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Let’s talk about LONDON

    Conversation cards

This is Mrs White. She …………… (be) a primary school teacher.

She …………………………… (teach) English, Maths and Geography.

At the moment, she …………………………… (teach) Maths.

She …………………………… (live) in London and ………………… (be)

married to Georges, who is French. They …………………………… (have) three children. They all …………………………… (love) animals, but they …………………………… (not have) any pets because they …………………………… (live) in an apartment. Mrs White ……………………… (speak) French as well as English, but she …………………………… (not teach) it.

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Mrs White’s niece Sophie …………………………… (stay) with the Whites for a few days. Sophie …………………………… (live) and …………………………… (study) in Liverpool,  but she ……………………………… (enjoy) her mid-term break in London at the moment. She …………………………… (plan) to do some serious shopping and sightseeing.

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Mrs White’s son Arnold …………………………… (not like) shopping, but he …………………………… (love) hanging out with friends. They usually …………………… (go) to the local park where they ……………………… (play) football or basketball.

Today, however, Arnold ……………………………….…. (not play) football or basketball; he …………………………….. (skateboard).

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Mr White ………………… (work) for a multinational company. He ………………………… (not work)

today, however, because he ……………………………. (not feel) well. He phoned in sick.

 Score: ………/25

This is Mrs White. She ……is……… (be) a primary school teacher.

She ………teaches……… (teach) English, Maths and Geography.

At the moment, she ……is teaching…… (teach) Maths.

She ………lives……… (live) in London and ……is……… (be)

married to Georges, who is French. They ………have……… (have) three children. They all ………love………… (love) animals, but they ………don’t have……… (not have) any pets because they ………live…………… (live) in an apartment. Mrs White ………speaks…… (speak) French as well as English, but she ………doesn’t teach…… (not teach) it.

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Mrs White’s niece Sophie ………is staying…… (stay) with the Whites for a few days. Sophie …………lives………… (live) and ………studies……… (study) in Liverpool,  but she ………is enjoying…… (enjoy) her mid-term break in London at the moment. She ………is planning…… (plan) to do some serious shopping and sightseeing.

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Mrs White’s son Arnold ………doesn’t like…… (not like) shopping, but he ……loves……… (love) hanging out with friends. They usually ……go………… (go) to the local park where they ………play……… (play) football or basketball.

Today, however, Arnold ………isn’t playing……….…. (not play) football or basketball; he ………is skateboarding…….. (skateboard).

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Mr White ……works… (work) for a multinational company. He …isn’t working… (not work)

today, however, because he ……isn’t feeling……. (not feel) well. He phoned in sick.

Tommy and Sarah-Jane want to visit London. But they don’t know all the famous sites…

Here is a list mentioning them. Help Tommy and Sarah-Jane recognize them !

Read the postcard and fill in ‘a’ or ‘the’  where necessary.

      Complete the gaps in the text with missing prepositions.

                     UNSEEN LONDON

London is famous 1) …………… its attractions like Big Ben and the Tower 2) …………. London. Millions 3) ……….. tourists look 4) ………… these buildings every year but not far 5) …………. these places, there are other interesting sights. Next time you set 6) ……….  7) ………. visit London, why not plan 8) ………… go 9) ……… some 10) ………… the places close 11) ………. the centre 12) …………. the city that tourists rarely go 13) ……….?  Get 14) ……………. a taxi and ask the driver 15) …………. take you 16) ……….. Billingsgate fish market, 17) …………. example. When you arrive 18) …………. the market, you will be amazed 19) …………. the sights and the sounds 20) …………. real London.  You can ask the fish sellers 21) ……………. their work – and you don’t have 22) ………….. wait 23) ………. hours 24) …………. get a ticket!

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

         Choose the correct preposition.

                                                                      UNSEEN LONDON

London is famous 1) with/for its attractions like Big Ben and the Tower  2) from/of London. Millions 3) off/of tourists look 4)  to/at these buildings every year but not far 5) from/of these places, there are other interesting sights. Next time you set 6) up/off   7) to/in visit London, why not plan 8) of/to go 9) for/to some 10) of/off the places close 11) next/to the centre 12) to/of the city that tourists rarely go 13) in/to?  Get 14) into/onto a taxi and ask the driver 15) for/to take you 16) to/in Billingsgate fish market, 17) in/for example. When you arrive 18) at/in the market, you will be amazed 19) at/with the sights and the sounds 20) in/of real London.  You can ask the fish sellers 21) about/for  their work – and you don’t have 22) to/on wait 23) for/on hours 24) in/to get a ticket!    

        If a line is correct put a tick (√ ). If there is an extra word in a line, write the word.

                   UNSEEN LONDON

1) ……..…  London is famous for that its attractions like Big Ben                                                                                                          2) ……..…  and the Tower of London. Millions of tourists look at these                                                                                                    3) …….….  buildings every year but not far distance from these places,                                                                    4) ………..  there are other interesting sights. Next time you set off to visit London,                                          5) ………..  why not plan to go to some of the places close in to the centre                                                             6) ………..  of the city that tourists rarely go to?  Get into of a taxi and                                                                           7) ………..  ask the driver to take you to Billingsgate fish market, for example.                                                  8) ……..…  When you arrive there at the market, you will be amazed at                                                               9) ….…….  the sights and the sounds of real London.  You can ask to the fish sellers                                       10) ……..  about their work – and you don’t have to wait on for hours to get a ticket!

