Books surround us. They appeared ages ago and took different forms. The oldest form is probably the roll (30-40 centuries B.C.). It appeared in Ancient Egypt, and was as well used in Ancient Greece. The Egyptians used papyrus, brush and red and black ink to draw hieroglyphs, which at first meant things and animals and then started to mean sounds. There were more than 700 of hieroglyphs! Champollion, a French scientist, solved the riddle of these signs with"the help of Rosetta Stone on which there was a text in Egyptian and in Greek. Another ancient form was codex where pages were put one on another. The form of codex w as used in Mesopotamia (where the pages were made of clay), Rome and other countries. The Chinese invented paper, before this important invention people used different materials, mostly skins of animals. The books were copied by hand and cost a whole fortune. Later the printing press was invented so the books became popular and rather cheap. The first primed book was produced in Korea in the 8th century. In China the priming press began to work in the 11th century, in Europe - in the 15th century.
There are many genres of books around us. They can be divided into fiction and non-fiction books.
Non-fiction books contain real information and are used for education and work. They are reference books, dictionaries, atlases, biographies and autobiographies, scientific reports, textbooks and encyclopaedias. In reference books as well as in encyclopaedias you can find facts about different objects and famous people, about countries and animals. At school we use dictionaries to learn the meanings of words. Biographies are a good source of information. Sometimes they can also be a pleasant reading. Fot example, the biography of Moliere by Bulgakov, or of Tchaikovsky by Nina Berberova. Historical books describe different epochs and reigns of kings and queens.
Fiction books are written to give pleasure. They are also called belles-lettres. This word is mostly used when we speak about stories, novels and romances. «War and Peace» by Leo Tolstoy is an example of fiction. But the young usually prefer fantasy books and science fiction. The difference between them is the following: fantasy books usually describe the events and countries in the form of a legend and narrate about the past. A good example of fantasy is «Conan the Barbarian»; science fiction books describe events in the future, the characters and places are given as imaginary and usually take place in the future. «Starship Troopers» by Heinlein, «Stainless Steel Rat» by Harry Harrison are examples of the style.
I myself like science fiction most of all. My favourite science fiction book is «Starship troopers». The author of the book is Robert Heinlein. It has been filmed, but I don"t like the film, which is very primitive. The plot of the book, on the contrary, is complex and there are many philosophical ideas built in the sequence of fantastical events and surroundings. The main character of the book is a boy named Johnny. The boy joins the army, because of his love to a girl who wants to be a pilot. But through the book his character and understanding of the situation changes. He understands what it means to be a citizen of the state, to bi responsible for your decisions. While in the army, he understands that only a man who can forget his own interests for the sake of his Motherland is a real citizen. I think, this idea is vital now in our country. I have read many science fiction books by Russian and foreign authors. At the end of the book he is an officer who understands his duty.
But my favourite fiction book is «Gone with the Wind». It was written by Margaret Mitchell. Her father was the President of the Atlanta Historical Society. You know, Atlanta was one of the important cities in the South. Since her childhood the girl had heard stories about the Civil War between the North and the South. When the girl grew up and got married, she decided to write down those stories. So, she wrote «Gone with the wind». The book was published for the first time in 1936. It was a great success and the next year it got the Pulitzer Prize. In 1939 the book was filmed.
I like the book because it has several levels of composition. The first level is the love story - the main character, Scarlett O"Hara, loves Ashley Wilkes, but marries for money another man, Rhett Butler. By the end of the book she understands that she and Rhett are alike and have much in common, that she loves Rhett. But Rhett leaves her, and we can only guess if she can get him back.
The second level is the description of the strong characters oi" the Southerners. Scarlett, a daughter of a rich planter, goes to the field and works as a slave when it is needed. Ashley, so quiet and gentle, goes to the war and fights well and bravely. In difficult situations of my life 1 think that they suffered more, but survived. So, this book helps me to go through the difficulties of my life.
The third level of the book is the atmosphere of the Southern way of life. On the first page we can read the description of the Tarlton twins. When they are compared, the author does not use the usual English expression «as two peas»; she says that they were as two cotton bolls. Margaret Mitchell describes a planter"s house and his life routine.
The fourth level is the events of the Civil War between the North and the South, and the post-war life. This is very useful, if you want to understand the modern differences between the northern and the southern states in nowadays America.
I like the book so much that when the sequel was published, I made my mother buy it. We all have read it, but did not like much. Sequels are usually worse than the first books.
