Books are divided mainly into two categories: non-fiction and fiction. Non-fiction books are often about history, biography, travel, science or cooking among many other subjects. Books containing short stories, novels, dramas or poetry are called literary fiction. Some people like travelogues, detective stories, crime novels, thrillers, graphic novels; others prefer the romance genre, historical or science fiction. You can buy the book, borrow from a friend or take it out from the library. If a book is a real page-turner, it’s easier to read it from cover to cover.    

Some people prefer reading an e-book on an e-reader rather than reading a traditional book. It’s easier to purchase an e-book and to search for content in an e-book and you can also carry around a number of books on your e-reader – but you won’t find the distinct book smell in an e-book.

A newspaper is a publication printed on paper and issued regularly. Newspapers give information and opinions about current events and news. Newspapers often have comic strips and other entertainment elements. The opinion sections are called editorials.

Magazines are generally issued weekly or monthly. Some newspapers are tabloids, and are usually the popular press. They often have a larger circulation. The more serious newspapers are bigger in size (broadsheet). Newspapers and magazines can be bought at news-stands, in supermarkets and at petrol stations, and you can also subscribe to them.

Usually people read newspapers to stay informed about national and international events and news but reading English language press can also help you improve your English. Reading newspapers and magazines you will easily pick up a lot of vocabulary relating to news stories, as they are used repeatedly from one issue of the paper to the next. If you find a book or magazine that you are interested in reading, it is a great motivator to broaden your vocabulary too. 

almanac – évkönvy, almanach
best seller (bestselling book) – bestseller , toplistás könyv
book – könyv
booklet – könyvecske, füzet
brochure – brossúra, ismertető füzet
comic book – képregény
dictionary – szótár
encyclopaedia – enciklopédia
hardcover – keménykötésű könyv
magazine – magazin
novel – regény
paperback – puhakötésű könyv
periodical – folyóirat
pamphlet – röpirat, pamflet
picture book – képeskönyv
reference book – kézikönyv, segédkönyv
textbook – tankönyv

I) Fill the gaps with the words given.

1) If you don’t know a word, look it up in the ………………. .
2) ……………….. is a book, often in many volumes, containing articles on various topics, often arranged in alphabetical order, dealing either with the whole range of human knowledge or with one particular subject.
3) It took Tolstoy six years to write his famous ……………….. , War and Peace.
4) Is Fifty Shades of Grey really one of the world’s ……………….. ?
5) Have you seen my ……………… ? I need it for my homework.
6) Pick up your Italy holiday ………………..  and start planning your next trip today

acknowledgments – köszönet(nyilvánítás)
appendix – melléklet, függelék
bibliography – bibliográfia
table of contents – tartalomjegyzék
copyright – szerzői jog
dedication – ajánlás, dedikálás
explanatory notes – magyarázó jegyzet
footnote – lábjegyzet
index – betűrendes mutató
preface – bevezetés
text – szöveg
title – cím
chapter – fejezet
volume – kötet
author – szerző

II) Fill the gaps with the words given.

1) Who owns the ……………….. of this book?
2) ……………….. 12 of this book discusses the history of Sicily.
3) The period from 1940-45 is in ………………. 9.
4) Reading the book it is clear that the ………………… is a woman.
5) The program automatically creates a ……………….. to your document.
6) The ………………. describes also its main character.

Key:
I. 1) dictionary 2) encyclopaedia 3) novel 4) bestsellers/ bestselling books 5) textbook 6) brochure
II. 1) copyright 2) chapter 3) volume 4) author 5) table of contents 6) title

It’s a funny picture of a boy with two pet animals. One is sitting on his head and the other is in front of him. I don’t really know what kind of animals they are. They are grey and furry. They look like a mouse but they are bigger. They may be guinea pigs or ferrets but I’m not sure. The boy is cute and blonde and he is smiling happily. He has got big blue eyes and he’s wearing a bright yellow jacket. It’s strange that the animal is sitting on his head. I wouldn’t let that if I were in the boy’s place.

Children usually like keeping pets. Most of them have cats or dogs. Others keep guinea pigs, goldfish or parrots. Some people like keeping exotic pets like snakes or foxes. I once had a neighbour who kept spiders as a pet. They were disgusting.

