Enhancing Fluency: Part 1

МИНИСТЕРСТВО НАУКИ И ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ  
РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ 
Федеральное государственное автономное образовательное  
учреждение высшего образования 
«ЮЖНЫЙ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ» 
 
Институт филологии, журналистики и межкультурной коммуникации 
 

 

 

 

   
 
   А. А. Андриенко, А. А. Медведева 

 

 

ENHANCING FLUENCY  

Part 1     

 

Учебное пособие 

В двух частях 

 

 

 

 

 

Ростов-на-Дону – Таганрог 
Издательство Южного федерального университета 
2018 

УДК 811.111`36(075.8) 
ББК 81.432.1-2я73 
   А65 
 
Печатается по решению заседания кафедры английской филологии 
Института филологии, журналистики и межкультурной коммуникации 
Южного федерального университета (протокол № 6 от 01.02.2018 г.) 
 

Рецензенты:  
Н. С. Трифонова, канд фил наук, доц. каф. англ. филологии  
ИФЖиМК ЮФУ;                        
А. В. Прохоров, канд. фил. наук, доц. Тамбовского государственного                       
университета им. Г. Р. Державина 
 

 

               Андриенко, А.А. 
А65        Enhancing Fluency. Part 1 : учебное пособие : в 2 ч. / А. А. Андриенко, А. А. Медведева ; Южный федеральный университет. –  Ростовна-Дону ; Таганрог : Издательство Южного федерального университета, 2018.  

ISBN 978-5-9275-2980-3 
Ч. 1. – 136 с. 
ISBN 978-5-9275-2981-0 (Ч. 1) 

 
 

Пособие предназначено для студентов 1 курса языковых отделений филологических факультетов. Пособие состоит из 2-х частей, каждая из которых нацелена на изучение практического курса английского языка в течение 
1-го и 2-го семестров соответственно. Каждая часть пособия включает три 
тематических раздела, состоящих из аутентичных англоязычных текстов, 
комплекса упражнений в рамках тематического раздела, аудио- и видеоматериалами, заданиями на развитие письменных и устных компетенций студентов 1-го курса, тематическим глоссарием. 
 

ISBN 978-5-9275-2981-0 (Ч. 1)                                       УДК 811.111`36(075.8) 
ISBN 978-5-9275-2980-3                                                     ББК 81.432.1-2я73 

 
© Южный федеральный университет, 2018 
 © Андриенко А. А., Медведева А. А., 2018   

Пояснительная записка

Настоящее учебное пособие составлено на модульной основе, отвечает 

основным целям обучения на 1-м курсе отделения зарубежной филологии и 
направлено на овладение, развитие и совершенствование профессиональных 
умений и навыков устной и письменной речи студентов в процессе их работы 
в аудитории под руководством преподавателя и самостоятельной работы. 
Упражнения по развитию навыков устной речи имеют коммуникативную 
направленность, предусматривают групповую и индивидуальную работу и 
способствуют формированию у учащихся навыков в продуктивных и 
рецептивных видах речевой деятельности. Предлагаемые тексты и задания 
позволяют значительно обогатить словарный запас студентов, приобщить их 
к самостоятельной научно-исследовательской работе над языком и развить 
у них аналитический подход к изучаемым языковым явлениям. 

Учебное пособие «Enhancing Fluency (part 1)» отвечает основным 

дидактическим и методическим принципам обучения. Пособие предлагает
материал по 3 модулям, содержит вокабуляр по темам, тексты, упражнения, 
диалоги и выборку из оригинальных художественных произведений.
Тематически организованный список лексических единиц состоит из слов и 
выражений как подлежащих активному усвоению, так и не входящих в 
активный словарь, но нуждающихся в пояснении. Упражнения по развитию 
устной речи имеют коммуникативную направленность, предусматривают 
групповую и индивидуальную работу. Система упражнений по письменной 
практике предусматривает самостоятельную отработку норм современного 
английского языка, подготовку студентов к написанию эссе. Ролевые игры 
и 
ситуативные 
диалоги 
способствуют 
быстрейшему 
запоминанию 

материала 
в 
ситуациях, 
максимально 
приближенных 
к 
реальной 

коммуникации. 

