Examination Topics

Examination Topics

his love for people.I also admire American famous people. I’d like to tell

you about Walt Disney, the pioneer of animated cartoons. He is famous for

creating such cartoon characters as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, Goofy

and others. He was born in 1901 in Chicago. His father was a carpenter,

farmer and building contractor. So the family changed homes several times.

In 1917 Walt entered a Higher School in Chicago, where he took photographs,

made drawings for the school paper and studied cartooning, for he wanted to

get a job as a newspaper cartoonist. After World War 1, in which he

participated as a truck driver for the American Red Cross in France and

Germany, he returned to Kansas City. There he met Ub Iverk who turned into

his partner for life. They started a small studio of their own and began

making short animated advertising films. In 1927 Mickey Mouse appeared.

Disney himself provided the voice for Mickey. Then the other cartoons

appeared. Gradually, the Disney studio turned into a big enterprise and

began to produce a variety of cartoons for children. And it was he, who

initiated plans for a huge amusement park, which is known as Disneyland. A

lot of grown-ups and children visit this park and remember the person who

founded it, Walt Disney. And, of course, they remember Walt Disney because

of his remarkable cartoons.

9. What would you tell your foreign friends about traditional Russian

holidays and celebrations? What do you think your British friends will tell

you about their traditional holidays and celebrations?

Every country has its own national holidays, but there are holidays that

are common for many countries. People all over the world know New Year’s

Day, Christmas and Easter. In Russia, New Year’s Day is the most popular

holiday; but in the West people pay more attention to Christmas.

Christmas

New Year’s Day is a family event in Russia. People begin to prepare for

this holiday beforehand. Everything is rush and bustle. There is a great

air of expectation. People decorate their New Year trees with tinsel,

various baubles and coloured lights. They usually put their presents under

the tree. When the Kremlin clock strikes 12 they see the New Year in.

There are also dates and events in our country that are memorable to

Russian people. They are Victory Day, the Day of Reconciliation and

Harmony, Women’s Day, the Day of Spring and Labour, Independence Day,

Country Defendant’s Day, Constitution Day, and Maslenitsa. Besides, there

are many professional days in our country: Teacher’s Day, Miner’s Day, etc.

Christmas in Russia is celebrated on 7 January. It is celebrated with all-

night services in churches. Country Defendant’s Day is celebrated on 23

February. This holiday is devoted to soldiers and officers and everyone

else who defended the country or is in the Army. Women’s Day is celebrated

on 8 March. It is a day-off. Men and boys try to please their mothers,

sisters and friends by giving them presents and flowers. Maslenitsa marks

the end of winter and the beginning of spring and Lent. During this

festival people make pancakes, sing and dance traditional songs and dances,

and visit each other. Maslenitsa and Easter are movable holidays. Easter is

the main Orthodox festival. People colour eggs and enjoy traditional

Russian dishes. Churches hold special services on this day.

The Day of Spring and Labour is celebrated on 1 May. On this day people

prefer to go outdoors and take part in all kinds of outdoor activities.

Victory Day is celebrated on 9 May – it celebrates the end of the Soviet

Union’s participation in World War II in Europe. People put flowers at the

tombs of the soldiers who were killed during the war. The main ceremony is

held in Moscow. People lay flowers in Moscow’s Park Pobedi and at the Tomb

of an Unknown Soldier. Independence Day is celebrated on 12 June. On this

day Russia became an independent country after the break up of the Soviet

Union in 1991. This is an official holiday. The Day of Reconciliation and

Harmony is celebrated on 7 November. It used to be the greatest official

holiday, celebrating the anniversary of the October Revolution. Now this

day is marked by marches and demonstrations. For many people it’s just a

day-off. The Constitution Day is celebrated on 12 December. It celebrates

the new Constitution of 1993.

There are fewer public holidays in Great Britain than in other European

countries. They are: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Good

Friday, Easter Monday, Spring Bank Holiday and Late Summer Bank Holiday.

All holidays and traditions are connected with the history and culture of

the country.

The most popular holiday is Christmas. Every year the people of Norway give

the city of London a present. It’s a big Christmas tree and it stands in

Trafalgar Square. The central streets are beautifully decorated. People

decorate their houses with holly and mistletoe. They send Christmas cards

to greet each other. Children hang their stockings, hoping that Father

Christmas will come with toys and sweets. Before Christmas groups of people

go from house to house – they sing Christmas carols and collect money for

charity. Christmas is a family holiday. The family usually meets for a

traditional dinner of turkey and Christmas pudding, and everyone gives and

receives presents. New Year’s Day is less popular in Britain than

Christmas. But in Scotland, Hogmanay is the biggest festival of the year.

They celebrate New Year. The preparations for the occasion begin several

days before the New Year’s Eve, which is known as Hogmanay. The night of

Hogmanay is a time for merrymaking, the giving of presents and observance

of the old customs. The name “Hogmanay” is supposed to come from the Anglo-

Saxon “Haleg Monath” (Holy Month), or the Gaaelic “oge maiden” (New

Morning). December 26th is Boxing Day. People usually visit their friends,

go for a drive or for a long walk, or just sit around and watch TV

recovering from too much food after Christmas dinner. In the country there

is fox-hunting.

Easter

Easter is the time when certain old traditions are observed. It is

celebrated as the start of spring and as a religious festival. It is the

time for giving and receiving presents, such as Easter eggs, hot cross

buns, fluffy little chicks, baby rabbits, and springtime flowers to signify

nature’s reawakening.

Four times a year the banks are closed on Monday apart from traditional

weekends. Such days are called Bank Holidays.

Besides public holidays, there are certain traditional festivals which have

existed over centuries in the country. They are Pancake Day, Guy Fawkes’

Night, Saint Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Hallowe’en, April’s Fool Day,

etc. These days are not days-off. But they help to keep many traditions,

which Englishmen have always been famous for.

