Календарно- тематическое планирование 11 класс Афанасьева- Михеева

Контрольные работы для 11 класса

I четверть

Listening Comprehension

1) Listen to the passage from the article “The Land of The Handout” (Newsweek, September 29, 1997) and say what was in the two envelopes which Irene Scott handed to Dr James Hutchinson

a) payment for her last bill

a 1000$ check for a scholarship fund

b) a 1000$ check for a scholarship fund

more than a month’s income for Scott; 115$ from her late husband’s pension 736$ from Social Security

c) payment for her last bill

more than a month’s income for Scott; 115$ from her late husband’s pension

2) These are the sources of donations. Mark the sources mentioned in the article.

a) Corporations 1) 7,8%

b) Bequests 2) 6,9%

c) Foundations 3) 5,6%

d) Individuals 4) 79,6%

Text for listening comprehension.

 The day after Ted Turner announced his billion-dollar gift, Irene Scott walked into a doctor’s office in San Francisco. She is an 83-year-old black woman who started going to Dr. James Hutchinson back in the 1950s when he was the first African-American doctor in the county. Now, she thought, it was time to “do the right thing” by him. Without a word, she handed him two envelopes. One was her payment for her last bill; the other contained a $1,000 check for a scholarship fund he had set up for local medical students. That contribution represented more than a month’s income for Scott; she gets $115 from her late husband’s pension and $736 from Social Security. She had been saving up to make the gift for four years.  Irene Scott and Ted Turner may not have much in common, but they are fellow members of a huge American club, the Philanthropists. We are the nation of givers. Last year we dipped into our pockets and pulled out no less than $150.7 billion, which we handed out to charitable causes. This is not the doing of gigantic foundations like Ford and Rockefeller: 80 percent of that money came from individuals. And it doesn’t just come from the rich: 70 percent of all American households contributed.

Reading Comprehension

Here are some more notes from Adrian Mole's diary.

1) Why did Adrian get a family pack of Mars bars one day?

Monday June 1st

My father had a Letter that made his face go white: he has been made redun­dant from his job! He will be on the dole! How can we live on the pittance that the government will give us? "The dog will have to go! It costs thirty-five pence a day for dog food; I am a single-parent child whose father is on the dole! Social Security will be buying my shoes!

Wednesday September 9th

My father can easily spare a hundred pounds. His redundancy payment must have been huge, so why he is lying on his bed moaning (стонать, охать) I don't know. He is just a mean skinflint! He hasn't paid with real money any­way! He used his American Repress card.

Wednesday March 3rd

I had to lend my father enough money for a gallon of petrol; he had an interview for a job. My mother cut his hair and gave him a shave and told him what to say and how to behave It is pathetic to see how unemployment has reduced my father to childish dependence on others. He is wafting to hear from Manpower Services.

Friday March 5th

He got it!!! He starts on Monday... He is in charge of a gang of school-leavers. To celebrate he bought my mother sixty Benson and Hedges and him­self sixty flayer's I got a family pack of Mars bars.

Everybody is dead happy for once, even the dog has cheered up a bit. Grandma is knitting my father a woolly hat for work.

2) What does Adrian mean by saying the following?

1. How can we live on the pittance that the government will give us?

a) How can we live on that small amount of money the government will
give us?

b) How can we live if the government doesn't feel pity for us?
2. Social Security will be buying my shoes!

1. There are social workers who are in charge of buying shoes for chil­dren whose parents are unemployed.

2. The unemployed get money from the Social Security and spend it on whatever they like, shoes included.

3. He (Adrian's father) is just a mean skinflint!
a) He is lazy. b) He is greedy.

4. ... unemployment has reduced my father to childish dependence on
others.

1. Adrian's father is unemployed and that's why he depends a lot on other people like children usually do.

2. Adrian's father began to behave like a child when he was made redun­dant from his job.

3) Which of the following statements have evidence and which have
no evidence in the story?