СОДЕРЖАНИЕ

SECTION 1. FAMILY LIFE...................................................................................................... 5

MODULE 
1.................................................................................................................................. 5

MODULE 
2................................................................................................................................ 17

MODULE
3............................................................................................................................... 38

VOCABULARY FOR SECTION 1................................................................................................... 55

SECTION 2. APPEARANCE .................................................................................................. 60

MODULE 
1............................................................................................................................... 60

MODULE 
2............................................................................................................................... 74

MODULE 
3............................................................................................................................... 81

VOCABULARY FOR SECTION 2................................................................................................... 87

SECTION 3. CHARACTER .................................................................................................... 96

MODULE 
1..................................................................................................................... 96

MODULE 
2............................................................................................................................. 115

MODULE 
3............................................................................................................................. 126

СПИСОК ИСПОЛЬЗОВАННОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ............................................................. 134

SECTION 1. FAMILY LIFE

MODULE 
1 

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AND KINDS OF FAMILY

Exercise 1. Read and translate the following text. Answer the questions after the text.

The Role and Functions of a Family

Family is the basic unit of social organization in all human societies. Since prehistoric 

times, families have served as the primary institution responsible for raising children, 
providing people with food and shelter, and satisfying people’s need for love and support. The 
term family generally refers to a group of people related to one another by birth, marriage, or 
adoption. In contemporary society, people often apply the word family to any group that feels 
a sense of kinship (family connection).

Family types vary in different countries and among different cultures. In Western, 

industrialized societies, the nuclear family ranks as the most common family type. It consists 
of a father, a mother, and their children. When the unit includes a husband and wife, it is 
considered a conjugal family as well. Nuclear and conjugal families as isolated and independent 
units are very rare in the world. In most societies the extended family is the norm. This type 
goes beyond the nuclear family unit of parents and children to include relatives such as 
grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins. When, for example, a married couple lives with the 
husband's parents or a grandparent shares a household, the family changes from a nuclear to an 
extended one. The addition of any persons beyond the nuclear unit makes the family extended.

American families typically have what is called a modified extended family structure. 

When couples marry they are likely to form a household separate from either set of parents. Yet 
they maintain close ties with their families of orientation. While the newly created nuclear 
family units do not reside in an extended family household, they do exchange phone calls, 
letters, and holiday or birthday greetings and turn to one another for assistance. In this sense a 
nuclear family becomes a modified form of an extended one though not in terms of residence.
But nuclear families exist alongside many other types of family units. In the single-parent 
family, for example, a mother or a father heads the family alone. A blended family, also known 
as stepfamily or reconstituted family, is formed when a divorced or widowed parent 
remarries. As divorce rates have risen, the number of single-parent and blended families has 
increased.

An increasingly common family form in Western societies is the consensual union, in 

which couples live together but remain unmarried. When a homosexual couple decides to live 
together as a family, they form a same-sex union. Although such unions have become more 
common, most countries do not recognize them as legal families. People often call a married 
couple whose children have grown up and left home an empty-nest family.

In many parts of the world, parents and children live together with other family members 

under the same roof. These complex families usually contain several generations of family 
members, including grandparents, parents, and children. They may also include brothers or 
sisters and their families, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Even when relatives do not live together, 
they still consider themselves members of the same extended family. In Latin American and 
Hispanic American cultures, the extended family, or la familia, includes grandparents, uncles, 
aunts, and cousins.

Some cultures follow a traditional practice called polygamy, in which a person can have 

more than one spouse (husband or wife). The two chief forms of polygamy are polygyny and 
polyandry. In polygyny, a man marries more than one woman. In polyandry, a woman has more 
than one husband.

