preferă constucţiile cu infinitivul. Rules I. Se introduce prin conjuncţii: a) that
Examples următoarele I get up early that I may be in time at the office. Close the window so that it will be warm. They travel a lot in order that they might see the world. They wear an umbrella lest the clothes should be spoiled. They wouldn‟t let us climb the mountain without a guide, for fear we should get lost.
b) so that c) in order that d) lest e) for fear II. De cele mai multe ori propoziţiile se introduc în limba engleză prin:
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a) infinitive b) in order to c) for…+ infinitive III. With a view to + -ing
I get up early to be in time at the office. She left early in order to keep her appointment. They changed the train for the travel to be shorter. Our country‟s new hotels have been built with a view to extending tourist industry.
EXERCISES I. Enlarge on: a) Tourism in the world – exporters of tourists, importers of tourists; b) Foreign and domestic tourism as source of budget revenue; c) Tourist industry measurement; d) Tourist output; e) Demand for tourism – its important factors; f) Tourism as a potential economic factor in the development of international trade. II. Fill in the blanks, expressing a purpose, after the model below: Model: They called them up…their friends not to be surprised at their arrival. They called them up lest their friends should be surprised at their arrival. They called them up in order that their friends might not be surprised at their arrival. They called them up so that their friends would not be surprised at their arrival. 1. They organized two trips in the mountains…they (not to be dissatisfied). 2. I didn‟t send you my notes…you (not to read) them. 3. The fatherrang up his son… he(not to forget) to buy theatre tickets. 4. He sent them a telegram… they (not to be away) when they arrived. Model: Put on your coat… Put on your coat that you should not catch cold. Put on your coat in order that you should not catch cold. Put on your coat lest you should catch cold. 1. Let me know about the meeting.. 2. Don‟t speak so loud.. 3. Be careful while packing this beautiful vase.. 4. Hurry up.. 5. Spell this word again.. 6. When setting off on a journey tourists never take much luggage.. 7. I put the flowers into a vase.. III. Translate into English: 1. S-au construit şi se construiesc hotele noi şi moderne pentru a asigura o bază corespunzătoare unei industrii turistice moderne. 2. În vederea redeschiderii sezonului turistic de iarnă se fac din ce în ce mai multe amenajări. 3. Noi unităţi comerciale se vor da în funcţiune în apropierea hotelului pentru ca turiştii să-şi facă cumpărăturile în zona hotelului. 4. Cazarea este considerată etalonul cel mai eficient în vederea măsurării producţiei turistice. 5. A învăţat suficientă engleză ca să poată citi cărţi în original. 6. S-au urcat pe tarasa hotelului ca să vadă plaja. 7. Ar fi bine să notezi aceste lucruri ca să nu le uiţi. 8. Filmul era atât de plicticos încât am plecat printre primii.
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LESSON FOUR FOREIGN TRADE COMPOSITION – DEVELOPMENT TRENDS foreign trade
world output
machinery equipment
world market
export
import
The physical composition of foreign trade, i.e. its structure by groups of products, is a qualitative expression of Romania‟s participation in the international economic collaboration. The evolution of the physical structure of Romanian foreign trade has been brought about by the deep changes wrought in the national economy. Industrialization, technological progress, modernization of the production pattern, are factors which had their impact on the mutations characteristic of Romanian foreign trade. These mutations bear their stamp particularly on the growing volume and share of exports of the mechanical engineering, chemical and light industries. These three branches are the most dynamic both in the world output and in the world trade, their dynamism being confirmed by the Romanian economy. At present, the group which prevails in Romanian exports is that of machinery, equipment and means of conveyance, as a result of the achievements scored in the industrialization and modernization of production. High quotas have been held by a series of machinery and equipment whose production has been developed not only to cover domestic needs, but also to leave availabilities for export and which have faced the competition in the world market. It should be noted that Romania is a famous producer of oilfield equipment and a good exporter of tractors. Moreover, the export product coverage includes electronic computation techniques, precision engineering telecommunication equipment and a large range of products of high technological performances such as: universal lathes, automated and vertical lathes, sequential programme machine tools, specialized machine tools, aggregate lines etc. It is likewise highlighted the very speedy dynamics of chemicals, fertilizers and rubber which triggered off a growing share of this group within total exports. Within this group the pride of place is taken by the export of fertilizers, soda ash, synthetic resins, black carbon, detergents, lacquers and paints, carbide, synthetic rubber, medical drugs etc. As for industrial consumer goods, they held an overwhelming share within total exports. The range covers furniture, textile, glassware, fine household ceramics, footwear and leather goods. Agricultural products and foodstuffs hold a lower share within Romanian exports than that of industrial products. From among this product coverage one can mention meat and meat preparations, oil, vegetables, fruit, wine, dairy products, honey etc. Last but not least, fuels, mineral raw materials and metals make up a group which continues to hold an important place within exports. It should be noted that as a result of the development of the processing industry and given the limited character of natural resources, Romania has made great investments and efforts to locate and turn to account these resources. Romania imports crude oil but exports oil products and the second place within the exports of this group is taken by nonferrous rolled goods and pipes. As far as the physical composition of imports is concerned, machinery and equipment, fuel, raw materials and metals are to be considered. Despite the fact that the mechanical engineering industry ensures a large share of the required machinery and equipment it cannot cover nor it would be efficient to do so because of the technological and scientific explosion, of the high rate 110
natural resources
industrialization drive, and of the greater participation of our country in the international labour division. Fuels, raw materials and metals account for a bigger share within Romanian imports. This is a consequence of the shortage of certain natural resources and of the necessity to develop specialization and co-operation in production of non-ferrous rolled goods and pipes. We import crude oil, coke, coking coal, iron ore, non-ferrous metals (cooper, nickel, tin etc.) On the whole, reviewing the composition of Romanian exports and imports it is obvious that Romanian foreign trade has undergone progressive changes in its physical structure. VOCABULARY composition – (aici) structură wrought – past şi part. de la work (inv. sau poetic) a-şi face loc cu greu (aici) pattern – structură impact – influenţă, înrâurire mutation – mutaţie, schimbare share – cotă to prevail – a predomina conveyance – transport availability – disponibilitate performance – randament lathe – strung sequential – secvenţial to highlight – a scoate în relief lacquer – lac overwhelming – copleşitor leather – piele, pielărie fuel – combustibil to devise - inventa, a descoperi changes wrought – schimbări care au avut loc to bear the stamp on – a purta amprenta product coverage – gamă de produse to trigger off – a declanşa, a impulsiona, a activiza the pride of place is taken by – un loc de frunte este deţinut de soda ash – sodă calcinată black carbon – negru de fum to account for – a justifica, a reprezenta processing industry – industrie prelucratoare to undergo changes – a suferi schimbări rolled goods – produse laminate ore – minereu GRAMMAR THE CAUSATIVE VERBS (Verbele cauzative) Causative Verbs Examples a) HAVE – se foloseşte când altcineva They had the mechanic repair the decât subiectul propoziţiei face machine. acţiunea. b) MAKE – exprimă folosirea forţei We made them check these optical 111
fizice sau determinarea cuiva să facă devices. acţiunea. c) GET – exprimă o convingere They got the company representative to export the goods. N.B. Verbul TO LET cu sens de to allow / permit (a permite) se poate folosi cu aceeaşi structură ca aceea a verbelor to have şi to make deşi nu este verb cauzativ. Verbul TO HELP cu sensul de to assist (ajuta) poate înlocui structurile cauzative ale verbelor to have şi to make. THE ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF CAUSE (Propoziţia circumstanţială de cauză) Rules Propoziţia cauzală se introduce prin: a) because; b) for the reason that; c) since d) as;
Examples He borrowed her case because he didn’t have one of his. He failed to ring me up for the reason that he was really angry with me. Since they had no trucks they had to hire them. As it is already late, you had better go.
EXERCISES I. Enlarge upon: 1. The physical composition of the Romanian foreign trade. 2. The quotas held by a series of machinery and equipment in Romania‟s exports. 3. The physical composition of Romania‟s imports. II. Supply with prepositions: 1. … the whole, reviewing the composition … Romanian exports and imports it is obvious that Romanian foreign trade has undergone progressive changes … its physical structure. 2. … the Research Programme there is a steady concern … … expanding the country‟s own stock … raw materials; … devising new technologies … reducing consumption. 3. Romania should become self-contained … terms … energy and fuel. III. Change because to because of in the following sentences. Make any other necessary changes: We don‟t feel like working at night because we are tired. 2. We don‟t feel like working now because our assignments are difficult. 3. They didn‟t make any efforts to process these materials because they were already reprocessed. 4. These goods didn‟t hold a high quota in the exports because they were produced in a limited range. 5. They didn‟t buy coking coal because the price was too high. 6. They didn‟t manufacture the equipment because it wasn‟t efficient. IV. Fill in the blanks with as, because, since, whereas, considering that; seeing that; on the ground that: 1. I didn‟t go to the machine-tools exhibition … I was tired. 2. … their efforts have not been successful yet, we shall persist. 3. … he never takes part in 112
negotiations, how can be give a good answer in writing? 4. … they are late we left for the station. 5. They rejected the goods … the quality was inferior to that ordered. 6. … the technological and scientific explosion the machinery designing changes very swiftly. 7. We didn‟t say anything … they were too tired. V. Translate into English: 1. L-am determinat să participe la simpozionul ştiinţific. 2. Văzând că expoziţia s-a închis, am vizitat muzeul de istorie. 3. M-a ajutat să-mi verific maşina. 4. I-au angajat să repare maşinile. 5. I-au pus să ambaleze piesele de schimb pentru strungurile cele noi. 6. Deoarece nevoile interne pentru cărbune au fost satisfăcute, s-a putut îndeplini planul la export. 7. Deoarece sunt foarte ocupat, nu te voi putea însoţi la expoziţie. 8. Dat fiind că şi-a amânat concediul, va putea participa la şedinţă.
