Тексты на английском языке

Чтение текстов на английском языке - один из способов изучения языка. Тексты на английском языке, если они правильно подобраны, могут помочь в изучении языка. Неправильно и неумело подобранные тексты на английском языке способны отбить охоту и желание изучать язык у самых стойких и упорных. Важно не только правильно подобрать тексты, но и правильно с этими текстами работать. Основной принцип работы с текстами на английском языке заключается, и это ни для кого не секрет, в их чтении. Но чтение текстов может быть разным, как по своим целям, так и по способам, котрыми эти цели достигаются. Самыми распространенными целями, которых добивается читатель текстов на английском языке, являются: пополнение общего или тематического словарного запаса, обучение и тренировка в произношении английских слов и выражений, закрепление правил английской грамматики путем разбора типичных примеров встречающихся в тексте и их многократное повторение с целью запоминнания и т.д. Очевидно, что для их достижения необходим подбор соответствующих этим целям текстов на английском языке.

Другим критерием по которому должны выбираться тексты для чтения на английском языке является их сложность (лексическая, грамматическая). Для начинающих изучение языка необходимы тексты попроще и покороче, чтобы не успеть рассеять их внимание и не утомить раньше времени. Для опытных обучаемых соответственно нужны сложные тексты большим многообразием грамматических форм и лексического материала. Выбор английских текстов для чтения может осуществляться самостоятельно - опытным путем, либо с помощью преподавателя. Второй способ предпочтительнее, так как професиональный преподаватель может более точно определить ваш уровень знания языка и подобрать соответствующие тексты. Если вы занимаетесь изучением английского языка самостоятельно, то вам следует выбирать тексты на английском языке исходя из следующих соображений - количество незнакомых слов в английском тексте не должно превышать 10-15%. Чтение английских текстов с большим количеством новых слов будет отнимать много времени на обращения к словарю и снизит эффективость запоминания новых слов. Хорошим вариантим работы с текстами на английском языке является чтение небольших фрагментов с приведенным в конце переводом наиболее сложных слов и выражений. Перевод слов сэкономит времы на обращение к словарю а транскрипция поможет научиться правильно произносить слово.

Источником текстов на английском языке могут служить учебники английского языка из курса средней школы. Они хороши тем, что английские тексты в них обычно расположены в порядке возрастания сложности, учебный материал тщательно дозирован а в конце текста обычно приводятся задания и упражнения по прочитанному тексту. Они помогают лучше усвоить новый лексический материал. Для начинающих изучение английского языка идеально подойдут старые советские учебники, отличающиеся от современных образцов очень тщательной проработкой учебного материала и высоким качеством его подачи.

Газетные статьи могут также использоваться в качестве источничов учебного материала. Однако следует обратить внимание, что язык прессы отличается специфичностью, в нем много сокращений, мало художественных оборотов, и в целом он предназначен для краткой подачи информации читателю, освещении определенных фактов и событий с минимумом отступлений и максимальной экономией печатного пространства.

Более оптимальным источником текстов на английском языке являются художественные произведения англоязычной прозы. Рассказы на английском языке, главы из повестей и романов будут прекрасным источником новых слов.

 

ПРОСТЫЕТЕКСТЫ:

1. BigВen

 

ThebigclockonthetowerofthePalaceofWestminsterinLondonisoftencalledBigBen. ButBigBenisreallythebelloftheclock. ItisthebiggestclockbellinBritain. Itweighs 13.5 tons.

Theclocktoweris 318 feethigh. Youhavetogoup 374 stepstoreachthetop. Sotheclocklookssmallfromthepavementbelowthetower.

Butitsfaceis 23 feetwide. Itwouldonlyjustfitintosomeclassrooms.

Theminute-handis 14 feetlong. Itsweightisequaltothatoftwobagsofcoal. Thehour-handis 9 feetlong.

TheclockbelliscalledBigBenafterSirBenjaminHall. Hehadthejobtoseethatthebellwasputup.

SirBenjaminwasabigman. OnedayhesaidinParliament, "ShallwecallthebellSt. Stephen's?" St. Stephen'sisthenameofthetower.

Butsomeonesaidforajoke, "WhynotcallitBigBen?" Nowthebellisknownallovertheworldbythatname.

 

2. Aboutlibraries

 

Therearemanybigandsmalllibrarieseverywhereinourcountry. Theyhavemillionsofbooksindifferentlanguages. Youcanfindtheretheoldestandthenewestbooks.

