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Топик/тема по английскому языку

Russia/ My country

В данном разделе вы можете ознакомиться с билетами по различным предметам, школьными и экзаменационными топиками по английскому и немецкому языку, конспектами, а также материалами по педагогической практике.

By its total area Russia is the largest country in the world. It occupies some 17,000 million square kilometres. The country is situated in the North hemisphere on the continent of Eurasia and is washed by 3 oceans (the Pacific in the east, the Arctic in the north and the Atlantic in the west) and numerous seas (the Baltic Sea, the White Sea, the Barents Sea, the Kara Sea, the Laptev Sea, the East Siberian Sea, the Chukchi Sea, the Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea).

Russia has both sea and land borders. It borders on China, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan in the south, Norway, Finland, the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), Byelorussia and the Ukraine in the west. Russia sea-borders on the USA. Kaliningrad region borders on Poland.

The distance between the most northern and most southern points is more than 4,000 kilometres and the most eastern point is about 10,000 kilometres away from the most western point. The territory of Russia is so large that it is situated in 11 time zones.

Russia has about 3,000,000 rivers, the longest one is the Volga. Other important rivers are the Ob, the Yenisei, the Lena and the Amur. The main lakes are the Baikal (the deepest in the world - 1600 metres, the world's greatest fresh water reservoir), the Ladoga lake, the Onega lake.

But there are about 3,000,000 beautiful lakes in Russia. The main plains are the Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian Lowland. There are several mountain chains of which the largest and the most important is the Urals, it separates the European part of Russia from the Asian part. There are other important mountain chains such as the Caucasus and the Altai, mostly in the southern part of Russia. The highest peaks are the Peak of Communism (7495), the Peak of Pobeda (7439) and Lenin Peak (7134).

Mountains greatly influence the climate of Russia. Most of Russia's territory is in the temperate zone, covered with forests and plains. About half of Russia's territory is covered with forests. The north of Russia is situated in the arctic and subarctic zones with tundra and taiga, the south is situated in the subtropical zone with steppes and deserts.

Russia is rich in many mineral resources, especially in coal, natural gas, and ores. Russia is one of few countries that have almost all mineral resources in its depths.

Some people think it doesn't matter much what country to live in. But I don't understand them. I don't want to live anywhere else but in Russia. I think that there's no place like home. Russia is our motherland, and Russian is our mother tongue. I have known it since my childhood. I read Russian books, I know the Russian culture. I can easily understand people in the streets. I love Russian nature, and I'm proud of my country, of its riches, people and history. Of course I understand that now Russia is going through a period of difficulties. Me country has changed its economy and its political structure.

Russia as a state is a constitutional, or parliamentary republic. The capital of the country is Moscow. The head of the state is the President who controls all the three branches of power. The Federal Assembly, consisting of the Council of Federation and the State Duma exercises the legislative power. The Federal Assembly is also called the Parliament, though it is not its official name. Both chambers (the Council of Federation and the State Duma) are headed by chairmen sometimes called speakers. The State Duma consists of 450 deputies. 225 are elected personally by the population. The other half consists of the deputies who are appointed by their parties after party-list voting according to which every party gains a number of seats. The members of the Council of Federation are elected on a different basis. Two representatives of each subject of the Federation are to be elected, and there are 89 subjects in the Russian Federation. Every law to be adapted must be approved by the State Duma, the Council of Federation and signed by the President.

Now Russia isn't a perfect state, but it is much closer to the ideal state, as I see it, than it was 20 years ago. The interests, needs and wishes of a citizen of a human being become more important than those of the state. The state protects its citizens, the Parliament is¬sues laws which protect freedoms and rights of the citizens of Russia. My country step by become a state functioning in accordance with Law.

The laws are obligatory for all people, no matter if they are rich or poor. Russian economy is now rather stable, and there are all kinds of goods produced. It is, to my mind, one of the features of an ideal state. The stability of the Russian economic situation is caused by fact that the rate of the national currency is rather stable now. Of course it would be better if it were stable or even grew up a little. But now the rate of inflation is low, and it is predictable. In an ideal state the bank system works steadily and predictably, all investments are insured. In Russia now there is a law according to which all banks have to develop an investment insuring sys¬tem. Unlike an ideal state, Russia has a lot of debts, but we should bear in mind that these debts were made by Russia after the former Soviet Union had fallen apart, and the debt of Russia itself is only a small part. Now Russia starts paying back its debts. The Russian budget becomes more are more balanced every year.

An ideal state has a highly-developed system of social insurance. It means that the country invests its money in pensions, public health education and sport. In such a country a person has an insurance and doesn't have to pay much when he or she enters a university or visits a doctor. When a person retires, he or she doesn't have to starve, but gets a pension and can afford travelling abroad, medical care and good food.

I also think that an ideal state has a multi-party system as Russia has now.

There are many political parties in Russia. The most well-known are the Communist party of the Russian Federation, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, the «Unity» party, the «Regions of Russia» party, the «Motherland - All Russia» party, the «Apple» party und «The Union of the Right Forces».

The executive power is headed by the President, who controls the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers, or the Government. The President appoints the ministers, and the Council of Federation approves them.

The main law of Russia is the Constitution. It guarantees the rights of the citizens of Russia. The most important rights that all people have are the following: the right on life, on freedom in choosing the religion, on the privacy of the house, correspondence and life, on education, on healthcare, on juridical protection. These are important rights, but I would also mention the right on the alternative army service.

The juridical branch of power consists of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and lower courts. The responsibility of the Constitutional Court is to analyse the new laws to make sure they correspond to the laws of the Russian Federation. The Supreme Court is the highest instance for the civil and criminal cases.

Russia is now a highly-developed country. During the last decade of the XX" century the economic situation was a dramatic one. The industrial production was quickly decreasing, plants and factories went bankrupt, there were millions of unemployed. The rate of inflation was high.

By now the country has come to a different situation. The difficulties of political and economical character are being overcome, more and more factories and small businesses start working. Everywhere you can see advertisements saying «Needed for the position of...», fewer people are unemployed. The gas extracting industry develops quickly because of several reasons one of which is that gas is less polluting than oil and coal. Concerning the machine-building industry we must remember about new cars and other machines which have appeared lately. Our country is invited to participate in the international space programme and is constructing a module for the international space station. The food industry supplies the Russians with all imaginable food. There are a lot of agricultural products which Russia was short of in the second half of the XX century.

Russia is a country of ancient and unique culture. It dates back to the pagan times. Now Russia is proud of being the Motherland to many celebrities. The culture of Russia is famous all over the world. Russian opera and ballet, music, fine arts, literature, and circus are believed to be the finest examples of professionalism and genius. As for the ballet, the Russian school of ballet is famous for its well-trained and hard-working dancers. Masterpieces of Russian opera are in the collection of the best operas of the world. The Russian school of painting began with icon-painting. Well-known icon-painters Pheophan Greek and Andrey Rublyov, as well as unknown artists, created masterpieces which attract tourists from all over the world. Russian literature is known as an example of good style, lyricism and psychologism. Modern writers are appreciated not only in Russia, but also in many countries. Michail Sholokhov was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1965, Vladimir Nabokov wrote the world-famous novel «Lolita» which has become a bestseller; he also translated into English «Eugene Onegin» by Pushkin. Modern detective novels by Vainer brothers, and Marinina are entertaining, their characters look like real people. Science fiction by Strugatsky brothers gives much food for thought. Verse of Russian poets, such as Pushkin, Lermontov, Krylov, Yesenin, Mayakovsky, Rozhdestvensky, are translated into many languages. The Russian poet Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996) was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1987. Russian circus was and is famous for the new «emotional», or «pain-free» school of animal training. Russian conjurers Kio and Akopyan worked miracles on the stage. The cinema of Russia is popular all over the world. Vladimir Menshov was awarded an International prize for his film «Moscow does not believe tears». Nonna Mordyukova was chosen one of the twenty best actresses of the twentieth century. Russian achieve-ments in sport are great.

The educational system of Russia is being changed now. There are two main changes: the adapting of the 12-year school and the adapting of the bachelor system in the higher education. At the age of 1 children can begin visiting nursery school if their mothers have to go to work, but almost all children go to the kindergarten (3-6). Then all children have to go to school: primary (6 or 7 to 9) and high (10-17 or 18). After finishing 9 forms you can choose to stay at school, enter a college or a technical school, or find a job. Those who want to enter a university, have to finish 11 forms (either at school or at a college). When you are a university student it is up to you to decide whether you study to be a bachelor (4 years), a specialist (5 years) or a holder of a master's degree (6 years).

I'm happy to live in Russia, I think that Russia is one of the most interesting countries to live-in. It is the world's largest country, and you can see almost any type of climate in our lands. There are some places which can be called national monuments for their beauty. You can enjoy travelling by the longest European river - the Volga, and have wonderful time on the shores of the deepest freshwater lake - the Baikal. The Russian nature is beautiful no matter where you are and what season it is.

At present it is interesting to see how the situation in Russia changes. The Russia Army is being reformed. It'll become smaller, but better-trained, professional and well-equipped. Russia opens its beauty to the world, it attracts tourists to its small and big hotels. Russian ballet, souvenirs, the white Nights of St. Petersburg, museums and concert halls attract many tourists every year.

Russia is an ancient country with many places of interest. Moscow, the capital of our country, offers tourists many sights (see card 2). Saint-Petersburg is one of the few cities which were built as capitals from the very beginning. Saint-Petersburg is a unique city with world-famous museums -the Hermitage and the State Russian museum. The Ethnography museum exposes Russian national clothes, musical instruments, plates and dishes. Russian church architecture can be studied in a trip around the Gold¬en Ring of Russia which includes Zagorsk, Pereslavi-Zalesky, Rostov, Kostroma, Suzdal and Vladimir. Novgorod, now a small town, is older than Moscow. Being one of the important political centres, it was not destroyed by the Tartar invaders. St. Sophia of Novgorod (1045-1052) is a wonderful example of the pre-Tartar church architecture. The monument «One Thousand Years of Russia» is a history textbook in metal. It includes more than one hundred figures of famous Russian people. The village of Vitoslavlitsy, a museum of wooden architecture, also attracts tourists from all over the world. In this museum in the open air you can see izbas of Russian peasants and village churches built without nails.

If I happened to choose a place for living, I wouldn't live anywhere but n Russia. But Russia offers a variety of places for living. There are many industrial cities, where you can enjoy visiting theatres, museums, cinemas and libraries. But such cities are noisy and full of smoke. There is heavy traffic in the streets but there are few parks and gardens. Life is very busy, everyone runs and hurries. At the same time, in Russia there are many small towns, where you can visit only one or two museums, one cinema, and sometimes theatre companies come from big cities on a tour.

Life in such towns is steady and stable, there is a lot of greenery everywhere, and you can catch fish in small rivers.