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LESSON FIVE THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND International Monetary Fund monetary co-operation
economic management exchange rate
Fund payment
financial markets
economic system
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of countries that seeks to promote international monetary co-operation and to facilitate the expansion of trade, and thus to contribute to increased employment and improved economic conditions in all member countries. To achieve its purpose the Fund has a code of economic behaviour for its members, makes financing available to members in balance of payments difficulties, and provides them with technical assistance to improve their economic management. Romania adhered to the International Monetary Fund on the 12 th of December, 1972. Member countries undertake to collaborate with the Fund and with each other to ensure orderly exchange arrangements and a stable system of exchange rates, together with a multilateral system of payments that is free from restrictions and thus promotes balance in the payments among countries. Members are free to choose the form of exchange arrangements that they intend to apply, subject to their obligations to the Fund and to its surveillance of their exchange rate policies. The Fund maintains a large pool of financial resources that it makes available to member countries – temporarily and subject to conditions – to enable them to carry out programmes to remedy their payments deficits without resorting to restrictive measures that would adversely affect national and international prosperity. Members make repayments to the Fund so that its resources are used on a revolving basis and are continuously available to countries facing payments difficulties. The policy adjustments that countries make in connection with the use of Fund resources support their creditworthiness and thus facilitate their access to credit from other official sources and from private financial markets. Both the regulatory and the financing features of the Fund‟s policies contribute to the promotion of adjustment of inbalances in members‟ international payments. These policies evolve in response to changing world economic conditions and the needs of the Fund members. They apply equally to all member countries, whether industrial or developing, whether their payments are in deficit or surplus, and regardless of their economic system. Membership in the Fund is a prerequisite to membership in the World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development), and close working relationships exist between the two organizations as well as between the Fund and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The Fund is a specialized agency within the United Nations system, co-operating with the U.N. on matters of mutual interest. The work of the Fund is carried out through a Board of Governors, an Executive Board, a Managing Director, and a staff. Each member country is represented by a Governor and an Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors, which is the Fund‟s highest authority and which meets annually. The Fund conducts a consultation with each member country – in principle annually – to appraise the member‟s economic and financial situation and policies. Consultations are primary means through which the Fund fulfils its obligations to exercise surveillance of members‟ exchange rate policies. They also help to keep the Fund in a position to deal promptly with members‟ requests to use the Fund‟s resources and with proposed changes in exchange practices that are subject to approval by the Fund. Members also provide the Fund with a steady flow of information on their economies. 114
balance of payments
economic policy
exchange
The financial resources of the Fund are available under a variety of permanent and temporary facilities to help members meet balance of payments needs. Purposes of the Fund 1. To promote international monetary co-operation through a permanent institution which provides the machinery for consultation and collaboration on the international monetary problems. 2. To facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade, and to contribute thereby to the promotion and maintenance of high levels of employment are real income and to the development of the productive resources of all members as primary objectives of economic policy. 3. To promote exchange stability, to maintain orderly exchange arrangements among members, and to avoid competitive exchange depreciation. 4. To assist in the establishment of a multilateral system of payments in respect of current transactions between members and in the elimination of foreign exchange restrictions which hamper the growth of world trade. 5. To give confidence to members by making the general resources of the Fund temporarily available to them under adequate safeguards, thus providing them with opportunity to correct maladjustments in their balance of payments without resorting to measures destructive of national or international prosperity. 6. In accordance with the above, to shorten the duration and lessen the degree of disequilibrium in the international balances of payments of members. VOCABULARY to trade – a face comerţ employment – angajare behaviour – comportament to adhere – a adera to undertake – a se angaja, a-şi asuma răspunderea payment – plată surveillance – supraveghere pool – (aici) fond comun adversely – nefavorabil adjustment – adaptare, ajustare creditworthiness – solvabilitate promotion – promovare to draft – a redacta to amend – a revizui membership – caliatea de membru to oversee – a supraveghea to appraise – a evalua, a estima subscription – cotizaţie to hamper – a împiedica safeguard – garanţie balance of payments – balanţa de plăţi free from – fără, scutit de subject to –în baza to carry out – a duce la îndeplinire, a traduce în viaţă on a revolving basis – prin rotaţie to face payment difficulties – a fi confruntat cu dificultăţi financiare to resort to – a recurge la in response to – ca urmare a 115
Board of Governors – Consiliul Guvernatorilor Managing Director _ Director Administrativ Alternate Governor – Guvernator Supleant Executive Board – Consiliul Executiv effective operation – administrare efectivă flow of information – flux de informaţii exchange depreciation – deprecierea ratei de schimb in respect of – cu privire la foreign exchange – devize share – acţiune bonds – obligaţiuni, titluri stocks – obligaţiuni, hârtii de valoare, acţiuni net proceed – venit net national income – venit naţional per capita income – venit pe locuitor asset – activ, bun, profit liability - pasiv GRAMMAR THE AUXILIARY VERBS (Verbele Auxiliare) Rules Verbul TO BE : I. ca verb noţional înseamnă: 1. to exist
Examples
There are some good libraries in our town. 2. to take place, to happen That seminar was last week. 3. to go (to visit, to attend) numai I have been to see the exhibition. cu timpurile perfecte II. ca semi-auxiliar se foloseşte: 1. ca verb de legătură It was already late by the time we reached the camp. 2. ca parte a unui predicat verbal pentru a exprima : a) un aranjament reciproc Do not forget that we are to meet a few minutes before we start on the trip b) un ordin indirect (în vorbirea The teacher says that you are to learn indirectă) all these lessons for the written paper. c) ceva palnificat pentru viitor
A new book on the subject is to appear by the end of the month. d) ceva considerat de neînlăturat, posibil The rules are to be obeyed. sau potrivit III. ca verb auxiliar se foloseşte pentru a forma : 1. aspectul continuu The days are getting shorter and shorter. 2. forma pasivă They are taught two foreign languages. 3. ca răspuns la întrebări Is she here? Yes, she is. 4. întrebări disjunctive He is not a student of this faculty, is 116
he? Verbul TO HAVE I. ca verb noţional înseamnă: 1. to posses 2. to hold 3. to eperience
She has a good knowledge of English and French. He had a book in his hand. I had difficulties in solving all those problems.
II. ca verb semi-auxiliar se foloseşte : 1. în expresiile : to have a look, to have a swim, to have a smoke, etc. 2. ca parte a unui predicat verbal pt. a exprima datoria sau obligaţia. III. ca auxiliar se foloseşte pentru a forma : - timpurile perfecte Verbul TO DO I. ca verb noţional înseamnă : 1. a face, a executa, a îndeplini, a realiza 2. a conveni, a fi de ajuns 3. a termina, în timpurile perfecte sau participiul trecut II. ca verb auxiliar se foloseşte la : 1. construirea formei interogative şi interogativ-negative a verbelor 2. accentuează ideea exprimată de verb Verbul TO LET I. ca verb noţional înseamnă: 1. a lăsa, a permite 2. a închiria II. ca verb auxiliar se foloseşte pentru a forma : - imperativul
Let me have a look at your exercise. We had a long walk together. You have to finish your work sooner. She had to look after an old friend of hers. He told us he had seen the play.
She did that at a record time. This will do for a day‟s work. I have done with her.
Do they often come to see you? Does he not speak French too? He does assist them with their work.
Let me have a look at your work. They are looking for an apartment to let. Let them come with you!
EXERCISES I. Enlarge on: a) The purpose of establishing the International Monetary Fund; b) The means employed by the Fund to achieve its purposes; c) The member countries‟ obligations to the Fund; d) The Fund‟s responsibility to ensure the effective operation of the international monetary system. II. Ask questions to which the following sentences would be the answer: 1. The Fund maintains a large pool of financial resources temporarily and subject to conditions. 2. Members make repayments to the Fund so that its resources are used on a revolving basis. 3. Both the regulatory and the financing features of the Fund‟s policies contribute to the promotion of adjustment of inbalances. 4. Membership in the Fund is a prerequisite to membership in the World Bank.
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5. The Fund has the responsibility to ensure the effective operation of the international monetary system. 6. The Fund‟s system of quotas is one of its central features. III. Fill in the blanks with the necessary auxiliary verb: to be, to have, to do, to let: 1. They…receive a prize. 2. You translated better than she…3. What…you…if they tell you to leave now? 4….you attend yesterday‟s demonstration? 5. I…to finish my summary. 6. We…to meet either today in the afternoon or tomorrow morning. 7. You…not careful enough. 8. I enjoyed translating the text through I…to look up so many words in the dictionary. 9…them go if they want to. 10. The I.M.F…an organization that seeks to promote international monetary cooperation. 11. To achieve its purpose the Fund …a code of economic behaviour. 12. The Fund…based on an international treaty. 13. They…insist on facilitating the expansion of international trade. IV. Translate into English: 1. Am fost să ascult prelegerea. 2. Era timpul să hotărâm cumpărarea materialului. 3. Urmează să ne întâlnim către seară. 4. Vor fi colaboratorii noştri timp de mai multe luni. 5. Lucrează la acest material de aproape o lună. 6. Este expert în probleme economice. 7. Li s-au dat toate datele. 8. Are întrebările pregătite. 9. Te rog nu te supăra! 10. La început am avut greutăţi pe care am crezut că nu le voi putea depăşi. 11. În curând va trebui să-mi aleg subiectul lucrării de diplomă. 12. Mi-a spus că a participat la adunare. 13. Vă convine să ne întâlnim mâine? 14. Odată lucrarea făcută voi putea să-mi iau câteva zile de concediu. 15. Nu vin prea des pe la noi. 16. Să nu permiţi nimănui să ne deranjeze. 17. Lasă-i să plece, au terminat ce aveau de lucru.
