Exercises and Assignments on the Text Assignment № 1 Give English equivalents for the following words and expressions from the text and use them in the sentences of your own: Вышли из строя
Создало огромный кризис
Началась паника
Бросился в спальню
Повесила трубку
Смущенно
Воцарилось молчание
Лучший способ узнать друг друга
Я преуспеваю
Могла бросить работу в прошлом году
Как раз в то самое время
Починить антенну
Ещё пару часов
Assignment № 2 Questions on the text: 1 What did the blackout in New York city cause?
2 What was the result of it?
3 Why did the panic set in the Bufkins’s house?
4 Why was Bufkins surprised to see his wife and children?
5 What did father learn about his children?
6 What did Bufkins tell the members of his family about himself?
7 Why didn’t he know that his elder daughter had got married?
8 Why did Bufkins come to the conclusion that a TV-blackout is the best time for a man to
get to know his family?
Assignment № 3 Discuss the following: 1 What role does TV play in the life of people?
2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of TV?
3 Can you prove that the life of the American family is dominated by TV?
4 What about your family? What kind of programmes do you watch? Explain your choice.
5 Do you think that immense cultural possibilities of television are used to the utmost? Give
your grounds.
6 Suggest improvements on our TV programmes. What else would you like to see on TV?
Which programmes do you want to be taken off the screen? Why?
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Assignment № 4 Retell the text using indirect speech on the part of: 1)Bufkins’s wife, 2) one of the children.
