Témata pro ústní maturitní zkoušku z ANJ

1. Family Life, my Autobiography
Members of my family, my relatives, my grandparents (their jobs, interests, looks and personalities).
Speaking about myself (where and when you were born, education, hobbies), my daily programme, my weekend and holidays.
My plans for the future.

2. Culture in my Life, Lifestyles, Image
Culture in your life. Cultural facilities in your town.
Going to the cinema. Music you listen to. Your favourite musician or singer. Dances.
Describe your visit to the theatre or cinema. What kind of performances can you see at the theatre?
Architectural styles – visiting chateaus, castles, museums.
Seasonal clothing, casual x formal. School uniforms or not.

3. Brno – the Centre of Moravia
Location, dominants, castle Spilberk and other sights, museums, galleries, theatres, industry in Brno, the Brno Reservoir, Masaryk racetrack , opportunities for recreation and sports, describing a part of Brno where you live, if not, comparing with your place.

4. Housing
Housing in Britain, housing in my country.
Living in the country, living in the town.
My home, my room. Things I do at home. Household tasks.
What is your idea of pleasant, comfortable living?

5. Media
Where can you get news and information?
TV, the importance of TV, harmful effects of TV on viewers, types of programmes, channels. What programmes are you interested in? Why?
Newspapers and magazines. What sections do newspapers contain? British newspapers (tabloids,broadsheets). What newspapers and magazines do you subscribe to or buy?
What newspapers and magazines are the most popular in your country? What magazines do teenagers read?
Cinema. Information on the Internet.

6. Some Facts from AmericanHistory
First people in America. First Europeans in America. The Pilgrim Fathers.
The Boston Tea Party. The War of Independence.
The Civil War. Abraham Lincoln. The Emancipation Proclamation. Racism.
The United States in the 20th century.Some American presidents.

7. Hobbies and Free time
Collecting, exchanging things
Outdoor hobbies
Indoor hobbies
Typical hobbies for women and men
Hobbies for small children and older people
Passive x active hobbies
Reasons for hobbies

8. London and Great Britain
Geography -location, countryside, rivers, lakes, climate.
Division of GB
London and other important places in GB
Have you ever been to GB? Would you like to go there? Where? Why?

9. Travelling
Reasons for travelling.
Advantages and disadvantages of travelling.
Different means of transport. What can travel agencies arrange for you?
What do you need when going abroad?
Where can you find accommodation? What kinds of luggage can you use for travelling?
Your longest or most memorable journey. What countries have you been to? What countries would you like to see and why? Where are you going on holiday this summer?

10. Motorway Traffic and the Car
Advantages x disadvantages of motorway
What is necessary to dowhen you want to drive off
Maintenance of the car
Documents for driving
Types of car
Traffic signs
Exterior and interior parts of a car
Car(s) in your family
Possibilities of reducing traffic, how to avoid traffic jams.

11. Sports and Games
Why are sports and games important for people?
Indoor and outdoor sports. Summer and winter sports.
What sports can be practised all the year round?
What sports are popular in your country, Great Britain and in the U.S.A.?
What sports facilities are there in your town?
Describe your lessons of physical education.
My attitude to sports.
The Olympic Games.

12. Weather, Climate, Seasons of the Year
Describe four seasons of the year, the season you prefer and why.
How does the weather influence your mood?
Name some flowers, trees, birds.
What do people wear in different seasons? What activities do they do?
Describe today’s weather .
Natural disasters.

13. The English-Speaking Countries (Canada, Australia and NZ)
Some English speaking countries, location, oceans, mountains, rivers, lakes, the British Commonwealth of Nations.
Climate, population, national economy.
Plants and animals, tourist attractions.
The places you would like to visit.

14. The Czech Republic + Prague
Over the map of the Czech Republic-geography. Industry, agriculture, climate.
Some places of interest (Prague, Brno, spas, castles, mountains,.....).
My favourite place, places for holidays

15. Social Issues
Homelessness. Reasons why people become homeless. How can we help them?
Drug abuse. Why do people start taking drugs? Why are drugs dangerous?
How can we help drug addicts?
Bullying. Who are bullies and how do they bully their victims?
Charities. Who do charity organizations help? How do charities raise money? Do you know any charity organizations? How can we help people in the third world countries?
Racial discrimination.
Reasons for emigrating.

16. Books and Reading
Why do people read? What sort of literature do people read?
What sort of books are you interested in?
Some British writers-the Middle Ages ( Beowulf), the Renaissance (Chaucer, Shakespeare),17th and 18th centuries (Milton, Fielding, Defoe, Swift, Scott),Victorian Age, 20th century, and American writers (Poe, London, Twain, Hemingway, Francis Scott Fitzgerald....).

17. Sightseeing in New York and in the USA
Over the map (industry, agriculture, rivers, lakes, climate, population, languages).
Points of interests.
Cities and towns; New York, Washington.
The places you would like to visit.

18. Shopping and Services
The names of some specialized shops and what they sell there.
Different types of shops, the „serve-yourself“ system.
Czech shopping habits, shopping possibilities in your town.
What goods can a foreign visitor to your country buy as a souvenir?
What do you like and hate about shopping?
Adverts.
Banks. Possibilities of paying.
Kinds of money.
Bargaining, sales.
Post offices. Writing and posting a letter. Formal and informal letters.

19. Health and Diseases
Describe your visit to the doctor.
What diseases do most people suffer from?
What diseases do children suffer from?
Specialist doctors. Some incurable diseases. Giving first aid.
The ways of keeping fit.
The human body.

20. Jobs and Professions. My Future Career
Tools, machines and processes. Describeschool workshops. Workshop at home or only a toolbox ? Summer and weekend jobs. How can you get a job? Describe a job interview.
Name some jobs and professions. Working hours. Job centres.
What do you think are well-paid jobs and badly paid jobs? What are prospective jobs?
What do you expect from your future career?
What would you never like to do, what would you like to do? Why?
My parents' jobs.

21. Festivals and Traditions
Some British festivals. New Year´s Eve, St.Valentine´s Day (Feb.14), Easter,Guy Fawkes Night
(Nov.5),Christmas.Christmas in your country.
Some American festivals. Memorial Day(May.30), Independence Day (July 4), Columbus Day
(Oct.12), Thanksgiving Day(4th Thursday in Nov.), Halloween(Oct.31).

