Card 1 Are You Proud of Being Belarusian?

Where would you like to live; in a city or in the country? Why (not)?

As for me, I would like to live in a city. Living in a big city gives you a lot of advantages nowadays. Firstly, life in big cities is more anonymous. You can be what you want to be and do what you want to do without anybody getting upset about it.

Secondly, there is so much going on in the city. There are a lot of theatres, cinemas, museums, art galleries, libraries to visit as well as big shopping centres where you can buy any goods you need.

What questions will you ask your parents about the flat/house your family is going to move into?

- Where is the flat situated? - How many rooms are there in it? – Will I have my own room?

III. Let’s talk about the education.

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

My school is situated in one of the new areas of Borisov. It is the biggest school in our town. There are more than 1000 pupils in it. It is a 3-storied building with a swimming-pool, 2 spacious gyms and a stadium. Most of our classrooms are quite good, light and spacious. When you enter this or that classroom you understand what subject is taught here as you see special devices or equipment in every room.

Entering the school you’ll see a big and light hall. Here you can see a canteen, an Assembly Hall, and classes for Handicraft, Music and Art. On the first floor there is the Headmistress Room, Teachers’ Room, and classrooms for different subjects. On the second floor there’s a library, the Exhibition of Art, 2 computer classes and different classrooms.

Various subjects are studied at our school: History, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, Belarusian, Russian, Literature, Geography, Astronomy, Drawing and Singing. So we have a great variety of things to choose for our future interest in our professional life. As for me I’m fond of … I work hard so as to gain appropriate knowledge and to pass my future exams successfully.

Pupils go to school 5 days a week for lessons and the 6th day for sport or other activity. Classes start at 9 a.m. and are over at 14.30 p.m.. After classes I don’t go home. School provides children not only with knowledge. It’s also a place where children spend their free time. There are many amateur groups or circles and sport sections in my school. We have an orchestra, a choir, theatre classes, an Arts club and different sports clubs.

At my school I have experienced and creative teachers. They help us to learn subjects well and guide us and advise us on all aspects of our study and life.I enjoy my school years and I’ll remember them for the rest of my life.

2. Does your school have any traditions?

Among our school traditions I can mention such as Teacher’s Day, Autumn and Spring Fair, The Festival of Sciences, Autumn and Spring Sport Days, Leaving School Day. Every first Saturday of February we celebrate the School-leavers Reunion Day.

I like Spring Sport Day. You have an opportunity to show your athletic skills and abilities. It’s held on last Saturday of April. All pupils from the 1st to the 11th class take part in it. It takes place in all school sports grounds: in the gym, on the football pitch, on the volleyball court. Every class has its own route and they have to cross each and try to show the best result in different activities. It finishes with the closing ceremony where winners get their medals and prizes.

Ask me whether I liked school when I was a pupil.

1) Did you like your school when you were a pupil? 2) What was your favourite subject?

3) Did you have classes on Saturday? 4) How much time did it take you to do your homework? 5) Studying was easier those days, wasn’t it?

III. Let’s talk about Belarus.

Be kind and stay safe

Everybody knows that we should be polite and kind to people in real life and online. Unfortunately this doesn’t always happen. Where can you report online abuse1 or unkind messages to yourself or your friends? Do you know how to report and complain about harmful information online? For example, if you see an inappropriate tweet on Twitter you can click on ‘more’ and then choose ‘Report tweet’. You can then block all further tweets from that user.

Even celebrities can be cyberbullied2. Tom Daley, the British Olympic diver, was abused online. His father died during the 2012 Olympic Games and Tom received some very cruel tweets about his indifference towards his father’s health.

Here are our top tips for staying safe online:

1. Be nice! Treat people online as you do in real life.

2. Don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t want people in real life to see.

3. Check your privacy and security settings on social media sites and keep them as private as possible. Make sure you know exactly who can see your posts.

4. Don’t ever post personal information like your home address, your email or your phone number.

5. If you see something online that worries or upsets you, tell an adult about it straight away. 6. Take part in Safer Internet Day.

