SCHOOL TRADITIONS

1. Let’s talk about school and school traditions. What can you tell me about your school?

I study in Gymnasium #2. It is a wonderful school with interesting history and a lot of amazing traditions.

The school was founded in 1978. In 2003 it became a gymnasium. Nowadays it is a modern building with all the necessary facilities: a lot of classrooms, fully equipped labs, computer classrooms, resource centers of Russian and English languages, a huge gym, an Assembly Hall, a canteen, a library and the best stadium in Grodno.

Here we get knowledge and learn different skills, find out how to cope with complicated problems and develop the ability to analyze. English is one of the main subjects here. It will be very useful for our future jobs. Students can also choose Chemistry and Biology, Physics and Mathematics or Linguistics as their specialization.

Our school offers us a lot of extracurricular activities. Here we can go in for sports and take part in sports competitions, very often we participate in games with Lithuanian and English guests. Our gymnasium is known for its English Week, where we can express ourselves in different concerts and performances. The school newspaper, “The Gymnasia Times”, gives us a chance to write real articles.

            I like my school because here I can communicate with my friends and get the necessary skills for my future life and career. Here I always have the support of my friends and teachers.

            In conclusion, I’d like to say that I’m really enjoying my school years and appreciate gymnasium #2, because here I can get serious knowledge and will always have a chance to develop my talents.

2. Does your school have any traditions?

In our gymnasium there are a lot of amazing traditions. If you want to know English well, you can perform in Drama Fest, play games, write articles for “The Gymnasia Times” or participate in the contest for the best public speaker. If you are athletic, you can take part in different sports competitions. A project with the European Union has also given us an opportunity to rebuild our stadium.. Our exchange programme is also well-known to people in Grodno. It lets us communicate with peers and teachers from Harwich, England and visit this beautiful country. Our students can see St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and other historical monuments. They can also practice their English.

But my favourite tradition is the Final Bell. It is a very emotional holiday, because graduates say goodbye to their school, teachers and classmates. They also dance the traditional waltz

3. Why do schools need traditions?

Traditions are very important for schools, because they unite students, give them nice memories, allow them to spend some time together and to express themselves. Thanks to school traditions we can see school in a new light – not only as an educational establishment where we get serious knowledge, but also as a place where we spend a lot of time communicating and having fun.

4. What new traditions can you advise to your school?

            I think every school needs to have different traditions: contests, sports competitions, Drama Fests, etc. It would be a nice idea to have some new competitions. For example, I know that in Harwich students have school communities. They have different competitions: for the best marks and uniforms, sports records, concerts and so on. Such competitions could unite us and make us do our best. Another nice tradition from Harwich is school trip to different countries and cities. Belarus has a lot of places of interest and I guess we could travel together with my friends and spend some time together.

5. Ask me about school traditions in my school.

SCHOOL/EDUCATION

1. Let’s talk about education/school. What can you tell me about your school?

I study in Gymnasium #2. It is a wonderful school with interesting history and a lot of amazing traditions.

The school was founded in 1978. In 2003 it became a gymnasium. Nowadays it is a modern building with all the necessary facilities: a lot of classrooms, fully equipped labs, computer classrooms, resource centers of Russian and English languages, a huge gym, an Assembly Hall, a canteen, a library and the best stadium in Grodno.

Here we get knowledge and learn different skills, find out how to cope with complicated problems and develop the ability to analyze. English is one of the main subjects here. It will be very useful for our future jobs. Students can also choose Chemistry and Biology, Physics and Mathematics or Linguistics as their specialization.

Our school offers us a lot of extracurricular activities. Here we can go in for sports and take part in sports competitions, very often we participate in games with Lithuanian and English guests. Our gymnasium is known for its English Week, where we can express ourselves in different concerts and performances. The school newspaper, “The Gymnasia Times”, gives us a chance to write real articles.

            I like my school because here I can communicate with my friends and get the necessary skills for my future life and career. Here I always have the support of my friends and teachers.

            In conclusion, I’d like to say that I’m really enjoying my school years and appreciate gymnasium #2, because here I can get serious knowledge and will always have a chance to develop my talents.

