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AND NOW THE TOPICS! Напоминаю, что выданный на экзамене незнакомый текст для второго задания будет содержать проблему в рамках следующих тем:
TOPIC: ACHIEVEMENTS OF GREAT PEOPLE
FAMOUS PEOPLE AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS (M. V. LOMONOSOV)
The history of mankind is closely connected with the development of technology fueled by people’s creativity and the genius of great scientists. At first, tools and machines were primitive. Then the simplest form of the steam engine was constructed by Thomas Newcomen and developed by James Watt. Michael Faraday’s demonstration of the dynamo revealed the potential of electrical motor. Next, German scientist Nicolas Otto introduced the four-stroke cycle used in the modern internal-combustion engine. The 1940s saw the explosion of the first atomic bomb and the development of the nuclear power industry. Today, with the growth of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and computer technologies we have made a breakthrough.
Our country has contributed a lot in the development of modern science and technology. We are proud of our great scientists and pioneers in space research – K. Tsiolkovski and S. Korolyov. Tsiolkovski was the first to develop the theory of space flight. Korolyov designed the first intercontinental missile, Sputnik satellite, and Vostok spacecraft. As for Lomonosov, his scientific and practical activities were striking.
Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov was an outstanding Russian scientist. His brilliant capabilities and hard work enables him to complete the seven-grade curriculum of the Academy in four years. Soon he was sent abroad to study metallurgy and mining.
After his return to Russia, Lomonosov soon became a Professor of Chemistry and a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
“Lomonosov’s achievements in the spheres of physics, chemistry, astronomy, instrument-making, geology, geography, linguistics and history would be worthy of the activities of the whole academy”, wrote S.Vavilov. No wonder Pushkin called Lomonosov “our first university”.
Explaining chemical phenomena through the laws of physics, Lomonosov founded a new science, namely, physical chemistry.
Lomonosov was not only a talented scientist and poet. He gave all his energy to the promotion of Russian science. In 1755, Moscow University was founded, thanks to his efforts. This university became a major centre of Russian enlightenment and science.
TOPIC: BOOKS
NEW RUSSIAN LITERATURE AND BOOKS OF MY CHILDHOOD
In the early 21st century the readers in Russia has shown considerable interest in new quality literature. Many new authors have emerged, along with new publishing companies, new brands and new literature series. Traditional Russian prose remains popular.
Detective stories and thrillers are considered a very successful genre of new Russian literature: note the interesting phenomenon of the huge interest in ironical detective stories by Darya Dontsova. She has written about 50 novels, and her books have appeared published in millions of copies and even translated in Europe.
Generations of winter ( in Russian:”Moskovskaya saga”), a novel by the Russian writer Vasily Aksyonov, has appeared in the USA. Many critics have praised this novel as a new Doctor Zhivago large-scale Russian novel, which tells the story of the Russian Gradov family struggling to survive in the Stalin era.
Several Russian writers have become rather popular in the West, such as Tatyana Tolstaya and (especially) Lyudmila Ulitskaya. Detective-story writer Boris Akunin, with his series about the 19th century sleuth Erast Fandorin, publishes in Europe and in the USA. Alexandra Marinina, the most popular female detective-story writer in Russia, has succeeded in publishing her books around Europe, especially in Germany.
Personally, I think that a book is one of the greatest wonders in the world. It gives us an opportunity to imagine the future, to look into the past. Books form our values and our characters. When I have free time I read adventure books, humorous stories, novels. My favourites are horror stories written by American writer Steven King. His stories are always exciting and scary. There are some books which have been my great favourites since my childhood. These books express our imaginary wishes. For example, ‘The Wizard of the Oz’ by Frank Baum. Of course, when I was a kid I read this story translated by Russian author Alexander Volkov. Later, I learned that it was a rather free translation of the story. Volkov called it The Wizard of Emerald City and the country where the story is set was changed from Oz, to "Magic Land." Alexander Volkov took many liberties with his translation, editing as he saw fit, and adding a chapter in which Ellie (his name for Dorothy) is kidnapped by a man-eating Ogre and rescued by her friends. The Wizard is renamed “James Goodwin,” the Scarecrow is called “Strasheela” (derived from a Russian word meaning “terrifying”), and the Tin Woodman is now the IRON Woodman. All four of the witches, good and bad, have new names. Volkov went on to write his own independent series of sequels to the book, very loosely based on the originals, including Urfin Jus and His Wooden Soldiers. I must admit that I really enjoyed the series. Young readers try to look like the characters of their favourite books: to be brave, honest, not to be silly or greedy, and to be real friends.
TOPIC: EXPLORATION
HEROIC AGE OF EXPLORATION
There are modern explorers and the explorers of the past. It doesn’t matter in what century they were born; they are similar because they are ready to face hardships and not afraid to die on the journey. They are interested in mysteries, science work, and heroic deeds.
I find expeditions to Antarctica the most difficult. Explorers put their lives at a stake when they go there. The wind is blowing with speeds up to 330 km per hour. There might be temperatures of minus 60 degrees.
Antarctica killed one of the bravest explorers of the past – Captain Robert Falcon Scott. He was a British Royal Navy officer and Antarctic explorer. In the so-called "Race to the South Pole" Scott was second, behind the winning Norwegian Roald Amundsen. Scott has become one of the most famous, and tragic, personalities of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
Amundsen was the first to leave on 15 October, 1911. He had teams of dogs pulling his sledges and all his men were on skis. Because of this, he made good progress. Scott left on 1 November and soon had problems. First, his two motor sledges broke down and then his ponies began to die. After a while, Scott and his men had to push the sledges themselves.
Amundsen reaches the Pole on 14 December and put a Norwegian flag there and returned to his base safely. Scott finally arrived at the Pole with four companions on 17 January and found the Norwegian flag. He had to say goodbye to all his dreams but it wasn’t the most tragic thing – he and his four companions died when they were trying to return to their base.
