ME AND MY FAMILY

My name is ... .
I was born in ............. on the ......th of ... 19... .
I am ..... centimetres tall. I weigh .... kilos. I think I am the right weight/I am a bit
overweight/I am too thin for my height.
I have straight/wavy/curly/short/medium-length/long/brown/fair/black hair and
blue/green/brown eyes. I have got an oval face with a straight nose.
I take after my (mother).

I think I am sociable, energetic but not too hard-working. I am interested in

nature/travel/films/music/languages/people. I am quite talkative/shy. I have a good sense of
humour. I think teachers need it. Untidy, talkative, reserved, shy, lazy, moody, reliable,
cheerful, easy-going, sensitive, optimistic
I am fond of reading and I have a lot of books at home. My favourite book is ....... by ......... .
I subscribe to the following magazines..... .
I often watch TV/go to the cinema. I like romantic/exciting/action/science fiction films. My
favourite actors/actresses are .... . My favourite film is .... . My favourite TV programmes
are.... and ..... . I always watch ..... .
I have a lot of friends and often see them. We usually go swimming/dancing together or
simply have a chat at home. My best friend is .... . We have a lot in common and like the same
things and hate the same things like Maths, football or politics.
I also like playing games and going on outings with my friends/classmates. I regularly go
swimming/jogging.
I am really good at computing. It is a much more useful activity than sitting in front of the TV
and watching the screen for hours. I often use the word processor but I also have a lot of
games and often play with them. Using the internet is a good way to improve my English, too.
I can pick up a lot of new words and phrases. If you have an internet connection you can have
any information from all over the world. But you must find the optimal relationship to the
computer and the Internet. They mustn1t overcome you!
After the nursery I went to primary school where I studied for eight years. At the age of
fourteen I went to a local secondary school. Having left the secondary school I was accepted
at the Teacher Training College in Jászberény. I am in my first year. I think I do quite well,
but I am obviously a lot better at the subjects I am interested in. My strong point is ... and my

1
weak point is ....
At the college I study English. I have studied it for ..... years. I like it, but I don't have enough
time to study all the words and do the grammar exercises.
After leaving the college I will teach in the lower primary. I will teach all the basic subjects
such as reading, writing, singing, drawing and P.E. .

At present I am single/engaged and I would like to have a family of my own with .... children.
(We have been engaged for .... years and we are planning to get married as soon as I have
graduated.)
I am married. We have been married for ..... years. My husband/wife' name is .... S/he is ...
years old. S/he is a .... /works for a company called ..... .

I live at ..... Street, ....... .

I come from a rather small family. Unfortunately I am an only child: I haven't got any
brothers or sisters.
I come from a small family. Altogether there are four people in our family: my father, my
mother, my younger/elder brother/sister and me.
We live together in a house/in a block of flats in .... . Our address is ... Street ..... .

My father's name is .... . He is .... years old. He is quite tall, he has thinning
fair/brown/grey/black hair and blue/green/brown eyes. He works for a company called .... . He
does shift work.
If I have any problem I can always discuss it with my father..
My mother's maiden name (née) is ... .
She is in her late/early forties. She is a short, plump woman with .... hair, a round/oval face, a
small nose and ... eyes. She is a .... /she works for a company called .... . She also runs the
house, though we help her when we can. She is an excellent cook and we all love her cakes
and cookies. Sometimes she is tired but she is always patient with my sister/brother and me.
My mum keeps worrying about me. She still considers me a little girl. We often row over this
thing.
My parents got divorced when I was ... . My sister/brother and I live with my mum. To make
things more complicated either of them/both of them remarried and now I've got half-brothers
and half-sisters. But it's all right.

2
I get on quite well with my parents. I can always turn to them for help and advice.
I don't get on will with my parents and we often quarrel about unimportant things.

My sister's/brother's name is ... S/he is ... years younger/older than me.

We get on well/ We often quarrel about everything.
My elder brother/sister works already.
Thank god, my mother's parents are alive, but unfortunately my father's father died .... years
ago. My Father's mother is alive and well. She is very active and helps us a lot with our
garden, housework/cooking/everything. She lives in .... We often go and see her.

My father has got a sister/brother. My mother has no sisters or brothers.

I have .... uncles and aunts altogether. They are all married with children I have ... cousins. I
don't often see my uncles, aunts and my cousins, but we meet on family occasions such as
birthdays, wedding anniversaries, at Christmas and Easter. On such occasions we have
relatives and friends coming in the afternoon . We have a big meal and talk a lot or play cards,
watch family videos.
What I like most about family life is the way we celebrate
birthdays/namedays/Christmas/Easter. For me Christmas is the greatest family festival with
all the presents, decorations, big meals and family reunions.

3
 OUR COLLEGE

At the age of six I went to primary school, where I studied for eight years.
After leaving primary school I went to a local secondary school. I did quite well at school, so
I decided to go on to a university or college.
It wasn't easy for me to decide where to go, because I was interested in a lot of things.
In the end I decided to come to Szent István University in Jb. because I love children - and I
think they love me. I stared my first term in September 200... . This is what I have always
longed for.
The address of the college is fifty-three Rákóczi Street, Jászberény.
The college was founded in 1917. It has been training an increasing number of students ever
since. At the moment there are about 900 students at the college. They are trained to be lower
primary teachers, social workers, cultural organisers and librarians. They study the following
subjects: Psychology, Pedagogy, foreign languages, Sciences, Hungarian Language and
Literature, Philosophy, Arts, Music and P.E. They all have a considerable practice: lower
primary teachers go to the Practice school and other schools and nurseries. Social workers go
to different social institutions, town councils, hospitals, cultural organisers go to cultural
institutions, librarians go to libraries.
At first they only watch how people work there, later on they are asked to do some tasks and
in the end they are expected to work independently. Of course they can always consult their
mentors.
Teachers first go to nurseries and the practice school to observe the mentor teachers or other
students teach. From their second year on they have to teach a given number of lesson in each
subject. They are often observed by other students and their Methodology teacher as well as
their mentor teacher. In their final year they have a two-month teaching practice.
Apart from the compulsory practice there are also a lot of exams to be taken at the end of each
term.

The dean of the college is …..

There are 10 departments with about 70 teachers working there.

The College has a nice old building, which was built in 1930.
On the ground floor there are the offices for the administration, the director's office, the
library with the reading room and a big dining hall. The Departments and the classrooms

4
(including a computer room, a studio and a language lab) can be found on the first and second
floors. There is also a sports hall, some sports grounds, a spacious yard and a botanical garden
around the main building.
The students' hostel and the practice school are next to the college.

The lessons start at 8 o'clock. The students usually have 7 or 8 lessons a day. The lessons last
for 45 minutes and there are 10 minute breaks in between. There is a longer break between the
second and third lessons when the students can go to the canteen to have something to eat and
drink a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Unfortunately there isn't a lunch break so the students
have lunch quite late, after the lessons. It's rather tiring to have 8 lessons every day, but the
students have Fridays off. In the afternoons and evenings the students study a lot. They
prepare for the tests, write essays or go to the library.
My favourite subjects are....My strong point is .... and my weak point is ... . I try to do my best
in every subject but I'm better in the ones I am interested in.

5
 THE PLACE WHERE I LIVE - OUR FLAT

I study at the Teacher Training College in Jászberény. Jb. lies 80 kilometres east of Budapest.
The town has a population of about 28,000. It has been the administrative centre of the region
for centuries. It is a quiet place, neither too big nor too small.
As for the essential facilities there is a hospital, a post office, banks, a few good restaurants, a
number of shops and big supermarkets. There is also a service centre with shops like
beautician's, dry-cleaner's and hairdresser's.
As for the cultural facilities there are 6 schools, 3 secondary schools, a TTC, a good library, a
cinema and a museum. You can see the famous "Lehel horn" there. Jb. is also famous for its
folk dance ensemble and its summer folk festival.
There is a big sports complex including a swimming-pool and an ice-rink by the Refrigerator
factory.
Jb. is an agricultural town but also has 2 factories. The Refrigerator Factory produces the
well-known Lehel-Electrolux fridges and freezers.