Books can fit almost every need, temper, or interest. Books can be read when you are in the mood; they don"t have to be taken in periodic doses. Books are more personal and more impersonal than professors. Books have an inner confidence which individuals seldom show; they rarely have to be on the defensive. Books can afford to be bold, and courageous, and explanatory; they don"t have to be so careful of boards of trustees, colleagues, and community opinion. Books are infinitely diverse; they run the gamut of human activity. Books can express every point of view; if you want a different point of view, you can read a different book. Reading is probably the most important skill you will need for success in your studies. You will have to read lengthy assignments in different subjects with varying degrees of detail and difficulty. If you read inaccurately, you will fail to understand some of the information and ideas you read. If you read slowly, you will have to spend too much time reading your assignments so that your other work may suffer.
Poor reading may be a problem for you, but it is not a hopeless one. Like other skills your ability to read English rapidly and accurately will depend upon a careful instruction and purposeful practice. You must continue practising on your own to improve your reading skill.
Reading speed is determined in part by how many words your eyes can see at a single glance. Here is a comparison of three different readers and how many stops their eyes make.
Slow Reader:
Being | able | to read | by phrases | instead of | by single | words | results | from | practice.
Average Reader:
Being able | to read | by phrases | instead of | by single words | results | from practice.
Fast Reader:
Being able to read by phrases і instead of by single words і results from practice.
Notice that the slow reader"s eyes must stop fourteen times, focusing on each word alone before they move on to the next. The eyes of the average reader stop six or seven times because they are able to see about two words at a single glance. The eyes of the fast reader stop only three times. They focus at the center of a phrase and see three or four words, then move rapidly to the next phrase. This ability to see words on either side of the point at which your eyes focus is called peripheral vision. As a foreign student of English, you may feel that it is impossible to recognize so many words at a single glance. It is difficult for many native speakers, but it can be done - and must be done if you are to read as rapidly as you should. You can increase your peripheral vision by eye exercises.
My hobby is reading. It has been a great pleasure for me since my childhood. The world of literature is fascinating and infinite. It certainly doesn’t mean that I love all the books. To tell the truth, finding a good book is not so easy. I prefer historical novels, classical and informative literature and some professional books concerning business and management as I am going to run a business of my own in future. I never choose a book only by its colorful cover. As a rule, I look through its pages, read about the writer and his awards. My favorite writers are Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas and Dan Brown.
It goes without saying that some of the books have become my favorites. When I open one of them I immerse in the world of my favorite heroes at once. A book is able to make me laugh or cry because I start feeling exactly what the characters feel. I experience somebody’s pain or joy and I understand that the art of the word in some books is extremely powerful. The book gives me a chance to look at our life through the author’s eyes, to analyze and agree or disagree with his point of view. Sometimes a book can completely change my way of thinking or help me to solve some serious personal or psychological problem.
Unfortunately today most of people and teenagers are not fond of reading. They would rather prefer going to night clubs or just watching TV. They find reading a bit boring or a waste of time. To my mind everything depends on the book. I am sure that without reading one cannot become an intelligent and educated person. People would consider him to be ignorant, illiterate or even ill-mannered, his vocabulary would be quite poor.
I should say that I enjoy reading not only books. I read magazines and I also surf the net and subscribe to interesting sites. These media can undoubtedly provide me with boundless and useful knowledge too. And by the way I often read e-books instead of the paper ones.
The book is my best and precious friend and it’s always with me. I devote most of my free time to reading. I read in transport or when I have to wait in a queue. I always take a good book with me when I travel or go on holidays. And I usually read before going to bed because it helps me to unwind at the end of a long and stressful day. I never feel lonely when I have a great book in my hands.
Перевод
Мое хобби - чтение. Оно доставляет мне огромное удовольствие с детства. Мир литературы увлекателен и бесконечен. Разумеется, это не означает, что я люблю все книги. Честно говоря, найти хорошую книгу не так-то и легко. Я предпочитаю исторические романы, классическую и познавательную литературу и некоторые профессиональные книги, касающиеся бизнеса и менеджмента, так как я собираюсь руководить собственным делом в будущем. Я никогда не выбираю книгу только по красочной обложке. Как правило, я перелистываю страницы, читаю об авторе и его наградах. Мои любимые писатели - это Виктор Гюго, Александр Дюма и Дэн Браун.
