Books surround us. They appeared ages ago and took different forms. The oldest form is probably the roll (30-40 centuries B.C.). It appeared in Ancient Egypt, and was as well used in Ancient Greece. The Egyptians used papyrus, brush and red and black ink to draw hieroglyphs, which at first meant things and animals and then started to mean sounds. There were more than 700 of hieroglyphs! Champollion, a French scientist, solved the riddle of these signs with"the help of Rosetta Stone on which there was a text in Egyptian and in Greek. Another ancient form was codex where pages were put one on another. The form of codex w as used in Mesopotamia (where the pages were made of clay), Rome and other countries. The Chinese invented paper, before this important invention people used different materials, mostly skins of animals. The books were copied by hand and cost a whole fortune. Later the printing press was invented so the books became popular and rather cheap. The first primed book was produced in Korea in the 8th century. In China the priming press began to work in the 11th century, in Europe - in the 15th century.
       There are many genres of books around us. They can be divided into fiction and non-fiction books.
       Non-fiction books contain real information and are used for education and work. They are reference books, dictionaries, atlases, biographies and autobiographies, scientific reports, textbooks and encyclopaedias. In reference books as well as in encyclopaedias you can find facts about different objects and famous people, about countries and animals. At school we use dictionaries to learn the meanings of words. Biographies are a good source of information. Sometimes they can also be a pleasant reading. Fot example, the biography of Moliere by Bulgakov, or of Tchaikovsky by Nina Berberova. Historical books describe different epochs and reigns of kings and queens.
       Fiction books are written to give pleasure. They are also called belles-lettres. This word is mostly used when we speak about stories, novels and romances. «War and Peace» by Leo Tolstoy is an example of fiction. But the young usually prefer fantasy books and science fiction. The difference between them is the following: fantasy books usually describe the events and countries in the form of a legend and narrate about the past. A good example of fantasy is «Conan the Barbarian»; science fiction books describe events in the future, the characters and places are given as imaginary and usually take place in the future. «Starship Troopers» by Heinlein, «Stainless Steel Rat» by Harry Harrison are examples of the style.
       I myself like science fiction most of all. My favourite science fiction book is «Starship troopers». The author of the book is Robert Heinlein. It has been filmed, but I don"t like the film, which is very primitive. The plot of the book, on the contrary, is complex and there are many philosophical ideas built in the sequence of fantastical events and surroundings. The main character of the book is a boy named Johnny. The boy joins the army, because of his love to a girl who wants to be a pilot. But through the book his character and understanding of the situation changes. He understands what it means to be a citizen of the state, to bi responsible for your decisions. While in the army, he understands that only a man who can forget his own interests for the sake of his Motherland is a real citizen. I think, this idea is vital now in our country. I have read many science fiction books by Russian and foreign authors. At the end of the book he is an officer who understands his duty.
       But my favourite fiction book is «Gone with the Wind». It was written by Margaret Mitchell. Her father was the President of the Atlanta Historical Society. You know, Atlanta was one of the important cities in the South. Since her childhood the girl had heard stories about the Civil War between the North and the South. When the girl grew up and got married, she decided to write down those stories. So, she wrote «Gone with the wind». The book was published for the first time in 1936. It was a great success and the next year it got the Pulitzer Prize. In 1939 the book was filmed.
       I like the book because it has several levels of composition. The first level is the love story - the main character, Scarlett O"Hara, loves Ashley Wilkes, but marries for money another man, Rhett Butler. By the end of the book she understands that she and Rhett are alike and have much in common, that she loves Rhett. But Rhett leaves her, and we can only guess if she can get him back.
       The second level is the description of the strong characters oi" the Southerners. Scarlett, a daughter of a rich planter, goes to the field and works as a slave when it is needed. Ashley, so quiet and gentle, goes to the war and fights well and bravely. In difficult situations of my life 1 think that they suffered more, but survived. So, this book helps me to go through the difficulties of my life.
       The third level of the book is the atmosphere of the Southern way of life. On the first page we can read the description of the Tarlton twins. When they are compared, the author does not use the usual English expression «as two peas»; she says that they were as two cotton bolls. Margaret Mitchell describes a planter"s house and his life routine.
       The fourth level is the events of the Civil War between the North and the South, and the post-war life. This is very useful, if you want to understand the modern differences between the northern and the southern states in nowadays America.
       I like the book so much that when the sequel was published, I made my mother buy it. We all have read it, but did not like much. Sequels are usually worse than the first books.

