some training activities on the topic

1. TEST YOURSELF
Activity 1. Match the words in the left-hand column with their definitions in
the right-hand column:
1)an article a) a book that is used to study a school subject
2)an atlas b) a publication that comes out weekly or monthly
3)an encyclopedia c) a reference book with maps of the world
4)a magazine d) a book of word definitions
5)a biography e) a book or set of books giving information about every
branch of knowledge with articles in ABC order
6) a novel f) usually a cheap book in a soft cover
7) a poem g) a story about a real person
8) a dictionary h) a piece of writing in a newspaper
9) a paperback i) a list of books on one subject
10) a textbook j) a short piece of writing (usually rhymed) expressing a
deep feeling or thought
11) a bookworm k) an article that critically examines a new book
12) bibliography l) stories, novels and romances
13) review m) a book with recipes of dishes
14) fiction n) a story about people who are not real
15) a cookery book o) a person who is very fond of reading
Activity 2. Fill in the following sentences with the given prepositions:
by in up with
from of to on
1. I borrowed this book ______________ the library.
2. I read it __________ a book.
3. You'll have to look ____________ the meaning __________ a dictionary.
4. «Hamlet» is a tragedy ______________________ Shakespeare.
5. Books are a wonderful source __________________ knowledge.
6. I'd like to relax ________________ a good book for the rest of the day.
7. I believe that reference books should be _______ every home.
8. Nowadays books sell _____ large numbers.
9. The librarian said the book was ___________________ the top shelf.
10. Do you like to lend books ____________________ your friends?
Activity 3. Which is the odd word in each group and why?
1) book novel short story poem
2) atlas dictionary paperback encyclopedia
3) textbook article dictionary guidebook
4) magazine biography newspaper booklet
Activity 4. Put each of the following words in its correct place in the passage
below:
bibliography bookworm reviews illustrations borrow published

2. I love books. I love to read. I am a real _______ (1), and I love to visit
book shops, just looking briefly at one book after another. I look at the
_______ (2), the photos or drawings. I sometimes look at the _______ (3) at
the back, which is a list of other books on the same subject. And I use the
library a lot. I _______ (4) two or three books a week. Friends often
recommend books to me, and I also read _______ (5) in the newspapers. I
don't always agree with them, but anyway they let me know what new books
are being ______ (6).
Activity 5. Match the titles of the books with the genre of fiction they
represent:
1. Jack London «Martin Eden» a) adventure novel
2. George Wells «Time Machine» b) biography
3. Anre Perroushon «The Life of Renoir» c) romance
4. Agatha Christie «The Sleeping Murder» d) science fiction
5. Sidney Sheldon «Memories of Midnight» e) fantasy
6. George Gordon Byron «Selections» f) fairy tale
7. John Tolkien «The Hobbit» g) horror novel
8. Barbara Cartland «Love Songs» h) historical novel
9. Charles Perrault «Puss in Boots» i) novel
10. Bram Stoker «Dracula» j) detective novel
11. Alexey Tolstoy «Peter I» k) poetry
Activity 6. Answer these questions about yourself:
1. Which is easier for you to get the news from:
a) a newspaper? b) the television or radio?
2. Which is more interesting for you:
a) to read a biography of a famous person?
b) to watch a TV program about a famous person?
3. Which is cheaper in your country:
a) a paperback? b) a ticket to the cinema or theatre?
4. Which is it most important to have in your home:
a) fiction books such as novels, short stories and books of poems?
b) non-fiction books such as dictionaries and encyclopedias?
c) a mixture of both non-fiction and your favourite fiction?
READING ACTIVITIES
Activity 7. Read the following text and do the activities that follow:
Books and Readers
Nowadays there are quite a few people who think that as more and
more people have television sets in their homes, fewer and fewer people will
buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the
TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures?
Why read a novel, when a play or a film on television can tell you the same

3. story with colour, picture and action? Why read the biographies of famous
men and women, when an hour-long television programme can tell you all
that you want to know?
However, television has not killed reading. Today newspapers and
magazines sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold
more than ever before. Books are still a rather cheap way to get necessary
information for many people all over the world. Although it is true that some
books with hard covers are quite expensive, many books are published
today as paperbacks, which are reasonably cheap. For example, in some
countries a paperback novel is almost always cheaper than an evening in
the cinema or at the theatre, and you can keep the book as long as you wish
and read it many times.
Books in the home are a wonderful source of knowledge, information
and pleasure, and some types of books should be in every house. Every
home library should have some good dictionaries, and a geographical atlas
of the world with large clear maps. It might be expensive, but a good
encyclopedia is useful, too, because in it you can find information on any
subject you are interested in. In addition it is useful to have on your
bookshelves other non-fiction books such as history books, science
textbooks, cookery books, books about medicine and health and the like. It
is also important to have some fiction on your shelves, too. Then you can
relax with a good story, or from time to time, you can take a book of poems
off your shelf and read the thoughts and feelings of your favourite poet.
Activity 8. Answer these questions about yourself. If possible ask another
person these questions and discuss your points of view:
• What newspapers and magazines do your family read? Say a few
words about them if you have ever read any of them, of course!
• Is reading important in your life? Why? Why not?
• How old were you when you started to read? Who taught you to read?
• Is reading your h obby or a necessity?
• Can you live a day without reading?
• Would you rather have a big library at home or borrow books from the
library?
• Do you ever lend books to your friends? Yes/No. Why?
• Can you tell what books you have on your bookshelves at home? Do
you have more fiction or non-fiction?
• How often do you use dictionaries and encyclopedias?
• Your school library is probably not a very interesting place. What could
be done to make it more interesting and useful?
• What are your favourite kinds of books?
• Do you have favourite books or writers?
• What was the last book you read? Why did you decide to read it? Did
you like it? Will you recommend it to your friends or parents?
• Do you think books influence people in some way? Yes/No. Why do

4. you think so?
• Do you prefer to read a book first and then see its filmed version or,
see it first and then read? Why?
• What or who influences the choice of books you read?
• Do you ever reread books or do you think that it's a waste of time?
• If you like to reread books, what makes you do so?
• If you have read an interesting book, do you want to share your
impressions with somebody (your friends, parents) or do you like to
keep them to yourself?
• Some science fiction writers say that in the future books will be
replaced by the computer. What is your opinion about this?
Activity 9. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Explain why you
think so.
1. I don't understand people who read detective stories. In my opinion,
it's a waste of time.
2. Reading takes too much time. Nowadays you can get all the
necessary information from newspapers, TV, radio or the computer.
3. Only books which will be reread all the time are worth buying and
having in a home library.
4. «Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I
have in my library are the books that other people have lent me.»
(Anatole France)
5. «These books can do - not these alone: they give new views to life,
and teach us how to live» (George Crabbe)