There are different ways in which we can talk about our countries. For example, if we want to describe the landscape of the country, let it be Saint Petersburg region, what can we say about it? (students say, that for exmp. 'there are many forests', 'there are no mountains', etc.) In groups three-two-two think of a 2-3 sentences to describe St.Petersburg region.

Please look at the blackboard: in the first column you can see six different nouns and to what do they all relate? (describing a landscape) [Ask one of the students to read them.] What is in the second column then? (adjectives that can be connected to these nouns). In groups of four, try to match as many words together as you can. We'll check the answers together.

[Students work in two teams, matching adj. to the nouns --> 3-4 min] Then one volunteer from each team (in turns) goes to the WB and matches nouns with the adj. If one of the teams has really good and difficult collocations, elicit descriptions from them. Then T makes more difficult combinations and elicits from students their meaning. CCQ: rolling hills - show movement with a hand; barren filed - show white sheet of paper.

Each student picks up a paper with a map of a country with different natural features marked on it. Using the vocabulary provided, they have to mingle around the class, describing their country to each other, until they find the compatriot (a fellow countryman).

It's a role-play task. T: "Imagine that you want to sell your house. Where would you go? (to the real-estate agency). Now, imagine that one of you is a client and one of you is a real-estate agent, so your aim would be to....? (to sell your house for the highest price possible). What do you think you can't do? (you can't show your house to potential buyer). What would you need to do then? (to describe). You have to be honest, but you are free to show some facts in a more favorable light!" There are four pictures of different houses/cabins/apartments in different locations (some are really fancy and some are terrible:) Students have to pick one picture (they don't see the pictures when they pick them). T gives to each team 20 000 in play money. Students have to sell their house and buy a new one. The winner is the pair who ends up with the larger sum :)