Supplementary material Unit One

About My Family and Myself

My name is Natasha Novikova and I was born in Moscow on the fifth of October 1985. My family is not very large: I have a father, a mother and a brother. I was named after my granny and I'm very proud of it. I descend from the family of the office-workers.

My mother-tongue is Russian. I can also speak English a little as I learned it when at school.

Now I'm going to speak about my father. His name is Alexander Petrovich. He is 45. He is a computer engineer by education, but he is in business now. Their firm deals in modern TV sets and computers. He often goes on business trips to different cities of the country and abroad. After his trips he tells us many interesting stories about people, about different countries and their traditions. Though my father is a very busy man, he always finds time to sing a song with us and to listen to our problems. He is also handy with many things. He can fix almost everything: a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner, a fridge and what not. He likes sports. Basketball is his favourite. That's why he is still a very handsome tall man with broad shoulders, fair hair and grey eyes.

My mother's name is Anna Vladimirovna. She is four years younger than my father. She is shorter than my father. Her brown hair, small thin nose, blue eyes and open smile make her very beautiful. She is a doctor and she likes her work very much. My mum is fond of music and poetry. She also likes dancing and singing. She attended a music school. My mum plays the piano fairly well. She also does most of the cooking, washing, cleaning and tidying. She seems to be never tired. It's a wonder what her small but strong hands can do. Of course, we always try to help her as much as we can.

My brother's name is Victor. He is 12 and, naturally, he is still at school. He does very well at school, so his school reports are always excellent. He is especially very good at Maths and English. They are his favourite subjects. He says he wants to become a programmer.

He is like our mother: same hair, same eyes, same voice and same manners. Just like our mother, he is fond of music and likes singing and dancing very much. Just like our father, he is fond of sports. My brother is of great help to my parents.

I have a grandmother and a grandfather. They are my grandparents on my mother's side. As for my grandparents on my father's side, they are no more with us. They died many years ago, when I was a child.

My grandparents on my mother's side are not very old. They are under 65, and they are still in good health. My grandfather usually says that years are not important, for you are actually as old as you feel. As they live in the country they have a plot of land with a garden near their house and keep a small household. They are retired now. My Granny and Grandad enjoy seeing us at their house very much. So we often go to see them at weekends.

Besides, when summer comes, my brother likes to spend his holidays in the country at our grandparents'. So did I when I was his age.

I am a first-year student now. I left school last year. Choosing the right career to follow is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. As for me, I made my choice long ago. I want to become a good economist. That is why I have to study twice as hard as an ordinary student. I do not only do my best at the university, I also attend different student clubs and societies at the university. I am always very busy, but when I am free I like to read books and to visit the museums and art galleries. I have many friends and I like to travel. We visited a lot of interesting places in Russia and abroad.

Our family is very united. We enjoy the honest and open relationship in the family. There's never been a division between us, the children, and them, our parents. Freedom has made us close. Despite being very busy at home every day, my parents always find time to talk to us, to get aware of all our troubles and problems, to teach us basic practical skills. As you can see, we are all great friends in the family.

My Friend

I'd like to speak about my friend. His name is Nick and I consider him to be my best friend. He is 18 years old. He is of medium height, has dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. He is usually serious but when he smiles you can see at once his friendly nature.

Nick is a student of Yaroslavl University, Philological Department. It was not easy for him to enter the University, but he is so hardworking and intelligent that I never doubted his success.

Speaking about his family, I‘d like to say that it is not large. There are four of them, He has a father, a mother and a brother. They live in a new flat in the centre of Yaroslavl. His father's name is Victor Pavlovich. He is 45. He is a tall and well-built man with short black hair and grey eyes. He works at a plant as an engineer. He likes his job and spends most of his time there. His father is a quiet man while his mother is energetic and talkative. His mother's name is Anna Petrovna. She is a teacher of music and plays the piano very well. She always has a lot of work at her school, but of course she manages to combine work and housekeeping. Nick's mother is a pleasant woman of 40 with beautiful chestnut hair and dark brown eyes.

Nick's brother Vitalik is only 11 and he goes to school. Vitalik is very funny and inquisitive. Besides, he is a football fan.

I could call their family friendly if Nick had no problems with his parents. They do not like the way he dresses, the kind of music he listens to and his hobbies. Nick does not care about getting dressed in the latest fashion, but he always looks neat. He prefers a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He is a Taurus [ 'to:res ] by the sign of the zodiac. As you know, Taurus means "the Bull", and he really has some traits of character that remind of this animal. He cannot only work hard, he can also go towards his goal steadily. And what I most like about him is that he knows what duty is. If he is to do something, he would do it.

Nick has a good sense of humour. He is a good mixer but he may be too direct. Sometimes his words offend me or other people. He says he does not care about people who are of no interest to him, and I think it is bad. I myself do not find it difficult to be tactful and friendly with the people I know. But this is the only thing we quarrel about. Very often I find his company terribly interesting.

My friend reads books. So do I. He is crazy about science fiction and historical novels. Sometimes we discuss the books we read and after these discussions I often learn something new about the life and the world around me. Nick is fond of modern pop and rock music. His favourite singers are Andrei Makarevich and Yuri Shevchuk.

As you see, my friend is an ordinary boy with his own merits and drawbacks. But as the English proverb says, "Nobody is perfect". To my mind, people can always change for the better if they want to. Of course, it also depends on those who he deals with. The main thing is that we trust each other and I am sure that when I am in trouble, he will be a friend indeed.

Unit Two

My Working Day

On weekdays the alarm-clock wakes me up at 7.30 and my working day begins. I'm not an early riser, that's why it's very difficult for me to get out of bed, especially in winter. I open the window to let the fresh morning air in, switch on my music centre and do my morning exercises to the music. Then I go to the bathroom, take a warm shower, clean my teeth and dry myself on the towel. After that I go to my bedroom, do my bed and get dressed.

