Тексты по английскому языку

1. A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR

The problem of health always worried people. It has been in the center of attention of the scientists since ancient times. Perhaps, of all unpleasant things people hate diseases most of all.
            In theory we know well what we should do to be healthy, but in practice there is hardly a man who has no problems with his health. Sometimes people, who are very busy aren't thoughtful enough about their health.
            Of course, much has been done to put an end to a great number of diseases and epidemics. The scientists have already found cures for many diseases, afflicting people. But still we are suffering from many of them.
            One of the diseases which disappeared at all is a smallpox. It's a terrible virus disease.
            First we can read about it in ancient Egyptians manuscripts, which were written nearly 6000 years ago, in ancient documents of China and India. Abu Ali Ebu Sina was the first man who gave detail description of smallpox. Nobody knows the exact time of it's appearing in Europe. There were great epidemics in Italy, France and in a lot of others. In the 17-18 centuries in Europe every year 10 million died.
            In the 16 century smallpox came to American continent with Spanish colonists and caused terrible epidemics among the Indians. Later this disease came to Australia.
            Smallpox killed a lot people and Edward Jenner invented vaccination from it. It was a very great invention – the first vaccination in the world.
            This disease disappeared at all and in December 1979 the fact in liquidation of it was confirmed. 
            I must say, that I seldom fall ill. I go in for sports, try to spend a couple of hours in the open air every day and do all that kinds of things in order to keep fit.
            But, unfortunately, I fell ill in winter. It was rather cold outside and I probably caught the infection. When I came home I felt that I had a sore-throat. I made hot tea with honey, but it didn't help. At last I decided to go to the doctor. I went there with my friend, for I felt very bad indeed.
            When we came, a doctor, a kind-hearted middle-aged woman in a white gown, offered me to sit down and asked me what I complained of. I had a terrible headache and sore throat and it ached me to swallow. Besides, I was constantly sneezing and coughing. It turned out that I was running a high temperature.
            The doctor examined my throat, sounded my heart and lungs, had my blood pressure tested. She said it was flu and prescribed some pills and mixture - I had to take medicine 3 times a day before meals and to stay in bed for a week until full recovery.
            The recovery was slow. I slept badly, had no appetite. I suffered from a slight, but irritating cough which as a rule became worse at night.            

I followed all the doctor's instructions and in a week I was cured. It was a real pleasure to fell strong and healthy again. Really, all is well, that ends well.

1. SEASONS AND WEATHER

When two Englishmen meet, their first words will be “How do you do?” or “How are you?” And after the reply “Very well, thank you: how are you?” the next remark is almost certain to be about the weather. “It's a lovely morning, isn't it?” or "Isn't it hot today?” and the other person will reply “Yes, it's wonderful weather we are having. 1 hope it will keep fine, it seems almost too good to last.” Or perhaps the day is dull, it is raining a little, the sky is grey, and everyone is wearing a mackintosh or carrying an umbrella. As the cars and buses go along the street, they splash the water and mud on the passé by. Gradually it gets darker: a thick fog is spreading over London. The lamps are lit in the streets and in the shops and offices; cars and buses put on their lights and can only crawl along.

As one friend bumps into another, he says, “Isn't it a beastly day?” — “Yes,” replies the other, you can hardly see a yard in front of you.” Then comes winter. There has been a good fall of snow and a hard frost. It is just the day for a good country walk; let us have a tramp down the country lanes. The ground is like iron and rings under our feet, the frost sparkles on the branches, and icicles hang from the houses. It is still freezing hard and the ponds are frozen over. There are crowds of people on them sliding and skating, and here is a merry group of schoolboys having a fight with snowballs. It is very pleasant while the frost lasts; the unpleasant time comes when the thaw begins. A few months have passed and it is a beautiful spring day. The rain fell heavily last night, but now the soft white clouds are floating across the blue sky, and the sun is shining brightly. Raindrops and dewdrops shine on every small green leaf and every blade of young grass. The farmer has ploughed his fields and the new corn is just beginning to appear above the ground. In a few months autumn and harvest time will come. When the corn has turned ripe and golden the farmer will reap it and put it in his barn.

1. Choosing a career

School! Lessons, games, clubs, homework. A bell rings. You go to a classroom. A bell rings. You have lunch. A bell rings. You go home. But one day you go to school for the last time. What to do after that? You realize that the time to choose one job out of the hundreds has come. It's going to be a hard choice and nobody can make it for you.

Before you can choose, you ask yourself quite a lot of questions. What do you know you are good at? What do you enjoy doing? Perhaps you enjoy working with your hands. Or you may prefer using your head — your brains. Are you interested in machines? Or do you like meeting people? It's difficult to know all the answers to these questions until you have left school and actually begun work. Many young people consider teaching as a career. It's not surprising: after your parents your teacher may be the most important person in your life. With all the teachers you meet, you think there isn't anything you don't know about the work. That's where you are wrong, since only those who are in it can appreciate it. Have you ever asked yourself why most teachers are so devoted to their work and privately think, though they may not like to admit it openly, that they serve humanity doing the most vital job of all? Those of us who spend our days in schools know how rewarding the job is. At the same time it is not easy and a real challenge to your character, abilities and talent, as teaching is a constant stream of decisions.

Children in your classroom aren't just boys and girls. Every one is a unique individual who has never been before and will never again exist. If you like people, you will love teaching. To be a good teacher you must be genuinely interested in what you are doing. The most important things in the world are awareness and learning — wanting to know every day of your life more and more and more.

Because every time you learn something new you become something new. An ignorant teacher teaches ignorance, a fearful teacher teaches fear, a bored teacher teaches boredom. But a good teacher catalyzes in his pupils the burning desire to know and love for the truth and beauty. John Steinbeck, writing about his school days said, "I've come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and you know how few great artists there are in the world. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since its medium is the human mind and the human spirit." What an incredible responsibility to be the guardians of the human spirit and the human mind! I think, that is the reason why humanity has the deepest respect for teachers.

I would never stop teaching and I'm sure that you, having chosen it for your career, feel the same way. If you don't feel that way then, please, for all our sakes, get out! The human mind and the human spirit are too wondrous to destroy. But if you are prepared to accept the responsibility, I wish you all the luck in the world.

4. Sport and games

People all over the world are very fond of sports and games. That is one thing in which people of every nationality and class are united.

The most popular outdoor winter sports are shooting, hunt­ing, hockey and, in the countries where the weather is frosty and there is much snow — skating, skiing and tobogganing. Some people greatly enjoy figure-skating and ski-jumping.

Summer affords excellent opportunities for swimming, boating, yachting, cycling, gliding and many other sports. Among outdoor games football takes the first place in public interest; this game is played in all the countries of the world. The other games that have firmly established themselves in favour in different countries are golf, lawn-tennis, cricket, volley-ball, basket-ball, and so on. Badminton is also very popular.

All the year round many people indulge in boxing, wres­tling, athletics, gymnastics and track and field events. Scores of young girls and women go in for callisthenics.

Among indoor games the most popular are billiards, ta­ble tennis, draughts and some others, but the great interna­tional game is chess, of course. The results of chess tournaments are studied and discussed by thousands of enthusiasts in different countries.

So we may say that sport is one of the things that makes all people kin.

The British have a reputation for being mad about sports. In fact they like watching sports more than playing them. The British are spectators and the most popular spectator sports are cricket and football.
   Football is the most popular game. Football, or soccer, is an example of a professional game. The game of football was first played in Britain, and later people began to play football in other countries.
   There are many amateur soccer players in Britain who play the game on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Amateur clubs often play against professionals.
   Almost every school has its football team and every boy in Britain knows a lot about the game. He can tell you the names of the players in the most important teams, he has pictures of them and knows the results of many matches.
   Rugby is another popular British sport which is played in other countries. It is also called rugby football. The story is told that in 1823 boys at Rugby school in England were playing football in the normal way, when suddenly one boy picked the ball up and ran with it. That was how a new game was born. There are two forms of rugby football: the amateur game and the professional game. The two games have different rules.
   Football is the favourite winter game in Britain and cricket is the favourite summer sport. Amateur cricket has the same rules as the professional game. A typical amateur cricket match takes place on a village green, an open space in the centre of the village. It is .played between two teams — the «home» team and the «visitors» who come from another village.

5. TravelLing

People began to travel ages ago. The very first travellers were explorers who went on trips to find wealth, fame or something else.

Their journeys were very dangerous-but still people keep on going to the unknown lands.

Nowadays it is not as dangerous and much more convenient. Do you want to go somewhere? Hundreds of companies are there to help you. They will take care about your tickets and make all the reservations needed.

You don't speak the language of the country you go to? There are interpreters that will help you.

With modern services you can go around the world. You can choose the means of transport you like: plane, train, ship, bicycle or you can travel hiking.

Tourism became a very profitable business because people are ready to spend their money for the great opportunity to have a great time learning about new countries, going sightseeing, resting and enjoying themselves.

If we are fond of travelling we see and learn all sorts of things we can never see or learn at home. Though we may read about them in books and newspapers and see pictures of them at the cinema.

The best way to study geography is to travel and the best way to get to know and understand the people is to meet them in their own houses. When I was a little girl every holiday that I had seemed to be perfect.

In those far-off days the sun seemed to shine constantly and the water was always warm. All day I played on the sand with my friends. We made sandcastles with huge yellow walls. Sometimes we left the beach and walked in the country.

Although I am now an adult, my idea of a good holiday is much the same as it was.

I still like the sun and the warm sand and the sound of waves breaking on the beach. I don't want to build sandcastles any longer but still I like sunbathing and the feeling that sand is running through my fingers.

I like travelling. And I want to smell different smells. I want to see different kinds of trees, flowers and plants.

When I spend a holiday in travelling I always take a camera with me and photograph everything that interests or pleases me: the sights of a city, views of mountains, lakes, valleys; the ruins of ancient buildings. Some years later that will remind me the happy time that I had.

I like to travel. First of all, the members of our family usually have long walks in the country. Such walks are called hikes.

If we want to see countryside we have to spend a part of our summer holidays on hikes. During such hikes we see a lot of interesting places, sometimes we meet interesting people.

It's useful for all members of our family. We take our rucksacks. We don't think about tickets and there is no need to hurry up.

As for me, it's more comfortable to travel by train and by plane. But it's difficult to buy tickets for the plane. That's why we buy our tickets beforehand.

When I travel by plane, I don't spend a lot of time going from one place to another, I like to fly. If I travel by train or by plane my friends see me off at the railway station or in the airport.

I like to travel by car. It's interesting too, because you can see many things in a short time. When we go by car, we don't take tickets. We put all things we need in a car. We don't carry them.

Sometimes we go to the seaside for a few days. As usual the weather is warm and we can swim. It's a pleasure to watch white ships.

So I can say that I enjoy all kinds of travelling very much.

6. Ecological Problems

Since ancient times Nature has served Man, being the source of his life. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with environment and it seemed to them that natural riches were unlimited. But with the development of civilization man's interference in nature began to increase.

Large cities with thousands of smoky industrial enterprises appear all over the world today. The by-products of their activity pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we grow grain and vegetables on.

Every year world industry pollutes the atmosphere with about 1000 million tons of dust and other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog. Vast forests are cut and burn in fire. Their disappearance upsets the oxygen balance. As a result some rare species of animals, birds, fish and plants disappear forever, a number of rivers and lakes dry up.

The pollution of air and the world's ocean, destruction of the ozone layer is the result of man's careless interaction with nature, a sign of the ecological crises.