I come from a town/village called ...... . It's in the eastern/northern/southern/western part of

Hungary. It's ... kilometres east/south/west/north of Jb. It's a
nice/big/busy/lively/quiet/small/sleepy town/village. The roads are wide/narrow, winding and
of good/not of the best quality.
I like it very much because it is so ..../ it is where I was born. I enjoy living there.
I don't like my town/village very much because it is so ... . I would prefer to live in a big
city/in the country.
The population of our town/village is about ... .
The essential services, the cultural entertainments and sports facilities are good/poor. There is
something for everybody /There is not much for people to do in my town/village.

6
I live in JÁSZBERÉNY.
Jb. lies 90 kilometres east of Bp. It takes about one hour to get to Bp from Jb. by car.
The town is divided into two parts by the river Zagyva. The town has a population of about 30
000. It has been the administrative centre of the region for centuries. It's a quiet place, neither
too big, nor too small.
The centre of the town is very nice. There is a park with flower beds and fountains there.
There are some nice old buildings around the main square among them the town court, the
town hall, the secondary school and Dériné Cultural Centre. There is also a modern
department store where you can buy all sorts of things. There is a number of small shops e.g.
a shoes shop, a butcher’s, chemists', a photo shop and big supermarkets in the main square.
As for the essential facilities there is a hospital, a post office, banks and a few good
restaurants in Jb. There is a railway and a coach station. As for the cultural facilities there are
6 schools, 3 secondary schools, a college, a good library, a cinema and two museums. The
Hamza museum and the famous Jász Museum. You can see the famous Lehel's horn there. Jb.
is also famous for its folk dance ensemble.
There is a big sports complex including a swimming pool and an ice-rink by the Refrigerator
factory. There is a modern sports ball in Bercsényi school where all kinds of competitions are
organised.
Jb. is an agricultural town but it also has two factories. The Refrigerator Factory produces the
well-known Lehel-Electrolux fridges and freezers. The other factory is the Aprítógépgyár,
which produces heavy machines. A lot of people work in the factories but others work in co-
operatives, too. Women work in offices or in shops.

Most people associate Jb. with the famous Lehel's horn. It became the symbol of the town. It's
kept in the famous Jász Museum.
It's the most important exhibit to be seen there. It was made in the 9th or 10th century and it's
made of ivory. It was made in Byzanthium, and was used for opening circus games. It's about
50 centimetres long and it's decorated with nice carvings.
At that time Hungarian tribes used to raid to western Europe to rob. After a battle at Augsburg
chieftain Lehel and his men were captured. Before they were executed Lehel hit emperor
Konrad in the head and killed him with the horn. That' s how a piece of the horn broke off.
This famous horn has been kept in Jb. for centuries.

7
I would prefer to live in a big city. Cities are lively places where there is always something
exciting happening, and there is something interesting for everybody. There is a wide choice
of shops, cinemas, theatres, restaurants, discos and shopping plazas. You have a wide choice,
so you can go out to a different place every night if you want to. Life is interesting in big
cities.

On the other hand there are so many people all hurrying somewhere. The vehicles are usually
overcrowded and there are traffic jams in the streets. Because of the too many cars and other
vehicles the air is always polluted. The children have nowhere to play. A great number of
tower blocks of flats were built in the 60's and 70's. It has now been realised that they are not
the right answer to our housing problems. In the high rising blocks of flats people are isolated,
they don't even know their neighbours.

I would prefer to live in the country. People in the country are a lot friendlier. They are closer
to the nature, they can take long walks in the forest or in the fields, or simply they can walk or
cycle to work every day. Children get to know the nature well. They can also have pets
around the house. Life is more peaceful and quiet in the country. There is no noise, no
pollution, no rush, people are more relaxed, healthier and happier. In a small community the
people know one another and they always help those in need or in emergency.

On the other hand life can be very boring in the country. There is nothing for people to do in
their spare time. There are not any theatres or cinemas, or swimming-pools in the villages.
There aren't playgrounds for the children to play. Except for the essential services there are
not many facilities there. If you want to see a good film or buy something you have to go to a
big city. A great number of people can't find work in the region so they go to big cities and
commute every day.

8
My address is .... ..... Street.
We live in a house with a garden. It is a detached house in a quiet/busy part of the town. It's
quite a long/short way from the centre. All the services I need are within easy reach. I can
walk everywhere without using my bike/a bus.
We live on a housing estate in a two-room flat on the .... the floor of a block of flats. It's a
freehold/council flat.
There are ... rooms, a hall , a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet and a pantry in our house/flat. We
also have a balcony/terrace overlooking our garden.
I have a room of my own./I share a room with my brother/sister.
It's a small room but it's light and cosy.
There is a writing-desk, a book case and a wardrobe in my room. My desk is by the window.
From my window there is a wonderful view of the town. I have my exercise-books, books,
pens and a lamp on my desk. I like sitting and working there. I can see the street/our garden
from there. My bed is in the corner. There is a bookshelf and a lamp above it. I like reading in
bed before going to sleep.
My cassette recorder/HIFI is on a small table. It's a .... . I like pop-music very much. My
favourite pop-group is .... . I have a lot of cassettes/CD's/records.
There is also a coffee table and 2 armchairs in the middle of my room. On the wall I have
some posters and family photos. I like all kinds of ornaments such as ceramics, china figures,
pictures and soft toys. I collect coke and beer cans, so I have quite a lot of these in my room.

My parents room is reasonably big. It's 4 metres by 5 metres. There is modern furniture in
it./the wall unit and the suite are a bit old-fashioned.
We have a colour TV with a big screen and a video recorder. They are in my parents' room.
My mother has some nice plants on a stand by the window.
Our kitchen is not very big. There is a dining table with some chairs around it in the
middle/by the window. The cupboards are white and the worktop is grey. The sink is built in
the worktop. The plates, pans, forks knives, spoons, glasses, and the cups are in the
cupboards.
We also have a fridge and a freezer in our kitchen.
We have a white bathroom. There is hot and cold running water. The washbasin is beside the
tub. Above the washbasin there is a mirror and a shelf for the toothbrushes, toothpaste, sprays
and shampoo. By the basin there is a rack for the towels.
We also have a washing machine in the bathroom.

9
There is central heating/convector heaters/fireplaces in our house/flat.
We aren't on the phone/We are on the phone and our phone number is .... .
We have a garage for our car. Our car is a ... .
There is a small garden around our house. There are some trees (apple trees, peach trees)
there. We have a little kitchen garden where we grow carrots, onions, tomatoes and
strawberries in our garden. There is always a lot to do in the garden. It's my father who does
most of the gardening, but we all help him.

10
 DAILY ROUTINE AND HOUSEWORK

Altogether there are .... people in our family: my father, my mother, my brother/sister and me.
We live in a house with a garden/a two room-flat.
On weekdays it's usually my mother/father who gets up first.
I usually get up at .... because school starts at 8 o'clock. It's always very difficult for me to get
up. When I get up I go to the bathroom to wash, clean my teeth, comb my hair and then I
begin to get dressed. On weekdays we are always in a hurry in the morning, so we only have
quick breakfast: a cup of tea/coffee, bread and butter with salami or scrambled eggs. After
breakfast I quickly make the beds and leave for school.
I go to school on foot/by bus/by train./I usually cycle to school. The lessons normally start at
eight o'clock. On an average day there are 7 lessons with ten-minute breaks in between. There
is no separate lunch break, so I have lunch in the school canteen after the lessons. My parents
have lunch at work but at the weekends my mother cooks us big lunches. They usually start
with some chicken/bean/mushroom soup. Then we have some kind of meat (fried chicken,
breaded pork cutlet or chicken paprika with dumplings) with potatoes or rice. For the third
course we have cakes or fruit. After lunch I clear the table and help my mother wash up the
dishes. I hate doing the washing up but it has to be done.
On weekdays the family meets only late in the afternoon.
On the average I have about eight or nine lectures and tutorials a day, sometimes more. I
usually go home at ... o'clock. I chat with my brother/sister/mother, have something to eat and
then sit down to study for the next day's lessons.
When my mother comes home from work I help her with the housework. It's my mother who
does most of the housework. I often help her with the shopping, cleaning and washing up.
Every afternoon I go to the supermarket to buy a kilo of bread, a litre of milk, some butter or
cheese and some sausages, cold cuts or salami. I buy fruits and vegetables at the green
grocer's. We like apples and oranges.
On weekdays my mother makes us dinner at 7 o'clock. Sometimes she cooks but sometimes
we have something light and cold like a salad with cold ham for dinner. After dinner we wash
up and clean the kitchen. My brother empties the dustbin. After supper I usually study until 8
or 9 o'clock. others either watch TV (we always watch the evening news) or have a chat,
listen to some music or read a good book or a magazine. I need at least seven hours of sleep
every night so I go to bed at half past ten.
(During the school year I stay at the students hostel/in digs in Jászberény. There are some

