WRITING

Exercise 1. Translate the text from Russian into English.

Exercise 2. Write a composition or an essay on one of the topics. Read through the notes below.

1.My Dream House.

2.Home Sweet Home.

3.One’s Character Shows in His or Her Home.

4.Why There Is Always a Mess in My Room.

5.I Like to Stay at My Grandma’s Place.

Note 1:

Composition and essay are both translated into Russian as « » but there is a distinction between them. A composition is fairly short (1–3 pages)

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and simple. Compositions may be written by students as long as they are capable of writing only on simple narrative or descriptive subjects.

An essay is usually longer (may be up to 20 pages). It expresses ideas, as opposed to simply telling a story or describing something, though it may also be narrative or descriptive. An essay should have some literary merit. Essays are usually written by those who have sufficiently mastered the language to be able to express their ideas in it.

If you choose a topic for an essay, plan carefully before you write. First of all try to explain what the statement means to you. A simple explanation in your own words will help to clarify the issue in your mind. The best approach to plan an essay is to make a list of points, in note form, which you want to include.

There should be an introduction. Plan an opening paragraph that will express your approach. It may be a clear statement of your understanding the point; some illustration of the point or even an expression of disagreement. Whichever you choose, the opening paragraph should lead logically into the body of the essay.

Plan the ideas for the succeeding paragraphs. Do not forget that each paragraph develops the idea one step farther. Pay special attention to the logical linking of clauses and sentences.

All points are put in logical order or in order of importance, with quotations if necessary.

Plan a conclusion which brings together the ideas of the essay and represents some kind of resolution of the conflicting arguments.

Note 2:

Here you will have to use these linking structures called relative pronouns: WHO for people, WHICH or THAT for things, WHERE for places.

A descriptive composition about a place should consist of:

a)An introduction in which you give the name and location and the reason for choosing it.

b)A main body in which you describe the main aspects in detail.

c)A conclusion which includes your comments/feelings and/or recommendations.

To give the reader a more vivid picture of the place at the moment you are describing, you can refer to the senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch): Visitors can watch the moonrise over the mountains, or hear the sound of church bells ringing, enjoy a freshly-ground cup of coffee, remember the aromas of exotic herbs and spices, or relax in the soothing warm waters of the river:

Nouns to Describe Places

bank, church, cathedral, university, market, tobacco store, newsagent's, grocery, district area, square, city, town, village, centre, region, environment, suburb, outskirts, seaside, mountain, country, valley, plain, wood, forest field,

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meadow, river, stream, waterfall, lake, pond, desert, jungle, forest hill, island, cliff, beach, coastline, vegetation, pollution, detached house, cottage, terrace of houses, semi-detached house, skyscraper, bungalow and cabin.

Adjectives to Describe Places

Unspoilt, plain, quiet, clean, dirty, ancient, modern, industrial, mountainous, low-lying, flat, tropical, overcrowded, cosmopolitan, picturesque, agricultural, fertile, rough, barren, bleak, busy, temperate, narrow, polluted, contaminated, humid, dry, lively, monotonous, varied, cultural, traditional, developed, developing, urban, rural, foreign, local, outdoor and indoor.

(From: Speakout Advanced p 34. DESCRIBING A PLACE – My Home Town. Extra Writing)

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HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE SAFE

CHILDPROOF YOUR HOUSE

Exercise 1. a) Read and translate the texts.

b)Produce the main idea.

c)Reproduce the texts as a whole adding as many details as you can.

10 Safety Hazards to Watch Out for Around the House

Taking care of your family and home is certainly important and safety is a key component to creating a warm home where your family can thrive. Unfortunately, there are a number of safety hazards hiding in plain sight throughout your home.

But, don’t worry, you can fix these concerns pretty easily. To make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your family safe, here are the 10 most common safety hazards in the home, along with things you can do to avoid injury and stay out of harm’s way.

1. Falls

Whether its slipping on a wet floor after a shower or falling down the stairs, injuries due to falls are one of the most common household hazards.

Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Staircases: Make sure all staircases have solid handrails, adequate lighting, and safety gates if there are small children in the home.

Bathrooms: Secure rugs to avoid slipping and pooling of water on slick surfaces. Make sure showers and bathtubs have safety rails to assist family members old and young in safely getting in and out.

2.Fire Hazards

Everything from candles to an unattended iron could lead to an accidental fire in your home, but there is a lot you can do to prevent a fire from starting.

Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Fire Alarms: Make sure fire alarms are installed on all levels, and regularly check and change the batteries to make sure you’ll have adequate warning in the unlikely event there is a fire.

Candles: Never leave candles unattended or near loose cloth like drapes or throw pillows.

Appliances and Outlets: Make sure that all appliances are in good working order and that no wires are frayed. Don’t overload electrical outlets, in fact it’s smart practice to unplug small appliances like toasters when not in use.

3.Carbon Monoxide

Accidental poisoning due to high levels of carbon monoxide in the home is becoming more common. What makes carbon monoxide so threatening is that it’s virtually impossible to detect by smell, sight, or sound.

