Below is a massive list of book collecting words — that is, words related to book collecting. The top 4 are: bookstore, book, first edition and librarian. You can get the definition(s) of a word in the list below by tapping the question-mark icon next to it. The words at the top of the list are the ones most associated with book collecting, and as you go down the relatedness becomes more slight. By default, the words are sorted by relevance/relatedness, but you can also get the most common book collecting terms by using the menu below, and there’s also the option to sort the words alphabetically so you can get book collecting words starting with a particular letter. You can also filter the word list so it only shows words that are also related to another word of your choosing. So for example, you could enter «bookstore» and click «filter», and it’d give you words that are related to book collecting and bookstore.
You can highlight the terms by the frequency with which they occur in the written English language using the menu below. The frequency data is extracted from the English Wikipedia corpus, and updated regularly. If you just care about the words’ direct semantic similarity to book collecting, then there’s probably no need for this.
There are already a bunch of websites on the net that help you find synonyms for various words, but only a handful that help you find related, or even loosely associated words. So although you might see some synonyms of book collecting in the list below, many of the words below will have other relationships with book collecting — you could see a word with the exact opposite meaning in the word list, for example. So it’s the sort of list that would be useful for helping you build a book collecting vocabulary list, or just a general book collecting word list for whatever purpose, but it’s not necessarily going to be useful if you’re looking for words that mean the same thing as book collecting (though it still might be handy for that).
If you’re looking for names related to book collecting (e.g. business names, or pet names), this page might help you come up with ideas. The results below obviously aren’t all going to be applicable for the actual name of your pet/blog/startup/etc., but hopefully they get your mind working and help you see the links between various concepts. If your pet/blog/etc. has something to do with book collecting, then it’s obviously a good idea to use concepts or words to do with book collecting.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for in the list below, or if there’s some sort of bug and it’s not displaying book collecting related words, please send me feedback using this page. Thanks for using the site — I hope it is useful to you! 🐽
That’s about all the book collecting related words we’ve got! I hope this list of book collecting terms was useful to you in some way or another. The words down here at the bottom of the list will be in some way associated with book collecting, but perhaps tenuously (if you’ve currenly got it sorted by relevance, that is). If you have any feedback for the site, please share it here, but please note this is only a hobby project, so I may not be able to make regular updates to the site. Have a nice day! 🐂
WORDS
AND EXPRESSIONS:
a a unique ancient to an science a a rare to printing antiquarian a |
ядро, исследование уникальный древний ценить издание, научная наука книга, редкий содержать печатный антикварный благотворительная |
Book collecting.
Book
collecting is a popular hobby. Many people collect books because they
enjoy reading and like to collect things. Private book collections
have formed the nucleus of some of the world’s most important
libraries. Some people have also presented their collections to
universities, where the books may be used for study and research.
There are many types of book collections, unique or ancient book
collections.
Author
collections concentrate on the works of a single author. Book
collectors especially value editions with the autograph of the
author.
Subject
collections include books on a particular subject, such as science
fiction or books about sports or sportsmen. Some subject collections
are vast with thousands of volumes, but most are much smaller.
Title
collections consist of as many as possible editions of a single
title. The editions which are translated into different languages are
also included.
Unique
or ancient book collections focus on books that are unusually
beautiful, rare, very old, or of an unusual shape and size. These
collections may contain books with unique illustrations, with rare
printing styles.
Collectors
find books for their collections in rare-book shops, antiquarian
bookshops, secondhand bookshops, and at jumble-sales.
Exercise
1. Translate into Russian:
to enjoy reading; rare-book shops; jumble-sale; the world’s most
important libraries; the works of a single author; thousands of
volumes; title collections; unique illustrations; particular subject;
different languages; ancient books; for study and research.
Exercise
2. Find the
equivalents of
these expressions
in the
text:научная
фантастика; благотворительная распродажа;
редкий печатный стиль; частные коллекции
книг; автограф автора; книги о спорте;
необычный размер и форма; антикварные
книжные магазины; включать в себя книги
на определённую тему.
Exercise
3. Try to match up the
adjectives on the left with the nouns on the right.
1.
unusual a) illustrations
2.
different b) shop
3.
particular c) hobby
4.
unique d) collection
5.
single e) subject
6.
printing f) author
7.
ancient g) languages
8.
rare-book h) shape
9.
popular i) styles
Exercise
4. Answer the questions:
-
Why
do people collect books? -
What
are general types of book collections? -
What
is author collection? -
What
kind of books do subject collections include? -
What
do you know about title collections? -
What
can you tell about unique book collections? -
Where
do collectors find books? -
Do
you like books? Do you collect books?
Exercise
5. Give
the degrees of comparison of the following adjectives: rare,
popular, new, hard, wide, widespread, fast, good, heavy, bad,
interesting, important, great.
Exercise
6. Decide which word is the
odd one out in each of the following groups of words.
-
games,
sports, autographs, physical activity; -
unique,
unusual, rare, usual; -
knitting,
buttons, books, dolls; -
ceramics,
singing, metalworking, jewellery making; -
music,
dancing, painting, games.
Exercise
7. Divide the following
words and phrases into groups: arts, collecting, handicrafts, games
and sports.
To
sew, music, to sing, dancing, painting, stamps, coins, needlework,
physical activity, knitting, models, competitions, exercise, to play
the piano, to play football, ceramics, to crochet, autographs, rare
books, to attend concerts, to play tennis.
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Государственное автономное
профессиональное образовательное учреждение
Самарской области
«Самарский колледж сервиса производственного оборудования
имени Героя Российской Федерации Е.В. Золотухина»
Т.Е.Морозова
ИНОСТРАННЫЙ
ЯЗЫК
Методическое пособие
для самостоятельной работы студентов 1 курса всех специальностей очной и
заочной форм обучения.
Самара,
2016 г
ОДОБРЕНА Предметно-цикловой комиссией __ « » _____2016 |
Рекомендовано решением совета от Председатель зам. ______________ « » _____2016 |
Разработала:
Морозова Т.Е.
Рецензент:
Русяйкина Г.Н.
Данное методическое пособие предназначено для студентов первых
курсов всех специальностей очной и заочной форм, обучающихся в Самарском
колледже сервиса производственного оборудования. Пособие включает темы, с
которыми в процессе изучения английского языка сталкиваются студенты всех специальностей.
Структура тематического материала проста и
эффективна, так как содержит не только тексты, но и задания к ним, что
способствует их продуктивному усвоению. Задания к текстам направлены на
активное использование лексико-грамматической информации и на закрепление
данной темы. В текстах предлагается материал общей лексической ориентации,
который позволяет учащимся ознакомиться с основными сведениями по лексике и
грамматике английского языка.
Методика преподавания иностранного языка предполагает
как работу с преподавателем, так и самостоятельную работу студентов как во
время занятия так и в свободное время дома. Структура данного методического
пособия позволяет успешно выполнять эти задачи.
Пособие может быть
рекомендовано к использованию в образовательном процессе.
Theme: My Family
EXEPCISE 1 Read, translate, and
study the use of
the new words to
read and discuss
the texts and dialogues (Прочитайте, переведите и выучите новые слова, которые будут
необходимы для чтения и обсуждения текстов и диалогов):
1) neither….nor…
2) to consist of.