When I was a child, I had a cat. She was beautiful and kind. She liked it when I stroked her fur and she purred a lot. But she sometimes scratched me when she was angry. Keeping a cat is easy and cats are grateful for your love.  

B2 – Középfok

The boy in the picture is smiling broadly showing all his white teeth. He must love animals because he’s obviously not afraid of them and is happy to have them around. To tell you the truth I would probably scream my head off if there was an animal this big on my head. But I am not a big fan of animals, I never even had a pet in my life. It’s not easy to tell what kind of animals there are in the picture. They are mammals and rodents, that’s for sure. They are grey like a mouse, but they are definitely bigger, and their tails are longer. If I was allowed to use my cell phone at the moment I would try to find images of rodents in Google to find out what animals they are. They look cute in the picture, but I wouldn’t dare to touch them in real life. Not to mention keeping them.

Keeping a pet is a demanding task. You have to feed the animals, keep their living space clean and try to make their living circumstances as natural as possible. When it comes to pets most people choose a dog or a cat. Keeping them is not very complicated. They appreciate your love and care and can show their love easily. They are loyal and grateful animals and they are usually real friends. Some people though choose to keep strange or exotic pets in their homes. It beats me how somebody can keep venomous snakes or spiders at home, but it’s not extraordinary nowadays.

I’ve already mentioned that I’ve never had a pet and I don’t even plan to have one. My children kept nagging me for a cat or a dog when they were younger, but I never gave in. We’ve always been too busy to give proper care to a pet and I think it’s not fair to always leave it alone and not give as much love to it as it would need. My children always said that the pet would be their responsibility but I never believed them that they would keep to their promise. When they are grown-ups they can have their own pets if they still want to.  

Gym receptionist: Hello. How can I help you?
Woman: Hello. I’d like to buy a gym membership.
Gym receptionist: All right. What kind of membership do you prefer? You can join us for one, three, six or twelve month.
Woman: I’m not sure. I’d like to lose some weight and keep fit, but I’m not very tenacious.
Gym receptionist: I think you should proceed slowly. Many people join the gym on impulse, then never follow through. True fitness is based on your total lifestyle, not on a short-lived training program.
Woman: I see. I’ll join for three months now. What does the membership include?
Gym receptionist: The basic membership allows you to use the gym and to take part in 8 fitness classes a month. We also have additional services, like food coaching or personal training.
Woman: I think I’ll join for three month now, and a basic membership will do.
Gym receptionist: All right. Fill out this form, please, and I’ll prepare your membership card right away.
Woman: Okay… and when can I use the gym?
Gym receptionist: You can use the gym during scheduled opening hours. Admission to the gym is normally not allowed within 30 minutes of closing time.

IMPORTANT PHRASES

How can I help you? – Miben segíthetek?
I’d like to buy a … membership. – Szeretnék venni egy … bérletet/tagsági igazolványt.
What kind of … do you prefer? – Milyen (fajta) …-t szeretne/részesítene előnyben?
You can join us. – Csatlakozhat hozzánk.
I’m not sure. – Nem vagyok benne biztos.
I’ll join for …. –  …-ra/-re fogok csatlakozni.
What does the membership include? – Mi tartalmaz a bérlet/tagsági igazolvány?
The basic membership allows you to … . – Az alap bérlet/tagsági igazolvány lehetővé teszi, hogy … .
A basic membership will do. – Egy alap bérlet/tagsági igazolvány megteszi.
Fill out this form, please. – Kérem töltse ki ezt az űrlapot.

IMPORTANT WORDS

gym – edzőterem, konditerem
membership – tagsági igazolvány, bérlet
to join – csatlakozni
to lose weight – lefogyni
to keep fit – fittnek lenni
tenacious – kitartó
to proceed – halad
on impulse – hirtelen ötletből/felindulásból
to follow – követ
training program – edzésterv
to include – magába foglal, beleért
to allow somebody to do something – lehetővé tesz valakinek valamit
to take part in – részt venni valamin/valamiben
additional service – további szolgáltatás
food coaching – étkezési tanácsadás
scheduled opening hours – menetrendszerinti nyitvatartási idő
admission – beengedés, bebocsátás

