Let's Discuss It!-Társalgási Témák

KÉSZ ZOLTÁN TÖRÖKNÉ TENK DÓRA

Let's discuss it! TÁRSALGÁSI TÉMÁK

KÖZÉP- ÉS FELSŐFOKÚ NYELW IZSGÁRA ÉS AZ EMELT SZINTŰ ÉRETTSÉGIRE

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LEXIKA KIADÓ

Székesfehérvár, 2012

LET'S DISCUSS IT! Tankönyvi engedély száma: AK/528-9/2011. Kerettantervi 17/2004. (V20.) OM rendelet, 3.sz. melléklete Terjedelme (A/5 ív): 16,68 ív Tömege: 319 g Tudományos-szakmai szakértő: Dr. Győri Gábor Tantárgypedagógiai szakértő: Számadóné Bíró Alice Technológiai (könyvészeti) szakértő: Zarubay Attila © Kész Zoltán, Törökné Tenk Dóra, 2011 © Lexika Kiadó Kft. 8000 Székesfehérvár, Martinovics u. 9. Tel./fax: 22/501-993 www.lexika.hu [email protected] Alkotószerkesztő: Mayer Ingrid Lektor: Richard Robinson és Paul Tichmars Felelős kiadó: Dr. Szalai Elek Műszaki szerkesztés, fedélterv: Magstúdió Design Kft. Rendelési kód: LX-0024 ISBN: 978-963-9357-90-7 i

Nyomta és kötötte a Szekszárdi Nyomda Kft. Felelős vezető: Vadász Katalin igazgató Munkaszám: 120555

Előszó Társalgási könyvü nkkel segítséget kívánunk nyújtani az érettségire valam in t a közép- és felsőfokú n yelvvizsgá k ra va ló felkészülésben. A könyvünkben ta lá l­ ható 40 autentikus téma a M agyarországon m a állam ilag elism ert n yelvvizsgá k tém aköreit d olgozza fel. M in den tém akörben m egoldást kínálunk, hogy a n y elv­ tanuló m egism erjen egyfa jta álláspontot, am elytől ő a saját vélem én ye szerin t bárm ikor eltérhet. A könyv alapvető célja, h ogy a szókincset a változatosan bem u tatott és egyben m egtanulható m ennyiségű szóanyag segítségével bővítse, és ezzel a vizsga leté­ teléh ez szükséges szintre h o zza fel. Fontos szem pont, hogy a tanu lók m egtanu l­ já k m agukat közel ú gy kifejezn i, m in t az anyanyelvi beszélők. Á llan d ó ism étlé­ sek révén a felad atok k ivitelezése közben képessé válnak vélem én yü ket k ifejte­ ni, hatásos érveket, ellen érvek et felh ozn i a vizsgáztatóval va g y a társaikkal fo ly ­ tatott beszélgetés során. E n n ek elsajátításához nyújtanak segítséget a fe jezetek végén található m intapárbeszédek, szituációk. A kön yv végén tem atiku sán csoportosítottuk a beszédszándékokat, am ely m ind a tanárnak, m ind a diákn ak segít rend szerezni a különböző é leth ely zetek ­ ben előforduló kifejezéseket.

A fejezetek felépítése: •

az adott tém át égy bizonyos nézőpontból feldolgozó szöveg

•

pro-kontra szem pontok (érvek, ellen érvek), am elyek alapján a tanuló ön­ állóan k ifejth eti vélem én yét

•

m intadialógus, am ely az adott tém a vitaszerű feldolgozása hol em elkedettebb, hol hétköznapibb stílusban

•

fonetikai je le k k e l e llá to tt szószedet

Javaslat az egyes fejezetek feldolgozására: 1. Olvassuk el a tém át feldolgozó szöveget többször lassan (ötször-hatszor)! 2. A szószedet (és - ha szükséges - szótár) segítségével tanu lju k m eg az ism e­ retlen szavakat, kifejezéseket!

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3. Olvassuk el újra többször (ötször-hatszor) a szöveget, majd csak a vas­ tagon szedett kifejezésekre pillantva próbáljuk meg visszaadni a szöveg tartalmát (ha lehet tanulótársunknak vagy tanárunknak)! 4. Olvassuk el a pro-kontra kifejezéseket ötször-hatszor! 5. Tanuljuk meg az idegen szavakat, kifejezéseket! 6 . Az eddig tanultak segítségével írjunk fogalmazást saját véleményünket

kifejtve a témáról. (Ha még nem megy minden fejből, használhatjuk a könyvet is)! 7. Mondjuk el saját véleményünket szóban! 8 . Tanuljuk meg a „dobozokban” lévő beszédszándékokat!

9. Társunkkal - eldöntve, hogy eleinte ki melyik álláspontot képviseli - foly­ tassunk vitát a témában a fentieket felhasználva (lehet nézni a könyvet)! 10. Olvassuk el a mintapárbeszédet! 11. Tanuljuk meg az ismeretlen szavakat, kifejezéseket! 12. Tökéletesítsük saját párbeszédünket a minta alapján. (Ha van kedvünk keressünk a könyv végén található beszédszándékok közül olyant, ame­ lyik illik a párbeszédünkbe)!

Természetesen más módszerrel is feldolgozhatjuk a fejezeteket, de az ismétlés mindenképpen fontos. Ha újabb fejezetek feldolgozásába kezdünk, időről időre térjünk vissza a régiekre, hol a szókincset, hol az önálló témakifejtést, hol pedig a párbeszédeket ismételve! Akinek pedig van rá lehetősége, gyakoroljon egy ta­ nulótárssal! A tanulás nemcsak vidámabb, de gyorsabb is lesz.

Sok sikert kívánunk a tanuláshoz: A szerzők

TARTALOM

ELŐSZÓ ...................................................................................................

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1. Children are spoiled by watching too much T V ...................................

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2. Housewives should be p aid ..................................................................

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3. Being married has more advantages than being single.......................

16

4. Life was much better one hundred years a g o ......................................

20

5 .1 prefer living in a house to living in a fia t...........................................

24

6 . Country life is much healthier and better than city l i f e .....................

28

7. It is very healthy to have a substantial breakfast................................

32

8 . We should all become vegetarians.......................................................

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9. Eating out saves a lót o f energy, time and money................................

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10 . People pút too much emphasis on their appearance............................

45

11. Physical education should be part o f the curriculum .....................

49

12. Public transport should be f r e e ..........................................................

53

13. Going to the beach is no holiday..........................................................

57

14. More cycle lanes should be built in big cities......................................

61

15. There should be one official world language........................................

65

16. Finding quality entertainment on T V is difficult.................................

69

17. Parents should be blamed fór their children’s actions...........................

73

18. Pocket money ruins a child’s sense of values........................................

77

19. In the present education system students have far too many righ ts....

81

20. Smoking in public places should be banned..........................................

85

21. Something must be done to savé the E arth ..........................................

89

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2 2 . Commercials targeting and using children should be banned......................... :.93

23. There should be no speed limit on motorways..................................

97

24. Drugs should nőt be lega l.................................................................

101

25. Downloading music and movies should be sanctioned..........................

105

26. It is acceptabie to adapt famous literary w orks.................................

109

27. Soap operas are the ideál form of entertainment..............................

113

28. Hopefully teachers will be replaced with robots in the future.............

117

29. We should rely more on alternative medicine....................................

121

30. Doping should nőt be allowed...........................................................

125

31. More nuclear plants should be b u ilt.................................................

129

32. Zero tolerance in case of drunken drivers should be introduced.........

133

33. The Internet should be censored......................................................

137

34. Celebrities have a bad impact on our society.....................................

141

35. It is better to go on a package tour than on an individual to u r............

145

36. Having a university degree is better than just learning a trade..........

149

37. There should be no equality between sexes.......................................

153

38. Camping is an ideál way of spending your holiday............................

157

39. Money makes the world go round.....................................................

161

40. Dangerous sports should be banned.................................................

165

BESZÉDSZÁNDÉKOK..........................................................................

169

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•

Children are spoiled by watching too much TV

__________________________________________________________ _______ ' I fin d television very educational. E very tim e someone switches it on, 1 go intő a n oth er ro om a n d read a g ood book.’

Groucho Marx (American comedian)

Television is one of the greatest achievements of the twentieth century. Families were glued to the screen watching interesting shows, films, sports events and other programmes. Viewers could witness milestone events in the history of humanity, fór example the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. The television informed .and united people. It became part of the family. Moreover, people at work alsó talked about their favourite soap opera or the football game the night before. However, that was only the beginnings. Later, the role o f TV changed a lót and has been changing ever since. Television offers such a wide rangé o f channels and programmes that people cannot handle the abundance o f shows coming 10from the box. Think o f series and reality shows that have made people spend most of their free time in front of the television instead of spending quality time with their loved ones. On the one hand, it can be a good way fór elderly people to entertain themselves, since many of them are alone, and there is nőt much they can do besides watching TV 24/7. rOn the other hand, television has a very barm iul effect on children. I must 15 say that children are the ones who suffer the most in the long run, due to the fact that they watch T V Statistics show that a lót of children have become couch potatoes, pút on a lót of weight and become anti-social, as they are used to spending most o f their time watching cartoons and silly shows. I wam nőt saying that it is the responsibility o f the child. There is no doubt that the parents are the ones to folame. What I ’m saying is that parents find it way too easy to have their children sit quietly in front of the television, nőt even worrying about what they watch. It is said that T V is the best baby-sitter of our time. In most cases, children become violent and aggressive, because they 25try to copy the false role models created by the box. Obviously, they are more interested in the programme if there is more action in it, bút I think they are too young to decide what is good fór them or nőt. Speaking from experience, I must say that children can become quite careless and indifferent if they are exposed to television a lót. 30To teli the truth, I have no solution to this problem, though I believe that if parents paid more attention to their kids, i f they at least checked what they watch, a lót fewer child-related problems would occur.

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1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

Watching television leads to violence or aggression in children. Children tend to copy the behaviour of somé negative people. Sitting in front of the television can cause obesity. Children turn intő couch potatoes. T V characters often promote smoking, drinking and drug usage. Children watch a lót of commercials and they are influenced to eat junk food. • Children neglect their studies if they watch a lót o f TV. • Watching television leads to a lack of creativity and promotes passivity. • People turn intő couch potatoes thereby sacrificing all the healthy activities such as walking and exercise just to sit in front o f the ‘idiot box’. • • • • • •

^ONS

• • • • • •

• •

Television teaches children about different cultures. Children become aw are o f current events. T V can provide you with knowledge and important values. Television helps a child spend more time with the rest of the family when they watch the same programme together. By watching TV, children won’t go astray. When moderated, T V can be a good thing. It is how you handle your child and his television watching habits which eventually decides the outcome. Watching cartoons in the original language can improve your child’s language skills. < A good role model can help to improve the child’s personality.

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2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ? Don’t be ridiculous! Come on!

What do you mean? Do you really think...?

Just think about... Basically,...

Example

You alsó have to Moreover,. consider... That isn’t the point.

Still,...

.-V

A: Do you really think that watching T V is good fór a child? B: O f course. Just think about the educational advantages o f television. Basi­ cally, any subject could be taught. My són knows more about the solar system than me because he watches Science channels all the time. A: Sure. Bút think about how much time is wasted if you just pút your child in front of the TV B: D on ’t be ridiculous. You should know better than to think a parent can spend all his time with the children. Sometimes it is very good to let them do what they want. A: What I ’m saying is that parents should check what their children watch. B: I agree with you there. Sometimes we watch T V together. The whole family sits down in the living room, and after a day’s hard work, we can enjoy various programmes together. Moreover, we can discuss what w e have seen. A: D on ’t you think that nowadays children are more violent because o f TV? B: I certainly don’t. You know there are a lót of comedies on T V and yet, I don’t see a rising number o f funny actions in the street. A: You alsó have to consider the fact that children’s imagination is weakened by television. B: What do you mean? A: Well, all they have to do is sit back and stare at the screen. They are basi­ cally told what to think. B: Come on\ That’s the worst argum ent I ’ve ever heard. A: Seriously, I dón ’t think that you will deny that books do just the opposite and make the reader use his or her imagination, while television doesn’t help at all. B: That isn’t the point. A: What is? B: The point is that you can relax, be together with whoever you want to be with and just sit back and enjoy the company of each other.

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A: Even if what you watch is absolute rubbish? B: Well, the content o f w hat you watch should be carefully chosen. A : I agree with you.

achievement to be glued to the screen milestone to unité soap opera to handle abundance 24/7 harmful in the long run couch potato cartoon silly responsibility to blame sy fór sg violent indifferent to be exposed to to occur role model violence aggression obesity commercial thereby to sacrifice solar system various to discuss nowadays comedy imagination

/a'tfirvmsnt/ /glu:d tu öa skrirn/ /'mailstaun/ /ju'nait/ /saup 'opra/ /'haendl/ /a'bAndans/ /'ha:mfl/ /kautj1 ps'teitao/ /ka:'tu:n/ /'sili/ /rispDnsa'bibti/ /bleim/ /'vaialant/ /in'difrsnt/ /ik'spaozd/ /o'k3:(r)/ /reul ’modl/ /'vaiobns/ /a'grej'n/ /ao'birssti/ /k3'm3:jl/ /'őerbai/ /'saekrafais/ /'s3 ub(r) 'sistam/ /'veorias/ /dis'kAs/ /'nausdeiz/ /‘komodi/ /imsedji'neijn/

teljesítmény A képernyőhöz van 1 mérföldkő egyesíteni szappanopera kezelni bőség látástól vakulásig káros hosszútávon T V függő rajzfilm buta, bugyuta felelősség okolni vkit vmiért erőszakos közömbös kitéve lenni vminek előfordulni példakép erőszak agresszió túlsúlyosság reklám ezért feláldozni naprendszer különböző megvitatni mostanában 1vígjáték képzelőerő

to weaken to stare at argument to deny content

/'wi:kn/ /stes(r)/ /'a:gjümant/ /di'nai/

/'kontsnt/

gyengíteni bámulni érv tagadni tartalom

moreover

sőt mi több

however

azonban

Think of ...

Gondolj arra, hogy ...

On the one hand, ...

Egyrészt ...

On the other hand, ...

M ásrészt azonban ...

I must say that

Muszáj azt mondanom, hogy ...

Statistics show ...

Statisztikai adatok szerint ...

I am nőt saying that

Ezzel nem azt akarom mondani, hogy .

There is no doubt that

Semmi kétség a felől, hogy ...

What I ’m saying is ...

Ezzel azt akarom mondani, hogy ...

It is said ...

Azt m ondják ...

Obviously, ...

N yilvánvalóan ...

Speaking from experience ..

Tapasztalatból mondom, hogy ...

I believe that

Hiszem, hogy ...

though

habár

To teli the truth ...

Őszintén szólva ...

Basically ...

Alapvetően ...

Don’t be ridiculous.

N e legyél nevetséges!

I agree with you.

Egyetértek veled.

You alsó have to consider

Azt is fontolóra kell venned, hogy ...

What do you mean?

H ogy érted?

Come on!

Ugyan kérlek!

Seriously ...

Komolyan ...

That isn’t the point.

Nem az a lényeg.

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‘ T ő b e a housewife is a d ifficu lt, a w renching, sometimes an u n gra teful jo b i f i t is looked on only as a jo b . R ega rded as a profession, it is the noblest as it is the m ost a ncient o f the catalogue. L e t nőne persuade us d ifferently o r the w orld is lost indeed. ’

(Phyllis McGinley)

On the one hand, I am convinced that being a housewife has always been a full-time job. Housewives must be able to undertake many people’s tasks all by themselves. At is essential to be a nanny, a teacher, a chambermaid, a cook, and an aceountant at the same time. I f you’re a housewife, or you have a wife, you understand exactly what I mean. 10You’re a nanny when you rear your child, a teacher when you help with the homework. You can feel like a chambermaid when you make the beds, vacuum the rooms, dúst the shelves, wash the clothes, iron the shirts, tidy the children’s room, or mop the floor. Your delicious meals can be compared to world-famous chéfs’ creations and we haven’t even talked about the bilis and calculations you j 16have to do every month. I am o f the opinion that women should be paid fór these household chores because if you want someone to have them done instead of you, you have to pay ■ an astronomical price fór the service. However, I believe that it is very important to give higher wages to husbands „0and this way their wives wouldn’t have to work, the father could earn enough money fór his family, as in the ‘old days’, when mothers could afford to stay at home and bring up their children. A larger salary, a kind and neat wife would make the husband more satisfied, family life would be calmer and they would be prefectly contented. ' jjlíow would society benefit from stay-at-home mothers? First o f all, it would be better fór the kids if their mother was able to stay at home and earn a living at the same time. Mothers wouldn’t go back to work after two years, bút they would have more time fór their kids, they could play and learn more together, children would be more polite, they would know 30how to behave. Intelligent and w ell-bred adults could improve the country. Last bút nőt least, couples could have m oíe children if their income didn’t change, and it would solve the problem of decreasing populations.

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1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statem,ent or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• Mothers wouldn’t go back to work, they could spend more time with their children i f they got a salary from the government. • The work they do is nőt appreciated. • Housewives would feel that they have an important role in society. • It offers a solution to the problem of a decreasing population. • Women do nőt have to work - mén earn the bread, women stay at home and raise well-behaved kids. • Women wouldn’t have to palm the children o ff on a babysitter because the family could make ends meet. • It is better fór a child to be with műm. • It is impossible fór a woman to fulfil the task of a career woman, a house­ wife, a mother and a wife at the same time.

CO NS • Having children is nőt compulsory. • It would be discrimination - all the women have to do the housework in the evenings or at weekends. There are women who work eight hours, do all the household chores and study on top of all that. • Working fór your loved ones is nőt a chore. • Labour-saving devices have made housework a part-time job. • Women who can afford to stay at home should be happy with this possibility - it’s life’s gift to you i f you can do it.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ? I totally agree with you.

First and foremost, ...

It would be nonsense ...

... cannot be compared to ...

Personally, ...

I share your views.

What are your thoughts on ...?

I know nothing about ...

I t ’s true that ...

It ’s the least ...

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E x a m p le

A : Do you think housewives should be paid as if they were doing a reál job? B: In my opinion, housewives cannot be compared to any other profession. I f you have a child or a family, i t ’s the least you can do to work fór them fór free. A: I totally agree with you. Bút don’t you think that their efforts should be appreciated much more? B: I t ’s true that they work more than eight hours a day, and seven days a week, bút you don’t have to be a housewife if you don’t want to. It’s voluntary. Just think about charity workers. They don’t get any money from the government and they alsó work fór others. A : I share your views. Bút I think people who despise housewives’ w ork know nothing about household chores. B: Ify ou ask me, there is no end to the work housewives do. A : It may be that people would understand how difficult a housewife’s life is if they had íirst-hand experience of it. B: And what are your thoughts on paying regular money to mothers with four or more children? A : Personally, I believe that a decision like this would solve the problem of a decreasing population. There are more and more women who would like to give birth to more children, bút they cannot afford it. I f women got more money fór staying at home, they would have more children, and the problem would be a thing o f the pást. B: First and foremost, being a housewife is nőt a compulsory, bút a voluntary vocation. A : Having a family and children is your own decision, it would be nonsense to pay fór a job like this from other people’s taxes. Doing the housework is a fundam ental part of bejng a mother. I f you want to be a “ stay-at-home mummy” and your family needs more money, you can work in the evenings or during school hours. I f you really lőve your husband and children, it’s nőt hard to cook, iron, wash - in three words: live fór them. B: We are in complete agreement on this.

VOCABULARY2 full-time job to undertake chambermaid accountant to mop the floor astronomicai price to afford

/'foitaim djDb/ /'Andateik/ /'tjasmbameid/ /a'kauntant/ /mop ős fla:(r)/ /aestra’nDmild/ /3'fo:d/

teljes munkaidős állás elvállalni bejárónő könyvelő felmosni csillagászati összeg megengedi (anyagilag) magának

to be perfectly contented to earn a living to behave well-bred income to solve decreasing population salary to appreciate palm sy o ff on sy else to make ends meet to earn the bread household chore labour-saving device voluntary charity to despise it is a thing o f the pást compulsory vocation fundamental

teljesen elégedettnek lenni megkeresni a betevőt /bi'hexv/ viselkedni / 'w e lb re d / jól nevelt /inkAm/ bevétel /s d I v / megoldani /di'kri:stq/ csökkenő / p o p ju 'le ijn / népesség /'sasion/ fizetés / s'p riijieit/ becsülni lepasszolni vkit vkinek kijönni a pénzből megkeresni a betevőt / 'h a u s h a o ld tJo:(r)/ házimunka /'leiboseiviq háztartási gép di'vais/ /'vAlantri/ önkéntes /'tjaeriti/ jótékonyság /di'spaiz/ megvetni ez már a múlté /kara 'pA lssri/ kötelező /vaü'keij'n/ hivatás / fA n d a 'm e n tl/ alapvető /3:n s liviq/

I am convinced that ... It is essential A t the same time ... Personally ... I am of the opinion that ... I am under the impression that ... First o f all ... Last bút nőt least ... It’s the le a s t... I totally agree with you. I t’s true that I share your views. I f you ask me, ... What are your thoughts on ...? It would be nonsense ... We are in complete agreement on this.

M eg vagyok győződve arról, hogy ... Lényeges, hogy ... Ugyanakkor ... Személy sz e rin t... Azon a véleményen vagyok, hogy ... Az a benyomásom, hogy ... mindenek előtt végül, de nem utolsó sorban Az a legkevesebb ... Teljes mértékben egyetértek veled. Igaz, hogy ... Egyetértünk. H a engem kérdezel, ... Fontolóra vetted ... ? Értelmetlen lenne ... Teljes mértékben egyetértünk ebben.

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‘Maybe somé women a ren't m eant to be tamed. Maybe they ju s t need to ru n free t ill they fin d someone ju s t as w ild to ru n w ith them. ’

(Sex and the City)

Nowadays, more and more people choose to live alone, or change partners instead of getting married. Surely, there is a lót to be said fór living alone. First o f all, you have more freedom, you can do what you want and when you want. Opponents o f marriage would say that independence allows you to make your own 5choices and decisions. You have more time fór yourself, you can map out your time, you can spend more time with your friends and family, or you can live fó r your hobbies. You don’t have to explain why you want to go out with your friends alone, sometimes wi£liout your girlfriend or boyfriend. These arguments are certainly true. However, who do you turn to if you have a problem? Who do 10you trust when you are completely alone? Obviously there are other arguments that might be brought up in favour of being single. Think o f financial freedom. You can make your money go far; you can savé money fór your future. You don’t have to spend any money on senseless gifts, like Valentine’s Day presents, or expensive gifts fór a wedding lganniversary. Sometimes irresponsible financial decisions can be allowed, as single people don’t have to account fó r their spending. I absolutely disagree with these statements. Money is nőt everything. You can have a lót o f money, and nőt a single person to share your wealth with. People who find money and work more important might argue that if you 20are single, you can apply fór better jobs as you don’t have to run home after work, you can w ork overtime and you can deal with your own career. You can dedicate more time and energy to your own job, and this way you can be more successful. It is again the m aterial w orld that these people focus on. They don’t know much about lőve, respect and understandingbetween a woman 25and a mán. This is a very artifieial w orld that they live in. When they realize that they have made a mistake, it will be too laté. I mean, they will be too old to find somebody to share their old age with. That’s when they will regret that they have lived their lives without anyone to rely on. Another counter-argument is that it’s better to live alone than in a bad 30marriage, where it is as if you’re in prison. Honestly, I believe that there is somé truth in this argument. However, I think that there must be compromises in a marriage. That’s what makes us humán. We face our problems and talk about them. Surely, there are occasions when the damages are irreparable, bút we

16

should always look fór the rem edy to solve our problems. 35A ll in áll, I consider that sharing your life w ith somebody you lőve will bring more happiness than living alone or changing your partner frequently. 1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the sültem,ént or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• You have somebody who you can share your dreams, plans, bed, and home with. • It’s hard to solve problems alone. • You may feel lonely in the evenings, at Christmas etc., i f you are single. • You never get any love-letters, breakfast in bed, red roses or candle-lit dinners, i f you are single. • You have only one income, so it’s harder to solve your financial problems or unforeseen situations, if you are single. • You don’t feel how good it is to be really in lőve with somebody, when you’re in seventh heaven and you see the world through rosetinted spectacles just fór a few days or weeks, if you are single. • I f you’re alone too much, you can be depressed. • It’s nőt easy to bring up the children alone i f you’re divorced. • Humán beings are social animals; they are bora to be loved. • There’s nobody who hugs you at the cinema, if you are single. • You can often feel the void i f you are single. • You always have to explain to others why you’re alone.

