Vocabulary

• treasure [ 'treʒə] – скарб

• amazing – вражаючий

• wisdom [wizd(ə)m] – мудрість, премудрість

• fairy tale – казка

• to pay attention – звертати увагу

• habit – звичка

• deep – глибоко

• to provide knowledge – надають знання

• to give necessary information – давати необхідну інформацію

• to give a good advice – давати хорошу пораду

• to enrich vocabulary – збагачувати словниковий запас слів

• instead of – замість

• to try – намагатись

• to behave – поводитись

Exercise 1: Read and translate the text:

Books accompany us as long as life endures: when we are small babies our parents read us fairy tales, when we become elder we swallow exciting books page after page and finally when we mature we still read amazing books which entirely absorb our attention.

Books are a real treasure: you can never be lonely in the company of a good book. Actually reading is such an amazing habit: the deeper you delve into it, the more you are drawn to it. Reading is a nice means to relax and de-stress after a hard day. However, books not only entertain us and provide valuable knowledge, but they also form and develop our intellect, encourage imagination and enrich vocabulary.

Nevertheless, reading is a kind of media which seems to be more attractive. More and more people prefer to watch TV or surf on the internet instead of reading. Though mainly reading is the best way to make your brain work. When you read a book you entirely absorb into it: you try to find out how the characters look like, how you would behave if you were in the shoes of this or that character – your brain doesn’t stop working.

Books contain grains of wisdom. They give us moral advice and teach us what is right and what is wrong. English philosopher Bacon said that “reading makes a full man”. The truth of this statement can hardly be questioned.

It is really true that reading makes the brain think, enriches imagination and at the same time it provides pleasure and helps people to relax. Neither TV, nor Internet can replace good books. That’s why those who want to be smart and intelligent should spend on reading at least 30 minutes daily.

Exercise 2: Answer the questions:

1. How do you get information about the world? 2. Can reading help you to get information about the world? 3. When do you like to read? 4. Why is reading books interesting and useful? 5. How often do you read books? 6. What can books tell you about the world? 7. Do you think TV programmes not reading can help you to learn at college? In what way? 8. What sort of information do you get from newspapers and magazines? 9. What are the main types of newspapers in Ukraine? 10. What newspapers and magazines do you read? 11. Do you like listening to the radio or reading books? Why? 12. What can help you to learn better at college? 13. What is the best way of learning new things about the w

Exercise 3: Match each word or word-combination with the appropriate definition:

1. horror 2. legend 3. fantasy 4. short story 5. humor 6. drama 7. historical fiction 8. folklore 9. science fiction 10. fairy- tale 11. realistic fiction 12. poetry

а) stories composed in prose, usually for theatrical performance b) story about fairies or other magical creatures, usually for children c) fiction which invites suspension of reality d) the songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a people or "folk" e) fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread f) fiction full of fun, fancy, and excitement, meant to entertain g) story, sometimes of a national or folk hero, includes imaginative material h) verse and rhythmic writing i) story based on impact of actual, imagined or potential science j) story that is true to life k) fiction of such brevity that it supports no subplots l) story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting