Общие сведения о языке

Порядок слов в предложении.

Английский и русский языки имеют много общего, поскольку они оба принадлежат к семье индо-европейских языков, но английский входит в группу германских, а русский – в группу славянских языков. Для английского языка характерен более жесткий, чем в русском языке, порядок слов. В русском языке отношения между словами в предложении выражаются в основном при помощи окончаний.

При изменении порядка слов в предложении в русском языке смысл существенно не меняется:

Друзья принесли ей фотоаппарат.

Фотоаппарат ей принесли друзья.

Ей друзья принесли фотоаппарат.

Существительное друзья является подлежащим во всех трех предложениях независимо от его положения в предложении.

В английском предложении смысл меняется в зависимости от порядка слов:

The friends brought her a camera. – Друзья принесли ей фотоаппарат.

A camera brought her the friends. – Фотоаппарат принес ей друзей.

Английское утвердительное предложение характеризуется прямым порядком слов, т.е. подлежащее всегда предшествует сказуемому, за сказуемым следует дополнение:

подлежащее – сказуемое – прямое дополнение

People like sports

Если обстоятельство времени выражено наречиями always, usually, often, seldom, never, то оно обычно ставится перед смысловым глаголом:

My friend usually wears jeans.

He often brings a Walkman to the college.

We have never been to the Crimea.

Обстоятельство времени sometimes ставится обычно в начале предложения: Sometimes we play chess.

Unit 1. The verb to be (быть, находиться)

Формы глагола to be Формы глагола to be

во времени во времени

Present SimplePast Simple

I am We are I was We were

He is You are He was You were

She is They are She was They were

It is It was

Exercise 1.1.

Read and translate the following sentences. Pay attention to the meaning of the verb to be.

1. I am a happy person.

2. He is my best friend.

3. She was the brightest student in the group.

4. Is he a good coach? – Yes, he is.

5. These games are not popular among young people.

6. What is the weather like today? – It is cold.

7. Which city is larger – Paris or London?

8. Where were you yesterday? – We were at the stadium.

9. She was the winner of Wimbledon last year.

10. They weren’t satisfied with the result of the match.

11. Is she right? – No, she isn’t. I am sure, she is wrong.

12. The British are a sports-loving nation.

Exercise 1.2.

Translate the following sentences from Russian into English. While translating pay attention to the meaning of the verb to be.

1. Мои друзья – прекрасные баскетболисты.

2. Пляжный волейбол популярен среди подростков.

3. Мы – студенты первого курса.

4. Ты – не профессиональный спортсмен.

5. Лев Яшин был блестящим вратарем.

6. Костя Цзю – великий боксер.

7. Сегодня жарко? – Да, жарко.

8. Победитель этого соревнования – не канадец. Он – японец.

9. Москва красивый город?

10. Вы были вчера на стадионе? Нет, не были.

Exercise 1.3.

Learn the words below and write your own sentences using to be.

to be sure быть уверенным

to be interested интересоваться

to take part принимать участие

to comprise включать в себя

to take place иметь место, проходить

to score (a goal) забить гол

to lose проигрывать

to win победить

Text 1.4. Read and translate the text.

Sports and games

We are sure you are all interested in sport. Many of you certainly play such games as volleyball or football, basketball or tennis. People who play a game are players. Players form teams and play matches with other teams — their opponents. Two players playing with each other are partners. Each team can lose or win. In a football match players try to score as many goals as they can.
Most matches take place in large stadiums.
Athletics is the most popular sport. People call it 'the queen of all sports'. It comprises such kinds of sports as: running (for different distances), jumping (long and high jumps) and others.
From time to time international championships and races (horse-races, motor-races, cycle-races) take place. Representatives of various countries can win a gold, silver or bronze medal. Such great championships in sport are organized every four years and we call them Olympic Games. Only the best may take part in them.
There are so many kinds of sports, such as cycling, swimming, gymnastics, boxing, skating, skiing, rowing, yachting and many more in which you can take an active part or just be a devoted fan.

Exercise 1.5. Give the Russian equivalentsto the following words from the text:

an opponent, a partner, to score a goal, to comprise, a race, a representative, cycling, rowing, yachting, a devoted fan.

Exercise 1.6. Answer the following questions

1. Are you interested in sport?

2. What games do you play?

3. How do we call people who play with each other?

4. Where do most matches take place?

5. What is the most popular sport?

6. What kinds of sports does athletics comprise?

7. What great championships are organized every four years?

Exercise 1. 7. Check your memory. Look at the text for one minute, and

then try to name as many sports as you can.

Grammar notes. General questions (Общие вопрсы)