it deals with the social, economic and cultural problems of the modern society and offers the ways t
o solve them. I think this program has got everything: intelligent host, interviews with people-in-power, detailed reports etc. It is a weekly program, which is on Wednesday. So I try my best to do all the things beforehand to free my time for my favorite
program. IТ m sure it is for you to decide whether television
is a great worth or not and what programs to watch, but still it remains one of the greatest achievements of the human civilization.
The Theatre ( Театр
)
We go to the theatre to see a play,
a performance given by actors and actresses. A play of a serious character, dealing with important human problems is called a tragedy. A play of a humorous, tighter character is a comedy (or a farce). Dramatists are called playwrights nowadays and there
a
re no longer such great dramatists as Shakespeare or B. Show. If we want to go to the theatre we buy tickets at the box-office and show them to the attendant at the entrance. In the building there is a hall, a large foyer and a cloakroom where we leave ou
r
overcoats, hats, etc. The audience can walk in the foyer in the intervals. Many doors lead to the auditorium consisting of stalls, boxes and balconies. In front of the auditorium there is a curtain separating it from the stage. The curtain rises when the
play begins and falls at the end of each act Many people must work together to produce a play. The author writes it; the producer conducts the acting; carpenters, mechanics, designers prepare the scenery; electricians and light operators see to the light
effects and operate the floodlights. We, the playgoers (or fans) demand an interesting plot, good acting and impressive scenery Ч that is two hours of good entertainment.
Cinema ( Кино )
In England the cinema is usually called «the pictures». In America the word «the movie»
Is often used. Cinema-going is a favorite pastime in Britain. People go to the cinema once or twice a week. Cinema-going is more popular in industrial towns in the North of England and Scotland than In the South. However, especiall
y If it is cold and wet outside, many people like to stay at home to watch TV. Cinemas in England are usually large and more comfortable than the theatres. Often there is a restaurant, so that it is possible to spend an afternoon and evening there (if you
have enough money, of course). Behind the cinema screen there is a stage, so that the building can be used for concerts and other performances. British cinemagoers see mainly English and American films, though many of the foreign films are often shown in
L
ondon and in the South of the country. In our country cinema going is not so popular now as it was earlier. People prefer to stay at home and to watch TV or video. I like to watch films very much. I prefer thrillers, comedies and horror movies, but I do n
ot like tragedies and melodra¬mas very much, and I hate soap operas, although they are becoming very popu¬lar in our country. My favorite film is …
with ... starring. It is really wonderful from the beginning to the end. There are a lot of films, which are worth see¬ing, but this one is the best one to my mind.
Seasons (Сезоны года)
There are four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn and winter. March, April and May are spring months. Spring is the most pleasant of all the seasons of the year. The weather is getting warmer and warmer; everything changes and seems
to revive. The trees begin to bud. Sometimes it rains, but there are no rough winds; the sun shines brightly. The grass is green and one can see a lot of flowers peeping out from it. In spring all the migratory birds return. They sing sweetly on the bran
c
hes of the trees. The summer months are June, July and August. Summer is the hottest season of the year. The days are longest in summer. The longest day of the year is the 22-nd of June. Some people like summer best of all. All of us enjoy summer with its
cloudless sunshine, with its gardens and meadows full of flowers. There is a lot of fruit and vegetables at that time. In summer many people leave town and spend the hottest time in the country or at the seaside. After summer autumn comes. The autumn mont
hs are September, October and November. The warm days of early autumn are called the «Golden Autumn». The «Golden Autumn»
is really beautiful with its yellow, red and brown trees and golden leaves falling down. Autumn is the season of fruit and vegetables.
But the days become shorter and the nights longer and darker. The weather is not so good as in spring and in summer. It often rains and the air gets colder and colder. Winter is the coldest season of the year. The winter months are December, January and F
e
bruary. The winter days are short and gloomy. It often snows and it freezes. Winter is a very beautiful season too. Some people like it very much. It is pleasant to walk when it is not very cold and it snows. The ground is covered with snow. The trees and
the roofs are white with snow too. Winter also gives great opportunities for those who go in for winter sports. I think every season has a charm of its own.
Environmental Protection
( Защита окружающей
среды )
I think that nature is the most wonder
ful thing in the world. It gives us its loveliness to enjoy and to admire. Nature provides us with its riches: water and air, soil, mineral resources, flora and fauna, forests and fields. But gone are the days when people thought that natural resources co
u
ldn't be exhausted. Unfortunately man's activity has damaged greatly the state of the environment. It's a common knowledge that many species of flora and fauna have already disappeared or are disappearing because of harmful actions of people. Dolphins and
whales are often found dead. Chemicals are accumulated in their bodies which caused problems with their liver, immune and reproductive systems. Intensive way of farming and wide use of pesticides are the main reason why the soil of our country is exhauste
d. Besides pesticides reduce birdsТ
food supplying. They kill worms and snakes. This food shortage leads to death of many rare birds and animals. More than that great damage is also caused by acid rains. Industrial plants send harmful substances and gases i
nto the air. There they mix and are carried for hundreds of miles by the wind. Finally they fall back on the earth when it rains. Acid rains kill fish, trees and destroy the environment. There is no doubt, that there is a serious threat to our environment
.
More and more people realize it. I think it's the moral duty of every citizen of our country as well as of the government to take care about nature. As for our government its main aim is to preserve and to enhance the natural inheritance of our country.
