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The Adjective Adjectives are words expressing a quality of a substance. According to their meaning and grammatical characteristics adjectives are divided into qualitative: high, good, red, beautiful, important, strong; and relative: woollen, wooden, silken, daily, weekly, American. According to their morphological structure adjectives are divided into: 1) simple: bad, large, green, dry, good, heavy, fat, square, many, much; 2) derivatives (have suffixes, prefixes or both): beautiful, unimportant, unchangeable, boring, interesting, uninteresting, interested, helpless; 3) compound: snow-white, old-fashioned, hardworking, light-green, green-eyed, duty-free. Degrees of Comparison Most qualitative adjectives have three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative and superlative. The comparative and superlative degrees are formed in two ways:
NOTES: 1. The superlative form is usually preceded by the and often followed by the prepositions in or of. London is one of the most beautiful cities in England. I am the youngest of the three children in our family. 2. The superlative form can be used without a noun following it. This house is the most attractive in our street. 3. a + the superlative degree of an adjective means весьма, крайне. This is a most boring novel. — Это весьма скучный роман. 4. Sometimes we use most + adjective to mean "very". The book you lent me was most interesting. (= very interesting) 5. You can use -er or more ... with some two-syllable adjectives, especially: quiet, clever, narrow, shallow, simple, common, stupid. 6. We use the Present Perfect after the superlative degree. This is the most reliable car that we have ever had. 1. Gradual increase or decrease is expressed by two comparatives joined by and: The weather is getting colder and colder. g. Less and least are opposites of more and most. We use less and least with both long and short words. A bus is less expensive than a taxi. (= A bus is cheaper than a taxi. /A bus isn 't as expensive as a taxi.) I feel better today, less tired. 9. When than is followed by he/she/it + verb, we normally keep the verb, but when the second clause consists of than + I/we/you + verb, it is usually possible to omit the verb. You are stronger than he is. You have more free time than I/we (have). 10. many and few/a few are used before countable nouns. many/few/a few mistakes Many/few towns have such splendid parks. quite + a few - increases the number considerably. / have quite a few books on art. (quite a lot of) Much/ little/a little are used with uncountable nouns. much/little/a little coffee/salt/information There is little time for consultations. Many in affirmative sentences has a restrict use. Many is possible when preceded by a good/a great. I've made a good many friends here. When not modified, many, as object or part of the object, is usually replaced by a lot (of)/lots o/(+noun) or by a lot or lots (pronouns). They spent a lot/lots of/a great deal of money on their house. Both much and many are possible when modified by so/as/too, and we use them freely in negative sentences. He gets a lot of letters but I don't get many. Do you know many people here ? You have a lot of free time but I haven't much. He doesn 't earn much money now. 11. Comparisons with like and alike. I'm very like my mother. We are very alike. like + noun: He worked like a slave, (very hard) as + noun: He worked as a teacher. (He was a teacher.) 12. the + adjective with a plural meaning (they) are used to represent a group of people and nationalities. the old the sick the young the dead the blind the living the unemployed the rich the English the homeless the deaf the Dutch the poor the elderly the Chinese As a rule the poor get poorer, the rich become richer. "Do the English speak English?" asked my friend after one day in England. 13. Adjective + one/ones. Most adjectives can be used with the pronouns one/ones, when they represent a previously mentioned noun. / lost my old glasses. These are new ones. Irregular Comparative and Superlative Forms
Late: later - latest (refers to time) latter - last (refers to position) / haven't heard the latest news. Ours is the last house in the street. Old: elder - eldest (for people only in the same family) older - oldest (for people and things) My father is the eldest in our family. I get on well with my elder sister. Elder is not used with than following. We use older instead: / am five years older than my brother. par: farther/farthest and further/furthest (about distances) further / furthest (additional) You live father than I thought. I must have a reply without further delay. Turkey is the farthest/furthest I've ever been. Near: nearest (denotes distance) next (denotes position) This is the nearest post-office to our house. My uncle lives in the next house. Comparative Constructions with the Adjectives
NOTE: Words that can modify a comparative form are: much, a little, a bit, slightly, far, rather, no, a lot, even, etc. The book is much more interesting than the film. The son is much richer than his father. Substantivised Adjectives Substantive adjectives have acquired some or all of the characteristics of the noun. a) a native - the natives, a Russian - the Russians, a German - the Germans; b) the rich, the unemployed, the good, the evil, the beautiful, the English; There are many pairs of adjectives in English ending in -ing and -ed My job is boring. - I'm bored with my job. Someone is -ed if something or someone is -ing Or, if something is -ins, it makes you -ed. Someone is interested because something is interesting. Bill is interested in politics. He finds it interesting. Some pairs of adjectives ending in -ed and -ing. Adjective forming suffixes and prefixes fascinating - fascinated exciting - excited amusing - amused astonishing - astonished tiring - tired surprising - surprised horrifying - horrified terrifying - terrified depressing - depressed worrying - worried annoying - annoyed disappointing - disappointed Word Order Adjectives can be positioned before a noun. They describe a noun. Sometimes we use two or more adjectives together. One should remember that opinion adjectives usually go before fact adjectives.
