Culture and literature in my life
William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet – is about unhappy love and death of Romeo and Juliet, the children of two powerful houses of Verona: the house of Montague and the house of Capulet. These houses hate each other. Romeo, who is Montague, meets Juliet at a hall and falls in love with her although he knows that she is Capulet.
They ask Friar Laurence to marry them. Their marriage is a secret and by an unfortunate chance Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin. Prince of Verona sends Romeo to the exile outside Verona and young Juliet is forced to get married to a young nobleman called Paris. She asks Friar Laurence for help again. He gives her magic drops after which she falls asleep for several hours. She looks as if she was dead. Romeo learns about Juliet’s death and hurries to the Capulet’s Monument in the churchyard. He does not know about the trick and kills himself. Soon after that Juliet wakes up and when she sees Romeo dead, she kills herself too.
Culture and literature in my life - William Shakespeare
Culture and literature in my life
William Shakespeare is probably the greatest dramatist in the world and the best poet of England (over 150 beautiful sonnets). He lived in the time of Renaissance. He was born and died in Stratford-upon-Avon. He came to London and joined a group of artists. First he helped adapt or rewrite older plays but later he started to write his own plays and he was very successful.
He wrote 37 plays. His mastery lies in his human vision of moral questions and in the richness of his language. He wrote history plays, tragedies and comedies.
HISTORY PLAYS - Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Richard II, Richard III and Julius Caesar
TRAGEDIES - Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Othello
COMEDIES - Twelfth Night (Večer tříkrálový), As you like it (Jak se vám líbí), The Taming of
the Shrew (Zkrocení zlé ženy), Two gentlemen of Verona (Dva veronští páni),
A Midsummer Night’s dream (Sen noci svatojánské), Much Ado about Nothing
(Mnoho povyku pro nic), Merry Wives of Windsor (Veselé paničky windsorské
Culture and literature in my life 2.
Culture and literature in my life 2.
I am fond of dancing and I became a member of a dancing club. We learned both standard dances and modern dances. Now I have no time for the dancing club, I only go occasionally to a disco in the youth club.
Concerts of classical music are usually held in some of the concert halls – Besední dům, the White House, or in a Sokol Stadium. Sometimes concerts of organ music take place in churches – there are good organs in Petrov, in Red Church, in Královo Pole (King’s Field).
When I want to learn something from history, I can go to the Spilberk castle. There is a museum of Brno history. You can see an exposition of the thirty years’ war and the famous prison in the castle (Spilberk casemates). There are a lot of other museums in Brno.
When I don’t feel like going out, I watch TV, listen to the radio or recorder, or read books. I am not a TV addict and I don’t spend hours in front of the screen. I like watching TV news, comments of home and foreign affairs, natural science programmes and good films. I don’t like violence on the screen and interrupting films by commercials.
I prefer reading books to watching TV. People usually read for relaxation or pleasure, or look for information and advice. We can buy books or borrow them from friends or from a library. We can read science fiction, fantasy, westerns, travel books, thrillers, detective stories, psychological and historical novels, adventure stories, love stories, poetry, fairy tales.
I am fond of dancing and I became a member of a dancing club. We learned both standard dances and modern dances. Now I have no time for the dancing club, I only go occasionally to a disco in the youth club.
Concerts of classical music are usually held in some of the concert halls – Besední dům, the White House, or in a Sokol Stadium. Sometimes concerts of organ music take place in churches – there are good organs in Petrov, in Red Church, in Královo Pole (King’s Field).
When I want to learn something from history, I can go to the Spilberk castle. There is a museum of Brno history. You can see an exposition of the thirty years’ war and the famous prison in the castle (Spilberk casemates). There are a lot of other museums in Brno.
When I don’t feel like going out, I watch TV, listen to the radio or recorder, or read books. I am not a TV addict and I don’t spend hours in front of the screen. I like watching TV news, comments of home and foreign affairs, natural science programmes and good films. I don’t like violence on the screen and interrupting films by commercials.
I prefer reading books to watching TV. People usually read for relaxation or pleasure, or look for information and advice. We can buy books or borrow them from friends or from a library. We can read science fiction, fantasy, westerns, travel books, thrillers, detective stories, psychological and historical novels, adventure stories, love stories, poetry, fairy tales.
Culture and literature in my life 1.
Culture and literature in my life
Cultural life in Brno is quite rich. There are a lot of possibilities of spending leisure time. We can go to the cinema, to the theatre, to a concert, dancing. There are about twenty cinemas in Brno that usually offer films twice a day. On Sunday afternoon they offer special films for children. In the past the cinemas were often packed and the tickets were sold out – it was necessary to buy the tickets in advance. Nowadays people prefer watching TV or video to going to the cinema. We usually buy the tickets about half an hour before the performance.
Before I decide to go to the cinema, I choose the film very carefully. I don’t like violence and blood and I am fond of witty comedies (psychological dramas) and films about young people. I like silent films with Charlie Chaplin, too.
I like going to the theatre, the opera, or to a ballet, no matter what is on, because I like the atmosphere of the theatre. People usually come dressed up and they take off their coats in the cloakroom. When we sit down, we usually read the programme to see the cast. Then the musi-cians come and begin to tune their instruments. Soon the conductor appears and the orchestra starts to play. The lights go out. The curtain goes up and the performance begins.
Computers - Software 3.
Computers - Software 3.
Applications (such as databases, text processors, spreadsheets or even games) are widely used
in schools, offices or at home for common agenda.
(a) Database programs are used to store, organize and retrieve large amount of information on computer: they can be compared to an electronic filing cabinet.
(b) Text processors are used to store, retrieve and change information (to write letters, reports, tables or indexes (rejstříky) and they work like more sophisticated typewriters (Office).
(c) Spreadsheets (tabulky) remind of a large piece of paper divided into columns and rows (Excel).
(d) Communication software is represented by browsers (prohlížeče - Internet Explorer, Outlook Express).
They are shipped (dodávají se) with Windows package now.
The most popular communication software (program) for Internet is Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Communication software (program) for instant sending and receiving electronic mail is Outlook Express. It enables connection to the Internet.
Special software (programs) for searching addresses: Yahoo, Google, Alta-vista are mostly used abroad; Seznam, Centrum, Volny, Tiscali are mostly used in our country.
Computers - Software 2.
Computers - Software 2.
Operating systems are probably the most important part of software – the user can operate a computer (and use its programs) only after an operating system has been recorded into it. The most used operating systems are produced by Microsoft Corp.:
DOS (a text operated system) and Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, Millenium and XP (systems independent of DOS). The second biggest company Macintosh (Apple) pro- duces an operating system called Mac OS. Among other operating systems belong UNIX and Linux.
UNIX was designed to be a multitasking system - it has become an operating environment for software development, available for any type of computer.
(2) Drivers – for operating computer software it is necessary to have drivers installed into it – drivers tell the system how to cooperate with input devices such as mouse or keyboard. Nowadays most of drivers are already installed into the operating system.
Computers - Software
Computers - Software
Computers have become part of our everyday life – we visit shops and offices which have been designed with the help of computers, we pay bills prepared by computers, we read magazines which have been processed by computers. Even phone calls or bank transactions use a sophisticated computer system.
It is possible to use computers for playing games – most people, especially young people want to play games at home and buy a computer for that reason. During last years, rapid advancement of computer and infor- mation technology took place, which in turn caused rapid development of nearly all fields of science and technology.
Computers are electronic machines which can (1) accept data in a certain form, (2) process the data and (3) give out the results in a specified format as information. Three basic steps are involved in the process: (a) data is fed into a computer’s memory, (b) the computer performs a set of instructions and processes the data, (c) we can see the result on the screen or in a printed form.
The electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer are called hardware, while the information in the form of data and programs is called software. Software can be divided into several sections:
Machine Answers the Phone
Machine Answers the Phone
A very ingenious combination of a telephone and a tape-recorder was developed: it goes under the name of Ansafone (answer the phone), because it chief task is to answer the phone in the absence of people and to record messages.
If you phone somebody who happens to be out of the house, the phone is answered by the machine which automatically replies: “This is (here follows the telephone number), Mr X’s Ansafone. The Ansa-fone will record any message you may wish to leave. Please speak slowly and clearly and begin speaking now.”
As you replace the receiver the Ansafone automatically switches itself off and is then ready to receive the next message. The tape is sufficiently long to take down approximately a dozen normal messages. When the tape has reached its maximum recording capacity, it will no longer answer the phone.
