Small talk
When you first meet someone it can be difficult to know how to start a conversation, especially if your first language is not English.
Topics for small talk:
Introductions: “Hello. May I introduce myself? My name is Mark.”
Travel: “Did you manage to find here OK?” or “Did you have a good journey?”
Family: “How is your family?” (only if you already know about the person’s family)
Hospitality: “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
The weather: “It's a lovely day today, isn't it?”
Holidays: “Are you going anywhere this weekend?” or “Are you going anywhere on holiday this year?”
Nature: “The garden looks lovely, doesn't it?”
Pets: “What a lovely dog. What is his name?”
General news: “What do you think about the recent floods?” (avoid gossip and politics) Films: “Have you seen the film Bridget Jones’s Diary?”
Television: “Did you see The X Factor last night?”
Music: “What sort of music do you like?”
Books: “Have you read any good books recently?” (only if you know the person likes reading) Sport: “Have you been watching Wimbledon?” (British people, especially men, enjoy talking about football)
Hobbies: “What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?”
Business: “How's your business going?” (only if you know the person has a business) Studies: “What are you studying?” (only ask if you know the person is a student) Work: “What sort of work do you do?”
Food: “I had a lovely Chinese meal last night - do you like Chinese food?”
General matters about the person you are talking to: “Have you lived in this area long?”
General matters on subjects that you know that interests the person you are talking to: cars, film stars etc
Topics are best avoided for small talk:
Be careful when you talk about some topics, especially with people that you’ve only just met, people who are older than you, people who appear to have strong religious or political views, or people who may have some personal problems.
Be cautious if you discuss these subjects:
Age: “How old are you?” Appearance or weight: “You seem to have put on some weight.” Personal gossip about somebody you know. Jokes that might offend. Money: “How much do you earn?” Previous or current relationships: “Do you have a girlfriend?” Politics: “Who did you vote for at the last election?” Religion: “Do you believe in God?” Criticisms or complaints: “Why is British food so bad?”
Projects
Cover Design
The topic of this textbook is English & Art. Design your own cover (picture) to express your ideas about the topic.
2. Festivals Calendar
Research festivals in your region or country (e.g. Platonov Festival in Voronezh). Divide them into categories, e.g. music, theatre, film, painting. You may subdivide these categories, e.g. into different styles of music.
3. Film Project
Choose a book (or a story) to turn into a play. Choose your actors and director. Present your ideas in a script and on a poster.
4. Theatre: Your Choice
Choose a play in the theatre. Find out as much as you can about it, genre, actors. Present your information in the best form (poster, advertisement, etc.).
5. Personal Entertainment
Do a survey among your friends. What are their favourite forms of entertainment? Are these “watching”, or “doing”? Find a way to present the information in pictures, graphs or tables.
6
.
Playwright Presentation
Choose a playwright you like. Prepare a presentation about the dramatist’s live, works.