We also use adjectives after link verbs, especially: be, get, become, feel, seem, sound, smell, taste, grow and look (when it means seem). After action verbs we use adverbs. Compare: She looks nice and happy. She looked at me happily. I don 'tfeel well today. I swim well. less: hopeless, homeless un: unhappy ful: hopeful, useful in: indifferent ing: boring, frightening pre: prewar ous: famous, courageous ir: irregular en: wooden, woollen im: immortal al: central, formal il: illiterate y/ly: windy, lovely dis: dishonest able: eatable, reliable a: alive ish: foolish, childish non: non-governmental ible: responsible inter: international ant/ent: important, dependent post: post-war Practice 1. Fill in the missing adjectives in the proper degree. Analyze the adjectives used in the song. long, green, big, handsome, large, beautiful, strong A Bigger Heart His arms are stronger than mine His legs are ... than mine His car's always cleaner And his grass is always .... But my heart is ... than his And my love for you is stronger than his. He's more ..., much more elegant More charming and more polite than me He's more responsible, much more dependable He is everything I long to be. His office is ... than mine His martinis are drier than mine His roses are much ... And his faults are far fewer. But my heart is ... than his And my love for you is ... than his. 2. Give adjectives corresponding to: policy sun hope bore wool depend economy wind use frighten wood complicate Germany rain home interest silk pleasure nature fog respect amuse gold courage 3. Give the comparative and superlative of the following adjectives: strong beautiful important good wide difficult magnificent bad happy dangerous fortunate little greedy useful courageous many 4. Write down adjectives opposite in the meaning to the following: courageous narrow slow healthy wild beautiful cruel new hot civilized soft clean heavy strong expensive friendly 5. Complete the sentences. Use the comparative of the adjectives in the brackets. 1. Sorry I'm late. It took me (long) to get there than I expected. 2. She looks about 18, but in fact she is much (old) than she looks. 3. This problem is not so complicated. It's (simple) than you think. 4. We always go camping when we go on holiday. It's much (cheap) than staying in a hotel. 5. It's (easy) to learn a foreign language in the country where it's spoken. 6. Your English has improved. You speak (good) than you did when we last met. 7. Health and happiness are (important) than money. 8. I like the countryside. It's (healthy) and (peaceful) than living in a city. 9. My toothache is (painful) today than it was yesterday. 10. The second addition of the dictionary was (bad) than the first one. 11. A man's real character will always be (visible) in his household than anywhere else. 12. This railway station is (crowded) today than usual. 6. Complete the sentences with: a) the superlative form, b) one of the + superlative. Model: It's a very nice house. a) It's the nicest house in our town. b) It's one of the nicest houses in our town. 1. He is a very dangerous criminal. He ... in the country. 2. The Mississippi is a long river. It's ... in the world. 3. I have never heard such a funny story. That's ... I have heard. 4. We've never made such a bad mistake. It's .... 5. They haven't had to make such a difficult decision for years. It's ... . 6. It was very bad experience. It was ... in my life. 7. He is a very good player. He ... in the team. 8. She is a very rich woman. She is ... in the world. 