1. Adrian's father got a redundancy notice.

2. Adrian's father will have to queue in the breadline.

3. Adrian's family is going to get rid of the dog.

4. Adrian's father's unemployment benefit must have been huge.

5. Adrian's father had to turn to Manpower Services for a job.

6. His future work will obviously be hard and boring.

7. Father will have to work with a gang of school-leavers.

4) On the basis of Adrian's notes one can make some generalizations about the state of things for the unemployed in Great Britain.

Which of these generalizations are valid (имеющие обоснование) and which are not?

1. People who are made redundant from their jobs are entitled to the dole.

2. The unemployed can hardly live on the pittance they get from the gov­ernment.

3. The organization, which is in charge of the unemployed, is called Social Security.

4. Manpower Services is the organization that helps the unemployed to get a new job.

5. Unemployment reduces grown-up people to childish dependence on others.

6. When the unemployed get a job they buy sixty Player’s for themselves and Sixty Benson and Hedges for their spouses.

Writing

GRAMMAR

Benefits for the jobless vary widely from country to country. The prob­lems that arise also vary.

What are they? Transform the statements using the appropriate conjunctions and prepositions.

1. In Europe the lowest unemployment rate is in Britain. A new Labor government promised to transform the welfare system, (because of/in spite of)

2. Many people are sure that "six months of joblessness is a career killer..." and seek a job, some other unemployed people don't want to find a job and be paid minimum wage, (while/because of)

3. There are 3 million unemployed in France. Almost all of them believe "they are entitled not just to a job, but to the right kind of a job." (Although/while)

4. German taxpayers (налогоплательщики) pay tens of billions of marks to finance a lot of benefits. Most of them are huge and ineffective, (despite/because)

5. Many unemployed people want to have an interesting and well-paid job. They say there's life after work, (because/whereas)

6. A married man with two children in Germany gets about 2,800 marks if he's on the dole. An employed man with an unqualified job in a hotel or restaurant takes home only 1,800 marks, (despite/while)

7. In France, for some unemployed people, any part-time job at mini­mum wage simply isn't worth having. The fact is that the pay for part-time minimum wage work is almost the same as the welfare, (because of (the fact that)/in spite of the fact (that)

CULTURAL AWARENESS

What do you know about the way social service systems are organized in Britain and in the USA?

1. A country that has a system of ensuring the welfare of its citizens by means of social services provided by the state is called a ... (welfare state/security state/insurance state).

2. In Britain, at the national level the Government is responsible for... (the National Health Service/National Insurance/Social Security).

3. In Britain, an unemployment benefit is known colloquially as ..., while in the USA it is known as ... (the welfare/the dole or the dole money).

4. In Britain, private medical insurance scheme is called ... while in the USA the two major medical programmes are called ... and ... С BUPA/Medicaid/Medicare).

5. In Britain, the exceptions to free medical care are ... (teeth/teeth and eyes/eyes).

6. Child benefit is available to each child until he/she leaves school at ... or longer if the child continues his or her education up to ... (16/17; 16/18; 16/19).

Speaking

In a welfare state as you know, people are entitled to different social benefits.

Which of the benefits that people can claim are essential and which can be excluded from the system of social service?

1) Name a benefit/ benefits. Explain why you think it is/ they are important. Give an example.

2) Agree or disagree if the examples are not convincing.

3) Say that you partly agree. Try to change your partner’s opinion. Express your opinion and give an example.

II четверть

Listening Comprehension

1) A fax machine is one of the latest inventions of the man. How does it work?

Listen to the explanation and V if the sentence is true or X if the sentence is false.

2. The massage is sent word by word.

3. The piece of paper is put inside the machine in small pieces.

4. The machine scans the page with the stream of light.

5. The fax machine sends signals to another fax machine by telegraph.

2) People are talking about different electric devices.

Choose from the list A-E what is these people’s attitude towards them. Use the letters only once. There is one extra letter you do not need to use.

Speaker 1____ A. Mum takes the stereo away.

Speaker 2. ___ B. The device helps the person to be happier.

Speaker 3. ___ C. The device is good for sleepy persons.

Speaker 4. ___ D. Mum thinks that it is more trouble that it’s worth.

