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Task 4. Types of Excursions in Russia

Get Ready: 2:30

Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project entitled “Types of Excursions in Russia.” You have found some photos to illustrate it, but for technical reasons you cannot send them now. Leave a voice message for your friend explaining your choice of the photos and sharing some ideas about the project.

In 2.5 minutes, be ready to:

explain your choice of the illustrations for the project by briefly describing them and noting the differences between the types of excursions shown;
mention 1–2 advantages of each type of excursion;
mention 1–2 disadvantages of each type of excursion;
express your opinion on the subject of the project: say which type of excursion presented in the pictures you would prefer and explain why.

You will speak for no more than 3 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.

Active phrases and linking expressions

Introducing the project and the illustrations

to be devoted to different types of excursions
to illustrate 2 contrasting ways of exploring Russia
to be directly relevant to the project
a nature-based excursion
a guided sightseeing tour
different travelling interests and preferences
different ways of discovering the country

Describing Picture A

in the foreground
in the background
a group of tourists
an ecological excursion
a nature reserve or national park
a wetland area
a narrow wooden path
unspoilt natural surroundings
a lake surrounded by woodland
casual outdoor clothing
backpacks and walking equipment
to observe plants and wildlife
to explore the local landscape
to follow an organised route
to take part in an outdoor activity
a peaceful and remote setting

Describing Picture B

a group of sightseers
a guided city excursion
a historic district of Moscow
famous architectural landmarks
historic towers and buildings
a professional tour guide
a popular tourist destination
a lively urban setting
a large organised group
to learn about Russian history
to admire historic architecture
to visit major attractions
to explore the country’s cultural heritage
to follow a planned sightseeing route

Noting similarities

to have several features in common
to involve travelling in a group
to provide an educational experience
to discover unfamiliar places
to learn more about Russia
to combine recreation with education
to be suitable for curious travellers

Noting differences

the most noticeable difference
a rural setting as opposed to an urban one
natural scenery versus historic architecture
a peaceful atmosphere versus a lively atmosphere
a relatively small group versus a large tourist group
contact with nature rather than cultural sightseeing
greater physical effort
a more structured programme
a quieter and less crowded environment
easier access to public facilities
a flexible route versus a fixed itinerary
environmental knowledge versus historical knowledge

Advantages of nature excursions

to spend time in the fresh air
to escape the noise of city life
to admire natural scenery
to observe wildlife in its natural habitat
to increase environmental awareness
to improve physical fitness
to reduce stress
to clear one’s mind
to combine exercise with education
a relaxing change of scenery
direct contact with nature
a sense of adventure

Disadvantages of nature excursions

to depend heavily on the weather
muddy or slippery paths
unpredictable weather conditions
mosquitoes and other insects
limited access to facilities
a lack of cafés and toilets
considerable physical effort
to be unsuitable for people with limited mobility
to be located far from the city
transport-related difficulties
the risk of getting tired or wet

Advantages of sightseeing excursions

to see several landmarks in a limited time
to gain historical and cultural knowledge
information provided by a professional guide
easy access by public transport
well-developed tourist infrastructure
access to cafés, shops and museums
to gain a deeper understanding of Russian history
to visit world-famous attractions
to follow a carefully planned route
to be suitable for first-time visitors
to take memorable photographs

Disadvantages of sightseeing excursions

overcrowded tourist attractions
long queues
traffic and city noise
a strict schedule
limited freedom to explore independently
to spend a long time standing
difficulty hearing the guide
a rushed sightseeing experience
relatively high tour fees
to feel tired because of large crowds
a lack of personal attention

Expressing a preference

to have a strong preference for
to be more attracted to
to appeal to me more
to suit my interests better
to be more enjoyable and rewarding
to prefer peaceful surroundings
to enjoy outdoor activities
to be interested in history and architecture
to take a break from one’s daily routine
to combine education with physical activity
to value comfort and convenience
to depend on personal interests
to depend on the weather and time available

Linking phrases

Moving from one picture to another

As for the 1st picture, ...
Turning to the 2nd illustration, ...
As far as the 2nd photo is concerned, ...
Moving on to the other picture, ...
With regard to the 2nd type of excursion, ...

Comparing and contrasting

Both pictures show ...
In both cases, ...
The pictures have ... in common.
The main similarity is that ...
The most obvious difference is ...
While the 1st picture shows ..., the 2nd one depicts ...
Whereas the former focuses on ..., the latter centres on ...
Unlike the 1st type of excursion, ...
In contrast to the nature excursion, ...
The former ..., while the latter ...
On the one hand, ...; on the other hand, ...

