Отличия между британским и американским английским

 

The first shop on our way way a large supermarket. The choice of goods was very impressive. It seemed to us that on the counters and shelves there was everything one could want. We could see sausages of different kinds, fish, meat, poultry. At the bakery there was bread, rolls, buscuits. At the dairy department there was milk, cream, cheese, butter. Everything was nicely packed and when we came to the cashier our baskets were full.

 

Then we went to the department store which was right across the street. Nick and I are fond of computers and video and hi-fi equipment, so we couldn't go past our favourite department. There were a lot of computers, video cassette recorders, TV sets, hi-fi centres and tape recorders. Nick bought three new CDs and I bought two video cassettes.

 

And then, at last, we found the men's clothing department. There were a lot of suits, trousers, jackets, shirts and many other things. Nick needed a suit because he was going to the theatre with his girlfriend and her parents to see Pygmalion. As you probably remember, Nick is very tall and slim. So it's always difficult to find clothes that would suit him perfectly. The shop assistant asked Nick's size and offered him a nice suit. But when Nick tried it on I couldn't help laughing. The jacket was too big for him and the trousers were too short. He looked so funny! The shop assistant thought for a moment and then suggested that Nick should try on some jackets and some trousers separately. An hour later Nick looked like an English gentleman. The pinstriped jacket matched the black trousers perfectly. The shop assistant also showed Nick a wonderful tie and he immediately agreed to buy it.

 

We had to go home by taxi because our bags were so huge that we could hardly lift them. We came home completely broke but happy.

 

 

Questions

Who does the shopping in your family?

How often do you go shopping?

Do you prefer to go shopping on weekdays or at the weekend?

Do you like to go to small shops or to big department stores and supermarkets?

Which do you think is the most convenient time for shopping?

Some people are fond of window-shopping (разглядывание витрин).

 

Can you say that you belong to such people?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of big supermarkets?

When did you last go shopping? What did you buy?

 

 

MY MEALS

 

It goes without saying that I prefer to have meals at home. At the weekend 1 like to get up late and have a good breakfast of scrambled eggs, or pancakes, or something like that. But on weekdays I'm always short of time in the morning. So I just have a cup of strong tea or coffee and a couple of sandwiches.

 

As I spend a lot of time at school (usually eight or nine hours) it's necessary to have a snack at midday just to keep me going. That's why I have to go to the school canteen to have lunch. Our school canteen leaves much to be desired. It has become a tradition with our canteen to serve chops and watery mashed potatoes every day with a glass of cocoa or stewed fruit.

 

But I enjoy my evening meal at home. My mother is a wonderful cook and her dinners are always delicious and various.

 

To begin with, we usually have some salad — tomato and cucumber salad or mixed salad (I like it very much). For the first course we have some soup — noodle, mushroom or cabbage soup, or maybe some fish soup for a change. For the main course we have meat, chicken or fish dishes, for example, steak or fried fish with spaghetti or potatoes (boiled or fried). We also have a lot of vegetables — green peas, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers. I prefer meat to fish but my mother makes me eat fish from time to time. She says it's good for my brains.

 

For dessert we have some fruit, fruit juice or just a cup of tea with a slice of cake.

 

On Sundays we sometimes go to McDonald's. I like everything there: cheeseburgers, hamburgers and Big Macs, apple pies and fruit cocktails. But unfortunately we can't afford to go there very often, because it's rather expensive for a family and besides, they say it's not very healthy to eat at McDonald's.

 

 

 

Questions

 

1.       How many meals a day do you usually have?

 

2.       What do you usually have for breakfast?

 

3.       Where do you have lunch (dinner)?

 

4.       How many courses does your lunch (dinner) usually consist of?

 

5.       What is your favourite dish?

 

6.       What vegetables do you like?

 

7.       What do you usually have for dessert?

 

8.       How often do you eat out?

 

9.       Have you ever eaten at McDonald's?

 

10.    Some people say that eating at a restaurant is a waste of money. Do you agree?

 

11.    Can you cook?

 

12.    Do you agree that the best cooks in the world are men?

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Body Language

 

 

When we go for an interview, most of us think carefully about what to wear and what to say but hardly ever about how to act – in other words, what our body language is telling the interviewer.