E. The device helps to save time.

Text for listening comprehension

1)  A fax machine does seem to transfer pieces of paper, but it really transfers images (such as words) by telephone from one piece of paper to another.

To understand how it works, imagine that a page of writing is divided into thousands of tiny bits. When you put the page into a fax machine, the machine moves a tiny beam of light right across the page, line after line. Each line is much thinner than a line of words. For each tiny bit, the machine “reads” a bit of reflected light as either a white space or a black space. Then the fax machine sends a signal for black or white over the phone for each tiny bit.

The fax machine receiving the message prints out all those tiny bits, using ink for each black signal and leaving a blank for each white signal. Then what you see in the fax copy is the result of all those bits that go together to make a page that looks like the original one.

2) 1.  I couldn’t live without my television! I think it is the most useful invention. Life would be so dull and boring without it. I don’t know what I’d do instead of watching my favourite shows and switching from channel to channel. My mum thinks it bad for my eyes but I don’t agree.

2.  I like listening to my stereo very much. Music is important to me. I just have to listen to it wherever I am — in my car, in my house — everywhere! It brings me in a good mood. Take away my stereo and I’d be totally lost.

 3.  I am always very busy and have no time to cook. So my microwave is very important for me. I use it for defrosting products, for cooking and reheating prepared food.

 4.  I like that I have my talking alarm clock. I really need it because you see I like to sleep very much and it is almost impossible for me to wake up without anybody’s help. And music wakes me up. I’m in a good mood from the early morning. My mum had had to wake me up before. Now it is much easier.

Reading Comprehension

Phones are very popular and often improved.

Read the advertisement and tick if the information is true or false.

Fast decisions sharpen your company's competitive edge. Out of reach can easily mean out of the picture - but an Ericsson mobile phone lets you respond quickly to your customers and keep in touch with your colleagues.

Ericsson makes it possible to communicate with anyone, any­where, anytime — yet still respects people's need to divert calls or use an answering service to create pockets of privacy. Ericsson's systems provide these advanced features because Ericsson is a world leader in the development and implementation of systems for mobile phones, serving more than 40% of the world's cellular subscribers.

Ericsson's 80,000 employees are active in more than 100 countries. Their combined expertise in switching, radio and net­working makes Ericsson a world leader in telecommunications.

It's about communication between people. The rest is technology.

Writing

1. Read the advert. Write to a firm (or a shop) and ask for more information about this electric device and its functions.

A Powerful New World of Cleaning and Caring

Now Eureka WORLD VAC delivers hot looks, hotter performance.

World-class features:

On-board tools included for easy above-the floor cleaning. Hose is permanently attached for automatic conversion to above-the floor cleaning. Superb Eureka Flirtier bag system retains up to 99.9% of particles — all the way down to 1-micron size — reducing many allergens in the home.

World-Class Floor Care from the People

Who Care About Your World?

CULTURAL AWARENESS

1) You know that a lot of great inventions were made along the same

line by Russian scientists and foreign scientists.

Match the invention and the inventors.

Inventions

Foreign inventors

Alexander Mozhaisky

incandescent lamp

Wright brothers

Alexander Lodygin

steam locomotive

Thomas Edison

the Cherepanovs

airplane

George Stephenson

2) There are inventions that influenced the life greatly. Choose an invention from the list and give as much informa­tion about it as you can (the country, the inventor, and the time, what ideas made the invention possible and how it is useful now).

Telescope, Microsoft DOS, television, dynamite, satellite, X-rays, motor car, cinematography.

Speaking

Task l

Give a talk on the problem of animals. Remember to speak about:

• why animals are important for people

• why people keep animals as pets

• your attitude to exotic animals as pets

• how people can help animals survive

People have always needed animals for tasks that require strength and speed. And even now we still depend on animals for food and clothing. Besides, a lot of animals are used for medical research. In addition, wild animals provide recreation in the form of hunting, bird watching, and visits to zoos and wildlife reserves. Moreover, people also find a source of pleasure and spiritual strength in the animal life.