Literature is the greatest human property. It is generally known that Russian literature is one of the most voluminous in the world. A. Pushkin, I. Turgenev, I. Goncharov, L. Tolstoy, F. Dostoevsky, A. Chekhov are the leaders of the world classical literature. They set a pattern for language, subject matter, and narrative techniques of Russian and world literature. Their works attract readers even today, because everybody can find something special there.

Ivan Turgenev successfully linked social problems with true literary art. His "Hunter"s Sketches" and "Fathers and Sons" depict Russia"s life with realism and with artistry which make these works classics. The problem of the generation gap discussed in his "Fathers and Sons" is very acute today. The everyday life of the Russian provincial gentry is perfectly described by Goncharov in his famous novel "Oblomov". The writer shows how the best and the brightest men can degenerate if they do not see how to use and develop their talents.

Leo Tolstoy and Feodor Dostoevsky are recognised as the best Russian writers. They give a realistic picture of the Russian society of the 19-th century. Their research in a person"s inner world is unique. Their characters do not always know what they really want, and when they think they do know, the fate breaks their illusions. Moral issues are raised in Tolstoy"s and Dostoevsky"s works. Tolstoy"s "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina" as well as Dostoevsky"s "Crime and Punishment" and "The Brother Karamazov" focus on serious human problems.

The end of the 19-th century was dominated by Anton Chekhov. He contributed to two genres: short stories and drama. His short stories are really short, but powerful. They make people laugh and cry at the same time. Some of his stories may seem very cruel, but Chekhov simply reflected the Russian life in his prose. His plays are not numerous, but they are really outstanding. "The Cherry Orchard" is his best known play. It is an emotional drama of the decline of a Russian noble family, which shares the fate of the Russian nation.

I also like British literature. My favourite writer is Oscar Wilde. His reputation as a dramatist rests on his comic masterpiece "The Importance of Being Earnest". Within the social intrigues and artificial devices to resolve conflict, Wilde used his wit to create a form of comedy new to the English theatre. Oscar Wilde was the representative of the late 19-th century Aesthetic movement in England. It proclaimed art for art"s sake. Wilde was born in Ireland; he went to Trinity College in Dublin, and later continued his education at Oxford. During the years of study Wilde distinguished himself not only as a classical scholar, but also as a poet by winning the popular prize for his poem. In the early 1880s Wilde established himself in social and artistic circles. His most powerful novel is "The Picture of Dorian Gray." In this novel Wilde shows the darkest corners of a man"s soul. The author"s message can be interpreted in the following way: a person who loves only himself will never be able to realise himself.

America gave the world many great writers. Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Рое, and Walt Whitman dominated in the 19-th century literature. The great American writers of the 20-th century were Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Francis Scott Fitzgerald.

My favourite American writer is Edgar Allan Рое. Не was an outstanding poet and a short story writer. In Europe Рое was considered the only American poet of significance, the one who created literary works of many varied forms. Рое expressed his deep and sincere feelings in his poems. Edgar Allan Рое is mostly remembered for establishing new symbolic poetry. The "Raven" is his best known poem. The poet used symbols, following the ancient traditions. It is the ancient poetry that helped him to find the unusual rhythm. The symbolic meaning of the "Raven" is unclear; raven is a symbol of eternal life as well as the herald of death. Numerous readers in the United States and other countries admire Poe"s short stories. He was the inventor of the detective stories that became very popular in the 20-th century. Рое won recognition and admiration of the Russian readers very quickly. "The Gold Bug", one of Poe"s best stories, was published in the United States in 1843 and in 1847 it was translated into Russian. Poe"s poetry had tremendous influence on the Russian poets of the beginning of the 20-th century. Such outstanding Russian poets as Balmont and Brusov admired Poe"s poetry. They translated his poems into Russian, and used his motives in their lyrics.

Do you like to return to the books that you have once read?