M
any people are involved in Greenpeace organization. Its main aim is to gather valuable information about the state of the environment and to draw people's attention to this vital problem. I think we have to look after our planet and to hand it in good ord
er for the future generations.
Meals and Cooking (Еда и ее пр
иготовление )
When we cook, we boil, roast, fry or stew our food. We boil eggs, meat, chicken, fish, milk, water and vegetables. We roast meat or chicken. We fry eggs, fish and vegetables. We stew fish, meat, vegetables or fruits... We put s
alt, sugar, pepper, vinegar and mustard into our food to make it salted, sweet, sour or simply tasty. Our food may taste good or bad or it may be tasteless. The usual meals in England are breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner or, in simpler houses, breakfast,
d
inner, tea and supper. For breakfast English people mostly have porridge or corn flakes with milk or cream and sugar, bacon and eggs, marmalade with buttered toast and tea or coffee. For a change they can have a boiled egg, cold ham or fish. English peopl
e
generally have lunch about one o'clock. At lunchtime in London restaurant one usually finds a mutton chop, or steak and chips, or cold meat, or fish with potatoes and salad, then a pudding or fruits to follow. Afternoon tea can hardly be called a meal. I
t
is a substantial meal only in well-to-do families. It is between five and six o'clock. It is rather a sociable sort of thing, as friends often come in then for a chat while they have their cup of tea, cake or biscuit. In some houses dinner is the biggest
meal of the day. But in majority of English homes the midday meal is the chief one of the day, and in the evening there is usually a much simpler supper Ч
an omelets, or sausages, sometimes bacon and eggs and sometimes just bread and cheese, a cup of coffee or cocoa and fruits.
Our Health ( Наше здоров
ье)
When we are ill, we call a doctor, and he examines us and diagnoses the illness. When we have a headache, a sto¬
machache, a sore throat, a cold or a pain in some parts of the body, we call a doctor. He takes our temperature and our pulse.
He examines our heart, our lungs, our stomach or the part where we have pain, and tells us what the matter is with us. The doctor prescribes medicine, and gives us a prescription, which we take to the chemist's, who makes up the medicine. If you follow t
h
e doctor's orders, you get better; if you disobey the doctor, you may get worse, and even die. We must obey the doctor, if we want to get better. If we have a temperature, we must stay in bed and take the medicine he prescribes. If we cannot get better at
home we must go to hospital. If we are too ill to walk, we go to hospital in the ambu-lance. After our illness we can go to a sanatorium until we are strong again. When we have toothache, we go to the dentist's. He examines our teeth, finds the tooth, whi
c
h hurts us, stops or extracts it. Now here in Russia health system incorporates a variety of medical institutions. The medical service in Russia is of two kinds. Some state establishments give their employees medical insurance cards. They guarantee the pe
ople free of charge medical assistance. Some medical establishments charge fees for treatment. They may be rather high, but our medical service now uses all modern equipment and medicines and provides qualified medical help to all people.
Education [ , edju
Т keIS(q)n] ( Образование
)
It is widely known that education helps to form the personality and prepares one for life. That is why all countries consider the system of education a very important part of national politics.
It Russia, everyone has the right to receiv
e education guaranteed by the Constitution. This right is realized by the broad development of compulsory secondary education, vocational, specialised secondary and higher education and also by the development of a system of scholarships, grants, evening
a
nd correspondence courses. In Russia there is nine-year compulsory education, but to enter a university one has to study two years more. School starts at the age of six for Russian children. But most of them have learned letters in kindergarden which is n
o
w part of primary school. Primary and secondary schools together comprise eleven years of study. Every school has a "core curriculum" of Russian, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education. A variety of elective subjects are taught at lyceums and gymnasiums
.
After finishing secondary school, lyceum or gymnasium one can go on to higher education. All applicants must take competitive examinations. Higher education institutions train undergraduate and graduate students in one or several specializations. The s
ystem of higher education in Russia, is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are: decentralization of the higher education system, development of autonomy in higher education institutions, expansion of academic freedoms f
or faculties and students, development of new financial mechanisms. All Russian schools until recently have been state-subsidized.
Americans also place a high value on education. Universal access to high quality education has been one of the nationТ s historic goals.
America's first college, Harward, was founded in 1636. In 1865 education became available to all. The peculiar feature of American education is the absence of central administration. Each of the 50 states controls and directs its own school
s. Most states require that children attend schools from the time they reach six or seven years old until they are sixteen or seventeen.
There is no uniform school organization or curriculum throughout the nation. But certain common features exist. Pres
chool education is part of the elementary school. Elementary I and secondary schools consist of twelve years of classes which meet for about ten months a year, five days a week and five hours a day. Almost every elementary school curriculum includes Engli
sh, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art I and Physical Education. Many schools include classes teaching basic computer skills.
After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. American institut
ions of higher education include: technical training schools, community colleges, colleges offering four-year bachelor degree programmes and universities which contain one or more colleges, and graduate schools offering master's or doctoral degree program
mes. The factors determining an institution's prestige are the quality of the teaching faculty, quality of research facilities, the number and competence of applicants for admission.
The British system of education has a very long history, but in the pa
st few years there have been many changes in it British education was traditionally decentralized, but now the Education Reform Act has led to a compulsory National Curriculum for pupils aged five to sixteen in state schools. The Act also aims to give par
ents a wider choice of schools for their children. Thus they have the right to express a preference for a school.
Boys and girls are taught together in most schools. Nonselective comprehensive education caters for children of all abilities. Most children
receive free education financed from public funds. 7% of children attend private fee-paying schools.
