Geographical location, landscape, waterways, climate, administrative division

Writing and speaking

C1. You have 20 minutes to do this task.

You have received a letter from your friend Tom, who writes:

... It was great to hear that you went to Lake Baikal during your spring holidays. I have always wanted to visit this wonderful lake. Did you enjoy your journey? What did you do? What impressed you most of all? Did you like your hotel?

As for me, I am awfully tired because we’ve got too many tests at school. Can’t wait for the summer break...

Write a letter to Tom.

In your letter answer his questions; ask 3 questions about his school.

Write 100 – 140 words.

Remember the rules of letter writing.

C2      You have 40 minutes to do this task.

Comment on the following statement.

Nowadays lots of young people tend to move to cities in search of better life. On the contrary, many adults consider such a lifestyle quite dangerous for their children. Who is right? Is the life in the city really as harmful as it may seem?

What is your opinion? Which way of life do you find more satisfying?

Write 200 – 250 words.

Use the following plan:

-           make an introduction (state the problem)

-           express your personal opinion and give reasons for it

-           give arguments for the other point of view and explain why you don’t agree with it

-           draw a conclusion

C3.

Imagine that you are preparing a project with your friend. You have found some interesting material for the presentation and you want to read this text to your friend. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, then be ready to read it out aloud. You will not have more than 1.5 minutes to read it.

But even today one cannot say, that we know all the secrets of this unique sheet of water. The Baikal is 25 million years old. And it still remains a young lake. It is 1634 meters deep. The Baikal is 636 km long, from 25 km to 79 km wide. Many seas are even considerably shallower. The lake consists 20 % of the world's fresh water supply.

To Siberians it is a glorious sea. The water of the Baikal is amazingly clear; its transparency is 100 times greater than that of many other lakes, in fact it is legendary.

There one finds the Baikal seal, golomyanka and of course omul. The delicate fish has always been a favorite with Siberians. Even the thought of omul salted or smoked or baked is mouthwatering. (The text is taken from materials of Medwedev S.P. “Sunny Buryatia”)

C4.

Study the advertisement. You are considering learning Buryat language. And now you are calling to find out more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out the following:

1.         dates for beginning

2.         place

3.         teachers

4.         accomodation

5.         price

You have 20 seconds to ask each question.

About the Linguistic centre "East-West"

·         English, Chinese,Korean, Buryat languages at any level.

·         English/Buryat for children from 4-6 years.

·         Preparation to  the Unified State Exam in English.

·         English/Chinese for business.

·         Express courses in English/ Chinese for travel

·         Corporate training.

·         Weekend courses.

·         The synthesis of the most progressive methods of teaching foreign languages, well-equipped classrooms, lessons in mini-groups with the best teachers, the widest selection of programs and individual approach to each person

C 5.

Imagine that while travelling during your holidays you took some photos. Choose one photo to present to your friend.

      

You will have to start speaking in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes. In your talk remember to speak about:

•when you took the photo

 •what is in the photo

 •what is happening

•why you took the photo

•why you decided to show the picture to your friend

You have to talk continuously, starting with:

I’ve chosen photo number …  

C 6

Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

give a brief description of the photos (action, location)

say what the pictures have in common

say in what way the pictures are different

say which of the kinds of rest presented in the pictures, what do you prefer, explain why

You will speak for not more than 2 minutes. You have to talk continuously.