All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”.

My School.

I study at the lyceum number two. It’s famous for its high-quality education and strict discipline. I have been studying here for 5 years. Our lyceum is 10 years old. Each November we celebrate its birthday.

We go to school 6 days a week. Our classes begin at half past eight in the morning. But usually we come to school fifteen minutes earlier. Each lesson lasts forty-five minutes.

After classes we don’t usually go home right away. We often go to our school library or have some out-of-class activities. We go to the theatre, cinema, take pert in contests, meetings and concerts. We celebrate different holidays in our lyceum: the Day of the Republic, the New Year, the Day of the Defender of Motherland, St. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Maslenitsa and others.

We do quite a lot of subjects at school. I know that all the subjects are important and they all must be paid much attention to, but still I like Languages and Literature (exact sciences). I spend much time on doing them at home.

Our teachers not only give us basic knowledge, but also teach us to treat nature carefully, to love our Motherland and to be honest and hardworking.

Card 2.

Tiraspol .

My native town is Tiraspol. It occupies the left bank of the river Dniester. Tiraspol could hardly be called a very big city, but nevertheless it is the capital of Pridnestrovje and besides it has a great historical past.

The town of Tiraspol was founded by Suvorov in 1792 to commemorate the victory of the Russian army over the Turkish in 1792.

The name Tiraspol means “ a town on the river Tiras”. “Tiras” is the ancient name of the Dniester and “polis” in Greek means “a town”.

At the beginning of the last century Tiraspol was a little dirty town with narrow streets and houses made of straw and clay.

Now it is political, administrative, economic and cultural centre. Tiraspol has a great network of plants and factories producing different goods, which are well-known both at home and abroad.

Besides we are proud of our State Drama Theatre, Art Gallery, the nature museums. The town has many sport clubs and sport grounds, stadiums and a swimming pool.

Tiraspol is a town of old and modern architecture, historical monuments and new residential areas.

Card 3.

My Future Career.

Choosing a Profession.

It`s rather difficult sometimes to choose a career and to speak about the future profession because a lot may change in our life in a moment. There are lucky people who chose their profession in childhood and since that time have been doing everything possible to acquire proficiency. But they are few.

If we are not indifferent to our future, while thinking about the future career we are to pay attention to a number of important things. We should determine our abilities and inclinations. Then we should analyse job prospects. We must know whether the profession we have chosen will guarantee good living conditions and give promotion. We must be sure we`ll avoid unemployment or at least will be able to apply our knowledge and skills in other fields of human activity. In short, we are to decide what we are going to do in our life and feel satisfied, but not bored or disappointed.

I am very well aware of the fact that my interest in the subject is insufficient, I need profound knowledge in the chosen field. That`s why I have to study hard.

Card 4.

Travelling .

People began to travel ages ago. The very first travelers were explorers who went on trips to find wealth, fame or something else. Their journeys were very dangerous but still people keep on going to the unknown lands. Nowadays there are a lot of companies, which can organize your tour, or voyage wherever you like. They will take care about your tickets and make all the reservations you need. If you don’t speak the language of the country you’ll be given interpreters. With modern services you can go around the world and choose the means of transport you like: plane, train, ship, bicycle or you can travel hiking.

As for me I like travelling by car. It is very convenient because you can stop whenever you like, have a better look at the places of interest and nature. Besides you needn’t reserve tour tickets and carry heavy suitcases.

Every year my parents and I go to the South for holidays. The Black Sea is one of the most wonderful places which attract holiday-makers all over the world. There are many rest-homes and tourist camps there. But it is also possible to rent a room or a furnished house for a couple of weeks there. As a rule I make new friends there. In the day-time we play volleyball, tennis, swim in the warm water of the sea and sunbathe. In the evening I like to sit on the beach watching the sea and enjoying the sunset.

But the greatest dream of my life is to go to the States and see most of its cities and sights. And of course study there at the prestigious university for some time.

Card 5.

Ecological Problems.

The Earth is Our Home.