Around half of 3- and 4-years-olds in Britain receive nursery education and many children attend preschool play groups, mostly organised by parents. Co
mpulsory primary education begins at the age of 5. Children usually в
tart their school career in an infant school and move to a junior school or department at seven. In some schools they move to middle school at the age of eight, nine or ten. These three stages form the primary school, covering the following subjects: Eng
lish, Maths and Science, History, Geography, Music, Art and Physical Education.
At seven and eleven years old (and at secondary school at fourteen and sixteen) teachers measure children's progress in each subject against attainment targets. For each tar
get there are ten levels of attainment.
The secondary level includes the children from eleven to eighteen. Here they build on the knowledge they have aquired at primary school. And according to the National Curriculum they start to learn a modern foreig
n language. At the age of sixteen they can get General Certificate of Secondary Education qualifications on the basis of examinations and course work.
If pupils are successful they can continue to more advanced education and training. After a further tw
o years of study the General Certificate of Education Advanced level exam is taken at the age of eighteen and can be combined with the Advanced Supplementary level exam to provide a wider range of subjects. These exams are the main standard for entry to u
niversity education and to many forms of professional training. There is also a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education for those who stay at school till seventeen. This provides a preparation for work on vocational courses.
For those leaving school at sexteen there are Further Education colleges. Most of them are work-related and vocational.
The next stage is higher education. All British universities enjoy complete academic freedom. There are seventy-nine universities, Oxford and Cambridge being the
oldest of them. Over 90% of students receive awards covering tuition fees and maintenance.
British and American families - Британские и американские семьи
British and American families are small. In fact the populations of both Britain and the USA
have stopped growing. The typical family has a father, mother and two children. Grandparents come to visit, but do not usually live with their children. Most people get married between the ages of 20 and 23 but many marriages end in divorce. This means th
a
t both countries have a large number of "single parent families", one father or mother looking after their children alone. The typical British family has a car, a colour TV set, a washing machine, and a cat or dog as well. They start the day at about 7 o'
c
lock, have breakfast at 8. and are off to work by 8.30 . More and more women now go out to work as well as men. The children have lunch at school at about 12.30, and come home at 4 in the afternoon. Their parents are usually home by 6 o'clock, and the fam
i
ly eats together at 6.30 or 7. In the evenings, father may go to the pub for a drink, or stay at home and watch TV with the others. Children go to bed early, at about 8 o'clock, two or three hours before their parents. The typical American family has more
money than a British family. Many have two or three cars, large modern kitchens and more electrical goods. They eat more meat and spend more on clothes. But their daily programme is nearly the same. Like British children, American children eat lunch at sc
hool, come home mid-afternoon, and go to bed earlier than their parents.
My family
- Моя
семья (1)
Our family is large (small, not very large). We are the family of seven (two, three, four, five, six): my mother, my father, my grandmother, my grandfather, my sister, my brother and I. My mother's name is … She is … years old. She is a teach
er (a doctor, a worker, an engineer). She is a very nice, kind and clever woman. My father's name is ... He is ... years old. He is a worker (a teacher, an engineer, a doctor, a businessman). He is lather tall and strong. He is a man of strong character -
and all of us love him very much. My grandmother's name is ... She is ... years old. She does not work now, she is a pensioner, but she has a lot of work to do about the house. All of us try to help her. My grandfather' s name is... He is... years old. He
is a pensioner too. My brother and sister are students (pupils). There names are ... They are older (younger) than me. We are a very good family. We love each other very much. In the evenings, when all the members of our family get together after work and
study, we like to watch TV, to read books and newspapers, to talk about different things and to discuss all our problems together. When the weather is good we sometimes go for a walk. We have a small house in the country with a garden and a kitchen-garden
. There is much work there and on week-ends we go there and work and have rest all together.
My family - Моя семья (2)
We are 4 at our family: my mother, father, my elder brother and I. I think, our family is friendly, united. We spend much time together, g
o for a walk in the woods, visit theaters, museums, go to the cinema. My mother's name is Luidmila Mikhailovna. She is an engineer, she works in an office. She is a kind, nice woman. She can cook very well. She is fond of reading. My father's name is Kons
t
antin Alexeevich. He is a sailor. He is a strong, clever man. He often tells me interesting stories about different countries. Father can do a lot of things. He teaches me to repair furniture, to drive a car. My brother's name is Alexei. He is 22 years ol
d
. He have been studied in Far- Eastern State Marine Academy for 5 years. Now it is a very difficult period for him: he is passing through state exams. I have my duties about the house. I must go shopping, clean the rooms. It's not difficult for me. I like
our home to be clean and tidy. I think home is the nicest place. As proverb says, . There is no place more delightful than home and there are no people more dear than your relatives.
My family - Моя семья (3)
I haven't got a family of my own yet, so I shall speak about my parents' family. There are four of us: my father, Sergey Viktorovich, my mother, Irina Pavlovna, my younger brother Anton, and myself Alexandr, Alex for short. First of all some
about my parents. My mother is a house-wife. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair. She is thirty-four but she looks much younger. My father is employee of Bank. He is very experienced. He is a broad-shouldered, tall man with fair hair and grey eyes
.
He is forty. My parents have been married for eighteen years. They have much in common, but they have different views on music, books, films, sports. For example, my father likes horror films and my mother likes "soap operas". My father is fond of tennis
.