Yes, I do. There are certain books that I can read any time from virtually any page. Each time I open these books I discover there something new, something that I have missed or misinterpreted during my previous reading. Some people say that rereading books is boring, that there are so many books that they have not read yet, that they will never return to the books they have already read. I can not agree with it. There are many books that are not worth even a single reading, while there are others that have numerous layers. Most of all I like to return to the books that 1 have already read every couple of years just to compare in which way my perception of the author and his book has changed.

What are these books?

It would take me some time simply to mention the books that I love to reread. One of these books is "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. When I first got acquainted with this wonderful novel I did not know how to read and my mother read it to me. The first thing I did when I started reading myself was reading "Tom Sawyer." It was as if I met the old friend. Later I was rereading some episodes that I liked most of all and each time I discovered something new. For example, when I was a kid I thought that the adventures of Tom and Huck constituted the most important part of the book. Later I started to understand the humour of Mark Twain. Since my first acquaintance with this author I have read many other novels and short stories by Mark Twain. Reading "Tom Sawyer" again and again enhanced my understanding of Mark Twain not only as a writer, but also as a personality. Now I am trying to read the novel in the original, I think that this will help me to understand both Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer better.

What do you read when you want to have some rest?

As I have already mentioned I read Mark Twain"s stories and novels a lot. But of course there are other English and American writers whom I admire. When I want to have some rest I like to read Jack London"s Alaskan stories such as "The White Silence", "Call of the Wild", and "Burning Daylight." They are unforgettable. Jack London knew the life of the North perfectly well. He met his characters in real life. He was familiar with their needs and troubles. One of J. London"s best stories is "White Fang." It is a story about the adventures of a wolf, who was tamed by the Indians as a sledge dog, and who little by little perceived the law of life: to eat or be eaten. White Fang, is not only the title of the novel, but the name of the wolf as well, who eventually understood that love and kindness ruled the world. I believe that Jack London loved animals. He wrote a lot about them.

Do you read the books of British and American writers in the original or in translation?

It is much easier to read books that are already translated into Russian. At the same time I am reading some books in English that are specifically adapted for Russian pupils. Reading such books is not only fun; it helps me to improve my English, so that I shall be able to read the works of British and American authors in the original. As I have already said, at the moment I am reading "Tom Sawyer" in the original. This is not an easy task for me. But I know this book very well, and this helps me a lot. Thus I can say that reading Russian translations of the English books is the first step toward reading them in the original.

Books

Some people are fond of reading, while others consider it to be a waste of time.
Different people have different attitude to reading. Some of them have dozens of books in their houses and consider reading to be their favourite pastime. Other people prefer watching TV to reading books.
Personally, I get a lot of enjoyment out of reading books. Our family loves gathering in the sitting room in the evening and reading books: fairy tales, novels, detective stories, thrillers, fantastic stories and what not. It has become a tradition and I"m sure it makes our family united. To my mind, books are our best teachers and friends because they have the power to educate and entertain us. When I"m tired, I like reading detective stories and thrillers. When I want something more serious and instructive, I take an encyclopedia or read some philosophical works. I love reading when I"m travelling, when I"m having meals, when I"m bored or just for relaxation.
However, a lot of people read very little or don"t read at all. They say they have stopped reading books due to their busy way of life. According to some people, reading is a waste of time. They prefer getting all the information they need from television, radio, and the Internet. A lot of people read everything online and check the news on the websites. Besides, some of them think that the fewer books they buy, the more trees they save. But I believe that it is rather sad that many people read much less nowadays. I"m sure that reading is the best learning.
To sum up, I think that our lives would be dull without books because reading stirs our imagination, broadens our mind and entertains us.

Some of my friends say there"s nothing better than reading a good book, while others would rather watch its film version.
Can people live without books nowadays? Is it possible that books will be replaced by television and cinema in the nearest future?
Personally, I"m fond of reading. Books educate and entertain us, bring past centuries to life and help us understand our deepest dreams and fears. To my mind, a book is one of the greatest wonders in the world. It gives us a unique chance to link up with authors who lived hundreds and thousands of years ago. Through reading books we hear their voices and understand their thoughts and feelings. Reading stirs my imagination, creates colourful pictures of the described characters and events in my mind, transfers me to other countries, continents or even to other worlds, introduces me to amazing people who live exciting lives, makes me laugh and cry. I can travel to wild jungles and deserts, to hot Africa and cold Arctic or wherever I like staying at home.
However, some of my friends don"t read at all or read very little. They say that they are too tired after school and can do nothing but watch TV. Some people say that they have little spare time and that is why they prefer watching a film to reading a book. What is more, watching a film is much easier than reading a book because you don"t have to use your imagination.
To sum up, it"s up to you to decide whether to read a book or to watch its film version. But I"m sure that no screen version can be better than a book itself and it can"t substitute a special silent conversation with the author.