Safer Internet Day, or SID for short, tries to help people to use the Internet correctly. SID started in 2004 and is organised in February every year in 74 countries around the world to promote safe and responsible use of online technology and mobile phones. Each year there is a different topic such as cyberbullying or social networking. The focus for SID’s next campaign is “Let’s create a better internet together”. SID organisers want children and young people, parents and teachers, as well as industry and politicians to work together to build a better internet for all of us, but particularly for children.

There are special lessons prepared for schoolchildren on Safer Internet Day in Britain. You can find out about SID on this website: ttp: //www.saferinternet.org.uk/.

1 abuse [ə ˈ bjuː s] оскорбление

2 to be cyberbullied [ˈ saɪ bə bʊ lɪ d] быть преследуемым в киберпространстве

2. The journalist writes how to stop bad messages on Twitter. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. What can we do to stay safe online?

4. Why is SID a good way to stop abuse on the Internet?

II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.

1. Where does the conversation take place?

2. What is the man interested in?

3. How much do you need to pay monthly?

III. Let’s talk about art.

Art

1 Different works of art have been created to please the eye and to excite our emotions. Which form of art is you favourite?

It goes without saying that art is a great power. Different works of art have been created to please the eye and to excite emotions. As for me I`m fond of music. It appeals to my heart and helps me stay cheerful and active. As any other form of art, music reflects life, people` s ideas and emotions. Classical music helps me to feel peace and harmony inside my heart. Pop music and rap are very popular with teenagers nowadays due to mass media and mass culture. As for my country, Belarus is famous all over the world due to its painters. Painting shows moments of life in their beauty. Landscapes show the beauty of Nature, portraits-the beauty of person` s face.Kazimir Malevich, Ivan Khrutsky are famous Belarusian painters, but the most famous is Marc Chagall. He was born in a poor family in Vitebsk. He began to paint in his childhood. But he painted his best pictures in Paris. He developed his own unique style of art. Chagall mixed strong and bright colours with fantasy and religion.Chagall`s works are in the biggest art galleries of the world.

2 Do you agree that Belarusian artists, composers and musicians are well-known in the world?

Belarus is a talented nation. It has given birth to many outstanding people in different spheres of life. The Belarusian culture is also famous for its ballet. The Opera and Ballet Theatre in Minsk is the centre of the national Belarusian school of ballet. Valentin Elizaryev is one of the famous choreographers in the world.The Belarusian vocal groups « Pesnyary» and « Verasy» have been a great success in Europe. That`s why Belarus can be proud of our creative people.

3 Ask me some questions about a theatre performance I have seen recently?

1 Did you enjoy this performance? 2. Did you visit theatre with your friends or parents? 3 What impressed you in this performance most of all? How often do you visit such cultural events? 4. You liked the performance, didn’t you? 5. Who was in the leading parts?

4 Give some advice on how to use creative skills in everyday life?

It`s very easy to be creative in everyday life. You can decorate your house or room according to your taste and mood. You can cook exotic dishes, for example sushi or kebab. Or you can organize a cool party.

5 Have you ever been to any cultural event(an exhibition, a concert or something)If yes, tell us about your impressions. If no, tell about the cultural event you`d like to visit.

I should say I have been to many concerts and exibitions. Last year I visited an Art exhitition of Borisov students. It was very interesting. I understood that there were a lot of talenled young people in our town. Their works are understandable and beautiful. But I would like to take part in street art exhibitions to show my own views and ideas. And I would use graffiti to do this. Wish me good luck.

№ 8 I. 1.Read the story and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Great grandad

It was a funny and surprising thing that brought Grandad back to me. It was algebra. I couldn’t cope with algebra in my first year at secondary school, and it made me mad. “I don’t see the point of it, ” I screamed. “I don’t know what it’s for! ”

Grandad, as it turned out, liked algebra and he sat opposite me and didn’t say anything for a while, considering my problem in that careful expressionless way of his.Eventually he said, “Why do you do PE¹ at school? ” “What? ” “PE. Why do they make you do it? ” “Because they hate us? ” I suggested. “And the other reason? ” “To keep us fit, I suppose.” “Physically fit, yes.”

He reached across the table and put the first two fingers of each hand on the sides of my head.

