SHOPPING
Shopping is a very important part of our life. In every town or city there are countless neighbourhood shops, supermarkets, department stores, boutiques, shopping centres, brand shops, markets, flea markets and second hand shops. Also you can purchase goods in on-line shops.
Most people prefer to do their shopping in big supermarkets and department stores. It is very convenient, because there are a lot of departments or sections there: stationery, electrical appliances, grocery, glassware, furnishings, hardware, cleaning items and so on. They offer a great variety of items: from delicatessens from faraway countries to local specialties, from furniture to computer software, etc.
Neighbourhood shops are less convenient, because they are small and only offer one kind of products: at the butcher’s you can buy meat, at a bakery you can buy bread and deli, at the chemist’s you can buy toiletries and at the florist’s you buy flowers. However the service is always nice and the shop assistants or shop keepers are very polite with the customers.
The majority of young people love buying clothes in brand shops. There are no big lines (queues), there are fitting rooms, the prices are reasonable, the quality is high, the choice is always great and the clothes are fashionable. There you can buy all kinds of clothes: shirts which are striped, checked, polka-dotted, plain or with floral designs, high-heeled boots or flat shoes, flared trousers or skinny jeans. But you should always remember to keep your receipt if it turns out your items have been torn or have uneven sleeves.
My favourite shop is our local Almi. It is a huge supermarket with diverse groups of goods. Upstairs it has a food court with wonderful pizza and sushi. When you enter this store you can feel the delicious smell of freshly baked bread. The aroma of pizza will make your mouth water. To my mind you will also be delighted to see bright and colourful displays of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Advertisements and commercials play influence the process of selling and buying goods greatly. Some of them are even amusing and entertaining. But most commercials are misleading or completely dishonest. They show images of perfections and with feel dissatisfied with our family, studies, job and especially appearance.
In my opinion shopping is a great pastime. It helps you to relax and get rid of the daily stress. You can buy new things or simply go window shopping and communicate with your friends.

MODERN TECHNOLOGIES

Modern technologies haven’t been with us all that long, but they have already improved our life greatly. Mobile phones, computers, laptops, tablets, CCTV cameras, ATMs, finger scanning, television, smart ID cards, satellites and other gadgets make our life easier, more interesting and more convenient. Most of these devices are reliable and efficient.

Mobile phones make our communication a lot easier. They help us to communicate with people who live in remote places. Landline phones were inefficient and this service was not always available to everyone.

It is even easier to communicate via computers. They offer a great variety of services: social networks, communication in real time through Skype, instant messaging and so on. E-mails are delivered a lot faster than snail mail messages.

Television helps us to occupy our spare time. We are glued to the goggle box watching talk shows, films and other entertaining programmes.

Surveillance devices are used by the police to discourage such crimes as speeding, muggings, kidnappings, robberies, burglaries, shoplifting and carjacking and to identify criminals.

However it has been said many times that modern technologies have a lot of disadvantages, too.

For example, TV is doing irreparable harm. People watch rubbishy shows and endless commercials, children grow up watching spectacles of sadism and violence. Television also encourages passive entertainment and deprives us of communication.

Computer technologies have made it easy to commit high technology crimes such as hacking and virus spreading. Moreover a lot of immature people become addicted to their devices

To sum it up modern technologies can be both our friends and foes. They are not just passing fads. But they should be used within reasonable limits.

My Home Is My Castle

“My home is my castle” is the famous English proverb,  meaning that every person should feel safe and secure at home.

I live in a humonguous block of flats on the outskirts of Grodno. My house is well-located, because you can find a lot of shops and cafes around it. The house is also close to a bus and trolleybus station and public transport can take you to any part of our city. Next to my house there is a small park with a pond.

The house is made of bricks, which makes it very warm and cosy. There are 2 spacious bedrooms, an airy living-room, a bathroom and a separate WC, and a balcony. The kitchen is tiny, though. Of course, we don’t have a garage, but near the house you can find a small garden with a cute white fence.