Most people are fond of detective stories. Others say that reading detective stories is just a waste of time.
There is hardly a person in the world who has never read detective stories. This literary genre has always been extremely popular with the reading public. But of course there are people who dislike detective stories.
Personally, I find most detective stories rather puzzling and exciting. They arouse the reader"s curiosity and keep him or her in suspense. To my mind, the popularity of detective stories lies in the fact that most people like unravelling complex puzzles. The detective story is like an intellectual game. The reader is given exactly the same information that the detective uses to find the criminal. Most readers treat the story as a battle of wits between themselves and the detective. Others read detective stories for pure relaxation.
However, some people say that all detective stories are the same. In most detective stories, the crime is murder and the clues lead to or away from the solution. Furthermore, it is quite possible to become hooked on reading detective stories. Some people read them when they should be doing something else, for example, work or study. In addition, there are a lot of bad detective stories in many bookshops and I think that reading them is just a waste of time. A second-rate detective story describes unreal people and situations, has poor construction and a boring narrative style. Sometimes the reader can easily guess who the criminal is from the very beginning.
To conclude, it is up to you to decide whether to read detective stories or not. Anyway, a good detective story can do you nothing but good.

Some people say that business books can help them become successful, while others think that they are completely useless.
In any bookshop you can find a lot of books about business. Many people wonder if these books actually help them succeed in their professional careers and if they are really vital for the modern workplace.
Personally, I think that if you want to become a successful businessman, it is not enough to read a couple of books on this subject. What you really need is a lot of experience, persistence and a wish to work hard. To my mind, business books have become a business in themselves. They are just a way for publishers to make money. The more books are sold, the richer they become. Most books that claim that they can revolutionize the way you do business and make you rich and successful have little practical use. Moreover, some business books are so boring that they sit on the shelf unread.
However, some business books are truly worth our investment of time and money. They may become essential tools for students of business at any level. Biographies of successful business people can hold valuable lessons and interesting ideas and they can inspire others to go into business. Some books can give you helpful advice and tell you how to make other people believe you, how to read and use body language, how to make yourself a better manager and how to become richer. Nevertheless, many experts are convinced that most of business books complicate the world of business.
To conclude, don"t buy a book unless you can use it in your work right now. Try to find something really useful and to avoid needless purchases.

Some people say that we don"t need libraries any more. Others are convinced that libraries are not going to disappear.
Library is a place where print, audio, and visual materials are collected and arranged to serve people of all ages and interests. Some people say that traditional libraries are not so popular now as they used to be some years ago. But does it mean that libraries are going to disappear?
Personally, I think that libraries are very useful. Nowadays, besides books, libraries keep manuscripts, documents, newspapers, magazines, CDs, DVDs, video games, e-books and many other electronic resources. Modern libraries are equipped with computers and they store enormous amounts of information that can be checked immediately. People go to the library to read, look, listen search, inquire, discuss, learn, think, relax or while away the time. Anyone can become a member of the library and it usually costs nothing to borrow books.
However, some people say that traditional libraries are useless nowadays. Most young people have become used to retrieving information from the Internet. It may be more efficient and time-saving than visiting a traditional library. But the information that people find online may not be as in depth as the information from other resources such as the books available at a physical library. Besides, libraries are intended for use by people who don"t have a PC, who cannot afford to purchase books and magazines, who need material no individual can be expected to have, or who require professional assistance with their research.
To sum up, I think that libraries play a very important role in the cultural development of any country. Modern libraries help people get unrestricted access to information in many formats and from many sources.