There are also many villages situated in the beautiful Russian countryside. There isn't much fun in the country - no cinemas, theatres or cafe's, but there is less pollution, the air is clear, and the sky is blue. You can learn a lot about Russian wildlife and farm animals. So if I were to choose a place for living, 1 wouldn't like to live in the country all the time. But a dirty, noisy city isn't appealing, either. I'd like to live somewhere where I could learn, visit libraries, cinemas and theatres, use a computer, navigate the Internet and enter a university. So, I'd like to live in a place like Velikiy Novgorod.

Novgorod is a great place for living. First of all, it is a historical settlement, where history itself speaks in a loud voice. You can study ancient Russian architecture, political life, education and other aspects of the life oа the Slavs. Novgorod is famous for excavation of birchbark notes (gramotas), from which our scientists have learnt a lot. During the Second World War Novgorod was occupied by the fascists and was badly ruined (only 9 buildings stood the difficulties of that war.) Novgorod houses two fine theatres, an outstanding historical museums and other museums, five cinemas and many youth clubs. There are many schools, several colleges and Novgorod State University with departments, satisfying any taste.

Novgorod is a clean, green, quiet town with a lot of parks. I think it is important. The Volkhov offers coolness in summer and ice-fishing in winter. That's why I'd like to live in Velikiy Novgorod.

Диалог по английскому языку

Russia/ My country

- What area does the Russian Federation occupy?

- It occupies the area of some 17,000,000 square kilometres.

- What ocean is the country washed by?

- The country is washed by the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

- What countries does the state border on by sea and by land?

- Russia has a land border with China, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan in the south, Norway, Finland, the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), Poland, Byelorussia and the Ukraine in the West. Russia has a sea-border with the USA and Japan.

- What is the most important river in Russia?

- The Volga is the longest and the most important river of Russia. It flows into the Caspian Sea. Many rich and significant industrial cities stand on Volga.

- What resources is Rusiia rich in?

- Russia is rich in gas, oil, coal, non-ferrous metals such as aluminium, nickel and lead, in iron ores. Russia is also rich in natural resources such as timber, fish and fresh water.

- What kind of state is Russia?

- Russia is now a parliamentry republic.

- What is political structure of the country?

- There are three branches of power: the legislative branch, the executive branch and the juridical branch. The legislative power is executed by the President and the Federal Assembly, the executive power is executed by the President and the Cabinet of ministers, and the juridical power is executed by the Constitutional Court and lower courts.

- Are there many political patries in Russia?

- Yes, there are. We have many parties. That helps democracy. Everyone can find a party to his/her taste or organise his/her own party. The parties struggle for power and in order to win they attract voters promising to improve our life and increase salaries, to solve different vital issues and so on.Not to lose voters, they really have to do so.

- What are national symbols of our Motherland?

- The flag has three equal stripes^ white, blue and red. The state anthem is "The Anthem of Russia" by Mikhalkov. The state coat of arms represents the two-headed eagle.

- How can you characterise the climate of the state? - The country lies in several different zones that's why there are several types of climate, including the moomsoon climate of the Far East,the continental climate of Siberia and the subtropical climate of the south.

- What are the main industrues of Russia?

- Oil, gas and coal extracting industries are developing now. The food industry supplies the population with food and drinks in abundance. The machine-building industry produces mordern machinery.

- What can you say about Rusiian culture?

- Russian culture is famous for its masterpieces. Nowadays composers,dancers and artists continue the traditions of their ancestors.

- Is Russian school system different from that of the USA and the UK?

- Yes, it differs a lot. The main distinktions are the age of entering the school, the national curriculum, the number of years spent at school and the way of getting higher education.

Топик/тема по английскому языку

Moscow

Moscow is known all over the world because it is the capital of the largest and one of the most powerful states on the Earth. It is the political, economic, scientific and cultural heart of Russia. More than 8,000.000 people live in Moscow.

The President and the Federation Assembly of Russia are located in Moscow as well as other important political organisations, headquarters of political parties, embassies and consulates of all countries, all ministries and services. The Kremlin oа Moscow is the symbol of the Russian politics because all main official organisations arc situated here. The Mausoleum, the Grand Kremlin Palace (where official receptions and inaugurations of presidents take place), the State Kremlin Palace (where concerts are held) and the President's residence are on the territory of the Kremlin. The towers of the Kremlin are the symbol of Russia, especially the Spasskaya Tower. The building of the Assembly of Federation is also situated in Moscow.

Moscow was founded centuries ago. The first settlements appeared earlier, but it was for the first time mentioned in the chronicles in 1147. This year is now accepted by the historians as the beginning of the city's history. In 1156 the fortress was reinforced by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. By and by the settlement became bigger and more powerful. In the 13 century Moscow became the capital of the Moscow principality as the centre of the straggle of the Russian lands against the Tartar yoke. In the 15 century Moscow became one of the most important cities of the united Russian State. During 1712-1917 St-Petersburg was the capital, but Moscow remained the second capital. In 1812 during the war against Napoleon Moscow was captured and burnt by the enemy. Napoleon wanted to destroy Moscow in order to break the resistance. But he did not succeed. After the October Revolution Moscow became the capital again. The battle of Moscow was one of the most important fights of World War II. The attacks of the Nazi troops were stopped under Moscow.

Moscow is now one of the most important centres of culture and science. There are more than 70 educational and research institutes and universities in Moscow, including the greatest Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov. It was founded in 1755 on the initiative of Lomonosov and included departments of Philosophy, Law and Medicine. Now it includes more than 15 departments. Several greatest Russian libraries, including the State Library named after V.I. Lenin (founded in 1862, more than 35,000,000 items in some 250 languages), the Library of Natural Sciences (founded in 1934, more than 13,500,000 items), the Library of Foreign Literature are in Moscow.

There are more than 80 museums in Moscow. The most famous of them are the following.

Oruzheynaya Palata is one of the oldest and richest museums. It was started in the 14 century as the collection of royal carriages, plates and dishes, arms and armour, ceremonial dresses of tsars and tsarinas and state symbols such as thrones, the hat of Monomach, the crowns, the orb and the sceptre.

The so called Diamond Fund, the exhibition of unique precious stones, is also a wonderful museum. Here tourists can see precious stones and jewellery items of historical, artistic and financial value.

The Tsar Bell and the Tsar Cannon are examples of skills of Russian craftsmen. Tsar Bell was cast in 1733-1735 and weighed more than 200 tons. But during the Fire of 1737 a piece of 11,5 tons was cut off. The Tsar Cannon was cast in the 16th century to defend the Kremlin, but has never been used since then.

The State Tretyakov Gallery is the greatest museum of Russian art, one of the world's leading museums. It was founded in 1856 by P.M. Tretyakov as a private collection but in 1892 was granted to the State. After 1917 numer¬ous private collections were added to create this wonderful museum. The main departments are the Russian icon-painting, fine arts of the 18-19 centuries, sculpture, drawings, Soviet art.

The Museum of Fine Arts named after Pushkin is the second (after the Hermitage in St-Petersburg) in Russia by its collection of antiques of Egypt, ancient world, Oriental art and Western Europe.

The Historical Museum is the main museum of the State history. Moscow was being decorated by all tsars and rulers with beautiful buildings, churches, palaces and monuments. Moscow is sometimes called gold-domed because of the numerous churches and cathedrals each of which has gilded domes. The most famous churches are the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, the Cathedrals of Assumption and of Archangels in the Kremlin and the newly-restored Temple of Christ the Saviour. 1997 was the year of 850 year anniversary of Moscow. The city was well prepared for the holiday. The centre was totally rebuilt.

Moscow is also a city of theatres. There are more than 30 theatres, popular with both Muscovites and tourists. The most famous theatre is the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre, founded in 1776. It was and is famous for its vocal and ballet schools. Other famous theatres are Moscow Art Theatre, the Maly Theatre, the Sovremennik, the Taganka, the Music Theatre and the Theatre of Satire.

Moscow TV and radio programmes are broadcast all over Russia and in many countries of the world.

The traffic in Moscow is very heavy. The Moscow Underground is the oldest in Russia (the construction began in 1935) and has 9 lines. One of them is circular and goes around the centre of the city. There are also buses, trams, trolley-buses and taxis of all kinds which offer their service to the Muscovites and the guests of the capital. Moscow receives about a million guests from all over the world every day. Moscow is also a port of 5 seas. There are 9 large and many smaller railway stations in Moscow.

Диалог по английскому языку на тему

Moscow

-Have you ever been to Moscow?

-Yes, I have been there twice.

-What is your impression of the city?

-It is large and noisy on the one hand, but really beautiful on the other hand. There are many parks, wonderful buildings and churches. But the traffic is very heavy. Passengers in the underground are packed like sardines. The prices are higher than here.

-When was the capital founded?

-The first settlement appeared many centuries ago, but 1147 is accepted by the historians as the year of the foundation of Moscow. It was reinforced by Prince Dmitry Dolgoruky.

-What monuments in Moscow do you know?

- There are many monuments to famous people. The Tsar Bell and the Tsar Cannon are monuments to the skillful Russian craftsmen who cast such enormous pieces. The monument to Minin and Pozharsky, the organizers of the struggle against the Polish invaders at the beginning of the 17th century. The monument to Pushkin and his wife Natalie stands in Arbat where they lived right after their marriage (Arbat, 53). There are monuments to Chekhov (it is against the building of the Moscow Art Academic Theatre named after A.P. Chekhov), to Pushkin (in Pushkin square), to Krylov and the characters of his fables (Monkey, Elephant and Pug-dog), to Peter the First, M.I. Kutuzov (who gave Moscow to Napoleon to save the lives of Russian soldiers in order to continue the struggle against the French troops), to Lomonosov (in front of the State University, organized on his initiative) and to Yury Dolgoruky (against Mayer's residence).

-What can you say about the Red Square?

-The Red Square is the heart of Moscow. It was formed in the 15th century and named «the Red Square» because of its beauty (at that time «red» meant «beautiful»). Since the 16th century it has been used for parades and ceremonies. The Cathedral of Basil the Blessed was erected in the 16th century and since then has been a jewel of Russian architecture. The monument to Minin and Pozharsky was opened in 1818, right after the reconstruction of the Red Square after the Fire of 1812. In the 19th century the building of the Historical Museum was constructed. During 1924-1930 the Lenin's Mausoleum was being built near the Kremlin wall. The Red Square is the point from which all distances in Russia are measured. It is also the place for official ceremonies and parades.

-What places of interest on the territory of the Kremlin do you know? -The Cathedrals of Assumption, of Annunciation, of Archangels, of Twelve Apostles. There are Oruzheynaya Palata, the Granovitaya Palata (where war victories were celebrated) and others.

- What can you tell about the Kremlin?

-The Kremlin as walls and towers of white stone was erected in 1367. In 1485- 1 495 it was rebuilt in red brick. The towers of the Kremlin assumed their present look in the 17th century.