The tent containing the bodies was found six months later by a search party. They died only 20 km from one of their food stores. Diaries, letters to family and friends were also found in the tent.
In January 2007, Scott's family released the content of his final letter to his wife, entitled, To my widow. Scott’s journal said:
Had we lived I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale...We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker of course and the end cannot be far. It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. For God's sake, look after our people.
TOPIC: FOREIGN LANGUAGES
ENGLISH– COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SPEAKERS OF DIFFERENT NATIVE LANGUAGES
During the Middle Ages, Latin and Greek were widely used in Europe. French was the language of diplomacy in Europe from the 17th century until its recent replacement by English. Anyway, it is still a working language of international institutions. French was the language of Russian aristocracy in the 18th-19th centuries. French was also the language used among the educated in many cosmopolitan cities across the Middle East and North Africa. Today, several countries throughout the world are members of Francophonie.
English is the current lingua franca of international business, science, technology. It has displaced French as the lingua franca of diplomacy when the role of English-speaking countries, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the United States increased after World War II, particularly in the organization of the United Nations.
English remains the lingua franca of former British Empire nations. In this case the use of English helps to avoid the political difficulties if some individual indigenous language becomes more important than languages of other tribes.
The modern trend to use English outside of English-speaking countries has a number of sources. Firstly, it is mostly a result of the spread of English with cultural and technological exports from the United States.
English is also regarded as the global lingua franca because of the dominant positions of the developed Western nations in world financial and business institutions. As a result, English has been carried over globally. English is also dominant in scientific and technological communications, and all of the world's major scientific journals are published in English.
Moreover, just have a look at web forums! Their language, or slang, is based on English. It is accepted and used by the widest range of members of the internet community. Consider some abbreviations in text messages:
u - you
r - are, our
ur - your, you're
lol - laugh out loud
i - I
2 - to, too
4 - for; used in words such as 'before'/'b4'
y - yes
y? - why?
omg - oh my god
g2g- got to go
rofl- rolling on the floor laughing
tmrw - tomorrow
gl - good luck
hf- have fun
gg - good game
8 - the sound "ate" ex. l8 (late) or sk8r (skater)
we - weekend
idc - I don't care
brb - be right back
tbh - to be honest
atm - at the moment
btw - by the way
cbb - can't be bothered
jk - just kidding or joking
idk - i don't know
LEARNING ENGLISH
There are many languages in the world. 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. Some languages are very difficult, some are easy. English is spoken by many people as their native language all over the world: in Great Britain, the USA, the Republic of Ireland, Malta, India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, New Zeland, Tonga, Australia, many African states, Canada, Jamaica, several small states of South America. Many states call English their official language (Great Britain, the USA, Australia, New Zeland). About 400 million people speak English.
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 English-speakers. English is also the language of international communication. Many people whose languages are different, can understand each other if they speak English.
English is now the language used in computers. About half of the mail and scientific books are in English. English is the language of many international organizations like the United Nations. I think these are the main reasons why people in Russia study English.
But there are some other reasons. First of all, it is interesting to learn a language. You can understand your own language better if you compare two languages. Second, you can learn about some other countries. Great Britain and the USA are great countries; it would be fantastic to travel there and talk English.
If a person can’t afford travelling abroad, it is possible to learn more about English-speaking countries reading about their people, geography, history and political systems in English. If some necessary materials and documents are in English, it is important to know English.
Third, a person can learn about people’s culture in the process of learning the language. If you study English, you will learn about Shakespeare, Burns, Mark Twain and other great writers and read their works.
In my opinion, there is one more reason. We study English because it is taught at schools, colleges and Universities all over the world. It is impossible to work well now if you don’t know English. If someone is going to apply for a good job, the knowledge of English will be required.
As for me, I study English because I am going to use it as a language of international communication. Doing my studies or working for a business company I will communicate with foreign students and colleagues in English. In my free time I will communicate with different people in chat rooms via the Internet. I may even read books and watch video in English. Moreover, I like to sing English songs!
TOPIC: FRIENDS
MY FRIEND
I got acquainted with my best friend at school. Her name is Kate. We are of the same age. Besides, we live in the same block of flats, so we see each other every day.
Kate is rather emotional and sensitive but honest, helpful, generous, and reliable. She is a tall girl with blue eyes and blonde hair. She is 16. Sometimes Kate can be impatient, especially when I am late and she has to wait for me. She gets angry easily; nevertheless, I enjoy her company and feel lonely without her.
It is not easy to meet a true and loyal friend. I am lucky that I’ve met Kate. I trust her a lot, and I am sure that I can rely on her in any situation. She is the one who I can turn to for help and advice in the most unhappy moments of my life and who I can tell all my problems.
We’ve got much in common and spend a lot of time together. We often watch video, listen to music or dance. Sometimes we go to the cinema or to the theatre, or walk around the centre of Moscow. We talk about all sorts of things (love, school, mates). We discuss films, TV programs, books.
If we quarrel (but it happens very seldom), we try to make peace as soon as possible. What I like best about her is that she is always in a good mood, willing to help and share her thoughts, feelings.
I miss Kate when we don’t see each other for long time. I think our friendship makes me feel confident of myself, develop the ability to consider other people’s feelings and opinions. I personally think that friendship is a great force.
Sometimes a person’s life is fully dependent on type of his friends. I mean he can get degraded if he has a bad friend. Or he can improve if he has good friends. The wrong friends can really drag a young person down with them. Good friends are guides and support if you start to go wrong and great company and fun when things are right.
In addition, as social creatures, we are quite dependent on the friendships we develop. Have you ever heard the old saying "If you lie down with the dogs, expect to wake up with fleas"? It's a direct reference to becoming a product of the company we keep. If we establish friendships with those who bring something valuable to our lives, can teach us, provide help, accept us for who we are, give us companionship, and treat us respectfully, we are happy with the support and inspiration of these friends. If we choose friends who do not behave as friends, or treat us with disrespect, our hearts are discouraged, and it causes us pain. I would question whether in fact these kinds of people can truly be defined as friends at all.