Usually my mother makes breakfast for me. But when she is away on business or just doesn't have to get up early, I make breakfast myself. While having breakfast, I listen to the latest news on the television.

I leave the house at 8 and go to the nearest bus stop. But very often I go to the University on foot with some of my fellow students, as it is not far from our house. It doesn't take me long to get there.

I am a full-time student of the Day Department of the University. We have 3 or 4 classes a day. Our classes last for an hour and a half, as a rule. I'm proud of the fact that very good and famous professors teach at our University. Most of our lectures are very interesting and we don't notice how the time flies. But unfortunately sometimes they are too boring and we can hardly stand them. Besides all different subjects, we have English classes as well. We have two (four) English lessons a week. I have to spend much time in the reading-room of our library to get ready for the next day classes. It is not so easy to study at the University but I feel great satisfaction when I think of the future. At 3 o'clock I leave the University for home. At home I have my dinner first. After dinner I have a short rest: I listen to my favourite music, read books or just watch TV. Then I sit to my desk in the study and start doing my homework for the next day classes. It takes me much time to do it, you know.

In the evening when my parents come home from work, their supper is usually ready and tea is hot. I get it ready for them. We have our supper together. Then we sit in the living-room, talk to each other, discuss our problems and try to help everybody. At that time we usually sum up the results of the day and think of our plans for the future.

Sometimes I go for a walk with my friends when my homework is done. Very often we go to the Volga embankment. It is our favourite place in the city. We walk there, sometimes we sit on a bench and talk and enjoy a lovely view on the river. It is especially pleasant to walk there in autumn and in summer.

Occasionally I have to stay at the University till 6 or 7 o'clock in the evening. When I have a lot of things to do, I go to the library, laboratory or our computer centre to work. We often have to write different tasks, tests and make reports on different topics. But it is very interesting. They say 'No pain no gain'. I fully agree with that saying, because to my mind if a person wants to succeed in something he must work hard.

So as you see, I am very busy especially during the examinations. It is a very hard time for all students, you know. But after the exams are over we are happy to have our holidays. It is a real enjoyment and time for our hobbies and interests.

All the same I can say that I like being a student.

As for the bedtime, I can't say that I always go to bed at the same time. It depends on the things I have to do. Of course on weekdays I go to bed late at night, but at weekends my usual bedtime is 11 o'clock as I want to have a good sleep before starting a new week of studies.

Unit Three

Our Flat

Our family lives in a flat in Yaroslavl. We have a three-room flat in a multistory block of flats of modern construction. Our windows look out over the river. There's a big yard with the children's playground near our house. There are some shops here and it is very convenient.

Our flat is neither big nor small. It is on the fifth floor. We moved here four years ago. Its number is 36. We have all modern conveniences in our flat: cold and hot running water, central heating, electricity and the telephone. Our flat has 3 rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hall.

Our hall is rather small. We keep only a hall-stand, a mirror and a small chest of drawers with a telephone on it there.

Our living-room is the largest in the flat. It is light, because it has two big windows. You can see a piano on the left. There is a small round stool near the piano. The piano is new and black. The colour TV-set is on the right. You can see an arm­chair and a sofa near the TV- set. There is also a round table in the middle of the room. A thick carpet lies spread on the floor. You can see four chairs round the table. The set of wall units is on the left. There are some pictures of modern painters on the walls. The walls are soft green and the curtains match the walls.

We celebrate our family holidays, receive guests and watch TV there. I like our living-room and I often spend my free time watching TV and reading newspapers and magazines in it.

My parents' bedroom is not large but it has a balcony looking out on the park. There is not much furniture in this room: a double bed with two bedside cabinets, a wardrobe and a dressing table with a mirror. White net curtains make the room lighter.

I have my own room. It is the smallest in the flat. My room is not very light, because there is only one window. The furniture in my room is simple. There is a sofa on the right on which I sleep at night and take a rest in the day time. A small desk at which I usually do my lessons is at the window. There are two chairs at the desk and a TV set in the corner of the room. There is also a wardrobe to keep my clothes and a bookcase containing my collection of books. You can see Russian and English books there. I give my room a regular cleaning and tidying as I want it to look cosy and comfortable. I like my room very much. When my friends come to see me I invite them into my room. We watch TV, listen to music or just chat.

Our kitchen looks like any other kitchen you can see in modern blocks of flats. It is small but very comfortable. The furniture in the kitchen is not dark, it is light. There is a dining-table with four stools round it, a fridge and a cupboard there. If I mention a nice picture and a wall clock above the table, net curtains on the window and pot plants on its sill, it will be practically all that we have in the kitchen. But it is the real centre of our family life. We meet here every morning and every evening. We usually have breakfast and supper in the kitchen. Here we listen to the radio and get to know the latest news. Here we share our plans and our troubles.

Our bathroom is near the kitchen. It is small. There is nothing special in it, just the usual set of facilities for such a place: a bath-tub with a shower, a wash-basin with a mirror above it and a towel rack. There is also a shelf for washing things and a mat on the floor. You can see a washing-machine near the door.

We all like our flat. My friends say that it is a good one.

Home Duties

Speaking about the responsibilities, I'd like to say that everyone in our family has his own duties about the house. My mother is usually responsible for making dinner, doing the flat, washing and ironing the linen, washing up and so on. My father always helps my mother in her work about the house. As a rule he does everything she asks him about, and he often cleans the carpets with a vacuum-cleaner, takes the rubbish out, and does shopping. Besides I'd like to mention that my daddy is very good at cooking, he likes to cook dinner, to make sandwiches and toasts for breakfast, and helps my mother and me in baking cakes and biscuits.