- What can you say about the State Tretyakov Gallery?

- There you can see the best examples of Russian art. There are 7 main departments in the museums - Painting and Sculpture of the XVIII-first half of the XIX centuries, Painting and Sculpture of the second half of the XIX century, Painting and Sculpture of the border between the XIX and the XX centuries, Drawings, the Treasure-House Ancient Russian Art and Temple-Museum. There you can see the famous portrait of Pushkin by Kyprensky, the self-portrait by Brullov, the «Appearance of Christ» by Ivanov, the «Unequal Marriage» by Pukirev, many landscapes by Savrasov, Kumdgy, Shishkin, Levitan, seascapes by Aivasovsky famous canvases by Vasnetsov («Alyonushka», «The Bogatyrs») Suricov, Repm, Polenov, Vrubel, RSrikh. The gallery was started as a private collection, but afterwards granted to the State.

- Why did Moscow seize being the capital in 1712?

- Peter the Great moved the capital to the newly-built St-Petersburg which had been constructed as a European city with the participation of many famous architects. Peter did not like Moscow because of the so called «Old Order», the old way of life in Moscow. He wanted to reform the style of life as well as the architecture and the design of dresses.

- Why was Moscow made the capital after the October Revolution?

-After the Revolution St-Petersburg was too close to Finland (which chose to be an independent state after the Revolution) and could be easily conquered. The young Soviet state would be in great danger in this case That’s why it was moved back to Moscow.

- What is Arbat?

- It is a street in Moscow with many adjoining lanes. Since 1986 the street has been open for pedestrians only. Here one can see all architectural styles. In this street you can see many houses famous for the writers, painters and other celebrities who used to live there, and some

monuments. Arbat is the place for informal sinaers painter, and other people interested in non-conformist art.

Топик/тема по английскому языку

The United States of America/ the USA

The United States of America form a state which has existed only since 1776.

The country is situated in the North American continent and washed by the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. The territory of the state is about 9 363 million square kilometres.

The western half of the territory is occupied by mountain ranges and plateaus. The Rocky Mountains are the highest mountains of the country with the peaks Mount McKinley (6194) in Alaska, Mount Rainier (4392) in the state of Washington, Mount Shasta (4317) in California. The Appalachian Mountains go along the eastern coast washed by the Atlantic. Their highest peak is Mitchell (2037).

The biggest lakes are the Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario). Great Salt Lake in the state of Utah is also known. The longest river is the Mississippi with the Missouri and the Ohio, the Columbia, the Colorado and the Yukon (in Alaska). There are many national parks and monuments the (Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Big Bend, Everglades).

The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It has a sea-border with Russia.

The USA is rich in mineral resources such as coal, gas, oil and metals.

The climate of the country is mostly continental, temperate or subtropical. The winter temperature varies from 25 below zero in Alaska to 20 degrees above zero in Florida. In summer the average temperature is about 20 to 25 degrees above zero.

The country is a federative republic which consists of 50 states and District of Columbia, where Washington, D.C., the capital of the country, is situated. The head of the country is the President, who is elected every four years. Every state has its own Constitution and the system of power. The supreme legislative organ is the Congress of the US. The members of the Congress are called congressmen. The Congress consists of two chambers - the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is the lower chamber, the representatives are elected proportionally to the population of the USA. The Senate is the higher chamber, two senators are elected from each of the USA states notwithstanding the size of population in the state.

The main political parties are the Republicans (their symbol is Elephant) and the Democrats (their symbol is Donkey).

The main law of the USA is the Constitution. It was created and adapted in Philadelphia in 1787. The main goals of the Constitution were to create a stable federative state and to guarantee the right to have private property. But other rights and freedoms of the citizens were not guarantees by the Constitution. So in 1789 there appeared the necessity of including more articles which would declare and guarantee political and personal rights of the US citizens. The first ten items - called Amendments - were called the Bill or Rights. The Bill or Rights on the one hand is now a part of the US Constitution, that's why it is rather difficult to write a Bill or Rights foe an imaginary state. The US Bill or Rights is an addition to the existing Constitution and is formed of some Amendments to it. So any Bill or Rights should be built on the Constitution. On the other hand, the US Bill of Right is the only part of the US Constitution which guarantee the main rights and freedoms of the citizens. Russia doesn't need any Bill of Rights, since all the rights and freedoms are guaranteed by the Russian Constitution.

If to take the US Bill of Rights as the example, it proclaims that the Congress can't influence the religious life of the citizens or abridge the freedom of speech or of the press. All people have the right to assemble and to petition the Government. People have the right to keep and bear Arms, to be secure in their houses and papers. All people are equal to the law and only a Grand Jury can declare a person guilty, the trial must be speedy and public. I think all these rights are very important and I would include them in any Bill of Rights. Another important freedom is the free¬dom of worship.

I would also include the right to get education, to work and get paid enough to support their life.

The population of the country is sometimes called «salad bowl», because all nations and nationalities are mixed up, though they keep their specific features. There are white people, Afro-Americans, American Indians, Puerto-Ricans, Chinese and Japanese people.

For centuries Indians and Eskimos inhabited the territory. But when the colonization began, many Africans were brought as slaves. There are many books which describe the life of black people in those days. «Uncle Tom's Cabin» is one of them. At that time many Indians were killed, their languages were forgotten.

After the War of Independence the state bought some land from France and Russia (Alaska), gained Florida and a part of Mexico.

The War between the industrial North and the agricultural South (1861 -1865) was a civil war. It is described in the book of Margaret Mitchell «Gone with the Wind».

Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the USA struggled against the Fascists during World War II together.

The flag of the USA has thirteen white and red stripes and 50 white stars against the blue background (one for every state).

There are some national holidays celebrated in the USA, such as Thanksgiving Day and Columbus Day.

American children start going to nursery school when they are 3. At the age of 5 they visit kindergarten and then at 6 it is time for the elementary (primary) school which includes 6 grades (from the first to the sixth). Then there is Junior high (school) for 3 years (age 12-14) and High school (15-17). At school they get their driving licenses. They can also work at a fast food restaurant or a car park to get their pocket money. After school they can go to a college or a university or find a job.

Many famous Americans, such as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, William (Bill) Clinton, Mark Twain, O'Henry, J.D. Sallinger are famous all over the world.

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Great Britain

The official name of the state is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is situated in Western Europe. It occupies the territory of about 244,000 square kilometers, which is only two times larger than the Leningradskaya region. The country is situated in the British Isles and includes Great Britain, a part of Ireland, the Hebrides, the Shetland Islands and the Orkney Islands. There are about 5,000 small islands. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are Dependencies of the Crown, which means that they are separate states ruled by Great Britain.

The country is washed by the North Sea in the East, the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea in the West and the English Channel in the South.

The climate is temperate, oceanic and moist (humid) because the territory is not large and surrounded by water. The English weather is very changeable, so the English like to discuss it. The usual winter temperature is between 3 and 7 degrees above zero, in summer the thermometer seldom goes above 20 degrees. During a nice summer day you can be several times wetted by a sudden short rain.

The most important river of Great Britain is the Thames; it is 334 kilometers long and flows into the North Sea. Other important rivers are the Severn (the longest river), the Trent and the Clyde. In the northwest highlands prevail (including the North West Highlands, the Grampian Mountains, the Southern Uplands and the Pennine Chain). There stands the highest peak of Great Britain Ben Nevis (1344) and the second peak in height Ben Macdui (1309). The Cambrian Mountains in the West include the Snowdon (1085).

There are many beautiful lakes in Great Britain, especially in the Lake District where many people like to spend their holidays. But the most famous is Loch Ness with its monster called Nessie.

The United Kingdom is a highly-developed industrial country. By the volume of production per capita the state occupies the leading place between the European countries. The country is not rich in mineral and other resources that's why it has to import raw materials, oil and food supplies. The most important industry is machine-building (including tractor-, car-, plane- and ship-building). Chemical industry is highly developed as well. More than 40 % of population work in industry, while only about 3% are busy in agriculture. Two thirds of the land belong to landlords and are leased by farmers who grow grain, rape and other food and technical plants. The most important branch of agriculture is sheep-breeding. Fishing also takes an important part in the national economy. About 10,000,000 tourists visit Great Britain every year with its population about 60,000,000 people. The forests occupy about 8% of the territory.

The country is divided into four main historical regions. They are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern. Ireland. In the past they were different countries, and now there is no representative football team of Great Britain, but every region has its own representative team. Each region has its main city and symbols, but the capital of the state is London. The biggest region is England which got its name after the tribe of Angles who invaded and inhabited this region. The main city is London; the symbol is the red rose. The region consists of 46 counties. Wales occupies the Wales Peninsula and the Isle of Anglesey. The main city is Cardiff. The region consists of 8 counties. Since 1301 the Crown princes of England have been bearing the title of Prince of Wales. Scotland is inhabited by the Scots and situated in the North of the Island of Great Britain and some of the smaller islands. The main city is Edinburgh, but Glasgow is its rival. The Scots were characterised as greedy, poor but brave. It was because they lived in the mountainous part of the island and could not work enough supplies to support themselves. The Scots are also known for their kilts and windpipes. Scotland was officially united with England in 1707. Northern Ireland (Ulster) is situated on the island of Ireland. The main city is Belfast. In 1921 it parted from the Republic of Ireland (Eire) and became a part of the United Kingdom.

The political system of Great Britain is greatly influenced by the historical background of the country. Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, which means that the head of the state is a monarch, a king or a queen. Now the head of the state is Elizabeth II (she has been the Queen since 1952). The Queen reigns but does not rule. It means that the power of the kings and queens is shortened by the Constitution of the state. The royal sovereign takes part in the ceremonies but influences the politics little. The politics is generated by the Parliament, which consists of two houses (the House of Commons and the House of Lords). It was established in the second half of the thirteenth century, so it is the oldest parliament in the world. The Parliament exercises the legislative power, while the executive power is in the hands of the government (the Cabinet of Ministers) headed by the Prime Minister.

The main parties of English Parliament are the Labour Party (social-democratic ideology), the Tory party (the conservative party, for freedom of business, the leader is David Cameron, the present prime-minister) and the Whigs (not very important now).

The history of Great Britain is long and very interesting. The country suffered several invasions (of the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Normans), livery invasion changed the language spoken.

The Romans invaded the islands under the command of Julius Caesar and ruled England and Wales for 330 years. They built the first cities, one of which was Londinium, or London, and many roads. Even now the main roads are built on or along the former Roman roads.

For a long time the red rose has been the emblem of England. It became the symbol after the War of Roses ended in 1485. In the eighteenth century Great Britain conquered large territories in India and North America. Later the colonies became independent, but people of North America (in Canada and the USA) and India still speak English which is one of the official languages. Most of the former colonies became members of the Commonwealth, the organization where they cooperate in order to improve their economies under the patronage of Great Britain.