22. System of Education in Our Country, Great Britain and the U.S.A.
Education in the Czech Republic – pre-school, primary, secondary and university education,
compulsory and optional subjects, exams.
My school, my lessons, my class, my schoolmates.
My future studies, my future career.
Education in Britain-schools, exams, universities.

23. Food and Meals
Czech and British meals. My eating habits.
What British and Czech people eat at Christmas.
How to keep fit. What food should you avoid? Why?
What meals do you like? What can you cook?
Name some kinds of meat, fruit and vegetables.
Your kitchen equipment.

24. Modern Science and Technologies
Interesting discoveries in the history ( Newton, Faraday, Pasteur, Edison...)
Nobel Prize
Computers (Internet, e-mail, e-learning, e-shopping).
Tomorrow's World (Prediction about future).
Mobile phones and their capabilities.
Space shuttles and rockets.

25. Nature and Environmental Protection
Air population, acid rain. How can the problems of air pollution be solved?
Rain forests. Why are trees and plants important?
The greenhouse effect.
Water pollution. Waste.
Animals in dangers. National parks and nature reserves.
Things we should do and things we shouldn’t do to protect our planet.
How do you try to be “green“ (friendly) to the environment?

Food and meals - Right nutrition is important for the healthy and beautiful body.

    Right nutrition is important for the healthy and beautiful body. We should eat food where are lots of vitamins and mineral elements, but we should avoid too much sugar and fat. Healthy food includes for example brown sugar, wholemeal bread, fruit or vegetable. Today there are many shops with healthy food and ingredients and in the supermarkets we can find fresh fruit and vegetable all over the year.
    People usually eat three times a day . When we eat something between the meals it's called a snack.
   The day normally starts with breakfast. We usually have a quick breakfast - a slice of bread or a breadroll with butter, margarine or some spread, sometimes also cheese or ham, and a cup of tea, coffee, milk or cocoa, or just a glass of juice. The British people like ham and eggs for breakfast or some slices of buttered toast with some jam or honey. Porridge, musli or cornflakes with milk are also popular. They like to drink strong tea with milk not only for breakfast, but also during the day.
    In the Czech Republic, people prefer having their main meal at noon, while the British eat just a light meal at midday and they call it lunch. It often consists of some sandwiches, filled with cheese, ham and vegetables. Our midday meal, however, is the main meal of the day and it is called dinner (the British usually have it in the evening). It usually starts with some soup, which is followed by the main dish. Our national Czech dish is dumplings with pork and cabbage. We also like Wiener schnitzel, which is pork coated with flour, egg and breadcrumbs and fried in oil, with potatoes or potato salad. Beef is usually served with some sauce - tomato sauce or cream vegetable sauce. Another popular dish is fried cheese with tartar sauce. To be more healthy, we should eat more chicken, fish and other seafood instead of pork, beef and mutton. Our most popular fish is carp at Christmas and trout. Meat should always be lean and eaten together with some vegetable - for example carrots, peas, beans, lettuce, cauliflower, beetroot and so on.
    After the main dish there can be a dessert - a cake or other sweets, stewed fruit, ice-cream or sundae - and a drink - lemonade, fruit juice, mineral water, beer or wine, if we celebrate something.
    In the evening we eat supper which is usually a light meal - some bread, sausages or vegetable salad.
    If people are in a hurry and they are hungry, they can buy some takeway food  at a fast food shop in the street - pizza, hamburger, hot-dog, grilled chicken. In Britain are popular fish and chips.
    When we celebrate something or we would like to taste some special meal, we can go to a restaurant. There are helpful waiters and waitresses who serve us at the table. We can choose from a variety of meals, but it can be quite expensive. Chinese, Indian and Greek restaurants are very popular and they offer delicious spicy dishes.
    Meals are generally prepared by women. Women like to cook, exchange recipes and buy cookery books. The majority of men don't like to cook but they like to eat good food. There is a proverb:” The way to a man's heart is through his stomach”. But some men can also cook very well and they are chefs in good restaurants. There are different ways how to prepare food - meat can be roasted, fried, boiled, stewed, grilled or smoked, but pastry is baked. We need many things for preparing and eating the meal - they are cutlery (spoons, forks and knives), wooden spoons, glasses, cups, plates, pans, casseroles and many others.

 What do you like to eat during the day? What are your favourite meals? Do you like fast food?
 Can you cook?
 Do you often go to a restaurant?


nutrition výživa lean libový
avoid vyhnout se peas hrášek
fat tuk beans fazole
wholemeal celozrnný lettuce hlávkový salát
fresh èerstvý cauliflower kvìták
snack svaèina beetroot èervená øepa
slice krajíc stewed fruit kompot
breadroll rohlík sundae zmrzlinový pohár
spread pomazánka; rozetøít sausages párky
ham šunka waiter èíšník
porridge ovesná kaše delicious chutný, lahodný
noon poledne spicy koøenìný
soup polévka recipe recept
dish chod (jídla) cookery book kuchaøská kniha
dumplings knedlíky proverb pøísloví
cabbage zelí stomach žaludek
schnitzel øízek chef šéfkuchaø
coated obalený roast péci (maso)
flour mouka fry smažit
breadcrumbs strouhanka boil vaøit
sauce omáèka stew dusit (maso)
cream smetana smoke udit
pork vepøové pastry peèivo
beef hovìzí bake péci (peèivo)
mutton skopové cutlery - spoon, fork, knife pøíbor - lžíce, vidlièka, nùž
carp kapr wooden spoon vaøeèka
trout pstruh plate talíø
pan; casserole pánev; hrnec