On return home the owner simply rewinds the tape and plays back all the messages that have been recorded in his absence.
Hobbies and interests 3.
Hobbies and interests 3.
Many students are members of a sports club or a hobby group. For example, animal lovers take care of their dogs, cats, parrots and horses. There are several sports clubs – athletics, basketball, volleyball, handball, judo and swimming. Nowadays lots of students go to fitness centres to keep fit. In our school there are several hobby groups – e.g. Shooting Club, Chess Club, Tourism Group, Ceramics Group.
Many students would like to make use of their hobbies in their future jobs, e.g. working with a computer but it is not so easy. If you have a vision for your future you cannot be 100 % sure it will happen exactly as you like.
Hobbies are very important for everybody. A man would be very poor without a hobby and would not be satisfied. Hobbies work like a cure if you are tired or feeling sad. It helps you in many ways. I really cannot imagine the world without hobbies.
Many students are members of a sports club or a hobby group. For example, animal lovers take care of their dogs, cats, parrots and horses. There are several sports clubs – athletics, basketball, volleyball, handball, judo and swimming. Nowadays lots of students go to fitness centres to keep fit. In our school there are several hobby groups – e.g. Shooting Club, Chess Club, Tourism Group, Ceramics Group.
Many students would like to make use of their hobbies in their future jobs, e.g. working with a computer but it is not so easy. If you have a vision for your future you cannot be 100 % sure it will happen exactly as you like.
Hobbies are very important for everybody. A man would be very poor without a hobby and would not be satisfied. Hobbies work like a cure if you are tired or feeling sad. It helps you in many ways. I really cannot imagine the world without hobbies.
Hobbies and interests 2.
Hobbies and interests 2.
It is a pity that now I have so little free time. I cannot devote so much time to sports as I used to. Now I sometimes play football, floorball or basketball, especially during our Physical Training (PT) lessons, from time to time I go to play tennis and volleyball.
If you ask what are the most common hobbies in our country here is the answer: Many families have their cottages (weekend houses) and spend a lot of time there - they work in their gardens, grow fruits, vegetables and nice flowers, they cut grass and repair the old house.
The other popular hobby is watching TV or a video (it is not so useful for your eyes and mind when you spend too much time sitting in front of your TV set). Many people like to spend their leisure time reading books (science fiction, novels, detective stories, travels), magazines and newspapers. Other people prefer music: they either play a musical instrument, sing to them-selves or listen to their favourite music.
Going out can be very expensive now. You can go to the cinema, to a concert or theatre perfor- mance or you can have a chat with your friends in some nice café or restaurant. Some people visit art galleries and museums. Lots of people like travelling.
It is a pity that now I have so little free time. I cannot devote so much time to sports as I used to. Now I sometimes play football, floorball or basketball, especially during our Physical Training (PT) lessons, from time to time I go to play tennis and volleyball.
If you ask what are the most common hobbies in our country here is the answer: Many families have their cottages (weekend houses) and spend a lot of time there - they work in their gardens, grow fruits, vegetables and nice flowers, they cut grass and repair the old house.
The other popular hobby is watching TV or a video (it is not so useful for your eyes and mind when you spend too much time sitting in front of your TV set). Many people like to spend their leisure time reading books (science fiction, novels, detective stories, travels), magazines and newspapers. Other people prefer music: they either play a musical instrument, sing to them-selves or listen to their favourite music.
Going out can be very expensive now. You can go to the cinema, to a concert or theatre perfor- mance or you can have a chat with your friends in some nice café or restaurant. Some people visit art galleries and museums. Lots of people like travelling.
Hobbies and interests
Hobbies and interests
People usually have hobbies and interests. Some hobbies are expensive (golf), some are dangerous (bungee jumping), some are romantic (boating), some are very time-consuming (modelling).
When I was five I liked collecting airplane models. I could not collect stamps, posters, badges or butterflies like others. Later I myself started building models of airplanes. Then I started playing chess. When I was about ten I started practice skiing – both downhill and cross-country skiing, also skating and playing ice-hockey. I also began to attend judo lessons because I found it useful for my self-protection. At the end of our primary school I started playing tennis. This sport is popular all around the world.
I have a good friend Peter – his hobbies are playing the piano and guitar, painting, hiking, cycling, mountaineering (rock climbing), roller-skating and skate-boarding. Sometimes we go out together cycling and mountaineering.
Článek podporuje:
inline hokej, nordic skating, helmy levně
Future plans and career choices 2.
Future plans and career choices 2.
What about the risk of uneployment?
It is often very hard for young people who just finish their studies to find a job. Many people who find themselves unemployed try to improve their chances of getting some job by attending various vocational training courses (tím, že navštěvují kurzy odborné přípravy).
At present, the rate of unemployment is steadily increasing. In some cases, you may find that neither the employment agencies (úřady práce), nor the unemployment benefit (podpora v neza- městnanosti) are able to help you. In this situation you must help yourself.
With the development of industry and technology many new professions have appeared (se ob- jevilo), such as mechanic, driver, electrician, tinsmith (klempíř), design engineer (konstruktér), welder (svářeč), plumber (instalatér), locksmith (zámečník), programmer (programátor), and more are being added every year.
Some of the more popular careers are economist, lawyer (právník), manager, airhostess, singer, actor, customs officer, financial consultant, businessman, journalist, sales representative (obchodní zástupce) etc.
Future plans and career choices 1.
Future plans and career choices
What are my future plans?
I often wonder about my future because I am going to finish secondary school. The number one question on my mind (trápí mě, doléhá na mě) is which profession should I choose. It is very hard to make any definite choice because I know it will affect me for the rest of my life. I want a profession that will satisfy me (bude uspokojovat), challenge me (stimulovat) and bring me joy.
I believe that a job should be like a hobby. I want to love my work.
First of all, I want to finish this secondary school. The first important exam of my life is the school-leaving exam called maturita. After my graduation I would like to go on my studies at university. (I would not like to go on my studies, I would like to go to work.)
After graduation there are many different career opportunities. You can work in manufacturing (ve výrobě), in service, agriculture or business. Everyone has to decide which path is the best for him, once he finishes elementary school. One option is to continue studies at secondary school. The second option is to choose another branch of the educational system. It is very important to consider your interests (zájmy) when you choose your future profession.
Health and diseases 3.
Health and diseases 3.
There are different types of physicians: a general practitioner (GP) [præk ˡtišənə] (praktický l.), dentist, surgeon [sə:džn] (chirurg), oculist [okjulist] (oční), pediatrician [pi:diə ˡtrišən] (dětský), gynaecologist [gaini ˡkoledžist], psychiatrist [sai ˡkaiətrist], dermatologist [də:mə ˡtolədžist], orthopaedic specialists [o:θə ˡpi:dik spešəlists] etc.
In more serious cases or if we get injured we can call the doctor to our home. Sometimes we may be taken to hospital by an ambulance [æmbjuləns] (sanitkou). After the operation or the serious illness, the patients are sent to spas for rehabilitation.
I am quite healthy but sometimes I suffer from flu. The flu starts with a cold and a sore throat. I feel unwell and I am sick. I have no appetite. I quite often have a temperature. So I have to go to the doctor’s. The doctor asks me about my problems and examines me. Then he writes a prescription and invites me for the next visit. I go home, I stay in bed, I drink herbal tea with lemon and I sweat. In a week I feel well.
Which things are the most important to take care of the health? It is not smoking, taking regular exercise, eating good quality food, having regular check-ups, dieting to keep the weight down, not drinking alcohol, taking vitamins, hardening the body etc.
Health and diseases 2.
Health and diseases 2.
If we feel unwell, we decide to see a doctor. It is better to make an appointment with the doctor in his surgery time. Then the nurse says “Next please”and invites us into the consulting room (ordinace). The doctor usually asks what the trouble is. He wants to know if we have a tempera- ture, good appetite and where we feel pain. He also wants us to open our mouth. We have to say how we feel, if we have a headache, a sore throat, a cold, a cough, or if we are sick and hoarse.
