Step by step. Кочетова Л.А. - 54 стр.

of waves breaking on the beach. I no longer wish to build sandcastles,
but I love sunbathing and the feel of sand running through my fingers,
and I look forward to sitting down to a good meal in the evening. I think
too, that I prefer travelling. I want to smell different smells; I want to
see different kinds of trees, flowers and plants; and I also want to see
people wearing different kinds of clothes. Above all, I want to listen to
different musical rhythms from those I am used to.
      But I still need my companions — not, of course, to play on
the sands and eat ices with, but to talk to on warm moonlit nights.
      Sometimes I wonder what my ideal holiday will be when I am
old. All I shall want to do then, I expect, will be to lie in bed,
reading books about children who made sandcastles with huge yellow
walls, who watch the incoming tide, who make themselves sick on
too many ices...

     Exercise 1. Answer the questions on the text.
        1. When does every holiday seem ideal, when you’re a child or
when you’re an adult? 2. What did the author of this story like to do
with his boy-friends on the sands? 3. What did they make? 4. How
long did their sandcastles live? 5. What simple joys made the boys
shriek with excitement? 6. What did they like to watch lying on the
sli ppery rocks? 7. What did they sometimes explore in the country?
8. Has the author’s idea of a good holiday changed? 9. What does he
still like? 10. Why does he like travelling? 11. Why does he still need
his companions? 12. Years change our ideals. What does the author
think his ideal holiday will be like when he grows old?

     Exercise 2. Multi ple-choice questions. Choose the right answer.
      1. When I was a boy every holiday I had seemed (too short, too
dull, ideal). 2. I played on the sands with my friends making
(sandcastles, much noise, various toys). 3. We like to stare down
from the rocks at the (toy shi ps, boats, seaweed) in the rock-pools.
4. In those far-off days, the sun seemed to shine (too seldom, dimply,
constantly). 5. I still like the sound of (waves breaking on the beach,
children shrieking with excitement, buses rushing along the streets).
6. I’m now an adult, and I still need my friends to (play with, talk to,
quarrel with). 7. I’m hungry, I’m looking forward to (meeting my
friends, going for a walk, sitting down to a good meal).

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