Introduction

Dear students! Today we have come here to get acquainted with the Vice-rector, the Dean of your faculty, the Head of the International Department and other representatives of the University staff. You have a great opportunity to listen to them about university’s affairs, future plans and to talk to them, ask the questions about students’ life and your problems.

The aim of the final lesson on the topic ‘Education” in the form of presentation for students is to speak on given theme and to demonstrate their knowledge and ability to communicate.

Process

On-line – students in pairs or in small groups collect information, given in the Problem Based Task. All groups get the same website, but only one task is given to every group.

Off-line – students discuss received Internet materials in groups and make a group plan of brief retelling.

Then they change the information between groups: group leaders shortly present their information and the facts to the class. Non speakers are encouraged to make notes on what their group leaders say and gather full information.

Evaluation

1 grade – appropriate language (vocabulary, impersonal style, use of pauses)

1 grade – grammar, pronunciation

1 grade – full information (all questions were answered)

1 grade – delivery (open manner, involving audience, avoiding monotonous intonation)

1 grade – body language (general appearance, gestures, confident and positive impression).

Conclusion

The more you know about the University, the easier it will help you to study better, to make a right decision about your study and future plans.

Recommended resources:

http://inter.istu.ru

Self-study materials for section I

After the preliminary test we recommend to start from the explanation of the Verb to be in the Present Simple Tense according to the system given below with all types of questions. These grammar materials are intended not only for elementary students but also for lower-intermediate level students whose grammar is weaker than other aspects of their English. At the end of every lesson the students have revision test. We advise to do all given exercises at the lesson to help students to understand all peculiarities of using of the verb to be in all questions.

Verb to be (the Present Simple Tense) Positive and Negative Forms

I	am	from Russia	I’m—l am
He/She/It	is		He’s/She’s/It’s = He/ She/It is
We You They	are		We’re — We are You’re — You are They’re They are

I	am	not	from Russia	I’m not — I am not
He/She/It	is			He/She/It isn’t — He/She/It is not
We You They	are			We aren’t — We are not You aren’t — You are not They aren’t — They are not

NOTE: Look at the negative forms: She isn’t married. You aren’t British.

BUT: I’m not a schoolboy.

Exercise 1. Write the short form (she’s, we aren’t, etc.).

1. He’s 4. I’m not

2. They’re 5. It’s

3. She isn’t 6. You aren’t

Exercise 2. Write the full form (she is/we are not, etc.).

1. We are not 4. They are not

2. I am 5. It is not

3. You are 6. She is

Exercise 3. Put in am/am not/is/isn’t/are/aren’t.

1. I am from Russia.

2. Debbie and Mark aren’t British. They are German.

3. My friend is interested in computers.

4. His parents are around 40.

5. How old are you? I am 18.

6. London is not situated on the river Evans. It is situated on the river Thames.

7. I am keen on sports. But I am not rather good at basketball.

8. Her name isn’t Jane. It‘s Helen.

Exercise 4. Write true sentences, positive or negative. Use am/am not/is/isn’t/are/aren’t.

1. I am (am not) keen on Biology.

2. Rome isn’t in Spain.

3. We are Russian.

4. Football is a popular sport in Britain.

5. The “Beatles” and “Deep Purple” are famous British groups.

6. American English is different from British English.

7. My hobbies are art and music.

General Questions

Am	I	a student?	— Yes, I am./No, I am not.
Is	he / she / it	a student?	— Yes, he/she/it is./No, he/she/ it isn’t.
Are	we you they	students?	— Yes, we are. / No, we aren’t. — Yes, you are. / No, you aren’t. — Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.

Exercise 5. Make general questions with these words. Give short answers.

1. Is your mother at work? Yes, she is/No, she isn’t.

2. Are her children at home? Yes, they are./No, they aren’t.

3. Is he from Italy? Yes, he is./No, he isn’t.

4. Am I good at English? Yes, you are./No, you aren’t.

5. Are you interested in books? Yes, I am.

6. Am I right? Yes, you are./No, you aren’t.

7. Is this subject difficult? Yes, it is./No, it isn’t.

Exercise 6. Give short answers (Yes, I am/No, he isn’t, etc.).