“There is also mental fitness, isn’t there? I can explain to you why algebra is useful. But that is not what algebra is really for.” He moved his fingers gently on my head. “It’s to keep what is in here healthy. PE is for the head. And the great thing is you can do it sitting down. Now, let us use these little puzzles here to take our brains for a jog².”

And it worked. Not that I fell in love with algebra. But I did come to see that it was possible to enjoy it. Grandad taught me that maths signs and symbols were not just marks on paper. They were not flat. There were threedimensional, and you could approach them from different directions. You could take them apart and put them together in a variety of shapes, like Lego. I stopped being afraid of them.

I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but those homework sessions helped me to discover my Grandad. Algebra turned out to be the key that opened the invisible door he lived behind and let me in.

Now I learnt that Grandad’s world was full of miracles and mazes³, mirrors and misleading signs. He was fascinated by riddles and codes and labyrinths⁴, by the origin of place names, by grammar, by slang, by jokes — although he never laughed at them — by anything that might mean something else. I discovered My Grandad.

¹ PE физкультура ² to take our brains for a jog шевелить мозгами

³ a maze путаница ⁴ a labyrinth лабиринт

2. The author says she had problems with algebra. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. How did the girl’s Granddad help her understand the subject?

4. What else did the author understand about her Granddad?

II. Listen to the member of the Greenpeace organisation telling a story about whales and answer the questions below.

1. How did Uncle Roger explain to the boy why the whales were on the beach? 2. How did the people help them?

3. How did this event affect the story-teller’s life?

III. Let’s talk about your future career.

CHOOSING A CAREER

1 . Let’s talk about your future career. What kind of job would you like to have in future? I am leaving school soon and am thinking about possible careers and jobs. And it's true that one of the most difficult things when you leave school is deciding on the sort of job you want to do. There seem to be lots of alternatives and you just don't know where to start. It demands careful consideration because of the great importance of your choice.

Some pupils choose their future professions under the influence of their parents or friends, whose advice they find useful and valuable. In my opinion, the final choice should depend on what you are most interested in. For me interesting and creative work is the most important thing. I want to enjoy my work and get satisfaction from it. And if it's well-paid at the same time, then it looks even more desirable and attractive.

Frankly speaking, I haven't made my final choice of the future job in which I'd like to specialize, but I am definitely sure that in any job I want to be a useful person for the society I live in, and, of course, I want my family to be proud of me.

2. Does a person need to possess special qualities to become a good specialist in this or that particular field? Why? Certainly when choosing a career, you should ask yourself a question if you are suitable for it and how much you know about the reality of your future job. You should also find out if you are expected to possess certain qualities needed for the job and whether you will be able to develop these qualities in the process of training and education. As a matter of fact, many of us are still on a fantasy level about the future jobs and hardly realize a possible difference between the career aspirations1 and the real world of work. So it's necessary to consider all pros and cons so as not to regret your decision to follow this or that career afterwards. Actually, it's not a pleasant thing to stay all your life in the job which you don't like. Anyway, choosing a profession is a crucial point in a school-leaver's life, isn't it?

3 . What questions will you ask your future employer about your future job?

- Is there any dress-code in your office? - What is the period of holidays? - How much is the salary? - Is any experience required? - Do I need any qualifications or experience? - You provide your employees with some social package, don’t you?

4. Give me some advice on how to behave at a job interview to create a positive impression on the employer. First of all you should think about your appearance. Make a good first impression. Dress smartly, wear a shirt or a tie (for men), a dress or a skirt (not too short) with a blouse (for girls). Enter the room with a bright and friendly smile. Look at the person you are talking to. Don’t use your mobile phone. Switch it off beforehand. Be honest, show confidence and professionalism. Prepare all necessary documents.

YOUTH AND SOCIETY

№ 1 1. Today young people take an active part in the social life of the country. What youth organizations do you know? It’s quite natural that young people want to express their views on several political and social issues. They join youth organizations and societies. The main aim of these organizations is to involve young people into socially useful activities such as sporting events, volunteering at hospitals, taking care of war veterans, assisting the old and the handicapped, carrying out some ecological projects and doing other things.