When the weather is fine, my father makes us run in the stadium. So he cares much of our health.

And now I'd like to tell you some words about my duties. Of course, my first duty is studying. Besides that I have very much to do. I always keep our flat in order: I sweep the floor and wash it, sometimes I clean it with a vacuum cleaner, dust the furniture, wash up, water the flowers. As I am fond of cooking, I help my mother to do it, and very often I make dinner all by myself.

As our family is very friendly, we often receive guests. At that time we know our responsibilities quite well. As for me, usually I lay the table, my mother is busy cooking meals, and my daddy helps her and we all think of the plan to entertain our guests. They say "two heads are better than one". When we think all together, very nice ideas usually come to our minds. As a rule not only we are satisfied with the receiving our guests, but they are glad as well.

I make such a conclusion because our guests come to us often and invite us to their place.

Now, as you see, it is the best way when everybody in the family has his own duties. When it is so, there is never fuss about anything.

Unit Four

English Meals

The English usually have four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, tea (5 o'clock) and dinner. Breakfast can be a full "English breakfast" of cornflakes with milk and sugar, or bacon and eggs, toast and marmalade, tea or coffee. Some people, however, have just a cup of tea or coffee with a toast or something similar. This is usually called a "continental breakfast".

At midday everything is stopped for lunch. Most offices and small shops are closed for an hour and the city pavements are full of people on their way to cafes, coffee bars, restaurants. Factory workers usually eat in their canteens.

The English like what they call "good plain food". They must be able to recognize what they are eating. Usually they like steak, roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and fish and chips.

Afternoon tea is taken at about 5 o'clock, but it can hardly be called a meal. It is a cup of tea and cake or biscuits. At the weekends afternoon tea is a special occasion. Friends and visitors are often invited to have a chat over a cup of tea.

Dinner is the most substantial meal of the day. It is usually eaten at 7 o'clock. The first course may be soup (though the English don't like it very much). The main course will often be fish or meat, perhaps the traditional roast beef of old England, and a lot of vegetables. The next course will be something sweet and often cooked, such as a fruit pie. Last of all there may be cheese, often with biscuits. It is common knowledge that the English are very fond of tea. They like to have "a nice cup of tea" 6 or 8 times a day, sometimes even more.

On Christmas Day a roast turkey is traditionally cooked for dinner. It is usually followed by Christmas pudding. Long before Christmas housewives begin to plan what cake to make for Christmas. Usually they make fantastic Christmas cakes.

My Meals

It goes without saying that I prefer to have meals at home. At the weekend I like to get up late and have a good breakfast of scrambled eggs, or pancakes, or something like that. But on weekdays I'm always short of time in the morning. So I just have a cup of strong tea or coffee and a couple of sandwiches.

As I spend a lot of time at school (usually six or seven hours) it's necessary to have a snack at midday just to keep me going. That's why I have to go to the school canteen to have lunch. Our school canteen leaves much to be desired. It has become a tradition with our canteen to serve chops and watery mashed potatoes every day with a glass of cocoa or stewed fruit.

But I enjoy my evening meal at home. My mother is a wonderful cook and her dinners are always delicious and various.

To begin with, we usually have some salad — tomato and cucumber salad or mixed salad (I like it very much). For the first course we have some soup - noodle, mushroom or cabbage soup, or maybe some fish for a change. For the main course we have meat, chicken or fish dishes, for example, steak or fried fish with spaghetti or potatoes (boiled or fried). We also have a lot of vegetables - green peas, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers. I prefer meat to fish but my mother makes me eat fish from time to time. She says it's good for my brain.

For dessert we have some fruit, fruit juice or a cup of tea with a slice of cake.

On Sundays we sometimes go to McDonald's. I like everything there: cheeseburgers, hamburgers and Big Macs, cherry pies and fruit cocktails. But unfortunately we can't afford to go there very often, because it's rather expensive for a family and besides, they say it's not very healthy to eat at McDonald's.

So as you see, we have three meals a day and I think that if we eat less, it's much better and healthier for us.

Unit Five

Shopping

When we want to buy something we go to a shop. The shop assistant shows the customer various goods and sells them. He gives the customer a bill which we pay at the cash-desk. The goods can be wrapped up or packed in a box or parcel.

No one in our family goes shopping as often as my mother does. She keeps house, so she knows better than anyone of us what we are running short of.

From time to time my father goes and does some shopping too. Most often he goes for fruits, vegetables, fresh greens or fish to the district's market. Usually, he has a shopping list written by my mother with him.

The prices in our district's market are generally lower than in the state-owned or private shops, but the quality of goods is not always better. If the price doesn't suit you, you can argue about it with the seller and ask for a cut.

My duty is to buy bread for the family. So each time we are running out of bread, I take a shopping bag and money and hurry to the nearest bakery.

When we want to buy food we go to the food store, where you can find almost everything you want, or to some specialized provision shops.

The grocer sells a variety of foodstuffs, such as flour, butter, eggs, biscuits, jams and jellies, cheese, sugar, spice, tinned and frozen foods.

The greengrocer deals in fruit and vegetables.

The florist sells flowers and plants.

We go to the fishmonger for fish. We go to the butcher's to buy some kinds of meat; pork, veal, mutton or beef and we can buy some poultry there as well: chickens, geese or turkeys.

A milk shop is called a dairy. There we buy dairy products: milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, curds and eggs.

When we run out of bread we go to the baker's and ask for a loaf of white or brown bread.

A cake shop sells pastries and cakes of all kinds.

The confectioner always does a good trade selling sweets, chocolates, chocolate bars and other tempting things that make every child's mouth water.