19 System of education in our country - The Czech Republic, Great Britain and the USA

The Czech Republic
     In our country, education is compulsory for all children from the age of 6 to 15. There are also some pre-school institutions: cr?ches for little children up to 3 years, then nurseries or kindergartens, where the children can play with toys, sing or go for a walk.
     At the age of 6 the child starts to attend primary school.(also basic or elementary school). From 1st to 5th class there is only one teacher for all subjects and the pupils learn reading, writing, counting, drawing and so on. They have few subjects and short lessons. From 6th to 9th class the pupils have more subjects and usually different teachers for different subjects. They learn Czech language, Maths, foreign languages (English, German, French, Russian), Geography, History, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physical education and others. After finishing basic school, the children take the entrance exams to secondary schools.
     It can be a secondary grammar school (“gymnázium”) for students who want to study at university or a secondary school with technical or commercial specialization. After four years at a secondary school (usually at the age of 19), the students take the leaving examination in 4-5 subjects (one of them is usually optional). Most of these exams consist of written and oral parts. The leaving exams of students at the Technical Secondary School of Engineering must be taken in engineering technology or machine construction and operation - students with specialization of general engineering have both subjects, the others have different subject according to their specialization (for example information systems). The next two subjects are Czech language and literature, and then mathematics or foreign language. The future secretaries in engineering have economics and accounting.
    After secondary school students can apply for university and they must take entrance exams for university they want to study. In Brno there is the Technical University of Brno and Masaryk University which has many faculties - for example the Faculty of Art, the Faculty of Science, Medicine, Law and so on. The oldest university in the Czech Republic is Charles University in Prague founded in the 14th century.
The USA
    In the USA education is under control of each state and there are variations in different states. Most 14-year-old children move from elementary school to high school (synonym for our secondary school). After passing graduation exams (mostly written) at the age of 18 they get High School Diplomas. Before applying for a university, the students from low-standard schools can go to junior colleges, which prepare them for entrance exams required by colleges (these provide courses which lead only to Bachelor Degrees) or universities (courses leading to both Bachelor and higher degrees). The oldest university is Harvard near Boston, founded in 1636. American colleges and universities compete in sports and provide good conditions (and scholarships) for good sportsmen (athletes, football players and others). Private schools and universities are very expensive and many students work during their studies to pay for their education.
Great Britain
    At the age of 11, the children go to a secondary school. It may be a grammar school, which is selective, or many more secondary schools are comprehensive - providing general education in 3 basic subjects (English, mathematics and science), and 7 other subjects. Comprehensive schools are non-selective (they are no entrance tests), and mostly free of charge (students don't have to pay for it). There are also some so called public schools which are private (that's why expensive) and have a good reputation - for example Eton.
    Students can leave school at 16 when they take leaving exam and they get General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). Those who want to continue at university usually stay at their secondary school until 18 and they take Advanced level exams (“A” levels). There are 47 universities in Great Britain, the oldest ones are Oxford and Cambridge.

 Describe our school and equipment in the classrooms. Which subjects are taught at our school?
 What would you like to do after your leaving exam?

compulsory povinný pass the exam projít zkouškou
crech?s jesle require vyžadovat
nursery; kindergarten mateøská škola conditions podmínky
attend navštìvovat (školu) scholarship stipendium
take the exam dìlat zkoušku subject školní pøedmìt
entrance exam pøijímací zkouška comprehensive school brit. všeobecná støední škola
leaving exam maturitní zkouška public school brit. soukromá støední škola
apply for pøihlásit se na free of charge zdarma

Public holidays in English-speaking countries

    Every country has its typical holiday when some memorable event is celebrated. Then there are some holidays which are celebrated all over the world - for example Christmas or Easter. These two are religious festivals celebrated mainly by Christians.
    Christmas is celebrated in December. It is the celebration of Christ's birth, but also a family holiday. On Christmas Eve (Dec 24) people in the Czech Republic usually give presents to one another. This is not the same in Great Britain where people only decorate the Christmas tree on 24th December but they get presents on 25th December (Christmas Day). They believe that Father Christmas (in the USA it's Santa Claus) comes down the chimney the previous night and puts the presents under the Christmas tree. Father Christmas wears a red suit and rides a sleigh with four reindeer. On Christmas Eve, he sets out from the North Pole and visits children's homes. He goes down the chimney and leaves presents in the stockings that children hang up at their beds. So children in Great Britain open their presents on Christmas Day in the morning. At noon families have their traditional Christmas dinner - roast turkey and Christmas pudding. They also sing carols - such as Jingle Bells or Silent Night. In the Czech republic, however, the traditional Christmas dinner is carp (or another fish) with potato salad.
    Easter is a symbol of spring and new life. Christians remember Christ's death and his return to life. The traditional symbol of Easter is the Easter egg. In Britain, the eggs are usually made of chocolate and are given to friends and relatives on Easter Sunday. In the USA, many homes organize Easter egg hunt - children look for hard-boiled eggs hidden around the house.
    New Year's Eve is the night of merry-making all over the world. People make New Year's resolutions but they rarely keep them. In Scotland, they have family parties and at twelve o'clock they sing “Auld Lang Syne”. They call the last day of the year Hogmanay and the first visitor on New Year brings good luck.
    Halloween is celebrated both in Great Britain and in the USA. This day, October 31st, is a night of traditional fun and games. Children wear masks and they dress up in costumes of ghosts and witches. They go from house to house with pumpkin lanterns. They knock the doors and say: “Trick or treat”. They want to get some treat -  some sweets or money, or they can play some trick on a person - for example ring the bell and run away. This pagan holiday marks the beginning of winter.
    Saint Valentine's Day is not a public holiday, but it's a special day for people who are in love. People send greeting cards called Valentines to people they like or admire. Or people give gifts to one another. This holiday is celebrated on 14th February.
     Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated only in Great Britain and it is also called Bonfire Night. A figure of a guy is put on a bonfire and then it's burnt. There are also a lot of fireworks. This holiday commemorates November 5, 1605, when Guy Fawkes wanted to blow up the Parliament with gunpowder. But he was found in the cellar and he was executed.
     Saint Patrick's Day  is celebrated in Ireland and in the USA, where many Irish people imigrated in 19th century. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland because he brought Christianity to this country. On his holiday people make parades in the cities and they drink a lot of whisky.
    In the USA, there are some more special holidays:
Independence Day is the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, celebrated on July 4th.
Thanksgiving Day remembers the first settlers in the USA, the Pilgrim Fathers, who came to America in 1620. They survived their first winter thanks to the Indians and so they celebrated thanksgiving together. Today it's a family holiday. The whole family goes together and they enjoy a traditional dinner which is roast turkey. They speak about the things for which they are thankful. This is the day of gifts and food for poor people.




public holiday státní svátek pumpkin lantern dýòová lucerna
memorable památný knock klepat
event událost pagan pohanský; pohan
celebrate oslavovat admire obdivovat
religious náboženský one another navzájem
decorate zdobit guy chlapec
chimney komín bonfire vatra
previous pøedchozí burn, burnt, burnt pálit; shoøet
sleigh spøežení firework ohòostroj
reindeer sob commemorate pøipomínat
stockings punèochy blow up vyhodit (do vzduchu)
hang up (hung, hung) viset gunpowder støelný prach
carols koledy cellar sklep; sklepení
carp kapr executed popraven
relatives pøíbuzní anniversary výroèí
hunt lovit;lov settler osadník
hard-boiled natvrdo uvaøený survive pøežít
merry veselý thanksgiving díkùvzdání
resolution pøedsevzetí together spoleènì
rarely zøídka whole celý
ghost duch roast turkey peèený krocan
witch èarodìjnice thankful vdìèný

Social Issues = Today’s world has many big problems: wars, terrorism, global warming, serious diseases.

