VASS JUDIT

ZSIBBASZTÓ

ANGOL

nyelvvizsgára

és érettségire készülőknek

Vass Judit

5

AJÁNLÁS

Learning is hard work ( unless you are a genius).

Miért Zsibbasztó?

Így hívom az iskolában a magolós feladatokat. Ahogyan a mottó is elárulja,

nem hiszek a könnyű tanulásban, egy nyelv elsajátítása fáradságos feladat,

hacsak nem anyanyelvi környezetben ragad ránk. Ha iskolában tanuljuk,

egész mondatokat, szószerkezeteket kell “bezsibbasztanunk”, hogy idővel

folyékonyan tudjunk beszélni. Ebben kívánok segítséget nyújtani ezzel a

könyvvel.

A Zsibbasztó Angol 26 közép- és felsőfokú társalgási témát dolgoz fel

párbeszédes formában, illetve minden témához kínál levelet vagy esszét. (Miért

éppen 26? Nem tudom.) A szószedetek és a Zsibbasztó feladatok segítenek az

új kifejezések, szerkezetek elsajátításában.

Bizton állíthatom, hogy aki ezt a könyvet megtanulja, könnyedén leteszi a

középfokú nyelvvizsgát, számos diákomnak a felsőfok is sikerült.

Enjoy your studies!

Vass Judit

PS: Ez a könyv a digibumm előtt született, néhány témaköre frissítésre

szorul. (Social media e.g.) Ha lesz időm, energiám, megteszem. It’s never

too late (to die). 😊

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6

Contents

1. Arts ..................................................................................................................................

2. Character and Personality .............................................................................................

3. City Life, Country Life ..................................................................................................

4. Crime and Punishment ..................................................................................................

5. Crises in Life ...................................................................................................................

6. Education ........................................................................................................................

7. Environmental Problems ...............................................................................................

8. Family Life ......................................................................................................................

9. Fashion ............................................................................................................................

10. Food .................................................................................................................................

11. Free Time Activities .......................................................................................................

12. Global Problems .............................................................................................................

13. Health and Illnesses ........................................................................................................

14. Holidays ...........................................................................................................................

15. Household ........................................................................................................................

16. Human Life .....................................................................................................................

17. Jobs ..................................................................................................................................

18. Literature ........................................................................................................................

19. Media ...............................................................................................................................

20. Politics .............................................................................................................................

21. Science .............................................................................................................................

22. Shopping ..........................................................................................................................

23. Sports ...............................................................................................................................

24. Theatre ............................................................................................................................

25. Tourism ...........................................................................................................................

26. Transport ........................................................................................................................

27. One minute to talk ..........................................................................................................

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1. Arts

• ‘Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best.’ (Anonymous, quoted by Oscar Wilde)

A: Do you play any instruments?

B: Yes, I do. I have been playing the guitar for 6 years.

A: Unfortunately, I don’t. I have no ear for music. As a child, I used to take piano lessons to the

horror of our neighbours. Can you play the paino?

B : No I can’t, but I like listening to my brother playing the cello. He’s been playing it for years

and can play by ear. It takes a lot of practising to become a good musician.

A : It is a pity I didn’t learn music at school, it can be relaxing to play a nice piece of music after a

busy day.

B : Do you ever go to classical concerts?

A : My parents often go to the Opera House; they are just mad about operas. For my part, I enjoy

listening to classical music, but I am no judge of it. My favourite of all the composers is Mozart.

B : To tell you the truth, I don’t take delight in classical music at all. Have you got any favourite

pieces of classical music?

A: Oh yes, I adore The Magic Flute by Mozart. And you?

B: It is Carmina Burana, which I like best. It always cheers me up.

A : What kind of music do you prefer?

B : Apart from classical music, I like listening to rock music as well. I cannot do without music. I

always learn with my headphones on.My mum keeps saying that it’ll do harm to my hearing. My

father goes mad, whenever I listen to my Discman at top volume.

A : What was the last concert you went to?

B : I went to a concert of my favourite group last Friday. They played all their hits. It was

disappointing, though. Something had gone wrong. I was sad to realise that the soloist was singing

out of tune.

A : What famous buildings have you seen abroad that you liked best?

B : When I went to England we visited The Cathedral in Canterbury. I have also been to St Paul’s

Cathedral in London. Was it Christopher Wren, who built it? I don’t know for sure.

A: Any sculptures that you can remember?

B : Of course, there are. I have seen David, the masterpiece by Michelangelo. I was also impressed

by Rodin’s sculptures in France.

A: What’s the difference between a statue and a sculpture?

B : A statue is a memorial to a famous person or event, usually placed on a square, while a

sculpture is normally displayed in museums or galleries.

A : Do you ever go to exhibitions?

B : Yes I do. I am a fan of paintings. The greatest exhibition I have ever been to was a collection

of Chagall’s.

A : Do you have to pay for admission into museums?

B : Well, it varies from country to country. If I’m not mistaken, in England you can visit most of

the museums free of charge.

A: In Hungary, admission is free to some museums provided you have a student’s card.

B : Did you take art lessons at school? .

A : Yes, we were taught drawing techniques and a short history of fine arts. My teacher says, it is

worth trying my hand at painting.

B : Are there any art programmes on TV you can watch?

A : Yes, there are. There is a series nowadays that introduces the most famous paintings from all

over Europe. I try not to miss any parts of it.

B : Could you explain what an auction is?

A : An auction is a special exhibition where you can buy works of art, antique furniture and such.

The exhibits go to the highest bidders. I’ve heard that an early sketch by Picasso fetched $100 000

at an auction.

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Words and Phrases

a great success nagy siker

a masterpiece by Michelangelo Michelangelo mesterműve

a piece of music zenemű

a series sorozat

accept elfogad

Admission to the museum is free. A múzeumba ingyenes a belépő.

admit, admission to the museum beenged, múzeumi belépő

adore csodál, imád

All went wrong. Minden balul ütött ki.

ancient ősi, ókori

apart from classical music a klasszikus zenén kívül

apply alkalmaz

archaeologist régész

architecture, architect építészet, építész

as a child gyermekként, gyermekkoromban

as usual mint mindig

at top volume teljes hangerővel

attitude to life az élethez való viszony, világszemlélet

auction aukció

audience közönség

broadcast közvetít (rádió, tv)

browse in books könyvekben böngészik

by comparison ehhez képest, ezzel szemben

collection gyűjtemény

collector gyűjtő

compared to the past a múlthoz viszonyítva

construct szerkeszt, épít

contemporary art kortárs művészet

cultivated művelt

deliberately szándékosan

disappointing kiábrándító

display, on display kiállít, kiállították

Do you play any instruments? Játszik valamilyen hangszeren?

documentary dokumentumfilm

event esemény

exhibition, at an exhibition kiállítás, kiállításon

fabulous, fable mesés, mese

fetched $ 100 000 100 000 dollárért kelt el

folk music népzene

for my part ami engem illet, a magam részéről

free of charge ingyen

from all over the world a világ minden részéről

fund támogat (pénzzel)

He can play by ear. Kotta nélkül tud játszani.

His works impressed me much. A művei nagyon tetszettek.

history of fine arts a képzőművészetek története

I always read with my glasses on. Mindig szemüvegben olvasok.

I am no judge of it. Nem értek hozzá.

I cannot do without music. Nem tudok meglenni zene nélkül.

I don’t know for sure. Nem tudom biztosan.

I have ever heard amit valaha hallottam

I have no ear for music. Nincs zenei hallásom.

I like it best. Ezt szeretem a legjobban

I try not to miss any parts of it. Igyekszem egy részt sem kihagyni.

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I used to take piano lessons. Azelőtt zongoraleckéket vettem.

I was impressed by his works very much. A művei nagyon tetszettek.

I was sad to realise szomorúan vettem észre

I’m thinking of studying architecture. Fontolgatom, hogy építészetet tanuljak

if I’m not mistaken ha nem tévedek

impressed by tetszik valami, hatással van valakire

interior, exterior épületbelső, külső

introduce bemutat

irritate − This music irritates me. Irritál − Idegesít ez a zene.

it cheers me up feldob, jó kedvem lesz tőle

It is worth trying your hand in painting. Érdemes megpróbálkoznod a festészettel.

it may seem chaotic kaotikusnak tűnhet

it takes a lot of practising sok gyakorlásba telik

It took him some time to be accepted. Időbe telt, míg elfogadták.

it varies from country to country országonként változik

it’ll do harm to my ears károsítja a hallásomat

it’s a pity kár, hogy…

judge bíró, szakértő

keeps saying azt hajtogatja

memorial to a famous person híres ember emlékműve

mix well with the surroundings jól belesimul a környezetébe

movement mozgalom

my father goes mad apám megőrül

of fall the composers az összes zeneszerző közül

one of the finest examples az egyik legszebb példa

only to realise hogy rájöjjek, de rá kellett jönnöm

orchestra zenekar

original eredeti

out of tune hamisan

period korszak

pianist zongorista

poisonous mérgező

preface előszó

provided you have a student’s card feltéve, ha van diákigazolványod

purpose of célja valaminek

queue to be admitted sorban állni, hogy beengedjék

represent képvisel

sculptor, sculpture szobrász, szobor

should be open to anyone nyitva kellene, hogy legyen mindenki előtt

sketch vázlat

sniff at sg szimatol valami körül

Something had gone wrong. Valami baj volt.

surroundings környezet

symphony szimfónia

take delight in örömét leli valamiben

term fogalom, szó

the highest bidder a legtöbbet ígérő (aukción)

The Magic Flute Varázsfuvola

They are just mad about operas. Egyszerűen megőrülnek az operákért.

to tell you the truth az igazat megvallva

to the horror of our neighbours a szomszédjaink rémületére

Was it built by him? Ő építette?

Was it him, who built it? Ő építette?

we were shown megmutatták nekünk

We were taught literature. Irodalmat tanítottak nekünk.

What does the title refer to? Mire utal a cím?

which I like best amit a legjobban szeretek

with my headphones on a fülhallgatómmal a fejemen

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Zsibbasztó

Játszik hangszeren? ....................................................................................................................................

6 éve gitározom ..........................................................................................................................................

Sajnos nem zenélek ....................................................................................................................................

Gyermekként zongoraleckéket vettem .......................................................................................................

A szomszédok rémületére ..........................................................................................................................

Tud zongorázni? .........................................................................................................................................

Kotta nélkül tud játszani .............................................................................................................................

Sok gyakorlásba telik .................................................................................................................................

Kár, hogy nem tanultam zenét ....................................................................................................................

Jár klasszikus koncertekre? ........................................................................................................................

Megőrülnek az operákért ............................................................................................................................

A magam részéről .......................................................................................................................................

Szeretek klasszikus zenét hallgatni ............................................................................................................

Az igazat mondva .......................................................................................................................................

Nem élvezem a klasszikus zenét ................................................................................................................

Zenemű .......................................................................................................................................................

Amit a legjobban szeretek ..........................................................................................................................

Mindig felvidít ............................................................................................................................................

Milyen zenét kedvel?..................................................................................................................................

A klasszikus zenén kívül ............................................................................................................................

Nem tudok meglenni zene nélkül ...............................................................................................................

Teljes hangerővel .......................................................................................................................................

Jár kiállításokra? .........................................................................................................................................

A legjobb kiállítás, amit valaha láttam .......................................................................................................

Országonként változik ................................................................................................................................

Ha nem tévedek ..........................................................................................................................................

Ingyen .........................................................................................................................................................

Ingyenes a belépés ......................................................................................................................................

Feltéve, hogy van diákigazolványa ............................................................................................................

Mostanában megy egy sorozat ...................................................................................................................

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Dialogue

At an Exhibition

Daughter: Now…what’s your impression, mum?

Mother: Well…I’m a bit embarrassed… Look, what’s that? I cannot make it out.

Daughter: Which one?

Mother: That stuff in the corner.

Daughter: Let’s get closer…well, the title says, ‘Sunset in Rome’

Mother: Really? I would call it a frying pan burning with oil. And where is Rome, by the

way?

Daughter: Oh, mum, you are a diehard conservative. This is not a romantic landscape;

this is contemporary art.

Mother: Don’t call me names, and don’t teach me, please. I’m not against modernism.

But I see no reason why I should enjoy this sunless and Romeless nightmare. Does it

appeal to anyone?

Daughter: Mum, you simply don’t get the message…

Mother: The message? The mess, if that’s what you mean. I didn’t know you were such a

snob… come on, I’m just pulling your leg.

Daughter: Don’t you mum…you mustn’t touch the exhibits.

Mother: Don’t panic…I just wanted to know if it was paint or plastic. All right, let’s

move on, I’m getting really interested in contemporary art. Oh, that one…I bet this is

supposed to be a sculpture.

Daughter: Yeah, it says, ‘A portrait of Shakespeare’.

Mother: Really? Nobody has ever told me that Shakespeare was a fridge made out of a

bicycle.

Daughter: Mum, don’t be so difficult. You cannot expect a modern portrait to look like

Michelangelo’s David.

Mother: Well, actually, I have no expectations whatsoever…I wonder, what message do

you get from this stuff.

Daughter: Mum, don’t be so loud…everybody is listening.

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12

At home

Father: Well, darling? How about the exhibition?

Mother: Thought provoking, I would say. By the way, can you remember the sunset we

were admiring in Cyprus?

Father: Oh, I’ll never forget it. It was like ..was like a huge kettle on fire. Yeah, it was.

Mother: Well… I didn’t know you had such an up-to-date imagination…

Words and phrases

admire csodál

appeal to tetszik valakinek

call sy names csúfolódik

contemporary art kortárs művészet

diehard conservative nyakas konzervatív

Don’t panic ne pánikolj!

embarrassed zavarban van

exhibit kiállítási tárgy

expect elvár

expectation elvárás

get the message fogni az üzenetet

I bet lefogadom

I see no reason why i should enjoy Nem látom be, miért kellene élveznem

I’m just pulling your leg csak tréfálok.

imagination képzelet

impression benyomás

kettle on fire lángoló teáskanna

landscape tájkép

make it out kivesz, kibogoz, megért

mess szemét

nightmare rémálom

paint festék

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plastic műanyag

stuff anyag, izé

sunless, Romeless “naptalan”, “rómátlan”

sunset naplemente

supposed to be feltehetően

thought provoking gondolatébresztő

up-to-date korszerű

whatsoever bármi is, akármi

Description

My Favourite Painting

My favourite picture belongs to the 16th century genre painting, which was a characteristic

style of Dutch and Flemish artists. It was painted by Pieter Bruegel and is titled ‘Hunters in

the snow’. Like most of his masterpieces, it depicts a typical scene from everyday life. In

the foreground there are hunters and their dogs just arriving home from hunting, while in the

background there are frozen lakes with skating people and the snowy peaks of mountains

against a dark sky. The dominating colours are black and white that make the atmosphere

rather gloomy, partly because all the people are shown from the back. It is rich in detail,

though not in a naturalistic way. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the original; I only know it by

reproductions. As a child I used to spend hours admiring Bruegel’s painting; for me it was a

mixture of reality and imagination as if it had been taken from a folk tale. It still appeals to

me and recalls the winter days of my childhood, whenever I look at it.

Words and Phrases

a characteristic style jellemző stílus

a mixture of keveréke valaminek

a typical scene from everyday life egy tipikus jelenet a mindennapi életből

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14

as if it had been taken from a tale mintha egy meséből vették volna

dominating colours a hangsúlyos színek

Dutch holland

Flemish flamand

from the back hátulról

frozen lakes befagyott tavak

genre painting zsáner festészet (életkép)

Hunter vadász

Hunting vadászat

I only know it by reproductions. Csak reprodukciókról ismerem.

in the background a háttérben

in the foreground az előtérben

It still appeals to me. Még most is tetszik.

like most of his paintings mint legtöbb festménye

make the atmosphere a bit gloomy kicsit borússá teszi a légkört

mountains against a dark sky hegyek, mögöttük a sötét éggel

partly because részben azért, mert

recall felidéz

rich in detail részletekben gazdag

skating people korcsolyázó emberek

snowy peaks havas csúcsok

whenever I look at it amikor csak ránézek

An Essay

Is art fading away?

It is often said that we live in the era of information. The latest invention of our technical

civilization, the Internet can be regarded as the strongest argument in supporting the idea that

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15

information has evolved into real power. So far, so good. We all want to know as much as

possible about our world.

On the other hand, at least I think so, information is becoming an inferior substitute for

knowledge. By knowledge I mean a creative type of understanding which can be acquired in a

long process of education based on a wide range of approaches to the world and man as such.

Art, more exactly teaching arts has always served as a means to develop a deeper

understanding or perception of the world. Art not only makes us enjoy beauty, but also helps

to exercise our intellect. Information can give you power, but it is certainly the most short-

sighted policy to exhort people to put a priority to it, namely to consume a growing amount of

information instead of ‘digesting’ it, that is making distinctions between relevant and

irrelevant data or contemplating on them.

I think that there is still hunger in man for art and real knowledge, I am sure there is still

enough time to enjoy them, but people are misled by the preferences of an information-

stricken period, which is just as ephemeral as everything in our history of ideologies.

I do believe, although it seems to come second nowadays, that art will win in the long run.

Words and Phrases

a wide range of széles választéka

acquire megszerez

amount mennyiség

approach megközelítés

argument érv

at least legalábbis

come second csak másodiknak számít

data adatok

digest megemészt

distinction különbség

ephemeral kérész életű, rövid ideig tartó

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16

era korszak

evolve into fejlődik valamivé

exercise gyakorol

exhort sarkall

hunger éhség

idea eszme, ötlet, felfogás

in the long run hosszú távon

inborn velünk született

inferior kisebbrendű

information-stricken információ sújtotta

intellect intellektus

irrelevant lényegtelen

mislead félrevezet

namely nevezetesen

perception felfogás

preference preferencia, előnyben részesítés

put a priority to előnyben részesít

regard as tekint valaminek

relevant lényeges

serve as a means eszközként szolgál

So far, so good. eddig rendben is volnánk.

substitute pótlék

support támogat

Zsibbasztó

A szöveg segítségével fordítsa le és tanulja meg a kifejezéseket!

gyakran mondják ..........................................................................................................................

az információ kora ........................................................................................................................

a technikai civilizáció kora ...........................................................................................................

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ez tekinthető a legerősebb érvnek ................................................................................................

mindenki támogatta az ötletet ......................................................................................................

az információ hatalommá vált ......................................................................................................

annyi információt, amennyit cask lehetséges ...............................................................................

legalábbis én így gondolom ..........................................................................................................

tudás pótlék ..................................................................................................................................

alacsonyabb rendű pótlék .............................................................................................................

a megértés kreatív típusa ..............................................................................................................

a tanulás hosszú folyamata alatt sajátítható el ..............................................................................

a megközelítések széles választékára épülő oktatás .....................................................................

az ember mint olyan .....................................................................................................................

a fejlődés eszközéül szolgált ........................................................................................................

a világ felfogása/megértése ..........................................................................................................

velünk született adottságok ..........................................................................................................

esztétikai igények .........................................................................................................................

a művészet segít az intellektus megmozgatásában .......................................................................

próbáljon különbségeket tenni az adatok között ..........................................................................

lényeges és lényegtelen adatok ....................................................................................................

az embereket félrevezetik .............................................................................................................

mit részesít előnyben? ..................................................................................................................

információ sújtotta világ ...............................................................................................................

roved életű ideológiák ..................................................................................................................

cask második helyen áll ................................................................................................................

hosszú távon győzni fog ...............................................................................................................

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2. Character and Personality

• ‘The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face’

(William Thackeray: Vanity Fair)

A : Can we judge people by their looks?

B : I don’t think so, but eyes can say a lot about one’s character. I cannot explain why,

but they are really the mirrors of our souls. For my part, I wouldn’t judge anyone by

his or her looks. I don’t think that our appearance reflects our character. On the other

hand, I do believe that our personality can influence our facial features. For example,

there are plain people with charming characters, and that is why we don’t find them

ugly.

A : Yes, as the saying goes, ‘beauty is only skin-deep’. There are a lot of stereotypes and

prejudices − just think about the blonde jokes.

B : Do you believe that our fortune is written in the stars?

A : I don’t believe in horoscopes at all. They’re all rubbish. I think that our life is shaped

by our deeds, sometimes by good or bad luck.

A : However, some say that the constellation at your birth influences your future.

B : I might be mistaken, but it is only ignorant people who believe in horoscopes. On the

other hand, I do believe that we have so called inborn qualities.

A: I believe in horoscopes, astrology has been a serious science since Egyptian times

B : How would you characterise yourself?

A : To begin with, I am an outgoing type; I like socialising and having people around. My

parents taught me to be determined and never to lose heart. I am quite ambitious and

hardworking as I want to succeed in life. I am also reliable; my friends can depend on me.

What about you?

B : Well, I’m rather reserved, and I hate speaking about myself in public. Although I like

socialising, I don’t easily make new friends. My mum keeps saying that I am too shy and

touchy. Which is not quite true; I am not shy but cautious. You know, ‘better safe than

sorry’.

A: You are absolutely right. I don’t think one should speak his mind all the time; I like

being considerate. I was taught not to hurt others’ feelings. As a child I was rather plump

and the boys used to call me names, which often made me cry.

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19

B : As far as I’m concerned, I have an energetic nature, I cannot sit still, I’m always on

the move. As a child, I was rather naughty and disobedient, but I calmed down.I think, I

have got an open-minded and friendly character. I’m not a daydreaming type, I am rather

down-to-earth and sober minded. My friends can trust me, I was taught to be responsible

and helpful.

A : I have inherited my father’s character; I tend to be stubborn just like him.

B: I’m just the opposite of my mother, unlike her, I like lazing about sometimes.

A: How would you characterise your best friend?

B : I really envy my friend; he is so carefree with no serious problems. I trust him

because he is so truthful and never tells lies. He is extremely strong-willed and usually

gets what he wants. What about your friend?

A: He is as stubborn as a mule − once he has made up his mind, he won’t change it. In

spite of that he is not an aggressive type, he is just eager to succeed. He is extremely

calm and tolerant; nothing would upset him.

B : My best friend has always been loyal to me and has never let me down.She is so

sensitive and is easily moved to tears by a good novel. She is so modest; she wouldn’t

show off her knowledge or success.

A : What negative qualities do you hate in people?

B : What annoys me most is selfishness; I cannot put up with it. I like ambitious people

as long as they are not self-important. I hate arrogance, people who are always

blowing their own trumpet.

A: I cannot stand pretentious people; I like the unassuming (ones). I try to avoid bossy

and domineering people; I hate being told what to do. I have a classmate who likes

finding faults with everybody. She is getting on my nerves with all her gossips and

intrigues.

B: Have you got any weaknesses that you would change?

A : Oh yes, like most people, I have my own deficiencies. For example, I can be

quarrelsome at times. I easily lose my temper, so I wouldn’t pass for a teacher. And

you?

B : I tend to be indecisive and hesitant, which drives my friends mad sometimes. I simply

cannot make up my mind when it comes to serious decisions. On the other hand, I am

said to be quick-witted, but I haven’t got enough perseverance. And I can be really

naïve at times and easily fall for what I am told.

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20

A : Are you familiar with any idioms describing characters? Yes, for example, ‘ He is

as cool as a cucumber’. ‘She is as gentle as a lamb’, or ‘He is as stubborn as a mule.’

B : What qualities do you expect a teacher to have?

A : I expect a teacher to be tolerant but able to keep order in the class. A good teacher is

always just, at least tries to be as fair as possible. He or she sets high standards and a

good example to the students at that.

B : What makes a good doctor?

A : A good doctor is highly qualified and keeps up with the development of science. He

has to be dedicated; this applies to everybody who deals with people. He or she has to be

able to make decisions quickly in emergency. It is essential that a doctor should have a

pacifying nature to calm down worrying patients.

Zsibbasztó

Megítélhetjük-e az embereket a külsejükről? ...............................................................................

nem hiszem ...................................................................................................................................

a szemek sokat elárulnak ..............................................................................................................

a szem a lélek tükre ......................................................................................................................

a magam részéről ..........................................................................................................................

senkit nem ítélnék meg a külseje alapján .....................................................................................

a megjelenésünk nem tükrözi a jellemünket ................................................................................

a személyiségünk hat az arcvonásainkra ......................................................................................

vannak csúnya, de elbűvölő emberek ...........................................................................................

ezért van az ...................................................................................................................................

nem találjuk őket csúnyának ........................................................................................................

ahogy a mondás tartja ...................................................................................................................

a szépség csak felszín ...................................................................................................................

sok az általánosítás és az előítélet ................................................................................................

gondolj csak a szőke nős viccekre ................................................................................................

néhányan azt mondják ..................................................................................................................

a sorsunk meg van írva a csillagokban .........................................................................................

nem hiszek a horoszkópokban ......................................................................................................

csupa ostosbaság ..........................................................................................................................

a sorsunkat a tetteink formálják ...................................................................................................

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21

jó vagy rossz szerencse ................................................................................................................

a csillagok állása a születéskor befolyásolja a jövőnket ..............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

lehet, hogy tévedek .......................................................................................................................

csak a tudatlan emberek hisznek a horoszkópokban ....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

vannak velünk született tulajdonságok .........................................................................................

az asztrológia komoly tudomány ..................................................................................................

hogyan jellemeznéd magadat? .....................................................................................................

először is .......................................................................................................................................

társasági lény vagyok ...................................................................................................................

szeretek társaságba járni ...............................................................................................................

szeretem, ha emberek vesznek körül ............................................................................................

a szüleim arra tanítottak, hogy elszánt legyek ..............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

soha nem keseredem el .................................................................................................................

elég törekvő és szorgalmas vagyok ..............................................................................................

szeretnék sikeres lenni az életben .................................................................................................

megbízható vagyok ......................................................................................................................

a barátaim számíthatnak rám ........................................................................................................

elég zárkózott vagyok ...................................................................................................................

nem szeretek magamról nyilvánosság előtt beszélni ....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

bár szeretek társaságba járni .........................................................................................................

nem könnyen barátkozom ............................................................................................................

anya azt hajtogatja, hogy túl félénk és érzékeny vagyok .............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

ami nem teljesen igaz ...................................................................................................................

nem félénk vagyok, hanem óvatos ...............................................................................................

jobb félni, mint megijedni ............................................................................................................

teljesen igazad van .......................................................................................................................

szerintem az embernek nem kell mindig kimondania, amit gondol .............................................

......................................................................................................................................................

szeretek tapintatos lenni ...............................................................................................................

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22

arra tanítottak, hogy ne sértsem meg mások érzéseit ...................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

gyerekkoromban elég duci voltam ...............................................................................................

a fiúk gúnyoltak ............................................................................................................................

ami gyakran megríkatott ...............................................................................................................

ami engem illet .............................................................................................................................

energikus természetem van ..........................................................................................................

nem tudok nyugton ülni ................................................................................................................

mindig nyüzsgök ..........................................................................................................................

szerintem nyitott és barátságos vagyok ........................................................................................

nem vagyok álmodozó típus .........................................................................................................

inkább gyakorlatias, józan típus vagyok ......................................................................................

a barátaim bízhatnak bennem .......................................................................................................

felelősségtudatra tanítottak és egítőkészségre ..............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

apám ternmészetét örököltem .......................................................................................................

akárcsak ő, én is makacs vagyok ..................................................................................................

anya ellentéte vagyok ...................................................................................................................

vele ellentétben szeretek lustálkodni ............................................................................................

igazán irigylem őt .........................................................................................................................

olyan gondtalan élete van .............................................................................................................

hűséges, és soha nem hazudik ......................................................................................................

erős akaratú, és megszerzi, amit akar ...........................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

olyan makacs, mint az öszvér .......................................................................................................

ha egyszer elhatározott valamit ....................................................................................................

meg nem gondolná magát ............................................................................................................

ennek ellenére ...............................................................................................................................

nem erőszakos típus .....................................................................................................................

egyszerűen csak nagyon szereti a sikeret .....................................................................................

különösen nyugodt és toleráns .....................................................................................................

a barátom mindig hű volt hozzám ................................................................................................

soha nem hagyott cserben ............................................................................................................

olyan érzékeny ..............................................................................................................................

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23

könnyen könnyekre fakad egy jó regénytől .................................................................................

nagyon szerény .............................................................................................................................

soha nem hencegne a sikerével ....................................................................................................

Milyen rossz tulajdonságokat utálsz ? ..........................................................................................

ami a legjobban bosszant, az az önzés .........................................................................................

nem tudom elviselni .....................................................................................................................

szeretem a törekvő embereket ......................................................................................................

feltéve, hogy nem önteltek ...........................................................................................................

utálom a hencegőket .....................................................................................................................

utálom a megjátszós (sznob) embereket .......................................................................................

a természeteseket szeretem ...........................................................................................................

kerülöm a dirigálósokat ................................................................................................................

utálom, ha megmondják, mit tegyek ............................................................................................

van egy osztálytársam, aki mindenben hibát keres ......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

idegeimre megy a pletykáival .....................................................................................................

Van rossz tulajdonságod, amit megváltoztatnál? .........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

mint minden embernek .................................................................................................................

megvannak a gyengeségeim .........................................................................................................

néha veszekedős vagyok ..............................................................................................................

könnyen elveszítem a türelmemet ................................................................................................

nem lennék jó tanár ......................................................................................................................

határozatlan vagyok ......................................................................................................................

ami az őrületbe kergeti a barátaimat ............................................................................................

egyszerűen nem tudom elhatározni magam .................................................................................

amikor komoly döntésre kerül sor ................................................................................................

azt mondják, éles elméjű vagyok .................................................................................................

de nincs bennem elég kitartás .......................................................................................................

másrészt naiv tudok lenni .............................................................................................................

könnyen bedőlök annak, amit mondanak .....................................................................................

hideg, mint a márvány ..................................................................................................................

ártatlan, mint a ma született bárány ..............................................................................................

makacs, mint az öszvér .................................................................................................................

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24

milyen legyen szerinted egy jó tanár? ..........................................................................................

egy jó tanártól azt várom, hogy toleráns legyen ...........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

legyen képes fegyelmet tartani .....................................................................................................

egy jó tanár mindig igazságos ......................................................................................................

legalább is igyekszik az lenni, amennyire lehetséges ..................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mi teszi a jó orvost? .....................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

a jó orvos magasan képzett ...........................................................................................................

lépést tart a tudomány fejlődésével ..............................................................................................

elhivatott .......................................................................................................................................

ez mindenkire igaz, aki emberekkel foglalkozik ..........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

fontos, hogy az orvosnak megnyugtató személyisége legyen ......................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

hogy lecsillapítsa az aggódó beteget ............................................................................................

Vass Judit

25

Words and Phrases

ambitious törekvő

arrogance arrogancia, nyers, lekezelő modor

as far as I am concerned ami engem illet

as long as feltéve, hogy

as the saying goes ahogy a szólás tartja

at times időnként

Better safe than sorry. Jobb félni, mint megijedni..

blowing his own trumpet a saját dicsőségét zengi, henceg

bossy, domineering uralkodótípus, erőszakos

brain agy, ész

calm down lenyugszik, lenyugtat

carefree gondtalan

cautious óvatos

characterise jellemez

charming elbájoló

conscious mind tudatos én

considerate tapintatos, megfontolt

constellation csillagok állása

cool hűvös

cucumber uborka

daydreaming álmodozó

deal with people emberekkel foglalkozik

dedicated elhivatott

deed tett

deficiency hiányosság

determined határozott

development fejlődés

disobedient, obedient engedetlen, engedelmes

down-to-earth józan, földön járó

depend on függ valakitől, számít valakire

eager to izgatottan várja

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26

easily moved to tears könnyen könnyekre fakad

emergency sürgős eset

energetic nature energikus természet

envy irigyel

extremely különösen

facial features arcvonások

fair korrekt

fall for bedől valaminek

find faults with hibát keres valamiben, valakiben

fortune szerencse, sors

gentle gyengéd

getting on my nerves idegeimre megy

good luck, bad luck jószerencse, balszerencse

gossip pletyka, pletykálkodik

hardworking szorgalmas

he speaks his mind kimondja, amit gondol

highly qualified magasan képzett

hurt others’ feelings sérti mások érzéseit

I am said to be friendly Azt mondják, barátságos vagyok.

I cannot sit still. Nem tudok nyugton ülni.

I cannot stand him. Ki nem állhatom.

I changed my mind. Meggondoltam magam.

I do believe = I believe igenis hiszem, de hiszem

I don’t think we should do that. Nem hiszem, hogy azt kellene tennünk.

I don’t think so. Nem hiszem.

I doubt it. Kétlem.

I hate being told what to do. Utálom, ha megmondják, mit tegyek.

I like having people around. Szeretem, ha emberek vesznek körül.

I made up my mind. Eldöntöttem.

I might be mistaken lehet, hogy tévedek

I tend to be lazy Hajlamos vagyok a lustaságra

I was taught to be tolerant. Arra tanítottak, hogy toleráns legyek.

I wouldn’t pass for a teacher. Nem lennék jó tanár.

Vass Judit

27

ignorant people tudatlan emberek

in public nyilvánosan

in spite of that annak ellenére

inborn qualities velünk született tulajdonságok

influence befolyásol, hatás

inherit örököl

intrigue intrika, ármánykodás

It is essential that he should know. Lényeges, hogy tudja.

judge sy by his appearance megítél valakit a külseje alapján

just igazságos

keep order in the class fegyelmet tart az osztályban

keep up with lépést tart valamivel

keeps saying azt hajtogatja

lamb bárány

lazing about lustálkodik

let sy down cserben hagy

like him, unlike him mint ő, vele ellentétben

like most people mint a legtöbb ember

looking-glass tükör

looks külső, kinézet

lose heart elkeseredik

lose one’s temper elveszti a türelmét

loyal to lojális, hűséges valakihez

make decisions döntéseket hoz

make new friends új barátokat szerez, barátkozik

modest szerény

mule öszvér

naughty csibész

on the move mozgásban van, nyüzsög, csinál valamit

on the one hand, on the other hand egyrészt, másrészt

open-minded nyitott gondolkodású

opposite ellentét

outgoing type társasági lény

Vass Judit

28

pacifying nature megnyugtató természet

perseverance állhatatosság, kitartás

physical features külső vonások

plain people nem szép emberek

plump kövér, duci

prejudice előítélet

pretentious magát megjátszó, sznob

put up with elvisel valamit, valakit

quality minőség, tulajdonság

quarrelsome veszekedős

quick-witted gyors felfogású

reflect, reflection tükröz, tükörkép

reliable, rely on sy megbízható, megbízni valakiben

reserved visszafogott

responsible felelős

rubbish szemét, ostobaság

science tudomány

selfish, selfishness önző, önzés

self-important öntelt

sensitive érzékeny

set a good example to sy jó példát mutat valakinek

set high standards magasra állítja a mércét

shape forma, formál

show off henceg

shy félénk

skin-deep „bőrmélységű’, csak felszín

so called úgynevezett

sober minded józan gondolkodású

socialise társaságba járni

some say that… néhányan azt mondják, hogy

state of mind lelki állapot

stereotype sztereotípia, általánosítás

strong-willed erős akaratú

Vass Judit

29

stubborn makacs

subconscious mind tudatalatti én

succeed in life boldogulni az életben

that is why ezért van az, hogy

this applies to everybody ez mindenkire igaz

to begin with először is

tolerant toleráns, türelmes

touchy sértődékeny

trust sy bízni valakiben

truthful őszinte, megbízható

ugly csúnya

unassuming természetes, őszinte

upset ideges, felidegesít

weakness gyengeség

what annoys me most ami leginkább bosszant

when it comes to serious decisions amikor komoly döntésre kerül a sor

which made me cry ami megríkatott

Dinner Debate

M=Mother F=Father D=Daughter

F: How is life at school?

D: Oh, we’ve had a fantastic Biology lesson today!

F: Really? I didn’t know you were interested in Biology.

D: Actually, I’m not very keen on it, but today’s subject made everybody eager to discuss it.

M: It’s nice to hear there is something you are not against to pick up at school. The young

generation don’t seem to care much about knowledge.

D: Oh, mum! This is unfair. You shouldn’t call us ignorant just because we are young.

M: All right, then. So what was it?

D: Genetics.

F: Oh, that’s great! Now, could you explain to me what a gene is?

D: Don’t, please! You know I hate being examined. Anyway, I’m not a child any more.

F: You have always been touchy just like your mum. Is it in your genes?

Vass Judit

30

D: That’s exactly what we were discussing in the class. Look, mum, the question is, whether

we have inborn qualities? What do you think about it?

M: To my best knowledge, one can inherit both physical and mental qualities. I’m sure we did

our best to pass on to you only good genes. That is why you are so beautiful and intelligent.

But I cannot account for your bad habits.

F: Now, darling, let us be serious just for a change. What did your teacher say?

D: Well? He says, apart from physical features, there are some inborn abilities in man.

M: Could you give us an example?

D: Well I’m not going to speak about instincts that are undoubtedly born with us. Mr Skull

says, your genius is born with you. However, this doesn’t mean that it works without

cultivation or practice. And he also added that a lot of talent is wasted all over the world and

there are a lot more geniuses among people than one might expect.

F: There’s much truth in what he says. By the way, did you know that the words ‘genius’ and

‘gene’ were closely connected?

D: Good point, pa! Yes, he explained it too. Then he put a question that raised a rather heated

debate in the class.

M: I wonder what the question was?

D: Well, the question is, whether we are genetically predetermined or free to shape ourselves.

The class got divided into two groups. There were the fatalists and those who voted for free

will.

M: That’s a rather philosophical question, isn’t it?

F: It is. But I wonder what your opinion is?

D: I really don’t know pa. There were strong pros and cons on both sides. All in all, I don’t

think we are predetermined in any way.

M: And what did Mr Skull say?

D: Oh, we didn’t finish it. We’ll be discussing genetic engineering next week.

F: Yeah, that’s another important issue that is worth discussing.

Words and Phrases

add hozzáad / tesz

all in all mindent egybevetve

any more többé már nem

Vass Judit

31

bad habit rossz szokás

both physical and mental abilities mind testi, mind szellemi tulajdonságok

closely connected szorosan összekapcsolódnak

connect to / with sg összekapcsol

cultivation kiművelés

debate vita

divide into groups csoportokra oszt

don’t seem to care much about knowledge úgy tűnik, nem sokat törődnek a tudással

eager to − i am eager to know it. izgatott − Nagyon várom, hogy megtudjam.

fatalist fatalista (hisz a kikerülhetetlen végzetben)

free to choose szabadon választ

free will szabad akarat

gene, genetics gén, genetika

genetic engineering génmanipuláció

genetically genetikailag

genius, geniuses zseni

he also added that azt is mondta még, hogy…

how is life at school? Mi van az iskolában?

I am not a child any more. Már nem vagyok gyerek.

I cannot account for it. Erre nem tudok magyarázatot adni.

I don’t think we are predetermined. Nem hiszem, hogy eleve elrendeltek lennénk.

I hate being examined. Utálom, ha vizsgáztatnak.

I’m not very keen on it. Nem nagyon érdekel

I wonder what the question is. Kíváncsi vagyok a kérdésre.

I wonder what your opinion is. Kíváncsi vagyok a véleményedre.

I wonder who they are. Vajon kik ők?

important issue fontos kérdés, dolog

instinct ösztön

Is it in your genes? A génjeidben van?

It’s nice to hear there is something you are

not against.

Jó hallani, hogy van valami, ami nincs

ellenedre.

it is worth discussing érdemes megvitatni

just because we are young csak azért mert fiatalok vagyunk

Vass Judit

32

just for a change a változatosság kedvéért

made everybody eager to discuss it mindenkit vitára sarkallt

on both sides mindkét oldalon

pass on to sy továbbadni valakinek

pick up felszed, megtanul

predetermined eleve elrendelt

pros, cons érvek, ellenérvek

raise felemel

raise a heated debate heves vitát vált ki

His words raised a heated debate. A szavai heves vitát váltottak ki.

skull koponya

talent is wasted elveszik a tehetség

than one might expect mint amire számítanánk

that doesn’t mean that… nem jelenti azt, hogy…

that’s exactly what were discussing pontosan erről vitatkoztunk

There is much truth in it. Sok igazság van ebben.

to my best knowledge legjobb tudomásom szerint

today’s subject a mai anyag / téma

undoubtedly kétségtelenül

vote for sg szavaz valamire

we did our best. Megtettünk minden tőlünk telhetőt.

whether = if vajon, -e?

worth sg / doing sg megéri

This book is worth the money. Ez a könyv megéri a pénzt.

This book is worth buying. Ezt a könyvet érdemes megvenni.

You have always been touchy. Mindig is sértődékeny voltál.

You shouldn’t call us ignorant. Nem kellene tudatlannak nevezned minket!

Pillow Talk

Wife: Have you heard what happened to Peter?

Husband: No, I haven’t. What is it again with him? Tell me the worst.

Wife: Well, he bumped into his neighbour’s fence while turning the corner yesterday.

Husband: Oh that’s typical of him! The clumsy old chap. Did he manage to pull it down?

Vass Judit

33

Wife: Don’t be so sarcastic. The fence is all right, there is only a slight cracking on it; at least

Lizzie says so. But the owner made such a fuss about it, as if it had been totally destroyed.

They had a terrible row.

Husband: Oh, so you have heard it from Lizzie? That makes a difference!

Wife: What are you aiming at? You just can’t stand Lizzie, can you? You are picking on her

and are finding fault with her all the time.

Husband: I am not picking on her, why should I? She simply enjoys spreading fishy stories.

She would do that, wouldn’t she? She had better mind her own business…or broomstick, if

you see what I mean.

Wife: Now, you are being wicked.

Husband: Me? Is it my witchcraft that makes the dog whimper at nights? It’s been doing it

ever since she looked after it, while we were on holiday. As for Peter’s neighbour, Mr…well,

his name escapes me now…

Wife: Shakefist is the name.

Husband: Oh, yeah. Good old Mr Shakefist. No wonder he made such a fuss about the fence.

He is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I had a couple of words with him the other day.

Poor thing…to have such a trouble and strife*!

Wife: What’s wrong with his wife?

Husband: Well… ‘But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue!’

Wife: Oh no! So, you’ve been making a fool of me for the whole time, haven’t you?

Husband: Darling, it’s just because you fall for any gossip you hear.

*cockney English; a cockney is a person born in the East End of London. They speak a

special accent and a humorous, rhyming slang. ‘trouble and strife’ = wife, ‘mince pies’ =

eyes, ‘plates of meat’ = feet, ‘loaf of bread’ = head

Words and Phrases

a couple of words néhány szó

aim at céloz valamire

as if it had been totally destroyed mintha teljesen lerombolták volna

at least she says so legalább is ezt mondja

broomstick seprűnyél

Vass Judit

34

bump into belemegy (pl. autóval)

But break my heart, for I must hold my

tongue.

(Hamlet)

„De törj meg, szívem, mert nem szólhat a

száj.”

Arany János ford.

chap fickó

clumsy ügyetlen, esetlen

cracking repedés

escape elmenekül, eltűnik

ever since she looked after him amióta ő vigyázott rá

fence kerítés

fishy story gyanús történet

He is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Az idegösszeomlás szélén van.

He’s been doing it ever since. Azóta csinálja ezt.

His name escapes me now. Nem jut most eszembe a neve.

if you see what I mean ha érted, mire gondolok

make a fool of sy a bolondját járatja valakivel

make a fuss about sg cirkuszt csinál valamiből

No wonder he had made such a fuss about it. Nem csoda, hogy akkora cirkuszt csinált.

Don’t make such a fuss about it. Ne csinálj ekkora ügyet ebből!

Mind your own business. Törődj a magad dolgával!

nervous breakdown idegösszeomlás

owner tulajdonos

pick on sy pikkelni valakire

poor thing szegény pára

pull down lebont

row veszekedés

sarcastic szarkasztikus, gúnyos

shakefist (see: shakespeare) „ökölrázó” („lándzsarázó”)

She had better mind her own business. Jobban tenné, ha a saját dolgával törődne.

She would do that, wouldn’t she? Jellemző rá, nem?

slight enyhe, kicsi

So you have been making a fool of me. Szóval a bolondját járatod velem!

Don’t make a fool of me. Ne járasd velem a bolondját!

Vass Judit

35

spread terjeszt

Tell me the worst. Ne kímélj!

That makes a difference. Az persze más!

Does it make any difference? Számít ez? Nem mindegy?

This doesn’t make any difference. Ettől nem változik semmi. Ez nem számít.

That makes the dog bark. Attól ugat a kutya.

That makes me cry. Az megríkat.

His joke made us laugh. A vicce megnevettetett minket.

He tried to make us learn. Próbált rávenni minket a tanulásra.

That’s typical of him! Ez jellemző rá!

the other day egyik nap (a múltban)

They had a terrible row. Rettenetesen összevesztek.

What are you aiming at? Mire célzol?

What is it again with him? Mi van már megint vele?

What’s wrong with his wife? Mi a baj a feleségével?

When we were on holiday amikor üdülni voltunk

himper nyüszít

while turning the corner miközben befordult a sarkon

Why should i? Miért tenném?

wicked gonosz

witchcraft boszorkányság

You are being wicked. Most gonoszkodsz! (általában nem gonosz)

She is being friendly. Megjátssza a barátságost. (általában nem az)

You are picking on her, aren’t you? Ugye pikkelsz rá?

You cannot stand her, can you? Ugye nem tudod elviselni?

You fall for any gossip you hear. Bedőlsz minden pletykának, amit hallasz.

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36

3. City Life, Country Life

• A tourist cannot find his way in Dublin, so he turns to the first passer- by: ’Excuse me, could you tell me

the way to the main station, please?’ The man pauses for thought, then he says, ‘I certainly could, but if I

were you, I wouldn’t start from here.’ (An Irish joke)

• A farmer rides his cart along a country lane while a young man walks ahead. As the cart passes by, the

farmer nods to the young man to jump into the back of the cart. So they bump along the lane for a while,

when the young man asks, ‘Master, is it far to the town?’ ‘Aye’, says the farmer, ‘a long way ahead.’

The young man falls asleep and when he wakes up two hours later, he asks again, ‘Still ahead?’ ’Nay’,

says the farmer, ‘a long way behind.’ (A Hungarian joke)

A : City life has changed a lot, hasn’t it?

B : Yes, urban life has changed a lot considering all the aspects of everyday life. Let us

take public transport, for example. One hundred years ago only the rich had cars,

nowadays almost everybody possesses one.

A : Oh, yes. At the beginning of the 20th century trams and coaches were pulled by

horses. Nowadays the underground and elevated trains make it possible to get from the

suburbs to the city very fast. On the other hand, these days, cities suffer from smog due to

the exhaust fumes.

B : What’s more, population is growing at a terrible rate, on a weekday you can hardly

push your way through the crowd in busy streets. As a result, those who can afford it,

move to the green belt in the suburbs or outside the city .

A : Suburbs are OK., however, slums are a distressing sight with their dirty streets and

houses that are in bad condition. I think councils should rehabilitate these areas.

B : City councils and the police try hard to cope with huge problems, such as growing

violence, traffic jams, and homeless people begging in the streets.

A : What would you do to help the homeless?

B : Well, that’s not an easy question. There are temporary hostels run by city councils or

charity organizations. In these hostels they can sleep, wash and have meals. However,

there aren’t enough of these shelters.

A : It is said that a lot of homeless people are not willing to go there, because they are

afraid of being robbed or bullied, so they sleep in a park or in a subway instead. I think we

should raise money for charity to build safe homes for them.

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37

B : Do you ever give money to beggars?

A : Well, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. When the beggar is pushy, I’d rather not

give him anything. Some say, it’s no use giving them money, because there are criminals

in the background who hire the beggars, and take the money from them. What about you?

Do you give them money?

B : Yes, I always do. It is our duty to help the poor.

A : There are a lot of advantages of living in a city, aren’t there?

B : Yes, there are. There are more services and better chances for jobs compared to a

village. In addition to this, there are more places of entertainment such as theatres,

cinemas, clubs, and sports centres. There is a great variety of shops where you can buy

anything you might need. All in all, city life is more exciting and comfortable at that.

However, it’s good to get away from the rat race now and then and spend your holiday

somewhere in the country, off the beaten track.

A : Country life has changed too.

B : Yes, it has changed considerably. Traditional, rustic villages are disappearing due to

the migration to towns and cities. Young people tend to migrate to towns in search of a

better job or life. The remaining villages are turning into town-like places. These modern

villages have paved roads, piped water, electricity, gas or central heating.

A : What do you mean by a modern village?

B : In a modern village you can enjoy all the comforts you might need at home. The

population of a modern village consists of farmers and villagers who go to work in a town

or a city, but are not willing to live there. In the past, villagers earned their livings by

growing crops and breeding animals. A modern farm is well equipped with up-to-date

machinery, stables and irrigation pipes.

A : Nevertheless, nowadays there is a great demand for organic foods that are produced

without chemicals. A friend of mine took up organic gardening; he grows vegetables and

fruit without chemical fertilizers just to provide his own family. He says gardening is hard

work and fun at the same time.

B : Yes, people living in a block of flats are eager to have a garden to grow flowers and

vegetables because in the city they miss nature and healthy exercise. The great advantage

of rural life is that you are close to nature, breathe in fresh air and can get rid of all the

stresses of city life. And don’t forget about the scenery. City sights don’t compare with

the fields, hills and rivers you can enjoy in the country.

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38

A : But there are disadvantages of living in the country.

B : Yes, you are right. First of all, when the village is small, it cannot maintain a school or

postal service, so you have to go to the nearest town. As for your cultural needs, you

won’t find theatres, museums or cinemas in a small village, so you cannot do without a

car. Another disadvantage is that you have to depend on coach or train services in case

you haven’t got a car. In winter, villages are exposed to bad weather; snow can cut them

off the world for days. As for shopping, you have to depend on the supplies of the nearest

town, as small villages normally have a grocery and that’s all.

A : Are there any prejudices against country people on behalf of town folk?

B : There used to be in the past, but nowadays the old stereotypes such as ‘country

bumpkin’ are not typical. Town people don’t sneer at rural accents any more, except for

the uneducated. Living in the country no longer means a backward mind.

A : Where would you prefer to live in the future, in a city or in the country?

B : I’d prefer to live in the city. I was born here and I won’t be able to get accustomed to

another lifestyle.