MEGVESZEM AZ ONLINE (KORLÁTLAN IDEIG FELHASZNÁLHATÓ) TANFOLYAMOT
ITT

Woman: Hi Bobby, how are you? Done with your exams?
Man: Hi, not yet. I still have one to go. How about you?
Woman: Two more. Poetry is not a problem but the other one is Language History.
Man: Not my favourite, either.
Woman: You took it last term, didn’t you?
Man: I did and now I’ll have to retake it. I failed by a couple of points.
Woman: Shame. I didn’t see you at the lectures.
Man: I have last term’s notes but they didn’t help much.
Woman: Why not? What was the exam like? What should I focus on?
Man: The notes covered only about half of the exam material. The rest was based on the reading list.
Woman: I’d better head for the library, then. I have some photocopies, too.
Man: It was stupid of me to ignore the reading list. I thought she covered every topic at the lectures.
Woman: Thanks for the tip. I hope I’ll be able to find all the books.
Man: Try looking online as well. Ex-students put them up for sale on the uni webpage.
Woman: Good to know. Thanks again and good luck!
Man: To you, too.

IMPORTANT PHRASES

Done with your exams? – Készen vagy a vizsgáiddal?
I still have one to go. – Még mindig van egy.
How about you? – Veled mi a helyzet?
Two more. – Még kettő.
The other one. – A másik.
Not my favourite, either. – Nekem sem a kedvencem.
I’ll have to retake it. – Újra le kell vizsgáznom.
I failed by a couple of points. – Pár ponttal elbuktam.
Shame. – Kár.
last term’s notes – a tavalyi jegyzetek
What was the exam like? – Milyen volt a vizsga?
What should I focus on? – Mire kéne koncentrálonom?
The notes covered only about half of the exam material. – A jegyzetekben a vizsgaanyagnak kb. csak a fele volt benne.
The rest was based on the reading list. – A többi az olvasmánylistán alapult.
I’d better head for the library, then. – Akkor jobb, ha elindulok a könyvtárba.
It was stupid of me to … . – Hülye voltam, hogy … .
I thought she covered every topic. – Azt hittem, minden témával foglalkozott.
Thanks for the tip. – Köszi a tippet.
Try looking online as well. – Próbáld meg online is megnézni!
Good to know! – Jó tudni!

IMPORTANT WORDS

exam – vizsga
poetry – költészet
language history –  nyelvtörténet
term – félév, időszak
to retake an exam – újravizsgázni
to fail an exam – megbukni egy vizsgán
shame – szégyen, kár
lecture – előadás (egyetemi)
notes – jegyzetek
to focus on something – valamire koncentrálni
to cover – lefedni, foglalkozni valamivel
the rest – a többi, a maradék
to head for – elindulni, tartani valami felé
library – könyvtár
photocopy – fénymásolat
to ignore – figyelmen kívül hagyni
topic – téma
tip – tipp, ötlet
to put up for sale – eladásra kínálni
uni, university – egyetem

We can see a tent in the picture on the bank of the river. The sun is setting in the background. It’s summer in the picture because the grass and the plants are green. It’s a very peaceful picture, we cannot see any animals or people anywhere. The door of the tent is closed and the chair next to the tent is empty. Maybe the people who are staying in the tent went for an evening walk or a trip to the forest. There are some logs near the tent so maybe the people will make a fire when it’s dark and they will come back to the tent.

Living and sleeping in a tent is fun, especially for kids. They love adventure. When you sleep in a tent you can hear the sounds of nature very well. The tent can be very hot in summer or very cold in autumn or winter. People usually sleep in sleeping bags when they camp. Sleeping in a tent is sometimes tiring and unpleasant if there are too many insects. Mosquitoes or flies can ruin your night if you are not careful. Always take some insect repellent with you if you want to sleep in a tent!

bank – part
log – fahasáb
adventure – kaland
insect – rovar
mosquito – szúnyog

Ukrainian airline allows female cabin crew to wear trousers and trainers

A Ukrainian budget airline is allowing female cabin crew to swap their skirts and heels for comfy trouser suits and smart white trainers.

SkyUp, one of the country’s biggest low-cost airlines, announced that the new-look comfort option would be offered to female inflight staff from next month.

“Many of my colleagues are permanent clients of podiatrists; their toes and toe nails are constantly damaged by high heels,” SkyUp staff member Daria Solomennaya told the BBC.

“Twelve hours on your feet, flying from Kyiv to Zanzibar and back. If you wear high heels, you are hardly able to walk afterwards,” she added.