Разумеется, некоторые книги стали мои фаворитами. Когда я открываю одну из них, я сразу же погружаюсь в мир моих любимых героев. Книга способна заставить меня смеяться или плакать, потому что я начинаю чувствовать именно то, что чувствуют герои. Я испытываю чью-то боль или радость, и я осознаю, что искусство слова в некоторых книгах обладает исключительной силой. Книга дает мне возможность взглянуть на нашу жизнь глазами автора, проанализировать и согласиться или нет с его точкой зрения. Иногда книга может полностью изменить мой образ мышления или помочь мне разрешить серьезную личную или психологическую проблему.
К сожалению, сегодня большинство людей и подростков не увлекаются чтением. Они предпочитают походы в ночные клубы или же просто просмотр телевизора. Они считают чтение скучным или пустой тратой времени. По-моему мнению, все зависит от книги. Уверен, что без чтения человек не может стать умным и образованным человеком. Люди будут считать его невежественным, безграмотным и даже невоспитанным, его словарный запас будет бедным.
Следует отметить, что я люблю читать не только книги. Я читаю журналы и также брожу по интернету и регистрируюсь на интересных сайтах. Эти средства информации также могут бесспорно обеспечивать меня безграничными и полезными знаниями. И, между прочим, я часто читаю электронные книги вместо бумажных.
Книга - мой лучший и бесценный друг, и она всегда со мной. Я посвящаю большую часть свободного времени чтению. Я читаю в транспорте или когда мне нужно ждать в очереди. Я всегда беру с собой хорошую книгу в путешествие или в отпуск (на каникулы). И я обычно читаю перед сном, так как это помогает мне отвлечься в конце длинного, стрессового дня. Мне никогда не бывает одиноко, когда в руках есть классная книга.
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Literature is the greatest human property. It is generally known that Russian literature is one of the most voluminous in the world. A. Pushkin, I. Turgenev, I. Goncharov, L. Tolstoy, F. Dostoevsky, A. Chekhov are the leaders of the world classical literature. They set a pattern for language, subject matter, and narrative techniques of Russian and world literature. Their works attract readers even today, because everybody can find something special there.
Ivan Turgenev successfully linked social problems with true literary art. His "Hunter"s Sketches" and "Fathers and Sons" depict Russia"s life with realism and with artistry which make these works classics. The problem of the generation gap discussed in his "Fathers and Sons" is very acute today. The everyday life of the Russian provincial gentry is perfectly described by Goncharov in his famous novel "Oblomov". The writer shows how the best and the brightest men can degenerate if they do not see how to use and develop their talents.
Leo Tolstoy and Feodor Dostoevsky are recognised as the best Russian writers. They give a realistic picture of the Russian society of the 19-th century. Their research in a person"s inner world is unique. Their characters do not always know what they really want, and when they think they do know, the fate breaks their illusions. Moral issues are raised in Tolstoy"s and Dostoevsky"s works. Tolstoy"s "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina" as well as Dostoevsky"s "Crime and Punishment" and "The Brother Karamazov" focus on serious human problems.
The end of the 19-th century was dominated by Anton Chekhov. He contributed to two genres: short stories and drama. His short stories are really short, but powerful. They make people laugh and cry at the same time. Some of his stories may seem very cruel, but Chekhov simply reflected the Russian life in his prose. His plays are not numerous, but they are really outstanding. "The Cherry Orchard" is his best known play. It is an emotional drama of the decline of a Russian noble family, which shares the fate of the Russian nation.
I also like British literature. My favourite writer is Oscar Wilde. His reputation as a dramatist rests on his comic masterpiece "The Importance of Being Earnest". Within the social intrigues and artificial devices to resolve conflict, Wilde used his wit to create a form of comedy new to the English theatre. Oscar Wilde was the representative of the late 19-th century Aesthetic movement in England. It proclaimed art for art"s sake. Wilde was born in Ireland; he went to Trinity College in Dublin, and later continued his education at Oxford. During the years of study Wilde distinguished himself not only as a classical scholar, but also as a poet by winning the popular prize for his poem. In the early 1880s Wilde established himself in social and artistic circles. His most powerful novel is "The Picture of Dorian Gray." In this novel Wilde shows the darkest corners of a man"s soul. The author"s message can be interpreted in the following way: a person who loves only himself will never be able to realise himself.