The most horrible ecological disaster befell Ukraine and its people after the Chernobyl tragedy in April 1986. About 18 percent of the territory of Byelarus were also polluted with radioactive substances. A great damage has been done to the agriculture, forests and people's health. The consequences of this explosion at the atomic power-station are tragic for the Ukrainian, Byelorussian and other nations.

Environmental protection is of a universal concern. That is why serious measures to create a system of ecological security should be taken.

Some progress has been already made in this direction. As many as 159 countries — members of the UNO — have set up environmental protection agencies. Numerous conferences have been held by these agencies to discuss problems facing ecologically poor regions including the Aral Sea, the South Urals, Kuzbass, Donbass, Semipalatinsk and Chernobyl.

An international environmental research centre has been set up on Lake Baikal. The international organisation Greenpeace is also doing much to preserve the environment.

But these are only the initial steps and they must be carried onward to protect nature, to save life on the planet not only for the sake of the present but also for the future generations.

Water pollution is one of the famous and one of the largest problems in our world. People in Africa cannot drink clean water; their children die because a big part of our water has been polluted. Children in Kenya often have to go many kilometers to collect drinking water. At all over 2 million people don't have clean water. And we do not know how it will be in future.

But the pollute water killed animals and plants too. There is no ocean or sea, which is not used as a dump. Many seas are used for dumping industrial and nuclear waste. This poisons and kills fish and sea animals. "Nuclear-poisoned" fish can be eaten by people.

Many rivers and lakes are poisoned too. Fish and reptiles cannot live in them. There is not enough oxygen in the water. In such places all the birds leave their habitats and many plants die. If people drink this water they can die too. It happens so because factories produce a lot of waste and pour it into rivers. So they poison water.

But we MUST keep our planet and water of our planet clean. If we want to live, we should guard our clean water and do not pollute them because we could live without food about a month but without water we could die in 4-5 days. Let's keep our water clean!

7. Youth problemS

Youth is a period of life which is of utmost importance in the life of man. First, man's entire life is rooted in his early years. The morals and beliefs, range of interests, education, health and habits are all laid in childhood and youth, the personality is shaped. Second, youth is a time when a person is trying to find his place in the world. This period is usually associated with problems: young people 'struggle' to fit themselves into society. Difficult decisions and adjustments face young people in today's society. There are several problems the young generation face. They are the eternal problems of choosing a career and getting education, the problem of independence and money, the problem of unemployment of young people, the generation gap. Young people have many problems of emotional and personal character which may look silly and unimportant in the eyes of grown-ups but appear to be extremely important to the young. They are the problems of friendship and loneliness, as well as the problem of the first love.

Probably the most vital problem is choosing a career, which is really difficult. One thing that makes it so difficult is the responsibility you have to take on — it is widely known that your future life depends on the choice made early in life when your personal experience is not so great. Sometimes you may even be not quite certain about the field of knowledge you are interested in. The second reason is that to make this choice you have to get some idea of the labour market and job opportunities. Third, there are parents who usually have their own idea of your future career and, in many cases, try to make their child choose the career path they prefer.

Perhaps one of the most fundamental problems faced by young people today is unemployment. Young people today have certain needs and aspirations. Because of the universal downturn in the economy combined with technology when particular jobs and skills are made obsolete, many youths today are experiencing problems in obtaining jobs. Unemployment means financial worries, frustration and discouragement. To solve the problem of unemployment, young people should strive for higher education. Then they would be qualified for skilled labour required by industrialized society.

Another problem facing young people today is the tension which exists between parents and children, or the 'generation gap'. In their eagerness to achieve adult status and live their own life, young people may resent any restrictions. They believe that their parents are overanxious and overprotective, which usually creates tension. The 'generation gap' problem is really inevitable. Firstly, every generation is unique in its experience, and young people have always rejected or at least questioned the values of their parents. They have always wanted to learn from their own experience, not from their parents' standards. Secondly, every younger generation tends to be more educated and better-informed than the previous one; they grow more quickly and enjoy freedom more. Thirdly, parents tend to aggravate the situation: they try to impose their ideas upon their children. It results in young people's revolt against adult authority. Parents should exercise control over young people, and try to overcome the differences but with sympathy and understanding.

An area which poses a problem for young people and their parents is love and dating. Some parents today are prepared to give their children some freedom, others are overprotective, restricting their children from going out with the opposite sex. Thus, many young people today can't get the valuable experience of adjusting to other people.

Many youths may not be mature enough to cope with such problems, that is why they go in the direction of crime, drugs, vandalism, drinking etc. Often young people are forced either consciously or unconsciously to become involved in those antisocial activities by people of their own age group. Moreover, they compensate for their feelings by revolting against society and adult authority.

The second one is the problem of friendship. Youth is the time when a person is vulnerable to opinions of different people, especially to the opinions of his peer group. Another problem is problem of love and dating. Some parents are democratic in this respect, and allow their children considerable freedom in their relations with the opposite sex. Others are overprotective and forbid their teenage children to go out with people they like, which, in my opinion, can result in many psychological problems as they prevent their children from getting an experience of communicating with representatives of the opposite sex, and this can lead to serious family problems later.

Grown-ups should work together with young people to help them solve these problems. We must remember that the young people are the leaders of tomorrow

For me, the most important and difficult problem is that of friendship. Firstly, in spite of the fact I have some conflicts with my parents, I have always known they love me, and I love them, too, and will always do my best to help them and make them happy. Friends are people whose trust and affection you have to win; friendship is art for me. Secondly, my friends normally are my peers, we have common interests, likes and dislikes, so having friends is of utter importance to me. As to dating and love, I don't think much about it yet. I think I have to solve the problems which seem most important to me at the moment, that is choosing the career and entering the university I have chosen.

8. London is the capital of Great Britain.

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and cultural centre. It's one of the largest cities in the world. Its population is more than million people. London is situated on the river Thames. The city is very old and beautiful. It was founded more than two thousand years ago. Traditionally London is divided into several parts: the City, the West End, the East End and Westminster. The City is the oldest part of London, its financial and business centre. The heart of the City is the Stock Exchange. Westminster is the most important part of the capital. It's the administrative centre. The Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British Government, are there. It's a very beautiful building with two towers and a very big clock called Big Ben. Big Ben is really the bell which strikes every quarter of an hour. Opposite the Houses of Parliament is Westminster Abbey. It's a very beautiful church built over 900 years ago. The tombs of many great statesmen, scientists and writers are there.

To the west of Westminster is West End. Here we find most of the big shops, hotels, museums, art galleries, theatres and concert halls. Picadilly Circus is the heart of London's West End. In the West End there are wide streets with beautiful houses and many parks, gardens and squares. To the east of Westminster is the East End, an industrial district of the capital. There are no parks or gardens in the East End and you can't see many fine houses there. Most of the plants and factories are situated there. London has many places of interest. One of them is Buckingham Palace. It's the residence of the Queen. The English are proud of Trafalgar Square, which was named so in memory of the victory at the battle. There in 1805 the English fleet defeated the fleet of France and Spain. The last place of interest I should like to mention, is the British Museum, the biggest museum in London. The museum is famous for its library -one of the richest in the world.

All London's long-past history is told by its streets. There are many streets in London which are known all over the" world. Among them Oxford Street, Downing Street and a lot of others can be mentioned. And tourists are usually attracted not only by the places of interest but by the streets too. In conclusion I should say if you are lucky enough to find yourself in London some day you will have a lot to see and enjoy there.

London — the capital of Great Britain is situated on the Thames River. It is the largest city in Europe with a population of eight and a quarter million. It is divided into four parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End.

The City is the business and commercial heart of London. Many banks, offices and firms are concentrated there. The Tower and St. Paul's Cathedral are in the centre. The Tower is about 900 years old. Many years ago it was a royal residence, then a prison. Now it is a museum. St. Paul's Cathedral is very large and fine. It was completed in 1710. The famous English architect Christopher Wren planned and built St. Paul's Cathedral.

If the City is the business part of London, Westminster is the centre of administration. We can see the Houses of Parliament there. It is a beautiful building with two towers and a very big clock called Big Ben. The Houses of Parliament stand in Parliament Square. Westminster Abbey is opposite the Houses of Parliament. Many great Englishmen were buried in Westminster Abbey. To the west of Westminster Abbey you can see Buckingham Palace. It is a royal residence. The ceremony of the changing of the guards which takes place in front of Buckingham Palace is of great interest to the tourists.

Rich people live in the West End. The best and most expensive clubs, restaurants and theatres, beautiful houses and parks are there.

The East End —the district of plants, factories, slums and docks — is for the working people. London is unlike any other city in the world. It has rather wide streets but low houses. It looks very grey because there is so much rain and fog there. Only buses and pillar-boxes are red. This city has never been planned and it has many parts which are different from each other.

9. Holidays in the UNITED KINGDOM

There are eight public, or bank holidays in Great Britain, that is, days when banks and offices are closed. They are: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Mayday, Spring Bank Holiday and Late Summer Bank Holiday. The observance of these days is no longer limited to banks. All the public holidays, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day observed on the 25 and 26 of December respectively, do not fall on the same day each year. Most of these holidays are of religious origin, though for the greater part of the population they have long lost they religious significance and are simply days on which people relax and make merry.

Certain customs and traditions are associated with most bank holidays. The reason is that many of them are part of holiday seasons, like Easter and Christmas seasons. Besides public holidays, there are celebrations, festivals, and simply days, on which certain traditions are observed, but unless they fall on a Sunday, there are ordinary working days.

February, 14 is St. Valentine's Day. It is a day for choosing sweethearts and exchanging love tokens. Generations of young people have considered St. Valentine to be the friend and patron of lovers and have sent gifts and hand-made valentines to their sweethearts. A valentine was a colourful card with a short verse composed by the sender. Now thousands of ready-made valentines are sent through the post every year.

Pancake Day is a popular name for Shrove Tuesday — the last day of enjoyment before the fasting of Lent. On this day Christians confessed their sins to a priest. Many people still traditionally eat pancakes. One of the main events of this day is the pancake race at Olney. The competitors in the race are local housewives who make their pancakes and run from the village square to the church.

The fourth Sunday in Lent is Mothering Sunday — a day of small family reunions. On this day absent sons and daughters return to the homes and make gifts to their mothers.

April, 1 is April Fool's Day — the day when practical jokes are played* Any person may be made in April Fool between midnight and noon. Children are, of course, very keen supporters of the tradition. You can step in a basin of water, or receive a letter with a deceiving message. If you are young and innocent, you can be sent to fetch some non-existing thing, like pigeon's milk.

Another popular British tradition is Halloween, celebrated on October, 31, the eve of All Saints9 Day. Halloween's customs dated back to a time, when people believed in devils, witches and ghosts. They thought that they could do all kinds of damage to property. Some people tried to ward off the witches by painting magic signs or nailing a horseshoe. Today the day is marked by costume-balls or fancy-dress parties. On the night of Halloween children or grown-ups visit houses and ask the residents if they want 'trick' or 'treat'. If the people in the house give children a 'treat' (money or sweets), then the children will not play trick on them. Another Halloween custom is to scrape out a pumpkin, cutting eyes, nose and mouth in its side and lighting a candle inside. This is made to scare the friends.

10. English is THE language of communication

«Do you speak English?» — with this phrase begins the conversation between two people, that speak different languages and want to find a common language.

It's very good when you hear: «Yes, I do», and start talking. People of different countries and nations have to get along well with the progress in world trade and technology as well as with each other.

So it is very useful to learn foreign languages. Knowledge of foreign languages helps us to develop friendship and understanding among people.

English is very popular now. It's the language of computers, science, business, sport and politics. It's spoken all over the world. It is the official language of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States of America, Canada, Australia. There are more than 750 million speakers of English in the world.