Many large shops called department stores sell various goods under one roof and you can find there everything you need and that is on offer at small specialized shops scattered all around the town;

Department stores have a lot of departments: stationary, hosiery, millinery, footwear, sport goods, leather goods, perfumery, jewellery, ready-made women's and men's clothes and so on. All the things are on the counters and in the shopwindows so the customers can choose what they want.

At the stationary we buy paper, ink, pens, ball-pens, pencils, erasers and felt-tip pens.

In the millinery we buy hats, caps, fur caps and fur collars.

In the shoe or footwear department there are many kinds of shoes, boots, sandals, slippers and top-boots.

In the knitwear department we can find all kinds of knitted goods: pullovers, sweaters, cardigans, etc.

If we want new gloves or ties, handkerchiefs or shirts we go to the men's outfitter's.

In the men's clothing department we can find overcoats, shirts, trousers, pyjamas and other clothing for men.

In the women's clothing department we can choose coats, jackets, dresses, costumes, jumpers, blouses, skirts, underwear and many other things for women.

In the perfumery they have face cream and face powders, lipsticks, scents, lotions and shampoos.

A big store is really a very interesting place. We can simply walk round the store without buying anything at all.

Unit Six

Holidays in Great Britain

British holidays are strikingly different in origin and show surprising similarities in the manner of their celebration. As you know, the holidays' origin may be different, but they all seem to be the same thing. A holiday is simply a day off from work. But we must remember that some holidays still keep their peculiarities.

Most of British holidays are of religious origin. Most of public holidays are movable, that means that they do not fall on the same day each year.

The British share some holidays such as Easter, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, St. Valentine's Day and Halloween with other countries of the world. But there are many holidays which are celebrated only by the British. They are Spring and Summer Bank Holidays, Remembrance Day, Good Friday and Guy Fawkes Night. Public holidays in Britain are called bank holidays because the banks as well as most of offices and shops are closed.

The first holiday of the year is New Year's Day. In England it is a family holiday. People in Scotland go outside and meet New Year in squares singing and dancing. The only tradition connected with this holiday is "firs foot." The first person who comes to your place in a new year bring you bad or good luck. A good luck is brought by a man with dark or fair hair, especially if he comes with a piece of bread and coal. Bread symbolizes wealth and coal symbolizes warmth. Bad luck is brought by a man with red hair or a woman.

St. Valentine's Day is the second holiday which is celebrated on the 14th of February. It is not a national holiday. Schools, offices and banks do not close. This holiday is celebrated by people of all ages. They exchange "valentines". A "valentine" may be a special greeting card or a small present.

The next holiday I want to speak about is Easter. It is a religious holiday celebrated in spring. Many churches have an outdoor sunrise service. Just before Easter the schools and colleges usually close. The pupils have a week or ten days of spring vacation. Easter marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. People celebrate the festival to honour the awakening of new life in nature and give each other presents of coloured or even decorated eggs.

In GB the 31st of October is traditionally marked as Halloween. It is the day or evening before All Saints' Day. On this day children dress up with special costumes and go out into the streets to beg. They go from house to house and say, "Treat or trick!" meaning "Give me a treat or T shall play a trick on you." People give them sweets, fruits and biscuits.

A favourite custom is to make a "jack-o'-lantern". Children scrape out a pumpkin and make holes for eyes, a nose and a mouth in it. They light a candle inside the pumpkin to scare their friends.

Besides public holidays, there are some special festivals in GB. One of them takes place on the 5th of November. On that day in 1605 Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. He did not succeed. The king s men found the bomb, took Guy Fawkes to the Tower and cut off his head. Since that day the British celebrate the 5th of November. They burn a dummy, made of straw and old clothes, on a bonfire and let off fireworks.

November the 11-th is Remembrance Day. It commemorates British soldiers, sailors and airmen who gave their lives in the two World Wars. Special services are held and wreaths are laid at the Cenotaph. It is a war memorial at Whitehall. The members of Royal Family and the Queen, members of the government and guests from other countries take part in this ceremony. Thousands of tourists observe the two-minute silence and take part in the remembrance ceremony. Similar ceremonies are held throughout the country.

Christmas is a great British and American holiday, which is marked on the 25th of December. It is very rich in customs and traditions with Father Christmas, the decorating of the Christmas Tree, of card sending and gift giving. It is celebrated as the birthday of Christ. It is a family holiday. Everybody tries to come home for Christmas. Before this holiday groups of singers go from house to house to collect money for charity and sing carols, traditional Christmas songs. On Christmas day children hang stockings at the end of their beds, hoping that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and fill them with toys and sweets.

As you know, the next day is Boxing Day. This is the time to visit friends and give presents. In big cities and towns there is a tradition to stage pantomime at the Cathedral (it is a traditional English entertainment). And that is why the holiday was named Boxing Day. When people went to a church, they had to put some money to a "poor box".

I think that holidays are very good and interesting days for everybody, because they give us rest, fun and happiness. Besides, they help us to meet our best friends and talk to them and so enjoy our life.

Some Holidays We Celebrate in Russia

Speaking about holidays we celebrate in our country, I'd like to say, that first of all we have New Year's Day on the l-st of January. Before New Year's Day we usually send our friends New Year wishes by telegramme, letter or postcard, or we ring them up in the evening on the 3 l-st of December.

On the night of the 31 -St of December we are usually at home with our family or with some friends. At 12 o'clock we say to each other 'Happy New Year' and answer "Thanks, the same to you'. We give presents to our friends for the New Year, and in each family we have a New Year Tree with lights and decorations. The presents for all the family hang sometimes on the tree, and we receive our presents after 12 o'clock. In most families parents put the presents for their children under tree and when their children get up on the l-st of January, they hurry to the tree for the presents. They think that Father Frost brought those presents for them at night. That is a very merry and happy holiday for all the people.