KEY  

     The same key answers for versions         &               

1. for
2. of
3. of
4. at
5. from
6. off
7. to
8. to
9. to
10. of
11. to
12. of
13. to
14. into
15. to
16. to
17. for
18. at
19. at
20. of
21. about
22. to
23. for
24. to

1. that
2. √
3. distance
4.  √
5. in
6. of
7. √
8. there
9. to
10.  on

KEY

🖍 Complete with the comparative and superlative forms.

                    BIG / SMALL

- A whale is .............................................. a shark. A goldfish is ............................................... a shark.

- The whale is ........................................... of them. The goldfish is .............................................. of them.

                                                       TALL / SHORT

- A giraffe is .............................................. a camel. A zebra is ............................................... a camel.

- The giraffe is ........................................... of them. The zebra is .............................................. of them.

                                         FAST / SLOW

- A cheetah is .............................................. a rabbit. A tortoise is ............................................... a rabbit.

- The cheetah is ........................................... of them. The tortoise is ............................................. of them.

                                HEAVY / LIGHT

- An elephant is ............................................ a polar bear. A dog is ........................................... a polar bear.

   - The elephant is ........................................... of them. The dog is ............................................... of them.

                                                  NOISY / QUIET

- A monkey is ............................................ a bird. A fish is ........................................... a bird.

   - The monkey is ........................................... of them. The fish is ............................................. of them.

🖍 Write questions and answers. Use the superlative.

Dinosaurs  was / were  on earth 150 millions years ago. There  was / were  hundreds of different species. Some  was / were  very large and some  was / were  small.     Mammoths  was / were  on earth 30.000 years ago. There  was / were  ice over a lot of world. The mammoth  was / were  one of the biggest animals on land. It  was / wasn’t  cold because of its woolly coat. Mammoths was / were  about three metres tall and they   were / weren’t  very light. They  was / were  about 7.000 kilos. Its diet  was / were  grass and leaves.

Let’s talk about customs and traditions of an English-speaking country.

To begin with I’d like to point out that British customs and traditions are famous all over the world. When people think of Britain, they often think of people drinking tea, eating fish and chips, colourful royal ceremonies, soldiers in strange uniforms. In Britain customs and traditions play a more important part in the life of people than in other countries. The British are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up.

The British celebrate such public holidays as Christmas, Easter Monday, May Day, the Spring Bank Holiday, and The Summer Bank Holiday.

Besides public holidays there are other festivals, such as Pancake Day, April Fool’s day, Halloween, Guy Fawkes night, St Valentine’s Day and others. I’d like to describe some of them.

On 5 November (the fifth of November) the British celebrate Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire night. It is an exciting holiday. In1605, a man called Guy Fawkes had planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill James I. But he was caught and hanged. Every village, town and city lights a huge bonfire to remember the day. Children gather wood and make Guy Fawkes dolls. Then they make a big bonfire and throw the dolls into the fire and set off firecrackers.

Halloween is a holiday annually celebrated on 31 October (the thirty first of Octover\ October the thirty first). People hold Halloween parties, where the hosts and guests often dress up as skeletons, ghosts or other scary figures. Common symbols of Halloween include pumpkins, bats and spiders. Other people gather together to watch horror films, either at home or at a cinema.

Some children go trick-or-treating. This means that they dress up and go to other peoples’ houses, knocking on the door for treat of sweets or a snack. Those who do not give out a treat may be tricked with a joke instead.

Christmas is celebrated on 25 December (the twenty fifth of December). For most families this is the most important festival of the year and on this day many people are travelling home to be with their families. Most houses are decorated with brightly–coloured paper or holly and there is usually a Christmas tree in the corner of the front room. A lot of traditions are connected with Christmas but the most important is giving presents. Christmas night is an exciting time for children; it is the time when Father Christmas comes. Children hung up stockings for Father Christmas who will hopefully fill them up with presents.

The queen’s birthday is officially celebrated by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour on a Saturday in June. Although The Queen was born on 21 April (the first of April), her birthday is celebrated on a day in the summer, when good weather is more likely. There is a great parade and the queen inspects the troops and takes the royal salute. Over 1400 officers and men are on parade, together with two hundred horses; over four hundred musicians from ten bands take part in the ceremony. The Queen attends the ceremony in a carriage but before 1987 she had attended the ceremony riding a horse. After the event, the Royal Family gathers on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the Royal Air Force fly-past.

To conclude I’d like to stress that it is exciting to learn about customs and traditions and I would like to see some of these customs with my own eyes.

Would you like to take part in a British holiday celebration? Why?

Yes, I would like to take part in a British holiday celebration because it is exciting to learn about British cultural traditions first hand, see everything with your own eyes and be part of it. I, personally, would like to take part in a Halloween party, to dress up, to make a jack-o’- lantern from a pumpkin.

What questions can you ask a friend about his \her best school celebration?

What holidays are celebrated at your school?

What was the best school celebration?

When did it take place?

You decorated the school, didn’t you?