11
rules there, but we are adults and live a life of our own. As for the housework, there are
cleaning women in the hostel so they do most of the things. I do housework at home - that's
enough for me. I travel home every Thursday afternoon and spend the weekends there. .)
At the weekends there is always a lot to do around the house.
On Friday afternoons my mother and I go to the supermarket to buy everything we need for
the weekend and for the coming week. On Saturday morning I clean the flat, dust the
furniture, hoover the carpets, scrub the floor, water the plants and air all the rooms. In the
meanwhile my mother puts our dirty clothes into the washing machine and then she starts
preparing lunch. (I sometimes assist my mum with cooking.) The washing machine washes
the clothes we only have to take them out and hang them. And of course my mother or I have
to iron them on Sunday.
My father doesn't do much housework, but fortunately there are a lot of labour saving devices
such as the hoover, the washing-machine, the microwave oven, the blender, the percolator, the
fridge and the freezer. These help women in the second shift.
Quite naturally weekends are different. Besides helping my mother with the housework I can
relax then. On Sundays I usually get up at about nine or ten o'clock. I visit some friends, my
grandmother or go cycling. I always try to spend some time outdoors. In the afternoon I relax
with an interesting book or listen to some music. I sometimes go on outings or to the cinema
with my friends. If I don't feel like going out I watch TV or read a good book at home.

12
 TRAFFIC AND TRAVELLING

There are many ways of getting about town. In most cities people have a wide choice of bus,
tram, trolley-bus and underground routes in addition to a taxi service. The transport system is
fast and efficient in most towns.
We use these vehicles in the same way. First we have to buy a ticket. Tickets for each journey
can be bought for 290 Forints at station entrances or at newsagent’s. One-day passes are
available for 2000 Forints, weekly passes for 4500 Ft's, and monthly passes with a photocard
for 9000 Ft's. There is an instant fine of 5500 Ft's for travelling without a ticket.
Trams, buses, trolley-buses stop to pick up passengers at stops. On the bus/tram/trolley-bus
stops there is a timetable as well. You can easily see which bus/tram is coming as the number
is written on the front. When you get on the bus/tram you have to punch your ticket and you
have to keep it while travelling as inspectors may come and ask you for it.
Sometimes the bus/tram doesn't take you right to your destination. In this case you have to
change buses or transfer.
Quicker than the bus or tram is the underground called Metro. In Bp. there are three
underground lines, red, blue and yellow. The Yellow line is the oldest on the Continent. First
you punch your ticket at the gates then you go down to the platforms on an escalator. When
the train comes the doors automatically open and you get on. When you get to your
destination you get off, go up the escalator and leave the station. The three underground lines,
buses and trams run from 4.40 am to 11 p.m. and there is a system of night buses for certain
key lines.
Buses, trams and the underground are usually overcrowded during the rush hours with so
many people hurrying to work or home from work. So some people prefer driving to work.
They think it is the fastest and most comfortable form of transport. Driving in city transport
however often results in getting into a traffic jam and driving in heavy traffic during the rush
hours is often slower than walking. Besides in big cities especially in Bp. it's hard to find a
parking place for your car.
If you are above 17 you may get your driving licence. First you must attend a course to learn
the Highway Code. Then you have to pass a written exam. There are questions about the
Highway Code, about technical details and how to give first aid in emergency. When you
have passed this exam you can start taking driving lessons. Then comes a second exam when
an examiner watches you diving.
A lot of people - especially commuters - travel by train. Rail travel in Hungary is not very

13
expensive but the trains are not very punctual and they are very dirty. There are usually a lot
of people at the railway stations. Some of them are standing on the platforms waiting for their
train to come, others have come to wave a friend or relative off. Others are queuing up at the
ticket offices. After buying a ticket you go to the right platform and wait for the train to come.
After getting on the train you find a seat. I like sitting facing the engine by the window in a
non-smoking second-class compartment. When the ticket inspector comes you have to show
him your ticket.
The other convenient way of travelling is taking a coach. A network of coach services covers
the whole country so that you can reach both big cities and little villages. Travelling by coach
is quicker and more comfortable than travelling by train.

14
 TRAVELLING ABROAD

People do not all travel for the same reasons. Quite a lot of people go abroad on business.
Some people travel for their health but most people travel for pleasure. As people have more
money and longer holidays they prefer spending their holidays abroad. They usually want to
see as many new things as possible. They go on sightseeing tours, walk around busy towns,
visit places of interest during the day and go out in the evenings. Others love spending their
holidays in the country taking long walks, birdwatching or fishing. Seaside holidays are very
popular nowadays. Women enjoy lying in the sun all day while men prefer water-skiing,
swimming or scuba-diving.
If you want to spend your holiday abroad the first things you should decide are where to go,
how to go there and where to put up. The easiest way of arranging everything is to go to a
travel agency and choose one of their package tours. Then everything is arranged for you and
the price includes transport, food and accommodation as well.
If you decide to go on an individual tour you have to arrange everything for yourself.
first of all you should decide where to stay.
Young people prefer youth hostels. The charges are low. Cooking and washing facilities are
provided but guests must share housework and observe the rules.
The best way of seeing the country is camping or caravanning. There are a lot of well planned
camp-sites throughout most countries. But of course bad weather may ruin your holiday.
Luckily you needn't sleep in a tent if you don't want to: you can find camp-sites with mobile-
homes in most countries.
Quite a lot of people hire apartments at the seaside. The apartments are comfortable with
cooking facilities and the surroundings are quite charming. Of course large crowds at the
seaside and the terribly high entrance fees in the museums can spoil your holiday.
Most people prefer staying at hotels. It is advisable to book your hotel accommodation well in
advance otherwise you may have difficulties in finding a hotel room. You can book a double
or a single room with a private bathroom. Breakfast is often included in the price.- There is a
TV-set and a telephone in each room. Hotels have their own restaurants where you can have
lunch and dinner, You can find a giftshop, ticket reservation and currency exchange in the
lounge.
Having booked your accommodation you still have a lot to do.
First of all if you want to travel abroad you need a valid passport and some foreign currency
(though you can use your credit cards abroad). There are some countries for which you also

15
need a visa. Expired passports must be extended. In that case you have to fill in the
application form, attach a photo and take it to the town council.
If you decide to travel by air, you have to make a reservation first and buy your ticket before
the journey. When you pack your clothes and toilet goods you must have in mind that the
luggage allowance is only 20 kilograms hand luggage included.
On the day of the journey you go to the airport. You can take the number ninety-three bus
from Kõbánya-Kispest Underground terminus to Ferihegy Airport 2A or 2B. You can also
take a mini-bus or a taxi to the airport. Allow on hour's journey time from the centre to the
airport.
Airports are mysterious places for many . In fact, they are the best-organised spots in the
world. And it is proved that flying is the safest way of travelling of all.
When your flight is announced at the airport you must hurry to the right check-in desk to
check in. Your luggage is weighed and labelled and you get your boarding pass. Then you can
go to the customs. You may be asked to show your luggage there. If you have something to
declare you are asked to fill in a form and pay some duty. Next you go to passport control.
The officer checks your passport and boarding pass and stamps them. Having passed the
security check you can go to the departure lounge. You can have a cup of coffee there or go to
the duty free shop to buy some souvenirs while you are waiting for the departure of your
plane. When your flight is announced you hurry to the right gate.
After boarding you find your seat on the plane and sit down. If you are lucky you sit next to a
window and then you can see all the towns, rivers and hills bellow. Before taking off you
must stop smoking and fasten your seat-belt. After taking off the captain greets the passengers
and refreshments are served by the stewardesses. Before landing the captain says farewell to
the passengers and asks them to fasten their seat-belts again.
After landing first you go to passport control. Then you can collect your luggage and go to the
customs. If you have nothing to declare you can choose the green channel. Having got
through the customs you can go to the lounge and take a taxi to your hotel.
When you arrive at the hotel you check in. You fill in the registration form and the
receptionist will give your key and the porter will show you up to your room.