My mother doesn't go for sports. But my parents have the same opinion about my education and upbringing. My parents are hard-working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of me, my brother and my father. She is very good at cooking and she is clev
e
r with her hands. She is very practical. My brother and I try to help her with the housework. I wash the dishes, go shopping and tidy our flat. My brother's name is Anton. He is thirteen years old. He is a schoolboy. I want to become a student. I'd like t
o learn mathematics. We have got a lot of relatives. We are deeply attached to each other and we get on very well.
My family - Моя семья (4)
In my opinion family is one of the most important things in one's life. Almost all our life we live within a family.
There are five of us in the family: My father - Iliy Nikolaevich, my mother Vera Pavlovna, my elder brother Michael and the youngest child in our family my ten-year old sister Olga. I think it would be right if I begin with my parents. They have been mar
r
ied for 20 years now. They met each other at the institute where they studied together both of them were in their first year then. Howeevfr it was not until their last year at the institute when they got married. My father is a chief sales-manager in a fi
r
m which sells various computer equipment. Many years ago after he had graduated from the institute he became an electronic engineer in one of the Moscow research institutes. His firm has several branches in some other big towns in Russia such as St Peters
b
urg, Voronez, Novosibirsk and others. So he has to travel a lot. My father is an only wager in our family but as he is very good at his job his firm pays him a good salary. However his Saturdays and Sundays are wholly devoted to his family. In youth he we
n
t in for sport so we often play either football or volleyball which are his favourite games. My mother is a housewife. A year after she graduated from the institute my elder brother was born and she had to stay at home. Later it was decided that she would
run the house and look after the family. My mother is a nice looking woman. She is of medium heigth. Her hair is dark and she usually wears a bun. So most of her time is devoted to housework. Except for the time when soaps are shown on TV. She adores them
though my father thinks they are silly. He like most men prefers detective stories and action films. My elder brother is now in his third year at the Moscow State University. He studies at the Geographical faculty. He was keen on Geography when at school
a
nd wanted to travel to places yet unknown. I personally think that it was the spirit of adventures that made him go to the Geographical faculty. The youngest member of out family is ten-year old Olga. She goes to the colledge in the neighbouring town and
s
pends there five days a week. So we see her only on Saturday and Sunday and during her holidays. In spite of her age she enjoys living in a colledge and always looks forward to going there after holidays. She has got lots of friends there. Our family is v
ery united and we like to spend our free time together.
My family - Моя семья (5)
I am Zhilin Andrey. Andrey is my name and Zhilin is my surname. I am seventeen years old. I want to tell you a few words about my family. My family is not large. I have got mother, father and grandmother. There are four of us in the family. F
irst of all some words about my parents. My mother is a teacher of biology. She works in a school. She likes her profession. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair. She is 44 but she looks much younger. My father is computer-programmer. He is forty-s
i
x. My father often sings and when we are at home and have some free time I play the guitar and we sing together. He is also handy with many things. When he was small he liked to take everything to pieces. My grandmother told me a story that ones my father
tried to repair their kitchen clock but with out success. They had to give it to a repairman. But it happened a long time ago. Now he can fix almost everything. My parents have been married for 18 ears. They have much in common, but they have different vi
ews on music, books, and films. For example my father likes horror films and my mother likes soap operas. My father is fond of tennis. My mother doesnТ
t go in for sports. My parents are hard working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of my father
and me. She is very good at cooking. My grandmother is a pensioner. She lives with us and helps to run the house. She is fond of knitting. I want to become a student. IТ
d like to learn foreign languages. I always try to be in a good mood. We have got a lot of relatives.
My family - Моя семья (6)
Family, in my opinion, is someone who loves you and whom you love either. It can be not only your parents but also people who are dear to you, who take care of you. If you have someone who can do everything for you and you can do the same Ц y
ou are lucky you have a family. I think that the family in this point of view is one of the most important things in our life, and people who have no family are always lonely and moreover nobody takes care of them. ItТ
s wrong to think that your family is o
nly your father and mother your family consists of all the dearest people. For example orphans have no parents but maybe on their lifeways they meet people who become dear and important for them and they name it family. Or when you grow up and go away fro
m your parents you meet someone who is another half of you Ц this man is also your family. To some up your family is your parents, your dearest friends and sweethearts. To say about family like a child and father and mother itТ
s not always but often the worm of home and kindness of parents. The child without parents canТ t enjoy the life other children live. And we have to take care of people, who are dear to us, especially if youТ
re the only child in a family because all love and care parents give only to you. And you shouldnТ t break their heart. From one hand itТ s great to be the only child in a family but in some cases itТ
s not. On the plus side parents always ready to help you but on the contrary when there is too much care it seems not to be good, because
you cannot show your independence, do something yourself. Also you can feel lonely and bored. But your parents often do whatever their child want and if itТ
s necessary they help you and warn. They always spend their time doing something together with chil
d to make him happy or teach something. And you have to appreciate their care and love. Because nobody except them love you so much and know a lot about you. As for me, I am the only child in family. And sometimes I think about how will I live if I have a
sister or brother. Sometimes it is so boring to be at home along. I think about my parents, that all my childhood they helped me and did everything for me. But it doesnТ t mean that IТ m the main person in my family. Family itТ
s also our grandmothers, grandf
athers, aunts, uncles. And the family tree has a long history of generations that sometimes are so ancient that we cannot remember the member of it, the name and occupation. And of coarse we know about our forefathers from our grandparents. As for me it
Т s really interesting to know who lived before me. And when I begin to ask my parents about forefathers I find for myself a lot of interesting things.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
o solve them. I think this program has got everything: intelligent host, interviews with people-in-power, detailed reports etc. It is a weekly program, which is on Wednesday. So I try my best to do all the things beforehand to free my time for my favorite
program. IТ m sure it is for you to decide whether television
is a great worth or not and what programs to watch, but still it remains one of the greatest achievements of the human civilization.
