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Unit 18 Home styles, lifestyles

readeralexey — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 19:19:05 GMT

Have you ever been to a squat or a hovel. If yes, describe what you saw.

Absolute majority of urban population in the USSR lived in high-rise social housing. Do you know people who still do?

Have you ever been to a penthouse or a granny flat? If yes, describe what you saw.

What are household words in your house?

Have you ever been offered anything on the house?

Who usually tells you home truths? How do you take it? What was the last home truth you were told? Has it hit home?

Write an essay for this title: "If you think Pererva is nothing to write home about, think again".

Do you usually find it easy to make yourself at home in strange or unfamiliar places?

Would you prefer to lead a sheltered life or life in the fast lane?

When did you last have the time of your life?

What do you think might let you get a new lease of life?

Do you know anyone who breathed new life into something?

Is there anything that is a matter of life and death for you?

Have you ever taken your life in your hands?

Unit 80 Academic writing: text structure

readeralexey — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:51:07 GMT

Write a summary (abstract) of your future dissertation (including review of academic sources) using as many words from the unit as possible. Highlight the words you use in some way (capitals, italics, underline, bold type).

Unit 36 Beliefs

readeralexey — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 17:20:27 GMT

Choose an issue from the following list (a different one from what you used at the Upper-Intermediate level) or any other issue where you have strong views. Describe your views / position on the issue (the essence of your views, where they derive from, how long you have been their proponent, why you converted to them, what are their practical implications (if there are any) in your life, what other people think about your beliefs...). Use as many words from the unit as possible.
Capital punishment
Women's rights
Rights of sexual minorities
Animal rights
Pro-life / pro-choice controversy
Green issues / Environmentalism
Military service
Immigration
Emigration
Freedom of speech
Safe spaces / No platforming / Cancel culture
Culture wars
Inclusive language
Identity politics
Diversity / Inclusivity / Equity
Eurocentrism
White privilege
Cultural appropriation
Marriage / Family / Divorce
Child-free ideology
Serial monogamy
Trial cohabitation before marriage
Use of foul language
State power vs individual freedom / privacy
Social inequality
Clash of civilizations
Russia vis-a-vis the collective West
War in Ukraine
War in Palestine
Marxism
Post-modernism
Democracy
Street art / graffitti / tagging
Biblical criticism
Ecumenical movement
Modern style in church architecture
Women priesthood
Worship in Russian versus Church Slavonic

Look up a world view that interests you, e.g. feminism, Marxism, humanism, Buddhism or any -ism that you want to research. Make notes about (1) the origins of the -ism, (2) what its basic beliefs are, and (3) what differences there are between its different branches (if it has them).

Unit 46 Personal finance: making ends meet

readeralexey — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 07:20:40 GMT

Have you ever been broke? What did it feel like? How did you manage?

Have you ever been rolling in it? What did it feel like? How did you spend it?

Do you usually manage to make ends meet, or things are a bit tight as a rule?

Do you think you are ever going to be strapped for cash? Why / why not?

What way do you usually pay your household bills (by cash in a bank / direct debit / electronic transfer, using ATM...)?

Do you have a credit card / know anyone who does? What is the APR for it? What do people usually put (stick) on their credit cards?

Do you have any store cards? Do you find them helpful? What other types of cards do you use?

Have you ever received any lump sums / golden handshakes?

Do you expect to have any life savings by the time you retire?

Unit 72 Permission: getting the go-ahead

readeralexey — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:09:45 GMT

Tell about a situation when you had to accede to someone’s demands despite not really wanting to.

Have you ever acquiesced in a plan that required a degree of secrecy or conspiracy?

Have you ever been to a building where only authorised people are allowed to enter (excluding our university)? What measures were employed there to prevent unauthorised access?

If you have ever been in a position of authority, did you ever have to condone anything questionable for the sake of achieving a greater good? To clamp down on something?

If you were to become President tomorrow, would there be something currently legal that you’d want to outlaw? Or maybe something currently illegal that you’d want to allow?

Think of a project or a movement that, in your opinion, deserves endorsement and support from the city administration. Explain your choice.

Are there any buildings/construction projects in your local area that were recently greenlit? Do you agree with the decision to build them or would you rather give the go-ahead for something else?

Unit 73 Complaining and protesting

readeralexey — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 08:36:52 GMT

Have you ever had to write a complaint in the review book (at a restaurant, cafe, library, or another public place which has one)?
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Think of an event that you had high expectations for due to good reviews, friend recommendations, etc., but ended up not at all satisfied with the experience you got.
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Do you know anyone who likes to constantly gripe about minor inconveniences? If you had to have this person as a roommate for a full year, how would you deal with that?
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Is there something that you are sick of, but that an average person would find okay? Or, on the contrary, is there something that you don't mind, but that an average person would object to?

Unit 32 The animal kingdom

readeralexey — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 09:04:06 GMT

Форум: EVU Advanced
Автор темы: readeralexey
Автор последнего сообщения: sodrozdova
Количество ответов: 16

Unit 26 Travel and accommodation

readeralexey — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:46:38 GMT

Think about holidays you have had. How would you describe them? Then think about your perfect holiday. What words from this unit can you use to describe it?

What places you would definitely like to visit? What places you are unwilling to visit for this or that reason?

Describe the most convenient / comfortable / luxurious / exotic / memorable accommodation you have had while travelling.

Unit 93 Metaphor: seeing the light

readeralexey — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:51:02 GMT

The following tasks were generated by the AI (https://chat-gpt.org/chat), based on the unit material. Choose the one you find most stimulating and write an essay on it. Then give the same task to the AI and compare the results. In what ways is your text different?
If none of these questions seems appealing to you explain why.

"Keeping someone or something on a tight rein" can be interpreted as maintaining strict control or oversight. Analyze the effectiveness of such measures in managing people, organizations, or policies.

To "have an eye for" something implies possessing a natural talent for recognizing quality or potential. Examine how this skill can be cultivated and applied in various fields such as art, design, or entrepreneurship.

"Keeping a (close) eye on" someone or something is a concept commonly associated with surveillance or monitoring. Evaluate the ethical implications of surveillance on individual privacy, personal rights, and social justice.

Many ideas and concepts "go hand in hand with" each other, such as freedom and responsibility, logic, and creativity, or innovation and sustainability. Analyze the interdependence of such concepts and their influence on decision making and problem-solving.

"A rule of thumb" is a guideline or principle used in practical situations. Explore how established rules of thumb can be challenged or improved by advancements in technology, research, or social norms.

"Casting light on" a topic or issue is similar to shedding light on it, making it clearer and easier to understand. Explore how journalism, media, and other public platforms can use this practice to promote transparency, accuracy, and accountability.

"Blowing hot and cold" is a term used to describe someone who is inconsistent or indecisive. Discuss the pros and cons of being adaptable and flexible versus reliable and trustworthy in different contexts.

Being "hotheaded" refers to someone who is impulsive and easily angered. Analyze the psychological and social consequences of impulsive behavior, how it can be managed, and the impact it has on personal relationships, professional success, and social well-being.

Being "cold-hearted" implies a lack of empathy and emotional attachment. Discuss the causes and consequences of emotional detachment in individuals, groups, or societies, and how it can be addressed through therapy, education, or social interventions.

Unit 11 Relationships: friends forever

readeralexey — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:10:17 GMT

Think of a question based on the content of this unit you would like to ask one of your classmates (different from the three questions below). Post this question in the forum. Decide who you are going to ask it, but do not let the person know. Be ready to address this question to the person in class and to answer other students' questions.

Name someone in your life who:
- you feel a close bond with.
- is a real soulmate for you.
- is a person after your own heart.