SkyUp is not the only airline to offer a more modern, comfy uniform for the female crew – in April 2020, Japan Airlines introduced a trousers option for women working onboard, as well as a range of footwear options including flat shoes.

source: Independent

Decide if the statements are true or false.

1. SkyUp makes it compulsory for female air-hostesses to wear white trainers.
2. It is the biggest budget airline in Ukraine.
3. A lot of their air hostesses have regular foot problems because of their shoes.
4. It takes twelve hours to fly from Kyiv to Zanzibar.
5. Similar measures have been introduced at a Japanese airline.

Megoldókulcs: 1. false, 2. false, 3. true, 4. false, 5. true

Newspaper Vocabulary 2 – Szókincsfejlesztő kvíz! Válaszd ki a helyes megoldást!

Drivers not prepared for winter weather dangers – top tips to stay safe on roads

A new investigation has revealed many motorists are unprepared for driving in winter and ignore weather warnings despite the increased risk of an accident.

As part of the investigation, Admiral surveyed 2,000 motorists and found almost a quarter have been involved in a car accident after driving in severe winter weather conditions, including snow, black ice, fog, flood water, thunderstorms and heavy rain, and high winds.

The results also found that 10 per cent of motorists said they have been involved in a car accident caused by black ice on the roads, and just 27 per cent said they felt confident and would know what to do if their car hit black ice.

Admiral’s investigation revealed one in ten drivers are now more nervous about driving in the dark as a result of lockdown. Meanwhile, some motorists have pulled over and stopped their car while driving because of challenging winter weather conditions – over a fifth (22 per cent) admitted they did this because of heavy snow and 30 per cent said they stopped because of heavy rain.

The insurer found almost a third of people fail to keep de-icer in their car during the winter, and 23 per cent don’t have an ice scraper either. Worryingly, a quarter of motorists confess to driving without fully de-icing their windscreen first.

Admiral has unpicked some common myths surrounding driving in winter conditions, to help keep road users safe this winter.

Driving with snow on the roof

Admiral says while it is not illegal to drive with snow on your roof, it falls onto your windscreen or into the path of another driver, it could be considered breaking the law for driving without consideration, or using a motor vehicle in a dangerous condition.

Driving wearing wellies

Admiral says while it is not illegal to drive while wearing wellies, it is heavily advised against doing so. The Highway Code forbids wearing any footwear that jeopardises foot movement and the ability to switch between the pedals.

Using boiling water to remove ice from windscreen

Admiral says using boiling water to remove ice from the windscreen is very dangerous and can cause your windscreen to crack, potentially seriously. While 68% of drivers are aware of the risks of using boiling water to de-ice their car’s windscreen, 32% admitted they didn’t realise that could happen.

Changing to winter tyres

Admiral says it’s entirely legal to change your tyres in winter to ‘winter tyres’ – tyres with better grip and made of a different rubber to stop them hardening in the cold. You don’t need to let your insurer know, as long no other aspect of the vehicle has changed.

Staying in your car if there’s lightning

In the UK, 60% of motorists think it’s safer to get out of the car than stay in it in a lightning storm.

Admiral says it is safer to stay in your car if there’s lightning, as long as it is not a soft-top convertible or fibre glass bodied vehicle. Occupants should take care not to touch any metal parts of the car and keep the windows closed at all times.

Driving in fog

Admiral says it is not recommended to use the high beam function on your headlights when driving in heavy fog – the bright lights serve as a distraction and actually cause reduced visibility against the fog. Worryingly, Admiral research revealed 18% of drivers think you should use high-beam in foggy conditions.

Idling your vehicle to heat it up before driving

Admiral warns that not only is idling your vehicle before driving it on a cold day not recommended, it can also be illegal – something 59% of motorists didn’t know. Your car only needs just over a minute to warm up before you start driving it, and leaving it to idle until it’s all warm inside can land you with a fine – if it’s on a public road, or could risk having it stolen.
Lorna Connelly, head of claims at Admiral, said: “Our data shows that not only is there an increase in accidents taking place during the winter months owing to adverse weather conditions, but that the severity of accidents also increases.
“It’s important motorists are aware of the risks involved and follow safety advice when travelling in order to keep themselves, their passengers, and other road users safe, particularly in tricky conditions.