The next holiday we celebrate in Russia is on the 23-rd of February. Now it is called the Defender's Day. It is the holiday of the officers and soldiers in the army and of all the people. On that day we usually congratulate all the men. On TV we can see concerts, different shows, military parades and other interesting and entertaining programmes. At schools they usually invite some officers or soldiers who tell the schoolchildren different stories about their service, what they usually do and how they can become officers and so on. Schoolchildren ask different questions and get answers. Besides giving the guests presents, the children organize special concerts and other entertaining programmes for them.

On the 8-th of March we celebrate the Women's Day. On that day we give presents to all our women, especially our mothers. The best presents for women are flowers, of Course, and on Women's Day we see many men who buy flowers to give to their wives. Usually on that day men try to do all the work about the house. They go shopping, do the flat, cook and do all kinds of work they never do on usual days.

We also celebrate May Day on the 1 -st of May. It is the holiday of all the working people. We usually celebrate it at home. But in Moscow demonstrations, salutes, illuminations take place.

Victory Day is one of the most important and great holidays in Russia. We celebrate it on the 9-th of May. It is the anniversary of the victory over fascist Germany. All the families in our country celebrate it. On that day we meet the veterans who tell us about the war, the heroes and other brave men and women, boys and girls. We usually organize concerts, shows and plays for them, In the evening we sit at the table and have our big holiday supper and watch interesting programmes on TV.

On the 7-th of January we celebrate Christmas Day. It is a religious holiday. It is the day of the birth of Christ. There are special church services in the churches and many people go and see them.

Besides, there are many other holidays that we celebrate. They are Teachers' Day, St. Valentine's Day, April Fool's Day and so on. But, of course, the most favourite holiday for everybody is our birthday.

I think that holidays are very good and interesting days for everybody because they give us rest, fun, happiness. Besides, they help us to meet our best friends, talk to them and enjoy the life.

My Birthday

I'd like to say that we celebrate many holidays in our family. They are: New Year's Day, Christmas, The Defender's Day on the 23-rd of February, the Women's Day on the 8-th of March, the Victory Day on the 9-th of May, and , of course, our birthdays.

My favourite holiday is my birthday and the birthdays of all the members of our family, because we are very friendly.

I'd like to speak about the way I usually celebrate my birthdays. Before that day we have to prepare everything: to do the flat, to dust the furniture, to do shopping, then to make dinner and to bake a birthday cake. Usually I invite my friends and relatives earlier. When my birthday comes all the family makes the preparation. We decorate the room, lay the table and wait for the guests.

My parents dress up in their best clothes, so do I. We have a big round table in the middle of the room. My mother puts the birthday cake on it, and we all bring dishes from the kitchen and put them on the table, too.

After that I put one candle for each year of my life on the birthday cake. When the guests come I meet them with great pleasure. They are eager to give me presents, of course. They congratulate me and wish many happy return of the day. I thank them all and ask them to the table. Everybody enjoys the party: some of us dance, others talk and laugh. When the weather is fine we all go for a walk on the bank of the river or in the park. We even sing songs while walking.

When the weather is nasty we stay at home or go to the cinema or to the theatre. If we stay at home we play different games, sing songs to the guitar, listen to the music, see video-films or just have a talk.

Every year not only friends make me presents on my birthday but I make small presents for each of them too. As a rule, it may be a small souvenir, a cassette or just a toy.

So I may say that everybody is usually glad with spending that day.

I think that everybody's birthday is a real and dear holiday for the whole family.

Unit Seven

Great Britain

As you know, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands. They are Great Britain and Ireland and about live thousand small islands. Their total area is over 244.000 square kilometres.

As a matter of fact, the UK consists of four countries. They are England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. The capital of the UK is London.

England is the southern and central part of Great Britain. Scotland is in the north of the island and Wales is in the west. Northern Ireland is situated in the northeastern part of Ireland.

If we look at the map of Great Britain, we can see that the west coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, .and the east coast is washed by the North Sea, and the south coast is washed by the English Channel. The English Channel lies between Great Britain and the continent.

The surface of the British Isles varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called the Highlands. The south, which has beautiful valleys and plains, is called the Lowlands. The north and west of England are mountainous, but all the rest - east, centre and south-east, is a vast plain. Mountains are an important part of the geography of the country. They are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain. It is one thousand three hundred and 43 metres high. In England the Penine Chain runs down from the north through the centre. In Wales there are the Cumbrian Mountains.

The British Isles have many rivers, but they are not very long. The Severn, which flows into the Irish Sea, is the longest river. The Thames is the deepest and the most important one. Scotland s most important river is the Clyde, on which stands Glasgow.

Besides, England, Ireland and Scotland have many beautiful lakes.

Actually, there are no great forests in the British Isles today. Historically, the most famous forest is Sherwood Forest, in the east of England. As you know, it was the home of Robin Hood,

The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of Gulf Stream influence the climate of the British Isles. It is generally mild the whole year round, not very cold in winter and never very hot in summer.

The UK is one of the world's smaller countries. Its population is over 57 million. About 80% of the population is urban. There are at least people of four nationalities in the UK. They are the English, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish. Each of them has their own language.

It is notorious that the UK is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the world's largest producers and explorers of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding. It is centred in London, Glasgow, Newcastle and in Belfast.

Speaking about agriculture in Great Britain, I should like to mention that sheep farming, cattle farming, and dairy farming are important branches of the British economy. Wheat is grown in the east of England, but oats and rye are the main drown crops. Vegetables are grown in all parts of England, especially in the south. The south of England is often called the "Garden of England". This is because there are many gardens and orchards there.