3) secondary
4) foreign, a foreign language.
5) to cook.
6) to sew
7) to knit (knit, knit)
even
9) far
10) to take(took, taken)
11) favourite, favourite subjects
12) appearance
13) slim and slender
14) fair , fair hair
15) to look like
16) to be fond of
17) North Caucasus
18) entire, entire South
19) a block
20) to go shopping
21) to get along with
22) to take care of
23) each other
24) to go down to the country
25) a pity
26) the same, the same colour
27) to share
28) to invite
29) enough
30) tasty
31) a day off
32) a library
33) a report
34) properly
35) fashion, to be in fashion
36) satisfaction, job satisfaction
37) conditions, good conditions
.
EXEPCISE 2 Translate the fallowing word
combinations. Pay attention to the prepositions(Переведите следующие словосочетание. Обратите внимание на предлоги):
1)With dark short hair-
2) at the firm-
3) a lot of time-
4) at the secondary school-
5) a student of the college-
6) from our house-
7) by bus-
in a modern style-
9) at the disco-
10) to go to the swimming pool-
11) in the North Caucasus-
12) in the entire South of Russia-
13) on the right high bank of the river-
14) near our house-
15) on weekend –
16) to go to the theatre-
17) on the fifth floor-
18) in the corner-
19) on the wall above the beds-
20) near the window-
21) at the desk-
22) into our room-
23) for us-
24) for our parents
25) the hall of our flat-
26) about you-
27) for today-
28) in our country-
29) between an American and a Russian student-
30) with you
EXEPCISE 3 Fill in the gaps with the proper
prepositions (Заполните пропуски правильными предлогами):
1.I was a pupil … a secondary school, now I am a student … a
college.
2. I go … my college … bus because it is far … our house.
3.My mother is a slim and slender woman … blue eyes and fair
hair.
4.There is a picture … the table … the wall.
5.There are two chairs … the desk.
EXERCISE 4. Read and give a summary of the text
(Прочитайте и перескажите)
Text My family and me
Our family nether big nor small. It consists of my
father, my mother, my brother , and me. My father, a tall man with dark short
hair, is 40 years old. He works as a manager at the firm. He likes his work and
spends a lot of time there. My mother, a tall and thin woman with big blue eyes
and fair hair, is younger than my father, she is 38. My mother is a teacher at
the secondary school. She teaches her students foreign languages: German and
English. She also spends much time at school, but she finds time to cook, sew,
knit, and even to help my brother and me with our homework. My brother is only
10, and he is a schoolboy.
I an 14. I am a student of the college. My college is
far from our house, and it takes me half an hour to get there by bus. We are
studying different subjects there, but my favourite ones are History and
English. As to my appearance, I’m slim and slender. My hair is fair, my eyes are
blue. I look like my mother. I like to dress in a modern style. Music is my
hobby. I am fond of dancing at the disco. I like to buy and read English books
too. Twice a week, I go to the swimming pool.
We live in Rostov-on-Don, the biggest city not only in
the North Caucasus, but in the entire South of Russia. It is located on the
right high bank of the Don river. We have a three-room flat in a new block of
houses. There is a nice green park near our house, where we spend a lot of
our free time. There are many different shops not far from our house. My
brother and I often go shopping.
Our family is nice, and everybody is easy to get along
with. We take care of each other. We spend much time together. Recently we have
bought a car, and now we often go down to the country to have a rest on
weekends. In the evening, all members of our family watch TV, discuss everyday
problems. Sometimes we go to the theatre or to the concert.
EXERCISE 5. Read and give a summary of the text
(Прочитайте и перескажите)
Text The place we live in
We live a comfortable flat in a new house. It is on
the fifth floor. It is neither large nor small. There are three rooms in it: a
living room, two bedrooms. We have also a kitchen, a bathroom, and a hall. It
is a great pity that we have no balcony.
Our living room is large and light because there are two
wide windows in it. The walls of the room are blue, the curtains on the
windows, and the carpet on the floor are of the same colour. There is no much
furniture there: a sofa, a table with four chairs, two armchairs, and a TVset
in the corner. All the members of our family spend a lot of time there
Our parents occupy one bedroom which is not large but
very cosy. There are two beds, a wardrobe, two armchairs, and a TV set in it.
There is a large thick carpet on the floor, and a nice picture on the wall
above the beds.
My brother and I share another bedroom. There you can
see two beds, a small desk near the window, two chairs at the desk; for me and
my brother. The bookcase is near the door. There are many books in it. Besides,
we have many shelves on the walls. There is a musical centre on one of them. We
have a lot of friends. And when they come to see us, we invite them into our
room. We usually listen to music or play different games.
Our kitchen is big enough. As a rule, we have breakfast
and dinner in the kitchen together. Our mother is cooking for us, but sometimes
we prepare some tasty things with my brother for our parents.
The hall of our flat is not narrow. There is a big
wardrobe there. And besides, there is a telephone on a small round table.
We like our flat very much. We are happy when our
relatives and friends visit us.
EXERCISE 5. Quite the sentences in which these
words and word combinations are used in the texts (Процитируйте предложения, в которых эти слова и словосочетания используются в текстах)
1) neither big nor small,
2) is younger than,
3) far from our house,
4) it takes me half an hour,
5) as to my appearance,
6) in a modern style,
7) twice a week,
not only… but,
9) go shopping,
10) easy to get along with,
11) take care of,
12) go down to the country,
13) it is a great pity,
14) of the same colour,
15) besides,
16) listen to music,
17) play games,
18) is big enough
EXERCISE 7 .Find
in the texts English equivalents for these words and word combinations ( Найдите в текстах
английские эквиваленты следующим словам в словосочетаниям):
ни большая, ни маленькая; она состоит
из; работает менеджером; много времени; светлые волосы; моложе, чем;
иностранные языки; находит время готовить, шить, вязать; мне требуется полчаса;
на автобусе; любимые предметы; что касается моей внешности; изящная; похожа на
маму; люблю танцевать; дважды в неделю; Северный Кавказ; весь юг России;
квартал домов; ходить за покупками; легко ладят; ездим за город; очень жаль;
этого же цвета; в углу; кроме того; достаточно
большая.
EXERCISE
8. Film in the gaps with the missing words in the following sentences, the
first letter of each word has been given to help you (Заполните пропуски необходимыми словами, первая буква каждого
слова поможет вам сделать
это):
1) Our family is n… big nor small.
2) He works a…a manager at the firm.
3) My mother is a tall woman w… blue eyes and f… hair.
4) She is y… than he.
5) She finds time e… to help me with my homework.
6) It takes me h…an hour to get the college.
7) I look l… my mother.
I am f… of dancing.
9) I go to the swimming pool t… a week.
10) Everybody is easy to get a… with.
Theme: How We
Spend Our Free Time
EXERCISE 1. Read, translate, and study the use of
the new words to read and discuss the texts and dialogues.