“As well as understanding what to do if they find themselves driving in poor conditions, there are also simple steps they can take to make sure they are prepared should the worst happen – including travelling with extra provisions during winter.”

source: WalesOnline

A következő feladatban veszélyes téli időjárási körülményekre hívják fel az autósok figyelmét és tanácsokat is adnak. A vastagon szedett kifejezések angol magyarázatát a szöveg alatt láthatod. Próbáld megtalálni, melyik magyarázat, melyik kifejezéshez tartozik.

Motorists must be aware of the severe weather conditions before they get into their car today. We have a cold snap this week. Yesterday we had sleet but it developed into blizzard so we woke up to have snowdrifts on the roads and some areas are snowbound as well. This freak weather has caused treacherous driving conditions on the roads. Motorists are advised to venture out only with snow chains and place a shovel, warm clothes and a fully-charged mobile phone into their cars in case of a break-down. Snow ploughs, salt spreaders and gritters have been working on the roads since dawn to create safer conditions on the roads but be prepared to get into congestions easily. Less snowy areas can be rich in black-ice so extra attention and more careful driving are expected from every motorist on the roads.

1. piles of snow
2. snow storm
3. a transparent coating of ice, especially on a road surface
4. presenting hidden or unpredictable dangers
5. covered in snow or inaccessible because of it
6. brief period of cold weather
7. very unusual weather
8. all machines to clear the snow or to put salt and grit on the roads to prevent ice
9. chains that are fitted over the tyres of a vehicle in order to make it easier and safer to drive in snow
10. try to make a journey
11. icy rain
12. causing difficulty or damage

source: on the basis of winter weather, Englishathome.com

keys/megoldások: 1. snowdrift; 2. blizzard; 3. black ice; 4. treacherous; 5. snowbound; 6.  cold snap; 7. freak weather; 8. Snow ploughs, salt spreaders and gritters; 9.  snow chains; 10. venture out; 11. sleet; 12. severe

It’s that time of year when children look forward to a stocking full of presents – but the first international academic “Santa survey” shows many adults also wish they still believed in Father Christmas and some had felt betrayed when they discovered the truth.

The study also shows the threat of being on Santa’s naughty list doesn’t work for many children, and many youngsters continue to pretend they believe in Father Christmas even when they know he doesn’t exist.

Psychologist Professor Chris Boyle, from the University of Exeter, asked people around the world to tell him how they changed their minds about Santa, and if learning that he isn’t quite as he seems had affected their trust in their parents.

Professor Boyle received 1,200 responses from all around the world to his The Exeter Santa Survey, the only international study of its kind, mainly from adults reflecting on their childhood memories.

Interim findings show:

– 34 per cent of people wished that they still believed in Santa with 50 per cent quite content that they no longer believe

– Around 34 per cent of those who took part in the survey said believing in Father Christmas had improved their behaviour as a child whilst 47 per cent found it did not

– The average age when children stopped believing in Father Christmas was 8.

– There are significant differences between England and Scotland

– The mean age when people stop believing in Father Christmas was 8.03 for England and 8.58 in Scotland.

– There was a difference in attitudes between England and Scotland, as to whether it is ok to lie to children about Santa – more people in Scotland than in England said it was ok to lie to children about Santa.

– A total of 65 per cent of people had played along with the Santa myth, as children, even though they knew it wasn’t true.

– A third of respondents said they had been upset when they discovered Father Christmas wasn’t real, while 15 per cent had felt betrayed by their parents and ten per cent were angry.

– Around 56 per cent of respondents said their trust in adults hadn’t been affected by their belief in Father Christmas, while 30 per cent said it had.

– A total of 31 per cent of parents said they had denied that Santa is not true when directly asked by their child, while 40 per cent hadn’t denied it if they are asked directly.

– A total of 72 per cent of parents are quite happy telling their children about Santa and playing along with the myth, with the rest choosing not to.

Professor Boyle said: “During the last two years I have been overwhelmed by people getting in touch to say they were affected by the lack of trust involved when they discovered Santa wasn’t real.

“It has been fascinating to hear why they started to believe he is fictional. The main cause is either the accidental or deliberate actions of parents, but some children started to piece together the truth themselves as they became older.

“As much as this research has a light-hearted element, the responses do show a sense of disappointment and also amusement about having been lied to.”

One survey participant described how they had caught their parents drinking and eating what had been put out for Santa and the reindeer aged ten. An 11-year-old was woken up by their “tipsy” father dropping presents.