7. Use: more and more or less and less if it is necessary. 1. Computers are becoming (expensive). 2. People are living (long). 3. Going to church is becoming (popular). 4. Divorce is becoming (common). 5. (Many) people are giving up smoking. 6. The roads are becoming (crowded) with cars. 7. The book is getting (interesting). 8. The weather is getting (bad). 9. My tooth's getting (painful). 10. Children spend (little) time on reading books but they spend (much) time on watching TV. 11. It's becoming (difficult) to find a job. 12. Your English is getting (good) and (...). 8. Ask and answer the questions, using the proper degree of comparison. 1. What is (large) city in the world? 2. Who is (popular) singer in your country? 3. What is (expensive) thing you have ever bought"? 4. What is (stupid) thing you have ever done? 5. Who is (intelligent) person you have ever known° 6. What is (happy) day in your life? 7. What was (difficult) subject for you at school? 8. Excuse me. Where is (near) metro-station from here9 9. What is (easy) way for learning English? 10. What was (interesting) book you read in childhood? 11. Which of you is (good) chess-player? 12. What do you think is (happy) time in a person's life: when you are a child or an adult? 13. What is (bad) thing that has ever happened to you? 9. Complete the sentences using the adjectives given below in the proper degree. 1. It gets ... and ... in autumn and the days become .. and .... But Italian summer is a very ... and ... time of the year. 2. We all grow ... with years. 3. You look ... .What's the matter?-I feel .... 4. I'll try to do my ... to help you -Thank you. It's very ... of you. 5. The hotel was surprisingly cheap. We expected it to be much .... 6. This flat is too small for our family. We need something ... but not very .... 7. The Moon is ... neighbour to the Earth. 8. Venus is ... planet in our solar system. 9. I prefer watching TV sitting in this old armchair. It's ... than a new one. 10. There were a lot of people on the bus. It was ... than usual. 11. This jacket is too small for you. You need ... size. 12. You look ... Have you lost your weight? 13. He is not keen on his studies. He's ... in having a ... time. 14. I was ... with the film. It was not... for me to see it. 15. A man is as ... as he looks and no ... than he feels.
10 Use: a)as ... as, b) not so ... as/not as...as. Model: My grandfather is younger than he looks. a) My grandfather isn't as old as he looks. b) My grandfather is not so old as he looks. 1. The examination was more difficult than we expected. 2. The weather is warmer today than it was yesterday. 3. The situation is still unpleasant but yesterday it was worse. 4. I was a bit nervous before the interview but usually I'm a lot more nervous. 5. The exhibition was less beautiful than we hoped to see. 6. This book is less interesting than the one I read last week. 7. Tokyo is exciting but for musicians London is more exciting than Tokyo and, of course, New York is the most exciting of all. 8. London is, of course, much older than New York, but it is younger than Rome. 9. New York has more parks than Tokyo, but less than London. 10. Everything is cheaper in our country than in yours. 11. The shops were more expensive than we thought. 12. The film was less interesting than I expected. 13. This business trip is less important for our firm than you think. 14. We are more tired today after our tiring job than usual.