There are a lot of youth organizations in Belarus. The most authoritative of them are: the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM), the Belarusian Republican Pioneer Organization, the Association of Belarusian Scouts, etc. The activities of these organisations are managed and directed by the State Committee on the Affairs of Youth. At the same time there are a lot of informal youth movements that want to express themselves in different ways. Some try to express their political views, others are searching for their own answers to universal problems: ecological, religious or philosophical. Anyway all young people want to express themselves and find their place in this world.

2. Have you ever joined a youth organization? Why (not)? I have never joined any youth organizations, probably, because I haven’t found anything special or interesting for my personal development. I’m very busy with my studies, besides I’ve got a lot of interests and hobbies. I can express myself in various activities organized at school: concerts, sports competitions, class meetings and parties, and of course at my everyday classes. Thus I don’t feel intension to join any organization.

3. What questions would you like to ask a person who has joined a new international organization? 1. Are you a member of any organization? 2. You are a member of BRSM, aren’t you? 3. Why have you joined this organization? 4. Do you take part in sports competitions or cultural events? 5. Who is the leader of the organization?

4. What issues would you recommend to discuss at a monthly meeting of a debate club? I think there are so many things to talk about for young people. For example I would recommend to discuss the ecological situation in our town, our modern national music styles, modern arts, some fashion issues. Maybe such questions will be interesting for discussions: Is there any threat from the space? Would you like to change the system of our education? Is it possible to avoid all bad habits in the society?

5. A lot of young people in Europe work in hospitals and kindergartens as volunteers. What do you think attracts them to this kind of work? Volunteer movement is a very unique phenomenon in a society. It shows the level of the development of the society. In this kind of work people have no any material motivation. Some of them want to help other people, others hope to get some experience in this kind of work. Also there are people who have overcome some situations or difficulties in their lives and now they want to help others.