America gave the world many great writers. Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Рое, and Walt Whitman dominated in the 19-th century literature. The great American writers of the 20-th century were Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
My favourite American writer is Edgar Allan Рое. Не was an outstanding poet and a short story writer. In Europe Рое was considered the only American poet of significance, the one who created literary works of many varied forms. Рое expressed his deep and sincere feelings in his poems. Edgar Allan Рое is mostly remembered for establishing new symbolic poetry. The "Raven" is his best known poem. The poet used symbols, following the ancient traditions. It is the ancient poetry that helped him to find the unusual rhythm. The symbolic meaning of the "Raven" is unclear; raven is a symbol of eternal life as well as the herald of death. Numerous readers in the United States and other countries admire Poe"s short stories. He was the inventor of the detective stories that became very popular in the 20-th century. Рое won recognition and admiration of the Russian readers very quickly. "The Gold Bug", one of Poe"s best stories, was published in the United States in 1843 and in 1847 it was translated into Russian. Poe"s poetry had tremendous influence on the Russian poets of the beginning of the 20-th century. Such outstanding Russian poets as Balmont and Brusov admired Poe"s poetry. They translated his poems into Russian, and used his motives in their lyrics.
Do you like to return to the books that you have once read?
Yes, I do. There are certain books that I can read any time from virtually any page. Each time I open these books I discover there something new, something that I have missed or misinterpreted during my previous reading. Some people say that rereading books is boring, that there are so many books that they have not read yet, that they will never return to the books they have already read. I can not agree with it. There are many books that are not worth even a single reading, while there are others that have numerous layers. Most of all I like to return to the books that 1 have already read every couple of years just to compare in which way my perception of the author and his book has changed.
What are these books?
It would take me some time simply to mention the books that I love to reread. One of these books is "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. When I first got acquainted with this wonderful novel I did not know how to read and my mother read it to me. The first thing I did when I started reading myself was reading "Tom Sawyer." It was as if I met the old friend. Later I was rereading some episodes that I liked most of all and each time I discovered something new. For example, when I was a kid I thought that the adventures of Tom and Huck constituted the most important part of the book. Later I started to understand the humour of Mark Twain. Since my first acquaintance with this author I have read many other novels and short stories by Mark Twain. Reading "Tom Sawyer" again and again enhanced my understanding of Mark Twain not only as a writer, but also as a personality. Now I am trying to read the novel in the original, I think that this will help me to understand both Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer better.
What do you read when you want to have some rest?
As I have already mentioned I read Mark Twain"s stories and novels a lot. But of course there are other English and American writers whom I admire. When I want to have some rest I like to read Jack London"s Alaskan stories such as "The White Silence", "Call of the Wild", and "Burning Daylight." They are unforgettable. Jack London knew the life of the North perfectly well. He met his characters in real life. He was familiar with their needs and troubles. One of J. London"s best stories is "White Fang." It is a story about the adventures of a wolf, who was tamed by the Indians as a sledge dog, and who little by little perceived the law of life: to eat or be eaten. White Fang, is not only the title of the novel, but the name of the wolf as well, who eventually understood that love and kindness ruled the world. I believe that Jack London loved animals. He wrote a lot about them.
Do you read the books of British and American writers in the original or in translation?
It is much easier to read books that are already translated into Russian. At the same time I am reading some books in English that are specifically adapted for Russian pupils. Reading such books is not only fun; it helps me to improve my English, so that I shall be able to read the works of British and American authors in the original. As I have already said, at the moment I am reading "Tom Sawyer" in the original. This is not an easy task for me. But I know this book very well, and this helps me a lot. Thus I can say that reading Russian translations of the English books is the first step toward reading them in the original.
Reading
Child psychologists believe that reading is one of the best
habits that should be encouraged in children. Ninety percent of
the things we learn during our lifetime come through books;
therefore if we can"t read, we can"t learn.
Books appeared long ago. At first they were written by hand, but
after printing was invented, it became easier to publish books.
There are two large groups of books: fiction and non-fiction
books. Fiction books are most popular with readers and include
short stories and novels of different genres and poetry.
Non-fiction books are dictionaries, reference books, historical
books, biographies, encyclopaedias and others.
In my childhood, my mother read different books to me and that
helped me to love reading. When I learnt to read, I was really
happy because I could read books which I wanted and liked. At
first, they were fairy tales, adventure stories and comics.
Later, I was fond of detective stories and thrillers. Now I read
historical novels and I realise that I do not know many things
from history and it is so wonderful that I can learn them now
and understand facts that I could not understand in my
childhood. During my studies I also use non-fiction books like
dictionaries and encyclopaedias to find necessary information.
