TOPICS

1.     HOBBIES: The variety of hobbies helps any person to relax and learn new things, doesn’t it?

2.     MY HOME IS MY CASTLE: The English say: “My home is my castle”. What does it mean for you?

3.     FRIENDSHIP: Friendship is one of the most important things in the world. Do you agree?

4.     FAMILY: They say that a family is God’s gift to you as you are to them. Is family important in your life?

5.     SHOPPING: Shopping is a necessity of life and a pleasurable pastime. Is it really so?

6.     MODERN TECHNOLOGIES: Modern technologies are both a blessing and a curse. Why do people say so?

7.     NATURE PROTECTION: Nature is one of our greatest treasures, but we are rather careless about it. What does it mean?

8.     TRAVELLING BROADENS THE MIND: They say that travelling broadens the mind. How can you explain this saying?

9.     BOOKS AND READING: A book is a person’s best friend, isn’t it?

10.                       SPORTS AND GAMES: Sports and games make us healthy and strong and raise our spirits. Can you prove that any person can find something interesting about sports and games?

11.                       THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: Only a healthy person can cope with anything. What advice can you give people on the healthy lifestyle?

12.                       GREAT BRITAIN: Prove that Great Britain is a wonderful country to visit.

13.                       LONDON: London is full of contrasts and interesting places to visit. What should a visitor to London know not to get lost and to enjoy this city?

14.                       BELARUS: People do not know much about Belarus. What interesting facts can you tell them about our beautiful country?

BELARUS

The republic of Belarus is a small beautiful country with a heroic past and difficult present. It is situated in the centre of Europe. The republic of Belarus borders on Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. It has the area of 207,600 square kilometers and the population of more than 10 million people. The capital of the country is Minsk.

The country is divided into six regions. Their capital cities and the biggest cities in the country are Minsk, Gomel, Mogilev, Brest, Grodno and Vitebsk.

Historically Belarus was a part of many countries: the Kiev Rus, then the Great Principality of Lithuania and Rech Pospolita. In the 20^th century it became one of the Republics in the USSR. Nowadays it is an independent country, represented in the United Nations.

The landscapes in Belarus do not vary a lot. More than a quarter of its area is covered with the forests. The large forests are called «puschas». The greatest of them is Beloviezskaya Puscha. It is well known for its rare animals - aurochs. There are nearly 10000 lakes and 20000 rivers in Belarus. Belarus is often called a blue-eyed country because of its beautiful lakes. The largest lake is Naroch. The largest rivers are the Dniepr, Neman, Bug and Western Dvina.

The climate in Belarus is moderately continental. It means that the summers are warm or hot and the winters are cold and snowy.

The beauty of the Belarussian nature, the heroic past and the present of the Belarussian people have been celebrated in song and verse by the Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas - the classics of Belarussian poetry. Unique souvenirs from leather, straw, wood, clay, and also watches are known all over the world. Our Republic is rich in mineral resources: salt, coal and iron. There are thousands of factories in the Republic which produce tractors and trucks, motor-cycles, TV-sets and many other goods.

The people of Belarus are tolerant and clever, hard-working and hospitable. This year it is the host of World Hockey Championship and a couple years ago it became home to Junior Eurovision.

The beautiful nature and hospitable people, great events and heroic past make Belarus one of the most interesting countries in the world.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Everybody wants to live a happy and long life. Even in this fast-paced, demanding world there are some rules we can follow to stay healthy and fit.

First of all, we are what we eat. Eating the right food and well-being is not a new idea. We should eat a variety of foods, because every day our bodies need 40 nutrients. No single food provides all them all. Out daily meals should include a variety of grains, which give us energy, meat, fish or poultry make our muscles stronger, vegetables (such as cauliflower, aubergines, tomatoes, cucumbers or cabbage) and fruit (such as pineapples, peaches, pears, kiwi fruits) supply us with vitamins  and dairy products, which are a source of calcium for our teeth and bones. If you are a vegetarian, you can replace meat with nuts, beans, peas and so on. It is also a good idea to drink green tea to feel upbeat and active. Water can help to take the edge off your appetite.

Fast food is not very good for us. It contains a lot of artificial colours, flavourings and additives. It is very filling and satisfies the hunger, but it is not nutritious at all: our stomachs are full, but we practically don’t get any carbohydrates or proteins, only fat. We should also limit our daily dose of soft drinks, because they help us to put on weight.

On the other hand we can’t avoid desserts. Some of them are mood foods: they make us feel energized and happy. But we should eat pastry or chocolate within reasonable limits.

A regular workout gives us the chance to get rid of the unwanted calories. If you can’t fit the gym or swimming pool into your hectic schedule, you must at least walk home and do some morning exercises.

One more piece of advice is to avoid addictions, such as smoking, drugs or modern technologies. They make our lives shorter and less enjoyable.

Getting enough sleep is vital to our well-being. Make sure you get 8-9 hours of sleep every night.

As for me, I don’t do anything special to keep fit. I just do morning exercises regularly and try to eat healthy food. For breakfast I usually have cereal or sandwiches with tea. This food helps me to get ready for my busy day. For lunch I have meat, poultry or fish and some mashed potatoes or pasta. At lunch I try to get a lot of proteins and carbohydrates, which give me energy. For dinner I have a three-course meal with soup, meat and a dessert. A dessert helps me to feel happy.

My main rule to stay healthy is to eat smart food at regular intervals, have a small workout and to sleep a lot. 

