Text A. An Englishman's Diary

(after Stephanie Andrews)

An Englishman's day - and who can describe it better than an Englishman's wife? It begins when he sits down to breakfast with his morning newspaper.

As he looks through the headlines there is nothing he likes better than his favourite breakfast of cornflakes with milk and sugar (porridge if he lives in the North), fried bacon and eggs, marmalade on toast and tea (with milk, of course) or coffee.

He in fact gets such a meal if there is enough money in the family to buy it. After breakfast, except on Saturdays and Sundays which are holidays, he goes to work by train, tube, bus, car, motor scooter, motor bike or walks there. He leaves home at 7: 30.

At offices or factories there is a tea or coffee break at eleven. Then at mid-day everything stops for lunch. Most offices and shops close for an hour from one to two. Englishmen are fond of good plain food, and they usually want to know what they eat. They like beefsteaks, chops, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, fried fish and chipped potatoes.

There are usually two courses in the mid-day meal - a meat course with a lot of vegetables, a sweet dish, perhaps fruit pudding and custard with tea or coffee to finish.

Then back to work again with another break in the middle of the afternoon, once again for tea or coffee, sometimes with a cake or biscuit.

The working day finishes at any time between four and six. When an Englishman gets home he likes to inspect his garden before the evening meal: tea, high tea, dinner or supper. When his evening meal is over, the Englishman may do a little gardening and then have a walk to the " local" (the nearest beerhouse) for a " quick one" (a drink, alcoholic, of course! ). There are a lot of people at the " local" and he can play darts, dominoes, billiards or discuss the weather, the local events or the current situation. But if the Englishman stays at home, he may listen to the radio, watch television, talk or read.

Then at any time between 10 and 12 he has his " nightcap" -- a drink with a snack - and then off to bed ready for tomorrow.

Text B. A Student's Day

Paul: What time do you get up on week days?

Bob: I generally get up at seven o'clock.

Paul: Why so early?

Bob: Because I have a lot of things to do before I leave for the University.

Paul: Do you do your morning exercises regularly?

Bob: Yes, that's what I begin with as a rule. Then comes the usual procedure of

making my bed, washing and so on. Paul: Do you take a bath every morning? Bob: No, I don't. As a matter of fact, I hardly ever take a bath in the morning. I

prefer taking a shower. Then I clean my teeth, comb my hair and get dressed. Paul: Who makes your breakfast for you? Bob: If my mother is not up yet I make my breakfast myself. If my mother is up, she

does. After breakfast I usually help Mother to clean np. Paul: Good for you! That's what I call a model young man. And when do you leave

home? Bob: Generally at half past eight, as it takes me about twenty minutes to get to the

University. Paul: Do you walk to the University or do you take a trolley-bus? Bob: I always take a trolley-bus in the morning. But after classes I sometimes walk

home. Paul: You go home right after classes, don't you? Bob: Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. If I can prepare for the next day's

classes at home, I go straight home. If I haven't got the necessary books and

journals at home, I go to the library.

EXERCISES

1. a) answer the following questions:

Text A: l. How does an Englishman's day begin? 2.What is his favourite breakfast? 3.When does he in fact get such a breakfast? 4.When does he leave home in the morning? 5.How does he get to his place of work? 6.How many breaks does he have during the working day? What are they for? 7.What does an Englishman usually have for his mid-day meal? 8.What food are the English fond of? 9.At what time does an Englishman finish work? 10.What does he like to do when he comes home from /. work? 11.What sort of meal does he get in the evening? 12. What does an Englishman usually do in the evening? 13.What is a " local"? Why do people like to go there? 14.How does an Englishman's day end?

Text B: l. When does Bob usually get up on weekdays? 2.Why does he get up so: early? 3.What does he do after he gets up? 4.Bob takes a bath every morning, doesn't he? 5.Who makes breakfast for him? 6.Does Bob help his mother to clean up after breakfast? 7. (At) what time does he leave home? 8.How long does it take him to get to the University? 9.Does he walk to the University or does he take a trolley-bus? / 10.He goes home right after classes, doesn't he?

b) pick out words and phrases from Text A, and group them under th following headings:

1. Meals. 2. Dishes. 3. Games. 4. Pastimes.

c) find the English for:

Text А: утренняя газета; просматривать газетные заголовки; кроме суббот" и воскресенья; ехать на работу; идти пешком; во второй половине дня; где-то, между четырьмя и шестью; рабочий день; говорить о погоде; обсужда-текущие события.

Text В: вставать в семь часов утра; иметь много дел; делать зарядку; как правило; заправлять постель; принимать ванну (душ); чистить зубы; причесываться; сразу после занятий; идти прямо домой.

2. Read the dialogue:

- Hello, Pat. You didn4 phone me yesterday.

- No, I didn't. I was very tired last night. -Why?

- I had such a busy day.

- Did you? What did you do?

- I woke up at 6 and went to the station to meet my mother-in-law.

- Why didn't your husband do that?

- He went to Paris on business.

- I see.

- Then we had breakfast. I left her at home and went to my office. I was 15 minutes late because I was in a hurry and a policeman stopped me. So it took me an hour to get to my

work.

- Oh, my! I hope you didn't have much work at the office.

- Yes, I did. We had a long meeting in the morning, then I had a lot of visitors, and at the end of the working day I wrote some business letters.

- Did your daughter cook dinner for you?

- No, she didn't. She was busy at the University and came home very late.

- Poor thing! I hope you are not so busy tomorrow.

3. Match the following proverbs and their meanings:

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