2. Is your school different from all the other schools? Are there any interesting traditions here?

Our school offers us a great variety of traditions. If you want to know English well, you can perform in Drama Fest, play games, write articles for “The Gymnasia Times” or participate in the contest for the best public speaker. If you are athletic, you can take part in different sports competitions. A project with the European Union has also given us an opportunity to rebuild our stadium.. Our exchange programme is also well-known to people in Grodno. It lets us communicate with peers and teachers from Harwich, England and visit this beautiful country. Our students can see St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and other historical monuments. They can also practice their English.

But my favourite tradition is the Final Bell. It is a very emotional holiday, because graduates say goodbye to their school, teachers and classmates. They also dance the traditional waltz

3. Today a lot of young people want to study abroad. What about you?

            A. A lot of young people want to study abroad, because they think the education there is better. But there are a lot of disadvantages, too. First of all, you’d have to pay a lot of money and food. Your parents and friends will be far away from you and there will be no one to talk to or to give you support. Sometimes it is very difficult to speak a foreign language all the time. You’d have to study and cook and clean up the room yourself.

            Studying at home is much better for me. There is no language barrier. Your friends and family can help you and give you advice. Also it is easier to study from the psychological point of view. Our education is one of the best in the world, so I am sure I will make a great professional.

            B. A lot of young people want to study abroad, because they think the education there is better.

4. Can you advise anything to a student who wants to prepare to exams well?

5. Ask me what kind of pupil I was.

NATURE PROTECTION

1.      Let’s talk about the environment. A lot of scientists say that our planet is in danger. Do you agree?

Nowadays people can see a lot of problems and understand that it is important to protect the environment. The most serious global problems are: water and air pollution; destruction of rainforests; shortages of water, food, fossil fuels and natural resources; global warming and the greenhouse effect; depletion of the ozone layer; acid rains and greater numbers of refugees.

There is no ocean or sea which is not polluted. Governments test their nuclear weapons there, factories and plants dump 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. Water pollution can also cause outbreaks of different illnesses.

Air pollution has become a serious problem, too. Exhaust fumes from cars and buses, harmful gases and chemicals released by plants and factories make it difficult for people to breathe. Acid rains destroy forests and buildings.

People can’t sunbathe often, because ultraviolet radiation from the sun can cause skin cancer. Normally the ozone layer protects us from such radiation. But as a result of air pollution we now have such a problem as the depletion of the ozone layer.

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

2.      Can you explain what’s happening to the climate right now?

Weather is very important for people, because it influences their health and well-being and their way of life. When the weather is cold and rainy, people might feel upset or even depressed. And when it is sunny, they are happy and cheerful. This is why many scientists worry that average temperature in the world is rising.

This process is called global warming. But it doesn’t only mean warmer climate. Together with global warming come floods, landslides, hurricanes, droughts and heat waves. Ice caps in the Arctic and the Antarctic are melting, flooding coastal areas. Plants and animals do not have periods of rest in winter or are not protected by snow when it is -20⁰.

Global warming is caused by pollution, the greenhouse effect and deforestation.

Global warming can be very dangerous. Scientists predict that by 2050 some species of animals will have died out, coastal areas such as New York will have been covered with water and millions of environmental refugees will have appeared.

3.      What should people do to protect our planet?

There are many ways in which people can help the environment. First of all, factories should use more filters that can stop air pollution and not dump wastes into rivers and oceans. Also it is vital to develop technologies, which are good for the environment, for example, energy efficient light bulbs or household appliances that use less electricity. We should all try to use cars less often and travel by bike or public transport. It is very important to use renewable sources of energy: wind power, tidal power, hydra-power, solar energy, nuclear power and geothermal power. These sources of energy are renewable, cheap, environmentally friendly and easy to find in any country.

4.      Are you green?

I can’t say that I am really green. Of course, I try to follow the rule of 3Rs. I collect paper and plastic for recycling. I don’t buy a new plastic bag each time I go shopping. I also try not to turn on the lights in the rooms that I don’t use. Sometimes my family and I plant trees and flowers with my mom. Still I think I can do more, for example, use less water and electricity. I am sure that in the future I will try to be truly green.

5.      What questions would you ask a British teenager about nature protection in his/her country?