Speaking a foreign language you can read papers, magazines and original books by great writers, watch satellite TV programs.

If you like travelling you can go anywhere without being afraid that other people will not understand you. English is very important to find a good job.

English belongs to the Teutonic or Germanic branch of the Indo-European family of the languages. It is only in the course of the last hundred years that English is become a world language In Shakespeare's time it was a provincial language of secondary importance with only 6 million native speakers Nowadays English has-become the world's most important language in politics, science. In a number of speakers (400 million) it is second only to Chinese It is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the United States of America, of Australia and New Zealand. English is used as one of the official languages in Canada, the Republic of South Africa and the Irish Republic It is also spoken as a second l-ge by many people in India, Pakistan. The number of second-language speakers may soon exceed the number of native speakers, if it has not done so already.

The working languages of the United nations are English and French. All documents are written only in the working languages. English has become now the language of international communication. At present no other language on Earth is better suited to play the role of world language.

People who speak English fall into one of three groups: those who have learnt it as their native language, those who have learnt it as a second language in a society which is mainly bilingual and those who are force to use it for a practical purpose - professional or educational.

Nowadays when science and technology are progressing so fast all kind of specialists need English in their work. I am not confident with my English. I think it doesn't sound well. But I am a good English learner. I always attend my English classes and work hard.

Because English is so widely spoken, it has been referred to as a «global language». While English is not an official language in many countries, it is the language most often taught as a second language around the world. It is also, by international treaty, the official language for aircraft/airport communication. Its widespread acceptance as a first or second language is the main indication of its worldwide status.

There are numerous arguments for and against English as a global language. On one hand, having a global language aids in communication and in pooling information (for example, in the scientific community). On the other hand, it leaves out those who, for one reason or another, are not fluent in the global language. It can also lead to a cultural hegemony of the populations speaking the global language as a first language.

A secondary concern with respect to the spread of global languages (including major languages other than English such as Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, etc.) is the resulting disappearance of minority languages, often along with the cultures and religions that are primarily transmitted in those languages. Language death caused by English has been particularly pronounced in areas such as Australia and North America where speakers of indigenous languages have been displaced or absorbed by speakers of English in the process of colonization. The expansiveness of the British and the Americans has spread English throughout the globe.

The major varieties of English in most cases contain several sub varieties, such as Cockney slang within British English, Newfoundland English, and the English spoken by Anglo-Quebecers within Canadian English, and African American English within American English. English is considered a language with no variety being clearly considered the only standard. Because of English's wide use as a second language, English speakers can have many different accents, which may identify the speaker's native dialect or language.

Just as English itself has borrowed words from many different languages over its history, English words now appear in a great many languages around the world, indicative of the technological and cultural influence of English speakers. Several languages have formed on an English base – Tok Pisin was originally one such example. There are a number of words in English coined to describe forms of particular non-English languages that contain a very high proportion of English words – Franglais, for example, is used to describe French with a very high English content (spoken mostly in the border bilingual regions of Quebec).

11. Books in our life

Nowadays it's almost impossible to imagine our life without books. Perhaps, there are more books on our planet than men alive.

Long before the invention of printing people valued books as treasure troves of the human knowledge and experience. Hand — written manuscripts took months of writing and were collected by and kept in monasteries with utmost care. We can distinguish books between three classes of them.

Firstly, books on different branches of knowledge, works by brilliant minds of mankind. Secondly, textbooks, reference books and numerous dictionaries. And at last, books of all kinds and genres to read at leisure.

Classics should be taken a little at a time. One's understanding of books by Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, Mopassan and Balzak depends on one's age and experience.

Serious books are to be read conscientiously and maybe more than once. To a thinking reader they will provide new food for thought every time he rereads it. Many people indulge in reading science fiction, fantasy or detective stories. Of course, there are some advantages and disadvantages of this kind of literature, often reffered to as «easy reading».

As for me, good science fiction and fantasy develop imagination, logical thinking, broader one's outlook.

The same could be said in favour of detective stories. They reveal such minute details of everyday life in this or that particular country that are of greatest interest for a curious reader. The masterpieces of this genre by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and others, show the depths of psychological analysis, the insight into the human nature.

As an old saying goes, man cannot live on bread alone. Books are the source of knowledge and the means of self — perfection. Sometimes it is difficult to solve some problems in life. I think that books can help us. Books must be our friends during all our life.

"Books and friends should be few but good," says an English proverb. "Except a living man there is nothing more wonderful than a book! They teach us and open their hearts to us as brothers," wrote Charles Kingsley, an English writer of the 19th century. The book is certainly one of the greatest human inventions. It is a friend and a teacher. We learn many things by reading books. Books teach people to live. After reading some books it is easy to understand what should be done and what must not be done. One can learn a lot by reading books.

There are a lot of libraries in our country, where we can choose any book we need. Everyone has the right to use public libraries. The librarian is always ready to help you to find a book on any subject, even if you do not know the title of the book you want. Those who know how to use the library catalogue can find the books without consulting the librarian.

Talks, exhibitions and other events take place in libraries. Book lists are prepared beforehand to awake a new interest among the visitors. Except reading special and scientific literature it is a great pleasure to read belles-lettres.

Different people like to read different kinds of books. It depends on one's taste and character. Some people prefer detectives or science fiction. Others like historical books. Girls and women prefer love stories. Children like comics very much.

As for me, I prefer ... My favourite book is ... It is very interesting and exciting. The main character of the book is ... He (she) is a real personality. He (she) is clever (kind, courageous, strong, merry). I wish to be like him (her).

12. Hobby

Leisure is time spent in non-compulsory activities. Because leisure time is free from compulsory activities such as work, study, household duties, eating and sleeping, it is often referred to as 'free time'. The ideas of leisure and leisure time are thought to have emerged in the late 19th century with the rise of mechanized industry, when the increase in productivity of labour resulted in the fact that workers had some time to spend on themselves.

They started doing sports and visiting theatres. Since then the idea of leisure time and relaxation has been popular with all the age groups and social classes. Old and young, rich and poor have been using their free time for rest and entertainment. The ways people spend their leisure time normally differ according to the age group: middle-aged and old people normally prefer more passive kind of rest like watching TV or going to the theatre, or sometimes gardening, younger people enjoy more active pastimes like doing extreme sports, visiting night clubs and discos or travelling. However, the idea of active leisure like doing sports or travelling is gaining popularity with the older people, too.

So the basic leisure time activities of the young are travelling, doing sports including extreme sports, visiting discos and night clubs or more passive ways of recreation like listening to music or watching TV and videos, and surfing the Internet. Teenagers normally prefer to do extreme sports, that is sports featuring speed, height and danger as they lead to the so-called 'adrenaline rush9 in participants. They wish to push themselves to the limits of their physical ability and fear, and push the boundaries of a particular sport, such as bungee jumping, climbing, white-water rafting, surfing, windsurfing and many others. Their tastes in music are normally different kinds of popular music associated with youth subcultures, such as hard rock, hip-hop or rap, punk rock, psychedelic rock and the like. In watching TV and videos or going to the cinema, they prefer film genres which are full of action, movement, colour, cinema effects and have a good soundtrack. They normally like action films, comedies, musicals, thrillers and cartoons.

Sometimes the ways young people spend their free time varies according to the country, as they sometimes depend on national traditions. For example, in the USA young people normally like different types of popular culture which originated in their country like blues, different kinds of rock, country music and hip hop in music and pop art in fine arts. The sports they are doing are more often than not those which originated in America like baseball, auto-racing, basketball, and board-based recreational sports — surfboarding, skateboarding and snowboarding. American youngsters are fond of eating out and eat a lot of junk food like hambuigers and cheeseburgers and drink Coca-cola or Pepsi. British youngsters are really fond of watching football matches and sorts of races such as horse-racing, boat-racing and even dog-racing, as well as playing football, rugby and golf and taking part in races.

They are really fond of pets and often spend some time in the evening taking their dog for a walk. In going out for the evening, they still prefer pubs to restaurants, bars and cafes. In music, their tastes are nearly the same as those of their American peers. In Germany young people prefer drinking beer when meeting their friends and spending much time doing various sports. In Spain many youngsters, as well as older people, are fond of watching bullfighting. In France they like listening to French chanson.

13. My working day

I'd like to describe you my working day. All the days looked very much the same.

As a matter of fact, I am not an early-riser. I hate getting up early, but I got used to it. On weekdays I usually get up at 7. Г do my morning exercises. Then I wash my face and hands and clean my teeth. I don't take a shower in the morning. I usually prefer doing it after coming from school.

At half past seven I am ready to have my breakfast. I like to have a light breakfast which consists of a cup of coffee or tea and some cheese or sausage sandwiches. After breakfast I leave for school.

My school is not far from my house. Usually I walk there. It takes me 10 minutes to get to school. Lessons begin at 8:30 a. m. and finish at about 3 p. m. Six or seven lessons a day is the ordinary timetable. I seldom have lunch in the school canteen. I usually take a packed lunch with me.

Twice a week I stay at school after classes to play basketball.

When I come home my parents are out, they work till 6 o'clock p. m. and my Granny doesn't live with us. That's why I take my dinner from the fridge and warm it up myself. While having dinner I usually like to listen to the music. After dinner 1 rest a little. Sometimes I read a book or watch TV for about half an hour or talk to my friends over telephone.

After that I start doing my home assignments. It takes me about four or five hours to cope with my homework properly. And besides I work hard at those subjects in which I should take my entrance exams. Twice a week I go to have private lessons in Maths in order to improve my knowledge.

As a rule, I finish doing my homework at about 9 o'clock. But one day a week is not so busy. This is Thursday. On Thursday we have six lessons and I have no private lessons. So I am free about 2 o'clock.

And after dinner I usually help my mother.

Sometimes I do shopping or pick up clothes at the cleaners or do the ironing.

I usually have supper at 7 o'clock p. m. My parents are at home at this time. We gather in the kitchen and while having supper we share the day news and plan our next day. Then I go on with my work. At 10 I go to bed.

***

On week days I usually get up nearly six o'clock. I do not like to get up early, but I have to, because I have a lot of work to do during the day.

I make my bed, wash my face, put my clothes on and go to the kitchen to have breakfast. My mother usually prepares, breakfast for me, but sometimes I do it myself. If I prepare my breakfast for my own, I should have to get up earlier. I do not like big breakfasts; I prefer a cup of coffee and a sandwich.

Then I go to school. It is rather far from my house and I go there by bus. I have classes till two or three o'clock, it depends on a week day. Then I come home and have dinner. I like a big dinner, because when I come home from school I am hungry.

After my dinner, I have a rest for a couple of hours and then I do my homework. If I have some spare time I do some work about the house. I sweep the floor, dust the furniture and clean the carpets with the vacuum-cleaner. Sometimes my mother asks me to go shopping.

Then I have free time. I go for a walk with my friends or watch TV, or read books or play my favourite computer games. Then I have supper with my family. I like evenings very much, all members of our family get together after work and study and have the opportunity to talk and to discuss our family affairs.

I usually go to bed at about ten o'clock, sometimes at eleven o'clock.

14. Shopping

When we want to buy something, we go to a shop. There are many kinds of shops in every town or city, but most of them have a food supermarket, a department store, men's and women's clothing stores, grocery, a bakery and a butchery.

I like to do my shopping at big department stores and supermarkets. They sell various goods under one roof and this is very convenient. A department store, for example, true to its name, is composed of many departments: readymade clothes, fabrics, shoes, sports goods, toys, china and glass, electric appliances, cosmetics, linen, curtains, cameras, records, etc. You can buy everything you like there.