As for me, most of all I like Hallowe’en. It goes back many, many hundreds

of years. At that time the Celts lived in England. The Celts said, “In this

night the ghosts of the dead come back.” Nowadays children in the USA and

Britain dress up as witches or ghosts. Some children also make jack-o’-

lanterns out of pumpkins. They put them in the windows at night. In the

evening, the children go out in groups and knock at people’s doors. The

children call out: “Trick or treat.” Most people then give the children a

“treat”. This is usually a sweet, some chocolate, or maybe a toffee apple.

But some people do not give the children a treat. Then the children play a

trick on them. Sometimes, they ring the doorbell again and then they hide

or run away. Or they come to the house again later and put leaves, grass,

stones or other things into the letterbox. Children and older people often

have Hallowe’en parties where they play games such as “bobbing for apples”,

“apples on a string”, “fortune telling”. I wish we celebrated Hallowe’en in

Russia because this holiday is very funny and interesting.

10. You are going to spend a month with an American or British family. What

do you think will be interesting for your host family to learn about you?

Hello! Let me introduce myself to you. I’m Alexander, Alex for short. I

live in Moscow. I’m a student of the 9th grade. We are a family of four: my

mother, my father, my elder brother and me. We live in a block of flats on

the 11th floor. There are three rooms in our flat and we have all modern

conveniences. I share a room with my elder brother. My brother is a student

of Moscow University. We are close friends. I discuss everything with him

and we don’t have any secrets from each other. We get on very well.

Sometimes I even borrow his clothes and he never gets annoyed. We don’t

feel competitive, because we have different interests. I’m more academic

and he’s more artistic. But we are both fond of sport very much. We both go

to the swimming pool twice a week. It helps us to keep fit, it gives us

good stamina, and it’s good for our hearts and lungs. We hardly ever

quarrel or fight. My brother never sees me as being in the way. I think I’m

quite easy-going. I’m similar in personality to my mother. She is always

very friendly to all, although she can be quite critical of people. I like

to be friendly to the people around me, and I don’t normally like to let my

bad moods and anger inside me, come out and affect other people.

I don’t know if I’m particularly obsessive. I like to do different things

every day. I am fond of collecting different things. One day I collect toy

cars, another day I want to collect badges. But most of all I prefer

collecting stamps because it’s a family hobby. You can learn a tremendous

amount through stamps, especially about history. Stamps are a great way to

bring history alive. All the members of my family collect stamps and the

theme of our collection is history. It is a long-lasting hobby and who

knows – in 20 years or so it may have become an impressive collection that

can be appreciated and enjoyed by my own children too.

I have grandparents, my mother’s parents. They don’t live with us; but I

often visit them. They live a very routine life, but they like it. I can’t

put my finger on it, exactly, but there is some atmosphere in their house

like nothing has changed for twenty years. My parents are doctors and they

work in the hospital. They are very giving, caring persons, and always

consider those around them. They work very hard in their hospital and

really put all their energy in their work. They are very much in love, even

after years of being married and always caring for each other. My parents

have warm, friendly eyes and always express a spirit of goodwill towards

people. I love my parents very much and my ambition is to be a doctor too,

because I want to help people if they have some problems with their health.

I originally became interested in medicine during my 9th grade, when I

realized that my skills and my traits would serve me well in my future

career. Besides I’m good at Chemistry, Biology and History – they are my

favourite subjects. I’m not very good at English, but I understand that it

is one of the most important subjects now, and I try my best to improve it.

We have a pet. It’s a dog. Her name is Sunny. Her mother is a Scotch

Shepherd dog. I am never lonely with my pet. She is a great favourite with

everyone in our family. All people admire her. She wears a good collar with

her name on it. She especially likes morning walks with my father.

My native city is Moscow. Many people associate Moscow with the Kremlin and

Red Square as the heart of the city. It is really the oldest historical and

architectural centre of Moscow and my favourite place in Moscow, because

it’s connected with the history of my country. Nowadays the Moscow Kremlin,

with all the beauty of the palaces and cathedrals, is a wonderful sight.

All these cathedrals have been converted into museums. Ivan the Terrible

Bell Tower, one of the most remarkable structures of the 16th century,

rises in the centre of the Kremlin. It unites all the Kremlin Cathedrals

into a majestic ensemble. One of the well-known Kremlin museums is the

Armoury Chamber. It was built in 1851. The famous golden cap of Monomach,

the first Russian imperial crown of Catherine II made of silver, and many

other precious historical items are exhibited there. So when you come to my

native city, I’ll show you all the interesting and amazing sights of it.

11. People have various reading preferences. What do you like to read? What

is your favourite writer?

I think that we can’t live without books. There are a lot of different

kinds of books in the world, for example, thrillers, historical novels,

science fiction, adventure books and others. Most of them are with us

during all our life. Boys all over the world like reading adventure,

thrillers and horror stories, whereas girls prefer romances, historical

novels and poetry. Encyclopaedias, reference books and dictionaries help

pupils to do well at school.

All the members of my family like reading very much. My father often reads

newspapers and magazines. He thinks that it is the only way to be in the

know of everything. And my mother is keen on reading romances and modern

novels. For her they are more interesting than boring historical novels.

She agrees with Anatole France that “history books which contain no lies

are extremely dull”. But she wouldn’t mind reading about the life of well-

known people.

I enjoy reading very much. Most of all I like reading detective stories,

because they have interesting story lines and unusual endings. I am

particularly captivated by characters who conduct investigations.

I never believed there really were books that you couldn’t put down. I

changed my opinion when I started to read The Woman in White by Wilkie

Collins, an English writer. The book was written in the 19th century. It’s

a very good detective story, with a bit of romance thrown in it. The book

is basically about mistaken identity. The main character in the story is a

young artist who goes up to the north of England to instruct two young

ladies. And he falls in love with Miss Fairlie, who looks very like the

woman in white. Finally they turn out to be identical twins. The author

brilliantly describes the adventures, love and fears of his heroes. He

really brings the characters to life. A good writer knows how to keep you

reading the book. In The Woman in White the reader’s interest is caught

from the very first page and there is suspense till the very end! This is a

great book and I would recommend it to anyone.