A : As far as I’m concerned, I’d prefer to escape from the city, though not too far from it.

I’d like to take advantage of everything that the city can offer, but I don’t want to live in

it. I’d prefer to live in a village or a small town where I can build a house to my taste. It’d

be nice to have a garden, not too big, though, and plenty of fresh air. I wouldn’t mind the

inconveniences. You know, nothing compares with nature.

B : I really don’t know. I have always lived in the city; probably I would feel cut off in the

country.

Words and Phrases

a great variety of shops üzletek nagy választéka

advantage of előnye

afford, I cannot afford to buy a car. megengedheti magának

afraid of being bullied fél, hogy bántalmazzák

afraid of being robbed fél, hogy kirabolják

animal and crop husbandry állat- és növénytermesztés

anything you might need bármi, amire szüksége lehet

as a result következésképp

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39

at a terrible rate szörnyű sebességgel / gyorsan

backward mind elmaradott gondolkodású ember

beg, begging in the street koldul

breed animals állatokat tenyészteni

charity, charity organisation jótékonyság, jótékonysági szervezet

chemical kémiai, vegyszeres

chemical fertiliser műtrágya

cities don’t compare with villages a városok nem olyan szépek, mint falvak

coach távolsági busz

compare with összehasonlít valamivel

concerning all the aspects figyelembe véve minden szempontot

condition, in bad condition állapot, rossz állapotban van (pl épület)

cope with megbirkózni valamivel

country bumpkin „falusi bunkó”

criminal bűnöző

cultural needs kulturális igények

cut off elvág ( a külvilágtól)

definitely biztosan, határozottan

demand igény, követelés

There is a great demand for such shoes. Az ilyen cipők nagyon keresettek.

depend on függ valamitől

disadvantage of hátránya valaminek

disappear, appear eltűnik, megjelenik

distressing sight lehangoló látvány

due to , due to exhaust fumes valaminek köszönhetően, a gázok miatt

duty − This is our duty to help them. kötelesség

earn one’s living megkeresni a betevőt

elevated train magasvasút

escape from elmenekül valahonnan

except for ( them, me, you) kivéve

exhaust fume kipufogó gázok

exposed to ki van téve valaminek

Farmers are exposed to bad weather. A gazdák ki vannak téve a rossz időjárásnak.

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40

get away from the rat race kiszállni a mókuskerékből

get rid of sg megszabadulni valamitől

green belt zöld övezet

grocery élelmiszerbolt

grow crops gabonát termeszteni

He earns his living as a farmer. Mezőgazdaságból él.

healthy exercise egészséges (test)mozgás

homeless, the homeless hajléktalan, a hajléktalanok

hostel szállás, ifjúsági hotel

hostel run by the city council a városi önkormányzat által fenntartott hotel

I would feel cut off. Elszigeteltnek érezném magam.

I would prefer to live in the city. Szívesebben élnék városban.

in addition to this ezen túl, ezen kívül

in search of a better job egy jobb állás reményében

irrigation öntözés

It would be nice to have a garden. Jó lenne, ha kertünk lenne.

it’s no use giving them money nincs értelme pénzt adni nekik

it’s no use going there nincs értelme odamenni

maintain fenntart

make sg possible lehetővé tesz valamit

method módszer

migration, migrate elvándorlás, el/kivándorol

no longer means többet már nem jelenti azt, hogy…

Nothing compares with nature. Nincs a természetnél szebb.

off the beaten track „távol a világtól’ nem a kitaposott ösvényen

offer ajánlat, ajánl

organic food biotermék

paved road aszfaltozott út

piped water vezetékes víz

places of entertainment szórakozóhelyek

plenty of (fresh air) sok ( friss levegő)

possess, possession birtokol, tulajdon

postal service postai szolgáltatás

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41

push one’s way through the crowd átverekedi magát a tömegen

pushy erőszakos (követelőző)

raise money for charity jótékonyságra gyűjtenyi

rat race „mókuskerék”

rate arány

rehabilitate, restore rehabilitál, helyreállít

remain marad

rural life vidéki élet

rustic rusztikus, nyers, faragatlan, falusi

scenery táj

service szolgáltatás

set up a project tervet kidolgoz

shelter menedék

sneer at sy gúnyolódik valakin

stable istálló

suburb külváros

subway aluljáró

supply ellátás, készlet

take advantage of előnyt kihasznál

taste, a house to my taste ízlés. ízlésemnek való ház

temporary ideiglenes

town-like városszerű

traffic jam forgalmi dugó

up-to-date machinery korszerű gépek

variety változatosság

violence erőszak, bűnözés

well equipped jól felszerelt

willing to − He is not willing to work. hajlandó valamire ⎯ nem hajlandó dolgozni.

Zsibbasztó

Ugye nagyon megváltozott a városi élet? ..............................................................................

Ami a mindennapi életet illeti ................................................................................................

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42

Száz évvel ezelőtt csak a gazdagoknak volt autója ................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Manapság majdnem mindenkinek van ...................................................................................

Régen a villamosokat lovak húzták ........................................................................................

A metró és a magasvasút lehetővé teszik ...............................................................................

Hogy gyorsan a városba érjünk a külvárosból .......................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A városok szenvednek a szmogtól .........................................................................................

A kipufogó gázoknak köszönhető ..........................................................................................

Sőt ...........................................................................................................................................

A népesség szörnyű sebességgel nő .......................................................................................

Alig lehet átverekedni a tömegen ...........................................................................................

Ennek eredményeképpen ........................................................................................................

Aki megengedheti magának ...................................................................................................

A zöldövezetbe költözik .........................................................................................................

A városon kívül ......................................................................................................................

A nyomornegyedek lehangoló látványt nyújtanak .................................................................

A házak rossz állapotban vannak ...........................................................................................

Az önkormányzatnak rehabilitálnia kellene ezeket a körzeteket ...........................................

................................................................................................................................................

A rendőrség mindent megtesz, hogy megbirkózzon a problémákkal ....................................

................................................................................................................................................

Úgymint a növekvő erőszak ...................................................................................................

Az utcán kolduló hajléktalanok ..............................................................................................

Mit tenne a hajléktalanok megsegítésére? ..............................................................................

Vannak ideiglenes szállások, amiket a városi önkormányzat tart fenn ..................................

................................................................................................................................................

Ezeken a szállókon alhatnak, mosakodhatnak és ehetnek ......................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Ezekből a szállásokból nincs elég ..........................................................................................

Azt mondják, hogy .................................................................................................................

Sok hajléktalan nem hajlandó odamenni ................................................................................

Félnek attól, hogy kirabolják vagy bántalmazzák őket ..........................................................

................................................................................................................................................

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43

Inkább az aluljárókban alszanak ............................................................................................

Szerintem pénzt kellene gyűjtenünk ......................................................................................

Szokott pénzt adni a koldusoknak? ........................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Ha a koldus erőszakos, inkább nem adok neki semmit ..........................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Nincs értelme pénzt adni nekik ..............................................................................................

A háttérben bűnözők állnak ....................................................................................................

Kötelességünk segíteni a szegényeket ....................................................................................

Sok előnye van a városi életnek .............................................................................................

Több a szolgáltatás .................................................................................................................

Jobb esélyeink vannak állásra ................................................................................................

Összehasonlítva a faluval .......................................................................................................

Ezenkívül ................................................................................................................................

Több a szórakozóhely .............................................................................................................

Az üzletek széles választéka található ....................................................................................

Mindent megvehet, amire szüksége lehet ..............................................................................

Mindent egybevetve ...............................................................................................................

A városi élet izgalmasabb és kényelmesebb ..........................................................................

Jó kiszabadulni a mókuskerékből ...........................................................................................

A szabadságot vidéken tölteni ................................................................................................

Nem járt utakon ......................................................................................................................

A vidéki élet is megváltozott ..................................................................................................

Jelentősen megváltozott .........................................................................................................

A hagyományos falvak eltűnőben vannak .............................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A városba irányuló migrációnak (elvándorlásnak) köszönhetően .........................................

................................................................................................................................................

A fiatalok a városba vándorolnak jobb állás reményében ......................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A modern falvakban betonút van, vezetékes víz, gáz- vagy központi fűtés ..........................

................................................................................................................................................

Mit ért modern falu alatt? .......................................................................................................

Minden kényelmet élvezhet, amire szüksége lehet ................................................................

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44

................................................................................................................................................

A múltban a falusiak növénytermesztéssel és állattenyésztéssel keresték a kenyerüket .......

................................................................................................................................................

Egy modern gazdaság jó felszerelt korszerű gépekkel ...........................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Istállók és öntöző csövek ........................................................................................................

Ennek ellenére ........................................................................................................................

Manapság nagy a biotermékek iránti igény ............................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Vegyszerek nélkül termelik őket ............................................................................................

Egy barátom rákapott a biokertészetre ...................................................................................

Zöldséget termeszt és gyümölcsöt ..........................................................................................

Műtrágya nélkül .....................................................................................................................

Hogy ellássa a családját ..........................................................................................................

A kertészkedés egyszerre jó mulatság és kemény munka .....................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A városban hiányoljuk a természetet .....................................................................................

Az egészséges mozgást ..........................................................................................................

A vidéki élet nagy előnye .......................................................................................................

Hogy friss levegőt szívunk .....................................................................................................

És megszabadulhatunk a városi élet stresszétől .....................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Ne felejtsük el a tájat ! ............................................................................................................

A városi látnivalók nem érnek fel a mezőkkel .......................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

De a falusi életnek vannak hátrányai is. .................................................................................

A kis falvak nem tudnak iskolát fenntartani ...........................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A legközelebbi városba kell menni ........................................................................................

Ami a kulturális igényeket illeti .............................................................................................

Egyáltalán nem lehet meg autó nélkül ...................................................................................

A távolsági buszra és a vonatra szorulunk .............................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Abban az esetben, ha nincs autója ..........................................................................................

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45

Télen a falvak ki vannak téve a rossz időjárásnak .................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A hó napokra elvághatja őket a világtól .................................................................................

Ami a vásárlást illeti ...............................................................................................................

Vannak-e előítéletek a vidéki emberekkel szemben? ............................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A városlakók részéről .............................................................................................................

Falusi bunkó ...........................................................................................................................

A városiak már nem gúnyolódnak a vidéki akcentuson .........................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Kivéve a műveletleneket ........................................................................................................

Vidéken élni már nem jelent elmaradottságot ........................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Hol szeretne élni, városban vagy falun? .................................................................................

Inkább városban élnék ............................................................................................................

Itt születtem ............................................................................................................................

Nem lennék képes más életstílust megszokni ........................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Szeretném kihasználni a város adta előnyöket .......................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Ízlésem szerint való ház .........................................................................................................

Jó lenne, ha volna kertem .......................................................................................................

Nem bánnám a kényelmetlenségeket .....................................................................................

A természettel semi sem versenyezhet ...................................................................................

Mindig is városban éltem .......................................................................................................

Valószínűleg elszigeteltnek érezném magam falun ...............................................................

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46

An Informal Letter

Dear Mum and Dad,

Sorry for not having written for days, but I always get home late at night when my

only wish is to drop and sleep. I am having a great time here, the country is much

more beautiful than I expected. The people are nice and hospitable, my host

family are eager to make me enjoy my stay here.

I‘ve been through rather busy days. So far I’ve been shown around in the city,

which is full of magnificent historical sights (I am attaching some photos I have

taken). I have also seen the countryside, which is a bit different from that of

England. The country folk tend to build their homes in a strange fashion, they

prefer detached houses with strongly built fences, mostly wrought-iron ones

instead of hedges.

Today we have been to the most south-western part of the country, which is a long

drive away from Budapest. It took us four hours to cover the distance, but the

scenery made up for the inconvenience. This part of the country is hilly with

flower- covered valleys and vineyards on the slopes.

The county we’ve visited is called “Őrség”; the name refers to the mission of the

region in the past. They were supposed to guard and defend the western border of

Hungary.

We were shown around in an open-air village museum in ‘Pityerszer’, the

importance of which is that the farmhouses are the original ones built about 600

years ago. One can only wonder how they remained in such a good condition

considering the fact that they had been built of adobe, you know, dried mud mixed

with straw, as you can see in my photos. You can also discover that they had used

thatched roofs similar to those in Cornwall. The guide said it had had the

advantage of keeping the houses warm in winter and cool in summer. My host

added that nowadays rich people like applying this kind of roof, but it costs a

fortune, so he said.

Unlike typical Hungarian farmhouses these buildings have no fence around them,

because the houses are scattered on the hilltops. The houses that cluster on a

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47

hilltop belong to one family separated from the others with valleys. That’s why the

settlement looks really romantic.

The guide told us how they had communicated with each other. When a hostile

army had been approaching, they had lit fires on the hilltops one by one, and thus

they had sent the message to the royal court, which had been about 300

kilometres away. Guess, how long it had taken the message to get to the king?

One and a half hour! Great, isn’t it? I have bought souvenirs in the little shop that

sells all kinds of things typical of local folk art; I hope you’ll like them.

I am glad I’ve come here, and I really got interested in Central Europe, and have

already made up my mind to visit Slovenia next year. I hope Mike will like the

idea.

Are you OK? Send me an email about how things are going on at home.

Love, Julie

Words and Phrases

adobe vályog

a long drive away hosszú út kocsival

approach megközelít

cluster csoportosul

considering the fact that… figyelembe véve a tényt, hogy…

country folk, town folk vidéki emberek, városi emberek (bizalmas)

county megye

cover the distance megteszi a távolságot

detached house, semi-detached house családi ház, ikerház

discover felfedez

drop elejt, összeesik

dry mud mixed with straw szárított sár szalmával keverve ( vályog)

fence kerítés

flower-covered virág borította

guide idegenvezető

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48

hedge sövény (kerítés)

hospitable vendégszerető

host family vendéglátó család

hostile army ellenséges hadsereg

in a good condition, in bad condition jó / rossz állapotban van

in a strange fashion furcsa stílusban

inconvenience kényelmetlenség

it costs a fortune egy vagyonba kerül

keeps the house warm / cool melegen / hűvösen tartja a házat

late at night késő éjjel

make up for kompenzál, kárpótol

mission küldetés

my stay here itt tartózkodásom

one can only wonder… csak csodálni lehet, hogy…

open-air village museum falumúzeum ( szabadtéri)

refer to utal valamire

The title refers to the contents of the book. A cím utal a könyv tartalmára.

What does this refer to? Mire utal?

region körzet, régió

royal court királyi udvar

scatter szétszór

separate from sg / sy elválaszt valamitől

settlement település

similar to hasonló valamihez

slope lejtő

so he said, so he says így mondta, így mondja (ahogy ő mondja)

sorry for not having written. Bocsánat, hogy nem írtam.

than i expected mint amire számítottam

thatched roof zsúptető

the most south-western part of the country az ország legdélnyugatibb része

typical of local folk art a helyi népművészetre jellemző

vineyard szőlőskert

we were shown around körbevezettek minket

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49

wrought-iron fence kovácsoltvas kerítés

Zsibbasztó

Bocsánat, hogy sokáig nem írtam ................................................................................................

Mindig késő este érek haza ..........................................................................................................

Egyetlen kívánságom, hogy aludjak .............................................................................................

Nagyszerűen érzem itt magam .....................................................................................................

Sokkal szebb, mint vártam ...........................................................................................................

Az emberek vendégszeretők .........................................................................................................

Zsúfolt napokon vagyok túl..........................................................................................................

Körbevezettek a városon ..............................................................................................................

A város tele van csodálatos történelmi nevezetességgel ..............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Voltam vidéken is .........................................................................................................................

Egy kicsit különbözik az angliaitól ..............................................................................................

A vidékiek ....................................................................................................................................

Furcsa stílusban ............................................................................................................................

Erős kerítés ...................................................................................................................................

Sövény helyett ..............................................................................................................................

Az ország délnyugati része ...........................................................................................................

Messze van autóval Budapesttől ..................................................................................................

4 órába telt megtenni a távolságot ................................................................................................

A táj kárpótolt a kényelmetlenségért ............................................................................................

Virágok borította völgyek ............................................................................................................

Szabadtéri museum ......................................................................................................................

A házakat 600 évvel ezelőtt építették ...........................................................................................

Az ember csak csodálkozik ..........................................................................................................

Jó állapotban maradtak meg .........................................................................................................

Figyelembe véve a tényt ...............................................................................................................

Amint a képen láthatod ................................................................................................................

Zsuptetőt alkalmaznak ..................................................................................................................

Hasonlót a cornwalliakhoz ...........................................................................................................

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50

Télen melegen tartja a házat .........................................................................................................

Nyáron hűvösen tartja a házat ......................................................................................................

Egy vagyonba kerül ......................................................................................................................

A házak körül nincs kerítés ..........................................................................................................

A házak a dombtetőkön vannak szértszórva ................................................................................

Egy családé ...................................................................................................................................

Völgyek választják el a többitől ...................................................................................................

A település romantikusnak tűnik ..................................................................................................

Tüzet gyújtottak a dombtetőn .......................................................................................................

Üzenet a királyi udvarba ..............................................................................................................

Találd ki, mennyi időbe tellett! ....................................................................................................

Nagyszerű, nem? ..........................................................................................................................

A helyi népművészetre jellemző ..................................................................................................

Remélem, tetszeni fog ..................................................................................................................

Örülök, hogy eljöttem ide .............................................................................................................

Elhatároztam, hogy jövőre Szlovéniába megyek .........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Hogy mennek otthon a dolgok? ...................................................................................................

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4. Crime and Punishment

During the trial of a corruption case the prosecution attorney turns to the witness: ‘Isn’t it

true that you got ten thousand to compromise this case? The witness pretends not to have

heard the question. The judge leans over and says: ‘May I ask you sir, to answer the

question?’ ‘Oh, says the witness, I thought he had put the question to you.’

(Lawyer Jokes )

A : Could you explain what we mean by the law?

B : The law is the legal system of a country, a set of rules that all citizens must obey.

Laws are passed by the parliament. Most people are law-abiding citizens, but there are

lawbreakers as well. If one breaks the law he or she will be punished depending on the

crime committed. For example, burglary is a crime, while breaking the Highway Code is

an offence.

A : What is the legal procedure like in case of a serious crime, let us take robbery?

B : After the robbery has been reported to the police, they start investigations into the

case. Investigation means questioning the victims or the witnesses to the robbery. When

there is enough information about the offender, the police start pursuing the suspect and

arrest the person. Sometimes it is only the witnesses’ memory that the police can depend

on; in these cases they circulate an E-fit of the wanted person that is made by using a

computer. The judge can release the suspect on bail, which means that the offender can go

free until the trial.

A: What happens afterwards?

B : After the police investigation the case is brought to the law court for trial. During the

trial the accused has the right to employ a barrister to handle his defence. During the trial

the accused is charged with robbery, and it is the judge’s duty to decide if the accused is

guilty or not. The judge can convict or acquit the accused on the basis of the facts and

testimonies given by the witnesses. There are different legal systems in the world; in some

countries it is the jury that gives the verdict. The jury is a group of citizens (jurors) who,

during the trial, listen to the facts of the case. According to the law the jury normally have

to return a unanimous or majority verdict. The jury have the right to give the verdict, but it

is the judge, who passes the sentence. The culprit can be sentenced to imprisonment for

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52

years or life imprisonment in case of murder for example. In the past, extremely

dangerous criminals were sentenced to death and executed; this is called death penalty or

capital punishment. Capital punishment is abolished in many countries. To my best

knowledge, in some states of the U.S.A. it is still legal. The execution is carried out by an

electric chair.

A : Do you believe in lie detectors?

B : There has been a debate whether a lie detector is reliable or not. For my part, I cannot

decide, actually I don’t know how it works.

A : Are you for or against death penalty?

B : I am against death penalty, because I think no one has the right to take away

anybody’s life. In my opinion capital punishment is a legalised murder. It is said that

death penalty has a deterrent effect on criminals, but according to criminologists, this is

not true. Some think death penalty should be reintroduced regarding the increasing

violence in the world. I am in two minds about it. Whenever I think of the victims who

were murdered, little children in particular, I suppose it is only death penalty that equals to

the crime. On the other hand, there were tragic cases, when innocent people had been

executed, and only later pardoned.

A : What are the most frequent crimes that threaten people?

B : Burglary, which means that criminals break into your home and steal your valuables.

Sometimes burglary goes together with murder, when the victims try to confront the

offenders. Unfortunately, bank robbery has become an almost everyday crime, in spite of

the safeguards and the alarm systems, video cameras that are installed in the banks. Rape

and child abuse also belong to serious crimes that are committed. Those who are charged

with these crimes often turn out to be insane and perverted people. Since 11 September

2001 terrorist attacks have become a worldwide threat against citizens. Governments have

taken strict safety measures at airports, around embassies and other important public

places. Hijacking is another worrying issue; hijackers take control of a plane and force the

pilot to land at another airport. They usually have political aims; they want to blackmail a

certain government by taking hostages in exchange for imprisoned terrorists or money.

There are other hostage-takers, who capture somebody, normally rich people or important

personalities and demand for their release ransom.

A : What do you think is the reason for the increasing juvenile delinquency?

B : Most people put it down to parents’ negligence or the liberal education at schools.

Others say, the reason for it is that children can see too much violence on TV or videos.

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A : And here are some more useful sentences referring to crimes and offences.

1. He had been shoplifting for a long time when he was finally caught red-handed.

1. There are certain bus lines that are infested with pickpockets.

2. It is not advisable to walk in an empty street late at night because you might be

mugged.

3. She was mugged and stabbed while going home late at night.

4. The lorry was searched and it turned out that the driver was smuggling heroin.

5. Our house was broken into a year ago.

6. He was accused of murdering his wife.

7. He was found guilty of bribery.

8. They were found guilty of fraud.

9. His appeal was rejected.

10. He was arrested for spying and giving away state secrets.

11. He was brought to court and charged with murder.

12. The judge dropped the case and he was acquitted.

13. During the trial he confessed to having murdered his wife.

14. The suspect denied everything but all the evidence was against him.

15. When you are arrested it is best not to say anything until you have consulted your

solicitor.

16. After the insulting article he sued the newspaper for libel.

17. The newspaper had to pay libel damages.

18. There was an arson attack on the factory last night.

19. Police should do something to stop yobs insulting people.

20. During the riots yobs set a lot of cars on fire.

21. There are sophisticated methods to counterfeit banknotes.

22. Cashiers have a special device to check the banknotes.

23. It is advisable to install a burglar alarm in every shop.

24. You can keep a weapon, provided you have a licence from the police.

25. Unfortunately drug abuse has been increasing among young people.

26. A lot of people die of drug overdose.

27. As to the drug question, I think prevention is most important.

28. There are a lot of drug-related crimes, such as smuggling, dealing.

29. If you are found guilty of tax dodging, you might be sentenced to prison.

30. The suspect denied robbing the bank.

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Words and Phrases

abolish eltöröl, megszüntet

accuse sy of sg, the accused vádol valamivel, a vádlott

admit doing sg beismer

aim cél

appeal fellebbezés

arrest warrant letartóztatási parancs

arson attack gyújtogatás

bail óvadék

bank robbery bankrablás

barrister ügyvéd

blackmail zsarol/ás

reak , broke, broken (into the house) betörni (a házba)

bring a civil action against sb polgári peres eljárást indítani valakivel

szemben

burglar betörő

capital punishment halálbüntetés

carry out elvégez

charged with vádolják valamivel

child abuse gyermekbántalmazás

circulate köröz (pl. képet)

civil law polgári törvény

commit a crime bűntényt követ el

confess bevall

confront sy szembeszáll valakivel

counterfeit pénzhamisítás

crime, criminal bűntény, bűnöző

criminologist kriminológus

culprit tettes

custody, take sy in custody őrizetbe vétel, elzárás

death penalty halálbüntetés

defence védelem

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defence attorney védőügyvéd

deny doing sg tagad valamit

depend on függ valamitől

deterrent elriasztó

deterrent effect on elriasztó hatással van valakire

drop the case ejti az esetet

drug abuse drogbűnözés

drug-related crimes droggal kapcsolatos bűntények

e-fit fantomkép

electric device elektromos eszköz

employ alkalmaz

enquiries into the case az este vizsgálata

evidence bizonyíték

exceeding the speed limit a sebességhatár túllépése

execute, execution kivégez, kivégzés

fatally ill halálosan beteg

force sy kényszerít valakit

fraud csalás

frequent gyakori

government kormány

handle one’s defence védeni valakit (bíróságon)

he pleaded not guilty ártatlannak vallotta magát

he was accused of murdering his wife azzal vádolták, hogy megölte a feleségét

he was acquitted szabadon engedték

he was arrested for spying kémkedésért tartóztatták le

he was brought to court bíróság elé vitték az ügyét

he was caught red-handed tetten érték

he was charged with murder gyilkossággal vádolták

he was executed kivégezték

he was found guilty of bribery bűnösnek találták vesztegetésben

he was released from prison kiengedték a börtönből

he was sentenced to life imprisonment életfogytiglanira ítélték

hijack géprablás

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hostage, take hostages túsz, túszokat szedni

hostage-taker túszszedő

I am in two minds about it. nem tudok dönteni.

in case of valaminek az esetébe

in exchange for cserében valamiért

infested with pickpockets nyüzsögnek a zsebtolvajok

insane elmebeteg

install a burglar alarm riasztót beszerelni

insult inzultál, sért, bántalmaz

investigate kivizsgál

investigation into the case az ügy kivizsgálása

it is advisable tanácsos, ajánlott

it turned out kiderült

jury esküdtszék

juvenile delinquency fiatalkori bűnözés

kidnapper gyermekrabló

lean, leaned vagy lent hajlik

legal procedure jogi eljárás

legal system jogrend

legal, illegal törvényes, törvénytelen

legalised murder törvényesített gyilkosság

libel rágalmazás (sajtóban)

libel damages kártérítés rágalmazásért

lie detector hazugságvizsgáló

might be mugged kirabolhatják (utcán)

offence, offender szabálysértés, tettes

offender tettes, elkövető

on the basis of valaminek az alapján

overdose túladagolás

pass the sentence kimondja a büntetést

perverted perverz

prevention megelőzés

procedure eljárás

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prosecution attorney vádló ügyvéd

provided feltéve, ha

pursue követ, üldöz

put down to sg betud valaminek, valamivel magyaráz

ransom váltságdíj

rape megerőszakol

reaction to reagálás valamire

reason for sg oka valaminek

regarding tekintetbe véve

reintroduce újra bevezet

reject elutasít

report to the police feljelentést tenni a rendőrségen

right, have the right joga

riot utcai zavargás

search átkutat

search warrant házkutatási parancs

set cars on fire autókat gyújt fel

she was stabbed megkéselték

shoplifting áruházi lopás

slander rágalom

smuggle csempészik

soft drugs, hard drugs lágy drog, kemény drog

some argue néhányan azt mondják

sophisticated methods kifinomult módszerek

special device speciális szerkezet

state secrets állami titkok

steal, stole stolen lop

sue sb for sg keresetet nyújt be valaki ellen

suspect him of murder gyilkossággal gyanúsítják

take control of hatalmába kerít

tax dodging, tax evasion adócsalás („elkerülés”)

testimony tanúvallomás

the jury found him innocent az esküdtszék ártatlannak találta

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threaten, threat fenyeget, fenyegetés

Trial bírósága tárgyalás

unanimous verdict, majority verdict egyhangú ítélet, többségi

until you have consulted your solicitor amíg nem beszélt az ügyvédjével

valuables értékek

verdict ítélet

Wife-battering a feleség bántalmazása

witness szemtanú

yobs huligánok

A Film Review

One of my favourite films is Twelve Angry Men, starring Henry Fonda. The picture was

directed by Sidney Lumet in 1954. In a sense this is not a detective story, because the plot

reaches beyond the popular version of the genre.

The film starts at the end of a trial in court. The suspect is a young boy belonging to a national

minority, who is charged with murdering his father. There are two witnesses to the events,

one of them is an elderly woman living opposite the building in question. According to her

testimony, while lying in her bed late at night, she saw, through the windows of a passing el-

train, the boy stab his father. The other witness is an old man living downstairs, who heard the

boy shouting at his father and threatening him: ‘I will kill you!’ The old man also says that he

heard the father cry out and a thump, probably the body falling on the floor, and shortly

afterwards, the boy rushing down the stairs. The boy pleaded not guilty.

In the opening scene the judge turns to the jury that have heard all the facts and testimonies to

retire and return a unanimous verdict. As he says: ‘a man is dead and another man’s life is at

stake’.

Thus the jury retires to a small room that they cannot leave until they reach a verdict. There

are twelve jurors; all of them are white male citizens, young, middle-aged and old ones who

represent almost every layer of society, ranging from manual workers through clerks and

businessmen to well-educated people. During the film we get a picture of their mentalities,

prejudices, weaknesses or honesty. The film could have been shot in any country at any time,

because these people embody eternal characters with their typical attitudes to life. Some of

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them are good-willed people, but, as usual, they sit on the fence and vote with the majority.

Among the others we find die-hard conservatives, even racists and those who are disinterested

or concerned about the boy’s future.

This is a hot and suffocating afternoon, they are all tired and want to finish their job quickly.

One of them says, that the case is ‘open-and-shut’ and they decide on an immediate and open

vote. The jurors, all but one, vote for ‘guilty’. Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) votes for ‘not guilty’.

The others get angry with him and ask for his motives. He says, he voted so, not that because

he is convinced of the boy’s innocence, but because the boy had a hard childhood and the

testimonies are not convincing enough to raise his hand and send the boy to death. He

suggests reconsidering the facts. He promises that if the second vote ends with the same

result, he will not prevent the jury from returning a verdict of ‘guilty’. However, the second

vote, now a secret ballot, ends with 10 to 2, which means one of the members has changed his

vote. This turns out to be a fair-minded old man who wants to give a chance to Juror 8 to

speak his mind. And here starts a heated discussion, during which Juror 8 gradually convinces

the majority that the two witnesses’ testimonies are contradictory. The questions come up:

How could the woman see the murder? Was she lying in her bed with her glasses on? She

appeared for the trial with no glasses but with red marks on her nose typical of those who

permanently wear glasses.

How could the old man, at the same time, hear the shouting upstairs, when the el train was

just passing by with a deafening noise? How could he see the boy running down the steps? He

had a stroke the year before, and drags one of his legs. Juror 8 proves that he couldn’t have

reached the front door in 15 seconds as he said. He manages to convince the jurors about the

uncertainties of the case and reminds them about their great responsibility: the boy’s life is at

their hands.

Only one juror (3) remains unmoved and strongly opposed to acquit the boy. While arguing,

he works himself up to such a point where he loses his self-control and says ‘They’re born

liars’, meaning sons in general. He is extremely biased against the boy for personal reasons.

He himself is estranged from his son who doesn’t care about him, probably because of the

harsh treatment he got from his father. In the end, Juror 3 collapses with remorse, and, while

crying, he says: ‘not guilty’. So the boy will be acquitted. Conscience has won.

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Words and Phrases

’open-and-shut’ “világos, mint a nap”

all but one egy kivételével

angry with sy haragszik valakire

at stake, a man’s life is at stake kockán forog, egy ember élete forog kockán

at their hands ( his life is at the jury’s

hands)

kezükben van

bias, biased against sy / sg elfogult valakivel szemben

clerk hivatalnok

collapse összeomlás

collapses with remorse magába roskad a bűntudattól

concerned about érdekli valami, aggódik valamiért

conscience lelkiismeret

contradictory ellentmondásos

convince, convinced of meggyőz, meggyőződött valamiről

cry out kiáltás, segélykiáltás

deafening noise fülsüketítő zaj

decide on valami mellett dönteni

direct − the picture was directed by Lumet a filmet Lumet rendezte.

disinterested in közönyös valami iránt

drag one’s legs húzza a lábát

embody Megtestesít

estranged from elidegenedett valakitől

eternal characters egyetemes jellemek

fair-minded igazságos

for personal reasons, for various reasons személyes okokból, különböző okokból

get a picture of képet alkot valamiről / valakiről

good-willed jó szándékú

gradually fokozatosan

He pleaded guilty / not guilty. bűnösnek/ártatlannak vallotta magát.

honest, honesty becsületes, becsület

immediate azonnali

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in a sense bizonyos értelemben

in any country at any time bármely országban, bármikor

in the opening scene a nyitó jelenetben

juror esküdt

layer of society társadalmi réteg

manage to convince sikerül meggyőznie

manual worker fizikai munkás

mentality szellemiség, felfogás

minority, majority, national minority kisebbség, többség, nemzeti kisebbség

motive for sg motiváció, ösztönzés

not that because nem azért, mintha

oppose to ellenez, helytelenít valamit

passing el train az elhaladó magasvasút

permanently állandóan

plot cselekmény

the plot takes place in New York a cselekmény New Yorkban játszódik.

popular version of the genre a műfaj népszerű változata

prevent sy/sg from doing sg megakadályoz valamiben

prove bebizonyít, bizonyul valaminek

this was proved long ago. Ezt már régen bebizonyították.

racist rasszista, idegengyűlölő

ranging from…to kezdve valamitől valameddig

reach beyond Felülmúl vmit, szétfeszíti a kereteit

reconsider újragondol, mérlegel

red marks piros foltok

rush down the stairs lerohan a lépcsőn

secret ballot titkos szavazás

self-control önuralom / fegyelem

shortly afterwards nem sokkal ezután

sit on the fence kivár, ingadozik

suffocate, suffocating fojtogat, fojtogató

Suggest Javasol

He suggested going there. Azt javasolta, hogy menjünk oda.

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He suggested that we should go there. Azt javasolta, hogy menjünk oda.

He suggested that we go there. Azt javasolta, hogy menjünk oda.

He suggested that we went. Azt javasolta, hogy menjünk oda.

the building in question a szóban forgó ház

thump zuhanás, ütés

uncertainties Bizonytalanságok

unmoved, remain unmoved érzéketlen, közönyös

until they reach the verdict míg meg nem hozzák az ítéletet

vote, open vote szavazás, nyílt szavazás

An Essay

Juvenile Delinquency

Growing juvenile delinquency is a poignant issue that has raised anxiety in the public in

recent decades. News and reports convey appalling incidents that involve youth crimes day by

day. Just think about the massacres committed by armed students in schools. No wonder

people are getting more and more worried about the antisocial behaviour on behalf of teens.

A juvenile delinquent is not necessarily a criminal. He or she might have broken cultural

norms or has been charged with status offence such as truancy or caught with alcohol.

However, there are more serious cases which are extremely difficult to tackle. For example

yobs violating social norms and frightening passers by in the street with their provocations or

thugs that reach their gun if you happen to send a disapproving glance at their antisocial

manner or behaviour. Law-abiding citizens are intimidated and expect the government to be

tough on youth crime.

In most countries juvenile delinquents are treated differently than adult offenders on the basis

that they have no control over their families, schooling or the community they are associated

with. They are not fully responsible for their deeds.

There are various theories on juvenile crime and the different motives that drive a child to

break the law. Among the key factors we can find poor parenting or abandonment. A child

born into a family that sets bad examples, the tendency to violent behaviour, child and wife-

battering for example, is extremely vulnerable and easily falls prey to aggressive influences. It

has been proved that children with strong family or social ties are unlikely to commit crime.

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According to the psychological approach to the question, the reason for juvenile crime lies in

the lack of self-control which is to be acquired in the family at an early age before social

control starts working. Balanced personality can also be created by caring parental guidance

the lack of which plays a great role in the unhealthy development of a child. Teens with their

undeveloped character are exposed to peer's pressure that can provoke defiant and provocative

behaviour. According to the sociological approach, poverty and crime are closely connected

which is indicated in statistics.

Governments and the police try hard to cope with the problem and launch prevention

programmes that include family counselling, parenting education, psychological treatment

and youth sheltering. There is no denying that education has a significant role in the process.

(398 words)

Words and Phrases

abandonment elhagyás, magára hagyás

aggressive influence erőszakos befolyás

antisocial behaviour antiszociális magatartás

anxiety, anxious aggodalom, aggódó

approach megközelítés, közeledik

armed fegyveres

balanced personality kiegyensúlyozott személyiség

caring gondoskodó, szeretetteljes

control over valami feletti kontrol

convey közvetít

counsel tanács

cultural norms kulturális normák, szabályok

deed tett

defiant kihívó, dacos

defy dacol, ellenszegül

delinquency bűnözés

disapproving helytelenítő

drive ösztönöz

expose to kitesz valaminek

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fall prey to áldozatul esik

family counselling családi tanácsadás

family ties családi kötelékek

glance tekintet

intimidate megfélemlít

is / are unlikely to do sg nem valószínű, hogy megtesz valamit

juvenile fiatalkori

juvenile delinquent kiskorú bűnöző

launch a programme programot indít

manner mód, stílus, viselkedés

massacre tömeggyilkosság

motive motiváció, ösztönzés

on behalf of valakinek a részéről

parental guidance szülői irányítás

parenting education szülő oktatás

passer by járókelő

peer pressure az egykorúak nyomása, befolyása

poignant fájdalmas

poor parenting szülői hanyagság

prevention megelőzés

provocation provokáció

provoke, provocative provokál, provokatív

self-control önuralom

set an example példát mutat

shelter menedékhely

significant jelentős

social control társadalmi kontrol

social ties társadalmi kötelékek, kötődések

sociological szociológiai

status offence szabálysértés

tackle kezel (problémát)

thug bűnöző

tough on kemény valamivel szemben

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truancy lógás

undeveloped fejletlen

youth sheltering fiatalkorú elhelyezése, kivétele a családból

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5. Crises in Life

‘Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them?’

(Shakespeare: Hamlet)

A : Have you ever had hard times in your life?

B : Like everybody I’ve had my ups and downs in my life.

A : Can I ask you what kind of difficulties you’ve had so far?

B : I went through a serious crisis, after my parents had divorced. They were really hard

times, the family fell apart, and everything went wrong. My achievement at school got

worse and worse. To make matters worse, I didn’t want to share my problems with

anybody, so it was even harder to cope with them. It took me almost a year to get over the

crisis.

A : What other crises can one come to in life?

B : We might come to various crises in our life: to emotional, psychological, financial or

family crises. Adolescence is normally a hard time, when we are extremely vulnerable.

Children in this period tend to be sensitive and touchy. For my part, I was always

dissatisfied with my appearance, I used to find myself ugly..I think there is no life without

hard times, it is advisable to prepare children for them. For example, your lover can

abandon you and you feel depressed. A friend of yours might betray you and you get

disappointed. Anyone can come to an financial crisis. You might lose your job and have

no prospects of getting a new one. Unemployed people suffer from anxiety, because they

cannot keep up their families. You can have problems at work too, for example your boss

doesn’t appreciate your work. There might be misunderstandings between you and your

colleagues. Sometimes there is a fierce competition for promotion which spoils the

atmosphere. You might come to a family crisis, for example you get divorced. Your child

might get into a bad company or take to drugs. One of your family members can develop a

fatal illness and you become desperate. One might run into debt and be unable to pay off a

loan.

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67

A : How do crises influence our everyday life?

B : Crises normally affect people’s state of mind and relationships. Bad mood or

depression affects your achievement and personal contacts.During a crisis some people try

to avoid company and turn in on themselves.Others tend to make their problems public

and complain about them whoever they meet. Crisis can influence people in different

ways: some people keep their problems to themselves. Extremely vulnerable people might

commit suicide. Others try to find help by speaking about them to their friends.Your

reaction to a crisis depends on your character. In serious cases people should see a

psychologist to be treated. In a crisis you might develop inferiority complex. You feel

useless and helpless. In a crisis some people become addicted to sedatives or alcohol.

A : What advice would you give to a friend in a crisis?

B : It depends on the nature of the crisis. Sometimes a good piece of practical advice can

help. It is always good to appeal to the person’s common sense, however this doesn’t

always work. You can tell him or her what you would do in his or her case; that might be

helpful or not. Whatever crisis you are going through, you mustn’t lose heart. The best

you can do is seek company and ask for advice. As the saying goes, ‘A friend in need is a

friend indeed.’ The point is that you should have someone to share your problems with. It

is good to have a friend to depend on. As the saying goes, ‘A trouble shared is a trouble

halved.’ Another saying goes, ‘It’s no use crying over spilt milk.’, which is actually true,

but not a big of a help. As time goes by, people usually come over their troubles.There are

wounds that never heal; one has to reconcile oneself to it. Life goes on.

A : And here are some more useful expressions.

1. How is life? How are you getting on?

2. Is anything the matter? You seem worried.

3. I don’t know what it is with him; he seems to be downhearted.

4. I didn’t know, you have been ill lately.

5. Are you any better?

6. How things are going on at home / at work?

7. I just feel under the weather.

8. What happened to you? Did anything happen to you?

9. Nothing special, I’ve just been busy these days.

10. You had better not ask. I’m broke.

11. Well, just the usual. You know, we don’t seem to get on well with my husband

nowadays.

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68

12. Well, I’m worried about my son. He hardly ever speaks to us.

13. I think I need your advice. What would you do in my case?

14. I would hate to interfere in your life, but can I put a personal question to you?

15. I would hate to be inquisitive, but I’m really concerned about you.

16. It’s most kind of you to care.

17. If I were you, I wouldn’t worry so much; try to take it easy.

18. If I were you, I would consult a doctor.

19. What about having a face-to-face talk with your son?

20. Let me cheer you up!.

21. It is easier said than done.

Words and Phrases

‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.’ Az igazi barát bajban ismerszik meg.

‘A trouble shared is a trouble halved.’ “A megosztott probléma megfeleződik”

abandon elhagy

achievement teljesítmény

addicted to alcohol / drugs alkohol / drogfüggő

he is addicted to alcohol alkoholfüggő

adolescence, adolescent kamaszkor, kamasz

advice, a piece of advice tanács, egy tanács

affect befolyásol, hatással van

the crisis affected his family life a válság a családi életét is megrontotta

anxiety, anxious aggodalom, aggódó

appeal to the common sense a józan észre hivatkozni

appreciate értékel

I really appreciate your help. Igazán értékelem a segítségedet.

Are you any better? Jobban van?

as time goes by az idő múltával

avoid sy / doing sg elkerül valamit

He tried to avoid snakes. Megpróbálta elkerülni a kígyókat.

He avoids meeting snakes. Kerüli a kígyókkal való találkozást.

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69

betray, betrayal elárul, árulás

come over a crisis túljut a válságon

come to a crisis válságba jut

commit suicide öngyilkosságot követ el

competition, compete with sy verseny, versenyez

crisis, crises válság /ok

desperate kétségbeesett

develop an illness betegsége alakul ki

he has developed cancer. rákos (lett)

difficulty nehézség

disappoint, disappointed csalódást okoz, csalódott

dissatisfied with elégedetlen valamivel

downhearted lehangolt, szomorú

emotion, emotional érzelem, érzelmi

existential crisis egzisztenciális válság

face-to-face, heart-to-heart talk őszinte párbeszéd

fall apart szétesik

fierce vad

financial pénzügyi, anyagi

get on well with sy jól kijön valakivel

hard times nehéz idők

He hardly ever speaks to us Szinte soha nem szól hozzánk.

heal begyógyul (seb)

helpless elesett

I am broke. “egy vasam sincs.”

I didn’t know you have been ill lately. nem tudtam, hogy betegeskedtél.’

I feel under the weather kicsit nyűgös vagyok.

in different ways különbözőképpen

inferiority complex kisebbségi komplexus

inquisitive kíváncsiskodó

interfere in beleavatkozni valamibe

Is anything the matter? valami baj van?

it is advisable tanácsos, ajánlott

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70

it is easier said than done „könnyebb mondani, mint csinálni.”

just the usual csak a szokásos

keep up the family eltartani a családot

life goes on az élet megy tovább

Don’t lose heart. elkeseredik

seek company keresi a társaságot, társaságra vágyik

misunderstanding félreértés

mood, bad mood hangulat, rossz hangulat

pay off a loan adósságot / hitelt törleszteni

practical advice gyakorlati tanács

prospect of kilátás valamire

psychology, psychological, psychologist pszichológia / i , pszichológus

reaction to reagálás valamire

reconcile oneself to sg belenyugszik valamibe

run into debt eladósodik

We have run into debt. eladósodtunk.

sedative nyugtató (gyógyszer)

share the problems with sy megosztani valakivel a problémát

so far eddig

state of mind lelki állapot

take it easy nem veszi a szívére

take to drugs / alcohol rászokik a drogra / alkoholra

the nature of the crisis a válság természete

to make matters worse tovább rontva a dolgot

treat sy gyógyít (kezel)

turn in on oneself magába fordul

ups and downs jó és rossz időszakok

useless fölösleges

vulnerable sérülékeny

wound seb

you had better not ask. jobb, ha nem kérdezi.

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Letter Writing

Agony Column

Dear Doctor Help,

I have been a regular reader of your column, but it has never occurred to me that I will

ever need your advice.

I am deeply worried about my family, my husband and my teenage son in particular. My

daughter does not seem to care about our troubles, but she has always been easy-going.

To cut a long story short, it all started when my husband lost his job a year ago. He’s

been on the dole and seeking a new job. He goes to the Labour Exchange every week, but

nothing has turned up so far.

He used to be a teetotaller, but has taken to alcohol lately, which worries me most. You

know, how is it with the unemployed. At first they are optimistic about their prospects then

they begin feel useless and get depressed. Much as I try, I cannot assure him of my

concern and love, he looks as if he has given up. He is not an alcoholic yet, but I fear he

will be one if it continues like that. Whenever I make the slightest comment on his drinking

too much, he gets furious and starts using bad language, which he never did before. He

seems to become irritated at everything at home.

As for my teenage son, he has been suffering from the tense atmosphere in the family. I

know he is ashamed of his father, and since my husband lost his job none of his friends

have come along, presumably because my son does not invite them. When he arrives from

school, he just shuts his door and never comes out until supper. We used to have jolly

good talks in the past! But these days supper means a real trial for me. My husband tends

to provoke our son with embarrassing questions about school, and tells him off whenever

he is unwilling to answer. Yesterday they had a terrible row, and haven’t spoken to each

other ever since. My son’s achievement at school is getting worse and worse, though he is

a highly intelligent and smart boy.

I am at a loss what to do. Would you be so kind as to give me some sound advice that

could help me through these hard times?

Yours sincerely,

Anne Desperate

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Dear Anne,

I was sad to read your complaints and I really sympathise with you and feel sorry for your

son. As you are a regular reader of this column, you might have realised that your case,

unfortunately, is not a rare one.

In your letter you do not mention your husband’s former job or qualification. It seems a

bit strange that during a year he did not manage to find a new job. Do not you think that it

is because he insists on a similar place he had before? If I were you I would persuade him

to accept any job that is offered. Anyway, it is better to have one that does not suit him for

the time being than none at all. He might get a suitable occupation later. The sooner he

gets back to work the better. This is the only solution to your troubles. Have you tried a

heart-to-heart with him, yet? What about going for an outing together and settle your

misunderstandings in a relaxed atmosphere? You should have a try.

As to your son, I am sure he would recover from his present depression if he learnt that

his parents behaved like before. Your husband might treat him harshly because of the

natural complexes typical of unemployed people.

Do not lose heart and try to restore your ‘jolly good’ atmosphere. But you must not make

comments on your husband’s drinking. It would spoil everything. He will drop alcohol as

soon as he feels active again.

Best wishes,

Doctor Help

Words and Phrases

accept elfogad

He would accept any job. bármilyen állást elfogadna.

active aktív

anyway végül is

as soon as amint

I’ll ring you as soon as i arrive home. Felhívlak, amint hazaértem.

ashamed of szégyell valamit

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He is ashamed of his father. Szégyenli az apját.

assure biztosít valakit valamiről

This is the truth, I can assure you. Biztosíthatlak, hogy ez az igazság.

bad language csúnya beszéd

become irritated at sg ingerült lesz valamitől

He becomes irritated at everything. mindentől ingerült lesz.

behave like before úgy viselkedik, mint azelőtt

come along meglátogat

complaint, complain about panasz, panaszkodik valamiért

comment on sg megjegyzés

He made sarcastic comments on his

neighbour.

Gúnyos megjegyzéseket tett a szomszédra.

concern együttérzés

doesn’t seem to care úgy tűnik, nem érdekli

dole, he is on the dole munkanélküli segély / en van

drop alcohol abbahagyni az ivást

easy-going könnyed

embarrassing kínos

fear fél, félelem

feel sorry for sajnál valakit

for the time being egyelőre, most

former előbbi

furious dühös

I am at a loss what to do tanácstalan vagyok.

if it continues like that ha így folytatódik

in particular, especially különösen

insist on ragaszkodik valamihez

invite, invitation meghív / ás

it all started when… mindez akkor kezdődött…

jolly good csoda jó

labour exchange munkaügyi központ

learn megtudja

mention említ

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74

much as i try bárhogyan is próbálom

none at all egyáltalán semmi

none of his friends egyik barátja sem

occur előfordul, eszébe jut

optimistic optimista

outing egynapos kirándulás

persuade rábeszél

presumably feltehetőleg

qualification végzettség

rare ritka

recover from felgyógyul betegségből

regular rendszeres

restore felújít, visszaállít

settle the misunderstandings eloszlatni a félreértéseket

similar (to) hasonló valamihez

slight, slightest kicsi, enyhe, a leghalványabb, legkisebb

smart 1. elegáns 2. okos

solution to the problem a probléma megoldása

sound advice jó tanács

suffer from szenved valamitől

suit sy megfelel valakinek

sympathise with együttérez valakivel

teenage son kamasz fia

teetotaller absztinens, bornemissza ember

tense atmosphere feszült légkör

the sooner the better minél hamarabb, annál jobb

through hard times nehéz időkben

to cut a long story short hogy rövidre fogjam

treat sy harshly durván bánik valakivel

turn up 1. megjelenik 2. felmerül

Would you be so kind as to close the

door?

Becsukná kérem, az ajtót?

you might have realised talán észrevette

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6. Education

‘It is adding insult to injury as the parrot said, when they not only took him from his

native land, but also made him speak the English language afterwards’

(Dickens: The Pickwick Papers)

A: What kind of school do you attend?

B: I go to a four-grade grammar school / high school. I specialise in English, which means

I have two extra classes a week. I also take extra classes in History to acquire the

necessary knowledge for the matura exams.

A: Do your teachers set high standards at school?

B: The majority of teachers are highly qualified and rather strict but fair. At school we

have quite demanding lessons, which is useful, however, I have hardly any free time. It

takes long hours to prepare for the next day.