Family members can be related to one another by blood – that is, by birth; by affinity –

that is, through marriage; or through adoption. Most nuclear families consist of a father, a 
mother, and their biological children (children born to them). When a couple adopts a child, the 
child becomes a member of their family. Brothers and sisters who share the same parents are 
siblings. Half brothers and half sisters share either the same biological mother or biological 
father. When divorced or widowed parents remarry, the parent’s new spouse becomes the 
children’s stepfather or stepmother. Children from the couple’s previous marriages become 
stepbrothers and stepsisters to one another.

When people marry, they gain a new set of relatives called in-laws. The mother of a 

person’s spouse is called a mother-in-law, the brother is called a brother-in-law, and so on 
throughout the rest of the family.

The parents of a person’s mother or father are that person’s grandparents. Great
grandparents are the parents of a person’s grandparents. An aunt is the sister of a person’s 
mother or father. An uncle is the brother of a parent. An uncle’s wife is also called aunt, and an 
aunt’s husband is also called uncle. A first cousin is the child of a person’s aunt or uncle. The 
child of a first cousin is a person’s first cousin once removed – that is, removed by one 
generation. Children of first cousins are second cousins to each other.

Some people consider certain friends as part of their family because they feel special 

affection for them. Though these friends are not true family members, such friends are called 
fictive kin, and family members might call them “aunts” or “uncles”. Relatives or close friends 
of a parent may become godparents to that parent’s children. Godparents, as sponsors to a 
Christian baptism, often play more vital roles in the lives of families than other fictive kin. In 
Latin American and Hispanic American families, godparents, or compadres, provide advice, 
emotional support, and assistance in times of need.

Families perform many necessary functions, both for individual family members and for 

society as a whole. In virtually all cultures, the family serves as the basic institution for bearing 
children, caring for them during their early years, and preparing them to function effectively in 
society. Families around the world must also provide food and clothing to their members. In 
addition, families meet important psychological needs, such as the need for love, support, and 
companionship.

The family’s duties have changed over time. In the past, families not only cared for the 

young but also grew their own food, made their own clothing, and provided services for 
themselves that modern families generally do not provide. Parents taught reading, writing, and 
craft skills to their children. Families also cared for sick and elderly relatives and often provided 
financial support for members in need. Since the 1800’s, many of these traditional 
responsibilities have shifted to such institutions as schools, hospitals, insurance companies, and 
nursing homes.

Roles within the family have also changed. Traditionally, the father was expected to take 

up an occupation to support his wife and children. The mother, in turn, ran the home and cared 
for the children. Today, however, both parents commonly work outside the home, and fathers 
often perform household duties formerly expected of women.

The home is the center of family activities. These activities include raising children, 

eating meals, playing games, watching television, keeping house, and entertaining friends. In 
the home, children learn basic social skills, such as how to talk and get along with others. They 
also learn health and safety habits there. A family’s home life is influenced by which members 
live in the home and by the roles each member plays. Home life can also be affected by relatives 
who live outside the family’s home. Traditions, laws, and social conditions help determine who 
lives in a home and the place each family member holds.

Traditions, which are customs or beliefs that people have followed for a long time, 

strongly influence family life. For example, some Americans have little contact with relatives 
outside the nuclear family. But many Chinese families feel strong ties to such relatives and see 
them often. Aunts, uncles, and cousins traditionally play important roles in the lives of these 

people.

Laws affect family behavior in various ways. Some set forth the legal rights and 

responsibilities people have as husbands, wives, parents, and children. In many Western nations, 
laws forbid abuse of children by parents, and of one spouse by the other. Laws also deal with 
marriage, divorce, and adoption. Social conditions can also influence family life. For example, 
in cultures that discourage women from working outside the home, mothers become full-time 
homemakers, while men act as the sole wage earners. [18]

Questions:

1. How would you define the role of the family in contemporary society? 2. What duties do 
parents have to toward their children? 3. What types of family do you know? 4. What is a nuclear 
family (extended family, single-parent family, consensual union, blended family, empty-nest 
family, same-sex union,)? 5. In what countries is an extended family type still typical? What 
type of family characterises your country? 6. What is the difference between polygyny and 
polyandry? 7. In what cultures would you find polygamy? 8. How can family members be 
related to one another? 9. What is the difference between siblings and half-brothers or sisters? 
10. How are second cousins related to each other? 11. Who are in-laws? 12. Whom do we call 
fictive kin? 13. What are the functions the family fulfills in society? 14. How have these 
functions changed over time? 15. How have traditional family roles changed? 16. What laws 
regulate relations within a family? [41]