Finally the doctor diagnoses the case and therapy and prescribes a medicine. Most often we suffer from a common infection such as flu (chřipka), angina [æn ˡdžainə], tonsillitis [ˌtonsi ˡlaitis] (zánět mandlí) or bronchitis [ˌbron ˡkaitis] (zánět průdušek), diarrhoea [daiə ˡriə] (průjem), constipation [ˌkonsti ˡpeišn] (zácpa). At the pharmacy (at the chemist’s in Britain) (v lékárně) we get pills, drops or vitamins [vitəminz]. We can also buy some medicinal herbs to prepare herbal tea. Then we usually stay in bed, take pills, drops or vitamins, drink herbal tea with lemon and sugar or honey, keep warm, sweat [swet] and gargle [ga:gl] (v teple, potíme se, kloktáme). After a week or two we feel well again.
If we feel unwell, we decide to see a doctor. It is better to make an appointment with the doctor in his surgery time. Then the nurse says “Next please”and invites us into the consulting room (ordinace). The doctor usually asks what the trouble is. He wants to know if we have a tempera- ture, good appetite and where we feel pain. He also wants us to open our mouth. We have to say how we feel, if we have a headache, a sore throat, a cold, a cough, or if we are sick and hoarse.
Finally the doctor diagnoses the case and therapy and prescribes a medicine. Most often we suffer from a common infection such as flu (chřipka), angina [æn ˡdžainə], tonsillitis [ˌtonsi ˡlaitis] (zánět mandlí) or bronchitis [ˌbron ˡkaitis] (zánět průdušek), diarrhoea [daiə ˡriə] (průjem), constipation [ˌkonsti ˡpeišn] (zácpa). At the pharmacy (at the chemist’s in Britain) (v lékárně) we get pills, drops or vitamins [vitəminz]. We can also buy some medicinal herbs to prepare herbal tea. Then we usually stay in bed, take pills, drops or vitamins, drink herbal tea with lemon and sugar or honey, keep warm, sweat [swet] and gargle [ga:gl] (v teple, potíme se, kloktáme). After a week or two we feel well again.
Health and diseases 1.
Health and diseases 1.
Everybody in this country has the right to choose a doctor. We can choose state or private doctors. All our citizens (občané) are covered by health insurance [in ˡšuərəns]. Employers pay insurance for their employees, private people must pay for their insurance themselves and the state pays insurance for children and retired [ri ˡtaiəd] people (důchodce).
Medical care in this country is provided (poskytována) from birth to death. Each school child is under medical supervision (pod lékařským dozorem) which means that he or she has to undergo (podstoupit) preventive medical and dental check-ups. Children often suffer from children’s diseases such as otitis [əu ˡtaitis] (zánět středního ucha), measles [mi:zlz] (spalničky), smallpox [smo:lpoks] (neštovice) or rubeola [rubiələ] (zarděnky).
My country 3.
My country 3.
South Bohemia is known for its large and numerous ponds. Fresh fish are farmed there, mostly carp. The Czech Republic has a large number of spas. Spa services have a long tradition. The most famous are Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Františkovy Lázně, Janské Lázně. Other important spas can be found in Moravia – e.g. Luhačovice.
Our country is rich in minerals. Black and brown coal, lignite, sand for glass-making etc are mined here. Most of the industry is traditionally located in the northern part of the country. Other industrial branches include metallurgy (Ostrava area), heavy machinery industry (Brno, Plzeň, Prague), petrochemicals (Litvínov, Ústí nad Labem) and the consumer industry – glass-making, costume jewellery. Czech beer and wine making have a long tradition and popularity both at home and abroad.
For agriculture and crop farming, lowlands are important. The largest Czech lowland is Polabská Lowland. In lowlands the following crops are grown: sugar beet, sunflowers, fruits and vegetables, barley and wheat.
On January 1st, 1993, the former Czechoslovakia split into two countries: The Czech Republic and The Slovak Republic. Both countries adopted new constitutions.
The head of the State of the Czech Republic is the President. He is elected for a four-year term. But the real power has the Parliament and the Government.
South Bohemia is known for its large and numerous ponds. Fresh fish are farmed there, mostly carp. The Czech Republic has a large number of spas. Spa services have a long tradition. The most famous are Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Františkovy Lázně, Janské Lázně. Other important spas can be found in Moravia – e.g. Luhačovice.
Our country is rich in minerals. Black and brown coal, lignite, sand for glass-making etc are mined here. Most of the industry is traditionally located in the northern part of the country. Other industrial branches include metallurgy (Ostrava area), heavy machinery industry (Brno, Plzeň, Prague), petrochemicals (Litvínov, Ústí nad Labem) and the consumer industry – glass-making, costume jewellery. Czech beer and wine making have a long tradition and popularity both at home and abroad.
For agriculture and crop farming, lowlands are important. The largest Czech lowland is Polabská Lowland. In lowlands the following crops are grown: sugar beet, sunflowers, fruits and vegetables, barley and wheat.
On January 1st, 1993, the former Czechoslovakia split into two countries: The Czech Republic and The Slovak Republic. Both countries adopted new constitutions.
The head of the State of the Czech Republic is the President. He is elected for a four-year term. But the real power has the Parliament and the Government.
My country 2.
My country 2.
The surface of our country is rather hilly. The western border is formed by the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory). In south there is the Bohemian Forest (Šumava) where we can find a lot of swamps (močály). It is known for its original virgin forest (pravý prales). There are a lot of old trees and bushes.
It is dangerous for tourists to walk there on their own. The highest mountains are the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše). There is also the highest peak in the Czech Republic – Sněžka – its height is 1,602 m. There are a lot of other mountains in our republic but I would like to talk about some very interesting places. I like sandy rocks (pískovcové skály) in Český ráj or stalactite caves (krápníkové jeskyně) in Moravský kras. The deepest abyss (propast), called Macocha, is 137 m deep. It is also situated in Moravský kras.
The Czech Republic has no sea but thanks to the Elbe and the Oder we can use the ports of the neigbouring countries (Germany and Poland). The Elbe has its source in the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše); the largest and most important tributary of the Elbe is the Vltava river. The river Morava and its tributary Dyje flow into the Danube (Dunaj), which flows into the Black Sea.
The surface of our country is rather hilly. The western border is formed by the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory). In south there is the Bohemian Forest (Šumava) where we can find a lot of swamps (močály). It is known for its original virgin forest (pravý prales). There are a lot of old trees and bushes.
It is dangerous for tourists to walk there on their own. The highest mountains are the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše). There is also the highest peak in the Czech Republic – Sněžka – its height is 1,602 m. There are a lot of other mountains in our republic but I would like to talk about some very interesting places. I like sandy rocks (pískovcové skály) in Český ráj or stalactite caves (krápníkové jeskyně) in Moravský kras. The deepest abyss (propast), called Macocha, is 137 m deep. It is also situated in Moravský kras.
The Czech Republic has no sea but thanks to the Elbe and the Oder we can use the ports of the neigbouring countries (Germany and Poland). The Elbe has its source in the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše); the largest and most important tributary of the Elbe is the Vltava river. The river Morava and its tributary Dyje flow into the Danube (Dunaj), which flows into the Black Sea.
My country 1.
My country
The Czech Republic is situated in Central Europe. It is said it lies in the heart of Europe. The Czech Republic is an inland country. Its area is 78,864 km² and it is located in the tem- perate climatic zone.
Our republic has four neighbours. In the north it borders on Poland and in the south on Austria.The shortest border is with Slovakia in the east and the longest with Germany in the west.
The Czech Republic has a population of about 10.3 million. Some inhabitants live in Bohemia, others in Moravia and some in Silesia. Besides Czechs, Moravians and Silesians, different national minorities live here as well.
There are Slovaks, Poles, Germans, Hungarians and Romanians. The capital of the Czech Republic is Prague. Its population is more than 1.2 million people.
Prague 3.
Prague 3.
The Prague Castle is the seat of president. We can find there many gothic, renaissance and baroque houses and palaces. The monumental complex of the castle includes three courtyards and over 700 rooms with the late Gothic Vladislav Hall and the newly redecorated Spanish Hall and Rudolf Gallery.
The most impressive building at the castle is St. Vitus Cathedral. The cathedral was projected by two big architects Petr Parléř and Matyáš z Arrasu. Next impressive building in the Prague castle is Basilica of St. George. In the castle we can find many palaces with gardens too. One of famous is Schwarzenberg Palace. The famous part of the castle is Golden Lane. During the reign of Rudolf II. a lot of tradesmen lived here in the small houses built into the castle walls.