But my favourite writer is Agatha Christie. She is possibly the world’s

most famous detective story writer. She wrote 79 novels and several plays.

Her books are translated into 103 foreign languages. Many of her novels and

short stories have been filmed. Her sales outnumber those of Shakespeare,

but her life was often lonely and unhappy.

She was born in 1890 in Devon. She didn’t go to school, but was educated at

home by her mother. During World War I, while she was working in a hospital

dispensary, she learned about chemicals and poisons, which proved very

useful to her in her later career. She wrote her first detective novel,

“The Mysterious Affair at Styles”, in 1920. In it she introduced Hercule

Poirot, the Belgian detective, who appeared in many subsequent novels. Her

other main detective was an elderly spinster called Miss Marple. Miss

Marple doesn’t look like a detective at all. This old lady always uses her

instinct and knowledge of human nature to investigate crimes.

In 1914 she married Archibald Christie, but the marriage was unhappy. It

didn’t last long, and they divorced in 1926. Agatha desperately wanted

solitude and developed very bitter feelings towards the media because the

newspapers had given her a hard time over her breakdown. She was determined

never to let them enter her private life again and she buried herself in

her work. On November 25, 1952 her play “The Mousetrap” opened in London.

Today, over 50 years later, it is still running. It is the longest running

show in the whole world. Agatha Christie died peacefully in 1976. People

all over the world value this talented writer and consider her to be the

Queen of Crime.

I don’t mind reading adventure stories. I especially like to read about

characters who go through dangers to complete their mission. I think it’s

more interesting than reading dull historical novels. But I dislike poetry,

especially modern poetry. I find it too complicated. Sometimes I fail to

understand what poets mean.

I am sure that reading is an essential part of our life. Only in books can

you find answers to all your questions. Books can tell us a lot about the

modern world and ancient times. Besides, they can help us to explore new

ideas and expand our outlook. I completely agree that “reading is to the

mind what exercise is to the body.” What is more, books teach us to be kind

and honest. While reading we learn how to solve our problems and to make

people happy. And I think that reading is a perfect way to spend free time

and not to feel bored. Books must be our friends during all our life.

12. Television is much spoken about nowadays. It has both good and bad

points. What are your arguments for and against watching TV?

It goes without saying that television plays a very important part in

people’s lives. It’s a wonderful source of information and one of the best

ways to spend free time and not to feel bored. Television viewing is by far

the most popular leisure pastime. For example, in Britain over 99 per cent

of British homes have a TV, and the average person watches “the box” 26

hours a week. It’s not surprising, because TV channels show a great variety

of programmes: documentaries and current affairs programmes, feature films

and comedies, soaps and police series, concerts and talk shows.

There are four TV channels in Britain: BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV and Channel 4. BBC

1 and BBC 2, the two state channels, do not show adverts. ITV and Channel

4, the two independent channels, do show adverts. BBC 1 and ITV tend to

broadcast popular programmes: sports programmes, recent films, news, game

shows, children’s programmes and soaps. BBC 2 and Channel 4 show programmes

which usually attract much smaller audiences: TV plays, classical concerts,

foreign films and programmes for minority groups.

Russian television has between 10 and 15 channels, which show all kinds of

programmes: news and sports programmes, talk shows and quizzes,

documentaries and feature films, soaps and police series, comedies and

concerts.

Thanks to satellites, TV viewers can increase their options and watch TV

from different countries. Conventional television has to struggle to retain

its audience, as people switch over to cable viewing, satellite TV, or

renting video cassettes.

Television is a reflection of the modern world. It gives you an opportunity

to travel all over the world, to see different people and learn about their

customs and traditions. Television keeps you informed about the rest of the

world. And of course, it helps you to escape from everyday problems.

A lot of people usually relax watching soaps – TV serials which dramatise

their characters’ daily life. Their story lines are entertaining, but often

unbelievable. I don’t think that they show life realistically; but to many

people, the characters in the weekly TV serial shows have become more

important than real people.

As for me, I prefer watching different quizz shows. That’s why my favourite

TV programme is “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” It is shown twice a week,

and lasts about an hour. The programme is now hosted by Maxim Galkin. It is

a game show where the player is asked different questions. If the answers

are correct, the participant gets a lot of money. But if he is wrong, he

loses everything. I particularly enjoy watching this programme, because the

questions are always very interesting and they help me to expand my

outlook. Besides, it’s a perfect way to be in the know about everything. I

find this programme clever and informative and try not to miss it.

Of course, not everything shown on TV is made in good taste. There are

badly-written programmes which contain unnecessary bad language and

violence. The strange thing is that neither politicians nor producers like

to admit that watching violence on TV leads to greater violence on the

streets.

Many people admit that the quality of television could be better. They

would prefer to see fewer soap operas and crime series, and more history,

drama, and science. One reason for the poor quality of programmes is

advertising. Not all people like watching commercials. They find ads silly

and boring. As for me, I don’t take advertising seriously. On the one hand,

advertisements help people choose the best products and get the best value

for their money. But on the other hand, they show life unrealistically and

give false information. Besides, in adverts all people seem to be happy

consumers, all kids seem to be healthy and well off. But this is not true

at all. What is more, I find it very annoying when a film stops at the most

interesting moment. Nevertheless, I am not against commercials on TV,

because television companies earn their money from advertising.

Another thing I would like to complain about is the amount of smoking in

the films that are shown on TV. Smoking is often shown as a very “cool”

thing to do – making young people much more likely to copy what they see,

and take up smoking themselves.

Some people say that television is a terrible waste of time. Of course,

there are TV addicts who can’t drag themselves away from the box. They

watch TV for hours without choosing programmes, and spend time in front of

television which they could spend talking to their friends and family. In

this case, television makes them really waste time. But on the contrary, if

we watch TV for an hour a day, to find out what is happening in the world

or to relax, then television is really useful.