FRIENDSHIP

People say that if you haven’t learnt the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learnt anything. To me friendship is very important. I have fun with friends and I can relax. I can also be myself. True friends never let me down, never go back on promises or forget about me. They are always there for me to hold my hand in troublesome times. A friend would love and support me in any situation, thick and thin. A true friend will always cover my back and help me out when I ask him to. A true friend will also never put me down or hurt me.

I can say that I have a lot of friends, but today I’d like to describe my best friend Tanya, because I know her the longest. Tanya is a very beautiful girl of 16. She is of medium height, she has curly blond hair and blue eyes. I like her style, because she often wears dresses, which suit her.

Tanya is kind-hearted and generous, she can always help me or give me a piece of advice. She is also very reliable.  I can trust her all my secrets and be sure she won’t tell anyone. She is also ready to help me in any dangerous situation. For example, two years ago I lost a large sum of money. Tanya gave that money to me and didn’t even ask me any questions and didn’t expect to get it back. As people say, “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.

Tanya is a very talented girl. She is good at writing and she often writes articles for our school newspaper. We always hang out with her and the rest of my friends in the park, study together or talk for hours on the phone. I love my friend and I think that we will always stick together.

Nowadays some teenagers have 300 friends in VKontakte or on Facebook. I think that social networks are very popular and influence the way we communicate. It is easy to have conversations without leaving your house, listen to music, watch videos, and so on. However, some teenagers lose touch with reality. They prefer the number of friends to genuine friendship. As a result they can say that they have lots of friends, but in a difficult situation they might have no-one to rely on. That’s why I think that social networks are good for us, but only within reasonable limits.

But not all the teenagers are lucky to have a lot of friends. On the other hand, some of them have enemies, which are called bullies. A bully is a person who attacks someone physically or mentally, uses name-calling and plays ugly tricks on others. They make their victims feel miserable. What can be done to stop these mean people? We shouldn’t give them our attention. We should also talk to our parents or teachers, who can stop the threats. Also it is very important to talk to our friends. A bully can only pick on people who are weaker. But if we have friends who cover our back we are stronger.

People say that friendship isn’t a big thing, it’s a million little things. For me these are loyalty and trust, respect and sincerity, affection and acceptance. It is also lack of arrogance. These are the little things that make our friendship special.

GREAT BRITAIN

         The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. The area of the country is over 244,000 square kilometers.

         The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast. In everyday speech “Great Britain” is used to mean the United Kingdom. The capital of the UK is London. The population is about 57 million people. About 80% of the population is urban. The largest cities are London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Manchester.

The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.

         The landscape of Britain varies a lot. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called the Highlands. England is mostly a vast plain. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain (1343 meters). There are a lot of gorgeous rivers and lakes. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one. England is also famous for its beautiful sandy beaches and seaside resorts. There are a lot of medieval castles and gorgeous villages with very old houses.

         The climate of Great Britain is mild the whole year round. The summers are warm and rainy, the winters have little snow. The British often say that they don’t have climate, only weather, meaning that the weather is very changeable.

The flag of Great Britain is called the Union Jack. The national symbols of the country are four flowers: the English rose, the Welsh daffodil, the Scottish thistle and the Irish shamrock. Some more symbols are the characteristic red phone booths, red double-deckers and red mail boxes.

         There are a lot of places, which are worth visiting. Of course, any tourist should come to London and enjoy its amazing architecture, cafes, parks and atmosphere. Stonehenge is the world-famous monument of the Stone Age. Cambridge and Oxford are not only university towns, but also beautiful places to visit.

The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It is famous for machinery, electronics, textile production and shipbuilding.

         The UK is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the Queen, Elizabeth II. But in reality she reigns, but does not rule. The country is ruled by the government, headed by the Prime Minister. The Parliament consists of two parts: the House of Lords and the House of Commons, where the members are elected. There are three major political parties in Great Britain: the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party. The Conservative party is the ruling party nowadays, but the government is a coalition. The Prime Minister is David Cameron.

         Britain’s location and clever people, historical heritage and industry make it one of the greatest countries of the world.

LONDON

         London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and commercial centre. It is one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its population is about 8 million people.

         London is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world.

Traditionally it is divided into four parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. They are very different from each other and seem to belong to different towns and epochs.

         The heart of London is the City, the financial and business centre. Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and the Old Bailey. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the City to work. There are some famous ancient buildings within the City. Perhaps the most striking of them is St. Paul’s Cathedral, the greatest of English churches. It was built in the 17^th century by Sir Christopher Wren. The Tower of London was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison. Now it is a museum.

Westminster is the historic and the governmental part of London.

         Nearly all kings and queens have been crowned, married and even buried in Westminster Abbey. Many outstanding statesmen, scientists, writers, poets and painters are buried here: Newton, Darwin, Chaucer, Dickens, Kipling and so on.

         Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament is famous for its big hour bell, known as Big Ben.

         Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the queen.

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs and theatres are situated there.

Trafalgar Square is the geographical centre of London. It was named in memory of Admiral Nelson’s victory in the battle at Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson’s Column stands in the middle of the square.

The biggest museums of London are the British Museum, the National Gallery and the Museum of London. They contain priceless collections of ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures and so on. Madam Tussaud’s Museum is famous for its collection of wax figures of politicians, movie stars, singers, sportsmen and writers.

London’s historical monuments and theatres, museums and parks make it one of the most popular places to visit in the world.