EVU Text Bank (2014)
Система Orphus

EVU TEXT BANK 2014
texts by students



ECU Intermediate and EVU Upper-Intermediate (Group 553)

ECU Units 21-60:

Units 57/59/60

A day of sunshine is a WELCOME RELIEF from the rainy weather. Any EXCUSE for not going for a walk in such weather is a FEEBLE one. It will be a GREAT PLEASURE for me to walk together. I will GIVE VENT TO my FRUSTRATION if you don’t come with me.

Units 26/27/28

I would JUMP AT THE CHANCE to travel to some exotic places but I am afraid to FACE SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS. Furthermore there is PRECIOUS LITTLE CHANCE of that happening because it won’t DRUM UP SUPPORT among my relatives and MY OWN BUDGET DOESN’T QUITE STRETCH to such journey. Although it’s not the only OPTION OPEN TO ME I don’t think I can PUT THIS IDEA INTO PRACTISE now.

Units 23/24

Maslenitsa is part of Slavonic CULTURAL HERITAGE. And it’s HUGELY POPULAR among Russians. It has its origin in both pagan and Christian traditions. For the Orthodox MASLENITSA MARKS the beginning of Great Lent.

Units 21/22/25

Students HELD DEMOSTRATION after principal’s decision to cancel music classes. Tomorrow the principal will HOLD A CONFERENCE, where he will CLARIFY HIS POSITION that students don’t need music classes. The KEY ADVANTAGE of the conference is that the opponents can ENTER INTO TALKS and REACH AN AGREEMENT.

EVU Units 59/76/83/84/86/97:

When she returned after classes at university she COULD EAT A HORSE. But she lived in dormitory and she CAME TO A DEAD END WITH her plan to cook some dish in the kitchen because there was no space left. TO PUT IT IN A NUTSHELL, she had a bad hair day. Luckily, she got some CHIPS from her roommates. She opened A JOURNAL VERY SMOOTH TO TOUCH and read THE HEADLINE .. TUNGUSKA EVENTS: TRUTH AND FICTION
Ф.С.

 Unit 84-86 EVU:

It has always been difficult to deal with topics like living in a social context and relationships: for example if you interact with a casual acquaintance you don’t usually feel completely comfortable with them, because, of course, you don’t know each other very well, and this leads you to KEEP YOUR CARD CLOSE TO YOUR CHEST and to avoid talking honestly and opening your heart. But is it convenient to try and tackle serious and personal questions with this kind of people? In my opinion you’d better not. The only thing you can do with them is to go to a café and have a SMALL TALK in front of a cup of tea. Furthermore, you may not feel always at ease if you have to introduce a controversial topic, even in a relationship with a close friend; there is often a high risk of misunderstanding, TALKING AT CROSS-PURPOSES, and ending with a bad quarrel. The reasons why this happens can be innumerable, but after the quarrel, IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY if you try to KEEP A COOL HEAD and FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM in the matter. You have to SPEAK YOUR MIND and not to BE LONG-WINDED, since if you can’t be sincere with a good friend, with whom can you?
G.R.

 ECU: UNIT 27, 59, 60; EVU: UNIT 59 (PRESS), UNIT 84:

HOMEWORK - A NEW JOB I've been in publishing for ten years as a columnist for a TABLOID NEWSPAPER, after graduating in Journalism and Mass Communication at University of Westminster. However, the economic crisis soon destroyed my hopes of achievement: I got fired and started looking for a new job. One day, I came across an advertisement in a local newspaper, where it was said that Mercurious was in search of a passionate and devoted journalist, offering good rates of pay. I immediately JUMPED AT THE CHANCE, and I remember my first day of work as it was yesterday: I felt SICK WITH WORRY, as if I hadn't any experience in the field before. I was ready to ADMIT DEFEAT, to receive DISPARAGING REMARKS and to SUFFER ROUGH TREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF the boss. To run away? A LAUGHABLE IDEA. After all the effort I've made to reach my goal, after having been employed, should I really give up? I felt a SUDDEN BURST OF ENERGY and a SHIVER DOWN THE SPINE. When I entered the room, I WAS IN FOR A SHOCK: it hadn't been specified in the advertisment that the employee would have to write obituaries! Nevertheless, I took the job: I had little money, and no other chance to find a decent work in the near future in order to make my LIFELONG AMBITION COME TRUE. So, I accepted: it has been a TURNING POINT for my career, since I found happiness in my profession. I am perfectly conscious that it DOESN'T LIVE UP TO MY PARENTS' and FRIENDS' EXPECTATIONS, but I am helping THE DEAD and their families to find some peace and some rest, as these pieces of news, in spite of their sadness, make people feel respected and honoured. Everyone, everytime, thanks me for my job, so I'm ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED BY it!
V.S.