There are also escalators in big stores which take customers to different floors. The things for sale are on the counters so that they can be easily seen. In the women's clothing department you can find dresses, costumes, blouses, skirts, coats, beautiful underwear and many other things. In the men's clothing department you can choose suits, trousers, overcoats, ties, etc.

In the knitwear department one can buy sweaters, cardigans, short-sleeved and long-sleeved pullovers, woollen jackets. In the perfumery they sell face cream and powder, lipstick, lotions and shampoos.

In a food supermarket we can also buy many different things at once: sausages, fish, sugar, macaroni, flour, cereals, tea. At the butcher's there is a wide choice of meat and poultry. At the bakery you buy brown and white bread, rolls, biscuits.

Another shop we frequently go to is the greengrocery which is stocked by cabbage, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, beetroots, green peas and what not. Everything is sold here ready-weighed and packed. If you call round at a dairy you can buy milk, cream, cheese, butter and many other products.

The methods of shopping may vary. It may be a selfservice shop where the customer goes from counter to counter selecting and putting into a basket what he wishes to buy. Then he takes the basket to the check-out counter, where the prices of the purchases are added up. If it is not a self-service shop, and most small shops are not, the shop-assistant helps the customer in finding what he wants. You pay money to the cashier and he gives you back the change. 

15. My house is my castle

We all live somewhere: in an apartment, in a house, etc. As the English say, "My home - my castle!”. Our house is a place where we spend most of our life, in addition to work, study and travel. We strive to set up our home and make it as comfortable as possible. Whether it's a room, apartment or house, this is a reflection of our preferences and desires. We demonstrate our home to others and try to know how other people live.

I would like to describe my apartment, my "castle". Our family lives in the apartment with two bedrooms and a living room. Our apartment is bright and cozy, though small. Each room is good in its own way.

Living-room is the largest room in the apartment. There is a large sofa and a coffee table there. There are the bookshelves on the walls. In front of the sofa there is a TV set. This is where our family spends the evening time and welcomes visitors. My parent’s bedroom is furnished by my mother's taste. There is a simple wardrobe and a big soft bed in it. The window is decorated with beautiful burgundy curtains. Everything is very simple and rustic.

Finally, let me describe my room. It is very light. I sleep on the couch of a light color. In my room, there are two cases, one for clothing and one for the books. Between them there is the computer table. I decorated the room with posters and photographs. In the bookcase there are souvenirs and gifts from my friends. It seems to be a usual room, but for me my room is the dearest.

I think, every person always dreams about a place where he can speak about his problems, chat with close friends, where he can feel happy and quiet. For me it is my family and my home. It is the best place in the world and my dearest people live here.

My family is not large we are 4. I have a father, a mother and a brother. We all live together in a new flat. My father is 45. He is a tall and well-built man with short black hair and grey eyes. He is quiet and hardworking. Really, he is a bread maker of the family. Dad is handy with many things. His hobby is fixing everything at home. My mother is very lively. She is life and soul of the family. She is the pleasant woman of forty with beautiful chestnut hair and dark brown eyes. She is a lofty ideal for me. My parents have been married for 20 years they have much in common, in everyday life Dad is impractical and needs mother to look after him. Parents have different views on music, books, films. For example, my father likes horror films and my father likes . My father is a football fat and Mum doesn't like sports. But they try to have the same opinion about the education and upbringing of their children. My brother is only 11. He goes to school. He is funny and curious.

He is constantly asking many questions, often silly ones. But this only a moment - I can't imagine my life without our little monster. We all feel happy when we are together. In the evenings we often have little gatherings in the kitchen by the cup of tea, chatting, laughing and discussing the events of the day. Those evening are the best of all. But sometimes I have problems with my parents. They don't like the clothes I wear the music I listen to and the friends I bring home. It's not easy to be a teenager. In summer I visit my Granny. I love her when I was a child she used to tell me fairytales and stories of her life. My parents are hardworking. They combine work with housekeeping. Mum manages our household very well. We all are in the habit of helping her to run the house. They say: "My home is a cosy place." Our relatives and friends like to come to our place.

My parents are very hospitable everybody feels at home in their flat. Really.

House is essential for man's life. A house serves as a shelter and a place to satisfy all our needs: we sleep, eat, hide ourselves from bad weather, store personal property, work and rest there. So we want not just a house but a home. So what is the difference between a house and a home? It is considered that the place where you live is your home whatever type of house it is. British speakers often say that your home is the place where you belong and feel comfortable, so it is more than just a house. Some people think of home in terms of where they grew up or where they lived. For them it is a place that brings back old memories or feelings. The state of a person's home can physiologically influence his or her behavior, emotions, and mental health. Some people may become homesick when they are separated from their home environment. There are a lot of proverbs and sayings supporting the importance of home to a person: East or West, home is best; There is no place like home; My house is my fortress; Home, sweet home; Home is where the heart is; Home is home, though it be never so homely; Dry bread at home is better than roast meat abroad and many others. Such sayings exist in any language and in any culture. Houses differ from one culture to another, depending on the world outlook of a certain community, which has its roots in the religion of a nation, its traditions and historic heritage. That is why there are so many types of houses and ways of life in the world. There are certain cultures in which members lack permanent homes, such as with nomadic people.

A person's home can tell us what culture he belongs to, because consciously or unconsciously, one usually keeps to one's native traditions, though it is rather difficult to do so in the modern world, especially in the city.

An Englishman's motto is 'My home is my castle.' A house doesn't only ensure privacy or give a sense of stability and security, but it is also a status symbol. A big and expensive house means that its owner is a very successful person. There are different types of houses in Britain. For example, a terraced house is a house joined to a row of other houses. A semi-detached house is joined to another house. The British dream of living in a detached house (which means a separate building) though having a detached house is much more expensive than a semi-detached or a terraced one. A cottage is a small, usually old house, typically in a rural, or semi-rural location. A bungalow is a fairly modern house built on only one level. Most people don't like blocks of flats, because they don't suit British attitudes and don't give people enough privacy. Besides many blocks of flats are badly built and are associated with poverty and crime.

Nowadays some people prefer living in a houseboat. It is a boat designed to be used as a human dwelling. In the United Kingdom, canal narrowboats are used as homes and also as mobile, rented, holiday accommodation. Over 15,000 people live afloat in Great Britain. They are found throughout the canals, rivers and coasts; in cities, in the country and in harbours. Some cruise continuously, some are permanently moored and the others mix cruising and mooring. Many people find houseboats very attractive because they can stay in one area for a few weeks or months and than move somewhere else. It helps them feel closer to Nature and escape from everyday problems of life ashore. While travelling many people use a travel trailer or a caravan which is towed behind a road vehicle. It is much more comfortable than a tent and it gives travellers the opportunity not to spend their money on a motel or hotel. There are travel trailers and caravans of various types. They may be little more than a tent on wheels or they may contain several rooms with furniture and equipment. Travel trailers are especially popular in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

A house can say much about its inhabitants: their way of life, tastes, financial position, etc. No matter what type of house a person has, he should feel comfortable there. As a rule one's house is associated with one's family. Living under one roof people become closer and begin to understand each other better. So we can say that a house unites and for every person his house is a small Universe, a sacred place where love, friendship, mutual understanding and mutual respect reign.

16. Friendship

What is friendship? Friendship is a state of human spirit.

People can’t live without friendship, they feel lonely and unhappy without it .Friendship makes wonders. I believe that everyone can be a friend, a child and an adult.

A true friend will never betray and will always help you, if you are in trouble. He never envies you. But we shouldn`t demand much from our friends, because nobody is perfect.

Real friendship is rare. Many people who have not got friends often buy cats, dogs, rabbits or hamsters.  Pets are like true friends: faithful, understanding and besides they can listen to them  attentively. 

There are a lot of proverbs and fairy tales about friendship. I like such  proverbs as  “A friend in need is a friend indeed”  and  “A friend is never known till needed”. All amazing events and adventures in children’s stories happen only with friends. We remember books “The wizard of the Emerald town” by A.Volkov, “The nice adventures” by B.Ockudzhava,  “Denis’s stories”  by V.Dragynsky and stories by N.Nosov. Main characters of these books can fight with enemies and help each other in difficult situations

only if they are together.

***

What is friendship? Some people will say that it is a feeling of mutual liking between two or more people, other will add that it is a state when one person understands and supports the other one.

To my mind friendship can be compared to a tree. Its seed should find good soil and under good conditions it will grow into a tree. As the years go by the tree stands firmer and firmer on the ground. And if it is strong enough, it will survive all the storms and winds. But to help it, we should take care of it and love it.

The most important feeling that exists between friends is trust. It newer appears by itself, it's the result of a long friendship and this feeling is very valuable. Respect and tolerance are also very important; it means that you don't criticize your friend's way of living, but try to understand him, discuss problems with him and explain to him what you think is good and what is bad. A friend is a person who can help you in time, lend you any sum of money for a long period of time without any percent, whom you can wake up in the middle of the night just to say you feel worried or who is eager to do everything for you waiting nothing in return, who supports you in all your beginnings and who will never betray you.

Lucky are those people who have friends. I'm happy to have lots of friends, too. Some of them are very close, some are less. But all of them make my life interesting and enjoyable.

I appreciate friendship. It makes happiness grow brighter and grief less painful, because we have friends to share it with. When we doubt our ability to fulfill our aspiration or to reach our secret goal it is our best friend who gives us a spark of assurance. And we trust our friends and we are grateful to them. Friendship is a bridge between loneliness and fellowship, frustration and confidence, despair and hope, setbacks and success. That's why a true friend is a priceless gift. They are rich who have true friends, says a proverb and I agree.

 17. My motherland is Kazakhstan

I want to tell you about my homeland. My homeland is Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is an independent Republic. It is situated in the Central Asia. Its population, is 16 million. All people of Kazakhstan have equal rights and duties. Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan. The territory of Kazakhstan is huge. It borders on China in the East and the Caspian Sea in the West, Russian in the North and the states of Asia in the South. The republic occupies the territory of more than 2 million square kilometers. . Kazakhstan has 14 regions, 84 cities.

The earth of Kazakhstan is full of iron and gold, coal, nickel and raw materials. Also Kazakhstan is rich in mineral resources. These reserves formed a solid base for the development of heavy industry. The leading branch of agriculture is the production of wheat, sheep rising, and horse breeding. Kazakh-is the official language of the country, but Russian and other languages are spoken here too. Kazakhstan has hundreds of nationalities that’s why all people speak their native language.

Great attention is paid to the development of culture and education the Kazakhstan University, the Opera and Ballet Theater named after Abai Kunanbayev are well known. 

There are many big industrial centers in Kazakhstan such as Karaganda, Almaty, Semey, and Shymkent.

Kazakhstan is the place where space dreams and projects have come into reality. The name of Baikonur is known all over the world. We are proud of Kazakhstan and hope it will have a great future. Our president now is Nursultan Nazarbayev. The president is elected every seven years. 

The climate is strongly continental. KZ- has its own flag, anthem and national traditions and holidays. I think the most important holiday in our country is- Nayris. The Day of Republic is on the 25th of October. I’m proud of my country.

***

Kazakhstan, officially Republic of Kazakhstan, has the population of 15,186,000 people and territory 2,719,500 sq km, is situated in central Asia. It borders on Siberian Russia in the north, China in the east, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan in the south, and the Caspian Sea and European Russia in the west. Astana is the capital and Almaty (Alma-Ata) is the largest city. Other major cities include Shymkent, Semey, Aqtobe, and Oskemen.