Nowadays a lot of people keep pets at home because pets are the best companions. People keep pets for pleasure rather than utility. Domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, hamsters and guinea pigs make good pets because they have been bred for thousands of years to coexist with humans. For example, if people live without children, they usually have a cat or a dog to take care of. Also, children like to play with their pets when they are alone. Besides, some people.keep cats at home, because cats are believed to have healing power. Disabled people often keep specially trained dogs as pets, which serve as the hands, ears and eyes of their owners.

Some people keep exotic pets like snakes, lizards or wild cats. Of course, exotic pets are fascinating and beautiful to watch. However, very often people keep exotic pets only in order to look extraordinary. They regard them as a status symbol. But captivity is not natural for wild animals. It is a constant stress to them, so they may become very aggressive as they get older. Besides, wild animals need to be examined by a vet with special knowledge and training in wildlife medicine. That's why I believe it's not desirable to keep exotic animals as pets.

Unfortunately, unmanaged commercial exploitation has driven some species of wild animals to the edge of extinction. For example, 143 elephants are slaughtered in Africa every day to get ivory. At this rate, they'll be wiped out in 25 years. What can we do to help animals survive? First of all, environmental organisations must analyse the consequences of humans' actions. Besides, people should create nature reserves for wild animals and birds. And of course, we must take care of those animals that are around us. There are a lot of abandoned animals in cities and towns, because their owners got rid of them. We must build and run animal shelters where neglected animals can find safety, food and veterinary care.

To sum up, I can say that for centuries animals have been our friends and companions, and we must do our best to ensure that this coexistence will continue in the future.

Questions

1. Do you like animals?

2. Have you got a pet? Where did you get it from?

3. Do you take your pet with you when you go somewhere on holidays?

4. Would you like to keep a pet/an exotic pet? Why?

5. Do you think people should keep animals in zoos? Why?

6. Do you know any animal which is on the edge of extinction?

7. How can people help animals?

III четверть

Listening Comprehension

1) The teenagers are discussing films and plays they like and dislike.
Guess what genre they are talking about.

musical opera science fiction

melodrama detective thriller

tragedy western ballet

2) Listen to the teens' opinions about the films they saw. Finish up
their opinions using one of the phrases below.

1. a) What a bore! I. a) What a horrible film!

b)What a frightful film! b)What a boring film!

c) What a wonderful film! c)What a fantastic film!

3. a) It makes me happy. k. a) It is wonderful.

2. It makes me nervous. b) It is sensational.

3. It makes me want to hide. c) It is nothing to write home about.

Text for listening comprehension

I prefer something simple and cheerful.

3)

I prefer films which are stuffed with events and full of special effects. I adore films about adventures in space, especially “Star Wars”.

They are great.

4)

I prefer to watch films with a mysterious plot. I try guessing who is a criminal myself.

1) Put the paragraphs from the article into the right order and read the article.

A TYPICAL LOVE STORY

Prelude to a Kiss examines romance in a most unusual way.

1. it’s taken a few years and many revisions to get that way. Prelude opened at the Helen Hayes Theatre in May with Timothy Hutton and Mary-Louise Parker. Earlier the play was produced at South Coast Repertory and Berkeley Rep in 1988 and, earlier this year, Off-Broadway at Circle Repertory Company, where it was "the most sought-after ticket in Manhattan," according to The New York Times. The limited run at Circle Rep generated so much excitement that it prepared Broadway.

2. In Prelude to a Kiss, Craig Lucas's modern romantic fairy tale, a sleep­less beauty asks her groom (жених) on their wedding day whether he will love her when she's "a hundred years old with a moustache and yel­low teeth." He assures her that he will. It's only a matter of days before he gets the chance to prove it.

3. Prelude examines love, responsibility and mortality, all the while think­ing over if we ever really know anyone. The characters may journey through never-never land in the process, but their thoughts and emo­tions are so funny, touching and true that the play moves easily from reality to fantasy without a hint of artifice (выдумка).