1) activity-
leisure activity-
2) to
relax-
relaxation-
3) to
be divided into-
4) to
overlap-
5) an
art-
6) to
paint-
painting-
oil paints-
7) to
include-
a
possibility-
possible-
9) a
record-
a tape-
10) to offer-
to offer a choice-
11) widespread-
12) a stamp-
a coin-
13) a doll-
14) handicraft-
15) to attract-
16) to engage in-
17) to crochet-
crocheting-
18) a kit-
19) a boat-
20) jewellery-
21) a competition-
22) to climb-
to climb the mountains-
23) to ski-
24) to increase-
increasingly-
25) to present-
a present-
26) a research-
to research-
27) ancient-
28) single-
29) especially-
30) to value-
31) a science-
science fiction-
32) a volume-
33) rare-
34) to contain-
35) to print-
printing style-
36) a jumble-sale-
37) to attend-
38) education-
educational institution-
39) to add-
40) study aids-
41) to provide-
42) an application program-
43) to differ-
different-
EXERCISE 2. Translate
the following world combinations
1) any type of activity-
2) during their leisure time-
3) for relaxation-
4) for development of new
interests-
5) after periods of hard work-
6) are divided into-
7) for example-
with their hands-
9) many of them-
10) are engaged in needlework
activity-
11) to be popular with many
hobbyists-
12) thousands of hobbyists-
13) take part in sports-
14) the nucleus-
15) of the library-
16) have presented to the
universities-
17) may be used for study-
17) many types of book
collections-
18) concentrate on the works-
19) the autograph of the author-
20) books on a particular
subject-
21) books about sports-
22) with thousands of volumes-
23) are translated into different
languages-
24) with unique illustrations-
25) for their collections-
26) in rare-book shops-
27) at jumble-sales-
EXERCISE 3. Read the text ,try to focus on its
essential аacts, and choose the most
suitable heading below for each paragraph. 1) Collecting 2) Sports and Games
3) Hobbies and Hobbyists 4) Handicrafts 5) Arts
DIFFERENT KINDS OF
HOBBIES
Hobby can be any type of
activity, which people do during their leisure time. Most people choose a hobby
for relaxation, pleasure, or for development of new interests. People of almost
any age can enjoy hobbies. A hobby offers a way to relax after periods of hard
work. Almost any kind of leisure activity can become a hobby. Most hobbies are
divided into four general categories, which may overlap. They are the arts,
collecting, handicrafts, games and sports.
There are
such art forms, as dancing, drama, painting, graphic arts, and music. Each art
form has many possibilities for a hobby. For example, music may include
singing, playing an instrument, collecting records and tapes, learning ballet,
or attending concerts or operas. Painting offers the hobbyist a wide choice of
materials, such as oil paints or
watercolours.
Collecting is probably the
most widespread kind of hobby, because almost any thing can be collected.
Stamps and coins are the most popular items. Hobbyists also collect such things
as autographs, books, dolls, buttons, etc.
Handicrafts attract
hobbyists who can work skillfully with their hands. Many of them are engaged in
needlework activities, crocheting, knitting, and sewing. Some use kits to make
model aeroplanes, boats, and trains. Other handicrafts include ceramics,
metalworking, jewellery making, etc.
Games and sports are
popular with many hobbyists who enjoy competition, physical activity, and
exercise. Thousands of hobbyists take part in sports, such as bowling, fishing,
mountain climbing, skiing, and tennis. Popular indoor games include card games,
chess. Nowadays, electronics-related hobbies are becoming increasingly popular.
Many people, especially children, play computer games.
EXERCISE 4. Read and give a summary of the text.
DIFFEREND TYPES OF BOOK COLLECTIONS
Book collecting is a popular hobby, Many people collect books because
they enjoy reading and like to collect things. Private book collections have
formed the nucleus of some of the world’s most important libraries. Some people
have also presented their collections to universities, where the books may be
used for study and research. There are many types of books collections, such as
author collections, subject collections, title collections, unique or ancient
book collections.
Author collections concentrate on the works of a
single author. Book collectors especially value editions with the autograph of
the author.
Subject collections include books on a particular
subject, such as science fiction, or books about sports or sportsmen. Some
subject collections are vast with thousands of volumes, but most are much
smaller.
Title collections consist of as many as possible
editions of a Single title. The editions, which are translated into different
Languages, are also included. Unique or ancient book collections focus on books
that are unusually beautiful, rare, very old, or of an unusual shape and size. These
collections may contain books with unique illustrations, with rare printing
styles.
Collectors find books for their collections in
rare-book shops, antiquarian bookshops, secondhand bookshops, and at
jumble-sales.
EXERCISE 5. Quote the sentences in which these
words and word combinations are used in the texts:
1) any type of activity-
2) are divided into-
3) may overlap-
4) such art forms as-
5) a wide choiсe of materials-
6) watercolours-
7) the most widespeard-
can be collected-
9) the most popular items-
10) attract a hobbyist-
11) can work skillfully-
12) are engaged in needlework activity-
13) some use kits-
14) take part in sports-
15) electronics-related hobbies-
16) have formed the nucleus-
17) the world’s most important libraries-
18) a single author-
19) on a particular subject-
20) as many as possible editions-
21) of an unusual-
22) of an unusual shape-
23) at jumble-sales-
EXERCISE 6. Fill in the gaps with the missing words
in the following sentences, the first letter of each word has been given to
help you.
1) Most people choose a hobby for p… .
2) People of a… any age can enjoy hobbies.
3) Almost any kind of l… activity can become a hobby.
4) Hobbies of different categories may o… each other.
5) Hobbyists have many p… in each art form.
6) The most w… kind of hobby is collecting.
7) Some hobbyists can work s… with their hands.
Some people are engaged in n… activities.
9) Hobbyist may use k… to make model aeroplanes.
10) J… making is a kind of handicrafts.
EXERCISE 7. Fill in the blanks with the articles a,
an, the where necessary
I have a hobby. I like to cook. During my leisure time
I make… cakes and pies. It is not difficult to make … pie. Sometimes my
brother helps me. He is a good boy, and we get along well with … each other.
My brother usually goes … shopping and buys … different things, which are
necessary for … cooking. My cakes are tasty but I like … pies … best of all.
EXERCISE 8. Read and state the function of the
verbs be, have.
Hobby is a kind of activity. Hobbies are chosen by most
people for relaxation. When a person has chosen a hobby his Life becomes more
interesting. There are different kinds of hobbies, and they are divided into
four categories: the arts, collecting, handicrafts, games and sports. Each art
form has many possibilities for a hobby
EXERCISE 9. Fill in the blanks with the proper
auxiliary verb.
1. She … attending courses for studуing
the English language.
2. He .. just made a model aeroplane.
3. They … singing songs now.
4. She … playing the piano all the evening yesterday.
5. He… presented his collection to the museum.
6. My Friend … bought this rare book at the jumble-sale.
7. The unique Collection of ancient books … presented to him
by his father.
8. The books … found by the collectors in rare-book shops.
9. Books on a particular subject … included in subject
collections.
10. Some books … translated into different languages.
EXERCISE 10. Mind the word order: a) Extend the
following sentences with the words given in brackets.
1.People choose a hobby (most, for, relaxation, and,
pleasure ).
2. Hobbies are divided into for categories (general, most ).
3. The widespread hobby is collecting (most, probably ).
4. Games are popular (sports, and, very, many, hobbyists,
with).
5. Hobbyists take part in sports (of, thousands).
EXERCISE 11. Put the words in the following
sentences in order, the first word in each sentence in is italics.
1. because,
reading, people, Many, collect, enjoy, books, they.
2 .presented,
hove, collections, their, Some, people, universities, to.