A: How many lessons do you have a day?

B: I have 6 lessons on average.

A: Have you got a favourite teacher?

B: I cannot name just one. I have several good teachers.

A: What makes a good teacher?

B: A good teacher is tolerant but is able to keep order in the class. In addition to this, he or

she is highly qualified and gives interesting lessons. A teacher must be just, at least as fair

as possible. It is also good if a teacher has a sense of humour.

A: What subjects do you prefer?

B: I take delight in learning languages, but I am not really keen on science. Although I’m

not very good in Physics, I try to do my best. Writing essays is something that I hate most,

unless the topic is exciting. It is a pity, we only have three PE lessons a week. If I had my

way, I would make it 4 or 5. At school I like doing creative things, but I hate memorising

data or definitions. I don’t mind learning poems as long as they are interesting. All in all, I

am quite satisfied with the school.

A: What is your classmates’ attitude to learning like?

B: Well, they are doing quite well; most of them are hardworking but some of my them

don’t like learning and lag behind. I like catching up with the best students.

A: Do you ever cheat at school?

B: I never cheat during a test; I’d rather fail it. Using cribs means deceiving yourself. To

tell you the truth, it happened once, but I’m not that type.

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A: What about school life? Do you like the atmosphere?

B: I do. There is a friendly and relaxed atmosphere at our school. There are rather strict

rules, e.g. students are not allowed to smoke in the school. Those who break the rules are

punished in different ways, e.g. with a note. If you skip lessons, you can be expelled from

the school. If you are absent you have to hand in a note from your parent or a doctor’s

certificate.The first lesson starts as early as half past seven in the morning. I really envy

English students who start at 9 in the morning.

A: Have you ever been late for school?

B: I don’t like being late for the lessons − it is so embarrassing. Sometimes I am late for

the lessons because of the heavy traffic.I know this is not an excuse, but I cannot help it.

A : What subjects did you chose to take at the Matura exams?

B: I took Maths, Literature at O level, History and English at A level.

A: Did you find the written exams difficult or easy?

B: Well, it depends. Maths was rather easy, but I found the essay part of Literature quite

hard.

A: What about your A levels?

B: I could have achieved more, because the exams were fair, but I wasn’t at my best. I

was quite nervous before the exam. It is really difficult to overcome stage fright.

A: Which part of English did you have difficulties in?

B: One of the reading comprehension tasks was difficult, I don’t think I was able to figure

it out. Listening was awful; there were some sentences I simply couldn’t catch.

A: Where do you intend to continue your studies?

B: I applied for admission to the university. I’d like to study History. I also applied to the

Tech. If I am not admitted to university, I will do a 2-year training course of accounting.

A: Are you supposed to pay tuition fee there?

B: Sure. And rather a big sum at that. If I am admitted to university I’ll have to ask for a

loan to be able to finance my studies.

A: And here are some more useful expressions.

1. There were times when physical punishment was a natural part of education;

nowadays it is out of question.

2. I graduated from ELTE University and have my BA degree. (Bachelor of Art)

3. After graduation he went on to get his PhD ( Doctor of Philosophy)

4. What does MA stand for? (Master of Art)

5. In order to get your degree you have to pass two language exams at intermediate level.

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77

6. Since our country joined the EU we have been entitled to study abroad.

7. It would be nice to get a scholarship somewhere in the EU

8. At universities students have to pay tuition-fee, a considerable sum.

9. My parents cannot afford to pay for my studies, so I’ll try to get a part-time job.

10. He is a patient teacher and never loses his temper.

11. It is often said that my generation read much less than the elder ones.

12. Unfortunately lots of students hate home reading / compulsory literature, but I am an

exception.

13. I take delight in reading fiction, poetry and plays.

14. In learning it is essential that you should enjoy it, otherwise its just drudgery

Words and Phrases

accounting könyvelés

acquire elsajátít

admit felvesz

I’ve been admitted to the university. Felvettek az egyetemre.

You are not allowed to smoke here. Itt nem szabad dohányozni.

apply for admission to university felvételizni az egyetemre

Are you supposed to pay tuition fee? Kell tandíjat fizetned?

You can take the car as long as you return it. Elviheted az autót, feltéve, hogy

visszahozod.

ask for a loan hitelt felvesz

at that ráadásul

attend látogat intézményt

awful szörnyű

BA(bachelor of art) bölcsész (3 éves képzés)

break the rules megszegi a szabályokat

calm down megnyugszik

cannot catch nem ért

Sorry, I couldn’t catch what you said. Bocsánat, nem értettem amit mondott.

catch up with sy lépést tart valakivel

cheat csal

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78

classmate osztálytárs

compulsory literature kötelező olvasmány

considerable sum jelentős összeg

continue folytat

creative kreatív

crib puska

data adatok

deceive becsap

definition definíció, meghatározás

degree, diploma diploma

demanding lesson nehéz óra

doctor’s certificate orvosi igazolás

drudgery „rabszolgamunka” , nyűg

engineer mérnök

entitle sy to do sg feljogosít valamire

We are entitled to vote. Jogunk van szavazni.

excuse kifogás

That’s not an excuse. Ez nem kifogás.

expel from kizár valahonnan

He was expelled from the school. Kicsapták az iskolából.

extra class, take extra classes plusz óra, több órát felvenni

figure out megért, kihámoz

finance fizet, finanszíroz

four-grade grammar school négy osztályos gimnázium

graduate from diplomázik valahol

He graduated from Cambridge University. Cambridge-ben diplomázott.

hardly any alig valaki, szinte senki

He is doing well at school. Jól tanul az iskolában.

high standard, set high standards magas színvonal, magasra teszi a mércét

highly qualified magasan képzett

home reading házi olvasmány

I cannot help it nem tehetek róla.

they couldn’t help laughing. Kénytelenek voltak nevetni.

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I could have achieved more Többet is elérhettem volna.

I don’t mind learning Nincs ellenemre a tanulás.

I should have achieved more. Többet kellett volna elérnem.

I wasn’t at my best. Nem voltam jó formában.

I’d rather fail it. inkább megbukom / egyest kapok

I’m not that type Nem vagyok az a típus

if I had my way ha rajtam múlna, ha tehetném

in order to azért, hogy

I was sent to help you. azért küldtek, hogy segítsek.

injury sérülés

intend, intention szándékozik, szándék

invest befektet

it depends attól függ

it is a pity kár, hogy

It is essential that you should enjoy learning. Fontos, hogy örömmel tanulj.

it is often said gyakran mondják

join the EU csatlakozik az eu-hoz

keen on sg érdeklődik valami iránt

lag behind lemarad

language exam at intermediate level középfokú nyelvvizsga

listening comprehension hallás utáni értés

ma (master of art) magiszter

memorise bemagol

much less than sokkal kevesebb, mint

native land szülőföld

necessary szükséges

nervous ideges

note, a note from the parents jegyzet, figyelmeztetés, szülői igazolás

otherwise különben, másképp

You should work harder otherwise you’ll fail. Többet kellene tanulnod, különben

megbuksz.

out of question szóba sem jöhet

part-time job részmunkaidős állás

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80

pedagogy pedagógia

phd (doctor of philosophy) bölcsészdoktor

physical punishment testi fenyítés

qualify minősít

reading comprehension szövegértés

satisfied with elégedett valamivel

scholarship ösztöndíj

skip kihagy

skip lessons unjustified igazolatlanul hiányzik

that I hate most amit nagyon utálok

specialise in valamire specializálódik / tagozatos

stage fright lámpaláz

starts as early as már olyan korán kezdődik

strict rules szigorú szabályok

take delight in sg / doing sg örömét leli valamiben

take english at A level angolból emelt szinten vizsgázik

take maths at O level matekból középszinten vizsgázik

tech(nological universitate) műszaki egyetem

two-year training course kétéves tanfolyam

topic téma

What does MA stand for? mit jelent az “ma”?

writing skills íráskészség

written exam, oral exam írásbeli vizsga, szóbeli

Zsibbasztó

Milyen iskolába jár? .....................................................................................................................

Négy osztályos gimnáziumba járok .............................................................................................

Angol tagozatos vagyok ...............................................................................................................

Hetente két plusz órám van ..........................................................................................................

Plusz órám van történelemből is ..................................................................................................

Megszerezni a szükséges tudást az érettségire .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A tanárok magasra teszik a mércét ...............................................................................................

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81

A tanárok magasan képzettek ...................................................................................................... .

Nehéz óráink vannak ....................................................................................................................

Alig van szabad időm ...................................................................................................................

Órákba telik felkészülni másnapra ...............................................................................................

Hány órája van egy nap? ..............................................................................................................

Átlagosan hat órám van ................................................................................................................

Van kedvenc tanára? ....................................................................................................................

Nehéz választani. ..........................................................................................................................

Milyen a jó tanár? .........................................................................................................................

A jó tanár toleráns ........................................................................................................................

A jó tanár rendet tud tartani ..........................................................................................................

Érdekes órákat tart ........................................................................................................................

A jó tanár igazságos .....................................................................................................................

Mely tárgyakat kedveli? ...............................................................................................................

Szeretek nyelveket tanulni ...........................................................................................................

Nem lelkesedem a reál tárgyakért ................................................................................................

Nem vagyok jó fizikából ..............................................................................................................

Igyekszem megtenni, ami tőlem telik ..........................................................................................

Az esszéírást utálom .....................................................................................................................

Hacsak nem érdekes a téma .........................................................................................................

Kár, hogy csak három testnevelés óránk van ...............................................................................

Ha rajtam múlna ...........................................................................................................................

Az iskolában a kreatív dolgokat szeretem ....................................................................................

Utálok adatokat magolni ..............................................................................................................

Szívesen tanulok verseket ............................................................................................................

Elégedett vagyok az iskolával ......................................................................................................

Hogyan tanulnak az osztálytársai? ...............................................................................................

Elég jól tanulnak ...........................................................................................................................

A többségük szorgalmas ...............................................................................................................

Néhányan nem szeretnek tanulni ..................................................................................................

Lemaradnak (hátul kullognak) .....................................................................................................

Szeretek lépést tartani a legjobbakkal ..........................................................................................

Szokott puskázni? .........................................................................................................................

Egyszer előfordult, de nem vagyok az a típus ..............................................................................

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82

......................................................................................................................................................

Milyen a légkör az iskolában? ......................................................................................................

A légkör barátságos és kellemes ..................................................................................................

Elég szigorúak a szabályok ..........................................................................................................

A diákok nem dohányozhatnak ....................................................................................................

Aki megszegi a házirendet, megbüntetik .....................................................................................

Ha lóg valaki az óráról, kizárhatják .............................................................................................

Ha hiányzik az ember, igazolást kell adnia ..................................................................................

Igazán irigylem az angol diákokat ...............................................................................................

Késett már az iskolából? ..............................................................................................................

Nem szeretek késni, ez olyan kínos .............................................................................................

Tudom, ez nem kifogás ................................................................................................................

Nem tehetek róla ..........................................................................................................................

Miből érettségizik? .......................................................................................................................

Nehéz volt az írásbeli? .................................................................................................................

Az irodalom esszé része elég nehéz volt ......................................................................................

Jobban is teljesíthettem volna ......................................................................................................

A vizsga korrekt volt ....................................................................................................................

Nem voltam a legjobb formámban ...............................................................................................

Vizsga előtt elég ideges voltam ....................................................................................................

Nehéz legyőzni a lámpalázat ........................................................................................................

Mit talált nehéznek? .....................................................................................................................

A szövegértés nehéz volt ..............................................................................................................

Nem tudtam kibogarászni .............................................................................................................

Voltak mondatok, amiket nem hallottam jól ................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Hol kíván tovább tanulni? ............................................................................................................

jelentkeztem az egyetemre ...........................................................................................................

Történelmet szeretnék tanulni ......................................................................................................

A Műszaki Egyetemre is jelentkeztem .........................................................................................

Ha nem vesznek fel az egyetemre ................................................................................................

Két eves könyvelői tanfolyamra fogok járni ................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Kell tandíjat fizetni? .....................................................................................................................

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83

Ha felvesznek az egyetemre hitelt veszek fel ...............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Finanszírozni a tanulmányokat .....................................................................................................

Testi fenyítés ................................................................................................................................

Szóba sem jöhet ............................................................................................................................

Az ELTÉ-n végeztem ...................................................................................................................

Diploma után PhD-zett .................................................................................................................

Mit jelent az MA? ........................................................................................................................

Középfokú nyelvvizsga ................................................................................................................

Amióta csatlakoztunk az EU-hoz .................................................................................................

Jogunk van külföldön tanulni .......................................................................................................

Jó lenne külföldi ösztöndíjat kapni ...............................................................................................

A szüleim nem tudják fizetni a tanulmányaimat ..........................................................................

Próbálok részállást keresni ...........................................................................................................

Türelmes tanár ..............................................................................................................................

Soha nem veszíti el a türelmét ......................................................................................................

Gyakran mondják .........................................................................................................................

A fiatalok sokkal kevesebbet olvasnak ........................................................................................

Utálja a kötelező olvasmányokat ..................................................................................................

Kivétel vagyok .............................................................................................................................

Szeretek szépirodalmat olvasni ....................................................................................................

Story Writing

Child Psychology

When I was in my third year at University, back in the Middle Ages, I had to pass an exam in

child psychology, which was a rather sophisticated one. After passing with good results, I

made my way home.

It was early summer with an unbelievably blue sky above me, and incredibly nice people

passing by. To cut a long story short, I was in a cheerful state of mind.

When I was walking down our street I passed the playground where children aged 4-5 years

were playing Indians. Their colourful feathers sparkled in the sun, their little faces were

painted blue and red − they really looked frightening.

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84

Within a few seconds, I heard them screaming, ‘Scalp her!’ Scalp her!’ I pretended not to

hear them and rode off at a good gallop with the bloodthirsty tribe behind me.

When they were in shooting distance, I turned round in the saddle and raising my hand as a

gun, pointed it at the Chief and fired: ‘Bang! Bang!’

The Chief startled back and stopped. He pushed his brilliant feathers back on his forehead

and turned to his redskin brother: ‘Isn’t she stupid?!’

That’s how I became a teacher.

A Descriptive Essay

The Portrait of a ‘Difficult’ Student

If you happen to be a teacher at a secondary school, you are supposed to be the leader of

children at the most awkward age from childhood through adolescence to the threshold of

adulthood.

I had a school-leaving class with 40 students 10 years ago. They had been ‘handed over’ to

me when they had been only 14 and in less than two months I was to part with them and I

could hardly believe that they had grown to be adults like me. I could not help considering

them ‘my children’ regardless of the evident changes in their appearance and behaviour.

Yes, they do remain my children. Each of them is a whole and unique world and you cannot

approach them in the same manner. Sometimes it requires all your empathy to find the key to

their personalities.

‘M’ was one of the most difficult cases, although he seemed to be an easy one at first. I

remember the opening class when I called their names to check the list. He was sitting in the

first row and after a few minutes I became aware of his embarrassed childish eyes. ‘What is

the matter, my boy?’ ‘Miss…you have omitted my name.’

Thus happened that his name was the first to be remembered and to be repeated most

frequently afterwards.

He looked like an angel at that time, he would smile all the time, his eyes would sparkle with

excitement. He was hardworking, full of energy, talented and witty, aspiring to play the main

role not only in the lessons, but also in the life of the class. Sometimes it became dangerous,

even caused some frictions as there were others wishing to dominate like him and claiming

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attention too. He was undoubtedly one of the brightest students and all we teachers foresaw

his future advancement. (We were not mistaken; he has become a dedicated doctor.)

The second year in the life of a class, when they are 15-16, is always crucial because of the

well-known agitation of adolescence. In this period some of them have a tendency to argue, to

revolt, and as a rule, to annoy their parents or teachers who, on the contrary, try so hard to

‘tame’ the wild little creatures’.

We went through stormy times with ‘M’ in the second and third year. Being the brightest and

the most difficult one at the same time, and seeking conflicts whatever the reason be, for the

sake of training his own strength, he caused a great deal of trouble these two years.

Not that he was bad or offending, apart from some mischievous tricks he never did anything

serious or wrong. He simply could not stop wiggling and sit still, could not resist the

temptation of teasing others, arguing ‘l’art pour l’art, claiming the punch line all the time − in

a word, forcing the world around him to concentrate on him. Meanwhile he wasted most of

his energy, and became less diligent, looking for the easiest ways to survive at school.

Hardly anyone knew what pains he was concealing from the world while he was rebelling

against it. His mother had been dying of cancer and no treatment could help her. ‘M’ asked

me not to tell it anyone and I kept my promise respecting his wish not to be pitied. It was a

terrible paradox; on the one hand he was deeply self-controlled, on the other hand, there was a

complete lack of self-command in class leading sometimes to impudence. I myself had

conflicts with him on several occasions, when he forgot himself, and it was most difficult to

be severe and not to show sympathy.

In the last year he calmed down, no signs of previous harshness or rebellious gestures could

be found in him. He had never had such good marks, never had written such brilliant essays

before. I became suspicious about his unusual stoical mood but asked no questions knowing

his reserve.

His grandmother called me one afternoon and told me what had happened, asking not to tell

anybody.

His mother had died three weeks before and I was under the pledge not to speak about it.

If you happen to be a teacher you are bound to take an adventurous journey every day. You

make a journey full of beauty and dangers through the labyrinth of sophisticated human soul

and nature, and you must watch your step never forgetting the children following you through

the darkness groping for the light.

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Words and Phrases

adulthood felnőtt kor

afterwards azután

agitation izgatottság, zavartság

annoy, annoyance bosszant, bosszúság

approach közelít

as a rule következésképp

aspire aspirál, szándékozik, pályázik valamire

awkward kínos

behaviour, self-conduct magatartás

bound kell

bright student, smart student okos tanuló

call their names nevükön szólít

claim, claim attention igényel, állít, figyelmet igényel

conceal eltakar, rejteget

concentrate on sg koncentrál valamire

creature teremtmény (ált.: gyerekek, állatok)

crucial jelentős, nagyon fontos

dedicated doctor elhivatott orvos

diligent szorgalmas

dominate uralkodik (a környezetén)

embarrassed zavart, zavarban lévő

empathy empátia, beleérző képesség

excitement izgalom

for the sake of training his strength az erejét kipróbálandó

force sy to do sg kényszerít valamire

forget oneself elfeledkezik magáról

frequent, frequently gyakori, gyakran

friction súrlódás, konfliktus

go through sg keresztül megy valamin

great deal of trouble sok gond

grope for keres, tapogatózva megy

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hand over átadni

hardly anybody knew szinte senki sem tudta

his wish not to be pitied vágyát, hogy ne sajnálkozzanak rajta

I could hardly believe alig tudtam elhinni

I couldn’t help crying. sírnom kellett

I was to part with them el kellet válnom tőlük

if you happen to be a teacher… ha ön történetesen tanár

I happened to meet them yesterday. Tegnap véletlenül találkoztam velük.

impudence szemtelenség

in less than two months kevesebb, mint két hónap (múlva)

keep one’s promise megtartani az ígéretét

lack of sg valaminek a hiánya

main role főszerep

manner mód, stílus

in the same manner ugyanúgy

mischievous tricks csibészség

No signs of harshness could be found. A nyersességnek nyoma sem volt

occasion, on several occasions alkalom, számos alkalommal

offending sértő

omit kihagy

on the contrary ellenkezőleg

pain fájdalom

paradox paradoxon, képtelen ellentét

pity szán valakit

Everybody pitied the victims. Mindenki szánta az áldozatokat.

pledge, I was under the pledge ígéret, eskü; az adott szó kötött

previous előző

punch line poén

rebel against lázadozik valami ellen

rebellious gestures lázadó gesztusok

regardless of tekintet nélkül valamire

require igényel

reserve visszafogottság

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resist the temptation ellenállni a kísértésnek

Respect tisztel, tisztelet

revolt lázadozik

row sor

school-leaving class végzős osztály

self-command önuralom

severe komoly

sign jel

sit still nyugton ülni

soul lélek

stoic mood sztoikus hangulat, beletörődő, nyugodt

survive, survive at school túlél, kevés tanulással megélni

suspicious about sg gyanakszik valamire

He is suspicious of his neighbour. Gyanakszik a szomszédjára.

tame megszelídít

tease sy, pulling one’s leg piszkálni valakit, tréfálni

the easiest ways a legkönnyebb mód

the first to be remembered az első megjegyzendő

Columbus was the first to reach America. Elsőként Kolumbusz ért Amerikába.

threshold küszöb

thus happened, that… így történt, hogy

undoubtedly kétségtelenül

unique páratlan

unusual szokatlan

waste (v) elveszteget

watch your step nézzen a lába elé, vigyázzon

whatever the reason be bármi legyen is az ok

wiggle, he cannot stop wiggling nyüzsög, izeg-mozog

witty elmés

The Portrait of a ‘Difficult’ Teacher

‘I wonder if the history of the Roman Empire survives the next election’ was the languid

comment made by a colleague of mine, when he had run through the latest ‘unbiased’ history

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book for secondary schools. ‘And, he went on grumbling, how on earth, they think, I can

recapture Buda in 45 minutes after 150 years of Turkish rule?’

I enjoy the dialogues between our History teachers immensely. Here are two of my favourites

that I heard:

‘Have you come down from the tree?’

‘No, we haven’t. ‘Z’ (a dull student) prevented us from landing in civilisation.’

‘Have you quelled the peasants’ revolt?’

‘Oh, I didn’t have to resort to force, I silenced them with some questions to the point, and

they put down their weapons.’

As a student, I had an old History teacher who was famous for his ‘cruelty’. He would never

explain new lessons, he would make us read out the book and learn it by heart, throwing

several devastating comments on every mistake we had made, whether it be omitting a word

or bad intonation, not to mention our ‘negligent behaviour’ in general. Never had we been so

awe-stricken in any other lessons. Well before the bell we would sit silently in our classroom,

then stood up the moment he turned the corridor invariably 5 seconds to the beginning of the

class. He never was late or absent − he was always sure to come like a frightening harbinger

of Doomsday.

One might assume from what I have written that we hated him. We did − for 2 or 3 weeks,

then our hatred began to turn into a kind of ‘Let’s do him justice, he is strict but fair’

philosophy, which soon developed respect for him. As time passed, we ended up in

worshipping him, because he was like Providence itself. I myself never trusted any of my

teachers so much as I believed him, though I have to admit, I always was lucky, I usually had

wonderful teachers.

Not only did we learn History in his lessons but also something more important: to be

‘strong’, I use this word for want of a better one. He would never make or let us peach on

anybody, one had to take responsibility, he would stop any attempt to make an elusive

answer, and, what made him most furious was ‘verbose nonsense’ as he would put it. I think

‘dignity’ is the best word for what he had taught us.

Whenever I am late for my lesson, whenever I am casually dressed at school, I feel guilty.

Whenever I speak more than is needed, I cannot help remembering his principle: ‘If you use

more words than needed you are capable of anything.’ Which was intended to be a joke, but

proved to be true, as I grew older.

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Unfortunately he taught us only in the first year.

I saw him a month ago from the bus. He must be over 80 now. He was walking with his

stately steps, neat and clean-shaved as he had always been, erect and dignified – an

uncorrupted hero of our changing history. God bless him.

Words and Phrases

as he would put it ahogy mondani szokta

as time passed idővel

attempt kísérlet

awe-stricken rettegő („félelem sújtotta”)

capable of anything bármire képes

casually dressed lezseren öltözött

clean-shaved frissen borotválkozott

cruelty kegyetlenség

devastating megsemmisítő

dignified méltóságteli

dignity méltóság

Doomsday végítélet

dull student gyenge tanuló

election választás

elusive answer kitérő válasz

end up in valahová kilyukad, végzi valamivel

erect egyenes (tartású)

furious dühös

grumble morog

harbinger hírnök

hatred gyűlölet

how on earth … hogy a fenében…

I cannot help remembering him. Óhatatlanul rá emlékezem.

I use this word for want of a better one. Jobb híján használom ezt a szót.

immense, immensely nagy, nagyon

intonation hanglejtés

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nnvariably változatlanul (mindig ugyanúgy)

land földre száll, landol

languid comment beletörődő, bágyadt

learn by heart kívülről megtanul

let’s do him justice legyünk igazságosak (vele)

neat ápolt

negligent behaviour hanyag magatartás

Never had we been so frightened. Soha nem voltunk olyan rémültek

one might assume az ember azt feltételezné

peach on sy árulkodni valakire

peasants’ revolt parasztlázadás

principle elv

prove to be true igaznak bizonyul

providence gondviselés

quell elfojt (lázadást)

question to the point „találó” kérdés, „jól irányzott kérdés”

read out a text felolvassa a szöveget

recapture, capture visszafoglal, elfoglal

resort to force erőszakhoz folyamodik

silence csend, lecsendesít

stately steps méltóságteli léptek

take responsibility vállalja a felelősséget

unbiased elfogulatlan

unconscious / ly öntudatlanul

uncorrupted romlatlan, tiszta

verbose nonsense szószátyár zagyvaság

weapon fegyver

well before jóval valami előtt

whether it be legyen az bár…

worship imád (vallásos áhítattal)

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An Essay

Can you spell your name?

Do you find this an insulting question? Then you belong to the happy literate who are not

shocked when it comes to filling in an application form or reading the leading article of a

newspaper, not to mention instructions to a gadget. You may find these tasks self-evident

ones, and probably assume that we have done away with illiteracy for ever, at least in the

civilised world. Now, you have got it wrong.

Comparing the gloomy statistics of the developed countries in Europe and overseas, one can

only wonder. One in five adults on average lacks the literacy skills that are needed to be a

competent citizen. According to an American survey, at the beginning of the 21st century, an

estimated 15 million adults were functionally illiterate, which means they were able to write

and read in their native language, but did not understand printed materials, and had serious

difficulties in communication.

How could it happen to our societies? What has gone wrong? The question comes up, whether

our much praised educational system fails to enable students to acquire the basic skills?

Children are assessed several times during their studies, reading comprehension has become a

crucial part of exams. Nevertheless, teachers have been complaining about the inability of

their students to understand basic literary texts or catching the main points of a history lesson.

There has never been such a great variety of teaching materials and study books; vast amounts

of money are spent on psychological and methodological research – to no end, one might

arrive to the conclusion.

Those who are concerned about teaching, interpret the inefficiency of schooling in various

ways. Some put the blame on the mostly liberal education, arguing that teachers do not make

their students work hard. Or do not dare? Others trace the failure back to parental fault,

claiming that adults do not pay enough attention to their children’s development. They are too

permissive and do not supervise their studies.

It has become a stereotype that children spend much time watching TV or surfing the Net

instead of reading books; that is why they remain functionally illiterate. Whatever the reason

be, we must not turn a blind eye on the phenomenon.

(359 words)

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Words and Phrases

acquire elsajátít, megszerez

an estimated 15 million adults 15 millióra becsült

arrive at a conclusion következtetésre jut

assess, assessment felmér, felmérés

assume, assumption feltételez, feltételezés

at least legalábbis

basic skills alapképességek

citizen állampolgár

compare to, comparison összehasonlít, összehasonlítás

competent kompetens, hozzáértő

concerned about aggódik valami miatt

dare merészel

do away with sg leszámol valamivel, megszabadul valamitől

educational system oktatási rendszer

efficient, efficiency hozzáértő, hatékony, hozzáértés

enable képessé tesz

estimate felbecsül

fault hiba

functionally illiterate funkcionális analfabétizmus

gadget szerkentyű

have sg wrong nem ért valamit

illiteracy, illiterate analfabétizmus, analfabéta

inability képtelenség valamire, a képesség hiánya

inefficient, inefficiency nem hatékony, nem megfelelő

instruction to (használati) utasítás

insult, insulting sért, sértés, sértő

interpret tolmácsol, magyaráz

lack sg hiányzik valamije, nincs birtokában

literacy skills írás-olvasás készség

literate írástudó

methodology, methodological módszertan, módszertani

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much praised sokat dicsért

nevertheless azonban

on average átlagosan

one can only wonder csak csodálkozunk

overseas tengeren túl(i)

parental szülői

put the blame on hibáztat valakit

reading comprehension szövegértés

research kutatás

schooling oktatás

self-evident magától értetődő

study books tankönyv

teaching material tananyag, oktató anyag

to no end eredménytelenül

trace back to visszavezet valamire

turn a blind eye on úgy tesz, mintha nem látná

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7. Environmental Problems

‘Science is an edged tool, with which men play like children, and cut their own fingers.’

(Sir Arthur Eddington)

A : What environmental problems does our world face?

B : One of the crucial questions of our time is the pollution of the environment.It has

been proved that exhaust fumes are responsible for global warming. If we go on like

this, we might totally destroy our natural environment.

A : What should we do to reduce pollution?

B : Governments should take immediate measures to decrease air pollution. We

should ban cars from the city centres and improve public transport instead. Factories

should install filters not to emit chemicals. Because of air pollution some areas suffer

from acid rain.

A : More and more people are becoming environmentally conscious.

B : Yes, most people are aware of the dangers of pollution but do nothing to prevent it.

A : Oil and gas supplies are diminishing, so we have to find new energy

resources.

B : You are absolutely right, sooner or later we should replace fuels with renewable

energy resources such as solar power or geothermal energy. Another means is

producing organic energy from corn and other crops.

A : Are you for or against nuclear energy?

B : Some scientists argue that nuclear power stations are the solution to the energy

question, but I disagree. Nuclear waste is a huge problem. Since the explosion in

Tsernobil the majority of people have been against nuclear power stations. It caused a

massive destruction. A lot of people died or became fatally ill in the area. It has been

proved that thousands of citizens developed cancer. The number of miscarriages and

stillborn children has increased.

A : What other environmental problems could you mention?

B : Apart from pollution, there is the issue of endangered species. A lot of species lose

their habitat due to human intrusion into nature. Endangered species face extinction in

the near future. The destruction of the rainforests can be disastrous later on as trees

produce oxygen. Pollution of the environment brings about changes in the climate.

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Apparently, the average temperature of the Earth has been rising. There have been

natural disasters all over the world in the past few years. New Orleans was hit by a

tremendous hurricane that caused massive destruction in the area. In recent years,

there have been several floods in Europe. Thousands of people were forced to leave

their homes. Our rivers and seas are contaminated with industrial and domestic waste.

Big cities are threatened by an increasing amount of litter.

A : Any ideas to solve these problems?

B : One solution to the litter issue is selective garbage collection, which is introduced

in many countries. Recycling is a good means to decrease the huge amount of rubbish.

We should act now before it is too late. The point is that we should teach children how

to protect the environment.

A : What can you do at home to protect the environment?

B : Well, the first and the most important thing is to use environmentally friendly

wrappings instead of plastic bags and cans. The point is that we should use such

washing powders, liquids and detergents that don’t contaminate the soil. A lot of

people do the washing up in running water, which is a sheer waste of clean water. It is

also advisable to buy organic products the waste from which doesn’t pollute the

environment. And of course, we have to apply garbage selection at home too, i.e.

separating plastic, glass and paper waste.

Words and Phrases

according to valami / valaki szerint

acid rain savas eső

advisable tanácsos, ajánlott

air pollution légszennyezés

amount mennyiség

apart from valamin túl, kívül

appreciate értékel

area terület, körzet

argue, some argue that… vitatkozik, néhányan azzal érvelnek, hogy

as early as már (olyan korán)

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aware of tudatában van valaminek

ban betilt

break with szakít valamivel

bring about changes változásokat hoz

can konzerves doboz

cause okoz

charity organisation jótékonysági szervezet

chemical vegyszer

clean-up project takarítási akció

climate éghajlat

consciously tudatosan

consumerism fogyasztói szemlélet

contaminate megfertőz, megmérgez

corn kukorica

crops termény

crucial question fontos kérdés

curb gátat vet valaminek

dam gát, töltés

damage kár

danger veszély

decrease csökkent (t)

deny tagad

destroy lerombol

destruction rombolás

detergent tisztítószer

develop cancer rákja alakul ki

diminish eltűnik

disaster katasztrófa

disastrous katasztrofális

due to valaminek köszönhetően

edge, edged tool éle valaminek, éles szerszám

emerge feltűni/emelkedik

emit kibocsát

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endangered species veszélyeztetett fajok

energy resource energiaforrás

environment, environmental környezet, környezeti

environmentally conscious környezettudatos

environmentally friendly környezetbarát

exhaust fumes kipufogó gázok

explosion robbanás

explosive robbanószer

expose to kitesz / kiszolgáltat valaminek

extinction kipusztulás, eltűnés

face szembesül valamivel

factory gyár

fatally ill súlyosan beteg (halálosan)

fertility termékenység

filter szűrő

flood árvíz

force, were forced to… kényszerít, kényszerültek valamire

fortify megerősít

fuel üzemanyag

genetic engineering géntechnológia

genetically engineered food génmanipulált étel

geothermal energy geotermális energia (pl. hévíz)

global warming globális felmelegedés

government kormányzat

habitat lakóhely (állatoké)

harm, to do harm kár, kart okoz

heavy rain nagy esőzés

hit by sújtott valami által

hold demonstrations (demo) tüntetést tart

immediate azonnali

improve javít, fejleszt

increase növekszik, növel

industrial ipari

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initiative, take the initiative kezdeményezés, átvenni a kezdeményezést

install beszerel

instead helyett(e)

introduce bevezet

intrusion into beavatkozás valamibe

issue dolog, ügy

keep to valamihez tartja magát

launch a campaign kampányt indít

liquid folyadék

litter szemét

local helyi, helybéli

majority többség

massive hatalmas

means, another means is… mód, másik módja

miscarriage elvetélés

natural environment természeti környezet

needs szükségletek

nuclear energy atomenergia

nuclear power station atomerőmű

nuclear waste nukleáris szemét

organic energy bioenergia

phenomenon jelenség

planet bolygó

plastic bag műanyag táska

pollution szennyezés

post-war háború utáni

prevent megelőz

produce termel

prohibit megtilt

protect megvéd

prove bizonyít

public transport tömegközlekedés

rainforest esőerdő

Vass Judit

100

reach beyond valamin túl nyúlik /terjed

recurring visszatérő

recycle, recycling újrafeldolgozás

reduce csökkent

renewable megújuló

replace helyettesít, lecserél

responsible for felelős valamiért

reusable újra felhasználható

rubbish szemét

satisfy kielégít

scatter around szétszór

science, scientist tudomány, tudós

selective garbage collection szelektív hulladékgyűjtés

separate szétválaszt

set up a project tervet kidolgoz/ felállít

sheer igazi

soil talaj

solar power napenergia

solution to the question a kérdés megoldása

solve the problem megoldani a problémát

sooner or later előbb vagy utóbb

stillborn child halva született gyermek

suffer from szenved valamitől

suggest javasol

supply készlet

sustainable development fenntartható fejlődés

take measure intézkedést hoz

The point is that we should act. A lényeg, hogy cselekedjünk.

theory elmélet

threaten fenyeget

totally teljesen

tremendous hatalmas

volunteer önkéntes

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washing powder mosópor

water supplies vízkészletek

wrapping csomagolóanyag

Zsibbasztó

Milyen környezeti problémákkal néz szembe világunk? ................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Korunk egyik fontos kérdése ...........................................................................................................

A környezetszennyezés ...................................................................................................................

Bebizonyosodott, hogy ....................................................................................................................

A kipufogó gázok felelősek a globális felmelegedésért ..................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Ha így folytatjuk ..............................................................................................................................

Lerombolhatjuk a természeti környezetet .......................................................................................

Mit kellene tennünk .........................................................................................................................

Csökkenteni a szennyezést ..............................................................................................................

Az autókat ki kellene tiltani a városközpontokból ..........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A tömegközlekedést kellene javítani ...............................................................................................

A gyáraknak szűrőt kellene felszerelni ...........................................................................................

Hogy ne bocsássanak ki vegyszereket ............................................................................................

A légszennyezés miatt .....................................................................................................................

Néhány körzet a savas esőtől szenved .............................................................................................

Egyre több ember válik környezettudatossá ....................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A legtöbb ember tisztában van a veszélyekkel ................................................................................

De semmit sem tesz, hogy megakadályozza ...................................................................................

Az olaj és gázkészletek eltűnőben vannak ......................................................................................

Új energiaforrásokat kell találnunk .................................................................................................

Tökéletesen igaza van .....................................................................................................................

Előbb vagy utóbb ............................................................................................................................

A fűtőanyagokat megújuló energiára kellene cserélnünk ...............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

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Úgymint napenergia és geothermális energia .................................................................................

Másik mód .......................................................................................................................................

Bioenergia termelése kukoricából ...................................................................................................

Ön helyesli vagy ellenzi az atomenergiát? ......................................................................................

Néhány tudós az állítja ....................................................................................................................

Az atomerőművek jelentik a megoldást az energia problémára .....................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Nem értek egyet ..............................................................................................................................

A nukleáris szemét hatalmas probléma ...........................................................................................

A csernobili robbanás óta ................................................................................................................

Az emberek többsége .....................................................................................................................

Ellenzi az atomerőműveket .............................................................................................................

Hatalmas pusztítást okozott .............................................................................................................

Sok ember meghalt vagy súlyosan megbetegedett ..........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Polgárok ezrei lettek rákosak ..........................................................................................................

A vetélések száma nőtt ....................................................................................................................

Milyen más problémát tudna említeni? ...........................................................................................

A szennyezésen túl ..........................................................................................................................

Ott van a veszélyeztetett fajok kérdése ...........................................................................................

Sok faj elveszíti lakóhelyét .............................................................................................................

Az emberi beavatkozásnak köszönhetően .......................................................................................

A veszélyeztetett fajok a kihalással szembesülnek .........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A közel jövőben ..............................................................................................................................

Az esőerdők pusztítása ....................................................................................................................

Katasztrofális lehet ..........................................................................................................................

Mivel a fák oxigént termelnek ........................................................................................................

A környezetszennyezés változást hoz az éghajlatban .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A föld átlaghőmérséklete nyilvánvalóan emelkedik .......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az elmúlt pár évben természeti katasztrófák voltak .......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

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New Orleanst egy hatalmas hurrikán pusztította .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az elmúlt években ...........................................................................................................................

Számos árvíz volt Európában ..........................................................................................................

Emberek ezrei kényszerültek elhagyni az otthonaikat ....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A vizeinket szennyezi az ipari és a háztartási szemét .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A nagy városokat fenyegeti a növekvő szemét mennyisége ...........................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Van-e ötlete, hogy hogyan oldjuk meg ezeket a problémákat? .......................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A szemét kérdésének megoldása a szelektív szemétgyűjtés ...........................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az újrafeldolgozás jó módja a szemét csökkentésének ..................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Most kell cselekednünk, amíg még nem késő. ................................................................................

A lényeg, hogy ................................................................................................................................

Meg kell tanítanunk a gyerekeket, hogyan védjék a környezetet ...................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mit tud otthon tenni a környezetvédelemért? ..................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Környezetbarát csomagolóanyagokat használok ............................................................................

Műanyag táskák helyett ...................................................................................................................

Olyan mosóport használok, ami nem szennyezi a talajt ..................................................................

Nem mosogatok folyóvízben ..........................................................................................................

Tiszta vízpazarlás ............................................................................................................................

Tanácsos biotermékeket venni ........................................................................................................

Különválasztom a műanyagot, az üveget és a papírt ......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

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104

A Street Survey

I= interviewer

P= person in the street

I: Excuse me? We are doing a survey on how much people are aware of environmental

problems, and what they do to protect their surroundings or community. Could I ask some

question?

P: Certainly. What are you interested in?

I: Well, my first question is… what is your attitude to the environmental issues in general?

P. I suppose, this is the crucial question of our time. Whatever paper I read this question is

always dealt with, because some scientists and conservationists treat it as the most important

issue of our time. As far as I’m concerned, I’m mostly worried about global warming. There

are controversial views on it. I’m strongly convinced that the reason for it is the damage we

are doing to the air with all our cars, industrial and domestic waste and so on.

I: Some predict that in the near future we’ll have to pay for clean air as we do now in the case

of water. Don’t you find it a pessimistic opinion?

P: Well, I’m not sure…you know I’m not an expert but it might happen if we go on like this. I

mean using traditional energy sources such as gas and oil, which, as it is common knowledge,

are diminishing resources, so we have to apply new methods.

I: Have you got a car?

P: Yes, I have.

I: Do you use it every day?

P: No, I usually use it when it is absolutely necessary, e.g. visiting my relatives in the country,

or doing the shopping for the week. But I very seldom go to work by car, because it is more

convenient to use public transport, which is excellent in our town.

I: Are there any problems in your town with environmental protection?

P: Yes, there are some. For example a great per cent of the people in our community doesn’t

select their domestic waste just because it would take some time to use different bags and to

take them to selective containers. Outside the town there is an illegal rubbish dump, and the

council don’t seem to care much about it. Sometimes schools launch clean-up campaigns, but

this is not the solution to the problem.

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105

I: You seem to be an environmentally conscious person. What do you do at home to protect

the environment?

P: Well, I take the different types of domestic waste to the selective containers, but the baby’s

nappies cause a lot of problems, because there are no special places for them, so I must admit

I empty them with the other waste that accumulate a day. I also try to do the washing up with

as little running water as possible, but I sometimes forget about it. What’s more, we try to use

such washing powders and detergents that do not contaminate the soil much.

I: Thank you for you kind attention.

P: Thanks, it was my pleasure.

Words and Phrases

absolutely abszolút, teljesen

accumulate felhalmoz(ódik)

apply alkalmaz

as far as I am concerned ami engem érint

common knowledge köztudott

community közösség

conservationist környezetvédő

container tartály

controversial ellentmondásos

convenient kényelmes

convince meggyőz

council önkormányzat

deal with foglalkozik valamivel

empty kiürít

environmental protection környezetvédelem

expert szakember

general, in general általános, általában véve

illegal törvénytelen

method módszer

nappy pelenka

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106

per cent százalék

pessimistic pesszimista, borúlátó

predict jósol

rubbish dump szemétdomb

seldom ritkán

surrounding környezet

survey, to do a survey on felmérés, felmérést készít valamiről

treat sg as kezel valamiként

view nézet

Zsibbasztó

Felmérést készítünk ......................................................................................................................

Tisztában van a környezeti problémákkal? ..................................................................................

Védjük a környezetünket és közösségünket .................................................................................

Mi érdekli Önt? ............................................................................................................................

Hogyan viszonyul a környezetvédelmi kérdésekhez általában? ..................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Korunk egyik alapvető kérdése ....................................................................................................

Bármelyik újságot olvasom ..........................................................................................................

Ezzel a kérdéssel mindig foglalkoznak ........................................................................................

Néhányan a legfontosabb kérdésként kezelik ..............................................................................

Ami engem illet, aggódom a globális felmelegedés miatt. ..........................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Ellentmondó nézetek vannak erről. ..............................................................................................

Erős a meggyőződésem ................................................................................................................

A kár, amit a levegőben okozunk .................................................................................................

Ipari és házi szemét ......................................................................................................................

Néhányan azt jósolják, hogy a közeljövőben fizetnünk kell majd a tiszta levegőért ...................

......................................................................................................................................................

A víz esetében ..............................................................................................................................

Nem találja ezt borúlátó véleménynek? .......................................................................................

Tudja, nem vagyok szakember .....................................................................................................

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107

De megtörténhet, ha így folytatjuk ...............................................................................................

Amint az köztudott .......................................................................................................................

Új módszereket kell alkalmaznunk ..............................................................................................

Csak akkor használom, ha feltétlenül szükséges ..........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Nagyon ritkán megyek autóval dolgozni .....................................................................................

Kényelmesebb a tömegközlekedést használni .............................................................................

Vannak problémák a környezetvédelemmel? ..............................................................................

Az emberek nagy százaléka nem szelektálja a szemetet ..............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Csak, mert időbe telne .................................................................................................................

Elvinni a szemetet a szelektív gyűjtőkbe .....................................................................................

A városon kívül van egy illegális szemétdomb ............................................................................

Úgy tűnik, az önkormányzat nem nagyon törődik vele ...............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az iskolák néha takarítási kampányt indítanak ............................................................................

Ez nem megoldás a problémára ...................................................................................................

Környezettudatos embernek tűnik ................................................................................................

Különböző típusú háztartási szemét .............................................................................................

A pelenkák sok problémát okoznak .............................................................................................

Be kell vallanom ...........................................................................................................................

A többi felhalmozódott szeméttel együtt ürítem ki ......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Olyan kevés folyóvízzel, amivel csak lehet .................................................................................

Néha elfeledkezem róla ................................................................................................................

Sőt, olyan mosóport használok, ami nem szennyezi a talajt ........................................................

Köszönöm a kedvességét .............................................................................................................

Örömömre szolgált .......................................................................................................................

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108

Dialogue

Climate change

T: Teacher

S: Student

S: Mr Collins, have you read the UN’s report on climate change yet?

T: Yes, I have…I mean some parts of it that are available on the Net.

S: Do you, as a Geography teacher believe in the dark scenario they predict in the near future?

T: Well, there’s no denying that climate change is unfolding before our eyes. Suffice it to

mention melting ice in the Arctic, melting glaciers that cause some rivers to overflow. On the

other hand , due to the raising global temperature, some other waters tend to evaporate faster

than before, which leads to devastating draughts in certain areas.

S: Can the natural disasters that have occurred during the past years be put down to climate

change?

T: Yes, they can be interpreted as the aftermath of climate change, but you must not forget

that natural disasters are not a new phenomenon on the Earth. It will take thorough scientific

research to reveal the exact causes.

S: Some scientists say that there are more disasters in the pipeline. There are so many

scaremongers nowadays, one can never know whom to believe.

T: Well, there have always been prophets of doom in our history, you mustn’t fall for all

gossips. However, we really must take climate change seriously, as it is inevitably the

feedback of human activities. At least to some extent. Green house effect has been a scientific

fact for a century, for example. Since climate change has much to do with our civilisation, it is

our responsibility to prevent it from causing damage on a global scale. I’m sure we can

manage by joining our forces.

S: Are you convinced that the changes are reversible?

T: No, I wouldn’t risk giving you an almighty answer. There might be irreversible processes,

but we most surely can curb the trends by passing laws that are to be applied and watched in

the industrial countries. I mean reducing emission, introducing clean fuel technologies etc.

And we must act before it is too late.

S: Some forsee immense draughts in Europe that would, so they say, lead to a Sahara-like

climate. What do you think of it?

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109

T: Oh, I wouldn’t venture as far as that. What is more, the Earth Summit in 1992 and the

Kyoto Protocol in 1997, which has already come into force make me rather optimistic about

the question. The leading powers seem to have given a serious consideration to the matter,

which is a big step, I think.

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110

8. Family Life

‘A woman with fair opportunities, and without an absolute hump, may marry whom she

likes.’ (William Thackeray: Vanity Fair)

‘Everything has its drawbacks, as the man said, when his mother-in-law died and they came

upon him for the funeral expenses.’ (Jerome K. Jerome: Three Men in a Boat)

A : How has family life changed in the last one hundred years?

B : During the last century, family life underwent big changes.Traditional family seems to

be falling apart. A lot of couples live together without getting married. When you come of

age you can marry without your parents’ consent. Nowadays there is a tendency to get

married later, at the age of 30. Young people prefer having a successful career before

getting married. In the past, men were supposed to be the breadwinners in the family,

women were expected to do the housework and look after the children. Due to

emancipation, women are no longer second-rate citizens. Unfortunately, the number of

divorces has been increasing. A lot of children are brought up in one-parent families. In

my opinion, a child needs both his father and mother. The lucky few have a caring

stepfather or stepmother. It is a great responsibility to start a family and bring up children.

Parents are responsible for their children’s well fare and healthy development.

A : How many of you are there in the family?

B : There are 3 of us in the family. I don’t have any sisters or brothers. I am an only child.

It would be nice to have a sister or a brother

A : What is your relationship with your parents like?

B : I get on well with my parents; they are really understanding and caring. Sometimes we

quarrel, but we always make it up. Now and then my mum tells me off when it serves me

right. My parents have never treated me harshly. I can always rely on them and share my

problems with them. I know they would never let me down.

A : Nowadays children are given much more freedom than before. What do you

think about it?

B : Yes, nowadays there is a tendency to treat children as equals. I am not sure if it is

good. Anyway, a child needs guidance. My parents have never been too strict; I would

call them rather liberal. As a child I was mostly obedient, though sometimes mischievous.

Not until I was 18 did they let me stay out late. At that time I was angry with them, but

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111

now I see they were right. Of course, there is a generation gap between my parents and

me, but it is just natural. Too permissive parents can do a lot of harm to their children.

Children who are spoilt might have difficulties in their studies or work. They will be

unable to cope with their problems later on.

A : Who do you take after in the family?

B : I take after my mother, but I inherited my father’s character.

A : When do you intend to get married?

B : I would like to get married in ten years’ time. I wouldn’t like to get married until I

finished my studies.

A : And here are some more expressions

1. He proposed to her but she turned him down.

2. This year my parents celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary.

3. Nowadays young people start having sex earlier than before.

4. I don’t believe in ideal marriages, there is no life without conflicts or crises.

5. Jealousy can be disastrous sometimes. He is jealous of his wife.

6. The point is that you should understand and respect your partner’s views.

7. She is pregnant. She is expecting her first child.

8. She had a miscarriage, which was a traumatic experience for her.

9. She had an abortion − she should have taken contraceptives / the pills.

10. She had a stillborn child, which depressed the whole family.

11. He is so childish and immature. He is not mature enough to get married.

12. As for women’s equality, I think there is still much to do.

13. Feminism is a new tendency among women. They fight for equal rights.

14. However, some feminists can be really extremists.

15. They call men ‘male chauvinistic pigs’, which is not nice to do.

16. Violence in the family e.g. wife-battering is one of the most appalling crimes.

17. He inherited a lot of money. He came into a lot of money.

18. In his will he named his heirs.

19. We have lots of relatives and there are big family reunions at Christmas time.

20. Yesterday we had an argument.

21. They had a terrible row, and haven’t spoken to each other ever since.

22. It is difficult to tell the twins apart.

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112

An Essay

Changing Times, Changing Values

In the course of history, there has been an incredible amount of changes in every field of

life. As time went by, man’s world underwent significant transformations including individual

life and social system. These changes have brought about new phenomena that have both

advantages and disadvantages.