The Theatre ( Театр
)
We go to the theatre to see a play,
a performance given by actors and actresses. A play of a serious character, dealing with important human problems is called a tragedy. A play of a humorous, tighter character is a comedy (or a farce). Dramatists are called playwrights nowadays and there
a
re no longer such great dramatists as Shakespeare or B. Show. If we want to go to the theatre we buy tickets at the box-office and show them to the attendant at the entrance. In the building there is a hall, a large foyer and a cloakroom where we leave ou
r
overcoats, hats, etc. The audience can walk in the foyer in the intervals. Many doors lead to the auditorium consisting of stalls, boxes and balconies. In front of the auditorium there is a curtain separating it from the stage. The curtain rises when the
play begins and falls at the end of each act Many people must work together to produce a play. The author writes it; the producer conducts the acting; carpenters, mechanics, designers prepare the scenery; electricians and light operators see to the light
effects and operate the floodlights. We, the playgoers (or fans) demand an interesting plot, good acting and impressive scenery Ч that is two hours of good entertainment.
Cinema ( Кино )
In England the cinema is usually called «the pictures». In America the word «the movie»
Is often used. Cinema-going is a favorite pastime in Britain. People go to the cinema once or twice a week. Cinema-going is more popular in industrial towns in the North of England and Scotland than In the South. However, especiall
y If it is cold and wet outside, many people like to stay at home to watch TV. Cinemas in England are usually large and more comfortable than the theatres. Often there is a restaurant, so that it is possible to spend an afternoon and evening there (if you
have enough money, of course). Behind the cinema screen there is a stage, so that the building can be used for concerts and other performances. British cinemagoers see mainly English and American films, though many of the foreign films are often shown in
L
ondon and in the South of the country. In our country cinema going is not so popular now as it was earlier. People prefer to stay at home and to watch TV or video. I like to watch films very much. I prefer thrillers, comedies and horror movies, but I do n
ot like tragedies and melodra¬mas very much, and I hate soap operas, although they are becoming very popu¬lar in our country. My favorite film is …
with ... starring. It is really wonderful from the beginning to the end. There are a lot of films, which are worth see¬ing, but this one is the best one to my mind.
Seasons (Сезоны года)
There are four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn and winter. March, April and May are spring months. Spring is the most pleasant of all the seasons of the year. The weather is getting warmer and warmer; everything changes and seems
to revive. The trees begin to bud. Sometimes it rains, but there are no rough winds; the sun shines brightly. The grass is green and one can see a lot of flowers peeping out from it. In spring all the migratory birds return. They sing sweetly on the bran
c
hes of the trees. The summer months are June, July and August. Summer is the hottest season of the year. The days are longest in summer. The longest day of the year is the 22-nd of June. Some people like summer best of all. All of us enjoy summer with its
cloudless sunshine, with its gardens and meadows full of flowers. There is a lot of fruit and vegetables at that time. In summer many people leave town and spend the hottest time in the country or at the seaside. After summer autumn comes. The autumn mont
hs are September, October and November. The warm days of early autumn are called the «Golden Autumn». The «Golden Autumn»
is really beautiful with its yellow, red and brown trees and golden leaves falling down. Autumn is the season of fruit and vegetables.
But the days become shorter and the nights longer and darker. The weather is not so good as in spring and in summer. It often rains and the air gets colder and colder. Winter is the coldest season of the year. The winter months are December, January and F
e
bruary. The winter days are short and gloomy. It often snows and it freezes. Winter is a very beautiful season too. Some people like it very much. It is pleasant to walk when it is not very cold and it snows. The ground is covered with snow. The trees and
the roofs are white with snow too. Winter also gives great opportunities for those who go in for winter sports. I think every season has a charm of its own.
Environmental Protection
( Защита окружающей
среды )
I think that nature is the most wonder
ful thing in the world. It gives us its loveliness to enjoy and to admire. Nature provides us with its riches: water and air, soil, mineral resources, flora and fauna, forests and fields. But gone are the days when people thought that natural resources co
u
ldn't be exhausted. Unfortunately man's activity has damaged greatly the state of the environment. It's a common knowledge that many species of flora and fauna have already disappeared or are disappearing because of harmful actions of people. Dolphins and
whales are often found dead. Chemicals are accumulated in their bodies which caused problems with their liver, immune and reproductive systems. Intensive way of farming and wide use of pesticides are the main reason why the soil of our country is exhauste
d. Besides pesticides reduce birdsТ
food supplying. They kill worms and snakes. This food shortage leads to death of many rare birds and animals. More than that great damage is also caused by acid rains. Industrial plants send harmful substances and gases i
nto the air. There they mix and are carried for hundreds of miles by the wind. Finally they fall back on the earth when it rains. Acid rains kill fish, trees and destroy the environment. There is no doubt, that there is a serious threat to our environment
.
More and more people realize it. I think it's the moral duty of every citizen of our country as well as of the government to take care about nature. As for our government its main aim is to preserve and to enhance the natural inheritance of our country.
M
any people are involved in Greenpeace organization. Its main aim is to gather valuable information about the state of the environment and to draw people's attention to this vital problem. I think we have to look after our planet and to hand it in good ord
er for the future generations.
