Topics for Speaking

My Favourite Holiday – Мой любимый праздник

My favourite holiday is New Year. It is one of the oldest and deeply revered holidays. Not only children but also grown-ups love New Year. New Year is a special holiday in my family. This is the time when we all gather at a big table. A few days before New Year we put up our Christmas tree in the living room. We also decorate other rooms. We put Christmas figurines on the shelves and hang garlands around the house. All these things fill our house with special festive atmosphere. My mum cooks something special for New Year's dinner. We all help her. We like to follow the new trend and celebrate New Year wearing same colours as the colour of the animal in Chinese calendar. For example, when we celebrated the New Year of the Red Monkey, we wore red and orange. It is believed, that following this tradition will bring you lots of luck in the new year. We usually watch different New Year programmes on TV on this day. When the clock on the Kremlin tower strikes midnight, we, according to the long-standing tradition, make our wishes and give each other compliments of the season. After that we exchange gifts with each other. When I was little, I always looked forward to the coming of New Year. I am a lot older now but have the same feeling in my heart. For me, New Year is the night when air is filled with magic, this is the time of new hopes and aspirations, a feeling of easiness and joy. This is the time when I want to live, enjoy my life to the full and move forward!

My Favourite Season Of A Year – Мое любимое время года

There are four seasons in a year. They are summer, autumn, winter and spring. Each season is beautiful in its own way. Sometimes it is very hard to say which one is better and why. We always wait for chilly autumn to come after hot summer just the same way as we wait for sunny spring to come after hard winter. I always look forward to a new season, to the time when weather and nature change. There is something special in all the seasons. My favourite season of a year is spring. Why? There are a few reasons for that. I love the nature that awakens after a long winter. It is easy to notice that from the very first days of spring the sun shines in a special way. The air may still be a bit chilly, but the sun is unusually warm. I love to watch trees and flowers break into bloom. It is such a heart-warming feeling to suddenly notice first buds and leaves appearing on dull bare trees. I cannot but mention the end of spring. May is my favourite spring month. Weather in May is particularly wonderful. It gets as warm as in summer. Spring wind which is more like a breeze is also something worth mentioning. There is not such wind in any other time of a year. It is either pleasantly cool or nicely warm. In spring it is not just nature that wakes up but also people. I think that in spring there are a lot more reasons for good mood, smiles and get-togethers. I always look forward to spring. This time of a year I feel more energetic and active, I have plenty of new goals and dreams. In spring even the usual surroundings seem especially lovely and sweet. I love spring because it brings the feeling of tranquillity and gratification. It seems to me that in spring there are fewer grounds for low mood. When spring draws to a close I look forward to summer. The reason for that is that each season is beautiful in its own way.

My Favourite Subject – Мой любимый предмет

My name is Ann. I am thirteen years old. I study at the seventh grade. We have a lot of interesting subjects at school: the Russian Language, Literature, Mathematics, History, Physics, Chemistry and others. Some pupils prefer to learn foreign languages, Literature, History; others tend to learning of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics etc. My favorite subject is English. Nowadays the English language is the language of culture, politics, and international relations. The English language is taught in the kindergartens, schools and universities. Also we shouldn’t forget that English is the language of great English and American literature. We all know such great writers like William Shakespeare, Daniel Defoe, Agatha Christie, etc. But not everyone can read the works of these great writers in the original. I try to learn a lot of words, read books, newspapers and magazines in English, listen to English songs and teaching cassettes. Our teacher of English is very experienced. During our lessons, we read, write, repeat words and ask questions. I hope that I will speak English very well in the future. The knowledge of language helps people from different countries to communicate with each other, write letters or just travel. I think that at the present time the knowledge of a foreign language is necessary for every person.

My Flat – Моя квартира

My family lives in a 9-storeyed building, which is situated near the city center. There is a nursery,school, several shops and a brasserie not far from the house. We have an elevator in our communal entrance hall. We live on the seventh floor, that’s why we’re glad that we needn’t to walk up. Our flat is very comfortable and cozy. It has three rooms: my parents’ bedroom, my room, a living room. It also includes a kitchen, a hallway and a bathroom. Our flat is provided with all modern conveniences: cold and hot running water, electricity, central heating, and telephone. A living room is the biggest one in our flat. It has a long table with several chairs round in the middle. To the right of the table, there is a big wall unit with a wardrobe and different shelves. Opposite the table, an occasional table with a TV set on it stands from one side. There is a cozy sofa with two arm chairs from the other side. The floor is covered with a beautiful carpet with patterns. The pictures are hanging on the walls. My parents’ bedroom is cozy and spacious. There is a bed with two dressing tables and small lamps on each of them. My room is the smallest one. It’s very cozy and bright. It has a desk, an armchair, a wardrobe and a bed. My wooden shelves are overflowed with books, because I like to read. There is also a computer on my desk. Our kitchen is big enough. In the middle it has a dining-table with chairs. Opposite it, there is a cupboard with cooking utensils. The kitchen has a refrigerator to the right of cupboard and a sink to the left. Our kitchen is well-equipped. It has a toaster, a food processor, a microwave and a coffee maker. We like to spend evenings in our cozy kitchen, to drink tea and talk. I like my flat very much as it is one of some places, where I feel peaceful.

