6. Our Home

1.Do you live in a house or a flat?

1.I live in a flat on the third floor in a block of flats on a housing estate with my parents and my cat.

2.What is your flat like?
2.We have a fairy flat with two rooms.When you enter the house, there is a hall.We have a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, and a small balcony.

3.Do you have a garden?
3.We have a small garden which is always full of flowers.We have some lilies, tulips, and roses.

5.Do you think it is better to live in a house or in a flat?
5.I prefer living in a flat, because I hate gardening and I wouldn't like to shovel in winter.Shops are also closer and it is easier to get to a  theatre, for example.
9.How do you get on with your neighbours?
9.We have two neighbours.We are very lucky with the other neighbours too.We are in really good terms and often organise parties together.

18.Which pieces of household equipment do you consider to be necessary?
18.A fridge, a washing machine, a cooker are also necessary. It is good to have some other equipment which helps you with the household tasks ,such as  a dishwasher, a microwave and a freezer.

23.What is your living room like?
23.Though there is a lot of furniture in our living room, it is light and spacious.I have two sofa and three armchairs. In the corner there is a TV stand and shelves for books and videos, and I have a big carpet on the floor.

25.How is your bedroom furnished?
25.There's a double bed with an embroidened bedspread and there is a bedside table.There is also a dark blue wall-to-wall carpet.

I live a bit far from my school, there is a distance of about 20 km between my home and my high school. So as I live in a little village I’m a commuter. The village is quite small that’s why I think everyone knows everyone. My neighbourhood consists mainly of elderly people. They are really kind, sometimes I talk to them. My favoutire one is an old woman who likes making cakes but she lives on her own so she often invites me for a cup of tea with a delicious piece of cake. Since I live in a relatively big family, our house is quite big. There are 7 rooms in our house: a hall, 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room and, of course, a bathroom. It is an old building, but it was renovated about 10 years ago. I haven’t got my  own room, my room is shared with my sister. I like very much this room. I think it is a normal bedroom with two beds, some bookshelves, two wardrobes, two desks and a big mirror. We like decorateing the walls with our old drawings and one of the things that I really like about our room is that our parents  allow us to paint on the walls so we have some colourful painting on the walls. So we can say that it is totally our decision how we decorate the room. It is smaller than this classroom. It faces east because we can see the rising sun every morning. When we look out of the window we can see our garden. I don’t think that I want to change anything in my room because I like it as it is now. I have never tought about where I want to live in 10 years, but I think I want to live in the country side, because in my opinion it is better for the family life.

5. Post Office

 

I live in Tiszaszentimre. It is a village but there is a post office.

When I last went to the post office I send a letter to my godparents and buy a magazine. I can send  my friends postcards for their birthday or their weddings.
At the post office you can buy stamps, envelopes, cards, scratchcards, lottery tickets and so on. You can post letters, send telegrams, e-mails and faxes, pay your bills, transfer money, and subscribe to newspapers or magazines or buy them. Inside the post-office there are parcels, stamps, registered letters, telegrams, postal-orders, telephone calls and the saving bank.
When we have written a letter, we sign it, fold it and put it into an envelope. We stick down the envelope, write the address and buy a stamp.  Stamps can be bought at the post-office. Then we take the letter to the post-office or we can drop it in the nearest letter-box. Some hours later the letters are delivered.
I am pleased with the postal services because I get a letter or package on time.
I use e-mails at home but I can use it at the post office too. My e-mail address is v.anett17@freemail.hu

4. School

 IV. témakör – Az iskola

• saját iskolájának bemutatása

• tantárgyak, órarend, érdeklődési kör, tanulmányi munka, tervek

• a nyelvtanulás, a nyelvtudás szerepe, fontossága

• az iskolai élet tanuláson kívüli eseményei, iskolai hagyományok

• Introduce your school. Who is it named after? How old is the building? How many floors has it got? How many classrooms and other school premises are there in it? Are the labs and classrooms well-equipped? 

• What do you like most about your school? Why did you choose to study here? (Did you choose it at all?) Have you got a busy timetable? What are your favourite subjects? What are your weak points? What are you interested in? What are you planning to learn after the school-leaving exam?