To begin with, let us have a look at our homes. In the developed countries a family home is

well equipped with everything we need to make our everyday life comfortable and

convenient. Housework has become much easier than it used to be, you do not have to spend

your precious time toiling at washing or cleaning, labour saving devices save you a lot of

trouble. If you are cold you just turn on the heating, if you want to get in touch with your

friends you simply dial a number or send an email. Due to the TV and the Internet you can

have access to any information you might need from all over the world ─ the Earth has turned

into a big village.

As for family life, it has also undergone big changes. There were times when a marriage

was a question of the mutual consent of the parents; nowadays you do not have to have your

parents’ consent if you want to start a family. Young people choose their partner on their own,

what is more, they may decide on having children without getting married. In Europe,

traditional family seems to be falling apart, the number of divorces and one-parent families

has been increasing for decades, and, as a result, fewer children are born and due to the low

birth-rate, European societies are becoming older and older. The crisis of the traditional

family has a harmful impact on children. There’s no denying, that a child needs both his

father and mother and it is a real trauma to lose one of them.

As to children’s position in the family, there has been a tendency to treat them as equals, to

be liberal with them. Nowadays children are given much more freedom than before. Physical

punishment is out of question, which is good, on the other hand, extremely permissive parents

can also do harm to their children. A child without discipline is extremely vulnerable; he

might have difficulties in his studies, and might lack the strength to cope with problems in the

long run. What has not changed is the generation gap, which has always been a natural part of

family relationships and most probably is here to stay. The elder generation will always

complain about their children showing less respect than they are supposed to, and children

will always complain about being misunderstood or ignored.

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113

The most significant changes that influenced family life are those concerning gender roles.

Due to women’s emancipation during the 20th century, traditional male and female tasks and

duties have changed considerably. In the past, men were supposed to be the breadwinners of

the family while women were expected to do the housework and look after the children. In

our days, as most women work and thus contribute to the family budget, these tasks should be

shared equally. Women are no longer second-rate citizens.

Zsibbasztó

a történelem során ........................................................................................................................

változások voltak ..........................................................................................................................

hihetetlen mennyiségű változások………………………………………………………………

a világ változásokon ment át ........................................................................................................

idővel ............................................................................................................................................

jelentős változások .......................................................................................................................

társadalmi berendezkedés .............................................................................................................

a történelem változásokat hozott .................................................................................................

új jelenség .....................................................................................................................................

jól felszerelt mindennel ................................................................................................................

ez kényelmessé teszi az életünket ................................................................................................

sokkal könnyebbé vált ..................................................................................................................

ne vesztegesse a drága idejét ........................................................................................................

nem szeretek a mosással bajlódni .................................................................................................

a gépek sok fáradságtól kímélnek meg ........................................................................................

próbáltam érintkezésbe lépni vele ................................................................................................

az Internetnek köszönhetően ........................................................................................................

az esős idő miatt ...........................................................................................................................

bármilyen információhoz hozzáférhetünk ....................................................................................

a föld egy nagy faluvá alakult át ..................................................................................................

ami a családot illeti .......................................................................................................................

ami a vizsgákat illeti .....................................................................................................................

voltak idők ....................................................................................................................................

Vass Judit

114

ez kölcsönös megegyezés kérdése ................................................................................................

ez pénz kérdése .............................................................................................................................

a szüleim beleegyeztek .................................................................................................................

elhatározták, hogy összeházasodnak ............................................................................................

anélkül, hogy összeházasodnának ................................................................................................

a hagyományos család ..................................................................................................................

a könyv esik szét ..........................................................................................................................

szétesett ........................................................................................................................................

a válások száma ............................................................................................................................

a válások száma megnőtt ..............................................................................................................

a munkanélküliség folyamatosan nő ............................................................................................

következésképp ............................................................................................................................

kevesebb gyerek születik ..............................................................................................................

alacsony születési arány ...............................................................................................................

káros hatással van a gyerekekre ...................................................................................................

nem kétséges ................................................................................................................................

mind az apa, mind az anya ...........................................................................................................

igazi megrázkódtatás volt .............................................................................................................

a gyerekek helyzete a családban ...................................................................................................

mostanában az az irányzat, hogy ..................................................................................................

a szülők egyenrangúként kezelik a gyerekeket ............................................................................

sok szabadságban van részük .......................................................................................................

testi fenyítés ..................................................................................................................................

ez szóba sem jöhet ........................................................................................................................

engedékeny szülők .......................................................................................................................

túlságosan engedékeny szülők .....................................................................................................

sok kárt okozott nekünk ...............................................................................................................

fegyelmezetlen gyermek ..............................................................................................................

különösen sérülékeny(gyenge) .....................................................................................................

nehézségei lehetnek a tanulás során .............................................................................................

megbirkóztam a problémákkal .....................................................................................................

hosszú távon .................................................................................................................................

ami nem változott .........................................................................................................................

nemzedéki ellentét ........................................................................................................................

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115

családi kapcsolatok .......................................................................................................................

nagy valószínűséggel ....................................................................................................................

az idősebb generáció ....................................................................................................................

mindig panaszkodik a gyerekeire .................................................................................................

kevesebb tiszteletet mutat, mint kellene .......................................................................................

arra panaszkodik, hogy félreértik .................................................................................................

a legjelentősebb változások ..........................................................................................................

a változások hatással voltak a családra ........................................................................................

hatott rá a környezete ...................................................................................................................

nemi szerepek ...............................................................................................................................

a nemi szerepeket érintő változások .............................................................................................

a nők egyenjogúsítása ...................................................................................................................

a hagyományos női feladatok .......................................................................................................

ez a kötelességed ..........................................................................................................................

jelentősen megváltozott ................................................................................................................

napjainkban ..................................................................................................................................

hozzájárult a költségekhez ...........................................................................................................

családi költségvetés ......................................................................................................................

ezeket a feladatokat meg kellene osztani .....................................................................................

a nők nem másodrangú állampolgárok .........................................................................................

Words and Phrases

abortion abortusz, terhesség megszakítás

access to hozzáférés valamihez

an only child Egyke

anyway végül is, egyébként is

appalling Felháborító

as a result Következésképp

as for family life ami a családi életet illeti

as time went by Idővel

as to family life ami a családi életet illeti

breadwinner kenyérkereső, családfenntartó

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bring about magával hoz, okoz

budget Költségvetés

citizen Állampolgár

come into money pénzt örököl

come of age nagykorú lesz

concerning vonatkozólag, illetőleg

consent egyetértés, beleegyezés

considerable, considerably jelentős / en

contraceptive Fogamzásgátló

contribute to hozzájárul valamihez

crisis, crises válság, válságok

developed countries fejlett országok

discipline Fegyelem

drawback hátrány

due to valaminek köszönhetően

elder brother Báty

emancipation emancipáció, egyenjogúsítás

equal, equally egyenlő / en

equipment, a lot of equipment!!! felszerelés, nincs többes száma!

ever since azóta is / sem

expect a child várandós

extremists szélsőségesek

fair opportunities jó lehetőségek = gazdag

fall apart szétesik

family reunion családi összejövetel

fight for equal rights egyenlő jogokért harcolnak

funeral expenses temetési költségek

gap szakadék (tesztben üres hely)

gender roles nemi szerepek

generation gap nemzedéki ellentét, különbség

get in touch with sb érintkezésbe lép valakivel

get on well with sb jól kijön valakivel

guidance irányítás

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had a terrible row szörnyen összevesztek

had an argument vitatkoztak

has an affair viszonya van valakivel

has impact on sb hatással van valakire

heating fűtés

heir örökös

How many of you are there? hányan vagytok?

hump Púp

I am not sure if it is good Nem vagyok benne biztos, hogy ez jó.

ignore figyelmen kívül hagy

immature éretlen

in every field of life az élet minden területén

in ten year’s time tíz év múlva

in the course of history a történelem folyamán

in the long run hosszú távon

increase növekedés, növekszik

individual egyéni

inherit örököl

interest érdek

it serves me right megérdemlem

jealous of féltékeny valakire

jealousy féltékenység

later on később

liberal liberális, engedékeny

let sb down cserbenhagy

lived happily afterwards és boldogan éltek, míg meg nem haltak.

low birth-rate alacsony születési arány

make it up kibékül

male chauvinistic pig „soviniszta hím disznó”

mature érett

mischievous csibész

misunderstand félreért

mutual kölcsönös

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not until I was 18 18 éves koromig

obedient engedelmes

one-parent family csonka család

open marriage Nyílt házasság

out of question szóba sem jöhet

permissive engedékeny

phenomenon, phenomena jelenség / ek

physical punishment Testi fenyítés

precious értékes, drága

prefer successful career előnyben részesíti a sikeres karriert

pregnant terhes

propose to megkéri a kezét

quarrel veszekszik

relative rokon

rely on sb számít / támaszkodik valakire

reason for oka valaminek

responsibility felelősség

responsible for felelős valamiért

save you trouble fáradságot takarít meg

second-rate másodrangú

she turned him down kikosarazta

significant jelentős

sin erkölcsi bűn

spoil elkényeztet

stay out late sokáig kimaradni otthonról

start having sex szexuális életet kezd

stepfather mostohaapa

strict szigorú

take after hasonlít valakire

tell apart megkülönböztet

tells me off Letol, megszid

tendency irányzat

the lucky few az a néhány szerencsés

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the point is that you should understand a lényeg, hogy megértsd

there are 5 of us. Öten vagyunk

there is still much to do Még sok a tennivaló

there’s no denying kétségtelen, hogy…, tagadhatatlan

thus ekképp, így

toil at washing nyűglődni a mosással

transformation átalakulás

trauma megrázkódtatás, trauma

treat as equal egyenlőként kezelni

treat harshly durván kezel

trust sb megbízik valakiben

turn into változik valamivé

turn to sb valakihez fordul

undergo changes változásokon megy át

value érték

violence in the family erőszak a családban

vulnerable sebezhető, gyenge

wedding anniversary házassági évforduló

well fare Jólét

well equipped jól felszerelt

which is not nice to do Ami nem szép dolog

wife-battering a feleség bántalmazása

will végrendelet

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9. Fashion

‘She wears her clothes, as if they were thrown on her with a pitchfork.’

(Jonathan Swift: Polite Conversation. )

A man at work one day notices that his male co-worker is wearing an earring. The

man knows his co-worker to be normally conservative fellow, and is curious about his

sudden change in “fashion sense”.

‘Yo, Bob, I didn’t know you were into earrings.’

‘Oh, yeah, sure’, says Bob sheepishly.

‘Really? How long have you been wearing one?’

‘Ever since my wife found it in our bed!’ (English Joke)

A : Are you fashion conscious? (Do you follow fashion?)

B : I’m not really fashion conscious; I don’t care much about fashion. I like wearing

fashionable clothes as long as they suit me. I don’t think one should follow fashion for

fashion’s sake. In clothing you have to take into consideration your age as well as your

figure. Some women follow every fashion regardless of their age or figure. A woman at

50 dressed like a teenager only makes herself ridiculous. Fashion designing centres dictate

what you should wear. Fashion changes from year to year because it’s a big business. Top

models have a great influence on women; they all want to look like them. If you buy your

clothes in one particular fashion, you risk looking ridiculous next year.

A : What kind of clothes do you prefer wearing?

B : On weekdays I prefer wearing loose-fitting, casual clothes. I don’t feel comfortable in

extremely tight jeans or skirts. At the theatre I prefer wearing an elegant one-piece

dress.At work I prefer wearing a two-piece costume. Hip jeans and short tops are not to

my taste. I don’t think one should go to work half-naked.

A: What is in fashion nowadays?

B : Nowadays you can wear any style from mini skirts to long dresses, whatever you

want. Some women like wearing flashy dresses to attract attention. To my mind, flashy

dresses indicate vulgar taste.

A: What do you mean by a flashy dress?

B : Well, bright coloured dresses with too many accessories, for example. But, as the

saying goes, ‘There’s no accounting for taste’.

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121

A : What accessories are fashionable these days?

B : These days piercing is trendy, but I cannot imagine myself pierced on the tounge or in

the nose. It can be really unhealthy. I am mad about bracelets, whatever they are made of.

I have plenty of them.

A : For my part, I only wear a necklace and a ring, that’s all. Is that true that clothes

make the man?

B: To some extent it is. Of course, it is your character that counts, however you must pay

attention to what you wear. There are people who don’t care about their clothes and look

shabby all the time. I think a civilized person never looks shabby, not even at home. The

point is that you should always look clean and neat.

A : Do you think that schools should impose wearing uniforms on the students?

B : No I don’t, although uniforms have unquestionable advantages. For example, uniform

prevents students from showing off their wealth and thus making the poor feel inferior.

A : And here are some more useful expressions

1. I’d like a pair of jeans. Do you have them in my size?

2. Which size are you? 38? Oh, sorry, we’ve run out of them

3. Can I try this blouse on? Sure. The changing room is to your right.

4. I need a handbag to match my costume.

5. You look nice in this dress; blue colour matches your eyes.

6. I don’t think these shoes will fit me.

7. Do you have them by one size bigger?

8. Do not wash woollen pullovers in hot water otherwise they will shrink.

9. T-shirts tend to stretch when washed.

10. It is advisable to give a good rinse to the clothes after washing them.

11. I’ve lost considerable weight so I have to take in my skirts.

12. I’ve put on so much weight that my skirts have to be let out.

13. I prefer buying my clothes at the sales; they are much cheaper then..

14. I don’t like buying my clothes in second-hand shops.

15. Do you ever buy clothes off the peg?

16. I prefer wearing tailored clothes, though they are more expensive.

17. I have a sewing machine, and my hobby is to make clothes for my family and me.

18. I am not too vain, but I really hate wearing dresses ‘oncoming’ in the street.

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Words and Phrases

accessories kiegészítők

any style bármilyen stílus

at the sales leárusításkor

bracelet karkötő

bright coloured dress rikító színű ruha

care about törődni valamivel

casual clothes lezser ruha

conscious tudatos

fashion conscious divat orientált

feel comfortable kényelmesen érzi magát

fits me jó rám (méretben)

for fashion’s sake a divat kedvéért

for my part a magam részéről

from year to year évről évre

have influence on sb befolyásol

indicate mutat, bizonyít

let out around the waist derékban kiengedni

loose-fitting laza, bő

match színben illik

naked, half-naked meztelen, félmeztelen

neat ápolt

not to my taste nem az én ízlésem (szerint való)

one-piece dress egyrészes ruha

particular, particularly egy bizonyos, különösen, főleg

pay attention to figyelmet szentel valaminek

regardless of tekintet nélkül valamire

rinse öblít (és)

risk kockáztat

second-hand shop használt áruk boltja

shabby szakadt

showy dress rikító, feltűnő ruha

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123

shrink összemegy mosásában

stretch kinyúlik

suit me jól áll nekem

take in around the waist derékban bevenni

take into consideration figyelembe venni

there’s no accounting for taste Ízlések és pofonok.

tight jeans feszes farmer

to my mind szerintem

two-piece costume kétrészes kosztüm

vulgar taste közönséges ízlés

whatever you want amit csak akar

Zsibbasztó

Divattudatos .................................................................................................................................

Követi ön a divatot? .....................................................................................................................

Nem nagyon törődöm a divattal ...................................................................................................

Szeretek divatos ruhákat hordani .................................................................................................

Feltéve, hogy illenek hozzám .......................................................................................................

A divat kedvéért ...........................................................................................................................

Figyelembe kell venni ..................................................................................................................

Tekintet nélkül a korára ................................................................................................................

Úgy van öltözve, mint egy tizenéves ...........................................................................................

Nevetségessé teszi magát .............................................................................................................

Évről ever változik .......................................................................................................................

Nagy hatással van a nőkre ............................................................................................................

Úgy akarnak kinézni, mint a modellek .........................................................................................

Milyen ruhákat szeret viselni? ......................................................................................................

Laza, lezser ruhák .........................................................................................................................

Nem érzem magam kényelmesen .................................................................................................

Elegáns, egyrészes ruha ................................................................................................................

Kétrészes kosztüm ........................................................................................................................

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124

Nem az én ízlésem szerint való ....................................................................................................

Félmeztelenül ...............................................................................................................................

Manapság bármit lehet viselni ......................................................................................................

Mini szoknyától a hosszú ruháig ..................................................................................................

Amit csak akar ..............................................................................................................................

Figyelmet felkelteni ......................................................................................................................

Szerintem ......................................................................................................................................

A rikító ruha közönséges ízlésre vall ...........................................................................................

Túl sok kiegészítő .........................................................................................................................

Ahogy a mondás tartja ..................................................................................................................

Ízlések és pofonok ........................................................................................................................

Mi divatos ma? .............................................................................................................................

A piercing van divatban ...............................................................................................................

Megőrülök a karkötőkért ..............................................................................................................

Sok van belőle ..............................................................................................................................

A magam részéről .........................................................................................................................

Cask egy nyakláncot hordok ........................................................................................................

A ruha teszi az embert ..................................................................................................................

Bizonyos mértékig ........................................................................................................................

A jellem számít .............................................................................................................................

Figyelmet kell szentelni a ruháknak is .........................................................................................

Nem törődik az öltözékével ..........................................................................................................

Szakadtan néz ki ...........................................................................................................................

Civilizált ember soha nem néz ki szakadtan ................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Még otthon sem ............................................................................................................................

A lényeg, hogy mindig tiszták és ápoltak legyünk .......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az egyenruhának van előnye .......................................................................................................

Henceg a gazdagságával ...............................................................................................................

Kisebbrendűségi érzése van .........................................................................................................

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A Letter of Complaint

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you to complain about the dress I bought a week ago by way

of online shopping.

I found the article in your catalogue (D235), which says it is supposed to be

washed in lukewarm water only. I did accordingly. However, the dress

shrunk considerably, and no longer fits me, but it really looks nice on my

cat. I even thought to buy a handbag for her to go with it.

To make matters worse, I ordered a nice checquered flannel shirt for my

husband, you know he is mad about this type of wear. One might assume, a

flannel shirt must be washed in the wool programme of the washing

machine to prevent it from shrinking. I was cautious enough to do so.To my

greatest horror, when my husband put it on, he seemed to have shrunk and

looked like a real scarecrow in the shirt which, at variance with all

expectations, stretched so much that it can pass for a nice blanket on a

double bed.

Apart from joke, I would be grateful if you could replace the dress and the

shirt with ones that are washable, or give me a refund.

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully

Anne Shrink

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10. Food

Harris proposed that we should have scrambled eggs for breakfast. …It

seemed, from his account, that he was very good at doing scrambled eggs…He

was quite famous for them. People who had once tasted his scrambled eggs,

…never cared for any other food afterwards…He had some trouble in

breaking the eggs − or rather not so much trouble in breaking them exactly as

in getting them into the frying- pan when broken, and keeping them off his

trousers, and preventing them from running up his sleeve;… Whenever he

went near the pan he burned himself, and then he would drop everything and

dance around the stove, flicking his fingers about and cursing the things…We

thought at first that it was a necessary part of culinary arrangements.

(Jerome K Jerome: Three Men in a Boat)

A : What is the staple food in your country?

B : Potato, paprika, cabbage, lettuce, carrot, onion i.e. we grow all kinds of vegetables.

A : Have you got a favourite dish?

B : I cannot name just one, but I like fried potatoes with well-done steaks. I also like

mushroom prepared in different ways, e.g. cabbage stuffed with it.

A : What are the ingredients and how do you prepare it?

B : First I wash the cabbage and remove its leaves then I stir it in boiling water for a few

minutes. Meanwhile I prepare the mushroom. I put diced onion into two-spoonful oil and

heat it until it’s soft. Then I add the sliced mushroom with some salt, red pepper and stew

it. I take a big pan and make several layers by putting cabbage leaves and the mushroom

mass into it in equal proportions. It takes about 30 minutes to get ready in the oven. I

serve it with sour cream or grated cheese. And it tastes great.

A : Have you ever tried English dishes?

B : Sure. I tried sheperd’s pie and it really tasted delicious. It is made of minced lamb,

potato, tomato puree, celery, carrot, butter and a lamb stock. First you boil the peeled and

diced potatoes until they are tender, then fry onion in a frying pan and add the vegetables

to it and keep on frying them until they are soft. You have to stir in tomato puree and

Worcestershire sauce. It is seasoned to taste before leaving to simmer for five minutes.

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Finally top it with mashed potato and put it into an ovenproof dish for 20 minutes. I also

like fish and chips, though I very seldom eat the latter.

A : Do you ever eat out?

B : Well, once or twice a month. We have a favourite restaurant run by a friend of us. We

like this restaurant, because they make a great variety of delicious dishes. They also lay

the table with good taste, and the staff are very helpful and friendly. They hire a pianist

who plays good melodies, which makes the atmosphere relaxed. The spacious room is

divided into smoking and non-smoking parts.

A : We very seldom eat out, because restaurants are quite expensive. My husband and me

sometimes go to an Irish pub, which is an impressive place with good music and excellent

beer. Now and then we go to a bar after the theatre to have a drink and discuss the play we

have seen.

B : What do you think about child obesity, which is a worrying issue in the developed

countries?

A : I suppose that the main reason for it is that they eat too much junk food. In addition to

this, they don’t do enough exercise and do not have enough PE lessons. What’s more, a

lot of parents do not pay enough attention to what they give their children to eat. Junk

food contains a lot of fat and sugar not mentioning the huge amount of sweets that

children eat instead of healthy food. It is the parents’ responsibility to accustom their

children to healthy food from an early age. A lot of parents spoil their children’s eating

habits by giving them chocolate as a present.

B : What do you mean by healthy food?

A : To begin with, vegetables, fruit and such dishes that are made of fibrous things.

Fibrous food is also essential to have a good digesting system. I also think that school

canteens and buffets must be controlled by the authorities. Those who don’t take packed

lunch, I mean sandwiches with some natural juice, will buy only junk food or sweets in

the school. I think governments should take serious measures to ban junk food from

school buffets.

B : What is your attitude to vegetarianism?

A : I believe in vegetarian foods, I think they are much healthier than meat. However, I

think that there has been a cult of vegetarianism, which misleads people. Anyway, man

has always eaten meat, and I do think we need animal protein too. I used to be a

vegetarian for two years, but I must confess that I terribly missed meat, so I forgot about

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128

vegetarianism for good. I believe in a balanced diet that contains vegetables and meat as

well.

B : Some people have anorexia among young women in particular.

A : Yes, the mania for anorexia stems from psychological motives. They deliberately

torture themselves with slimming cures because of the fear of being fat.

B : What are your eating habits like?

A : Well, for breakfast I usually have some cereals with milk and a glass of orange juice.

B : I always have a big breakfast, ham and eggs for example and a glass of tea. My

husband never has breakfast, he only drinks a cup of coffee, he has his first meal at noon.

A : I always have lunch at my workplace where there is a good restaurant with reasonable

prices. The main meal in our family is dinner, which is usually cooked by my mother. My

mum is an ingenious cook; we all adore her dishes.

Words and Phrases

account összefoglaló, magyarázat

accustom to hozzászokik-szoktat valamihez

add hozzáad

adore imád

afterwards utána

anorexia anorexia

arrangement elrendezés, művelet

at noon délben

authority hatóság

balanced diet vegyes étrend

boiling water forrásban lévő víz

burn odaéget

canteen ebédlő

care for szeret, kíván valamit

celery zeller

confess, I must confess bevall, be kell vallanom

contain tartalmaz

control irányít, ellenőriz

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129

culinary konyhai

cult kultusz

curse átkozódik

deliberately szándékosan

delicious finom, ízletes

developed country fejlett ország

diced onioin kockára vágott hagyma

digesting system emésztő rendszer

dish edény, étel

divide into feloszt

drop elejt, abbahagy

eat out étteremben enni

eating habits étkezési szokások

equal egyenlő

essential lényeges, életbevágóan fontos

evaporate elpárolog

exactly pontosan

fat zsír

fear félelem

fibre, fibrous rost, rostos

first course, main course első fogás, fő fogás

flick csettint

for good örökre

fried potatoes sült burgonya

fry süt (olajban)

frying pan lábas

gourmand ínyenc

grated cheese reszelt sajt

healthy food egészséges táplálék

heat felhevít

hire alkalmaz

impressive szép

in addition to this ezen túl

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130

in particular különösképpen

ingenious cook zseniális szakács

ingredients hozzávalók

It takes 30 minutes to get ready. 30 perc alatt készül el.

keep on frying folytatja a sütést

keep sg off távol tart valamit

lamb stock bárány csülök

latter, tha latter utóbbi, az utóbbi

lay the table megteríti az asztalt

layer réteg

leaf, leaves levél

mashed potato burgonyapüré

mass massza

meanwhile eközben

melody dallam

mention említ

minced lamb darált bárányhús

mislead félrevezet

miss hiányol

motive motiváció

non-smoking part nem dohányzó rész

now and then időnként

obesity, obese kövérség, kövér

ovenproof dih tűzálló edény

packed lunch csomagolt ebéd

pay attention to figyelmet szentel valaminek

peeled potato hámozott burgonya

prepare elkészít

present, as a present ajándék, ajándékként

prevent sg/sy from doing megakadályoz valakit/valamit valamiben

proportion adag, arány

propose javasol

protein fehérje

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131

psychological lelki

rather not inkább nem

reasonable price elfogadható ár

relaxed atmosphere kellemes légkör

remove eltávolít

restaurant run by a friend egy barát által vezetett étterem

sauce szósz

scrambled eggs tojásrántotta

seasone to taste ízlés szerint fűszerez

serve felszolgál

simmer lassú tűzön süt, főz

sleeve ruhaujj

sliced mushroom szeletelt gomba

slimming cure fogyókúra

soft lágy, puha

sour cream tejföl

spacious room tágas terem

spoil elront

spoonful kanálnyi

spring salad tavaszi saláta

staff személyzet

staple food alapvető étel

starter előétel

steak, well-done steak sült hús, jól átsütött

stem from ered valahonnan

stew párol

stir kavar

stove tűzhely, gázfőző

stuff megtölt valamivel

taste ízlés, ízlik, kóstol

tender puha

to begin with először is

tomato puree paradicsom püré

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132

top with a tetejére rak

torture kínoz

trouble baj

variety of, a great variety of dishes választék

worrying issue aggasztó dolog

Zsibbasztó

Van kedvenc étele? .......................................................................................................................

Nem tudok választani ...................................................................................................................

Szeretem a sült burgonyát sült hússal ..........................................................................................

Különbözőképpen elkészített gomba ...........................................................................................

Először megmosom a káposztát ...................................................................................................

Leszedem a leveleit ......................................................................................................................

Forró vízbe teszem pár percre ......................................................................................................

A kockára vágott hagymát két kanál olajba teszem .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Míg meg nem puhul .....................................................................................................................

Egyenlő adagokban ......................................................................................................................

Kb. 30 perc alatt kész ...................................................................................................................

Tejföllel tálalom ...........................................................................................................................

Kóstolt már angol ételt? ...............................................................................................................

Igazán finom volt .........................................................................................................................

Darált bárányhúsból készül ..........................................................................................................

Ízlés szerint fűszerezzük ...............................................................................................................

20 percre tűzűlló edénybe tesszük ................................................................................................

Kedvenc éttermünket egy barátunk vezeti ...................................................................................

Az ételek nagy választékát kínálják .............................................................................................

A zongorista kellemes légkört teremt ...........................................................................................

Időnként bárba megyünk ..............................................................................................................

Mit gondol a gyermekkori elhízásról? .........................................................................................

A fő oka, hogy túl sok gyorsételt esznek .....................................................................................

Ezenkívül ......................................................................................................................................

Nem mozognak eleget ..................................................................................................................

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133

A gyorsételek sok zsírt és cukrot tartalmaznak ............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A szülők felelőssége .....................................................................................................................

Sok szülő elrontja a gyermek étkezési szokásait ..........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mit ért egészséges étel alatt? ........................................................................................................

Először is zöldségeket ..................................................................................................................

A rostos étel fontos a jó emésztési rendszerhez ...........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A kormányoknak intétkedniük kellene ........................................................................................

Hogy kitiltsák a gyorsételeket az iskolai büfékből .......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Vegetáriánus kultusz van .............................................................................................................

Ami félrevezeti az embereket .......................................................................................................

Állati fehérjére is szükségünk van ...............................................................................................

A vegyes étrendben hiszek ...........................................................................................................

Elfogadható áron ..........................................................................................................................

Dialogue

A: Hello, we haven’t met for ages.

B: Nice to meet you again. How is life? It has been rumoured that you have started running a

restaurant.

A: Yeah, I inherited some money and decided to do something creative instead of staring at

the computer in the office.

B: Let’s have a drink, shall we?

A: OK, that’s a good idea.

B: Meanwhile you can tell me everything about your business. I don’t even know where your

restaurant is.

A: Well, it’s in the suburb, you know, I couldn’t afford to buy or rent a place in the city. My

wife and me decided on a little restaurant that can provide a safe benefit. If we can make

enough money, we’ll start a bigger one.

B: Judging by what you are saying this must be a small restaurant.

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134

A: It is. We can place only 20 people at a time.

B: Forgive my word, but I can imagine neither you nor your wife cooking.

A: Yeah, that’s out of question. Cooking is beyond my competence. But we hired an excellent

cook with an apprentice, a nice young chap, and they do their best to make really delicious

food. I’m really satisfied with them.

B: Do you employ waiters?

A: There’s no need to do that. My wife and me wait at the tables. It’s a jolly good adventure,

although a bit tiring. Some guests can be quite capricious or fussy, but I am getting

accustomed to it. The point is that you should be friendly and polite all the time. And this job

is rewarding too, you cannot imagine how happy we are when they express their satisfaction

and praise the dishes we serve.

B: Congratulations! I wouldn’t be able to take such an adventure at your age.

A: This is most kind of you, old boy, to mention my age. By the way, you are 2 years older

than me, aren’t you? How about coming round for a dinner at any time that suits you. And

you will be served the most delicious snake salad that you have ever tried.

B: Oh, I wouldn’t miss it. Put away your wallet. It was my round.

Words and Phrases

adventure kaland

afford, I can’t afford to megengedi magának, nem engedhetem meg

apprentice segéd

at a time egy időben

at any time bármikor

benefit haszon

beyond túl valamin

capricious szeszélyes, válogatós

chap srác, fickó

come round eljön, meglátogat

competence, beyond my competence alkalmasság, nem vagyok rá alkalmas

creative kreatív

do their best megteszik, ami tőlük telik

employ alkalmaz

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express satisfaction kifejezi az elégedettségét

forgive megbocsát

fussy akadékoskodó

get accustomed to hozzászokik

inherit örököl

jolly good csudajó

judge, judging by what you are saying ítél, szavaidból ítélve

mate pajtás, barát

neither…nor sem…sem

praise dicsér

provide biztosít, ellát valamivel

rent bérel

rewarding job hálás munka

rumour, it has been rumoured szóbeszéd, azt beszélik, hogy…

safe biztonságos

satisfied with elégedett valamivel

snake kígyó

stare at bámul valamire

suit megfelel

tiring fárasztó

wait at the table kiszolgálni az asztalnál

wallet pénztárca

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11. Free Time Activities

‘To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization.’

(Bertrand Russell: The Conquest of Happiness)

A: How much free time have you got?

B: On weekdays I am rather busy, I hardly have any free time. I spend my afternoons

preparing for the next day. It normally takes long hours. At weekends I have got more time

for recreation.

A: What free time activities do you prefer?

B: There are various ways to spend your free time. Some people like outdoor activities, such

as sports, hiking or gardening, while others enjoy indoor activities, such as card games,

reading books etc. A lot of people have special hobbies, such as collection building,

handiwork, pottering and so on. Some people take delight in extreme sports, but I would hate

to risk my health or life just for fun’s sake.

A: Do you have any special hobbies?

B: Well, I used to be a couch potato and a TV addict, but I realised that it wouldn’t do and

started a new way of life. Two years ago I took up hiking and I have been to many places

since then. Every fortnight, at weekends I go hiking with my friends to the mountains. We

start early in the morning, spend the whole day wandering in the mountains. It is so relaxing

to be in the fresh air exploring the beaty of nature. We usually take packed lunch with us, but

sometimes we set fire and cook our meal somewhere in a field. It is really romantic. Nothing

compares with nature. Ever since I took up hiking I have been healthier. Apart from hiking I

go cycling on weekdays. Riding a bike is not only fun but also a good exercise.

C: In my leisure time I like doing odd jobs in the house. You know, I am a DIY fan. I follow

my father’s example, who is able to repair anything in the house, he is a jack-of-all-trades. I

also like gardening, which is not only fun but also useful as you can provide your family with

vegetables. Three years ago I took up producing organic food. Gardening is a good way of

spending your free time actively. Apart from gardening I take delight in cooking. I like

preparing exotic dishes.

D: I like doing handiwork, such as knitting and sewing. It is relaxing and useful at the same

time. I enjoy designing and making my own clothes. I am also interested in folk art and I

never miss Crafts Fair where you can enjoy basketry, ceramics, jewellery, pottery. You can

get a lot of ideas at a fair. I like giving handmade presents. They are so nice.

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E: My favourite pastime is reading books, listening to music, going to the theatre and

concerts. I prefer romantic novels and history books as I am really interested in the past. I

have got a nice collection of classical CD-s, although I don’t mind listening to rock music as

well. Once a month I go to the theatre or to the opera with my family or friends. It is really

enjoyable to discuss the play we have seen. I also like doing crosswords, which is a good way

to check your knowledge and is entertaining at that.

Words and Phrases

adapt adaptál, alkalmaz

addict szenvedélybeteg

adolescent kamasz

amateur amatőr, műkedvelő

amounts to 80 pieces 80 darabot tesz ki

annoyed about bosszús valami miatt

as a result következésképpen

at that ráadásul

basketry kosárfonás

bid, bidding fogad, fogadás

break down elromlik

breathe belélegez

bungler kontár

ceramics kerámia

chest of drawers sublód, fiókos szekrény

cloth anyag, szövet

coin érme

compete versenyez

consider tart valaminek

continue folytat

couch potato aki állandóan a tv ellőtt ül (és eszik)

cover könyvborító

Crafts Fair kirakodóvásár

crochet hook horgolótű

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crocheting horgolás

cue dákó

cuisine konyhaművészet

curriculum tanterv

daily routine napi rend

deprive sy of sg megfoszt valakit valamitől

dexterity kézügyesség

DIY (do it yourself) csináld magad

doll baba

enable képessé tesz valamire

entertaining szórakoztató

enthusiastic about lelkesedik valamiért

equal egyenlő

expose to kitesz, kiszolgáltat valaminek

fanatic fanatikus, túlbuzgó

follow an example példát követ

for a change változatosság kedvéért

frequently gyakran

gamble hazárd játékot űzni

get tired of belefárad, megun

handiwork kézimunka

home affairs, foreign affairs belföldi hírek, külföldi hírek

horserace lóverseny

hunt points pontokra vadászni

I happen to have történetesen van

including beleértve

indulge oneself in belemerül valamibe, átengedi magát

valaminek

insist on doing sg ragaszkodik valamihez

intricacy finomság, bonyolultság

involve együtt jár valamivel

it won’t do ez nem lesz jó

jack-of-all-trades ezermester

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jewellery ékszerkészítés

keep saying mondogatja, hajtogatja

knit, knitting köt, kötés

lack hiányzik, nincs valamije

lazing about lustálkodás

leather bőr

leisure time szabadidő

make out kivesz, felfog, kiigazodik

mentally demanding szellemileg igényes

metal fém

nasty videos gusztustalan videók

needle tű

odd jobs apró munkák, ez-az

offer ajánl, kínál

outing egynapos kirándulás

pastime időtöltés

perseverance kitartás, állhatatosság

pottering agyagozás

pretty well nagyon jól

proud of büszke valamire

publish kiad (könyvet)

put an emphasis on hangsúlyt fektet valamire

radical change radikális változás

recreation felfrissülés, szabadidő eltöltése

repairman szerelő

rewind, rewound visszaforgat

rocking horse hintaló

running track futópálya

scan, scanning átolvassa a lényeget

schooling iskoláztatás

score points pontot szerez

screen-based entertainment képernyő alapú szórakozás

sew varr

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snooker biliárd

so that azért hogy

spare time szabadidő

specialty különlegesség

stands to reason magától értetődik

take delight in kedvét leli valamiben

take photos fényképet készít

take the pledge megesküszik, megfogad valamit

take up rákap valamire, elkezd valamivel

foglalkozni

target-driven teljesítmény-orientált

teacher’s training tanárképzés

toy játék

traffic fumes kipufogó gázok

train watching vonatszámlálás

try one’s hand at doing sg kipróbálja magát valamiben

unique egyedi, különleges

unless hacsak nem

virtual games virtuális játékok

watercolour vízfesték

way of life életmód

wearable art ruhaművészet

willpower akaraterő

woodworking fafaragás

wool gyapjú, fonal

workout edzés

An Essay

As If You Were Alive

Tired of the rat race? Exhausted by the workload? Bored with the TV? Why not take up a

hobby just for a change? Recreation does not mean hanging about or doing nothing. Let us

take Mendeleyev for example, the father of the periodic table, who, in his free time, used to

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141

sew leather suitcases. Once someone asked him why he would do that and he answered:

‘Well, a man of sense must have a serious vocation.’

There is a wide scale of free time activities ranging from collecting unique objects to

gardening. It is high time you tried your hand in some of them. They do not take an expert to

engage in them; however, you surely cannot do without prior studies. You do not even have to

follow the example of those who get totally absorbed in their hobbies or are obsessed with

them. Never do anything in excess. If you want to experience real pleasure, take it easy and

seriously at the same time.

Should you be a clerk or a teacher, your best choice would be some kind of outdoor

activity during which you could air your head and have some healthy exercise. Nevertheless, I

would dissuade you from jogging, unless there is a park or recreational centre nearby. On

busy streets you would only breathe in fumes and provoke unflattering comments from your

fellow citizens who enjoy sneering at the ‘weird’. Gardening or trekking are the best ways to

enliven yourself, in case you definitely want to relax.

If you happen to be a blue collar, you might need intellectual challenges that you can find

in reading books or learning to play a musical instrument, which is not only fun but elevates

your mind and soul. The point is not that you should be a gifted artist, but with some

industrious enthusiasm you can entertain yourself and your family or your friends at that.

Should you have a monotonous work, you had better go to a Crafts Fair and you will be

enchanted by the diversity of creative pursuits you could follow like pottery, woodwork etc.

No doubt, they need some dexterity, but with perseverance you can achieve good results not

mentioning the fact that you will be able to give unique presents to your beloved.

Whatever may you choose as a diversion, let it be a change from your everyday life so that

you can be active as if you were alive.

Words and Phrases

blue collar fizikai munkás

clerk hivatalnok

dexterity kézügyesség

dissuade sy from doing sg lebeszélni valakit valamiről

diversion kikapcsolódás

diversity sokszínűség

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elevate felemel

engage in elfoglalja magát valamivel

enthusiasm lelkesedés

for a change a változatosság kedvéért

in excess túlzásba víve

industrious szorgalmas

it does not take an expert nem kell szakembernek lenni hozzá

man of sense értelmes ember

periodic table periódusos táblázat

pottery agyagozás

prior előzetes

pursuit elfoglaltság

sneer at gúnyolódni valakin

the weird a furcsák, különcök

trekking gyaloglás

try one’s hand in kipróbálni magát valamiben

unflattering nem hízelgő

unique egyedi

vocation szakma

workload munka-terhelés

Zsibbasztó

Belefáradt a mókuskerékbe? ........................................................................................................

Kimerült a munkában? .................................................................................................................

Unja a TV-t? .................................................................................................................................

Miért nem fog bele egy hobbiba? .................................................................................................

A változatosság kedvéért ..............................................................................................................

A pihenés nem jelent lézengést ....................................................................................................

Valaki megkérdezte, miért csinálja azt ........................................................................................

Egy értelmes férfinek kell, hogy legyen komoly szakmája .........................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A hobbik széles skálája ................................................................................................................

A kertészkedéstől a bélyeggyűjtésig ............................................................................................

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Ideje, hogy kipróbálja magát az egyikben ....................................................................................

Nem kell szakembernek lenni ......................................................................................................

Hogy elfoglalja magát valamivel .................................................................................................

Nem lehet meg előzetes tanulmányok nélkül ...............................................................................

Teljesen elmerült a könyvében .....................................................................................................

Mániákusan olvasott .....................................................................................................................

Soha ne vigyen semmit túlzásba ..................................................................................................

Ha igazi örömöt akar átélni ..........................................................................................................

Ha ön hivatalnok vagy tanár .........................................................................................................

A legjobb választás valamilyen szabadtéri elfoglaltság lehet ......................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mindazonáltal, lebeszélném önt a kocogásról ..............................................................................

Csak kipufogó gázokat szívna be .................................................................................................

Gúnyos megjegyzéseket provokálna ............................................................................................

Polgártársai részéről .....................................................................................................................

Akik szeretnek gúnyolódni „az őrülteken” ..................................................................................

A kertészkedés és a gyalogtúra a legjobb módja, hogy felélénküljön .........................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Abban az esetben, ha tényleg pihenni akar ..................................................................................

Ha ön történetesen kétkezi munkás ..............................................................................................

Szellemi kihívásra lehet szüksége ................................................................................................

A zenélés szellem- és lélekemelő .................................................................................................

Nem az a lényeg, hogy tehetséges művész legyen .......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A szorgalmas lelkesedés fontosabb ..............................................................................................

Szórakoztathatja magát és a családját ..........................................................................................

Ha egyhangú munkája van ...........................................................................................................

Jobb, ha elmegy a kirakodó vásárba .............................................................................................

Kétségtelenül szükség van kézügyességre az agyagozáshoz .......................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Kitartással jó eredményeket érhet el ............................................................................................

Bármit választ is időtöltésül .........................................................................................................

Legyen az eltérő a mindennapoktól .............................................................................................

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12. Global Problems

Two goldfish in a bowl talking:

Goldfish 1: Do you believe in God?

Goldfish 2: Of course, I do!

Who do you think changes the water?

(English Jokes)

A man wanting to borrow another man's newspaper asks,

"Are you finishe(d)?"

The other man replies, "No, I'm Norwegian."

(English Jokes)

A: We live in the era of globalisation, what is your attitude to it?

B:Globalisation is a controversial process. On the one hand, it offers solutions to some

global economic or political problems.On the other hand, some fear that globalisation

threatens national interests.There is no denying, that we need worldwide cooperation to

solve global problems such as air pollution etc.There have been numerous demos against

globalisation all over the world.There is a fierce struggle for economic markets and

energy resources.Economic competition is closely connected to politics.

A:What other global problems can you think of?

B: Our world is full of political, economic and environmental problems.To begin with,

there is a widening gap between the developing and the developed countries.The Third

World faces serious problems.It is hit by poverty, overpopulation, famine, malnutrition,

and tribal conflicts.They also suffer from different epidemics such as AIDS. A lot of

people migrate to the developed countries in search of a better life. Many of the

immigrants are unemployed, because they don’t have the necessary education. Many of

them live in ghettos, under poor conditions.Sometimes there is an apparent racism on

behalf of the natives against the immigrants.In certain countries, there is an obvious

discrimination against national minorities.

A: What can we do to solve these problems?

B: I think governments should take political measures to protect minorities and give them

equal rights.Present Europe is no longer means the white race only. Western civilisation

has to reconsider its policy including its attitude to minorities.Sooner or later we have to

give them their due, which is, in my view, cultural and political autonomy. Minorities

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145

must be entitled to have their own schools and the natural right to practise their own

traditions.Due to the 20th century peace treaties after the World Wars a lot of people

became second-rate citizens because of the new borderlines.These peace treaties caused a

lot of tension among the majority and the minorities and as a result, induced nationalism

on either side.

A: Any other global questions you might think of?

B: Another threatening issue nowadays is international terrorism.The biggest terrorist

attack hit the USA on the 11 of September in 2001.The two towers of the World Trade

Centre were attacked and destroyed by two airplanes hijacked by terrorists.The US

administration announced a war against terrorism.This campaign has been supported by

influential countries, but some of them have backed out of it, partly because of the fear of

being attacked by terrorists.Apart from the New York tragedy there have been several

terrorist attacks in England, in Russia and Israel and in a lot more countries.Some people

attribute it to the differences between Eastern and Western culture, which is a narrow-

minded reaction to the problem.There are a lot of military conflicts in different parts of the

world for example in the Middle East. Apart from the political and economic problems,

we have to face the diminishing energy resources.It’s high time we found and applied

renewable and environmentally friendly energies such as solar power.There is another

global problem that is related to education.However strange it may seem, there is a

growing number of functionally illiterate people in the so-called developed world.They

can write and read but do not understand the world around them and do not comprehend

the intricacies of politics for example.That is why in many countries education experts put

priority to reading comprehension.

Words and Phrases

a means, the only means mód, az egyetlen módja

administration adminisztráció, kormányzat

adopt a child gyermeket örökbe fogad

announce bejelent, kihirdet

apparent látható, nyilvánvaló

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146

attack támadás

attribute to tulajdonít valaminek

autonomy autonómia, önállóság

awareness tudatosság

back out of kihátrál

borderless határok nélküli

borderline határ

claim követelés

competition verseny

comprehend megért, felfog

comprehension megértés

condition, under poor conditions feltétel, rossz körülmények között

connected to kapcsolatban van valamivel

controversial ellentmondásos

cooperation együttműködés

cultural kulturális

developing countries fejlődő országok

difference különbség

discrimination megkülönböztetés

economic gazdasági

either side mindkét oldal

entitle feljogosít

epidemics járványok

equal rights egyenlő jogok

era korszak

famine éhség

fierce vad, kiélezett

free movement of labour a munkaerő szabad áramlása

from all aspects minden szempontból

functionally funkcionálisan

ghetto gettó

give sy his/her due megadni valakinek, ami jár neki

globalisation globalizáció, egységesülés

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illiterate írástudatlan, analfabéta

immigrant emigráns, bevándorló

induce okoz, előhív

influential befolyásos

make sense értelme van

malnutrition alultápláltság

market piac

Middle East közel-kelet

military conflict katonai konfliktus

minority kisebbség

moot points vitatott kérdések

narrow-minded szűk látókörű

national interests nemzeti érdekek

nationalism nacionalizmus

no longer means többé nem jelenti azt, hogy…

numerous számos

obvious nyilvánvaló

on behalf of valakinek a részéről

overpopulation túlnépesedés

overwhelming túlnyomó

peace treaty békeszerződés

policy politikai irányvonal

politics politika

poverty szegénység, nyomor

practise gyakorol

present jelen (kori)

process folyamat

put priority to elsőbbséget ad valaminek

race faj

racism rasszizmus, fajgyűlölet

raise emel

reaction reakció, válasz

reconsider újragondol

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related to kapcsolatos valamivel

so-called úgy nevezett

struggle küzdelem

support támogat

tension feszültség

there is no denying nem kétséges

threatening fenyegető

tribe, tribal törzs, törzsi

unemployed munkanélküli

western civilisation nyugati civilizáció

widening gap szélesedő szakadék

worldwide világméretű

An Essay

Pros and Cons for Globalisation

Globalisation is a controversial process. On the one hand, there are a lot of pros because

globalisation offers positive changes in many aspects of life. The term refers to the necessary

worldwide cooperations such as economic, cultural and political ones.

Civilisation has reached the point where globalisation seems to be irrevocable. All the

developed countries are interdependent and are responsible for the economic, political and

cultural life on a worldwide scale. Golbalisation is a good means to join our forces to cope

with economic and political problems. Joining the European countries is a big step to a

globalised world. Let us be sincere: nothing compares with a united Europe, where there are

no borders, you can settle wherever you want and you can pursue your studies abroad,

without losing your national identity. The EU is a united but colourful world.

Those who vote for globalisation mostly have in mind economic aims. They claim that

economic prosperity will lead to social prosperity too. They also think that it is only a

globalised western world that can solve the problems of the Thirld World for example.

Those who are against globalisation claim that the process has to be curbed, because it

threatens national interests, small enterprises cannot survive in a globalised market. They also

fear that human rights will be ignored for the sake of economic or political reasons.

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Moreover they predict a fast cultural assimilation, diminishing cultural autonomy among

national minorities. There have been countless demos against globalisation all over the world

on behalf of civil organisations and Greenpeace. No less at stake, whether globalisation can

answer the crucial questions of our times including environmental problems on a worldwide

scale, growing unemployment and last but not least, whether multiculturalism is the way to a

better understading.

Words and Phrases

aim cél

assimilation asszimiláció, beolvadás

claim állít

con valami ellen szóló érv

curb gátat szab valaminek

enterprise vállalkozás

for the sake of valaminek a kedvéért

human rights emberi jogok

identity önazonosság, identitás

ignore figyelmen kívül hagy

interdependent egymástól függő

irrevocable visszavonhatatlan

join forces egyesíti az erőket

lead vezet

moreover továbbá

on a worldwide scale világméretekben

pro valami mellett szóló érv

prosperity virágzás, fellendülés

pursue studies tanulmányokat folytat

reach elér

reason ok

refer to utal valamire

settle letelepedik

sincere őszinte

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survive túlél

term fogalom, szó

vote for szavaz valamire

Zsibbasztó

Ellentmondásos folyamat .......................................................................................................

Egyrészt, másrészt ..................................................................................................................

Sok érv szól mellette ..............................................................................................................

Pozitív változásokat kínál .......................................................................................................

A fogalom a szükséges együttműködésre utal .......................................................................

A civilizáció elérte azt a pontot ..............................................................................................

A globalizáció visszavonhatatlannak tűnik ............................................................................

Az országok egymástól függenek ..........................................................................................

A fejlett országok világméretekben felelősek a fejlődésért ...................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A globalizáció jó módja, hogy egyesítsük erőinket ...............................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Meg kell küzdenünk a gazdasági és politikai problémákkal ..................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Legyünk őszinték ...................................................................................................................

Ott telepedhet le, ahol akar .....................................................................................................

Külföldön is folytathat tanulmányokat ...................................................................................

Anélkül, hogy nemzeti identitását elveszítené .......................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Többnyire gazdasági célokra gondolnak ................................................................................

Azt állítják, hogy a gazdasági virágzás társadalmi fellendüléshez vezet ...............................

................................................................................................................................................

Akik ellene vannak .................................................................................................................