Exercise 2. Find in the text equivalents to the following words and word combinations.
1. a structure or building that provides cover from weather or protection against danger; 2. legal 
procedure for taking a child into the family from an orphanage; 3. two people who are married, 
are living together; 4. somebody’s husband or wife; 5. the custom of having more than one 
spouse at the same time; 6. a relative by marriage; 7. somebody who is named as a sponsor when 
a child is baptized; 8. skill in making or doing things, especially by hand; 9. the people who live 
together in a single home; 10. the ending of a marriage by an official decision in a court of law; 
11. the only one.

Exercise 3. Fill in suitable words:
1. Your aunt’s son is your … . 2. Your father’s father is your … . 3. My sister’s son is my … . 
4. His sister’s daughter is his … . 5. My mother’s brother is my … . 6. Your mother’s sister is 
your … . 7. Your father’s brother is your … . 8. Your uncle’s daughter is your … . 9. Your 
brother’s wife is your … . 10. Your sister’s husband is your … . 11. Your husband’s mother is 
your … . 12. Your mother’s mother is your … .

Exercise 4. What is the difference in meaning between the following?
1. Parents and relatives
2. Nephews and nieces
3. Stepsisters and sisters-in-law
4. Godfathers and great-uncles
5. Brothers and cousins
6. A close relative and a distant relative

Exercise 5. Read the short article about British and American families. Choose the best phrase 
from A-K to fill in the gaps 1-10, to complete the text. There is one phrase that you won’t need 
to use.

FAMILY
WHEN British and American people use the word family (1) … the 
mother, father and their children. In a general social context, “the 
family” is usually (2) … mean this nuclear family.

Society in Britain and the US (3) … a nuclear family living in the 

same house and (4) … each other’s lives. Fifty years ago, the 
typical family was a husband and a wife, and two or three children. 
The father spent all day at work and (5) … decisions about how the 
money he earned was spent. The mother stayed at home to manage 
the house and look after the children. Children were (6) … their 
parents.

Many modern families live rather differently, and because of this 

some people think that the family unit is dying and society (7) … . 
Many couples still get married, but others live together without (8) 
… . A few years ago, couples living together usually got married 
when (9) … a family, but this happens less now. Another trend is 
(10) … married later in life and to have fewer children, so the size 
of the average family is shrinking. 

A   taken to
G   made most of the

B   closely 
H   which normally consists of

C   getting married
I    they wanted to start

D   they often mean only
J   expected to obey

E   is being weakened
K  is traditionally based on

F   for people to get

Read the article again and answer the following questions:
1. What is a ‘nuclear family’?
2. How did the father spend a typical day fifty years ago?
3. How did the mother spend a typical day fifty years ago?
4. Why are some people worried about society today?
5. Do couples that live together always get married?
6. Are modern families normally larger or smaller than those fifty years ago?

Exercise 6. Complete the sentences with the words denoting relationships. Mind that some 
words DO NOT show family bonds.
1. Our mothers are sisters. We are … .
2. We share an office. We are … .
3. My parents are divorced My dad has just married Clair’s mum. Clair and I are … .
4. We had our anniversary last week. We are … .
5. I am married to Mary’s brother. Mary and I are … .
6. We share a flat. We are … .
7. We sit next to each other at school. We are … .
8. We live next door to each other. We are … .
9. My sister has a son and a daughter. They’re my … and … .
10. We write to each other but we’ve never met. We are … .

Exercise 8. Read the sentences on the left. Sally is describing her relationship with people in 
her family. Match the underlined phrase on the left with the best definition on the right.
1. I look like my dad.
I have a similar personality.

