Reading.1.Material

d that eating lentils in the
New Year will make you rich.

Vocabulary: Christmas Time

Christmas Day první svátek vánoční (25.12.) Christmas Eve štědný den (24.12.)
to decorate zdobit to ring bell zazvonit na zvonek
to announce oznámit to rush pospíchat, hnát se
to (un)wrap present (roz)zabalit dárek to relax odpočívat
to believe věřit to resist odolávat
to avoid vyhýbat se to fast postít se
to keep tradition dodržovat tradice to toss shoe házet střevícem
to predict předpovídat to float pouštět (po vodě)
to mean znamenat to pour lead odlévat olovo
to guess future hádat budoucnost it is believed věří se
to eat lentils jíst čočku to make rich zbohatnout
to smell (good) / scent (pěkně) vonět / vůně to spank with broom naplácat metlou
customs / carols zvyky / koledy shopping spree nákupní horečka
advent wreath adventní věnec conifer jehličnan
spruce / pine / fir smrk / borovice / jedlička artificial tree umělý strom
candle / spring svíčka / větvička tip of tree špička stromu
festoons / chains girlandy / řetězy gingerbread perník
mistletoe / chains jmelí / řetězy balls / ornaments baňky / ozdoby
sparklers prskavky fried carp / trout smažený kapr / pstruh
flour / breadcrumb mouka / strouhanka coating obal (ze strouhanky)
roast goose / duck pečená husa / kachna sauerkraut kysané zelí
dumplings knedlíky vanilla rolls vanilkové rohlíčky
almonds / raisins mandle / rozinky Christmas cake vánočka
nativity scene betlém stocking punčocha
relatives příbuzní superstition pověra
influence vliv home-made sweets domácí cukroví
tangerines mandarinky recipe recept
walnut shells skořápky seed semena, jadýrka
good / bad luck štěstí / neštěstí death smrt
regular star pravidelná hvězda decayed cross nesouměrný kříž
midnight mass půlnoční mše to keep scale nosit s sebou šupinu
at least alespoň at last = finally nakonec, konečně
however avšak whether zdali
until dokud ne including včetně


My Experience: Christmas Celebration
Every year I look forward to Christmas. About a month before the Christmas holidays,
decorations start appearing. Green, golden and silver festoons awaken the holiday spirit,
everywhere a peaceful mood prevails – except crowded shops and department stores. At this
time, we tend to think more about other people and look for suitable gifts.
Advent begins four weeks before Christmas Eve. During this period, we prepare
home-made sweets (i.e. sweets with nuts and almonds including Christmas cake, gingerbread,
or vanila rolls). The third Sunday before Christmas is called Bronze Sunday, the second one
Silver Sunday and the first one before Christmas Eve is Golden Sunday. The nativity scene,
the true symbol of Christmas, finally appears in the sitting room.
On December 5th, we celebrate St. Nicholas' Day. My youger brother looks forward to
the good St. Nicholas and an angel, but he is afraid of a devil. He must say whether or not he
was naughty, and sing a song or recite a poem. Well-behaved children get a stocking filled
with fruits and sweets, others get only coal, are spanked with broom, put into bag and taken
straight down to hell.
On Christmas Eve, me and my brother get up very early to decorate the Christmas
spruce. On top, we put a glass star, then we hang sweets, fragile balls, festoons, candles,
sparklers and gingerbreads on the branches. After that, we have breakfast. Then we do not eat
anything the whole day to see the golden piglet. We just sit in front of the television and
switch from channel to channel.
When it gets dark, we have Christmas dinner – fish soup, fried carp with potato salad,
sweets and fruits. After the dinner, dad lights the candles and sparklers, and rings a little bell.
At last – we rush to the living room to unwrap long awaited Christmas presents!
▄
VII. Food and Meals