In short, television does have its good points. Many of the broadcast

programmes are educational and can help with schoolwork. A good soap-opera

or a comedy is a source of relaxation for many people. Television also

provides jobs for thousands of people. So I think it is not the TV itself

which is to blame for the bad effects it has, but the fact that people do

not know how to make the best use of it.

13. What are the most popular free time activities for British and Russian

teenagers? What activities do you like? Why?

Britain has recent by been described as a “leisure society.” This is

because there are a great variety of leisure pursuits. Young people

generally go out on Friday or Saturday nights to a disco, to a concert or

to a pub. In recent years going out for a meal or getting a take-away meal

have become popular too. During the past years there is a great increase in

keeping fit and staying healthy. A lot of teens started running, jogging

and going to different fitness clubs in their spare time. Aerobics classes

and fitness clubs opened in every town, and the number of recreation

centres greatly increased. Indoor pools, with their wave-making machines,

water slides and tropical vegetation, have became very popular.

And the same is true in Russia. A lot of teens go in for different kinds of

sport. Sport helps them to feel as fit as a fiddle. In both countries there

are special programmes for problem teenagers, such as a high-risk

activities, for example they are taught to jump out of aeroplanes. But

despite the increase in the number of teens participating in sport, the

majority of young people still prefer to be spectators. They prefer to be

couch potatoes. Watching sports on TV is a popular leisure activity, as is

going to football matches on Saturday. Cinemas have been redesigned with

four or more screens, each showing a different film at the same time, and a

lot of teens like going to the cinemas too.

The young generation is fond of communication. There are many available

methods of communication nowadays, and the most popular one is computers. A

lot of teenagers spend plenty of time working on computers. The Internet

seems really good fun. You may send e-mails to friends from different

countries and get their answers instantly. You even may talk to them. It is

easy and quick. A lot of teenagers have mobile telephones, so they can

always be contacted, if they keep their telephone switched on, at any time

of the day or night, or tend text messages.

A lot of teenagers in both countries are crazy about animals. They race

them, train them and breed them. They like to hear stories about them on

television programmes and they like reading books about them. Many teens

have a pet animal. It could be a dog, a cat, a goldfish, a bird or a small

furry animal like a hamster. Looking after and being kind to their pets is

very important for teens. Why are teens so interested in animals? Perhaps

it’s because they are rather shy in their heart of hearts. One of my

friends says: “I can say anything I like to my dog, but she never thinks

I’m silly.”

There are plenty of other kinds of activities, such as travelling, visiting

historical places, babysitting, delivering newspapers, putting together

jigsaw puzzles, reading, going to different museums, skateboarding, going

fishing, hitchhiking, shopping, helping people in need, joining a computer

club and others. We can say “So many teens; so many kinds of activities.”

Now some words about me. I am fifteen and I am a computer addict. I am fond

of communication with other teens. That’s why I have a lot of friends in my

and other countries. We send messages from one computer to another one

using e-mail; we have on-line conversations. I am a member of the computing

club and I spend much time there. Of course, it’s rather expensive, but my

parents understand me and give me enough money to pay for my computer club.

And I think that my hobby will be useful in my future profession. Besides,

I spend my free time in the sport club. I go in for kung fu. Recently films

about kung fu have become very popular in Russia. This fighting itself is a

great art, the result of many years of hard work and self-discipline. The

man who made kung fu films famous was Bruce Lee. He used fists, elbows,

feet (never weapons) and moved as fast as lightning. I am rather good at

kung fu now, but I never use my skills to hurt anybody, unless it is

absolutely necessary. Now people know what Kung Fu is, and I think it may

become a sport of the future, because it develops up your personality, will

and nobility.

14. Young people are fond of different styles of music. What kinds are

popular now? What kind of music do you like? Why?

Can you think of a day without music? We can hear music everywhere: in the

streets and at home, over the radio and on TV, in the shops and in the

parks. People all over the world are fond of music. They listen to music,

they dance to music, they learn to play musical instruments.

But what is music? Specialists explain that music isn’t only a combination

of pleasant sounds. It is an art which reflects life. There are a lot of

different kinds of music. Some of them appeared long ago, and some are

modern. For example, folk music appeared long ago, but it is still alive.

There are many local performers, choirs and folk groups in Russia; but

perhaps the most famous singer is Nadezhda Babkina. Folk songs are very

tuneful and pleasant to listen to. Classical music is often associated with

the music of the past. However, this style also includes music being

written now, and we may speak of modern classical music. Rap is a modern

musical style where the singer speaks or shouts the words in time to music

with a steady beat. Such groups as Public Enemy or House of Pain are

leaders in this style.

Great Britain has produced more popular music stars than any other country.

Over the last 30 years rock and pop music have been very popular in

Britain. The Beatles, with their style of singing, eloquent and exciting,

is still one of the most popular groups. British groups often set new

trends in music. New styles, groups and singers continue to appear. Some of

the more recent pop groups are Dire Straits, Eurhythmics and Spice Girls.

Many of the new bands have been able to use the changes in technology to

develop their music. Computerised drum machines, synthesisers and other

electronic instruments are now just as popular as the piano and electric

guitars.

Tastes differ. So people’s musical interests range from pop and rock music,

which are extremely popular nowadays, especially among young people, to

classical music and opera.

My favourite style of music is pop music, because it is breathtaking and

full of energy. When I listen to pop music it makes me remember happy times

and forget the problems of everyday life. It helps me to relax when I’m

tired, and entertains me when I’d like to have fun. My favourite group is

Abba. It was formed in 1973 in Sweden. Abba’s cheerful tunes made them

international pop stars and one of the most successful groups of the

seventies. Their most famous songs (“Waterloo”, “Money, Money, Money”,

“Knowing Me, Knowing You”, etc.) often topped European charts. Though the

group doesn’t exist any more, it is still popular with people of all ages.