2. I take after my mum.
I have inherited some of her 
characteristics.

3. I get on (really) well with my cousin, Jake.
I feel deep concern and interest/do 
everything for those who need help.

4. I’m very close to my twin sister, Karen.
I am very loving and loyal.

5. I have a lot in common with my brother, Will.
I am angrily criticised.

6. I’m (a bit) like Aunt Gillian.
I have a very good relationship.

7. I am totally devoted to her grandfather.
We share similar interests.

8. I care for my elderly parents.
I have a similar appearance.

9. I often turn to my sister for advice.
I go for help in a difficult situation.

10. My brother gets on my nerves.
I have a deep, strong relationship.

11. I don’t like being left out.
I feel annoyed.

12. My mother tells me off when I am ill 

behaved.

I feel ignored and neglected.

Now use the underlined phrases in the exercise above to best describe the following 
relationships.
1. John and Rob really enjoy each other’s company, because they both love playing football, 
talking about cars, and going out.
2. Claire has lots of friends, but if she has a problem to solve or a secret to share she always 
tells her cousin, Sue, first. They grew up together, and can trust each other completely.
3. Whatever I do, my Dad is saying I was wrong or not good enough.
4. My Aunt Rose has the same long nose and high cheekbones as my mum. People often 
mistake her for her sister.
5. Molly is so loyal to her old Granny that she refuses to send her to the old peoples’ home and 
looks after her herself. (2)
6. My nephews, Paul and Colin, are both very talkative and outgoing.
7.In my childhood I ran to my Aunt Sara each time I were in trouble and needed help.
8. My mum tells me that I get my fiery temper and stubborn nature from my granny.
9. Her little sister is so naughty and loud that she annoys me every time I come to see my 
friend Joan.

Exercise 19. Read the clues and complete the crossword.

1

2

3
4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

The Andrews family tree

Jack Andrews + Daisy

Lucy
Emily + George

Michael
Susan (Rupert)

Bianca
Robbie

ACROSS
1 Susan’s parents, Emily and George, are 
Australian. Jack is her … .

7 Susan’s engaged. Her … is called Rupert. He 
is twenty-two and he is a computer programmer

2 Jack emigrated to Australia and married 
Daisy. Daisy is Susan’s … .

8 Rupert’s mum died when he was at university 
and so Rupert’s dad is a … .

3 They had another daughter, Lucy – so 
Emily has a sister. Lucy is Susan’s … .

9 Rupert’s dad is getting married to Maria 
soon, and Maria will be Rupert’s … .

4 When Susan’s brother Michael got 
married, he had two children, Bianca and 
Robbie. Now Susan has a niece and a … .

10 When Susan and Rupert get married, 
Rupert’s dad will be Susan’s … . 
11 Bianca is Jack and Daisy’s … .

5 Susan’s dad died a few years ago and 
her mum became a … .

12 Robbie is Michael’s … .

6 Emily remarried and her new husband 
DOWN

Bill, is a lawyer. Bill is Susan’s … .
1 What are Susan’s … called?

Exercise 10. Fill in the blanks. The first letter of each missing word is given.
A nuclear family consists of only a (1) h…, (2) w… and children. In my country an (3) e… 
family is more common. It consists not only of (4) p… and children but also of (5) g…, aunts, 
uncles and (6) c… . My (7) g… lives with us and loves looking after her grandchildren. My 
mom’s brother, (8) U… George, is a (9) w… and has lived with us since since Aunt Helen died. 
He is also my godfather. 

Exercise 11. There are many idiomatic expressions in English to describe family 
relationships. Divide the phrases into two groups: people are similar, and people are 
different.
We’re as different as chalk and cheese.
We’re like two peas in a pod.
We get on like a house on fire.
She’s the spitting image of her mother.
I have little to do with her.
You just can’t tell them apart.
Speak on your family members using these idioms.

Exercise 12.
1. Complete the table from the words and phrases in the box.
ancestor
battle
Chancellor

descendant
distant relative
dynasty

general
House of Commons
House of Lords

Member of Parliament (MP)
orator
paternal grandfather

prime minister
soldier
speech

Family
Politics
War

2. Work with a partner and discuss the questions.

•
What do you know about Winston Churchill?