Electronic books are becoming more and more popular. Some people say that e-books are going to replace traditional books in the future, while others are convinced that print books will never disappear.
E-books are making their way onto the world"s markets. A lot of people, especially children and teenagers, who are accustomed to computer screens, have already embraced e-books. But does it mean that if the popularity of e-books grows, paper editions will soon die out?
Personally, I think that e-books are so popular with readers for several reasons. Firstly, they are easy to use because they are light, compact and can store up to thousands of pages. Secondly, e-books have a touch-sensitive screen which can be used to call up a dictionary, to increase the front size and even to add notes in the margin. Thirdly, the bright backlight gives you an opportunity to read in the dark. Finally, people can read e-books in public without having to display the covers.
However, most people still prefer traditional print books. They say that the device for reading e-books is rather expensive and one needs access to the Internet to download them. E-books may cause problems with eyesight because it is rather tiring to read from the screen. Some people say that one of the main disadvantages of e-books is that the battery must be recharged and that e-books can be easily broken. What is more, so far there is only a limited selection of e-books being published. But I think it is very convenient to put a lightweight e-book into your bag when you are leaving for holiday.
To conclude, people will always continue buying, collecting and displaying beautiful paper editions with the sole purpose of possessing them. To my mind, e-books will co-exist with traditional print books. Anyway, we"ll have to wait and see.

Из учебного пособия

Даже в нашем «информационном» мире тема (топик) «Books» никогда не потеряет своей актуальности. Ведь только чтение художественной литературы позволяет нам проанализировать опыт предыдущих поколений, поданный великой рукой мастера-писателя. Давайте учиться рассказывать о прочитанных книгах и о том впечатлении, которые они на вас произвели. И, конечно же, о любимом писателе. Кстати, вот

Books. Список английских слов №2 (intermediate)

Запомните распространенные фразы на английском языке по теме «Books»:
1. I am fond of (kind of books) – Я люблю …
2. I prefer reading (kind of books) – Я предпочитаю читать …
3. What kind of reading do you prefer reading? – Какие книги ты предпочитаешь читать?
4. I enjoy reading (kind of books) – Я люблю читать …
5. As for me, I like reading (kind of books) – Что касается меня, я …

ПРИМЕР I am fond of detectives. / I am fond of reading detectives.

Существительные по теме «Genres. Жанры книг» (Kinds of books).

Выделяют следующие виды книг, которые часто называют жанры. Постарайтесь вспомнить существительные, перевод к которым отсутствует.

1. a novel – роман
2. a historical novel – исторический роман
3. a story
4. a detective story
5. a love story
6. an adventure story – приключенческий роман
7. a short story
8. a horror story
9. a ghost story – история о привидениях
10. a fairy tale
11. a travel book
12. a fantasy book
13. a science fiction book – научно-фантастический роман
14. a legend / a myth – легенда (миф)
15. a biography – биография
16. a poem – стихотворение
17. poetry – поэзия

Составление отзыва о книге на английском языке

6. The title of the book – название книги
7. It is written by – она написана (имя писателя)
8. interesting / exciting / funny / true-to-life / well-written / easy to read — интересный, увлекательный, забавный, правдоподобный, хорошо-написанный, легко читается
ПРИМЕР. I find this book exciting and easy to read.

9. boring / sad / awful / badly-written / difficult to read — скучный, грустный, ужасный, плохо-написанный, трудно читается
ПРИМЕР. I find the book boring and difficult to read.

10. writer — писатель

• children’s writer — детский писатель
• short story writer — автор рассказов
• author — автор
• dramatist= playwright — драматург (пишет пьесы)
• poet — поэт
• poetess — поэтесса

11. world-famous — всемирно-известный

• well-known — хорошо-известный
• great — великий
• talented — талантливый
• modern — современный
• classical — классический
• medieval — средневековый
• eighteenth- century — восемнадцатого века

12. he is considered to be — он считается
13. a plot — сюжет

• interesting — boring — интересный — скучный
• simple – intricate — простой — запутанный
• fast-moving – slow-moving – быстро-развивающийся – медленно-развивающийся

14. cheap stuff — ерунда, макулатура
15. to read more than half way through — прочитать больше, чем до половины
16. to be worth reading — стоит почитать
17. for a change – для разнообразия
18. characters (imaginative – true-to-life) — герои (вымышленные – правдоподобные)
19. the story takes place (the scene is laid) — действие происходит
20. the contents — содержание
21. episodes / moments — эпизоды / моменты