I can’t but admire their style of singing. I find it fascinating and

overwhelming. When I have free time I listen to their records. I also like

having background music while I am working.

I don’t mind listening to dance music, especially when I go to disco clubs.

This style of music is catchy and firey and I like catchy tunes. It makes

me more energetic.

It’s a pity that many young people like to listen only to modern music. As

for me, I also enjoy listening to classical music. I find it tuneful and

appealing. Classical music is always a complex of emotions. It gives me

delight, pleasure and a sense of happiness. Some pieces of classical music

are really wonderful. Not long ago I listened to the First Piano Concerto,

composed by Tchaikovsky. The power of his music captivated me. The

impression was overwhelming.

The music I hate is heavy metal. I find it noisy and dreadful. When I

listen to this style of music it presents to my mind pictures of dark days.

Though some young people are fond of this style of music, it is not to

everyone’s taste. To my mind, music too loud can destroy our ears. I am

indifferent to other styles of music. For example, I don’t mind listening

to jazz. Improvisation is an important part of this style, that’s why a

jazz song may sound a little different each time it is played. I think that

jazz is a mixture of many different kinds of music, but I consider it a bit

complicated.

My mother and father approve of my tastes in music. Though they prefer to

listen to classical and “bard music”, they think that, on the whole, modern

music is not too bad. My parents agree that each generation has its own

tastes.

It goes without saying that music plays a very important role in people’s

lives. It reflects our moods and emotions. Music appeals to our hearts and

transforms our feelings. It conquers our souls and enriches our minds.

Besides, listening to music is the perfect way to spend free time and not

to feel bored. You can hardly find a person who doesn’t like or need music,

who never sings or dances. Music is beauty in sounds, it is our magic

source of inspiration.

15. What are traditional British kinds of sports? Are they popular in

Russia? What kinds of sport, is your family interested in?

Englishmen are known to be great sports-lovers. One of the most popular

British games is cricket, which foreigners can hardly understand. There are

two teams of 11 players. Matches last from one to five days. It is played

all over the country in the summer. To many Englishmen cricket is both a

game and a standard of behavior. When they consider something unfair they

say “That isn’t cricket.” Almost all Englishmen become fans when they watch

a traditional cricket match between the teams of Great Britain and

Australia, or New Zealand. England without cricket would be like bacon

without eggs.

Another game which attracts great attention is soccer (European football).

There are plenty of amateur and professional soccer clubs in every town.

Professional soccer is big business. The Cup Final played in London is the

culminating event of the football season. Rugby football is also very

popular, but it is played mainly by amateurs. It’s a kind of English

football in which the players use their hands for carrying the ball. This

game is played by teams of 15 men with an oval ball and it’s often

considered to be a violent game.

A great number of people play and watch tennis. Among many tennis

tournaments the most famous is the one in Wimbledon. Horse racing is also

extremely popular in Great Britain. The racing season includes five races.

The annual race for “Derby” is perhaps the most famous sporting event in

the whole world. Englishmen also go in for golf, baseball, hockey,

basketball, bowling, and badminton. Athletic sports, such as running,

jumping, rowing, swimming, boxing and gymnastics, are practiced at schools

and colleges. The annual Oxford-Cambridge boat race on the river Thames

attracts lots of people and is very popular. In Scotland, where there are

good conditions for winter sports, skiing is very popular.

Great Britain and America are the birthplaces of many sports. That’s why

many of them have English names. It is easy to understand how these games

were named. For example, baseball is played with a ball and bases.

Basketball is played with a ball and two baskets. The names for other

sports come from the name of the place where they were first played.

Badminton comes from the name of a piece of land owned by an English Duke.

The game was first played on the Duke’s land in 1873. Golf was first played

in Scotland, but its name comes from the Dutch word for a hockey club

“colf.”

Almost all these games are popular in Russia. Russian people even began to

play cricket. And plenty of bowling clubs appeared in our country. This is

because we can hardly overestimate the meaning of sport in our life and day-

to-day activities. The main purpose of going in for sports is to develop a

generation of strong and healthy people. Sports prevent us from getting too

fat, and brings up a harmoniously developed generation. Sometimes playing a

sport is connected with great risks. Besides, there are violent kinds of

sports and sportsmen and fans discuss whether these kinds of sports are

necessary.

In my family we prefer swimming. I began swimming at the age of six. I

think that swimming is something like music or languages, and that’s why

it’s very good to start as early as possible if you want to be good at it.

There is no question that you can speak; there is no question that you can

walk; and there is no question that you can swim if you start at a very

early age. My parents also go to the swimming pool, but they began going in

for swimming when they were grown-ups. There are some sports which I’ve not

had a chance to experience but would really like to. They’re mostly non-

competitive sports. I love the water very much and I’d really like to try

some more water sports. For instance, being pulled by a boat whilst wearing

water-skis would, I’m sure, be a fantastic experience. And I’d also like to

try surfing. I think there’s no greater feeling on earth than riding the

top of a wave on a surfboard. I’d like to try it just to see. My parents

and I are great fans. We subscribe to a sports newspaper and like watching

nothing but football matches. We read the newspaper from cover to cover and

lie on the sofa watching sport competitions on television on Sunday.

16. Some people go in for sports, while others like to watch sports

competitions? Which is better: to watch or to participate?

The modern way of life, when people have little physical activity, use cars

instead of walking, watch television for many hours, and work on computers

is turning them into legless creatures. Although a lot of people are

interested in staying healthy, not many people do very much about it. Only

10 per cent of adults take part in sport more than twice a week.

The majority of people live in towns and cities, where space for team

sports is limited. To keep fit, most people take part in individual sports.

They usually go walking, swimming, cycling, or do aerobics. Taking part in

all of these sports is informal and casual. Most people just want to relax.

If they do aerobics or go swimming, they usually go to the sports centre;

but not many people join a sport club.