CO NS • • • • • • •

You have to toe the line. There is no financial freedom. There’s no independence. You have no time fór yourself. You can’t spend much time with your friends. You can’t apply fór any job. People are naturally nőt monogamous, so it is difficult to remain faithful.

17

1

2. Imagine a discussion about the topie. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ue finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

To teli you the truth,...

I don’t want to...

Have you ever thought of...

I can’t say...

It would be sheer madness to...

What about...?

I'm dyingto...

Seriously,...

How dare they say that?

I don’t mean to...

Example

A : Have you ever thought o f getting married in the future? B: I ’m dying to be engaged. A lót o f people say that marriage is only a piece o f paper. How dare they say that!'? A: In fact, I ’m against marriage. It would be sheer madness to share my life with a husband who always telis me what to do. B: You can’t say that seriously. Why isn’t it good to have someone who you can rely on, who you can share your plans and dreams with? And what about children ? I dón ’t mean to offend you, bút life is nőt complete without children. Moreover, you will be very lonely when you’re retired and can’t work all day in your office. A: To teli you the truth, I don’t care about my declining years. Now, I enjoy freedom and independence. I don’t want to get married, I don’t need someone’s terrible and annoying habits. B: I can’t say I ’m pleased about what I ’ve heard. I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. A: To cut a long story short I will never get married, everybody has the choice to make, and my decision is to live a single life. B: Ok, I can’t see the use o f any further effort, so I don’t w ant to persuade you to live a better life.

18

VOCABULARY 3

spouse to map out one's time to make one's money go far senseless to account fór benefít habit to work overtime to dedicate disease to toe the line independence unforeseen in seventh heaven

/spauz/

/'senstas/ /a'kaunt/ /'benafit/ /'ha;bit/ /w3:k 'suvataim/ /'dedikeit/

/dt'zi:z/ /tsu őa lain/ /indi'pendsns/

/Anfo:'si:n/ /'sevanB hevn/

you see the woiid through rose-tinted glasses to feel the void

házastárs beosztani az időt pénzt beosztani értelmetlen elszámolni vmivel előny szokás túlórázni szentelni (időt, pénzt) betegség alkalmazkodni függetlenség előre nem látható A hetedik menyországban érzi magát rózsaszínben látni a világot

/fi:l ős void/

There is a lót to be said fór ... I f you want my opinion, ... As I see it, ... All in all, ... I ’m dying to in fact It would be sheer madness i f ... You can’t say this seriously. To cut a long story short ... I can’t see the use o f ...

haszontalannak érzi magát

Sok minden szól amellett, hogy ... H a érdekel a véleményem, ... Ú gy látom, hogy ... M indent egybevetve, ... A lig várom, hogy ... valójában Kész őrültség volna, ha ... N em mondhatod ezt komolyan. Rövidre fogva a dolgot... Nem látom értelmét annak, hogy ...

19

‘When I hear somebody sigh, "Life is hard, " I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what? ' (Sydney J. Harris)

I totally disagree with this statement. I f you ask me, people living at the beginning o f the 20 th century can’t be envied at all. Now we have a very comfortable life, bút it was nőt so easy one hundred years ago. 5Just think about working hours or education. First o f all, only a few people had the opportunity to go to school. The number of illiterate people was surprisingly high. Children w ere obliged to help their parents at home. Most people lived on farms and 10they had to produce everything their family needed. Children got up early in the morning, and went to the stable where they had to milk the eows. By the time they finished, it was time to leave fór school. O f course, there were no cars, no school buses, so children had to walk miles to get to school. Average families had to plánt vegetables and fruit trees on their own and they 15also had to baké their bread every day. As housewives couldn’t use any laboursaving devices, it took a long time to finish the household chores. It is undeniable that higher education was available only fór the luckiest children, usually those of the upper classes. Children who had to help at harvest time or planting season could go to school only from November to April, then in June ,0and July. They couldn’t learn as much and as effieiently as richer children. There is no doubt that health care and hygiene in the early 1900s were nőt so ‘developed’ as today. Average life expectancy was about fífty years. Insulin and antibiotics hadn’t been discovered so many people had to die of pneumonia or influenza. A lót of ^people suffered from tubercolosis or diarrhoea which are very rare nowadays as babies get ‘life-saving vaccinations’ at a very early age. It is alsó unbelieváble that most births took piacé at home. It is quite likely that people from the 21st century, taken back to the 1920s, would nőt cope. The lack o f mobile phones, the Internet, cars, household devices like 30vacuum-cleaners, washing-machines, and microwave ovens would change our lives immediately. And we haven’t mentioned how we would miss running water, when we would like to have a bath, wash our laundry or do the dishes or cook lunch. Don’t turn time back, please.

1

20

1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • • •

Personal values were more important. There were fewer cars. People had more time fór their families, they played a lót together. Children helped their parents. The environment was nőt so polluted. Life was much slower. People were nőt in a rush all the time. Families w ere more elosely-knit.

CO NS People had short average life expectancy. Life was nőt so comfortable - no running water, bathtubs. There was a lack of household devices. There were no cures or treatments fór most diseases. Children had to work instead of being educated so the illiteraey rate was high. Runaw ay horses killed a lót of people. There was no old-age pension. There were no benefits. There was no w elfare state.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. Wh,en you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ? TTi- . c ,, First of all,...

Th ey’re forc* d to

_ , , , no doubt

The likelihood is that

e

accept the view

.. ., , th a tsw h y

wrongm

What are your own feelings about...?

I ’m convinced that...

21

fór sure

E x a m p le

A: What are your own feelings about the way people lived one hundred years ago? B: I ’m convinced that they had a hard life. A: Sure. First ofa ll, a lót o f children were forced to be slaves or they had to work before and after school. B: You’re quite right in pointm.g' at child labo u r as the main problem. Bút there were many other strange and terrifying facts you can’t imagine in the fast-paced lifestyle we have in the 2 1 st century. A: I fully agree with you. Bút I ’m sure we are wrong in thinking that they didn’t have any amazing and happy moments in their lives. I cannot accept the view that everything was worse then than now. B: There can be no doubt about it. People spent much more time with their children, they were talking while they were working and that’s why they might have had better relationships. People were honest, they communicated more - nőt in the virtual way fashionable today. The most important personal values were justice, concern and respect fór others. A: The likelihood is that people didn’t have so much time fór useless activities. They used to be more open, nőt as depressed as people nowadays. They really believed in the importance o f lőve and being hard-working. B: Still, today almost no-one can say fór sure how people really felt in the ‘good old days’. A: I t ’s true, we are in complete agreement on this.

VOCABULAI statement to envy sy fór sg illiterate stable available upper eláss harvest time efficiently pneumonia to suffer

/'steitmcmt/ /'envi/ /i'litarst/ /steibl/ /a'veilabl/ /'Ap3(r) kla:s/ /'ha:vsst taim/ /i'fijantli/ /nju:'mauni3/ /'sAfb(r)/

állítás irigyel vkit vmiért analfabéta istálló elérhető felsőosztály aratási időszak hatékonyan tüdőgyulladás szenvedni

diarrhoea vaccination lack device ranning water to be obliged to to mention value to pollute cure treatment honest to educate runaway concern respect useless fashionable justice

/d ais'ria/ / vaek si'n eifn / /laek/

/di'vais/ /'rAnii) 'w o:ta(r)/ / a 'b la id jd /

/'menfn/ /'vselju:/ /'pDlju:t/ /kjoa/ / 'tr i:tm 3nt/

/'Dmst/ /'ed3ukeit/ /'rAnowei/ / k a n 's3 :n/

/n'spekt/ /'juislas/

/'faejsnabl/

/'d3AStis/

hasmenés oltás hiány eszköz folyóvíz köteles említeni érték szennyezni gyógymód kezelés becsületes oktatni, tanítani szökött aggodalom tisztelet haszontalan divatos igazság

It is undeniable th a t... It is unbelievable that ... It is quite likely ... and we haven’t mentioned ... What are your own feelings about ...?

Tagadhatatlan, hogy ... Hihetetlen, hogy ... Eléggé valószínű, hogy ... és még meg sem említettük M ilyen érzéseket vált ki belőled ...?

You’re quite right in ... I ’m sure we are wrong in thinking that

Igazad van (valam iben) ... Biztosan tévedünk, ha azt hisszük, hogy ...

We cannot accept the view that ...

Nem fogadhatjuk el azt a nézetet, h o g y ... Valószínűleg ... Senki sem tudja biztosan megmondani, hogy ...

The likelihood is ... No-one can say fór sure th a t...

23

‘H om e is a piacé you grow up w anting to leave, and grow o ld w a n ting to get back to. ’

(John Ed Pearce)

i

When you look fór the ideál home, you must consider the advantages and the disadvantages of more types. In my opinion, it’s better to live in a detached house than in a block o f flats in a densely populated area. You cannot compare a family house to a fiat with a lót o f neighbours. I f you Rwant my opinion, personal freedom and independence are the first and the most important benefits o f a detached house. I f you don’t have any neighbours, you can throw parties any time and you can listen to loud music whenever you want to. When you lie in the sün in your garden, you don’t have the so-called ‘Big Brother is watching you’ feeling - 1 mean, there is no chance to be seen by 10any voyeurs. Living in a block or in a highrise building is very impersonal. People see totally different people in the elevátor every day. Somé might call it variety. Well, that is probably the only variety they get. There are so many things that can make living in a fiat unbearable. First, there is the problem of being able to hear 15everything. The walls are nőt soundproof. And there is that smell in the hallway. I just can’t stand it. The rooms are small and you don’t have any privacy at all. In a house, however, everything is much better. There is nothing I like more than planning and using my own ideas. 20I f it’s alsó your passión, you can be very Creative while your house is being built, you can take an active role in the building process. So fór me upgradability is one o f the greatest benefits. I t ’s good to know that you can add more rooms, enlarge the kitchen, or build a new garage. You can’t hit the walls and enlarge your bedroom in a block of flats because your neighbour 25would be very surprised. I t ’s undeniable that more spacious rooms are more comfortable fór bigger families. I f you have enough money, you can have a swimming-pool in your garden, and you can buy a playground fór your children. In a family house you can keep pets and you can invite your relatives and friends ,ÍOfor barbeques. Alsó relevant is the fact that you can have as many parking places fór your guests as you can imagine. Usually, detached houses can be found in the suburbs where the street level noises are lower and the air is cleaner. In my view, it’s much healthier to live far away from busy roads.

24

1. What is your opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it ? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the follow­ ing pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner. *»*•>

• • • • • • • •

You can enjoy totál independence, because there are no neighbours. You can have your own garden. T-iie nir is usually cleaner. You have the opportunity o f using your own ideas while the house is being built. The surroundings are nőt so densely populated. You can upgrade it anytime. You can have theme rooms. You can keep pets.

CONS Nőt having any neighbours can be a disadvantage when you go on holi­ day and there’s nobody to take care of your house. You have to mow the lawn, trim the trees, fix and repair everything. Repair costs are very high. It is more expensive to look after. As it’s usually in the suburbs, you need a cár to get to work. It takes more time to clean. You have less free time i f you have a detached house, because you always have something to do.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

It sounds good

sure

First o f all,...

afford

It’s clear..

Might I be allowed to offer a little pieceof advice?

I f I were you,...

, •, declde

* have a fo n o f

j won_ dér...

25

Example

A: Why do you live in a block of flats? I f i were you, 1would buy or build a family house. You can afford it. B: Sure. Bút I just lőve living here. I can’t really explain why. A: Well, it is your decision, bút why did you decide to invest in a newly built fiat instead of a family house? B: First o f all, I like to have company. I lőve talking to my neighbours. We often come together in the common garden of the house. The children play, swing and slide, the adults chat or play cards. A: It sounds good. B: Yes, and since we have already talked about the costs, the heating and the overhead expenses are low er than in a huge house. This is very important as we travel a lót and why should you pay a lót if you’re nőt at home? A: Now it ’s clear why you have chosen a fiat. B: To teli you the truth, when you have a detached house, you always have to do something in the garden, or in winter you have to shovel the snow. You always have to worry because something has to be repaired, and we haven’t talked about the maintenance of the roof, the chimney or the wastewater treatment system. A: I totally agree with you, I wonder why I live in a family house. B: M ight I be allowed to offer a little piece o f advice? - Talk to my neighbour, he wants to sell his apartment.

to consider detached house block of flats densely populated to throw a party voyeur impersonal

/k 3n'sida(r)/ /di'tEetJt haus/

/biok s v flaets/ /'densli/ / 'p D p u leitid /

/Orou a ’pcnti/ /voi' 3:(r)/ / im 'p 3 :s3nl/

figyelembe venni ikerház lakótelepi lakás sűrűn lakott bulit tartani kukkoló személytelen

unbearable soundproof privacy passión role upgradability to add to enlarge undeniable spacious barbeque the suburbs to invest company common to swing heating overhead expenses to shovel chimney wastewater treatment system

elviselhetetlen hangszigetelt magánélet szenvedély szerep bővíthetőség hozzáadni nagyobbítani tagadhatatlan tágas grillezés külváros befektetni társaság közös hintázni fűtés rezsi lapátolni kémény

/An'bearabl/ /'saondpru:f/ /'prarvasi/ /paejn/ /raul/ / A n q re id a 'b ilo ti/ Is tá i

/in'la:d3/

/Andt'naiabl/ /'speijas/ /'ba:bíkju:/ /'sAbo( r)bz/ /in'vest/ /'kompam/ /'komán/

/swiij/ /‘hi:tiq/ /'auvahed ik'spensiz/ /'J d v s I/

/'tjimm/

/'weistwo:ta(r) 'trirtmant ' sistóm/

szennyvíz-karbantartás

There is nothing I like more than

Semmit sem szeretek jo b ­ ban, m in t...

... so fór me ...

számomra

It’s good to know that

Jó tudni, h o g y ...

I f I were you, ...

A helyedben ...

It sounds good.

Jól hangzik.

Now it’s clear why ...

Most már világos, hogy miért...

Might I be allowed to offer a little piece of advice?

Adhatok egy kis tanácsot?

27

■» )•

Country life is much healthier and better than city life 'M y fath er asserted tha t there was no better pia cé to b rin g up a fa m ily than in a ru ra l environ ment.... There's som ething about g e ttin g up at 5 a.m., feeding the stock and chickens, and m ilk in g a couple ofcow s before breakfast that giues you a life lo n g respect f ó r the p ric e o f butter and eggs. ’

(Bili Vaughan)

City life is nowhere near as healthy and good as living in the country. I ’d start by saying that the environment is nőt so polluted - there are nőt so many vehicles on the- roads. You can find a slower-paced life in a viliágé, where people know each other, they feel respect, they live in peace, and the viliágé gis a so-callea unity, a more closely knit community. You never feel alone as everybody knows you. The traditions of the piacé are very important fór the inhabitants of the viliágé. Let me explain why I lőve living in the country. When you look around, you can see forests or marvellous hills everywhere. You can’t see any factories so the air 1Qis cleaner, there’s less dúst, smoke and garbage. Natúré is really close to you, that’s why you can pursue various activities. You can play in the forest, run in the fields, and cycle on hidden forest roads. Fór someone who wants a slower pace in life, the country offers peace and seclusion and an escape from the hustle and bustle o f the town. 15You can enjoy the scenic beauty of the countryside. The changing leaves in the fali, and the stillness o f the water of the laké, make the country an ideál piacé to be. Enjoyable activities, such as horseback riding, deer watching and boating in tranquil water, make your time enriching. The country allows much more room to stretch out your comfort zone, and 20relax. In the country, you don't need to buy a ticket ahead of time, or arrange fór transportation due to parking problems. The countryside itself is your back yard, and the views from many places, present vistas that are interesting or just nice to look at. And when the time comes to get somé city entertainment, the drive intő town can be a fun event itself. Living in the country offers a more 25comfortable lifestyle, one that concentrates on home and family. Cities close down to somé degree, bút trucks, sirens, and noises generated by activity that never ends, bring a lót more stress to everyone who lives there. Ifyou compare the prices, it’s nőt so expensive to buy a parcel o f land here as in the town. As you have a huge garden, you can have animals at home and you ;(.can alsó grow vegetables on your own - you don’t have to go to the markét to buy organic food and products. In the countryside there isn’t so much law-breaking and aren’t many 28

I

•

I I

trespasses. Property rights are more respected than in a city. A ll in all, I believe that it’s less stressful to live in peace and harmony in a small viliágé. 1. What is your opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it ? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the follow­ ing pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The countryside is less polluted. There are fewer vehicles. There is less dúst, smoke and garbage. People know each other. You can keep animals and grow vegetables. Traditions are preserved. The scenery is beautiful. There is no stress. The viliágé is cheaper than the town. There is no light pollution - you can see the stars at night. You can avoid rush-hours. Living in a city is unnatural. You lose touch with natúré in the city. Trains and buses are always full in a city. The cost o f living in a city is high. In cities there is a lack o f security.

CONS • • • •

It’s nőt easy to find a good job. There’re only one or two schools. It’s nőt so comfortable. There is no wide rangé of products - there are only a few shops in the viliágé. • I f you want to arrange something, you have to go to the town. • Buses don’t run so often, so you have to commute.

29

• • • • • • • • •

There’re nőt as many cultural events as in bigger towns. There are no entertainment facilities. There is a lót o f gossip in villages as everybody knows everybody. People can easily adapt to the nőise in cities. Crime does nőt affect everybody in a town. In a town you’re close to your friends. Life is never boring in a big city. You have more chances o f employment than in a viliágé. Services are much better in cities.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation? How do you see...?

say*ie

I believe...

First of all,...

In my opinion,...

There’s nothing that I like more than...

It’s true.

moreover

I f I were you,...

Personally,...

A: I f i were you, I wouldn’t want to move to a viliágé. In my opinion, it’s more exciting to live in a crowded, vibrant and busy town. R: Why? How doyou see life in a town? A: Personally, I believe the best way to have a good career is living ín a town. You can’t get any good possibilities in a small viliágé, where there are no companies or factories. First o f all, there are only one or two primary schools in a viliágé and they don’t have any secondary schools. I f you want to continue your studies, you have to go to a town. The entrance exam is alsó more difficult fór students from a viliágé school. B: I t ’s true. I attended prim ary school in the country and we couldn’t choose the foreign language; we had to take Germán. A: Moreover, I dare say there are only a few entertainment facilities. What can you do in the countryside when you’re young? They don’t have any cinemas or theatres, and there are only a few pubs you can go to. There is nothing that I like more than going out with my friends after a long, hard day. I f you want to do something, you always have to go to the nearest town - bút it’s nőt so easy if you don’t have a cár as the buses run very rarely. B: Well, thanks fór the advice. I ’ll think twice about moving.

......... ................ .........^

VOCABULARY 6 8 PP

environment

/m 'vaiaren m sn t/

környezet

vehicle

/'vinkl/

jármű

pace

/peis /

tempó

closely knit

/ 'k la o sli nit/

közeli, szoros

inhabitant

/in'haebitant/

lakos

dúst

/ŐASt/

por

seclusion

/si'klu:3n/

elszigeteltség

hustle and bustle

/hAsl zend bAsl/

jövés-menés

tranquil

/'traeqkwil/

nyugodt

parcel o f land

/'pa:sl/

parcella

organic

/ofgasm k/

szerves

law-breaking

/ 'b ib re ik ig /

törvényszegés

trespass

/'trespas/

birtokháborítás táj

scenery

/'sirnon/

entrance exam

/'entrans ig'ztem /

felvételi

to attend

/s'tend/

járni (iskolába)

entertainment facility

/ en ta'tein m an t fa 'sib t;/

szórakozási lehetőség

to lose touch

/lu:z tAtJ/

elveszíteni a kapcsolatot

I dare say ...

Ki merem jelenteni, hogy ...

I ’d start by

Azzal kezdeném, h o g y ...

Let me explain why

H add magyarázzam el, hogy m ié rt...

I f you compare ...

H a összehasonlítjuk ...

A word of caution:

Egy kis figyelmeztetés:

Fór every plus there is a minus.

Az éremnek két oldala van.

'N ev e r work before breakfast. I f you have to work before breakfast, g e t you breakfast first. ’

(Josh Billings)

I ’m o f the opinion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you get up in the morning, you may nőt have eaten anything fór eight or ten hours. As you sleep at night, you may think that your body is totally at rest. Certainly you have nőt been doing any exercise or strenuous activity (unless .you have been tossing and rolling in bed all night). Bút in truth, your body has been working hard to process the food that you ate during the day. It has been burning energy, although nőt a great amount, even while you slept. So I ’d say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it dictates how you eat fór the rest of the day. To somé people it is important that they eat breakfast 10beeause if they don't they will have a binge on doughnuts at about 10.30. Generally speaking it is good to eat breakfast to get your blood sugár level up and to keep yourself going until long after 10.30. Breakfast helps you concentrate from the morning. You can work and study better and more efficiently if you’re nőt hungry. I t ’s proven that children who ]Shave breakfast are more active at school. I f you don’t eat enough fór breakfast, your blood sugár level falls which can cause fatigue or you can even eollapse if you’re on a slimming diet. I f you think it ’s nőt allowed to eat in the morning when you’re on a diet, you’re mistaken. 20I f you don’t eat in the morning, you’ll be very hungry at around 10 o’clock. People often eat somé sweets, which can be more harmful than a substantial breakfast. You might overeat later, usually somé unhealthy food. I f you add fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet, you ensure your vitamin intake 25first thing in the morning. You should try a traditional English breakfast i f you want to eat something really healthy. As fór me, I think a breakfast of natural .yoghurt sweetened with honey and served with chopped apples, cinnamon and nuts is one of the flnest. It’s very 1 common to have wholemeal bread with hard-boiled eggs and lettuce. That’s 35also very healthy, as wholemeal bread is produced from whole grain. It means that nothing is removed in the m illing 32

process. Eggs contain a lót o f proteins, and vitamins A, E, and C can be found in the leaves of the lettuce. 40Other delicious breakfasts are mushroom and fresh herb omlette, toasted rye bread with low fát soft cheese or a fresh fruit salad. AU things considered, eating breakfast is crucial to provide your body with energy, to maintain a correctly working metabolism, and even to help you concentrate. 4_Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.

1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

° • • • • • •

Breakfast helps you concentrate. Fresh fruit and vegetables are healthy. You can work or study better and more efficiently if you have breakfast. Your body needs a lót of vitamins. Nőt having breakfast can cause tiredness or you can feel dizzy. You may overeat later in the morning, if you don’t have breakfast. You need energy.

CONS • Eating too many calories can make you feel sick. • You can get a terrible stomach ache. • Although a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant seem to be substantial, they are nőt healthy at all. • The effect of a ‘sweet breakfast’ without any fruit, vegetables and proteins doesn’t last long and you’ll get hungry soon. • You feel tired and sleepy if you have a lót of breakfast. • You have to get up early if you want to eat a lót.