A
PPENDIX
1
GLOSSARY
OF LEXICAL UNITS FREQUENT IN THEATRE AND ART DISCOURSE
English-Russian Variant
act – действие, акт (в опере, драме)
acting cue – сигнал актеру выходить на сцену
actor (actress) – актер (актриса)
ancient art – античное искусство
applaud – аплодировать
applause – аплодисменты
applied art – прикладное искусство
announcement – анонс
art – искусство
artist – художник
artistic – художественный
art photography – фотоискусство
artistry – мастерство
audition – пробы актера на роль
auditorium – аудитория, зрительный зал
backstage – кулисы
backdrop – (декорационный) задник
balcony – балкон
ballet – балет
be successful – иметь успех
bell – звонок
benefit performance – бенефис
blackout – выключение света на сцене
book – экземпляр окончательного варианта сценария со всеми пометками
box – ложа
box-office – театральная касса
“Break a leg!” – Ни пуха ни пера
broadcast – трансляция
cameraman – оператор
canvas – холст
cast – состав исполнителей
center stage – часть сцены, где проходит основное действие пьесы
chamber music – камерная музыка
character – действующее лицо
choir – хор
choir master – хормейстер
cinema (movie) theatre – кинотеатр
city scene – городской пейзаж
classical music – классическая музыка
cloakroom – гардероб
colourful – колоритный
contemporary – современный
cold reading – первое чтение сценария актерами
colouring – колорит
comedy – комедия
compose music – сочинять музыку
composer – композитор
concert – концерт
concert hall – концертный зал
conductor – дирижер
costume – костюм
costume director – художник по костюмам
cue – реплика актера
curtain – занавес
curtain call – выход актеров на поклон в конце представления
curtain time – время начала спектакля
dance – танец
dancer – танцовщик
debut – дебют
decorative art – декоративное искусство
designing – оформление
diction – дикция
directing – режиссура
director – режиссер
drama – драма
drama theatre – драматический театр
draw – рисовать
drawing – рисунок
dress-circle – бельэтаж
dress rehearsal – последняя репетиция перед премьерой (в костюмах)
enjoy – получать (огромное) удовольствие
ensemble – ансамбль
evening performance – вечерний спектакль
finale – финал
fine art – изобразительное искусство
first cast – первый состав
folk art – народное творчество
folk music – народная музыка
Foley artist – человек, создающий звуковые эффекты, с помощью различных предметов
full house – аншлаг
genre – жанр
gifted – одаренный
go on tour – гастролировать
guitar – гитара
interval – антракт
jazz – джазовая музыка
keyboard instruments – клавишные инструменты
landscape – пейзаж
landscape painting – пейзажная живопись
leading role – главная роль
lighting – освещение
lighting designer – осветитель
listen to an opera – слушать оперу
make-up – грим
masterpiece – шедевр
matinee – дневной спектакль
memorable – запоминающийся
modern art – современное искусство
musical – музыкальный спектакль
musician – музыкант
offstage – за сценой, за кулисами
open-air theatre – открытый (летний) театр
open the house (to) – впускать зрителей в зрительный зал до начала спектакля
opening night – премьера
opening of the season – открытие сезона
opera-glass – бинокль
opera house – оперный театр
orchestra – оркестр
orchestra stalls – партер (передние ряды)
original – оригинал
paint – заниматься живописью
painting – живопись, картина
palette – палитра
percussion instruments – ударные инструменты
perform - выступать
performance – исполнение, представление, спектакль
performer – исполнитель
pianist – пианист
piano – фортепьяно
picture – картина
place, seat – место
play – пьеса
playwright – драматург
plot – сюжет
portrait – портрет
portraiture – портретная живопись
poster – плакат
production values – стоимость постановки
promising – многообещающий
props (properties) – театральное имущество (опора), необходимое для спектакля (мебель, посуда, телефон и т.д.)
puppet theatre – кукольный театр
quick change – быстрая смена костюма
rehearsal – репетиция
rehearse - репетировать
repertoire – репертуар
restorer – реставратор
role – роль
row – ряд
run-through – репетиция-прогон (без остановок)
scene – сцена (акта)
scene of the action – место действия
scenery – декорация
score – партитура
screen – экран
script – сценарий
sculpture – скульптура
seascape – морской пейзаж
self-portrait – автопортрет
sensational – нашумевший
set (setting) – декорация
set (stage) designer – художник-оформитель
show – выставлять, шоу
singer – певец
sketch – набросок, делать наброски
soloist – солист
song – песня
sound designer – человек, который подбирает музыку для пьесы
spectator – зритель
stage – сцена; ставить спектакль
stage a play – ставить пьесу
stage crew – рабочие сцены
staging – постановка спектакля
still life – натюрморт
stringed instruments – струнные инструменты
success – успех
symphonic music – симфоническая музыка
take the stage – выходить на сцену
talented – талантливый
theatre – театр
ticket – билет
tragedy – трагедия
unique – уникальный
unusual – незаурядный
usher – билетер
violin – скрипка
watch a performance (a ballet) – смотреть спектакль (балет)
water-colour – акварель
wind instruments – духовые инструменты
wings – кулисы
work of art – произведение искусства