12. Choose the best saying from exercise 11 for the following situations. 1. It's so cold today. Put your fur-coat. - .... 2. Sorry I'm late. - .... 3. Jim and Delia are getting married today. ... 4. Everyone is so much luckier than we are. - .... 5. I wish I were rich. - ... . 6. My car doesn't go very well but I can't afford to buy a new one. Do you think I should sell my car and buy another old one? - .... 7. Your elder sister has never been nice to you, so why do you defend her when other people criticize her? 8. Let me help you with this problem. - .... 9. Try to keep calm. 10. What's wrong with your husband today? - .... 13. Complete the sentences and say if you agree or disagree. Model: If you get married early, it's better; in fact the earlier you get married the better it is. 1. If you are generous, you will be popular; in fact.... 2. If you have many boy/girlfriends, you will be happy; in fact .... 3. If you are honest, you will have fewer problems; in fact .... 4. If you smoke, you will be kissed less often; in fact__ 5. When you are kind, people respect you less; in fact.... 6. When you love someone, you have fewer arguments; in fact.... 7. When you win an argument, you may lose a friend; . in fact.... 8. If we work hard, we always become rich; in fact.... 9. When people earn much money, they become less careful; in fact.... 10. If you have much, you want more; in fact .... 11. If you work hard, you always have good results, in fact ... . 12. If you are happy, you see few unhappy people around; in fact .... 13. If you know English well, it's easy to find a good job; in fact.... 14. If a man knows many foreign languages, it's easy for him to learn a new one; in fact .... 14. Fill the blank spaces with: later or latter; father or further nearest or next; older or elder oldest or eldest. 1. This is the ... bank to our house. Take a taxi to get there. 2. The ... railway station is two miles from here. 3. He walked off without ... ceremony. 4. He is the ... member of the School Committee. 5. I prefer the ... preposition to the former. 6. Is there no ... news than the last week's? 7. The nephew is ... than his uncle. 8. No ... reasons were given. 9. She is the ... of the two sisters. 10. ... discussion will be useless. 11. What is ... theatre in London? 12. How long does it take you to get to the ... river? 15. Supply the proper degree of comparison. 1. Trust the man who hesitates in his speech and is (quick) and (steady) in actions. 2. The (little) men think the (much) they talk. 3. Prevention is (good) than cure. The public is (good) judge. 4. It is good to be clever, but it is (good) to be industrious. 5. Some people have (much) money than brains. 6. Australia is (large) island in the world. 7. He would (soon) die than tell a lie. 8. The Times is one of (powerful) newspapers in England. 9. "What is (good) film you've ever seen?" - "I've seen so many good films that I can't say which one is (good)". 10. We had a great holiday. It was one of (great) holidays we have ever had. 11. The hotel we stayed at was (cheap) than all the others in the town. 12. Everest is ... mountain in the world. It is ... than any other mountain (high). 13. What's (quick) way of getting from here to the station? 14. It was an awful day. It was (bad) day in my life. 15. "Are you (old) in your family?" — "No, I'm (young) in our family". 16. Why do you always come to see me at (bad) possible moment? 17. I spent (little) money than you but I spent (much) than my mother did. 18. There are (few) people at this match than at the last one. 19. Now her hair isn't as (long) as it used to be. 20. The Nile is (long) river in the world at 6. 741 kilometres - slightly (long) than the Amazon, which is the second (long) at 6. 440 kilometres. 21. The (big) city in the world is Tokyo-Yokohama with a population of about 28,5 million. 16. Use the adjectives in the proper degree. 1. Spring is a very busy time. It is (busy) time in the year. 2. That was (boring) film I've ever seen. 3. There wasn't as (much) snow in the fields as in the forests. 4. She is a really nice person - one of (nice) people I know. 5. The (much) snow you have in winder, the (good) crop you have in summer. 6. The weather in November is not so (cold) as in December but it's (cold) than in October. 7. No park in London is as (popular) as Hyde Park. 8. One of (famous) places of interest in London is St. Paul's Cathedral. 9. A tram is not so (quick) as a bus. It's one of (slow) means of transport. 10. The film is (interesting) than the book. 11. Apples are not so (expensive) as oranges, and they are (cheap) than pears. 12. He is not so (bad) as you think, but, perhaps, he is (bad) than she is. 13. My sister is (economical) than I am, but she isn't as (economical) as our mother. 14. The river was not so (shallow) as we expected. It was one of (deep) rivers in the area. 15. "Your mother was (intelligent) and (little) naive than you are", my grandmother used to say. 16. One of (narrow) streets in the world is St. John's Lane, in Rome: it is 49 sm. wide but there is a street in Cromwell, England, that is even (narrow): it is 48 sm. (wide) in its (narrow) point. 