Azt állítják, hogy gátat kell szabni a folyamatnak .................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

Szerintük a globalizáció fenyegeti a nemzeti érdekeket ........................................................

................................................................................................................................................

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A kis vállalkozások nem tudnak fennmaradni a globalizált piacon .......................................

................................................................................................................................................

Attól is félnek, hogy az emberi jogokat figyelmen kívül hagyják .........................................

................................................................................................................................................

Gazdasági és politikai okok kedvéért .....................................................................................

Gyors kulturális asszimilációt jósolnak ..................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A nemzeti kisebbségek eltűnő kulturális autonómiáját ..........................................................

................................................................................................................................................

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13. Health and Illnesses

• ‘I have… a general disinclination to work of any kind. What I suffer in that way no tongue can tell.’

(Jerome K. Jerome: Three Men in a Boat)

A : Are you a healthy nation?

B : Surveys indicate that a large per cent of the population is in poor health.

A : What is the reason for this distressing phenomenon?

B : It might be the lack of exercise or unhealthy eating habits. Addiction to alcohol or

smoking can also account for poor health. A lot of people suffer from heart diseases,

rheumatism, cancer and diabetes. Cancer takes its heavy toll every year.High blood

pressure causes a lot of strokes among people.

A: How does the National Health Service work in your country?

B : Under the current system everybody has to pay a certain per cent of their income into

the Health Insurancce.National Health Service is on the verge of collapsing. Most

hospitals are in a bad state of repair. Doctors and nurses are overworked and underpaid.

A : Have you ever had a serious illness?

B : Fortunately, I haven’t. I had the flu several times, but that’s all. And you?

A : I had appendicitis, which was rather painful, I was in agony fo hours. On my arrival at

the hospital I was immediately operated on. In the operating theatre I was anesthetized so

I cannot remember anything. When I recovered consciousness in the ward I had a big

bandage on me. What are the symptoms of the flu?

B : When one catches the flu, one normally has high temperature and a sore throat which

goes together with a bad cough.

A : Has anybody in your family had a serious illness?

B : Yes, unfortunately my grandpa had a brain tumour and was operated, but died a year

later.My grandma had ulcer, but she has recovered from it.

A : What do you do when you feel unwell?

B : It depends. If it’s nothing serious, I mean the flu for example, I do not go to a doctor. I

take a big dose of vitamin C for a couple of days. When I feel really unwell, I go and see

my GP.

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A : Do you have to arrange an appointment with the doctor?

B : Yes, it is advisable to arrange an appointment so that you don’t have to wait long in

the surgery.

A : Do you have an efficient GP?

B : Yes I have. He is a highly qualified expert and has a cheerful character. The job of a

GP is extremely demanding and stressful. After or before the surgery hours he has to visit

patients who are unable to go to the surgery, for example disabled people.

A: Have you ever had an accident?

B: Yes, I have. Two years ago I fell off a ladder and broke my arm. First it was X-rayed

then the doctor put it into plaster. I had to wear it for 6 weeks.

A : So your GP examines you. What does it mean?

B : He asks me what the problem is and then examines me. I tell him my complaints for

example, ‘I have had this terrible cough and running nose for a week.’He takes my blood

pressure, listens to my lungs to learn if I have bronchitis or not. Once I had pneumonia,

which goes together with high temperature and weakness.

A : What do you think of plastic surgery?

B : It depends, when it comes to curing someone it is a great tool. However, a lot of

people turn to a plastic surgent for aesthetical reasons, for example they want to enhance

their breast or fill their wrinkles, it is crasy. One has to reconcile to one’s age and natural

looks.

1. And here are some more useful sentences to learn.

2. My GP gave me a prescription for antibiotics.

3. It took me a week to recover, but I still feel a bit off-colour.

4. Are you any better? Oh, no I’ve had a relapse.

5. When you break your bone, it has to be X-rayed and then put into plaster.

6. She had a serious operation but her condition is satisfactory.

7. In the morning she had her blood pressure taken and was sent for a blood test

8. The doctor examined me carefully and said, there was nothing wrong with my lungs.

9. My grandma has never been seriously ill; she is as fit as a fiddle.

10. It is advisable to eat healthy food full of vitamins.

11. When there is an epidemic a lot of people become infected.

12. When you are infectious or unable to work the GP puts you on the sick list.

13. Bird flu comes from the Far East, and there is no real cure for it.

14. Thousands of people become disabled in accidents or due to illnesses.

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15. It’s high time we did more for the disabled.

16. He got disabled in an accident and has been confined to the wheelchair ever since.

17. More and more people are suffering from depression.

18. I wonder what the reason is for such a big number of depressed people?

19. Another issue that worries doctors is child obesity.

20. In my opinion, junk food and the lack of exercise are responsible for it.

21. I have such a terrible headache, no painkiller helps.

22. I feel feverish, I think I’ll take an aspirin.

23. More and more people are developing various allergies.

24. I have pollen allergy; I need to take antihistamine.

25. Some people are allergic to different foods for example flour, which is a serious

illness.

26. The child looks bad; we’d better take his temperature.

27. When there is something wrong with one’s heart he or she is examind by ECG

(electrocardiogram).

28. ECG shows your heart rate or any disorder.

29. What does AIDS stand for?

30. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which can be caught mainly

by sexual intercourse or infected blood transfusion.

31. The has been an intense scientific research to treat AIDS, but no absolutely safe cure

has been found.

32. It is important that your immune system should work well, otherwise you are exposed

to various diseases.

33. There are different diseases of the digesting system, for example tumours or ulcer.

34. Tumours can be benign or malignant, in both cases surgents remove them.

35. If the tumour is malignant the patient receives chemotherapy.

36. What I hate most, is going to the dentist. I cannot stand the sound of the drill.

37. Most of my teeth are in order but I have two filled.

38. My tooth was incurable so it had to be pulled out.

39. I take good care of my teeth because I do not want to have dentures when I grow old..

Zsibbasztó

A felmérések azt mutatják ............................................................................................................

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A lakosság nagy százalékának gyenge az egészsége ...................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mi ennek a lehnagoló jelenségnek az oka? ..................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A mozgás hiánya ..........................................................................................................................

Rossz étkezési szokások ...............................................................................................................

Alkoholfüggőség ..........................................................................................................................

Sokan szenvednek szívbetegségben .............................................................................................

A rák szedi az áldozatait ...............................................................................................................

A magas vérnyomás szélütést okoz ..............................................................................................

Egészségügy .................................................................................................................................

A jelenlegi rendszerben ................................................................................................................

A jövedelme egy bizonyos százalékát ..........................................................................................

Egészségbiztosítás ........................................................................................................................

Az összeomlás szélén áll ..............................................................................................................

A legtöbb kórház rossz állapotban van ........................................................................................

Az orvosok túlterheltek és alulfizetettek ......................................................................................

Volt valaha súlyos betegsége? ......................................................................................................

Többször voltam influenzás .........................................................................................................

Vakbélgyulladásom volt, ami elég fájdalmas ..............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Órákig kínlódtam ..........................................................................................................................

Azonnal megoperáltak ..................................................................................................................

Amikor magamhoz tértem ............................................................................................................

Torokgyulladás, ami köhögéssel jár együtt ..................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Nagypapámnak agydaganata volt .................................................................................................

Felgyógyult belőle ........................................................................................................................

Attól függ .....................................................................................................................................

Beveszek egy nagy adag C vitamint ............................................................................................

Tanácsos időpontot kérni .............................................................................................................

A rendelési idő után ......................................................................................................................

Aki nem tud elmenni a rendelőbe ................................................................................................

Volt balesete? ...............................................................................................................................

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Leestem a létráról .........................................................................................................................

Először megröntgeneztek .............................................................................................................

Megméri a vérnyomásom .............................................................................................................

Mit gondol a plasztikai sebészetről? ............................................................................................

Az embernek bele kell nyugodnia a korába .................................................................................

Egy hétbe tellet, míg meggyógyultam ..........................................................................................

Jobban vagy? ................................................................................................................................

Az állapota kielégítő .....................................................................................................................

Elküldték vérvételre .....................................................................................................................

Semi baja a tüdőmnek ..................................................................................................................

Egészséges, mint a makk ..............................................................................................................

A háziorvos betegállományba veszi az embert ............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Sokan válnak mozgássérültekké ...................................................................................................

Egyre többen szenvednek depressziótól .......................................................................................

Nem segít egyetlen fájdalomcsillapító sem ..................................................................................

Jobb, ha megmérjük a lázát ..........................................................................................................

Mit jelent az AIDS? ......................................................................................................................

Másképp az ember ki van téve betegségeknek .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Nagyon vigyázok a fogaimra .......................................................................................................

Words and Phrases

a large per cent of nagy százaléka

account for megmagyaráz valamit

addiction to alcohol alkoholfüggőség

afford to megengedheti magának

antihistamine allergia elleni gyógyszer

Are you any better? Jobban vagy már?

as fit as a fiddle egészséges, mint a makk

blood test vérvétel

burden teher

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catch the flu elkapni az influenzát

child obesity gyermekkori kövérség

condition állapot

cough köhög/és

cure for gyógymód

develop high temperature magas hőmérséklete lesz

diabetes cukorbaj

disabled, the disabled mozgássérült, a mozgássérültek

disagree about nem ért egyet valamiben

distressing phenomenon lehangoló jelenség

eating habits étkezési szokások

epidemic járvány

examined me carefully alaposan megvizsgált

feel feverish rázza a hideg, lázas

feel a bit off-colour gyengélkedik

GP (general practitioner) háziorvos

health insurance egészség biztosítás

health service egészségügyi ellátás

heart disease szívbetegség

high blood pressure magas vérnyomás

I wonder what the reason is? Vajon mi az oka?

in a bad state of repair felújításra szorul

in order to abból a célból, hogy…

income bevétel, fizetés

increase növel

infect, infected fertőz, fertőzött

infectious fertőző

lack of exercise mozgáshiány

medical treatment orvosi kezelés

on the sick list betegállomány

on the verge of a határán van valaminek

overworked túlterhelt

painkiller fájdalomcsillapító

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pneumonia tüdőgyulladás

pollen allergy pollen allergia

poor health rossz egészség

prescription for orvosi recept

privatise privatizál, magánosít

put into plaster gipszbe tenni

reason for oka valaminek

recover meggyógyul

relapse visszaesik, visszaesés

rheumatism reuma

running nose nátha

satisfactory kielégítő

she had her blood pressure taken megmérték a vérnyomását.

sore throat torokgyulladás

stroke szélütés

suffer from szenved / beteg valamitől

surveys indicate felmérések azt mutatják

take one’s temperature megmérni a lázát

takes its heavy toll nagy áldozatokat szed

the current system a jelenlegi rendszer

there’s nothing wrong with your lungs a tüdejének semmi baja

tip borravaló

underpaid alulfizetett

X-ray röntgen

Story Writing

Emergency Room

Nothing will ever be the same.

There is no way to recall what has faded, no chance to revive the past. Things have changed

their identity; all that once was so familiar have turned into their mere likeness only

pretending to be the same betraying the senses.

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No sooner had I closed the door behind me than the phone rang. I even hesitated for a

moment whether to answer it. After an extremely busy and tiring day my only wish was to lie

down, do nothing, speak to nobody, just watch the world go by. Reluctantly though, I picked

up the receiver.

‘Nurse...hospital...your father…asked’ I only remember my numb fingers on the phone, cold

sweat dropping from my forehead.

I do not know how I got on the bus I can only recall the rushing city, the faceless and dark

multitude pushing around me, then the blinding whiteness of never ending walls, the choking

smell of chloroform chasing me along the labyrinth leading to the door 401. Four hundred and

one... I stopped to regain consciousness.

The moment came when I began to realise what had happened. ‘Please, do not get frightened.

Your father is in our hospital, he is all right now and asked me to phone you, he has had a

heart attack...’

I paused for a minute in front of the door, I felt my fingers trembling and could not touch the

handle. „What to do? How to behave? Of course with composure, but I can’t help shivering, I

can’t enter like this.“

There lay my father. I knew it was him. Every feature resembled him, his well-known

wrinkles, his little brown eyes, everything exactly like him. Yes, it was my father winking and

smiling at me, alive as me and wordless like me. I clung to him with both arms like the little

girl long, long ago, rebelling violently to be carried on his neck.

But there was something strange about him. At first I could not figure out what it was, then

calming down and looking at him attentively I understood that it was his smile which gave a

new expression to his face or eyes, I still don’t find the correct word.

He was in an unexpectedly cheerful state of mind, I even wondered if he was aware of what

had happened to him. The other patients joined our conversation teasing him with hospital

jokes, like: ’Are we going to the disco tonight? We have bribed the matron to let us out. Shall

we take the battle axe with us?’

The world has irrevocably changed since that afternoon. Much as I try, I cannot recall what it

was like before, because my father only reminds me of himself with this new smile on his

face.

Nothing will ever be the same.

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Words and Phrases

alive élő

attentively figyelmesen

battle axe csatabárd ( a főnővér beceneve)

behave viselkedik

betray elárul, becsap

blinding vakító

bribe megveszteget

carry on one’s neck a nyakában visz

chase üldöz

cheerful state of mind derűs hangulat

choke, choking fojtogat, fojtogató

cling, clung csüng

composure önfegyelem

consciousness eszmélet, tudatosság

faceless arctalan

fade elhalványul

familiar ismerős

figure out megért

frighten, get frightened megijeszt, megijed

handle kilincs

heart attack szívroham

hesitate tétovázik

labyrinth labirintus, útvesztő

likeness hasonlóság

mere a puszta, csak

much as I try bárhogy is próbálom

multitude tömeg

no sooner…than alig…máris

numb fingers dermedt ujjak

pause for a minute megállni egy percre

rebel lázad

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recall felidéz

receiver kagyló

regain visszanyer

reluctantly vonakodva

remind sy of sy/sg emlékeztet valakire

resemble emlékeztet

revive újraéleszt

rush rohan

senses érzékek

shiver rázza a hideg

sweat izzad (ság)

tease ugrat valakit

tremble remeg

turn into átváltozik

unexpected / ly váratlan

violently erőszakosan

watch the world go by csak nézni, ahogy az élet megy tovább

wink hunyorog, kacsint

wonder csodálkozik

wordless szótlan

wrinkle ránc

An Essay

Should We Ban Abortion?

To begin with, let us define the term ‘abortion’. It refers to the removal of an embryo

resulting in its death. Abortion can be spontaneous; this is called miscarriage, and can be

induced by chemical or surgical interference, preferably at an early stage of pregnancy.

Artificial abortion has caused a rather heated debate during the centuries. In some countries

it is still illegal, and is subject to criminal law. Although most of the developed countries

legalised surgical means long ago, it has been a crucial question ever since abortion law

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divided public opinion into Pro-choice and Pro-life activists. There are strong pros and cons

on either side.

Pro-choice activists vote for legalisation on the basis of the liberal concept of human rights

including women’s right to decide whether to give birth to the conceived child or not. They

argue that unwanted pregnancy either caused by rape or the lack of contraceptives entitle the

mother to choose abortion instead of bringing up a child against her will. They put priority to

individual freedom of choice.

At variance with them, Pro-life activists argue that the foetus is a human being with a

fundamental right to life and no one has the right to take it away. They regard abortion as a

legalised murder. Most of these activists take into account the moral or religious aspects of

the question. These diverse attitudes to abortion are based on the colliding concepts of life and

human rights.

There have been several opinion polls all over the world, and the results vary from country to

country. A certain per cent of the polltakers votes for prohibition or restrictions. For example

they would only permit abortion in case it saves the mother’s life. People are divided whether

the biological father should have the right to consent or object to abortion. All in all, there is

no consensus of opinions on the issue, the public is divided; and, as a result, parliaments have

to decide on their own to pass a liberal or restrictive abortion law.

As far as I am concerned, I think it is the woman’s responsibility to have safe sex in case

she does not intend to have a child. There are several means to avoid unwanted pregnancy and

it is our task to raise awareness in the young generation, to inform them about the possible

consequences of an abortion.

(395 words)

Words and Phrases

against her will akarata ellenére

artificial mesterséges

at an early stage korai szakaszban

at variance with them velük ellentétben

chemical kémiai

colliding, collision ütköző, ütközés

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conceive, conception felfog, megfogan, megfoganás

concept (of) felfogás, elmélet

consensus (of opinions) megegyezés, kiegyezés, konszenzus

consent to beleegyezik valamibe

consequence következmény

contraceptive fogamzásgátló

define meghatároz

defining meghatározó

definitely bizonnyal, határozottan

definition definíció, meghatározás

diverse, diversity nagyon különböző, különbözőség

divide into feloszt, megoszt

embryo embrió

foetus magzat

fundamental, basic alapvető

illegal, legal törvénytelen, törvényes

induce kivált, okoz, indukál

intend to szándékozik

intention szándék

interfere with beleavatkozik valamibe

interference beavatkozás

lack of hiánya valaminek

legalise legalizál, törvényesít

liberal law liberális, megengedő törvény

miscarriage vetélés

moral aspect erkölcsi szempont

object to ellenez valamit

opinion poll közvélemény kutatás

permit, permission megenged, engedély

polltaker a közvélemény kutatásban résztvevő

preferably lehetőleg

pregnancy terhesség

pregnant terhes

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pro-choice a választás szabadságáért kiálló

prohibit, prohibition megtilt, tiltás

pro-life az élet mellet kiálló

put priority to előnyben részesít, első helyre tesz

raise the awareness növelni a tudatosságot, ismereteket valamiről

rape, rapist nemi erőszak, elkövető

regard sg as tekint valaminek

remove, removal eltávolít, eltávolítás

restrict, restriction korlátoz, korlátozó

restrictive law korlátozó jog

result in eredményez valamit

spontaneous spontán, önkéntelen

subject to alá van vetve valaminek

subject to criminal law a büntetőjog tárgya

surgical sebészeti

take into account figyelembe vesz

‘A friend in weed is a friend indeed’ ?

Statistics indicate that the number of adolescents using drugs has been increasing at a

terrible rate. What are the reasons for this distressing phenomenon? How does one become a

drug addict? How do drugs affect the brain and the personality? Is drug addiction curable? Is

there any effective prevention policy?

To begin with, there are numerous views on the issue ranging from die-hard conservative

to extremely liberal ones. Hard liners consider drug abuse a serious crime and would send

everybody concerned to prison. At variance with them, neo-liberals suggest that light drugs

should be legalised. They deny that using light drugs leads to addiction. While there is a never

ending debate between the two sides, thousands of youngsters fall prey to drugs and are in a

real danger of growing into helpless addicts.

But why is the increasing number? Has something gone wrong with the younger

generation? The question emerges: who is responsible? Does the reason for drug abuse lie in

the lack of parental guidance or liberal education? Why does a child take to drugs instead of

doing sports or taking up healthy free time activities?

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It has been proved that in most cases there is an emotional crisis behind drug abuse

whether it be a family problem or difficulties in studies, the causes are countless. One thing is

sure: a child with a happy family background is not likely to become an addict. He might have

a try just for adventure’s sake, but will not go further as long as he or she can depend on the

parents. However, there are those who are easily influenced and smoke marijuana for the sake

of the company, the easy-going ones who are not aware of the real danger they are exposed to.

All in all, the most vulnerable are those with a serious problem. Since drugs induce an

intense feeling of pleasure, they voluntarily use them to ease their mind, to experience

happiness or ‘artificial paradise’ as Baudelaire wrote. Drugs affect one’s brain and cause

physical changes in it. If you are accustomed to them, your brain starts to crave for drugs due

to the biochemical process they induce. When the effect is over, the person sinks into

depression and longs to another dose and thus the vicious circle goes. Drug abuse leads to

self-destruction in the long run. Many drug addicts die of overdose.

As far as I am concerned, I am strongly convinced that the growing number of drug abuse

can be put down to parental negligence and the inefficiency of education. Traditional family

seems to be falling apart, children walk their way without guidance, they grow to be adults

too early as they are let loose, because it is easier to let them do what they want to than to say

‘no’ and spend enough time with them sharing their problems and answering their questions.

Drug addiction, though treatable, is incurable. Drop light drugs before it is too late.

(491 words)

Words and Phrases

artificial paradise mesterséges paradicsom

biochemical process biokémiai folyamat

consider sg sg tekint, tart valaminek

countless, numerous számtalan, számos

crave for sóvárog valami után

curable, incurable gyógyítható, nem gyógyítható

die-hard conservative vaskalapos konzervatív

distressing phenomenon lehangoló jelenség

dose, overdose adag, túladagolás

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drug abuse drogozás

drug addict drogfüggő

drug addiction drogfüggőség

ease one’s mind könnyít a lelkén

effective hatékony

emerge felmerül, kiemelkedik

everybody concerned minden érintett

experience happiness megéli a boldogságot

expose to danger veszélynek tesz ki

fall prey to áldozatul esik

family background családi háttér

for adventure’s sake a kaland kedvéért

for the sake of valaminek a kedvéért

grow into valamivé válik

hard liner keményvonalas

have a try megpróbál

indicate jelez

induce előidéz, okoz

inefficient, inefficiency nem hatékony, eredménytelenség

intense intenzív, erős

is / are accustomed to hozzászokott valamihez

it has been proved bebizonyították

let loose szabadjára enged

likely to become an addict valószínűleg függő lesz

long to vágyakozik valamire

neo-liberal neoliberális

parental guidance szülői irányítás

parental negligence szülői nemtörődömség

policy politika

prevent megelőz

prevention megelőzés

process folyamat

prove bizonyít

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put down to betud valaminek

self-destruction önpusztítás

sink, sank sunk süllyed

statistics statisztika

take to drugs rákap a drogokra

take up a sport sportolni kezd

the reason lies in the fact that az ok abban rejlik, azon alapul

treatable kezelhető

vicious circle ördögi kör

views on the issue a témáról vallott nézetek

voluntary, voluntarily szándékos, akarattal

volunteer önkéntes

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14. Holidays

’A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell’

George Bernard Shaw: Parents and Children

A : What are the bank holidays in your country?

B :We have several bank holidays such as Easter, Whitsun, which is on the seventh

Sunday after Easter .We also have winter holidays, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and

Carnival, but the letter is not a bank holiday. On these days, people do not work and send

greeting cards to their relatives and friends.

A : How do you celebrate Easter?

B : The celebration varies from country to country. Originally Easter is a religious holiday

when Christian people remember Jesus’s Passion. The Friday before Easter Sunday is

called Good Friday on which we commemorate the Crucifixion of Christ. On Good Friday

religious people go on a fast, which means they do not eat meat. There are several Easter

related folk traditions; in certain countries parents buy their children an Easter rabbit.

There is another custom for example in Hungary; on Easter Monday men visit their

female relatives or friends to sprinkle them with perfume.Boys and men get a painted egg

in exchange for their visit.

A : What Christmas traditions do you have in your country?

B : Just like Easter, Christmas goes back to Christian traditions. On Christmas Day we

celebrate the birth of the Messiah. On Christmas Day we put a pine, called Christmas tree

in the room and decorate it with different handmade ornaments. We sing Christmas carols

then everybody receives their presents that are put under the tree. On the second day of

Christmas we hold family reunion

A : How do English people celebrate Christmas?

B : English Christmas is a bit different from that of ours. The night before Christmas Day

Santa Claus arrives on a sleight pulled by reindeers and hides the gifts into the socks hung

by the fireplace or the bedside. English people decorate their rooms with mistletoe, and

there is a custom to kiss under it.Christmas pudding is another characteristic feature of the

feast.

A : What is special about it?

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B :You are supposed to prepare the pudding a month before Christmas to let the mixture

mature.The pudding is made of flour, bread crumbs, orange, dried fruit, cinnamon, candid

peel and nutmeg and you add a tablespoonful of treacle to it.You serve Christmas pudding

flamed at the table. You add some whisky to it and set alight.

A : How do you celebrate New Year?

B : New Year is celebrated all over the world on the 31st of December and on the1st of

January. On New Year’s Eve people throw parties to say farewell to the Old Year and

greet the New one.At exactly Midnight they drink Champaign and normally sing the

national anthem.They also entertain themselves with fireworks, and the Head of State

delivers a solemn speech addressed to the nation.

A : When is Carnival held?

B : Carnival is a two-week period before the Christian fasting of Lent, which lasts 40 days

before Easter. During the Carnival people throw parties and hold masquerade, which

means that the guests are supposed to wear fancy dresses and masques.At schools they

also have competitions the winner of which is the child wearing the nicest fancy dress.

A : What Anglo-Saxon celebrations are you familiar with?

B : Guy Fawkes Day, for example which is held on the 5th of November. That day English

people commemorate the great gunpowder plot in 1605.During this day they light bonfires

and burn the effigy of Guy Fawkes. Another Anglo-Saxon holiday is Thanksgiving Day,

which originates from Canada and during the 19th century became a festive day in the

U.S.A Thanksgiving Day is related to the Pilgrim Fathers who, after separating from the

English Church, sailed to America in search of freedom of religion The name refers to its

original meaning, i.e. being grateful for what one possesses and is closely connected to the

harvest feast. This is a secular holiday during which families have a large dinner shared

among friends. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November.

Halloween is another festival in North America held on the 31st of October.Several groups

of children put on weird clothes, dressed like ghosts for example and go door-to-door to

collect candy. It is advisable to give them gifts if you do not want to be tricked. After

knocking on the doors they shout ‘Trick or Treat’ This day children make a jack-o-lantern

which is actually a pumpkin made frightening by putting candles into its interior which is

cut out.

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Zsibbasztó

Melyek az állami ünnepek? ..........................................................................................................

Az ünnep országonként változik ..................................................................................................

A húsvét eredetileg vallási ünnep .................................................................................................

A keresztények Jézus Passiójára emlékeznek ..............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Nagypénteken a vallásos emberek böjtölnek ...............................................................................

A karácsony is keresztény hagyományokra megy vissza .............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az angol karácsony kicsit más .....................................................................................................

a Mikulás szánkón érkezik ...........................................................................................................

az angolok fagyönggyel díszítik a lakást ......................................................................................

Mi a különleges benne? ................................................................................................................

Egy hónappal előbb kell elkészíteni .............................................................................................

Lángolva tálaljuk ..........................................................................................................................

Az Új Évet világszerte ünneplik ...................................................................................................

Az emerek partikat rendeznek ......................................................................................................

Az államfő ünnepi beszédet mond ...............................................................................................

A vendégeknek jelmezt kell viselniük .........................................................................................

A nagy puskaporos merénylet ......................................................................................................

Örömtüzeket gyújtanak ................................................................................................................

Kanadából ered .............................................................................................................................

A Zarándok Atyákkal kapcsolatos ...............................................................................................

Words and Phrases

Anglo-Saxon angolszász

annual évenkénti

anthem himnusz

attract vonz

bank holiday állami ünnep

bonfire örömtűz

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bread crumbs kenyérmorzsa

candid peel szárított édesség

candle gyertya

candy édesség, cukorka

capture elfog

Carnival Farsang

celebrate ünnepel

characteristic feature jellemző vonás, elem

Christmas carol karácsonyi ének

cinnamon fahéj

commemorate megemlékezik valamiről

connotation többletjelentés

contact kapcsolat

crucifixion keresztrefeszítés

custom szokás

dearly beloved szerettei

decorate díszít

definition meghatározás

dragon sárkány

Easter Húsvét

effigy képmás

English Church Anglikán Egyház

entertain szórakoztat

familiar with ismer

fancy dress jelmez

Farewell, take farewell búcsú, elbúcsúzik

fast böjt

feast ünnep, lakoma

festive day ünnepnap

flame, flamed láng, lángoló

flour liszt

flourish virágzik, virul

gift ajándék

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goes back to ered valahonnan

Good Friday Nagypéntek

grateful hálás

grave sír

greeting card üdvözlőlap

gunpowder puskapor

Halloween Mindenszentek napja

handmade kézzel készített

hang, hung akaszt

Hanukkah Hanukkah

harvest feast aratási ünnep

Head of State államfő, köztársasági elnök

hold, held ( celebration) tart (ünnepet)

Holy Temple Szent Templom

in exchange for valamiért cserébe

in search of valaminek a reményében

interior belső

jack-o-lantern töklámpa

Jesus’ Passion Jézus Passiója

Jewish zsidó (melléknév)

last tart valameddig

lent böjt

light, lit meggyújt

look forward to nagyon vár valamit

masque álarc

masquerade jelmezbál

mature megérik

Menorah Menóra, gyertytartó

Messiah Messiás

midnight éjfél

mistletoe fagyöngy

mixture keverék, massza

originally eredetileg

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originate from származik valahonnan

perfume kölni

perpetual állandó

Pilgrim Fathers Zarándok Atyák

pine fenyőfa

plot, plotter összeesküvés, összesküvő

possess birtokol valamit

pumpkin tök

rabbit nyúl

receive kap

rededication újraszentelés

reindeer rénszarvas

related to kapcsolatos valamivel

religious vallásos

reunion, family reunion újraegyesülés, családi összejövetel

rhyme rím, vers

secular világi (nem vallásos)

separate from különválik valamitől

set alight meggyújt

sleight szánkó

spiritual world szellemvilág

sprinkle meglocsol (húsvétkor)

Thanksgiving Day Hálaadás napja

throw a party partit rendez

treacle melasz

treat megkínálás

trick trükk, tréfa

‘Trick or Treat!’ “trükk vagy ajándék”

vary from country to country országról országra változik

weird furcsa

Whitsun Pünkösd

witch boszorkány

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An Essay

The Importance of Having Holidays

Imagine your life without holidays, and you will understand what a rat race it would be.

The word ‘holiday’ has three meanings; on the on hand, it means the period off work for

example winter or summer holidays, on the other hand, we use this word for those days

when we commemorate important historical events or religious ones. These are called

bank holidays, because on these days banks are closed. Holiday can also be referred to as

a celebration of family events, for example birthday or wedding anniversary.

The importance of holidays lies in the fact that now and then people need some rest from

work i.e. recreation. Without holidays our life would be terribly boring. We all need some

changes from everyday life, whether it be connected to religious rituals or secular events.

Unfortunately holidays became ‘exploited’, because well before them, factories and

companies set up their production to sell more products i.e. to make people buy as many

presents as possible. Consumerist attitude deprives holidays of their original meaning and

serves as a means to make a big business for those who produce gifts.

As far as I am concerned, I won’t be fooled into replacing emotions with impersonal

presents. Whenever there is a family holiday or the birthday of a friend I always give

handmade gifts or buy something funny instead of investing much money into presents

that might embarrass the receiver. A set of cups or a vase as presents does not express

your feelings or gratitude. When I run out of ideas I buy a good book, CDs or just flowers

in case of women. I know, there are people who like giving and receiving practical

presents, but there is no accounting for tastes.

Furthermore, holidays are a good way for contemplating, for reconsidering your life and

turn a new leaf if it is needed. Holidays are a good opportunity to visit your friends or

relatives, to revive your relationships with them.

When there is a holiday put on your best clothes and dress in your best heart.

Words and Phrases

as far as I am concerned ami engem illet

consumerist attitude fogyasztói szemlélet

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contemplate on elgondolkodni valamin

deprive sy of sg megfoszt valamitől

embarrass zavarba hoz

emotion érzelem

exploit kizsákmányol, kihasznál

fool sy into doing sg bebolondít

furthermore továbbá

gratitude hála

impersonal személytelen

invest befektet

lie in ered, van valahol

off work szabadság (munkahelyen)

opportunity lehetőség

period időszak

receiver aki kapja az ajándékot

ritual szertartás

run out of kifogy valamiből

serves as a means eszközként szolgál valamire

set of cups pohárkészlet

set up production növeli a termelést

turn a new leaf új lapot nyitni

whether it be legyen bár…

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15. Household

‘Throw the lumber over, man! Let your boat of life be light, packed with only

what you need ⎯… someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog, and

a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear and a little more than enough to

drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.’

(Jerome K Jerome: Three Men in a Boat)

‘A falling object will always land where it can do the most damage.’

(Murphy’s law)

A :How have households changed during the last one hundred years?

B :Households have changed considerably. A modern household is well equipped with

everything that you might need. Labour saving devices save you a lot of trouble.You don’t

have to toil at washing any more.There are also household related services such as

laundry, dry cleaner, and food delivery for example. Internet has become a great help for

housewives, because they can do online shopping.

A : Who is in charge of the household in your family?

B : The boss is my mother, but we all share the tasks as she goes out to work and wouldn’t

be able to do evevrything. We, I mean my brother and me were taught to help with the

shopping from an early age.It is our duty to tidy our rooms, do the everyday shopping at

the grocery’s nearby.Once a month my parents drive to a shopping plaza to supply our

household with everything that we might need. As we grew older my mum taught us how

to cook our meals, that is why we never eat junk food. And we were always taught to do

the washing up after the meal.

A : Does your father help with the household?

B : As for my father, he is a great help at home because he can fix anything that breaks

down. He is a DIY fan, and really enjoys repairing and mending. A month ago we decided

on a full restoration of our house, which was done mostly by my father. First we laid new

tiles in the kitchen and the bathroom, then replaced the old parquet. These were the

hardest of all the tasks during the restoration. I forgot to mention, that my father replaced

the old waterpipes as well. He also changed the taps in the bathroom because the old ones

had been dripping. No sooner had we finished tiling than my father said it was high time

we redecorated the rooms. We painted the rooms white except for my parents’ bedroom

that needed wallpapering. Finally we painted all the doors and windows through sheer

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hard work. When everything was ready my mum decided on refurnishing the drawing

room. We hired an upholsterer to change the covers of the armchairs and the sofa. Mum

also insisted on buying a new cupboard and chairs for the dining room. With all the things

done we hired a cleaning service to remove all the mess that goes with restoration. It took

us a month to restore the house, but it was worth the effort, because the flat looks as if it

had been built anew.

1. And here are some useful sentences to learn.

2. There is so stuffy here, let’s air the room, shall we?

3. There is something wrong with the oven, let’s call a gasfitter.

4. Don’t touch that socket, you might get an electric shock.

5. Let’s call an electrician to replace it.

6. The roof is leaking, it’s high time we had it mended.

7. I think we should call a repairman because the washing machine sounds like a rattling

truck.

8. How about throwing a party when the restoration is done? That’s a good idea. Who

shall we invite?

9. I suggest inviting only the best friends and making a barbecue.

10. What shall we do in case it rains? We could gather in the dining room and lay the table

with all kinds of salads, cakes,and drinks of course.

11. Then we have to buy some bottles of wine because our supply is not enough to go

round.

12. I think we haven’t met before. My name is Thomas Cheer.

13. I see. So you are a relative here. I am just a friend of the Cheers.

14. Are you enjoying the party?

15. O, yeah. Everybody is so nice, and I have already had amusing conversations with

some guests.

16. There are several household-related accidents.

17. Yesterday I scalded my hand while pouring hot water into the washbasin.

18. I cut my fingers while chopping vegetables.

19. It was bleeding hard so I had to put a sticking plaster on it.

20. There were several burglaries in our neighbourhood, so we decided to install an alarm

system

21. I think flowers need watering, becasue the last time I did it was two weeks ago.

22. I haven’t spoken to my plants for a month, that is why they seem to wither.

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23. We need to buy a new broom, because its stick has broken and I cannot work with it.

24. Have you scrubbed the kitchen yet?

25. No, it doesn’t need scrubbing, a little sweeping will do.

26. I have to go to the pharmacy to buy some painkillers.

27. Don’t worry about that, I’ll see to it.

28. Whose turn is it to hoover the carpets?

29. I think this is my turn, but I’d rather do the ironing if somebody does the hoovering for

me.

30. O, I am so thirsty. Don’t move, I’ll fetch some water for you

31. I didn’t know you have moved to a new house.

32. Yes we decided to have a bigger one so that the children can have rooms of their own.

33. I have just read an article that gives sound advice how to furnish children’s room.

34. In the new house everybody has their little nook.

35. This was a real bargain, though we had to paint all the rooms.

36. Then you are lucky. We have just bought a cottage in the country and we had to pay

through the nose for it.

37. But your house is a real mansion! Everybody envies you.

38. Oh, no. It’s just the facade that makes it so impressive.

39. The interior is in bad condition, we have to ask for a loan to restore it to our taste.

40. Fancy having dark wallpapers everywhere, it is so depressing; but the beautiful garden

makes up for the rest.

41. That is a marvellous cake. Help yourself to it.

42. Could you do the shopping for me, because I’m going to the hairdresser to have my

hair cut.

Words and Phrases

air the room kiszellőzteti a szobát

amusing szórakoztató

anew újra

barbecue piknik

bargain jó üzlet, olcsó vétel

bleed hard erősen vérzik

broom seprű

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charge, in charge feladat, felelős valamiért

charwoman házvezetőnő

cleaning service takarító cég

considerably jelentősen

convenience kényelem

conversation társalgás

cover huzat

deep freezer fagyasztó

depressing lehangoló

dishwasher mosogatógép

drip csöpög

drudgery rabszolgamunka

dry cleaner vegytisztító

electric shock áramütés

envy irigyel

façade homlokzat

fetch elmegy valamiért, elhoz

fix megszerel

fixed to their home házhoz kötve

food delivery ételszállítás

food mixer konyhai robot

furnish bútoroz

gasfitter gázszerelő

go out to work eljár dolgozni

go round (food or drink) jut mindenkinek

grow older öregszik

Help yourself to it. vegyen belőle!

hoover porszívózik

household chore házimunka

I’ll see to it majd én megcsinálom.

in spite of ellenére

iron, ironing vasaló, vasalás

it is high time ideje, hogy

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it is worth the effort megéri az erőfeszítést

It’s my turn. rajtam a sor

labour saving device háztartási gép

laundry mosoda

lay lefektet, lerak

leak szivárog, beázik

lumber teher

make up for the rest kárpótol a többiért

mansion palota, kúria

mend megjavít

mess szemét

move to a new house új házba költözik

nook zug

online shopping internetes vásárlás

oven sütő, tűzhely

paint the room white fehérre festi a szobát

parquet parketta

pay through the nose sokat fizet valamiért

pharmacy patika

plant növény

product termék

rattle zörög

redecorate szobát újrafest

refurnish újrabútoroz

repair megjavít

restoration felújítás

roof tető

rooms of their own saját szobáik

save a lot of trouble sok fáradságtól kímél meg

scald leforráz

scrub felmos

share the tasks megosztja a feladatokat

sheer igazi

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shopping plaza bevásárló központ

socket konnektor

sound advice jó tanács

stick bot, rúd

sticking plaster sebtapasz

store raktár (oz)

stuffy fülledt

supply ellát, felszerel, készlet

sweep söpör

tap csap

taught, we were taught arra tanítottak minket

thirst szomjúság

through sheer hard work kemény munkával

tidy takarít

tile csempe

toil at kínlódik valamivel

truck traktor

upholsterer kárpitos

vacuum cleaner porszívó

wallpaper tapéta

washbasin mosogató

water pipe vízvezeték

well-off gazdag

Whose turn is it? ki van soron?

will do jó lesz

with all the things done miután minden kész volt

wither hervad

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An Advertisement

House for Sale

Are you eager to have an adventure? Are you a DIY fan?

If yes, you should definitely buy our cottage, which is within easy reach of the town. The

house is in such a condition that you have to prove all your skills to make it habitable since

we didn’t insure it.

You should start restoration from the top as the roof is leaking and the ceiling is mildewed

with falling plaster wherever you go in the place. The house has not been plastered for 40

years and looks like a sloughing animal.

Something about the interior that might interest you. All the place needs renovating; the gas

cooker and the gas heater do not work due to the fact that gas service has been cut off for half

a year, because we didn’t pay the bills. Furthermore, the house is also mortgaged, since we

borrowed a considerable amount of money from a bank to set everything right, but then

decided not to torture ourselves with all the inconvenience that goes with restoration, so we

changed our mind and would like to sell the house instead.

However, we do not want to cheat, that is why we confess that all the taps are dripping, the

parquet needs to be re-laid and polished. As for the kitchen, you will learn that you haven’t

seen such a mess in your life, because we hardly ever tidied it. Apart from the dripping taps

you will face a fridge out of work, but never mind, it may come in handy if you use it as a

cupboard. To tell you the truth, we have not got any cupboards at all. We used to have built-in

ones until they ‘flew’ off the wall while my husband tried to install a filter above the gas

cooker, which was a total failure. No filter, no cupboards. The house is a two-storey one, and

if you go upstairs, you will find how shaky the stairs are. It is a real miracle that nobody has

fallen off them. As far as the bathroom concerned, we must not hide the fact, that the bath is

rusty all over, and there is not any hot water due to the gas service being cut off.

PS.: Should you be interested in the bargain, pay a visit to this impressive house to let us

show you round before it is too late. I strongly advise you to get a life insurance before

coming here, because the house is haunted at nights. Pay a deposit of £500, and you might be

the lucky one.

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Words and Phrases

adventure kaland

borrow kölcsönvesz

built-in cupboard beépített szekrény

ceiling plafon

confess bevall

cupboard szekrény

cut off lezár, kikapcsol

definitely határozottan, bizonnyal

deposit előleg

failure kudarc

fly off lerepül

habitable lakható

hardly ever szinte soha

haunt kísért

hide lerejt

it may come in handy még jól jöhet

life insurance életbiztosítás

mildew penész

mortgage jelzálog

plaster vakolat

polish lakkoz

relay újrarak

rusty rozsdás

set right rendbe tesz

shaky ingatag

should you be interested ha esetleg érdekelné

since mivel

sloughing vedlő

two-storey house kétszintes ház

within easy reach közel van

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Zsibbasztó

Kalánd után sóvárog? ...................................................................................................................

Mindenképpen meg kellene vennie a házunkat ............................................................................

A ház közel van a városhoz ..........................................................................................................

Minden képességét bizonyítani kell .............................................................................................

Ha lakhatóvá akarja tenni a házat .................................................................................................

Felülről kell kezdenie a felújítást .................................................................................................

Mivel a tető szivárog ....................................................................................................................

A plafon penészes és úgy néz ki, mint egy vedlő állat .................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A ház 40 éve nem volt vakolva ....................................................................................................

Valamit a házbelsőről, ami érdekelheti önt. .................................................................................

A gázszolgáltatást kikapcsolták ...................................................................................................

Mert nem fizettük a számlákat .....................................................................................................

A házon jelzálog van, mert nagy összeget vettünk föl a banktól .................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mindent helyre akartunk hozni, de meggondoltuk magunkat ......................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Elhatároztuk, hogy nem kínozzuk magunkat a kényelmetlenséggel ............................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Amivel a felújítás együttjár ..........................................................................................................

Nem akarjuk becsapni ..................................................................................................................

Bevalljuk, hogy az összes csap csöpög ........................................................................................

A parkettát újra kell rakni és lakkozni .........................................................................................

Még életében nem látott akkora koszt ..........................................................................................

Szinte soha nem takarítottuk ........................................................................................................

Ne törődjön vele, még jól jöhet ....................................................................................................

Az igazat megvallva .....................................................................................................................

Azelőtt beépített szekrényeink voltak ..........................................................................................

Amíg le nem repültek a falról ......................................................................................................

A férjem egy szűrőt próbált felszerelni ........................................................................................

Ez teljes csőd volt .........................................................................................................................

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Meg fogja látni, milyen ingatag a lépcső .....................................................................................

Igazi csoda, hogy még senki nem esett le ....................................................................................

Ami a fürdőszobát illeti ................................................................................................................

Nem titkolhatjuk el a tényt ...........................................................................................................

A fürdőkád tiszta rozsda ...............................................................................................................

Ha esetleg érdekelné ez az olcsó vétel .........................................................................................

Látogasson el ebbe a szép házba ..................................................................................................

Mielőtt nem késő ..........................................................................................................................

Melegen ajánlom, hogy legyen életbiztosítása .............................................................................

A házat éjszaka kísértet járja ........................................................................................................

Fizessen 500 £ előleget, s ön lehet a szerencsés nyertes ............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Pillow Talk

W: wife

H: husband

W: Darling, you’d better give in. Jenny keeps complaining about not having a pet. She is

yearning to keep a cat.

H: A cat? Oh, no! Cats are nasty creatures! I am not going to live together with a self-centred

individual that pokes its nose into my plate.

W: Now, you are being a grumpy old man. Cats are endearing and loveable especially when

they lie in your lap and purr. I have read somewhere that they have a positive impact on your

health, their purring I mean. They calm your nerves.

H: To my best knowledge, doctors were invented long ago to cure your disorders. I would

hate to have a cat around with all its fur on the furniture. Disgusting. By the way, I have read

somewhere that keeping a cat enhances the danger of developing asthma.

W: That’s not an excuse. Jenny is in perfect health, there’s no danger whatsoever for her to

get ill. And don’t forget that looking after a pet improves a child’s sense of responsibility. I’m

sure it would do good to Jenny’s character.

H: I bet it wouldn’t do good to me. It is always the parents who take the burden in the end.

You are supposed to do everything, feeding, cleaning up and taking the nuisance to the vet.

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W: Don’t be so difficult. Jenny is old enough to arrange these things. It is just because you

have a strong aversion to cats. I am convinced she would cope.

H: Listen, I’d rather have ten noisy parrots than a cat. Cats tend to roam at nights and they

will come back with torn ears or ten pussies. They are egotistic. You simply cannot teach a

cat or train it to behave. It will go its own ways.

W: Ok then. Let’s buy a puppy.

H: Are you aware of the troubles a little puppy goes together with? It takes much time to train

it to be an orderly fellow. Who is going to take it to the training school? Appart from it, a dog

makes you busy all day. It has to be taken for walks at least twice a day, even in the rain. If

you have a dog you are fixed to the flat or forced to ask your neighbours to look after it when

you are away on holiday.

W: Then why did you marry? A family goes together with troubles, you know.

H: Ok, I give in. What breed do you have in mind?

W: Perhaps a Labrador?

H: Oh, no! Cannot you think of a less aristocratic dog? A Labrador makes you feel badly

dressed.

W: You are kidding. Labradors are the most intelligent breed. The police like keeping them.

H: Am I to catch up with a Labrador? I mean mentally?

W: I hope you don’t mean to buy a mongrel. How about a Spaniel?

H: Yeah, that would be great. I adore Spaniels. There is something humanlike in their eyes.

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16. Human Life

‘No man is an Island, entire of itself.’ ( John Donne: Meditation XVII )

’I don’t speak about the crucial questions; I want to contemplate on them in my grave.’

( Füst Milán: The Story of my Wife )

A: I come from a large family; there are 6 of us living together in a detached house.My

ancestors had lived in the country, until my grandparents moved to the city.The history of

my family goes back to the 16th century when my ancestors from Italy settled here.My

uncle and his family immigrated to the USA after the World War II. My parents met at a

party, and it was a love at the first sight. They had been going out for a year when they

decided to get married. My mother comes from a religious family so my father, though

being an atheist, consented to a church wedding.On the wedding day she really looked

fantastic in her gorgeous white dress.The wedding ceremony in the church lasted an hour

and ended in a prayer.Nowadays most couples decide on a civil wedding, which is held in

a registry office.Their first child was christened Thomas. She gave birth to twins, whom

you cannot tell apart.She has been on maternity leave for two years.

B: Unfortunately my sister couldn’t give birth to children, so they adopted a child.It is

better to live with adoptive parents than grow up in an orphanage.One of my classmates

was brought up in an orphanage; I always pitied him.

A: My sister got married, had two children, but to my greatest surprise, got divorced after

6 years of marriage.After her divorce she remarried and now has two stepsons.

B: I really had a happy childhood; my best memories are associated with my grandpa

playing with me hide-and-seek. In the first year at school I was enthusiastic, later on I

didn’t enjoy learning that much.My school career is nothing special − I have always been

a disciplined child doing my best.I wanted to be a doctor from an early age.I never

regretted choosing this profession; it really inspires me.

A: To my sorrow, my father died at the age of 40. He died of cancer.There is nothing

more depressing than a funeral – it simply breaks one’s heart.

B: My poor nephew became an orphan at the age of 12, when his parents died in an

accident. His aunt brought him up treating him as her own child.

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A: After my grandpa had died, my grandma lived as a widow by herself. As my grandma

grew older, her health became poor, and we took her to our place to take care of her. Her

wish was to be buried in the same grave where my grandpa rests in peace.

B: I think the most important things in one’s life to find the right partner to live with and

the right job in which one can succeed. I do believe human life makes sense only if you

have strong believes and principles.It doesn’t make any difference whether you are a

believer or an atheist; the point is that you should live a meaningful life.

A: Man is a social being and cannot do without his fellow creatures. For various reasons, a

lot of people suffer from loneliness.It is a great thing to have friends you can rely on.

Though sometimes we need solitude to get away from the rat race.

B:There are workaholics who are totally absorbed in their jobs and neglect their families.

It doesn’t make sense to risk your health for money or a higher position.

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Words and Phrases

absorbed in belemerül valamibe

adopt a child örökbe fogad

adoptive parents nevelő szülők

ancestor ős, előd

associated with kapcsolódik valamihez

at the age of 40 40 éves korában

belief, believes hit, hitek

believer hívő

bring up felnevel

bury, buried eltemet

christen megkeresztel

civil wedding polgári esküvő

concept elmélet, felfogás

consent to beleegyezik valamibe

crucial questions végső kérdések

depressing elszomorító, lehangoló

derive from származik valahonnan

devote sg to szentel valaminek

died of cancer rákban halt meg

disciplined fegyelmezett

do one’s best megteszi a tőle telhetőt

enthusiastic lelkes

entire egész, teljes

evolution fejlődés, törzsfejlődés

fellow creatures embertársak

for various reasons különböző okokból

from an early age kora gyermekkorától

funeral temetés

give birth to gyermeket szül

go out with sb jár valakivel, udvarol

goes back ered, kezdődik

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gorgeous pompázatos

got divorced elváltak

grave sír

grow older megöregszik

grow up felnő

her health became poor megromlott az egészsége

hide-and-seek bújócska

higher position magasabb állás

I never regretted choosing this profession Sohasem bántam meg, hogy ezt a foglalkozást

választottam

I wish my dreams came true Bárcsak valóra válna az álmon!