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Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Detectors and Alarms: You can keep your family safe by installing a carbon monoxide detector that will alert you if carbon monoxide reaches dangerous levels in your home. As an extra measure, secure your home with a monitored home security system that also has a carbon monoxide detector.

4.Choking Hazards

From a bit of dinner going down the wrong way to a youngster accidentally swallowing a small item, choking is scary. The biggest household choking hazards come from small toys and hard foods that easily block airways, like nuts.

Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Look Around: To keep your home choke-free, regularly inspect toys for loose parts and scour floors for small toys or other items that have rolled under furniture where little hands might easily find them.

Keep Dangers Out of Reach: Be sure to keep small, hard foods like nuts or hard candies out of reach of children, and make sure everyone takes time to properly chew their food at the dinner table.

5.Sharp Objects

It’s not difficult to understand the danger of sharp objects. Unfortunately there are a number of necessary items with sharp edges that are used both inside and outside your home.

Steps to take to minimize the risks:

In the Kitchen: Accidents with kitchen knives or graters can lead to a

nasty cut that might even need stiches. The best way to steer clear of cutting yourself – or worse – is to make sure all sharp objects are properly stored, and even locked up if there are children in the home.

In the Yard: Rakes, saws, and lawn mowers all present a potential threat. Always clean up tools after use and lock them in a shed or garage where children can accidentally stumble across them. When items are in use, be sure you are free from distractions, and avoid rushing while using a lawnmower or weed whacker.

6.Paints and Chemicals

You just finished re-painting the living room and can’t wait to show off your work to friends and family. But before you call everyone over, make sure you haven’t accidentally created any safety hazards.

Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Paint: Even paint that isn’t lead-based needs to be properly stored and kept out of reach of children. And never put paint in a container other than the one it came in. If your child mistakes paint for a drink or other item, you can end up in a scary situation.

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Chemicals: Keep all household cleaners in a cupboard with a safety lock to keep kids from accidentally finding them. Lock up pesticides and items like turpentine in a cupboard in the garage or shed.

7.Window Cords

Cords on window dressings like blinds or curtains can present a strangling hazard to small children and infants.

Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Location: Never place a crib or bed under a window with dangling cords.

Cut It Out: To keep children from getting tangled up, either secure all cords out of reach or trim them to a length that is only accessible to the adults in the home. Better yet, trade out window treatments for designs without cords.

8.Bathrooms

The old rumor that most household accidents happen in the bathroom persists because it’s true. In addition to risk of slipping and falling, the bathroom is also home to chemicals in soaps, makeup, and perfumes. With so many potential dangers lurking in this one, small room, it’s crucial to be careful.

Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Medications: Put locks or safety latches on cupboards that contain medications and toiletries. If you have prescription narcotics it’s wise to keep them in a completely separate place, safely locked where no one but the person who needs them is able to gain access.

Slipping: Install grab bars and other supports to help people get in and out of the shower.

9.Dishwashers

Dishwashers are a godsend – they help us get through after-dinner chores in half the time and require half the elbow grease. But these convenient helpers also pose some risks – especially to small children.

Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Knives and Forks: Keep little ones safe from sharp points by pointing knives and forks downward in the utensil basket.

Detergent: Never fill the soap dispenser until you’re ready to start a load and check your dishwasher for leftover residue after each cycle.

Steam and Hot Water: Make sure your dishwasher is securely latched at all times and can’t be opened by curious fingers, particularly at the end of a cycle when burns from steam are most likely to occur.

10.Stoves

Stoves present a danger, and not just because they’re hot. In addition to burning danger from hot implements, an improperly installed stove can easily tip over and crush toes, fingers, or worse.

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Steps to take to minimize the risks:

Burns: Try to use the back burners when possible. This makes it more

difficult for kids to accidentally touch a hot stovetop. Never rest tempting items like cookies or toys on the stovetop, even when it’s not in use.

Tipping: Avoid tipping by making sure your stove is tightly secured and unlikely to topple over when opening the oven. You can also install anti-tip brackets to minimize the likelihood of a free-standing range falling over.

Keeping your family safe is a full-time job. Paying attention to common threats and taking precautions to avoid injury make that job a little easier. But no one can be on duty all the time. Get some help when it comes to protecting your loved ones with a monitored security system.

In addition to helping keep out bad guys, most modern systems also offer remote access so you can check up everyone as often as you want. And if you choose a monitored system, that means you’ll have someone looking out for your and your family 24/7 – even when you aren’t able to.

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions.

1.What is the most dangerous thing in your home? How can your home be made less dangerous?

2.What is the most dangerous thing in your home for a child? How can it be made less dangerous?

3.What is the most dangerous thing in your home for an elderly person? How can it be made less dangerous?

4.What dangers can be found in the kitchen that can cause accidents?

5.What can be done to prevent kitchen accidents?

6.What can a parent do to childproof a kitchen?

7.What dangers can be found in bathrooms that can cause accidents?

8.What can be done to prevent bathroom accidents?

9.What can a parent do to childproof a bathroom?