The poisoning of the world’s land, air and water is the fastest spreading desease of civilization. It is potentially one of history’s greatest dangers to Human life on the Earth. If present trends continue for the next several decades, our planet will become uninhabitable.

Pollution, energy consumption and overpopulation have created such planet-wide problems as massive deforestation, ozone depletion, acid rains and the global warming that is believed to be caused by greenhouse effect.

The tropical rain forest is a natural recycler and protector for or planet. It recycles carbon, nitrogen and oxygen and supports the ecosystem in the world.

Acid rains are the most alarming forms of air pollution. It results from the release into the atmosphere of oxides that react with water droplets and return to Earth in the form of acid rain.

The seas are in danger. They are filled with poison: industrial and nuclearwaste, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The Mediterranean is already nearly dead. The North Sea is following. The Aral Sea is on the brink of extinction. If nothing is done about it, one day nothing will be able to live in the seas.

What Can I do?

In fact there are hundreds of little things that an ecologically conscious person can do. No matter how small is the gesture, it all adds to a better quality of life.

1. You can take more showers, fewer baths and keep the taps turned off to avoid water leakage. It’s no use overfilling the kettle if you are having tea for two.

2. To keep the water clean it is necessary to use less washing up liquids that contain phosphates, harmful to fish if they get into the river.

3. When we go shopping we should take our own plastic bags instead of collecting or buying new ones. It is important to remember that plastic is almost impossible to recycle. The best option is to use the paper bags.

4. We should try to avoid over-packaged products. They clog up the environment with waste. Foam plastic contains ozone-harming substances.

5. We can use fewer batteries because they contain toxic chemicals, and we buy millions of them a year. Burned, they pollute the air. Buried, they poison the land. A good idea is to buy rechargeable ones.

Card 6.

Youth Problems.

One of the most important problem of the youth is a generation gap. Every generation is unique in its experience. Adults always complain that the young are not what they were. At present the young do not blindly accept the ideals of their parents. For them everything that the adults bear in mind is past history. The adults always teach the young how to live. But the young know what they want and prefer to make their own mistakes rather than listen to the warnings of the adults.

Another problem of the youth is the relationship of the young people with their friends and beloved. I believe that real friends will never betray each other. They will always understand and help each other. It is true that tolerance is the pledge of friendship.

The problem of love is very important for the young. Today the young fall in love when they reach the age of Romeo and Juliet. But their belief in eternal love can end dramatically.

It should be said that the young have other problems as well. They are concerned with education, money, employment, hobby, spending their free time and communication.

Card 7.

Television in Our Life.

Is Television a Blessing or a Curse and a Time Waster?

It goes without saying that television is one of the greatest inventions of the last century. With the help of TV people are able to see the far away planets and even enjoy a direct broadcast from the space. Television makes it possible to watch the splitting of the atom, the birth of life, the volcano eruptions and even the earthquakes.

I personally consider it to be a wonderful way to relax and to switch off from every day problems. It’s ridiculous to deny that a witty comedy can improve your mood, if you are upset or exhausted because laughter has a similar effect to physical exercises.

Of course every great invention can be misused. Some people are hooked on cartoons, feature films, thrillers, westerns or pop music shows. Such people must remember that one can get addicted to TV, as it is a habit forming drug impossible to resist. Others stop going out to socialize with friends and relatives. To my mind they are really wasting their lives for nuts.

Doctors keep reminding us that constant viewing inevitably degrades the eyesight. Sitting slows down blood circulation and turns you into a couch potato. And in this case television really becomes a curse and a real disaster.

Card 8, 9.

W.Shakespeare .

William Shakespeare is the greatest English poet and dramatist. He was born in April in 1564 at Stratford-upon-Avon in England. Stratford is a small country town, right in the centre of

England. At that time Stratford was a prosperous, self-governing market town. The Avon is a beautiful river that runs through Stratford.

Mary Arden, the poet’s mother, was a daughter of a rich man. John Shakespeare, the poet’s father, was the town officer and dealer in corn and meat.

