I Read the story and answer your teacher’s questions.

The Musical Glass By Jane Runyon

 

Mary Elizabeth loved music. She was happy when she heard lovely sounds. She waited to hear the birds sing outside her window in the spring. She listened for the cricket's song when she swept the hearth in her mother's kitchen. The horses passing her papa's store made a "clip clop" sound. That was a song to Mary Elizabeth. These songs made her heart fill with joy.

Mary Elizabeth had only one wish. She wanted to make music on her own. She couldn't sing very well. Her brother, Matthew, had said, "You sound like the cat when Nana stepped on its tail."  She loved music so much. Why couldn't she make music on her own?

Mary Elizabeth knew where to go when she was sad. Her Uncle Ben Franklin could always make her smile. Best of all, Uncle Ben loved music just like Mary Elizabeth. One morning, Mary Elizabeth stood outside Uncle Ben's workshop. She could hear him humming to himself. She knew something fun was going to happen. She opened the door and saw Uncle Ben at his work table. Oh, no! What had happened? Broken glasses were everywhere. There were big glasses, little glasses, and middle sized glasses spread out on his table. Wait a minute. Only the stems that held the glasses up were broken off. What was Uncle Ben doing? Uncle Ben saw the puzzled look on Mary Elizabeth's face. "Come, little songbird," he said. "I will show you how we can make beautiful music. We will use what is broken. We can turn it into something good." (1178)

 

 

 

 

II Read the text and say why Lake Baikal is one of the most poplar attractions in our country. Say if you are proud of  Russia and its capital, why.

 

The Peal of Siberia Speak Out

 

Lake Baikal is the most ancient lake on earth. Lakes rarely live longer than a million years but the ‘Pearl of Siberia’, as it is often called, is more than 25 million years old! The lake holds one-fifth of the planet’s fresh water – and it is still clean!

Lake Baikal is one of the most beautiful places on earth. This wonder of the natural world is difficult to describe. The waters of the lake are amazingly transparent – and they change colours all the time. Lake Baikal is a living museum of water plants and animals. You can see many of them nowhere in the world.

The lake is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The Baikal Mountains and the taiga are protected as a national park.

 

 

 

 

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

 

As the winners of a contest, your class was rewarded a grant. Explain to a foreign journalist why you were given a grant, who was the grant given by, and what you are going to spend it on.