Many British people, such as William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jonathan Swift, are famous all over the world.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was a poet and a playwright. His famous plays are well-known and loved in Russia («Much Ado about Nothing», «Romeo and Juliet», «Hamlet», «Othello»), composers write music for his sonnets. Walter Scott wrote several famous novels, for example, «Ivanhoe» and «The Puritans». We all love detective stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, whose main characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are known all over the world.

One more famous Englishman, Robin Hood, who lived in Sherwood Forest, should be mentioned. He robbed the rich to give money to the poor and so became the symbol of social justice.

The Beatles is probably the best-known music band.

British people care about their health very much. They eat healthy food, less people smoke every ten years. British people go in for sports regularly. Most popular sports are football, tennis, golf, cricket, rugby, rowing, and horseracing.

Education in Great Britain is free, but there are private schools, where you have to pay for your education. English children go to nursery school, or kindergarten, when they are 3 or 4 years old. Then they go to primary school, which is for children from age 5 to age 11. When they are 11 years old, they take national tests and according to them go to secondary school (from age 12 to age 16). But that is not enough to pass the tests and enter a university. Every year more and more English children choose to get higher education. They stay at school after they are 16 for an additional year or two to prepare for national tests. Good results for the tests let them enter universities, though there are no entrance exams.

English people are fond of gardening. Many of them live in small houses and keep small gardens.

The traditional English meal is fish and chips, a piece of fried fish with fried potatoes. They also go to pubs, which are eating houses where you can have drinks and meals. Sometimes people come in big companies to celebrate some event. In pubs the game of darts is often played. It is a traditional English game.

GB is a welfare state as well as the US. Everyone can afford the material and spiritual values he or she needs. In Great Britain and the United States the standards of life are very high. People can afford renting a flat or even a house. They even can buy a house or a flat. I think, in an ideal welfare state everyone has the right to have a lodging of a reasonable size with all modern conveniences. Everyone can afford all necessary visits to all doctors as well as medicines. Now in Russia as well as in other countries only some visits and medicines are paid for by the patient. Speaking about education, in Russia everyone has the right to get secondary education, and it is compulsory. Everyone can enter a university and get a higher education paying nothing though there are students who pay fees. I think in an ideal welfare state everyone has the right to get education and can use it. In such a state every family has a reasonable income and can have as many children as the parents want. But people don't have to work 10 or 12 hours every day - the right to is very important. In an ideal state people have two days off a week and 30 days of holidays every year.

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London

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and commercial centre. It is one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its population is about 8 million.

London is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world. It began life as a Roman fortification at a place, where Romans founded a settlement on the river Thames 2,000 years ago. They called it Londinium. London became a prosperous trading centre during Middle Ages.

London suffered two big catastrophes: a terrible Plague in 1665 and the Great Fire in 1666. As a result of the Great fire St Paul's Cathedral was destroyed. It took Sir Christopher Wren 35 years to restore it. As a result of its long and exciting history, London offers a visitor a rich store of fascinating buildings, streets, monuments and colourful ceremonies.

London is the manufacturing centre and the country's main banking and financial centre. It's also one of the largest ports in the United Kingdom; London is a great educational and cultural centre. There is the University of London, The British Library, well-known museums and galleries, among them the British Museum, the National Gallery.

Traditionally it is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. They are very different from each other.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and business centre. Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there, including Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and the Old Bailey. There some famous ancient buildings within the City, among them St. Paul'; Cathedral, the greatest of English churches, the Tower of London, was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison. Now it is museum of arms and Armour, it has the Crown Jewels. The Yeom Warders have guarded the Tower since the reign of Henry VIII. They are often called "Beefeaters". These are usually about 6 ravens. Every day at the Tower ends with the Ceremony of the Keys.

Westminster is the historic, the government part of London There is Westminster Abbey, the House of Parliament, "Big Ben" also Buckingham Palace and other important buildings in it. can find Westminster Abbey, where British monarchs have been crowned since William I and many other famous people are buried there including statesmen, musicians and writers.

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of Lon don. It's the symbol of wealth and luxury. It's the shopping an entertainment centre. It includes Trafalgar Square. It is the geographical centre of London to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. The tall Nelson's Column stands in the middle of the square. Behind Nelson's Column is the National Gallery, an art gallery in which we can find many old masterpieces. There are the main shopping areas: Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, and the entertainment centres of Soho. Piccadilly Circus is the centre of night life in the West End. It's actually quite small. The East End is quite different from the other parts of London.

The East End is unattractive in appearance, but very impor-tant to the country's commerce. There are a lot of factories, workshops and docks there. The East End markets are famous throughout the world. Traditionally someone born in the East End is known as a cockney.

London has a few famous parks: Hyde Park, St James' Park, Regent Park with its wonderful Zoo and others.

London includes surrounding villages. Many people don't prefer to live in the city center.

I think the saying "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." (Dr. Johnson) is true, but we can't be bored in London. It is one of fascinating cities with an exciting mixture of ancient and modern.

Условия и правила

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History of London

When we think of Paris, Madrid, Rome, Lisbon and other European capitals, we think of them as "cities". When we think of the whole of London, the capital city of England, and the UK, we do not think of it as a city that has grown during the past centuries. It is a number of cities and towns, villages that have grown together into one enormous agglomeration.

London is without doubt one of the most fascinating cities in the world. It has a long history. The birthplace of London is the Old City. Here, on the banks of the Thames was a small settlement, called Lyndin that means "a lonely port". To this place in the year 55 before our era Julius Caesar came from Rome. Britain was conquered and for 400 years remained Roman province The Romans called the place Londinium and unclosed it in wall (for defense) parts of which still remain. There is a street called London Wall (which follows part of the route of the wall) аnd there are a number of districts named after gates in the old wall — Oldgate, Older gate...

The Romans made it a large and rich city and built long and straight roads, beautiful palaces, shops and villas. Trade was growing.

In the 5-th century the Romans left Britain. The Saxon and Brides and Danes came to the British shores. They conquered the land and ruined the city. During nearly 400 years Londinium lay in ruins.

In the 8-th century and later the Saxon kings began to rebuild the ruined city of Londinium. Soon 2 miles west from it, another centre, Westminster Abbey was founded.

In 1066 William the Conqueror, the duke of Normandy came and decided to make London the capital of Norman Britain, as the Norman were masters of Britain for 500. They brought with them Latin and French civilization.

Westminster Abbey was finished and William was the first king to be crowned there. Since then for nearly 1000 years, all English monarchs have been crowned in Abbey. Many of them are buried there too.

At that time the Tower of London was built on the Thames.

London has overcome two big catastrophes. In the year 1665 the Plague broke out and it carried of 1/5 of London's population. So many people left the city and escaped to the villages in the surrounding countryside. The second was the Great Fire of London. It was burning for 4 days. The wind blew from the sea and all houses were built of wood. It's also interesting to note that the Plague has gone with the fire. It also destroyed much of the city. These days not many people live in the city centre, but London has spread further towards into the country, including surrounding villages.

Now London is the largest city in the world. London is the chief port of the country and the most important commercial manufacturing and cultural centre. London consists of three parts: the City, the West End and the East End.

The City, the financial and business heart of London refers to a small area of the centre, which includes the site of the original Roman town. It's an area of 2,650 sq. km; popularly called "the Square Mile'. There are numerous banks of many nations in the famous Threadneedle Street and the surrounding area, offices and firms, including the Bank of England and the Old Bailey are concentrated here. The City is also a market for goods of almost every kind from all parts of the world. Few people live in the city but over 800 000 men come to work here.

Westminster is the aristocratic official part of London, the administrative centre. It includes Buckingham Palace where the Queen lives and the Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British government stretching for nearly 1000 feet along the north bank of the Thames.

The West End is the name given to the area of central London. Here are the historical palaces as well as the famous parks. The name West End came to be associated with wealth, luxury department stores (Oxford Street is the busiest street with various shops, which attract customers from different countries of the world); cinemas, hotels, theatres, concert halls, many museums. Visitors with plenty of money to spend and who came chiefly for enjoyment are likely to pass most of their time in the West End.

The port of London is to the East of the city. Here, today, are miles and miles docks upon shipping. This is the East End of London, its industrial district, unattractive in appearance with its dark and gloomy streets, densely populated by working class families, but very important to the country's commerce. It's also one of those areas of London where people from abroad have come to find work. Old residents of the East End are proud to be called cockneys, which mean true Londoners, hereditary inhabitants. In recent times London has grown so large, that the government has decided that it must spread no farther. It's now surrounded by a green belt — a belt of agricultural and wooden land on which new buildings may be put up only with the permission of the planning authorities.

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Youth problems

There are many problems that young people have to face when they stop being children. Is it easy to be young? Are teenagers happy to be their age? Teenager years form some kind of between the childhood and the grown-up life. At this age all feelings and emotions are very strong, all problems seem very important.

We can distinguish two types of problems - personal problems and the problems the whole generation has to face.

Personal problems can look silly and unimportant to the eyes of grown-ups, who have already passed this period of learning. For the young it is different. The first and terrible thing is misunderstanding from the dearest people - from the parents. They do not understand why I need to buy certain things, listen to certain music or spend most of my spare time with peers. Father says I am a lazybones, mother cries sometimes. I do not want to hurt their feelings but they should try to understand me. They don't, they still think I'm a baby. But I am 17 years old, I can make decisions and understand everything concerning my life. That is why I spend much time with my friends - they understand that I am a grown-up already.

The same misunderstanding we face sometimes from the side of the teachers. They think that youth is given for studying. But a person who only studies is dull. Some teachers do not understand that youth is the time for us to learn about people and about ourselves, to play and try things. They try to keep us away from all «dangers» which make up life. But we need to be taken seriously to meet a friendly hand. We have just become grown-ups, so young people need somebody to discuss different prob¬lems and relationships. As long as parents and teachers can't take teenagers seriously, they form their own social groups, which is the phenomenon called "subculture". A subculture is a cultural group within a larger culture, which includes certain methods of communication and identification. I think that the Russian culture includes many such subcultures. Teens subculture is a part of culture and it reveals itself in many features — clothes, styles of favorite music, hair-dos, way of life, opinions about life, future and education, the choice of friends and other aspects. On the one hand, teens express their individuality and their difference from children through within framework their subculture. On the other hand, many groups of teenagers follow a certain fashion which requires to wear a certain piece of clothes (like jeans, army boots, bandanas), jewellery (like earrings for boys, wattles bracelets) certain hairdos (ponytail. shaved heads, coloured or dyed hair), sometimes certain colours. It of course prevents young people from expressing their individuality. So you have to choose a subculture you want to belong to. It's not only the question of appearance. There is a certain philosophy lying in the basis of the every lifestyle, every subculture. To choose a subculture to belong to one should thoroughly consider one's likes and dislikes, one's way of life and habits. There are so many subcultures to meet all demands!