3
.concentrate, collections, Author, of, a single author, the works, on.
4.a
particular subject, include, books, Subject, collections, on.
5. find,
Collectors, their, for, shops, rare-book, books, collections, in.
EXERCISE 12. Give possible beginnings of the
sentences.
1 …any type of activity .2. … for relaxation .3. … after periods of
hard work .
4. …may overlap .5. …oil paints and water coolers.
EXERCISE 13. Complete the following sentences in a logical way .
1. Hobby can be any type of activity which …
2. Most people choose a hobby for …
3. Most hobbies are divided into four…
4. There are such divided into four …
5. Each art form has many possibilities for …
6. Music may include singing, playing an instrument, …
7. The most widespread kind of hobby is collecting because…
8. Hobbyists collect such things ,as autographs,…
9. There are many types of book collections ….
10. Collectors find books for their collections in…
11. Handicrafts include a hobbyist who …
12. Handicrafts include needlework activities ,…
13. Games and sports are popular with hobbyist who …
14. They take part in sports ,such as …
15. Popular indoor games include…
EXERCISE 14 .Translate the following sentences from
Russian into English. You will have a story on the topic as a pattern.
1)
Большинство людей выбирают хобби для того, чтобы
расслабиться после тяжёлой работы.
2)
Люди почти любого возраста могут иметь увлечения.
3)
Большинство увлечений могут быть разделены на
четыре общие категории: различные виды искусства, коллекционирование, ручной
труд, игры и спорт.
4)
Существуют различные виды искусства, и каждый из
них имеет массу возможностей для хобби.
5)
Например, музыка может включать пение, игру на
музыкальном инструменте, коллекционирование пластинок, посещение концертов и
т.д.
6)
Самый Распространенный вид увлечений – это,
вероятно, коллекционирование.
7)
Люди собирают марки, монеты, книги, автографы,
куклы, пуговицы и т.д.
Очень популярное увлечение- коллекционирование
книг.
9)
Многие люди коллекционируют книги, потому что они
любят читать.
10) Некоторые коллекционеры собирают редкие или старинные книги, другие-
красивые или необычные.
11) Для своих коллекций коллекционеры обычно находят книги в антикварных
магазинах, на ярмарках-распродажах.
12) Некоторые люди дарят свои коллекции книг музеям, библиотекам.
13) В нашей семье есть уникальная коллекция книг.
14) Они очень красивые, с замечательными иллюстрациями о различных видах
искусства.
15) В свободное время мы часто читаем их.
EXERCISE 15. Compare different kinds of hobbies.
Answer the questions and complete the grid.
№ |
Questions |
The Arts |
Collecting |
Handicrafts |
Game and Sports |
||
1. |
Is it a popular kind of hobby? |
||||||
2. |
Can people of any age enjoy this hobby include? |
||||||
3. |
What does this hobby include? |
||||||
4. |
What do people need for such a hobby? |
||||||
5. |
Do people enjoy this hobby indoors or outdoors? |
||||||
6. |
Do people enjoy this hobby alone or together with their |
||||||
7. |
Can hobbyists enjoy this kind of hobby only on weekends? |
||||||
8. |
Where can hobbyists enjoy this kind of hobby? |
||||||
9. |
Why do hobbyists enjoy this kind of hobby? |
||||||
10. |
Do you enjoy this kind of hobby? |
||||||
11. |
Do your friends enjoy this kind of hobby? |
||||||
Theme Different Types of Education
EXERCISE 1.
a) Read, translate, and study the use of the new words to read and discuss the
texts and dialogues;
1. experience, learning experiences.
2.a sense, in the broadest sense
3.a skill, to learn skills
4. to gain, to gain knowledge
5.a scheme
6.formal, informal
7.daily, daily life
8.manner, with good manners
9.to ride, to ride a horse, to ride a bicycle
10.to pass, to pass an exam
11.to be in charge of
12.to expect
13.both…. and ….
14.vocational education
15.gifted, physically or mentally handicapped
16.an adult
17.an aim, to aim
18.intelligent
19.responsible
20.to transmit
21.a heritage, a cultural heritage
22.carpentry
23.to require
24.further, further education
25.compulsory
26.beyond
27.to support
28.by correspondence
29.instead
30.junior, senior
31.to earn
EXERCISE 2. Translate the following word
combinations. Pay attention to the prepositions.
1.about the world
2 about themselves
3 for discussing
4 to divide into
5 during their daily life
6 for example
7 by hearing
8 by trying
9 in the same formal manner
10 with good manners
11 on their own initiative
12 without a teacher
13 look at a videotape
14 listen to a radio
15 at different kinds school
16 in most countries
17 a system of formal education
18 during their early childhood
19 in this type of education
20 in charge of education
21 with the teachers at the head
22 to come to school
23 in their learning
24 at the end of their learning
25 the school systems of all modern nations
26 for gifted children
27 after leaving school
28 a large amount of time
29 aims at producing
30 in secondary schools
31 the aim of vocational education
32 for a job
33 between the ages of 5 and 16
34 agree with you
35 at producing
36 in secondary school
37 the aim of vocational education
38 by public funds
39 by correspondence
40 in their own homes
41 about it
42 is responsible for
43 at all stages
44 by name
EXERCISE 3. Fill in the gaps
with the proper prepositions:
1 I study… the college
2 It is rather far… my house and I go there … bus
3 I finish classes … 15.00
4…. leaving the college I have a large amount… time.
5. I go shopping together… my brother.
6. My brother is a pupil, he goes… school
7. His school is …our house.
8…. shopping we do our homework.
9.Then …the evening, we watch TV, listen…radio.
EXERCISE 4 Fill in the gaps with the proper
prepositions.
I study…the college. It is rather far … my house and I go
there … bus. I finish classes … 15.00. … leaving the college I have a large
amount … time. I go shopping together … my brother. My brother is a pupil, he
does … school. His school is … our house. … shopping we do our homework. Then …
the evening, TV, listen … radio.
EXERCISE 5. Read the text, try to focus on its
essential facts, and choose the most suitable heading below for each paragraph.
What is Education 2)Formal Education 3)Informal
Education 4)Different of Formal Education
Text INFORMAL
AND FORMAL EDUCATION
Education includes different kinds of learning experiences. In its
broadest sense, we consider to be the ways in which people iearn skills, gain
knowledge and understanding about the world and about themselves. One useful
scheme for discussing education is to divide these ways learning into two
types: informal and formal
Informal education involves people in learning during
their daily life. For example , children learn their language simply by hearing
and by trying to speak themselves. In the same informal manner, they learn to
speak themselves, to eat with good manners, to ride a bicycle, or to make a
telephone call. Education is also informal when people try to get information
or to learn skills on their own initiative without a teacher. To do so, they
may visit a book shop, library or museum . They may watch a television show,
look at a videotape, or listen to a radio programme. They do not have to pass
tests or exams.
We consider formal education to be the instruction
given at different kinds of schools, colleges, universities. In most countries,
people enter a system of formal education during their early childhood. In this
type of education, the people, who are in charge of education, decide what to
teach. Then learners study those things with the teachers at the head. Teachers
expect learners to came speed as their classmates, and to pass tests and exams.