№ 11 I.1.READ THE ARTICLE AND SAY IN 2—3 SENTENCES WHAT IT IS ABOUT. PYTHAGORAS¹ Pythagoras is often described as a very important mathematician, yet we know little about his achievements. What we do know is that he was the leader of a society which was half scientific and half religious. It was a secret society and today Pythagoras is still a mysterious figure. It is believed that Pythagoras was born on the Greek island of Samos. His father was a merchant, and as a child, Pythagoras travelled with him selling their goods. Pythagoras was well educated. He learned music and poetry and had three philosophers to teach him who introduced Pythagoras to mathematics and advised him to travel to Egypt to learn more about mathematics and astronomy. So in 535 BC, Pythagoras travelled to Egypt where he visited many temples and took part in discussions with priests. Many of the customs he learnt in Egypt he came to adopt. For example, the Egyptian priests refused to eat beans and wear animal skins, as did Pythagoras later in his life. In 525 BC the King of Persia invaded Egypt. Pythagoras was taken prisoner and was transported to Babylon. It was here, taught by the Babylonians, that he reached perfection in arithmetic and music. When Pythagoras returned to Samos he founded there a school which was called ‘The Semicircle’. It seems that the people of Samos did not appreciate the teaching methods of Pythagoras and they treated him rudely and improperly. Furthermore, they wanted to involve Pythagoras in local politics against his will. For these reasons, he went to Italy. Pythagoras believed that numbers rule the universe and that numbers are present in all things. He also connected mathematics to music and recognized the healing power of music. He used it as a kind of therapy to help those who were ill. Another of his beliefs was that there are three types of men: those who love wisdom, those who love honour and those who love wealth. Pythagoras was a mathematician, an astronomer, and a philosopher. Today we remember him best for his famous geometry theorem, known as Pythagoras’ theorem.2 1 Pythagoras [paɪ ˈ θ æ ɡ ə rə s] Пифагор 2 Pythagoras’ theorem [paɪ ˈ θ æ ɡ ə rə sɪ z ˈ θ ɪ ə rə m] теорема Пифагора 2. Where did Pythagoras go to learn mathematics and astronomy? Read aloud the extract which says about it. 3. Why did Pythagoras go to Italy? 4. What are the three types of men according to Pythagoras? II. Listen to the interview with Mr Ron Cansler taken by the Youth Magazine and answer the questions below. 1. How old is Mr Cansler? 2. What kind of life did he have when he was young? 3. What does he recommend listeners to do? III. Let’s talk about the mass media. Билет № 11 Mass media 1. Let's talk about mass media; TV, newspapers, radio. Which of these does your family use? Mass media are one of the most characteristic features of modern civilization. They include newspapers, magazines, radio and television. The earliest kind of mass media was newspaper. My parents subscribe to Argumenty i Facty. I don’t read all the articles, but I find something interesting in every issue. As for radio, nowadays we can listen to the radio through the Internet. TV is the source of valuable information. It brings the world to our living room, where we can see people of other countries; learn their customs, traditions and problems. The choice of programmes is really wide: the news, feature films, talk shows, music programmes, documentary films, educational programmes, serials, interviews. On the other hand, people spend more and more time in front of TV. Both television and the Internet encourage passive enjoyment. They cut us off from the real world. Sometimes there is too much violence and crime on TV and on the Internet. As for me, I’m not a TV fan. My mother enjoys watching lifestyle programmes, talk shows, soaps, drama and sitcoms. My father prefers news and sports programmes. Sometimes I watch music programmes. The Internet is a great source of information and entertainment for many people. Thanks to it I have got an opportunity to access news, documents, images, sounds, video and games, to make friends, to book tickets and to purchase different things online. What is more, the Internet has revolutionized the way people communicate. Sending electronic text messages is much faster and easier than writing letters. People use e-mail to stay in touch with friends worldwide. 2. Is there any means of communication you can't live without? Why (not)? I can’t imagine my everyday life without the Internet. Thanks to it I have got an opportunity to get news, documents, images, video and games, to make friends, to book tickets and to buy different things online. There are a lot of different sites for students, businessmen, teachers, for people who are fond of music, cinema, theatre, sports and even for disabled people. What is more, the Internet has changed the way people communicate: sending electronic text messages is much faster and easier than writing letters, or speaking with the help of Skype is more interesting than speaking on the phone. 3. What questions will you ask people who live without a TV set, computer or radio? 1. Is it boring to live without news? 2. Do you read newspapers or magazines? 3. Where do you find information? Why don’t you use radio? What newspapers do you read? 4. You don’t use a computer, do you? 5. Who advised you to live without the news? 4. I’d like to watch an interesting programme on TV. What can you advise me? First of all, I would ask about your preferences and interests. Sometimes people watch TV just to relax. In this case my advice may be very different. So, I personally would recommend you to watch any programmes on Discovery Channel. If you’ve got a pet you would enjoy watching special programmes about cats and dogs on Animal Planet Channel. Also there are many programmes about education and culture. There are programmes on wide range of subjects — from physics and literature to cooking and yoga. So you’ve got a great choice. 5. Can the internet replace all the other means of mass media? What’s your point of view? Today Internet has become one of the most popular means of mass media. It combines functions of all telecommunication systems. It has video, audio, conference and text opportunities. But I think that Internet won’t place other mass media, because not all people (especially people over 50) know how to use the Internet. And we can’t always trust the source of information from the Internet.

№ 12 I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

AMELIA

Possibly the most famous female pilot ever, Amelia Earhart was born in 1897 in Kansas, the USA. Amelia had a difficult and unsettled childhood. Her family travelled a great deal so her father could find work. Although she often missed school, Amelia was nevertheless considered to be very bright academically. She enjoyed reading and poetry as well as sports, especially basketball and tennis.

After graduating from high school, instead of going to college, Amelia decided to study nursing. During the First World War, she worked as a military nurse in Canada. When the war ended she became a social worker back in America and taught English to immigrants. In her free time, Amelia enjoyed going to air shows and watching aerial stunts1, which were very popular during the 1920s. Her fascination with flying began when, at one of those shows, she took a tenminute ride, and from that moment on she knew she had to learn to fly.

