4 Health

One of the first duties for us is to keep our bodies in perfect health. If our body suffers it won’t make much progress in knowledge, and we are unfit to perform those duties which are required of us in social life. There are certain laws of health which deserve particular attention and they are so simple that even a child can learn them. A constant supply of pure fresh airis indispensable to good health. To secure this, nothing impure should remain either within or near our homes, and every room in the house especially the bedrooms, should be properly ventilated every day.

Perfect cleanlinessis also essential. The whole body should be washed as often as possible. The skin is full of minute pores, cells, blood vessels and nerves. It "breathes" the way the lungs do. Therefore it should always be clean. Besides its importance to health, there is a great charm in cleanliness. We like to look at one who is tidy and clean. If the skin is kept clean, the teeth thoroughly brushed, the hair neatly combed, and the finger-nails in order, we feel pleased with the person, even though his (her) clothes may be coarse and much mended. Acertain amount of exerciseis necessary to keep the body in perfect condition. All the powers (mental and bodily) we possess are strengthened by use and weakened by disease. Therefore labour and study should succeed each other. The best way of getting exercise is to engage in some work that is useful and at the same time interesting to the mind. It is most essential for the old and the young to do morning exercises with the windows wide open in your room or, if possible, in the open air. Remember that exercises warm, invigorate and purify the body. Rest is also necessary to the health of both body and mind. The best time for sleep is during the darkness and stillness of the night. Late hours are very harmful to the health as they exhaust the nervous system. We should go to bed early and get up early. Most essential to our body isfood. Our body is continually wasting, and requires to be repaired by fresh substance. Therefore food, which is to repair the loss, should be taken with due regard to the exercise and waste of the body. Be moderate in eating. If you eat slowly, you will not overeat. Never swallow your food wholesale — you are provided with teeth for the purpose of chewing your food — and you will never complain of indigestion. We should abstain from everything that intoxicates. The evils of intemperance, especially of alcohol, are too well known. Alcohol costs a lot of money, which might be used for better purposes. The mind is stupefied by drink and the person who drinks will, in course of time, become unfit for his duties. Both health and character are often ruined. Thus we must remember that moderation in eating and drinking, reasonable hours of labour and study, regularity in exercise, recreation and rest, cleanliness and many other essentials lay the foundations for good health and long life.

5 Buildings and Homes.

As the saying goes “East or West Home is Best”. The expression is used mainly in terms of our Motherland, our native country. But it in full measure may be referred to the very place we live in; not only to the psychological spiritual notion of home, but it’s very embodiment–the house. I completely share the idea that there’s no better place than home, the house where we were born, grew up, celebrated family events. Whenever I leave for a long time for the summer period, I always want back home in my dreams. But to tell you the truth for me it’s more important not the house itself, the design or smth of that kind, but the friendly atmosphere, relationships between the members of the family.

Still I should say about my flat. It consists of 2 rooms (living-room and bedroom), a kitchen and a bathroom. My flat is well-equipped and well-planned. It goes without saying that it has all modern conveniences. I do in fact love my flat, I like for example to tidy it up, to clean the carpets, to water the flowers, to dust the furniture. Fortunately, it doesn’t take a lot of time to arrange everything in perfect order and after cleaning I’m still full of energy to spend fruitfully the rest of the day.

What are the differences between homes in this country and Britain?No visitor to Britain can help being struck by the many building sites and the relatively large number of new houses and flats that he sees in the suburbs of towns and cities all over the country. The overwhelming majority of these dwellings are two-story houses built either in pairs (semi-detached), or singly (detached houses) with a small enclosed garden at the front and the back. In recent years a considerably large proportion of new housing has been built in the forms of flats and blocks of flats have not become a common feature of the urban scene. Nevertheless, the traditional British prejudice in favour of house has only been modified, not fundamentally changed. An increasing number of people chiefly elderly men and women and childless prefers to live in bungalows. Almost everybody in Britain dreams of living in a detached house – that is a house that is a separate building. The saying: “An Englishman’s home is his castle” is well-known. It illustrates the define for privacy and the importance attached to ownership. Their houses are the opportunity for self-expression. People like to choose the colour of their front door and window frames, for example.