Everyschoolhasalibrary. Pupilscometothelibrarytotakebooksondifferentsubjects.

TheschoollibrarywhereOlegstudiesisgood. Itisalargecleanroom. Therearefourbigwindowsinit. Thewallsarelightblue. Therearealotofshelvesfullofbooks. Youcanfindbooksonliterature, physics, history, chemistry, geography, biologyandothersubjects. TherearebooksinEnglish, too.

Onthewallsyoucanseepicturesofsomegreatwritersandpoets.

Onthetablenearthewindowyoucanalwaysseebeautifulspringandautumnflowers.

Oleglikestogotothelibrary. Hecanalwaysfindtheresomethingnew, somethingheneeds.

 

3. CharlesDarwin (1809—1882)

 

Ahundredyearsagopeoplebelievedthatplantsandanimalshadalwaysbeenastheyarenow. Theythoughtthatallthedifferentsortsoflivingthings, includingmenandwomen, wereputinthisworldbysomemysteriouspowerafewthousandyearsago.

ItwasCharlesDarwin, bornatShrewsburyonthe 12thofFebruary, 1809, whoshowedthatthiswasjustalegend. AsaboyDarwinlovedtowalkinthecountryside, collectinginsects, flowersandminerals. Helikedtowatchhiselderbrothermakingchemicalexperiments. ThesehobbiesinterestedhimimuchmorethanGreekandLatin, whichwerehismainsubjectsatschool.

Hisfather, adoctor, sentCharlestoEdinburghUniversitytostudymedicine. ButCharlesdidnotlikethis. Hespentalotoftimewithazoologistfriend, watchingbirdsandotheranimals, andcollectinginsectsinthecountryside.

ThenhisfathersenthimtoCambridgetobetrainedasaparson. ButDarwindidn'twanttobeadoctororaparson. Hewantedtobeabiologist.

In 1831 hesetsailintheBeagleforSouthAmericatomakemapsofthecoastlinethere. Darwinwentintheshiptoseetheanimalsandplantsofotherlands. Onhisvoyageroundtheworldhelookedcarefullyatthousandsoflivingthingsintheseaandonlandandcametoveryimportantconclusions.

Thisiswhathecametobelieve. Oncetherewereonlysimplejelly-likecreatureslivinginthesea. Veryslowly, takinghundredsmillionsofyears, thesehavedevelopedtoproduceallthedifferentkindsofanimalsandplantsweknowtoday. ButDarwinwaitedovertwentyyearsbeforehelettheworldknowhisgreatideas. Duringthattimehewascarefullycollectingmoreinformation. Itshowedhowrighthewasthatalllivingthingshaddevelopedfromsimplercreatures.

Hewroteafamousbook 'TheOriginofSpecies'.

PeoplewhoknewnothingaboutlivingthingstriedtomakefunofDarwin'sideas.

ThedevelopmentofsciencehasshownthatDarwin'sideaofevolutionwascorrect.

 

4. Great Britain

 

TheBritishIsleslieinthenorth-westofEurope. Theyconsistoftwolargeislands, GreatBritainandIreland, andmanysmallerones. GreatBritain, thelargestislandinEurope, includesEngland, Scotland, andWales. ItisseparatedfromIrelandbytheIrishSea, andfromtheContinentbytheEnglishChannelandtheStraitsofDover. GreatBritainandNorthernIrelandformtheUnitedKingdom (UK).

ThesurfaceofEnglandandIrelandisflat, butthesurfaceofScotlandandWalesismountainous. Themountainsarealmostallinthewesternpart. ThehighestmountainintheUnitedKingdomisBenNevisinScotland (1343 m). ThelongestriveristheSevern. Itisinthesouth-westofEngland. TheThamesisnotsolongastheSevern, itisshorter. Theseaentersdeeplyintothelandandhasagreatinfluenceontheclimate, whichisdampbutrathermild: thewinterisnotverycoldandthesummerisnotveryhot.

Over 57 millionpeopleliveintheUnitedKingdom. MostofthepeopleofGreatBritainliveinbigtownsandcities.

ThecapitalofthecountryisLondon. ThemainindustrialcentresareSheffieldandBirminghamwhereirongoodsaremade, Manchester, thecottoncentreofEngland, andothers.