33

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation'?

T - , In fact,...

I cannot agretí

Would you liketo. .?

If you want my opinion,...

„r, , , ,, , , o What shall I do?

, Yon’re right.

, ,, should

To teli you the truth,...

There’s no need to...

__ F Prefer

Example

A: Would you like to have breakfast with me tomorrow? B: To teli you the truth, I never have breakfast. In fact, it takes me a long time to prepare my breakfast in the mornings. I prefer sleeping to eating. As I have got used to this, I don’t even have breakfast when I ’m invited or I have somé time. I just can’t eat anything. A: I cannot agree with you on skipping breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day. Haven’t you heard o f the famous proverb? ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.’ It means that you should eat the most fór breakfast. It’s very important to start your day with a substantial breakfast which is enough fór you till lunch. ‘Lunch like a prince’ - means that you should eat less than in the morning. Many people think lunch is the most important meal of the day, bút everybody should start their digestion in the morning instead of noon. I think there’s no need to explain why you have to eat as ‘much’ as a pauper fór dinner. B: You’re right. Bút I cannot swallow any bread or drink tea after getting up. What shall I do? A: I f you want my opinion, you should eat less in the evenings, and then you will be hungry in the mornings. The healthiest food is cereal, rye bread, millet, dried fruit and drink somé freshly squeezed juice every morning. B: So will you come round fór breakfast tomorrow?

VOCABULARY 7 to concentrate

/'konsantreit/

strenuous

/'strenjuas/

m egerőltető

blood sugár level

/bLvd 'juiga levl/

vércu korszint

to collapse slim m ing diet

/ka'lasps/

összeom lani fogyókúrás diéta

to overeat

/'síimig daiat/ /'auvarht/

traditional

/tra'dijanl/

hagyom ányos

to sw eeten

/'swirtn/

édesíteni

to chop cinnamon

/tjop/

felszelni fahéj

/'sinaman/

w holem eal bread

/'hsülmkl bred/

lettuce

/'letas/

koncentrálni

túl sokat enni

teljes kiőrlésű kenyér saláta

m illin g

/'miiig/

őrlés

rye bread

/rai bred/

rozskenyér

m etabolism

/ma'taíbalizm/

anyagcsere

pauper

/po:pa(r)/

koldus

to feel dizzy

l'á iz íl

szédülni

to skip

/skip/

kihagyni

proverb

/'prDV3:b/'

közm ondás

digestion

/d a i^ejtfn /

em észtés

to sw allow m illet

/swolao/

nyelni

/'milit/

köles

dried

/draid/

szárított

to squeeze

/skwi:z/

facsarni

I cannot support you on Generally speaking, ... It’s proved that It’s nőt allowed to You’re mistaken. I f I may make a suggestion, All things considered, ...

Nem támogatom Önt abban, hogy Általánosságba véve ... Bizonyított tény, hogy ... Nem szabad ... Ön téved. H a tehetek egy javaslatot, ... Mindent egybevetve, ...

35

‘A n im a ls are my friends... and I d on 't eat my frie n d s .'

(George Bemard Shaw)

No-one can say fór sure how one’s life continues after death, bút I really believe in reincarnation. This is the most important explanation fór why I live my life as a .vegetarian. It sounds a bit strange, bút I can’t imagine eating a chicken or a turkey as they might have been living people earlier. Another reason why I don’t eat meat is my health. My cholesterol level was too gmI 10high, and I was advised nőt to eat any meat, -Jfc.i. so I had to change my lifestyle and eating habits. Eating too much meat can cause heart disease, strokes, and even eancer. I f you are a vegetarian, there’s a redueed risk of chronic degenerative diseases. I f you become a vegetarian, you are nőt likely to face the problem of i5obesity. You eat a lót o f vegetables and fruit which won’t make you plump. I f you think that you cannot get any proteins as a vegetarian, you’re mistaken. Protein can be found in grains and in nuts, so you don’t have to eat any meat to create a balanced diet. Nőt eating so much meat would have an effect on the health o f the population 20of the world. Fewer people would have the above-mentioned chronic diseases, people could live ten or fifteen years longer according to somé studies. Meat eaters may nőt be quick to embrace a vegetarian diet because of the myth that vegetarians only eat nuts and berries. In fact, vegetarianism allows a person to explore and discover new food choices. There is an increasing amount 25of support fór vegetarians including numerous resources, especially online, that offer recipes and meal ideas fór vegetarians. Vegetarians can shop at the same grocery stores or food markets as meat eaters. Many restaurants are becoming more vegetarian-friendly offering special veggie options. I don’t think there would be any risk of people suffering from food-borne 30infections, like salmonella or H l N I. I believe vegetarian people are healthier than people who consume too much meat. Meat eaters are more susceptible to different illnesses. As more chemicals are injected and fed to animals, they are becoming unfit fór humán consumption. In my opinion, animal protection is alsó very important. There are somé

------------------------------------------------

36

------------------------------------------------

j

people who are nőt able to eat fish, caviar or even eggs, other vegetarians ‘omit’ only beef, pork, and poultry. In a nutshell, there's a lót to be said fór being a vegetarian, bút in the 21st century you won’t be able to avoid every product connected to animals. Vitamins, medicines, and even biscuits and chocolate contain animal fát or gelatine. At 40home you would have to throw away a lót of things like your wool sweater, your favourite duvet, your paint brushes, leather shoes and your belts. So be a vegetarian, bút find the reasonable limits. 1. What is your opinion? Doyou agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the follow­ ing pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

mm • Protection of animals is important. • Instead of animals we would eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. • You can avoid chronic degenerative diseases. • There are no food-borne infections. • A lót of people believe in reincarnation. • The population o f the world would increase. • There is no obesity.

CONS • • • • • • • •

It’s impossible to avoid everything that is connected with animals. You couldn’t use soaps, or body lotions. You couldn’t take any photos, because gelatine is used in films. You couldn’t use your toothbrush, or paint your room. Meat can’t be substituted. At restaurants you can find only very few vegetarian dishes. As you have a special diet, you have to cook more - it’s nőt cheap. Vitamin B12 can’t be found in a vegetarian lifestyle, so you have to take somé supplements. • There is a lack o f iron, zinc, and calcium.

37

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

rr, ,

, , T ő b e honest,...

I certainly believe

Didn t yoir

Are you kidding?

up^my mkicf

rl0^ rea^

That’s nőt the same." Why nőt?

What would you sayif...? Teli me why.

Example

A: So are you ready to order, honey? B: Nőt really. I can’t make up my mind. See, all they’ve got is vegetarian food. A: O f course. That’s why we have come here. D id n ’t you know that I was a vegetarian? B: Sure I did, bút I never thought that you’d want to make me one. A: To be honest, I ’d like to prove that being a vegetarian is a very healthy thing. B: I don’t care. I want to eat somé pork or beef. I want to enjoy what I eat, so let’s go to another restaurant. A: Bút sweetie, you can’t be seriousl B: Why nőt? You are trying to talk me intő doing something I feel quite disgusted about. A: Well...in my opinion, vegetarianism is the healthiest thing on earth. First o f all, I believe that eating meat is murder. B: Are you kidding ? A: No, I ’m nőt. Let me give you an example. You lőve your dog, don’t you? B: O f course I do. A: What would you say i f I wanted to eat your dog right now? B: I ’d say that you w ere out o f your mind. A: That’s the point. You think that your pet has a sóul, so that’s why you would never even dream of eating your beloved dog. Bút what’s the difference between a dog and a cow? Can’t a cow have the same sóul and personality? Why is it that somé animals deserve to live and others don’t? B: That’s nőt the same. A: Teli me why. B: Because somé animals are meant to be eaten, and somé are meant to be pets. That’s two different things. 38

A: I certainly believe that eating meat is equal to murder. It stands to reason that animals have the same rights as humans. Although they are nőt as intelligent as people, they have feelings. B: I think you ’re talking about instincts. A: I mean that they can alsó feel pain and pleasure, just like us. They suffer a lót when they are slaughtered to be consumed by people. Do we have the right to cause suffering? Obviously nőt. As we mustn’t kilj our fellowmen, we shouldn’t let other creatures die either. I firmly believe that we have a choice to decide whether we want to kill animals or nőt, however, they don’t have any choice whether to live or die. B: You’re right. We have a choice as well. And now let me choose to have somé steak at my favorité piacé. Are you coming along? A: Do I have a choice?

VOCABULARY 8 reincarnation cholesterol eating habit heart disease cancer to reduce risk plump effect above-mentioned to embrace susceptible to suffer from food-borne infection protection to omit poultry chronic degenerative body lotion gelatine

/ri:ir)ka: ’neijn/ /ka'lestsral/ /'i:tiq ha;bit/ /ha:t di'zirz/ /'kaenss(r)/ /ri'dju:s/ /risk/ /plAmp/ /i'fekt/ h 'bAV 'menjond/ /im'breis/ /sa'saeptobl/ /'sAfa(r) /fu:d bo:n/ /in'fekjn/ /pro'tekj'n/ /o'mit/ /'psoltri/ /'krDnik/ /di'dgensrstív/ /'bodi büjn/ /'djasbtm/

39

reinkarnáció koleszterin étkezési szokás szívbetegség rák csökkenteni kockázat duci hatás fent említett választani hajlamos szenvedni vmitől étel által hordozott fertőzés védekezés kihagyni szárnyas krónikus elváltozással j%-ó testápoló zselatin

to make up one's mind to talk sy intő sg to feel disgusted sóul beloved instinct to slaughter to consume

elhatározni rábeszélni undorodik lélek szeretett ösztön lemészárolni fogyasztani

/fii:l d iz'g A S tid / /S3ül/

/bi'Uvid/ /'xnstiqkt/ /'sb:t3(r)/ /lon'sju:rn/

Í S There is another reason why

Van egy másik ok is, amiért .

In case o f ...

A bban az esetben ...

In a nutshell...

Dióhéjban ...

I can’t make up my mind.

Nem tudok dönteni.

Are you ready to ...?

Készen állsz arra, hogy ...?

To be honest, ...

Őszintén szólva...

I don’t care.

Nem érdekel.

You can’t be serious.

Nem mondhatod komolyan.

Are you kidding?

Szórakozol?

Let me give you an example.

Hadd mondjak egy példát!

You are mistaken.

Tévedsz.

That’s nőt the same.

Az nem ugyanaz.

That’s the point!

E rről van szó!

‘One o f the very nicest th in g s about life is the way we must regu la rly stop whatever it is we are d o in g and devote o u r attention to eating. ’

(Luciano Pavarotti)

The reason why we often eat out is that we can savé a lót of energy, time and money. First ofa ll, I don’t waste my time and energy on cooking if I can talk to my family and friends instead. Seeing that most housewives spend their lives in 5the kitchen, when the family eats the ‘result o f the whole morning’ in twenty minutes, I wouldn’t like to be a housewife. In case o f special occasions like birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and graduation ceremonies, I always invite my family to a small restaurant. Instead o f being a kitchen fairy, you can have a rest and talk to your loved 10ones. Eating out provides a perfect opportunity to break away from our daily grind and spend time with family, friends, spouse or partner fór a few hours. To teli you the truth, I haté doing the washing-up after lunch. Have you ever counted how many years you could savé in your life if you went to restaurants? You wouldn’t have to do the shopping so often, you wouldn’t have to wait in long 15queues, stand in the kitchen, serve your family or guests, and fmally you wouldn’t have to clean up the ‘mess’. Personally, I believe that in a restaurant you can taste dishes which take a long time to prepare, or they are so special that you have to look fór the perfect recipe on the Internet. It can take many hours. 20You can alsó savé money i f you want to taste dishes from different countries or cultures - rare ingredients would cost a fortune in hypermarkets. Sometimes we want to eat something that we either don't know how to prepare or honestly don't want to take the time to do. There are many ethnic foods that fali intő this category and even if we could prepare them ourselves, just ,5purchasing the exotic ingredients to use just once can be more costly and time consuming then going to a restaurant. My husband and I go to a local restaurant at least twice a month. There’s no doubt that eating out can savé time fór you and your spouse - you are served, so you can pút emphasis on the romantic moments, you can light a candle and ,0plan your future while waiting fór the waiters and your delicious dish. There is something wonderful about being seated at a table and given a list of food to choose from and then have someone politely ask you what you would like to eat, how you would like it prepared and then bring it to you just the way you asked

41

fór it. Then after you are done and ready to leave, there is nothing to clean up. 35What could be better? Since food is so much a part of our lives, after all, we eat every day, it is the one thing that we all have in common and can share in a relaxed atmosphere. Eating out is alsó something that can be done on any budget and gives us something to do fór entertainment. Dining out is a time fór us to allow others to 40cater to our whims and wishes and fór a little while it's as i f we were among the rich and famous. 1. What is your opinion? Doyou agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the follow­ ing pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • • •

You don’t have to do the shopping. You can taste other cultures’ specialities. You don’t have to look fór recipes on the Internet. You don’t have to clean the kitchen after lunch. You are served. You don’t have to buy the expensive ingredients. You can spend more time with your spouse. We all need a break from our normál routine and to enjoy time away from home and our daily responsibilities.

CO NS • • • •

It can be expensive, as the staff at the restaurant must be paid. At home leftovers are nőt thrown away. Restaurants have to make profit, so it must be more expensive. Maybe takeaway restaurants can savé you somé time bút at most sit-down restaurants you have to wait a lót. • It’s a fun to prepare everything together with your family. • Energy is nőt wasted at home - if you cook together with your children, you can teach them how to peel onions and potatoes, what thickening or stirring mean and so on.

42

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

Have you decided...?

I approve of the idea...

I ’m sure that...

I agree with...

I ’m o f the opinion that...

couldn’t

They focus on...

I insist on...

It is quite impossible to...

You’ve convinced me.

Example

A: What are your plans fór Christmas? Have you decided what to prepare fór your loved ones? B: Since we always have about fífty guests at Christmas, it is quite impossible to cook fór them at home. One o f our friends has his own restaurant in the city centre and we insist on going there every year. A: I couldn ’t spend the holiest day o f the year somewhere else. I am o f the opinion that nőne of the best restaurants can provide the perfect Christmas feeling. And I lőve cooking and baking with my children at home. B: There’s nothing I like more than a peaceful and happy evening with my kids and my husband, bút we have a big family and we always celebrate together with our distant relatives too. I ’m sure that I can savé a lót of money, time and energy by nőt eating at home. On 24 December, I am nőt in the kitchen from early morning bút I can decorate the tree and the fiat and I can focus on the essence o f these days. After dinner I can talk to our relatives who I meet only once or twice a year, and I don’t have to clean and do the washingup in the kitchen. A: You have convinced me, I totally agree with you. Let’s try this type o f Christmas dinner this year. B: I entirely approve o f the idea.

43

VOCABULARY 9

to waste graduation ceremony kitchen fairy loved ones grind washing-up to count to serve to prepare rare ingredient to cost a fortune to light a candle, (lit, lit) to cater to one’s whims leftover to peel thickening stirring distant relatives essence

/’weist/ /graed3 o'eiJn 'serimom/ /kitfn ’feori/ /Uvd W A n z/ /graind/ / 'w a jig

Ap/

/kaunt/ /s3 :v/

/pri'peo(r)/ /rea(r)/ /in'gri:drent/ /kost a 'fo lt já n / /lait o kaendl/ /'keito(r) tu W A n z /'leftauva/ /pi:l/

w n n z/

/‘ O ik o n n j/

/'st3:rig/ / 'd is t a n t 'r e b t i v z /

/’esns/

pazarol, fecsérel ballagás konyhatündér szerettei vkinek meló mosogatás számolni kiszolgálni elkészíteni ritka hozzávaló egy vagyonba kerül gyertyát gyújtani szeszélynek hódol maradék pucolni, hámozni rántás habarás távoli rokonok lényeg

BESZEDSZANDEKOK i^s$K8is«asK5isiT^íZKpaT3Rflpw Seeing th a t...

Látva, hogy ...

It is quite impossible to ...

Szinte lehetetlen, hogy ...

I entirely approve of the idea.

Teljesen egyetértek az ötlettel.

You have convinced me.

Meggyőztél.

r People pút too much emphasis on their appearance ‘H ow things look on the outside o f us depends o n how things are on the inside o f us. ’

I am convinced that many teenagers and young people pút too much emphasis on their appearance because of the celebrities and models who appear in the média, and who are more like living skeletons than normál humán being's. As I see it, the first impression is the most important thing in the 21st century 5if you want to get a good job or reach fó r the sky. Unfortunately, nowadays external beauty is more important than inner values. Young mén and women keep up with the latest fashion, and there is little chance that they won’t end up as shopaholics. As they always want to be trendy, they spend their money on clothes and accessories like bags and belts - and finally 10they will have the compulsive desire to shop all the time. Lately, plastic surgery has become very popular. It seems to me that the motivation is always the same. Ladies cannot accept that they’re getting older and they’re nőt as ‘beautiful’ as the supermodels wearing XXS sizes on television. Even women who take part in beauty pageants often visit a plastic surgery fór somé 15implants, a nőse reshaping or a face lift before the contest. I dare say that fixedness on beauty can alsó be harmful to one’s health. Although anorexia and bulimia are eating disorders, in fact they are menta! diseases. I believe these problems w ouldn’t exist if people didn’t pút too much emphasis on their appearance and figure. 20Sometimes we can see that fashion goes too far. Whether it has gone far fór you as an individual will depend very much upon your own personal boundaries. These boundaries may be associated with the cost of fashion to your purse, or they may have to do with a certain style that is being presented and which you feel isn't fit to wear fór various reasons. 25If we are financially challenged, or just don't see the value of spending a huge amount o f money on clothing, then we may well see a massive price tag attached to a garment as having gone too far. Fór those of us who see clothing merely as serving a practical purpose, spending most of our wage packet on a new item of clothing each week would be a step too far concerning our money and morál values. 30Zn conclusion, you have to be smart and well-groomed if you want to be liked at first sight (unfortunately prejudice cannot be avoided), and it ’s nőt a marginal factor that you will alsó feel more self-confident if you’re pretty. Moderation is alsó a principle when we talk about appearance, so don’t forget to find the ‘middle o f the road ’.

45

1. What is your opinion? Do you agree wiih the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the follow­ ing pros and, cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• Prejudice cannot be avoided - if you want to show yourself in a favourable light, you must be pretty. • The first impression is very important when you want to get a good job - you must be smart. • Statistics show that more and more people visit plastic surgeries. • Women want to look like beautiful actresses and other celebrities. • Hospitals are full of young women suffering from eating disorders. • There have been many fashion trends this pást decade nőt worth following.

CONS " Just look around the streets or the beach - obesity is one of the greatest problems o f the 2 1 st century. • The impact o f the global recession on everyday life - people lose their jobs and can’t afford hairdressers or to work out in the gym. • People don’t have any time or energy to keep fit. • A lót of mén can't dress without a woman’s advice. • A lót of people wear handed-down clothes. • Second-hand shops are flourishing nowadays, promoting their cheap and nőt necessarily fashionable products. • Look at the hair of somé mén: full of dandruff. • Women don't have the money to have their hair dyed as often as needed. • Bad appearance is usually coupled with unpleasant smells, bad breath and rotten teeth.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

I have no objections.

It cannot be compared to...

I don’t think...

Ti> i Itsash a m e...

r u vi I would like to...

Impor t

Go ahead.

however

1 v.^ e your opmion.

They have little in common with...

Example

A: Ifyou have no objections, I would like to teli you my opinion on your new style. B: Go ahead. A: I dón ’t think you will get the job you’ve applied fór. It is very important that you take an interest in what you’re wearing bút this new style is nőt a good solution. B: Then I would value your opinion on how to get dressed if I want to be impressive at first sight. A: I fully agree with you that the first impression has to be good. However, you shouldn’t spend all your money on clothes and make-up. You must be smart bút nőt provocative. Don’t miss the main values. You’re clever, sociable, and speak several foreign languages. Your knowledge and your work experience are worth more than the externals. B: You’re right, bút I ’m thirty-six and I ’m compared to twenty-year-old women. A: In my opinion, it’s a gift from God. Other applicants have little in common with you and your fifteen years ’ experience o f management. B: I t ’s a shame that I wanted to change my personality because of externals. Thanks fór your advice.

VOCABULARY 10

emphasis on celebrity living skeleton humán being

/'emfasis/

/'silebrati/ /'kviij 'skehtn/ /'hjutman ‘bi:ing/

47

hangsúly ismert ember, celeb élő csontváz emberi lény

first impression to reach fór the sky to keep up with shopaholic accessory compulsive desire beauty pageant nőse reshaping face lift harmful eating disorder mentái disease garment to exist well-groomed prejudice to avoid self-confident moderation principle ‘middle of the road’ favourable light to suffer from obesity dandruff

/fsisí im'prejn/ /ri:tj fo(r) 5o skai/ /ki:p Ap wiő/ /jbpa'Imiik/ /ak'sessri/ /kam'pAlsiv di'zaia(r)/ /‘bju:ti 'p£ed33nt/ /naoz rí:'J'eiping/ /feis lift/ /'ha:mfl/ /'i:ting dis'o:d3 (r)/ /'menti di'zi:z/ /'gaimsnt/ /ig'zist/ /'vvelgru:md/ /'predzodis/ /a'void/ /self 'konfidant/ /moda'reijn/ /'pnnsspl/ /midi sv ős rsod/ /'ícivarobl lait/ /'sAfa fram/ /3ü‘bi:s3ti/ /'díendrAf/

első benyomás az egekbe tör lépést tart vásárlási mániában szenvedő kiegészítő megrögzött vágy szépségverseny orrplasztika ráncfelvarrás káros étkezési rendellenesség lelki eredetű betegség ruhadarab létezik jól fésült előítélet elkerül magabiztos önmérséklet alapelv arany középút jó színben (tünteti fel magát) szenved vmitől elhízás korpa

BESZEDSZANDEKOK I am nőt too keen on ... There is little chance that ... It seems to me that ... In conclusion, ... It’s nőt a marginal factor th a t.. I f you have no objections, ... Go ahead. I would value your opinion on .. to have little in common with It’s a shame th a t...

Nem igazán lelkesedem (valam iért) Kicsi az esély rá, hogy ... Ú gy tűnik, hogy ... Mindent egybevetve, ... Nem elhanyagolható tényező, hogy .. H a nincs ellene kifogásod, ... Gyerünk!/Csak tessékl/Csináld csak! N agyra értékelném a vélem ényedet.. nincs sok közös abban, hogy ... Szégyen, hogy ...

‘M y m oth er was the m ost b eau tiful w oman 1 ever saw. A ll I am I owe to my mother. I a ttribute a ll my success in life to the m orál, in tellectu a l and physical education I received fro m her. ’

(George Washington)

I must agree. with the statement above. I believe that PE should be obíigatory even fór college students. Without doubt, physical education promotes 5health and is responsible fór the well-being of students. I f children learn at a very young age that exercise is healthy, they will feel the ürge to move and do somé physical activity, even when they become adults. What’s more, in schools, they 10are given the opportunity to try as many sports as they want, ranging from ball sports through gymnastics to even martial árts. Besides, sports can help you fight obesity and overcome a lót of diseases. I think it is essential since more and more children are quite sickly nowadays. I5With more physical education there will be fewer sick people. Sports help to reduce stress, elevate your mood and attitűdé, and calm children. Physically active students may alsó achieve more academically. To come back to the main point, I have to stress that PE helps students to regenerate after long periods o f studying. It alsó proves that education is 20not only about books, bút alsó about your health, your body and most importantly a different aspect o f life. Students learn about competition, concentration, challenge and team work; These things are nőt only important in sports, bút in reál life as well. Furthermore, there was a study done in Francé about increasing physical education classes to 8 hours per week. This way time 25devoted to academic subjects was reduced. It was proved that the students in this experiment were physically and psychologically healthier and had increased academic performance when compared to the control group. Unfortunately, there is a financial factor in increasing the number o f PE classes. A lót of schools simply cannot afford to equip themselves with the necessary .„facilities. Somé schools don’t even have the proper sized gym. I believe that more money should be invested in the physical education of our children. They should be taught about the fun of doing sports instead of sitting in front of their computers all the time.

