Английский язык. Рассказы. Уровень В2+ - стр. 7
Balalaikas in Syria
1. Where did Alexander travel?
2. What was he doing then?
3. How did those teenagers become professionals so early?
4. When did they travel to Damascus?
5. What was the weather like in Siberia when they left?
6. What did Alexander warn his group about?
7. What surprised them when they arrived at the airport?
8. What was the temperature like the next day?
9. How could they get around in the city during the day?
10. What was Damascus like during the daytime?
11. When does life really begin?
12. What do the locals do in the evening?
13. Is such a vivid night life typical for Siberia?
14. What was another thing that surprised Alexander?
15. Had he travelled a lot before this trip?
16. How did the audience meet the group?
17. What was unusual for the local public in terms of music?
18. Where were they especially successful?
19. What could be the reason for that?
20. Whose music did they play among others?
21. How did the audience receive them in Aleppo?
22. Where did they stay?
23. What facilities were there at those hotels?
24. Why was it such a great surprise for Alexander?
25. What did he think of that trip?
Balalaikas in Syria
Training 1
My Russian friend Alexander made a trip to Syria some years ago. He was working in a city in the heart of Siberia as an interpreter for a dancing group, composed of boys and girls. They were a very professional dancing group, as they’d all started dancing at about the age of six and had been training intensively since then. Every time he looked at them, he couldn’t help admiring them, as they danced better than many adult dancing groups that he’d seen.
Training 2
They travelled to Damascus in the middle of summer. When they arrived at the airport, however, it was announced that it was just eighteen degrees, so they couldn’t believe their ears. The next day, however, the heat wave came, and it was blistering hot. The temperature reached forty-seven degrees, and so during the day it was absolutely unbearable to be in the open.
Training 3
During the daytime in the summer Damascus is just like a dead city, with nearly empty streets with only very few people and no other signs of life. But when the sun goes down life there really begins. All of the people come out into the streets, the restaurants open, they go to parties, visit each other, buy and sell things, go to the cinemas – everything starts at nine in the evening and carries on until about two or three in the morning.
Training 4
Their dancing tour was a great success. They were in several cities, and in each place that they danced the audiences went wild. They applauded and called for encores again and again. They were accompanied by a small group of musicians playing Russian instruments, balalaikas, and this was very unusual for the local people, as their music was absolutely different, so they were altogether amused, amazed and thoroughly entertained.