TheimportantportsofthecountryareLondon, Liverpool, Glasgowandothers

 

5. Meals

 

TherearefourmealsadayinanEnglishhome: breakfast, lunch, tea, anddinner.

Breakfastisthefirstmealoftheday. Itisatabout 8 o'clockinthemorning, andconsistsofporridgewithmilkandsaltorsugar, eggs — boiledorfried, breadandbutterwithmarmaladeorjam. Somepeopleliketodrinktea, butothersprefercoffee. Insteadofporridgetheymayhavefruitjuice, ortheymaypreferbiscuits.

Theusualtimeforlunchis 1 o'clock. Thismealstartswithsouporfruitjuice. Thenfollowssomemeatorpoultrywithpotatoes — boiledorfried, carrotsandbeans. Thenapuddingcomes. Insteadofthepuddingtheymayprefercheeseandbiscuits. Lastofallcoffee — blackorwhite. Englishmenoftendrinksomethingatlunch. Waterisusuallyonthetable. Somepreferjuiceorlemonade.

Teaisthethirdmealoftheday. Itisbetween 4 or 5 o'clock, theso-called 5 o'clocktea. Onthetablethereistea, milkorcream, sugar, breadandbutter, cakesandjam. Friendsandvisitorsareoftenpresentattea.

Dinneristhefourthmealoftheday. Theusualtimeisabout 7 o'clock, andallthemembersofthefamilysitdowntogether.

Dinnerusuallyconsistsofsoup, fishormeatwithvegetables — potatoes, greenbeans, carrotandcabbage, sweetpudding, fruitsalad, ice-creamorcheeseandbiscuits. Thenafteratalktheyhaveblackorwhitecoffee.

ThisistheorderofmealsamongEnglishfamilies, Butthegreaterpartofthepeopleinthetowns, andnearlyallcountry-people, havedinnerinthemiddleofthedayinsteadoflunch. Theyhaveteaalittlelater — between 5 and 6 o'clock, andthenintheevening, beforegoingtobed, theyhavesupper.

Sothefourmealsofthedayareeitherbreakfast, dinner, tea, supper; orbreakfast, lunch, tea, dinner.

 

6. New York

 

In 1607 CaptainHenryHudsonleftEuropetosearchforthefamousNorth-WestPassage. Hedidn'tfindit, becauseitdidn'texist, buthereachedarivertowhichhegavehisname. Interestedbythestoriestoldthembythecaptainonhisreturn, theDutchsentotherboatstotakepossessionofthelanddiscoveredbyHudsonandgaveitthename 'NewNetherland'. Twomendominatethehistoryofthiscolony. ThefirstboughttheislandofManhattanfromtheIndiansin 1626. Thesecondarrivedin 1647 asgovernorofNewAmsterdam, thecapitalofNewNetherland.

In 1664 thisterritorywastakenoverbytheEnglishandtheychangedthenameofNewAmsterdamtoNewYork.

NewYorkisoneofthelargestcitiesintheworld. Itspopulationisover 11 millionpeople. NewYorkisanindustrialandculturalcentreofthecountry. MostbusinessiscentredinManhattanIsland. Thewholeareaisverysmall, that'swhytheskyscraperswereinventedinNewYorkand, especially, inWallStreet. WallStreetisanarrowstreetwithbighouses, butitiswellknownallovertheworldasthebusieststreetintheUSA. Peopledobusinessthere.

Therearetwomoreworld-famousstreets — BroadwayandFifthAvenue. Broadwayisthecentreofthetheatresandnightlife. ItisknownasTheGreatWhiteWaybecauseoftheelectricsignswhichturnnightintoday. Itisthecitythatnevergoestosleep. Busesandsubwayrunallnight. Therearemanydrugstoresandrestaurantswhichneverclosetheirdoors. Therearecinemaswithfilmsthatstartatmidnight.

FifthAvenueisthegreatshopping, hotel, andclubavenue. Ifyougoalongthisavenue, youcometoHarlem, wheretheblackpeopleofNewYorklive, thecolouredworkers, teachers, doctorsandmusicians.

NewYorkisthelargestportinAmerica. MorethanhalfthetradeoftheUnitedStatesgoesthroughthiscity.

TherearemanyplacesofinterestinNewYork. Theyare: theStatueofLiberty, theUnitedNationsBuilding, EmpireStateBuilding, ColumbiaUniversity, CityHall, NewYorkPublicLibraryandothers.