Kazakhstan consists of a vast flatland, bordered by a high mountain belt in the southeast. It extends from the lower Volga and the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mts. in the east. It is largely lowland in the north and west, hilly in the center (Kazakh Hills), and mountainous in the south and east (Tian Shan and Altai ranges). Kazakhstan is a region of inland drainage; the Syr Darya, the Ili, the Chu, and other rivers drain into the Aral Sea and Lake Balkash. Most of the region is desert or has limited and irregular rainfall.

The population of Kazakhstan consists mainly of Muslim Kazakhs and Russians; there are smaller minorities of Ukrainians, Germans, Uzbeks, and Tatars. Kazakh, a Turkic language, is the official tongue, but Russian is still widely used.

Despite Kazakhstan's largely arid conditions, its vast steppes accommodate both livestock and grain production. Wheat, cotton, sugar beets, and tobacco are the main crops. The raising of cattle and sheep is also important, and Kazakhstan produces much wool and meat. In addition, there are rich fishing grounds, famous for their caviar-producing sturgeon, in the Caspian, although these have been hurt by overfishing.

The Kazakh Hills in the core of the region have important mineral resources. Coal is mined at Qaraghandy and Ekibastuz, and there are major oil fields in the Emba basin. The country's industries are located along the margins of the country. Steel, agricultural and mining machinery, superphosphate fertilizers, phosphorus acids, artificial fibers, synthetic rubber, textiles, and medicines are among the manufactured goods. Temirtau is the iron and steel center. The Baikonur (Bayqongyr) Cosmodrome in central Kazakhstan was the Soviet space-operations center and continues to serve Russian space exploration through an agreement between the two nations. The main trading partners are Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

18. A Visit to the theatre

We have a very beautiful theatre in our town. It is a modern building situated not far from the center of Burstyn. The visitors can enjoy watching dramas, tragedies, comedies and sometimes an opera or a ballet.

The visitors usually buy tickets beforehand in the ticket booths or in the ticket box offices. Theatrical shows usually start at 7:00 p.m.

When you go in, you enter the foyer, then you come to the cloak-room, where we leave our coats and hats. You can also take opera glasses there.

After that you go to the theatre hall. The person who meets you at the entrance is usher. You must show your ticket to her.

When you enter the hall, you find your seats. You can see the stage in front of you. You can't see the scenery before the performance start.

The orchestra pit is next to the stage. This is where the musicians sit and play the music. The performance begins after the third bell has rung.

The curtain goes up and you become a spectator. If the spectators enjoy the performance they applaud, give flowers and small presents to the actors and actresses.

Between the acts of the play there are intervals. The spectators leave their seats and go to the buffet where they can eat a cake and drink a glass of lemonade or juice. During the interval the spectators discuss the performance and the play of the actors and actresses.

After the performance finishes, the spectators rise from their seats and go to the cloakroom to get their coats and hats. You hear them say: “I enjoyed the performance very much”, “The performance was splendid”, “The actors and actresses performed very well”.

***

There are not many theatres in my town, but they are all very popular with the public. I am a theatre lover, too. As for me, I prefer drama to all other theatres, but I also like opera and musical comedy.

I’ll never forget my first visit to the Opera and Ballet Theatre. My friend and I wanted to see the famous ballet “Swan Lake” by Tchaikovskyi. We bought the tickets in advance and came to the theatre half an hour before the show. At 7 sharp the performance began. From the very first minute I was deeply impressed by everything I saw on the stage. The costumes were fine. The dancing and music were thrilling. The ballet seemed to me a fairy-tale. I had never seen anything more wonderful. My friend also enjoyed every minute of it.

When the curtain fell at the end of the performance, there came a storm of applause. It seemed that it would never end. The dancers received call after call. They were presented with large bouquets of flowers. We also applauded enthusiastically. The performance has a great success.

19. Petropavlovsk

My name is Karina. I live in Petropavlovsk which is in the northern part of my country. Although it is the place where I was born I love this town very much. I was born in 1996 in Karagandy which is in the central part of our country. Comparing these two towns Petropavlovsk is rather small town.

It is a city with a historic past. Our city is small, but it is famous for its park and for the oldest and may be the only botanical garden in our republic. You can find many unusual, rare and exotic plants in this garden.

We have many places of interest. For example, we have 2 theatres – Kazakh and Russian. They are very beautiful and cozy. Also, we have 4 or even more skating rings in our town. There was opened a Sport Castle in our town recently. It is a beautiful building where you can find a big skating ring, and some gyms where you can train and make your body fit. We have a lot of museums. They are all very beautiful and useful, if, for example, you’ll meet a foreigner you can go with him to any of these museums and tell him about our town’s history.

We have 2 cinemas in our town. You can go to any of them and watch a film. Or, if you like plays, you can go to a theater.

Don’t forget to buy some food! We have many supermarkets in our town. They are all good. But I like Rakhmet the best of all. It’s a place where friends meet. You can buy food, clothes, jewelry, phones, or whatever you like in Rakhmet. We say: “You can find anything in Rakhmet”. And that is truth.

There is a beautiful lake in our town. It’s called Pyostroe. You can go there with your friends and make picnic, play Frisbee, beach volleyball, beach tennis…

Also we have many interesting people in our town.

For example, there are banana palm trees. I want you to get acquainted with Ravil Ryazapov, who is the creator and keeper of this wonderful place. He is just an interesting personality! My region is famous for its picturesque lakes and green birch trees. I invite you to see the pine forests of Kokshetau. This region is called Kazakhstan’s Switzerland.

There are many wonderful lakes and rocks. Each rock has its own legend. It’s so exciting! Welcome! You’ll enjoy the natural sights of my region!

20. BrinGing up children

It is a very important topic, for which all of us must share our thoughts, as we already passed from that age, so what we expected from our parents, and what could we not get, in future it will help us to nourish our children.

Most important think is what we used to aspect from our parents at the time of childhood, and now being a adult, time to think, are all those demand were right, (demand might be from Chocolate to toys... etc)

As in Vedas written about children:- " Let them(children) do till 6yrs of age what ever they want to do(It has limitations also, something might harm them, so we have to take care.) that is the age when they learn, till 12 yrs let them play, as they can,(Study also must be there, but Emphasize must be on Physical activity) this is the age when they will make their muscles as Iron and nerves as Stell. and 12-18 yrs children must be trained as hard as can, because this is the age, when they become a gentlemen, they frame their picture, they make their fate,(Not luck, i would like to write about Luck separately)....etc.

After 18 years of age parents must start behave as a friend, they must share their experiences with children.

Parents must try to read, and understand their children, and Children also try to Listen them. After 18years of age children needs a very close friend, and personally I think that parents must play that role( A close friend). Children want to share himself.

(I would like to write, to say something is so easy, but in practical it seems very tough, that time it seems looking after children is very hard task, and it is the toughest task of life.)

***

A person's upbringing and education starts in his or her family. Even when children grow up and become independent, their families never stop influencing their lives. The family is responsible for an individual's physical and moral development and it is in the family that values, norms and ideas are communicated from generation to generation. Being a parent is one of the most challenging tasks in the world. Parents ought to love, protect and guide their child. They should show affection and sympathy, understand their children's feelings and help them solve their problems.

A child's upbringing is not a chaotic and uncontrollable process. It is a great responsibility that demands certain knowledge, skills and experience. Of course different parents have different views of what they want to 'implant' in the mind of their offspring. But all parents want their children to become nice, responsible and mature individuals with a broad outlook and a kind heart. First and foremost parents should choose the right parenting style. There are four types of parenting styles that differ in the degree of parental demands and responsiveness: permissive, authoritarian, authoritative and neglectful. But as a rule parents usually combine these styles depending on the situation.

A lot of parents choose to adhere to a permissive parenting style which is also called indulgent or nondirective. It doesn't require a great share of discipline on the part of the parent and that of the child. There are no clear conduct patterns or strict demands as sometimes parents fear to lose their children's love if they set limits. Children are usually given unrestricted freedom and they are allowed to behave as they want and to do what they wish. Permissive parents don't usually punish their children and they are very attentive to their children's wishes and needs. Child-rearing experts disapprove of such way of upbringing and say that it is not beneficial for children who may take advantage of their parents' indulgence and become disobedient, aggressive, irresponsible and egoistic.

Those parents who choose to adhere to an authoritarian parenting style are strict and demanding. Some specialists characterize this style as restrictive and punitive. Authoritarian parents force their sons and daughters to obey a set of rules and punish them for a slight disobedience. Such mums and dads do not give their children much freedom and do not allow them to make their own decisions and choices. They value submission and obedience most of all and discourage independence and individuality. Authoritarian parents set very high standards and don't like their authority to be questioned or doubted. They do not show warmth and affection towards their children. As a result children may fear their parents, feel rejected and lack self-confidence, curiosity and independence.

Authoritative parents are strict but fair. They use punishment and praise appropriately. When authoritative parents punish children, they always explain their motive for the punishment. Such parents prefer discussions and explanations and value compromise. They make rules appropriate to a child's age and capabilities and serve as a role model for him or her to follow providing support and guidance. Children are given enough freedom but at the same time they are under their parents' constant control. The main goal is building strong trusting relationships between parents and children. In such families children are usually cheerful, self-confident, responsible and socially successful. This parenting style is the most recommended according to experts.

Neglectful parents are often undemanding and indifferent towards their children. They do not set limits and do not control their children's behaviour. Such parents are preoccupied with their own needs and spend little time with their offspring. As neglectful parents are too busy with their obligations, they are uninvolved in their children's life and don't express interest in it. Neglectful parents do not demonstrate warmth and affection that is why children in such families feel ignored, unloved and depressed.

If parents want their children to be happy and to develop successfully, it is essential to maintain harmony and the atmosphere of love, mutual respect, acceptance, understanding and open communication in their family. Special parent education classes are organized in order to help parents perfect their parenting knowledge and skills. It is important to remember that parents should combine love, discipline and limits in order to raise healthy and happy children. Parents who fully realize their responsibility and do their best to help their child become a responsible, well-bred, independent and tolerant adult are rewarded when their sons and daughters become successful members of society.
 

21. English speaking countries

English is the language of the international communication and the third language in the world in the number of its native speakers after Hindi and Chinese.

71 sovereign states use English as the official language.

Among the largest countries there are: New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, UK, USA, Canada, Pakistan, the Philippines and many others. The UK and the USA are two the most important English-speaking countries.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland includes 4 parts: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In the UK there are no high mountains, long rivers, or vast forest areas. The form of the government in Great Britain is parliamentary monarchy. British very honor their traditions. One of the famous holidays is Christmas which is celebrated on 25th of December. At that day English give presents to each other, sing Christmas songs, send celebrated cards and have Christmas supper with a turkey and a pudding. The USA is a multinational country. It is located in the central part of the North American continent. Most residents of the USA speak English, but it is possible to hear also French, Chinese and German speech. Canada, along with English, has the one more official language — French. Australia and New Zealand are in the southern hemisphere.

Many immigrants from England, Scotland and Wales live there.

It is interesting that the warmest month of the year is January, and the coldest is June. Snow can be found only in the mountains.

English is the third most spoken native language worldwide, after Chinese and Hindi, with some 380 million speakers. It is the official language in 71 sovereign states and territories with the total population of 2,135 million people. Among them are the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa and many others. In the UK and the USA there is no law about the official language, and English is the official language there de facto. There are some countries, too, where English is the major language, that is, it is the native language of the overwhelming majority of the population; these countries include the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and some others. The two most important English-speaking countries are, of course, the UK and the USA.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles, off the northern coast of Europe. The British Isles consist of two large islands: Great Britain and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. Their total area is about 244,000 square kilometers.