Today television and the Internet have almost replaced books
because these resources provide any information one wants and
some people think that in the modern world we do not need books
at all. I think, however, that books will never disappear,
because reading gives us pleasure.
Modern technologies also made it possible for us to use
electronic readers instead of paper copies of books. On the one
hand, such readers are very convenient as you do not have to
carry a thick book in your bag: you just take the reader and
upload text files into it, so instead of several books you just
carry one light electronic device! In addition, you may also
keep pictures and even music files on it. Lastly, it is more
environmentally friendly to use an electronic reader - cutting
down trees is not needed for their development unlike the
process of producing paper copies.
However, everything has its disadvantages. To begin with, such
readers are rather expensive and not everyone can afford them.
One point against it is that free electronic texts to download
are hard to find. Finally, paper books are more pleasant to hold
in hands: touch their pages, turn them over, feel their smell. I
have an electronic reader and it is convenient, but I still read
paper copies of books too.
To sum up, it is impossible to live without reading and even if
paper books may disappear in the future, people will never stop
reading.
ПЛАН-ОТВЕТ. READING
1. Вступление (the importance of reading, if we can"t read,
we can"t learn, etc.).
2. Рассказать кратко об истории книгопечатания и двух группах
книг (appeared long ago, were written by hand, printing was
invented, two large groups, fiction: short stories and novels of
different genres and poetry; non-fiction: dictionaries,
reference books, historical books, biographies, encyclopaedias).
3. Рассказать о том, что вы читали в детстве, какие книги
предпочитаете читать сейчас (In my childhood, fairy
tales/adventure stories, etc.; Now I read...; During my studies
I also use...).
4. Рассказать о чтении и книгах в современном мире и современных
технологиях (television and the Internet, do not need books at
all, modern technologies, electronic readers: advantages and
disadvantages, etc.).
5. Заключение (То sum up, it is impossible to live without
reading and even if paper books may disappear in the future,
people will never stop reading.).
QUESTIONS
1. Do you read much?
2. What sort of books do you read?
3. Do you enjoy reading?
4. Should children be encouraged to read?
5. What are the advantages of reading? Are there any
disadvantages? What are they?
6. Is it good to get the reading habit?
7. Do you read in English or in your own language?
8. Does reading help to learn a language?
9. When do you usually read?
10. Do you read newspapers?
11. Do you read magazines or journals?
12. What books do you usually use to get ready for your classes?
13. Do you think people should read more?
14. What will happen if we don"t read?
15. When should we start reading?
16. Do you think that people don"t read so much because they are
busy watching television or surfing the Internet?
17. What would you do to encourage people to read? Is it
difficult to encourage yourself to read? Why (not)?
18. What was your favourite book in your childhood? What is your
favourite book now?
19. What is your favourite genre of books?
20. Do you read electronic books or prefer paper copies of
books? Why?
21. What are the advantages and disadvantages of electronic
readers?
22. Do you think that books may disappear in the future? Why
(not)?
23. Where do you usually buy books?
24. Do you borrow books from a library or do you buy them?
25. Do you think that libraries may disappear in the future? Why
(not)?
USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES
Fiction Художественная литература
action and adventure боевики и приключения
children"s книги для детей
contemporary современная проза
crime детектив
fantasy фэнтези
graphic novels/comics комиксы
historical fiction исторический роман
horror ужасы
humour юмористическая проза
mystery детективный роман
romance любовный роман
science fiction научная фантастика
short story collection . сборник рассказов
thrillers триллеры
young adult литература для подростков
Non-Fiction Научно-популярная литература
almanac альманах
art & photography книги по искусству
biography & memoirs биография/мемуары
blueprint план, чертёж
booklet буклет, брошюра
brochure брошюра
business & finance бизнес и финансы
cookbook кулинарная книга
dictionary словарь
encyclopaedia энциклопедия
gardening садоводство
gift books подарочные издания
guide гид, путеводитель
handbook справочник, руководство
history книги по истории
"how-to" инструкция
journalism журналистика
manual руководство пользователя
medical health & fitness медицина и фитнес
nature & ecology природа и экология
periodical периодические издания
pets о домашних животных
picture book словарь в картинках
psychology психология
reference справочник
self-help книги «помоги себе сам»
sports спорт
textbook учебник
travel книги о путешествиях
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