We usually start a day with breakfast which consists of something to drink – tea or cocoa,
warm or hot milk, black or French coffee – and something to eat, e.g. a slice of bread and
butter, cheese or eggs, ham, salami, jam etc. Instead of bread we may have rolls, buns,
doughnut or gingerbread. Many people have cereals for their breakfast – either cornflakes or
porridge. They also add various ingredients - yogurt, raisins, stewed fruit, walnuts, hazelnuts.
Traditional British breakfast consists of a glass of fruit juice and cornflakes with sugar
and milk. Sundays are reserved for big cooked breakfast (which is sometimes called „brunch“
– breakfast and lunch together) consisting of boiled or scrambled eggs with fried bacon or
sausage and toast. Most people like a crisp piece of toast with butter and marmelade or honey.
Around noon we have warm lunch which consists of some soup, a main dish,
something to drink and salad or dessert. Soups are either vegetable (potato, tomato, pea, bean,
carrot, parsley, celery, mushrooms) or meat teas (beef tea, tripe, chicken or goulash soup).
The main dish can be either sweet - e.g strawberry or plum dumplings, pancakes with
jam and cream, baked yeast dumplings or doughnuts. Or we have some meat, fish or poultry
with vegetables such as potatoes, chips, rice, Czech dumplings or pasta. As for meat, we
distinguish beef, pork, veal, mutton and lamb. These can be prepared in various ways – roast,
grill, boil, stew – or we can mince or smoke some kinds of meat. Poultry includes chicken,
hen, duck, turkey, goose. Lots of people eat rabbits, the main fish cooked is carp and trout.
While cooking, we add various spices so that the meal can have a unique flavour -
garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, curry, pepper, ginger, red pepper, mace, cinnamon,
clove, cumin or bay leaf. Also ketchup, soya sauce, vinegar or mustard will season the meal.
After the main dish we may have lemonade, cider, juice or syrup and water, while
adults like beer and black coffee.
Typical Czech meals include roast goose or pork with sauerkraut and dumplings,
Moravian sparrows, potato pancakes, fruit dumplings with cottage cheese, potato dumplings
or fried cheese. However, our cuisine is a bit unhealthy and people may get fat.

Phrases: At the Restaurant

Waiter/waitress, is this table free? Je tento stůl volný, číšníku ?
I need a table for 2 persons. Potřebuji stůl pro 2 osoby.
The menu, please. – Here you are. Jídelní lístek, prosím. – Tady je.
May I take your order? -. Yes, I will have.. Máte vybráno? – Ano, dám si..
What will you take to eat/to drink? Co si dáte k jídlu/pití ?
What would you recommend us? Co byste nám doporučil ?
Have you any specialities? Máte nějaké speciality ?
I'm rather hungry/thirsty. Mám velký hlad/žízeň.
And to follow ? / And what sidedishes ? Ještě něco dalšího ? / A jaké přílohy ?
Bring me a glass of juice, please. Přineste mi sklenici šťávy, prosím.
What sweet would you like? Jaký moučník si budete přát ?
Enjoy your meal ! / Cheers ! Dobrou chuť ! / Na zdraví !
Would you bring me another…/ some more… Přinesl byste mi další… / ještě…
How's your steak ? - It's delicious. Jak vám chutná biftek ? – Je výborný.
I didn't order that dish. Toto jídlo jsem si neobjednal.
May I have the bill/check? Platím, prosím.
Keep the change. Nechte si drobné.
Were you satisfied? Byli jste spokojeni ?
Vocabulary: Food and Meals

Quantities Množství
a piece of / a lump of / a dash of kousek (čeho) / kostka / špetka
a loaf (loaves) / a slice of / a package of bochník (bochníky) / krajíc / balení
a bottle of / a glass of / a can (tin) of / a mug of láhev / sklenice / plechovka / půllitr
a container of / a teaspoon of / a tablespoon of kelímek / lžička / lžíce

Bread, Cereals Chléb, obilniny
wheat / rye / oat / barley / maize(BR) = corn(AM) pšenice / žito / oves / ječmen / kukuřice
bread / toast / roll / doughnut chléb / topinka / rohlík / kobliha
cereals / cornflakes / porridge obilniny / kukuřičné lupínky / ovesná kaše
dumpling / noodles / pasta / dessert knedlík / nudle / těstoviny / dezert, moučník
pastry=cookie / pie / pancake / cake / biscuits cukroví / koláč / palačinka / dort / sušenky