 ECU 27-EVU 43:

I`m wondering who has never dreamt, in their childhood, to become a key member of a company board, the DIRECTOR of a large, multinational company / firm that manages to sell plenty of products every year all over the world. I think almost to everybody’s mind has come this curious idea, but… Is it really that fascinating? The father of my friend Giorgio has been the ADMINISTRATOR of a very popular food company since 1990 and once, when he came to visit me, he told me that this job is not that easy and exciting as it may seem, for example, from a secretary’s point of view.
In fact, as you’re supposed to run your office day by day, you have always to deal with demanding tasks and be ready to MAKE PLANS in advance for about a month. After this brief explanation you may think it is not so challenging, because if you don`t succeed in realizing your plan, you can just drop it! It’s not as automatic as you think: for example, after having DRAWN UP A SCHEDULE, you have to STICK TO it, in order not to GET THE SACK from your boss. As a result, before looking forward to career, you’d better write a list of pros and cons, read it almost hundred times and then make a firm decision!
G.R.

 ECU: UNIT 27, EVU: UNIT 45:

ITALY'S 2006 WORLD CUP
One of the most devotedly remembered events for Italian people is the CONVINCING VICTORY of their team at the World Cup in 2006, where Italy beat France 5-3 in PENALTY shot-out. As footballers were TAKING THE FIELD, everyone knew that it would have been a difficult match. Everyone watched breathlessly how Zidaine WAS GIVEN A RED CARD and sent off the pitch for having headbutted Materazzi. Everyone proudly remembers how Gattuso and Pirlo PLAYED BLINDER, setting the tempo of the game, while the spectators went wild following the UPDATED SCORES. The match ended even, but, as it went into extra-time, France started to dominate proceedings. However, thanks to the perfect PERFORMANCE PUT UP BY Materazzi, Rossi and Grosso, who didn't make a single mistake, Italy WON and became one of the most successful European countries in World Cup history, since it won the competition four times. This achievement gave great national pride to people of all ages: if asked, they would talk about that match as if it happened yesterday!
V.S.

 UNIT 24 -27 ECU, 37-39-41 EVU:

AN UNCOMMON EVENING

Gina FELT PECKISH; it was a bright Sunday night and she didn’t want to stay at home getting bored and dejected. For this reason she decided to call Liza, her CLOSE FRIEND, and ask her to WINE AND DINE together in the EXCLUSIVE RESTAURANT with such an UNRIVALLED SERVICE in Cryptic Street.
Liza JUMPED AT THE CHANCE and the two women reached that place of SHEER LUXURY.
That evening in the restaurant there was a sort of special though unusual guest: a fortune teller.
She was an ODD woman, CHUBBY-FACED, GINGER-HAIRED and, frankly speaking, unbelievably MESSY-LOOKING. She kept on saying a weird refrain: “If you want to know the truth, come to me and I`ll go through…”. Gina and Liza were intrigued and tried this eccentric game, but bad news were waiting for the two unaware women: the soothsayer, in fact, told Gina that it would be an unlucky week, Gina would TWIST HER ANKLE while running to work and Liza would MISLAY an important letter of her boss during the office cleanings. After those premonitions they were so dispirited that they forgot about their hunger, they were downcast and returned home. What an uncommon evening!
G.R.

 EVU: UNIT 43, UNIT 39; ECU: UNIT 26:

THE LIFE OF C. S. LEWIS

Clive Staples Lewis is one of the most famous English novelists, poets and critics of the twentieth century. He is best known for The Chronicles of Narnia, a masterpiece in fantasy and allegorical literature. As an IRISHMAN, he spend most of his childhood in Belfast with his elder brother, Warren: both of them had always a great THIRST FOR ADVENTURE and for knowledge, so that they used to invent fairy tales and stories, in which they were INTREPID EXPLORERS or brave warriors among fantastic creatures. Lewis was schooled by PRIVATE TUTORS before being sent to Hertfordshire, just after his mother's death. After that, he attended the Campbell COLLEGE and many other institutions, since he was obliged to move frequently due to health problems. His greatest academic achievement was in 1916, when he was AWARDED a SCHOLARSHIP for Oxford University College, where he studied classics and English literature. However, in 1917, he became a volunteer in the British Army during the First World War. He would always remember this terrible experience, since a lot of his friends and companions died. Then he worked as a TUTOR at Oxford, Magdalen College, and became a PROFESSOR at Cambridge University, where he concluded his CAREER. At that time he met the most important people of his life: his WIFE-TO-BE, Joy, and his friends, including J.R.R. Tolkien. Their literary club was called “The Inklings”. He was surely an amazing man and a strenuous apologist of Christianity, after his conversion to the Anglican Church.
V.S.

 Unit 36 EVU Upper-Intermediate:

MUGGY weather with several THUNDERSTORMS is expected in the southern areas of our country. While in the northern regions the weather is still sunny and STIFLING without DOWNPOURS. However, weather forecasters speak about the coming of the cold cyclone. This mixture of cold and hot air may cause severe GALE.
А.З.

 EVU: UNIT 36, 37; ECU: UNIT 26:

ENGLISH LITERATURE AND DREAMS

It was a CHILLY DAY in October. GUSTS OF WIND cleared up the MIST while the sun was rising above the horizon: I was on my way to school, when I experienced one of the most mysterious and strange situations in my life. An old sunburnt sailor with a long white BEARD, SKINNY but at the same time WELL-BUILT, was standing on the other side of the street along the seafront. His face was full of WRINKLES, his hair made frizzy and tough by the sea salt: he could have seemed only an old man, but his eyes were terrible, small but inflamed, as if he saw and endured the most severe hardship imaginable. I was petrified since he began to stare at me: “Come here little girl!” he roughly whispered. “Listen you to my story. A fair youth was I, when I sailed for the UNEXPLORED WILDERNESS. Many years passed by, but I still remember my mother's sadness. I sailed for Africa, for an ARDUOUS JOURNEY and, I was sure, nothing should have taken me aback. I was an INTREPID EXPLORER, with THIRST FOR ADVENTURE and nothing to regret. I faced the Cannibals as Othello did, reached the most hidden and dark places in the forests, fought with fierce beasts... And now I have come back home, old and hopeless, with a handful of dust: my story, my words have become as old as me.” As he was saying that, his lips were trembling and his eyes full of tears. “Little girl! You, with Stetson, were with me, you saw those African shores! And now I plant my corpse in your heart, until it blooms. Maybe this spring, maybe next year: I will not be there to see the result, but, at least, I can go in peace.” The old mariner suddenly disappeared. I soon woke up in a state of confusion: how many masterpieces of English literature did I dream of?
V.S.

 UNIT 25 ECU::

I like driving very much; when I WAS TAKING / PASSED MY DRIVING TEST in order to get a VALID DRIVING LICENCE I was the happiest person in the world, because driving makes me feel free, self-confident and, most of all, independent. When I have to drive someone somewhere I always get anxious and nervous indeed and, to be honest, this happened three months ago: I had been owning my driving licence for two years and my eldest brother, Giacomo, needed a lift to his office; I had to leave two hours before we had planned because on the highway to his home there's constantly DENSE TRAFFIC and LENGTHY DELAYS are not so rare. Besides, the CAR I use everyday is a MANUAL one and so I have to pay attention to how CHANGE THE GEARS properly while waiting for thetraffic to EASE OFF. When I got to his home we rapidly left; though I wasn`t late, I saw anger and impatience in my brother's eyes and I started tossing about at his words: "Giulia, come on! TRAFFIC IS BUILDING UP, I don`t want to get late to work. Go faster and KEEP TO THE LEFT. Look at the traffic light!!". I was furious and I couldn't concentrate, but thankfully TRAFFIC slowly DIED DOWN and we got to work on time!
G.R.