Learners have to pass the exams to show how well they have progressed in their
learning. At the end of their learning, learners may earn a diploma, a
certificate, or a degree as a mark of their success over the years
.
The school systems of all modern nations provide both
general and vocational educational. Most counties also offer special education
programs for gifted or for physically or mentally handicapped children. Adult
education programmes are provide for people who wish to take up their education
after leaving school. Most countries spend a large amount of time and money for
formal education of their citizens
EXERCISE 6. Read and give a summary of the text
Text GENERAL AND VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION. .
General education aims at producing intelligent,
responsible, well- informed citizens. It is designed to transmit a common
cultural heritage rather than to develop trained specialists.
Almost all elementary education is general education.
In every country, primary school pupils are taught skills they will use
throughout their life, such as reading, writing, and arithmetic. They also
receive instruction in different subjects, including geography, history, etc.
In most countries almost all young people continue their general education in
secondary schools.
The aim of vocational education is primarily to
prepare the students for a job. Some secondary schools specialize in vocational
programmes. Technical school are vocational secondary schools, where students
are taught more technical subjects, such as carpentry, metalwork, and
electronics. technical school students are required to take some general
education courses and vocational training. Universities and separate
professional school prepare students for careers in such fields as agriculture,
architecture, business, rngineering, law, medicine, music, teaching, ets.
EXERCISE 7 Quote the sentences in which these words
and word combinations are used in the text:
1) in the broadest sense-
2) about themselves-
3) to ride a bicycle-
4) on their own initiative-
5) are in charge of-
6) at the head-
7) on time-
at the end-
9) both … and …-
10) to take up-
11) an amount-
12) throughout-
13) carpentry-
EXERCISE 8. Find in the texts English equivalents
for these words and world combinations:
1. в широком смысле
2. обучаются навыкам
3. получают знания
4. о себе
5. полезная схема
6. пути(способы) обучения
7. официальный
8. неофициальный
9.повседневная жизнь
10. например
11. слушая
12. стараясь
13. с хорошими манерами
14. ездить на велосипеде
15. звонить по телефону
16. по их собственной инициативе
17. книжный магазин
18. сдавать экзамены
19. в большинстве стран
20. раннее детство
21. кто отвечает( в ответственности)
22. во главе
23. вовремя
24. с приблизительно одинаковой скоростью
25. одноклассники
26. должны сдавать экзамены
27. степень
28. оценка их успеха
29. одаренные дети
30. дети с физическими или умственными
недостатками
31. обучение для взрослых
32. продолжить после окончания школы
33. большое количество денег
34. граждане
35. общее образование.
36. профессиональное образование
37. ставит целью
38. умный
39. ответственный
40. хорошо информированный
41. передавать общее культурное наследство
42. больше чем
43. подготовленные специалисты
44. начальное образование
45. на протяжении всей жизни
46. средние школы
47. профессиональные программы
48. плотничное дело
49. слесарное дело
50. профессиональная подготовка
51. отдельный
52. техника
53. юриспруденция
EXERCISE 9. Fill
in the gaps with the missing words the following sentences, the first letter
of each word has been given to help you.
1) T… their life people are learning different kinds of
skills.
2) They g… knowledge about the word.
3) We’ll discuss the education using one useful s…
4) Children learn to r… a bicycle.
5) On their own i…, people may visit a museum.
6) The students have to p… exams.
7) They are in c… of education.
The students are working at about the same s…
9) Learners may e… a degree.
10) His certificate is a m… of his success over the years.
EXERCISE 10.Mind the word order: a) Extend the
following sentences with the words given in brackets.
1. People gain knowledge (understanding, about, the world,
and).
2. People get information (own, initiative, their, on , a
teacher, without).
3. Most countries offer programs (for, children , also,
difted , education , special).
4. People continue their education (school , after, leaving,
to, want).
5. They receive instruction (in, also, different, subjects).
EXERCISE 11 Put the words in the following
sentences in order , the first word in each sentence is in itakics.
1.are, into, two, These, types, divided, ways, of, learning.
2.are, in, learning, People, involved, their, daily, life,
during.
3.formal, informal, are, There, two, of, types, education, a
system, of, their.
4.early, childhood, during, enter, People, formal,
education, a system, of their.
5.Learners, to, school, regularly, have, come, to.
EXERCISE 12 Give possible beginnings of the
sentences.
…about themselves.
…without a teacher.
…to pass tests or exams.
…during their early childhood.
…what to teach.
EXERCISE 13. Complete the following sentences in a
logical way:
Education includes different kinds of …
People gain knowledge and understanding about…
There are two types of …
Informal education involves people in …
Children lean their language simple by …
People get information or learn skills on …
Formal education is the instruction given at..
People enter a system of formal education during…
Teachers expect learners to come to school…
Learners have to pass the exams to snow…
General education aims at producing intelligent…
Primary school pupils are taught skills they will…
Almost all young people continue their general education in
…
Vocational education prepares the students for…
Learner may earn a diploma, a certificate, or..
EXERCISE 14 .Translate the following sentences
from Russian into English. You will have a story on the topic as a pattern.
1. В широком смысле образование – это способы,
при помощи которых люди обучаются различным навыкам, получают знания о себе и
об окружающем мире.
2.Образование можно разделить на два типа:
неофициальное образование и официальное.
3. Люди вовлекаются в неофициальное
образование в течение их повседневной жизни.
4. Например, дети учатся говорить, просто
слушая и стараясь говорить.
5. Иногда люди по своей собственной
инициативе учатся различными навыками или получают информацию о чем-нибудь.
6. Они могут пойти в библиотеку, в музей для
получения информации , но при этом они не должны сдавать экзамены.
7. Можно так же получить официальное
образование в различных школах, колледжах, университетах.
8. В большинстве стран люди поступают в
систему официального образования в раннем детстве.
9. Учащиеся должны регулярно посещать школу,
приходить вовремя.
10. Они также должны сдавать экзамены, чтобы
показать, чему они научились.
11. В большинстве стран система образования
включает как общее, так и профессиональное образование.
12. Общее образование ставит своей целью
передачу культурного наследия нации.
13. В большинстве стран общее образование
можно получить в начальных и средних школах.
14. Целью профессионального образования
является подготовка обучаемых к получению профессии.
15. Профессиональное образование можно
получить на среднем уровне- в средних специальных школах; на высоком уровне- в
различных институтах, университетах.
EXERCISE 1. Read and translate the text
SCLENCE AND
SCLENTISTS
The word “science” comes from the Latin word
“scientia”, which means “knowledge” Science covers the broad field of knowledge
that deals with facts and the relationship among these facts.
Scientists study a wide variety of subjects. Some
scientists search for clues to the origin of the universe and examine the structure
of the cells of living plants and animals. Other researchers investigate why we
act the way we do, or try to solve complicated mathematical problems.
Scientists use systematic methods of study to make
observations and collect facts. They develop theories that help them order and
unify facts. Scientific theories consist of general principles or laws that
attempt to explain how and why something happens or has happened. A theory is
considered to become a part of scientific knowledge if it has been tested
experimentally and proved to be true.
Scientific study can be divided into three major
groups: the natural, social, and technical sciences. As scientific knowledge
has grown and become more complicated, many new fields of science have
appeared. At the same time , the boundaries between scientific fields have
become less and less clear. Numerous areas of science overlap each other and it
is often hard to tell where one science ends and another begins. All sciences
are closely interconnected.