1. What is your opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it ? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the follow­ ing pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • •

Exercise is necessary fór your mentái health. Students must be burdened physically. With no PE, a lót of teachers would lose their jobs. There would be a lót of overweight children. PE is part of a person’s generál knowledge. Traditions are alsó carried on with sports. Sports are part o f a country’s culture.

CONS • P E requires certain skills, and students should nőt be graded based on skills they might lack. • Students are more vulnerable. They get bullied by their classmates in PE lessons without being noticed by the teacher. • Most of the school’s budget is spent on the PE department. • Students find excuses nőt to go to other classes because they have a match. • Students are made to do things they don’t want to. • A lót of accidents can happen. • People won’t be forced to do any exercise in the future. We are very comfortable. • PE should be voluntary.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

What’s more,...

Hopefully,...

As I recall it,...

I f I ’m nőt mistaken,...

Oh my God!

really

That can’t be true.

What makes you think so?

Example

A: Have you heard? The school prineipal said that physical education is nőt important and will nőt be compulsory any more. B: What did he say? A: As I recall, he mentioned that PE does nőt play an important role in the academic performance o f the students. B: That can’t be true. A: Unfortunately, it is. What’s more, the majority o f the parents agreed with him. B: Oh my God! Is there anything we can do? A: To teli the truth, I ’m fed up with these people. I was listening to their senseless arguments fór hours. I tried to come up with somé good ideas in favor of keeping physical education in the curriculum, bút to no avail. B: What did they say? A: I f I ’m nőt mistaken, it was a műm who started this whole thing. She just wouldn’t keep quiet. She was talking about her fát daughter, and how she is ridiculed by her classmates in PE classes. B: Come on\ Doesn’t she see that her daughter will be even more overweight if she quits P E classes. A: It’s obvious. In my opinion we should start protesting against the decision of the school. B: I don’t think it will work. A: What makes you think so? B: You see, I tried to argue yesterday. I even threatened them with a demonstration, bút my pleas feli on deaf ears. A: Really? B: Sure. They said that they would nőt abolish P E lessons, they’ll just make them voluntary. So if I want my són to take this eláss, there is no problem. A: I ’m sorry to hear that. Though I don’t think there is anything else we could do. Hopefully, they will realize sooner or later that this decision is completely wrong.

VOCABULARY 11 to owe sg to sy to attribute sg to sg obligatory to feel the ürge to rangé from ... to martial árts to overcome essential to regenerate to devote to to equip principal compulsory to be fed up with argument to come up with to no avail to ridicule to threaten pleas fali on deaf ears to abolish voluntary

hu/ /a'tribju:t/ /a'bhgatri/ /fí:l öi 3:d3/ /reind^ /'ma:Jl a:ts/ /auvs'lcAm/ /i'senj’l/ /n'djenarert/ /di'vaut/ /i'kwip/ /'prinsapl/ /kam'pAlsan/ /fed Ap/ /'cugjumant/ /kAm Ap wiö/ /a'veii/ /'ridikj u:l/ /'Bretn/ /pli:z f a : l Dn def i:(r)z/ /a'boliJV /'volantn/

köszönhet vkinek vmit vminek tulajdonít kötelező kényszerét érzi vminek kezdve vmitől vmeddig harcművészetek legyőz vmit, túljut vmin lényeges, alapvető regenerálódik szentel vminek felszerel igazgató kötelező elege van vmiből vita, érv előhozakodik vmivel hiába kigúnyol fenyeget mintha a falnak beszélne eltöröl önkéntes

BESZEDSZANDEKOK

MR

I must disagree with ... On the contrary. Without doubt. Besides the fact that ... To come back to the main point, .. Unfortunately As I recall, ... Oh my God! I f I ’m nőt mistaken, ... Hopefully

Nem értek egyet (valam ivel) Ellenkezőleg. Kétségkívül. Azonkívül, hogy ... A lényegre visszatérve, ... Sajnos Ahogy visszaemlékszem ... Jaj, Istenem! H a nem tévedek, ... Remélhetőleg

-52

Public transport should be free ‘T ra n sp ort o f the m ails, tran sport o f the hum án voice, tran sport o f flic k e rin g p ictu res -in this cen­ tury as in others o u r h ighest accom plishm ents s till have the s in gle a im o f b rin g in g m én together. ’

(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

How would you feel about ieaving your cár at home every morning, because mass transport is free? I ’m a bit doubtful about how to carry out this idea. I t ’s common knowledge that nothing is free - the busdrivers, the staff, the fuel and the maintenance would be paid from tax-payers’ money. gBut I am convinced that cities and towns would be much healthier i f people chose buses, trams and trains instead of their expensive cars, which use a lót of poisonous fuel and emit carbon dioxide. Free transportation would be against global warming as oil used by cars is nőt a renewable resource. In my opinion, if public transport was free, there wouldn’t be so many traffic lujams in the cities and on the motorways. Fewer cars means less pollution, and less pollution could cause fewer health problems, like respiratory diseases. Several American cities have already tried to solve the problem of having only one person travelling in a cár, and having busy roads in the mornings and after work. They have tried to convince people to get organised and go to work together in the same i6car. This is called car-pooling. Thus they can decrease the number of cars on the motorways, which is alsó important because of environment protection. Free fares would be a step in the fight against poverty, as anyone could travel in the city without paying fór it. It would alsó mean social equality - citizens who can’t afford a bús pass every month, could have new work options in other 20districts of the city . Can you imagine how much money you could savé if you didn’t have to spend any on travelling or commuting? Free transportation could alsó attract many more 25tourists who wouldn’t go to great expense while sightseeing at the destination. I f you ask me, free public 30transport could be a solution to reducing the number of crashes and other cár accidents. People are always

53

in a huny, and they cause serious accidents day by day. They have financial or priváté 35problems which they want to solve while driving and they don’t pay attention. On the bús, people would have somé time to think and collect their thoughts while going home from work. A ll in all, free public transport could solve many problems from health to social equality.

1. What is your opinion ?Doyou agree with the statement or are you against it ? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Woi'k in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • •

There wouldn’t be so many traffic jams in bigger and busier towns. Fewer cars means less pollution, so people would be healthier. The problem of social inequality could be solved. There wouldn’t be so much wasted energy. Tourists shouldn’t rent a cár - travelling abroad would be cheaper.

CONS • Nothing is free - fuel, maintenance, staff salaries have to be paid fór somehow. • There’s no such thing as equality. • It’s a kind of service that you have to pay fór, similarly to any other service in the world. • People wouldn’t take care of the vehicles - if something is free, it loses its significance. • Homeless people could alsó get on the buses and disturb or attack people. • There would be less money fór new and more comfortable buses how could the local government buy new ones or improve the others? • The buses and the trains would be too crowded - it wouldn’t be a pleasant ‘trip’ to work every morning.

54

2. Imagine. a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

By no means.

This isn’t something I ’ve given much thought to.

What if...?

I cannot support you on...

In fact,...

Nőt to mention,.

Can you imagine...?

I f you ask me,...

Why are you asking me?

What are your own feelings about...?

Example

A: Can you imagine your life without a cár? B: By no means. I go everywhere by cár. Why are you asking me? A: What i f the local goverment said that public transport would be free from this moment on? B: I don’t think it will ever happen, bút in fact I wouldn’t support this idea. I haté crowded vehicles and I ’m sure free fares would enhance mass transportation. N őt to mention the fact that I ’m afraid of idle and homeless city-dwellers. They would sleep on the buses and they would disturb other passengers. Ify ou ask me, I would create cheaper transportation in towns, it would be more affordable bút nőt free. A: I cannot support you on this matter. Free transportation would be a great idea as poor people could alsó use the different means of transport in town. B: What are. your own feelings about giving free food to everyone? How would the world change if everything was free? A: This isn’t something I ’ve given much thought to. B: Would you like to talk about it next time ? A: Sure. Why nőt?

55

II VOCABULARY 12

mass transport

/maes traens'po:t/

tömegközlekedés

to carry out

/'kaeri aut/

kivitelez

fuel

/'fju:al/

üzemanyag

maintenance

/‘meintanans/

fenntartás

tax-payer

/'tcekspeia(r)/

adófizető

poisonous

/'paizanas/

mérgező

to emit

/i'mit/

kibocsát

respiratory diseases

/'respiratn/

légzésszervi problémák

poverty

/'pDvati/

szegénység

faré

/fea(r)/

viteldíj

to commute

/ka'mju:t/

ingázik

to go to great expense

/ta gaü ta greit iks'pens/ nagy kiadásokba bocsátkozik

destination

/desti'neijn/

úti cél

local government

/'laokl 'g/wamant/

önkormányzat

to enhance

/tn'haens/

fellendít, fokoz

idle

/aidl/

tétlen, haszontalan

city-dweller

/'siti 'dwela(r)/

városlakó

|BH

BESZEDSZANDEKOK

ÉL

thus

tehát, ilymódon

You can imagine th a t...

Képzelheti, hogy ...

By no means.

Semmi esetre sem.

And what i f ...?

És mi van, ha...?

nőt to mention ...

nem beszélve arról, hogy ...

This isn’t something I ’ve given much thought to.

Ezzel igazából még nem na­ gyon foglalkoztam.

56

SS ‘T h e average tou ris t wants to g o to places where there a re no tourists. ’

(Sam Ewing)

To teli you the truth, I have never loved going to the beach, hűt I have always had to keep it secret. M y friends are keen on sandy beaches and enormous waves bút they are equal to disgusting sandy skin and dangerous water fór me. Why do people have to look at me like I had six legs when I teli them the truth? Why is it so interesting that going to the beach is no holiday fór me? In my view, a beach holiday is tiring and annoying. First o f all, as summer comes, the thought of a swimsuit frightens me. I haté people watching me in a bikini. When you get to the beach, your shoes are full of sand in two minutes. I f you decide to take off your shoes, you have to bear 10hot sand while running towards water as fást as you can. Going barefoot has already caused somé inconvenience as I have stepped on bees several times. Lying in the sün is boring fór me - I can’t read because of the glare, and what’s more, I ’m as red as a roast duck by the end of the day. Ifyou ask me, the best part o f going to the beach is swimming- bút, unfortunately, 15I haté it when seaweed coils around my legs. Finally, crowds make me crazy. I don’t think it’s normál that so many people can come together only because of good weather and water. I think everybody gets mad when they are on the beach. They’re always running, shouting, talking loudly and playing games they have 20never tried before. They kick the sunbathers every second minute. Instead of the beach, I prefer spending my 25holidays in the mountains. The invigorating smell of the mountains usually gives me a very positive vibe. The level 30of freshness is something that the majority of people who have always gone on holiday to the beach will never experience. Just

57

35observing the terrain your mind geís blown away. You don’t have to be a mountaineer or pursue an extreme sport. You can just enjoy the beauties o f the mountains. You can go hiking while enjoying the scenery and the fresh air. When you’re on the beach, you just laze all day long. What’s more, mountains are the perfect holiday destinations fór winter sport lovers. So whether it’s winter, 40summer, spring or autumn, the mountains are always the ideál places fór a memorable holiday. In conclusion, I couldn’t spend a whole day on the beach during summertime, bút I could enjoy the beautiful sea view and peace in the off-season. In my opinion, a warmer autumn or a m ilder ‘w inter’ by the sea can offer more 45activities and more fun with your friends, like windsurfing, snorkelling or simply combing the sand fór seashells without millions of tourists. 1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the follow­ ing pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

Holiday means active relaxation fór me - lying in the sün is tiring. A crowded beach is annoying. I f you travel to the sea and the weather is rainy, you can’t do anything. Salty water can cause skin irritation. You loathe all the animals in the sea, you feel a great disgust fór seaweed. Sand can get everywhere - intő your shoes, your bag, your hair.

CO NS An active holiday on the beach is entertaining - you can try a lót of sports. It’s peaceful, stress-free,and you can get to know many people. There’s a beautiful view of the sea or the ocean. Beaches are nőt as polluted as cities. You can take underwater photos, and play with your children.

58

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

q1]re bure'

It might be a good idea to...

, madness sheer madness

How do you fancy ?

You don’t wantto...

In my view,... J ’

Fm o fth “ . opinion that...

Fm not , ., . convinced that

1’m sure

Wouj d you mind...

Example

A: Where shall we go on holiday this summer, honey? B: It might be a good idea to travel to the Mediterranean and relax by the sea. I lőve to get up early in the morning, look out of the window and see the beautiful turquoise water. How do you fancy a holiday in Spain? A: I am not convinced that this would be the best idea. All the big Spanish resorts are full in the high season and the beaches are so crowded that you wouldn’t enjoy your stay there. B: I ’m upset that you dón ’t want to go to the sea with me. A: It would be sheer madness to become one o f the mad tourists you can meet on the beaches in summer. Would you mind travelling to the snowy mountains? B: Sure. I don’t want to catch a cold in the middle of the summer. I ’m o f the opinion that going to the beach is one of the most entertaining pastimes you can do in summer. You can go there at sunrise, run in the sand then sunbathe fór somé hours. In the afternoon you can take a nap under a tree or play beach handball or volleyball. Water can alsó offer a lót of fun, like diving, swimming or snorkelling. Don’t you want to try this kind of holiday? Can I whet your appetite? A: I ’m sure I will find pleasure in beaches if you’re so enthusiastic.

VOCABULARY 13

enormous to frighten to bear barefoot inconvenience glare roast duck seaweed to coil around one’s legs sunbather invigorating to laze off-season mild

/i'noimas/ /'fraitn/ /bea(r)/ /'bea(r)fut/ /njkon'viinipns/ /glea(r)/ /raust dAk/ /'si:wi:d/ /kori a'raund/ ’ /'sAnbeiő(a)/ /in'vigareitír)/ /leiz/ /‘üf si:zn/ /maiid/

hatalmas megrémít bír, elvisel mezítláb kellemetlenség vakító fény kacsasült hínár rátekeredik a lábaira napozó felpezsdítő lustálkodni holtszezon enyhe

snorkelling

/‘sno:kalii]/

sznorkelingezés, felszíni búvárkodás

to comb the sand seashell loathe turquoise high season whet one's appetite enthusiastic

/kaum őa sasnd/ /'si:Jel/ /lauő/ /'t3:kwaiz/ /'har si:zn/ /wet WAnz sepatait/ /inBjüizrsestik/

átfésülni a homokot kagyló utál, undorodik türkiz főszezon étvágyat csinál vkinek lelkes

To teli the truth, ...

Az igazat megvallva, ...

It might be a good idea to

Lehet, hogy jó ötlet lenne ...

In my view...

Véleményem szerint...

‘B icy clin g is a b ig p a rt o fth e future. I t has to be. There's som ething w rong with a society that drives a cár to w orkout in a gym. ’

(Bili Nye)

Personally, I believe that getting around a big city by cár can be a nightmare in rush hours. To teli you the truth, I have already tried to find a reasonable solution to avoid busy roads after work. I didn’t have any strong feelings about cycling in the city until I g'ot stuck in a traffic jam a few days ago. I ’m o f the -'

How do you know?

You might have a point.

You know,...

N őt a bad idea.

Example > í

.A

A: What do you think about the bili that promotes a bán on smoking in bars and restaurants? B: I find it absolutely ridiculous. A: How come? D on ’t you think that it would be good to have the chance to eat and drink in a non-smoking environment? B: You know, you already have the choice in restaurants. You can decide whether you want to eat in a smoking area or nőt. This proposal takes away the choice of smokers. A: You might have a point. However, I believe that I alsó have the right nőt to have to breathe in the smoke. B: O f course. You have the right to leave the building. A: You know that’s exactly what I mean. Smokers don’t care about others bút themselves. B: The point is that there is no demand fór non-smoking bars or discos. A: How do you know ? B: Well, these places have their special atmosphere. And smoking is generally acceptabie there. A: I guess you don’t even know the opinion o f the people who would be happy to go to a bar, bút won’t, because o f the smoke. What about somé countries where it is already forbidden to smoke in bars? B: To teli the truth, I have always disliked any kind of government regulation that aimed at individual rights. A: What do you mean ? B: I mean that governments try to act like Big Brother, and limit our choices. A: I ’m sorry, bút I dón ’t get what you ’re saying. B: I ’m saying that bar owners should have the right to decide whether they would allow smoking or nőt. My point is that in such cases, everybody would have the right to decide whether to enter the piacé or nőt. I believe that each group would find its piacé and no complaints could be made. A. So are you advocating a voluntary bán? B: Exactly. A: Nőt a bad idea. 87

(

VOCABULARY 20 májőri ty bán prohibited to impose to irritate proponent to tolerate coronary disease

/m3'd3Drati/ /bsen/ /pre'hibitid/ /im'psoz/ /'inteit/ /pra'paunant/ /'tübreit/ /'knrsnn dizi:z/

stroke

/streuk/

to inhale annoying unpleasant to inhale to exhale to get sy going butt to violate enforce negligent bili to promote to breathe in demand regulation aim at complaint voluntary

/in'heil/ /s'nonq/ /An'pleznt/ /in'heil/ /eks'heil/ /bAt/

/'varaiéit/ /in'fo:s/ /'neglidsant/ /bil/ /pra'maut/ /bri:ö in/ /di'ma:nd/ /regjo'leijn/ /eim aet/ /kam'pleint/ /'vAbntri/

többség tilalom tiltott kivet irritál, ingerel támogató tolerál, elvisel szívkoszorúér probléma sztrók, agyvérzés, "agyi érkatasztrófa" belélegez idegesítő kellemetlen belélegezni kilélegezni felhergel vkit csikk megszeg érvényre juttat nemtörődöm törvényjavaslat támogat belélegez kereslet szabályozás, szabályzat rámutat panasz önkéntes

BESZEDSZANDEKOK Evidence shows ... I have to admit th a t... according to Nőt a bad idea. How come? I find it absolutely ridiculous.

Ahogy a példa is mutatja ... Be kell látnom, hogy ... szerint Nem rossz ötlet. Hogy lehet az, hogy ...? Teljes mértékben nevetségesnek találom.

88

w ‘E a rth is cu rrently experiencing ra p id w arm ing, w hich the vast m a jority o f clim a te scientists says is due to hum ans p u m p in g huge am ounts ofgreenhou.se gases in tő the atmosphere. ’

(National Geographic)

First o f all, I have to say that I don’t consider myself a green person, however, I sometimes get very upset about what is happening to the plánét we live on. Unfortunately, I must admit that it is mankind that is mainly responsible fór the destruction. I 5If we look at the pást one or two centuries, we can see that since the Industrial Revolution lots of factories have been built. They emit a lót of very harmful gases, thus polluting the air, the water, the soil, etc. To teli the truth, humán activity has caused most of the pollution in our world. The increase in greenhouse gases is due to humans, and we are very likely to be responsible 10for global w arm ing and other effects. There’s no doubt that there is a connection between humán activities (such as high carbon emission) and global warming, though I ’m nőt saying that we are soíely responsible fór it. Obviously there must be somé natural causes as well. Nevertheless, we are the ones who have aecelerated this warming. J ’d like to point out that if we are mainly responsible, we should start doing something in order to savé our plánét. First o f all, everybody should pay attention to their surroundings. Personally, I can’t stand people littering the streets, smokers throwing away cigarette butts and so on. I believe there should | be huge fines in order to deter people from littering. 20On the other hand, we should emphasize selective waste collection. I think that people need to be educated about how to select their garbage. What’s more, this type o f education must start in elementary schools to make children aware o f the consequences of polluting the earth. In my view, we need a few decades to educate at least two generations who will pass this knowledge 25onto their kids as well. Globally speaking, we need to think of using alternative energy resources that might nőt pollute the environment so much. I ’m talking about using solar energy, wind power, thermal energy instead of traditional methods. In my opinion, governments should encourage people to turn to these new resources. 30/ alsó think that more hybrid cars should be used instead o f the old fuelÉ burning ones. However, I ’m very pessimistic about this issue, as I béliévé that ;I a lót of countries have no interest in changing to alternative energy resources, i since they are interested in the oil business. All iri all, this problem cannot be solved unless all countries think in the same way. 89

1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • •

There is a lót pollution which should be stopped. Soon we will nőt have a plánét to live on. Alternative energy resources should be promoted. People who litter should be severely fined. People should be educated about the issue from a very early age. Something must be done against global warming. Only i f there’s co-operation all around the world, will we be able to use the earth in the remote future. • We should realize that humans are mainly responsible fór the destruction of the earth.

CONS • People just exaggerate the environment issue. • People have always been Creative enough to combat environmental problems. • Whatever humans throw at it, the Earth will savé itself as it always has. • There is obviously a natural healing process, so no humán intervention is necessary. • No radical change is needed, only good education about paying attention to our surroundings. • Alternative energy resources are nőt as efficient as, fór example, gas.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ? On what Do you really grounds? think...? ,, , , What solution It sounds good. „■ 9 h can you oírer/

In my reckoning... r, ,, How can you? J

I'm nőt sure about... I disagree with you.

I must say that... I don’t even i , dare to...

Example

A: I ’ve heard on the news that the Amazon rainforests are being cut down rapídly. Don’t you think that something must be done in order to stop deforestation? B: What solution can you offer ? A: To my reckoning, governments should bán Jogging. Moreover, western countries should nőt buy wood coming from the Amazon. B: I disagree with you. A: How can you ? The Amazon rainforests are said to be the lungs o f our plánét. I f logging continues, in somé decades, there will be no forests, and we will have to suffer the consequences. B: I ’m afraid I have to refute what you claim. A: On what grounds ? B: I think that there is a large proportion o f exaggeration in what your statistics show. What’s more, it’s undeniable that these countries are quite poor. One of the few means to get by fór them is to cut down the trees and sell them. A: That’s a very narrow-minded opinion. B: Well, that’s reality. Somé countries charge a lót o f money fór the export of their trees. The revenue that they récéivé, however, is indispensable fó r the economy o f the country. A: Do you really think that companies will invest in the conservation of forests? B: Well, they have to. I f they want to retain their markét, they have no choice. And I think this is the example that should be followed. A: I ’m nőt so sure about that. Priváté companies are only interested in making money. Conservation can’t be their goal. B: I f companies plán fór a longer period and nőt only fór the near future, they will realize that their efforts in reforestation can help in the long run. A: I must say that I ’m nőt convinced. B: I ’m sorry, bút that’s what I think. A: I don’t even dare to ask you to express your opinion about the protection of species that are on the verge o f extinction. B: I have my opinion about that as well. Why don’t we talk about it over a beer? A: That sounds good. B: I ’ll buy the first round. In my opinion, Darwinism should prevail ...