I wish my dreams had come true Bárcsak valóra vált volna az álmom!

immigrate to emigrál

inspire ösztönöz, inspirál

it doesn’t make any difference mindegy, nem számít

it doesn’t make sense nincs értelme

love at the first sight szerelem első látásra

makes sense van értelme

maternity leave gyed

meaningful life értelmes élet

meaningless értelmetlen

move to elköltözik

my best memories legkedvesebb emlékeim

neglect elhanyagol

nothing special semmi különös

orphan árva

orphanage árvaház

pity sb szán, sajnál

prayer ima

principle elv

registry office házasságkötő terem

religious vallásos

rely on támaszkodik valakire

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remarry újraházasodni

rests in peace békében nyugszik

sacrifice sg for sg feláldoz valamiért

social being társasági lény

solitude egyedüllét

stepson, stepdaughter, stepmother nevelt fia, lánya, mostohaanya

suffer from szenved valamitől

take care of sb gondoskodik valakiről

tell apart megkülönböztet

that much annyira, nagyon

the point is that you should… a lényeg, hogy…

there are 6 of us living together hatan élünk együtt

third-rate harmadrangú

though being an atheist bár ateista (istentagadó)

to my greatest surprise legnagyobb meglepetésemre

treat sb as kezel valakit valahogyan

waste elpazarol

wedding ceremony esküvői ceremónia

workaholic munkoholista

An Essay

Dreams

“Freudism or psychoanalysis is an interesting invention by Prof. Sigmund

Freud, Vienna, who, after 30 years of research, had come to the sensational

conclusion, that if one dreams about sausages means that one feels like

eating sausages. According to the theory, man has a conscious as well as a

subconscious mind but no brain. The recognition of this, it is said, can cure

nervousness.”

(Karithy Frigyes: Lexicon Naïve)

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Realising that I had most probably spent half of my foreseeable life-span without becoming

an orderly dream-conscious person, I took a solemn oath to come to terms with myself, before

it was late. I need hardly say, like every well-educated mind, I am familiar with the

rudimentary works of psychology such as The Book of Dreams by Gyula Krúdy, not to

mention Freud’s renown dream interpretations. I must confess, I never seriously considered

their relevance to my own existence.

‘Now’, said I to myself, ‘It’s high time you brought to the surface your suppressed ego’ so I

decided on an uncompromising self-dissection. As a last warning Oscar Wilde’s words came

to my mind: ‘Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril.’, but I determined not to

be a flincher and took a bit of paper to make a list of my recent dreams. And then it began to

dawn on me that I very seldom had dreams, at least I managed to recall only two recurring

ones: walking in the air, kind of hovering over the streets and a strange one, rambling in the

Scottish Highlands. (I have never been to the Highlands.)

‘It won’t do’ said I.

The point is that my dreams when I have any, are usually terribly boring. No thrilling

nightmares, a rather frightening momentum regarding my daytime fears, no idyllic scenes, not

even a glimpse of Him. What I usually have is totally trivial events with absolutely unfamiliar

faces against an absolutely alien background.

It is said that our dreams, however strange they may seem, are derived from our reality. I do

not know where my dreams stem from, but their petty realism begins to hurt me. Or rather…

what if they are derived from another life, hm…what if they are not my dreams? Anyway,

what an offending thing it is, that I with my deeply rooted romantic promptings, with my

embedded and cherished complexes should have such prosaic dreams! It is unfair.

‘Why do I dream about Scotland? Am I a reborn Scottish shepherd?’ Krúdy knows nothing

about Scotland.

‘And what is that stupid walking in the air?’ I checked it in Freud. I anticipated he would

provide some sexual connotation for my ‘walking in the air’, but I did not expect it to be such

a formidable explanation. What I could make out was that I had a strong aversion to my

father’s blowing his nose in public, it also says something about my great-grandfather’s

wheelbarrow, but I am not sure about the message.

The long and the short of it is that something is acutely wrong with my ego. I was happy to

learn it. Not that it was a new revelation, I had been suspicious about myself for a long time.

But it was a pleasure to become legally entitled to join the majority of mankind.

As for my ‘nightdreams’ I can feel safe now, as to my ‘daymares’, well, I am not sure.

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Words and Phrases

acute heveny, akut (betegség)

against an alien background egy idegen háttér előtt

anticipate megérez, előre lát

Aversion to ellenérzés

beneath alatt

blow one’s nose fújja az orrát

brain agy, ész

bring to the surface felszínre hoz

cherish dédelget

come to terms with tisztába jön valamivel

complex komplexus, gátlás

conclusion következtetés

conscious mind tudatos én

cure gyógyít

dawn on sy derengeni kezd, megvilágosodik

daytime nappal (i)

determine elhatároz

dissection boncolás

dream-conscious álomtudatos

embed beágyaz

existence létezés

flincher aki meghátrál, gyáva

foreseeable előrelátható

formidable bonyolult

glimpse pillantás, villanás

highland felvidék

hover lebeg

I need hardly say aligha kell mondanom

idyllic idillikus

interpretation magyarázat

invention találmány

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it won’t do ez nem lesz jó

life-span életkor

mankind emberiség

message üzenet

momentum mozzanat

most probably nagy valószínűséggel

nervousness idegesség

nightmare rémálom

offending sértő

orderly rendes

peril veszte

petty kisszerű

promptings késztetés

prosaic prózai, száraz

psychoanalysis mélylélektan

ramble kószál

realism realizmus

reborn újjászületett

recognition felismerés

regarding tekintve

relevance érvényesség

renown ismert

research kutatás

revelation felfedezés, felismerés

rudimentary alapvető

scene jelenet

sensational szenzációs

sexual connotation szexuális többletjelentés

solemn oath ünnepi eskü

stem from ered valahonnan

subconscious mind tudatalatti én

suppressed ego elnyomott ego (személyiség)

suspicious gyanakvó

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the long and the short of it egyszóval

thrilling izgató

trivial kisszerű

uncompromising tántoríthatatlan

unfair nem igazságos

unfamiliar ismeretlen

wheelbarrow talicska

Dialogue

Euthanasia

Daughter: Pa, there is a headline in the paper ‘Euthanasia’. Do you know what it means? I

guess this is a Latin word.

Father: No, my child, this word is of Greek origin with the meaning of “good death”.

Daughter: Good death? How can be anybody’s death good?

Father: Yes, the translation is a bit misleading. Actually, there is another way of putting it,

which is ‘mercy killing’.

Daughter: This sounds terrible. What do they mean by it?

Father: Look this is a rather sophisticated issue that has caused a lot of heated debates all

over the world. By mercy killing we mean letting somebody die that is withdrawing life

support, necessary treatments in order to terminate his or her life.

Daughter: But that is murder!

Father: Yes, those who are against Euthanasia argue that it is legalized murder. However,

there are pro-activists who claim that people have the right to decide when to die. They say

that a person suffering from a fatal illness that cannot be cured must be entitled to choose

Euthanasia that is dying instead of being treated in vain.

Daughter: Now I see what it is. I am for Euthanasia! It is much better than letting somebody

agonize without the hope of recovery.

Father: This is not so simple. In most countries, Euthanasia is illegal or subject to criminal

law.

Daughter: But why? I sea no reason why should they prevent people from dying if they want

to? It is cruel to make somebody suffer.

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Father: Have you ever heard of The Oath of Hippocrates?

Daughter: Yes, I know this is a swearing ceremony of graduated doctor’s, isn’t it?

Father: Yes, you’re right. In this solemn oath they take the pledge not to give anybody

deadly medicine even if they are asked to do so. They also swear to keep on struggling for

their patient’s life till the end. As you can see, Euthanasia is against this oath.

Daughter: I am sure, humanism is much more important than any oath.

Father: But you have to take into account other aspects as well. What about patients who

have been in coma let us say, for years? Would you give the right to the relatives to decide

whether to remove the feeding tube in order to let him or her die? There was a case in the

USA, a man, I cannot remember the name just now, was fighting for years to let his brain

damaged wife in coma die. In the end he won, but there was a great scandal on behalf of pro-

life activists who called him murderer. Poor man had to face threats day by day. You know,

religious people in particular tend to oppose the liberalisation of the current law which

prohibits Euthanasia.

Daughter: I see what you mean…relatives can have hidden motives, I mean the desire of

getting rid of a troublesome patient or even worse hoping to get the inheritance. Hm…this is

really sophisticated.

Words and Phrases

another way of putting it a megnevezés más módja

brain damaged agysérült

coma kóma

entitle sy to do sg feljogosít valakit valamire

Euthanasia eutanázia, kegyes halál

feeding tube táplálócső

heated debate heves vita

hidden motive hátsó szándék

hide, hid, hid rejt

issue dolog, kérdés

mercy killing kegyes halál

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misleading félrevezető

oath, The Oath of Hippocrates eskü, hippokratészi eskü

origin, of Greek origin eredet, goörög eredetű

prevent sy from doing sg megakadályoz valakit valamiben

pro-activist aktivista valamilyen ügy mellett

pro-life activist életvédő

recovery felgyógyulás

solemn komoly, ünnepélyes

sophisticated bonyolult, kényes

struggle for küzd valamiért

take the pledge megfogad (ünnepélyesen)

terminate megszüntet, véget vet valaminek

withdraw visszavon, megvon

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17. Jobs

‘Work is the curse of the drinking classes.’ (Oscar Wilde)

(The original saying goes: Drinking is the curse of the working class.)

‘I can’t sit still and see another man slaving and working. I want to get up and

superintend, and walk round with my hands in my pockets, and tell him what to do. It is

my energetic nature. I can’t help it. (Jerome K. Jerome: Three Men in a Boat)

A : What kind of job do you fancy having in the future?

B : The point is that the work should be creative and rewarding. Of course, it would be

great if it were well paid, however, creativity comes first. I would prefer to work

freelance, as I would hate spending long hours in the same place day by day. Furthermore,

as a freelancer, you can do work of your choice. On the other hand, such work, I mean

freelance, is rather scarce.

A : I’d rather have a job that involves meeting new people, as I like having people around

me. And it would be nice if it involved a lot of travelling. I fancy having a private

enterprise, most probably running a shop or trading in books, which I find really exciting.

C : I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. It has been my dream from an early age. I can’t

imagine anything else more rewarding or useful. I’m aware of the fact that it can be tiring,

but it’s worth the effort as you can save people’s life.

A : Where can you find a new job?

B : Jobs are advertised in newspapers and on the Internet. There are newspapers the

profile of which to advertise jobs. You can also turn to the Labour Exchange, they might

find you a suitable workplace.

A : What is the procedure of applying for a job?

B : When applying for a job, one has to send a CV and an application letter. Your CV

should contain your particulars, studies, qualifications and experience in the field you are

supposed to work. If the employee becomes interested in you, you will be asked to a job

interview. At an interview the candidate’s personal qualities are also tested. It is important

that you should convince the interviewer that you are suitable for the job. At an interview

you have to prove your real interest in the work and also your positive attitude to working

hard.

A : What are the FAQs (frequently asked questions) at an interview?

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B : May I put a question concerning my future salary? Am I supposed to work overtime?

How much overtime payment do you pay? Can I expect any bonuses or extra money apart

from the salary? Does the firm pay for my travel expenses? Do I have to work in shifts?

Will I have any chances of promotion in the future?

1. And here are some more useful sentences

2. How much income tax do you pay?

3. How many per cents of your salary do you pay into social insurance?

4. He was made redundant as the firm closes down.

5. The number of unemployed people has been increasing for years.

6. My father has not got a job; he is on the dole.

7. She is not working at the moment; she is on maternity leave.

8. If you do not meet the requirements at your work, you can be fired.

9. He had been late for work regularly, and got the sack finally.

10. Last week he got a promotion and became a senior accountant.

11. Trade union workers announced a strike. They won’t go back to work until they get a

reasonable pay rise.

12. The government started negotiations with the strike leaders

13. The negotiations were put off without reaching an agreement.

14. I wouldn’t be a politician; they are always in the public eye.

15. Small enterprises are hit by heavy taxations.

16. A lot of private enterprises have folded recently because of the heavy taxation.

17. A lot of graduates have to face unemployment.

18. Women should be paid on equal terms with men.

19. Unemployed people over 40 have no real prospect of getting a steady job.

20. If you are a woman with children your chances to get a job are not as good as that of a

man of your age.

21. Employers prefer male employees because they do not go on maternity leave and do

not stay at home when their child is ill.

22. There are a lot of sexist advertisements in which they seek only male candidates for

the job that can be carried out by a woman too.

23. The advantage of being self-employed is that you are your own boss.

24. A doctor’s job is good in terms of money; however it is extremely hard work.

25. Less and less people want to be teachers because of the low prestige of the work.

26. A lot of people do not appreciate teachers’ work.

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27. It can be discouraging when your boss doesn’t appreciate your effort.

28. My boss finds fault with everything I do; it is so humiliating.

29. My parents have to work a lot to make ends meet.

30. Most people’s salaries are paid into their bank accounts.

31. My grandma’s pension is not enough to live on.

32. After three years of enterprising he finally went bankrupt.

An Application Letter

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am writing to you in order to apply for the job of a secretary advertised on your

website.

I think I have the necessary qualifications, skills and enough experience in office work,

and I find myself suitable for the job.

At school I learned computing and passed the ECDL exam with good results. I can use

the Word, Excel and I am familiar with the Internet. I speak German fluently and I am

also good in business English.

As you can see in my CV enclosed, I have been working as a secretary for 5 years and I

have good references that I attached to my CV. I am satisfied with my present job;

however, I need to find a new place because my family is moving to London next

month.

I am dedicated and hard working and do not mind working overtime when required.

I think I have good communication skills and I am on good terms with my colleagues,

because I never lose my temper, which is essential in this field.

I would be grateful if you could send me further information about the job itself and the

working conditions at your company.

I hope you will be interested in my application and I am looking forward to hearing

from you soon.

Yours faithfully

Julia Willing

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Dialogue

Hard Talk

Anne: Mum?

Mum: Yes, dear?

Anne: I’d like to talk to you about something really important. You know, it’s high time I

handed in my application to the university. The deadline is next Monday.

Mum: Are there any problems with it?

Anne: Mum, I know, you and pa expect me to be a lawyer, but..er..well, I don’t really fancy

being one.

Mum: Do you mean, you have changed your mind?

Anne: Actually, I have. I’d like to be a correspondent. That’s the right work for me.

Mum: You should have warned me earlier. I bet, your father will hit the roof if you tell him

what you want. He has always wanted you to take over his firm when he retires.

Anne: Yeah, I know he’ll be disappointed, but it was him who told me a hundred times that

one should choose such work that is really inspiring.

Mum: But what made you change your mind? You surely have what it takes to be a good

lawyer. And don’t forget about the advantages…your pa will be able to help you to get your

foot in the door. And being a lawyer is rather a prestigious thing.

Anne: I know, but believe me, I gave it a serious consideration and I realised that I would hate

studying law. You know, memorising law rules and such. It is not my cup of tea.

Mum: Well, nowadays everybody wants to be a journalist. It is so trendy, isn’t it?

Anne: It’s not that, mum. I am really interested in this work. Anyway, isn’t it great to inform

people about the world they live in?

Mum: Are you aware of the hardships of this profession? You’ll be expected to work irregular

hours, and if you are successful you’ll spend your time travelling from one place to another.

Anne: Oh, that’s what inspires me, I mean, meeting new people, interesting personalities,

getting acquainted with other cultures. I would only benefit from this work. I am enthusiastic

about it.

Mum: But bear in mind, in the long run it can be so stressful and tiring. You might regret

choosing such a hard job. Very few husbands would tolerate a wife, whose whereabouts

cannot be predicted.

Anne: Oh, mum, don’t exaggerate. Anyway, I’m not going to be an astronaut.

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Mum: Well, you know best. I won’t object to your choice. But it is you, who is supposed to

convince your father. You’ll need all your communication skills to win him.

Anne: Oh, I’m sure, he won’t be a problem.

Words and Phrases

am I supposed to kell-e? elvárják-e tőlem?

announce bejelent, meghirdet

application pályázat

appreciate értékel, megbecsül

as that of a man of your age mint az önnel egykorú férfié

astronaut űrhajós

attach to csatol valamihez

attitude to viszony valamihez

bank account folyószámla

benefit from hasznára válik

bonus jutalom, részesedés

candidate jelentkező, pályázó

cannot be predicted nem lehet megjósolni

carry out elvégez, teljesít

chances of promotion az előléptetés esélyei

change one’s mind meggondolja magát

communication skills kommunikációs képességek

computing számítástechnika

concerning valamit illetően

contain tartalmaz

convince meggyőz

correspondent tudósító

creative kreatív

creativity comes first a kreativitás a legelső / legfontosabb

curse átok

CV (curriculum vitae) önéletrajz

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dedicated elhivatott, lelkes

disappointed csalódott

discouraging elkedvetlenítő

doctors are paid much more money az orvosok sokkal több pénzt keresnek

dole, I am on the dole munkanélküli segély

don’t exaggerate ne túlozz!

don’t mind working overtime nem bánja, ha túlórázni kell

employment agency munkaközvetítő

enclose mellékel

enthusiastic about lelkesedik valamiért

essential lényeges

expect me to be a lawyer azt várják tőlem, hogy jogász legyek

expectation elvárás

expenses költségek

experience tapasztalat

face unemployment munkanélküliséggel néz szembe

familiar with jól ért valamihez

fire elbocsát, elküld (munkahelyről)

gave it a serious consideration komolyan megfontoltam

get acquainted with other cultures megismerkedik más kultúrákkal

got the sack kirúgták

graduate diplomás

hardship nehézség

hit the roof falra mászik, megüti a guta

humiliating megalázó

I am aware of the fact tisztában vagyok a ténnyel

I bet lefogadom

I can’t help it. nem tehetek róla

I can’t sit still nem tudok nyugton ülni

I don’t fancy being a lawyer nem szeretnék jogász lenni

I would prefer to work freelance jobban szeretnék szabadúszó lenni

in order to abból a célból

in terms of money pénz szempontjából

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in the field you are supposed to work a területen, ahol dolgoznia kell

in the public eye a nyilvánosság előtt

income tax jövedelemadó

inspiring ösztönző

interviewer kérdező

involve magába foglal, együtt jár valamivel

it is so trendy, isn’t it? ugye ez most a divat?

it is worth the effort megéri az erőfeszítést

it is you, who is supposed to convince

him

neked kell meggyőzni apádat

it’s high time I handed in ideje, hogy benyújtsam

it’s no that nem arról van szó.

job interview állás interjú

law rules törvénycikkek

long hours, work long hours sok óra, hosszú munkaidő

low prestige of the work a munka alacsony presztízse (megbecsültsége)

make ends meet kijönni a pénzből

male férfi, hímnemű

meet the requirements megfelelni a követelményeknek

memorise magol

negotiation tárgyalás

not enough to live on nem elég a megélhetéshez

object to ellenezni valamit

office work hivatali munka

on equal terms with men a férfiakkal egyenlő mértékben

on good terms with jó viszonyban valakivel

one should choose az embernek választani kell

overtime payment túlóradíj

particulars személyi adatok

pay rise fizetésemelés

personal qualities are tested a személyes tulajdonságokat vizsgálják

predict megjósol

present job jelenlegi állás

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prestige presztízs, rang

prestigious rangos, elismert

privacy magánélet

private enterprise magánvállalkozás

promotion előléptetés, támogatás

prove bizonyít

qualification végzettség

reasonable elfogadható

redundant, I have been made redundant fölösleges, elbocsátottak

reference ajánlás

require, when required megkíván, ha szükséges

retire nyugdíjba vonul

rewarding hálás (munka)

run a shop üzletet vezet

satisfied with elégedett valamivel

scarce ritka

senior accountant főkönyvelő

sexist általában nőket hátrányosan megkülönböztető

slaving rabszolgaként dolgozik

social insurance társadalombiztosítás

steady job biztos állás

stressful stresszes, idegfeszítő

suitable for the job alkalmas az állásra

superintend felügyel

take over the firm átveszi a céget

that’s not my cup of tea ez nem az én világom

that’s what inspires me ez az, ami inspirál

the negotiations were put off a tárgyalásokat félbeszakították

to get your foot in the door elindulni a pályán

tolerate tolerál, elvisel

trade in books könyvekkel kereskedni

trade union szakszervezet

What made you change your mind? miért gondoltad meg magad?

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whereabouts valakinek a holléte

without reaching an agreement anélkül, hogy megegyeztek volna

work in shifts különböző műszakokban dolgozni

work irregular hours kötetlen munkaidőben dolgozik

work of your choice kedve(d) szerinti munka

work overtime túlórázni

working conditions munkakörülmények

you have what it takes to be a good

lawyer

jó jogász lenne belőled

You know best. te tudod.

you might regret choosing this job megbánhatod, hogy ezt a munkát választottad

you should have warned me figyelmeztethettél volna

Zsibbasztó

Milyen állást képzel magának a jövőben? ..............................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

A lényeg, hogy kreatív legyen ................................................................................................

Jó lenne, ha jól fizetnék ..........................................................................................................

a kreativitás a legfontosabb ....................................................................................................

szeretnék szabadúszó lenni .....................................................................................................

utálnék sok órát tölteni egy helyen .........................................................................................

az ember maga választhatja meg a munkáját .........................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

szeretem, ha emberek vesznek körül ......................................................................................

magánvállalkozást szeretnék ..................................................................................................

amit igazán izgalmasnak tartok ..............................................................................................

mindig is orvos szerettem volna lenni ....................................................................................

kisgyermekkorom óta ez az álmom ........................................................................................

tudom, hogy fárasztó ..............................................................................................................

de megéri az erőfeszítést ........................................................................................................

fordulhat a munkaügyi központhoz is ....................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

amikor állásra pályázunk ........................................................................................................

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az életrajznak tartalmaznia kell a végzettséget ......................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

fontos, hogy meggyőzze a kérdezőt az alkalmasságáról ........................................................

................................................................................................................................................

a munkához való pozitív viszony ...........................................................................................

Kell túlóráznom? ....................................................................................................................

Számíthatok bónuszokra? .......................................................................................................

Fizeti a cég az úti költségeimet? ............................................................................................

Mennyi személyi jövedelemadót fizet? ..................................................................................

Elbocsátották ..........................................................................................................................

Nő a munkanélküliek száma ..................................................................................................

Munkanélkülin van .................................................................................................................

Gyesen van .............................................................................................................................

Ha nem felel meg a követelményeknek .................................................................................

Végül kirúgták ........................................................................................................................

A szakervezeti tagok sztrájkot hirdettek ................................................................................

A kormány tárgyalásokat kezdett ...........................................................................................

Egyre kevesebb ember akar tanár lenni ..................................................................................

Ha a főnöke nem értékeli a munkáját .....................................................................................

Mindenben hibát talál .............................................................................................................

Végül csődbe ment .................................................................................................................

At a job interview

I: Interviewer

A: Applicant

I: Good morning, Mr Eager! Do sit down.

A: Thank you.

I: Well, you have sent us an impressive CV. Would you mind my putting some questions to

you?

A: Oh, not at all. I am ready to answer all your questions.

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208

I: I see you have quite a big experience in commerce. Could you just summarize your overall

impression of the field?

A: Oh, yes I have been working in foreign trade for 15 years for different companies. It has

always been a challenge to me to deal with overseas partners. Trading widens your scope as

long as you try hard to keep up with the latest economic trends. I am an ambitious type and

enjoy working assiduously.

I: So you like doing good business, do you? Can I ask you why you want to abandon your

present job?

A: Well, the company I am working for has been doing quite well and I enjoy the tasks I have

been commissioned so far. The problem is that they want to shift to an Asia oriented trade,

which I am not very keen on. I would prefer to go on with European and American business.

That is why I have applied for this job.

I: I see. What languages do you speak?

A: French, German and I can manage in Russian too.

I: That is great. Are you ready to work flexible hours?

A: Oh, yes. I am accustomed to working in the small hours as well and I do not mind

travelling frequently. My wife sides with me in my career.

I: Would you mind living abroad and working as a consultant?

A: Oh, not at all. I’d love to. Me and my family got used to moving house now and then. I

find it inspiring to work abroad.

I: I suppose you would like to put your own questions concerning the job, wouldn’t you?

A: Oh yes. I was wondering which country I am supposed to work in.

I: It is France. There we have a vacancy as our latest consultant decided to retire. So we are

looking for an efficient person to take over his job.

A: Does that mean that the new consultant has to leave presently?

I: It does. Suppose your application has been accepted, are you ready to start next month?

A: That is no problem. Could you tell me when I will be informed about your decision?

I: Oh, in due course. Perhaps within a week.

A: Thank you.

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18. Literature

‘It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature’ (Henry James: Hawthorne)

A: Do you agree with the statement that reading is an excellent pastime?

B: Yes, I do. Most of my leisure time I spend reading books. Reading is not only fun but

also a good way to expand your knowledge about life.

A: What kind of books do you prefer reading?

B : I prefer reading fiction both classical and modern. Apart from fiction I also take

delight in reading history books, because I’m interested in the past.

A: What is your idea of a good book?

B : In my opinion a good book contains true-to-life characters and situations. A good

piece of writing draws your attention to the important questions of human life.

A : What literary genres do you know?

B : Well, short story, novel, poem, drama, play, tragedy, comedy, detective story and

romance.

A: Have you got a favourite play by Shakespeare?

B : Of course, I have. I think his best tragedy is Hamlet.

A : May I ask you to summarize the plot and characterize the main figures?

B : Certainly. The plot takes place in Denmark in the late Middle Ages. Old Hamlet, King

of Denmark is dead but haunts the castle at midnight. When he meets his son, young

Hamlet, he takes his pledge to revenge his father’s death. He says, he was murdered by his

brother Claudius. Hamlet swears to his father to take revenge on Claudius.However, at the

end of the first act, he says: ‘Time is out of joint; − O cursed spite, / That ever I was born

to set it right.’ His words reveal his character; his duty is beyond his true nature.The

whole play is based on the

contrast between Claudius and Hamlet. While Hamlet is a renaissance humanist, Claudius

a real tyrant and a corrupt man. Hamlet delays the revenge because he wants to get enough

evidence against Claudius, while the latter does everything to get rid of Hamlet. Hamlet is

a philosophical tragedy as it is shown in the famous monologue: ‘To be, or not to be’ The

play is a parabola about the tragedy of virtue in an immoral surroundings.

A: Which is your favourite English novel?

B: My favourite is Lord of the Flies by William Golding. The plot takes place during the

second world war, un an uninhabited island. A party of schoolboys suffer a plane crash

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and land on a desert island. The boys, led by Ralph and Piggy try to set up a democratic

society, but they fail, because Jack, the savage boy takes over the leadership. He is a real

dictator and under his rule terror begins to prevail. Two boys are killed, most of the boys

turn into a bloodthirsty tribe. At the end of the novel a rescue officer appears and

civilization is restored. The novel reveals the dark side of man, the savage instincts that is

hidden behind the civilized mask.

Words and Phrases

account beszámoló

all of a sudden hirtelen

applies a metaphor metaforát alkalmaz

ascend felemelkedik, felszáll

assume the throne elfoglalja a trónt

attitude to life az élethez való viszony, értékrend

bay öböl

beyond his true nature igazi jellemét meghaladja

bitter keserű

bodiless testetlen

by heart kívülről, szó szerint

catch sight of megpillant

characterize jellemez

cite idéz

cloud felhő

compared to valamivel összehasonlítva

condensed metaphorical language sűrített metaforikus nyelv

contain tartalmaz

contrast ellentét

coprruption romlottság

corrupt romlott

daffodil tűzliliom

deepen elmélyít

delay elhalaszt

description leírás

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draw one’s attention to felhívja a figyelmét

ecstasy eksztázis, önkívület

elavated mood emelkedett hangulat

elevate felemel

expand novel

experience élmény

fiction fikció, szépirodalom

genre műfaj

get rid of megszabadul valamitől

gifted writer tehetséges író

hidden meaning rejtett jelentés

high-spirited emelkedett, fennkölt

image kép, imázs

imaginary elképzelt, fiktív

immoral erkölcstelen

improve fejleszt

individual experience egyéni élmény

ingratiate himself with sy behízelgi magát

inner world belső világ

insight betekintés

inspiration ihlet

it is suffice to mention elég megemlíteni

last but not least utoljára, de nem utolsónak

late Middle Ages késő középkor

lonely magányos

Machiavellistic machiavellista (zsarnoki)

man as such az ember mint olyan

meditative elmélkedő

metphysical metafizikai, filozófiai

miracle csoda

mood hangulat

morale erkölcs

motive ösztönzés, kiváltó ok, motiváció

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mystery misztérium, titok, csoda

nevertheless ennek ellenére

novel regény

parabola példázat

plot cselekmény

poem vers

recognize felismer

regime rezsim, rendszer

reluctantly though vonakodva bár

restore visszaállít

reveal felfed

revenge bosszú

romance szerelmi történet

satire szatíra

self-awareness öntudatosság

self-portrait önportré

set the scene bemutatja a helyszínt

short story elbeszélés

spiritual energy lelki energia

spy on kémkedik valaki után

starry sky csillagos ég

statement állítás

style stílus

subject matter téma

subservient szolgalelkű

summarize összefoglal

surroundings környezet

swears to megesküszik

symbol szimbólum, jelkép

takes his pledge megfogad

topsy-turvy fejére állított

true-to-life character élethű jellem

tyrant zsarnok

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universal experience egyetemes élmény

universe világegyetem

usurp the throne bitorolja a trónt

virtue erény

vision látomás

wander sétál

A Book Review

Emily Brontë :Wuthering Heights

The novel was published in 1847. The story is narrated by Lockwood and Mrs Dean who had

witnessed the lives and destinies of the owners of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross

Grange. The events are set in motion by the arrival of Heathcliff, picked up in the streets of

Liverpool by Mr Earnshaw.He takes him home to bring him up as one of his children. Bullied

and humiliated after Earnshaw's death by his son Hindley, Heathcliff finds consolation in his

friendship with Catherine. Their friendship develops into an intense attachment, but

Heathcliff, overhearing Catherine tell Nelly that she cannot marry him because it would

degrade her, leaves the house. He returns three years later to find Catherine married to Edgar

Linton. Heathcliff is determined to take revenge on Hindley and Edgar Linton. He is

responsible for the total destruction of Hindley; and then with an evident ill will he marries

Edgar's sister Isabella only to treat her brutally. After a mutual confession in love with

Heathcliff, Catherine dies in childbirth. Her daughter, Cathy is brought up by her father and

Mrs Dean. Edgar Linton dies after trying in vain to prevent a friendship between Cathy and

Heathcliff's son, Linton. Heathcliff forces Cathy to marry Linton in order to secure the Linton

property. Linton dies very young. Affection is gradually developed between Cathy and

Hareton, Hindley’s son, for whom she does her best to educate him. Heathcliff, after

revenging himself, longs to die hoping to be reunited with Catherine whose ghost has haunted

him since she died.

Emily Bronte's masterpiece inevitably is one of the most popular novels in the world. Its

popularity is due to the exciting plot as well as to the deep psychological insight into human

nature. Although, it carries some traits of the Gothic novel (e.g. haunting ghost, mystery, the

touch of the supernatural) the story reaches far beyond the Gothic tradition and represents in

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itself an early psychological novel. Bronte offers a sharp-sighted exploration of different

attitudes to life as such through eternal characters and situations in a microworld that,

however, shows the amplitude of ancient tragedies.

The novel follows the destinies of two generations: the first causes chaos; revenge and

irrationality consumes their lives, it is embodied in Heathcliff's son who is sickly and dies

young. The two worlds become reconciled in Cathy's and Hareton's love in the end.

Words and Phrases

affection érzelem

after revenging himself miután megbosszulta magát

amplitude nagyság

ancient ősi, ókori

arrival megérkezés

attachment vonzalom

brutal brutális, kegyetlen

bully erőszakoskodik, bántalmaz

carries some traits of magány viseli valaminek a nyomait

chaos káosz, zűrzavar

childirth gyermekszülés

confession vallomás

consolation vigasz

consume felemészt

degrade lealacsonyít

destiny végzet

develop into valamivé fejlődik

embody megtestesít

eternal characters egyetemes jellemek

evident nyilvánvaló

exploration felfedezés, feltárás

ghost szellem

Gothic novel rémregény

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gradually fokozatosan

humiliate megaláz

ill will rossz szándék

in vain hiába

inevitably nyilvánvalóan

intense intenzív, erős

irrationality irracionalitás

long to sóvárog valami után

microworld mikrovilág

mutual kölcsönös

narrate elbeszél

overhear meghall véletlenül

owner tulajdonos

pick up felszed

property tulajdon

psychological novel lélektani regény

reconcile kibékül

represent képvisel

reunite újra egyesül

secure biztosít

set in motion mozgásba lendül

sharp-sighted éles szemű

sickly beteges

supernatural természetfölötti

Zsibbasztó

A regény a 19. században jelent meg ...........................................................................................

A történetet Lockwood meséli el .................................................................................................

Tanúja volt az életüknek és végzetüknek .....................................................................................

Az események Heathcliff megérkezésével lendülnek mozgásba .................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Magához veszi, hogy saját gyermekeként nevelje fel ..................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

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216

Hindley bántalmazta és megalázta Heathccliffet .........................................................................

A Catherine-nel való barátságban talál vigaszt ............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Barátságuk erős érzelemmé fejlődik ............................................................................................

Heathcliff meghallotta, amikor Catherine azt mondta Nellynek, hogy nem mehet hozzá

feleségül .......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Három év múlva tér vissza, amikor Catherine már feleségül ment Edgarhoz .............................

......................................................................................................................................................

Heathcliff elhatározza, hogy bosszút áll Hindley-n .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Ő felelős Hindley teljes tönkretételéért ........................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Nyilvánvaló rossz szándékkal feleségül veszi Edgar húgát, Isabellát .........................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Hogy azután kegyetlenül bánjon vele ..........................................................................................

Catherine gyermekszülésben hal meg ..........................................................................................

Heathcliff arra kényszeríti Cathyt, hogy menjen feleségül Lintonhoz .........................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Cathy és Hareton között fokozatosan vonzalom szövődik ...........................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Miután megbosszulta magát, Heathcliff a halál után sóvárog .....................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Azt reméli, hogy a halál után egyesül Catherine-nel

......................................................................................................................................................

Catherine szelleme kísérti a házat, amióta meghalt .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Brontë mesterműve az egyik legnépszerűbb regény ....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Népszerűsége az izgalmas cselekménynek köszönhető ...............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

És annak a mély betekintésnek, amit az emberi természetbe nyújt .............................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A rémregények néhány vonását viseli magán ..............................................................................

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217

A történet szétfeszíti a gótikus hagyományt ................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A remekmű a lélektani regény korai változata .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Brontë éles megvilágításba helyezi a különböző magatartásformákat .........................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A regény két generáció sorsát követi végig .................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az irracionalitás felemészti az életüket ........................................................................................

Ez testesül meg Heathcliff fiában, aki beteges és fiatalon meghal ..............................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A két világ Cathy és Hareton szerelmében békül ki ...................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Dialogue

J: Journalist

T: Teacher

J: Mr Cheer, for the past years teachers have been complaining about their students getting

more and more uninterested in high culture, in literature in particular. What is your personal

experience regarding children’s reading habits?

T: Well, there is a tendency among students not to read literature any more. If you ask them

why, they only shrug their shoulders, muttering something like ‘boring’ or ‘rubbish’. It is

really sad to watch whole generations grow up with no intentions of reading novels or poetry.

Of course, there are a few exceptions, but for the most part, children tend to entertain

themselves with other hobbies. I use the word ‘hobby’ for want of a better one, because

surfing the Net is not a hobby in the traditional sense of the word. Engaging in a hobby

normally requires an active mind.

J: What do you think is the reason for not reading at large? Can it really be put down to the

the Internet? Would it be so simple?

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218

T: Oh, no. The problem is much more complicated. There are several aspects to be taken into

account ranging from psychological reasons to cultural ones. We simply don’t have enough

time to enumerate all the possible reasons. One thing is sure, with the advent of the Internet

there has been an inevitable decline in reading. However, I would not risk stating that it is

only the Internet that is responsible for the phenomenon. The Internet is a great tool in

learning and it is not necessarily to blame for neglecting books in general. On the other hand,

it is common knowledge that there have been fundamental changes in popular culture. People

tend to entertain themselves with screen-based things including the TV for example. Since

films are available on DVDs, moreover you can download them from the Net, it is just natural

that people are inclined to take the advantage. It has also been proved that children who are

exposed to visual impulses only, lack the patience to read longer texts because they are

accustomed to quickly shifting pictures. Well, it can account for the decline in reading, but I

am strongly convinced that it is not the single factor of the problem. Anyway, I suppose, as

time goes by, the Internet will cease to be the only source of entertainment for many. Now it

attracts people because it is relatively new, but it will take its proper place in our lives in the

long run. As far as I’m concerned, I blame current teaching for the growing ‘illiteracy’, if you

don’t mind my putting it this way. Our children are not the less intelligent than we were at

their age, we only have to apply new methods in teaching, new approaches so to say, in order

to convince them about what they can gain from reading.

J: It is often said, that the younger generation want action and only appreciate dynamic plots

in films and texts. Can teaching catch up with these expectations? How would you change

the curriculum?

T: Well, the answer would take another programme. I only want to encourage my colleagues

to spend more time talking to their students about the questions they are interested in, and if

we draw their attention to literary works that deal with these questions, we might succeed

with much tolerance. The task is immensely difficult, we will need all our perseverance and

zest to achieve good results.

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219

19. Media

‘Try your luck on Bumpex Fruit Juice. Most people detest it. You may be

an exception.’

‘Granfield chocolate is rather nourishing. Never mind the taste.’

‘Drink Danford’s beer. It’s dirt cheap and you can get used to it.’

( George Mikes: On Advertisement. in How to be a Brit)

A: What do we mean by ‘media’?

B: The word refers to all the printed newspapers, the TV and the radio.

A: What does a daily newspaper look like?

B: There are tabloids often referred to as lowbrow newspapers, broadsheet or quality

newspapers that are regarded as highbrow ones. Lowbrow means uneducated people who

are not interested in high culture. Highbrow means an educated reader who normally reads

quality newspapers. Although in tabloids you can find the coverage of the main political

issues, their real profile is to issue a lot of pictures and stories about famous personalities.

Sometimes such news prove to be hoaxes and the people concerned sue the paper for libel

i.e. for hurting his or her good reputation.

A: What can you read about in a daily paper?

B : A daily newspaper covers the most important home and foreign affairs in the News

section. Apart from news they also deal with other issues such as sport, entertainment etc.

There are several columnists who contribute to the paper with leading articles.

Newspapers also employ correspondents living abroad to send important information

about the country in question.

A: Do you ever read the ads in the papers?

B : No, I am fed up with all the best anti-wrinkle creams, washing powders that out-

perform the traditional ones. However, media cannot do without advertisements; most of

the money they make come from advertising. There are a few exceptions where they do

not interrupt films with ads for example the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation),

which is maintained by the national budget and the public.

A: Do you subscribe to any newspapers?

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B : I subscribe to a right / left wing newspaper. However, I always read left / right wing

papers on the Net, to be familiar with the other side as well.

A: Do you think that all the newspapers are biased?

B : I do not believe in unbiased newspapers, even the so called independent ones can

manipulate the readers.

A: What kind of articles are you interested in?

B: I always read the leading articles, reports and the reader’s comments.

A: Do you ever read the Agony Column?

B : I do sometimes. I am interested in people’s problems and even more in the answers of

the psychologist.

A: What other sections does a daily paper have?

B : You can get a picture of different cultural events, it also contains obituary through

which you are informed about people’s death and their funeral. Moreover newspapers

issue official announcements, deal with economic questions, and you can put your

advertisement into them.

A : How often do you watch TV?

B: I watch TV every day two or three hours on average. OR I only watch the News and

good feature films

A: How many channels or satellite programmes havre you got?

B: Well a hundred or more, but I prefer watching special channels, namely those that

broadcast documentaries. Documentaries are my favourite genre on TV because they deal

with worldwide problems or introduce interesting personalities. I like watching

programmes about animal life nature.

A: Any dislikes on TV?

B: Oh, there are plenty of them. What I hate most are the soap operas, they are doing my

head in. Soap operas are based on stories full of intrigues taken from everyday life.

However, the characters are not lifelike and everything is artificial in these films. Besides,

I hate reality shows. The situation itself, I mean closing a group of people into one place,

disgusts me. Reality shows have nothing in common with reality.

A : TV is often referred to as the ‘Bible of the Poor’. What do you think of it?

B: I agree with the idea more or less. With the help of TV you can have access to a lot of

information from all over the world without paying too much for it. In the Middle Ages it

was only the Bible that was available for the poor, now it is the TV that plays that role.

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Words and Phrases

access to hozzáférés

achieve elér, teljesít

ad, advertisement hirdetés

advertise hirdet

agony column panasz oldal

anti-Semitic antiszemita

anti-wrinkle cream ránctalanító krém

artificial mesterséges

as such mint olyan

aspire to be filmed arra aspirál / törekszik, hogy lefilmezzék

available elérhető

award díj

bedtime story esti mese

beneficial hasznos, profitot hozó

benefit from advertising hasznot hajt a hirdetésekből

besides

bias, biased elfogultság, elfogult

broadcast közvetít (tv, rádió)

broadsheet nagy formátumú, minőségi újság

cage ketrec

cannot do without nem lehet meg nélküle

cartoon rajzfilm

Chariots of Fire Tűzszekerek

child bearing gyermeknevelés

columnist vezető újságíró

come up with előállni valamivel

commercial channel kereskedelmi adó

concept of good or bad a jóról és a rosszról való felfogás

condemn megvet

confuse összezavar

contract szerződés

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contribute to the newspaper az újságba ír

correspondent tudósító

cover home affairs belföldi eseményeket közöl

coverage of the events az események közlése, tálalása

deal with foglalkozik valamivel

detest utál

dignity méltóság

disgust undorít

documentary dokumentumfilm

except for kivéve

exception kivétel

feature film játékfilm

fed up with elege van valamiből

fifth power ötödik hatalmi ág

finance finanszíroz, fizet

for run’s sake a futás kedvéért

foreign affairs külföldi események

get a picture of képet alkot valamiről

get irritated bosszús lesz

get used to hozzászokik

Glory of God isten dicsősége

goal cél

gripping magával ragadó

highbrow newspaper minőségi újság

hoax kacsa, álhír

home affairs belföldi hírek

honour becsület

humiliating megalázó

in moral terms erkölcsi értelemben

independent független

influence befolyásol

inspire inspirál, ösztönöz

interrupt félbeszakít

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intrigue intrika, ármánykodás

issue kibocsát, kiad

Jew zsidó

leading article vezető cikk

lifelike életszerű, élethű

lowbrow newspaper bulvár lap

maintain fenntart

manipulate manipulál, befolyásol

marital harmony házastársi harmónia

more or less többé-kevésbé

national budget költségvetés

nothing in common with reality nincs semmi köze a valósághoz

nourishing tápláló

obituary gyászjelentés

official announcement hivatalos közlemény

on average átlagosan

out-perform felülmúl

pause for ads megállítani a hirdetések miatt

people concerned az érintett emberek

point of view nézet, felfogás

Presbyterian presbiteriánus, skót protestáns

prophet Elisha illés próféta

quality newspaper minőségi újság

reader’s comments az olvasók megjegyzései

record the film on video videóra veszi a filmet

right wing, left-wing newspaper jobboldali, baloldali újság

sacrifice feláldoz

section szekció, rész

shoot, shot a film filmet forgat

soap opera szappanopera

subscribe to a newspaper újságra előfizet

subsidise állami támogatásban részesít

tabloid bulvárlap

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they’re doing my head in bosszantanak

unbiased elfogulatlan

uneducated műveletlen

view szemlél

An Essay

Couch Potatoes, Stand Up!

Why did we grow into couch potatoes and armchair travellers? Does our laziness really

stem from the ‘harmful impact’ of the Telly and the Internet?

It is said that the TV has become the ‘Bible of the poor’, the only source of entertainment

for many. There is much truth in it; however, it is not only the poor who are glued to the

screen. Educated people often speak about soap operas and reality shows with contempt or

condescension, but it often turns out that they also do watch the programmes only to ‘be

familiar with’ the ‘junk culture’ they are surrounded with. In fact, everybody spends a

considerable time sitting in front of the box, shifting from one channel to another while

ashamed of doing so.

Why is this hypocrisy? What is wrong with the TV? There is nothing wrong with it. Channels

offer diverse programmes that can satisfy the most sophisticated minds. Should you be

interested in high culture, you will definitely find outstanding feature films, documentaries on

art or science, not to mention theme channels that broadcast a wide range of informative and

exciting films on nature or history. All in all, we have the choice. You are not supposed to

watch rubbish if you do not want to. Nobody forces you to entertain yourself with makeover

shows or foolish commercials; it is up to you to choose the programmes to your taste.

Some argue that TV has a harmful impact on children; they see too much violence on it and it

deprives them of healthy mental development. Let me ask: where are the parents while their

children are watching the twentieth action film of the week? Did they ever read them tales,

did they teach them songs or take them for outings regularly? How much time do they spend

playing with their offspring or talking to them about the things they are interested in? It is

easier said than done. Couch potatoes bring up couch potatoes. If parents spend their evenings

in front of the telly watching all kinds of programmes, regardless of their value, the child will

do the same.

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Exhaustion is not an excuse. Couch potatoes, stand up, and have a walk with your children

in the fresh air discussing the novel you gave them to read. Or just have a nice chat about life.

And do not put the blame on TV. You can switch it off.

(401 words)

Words and Phrases

armchair traveller karosszékben utazó, virtuális turista

commercial reklám műsor

condescension leereszkedés, lenézés

contempt megvetés

couch potato tv függő

deprive sy of sg megfoszt valamitől

diverse nagyon különböző

easier said than done könnyebb mondani, mint tenni

excuse kifogás

exhaustion kimerültség

feature film játékfilm

glue ragasztó

glued to the screen hozzá van nőve a képernyőhöz

harmful impact on káros hatás valakire

hypocrisy képmutatás

informative informatív, sok információt tartalmazó

is / are ashamed of sg szégyell valamit

makeover show átváltozó show

mental development szellemi (lelki) fejlődés

offspring utód

put blame on hibáztat, okol

shift to vált valamire

sophisticated kifinomult, bonyolult

sophisticated mind kifinomult lélek

source forrás

stem from ered valahonnan

theme channels tematikus csatornák

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Zsibbasztó

Miért lettünk tohonyák? ...............................................................................................................

Azt mondják .................................................................................................................................

Hogy a TV “a szegények Bibliája” ..............................................................................................

Az egyetlen szórakozási forrás .....................................................................................................

Sok igazság van benne .................................................................................................................

Akik a képernyőhöz vannak ragadva ...........................................................................................

A művelt emberek megvetéssel beszélnek a szappanoperákról ...................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Gyakran kiderül ............................................................................................................................

A “kultúrmocsok”, ami körülvesz ................................................................................................

Váltogatva a csatornákat ..............................................................................................................

Mi a baj a TV-vel? .......................................................................................................................

Nincs vele semi baj ......................................................................................................................

A csatornák különböző programokat kínálnak .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Kielégítheti a legfinnyásabb lelkeket is .......................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Nem kell szemetet néznie, ha nem akar .......................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Átváltozó showk és ostoba reklámok ...........................................................................................

Öntől függ ....................................................................................................................................

Néhányan azt mondják, hogy a TV káros hatással van a gyerekekre ..........................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Túl sok erőszakot látnak ...............................................................................................................

Megfosztja őket az egészséges fejlődéstől ...................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az értéküktől függetlenül .............................................................................................................

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20. Politics

‘We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable; that all men are created

equal and independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights

inherent and inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, and liberty,

and the pursuit of happiness.’ (The American Declaration of Independence)

‘It may be your own personal view that two and two make four, but you must

not state it in a self-assured way, because this is a democratic country and

others might be of another opinion.’

(George Mikes: How to Be a Brit)

A: Are you interested in politics?

B1: Yes, I am. I am keen on reading newspapers, watching the news on TV or listening to the

radio while driving to work.

B2: I am not. I became disappointed at politics many years ago.While there is a political

campaign prior to elections, politicians promise nice things just to manipulate the voters.

When it comes to governing the country, they seem to have forgotten their promises. Much as

I try I cannot find real differences between the competing parties.When in power, politicians

don’t seem to care much about the real problems.

A:Could you explain the difference between the words ‘politics’ and ‘policy’?

B:Politics is a special field of public life pursued by politicians who govern political and

economic life of a country. Policy has a restricted meaning; it is a plan of concrete actions.

A: What is the political system like in your country?

B: Our country is a republic based on a multiparty system. According to the liberal concept of

the state, the political power is divided into four parts: Head of State, Government, Parliament

and Jurisdiction. The Head of State has mainly ceremonial role for example meeting VIP

guests from abroad. He also delivers solemn speeches to the nation on the most important

holidays.He is supposed to sign and announce the laws passed by the Parliament.When there

is doubt about a law, the Head of State turns to the Constitutional Court for supervision.The

Constitutional Court supervises the legal procedures and has the right to annihilate or reassure

a law. Every four years general elections are held to elect new MPs (Member of

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Parliament).MPs are responsible for passing or rejecting the laws initiated by the government

or the opposition.

A: What is the procedure of the voting like ?

B:We have a secret voting system, there are voting booths for the electors to chose the

candidate whom they want to be their representative.The party that wins the election becomes

entitled to form the new government.The government is responsible for ruling the country.It

is led by the Prime Minister appointed by the Head of State.After the candidate has got the

majority of the votes starts the swearing-in ceremony during which the Prime Minister

promises to be loyal and perform his duties .Sometimes none of the parties gain enough votes,

in which case they establish a coalition government.Those parties that don’t get enough votes

to form the government, represent the opposition.There are little parties that do not even enter

the Parliament because they cannot get the necessary per cent of votes .

A: How do MPs vote in the Parliament?

B: In most cases they use the voting machine by pressing the button ‘yes’ or ‘no’ The result of

the vote appears on an electric display showing how many members voted for or against and

the number of abstentions as well.Sometimes there is an open vote on request of a group of

MPs.Open vote is arranged by way of showing of hands.It is common knowledge, that there

are heated discussions in the Parliament. It is the chairperson’s duty to maintain law and order in the Parliament

State owned channels always broadcast Parliament debates.

A: How many ministers are there in the government?

B: I’m afraid I cannot give the right number, I know that there 10 or so ministries.The most

important figures are the The Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Misnister of Home Affairs, and

several others who are responsible for a certain field of life, such as agriculture, health,

jurisdiction.