Social Issues

Today’s world has many big problems: wars, terrorism, global warming, serious diseases. There are also “smaller” problems of our everyday lives: social problems, problems of the society in which we live.

Drug abuse and addiction
Drugs have become a big problem of the last decades as their abuse spreads, especially among young people. The most common drugs are e.g. marijuana (ganja), heroin, LSD, cocaine, crack or ecstasy. Drugs are dangerous because you can become addict very soon, sometimes even after a few uses. An addict person will do anything to get money for a dose and usually cannot get rid of his addiction by himself. Addict people also risk many diseases, such as AIDS or hepatitis, which are transmitted by blood.
The drug addicts can find help in specialized centres, where they can get advice and support, or at least clean needles. For those who don’t want to come to the centres there are streetworkers who come among them and try to persuade them to look for help.
Alcohol and nicotine are also drugs and their biggest danger is in the fact that they are considered “normal” and people are not afraid to try them. It has become a fashion trend to smoke and drink a lot of alcohol among teenagers, who develop addiction most easily. Another type of addiction is gambling.
The worst aspect of any addiction is that it ruins not only the life of the addict person but also of their families. The use of drugs also leads to higher criminality and the sale of drugs often supports organized crime.

Homelessness
Sometimes people find themselves in a difficult situation, they lose their job and home and they live in the streets, under bridges or in old cars. Some of them are alcoholics or drug addicts but many are also mentally ill and there is no one to take care of them. Homeless people’s life is not easy, they risk many diseases because of bad hygiene or they may become victims of crime or cold. They can find some help in hostels led by Salvation Army or other charity organisations where they can get some food and stay overnight for a symbolic price.

Clash of Cultures
As the world is getting more and more global, people often move from country to country. The immigrants are suddenly in a totally different cultural environment and there is a strong pressure on them to accept new values. The idea of multiculturalism means that people from different countries and cultural backgrounds should be able to keep their customs. However, this often leads to total separation from the majority society and creation of ghettos where immigrants don’t have any contact with the language or culture and never become a real part of their new home country. On the other hand, there are also immigrants who don’t want to be integrated in the society; both cases usually lead to a number of problems and even violence.
Most people leave their own countries for economic reasons, especially in the third world – they cannot find good jobs and earn enough money to support their families. Sometimes their conditions are worsened by natural disasters, such as drought or floods. Another reason is politics, in many countries people with different political opinions are discriminated. There are also refugees who escape from war or civil war.


Racial discrimination.
Racism is mostly product of prejudice and xenophobia, the fear of strangers because they look or behave differently. It is everyone’s problem to learn to judge people not by their looks but by their actions and character. Sometimes the accusation of racism serves only as a cover-up for people who can’t or don’t want to cope with cultural differences or to find a compromise between the new and the old society.

Bullying
It is not only the “adult” world but also the world of children and students, which suffers from social problems. A bully is somebody who teases and tortures others, usually the weakest in the class, verbally or physically. The bully is not alone; he has a group of friends who support him, and the bullying takes place with the silent consent of the rest of the class.
Bullying by colleagues at work is called mobbing, and if it is done by the boss, we call it bossing.

Charities
These are voluntary organisations which help people in need. “Voluntary” means that people work without getting any money, in their free time. There are many things you can do for charity – you can assist in children’s homes, help old and helpless people, be a voluntary fireman, raise money for charity (e.g. sell white pencils to help the blind, bricks for houses without barriers, sunflowers to fight cancer etc.), clean up parks and woods, or you can go abroad and build schools and hospitals in underdeveloped countries or help victims of natural disasters. If you don’t feel like doing charity work yourself, you can always donate money.
The most famous international charity organisation is the Salvation Army, which helps the poor and the homeless. Other well-known organisations in the Czech Republic which help worldwide are Adra or People in Need, they e.g. organised help to people in Asia after the tsunami.
There are also charity foundations organised by famous people, e.g. Tereza Maxová Foundation, which helps orphaned children.

abuse zneužívání flood záplavy
addict závislý refugee uprchlík
dose dávka civil war občanská válka
get rid of zbavit se prejudice předsudek
transmit přenášet behave chovat se
advice rada accusation obvinění
support podpora cover-up zástěrka
needle jehla cope vyrovnat se
gambling hráčství tease trápit
hostel ubytovna torture týrat
victim oběť consent souhlas
Salvation Army Armáda spásy underdeveloped rozvojový
accept přijmout donate darovat
values hodnoty People in Need Člověk v tísni
customs zvyky foundation nadace
drought sucho orphaned osiřelý