According to experts, body language accounts for 55% of the effect we have when communicating. Tone of voice accounts for 33% and words just 7% - so what you say matters much less then how you behave.

Employers nowadays are cautious about the fast-talking interviewee but they look increasingly for their signs which will show a person`s character and ability – such as body language.

You should always smile when you enter the interview room and when the interview has finished because first and last impressions count.

Moreover, you should also try to maintain eye-contact with the interviewer but not for too long.

Once you`re sitting down, your hands should generally stay loosely in your lap. Use them to male a point occasionally but never raise them above shoulder level.

In fact, body language is vital – and after someone has noticed if for the first time they`re unlikely to change their opinion because what to say. So, at an interview, take the trouble to get it right.

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Choosing a Career

 

Choosing a career is like any other activity; it is best to work to a plan. Too many people start looking for a specific job before thinking over their occupational aims. It is a good idea to begin by attempting to define in clear terms what are your requirements for the career. This involves taking a realistic view of your strengths and weaknesses. You may think for example, that you would like a job which involves organizing people, but liking such a job is not a sufficient justification if experience you already may have suggests that this is not your strong point. On the other hand, you should remember that training willl allow you to do new things. A further point to consider is whether you can do things which you do not like but know that they are necessary to achive your longer term objectives. Having thought carefully about the sort of person you are, try to work out a realistic set of occupational requirments. In particular, you must answer some important questions. First: what sort of life do you want to live? For example, do you want to live in the country or in the town? Is leisure time of great importance to you? Is the size of your salary important? Do you want to put down roots or travel widely? Second: what sort of work do you want to do? For example, do you like working alone or with others? Does teaching people appeal to you? Do you want to be an organizer of other people's activities? Do you want to develop new ideas and initiate changes?

 

As for me, I have made up my mind to be an engineer. As my parents are engineers they have made a great influence on my choice and I can say that this profession runs the family. My choice of this occupation didn't come as a sudden flash. I think that nowdays this profession is of great need and importance for our country. It is my aim to be a qualified specialist and to serve in the interests of my country. To be a well prepared engineer I should have some important qualities: great capability persistence, knowledge of science and, of course, knowledge of foreign languages. In spite of these arguments we musn't forget about everybody's vocation. I think that my abilities combined with the knowledge would be quite enough to succeed in my work.

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Employment

 

Getting a job is a very hard period in the life of most people. Companies choose an employee from hundreds of candidates according to special rules, that's why there're special 'typical' factors, influencing on employer's choice. Among such factors are: age, sex, experience, family background and marital status, personality and references. If you're to go to an interview tomorrow, sleep well before it and don't forget your CV at home - is the basic rule. Moreover, there're some recommendations, which can help you, for example, to read annual report, or company newspaper of the company to show your understanding of the corporate strategy on the interview. What's more, you should choose corresponding dress code for the interview. Even such advices are to help you make a good impression; some companies don't want to hire a man, who follows every advice. To illustrate this, I can quote Artemiy Lebedev, the most famous Russian web-designer: "If you enclose a standard stupid resume, written by the rules of American bureaucracy, we would delete it immediately after receiving. If your CV is composed according to all rules, we wouldn't choose you, as we might think, that your profession is to acquire a job". After getting a job, you may have some unexpected troubles with boss, too: e.g. if you dye your hair or wear something not appropriate. The best solution of such situation is to ask a trade union for advice, which can always help you in your fight with an employer. Of course, if you affect company discipline not coming in time or working badly, your dismissal wouldn't be unfair. To conclude, I can say that it is sometimes hard not only to get a job, but also to work in the staff, and if you don't want to be laid off, you should follow company rules, it is a must.