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LESSON SIX ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION co-operation
international economic order
joint ventures
capital
market
exports
Romania is a strong advocate of international co-operation in the economic, technical, scientific and cultural fields. In full consensus with her foreign policy, Romania takes an active part in the world economic flow, considering trade and the economic, technological and scientific collaboration as factors of the development of each country and of the progress of the whole world, as a material support for a peaceful collaboration among countries and peoples, for the establishment of a new international economic order. Romania is continuously enlarging its links with the neighbouring countries, with all the other states. Acting in the spirit of peaceful coexistence, Romania is also enlarging its co-operation with the developed and developing capitalist countries, with all the sates of the world, regardless of social system, actively participating in the world exchange of values. The diversity of these relations is exemplified by Romania‟s participation in GATT, in the IMF and in the World Bank and by the signature of a great number of agreements covering various forms of co-operation. All forms of cooperation aim at developing raw material and energy supplies, at offering access to advanced technology and at stimulating our country‟s exports of goods and technology. Romania has entered partnerships abroad in the construction of industrial units, provision of Romanian equipment and know-how in geologic exploration, provision of turn-key projects, establishment of joint ventures and also in the field of technical assistance. The construction of industrial plants abroad is an important instrument of export promotion for machinery and equipment. In the last years, Romania has taken part in the construction of industrial units connected to be chemical industry, petroleum, wood procesing and building materials, mechanical and electrical engineering. Romania‟s participation in joint ventures abroad have various purposes. Some of them are related to production, others to promoting the export of Romanian products. These forms lay a solid and steadfast basis of the foreign economic relations, allow for technology transfers, for technical assistance, and favour inflows of capital and credits. Production-oriented joint ventures deal with mining, agroindustries, the exploitation of tropical hardwood, light industry, machine buildind, construction materials, rubber, transports. Some companies are related to servicing and assembling activities. Commercial joint-ventures serve mainly marketing objectives. They are important for establishing Romania‟s permanent presence in foreign markets. Participation in commercial firms abroad enables Romanian products to be sold through the already existing distribution networks, to keep adequate stocks of spare parts and to perform essential servicing jobs. Romania has also increased its exports and technical and consultancy services, particularly in chemicals, power and petroleum refinery. International economic and technical co-operation, within Romania has also developed. Several joint ventures have been established operating in the production and marketing of chemical fibres, electro-medical equipment, feedstuff, passenger cars and others. Operating in the areas of advanced 119
technological requirements, the companies will contribute to increasing Romania‟s export potential by providing new production lines and by upgrading existing ones. Training programmes in these plants are to contribute to the dissemination of technical and organizational know-how. Romania places its relations with all states on the firm basis of the principles of fully equal rights, respect for national independence – principles widely acknowledged in the world as the only ones on the basis of which one can develop fruitful collaboration among states, and a climate of international peace and security. VOCABULARY advocate – susţinător agreement – contract, înţelegere, acord feedstuff – furaje to upgrade – a îmbunătăţi, a ridica pe o treaptă superioară dissemination – răspândire to enter partnerships with – a se asocia cu turn-key project – proiect predat la cheie joint venture – companie mixtă joint – în comun distribution network – reţea de distribuţie spare parts – piese de schimb third markets – terţe pieţe working meeting – întâlnire de lucru GRAMMAR THE CONJUNCTION (Conjuncţia) Conjuncţiile sunt cuvinte de legătură care nu au înţeles independent şi se folosesc pentru a lega cuvinte, grupuri de cuvinte sau propoziţii într-o frază. Conjuncţiile sunt invariabile. Rules Examples I. Din punct de vedere al formei conjuncţiile pot fi: 1. simple: and, or, if, when, that, since, I know that you will do what you are why, but, etc. told. I came earlier since you needed me. 2. compuse: although, otherwise, You have been there therefore you however, therefore, notwithstanding, can give us all the details. besides, etc. 3. complexe: as if, as though, as soon as, I shall join the party as soon as I as long as, so that, even if, as well as, finish my work. etc. 4. locuţiuni conjunctivale: in case that, He had to study for the exams, that is on condition that, provided that, in order why he could not go to the that, no matter how, etc. mountains. 5. corelative: either…or, neither…nor, The day was both cold and wet. both…and, no sooner…than, not…but, This summer we shall go either to the not so…as, not…neither, not only…but mountains or to the seaside, we didn‟t also, as…as, whether…or, though…yet, decide yet. etc. 120
II. Din punct de vedere al funcţiei lor conjuncţiile pot fi: 1. conjuncţii coordonatoare: I had a very busy day, besides I didn‟t a) copulative: and, besides, as well as, know you had bought the tickets for both…and, no less than, neither…nor, the show. nor…either, not either, not only…but The trip was both interesting and also, pleasant. b) adversative: but, but then, whereas, He tried to explain but I didn‟t while, however, still, etc understand. c) disjunctive: either…or, or, otherwise, The speech will be delivered in either else, or else, etc. French or English. d) cauzal-consecutive: for, therefore, It was getting late so she decided to accordingly, consequently, that is why leave. 2. conjuncţii subordonatoare: I shall let you know as soon as I am a) de timp: when, after, till, until, while, ready. all the time, whenever, as soon as, so It was still daylight when we reached long as, the resort. b) de loc: wherever, where, whence, Wait for the holidays and you can go whether, as far as, etc. wherever you like. c) de mod: as, as if, as though, so far as, They behave as if they never heard of etc it. d) de cauză: for, because, as, since, etc. I couldn‟t go to the theatre because I was too tired. e) de scop: so that, in order that, for We didn‟t take that road for fear we fear, lest, so as, etc. could have difficulties with our car. f) comparative: than, as if, as…as, not I think the concert was not so good as so…as, etc. he said. g) concesive: although, in spite of, We continued our walk although we notwithstanding that, even if, etc. felt tired. h) consecutive: so that, such…that, that, She enjoyed staying there so much etc that she decided to go there every winter holidays. i) condiţionale: if, neither, Unless you stop speaking I can‟t unless, on condition that, concentrate on my work. provided, supposing, in case, etc. I cannot say now whether I shall ii) subiective: that, as, whether, accept the assignment or not. etc. k) predicative: that, if, whether, as if, etc. The problem is whether they shall have the time to rehearse or not. l) completive: that, if, whether, where, when, why, etc. He told me where I could fiind all the m) atributive: that, as if, etc. necessary material. He nodded as if he understood what was all about. EXERCISES I. Enlarge upon: 1. Romania‟s position as regards economic co-operation. 2. The purpose of production – oriented joint ventures. 3. The purpose of commercial joint ventures.
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II. Join the following simple statements into one sentence using the joining words in brackets: 1. Romania was one of the founding members of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. It shares intensely in the work of this organization (not only…but also). 2. Romania insists on fully equal rights. It insists on respect for national independence (both…and). 3. Romania does not accept unequal rights. It does not accept non-observance of national independence (neither…nor). 4. Romania participates in joint ventures abroad. It participates in joint ventures inside the country (both…and). III. Place the adverb of indefinite time in brackets in the right place: 1. Romania has entered partnerships abroad (often). 2. Romania has been an advocate of international co-operation (always). 3. Romania has been an advocate of war (never). 4. Co-operation on equal terms is profitable for both parties (always). 5. Noninterference in domestic affairs is spoken (often). 6. Renunciation of the use and threat of force is not accepted by some countries (always). 7. Romania has upheld its principles (often). IV. Show the difference in meaning between the sentences in pairs: 1. Only the chairman objected to the last proposal. The chairman objected only to the last proposal. 2. I don‟t particularly want to go there now. I particularly don‟t want to go there now. 3. He said finally he hoped to bring the negotiations to a satisfactory conclusion. He said he hoped finally to bring the negotiations to a satisfactory conclusion. 4. As we had anticipated, the scheme didn‟t work out in practice. The scheme didn‟t work out in practice as we had anticipated. 5. The committee as a whole considered the situation wad good. The committee considered the situation as a whole was good. V. Supply suitable conjunctions: 1. We shall leave…by the 8 o‟clock train…in the afternoon. 2. …soon…she felt better she resumed her work. 3. She…reads English…speaks it well. 4. …we approached the town it grew darker…darker. 5. You did not tell me…I could find the book. 6. I don‟t know…he will be able to come or not. 7. She behaves…she didn‟t know what to do. 8. …I were you I should take advantage of their knowledge of English. 9. She didn‟t come…she promised. 10. Do not promise…you are prepared to help. 11. It is difficult…I never did such a work before. 12. She speaks…she had been there. 13. I am not interested in the show…I am very busy now. 14. Don‟t come…I call you. 15. I shall ring you up…soon…I arrive in town.16. I shall come…there is something else to keep me. VI. Supply if or unless: 1. You won‟t reach the railway station in time…you start now. 2. …I am mistaken he was a professor of English. 3. …you decide to go you should let us know. 4. You will not be able to finish your work in time…you work at least one hour every day. 5. I should not have found out…you had not told me. 6. She will fail…she asks a teacher to help her. 7. They will not come…you insist. 8. …I were not sure I should not advise you.