17. Legends of (large) water-creatures in Loch Ness, an immensely (deep) lake in the north-eastern Highlands of Scotland, go back much (far) than 1993, when a motorist saw a (tremendous) upheaval in the loch. 18. Scientists have seriously suggested that (large) creatures may have been stranded in the (deep) waters of the loch when 60 million years ago it was cut off from the sea. 19. The (near) cinema is (far) from here than the (near) theatre. 20. (High and low, rich and poor, wise and foolish) people, all have the right to be happy. 21. The (young) you are, the (easy) it is to learn. The (early) your start, the (much) you reach. 17. Fill the gap with the correct adjective. 1. I couldn't work out who the letter was from. The signature was .... I know Shakespeare is very popular but I find him totally .... 2. Sarah is so .... She is always having temper tantrums. It was wonderful to watch the tiny lambs playing, I got such ... pleasure from the experience. 3. Sophie is extremely ... at the moment. Anything you say seems to upset her. Karen is not a very ... person. She wore high-heeled shoes for our four-mile walk. 4. I've never known her to tell a lie. She is a very ... person. I can never watch sad films that are based on a ... story. They always make me cry. 5. Susan is so ... of other. She never accepts anyone else's opinion, and she always thinks she knows best. I find Mark's behaviour ... .It's unfair to be so selfish. 6. We are having an ... crisis at the moment. James has lost his job and I don't know how we are going to pay the mortgage. It's more ... to drive slowly. You can do a lot of more miles to the gallon. 7. The result was a ... disappointment to us, though the lawyer outlined a ... defence. unreadable illegible childish childlike sensible sensitive true truthful intolerable intolerant economic economical great/large powerful strong 18. Complete the following conversations, using a synonym to avoid repeating words: handsome, modern, messy, marvelous, wealthy, generous, annoyed. Model: "It's a lovely day today". - "Yes, it's really beautiful". 1. "Mary's family is rich". - "Well, I know her parents were ... ". 2. "Look at the new buildings!" - "Yes, the city ... much more than I expected". 3. "Her boyfriend is really good-looking". - "Yes, he is certainly one of the most ... men in out college". 4. "Derek doesn't earn much money but he is so kind". - "I know. He is very ... to both his family and his friends". 5. "Was your mother angry when you told her everything?" - "Yes, she looked really ... ". 6. "His room is really untidy again!" - "Is it? I told him it was ... yesterday, and he promised to clean it". 7. "Wasn't the film wonderful?" - "Yes, it was 20. Read and retell the text making use of all the adjectives you come across in it. My Aunt Susan Of all my relatives, I like my aunt Susan the best. She is m> mother's youngest sister. She has never married, and she lives alone in a small village near Bath. She is in her late fiftieth, but she's still quite young in spirit. She has a kind face and when you meet her, the first thing you notice is her lovely warm smile. Her face is a little wrinkled now, but I think she is still rather attractive. She is the sort of person you can always go to if you have a problem. She likes reading and gardening and she goes for long walks over the hills with her dog, Buster. She's a very active person. Either she is making something or mending something, or doing something to help others. She does the shopping for some of the old people in the village. She's extremely generous, but not very tolerant with people who don't agree with her. I hope that I'll be as happy and contented as she is when I'm her age. 20. Choose a tactful way to describe someone by using not very + opposite adjective instead of adjectives given in column a). a) intolerant b) not very polite rude not very tolerant ugly not very interesting boring not very generous/kind cruel not very pretty/handsome/beautiful mean attractive/good looking stupid not very clever/intelligent Task: Describe the appearance and character of your friend/relative. 21. Complete the following conversations. I. What is/are ... like? (For general description of people, place or things.) Model: a) What's London like? - Oh, it's big and noisy, with a lot of parks, b) What's your friend like? - She is very nice, intelligent and pretty. 1) A.: I've got anew car. В.: Oh, really? What is it like? A.: Well, it's faster than my old one, though it isn't as economical, but .... 2) A.: I moved in a new house last week. В.: Oh, really? What's the house like? A.: Well, .... 