Many parents made basic errors which their young children picked up on immediately. One respondent recognised a present given to her sister from Santa as having been hidden in their parents’ room in the weeks before Christmas when she was seven. One participant found their letters to Santa in their parents’ room and another noticed Santa and their father had the same handwriting.

The “Mom and Dad” who signed their names in a book put in a stocking from Santa no doubt felt silly when their seven-year-old realised why the inscription was there. The parents of a child who found shop price tags on their presents from Father Christmas may have felt the same.

It wasn’t just parents who inadvertently spoiled the illusion of Santa. One respondent recognised the school caretaker playing Santa at a Christmas party when she was seven. The teacher of a seven-year-old from the USA no doubt got into trouble with parents when they asked pupils to write an essay about when they found out that Santa wasn’t real. Another teacher told their seven-year-old pupils nobody lived in the North Pole.

Other respondents learned the truth because of their growing curiosity about the world as they grew older. A clever child from the USA said at nine they had: “Learnt enough about math, physics, travel, the number of children on the planet ratio to the size of the sleigh to figure it out on my own”. A respondent from England stopped believing at eight because nobody could explain to them why Father Christmas didn’t bring food to children in “poor countries”. One nine-year-old set a trap and wrote a secret letter to Lapland which wasn’t given to their parents, nothing from that list arrived from Santa on Christmas morning.

Many children had realised Santa didn’t exist when they became aware of how goods were bought and sold, and because they realised it would be impossible for one man to deliver toys to everyone. One child had realised aged four that “It was impossible for such a fat man to fit down the chimney”. Others realised reindeer couldn’t fly, and Santa would have been hurt coming down a chimney when a fire was lit.

Some parents had been confronted by their children when they heard rumours from their friends that Father Christmas wasn’t real. One seven-year-old punched a boy at school who said Santa didn’t exist and made his nose bleed. When his mother was summoned to the school he said he attacked him because it was wrong to lie, and he ended up believing in Santa for another three years.

Some parents were forced to tell their children the truth because the idea of Santa scared them, including the mother of a five-year-old who was frightened of a strange man coming into their room.

source: euroklaret.org

These words, expressions, or numbers are from the text. What can you connect to them?

1. Age 8
2. 65 per cent
3. naughty list
4. tipsy
5. set a trap
6. caretaker

Key

1. The average age when children stopped believing in Santa.
2. A total of 65 per cent of people had played along with the Santa myth, as children, even though they knew it wasn’t true.
3. The study also showed that the threat of being on Santa’s naughty list didn’t really work for many children.
4. An 11-year-old was woken up by their “tipsy” father dropping presents while he was playing the part of Santa.
5. A nine-year-old set a trap and wrote a secret letter to Lapland which wasn’t given to their parents, nothing from that list arrived from Santa on Christmas morning.
6. One respondent recognised the school caretaker playing Santa at a Christmas party when she was seven.

Alapfok B1

It’s a picture of a young woman. She has plastic bags in her hands with fruit and vegetables in them. She was at the vegetable market where she bought peaches, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. She’s taking them home. She also has her purse in her hand. In the picture we can see her only from the waist down. She’s wearing white shorts and a patterned blue blouse. It’s probably summer time because she’s wearing light clothes. The bags are heavy, it’s not easy to carry them. She may not live far and that’s why she went to the market on foot. Maybe she needed some vegetables for cooking lunch. The market is a very colourful place in summer and spring. You can buy fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables from local people there.

I like going to the market. I prefer markets to supermarkets because the products are fresher and more delicious there than in the shops. The vendors are nice and kind and you can even taste the fruit or vegetables before you buy them. My favourite market is on the corner of my street. I have to walk only five minutes if I need something from there.

Középfok B2

In the picture I can see a girl or a young woman carrying bags of vegetables and fruit. You can see her only from the waist down but you can tell that it’s a female person because of her clothes. She’s wearing white linen shorts and a bluish top. She must have been at the vegetable market. She has bought green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and peaches. She has her purse in her hand, which is not very safe to do. She went to the market on foot so she probably lives somewhere near. It is day time and summer time. She may have needed some fresh ingredients for cooking lunch and that’s why she has been to the market. She’s carrying the goods in plastic bags. That’s not very environment friendly. If I were in her place I would take linen bags or a basket with me for the shopping. She probably lives in a big town or city because I can see a lot of cars parking in the background and she’s walking on concrete pavement.