Speaking about political system in Great Britain, I should like to say that the UK is a constitutional monarchy. In law, the Head of State is the Queen. In practice, the Queen reigns, but does not rule. Power in the country belongs to Parliament with the Prime Minister at the head, The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Commons is elected by the people. The members of the House of Lords are not elected.

There arc three political parties in Great Britain. They are the Conservative, the Liberal and the Labour parties. The Conservative party is the ruling party nowadays. The Prime Minister is David Cameron.

To my mind, the UK is a very rich, with high standard of living country with its own political and economical system, system of education and of course its peculiar traditions, customs, history and way of thinking.

London

Talking about London, I should like to say, that it is the capital of the United Kingdom, its political, economic and commercial centre. It is one of the largest cities in the world. Its population is about 8 million people. London was founded more than 2000 years ago. It is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world.

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

The heart of London is the City. It is the oldest part of London, its financial and business centre. Many banks, offices and firms are situated there. Few people live there, but over a million people come to the City to work.

Westminster is the historic, governmental part of London. The Houses of Parliament and the government and administrative buildings are in Westminster; The West End is the part where rich people live. It is the most beautiful part of London. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs and theatres are situated there. There are splendid houses and lovely gardens belonging to wealthy people.

As for the East End, it is an industrial district of London. There are many factories there. It is one of those areas of London where working people live.

Speaking about the sights of London, I should like to say that there are a lot of places of interest in London. It's notorious that London stands on the river Thames. Crossing the river by the Tower Bridge, we can see to Tower of London. It is one of the oldest buildings of the city. Many centuries ago it was a fortress, a royal palace and then a prison. Now it is a museum of arms and Crown Jewels.

On the bank of the Thames not far from the Tower of London we can see Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament. It is the seat of the British government and it is one of the most beautiful buildings in London. In one of its towers there is the famous Big Ben. It is the largest clock of England. All people in Britain take the time from it.

Near the Houses of Parliament is Westminster Abbey. It is a very beautiful church built over 900 years ago. Nearly all English kings and queens have been crowned there. Many outstanding statesmen, scientists, writers, poets and painters are buried there.

As you know, Buckingham Palace is the residence of the Queen of England. This is a beautiful building, standing in large gardens. Tourists always go to see the ceremony of changing of the Guard there.

London has many fine squares. Some of them are quiet, others are busy, like Trafalgar Square. It is the central square of the city. In the middle of Trafalgar Square stands a monument to Admiral Nelson. The Nelson Column is guarded by four great bronze lions. It is a tradition to feed pigeons in Trafalgar Square and many people keep to that tradition. On the other side of the square are the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. It has fine collection of European paintings.

Not far away is the British Museum. It is the biggest museum in London, ft contains a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures and so on. It is also famous for its library.

St. Paul's Cathedral is the biggest of English churches, which is situated in the West End of London. St. Paul s Cathedral was designed by the English architect Sir Christopher Wren in the 17th century. It contains memorials to many national heroes.

Besides, London is also famous for its beautiful parks. Hyde Park is Londoners' favourite resting place. Hyde Park is famous for its Speakers' Corner. Many people come to listen to speakers on politics and other subjects.

As for me, I should like to visit London because I am interested not only in the English Language but also in British culture, traditions and history.

The USA

Geographical Position. The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China). It occupies the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, it also includes Alaska in the north and I Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a sea-border with Russia. The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia. It is a special federal area where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is about 250 million people.

If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley which is located in Alaska.

America’s largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande and the Columbia, The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA. And the largest cities in the USA are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San-Francisco, Washington and others.

Climate in the USA. As for the climate of the USA, I can say, it greatly differs from one part of the country to another. The coldest climate is in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic, There is heavy snow and hard frost in winter. The climate of the central part is continental, The south has a subtropical climate. It is warm and sometimes even hot in summer. Hot winds, blowing from the Gulf of Mexico, often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast. The heaviest rains in the country are in the Washington region. The climate in the Gulf of Mexico area is also very damp. The region around the Great Lakes is known for its changeable climate.

Finally, I want to say, that the USA is a very rich country with high standard of living, with its own political and economical system, system of education. Now, making changes in Russia, we study the experience of the USA and other countries and we try to cooperate with them. And as we see, it works.

Political System. As for the political system of the USA, I should say that it is a federation of 50 states and the District of Columbia. The President is the head of the government. He forms the government. The President is elected for 4 years. He cannot be younger than 35 years and he must have lived in the USA for at least 14 years. The President is responsible for enforcing laws, choosing the government, commanding the army and recommending laws to Congress.

Congress, as you know, consists of two Houses. They are the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate has 100 senators, two from each state. They are elected for 6 years. The head of the Senate is Vice-President. He is elected for 4 years.

The House of Representatives consists of 435 members. They are elected for 2 years. The head of the House of Representatives is the Speaker.

There are two main political parties in the USA. They are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The thing is that most of government members come from one of these parties. Besides, there are several minor parties, as well.

The USA is a very rich country with high standard of living, with its own political and economical systems, system of education. Now making changes in Russia, we study the experience of the USA and other countries and we also try to cooperate with them. And as we see, it works.

The Russian Federation

The Russian Federation is one of the largest countries in the world. As you know, Russia occupies about one-seventh of the earth's surface. It covers the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia. Its total area is about 17 million square kilometres. The country is washed by 12 seas of 3 oceans: the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic. In the south Russia borders on China, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. In the west it borders on Norway, Finland, the Baltic States, Belorussia and the Ukraine. It also has a sea-border with the USA.

There is hardly a country in the world where such a variety of scenery and vegetation can be found. So we have steppes in the south, plains and forests in the midland, tundra and taiga in the north, highlands and deserts in the east;

There are two great plains in Russia. They are the Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian Plain. There are also several mountain chains on the territory of the country. They are the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai and others. The largest-mountain chain, the Urals, separates Europe from Asia.