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_„

VOCABULARY 21

currently due to mankind destruction to emit harmful greenhouse gases solely to accelerate fine to emphasize selective waste collection garbage aware of deforestation to bán logging proportion exaggeration undeniable revenue indispensable conservation to retain to dare species on the verge o f extinction to prevail

/‘k/vrantli/ /dju: tu/ /maen'kaind/ /di'strAkJn/ lim itl /'ha:mfl/ /'gri:nhaos 'gassiz/ /'SSülll/ /ak'selareit/ /fám/ /'emfasaiz/ /si'lektív weist ka'lekfn// /'ga:bid3/ h'wes(r)/ /dkfDri'steiJh/ Ibsen/ /'lDgxg/ /pra'poijn/ /xgzaedga'reijii/ /Andi'naiabl/ /'revanju:/ /indi'spensabl/ /konsa'veijn/ /ri'tein/ /dea(r)/ /'spi:Jiz/

jelenleg köszönhetően emberiség rombolás kibocsátani káros üvegház gázok egyedül felgyorsítani büntetés kihangsúlyozni szelektív hulladékgyűjtés szemét tisztában lenni vmivel erdőirtás tiltani favágás arány túlzás tagadhatatlan bevétel elengedhetetlen védelem megtartani merni, merészelni faj, fajok

/v3:d3, ik'stinkjn/

kihalás szélén

/pri'ved/

érvényesülni, dominálni

I can’t stand it.

Ki nem állhatom.

In my view ...

Megítélésem s ze rin t...

To my reckoning ...

Számításaim szerint ...

22.

Commercials targeting and hiring children should be banned ‘M ost o f the food and beverages aduertised heauily to child ren are p o o r in nutrients and h ig h in calories. ’

(Dr. Dávid McKeown)

First o f all, I have to emphasize that it’s a twofold problem. On the one hand, we can talk about commercials aim ed at children to make them want to have scertain goods. On the other hand, a lót o f commercials and ads hire children to promote their products. As far as I know, there are already somé countries that have restrictions on 10advertisements that target children. Advertisers are nőt allowed to pút pressure on children in order to sell their products. Ipersonally believe that it is very unfair and unethical to target children. Ads can make children insist on wanting to have certain toys, food, clothes and so on. This must-have attitűdé 16does nőt create a healthy environment within the family, especially if they are nőt w ell-off and don’t have the money to buy that product. There’s alsó a tendency fór companies to make products that are unhealthy look attractive. I ’m talking about fást food restaurants, beverage commercials and even somé toy commercials, which make children addicted. They are swayed 20by persuasive commercials, consume incredible amounts of junk food, thus becoming obese, and putting a huge burden on society. I ’m convinced that if certain restrictions were imposed on TV channels broadcasting commercials, there would be fewer overweight people. I alsó find it annoying that a lót of advertisers hire children to sell their products. 25I know that this strategy has worked quite well fór decades, bút I believe it’s rather unethical to entice people with the help of children intő spending their money on something they would otherwise nőt even look at. Alsó, young children can’t see the psychological background of ads. They don’t know that commercials are meant to sell products. Elementary school children 30show various stages of development in the understanding of the purpose of ads. As children grow older they show increasing distrust of advertisments. Most 5 to 7 year olds say that ads "teli the truth", while older children are less likely

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W to trust them. It is nőt until laté elementary school that distrust o f ads is based on an understanding of the advertiser's motivation to sell the product. 35Unlike adults, children cannot separate advertising from other programmes on T V Children consume television entertainment and educational programmingin the same way as they consume advertising. Since advertisers know that children are susceptible to ads in ways that adults are nőt, it only makes sense that advertisers would target children. This doesn't seem to be an ethical issue, bút 40an economic one. O f course companies paying top prices fór advertising will want to get the most out o f their money. 1. What is your opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it ? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to con vince your partner.

• • • • • • •

Employing children fór commercials is a form of child labour. Children are gullible. Children are easily influenced. I f a child appears in an ad, people tend to buy the product. A lót of unhealthy food is promoted especially fór children. Children are given false hopes. Parents find it hard to resist their children’s wishes.

CONS • You don’t have to buy the goods you don’t like. • You have the choice to say no. • It’s obvious that companies target children as they know that a parent can’t say no to the children. • Advertisers count on the naivety of parents who would buy anything their children want. • Commercials contribute to the budget with a lót of money. • There’s no difference between targeting children or adults. Commercials should be about persuading people to buy the products.

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2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

You know,...

I hope...

moreover

The other thing What do you is that... mean?

Guess what!

I see.

First of all,...

I think...

Example

A: Guess whatl My daughter has been invited to advertise hamburgers on T V B: That’s unbelievable. I hope you are nőt even considering letting her appear in the commercial. A: Why nőt? You are too old-fashioned. B: Am I? What do you expect from a food company? A: You know, my little girl has always dreamt about becoming an actress or a model. This could be the first step to fame. B: I see what you are getting at. A: Moreover, she will get a lót of money fór the ad. B: I ’m very disappointed in you. A: Why? I think you’re just green with envy that it’s my daughter and nőt yours. B: I really feel sorry fór you and especially fór your girl. I condemn what you are doing. I would never let my daughter participate in a television commercial. A: I don’t see what makes you say that. B: First o f all, your daughter will be given false hopes that she can be a successful star, or a celebrity. A: Can’t she? B: Maybe. Bút there is a very síim chance. Later on, when your daughter realizes that fame and glam our are light-years away, she will feel depressed. Then you will curse the day you allowed her to appear in the ad. A: I would nőt be so pessimistic. B: The other thing is that you should admit that T V commercials play on your credulity. You are told about all the good aspects o f the shooting o f the ad, then you’ll have to face reality. A: What do you mean? B: A ll that glitters is nőt gold. It is time-consuming, exhausting, and tiring. A: I think we are aware o f all these things. B: There is one more thing. I haté it when commercials use children to sell their products. I think it is immoral. Although I know it may work out well fór them, I still don’t approve of it.

A: Well, that’s your problem. Keep it to yourself. I’ve heard enough ofyour comments. My daughter is going to take part in the ad whether you like it or nőt. B: Suit yourself.

VO CABULAR Y22 twofold to aim at promote restriction unethical to insist on well-off to consume to sway persuasive obese to entice distrust green with envy to condemn síim chance fame glamour credulity to shoot All that glitters is nőt gold. immoral

/'tu:fold/ /eim/ /pra'maut/

/n'strikjn/ /An'eGikl/ /in'sist/ /wel'Df/

/kan'sjurm/ /swei/ /pa'sweisiv/

/au'bi:s/ /in'tais/ /dis'trAst/ /gri:n w iö 'envi/ /kan'dem/ /síim tjarns/ /fenn/ /'glaem3(r)/ /kri'djmtati/

/fu:t/ /i' morál/

kétszeres megcélozni reklámozni szigorítás nem etikus/etikátlan ragaszkodni vmihez jómódú fogyasztani befolyásolni meggyőző túlsúlyos csábítani bizalmatlanság sárga az irigységtől. elítélni csekély eshetőség hírnév ragyogás hiszékenység forgatni (filmet) Nem minden arany, ami fénylik. erkölcstelen

BESZEDSZANDEKOK I have to emphasize that ...

Hangsúlyoznom kell, hogy .

I ’m referring to ...

A rra utalok, hogy ...

VQ

‘The research is clear that ra is in g speed lim its costs lives. People need to weigh the benefits o f g e ttin g places faster versus the fact that m ore people w ill die in crashes. ’

(Russ Rader)

To the best o f my knowledge, only one country has laws allowing fór no speed limit on motorways. It is Germany, where the famous 5 ‘Autobahns’ have no speed limit. They are well-constructed motorways, which provide motorists with the opportunity to travel at any speed they choose. There’s probably a 10good argument fór speed limit laws, however, looking at statistics provided by the Germán example, I have to say that all countries with proper roads should follow this pattern. The emphasis is obviously on proper and properly maintained roads. You ’re l5likely to have more speed related accidents on motorways that are in very bad condition. On the other hand, if you travel on a parkway which is in a perfect shape, there is less chance you will get problems with your speed. I f I ’m nőt mistaken, the Germán no speed limit laws are quite complex, and regulate only the blanket speed limit where the traffic is nőt heavy. In the 20presence o f road constructions or road sections that need repairing, there are speed limits which can vary between 60 kph and 100 kph. Certain stretches of road can have electronic speed signals that teli the driver to slow in case of wet lanes, fog or other weather-related conditions. My experience is that if the weather worsens in one section o f the Autobahn, tem porary traffic signals 25make drivers slow down to the desired speed. I believe that any individual can decide what is safe and what is nőt when they drive. It is alsó proved that somé states in the USA had fewer accidents when no speed limit laws were enforced. I f you have a good cár, which is coupled with good roads, it should be your decision to determine the safest speed fór you. 30í alsó agree with somé statutes which introduced minimum speed limit laws in certain places. In such cases, slow vehicles can impede the fiow of traffic. In my opinion, that is much more dangerous than driving fást.

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1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

People can decidé about their safety when driving. In states without a speed limit, fewer accidents happen. I f you do 110 kph on the motorway, and others do 150, you may be keeping the speed limit, bút you are more dangerous than they are. Slow drivers are more dangerous than speeders. We have roads and cars in good condition, so why nőt use them accordingly? I f the weather conditions are good, there should be no speed limit.

CO NS Speeding reduces the driver’s ability to react. A greater distance is needed to stop a cár in case of an accident. Drivers are unabie to steer around objects left on the road. It endangers the life of many others. It is easy nőt to take notice of pedestrians or cyclists. Most fatal crashes are caused by careless and speeding drivers. More greenhouse gases are emitted from a speeding cár.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

To teli the truth,...

What are you trying to say?

Guess what!

You can’t be serious.

I entirely disagree with you.

Don’t be ridiculous.

Come on!

That’s nőt the point.

Nőt really.

How did it happen?

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Example A: Guess what! I ’ve been caught exceeding the speed limit again. B: How did it happen? A: I was driving on a very long stretch of highway 23 yesterday afternoon. I had a lót of things on my mind and wasn’t really paying attention to what speed I was doing. And alsó there was very little traffic, so I was right on the gas pedál. B: And what happened? A: I was caught by a cop. I was doing 110 instead o f 90. B: Well, you’il know better next time. A: Oh, come on. Don’t teli me that you’ve never done that. B: To teli the truth, I always set my cár on ci'uise control, that is to keep the speed of my cár where it’s supposed to be. A: You can’t be seriousl I ’ve never thought about that. Actually, I would trjr to get rid o f it. B: What are you trying to say ? A: Oh, the point is that we should get rid of the speed limit. B: D on’t be ridiculous. Can you imagine what would happen if somebody was doing 80 in your street with children piaying around? A: That’s nőt the point. Let me explain what I mean. I did nőt imply that there should be no speed limit anywhere. I was thinking that maybe on motorways it is nőt necessary to have a speed limit. B: Can you elaborate on that? A: Sure. Listen. I ’m nőt sure whether there are fewer accidents because o f the speed limit. Moreover, I ’d say that slow driving is responsible fó r more deaths on highways than speeding. B: You can’t be serious! What makes you say that? Do you have any statistics proving what you’ve just said? A: N őt really. Bút you can’t really have statistics unless you try the opposite. B: I entirely disagree with you. I think that there are a lót of irresponsible people who would cause lots o f accidents under such circumstances. A: D on’t you think that these people care about the speed limit? They just drive like crazy. B: So? A: So what you’ve mentioned is ju st a tiny segment of society. However, there are somé sensible people who exceed the speed limit in good faith. B: Well, as I can see we have come to a stalemate. We can’t persuade each other. A: Right. B: Still, you have to observe the laws of speeding until new bilis are passed.

VOCABULARY 23 research speed limit pattéra emphasis proper

/n's3 :tJ7 /spi:d 'limit/ /'paetan/

blanket to vary stretch

/'blasnkit/ /'veari/

/'emfasis/ /'prDpa(r)/

/stretJV /lein/ /'temprari/

lane temporary desired to be coupled with to impede to react to steer around to endanger

/di'zaiad/ /'kApld wiö/ /im'pi:d/ /ri'aekt/ /stia(r)/ /in'deind33(r)/

fatal

/'feitl/

to exceed cop to get rid of sth to imply

/ik'si:d/

to elaborate in good faith stalemate to persuade cruise control

w

B

s

B

B

kutatás sebességkorlátozás minta hangsúly megfelelő általános változik szakasz, sáv sáv átmeneti kívánt párosul vmivel megakadályoz, meggátol reagál kikerül veszélyeztet végzetes átlép, meghalad

/köp/

zsaru megszabadulni vmitől

/im'plai/ /i'laebareit/ /in god fei6/ /'steilmeit/ /'p3:sjueid/ /'kru:zkantro:l/

utal kifejteni jóhiszeműen patthelyzet, holtpont meggyőzni tempómat •

m

To the best of my knowledge ... Legjobb tudomásom szerint ... Let me explain what I mean.

Hadd magyarázzam el, hogy mire gondolok!

'D rugs? Every one has a choice and I choose nőt to do d ru g s...’

(Leonardo DiCaprio)

I totally disagree with proponents of drug use. They are saying that drugs are very similar to alcohol and smoking, and since those two are legal, why nőt allow the use of drugs as well? gThis is obviously nőt the case. Their arguments mainly concentrate on the. statement that it is the individual’s decision whether he or she wants to use drugs or nőt. You hear constantly that individuals should 10have the right to have control over their bodies, provided they do nőt harm anyone whüe taking drugs. I just can’t see how anyone can take them seriously. Sure, they have the right to do whatever they want to with their body, bút the consequences usually affect others as well. Think of the 15accidents that are caused by people who are under the influence o f drugs. Innocent people can be harmed due to their irresponsibility. Proponents o f drug use always say that if drugs were legal and properly regül ated, less crime would occur. They cite the example of the Prohibition Éra in the United States in the 1920s, during which the mafia prospered due 20to the smuggling and illegal sale of alcohol. At the same time, countries and governments drug their soldiers before sending them to fight. You can altér a person’s mind willingly. I hope that those in favour of drug use don’t want to bring about a Brave New World, in which there is a state-approved drug which everybody takes every day. Drugs can make people controllable and I certainly 25don’t want to live in a world where I couldji’t think freely. My other fears are in connection with becoming addicted, especially in the case of little children. You hear about dealers appearing around schools, distributing ‘stamps’ to elementary school children. Many of them will like the stuff, will become addicted and demand more and more later. Obviously, they will need a 30lot of money to be able to buy their daily dose, which means that they will turn to stealing. A ll in all, I believe that drugs ruin your health, make you addicted, increase crime and ruin the morals o f people. I think that all drugs should be made illegal, and the fight against dealers and users should be continued.

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1. What is you.r opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it ? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• A lót of accidents are caused by people who are under the influence of drugs. • I f it was legalized, people would get the message that it is actually good to use drugs. • Drugs ruin our health. • A lót of children are targeted by drug dealers. • I f prices were lower, more people could afford drugs. • The expression ‘safe drugs’ is a contradiction in itself. • Regulation is very important. • People should be educated.

CONS • • • • • • • •

Drugs are nőt much différent from alcohol and cigarettes. Any individual has the right to decide whether to use drugs or nőt. Liberal drug laws seem to be working in somé countries. A totál bán has never worked, as people always find a way to get hold of what they want. There would be less crime i f it was allowed and properly controlled. I f drugs became legal, fewer people would be interested. In somé cases, drugs can have a good effect on the performance of your brain. Legalization would b rin g about cheaper drugs.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation'?

I doubt that... saymg'that...? Go aheacL

S n ^ First of all,...

102

I ’m nőt sure.

First,... y0Ur

Example

A: What’s your opinion about legalizing drugs? B: I ’m all fór it. A: Are you serious ? B: Sure. I think that the present system that bans drugs is responsible fór all the crime related to it. A: Are you saying that there would be fewer crimes if drugs could be purchased in shops? B: Exactly. It is proved that in countries where drugs are legal, there is a lower drug-related crime rate. A: I still don’t think that drugs should be made legal. B: Why nőt? A: I f you make them legal, consumption will increase. B: I doubt that. I f something is illegal, it is more appealing to people. When it becomes legal, it loses its attractiveness. A: There will alsó be more accidents on the roads caused by drivers under the influence o f drugs. B: I wouldn’t mix the two things. Even though alcohol is legal, we still find people who drink and drive at the same time. I f you drive while on drugs, you commit a crime. A: You might be right. Bút I alsó think that drugs are immoral. B: Why? A: First o f all, drugs can enhance the perform ance o f your mind. They can boost it in a very unnatural way. B: And there are so many other things that alsó boost your mind. You just may nőt know about their enhancing quality. A: Secondly, it is immoral that the government collects taxes on promoting immoral behavior. B: Although I don’t really understand what you really mean by immorality, I have to say that it is better if the government collects taxes on drugs than if it were the gangs keeping the money. Moreover, I firmly believe that drugs would be much cheaper if they became legal. A: There’s another point I ’d like to make. B: Go ahead. A: Taking drugs is just about getting high. How can we legalize something that doesn’t have a morál value? B: I ’m nőt sure I understand what you want say in connection with morality again. A: When you’re addicted, you just want more and more. That’s nőt acceptabie.

1: B: Bút when you’re addicted, you can just walk intő a coffeeshop, as in the Netherlands, in order to g e t hold o f your favorité drug. A: That’s true. Still, I am nőt convinced that drugs should be made legal. B: That’s your choice. j

proponent

/pra'paonant/

to harm properly

/ha:m/ /‘prapali/

to regulate prohibition to prosper

/‘regjüleit/ /prsuhi'bijn/

to smuggle

/'smAgl/ /ku:l/ /a'traektivnas/

cool attractiveness hood imprisonment

/'prDsps(r)/

/hód/ /im'prisnmant/ /'péti/

támogató kárt okoz megfelelően szabályozni tiltás virágzik csempészni vagány vonzalom környék (szleng) bebörtönzés piti kapcsolatban lenni megvásárolni

petty to relate to to purchase consumption

/ri'leit/ /'p3:tjas/ /kan'sAinpjn/

appealing to enhance to boost

/3'pi:lii]/ /in'haens/ /bu:st/

fogyasztás vonzó erősíteni, növelni fokozni, erősíteni

to get high to get hold of

/get hai/ /get hauld/

betépni hozzájutni

in connection with

valamivel kapcsolatban

I ’m all fór it.

Teljes mértékben kiállók mellette.

That’s your choice.

Ez a te döntésed.

104

ír

25.

1

Downloading music and movies should be punished 7 g o t tired o fn o t being able to dow nload my own m usic. ’ (Madonna)

i

I have to make it clear first that I consider any form of copying, downloading or fiíe-sharing stealing from the artist or author. Whether it’s music, films, books or anything created by an individual, it is copyright, which is a form of legal protection. Would you walk intő a record store or the local supermarket and .pocket a CD without paying? Most people would unequivocally give a definite no to that question because walking out of a store without paying fór a product is theft and against the law. What is often nőt realized is that when people download music off the Internet or ifit is offered to them through a website nőt authorized to distribute the music then it is essentially the same thing as pocketing a CD at inthe store. The only difference is the technique used to steal the product. When you create something, you want to make a profit. However, when artists see their work spreading on the Internet without getting paid, they feel that they are deprived of what they deserve. As we all know, the Internet has been the biggest threat to copyright ever 15since its beginning. It is a big threat to musicians and moviemakers. Ibelieve that the violation of copyright should be punished. In my opinion, downloading a movie, copying a CD, sharing files on the Internet is like shoplifting. You don’t directly go intő a shop and steal something, however, you do more than that. The Internet encourages more and more people to download anything, and 20people tend to think that whatever is on the Net is public property. There’s no doubt that a lót o f artists are nőt rich enough to make ends meet. They want to make money from their creativity, bút when they realize 25that most people don’t care about copyright and download their work, they will stop producing. Thus, creativity will suffer 30as artists will nőt pursue their career any more. I ’m quite aware that it is very difficult to punish all

105

users, bút it doesn’t mean that we should give up at least trying to enforce ^copyright laws. As far as I ’m concerned, I would punish website owners that make downloading available. It’s hard to say how individuals should be punished, bút lawmakers should find a way to deal with this kind of theft as well. Society teaches children it is wrong to steal a candy bar and copy someone else's exam paper, bút when an illegal download is made, it essentially breaks those 40two "rules" because a product and intellectual property are contained within that music file which was downloaded. A ll things considered,I have to say that if we agree that downloading is stealing, then it should be handled in the same way. Just because music can be downloaded by using the Internet, this doesn't mean that it's free fór all. Unless the owner of the 4Ssong has granted permission, illegal downloads of music are theft.

1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

Downloading is stealing. There are copyright issues that need to be taken intő consideration. It’s nőt public property. The Internet does nőt justify stealing. It’s simply crime. The fact that everybody does it does nőt make downloading legal.

CO NS I f it’s on the Net, it is free. A lót of small groups can become well-known. Everybody does that, so it can’t be punished. People who upload songs and movies should be punished. There’s no way to punish hundreds of millions.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ue finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

you I don’t think so. Are kidding? As far as I know

Listen!

Now I see What do you what you mean. have in mind?

I still don’t get it.

Come on!

, k1

I have to convince you about it.

Example .A

A: Why don’t you come over to my house tonight? B: What do you have in mind? A: Well, a new Brad Pitt movie is going to prem ier next week, and I ’ve heard it that it’s already downloadable from one of the torrent sites. B: Are you serious ? A: Why? Yes. B: Look! I believe that downloading is stealing. A: Now it’s my turn to ask whether you’re serious or nőt. B: I can’t believe I have to convince you about it. I thought you were an intelligent person. A: You have to face the truth that everybody does it. B: I don’t think so. I know a lót o f people who would nőt violate any copyright laws. A: Losers. B: Listenl Imagine you wrote a book and got it published. Let’s say it becomes a bestseller. Somebody just comes along and scans your whole book on a computer, then starts to distribute it fór free. A: I still dón ’t get it. B: Come on! Think\ How many people would buy your book in a bookstore i f it was available on the Net, free of charge? A: Nőt too many. Bút at least more people would have the opportunity to read what I wrote. B: Are you kidding? O f course, there would be more people reading it, bút you wouldn’t get your royalty at all. A: Now I see what you mean. B: So do you understand now why I don’t want to watch the movie? A: Yes, I do. Still, there are a lót people who think it’s much better and cheaper to download anything. Aren’t there any laws regulating this? I mean it is so obvious that anybody would choose the cheaper method.

B: As far as I know, lawmakers are trying to come up with somé solution, bút so far very little success has been achieved. A: Well, then let’s go to the cinema instead and watch another movie together. B: Good idea. A: And maybe we can watch the B rad Pitt movie when it’s released. B: Sure. And it’lí be my treat. A: Thanks.

VOCABULARY25 to sanction fileshare copyright to pocket legal to deprive sy of sg to deserve threat violation shoplifting public property to make ends meet to enforce to premier downloadable to distribute to come up with It’ll be my treat.

/’sasnkfn/ /'failj'ea(r)/ /’kDpirait/ /'pokit/ /'liigsl/ /di'praiv/ /di'z3:v/ /öret/ /vara'leij'n/ /'Jopliftiq/ /'pAblik 'propati/ /m'fo:s/ /'premia(r)/ /daun'büdabl/ /dt’stnbjurt/

szankcionálni, büntetni tartalom-megosztás szerzői jog zsebretesz törvényes, jogi megfosztani vkit vmitől megérdemelni fenyegetés megszegés bolti lopás köztulajdon kijönni a fizetésből érvényre juttat vetít letölthető szétosztani előhozakodni Én fogok fizetni.

BESZÉDSZÁNDÉKOK I ’m quite aware that ...

Nagyon is tisztában vagyok azzal, hogy ...

All things considered, ...

Mindent egybevetve, ...

What do you have in mind?

Mit szándékozol tenni?

I don’t get it.

Nem értem.

Now I see what you mean.

M á r értem, mire gondolsz.