William Shakespeare made London his home but he often visited Stratford where his family lived. But he didn’t spend much time there. And only the last years of his life he spent in Stratford. In April 1616 at the age of 52 he died. W. Shakespeare was buried in an old Parish Church at Stratford. Shakespeare’s body was not taken to Westminster Abbey where many famous English writers and poets were buried. A few years later the monument was put up to him in Westminster Abbey.

William Shakespeare wrote most of his plays for the Globe Theatre.In those days in the 16th and 17th centuries people had neither radio nor a newspaper, that’s why the theatre played an important part their lives. In those days the people of London, young and old, rich and poor, loved the Globe Theatre very much. His most famous works are: 1. “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, “All’s well that Ends well”, “The Comedy of Errors”, “The Merry Wives of Windsor”,“Much Ado about Nothing”, “The Taming of the Shrew”, “The Tempest”, “As you like it”, “Twelfth Night”.

“Othello” is a play about love and jealousy, a play about a person who believed the lie and killed his wife whom he loved dearly.

“King Lear” is the story of a man who was so proud so egoistic that he could not understand a world around him. He heard only what he wanted to hear; he saw only what he wanted to see.

“Hamlet” is a great philosophical tragedy. It is the story of a man who loved truth and hated lies.The character of Hamlet is one of the most difficult in world literature.

This role was played by the best actors of all times and peoples. Among them are John Gielgud, Mel Gibson and Vladimir Visotskiy.

There are some common phrases which the English own to William Shakespeare. They have now become part of the everyday language of Englishmen.

1.“To be or not to be - That is the question”

Sport and Health.

Each Man Is a Creator of a Temple Called the Human Body.

Nowadays people are getting more and more concerned about the food they eat, about the air they breathe and the way they look and feel. They begin to comprehend that staying active as you get older gives you more energy and helps to stave off illness.

From my own experience I can say that some of my friends are simply hooked on aerobics, shaping, stretching and bodybuilding. I must admit that a professional sportsman is always a pleasure to look at: he doesn’t smoke or drink alcohol, keeps to a healthy diet avoiding junk food.

From my point of view, swimming is an excellent exercise. It doesn’t strain the muscles as the water supports the body wait. It also helps flexibility, stamina, and lung and heart capability. Cycling is wonderful for balance.

Yoga is also an ideal option. Both your body and your mind benefit from yoga classes, as it tones the muscles and relieves tension.

An hour’s brisk walk every day maintains perfect fitness and wards off such diseases as asthma, arthritis, back aches and insomnia.

As a teenager I’d like to say that the greatest way to combine pleasure and fitness is dancing.

So all these exercises will inevitably provide a person with a healthy body and a peace of mind.

Card 11.

Jack London (1876-1916)

Jack London was born at San Francisco California. His family soon moved to Oakland. He had quitted school at 14 and started working for living as his family was very poor. Before he was sixteen he had become an ouster pirate but soon he realized that this kind of life was not for him. As a sailor he sailed as far as Japan. The experience of the cruise formed the basis of his future sea stores.

About the age of 19 he attended Oakland High School for a short time and then had a year at the University of California. He had to quite college and got a job because he had no money to pay his tuition.

In the winter of 1897 London joined the gold rush to the Klondike. He got no gold but he had found something better then the yellow metal. The wonderful stories written after he had returned where based on the life he had lived and on what he had seen in the North.

One day a San Francisco paper advertised a writing contest. Jack’s mother made him write a story. She used to say that Jack had seen and done a lot, that he had always been and excellent storyteller. London wrote a story and it won the first prize 25 dollars.

His first book “The Son of the Wolf” (1900) gained a wide audience. During his short life London wrote 50 books. The main theme of his books was the struggle of the individual to survive and achieve success. His most popular books are: “The Call of the Wild” (1903), “The Sea Wolf” (1904), “White Fang” (1905) and “Martin Iden” (1909).