Some people argue that sports are not very useful. It takes a lot of energy

and time. As a result of going in for sports, people have broken legs and

arms and other injuries. Besides, it makes you unhappy when you lose. A lot

of people prefer to watch sports competitions rather than take part in

sports. Thousands of people go to the stadiums to support their favourite

teams and sportsmen. The most popular spectator sports are football, hockey

and figure skating. Most of the important competitions are televised, and

people enjoy watching sports programmes on TV. They needn’t buy tickets and

go to a stadium, especially in cold and rainy weather. But certainly

watching sports events and going in for sports are two different things.

In my opinion, people can’t do without sports. Sports play an important

part in our lives. I think sports help us in different ways. First of all,

it helps us to stay in good shape, to keep fit and to be healthy. It makes

people strong, fast and agile. What is more, sport builds character; it

teaches us to compete and practice sportsmanship. It makes us more

organised and better disciplined in our daily activities. Besides, it is a

good way to meet people and to make new friends.

Sports are an essential part of our everyday life. To have a healthy mind,

you must have a healthy body. But to be healthy, it is not necessary to

become a professional sportsman. You may go in for sports just for

pleasure, when you have free time. Some people jog every morning; some

follow fitness classes shown on TV. Young people usually put on their

roller-skates and skate in the streets and parks. A lot of young people

spend their holidays hiking; it doesn’t cost much, and it is a really good

way of getting away from crowds.

Physical education is an important subject at school. It helps pupils to

relax and to keep fit after a hard working day. Each school has sports

facilities. A lot of different competitions are usually held at school and

a great number of pupils take part in them. That’s why I think sports are

so popular in our country.

The most popular sports in Russia are football and hockey, skating and

skiing, track and field and swimming, tennis and basketball. It is not

always easy to decide which sport to take up. The aim of all sports

training is to improve fitness and skills, and to develop training

programmes that are both safe and effective. The important thing, however,

is that anyone who is not used to exercising should not do too much at the

beginning. Moreover, it is better to do a little regularly than a lot once

every two months. Among the be-nefits of regular exercise are a healthier

heart, stronger bones, quicker reaction times, and less susceptibility to

various illnesses. Scientists believe that if you go in for sport on a

regular basis, it could even help you to live longer.

I enjoy many sports; but best of all I love swimming. I started to learn

when I was about seven years old. When I was younger I used to go swimming

three or four times a week. Now I have less free time, but a week never

goes by without my visiting the pool at least once. Sports help me to work

off my extra energy.

Swimming is an inexpensive and simple sport. You do not need any

complicated equipment. You just need a swimming costume or trunks and

perhaps a cap. You can swim in the sea or a river, or you can go to a

special swimming pool. I love swimming because it is a very good exercise

for the whole body. I would recommend it because it is so convenient to do:

you can do it when you like and for as long as you like.

17. What does a healthy way of life mean? How do you look after your

health?

People nowadays are more health-conscious than they used to be. They

understand that good health is above wealth.

To be healthy we should avoid different bad habits that can affect our

health. In my opinion, smoking, and drinking too much alcohol, are the

worst ones. It’s common knowledge that smoking and drinking can shorten our

lives dramatically. Smoking, for example, causes a number of heart and lung

diseases, such as pneumonia, emphysema and cancer. Besides, it makes your

teeth yellow and skin unhealthy. Fortunately, in recent years smoking has

received a lot of bad publicity, and fewer people smoke nowadays. Some

companies don’t employ people who are smokers. Smoking has been banned in

most public places because everyone agrees it does harm to our health. I

don’t smoke, because I don’t want to have unhealthy skin and teeth and die

young.

Smoking and drinking are joined by less dangerous habits, such as skipping

meals, eating unhealthy food, or even overeating. Of course, they are not

quite as deadly as smoking or drinking alcohol, but they also affect our

health.

If we eat too much, we’ll become obese, and obesity leads to serious health

problems. A lot of people like drinking coca cola and coffee, and enjoy

pizzas and hamburgers. But what is tasty is not always healthy. Fast food

makes you fat, that is why Americans are the fattest people in the world.

In recent years eating habits have undergone a change. People are

encouraged to eat less fat and more fibre. Fat is believed to be one of the

major causes of obesity and heart disease. High fibre and low fat foods can

now be found in all shops and supermarkets. Salads, beans, and fruit have

taken the place of steak and ice cream. The fashion for health food is

growing all the time.

Many people feel they are too fat, even if their doctors disagree. And a

lot of people try to improve their fitness. There are a lot of ways to lose

weight and avoid gaining it. Perhaps the most popular of them is following

a diet. If you want to lose weight, you should cut out snacks and desserts,

and cut down on fat. People have also become more aware of calories, the

energy value of food. Some people count the number of calories they eat

every day; so that they can try to take in fewer calories and lose weight.

This is called a calorie-controlled diet. Manufacturers are increasingly

producing special foods with fewer calories for slimmers.

But excessive dieting may be dangerous, too. Some people refuse to eat meat

as they consider it harmful. They say a vegetarian diet reduces the risk of

cancer and vegetarians live longer than others. I can’t agree with them,

because meat is an excellent source of good nutrition. In my opinion, it’s

wrong to put down a food simply because excessive amounts can cause health

problems. Consumed in moderate amounts, meat is perfectly good for our

health.

To my mind, the only way to stay healthy and to keep fit is by going in for

sports. Among the benefits of regular exercise are a healthier heart,

stronger bones, quicker reaction times and more resistance to various

illnesses. Besides, you can eat and drink as much as you want because you

are burning it all off.

To be healthy, it is also very important to spend a lot of time in the open

air. It is useful to go for a walk before going to bed, or to air the room.

I think it is very important to be fit and healthy, and it is necessary to

take care of your health. Being fat, in fact, can cause real problems. It

is harder for fat people to get a good job, or even to make friends. If you

want to do well, you must be thin. That’s why I go in for sports on a

regular basis. I have been doing aerobics for three years and I feel great.