4. Unlike such traditional fairy tales as The Sleeping Beauty, in which a kiss breaks a spell (заклинание) and provides the story with its resolu­tion, the kiss in Prelude casts a spell (накладывать заклятие) of sorts and is the transforming moment in the play. An old man comes into the wedding reception, gives a kiss to the bride and, in so doing, exchanges souls (душа) with her. The newlyweds, Rita and Peter, go off on their honeymoon, but within 24 hours Peter is staring at his wife and won­dering aloud, "Who the hell is she, anyway?" She looks like she never sleeps, but he senses something is very wrong. And it isn't long before he discovers that Rita and the old man have switched bodies.

By Sheryl Flatow adapted from Playbill

2) Are these statements true or false?

1. Prelude to a Kiss is a feature film.

2. It is a version of the fairy tale The Sleeping Beauty.

3. The main characters of Prelude to a Kiss are Rita and Peter.

4. Rita is a girl who never sleeps.

5. At the beginning of Prelude to a Kiss Rita is a hundred years old.

6. Rita got married to an old man.

7. Prelude to a Kiss was very popular in Manhattan.

8. The line that runs through Prelude is 'Do we ever know anybody?'

9. It had been performed in four different theatres before it appeared on Broadway.

Writing

GRAMMAR

1) Here are some quotations from American newspapers about Prelude to a Kiss.

What does the audience think about it?

1. Norton Rene is a talented director.

2. The play is very touching.

3. The creators are wise.

4. It is so true to life.

5. Craig Lucas is an outstanding playwright.

6. The thoughts and emotions are so funny.

7. The play is their first great success.

8. The play was really funny.

9. It is a romantic story.

10. The actors are fantastic.

11. It was a magnificent performance.

2) Make the opinions sound more convincing and emphatic.

1. I like opera.

2. My friend hates operetta.

3. I enjoyed the performance.

4. It made me cry.

5. It is extraordinary.

7. I prefer staying at home.
6. Louis loves action films.
7. I find it exciting.

8. I've already seen this film.

Speaking

Pair Work

Role-play the following situations.

1) You and your friend watched a science fiction film. Ask about your friend's opinion about the film.

2) You and your friend watched a science fiction film. You liked the film. Ask your friend if he/she liked the film.

3) You went to the theatre and saw Hamlet. Ask your friend's opinion about it. You are not fond of tragedies.

IV четверть

Listening Comprehension

You will hear a girl being interviewed for a job at a swimming pool. Fill in the missing

information in the spaces provided on the application form. Some of it has been filled in for you.

OASIS INTERVIEW

Interviewer: Good morning, Miss Smith. Sit down please.

Helen Smith: Good morning. Thank you.

Interviewer: Now I have an application form here. Would you mind answering a few

questions so that I can fill in this form? Then we can put it in our files.

Helen Smith: Yes, of course.

Interviewer: Good. Now, it’s Helen Smith, isn’t it?

78

Helen Smith: Yes, that’s right ... but if you need my full name it’s Helen Mary Smith.

Interviewer: Helen Mary Smith ... and how old are you?

Helen Smith: Twenty-two next month.

Interviewer: Thank you. Now I understand that you are a student and want some vacation

work here as a swimming bath attendant.

Helen Smith: Yes, please. At the moment I’m on a grant and I would like some extra money

for the summer... I have actually qualified in life-saving.

Interviewer: I see. What qualification have you got?

Helen Smith: Well I’ve got a bronze medal in life-saving. I started training for it in 1982 and

passed the tests the following year.

Interviewer: That seems fine... Have you any experience as a swimming pool attendant?

Helen Smith: Well no, apart from the pool where I did the life-saving course. But I did work

as a life guard on the beach last summer.

Interviewer: Ah, good. Now if we do offer you employment it will have to be on a part-time

basis. Would that suit you?

Helen Smith: Yes, that would be alright.

Interviewer: As you know we do need attendants at some of the sessions. Can I just make a

note on the form as to when you would be available... we have three daily sessions at our

baths — morning, afternoon and evening, except for Tuesdays when we close at mid-day.

Helen Smith: Well the only times I couldn’t come would be Friday evenings and all day on

Sundays. Otherwise I’m free.