My Future – Мое будущее

Every person has his own view of his future life. We usually dream about a close-knit family, a beloved spouse, lovely children, a cosy house, a prestigious and well-paid job. But all people still have different aims and priorities. I would like to tell you how I see my life in a few years As for me, I would like to become an interior decorator. From my point of view, it is a very creative and unusual profession. I paint very well and in addition I have a great role-model: my father is an architect and I have always wanted to follow his footsteps. What is more, I guess, as every girl on the Earth I would like to have a big and united family. As my both parents have brothers and sisters my desire is to have two or three children. It is great to spent family weekends and holidays together with relatives and family. Speaking about our future house, I want it to be a big, comfortable and bright one with lots of windows and 2 floors. It would be really great if we had something like forest or a lake near our cottage. I think that it is nice and romantic to have a terrace with a wonderful look-out over the lake. I also like pets, so I am absolutely sure that we will have a dog and a cat, and maybe even a horse. That is how I imagine my life in future. Now I must work really hard to become the person I want to be.

My profession

Choosing a profession is an important step in every person’s life. A lot of us start thinking about it while studying at school. I always knew what I wanted to be. I chose to be an architect and successfully passed my entrance exams. Reasons to like it:

1. The profession of an architect is quite creative. There are hardly any restrictions. It means that while working an architect creates his or her own masterpiece. In this profession the space for your own thinking and vision is infinite. Of course, there are some building owner’s requirements and orders you need to take into consideration, but you still have a possibility to follow your own preferences.

2. In architecture it is hard to know everything about different types of buildings. So there is always a chance to learn something new.

3. Another advantage is that you will never be bored because there will be no identical projects. Prospects of the profession Nowadays, profession of an architect is in high demand. This job is very well-paid and there are good career prospects. However, one must remember that it can be quite a long way from an apprentice to a chief architect. But hard work pays off. Besides, this is the profession which can bring a world-wide recognition. There are a lot of famous architects whose works are well-known all over the world. Among them, Cesar Pelli and his Petronas Twin Towers, Frank Owen Gehry and his Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Santiago Calatrava and his Auditorio de Tenerife and many others. My Health – Мое здоровье Human health

There is a saying, wealth is nothing without health. And it is true because only healthy people can fully enjoy their life. Healthy lifestyle becomes more and more popular nowadays. There are 3 main things in my healthy lifestyle: healthy eating, physical exercise and leisure activities. All together these components help me keep my body and mind in good condition. Healthy eating

Formation of right eating habits is one of the ways to having good health. There are enough fruits, vegetables, meat and fiber in my diet. I avoid overeating and drink plenty of water. Physical exercise

Our body needs physical exercise. However, that does not imply spending 3 hours in a gym every day. We all are different. Some gruel themselves with heavy muscle-strengthening exercises, for others a short walk is enough. I like swimming and yoga. I also enjoy long walks in the fresh air. Leisure

While keeping our body healthy, we should not forget about our mind. Having a hobby or involving oneself in different leisure activities helps restore our mental health. There are different types of leisure activities, from reading books and knitting to hiking and travelling. I recently discovered that I enjoy growing indoor plants and am very attracted by handmade works. My Hobby – Мое хобби

Every person has passion for something or does something for pleasure. This is called a hobby. Some people like collecting different objects, some adore handmade things, others simply love reading books. I love photography. Photography is a true art which is not so easy to master. In fact, it is not just an art but a whole science. I like learning new things about photography equipment, exposure, colours and lighting. I read blogs of famous photographers and try to follow their advice.

There are a lot of genres in photography. I like to take pictures of nature and people. Still nature comes alive in a photograph. People, on the contrary, become motionless only in the picture and let the photographer perpetuate the moment of their life. I love portraits. I have taken full-length and half-length portraits as well as family and group portraits

Why do I like photography?

1. No pictures are the same. You can take pictures of the same person or place and every time discover something new.

2. My friends often ask me to take pictures of them. That means they see me as a professional. And I always try to make them happy.

3. Photography teaches us to notice beauty in simple things. We all are used to living at a fast pace. And only with the camera in our hands we are able to slow down and see unusual in everyday things.

My Hometown – Мой родной город

I live in St. Petersburg. It is my hometown, the place where I was born. St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful and amazing cities in the world. It was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great. One can only imagine how rich its history is. For a long time St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia. Nowadays it is the second largest city in Russia and the third largest city in Europe, with the population of more than 5 million people (2015). St. Petersburg is an important economic, scientific and cultural centre of the country. A lot of enterprises and international companies are located here. Tourism also plays a great role in the economic development of the city. St. Petersburg is not only beloved by Russian citizens, it is the place which foreigners will never forget. St. Petersburg is a major transport hub. The city has an extensive network of public transport with buses, trams and underground. St. Petersburg is served by Pulkovo International Airport which is located on the outskirts of the city. Apart from that there are some seaports. Everyone knows that St. Petersburg is usually referred to as the cultural capital of Russia. It is the city of great monuments, historical museums and other sites which belong to the World Heritage. Among them there is the Hermitage, the Mariinsky Theatre, Kazan Cathedral, the Peterhof Grand Palace, Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood and many others. The city is the place where a lot of festivals and celebrations are held. It is a unique city with its own ingenious atmosphere. My House – Мой дом General Description