Did you take part in the celebration? What did you do?

What national souvenirs will you recommend a British tourist to buy?

I would recommend buying some souvenirs from straw [strɔː] (солома), which has become an identity card for Belarusian art. You can buy straw horses, dolls, spiders, as well as beautiful objects of everyday life. You may also like ceramics [sə'ræmɪks] with views of the main attractions of Belarus and Minsk, such as plates, horseshoes, bells or Belarusian linen ['lɪnɪn] products – tablecloths and bed linen, embroidered national towels, national scarves. Painted dishes, boxes, vases of wood will impress you by their beauty. If you have a sweet tooth buy delicious sweets made at Minsk Belarusian confectionery “Kommunarka” or the famous marshmallow made at Bobruisk factory «Krasny pischevik».

Nowadays more and more people are getting interested in customs and traditions of different countries. What do you think about it?

Education, School

Let’s talk about studying at school. What is your school like? \What can you tell me about the place where you study?

I think I can make a long speech about my school and I should say that in general I have sweet memories of the … years I have spend at one and the same school.

When I am talking about my school I mean a whole complex of things which made up my life there, influenced my views and outlook, formed my character to some degree. I studied at school №… in …  It is famous for its high quality of education.

It is common knowledge that success of school education depends mainly on the teachers, their professional skill, their attitude to the subjects they teach and the kind of relationship they can establish with the pupils. Here I’d like to say that my teachers are highly educated people. They are strongly devoted to their work and what is no less important their attitude to the pupils is always friendly and tolerant My favourite subject at school is … We have a very good and enthusiastic teacher who inspired in me an interest of… She is a very fair person and the manner of her teaching is perfect. The pupils are well-disciplined and well-behaved at her lessons

The atmosphere in the school is based on common sense, tolerance, and mutual respect. Poor behaviour especially any form of bullying is treated very firmly.

I like the friendly atmosphere at my school. It gives me a real pleasure to go there and to communicate with my coevals. I like my class. I always feel at home there. Everybody is so friendly and easy to get along with. I was on good terms with my classmates and we often spent our free time together.

Our school looks nice and lovely. It’s a clean and attractive three-storeyed building. The school building itself is of a typical design with the same layout and the distribution of classrooms, administrative offices, canteens, gyms and libraries as you can see in most other schools. When you enter the school you will see a large entrance hall, cloakrooms, on the left there is a gym, a library, Headmistress’s office and straight is the canteen.

There are two wings in our school. One is given to junior children. During the breaks they rush along the corridor making a lot of noise. On the first floor there is an Assembly Hall where all kind of performances, concerts and meetings are held, teachers′ room, a computer class, and a lot of classrooms to study. On the second floor you can find physics and chemistry labs which are equipped with many devices for carrying out  experiments and classrooms.

I’d like to say once again that school means a lot to me, and now my heart is full of gratitude to most of my teachers and to many of my friends who make my school life enjoyable.

 Do you agree that our school gives a person a good start in life? Why?

I entirely[ɪn'taɪəlɪ] agree with it . School provides us  with a certain amount of knowledge in science and humanities.  We study a variety of subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Computr Science, Biology,  the Belarusian and Russian Languages, English. Students  attend optional classes in different subjects in order to pass centralised tests with flying colours and enter the best universities. At school  we make friends, gain interpresonal and leadership skills, develop moral qualities, learn to get on with different people, overcome difficulties, set priorities, develop our talents and skills.

Let’s talk about school traditions

Our school has a lot of exciting traditions.

It has become a tradition to open a new school year with  the’ First Bell ‘ holiday. In the morning on the first of September the first and eleventh formers parade in front of the school the headmistress, teachers, pupils, parents greet the children and wish them success in studies.

Every first Saturday of February we celebrate the School-leavers Reunion Day. School leavers of different years come to our school and speak about their school years and share their life experience with us. Then the schoolchildren  give a concert. It’s usually a very interesting and useful event.

Of course such parties as New Year, the 8th of March are celebrated with great amusement.

We also get acquainted with the traditions of English-speaking countries and celebrate such holidays as Christmas  ,Valentine’s Day  , St Patrick’s Day and many others.

One of the most important traditions of our school is the Last Bell  holiday, when the 11th forms say good-bye to their school, thank their teachers, ask children to love their school, to keep carefully its traditions. Flowers, the words of greeting, love and respect are seen and heard in every corner of the school.

Our school also participates in the international exchange programme. Every year a group of Danish schoolchildren and teachers comes to our school. They stay at our students’  and then our students and teachers go to their country, they host us in return. Our guests take part in all school events. We organise concerts, excursions , presentations about our country its culture and traditions.  To sum it up I think our school has a lot of traditions that students and teachers should keep up carefully.

What can you tell me about the system of education in Belarus?

The system of education in the Republic of Belarus is based on national traditions and global trends in education area. Today Belarusian educational system includes pre-school education, general secondary school, vocational education, secondary special education, higher education.

The system of education of the Republic of Belarus includes different types of educational establishments:  kindergartens, nurseries , primary, basic and secondary schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, child’s home, boarding school ,vocational schools and technical lyceums,  (technicums, uchilishche and colleges) ,universities, academies, [ə'kædəmɪ], institutes ['ɪn(t)stɪtjuːt] and higher colleges.

