An Engineer from Yerevan

 
 
 
Sedrak talks about his home and life.

Vocabulary

ministry	interested	build/built/built
realistic	mechanics	tour guide
honest	together	construction
grapple	long time	to be honest
though	think (2)	government
accept	engineer	accept each other
history	institute	unfortunately
culture	place (3)	monument
attract	heritage	I must say
allow	too little	turn a blind eye
destroy	to live out	polytechnic
travel	pyramid	accept one another
afford	dream (2)	big money

 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

My name is Sedrak Bagthasaryan. I was born in 1953 in Yerevan, and lived there for a long time in the house that my grandfather built.

What do you do for a living?

I studied at the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute. I did my doctorate at the School of Mechanics.

I’m a tour guide. But I’ve also worked as an engineer and in the ministry of construction.

What does globalization mean to you?

To be honest, I’ve never really grappled with the idea of globalization, though I think there are a lot of interesting ideas. It is also not so important to know exactly what this foreign word means.

What is important is that people live together happily and accept one another.

What worries you?

Unfortunately, I must say that the government places too little value on the cultural heritage of our city. They are attracted to big money, so they turn a blind eye and allow historical monuments to be destroyed.

Which country would you like to visit?

I’m really interested in history. I’d like to travel to Egypt and see the Pyramids. And to Mexico too.

But I’m also realistic: If I can’t afford to do it, I’d like my children to go there and live out my dreams there.

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Questions

1. Who is this person? What’s his name? Where is he from?

2. He lives in an old house. True or false?

3. Is he highly educated? Did he attend university?

4. What jobs has he had? What did he used to do in the past?

5. Is he still working as an engineer now? Why is he working as a tour guide and not an engineer?

6. The exactly meaning of word “globalization” is not important to him. Yes or no? Does he say anything definite or concrete about globalization?

7. What worries him? . . . . worries him. He is worried about . . . .

8. Is he interested in luxury cars? He is interested in . . . . . .

9. He would like to visit London and Paris. Is this correct or incorrect?

 

A. Are the historical and cultural monuments of your city being preserved, neglected, or destroyed?

B. Are you from Yerevan? Do you live in Yerevan? Have you been to Armenia?

C. Have you met people from Armenia?

D. Describe the climate and geography of Armenia.

E. Describe the economy of Armenia. What does it import and export?

F. What are the problems or challenges of Armenia?

G. What is Armenian food like? Describe the cuisine of Armenia.

H. What are some tourist attractions (cultural, historic, natural)?

I. What comes to mind when you think of Armenia? What do you associate with Armenia?