Near the Prague castle is situated hill Petřín with the famous Observation Tower. On Petřín is the second biggest stadium of the world Strahov. We can find there Strahov Monastery too. It is a seat of a big library. The Lesser Town is one of most beautiful parts in Prague. There is St. Nicholas church here. It was built in baroque style.
Over the river Vltava, one of the most famous parts of Prague is the Old Town Square with an astronomical clock. Next famous square is St. Wenceslas Square - we call this square the centre of Prague. There are a lot of expensive and luxurious hotels and shops. In Prague we can find many historical buildings and speaking about them would be very long.
Prague 2.
Prague 2.
At the end of the 16th century Prague regained its cosmopolitan character again when it became the seat of Rudolf II. On November 8, 1620 the Czech estates rose up against the Habsburg and were defeated in the Battle of the White Mountain. A few months later, in 1621, 27 representatives of the uprising were executed in the Old Town Square. The Thirty Years War, recatholicization and germanization followed.
At the end of the 18th century Prague became centre of Czech cultural life when Czech scholars and writers began process of the national revival. In 1918 Prague was capital of the independent Czechoslovakia. In 1939 it was occupied by German troops and in 1942 severely persecuted after the assassination of the Nazi deputy protector Reinhard Heydrich. After the Prague Uprising against the fascists the town was liberated by the Russian army on 9th May, 1945.
The August occupation of Prague in 1968 stopped the democratic reforms in the country and began the process of normalization. On 17th November, 1989 the Velvet Revolution began democratic changes in our society. The whole process continued with the splitting of Czechoslovakia into two independent states. Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic.
At the end of the 16th century Prague regained its cosmopolitan character again when it became the seat of Rudolf II. On November 8, 1620 the Czech estates rose up against the Habsburg and were defeated in the Battle of the White Mountain. A few months later, in 1621, 27 representatives of the uprising were executed in the Old Town Square. The Thirty Years War, recatholicization and germanization followed.
At the end of the 18th century Prague became centre of Czech cultural life when Czech scholars and writers began process of the national revival. In 1918 Prague was capital of the independent Czechoslovakia. In 1939 it was occupied by German troops and in 1942 severely persecuted after the assassination of the Nazi deputy protector Reinhard Heydrich. After the Prague Uprising against the fascists the town was liberated by the Russian army on 9th May, 1945.
The August occupation of Prague in 1968 stopped the democratic reforms in the country and began the process of normalization. On 17th November, 1989 the Velvet Revolution began democratic changes in our society. The whole process continued with the splitting of Czechoslovakia into two independent states. Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic.
Prague 1.
Prague 1.
Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic, the seat of the President, Government and Parliament and the political, cultural and economic centre of the country. It spreads out on both banks of the river Vltava in the centre of Bohemia. It covers area about 500 km2 and it has 1.2 million inhabitants.
A legend connects the foundation of Prague with Princess Libuše.
In the 9th century Prince Bořivoj founded a castle above Vltava and it became the seat of the Princess. In next centuries Prague became the centre of the country.
Charles IV. (from Luxembourg dynasty) established an archbishop, founded Charles University and New Town and promoted the construction of Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral.
In the 15th century Prague became the centre of the Hussite movement. In 1420 Jan Žižka defeated crusaders on Vítkov hill.
Computers - HW 3.
Computers - HW 3.
9. How do computers help us?
Air traffic, railway traffic, ship traffic and military operations as well as complicated surgical operations can be hardly performed without use of computers. In factories - CAD (computer-aided design), CAE (computer-aided engineering), CAM (computer-aided manufacturing). In offices - Office pack serves for administrative work. In banks – to carry out complicated financial transactions at high speed. In sports - to record results of competitions, current positions of sportsmen / riders. Entertainment – games, song lyrics, music, animation. Communication – to connect people around the world (Internet, e-mail).
10. How can computers be misused?
Shooting and adventure games have a bad influence on children – they instruct them how to be aggressiveand violent. Computers can be misused by robbers to make illegal transactions of large amounts of money. By hackers who via Internet break into your computer, steal your personal data and misuse them, who produce computer viruses which can cause the collapse of big companies. By terrorists to plan & perform terrorist actions (the attack of Al Kaida on the World Trade Center).
11. What computer companies are most famous on the market?
IBM, Microsoft, AMD, Intel, Hewlett & Packard, Toshiba, Cannon, Epson…
12. How many bits can a microprocessor work with at a time?
8, 16, 32, 64 bits
13. What influences the performance of a computer?
The speed of its microprocessor.
9. How do computers help us?
Air traffic, railway traffic, ship traffic and military operations as well as complicated surgical operations can be hardly performed without use of computers. In factories - CAD (computer-aided design), CAE (computer-aided engineering), CAM (computer-aided manufacturing). In offices - Office pack serves for administrative work. In banks – to carry out complicated financial transactions at high speed. In sports - to record results of competitions, current positions of sportsmen / riders. Entertainment – games, song lyrics, music, animation. Communication – to connect people around the world (Internet, e-mail).
10. How can computers be misused?
Shooting and adventure games have a bad influence on children – they instruct them how to be aggressiveand violent. Computers can be misused by robbers to make illegal transactions of large amounts of money. By hackers who via Internet break into your computer, steal your personal data and misuse them, who produce computer viruses which can cause the collapse of big companies. By terrorists to plan & perform terrorist actions (the attack of Al Kaida on the World Trade Center).
11. What computer companies are most famous on the market?
IBM, Microsoft, AMD, Intel, Hewlett & Packard, Toshiba, Cannon, Epson…
12. How many bits can a microprocessor work with at a time?
8, 16, 32, 64 bits
13. What influences the performance of a computer?
The speed of its microprocessor.
Computers - HW 2.
Computers - HW 2.
6. What is the main memory used for?
The programs and data must be loaded into it in order to be processed. Thus, when the user runs an application, the microprocessor looks for it on secondary storage devices (disks) and transfers a copy of theapplication into the RAM area. RAM (random access memory) is temporary, it means that when the computer is turned off its information is lost. However, the ROM section (read only memory) is permanent andcontains instructions needed by the processor.
7. Can you add any boards to a modern computer?
Most of today’s computers have internal expansion slots that allow users to install adapters or expansion boards.
8. Do you know any peripherals?
Peripherals are physical units attached to the computer. They include:
(a) storage devices - such as floppy, hard or optical disks - provide a permanent storage for both data and programs,
(b) input devices - such as the mouse or the keyboard - enable data to go into the computer’s memory,
(c) output devices - such as monitor or printer - enable us to see the results of an operation in a written or printed form. Among peripherals also belong modems (for connecting to a phone line), fax machines, fax machines, scanners and other devices.
6. What is the main memory used for?
The programs and data must be loaded into it in order to be processed. Thus, when the user runs an application, the microprocessor looks for it on secondary storage devices (disks) and transfers a copy of theapplication into the RAM area. RAM (random access memory) is temporary, it means that when the computer is turned off its information is lost. However, the ROM section (read only memory) is permanent andcontains instructions needed by the processor.
7. Can you add any boards to a modern computer?
Most of today’s computers have internal expansion slots that allow users to install adapters or expansion boards.
8. Do you know any peripherals?
Peripherals are physical units attached to the computer. They include:
(a) storage devices - such as floppy, hard or optical disks - provide a permanent storage for both data and programs,
(b) input devices - such as the mouse or the keyboard - enable data to go into the computer’s memory,
(c) output devices - such as monitor or printer - enable us to see the results of an operation in a written or printed form. Among peripherals also belong modems (for connecting to a phone line), fax machines, fax machines, scanners and other devices.
Computers - HW 1.
Computers - HW 1.
1. What do computers do? (give 3 main functions)
Computers:
(1) accept data (data is fed into the memory)
(2) process the data (perform a set of instructions)
(3) give out the results of the processing on the screen or in a printed form
2. What does computer need for its performance?
(1) power
(2) software (SW) – information in the form of data and programs
(3) hardware (HW) – electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer system
3. What are the main electronic and mechanic parts?
CPU, main memory, peripherals
4. What is CPU?
The central processing unit is the “brain” or “heart” of a microcomputer. This unit is built into a single microprocessor chip – an integrated circuit – which executes program instructions and coordinates the activities of all other units. The unit consists of three main parts.