Meals and Cooking (Еда и ее пр
иготовление )
When we cook, we boil, roast, fry or stew our food. We boil eggs, meat, chicken, fish, milk, water and vegetables. We roast meat or chicken. We fry eggs, fish and vegetables. We stew fish, meat, vegetables or fruits... We put s
alt, sugar, pepper, vinegar and mustard into our food to make it salted, sweet, sour or simply tasty. Our food may taste good or bad or it may be tasteless. The usual meals in England are breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner or, in simpler houses, breakfast,
d
inner, tea and supper. For breakfast English people mostly have porridge or corn flakes with milk or cream and sugar, bacon and eggs, marmalade with buttered toast and tea or coffee. For a change they can have a boiled egg, cold ham or fish. English peopl
e
generally have lunch about one o'clock. At lunchtime in London restaurant one usually finds a mutton chop, or steak and chips, or cold meat, or fish with potatoes and salad, then a pudding or fruits to follow. Afternoon tea can hardly be called a meal. I
t
is a substantial meal only in well-to-do families. It is between five and six o'clock. It is rather a sociable sort of thing, as friends often come in then for a chat while they have their cup of tea, cake or biscuit. In some houses dinner is the biggest
meal of the day. But in majority of English homes the midday meal is the chief one of the day, and in the evening there is usually a much simpler supper Ч
an omelets, or sausages, sometimes bacon and eggs and sometimes just bread and cheese, a cup of coffee or cocoa and fruits.
Our Health ( Наше здоров
ье)
When we are ill, we call a doctor, and he examines us and diagnoses the illness. When we have a headache, a sto¬
machache, a sore throat, a cold or a pain in some parts of the body, we call a doctor. He takes our temperature and our pulse.
He examines our heart, our lungs, our stomach or the part where we have pain, and tells us what the matter is with us. The doctor prescribes medicine, and gives us a prescription, which we take to the chemist's, who makes up the medicine. If you follow t
h
e doctor's orders, you get better; if you disobey the doctor, you may get worse, and even die. We must obey the doctor, if we want to get better. If we have a temperature, we must stay in bed and take the medicine he prescribes. If we cannot get better at
home we must go to hospital. If we are too ill to walk, we go to hospital in the ambu-lance. After our illness we can go to a sanatorium until we are strong again. When we have toothache, we go to the dentist's. He examines our teeth, finds the tooth, whi
c
h hurts us, stops or extracts it. Now here in Russia health system incorporates a variety of medical institutions. The medical service in Russia is of two kinds. Some state establishments give their employees medical insurance cards. They guarantee the pe
ople free of charge medical assistance. Some medical establishments charge fees for treatment. They may be rather high, but our medical service now uses all modern equipment and medicines and provides qualified medical help to all people.
Education [ , edju
Т keIS(q)n] ( Образование
)
It is widely known that education helps to form the personality and prepares one for life. That is why all countries consider the system of education a very important part of national politics.
It Russia, everyone has the right to receiv
e education guaranteed by the Constitution. This right is realized by the broad development of compulsory secondary education, vocational, specialised secondary and higher education and also by the development of a system of scholarships, grants, evening
a
nd correspondence courses. In Russia there is nine-year compulsory education, but to enter a university one has to study two years more. School starts at the age of six for Russian children. But most of them have learned letters in kindergarden which is n
o
w part of primary school. Primary and secondary schools together comprise eleven years of study. Every school has a "core curriculum" of Russian, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education. A variety of elective subjects are taught at lyceums and gymnasiums
.
After finishing secondary school, lyceum or gymnasium one can go on to higher education. All applicants must take competitive examinations. Higher education institutions train undergraduate and graduate students in one or several specializations. The s
ystem of higher education in Russia, is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are: decentralization of the higher education system, development of autonomy in higher education institutions, expansion of academic freedoms f
or faculties and students, development of new financial mechanisms. All Russian schools until recently have been state-subsidized.
Americans also place a high value on education. Universal access to high quality education has been one of the nationТ s historic goals.
America's first college, Harward, was founded in 1636. In 1865 education became available to all. The peculiar feature of American education is the absence of central administration. Each of the 50 states controls and directs its own school
s. Most states require that children attend schools from the time they reach six or seven years old until they are sixteen or seventeen.
There is no uniform school organization or curriculum throughout the nation. But certain common features exist. Pres
chool education is part of the elementary school. Elementary I and secondary schools consist of twelve years of classes which meet for about ten months a year, five days a week and five hours a day. Almost every elementary school curriculum includes Engli
sh, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art I and Physical Education. Many schools include classes teaching basic computer skills.
After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. American institut
ions of higher education include: technical training schools, community colleges, colleges offering four-year bachelor degree programmes and universities which contain one or more colleges, and graduate schools offering master's or doctoral degree program
mes. The factors determining an institution's prestige are the quality of the teaching faculty, quality of research facilities, the number and competence of applicants for admission.
The British system of education has a very long history, but in the pa
st few years there have been many changes in it British education was traditionally decentralized, but now the Education Reform Act has led to a compulsory National Curriculum for pupils aged five to sixteen in state schools. The Act also aims to give par
ents a wider choice of schools for their children. Thus they have the right to express a preference for a school.
Boys and girls are taught together in most schools. Nonselective comprehensive education caters for children of all abilities. Most children
receive free education financed from public funds. 7% of children attend private fee-paying schools.