• What is your class like? Do you have a good time with your classmates? Do you get on well with your formteacher? What is the teacher-student relationship like? What makes a good teacher?

• Which languages do you learn? Why did you choose these ones? How long have you been learning English? What do you find enjoyable and boring about learning it? Do you find it useful? How can you practise English? Have you ever taken a language exam? What level was it? Have you got any plans in connection with languages?

• Are there any special events in your school? How do you welcome students and those who are about to leave school? How do you celebrate national holidays? Are there any sports events, adventure trails? Do you go for school trips with your class? Which one did you enjoy the most?

• What is the system of education in Hungary like? How is the education system in Britain different from ours?

Language learning

How important is it for you to speak languages? 

Speaking a language is inevitable in our modern world. Since Hungarian is not a widely spoken language, you have to be familiar with at least one foreign language to be able to get along in life. In all walks of life (életpálya) speaking a language at a high conversational level is required. One can’t go to a job interview without being able to speak a foreign language. Moreover, you have to express yourself clearly to get accepted and be given the job. Nowadays the most advisable language to study is English. It is considered an international language in a lot of areas, especially when using a computer. Together with French it is the language of diplomacy. For Hungarians it is also useful to have a good command (beszédkészség) of German in case you are planning to use good job opportunities in Austria and Germany.

When do you use you foreign language skills? How do you improve them?

videos, games, chatting, homework, international projects, etc.

The importance of learning languages: (Why are you studying English?) 

You can

-talk freely to each other about business, politics, culture, hobbies, sport 

-promote (elmélyít) friendship and understanding among people 

-establish ties to other nations 

-make friends 

-learn about other people’s culture, way of life 

-read authors in the original 

-understand foreign TV channels 

-better informed about the world 

-make yourself understood while travelling 

You have more chance 

-to travel on business 

-to get a scholarship (ösztöndíj) 

-to go abroad to study 

-to read scientific articles 

-to keep abreast of (lépést tart) the latest discoveries and inventions 

I have been learning German for 8 years and English for 4 years. I prefer English because I find it much easier to learn and I can pick up new words when playing games and watching films.

It’s important to learn languages. First of all, I can make myself understood when I’m on holiday abroad. Also, I can understand films and lyrics.

I am taking the language exam because it’s required (megkövetelt) to enter a university. Besides, I have to take an advanced final exam in a subject of my choice or one that the university requires.

The system of education in Hungary

If the parents work and have no other chance children go to a crèche. After that, they go to a kindergarten / nursery school, from the age of 3 to 6 or 7. They start primary school at the age of 6 or 7. In Hungary you can start secondary school at the age of 11, 13 or 15. It can either be a grammar school or a vocational school where you can learn a trade. At the end of secondary school you take the final exam (in Hungarian grammar, literature, history, a foreign language and another chosen subject). Then you can go on to higher education, like to a university, a college  or learn a trade. If you still want to learn, you can choose to take part in a postgraduate course like a PhD programme.

4. Shopping in a clothes shop

I like shopping. My appearance is most important for me. Furthermore I love fashionable clothes.

Sometimes I go shopping alone, but usually my friend or my mum comes with me. I prefer shopping for clothes with a friend as it’s too difficult for me to choose and decide alone. I need her help and I trust her taste.
I live in Tiszafüred. It’s a small town, therefore I buy my clothes in Debrecen where I can always find something that suits and fits me.
I like shopping in department stores because there are everything that I want. Usually I buy jeans, T-shirts, jumpers, underwears, socks, shorts, but my favourites are shoes and jewellery.
I prefer self-service because I need some time to look around and I usually hesitate what to buy. If I have a problem, I can still go to the shop assistants to ask for help. In  small shops the customer service is usually better than in bigger stores because the shop assistants consider the customers more important there.
Sometimes I go shopping in a second hand shop. There’s a second hand shop quite close to my home and I have found some nice clothes of good quality at low prices.
I usually pay cash. If I don’t want to keep too much money on me, I use my credit card.
I dont like the online shopping, because I know what I want and where I can find them. The online shopping is unsafe.