16
 POST OFFICE- USING THE TELEPHONE

If we have friends or relatives living abroad or in an other town we often send them letters.
Having written our letter we put it in an envelope and address it. We have to write the
addressee’s name in the middle. Under that on the right hind side of the envelope we write the
name of the town, number of the house and name of the street. In the bottom right-hand
corner we write the postal code. The sender's name and address go in the upper left-hand
corner of the envelope.
If we want to post a letter we can simply put it into one of the red post boxes in the streets
(but you mustn't forget to stick a stamp on it first!). The collection times are written on the
post boxes and you can see that the letters are collected several times every day. You may
also go to the post-office to post your letter (especially if you haven't got any stamps at home
or do not know what stamp to stick on your letter).
Inside the post office there is a long counter divided into sections where you can buy stamps,
postcards and envelops. You can also send letters, registered letters, parcels, money orders
and you can telephone from one of the public phone boxes.
If you have something of great importance you can send your letter registered. In that case
you have to go to the post office and fill in a form.
If your letter is urgent you can send it express, but you have to pay extra for it.
If you have pen-pal abroad you may want to send her/him an air-mail letter. Air-mail letters
are weighed and you have to pay extra if they weigh more.
If you have to send an urgent message you can send a telegram. The words of your message
are counted and you pay accordingly. Post offices provide decorative telegram forms for
congratulatory messages for special occasions like weddings or births.
You can also buy all kinds of greeting cards at the post office. These are usually blank and
you can write your message and best wishes on them. There are some occasions like
Christmas, Easter, namedays, birthdays when people send greeting cards. In February young
people send Valentine cards with funny poems and red roses on them to their sweethearts.
If you want to send a parcel you have to go to the post office. First you fill in a parcel form
then your parcel is weighed and labelled.
At the post office you can buy newspapers and magazines or you can subscribe to them and
then the postman will deliver these to your house.
The Post office is also a kind of bank where you can have full banking facilities.
The building of the post office can usually be found in the centre of towns or villages. Inside

17
the post office there is a long counter divided into sections. However in a main post office you
may find that not every counter provides you with all services, so check the notice board
above the counter to make sure that you queue at the right one.
There are always some telephone boxes at the post office from where you can make calls.
There are two types of public telephones in use? the coin operated machine and ones for
which you need a phonecard. There are old dial phones and new push-button ones as well.
Each public phone has a number and thus you can receive in-coming calls.
When phoning you pick up the receiver and wait for the dialling tone. Then you either insert a
20 Forint coin (as the minimum charge) or your phonecard into the slot and dial the number.
If the line is engaged or the number won't answer you hang up and try again.

18
 MEALS AND EATING OUT

Hungary's famed cuisine dates back to medieval times and it has long played an important
role in European gastronomy - famous travellers in medieval times praised the region's
culinary arts and locals' creativity in the kitchen.
The success of Hungarian cuisine lies in its use of traditional preparation methods, fresh
ingredients and a harmony of flavours. Hungarian cuisine has its own specialities (usually
spicy ones) like fish soup, stuffed cabbage, chicken paprika with dumpling, that everybody
must try. The use of Mako onion or Kalocsa red pepper gives a unique flavour to our
specialities which blend perfectly with Hungary's famous wines and hospitality.
Hungary is not a fast-food culture. Hungarians expect to eat well either at home or in one of
the good restaurants. Hungarians also like to entertain guests especially foreigners in their
homes.
On weekdays people eat three or four rimes a day. These meals are breakfast, lunch, supper
and a quick meal during the day usually eaten quickly at school or at work.
Breakfast consists of a cup of strong black coffee or tea and a crescent-shaped bread called
kifli.
Lunch comes at about one o1clock in Hungary and it is the most substantial meal of the day.
It generally consists of two or three courses. First comes soup (vegetable, meat or fruit soup).
The second course is either some meat (pork or chicken) with potatoes, rice or some vegetable
dish made from peas, beans or cabbage. The second course may also be some noodles or
pancakes. The third course is usually some cake or fruit. A Sunday lunch is a very formal
meal when all the members of the family sit down together.
Hungarians do not often have a hot meal in the evening. Normally we just have a sandwich or
cold cuts and eggs for supper.
There is a big variety of eating places in Hungary ranging from cheap "büfé's" to posh
restaurants.
Most people have their lunches at work/school in the canteen. Customers collect their food on
trays at the counters and carry them to their table. In a canteen you can have a really quick
meal.
"Büfé"'s are relatively cheap places selling quick snacks like sandwiches, hot-sandwiches (a
slice of bread with ham and melted cheese on), sausages or the variations of the mayonnaise
salad, peas, potatoes or corns. Order by weight: 20 dekas is a good portion and don't forget a
kifli alongside.

19
Fast-food restaurants like Pizza Hut , Burger King or McDonald's are not at all cheap in
Hungary but they are popular especially among young people.
Nowadays Hungarians do not often go to a restaurant only if they have some guests or want to
celebrate a special occasion.
When you enter a restaurant you look for an empty table, sit down and ask the waiter for the
menu. Then you order the dishes you want to have. After having your meal ask for the bill,
pay it and give a tip to the waiter by telling him how much extra to add to the bill.
Gundel Restaurant is probably the most-famous house of culinary delights in all of Central
Europe - but very few Hungarians can afford to go and have a meal there.
In recent years there has been a change in eating habits: people want to eat food which they
know is good for them. They use vegetable oil instead of lard. They eat more honey and less
white sugar. Others don't want to eat any food which has chemicals in it (food companies add
chemicals to our food to improve the taste or add a nicer colour). Some people are even more
careful about their food and they don't eat meat at all. They are vegetarians.

20
 DOING THE SHOPPING
Going shopping is one of the most important of a housewife's duties. There are many kinds of
shops in every town. For example there is a stationer’s, a kitchenware shop, a ladies' and
men's wear shop, a shoe-shop, a chemist's, an electrical store, a perfumery and one or two big
department stores in almost each town. But the shop we every day go to is the supermarket. In
a supermarket we can get different kinds of bread, rolls, cakes, diary products such as milk,
cream, sour cream, cheese, cottage cheese, yoghurt and butter, groceries like flour, sugar, salt,
tea, coffee, spices, fresh and smoked meat, sausages, cold cuts, fruits, vegetables and sweets.
I usually go shopping to big supermarkets because there are special offers with special prices
there. When I do the shopping in a supermarket I get a basked or a trolley first. Then I walk
from shelf to shelf and fill my basket with the things I need. I buy bread or rolls, milk some
cold cuts and the basic food for supper and breakfast every day. When I have finished I join
the queue at the cash desk (or check out) and pay for the goods I have in my basket.
Besides the big supermarkets we can still find the old fashioned little grocer's in most towns.
They offer everything people need and the assistants know all their costumers.
In big department stores you can get clothes and shoes for men, women and children, sports
and leather goods, toiletries, jewellery, underwear, household goods and electrical appliances.
If you want to buy a ready-made dress or suit first you should do some window-shopping.
When you have seen the dress you like you enter the shop. First find the dress in the shop and
look at the label inside to see the size, material and make. For the price look at he price-tag.
To see if it will fit you can take the dress to the changing room to try it on. Before you buy
anything be sure that you look at it carefully to check that there are no faults. Then you pay
the cashier. She will take your money, put it in the till and give you your change. Of course
you can use your credit card as well. Always make sure you get a receipt. Shops usually put
the receipt in the bag with your purchase. You will need the receipt if anything goes wrong
and you have to take the dress back to the shop to exchange or to ask for a refund of your
money. You can buy things a lot cheaper if you wait until the sales when many goods are
reduced in price.
Big supermarkets open at 6 or 7 o'clock in the morning and stay open all day and close at 6 or
7 in the evening. Specialist shops and department stores open at 9 or 10 o'clock and close at 6
or 7 in the evening. Small shops close for lunch in the middle of the day. There is usually one
evening during the week when shops close later.
Those who want to buy fresh fruits and vegetables go to an open market.
Those who do not like shops can look at catalogues and do their shopping by mail order.