There are two official languages within the education system in Belarus, Russian and Belarusian.

Pre-school education is not compulsory in Belarus but around 70% of children attend nursery or kindergarten before they start school. These institutions are for children under six years. Children are taught pre-reading and pre-writing as well as basic mathematics. The children learn to follow a timetable and there are classroom rules which teach respect and consideration for their classmates and the teacher. The public nurseries and kindergartens are free of charge but parents should cover about 60% of the meal’s cost.

Most children in Belarus start school at the age of 6. The school year begins on the first  of September for all grades and lasts thirty-four weeks. School education in Belarus consists of elementary( or primary), basic and secondary school.  The five-year basic secondary school is compulsory.

During the first four years of school children learn such basic skills as writing, reading, counting, get some information about nature and society, get acquainted with healthy way of life.

At secondary school students study such subjects as the Belarusian and Russian languages and literatures,  a Foreign Language, History of Belarus and the World’s History, Man and Society, Mathematics, Information Technologies, Geography, Biology, Physics, Chemistry ,music, fine arts, physical training and labor education.  Children can also attend optional classes if they want to study some subjects at a profound level.

The 10-grade assessment system of knowledge is used. Upon completion of grade 9 students have to pass the examinations to receive the certificate of basic education.   Students can continue their education at  secondary schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, uchilishches( vocational schools) technicums,(technical schools) At the end of grade 11  students sit the final examination and if successful receive the certificate of (complete) general secondary education.

2. Do you agree that Belarusian secondary school provides a person with good knowledge? Why?

Yes, I absolutely agree that  Belarusian secondary school provides a person with good knowledge. First of all, students at  our schools study a variety of subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Information technology, Biology,  the Belarusian and Russian languages, a Foreign language.  Moreover, we have highly qualified teachers who are strongly devoted to their job.  What is more, we can attend optional classes in different subjects and study these subjects at a profound level.

Today some young people think that having a good education is (not )important. Do you agree with this?

In my opinion it is very important to have a good education nowadays because we live in a fast changing competitive world. It is extremely important to be able to find your place in this world to be able to adapt to constantly changing conditions.  Deep knowledge of in different spheres can help you to understand the world around you and yourself, can help you get a well-paid, prestigious job with good working conditions, job promotion. Most professions require qualifications or even a degree. A good education can become the foundation of your career.  Good education develops your ability to find information  , to think creatively in order to solve problems. What is more good education can help you bring-up your own children and help them with their schoolwork.  While studying you will be in touch with intelligent, cultured,  original people, which is a very beneficial experience. If you have a good knowledge of English you can communicate with people from all over the world and get a lot of interesting information, read books and watch films in the original. To sum it up it is very important to have a good education.

Ask me what problems I had when I was a student?

1 . What was the most difficult subject for you when you studied at school?

2. Did you get on well with your teachers?

3. I would like to know what subjects you didn’t like at school.

4. Were there any bullies at your school?

5 Did you have any problems with your classmates or teachers?

Ask me whether I liked school when I was a pupil? What kind of pupil I was at school?

What were your favourite subjects?

Who was your favourite teacher at school?

Did you like Physics?

Were you good at languages?

You got on well with your classmates, didn’t you?

What subject did you dislike?

 You are talking to a British student. What you advise him\her to do to prepare for an exam well?

First of all, if you want to do well at your exams  you should attend all your classes, work hard at the lessons, make notes,  because when you put down   the  key points , you memorize them better , ask your teacher or classmates to help you if you don’t understand something. What is more, you should do your homework properly and regularly. It would be wise to make a revision timetable before the examination. If you organize your time properly, you will feel more confident, and will be more likely to get good grades. Whenever you feel under stress, you should take a break and do something relaxing for a while. And finally the night before you sit the exam, go to bed early  and get a good night sleep. If you follow this advice, you will pass your exams with flying colours.

Today some young people want to study abroad because they believe that the level of education is higher there, would you do the same?

As for me, I would prefer to study in Belarus because I think that the level of education here  is  quite high , what is more,  the knowledge  I can get in our country is more suitable for  work in Belarus because laws and paperwork are different in different countries. Moreover, there is a wide choice of higher educational establishments such as universities, higher colleges, institutes, academies in our country. In Belarus I can study full time or by correspondence or at evening classes. To my mind, it is much easier to study in your own language.  The most important thing for me is that I want to be close to my family and friends.

Which school club would you advise your classmate to join?

First of all, it depends on his or her talents and interests but I think that joining our volley-ball team could be very beneficial. Playing volley-ball is exciting as you will take part in different competitions, moreover it is good for health as you will take more exercise. You can relax and get rid of your everyday stress.What is more, playing volley-ball can teach you to work in a team which is very important.

Let`s talk about friendship and relationship with friends.  How important is friendship for you?

To begin with I’d like to stress that friendship is very important for me. In my opinion, friends make life interesting and enjoyable.