108

It is acceptabie to adapt famous literary works ‘I've been very lucky w ith a ll my adaptations - they were made by in tellig e n t people who liked the books, and I know that nőt a ll authors feel this way. ’

(Nick Hornby)

I absolutely agree with the title above. I definitely think that it should be decided by the individual what version is the best. To be absolutely honest, sometimes I think that modem versions of somé classics are much better than the original ones. There are seueral points to consider when we talk about adaptations. First, we & have to stress that there are different types of adaptations. There can be film, cartoon, theatrical and music versions o f literary works, ju st to mention a few. However, the most controversial adaptations may be the ones that make the classic easier to read, that is either abridging it or using modern language to make it more understandable fór readers. iaI believe that sometimes it is essential to use reeent language, because people today will simply nőt understand forms, structures and even vocabulary dating back to the Middle Ages. Somé might argue that the only original version of, fór example Shakespeare, should be read, bút that is nőt necessarily the only question. I believe that it alsó vitai to get people to enjoy what they consume. 15What is the use of forcing people to read something they might nőt understand?

109

They get irritated and embarrassed, and nőt only will they pút the book down, bút they will alsó grow to haté reading as such. Is that the goal? Obviously nőt. I would alsó like to point out that nowadays the number of people reading books is declining. Should we nőt be happy if somé people turnéd to a modern 20version of classical literary works? Another point is entertainment. Regardless o f what version you come across, you want to have fun, rqlax and forget about your everyday problems. I must admit that I lőve to watch the movie versions o f books that I have read. Then I can alsó make a comparison. Sometimes I find that there are certain parts 25which I interpreted in a different way, so it is good to have the interpretation of others, because you get an idea about how many meanings the story might have. A ll in all, I don’t have any reservations against adaptations. I think that any author would be happy to see his or her work live on, even in a slightly different form, maybe with different language, bút rooted in the original version.

1. What is your opinion ?Do you agree with the statement or are you against it ? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

Somé books cry out to be adapted either to a movie or play. Older versions are hard to read. A lót o f people would start to like reading if books were readapted in new forms. It’s more important what consumers want and need.

C O NS Nobody has the right to change the original version. Adaptations can violate copyright laws. A modern version of a classic is nőt literature. It is stealing and plagiarism. Books are only valuable in their original forms

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2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look a.t our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

I can answer that directly.

What do you think...?

So what?

I’m beginning to understand Don’t be siliy. what you mean.

Don’t you see...?

Well,...

That can’t be true!

Look!

As fór me,...

Example A A: What do you think o f the latest modern version o f Romeo and Juliét? B: As fór me, I loved every moment of the play. A: That can’t be truel It was disgusting. B: Watch thy foul tongue or I shall nőt converse with thee. A: Don ’t be silly. B: I am nőt. I was just using somé older language to prove that in our world, people are nőt used to listening to Shakespeare’s version of this classic. A: Bút this is the original. B: So what ? I want to enjoy what I watch. A: Don ’t you see that adaptations ruin the value of literary classics? B: To teli the truth, I don’t care. To the best o f my knowledge, people nowadays are more likely to watch a modern version of any o f the so-called literary classics than the original pieces. A: Can you teli me why? B: I can answer that directly. Talking from experience, I would say that if the original version is very difíicult to read, and you need a monolingual dictionary to understand it, it becomes unattractive. Moreover, people won’t be concerned about putting the book aside. A: Are you serious? Bút then the original version will nőt live on. B: Look! What’s better? Having very few people read somé classics in the original, thus making it almost forgottén forever, or having more people enjoy reading or watching a more modern version? A: Well...

B: Come on! You know what I mean. In the latter case at least the story will remain. A: I ’m beginning to understand what you mean. B: And what do think now? Do you still look down on people who read adaptations instead of the original version? A: Absolutely nőt.

VOCABULARY26

i

outrageous

/aüt'reidgas/

felháborító

literary

/'litarari/

irodalmi

controversial

/knntt3'v3:Jl/

vitatott

to abridge

/a'bridíj/

lerövidíteni

vitai

/'vaitl/

nagyon fontos

to consume

/kan 'sju:m/

fogyasztani

to irritate

/'iriteit/

irritálni

to embarrass

/im'baerss/

zavarba hozni

regardless of

/n'ga:dbs/

tekintet nélkül

slightly

/'slaitli/

kicsit, enyhén

plagiarism

/'pleid33 rizm/

plágium

thy

/őai/

tied (régies)

to converse

/kan'vars/

beszélgetni

thee

lói:/

téged, neked (régies)

monolingual

/mDna'hqgwal/

egynyelvű

unattractive

/Ana'traktív/

nem vonzó

to bother about

/ 'b A Ő 3 (r)/

törődik vmivel

Just to mention

Csak, hogy megemlítsem

Don’t be silly.

Ne butáskodj!

112

27.

Soap operas are the ideál form of entertainment ‘I f you have to he in a soap opera try nőt to get the worst role. ’

(Judy Garland)

What I haté most is people saying that they don’t watch any soap operas or series on T V That is absolutely nonsense. I f nobody watched these programmes, they would nőt be broadcast. The truth is that more and more people sit down in front of their television waiting fór the next episode of their favourite sitcom 5or soap opera. To teli the truth, I watch these shows almost every day. I ’m nőt saying that I ’m addicted to them and would do anything so that í would nőt miss any part. No. I really don’t care i f I can’t watch an episode. By the way, I have to admit that I prefer soap operas to the news. I really don’t see what’s good about it. I f 10you compare it with soap operas, you are likely to find that it does nőt give you any pleasure, you don’t relax while watching the news. In fact, you get tense, nervous, upset and usually very cross just by getting information on current events around the world. That does nőt really happen to you when you watch your favourite show. O f course, you get excited about the latest lőve affairs and 15other happenings, you don’t start to blame the government fór everything that goes wrong in your life. Moreover, you can just laugh at what is happening in a show and shrug it o ff by saying that this is just fiction, and would nőt influence your life directly. I would alsó argue that a lót o f people watch soap operas in order to escape 20from the realities of their everyday lives. The news does nőt give you a chance to escape, bút emphasizes your problems. People get bored with the routine of their lives repeated day by day. Soap operas provide the kind of entertainment that drags them out o f reality. Another aspect is that since a lót of people watch soap operas, you can discuss 25the episodes and characters at work. It is much better than talking about your problems. Critics would say that escaping from reality is nőt advisable, because you will be :,0unaware of what’s going on around you. I have to disagree, because fór somé people it is essential to escape to an unreal jyorld rather than live a depressing life. 113

35Some people say that soap operas are only about adultery, life and death, románcé, family crises, illnesses and stupidity. I would strongly advise them to look at their own lives and find out what it’s all about. Surprisingly, they would find the topics mentioned above. There are people who would like to get answers to their own problems by looking at how the same problems are solved under 40similar circumstances. You don’t get any solution to your problems by watching the news. You áré nőt given reál alternatives, only sheer facts. A ll in all, 1 find that Soaps provide a much better form of entertainment than the news, and in our world today, it is entertainment that people really need. 1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • • •

Soaps can deal with ethical issues and thus educate the viewers. Soap operas reflect our everday life. You can get answers to your own problems. Soap operas are entertaining. We can sympathize with either the story or the characters. You get distracted from your problems. Somé soaps deal with real-life issues. People can relax their over-worked minds.

CO NS Soaps are all lies and deception. People who live in dysfunetional families are addicted to soaps. Soaps make you enjoy tragedy. Why is it good to escape intő a non-existent world? The popularity of soap operas is the reflection of how sick the society is. Shows on T V are only about making more money through commercials. A T V addict schedules his or her daily routine around a popular show.

114

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

How come? By the way, ...

Can you be a bit more specific?

To teli the truth, ...

Don’t talk like that.

If you ask me, ...

That’s the point.

I got your point.

Let me ask you...

Example A: B: A: B:

What do you think o f the latest soap that’s on TV? Well, I don’t even know what’s on T V nowadays. Really? How come? I have got quite fed up with the quality o f the programmes, such as soap operas, series, talk shows, let alone reality shows. Now I exercise my right to switch the telly off. A: Oh, that’s nonsense. There are so many good shows. By the way, what do you do in your spare time then? B: See, that’s the point. Most people can’t imagine their free time without television. They are so addicted to the screen that they don’t even care about what’s on as long as it keeps them occupied. A: D on’t talk like that. B: Well, that’s what 1 think. Alsó, statistics show people have become very lazy due to their TV-watching habits. A: Can you be a bit more specific? B: Sure. A recent survey shows that British people don’t care to stand up to switch channels if the remote-control doesn’t work. Even if they don’t like the programme. A: To teli the truth, I find watching T V quite relaxing. You just slump intő your arm chair and switch off your mind. B: I think it’s your decision to do whatever you want to with your life. Bút let me ask you a question. What’s good about watching other people suffer, cheat, kill and so on? A: Well, at least it doesn’t happen to you. No, I wasju s t kidding. Honestly, I just want to watch something that doesn’t make me think too much. You know, I get so exhausted at work, that I just don’t want to start reading or doing somé tiring sports. B: I get your point. Still, ifyou ask me, I insist on doing something more sensible in my free time.

soap opera

szappanopera

/saup 'opra/

absolutely

/'aebsalurtli/

sitcom

/'sitkDm/

teljesen •'

helyzetkom édia

tense

/tens/

feszült

cross

/krDs/

in gerü lt

to shrug it o ff

/JrAg/

rá se ránt

fiction

/'fikjn/

kitaláció

to drag

/drag/

kiragadni

unaw are o f sg

/Ana'we3(r)/

nincs tudom ása vm iről

adultery

/a'dAltari/

házasságtörés

crisis, crises (pl)

/'kraisrs, 'kraisi:z/

válság

sheer

/Jra(r)/

csupán, nyers

deception

/di'sepjn/

átverés

dysfunctional

/dis'fAnkJanl/

nem m űködő

reflection

/ri'flekjn/

tükröződés

to schedule

/'Jedju:l, ú j 'skedjul/

beosztani

to distract from

/di'stnekt/

elvonni, eltéríten i

over-w orked

/'aüV3W3:kt/

túlhajszolt

survey

/' S3:vei/

felm érés

to slump intő

/slAmp/

belesüppedni

sensible

/'sensibl/

értelm es

What I haté most is ...

Amit a legjobban utálok, az az, hogy ..

of course

természetesen

I would strongly advise th a t...

Nyomatékosan azt javaslom, hogy ...

surprisingly

meglepően

I was just kidding.

Csak vicceltem.

Can you be a bit more specific?

Kicsit jobban kifejtenéd?

116

‘E very tru th has fo u r corners: as a teacher I give you one com er, and it is fó r you to fin d the other three. ’

(Confucius)

What is the difference hetween a eláss a hundred years ago and a eláss now? I ’m afraid very little. I f my great-grandmother walked intő a classroom today, she would very quickly find out where she is as almost everything is the same. She would see a person in front o f the board (which used to be black bút is now white) 6and a bunch of bored teenagers behind desks. The teacher would be writing something on the board while the students would be copying it. Education is probably the only field which has nőt seen too much change in the pást century. My great-grandmother would be stuimed to see my bedroom with a computer, a TV and a DVD-player. However, in a school, she would feel more comfortable. 10We have a whole lót o f modern technology which is used in all walks o f life, bút rarely in a high-school setting. Technology which has been shaping and changing our surroundings has left our schools untouched. Our teachers can barely keep up with modern things let alone the latest innovations. Now with the help of a computer and somé kind of Internet connection, the teaching of a eláss 16would be quite different, and in my opinion, much more interesting. Who cares about the dictation of facts, facts and facts in, fór example, History, when we can find the information on any website, moreover, pictures could be downloaded and presented, short fllms could be shown and so on? Unfortunately, teachers are very comfortable with whatever they compiled over the years, and teach 20the same thing over and over again. Bút we have had enough of swotting, memorizing dates and facts, and nőt learning any sensible information. Alsó we should get rid o f inconsistent teachers and those who judge students by their looks and nőt their knowledge. Without any doubt, a robot would have no feelings and no bias towards any 25student in the eláss. It would teach using the Internet, which pro babk? eveiy student uses on a daily basis. Students would have their own computers and they would be connected to each other and to the robot teacher as well. Another advantage of this kind of teacher would be that it would never get tired, would nőt have to be substituted, would nőt ask fór a pay rise and would nőt even think 30of organizing a trade unión. The point is that it would alsó be econoraical and efficient at the same time. It would never be accused of being lenient, and what is more, it would be more just than a humán. I admit that a lót fun would be missing from a classroom, including pranks and somé humán factors, bút 117

as far as the education o f our children is concerned, they would be much b e tte r o f f having a robot teaching them instead a humán. 1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • • • • • •

Robot teachers are always available. They are efficient in one-to-one learning. It’s easier fór them to grade tests and show presentations. Lectures are boring and old-fashioned. Robots can be programmed to do anything. Noone will become the teacher’s pet. Modern technology is guaranteed. A robot never gets tired. No training is needed, only updated programmes. Robots can alsó be efficient home tutors. It is more economical fór a school to employ robots.

CO NS • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

There’ll be a lack o f personal relationships. A robot cannot be a role model. I can’t imagine going on a eláss trip with a robot. A robot might be consistent bút won’t be able to consider the humán factor. Nőt all subjects can be taught by robots, fór example EE. It has no humour. Robots are inappropriate because of the absence of emotions. Robots have no identity. A robot teacher might nőt be respected as it can be regarded as a servant. It is unethical to endow a robot with a social status. It is hard to imagine how a robot can inspire students. A robot has no intelligence. Robots have no ability to learn. A robot is just a tool.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

What do you mean?

You have completely misunderstood me.

That’s complete What makes nonsense. you think ...?

Would you ever I can’t consider...? imagine that. Undoubtedly. ,l7, , Why not?

You are out Sorry to of your mind. interrupt you, ...

Example

A: What makes you think that robots will be better teachers than humans? B: First o f all, they have no feelings, that is, they cannot be influenced by students, what’s more they can be consistent all the time... A: Sorry to interrupt you, bút what you are saying is complete. nonsense. Haven’t you heard of pedagogy? How can a robot console a student who has somé personal problems? Or does that mean that students will be unemotional and computerized? B: No, you have completely misunderstood me. I ’ve thought of this problem as well. Schools would have eounsellors who would help in situations like the one you mentioned. A: Would you ever consider sendingyour children to a school with robot teachers? B: To teli the truth, I would. I don’t see any problem with it. I believe there are lots o f students who would agree with me. They are the ones always picked on by the teacher. A: Do you really think that a robot can teach efficiently? B: Undoubtedly. I don’t see any problem with a robot teaching our kids. A ■What about discipline? B: What do you mean? A: I mean that a robot won’t manage a whole eláss of naughty teenagers. B: Why nőt? D on’t you think that a robot can be programmed to deal with discipline problems? A: D on ’t be ridiculous\ I can’t imagine that. I must say that you are out ofyour mind. A robot will never replace a humán being. I f it does, I hope that I will nőt be on this plánét, because that will m ark the end o f mankind.

VOCABULARY 28 stunned untouched to keep up with barely innovation fact to compile swotting inconsistent bias to substitute pay rise trade unión economical efficient to accuse sy of lenient prank humán factor lack of consistent inappropriate to endow unemotional counsellor to pick on sy discipline naughty to deal with to replace

/stAnd/ /An'tAtjd/ /'bea(r)li/ /inva'veijn/ /fekt/ /karn'pail/ /'swotiq/ /inkan'sistant/ /' baiss/ /'sAbstitjuit/ /'peiraiz/ /'treidjuman/ /i:kö'nDmikl/ /i'fijnt/ /o'kjurz/ /'limiant/ /prseqk/ /'hju:man ’faektaír)/ /laek/ /kan'sistant/ /ina'prsüpnot/ /in'dau/ /Am'mauj’anl/ /‘kauns3 l3(r)/ /pik/ /'disiplm/ /'no:ti/ /di:l/ /ri'pleis/

döbbent érintetlen lépést tartani alig újítás téiiy összegyűjteni magolás következetlen elfogultság helyettesíteni fizetésemelés szakszervezet gazdaságos hatékony vádolni részrehajló csíny emberi tényező hiány következetes nem megfelelő felruházni érzelemmentes tanácsadó pikkelni vkire fegyelem csintalan foglalkozni vmivel helyettesíteni

BESZÉDSZÁNDÉKOK What is the difference between ... ? M i a különbség ... között? kétségkívül without any doubt Bocsáss meg, hogy félbeszakítalak, de . Sorry to interrupt you, b ú t... Elment a józan eszed. You are out of your mind.

I We should rely more on alternative medicine ‘D octors give d rugs o f which they know little, in tő bodies, o f w hich they know less, fó r diseases o f which they know n oth in g at a ll. ’

(Voltaire)

First o f all, we need to define what alternative medicine means. Alternative medicine, or alternative health care, is where the treatment is nőt traditional, nőt necessarily tested scientifically. However, alternative medicine is based on metaphysical beliefs. I ’m fam iliar with the following types of alternative 5health care: yoga, homeopathy, chiropractic, naturopathy and acupuncture. I ’m sure there are a lót more than these. In my opinion, alternative treatments are nőt as risky as scientifxc ones. It is believed that there are few er side-effects with alternative health care, so people tend to choose this type as they are afraid of surgery, drugs and pain. 10My experience alsó shows that scientifíc medicine often misdiagnoses the patients, leaving them with more pain and suffering. As the cause of an illness is nőt revealed, it is possible that the patient gets treatment fór something he or she does nőt even have. Even i f the reál problem is deteeted, successful treatment is nőt guaranteed. Alternative medicine always gives you hope, which 15is very important as one should nőt ever give up. People seem to have more confidence in things that are natural. Moreover,

121

they think that what is natural is obviously better and safer than pilis, which are artifieial. Alsó there’s another aspect that cannot be ignored. It is the fact that a lót of alternative treatments have a long history, fór example, the 20healers of the Far East are known to have been following the same traditional guidelines in natural healing fór centuries. What makes alternative medicine more attractive is that it is cheaper than scientifíc treatment. In our world, when everything is getting more and more expensive, cost efficiency is a key factor. 26Z find it important that holistic practitioners do nőt only treat the problem, bút the person as well. 1 mean more attention is paid to the mind, the body and the sóul of the patient, which can be vitai when recovery is needed. According to people who have received both scientifíc and alternative treatment, the majority claims that they feel much better after a treatment by a holistic healer than 30after being treated by a doctor. 1. What is your opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • •

Alternative medicine alsó has traditions. You don’t poison yourself with artifieial things. It’s natural. You’re nőt just regarded a number, bút you’re treated as a person. It’s cheaper than hospitals.

CONS • There’s no scientifíc background. • People are gullible and believe everything they are told. • In places where people rely more on alternative medicine, such as Africa, life expectancy is shorter. • More serious illnesses can’t be cured. • It’s witeheraft.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

Why nőt?

You shouldn’t ...

You must be As you wish- kidding.

Guess ...

I have to say ... I see what you mean.

I hope ...

I have no clue.

If you want my advice ..

Example ■S-.

A

A: Guess where I ’m going this evening? B: I have no clue. A: I have an appointment with a natural healer. B: You must be kidding! A: No, I ’m nőt. B: D on ’t teli me that you believe these wizards. A: Why nőt? I have to try somé alternative methods as I cannot bend down, because I have somé back problems. B: Have you tried to see a doctor about it? A: Oh yes, dozens, bút nőne of them have been able to offer any solution. B: I see what you mean, bút I still would nőt go to a natural healer. To teli the truth, I don’t believe in their voodoo things. A: D on ’t be ridiculous. You don’t even know what they do. B: Ify ou want my advice, you shouldn’t ... A: Sorry to interrupt you, bút I haven’t asked fór your advice. I was just so delighted to have somebody to share the good news with. B: I hope you won’t be offended, bút I have to say that I don’t approve o f your going there. A: Can you teli me why? B: Sure. A word o f caution: don’t take everything he says fór granted. A: Would you elaborate on that a little bit? B: Well, I have a lót o f reservations about natural healers. A: Does that come out of personal experience? B: To teli the truth, it does nőt. Bút... A: Then may I ask you nőt to meddle in my affairs? B: As you wish. A: Thank you. 193

VOCABULARY 29 metaphysical chiropractic to misdiagnose to reveal to detect confidence

/meta'fizikl/ /kaireu'praektik/ /rms'daignauz/

metafizikai csontkovács félrediagnosztizál

/ri'vi:l/ /di'tekt/ /‘konfidans/

evidently

/'evidgntli/

feltár felfedez bizalom nyilvánvalóan

artifieial to ignore

/a:ti'fiji/ /ig'no:r)/

mesterséges, szintetikus mellőz, semmibe vesz

guideline

irányelv

holistic recovery cost efficiency

/'gaidlain/ /hao'listik/ /ri'kDvn/ /kost i'fijansi/

wizard to bend down

/'wizad/ /bend/

varázsló

to approve of be offended

/a'pnuv/ /ö'fendid/

beleegyezik vmibe meg van sértődve

reservation to meddle with/in gullible

/rezo'veijn/

fenntartás beleavatkozik vmibe hiszékeny boszorkányság

witchcraft

/medl/ /'gAbbl/ /'witjkra:ft/

holisztikus gyógyulás költséghatékonyság lehajolni

I í I

U

I

BESZEDSZANDEKOK I ’m fam iliar w ith ...

Jártas vagyok valamiben.

It is possible that ...

Lehetséges, hogy ...

I find it im portant that ..

Fontosnak találom, hogy ...

I have no clue.

Fogalmam sincs.

D on ’t teli me that ...

N e mondd már, hogy ...

I find it im portant ...

Fontosnak vélem, hogy ...

A s you wish.

Ahogy szeretnéd./Ahogy gondolod.

30.

Doping should nőt be allowed 'How co u ld they nőt know ? I t 's nőt chew ing gu m , d op in g is like m a k in g lőve, you need two to do it, the d octor and the athlete. ’

(Michel Piatini)

Doping has caused a ló t o f controversy in the recent years. I f we think o f the scandals surrounding the bicycle race Tour de Francé and the Olympic Games, we can see that doping is 5more than just widespread among athletes. Since it is said to be present in nearly every sport, I believe we should talk about what would happen after the legalization o f steroids that boost perform ance in sports. 10There are several points to be taken intő consideration. First o f all, the side-effects of using drugs. Performanceenhancing drugs have a lót of effects that are visible in the short run. You develop huge muscles, will be able to practice more without getting exhausted. In the long run doping can have very serious, and in somé cases fatal 15consequences. There’s no doubt that the East Germán women swimmers of the 1980s were using state-approved drugs to make their performance better. We can see what has happened to most of them since then. They tend to have masculine features, somé have hair all over their body, they have experienced a large num ber o f miscarriages, and somé have had surgery to become mén. I remember once I was listening to a radio programme a few weeks before one of the Olympic Games. A lót of famous athletes were interviewed about the use of steroids. They were asked whether they would give up 10 years of their lives, if they were given the perfect drug to become gold medalists. I was very shocked to hear the result. Nine out of ten athletes said that they would do anything to get to the top. ;: Think of all the advantages they can enjoy once they become Olympic champions. I think in my countiy they get a nice sum each month until the end of their lives. Moreover, athletes are influenced by different interest groups. They may become the tools of huge companies that want to advertise their products, or - in a worse scenario - they can be used by their government to prove the supremaey 30° f a certain ideology. This was the case with the East Germán swimmers, as their politicians wanted to prove how good the country was. I believe that dopers set a very bad example to children. They imply that anything can be achieved by cheating. They get the w ron g idea about what competition

125

means. What’s more, these steroids are mainly hard drugs. They can have the 35same negative effects on your body as any other hard drug in the world. Alsó, you can become addicted, and even if you don’t pursue the sport any more, you will long fór your daily dose. To sum up, I think that international sports organizations should continue fighting against athletes who use steroids, and once they are caught, strict 40measures should be taken. I believe that they should nőt be allowed to participate in any competition again. 1. What is your opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • • • •

Nőt all athletes use drugs. Drugs are very unhealthy. Those who use drugs have a shorter life expectancy. It is unfair to obtain advantages. Athletes are influenced by different interest groups that would like to see their ‘product’ win. Drugs can be addictive. I f you watch sports events, you are suspicious that athletes take drugs. Even those who don’t will be surrounded by suspicion. Athletes should nőt be allowed to kill themselves. Athletes are nőt rational enough to decide what’s good fór them.