5. What 3 parts does CPU consist of?
(a) the control unit examines the instructions in the user’s program, interprets each instruction and activates all the components (disk drives, monitor etc) to execute the functions specified,
(b) the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs mathematical (such as +, - etc) and logical operations (and, or etc),
(c) the registers are high speed units of memory used to store and control information,
for example the program counter which keeps the track of the next information to be performed
in the main memory or the instruction register which holds the instruction that is currently being
executed.
Computers - Hardware 3.
Computers - Hardware 3.
The main memory (2) - also called the internal memory - holds the instructions and data which are currently being processed by the CPU. All the programs and data must be loaded into it in order to be processed.
Thus, when the user runs an application, the microprocessor looks for it on secondary storage devices (disks) and transfers a copy of the application into the RAM area. RAM (random access memory) is temporary, it means that when the computer is turned off its information is lost. However, the ROM (read only memory) is permanent and contains instructions needed by the processor.
The peripherals (3) are the physical units attached to the computer. They include: (a) storage devices - such as floppy, hard or optical disks - provide a permanent storage for both data
and programs, (b) input devices - such as the mouse or the keyboard - enable data to go into the computer’s memory, (c) output devices - such as monitor or printer - enable us to see the results of an operation in a written
or printed form. Among peripherals also belong modems (for connecting to a phone line),
fax machines, scanners and other devices.
The main memory (2) - also called the internal memory - holds the instructions and data which are currently being processed by the CPU. All the programs and data must be loaded into it in order to be processed.
Thus, when the user runs an application, the microprocessor looks for it on secondary storage devices (disks) and transfers a copy of the application into the RAM area. RAM (random access memory) is temporary, it means that when the computer is turned off its information is lost. However, the ROM (read only memory) is permanent and contains instructions needed by the processor.
The peripherals (3) are the physical units attached to the computer. They include: (a) storage devices - such as floppy, hard or optical disks - provide a permanent storage for both data
and programs, (b) input devices - such as the mouse or the keyboard - enable data to go into the computer’s memory, (c) output devices - such as monitor or printer - enable us to see the results of an operation in a written
or printed form. Among peripherals also belong modems (for connecting to a phone line),
fax machines, scanners and other devices.
Computers - Hardware 2.
Computers - Hardware 2.
A standard computer system consists of three main sections: (1) the central processing unit (CPU), (2) the main memory, and (3) the peripherals. All of this is set into the main board which consists of internal expansion slots – the expansion slots allow users to install adapters or expansion boards.
CPU (1) is the most influential component: its function is to execute program instructions and coordinate the activities of all the other units. It is the “brain” or “heart” of the computer. Central processing unit consists of three main parts:
(a) the control unit examines the instructions in the user’s program, interprets each instruction and activates all the components to execute the functions specified,
(b) the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs mathematical (such as +, - etc) and logical operations (and, or etc),
(c) the registers are high speed units of memory used to store and control information, for example the program counter which keeps the track of the next information to be performed in the main memory or the instruction register which holds the instruction that is currently being executed.
Computers - Hardware 1.
Computers - Hardware 1.
Computers have become part of our everyday life – we visit shops and offices which have been designed with the help of computers, we pay bills prepared by computers, we read magazines which have been processed by computers. Even phone calls or bank transactions use a sophisticated computer system.
It is possible to use computers for playing games – most people, especially young people want to play games at home and buy a computer for that reason. During last years, rapid advancement of computer and infor-mation technology took place, which in turn caused rapid development of nearly all fields of science and technology.
Computers are electronic machines which can (1) accept data in a certain form, (2) process the data and (3) give the results in a specified format as information. Three basic steps are involved in the process: (a) data is fed into a computer’s memory, (b) the computer performs a set of instructions and processes the data, (c) we can see the result on the screen or in a printed form.
The electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer are called hardware, while the information in the form of data and programs is called software.
Computers in general 4.
Computers in general 4.
Internet is one of the most interesting and most important contemporary media. It reminds of a spider web spread around the whole planet (therefore it is called world-wide web) which connects millions of computers of those people who want to join it. Via Internet it is possible to communicate with one or many people on the opposite side of the Earth at the same time, it is possible to use the Net (as it is sometimes called) for instant sending and receiving electronic mail (e-mail). E-mail is short for electronic mail. It is a personal connection to the Internet. It can include text, pictures or even audio or animation.
Internet is most widely used for looking up information. It can provide millions of pages on every possible topic you need to know something about. Internet can be used for entertainment: you can find there games, song lyrics or jokes. If you don’t know the exact address where to find some information, you can use special programs for searching addresses: Yahoo, Google, Alta-vista are mostly used abroad; Seznam, Centrum, Volny, Tiscali are mostly used in our country.
Internet is one of the most interesting and most important contemporary media. It reminds of a spider web spread around the whole planet (therefore it is called world-wide web) which connects millions of computers of those people who want to join it. Via Internet it is possible to communicate with one or many people on the opposite side of the Earth at the same time, it is possible to use the Net (as it is sometimes called) for instant sending and receiving electronic mail (e-mail). E-mail is short for electronic mail. It is a personal connection to the Internet. It can include text, pictures or even audio or animation.
Internet is most widely used for looking up information. It can provide millions of pages on every possible topic you need to know something about. Internet can be used for entertainment: you can find there games, song lyrics or jokes. If you don’t know the exact address where to find some information, you can use special programs for searching addresses: Yahoo, Google, Alta-vista are mostly used abroad; Seznam, Centrum, Volny, Tiscali are mostly used in our country.
Computers in general 3.
Computers in general 3.
The Microsoft story – Microsoft was founded in 1975 by two young men from Seattle (USA), Paul Allen and Bill Gates. Their first business was their BASIC programming language. During the following years Microsoft BASIC became a popular programming language for 8-bit personal computers. In the late seventies Microsoft was successful but still quite a small company of only a few people.
The breakthrough year was 1981 when Microsoft introduced their MS-DOS operating system on the IBM Personal Computer. The launch of Windows 3.0 in 1990 represented a completely new software approach on MS-DOS based computers. Since 1995 Windows has been a stand-alone operating system independent of MS-DOS. Bill Gates is without doubt a visionary who can perfectly foresee what users will need.
The Microsoft story – Microsoft was founded in 1975 by two young men from Seattle (USA), Paul Allen and Bill Gates. Their first business was their BASIC programming language. During the following years Microsoft BASIC became a popular programming language for 8-bit personal computers. In the late seventies Microsoft was successful but still quite a small company of only a few people.
The breakthrough year was 1981 when Microsoft introduced their MS-DOS operating system on the IBM Personal Computer. The launch of Windows 3.0 in 1990 represented a completely new software approach on MS-DOS based computers. Since 1995 Windows has been a stand-alone operating system independent of MS-DOS. Bill Gates is without doubt a visionary who can perfectly foresee what users will need.
Computers in general 2.
Computers in general 2.
A standard computer system consists of three main sections: (1) the central processing unit (CPU), (2) the main memory, (3) the peripherals.
Any computer has to perform a lot of basic tasks – work with disks, respond to mouse movements, display something on the screen or communicate with the printer. These fundamental tasks are performed by the operating system. It is probably the most important part. The user can operate a computer and use its programs only after the operation system has been recorded into it.
More sophisticated tasks like writing letters or plotting graphs are provided by applications (programs) running under the operating systems. In the short history of computers there have been many operating systems. The idea of Graphical User Interface (GUI - grafické uživatelské rozhraní - ikony, okna na ploše) was implemented in the 1970s. Although Microsoft Windows is the best known GUI operating system, it is not the best.
Some users prefer to work with Linux – a freeware version of the UNIX operating system. In the future, the operating systems will have new tasks. The keyboard will not be only device for entering texts – you will just speak into a microphone and the text will appear on the screen. Computers will be more flexible, more stable and easy to use, even for the man in the street.
Computers in general 1.
Computers in general 1.
Computers have become part of our everyday life – we visit shops and offices which have been designed with the help of computers, we pay bills prepared by computers, we read magazines which have been processed by computers. Even phone calls or bank transactions use a sophisticated computer system.
It is possible to use computers for playing games – most people, especially young people want to play games at home and buy a computer for that reason. During last years, rapid advancement of computer and infor- mation technology took place, which in turn caused rapid development of nearly all fields of science and technology.
Computers are electronic machines which can (1) accept data in a certain form, (2) process the data and (3) give the results on the screen or in a printed form.
The electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer are called hardware, while the information in the form of data and programs is called software.
Computers have become part of our everyday life – we visit shops and offices which have been designed with the help of computers, we pay bills prepared by computers, we read magazines which have been processed by computers. Even phone calls or bank transactions use a sophisticated computer system.
It is possible to use computers for playing games – most people, especially young people want to play games at home and buy a computer for that reason. During last years, rapid advancement of computer and infor- mation technology took place, which in turn caused rapid development of nearly all fields of science and technology.
Computers are electronic machines which can (1) accept data in a certain form, (2) process the data and (3) give the results on the screen or in a printed form.
The electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer are called hardware, while the information in the form of data and programs is called software.
Great Britain - Housing, English food
Great Britain
Housing
People in Britain prefer houses to flats, because they like privacy and independence. A typical English house has a front and back garden. It has two floors. On the ground floor there is a hall, toilet, kitchen, dining room and living-room. The bedrooms are on the second floor. There are three main types of houses in Britain. The cheapest ones are terraced houses. These houses are joined together in long rows.
The houses are often tiny and identical. The most popular type of house in Britain is a semidetached house. They can be found in suburbs. Much more expensive than a semi is a detached house with a garden all around it.
English food
Typical English meals for a day are cereals, toast and butter, a glass of juice and tea for workday breakfasts, fried bacon and eggs, sausages, fried tomatoes, toast and marmalade and many cups of tea or coffee on Sundays. Lunch is a lighter and quicker meal than in this country. The evening meal, dinner, is the main meal of the day.
Great Britain - Industry, Agriculture
Great Britain
Industry
Britain is the oldest industrial country in the world. Its industry is highly developed. It comprises heavy and light engineering, chemical and textile industry, electrical and electronical engineering etc.
The most important towns are Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. Scotland is famous for its whisky distilleries.
Agriculture
Farmers feed nearly two-thirds of Britain’s inhabitants.
Agricultural production includes cattle, sheep, poultry, wheat, barley and potatoes
Industry
Britain is the oldest industrial country in the world. Its industry is highly developed. It comprises heavy and light engineering, chemical and textile industry, electrical and electronical engineering etc.
The most important towns are Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. Scotland is famous for its whisky distilleries.
Agriculture
Farmers feed nearly two-thirds of Britain’s inhabitants.
Agricultural production includes cattle, sheep, poultry, wheat, barley and potatoes
Great Britain - Political division, Government
Great Britain
Political division
The British Isles are divided into two independent states – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
The UK consists of England
- the capital is London which is at the same time the capital of the UK, the political center of the British Commonwealth and one of the world’s banking and financial centers.
- Scotland – the capital is Edinburgh.
- Wales – the capital Cardiff is situated in an industrial area on the southern coast.
- The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.
The I r i s h R e p u b l i c is a selfgoverning country with Dublin as the capital.
The UK flag is officially called the Union Flag, but it is commonly known as the Union Jack.
Government
The UK is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the Queen Elisabeth II, but she has no real power, she performs traditional functions, her power is symbolical. The real power has the Parliament. It consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Cabinet is headed by the Prime Minister (at present Tony Blair). His seat is at 10 Downing Street.
Great Britain - Rivers and lakes, Climate
Great Britain
Rivers and lakes
British rivers are not very long, but they are deep. Britain is well provided with rivers. There are several important ports situated on the rivers – London on the Thames, Glasgow on the Clyde river, Liverpool on the Mersey. In the Scottish Highlands there are the largest lakes in Scotland Loch Lomond and Loch Ness (world-famous for its “Loch Ness Monster”). “Loch” means “lake” in Scottish language.
Climate
Britain has a mild climate. Winters are mild, summers are not very hot. March and June are the driest months, October to January the wettest. Britain’s climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream. It rains a lot and the grass is greener than in Central Europe. The average temperature is about 4 degrees in winter, 20 degrees in summer. Britain’s climate is very changeable.
Great Britain
Great Britain
The official name of Great Britain is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The British Isles consist of two large islands - Great Britain (comprising England, Wales, Scotland) and Ireland (comprising Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic) and more than five thousand smaller islands. They include the Isle of Man, Anglesey, the Hebrides, the Orkneys, the Shetlands and the Channel Islands.
The west coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, the east coast by the North Sea and the south coast by the English Channel. The Channel is very narrow. It is about 33 km wide.
The population of Great Britain is about 58 million people.
Great Britain can be divided into two main regions – Lowland Britain and Highlands Britain.
Lowland Britain lies in the south-east of England. Highlands Britain comprises the whole of Scotland, almost the whole of Wales and south-west of England. The Scottish Highlands with Ben Nevis are the highest mountains in the British Isles, in Wales the highest mountain is Snowdon. The Pennines /penainz/ occupy the central part of Northern England. They are called the Backbone of England.
Britain is a beautiful country with many places of interest, attractive countryside
Weather and seasons of the year - Winter, The weather in Britain
Weather and seasons of the year
Winter is the coldest season of the year. When the temperature is below zero everything is freezing. There is a lot of snow in the mountains. People like going to the mountains and skiing.
Rivers and lakes are frozen and children and young people like skating on the ice. There are some days when snow falls heavily all day. There are snow-drifts everywhere. Children are happy because they can pelt one another with snowballs, sled or make snowmen.
But the adults are often unhappy. It’s slippery in the streets and it is dangerous to drive a car. When the temperature is above zero, the snow begins to thaw. Then it is muddy
In Britain, the weather is very changeable. It rains a lot. But the sun often shines too. Winters can be fairly cold, with an average temperature of 4 ˚C (degrees Centigrade) and there is often snow.
Summers can be cool or warm, with an average temperature of 20 °. It is often cloudy, and sometimes there are grey skies for days or weeks. Days are long in summer and short in winter. There is sometimes fog, but not so often as foreigners think. British people never know what tomorrow’s weather will be like.
Winter is the coldest season of the year. When the temperature is below zero everything is freezing. There is a lot of snow in the mountains. People like going to the mountains and skiing.
Rivers and lakes are frozen and children and young people like skating on the ice. There are some days when snow falls heavily all day. There are snow-drifts everywhere. Children are happy because they can pelt one another with snowballs, sled or make snowmen.
But the adults are often unhappy. It’s slippery in the streets and it is dangerous to drive a car. When the temperature is above zero, the snow begins to thaw. Then it is muddy
In Britain, the weather is very changeable. It rains a lot. But the sun often shines too. Winters can be fairly cold, with an average temperature of 4 ˚C (degrees Centigrade) and there is often snow.
Summers can be cool or warm, with an average temperature of 20 °. It is often cloudy, and sometimes there are grey skies for days or weeks. Days are long in summer and short in winter. There is sometimes fog, but not so often as foreigners think. British people never know what tomorrow’s weather will be like.
Weather and seasons of the year - Summer, Autumn
Weather and seasons of the year
Summer is the warmest season of the year. The temperature is high above zero. It isn’t very rainy, therefore it is dry and there are sunny days. The days are longer and nights shorter than in winter.
In the morning it is often misty but the fog is falling during the day and the sun is shining. Suddenly a storm comes: it is windy, the sky gets dark, it is thundering and we can see light- nings. The rain is usually heavy but short.
Most people like the summer time. They can go to the seaside to spend their holidays there. Some of them like staying in a tent, at the cottage or at the swimming pool. Children needn’t go to school. Fruits ripen and at the end of summer there is a harvest.
Autumn (US = fall) is a season full of colours. The leaves get yellow, red and brown and fall down. The sun is rising later and setting sooner and therefore the days are shorter and nights are longer than in summer. The weather gets colder and it’s chilly. There are showers of heavy rains. It’s often misty all day long. People gather fruits and vegetables in their gardens. Farms harvest potatoes. Children enjoy flying a kite.
Summer is the warmest season of the year. The temperature is high above zero. It isn’t very rainy, therefore it is dry and there are sunny days. The days are longer and nights shorter than in winter.
In the morning it is often misty but the fog is falling during the day and the sun is shining. Suddenly a storm comes: it is windy, the sky gets dark, it is thundering and we can see light- nings. The rain is usually heavy but short.
Most people like the summer time. They can go to the seaside to spend their holidays there. Some of them like staying in a tent, at the cottage or at the swimming pool. Children needn’t go to school. Fruits ripen and at the end of summer there is a harvest.