TOPIC: PROFESSIONS
YOUR FUTURE PROFESSION
In early childhood children tell their parents whom they would like to be when they grow up. In school students begin thinking of their future profession. There are a lot of professions in the world. Most of them are really interesting and exciting. Usually it is very hard to choose. I believe that the choice of profession depends on your abilities. If you are good at humanities, you should choose something in this field. And if you are good at natural sciences, you could choose something closely connected with them.
I would like to become a chemist because I like chemistry. I think that it is a very interesting subject, but I am not very good at it. I am probably not suitable for this profession. But my chemistry teacher doesn’t think that I am hopeless. I have some good traits, or qualities, and I hope my future profession will be connected with chemistry and computers. I am careful, energetic, and ambitious.
Our school psychologist helped me to assess my skills and to explore my career options. I made some tasks to choose a possible occupation. The results of the tasks proved that I can develop my abilities and become a computer operator, a teacher, or an actor. I am good at working with people. According to the test of my personality type I am an extravert. It means that I will be successful in team work.
There is one more thing that our psychologist told us. There are jobs which a person would like to choose and there are jobs which are needed by the labour market at a particular period of time. A job may be interesting for me, but not well-paid. At the same time, some well-paid jobs could be not for me because I don’t have enough skills. Anyway, it is not a problem for people who have learned how to learn. I should be ready to study all my life. For example, there is a great variety of training courses. I should be aware of job opportunities in my country and even abroad. There are unusual and new occupations which appear with the development of science, technology and social relations. Here are some of them (it is possible to think them over as a future job opportunity):
A biochemist is a scientist trained to study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms.
A computer engineer is involved in software development, hardware-(firmware/software) integration, circuit design, and system-level design and integration.
Professional dog walkers, both individuals and businesses, are paid by dog owners to walk their dogs for them.
A dietitian is an expert in food and nutrition.
A diver takes a range of diving activities at his underwater work site.
An ecologist studies living organisms and the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.
A financial analyst works to secure financial interests and provide future earnings.
A video or computer game designer develops the layout, concept and the game design of a video or computer game.
Florists are people who work with flowers and plants. They select flowers that will look good together, know how to cut and arrange flowers and then to sell them.
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images or motion graphics to create a piece of art. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and advertising.
A logistician is involved in logistics, the art of managing the supply chain and science of managing and controlling the flow of goods, information and other resources like energy and people between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customers' requirements.
TOPIC: PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
URGENT ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND THE WAY TO TREAT THEM
The contemporary ecological problems are created by all of us. We have to face them. It is an illusion that science and technology can save the world from ecological disasters.
The recent philosophy states that human beings are above any other creatures. Nature is considered as a force that must be controlled by man. Such a point of view leads to extensive exploration of the earth’s natural resources. Therefore, it leads to disasters.
In my opinion, we should respect the laws of nature. The goal of life is to preserve the earth, as much as possible, in its initial purity. Barbarous exploitation of the natural world will result in self-destruction. We are not god-like. We can’t control nature and transform it according to our desires.
The first step to preserve the earth is to learn about environmental problems. The cause of many problems is pollution. Plants, factories and cars pollute the air with poisonous gases, such as carbon dioxide. They also produce gases and substances which destroy the ozone layer of the atmosphere. It is dangerous, because this ozone layer protects the Earth from the space radiation. We can help keep this ozone layer if we use ozone friendly substances and sprays.
The atmosphere pollution is extremely dangerous because of the greenhouse effect. It means that climate becomes warmer and warmer every year. It causes the melting of Arctic ice and the level of the Ocean can become higher. So, water will cover some land and floods will bring great destructions.
Another great problem is water pollution. Factories and plants produce water polluted with poisons and oils and let that water into rivers and seas. It’s very dangerous for the wildlife and people. We can’t live without clean water.
One of the biggest problems is cutting down trees. Rainforests which produce oxygen have been subjected to heavy logging. We cannot live without oxygen.
There is also land pollution. Dirty water, pesticides and fertilizers make agricultural lands polluted.
Of course, urgent ecological problems are not easy to deal with. Lots of things should be done on the international level. Governments should sign international treaties like the Kyoto Protocol. They should control that all factories have special air and water purifiers and filters. They should organize National parks and Wildlife reservations to protect the endangered species. Scientists should develop technologies which produce no waste.
Any person can help to stop ecological disasters. To begin with, we must collect waste properly so it does not get into water or land. In addition, there is a good formula of three RRR. It’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
We can reduce the use of electricity and drinking water. For example, when we clean our teeth and let the water run, we lose two or three liters of water. We can stop it if we turn off the faucet. We can reduce the packaging if we reuse plastic bags when we go shopping. We can recycle paper, metal and glass. I think everyone who doesn’t care about doing all these things is a criminal who doesn’t care about the future.
TOPIC: TEENAGE PROBLEMS
HAVE YOU GOT PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE AROUND YOU?
I think teenagers have many problems. For example, there are a number of teenagers who are not happy about their appearance. I don’t find this problem very serious. If a person keeps to a healthy diet, goes to a fitness club, wears tidy clothes and a stylish haircut, it is possible to have a nice look. Just work at what you are and don’t worry about a long nose, short legs or zits. The problem of good looks is quite possible to deal with.
Friends may be a more serious problem. It is not easy to find a true friend. If we look around, we can find some selfish, arrogant, cruel and violent people who are not nice at all. Still everyone dreams of a reliable friend who will help if a bully picks on you or just will be nice to talk to. If a teenager has a true friend, it is important to be kind and loyal; say good things to your friend, always keep your promises, never gossip or laugh at your friend. Sometimes teenagers have quarrels with friends. Most quarrels are really silly; try to apologize first if you want to keep your friendship going.
