Word nineteen

A child is not born a reasonable be­ing. It is only by listening and watching, examining everything by touching and tasting, that it learns what is good and what is bad. The more a child sees and hears, the more it knows. One may learn a good deal by listening to wise men. It is not enough to be endowed with a brain—only by hearing and memorizing the teachings of the learnt and by avoiding vices one can grow up a complete person.

But if one listens to wise words either with excessive enthusiasm or, conversely, paying too little at­tention, without asking what may not be clear, trying to get to the heart of the matter or drawing one's own conclusions, even though one may feel the wisdom and justice of such good counsels— what is the use of listening?

What can you talk about with a man who does not know the value of words?

As one sage put it: better to feed a pig that recognizes you ….

E xercise 6. Listen to the news, part [5]. Choose the right variant.

1. Reading or writing text messages while you are … is dangerous.

a) walking

c) reading

d) speaking

c) writing

2. Researchers found that there are more … to texting pedestrians than there are to texting motorists.

a) injuries per kilometer

b) injuries per meter

c) injuries per an hour

d) injuries per a day

3. A University professor said walking is ….

a) a complex action

b) a complex thing

d) a complex driving

c) a complex texting

4. The professor said over ... people visited his hospital last year because they were injured while texting.

a) 8,000

b) 1,000

c) 1,500

d) 6,000

Exercise 7. Retell the main idea of the listened text.

E xercise 8. Write a short report. How far back can you trace your ancestors? Have they always lived in your country? Has anyone in your family ever lived through an important political or historical event, such as a revolution or a war, which changed their lives?

1. Choose the correct variant: They export a lot of wine from France.

a) A lot of wine is exported from France.

b) A lot of wine was exported from France.

c) A lot of wine is being exported from France.

d) A lot of wine have been exported from France.

2. Choose the correct variant: You can get married when you are 16.

a) You were allowed get married when you are 16.

b) You are allowed to get married when you 16.

c) You was allowed get married when you 16.

d) You have been allowed get married when you 16.

2. Choose the correct variant: J.: Hi, Maria. How are you?

1. John greeted Maria and asked how she is.

2. John greeted Maria and asked how she was.

3. John greeted Maria and asked how she were.

4. John greeted Maria and asked how she are.

2. Choose the correct variant:“Please, come to my birthday party, Tom,” said Liana (invite).

1. Liana invited Tom to coming to her birthday party.

2. Liana invited Tom to come to her birthday party.

3. Liana invited Tom come to her birthday party.

4. Liana invited Tom coming to her birthday party.