I like shopping. I prefer shopping for clothes with my mum as it's too difficult for me to choose and decide alone. I need her help and I trust her taste. My favourite shop is the Amnesia.
I buy my clothes in a boutique or a plaza. I sometimes buy clothes online, using the Internet.
I prefer  plazas because I can do my shopping in one place and I can do there lots of things.
When I last went shopping I bought a costume for my graduation.
I like fashionable clothes. I browse fashion magazines.
Shop assistants serve customers in shops. Depending on the size of the shop, they may also fill up the shelves, put price tags on the goods, order supplies and take the inventory.
I usually try on the clothes that I want to buy. I try them in the fitting room.
I can pay cash or use a bank or credit card.
Shopaholics are shopping addicts. These people enjoy doing shopping and buy everything even if they don't need it. Sometimes I feel that I am a shopaholic.

Living in a house vs living in a flat

HOUSE 

Pros

• separation – more room, more privacy

• improvement possibilities- do-it-yourself, gardening

• far from noise, with flowers and animals

Cons

• more expensive (higher cost of living)

• slavery (odd jobs, redecoration)

• transport problems, commuting

FLAT

Pros

• easy to reach, handy for the shops

• all modern conveniences

• lower cost of living

Cons

• problematic, noisy neighbours

• small room, no privacy

• climb stairs

3. City life or country life

 City life – pros and cons

• Life is never dull, there are lots of entertainment facilities.

• There are more shopping facilities and a wider range of goods.

• The job opportunities are better and there is a variety of schools you can choose from.

On the other hand,

• Transport to work and to school makes it less convenient.

• The air is polluted due to the factories and the exhaust fumes.

• Crowd, noise, rat race – they are all typical features of cities.

• The cost of living is higher.

Country life – pros and cons

• People are friendly.

• They live close to nature.

• There is a gentle pace of living.

• The clean atmosphere comes with healthier living.

• There is more privacy and opportunities for relaxation.

However, 

• Life is more boring.

• Commuting makes it less comfortable.

• The services such as health service and shopping facilities are less efficient. 

advantage = pro

disadvantage = downside = drawback = con

My friends

My friends are very important in my life. I have got a lot of friends. We always go out at the weekends together. Most of them are my classmates so we meet almost every day at school. We are talking during the breaks and always do something funny. I meet my other friends  at the weekends or after school. My best friend called Zsuzsanna Magyar. She is my cousin and we live in the same road, too. She is 18 years old, as me. She has got long brown hair and brown eyes. She often wears jewellery, especially necklaces and earrings. She is a very clever girl and she always helps me when I need something. We are classmates, so we meet every day. For me the most important inner qualities are honesty and reliability. My best friend is an open-minded and energetic girl with a good sense of humour. We always talk about the current things, and we really enjoy shopping in Debrecen. I have got a friend in Spain. His name is André Norsa, and he is 20 years old. He lives in Barcelona, near the sea. We always chat on the internet and speak to each other in English. I have never visited him, but I would like to.

I have got a lot of friends but the number of true friends is fewer because the inner qualities are more important for me. I often choose my friend in connection with my hobbies, too. We can spend a lot of time together in our free time and we can talk about our problems. My best friend’s name is Anna. She lives in Egyek, not far from me. We have been friends since 2006. They moved here in 2006 and I meet her every weekend. As she has the same age as me, we could talk about everything. In this way we have met more and more so we have become true friends. Anna is a tall and slender girl. She has got long dark brown hair and brown eyes and she has long eyelashes. She is nice and reliable. Her legs are long so she likes wearing miniskirts. She has a straight nose and full lips. For me the important inner qualities are honesty and reliability. Anna is open-minded and energetic and she has a good sense of humour. We are also interested in good films and we go to the cinema at Debrecen Plaza every month and go to parties every month. At the weekend we often go on trips, watch DVDs at home, play billiard and football, do our homework together, etc. We don’t write emails to each other because we meet almost every day, In my opinion my parents like her because as I mentioned she is reliable and very sociable. We can learn together which is a positive thing for them, but my teachers don’t know her because she goes to an other school.