Science, technology and the environment

     In the history of mankind there have been many famous scientists and inventors. Important discoveries have been made in geography, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, astronomy and so on. There are many technical inventions which make our lives easier and which are necessary for modern life. For example electricity, engines, telephone, computers, Internet - we  can't imagine our lives without these things. And yet, several hundred years ago people didn't know them. So we should mention some important inventions and discoveries made by British and American inventors.
     Isaac Newton (1641-1727) was a mathematician, physicist and an astronomer. He is known for his laws of motion, the idea of gravity and for his experiments with light. It is said that he saw a falling apple and then the idea of gravity came to his mind.
     Michael Faraday is called “the father of modern electricity”. He discovered electromagnetic rotation (it is the basis of every generator used today) and the first dynamo - it is a generator that changes mechanical energy into electrical energy.
    James Watt was a Scottish engineer who improved the steam engine.
     Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and the gramophone.
   Sir Alexander Fleming is known as “the father of antibiotics” because he discovered penicilin. The production of penicilin started during World War II.
   Thomas Alva Edison was one of the greatest inventors in American history. He patented 1,300 inventions, for example the electric light bulb.
     The greatest inventors are awarded the Nobel prizes.  Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist who invented the dynamite and some other explosives. There was a fund established under his will. The distribution of prizes began in 1901 to those who brought greatest benefits to mankind in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. Winners receive their awards on December 10, which is the anniversary of Nobel's death. Also two Czechs got this prize - Jaroslav Heyrovský for his work in chemistry and Jaroslav Seifert for his beautiful poetry.
     When we speak about modern technologies and inventions, we should mention the use of computers. Computers are used for many things. We use them in the office, because we don't  need too many papers and the work is more effective. Computers are good for entertainment too - we can watch films, play computer games, listen to music, surf the Internet or send e-mails to our friends. The army uses computers for simulations of the war operations , for controlling the rockets and many other things. Computers are good in industry, for example for operating machines or for designing new products.
     Many people look for information on the Internet. The Internet is a source of information that is accessible through a computer. It consists of millions of pages of data about many different subjects. Millions of people surf the Internet every day. If we have the website address of the company or service that we want, we simply type it and the webpage that we want appears automatically on the screen. If we haven't got a particular website address, there are several directories that can help us such as AltaVista or Yahoo!.
     There are also other modern technologies that have been developed recently. Space shuttles, space stations and satellites are used in space exploration. Lasers (beams of highly concentrated light) are used in the production of all kinds of goods as well as in practical medicine and research. But many inventions have destructive effects - for example some weapons used in war or atomic bomb.



     Inventors have developped new technologies to protect our environment. They are for example waste disposal technologies, methods of recycling, new types of fuel and so on. We must protect our environment because it is badly damaged. The air, water and soil are contaminated by chemicals. One form of air pollution is acid rain that causes the destruction of forests. Car exhaust fumes and emissions from power stations pollute the air too. Other problem is thinning of the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the destructive ultraviolet rays. The ozone layer is damaged by chemicals produced by cars and factories. Our ecosystem is also threatened by global warming. Many animals are endangered and they may become extinct. They are killed for their fur or just for fun. The endangered animals are written in so called Red book.

 What do you use computer for? Have you got one at home?
 What do you think of the Greenpeace movement? Would you join them?
 How can you protect the environment in your neighbourhood?

mankind lidstvo recently v nedávné dobì
imagine pøedstavit si space shuttles vesmírné lodì
mention zmínit exploration prùzkum
inventors vynálezci beam paprsek
laws of motion zákony pohybu research výzkum
steam engine parostroj weapon zbraò
light bulb žárovka protect the environment chránit životní prostøedí
award ocenit (udìlit cenu) waste disposal odstraòování odpadu
established under his will ustanovena podle jeho poslední vùle fuel palivo
benefit pøínos air pollution zneèištìní vzduchu
receive obdržet acid rain kyselý d隝
anniversary výroèí cause zpùsobit
entertainment zábava exhaust fumes výfukové plyny
source zdroj power station elektrárna
accessible pøístupný ozone layer ozonová vrstva
consist of skládat se z ultraviolet rays UV paprsky
appear x disappear objevit se x zmizet threaten by ohrozit èím
screen obrazovka global warming globální oteplování
particular konkrétní; urèitý endangered animals ohrožená zvíøata
directory vyhledávaè extinct vyhynulý
develop vyvinout fur kožešina

Brno is the second biggest town in the Czech Republic and its population is about 400,000. It's a modern, industrial city, the seat of the Supreme Court

     Brno is the second biggest town in the Czech Republic and its population is about 400,000. It's a modern, industrial city, the seat of the Supreme Court and an important centre of education (Masaryk University and the Technical University of Brno). It is situated in South Moravia at the confluence of the rivers Svratka and Svitava. It has an international airport and it is also an important railway junction.
     The dominant of Brno is Petrov Hill with the monumental Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, which is the oldest church in Brno.The present neo-Gothic appearance comes from the 19th century. You can see the spires of the cathedral from a great distance.
     The Špilberk castle is situated in the centre of Brno on a hill next to Petrov. You can climb the hill and enjoy the view of Brno and its surroundings. The castle was built by the Czech king Pøemysl Otakar II. to protect the royal town of Brno. In the 17th century it became an important regional fortress and the Swedish army wasn't able to conquer it during the Thirty-Years' War. Then it was a prison for the people of the Habsburg Empire. Now there is a museum with many exhibitions, visitors can also explore the underground and in summer fireworks are launched from the Špilberk castle.
     In Brno there are many churches, monasteries and convents. In churches there are still ceremonies, but some of the monasteries and convents have been changed into museums, galleries or hospitals. The monastery next to the St. Thomas Church is now a place where are collections of the Moravian Gallery, and the Convent of St. Anna at Pekaøská street has been a hospital for a long time.
Many tourists visit the Old Townhall and the legendary Brno dragon (in fact, it is a crocodile). If you want to see the whole town, you can climb up the stairs of the look-out tower. The town council has its seat in the New Townhall at Dominican Square. Another attraction is the Capuchin crypt where more than one hundred mummies of capuchin monks can be seen.
     Brno's history is documented in many museums. The central building of the Moravian Museum is at Cabbage Market. An exhibition on the history of mankind can be seen in the Anthropos pavillion (there is for example  the stuffed mammoth). At the exhibition ground in Pisárky there are many exhibitions held during the year.
     In the evenings, people can go to theatres or cinemas. There are some well-known theatres in Brno, such as Janáèek Theatre or Mahen Theatre.
    Brno has a long industrial tradition. Engineering products are well-known all around the world and they are exhibited at the Brno International Engineering Trade Fair every year. The electrotechnical industry is also important. But some of the engineering factories in Brno have problems in present, so the situation in industry isn't what it used to be.
   Some old industrial parts of Brno are polluted, but the inhabitants of Brno have many opportunities for recreation and sports. There are many parks - the largest one is called Lužánky. Near this park is situated one of the most modern sport centres in our republic - the Boby centre. The most popular sports in Brno are football, ice-hockey, basketball or volleyball.
A popular place for recreation is the Brno Reservoir. Families like to visit the nearby zoo. Not far from the reservoir you can find the Masaryk racetrack, which every year tests the qualities of motorbike racers.