To my mind, a friend is one of the nicest things you can have and one of the best things you can be. It is very important to have people who always believe in you and support you. I think I’m a lucky person because I can trust my friends , I can share with them anything  and I’m sure they will never give away my secrets and will never let me down, or betray me. I appreciate my friends’ advice .Of course sometimes we don’t see eye to eye on some things and even quarrel or fall out but we make up in no time because we need each other. They say friendship grows when people have something in common. We enjoy spending time together, we discuss our classes, classmates and different events at school, we go to parties, discos, concerts together or just hang about the town and of course you can have more fun when you are with a friend than when you are on your own.  If you have friends, you never feel lonely.

On the other hand, “A friend in need is a friend indeed” .  My friends always help , support ,me when I’m in trouble.  They are always by my side when I need it. They do their best, to comfort, to cheer me up when I’m upset about something. To sum it up I’d like to say that friendship is a priceless gift.

What questions do you usually ask when you get acquainted with someone?

I would ask such questions as  

What is your name? Where are you from?

What is your occupation?  Have you got a hobby? What is your hobby?  What music do you like?

Do you like reading books? How do you like to spend your free time?

What can you advise a teenager who has no friends?

What can you advice a teenager who is moving to a new place?

I would say you should take up a hobby, for example, play such team games as volley-ball , basketball , football or hockey so that you could make some friends  with  the members of your team. You should take part in after-class activities such as concerts, competitions, parties.  Throw a party and invite your classmates to it. Try to be polite and friendly. Don’t be afraid to talk to people, ask them about their interests, offer them help when they are in trouble.  You should smile, look people in the eyes when you communicate with people.

They say:” If you haven’t learnt the meaning of friendship , you really haven’t learnt anything”/What do you think of this?

I entirely agree with this saying because to my mind friendship teaches people to give and take, to understand each other, to take care of your friend, to sympathize with him, to help him when he is in trouble, to overcome jealousy when he  is more successful than you. If you want to be a good friend you should listen to him, encourage him to achieve his goals. More over friendship also teaches us to compromise when we don’t see eye to eye on some things, to say I’m sorry when we are not right and to listen to our friend’s opinion when he says that we are not right.

      Nowadays people prefer to have more money than many friends. What do you think about it?

In my opinion it is better to have more friends than money because     you can share your problems with your friends, they will listen to you, give you advice, cheer you up, when you are in a bad mood, help you  when you are in trouble and money won’t talk to you or give you advice. So it is better to have friends than money.

 They say:” A person has just one true friend” What do you think about this?

In my opinion it is possible to have more than one true friend. I think a person can have two or three true friends and be on good terms with many people. But at the same time I think it isn’t possible to have too many true friends because to be real friends, people must spend a lot of time together, discuss each other’s problems, help each other so you won’t have enough time and energy to keep up  friendship with too many people.

Nowadays teenagers have got up to 3000 friends in Contact. What do you think of it?

In my opinion friends in Contact are not real friends because some of them you have never met, and sometimes you haven’t even talked to some of them, they are just people with whom you want to share pictures, quotes, clips, jokes, music  and so on. So you can have a lot of friends in Contact but this doesn’t mean that you are a sociable person.

What is your best friend like?

My best friend’s name is… She is a student … She is my neighbour, I have known her for 3 years. She is very kind and cheerful. We enjoy spending time together. We always have fun. She cheers me when I am upset. My friend is very sociable; she has a wide circle of friends. … is honest , she always tells me the truth. My friend is reliable; she never lets me down or gives away my secrets. … has never betrayed me. So I’m lucky to have such a friend and I will do my best to keep our friendship.

What can you advise a teenager who doesn’t want to go to school because of bullying?

It is not an easy question to answer. I think a lot depends on the situation. It could be a good idea to discuss the problem with a grown up person that he can trust for example,with his parents, or his elder brother or sister, or with some teachers. In my opinion he should try to make friends with some children who could support him and help him and try to ignore the bullies and walk away.  Bullies thrive on the reaction they get, and if you ignore them, you’re telling the bully that you just don’t care. Sooner or later the bully will probably get bored with trying to bother you. Walk tall and hold your head high. Using this type of body language sends a message that you’re not vulnerable. Learn a martial art or take a class like yoga. Another way to gain confidence is to develop your skills in something like chess, art, music, computers, or writing. Joining a class, club, or gym is a great way to make new friends and feel great about yourself. The confidence you gain will help you ignore the mean kids.

People say that friendship isn’t a big thing, I’s a million little things. What do you think about it?

I entirely agree with the statement. They say friendship grows when people have something in common.  For example my friends and I enjoy spending time together, we always have fun when we are together, we discuss our classes, classmates and different events at school, we discuss the books we read and the films we see, we go to parties, discos, concerts together or just hang about the town. We take part in competitions or some other extracurricular activities. I think I’m a lucky person because I can trust my friends  I can share with them anything  and I’m sure they will never give away my secrets and will never let me down, or betray me. I appreciate my friends’ advice. Of course, sometimes we don’t see eye to eye on some things and even quarrel or fall out but we make up in no time because we need each other. My friends always help , support ,me when I’m in trouble. They are always by my side when I need it. They do their best, to comfort, to cheer me up when I’m upset about something. I in my turn, try to pay in the same coin.  To sum it up I’d like to point out that is very important to do a million little things for your friends.

Can you rely on your best friend why? Why not?