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Flight attendant

 

Hi! My name is Ludmila and i wanna tell you about profession of my dream. I always dreamed to became a flight attendant. I found this profession interesting, romantic. I don't know why i like this profession so much, maybe someone from my ancestors were connected with aviation. I wanna adjust this profession in future. I'm sure that only this profession gives me a lot of memorable impressions.

 

I understand that i don't wanna do anything else. Only this profession can brings me happiness, and i will say that i have found place in my life. It is perfect when you adore your job, isn't it?

 

I think flight attendant post is not hard. Of course you have to know foreign languages, basically English. You have to be friendly, polite with passengers, contact with them. Flight attendant have to greet and to see of passengers. Flight attendant have to demonstrate emergency procedures, serve food, beverages, and maybe sell duty-free goods.

 

This profession gives you opportunity to travel and see new places. Communicate with people of a different nationality. That is why i wanna fly, i wanna to become a flight attendant.

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I have a dream to be a doctor

 

I want to become a doctor. I like this profession and I am eager to get a medical education and work at a hospital. It is a good tradition in our family. My mother is a doctor, my grandfather is a doctor and I want to be a doctor, too.

 

When I was a little boy my grandfather worked at a hospital and I spent some time at the hospital with him. He is a surgeon and works in a surgical department. Day by day he takes care of his hospital patients, he treats them well. He is very attentive. Every day he comes into wards asking patients, "What do you complain of?". He wants all people to be able-bodied and he tries to treat his in-patients in a proper way.

 

To operate is his main task. He is a kind and skilled surgeon. Every day he comes into an operating-room and operates on his in-patients. After each operation he takes care of his in-patients. Day by day he helps them to recover and he is glad when he can say, "My in-patient is quite recovered". Sometimes he advises his in-patients to go to sanatoriums after leaving the hospital. He instructs them in detail what they can do and eat after their operations.

 

My grandfather tells me a lot of true stories about doctors, their profession, their aid for people. I respect my grandfather. I like his profession and I have a dream to be a doctor, too.

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I Want to be an Interpreter

 

I want to be an interpreter. It is an interesting and useful profession.

 

My parents have a large library and they taught me to like books. I like reading books. My favourite subjects in school are English, Literature, Geography and History. My favourite English and American writers are Shakespeare, Dickens, Walter Scott, Jack London, Mark Twain.

 

Once at the class of Literature, our teacher told us that, when translated, literary works lose much of their beauty. She said that poetry is very hard to translate. From that day I have a dream. I want to have my favourite books in the original and to know the languages they are written in. So I will enjoy the real beauty of these books.

 

I also like reading books about other countries and cultures. It is so interesting to learn that other people think differently.

 

I want to become an interpreter because of some reasons. It is an interesting profession because an interpreter meets people from different countries and cultures all the time and has an opportunity to learn much about them. Besides, this profession is very useful because it helps people to understand each other.

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Journalist

 

I decided to be a journalist. I think it is an interesting and useful profession.

 

I like to watch TV, listen to the radio, read newspapers and magazines. I like everything which connected with mass media.

 

I have a hobby. My friends and I are publishing a small newspaper once a month in our school. We write articles about school events, life of young people, jokes, draw pictures and caricatures. My favourite school subjects are history and literature.

 

I like the profession of a journalist. They meet many people. They try to understand what is going on in the world, or the country, or the city and try to explain it to other people.

 

I think that the work of a journalist is very much like that of historian. A historian studies and tries to explain events of the past and a journalist does the same about the present.

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My Future Profession

 

Centuries ago there were only a few jobs: people were farmers, bakers, butchers or salesmen. Today there are thousands of different kinds of jobs, and new ones are constantly appearing. And the problem of choosing the future profession has always been very important and difficult matter because it determines our future life in many ways. It is one of the most important decisions for every person.

 

As for me, I had decided to be a teacher, so last year I entered Irkutsk State Teacher Training University. Our University is situated in the centre of Irkutsk; it is rather small building, but very comfortable. Students say that our building is the best and it is quite easy to find different classes.

 

As for subjects – we have ten. They are: English practice, grammar and phonetics, Russian, Survival Science, Pedagogic science, Medicine, History, Physical Education and others. I find my subjects quite amazing because they help me to understand the way of teaching other people and to learn some more information, I have never known before.