 Which part of Brno do you live in? What is it like there? What do you like and dislike in Brno?

population obyvatelstvo launch vystøelit (vzhùru)
the Supreme Court Nejvyšší soud monastery mužský klášter
education vzdìlání convent ženský klášter
confluence soutok townhall radnice
airport letištì whole celý
railway junction železnièní uzel look-out tower rozhledna, vyhlíd. vìž
church kostel town council mìstská rada
spire vìžièka monk; nun mnich; jeptiška
distance vzdálenost Cabbage Market Zelný trh
surround obklopovat stuffed mammoth vycpaný mamut
surroundings okolí engineering strojírenství, - ský
royal královský pollute zneèistit
fortress pevnost opportunity pøíležitost
conquer dobýt the Brno Reservoir Brnìnská pøehrada
the Habsburg Empire Habsburská monarchie racetrack závodní okruh
firework ohòostroj

Sports and games

Sport plays a very important role in people's lives. People do some sport to be in a good condition, to strenghten their body, to be more healthy or to keep slim. It can be a good way of relaxing to play some sport with friends, and sometimes also a great fun. When you do some sport activity, you concentrate on it and you forget your daily problems for a moment.
Let's speak about some typically summer sports, although some of them can be also practised indoors in winter.
    Light athletics is called the queen of sports and includes many disciplines. These are for example runs (marathon, relay race, hurdle race), jumps (long jump, high jump, triple jump, pole vault) and throws (discus, javelin throwing, shot put, hammer throw). Athletes can also compete in decathlon, which includes ten athletic disciplines. If you like jogging, it is in fact running for fun.
    Some people enjoy water sports. They like swimming in the swimming pool, in the lake or in the sea. We recognize several swimming styles - breaststroke, backstroke, crawl or butterfly stroke.
If you are more adventurous, you can try diving, surfing, windsurfing, water skiing, rafting or yachting. There are competitions in rowing or canoeing. Many young people like going down the river, sleeping under the tent and exploring the countryside around the river.
    Collective sports such as football, tennis, volleyball or football-tennis are traditional summer sports. We have our national football league and many people like to watch the football matches of their favourite teams. In football there are ten players and one goalkeeper in each team. A coach is very important in collective sports because he makes important decisions - about tactics, who will play on which position and he also guides the training. Some sportsmen have their own trainer (e.g. in tennis).
In winter  we can do skiing, skating, sledging or we can play ice-hockey. Skiing is represented by down-hill skiing (downhill race, slalom), cross-country skiing and ski jumping. Snowboarding is also a very popular winter sport. Skating includes figure skating or speed skating.
Ice-hockey is a very fast sport. Hockey players move on the ice-rink and they play with hockey sticks and a puck.
Typical indoor sport is gymnastics. It is practised in a gymnasium on various gymnastics apparatuses, such as a horizontal bar, parallel bars or a balance beam. In the gym you can also practise weightlifting and bodybuilding or some martial arts - for example boxing, fencing, judo, karate, wrestling and so on.
There are many outdoor sport activities. We can mention cycling, car racing, horse racing or some dangerous sports, for example rock climbing, bungee-jumping and parachuting.
The most popular sports in Britain are football, athletics, horse races, cricket or rugby.
There is a famous tennis tournament played in Wimbledon. In Great Britain we can find many golf fields. In this game competitors hit the ball with a club so that it would fall into a hole.
    For American people are the most attractive sports baseball, basketball or ice-hockey. There is National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Hockey League (NHL). In the game of baseball one player wears a leather glove and a face mask and the other holds a bat in his hands. The others are ready to run. In basketball there are five players in each team and they try to put the ball into the basket  which is installed on a backboard.
There are also some problems in the world of sport. For example aggressive fans at  the stadiums, bad injuries or deaths during competitions, some sportsmen take drugs to be stronger or to win the race. You can earn a lot of money if you are a good professional sportsman so taking drugs is a great temptation.
The biggest sport event are the Olympic games which are held every four years in winter and in summer. The Games were named after Olympia in Greece, where they were held in the ancient times. The first modern Olympic games were symbolically organized in Athens in 1896. The Olympic flag has five interlaced circles of different colours - it is a symbol of the friendship of all the races from  five continents.

strenghten posílit puck puk
athletics; athlete atletika; atlet gymnasium tìlocvièna
include zahrnovat horizontal bar hrazda
relay race štafeta parallel bars bradla
hurdle race bìh pøes pøekážky balance beam kladina
pole vault skok o tyèi weightlifting vzpírání
javelin throwing hod oštìpem bodybuilding posilování
shot put vrh koulí martial arts bojová umìní
compete, competition soutìžit; soutìž fencing šerm
recognize rozeznat, rozlišovat wrestling zápas
diving potápìní mention zmínit
rowing veslování horse racing dostihy
tent stan rock climbing horolezectví
explore prozkoumávat club golfová hùl
football-tennis nohejbal hole díra, jamka
match zápas leather glove kožená rukavice
goalkeeper brankáø hold, held, held držet; konat se
coach trenér mužstva bat baseballová pálka
trainer trenér fan fanoušek
sledging sáòkování stadium stadion
down-hill skiing sjezdové lyžování injury zranìní
cross-country skiing bìžkové lyžování temptation pokušení
figure skating krasobruslení event událost
speed skating rychlobruslení flag vlajka
ice-rink kluzištì interlaced propojený
hockey stick hokejka


 Which sports do you like to practise? What new sport would you like to learn?
 Do you watch sports on TV or do you go to the stadium to watch sport events?
 Are you a fan of any sport club or a team? Who is your sport hero – why do you admire him?