21
 SPARE-TIME ACTIVITIES, GOING TO THE CINEMA,
THEATRE

As a student at a university I haven't got much spare-time as I always have to study a lot. I am
too busy at school and too busy at home.
If I have a little time I read a good book, go to the cinema or have a chat with my friends. I
like music very much and in my spare-time I like listening to both classical and modern
music. I sometimes go to concert but I also have a cassette-recorder with lots of cassettes. My
favourite pop-group is ... . They play ... music. As for classical music my favourite composer
is .... .
In my spare time I often go cycling and swimming with my friends. There is a big sports
complex including a swimming-pool and an ice-rink by the refrigerator factory and we often
go there.
Once or twice a month I go to the cinema.
In the twenties when the first silent films were made cinemas were always crowded.
Nowadays fewer people go to the cinemas because they prefer staying at home watching TV
or video.
There are more cinemas in each town: on of them is usually an open-air or a drive-in cinema.
You can go to a drive-in movie by car, park in front of the screen and enjoy the film sitting in
your car.
Quite a lot of people like thrillers, spy stories or action film while others enjoy nature films
and documentaries. I like cartoons and science fiction films. I always go and see Spielberg's
latest films because I think he makes good films/.I always see the latest hits.
If I want to see a film first I go to the cinema to buy the tickets at the box office. Tickets cost
about 1500 Forints now.
When I arrive at the cinema I leave my coat in the cloak-room in winter then I buy some pop-
corn in the hall. At the entrance I have to show my ticket to the usherette and she shows me
to my place. I like sitting in the middle. I like .... films. My favourite film is Rain Man. It's an
American film in Technicolor. It was directed by Barry Levinson. The story was written by
Barry Morrow. Charlie Babbitt thinks he will get a lot of money when his father dies. The
money goes to someone he doesn't know. He is a man who lives in a special hospital and he is
the autistic brother Charlie never knew. The two men meet and this is the start of a surprising
new life for both of them. Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise play the roles of the brothers.

22
Dustin Hoffman visited several homes for autistic people while he was preparing for the film.
It won four Oscars.
I saw The Titanic not long ago. It was very exciting and moving at the same time. I cried a
lot. I like Bruce Willis and some other tough guys. Watching English and American films is a
good language practice for me, though the language of these films is sometimes very rude.
I sometimes go to the theatre. The best theatres are in Bp. such as the Víg, Madách and Pesti
Színház. If you want to go to the theatre it is necessary to buy your ticket will in-advance. It's
usually difficult to get tickets for the best plays. In the theatres you can see different plays e.g.
tragedies, comedies and musicals as well. I like modern American plays and musicals by
Andrew Webber Loyd.
When you arrive at the theatre the hall is full of people who are chatting, buying programmes
or looking at the photos of the actors and actresses. When you hear the bell you have to find
your seat quickly as the lights go out soon, the curtain rises and the play begins. I usually sit
in the stalls. During the interval you can go to the buffet to have a drink and talk about the
actors and the play. At the end of the play the members of the cast bow together while the
spectators are applauding for minutes. My favourite actor/actress is ... . I've seen him/her
in ...... by ... .
Millions of people sit in front of the TV every evening. Watching TV is the cheapest and most
convenient way of amusement. There are .... channels on Hungarian TB but most people
watch satellite programmes as well. The evening programmes on MTV1 are the following: at
half past seven there is the newsreel on. The main film starts at 8 o'clock. Most people like
TV serials and soap operas like Among friends. These are very popular because people like
stories about their own lives and rich people's lives as will.
I like documentaries and nature films. I always watch David Attenbourough's films. He makes
the best nature films. Children prefer cartoons. Their favourite channel is Cartoon Network.
I watch my favourite TV programmes - cartoons, quiz-games and series. I'm not interested in
politics, it bores me and I think it's all rubbish. My favourite programme is ... . I always
watch .... .
People prefer TV to the radio because it is more enjoyable. They only listen to the radio in the
mornings to listen to the morning news and the weather forecast. On the other hand channels
like "……" are becoming more and more popular because people like listening to old
favourites.

23
 SPARE-TIME, READING BOOKS

Reading is both a pastime and a means of education. People usually have a small library of
their own. Unfortunately books are very expensive nowadays so many people can't afford to
buy the books they need or they are interested in. In that case they can go to a local public
library. Cities and towns have public libraries with lending departments and reading rooms.
You can borrow books for a month. In the reading-room you can read the books that cannot
be borrowed. These are encyclopaedias and dictionaries. You can also find all sorts of
newspapers and magazines there, but you cannot borrow them either.
Literary works can be in the form of poetry and prose. Novels and short stories are the most
popular. Some people like historical novels. Others prefer travel-books, others read
biographies. Young people enjoy romances, science fiction books and thrillers.
I love reading and I have a lot of books at home. I like reading fiction, mainly novels, crime
stories, books on nature, but I like poems as well.
My favourite author is ..... . All his/her novels are so interesting that I can't put them down. I
love his/her style and the way he/she writes. My favourite book is .... . It's about ... . The plot
takes place in ... . The main character is ... . One of the most exciting parts is when .... .
I sometimes read the daily papers in the reading room of the college library. I usually read ...
(Magyar Hírlap) which is a national paper and Szolnok Megyei Néplap, which is a local
paper. I read the international news, the gossip column and the advertisements. I sometimes
read the sports news. I occasionally buy an evening paper on my way home.
Apart from the newspapers there is a vast range of magazines and weeklies published an all
sorts of subjects. Women's magazines such as Nõk Lapja, Kiskegyed and Tina are the most
popular.
There are magazines dealing with fashion, sports, animals, home decorating, computers, cars
sciences, cooking etc. Bravo, Bravo Girl and Százszorszép are magazines for young people.
Dörmögõ Dömötör and Buci Maci are special children's magazines containing tales, cartoons
and poems for the very young.
Most of the families subscribe to at least one or two of the above mentioned newspapers and
magazines. You can subscribe to them at the local post office and then the magazines and
newspapers will be delivered to your home.

24
 HEALTH, SEEING THE DOCTOR

When English people meet they usually ask one another about health: "How are you?".
Possible answers to this question are: "Fine, thanks." "Very well, thank you." "Not too bad,
thanks."
The word "health" really means good health, but it is also possible to speak of bad or poor
health.
There are a lot of illnesses, diseases. Some are mild e.g. a cold, others are serious like
pneumonia. A few are infectious and attack many people at the same time e.g. flu. Infectious
diseases that children can have are mumps, chicken pox and measles. Measles is a disease
with fever and small red spots covering the whole body.
If you want to be healthy you have to lead a regular way of life: You have to get up early and
go to bed not too late. You have to eat at regular rimes and eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. At
the week-ends you have to relax and spend a lot of time outdoors playing tennis, jogging or
swimming. Of course there are some people who smoke too much, eat heavy food, drink too
much alcohol or don't devote enough time to recreation. These people are often ill and may
die earlier than the others.
I'm usually as fit as a fiddle, but in winter I often catch a cold. When I have a cold, I sneeze,
sniff, blow my nose and have a mild temperature. If I have got flu I have a headache and feel
pain in my arms and legs and feel very weak and dizzy, too. If I am ill, I see our panel doctor.
Our panel doctor is .... . His/her consulting hours are from .... to .... . There are usually a lot of
patients waiting in his/her consulting room, so I have to wait an hour or so. When I enter
his/her surgery he/she asks me what the matter is with me. Then he/she asks me to open my
mouth and looks at my throat. Then he/she tells me to undress and listens it my heart and
lungs. He feels my pulse and takes my temperature and blood pressure, too. while I am
dressing up he/she writes me a prescription. If I am seriously ill he/she send me to a specialist.
Those who need an operation are taken to hospitals. First they are examined thoroughly,
sometimes they are X-rayed and only then can they undergo the operation. After the
operation they have to stay at the hospital for some time.
Special care is taken of pregnant mothers. In Hungary babies aren't born at home, they are
born in hospitals or maternity homes.
I take the prescription to the chemist's. In Hungary you don't have to pay for the doctor and
any operation is free, but you have to pay a lot for the medicines.
I take the medicine home and stay in bed for a few days and take the medicine three times a

25
day after meals and drink plenty of tea with lemon in it.
I usually take the following medicines: Paxirasol for a bad cough, Kalmopiryn or Aspro C for
a cold, Semicillin for flu. If I need a pain killer I take Demalgon.
After a few days I go back to the doctor. He/she examines me again and if I am all right I can
go to school.
If my teeth need filling or pulling out I go to the dentist. I usually go to .... . I hate going to the
dentist. Even the smell in the waiting room makes me sick, but I like to have my teeth
checked once a year. If I have a hollow tooth the dentist drills it and fills it or sometimes
he/she pulls the follow tooth out. Dental care is free for young people under 18 and for
pregnant mothers, others have to pay.