“The Call of the Wild” is about the dog, whose name was Buck. The story takes place in the extreme conditions of the Yukon, where strong sled dogs were in high demand. After Buck, a domesticated dog, is snatched from a pastoral ranch in California, he is sold into a brutal life as a sled dog. The novella details Buck's struggle to adjust and survive the cruel treatment he receives from humans, other dogs, and nature. He eventually sheds the veneer of civilization and the lessons he has learned helped him to become a respected and feared leader in the wild.

“White Fang” is a story that details a wild wolfdog's journey to domestication. White Fang is a companion novel (and a thematic mirror) to London's best-known work, The Call of the Wild, which concerns a kidnapped, domesticated dog embracing into his wild ancestry to survive and thrive in the wild.

Card 12.

London .

Card 13.

About Myself.

Card 14.

Books in Our Life.

“Some Books Are to Be Tasted,

Others to Be Swallowed, and Some

Few to Be Chewed and Digested ”.

This quotation belongs to a famous English philosopher Francis Bacon. He expands on it further,” that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”

I think this quotation is a hundred percent true, because it tells us how to red books of different kinds. The books of today reflect a large scope of information that it is practically impossible to mention all types of them. I can define such types of books as fiction, non-fiction, science-fiction, biografies, books about political, social and economis subjects, books on traveling, romances, thrillers, adventure and love stories, detective stories, fairy tails and others.

To my mind all books are to be tasted to know what suits your personal interests and inclinations. A modern well-educated person should be able to use not textbooks only but reference books, dictionaries, encyclopedias and all sorts of informational publications.

It goes without saying that the works by brilliant minds of mankind should be chewed and digested. Pretty often our comprehension of the plot of these literary works changes as we grow up. One really must be in love to understand Tatiana from “Eugenie Onegin”, or Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina”.

Card 15.

Mass Media.

Mass media are one of the most characteristic features of modern civilizations. People are united into one global community with the help of mass media. People can learn about what is happening in the world very fast using mass media.

The mass media include newspapers, magazines, radio, TV. The earliest kind of mass media was newspaper. The first newspaper was Roman called «Acta Diurna» started in 59 B.C. Magazines appeared in XVII century.

The most exciting and entertaining kind of mass media is television. It brings moving pictures and sounds directly to people’s homes. So one can see events in far away places.

Radio is widespread for its portability. It can be easily carried around. People like to listen to the Radio in the park, on the beach, at the seaside, in the car, while driving a car, on the picnic. The main kind of radio entertainment is music, news, musical quiz.

Internet is the most advanced and fast-growing kind of digital media. It gives people the freedom of speech and self-expression unavailable before, at the same time allowing many new and unforeseen combinations of different media types. Internet is also the foundation of new technologies that will impact the society in numerous ways, such as e-commerce and virtual multi-user communities.

Card 16.

Washington , D.C.

Washington D.C. is situated on the Potomac River. The author of the design for the capital city was the French engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant. His design is based on Versailles, a palace near Paris.

L’Enfant’s dream was a capital city that would be magnificent enough to grace a great nation.

The central place of the city is the Mall, a large open space, stretching from the building of the Capitol to Lincoln Memorial and Washington Memorial. The Mall is often used by people for public meetings, picnics, games and concerts.

In planning the new federal city Pierre Charles L’Enfant placed the Congress House (Capitol Building) and the President’s Palace (White House) at opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, as symbols of the separation of the legislative and executive brunches of government.

The main purpose of the legislative brunch is to make the laws and govern the people.

On both sides of the Mall are the numerous buildings of the Smithsonian Institution – the world’s largest museum complex. Among the famous museums are: the Museum of American History, the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery of Art, National Museum of African Art and others.

We can see all kinds of things there: famous paintings and sculptures, the dresses of Presidents’ wives, the original of the Declaration of Independence, the largest blue diamond in the world. The Smithsonian Institution is an important centre for research. There is only one business in Washington, and this business is government. Most of the people who live in Washington work for the federal government.

Millions of people visit Washington annually, from travelers to government officials foreign diplomats and world leaders. That’s why the capital is served by three major airports: Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport and Baltimore – Washington International Airport.

Card 17.

Modern Press.

Card 19.

My Favourite Russian Writer.

Card 20.