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LESSON SEVEN MARKETING – PAST AND PRESENT
marketing
Before you read (Înainte de a citi): Try to answer these questions (încercaţi să răspundeţi la aceste întrebări): 1. What is marketing? 2. How did it develop? 3. What is the modern concept of marketing? Try to define these terms as they are used in marketing (încercaţi să definiţi aceşti termeni aşa cum sunt ei folosiţi în marketing): produce, producer, product, production; consume, consumer, consumption; ultimate consumer; services; distribution; transfer of ownership; medium of exchange; production oriented; seller’s market (buyer’s market); consumer good; industrial good; target market; channeling strategy; promotion strategy; pricing strategy. All of this terms are used in the following reading (toţi aceşti termini sunt folosiţi în textul care urmează). As you read (În timp ce citiţi) Read as quickly and smoothly as you can. Read the main ideas, not details. Do not stop to translate. Do not stop to look up new words.
market
barter
goods
production consumer consumption
services
The history of marketing may be nearly as long as the history of man on earth. In its earliest form, the “market” may have consisted of only two people. Each knew that the other had something that he wanted at that time: some grain, an animal, or a tool. The two people simply exchanged their goods. In order to have a fair exchange, they both had to agree on the value of utility of what they were offering to trade. But barter had its problems. If one man exchanged a cow for 200 fish, he might not be able to use all 200 fish, and so he would loose both his cow and the value of the fish he could not use. People then began to accept certain objects in exchange for any product. They had to agree on the value of these objects, which became the first money. So people began to specialize in the production of goods for others‟ consumption, and others began to offer services. An increasing complex marketing system was born. As a society‟s total economy becomes more complex, so does the function of marketing. Production becomes more highly specialized. Producers and consumers become more widely separated, and so do the centres of production and consumption. It is not very likely now that two people will meet face to face for an exchange of goods. A huge distribution network is necessary to move goods to consumers. Marketing, which had been defined as “the performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producer to consumer or user”, thus is crucial to all phases of business. Marketing, even among the most highly industrialized nations, still has characteristics that it had in the most primitive economy. It still involves having the right goods (or services) at the right place at the right time for the right price (“right”, here means “according to the needs or desires of the person who wants the goods or service”). There must still be agreement on the value or utility of the goods or services. For goods, there is still a transfer of ownership, which utilizes a medium of exchange: money, or even a piece of paper that records the transaction. There is, however, a major change in emphasis. In the 1920‟s, Henry Ford could say about his automobiles “The customers can have any colour they 123
buyer
product
customer
sales profits
producer
target market
want, as long as it is black”. This was an appropriate statement in a productionoriented economy, or a seller‟s market. But today, the buyer‟s or consumer‟s desires must be satisfied. The entire concept of marketing has changed in recent years. The following chart contrasts the old and new concepts: The old concepts of marketing emphasized: technological research creating a market the product a narrow line of products product performance selling as the majority activity
The new concepts of marketing emphasizes: market research identifying a market the consumer a broad range of products customer needs and desires selling all marketing activities as parts of a system customer satisfaction goods, services, and ideas as products
sales profits goods as products
Marketing today is everywhere. The producer, or the consumer, may be a person, a group, a firm, an institution, an organization, a government. The product may be a consumer good, a head of lettuce, a pencil, a washing machine – anything bought by the ultimate consumer for his own use. It may be an industrial good, bought by a government or institution; to be resold; or to be used in the production of other goods. A typewriter bought by a government agency, a bed bought by a hospital, and raw cotton bought by a factory to make clothing are industrial goods. The product could be a service, such as cutting hair, performing a marriage, providing insurance or a hotel room. It may be an idea: “Don‟t drive after drinking”, “Protect wild-life”, “Elect me president”. Because this text is brief, it concentrates upon the marketing of consumer goods. But similar principles are used in the marketing of industrial goods, services, and ideas. The marketing environment is the same for all. For all, it is necessary to gather market information, choose target markets, study consumer behaviour, and develop strategies for production channeling, promotion and pricing. All of these activities are parts of a single process that really begins and ends with the consumer. Successful modern marketing begins with his needs and desires, and it ends with his satisfaction, as he buys goods, uses services, or accepts ideas. VOCABULARY smoothly – cursiv fair – right, just. If both people are happy in an exchange of goods, they feel that the exchange is fair – corect, cinstit barter – trade, exchange. In barter, goods change hands, but not money – troc distribution network – reţea de distribuire flow of goods – flux de mărfuri pricing – stabilire a preţului chart – schemă, diagramă, tabel, grafic to emphasize – a accentua, a sublinia, a reliefa a broad range – a gamă largă target market – piaţa ţintă brief – scurt
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chanelling – the action of conducting something (or somebody) in one direction or another-canalizare EXERCISES I. Go back to Before you read. Answer the questions and define the terms (reveniţi la “Before you read”. Răspundeţi la întrebări şi definiţi termenii). II. Which of these statements are true, according to the reading? Mark them with X (Try to answer without looking back at the reading. Then check your answers there). (Care dintre aceste afirmaţii este corectă potrivit textului? Marcaţi-le cu X. Încercaţi să răspundeţi fără să vă mai uitaţi pe text. Apoi verificaţi-vă răspunsurile uitându-vă pe text). 1. A market can consists of only two people. 2. A government can be a consumer. 3. Money is a medium of exchange. 4. The old idea of marketing emphasized customer satisfaction. 5. There is no marketing in an undeveloped economy. 6. A car can be a consumer good or an industrial good. 7. Ideas cannot be marketed. 8. The new concept of marketing emphasizes a broad product line. 9. Goods bought for resale are industrial goods. 10. In the 1920‟s, there was a buyer‟s market. III. Answer these questions briefly (răspundeţi pe scurt la aceste întrebări): 1. How has marketing become more complex? 2. How is marketing similar in all kinds of economy? 3. Why isn‟t Henry Ford‟s statement apt today? 4. What are the differences between the old and new concepts of marketing? 5. How can the same article be either a consumer good or an industrial good? 6. How can a service be a product? IV. The words listed here are from the reading (cuvintele reprezentate în continuare sunt din text): value, system, network, crucial, characteristics, primitive, appropriate, concept, firm, brief, principles, behaviour. Choose a word from the list for each space in the sentences below. A synonym (a word that has a similar meaning) is given in parentheses before each blank. (Alegeţi un cuvânt din listă pentru fiecare din spaţiile goale din propoziţiile de mai jos. Un sinonim apare în paranteză înaintea fiecărui spaţiu liber). 1. A company should offer (wide) broad range of products. 2. The (company‟s)…„s (way of acting)…was contrary to (guiding ideas)…of good management. 3. It‟s (absolutely vital)…for a marketer to have a (whole idea)…of the (worth, importance)…of developing market strategy. 4. Goods follow a (complex path)…or…from producer to consumer. 5. (Qualities)…of a (beginning, undeveloped)…economy include the use of barter. 6. The manager‟s (short)…statement to his salesmen was (apt, suitable)…; it helped them correct their mistakes.