The British Isles are separated from the Continent by the North Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. The western coast of the country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea; the eastern coast is washed by the North Sea.
The population of the country is over 57 million people. The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast respectively. In everyday speech 'Great Britain' is used in the meaning of 'the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. The country is also referred to as Britain, England or the UK. The capital of the UK is London, with the population of about 7.5 million people (about 13 million people in Greater London, that is London with the suburbs).

The surface of the country varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called Highlands. The south, which abounds in beautiful valleys and plains, is called Lowlands. The north of England is mountainous, while the eastern, central and south-eastern parts of England are a vast plain. Mountains are not very high, with Ben Nevis in Scotland as the highest mountain (1,343 m). There are a lot of rivers in the UK, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one. The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream influence the climate of the British Isles which is mild the whole year round.

The UK is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the country is governed by the Parliament and the Queen is Head of State. The legislative power in the country is exercised by the Houses of Parliament which consist of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords is composed of hereditary peers and peeresses. The members of the House of Commons are elected by people from the constituencies in the four parts of the country. The House of Commons is the real governing body of the country. The executive power is exercised by Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The government is usually formed by the political party which has the majority in the House of Commons. Prime Minister is the majority party leader appointed by the Queen. Prime Minister chooses a team of ministers; 20 of them form the Cabinet. The most important parties in the UK are the Conservative and the Labour Party.

The judicial branch of the government is represented by the system of courts. There is no written Constitution in Great Britain, only precedents and traditions. The national flag of the country is Union Jack.

The UK is a highly developed industrial and agrarian country. It produces and exports machinery, electronics, railroad equipment, aircraft, textile. One of the chief industries is shipbuilding. Though the country is not rich in mineral resources, it is one of the world's leading economies. The country also must import about 40 % of its food supplies. Financial sector is the most important one in the economy of the country, 70 % of the country's population work there. Britain's most important agricultural products include wool and dairy products. The main industrial and commercial areas are cities.

When I think about British people, I normally recollect two things: British national character and British holidays and traditions.

The British are famous for being conservative, reserved, punctual, friendly to strangers and polite. They are famous for their love to compromise, too. I think some of these traits may be explained by the island location — for example, their conservatism, friendliness to strangers and politeness. Partially due to this location, the British Isles have not been invaded since the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, and the British people were not afraid of strangers. The influence of foreign lifestyles was very small, too, that is probably why they are conservative.

The British have a lot of holidays and celebrations. Many of them are celebrated throughout the world because of their Christian origin. Christmas Day and Boxing Day, Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), Good Friday and Easter are all Christian holidays, or are based on a combination of pagan and Christian traditions. Another group of British holidays include holidays celebrated in English-speaking countries — Mothering Sunday, April Fool's Day, May Day, Hallowe'en, the New Year.

British people are known to keep up a lot of traditions in their daily routines. For example, they prefer living in their own houses, they are fond of gardening, keeping pet animals, spending holidays on the seaside and playing cricket, darts and golf. They like going to pubs, being members of all sorts of clubs and having five o'clock tea. I believe the pub is the most peculiarly British tradition, as the pub is still the centre of social life in towns and city suburbs. Though television at home is a strong competitor in spending leisure time, many people still go to pubs to communicate with their neighbours and friends. Nevertheless, the importance of the pub as the centre of social life in a locality is decreasing.

22. Sports in Kazakhstan

Sports draws us for many reasons. It keeps us healthy and fit, teaches responsibility, gives us competition, excitement, creates communities… The list is endless! Kazakhstan is no exception for a sports community, so in this blog I’d like to share with my foreign friends about Kazakhs sports culture.

I think every Kazakh citizen would agree that the most popular sport in our country is soccer (we call it football though). I assume, the other reason, besides it’s fun, is that soccer requires lesser equipment than any other sports.

Anyways, Kazakhstan has 14 inner soccer teams which compete for the UEFA Champions League. It is held every year between the spring-fall season. Nowadays, the winning team is Karaganda’s FC Shakhter Karagandy.

Besides, Kazakhstan has national soccer team, which represents our country on international level. In 2002, Kazakhstan was adopted in the UEFA as an European country participant (West Kazakhstan (Atyrau, Aktobe and part of Mangistau regions) belong to Europe geographically). At the moment, Kazakhstan is participating in the qualifying tournament for UEFA Champions League 2014. Our country is in the same group with Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Austria and Faroe Islands. (For more information and updates, refer to the official website of Kazakhstan National Soccer team.

Boxing is the second most popular sport in Kazakhstan. Our Boxing Federation was formed in 1959 and has achieved a lot since then. Here are the achievements from the Olympic Games:

2000 – At the Sydney Olympics, Kazakhstan won 2 gold and 2 silver

2004 – At the Athens Olympics, Bakhtiar Artaev became an Olympic champion in welterweight and the second in the history of Kazakhstan’s boxing after Vasily Jirov to be awarded the most prestigious trophy in boxing; the Val Barker Cup.

2008- At the Olympics in Beijing, Bakhit Sarsekbayev became the Olympic champion in welterweight, and Erkebulan Shynaliev won a bronze medal in light heavyweight.

2012 – At the XXX Summer Olympic Games in London Serik Sapiev won the welterweight gold medal and became the third Kazakh boxer awarded “Val Barker Cup”. Adilbek Niyazymbetov won a silver award in light heavyweight, and Ivan Dychko bronze in super heavyweight. Held on for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, in women’s boxing tournament Marina Volnova won the bronze medal in middleweight.

Nowadays, the boxing team “Astana Arlans” is on top in the World Series of Boxing. They won the III World Series of 2013 Boxing season.

Of course, I must mention Gennadiy Golovkin: one of Kazakhstan’s favorites, who is popular all over the world. Gennadiy is a 31 year-old WBA and IBO middleweight champion since 2011. In this year’s championship, he won all 27 fights in the professional ring, 24 of them ending by KO. On October 2nd, a long-expected fight between Gennadiy and US boxer Curtis Stevens will happen at the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. Boxing fans probably heard about how Curtis “buried” Gennadiy on his Instagram.

As Stevens later apologized, he said it was nothing personal just PR and hyping the fight. Anyway, I bet everyone is super excited about upcoming fight

The third favorite sport in Kazakhstan is hockey. Team “Torpedo” from Ust-Kamenogorsk (East Kazakhstan) is the best hockey team in the country. Evgeny Paladyev from “Torpedo” is a three-time world champion, who played seven years for the Moscow “Spartak” team. The Kazakhstan national hockey team (composed of “Torpedo” players), shared 5-8 places with Team USA, Sweden and Belarus at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano. In 2002 Kazakhstan’s Maxim Kuznetsov of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. Current goalie for the Carolina Hurricanes Anton Khudobin is from Kazakhstan.

The fourth most liked sport is cycling. The main “engine” of popularity for cycling in Kazakhstan are the victories of the outstanding Kazakh rider Alexander Vinokourov in prestigious Pro Tour races and, of course, his gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. Also, Alexey Lutsenko’s recent victory in the World Cup 2012 inspires Kazakh people to be involved in cycling.

In 2006, Pro Team Astana was created by A.Vinokurov and D.Akhmetov, the former prime minister of Kazakhstan. The captain of Pro Team Astana is Vincenzo Nibali ( nicknamed “Shark”). He’s an Italian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2013 Giro d’Italia. At the moment, Pro Astana Team, lead by Vincenzo, is participating in La Vuelta De Espana 2013, which started on August 24th and suppose to finish on September 15th. Astana team has won the team race so far, which was the first stage of the competition. Nibali is considered a highly expected candidate for a win, and the whole country is excited to know about the final results of the race!

23. The world of cinema and music

A lot of young people think that music serves only for dancing. However, others say that the aim of music is not just to entertain us.

There is hardly a person in the world who does not like music. Most young people can't imagine their lives without it. But what is music? Is it just a pleasant combination of sounds or a far more complicated notion?

Personally, I think that music is a universal language understandable to everybody. People compose music in order to express their feelings and emotions. The composer speaks to us without using any words. Music can fill us with energy and make us happy. It's known that classical music makes us feel delighted and relaxed. And on the contrary, rock music and heavy metal arouse hatred, violence, irritation and rage. Some sounds even have a healing effect on people and can normalize heart rate and soothe them better than any pills.

But some young people think that music serves only for entertainment. They like pop music, rap, dance music and heavy metal. These musical genres help them relax and have fun. Most teenagers are not ready to listen to such serious music as symphony, opera or chamber music. To my mind, musical compositions by such outstanding composers as Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky or Shostakovich should be listened to attentively and brooded over. To conclude, the aim of music is not just to entertain us, but to give us aesthetic pleasure, to develop our taste and love for beauty. That is why everybody likes listening to music, dancing to it, visiting concert halls, singing or playing musical instruments. Music plays a very important role in our lives and it has the power to unite people all over the world.

The silent film disappeared when the era of the talking film began. A lot of people say that modern movies are much better than the early ones. However, some people are sorry about the disappearance of the silent film.

Movies are truly the art of our time. Nowadays there are quite a lot of interesting films among which we can find westerns, horror films, hits, comedies, science fiction films, thrillers, romance films and many others. But why do some people still admire the first black and white films?

Personally, I am fond of modern cinematography. Nowadays films are skillfully made and contain a lot of special effects. They attract people's attention with absorbing plots, stunning visual and sound effects, exciting scenes and complicated scripts. One of the latest inventions is 3-D films. To my mind, it is amazing to look at objects which seem to have length, depth and height. Besides, modern movies have become easily accessible.

However, many people like early films that have picture but no sound. They say that modern movies have lost something. Silent films were understandable to everybody without any words. They were like a universal language and they united people of all nationalities. But now films have to be translated into different languages and dubbed. They make our imagination work no more and sometimes they don't help us relax and forget about our everyday problems as there is too much violence, filth and horror in them. What is more, some people say that a lot of modern films are stupid and uninteresting. But I believe that most of them have a successful run. They are watched, discussed and admired. To conclude, I think it is difficult to compare modern movies to silent films. They are absolutely different and have their own charm. Anyway, tastes differ and everybody can choose what to watch.

Some people are fond of 3D films and they are convinced that 3D will take over the cinema in the future. Others are against 3D films.

Nowadays production companies are putting many films in 3D. Some people wonder if it will enhance or ruin the film they want to see.

Personally, I think that watching a 3D movie is a great fun. It gives you a wonderful opportunity to interact more with the film. To my mind, 3D movies prove that the technology can enhance not only the experience, but the storytelling too. People perceive the world around them with depth. So it would be natural to see films that are given more depth to the scene instead of flat images.

However, a lot of people say they were disappointed with 3D films. Firstly, some of them did not have a feeling that they got their money's worth because of the lack of effects. Secondly, some movies have 3D graphics added later. It makes films darker and 3D effect is often not very good. Thirdly, some people believe that when we see 3D we lose the artistry of the film. They also say that 3D movies are made for amusement rather than for aesthetic pleasure. In addition, tickets are expensive and it is a great disadvantage for people who are tight with money. They believe that 3D films are not worth the extra cost and they are just a way for companies to boost profits. But I am convinced that a skillfully made 3D movie is worth seeing.

To conclude, most people think that someday every movie will be released in 3D. But you still have a choice today. If you do not want to watch movies in 3D you can choose the 2D version of a film.

Usually we see films either in the cinema or on TV. But from time to time I go to the cinema.

My favorite film is “Romeo and Juliet”. The Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, produced a masterpiece in this adaptation. The costumes are brilliant, the actors are wonderful, the music by is perfect, and the lines are delivered beautifully. The movie starred Leonard Whiting (a British actor, who played Romeo) and Olivia Hussey (Juliet). They were young when they filmed the Classic, 17 and 15 years, respectably. This movie is one of the most realistic interpretations of William Shakespeare's Tragedy.