Skinheads and fascists of different types form a military-like subculture. They often wear uniforms and have military looks. Hippies, on the contrary, wear national-style clothes "to be closer to nature". They like flowers and jewellery made leather and beads. The acid subculture is built on drugs. Metallists and bikers like black leather.

Some people consider teenagers violent. They say that youth gangs control streets and have bloody fights. But I don't think that teens are violent. Sometimes one can look violent, but there is always a certain reason, for that young person's violence is usually provoked by the grown-ups around, who don't take a young person seriously. Many young people run away from their parents and homes, because they need free¬dom in choosing clothes, friends and music. Many teenagers shout at their parents and teachers if those don't want to listen to teenagers' wordsand reasons. As for the youth gangs, I think, some teenagers need to prove that they are the strongest and the coolest, so they fight much. Idon't think that's good.

Nevertheless, some subcultures are built on the idea that there are better people and worse people. In this case teens' fight can be looked at as political and ideological acts. I think this is worse than just shouting and answering back to adults. But teens' subcultures have many other characteristics which can be considered positive. These are: relative freedom in expressing individuality, a circle of confederates, which help you understand yourself, positive emotions and communicating with peers. An ideal subculture, to my mind, is a group of young people who understand and respect each other, who exercise freedom in expressing their individuality without hurting other people's feelings and limiting other people's freedom. In such a subculture of teenagers you can have a girlfriend or a boyfriend. In this case everyone approves you. Some grown-ups think that to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend at school is a deadly sin. I do not think so. There are many films and books about love, and the main characters are usually young. I think at school is the right time to find a boyfriend or a girlfriend, because studying is difficult and they can support each other. It is important to have a person who really understands you. There can also be a problem, if your peers (classmates, for example) do not understand you.

Диалог по английскому языку на тему

Youth problems

-Do you have any problems?

-Yes, I do.

-What are they?

- I think, the main problem is the misunderstanding between my parents and me, the so called generationgap.

-What causes it?

-1 think the root of the problem is the difference in years. They are older than me, they have got accustomed to caring after me. They do not see I become older every year. On the other hand, quite often there is some sense in their words, but the problem is the modern young people simply do not behave that way. I think that jeans are the right thing to wear to school and to the Philharmonic. But mommy insists on my wearing trousers.

-Is there a solution to this problem?

-Yes, there is. There are several tips of getting along well. First of all, I always try to keep my temper, not to cry or shout. Second, I try to explain my feelings. I am happy because I can be sincere with my parents. They don't punish me for being sincere. Third, if I have to swallow a bitter pill, I do it. Sometimes I have to follow the directions of my parents if they do not understand me. On the other hand, my parents do their best trying to understand me, but sometimes they fail. In this case 1 have to accept their point of view.

-Do all young people face this problem?

-Yes. All my friends face this problem and find different ways to get out of difficult situations.

-What other problems do they face?

-One of my friends has a terrible situation in her family now. Her parents are going to divorce. She is not a small girl, but it is an awful blow. She feels unhappy as if it were her fault. Of course she has done nothing wrong.

-Do you have any problems at school?

-No, I don't. I'm lucky because the teachers at my school are wise and learned, they are caring and understanding. My classmates are friendly and supporting, we all have been friends since the fifth form. But some children have many problems at school, because the class accepts some rigid rules for clothes, behaviour and so on. If you are out of line, you get laughed at.

-Do you have the problem of spending your spare time?

-I have very little spare time because I work hard on school subjects. The subjects in which I shall take entrance exams are especially important.Then I have to help about the house My duties are washing the dishes and cleaning my room. I also help my mother to do the shopping on weekdays. I walk the dog. The third thing is my hobby. I collect postcards with flowers. It takes much time to identify the type and sort of a flower in the postcard, to learn everything about it. When I began collecting postcards, I took no interest in growing plants. But now I go in for gardening, I grow flowers in summer and have several pots with different plants at home. That's why I do not have the problem of spending spare time, but the problem of finding a spare minute to watch a film or go to the disco. But many young people can not find a thing to do, can not occupy themselves with something useful. That's why they gather in big companies, drink beer and smoke. They kill time discussing friends and clothes. That's dangerous and useless for their future life and career.

-What can you say about drugs?

-Now it is the problem of all people, not only of the young generation. Young people begin to use drugs because they do not understand the danger and ruin their health and lives. Sometimes young boys and girls start using drugs because some of their friends use drugs; sometimes they are afraid to go out of the line.

-Do you think that young people will have to solve many problems which our society struggles with now?

-Yes, I believe so.

-What benefits and privileges do your grandparents have? Do they have any problems?

-Being senior citizens, my grandparents have certain privileges. They have the right to get free medicines, they don't have to queue up in shops. Young people in buses give up their places to my grandparents.

-Are there any financial benefits?

-I have already mentioned free medicines. But they can go by local buses, trams and electric trains for free. They pay less for their flat, telephone and electricity. There are special shops for pensioners with lower prices.

-Have they retired?

-Yes, they retired several years ago. They get their pensions regularly and these pensions are increased 4 times a year.

-Do you think these privileges are important?

-Yes, I do. But it seems to me they have the privilege of wisdom and age. They have seen so much that now they can understand any situation. But they have problems as well.

-What problems do they have?

-They have weak health and have to go to doctors rather often. They feel the need to help my parents and me, but they get tired very quickly. One more problem is the modern political situation. They don't understand why multi-party system is so important, and other aspects of political life. And I should mention that their pensions are not very big.

Топик/тема по английскому языку

About myself

My name is Inna, and my last name is Romanenko. I am seventeen years old. I was born on the 12th of June, 1984.1 am Russian, I live in Saint Petersburg in Syezdovskaya street. My telephone number is three-two-three three-two-one seven-five. 1 am a pupil of school № 239.1 take after my mother and father very much, that's why it can be easier to understand me if you know my parents. I live with my mother, my father, my grandmother and a younger sister.

My mother is 36. She is an art critic. She works at the Academy of Technology and Design as a professor. She is a short woman with fair hair and big blue eyes. When I was little, I believed that my mother was a princess. My mother knows many interesting stories, she also sings well. She is a great cook. When she has enough time, she cooks delicious dishes.

My father is 40. He is a technologist at a small chemical plant. He is very good at mathematics, physics and chemistry. He helps me with them, when I do not understand the lessons. He can fix everything in the world -a radio set, a TV set, a telephone, and even our old refrigerator! He is also a good sportsman, he goes in for skiing and jogging.

My sister is little, she is only six. My mother and I teach her to read, write and help about the house.

Our grandmother and grandfather do not live with us. They live in the country. Every summer my sister and I go there to rest. I love my grandparents. They are kind-hearted and understanding.

When I was a child, I visited kindergarten. There our governess taught us to colour, to draw, to use pencils and scissors. Then I entered school № 516. 1 studied there for four years. We moved and I entered this school. I am now a pupil of the eleventh form of school № 239.1 think, I am calm and quiet. Mother thinks I am industrious, but Father sometimes calls me lazy bones. But it happens only when I forget to do something I have promised to do or do something in the wrong time. I like to study and usually get good marks. My favourite subjects at school are English Literature and English. The greatest pleasure for me is to sit in an armchair with a book. But I also like sports games, such as basketball and volleyball. 1 find some computer games interesting. But I don't like games where you have to shoot all the time. I like the game «Aladdin».

I'm not very good at physics and chemistry. It is difficult forme to memorize and use formulas. These subjects require much force from me. If I could choose, I would have more lessons of Humanities and fewer lessons of Science Studies. Still, I do my best and try to get good marks in all subjects.

As for my hobby, I have several hobbies. I collect postcards with flowers. I learn to sew and knit - my mother teaches me.

Диалог по английскому языку на тему

About myself

-How old are you?

-I am seventeen years old.

-When is your birthday?

-My birthday is on the twelfth of June.

-What kind of family is yours?

-My family is small, but friendly and supporting. I have got a mother, a father, a younger sister and grandparents. I love my family very much. Sometimes we argue and quarrel, but is happens very seldom.

-Do your parents have a lot in common?

-On the one hand, they have little in common, especially in their characters. Mother likes to clean, to tidy. She sews nice cases for chairs and sofas, dozens of pretty pillows, decorates the house. Father thinks that order is needed when the thing is done, so while he works, there are a lots of instruments and materials around. Mother likes music of Mozart, Father prefers Shevchuk and DDT. But on the other hand, they have very much in common - they believe that it is most important to perform one's duty, that if you have promised you must keep your word and do your job well. They both care after my sister and me and teach us whatever they can.

-Who is the housekeeper in your family?

-We all perform our duties and run the house together. Mother and Father do the shopping at weekends and I do the shopping on weekdays. Mother washes the clothes, I iron them. Father fixes everything that needs fixing. At weekends we clean the-flat together: Father vacuum cleans, Mother washes the clothes, I wash the floors and my sister dusts.

-What are your mother and your father?

-My mother is an art critic. My father is a technologist. They have different professions, but they like their jobs very much.

-Have you got an uncle or an aunt?

-I have got an uncle and two nephews.

-Who is your uncle?

-My uncle's name is Igor Ivanovich, he is clever and kind. He is a tall man in his forties with golden hair and blue eyes.

-Can you sing or play any musical instruments?

-Yes, I can play the guitar and the piano. For eight years I visited a music school where I was taught to play the piano, sing and compose music. I also studied biographies of Russian and European composers and performers. In the summer camp I learnt to play the guitar.

-What can you say about your flat?

-We live in a 12-storeyed block of flats on the fifth floor. We have a three-roomed apartment with all modern conveniences (central heating, gas, hot and cold running water, a lift and a telephone). The largest room is the sitting-room and the study at the same time, the second is my parents' bedroom and the third room is my sister's and mine.

Топик/тема по английскому языку

Choosing your future profession

The choice of the future profession is a very delicate topic. Youngsters usually are not so aware of the world of the grown-ups. But if one listen only to the other people's advice without considering his/her tastes, preferences, talents and character, it will be only he/her to be blamed for the wrong choice. Also it is an urgent matter because one doesn’t have much time to make your decision since one has to select an institution of higher education to enter and to get ready for the entrance exams. The choice is very important and not so easy, as it may seem, and one should keep in mind that it will strongly affect you and your family.

Choosing a profession one should take into consideration many factors.

The first is talents, gifts and abilities. If somebody is good at languages, likes reading and writing, writes poems or articles for the school wall newspaper, he can make a good journalist or a writer. If one takes part in the school theatre club activities enjoys acting on stage and playing musical instruments, he/she is a potential actor. The love to younger children will show a future teacher. Still, many want to be actors and actresses but very few become. That's why it is reasonable to consider acting, singing, writing poetry and playing musical instruments as an enjoyable hobby rather than a life's work or professional occupation.