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CHAPTER FOUR – SUPLEMENTARY READINGS ENGLISH AND AMERICAN HOLIDAYS, LITERATURE AND CIVILIZATION
Introducere Acest ultim capitol, „Lecturi suplimentare”,destinat tuturor studenţilor anilor I şi II indiferent de specializare, vine să susţină ceea ce spuneam în cuvântul de început care prefaţează această lucrare şi anume că limba engleză se poate învăţa cu plăcere. Este un fel de bonus pentru cei conştiincioşi şi dornici să afle cât mai multe despre civilizaţia engleză, fie că este britanică sau americană. În acest capitol se găsesc cele mai importante sărbători din lumea anglo-saxonă, unele dintre ele importate şi celebrate şi la noi: Hallowe‟en, Sfântul Valentin; altele sărbătorite de toţi creştinii: Crăciunul, Paştele sau sărbătorite doar de americani – Ziua Recunoştiinţei. De asemenea, consider că învăţarea unei limbi străine nu se poate reduce doar la aspectul strict pragmatic al acesteia, ci că trebuie să ne preocupe şi cunoaşterea celor mai importanţi scriitori precum W. Shakespeare, care au marcat literatura universală. Celui mai cunoscut şi răspândit obicei britanic – ceaiul de la ora cinci – i s-a acordat importanţa meritată. Şi nu în ultimul rând i s-a acrdat spaţiu uneia dintre cele mai marcante figuri ale poporului american, preşedintele Thomas Jefferson. Am speranţa că cele câteva aspecte selectate şi prezentate în acest capitol, vor deschide dorinţa celor care le citesc, să cunoască şi alte aspecte ale civilizaţiei britanice şi americane. Dacă da, atunci scopul acestui capitol a fost atins! Obiectivele operaţionale ale acestui capitol sunt:  studenţii să ia cunoştiinţă cu viaţa şi opera a unuia dintre cei mai de marcă reprezentanţi ai literaturii britanice şi universale, W. Shakespeare;  să cunoască originea unor sărbători americane binecunoscute;  să se familiarizeze cu unele obiceiuri britanice sau americane;  să afle cum celebrează englezii şi americanii cele două mari sărbători creştine Naşterea şi Învierea Domnului;  să-şi însuşească terminologia folosită;  să creeze deprinderi de comunicare;
Capitolul patru este alcătuit din următoarele teme: 1. Hallowe‟en...................................................127 2. Thanksgiving Day..............................................129 3. Christmas.....................................................131 4. St. Valentine‟s Day.............................................134 5. Easter........................................................137 6. William Shakespeare............................................141 7 American Literature.............................................144 8. Habits and ways – Tea..........................................146
Bibliografie selectivă: - Bantaş, Andrei (1991) – Essential English, Ed. Teora Bucureşti - Gălăţeanu-Fârnoagă, Georgiana (1993) – Gramatica Limbii Engleze, Ed. Omegapress, Bucureşti - Hulban Horia & co.(1983) – Competenţă şi Performanţă-Exerciţii şi teste de limba engleză, Ed. Ştiinţifică şi Enciclopedică, Bucureşti -* * * - Speak English Nr. 4,5,6,7 / 1990; 2,3,5,6 / 1991
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HALLOWE‟EN witch, ghost
Are you afraid of witches and ghosts? If you are you had better stay indoors on the night of October 31st. It is Hallowe‟en or the eve of All Saints‟ Day, supposed to be a night for witches and ghosts. “From ghouls and ghosts And long-legged beasts And things that go bump in the night Good Lord, deliver me”
Hallowe‟en pumpkin candle
Today Hallowe‟en is particularly popular among American children. They dress up as witches and ghosts, put on frightening masks and carry pumpkin lanterns in their hands. To make these they cut a lid, take out the inside of the pumpkin, cut eyes, nose and mouth in one side and put a lighted candle in it. Then they go out and knock on people‟s doors. When somebody opens the door they say: “Trick or treat!” This means, “either you give us some sweets or we play a trick on you”. The trick might be letting the air out of the tyres of the person‟s car, or putting soap on the windows of the house. People usually say “Treat” of course and give them sweets or a cake. In England Hallowe‟en is not celebrated very much nowadays, although some people have Hallowe‟en parties. English people also make lanterns from pumpkins. They often play “Apple Bobbing” at these parties. It goes like this: you put an apple in a bucket of water and then try eating the apple without using your hands. It‟s extremely funny. Try it and you‟ll see! VOCABULARY hallow – (usually passive-hallowed) make regard as sacred Hallowe‟en – 31st October, Eve of All Saints‟ Day witch – vrajitoare ghost - fantoma ghoul – vampir, vârcolac to deliver – 1. take letters, parcels etc. to houses, to the persons to whom they are addressed, here 2. save (from) to dress up – put on special clothes for a play, a fancy dress ball pumpkin – dovleac tyre – band of rubber around a wheel nowadays – at the present time to bob (-bb) – move up and down EXERCISE Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: hallow, Hallowe’en, witch, ghost, ghoul, deliver, dress up, pumpkin, tyre, nowadays, bob. 1. …. people live much longer than they used to. 2. Do you like to eat …. pie? 3. May God …. you from all evil. 4. Little children are fond of stories with …. and dragons. 5. Do you believe in …. ? 6. Both brothers …. themselves …. as pirates. 7. After watching a movie with graveyards and …. little Tom was afraid to sleep alone. 8. Your front …. seem very used. You should buy new ones. 127
9. …. is a most exciting evening for American children. 10. The heads of the swimmers were …. on the water. 11. “Our Father which art in heaven, …. be thy name” REMEMBER: had better is used to express advice and would rather to express preference! Here are some additional examples: It‟s starting to rain. You had (you‟d) better take your umbrella. Sally had better mind her own business. She would (she‟d) rather go to the movies than to the theatre. “Will you join us for a drink?” “Thank you, but I‟d rather go to bed, I‟m awfully tired.” GRAMMAR In English some Conjunctions are used in pairs and called Correlative Conjunctions: either … or…: Either you give us some sweets or we play a trick on you. neither … nor…: Neither Paul nor Ned has come yet. REMEMBER that either … or, neither …nor take a singular verb! But if one subject is singular and another one is plural, the verb agrees with the nearest subject. E.g. Neither Amy nor her parents are at home. both … and : Both Brenda and her brother are fair-haired. not only … but also : She is not only beautiful but also very kind. ( not only may be used at the beginning of the sentence followed by inversion, for emphasis: Not only is she beautiful but also very kind.) EXERCISE Fill in the blanks with either … or, neither … nor, both … and, not only … but also. 1. … Linda … her sister looked lovely at the party. 2. I was so excited that I could … eat … sleep. 3. … was it dark outside … terribly cold. 4. … Bob … his brother is to blame. 5. They are … in the mountains … at the seaside. 6. Jane can … skate … ski very well. 7. A fur coat is … smart … soft and warm. 8. … your result … mine is wrong.
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THANKSGIVING DAY religious holiday
puritan
turkey settler harvest
reunion
Thanksgiving Day is one of the most important national and religious American holidays. It is celebrated every year on the last Thursday of November. The first Thanksgiving day was in 1621. In 1620 about one hundred Englishmen, who wanted to seek their fortune in the “New World”, sailed to America in a ship called the “Mayflowers”, who were English Puritans. After a two months‟ journey they landed on the east coast of North America near Cape Cod, on a cold November day. There they founded the colony of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Their life was hard, food was scarce and they hunted wild turkeys and other animals in the woods. About fifty of the first settlers died of hunger and illness during the first winter. Next spring nature sprang to life again and so did the hopes of the settlers. They started working the land, growing corn and pumpkins. Their first harvest was a good one and the Englishmen decided to thank God for it. That was the first Thanksgiving Day. Nowadays Thanksgiving is a day of family reunion on which members of a family come together from wherever they live to share a festive dinner. The traditional Thanksgiving dish is turkey with cranberry sauce and vegetables, to remind people of the wild turkeys the first settlers hunted. After that they often have pumpkin pie. The table is beautiful decorated with apples, nuts, autumn flowers and leaves. In this merry mood of family reunion people remember the celebration of the of the first Thanksgiving Day almost three hundred and eighty-five years ago. Here is an English prayer said before meals: “For what we are about to receive/ O Lord make us truly thankful.” I. VOCABULARY thanksgiving – expression of gratitude, especially to God to seek-sought-sought – to look for, to try to find (often abstract things-seek a quarrel, seek one‟s fortune) to land – to go, put on land (from a ship. Plane, helicopter etc.) pilgrim – person who travels to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion puritan – 1. Puritan (16th and 17thcenturies in England) member of a division of the Protestant church which wanted simpler forms of church ceremony. 2. person who is strict in morals, religion, way of dressing, who considers some kinds of fun and pleasure as breaking God‟s law scarce – not existing in sufficient quantity (scarcely = almost not) settler – colonist harvest – cutting and gathering of cereals, vegetables, grass and fruit dish – 1. (pl. the dishes) plates, bowls, cups, saucers used for a meal. 2. food brought to table in or on a dish cranberry – small, black berry EXERCISE: Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: thanksgiving, to seek, to land, pilgrim, puritan, scarce, settler, harvest, dish, cranberry (make the necessary changes): 1. Yesterday I red an article about the early … in New Zealand. 2. During the Middle Ages … traveled to Canterbury to the tomb of Thomas A. Becket. 3. Animals have become … in this region. 4. Although there was a storm the pilot … the plane safely. 129
5. His favourite …is steak and French fries. 6. In many Christian countries there is a church service of … after the … has been gathered. 7. The reason I don‟t like him is because he is always … a quarrel. 8. Mother prepares a delicious … tart. 9. During Oliver Cromwell‟s time the … closed down the theatres. Make the difference between to remind (somebody to do something; somebody of something) – to cause somebody to remember to do something; cause somebody to think of something, which is a transitive verb. E.g. Remind me to post these letters, please. Jeff reminds me of his father. and to remember – to have or keep in one‟s memory, which is both transitive and intransitive; the antonym is to forget. E.g. I remembered to post your letter. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of to remind or to remember: 1. I always … to congratulate my friends on their birthday. 2. His face … me of a Greek statue. 3. I … she was wearing a pink dress the first time we met. 4. He often … the smallest details. 5. this song always … me of our first dance. 6. Please, … me to take these shirts to the cleaner‟s. II. GRAMMAR Members of a family come together from wherever they live … who, what, which, when, where, how + ever are all written as single words (whoever, whatever etc.) and have two main uses in modern English: 1. with the meaning of it doesn‟t matter who, which etc. E.g. Whoever says that is a liar. 2. parenthethically (suggesting ignorance or indifference) E.g. I‟ll come at 10 or 10.30, or whenever I can. EXERCISE Fill in the blanks with an appropriate ever form: 1. He comes from Uagadugu, … that may be. 2. Buy … dress you like best. 3. … says that is wrong. 4. You are certainly right, … others may say. 5. I‟ll tell you about it … you like. 6. He‟ll never succeed, … hard he tries. 7. Keep calm, … happens. 8. Take this bag, basket or … it is, and hang it up … you want. 1.After a three months‟ journey they landed… Remember that the possessive form of the Genitive („s Genitive) is used mainly with the names of human beings and some big animals: E.g. Jane‟s boyfriend, the lion‟s mane etc. But there are some exceptions to the rule in the case of certain accepted idioms, mostly of time or measure. E.g. He went on a three day‟s holiday. Here is today‟s broadcast. I live a stone‟s throw from here. I‟m at my wits‟ end. (not to know what to do or say). She took the children out of harm‟s way. One may admire it to one‟s heart‟s content. 130