At a certain age most teenagers fall in love. Some people are very romantic, others are not. Romantic people suffer greatly when the person they love starts going out with someone else. It’s a great problem for such people to break up with a person who is their first love. Most teenagers have not yet had the experience to know what real life is and about what true love is. They haven't learned what it's like to share all that they are with another person. They haven't had a chance to know what it is to be separated from someone or to really depend on another for emotional support. Most teenagers are still caught up in gossip. They frequently don't know how to communicate their feelings. They are often "in love" until the next person comes along, and they are not prepared to dedicate their lives to one person.
Another problem is getting along with parents. When kids grow older, they want more freedom. But there are many dangers in the world, such as alcohol, drugs, crime. Most parents care so much about their children that they don’t allow them to stay out late, watch violent TV programs, go to parties when there is some homework to do. Some children start to cheat and parents can punish them. There has always been a lot of arguing between parents and their children. It’s OK if everything ends up peacefully. However, some teens show protest against grown-ups. They start smoking, getting bad marks at school. They become trouble-makers and want to prove they are old enough to live on their own. They associate smoking and drinking alcohol with adulthood. Some teens become part of gangs and get involved in illegal activities.
I think teenagers mustn’t do illegal things. Then they will have more respect. Of course, they have their own rights. They should also be treated with respect the way adults are. And the best model for children to follow is the parents. Children learn genuine respect from parents which respect them as well. A child's first school is the home.
TOPIC: TRANSPORT
WHAT TRANSPORT DO YOU CHOOSE GETTING AROUND BRITAIN?
In Britain, they still calculate distances in miles and they still drive on the left. Many of Britain’s roads follow ancient Roman roads and you have to pay at some old toll bridges dating back hundred of years. In London, they still have red double-decker buses and black London cabs. Before they can work, London cab drivers still have to spend about 18 months learning about the streets of London to get ‘the knowledge’.
However, not everything about British transport is as it used to be fifty years ago. There are now more than 25 million cars on the roads so traffic jams are common on British motorways. And even though the British invented the railways, their train network is not in a terribly good state; people get delays caused by some unpredictable events. To improve the situation in transport, the government is investing a lot of money in the railways and coming out with ‘new’ ideas like toll motorways and congestion charges. A congestion charge is a radical scheme to charge motorists £8 per day for driving vehicles within a designated area of central London during peak hours. It is claimed that it has significantly reduced traffic congestion and improved reliability of bus and taxi services. The problem is that the charge is rather high and may increase.
Despite all of this, there are some fantastic ways of getting around the country and enjoying yourself at the same time. For example, you can go on a cycling holiday. Britain has thousands of miles of quiet country lanes and forest tracks which are ideal for keen cyclists. There are even more footpaths for walking holidays from one end of the country to the other, like Offa’s Dyke Footpath on the lovely borders of England and Wales. For the more adventurous, there are plenty of places for horse riding and canoeing as well as hand-gliding, paragliding and ballooning.
If you want something a bit safer and less energetic, go on a narrow boat. Britain has a great network of canals, a lot of them going through spectacular countryside. Another relaxed option is to go on one of Britain’s many steam railways like the Severn Valley Railway or the Snowdon Railway which goes up the highest mountain in Wales. Just sit back and enjoy!
TOPICS: TRADITIONS AND HOLIDAYS
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR FOREIGN FRIENDS ABOUT TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN HOLIDAYS?
Russian people love holidays. They are very hospitable. Any holiday is celebrated with lots of food and presents.
Holidays can be state, such as New Year’s Day (the 1st of January), Defender of Motherland Day (the 23rd of February), Women’s Day (the 8th of March), May Day (the 1st of May), Victory Day (the 9th of May), Russia Day (the 12th of June), Unity Day (the 4th of November). There are also religious holidays, such as Christmas, Easter, and Shrove-tide. We also celebrate the Day of Knowledge and the Teacher’s Day.
The New Year is, probably, the main holiday in our country. We prepare for it for a long time – we buy presents, discuss the menu. Most people believe it is a family holiday, but young people sometimes gather together to celebrate it.
The holiday begins when we put up the New Year Tree. Usually, it is a young fur-tree decorated with glistening glass balls. The holiday is great fun for children because they can stay up late and after the holidays they have winter vacations. At ten minutes to midnight the President makes his traditional speech. Then all people wish each other ‘Happy New Year!’ and drink a glass of champagne. All start to give presents to each other, eat traditional Russian salad, and watch shows on TV.
The Unity Day, which was first celebrated in 2005, commemorates the popular uprising led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky which ejected the Polish invaders from Moscow in November of 1612, and more generally the end of the Time of Troubles and foreign intervention in Russia. The event was marked by a public holiday. Its name alludes to the idea that all the classes of Russian society willingly united to preserve Russian statehood, even though there was neither Tsar nor Patriarch to guide them. Recently a film ‘1612’ was made to explain to the Russian audiences the history behind this new holiday. It is new for the present generation, but it was celebrated until the Revolution of 1917. So, it’s a new old holiday. I would recommend to see Russian fantasy film ‘1612’directed by Vladimir Khotinenko and read more about the history of our country.
In Russia, Easter is the major religious celebration of the year. It is even more important than Christmas. People go to church to attend the Easter Mass. Easter in Russia is a lot more than a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a long and powerful tradition. Easter cleanses our souls and thoughts. It brings peace, joy and hope. And, of course, the Russians are looking forward to a happy family feast with lots of special Easter food like Easter bread, traditional cheese cake Paskha, Easter eggs and other tasty treats.
There are a lot of Muslims in Russia. They celebrate religious holidays like Uraza Bayram. This holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Uraza Bayram starts the day after Ramadan ends, and is verified by the sighting of the new moon. Muslims give money to the poor and wear their best clothes. This holiday lasts three days. People attend special congregation prayers held in mosques. Then they visit the homes of relatives and friends to thank God for all blessings.