10.What dangers can be found outside the home in the yard that can cause accidents?

11.What can be done to prevent yard accidents? 12.What can a parent do to childproof the yard?

13.What other dangers can be found in a home in bedrooms, laundry rooms, garages, and living areas?

14.What can be done throughout the house to prevent accidents? 15.What can a parent do to childproof the different rooms of the home? 16.Where at home would you put your first aid kit?

17.What would you have in it?

18.Where are these items found in a house, why could they be dangerous, to whom could they be dangerous, and what could someone do to lessen the danger they present?

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19. What do you need to do if...

you cut your finger preparing food?

you fall down and can not move a limb?

your child drinks a poisonous liquid? (discuss syrup of ipecac)

the toilet is flooding the bathroom?

a pan on the stove is on fire?

a neighbor’s dog is growling at you?

our child falls off a chair and is bleeding?

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Exercise 3. Look at the pictures. What dangers can you notice?

Exercise 4. a) Read and translate the texts.

b)Produce the main idea.

c)Reproduce the texts as a whole adding as many details as you can.

How to Burglarproof Your House

General Home Security Measures

Get to know your neighbours. One of the best security measures you can take is to get to know your neighbours and ask them to keep an eye out for strangers around your house. Convicted burglars often report that one thing that would thwart their plans was a nosey neighbour asking what they were up to. Burglars will usually go after a home if they think they can get away with it; if they know they’re being watched, they’re less likely to follow through.

Install a home security system. The research shows that homes without a security system are three times more likely to be broken into than homes with one. Home security systems obviously deter would-be thieves by bringing audible attention to their break-in attempts. They also automatically dispatch the police to your home (though it’s important to note that it could be up to 30 minutes

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to an hour before they get there). Besides monitoring for breaches, many security companies also offer fire and carbon monoxide detection, as well as features that allow you to control your home’s lighting and appliances while you’re away.

If you can’t afford a home security system, consider installing alarms that, once set, emit a loud noise whenever someone opens a door or breaks a window. These types of alarms are pretty affordable.

Get a dog. While you shouldn’t rely on your dog as your primary means of home security, having a barking (or yelping) dog in the backyard or in your house will make bad guys think twice about breaking into your home. It’s not so much the fear of being attacked (though if your dog is a Rottweiler, that’s likely a factor), but the prospect of the barking drawing attention to their break-in.

Keep the outside of your house in tip-top shape. Regular home maintenance and upkeep serves two purposes. First, it keeps your home looking like it’s occupied. An unmowed yard could be a signal that no one is home. Second, you want to keep shrubs and trees trimmed and pruned to eliminate any possible hiding places for potential bad guys.

Keep the outside of your house well-lit. Bad guys don’t want to be seen, so do what you can to deny them the cover of darkness. You want to have lighting on parts of the outside of your house that would allow your neighbors to see a suspicious person within 100 feet of your home. Turn your front door light on at dusk, as well as any other lights near entry points (better yet, put them on a timer). If you have tall trees around your home, you might also consider installing timed floodlights in their branches that come on at night. Motionactivated floodlights near shadowed areas create extra security as well. They’ll only come on when someone’s activity in the area trips it. Having a bright light suddenly shown on them might scare off a bad guy.

All of these lights not only keep would-be robbers away, but help friends and family safely navigate to your front door at night.

Watch what you’ve thrown out in the trash. One way bad guys will

“window shop” your house is to check for any big cardboard boxes for appliances sitting on your curb. If you make any significant purchases, make sure to cut up the cardboard box it came in so it can fit in a trash bag or a recyclables container. Also, before you throw away any bills or bank statements, shred them to stave off identity theft.

Be careful who you let into your home. Anytime you let someone into your home, you give them the opportunity to steal from you right then and there or to scope out your valuables and make preparations to come back later to swipe them.

Securing Doors:

– Reinforce your doors and upgrade your locks. Doors are a home’s first point of entry, so consider buttressing their security.

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Securing Windows:

–Always lock windows.

–Consider security film. The film makes the glass harder to break through, increasing entry time and noise that will bring attention to the bad guy.

–Consider security bars. If you don’t care too much about aesthetics and live in a particularly dangerous area, you might consider installing security bars on your windows. Even if the bad guy breaks the glass, the bars prevent him from entering the home.

Keep in mind that while it prevents bad guys from getting in, the bars also prevent you and your family from getting out in the event of a fire. There are quick release devices available that are installed on the inside of the house that allow you to release the bars with the touch of a button.

–Use shutters and curtains. Robbers will often “window shop” to figure out which home offers the most bang for the buck. To prevent snooping, use shutters and curtains liberally.

–Plant thorny bushes near windows. Not only does this make it more difficult for a would-be burglar to access your window, but it can also serve as an evidence collection tool in the event of a successful break-in. Blood, skin, and torn clothing in the bush can be used to track down the bad guy.

(From http://www.artofmanliness.com)

Exercise 5. Put some questions to the texts. Ask each other these questions. Find out whether your partner’s house is burglarproof.

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