There are over two million rivers in Russia. The Volga is one of the biggest rivers. It flows into the Caspian Sea, you know. Other big rivers in our country arc the Ob, the Yenisei, the Lena and the Amur.

Russia is also rich in beautiful lakes. The world's deepest lake is Lake Baikal. The water in the lake is very clear.

There are many forests in Russia. They are generally in the European north of the country, in Siberia and in the Far East.

On the large territory of the country there are different types of climate, from arctic in the north to subtropical in the south. In the middle of the country the climate is temperate and continental.

Russia is very rich in mineral resources. They are oil, coal, iron ore, natural gas, copper, nickel and others.

The capital of Russia is Moscow. It is its largest political, scientific, cultural and industrial centre. It is one of the oldest Russian cities.

As for the political system, Russia is a parliamentary republic. The Head of State is the President. The legislative powers are exercised by the Duma.

As you know, the political and economic situation in the country is rather complicated at present. There are a lot of problems in the national economy. The industrial production is low. The prices are constantly rising, the rate of inflation is very high. People are losing their jobs because many factories and plants are going bankrupt.

But, I believe, that very soon Russia will overcome all its political and economic problems and become one of the best.

Moscow

Moscow is the capital of Russia, you know. It is one of the biggest and most beautiful cities in the world.

Moscow is a modern city now. The population of the city is about 9 million people. Moscow is a political centre, where the government of our country works.

As you know, Moscow was founded in 1147 by the prince Yuri Dolgoruky. The total area of Moscow is about 9 hundred square kilometres.

We say that Moscow is a port of five seas, as the Moscow-Volga canal links Moscow with the Baltic, White, Caspian and Black seas and the Sea of Azov.

Moscow Is an Industrial centre too. There are many factories and plants there. One of the best-known plants produces many lorries and the other one makes cars.

Moscow is a cultural centre. There are many cinemas, theatres, museums, universities and librarian In Moscow,

The Bolshoi theatre is one of the famous theatres all over the world. The building of the Bolshoi theatre is a masterpiece of Moscow classicism. F. Chaliapin, L, Sobinov, A. Nezhdanova and many other famous singers appeared on its stage. The Bolshoi Ballet has won a world fame.

Besides, there is another theatre in Moscow. It is the Maly theatre. The theatre continues to play an important role in Russia's cultural life. Popularly known as Ostrovsky's House, it continues to stage plays by the great Russian dramatist. A monument to Ostrovsky stands in front of the theatre building.

If you are fond of painting you can go to the Tretyakov Art Gallery or to the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum. You can see a lot of interesting portraits and landscapes there. The Tretyakov Art Gallery is a treasure-house of the Russian art.

As for the young people, they like to visit the Central Military Museum. There are many tanks, guns and war documents there.

One can see the Kremlin and Red Square in the city. In the 16th and 17th centuries Red Square was the central trading and public square. It was known as "Pozhar", that meant "a place destroyed by fire" and was called "Red". Later the word "Red" meant "fine, beautiful".

On the south side of Red Square is St. Basil's Cathedral. It is a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture. St. Basil's Cathedral was built in 1555-1560 by Barma and Postnik In memory of the victory over Kazan (1552).

In front of the St. Basil's Cathedral is the monument to Minin and Pozharsky. It tells us of the people's victory over Polish invaders in 1612. The monument is the work of I. Martos (t 752-1835). This is the first sculptural monument in Moscow.

Further to the right of the Cathedral on the territory of the Kremlin we can see a tall tower. It is over 80 metres high. It is the Bell-Tower of Ivan the Great. It was built in the I5th century. There are 22 large bells and more than 30 small ones in it. At the foot of the Bell-Tower there is another ancient monument - the Tsar Bell weighing 200 tons.

Opposite the Cathedral on the north side of Red Square Is the History Museum.

There are many fine buildings, wide streets, green parks, large squares and monuments in Moscow.

It is necessary to mention such a famous monument as the monument to the great Russian writer Alexander Pushkin. It stands in Pushkin Square. The monument is a work of the sculptor A. Opekushin. The monument is very simple. The poet stands bowing his head as if in dreams. The front side of the monument has the words: "To Pushkin".

One of the highest buildings in Moscow is the State Moscow University. It was founded in 1755 by the great scientist Mikhail Lomonosov. It ts situated on the Vorobyev Hills. From there people enjoy a most beautiful view of the whole city.

The central building of the University is 780 feet high. There are 22 000 different rooms only in the central building of the University. The University has 45 000 rooms on the whole.

There are also many stadiums in Moscow. The Central Stadium is in Luzhniki. Many competitions and football matches are held there.

The Olympic Village was built for the 22nd Olympic games in Moscow in 1980, you know, it is a big complex for sport games.

Speaking about Moscow we should also mention a TV-Tower at Ostankino. Ii is 533 metres high. There is a restaurant in the TV-Tower. It is called "The Seventh Heaven". It turns round and gives a beautiful view of the city. I must say that Ostankino TV-Tower is considered to be the tallest in Europe.

A lot of tourists from different parts of our country and abroad visit Moscow all year round. They all enjoy our capital that is getting nicer and nicer every day.

As for me, I am very proud of Moscow and try to visit the capital more often.

My Native Town

I'd like to speak about Yaroslavl. It is one of the Russian oldest towns. It stands on the banks of the Volga River. Yaroslavl is my native town and I like it very much. As it is known, Yaroslavl has a very interesting history. In the year of 1010 Prince Yaroslav the Wise founded the town on the spot where the Kotorosl River falls into the Volga. There is a legend which tells us that once the Prince killed a bear with a pole-axe. That is why the town's coat-of-arms has a bear holding a pole-axe. Yaroslavl is a very beautiful city. Its architectural and artistic monuments, rich museum collections attract many guests from all over the country and abroad.