Vegetables Zelenina
lettuce / spinach / cabbage / cauliflower hlávkový salát / špenát / zelí / květák
cucumber / onion / garlic / carrot / parsley okurka / cibule / česnek / mrkev / petržel
leek / beans / peas / lentils / tomato pórek / fazole / hrášek / čočka / rajče
radish / horse raddish / mushrooms ředkvička / křen / houby
mashed potatoes / pickles / rice bramborová kaše / nakládaná zelenina / rýže

Fruits Ovoce
blackberry / blueberry / strawberry / raspberry ostružiny / borůvky / jahoda / malina
gooseberry / currants / apricot / peach / plum angrešt / rybíz / meruňka / broskev / švestka
apple / pear / pineapple / grapes / lemon jablko / hruška / ananas / hrozny / citrón
cherry / walnut / date / fig / grapefruit třešeň / vlašský ořech / datle / fík / grep

Dairy Products, Eggs Mléčné výrobky, vejce
skim milk / whole milk / yog(h)urt odstředěné mléko / plnotučné mléko / jogurt
cream / whipped cream / butter smetana / šlehačka / máslo
processed cheese / cottage cheese / brie tavený sýr / tvaroh / hermelín
scrambled eggs / soft(hard)-boiled eggs míchaná vejce / vejce naměkko(natvrdo)

Meat Maso
stewed / roast/ broiled / fried dušené / pečené / restované / smažené
boiled / smoked / stuffed / sautéed vařené / uzené / nadívané / flambované
rare / medium / well-done (steak) krvavý/ středně / dobře propečený (biftek)
pork / pork cutlet vepřové / vepřový řízek
beef / beef steak / roast beef / sirloin hovězí / biftek / roštěnka / svíčková
mutton / lamb / veal / venison skopové / jehněcí / telecí / zvěřina
poultry / turkey / duck / goose (geese) drůbež / krocan / kachna / husa (husy)
tripes / kidneys / liver / salami vnitřnosti / ledvinky / játra / salám
bacon/ lean ham / sausage slanina / libová šunka / párek, klobása

Fish Ryby
fillet of fish / kipper / carp / pike / trout / tuna fish rybí filé / uzenáč / kapr / štika / pstruh / tuňák
salmon / herring / oysters / shrimp / octopus losos / sleď / ústřice / garnát / chobotnička

Flavourings Přísady
spiced / hot=spicy / sweet / salt,salty / pepper kořeněný / pálivý / nepálivý / sůl, slaný / pepř
red-paprika / hot-pepper / mustard / vinegar sladká paprika / pálivá paprika / hořčice / ocet
cinnamon / mint / caraway / dill / cloves skořice / máta / kmín / kopr / hřebíček
My Experience: Czech Cuisine
Czechs, in general, like fatty meals with lard and flour. Our typical dish is roast pork,
sauerkraut and dumplings, goulash with dumplings or roast sirloin of beef in cream sauce
again with dumplings. Czech often eat meat loaf and many kinds of smoked-meat products.
Wiener schnitzel, which is a pork steak, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and fried, is a
popular dish as well. The typical Czech soup is tripe soup. Here are some more traditional
dishes: bread dumplings with bacon or dumplings filled with plums or stuffed pork ribs,
Moravian sparrows, potato pancakes, fruit dumplings with cottage cheese or fried cheese.
In the Czech Republic a typical lunch consists of two courses. The first course is
always soup of any kind – vegetable, rice, tomato soup or broth with noodles. The main
course is meat and side dishes like pasta, potatoes, rise or chips and vegetable trimmings. It's
eaten together with stewed fruit or vegetable salad. We usually don't have pudding after lunch
but there is always something sweet with the afternoon coffee – apple strudel, buns or cakes.
▄
VIII. Shopping