• funny – sad — забавные – грустные
• humorous – tragic — комичные – трагические

22. I could not help smiling / laughing / crying — не могла не улыбнуться / рассмеяться / заплакать
23. I couldn’t help feeling sad — не могла не почувствовать грусть
24. on the whole — в целом
25. to ruin your eye-sight — испортить зрение
26. poor eye-sight — плохое зрение
27. the cover of the book — обложка книги
28. an edition (cheap, pocket, abridged) — издание (дешевое, карманное, сокращенное)
29. a book in two volumes — книга в двух томах
30. a book (in translation — in the original) — книга (в переводе – в оригинале)
31. a collection of stories / poems — сборник рассказов / стихов
32. a book with colorful illustrations — книга с красочными иллюстрациями
33. in his works — в своих произведениях
34. to advise — посоветовать

Выделенные жирным шрифтом вы скорее всего уже знаете, так как они входили в Постарайтесь выучить остальные английские слова (уровень 2 — intermediate)

Books. Задания для активизации лексики по теме «Книги». Пример отзыва о книге на английском языке. Сообщение на тему «My favourite writer»

Задание. Выучите диалог.
— What kind of reading do you like ?
— Well, I am fond of adventure stories.
— As for me, I enjoy fantasy books.
— Oh, I prefer reading fantasy books, too.

Обратите внимание, что наряду с обычным глаголом like – нравиться в этом диалоге используются более интересные выражения be fond of — увлекаться, prefer — предпочитать, enjoy — получать удовольствие.

Пример отзыва на книгу на английском языке для начинающих / The opinion about the book «“The Hound of the Baskerville”

This summer I’ve read a book by Conan Doyle “The Hound of the Baskerville”. I liked this book very much.

I liked the plot of this book and its main characters. Sometimes I told my friends about the book and they liked to listen to me.

One day my Mum asked me to read aloud and for several days I read this book to her. My Mum knows English a little and she could understand what I read.

It was very useful for me to read this book, because I learnt many new English words. Now I’m going to read one more English book, because while reading “The Hound of Baskerville” I got a great pleasure.

Сообщение на тему «Мой любимый писатель — О. Генри. My Favourite Writer O.Henry»

During this summer I read a lot. I want to tell you about my favourite writer. It is an American writer O. Henry. O. Henry is his pen name. His real name is William Sydney Porter. He was born in Greensboro, a little town in North Carolina in 1862. In his youth he changed many professions: he was a cowboy, a reporter, a clerk in a bank. He travelled about America trying to find a job. He met many common people, and that helped him later in his literary work. It happened that he got into prison and it was there that he started to write. He wrote his first story as a Christmas present for his little daughter.

O. Henry is a great master of short story. He liked to write about common people, whose life he knew very well.

O. Henry is one of the most widely published American writers. His stories are short, humorous and usually have a happy end. He is a master of unusual plots and surprise endings.

Best of all, I like the story with an unusual title “No Story”. It is about a girl who went to New York to look for her boyfriend. He had gone there some years ago to find a good job in New York City. He promised to return and marry her but he never came back. She came across him in a street but didn’t recognize so much he changed. He became a ruined man and not to make her unhappy he sent her back home. He still loved her. It is a very sad story about romantic love. If you like love stories, I advise you to read it.