3) A.: You know I met a very nice girl/boy last night. В.: Oh really? What's she/he like? A.: Well, .... //. What does he/she look like? (only for physical description). Peter: Jane, what was your first boyfriend like? Jane: Goodness! Why do you want to know that? Peter: I'm just interested. Jane: Well, he was very good-looking, with dark hair and big brown eyes. He was very romantic. He was always buying me flowers and presents. Of course, he wasn't as nice as you. And now don't you want to tell me what your first girlfriend looked like? Peter: Well, ... I remember the day I met her. "It was a young girl of about eighteen, with dark eyes, and an enormous fringe, puffed-out and curled and frizzed, covering her whole forehead from side to side, and coming down to meet her eyebrows. She was dressed in brilliant violet, with great lappets of velvet, and she had on her head an enormous black hat covered with feathers. Liza saw what a sensation she was creating; she arched her back and lifted her head, and walked down, swaying her body from side to side, and swaggering along as though the whole place belonged to her"5. Jane: Oh ... . 22. Role-play the conversation. Pay attention to the use of the adjectives after some verbs. You look nice В = Betty; A = Aida a) В.: Oh, Aida! I'm glad to see you. You look nice today. A.: Thank you. Do you like my perfume? В.: Yes, why? It smells terrific. It smells expensive. Is it? A.: I don't know. It's a present. В.: A present? Who gives you perfume? A.: Billy. My friend Billy. b) A.: I like your fur coat, Betty. В.: Oh, you do? Thank you. A.: Yes, it looks very expensive. В.: Really? It isn't expensive. I bought it at a secondhand store. A.: You did? It doesn't look secondhand. It looks brand new. c) В.: Oh, Aida, listen to my new stereo. Does it sound all right? A.: Yes, it sounds fine to me. В.: I think the bass is too loud. A.: No, it sounds perfect. It sounds better than mine. d) A.: Betty, I have some news. My younger sister wants to get married. В.: Married! She is not old enough to get married. She is only seventeen. Who does she want to marry? A.: Marc Wilson. 5 W. S. Maugham. Liza of Lambeth. В.: Marc Wilson! I can't believe. He is too old for her. He is over 40! A.: I know, but she loves him and doesn't want to listen to anybody. 23. Suggest your questions for the following answers.
24. Choose the correct word in brackets. Give a brief account of the conversation. It Tasted Delicious Sally: What did you think of the meal at Sarah's dinner party last night? Jane: Oh, er (delicious/attractive) I thought it tasted really quite. Sally: Oh, yes, indeed. I thought Sarah had gone to a lot of trouble to prepare everything (good/well) on the whole. Jane: Oh, indeed (good/well) Although perhaps the soup tasted a little too savoury/salty (good/well) but then it smelt very. Sally: (handsome/excellent) and perhaps pheasant was underdone (handsome/excellent) but then it looked (handsome/excellent). Jane: Indeed! And the fish was rather (rotten/unappetizing). Sally: And the bread rolls felt (hard/tough). Jane: And the red wine tasted (over-ripe/sharp). Sally: And the champagne tasted too (sweet/pleasant) and (hot/warm) although the bottle felt (well/cold) enough. Jane: And the strawberry gateau tasted (terrible/ugly) although it looked (appealing/inviting). Sally: And the cheese smelled (strong/hard) although it didn't look (stale/out of date). Jane: And the coffee tasted (sour/bitter). Sally: And the fresh cream seemed (sour/bitter). Jane : And my stomach feels (sick/awful) this morning! Sally: So does mine ... But then, as I said, Sarah had taken trouble to prepare everything (good/well) on the whole Jane: Oh, indeed! As I said, the meal tasted quite (inviting/ delicious) all in all ... Sally: In fact I shall ring Sarah up and tell her how much we enjoyed it! Jane: Yes! Excellent idea! So shall I! 25. Read the text and say what helps you to become better and more confident in life. Better than before David is a shy young man. He recently completed a public speaking club and he is very happy with the results. His family has noticed that he is speaking louder, more clearly and more confidently than before. His boss has noticed that he is more effective in his work. All his friends tell him that he is friendlier and more outgoing than before. David is feeling much better about himself these days. He has noticed that he is more comfortable when he speaks with people and he is even enjoying himself much more at parties. Now he is recommending public speaking class to everybody he knows. 26. Read the advertisement and the text given below: Come to the Seaside Resort Hotel