When we come to Yaroslavl from Moscow we get a lovely view of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery. It is well-known that in that monastery the manuscript of the famous Russian epic "The Lay of Igor's Host" was found. Now it is a historical museum. There are many works of art, icons, manuscripts and other historical documents there. There are many beautiful churches in Yaroslavl. They are: the Epiphany Church, The Church of the Archangel Michael, the Spas-on-Gorod Church, the Church of Ilya the Prophet and so on.

Yaroslavl is a happy mix of old, new and unexpected. Yaroslavl can be proud by such outstanding people as the great Russian poet N. Nekrasov, the educator K. Ushinsky, the singer L. Sobinov and the first woman-cosmonaut V. Tereshkova and others.

Yaroslavl is also a big culture centre. The first Russian Drama theatre was founded in Yaroslavl by F. Volkov in 1750. There are many cinemas, theatres, libraries, schools and several universities and colleges in our town.

Besides Yaroslavl today is an industrial centre with many plants and factories. They produce tyres, diesel motor, electric motors, textiles and many other industrial products. Yaroslavl is one of the towns of Russia's Golden Ring. Thousands of tourists come to admire the unique architectural ensembles, fine buildings and remarkable painting.

As for me I like to walk along Volzhskaya Embankment in the shade of the lovely old lime trees, along the modern squares and beautiful streets.

So, I can say, that I'm proud of my native town.

Unit Eight

Knowledge of Foreign Languages

Nowadays it is especially important to know foreign languages. There are many reasons why we study foreign languages. Some people learn languages because they need them for their work, others travel abroad, for still others studying languages is a hobby.

Every year thousands of people from our country go to different countries as tourists or to work. They cannot go there without knowing a foreign language. Everyone, who knows foreign languages, can speak to people from other countries, read the works of foreign authors in the original, which makes our outlook wider.

Now there are many joint ventures in Russia. Without doubt, one should know foreign languages to communicate with the partners. Famous Coca Cola, McDonald's, IBM, General Motors, Microsoft and Boeing are well-known in the whole world. We see that United States' foreign policy affects other countries. Besides all this economic and political power, there is the influence in communication, information and entertainment.

Moreover, in many countries of the world today people see American films, TV-programmes and other types of entertainment. It helps them to learn the English language and American culture.

To know English today is absolutely necessary for every educated man, for every good specialist. It is the language of progressive science and technology, trade and cultural relations, commerce and business. For example, the USA has played a great role in the development of the computer. America produces both software and hardware and leads the world in it. I should also mention that UNESCO figures show, that 94 percent of Internet Communications are in English.

They say, there are about two thousand and seven hundred languages in the world, but English today is the most important international language. English is spoken by more than 350 million people. We can find people in any part of the world who can talk to us in English. Practically there is no country in the world where English is not studied. It is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the United States of America, of Australia and New Zealand. English is used as one of the official languages in Canada, the Republic of South Africa and the Irish Republic. It is also spoken as a second language in many parts of India and Africa. The number of second-language speakers may soon exceed the number of native speakers.

I should say that learning a foreign language is not an easy thing. It is a long and slow process that takes a lot of time and efforts.

Everybody knows his own language, but another one is, of course, very useful. Knowledge of foreign languages helps people of different countries to develop friendship and understanding. When they meet at the festivals or in international friendship camps, they learn much about each other, their countries and traditions.

As for me, I want to know foreign languages because I have always been interested in foreign countries, their culture and people.

Professions Dealing with Foreign Languages

A knowledge of foreign languages and foreign cultures is becoming more important Nowadays.

There are many reasons why we study foreign languages. Now, when we are reconstructing our economy, when there are many joint ventures in this country, we need a great number of specialists who know foreign languages. If you know foreign languages you can communicate personally or in writing with foreign partners. If you wish to make a career in science, you must read scientific books and magazines in foreign languages. Knowing foreign languages, you can read the works of Foreign Writers in the original.

Of course, knowledge of foreign languages, helps people of different countries to understand each other better.

When people meet at festivals, international friendship camps, congresses, competitions and conferences they can come into contact easier when they know their partner's language.

Besides, there are a lot of professions which need a good knowledge of a foreign language. They are: a foreign language teacher, an interpreter, a technical translator, a diplomat, a guide, a shop-assistant and others.

You know teaching is a very difficult job of great responsibility. A good teacher forms the attitude to his subject and to learning. Working with children, a teacher studies them closely and discovers their interests, their character and abilities. A teacher tries to make his pupils well-educated, intelligent, industrious, honest and well-bred.

Another profession that needs a knowledge of F.L. is an interpreter. This job is very important nowadays. You know that a great number of foreign tourists are interested in Russia and its people. An interpreter helps at different forums, conferences, festivals, and congresses. He takes foreign tourists on various excursions, shows them the places of interest, historical and architectural monuments. He must know a foreign language very well. He must be well-bred, tactful, arid communicative. Of course, he must also love his own country.

One more profession dealing with foreign languages is a translator. He translates written texts from one language into another. This profession is very necessary too. Cooperation between different countries is steadily increasing. So they translate scientific papers, journals and different literary works.

Thanks to them we learn the latest achievements in the fields of science, culture, and art.

You know that every diplomat must know foreign languages as well. He must communicate with people, read the country's newspapers, make personal contacts. A good diplomat must have some knowledge of their history, culture and political institutions.

So, we may say, that there are many professions that need the knowledge of foreign languages: But we must not forget that every person must know at least one foreign language to be able to speak with people of other countries.