Interviewer: That sounds very promising. At present you’ll understand that I can’t definitely

say yes or no as we do have other applicants coming in to see us later today. And I would like to

check the references that you have. But I hope we’ll be able to find a few sessions for you. In

any case you will hear from us within the next two or three days.

Helen Smith: Right, well thank you very much. Goodbye.

Interviewer: Goodbye.

IV четверть

Listening Comprehension

Listen to a recorded announcement giving information for tourists visiting the city of York

and then fill in the spaces in this note.

YORK LEISURELINE

This is York’s “What’s on Service”. Welcome to York and over nineteen hundred years of

history. When you are here, be sure to visit as many of our places of interest as possible

(2) Part-time ___________ Full-time ________ Tick (V) the appropriate.

Surname (3) _____________________________

First name (4) ___________ _______________

Age _21_

Life saving

Qualifications (5) __Bronze medal__ Date obtained (5) _____________

Experience (6) _________________________________________________

(7) Times available for work Tick (V) the appropriate.

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

Sun

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

Reading Comprehension

What does the European Community (EC) mean to Britain?

Overseas trade has been very important to Britain's economy for hundreds of years. In the past, its trade was centred on the Commonwealth and the United States. Joining the European Community brought many changes. Britain joined the EC in 1973 and became one of the twelve countries of the bloc. As an EC mem­ber, Britain could buy goods from other EC member countries at a reduced rate. Today, the Commonwealth is not as important to Britain as it was in the past. Britain's relationship with Europe now takes first place. Britain's decision to join the EC was main­ly for political reasons. Britain wanted to become part of Europe. It was also useful for economic reasons. The Single European Market offers British companies a market of over 350 million cus­tomers.

The Government believes that a productive, competitive European Community, with a single market in goods and free movement of labour at its heart, is essential for high living standards and employment. The EC takes account of the realities of employment patterns and practises in 12 very different member states. They believe in the idea of Community action to ease the free movement of workers and to protect high standards of health and safety at work. The Government welcomes joint action with Britain's Community partners when it makes sense to act together.

Although total national product per head fell in the early 1980s, Britain later returned to a strong economic position and had eight successive years of economic growth. The increase between 1980 and 1990 was.higher than in all major EC countries. In the early 1990s, Britain and many other countries were affected by the eco­nomic depression. Total national product fell in Britain in 1991 by 2.5 per cent.

A new development which will bring Britain closer to its European partners is the Channel Tunnel, (or "Chunnel"), which was com­pleted in 1993. It links the British and French motorway systems so that travel and trade between the two countries is much easier. Britain's second most important trading partner after the EC is the USA. The two countries share a common language and have strong cultural and historical ties. Britain receives more tourists from the USA than from any other country.

1. What is the main aim of Britain in joining the European
Community according to paragraph 1?

A. Not to work for the Commonwealth.

B. To be closer to other European countries.

C. To buy goods from other countries of Europe.

2. What is one of the most important problems for the EC according
to paragraph 2?

A. The creation of the single market.

B. The maintenance of good employment situation.

C. The promotion of free movement of people in Europe.

3. What does the author make clear about relations between the USA and Britain in paragraph 4?

A..These countries have the same culture.

B. It is easy to travel between these countries.

C. The USA is Britain’s important business partner.

Lexica-Grammatical Test

№1 Choose the correct variants.

1. The car …, so we had to walk.

a was broken b braked c brake

2. His coat … by the tailor.

a made b was made c makes

3. Our summer house … last winter.

a will be robbed b was robbed c robbed

4. The song “Love me do” … by the “Beatles” in the early 70s.

a was composed b composed c has composed

5. Fresh vegetables … at the market every week.

a were brought b are buy c are bought

6. The idea suddenly … to his head.

a came b comes c was came

№2.Participle I or II.

1. The …of the poem was very easy for him.

a) writing b) written

2. The … paper was full of mistakes.

a) wrote b) written

3. It was … to walk and explore new places.

a) interesting b) interested

4. My grandfather was … in folk music and collected a lot of songs.

a) interesting b) interested

5. He stood opposite the house … at the window.

a) looked b) looking

6. They have … us over from head to feet.

a) looking b) looked

7. The police officer took the … child to the press conference.

a) found b) founding

8. He stood … from hands to feet.

a) trembled b) trembling

9. The musical … by L. Webber became popular worldwide.

a) composed b) composing

10. Our neighbors stood looking at their house … away by the wind.

a) blown b) blowing

№3. Fill in the blanks with articles wherever necessary.

