Text 1. The Amish

The Amish are a special group of Americans. There are about 85,000 Amish people in the United States. The largest groups live in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa and Illinois. The Amish people keep apart from the rest of the world. They live in their own groups; they have their own language and they don’t have any relationship with the outside world.

The Amish have a simple life. They grow vegetables and fruits, but they don’t have machines on their farms. They don’t drive cars. They have horses. They do not have electricity or telephones in their homes.

The Amish are called “the plain people”. They all wear the same style of clothes. For example, the men all wear dark clothes and hat; the women wear long dresses and hats. Amish children have one-room school houses. They have Amish teachers. They have no school after the eighth grade.

1. Define if the statement is true or false:

1. The Amish are native Americans.

2. The Amish live in their own groups.

3. The Amish are good farmers: they use modern machines and fertilizers.

4. The Amish are called “the religious people”.

5. Amish children attend ordinary schools in the neighborhood.

2. Complete the sentences:

1.The Amish people are special because…

2.The Amish people do not use…

3.These people wear….

4.The Amish children are taught by…

5.After the eighth grade…

Text 2. My New School Is Fantastic

Rita Nelson is fourteen, and she has changed her school because her parents moved to another town this summer.

“Let me tell you about my new school. I’m having a great time. All pupils are very friendly, but it’s very different from my old school. I can tell you! First of all school starts at 8.00 here, a whole, hour before it did in that school. This morning I forgot about it and got to school ten minutes late, so the teacher put a note into my record-book. I was really angry!

There are a lot of other differences in this school, of course. We have seven lessons here almost every day. What else? The school day is different, too. In my former school we finished school at 3.00, and then most pupils went home. Here we finish lessons at 3.30, and then most pupils go to sports practice. Well, they love sports here.

I joined gymnastics and football clubs here. A lot of girls play football in this school. I had my first practice yesterday, and I feel tired today.

Another important thing here is learning to do practical things. Their metal and wood shops are like small factories, and we are taught to drive as well. It’s fantastic. I had my first lesson in driving a tractor yesterday.”

Exercise 1. Choose the right answer.

1) Rita Nelson is

a) 13 b) 14 c) 15

2) Lessons in Rita’s previous school started at

a) 7 o’clock b) 8 o’clock c) 9 o’clock

3) Rita has lessons every day.

a) 5 b) 6 c) 7

4) Rita’s lessons are over at

a) 3. 00 b) 3.30 c) 4.00

5) After lessons most pupils go

a) to sports practice b) home c) for a walk

Exercise 2. True or false?

Rita doesn’t like her new school.

Today Rita came to school in time.

Student don’t love sports in the new school.

Many girls play football in the new school.

Rita likes to drive a tractor.