Motorway traffic and the car

     There are various ways of transport. One of them is going by car. Nowadays almost every family has got a car. We can mention several advantages of this means of transport. This way of travelling is quite comfortable and faster than going by train or by bus. We can go wherever we want. We can easily organize our shopping and other necessary things. Some people use the car to go to work. There is a wide range of services for motorists so when your car breaks down, help is nearby.
     But there are also a lot of disadvantages of motoring. The petrol is quite expensive especially if you go by car alone. The cars pollute the air in the towns (even if some cars have catalytic converters). Moreover, there are more and more accidents on the motorways. Cars are damaged, people are hurt or killed. Many young men drive very fast to show off and  they underestimate the danger of high speed. But the biggest disadvantage of motoring is that people become very lazy and they are fat because of lack of movement.
     If we want to drive a car, we need a driving licence. So we must attend a driving school  where we can practice driving and we'll also learn some traffic rules and traffic signs. In the beginning, people are taught to fasten their seat belts after getting into the car. When we want to drive off, we must turn the ignition key, press down the clutch and put the car in first gear with the gear lever. Then we must slowly release the clutch and press the accelerator. (Release the handbrake if necessary). We look into the mirror, turn on the indicator and drive off. If it is dark or foggy, we switch on the headlights. During the way we should watch all the indicators on the dashboard and hold the steering wheel comfortably. If we need to stop our car - for example before the traffic lights, when the light is red, we take our foot off the accelerator and press the footbrake and the clutch.
     We should know something about the maintenance of a car. We should sometimes wash it in the car wash. We should regularly check the lights, check the tyre pressure, change the oil, add distilled water in the radiator, add the window washing liquid, recharge the battery if it's flat and many other things. If there is any problem, we must take our car to the garage for service. We should have a spare wheel and a tool box in the boot, and of course, enough petrol in the tank. A first-aid kit is also necessary. For safe travelling it is good to have all-weather tyres to reduce the risk of skidding. Chains are useful in winter.
     It may happen that we puncture our tyre if we drive over broken glass or a nail. If the tyre is flat, we must change the wheel. It's a matter of about 10 minutes if we use a jack. We should make sure that the handbrake is on, loose the nuts with the spanner and then jack up the car. We take the wheel off, put the spare wheel on, tighten the nuts and we can drive off.
     If a policeman stops a driver, he probably wants to see his driving licence, registration card, certificate of title and comprehensive. But there can be also some problem, for example high speed or wrong parking, so the driver must pay a fine.
     There are many types of cars for different uses. For exploring the wild nature is necessary a jeep, for representation a limousine, for bigger family an estate car (a station wagon), for enjoying free ride a convertible, for sport fans a sports car and for transportation of heavy things a pick up.
     When we drive, we should follow the traffic signs. They are for example GIVE WAY(when we must stop and let the other cars pass), NO ENTRY (we mustn't go there), PEDESTRIAN CROSSING (where people cross the road), SPEED LIMIT (we shlould slow down), ONE-WAY STREET and many more.



pollute zneèistit radiator chladiè jack zvedák
catalytic converter katalyzátor recharge the battery dobít baterii nuts matky
show off pøedvádìt se garage servis spanner klíè (na matky)
underestimate podcenit spare wheel náhradní kolo tighten utáhnout
because of kvùli tool box box na náøadí driving licence øidièák
lack of nedostatek èeho petrol (US gas) benzín registration card malý technièák
movement pohyb tank nádrž certificate of title velký technièák
driving school autoškola first-aid kit lékárnièka comprehensive povinné ruèení
release uvolnit skidding smyk a fine pokuta
traffic lights semafor chains øetìzy an estate car kombi
maintenance údržba puncture propíchnutí a convertible kabriolet
car wash myèka pro auta nail høebík traffic signs dopravní znaèky
tyre pressure tlak v pneumatikách flat prázdný; plochý pedestrian crossing pøechod pro chodce
   You should be able to describe the parts of a car.(Match the  following words with the numbers on the picture).
EXTERIOR INTERIOR
aerial anténa accelerator pedál plynu
body karoserie footbrake brzdový pedál
bonnet kapota car radio autorádio
boot kufr clutch spojka
bumper nárazník dashboard palubní deska
door handle otvírání dveøí, klika driver's seat sedadlo øidièe
engine motor gear lever [li:vr] øadicí páka
exhaust pipe výfuk glove box (compartment) odkládací schránka
headlight pøední reflektor handbrake ruèní brzda
indicator blinkr horn klakson
lock zámek ignition zapalování
number plate SPZ indicator switch zapínání blinkru
petrol (fuel) cap víèko nádrže passenger seat sedadlo spolujezdce
rear light zadní svìtlo petrol (fuel) gauge [geidž] ukazatel paliva
rear window zadní okno rear-view mirror zpìtné zrcátko
roof rack støešní nosiè (“zahrádka”) seat belt bezpeènostní pás
tyre pneumatika speedometer tachometr
wheel kolo steering wheel volant
windscreen èelní sklo automatic transmission automatická pøevodovka
windscreen wiper stìraè air-conditioning klimatizace
wing (mudguard) blatník alarm system alarm

 Describe your family car (what brand it is, what equipment there is etc.); brand = znaèka
 Have you got a driving licence? Do you often drive a car? What for?

Cultural life in our country

The culture of a nation is characterized by its art (paintings, sculptures, music, literature, theatre, film, architecture), customs  (style of living, popular activities and so on) and ideas (philosophy, religion, science, education).
                 Music is a typical example of national culture. Some famous composers were born in our country - such as Antonín Dvoøák, Leoš Janáèek, Bohuslav Martinù or Bedøich Smetana. People who love classical music can visit many music festivals. The most  famous music festival is called The Prague Spring and it has been held every year since 1948. It has always been opened  with Smetana's composition My Country and closed with Beethoven's 9th symphony. But there are other towns which have their own music festivals, including Brno. There are also folk festivals with folk music, dances and costumes, where the regional art (e.g. pottery, embroidery) is exhibited and sold to the visitors.
Most young people prefer modern music. They like to go to disco or to rock concerts  which are often held at large sport stadiums, especially if some  world-famous groups are invited.
Theatre lovers can go to different types of theatres where they can see old or modern drama, comedies, tragedies, historical plays, musicals and operas. Among the most popular Czech dramatists belong Josef Kajetán Tyl, Ladislav Stroupežnický, Mrštík brothers, Karel Èapek, Milan Uhde or Pavel Kohout. For example J.K.Tyl wrote the play Fidlovaèka - in this performance was sung the song “Where is my home?”, which later became our national anthem.
We've also had some great opera singers and actors. Not many  young people are interested in opera, but they enjoy seeing musicals or modern adaptations of classical dramas. One of the first musicals performed in our country was Jesus Christ Superstar and this modern rock-opera has become very successful.
We can admire various  architectural styles  while visiting castles, chateaus, cathedrals or churches. In their interiors there are also collections of paintings, sculptures, furniture and historical arms. Galleries and museums attract people to see permanent and temporary exhibitions.
Apart from architecture, art collections, concerts and theatres, national culture is also represented by film industry. People go to the cinema or watch television where they can choose from many films. Or they can see a film on the video. Our film makers have very good reputation in the world and some of the Czech films were even nominated for the Oscar. The last Czech film that got this award was Kolya (as the Best foreign language film of the year).
In the Czech Republic there are two private TV channels – Nova and Prima. They depend on advertising and that's why TV serials are sometimes called soap-operas (some American TV serials were sponsored by companies producing soap and washing powders).
Many people like to listen to the radio - they can choose from many private or state radio stations in our country.
When we talk about culture, we should mention books, magazines and newspapers. Our bookshops are full of literature of fact and fiction - encyclopedias and  novels. But it's not easy for books to compete with today's videos and computers, because a lot of up-to-date information can be found for example on the Internet.