I am not enthusiastic about strict dieting, but I try to eat only low-fat

food, and fruit and vegetables which are rich in vitamins.

Personally I believe that regularity in life promotes our health. Sleeping

eight or nine hours, getting up early, regular meals, a healthy diet and

going in for sports is really a good way to live.

18. The problems of ecology are very important now. Which problem is the

most urgent, in your opinion? What can you and the people around you do to

protect the planet?

Environmental problems have become exceptionally acute in the modern world,

and environmental protection has become a vital necessity for all people.

Our planet is in serious danger. One of the most important environmental

problems in the world today is the shortage of clean water. Industrial

pollution has made many sources of water undrinkable. Rivers, lakes and

even seas have become poisonous. Thousands of fish die every year as a

result of the illegal dumping of waste in rivers by factories all over the

world.

Lake Baikal is one of the worlds’ largest and most beautiful lakes. It

contains a rich variety of fish and plants, including 1,300 rare species

that do not exist anywhere else in the world. However, they are being

killed by massive industrial waste, which some factories still pour into

the lake every day. A few years ago people thought that the supply of clean

water was unlimited. Now clean water is scarce, and we are beginning to

respect this precious resource. We must protect the clean water that

remains for the sake of our children and grandchildren.

Air pollution is another important problem. In hundreds of cities and towns

the concentration of harmful substances in the air is over ten times the

admissible level. Every day a huge number of plants and factories emit lots

of harmful substances into the atmosphere of big cities. The great increase

in the use of motor cars in the last quarter of the twentieth century has

caused an increase in a new kind of air pollution. Pollution from factories

and cars poison the air we breathe, and is the main reason for the

greenhouse effect and acid rain.

Acid rain can damage life in lakes and rivers and destroy forests. The

greenhouse effect may also have disastrous consequences for our planet. It

is already affecting several areas of the world with unusual weather

causing droughts or heavy storms. The world’s temperature is going up and

the climate is changing. Cutting down on emissions from large combustion

plants and exhaust fumes from vehicles would help solve the problem. I

think we should try and use alternative energy, such as solar energy and

wind energy, and design plants and cars that run on electricity, a much

cleaner fuel than petrol.

One of the most alarming environmental problems is depletion of the ozone

layer, which protects the Earth from the dangerous ultraviolet rays of the

sun. Because of the ozone holes, the dangerous rays get through the

atmosphere, causing skin cancer and other serious diseases. Many scientists

think that these ozone holes are the result of air pollution.

In my opinion, the most urgent ecological problem today is the

environmental safety of nuclear power stations. Nuclear pollution can’t be

seen, but its effects can be terrible. We all know how tragic the

consequences of the Chernobyl disaster are. Nuclear waste also endangers

people’s lives. People all over the world protest against nuclear tests and

nuclear weapons. If we do not take any action, the possibility of a global

nuclear disaster is very real.

Of course, we can’t help mentioning such burning issues as destruction of

tropical forests and wildlife, overpopulation, and shortage of natural

resources. The list of serious ecological problems could be continued.

Today environmental issues are much spoken and written about on TV, radio,

and in the newspapers. If people want to survive, they must do their best

to solve these problems. Fortunately, it’s not too late to save our planet.

We understand that our environment is not just our home town, but the whole

earth. The protection of the environment requires the cooperation of all

nations. Governments should take measures that will help improve the

environment.

There are a lot of environmental groups and international organisations,

whose main goal is to strengthen cooperation among environmentalists from

different countries. The most famous of them is Greenpeace, which combines

the people’s efforts for peace with the huge and ever mounting movement for

nature conservation. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is the name of another

international organisation that appeared in 1961. It has created or given

support to National Parks on five continents.

However, there are a lot of simple things we should all do to stop the

destruction of the environment. First of all, we mustn’t drop litter in

public places. Besides, we shouldn’t dump our rubbish without thinking

which things, such as bottles and paper, can be recycled. We must stop

using aerosol sprays, because the stuff they contain destroys the ozone

layer. We should take care of birds and animals. We can help to plant trees

and create parks for endangered species. We can clean rivers and canals and

create footpaths. But first of all we must change people’s attitude towards

the environment.

If we take action now, there might be some hope for the future. If we do

nothing, we are heading for disaster!

19. People set up different organizations for various purposes. What do you

know about these organizations? Are you a member of any organization? Which

organization would you join? Why?

The 20th century is characterized by the creation of international

organizations: only a small number of the international organizations now

in existence were formed before 1850, and about 90% were organized in the

period 1900–1956. In the 1980s there were more than 2500 international

organizations, of which about 750 were formed after World War II. This

number included more than 130 intergovernmental agencies, of which the most

notable were the United Nations and its affiliates.

The name United Nations was devised by United States President Franklin D.

Roosevelt and was first used in the “Declaration by United Nations” of 1

January 1942, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their governments

to continue fighting together against Germany, Japan and Italy. The Charter

of the United Nations was signed by 51 states on 26 June 1945. This day is

now celebrated each year throughout the world as United Nations Day. Russia

is a member of the United Nations.

A specialized agency of the United Nations is UNESCO (United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). It was founded in 1946.

It promotes international collaboration in education, science and culture.

Education is UNESCO’s main activity. The organization attempts to assist

and support national efforts of member states in eliminating illiteracy,

training teachers, developing educational institutions and extending free

education. UNESCO also works to study, develop and promote cultural

heritage and protect historic monuments and the natural environment. UNESCO

assists and supports the efforts of member states through conferences,

seminars and publications, through the promotion of research and exchange

of information and knowledge.

Now I’d like to tell you about the World Health Organization (WHO). It

began its activities in 1948. It is a specialized agency designed to

further international cooperation for improved health conditions. The major

function of the WHO is to establish measures for the control of epidemic

diseases. This consists of mass campaigns promoted by WHO against

communicable diseases. The major function of WHO is nursing concerned with

maternal and child health. It also assists educational programmes for

nurses and assistants. WHO is coordinating an international effort against

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as well as the current threat of

SARS.