 

As I’ve told before – I chose to be a teacher of English as a second language because it will be a chance to fulfill my dream of helping people to learn the foreign language. I think I possess the qualities necessary for being a good teacher. I am hard-working, kind-hearted, and broadminded. I want to devote myself to teaching different people, especially children. It will be a very challenging work for me – I will need to use all my knowledge, skills and imagination to find the right approach for every single student and make the process of studying as creative and interesting, as possible. So, I think that I have made the right choice.

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My future profession

 

What I would like to become? This question puzzles me greatly. Every job has its difficulties and challenges. I think that nearly all the professions are very important in life. But to choose the right occupation is very difficult, because we must take in to consideration many factors. We must consider our personal taste and our kind of mind. At the same time we must satisfy the requirements of our society and peoples needs in one profession or another.

 

The end of school is the beginning of an independent life, the beginning of a more serious examination. In order to pass that very serious exam we must choose the road in life which will help us best to live and work. Each boy and girl has every opportunity to develop his or her mind and use knowledge and education received at school. Some may prefer to work in factories or works, others want to go into construction: to take part in building power stations and new towns. Many opportunities to work and to satisfy at the same time the requirements of the society and your own personal interest are offered in the sfere of the services transport, communications and many others.

 

I really like the profession of programmist. I like this profession because it very interesting.

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My Future Profession (Journalist)

 

I decided to be a journalist. I think it is an interesting and useful profession.

 

I like to watch TV, listen to the radio, read newspapers and magazines. I like everything which connected with mass media.

 

I have a hobby. My friends and I are publishing a small newspaper once a month in our school. We write articles about school events, life of young people, jokes, draw pictures and caricatures. My favourite school subjects are history and literature.

 

I like the profession of a journalist. They meet many people. They try to understand what is going on in the world, or the country, or the city and try to explain it to other people.

 

I think that the work of a journalist is very much like that of historian. A historian studies and tries to explain events of the past and a journalist does the same about the present.

 

But for me to be a journalist is much more interesting than to be a historian because you deal with real events that are happening right now so you can even influence them.

 

So journalists can influence the history. That is why I want to be a journalist.

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The Profession of Sociologist

 

Generally it's so not easy for a school-leaver to decide on his future career. There are some frivolous people who enter an institute thinking whether they like the profession they had chosen or not. But occupation you want to devote your life to has to bring you satisfaction. So it should be something you can do and you really want to.

 

I decided to enter the department of sociology and qualify as a sociologist. This is rather new profession in our country. And I think it is very interesting profession. Sociologists are supposed to work with people, to render them real help in difficult situations.

 

Our country is going through a difficult period now. Economic restructuring doesn't lead everyone to success. A lot of people are unemployed. There are winners and losers. There are social workers who have to relieve the burden off people's shoulders and to help them to solve their problems.

 

I understand the difficulties of this profession. But I believe this profession is really needed and hope that I can help a lot of people. Isn't that enough to be satisfied with your job?

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The Working Day of an Engineer

 

One of my friends, Dmitry Shevelev, lives in Vladivostok now though he was born in Nakhodka. Some years ago he graduated from the one of our institutions and became an engineer. Now he lives near his office. He usually walks there. He works on weekdays. I can’t say that he works hard, but all his mates like him because he is a good mixer or, as you may say, he is very communicable person. He doesn’t work on Saturday or Sunday. His working day usually lasts for eight hours. His duties are to answer all incoming letters and calls, to meet with different specialists, to help junior engineers. He often tells me that he likes his job. I usually meet him after the work and we speak about life. He is very glad that he found such work where he can show all his talents. Though there is a difference between our ages, we have much in common. He is among my best friends.

 

By the way, my friend knows English very well (he finished school #13). It helps him a lot as every year various foreign delegations come to their office. These delegations change different technologies with our specialists and discuss many problems. All foreigners thought Shevelev to be the best translator in their institute.