1.…United States of America is located on …North American continent.

2. …Rocky Mountains are situated in …USA.

3. To the west of this region you can find …Appalachians.

4. …Colorado River is in the southwest the country.

5. I’d like to cross …Atlantic Ocean.

6. Last summer I visited … Hawaiian Islands.

7. …Moscow is the capital of …Russia.

8. I’d like to visit … Balkan Peninsula.

9. It‘s very difficult for a man to cross …Sahara.

10. I visited a lot of countries such as … France,… New York, …India.

№4. Write synonyms to the words.

1. discovery –

2. famous –

3. jointly –

4. to share –

5. railway –

6. to receive –

Speaking

You and your friend are discussing different ways to make a for­tune. Discuss the following options and choose the one you both like most of all:

• inheritance

• marriage for money

• lottery

• hard work

'What do you think is the best way of making a fortune?'

'If you want to become rich, the quickest way is to find a rich relative who is going to die soon and ask him or her to make a will in your favour. It won't be very difficult if you take good care of your relative. You'll be rich after his or her death and will solve all your problems.'

'You can't be serious! First of all, I don't have any rich relatives. Secondly, it's very difficult to inherit something nowadays: you'll have to pay great taxes and do lots of formalities. As for me, I'm thinking of getting married to a rich person. Just imagine: you'll never have to work, you'll never have any problems with money and you'll be able to travel all over the world with your family. I think it's great!'

'The only problem is to find a rich person who will be willing to marry you! And what if you don't love your partner? Don't you think that you may be suspected of being dishonest? And then you'll have to divorce and become poor again. I think it's better not to depend on your wife or husband.'

'Well, I can agree with you that marriage for money is a rather unreliable way of making a fortune. What about winning money in a lottery? My friend, for example, won a lot of money last year. It's very easy. If I'm lucky, I'll also win a large sum of money and will start my own business. I think it'll be a good start in life.'

'And if you aren't lucky, what will you do?'

'I'll play again and again.'

'And you'll waste all your money and win nothing! As for me, I don't believe in lotteries. I'm sure that their aim is just taking money from people. Of course, there are people who win sometimes, but in my opinion, it's a chance in a million. I wouldn't trust them.'

'So what do you suggest? How can we become rich?'

'As for me, I don't want to be extremely rich because very rich people are as unhappy as poor people. I want to be in between. But of course, I want to have enough money to be independent and to do whatever I want. And the only possible way for me to have lots of money is to work hard.'

'I think you'll never earn a fortune even if you work very hard. Besides, hard work can affect our health. And you know that good health is above wealth. What is more, if you work hard, you won't have time to spend with your family and friends. No, hard work is definitely not for me!'

'Well, I didn't mean to work hard physically. I think, first of all, we must get good education and make an exciting career. Believe in yourself and don't give up! If you have an aim in your life, you can achieve everything and get a good salary.'

'Do you really believe that it's possible to earn lots of money nowadays?'

'Of course I do. If you want to make a million, the opportunities are there. Everyone comes across a good idea in their life, but they seldom do anything about it. I always remember Bette Nesmith Graham who invented the correction fluid. At first, no company wanted to buy it. Nevertheless, she continued to sell it from home for the next seventeen years. Finally, it was bought by Gillette for $47.5 million plus royalties. Isn't it a fortune?'

'Great! The same situation is with Bill Gates, who was an ordinary programmer but now he is one of the richest people on the planet. I think it's possible to make a fortune if you work hard but it requires a lot of dedication!'

'I completely agree with you. If your idea doesn't work for the first time, give it another try and another try, until you find a way to make it work. In my opinion, hard work is the best and the most reliable way of making a fortune, though of course not the quickest. Do you agree with me?'

'I can't but agree with you.'