CONS Athletes are free to choose. They are adults and should be treated that way. They only harm themselves. There are lots of other things that, similarly to dope, have long-term health risks, fór example tobacco and alcohol. • Allowing drugs would be better fór the fans. • Athletes could have better performance. • No sensible rules: somé drugs are legal, somé nőt.

• • • •

2. Imagine a discussion. about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

Why do you think ...?

Obviously nőt.

I mean, ...

Can you elaborate on ...?

Everybody has the chance to ...

I’ll need time to think.

How however preposterous!

I see. Have you heard the latest scandals on ...?

Example 3. A: How preposterousl Have you heard the latest scandals on the Tour de Francé? B: No, what happened? A: Doping, doping and doping. B: Are you surprised? A: Sure I am. B: Then you’re very naive. Everybody knows that cyclists try to boost their performance by taking steroids. A: Really? B: And nőt only cyclists. Dope is present in nearly every sport in the world. Why do you think so many young and brilliant athletes have died in recent years? A: D on ’t teli me that it’s all because of doping? B: Exactly. A: Are you fór or against legalising steroids? B: What I ’m advocating is that everybody should be given a chance to compete evenly. A: I don’t get it. B: I mean we should allow athletes to decide whether they want to use any drugs or nőt. A: Can you elaborate on that a bit? B: Sure. Why is it that basically anybody can take performance-enhancing substances i f they want to except fór professional athletes. I f you take a test, you try to take somé tablets to make you concentrate better. Is that fair? A: Obviously nőt. B: I think it is. Everybody has the chance to take the same tablets, however a lót of people don’t use them. A: 1 see. B: And that should be the case in sports. Let the people who compete decide what they want to take and how they want to shorten their lives. A: I ’ll need time to think about what you’ve just said, although it really makes sense.

VO CABULARY30 J* controversy scandal widespread athlete steroid performance exhusted in the long run fatal state-approved to tend to masculine miscarriage eventful merely unequal disadvantegous to abolish chaser suspicious life expectancy to obtain an advantage to elaborate

/'kDntrev3:si/ /'skaendl/ /'waidspred/ /'ae01i:t/ /'steroid/ /ps’fcanons/ /ig'zo:stid/ /'feitl/ /steit3 'pru:vd/ /tend/ /'mseskjölin/ /mrs'kícnd",/ /i'ventfl/ /'miali/ /An'i:kwl/ /disíedva: n'teidjss/ /a'bolij/ /'tjeisa(r)/ /sa'spijas/ /laif iks'pektgnsi/ /ab'tein od'vcKntid^/ /i'lebareit/

vita botrány elterjedt sportoló szteroid teljesítmény kimerítő hosszú távon halálos államilag jóváhagyott hajlamos vmire férfias elvetélés eseménydús csupán egyenlőtlen hátrányos eltörölni üldüző gyanakvó várható élettartam előnyt szerezni kifejteni

BESZEDSZANDEKOK To sum up, ...

Összegezve, ...

How preposterous!

Hát ez abszurd!

Are you fór or against ... ?

Mellette vagy ellene vagy (valam inek) ?

L More nuclear plants should be built ■ ‘T h ere is n őt the slightest in d ica tion that (n u cle a r) energy w ill ever be obtainable. ’

(Albert Einstein)

I believe that the only alternative to fossil fuel and coal-based energy is nuclear energy. There should defmitely be new power plants built in the near future. I ’m quite aware that a lót o f controversy surrounds this topic, bút I ’m absolutely sure that this is the way o f the future. A lót of issues are brought up when it comes to talking about nuclear energy. People speak about safety measures, pollution, waste-disposal, efficiency, effects on global warming and so on. I ’ll try to defend where I stand on each issue. As fór radiation risks, you are more exposed to radiation when you’re X-rayed than when you are in a power plánt. Other concerns are about the safety o f the wpower plants themselves. In such conversations, the examples o f Chernobyl and Three-Mile Island are mentioned, though they are rare examples, and similar accidents do nőt happen and have nőt happened fór more than 2 decades. 1have to say that using uránium in power plants is a very efficient way of producing energy. It is a long-lasting material and it is abundant, so I dare say that it is 15almost renewable. Moreover, you don’t have to exploit the Earth to such an extent as with oil, fór example. Alsó, uránium supplies can last fór centuries, which would solve the problem of producing energy fór generations to come.

129

I alsó believe that far less emission is caused by nuclear plants than by traditional coal-burning factories. Thus it is obvious that nuclear energy helps 20to fight global warm ing as well. And since this is the most critical issue of our time, having an alternative or replacement to fossil fuels can be a blessing. I hear the arguments írom opponents about waste-disposal of nuclear energy. Well, I have to disagree with them. I f properly managed and stored, there is no radioactivity and unless there is humán error, no problem can occur. 25As far as I know, nuclear plants are relatively cheap. What makes nuclear energy a bit expensive is nőt the production bút regulation and politics. I f there was less fuss being made about nuclear plants, energy in all households would be much cheaper. To top it all, I have to mention the fact that by using nuclear power, we can cut down on our dependency on oil and all the pollution related to traditional 30ways of creating energy. 1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • •

We need to think of replacing fossil fuels with something else. It’s more efficient. Contrary to popular belief, it is safe. There’s less radiation in a nuclear plánt than while you’re X-rayed. There’s a lót of uránium, so the issue of energy supply would be solved. It does nőt pollute the earth so much. There are very strict safety measures in a nuclear facility.

CONS • • • • • • •

It is very dangerous. Accidents can happen and wipe out whole areas. There’s a problem with storing nuclear waste. I f a disaster happens, it’ll have long-term effects. The population around the area would be exposed to radiation. It is a perfect military target. A lót of diseases appear near nuclear plants.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

I ’m all fór it.

How come?

Ithought that ...

I ’ve alsó heard that ...

Sure.

I like the way you argue.

Example

✓ .

I ’m interested to know ... I ’m still nőt convinced.

No problem. Are you out of your mind?

.A

A: I ’m interested to know what your reaction is to the building of a nuclear plánt in our city. B: I ’m all fór it. A: Really? I thought that every sensible person would object to it. B: Object? Are you out o f your m ind? Why would I disagree? A: Well, I ’ve heard we can give up our safety with a nuclear plánt around. B: That’s what you’ve heard, huh? There’s no problem about a nuclear plánt in the neighbourhood. It is actually one of the safest and most efficient sources of energy. A: How come? I ’ve heard that there are more people dying o f cancer in areas where nuclear plants have been built. B: This is most emphatically női the case. It’s a good story to feed people who don’t have a clue whatsoever about nuclear plants. A: I still have many doubts about this project. B: Why? A: Well, I ’m just nőt convinced. I ’ve alsó heard that nuclear plants are the best target fór terrorist attacks. B: I think there is little chance that we will be attacked by terrorist groups. A: What about the fact nuclear energy can’t totally replace oil and gas? Can you imagine that your cár will use nuclear energy? B: Well, you’re right about that, bút still, I have to say getting energy this way is the way to the future. A: I don’t know. I ’m still nőt convinced. I f there’s a possibility that failure might happen, the result will be disastrous. B: Sure, bút if you looked at every innovation with such suspicion, the world would nőt go forward. Imagine what would have happened if pre-historic mán had been unwilling to use fire. A: I like the way you argue, bút I don’t think you have persuaded me this time. B: N o problem.

VOCABULARY 31

i

indication

/indi'keijn/

obtainable

/ab'teinabl/

jel hozzáférhető

fossil fuel

/'fosil fju:sl/

fosszilis tüzelőanyag

definitely

/'definotli/

feltétlenül

safety measure

/'seifti '111033( 1')/

biztonsági előírás

waste-disposal

/weist dis'poüzl/

szemételtakarítás

to expose sg to

/ik'spaoz/

kitenni

abundant

/a'bAndant/

bőséges

to exploit

/ik'spbit/

kizsákmányol

emission

/i'mijn/

kibocsátás

blessing

/'blesiij/

áldás

fuss

Iías/

hűhó

sensible

/'sensibl/

értelmes-

to object to

/ab'd3ekt/

tiltakozni

to have a clue

/haev a klu:/

fogalma van

failure

/'feilja(r)/

bukás

disastrous

/di'za:stros/

katasztrofális

pre-historic mán

/pri:hi’stDrik/

ősember

unwilling

/An'Wlll!]/

nem hajlandó

persuade

/'p3:sjüeid/

meggyőzni

To top it all, ... I like the w ay you argue.

s

Mindennek a tetejébe ... Tetszik, ahogyan érvelsz.

132

r

32.

Zero tolerance in case of drunken drivers should be introduced ‘It takes 8,460 bolts to assembie an automobilé, and one n u t to scatter it a ll over the road. ’

First o f all, we should define what zero tolerance means. My interpretation is that it means that if you drive under the influence of alcohol, your license is taken away. Fd be delighted to see it happen all around the world, as F believe that drinking and driving should nőt go hand v , in hand. On the one hand, there are countries where this policy is in use, and we can see a decline in the number of D U I cases. In my humble opinion, zero tolerance laws deter people from drinking and driving at the icsame time. There might be a very important fact that, however, is overlooked. That is that alcoholics will drive whether they have a valid license or nőt. In these cases, I believe that more severe punishments should be introduced, including serious jail time with no parole if the person is a repeat offender. On the other hand, there are a number of places where it’s possible to drive 16even i f you have drunk a little. In my opinion, one o f the biggest problems these drivers do nőt take intő consideration is that it is nőt only their lives they play with, bút alsó the lives of other people. They tend to say that they are of clear and sound mind, and have perfect reflexes when it comes to an emergency situation. Sure. The one thing they never understand is that although an 20accident might nőt even be their fault, if they are caught having drunk, and a fatality occurred, no court will investigate any further. As I see it, there now seems to be a generál acceptance among the population that somé sanctions should be introduced. To be honest, I would lock drunk drivers up fór a longer period. Unfortunately, statistics show that incarceration does 26not really deter these people. What’s more, jail sentences are usually shortened fór good behaviour. Even if they are repeat offenders, previous convictions are ignored. It seems obvious that fór the majority of drunk drivers, the sanctions do nőt work. As one expert pút it: “ ...they have a flagrant disregard fór the law, bút they alsó have a serious alcohol problem that impairs nőt only their 30driving, bút many other decisions as well.” You see, the alternative is to have somé rehabilitation or treatment programmes fór chronic offenders. Though honestly, I don’t think that such programmes would help drunken drivers. The problem is that they undertake the programme, finish it, then go home and start over again. Nothing really 3gchanges except fór the date.

f *

133

Taking everything intő consideration, it is very difficult to come up with a good solution, since sensible people won’t drink and drive at the same time, bút those who do don’t care about the consequences at all. 1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to suppoi't your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • •

A lót of accidents are caused by drunk drivers. When you drink, you can’t judge things properly. Zero tolerance already works in several countries. There needs to be a deterrent fór people nőt to drive under the influence of alcohol. • Fewer disco accidents would happen. • Your reflexes are slower when you’re drunk.

CONS • A beer or two won’t húrt. • Even in countries with zero tolerance, there’re accidents. • It’s ridiculous that you can’t have a sip of w ine in a restaurant and then drive home. • Education about the decent use o f alcohol is better than a totál bán. • People are always tempted to do things that are illegal.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finis hed, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

Take care.

Rubbish!

That’s what I was talking about.

W hat a b o u t...?

To teli the truth, ...

I don’t think you should ...

You can’t be serious.

Certainly.

I ’m nőt sure.

Example

A: Good bye everyone. It was a thrilling party. I really enjoyed it. B: Good bye. Take care. Who will take you home? A: Nobody. I ’ll drive. B: You can’t be serious. You’ve been drinking. A: Come on\ I only drank two beers about an hour ago. B: And what about the champagne? A: Well, that was even earlier. B: I don’t think you should drive under these circumstances. A: What circumstances? B: Well, to teli the truth, you are drunk. A: Rubbishl I ’m as sober as a judge. B: Sure. Think about what would happen if you caused an accident. A: What? B: The fírst thing the police would give you is a breathalyzer test. A: I could claim that I drank only a little. B: Do you seriously think that they would care? A: E r...V m nőt sure. B: See? That’s what I was talking about. A: You might be right. I don’t want to lose my license over such a stupid thing. Can you drive me home? And I ’ll pick up my cár tomorrow morning. B: Certainly. Just hop in. A: Thanks.

VOCABULARY 32 bolt to assemble

/bolt/

nut to scatter

IriA tl

define tolerance to go hand in hand

/di'fain/

/a'sembl/ /'sk£eta(r)/

/'tübrans/

csavar összerakni dilis, anyacsavar szétszórni meghatároz, értelmez tolerancia, türelem együtt jár valamivel

vminek a hatása alatti vezetés

DUI = driving under the influence decline to deter to overlook

/di'klam/ /di'í3:/ /'auvalok/

hanyatlás elrettent átsiklik vmi felett

severe

/si'vis(r)/ .

komoly, szigorú

parole

/pa'raol/

feltételes szabadlábra helyezés

repeat offender

/n'piit 3 'fends(r)/

to claim fatality

/kleim/ /fs'tseliti/

visszaeső bűnöző állítani haláleset

to occur to investigate

/3'k3:(r)/ /in'vestigeit/

történik nyomozni

sanction incarceration conviction

/'saenkjsn/ /inkaisa'reij'n/

szankció, megtorlás bebörtönözöttség elítélés figyelmen kívül hagy

/kvn'vikjn/ /ig'no:(r)/ /'fleigrant/ /disri'gard/

to ignore flagrant disregard rehabilitation

/rilisebiii'teij'n/

botrányos semmibe vevés rehabilitáció krónikus, tartós szenzációs

as sober as a judge breathalyzer

/'krDmk/ /'0 rilír)/ /'s3ubs(r)/ /'bre03laiza(r)/

to hop in

/hop/

bepattan vmibe

chronic thrilling

csontjózan szonda

BESZEDSZANDEKOK My interpretation is that ...

Én úgy értelmezem, hogy ...

In my humble opinion ...

Szerény véleményem szerint

it seems obvious ...

nyilvánvalónak tűnik, hogy ..

Taking everything intő consideration,

Mindent figyelembe véve ...

Thats what I was talking about.

E rről beszéltem.

Rubbish!

Ostobaság!

T

136

I

‘It's im p ortan t f ó r us to explain to o u r n a tion that life is im portant. It's nőt only life ofbabies, bút it's life o f ch ild re n liv in g in, you know, the dark dungeons o fth e Internet. ’

(George W Bush)

As far as I know, several countries already have laws limiting the use of the Internet. Somé would say that they are nőt democratic countries. That is true to a certain extent. Howeuer, I ’m nőt talking about China, Cuba or Singapore. l f l ’m nőt mistaken, somé other countries have laws reg'ulating' the contents 5o f the Net, too. Take Australia fór example. To the best o f my knowledge, they have the most serious Internet laws in the developed world. I agree with limiting somé aspects of the Internet, what’s more, I would alsó regulate access by minors. I believe that certain contents such as child pornography or incitement to racial hatred should be prohibited. 101 think there is a broad support fór encouraging the voluntary use of filtering or blocking technologies by end-users, so I ’m nőt advocating a legislative bán on the use of the Internet. Moreover, it is absolutely impossible to have a worldwide regulation on something which might be legal in one country, while illegal in another one. Fór instance, Francé prohibits the display of Nazi memorabilia, 15though it causes no problem in Australia. It proves that an international bán would nőt work, even though the purpose is to protect end-users. I believe that an international agreement should be made in order to come up with a generally accepted rat.ing system, which would help people to decide what they should allow their children to access. It is alsó essential to make parents, 20teachers and children aware o f the advantages o f the Internet as well as its drawbacks. I truly believe that overall co-ordination is vitai, and so is the exchange of experience between countries. In my view, people often make a mistake when they let their children lóg on to any website they wish. Sure, one might claim that children should be given as 25much freedom as possible. They tend to encourage them to be responsible fór their own decisions and the consequences of their actions. Well, I totally disagree with this attitűdé, because blocking certain websites can protect children from a lót of harm. I alsó find. it worrisome that the Internet gives children the opportunity to chat anonymously with anyone who has access 30to the web. The reason why I would control it if I were a parent is because there are a lót of people who use false names to extract in formát, ion from children. Taking everything intő consideration, I have to say that somé kind o f filtering or blocking device must be used to prevent our children from getting access to material which might be harmful. 137

1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• Children wouldn’t have access to pornographic material. • Several companies already successfully limit what websites their workers can visit. • Parents can’t sit with their children all the time and check them. • Lots of spam and unwanted e-mails flood mailboxes. • Anyone can make a bomb using the information on the Net. • The Net is a guidebook fór terrorists. • Secret and personal information can be retrieved. • Companies need filtering because workers use community websites instead of doing their job.

CO NS • • • •

Any individual can decide what website to visit. The Internet is about free speech. Anyone can post anything. That’s what it’s all about. In somé countries we can already see Internet censorship. These are nőt democratic states. • I f you can’t check your children, don’t let them use the Internet alone. • You have the choice nőt to click on something you dislike. • It can be useful fór companies if their workers promote them online while working.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation? It’s funny that ...

in order to

I ’m fed up with ...

I ’m sorry to hear that.

It ’s a difficult question.

I didn’t intend to ..

There is one thing you can do.

I believe ..

Do you know how ...?

What solution do you have in mind?

Example

A: I ’m fed up with all the spam that comes to my mailbox every day. Alsó whateuer website I visit, pop-ups appear all the time, which make reading unenjoyable. B: I ’m sorry to hear that. What solution do you have in mind? A: I believe that somé kind of censorship should be introduced in order to filter the trash that comes on the Internet. B: I t ’s funny thatyou’re saying that. A: I didn’t intend to make it funny. I was very serious. Do you know how disturbing it is? B: Sure I do. Bút you can’t be serious about censoring the Net. A: Why nőt? B: First o f all, it is very difflcult to do it technologically. A: I don’t think so. You can have filtering devices on your computer that would nőt allow any material to reach you if it is spam or if it has somé kind o f content that you don’t wish to récéivé. B: I see what you mean. A: Sure I wasn ’t thinking about a global bán of somé websites, since it cannot be carried out. I know that. However, your PC can filter unwanted material. B: I absolutely agree with you. Bút can I ask you about something? A: Sure. B: What would you do about websites that just ask users whether they are over 18 or nőt? I t ’s obvious that even teenagers will click on the Yes’ button if they want to have access to abusive material. A: I t ’s a difficult question. Id o n ’t think that anybody can be held responsible. It is the big disadvantage o f the Internet that you don’t know what your children check out day by day. B: Are you suggesting that nothing can be done? A: Well, there is one thing you can do. B: What is it? A: You should sit with your child any time he uses the Internet. B: I don’t think I can do that. A: Then either take away his computer or forget about ever checking what websites he visits. B: Thanks fór your help. A: You’re welcome.

VOCABULARY 33 M

i :, /

j c

L

a

i a

g

g

a

g

;X .'>

to a certain extent content access minor incitement end-user legislative display memorabilia drawback overall vitai worrisome anonymously to extract device

/'s3:tan ik'stent/ /'kantont/

to retrieve

/n'triiv/

pop-up abusive

/'popAp/ /a'bju:siv/

/'aekses/ /'mainsfr)/ /in'saitmant/ /endju:zo(r)/

bizonyos fokig tartalom hozzáférés kiskorú izgatás végfelhasználó törvényhozói

/'Ied3isl3trv/ /di'splei/ /memare'bilio/ /'dro:baek/ /3üV3r'o:l/ /'vaitl/ /'wArisom/ /o'nonimosli/ /ik'straskt/ /di'vais/

bemutatás, megjelenítés emléktárgy hátrány, hátulütő átfogó alapvető aggasztó névtelenül kihúz berendezés, eszköz kicsal, megszerez, hozzájut felugró ablak durva

I

S

Take ... fór example.

Vegyük p é ld a k é n t... - 1.

fór instance

például

I truly béliévé

Nagyon is hiszek abban, hogy ...

It is alsó very essential to ...

Az is nagyon fontos, hogy ...

to be fed up with

elege van valam iből

I didn’t intend to ...

Nem szándékoztam ...

Tm sorry to hear that.

Sajnálattal hallom.

I t ’s funny that you’re saying that

Vicces, hogy ezt mondod.

140

34.

Celebrities have a bad impact on our society A celebrity is a person who works h a rd a ll his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to auoid being recognized. ’

(Fred Allén)

In my opinion, celebrities have a bad effect on our society and mainly on our teens. Just turn on your television or your radio, and they are full of news, reality shows, and talk shows with celebs all day. What are these shows and news about? What can you find in the newspapers and magazines if you look 6around a newsagent’s stand? People deal with celebrities everywhere. It's hard to say how much responsibility a celebrity bears fór their cult status and how much belongs to the fans themselves. It seems to me there are two factors that make a celebrity a cult celebrity. One is the sheer number of fans. It is obvious that the Beatles were cult celebrities. They had a worldwide following 10with a huge number of adoring fans. The other factor to be considered is the natúré of the fans themselves. To the extent that the fans of a celebrity tend more toward the fanatical, can a celebrity become a cult celebrity. A celebrity with w eird behaviour is more likely to attract weird fans. I ’m under the impression that most celebrities nowadays drink alcohol, use 15drugs and break the law all the time, bút they don’t get any punishment fór their wrongdoings because they have enough money to get away with only a simple penalty. As I see it, most celebrities are rich bút they are nőt able to handle their money, they don’t understand the value of money and they think that they are allowed to do everything because they’re known or famous. And 20my problem is that teens tend to be obsessed with these ‘famous’ people actors, athletes, singers; and they try to be similar to them. I definitely say that these ‘idols’ should set an excellent example to teenagers, bút many of them live an abnormal life which shouldn’t be followed. You alsó have to consider that famous people often choose silly names fór their 25children. Do they have a bad effect on the society? Yes, they do. There are more and more ordinary people who would like to name their children after a celeb’s child. These children will be mocked at school and they can become depressed and introverted because of their parents’ irresponsible choice. A ll in all, don’t be surprised, bút I ’m ofthe opinion that misbehaving celebrities 30can alsó have a good effect on society. They can show us how nőt to live. Teenagers can see the results o f using drugs, being an addict, driving under the influence of alcohol and dying in a crash at a very young age.

141

1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

PR O S • • • • •

They drink too much alcohol. They often use drugs. They break the law. They don’t understand everyday life - they live in a ‘dream world’. They have unusual habits - which are nőt normál fór an ordinary person. • Models and actresses are too thin in magazines - teenage girls don’t know that these women are ‘photoshop-beauties’, and they starve to be similar to them.

CONS They donate money to charity. They’re talented and people want to look like these talented celebs. They have money to savé endangered species. They can adopt children from developing countries. They can raise money. They entertain us - the world wouldn’t be so interesting without them. • They show us how nőt to live.

• • • • • •

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

, It s true.

t * -i Iw is h ...

You know what I think

I f you want T , • ___• „ Just imagine ...

Why do you want to ...?

p vjoocl idea.

Why are you saying this?

Don’t be ridiculous!

You could You could...