To my mind it is good to bear in mind the professions of your parents and the nearest relatives, because they usually have similar character and abilities, and also can help with their advice. As for me, I like languages. I think I want to do something with English in my future. I am still uncertain, because there are many professions in which the knowledge of English is required: a guide, а secretary, a translator and an interpreter. I am not sure.

It is a good idea to discuss your choice of future profession with your parents and friends, but now there are a lot of other possibilities. You can consult a psychologist, complete a special questionnaire and learn about the jobs which can suit you. A good opportunity to understand your preferences is to work during the summer holidays for a year or two. The youth labour exchange provides a great chance for those who want to try themselves on this path. As for me, my parents approve my choice. My mother is an art critic. She thinks that English will give me opportunity to read English books in the original. My father is a technologist. He hopes I shall help him with translating articles and instructions from English into Russian.

It is also necessary to realize the advantages and possible disadvantages of the profession chosen. The profession can be well-paid, can give you freedom to create and be very interesting, but it can at the same time require your travelling a lot, learning Chinese or working late. If these conditions are not acceptable for you, choose another profession. To my mind it is the worst situation - to be torn apart between your job and your nature. It seems to be better to choose something simpler, something that will not irritate you every day. Considering this factor I have decided to become an interpreter or a guide, because I like to travel and see different places, meet new people and learn about the world around me. These jobs are usually well-paid, too. At the same time you help people understand each other and our country. It is very important for me as I would not like to be a teacher because I have not got enough patience and love to children. I understand that teaching is a very difficult job. At the same time I do not have a wish to become a translator, because a translator is a «book worm», he deals with books and imaginary people instead of the real ones.

The choice of the profession usually, determines the choice of the educational institution. Almost all jobs require the candidate to have a diploma of a college or a university. There are many places where I can continue my education now, both in Russia and abroad. Some of the Russian universities are private, and the students pay fees, others are free, if you have passed the entrance exams successfully. I have found out that I can enter either Herzen University or the State University. These two universities have special departments where students have English. British Studies, American studies and other subjects and prepare to become translators, teachers or guides.

Some people think that there are jobs considered to be more suitable for men, for example, a lawyer, a driver, a pilot, a porter. At the same time it is supposed that there are jobs suitable only for women, like a teacher, a secretary, a governess, a cook or a manicurist. But I think that's nonsense. There are women who are successful pilots and cosmonauts (Marina Raskova, Valentina Tereshkova). Now women can perform the job of a porter (with the use of the machines and mechanisms) or a driver. Some people even believe that women are better drivers — more careful and attentive, but some people don" think so. It is interesting to notice that the most famous cooks, teachers and dressmakers are mostly men. Many men work as teachers, infant doctors and housekeepers not worse than women.

There was also a concept that women should get lower pay than men. But now in all highly-developed countries as well as in Russia women get equal pay with men for equal job. But there are jobs which are paid better or worse. The jobs that bring more money are more popular among teenagers. (Nowadays in Russia the most popular jobs are a journalist, a lawyer, a businessman, a singer and a politician.)

Cutting the story short, it must be said that our destiny is in our hands and we have a right to choose what we like, irrespective of what others expect from us and towards what they us lead.

Диалог по английскому языку на тему

Choosing your future profession

-Have you chosen your future profession?

-Yes, I want to be a guide or an interpreter.

-Why have you chosen to work in this field? What are your criteria?

-These professions are well-paid, interesting, and useful. These are the jobs which let you learn something new everyday. I find it interesting and challenging to solve new problems. At the same time I shall work with English and Russian, the languages I like. I shall also have a wide range of opportunities to see foreign countries and to communicate with native speakers.

-Do you have the needed traits of character?

-Well, i”m industrious, I think, this is a very important trait of character. I am also good at languages and communicative. My father says I am organised, reliable and practical.

-Wuold you like to be a programmer, for instance?

-No. This job requires thorough knowledge of mathematics and computers, whereas I am not good at these sciences.

-Many boys and girls want to be famous in their future. What about you?

- I don’t think about being famous. If I am famous, I shall be glad. I think, but most of all I want to have a good job and be a good specialist.

-Where would you study to prepare for your future profession?

- I shall try to enter the Philology Department of the State University. If I fail to enter, I shall take courses.

-When did you begin to think about your future profession?

-Whan I was a child. Then I knew my father was a technologist and I wanted to become a technologist, too. But later I understood that I could make a terrible technologist, since I am bad at chemistry and such subjects..

-Who helped you decide what you want to be?

- My parents supported me a lot, especially my mother. She helped me to understand myself.

Топик/тема по английскому языку

Sport

Sport plays an important role in our life. Some historians think that sports first appeared as a repetition of typical movements of a workman or a soldier performed to refine practical skills. Some tribes of Native Americans played a game which was alike football, but it had a religious meaning. The winning team had to be executed as the one that had pleased the gods of the tribe.

European traditions started in Ancient Greece with the Olympic Games. They were started as All-Greece holidays and contest to honour Zeus in 776 BC. Every fourth year for five days all Greek athletes gathered in the city of Olympia. All wars had to be stopped. Every city sent its athletes to Olympia, and the winner returned to his native city through a break in the city wall because people believed that the winner had been chosen by the gods. The Olympic Games included running, wrestling, boxing, horse-racing, pentathlon and chariot races. The games were stopped in 394 AD when Olympia was destroyed by two strong earthquakes. So the tradition lasted for more than 400 years. The present Olympic Games were started in 1896. The founder of the modern Olympics is Pierre de Coubertin. As in the past, the Olympic Games of the present take place every 4 years in summer. But there are the so-called «White Olympics» in winter and Paralympics for disabled people. Since 1896 Olympics have been held in Britain 2 times in London (1908, 1948), in the USA 4 times: in St. Louis (1904), in Los Angeles (1932, 1984) and in Atlanta (1996). Olympics were also held in Russia in Moscow (1980).

Now the Olympic Games include many sports - swimming, diving, running, sport walking and many, many others.

There are several well-known and popular national British sports. The most well-known are cricket, golf, horse-racing and boat-racing. The Americans love baseball which is considered their national sport. But both the British and the Americans are fond of football.

Football, or soccer, is popular in all countries. There was time when there were no rules, so the game was very rude. There were many injuries such as broken legs and arms. But step by step the rules were worked out and accepted by all countries in 1863. Now' football is the most popular game in the world. The game requires many technical skills and a special way of thinking. It is a team game with 11 players on the field. They are the goalkeeper, 4 defenders, 3 midfield link men and 3 forwards. The aim of the game is to kick the ball into the goal. The players work hard to work as a team and understand each other without words. American football is different from soccer. It is played with an oval ball. American football and Rugby are alike. Football is very popular in Russia.

Rugby (or rugger) is a team game, too. It was first played in the city named Rugby in 1823, that's why it is called rugby. The players can pass the oval ball with their hands (but not forward) and their legs. The aim of the game is to kick the ball over the horizontal bar of the H-shaped goal. The Rugby League unites the teams of professional players. There are 13 players in each professional team. The Rugby Union unites the teams of amateur players which consist of 15 players each. Rugby is not very popular in Russia, but there are some Rugby teams.

Cricket is a team game. There are 11 players in each team. They play with bats, wickets and a cricket ball. The game is played on an oval grass field. The aim of the game is to ruin the goal of the other side with the hits of the ball. The International Federation of Cricket includes more than 10 countries. Both boys and girls play cricket at schools. But in Russia cricket is not popular. Russian children play football, basketball or handball at school.

Golf is another popular game, but it is not a team game. 2 or 4 persons play the game of golf. Each player has a small golf-ball and drives it with a golf-club; players have different clubs and can choose the suitable one for the next blow. There are 9 or 18 holes in the golf ground. The aim of the game-is to drive the ball into the holes. The game appeared in the Middle Ages in Denmark. Since 1927 the golf contest has been held every year.

Boat-racing is also popular. Every year there is a contest between the universities of Cambridge and Oxford on the river Thames. In 1996 Britain won the Olympic gold medal in rowing.

Horse-racing is a spectator sport. There are two main events - The Grand National and the Derby. The Grand National is about Smile long. It is a steeplechase. The Derby is a race which is held every year. There is a lot of betting at these events.

The national American sport is baseball. The game of baseball is played with a bat, a glove and a ball. There are two teams of 9 players each on a field with 4 bases, that's why the game is called baseball. The main players are called catcher, shortstop, fielder and batter, but there are many other types of players. The referee is called the umpire.

The most popular sports in Russia are football, hockey and figure skating. As for football, Russian boys play football in every yard, when it becomes warm enough. There are many professional and amateur teams. Russia is also known for its gymnasts, chess players and skiers.

There are no sportsmen in my family. My father used to go in for football and chess when he was young. Nowadays he watches almost all football and hockey matches that are shown on TV. My mother and I prefer spectator sports, such as figure skating, gymnastics and diving. In spring and summer I can play basketball or volleyball. My mother likes badminton. There is a river and a lake near our summer house. I bathe and swim there. I also walk a lot. I think walking is the best sport. You do not have to buy special equipment, you do not need the company of others. You can do it without special training.

There is a certain contradiction between watching sport events and going in for sports. While sport competitions are very popular (about one third of the population watch sport events on TV or listen to sports news over the radio), only 3-5% go in for sports on a professional or amateur basis. It is believed that sport keeps people fit and healthy. Sportsmen have good figures and strong muscles. They are usually attractive. They develop positive traits of character and learn how to work hard, to be strong, patient, well-organized and disciplined. You can be an amateur sportsman, in this case sport helps you to be energetic, to make your body work well and stay healthy.

But these reasons are not enough for most of people. They have their own reasons. One of the most important reasons is that sport takes much time. It is really so. If you want to be a sportsman, you have to exercise every day, or, at least, several times a week. Many people can not afford that, because they work hard to make their career. They can do morning exercises or visit gyms or swimming-pools from time to time, but I can not call them sportsmen. Another reason is that people do not like to lose. When they lose, they feel uneasy and unhappy. The winner is happy and proud, but the losers feel they are bad, even if they are good at their profession or happy with their families. That is why many people stop going in for sports when their results grow worse. One more reason is risk. Going in for sports can cause many injuries. Some players get hit, they break their bones, they sometimes tear their muscles. This is very dangerous. But even more injuries take place during the training. Most of the gymnasts become seriously ill. Sport is a job for the young. When you are thirty, you are too old to be a professional sportsman. There are few sportsmen over 35 years of age. As for me, I would rather watch than participate.

Sport is also one of the most important components of the healthy way of life.

Топик/тема по английскому языку

Healthy way of life

To be healthy is very important. Health is the man's greatest wealth. Only a healthy man can enjoy his life, work well and be happy. Of course, you can inherit some health problems from your parents, but you can always keep your health if you want to.

