The Mount Everest is 8,848 metres high

This lake is 3 miles wide.

The pipe is 2 centimetres thick.

Or

The river has a length of 3,5 miles.

The sun has a surface temperature of 11 000 F.

In a description you can use such adverbs as:

This object is relatively small. Zinc is rather reactive. Copper salts are slightly blue. It is extremely hot in deserts.

Remember: Science demands objectivity and precision in descriptions.

Exercise 1. State what would make the following descriptions more scientific:

1. We used statistical approach.

2. Steel is less corrosive.

3. The surface temperature of the sun is 11 000.

4. The river Thames is rather long.

5. The Grand Canyon is 5 500 feet.

Exercise 2. Learn the dialogues by heart and make up similar dialogues

of your own using the patterns.

I

Kate - Excuse me, can I have a thing for cutting paper. I forgot the English

word for it.

Shop-assistant - Do you mean a razor?

Kate - Oh, no. It is about 15 centimeters long or may be longer. It is made of

metal with plastic handles. It is also used for cutting textile.

Shop-assistant - Oh, you mean scissors. Here you are.

II

Susan - Oh, dear! I’m afraid, I’ve lost my new pendant.

Ben - What is it made of?

Susan - It’s made of yellow metal.

Ben - What shape is it?

Susan - It is oval and there is a blue stone in it.

Ben - Here it is. You’ve left it on the table.

Exercise 3. Work in pairs.

a) You are at the Lost Property office. You’ve lost your scarf (hat, bag, etc.). Describe it to the clerk there.

b) The clerk asks more questions about your scarf (hat, bag, etc.) and tries to find it.

Exercise 4. You are staying with an English family. Your room hasn’t

got everything you need. Say, what you need. If you don’t

know how a thing is called, describe it to your hosts.

Unit 2

Text 1