Reading
Child psychologists believe that reading is one of the best habits that should be encouraged in children. Ninety percent of the things we learn during our lifetime come through books; therefore if we can"t read, we can"t learn.
Books appeared long ago. At first they were written by hand, but after printing was invented, it became easier to publish books. There are two large groups of books: fiction and non-fiction books. Fiction books are most popular with readers and include short stories and novels of different genres and poetry. Non-fiction books are dictionaries, reference books, historical books, biographies, encyclopaedias and others.
In my childhood, my mother read different books to me and that helped me to love reading. When I learnt to read, I was really happy because I could read books which I wanted and liked. At first, they were fairy tales, adventure stories and comics. Later, I was fond of detective stories and thrillers. Now I read historical novels and I realise that I do not know many things from history and it is so wonderful that I can learn them now and understand facts that I could not understand in my childhood. During my studies I also use non-fiction books like dictionaries and encyclopaedias to find necessary information.
Today television and the Internet have almost replaced books because these resources provide any information one wants and some people think that in the modern world we do not need books at all. I think, however, that books will never disappear, because reading gives us pleasure.
Modern technologies also made it possible for us to use electronic readers instead of paper copies of books. On the one hand, such readers are very convenient as you do not have to carry a thick book in your bag: you just take the reader and upload text files into it, so instead of several books you just
carry one light electronic device! In addition, you may also keep pictures and even music files on it. Lastly, it is more environmentally friendly to use an electronic reader - cutting down trees is not needed for their development unlike the process of producing paper copies.
However, everything has its disadvantages. To begin with, such readers are rather expensive and not everyone can afford them. One point against it is that free electronic texts to download are hard to find. Finally, paper books are more pleasant to hold in hands: touch their pages, turn them over, feel their smell. I have an electronic reader and it is convenient, but I still read paper copies of books too.
To sum up, it is impossible to live without reading and even if paper books may disappear in the future, people will never stop reading.

ПЛАН-ОТВЕТ. READING
1. Вступление (the importance of reading, if we can"t read, we can"t learn, etc.).
2. Рассказать кратко об истории книгопечатания и двух группах книг (appeared long ago, were written by hand, printing was invented, two large groups, fiction: short stories and novels of different genres and poetry; non-fiction: dictionaries, reference books, historical books, biographies, encyclopaedias).
3. Рассказать о том, что вы читали в детстве, какие книги предпочитаете читать сейчас (In my childhood, fairy tales/adventure stories, etc.; Now I read...; During my studies I also use...).
4. Рассказать о чтении и книгах в современном мире и современных технологиях (television and the Internet, do not need books at all, modern technologies, electronic readers: advantages and disadvantages, etc.).
5. Заключение (То sum up, it is impossible to live without reading and even if paper books may disappear in the future, people will never stop reading.).

QUESTIONS
1. Do you read much?
2. What sort of books do you read?
3. Do you enjoy reading?
4. Should children be encouraged to read?
5. What are the advantages of reading? Are there any disadvantages? What are they?
6. Is it good to get the reading habit?
7. Do you read in English or in your own language?
8. Does reading help to learn a language?
9. When do you usually read?
10. Do you read newspapers?
11. Do you read magazines or journals?
12. What books do you usually use to get ready for your classes?
13. Do you think people should read more?
14. What will happen if we don"t read?
15. When should we start reading?
16. Do you think that people don"t read so much because they are busy watching television or surfing the Internet?
17. What would you do to encourage people to read? Is it difficult to encourage yourself to read? Why (not)?
18. What was your favourite book in your childhood? What is your favourite book now?
19. What is your favourite genre of books?
20. Do you read electronic books or prefer paper copies of books? Why?
21. What are the advantages and disadvantages of electronic readers?
22. Do you think that books may disappear in the future? Why (not)?
23. Where do you usually buy books?
24. Do you borrow books from a library or do you buy them?
25. Do you think that libraries may disappear in the future? Why (not)?

USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES
Fiction Художественная литература
action and adventure боевики и приключения
children"s книги для детей
contemporary современная проза
crime детектив
fantasy фэнтези
graphic novels/comics комиксы
historical fiction исторический роман
horror ужасы
humour юмористическая проза
mystery детективный роман
romance любовный роман
science fiction научная фантастика
short story collection . сборник рассказов
thrillers триллеры
young adult литература для подростков
Non-Fiction Научно-популярная литература
almanac альманах
art & photography книги по искусству
biography & memoirs биография/мемуары
blueprint план, чертёж
booklet буклет, брошюра
brochure брошюра
business & finance бизнес и финансы
cookbook кулинарная книга
dictionary словарь
encyclopaedia энциклопедия
gardening садоводство
gift books подарочные издания
guide гид, путеводитель
handbook справочник, руководство
history книги по истории
"how-to" инструкция
journalism журналистика
manual руководство пользователя
medical health & fitness медицина и фитнес
nature & ecology природа и экология
periodical периодические издания
pets о домашних животных
picture book словарь в картинках
psychology психология
reference справочник
self-help книги «помоги себе сам»
sports спорт
textbook учебник
travel книги о путешествиях