1. Are your parents old? No, they aren’t.

2. Are all your school friends students now? Yes, they are.

3. Is English difficult? No, it isn’t./Yes, it is.

4. Is your home town small? Yes, it is.

5. Are you interested in music? Yes, I am.

6. Is your friend good at languages? Yes, he is./No, he isn’t.

Alternative questions

Am	I	your friend	or	not?	—Yes, you are / No, you aren’t.
Is	he/ she	Spanish	or	Italian?	— He/She is Italian.
	it	difficult	or	easy?	— It’s difficult.
Are	we	in the city centre	or	on the out - skirts?	— You are on the outskirts.
	you	a student	or	a schoolboy?	— I’m a student.
	they	at home	or	at work?	—They are at work.

Exercise 7. Ask alternative questions with the following words. Give answers.

Example: You/a student/a schoolboy? — Are you a student or a schoolboy? — I’m a student.

1. Is he in Moscow or in Kiev?

2. Are Alan and Henry students or teachers?

3. Are your new friends sociable or not?

4. Is his daughter 17 or 18?

5. Are your parents old or young?

6. Is Russia a big or a small country?

7. Are they designers or artists?

Special questions

What Where Who How How old What What kind of( books) Why Whose friend What colour

is are is are is is is are is is

he? you from? John? you? he? your father like? he fond of? you late? Mary? our flag?

She’s a shop assistant. from Germany. He’s their son. Not bad, thanks. - Eighteen - He’s sociable and very clever - Historical books. - My watch is wrong. - She’s my friend. - It’s white, blue and red.

Exercise 8. Ask and answer questions.

Example: What colour is a banana? – It’s yellow.

The sun

Ambulances in Moscow?

What colour is/are Roses?

The Christmas tree?

The sky

Exercise 9. Complete the sentences.

Example: Where are my books? – On the table.

1. How old is that clock? 2. Where is Paul from? 3. What is your favourite subject? 4. What kind of music are you fond of?

About a hundred years old. Denmark, I think. Mathematics. Rock music.

Exercise 10. Ask the questions.

Example: What is your name? – My name’s Mark.

What is her name? Is your mother very young? Is it Frank Ellis? What colour are your shoes? What kind of person is Olga?

Her name’s Pam. No, my mother isn’t very young. Yes, it is Frank Ellis. My shoes are black. Olga is very kind.

Tag questions

I	am	a genius	aren’t	I?	- Yes, I am./No, I am not.
He		a teenager		he?	- Yes, he is./No, he isn’t
She	is	a Londoner	isn’t	she?	- Yes, she is./No, she isn’t
It		far from here		it?	Yes, it is./No, it isn’t.
We				we?	-Yes, we are./ No, we aren’t.
You	are	in the city centre	aren’t	you?	- Yes, you are./No, you aren’t.
They				they?	- Yes, they are./ No, they aren’t.
I	am not	a schoolboy	am	I?	- No, I’m not./ Yes, I am.
He	isn’t	married	is	he?	- No, he isn’t./ Yes, he is.
She	isn’t	at home	is	she?	- No, she isn’t./Yes, she is.

It isn't easy, is. it? - No, it isn't. / Yes, it is.
We You They	aren't old, are	We? — No, we aren't. / Yes, we are. you? - No you aren’t / Yes, you are. they? -No, they aren't / Yes, they are.

Exercise 11. Give the correct tag to these sentences.

1. Your mother is thirty-seven years old, isn’t she?

2. It's her birthday today, isn’t it?

3. I'm not in class now, am I?

4. You aren't married, are you?

5. They are Russian, aren’t they?

6. I'm fond of hard rock, aren’t I?

7. Alice isn't very friendly, is she?

Exercise 12. Ask questions about the information in italics. Example: My mother is 50. — How old is your mother?