 

7. Scotland

 

ScotlandliestothenorthofEngland. PeoplewholiveinScotlandarcScots.

ThecapitalofScotlandisEdinburgh, butScotlandhasnoseparateParliament, fortheScottishMPs (MembersofParliament) sitwiththeEnglishonesinWestminsterinLondon.

EdinburghisnotthelargestcityinScotland. Glasgow, whichliasapopulationofoveronemillion, istwiceaslargeasEdinburgh.

Evenso, EdinburghremainsthecentreofthelifeofScotland. HerearetheadministrativecentresoftheNavy, theArmy, andtlieAirForce, thechiefbanksandoffices; andthefamousuniversity.

Edinburgh, unlikeGlasgow, hasnolargefactories. Publishingisitswell-knownindustry. Ithasbeenfamousforitsprinterssincetheearlyyearsofthesixteenthcentury, whenthefirstScottishprinting-presswassetupwithinitswalls. Thepublishingofbooksistodayaveryimportantindustry. MuchprintingisdoneforLondonpublishinghouses, andtherearemanypaper-millsnearEdinburgh.

Edinburghisabeautifulcity. ThefirstthingyouseeinEdinburghistheRock -— theverylargehillinthemiddleofthecity, onwhichstandsEdinburghCastle.. TheCastlelookslikeacastlefromafairy-tale, andpartsofitaremorethanathousandyearsold. FromthetopoftheCastlethereisabeautifulviewofthehillandthesea.

BesidestheCastletherearemanyotherinterestingbuildings, suchasHolyroodPalacewhichistheoldroyalresidence, theArtGallery, theUniversityofEdinburgh.

Edinburghisfamousformanythings: itsfestivals (playsandmusic), itscollegeofmedicine, itsmuseumsandlibraries, andforitswritersSirWalterScott, RobertLouisStevensonandothers.

 

8. TheUnitedNations

 

TheUnitedNationsisanorganizationofsovereignnationsrepresentingalmostallofhumanity. Ithasasitscentralgoalthemaintenanceofinternationalpeaceandsecurity. Additionally, itspurposescallforthedevelopmentoffriendlyrelationsamongnationsbasedonequalrightsandself-determinationofpeoplesand, throughinternationalco-operation, thesolutionofproblemsofaneconomic, social, culturalandhumanitariannature.

TheUnitedNationsisthemeeting-placewhererepresentativesofallmemberstates — greatandsmall, richandpoor, withvaryingpoliticalviewsandsocialsystems — haveavoiceandanequalvoteinshapingacommoncourseofaction.

TheUnitedNationshasplayed, andcontinuestoplay, anactiveroleinreducingtensionintheworld, preventingconflictsandputtinganendtofightingalreadyunderway.

TherearesixmainorgansoftheUnitedNations — theGeneralAssembly, theSecurityCouncil, theEconomicandSocialCouncil, theTrusteeshipCouncil, theSecretariatandtheInternationalCourtofJustice. TheCourthasitsseatattheHague, Netherlands. AllotherorgansarebasedattheUnitedNationsHeadquartersinNewYork.

MembersoftheGeneralAssemblytalktoeachotherinmanylanguages, butofficiallythereareonlysix - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, RussianandSpanish.

TheSecretariatservicestheotherorgansoftheUnitedNationsandadministerstheprogrammesandpolicieslaiddownbythem. Over 20,000 menandwomenareemployedbytheUnitedNationswithaboutone-thirdofthemattheHeadquartersandtheothertwo-thirdsstationedaroundtheglobe. Staffmembersarerecruitedprimarilyfrommemberstatesandaredrawnfrommorethan 140 nations. Asinternationalcivilservants, eachtakesanoathnottoseekorreceiveinstructionsfromanygovernmentoroutsideauthority.

WorkingfortheUnitedNations, mostly "behindthescenes" attheHeadquarters, arelinguists, econbmists, editors, socialscientists, legalexperts, librarians, journalists, statisticians, broadcasters, personnelofficers, administratorsandexpertsinallthevariedfieldsofactivitycoveredbytheUnitedNations. TheypreparethereportsandstudiesrequestedbyvariousbodiesoftheUnitedNations; theyissuepressreleasesandproducepublications, broadcastsandfilmsgivinginformationabouttheUnitedNations; andtheyperformtheadministrativedutiesneededtoimplementresolutionsadoptedbythevariousorgans. Inaddition, therearestenographers, clerks, engineersandtechnicians, tourguidesandalsoabodyofsecurityofficersinblue-greyuniformswhoarcresponsibleforthesecurityoftheUnitedNationsHeadquarters. AttheheadoftheSecretariatistheSecretary-General.