26
 SPORTS
To keep in good health you must try to lead a healthy way of life. This means you mustn't
smoke or drink any alcoholic drinks, you must have a healthy diet, but first of all you must do
some kind of sport regularly.
In Hungary most people like watching games on TV and they also like to talk about them
especially about football and how it is played or how it should be played by our national
eleven. I like football, too and I often watch it on TV. My favourite team is ... . , but I am not
always happy with the way they play./ I never watch football on TV. It's a silly game, I can't
understand why boys are so enthusiastic about it. I think all the Hungarian teams including
our national eleven are very weak and no wonder they can very rarely win.There are quite a
few ball games and most of them are very enjoyable both to play and to watch. At the college
we play basketball, volley-ball and handball. In summer we can also play tennis. Fortunately
there is an artificial ice-rink in Jb. so we can skate during the winter months. Weather
permitting our P.E. department organises us skiing tours in February. We go to the Matra
mountains and to Slovakia to ski. The most popular winter sports are skating, skiing and ice-
hockey. I love watching figure-skating, especially ice-dancing on TV.
In summer we do athletics, which includes running, high and long jumping. I am not very
keen on running but I like jogging in the evenings. Water sports are also very popular in
summer. These are swimming, water-polo water skiing, wind-surfing and sailing. In Jb. there
is a big swimming-pool where we often go swimming in the P. E. lessons.
Nowadays there are some very fashionable "modern" sports like hang gliding and jet-skiing -
but most people cannot afford to do these.
We have ... P.E. lessons a week either in the school gymnasium or in the sports field by the
college. One field is for football and handball, the other one is for basketball and there is a
tennis court as well. Around the sports fields there are running tracks. In the P.E. lessons we
do warm ups before doing some exercises. Then we play games or go swimming or skating.
I have tried all sorts of ball-games but I prefer swimming and hiking in the hills. I sometimes
go on bicycle-tours with my friends. Just to keep fit I do exercises and sometimes aerobics.
I like watching most sports especially the Olympic Games. Whenever there is a world
championship or any other important event I sit in front of the TV and cheer for the
Hungarian teems or sportsmen. They have to train very hard and live a different way of life
than the others.
In Britain many other sports are played including golf and cricket. English girls play hockey,
too. In America baseball is very popular.

27
 WEATHER AND SEASONS

There are four seasons in Hungary: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
The spring months are: March, April and May. In spring the snow melts and the weather is
usually bright and sunny, but not too warm. The first snow-drops appear early in March (just
in time for the International Women's Day) and the trees begin to grow leaves, Occasionally
there are showers of rain but soon the sun shines again.
In May it is usually warm and sunny and the country-side is green with lots of flowers.
The summer months are June, July and August. It is usually hot in summer. The sun is shining
and the temperature is over thirty degrees. Though the summers are very dry occasionally
there are heavy rainstorms with thunder and lighting but very soon the sky is blue again.
Summers are sunny, bright and warm in Hungary. Most people take their holidays in summer
and go to Lake Balaton, where they can lie in the sun and swim in the cool water of the lake. I
also like sitting on the bank watching the water and the trees on the opposite side.
The autumn months are September, October and November. In autumn the leaves of trees
become yellow, brown and read and then they fall. It is usually warm in September and at the
beginning of October. We usually have a nice, warm Indian summer in Hungary in October. It
is still warm but the days become shorter. It is rainy, foggy and windy in November. It's rather
gloomy.
The winter months are: December, January and February. In winter the temperatures are
usually below zero. It is cold and frosty. It often snows in January and the roads become
slippery. There is not much snow but the air is chilly and the rivers and lakes are frozen. I
always feel cold in such weather and I have to wear warm clothes to protect myself against
the cold. On the other hand everything is so peaceful and quiet in winter.
The hottest month is July and the coldest is January. The weather is changeable in April and it
is very wet in November.
Hungary has typical continental climate with four seasons, hot summers and cold winters.
There are floods sometimes. Last year there was one on the river Tisza. A huge area was
under water for weeks.
My favourite season is summer because I like when it is hot, bright and sunny. But I also like
autumn with the colourful countryside and harvest.
People usually listen to the weather forecast to know what weather to expect and what to wear
in such weather. With the use of computers and satellites weather forecasts have become more
accurate.

28
Szituációk

1. Találkozik az utcán egy kedves ismerõsével, akit már régen nem látott. Üdvözölje és
érdeklõdje meg tõle, hogy mi történt vele, amióta nem találkoztak. Dícsérje meg a ruháját és
mondja meg neki, hogy jól néz ke, egyáltalán nem változott.

A: Hi! Is it you (Mary)? (Is it really you?) I haven't seen you for ages.
B: Oh, hello (Kitty)! Nice to see you!
A: How are you?
B: I'm fine, thank you. And you?
A: Not too bad, thanks. How's things?
B: Everything's fine.
A: You look fine/smart/very pretty.
B: Thank you.You look nice, too.
A: You haven't changed a bit at all.
B: Thank you for saying so. It was nice to meet you again. Hope to see you some time.
A: Bye.
B: Bye-bye.

2. Hívja fel angliai ismerõsét telefonon és kérdezze meg tõle, hogy jönnek-e a nyáron. Mondja
el azt is, hogy a férje/felesége most kórházban fekszik, operálták, de már jobban van,
vasárnap hazajöhet.

B: This is 1248-79321.
A: Hello. This is ... ... from Hungary.
B: Oh, hello ... . How's things?
A: I'm fine, thank you, but my husband is ill. Actually, he is in hospital.
B: I'm sorry to hear that. Is he better now?
A: Well, he had an operation last week, but now he feels a lot better. He will come home
at the end of the week.
B: I'm sending my regards to him.
A: Thanks I will tell him. Actually, I'm phoning to ask if you are coming in summer.
B: Well, we haven't decided yet. We will talk about it and I will let you know soon.
A: Thanks. Hope to hear form you soon. Bye.
B: Bye.

3. A férjével/feleségével sétál az utcán, amikor találkoznak egy ismerõsével. Mutassa be az

illetõt, mondja el róla, hogy osztálytársak voltak és most egy cégnél dolgoznak. Beszéljenek
meg egy közeli látogatást pl. hívja meg az ismerõsét és családját vasárnap vacsorára.

A: Hi, (Peter).
B: Oh, hello .... .
A: Darling, let me introduce you my colleague, Peter.
C: Hello, nice to meet you.
B: Hello, pleased to meet you.
A: Peter and I went to school together and now we work for the same company.
By the way, Peter, come and see us with your family one evening.

29
B: Thank you very much.
A: Do come next Sunday.
B: I will. Thank you for the invitation. Bye.
A: Bye-bye.

4. A fõnöke megához hívatja ont és közli, hogy ma nem mehet haza négy órakor, mert
sürgõsen le kell fordítania egy levelet. Önnek, azonban, ma van a születésnapja és vendégeket
vár. Beszélje rá fõnökét, hogy reggel korábban bejöhessen és akkor végezhesse el a kijelölt
feladatot.

B: Please, come into my office, (Mary).

A: Yes, I'm coming.
B: I have just received this letter. It is very important, so I'm sorry, but you can't go home at 4
today, because you have to translate this letter for me.
A: I'm terribly sorry, but I have to go home early today. You know, it's my birthday
today and my friends are coming to see me in the evening.
B: I'm afraid this letter is very urgent. You have to translate it now.
A: Could I come in early tomorrow morning and translate it before work?
B: OK. I agree. But I need the translation by 8.
A: Thank you very much. Don't worry. I'll do it in time.