Science has great influence on our lives. It provides
the basis of modern technology — the tools and machines that make our life
easier. The discoveries and inventions of scientists also help shape our view
about ourselves and our place in the universe.
New words:
1) science
2) search
3) research
4) investigate
5) complicated
6) unify
7) attempt
to explain
9) to prove
10) appear
11) overlap
12) interconnected
13) influence
14) tools
15) discovery
16) invention
17) shape
EXERCISE 2 . Answer the questions to the text:
1. What is science?
2. Are all sciences closely interconnected?
EXERCISE 3. Give Russian equivalents to the
English words and word combinations:
1. comes from
2. the field of knowledge
3. deals with facts
4. a wide variety of subjects
5. search for clues to the origin of the universe
6. consist of general principles
7. principles and laws
8. how and why
9. a part of scientific knowledge
10. to be true
11. at the same time
12. can be divided into
13. new fields of science
14. less and less clear
15. numerous areas of science
16. overlap each other
17. are closely interconnected
18. influence on our lives
19.the basis of modern technology
20. inventions of scientists
21. our view about
22. in the universe
EXERCISE . Find in the text English equivalents to
the Russian words and word combinations:
1.означает
2.охватывает
3. взаимосвязь
4. широкое разнообразие
5. ищут разгадки
6. происхождение Вселенной
7. структура клеток
8. сложный
9. собирать факты
10.упорядочить и обобщить
11.общие принципы
12.пытаются объяснить
13.как и почему
14.что-то произошло
15.соответствующий действительности
16.основные группы
17.общественные науки
18.в то же самое время
19.все менее и менее четкие
20.многочисленный
21.тесно взаимосвязаны
22.она обеспечивает
EXERCISE. Fill in the gaps with the missing words:
1. Science d… with a variety of subjects.
2. Scientists s… for the answers to the different questions.
3. The structure of the cells is e… by the scientists.
4. Different theories u… the facts.
5. The b… of some scientific fields are not clear.
6. The natural, social and technical sciences are closely i…
.
EXERCISE . Mind the word order .Extend the
following sentence with the words given in brackets.
1. Scientists solve problems (complicated, some,
mathematical, to, try)
2. Researchers make observations (facts, and, collect)
3. The boundaries have become clear (fields, scientific,
between, less)
4. Science has influence on lives (our, great)
5. Technology makes life easier (our, and, work, modern)
EXERCISE. Translate the sentences, pay attention to
the use of different conjunctions.
1. Scientists are investigating different problems because
they want to find the clues to the origin of the universe.
2. If you investigate this problem, you will find the clue
to this problem.
3. After you investigate this problem, you will find the
clue to this problem.
4. It is known, that he is a good researcher .
5. When we came, they were solving the problem.
EXERCISE . Retell the summary of the text.
The word “science” comes from the Latin word
“scientia”, which means “knowledge”. Scientists study a wide variety of
subjects. Some scientists search for clues to the origin of the universe and
examine the structure of the cells. Other researchers investigate why we act
the way we do.
Scientists use systematic methods of study to make
observations and collect facts. Scientific study can be divided into three major
groups: the natural, social, and technical sciences.
The boundaries between scientific fields have become
less and less clear. All sciences are closely interconnected. Science has great
influence on our lives. It provides the basis of modern technology.
EXERCISE 1. Read and translate the text
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
Technology means the use of people’s inventions and
discoveries to satisfy their needs. Since people have appeared on the earth,
they have had to get food, clothes and shelter. Through the ages, people have
invented tools, machines and materials to make work easier.
Nowadays, when people speak of technology, they
generally mean industrial technology. Industrial technology began about 200
years ago with the development of the steam engine, the growth of factories,
and the mass production of goods. It influenced different aspects of people’s
lives. The development of the car influenced where people lived and worked.
Radio and television changed their leisure time. The telephone revolutionized
communication.
Science has contributed much to modern technology.
Science attempts to explain how and why things happen. Technology makes things
happen. But not all technology is based on science. For example, people had
made different objects from iron for centuries before they learnt the structure
of the metal. But some modern technologies, such as nuclear power production
and space travel, depend heavily on science.
New words:
1) to satisfy
2) shelter
3) steam engine
4) growth
5) contribute
6) iron
7) nuclear power
depend on
EXERCISE 2 . Answer the questions to the text:
1. What is technology?
2. Is all technology based on science?
3. What modern technologies depend heavily on science?
4. When did industrial technology begin?
5. When was a steam engine invented?
EXERCISE 3. Give Russian equivalents to the
English words and word combinations:
1. easier
2. on the earth
3. through the ages
4. speak of technology
5. about 200 years ago
6. with the development of the steam engine
7. the growth of factories
8. production of goods
9. aspect s of people’s lives
10.the development of the car
11.contributed much to modern technology
12.for e[ample
13.from iron
14.for centuries
15.the structure of the metal
EXERCISE . Find in the text English equivalents to
the Russian words and word combinations
1.открытия
2. изобретения
3. формировать наши взгляды
4. о себе
5. удовлетворять собственные нужды
6. они должны были
7. кров
8. на протяжении веков
9. инструменты
10.чтобы сделать
11. в настоящее время
12. тому назад
13. паровой двигатель
14. рост
15. массовое производство товаров
16. время досуга
17. произвел революцию
18. сделала большой вклад
19. например
20. из железа
21. в течении веков
22. очень сильно
23. зависит
EXERCISE. Fill in the gaps with the missing words:
1. T… the ages, people have invented tools, machines, and
materials to make work easier.
2. Science c… much to modern technology.
3. Some modern technologies d… on science.
4. During our l… time we watch TV.
EXERCISE. Put the words in the following sentences
in order, the first word in each sentence is in italics.
1. interconnected, sciences, All, closely, are.
2. provides, Science, of, technology, modern, the, basis.
3. people, the, ages, Through, tools, invented, have,
machines, materials, and.
4.influenced, aspects, people’s, of, different, Industrial,
technology, lives.
5. our, time, Radio, television, and, leisure, changed.
EXERCISE . Fill in the blanks with the proper
conjunctions.
1. I am happy, … I have bought a computer.
2. … the theory has been tested experimentally, it becomes
a part of scientific knowledge.
3. … scientific knowledge has grown and become more
complicated, many new fields of science have appeared.
4. It is known, … the telephone revolutionized
communication.
5. … people speak of modern technology, they generally mean
industrial technology.
EXERCISE 4. Retell the summary of the text
Nowadays, when people
speak of technology, they generally mean industrial technology. Industrial
technology began about 200 years ago with the development of the steam engine,
the growth of factories, and the mass production of goods
Radio and television
changed their leisure time. The telephone revolutionized communication. Science
attempts to explain how and why things happen.
Technology makes
things happen. some modern technologies, such as nuclear power production and
space travel, depend heavily on science.
Литература
1) Восковская А. С. Английский
язык / А. С. Восковская, Т. А. Карпова. – Изд. 12-е, стер. – Ростов Н/Д :
Феникс, 2013. – 376, [1] с. – (Среднее профессиональное образование).
