You are a student of the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University. Tell your pen - friend about your faculty and the role of your future profession in modern society.

I am a first year student of the faculty of psychology of the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushinsky. I am very happy that I study here. Our university is one of the oldest institutions of Ukraine. It includes Institute of Arts, Institute of foreign languages. Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Institute of Psychology, institute of Philosophy and many others. In five years I will get two specialties. I will have chance to become a teacher of psychology or to work as a psychologist in one of the medical centers. I will choose the last one. This profession is rather new for our country, but it is very useful and interesting specialty. Psychologists work with people and help to overcome difficult situations. Life is not easy and doesn’t lead everyone to success. Unemployment and family problems can force to wrong actions. I understand the difficulties of this profession. But I believe that it is really needed and hope to help a lot of people. I will also improve my English and computer skills. Our world changes very fast and that is why self education is very important nowadays.

You are going to represent Ukraine at the International Meeting against the environmental pollution. Give an interview and declare some problems of your country.

Environmental pollution is one of the biggest problems of our modem world. People often do things that pollute land and water. It is very dangerous not only for nature, but also for people’s health. Air pollution happens because of the smoke made by factories

and transport. It may result in acid rains one day. To solve this problem we should do something to reduce the number of cars or use them as seldom as possible. Also this problem can be solved by creating ecological transport that will stop air pollution. Other serious problem in our region is water pollution. Polluted water kills fish and other marine life. Odessa is a well known place for beach rest. But it the number of tourists reduces each year because of the analysis of the water around the coasts. Tourists refuse to bath, as one can catch dangerous virus. It is a big achievement that The Ministty of Environmental Protection was founded in Ukraine. We also have the Ukrainian Green Party that is very active today. “Zeleny Svit” is a Ukrainian ecological newspaper that

writes about ecological changes in our country. I think that government shall divide the responsibility for pollution control between local authorities and environment pollution problem should be paid more attention.

Ukrainian Places of Interest

Ukraine is a country with the glorious past. It is rich in historical monuments and different places of interest. Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine and one of the oldest cities in the eastern Europe. It has already celebrated its 1500-th anniversary. That's why it is not surprising that a lot of interesting monuments are situated there, for example, the well-known to all Slavonic world St. Sophia's Cathedral and Kyivo-Pecherska Lavra. It is breathtaking to wander along the streets of the old town, to feel the breath of history. But Ukrainian places of interest are situated not only in Kyiv.

Near the small town of Kanev the monument to the Ukrainian national genius Taras Shevchenko is situated. The museum, where the books, drawings and manuscripts of Shevchenko are kept, is situated in the village not far from Kanev. Even the house, where he was born, is preserved. It is very interesting to look at it.

One may come to Poltava and visit the museum of the famous Poltava battle, the field where Peter the Great defeated the Swedes.

One may also go to Zaporizhia, to the island of Khortytsia, where the Ukrainian Cossacks' organization was born.

One can go to Odesa and walk along the boulevards, where Pushkin walked a long time ago, and one can touch the trees, which Pushkin touched. It is also possible to visit the last house of Chekhov (now the museum in Yalta), where Chekhov lived, and where he wrote his last works, and where he died.

One may visit the famous symbol of the Crimea - the castle "Swallow's Nest" or the residence of Russian tsars in Livadia. It is possible to go through Gogol places in the Poltava region and see Dickanka, Sorochintsy.

One can continue this list, because there is also Western Ukraine with the Carpathians and their legends, feudals lords' castles and cathedrals, with their unique culture and nature. There are a lot of places to see in Ukraine and to be proud of. And I am glad to live in such a country, with all those beautiful monuments.

glorious ['glO:rIqs] славный; великолепный

eastern ['i:stqn] восточный

anniversary ["xnI'vq:s(q)rI] годовщина

manuscript ['mxnjuskrIpt] рукопись

preserved [prI'zq:vd] консервированный

boulevard ['bu:lvQ:] бульвар

tsar [zQ:] царь

feudal ['fju:dl] феодальный

unique [ju:'ni:k] единственный в своём роде, уникальный