If I have a choice I prefer doing the shopping at a market. Super- and hypermarkets are crowded and the products there are not as fresh as at the market. It’s difficult to find a salesperson if you have any questions and there is always a queue at the checkout. The market is a lot friendlier place. Local people sell what they grow in their own garden and they are kind and happy to talk to you. They know their products and are willing and able to answer any questions you may have.

In summer the market is a very colourful place with the piles of different fruits and vegetables. It is also noisy, full of smiling and chattering people. You can take your time with the vendors as they aren’t in a hurry and they’re happy to serve you. Locally grown and organic fruit and vegetables are healthier than those that come from the other end of the world. If your health is important for you you’d better buy whatever you can at the market.

Felsőfok C1

It’s quite an unusual picture showing a young woman only from the waist down. It’s not the person that is important in this case but what she’s doing right now. She must have been at the vegetable market to do some grocery shopping. She’s carrying her shopping in quite a few disposable plastic bags showing that she may not care much about the environment. There are countries where you cannot get plastic bags with your purchase so you have to take along your own bag or basket. It’s a more environment friendly way of life causing less harm to nature. She’s carrying her purse in her hand which shows that she lives somewhere nearby and that she has been to the local market. Doing the shopping at a local market has various advantages. You support the local farmers so that they may have a reasonable income to live on. Moreover, you support your country’s home economy if you buy the locally grown products and not the ones from overseas. Locally- or home-grown fruits and vegetables are fresher, more delicious and have more nutrients in them as they are not transported from long distances. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are a healthy choice. Even if strawberries are available in super- and hypermarkets all year round, their taste cannot be compared with the taste of freshly picked local strawberries. Health experts say that every season has its seasonal fruits and vegetables that are beneficial for health and there is no need to eat for example exotic fruits. You might not agree but there is definitely some truth in it.

A local market is a colourful and inviting place with its many stalls and friendly vendors who are happy to talk to you. They are not in a hurry and they are proud of what they’ve grown. They willingly show off their products and accept it gratefully if you show your appreciation. The market is a kind of social platform where people relate to each other, listen to each other and have an amiable relationship with each other. Local vendors are like good friends who know your taste and preferences and make sure that they provide the best possible service for you. Besides getting the freshest, most delicious goods you also get love, acceptance and friendly words. It’s quite a contrast to the alienated world of big shops where you are hardly more than an object who couldn’t matter less except for your spending power.    

IMPORTANT PHRASES

Would you like to see my identification?– Szeretné látni az igazolványomat?
Just to be on the safe side. – Biztos, ami biztos.
What seems to be the problem? – Mi a probléma?
I have had no electricity. – Nincs áram.
Can you show me where the … is/are? – Meg tudja mutatni, hogy hol van/vannak a …?
Can you follow me, please? – Követne kérem?
The problem must be with … . – A probléma a …-val/vel lehet.
Can you fix it? – Meg tudja javítani?
I will replace the … with … . – Kicserélem a …t- …-val/-vel.
I should take an hour to complete the job. – Nagyjából egy óra kell a munka befejezéséhez.

IMPORTANT WORDS

identification– azonosító, igazolvány
electricity –elektromosság
fuse box – biztosítékdoboz
main trip switch – főkapcsoló
blown fuse – kiégett biztosíték
cable – kábel
nuisance – kellemetlenség
to disconnect – szétkapcsol
supply – ellátás
to fix – megjavít, megszerel
damaged – károsodott

Alapfok – B1

In the picture we can see an elderly man and a cute little girl planting tomatoes in a pot. There are lots of tomato plants around them, some of them are ripe and some of them are still unripe. The man may be the grandfather of the little girl. He’s helping her to fill the pots with the soil to prepare it for the tomato plant. They’re in the garden, but not outside. They’re in a greenhouse. It’s raining outside and it’s probably early spring when the weather is still not warm enough to grow tomatoes out in the garden. In the greenhouse the temperature is warm and the plants can grow well. Most people like doing the gardening. It’s usually cheaper to grow vegetables at home than to buy them at the market, and they are healthier as well. Home-grown vegetables and fruit are delicious and it’s very convenient that you just go out to the garden and pick something fresh when you do the cooking. My favourite vegetables are tomatoes and peas, but I also like beans and I’m happy when the first strawberries appear at the market.