 Italian weddings (unit 23 ECU)

Today I want to tell you something about how it works in Italy when a man proposes to his woman; this ritual is based on a LONG-STANDING TRADITION, which states that the man has to kneel down, take the hand of his beloved, and ask the “fateful” question: “Will you marry me?”. After that the woman is supposed to cry and accept the proposal with a joyful and lovely smile. Then comes the moment in which the couple updates relatives and friends. “You’ve GOT HITCHED”, the groom’s friends would say, while the bride’s friends usually scream, shout and laugh happily. Anyway, the fatal day comes and, as usual, the future wife is overwhelmed by PRE-WEDDING NERVES; she starts doubting and thinking about pros and cons of marriage and asks the maids for some pieces of advice. In the end she calms down and takes a decision: finally, she will TIE THE KNOT. A big feast follows the sacred ceremony, which JOINES the lovers IN MATRIMONY, so the best man invites all the people in the room to join in and RAISE THE GLASSES in order to celebrate a new amazing life together.
G.R.

 Words related to fashion: ECU UNIT 23 Words related to social relationships: EVU UNIT 39 :

WORKING AT THE FASHION WEEK IN MILAN

A GOOD FRIEND of mine told me about her terrible work experience during the Milan Fashion Week that was held in March to LAUNCH THE NEW AUTUMN AND WINTER COLLECTIONS and SET THE TREND FOR the rest of the year, until September. The Fashion Week is a semi-annual clothing trade show that takes place four times a year respectively in New York, London, Milan and Paris. It is a vital event for FASHION VICTIMS, since there they can ADMIRE DEIGNER LABEL CLOTHES, FIND OUT WHAT WILL BE IN FASHION and then HIT THE HIGH STREET. So it is universally considered to be an unbelievable STROKE OF LUCK to get employed there. My SCHOOLMATE with a lot of effort managed to do it and was extremely excited about the prospect of being a part of that sparkling world, unapproachable for common people. However, it didn't turn out so well: all the time she had to wear EXCRUCIANTINGLY UNCOMFORTABLE SHOES, she couldn't rest even for a moment and was really STRESSED-OUT. Moreover her colleagues didn't get on well, they continued to LOOK DOWN ON her without offering their help. “They kept on saying that I was a bit overweight and that I should to go on diet! It was so impolite!” she cried in despair. “I will never try to work at such events again!”
V.S.

 EVU: UNIT 36 (THE WEATHER); ECU: UNIT 19 (SOCIAL LIFE), UNIT 23 (FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS) :

SAINT MARTIN’S FEAST

It is often said that autumn is a CHILLY season, with a lot of DOWNPOURS and FOG. However, during Saint Martin’s feast, it is not the case: Martin is the patron saint of my little town. This is a MOVABLE FEAST that usually FALLS ON the very first days of November and an important religious celebration that DATES BACK to the Middle Ages. Indeed, Saint Martin is one of the most venerated saints in the Roman Catholic Church. Saint Martin of Tours was a French bishop, who was born in 316, and, at the age of ten years old, decided to become a catechumen against his parents’ will. But he became a soldier as well, since his father was an officer. The most famous story about him happened during the military service: he was approaching the gates of the city of Amiens, where he met a wretched beggar. It was a cold day in November: so, he cut his cloak in half to share it with the poor man, and God, Who saw this noble action, made the sun shine to warm them up. Furthermore, it is said that during the night Martin had a vision: Jesus Christ wearing the half cloak he had given away. This is why, at the beginning of November, we can enjoy some sunny and MILD days that are called “Saint Martin's summer”.
All the citizens KEEP UP THE ANNUAL AND LONG-STANDING TRADITION of celebrating this occasion. Especially on Sunday, people WEARING TRADITIONAL DRESS gather in the town square and PERFORM POPULAR DANCES. Everyone is IN FESTIVE MOOD and enjoys the CONVIVIAL ATMOSPHERE: farmers show their animals (cows, pigs, geese, goats, rabbits, donkeys and chickens) and sell their products (corn, vegetables and so on), while craftsmen (glaziers, blacksmiths and painters) entertain viewers with their handmade works. The typical food is called “caldarroste”, which consists simply in baked chestnuts. Everything is marked by simplicity: people spend quality time with their family and friends, maybe in an attempt to return to their roots. Looking at those who share life with you is the best way to find your own identity.
V.S.

 EVU Units 31-32 :

Have you bought A PAPER this morning? There must be an article concerning the new-issued POLICY towards minor indigenous PEOPLES of Russia. There is also an interview with an eminent ethnographer who tells us about the Asian TRADES hidden in the mists of time.
The CREW was preparing a plane for the next flight. They cleaned the cabin, unpacked A STACK OF specially delivered BOXES. The last thing they needed to do was to select A SET OF DISHES for the passengers from business class.
А.З.