ThemainHeadquartersoftheUnitedNationsarebasedinNewYork. TheUnitedNationsOrganizationSecretariatoccupiesthehigherbuilding. TheGeneralAssemblyisheldinthelowerbuilding.

 

9. Weather

 

Theweatherisasubjectwecanalwaystalkabout. Itoftenchangesandbringscoldandheat, sunshineandrain, frostandsnow. Onedayisoftenunlikethenext. Insummerthesunshines, oftenthereisnowindandtherearenocloudsintheskywhichisblueandbeautiful. Wecanseestarsandthemoonatnightandpeoplelikewalks, outdoorgamesandsportsinthefreshair.

Whenautumncomes, thedaysbecomeshorterandcolder. Itgetsdarkearlierandoftenheavycloudscovertheskybringingrainwiththem.

Sometimesthereisheavyrain, sothatanumbrellaoraraincoatisnecessaryifwedon'twanttogetwetthrough. Thenyoucanhearpeoplesay, "Whatbadweather! Whenisthisraingoingtostop?" Manypeoplethencatchcoldandmustgotobed. Thenafireathomeissopleasant. Atlastfrostandsnowcome.

Fields, forestsandhousesarecoveredwithsnowandriversandlakeswithice. Butspringagainbringssunshineandwarmwinds. Sometimesitsnowsbutsnowwillnotremainlong, itwillmeltinthewarmsun. Springwillbringbrightsunshine, greengrassandflowers.

Weusuallysay: "Aniceday", "Notabadday" or "It'sniceweatherforthetimeoftheyear" iftheweatherisfine.

Wecansay: "Itlookslikerain", "Itlookslikesnow" of "It'sbadweather" whentheweatherisbad.

 

10. YuriGagarin

 

Itwasonthe 12thofApril, 1961, whenthefirstflightbymanintocosmicspacetookplace. YuriGagarin, thefirstcosmonautintheworld, wasa 27-yearoldAirForcepilotatthattime.

Thespaceshipflewatthespeedof 300 milesaminute. That'ssixtimesfasterthanmanevertravelledbefore. Hisflightlasted 108 minutes, butacircuitroundtheEarthtook 89 minutes.

Itwasabrilliantachievementonthepartofourscientistsandtechnologists, andonthepartofYuriGagarinwhoriskedhislifetoachieveavictoryforhiscountryandmankind.

ThisiswhatYuriGagarinsaidathispressconferenc: "Onmyflightthe 'day' sideoftheEarthwasclearlyseen: thecontinents, islands, seas, andbigrivers. FlyingoverthelandIcouldclearlyseethebigsquaresoffields, anditwaspossibletodistinguishwhichwasmeadowandwhichwasforest. Icouldnotseeaswellasfromanairplane, butvery, verywellthough.

IsawforthefirsttimewithmyowneyestheEarth'ssphericalshape. Imustsaythattheviewofthehorizonisverybeautiful. YoucanseethenoticeablechangefromthelightsurfaceoftheEarthtotriecompletelyblackskyinwhichyoucanseethestars. Thistransition, fromlightbluetodark, isverygradualandlovely.

IdidnotseetheMoon. InspacethesunshinestentimesmorebrightlythanontheEarth. Thestarscanbeseenverywell.

IfeltexcellentasIenteredspace. Whenweightlessnessdeveloped, everythingwaseasiertodo. Mylegsandarmsweighednothing. Objectsswaminthecabin. Duringthisstateofweightlessness, Iateanddrank, andeverythingwasthesameasontheEarth. Myhandwritingdidnotchange, thoughmyhandwasweightless. ButIhadtoholdmynotebookoritwouldhavefloatedaway.

Thepassagebackfromweightlessnesstotheforceofgravityhappenedsmoothly. Armsandlegsfeelthesameasduringweightlessness, butnowtheyhaveweight.

Iceasedtobesuspendedoverthechair, thenIsatinit.

WhenIreturnedtotheEarthIwasfullofjoy."