It is difficult to live without music. We hear music everywhere: in the streets, at home, over the radio, on TV, in the parks & in concert halls.

We can’t live without music. We like to listen to music, we play musical instruments.

Music reflects people’s mood & emotions. As for me I enjoy several musical styles: pop, rock, rap, electronic and others. But I dislike metal, hard rock, country and blues.

24. My English Studies

Today it is quite evident that everyone should know at least one foreign language. Knowing one or more foreign languages makes it possible to get acquainted with different ways of thinking, to understand a new civilization. Learning a foreign stimulates mental abilities and gives you a chance to appreciate a new literature, a different culture and to broaden your outlook. Besides, knowing foreign languages has a practical value. It helps to improve the quality of your work, because it reduces the time lost on obtaining the necessary information.

The knowledge of other languages is very useful, especially if you have to work abroad or of you must read foreign literature in the original. If you know the language of a foreign country, you can talk to its people and understand what they are speaking about without anybody’s help. The knowledge of foreign languages also helps young people of different countries to develop friendship.

As for me, I’m learning English, because in the recent years it has become not only an international language, it is now a number one language in the world. Besides, English is becoming a lingua franca. A lingua franca is a language chosen for international purposes.

At the beginning of the 21st century English more widely spoken and written, than any other language has ever been. It has become the language of the planet, the first truly global language. English has become the world’s important language in politics, science, trade and cultural relations. Three quarters of the world’s mail and its telexes and telegrams are in English.

More than half of the world’s scientific periodicals and eighty per cent of the information in the world’s computers are also in English. English is the main language of business. It is the language of sports: the official language of the Olympics. In a number of speakers it is second only to Chinese. At the same time it is the most widespread language in the world. It is the official language of the UK, of the USA, Australia and New Zealand. English is used as one of the official languages in Canada, the Republic of South Africa and the Irish Republic. It is also spoken as a second language by many people in India, Pakistan, numerous countries in Africa.

The number of second language speakers may soon exceed the number of native language speakers, if it hasn’t happened yet. The English language surrounds us like a sea, and like the waters of a deep sea it is full of mysteries. English is and has always been constantly changing. Some words die, some change their meanings and all the time new words appear in the language.

A person who knows these languages can speak to and understand almost 2 thousand million people doesn’t suffer from the language barrier. Today there are a lot of people in Europe and Asia who know several languages. A person who knows several languages is called a polyglot.

It is known that different languages can come into fashion or go out of it. It is generally considered that the most fashionable language in the world nowadays is English.

25. Education in different countries.

The educational system in Kazakhstan is conducted in two languages - Kazakh and Russian and consists of several levels of state and private educational establishments: infant schools, elementary (or primary) schools, comprehensive schools, colleges and academies.

The constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan fixes the right of citizens of the republic on free-of-charge secondary education which is obligatory. The constitution prohibits any discrimination on the basis of language or ethnicity and guarantees equal rights in education regardless of nationality. Children start school at the age of 7 and finish at 17.

As a rule a child attends the school, located in the neighborhood. However, in big cities there are so-called special schools, offering more in depth studies of the major European languages (English, French, German) or the advanced courses in physics and mathematics and children, attending one of this may have to commute from home.

The American system of school education differs from the systems in other countries. There are state public schools, private elementary schools and private secondary schools. Public schools are free and private schools are fee-paying. Each state has its own system of public schools. Elementary education begins at the age of six or seven, when a child goes to the first grade (form). At the age of sixteen schoolchildren leave the elementary school and may continue their education at one of the secondary schools or high schools, as they call them. The programme of studies in the elementary school includes English, Arithmetic, Geography, History of the USA, Natural Sciences and, besides, Physical Training, Singing, Drawing, Wood or Metal Work, etc. Sometimes they learn a foreign language and general history. Beside giving general education some high schools teach subjects useful to those who hope to find jobs in industry and agriculture or who want to enter colleges or universities. After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. The students do not take the same courses. During the first two years they follow a basic programme. It means that every student must select at least one course from each of the basic fields of study: English, Natural Sciences, Modern Languages, History or Physical Training. After the first two years every student can select subjects according to his professional interest. The National Government gives no direct financial aid to the institutions of higher education. Students must pay a tuition fee. This creates a financial hardship for some people. Many students have to work to pay their expenses.

The Americans place a high value on education. That's why Kennedy said, "Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education."

***

If all good people were clever and all clever people were good, the world would be nicer than ever. I think that education is a key to a good future. And schools are the first step on the education-way. Schools help young people to choose their career, to prepare for their future life, they make pupils clever and well-educated. They give pupils the opportunity to fulfil their talent.

Education in Britain developed by steps. The first step was the introducing of two kinds of school: grammar schools and secondary modern schools. Grammar schools offered a predominantly academic education and in secondary modern schools education was more practical.

The second step was the introducing of a new type of school, the comprehensive, a combination of grammar and secondary modern, so that all children could be continually assessed and given appropriate teaching. These school were co-educational and offered both academic and practical subjects. However, they lost the excellence of the old grammar schools. Then after 1979 were introduced the greatest reforms in schooling. They included the introduction of a National Curriculum making certain subjects, most notably science and one modern language, compulsory up to the age of 16.

The National Curriculum aims to ensure that all children study essential subjects and have a better all-round education. Pupils' progress in subjects in National Curriculum is measured by written and practical tests. More ambitious pupils continue with very specialized studies in the sixth form. They remain at school for two years more. Pupils sit for exams leaving secondary school and sixth form. They sit for the General Certificate Secondary Education at the end of the 5th-years' course. A-level or AS-levels are taken after two years of study in the sixth form. They are the main standard for entrance to university or other higher education.

Some parents prefer to pay for their children to be educated at independent schools. This private sector includes the so-called public schools, some of whose names are known all over the world, for example Eton. It provides exceptionally fine teaching facilities, for example in science, languages, computing and design. Its students are largely from aristocratic and upper-class families.

The public educational system in Russia includes pre-schools, general schools, specialised secondary and higher education. So-called pre-schools are kindergartens in fact. Children there learn reading, writing and maths. But pre-school education isn't compulsory - children can get it at home. Compulsory education is for children from 6(7) to 17 years of age.

The main branch in the system of education is the general schools which prepare the younger generation for life and work. There are various types of schools: general secondary schools, schools specialising in a certain subject, high schools, gymnasiums and so on. The term of study in a general secondary school is 11 years and consists of primary, middle and upper stages. At the middle stage of a secondary school children learn the basic laws of nature and society at the lessons of history, algebra, literature, physics and many others. After 9th form pupils have to sit for examinations. Also they have a choice between entering the 10th grade of a general secondary school or going to professional school.

Pupils who finish the general secondary school, receive a secondary education certificate, giving them the right to enter any higher educational establishment. One has to study in the institute for 5 years. Higher educational institutions train students in one or several specialisations.

The American system of education differs from the systems of other countries. There are free public schools which the majority of American children attend. There are also a number or private schools where a fee is charged.

Education is compulsory for every child from the age of 6 up to the age of 16 except in some states, where children must go to school until the age of 17 or 18. Elementary or primary and secondary or high schools are organized on one of two basis: 8 years of primary school and 4 years, or 6 years of primary, 3 years of junior high school and 3 years of senior high school.

The junior high school is a sort of halfway between primary school and high school. The high school prepares young people either to work immediately after graduation or for more advanced study in a college or university.

An important part of high school life is extra-curricular activities, they include band or school orchestra, sports and other social activities.

There is no national system of higher education in the United States. Instead, there are separate institutions ranging from colleges to universities. They may be small or large, private or public, highly selective or open to all.

26. Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan.

Astana (the former Akmola) was founded in 1830. In 1862 stanitsa Akmola got the status of a town. In March 1917 the Soviet Power was established in Akmola. In 1961 Akmola was renamed into Tselinograd and became the centre of Tselinny Krai. In 1992 the city got its name Akmola again and since October 1997 Akmola has become a new capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Later on it got its present name Astana.

Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan. It occupies the north - western part of the Sary Arka, on the river Ishim. The climate is extreme continental and drought - prone. The scorching summers bring dust storms and hot, dry winds. Astana is a modern growing city, a political, financial, economic, scientific and socio - cultural centre of the state. In 1999 Astana was awarded with the medal and little of City of Peace by UNESCO

There are a lot of magnificent beautiful buildings, higher educational establishments, colleges and secondary schools, hotels, banks and other commercial structures in Astana, the new capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan. There are many places of interest in Astana: the Central Square the Republic Avenue, the Palace of Youth and the Bridge across the Ishim River, the Reginal Museum of Fine Arts and others. From everywhere you can see Baiterek, the symbol of prosperity and happiness.

The Baiterek Tower has become the city's symbol and its visiting card. The height of the structure is 105 meters. At the height of 97 meters there is an observation deck providing a bird's eye view of the city. The figure of 97 was not chosen at random. It symbolizes the year of the movement of the capital from Almaty to Astana.

The Baiterek Tower accommodates an art gallery, a large aquarium and a restaurant.

Astana is a modern city with a favorable environment attractive for tourists and comfortable for residents and guests of the Kazakh capital to live in.

Astana became the capital of new Kazakhstan in 1998 for a variety of reasons. By the end of the XX century, the country’s former capital Almaty was facing a heap of difficulties hampering further development of the city: the problem of overpopulation (over 1.500.000 inhabitants); traffic congestion; deteriorating environmental conditions. Moreover, compact planning of the “southern capital” in practice, restricted modern development of the city. 

The choice was made in favor of Astana due to a number of decided advantages: vast urban area, favorable geographical location - close to the country’s main economic centers, significant demographic potential, well-developed transport infrastructure and the relatively favorable environment.

The Baiterek Tower has become the city's symbol and its visiting card. The height of the structure is 105 meters. At the height of 97 meters there is an observation deck providing a bird's eye view of the city. The figure of 97 was not chosen at random. It symbolizes the year of the movement of the capital from Almaty to Astana. The Baiterek Tower accommodates an art gallery, a large aquarium and a restaurant.

Astana has become one of the largest business centers in the region. All governmental organizations, the diplomatic missions of 44 countries and 113 joint ventures and foreign businesses are located here.

Every year the city hosts various international industrial exhibitions, conferences, musical contests and festivals of the Kazakhstani people.

In 1999 by decision of UNESCO, Astana was awarded the title of World City. The city has an opera and Ballet Theater, a drama theater and a variety of museums. The monuments of Astana are a linking element between the new capital and its history, held in esteem by all the people of Kazakhstan.

Currently, many administrative buildings and business and entertainment centers are under construction in Astana. Among them is the Duman entertainment complex. It is a place for public recreation featuring an oceanarium, 3D movie theater, theater, area for slot machines and interactive games, multifunctional sideshow venue, bowling, night club, casino, hotel, cafes and restaurants and an indoor aqua park.

Another attraction of Astana is the ethno park "Map of Kazakhstan - Atameken" representing a unique outdoor museum. The map area of 1.7 hectares features cities and historical memorials of Kazakhstan.

The climate of the region is extreme with typically long and snowy winters. Average January temperature is -14°C to 18°C which sometimes drops to below -40°C. Spring is late but amazingly beautiful, and comes at the end of March. At this time, the steppe looks especially wonderful with its wealth of blooming toffees and tulips. Summers are moderately hot, with plenty of rainshowers and clear sunny days. Average July temperature is 20°C to 24°C.

27. English Traditions

If you arrive in Great Britain you'll hear the word "tradition" everywhere. Englishmen have sentimental love for things and traditions. They never throw away old things.