TOPIC: ADVERTISING
MY ATTITUDE TO ADVERTISING
There aren’t many adverts on TV these days where someone just comes on and says ‘Buy this. It doesn’t cost much money’. A lot of modern adverts are more like films or music videos and most of them are really unusual or artistic. It’s amazing what advertisers can do if they have enough imagination. Some adverts are so unusual that you remember the ad but you have no idea what the product is!
The market also targets people to buy products by displaying babies, animals or beautiful and successful people. For example, advertisers are trying to promote a positive effect of some medicine, cosmetics, services. Most people and particularly young children absorb a lot of what is displayed in commercials because they are very indecisive and trust the media. They do not have set brands or set idea about what they like. The earlier advertisers get into their consumer minds the better chance they have at effecting them. In many cases the product is just a waste of money and the only way manufacturers can sell it is to make this unnecessary thing look desirable. I find some adverts of electronics really aggressive.
Some adverts target kids. Parents should explain and guide their children to distinguish what to buy and when to buy products. Parents should not just say 'Yes, we are gonna buy it' just because their children scream, cry, kick. NO! Their kids will grow up spoiled and it's not good.
I think it is necessary to stop fast food companies advertising junk food, especially in pre-school children television programs. Food and drink manufacturers don’t think about the growing number of obese children. They think only about money which they get with the help of marketing strategies. Of course, advertisers don’t mention that high fat, high sugar and high salt food and drink can cause obesity and diabetes.
I believe that fast food advertising should be regulated. And I am absolutely sure that alcohol and cigarette promotion through a variety of media should be banned.
Just one more thing – I find buying clothes for brand names stupid and unpractical.
TOPIC: CINEMA
THE WORLD OF CINEMA – WONDERFUL AND MANY-SIDED
What is cinema? Movies are the world of fairy tales for grown-ups. The viewers are transported to the screen and take part in the action, performing the most extraordinary deeds that they would never do in real life. Spectators identify themselves with the characters and they worship the movie stars whom they want to imitate.
For other people it’s a good opportunity to see a new serious film, which may contain a treasure-house of experience, emotions, or wisdom of Masters.
A movie may be a feature or a documentary, high- or low-quality. Cinema has many genres, and of course every culture and every nation has its own style of making movies. With the help of cinema we can understand the culture of a country, its traditions and its people.
There are films that are real works of art – for example, the films by Fellini, Tarkovsky, and other great directors. They require some thoughtful viewing. When you watch them you have the same feelings as when you see a beautiful picture or listen to good music.
There are new high-grade Russian films in diverse genres. For example, in serious genres there are: ‘The Barber of Siberia’ by Nikita Mikhalkov, a new screen version of ‘The Idiot’ after F. Dostoevsky, ‘Master and Margarita’ after Mikhail Bulgakov, ‘The Ninth Company’ by Fyodor Bondarchuk, ‘Turkish Gambit’ by Janik Faisiev. And I’d like to mention a gothic thriller, the first Russian blockbuster, Nochnoi Dozor (Night Watch) after Sergei Lukyanenko’s fantasy novel.
TOPIC: ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES
NORTH AMERICA’S FIRST SETTLERS
North America’s first settlers were the ancestors of the Indians. They came from Asia, across the Bering Strait, many thousand years ago. By the time the first white men sailed from Europe and discovered America, Indian people had spread across the continent.
Europeans landed on a variety of coasts, from the sandy plains to rocky cliffs. They found hills and mountains, some old, with forests covering their slopes, and others young with rocky peaks. In the central basin of the continent lay prairie deep in long grass. Farther west, there were plains with shorter grass, over which the mighty herds of buffalos roamed.
Almost all of the crops grown in the Old World felt well in the New World. People from northern Europe brought their grains, fruit trees, vegetables, and livestock.
The Indians’ food plants made a very important contribution toward helping the white men settle in North America. Although many white men came to North America to look for gold and furs, the Indian food plants they discovered soon proved more valuable.
The most important Indian food plant was corn. But the Indians also gave the white men sweet potatoes, beans, pumpkins, and many other foods which became important in other parts of the world as well.
ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES (THE UK)
English is spoken all over the world, but the first country in which people spoke English is Great Britain, or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is the official name of the state.
Great Britain is the name of the largest Ireland of the British Isles and it is made up of England, Scotland and Wales. It doesn’t include Northern Ireland. Geographically, the island of Great Britain is subdivided into two main regions – Lowland Britain (southern and eastern England) and Highland Britain (Scotland, Wales, Pennines, Lake District). The chief rivers of Great Britain are: the Severn, the Avon, and the Thames. The coasts of England are washed by the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. Scotland includes the Hebrides off the west coast, and the Orkney and Shetland Islands off the north coast. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Great Britain, but Snowdon and the region of Snowdonia are the pride in scenery.
The climate is mild. Summers are not very hot and winters are not very cold. The weather changes very often. There is steady rainfall throughout most of the year.
The land and climate in Britain don’t have extremes. So, it is believed that the British love of compromise is the result of the physical geography. English people are fond of gardening. Many of them live in small houses and keep small gardens. They are considered to be formal and polite. They have a sense that everything British is the best in the world.
Britain is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state but she has no real power. It is Parliament that has real power. Parliament consists of two houses (the Houses of Lords and the House of Commons) which make laws. Prime minister is the head of the executive. Prime minister is the leader of the party with the majority seats in the Commons.
The history of Great Britain is very interesting. The country suffered several invasions (of the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Normans). Every invasion changed the language spoken.
The Roman ruled England and Wales for 330 years. They built the first cities, one of which was Londinium, or London, and many roads.
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.
We know many famous people, for example, poets and writes who come from Britain, such as William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jonathan Swift.
ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES (THE USA)
The United States of America is an English-speaking country because its territory was a British colony. It is the fourth largest nation in the world. It is situated on the North American continent and washed by the Pacific Ocean in the east. The USA borders on Canada and Mexico. The southern parts of the country have warm temperatures year round, but the northern parts have very cold winters. The land varies from heavy forests to extensive deserts, from high mountains to deep canyons. (One of the greatest attractions is Grand Canyon.) The USA is rich in coal, gas, oil and metals. The main rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Rio-Grande. The north-eastern part of the USA is the region of the five Great Lakes. The St. Lawrence River joins the water of the five lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. Due to this fact the Midwest is highly developed economically. For example, Chicago is famous for its heavy industry, Detroit and Michigan are centres of automotive industry. New York City is the centre of the American financial, publishing, broadcasting, and advertising industries. Silicon Valley (San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California) is the country’s high technology hub, while Los Angeles is the centre for film and television production. The Great Plains are known as the ‘breadbasket’ of America for their tremendous agriculture output.
The country is a federal republic which consists of 50 states and District of Columbia, where Washington, the capital of the country, is situated. The head of the country is the President, who is elected every four years. 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. At that time many Indians were killed, their languages were forgotten. In 1775, the American Revolutionary War (the War of Independence) against colonial rule by Britain began. In 1776, the 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain and formed the United States. That’s why they have thirteen stripes on the American flag.
The war between the industrial North and the agricultural South (1861-1865) was a civil war. Northern states opposed to slavery and when their army won, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. All slaves became free.
Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the USA struggled against the Fascists during World War II together. At school, we have learned about many famous Americans, such as presidents Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt and writers Mark Twain and Jack London.
TOPIC: HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE
SPORT AND HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE
Health is the man’s greatest wealth. Nowadays people are getting more and more concerned about the food they eat, about the air they breathe and, of course, the way they look and feel. They understand that staying active as we get older gives us more energy and helps to avoid diseases. To this purpose, we are offered a wide range of sport facilities to achieve general fitness.
Some of my friends are simply nuts on aerobics, fitness and bodybuilding. I totally agree that people who keep fit are pleasure to look at. They don’t smoke or drink alcohol. They keep to a healthy diet, avoid junk food. Diet doesn’t mean that you eat only lettuce. A person needs a well-balanced food including 7 important components: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber. It is important to eat more fruit and vegetables and stop eating chocolate, pasta, cakes and sweets in big quantities. Junk food gives a lot of energy. If we do not work it out, it becomes fat in our body.
Of course, it is not easy to change unhealthy lifestyle and lose weight in a short period of time. Step by step, basic activity exercises should become a weekly routine.
In my opinion, swimming is an excellent exercise. It makes your body flexible. It is good for your lungs and heart. Cycling is wonderful because we can practice it outdoors. But the easiest way to keep fit is walking. Having regular walks one can fight such diseases as asthma, backaches and insomnia.
It is necessary to go in for sport when a person is just a kid. We are taught that sport gives us joy, pleasure and satisfaction. Physical Education (PE) is an important subject at schools. We have PE lessons twice a week. We run, jump, play volleyball and basketball. If the weather is nice, we have PE lessons at the sports ground near the school. We have a new sports ground with modern facilities. It’s fun to have lessons in the open air.
A lot of different competitions are held in our school and our neighborhood. A great number of our students take part in them and win prizes. We are really the champions!
My friends play in our school football team. It’s hard work. They have to train a lot. They get up early in the morning and go for a run on our sports ground. Doing sports makes them better disciplined. And, finally, winning a football match is great!
TOPIC: FREE TIME, SUBCULTURES
YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUTH SUBCULTURES
Young people have a particular relationship with the world. There are many groupings (subcultures) that have interests different from those of the mainstream (dominant) culture. In the broadest sense, a subculture is any group within a larger complex culture who have interests that vary from those of the mainstream culture. But in a more specific sense, a subculture is a group with a distinct style and identity. Different subcultures have their own beliefs and value system, fashion, and music. A particular cultural grouping (of hippies, punks, bikers, rockers, hip-hoppers, Goths, Emo kids) is a way for young people to express their individuality and to be in a collective at the same time. It is essential for a young person to belong to a group, to be a ‘whatever’. It is usually the same age group because parents and other representatives of the elder generation usually don’t understand the young and dislike their lifestyle, hairstyle, clothes, slang, and music. This misunderstanding is often called ‘generation gap’. No wonder that the young protest against the elder generation, rebel against society norms, challenge the dominant culture.
Generally, the inspiration to form a youth subculture comes out of a combination of music and fashion. Some subsets of a subculture are geographically (London Goth scene) or politically (white power skinhead) determined.
Most scenes and subcultures have both positive and negative features. Consider this: the ideals of hippie movement include love, peace, freedom of self-expression, and liberal attitudes of non-conforming to society’s rules. This movement was nicknamed ‘flower power’. Its slogan is ‘Everything that brings people together is good – everything that draws them apart is evil. Love is the most powerful thing that brings people together’. Hippies reject Western materialism with its middle class values. They turn to Eastern spiritual teaching. They are often vegetarians and eco-friendly. At the same time, they promote sexual liberation and use of psychedelic drugs. I can’t agree that psychedelic drugs may be good to expand one’s consciousness and improve one’s creativity.
Today, hippies are known for their festivals, public gatherings, and communities advocating balanced lifestyle, clean food and clean energy. Some people call hippies new age travelers.
You can spend your free time doing exciting things even if you are not crazy about any popular scene. A person may have interests such as reading books, watching TV, visiting museums and other places of interest, going in for sports and many others. They are common interests.
I prefer to listen to r’n’b music. But I cannot completely identify myself with this scene. I enjoy reading books in my free time. My favourite books are adventure and horror stories. When I read a book I suffer and enjoy with the characters.
I often go out with my friends. In summer we go roller-skating. In winter I prefer going to the swimming pool. I think it’s very important to stay active.
Some people can’t imagine their life and free time activities without their pets, such as dogs. They share their feeling with other people on websites:
A:‘My Cocker Spaniel is my 1st dog and he is "Wonderful". He is so loyal and smart. After I play ball with him every evening I have trained him to bring back his balls to me near his toy drawer and he lays the ball down and then he rolls it to me with his nose. He sleeps on the bed and keeps my feet warm. I think he understands me when I talk to him. The best pet that I have every had.