The house is fully furnished. It also has all the modern conveniences: central heating, hot and cold running water, a lift (so you don’t have to use the stairs, double glazing, built-in wardrobes, a fitted kitchen and so on. Our flat is also fully equipped: you can find a fridge, a microwave oven, a blender and other household appliances in the kitchen. I like doing my household chores, because we have so many clever machines.

We’ve recently renovated our flat, but it is quite modern, so it only needed some minor repairs.

I have my own room. It is spacious and comfortable. In my room I have a sofa, a desk, a wardrobe and a computer. I can find everything for my studies and rest there.

I can’t say that my flat is luxurious or overpriced. But it is well-maintained. But more importantly, it’s the place where I feel at home. It is truly my castle.

FAMILY

 In today’s uncertain world it is vital to have a great family. In a family people would do everything for each other and will always be there for you. Also a strong family makes you feel safe and confident. With them you can talk for hours and share your secrets, deepest thoughts and fears. Families help us carry through many hardships and difficult situations.

Let me describe my family. My family is rather small: it consists of my mother and father, my sister and me. My mom is 36, she is a doctor. She is very smart and kind. My father is a driver, he is 38. I’m really lucky, because he can always give me advice and he will always listen to me. My sister is 7 and she studies at school. I think she is really annoying: she calls me names, hides my things and plays other ugly tricks on me. Nevertheless, I love her and try to compromise with her. After all she is just a little girl.

It is very important to have family traditions. They are the glue that holds families together. They give children a sense of security. They know that in an uncertain world, some things stay the same. Traditions also promote closeness. Also lasting memories are formed.

In my family there are some traditions, too. First of all we always celebrate holidays together: Christmas, Easter, New Year, birthdays and so on. My favourite holiday is Christmas. On the 24^th of December we gather together and have a big family dinner. Other traditions include cleaning up together every Saturday and going to our country house on picnics. On Sundays we go cycling in summer and skiing in winter.

It is great when you have a loving family and no problems at all. However, most families face some problems. The most difficult problems are sibling rivalry and generation gap.

What is sibling rivalry? It happens because of age and personality differences between children. One or both of them might think that the other child is getting more attention from parents. This leads to physical fights, name-calling and arguments. To fight jealousy children should look for win-win solutions. And parents shouldn’t get involved too often, because these situations will teach children very helpful skills.

Generation gap is a big problem in some families, too. It is when children and parents don’t understand each other and have different values, norms, outlooks and attitudes, because they grew up in different times. How can families bridge generation gap? They should treat each other with respect and love, share their thoughts and try to find common ideas or activities.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that family is the most valuable thing in life. No-one else can make you happier. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. 

BOOKS AND READING

Books are an important part of our life. They teach us to be polite, generous, hardworking, friendly, understanding and romantic. Actually there are more books in the world than people alive. There are a lot of different genres of books: science fiction, detective stories, fantasy, romances, adventure stories, autobiographies, historical novels, fairy tales, mystery books and humorous stories. Also there are small books like poems and short stories and large books like novels.

When I find a superb book I read it from cover to cover. When I am choosing what to read I look at the genre of film. For example, I’m fond of science fiction and fantasy stories. Also I read the title of the book, because it can tell us a lot about the plot. If the book keeps me in suspense or is touching, exciting and amusing I recommend it to my friends. I tell them that it’s a must! If the book is absolutely disgusting I tell my friends that it is boring and silly.

My favourite book is Merry Poppins. The author of this book is Pamela Travers. She is brilliant and very talented. The story tells us about the wonderful adventures of children with their nurse. First they think that Merry Poppins is very strict. Later on they find out that she is very kind. Moreover, she shows them amazing places. Marry Poppins is my favourite character. She is really pretty and interesting. I am fascinated by her.