 EVU Units 32-33 :

SINCE MY AUNT IS AN ARTIST AND SHE LOVES PAINTING, SHE GAVE ME ONE OF THE PICTURES SHE MADE, AS WE CELEBRATED MY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY; IT DEPICTS A LANDSCAPE.
IN THE FOREGROUND THERE`S A SMALL HOUSE IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR AND FLUX ; BEHIND THIS HUMBLE BUILDING IS DEPICTED A RANGE OF HILLS AND A FLOCK OF BLACK AND SCARYING CROWS IS FLYING ALL AROUND.
BESIDES, AT THE BOTTOM, YOU CAN NOTICE AN OLD, BUSY MAN: I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT HE IS AN HERDER, BECAUSE AROUND HIM THERE ARE SOME COWS GRAZING VORACIOUSLY THE GRASS. THE SKY IS GREY AND I GUESS THE MAN IN THE PICTURE IS QUITE WORRIED, BECAUSE HE NEEDS TO FEED HIS HERD, BUT THERE ARE FLASHES OF LIGHTNING AND SPOTS OF RAIN AND SO I SHOULD THINK HE WILL SOON GO BACK HOME.
PAINTINGS ARE AMAZING, THEY HAVE THE POWER TO BEWITCH YOU AND MAKE YOU FEEL COMPLETELY PART OF THEM, AS IF YOU WERE AN ELEMENT OF THEM, AN ACTIVE MEMBER ABSORBED INTO THE HARMONY OF THE COMPOSITION.
G.R.

 ECU Units 20, 22:

IN 2006 ITALY WAS SHOCKED BY A FOOTBALL SCANDAL CALLED “CALCIOPOLI”. EVIDENCE EMERGED THAT MANY PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAMS HAD RIGGED GAMES BY SELECTING FAVOURABLE REFEREES. THE DEBATE ABOUT THESE EVENTS WAS RE-OPENED MANY TIMES: GENERAL MANAGERS OF THE MOST FAMOUS ITALIAN FOOTBALL TEAMS WERE OBLIGED TO ISSUE AN ABJECT APOLOGY, ALTHOUGH THEY REFUSED POINT-BLANK TO PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION OF THEIR BEHAVIOUR AND EVEN FLATLY REFUSED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SCANDAL. THE FOOTBALL TEAMS WERE PUNISHED WITH MANY POINT-PENALTIES AND WERE ALSO SEVERELY FINED. OF COURSE, THERE WERE THOSE WHO TRIED TO EXCITE SPECULATION, SPREADING RUMOURS AND THROWAWAY COMMENTS ABOUT THE EVENTS, IN AN ATTEMPT TO BE THE FOCUS OF ALL THE ATTENTION. FOR THIS REASON, MASSIMO DE SANCTIS, THE ITALIAN REPRESENTATIVE OF 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP, HAD TO RESIGN, DECLINING TO COMMENT OR CLARIFY HIS POSITION AS REGARDS THE SCANDAL. IN APRIL 2007 TWO NEWSPAPERS (LA REPUBBLICA AND LA STAMPA) FOUND NEW DAMAGING DISCLOSURES: THERE WERE OTHER SCANDALS IN THE PUBLIC EYE AND THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED, WERE PUT ON TRIAL. FINALLY, THEY WERE ALL ALLEGED TO HAVE COMMITTED SPORTING FRAUD AND SENTENCED TO JAIL. THE NATION WAS ASTONISHED, SINCE THESE EVENTS BROUGHT SHAME ON THE MOST FAMOUS AND LOVED SPORT OF ALL AND PROVED THAT THE STEREOTYPE ACCORDING TO WHICH THE ITALIANS DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EXPRESSION “FAIR PLAY” MEANS, WAS TRUE.
V.S.