Autumn (US = fall) is a season full of colours. The leaves get yellow, red and brown and fall down. The sun is rising later and setting sooner and therefore the days are shorter and nights are longer than in summer. The weather gets colder and it’s chilly. There are showers of heavy rains. It’s often misty all day long. People gather fruits and vegetables in their gardens. Farms harvest potatoes. Children enjoy flying a kite.
Weather and seasons of the year - Spring
Weather and seasons of the year
There are four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Spring
is a beautiful season. Many people think it is the most beautiful season of all. There are flowers in the meadows and in the gardens - everything is in blossom /blosəm/. Plants, trees and grass are green. Birds and beetles start flying and and small animals are born.
In spring the weather gets warmer. In March, however, there isn’t much sunshine and it often rains. In April the weather gets changeable. The sky is cloudless and suddenly becomes overcast and icy winds begin blowing. It looks like rain and after a while it’s raining cats and dogs. A few minutes later it is hailing.
It lasts only a short time and it clears up again. There is a rainbow in the sky. People take off their raincoats and close their umbrellas. In the streets there are puddles and a lot of mud. Those people who leave their umbrellas at home get wet through.
SPORTS AND GAMES C.
SPORTS AND GAMES C.
At the secondary school I attend, we have a beautiful new gym, so we can have PE lessons three times a week. This is how it goes: We get in our sport suit - a T-shirt, shorts and trainers. We start with stretching and warming up, to get our bodies flexible and ready.
It varies what kind of sports we do, sometimes we play ball games such as volleyball or basketball. I prefer doing gymnastics, such as forward and backward somersaults, in the ideal of an all-round developed person. The Olympics were renewed by Pierre de Coubertin about a hundred years ago and today as well as in ancient times they take place every four years. Since 1924 there have been two parts of the games - the winter part and the summer part. Now they alternate once every two years.
My favourite sport is...
At the secondary school I attend, we have a beautiful new gym, so we can have PE lessons three times a week. This is how it goes: We get in our sport suit - a T-shirt, shorts and trainers. We start with stretching and warming up, to get our bodies flexible and ready.
It varies what kind of sports we do, sometimes we play ball games such as volleyball or basketball. I prefer doing gymnastics, such as forward and backward somersaults, in the ideal of an all-round developed person. The Olympics were renewed by Pierre de Coubertin about a hundred years ago and today as well as in ancient times they take place every four years. Since 1924 there have been two parts of the games - the winter part and the summer part. Now they alternate once every two years.
My favourite sport is...
SPORTS AND GAMES B.
SPORTS AND GAMES B.
The games are usually all season activities, and they can be played both indoors and outdoors. The most numerous group of games are the ball games. Among them, football is the most widespread. As it is commonly known, in this collective game two teams of 11 members play with the ball on a grass playing ground called pitch.
The purpose is to kick the ball so as to get it into the opposite goal. Football is played all over the world. In America it is called soccer (derived from the name Association football). In our country, volleyball is very popular. It is played by two teams each with six players. It is played on a field or a beach and you need a ball and a net. The object of the game is not to let the ball touch the ground on our side, but to make the ball hit the ground on your opponent's side.
In our country ball games rank among the most popular ones. They include especially football, volleyball, basketball, handball, and tennis. Beside this ice hockey is played at a very high level too. Our country has produced many sportsmen who were successful in top international competitions.
In our town there are a lot of sports facilities available. We can visit the summer stadium, which serves as a track and football field, and the ice rink where we can skate. Next to the summer stadium a few tennis and volleyball courts and a handball playground can be found. For indoor activities there is a modern sports hall and several fitness centres around the town. The only fault is that we have no swimming pool yet. There is a ski-tow on a nearby hill for the down-hill skiers.
The games are usually all season activities, and they can be played both indoors and outdoors. The most numerous group of games are the ball games. Among them, football is the most widespread. As it is commonly known, in this collective game two teams of 11 members play with the ball on a grass playing ground called pitch.
The purpose is to kick the ball so as to get it into the opposite goal. Football is played all over the world. In America it is called soccer (derived from the name Association football). In our country, volleyball is very popular. It is played by two teams each with six players. It is played on a field or a beach and you need a ball and a net. The object of the game is not to let the ball touch the ground on our side, but to make the ball hit the ground on your opponent's side.
In our country ball games rank among the most popular ones. They include especially football, volleyball, basketball, handball, and tennis. Beside this ice hockey is played at a very high level too. Our country has produced many sportsmen who were successful in top international competitions.
In our town there are a lot of sports facilities available. We can visit the summer stadium, which serves as a track and football field, and the ice rink where we can skate. Next to the summer stadium a few tennis and volleyball courts and a handball playground can be found. For indoor activities there is a modern sports hall and several fitness centres around the town. The only fault is that we have no swimming pool yet. There is a ski-tow on a nearby hill for the down-hill skiers.
SPORTS AND GAMES A.
SPORTS AND GAMES A.
Sports are one of the most popular leisure time activities. Doing sports keeps us healthy, relaxed, as well as maintains our figure and strengthens our endurance. During sports events one can meet a lot of new people and see how it feels to be a winner or a loser.
Sports can be divided into two groups according to where they can be done. Indoor sports include for example gymnastics, table tennis, boxing, wrestling etc. On the other hand, outdoor sports are skiing (down-hill, cross-country, ski jump), sledding, hiking, rock climbing, horse riding, riding a mountain bike, golf, and some aquatic sports such as rowing or windsurfing.
However, most sports and almost all games can be done both indoors and outdoors. Meetings in all the track and fields events (sprints, middle and long distance runs, hurdling, high and long jump, pole vault, shot put, javelin and discus throw) take place in summer stadiums as well as in athletic halls. Also one of the healthiest sports, swimming, and figure skating do not actually demand a roofed room. One can easily recognize that those sports which can be done only on ice or snow (skating, skiing etc.) are winter sports whereas all the rest we call summer or all-season sports.
Sports and games 3.
Sports and games 3.
It is good to start our physical training (PT) when we are very young. Now, when we study at the specialized vocational school we have PT lessons twice a week. Before the lesson starts we change into sports wear, such as T-shirts, shorts and trainers in a dressing room, then we go to the gym, do a warm-up exercise and next we practise games or gymnastics.
Our gym is well equipped: we have got wallbars (ribstoly), horizontal bar (hrazda), parallel bars (bradla), beams (lavičky), rings (kruhy), vaulting horse (kůň), springboards (odrazové můstky), climbing rope (lano) and pole (tyč), balancing form (kladina), mats (žíněnky).
We can practise sports at playgrounds, sports halls, covered pools, stadiums, tennis courts, ice-rinks, gymnasiums, fitness centres.
I think that each of us can be a sportsman, but not everybody can be a good one. A good sportsman must be healthy and a non-smoker. He must listen to his coach, train very hard and should have a fair character.
It is good to start our physical training (PT) when we are very young. Now, when we study at the specialized vocational school we have PT lessons twice a week. Before the lesson starts we change into sports wear, such as T-shirts, shorts and trainers in a dressing room, then we go to the gym, do a warm-up exercise and next we practise games or gymnastics.
Our gym is well equipped: we have got wallbars (ribstoly), horizontal bar (hrazda), parallel bars (bradla), beams (lavičky), rings (kruhy), vaulting horse (kůň), springboards (odrazové můstky), climbing rope (lano) and pole (tyč), balancing form (kladina), mats (žíněnky).
We can practise sports at playgrounds, sports halls, covered pools, stadiums, tennis courts, ice-rinks, gymnasiums, fitness centres.
I think that each of us can be a sportsman, but not everybody can be a good one. A good sportsman must be healthy and a non-smoker. He must listen to his coach, train very hard and should have a fair character.
Sports and games 2.
Sports and games 2.
There are a lot of sports clubs (Manchester United, Arsenal) in Britain and the world’s biggest football stadium – the Wembley Arena.
The major sports events in Britain are:
Wimbledon (the Grand Tennis Tournament)
the British Open Golf Championship
the Grand National (horse.race steeplechase)
Rowing race between Oxford and Cambridge on the Thames
The Czech Republic has got many outstanding sportsmen who have achieved success abroad - in ice hockey, football, tennis, athletics and shooting (you can name some).
The most talented sportsmen take part in the Olympic Games. There are summer and winter olympic games and they take part every 4 years. The first Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece. A sports-man may obtain a title, a bronze, silver or gold medal.