Around half of 3- and 4-years-olds in Britain receive nursery education and many children attend preschool play groups, mostly organised by parents. Co
mpulsory primary education begins at the age of 5. Children usually в
tart their school career in an infant school and move to a junior school or department at seven. In some schools they move to middle school at the age of eight, nine or ten. These three stages form the primary school, covering the following subjects: Eng
lish, Maths and Science, History, Geography, Music, Art and Physical Education.
At seven and eleven years old (and at secondary school at fourteen and sixteen) teachers measure children's progress in each subject against attainment targets. For each tar
get there are ten levels of attainment.
The secondary level includes the children from eleven to eighteen. Here they build on the knowledge they have aquired at primary school. And according to the National Curriculum they start to learn a modern foreig
n language. At the age of sixteen they can get General Certificate of Secondary Education qualifications on the basis of examinations and course work.
If pupils are successful they can continue to more advanced education and training. After a further tw
o years of study the General Certificate of Education Advanced level exam is taken at the age of eighteen and can be combined with the Advanced Supplementary level exam to provide a wider range of subjects. These exams are the main standard for entry to u
niversity education and to many forms of professional training. There is also a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education for those who stay at school till seventeen. This provides a preparation for work on vocational courses.
For those leaving school at sexteen there are Further Education colleges. Most of them are work-related and vocational.
The next stage is higher education. All British universities enjoy complete academic freedom. There are seventy-nine universities, Oxford and Cambridge being the
oldest of them. Over 90% of students receive awards covering tuition fees and maintenance.
British and American families - Британские и американские семьи
British and American families are small. In fact the populations of both Britain and the USA
have stopped growing. The typical family has a father, mother and two children. Grandparents come to visit, but do not usually live with their children. Most people get married between the ages of 20 and 23 but many marriages end in divorce. This means th
a
t both countries have a large number of "single parent families", one father or mother looking after their children alone. The typical British family has a car, a colour TV set, a washing machine, and a cat or dog as well. They start the day at about 7 o'
c
lock, have breakfast at 8. and are off to work by 8.30 . More and more women now go out to work as well as men. The children have lunch at school at about 12.30, and come home at 4 in the afternoon. Their parents are usually home by 6 o'clock, and the fam
i
ly eats together at 6.30 or 7. In the evenings, father may go to the pub for a drink, or stay at home and watch TV with the others. Children go to bed early, at about 8 o'clock, two or three hours before their parents. The typical American family has more
money than a British family. Many have two or three cars, large modern kitchens and more electrical goods. They eat more meat and spend more on clothes. But their daily programme is nearly the same. Like British children, American children eat lunch at sc
hool, come home mid-afternoon, and go to bed earlier than their parents.
My family
- Моя
семья (1)
Our family is large (small, not very large). We are the family of seven (two, three, four, five, six): my mother, my father, my grandmother, my grandfather, my sister, my brother and I. My mother's name is … She is … years old. She is a teach
er (a doctor, a worker, an engineer). She is a very nice, kind and clever woman. My father's name is ... He is ... years old. He is a worker (a teacher, an engineer, a doctor, a businessman). He is lather tall and strong. He is a man of strong character -
and all of us love him very much. My grandmother's name is ... She is ... years old. She does not work now, she is a pensioner, but she has a lot of work to do about the house. All of us try to help her. My grandfather' s name is... He is... years old. He
is a pensioner too. My brother and sister are students (pupils). There names are ... They are older (younger) than me. We are a very good family. We love each other very much. In the evenings, when all the members of our family get together after work and
study, we like to watch TV, to read books and newspapers, to talk about different things and to discuss all our problems together. When the weather is good we sometimes go for a walk. We have a small house in the country with a garden and a kitchen-garden
. There is much work there and on week-ends we go there and work and have rest all together.
My family - Моя семья (2)
We are 4 at our family: my mother, father, my elder brother and I. I think, our family is friendly, united. We spend much time together, g
o for a walk in the woods, visit theaters, museums, go to the cinema. My mother's name is Luidmila Mikhailovna. She is an engineer, she works in an office. She is a kind, nice woman. She can cook very well. She is fond of reading. My father's name is Kons
t
antin Alexeevich. He is a sailor. He is a strong, clever man. He often tells me interesting stories about different countries. Father can do a lot of things. He teaches me to repair furniture, to drive a car. My brother's name is Alexei. He is 22 years ol
d
. He have been studied in Far- Eastern State Marine Academy for 5 years. Now it is a very difficult period for him: he is passing through state exams. I have my duties about the house. I must go shopping, clean the rooms. It's not difficult for me. I like
our home to be clean and tidy. I think home is the nicest place. As proverb says, . There is no place more delightful than home and there are no people more dear than your relatives.
My family - Моя семья (3)
I haven't got a family of my own yet, so I shall speak about my parents' family. There are four of us: my father, Sergey Viktorovich, my mother, Irina Pavlovna, my younger brother Anton, and myself Alexandr, Alex for short. First of all some
about my parents. My mother is a house-wife. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair. She is thirty-four but she looks much younger. My father is employee of Bank. He is very experienced. He is a broad-shouldered, tall man with fair hair and grey eyes
.
He is forty. My parents have been married for eighteen years. They have much in common, but they have different views on music, books, films, sports. For example, my father likes horror films and my mother likes "soap operas". My father is fond of tennis
.