Introducing advantages

One major advantage is that ...
Another benefit is ...
An additional positive aspect is ...
What makes this type of excursion attractive is ...
This type of excursion enables tourists to ...
It also provides an opportunity to ...

Introducing disadvantages

However, there are certain drawbacks.
One possible disadvantage is ...
Another limitation is ...
On the downside, ...
A potential problem is that ...
This type of excursion may be unsuitable for ...

Giving an opinion

Personally, I would opt for ...
As for my personal preference, ...
Given the choice, I would rather ...
I tend to prefer ... because ...
From my point of view, ...
The main reason for my choice is ...
What appeals to me most is ...
Although ... may be ..., I would still choose ...

Concluding the voice message

All things considered, ...
Taking everything into account, ...
Overall, both options ...
To sum up, ...
to appeal to people with different interests
to illustrate the project effectively
Let me know what you think about ...

____;

Task 4. Ways to Study History

Get Ready: 2:30

Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project entitled “Ways to Study History.” You have found some photos to illustrate it, but for technical reasons you cannot send them now. Leave a voice message for your friend explaining your choice of the photos and sharing some ideas about the project.

In 2.5 minutes, be ready to:

explain your choice of the illustrations for the project by briefly describing them and noting the differences between the ways of studying history shown in the photos;
mention 1–2 advantages of each way of studying history;
mention 1–2 disadvantages of each way of studying history;
express your opinion on the subject of the project: say which way of studying history presented in the pictures you would prefer and explain why.

You will speak for no more than 3 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.

Active vocabulary and linking phrases

Introducing the project and the photos

to be devoted to different ways of studying history	быть посвящённым разным способам изучения истории
to illustrate 2 contrasting approaches	иллюстрировать 2 противоположных подхода
to be relevant to the topic of the project	соответствовать теме проекта
practical historical research	практическое историческое исследование
online history education	онлайн-обучение истории
traditional and modern learning methods	традиционные и современные методы обучения

Describing Picture A

an archaeological excavation	археологические раскопки
an excavation site	место проведения раскопок
a group of archaeologists or volunteers	группа археологов или волонтёров
ancient human remains	древние человеческие останки
historical artefacts	исторические артефакты
archaeological tools	археологические инструменты
protective gloves	защитные перчатки
to examine the soil carefully	тщательно исследовать почву
to uncover ancient remains	обнаруживать древние останки
to search for historical evidence	искать исторические свидетельства
to handle fragile objects	обращаться с хрупкими предметами
to take part in fieldwork	принимать участие в полевых исследованиях
hands-on historical research	практическое историческое исследование
direct contact with the past	непосредственный контакт с прошлым

Describing Picture B

an online history lesson	онлайн-урок истории
a virtual lecture	виртуальная лекция
a video-conferencing platform	платформа для видеоконференций
a history teacher or lecturer	учитель или преподаватель истории
students attending remotely	ученики, присутствующие дистанционно
a computer screen	экран компьютера
digital learning materials	цифровые учебные материалы
historical documents and presentations	исторические документы и презентации
to attend a lesson from home	посещать урок из дома
to listen to an expert	слушать эксперта
to exchange ideas online	обмениваться идеями онлайн
to access educational resources	получать доступ к учебным ресурсам
distance learning	дистанционное обучение
a technology-based approach	подход, основанный на использовании технологий

Similarities

to gain knowledge about the past	получать знания о прошлом
to develop an interest in history	развивать интерес к истории
to discover historical facts	узнавать исторические факты
to improve research skills	совершенствовать исследовательские навыки
to provide an educational experience	предоставлять образовательный опыт
to learn under expert guidance	обучаться под руководством специалиста

Differences between the 2 approaches

practical experience versus theoretical learning	практический опыт в отличие от теоретического обучения
outdoor fieldwork versus indoor study	полевые исследования на открытом воздухе в отличие от занятий в помещении
physical participation versus virtual participation	физическое участие в отличие от виртуального участия
direct examination of evidence	непосредственное изучение свидетельств
learning through digital resources	обучение с помощью цифровых ресурсов
a specialised location versus any convenient location	специализированное место в отличие от любого удобного места
greater physical effort	более значительные физические усилия
greater flexibility and accessibility	большая гибкость и доступность
a small research team versus a large online audience	небольшая исследовательская группа в отличие от большой онлайн-аудитории