B:I love animals. We always had pets when I was a kid. Sometimes a dog, sometimes both dogs and cats. Some of my best memories are of these pets and other animals we would "rescue". I have never had a dog of my own as an adult because I live somewhere that doesn't allow them and I work and would feel bad about leaving a dog alone all day. I have a cat and I really love her. Someday, though, I hope to be in a position to have a dog (or two) again. There is really nothing like the devotion and affection they give.
C:Dogs are definitely man's best friend! Or in my case, girl's best friend. LOL. But I agree that dog's are the best! I have always wanted one since I can remember, but my parents never let me get one. I am always bothering them for one, but the response is always "no". *sigh* Anyone who has a dog, don't act like your dog is just another toy, "putting them away" when you don't want to play with them anymore. Not that I'm saying that any of you guys do. Anyway, DOGS ARE THE BEST!!!
P.S. This is just an opinion here, by the way.
D:Dogs that are taken care of and shown love and attention are the most lovable and loyal creatures on earth. They love you unconditionally. They don't care how big, or small, how pretty or ugly, how you look in the morning, or whether you breath smells of garlic. They think you are the best thing since sliced bread. They are wonderful!’
TOPIC: TRAVELLING
TRAVELLING IS VERY EXCITING!
Most people are fond of travelling. If you go to the North of our country, you can see large cold seas and many beautiful lakes. In the South of our country, there are warm seas, wonderful trees and flowers. If you go to the West, you will enjoy lots of wonderful sights in old cities and towns. In the East of our country there are big woods and high mountains.
When you travel, you visit different places and learn a lot about people’s traditions, beautiful nature. You can travel by car, by plane, by ship, by train, on foot.
The most comfortable way of travel is travelling by plane. It’s the fastest. I also like travelling by train. When you are in a train you can see the beauty of nature, small villages and towns.
While travelling to different parts of the world tourists can learn a lot and have great holidays. For example, if you have enough money, you can go on a safari in Africa. Tourists sit in open-topped vehicles and watch wild animals walking around in their natural environment. It’s really exciting! Most Russian tourists prefer to go to Turkey. They can enjoy the warm sea and comfortable beaches. They can go rafting and visit historical sites. It’s a good way to relax and learn something interesting at the same time.
There are some travellers who are in for hiking. Hiking is one of the best- loved outdoor activities of many tourists. Many beautiful places can only be reached overland by hiking, and enthusiasts regard hiking as the best way to see nature. It is seen as better than a tour in a vehicle or horseback riding because the hiker's senses are not intruded upon by distractions such as engine noise and fellow passengers talks. Hiking over long distances or over difficult terrain does require some degree of physical ability and knowledge.
Hiking may be dangerous. The accidents may include losing the way, extreme weather conditions, injuries. All hikers should learn what to do in case they face dangers and know everything about first aid.
TOPIC: WATCHING TV
ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES OF TV?
It is said that without TV the world would be lost, more trouble for people to get into, and we could never keep up with the weather or news.
In my opinion, the children of today have many more advantages than the children of two or three generations ago. Let's just take the TV as an example. The children of today do not need to learn to read as early or to develop an imagination. All their fairy tales, bed time stories and cartoons are shown in living color on TV. There is nothing to read and nothing is left to the imagination.
Today, kids can hear all the dirty talk they want to at home on TV. The cartoons today are even rated, many with a PG13 rating. This rating is usually not for the foul language, just for the sex and violence. The foul language is not banned. I thought that cartoons were supposed to be entertaining and funny; however, some cartoons of today are anything but funny and entertaining.
The children, by the time they are old enough to talk, are being programmed to tell their folks just what they want. The big advertising agencies are directing more and more advertising each year to the children. The advertising personnel know exactly who controls the purse strings at home. Just take a good look at McDonalds and the billions of burgers they have sold. It is the 'kids meal' with the advertised toy that has brought McDonalds all that business.
The youth of today no longer have to lie about their age in order to get into the theater to see a XXX rated movie. They now have cable TV at home and can watch the XXX rated movies whenever they want to. The ones who do not have cable TV at home usually have friends that do have cable and they can visit their friends and watch cable TV.
The young people of today are learning from the soap operas just how easy it is to go from one husband/wife to another with no feelings of guilt; or how to live together without getting married. Are these the morals we really want to teach our youth?
Yes, TV is very educational, but is this what we want to be teaching our children? Too many people use the TV as a baby sitter. They turn the TV on, go on about their business, and leave the TV to entertain their children. As long as the children are quiet the parent is satisfied.
Have you sat down with your child lately and watched TV with him/her to see what shows they are watching? You may be surprised at some of the things they are showing now.
You don't have to do any thinking when you watch most TV. Some people find Internet news sources to be more factual and reliable. Weather can also be found readily online. The most beneficial TV channels are things like Discovery, National Geographic, and in Russia, of course, Kultura.
TOPIC: SCHOOLING
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN IN GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIA
The educational system in Great Britain is extremely complex. The Department of Education is responsible for national educational policy, but it doesn’t run any schools. The schools are given a considerable amount of freedom and are responsible for curriculum. Educational system has two stages – primary and secondary education. In infant school (5-6 years old) and junior schools (7-10 years old) children have to read, write and make use of numbers (3RS) – reading, writing and arithmetic. Then children are sent to grammar, technical or secondary modern schools according to their abilities and wishes.
Grammar schools provide academic course for selected pupils from 11 to 18-19. They give pupils much higher level of academic instruction/
Technical schools offer a general education for pupils who are more technically inclined.
Secondary modern schools are like comprehensive schools and provide education to pupils of all types of abilities.
In Great Britain, besides the state secondary schools, there are public schools with rather high fees.
Higher education aims to give students the highest type of education in universities and enables them to carry out research work. After completing a course of five or four years a university graduate gets the Bachelor’s Degree. Later he can continue his studies and research and defend a thesis to get a Master’s or Doctor’s Degree.