What things would you like to improve on your room, flat or house?Firstly, I’d like to say that the room I like best is my bedroom. It’s rather big but it’s not so light as there is only one window in it. There are two bedside-tables and a big bed between them. An alarm-clock and a small lamp with a pink lamp-shade are on the table. In the left-hand corner there is a dressing table with a big mirror. At the opposite there is an entertainment unit. In my room there is also a built-in wardrobe with coat hangers to hang clothes on. There is a thick carpet on the floor and plain dark-blue curtains on the window. I’m fond of photos and that’s why there are lots of photographs on the walls and on the table. In the right-hand corner there is a floor standing uplighter, I like it very much. Still there are a lot of things I’d like to change in my room. First of all the flat design, the size of the room itself. But I realize that now it’s impossible and the only way out is to buy a new flat to my taste. I’d also like to change my kitchen completely and to make a kitchen every woman dreams about, because any woman spends most of her time in the kitchen cooking the dishes or smth else. It should be large and rather big. There shouldn’t be too much furniture but it should be as cosy as all other rooms in the flat. Beyond all doubts, there should be a gas-cooker and a sink-unit with a draining board and some cupboards. In the cupboards which form the lower part of the sink-unit, scrubbing brushes, floor cloths, soda powder and other things should be kept. On the left hand side cupboards stretch the whole length of the wall. They should contain saucepans, frying pans, jugs, mixing bowls, teapots and food. There should be a washing-machine, a fridge, a microwave, a cordless kettle.

What is your dream house? I would like to live in a detached house with a view over the river. It’s so pleasant to look at such a marvelous view! In my opinion it shouldn’t be too large, just for my family. Maybe a two-storied building with 4 or 5 rooms, a basement, an office, a big kitchen and a bathroom on each floor. It will be enough to have the spiral staircase from the lounge up to the gallery room that should win me over. The semi-circular windows should let in loads of light and the rooms of the house will be very bright and roomy. Of course, I can say that it’s a good idea to have a house with home automation. F.ex. when the windows will open and close themselves depending on the weather. When it gets dark, the curtains will close automatically. Or other features like an intelligent kitchen which will show you how to cook and measure the ingredients, and a central cleaning system that sucks up dust as soon as it lands. The security system will get in touch with the police if necessary. So in a few words the house will be governed by 1000 computers, sensors and electric switches. It goes without saying that it’s very convenient and it surely protects people’s lives.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of living with your parents?

I’m a good example of those living with parents. It’s a universal truth that everything in the world has its weak and strong points. This case is no exception. On the one hand what can be better than living at a place where you were born, celebrated family events, you don’t suffer from nostalgia. I don’t have to bother about food. But because of different generations there exist conflicts and disputes.

6 Food

There is a wide range of nutritious foods in the world. However eating habits differ from country to country. At different times in different countries there have been different ideas of beauty. The rich would always want to look fat in a society where food was scarce and to look thin where food was plentiful. The current interest in losing weight is because of fashion as well as health. However, overeating causes a variety of illnesses.

You need the right kinds of food in the right amount to have a healthy life. Food is important in our life. Consider all celebrations where food is important: weddings, birthdays, national holidays, when people meet for pleasure or business.

Eating habits differ from country to country. Some people eat snakes, dog meat, insects. Often the difference among cultures in the food are related to the differences in geography and local resources. People who live near water tend to eat more fish, sea food; in cold climate people eat heavier and fatty food. With the development of global economy food boundaries are beginning to disappear. Mcdonalds is now on every continent except Antarctica, yogurt is served all over the world.

a well-balanced diet contains daily servings from each of the basic food groups: meat, vegetable and fruit, fish, bread and cereals. Some excellent snacks that should always be available are plain yogurt, carrots, pieces of apple, cheese and natural fruit juice.

"One should eat to live, not live to eat" instead of going on crash diets they are learning to educate their stomachs by eating sensible food. They can still enjoy chocolates and cream cakes once a week or so, but they know they have to cut down their intake slightly the next day.

Research is indicating that "we are what we eat". Recent work shows that Italians, who tend to eat lots of fruit and vegetables that contain vitamins C and E, have low levels of heart attacks. The Scots however tend to have a diet which is high in animal fat and low in fibre. Heart disease is a widespread problem in Scotland.

Eating the right food every day not only nourishes our bodies but also nourishes our spirits, creativity, thinking.