I think I can rely on my best friend because she has never let me down or betrayed before. She has never given away my secrets. When I was in trouble she was always by my side, she always supported me and did her best to help me. She always tells me the truth and never lies to me. So I think I can trust and rely on my best friend.

What is easier to make friends when you are an adult or a child? Why?

In my opinion it is easier to make new friends when you are a child because children have more people to make friends with. Children meet a lot of people at school, when they take part in extracurricular activities, when they attend a music school, sports clubs and so on. More over children have more time to spend with their friends, while adults have a lot of responsibilities, they have to work hard to earn their living and take care of their families.  On the other side it depends on a person. To my mind if a person is sociable, outgoing, sympathetic he will have  a lot of friends in both in his childhood and in his adulthood.

            Let’s talk about Great Britain

1. Let’s talk about Britain. What do you know about this country? 

The full name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and a great number of small islands. Their total area is over 314 000 sq. km. The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Northern Ireland occupies one third of the island of Ireland. It borders on the Irish Republic in the south. The island of Great Britain consists of three main parts: England (the southern and middle part of the island), Wales (a mountainous peninsula in the West) and Scotland (the northern part of the island).

There are no high mountains in Great Britain. In the north the Cheviots separate England from Scotland, the Pennines stretch down North England along its middle, the Cambrian Mountains occupy the greater part of Wales and the Highlands of Scotland are the tallest of the British mountains. There is very little flat country except in the region known as East Anglia. Most of the rivers flow into the North Sea. The Thames is the deepest and the longest of the British rivers. Some of the British greatest ports are situated in the estuaries of the Thames, Mersey, Trent, Clyde and Bristol Avon. Great Britain is not very rich in mineral resources; it has some deposits of coal and iron ore and vast deposits of oil and gas that were discovered in the North Sea.

The warm currents of the Atlantic Ocean influence the climate of Great Britain. Winters are not severely cold and. summers are rarely hot. The population of the United Kingdom is over 58 million people. The main nationalities are: English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish. In Great Britain there are a lot of immigrants from former British Asian and African colonies. Great Britain is a highly industrialized country. New industries have been developed in the last three decades. The main industrial centres are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow and Bristol. The capital of the country is London. The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy.

2. Would you like to visit Britain? Why (not)? Yes, of course. It would be great to visit this unique country and to learn more about its geography, history and culture on the spot.

3. What would you ask a British teenager about national holidays in Britain? What is the difference between state and bank holidays in Great Britain? What is your favourite holiday? Are there any similar things in celebration of New Year in Great Britain and Belarus?

4. Give me a piece of advice on what sights to see in London. London is one the richest cities in its sights to visit. I strongly recommend you to visit the Bridge of London, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. You can go to Hyde Park just to rest and see the Poet’s Corner. But the best look on the city is from London Eye.

5. Do the British differ greatly from Belarusian people in character? Why? I think, it’s true. We differ a lot because of our different languages, customs, traditions and historical development. These are the factors which influence greatly on characters of people.

What sights in England would you advise me to visit?

First of all, I would advise you to visit London with its beautiful sights such as St. Paul’s Cathedral ,Christopher Wren’s  masterpiece, one of the most beautiful churches is the world with its famous Whispering Gallery. Its dome is one of the highest in the world.

It goes without saying you should visit  the Tower of London built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror . You can learn  a lot about the history of Britain if you take part in a guided tour . The guides are beefeaters in their colourful  Tudor uniforms . You can see legendary  ravens and the Crown Jewels  there.

You should visit Stonehenge a  breathtaking prehistoric monument located near Salisbury   You can also visit Windsor Castle and see with your own  eyes the imposing  (грандиозный) towers and battlements зубчатая стена  of the castle which is the official residence of the Queen.

Would you like to visit Great Britain ? Why (not)?

Of course, I would like to visit Great Britain because I would like to see with my own  eyes  its beautiful sights, royal ceremonies,  learn more about its culture and traditions, sample English cuisine, and practise English.

What would you ask a British teenager about Britain?

1. Do you dress up at Halloween?

2. What sight would you recommend me to visit in Britain?

3. What dish would you recommend me to eat?

4. Have you ever met the Queen?

5. Does it often snow in winter in Britain?

Do British traditions and customs differ from Belarusian ones?

In my opinion, on the one hand  traditions differ in Britain and Belarus, because the British have a lot of royal ceremonies such as Changing the Guards , Trooping the Colour , the ceremony of Opening the Parliament. We don’t have a king or a queen in Belarus. The British celebrate Guy Fawkes night or Bonfire night with lots of fireworks, St Valentine’s Day, Halloween which we don’t celebrate. Here in Belarus we celebrate Kupalle and Kalyady. But on the other hand both in Britain and in Belarus we celebrate such holidays as Easter and Christmas.

Let’s talk about modern means of communication.

To begin with I’d like to point out that means of communication have changed greatly. When we think of it we cannot understand how people who lived 50 years ago were able to keep in touch. Nowadays we cannot imagine human contacts without modern technology devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, i-Pods, i-Pads, laptops and so on.