Grocer´s is the most frequent kind of shops. That´s where we go to buy the most demanded
goods – food and drinks. In a small shop or stand, the shopkeeper himself assists us while in a
supermarket we take a cart or basket and we select an item – bread, rolls, buns or cakes –
ourselves. The greengrocer´s is a separate department. Frequently offered and sold products
vary from apples, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, pineapples, dates, grapes to nuts (hazelnuts,
walnuts, coconuts, peanuts). In summer the choice is even wider due to cherries, raspberries,
blackberries or water-melons. We also need flour, diary products and vegetables – lettuce,
peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cauliflower, cabbage, lentils, beans, soybeans – to improve
vitamin-poor diet. Spices, e.g. cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, marjoram, ginger, bay leaf,
allspice or thyme are offered in small packages. Butcher´s offers pork, beef, mutton, lamb,
poultry as well as paté, salami, sausage, fish and venison.
At the drugstore we can get soap, shampoo, creams, toothbrush or toothpaste. Men
choose shaving accessories – after-shave lotions or various deodorants. At the chemist´s we
purchase detergents for washing dishes. The pharmacy sells pills, drops, ointments, bandages,
adhesive plasters, cotton-wool and sleeping pills.
In a domestic appliance store we select goods which we need for our household.
A furniture store typically sells shelves, wardrobes, sofas, armchairs, tables or beds.
We buy office accessories, i.e. pens, pencils, envelopes, or stamps at the stationery.
At the jeweller´s, we shop only on special occasions. It offers chains, rings, bracelets
or earnings of gold, silver or other precious metals. We buy flowers at the florist´s. If we do
not have the time to run from one shop to another, we go to a department store.
It is frequent to take the dirty clothes to the laundry. We usually go to dry-cleaner's.
People use services of hairdresser's. Men like going to barber's, women to beauty salons. If
you need a pair of glasses, you have to go to the optician. Old books are sold at second hand
bookshops, houses through estate agent's and holidays at the travel agent's. When your watch
breaks down, you take it to the watchmaker's. Shoes are repaired in shoe repair shop. Post
services deliver letters and packages.
In most shops there are rows of shelves with products and counters with cash registers,
supermarkets have check-outs. The customers use either shopping baskets or shopping
trolleys. In clothes shops there are fitting rooms. You can pay either in cash, by card or by
cheque.Then you get a receipt that gives you a guarantee and possibility to take the goods
back and get a refund. Shops also offer buying on credit. When you pay by card, you do not
need to withdraw money from cash machine.
Shops use tricks to make a client spend more – the shop window must be attractive
and often changed. Shops often offer reductions on prices, the image of products is provided
by advertisements on billboars.
Phrases: At the Shop

Can I help you? Přejete si?
Are you being served? Jste obsluhován?
What can I do for you? Co pro vás mohu udělat?
I'm just looking round. Jen se dívám.
Can you recommend me any… ? Mohl byste mi doporučit ... ?
I would like… / I´m interested in… Rád bych…
Can you show me ... ? Můžete mi ukázat ... ?
I´d like a pair of... Chtěl bych pár...
Here you are. Tady to je.
I'm sorry we haven't any. Bohužel nemáme.
We're out of stock. Došly nám zásoby.
Shall we order it for you? Můžeme vám to objednat?
Do you have a different one? Máte jiný?
I want something a bit cheaper. Chci o něco levnější.
I would like something of a better quality. Rád bych něco kvalitnějšího.
I will have it. / I will leave it. Vezmu si to. / Nevezmu si to.
Can you please wrap it? Mohl byste to zabalit?
How much is it? Kolik to stojí?
What´s the price of …/ per kilo? Jaká je cena… / za kilogram?
It costs… / That's... pounds / dollars. Stojí to / Dělá to… liber / dolarů.
Anything else? Přejete si ještě něco?
How do you wish to pay? Jak si přejete platit?
In cash / by cheque / by credit card Hotově / šekem / kartou.
Here's your change. Tady máte nazpět.
Here's your receipt. Tady je účet.

What size do you take? Jakou máte velikost?
Could I try it on? Mohu to vyzkoušet?
Does it fit? / Does it suit you? Padne mi to? / Padne vám to?
Have you got something bigger? Máte něco většího?
These shoes are too small / narrow. Tyto boty jsou příliš malé / úzké.