Advantages of archaeological fieldwork

to gain practical experience	получать практический опыт
to work with real historical evidence	работать с подлинными историческими свидетельствами
to make historical discoveries	совершать исторические открытия
to develop observation skills	развивать наблюдательность
to acquire research skills	приобретать исследовательские навыки
to learn through personal experience	учиться на основе личного опыта
to experience a connection with the past	ощущать связь с прошлым
to work as part of a team	работать в команде
to make history feel more realistic	делать историю более реальной и осязаемой

Disadvantages of archaeological fieldwork

to require considerable physical effort	требовать значительных физических усилий
to be time-consuming	занимать много времени
to depend on weather conditions	зависеть от погодных условий
to work in uncomfortable conditions	работать в некомфортных условиях
to involve dirt, dust and heat	быть связанным с грязью, пылью и жарой
to require professional supervision	требовать профессионального руководства
to risk damaging fragile artefacts	рисковать повредить хрупкие артефакты
limited availability of excavation sites	ограниченная доступность мест раскопок
to be unsuitable for people with limited mobility	не подходить людям с ограниченной подвижностью

Advantages of online history lessons

to study from any location	учиться из любого места
to save time on travelling	экономить время на дорогу
to access a wide range of resources	получать доступ к широкому кругу ресурсов
to attend lectures by international experts	посещать лекции зарубежных специалистов
to use videos, maps and presentations	использовать видео, карты и презентации
to record and replay a lesson	записывать и повторно просматривать урок
to study at one’s own pace	учиться в собственном темпе
to provide greater accessibility	обеспечивать большую доступность
to be convenient and flexible	быть удобным и гибким

Disadvantages of online history lessons

a lack of direct contact with historical objects	отсутствие непосредственного контакта с историческими предметами
limited practical experience	ограниченный практический опыт
to depend on a stable Internet connection	зависеть от стабильного интернет-соединения
technical problems and software failures	технические проблемы и программные сбои
to become distracted at home	отвлекаться во время занятий дома
limited face-to-face communication	ограниченное личное общение
to spend too much time in front of a screen	проводить слишком много времени перед экраном
to reduce active participation	снижать активность учащихся
difficulty maintaining concentration	трудность сохранения концентрации

Expressing a preference

to have a preference for	отдавать предпочтение
to be more attracted to	больше интересоваться
to appeal to me more	больше привлекать меня
to suit my learning style	соответствовать моему стилю обучения
to prefer hands-on activities	предпочитать практические занятия
to value convenience and flexibility	ценить удобство и гибкость
to learn more effectively through experience	учиться эффективнее на практике
to enjoy interacting with other people	получать удовольствие от общения с другими людьми
to prefer studying in comfortable surroundings	предпочитать учёбу в комфортной обстановке
to combine both methods	сочетать оба метода

Linking phrases

Introducing the photos

Our project is devoted to ...
I have chosen these photos because ...
Both illustrations are relevant to ...
The pictures show 2 different ways of ...
These photos effectively demonstrate ...

Describing the pictures

In the 1st picture, there is / there are ...
The 1st illustration shows ...
In the foreground, we can see ...
In the background, there is / there are ...
The people appear to be ...
They seem to be taking part in ...
Turning to the 2nd picture, ...
The 2nd illustration depicts ...
As far as the 2nd photo is concerned, ...
The scene probably takes place ...

Comparing and contrasting

Both pictures have ... in common.
In both cases, people are ...
The main similarity is that ...
However, there are several noticeable differences.
The most obvious difference is ...
While the 1st picture shows ..., the 2nd one depicts ...
Whereas the former involves ..., the latter focuses on ...
Unlike the 1st method, the 2nd one ...
In contrast to archaeological fieldwork, online learning ...
The former is ..., while the latter is ...
Another important distinction is ...

Introducing advantages

One major advantage is that ...
Another important benefit is ...
An additional positive aspect is ...
This method enables students to ...
It also gives learners an opportunity to ...
What makes this method particularly useful is ...

Introducing disadvantages

However, this method also has certain drawbacks.
One possible disadvantage is ...
Another limitation is ...
On the downside, ...
A potential problem is that ...
This approach may be unsuitable for ...

Expressing an opinion

Personally, I would prefer ...
As for my personal preference, ...
Given the choice, I would rather ...
I tend to prefer ... because ...
From my point of view, ...
The main reason for my choice is ...
What appeals to me most is ...
Although ... is more convenient, I would still choose ...
Despite the disadvantages, ... would suit me better.

Concluding the voice message

All things considered, ...
Taking everything into account, ...
Overall, both methods can be ...
To sum up, ...
Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses.
I think these photos illustrate our project effectively.
Let me know what you think about my choice.