Another medical organization is the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The Red

Cross is an humanitarian agency with national affiliates in almost every

country in the world. The Red Cross movement began in 1863. Its peacetime

activities include first aid, accident prevention, water safety, training

of nurses’ aids and mothers’ assistants and maintenance of maternal and

child welfare centres, clinics, blood banks and numerous other services.

The Red Cross is the name used in Christian countries; the Red Crescent is

the name used in Muslim countries.

Greenpeace is an international nongovernmental organization dedicated to

preserving endangered species of animals, preventing environmental abuses

and taking care of wildlife. Greenpeace was founded in 1971 in Vancouver,

Canada. It brought together people concerned with terrible abuses to the

environment. The organization has a small staff and relies largely on

voluntary staffing and funding. Greenpeace also campaigns:

– for stricter control over chemical waste disposal on land;

– to stop all nuclear weapons tests;

– to close down nuclear power stations and nuclear reprocessing plants;

– to stop acid rain and protect the atmosphere;

– to reduce the trade in endangered species products;

– to declare Antarctica a World Park – free of military and industrial

exploitation, and so forth.

Today it is a global organization with national offices in 27 countries;

one of them is in Russia (since 1992).

There are also youth organizations, because the main aim of society is to

prepare young people for responsible roles in the adult world and to

provide constructive outlets for energies of young people. Some

organizations such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or Guides, and Young Men’s

Christian Association and Young Women’s Christian Associations, have spread

all over the world. The Boy Scout movement was founded in Great Britain in

1908. In 1910 the Girl Scout movement was also founded in that country.

There are about 1,300,000 boys and girls in them. The movement of the Boy

Scouts has its aim to help a Scout (a boy from 8–18) to develop into a good

man and a useful citizen. He must be able to handle sails, to use a

compass, to lay and light a fire outdoors, he must know first aid and

develop his interest in music, literature, drama, arts and films. A Scout

is a friend to animals, he’s “clean in thought, word and deed”. He must

obey the Scout Law.

As for me, I’m not a member of any organization. But if I had chance, I

would become a Scout, because I like the aims of this organization and the

ways they are achieved.

20. Growing up can cause problems. Do you have any problems with your

friends, your parents and other people around you? How do you cope with

these problems?

It’s hard not to see that teenagers nowadays have a lot of problems. One of

the real problems is having no close friend. Several days ago I had a best

friend, but now I don’t. My friend was much more to me than just a person

with whom I communicated. We were as thick as thieves. We helped each other

to survive and got along well. But some days ago we quarrelled, and now I’m

at a loss what to do. Fortune turned its back on me and I feel very lonely.

I can’t say that my parents don’t understand me, they try to support me;

but I think only time can heal me. Some young people are just sure that

their parents don’t want to understand them. It’s a very serious problem.

I’m sure that this point of view is absolutely wrong.

Psychologists believe, parents-child conflicts cannot be avoided in a

society that is undergoing rapid change. In our society youngsters are at

odds with their parents on a wide range of issues, from how late they can

stay up, to whom they should marry. It’s called a generation gap. But I

think our parents are people whom we can trust. In most cases teens don’t

understand their parents and become very nervous. When this happens, it’s

time to say to yourself “stop”, and try to find in your parents more

positive than negative traits. Our parents should understand one thing,

that today’s children will become tomorrow’s society. So they should try to

understand the child; they should find out about teen problems and help

solve them.

The other very important problem is our school life. Teens are often under

pressure in many ways at school – they are supposed to be “macho” – good at

school subjects, able to stand up for themselves without crying. If they

can’t, they are “wimps”, and often children will tease and bully them,

especially at school. But all children are different – they have different

needs and talents, likes and dislikes. Teens are not just “machos” and

“wimps”, they are rebels and conformists, extroverts and introverts. Our

teachers and our parents should assure us that all these types of people

are good, and it will reduce a lot of our problems.

Teenager’s Problems

There are so-called “problem teenagers”, who take drugs. A large number of

teens use them very often. They are drug addicts. I don’t have such friends

and I think that there should be special programmes to solve this problem.

Drugs Destroy Lives

Another problem is connected with biorhythms. Not all people know what it

is, and they begin to laugh at you and can offend you, when sometimes you

are all fingers and thumbs, when you are accident-prone, or when your

temper seems to be on a short fuse. It is because we all have an internal

“body clock” which regulates the rise and the fall of our bodies’ energies

and it’s called biorhythms. So our teachers, parents and classmates should

understand it and not pay attention to it because it’s the law of our life

and nature.

My other serious problem is to enter a good university and find a good job

afterwards. But unemployment rates are extremely high – even qualified

people with great knowledge can’t find something good. But in spite of that

I hope for the best.

I always want to impress people. But the first impression we make almost

fully depends on what we wear and how we wear it. Manners and speech are

noticed next and character only later. Many teens have the same taste. They

like to keep up-to-date with the changes in our society. They like to wear

clothes which look good and which you feel comfortable in. Being in fashion

makes you feel good, in tune with the world you live in. But when you are

at school it is important to wear the right clothes, even formal ones, and

not to dress up. I understand it, but some of my classmates don’t. They

like to shock their teachers and parents, and provoke them, and that’s why

they have some problems at school. So you should have some “clothes sense”

to know and feel the types of things that are your style in formal

situations (when you are at school) and at parties.

As for me nowadays, I try to cope with all my problems alone, or with the

help of my parents. My parents are real friends and they understand me and

try to help me or give advice.

So if someone denies all of the problems teenagers have, they are not being

honest. Teens have a lot of problems. But the first thing we have to think

about is the future we’re building for ourselves and our children. The

better we are now, the better we understand one another, the better our

place will be when we grow up.

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