 How often do you go to the theatre? When did you go last time?
 Have you seen any interesting exhibition recently?
 What kind of films do you like? Do you prefer Czech films or American ones?
 Who is your favourite actor, singer or another artist?
 What kind of books do you like to read? What's your favourite magazine or newspaper?

art umìní performance pøedstavení
custom zvyk, obyèej anthem hymna
religion náboženství permanent trvalý
science vìda temporary doèasný
composer hudební skladatel award ocenìní
classical music vážná hudba private soukromý
hold, held, held konat se depend on záviset na
including vèetnì advertising reklama
pottery hrnèíøství soap mýdlo
embroidery výšivka washing powder prací prášek
most vìtšina mention zmínit
among mezi (více) full of plný èeho
belong patøit, náležet compete soutìžit
play divadelní hra up-to-date moderní

My autobiography, my home, family and friends

1.My autobiography

1.Where and when were you born?
2.Your education
3.Your hobbies
4.Your plans for future
5.Parents, brothers and sisters


2.My home, family and friends

1.Where do you live? Describe your house or flat.
2.What is your room like? Do you share it with your brother or sister?
3.Describe members of your family – appearance, character, job, hobbies.
4.Do you still have grandparents?
5.Your friends

Health and diseases

    Most people know that prevention is better than cure, so babies and little children in most countries are vaccinated against serious infectuous diseases, such as polio, whooping cough, tetanus or tuberculosis.  Children often suffer from common children's diseases for example mumps, measles, chicken-pox and some others, which are almost  harmless in childhood, but can be dangerous in adult age. Many children must stay away from school  with flu or just a common cold - that includes sore throat, runny nose, coughing and a slight fever. More and more children suffer from various allergies - some common allergens are dust and pollen (causing hay fever in summer).
    With some diseases, like accute appendicitis or hepatitis, people have to go to hospital for an operation or another special treatment , or just to be isolated from other healthy people. For example the affected appendix is removed by a surgeon  in the operating theatre and a small scar remains after this operation. It's not very pleasant to stay in hospital, but if our family or friends come to see us during the visiting hours, it's not so bad and we can recover more quickly.
    Injuries from accidents can be also reason for going to hospital. When there is some serious injury, an ambulance takes the patient to hospital (sometimes to the intensive care unit). There can be bleeding from open wounds, broken bones (which must be fixed and put in plaster), cuts and bruises or concussion. People sometimes remain disabled after spinal injuries and they spend the rest of their lives in the wheel-chair. But many such people learnt to live with their handicaps and even became very good at sports.
    If you don't feel well, it's good to see a doctor (a general practicioner = GP, who can send you to a specialist). The doctor usually writes a prescription for some medicine (antibiotics, other pills, drops or ointments- you can get them in a pharmacy) or he can recommend a special diet. When the person has a toothache, the affected tooth must be filled or pulled out by a dentist.
    Many diseases are caused by unhealthy living. There are many things we can do for our health - we should sleep enough, we should eat lot of fruit and vegetables, have a lot of exercise, stop smoking (it causes lung cancer), learn how to relax and avoid stress (which is the main cause of heart attack).
    One of the most dangerous diseases is AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) which is caused by a virus. At this time there is no cure for this disease. The only thing we can do is the prevention.
    All working people pay their health insurance, so that almost all medical care and the most common medicines are free of charge. But some extra treatment or vitamins can be quite expensive.

 What diseases have you had? Have you ever stayed in a hospital? Are you afraid of a dentist?
 Have you ever been injured? How did it happen?
 What do you do when you have a cold or a flu?
 What do you do to stay healthy? Have you got a healthy lifestyle? What do you think about vegetarians?
 What do you think about smoking? Should be the advertising for smoking forbidden?
 What do you think of natural remedies (such as herbs) as compared to conventional medicine (pills and operations)?
 What do you think of organ donation as a way to save another person's life?




cure léèba, léèit, vyléèit accident nehoda
vaccinate oèkovat reason dùvod
serious vážný, závažný patient pacient
infectuous infekèní intensive care unit jednotka intenzivní péèe
disease nemoc bleeding krvácení
polio obrna wound rána
whooping cough èerný kašel bone kost
suffer from trpìt èím plaster sádra
common zde: bìžný cut øíznout; øíznutí
mumps pøíušnice bruise modøina
measles spalnièky concussion otøes mozku
chicken pox plané neštovice spine páteø
harmless neškodný, bez následkù wheel-chair koleèkové køeslo
adult dospìlý prescription recept
flu chøipka medicine lék
cold; have a cold nachlazení; být nachlazen pill; tablet pilulka; tableta
sore throat bolení v krku drops kapky
runny nose rýma ointment mast
coughing kašel pharmacy lékárna
slight lehký recommend doporuèit
fever horeèka toothache bolest zubù
dust prach fill vyplnit
pollen pyl pull out vytrhnout
hay fever senná rýma cause zpùsobit
accute appendicitis akutní zánìt slepého støeva health; healthy zdraví; zdravý
hepatitis žloutenka avoid vyhnout se
treatment léèba (proces) lung plíce
affect zasáhnout, ovlivnit heart attack srdeèní záchvat (infarkt)
remove odstranit health insurance zdravotní pojištìní
surgeon chirurg advertising reklama
operating theatre operaèní sál forbid, forbade, forbidden zakázat
scar jizva herbs byliny
remain zùstat compare srovnat
recover uzdravit se organ donation dárcovství orgánù
injury zranìní