Come and Stay with Us! We promise you'll have a wonderful vacation by the sea. Seaside Resort Hotel. Sunnyville, Florida The Seaside Resort Hotel Eden and Mark read the advertisement in our newspapers and took a vacation last month at the Seaside Resort Hotel. They were very pleased with the hotel and had a wonderful time on their vacation. The beach was the cleanest and most beautiful they've ever seen. The ocean water was the clearest and the warmest they've ever swum in. Their room was the most spacious and the most comfortable they have ever stayed in. The food was the most delicious they have ever eaten. The Hotel staff was the friendliest and the most helpful they've ever encountered. And the nightclub show was the most entertaining they have ever been to. Eden and Mark really enjoyed themselves at the Seaside Resort Hotel. It was the best vacation they have ever taken. Task: Describe the vacation you remember best of all and say if advertising has ever helped you in choosing the place of rest. 27. Read and retell the following texts: Faster than Sound Once a year a race is held for old cars. A lot of cars had entered for this race last year and there was a great deal of excite- ment just before it began. One of the most handsome cars was a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. The most unusual car was a Benz, which had only three wheels. Built in 1885, it was the oldest car taking part. After a great many loud explosions, the race began. Many of the cars broke down on the course and some drivers spent more time under their cars than in them! A few cars however, completed the race. The winning car reached a speed of 40 miles an hour -much faster than any of its rivals. It sped downhill at the end of the race and its driver had a lot of trouble trying to stop it. The race gave everyone a great deal of pleasure. It was very different from modern car races but no less exciting. The Crystal Palace Perhaps the most extraordinary building of the nineteenth century was the Crystal Palace, which was built in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Crystal Palace was different from all other buildings in the world, for it was made of iron and glass. It was one of the biggest buildings of all time and a lot of people from many countries came to see it. A great many goods were sent to the exhibition from various parts of the world. There was also a great deal of machinery on display. The most wonderful piece of machinery on show was Nas-myth's steam hammer. Though in those days travelling was not as easy as it is today, steam boats carried thousands of visitors across the Channel from Europe. On arriving in England, they were taken to the Crystal Palace by train. There were six million visitors in all, and the profits from the exhibition were used to build museums and colleges. Later, the Crystal Palace was moved to South London. It remained one of the most famous buildings in the world until it was burnt down in 1936. Tokyo Tokyo is an ugly city. There are hardly any beautiful or even good buildings; there are very few parks; there are no mountains or even hills inside or outside the city; there is no green belt; there are few monuments worth looking at; the air pollution is terrifying' the noise deafening; the traffic murderous. But not all is bad in Tokyo. There are a few good buildings and impressive temples; there are a few parks worth visiting. And the overcrowding, the lack of space, has one advantage, pleasing at least to the eye. Everything has to be small in Tokyo: houses, rooms, shops - even people. Many long streets consist of tiny houses only, and this often creates a toy-like, unreal impression, with small women tip-toeing along in their kimonos and equally small men sitting, motionless, inside their tiny shops. Tokyo at night is a very different place from Tokyo in daytime. Millions of neon sings are switched on and nowhere in the world are they more attractive, than here. The cafes, bars and nightclubs, Chinese restaurants and Korean barbecues, theatres, cinemas, and many other establishments open their doors. This wild nightlife goes on and on and on - until 10.30 at night. Some nightclubs stay open until much later, but they are exceptions. By 11 pm (earlier on Sundays) everything is over, everyone is at home and in bed. A town is not its buildings alone; it is an atmosphere, its feelings, its pleasures, its sadness, its madness, its disappointments and above all its people. Tokyo may lack architectural beauty but it has character and excitement: it is alive. I found it a mysterious city. The Morning Star Venus is our closest neighbour among other planets of the solar system. It is also one of our most interesting, cosmic neighbours. There is hardly a person who hasn't observed the brilliance of Venus at daybreak or at sunset. Since time immemorial this planet has been known as the Morning Star. Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun, and is separated from it by approximately 108 million kilometres (two-thirds the distance from the Earth to the Sun). This is why we always observe Venus in the sky close to the Sun and can watch it either in the evening at sunset or in the morning before sunrise. Venus is an extraordinary bright planet. No other planet is so bright as this one. Its brilliance is 13 times that of the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius. Since long ago Venus has attracted the attention of astronomers. The fact is that the planet is generally shrouded in a dense layer of clouds which makes observation by m… Продолжение » |
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