Example

A: I wish my mother had taken me to a handball match when I was a child. B: Why are you saying this ? A: I would be as famous and talented as my town’s handball players. Or I wish I had been taken to the theatre at a very young age and now I could star in Hollywood and earn a lót o f money. B: D on ’t be ridiculousl What has happened to you? Why do you want to be so famous? Aren’t you satisfied with your own life? A: Oh,just imagine\ The newspapers and magazines would be full of my photos. Everybody would know my favourite meals and my lovers’ names. B: Have you drunk something? Being famous doesn’t mean that your life is perfect. You would be followed everywhere by paparazzi. Journalists would write about your worst moments and you would be stopped fór autographs all the time. You couldn’t ‘get lost’ among people as they would point at you all the time. You wouldn’t have a normál life. A: I t ’s true bút I could help starving people and donate money to charity. I could adopt a lót of children and savé the Earth from global warming. I could raise money fór non-profit organizations or help the victims o f earthquakes, hurricanes and other disasters. B: You know what I think. It’s very kind of you to think of others bút you can’t savé the plánét alone. Ifyou want to help, let’s go and sort out my old clothes. Let’s give them to the Charity Service. A: Thanks a millión.

VOCABULARY34 impact

/'impsekt/

hatás

reality shows celebrity newsagent to bear

/rfaebti Jsu/ /so'lebrotí/ /'nju:zeidzont/ /beo(r)/

valóságshow ismert ember újságos itt: visel

cult

/kAlt/

kultusz

to break the law punishment wrongdoing penalty to be obsessed with idol to set an excellent ex­ ample ordinary to be mocked introverted dependent to donate charity talented endangered species to adopt developing countries to raise to entertain habit to starve autograph to point at victim earthquake disaster

megszegni a törvényt büntetés gaztett büntetés megszállottja vkinek bálvány

/'pAiiiJmant/ /'wrDíjgdiniij/ /'penalti/ /ab'sest/ /'aidal/

kitűnő példát mutat /'oidanri/ /mDkt/ /'mtr3V3:tid/ /di'pendant/ /'dsuneit/ /'tjsereti/ /'Uebntid/ /in'deind33d spi:Ji:z/ /a'dDpt/ /di'vetapii)/ /reiz/ /enta'tein/ /'haebit/ /sta:v/ /'o:t3gra:f/ /point/ /'viktim/ /'3:0kweik/ /di'za:sta(r)/

hétköznapi kicsúfolják befelé forduló függő adakozni jótékonyság tehetséges veszélyeztetett faj (ok) örökbe fogadni fejlődő országok gyűjteni szórakoztatni szokás éhezni autogram mutogatni vkire áldozat földrengés katasztrófa

BESZEDSZANDEKOK It's hard to say that ...

Nehéz megmondani, hogy

Don’t be surprised ...

N e lepődj meg ...!

I wish ...

Bárcsak ...

144

35,

It is better to go on a package tour than on an individual tour

‘Twenty years fro m now you w ill be m ore d isappointed by the things that you d id n 't do than by the onesyou d id do. S o throw o ffth e bowlines. S a il away fro m the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in y o u r sails. Explore.D rea m . Discover.

(Mark Twain)

Have you ever heard o f the fam ous song that begins ‘ Christm as is coming, the goose is g ettin g fá t ’? I have, so that’s why I go on a special health tour w ith m y gfamily at Christm as every year. We would

like to avoid the usual Christmas rush and try a healthier w ay o f celebration. A s m y fa m ily alsó w orks really hard at the end o f the year, w e have no tim e 10for organ izin g a tou r on our own. We prefer package tours to self-planned, individual tours. Do you know how much tim e you can savé i f you have your holiday planned by som eone else? W e always tra ve l abroad bút unfortunately we don’t speak any foreign languages. To teli you the truth I always w an t to visit the fam ous sights w h erever I am, I don’t w ant to miss any im portan t places bút

vit ’s very difficult to arrange anythin g w ithout the necessary command o f the language. A ll-inclu sive vacation packages are those th at include airfare, hotel accomm odation, tours and excursions, and m ost o f the meals. These packages

allow the vacationer to relax and enjoy the trip w ith ou t w o rry in g about 20anything. A ll you need is to ju st look at the itinerary and see what's next. Th ese packages can alsó help you savé money. T ou r operators often récéivé bulk rates and group discounts fó r things like air fa ré and even hotel stays. What’s more, somé vacations, such as A frica n safari tours, take piacé in slightly dangerous or unsafe areas. On trips like this, the travellers are treated to a 25tour o f the A frica n w ilderness fó r the sole purpose o f v ie w in g w ild animals. T h is is a prim e exam ple o f a vacation that has the advantage o f bein g all-inclusive. Th ese types o f vacations are alsó good fó r people who don't particularly enjoy

spontaneity. I have to admit that w e are typical ‘last-m inute tra ve llers’ , w ho always decide at 30the v e ry last m om ent, so I can agree with people w ho understand the im portance o f tour operators. T h e y have more contacts and th ey can reserve places you

could n ever get alone to in such a busy period as Christm as. I ’m alsó very fond of organizers who can arrange a lót o f optional program m es fó r you. You don’t have to spend h a lf o f you r life in fron t o f the com puter b efore tra ve llin g and find 3gthe best program m es at the destination, because organ izers w ill g ive you a üst o f possibilities on the first day and you can choose w h atever you are interested in. Bút the most important benefits o f go in g on a package tou r are th at there a ren ’t any unforeseen problems and unanticipated costs. A ll in all, it ’s m ore com fortable than tra ve llin g individually.

1. What is your opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it ? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner. PROS • • • • • • • • • •

You can’t be lonely. It’s more comfortable. There’re no unforeseen situations. There is a wide rangé of optional programmes. No famous places are missed as the tour guides know what to visit. Organizers have more contacts with airlines, hotels etc. It’s safer. You don’t have to deal with planning. You don’t have to speak any foreign languages i f you travel abroad. You don’t waste your time - you can’t get lost etc.

CO NS

You r day is like a tim etable. E v ery th in g works according to a schedule. I t ’s m ore excitin g to plán you r trip alone. P a r t o f the fun o f bein g on vacation is exploring new things on your own. You can’t rea lly get to know the piacé in depth as th ere’s no time. In a group it’s impossible to satisfy everybody’s interests and demands. You can’t get to know local people. I f you’re nőt interested in a programme, you can’t change the travel plans. Package tours offer alm ost no room fór spontaneity.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

I can’t understand how ...

My best idea is What makes In my humble that... you think so? opinion,...

I’d be more than grateful! Of course.

Example

A: B: A: B: A:

Imagine! l ’m going to organ ize a special incentive tour fó r m y employees. Really ? Do you w an t to do it alone w ith ou t th e help o f a travel agency? Sure. I ’m quite good at organ izin g trips and programs. A n d w here do you w an t to send you r colleagues? H a ve you decided yet?

O f course. T h e y ’re goin g to Egypt. T h ey w ill be ve ry happy to be able to travel th ere and see the pyramids. My best idea is that th ey ’re goin g to tra vel from

Sharm -El-Sheikh to C airo on a local coach. B: I ’m afraid I can’t agree. I t ’s nőt the best idea. I t ’s the worst idea I ’ve ever heard. A: What makes you think so ? B: To teli you the truth, m y husband and I spent our honeymoon in E gypt and it ’ s one o f th e m ost dangerous places I have ever been to. Guards w ith guns are everyw h ere to protect foreign tourists. Sharm -El-Sheikh is 500 kilom etres from the Capital city and th e re ’re no m otorways, you have to tra vel in the dark desert.

A: T h en it ’s the safest piacé in th e w orld w ith guards. B: You must bejoking. Ic a n ’t understand how irresponsibleyou are. W hy don’t you ask fór help? I ’m sure a travel agent or a tour operator could help you a lót. A: In my humble opinion, package tours are good fó r nothing. T h e tourists can’t do w h at th ey w an t or w h a t th e y ’re interested in because th ey n ever get enough free tim e. E v ery th in g w orks according to a strict schedule. I haté being told w h at to do.

B: You ’re the boss. You can talk to the tour operator about you r expectations. Bút might I be allowed to offer a little advice? A: Sure. B: Ph one m y friend. Sh e’s a tou r guide and I th in k she can help you. Can I g ive you her phone num ber?

A: I ’d be more than grateful!

I f

‘‘r'Trr^KTif3- *^! :t-fe-**-‘ " l -’

y..

VOCABULARY 35 /disa'pointid/

csalódott

bowline

/'bsulin/

vitorlafeszítő-kötél

harbor

/ha:bs(r)/

kikötő

to explore

/ik'splo:/

felfedezn i

rush

M /

rohanás

command o f the language

/ka'maind laeqgwidj/

nyelvtudás

itinerary

/ai'tinaran/

ú titerv

bulk rate

/bAlk reit/

nagykereskedelm i ár

slightly

/'slaitli/

ném ileg

spontaneity

/spDnta'nirsti/

spontanietás

individual

/indi'vid3ö3l/

egyéni

disappointed

goose, geese (pl)

/gu:s/

liba

to reserve

/n'z3:v/

foglalni

optional program

/'Dpjsnl/

faku ltatív program

unforeseen

/Anfo:'si:n/

előre láthatatlan

unanticipated

/Aníen'tisapeitid/

előre nem vá rt

lonely

/'launli/

m agányos

to g e tlo s t

/get lost/

eltévedni

in depth

/in dep0/

m élységében

incentive tour

/in'sentív/

csapatépítő túra

tra vel agency

/traevl 'eid^ansi/

utazási iroda

honeym oon

/'hommurn/

nászút

strict

/stnkt/

szigorú

Have you ever heard o f ... ?

Hallottál m ár valaha ... ?

What makes you think so?

M iből gondolod?

You must be joking.

Ugye csak viccelsz?

You can’t be serious.

Nem mondod komolyan!

I ’d be more than grateful!

N agyon hálás lennék!

148

Having a university degree is better than just learning a trade

36.

‘M y fa th er taught me to work; he d id nőt teach me to lőve it. ’

(Abraham Lincoln)

I believe that in our w orld it is inevitable to go to u niversity and get eith er a B A or an M A or M Sc i f possible. Furthermore, in my opinion, life-long learning is the best 5w ay to manage nowadays. On the one hand, g ettin g a degree w ill increase you r chances o f g ettin g a m ore

j áS

|

Jpj'i

f

jB R

11 j í

f

I T

enjoyable and better-paid job in the future. I t is ve ry likely that you w ill earn much 10m ore than people w ho only have a highschool diploma, or nőt even that. I am

quite aware th at lea rn in g fó r a lon g tim e requires a lót o f sacrifiee, bút in the long run, it is w orth it. Obviously, you have to invest a lót of time, money and energy intő g ettin g the desired 15education, bút you can enjoy the fru it o f you r efforts later on. On the other hand, lea rn in g fó r a lon g tim e is ve ry good fór on e’s health. A s long as you r brain keeps w orking, it is ve ry u nlikely th at you r m ind w ill have serious problems. Statistics show th at you are threatened m ore by A lzh e im e r’s disease i f you do manual labor in w hich you don’t have to do much thinking.

2üMoreover, i f you have a college or u n iversity degree, the w orld opens up fór you. You w ill have m ore opportunities, you w ill speak languages and you w ill tra vel m ore, which w ill broaden horizons fó r you. It is a fact that people w ith university degrees are m ore mobile than others. T h ey are nőt afraid o f w ork in g or even settling down abroad. 25I f you only learn a trade, you are basically stuek in one piacé. You start to w ork in a job, then as you get intő the rat race, it w ill be ve ry hard fó r you to get out. Fór sure, a lót o f people decide to go back to school, bú t this alsó proves that th ey feel the need to do som ething m ore than ju st m anual work. What’s more, a ló t o f them have a v e ry hard tim e as they can’t fin d tim e to devote as much

30energy as required to th eir studies, which means that a large proportion of these students do nőt fin ish th eir studies at all.

A ll in all, i f you w an t to live a fu ll life and w an t to care about you r future, do nőt hesitate to go to a good u n iversity and study as much as you can.

149

1. What is your opinion ? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to conuince your partner.

• You earn m ore w ith a degree. • Your social status is higher. • I t ’s b etter fór you r mentái health. • You becom e m ore intelligent. • I t ’s easier to fln d a job. • You have m ore opportunities. • You speak m ore languages.

CONS • A skilled blue-collar w orker is in demand. • T h ere are a lót o f unem ployed people w ith college degree. • Once you fin ish university, you w ill fin d th at certain jobs are nőt to you r liking. • I f you’re an expert in your field, you w on’t have any fin an cial problems. • In a short period, you can learn several trades. • In telligen ce does nőt come w ith a degree. A m anual w orker can alsó be sm art. • N o m atter w hat you do, expertise does nőt grow on trees. You have to w ork hard in any job. • Europe is su fferin g from a shortage o f skilled workers and a surplus o f graduates.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions giuen in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

I don’t think so. Exactly.

How’s that?

You’re right.

Unbelievable.

I’m serious.

haverin°mind?

Good luck!

Iwish...

That’s true.

Example

A: G ood news! I ’m g oin g to quit university! B: Quit? A n d you call it good news? How’s that? A: Well, I ’m plannin g to becom e a cook. B: You must be joking\ A: N o, F m nőt. I ’m serious. B: What made you decide to leave school? A: Well, you know, you hear it on the news all the tim e that th ere are thousands o f people w ho can’t fin d a job even w ith a u n iversity degree and tw o or som etim es th ree language exams.

B: That’s true. A: A n d alsó i f you have a degree and fin d a job, you ’re lik ely to end up gettin g a m inim um w age, w hich is nőt even enough to m ake ends m eet. So I ’ve

made up my mind and decided to go ahead with m y childhood dream o f becom ing a cook.

B: That’s unbelievable. A: You ’ll see that b y the tim e you fin ish university, F II already have m ade enough m oney to buy a house.

B: I don’t think so. You’ll have to pút a lót intő w h atever you are goin g to do. A: A n d that’s exactly what I have in mind. I am going to w ork ve ry hard, I w ant to study w ith the best chefs, and then I can becom e a good one as well.

B: Good luck! A: I alsó know that good cooks are m ore than w anted nowadays. A n d nőt only is th ere a huge demand fó r cooks, bút alsó fó r carpenters, joiners, smiths and other skilled people.

B: You’re right, bú t I th in k FII stick to m y plán and becom e a law yer... A: ...and fin d y o u rs elf one o f the many, struggling to find clients, w asting you r tim e on senseless and useless things. You w o n ’t have a family, a house or even fre e tim e. B y the tim e you becom e really successful, you w ill see that

time has flow n by, and you w on ’t fin d anybody to be by you r side. B: D on ’t paint the fu tu re so black. F II alsó study and w ork hard to be one the best. Just like you!

A: Well, I th in k it ’s m y turn to wish you good luck.

VOCABULARY36

/di'mamd/ /skild/

elkerü lhetetlen életen át tartó tanulás boldogulni áldozat befektetn i erősfeszítés fen yegetn i fizik a i m unka kiszélesíteni m obilis letelepedni szakm a m egragadni (valahol) m ókuskerék bizon yítan i szentel arány habozni társadalm i h elyzet fizik a i munkás szakértő abbahagyni elh atározni belek ezden i vm ibe kereslet szakképzett

to stick, stuck, stuck to

/stlk/

k ita rt vm i m ellett

to struggle client senseless

/strAgl/ /'klaiant/ /'sensbs/

erőlködik ü gyfél értelm etlen

inevitable life-long learning to manage sacrifice to invest effort to threaten manual labour to broaden mobile to settle down trade to be stuck rat race to prove to devote proportion to hesitate social status blue-collar w ork er expert to quit to m ake up one's m ind to go ahead w ith demand skilled

■

/in'evitabl/ /'masnid3/ /'saekrafais/ /in'vest/ /'efot/ /'Oretn/ /‘mgenjösl leiba(r)/ /'bro:dn/ /‘muabail/ /setl daun/ /treid/ /stAk/ /raet reis/ /pru:v/ /di'vaot / /pra'poijn/ /'heziteit/ /'saujl ’steitas/ /blu: 'kob(r)/ /'eksp3:t/ /kwit/

BESZÉDSZÁNDÉKOK

*

fór sure What made you decide to ... ? I don’t think so. That’s unbelievable. That’s exactly what I have in mind

biztosan, bizonyára M i miatt döntöttél úgy, hogy ... Nem hiszem. Hihetetlen! Pont arra gondolok!

37.

There should be no equality between sexes ‘When a m án opens a cá r d oo r fó r his wife, it's either a new cá r o r a new wife. ’

Fór me it is self-euident th at th ere is no natural equ ality betw een sexes. Somé roles are assigned only t o w om en, somé to mén. First, we shall look at the biological differences. T h ey are the ones that have led to g ivin g d ifferen t roles to m én and wom en. Obviously, it is w om en w ho are m ore able to rear a child, 5keep fam ilies together, w h ile m én become more dominant in public life, including politics, civil societies, let alone workplaces, w here you can find m ainly m én executives. I believe that this is natural and should nőt be changed.

I adm it that th ere are differences, w hich m igh t seem to be unfair, such as

inequality in pay, bút I alsó hold that w om en are m ore satisfied i f they can 10fu lfill th eir duty as m others or housewives. I don’t th in k a w om an is meant to

pursue a career.

On the other hand, there are certain things that either only women or only mén can do. 1 think it is much better to have a female secretary, bút fór example

soldiers should mainly be mén. I know that a lót of people would disagree with 15me, bút I just can’t imagine mén or women in certain positions or jobs. There’s one more thing that I ’d like to discuss. In a lót of countries, women don’t like it if mén let them enter the building first or help them take their coats off. I don’t think that such polite acts make women inferior. As fa r as I can see, a lót of women like polite mén. I have to say that feminism has gone too 20far in the last few decades. Bosses are afraid of firin g a woman, because they might be sued on the grounds o f sex discrimination. Moreover, sometimes skilled mén are nőt employed because employers discriminate positively fór women. I don ’t think that you should be hired just because o f your sex.

1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the follow ing pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

Women are naturally more fragile. There are obvious biological differences. A woman is meant to rear the children. A woman is responsible fór keeping the family together. Somé jobs can only be done either by a woman or by a mán. There’s no such thing as equality in generál: everybody is different.

CONS • • • • • •

There’s a lót of discrimination in workplaces. Women earn less than mén. There’re more male politicians. Women rarely have a chance to become managers or CEOs. Women can do anything a mán can. Bosses don’t want to employ women as they can become pregnant.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you ’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation ?

I ’m nőt finished yet.

It’s hard to s a y ...

You won’t béliévé...

Nr „ „„„ N ow yousee.

I don’t think that

ríght11^

Sure'

You know...

How come?

^

136

hfed up

A : You won ’t believe what happened to me the other day. B: Teli me. A : It was like in a dream. It all started in the mail where a mán opened the door

fór me and let me enter the shop first. I was so surprised that I dropped my purse. B: Wow. A: Wait, I ’m nőt finished yet. As I dropped my purse, another mán appeared and picked it up fór me. I couldn’t even say thank you. B: Why is that? A : Well, I ’m nőt used to being treated like that. B: A: B: A: B: A: B: A:

B:

A:

How come ?

You know how my husband is. Oh sure. Now you see. And I ’ve almost forgottén. After I was done with the shopping, I

went intő a restaurant, and the waiter helped me off with my coat. You were spoiled that day. D o n ’t you think that that should be normál? I t ’s hard to say what is normál nowadays. You know, I ’m ju s t fed up with being the slave of my husband. I deserve better. When we were dating, he was an angel. Flowers every day, posh restaurants every weekend. Bút now... 1 don’t think that every woman would like to have a mán open the doors and help to take coats off. A lót of us like being independent. D o n ’t you think that we are equal to mén? Well, equality doesn’t mean that you have to act like a mán. I think traditional politeness is very important. It shows respect. And I believe there should be mutual respect between the sexes.

B: Hm, you m ight be right.

VOCABULARY 37 to rear

/ria(r)/

nevelni

in ferior

/m'fi3rre(r)/

alsóbbrendű

to fire

/'fais(r)/

kirúgni

to sue

/sju:/

beperelni

di scrim ination

/diskrimi'neifn/

m egkülönböztetés

skilled

/skild/

szakképzett

to Ilire

/'haia(r)/

felven n i

m ail

/ma:l/

pláza

to spoil

/spail/

elk én yeztetn i

to deserve

/di'z3:v/

érdem elni

to date

/deit/

járn i, randizni

posh

/poj/

elegáns

m utual

/'mjuitjüsl/

kölcsönös

Fór me it is self-evident ...

Számomra magától értetődő, hogy ...

let alone

nem is szólva

I admit ...

Belátom ...

Tliere’s one more thing that Fd like to discuss.

M ég van valami, amit szeretnék meg­ beszélni.

I ’m just fed up with ...

Csak elegem van abból, hogy ...

38.( Camping is an ideál way of spending your holiday ‘S om é n a tion a l parks have lo n g w a itin g lists fó r ca m p in g reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, som ething is wrong. ’

(George Carlin)

When I was younger I thought that camping was a very tough way of spending your holiday. N o wonder, since it meant sleeping in tents that were nőt waterproof, taking cold showers, cooking your food on an open fire, finding a clean spot in the lavatory, and last bút nőt least, always catching a cold or somé 5infection due to very bad conditions. However, times have changed. As I ’ve experienced, camping is nőt what it used to be. It is a pleasant past-time even fór people with a lót of money. In the United States and in Western Europe, it’s a lifestyle fór older people as well. They get in their trailers and caravans, and can basically go wherever they want to. They 10can pút up their modern tents in any country. W h a t’s more, there is always better and better equipment available fór campers, fór example insulated sleeping bags, portable fúr ni tűre, gas stove or even a refrigerator that would make your camping holiday the ideál way of spending your time. Nőt only can you find good places in the wilderness, bút alsó on camping-sites. Nowadays, 15they are auite modern facilities which fulfill the needs of any camper. They are well-equipped, so you can forget the times of having only cold water, as hot running water is an essential part of a campsite. Moreover, you can find shops, restaurants, sports facilities and other things to make you feel comfortable and certainly free. 2 0 1 believe that camping is the best way of spending your holiday if you have a family. Im agine that your children are free to go anywhere within 25the campsite, they don’t have to be careful about keeping quiet like in a hotel. I have already experienced how good it can be to go camping with 30children. They already get excited when we start packing at home. F irst o f all, we can

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take wnatever fits in the cár. Then there is the excitement of putting up your tent, which children lőve very much. They can alsó help to make dinner, collect 35wood, or peel onions. All these are done very close to natúré. And what is very important, children will learn to help in a playful manner. You can alsó meet people from other countries, which gives children a good opportunity to practice foreign languages. A ll in all, I believe that camping cannot even be compared to spending your 40holiday in an airless hotel room. 1. What is your opinion? Do you agree with the statement or are you against it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your argument. Choose from the following pros and cons or use your own. Work in pairs and try to convince your partner.

• • • • • • • • •

You are close to natúré. You can have modern equipment. Putting up a tent is a lót of fun. You’re mobile. I f you don’t like the piacé, you can move. It’s good to teach children about natúré. It’s a different way of life. You can sleep in the open air. Cooking fór yourself is a lót of fun. You meet a lót of people from other countries.

CONS • • • • • • • •

It’s nőt funny when you have to pack a wet tent. Camping is very uncomfortable. There aren’t too many facilities. You have to cook your own meal. You can get really wet. A lót of other people can disturb you. There’s a danger of w ild animals. You have to carry everything including your tent and food.

2. Imagine a discussion about the topic. Use the expressions given in the box. When you’ve finished, take a look at our example. Have you created a similar situation?

I can’t agree.

You haven’t convinced me.

That’í That’s nőt true at all.

Suit yourself.

A re you out of your mind?

You must be kidding.

I can’tL hazard a guess.

1 C e tli

I think ...

A

J-

11

ctually, ••■ Sure nőt.

Example S

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