1. I'm from a small town in the South of Russia. /Where are you from?

2. Yes, Linda is a first-year student. /Is Linda a first-year student?

3. Tom and Sue are sociable and very intelligent. /What kind of people are Sue and Tom?

4. My sister is fond of classical music. /Who is interested in music?

5. I am a bank clerk. /What are you?

6. Today Tony is at home because it's Sunday. /Why is Tony at home today?

7. His home telephone number is 678-899. /What is his telephone number?

8. It's 4 o'clock and you are at work. /Why are you at work?

E. Bazanova, Moscow, Drofa.

Revision test

• Put in am, is or are.

1. The weather _is_ very nice today.

2. I am not tired.

3. This case is very heavy.

4. These cases are very heavy.

5. The dog is asleep.

6. Look! There is Carol.

7. I am hot. Can you open the window, please?

8. This castle is one thousand years old.

9. My brother and I are good tennis players.

10. Ann is at home but her children are at school.

11. I am a student. My sister is an architect.

• Write full sentences. Use am/is/are each time.

1. (my shoes very dirty) ___My shoes are very dirty___.

2. (my bed very comfortable) My bed is very comfortable.

3. (your cigarettes in your bag) Your cigarettes are in your bag.

4. (I not very happy today) I am not very happy today.

5. (this restaurant very expensive) This restaurant is very expensive.

6. (the shops not open today) The shops are not open today.

7. (Mr. Kelly's daughter six gars old) Mr. Kelly’s daughter is six years old.

8. (the houses in this street' very old).The houses in this street are very old.

9. (the examination not difficult). The examination is not difficult.

10. (those flowers very beautiful).Those flowers are beautiful.

• Write positive or negative sentences. Use am/am not/is/isn^'t/are/aren^'t.

1. (Paris/the capital of France) Paris is the capital of France.

2. (I/interested in football) _I’m interested in football.

3. (I /hungry) I am (not) hungry.

4. (it/warm today) It is(isn’t) warm today.

5. (Rome/in Spain) Rome is not in Spain.

6. (I/afraid of dogs) I am(not) afraid of dogs.

7. (my hands/cold) My are(aren’t) cold.

8. (Canada/a very big country) Canada is a very big country.

9. (the Amazon/in Africa) The Amazon is not in Africa.

10. (diamonds/cheap) Diamonds aren’t cheap.

• Write questions from these words. Use am/Is/are.

1. (your mother at home?) _Is your mother at home?

2. (your parents at home?) Are your parents at home?

3. (this hotel expensive?) Is this hotel expensive?

4. (you interested in art?) Are you interested in art?

5. (the shops open today?) Are the shops open today?

6. (the park open today?) Is the park open today?

• Write questions with What/Who/How/Where/Why ...? Use am/is/are.

1. (what colour your car?) What colour is your car?

2. (where my key?) Where is my key?

3. (where my socks?) Where are my socks?

4. (how old your father?) How old is your father?

5. (what colour his eyes?) What colour are his eyes?

6. (why John angry with me?) Why is John angry with me?

7. (how much these shoes?) How much are these shoes?

8. (who your favourite actor?) Who is your favourite actor?

9. (why you always late?) Why are you always late?

• Write positive or negative short answers (Yes, I am/No, he isn^'t etc.).

1. Are you married? _No, I’m not.

2. Are you tall? _Yes, I’m.

3. Is it cold today? Yes, it is./No, it isn’t.

4. Are you a teacher? No, I am not.

5. Are you tired? Yes, I am./No, I am not.

6. Is it dark now? Yes, it is./No, it isn’t.

7. Are your hands cold? Yes, they are./No, they aren’t.

8. Are you hungry? Yes, I am./No, I am not.

9. Is your father tall? Yes, he is.

10. Is it sunny? Yes, it is. No, it isn’t.

Raymond Murphy, Essential Grammar in Use.

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

I go to bed at 11.00 p.m. (go)

Jack speaks fluent French. (speak)

Her children enjoy game shows and cartoons. (enjoy)

She always tells funny jokes. (tell)

My sister and I often try to read newspapers in En­glish. (try)

People use personal computers at home. (use)

It takes him about half an hour to get home from college. (take)