EXAM CUE CARDS

Dear students,

Our exam is on the 20th, June, 10. 40, classroom 001. 

Here are the main cue cards.
Remember to prepare to talk about all the points mentined in a card.
After your speech you will be asked several questions on the topic.

Cue card 1. Unit 3.

5 minutes to prepare. 3 minutes to speak.

Speak about a relationship with someone at place of work or study. You should say:

-          Who the person is / was, what kind of person it is/was, what kind of relationship it is/was,

-          How long you have know/knew the person,

-          What the situations are/were in which you communicate(d) with the person,

-          What conflicting situations you have / had to resolve,

And say what you have learned / learned while communicating with him/her and what benefits you gain/have gained/gained from the relationship.

Cue card 2. Unit 4.

5 minutes to prepare. 3 minutes to speak.

Speak about a successful person you know / knew (real relations). You should say:

-          Who the person is, the person’s occupation,

-          How, where and when you met the person,

-          In what way the person is successful,

-          Personal traits that you like about the person,

-          Personal features that you do not quite like,

-          What traits are the person’s keys to success (from your opinion)

And say if you would like to be similar to the person, and in what way (if you like the person).

Cure card 3.

5 minutes to prepare. 3 minutes to speak.

Speak about a well-known successful person. You should say:

-              Who the person is, the person’s occupation, the sphere the person works or acts,

-              How, where and when you knew about the person,

-              In what way the person is successful,

-              Personal traits that you like about the person,

-              Personal features that you do not quite like,

-              What traits are the keys to the person’s success,

And say if you would like to be similar to the person, and in what way (if you like the person).

Cue card 4.

5 minutes to prepare. 3 minutes to speak.

Speak about success in your future career. You should say:

-          In what sphere you plan your career development,

-          What are the peculiarities of working in the sphere,

-          What personal traits you need to have to be successful,

-          What skills you need to have to find a good job,

-          If you have had or plan to have some experience of working in the sphere,

And say about possible obstacles on the way to success.

Cue card 5. Unit 4

5 minutes to prepare. 3 minutes to speak.

Speak about a leader. You should say:

-          How to define a leader, who it is,

-          What traits a leader should have nowadays,

-          What general skills any leader should have,

-          If you have the skills and traits,

-          If you would like to develop or you are developing some of them,

And say if leaders are born or made and why you think so.

Cue card 6. Unit 4

5 minutes to prepare. 3 minutes to speak.

Talk about a successful company. You should say:

-          The name of the company and the sphere the company works in,

-          What the company produces or what services the company provides,

-          What the famous company brands are,

-          If you know well-known people who have worked with the company, and why they are known,

-          What the keys to success of the company are,

And say if you would like to work in the company or not and why.

Cue card 7. Unit 5.

 5 minutes to prepare. 3 minutes to speak.

Speak about job satisfaction factors and their influence on personnel. You should talk about:

-          Money: salary and bonuses,

-          People at work: team, colleagues and boss,

-          Perks or fringe benefits,

-          Praise and opportunities for promotion,

And say which of the mentioned above are important for you and why. 

Good luck in everything!

BASIC LEVEL. DAILY ROUTINES. SPORTS AND HOBBIES. PRESENT SIMPLE.

Dear students,
Together with the key topics of our coursebook, this Saturday we are going to talk about Daily routines, Sports and Hobbies and some key grammar.

Watch the videos and do the tasks.

Task 1. Daily Routines. 

WATCH, UNDERSTAND, LISTEN AND REPEAT!

Watch the video and practice proninciation. Listen and Repeat the words after the speaker. Watch the video at least 2 times (2 раза) in different days.

Write down the words of the video.

Task 2. Vocabulary. Sports and Hobbies. 

WATCH, UNDERSTAND, LISTEN AND REPEAT!

Watch the video and practice proninciation. Listen and Repeat the words after the speaker. Watch the video at least 2 times (2 раза) in different days. .

Write down the words of the video.

Task 3. Grammar. Present Simple

WATCH, UNDERSTAND, REMEMBER!

Watch the video and take notes about it.
We will talk about it at the lesson.

GOOD LUCK IN EVERYTHING AND HAVE A GOOD WEEK!

ADVANCED GROUP TASK. CENTRAL BANK.

We are going to talk about Finance, so read the following information and do the tasks, 

CENTRAL BANKS.

A central bank is responsible for its country's financial affairs and monitary system. Each central bank may have various specific tasks, nevertheless they can be said to have the same main objectives:

• to oversee monitary policy
• to maintain price stability by controlling inflation
• to manage the production and distribution of the nation's currency (issue of banknotes and coins)
• to support the nation in times of crisis to prevent its banking system from failing (providing funds to a country's economy when commercial banks cannot cover a shortage)
• to manage interest rates
• to serve as a banker for other banks

It is generally believed that a central bank can carry out these functions if it remains independent from, and uninfluenced by any political regime.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU:

- are well-informed about some of the main objectives of central banks
- understand and, which is more important, can use the highlighted words and phrases.

THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK (the ECB)

Unlike other central banks, the Eiropean Central Bank, situated in Frankfurt, is not responsible for the banking and financial matters of a single nation, but rather a group of nations. hen the first eleven EU members states- and six others - adopted the Euro as their single currency, they no longer had monitary sovereignity. However each maintained its own central  bank and together these now comprise the Eurosystem togetherwith the ECB.
According to EU treaty, the basic tasks of the Eurosystem are, among others:

• to maintain price stability
• to define and implement monitary policy
• to conduct foreign exchange operations
• to promote the smooth operation of payment systems
• to manage foreign reserves of the Eurozone countries

Now let's watch two videos about the ECB.

You are supposed to watch the video ABOUT THE ECB and take notes for further preliminary discussion. 

For the key grounded discussion watch the video ROLE AND TASKS in order to be ready to answer the following questions:

• What is the gold standard and when was it used?
• Why did central banks have to keep sufficient gold reserves?
• What does the value of money derive from today?
• Who forms the Governing Council of the ECB?
• Who owns ECB shares and how are they attributed?
• Which of these roles of the ECB is NOT mentined?

- defining monitary policy
- issuing banknotes
-keeping inflation under 2%
- managing foreign reserves

Be prepared to talk over the questions the coming Saturday.

Remember that your previous task was to know the vocabulary (p. 76-78). And you are expected to practice the vocabulary in the frame of the exercises:

p. 77 - A

p. 78 - A, B  

Follow-up. 

DO you know that the first Euro banknotes were introduced in January 2002? Want to know more about it? 

If yes, watch the rest of the videos using the same link! 

Good luck in everything and have a productive week! 

SMM WELCOME

SMM is State Municipal Management 

Дорогие студенты,
Мы будем использовать этот блог для домашних заданий в 4 модуле.
Пожалуйста, пройдите процедуру регистрации!   

Я буду размещать здесь задания под двумя ярлыками:

- SMM basic: для студентов базового уровня,  
- SMM advanced: для студентов продвинутого уровня. 

После регистрации вы начнете получать оповещения о заданиях. 
Выполняйте задания вашего уровня. 

Внимательно читайте задание. Я буду просить размещать некоторые задания в комментариях к постам. 

В этом модуле у нас всего пять встреч, с 4.04 по 2.05. 
Настоятельно рекомендую делать задания своевременно. 

Доброго дня и удачи в делах!

Н.А. 

ELECTIVE COURSE. LANGUAGE LEADER (UI). UNIT 7. ARCHITECTURE. ADDITIONAL LISTENING.

Dear students,

We have a fantastic article about a space hotel in our textbook.



Here is a video about the Bigalow company hotels and not only. It's about 10 min. listening. 


You can find the video HERE. 



*************

The script of the news:

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- More than a few doubts were raised back when the signs went up at Warp Drive and Skywalker Way, and again when Bob Bigelow spoke of hotels in space for the ultimate vacation. But after two successful launches of Bigelow's homegrown Genesis Spacecraft, the aerospace industry isn't laughing anymore.

Now, Bigelow is briskly moving into new territory. A 185,000 square foot addition to the Bigelow Aerospace plant in North Las Vegas represents the birth of a global industry right in our backyard. It is way beyond research and development. It's a production facility for spacecraft, a factory for building habitats for use on the moon, or Mars, or beyond.

"The only purpose this addition has is for production. We have three spacecraft, three production lines and the assembly plant you would normally have," he said.

Bigelow expects the plant to be open for business by this time next year. It means his lean workforce of 115 would expand by an additional 1,200 new positions -- engineers, technicians, and support staff. It is exactly the kind of economic diversification Nevada leaders say they yearn for.

"We kind of keep a little quiet. It has huge potential," he said.

In more ways than one. Starting just over 10 years ago, Bigelow committed $500 million of his own money. He licensed a canceled NASA project called Trans-hab, added 14 or so of his own patents, and created a much improved expandable habitat that, essentially, means more space in space. One was launched in 2006, and another in 2007. They are still up there.

"Both vehicles performed flawlessly in terms of pressure maintenance and thermal control -- environmental containment. We're real pleased with their performance," said project manager Erik Haakonstad.

They were so pleased, the company skipped right over an interim craft to go for the gusto -- three different designs that each offer much more than the cramped modules that make up the International Space Station.

"This is three times the volume of the average module on the ISS," said Bigelow. "These are totally self-contained, habitable spacecraft."

The company has come so far, so fast in part by keeping things simple -- sometimes relying on off-the-shelf components. There are no technical barriers remaining.

"They are flight ready, qualified, and ready to bolt on as soon as we have a structure to bolt it onto," said project engineer Jay Ingham.

Bigelow uses his intricate models as part of the sales pitch to foreign governments or corporations -- anyone interested in leasing one or more of the modules. Seven countries have already signed on, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia, meaning they can put their own astronauts into space without paying for an entire space program from scratch.

The plant also has full scale mockups, and the biggest difference between these and what is up there now is elbow room. How important is that for long term missions? Just ask the Bigelow employee who has been to the ISS as the pilot of a space shuttle mission.

"It's nice to have privacy. On the shuttle, we had communal living on the mid-deck. Sometimes I spent a night on the Space Station just to get away. For these long duration missions, you will need some personal time," said former astronaut Bill Oefelein.

As for how much it would cost to lease one of the Bigelow modules, they have a very detailed price list and a sophisticated pitch about why a country or a company would want to boldly go to this new frontier.

Friday on 8 News NOW at 11, the I-Team will discuss the cost - in case you want to start saving now - and look at a proposed moon base. Plus, the I-Team will have the details from NASA's announcement which could give Bigelow a piece of the international space station.


********************


The info about the 
The brief info about the founder of Bigalow founder (Wikipedia): 

Robert Bigelow
Born	Robert T. Bigelow 1945 (age 68–69)
Nationality	American
Occupation	Entrepreneur

ARCHITECTURE. Bridges of St.Petersburg. Unit 7. Language Leader UI.

Next lesson we are going to finish with the most remarkable architecture of the World (your homework task), the landmarks of the world. 

Then we go on with bridges. Your task is to be prepared for the talk about bridges in St.Petersburg. 

FIRST: 
Look through the questions and get ready to take notes while watching the video. 

Questions we are going to talk over the next meeting (lesson):

- What bridges of St.Petersburg have mentioned in the video? 

- Did Peter the Great have intention to build bridges initially? Why? 

- What were the first bridges built in St. Petersburg? What were the reasons to build them? 

- What was the first floating bridge? How did it look like? Can we see parts of the bridge today? Where?  Take notes about the details of the legend as well. 

- What was the purpose of the floating bridges in St.Petersburg? 

- When did the first granite bridges appear? Why? What did they look like? 

- What were the first bridges with towers? How did they look like? How did they function? Were they movable? Can we see them today? How do they function now? 

- Bridges of Nevsky prospect: Which of them are metioned? What important details are mentioned? 

- What were the obstacles to buld permanent bridges? What was the first permamnent bridge? Who was the architect? 

- What details, information, legends have attracted your attention? What touched your emotionally? 

What was the most meaningful/ remarkable one for you? Why? 

What legends / stories / books are metioned in the video? Have you heard the legends / stories  before? Have you read the books? 

Useful vocabulary (click to see the meaning)

• drawbridge, flap bridge, movable bridge, pivot bridge, 
• legend; tradition
• crossing, passage; ford (брод); temporary bridge,
• fate; fortune; destiny,
• intention, plan, design,  conception, idea, scheme 
• ferry(boat)
•  descendant, offspring, scion ; offspring, progeny
• floating, raft: floating bridge,
• slope, 
• granite
•  lantern; lamp; light, lamp (на локомотиве, на судне, на берегу || on a locomotive, ship, on shore); архит.(в крыше || in roof) light, skylight; (остекленный выступ в здании || jutting out from the wall of a building) bay (window),
• suspension bridge

SECOND:

Watch the video. Take nesessary notes for the discussion. 

Мосты Санкт-Петербурга 1

Bridges of St. Petersburg 

If you got interested in the topic, you can also see the related videos: 

Мосты Санкт Петербурга 2

Мосты Санкт-Петербурга 3 

etc... 

Important information for our discussion: 
The Comment to the video series "Bridges of St.Petersburg"

Опубликовано 21 февр. 2013 г.

В черте Санкт-Петербурга находится множество (в сумме 93) рек, рукавов, протоков и каналов (общей длиной ок. 300 км) и около 100 водоёмов (озёр, прудов, искусственных водоёмов), через которые перекинуто ок. 800 мостов (не считая мосты на территориях промышленных предприятий), в том числе 218 пешеходных.
Собственно городских мостов — 342, остальные — в пригородах (Кронштадт — 5, г. Пушкин — 54, г. Петергоф — 51, Павловск — 16, Ломоносов — 7); из них 21 мост был разводной по состоянию на начало 2008 года[1], к лету 2008 их стало 13[2](для разводных мостов в скобках указано традиционное время разводки в период регулярной навигации).

самый длинный мост — Большой Обуховский (вантовый) мост через Неву (полная длина мостового перехода — 2824 метров)

самый длинный разводной мост — Александра Невского через Неву (длина без береговых сооружений 629 м, вместе с пандусами — 905,7 м)

самый широкий мост — Синий мост на реке Мойке (99,5 метров).

***********************************

Additional info to know more about St.Petersburg's bridges (Wikipedia. not an academic resource, but anyway reliable):

List of bridges in Saint Petersburg

**********************************

PS: 

While I was preparing the material for you, I have found a fantastic video about the longest suspension bridge. I would strongly recommend you to watch it. It starts with the overview of the landmark bridges of the world followed by the amazing details of the longest one. 

The Longest Suspension Bridge in The World

Have a pleasant time!! 

ETHICS: WHAT IT IS.

Short Intro to Ethics and Business Ethics