2) Климентьева Т. Б., Шеннон Д. А Счастливый
английский. Кн.2 для 7-9 кл. общеобразов. учрежд. – 2-е изд., испр, — Обнинск:
Титул,2003. – 448 с.: ил.
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#1
Hi, There,
I try to find words that describe such kind persons:
Love reading so much,even forget eating and sleeping, read every book not matter what subjects it is about.
I know bookworm, do we have a stronger one?
Thanks!
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#2
I don’t know of a word for this other than bookworm.
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#4
A bibliophile?
(I’m sorely tempted to point to a fellow member’s nickname )
EDIT: What’s wrong with «book-lover,» anyway?
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#5
It would be bibliophile (Greek/Greek) rather than librophile (Latin/Greek).
But I’m with Trisia, I think book-lover is fine.
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#6
Thank you all!
Do some of the words you mentioned have negative implication?
if you call a person a bookworm/bibliophile/book-lover…, would he be happy to think it is a compliment?
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#7
If they really are book-lovers, I think they should be pleased. It might depend on what your relationship with them is, or the tone you use.
You can make almost any word sound like an insult, if your really try.
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#8
Hi, There,
I try to find words that describe such kind persons:
Love reading so much,even forget eating and sleeping, read every book not matter what subjects it is about.
I know bookworm,do we have a stronger one
?
Thanks!
Maybe we could coin a few words that might well meet your need—bibliomaniac, biblioholic.
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#9
Interesting! bibliophile, bibliomaniac,.
I check dictionary.com. it seems that bibliophile is a person love books(reading ?) or love collecting books( Does it necessarily mean reading , maybe just like collecting?).
Waiting for your answers.Thanks.
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#10
Bibliophile can be someone who loves old books and likes to collect them. I don’t suppose he/she isn’t interested in their content
It can also mean someone who loves to read. They don’t necessarily have to have a giant library, but it’s something I’d expect.
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#11
Hi, Trisia.
I still remember once a professor of English dubbed me with «wordaholic» because I was a maniac of English words. Besides, there are alcoholic, Angloholic, workaholic, and so on. Then why not a new word that might meet the need of this thread starter—biblioholic or bibliomaniac?
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#12
Hi, QD.
I didn’t say anything about your words because I was waiting for the native speakers to say what they thought of them. I personally think they’re very nice.
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#13
Hi, QD.
I didn’t say anything about your words because I was waiting for the native speakers to say what they thought of them. I personally think they’re very nice.
Thanks, Trisia, for your kind words.
I just need your confirmation because I’m not very confident myself.
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#14
I like ‘bibliomaniac’ (someone who is mad about books) or ‘readaholic’ (someone who is addicted to reading)
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#15
I like ‘bibliomaniac’ (someone who is mad about books) or ‘readaholic’ (someone who is addicted to reading)
Thanks, Sue, for your confirmation.
And I think your suggestion «readaholic» is pretty neat.
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#16
A bibliophile?
It can also mean someone who loves to read.
Absolutely not! A bibliophile may never read a single page. The word refers to
a person who loves and collects books as physical objects. There is no implication
of a love of reading. Bibliophiles often do love reading, but that is not a requirement
for book collecting, or for the admiration of the arts and crafts associated with making books.
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#17
Absolutely not! A bibliophile may never read a single page. The word refers to
a person who loves and collects books as physical objects. There is no implication
of a love of reading. Bibliophiles often do love reading, but that is not a requirement
for book collecting, or for the admiration of the arts and crafts associated with making books.
Concurred!
A biblio (book) phile (lover) doesn’t necessarily read a single page though they collects tons of books.
For the sake of curiosity, are there existent English words that really match fatbaby’s query?
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#18
A person who does any behavior to extreme sometimes is called a fanatic.
You could call someone who loves to read all the time a book fanatic or a reading fanatic.
AngelEyes
Book & Reading Fanatic
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#19
This is pretty interesting stuff, Cuchu. I was convinced that one of the meanings was that of someone who loves reading (although I agree with you that a book collector does not have to read books any more than someone who likes ditches to dig them himself).
So, I checked and you’re right (sorry to have mislead ).
I will go as far as to say that in normal conversation, I would understand a bibliophile also to like reading, and I would have no problem calling one of my friends that, even if they don’t have a stroke when they see a book with an unusual cover.
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#20
A person who does any behavior to extreme sometimes is called a fanatic.
You could call someone who loves to read all the time a book fanatic or a reading fanatic.
AngelEyes
Book & Reading Fanatic
Good shot! Angel.
Maybe they are the existing living English words that match the thread’s starter’s request besides «bookworm.» Speaking of which (bookworm), I don’t see the reason that it doesn’t fit. Do you?
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#21
...(bookworm), I don’t see the reason that it doesn’t fit. Do you?
Not at all…it works perfectly for me. Bookworm also has that additional meaning, in my mind, of a person who reads to learn. It’s not just someone who reads for enjoyment. You would call a student who always has his nose in a book, a bookworm, too.
Now a fanatic is someone who’s reading schedule is in the extreme from most other people. These are readers who love to read over doing almost anything else.
Nobody’s forcing them. They do it for the love of the book and the words.
Book fanatics read the telephone book if that’s all that’s sitting there.
Your «aholic» suggestion is a good one, QD. It shows that your fanaticism with words is catching up with you and allowing you to creatively «coin» (make up) new words that also work.
AngelEyes
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#22
Thanks, Angel, for the expressive explanation and the kind words for me.
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Nate Pedersen.
Earlier this year we covered the joys and basic how-tos of starting a collection. It’s truly an everyman’s hobby. If you’re a gentleman reader — and you should be — then there is perhaps no better collection to amass than a hearty library of manly tomes. With this post I’d like to teach you how to expand your library with a purposeful book collection and help it achieve a new standard of awesomeness.
But first, some background. The personal library has a long, rich history of manliness. It was a standard feature in homes from the 17th through the 20th centuries. For the upper class, the library was the perfect place for managing an estate and hanging out with other gentlemen (usually with a few drinks and cigars). And for the working man, a personal library of even just a few bookshelves was a great escape after a hard day’s work, as well as a potential tool for moving on up the economic ranks.
Wealthy gentlemen of former generations would typically collect complete sets of classic writers (“The Complete Works of Dickens” for example), standout books in the advancement of civilization (the Great Books), and books related to their personal areas of interest or occupation. The same standard titles could be expected in any gentleman’s library, which meant, with some notable exceptions, that the average collection was kind of boring. You could find variations on the same library in any wealthy estate in America or Britain.
The working man’s library, however, was much more focused and interesting. Limited budgets meant that books were a luxury expense and could only be bought for specific aims or for a deep and abiding passion for a particular work. As a result, a working man’s library was a fascinating look into their life, even if it was ostensibly much less impressive.
I’m way more interested to know what books were sitting on the two shelves in the hut of this Australian bushman versus the gigantic libraries of wealthy businessmen. Think about the journey these books must have taken to arrive at this shack deep in the Australian bush and how important they must have been to this man. (You wouldn’t think this picture could be any cooler, but note that the opposite wall holds his rifles.)
All men should build a general library like that pictured above. We should have ready access to the important books of our lives. What books would you take with you to a shack in the Australian bush? Those are the books you should buy. You don’t need any guidance here; just buy the books you love. Get them in the format you like best. Forget about re-selling them. Build the library to use it. Write in the books. Toss them in your rucksack or in the backseat of your car when you’re on a road trip. Be reckless with their condition. And if you prefer ebooks, remember that buying physical copies of your favorite books increases your antifragility.