A: What are the rights of the opposition?

B: The parties in opposition have the right to put questions to the Prime Minister or any other

ministers.They are supposed to hand in their questions before the next session so that the

minister can have time to elaborate his answer.The oppositional parties represent their

electors’ interests and try to influence the government’s decisions. There is no real chance for

them to alter the governing parties’ policy, because the majority always vote for

it.Nevertheless, the opposition can put pressure on the government by way of the media or

demonstrations against its policy.Demos are to be announced to the police in advance,

otherwise the activists can be put into custody for breaking the law.

A: May I ask you about your political preferences?

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B: Yes, that is not a secret. I am a ‘liberal conservative’, which may sound strange. I share the

‘liberal minimum’ which is laid down in the Human Rights i.e. in the American Declaration

of Independence.I am a liberal because I think everybody should be given the basic rights:

the freedom of speech and thought, freedom of religion and assembly.On the other hand, I am

conservative, because I am for traditional values, such as the sanctity of marriage, national

traditions and a strict school teaching, just to mention a few points.

A: What are the government’s duties?

B: First of all they have to ‘run’ the country with a safe policy.As I have already mentioned

the government is given a chance to rule the country to the satisfaction of the citizens.The

Government initiate laws that are discussed and passed in the Parliament. They are also

responsible for maintaining law and order in the country.

A: Would you like to be a politician?

B1: Not under any circumstances. A politician is always in the public eye.He or she doesn’t

have privacy because the media ‘hunt’ them wherever they go.

B2: I wouldn’t mind being one, because they earn a fortune compared to my salary.A

politician carries much burden, and has a rather stressful life.VIPs are exposed to blackmails,

terrorism and to their wives’ anger because they hardly ever go home in time.

B1: I wouldn’t pass for a good politician , because I’m not a persuasive type.In addition to

this, I wouldn’t have the guts to take so much burden.

Words and Phrases

abstention tartózkodás (szavazásnál)

agriculture mezőgazdaság

alter megváltoztat

anger düh, harag

annihilate megsemmisít

announce kihirdet, bejelent

appoint kinevez

assent egyetértés

blackmail zsarolás

burden teher

candidate jelölt

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ceremonial role ceremoniális szerep

chairperson elnök (pl. a parlamentben)

coalition koalíció

Constitutional Court alkotmánybíróság

councillor tanácstag, önkormányzati képviselő

decision határozat, döntés

declaration nyilatkozat

deliver a speech beszédet intéz

dim view, take a dim view sötét színben lát

disappointed at / by / in csalódott valamiben

editor, chief editor szerkesztő, főszerkesztő

elaborate kidolgoz

elections választások

elector választópolgár

electric display elektromos kijelző

entitled to jogosult valamire

establish megalapít, létrehoz

gain nyer, elér valamit

general elections országgyűlési választások

guts, have the guts van mersze valamire

heated discussion parázs vita

in advance előre

inalienable elidegeníthetetlen

inherent inherens, bennrejlő, elválaszthatatlan

initiate kezdeményez

jurisdiction jogalkotás, igazságszolgáltatás

keen on lelkesedik valamiért

laid down in le van fektetve valahol

lead, led, led vezet

liberal concept of the state az állam liberális elmélete

loyal hűséges

maintain law and order fenntartani a törvényt és a rendet

Minister of Home Affairs belügyminiszter

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Minister of Foreign Affairs külügyminiszter

MP (Member of Parliament) országgyűlési képviselő

multiparty system többpárt-rendszer

not under any circumstances semmilyen körülmények között

on request kérésre

opposition ellenzék

overrule felülbírál

pass for megfelel valaminek

perform one’s duty teljesíti a kötelességét

persuasive meggyőző

political campaign politikai kampány

political preferences politikai meggyőződés

precarious kétes

preservation megőrzés

Prime Minister miniszterelnök

prior to valami előtt

pursuit of happiness a boldogság keresése

put pressure on nyomást gyakorol valakire

reassure megerősít

reject elvet

represent képvisel

representative képviselő

republic köztársaság

restricted korlátozott

rule irányít, kormányoz

sacred szent

self-assured magabiztos

session ülésszak

sign aláír

state állít

state owned channels állami csatornák

supervision felülvizsgálat

swearing-in ceremony eskütétel

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undeniable tagadhatatlan

VIP (very important person) fontos személy

vote for / against szavaz valamire vagy valami ellen

voter szavazó

voting booth szavazófülke

wage fizetés

withdraw visszavon, visszavonul

A Press Conference

Or how to say nothing

C= Correspondent

P= Mr Politician

P: Welcome everybody, I am ready to answer all your questions provided they are

answerable.

C: Mr P, can I put a rather personal question to you?

P: It depends. You know, I never talk about my private life in public on principle.

C: Oh, I really did not want to intrude on your privacy…I just would like to know how a man

with your intelligence and good taste can put on such a flashy tie.

P: What’s wrong with it?

C: Actually it doesn’t match the serious negotiations you have just finished, if I am not

mistaken.

P: I see no reason why I should put on a black tie for example. This redish-blue just matches

the topic we have discussed.

C: Would you be so kind as to sum up briefly the topic of the negotiation?

P: Well…to start with, I must assure you, that we took into serious consideration every aspect

of the issue we were talking about regardless of the side effects the conclusion might have in

the near future.

C: I see…could you be a bit more explicit?

P: Certainly. As we didn’t want to jump to conclusions we decided on a two-month

contemplation on the subject on either side. It would be inconsiderate of us to take serious

measures when there is no need to do that.

C: Well, much as I try I cannot see the point.

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P: All right then. I’ll try to keep to the point. After a 5-hour negotiation with some heated

discussions we decided to give them their due in due course.

C: Mr P, before the negotiations you announced that without a serious result you wouldn’t

leave the place.

P: And I have kept my promise.

C: Does that mean that you have found solutions to the problems?

P: I can assure you that we did our best to find the most suitable ways and means not to lose

our way to the solution, which is agreeable for both of us.

C: Don’t you find this way a bit off the beaten track?

P: Good point. This is the only question we couldn’t answer. That is why we are going to

continue our debate this time next week. Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your coming

and I hope that my answers satisfied your curiousity.

Words and Phrases

agrreable elfogadható

answerable megválaszolható

aspect szempont

assure biztosít

briefly röviden

conclusion konklúzió

contemplation elmélkedés, meditáció

curiosity kíváncsiság

either side mindkét oldal

explicit világos, érthető

give sy his or her due megadni valakinek, ami jár

I see no reason why I should do… nem látom be, miért tenném

in due course kellő időben

inconsiderate megfontolatlan

intrude on one’s privacy behatolni valakinek a magánéletébe

it depends attól függ

jump to conclusion elhamarkodott véleményt mondani

keep one’s promise megtartja az ígéretét

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keep to the point a lényegről beszél

principle, on principle elv, elvből

provided feltéve, hogy

redish-blue vöröses kék

side effect mellékhatás

sum up összefoglal

take into consideration figyelembe vesz

take measures intézkedést hoz

ways and means utak és módok

Zsibbasztó

Kész vagyok válaszolni a kérdéseikre ..........................................................................................

Feltéve, hogy megválaszolhatók ..................................................................................................

Feltehetek egy személyes kérdést? ...............................................................................................

Attól függ .....................................................................................................................................

Elvből nem beszélek a magánéletemről .......................................................................................

Nyilvánosság előtt ........................................................................................................................

Nem akartam betörni a magánéletébe ..........................................................................................

Egy férfi az ön intelligenciájával és ízlésével ..............................................................................

Mi a baj vele? ...............................................................................................................................

Komoly tárgyalások .....................................................................................................................

Ha nem tévedek ............................................................................................................................

Nem látom be, miért vennék fel fekete nyakkendőt .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Összefoglalná röviden a tárgyalások témáját? .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Biztosítanom kell önöket ..............................................................................................................

Komolyan megfontoltunk minden szempontot ............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Tekintet nélkül a mellékhatásokra ................................................................................................

Nem beszélhetne egy kissé világosabban? ...................................................................................

Nem akartunk elhamarkodott véleményt mondani ......................................................................

Egy kéthónapos gondolkodás mellett döntöttünk ........................................................................

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Mindkét fél részéről .....................................................................................................................

Meggondolatlan lenne a részünkről .............................................................................................

Komoly intézkedéseket hozni, amikor nincs szükség rá ..............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Bármennyire próbálom is, nem értem a lényeget .........................................................................

Megpróbálok a lényegről beszélni ...............................................................................................

Egy ötórás tárgyalás után .............................................................................................................

Elhatároztuk, hogy megfelelő időben megadjuk nekik, ami jár ...................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Komoly eredmény nélkül .............................................................................................................

Megtartottam az ígéretemet ..........................................................................................................

Biztosíthatom afelől, hogy megtettük, ami tőlünk telik ...............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Megtaláltuk a legmegfelelőbb utakat és módokat ........................................................................

Ami mindkettőnk számára elfogadható ........................................................................................

Jövő héten ilyenkor folytatjuk a vitát ...........................................................................................

Remélem, a válaszaim kielégítették a kíváncsiságukat ................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

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21. Science

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

Albert Einstein:Science, philosophy and Religion,

A: What sciences did you learn at school?

B: My favourite was Biology and we were also taught Physics, Chemistry, Geography.

A: Why do you prefer Biology?

B: Because my Biology teacher was an outsdanding one and he made us eager to learn his

subject. I am interested in the natural world mostly in human biology.

A: Did you take the A evel in Biology?

B: Yes, I did. And the written exam wasn’t too difficult for me, thanks to my teacher’s

excellent work. I also took Physics at A level, because I want to be a doctor in the future.

A: Can you name the most important scientific achievements or inventions that

changed our world?

B: Modern civilisation started with the steemboat constructed by Robert Foulton in 1807.

This is said to be the beginning of industrial revolution. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the

Printing Press by Gutenberg . His machine made it possible to make printed books and

thus enlarge the number of readers. Science and art owe a lot to the printing press because

it helped cultivate more people. Nowadays making books is totally computerised. We

mustn’t forget about Bell, who invented the telephone and opened the door for other

inventions such as the radio, fax and the Internet. It was the Wright brothers, who

revolutionised transportation by inventing the first aeroplane. Benjamin Franklin is

unquestionably one of the greatest inventors. He is responsible for the light bulb, and the

phonograph. But for the phonograph, we wouldn’t have recorded folk songs. The greatest

invention in the 20th century was the Internet, which revolutionised communication.

Computers have changed our world considerably; they influenced scientific research and

education too.

A: Are there any Nobel Prize Winners among your scientists or writers?

B:There are about ten Nobel Laureates among the scientists of Hungarian origin. In 2002,

Kertész Imre won the Literary Nobel Prize for his novel “Sorstalanság”, which was

translated into English with the title of ‘Fateless’

A: By the way, what do you know about the Nobel Prize and its founder?

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B: Alfred Nobel was a chemist, engineer and an inventor, who in his will trusted a large

sum to The Swedish Royal Academy to award outstanding scientists.The selection board

names the recipients in October every year. The Prize is awarded by the Swedish

Acadamy at a solemn ceremony. The Nobel Prize goes with a gold medal, a diploma and a

great sum of money. Some recipients donate the money to charity.

A: Did you learn computing at school?

B: At school we learnt computer science, so I can use the word processor, Excel and I can

make a website. Nowadays you simply cannot do without computers.When there is a job

advertised, they surely require at least the basic knowledge of computing.

A: What are the good and bad points of the Internet?

B: Like all inventions that changed our world the Internet has its advantages and

disadvantages. No doubt, we live in a computerized world; due to the Internet the Earth

has turned into a big village. Through the Internet you can have access to any information

you might need.Suffice it to mention timetables, accommodations, and foreign

newspapers.Online shopping saves you a lot of trouble provided you have chosen a

reliable partner. I’d rather buy the necessary products in a shop to make sure of their

quality.With the help of the Internet you can download music, films, literary works etc.

Internet is a great tool in learning, while surfing the Net you can find additional materials

to different subjects. For example, while writing an essay you can add pictures and other

illustrations to your work. However, Internet has its drawbacks as well, just think about its

harmful effects on children. A lot of children become addicted to the Net, and there is a

real danger of developing eyesight problems.E-mail and chatting groups are a good means

of communication and making new friends.However, there is a real danger of making

virtual friends instead of real ones. There are websites for adults which, if visited by

children, can be harmful; I mean pornographic ones for example. What annoys me most,

is the thousands of stupid ads, you simply cannot avoid.It can be dangerous to open an e-

mail, the sender of which is unknown; it might contain viruses. Another crime committed

by way of the Internet is hackers’ intrusion into your documents.Parents should teach their

children not to give their personal data / particulars to any of their chat friends. One can

never know what they want the information for.

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Words and Phrases

access to hozzáférés

accommodation szállás

achievement vívmány

additional material kiegészítő anyag

annoy bosszant

avoid elkerül

award megjutalmaz

blind vak

Carpathian Basin kárpát-medence

charismatic karizmatikus

chemist vegyész

computerised kompjúterizált

construct épít, szerkeszt

cultivate kiművel

donate pénzt ajándékoz

download letölt

draw one’s attention to felhívja a figyelmét

drawback hátrány

enlarge megnövel

eyesight problem látási probléma

fateless sorstalan

founder alapító

hacker számítógép feltörő

harmful effect on káros hatás

human emberi

industrial revolution ipari forradalom

intrusion into behatolás

invent feltalál

invention találmány

light bulb villanyégő

medal érem

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Nobel Laureate Nobel díjas

outstanding kiváló

owe tartozik, köszönhet valamit

phogograph fonográf, hangfelvevő

printing press nyomda

recipient díjazott, aki kap valamit

reliable megbízható

religion vallás

require megkíván

research kutatás

revolutionise forradalmasít

scientific tudományos

selection board választó testület

sender feladó

solemn ceremony ünnepélyes ceremónia

steemboat gőzhajó

supervise felügyel

surely biztosan

thus ekképp

transportation közlekedés, szállítás

trust rábíz, ráhagy

unquestionably vitathatatlanul

virtual virtuális

Zsibbasztó

Milyen reáltárgyakat tanult az iskolában? ....................................................................................

A biológia tanárom kiváló volt.....................................................................................................

Érdekel a természet és az emberi biológia ...................................................................................

Emelt szinten érettségizett? ..........................................................................................................

Az írásbeli nem volt túl nehéz ......................................................................................................

Fel tudná sorolni a legfontosabb tudományos felfedezéseket? ....................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

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Azt mondják, ez az ipari forradalom kezdete ...............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Növelni az olvasók számát ...........................................................................................................

A tudomány sokat köszönhet a nyomtatásnak .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A könyvkészítés teljesen kompjúterizált ......................................................................................

Más találmányok előtt is megnyitotta az utat ...............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Franklin kétségtelenül az egyik legnagyobb feltaláló .................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A fonográf nélkül nem lennének felvett népdalaink ....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az internet forradalmasította a kommunikációt ...........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A végrendeletében nagy összeget hagyott a kiemelkedő tudósok díjazására ..............................

......................................................................................................................................................

Ma nem lehet meglenni számítógép nélkül .................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az internetnek megvannak az előnyei és a hátrányai ..................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az interneten bármilyen információhoz hozzáférhet ...................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Elég, ha csak a menetrendeket említjük .......................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az online vásárlás sok fáradságtól kímél meg .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az internet kiváló eszköz a tanulásban ........................................................................................

Sok gyerek válik netfüggővé ........................................................................................................

Ami a legjobban bosszant ............................................................................................................

Amit nem tud elkerülni ................................................................................................................

Vírust tartalmazhat .......................................................................................................................

Az ember sohasem tudhatja ..........................................................................................................

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An Essay

‘Can I Have a Gene Tonic?’

The title was written by Kolejanisz Tamás,

10.d, 2005. Teleki Blanka Gimnázium

In the course of the 20th century there was an upsurge of new scientific achievements

including genetic modification and cloning. Both of them were confronted with widespread

criticism, even demonstrations on behalf of Greenpeace. The reason for the strong unease in

the public stems from the fact that genetic engineering, along with cloning represent radical

interference in natural and biological processes.

The term ‘genetic engineering’ refers to the process during which the DNA of a living

organism is manipulated in order to create a new species with modified characteristics. For

example new crops that are resistant to chemical fertilisers. Those who are against the new

method have several counter arguments. Firstly, they argue that we know very little about the

possible impacts of GMO on the environment and human health. Secondly, they foresee a

dark scenario that GE crops, while interbreeding with conventional ones, can deprive them of

their habitat, thus causing irretrievable damage to the environment. In addition to this,

Greenpeace activists claim that biodiversity is threatened by GMO-s and can lead to the

extinction of natural species. Those who advocate GE, on the contrary, believe that the new

method helps to produce more food and eliminate famine in the world.

All in all, as there are still ambiguities about the consequences of genetic engineering, most

governments took restrictive measures against GE products. For example, in the EU it is

prohibited to produce or market such food.

Cloning has provoked downright outrage in the public. Poor Molly, the first clone served as

a strong argument against the new science threatening with creation of biologically defective

individuals. A lot of people, religious groups in particular, say that cloning should be

prohibited. They regard it as an irresponsible ‘meddling with creation’ and strongly oppose

human experiments. According to these views, life begins at the moment of conception and

no one has the right to interfere in the embryo. Researchers, on the other hand, argue that with

the improvement of the new method several illnesses could be cured. There are strong pros

and cons on either side, just like in the case of new scientific achievements in the past.

However, as the outcome is still uncertain, human cloning is prohibited at present.

(371 words)

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Words and Phrases

advocate patronál, támogat

along with valamivel együtt

ambiguity bizonytalanság

ambiguous bizonytalan, kétértelmű

at present jelenleg

biodiversity biológiai sokszínűség

characteristics jellemző vonás

chemical fertiliser műtrágya

claim 1. állít 2. igényel

cloning klónozás

conception fogantatás

confront szembeszegül

consequence következmény

conventional hagyományos

counter argument ellenérv

creation teremtés

criticism kritika, bírálat

defective hibás

deprive sy of sg megfoszt valamitől

DNA DNS

downright egyenes, őszinte, kétségtelen

eliminate megszüntet

experiment kísérlet

famine éhínség

foresee megjósol

genetic modification génmódosítás

GMO (genetically modified organism) génmódosított szervezet

habitat élettér

impact on hatás valamire

in order to azért, hogy, abból a célból

in the public a közvéleményben

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individual egyén, egyed

interbreed kereszteződik

interfere in beleavatkozik

interference in beavatkozás

irresponsible felelőtlen

irretrievable visszavonhatatlan

manipulate manipulál, befolyásol

market piac, piacra dob, terjeszt

meddle with belekontárkodik

modify módosít

on behalf of valakinek a részéről

on the contrary ellenkezőleg

oppose, opposition ellenez, ellenzés

organism szervezet

outcome eredmény, kimenetel

outrage felháborodás

process folyamat

prohibit megtilt

radical radikális, gyökeres

regard sg as tekint valaminek

represent képvisel, van valami

researcher kutató

resist sg ellenáll valaminek

resistant to ellenálló valamivel szemben

scenario forgatókönyv

scientific achievement tudományos vívmány

served as an argument érvként szolgált

stem from ered valahonnan

unease szorongás

upsurge feltörés

widespread széles körben elterjedt

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22. Shopping

‘Always be polite to shop assistants. Never talk back to them; never argue;

never speak to them unless spoken to. If they are curt, sarcastic or rude to you,

remember that they might be in a bad mood’

( George Mikes: How to Be a Brit )

A: It is said that we live in a consumer society. Is that true?

B: Yes, absolutely. There has never been such a great variety of products to sell as

nowadays.Modern industry deliberately produces such goods that do not last long.Thus

customers are forced to replace their domestic appliances more often than before.A 3-

year-old computer is considered an outdated one.Companies have been boosting their

production to market as many goods as possible.They spend a fortune on advertisements

to make people buy their new products even if they do not really need them.Consumerist

attitude does a lot of harm; just think about the huge amount of industrial and domestic

waste we produce day by day.If we do not want to destroy our environment we should

reconsider our real needs.

A:What is the cause of the fast spread of shopping centres?

B: The advantage of a shopping centre is that you can find all kinds of goods in one

place.Shopping plazas have changed people’s shopping habits.A lot of people like going

to plazas only to spend their time window-shopping. In fact, most of them find something

to buy in the end.

A: What are the advantages or disadvantages of shopping in plazas?

B : Shopping plazas are popular with the customers, because they sell goods at a lower

price. They attract young people as well, because they offer places of entertainment . A

shopping centre is like a city; apart from shops you can find there cinemas, restaurants,

fitness clubs as well.As to their disadvantages, well, they outdo small shops and firms.As

a result, a lot of people become jobless and firms that cannot compete with plazas go

bankrupt.Just look at the markets, the number of farmers is getting fewer. A lot of farmers

dropped growing vegetables or fruit because they cannot sell them at a good price.

A: Do you know what VAT stands for?

B: Sure. It means value added tax which varies from product to product. VAT is a kind of

tax you pay whenever you buy something or ask for a service.

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A: Do you ever do shopping in plazas?

B : I prefer buying my clothes in small shops instead of plazas; because they are of better

quality.I prefer buying vegetables and fruit in a traditional market rather than in a plaza

where you do not always know where the product comes from.There is something fishy in

their low prices.A customer should always make sure that the product is not expired.

A: Once a month we go to the nearest shopping centre to fill our food supply.It is much

more convenient than doing the shopping every day. Are you a regular customer in any

shops?

B : Yes, I have my favourite shops where I buy my clothes for example.They sell such

clothes that appeal to me.These are private shops with trendy supplies and I can find

whatever I need.

A: I am not a regular customer in any shops.I don’t like spending much money on clothes

that is why I buy them in second-hand shops.

Words and Phrases

a great variety of nagy választéka

appeal to sy tetszik valakinek

appliance készülék

bargain jó üzlet, alkudni

black economy fekete gazdaság

boost felfuttat (termelést)

browse böngészik

consider valaminek tart

consumer society fogyasztói társadalom

consumerist attitude fogyasztói szemlélet

contract szerződés

curt udvariatlan

customer vásárló

deliberately szándékosan

entrepreneur vállalkozó

expire lejár a szavatossága

folder mappa

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goods áruk

market research piackutatás

mood hangulat

offshore adóparadicsom

outdated elavult

outdo felülmúl, leköröz

property tulajdon

receipt csekk, számla

reclaim visszaigényel

retail kiskereskedelem

rude durva

smuggle csempészik

stationery papír- írószer bolt

talk back felesel

taxation system adórendszer

trick sy into sg bebolondít

VAT (value added tax) áfa, áruforgalmi adó

whiten kifehérít

wholesale nagykereskedelem

wholesale dealer nagykereskedő

window-shopping kirakat nézegetés

Zsibbasztó

Soha nem volt ilyen széles választéka a termékeknek .................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Nem tartanak sokáig .....................................................................................................................

Egy hároméves számítógép öregnek számít .................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Piacra dobni annyi terméket, amennyit csak lehet .......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Vagyont költenek a hirdetésekre ..................................................................................................

Hogy vásárlásra ösztönözzék az embereket .................................................................................

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......................................................................................................................................................

Még ha nincs is rá szükségük .......................................................................................................

A fogyasztói szemlélet sok kárt okoz ...........................................................................................

A hatalmas mennyiségű ipari szemét ...........................................................................................

Ha nem akarjuk lerombolni a környezetünket .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mi az oka a bevásárlóközpontok gyors terjedésének? .................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mindenféle árut megtalál egy helyen ...........................................................................................

Cask azért, hogy nézelődjenek .....................................................................................................

A bevásárló központok népszerűek a vásárlók körében ...............................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Szórakozóhelyeket kínálnak .........................................................................................................

Az üzleteken kívül ........................................................................................................................

Ami a hátrányukat illeti ................................................................................................................

Ennek következtében ....................................................................................................................

Sokan munkanélkülivé válnak .....................................................................................................

A gazdák száma csökken ..............................................................................................................

Nem tudják jó áron eladni ............................................................................................................

Mit jelent az Áfa? .........................................................................................................................

Árunként változik .........................................................................................................................

Job minőségűek ............................................................................................................................

Job szeretek hagyományos piacon zöldséget venni .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Gyanúsak az alacsony áraik .........................................................................................................

Megtalálom, amire cask szükségem van. .....................................................................................

Online Shopping

M=Mrs Mug A= Apprentice

A: Hullo, could I speak to Mrs Mug*, please?

M: Speaking.

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A: Ah, good morning Mrs Mug. My name is John Cheat, I am the apprentice of Mr

Conman**. I am phoning to tell you that the chest of drawers you ordered last month is ready

and is being delivered.

M: Oh, do you mean right now?

A: Sure...it must be there in a few minutes.

M: But ...um, well, I thought you would send it next week, not earlier ... and you know I was

about to leave...

A: Don’t worry, Mrs Mug. It really won’t take long...um...have you emptied the room yet?

M: Pardon? ...are you sure you’ve got the right number?

A: Ah yes,...so please empty the room so that...

M: But why should I?

A: Look, Mrs Mug...you ordered a dark brown oak chest of drawers, 1 metre high and half a

metre wide with 6 drawers, didn’t you?

M: Yes, I did.

A: That’s it...um I mean...the trouble is that we only have chests of larger size 3 by 2 metres

with 20 drawers...suppose you have standard doors?

M: Doors?

A: Oh, yes...you see...we simply cannot move it into your flat through standard doors. That is

why there are five workers with the lorry, which is to arrive soon, and they are going to build

the chest of drawers for you on the spot. By the way, the men didn’t have anything for

breakfast, we were in such a hurry...

M: But look...I do not want that monster of yours!

A: Sorry to hear that, but it is the only size we have. Nevertheless, I’m sure you’ll like the

colour. It is dark pink...sort of Bourbon style.

M: Oh, God...it’s hair-raising!

A: Oh, Mrs Mug, don’t lose heart, it is such a beautiful piece of furniture.

M: Now listen! If you dare to approach my standard door with your monsterous dark pink

Bourbon, I’ll call the police. Take my word for it!

mug is somebody who can be tricked easily, **con man = confidence man, who gets money

from people by assuming a pious manner and thus gains their confidence

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Words and Phrases

3 by 2 metres 3-szor 2 méteres

assume felvesz valamilyen modort

chest of drawers fiókos szekrény, sublód

con man csaló

confidence bizalom

dark pink sötét rózsaszín

don’t lose heart ne csüggedjen!

gain megszerez

hair-raising hajmeresztő

I was about to leave éppen indulni készültem

is being delivered éppen most szállítják

it won’t take long nem tart sokáig

lorry teherautó

monster szörnyeteg

monsterous szörnyű, szörnyeteg

mug balek

nevertheless ennek ellenére

oak tölgyfa

of larger size nagyobb méretű

on the spot a helyszínen

order megrendel

pious manner szenteskedő modor

sort of Bourbon style egyfajta bourbon sítlus

standard door átlagos ajtó

Take my word for it. Szavamat adom rá.

which is to arrive soon ami hamarosan meg fog érkezni

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An Essay

Shopaholics

Do you want to show off your money, to keep up with the Joneses? If yes, replace your

three-year-old car, regardless of it is being reliable without the slightest scrap on it. Do you

easily fall for ads? If yes, rush to apply the latest anti-wrinkle stuff that makes you look ten

minutes younger for half an hour. Never mind the price. It is worth the money as long as you

believe in it.

Consumerist attitude has done a lot of harm to our world. Just pause for a moment and have

a vision of the scrap heaps and rubbish dumps that spoil the outskirts of our cities. Where do

they vanish? They go into the soil or in the air polluting the environment excessively.

Recycling cannot compete with all the waste we produce day by day. We go on with our

overconsumption and garbage with no regard to the right of our offspring to have a habitable

world.

The time has come to reconsider our real needs and values. Consumerists argue that our

whole economic life is based on the libertarian concept of free market that is controlled by the

needs of the consumer buyer and is supported by advertising to induce extra needs in the

population. A large per cent of workers earn their living by producing luxuries or advertising

these goods. Do we really want to make them redundant? Of course, we do not. However,

there are moral aspects to take into account. We have inherited a miraculous world which we

are responsible for. How long would it take us to cease to destroy it with our irresponsible

attitude?

Another side of the coin is also worth contemplation. What has happened to our concept of

values? Have we become the slaves of our luxurious needs? Are we to spend our life window-

shopping in plazas or being fooled into purchasing the latest signalling trainers, just because

the classmates of our child have already got ones? Are they really necessary for his or her

happiness, or do you buy them just because you do not dare to say ‘no’? Consumerist

behaviour is deliberately encouraged in the teens by advertising companies because they

represent a huge market and are potential shopaholics in the long run.

We live in a product-stricken society. If you do not want to live in modern slavery, bring up

your children to appreciate good books instead of fashionable clothes and let them enjoy

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music instead of worshipping the appliance that plays it. Try to pass on to them real values

that improve our world.

(429 words)

Words and Phrases

anti wrinkle ránctalanító

appliance készülék

appreciate értékel, megbecsül

cease to do = stop doing sg abbahagy valamit

coin érme

compete with versenyez

concept felfogás, elv

concept of values értékrend, felfogás

consumer buyer fogyasztói vásárló (’l’art pour l’art vásárló)

consumerism, consumerist fogyasztói szemlélet, azt támogató

consumerist attitude fogyasztói szemlélet

consumerist behaviour fogyasztói magatartás

contemplate meditál, elgondolkodik

contemplation meditálás, elmélkedés

dare merészel

deliberate, deliberately szándékos, szándékosan

encourage ösztönöz, bátorít

excess, excessive, excessively túlzás, túlzó, túlzottan

fall for bedől valaminek

fool into bebolondít, rászed

free market szabad piac

habitable lakható, élhető

induce előidéz, okoz, ösztönöz

keep up with lépést tart valakivel

libertarian, liberal libertinus, liberális, szabadelvű

luxurious luxus (melléknév)

luxury luxus, luxuscikk

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moral aspect erkölcsi szempont

outskirt külső széle

overconsumption túlfogyasztás

pass on to sy továbbad

pause szünetet tart, megáll

potential lehetséges, potenciális

product-stricken áru sújtotta

purchase vásárol

reconsider újragondol, átértékel

recycling újrafeldolgozás

represent képvisel, van valami

rubbish dump szemétdomb

scrap ócskavas

scrap heap roncstelep

shopaholic mániákus vásárló

show off henceg

signal, signalling jelzés, jelez, jelző

slave, slavery rabszolga, rabszolgaság

support támogat

take into account figyelembe vesz

value érték

vanish eltűnik

vision látomás, látvány

with no regard to tekintet nélkül valamire

worship vallásos áhítattal imád

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23. Sports

‘The secret of long life is the total lack of sport’

(Sir Winston Churchil)

A: Do you do any sports?

B: I have been doing different sports from an early age.I used to go swimming but I gave

it up because the pool was always overcrowded. I have been playing handball for 6 years.

A: I used to do sport but I dropped it because I wanted to concentrate on my exams. Is

there any point in doing sport?

B: Sport is healthy, relaxing and a good way of entertainment. Doing exercise every day

can be beneficial to your health. If I were you I would take up a sport to be fit both

physically and mentally. 20 minutes of exercise helps produce endorphins, the so-called

‘hormones of happiness’.

Sport gives you a lot of energy that helps you to cope with difficulties in life.

A: Do you have any chances at school to do sports?

B: At school we have only two PE lessons a week; if I had my way, I would make it 5.

Sports facilities and equipment at our school are not the best, but there is the City Park

nearby where we can run in the fresh air. In PE lessons we do running, jumping, climbing

the bars, throwing weights etc.

A: I hate PE lessons because I am clumsy and always feel embarrassed. I am always

ashamed of performing jumps for example with the others staring at me. If I were the

Minister of Education I would ban teachers from giving marks for performances.I would

only mark the effort not the results. What is the difference between professional and

amateur sport?

B: Professional sportsmen have a rather stressful and monotonous life.They go training

every day and are forced to improve their results day by day. However, it must be

fantastic to get the gold medal and listen to the national anthem played for you. I prefer

being an amateur sportsman rather than torturing myself to death for the better results.

A: What are the main sport events in the world?

B: Olympic Games are the most prestigious sport events, every sportsmen wants to win an

Olympic medal. Olympic Games are held in every four years, and countries compete for

the chance to organise them. I rarely watch sports programmes, but I definitely wouldn’t

miss the Olympic Games. Apart from the Olympic Games, the most popular sport events

are the World Championships. Now and then some athletes fail the dope test because they

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use illegal drugs to enhance their strength. It is a nice tradition to award a sportsman for

his fair play.

A: Have you got a favourite sport or sportsman?

B: I have. I am mad about handball and wouldn’t miss any matches of my favourite team.

My favourite team is called ‘Gold Hands’; they won silver medal in the last European

Championship.My favourite sportsman is Freddy Ball whose style amounts to art. This

year in the semi-finals Freddy Ball scored 3 goals but in the finals he got injured and was

withdrawn from the field.

A :Do you ever watch football?

B: I am not really enthusiastic about football; I’d rather watch basketball or volleyball.

What disgusts me most is football hooliganism. Sometimes the fans go mad and behave

like gangsters in the street frightening everybody with their behaviour.

A: What is your attitude to extreme sports? Could you name some of them?

B: There are adventurers who take delight in extreme sports such as rafting,

paragliding,and rock climbing etc. I find it a foolish thing to risk your life just for fun.

Sport is good as long as you don’t overdo it. People regard jogging as a good way to be

fit, however you can have a heart attack if you overdo it. I wonder why some people go

jogging in a busy street; they only breathe in traffic fumes.

A: Apart from handball, which is your favourite sport?

B: I am a tennis fan and always watch the matches on Eurosport.

A: What are the rules of tennis?

B: Tennis is played either by two or four people depending on the game being single or

double. If you want to play tennis first you should buy the necessary equiment such as a

racquet, tennis balls, and suitable clothes. It has been traditional for the players to wear

white shorts or skirts with white T-shirts. It is advisable to buy such clothes that don’t

prevent you from free movements. The place where the game takes place is called (tennis)

court with a net in the middle. The net is stretched on either side and the point is that your

ball shouldn’t bump into it The judge sits high on a special chair to be able to supervise

the match .The game usually starts with tossing up a coin to chose the left or right side of

the court. The players serve one by one and try to score more points than their opponent.

This may sound easy, but there are several aspects you should take into account. First you

should learn the proper grip of the racquet to return a serve. The server has to stand behind

the baseline and push off the ball with all his or her might. Each player is given three

chances to serve.When the ball hits the net and lands outside the line, it is fault, and you

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lose points. It is a recurring scene that players start to argue with the judge whether the

ball was out or not. Serving and receiving the serve are equally difficult. To win a match

you have to score more points and win more games than your opponent does.

Words and Phrases

adventurer kalandor

amounts to art művészettel ér fel

ashamed of szégyell valamit

ban sy/sg from doing sg megtiltani valakinek valamit

bars korlát

baseline alapvonal

behaviour magatartás

beneficial hasznos

bump into beleütközik

concentrate on összpontosít valamire

disgust utálattal tölt el, undorít

effort törekvés, szorgalom

endorphin endorfin, boldogság hormon

enhance megnövel

equipment felszerelés

extreme sport extrém sport

fail the dope test megbukik a dopping teszten

fair play sportszerű játék

fault hiba

final döntő

grip fogás, megragadás

improve fejleszt

jogging kocogás

lack of hiánya

mentally szellemileg

monotonous monoton, egyhangú

net háló

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oppononet ellenfél

overcrowded túlzsúfolt

overdo túlzásba visz

paragliding siklórepülés

performance teljesítés

physically fizikailag

pool medence

prestigious rangos

prevent sy from sg megakadályoz valamiben

proper megfelelő

racquet teniszütő

rafting vadevezés

reconcile to belenyugszik valamibe

recurring scene visszatérő jelenet

risk kockáztat

rock climbing sziklamászás

score goals gólt lő

score points pontot szerez

semi-final elődöntő

serve szervál, adogat

sports facilities sportlétesítmények

strength erő

stretch nyújt

take into account számításba vesz

throw weight súlyt dob

torture kínoz

toss up a coin pénzt feldob

with all his might teljes erőből

withdraw visszavon

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Zsibbasztó

Sportol? ........................................................................................................................................

Kora gyermekkoromtól sportolok. ...............................................................................................

Azelőtt úsztam. .............................................................................................................................

Az uszoda mindig zsúfolt volt. .....................................................................................................

Hat éve kézilabdázom. .................................................................................................................

A tanulásra akartam koncentrálni .................................................................................................

Van értelme sportolni? .................................................................................................................

A sport jó szórakozás ...................................................................................................................

20 perc torna segít, hoyg fitek legyünk ........................................................................................

Megbirkózni az élet nehézségeivel ..............................................................................................

Cask két tornnaóránk van .............................................................................................................

Ha rajtam múlna ...........................................................................................................................

Nem a legjobbak ...........................................................................................................................

Mindig zavarban vagyok ..............................................................................................................

Miközben a többiek engem bámulnak .........................................................................................

Ha én lennék az oktatási miniszter ...............................................................................................

Csak a szorgalmat osztályoznám ..................................................................................................

A profi sportolóknak stresszes az élete ........................................................................................

Naponta javítani az eredményeiket ..............................................................................................

Nagyszerű lehet aranyérmet szerezni ...........................................................................................

Halálra kínozni magam ................................................................................................................

Az Olimpia a legrangosabb verseny .............................................................................................

Négyévente tartják ........................................................................................................................

Ritkán nézek sportközvetítésket ...................................................................................................

Biztosan nem hagynám ki az Olimpiát ........................................................................................

A stílusa művészetttel ér fel .........................................................................................................

A döntőben megsérült ..................................................................................................................

Nem lelkesedem a fociért .............................................................................................................

Néha megőrülnek a szurkolók ......................................................................................................

Mit gondola az extrém sportokról? ..............................................................................................

Ostoba dolognak tartom kockáztatni az életet a szórakozás kedvéért .........................................

......................................................................................................................................................

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A teniszt ketten vagy négyen játsszák ..........................................................................................

A szükséges felszerelés ................................................................................................................

Hagyomány, hogy ........................................................................................................................

Tanácsos, hogy .............................................................................................................................

Érme feldobása .............................................................................................................................

An Interview

R= Reporter

Ch (Robert) = Champion who has just won the 100-metre sprint. He is sweating heavily and

panting, apparently on the verge of collapsing.

R: Welcome everybody here, in the Mostest Stadium, which is such a stunning place, we can

only congratulate the architect on his imagination. Here with us Robert Runy who has just

won the 100-metre sprint. We caught him on the hop, didn’t we, Robert? He-he. How are

you?

Ch: (Panting loudly) Fine…thanks…

R: Robert, I noticed, that at the start you sort of withheld yourself. I thought you must have

done it on purpose to spare energy for the last metres. Am I right?

Ch: (Still panting) Well…I didn’t…I just wanted… a good start…

R: Oh, I see. There was a short press conference before the race and your trainer said you

were at your best both physically and mentally. That is why I still wonder why you chose that

risky start, I mean staying behind. Were you sure the tactics would work?

Ch: Sorry…hm…what tactics…I just wanted…

R: Oh, I know you have been training hard for a year for this race in particular. What method

did you apply in training? It must be really exciting to build a year-long programme for a few-

second race.

I’m convinced very few people would have the perseverance to do that.

Ch: Sorry…what is …the question…

R: It has been rumoured that you want to resign and get married. Don’t you think it a rather

early withdrawal from sport at your age? It has also been said that it is your wife-to-be who

persuaded you to drop professional sport.

Ch: Well, I’ve …got no idea…

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R: Don’t worry, I am not trying to intrude into your privacy. Anyway it is advisable to finish

when one is at the top. Any other ideas for the future apart from starting a family?

Ch: Look, I have just won the world championship and broken the world record at that. You

would see it if you turned your pretty eyes to the display. Thank you for congratulating me on

my greatest achievement. By the way, I am a happy husband and the father of two children,

and it didn’t even cross my mind to drop sports. Now I am going on a holiday with my

family, and then I’ll start training hard for the Olympic Games. Thank you.

Words and Phrases

catch sy on the hop futtában elkap, készületlenül ér

cross one’s mind megfordul a fejében

on the verge of collapsing az összeesés szélén

pant zihál

sweat izzad

withdrawal visszavonulás

withhold visszafog

An Essay

Stir!

How much time do you spend staring at the monitor or the TV screen? How often do you go

to see your GP to ask for a prescription for an effective painkiller? Are you on multivitamins

in order to be fit? Are you torturing yourself with a zero calorie slimming cure to lose the

extra weight you have put on during the last ten years? How long do you intend to go on with

this self-deception?

Do not deceive yourself – all your troubles including your never ceasing backache, the

disorders of your digesting system, your tendency to sweat and pant after climbing a short

flight of stairs, the moroseness with which you start every day can be put down to the lack of

healthy exercise. Do not you think, it is high time you turned a new leaf and started moving

your limp muscles so that they can be stiff and firm again?

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It is common knowledge that physical fitness goes together with a vigorous mind and

resilience. It transforms negative energies into positive ones and thus helps cope with

difficulties. The cause is simple: it has been proved that 20 minutes of exercise produces

endorphins, the hormones that are responsible for our mental and psychological balance. In

colloquial terms, it is referred to as the hormone of happiness.

Doing sport can be beneficial from various aspects. No only does it help to cope with

problems, to be efficient at your work or in your private life, but also good in moral terms as

well. I do not have individual sport in mind, or those who are obsessed with blowing their

muscles in a gym with the false idea of masculinity, but activities that are done with partners.

Sport has an edifying character; it develops and improves the sense of fairness. You are taught

to respect your opponent while fighting him or her. Sport is the best of games, enjoyable and

useful.

However, Physical Exercises as a subject has been lagging behind in the National

Curriculum, which focuses on academic subjects, i.e. on the education of the mind. We

predominantly teach science trying to stuff our students’ heads with as much information as

possible, forgetting about their basic needs for experiencing physical challenges. Another

discouraging point is that in PE lessons teachers estimate their students on the basis of their

results instead of their effort. They should take into account that students are not professionals

longing to beat records. Unless the preferences are modified there will not be any

improvement in the poor health of the younger generation.

(430 words)

Words and Phrases

stir 1. kever 2. mozdul, moccan

academic subject elméleti tantárgy

backache hátfájás

balance egyensúly

beneficial jótékony

cease abbahagy

colloquial style társalgási stílus

digesting system emésztőrendszer

discourage, discouraging elbátortalanít, elkedvetlenítő

disorder rendellenesség

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edifying erkölcsnemesítő, nevelő hatású

effective hatékony

effort erőfeszítés, szorgalom

estimate felbecsül, értékel (pl. osztályzattal)

experience megél valamit

firm szilárd, erős

flight of stairs lépcső

from various aspects különböző szempontból

have sg in mind gondol valamire

in colloquial terms hétköznapi nyelven

in moral terms erkölcsileg

individual sport egyéni sport

it is common knowledge köztudott

it is referred to as úgy nevezik, hogy

lag behind lemarad

limp muscles petyhüdt izmok

lose weight lefogy

masculinity férfiasság

modify módosít

morose, moroseness mogorva, mogorvaság

National Curriculum Nemzeti Tanterv

obsessed with megszállottan tesz valamit

obsession mánia, megszállottság

painkiller fájdalomcsillapító

pant zihál

physical fitness jó erőnlét

poor health rossz egészségi állapot

predominantly túlnyomóan

preferences preferenciák, amiket előnyben részesítünk

prescription for orvosi recept

put down to betud valaminek, visszavezet valamire

put on weight meghízik

resilient, resilience rugalmas, rugalmasság

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self-deception önámítás

sense of fairness igazságérzet

stare at bámul valamire

stiff feszes, kemény, merev

sweat izzad

take into account figyelembe vesz

torture kínoz

transform átalakít

vigorous eleven, életerős

zero calorie slimming cure nulla kalóriás fogyókúra

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24. Theatre

'the purpose of playing...both at the first and now was and is, to hold as 'twere

the mirror up to nature, to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image,

and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure.' (Shakespeare

: Hamlet, Act 3)

A :Are you a theatregoer?

B: To my mind, going to the theatre is the best way of entertainment. I am a real

theatregoer and I always check the repertory of the best theatres at the beginning of the

theatrical season. There are a lot of prestigious theatres in Budapest with highly talented

casts. If you want to watch a play, it is advisable to book the tickets in advance otherwise

you can find that all the tickets have been sold. You can get your tickets in a box office.

Once I had the opportunity to watch a rehearsal, which was quite interesting.

A: What plays are you interested in?

B: I prefer watching classical plays but I don’t mind going to modern ones as well. I am

interested in both tragedies and comedies. I prefer plays that introduce true-to-life

characters. My favourite playwright is Shakespeare and I never miss any of the

performances. When the audience enjoys the performance very much, there follows a loud

applause and several curtain calls. The success of a performance lies in excellent acting

and directing. More than 10 years ago, on my visit to London I had the chance to watch

King Lear in a small suburban theatre. At the beginning I felt embarrassed because I

couldn’t catch up with the actors’ speech. Then I realized that they spoke 16th century

English and built such a stage that reminded the audience of the Globe.

A: Could you explain the ever lasting popularity of Shakespeare?

B :The reason for his popularity lies in his genius. That is first. Secondly, he created true-

to-life characters by showing their virtues and deficiencies as well. Last but not least, he

staged such dramas that happen to us regardless of the time and place we live in. Briefly,

we are mirrored in his characters, and are enchanted by his witty style.

A: Have you ever dreamed of becoming an actor / actress?

B: I wouldn’t be an actor, as I cannot overcome stage fright. I wouldn’t pass for an actor,

because I don’t have the gift or skills that are indispensable. I used to play in the school

theatre but it was just a hobby. I would not be able to learn such long texts by heart.

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A: What was the last play you saw?

B: The last play I saw was ‘Tartuffe’, a comedy by Molière. This is a comedy in 5 acts

and is written in verse.The plot takes place in the 17th century France during the reign of

Luis XIV. The main character is a man who pretends to be pious. He is trying to hide his

real motives that are quite base. Tartuffe wants to seduce his host’s wife and to get his

property. In order to get what he wants he ingratiates himself with Orgon, who believes

him. All the other family members are aware of the fact that Tartuffe is a creep. Orgon

becomes so enchanted by Tartuffe that he disinherits his family . It is the wife, who forces

Orgon to face reality that is Tartuffe’s base intentions. She pretends to accept his

courtship while Orgon is hiding under the table. In the end, Tartuffe is unmasked and is

arrested. I think the play is about hypocrisy and fanatics. The acting was marvellous, but

the setting was quite unimpressive.

A: Who works in the theatres?

B: Apart from the actors and directors a lot of other people contribute to the

performances. There are a lot of people working in the wings: the stagehands, stage-

designers, make-up artists etc.

A: What makes a good actor?

B: To begin with, an actor must have empathy for various characters, i.e. he has to know

people very well. He is supposed to be a good psychologist in a sense. There are practical

skills that an actor has to acquire during his studies. A good actor is always articulate, and

never mutters. It can be really irritating when the audience cannot catch the text because

of the inarticulate words of the actors. In addition to this, an actor has to be familiar with

body language. Sometimes a gesture says more than many words.

A: Where can we find the repertories of the theatres?

B: The easiest way is to search the Internet, but you can also be informed by

advertisements. In England there is a popular paper called Evening Standard, which is a

cultural guide and contains the repertory of London theatres. Furthermore the paper gives

a detailed description of the theatres, and gives useful advice to the readers.From the

Evening Standard you learn where you can park your car, or where you can have a drink

or supper after the performance.

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Words and Phrases

all kinds of characters mindenféle jellem / szerep

apart from valamin kívül

applause, applaud taps, tapsol

arrest letartóztat

audience közönség

base intentions alantas szándékok

book the tickets in advance előzetesen jegyet venni

box office jegyiroda

classical plays klasszikus darabok

contribute to hozzájárul valamihez

courtship udvarlás

creep talpnyaló

curtain calls visszatapsolás

enchanted by elbűvölve valakitől

enchanting varázslatos

face reality szembesül a valósággal

fanatic fanatikus, vakbuzgó

force sb to do sg kényszerít

gifted tehetséges

highly talented cast nagyon tehetséges színtársulat

hypocrisy képmutatás

leading part főszerep

lies in rejlik valamiben

make-up artist sminkes

opportunity to lehetőség valamire

otherwise másképp, különben

overcome stage fright legyőzni a színpadi lázat

pious jámbor, szenteskedő

playwright drámaíró

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prestigious theatres rangos színházak

pretend to be színlel valamit

property tulajdon

real motives igazi szándékok

rehearsal színházi próba

repertory repertoár, műsor

seduce elcsábít

setting díszlet

stage-designer díszlettervező

stagehands színpadi munkás

the best way of entertaining a szórakozás legjobb módja

theatregoer színházkedvelő

theatrical season színházi évad

true-to-life character valósághű jellem

unimpressive hatástalan, unalmas

unmask leleplez

written in verse versben íródott

A Description

A Witch from Macbeth

All of a sudden the trap-door swings open and a ghastly-looking creature ascends through it.

She has an ubelievably rugged countenance with furrows around her eyes and a toothless

mouth, grumbling, mumbling all the time. Several hairy warts are scattered around her chin

and forehead making her skin rocky and ugly beyond description. Her harpy-looking eyes are

staring at the spotlights as if she were blind. Her long, thin, grey hair is greasy and matted,

covered by cobwebs obscuring her face.

There is scarcely any body under her rags; a skin and bone jade with withered limbs and

humped back. Her hands are trembling and resembling the claws of an eagle. With her black

fingernails she keeps scratching her itchy palms and grasping at something invisible in the

air. She is holding a rust covered crown in her hand.

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She is wrapped in faded old rags, in an ash-coloured, tattered old cloak with blood-stains on

it. It is tied around her body and fastened to her waist by a mildewed rope. Being barefooted,

her dirty, muddy feet are shuffling on the stage making a terrible noise.