Some other sports events are the World and European Championships and Cups in various sports.
There are a lot of sports clubs (Manchester United, Arsenal) in Britain and the world’s biggest football stadium – the Wembley Arena.
The major sports events in Britain are:
Wimbledon (the Grand Tennis Tournament)
the British Open Golf Championship
the Grand National (horse.race steeplechase)
Rowing race between Oxford and Cambridge on the Thames
The Czech Republic has got many outstanding sportsmen who have achieved success abroad - in ice hockey, football, tennis, athletics and shooting (you can name some).
The most talented sportsmen take part in the Olympic Games. There are summer and winter olympic games and they take part every 4 years. The first Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece. A sports-man may obtain a title, a bronze, silver or gold medal.
Some other sports events are the World and European Championships and Cups in various sports.
Sports and games 1.
Sports and games
Sports are very good for active relaxation as well as for our physical and mental health. There are lots of types of sports and games. We can practise outdoor or indoor sports.
Outdoor sports are as follows: golf, hiking, rock climbing, horse riding, riding a bike, parachuting, gliding, skateboarding, motor racing, running on short, mid-range and long tracks, obstacle course and the marathon.
Winter sports: skiing (cross-country, down-hill, slalom and ski-jump), bobsledding, toboganning and skating (speed skating, figure skating, roller skating).
Aquatic sports: water skiing, water polo, diving, swimming (breaststroke, backstroke, crawl, butterfly, free style), aquabelles, boating, rowing, sailing, canoeing, yachting, diving, windsurfing, fishing and rafting.
Indoor sports include: table tennis, boxing, wrestling, weight lifting, fencing, archery, body building, judo, yoga, shooting from rifles or crossbows, karate, gymnastics, chess.
Ball games may be practised both outdoor and indoor, athletics too (high and long jump, pole vault and javelin, discus and grenade throw and hurdling.
Ball games: tennis, table-tennis, squash, bowling, billiards, basketball, volleyball, handball, football (soccer in the USA), rugby, ice or field hockey, cricket. Many sports have their origin in Britain (rugby, hockey, cricket, darts, tennis, football, boxing), golf in Scotland, ice hockey in Canada.
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Sports and games 2.
Sports and games 3.
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Washington, D.C. - Places of Interest 2.
Washington, D.C. - Places of Interest 2.
Along the Mall you can find the densest concentration of museums in the world. The dominating is the Smithsonian Institution ⑦ which operates eight important museums (e.g. the National Air and Space Museum has exhibits about the history of flight, including spacecraft used by astronauts and the rocks they brought back from the moon).
On the other side of the Potomac River, there is the Pentagon ⑧, the largest single structure building in the world. This large pentagonal building houses the headquarters of the Department of Defense (23,000 employees work here!)
Not far from the Lincoln Memorial (also on the other side of the Potomac River), the Arlington National Cemetery ⑨ is located. It is the country’s most sacred burial ground. Soldiers buried at Arlington represent every war the US have fought. President John F. Kennedy is also buried here.
Pennsylvania Avenue ⑩ and Virginia Avenue ⑪ are a good example of the fact that major avenues are named after the individual states of the USA.
Washington is famous for its parks and green spaces. The most attractive parks are West and East Potomac Parks and Constitution Gardens.
Among many other theaters and concert halls the most famous is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ⑭ on the Riverfront.
Along the Mall you can find the densest concentration of museums in the world. The dominating is the Smithsonian Institution ⑦ which operates eight important museums (e.g. the National Air and Space Museum has exhibits about the history of flight, including spacecraft used by astronauts and the rocks they brought back from the moon).
On the other side of the Potomac River, there is the Pentagon ⑧, the largest single structure building in the world. This large pentagonal building houses the headquarters of the Department of Defense (23,000 employees work here!)
Not far from the Lincoln Memorial (also on the other side of the Potomac River), the Arlington National Cemetery ⑨ is located. It is the country’s most sacred burial ground. Soldiers buried at Arlington represent every war the US have fought. President John F. Kennedy is also buried here.
Pennsylvania Avenue ⑩ and Virginia Avenue ⑪ are a good example of the fact that major avenues are named after the individual states of the USA.
Washington is famous for its parks and green spaces. The most attractive parks are West and East Potomac Parks and Constitution Gardens.
Among many other theaters and concert halls the most famous is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ⑭ on the Riverfront.
Washington, D.C. - Places of Interest 1.
Washington, D.C. - Places of Interest 1.
Places of Interest
The White House ① has been the home of all American presidents except George Washington. The Capitol building ② is built along the eastern end of the Mall [mæl] (two miles’ tree-lined parklike area) on Capitol Hill. The building is topped by the bronze statue of Freedom which bears the words „E pluribus unum (Out of many one).
The Supreme Court is located directly accross the street from the Capitol – it houses the highest court in the USA.
The Library of Congress is the largest existing library (90 million items).
From the Capitol Hill you can look over the Mall to Lincoln Memorial ③. This memorial was built in honour of Abraham Lincoln, President who proclaimed the emancipation of slaves (1863). Inside the temple, there is a majestic white marble 20 ft statue of Abraham Lincoln seated in a chair.
East of the Lincoln Memorial stands Washington Monument ④. It is the city’s most famous landmark. It is dedicated to the memory of the first American President – George Washington. It is a white marble obelisk – the talllest structure in Washington – about 170 m high!
South of the Washington Monument, on the south shore of the Tidal Basin, is Jefferson Memorial ⑤. It commemorates the third US President. Encircled by a colonnade, there is a 19 ft bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson, holding the Declaration of Independence.
West of the White House stands George Washington University ⑥.
Places of Interest
The White House ① has been the home of all American presidents except George Washington. The Capitol building ② is built along the eastern end of the Mall [mæl] (two miles’ tree-lined parklike area) on Capitol Hill. The building is topped by the bronze statue of Freedom which bears the words „E pluribus unum (Out of many one).
The Supreme Court is located directly accross the street from the Capitol – it houses the highest court in the USA.
The Library of Congress is the largest existing library (90 million items).
From the Capitol Hill you can look over the Mall to Lincoln Memorial ③. This memorial was built in honour of Abraham Lincoln, President who proclaimed the emancipation of slaves (1863). Inside the temple, there is a majestic white marble 20 ft statue of Abraham Lincoln seated in a chair.
East of the Lincoln Memorial stands Washington Monument ④. It is the city’s most famous landmark. It is dedicated to the memory of the first American President – George Washington. It is a white marble obelisk – the talllest structure in Washington – about 170 m high!
South of the Washington Monument, on the south shore of the Tidal Basin, is Jefferson Memorial ⑤. It commemorates the third US President. Encircled by a colonnade, there is a 19 ft bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson, holding the Declaration of Independence.
West of the White House stands George Washington University ⑥.
Washington, D.C. - History
Washington, D.C
History
The site for the capital was chosen by George Washington, the first American President, and named after him. The capital was designed by the French architect Pierre L’Enfant in the late 18th century.
Although later several other architects participated in designing the city, L’Enfant’s original plan of the magnificant capital was always respected. The city was divided into four quandrants: Northwest NW, Southwest SW, Northeast NE and Southeast SE with the Capitol as the center. Streets and avenues were laid out on a grid scheme: the streets were numbered, the avenues were named after the states of the Union.
Washington became the seat of the Congress in 1800.The Height [hait] Buildings Act (1910) stated that no buildings could be higher than the Capitol, that is why you cannot see any skyscraper there.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington D.C. (D.C. means District of Columbia), the capital of the USA, is situated on the Potomac River about 90 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. (Columbia was a popular name given to the United States in the 18th century in honour of Christopher Columbus.) The Potomac River is too shallow to allow large cargo-carrying ships to enter the city, so Washigton never developed into a major port. Along the Potomac River, there are the most important buildings in the USA – the White House (residence of the American President), the Capitol (the seat of the Congress, having two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate) and the Pentagon (the headquarters of US military force).
Washington is the U.S. legislative, administrative and judicial center.
Washington has a population of about 700,000 (metropolitan area almost 4 millions). The racial mix of the city is roughly 70 per cent black and 30 per cent white.
There are no factories and industry in Washington and that is why the city looks so clean and nice. Because a large part of the population is employed by the Federal Government, Washington is also called a white-collar city.
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