Középfok – B2

This photo must have been taken in spring because we can see tomato plants in a greenhouse. In summer tomatoes don’t need a greenhouse, they can grow very well outside in the garden, too. A little girl and an elderly man are working in the greenhouse. They’re filling a flowerpot with soil and probably they’re going to plant tomato plants in the pot. There are several pots of cherry tomatoes in different stages of ripening around them. It seems the little girl is happy to help the man who’s probably her grandpa. Gardening is good fun and it’s also useful. It’s very economical to grow your own vegetables and fruit in your garden if you have enough ground for it, though it can be hard work. You need good tools to start with. A spade to dig the dirt, a hoe to deal with the weeds, a rake to smooth the soil, secateurs to prune the trees. Gardening needs some expertise, you have to know where to plant what and how to do pest control. But if you invest enough time and effort and take good care of your garden it pays off. You can harvest and enjoy your own crop.

We live in a house with a garden and I also enjoy gardening. We don’t grow any vegetables in the garden we only have a few fruit trees, raspberry bushes and a small strawberry patch in the back garden. We have lots of flowers – snowdrops, tulips, daffodils, roses, hyacinths, lilies of the valley, forget-me-nots, violets – and grass of course. The lawn needs a lot of care if you want it to be green all summer. It needs mowing every second week, you have to water it almost every day and weed it if necessary. But no matter how much you care for it will never be as green as the lawn for example in England. Hungarian summers are too dry for that and the lawn would need more rain. Watering in itself unfortunately can’t make up for that.

Felsőfok – C1

The picture shows an elderly gentleman and a small girl working together on a gardening project inside a greenhouse. The greenhouse can provide the necessary circumstances for vegetables to grow even when the circumstances outside aren’t ideal. A greenhouse can be heated, the humidity and the light can be controlled, so all the conditions are given to grow vegetables no matter which part of the year you’re in. Whether it’s a good thing or not is a controversial issue. Some say that it’s absolutely unnecessary and unwise to eat, for example, tomatoes in the winter months and we should stick to eating only what’s seasonal and grows in the garden and on the fields as their nutrients are better, fresher and they contain more minerals and vitamins than their counterparts grown in greenhouses. Others insist on their right to eat whatever they have a liking for, no matter where it comes from or what kind of environmental issues it poses. It’s a fact that growing vegetables and fruits in greenhouses requires lots of electricity and puts a strain on the environment, but the crop that comes out of them is not only a treat for your eyes, but is also good for your health. The more varied diet you have the healthier it is. Seasonal goods can be rather dull after a while and pose a challenge for cooks and housewives how to use them as ingredients if they don’t want to cook the same dishes always.

Gardening is a very popular pastime activity. Home-grown vegetables and fruit are said to contain more nutrients than those you can purchase in big hypermarkets. Working in the garden is also beneficial for health, it relieves stress, moves your muscles and provides lots of fresh oxygen for your lungs. Children are usually fond of planting seeds and harvesting the products they grow. Gardening with the grandparents or parents is generally more educational than science lessons in school where the kids only learn about things in theory. Experiencing the real shape, smell and texture of a vegetable or fruit is lasting and they definitely will remember what nature has taught them. In my opinion schools should be less theoretical and should teach more practical subjects. Gardening could be introduced as a practical subject where children could experiment with seeds and plants and could acquire first-hand experience about what textbooks try to cram into their heads with little success. Gardening doesn’t require a big plot of land, a small patch of land is usually available even in an urban environment or if all else fails – you can grow plants in window boxes as well. Nothing is impossible, if there is a will there’s a way. 

Vizsgáztatói tippek:

–        A vizsgákon általában nem csak a kép leírását várják el, ezért próbáld meg összeszedni és elmondani a gondolataidat mindarról, ami a képről eszedbe jut.

–        Beszélhetsz a témáról általánosságban, de vannak vizsgák, ahol azt is értékelik, ha a személyes tapasztalataidat, élményeidet is megosztod.

–        Érdemes felkészülni arra, hogy az egyes témákról mit mondanál el, és azt előre leírni, gyakorolni vagy akár szó szerint megtanulni. 

Salánki Ágnes – Dezsényi István