 ECU 20:

A SHORT STORY
“WILSON WAS VERY PENSIVE THAT NIGHT. HE WAS SITTING ALONE IN A RESTAURANT NEAR PALM STREET, LOOKING AT A PAIR OF WOMEN, WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR OWN BUSINESS ALOUD. HE DIDN`T LIKE IDLE CHATTER AT ALL, BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF SHARING JUICY GOSSIP. ON THE CONTRARY, HE APPRECIATED WOMEN WHO COULD CARRY ON A CONVERSATION WITHOUT BRINGING UP A SILLY SUBECT; THESE WERE THE KIND OF WOMEN HE LOVED THE MOST,THEY WERE NATURAL, EASY-GOING.
THOUGH WILSON WAS ALREADY IN HIS 50S, HE FOUND HIMSELF THINKING ABOUT THE PERFECT OPENING GAMBIT (IN CASE HE MET A WOMAN LIKE THAT!). HE GLADLY REMEMBERED HIS YOUTH, WHEN HE WAS A FASCINATING, HANDSOME AND CHARMING BUSINESSMAN. AT THAT TIME HE DIDN`T NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO “STEAL” A GIRL`S HEART…HE JUST STARED FIERCELY AT HER AND HE DID IT! BUT HAS ANYTHING CHANGED DURING THOSE YEARS? THAT WAS A TOUGH QUESTION, NOW HE WAS QUITE RUSTY AND THAT THOUGHT DEEPLY UPSET HIM…”
G.R.

EXCHANGING PLEASANTRIES AND SHARING JUICY GOSSIP MIGHT BE A LIGHTHEARTED WAY TO SPEND FREE TIME, BUT OF COURSE , THESE KINDS OF CONVERSATION CAN’T HAVE POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON A PERSON’S MIND IN THE LONG RUN. OF COURSE, IT IS DIFFICULT TO BROACH AN IMPORTANT OR SERIOUS SUBJECT NOWADAYS, INSTEAD OF MAKING BROAD GENERALISATIONS, BUT IT IS WORTH TRYING: YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF DRAWN INTO AN ARGUMENT AND BOMBARDED WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. IT HAPPENED WHEN I TOLD THE STORY OF PRESIDENT ALDO MORO TO MY NIGHBOURS’ DAUGHTER. ALDO MORO IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ITALIAN PRIME MINISTERS. HE SERVED THE COUNTRY FROM 1963 TO 1968, AND THEN FROM 1974 TO 1976, AS THE LEADER (AND AN EXCELLENT GO-BETWEEN) OF A PARTY CALLED CHRISTIAN DEMOCRACY. HE WAS ABLE TO PRESENT SHOW OF UNITY NOT ONLY OF HIS PARTY, BUT ALSO OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY WHEN HE RULED IT. DURING HIS YOUTH, HE STUDIED LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BARI, BECOMING AFTERWARDS AN ORDINARY PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY OF LAW AND COLONIAL POLICY. WHEN HE PROCLAIMED VICTORY, HE DIDN’T FORGET HIS DEDICATION TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM: INDEED, HE CARRIED OUT A WIDE RANGE OF SOCIAL LAWS, WHICH INCLUDED AN ANNUAL ALLOWANCE FOR STUDENTS WITH INCOME BELOW A GIVEN LEVEL. UNFORTUNATELY, AT THAT TIME THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SITUATION IN ITALY WAS LESS THAN SECURE AND PEACEFUL: IN MARCH 1978 A GROUP OF TERRORISTS OF A MILITANT COMMUNIST ORGANISATION CALLED “RED BRIGATES” KIDNAPPED HIM AND, AFTER 55 DAYS OF CAPTIVITY, KILLED HIM. THE AUTHORITIES DIDN’T SUCCEED IN BROKERING AN AGREEMENT TO TALK WITH THEM: IN SPITE OF THE NUMEROUS DEMONSTRATIONS AND LETTERS (POPE PAUL VI OFFERED HIMSELF IN EXCHANGE OF ALDO MORO), THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO CALL OFF THE SEARCH BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T WANT TO BOW TO TERRORISTS’ PRESSURE AND DEMANDS. ALDO MORO WAS SACRIFIED FOR THE STABILITY OF ITALY. HOWEVER, NOBODY FORGOT HIM AND HOW MUCH HE HAS DONE FOR THE COUNTRY: RECENTLY THE HOLY SEE HAS RECEIVED A FILE ON BEATIFICATION OF ALDO MORO, THE FIRST STEP TO BECOMING A SAINT IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
V.S.

 Magazines always tell that a perfect lifestyle does exist; they say that it's the right combination of fitness, food and mood that makes the difference. If you keep on exercising every day, making it ever more challenging, you will certainly achieve a perfect figure and will look healthier. But your food can have effect on your ageing process: do you usually eat junk food, processed food and all that sort of things with high fat that are dangerous for your organism? Stop it! You have to try to stick to your diet based on superfoods, that is fruit and vegetables at any time of the day. And the last (but not the least) is the way you behave with yourself: if you are sad, and do not love yourself, you’ll risk suffering from depression. This means that if you are not in the mood you eat much and move less. It’s a vicious circle, be careful!
G.R.