The first rule of the healthy way of life is to have normal weight, not to be overweight, and not to change your weight quickly. It is not natural to lose or gain weight quickly or to look like top models that are too slim. A human body needs about 10% of it to be fat, otherwise it does not work properly. There are two ways of controlling your weight. You can regulate your diet and your exercise.

Diet does not mean you eat only lettuce. You need to get all types of substances including fat, vitamins and fibre. You should eat fruit and vegetables. The English say «An apple a day keeps the doctor away». It is because apples have vitamins and are good for your health. The most important vitamin is vitamin C. It can be found in lemons, or¬anges and even in cabbage. Fibre can be found in plants. A healthy diet requires you to stop eating chocolate, pasta, cakes and sweets in big quantities. They have much fat and sugar. This food gives a lot of energy. If you do not work it out, it becomes fat in your body. A correct diet helps your organism work well and be healthy. It is the second rule of the healthy way of life.

Nowadays a lot of people spend more time glued to their tellies. They prefer driving a car or taxing a taxi to walking. People buy VCRs and lots of videotapes. Some prefer watching films about travelling to travelling itself. These people ruin their eye-sight and weaken their muscles. They don't exercise and often fall ill. But at the same time many people under¬stand that it's wrong. This way of life can't be called healthy.

The third rule is regular exercise. Many people jog, walk or cycle in their free time. Physical exercises help you keep fit, have a good gait and figure. They also help you lose weight and work out energy. It is not good to be as thin as a stick, but extra weight can cause serious problems, such as heart problems and diabetes. There are a lot of advertisements both on TV and in newspapers of different pills and drops which can help you become slim and slender in two weeks. But taking medication without a doctor's control is dangerous. Also I know that pills can not work a miracle.

There are also some bad habits which can ruin your health. They are smoking, drinking alcohol and using drugs. My parents do not smoke, and I do not-smoke, either; I think these bad habits ruin health and show your weak character.

Speaking about smoking, I must say that smoking in some aspects is worse than other bad habits. You see, there are active smokers (those who smoke) and passive smokers. Passive smokers don't smoke themselves, but they inhale the smoke from the cigarettes of those who are active smokers. So the latter make other people breathe smoky, poisonous air. That's not fair, I think. Passive smoking can be very dangerous for the pregnant and babies. I’m glad that since the 1st of July, 2002 smoking has been banned by law in public places and at work in the presence of other people. At the same time I think many teenagers smoke because they want to look like adults, not because they like it. So cinema and TV should stop portraying people smoking. I'm glad that advertisements of cigarettes and alcohol (except for beer) are prohibited on TV and radio.

Drinking alcohol is another bad habit. Some people think that alcohol can help you relax and feel more confident. I don't agree with this opin¬ion. Sometimes I see drank people in the streets. They look terrible. They don't care about their appearance or health. So they ruin their health and their lives. They lose their families. Drinking alcohol is bad for all organs of the human body, but it first influences the liver, the organ, which purifies the blood. As a result the drunkard gets cirrhosis of the liver. Then alcohol influences the brain and a man stops being a man. A great man said that drinking alcohol is a voluntary madness, and I think he was right. Well, there are some alcoholic drinks which in small quantities are all right, for example, champagne, red wine or beer. Now there are such things as alcohol-free beer and wine. They have the taste, but have no danger for health. Still all-in-all I think that alcohol can only worsen one's life.

The usage of drags is a bad habit, too. Many people smoke but cigarettes don't kill so quickly. Winston Churchill, for example, smoked 20 cigarettes a day and his life was quite long. Alcohol can be taken on the daily basis all man's life without killing.-Drags make people their addicts very quickly - after a few doses. ln the begriming a pusher gives drugs for free or at a symbols price. He ог she says that drags help people escape from their problems and enter the colorful world of dreams. But later, after several doses, you can't live without drags. They start ruining your health and your dreams. A drug addict has to take drugs every day or he suffers from the syndrome of abstinence. Drags ruin all human organs, and drug addicts die young. Few of them live longer than several years after they have started taking drugs.

So you can see that smoking, drinking alcohol and taking are not simply habits, but they can be called a voluntary suicide.

To be healthy you have either to give up these habits or never start them, this is the fourth rule.

There are several hygienic procedures which are necessary to perform to be healthy, such as visiting a dentist, cleaning your teeth correctly, taking shower every day, tempering.

Диалог по английскому языку на тему

Sport and healthy way of life

-What does it mean to you to be healthy?

-1 think to be healthy means that every organ works well. I don't think being healthy means being beautiful or muscular.

-Is it important to be healthy?

-Yes, it is. Ifyou are healthy, you are happy, you can work and rest well. Sick people usually have bad characters, they are never pleased or satisfied. They are not easy to deal with.

-What can you do to be healthy?

-I could give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol, eating at night, eating fat food), if I had them. I should exercise, go on a diet and watch my weight.

-Is going in for sport important for being healthy?

-Yes, it is. Exercise makes us strong and healthy, because our muscles work well and get enough food.

-Why are people so much concerned about vitamins?

The word «vitamin» comes from the Latin word «life». There are vitamins that men and animals do not produce in their bodies and must take. People can take vitamins in pills and from fruit and vegetables. If people do not take vitamins with fruit or in pills, they can die.

-What can smoking cause?

-Smoking can cause cancer and other lung problems. Your teeth become yellow, if you smoke. People who do not smoke, but are close to a smoker, breathe in smoke and can ruin their health, too. So, smoking is bad not only for the smokers, but also for the non-smokers who are around.

-Can pills and creams help you be healthy?

-Now there are a lot of adverts on TV and in newspapers which offer us pills and creams for losing weight, skin-lifting and other problems. Some creams and pills can help, if you take them under a doctor's control, for example, vitamins. But the problem is most of them help you look healthy, not be healthy and can cause bad problems.

-What sports do you go in for?-I go in for swimming.

- Are you good at sport?

-I am not good at sport. You know, I do not want to go in for professional sport because it requires much time and energy. But I can swim or play such games as basketball, badminton, beach volleyball or table tennis. It is pleasant especially in summer. We go to the lake and make races.

-What unusual sports do you know?

-Parachuting, mountaineering, windsurfing, yachting.

-What Russian national sports do you know?

-Lapta, fisticuffs.

-What sports are the most popular among the teenagers in Britain and the USA?

-They are cycling, football, tennis (in Britain) and baseball and cycling (in the USA). But at school British children play cricket and football.

-What outstanding sportsmen and sportswomen do you know?

-Britain: Charleton (football), Hill (car-pilot). The USA: Michael Tyson (box), Charles Louis (athletics, runner) Russia: Svetlana Khorkina (gymnastics), Alexander Popov (swimmer), Rodnina and Zaitsev (figure skating).

-What winter sports do you know?

-Skiing, skating, ice hockey, biathlon.

-What water sports do you know?

-Swimming, windsurfing, yachting, diving, sailing.

-Do you enjoy watching sports events?

-I enjoy watching some events. I like the contests of figure-skaters and divers.

-When did you last visit a stadium?

-It was in 1999. It was a football match.

-What was the score?

- During the first time the home team Zenit scored three goals, but in the second time the visitors scored three goals as well. So you see, it was a drawn game. The referee set the additional time. During it the visitors scored one more goal and the score became 4 to 3 to Spartak.

Условия и правила

Топик/тема по английскому языку

Learning foreign languages

There are many peoples in the world, and most of them have their own languages. Some languages are spoken by many people, for example, Russian or Chinese. Other languages are spoken by a few people, for example, languages of Native Americans, Maori languages. Some languages are very difficult because of their grammar and phonetics, while other languages are easier. But anyway learning a foreign language is a difficult task which takes a lot of time and energy.

But people all over the world study foreign languages because there are many reasons for that. First of all, nowadays no man can be considered an educated one without any knowledge of development and new inventions in his field. We live in the era when knowledge grows in an explosion-like way. The informational overflow is so great that the demand in broad specialists grows smaller. The most important demand to a specialist now is not to know everything in his field, but to be able to find the necessary information. It is believed that the knowledge of the humankind doubles every decade or even sooner. More and more often it is possible to keep up with the world standards only through reading articles, journals and books in foreign languages. That's why specialists study the languages of the highly developed countries such as France, Germany and the USA. The most important of these lan¬guages is the English language, because a lot of people speak English as a foreign language, many scientists write their articles in it English is now the language used in computers. Of course, mere are versions in many languag¬es but the newest and the most updated computers use English to interact with the user. About half of the post and scientific books are in English. English is the official language of many international organisations such as the Olympic Committee, the Organisation of the United Nations and so on.

The knowledge of foreign languages helps people understand each other when they travel. The most important languages are French and English. They are the languages of international communication. Many people, whose languages are different, can understand each other if they speak English or French. Our cities are visited by millions of tourists. If one knows a foreign language, he can help tourists around the city.

Another reason worth being mentioned is that it is interesting to learn a language, to learn the origins of words. When you learn a foreign language, you understand your own language better, because you can compare the two languages. You learn about the words which have come from other languages into Russian. On the other hand, learning a language is learning the life of other countries. The pupils learn about the geography, history and arts of the countries where some foreign language is spoken. Great Britain and the USA are very interesting countries. The culture of the English-speaking world is rich, there are many great writers, artists and engineers in English-speaking countries. Everyone knows Shake¬speare, Bums, Mark Twain, Robin Hood and Sherlock Holmes.

I study English at school, and I am happy with the fact, because English is used very widely. English is spoken by many people as their native language all over the world: in Great Britain, the USA, the Republic of Ire¬land, Malta, India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Tonga, Australia, many African states, Canada, Jamaica, several small states in South America. Many states call English their official language. Since many people speak English as their native language in such highly developed countries as the USA, Great Britain and Canada, people in other countries study English to communicate with the English-speakers.

Now the knowledge of English is considered a necessary feature of a good employee. Those who want to find an interesting and a well-paid job must know English. But their chances are higher if they know two or three languages. Maybe I shall begin studying French when I enter a university.

Условия и правила

Топик/тема по английскому языку

Travelling

People like to travel. That's why there are so many means of transportation. In the past many people travelled because they wanted to sell their goods or exchange the news. Now people want to see the world, to rest, to have new impressions. The main city means of transportation are car, taxi, bus, trolley bus, tram and metro.

In St. Petersburg there are all these means of transportation. Many people now have their own cars, and sometimes it is dangerous to cross a street even to the green light, to say nothing of the amber and red. The drivers jump the red light, simply ignoring it. But, of course, that does not excuse the pedestrians who go against the red light. Nevertheless, there are many accidents in our streets. On the other hand, in many European and American cities one can see the sign «Yield the pedestrian». Taxis are very popular in Russia now, because they go more often than other buses, though they are rather expensive. Moscow and St. Petersburg metro are considered to be the most beautiful in the world though they were built comparatively late - in 1935 the construction began in Moscow, in 1955 - in St. Petersburg. The London Metro (called the Tube) started in 1863 and is now the oldest in the world. In the USA metro is usually called subway.

