Text 1. A letter from Alex

I. Read the letter and do the task following it.

Hello, Steve,

Thank you for the texts you sent me with your last letter. I’ll certainly make use of them in my work. In my turn, I am sending you a text about teenage hate crimes in Russia nowadays.

It was a pleasant surprise to learn you are so athletic. As for me, I am not doing any particular sport in a big way, but I am really fond of football, which I play with my group mates all the year round. I also enjoy swimming in summer and skiing in winter. I am fond of bicycling, too, and I like lessons of physical education.

I quite agree with you that sport makes us better. I, for one, feel that I am getting more self-disciplined and organised. These are valuable qualities for me because I am often pressed for time. I was very busy last term, studying at the Academy and taking driving lessons several times a week. I’ve got a small car of my own, but, for the time being, I prefer travelling to the Academy by public transport because of the parking problem and traffic jams, especially in the rush hours. Now I have an opportunity to travel to the Academy by the metro. It’s very convenient and saves a lot of time. Besides, travelling by the metro, I can avoid traffic jams and come to the lessons on time. It takes me half an hour or so to get to the Academy in the morning. But I love driving, too, and I am planning to do a lot of travelling by car in summer.

By the way, if it’s not too much trouble for you, send me some material about world-known organisations fighting crime.

I know you are reading for the exams now, and I wish you all the luck.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Yours,

Alex.

II. Find in the text of the letter English equivalents to the following
Russian words and word combinations.

1.часы пик

2. весь год

3. ценные качества

4. брать уроки вождения

5. проблемы с парковкой

6. пробки на дорогах