In many houses in Great Britain they have fire-places and though their bedrooms are awfully cold, the English people do not want to have central heating because they do not want to have changes.

Therefore the Yeomen-Warders are dressed in traditional medieval clothes and the traditional dress of the Horse Guards regiment has existed since the twelfth century.

In the House of Lords of the British Parliament there are two rows of benches for lords and a sack of wool for the Lord Chancellor to sit on it. This is so because in the old times wool made England rich and powerful. In the House of Commons you will see two rows of benches for the two parties: the government on one side and the opposition — on the other. In front of the benches there is the strip on a carpet and when a member speaking in the House puts his foot beyond that strip, there is a shout "Order!". This dates from the time when the members had swords on them and during the discussion might want to start fighting. The word "order" reminded them that no fighting was allowed in the House.

Another old custom remains from the time when there was a lot of robbers in London. In those days the shouting "Who goes home?" was often heard in the Houses of Parliament and the members went in groups along the dark narrow streets of the old city. In modem London with its well-lit streets the shouting "Who goes home?" is still heard.

Halloween, name applied to the evening of October 31, preceding the Christian feast of Hallowmas, Allhallows, or All Saints' Day. The observances connected with Halloween are thought to have originated among the ancient Druids, who believed that on that evening, Saman, the lord of the dead, called forth hosts of evil spirits. The Druids customarily lit great fires on Halloween, apparently for the purpose of warding off all these spirits. Among the ancient Celts, Halloween was the last evening of the year and was regarded as a propitious time for examining the portents of the future. The Celts also believed that the spirits of the dead revisited their earthly homes on that evening. After the Romans conquered Britain, they added to Halloween features of the Roman harvest festival held on November 1 in honor of Pomona, goddess of the fruits of trees. The Celtic tradition of lighting fires on Halloween survived until modern times in Scotland and Wales, and the concept of ghosts and witches is still common to all Halloween observances. Traces of the Roman harvest festival survive in the custom, prevalent in both the United States and Great Britain, of playing games involving fruit, such as ducking for apples in a tub of water. Of similar origin is the use of hollowed-out pumpkins carved to resemble grotesque faces and lit by candles placed inside

The word "Christmas" is derived from the words "Christ's Mass" - the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. But although Christmas is undoubtedly a Christian celebration, it is also true to say that it is an unusual combination of pagan and Christian festivities.

A Christmas tree stands in everybody's living room at Christmas, shining its good cheer around the room. Sitting on the very top of the tree is a silver star surrounded by tiny lights. All the branches are hung with silver bells, tinsel and sparkling lights. Around the base of the tree lie the gifts and toys wrapped up in bright colourful paper.

The Christmas tree has spread its influence around the world. In fact America adopted it before it found its way to England early in Queen Victoria's reign. Now every Christmas British people are sent a huge fir tree from Norway which stands in Trafalgar Square, in the centre of London, shining down on all the people who gather on Christmas Eve.

In pre-Christian times evergreens, trees that remain green throughout the year. were worshiped in Northern Europe as symbols of eternal life. Mistletoe, hung up as a Christmas decoration is a symbol of love and reconciliation.

Holly, a well-known Christmas decoration today, has Christian associations. In Norwegian, Swedish and Danish, holly is known as "Christ's thorns", the legend being that Christ wore a crown of holly thorns before his death. Some people have seen associations between the word "holly" and "holy".

Giving presents goes back to Roman Saturnalia when good luck gifts of fruit, pastry or gold were given to friends on New Year's Day. In Britain the traditional day to give presents until relatively recently was December 26th and not as it is today, Christmas Day. December 26th is now known as Boxing Day, for it was then that the priests of the Middle Ages opened alms boxes to give to the poor.

Not all Christian customs and traditions are of ancient origin. Although various people have claimed to have designed the first Christmas card. William Egley, an English artist, seems to have the best claim. In 1842 he designed his own card and sent it to one hundred of his friends. Today three billion are sent annually in the United States alone.

28. Enjoy your Meal

It is not a secret that our meals influence our mood. Also it is very important for our health. Every single person should eat proper kinds of food – dairy products, meats, fruit and vegetables, fats and sugars, cereals and grains. Dairy products provide us with calcium, meat provide our bodies with protein, iron, zinc. Eating fruit and vegetables helps to keep us healthy too because they give us fibre, vitamins and minerals. We should eat fats and sugars in moderation, because too much fats and sugars can cause different heart-diseases. Cereals and grains are important for us because they provide us with the energy we need for physical activity.

In this fast-moving world it is necessary to watch what we eat – it should be healthy food, not junk one, which has become very popular. Eating too much junk food can cause overweight and a heart-disease. For example, it is much better to eat an apple or a banana than to eat a double hamburger with ketchup and mayonnaise. You will feel full in both cases, but a fruit or a vegetable is healthier.

Today there are a lot of different restaurants and cafes where you can eat delicious and not really expensive food. The service is usually excellent and friendly waiters help you to relax and enjoy your meal fully. You can any types of food in restaurants – you can try homemade cakes, beefsteaks, pasta and macaroni and others. For a main course you can order fish, meat or chicken with some rice or potatoes, also you can ask for pasta and salad. You can eat a bowl of ice-cream, a pieces of apple pie, strawberries with cream or something like that for dessert. For drink you can order a glass of water or juice, a cup of coffee or tea or alcohol drink such as wine or beer.

Eating habits are different in different countries. For example, Brazilians never eat with their hands – they always use a knife and a fork, even when they eat hotdogs. Finns like to eat hot sausages and drink beer in the streets; many Philipinos prefer to eat with their hands. Also they think that it is polite to leave a little food on the plate at the end of a meal.

Well, as for me I do respect their eating habits and like to eat different countries' food such as Italian Pasta, Japanese rice with sushi or Indian spicy meat. But most of all I like just ice-cream. It doesn't matter what kind – with raspberry favor, with marmalade, chocolate chips or pieces of fruit. I can eat it anytime and anywhere. But anyways whatever you like you should remember words of wisdom which say that we eat to live, but not live to eat.

29. About Myself

From the very start I should say that it is not an easy thing to speak about myself as it is hard to have a look at yourself from aside, but at the same time who knows you better than you yourself do?

I am a girl of nineteen. When I look at myself in the mirror I see a girl with short straight (sometimes curly) hair, dark eyes and a normal figure. As to my appearance I'm rather small than tall. I have never thought I'm a beauty, I wish I were more beautiful. I like staying alone and sometimes I retreat into my shell. But at the same time I like my friends, I like to laugh and joke. I have got a sense of humour. It means I understand humour and appreciate it.

There are many things in our life I like and some I dislike. I like when everything is OK. Being happy is one way of being wise. I like to study because knowledge is useful sometimes. I'm fond of reading as it gives not only knowledge, but also wonderful moments of joy and pleasure.

I was born on the 2nd of June 1996 in the town of Karagandy. But then I moved to the town of Petropavlosk where I live now together with my parents and my elder sister. My early years, which I remember badly, were typical of a child living in a town. I was born into a family of a teacher and a builder. I was not sent to a kindergarten and stayed with my grandmother and my cousin. As all the children of Kazakhstan I went to school at the age of six. It turned out that I had changed 3 or 4 schools. There I got a proper training in such subjects as English, Russian and Kazakh, literature and world culture. I usually did a lot of home preparation for them and I liked everything I was doing in them. I really tried hard in them. But despite my efforts I was not good at Math.

School for me was not only lessons and learning, I had a lot of friends there. We organized extra class activities such as parties and other social activities. I actively participated in most of them.

I am sociable, so I have got a lot of friends among my schoolmates. As for me, I appreciate people's honesty, kindness, sense of justice and intelligence. I don't like when people are rude and aggressive.

Very soon I'll finish my college and after a farewell party at the end of June I'll say goodbye to my teachers who are very well-educated people with broad outlook and deep knowledge of the subjects. I will have to choose a place to go – to study at university or to work at school. My future profession is a teacher of English language in the primary school.

I asked myself a lot of times what I wanted to be when I left school. A few years ago it was difficult to give a definite answer. As years passed I changed my mind several times. So it was very difficult to choose my future profession.

Some words about my hobbies. I lie to draw, to play the guitar, to read different books, to meet with friends, sometimes to be alone with my thoughts.

And of course I like music! I'm fond of music of the 60-s, like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Prestly. The songs of the Beatles give me a lot of delight and pleasure. Also, I love post-rock, indie-rock. The choice of the music always depends on my mood.

Sometimes I play different sport games for health and pleasure. I usually play such games as volleyball, basketball, tennis, and sometimes football.

And finally, the things I hope to achieve in my life are: to have a very successful career, so this year after finishing college I will try to enter the University, to build the house of my dreams and to find someone in my life to share all that with.

30. Seasons and Weather

Everyone knows that there are four seasons in a year: Spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each of them lasts 8 Months.

Spring comes in March and ends in May. It often rains in Spring, especially in April.

Summer is the hottest season in the year. It begins in June and ends in August. In summer the sky is clear and cloudless. The days are long and the nights are short and warm. Summer brings fruits and vegetables. It is pleasant to spend this season by the seaside or somewhere in the country.

The Autumn months are September, October and November. The days are becoming shorter, the sun lose its force. It often rains. It is the season of harvesting.

Winter lasts three month as well: December, January and February. It is getting colder day by day. The sun shines rarely and it snows of fen. But everything looks so pretty covered by snow.

So in every season there are bright and dark sides. But we must be thankful together whatever the weather.

There are four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn and winter. In the United States autumn is called Fall. Each season lasts three months. In most countries of the world the new year begins on the 1st of January. This day is a holiday in Russia.

Every season is beautiful in its own way. Winter in Russia is cold, especially in the northern regions. The sun sets early and rises late. The rivers and lakes are frozen over. Everything is covered with snow. Sometimes it is very cold, and the temperature can drop to thirty below zero. Going out in weather like this isn't very pleasant. Winter is a good time for sports. People go in for skating and skiing. Tobogganing is also popular, not as a kind of sport, but rather as fun. Winter in St.Petersburg is worse than in Central Russia because it is damp and clouds often cover the sun.

In March it gets warmer and warmer. The sun becomes hotter and brighter. The days grow longer, the snow and ice gradually melt away. Spring comes, and nature awakens to new life after its winter sleep. The air is fresh, the sky is blue and cloudless. All kinds of plants and flowers appear. The ground is covered with bright-green grass, and the first flowers; the trees are in full blossom. Birds return to the North from their winter stay in the South and start building their nests. Farmers get ready to plough their fields. The days are warm, and everything is full of life and joy.

Spring is followed by summer. The weather is usually fine in summer, but it can be very hot, especially in July. Sometimes there are storms with thunder and lightning, but they do not last long. They freshen the air and help the plants fight the heat. In summer people try to get away from the city noise and spend more time in the open air. They pick mushrooms and berries in the forest, swim in the rivers and lakes, go fishing and boating. Most people prefer to have their holidays in summer. In St.Petersburg in June the sun does not set at all. This period is known as the White Nights.

Autumn begins in September. The days become shorter and the nights become longer. The leaves turn yellow, red and brown and fall to the ground. Most birds fly away to warm countries. There is a short spell of dry sunny weather in September which is called Indian Summer. It is a beautiful time when the sky is cloudless, the trees around are golden, the air is transparent and it is still warm. September is also rich in fruit and all kinds of vegetables grown round St.Petersburg and also brought from Central Russia. It gets colder towards the end of September, and mists and drizzle begin. In October we have some really chilly days. In St.Petersburg November often brings snow with it.