Book collecting, however, is another beast. You can go beyond the formation of a general library to assemble a purposeful, carefully built book collection united around a central theme. And here is where we separate the book collectors from the rest of the pack.
Collectors are hunters who chase their query through the dusty shelves of antiquarian bookshops. (Or, less poetically, across the blinking screens of their computers.) They build focused collections with particular goals in mind. Aesthetics, interests, profit, charity, work, pleasure, scholarly pursuits, pure awesomeness, and greed are all reasons that men collect books. For example, I built one small collection for its aesthetics on the bookshelf, another small collection to have all the works of a hard-to-find author, another collection purely out of interest in the material, and another just to make a buck on later.
Regardless of the motivation, however, any book collection worth its salt must be united by an easily identifiable central theme.
A.W. Pollard wrote of book collecting in his famous essay in the 11th edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica (1911):
“In the modern private collection, the need for a central idea must be fully recognized. Neither the collector nor the curator can be content to keep a mere curiosity shop. It is the collector’s business to illustrate his central idea by his choice of examples, by the care with which he describes them and the skill with which they are arranged.”
Those words were true in 1911; they remain true a century later. A central idea for your book collection helps you stay focused, save time and money, and avoid unnecessary accumulation.
Types of Book Collections
But what should you collect? How can you stay focused? While there are many ways to build a collection, here are several of the tried-and-true routes:
1. The Author Collection: In this collection, you build an entire collection of books by a particular author. Typically, this means buying all the first editions of an author’s work, but a more comprehensive view includes reprints, foreign translations, special editions, and magazine appearances. Building an author collection is an expensive undertaking if you want to go after prominent authors. However, you can build an inexpensive collection by focusing on an up-and-coming author, or a favorite author who has been overlooked by history. A variation on the author collection is the illustrator collection – buying all the books illustrated by a particular artist.
2. The List Collection: In this collection you start with a simple, well-established list (Pulitzer Prize winners, for example, or Man Booker Prize winners) and then go out and buy all the books featured on that list. Once again, this collection would typically focus on the first editions of these works, but could be more expansive in its scope, including reprints, classic editions, etc. Other non-prize-winning lists include the Rivers of America books, the Baedeker guidebooks to Europe, or the American Guide Series.
3. The Topical Collection: The topical collection is limited only by your creativity. I’ve interviewed a young man, for example, who was busy collecting everything he could find about the 1972 Munich Olympics for the benefit of his dissertation. Now that’s a cool and unexpected book collection to browse on the shelf. Similarly you could collect books about trout fishing in Montana, books about 20th century golfing in Scotland, books praising the virtues of Cuban tobacco, or adventure novels set in Africa. The potential list of topics is endless. Topical book collections are often well used by their collectors.
4. The Aesthetic Collection: This collection views its chosen books as art objects. You might collect publisher’s binding books for example, or books with dust jackets illustrated by a favorite artist (such as Edward Gorey), or 19th century sheet music with color lithograph covers, or books bound in vellum. Building an aesthetic collection is similar to building a small art collection. You purchase the books because they look awesome.
And of course you don’t have to limit yourself to just one type of collection; I have one of each of the above types. Regardless of the sort of collection you build, consider with each purchase how the specific selection echoes and enhances the central theme expressed in your library. This will help you stay focused and not lose yourself in the pursuit. (Book collecting, as with any collection, bears some similarities – both positive and negative – to hunting and gambling.)
Condition Matters
A good rule of thumb is to purchase the nicest copy you can afford. What does this mean? Get the book in the best condition relative to your budget. When you are browsing books online or in a bookseller’s catalogue, you will notice that booksellers classify their books according to a roughly-standard rubric of grades that begins at “Fine” and descends to “Poor”:
- “Fine” means the copy is essentially mint, probably unread, showing no signs of wear or use, especially considering its relative age.
- “Near Fine” means it’s close to fine, but with a few very minor defects, which the bookseller will elaborate on in the book’s description.
- “Very Good” means the book has a defect or two of some note, which again will be elaborated upon in the description.
- “Good” usually has a handful of defects.
- “Fair” contains a significant number of defects.
- “Poor” is a reading copy only, not well-suited for a purposeful book collection (unless the book is extremely rare).
Of course each bookseller’s definition of what exactly differentiates a “Fine” book from a “Near Fine” book, and so on, is subjective, but these grades work well as general guidelines.
A word about dust jackets: get them if you can. Try to find books with their original dust jackets and again, try to get them in the best condition you can afford (sometimes of course this isn’t feasible). Dust jackets are rated on the same scale from “Fine” to “Poor,” and they make a huge difference in the value of the book. Example: a first edition of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald will set you back a few grand. But a first edition with its original dust jacket? Well over $100k. Seriously. So get those dust jackets. And protect them with Mylar covers, available at paper and office suppliers like Demco and Brodart. (Read more about the first edition of The Great Gatsby and why it’s so valuable.)
Where to Get Collectible Books
Now, how do you track down your books? Browsing the bookshelves of a used bookshop is cool and opens the doors to serendipity, but you’ll also want to harness the ample power of the Internet to find specific books for your collections. Abebooks.com and Biblio.com are two excellent aggregate sites for tracking down rare and out-of-print material, which you can then purchase from independent booksellers around the world. eBay is also a treasure in this regard.
If you’d like some help getting started, seek the advice of a rare book dealer. They are easily found online through the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, many of whom would welcome the opportunity to help a new collector start navigating these murky waters.
How to Save Money While Book Collecting
If you don’t want to break the bank on your book collection, heed these tips:
Don’t be a hoarder. Sell the books no longer relevant to your collection. As you find nicer copies of books in your collection, sell the lesser versions. eBay is a great outlet for this.
Be savvy on eBay. Learn how to save searches. Learn how to search “completed listings” to see how much similar titles have sold for in the past. Get a sense of a book’s value, and then bid accordingly the next time the title comes up for auction. Keep an eye open for deals.
Know your material. Learn all you can about your chosen genre/topic/author/illustrator. You’ll be able to spot interesting material — and bargains — that will fit into your overall theme.
Cultivate a relationship with a rare book dealer. He or she will offer you interesting material related to your collection before advertising it publicly (where it might be offered at a higher price).
Buy direct from a bookseller. Sites like Abebooks.com or Biblio.com are awesome for collectors, but they take a commission off of each sale from booksellers. As a result, some booksellers offer their books cheaper if you buy direct from them or from their own website. Especially with more expensive books, investigate this option before purchasing.
Regardless if you become a dedicated book collector or just aim to assemble the important books of your life, remember this quote about self-sufficiency from Cicero, “Anyone who has a library and a garden wants for nothing.” So let’s all want for nothing.
Do you have a book collection? Tell us about it in the comments!
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Nate Pedersen is a librarian, journalist, and editor in Bend, Oregon. He was recently featured in the “So You Want My Job” series here on AoM. Before becoming a librarian in Oregon, Nate worked for rare book dealers in North Carolina and Scotland. He collects the American Guide Series produced by the Federal Writers’ Project during the Great Depression. His website is http://natepedersen.com.
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