The house our family lives in is quite new. We moved there not so long ago. It is a nice two-storeyed red brick building with a grey roof and a chimney. The windows are white. A wide grey stone path leads to the porch. On the both sides of the path you can see colourful flowerbeds. The house is surrounded with a spacious garden where we plant fruit, vegetables and flowers. Description of the Ground Floor

All the members of our family like the ground floor. The ground floor of the house is much busier than the first one. Here you can find a hall, a large living-room with a fireplace, a cosy dining-room connected with a kitchen, a bathroom. We often gather together in the dining-room or the living-room and talk, have dinner, and celebrate holidays.

The unique feature of the ground floor is its winter garden where tropical kinds of plants and flowers grow all year round. We should be thankful to our mother for this garden which is the most beautiful corner the whole house. Undoubtedly, she has a green thumb. Description of the First Floor

The first floor is a calm and quiet place. There are three small bedrooms, a library, a bathroom and a balcony upstairs. The library is equipped with lots of bookshelves, two comfortable armchairs, a desk and an office chair. The library is a perfect place to do the homework, do some paperwork and read. In the bedrooms there are beds, wardrobes, mirrors. The atmosphere in the bedrooms is very comforting. When the weather is fine we bring chairs and a table to the balcony and enjoy warm evenings outside. When I think about our house I am sure it is the best place on the Earth.

My Mother – Моя мама

My mother’s name is Olga. She is 40. She is not so tall and quite slim. My mother has short chestnut hair. She wears glasses. She has beautiful brown eyes and neat lips. My mother always looks nice. She likes to wear low-heeled shoes. Usually she prefers knee-length dresses and skirts but sometimes can put on trousers. My mother has been working at a factory for many years already. She is a manager there. She knows her business very well and is very responsible. My mother’s friends love her very much. My mum is kind, sympathetic and wise. She is such a pleasure to chat to. I love evenings – this is the time when my mum and I have a cup of tea in the kitchen and talk. I also like that my mother treats my friends in a very nice way. I enjoy sharing with her all those things that happen to me during the day. My mother is always ready to help and give some advice. To be honest it doesn’t happen very often when my mum criticizes me. She hardly raises her voice. I always try to listen to her when she has a different opinion and doesn’t agree with me. She is always interested in my academic achievements. Next year I am going to enter the university. My mum is very supportive and believes in me. It is so important! I love my mum very much. I always call her to let her know that I am late. I do not want her to worry. My mother is the person whom I can tell my most cherished dreams. She will always be sincerely happy for me. I am very lucky! Even when I feel low my mum understands me perfectly well. She never takes offence and never recalls moments of my weakness. I love my mum very much!

My name is Catherine, I am thirteen years old. I study at school number seven. My school is a three-storeyed building with a lot of classrooms, where we learn different subjects. The classrooms for the primary school are on the first floor and the classrooms for the high school are on the second and third floors.

Our school has two gymnasiums with all the necessary equipment. We often stay there after classes and play volleyball. Different sports competitions are held there. There is also a swimming pool in our school, where we swim in hot weather. We have manual training lessons where boys do woodwork and girls learn how to sew and cook. All the classrooms of our school are spacious and light.  Everything is new in our school – desks, tables, chairs. We have laboratories for Physics and Chemistry where we conduct experiments. There are a lot of interesting books in our library and we often take them for reading. The food is always delicious in our canteen and it is always clean there. We also have a big assembly hall. Different competitions and events are held there.Our classroom is on the third floor. Our form-mistress is a teacher of Biology. She knows her subject perfectly. We all love her not only as a teacher but also as a person. She gives us pieces of advice. Our class is the friendliest at school. On weekends we often go to museums, theatres, exhibitions, and at the beginning of vacations we go to the mountains. 

I miss school during the holidays. I love my school very much.

In my opinion, summer is the best season of the year, because all children and adults have holidays. Different people have different opinions of how to spend their holidays. Some people prefer just to rest and watch TV, others like to travel. I am fond of travelling too.

Every year my parents, my elder brother and I go to the Black Sea coast, in Sochi. We book a hotel in advance and buy train tickets. I like to go by train, look through the window and admire all the beauty of the nature.

Usually we come to the railway station early in the morning, take a taxi and go to the hotel. The registration takes a few minutes and we go to our room, take a shower and rest a little bit. So, our holidays begin.

Every morning we wake up at eight o’clock in the morning and go downstairs to the dining hall to have breakfast. After breakfast we go to the beach to sunbathe, to swim in the sea before it becomes hot. Sometimes we play beach volleyball or basketball. Then we come back to the hotel, take a shower and have dinner. After dinner we rest a little bit in our room, talk, listen to music, read. Later, we go to the seaside again.

In the evenings we usually take a walk on the pier, sometimes we go to the café or restaurant, do shopping to bring home some presents for our friends. We always return home sunburnt and full of impressions.