5. A barátnõje az ön tanácsát kéri, hogy mit vegyen az ünnepi ebédhez, mert fontos vendége
lesz. Mondja meg neki, hogy nem kellene otthon fõznie, hanem menjenek el egy étterembe.
Nyugtassa meg, hogy nem kerül sokkal többe az ebéd és ajánljon egy ön által ismert éttermet.

B: I'm expecting some important visitors on Sunday. I'm worried about the lunch. What shall I
cook for them?
A: You shouldn't cook. Take them to a restaurant.
B: But restaurants are very expensive.
A: No they aren't. Just think of all your time and energy! Besides, I know a good and
cheap restaurant. And they cook very well.
B: Really? That sounds marvelous! Which restaurant is it?
B: It's Victorio's. It's in the main square, next to the bank.
A: Thank you for your advice. I'll take them there.

6. Új barátja moziba hívja, Önnek azonban nincs kedve elmenni. Mondja neki, hogy ma sok a
dolga, mert holnap dolgozatot írnak matematikából és a tanár nagyon szigorú. Igérje meg,
hogy egy más alkalommal majd elmennek valahová.
B: Let's go to the cinema tonight. /What about going to the cinema tonight? There is a very
good American film on at the Corvin tonight.
A: I'm afraid I can't go with you today.
B: You're joking. What is more important than meeting me in the evening? What are you
doing?
A: We are writing a test paper in Maths today. I'll have to study all night.
B: It's only 2 o'clock. You can study till 6 a lot.
A: You know our teacher is very strict. I really can't go with you tonight. Let's go out
next weekend.
B: Ok, then.

30
7. Ismerõse az iránt érdeklõdik, hogy milyen nevezetességek vannak az ön lakóhelyén. Mondja
el neki, hogy van egy 18. századi templom, néhány barokk ház és egy helytörténeti múzeum. A
templomban nyáron orgonahangversenyeket szoktak rendezni, vannak még ünnepi játékok is.
Van egy nagy szálloda is, ahol a külföldi vendégek szállást kaphatnak.

B: What is your town famous for?

A: There is a nice church from the 18th century, some barowue houses in the main
square and a local history museum.
B: Are there any special programs?
A: Yes, certainly. There are organ concerts in the church in summer. In August we have
a Summer festival with lots of programs.
B: That sounds interesting. Where can I/tourists stay?
A: There is a big hotel with reasonable prices for tourists.
B: Thank you for the information.
A: You're welcome.

8. Ismerõse nem érti, hogy miért vett ön falun egy kis kertet. Mesélje el neki, hogy milyen jó a
hivatali munka után egy kicsit ott dolgozni, kikapcsolódni. Mondja el, hogy szeret kapálni,
locsolni, ásni és a kertben megterem minden, ami a konyhájában kell, még sokat spórol is
vele. Egyébként is nagyon egészséges a szabad levegõn mozogni, a saját termés pedig jobb a
piacinál.

B: I'm suprised to hear that you have bought a garden in a village.

A: Yes, I work hard in the office every day. I like working in the fresh air in the village.
B: But what do you do in the garden.
A: First I dig the garden, then I plant some vegetables, later I hoe and water them.
B: It's hard work. How can you do it?
A: First of all it's very healthy to work in the fresh air. I need the exercise, too. Second, I
grow what I need in the kitchen I save a lot of money. I needn't buy vegetables. Last but
not least my vegetebles are a lot better than the ones we can buy at the market.
B: Ok, I see. You convinced me.

9. Barátnõje nem tudja eldonteni, hogy nagy, vagy kicsi konyhát építsenek. Tanácsolja neki,
hogy mindenképpen nagy konyhája legyen. A konyha ugyanis a családi élet fontos színtere.
Jó, ha a konyhában lehet étkezni, így mindenképpen alakítsanak ki egy étkezõsarkot. Sok
helyet foglalnak el a gépek, az edények és a tûzhely. Lehet, hogy idõvel még több háztartási
gépük lesz, azoknak is kell a hely.

B: I can't decide about the kitchen in our new house. Which one do you prefer a small one or
a big one?
A: Of course a big one. Everything happens in the kitchen. Everybody meets there. You
cook there and it's better if you eat there on week-days. You should have a dining-
corner.
B: Yes, I think you are right. Have you got any other ideas?
A: Yes, you need a lot of space for the plates, pans, pots, glasses, kitchen-ware. You also
need space for the household gadgets. You may want to buy some more later. Definitely
you need a big kitchen!
B: Yes, I see. I will have a big kitchen built in the new house.

31
10. Hívja me a barátját a születésnapjára. Mondja meg neki, hogy rejta kívül még ott lesznek
az ön munkatársai is. A parti este hatkor kezdõdik a vacsorával. Utána lehet táncolni, TV-t
nézni, beszélgetni, társasjátékot játszani, lemezeket hallgatni.

A: Are you free on Saturday night?

B: Yes. Why?
A: It's my birthday on Saturday. I'm giving a party and I would like to invite you.Can
you come?
B: Certainly. With pleasure. What time?
A: Dinner is at 6 and you can stay as long as you wish. First we'll havedinner, then we'll
dance, watch the telly, have a chat, play a boardgame like Activity or listen to my new
CD's.
B: Great! Who else is coming?
A: I have invited all my friends and colleagues and groupmates.
B: Thank you for the invitation. I'll come.

11. Ön látogatóba megy egy ismerõséhez, aki itallal kínája. Utasítsa vissza, hiszen ön kocsival
van és nem szabad innia. Kérjen a bor helyett inkább egy pohár hideg kólát egy szelet
citrommal és a felkínált cigarettát se fogadja el, mivel már leszokott a dohányzásról

B: Would you like to drink something?

A: Yes, please. What is there?
B: White wine, red wine, coke and orange juice. What about a glass of red wine?
A: No, thank you. I came by car. And I never drink when I drive. Can I havae a glass of
cold coke with a slice of lemon instead?
B: Yes, certainly. Here you are.
A: Thank you.
B: Have a cigarette.
A: No, thank you. I gave up smoking last year.
B: Good for you!

12. Hívja meg a barátját egy koncertre. Mondja meg neki, hogy az elõadás este hatkor
kezdõdik. Ez egy popkoncert, egy ismert zenekar játszik. Csak egy hét múlva lesz a koncert, de
már most meg kell venni a jegyeket, különben elfogynak. Jabasolja, hogy a hátsó sorban
üljenek, mert ott nem olyan hangos, a zenekart pedig onnan is jól lehet látni.

A: What about going to a concert? / Do you fancy a pop-concert?

B: It depends. What kind of concert?
A: A pop concert. A popular band is playing.
B: When will it be?
A: Next week, but we have to buy the tickets in advance/as soon as possible. They will
sell out quickly.
B: Ok. Will you buy the tickets or shall I?
A: I'll buy them.
B: Where shall we sit?
A: In the back row. We can see the singer and the group will, but the music is not too

32
loud.
B: Ok. I agree.

13. On késve érkezik a munkahelyére és a fõnöke felelõségre vonja. Indokolja meg, hogy azért
késett, mert a gyerkeke rosszul érezte magát reggel és orvost kellett hívnia. A gyerek most is
lázasan fekszik otthon. Kérje meg a fõnökét, hogy adjon két nap szabadságot.
B: I am afraid you are very late Mrs. ... What happened.
A: I am terribly sorry, Mr. .... My daughter felt ill in the morning. I had to call for a
doctor. Actually, she is in bed with a high temperature at the moment. Could I take a
few days off, if possible?
B: Well, we are very busy at the moment, but of course, you can have a few days off. Please,
let me know, when you can come back.
A: I will. Thank you so much.

14. Ön az újságban olvasott egy álláshirdetést. Menjen el és érdeklõdje meg, hogy mirõl is
van szó: mennyit lehet keresni, mit kell érte nyújtani, meddig tart a munkaidõ. A végén kérjen
holnap reggelig gondolkodási idõt, de kérje, hogy addig ne adják senkinek az állást.