Thanks to the new technologies people are communicating more than ever before. Modern means of communication have made the distance between people unimportant. Unlike 20 years ago we usually call someone, not visit. Mobile phones are portable and let us contact others wherever they and we are. Furthermore, mobile phones offer the possibility of texting. Text messaging is the most convenient and the cheapest form of communication when we need to pass a quick note containing only a few words.

Emails have replaced letters and postcards almost completely. People prefer emails, which are quicker to write and send and more sure to reach the addressee.

Video conferences are often used by business people and scientists and they don’t need to travel to remote places.

To keep in touch with our families and friends that live abroad we use the Internet and such programs as Skype or Messenger, we use video chats or instant messaging. Thanks to them we can talk with our relatives for free and without time limits.

A lot of people especially teenagers communicate in social networks such as vkontaкte, facebook, twitter, odnoklasniki.   They share the news, pictures, funny videos, jokes, songs and so on.

The Internet is very helpful for those who have a hobby.  You can communicate with those who share the same passion from all over the world. You can learn the news and discuss your favourite pop star, or a movie actor, a tv show, sport competitions and what not. On forums people share their experiences and help each other to solve the   problems they have run into.

To sum it up I’d like to point out that modern means of communication have changed our life, they influence our social life, politics, commerce, everything.

Let`s talk about travelling

It is difficult to imagine modern life without travelling. People travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and ruins of ancient towns, to enjoy picturesque places or just for a change of scene.  As for me I, personally, enjoy travelling because travel broadens the mind. Travel makes you see other people’s lives, cultures and traditions. Travel educates you and makes you knowledgeable. It is always interesting to discover new things and other ways of life, to meet different people, to taste different food, examine various architectural styles, visit museums and picture galleries. Travelling is a remarkable key to understanding other cultures, a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the world we live in. You will then appreciate your own life and see things in a different way.

Nowadays people can travel in different ways: by car, by train, by plane, by ship or even on foot. Of course travelling by air is the most convenient as in a short time you reach the place of your destination.  So it is the fastest but the most expensive way of travelling. Travelling by train is slower than by plane, but it has its advantages as well. Many people are convinced that with a train you have speed comfort and pleasure combined. Most trains nowadays have very comfortable seats as well as sleeping carriages and dining cars. If you travel by car you don’t need to reserve your tickets, carry your luggage. You can stop wherever and whenever you want.

Unfortunately I cannot say that I have travelled a lot in my life but I have been to Russia, Ukraine. I have visited a few towns in Belarus such as Minsk, Mogilev, Grodno but most of all I was impressed by my visit to Belovezshksaya Pushcha.    As you know there is the Residence of Ded Moroz (Slavic Santa Clause) in Belavezshkaya Pushcha and we saw European Bisons there.

And I hope that in future I will have more opportunities to travel and to visit different countries.

How do you like to travel?

There are different ways of travelling. You can travel by plane, train, bus , car or even on foot. As for me I prefer to travel by train because it is comfortable, there is more space than in a car or a bus. But in future I would like to try to travel by plane because it is the fastest way of travelling and they say it is the safest one.

What questions would you ask a tour guide on a tour of London?

1. What sights are we going to visit?

2. Have you ever seen any ghosts in the Tower of London?

3. How many tourists visit London every year?

4. Does the London Eye work at night?

5.  What is the tallest building in London?

What can you advise a person who doesn’t know where to spend his\her holiday?

He can search for some information on the Internet, or turn to a travel agent who will help him to choose a destination according to his taste and financial possibilities, book tickets and make   hotel reservations.

What difficulties can you have when visiting a foreign country? Is it possible to avoid them?

First of all, you can run into difficulties if you don’t know the language of the country you are visiting but if you know English it will be very helpful, because there are a lot of people  who speaks English  in any country. You should have insurance in case you fall ill or have an accident.  Be very careful with what you eat or drink to avoid food poisoning.  Make sure you have a visa and a valid passport.   Use credit cards so that you won’t have your money stolen.

Let’s talk about weather and climate. What is happening to weather and climate nowadays?

In my view a person’s life depends to a certain degree on the weather and climate.  The agriculture, the national cuisine, the clothes we wear, the types of houses we live in all these depend on the climate and weather. More over our mood often depends on the weather. If the weather is sunny and bright we feel happy and cheerful but if the weather is gloomy a lot of people feel depressed. Every day many people listen to weather forecasts to make up their minds on what clothes to wear and whether or not to take an umbrella with them.

Unfortunately there are also natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, droughts ,floods, avalanches, storms that badly affect people’s lives.

The climate in Belarus is moderately continental. It means winters are fairly cold  and summers are moderately hot. The climate of Great Britain is moderate and mild due to the influence of the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The weather in Britain is very changeable and the English even say they have no climate but only weather which has become a favourite topic of conversation.

They say that our climate is getting warmer and warmer  and call it global warming. Environmentalists say that global warming is caused by emission of certain gasses such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which causes  greenhouse effect. These changes in climate can be dangerous because it can lead to the melting of the Arctic ice and the rise in the level of the World Ocean. So, water will cover some land and probably the most fertile land he plants and animals could no longer survive. So we must do our best to save our planet.

 Are you weather dependent?

I am not weather dependent but my grandmother is. When the weather is changing she can have headaches, pains in her arms, high blood pressure, weakness.

 What questions can you ask a meteorologist ?

