Необходимо выйти к корням. И от этих корней идти заново, иначе мы повторим то, что было

Lesson 5.

An Interview with Jonathon Porrit.

I. Pre-listening tasks.

1. What resources are called renewable and what resources are called non-renewable?

2. What can you say about the situation with use of resources in Russia?

I’m/I’m not of the opinion that resources in Russia are … running to an end/carelessly used/ So the situation with the use of resources in Russia leaves much to be desired/stable/deplorable. Therefore we should undertake responsibility for the things we’ve done.

II. Listening.

Listen to an interview with Jonathon Porrit, a director of “Friends of the Earth” and name the three main things that allow us to be a little more optimisic about the future of our planet.

III. After- listening tasks.

1. Are these statements are true or false?

a. Mr Porrit feels a strange mixture of pessimism and optimism looking into the future of our planet.

b. Porrit calls himself a constructive optimist.

c. The crucial problems are those of the misuse or abuse of the world’s resources both renewable and non-renewable.

d. The problems of the misuse of the planet are interconnected.

e. One million dollars is being spent on arms every year.

f. The reason of the problems is the unsustainable system that we insist on the moment, believing that we can only increase human wealth by producing more and consuming more.

g. Awareness means that in the last ten years people have produced and consumed more even destroying the planet in the process.

h. Political expression means that people need to involve themselves in organizations, in groups, they need to put pressure on politicians so that they don’t get away with the absurd things they are doing at the moment.

i. The path that the “Green Movement” is trying to carve out for itself at the moment is based on the political aspect.

j. Jonathon is depressed by the sheer irrationality people treat the planet and treat each other.

2. Answer the questions.

2.1. Why does Porrit call himself a constructive pessimist?

2.2. What does Jonathon say about the problem of population?

2.3. What other crucial problems does he mention in the dialogue?

2.4. How much money is being spent on the arms? What does Porrit say about this amount?

2.5. Are the problems, Porrit considers to be daunting, separate or interconnected?

2.6. What is to Porrit the only way we are increasing our wealth?

2.7. What does Porrit say about his job?

2.8. Which crucial problems are current for Russia?

3. Find the proof for the following statements:

a. Crucial problems we face are not only those of population.

b. The arms’ investments have reached a staggeringly immoral level.

c. A lot of crucial problems do have the same roots.

d. “The Green Movement” is based on the three aspects.

e. There’s one side in human nature that Jonathon Porrit finds really uplifting.

IV. Discussion.

You work for the Lipetsk Ecology Committee. Recently you’ve been to the workshop given by the “Green Movement”. Discuss with your colleagues your ideas and plans for making this town and this country a better and a cleaner place.

Lesson 6.

Talk Show.

“Is National Character A Myth Or A Reality?”

Preliminary tasks:

Revise the material on the following issues:

1. Stereotypes – where they stem from.

2. Americans descended from the folk who liked to move away.

3. Only the English could love Marmite.

4. England is in the centre of the U.K., other countries are on the periphery.

5. The Northern Ireland situation.

6. Psychological aftermath – September, 11.

7. The monarchy – for or against?

8. The Royals are undignified and ostentatious.

9. Scandals are royal in the Royal family.

10. The mysterious Russian soul.

11. Looking into the future of our planet you see reasons to be both optimisitc and pessimistic.

Characters for the show:

· a compere – conducts the show, is responsible for introducing the guests, asking them questions on the issue suggested and making the show dynamic, gripping and informative.

· Rashid All Hibb – a divorced man from Egypt, was married to an American girl. Is convinced that the distance between western and eastern mentality takes a lifetime to cover.

· Alice All Hibb – ex-wife of Rashid, thinks that all eastern men are overpowering, aggressive, dominating and impulsive.

· Sandra and Gillian – two friends from Northern Ireland. Both of them are Catholics, suffering from the violence in the country. They think that the Ulster situation demands the correct and urgent decision.

· Sergey Davidoff – an emigrant from Russia, living in the USA. Is of the opinion that Russians are thought to be obedient, greedy and liable to run to extremes.

· Alex Brown – an American who lost his beloved on 9/11 2000. Is convinced that a nation is

· Natasha Simonova – a girl from Gjatsk, Russia. Believes that you can solve the riddle of the surprising Russian soul after visiting ancient Russian towns – the reflection of Russian character.

· Sir Alexander – a guide from London. Is sure that the monarchy isn’t old-fashioned and a waste of money but is an excellent tourist attraction.

· Louis Bernard – a student from France, studying law in the USA. Supposes that life in America is too vibrant, dynamic and fast comparing with European countries.