A: Good morning. I've read about the job you advertised in the local paper. Can I have
some information about it?
B: Certainly. What would you like to know?
A: What would be my duties?
B: You will have to use the word processor, answer the phone, type letters and you have to
speak good English.
A: That's not a problem for me. What are the working hours?
B: We've got flexible hours, but everybody has to be in between 9 and 3.
A: How much is the salary?
B: 130,000 Forints per month.
A: That sounds all right. Can I have some time to think it over and discuss it with my
family?
B: Ok. Can you give us an answer tomorrow morning?
A: That would be fine. Thank you for holding the job for me.
B: That's all right.

15. Hívja fel a taxiállomást és rendeljen egy kocsit holnap reggel hét órára. Mondja meg a
nevét, a címét és kérjen egy kocsit, mert sok csomagjukvan. Mondja meg, hogy biztosan jöjjön
a kocsi, mert a vonat fél nyolckor indul a Déli Pályaudvarról és nem szeretné lekésni, mert
külföldre utaznak ismerõseikhez.

B: This is 666 666.

A: Hallo. Could I have a taxi cab for 7 o'clock tomorrow morning, please?
B: Certainly. What's your name please?
A: It's 3 Rákóczi Street.
B: All right. The cab will be at your place at 7 o'clock tomorrow. What's your name?
A: My name is X Y. There is one more thing. We have a lot of luggage. Can you send a
big car, please?
B: Don't worry. You'll be able to pack in everything.

33
A: Please make sure for the taxi to be here at 7, because our train leaves at 7.30 from
Déli Station. We are travelling abroad and don't want to miss our train.
B: Don't worry. The taxi will be there in time.

16. Egy külföldi megkérdezi öntõl a villamoson, hogy hol a kalauz, mert jegyet akar venni.
Mondja el neki, hogy a jegyet az újságosnál, busz, metró, vagy vasutállomásokon lehet venni.
Adjon neki egyet, mert jöhet az ellenõr és mondja el neki, hogyan kell érvényesíteni.

B: Excuse me, madame.

A: Yes.
B: I'd like to buy a ticket. Where is the conductor, please?
A: There are no conductors on trams or buses. You have to buy a ticket before you get
on and punch it on the tram or bus.
B: Where can I buy tickets?
A: At the news agent's or at underground, bus or railwaystations.
B: What can I do now?
A: I'll give you a ticket because a ticket inspector may come. Just insert it in the slot and
the machine punches it.
B: Oh, thank you. How much does ti cost?
A: 180 Forints.
B: Here you are and thanks again.

17. Megkérdezi egy járókelõ mivel juthatna el a leggyorsabban a Nyugati Pályaudvarra.

Ajánlja neki a 7-es buszt, majd a villamost, amelyik azon az úton közlekedik. Végül mondja
meg, hogy legjobb, ha taxival megy, mert akkor nem kell átszállni.

B: Excuse me.
A: Yes.
B: Can you tell me the way to Nyugati Railway Station?
A: Take a number 7 bus as far as Blaha Lujza square. Then change for a number 4 or 6
tram.
B: I see. Where is the bus stop?
A: It's over there.
B: Is Nyugati Railway Station far from here?
A: Well, about 6 stops. I think, you should take a taxi. It's faster and you don't have to
change.
B: I'll do that. Thank you very much.
18. Megkérdezi önt eg y külföldi túrista, hogy hogyan jut el a postára. Mondja meg neki, hogy
menjen ezen az utcán végig és a nagy templomnál kanyarodjon be egy utcába. Menjen azon
kétszáz métert, akkor egy térre ér. A tér szemközti oldalán megtalálja a postát. Nem
tévesztheti el, egy nagy, tornyos épület.

B: Excuse me.
A: Yes.
B: Can you tell me the way to the pos-office, please?
A: Yes, certainly. Go along this street as far as the church. At the church turn left. Go
along that narrow street for abut 200 metres. Then you'll get to a square.
B: Along this street, then left, along the narrow street till I get to a square.
A: That's right. The post office is on the opposite side of the square. You can't miss it.
It's a huge building with a tower.

34
B: Thank you very much.

19. Ön egy pulóvert szeretne venni. Kérjen az áruházben egy puha, meleg piros pulóvert a
saját részére. Kérdezze meg, hogy felpróbálhatja-e és hogy hol a próbafülke. Kiderül, hgoy a
pulóver kicsi, de a stílusa nagyon megfelelne. Nagyobb méret azonban csak zöldben van.
Ennek ellenére vegy meg, mert a színtõl eltekintve, pontosan ilyet képzelt.Érdeklõdjön az ár
felõl is, amirõl úgy gondolja, megfelel.

A: I'd like to buy a soft/fluffy warm red jumper for myself.

B: What size are you?
A: I wear size M.
B: Here you are.
A: I like it can I try it on?
B: Certainly.
A: Where is the fitting-room?
B: Over there.
A: I'm afraid it's too small, but I like the style. Have you got it in a bigger size?
B: Yes. But we've only got green ones.
A: I'm not keen on green. On the other hand the jumper suits me. I think, I'll take a
green one. How much is it?
B: It costs 6000 Forints.
A: That's reasonable. Where can I pay?
B: The cash-desk /checkout is over there.

20. Ön elmegy az orvoshoz, mert nagyon fáj a lába. Elmondja, hogy már egy hete érzi a
fájdalmat és akkor a legrosszabb, amikor reggel felkel. De tulajdonképpen egész nap fáj és
fájdalom nélkül már nem is tud felmenni a lépcsõn. Néha a házimunkát is abba kell hagynia
és le kell feküdnie. Próbált már kenõcsöt is tenni rá, de az sem segített.

A: Good morning.
B: Good morning. What's the matter with you?
A: I have a pain in my left leg.
B: How long have you had it?
A: For a week. It's the worst in the morning when I get up.
B: Where does it hurt?
A: Up here. In my knee. It's so bad that I can't climb stairs. But I feel the pain all day
long. Sometimes I must stop doing the housework and lie down.
B: Have you tried to put an ointment on it?
A: Yes, I tried Voltaren Dole, but it didn't help much.
B: You must go to have an X-ray.

21. Karácsony közeledik. Külföldi barátjának mesélje el hogyan ünnepelnek az emberek

Magyarországon. Mondja el milyen szokások kapcsolódnak az ünnephez, melyek a tipikus
ételek. Kérdézze meg barátját, hogyan ünnepelnek az õ országában.

B: Christmas is coming. How do you celebrate Christmas in Hungary?

A: We decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. We hang sweets, ornaments and
tinsel on the tree. We usually put a star on top of the tree. We put candles or electric

35
lights on the tree. We put the presents under the tree in the evening, light the candles
and sing some old Hungarian Christmas Carols. Then we open the presents.
On Christmas Eve we have a delicious dinner: fish soup, stuffed cabbage or roast
turkey. We drink some wine and eat poppy-seed rolls.
B: Do you invite friends?
A: People usually spend Christmas Eve with their families and visit friends and relatives
on Christmas Day. We send Christmas Cards for those who we cannot visit. We write
"Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" on the cards.
When do you decorate the Christmas tree? When do you open the presents? What do
you eat at Christmas?

22. A barátja megbetegszik. Otthon kell feküdnie. Látogassa meg, vigyen neki apró ajándékot
és érdeklódjön hogyléte felõl. Kérdezze meg milyen gyógyszereket szed, kívánjon jobbulást
majd igérje meg, hogy hamarosan meglátogatja.

A: Hello.I've come to visit you. I have heard that you are ill. What's the matter with
you?
B: I've got a cold and a bad cough.
A: Have you got a temperature, too?
B: Not now. But yesterday I had a temperature and a headache.
A: Did you see a doctor?
B: Yes, I did. He gave me some medicine and told me to stay in bed for a few days.
A: What medicine do you take?
B: I take Coldrex.
A: You must eat a lot of fruits and drink tea with lemon. By the way, I've brought you
some oranges. They are good for a cold.
B: Thank you very much. It's kind of you to visit me.
A: I must be going now, but I'll come tomorrow, again.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jobbágy Ilona - Katona Lucia - Kevin Shopland: General Communication Skills and
Exercises
Nemzeti Tankönyvkiadó, Budapest 1995.

Némethné Hock Ildikó: Társalgás, Szituációk, Képleírások

Lexika Tankönyvkiadó, Székesfehérvár

Horváth Károly: Twenty but One Egy Híján Húsz

Padlás Nyelviskola Könyvek, Sopron

This handout was set up by Stefán Ildikó

36