Amelia took on several odd jobs to pay for the flying lessons and after a year, she had saved enough money to buy her own plane. She organised crosscountry air races for women pilots and formed a now famous women pilots’ organisation, called the ‘NinetyNines’. One day Amelia received an invitation to be the first woman ever to make the flight across the Atlantic from Canada to Britain. Amelia made the flight in 1928 and, although she was only a passenger and two men flew the plane, it made her a celebrity. She also met there her future husband, George Putman, a publisher, who arranged the flight and organised all the publicity.

In 1932 Amelia and George decided Amelia should make the Atlantic crossing from America to Britain alone. She broke several records on this flight; she became the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo, the only person to have flown it twice and she established a new transatlantic crossing record of 13 hours and 30 minutes. Understandably, she became even more famous as a result earning respect for women pilots all over the world by proving that women could fly as well as men, if not better.

1 an aerial stunt [ˈ eə rɪ ə l ˈ stʌ nt] фигура высшего пилотажа

2. How did Amelia get interested in flying? Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. What invitation did Amelia receive one day?

4. Why did Amelia become famous?

II. Listen to the conversation between Nancy and her mum and answer the questions below.

1. What do Nancy’s parents worry about?

2. Why does Nancy refuse to do household chores?

3. What arguments does Mum use to make Nancy clean the room?

Билет № 11 Mass media

1. Let's talk about mass media; TV, newspapers, radio. Which of these does your family use? Mass media are one of the most characteristic features of modern civilization. They include newspapers, magazines, radio and television. The earliest kind of mass media was newspaper. My parents subscribe to Argumenty i Facty. I don’t read all the articles, but I find something interesting in every issue. As for radio, nowadays we can listen to the radio through the Internet. TV is the source of valuable information. It brings the world to our living room, where we can see people of other countries; learn their customs, traditions and problems. The choice of programmes is really wide: the news, feature films, talk shows, music programmes, documentary films, educational programmes, serials, interviews. On the other hand, people spend more and more time in front of TV. Both television and the Internet encourage passive enjoyment. They cut us off from the real world. Sometimes there is too much violence and crime on TV and on the Internet. As for me, I’m not a TV fan. My mother enjoys watching lifestyle programmes, talk shows, soaps, drama and sitcoms. My father prefers news and sports programmes. Sometimes I watch music programmes. The Internet is a great source of information and entertainment for many people. Thanks to it I have got an opportunity to access news, documents, images, sounds, video and games, to make friends, to book tickets and to purchase different things online. What is more, the Internet has revolutionized the way people communicate. Sending electronic text messages is much faster and easier than writing letters. People use e-mail to stay in touch with friends worldwide.

2. Is there any means of communication you can't live without? Why (not)?

I can’t imagine my everyday life without the Internet. Thanks to it I have got an opportunity to get news, documents, images, video and games, to make friends, to book tickets and to buy different things online. There are a lot of different sites for students, businessmen, teachers, for people who are fond of music, cinema, theatre, sports and even for disabled people. What is more, the Internet has changed the way people communicate: sending electronic text messages is much faster and easier than writing letters, or speaking with the help of Skype is more interesting than speaking on the phone.

3. What questions will you ask people who live without a TV set, computer or radio? 1. Is it boring to live without news? 2. Do you read newspapers or magazines? 3. Where do you find information? Why don’t you use radio? What newspapers do you read? 4. You don’t use a computer, do you? 5. Who advised you to live without the news?

International cooperation

1. Let`s talk about international cooperation. What is international cooperation promoted for?

There are many organizations in the world, which work and cooperate together in dealing with international problems. Some of them are official, the other are public. Among them are the United Nations Organization, The Red Cross League, Greenpeace and many others. Let's take, for example, the United Nations. It is an organization to which nearly all the countries of the world belong. Its headquarters are situated in New York. Its central aim is to maintain peace and security in the world, to develop friendly relations among nations.
Greenpeace is an international organization, which deals with ecological and environmental problems. It was formed in 1971. Now it is a powerful organization, which works all over the word. There are many serious actions in the list of Greenpeace activities. The national offices exist in 27 countries of the world. In Russia Greenpeace was formed in 1992. It works here on four directions: Wood Campaign, Antinuclear Campaign, and Campaign for preservation Lake Baikal. Greenpeace tries to attract public attention to different problems in the world and find out who is guilty.