CHRISTMAS Christians
cherish
holly
carol
Father Christmas
togetherness
December 24th is Christmas Eve, when Christians throughout the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in a stable, in far-off Bethlehem. Long before this date streets and shop windows are brightly decorated, people send Christmas cards and buy Christmas presents. In England Christmas is a dearly cherished holiday, possibly the most important holiday of the year, an occasion for family reunion and rejoicing. At Christmas, busy London streets like Oxford Street offer a fairy-tale like, breathtaking show: about two miles of Christmas gifts attractively displayed in shop windows, dazzling garlands of electric lighting, bright red holly and cotton-wool snow. Not far from the two main streets, in Trafalgar Square, near Admiral Nelson‟s statue passers-by stop to admire a huge Christmas tree ablaze with coloured lights and decorations. It is an annual gift from the Norwegian people and it seems that they try to make each year‟s gift a foot higher than its predecessor. Christmas Eve is a busy day for all the members of the family, a day of preparation. The Christmas tree must be trimmed with tinsel, candles, crackers, coloured lamps and balls. The house must also be decorated with branches of holly and mistletoe – remember that you may kiss anyone standing under the mistletoe! After helping decorate the house and the tree, children go out with their friends to sing carols in the neighbourhood. The carol-singers receive money and sweets and then, happy and contented, they go home. Before they go to bed, children hang up their stockings for Father Christmas – or Santa Claus as he is also called – to fill with with presents when he comes down the chimney during the night. Some people go to church in the evening. December 25th is Christmas Day. Although they don‟t have to go to school, children wake up earlier than usual to see what Father Christmas has brought them. Adults also exchange presents, in some families after breakfast, in others they open their gifts round the Christmas tree later in the day. Some people also go to church in the morning. After the excitement caused by the presents has calmed down a little, everybody looks forward to the next big event: the Christmas dinner. Some English families have the traditional Christmas dinner at mid-day, others in the evening. It usually consists of roast turkey with potatoes and vegetables, mince pies, fruit, nuts and, most important of all, Christmas pudding. The latter contains a lot of dried fruit, a little flour, sugar, lemon peel, spices and eggs. It is served hot, usually alight with brandy and with a rich sauce made of butter, brandy and sugar. It is traditional to put a few silver coins into the pudding. Those who find one of the coins in their piece of pudding are supposed to have a lucky year. December 26th is Boxing Day. According to custom it is the day of presents given to people like postmen, delivery boys, servants etc., to express thanks for service rendered throughout the year. Mainly it is another day to celebrate and have fun with relatives and friends. Although the days are short and cold, there is an atmosphere of togetherness, warmth and cheerfulness in the air, so that everyone agrees to the words of the old rhyme: “Christmas comes but once a year / And when it comes it brings good cheer.” VOCABULARY to cherish – 1. care for tenderly; 2. keep alive (hope, feelings, ambition) in one‟s heart 131
to display – to show; place so that there is no difficulty in seeing (goods in shop windows) dazzling – blinding (because of to much light, brilliance) garland – circle of flowers or leaves, also of light bulbs used for ornament or decoration holly – evergreen plant with shiny, hard, dark-green leaves and, in winter, red berries ablaze – 1. on fire, in a blaze; 2. (fig.) shining, bright to trim-trimmed-trimmed – decorate, ornament (with) – a decora tinsel – shining, metallic substance made in strips and threads used for ornament beteală mistletoe – parasite evergreen plant growing on fruit and another trees, with white, sticky berries; it is used as Christmas decoration – vâsc carol – song of joy or praise, especially a Christmas hymn - colind to mince – cut meat into pieces (with a knife or a special machine) – a toca mince pie – pie containing minced meat – plăcintă cu carne tocată alight – on fire; (fig.) bright; cheerful togetherness – feeling of unity, of intimacy TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS: NO HOMEWORK; NO GRAMMAR; JUST FUN AND MERRYMAKING! (Some jokes and carols) Silent Night, Holy Night Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright; Round you Virgin Mother and Child, Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quail at the sight; Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav‟nly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ the savior is born, Christ the savior is born. Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love‟s pure light; Radiant beams Thy holy face With the dawn of saving grace. Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth. HERE ARE SOME FORMULAS TO WRITE ON CHRISTMAS CARDS: Formal “Hearty greetings for Christmas and good wishes for the coming year!” “A joyous Christmas and peaceful New Year!” “With Christmas greetings and all Good Wishes for the New Year!” “Greetings of the season and best wishes for the New Year!” “Season‟s Greetings!” 132
Friendly “Merry Christmas and lots of joy in the New Year!” “Hope Christmas is extra special- just like you!” “Merry Christmas To those we love and see each day, And other loved ones far away, To all good friends whose friendship means so much And those with whom we‟re somehow out of touch.” “Christmas is that beautiful time when hearts are warmed by love and goodwill. May your heart be touched with love and joy at this special time of year. “May your Christmas dreams come true!”
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ST. VALENTINE‟S DAY valentine
love
valentine card
St. Valentine‟s Day, the 14th of February, is lovers‟ day. People give presents to the persons they love and send Valentine cards to them. This is a very romantic custom. The cards have a tender message, a short love poem, or simply “Will you be my Valentine?” printed on them. Usually, a Valentine card is not signed. So, if you are shy and do not have any courage to tell a person that you love him or her, you can send a card and let it disclose your feelings for you. Hopefully, the other person will know who sent it and will do something to show you that the feeling is mutual. On the other hand, he or she may not share your love and give you the cold shoulder to make you understand it. Although it hurts, at least you do not go on nourishing vain hopes and you can try to find someone who will be thrilled to receive your Valentine cards. Apparently, no one knows for certain where the custom of celebrating St. Valentine‟s Day comes from, or when it actually started. It is believed that it was brought to Britain by the Romans. Anyway, it was certainly celebrated in early 17th century England, as Shakespeare‟s Ophelia, dazed with grief and madness signs about it: “Tomorrow is Saint Valentine’s day All in the morning betimes, And I a maid at your window, To be your Valentine.” “Hamlet”, Act IV, Scene 5 The custom was probably taken to America by the English settlers, as St. Valentine‟s Day is very popular there as well. The custom of sending Valentine cards is also mentioned by the Beatles in one of their famous songs: “When I grow older, losing my hair many years from now, Will you still be sending me a Valentine, Birthday presents, bottle of wine?” “When I‟m 64” Why not send a Valentine card to the person you love this year? Here are some examples of the kinds of poems usually printed on Valentine‟s cards: “Honest to goodness, Just betcha it’s true No Valentine ever Was nicer than you!” or Roses are red Violets are blue, I am so happy Because I love you.” Of course you may select your Valentine text from any literary piece which you find suitable. You may also use the lyrics of a song, old or new. What can express more than this single line does “Nothing compares to you…” Certainly, the selection of the writer or of the song will make it easier for the person to guess your identity, but this may be exactly what you want. So, it is up to you! 134
VOCABULARY 1. custom = generally accepted and established behaviour among members of a social group (either small or large, e.g. a nation); compare to habit = something that an individual does regularly; (pl) customs = taxes paid to the government for goods imported into a country to disclose = permit to be seen, make known mutual = (of love, friendship, respect, etc.) shared, exchanged equally to give somebody the cold shoulder = to be unfriendly by taking no notice of someone nourish = 1. keep (somebody) alive and well with food; make well and strong; 2. have or encourage (feelings) vain = 1. without use, value or result; 2. having too high an opinion of one‟s looks, abilities. to thrill = to make someone experience an excited feeling (to be thrilled with joy/horror/pleasure) dazed = unable to think clearly grief = deep or violent sorrow betimes = early, in good time betcha = colloquial for I bet you EXERCISE Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: custom(s), disclose, mutual, nourish, vain, thrill, dazed, grief (make the necessary changes): 1. She was driven almost mad with … by the death of her father. 2. The stranger refused to … his name and address. 3. You mustn‟t … such hatred for him. Try to understand and forgive! 4. She … with joy when the handsome pop singer kissed her. 5. It is a … for English people to drink tea at 5 o‟clock. 6. Their love is … and they are extremely happy together. 7. Don‟t believe Paul! He always makes … promises. 8. The last time when we arrived at the airport the … officials were very polite. 9. For a long time after the accident she felt … 2. To give somebody the cold shoulder = to be unfriendly with Here are some additional idioms with shoulder: to lay the blame on the right shoulders = to blame the person who deserves it; to rub shoulders with = to mix with; to put one’s shoulder on the wheel = to make a big effort; to have a chip on one’s shoulder = to be annoyed at something and to be looking for a quarrel; shoulder to shoulder = united EXERCISE Fill in the blanks with one of the “shoulder” idioms: 1. Keep away from Roy; he … 2. I can‟t stand Bob; whenever I meet him I … 3. They worked … and managed to finish in time. 4. Don‟t try to blame me; find the person responsible and … 5. He likes … famous people. 6. At least from time to time you could … GRAMMAR a) It was brought to Britain by the Romans. 135
b) The Romans brought it to Britain. c) The custom … is also mentioned by the Beatles. d) The Beatles also mention the custom. Sentences a) is the PASSIVE of sentence b) and sentence c) is the PASSIVE of sentence d). Let us mention some general rules to turn the ACTIVE into the PASSIVE: 1. The OBJECT in the Active sentence becomes SUBJECT in the Passive sentence 2. The SUBJECT of the Active sentence becomes OBJECT + BY in the Passive sentence. 3. PREDICATE of the Passive sentence = verb TO BE in the tense of the Active sentence verb + PAST PARTICIPLE (third form of the verb) EXERCISE Turn into the Passive: 1. An unseen hand opened the window. 2. Peter drinks coffee every day. 3. He took Betty to hospital an hour ago. 4. Daddy always watches TV in the evening. 5. He often eats bananas.