My mother doesn't go for sports. But my parents have the same opinion about my education and upbringing. My parents are hard-working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of me, my brother and my father. She is very good at cooking and she is clev
e
r with her hands. She is very practical. My brother and I try to help her with the housework. I wash the dishes, go shopping and tidy our flat. My brother's name is Anton. He is thirteen years old. He is a schoolboy. I want to become a student. I'd like t
o learn mathematics. We have got a lot of relatives. We are deeply attached to each other and we get on very well.
My family - Моя семья (4)
In my opinion family is one of the most important things in one's life. Almost all our life we live within a family.
There are five of us in the family: My father - Iliy Nikolaevich, my mother Vera Pavlovna, my elder brother Michael and the youngest child in our family my ten-year old sister Olga. I think it would be right if I begin with my parents. They have been mar
r
ied for 20 years now. They met each other at the institute where they studied together both of them were in their first year then. Howeevfr it was not until their last year at the institute when they got married. My father is a chief sales-manager in a fi
r
m which sells various computer equipment. Many years ago after he had graduated from the institute he became an electronic engineer in one of the Moscow research institutes. His firm has several branches in some other big towns in Russia such as St Peters
b
urg, Voronez, Novosibirsk and others. So he has to travel a lot. My father is an only wager in our family but as he is very good at his job his firm pays him a good salary. However his Saturdays and Sundays are wholly devoted to his family. In youth he we
n
t in for sport so we often play either football or volleyball which are his favourite games. My mother is a housewife. A year after she graduated from the institute my elder brother was born and she had to stay at home. Later it was decided that she would
run the house and look after the family. My mother is a nice looking woman. She is of medium heigth. Her hair is dark and she usually wears a bun. So most of her time is devoted to housework. Except for the time when soaps are shown on TV. She adores them
though my father thinks they are silly. He like most men prefers detective stories and action films. My elder brother is now in his third year at the Moscow State University. He studies at the Geographical faculty. He was keen on Geography when at school
a
nd wanted to travel to places yet unknown. I personally think that it was the spirit of adventures that made him go to the Geographical faculty. The youngest member of out family is ten-year old Olga. She goes to the colledge in the neighbouring town and
s
pends there five days a week. So we see her only on Saturday and Sunday and during her holidays. In spite of her age she enjoys living in a colledge and always looks forward to going there after holidays. She has got lots of friends there. Our family is v
ery united and we like to spend our free time together.
My family - Моя семья (5)
I am Zhilin Andrey. Andrey is my name and Zhilin is my surname. I am seventeen years old. I want to tell you a few words about my family. My family is not large. I have got mother, father and grandmother. There are four of us in the family. F
irst of all some words about my parents. My mother is a teacher of biology. She works in a school. She likes her profession. She is a good-looking woman with brown hair. She is 44 but she looks much younger. My father is computer-programmer. He is forty-s
i
x. My father often sings and when we are at home and have some free time I play the guitar and we sing together. He is also handy with many things. When he was small he liked to take everything to pieces. My grandmother told me a story that ones my father
tried to repair their kitchen clock but with out success. They had to give it to a repairman. But it happened a long time ago. Now he can fix almost everything. My parents have been married for 18 ears. They have much in common, but they have different vi
ews on music, books, and films. For example my father likes horror films and my mother likes soap operas. My father is fond of tennis. My mother doesnТ
t go in for sports. My parents are hard working people. My mother keeps house and takes care of my father
and me. She is very good at cooking. My grandmother is a pensioner. She lives with us and helps to run the house. She is fond of knitting. I want to become a student. IТ
d like to learn foreign languages. I always try to be in a good mood. We have got a lot of relatives.
My family - Моя семья (6)
Family, in my opinion, is someone who loves you and whom you love either. It can be not only your parents but also people who are dear to you, who take care of you. If you have someone who can do everything for you and you can do the same Ц y
ou are lucky you have a family. I think that the family in this point of view is one of the most important things in our life, and people who have no family are always lonely and moreover nobody takes care of them. ItТ
s wrong to think that your family is o
nly your father and mother your family consists of all the dearest people. For example orphans have no parents but maybe on their lifeways they meet people who become dear and important for them and they name it family. Or when you grow up and go away fro
m your parents you meet someone who is another half of you Ц this man is also your family. To some up your family is your parents, your dearest friends and sweethearts. To say about family like a child and father and mother itТ
s not always but often the worm of home and kindness of parents. The child without parents canТ t enjoy the life other children live. And we have to take care of people, who are dear to us, especially if youТ
re the only child in a family because all love and care parents give only to you. And you shouldnТ t break their heart. From one hand itТ s great to be the only child in a family but in some cases itТ
s not. On the plus side parents always ready to help you but on the contrary when there is too much care it seems not to be good, because
you cannot show your independence, do something yourself. Also you can feel lonely and bored. But your parents often do whatever their child want and if itТ
s necessary they help you and warn. They always spend their time doing something together with chil
d to make him happy or teach something. And you have to appreciate their care and love. Because nobody except them love you so much and know a lot about you. As for me, I am the only child in family. And sometimes I think about how will I live if I have a
sister or brother. Sometimes it is so boring to be at home along. I think about my parents, that all my childhood they helped me and did everything for me. But it doesnТ t mean that IТ m the main person in my family. Family itТ
s also our grandmothers, grandf
athers, aunts, uncles. And the family tree has a long history of generations that sometimes are so ancient that we cannot remember the member of it, the name and occupation. And of coarse we know about our forefathers from our grandparents. As for me it
Т s really interesting to know who lived before me. And when I begin to ask my parents about forefathers I find for myself a lot of interesting things.
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