Read the text and do the exercises which follow it.
A WEEK-DAY IN JOHN’S FAMILY
On ordinary week-days the alarm-clock wakes up John at about 7 o'clock. It's time for him to get up. He jumps out of bed, opens the window wide to let the fresh morning air in. He hates when it's stuffy in the room. Besides, John likes to take a cold shower in the morning, it sets him into a cheerful working mood. Then he rubs himself with a towel if he feels cold, shaves, brushes his teeth and washes his face. In 15 minutes he is through with it. He brushes and combs his hair, takes a clean handkerchief out of the drawer and goes into the dining-room to have breakfast. John has neither time nor inclination to get breakfast ready, thus his wife does it. At breakfast he likes to look through the morning newspapers or to listen to the radio.
In his turn, he takes his little son Benny to the day-nursery, it's about ten minutes' walk from their house. Then John goes to the nearest stop and catches a bus. But often he is late and misses the bus. It doesn't take him long to get to the office, on his way there he meets his fellow-workers and colleagues and they go on together talking business. He begins his work at 9 sharp and works till 12 o'clock, then he has a break for dinner at the canteen. He finishes work and gets home at half past five. His wife is at home. She has a variable working schedule, thus it enables her to organize her daily affairs well. She gets up a little earlier in the morning than her husband. She goes to the kitchen to cook breakfast. After it she clears away the dishes, washes them up and dries. Then she must tidy up the house. Mrs. John does the beds, dusts the rooms, does the carpets with the vacuum cleaner (and sometimes she simply sweeps the floor). She is always short of time and always busy, for she is a great partisan of order and can't stand any mess. Thus, keeping the house takes much of her time. Besides, during the day she normally goes shopping, she manages to give some things to the cleaner's, to buy provisions at the grocery, even to drop in the hairdresser’s to have her hair done. And even in the evening she practically doesn't have time to have a rest. Benny is a naughty boy and his things always need repairing: the trousers are to be darned and the coat is to be mended.
Susan, their elder daughter, helps her mother about the house as much as she can. To dust the books, to put everything in its place, to press linen, to make the bed for her little brother are Susan's duties. In fact, the girl is fond of flowers, thus the window-sill in her room is full of flower-pots. She waters them regularly. Twice a week Susan has music classes. Recently she has made good progress, for the parents presented her with a piano and thus, almost every day she manages to practise her skill. She is a gifted person and promises to play the piano well.
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In the evenings they try to get out together. Sometimes they go to the theatre, though not very often, go to the tennis court for a few sets of tennis. On the whole, they are a united, harmonious family.
1. Answer the questions:
· Who is the first to get up in John's family?
· Is John quick to leave his bed?
· How long does it take him to get ready for breakfast?
· Is John fond of cooking meals?
· What must he do before going to work?
· Where does he meet his colleagues?
· John's wife is never short of time and completely filled with herself, is she?
· Who makes the bed for Benny in the evening?
· What are Susan's duties?
· Do they often go out together?
2. Give an account of :
a) John’s week-day
b) his wife’s day.
3. Complete the sentences:
· On weekdays I get up as soon as …
· It takes me long (doesn’t take me long) …
· After taking a cold shower …
· He doesn’t like stuffy rooms, thus …
· On the way to the institute …
· I like to help my mother about the house …
· She can’t stand any mess, so …
· When the carpets need cleaning …
Task 2.
Read the text and speak about children’s chores in an average Russian family.
CHILDREN’S CHORES
In average European and American families children are expected to help about the house. There're assigned "chores" which might include, for instance, vacuuming the rugs, washing and polishing floors, mowing the lawn, cleaning windows, shoveling snow, keeping the car(s) clean, looking after pets and so on. Some parents give a small amount of money, an allowance, in exchange for these and similar chores. In other families they simply expect such work to be shared.
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At the same time many middle-class families expect their children to find part-time jobs, especially, when they enter their teens. This might be: working at the local supermarket or service station, mowing lawns, delivering newspapers, or babysitting. Many high school seniors volunteer to work in hospitals. They are not ashamed of doing menial work.
The idea seems to be that the work experience is (as parents are so fond of telling their children) "good for you", it's often a way of gaining status. Parents feel that young people should appreciate the value of work and learn how to stand on their own two feet.
1. Say whether the statements are TRUE or FALSE and correct them:
· The most common chores are: ironing, cooking food and shopping.
· Children get an allowance in exchange for their good behaviour and excellent school records.
· Many parents approve of part-time jobs.
· Menial work isn’t popular among teenagers.
· Parents are fond of telling that work experience is necessary for gaining status. Children can learn how to stand on their own two feet only when they're not afraid of work.
Task 3.
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