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EASTER Easter
lamb
I am very happy today. Tomorrow is Easter and we are having guests. My mother is busy in the kitchen. She is preparing the food and making a cake. I go shopping with a long shopping list. The first shop I am going into is the baker‟s. I usually buy bread and pastry from him, but today I am also buying some buns and some biscuits. The bread is not very fresh, so I don‟t want to buy any. Next, I go to the butcher‟s. We usually have lamb for Easter, so my mother wants me to buy some. My mother doesn‟t have any flour and any coffee, so I get some from the grocer‟s. They also sell butter, milk, cocoa, tea, sugar, cheese, honey, jam and many other things, but I do not buy any because my mother still has some at home. At the end, I am ready to go home. But what about some eggs? They are very important, especially for Easter. I am buying some right now. My mother is very pleased with my shopping and she is giving me some cake to thank me for my effort. HAPPY EASTER! COMMENTS 1. Some şi Any se traduc în româneşte cu nişte, ceva şi înseamnă un anumit număr sau o anumită cantitate. Ele se folosesc înaintea substantivelor la plural sau a celor care nu se numără, deci nu au plural. Când se folosesc cu substantive la plural, some îl poate înlocui pe a, articolul nehotărât, care nu apare niciodată la plural. E.g. I have a biscuit. I am buying some biscuits. 2. Some se foloseşte, de obicei, în propoziţiile affirmative, iar any în cele interrogative şi negative. Există, desigur şi excepţii, pe care le vom învăţa în altă lecţie. E.g. I want some butter and some jam. Do you have any butter in your fridge? No, I don‟t have any butter, but we have some margarine. 3. Aţi observat că în lecţie apar nişte cuvinte, urmate de un apostrof şi de litera s, the baker‟s, the butcher‟s, the grocer‟s, care se traduc în româneşte cu brutărie, măcelărie, băcănie. Forma respectivă este un genitiv şi arată că prăvălia îi aparţine brutarului, măcelarului etc. EXERCICES 1. Put some or any as required. I want .. milk. Have you .. butter? I don‟t want to buy .. sugar. Do you want .. coffee? I have .. very good friends. Are .. of them here now? No, but .. of them are coming tomorrow. 2. Turn the following sentences a) into the negative, b) into the interrogative: I have some friends in England. He has some money in the bank. There are some dogs in the street. She has some work to do. We know some very pretty girls in town. In the morning I have some breakfast. For lunch, I have some soup and some meat and potatoes. 3. Fill in the blanks: We buy bread at the .. I go to the .. every day to buy some apples. You find sugar and coffee at the .. My mother always buys good meat from the .. When I have a cold, my brother buys me medicine from the ..
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4. Answer the following questions: What do you usually have for Easter? Where does your mother buy bread? Do you like apples? Are there any in your house now? Where do you buy apples? Where do you usually find aspirine? What do you usually have for breakfast? Is there any tea in the teapot? 5. Translate into English: Mâine e ziua de Paşti. Mama găteşte în bucătărie. Ea face o prăjitură. Eu merg la cumpărături. Vreau să cumpăr nişte unt şi nişte lapte. La băcănie nu este unt şi nici lapte. Ei au ceva zahăr şi făină. De la aprozar vreau să cumpăr nişte mere şi nişte banane. Sunt mere dar nu sunt banane. De la brutărie cumpăr pâine şi nişte biscuiţi. 6. Translate into Romanian: A Day On The Farm Farmer Brown and his family live on a little farm in the country. Every morning when the sun comes up, Farmer Brown goes out to the barn. He milks the cows. He feeds hay to the horses. He scatters grain to the hungry chickens. 7. Answer the questions: Where do Farmer Brown and his family live? Where is the farm? When does Farmer Brown go to the barn? What does he milk? What does he feed the horses? What do the hungry chickens eat? Who scatters grain to them OUR HOLIDAY IN SPRING On Easter, Christians throughout the world celebrate the resurrection of resurrection of Jesus Christ. The symbolism itself inspires people with hope, confidence and the Jesus Christ wish to be better, making of Easter one of the most important and widely celebrated church holidays. Some time before Easter, and connected with it, there are four religious holidays: Ash Wednesday, Quadragesima, Palm Sunday and Good Friday. As you may Good Friday come across them in various texts and literary works – „Ash Wednesday” is the title of one of the poems written by T.S. Eliot, one of the most proeminent figures in modern British literature - , it may be useful to know their significance. In English, the period of fourty days before Easter is called Lent. During the Lent weekdays of Lent, religious persons observe a period of fasting and penitence. Lent lily is another word for daffodil, the yellow spring flower you can see growing in all British parks and gardens. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday Quadragesima is the first Sunday of Lent, Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter and Good Friday is the Friday before Easter, the anniversary of the crucifixion of Christ. On Good Friday people in England eat hot cross buns, small, round cakes with spices in them and a cross marked on the top. Easter is so very popular also because it marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. After the cold and dull winter days, nature springs to life again at Easter time. Except for those who are fond of skiing and, even in April, still look for snow on high mountain slopes, everybody is happy to be rid of another dreary winter. Life is bright and coloured again, trees are in blossom and flowers are in bloom. We feel more cheerful, fresher, vibrant with life and warmth and we smile for no reason at all. The things we usually associate the celebration of Easter with are the Easter Bunny Easter Bunny, Santa Clause‟s younger colleague, and eggs. There is a profusion 138
dyed eggs
of them at Easter: real eggs dyed brightly and sometimes with amusing stickers on them, wooden eggs, beautifully painted or carved and, best of all, sugar or chocolate eggs. At Easterwe send greeting cards to people we care and think about. We may simply write „Happy Easter”, „A Special Wish at Easter”, or „An Easter Wish For You”. HAPPY EASTER ! I. VOCABULARY to observe = 1. see and notice; watch carefully 2. (here) pay attention to (rules, etc.) to fast = go without food, or without certain kinds of food (depending on the religion), especially as a religious duty fasting = period of going without food spice = substance used to give a special, aromatic taste to food dull = 1. not clear or bright (color, sound, day, sky) 2. slow in understanding 3. uninteresting, not exciting 4. not sharp (knife) to be/get rid of = be/become rid of dreary = not clear or bright, depressing profusion = abundance to dye = colour, usually by putting into a liquid to carve = 1. form something by cutting a piece of wood or stone 2. inscribe by cutting on a surface EXERCISE 1. Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: to observe, to fast, spice, dull, to get rid of, dreary, profusion, to dye, to carve (make the necessary changes) 1. I hope this .. rain doesn‟t go on for days. 2. Aren‟t you permitted to eat any meat at all while ..? 3. I want to .. my white dress red. 4. The little boy is really talented. He .. a beautiful toy horse out of wood. 5. Traffic rules should be strictly .. 6. There was a .. of white and red roses growing in front of her house. 7. It‟s such a .. day. One should just lie in bed and sleep. 8. Orientals use a lot of .. in their food. 9. How on earth can we .. of Peter? He is so terribly boring. 2.„ As you may come across them in various texts and literary works ..” Come across = find or meet by chance. Here are some other meanings of COME + various prepositions : COME ABOUT = happen; COME OFF = become detached or separated from; COME ROUND = 1. pay an informal visit to; 2. regain consciousness; COME TROUGH = 1. recover from serious illness, from risk of injury; 2. arrive (by telephone, radio etc.); COME TO = recover consciousness.
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EXERCISE Fill in the blanks with COME + the correct preposition: 1. A button has .. my coat. 2. „Has the patient .. yet, nurse?” asked the doctor. 3. It was a terrible accident, but we .. with only minor injuries. 4. I .. this old brooch in one of mother‟s drawers; isn‟t it lovely? 5. „Uncle John has left his wife and has run away with a policewoman.” „How extraordinary! How did that ..?” 6. Throw some cold water over her. That will soon make her..