 "You know it was the very first time I travelled by plane. I was extremely excited, since it would have been a long journey" said Jim to his wife. They were sitting in an elegant Japanese restaurant in Tokyo, the perfect venue to celebrate Christmas Eve. Jim looked quite tired and spoke fleebly, as he was suffering from jet lag. Her wife glanced at him worriedly: her husband had decided to spring a surprise on her, reaching the other side of the world only to enjoy a family gathering at Christmas time. However, his journey turned out to be a real adventure: his flight was severely delayed due to bad weather and he was stuck at the airport for two days in desperation. The air company didn't even put him up in a hotel. All of a sudden, an old Japanese man came up to him, asking kindly what was going wrong. Jim opened his heart: " Maybe I am overstating my case, but I really wished I spent Christmas Day with my wife. She is on a business trip and will not come back until April. I don't know what to do." Moved, that old man gave him his ticket without asking everything in return. "It was an unexpected Christmas gift!" exclaimed Jim. In the end, he took off with the early morning flight and, after a bumpy landing, arrived in Tokyo. "He told me that family is the most important thing in life: 'As Hubbard said, no matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?' I think he was right." Concluded he with a smile.
V.S.

 It is known worldwide that China's economic and political development has interested the majority of the richest countries, to the extent that they are allocating most of their investments there in order to boost profits and to open their market and trades. However, China has become famous also for its education system: recent research indicates that Shangai is top of the international education ratings. Moreover, pupils who live in rural areas demonstrate a remarkable ability to learn information by heart and show considerable initiative in school projects.
Test results showed also that pupils are very determined to succeed in spite of their social backgrounds. Indeed there are high levels of equity among them. They feel that motivation is the key to success: "I can succeed if I study hard" they say. This enables them to meet the entry requirements for university entrance, even in the most prestigious seats of learning in the world, and to overcome obstacles such as racial prejudice against them. This can be a reason to look abroad with interest, borrowing ideas to improve national intitutions and a message of hope and peace among different countries and cultures.
V.S.

 I think is the right sentence for me. After a FIERCE COMPETITION I WON A SCHOLARSHIP and actually I can't believe it yet. In my opinion, the best way to understand a population and its culture is to go and live in their country and spend a period there in order to acquire a FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE and tell people who have never been there then. These people can't make an IN-DEPTH CRITIQUE, they can simply imagine how it works in a foreign country, basing their HYPOTHESIS on what they only heard. Living a culture means living its people!
G.R.
ECU Intermediate and EVU Upper-Intermediate (Group 453)

Thirty years ago these slums were a new built-up area of the city. Young well-off, stuck-up people dwelt here and went for a drive in brand-new cars. Half of this fashionable area was bombed out in the World War II. And the rest of the houses look very run-down.
Her husband was a little bit upset with the building outlays. However, a newly-built villa looked really gorgeous as its layout had promised. Besides stunning interior and cozy garden in oriental style, the villa had an outlet to the sea.
Mike looked at traffic lights. It turned green so he moved towards pedestrian crossing. He saw a long yellow building which was a famous hospital. Some days ago Mike decided to become a blood donor to help the injured soldiers.
The company held an emergency meeting yesterday. They discussed how they could stimulate growth of sales in their subsidiary companies. Also, Johnson, one of the main shareholders, proposed to pay dividends to the best company members.
А.З.

 ECU 60, EVU 17:

As a rule people tend to criticize everything that is new and incomprehensible to them. They are highly critical of any new religion and they strongly disapprove of new developments in fashion. They severely condemn new inventions, new ideas and new discoveries. However after some time they begin to speak highly of them. For example, constant and sharp criticism of Coco Channel’s clothes turned into hearty approval of her genius. John J. Merlin was supposedly the first who invented roller skates - that received outspoken criticism. But after some time they were improved and even transformed into in-line skates which this time received nothing but praise. Giordano Bruno got universal condemnation for his ideas and discoveries, so he was burned at the stake. Howbeit some centuries later everyone realized that he was right and he got a thunderous applause for his ideas. And many other stories had the same scenario. So we shouldn’t be led by prejudice but we should be patient for everything new.
Л.М.