A Dialogue between a Doctor and a Patient: 1

 

Patient: Hello, may I come in?

Doctor: Yes, of course. How are you feeling today?  

Patient: Nothing change sir, the headache is pretty much the same as before.

Doctor: Oh sorry to know, are you taking the medicine that I prescribed you?  

Patient: Yes, I am taking the medicines properly, but I am not getting any change.

Doctor: Keep patience, it’s only a week. You need to wait more and check the improvement because your problem is so tough and uncommon.  

Patient: What should I do now? Doctor: Have you finished the medicines that I prescribed?  

Patient: Yes.

Doctor: Then, I am giving some tests here, go to the test room and do these, and I will prescribe a few more medicines after seeing the test result. Now take this paper and go for tests.  

Patient: Thank you, Doctor.

Doctor: You are welcome.

A Dialogue between a Doctor and a Patient: 2

Sania: Doctor, I am feeling very weak and fever.

Doctor: Oh, I see, sit down and how many days are you suffering?  

Sania: It has been for two days.

Doctor: Okay, open your mouth, and let me see your tongue.   (After showing her tongue)

Sania: What should I do doctor?

Doctor: Don’t worry, there is nothing serious. Tell me something more, do you feel a headache?  

Sania: Yes, I feel lots of headaches when I watch TV or sit in front of the computer.

Doctor: You better stop doing these for a few days.  

Sania: Okay, I will.

Doctor: Here I’m prescribing a few medicines, take them properly I hope you will be okay within a couple of days.  

Sania: Should I do anything else?

Doctor: Yeah, stay in bed for the next two days. Don’t bath or go to under the sun, that could increase your fever. Try to eat properly.  

Sania: Thanks, Doctor.

Doctor: You’re welcome.  

Here are two examples of dialogue between a doctor and a patient, I hope you will enjoy these.  

At the doctor's

Doctor: Good morning, Mr Morgan!
Man: Good morning!
Doctor: How do you feel, Mr Morgan?
Man: Not very well.
Doctor: What’s your problem? What can I do for you?
Man: I have a terrible headache. I’m coughing and my nose is running.
Doctor: Do you have a fever?
Man: No, fortunately I don’t have a fever but sometimes I feel a bit dizzy.
Doctor: I see. Get undressed, please. I have to examine you.
Man: All right.
Doctor: Well, I don’t see anything serious, but I think you should stay at home for a few days. You shouldn’t go to work. You should drink a lot of hot tea, but you shouldn’t drink any cold drinks. If you feel worse, come back.
Man: Thank you. Do I have to take any medicine?
Doctor: Yes, you have to take these pills three times a day always before your meals.
Man: All right. Thank you very much. Bye!
Doctor: Bye!

IMPORTANT PHRASES

How do you feel?– Hogy érzi magát?
Not very well. – Nem túl jól.
I feel ill./I feel sick.  – Betegnek érzem magam./Rosszul vagyok.
What’s your problem? – Mi a problémája?
What can I do for you? – Mit tehetek önért?
I’m coughing./My nose is running.  – Köhögök./ Folyik az orrom.
Get undressed! I have to examine you! – Vetkőzzön le! Meg kell vizsgálnom!
All right. – Rendben van.
I don’t see anything serious. – Nem látok semmi komolyat.
Do I have to take any medicine? – Kell valamilyen gyógyszert szednem?
Take these pills … times a day before/after your meals. – Vegye be ezeket a tablettákat … alkalommal naponta étkezések előtt/után.

IMPORTANT WORDS

to have a … ache– valakinek fáj a …
headache/stomach ache/earache/toothache – fejfájás/gyomorfájás/fülfájás/fogfájás
to have a sore throat – fáj a torka
to have nausea/to have diarrhoea – hányingere van/hasmenése van
to be constipated – szorulása van
to be/feel sick – rosszul van, hányingere van
to have a temperature/a fever – hőemelkedése van/láza van
to feel dizzy – szédül
to examine – megvizsgál
serious – komoly
to feel worse/better – rosszabbul/jobban érzi magát
to take medicine – gyógyszert szedni
pill/tablet/painkiller – pirula/tabletta/fájdalomcsillapító