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WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND WORK
Elisabethan literature
Stratford upon-Avon
poems sonnets plays
It is impossible to refer to William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) without using superlatives. He is not only the most prominent figure in Elizabethan literature, but also the greatest playwright and poet in English, and possibly in world literature. Shakespeare enjoyed wide popularity in his lifetime and has been praised ever since. Ben Jonson, his contemporary, calls him “sweet swan of Avon” and considers him “not of an age, but for all time”. And Shakespeare‟s literary work has indeed defied both time and geographical boundaries. His deep understanding of human nature, his unimpaired art of breathing life into historical and imaginary characters, his reflections upon life and the exquisite poetry of expression have appealed to generation after generation of readers and theatre – goers throughout the world. Yet for all his glory and despite the effort of generations of scholars, Shakespeare‟s life is still shrouded in mystery. We know beyond doubt that a man named William Shakespeare existed. He was born in a small English town, Stratford upon Avon, on April 23rd 1564, as the son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. His parents were prominent figures in Stratford and in time his family was granted a coat of arms. The house Shakespeare was born in still stands today and it is visited by tourists from all over the world. Shakespeare attended the local grammar - school and at the age of 18 married Anne Hathaway, then 26. After the birth of their three children, Susanna and the twins Hamnet and Judith, he went up to London alone, to seek his fortune. There he became a Jack-of-all-trades, working as stage-boy, prompter, actor, play-mender and finally as dramatist in his own right. After over twenty years he returned to Stratford, to live the quiet life of an apparently wealthy squire. There he died in 1616, on the day of his birth, April 23rd. He is buried in the church of his native town and on his tomb there is an epitaph supposedly written by Shakespeare himself: “Good friend, for Jesus‟ sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones.” The inscription seems to have had the desired effect on the generations to come, as it has prevented the removal of his remains from this quiet place to London, to the somewhat more crowded “Poet‟s Corner” in Westminster Abbey, where most prominent literary figures are buried. Thus, all these evidences in Stratford make of William Shakespeare a person in flesh and blood. In London however, where he spent most of his life and created his work, there are so few records about him that he seems almost like a myth. After his death, his friends collected and published his plays in 1623, in what is known as “The First Folio” Shakespeare‟s name is now given to five long poems, 154 sonnets and 37 plays. His literary work can be roughly divided into three periods. 1. The First Period (1589 – 1600) is pervaded by an air of cheerfulness and exuberance. It includes the poems, the sonnets, romantic and light-hearted comedies: “The Taming of the Shrew”, “A Midsummer Night‟s Dream”, “Much Ado about Nothing”, “As You Like It”, “Twelfth Night”; the romantic tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”, which begins in a lively, merry 141
Romeo and Juliet mood that only gradually darkens to tragedy: and the historical or chronological plays: “Richard III”, “King John”, “Richard II”, “Henry IV”, “Henry V”, to mention only some. 2. About the year 1601 the mood of Shakespeare‟s dramatic work darkens considerably. The plays of the Second Period are marked by gloom, depression and violence, voicing the disillusionment of the Renaissance Hamlet humanists. Among them are the great tragedies “Hamlet”, “Othello”, “King Lear”, “Macbeth”, and a comedy “Measure for Measure”, in which, however, laughter is sarcastic and cynical, never light-hearted. 3. In the Third Period (1608 – 1612) the stress and turmoil of Shakespeare‟s inner spirit seems to have calmed down. It includes plays of warmth, serenity and reconciliation, in which old wrongs are righted in the end: The Tempest “The winter‟s Tale”, “The Tempest”. The exuberant laughter of his early comedies has turned into an indulgent, thoughtful, almost detached smile. Shakespeare is and will continue to be the enchanter who keeps our imagination and our hearts under his spell. VOCABULARY to defy = 1. resist openly 2. refuse to obey or show respect to exquisite = of great excellence to appeal to = 1. (somebody for something) make a serious request 2. attract, move the feelings of to shroud = cover, hide to grant = consent to give (favour, permission) coat of arms = blazon to go up to = enter a university or travel to a town, especially the capital Jack-of-all-trades = workman knowing something of many trades to forbear = refrain from to spare = 1. refrain from hurting, destroying 2. (something for somebody) be able to give (time, money) to remove = (somebody/something from) take off or away from the place occupied; take to another place to pervade = spread through every part of gloom = 1. semi-darkness, obscurity 2. feeling of sadness and hopelessness turmoil = trouble, agitation spell = 1. words used as a charm, supposed to have magic power 2. attraction, fascination EXERCISE Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: to defy, to shroud, to appeal to, exquisite, to spare, to remove, to pervade, gloom, turmoil, spell (make the necessary changes) 1. The news of the doctor‟s death filled us with … 2. We were all under the … of Chopin‟s music. 3. During the elections the town was in a terrible … 4. Roy will get into trouble one of these days; he keeps … his superiors. 5. They always serve … food in this restaurant. 6. Do these modern paintings … you? 7. The house was almost completely … in darkness. 8. … your dirty hands from my paining at once! 142
9. The general decided to … the lives of the prisoners. 10. The poem is … by melancholy and sadness. GRAMMAR PASSIVE VOICE The house Shakespeare was born in ; Prepositions and adverb particles must not be left out in the Passive. ACTIVE: They will look after you well. PASSIVE: You will be well looked after. EXERCISE Turn the following sentences into the Passive: 1. People must work for success. 2. Someone reads to the old lady every evening. 3. No one has slept in this room. 4. The manager has to look into this matter. 5. People will laugh at you if you wear that silly hat. 6. Peter has drunk out of his glass. 7. My friends speak well of Mark. 8. They will look for you everywhere.
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AMERICAN LITERATURE colony Constitution
president
treaty
The Declaration of Independence
rights
Without ignoring the earliest literary activities of the colonies, the first consequential works in American literature were, in a broader sense, The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. Minor in all the “main” genres, American literature before and during the revolution excels in journalism and essay-writing. All these (para-)literary production evince a firm clarity and directness of expression, the ability to circumscribe truth with the utmost brevity and austerity that betray a practical disposition of the mind and that still define most of the greater literature America has produced up to now. THOMAS JEFFRESON (1743 – 1826) Jeffreson may be the most influential and persistent personality in the American tradition. The governor of Virginia, an American minister, the first American secretary of state and the third American president, Jeffreson published eight titles (of which only one is what we usually call book), but he signed many state papers, a few treaties, was the main contributor to The Declaration of Independence and wrote an incredible 25,000 letters. Exploring and experimenting in many diverse fields of knowledge, Jeffreson strained to gain an understanding which he employed in the development of a new democracy in a land of plenty. His words best voice the unaltered truth of his life: “I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man” THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE – In Congress, July 4, 1776 THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION of the thirteen united STATES OF AMERICA When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature‟s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind require that they should declare the causes that impel them to the separation. - We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. - That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundations on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments along established should be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience has shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. - Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former System of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain1 is a history of repeated injuries and
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governor
United States of America
free states
honour
usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to candid world. - He has forbidden his Governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained /…/. - He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. /…/ - He has made Judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. - He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance /…/. - He has affected to render the Military independent of an superior to the Civil power. - He is at this Time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of the Head of a civilized nation /…/. - A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British brethern2. /…/ They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces3 our Separation, and hold them, as we hold all mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends. We, THEREFORE, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in General Congress Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are Absolved from Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. - And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honour.
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HABITS AND WAYS TEA beverage tea
cult
pot
tea bag
ice tea
The most popular beverage in the English speaking world has always been and continues to be the TEA, even if the British like it very hot, while the Americans prefer it iced. The owner of a coffee – house in the City of London started serving tea by the cup in the year 1657 and ever since the British have been “in love” with it. The origins of the tea are lost in the remote history of oriental antiquity. One legend speaks of the first cup of tea at 2037 B.C. when several tea leaves fell off a tree into a pot of water which a Chinese emperor was boiling for drinking purposes. In Britain, tea drinking spread quickly. By less than fifty years after it was introduced, it was the drink of aristocracy, literary men and soldiers. Tea drinking became somewhat of a cult. In Queen Victoria‟s time, tea was part of the British diet, the recognized beverage for church meetings as well as society parties. Since then, the British and tea have become addicted to one another. There is a steady rise in British tea consumption which is currently estimated at 2,000 cups per year for everyone including little babies. Like the Chinese and many other tea-drinking peoples, the British make a kind of ritual of tea. The method of brewing is as rigorously hewed to as the language of the marriage ceremony. The warmed pot is always brought to the kettle, not vice versa. The freshly boiling water is pored on the leaves, one spoonful for each person and one for the pot. Dissent arises over the use of milk (not cream, not boiled). Some add milk to tea, others add tea to milk. The British violently disagree with the American‟s tea-drinking habits. At issue, of course, is the tea bag and the drinking of iced tea. The British regard the American custom of suspending tea bags in water as near sacrilege. No real Englishman would think of using tea bags except for camping or picnicking. For millions of Americans, summertime is iced-tea time. Ironically, this typically American beverage was invented by an Englishman. He has been trying unsuccessfully to sell hot tea at the St. Louis World‟s Fair in 1904. When he iced it people bought. The natural affinity for tea of the British is at the origin of many proverbs, sayings and set phrases. Here are some of them: - Many estates are spent in the getting, since women, for TEA, forsook spinning and knitting; and men, for PUNCH, forsook hewing and splitting. - To take Tea in the kitchen (to pour tea from the cup into the saucer, and drink it from this). Phrases: - it is not my cup of tea = it‟s not the sort of thing I like - a storm in a tea-cup = a lot of fuss about something trivial - to tell somebody‟s fortune from the tea-leaves in her cup - tea-table conversation To sum it all up, here is a quote of a Chinese mystic of the Tang Dynasty who wrote: “The first cup of tea moistens my lips and throat. The second shatters my loneliness. The third causes the wrongs of life to fade gently from my recollection. The fourth purifies my soul. The fifth lifts me to the realms of the unwinking gods”.
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Bibiografie selectivă - Bantaş, Andrei (1991) – Essential English, Ed. Teora Bucureşti - de Blij, H.J.; Mueller, Peter O (2002) – Geography-realms, regions, and concepts, John Wiley&Sons, Inc. U.S.A. - Clawson, David L; Fisher, James S (1998) – World Regional Geography-A development approach, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, U.S.A. - Galiş, Livia & colaboratorii (1982) – Limba Engleză pentru învăţământul superior economic, Ed.Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti - Gălăţeanu-Fârnoagă, Georgiana (1993) – Gramatica Limbii Engleze, Ed. Omegapress, Bucureşti - Hulban, Horia & colab.(1983) – Exerciţii şi teste de limba engleză, Ed. Ştiinţifică şi Enciclopedică, Bucureşti - Leviţchi, Leon (1971) – Gramatica Limbii Engleze, Ed. Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti - Nicolescu, Adrian & colaboratorii (1980) – Culegere de texte pentru cursul practic de limba engleză pentru secţia geografie-geologie, Tipografia Universităţii din Bucureşti - Quirk, Randolph; Greenbaum; S; Leech, G; Svartvik, J (1972) – A Grammar of Contemporary English, Longman, London -* * * (1970) - Dicţionar polyglot economic şi de comerţ exterior, Ed. Ştiinţifică, Bucureşti - Institutul de Lingvistică (1974) – Dicţionar Englez-Român, Ed. Academiei Republicii Socialiste România, Bucureşti -* * * - Speak English Nr. 1- 7/1990; 1-7/1991
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