Why did you want to become a meteorologist?

Are your forecasts always true?

What devises do you use to forecast the weather?

Where were you trained  to become a meteorologists?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of your job?

Is it difficult to forecast weather?

4. What can you advise a person who wants to become a meteorologist.

If I wanted to become a meteorologist I would watch some educational TV programmes about nature, geography, climate on such channels as National Geographic and others. I would also try to find out in what educational establishments I can be trained to become a meteorologist. It could be a good idea to keep a journal of the temperature and weather conditions in your place so you could see whether you are cut out to be a meteorologist.

5. They say there is no bad weather, there are bad clothes. What do you think about it?

To begin with I’d like to point out that weather influences our mood and health. If the weather is bright and sunny we usually are in high spirits and feel on top of the world, on the other hand when the weather is dull and gloomy we often feel blue. There is even an expression to feel under the weather, which means to feel unwell.

But of course proper clothes can protect you from cold and rain. Unfortunately some young people want to look fashionable and don’t pay attention to weather conditions. We must think carefully about our clothes and footwear before going out and then we won’t have any problems with colds or feel miserable.

           Contrary to much popular belief …………………………………………………………… don’t refer to a period prior to Christmas but to the                  

             days until January 6th.

             ………………………………………………….. is a popular drink throughout the United States and Canada, and is usually associated

             with winter celebrations, it may be added as a flavouring to food or drinks such as tea and coffee.

            …………………………………………………….. started in the UK about 800 years ago during the Middle Ages. It was the day when

           the alms box, collection boxes for the poor often kept in churches, were traditionally opened so that the contents could be distribu

          ted to poor people. Some churches still open these boxes on ………………………………………………….

           In Northern Europe Christmas occurred during the middle of winter, when ghosts and demons could be heard howling in the

          winter winds. ………………………………….., believed to have magical powers since they remained green through the harsh winter,

         were often placed over the doors of homes to drive evil away. Greenery was also brought indoors to freshen the air and brighten

        the mood during the long, dreary winter. Legend also has it that ………… sprang from the footsteps of Christ as he walked the

       earth. The pointed leaves were said to represent the crown of thorns Christ wore while on the cross and the red berries symbolized

      the blood he shed.

       Traditional …………………………………………… includes Joseph, Mother Mary, Baby Jesus in a crib and the shepherds who visited

      along with an ox, sheep and the camel. Others includes the three wise men who have travelled far and wide to visit the new born

       baby.

         A native Mexican plant, ……………………………………………… were named after a U.S. ambassador to Mexico who brought the

        plant to America in 1828. ………………..were likely used by Mexican Franciscans in their 17th century Christmas celebrations.

         One legend has it that a young Mexican boy, on his way to visit the village Nativity scene, realized he had no gift for the

          Christ child. He gathered pretty green branches from along the road and brought them to the church. Though the other children  

           mocked him, when the leaves were laid at the manger, a beautiful star-shaped flower appeared on each branch. The bright red

            petals, often mistaken for flowers, are actually the upper leaves of the plant.

            ……………………………..………….. was used by Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ in their winter celebrations. They  

            revered the plant since it had no roots yet remained green during the cold months of winter. The ancient Celtics believed it had  

            magical healing powers and used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward off evil spirits. The plant was also seen as

            a symbol of peace, it is said that among Romans, enemies who met under ……………would lay down their weapons and embrace.
           Scandanavians associated the plant with Frigga, their goddess of love, and it may be from this that we derive the custom of  

             kissing under the …………………... Those who kissed under it had the promise of happiness and good luck in the following year.

             To all European races, ………………………………. was believed to bring beneficial magic and was kept burning for at least twelve  

            hours and sometimes as long as twelve days, warming both the house and those who resided within. When the fire of …………….

           was finally quenched, a small fragment of the wood would be saved and used to light the next year's log. It was also believed that

          as long as it burned, the house would be protected from witchcraft. The ashes that remained from the sacred …………………… were

          scattered over fields to bring fertility, or cast into wells to purify and sweeten the water. Sometimes, the ashes were used in the  

         creation of various charms...to free cattle from vermin, or to ward off hailstorms.

        ……………………………………………… commemorating the nativity, or birth of Jesus Christ, were purportedly first written in Latin

        in the 4th and 5th centuries, but they didn't become associated with Christmas until the 13th century. Saint Francis of Assisi,

        the Roman Catholic saint of animals and the environment, is often credited with incorporating upbeat Latin hymns into

       Christmas services. The energetic, joyful songs were sung in sharp contrast to the somber Christmas music of the day.

       The origin of the …………………………………………………….. is a tale of a kindly Saint Nicholas.

       Key: The twelve days of Christmas, eggnog, Boxing Day, the boughs of holly, Nativity

      Scene, poinsettia, mistletoe, the Yule log, Carols, hanging stockings

Find 10 Mistakes

Tommorrow I will go fishing with my friend, max and Tom. we will going fishing in lake close to my house. We yousually go fishing every sunday morning. It is our Favorite thing in the world to do,

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Answer Key

Tomorrow I will go fishing with my friends, Max and Tom. We will go fishing in the lake close to my house. We usually go fishing every Sunday morning. It is our favorite thing in the world to do.