Text f. About Myself

My name is Victor Smirnov. I am 17. I can’t believe that my dream came true and I am a student of the Far-Eastern State Technical University now. It is one of the largest higher educational institutions in the Far-East of Russia.

The competition was high, but I passed my entrance examinations successfully. Now I am a first-year student of the Institute of Radio-Electronics, Computing and Electrical Engineering.

Many students in our group are out-of-town ones. My native town is Nakhodka. My parents live there. Our family is rather large. There are six of us: a father, a mother, a grandmother and three children.

My father is an engineer. He is a graduate of the Ship-Building department of the Polytechnical Institute. He works in the Nakhodka sea-port.

He advised me to enter the University. My mother is a nurse, but she does not work at present. She is a housewife and looks after the house and children. My brother and sister study at school. I have many near and distant relatives in Nakhodka. My grandparents, uncles and aunts live there. All my cousins are my great friends. One of my uncles is a world traveller. I like to listen to his stories.

I live in the dormitory. It is not far from the University. It takes me only 7 minutes to get there.

We usually have lectures and practical classes in one of the buildings of the University, which is situated in a wonderful place. From the windows we can see the Amur Gulf and the Golden Horn Bay. I like the view very much. Vladivostok impressed me greatly. It is so large and picturesque!

All subjects we study at the University are very interesting and useful. Among them are Higher Mathematics, Physics, a foreign language, the History of Russia, World History and Technical Drawing.

For the Physical training, we go to the stadium. I like it, because sport has always been my hobby. I am fond of track and field athletics. By the way, my parents are fond of hiking and jogging.

I like my University, and when I graduate from it, I hope to be a good specialist.

Exercise 2. Read the dialogues. Then try to reproduce them in pairs. You can make some variations.

These words and word combinations will help you understand the text:

by the way – между прочим

It takes me only 5 minutes… - мне требуется только 5 минут …

to confess – признаваться

it is very convenient – очень удобно

Dialogue 1

• Hello, Denis! Is that really you?

• Oh, Victor, it’s so good to see you again. I had no idea that you live in Vladivostok.

• Well, I do. I’ve entered the Far-Eastern State Technical University.

• Oh, I’ve heard the competition was high.

• Yes, but I passed my entrance exams successfully. Last week we started our classes.

• A lot of work?

• I must confess I have to work hard.

• What subjects do you study?

• We study Higher Mathematics, Technical Drawing, Strength of Materials, a foreign language – English and many others. The World History and the History of Russia are my favorite subjects.

• I hope you will visit us. By the way, where do you live? In the dormitory?

• Yes, you see, it’s very convenient to live not far from the University. It takes me only 5 minutes to get there.

• Do you remember our address?

• Oh, it’s very easy: Fokin street, 30, the flat number is also 30.

Right?

• Good memory! Come and see us!

• Bye!

• Bye! Take care!