NATURE PROTECTION

The word environment means everything around us. Nowadays people understand how important it is to solve the environmental problems that endanger people’s lives. The most important ecological problems are:

·         water and air pollution;

·         noise pollution;

·         destruction of rainforests;

·         shortages of water, food and natural resources;

·         global warming;

·         the growth of population.

There is no ocean or sea which is not used as a dump now. Governments test their nuclear weapons there, factories and plants pour harmful industrial wastes into rivers and seas, tankers leave lots of oil in the water. This poisons and kills fish and animals, destroys their habitats. It is dangerous to drink such water or use it in any other way.

The pollution of air has become a big problem, too. Most of the pollution comes from cars and buses, plants and factories. The wastes come back to the Earth in the form of acid rains and destroy forests and buildings.

People are told not to sunbathe often, because ultraviolet radiation from the sun can cause skin cancer. Normally the layer protects us from such radiation. But as a result of air pollution we now have holes in the ozone layer.

The greenhouse effect is another dangerous result of air pollution. People burn a lot of rubber, wood and fuel, that’s why there is more carbon dioxide in the air. A lot of rainforests have also been cut down. It means that there is less oxygen in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide works like glass in a greenhouse: it lets the heat from the sun to get to our planet, but doesn’t let it to go back into space. That’s why the temperatures have risen. Ice in cold countries melts, which leads to higher sea levels.

Nuclear power stations can go wrong and cause nuclear pollution. Radiation cannot be seen, but its effects are terrible.

What can we do to help the environment? If we plant some trees, we will get more oxygen and less carbon dioxide. If factories, plants, cars and buses use filters, the air will be cleaner. If we save and not waste water, there will be no water shortages. If we don’t listen to loud music, we won’t have problems with our hearing. If people stop cutting down trees, animals won’t lose their habitats. If we recycle, reuse and reduce our rubbish, the planet will be cleaner.

TRAVEL BROADENS THE MIND

         Nowadays people on our planet can’t live without travelling.

         Different people travel for different reasons. Some people want to see historical places, ancient ruins and medieval castles and learn about the culture, traditions and history of the country. Others prefer active or even extreme holidays, such as white-water rafting or hiking. Nature-lovers are eager to admire spectacular scenery, stunning views and magnificent natural wonders: waterfalls, beaches, rainforests, snow-capped peaks and sparkling lakes.  There are people who enjoy relaxing on a palm-fringed beach, where it is boiling hot, or taking a cruise of the Mediterranean. Still there are travellers who like spending their holidays in luxurious and trendy hotels with lots of extra facilities, such as fully equipped gyms and swimming pools. They enjoy the finer things in life, such as glamorous rooms, health spas, gourmet dishes and splendid interiors of the hotels.

         Today travel agencies offer a great variety of tours and means of transport. You can travel by bus, car, plane, train. You can even go on a voyage by ship.

         What do we begin with when we travel? First we should choose our destination: an elegant hot spot or a legendary European city or something else depending on our likes and dislikes. Then we should book the tickets and the hotel. We can check out the vacancies and confirm them on the Internet. It’s better if the hotel is a stone’s throw from the downtown or the beach. When we travel abroad we shouldn’t forget about insurance. Before the trip we should pack our suitcase – bring with you your insect repellent, first aid kit or passport!

When you are there you must catch a glimpse of all the places to visit. Don’t forget to sample the local dishes when you travel. Giving a chance to the national cuisine is an important step of the journey, because it gives us a lot of information about the land and its traditions. It is also necessary to bring back handmade souvenirs from your trip.

Sometimes our plans fall through and we must cancel reservations. Then we should remember to be polite. Other things can happen abroad: they can mislabel our suitcases, lose documents and so on. In case of an emergency we should go to the embassy.

As for me, I am fond of travelling, though living out of a suitcase is not my thing. I have already been to many places of interest/countries: … . It has always been my dream to visit …: I want to see …, admire …, get to know … .

A wise proverb says: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel are reading only a page”. Travel broadens your mind, giving first-hand experience and unforgettable impressions.