Besides universities there are technical colleges and polytechnic schools in Great Britain. Their graduates get diplomas instead of degrees.
In Russia, the educational system is not so complicated as it is in Great Britain. The 11- year school education is compulsory. There are primary, secondary and higher secondary levels at comprehensive schools. Pupils begin to go to school at the age of seven. When they complete nine grades, they get a Certificate of Incomplete Secondary education. Then they either continue to study at a comprehensive school for two more years or go to a professional school, where they get professional skills as well as study the main subjects. School-leavers get the Certificate of Complete (11-year) Education after their final examinations.
Unified Sate Exam was adopted recently. It is a test which is passed at the end of 9th and 11th form. It consists of three parts: part A contains tasks where the student has to pick out the correct answer out of several, in part B the correct answer should be written in one word, and no variants are given, and in Part C the student has to write the full solution (as in mathematics) or a composition (as in literature). The answers are written on special blanks, digitally scanned, with parts A and B being checked automatically by the computer software.
An excellent score ranges, depending on the subject, from 65 (mathematics) to 90 (foreign language) out of 100.
What's good for students of 11th form is that now they do not have to pass both their final school exams and entrance exams at a university. Students now also have a chance to apply at several universities and choose one after they get to know if their score is enough to enter this or that university.
Russian system of marks is different from many other countries. Both at schools and universities, a 5-grade scale is used: "5" = excellent "4" = good "3" = satisfactory "2" = unsatisfactory / failing. "5" is the best mark, "2" is the worst.
After obtaining a Certificate of Complete Secondary Education a student can enter a University or an Institute (College). A student can choose a program of higher education with a duration of four to six years. There are three different degrees that are conferred by Russian universities: The first degree is the Bakalavr (Bachelor) degree. (But in medicine the first stage lasts six years.) Holders of the Bakalavr degree are admitted to enter the Specialist Diploma and Magistr's (Master's) degree programmes. The Magistr's (Master's) degree is awarded after successful completion of two years' full-time study.
TOPIC: SPORTS
EXTREME SPORTS
Let’s take a look at extreme sports. More and more people are taking them up, but what exactly are they? How dangerous are they? What makes people risk their lives to do them?
Firstly, it’s speed, excitement, danger. You can find all these in the various extreme sports that have become popular in the last ten years or so. Take bungee jumping. You jump from a high bridge and you fall, and fall, and then, just before you hit the ground or water, an elastic rope pulls you back. Frankly speaking, I am not the person who would go through it.
In skysurfing you jump out of an airplane and use a board to ‘surf’ the air, doing gymnastics in mid-air! It’s absolutely amazing! But it’s dangerous, too.
An extreme sport on land can be just as dangerous. Winter sports have always had an element of danger. I am into skiing and I had some nasty falls. But new sports like snowboarding and extreme skiing are much more dangerous. Probably the most dangerous of the new winter sports is snowrafting. Just imagine: you sit in a rubber boat and ‘sail’ down a mountain at great speed – and you can’t control the boat! Crazy, isn’t it?
Of course, water sports have always been fun. In whitewater rafting you sit in a small inflatable raft and go down a river at great speed. Fast flowing mountain rivers are the best. Then there are sports like ice-canyoning and ice diving, for those people who are absolutely crazy. Ice diving is not easy to set up because you need good diving equipment and a frozen lake. First you break the ice and then you get into the water. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? And, if that’s not enough, you then try to walk upside down in the ice! I feel cold just thinking about it.
TOPIC: POP CULTURE, MUSIC
POP PRINCESS – BRITNEY SPEARS.
Britney Spears is the famous American singer who is known for her cheesy (низкого качества, убогий) pop songs. She has been involved in various scandals and legal cases through the past years. She is still young and strong and if she decides to mend her ways and concentrate on music, she can gain her previous position in the pop industry. In fact, her behavior can be attributed to her instant success at her young age, then her marriage and divorce. Some fans hope she will be able to restore her status.
Others say the American public should stop making celebrities out of morons and idiots! Just forget about Britney. She isn’t worthy of the attention.
I believe people are picking on Britney Spears for a REASON... Because she's an unfit mother, and she does crazy things the public can see... Unfortunately, it is widely accepted that doing crazy things is a part of being a celebrity. I can’t agree that a celebrity should be as outrageously crazy as Britney.
I understand that she has problems like any human being would. But she's rich while others barely survive on what they make. Yet some people insist on saying:"Poor Britney, she's so misfortunate, just leave her alone".
Britney has been involved the battle over her sons since 2006. Her former husband Kevin Federline has been given sole custody of their two young sons.
Britney Spears, who has been in rehab (rehabilitation clinics) several times, is one of the latest in a long line of celebrities to be admitted to a clinic for treatment.
Robbie Williams had been admitted to a US clinic on his 33rd birthday "for a dependency on prescription drugs".
And actress Lindsay Lohan needed treatment after Christmas for "personal health" after concerns grew over her rapid weight loss and heavy partying.
Why do celebrities go to rehab clinics? Do they really want to treat aggressive mood swings and unhappiness? Do they really have health problems?
Some people say the public love someone who holds their hands up and says sorry. It means that celebrities who have experimented too much with drugs and alcohol want to turn their career around. I don’t think it’s completely true. Most of pop stars go to rehab clinics because they want to live. They have families, parents, children who care for them. So reasons may be different.
Some terrible things happened to celebrities who had become heroin addicts. Today, lots of Russian teenagers are fond of alternative music. One of the most popular Russian bands is Lumen. Their song Sid and Nancy is extremely popular. But I don’t think that what Sid and Nancy did to their lives and their love is as romantic as it is described in the song by Lumen.
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The pupil who is never required to do what he cannot do, never does what he can do.
Последний раз редактировалось классный руководитель 30-05, 22:06, всего редактировалось 2 раз(а).
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