The Russian city transportation system has its peculiarities. First of all, you can buy a fortnight or a month card. In most European cities, especially museum centres, you can buy a day card, a three days card and so on.

Second, the price of the card depends on the territory it covers and the number of days, while in Russia it depends only on the term of use.

But if you travel out of the city, you can choose between going by coach, by train, by plane (by air), by ship (by sea) and hiking. Each of these means has its advantages and disadvantages.

International travelling by coach is rather convenient and very cheap. You can take food with you or buy it in the places of stops. The coach usually stops at a restaurant or a cafe. There is a toilet in the coach. But sleeping in a armchair can cause problems especially to those who are car-sick.

Travelling by train is more convenient, because you can sleep well, and it is also not expensive. People can choose between a carriage with sitting places and a carriage with berths. There are carriages with four-berth compartments and two-berth compartments, but all compartments have upper berths, lower berths and places for luggage. The disadvantage of the train is that it stops only for very short periods of time.

Travelling by plane (by air) is an exciting experience for those who are not airsick. When the plane takes off and lands the passengers usually applaud the crew because it is really a hard job. Travelling by plane is rather expensive though you can choose between economic class, busi¬ness class and deluxe class. The price depends on the food served and the number of people around you. Modern planes usually have special sections for smokers and non-smokers. That does not influence the price of the ticket. You can also choose an aisle seat or a window seat if they are available (not booked) at the moment for free.

If you have chosen to travel by sea, you are very lucky. You will have a chance to see marvellous landscapes and seascapes. The dawns and sunsets in the open ocean are terrific. This is the first advantage of travelling by ship. English doctors used to recommend such a travel to treat those who were dissatisfied with their lives. But you will also leam a lot about the sea on board of your ship. There are different types of ships to go by - cruisers, yachts and liners. The disadvantages are the cost of the ticket, the storms and sea-sickness. Very few people have got sea legs!

Hiking is the right kind of spending free time. You pack your tent and start walking. It is slow for sure, but you can go wherever you want. You need no bus stops, you can turn wherever you want and stay in the same place as long as you want. At the same time, not all people like to walk much, though it is very good for their health.

Whatever means of transportation you choose, it is very important to prepare for the trip. First of all, you have to book a ticket. You can do it over the phone or in person. You will have to show your passport to the clerk in the booking-office. It is important to be attentive and follow the instructions, otherwise you can lose your right on the ticket. Then you should think over the point of accommodation. If you need it, it's better to choose and contact the hotel in advance.

Always pack your luggage beforehand, or you will never be sure you have not left your tooth-brush or other important things at home.

Arrive at the railway station, coach stop or airport in advance to have time to make sure everything is all right. The air companies require your coming an hour or even more beforehand because you have to pass checking in, passport control, X-ray control and sometimes (if you go abroad) customs control. When you go by train or by bus it is much easier. You go only through ticket control. If you cross the border of another state, you will pass the customs control right on the border.

I'm not a great traveler, but I have made several trips and travelled by coach, by train and by plane. I made my last trip two years ago. My parents and I went to the Black Sea. We bought the tickets 45 days beforehand and were lucky to occupy the same compartment, because there were four of us - my parents, my younger sister and me. On the day of departure we were very nervous but everything was all right. It took us three days to reach Sochi. During the trip we enjoyed reading books and playing cards. When the train stopped we went out to stretch our legs and to buy something to eat. The old ladies sold us tasty cakes with potatoes and cottage cheese. We spent a month in Sochi where the parents of my father's friend live. It was very sad to say good-bye to them, but the time was up. They said we had been very clever to buy return tickets because in August it is very difficult to buy tickets to Moscow or to St. Petersburg in Sochi. We spent a week in Moscow on our way back, and visited many museums. It is convenient to have a reference book where you can find this or that museum, when it is open, what facilities it has. Many museums have earphones, so you can move at your own speed, and it is less expensive than a guided tour. You can also buy a guidebook around Moscow or a museum. That is very helpful and the book stays with you for the rest of your life.

Диалог по английскому языку на тему

Travelling

-Do you like travelling?

-Yes, I do. I like to travel with my family or friends, it's fun and useful.

-Why is it useful?

-You can see the world and visit museums. You also get closer together.For example, this year our form master has organized an excursion to Novgorod. He contacted a school in Novgorod, it was agreed we would live in the school building during the spring holidays. We visited the Saint Sophia Cathedral, the Novgorod Kremlin, museum in the open air «Vitoslavlitsy», Jaroslav Courtyard marketplace and luriev monastery. We have learnt a lot about history of Russia before the Tartar invasion and yoke. But we have also all become better friends, because we have spent much time together.

-Where have you travelled?

-I have visited several Russian cities situated not far from St. Petersburg (Novgorod, Pskov, Luga) with my classmates and I have spent a fortnight with my parents in Sochi.

-How did you travel?

-To Novgorod, Pskov and Luga we went by local trains. But Sochi is far away. We went there by a far distance train, though we could fly as well. But to go by air is more expensive.

-Have you ever travelled by sea?

-Yes, two times. The first time it was an excursion from Sochi to Novorossiysk, a City-Hero. The second time it was a trip from St. Petersburg to the Valaam archipelago. I have not got the sea legs, that's why I did not enjoy the trips very much.

-What was the most exotic trip?

-I can name two of my trips exotic, though they were very short. The first I made on a horseback and the other - by helicopter!

- Tell about your trip to the Valaam archipelago in more detail, please.

-My mother bought two tours on a boat, so we did not have to book any tickets. The departure was at 8 in the morning so we packed the day before. It is always colder in the open sea or a big lake that's why we took sweaters, warm jackets and caps. On the day of departure we got up early and by the time of the embarkation we had come to the port. We went on board and came to our cabin. It was small but cosy, there were two berths, a folding table and a small wardrobe in it. We spent the day on deck looking at the seascapes, in the evening went to bed very early because we were tired. Early in the morning we reached the destination. When the boat landed, we had a tour around the main island and visited the cathedral. After dinner we had some spare time to walk about by ourselves. In the evening we came on board and I went to the disco, my mother stayed in the cabin. We slept very well, and in the evening of the third day we were at home.

-Have you ever travelled abroad?

-No, I haven't. I hope when I am at the university, I will earn some money for a trip at least to Finland or Turkey. It'll help me improve my English, because there I shall speak mostly English.

-Why do people travel?

-There are many reasons for traveling. There are business trips, when commercial travellers have some mission to execute; or there are merchants who want to sell their goods. Many people travel for pleasure to restore their health during their holidays and to learn about the world.

-Do you prefer traveling in a group to traveling alone?

-Yes, I do, because when you travel in a group of people you are sure to get help if needed. It is more fun as well. When you are alone, that's dull.

-What English-speaking countries would you like to visit?

-I'd like to visit Great Britain and the USA, of course. I have seen many sights in the pictures but I think that in the flesh they will be even more appealing. I'd take my camera with me to take photographs. I think souvenirs are good things but photos stay with you and you can prove everybody that you have been there. Photos also help you remember all the moments of an exciting trip.

-What other countries would you like to visit?

-France, because of its beautiful scenery and wonderful museums. I would also be happy to see Paris with the Louvre and other famous buildings.

Топик/тема по английскому языку

Environmental problems: air, land and water pollution and protection of endangered species

nbsp The statistics shows that men have polluted the air, sea and land; used most of the Earth's oil, gas and coal; completely killed more than 500 kinds of animals, birds and plants; made and used atomic bombs; grown in numbers from 1 billion (in 1830) to nearly 6 billion today. It's a disaster and it's still happening. But not all the news is bad. You can imagine what happens to a living thing if its environment is polluted or changed in a harmful way.

There are several problems concerning the environment: water pollution, air pollution, land pollution and defence of animals.

The first problem is water pollution in the country. Most big cities pour their waste into seas and rivers.

We love rain. Rain helps our plants to grow big and strong. But sometimes the rainwater is not as clean as it could be. Man-made chemicals get into the air and mix with the rainwater, making acid rain. The acid water runs into rivers and lakes. The rivers and lakes become so acid that fish cannot live there.

We like to go to the river, lake or sea to swim. But if there are chemicals in the water, it is not safe enough for swimming. If the water is polluted, it can make us sick.

The second problem is air pollution. When there are too many harmful things in the air, it is polluted.

People and animals need clean air with plenty of oxygen in it. Oxygen is added to the air by plants. So you understand how important it is to have a lot of trees, bushes and grass.

Fume from the chimneys of factories, gases which are in refrigerators and sprays pollute the air. They damage the ozone layer that covers the earth. This layer of gas protects us from the dangerous rays of the sun. There are now holes in the ozone layer because there are too many gases in the air. One is over the North Pole and the second over the South Pole, over Antarctica. It is very dangerous for people as it can make them sick. Some people pollute the air by smoking. Too much smoke in the air can hurt our lungs.

The wind blows a lot of the air pollution out to sea. Sometimes the rain helps to clean the air, but sometimes the rain water mixes with the gases in the air. Then the air pollution also becomes land and water pollution?

Air and water pollution is one of the problems millions of people are worried about today.

The planet Earth is our common home. Everything is connected on the earth. If something goes wrong in some part of the world, everybody suffers. People's activities can make the environment unhealthy.

People are producing too many gases and because of that the earth is getting hotter. These gases hold heat. Plants and trees help to take gases, such as carbon dioxide, from the air, but we have now destroyed too many trees. There are not enough trees and plants to do this job.

Because the earth is getting hotter, the ice is melting. Because the ice is melting, the level of the sea is slowly rising.

Another problem of land pollution is making large piles of trash. Trash is made of boxes, bags, paper, cans, plastics, clothing and bottles. It is also made up of old food called garbage.

Some trash gets burned. When plastics and some other man-made things are burned, gases are given off. Too much of these gases can make people and animals sick.

There will not be as much trash if we learn to use things over and over again. One way to do this is by changing some old thing into a new one. Then it is used again. It is not thrown away.

Another problem of land pollution is using too many chemicals to grow vegetables and fruit. Too many chemicals in the ground can harm the soil. If our vegetables, fruit and meat are grown without chemicals, they will be safer for us to eat.

One of the serious problems is elimination of species all around the world. There are five billion people in the world and they live in all different corners of it. They live on the snow and ice of the Poles and in the tropical jungles on the equator. They have climbed the highest mountains and walked on the sea bed. Some of them have even been the earth and visited the moon. Their life depends on the world around them.

The human species is the most numerous and the most powerful of all the animals on the earth.Many animals and birds on the Earth are disappearing nowadays. Many of them are in danger of becom¬ing extinct. This is because man hunts them, destroys and pollutes their habitat. Pollution and destruction change the balance of nature.

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