Mr. Riggs decided to start his own e-commerce. But his best friend and keypal Gosha told him not to do it so that he may not become a mouse potato.
Long time ago Gosha's father used to be a famous pop-singer. After each concert he received a standing ovation. Every person in the auditorium gave him a big clap. Small Gosha was always singing his praises to him.
A.K.

ECU 59, EVU 15/16:

I’m a great lover of tortoises. I have two turtles and a big tortoise. My turtles have a genuine liking for marmalade, dried beetles, meat, beacon, chicken, aubergines, etc. I’ve noticed that these dried beetles are a kind of delicatessen for them. My big tortoise, i.e. Rosa, has a passionate love of cabbage and cucumbers. And she has an instant dislike of pears. It was a fiasco when I tried to feed her with them once. All my tortoises derive great enjoyment from lying under their lamps after dinner.
Л.М.

There are some people in the alcove. They are eating hamburgers and spaghetti. These people are agents of the FBI and the CIA. The enforcers are waiting for a bandit, who is a member of local guerrillas.
A.K.

ECU Unit 58-59:

In most cases people have a particular liking for a convenient, calm life. Others get an enjoyment out of vain deeds and meaningless words. I take pleasure in the first kind of lifestyle.
A.K.

The scientists in the sixteenth century fully accepted the fact that the Earth is turning around the Sun.
A.K.

Part 1
Mr. Glutton’s passionate love for lamb inspired him to steal it from the fridge. Mr. Glutton has always had the greatest regard for Ms. Crops who usually cooked lamb on Sundays. But he hated when Ms. Crops added cinnamon in it, he had an intense dislike of cinnamon. Mr. Glutton was a cat and he didn’t want any cinnamon in his cutlets!
Part 2
Mr Glutton usually watches TV at 11 o'clock. A man in blue glasses reported that a very famous pop star was facing accusations of complicity to the criminals. But she had issued a statement, saying the claims were unfounded, and denied all the rumours about this fact.
Mr. Glutton was upset and gave way to despair. This pop star was his second passionate love — after the cutlets, of course.
Е.С.

ECU Unit 58 / EVU Unit 14:

There was a walk-out in the factory last week. The staff demanded to rise the salary and the administration decided to crack down and shake up the personnel. No one wants to became a dropout. So the staff settled down and repented sincerely.
A.K.

Once upon a time in a small town somewhere in the Middle Lands there lived a very big family – the Skirtsons. They were dropouts in some way but it didn’t bother them much.
Nine daughters were the happiness of their parents and their comfort for they would always help with housekeeping and farming. It happened that one summer day the girls were playing in the garden with their dog Tusse. Sonne, the third daughter, had lost her necklace. She didn’t pay any attention to this. The girls had nine absolutely identical necklaces. All the sisters slept in a big and spacious room and they took off these necklaces before sleeping. Sonne realized that she had lost her necklace somewhere. So she got up earlier than others and put on one of her sister’s necklaces. This time Erde, the eighth daughter, was without the necklace. Erde decided to do the same as Sonne did. So the story repeated itself for some mornings until Marsum, the second daughter, found no necklace for herself. She made a great scandal in the family. So the wise parents decided to gather everyone in the living-room to have a trial. Each girl dropped a number of broad hints and made unfounded claims. Each girl openly accused the other. The parents wanted to solve this problem. So the mother made a new necklace absolutely identical to the others.
Л.М.

Mister A. clearly implied that he would like to get Lamborghini Aventador as a present for his diamond anniversary. Since his family denied all the rumors of his schizophrenic breakdown, it was indeed a strange desire. But Mister A. was not at all reckless. He put forward an interesting theory of recovering from insomnia with the help of Lamborghini Aventador.
Ф.С.

ECU Unit 57 / EVU Unit 13:

Before crossing the road you should have arrived at a decision about where and how to do it. In Russia, theoretically, we can use pedestrian crossing with traffic lights, pedestrian crossing without traffic lights and underground passages. But in practice, many Russians would much prefer using neither of them. You should consider all the options you have at the moment. And don’t reject the last one out of hand. There is nothing like running across the street in front of the car to get the adrenalin going.
Ф.С.

ECU Unit 57:

Mr. Riggs had a burning desire to buy a gun. He realized that it was a big decision, and couldn't make a choice at once. After a slight hesitation he decided to ask his friend Gosha for advice. He strongly advised him a new model of «Beretta».
A.K.










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