I want to complain about ... Chci reklamovat ...
Can you exchange this? Můžete mi tohle vyměnit?
It's damaged. Je to poškozené.
It doesn't work. Nefunguje to.
I want to return this. Chci to vrátit.
I want you to refund my money. Chci, abyste mi vrátili peníze
Goods are replaced but not refunded. Zboží vyměňujeme, ale peníze nevracíme.
Vocabulary: Shopping

shop (BR) = store (US) obchod consumer spotřebitel
department store obchodní dům customer zákazník
shopping mall (obří) nákupní centrum shop keeper obchodník
self-service samoobsluha shop assistant prodavač
marketplace tržnice stocker „zásobovač“
opening hours otevírací doba cashier pokladní
vending machine prodejní automat trolley / basket vozík / košík
(at the) grocer’s potraviny, smíšené zboží queue fronta
greengrocer’s ovoce a zelenina shelf (-ves) regál(y)
baker’s pekařství counter pult
butcher’s řeznictví fitting room zkušební kabinka
fishmonger’s rybárna variety of goods škála zboží
confectionery cukrárna shop-window výloha
pharmacy lékárna chilled cabinet chladicí box
chemist’s (BR) = drugstore (AM) drogerie (s lékárnou) department oddělení
optician optik cash register pokladna (přístroj)
watchmaker’s hodinářství check-out pokladna (místo)
clothes shop oděvy scales váha (přístroj)
tailor’s shop krejčovství pound libra (cca 450 g)
shoe shop obuv ounce unce (cca 30 g)
ironmongery železářství price / price tag cena / cenovka
bookshop knihkupectví receipt účtenka
second hand bookshop antikvariát packaging balení
stationer’s papírnictví by card / by cheque kartou / šekem
jeweller’s zlatnictví in cash / on credit hotově / na úvěr
news-stand novinový stánek cash machine bankomat
florist’s květinářství reduction = discount sleva
antiques shop starožitnictví bargain výhodná koupě
pet shop chovatelské potřeby sale(s) výprodej
laundry prádelna advertisement reklama
dry-cleaner’s čistírna (oděvů) shopping frenzy = spree nákupní horečka
hairdresser’s kadeřnictví travel agent’s cestovní kancelář
barber’s holičství estate agent’s realitní kancelář
to wander around procházet (obchodem) to complain about reklamovat (co)
to have a look prohlížet si (zboží) to go window-shopping prohlížet si výlohy
to refund money vrátit peníze to sell / to sell out prodávat / vyprodat
to replace goods vyměnit zboží to be in (out of) stock (ne)být na skladě
to queue stát ve frontě to withdraw vybrat (z bankomatu)
to serve obsluhovat to pay for / to spend on platit za / utrácet za
to weigh zvážit to give a guarantee poskytnout záruku

My Experience: My Shopping Habits
I always like making shopping lists. It makes the shopping quicker and you don't forget
anything. Stores usually offer bargains that you easily forget the items you wanted to buy.
Our family does the shopping in supermarkets because there is a variety of goods. It is
also convenient for buying clothes because you can try things on. But we buy food in our
corner shop. I shop clothes in department stores as there are designer models. I sometimes
buy cheaper things in the local street market though the possibility to complain about goods
is limited. I buy drinks, sweets or crisps from vending machines when I wait for a bus
because they are usually at hand and open non-stop. I only rarely visit shopping arcades in
town centre and marketplace in the suburb.
I usually go straight away and buy what I need while my mum hesitates more, she
goes window-shopping first and looks for special discounts. Internet e-stores offer lower
prices but I have to pay for the expensive transport. I am conservative in this respect – I prefer
trying on the goods before I buy it.
▄
IX. Seasons and Weather

The way the planet Earth moves around the Sun has an influence on weather and seasons. Our
country is located in a mild climatic zone – therefore there are four seasons of the year:
spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each season lasts for three months and brings us
something nice as well as something unpleasant.
On March 23rd, spring starts. It tends to be quite cold: snow melts, so floods may set
in, and there is a lot of mud and dirt everywhere. The weather is unstable. It drizzles, there are
often showers or even