Words and Phrases

all of a sudden hirtelen

as if she were blind mintha vak lenne

ascend felmegy

ash hamu

barefooted mezítláb

blood stain vérfolt

claw karom

cobweb pókháló

countenance tekintet, arckifejezés

eagle sas

fade elhalványul

fasten odaerősít

fingernail köröm

furrow mély ránc

ghastly-looking szörnyű kinézetű

grasp kapkod valami után

greasy zsíros (haj)

grumble morog

hairy szőrös

harpy-looking hárpia kinézetű

hump púp

invisible láthatatlan

itchy viszkető

jade gebe

limb végtag

matted csapzott

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mildew penész

mumble motyog

obscure elhomályosít

palm tenyér

rag rongy

rugged érdes, viharvert

rust covered rozsda fedte

scarcely alig

scratch vakar

shuffle csoszog

skin and bone csont és bőr

spotlight reflektor

swing open kinyílik, kicsapódik

tatter rongy, cafat

trap-door csapóajtó

ugly beyond description leírhatatlanul rút

unbelievably hihetetlenül

waist derék

wart szemölcs

withered elhervadt, aszott

wrap becsomagol, fed

Story Writing

A Remarkable Performance

In many of the old theatres there are bad conditions, drab and dark dressing rooms full of fleas

and marching mice but with no running water.

No wonder if an actor tries to make his entrance long before his cue and delays his departure

as long as he can. As Thomas Wit did when he was so depressed by the backstage conditions

that he decided to stay on stage at all costs.

He played the part of a gardener that night. In a scene he only had to say: “Very good,

milady” and go out. But to the great astonishment of his partners and to the greater delight of

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the audience his one-line sentence became the longest scene in the play turning the drama into

a real farce.

At first he pretended not to hear the question and asked for it to be repeated several times.

Then he began to admire the set pulled the handle off the door so that he could not open it.

Then a new idea came to his mind. There was a gin bottle with water in it standing on the

cocktail cabinet. Thomas took the bottle and began to drink while waiting for his scene. To

make the thing more realistic he started to behave as if he was drunk. Some other thirsty

members of the staff followed his example and tried to reach the bottle as there was no

drinking water in the dressing rooms.

Meanwhile the leading actors pretended not to take notice of this unusual scene and went on

acting as though none of this was happening.

Finally, Thomas realised that the only way he could stay on stage was as a corpse. All of a

sudden he grabbed his throat, rolled his eyes and shouted: “Milady, I’ve been poisoned!”

Then he began to agonise, staggering around the stage for 3-4 minutes before falling down

and lying dead by the fireplace, as there was no heating in the dressing rooms.

This unexpected development in the plot caused a bit of a shock among the others on stage. It

took some minutes for them to recover and improvise. No sooner had they calmed down than

new characters turned up in the play.

When the leading actress took a cigarette, a flea jumped out of the case and right into her

gown. At the same time a mouse emerged from the jacket of her partner and began to climb

up his shoulder.

No audience have ever seen such an exciting scene which now followed. No artists have ever

been so animated.

But the flea and the mouse were at their best and to the greatest admiration of the spectators,

they upstaged the actors.

The mouse even joined them for the curtain calls, but the actress thought “enough is enough”

and stamped on it while bowing and smiling sweetly.

The text was inspired by Oliver Prittchet, The Daily Telegraph

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Words and Phrases

admiration csodálat

admire csodál

agonise haldoklik

animated eleven

astonishment megrökönyödés

at all costs minden áron

audience nézőközönség

backstage színpad mögötti

bow meghajol

case tárca

cocktail cabinet bárszekrény

corpse hulla, holttest

cue végszó

delay elhalaszt

delight öröm

departure távozás

development fejlemény

drab szürke, komor

dressing room öltöző

emerge kiemelkedik

farce bohózat

flea bolha

gown ruha

grab megragad

handle kilincs

heating fűtés

improvise rögtönöz

leading actress vezető színésznő

make his/her entrance színpadra lép

march marsírozik

mouse, mice egér

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no wonder nem csoda

poison méreg, mérgez

pretend tettet, úgy tesz, mintha

reach elér, nyúl valamihez

realistic realista, valósághű

recover felgyógyul, magához tér

roll one’s eyes kidülleszti a szemét

set díszlet

shoulder váll

stagger vánszorog, tántorog

stamp rátapos

take notice of észre vesz

throat torok

turn up feltűnik, megjelenik

unexpected váratlan

upstage lelép valakit ( jobban játszik a színpadon)

Zsibbasztó

Az öltözőben nincs folyóvíz .........................................................................................................

Nem csoda, hogy jóval a végszó előtt színpadra lépett ................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Halogatta a távozást, ameddig csak tudta .....................................................................................

Elkeseredett volt a kulisszák mögötti körülmények miatt ...........................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Elhatározta, hogy mindenáron a színpadon marad .......................................................................

Partnerei nagy megrökönyödésére ...............................................................................................

A közönség még nagyobb örömére ..............................................................................................

Egysoros mondata a leghosszabb jelenet lett ...............................................................................

A drámát bohózattá változtatta .....................................................................................................

Úgy tett, mintha nem hallaná a kérdést ........................................................................................

Többször megismételtette ............................................................................................................

Elkezdte csodálni a díszletet ........................................................................................................

Lehúzta az ajtóról a kilincset ........................................................................................................

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Új ötlete támadt ............................................................................................................................

Inni kezdett, míg a jelenetére várt ................................................................................................

Úgy kezdett viselkedni, mintha részeg lenne ...............................................................................

A színészek úgy tettek, mintha nem vennék észre .......................................................................

Tovább játszottak, mintha mindez nem történne meg ..................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az egyetlen módja, hogy színpadon maradjon, ha holttest lesz ...................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Hirtelen a torkához kapott ............................................................................................................

Megmérgeztek ..............................................................................................................................

Elkezdett haldokolni, tántorogni a színpadon ..............................................................................

Halottan feküdt a kandalló mellett ...............................................................................................

Ez a váratlan fejlemény kisebb sokkot okozott ............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Pár percbe telt, míg magukhoz tértek ...........................................................................................

Alig nyugodtak meg, amikor új szereplők jelentek meg a darabban ...........................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Amikor cigarettát vett elő .............................................................................................................

Egy bolha ugrott ki a tárcából ......................................................................................................

Egy egér jött elő a partnere kabátjából .........................................................................................

Közönség még nem látott ilyen izgalmas jelenetet ......................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Soha még színészek nem voltak ilyen elevenek ...........................................................................

A nézők legnagyobb csodálatára ..................................................................................................

Dialogue

A: Hello, we haven’t met for donkey’s years…how are you getting on?

B: Oh, hello. Nice to see you again. Fancy meeting you here! You look really elegant. Where

have you been?

A: I’ve been to the theatre. You know, I like putting on my best clothes for the theatre and I

really don’t see the reason why people should wear casual clothes in the evening, in the

theatre in particular. At least this is the tendency nowadays. It is so vulgar.

B: Oh, I see you haven’t changed a bit. By the way, what play did you watch?

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A: Waiting for Godot.

B: Oh, really? I didn’t know you were keen on absurd theatre. I thought you had a taste for

classical plays.

A: No, you are mistaken. I do like the absurd provided it is well written.

B: Well, to tell you the truth, I hate this play. Once I saw it and was rather disappointed.

There is no real plot in it, the dialogues unfold nothing, all in all it strikes me as a deeply

nihilistic view of life.

A: Well, you cannot expect a modern play to draw on Shakespeare. Godot is not a naturalistic

play, it is supposed to convey the idea how absurd our life has become.

B: It depends. But do you really think that absurdity goes together with boredom?

A: Now you are exaggerating. It is not boring the least bit. Rather it is mentally challenging to

follow the dialogues.

B: Well, I don’t know. I expect the theatre to elevate me from everyday life. Anyway a play is

supposed to entertain, to enchant so to say. I like admiring the set, sympathizing with the

characters, in a word experience catharsis. And to be frank, I detest this new fashion among

actors to mutter instead of speaking articulately. And you know, at least it seems to me so,

contemporary playwrights tend to create mere types instead of flesh and blood characters.

You simply feel estranged from the play. If I were an actor I would hate working without the

demand for impersonation.

A: Well, I see you are against modernism. You know, the days of old William are gone for

good.

B: I’m not sure. And I am not against experimental theatre at all. A month ago I saw Romeo

and Juliet. I was afraid of watching it, because according to the reviews the director had

staged it with modern settings and costumes. But it was a revelation! I don’t normally like

modernized classics, but it was really marvellous. Both the acting and directing was superb. It

was a new translation very different from the one we read before. It was a bit provoking to

listen to today’s language, slang sometimes, but I enjoyed it immensely. Yeah, it was so life-

like full of vitality. It is not the jeans that can spoil Shakespeare but poor art.

A: We agree on this point.

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25. Tourism

‘For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. ‘

(Robert Louis Stevenson: Travels with a Donkey)

A: What kind of destinations do attract tourists?

B: Every summer, millions of people set off on a trip abroad or to explore their own

country. During the winter holidays, thousands of skiers invade the mountains just to

have a broken bone. Some go on a two-week voyage only to become seasick on the

very first day. Others flock to places of historical interest to take photos of

magnificent sights. Many people visit the Acropolis only to have a Hamburger in a

local McDonald’s afterwards. As the saying goes, ‘Travel broadens the mind.’ Some

people seek adventure and go rafting or scuba diving for example.

A: What benefit do we get from tourism apart from entertainment?

B: While abroad, you can get acquainted with other cultures and customs. Wherever

you go in Europe, you will find the breathtaking beauty of nature. And there are

thousands stunning historical sights. In every country you can find places that are

worth visiting. Travelling abroad is a good means to expand your knowledge about the

cultural heritage of the world. Before setting off, it is advisable to read a guidebook

about the country you are going to. While abroad, you should get acquainted with the

natives to get a picture of their way of life and traditions.

A: There is a proverb saying, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Do you

agree?

B: I don’t think one should follow this advice. Anyway, you are not supposed to ape

the natives. On the other hand, you should be aware of their customs, otherwise you

can get into embarrassing situations. I think, both the tourist and the native should

respect each other and be tolerant.

A: Where do you like staying when you are abroad?

B :I’d rather stay at a campsite than at a hotel − it is so romantic to get soaked to the

skin. While camping you are free to chose your programmes. Nothing compares with

a camp fire surrounded by singing people. It stands to reason that you are exposed to

changes in weather. In case of a heavy rain you have nowhere to hide.

A: I am a comfort loving person, so I’d rather stay at a hotel than suffer from

mosquitoes and other annoying things that go with camping. A prestigious hotel offers

various services to make your stay as comfortable as possible. For example you can

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have your clothes cleaned, they rent a taxi for you and so on. If you want to stay at a

hotel you should book a room in advance. Booking a room has become much easier

thanks to the Internet.

B: I’d prefer to stay at a B&B (Bed and Breakfast) because I like spending the whole

day sightseeing. As a student I used to stay at youth hostels, because that’s the

cheapest of all accommodations. We are taken to agritourism and like staying in a

cottage somewhere in the country. More and more urban people chose agritourism

because it offers a real change from everyday life.

A: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a package tour?

B: I prefer package tours to individual ones – everything is organized for you by a

travel agency. Like everything, package tours have both advantages and drawbacks.

The main advantage that you only have to chose your destination and everything will

be arranged for you by a travel agency. They provide you with accommodation and

meals and various programmes at that.Briefly, this is the most comfortable way of

spending your holiday. There are so called last minute tours to help busy people who

do not have enough time to arrange their holiday. Package tours have their drawbacks

as well. For example you have to keep to the schedule even if you are not interested in

a particular place included in the programme. While travelling individually, you can

take your time, you don’t have to hurry. In addition to this, you don’t have to rush

through five museums and three churches within a few hours. No doubt, travelling

individually can be more expensive but the freedom of choice makes up for the

inconveniences.

A: What arrangements do we have to make before going on holiday?

B: Well, it depends. If you intend to travel individually, your task is more difficult, as

you have to arrange everything on your own. Having chosen your destinations, you

have to plan your route provided you want to go by car. If you want to travel by plane

or train you should book the tickets in advance. Should you spend your holiday in the

high season, it is advisable to arrange accommodation well in advance otherwise you

can get into difficulties It is also most useful to read a guide book about the places you

are going to visit in order to get a picture of the sights that are worth visiting. Packing

the things that you might need is another problem. You have to prepare for all kinds of

weather and pack your suitcase with a reasonable amount of clothes. Fortunately,

nowadays you do not have to spend your precious time queuing for visa at embassies,

you just take your passport or identity card and set off.

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Words and Phrases

accurate pontos

agritourism falusi turizmus

ape majmol

arrange elrendez

breathtaking lélegzetelállító

broaden szélesít

civilized civilizált

continental breakfast európai reggeli

destination úti cél

disciplined fegyelmezett

eccentric különc

economy gazdaság

expand növel

explore felfedez

expose to kitesz valaminek

farmyard gazdasági udvar

flock to seregestül megy

freedom of choice a választás szabadsága

generalization általánosítás

get a picture of képet alkot valamiről

get acquainted megismerkedik

get rid of megszabadul valamiről

heritage örökség

How much do you charge? mennyibe kerül?

include magában foglal

individual egyéni

intend szándékozik

invade letámad

keep to the schedule a menetrendhez tartja magát

largely főleg

make up for the inconveniences kárpótol a kényelmetlenségekért

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mosquito szúnyog

native helybéli

on request kérésre

otherwise különben, másképp

package tour társas utazás

places of historical interest történelmi nevezetesség

prejudice előítélet

proverb közmondás

reserved visszafogott

respect tisztel

scuba diving búvárkodás

seek keres

seasick tengeri beteg

set off elindul

skier síző

stereotype sztereotípia, általánosítás

stunning lélegzetelállító

Take your time. ráérsz

travel agency utazási iroda

vacancy üres hely, szoba, állás

voyage tengeri út

worth visiting megéri meglátogatni

xenophobia idegengyűlölet

Zsibbasztó

Milyen úticélok vonzzák a turistákat? ..........................................................................................

Emberek milliói kelnek útra .........................................................................................................

Síelők ezrei szállják meg a hegyeket ............................................................................................

Kéthetes tengeri út ........................................................................................................................

Történelmi nevezetességű helyek .................................................................................................

Ahogy a mondás tartja ..................................................................................................................

Az utazás szélesíti a látókört ........................................................................................................

Mi a turizmus haszna? ..................................................................................................................

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Amíg külföldön vagyunk .............................................................................................................

Más kultúrákkal ismerkedünk meg ..............................................................................................

Bárhová is megy Európában ........................................................................................................

A természet lélegzetelállító szépsége ...........................................................................................

A helyek, amelyeket érdemes felkeresni ......................................................................................

Mielőtt elindul ..............................................................................................................................

Tanácsos elolvasni egy útikönyvet ...............................................................................................

Hogy képet kapjunk az életükről ..................................................................................................

Nem kell majmolnia a helybelieket ..............................................................................................

Másképp kínos helyzetbe kerülhetünk .........................................................................................

Mind a turista, mind a helybeli .....................................................................................................

Hol szeret megszállni külföldön? .................................................................................................

Szívesebben szállok meg kempingben ........................................................................................

Olyan romantikus bőrig ázni ........................................................................................................

Az ember szabadon választhat programot ....................................................................................

Nincs jobb, mint a tábortűz ..........................................................................................................

Magától értetődik .........................................................................................................................

Ha nagyon esik .............................................................................................................................

Nincs hova bújni ...........................................................................................................................

Kényelemszerető ember vagyok ..................................................................................................

Egy rangos hotel különböző szolgáltatásokat nyújt .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Kimosathatja a ruháit ...................................................................................................................

Jobb, ha előre lefoglalja a szobát .................................................................................................

Szeretem a napot városnézéssel tölteni ........................................................................................

Egyre több városi választja a falusi turizmust ..............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A társas utakat kedvelem ..............................................................................................................

Biztosítják a szállást és az étkezést ..............................................................................................

És programokat ráadásul ..............................................................................................................

A társas utaknak megvan a hátránya is ........................................................................................

Igazodni kell a programhoz ..........................................................................................................

A választás szabadsága .................................................................................................................

Mindent egyedül kell elrendezni ..................................................................................................

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Miután kiválasztotta az úticélt ......................................................................................................

Ha főszezonban nyaral .................................................................................................................

Mindenféle időjárásra fel kell készülni ........................................................................................

Nem kell a drága időt sorbanállással tölteni .................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A Letter of Complaint

Jeremy Fury

23 Fed Street, London VYG 76

14. 06. 2007.

Mr Oliver Fist

The Manager of Dream Hotel

3 Smelly Road, Fishtown, XBC

Dear Mr Fist,

I am writing to you in order to congratulate on the thrilling experiences we were provided at

your hotel while staying there. These days, I can assure you, will always be memorable for us.

But I anticipate. Let us start from the beginning.

On our arrival at your hotel we sadly realised that the sliding doors were out of order, so we

got soaked to the skin as it was raining heavily. Not until a grumpy old man emerged from

nowhere did we realise that there was a side door through which we could have enetered the

building, if there had been any signs to indicate it. In the lounge the man aforesaid turned out

to be the receptionist and pushed the register under my nose saying, ‘No messy handwriting,

please!’ , which used to be the last sentence of my teacher before starting an essay. Being a

disciplined person, I filled in the register and humbly asked for the key which was given, more

exactly thrown to us. As the lift was not working we had to toil up the stairs while the porter

was staring at us without the slightest intention of helping with the luggage.

So much about hospitality. On entering our room, the handle came off the door. There being

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no hands around, I had to fix it myself. Then we decided to have a shower only to learn that

hot and cold water were not to be mixed, so we could choose between freezing cold and

scalding hot. The next evening we were due to a party and since my white shirt needed

cleaning, I put it in the laundry basket only to get it back blinding grey. I almost forgot about

our first dinner in your restaurant. We sat half an hour at our table when it began to dawn on

us that the staff did not seem to care much about guests. Rather they were absorbed in a

seemingly amusing conversation full of giggles and cries of delight. We gave it up and went

for fish and chips.

Hereby we regret to inform you, that your hotel did not meet our demands and we are not

looking forward to spending another night at it.

Yours sincerely

Jeremy Fury

Words and Phrases

absorbed in Elmerül valamiben

aforesaid Az Előbb említett

anticipate Előreszalad, előrevetít

blinding grey Vakító szürke

congratulate sy on sg Gratulál

cry of delight Örömteli felkiáltás

dawn on sy Dereng valakinek

experience Élmény

fist Ököl

freezing cold Jéghideg

fury Düh

giggle Vihogás

grumpy Zsémbes

hand Segítség

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hereby Ezúton

humbly Alázatosan

indicate Jelez

intention Szándék

memorable Emlékezetes

messy handwriting Rendetlen kézírás

mix Összekever

out of order Nem működik

register Nyilvántartó (napló, jegyzék)

regret to inform you Sajnálattal közöl

scald Leforráz

sliding door Tolóajtó

smelly Büdös

so much about it Ennyit erről

toil Veszkődik

turn out to be Kiderül róla, hogy

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26. Transport

‘Three games for bus drivers…2.Hide and seek. Whenever you

approach a request stop hide behind a large lorry or another bus and when you

have almost reached the stop shoot off at a terrific speed. It is very amusing to

see people shake their fists at you. It is ten to one they miss some important

business appointment’ (George Mikes: How to Be a Brit)

A: What means of public transport are offered in the city?

B: There are several means of transport to move around in the city. The fastest way of

getting from one place to another is the underground. Budapest underground was the first

to be built on the continent.Under the ground there are no traffic jams and the trains go

frequently. In addition to this, underground trains do not pollute the environment.

A: Are you satisfied with public transport?

B: I am not satisfied with the bus service in the city. In the rush hours the vehicles are

crowded and rather slow. In the morning and in the afternoon there is always heavy traffic

in the streets. Another bad point is that travelling in the city is extremely expensive.

People complain about the dirty vehicles. If I had my way, I would privatise public

transport. It’s no use subsidizing public transport that produces deficit. They are raising

ticket prices every year, whereas the service is getting worse and worse. On weekdays,

traffic in the city is a disaster. It takes ages to get to the city from the suburbs. Suburban

trains are a popular means of transport. A large per cent of people commute to the city

every day. The disadvantage of living outside a city is that you have to commute every

day. This is partly because the motorway around the city has not been completed.

A: How long does it take you to get to your workplace?

B: Oh, it takes ages. First I have to take the bus to the underground by which I go two

stations, and then I have to change for a tram. All in all, it takes me 40 minutes to get to

work. It’s no use going by car, because it would take even longer.

A: How much do they charge for the service?

B: Many people buy monthly tickets/ pass instead of buying single ones every day. In this

way they save a lot of money. Students and pensioners are entitled to buy monthly tickets

at a cut price. There’s no denying, that fare dodging is increasing because of the high

ticket prices. If you travel without a ticket you can be fined.

A: What do you need to do to get the driving licence?

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B: If you want to get a driving licence first you should pass the driving test. Before

enrolling in a driving course you have to get the doctor’s certificate that you are not

disabled in any way. You have to pass the eye-test. Then you have to learn the Highway

Code and how to give first aid. During the driving exam you have to complete different

things such as reversing, parking, and overtaking.

1. And here are some more sentences.

2. I hate driving on busy roads.

3. The main reason for so many accidents is careless driving.

4. For example, people don’t drive according to the weather conditions.

5. Speeding is another cause of accidents.

6. There is a certain speed limit in the city that you mustn’t exceed.

7. Disco accidents usually happen on Saturday nights after young people have drunk

alcohol or taken drugs and lose control of the car.

8. I wouldn’t get in a car if the driver drank alcohol, ‘better safe than sorry’.

9. It is compulsory to wear safety belts even in the back seat.

10. He ran into the oncoming car while he was overtaking a van.

11. He was run over by a car and was taken to hospital.

12. Three people died in the frontal collision.

13. I think it is a good system in England that you mustn’t drive alone under the age of 21.

14. I think police should monitor traffic more often.

15. Nowadays most people either buy an old car or lease a new one.

16. Maintaining a car is rather an expensive thing.

17. You have to have your car serviced regularly and validate your licence too.

18. If you break the Highway Code, you’ll be fined.

19. In serious cases you can even be deprived of your licence.

20. In case of an accident you should give your insurance card to the other driver.

21. If you are not insured you will pay a fortune for the damage.

22. Sorry for being late, but I got stuck in the traffic.

23. Excuse me, could you tell me how I can get to the station?

24. Take the bus number 7 and get off in the fourth stop.

25. Go along this road and take the second turning on the left.

26. Go as far as the church, cross the square and there you’ll see.

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Words and Phrases

another bad point másik hátránya

amusing szórakoztató

appointment találkozó, megbeszélés

approach megközelít

at a cut price csökkentett áron

at a terrific speed, at top speed teljes gázzal, nagy sebességgel

better safe than sorry. (proverb) jobb az elővigyázatosság.

break the highway code megszegni a KRESZT

bus service busz szolgáltatás

busy roads forgalmas utak

careless driving gondatlan vezetés

change for a tram átszáll villamosra

commute ingázik

complain about panaszkodik valamire

complete befejez, elkészít

compulsory kötelező

damage kár

deficit veszteség

deprive of megfoszt valamitől

disabled mozgássérült

doctor’s certificate orvosi igazolás

driving licence jogosítvány

driving test vezetői vizsga

either…or vagy…vagy

enrol in a course beiratkozik egy tanfolyamra

exceed meghalad, túlmegy valamin

extremely különösen, nagyon

eye-test szemvizsgálat

fare dodging bliccelés

fine pénzbírság

force kényszerít

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frequent, frequently gyakori, gyakran

frontal collision frontális ütközés

go along this road menjen ezen az úton

go as far as the church menjen el a templomig

have nothing to do in the city nincs semmi dolga a városban

have one’s car serviced megvizsgáltatni/javíttatni az autót

he ran into the oncoming car belerohant a szembe jövő autóba

he was overtaking a van éppen egy teherautót előzött

he was run over by a car elütötte egy autó

heavy traffic nagy forgalom

hide elbújik

hide and seek bújócska

highway code KRESZ

How long does it take? Mennyi időbe telik?

I got stuck in the traffic dugóba kerültem

in addition to this ezen kívül

in case of an accident balesetnél

in the back seat a hátsó ülésen

in the peak hours csúcsforgalomban

increase növekszik

insurance card biztosítási kártya

insured biztosított

it is ten to one tíz az egyhez

it takes ages sok időbe telik

it would take longer több időbe telne

it’s five minutes’ walk öt perc séta

it’s no use going by car nincs értelme kocsival menni

lease a new car új autót lízingelni

lorry kamion

lose control of elveszti az uralmát valami felett

means of transport közlekedési eszköz

monitor ellenőriz, megfigyel

monthly ticket havi bérlet

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motorway autópálya

on the spot ott helyben

partly részben

pay a fortune egy vagyont fizetni

privatise privatizál, magán kézbe ad

produce termel

public transport tömegközlekedés

reason for oka valaminek

request stop feltételes megálló

reversing tolatás

safety belt biztonsági öve

satisfied with elégedett valamivel

shake their fists rázzák az öklüket

shoot off kilő, hirtelen gyorsít

single ticket vonaljegy

speed limit sebességkorlátozás

speeding gyorshajtás

subsidize, subsidy támogat, állami támogatás

suburb külváros

suburban train külső kerületekbe járó vonat (hév)

subway station aluljáró

take the bus felszállni buszra

take the second turning on the left forduljon balra a második sarkon

the fastest way a leggyorsabb módja

ticket inspector jegyellenőr

traffic jam közlekedési dugó

validate érvényesít

vehicle kocsi, jármű

was the first to be built elsőnek épült fel

whereas míg, miközben, míg ellenben

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Zsibbasztó

Sok közlekedési eszközzel lehet utazni a városban .....................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A leggyorsabb a metró .................................................................................................................

A budapesti földalatti volt az első a kontinensen .........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

A földalatt nincsenek dugók .........................................................................................................

A kocsik gyakran járnak ...............................................................................................................

A kocsik nem szennyezik a környezetet ......................................................................................

Nem vagyok elégedett a buszjáratokkal .......................................................................................

Csúcsforgalomban ........................................................................................................................

Elég lassúak a járművek ...............................................................................................................

Másik gond, hogy drága a közlekedés .........................................................................................

Én privatizálnám a tömegközlekedést ..........................................................................................

Évente emelik a jegyárakat ..........................................................................................................

Sokáig tart bejutni a városba a külvárosokból .............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Az emberek nagy százaléka ingázik .............................................................................................

Mennyi időbe telik, míg a munkahelyére ér? ...............................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

Mindent egybevéve 40 perc .........................................................................................................

Sokan vásárolnak bérletet .............................................................................................................

Sok pénzt takarítanak meg ...........................................................................................................

Csökkentett áron ...........................................................................................................................

Kétségtelen ...................................................................................................................................

A bliccelés egyre gyakoribb .........................................................................................................

Meg kell tanulni a KRESZT .........................................................................................................

Ha jegy nélkül utazik, megbüntethetik .........................................................................................

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Story Writing

Magic

‘Have you ever witnessed a miracle?’

‘Miracle?’ Do you mean meeting the supernatural?’

‘Kind of. There was one yesterday in our street at daybreak. It took the locals by

surprise…no, that’s not the proper word for it. We got shocked, I would say, we were caught

on the hop.’

‘Don’t be so enigmatic. What happened, for God’s sake?’

‘At daybreak I left as usual, hopeless and ready to spend ages in the stop…and then, I don’t

know how to put it…well, the bus came.’

‘I can’t see any miracles in it.’

‘You must be living in a fairyland then. It was a miracle. When it turned the corner, nobody

took it seriously, we didn’t even bat an eyelid, as if convinced, it would rush by without

stopping. But it wouldn’t…it slowed down, pulled at the stop, kind of hovering above the

road, and stopped. It opened its doors indicating a humble intention to take us. And there we

were standing stiff with fright and disbelief, miserable mice caught in a trap, not knowing

what to do. And, all of a sudden, it dawned on us that it was a bus, a heaven-sent chariot to

take us, if you see what I mean. (English people call it ‘service’) Girls screamed, elderly

women tried to hide their tears; a shabby-looking teacher began to check his clothes like a

priest before entering the sanctuary. And we got in. What it was like, no tongue can tell. It

was given a wide coverage in the local rag. A scholar living next door tried to give rational

explanations to the mystery, but failed. Finally he came to the conclusion, that the bus was

just an apparition of some poor victims of public transport, because there is no such thing as a

‘bus in time.’

Words and Phrases

a bus in time pontosan érkező busz

all of a sudden hirtelen

apparition látomás

as if convinced mintegy meggyőződve

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at daybreak hajnalban

caught in a trap csapdába esve

come to the conclusion arra a következtetésre jut

disbelief kétely

enigmatic rejtélyes

fairyland tündérország

heaven-sent chariot mennyei hintó

hover lebeg

How to put it hogy mondjam

humble intention alázatos szándék

indicate jelez

it dawned on us megvilágosodtunk

it took the locals by surprise meglepte a helybelieket

it was given a wide coverage sokat írtak róla

miracle csoda

miserable nyomorult

mystery csoda

nobody took it seriously senki nem vette komolyan

not bat an eyelid szeme sem rebben

priest pap

proper word megfelelő szó

pulled at the stop beállt a megállóba

Rag újság

rational explanation to sg ésszerű magyarázat

Rush by without stopping elszáguld megállás nélkül

sanctuary szentély

scholar tudós

shabby-looking szakadt kinézetű

Stiff merev

stiff with fright a rémülettől megkövülve

the supernatural természetfölötti

there’s no such thing as olyasmi nem létezik, hogy…

turned the corner befordult a sarkon

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victim áldozat

we were caught on the hop váratlanul ért minket

witness szemtanú

Dialogue

Husband: Oh, we still have 150 kms to do. Are you fine?

Wife: I am, though I’m not sure, this is the speed we are supposed to do on this road.

Husband: Don’t worry, we’re doing 200, it is OK on this motorway.

Wife: There you are! This is not a motorway; it is just a country road. Slow down!

Husband: Is it? I am sorry. I thought we were still on that fine motorway.

Wife: How many times am I to tell you to be on your guard? You simply missed the board

that indicated the end of the motorway. We are lucky not to have been stopped by the police.

Husband: Oh, you are exaggerating as usual. You’d better sleep on.

Wife: But I wasn’t sleeping.

Husband: You were, darling, and it was really inconsiderate of you. You know pretty well

that a sleeping person in the car has a bad impact on the driver. You really made me sleepy.

Wife: But the radio is on…you said it helps you keep awake.

Husband: It does...Oh, that idiot!

Wife: Pete! Why aren’t you watching?

Husband: I was watching, but that bastard didn’t indicate overtaking…

Wife: That’s no reason for using such language…

Husband: Sorry, darling, I’ve sort of lost my temper. I wonder how these bunglers get their

licence. I bet he is drunk.

Wife: People tend to be careless nowadays, don’t they? I would impose zero alcohol

tolerance, I would. And I wouldn’t allow anybody to drive under 21 not even with parental

guidance. Most rollovers are caused by young drivers who are under the influence of alcohol

or drugs. Pete! What are you at?

Husband: Should you always shout like a harpy? I am just reversing: We have missed the

turning.

Wife: Do you really mean reversing here? But you mustn’t do that!

Husband: Do you really expect me to go as far as the next village to turn round?

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Wife: Backup collisions are most frequent nowadays. We could have run into another car or

run over somebody.

Husband: But honey, this is a totally empty road. You read too much statistics, do you?

Wife: Look! We’ll be fined for speeding!

Husband: Oh, that’s not a policeman, just a hitch-hiker.

Wife: But you have almost hit him!

Husband: Oh, no! You’re driving me mad! Will you…oh, no!

Wife: That’s rich! OK, I’ll take it over.

Husband: All right, and I’m going to comment on each move of yours.

An official letter

Dear Mr Amok,

With regard to your letter 2 Oct. 2007, we regret to inform you that your

appeal for returning your driving licence has been rejected.

A thorough investigation into your case revealed that on 15th Sept. 2007 you

managed to prove that you lack all the necessary skills and knowledge that

are required of a careful driver. Unless you want to cause massacres on the

roads, you will have to retake the driving exam along with a test of the

Highway Code.

According to the witnesses’ testimonies, on the above day you broke almost

every possible traffic laws. While pulling out, you ‘gently’ pushed a garbage

container which, while rolling over, hit a cyclist who fell onto the pavement.

As you did not even stop, you started your first drive with a hit and run

offence, which is subject to criminal law. Further on you exceeded the speed

limit which is 50kmh in the town as you probably know. Not only did you

speed but also drove regardless of the weather conditions and as a

consequence, your car skipped on the wet surface and you ran into a parking

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van in Lucky Street, turning the vehicle into a total write-off. On your arrival

at your workplace you cleared up the parking area while reversing. Let me

draw your attention to the fact that your car has a rear view mirror for such

cases. It is most fortunate that you did not cause any injuries apart from the

damage you did to three cars on the spot. On driving home in the afternoon,

you jumped the lights twice, threatening pedestrians to death as the photos

taken by the police clearly show it.

All things considered, we are not in the position to return your licence

regardless of the fact that you have paid the penalty and was acquitted as the

cyclist aforesaid withdrew his report.

Yours sincerely

Adam Mock

Chief Inspector

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28. One minute to talk

Learning foreign languages

In our era of globalization speaking foreign languages is indispensable. You simply

cannot do without knowing another language provided you want to pass for a

cultivated person. Apart from this, you gain much from acquiring a language. It

widens your scope in terms of culture; you will be able to read foreign newspapers and

novels for example. Reading literary works in the original language is a real pleasure.

Speaking one or two modern languages enlarges your chances to get a suitable job, as

nowadays countries are more interdependent than before. So you need good

communication skills to meet the requirements in most jobs. The best way to acquire a

language is to spend at least a year in native environment. This is the quickest way to

pick up a good knowledge. However, not everybody can afford to send their child to

spend a whole academic year abroad. The rest have to depend on language school

training or self-study, which is becoming easier as there are plenty TV channels that

broadcast foreign programmes. It is essential that at school we should put an emphasis

on language teaching in order to enable children to speak foreign languages efficiently

as early as possible. It has been proved that children at an early age learn faster than

adults. It is no secret any more that English has become a lingua franca in many parts

of the world, however, that does not mean forgetting about other languages. I do not

share the fears of those who predict that globalisation will lead to the extinction of

native languages.

Learning English

I have been learning English for years but I still have much to acquire. As a beginner,

I was quick on the uptake, I had the feeling that English was by far the easiest

language; you should only put words together to get a sentence that makes sense. I

was happy to realise that there were no sophisticated declinations and conjugations

like in many languages including Hungarian, which is thought to be one of the most

difficult languages in the world. Later on, when it came to the tenses, present perfect

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in particular, I got quite bewildered. It was so difficult to make distinctions between

past activities that are expressed with past tense and present perfect. To make matters

worse, verbs in present perfect are normally translated into Hungarian with past tense;

you cannot help confusing things at the beginning. In English they have twelve tenses

altogether, which is totally different from that of Hungarian grammar. We only have

three tenses: past, present and future. It is really demanding and takes a considerable

time to learn the intricacies of English tenses. Another formidable issue is reported

speech. We too have this grammatical item in Hungarian, but the logic, especially in

reported questions is absolutely different, that is why students tend to make mistakes

while using it. Phrasal verbs represent a difficult stage in learning English, though an

enjoyable one. Just imagine all the variations of the verb “put” with different

prepositions and thousands of meanings! What is most strange in English is

punctuation. Let’s have an example. In Hungarian we always put a comma between

the clauses in a compound sentence; it is really hard to get accustomed to another

logic.

School traditions

In Hungary, we have several traditions that represent the landmarks of school life. If

you are admitted to a grammar school or a university you will be invited to the

‘Freshers’ Camp’ which is normally organised by senior students to inaugurate their

new mates. The ceremony is a humorous one, during which freshers have to carry out

tricky tasks in the form of a competition in order to get acquainted with their new

friends and, of course, to have fun.

School-leaving classes have two celebrations before taking their final exams. During

the Carnival season, schools organise a farewell party at which students who are in

their last year receive blue ribbons to wear on their clothes up to the Matura exams.

These ribbons indicate the beginning and the ending dates of their school career. After

the solemn ceremony there follows a ball with school-leaving classes perfoming

dances to the great delight of the audience. The ball usually begins with waltz for

which students are dressed in classical costumes and tail coats. This is followed by

various performances including traditional or folk dances, though nowadays there is a

tendency to perform modern dances as well.

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On the last day of their studies school-leaving classes take part at the school-leaving

ceremony. On this occasion junior classes decorate the building with flowers, the

headmaster makes a solemn speech in which he recalls the most memorable moments

of the past four years. After the ceremony school-leavers walk around in the school

hand in hand and sing traditional farewell songs.

Matura exams

In Hungary, we have a two-level exam system consisting of O and A levels. Formerly

there was another type, the so called GCSE exam (General Certificate of Secondary

Education), which was followed by entrance exams to universities and colleges.

What has not changed is the requirements that is, you have to take 5 subjects at the

Mature exam either at O or A level. According to the Bolognese process the

government have changed the structure of education in order to introduce

Euroconform and standardised exams. Those who aspire to continue their studies at

univerisites take the A level which is an equivalent of the previous entrance exam. To

acquire the necessary knowledge for A level, students can take extra classes at

secondary schools or can enrol for prep courses held by leading teachers or

universities. Your maximum score is counted on the basis of your marks at secondary

school and the matura exams which fall into written and oral parts. You can gain extra

points by passing language exams at intermediate or advanced level and also if you are

among the winners in a subject of the National Competition for Secondary Schools.

All in all, it is quite difficult to be admitted to universities. On the other hand, the new

system has come into much criticism, some say that the exams have been dumbed

down and they represent a lower standard than required. As the new matura exams are

relatively new they are bound to be modified according to the requirements in the near

future.

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Education or training

With the advent of liberalism traditional schooling went through essential

transformations. Students are regarded as partners in teaching rather than educational

objects like before. Physical punishment was abolished long ago; teachers must

respect their students’ human rights. Children are given much more freedom;

educational authorities put priority to training instead of education. In the traditional

sense of the word education meant teaching the mind and soul that is schooling went

along a strict moral code. Nowadays schools are regarded as service centres where you

are offered the necessary knowledge that is required of an efficient citizen. New

curriculums focus on creativity and competence at variance with the old fashioned

science-based teaching. Liberalisation of schooling has come into much criticism.

Teachers tend to complain about the low standards of education, the growing

functional illiteracy among the students. They also claim that they are actually

deprived of the right to discipline their pupils who are inclined to be impudent with

the teachers. Another complaint is that parents take the lenient line and are not willing

to cooperate with the teachers in teaching their children to behave and work hard. The

number of drop-outs has been increasing that is why most governments raised the

compulsory school age up to 18 years. To my view, we ought to maintain the balance

between liberal values and teaching basic morale. Love and strictness can go together;

they are not contradictory at all. These are the two fundamental approaches that are

indispensable both at home and at school.

Health risk

According to some research, computers, lap tops and mobiles represent a substantial

health risk for children in particular. Certain scientists argue that being exposed to

constant radiation of these objects may enhance the dangers of developing different

illnesses including cancer or disorders of the nervous system. Others claim that up-to-

date electronic devices emit low radiation that cannot do harm to our health. Listening

to these diverse opinions one cannot help being at a loss whom to believe.

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Nevertheless, nobody throws away his or her handy or gives away the computer that

has become a member of the family. We simply cannot imagine our lives without

them. Civilisation is not to be rewound; some trends are irreversible, much as we hate

them. Prior to industrialisation people were not the less healthy. Do not forget the

lethal epidemics that exterminated a great per cent of the population. Or let us take

simpler examples. Nowadays a bad tooth is just an unpleasant nuisance that you can

get rid of with the help of a dentist; moreover the treatment is not necessarily painful

any more. Two hundred years ago thousands of people died of inflammation caused

by a decayed tooth. And there is the birth rate for example. Centuries ago it was not

rare for a family to lose two or more newborn babies because of the lack of medical

care that is evident these days. Changing times bring about new phenomena that we

ought to deal with. Science has been developing at a fascinating rate and I am sure, it

will manage to reduce the health risks caused by new inventions.

Epidemics

Every age has its epidemics that decimate the population. During the Middle Ages the

most frightening epidemic was plague, in other words the Black Death, which

frequently depopulated whole regions. For centuries, infectious child diseases were

incurable, such as scarlet-fever, smallpox, measles and several others that resulted in

the death of thousands of children. During the 20th century these epidemics vanished

altogether, thanks to the vaccines that protect the body from different diseases. In the

developed world children are vaccinated against these epidemics at an early age.

These days the world faces other poignant challenges such as AIDS and Bird Flu that

have evolved into pandemics threatening everybody. AIDS (Acquired Immune

Deficiency Syndrome) represents an infectious disease, the damage to the immune

system caused by the virus HIV. These days an estimated 40 millions of patients are

infected. It can be caught in different ways, through sexual intercourse, blood

transfusion, contaminated needles, during any exposure to the virus.

Intense scientific research invented different treatments that can slow the virus;

however, there is still no real cure for it. Since AIDS appeared in Europe,

governments have taken strict safety measures including compulsory blood tests and

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making doctors apply non-reusable needles. There have been awareness raising

campaigns to inform people about the possible ways of protection for example using

condom. Bird Flu or Avian influenza caused public unease and fear all over the world,

though confirmed human infections by the virus have been rare since the first cases

were reported. In fact, the risk of human infection is rather low to most people. Bird

flu spreads among wild birds that can infect chickens, geese, duck and turkeys. During

the past years, millions of domestic poultry have been killed in order to prevent them

from contaminating humans.

Smoking

A young man is staring at the warnings on a packet of cigarettes, saying: “Smoking

can cause impotence”. He turns to the shop assistant: ‘Can I have another one with

death warning?’

For most people who make up the passive smokers’ community, smoking is a nasty

habit that should definitely be banned. Chain-smokers tend to sneer at warnings that

remind them about the possible dangers of dying. They like coming up with cases

when the patient used to be a non-smoking person but died of lung cancer. They turn a

blind eye on the scientific facts that smoking not only causes diseases of the

respiratory organs but can inevitably result in lung cancer which is for the most part

incurable. So this is not a laughing matter at all. Smoking is harmful from several

aspects; it contains an addictive stimulant that is nicotine, which affects the brain and

the nervous system. It certainly causes temporary alertness and elevated mood but,

like any other drug it can increase your anxiety and restlessness and you develop both

physical and psychological dependence, to cut a long story short, you become fatally

addicted. Addiction in any forms of it is irrational; there is no point in trying to appeal

to the common sense of the smoker. He will light another cigarette all the same,

however hard you try to convince him or her. They cannot help it. Fortunately, there

are restrictions introduced in many countries, including the ban on cigarette

advertising, the prohibition of smoking in public places. At most workplaces, at least

in Europe and North America, smokers are confined to a separate room where they

can indulge in their obsession without risking others’ health. I don’t believe in total

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ban, anyway, it wouldn’t be fair to prohibit smoking while millions of cars are free to

pollute the air with lethal fumes.

Alcohol

A man stopped by the police is scrutinizing the breathalyser without the intention of

blowing into it. The policeman gets irritated and says: ‘Look you’d better blow it,

because if I blow, you’ll be sentenced for 5 years.’

Consuming alcoholic beverages in excess on a regular basis can lead to addiction

which goes together with serious consequences. Let us take the psychological ones at

first. It has been proved that most alcoholics suffer from depression which they try to

ease by drinking spirits to elevate their minds. As a result, the aftermath of

drunkenness is a deeper misery that induces the desire to drink more. Apart from the

psychological consequences there are the biological ones, such as reduced judgement,

trembling hands and the inability to carry out simple everyday tasks. An alcoholic is

likely to lose his or her job, which normally leads to financial problems and in some

cases can be the reason for criminal acts, such as drunken driving or bad behaviour in

public. Being intoxicated hinders you from thinking clearly and your personality turns

inside out, and, as a consequence, you expose yourself to the contempt of others.

Alcoholics have serious impact on their families, the ugly scenes between the parents,

domestic violence can do a lot of harm to the children’s psyche. They tend to develop

inferiority complexes and lose the respect for their parents. Tapering-off cures can

temporarily help, but in most cases after a period of detoxication there follows a

sudden relapse. Alcoholism is the most costly drug abuse in most countries causing a

far reaching series of problems.

Marriage

Marriage in the traditional sense of the word has undergone essential changes during

the last one hundred years. In the past, marriage was preceded with a long period of

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courtship, during which an ‘eligible’ young man courted a young lady after he had

asked for the consent of her father. Having gained the consent of both parties, that is

of their parents, they became engaged and were recognised as betrothed to each other

and they were allowed to make public appearances together. It was acceptable to kiss

but premarital sex was against the general moral code. It was traditional to ‘name the

day’ and issue an official announcement of the wedding in the newspapers. The

marriage was declared by a wedding ceremony performed in a church, during which

the new couple took a solemn oath to be faithful to each other till death would divide

them. With the advent of liberalism and emancipation at the end of the 19th century,

divorce became officially recognised along with a civil wedding which is normally

held in secular places, in registry offices for example. Nowadays church and civil

weddings coexist as equally acceptable forms of marriage declaration. Since the

sexual revolution in the 1960s in the western world, it has been socially accepted to

have sexual relationship before marriage. Centuries ago, if a woman gave birth to a

child without getting married, she was punished publicly and excommunicated by the

community as it is shown in Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. For centuries there

existed clearly distinguished gender roles and women were regarded as inferior to

men. Nowadays there are no gender-based discriminations, at least in the developed

countries, wives and husbands are supposed to share family related tasks and

responsibilities. As a new phenomenon, same-sex marriage has been legalised in some

countries.

Raising children

For the past decades in Europe, birth-rate has dropped considerably. One might

assume that in well-off societies people are likely to have more children, as the

relatively high living standards allow to raise them under good conditions. At variance

with our expectations, young people tend to start a family later than before. Most of

them prefer establishing a successful career before getting married. Even then the

majority decide on a single child to raise. Some put it down to extreme individualism

and egoism on behalf of the young generation. They are often blamed for being self-

centred, disinclined to take any burden that goes together with family life.

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Bringing up children is by far one of the most demanding tasks. It requires such skills

that we are not trained for but most of the part we act instinctively or follow the

patterns of our own upbringing. Parents are the basic role models for a child who will

develop the same attitude to life and behave in the same way as they do. That is why it

is important to set a good example for them. What a child needs is unconditional love

and permanent support so that he or she can grow into a self-assured and happy adult.

Parents with unbalanced character, those who easily lose their temper will only

frustrate a child who, as a consequence, will be prone to get lost in society. In bringing

up children you cannot do without teaching them discipline. Setting strict but

reasonable expectations does not necessarily mean suppressing their egos. While

teaching discipline you enable the child to learn acceptable and unacceptable values or

manners thus helping him or her socialise in wider communities. If you are consistent

in your words and deeds the child will respect you and will likely to go along parental

guidance. Apart from giving as much love as possible, you should spend enough time

with your children, constantly paying attention and showing interest.

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism represents a new policy along with the unfolding globalisation that is

based on the concept that the times of nation-states are gone. The idea emerged as a

response to the increasing number of immigrants to America and Britain at the

beginning of the 20th century. Multiculturalism contrasts with nationalism and

advocates pluralistic societies that will be made up of diverse ethnic and cultural

groups with equal rights. Pro-activists argue that multiculturalism leads to a better, a

more humanistic world where cultural exchanges will teach citizens to be more

tolerant. They hope that in multicultural societies old prejudices and racial

discriminations will disappear for good. Supporters advocate the equality of cultures

and decline the demand of the majority to force minorities to assimilate. Opponents of

multiculturalism regard it as something that is contradictory to Western civilisation.

They are concerned about the integrity of European countries and fear that it will

result in the destruction of national identities. They also argue that certain groups of

new immigrants do not fit in European culture and are likely to live in ghettos that

undermine national unity. It is a question of the future whether Judeo-Christian or

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secular values of the Western civilisation and Islamic traditions will coexist peacefully

in Europe.

Nuclear power stations

Since the explosion in Chernobyl there has been a growing unease in public

concerning the safety of nuclear power plants. In 1986, there was a devastating

accident, when one of the blocks of the power station exploded and resulted in

radioactive fallout that spread over Europe. Thousands of people were evacuated and

the immediate aftermath of the catastrophe proved to be a disastrous one. Apart from

the death casualties, a lot of people including small children developed cancer; the

number of miscarriages and stillborn children has increased in the area.

Nuclear energy is a controversial issue; it divided scientists and the public. Proponents

claim that up-to-date power plants meet the demands of the strictest precautions; new

technology reduces the risks of further accidents. They also argue that a nuclear plant

releases less radioactive waste than coal power for example.

Opponents, on the contrary, state that nuclear power stations are uneconomic as they

only produce a small per cent of the world’s energy. In addition to this, they represent

a considerable health hazard and are the source of political conflicts as some countries

develop nuclear weapons that are a huge threat to the whole world. In this debate I

side the green movements that fight for the closing down of the power stations. I think

we should apply renewable energy instead of nuclear power of fossil fuels.

Adolescence

Adolescence is often referred to as “the awkward age” when most teenagers tend to be

difficult to handle. Adolescence is a transitional stage between childhood and

adulthood during which people go through substantial biological, psychological and

mental changes. These changes are reflected in their clothing, speech and life style in

general, because teenagers have a strong desire to differ from adults. At this stage our

mental abilities develop rapidly. Teenagers start viewing the world around them

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critically, they often question the authority of their parents and teachers, which leads

to several conflicts. Even the most self-controlled or obedient child tends to argue with

his or her parents. Adolescents eagerly search for their true identities, dislike being

treated as children, while the adult environment tries to teach them sociably acceptable

behaviour and values. A child with a happy family background with caring and

understanding parents is unlikely to fall prey to the dangers of this period, negative

peer’s pressure, drug abuse etc. Parents and teachers have to lead them with much

empathy avoiding unnecessary pressure. However, there are a lot of families in which

children are deprived of their basic rights to healthy development. Violent behaviour

on the parents’ side or the lack of parental guidance may lead a child to rebel against

adult society, in most difficult cases it can be the reason for juvenile delinquency. As

far as I am concerned, I had a quiet adolescence thank to my parents’ wise behaviour.

Like most adults I used to have mood swings, I also had a tendency to argue,

especially when my parents did not let me stay out late at night. My parents were strict

but fair and tolerant. They never violated my self-esteem, I could always share my

problems with them and rely on them.

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