CHOOSING A CAREER

3 . What questions will you ask your future employer about your future job?

Card № 21

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Technology

Technology is everywhere. We see it any place we go to and, in fact, almost all of us carry some piece of technology with us every time we leave the house. We can’t imagine our life without them. But what we always forget, though, is just how useful and powerful technology can be when we want to help others.

There is not a single room in my house that does not have some gadget lying around in it. Whenever I am at home, providing that I am not sleeping, I am almost always using at least one electronic device. If you walked into my living room on any given day, you would find that, first, I have the television on (along with the other related appliances, such as the DVD player or my current favourite games console¹). At the same time, even though multitasking is definitely not my strong point, I usually have my laptop resting on my knee, or I will be using my tablet or mobile phone. In the background, the technology that I am not using will most likely be on charge somewhere in the house. Even when I’m not at home I am constantly using my phone. At work or in café s, I sit down and connect to the local wireless network on my laptop. I must admit that I waste a lot of time on the computer. Instead I could spend it doing some online volunteering.

The technology we carry about everywhere can have a great power to do good for the world and to help others and recently I discovered just how much online volunteering there is to do in the world. From using your language skills to do translations, to developing and managing projects and helping with IT work, there is so much that so many people can do to help people in their own countries and across the world. The United Nations, in fact, has a huge page on its website designed for recruiting volunteers.

This work can support the poor and help charities who otherwise would not have the funding to pay for staff. Many organisations only require you to work an hour a week — some even less. And the support provided by online volunteers can really help make a difference to those in need.

¹ games console [ˈ ɡ eɪ mz ˈ kɒ nˈ sə ʊ l] игровая приставка

2. The author disapproves of the way people use electronic devices. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. What electronic devices does the author often use?

4. How can online volunteering help people?

II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.

1. What is the flat like?

2. What do Anna and Carlos like and dislike about the flat?

3. What have they decided to do?

III. Let’s talk about any English-speaking country.

1. What do you know about the USA(Canada/Australia)? I’d like to talk about the USA. The USA is the world’s third largest country in size and nearly the third largest in population. Located in North America, the country borders on Canada in the North and Mexico in the South. The country is divided into 50 states and the District of Columbia. The USA has a relatively short history. It all started with Columbus’s discovery of America in 1492. After his arrival a series of European visitors appeared on the continent -the Spanish, French, Dutch and British. In the early 17th century, settlers moved from Europe to the New World, established colonies, and moved the native peoples away.

Native people fought for their independence from Britain in the late 18th century and formed a union of states based on a new constitution. On the 4^th of July, 1776 independence from Britain was declared. This is exactly the date when all the Americans celebrate the Independence Day.

The USA has been a nation of immigrants throughout history. The Native American people now form only about 1% of the population.

There are about 300 million people living in the USA, all of different religions, races and backgrounds. The USA has been a world leader economically, militarily, and technologically for many years. The US dollar is the world’s main reserve currency. And Wall Street in New York is considered to be the world’s financial centre.

The USA has been a leader in science since the late 19th century. The inventions of the telephone, the light bulb, radio and the first movie camera have been made by Americans. The USA is also the best in space technologies and computers. The proof is such names as Apple Inc. Technology, Microsoft and IBM.

2. Do you think that people speaking the English language are similar in character? English is the third most spoken native language in the world, after Chinese and Spanish. It is the most commonly spoken language in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, and in some areas of the Caribbean, Africa and South Asia. I don’t think people living in these counties are similar in character, as every nation has its own characteristics and traits of character.

YOUTH AND SOCIETY

№ 24 I. 1.READ THE ARTICLE AND SAY IN 2—3 SENTENCES WHAT IT IS ABOUT.

WE ARE YOUNGER THAN WE EVER WERE

If you belong to the older generation, Elderhostel is a good place to live.

Elderhostel, founded in 1975, is the world’s largest educational and travel organisation for older adults. Its aim is to excite people’s minds and enrich people’s lives promoting and encouraging different activities among the older generation. There are no examinations or marks. All that you need, in order to enroll on a programme, is enquiring mind¹ and an adventurous spirit. Also, of course, you need to believe that learning and discovery continue all your life. There are expert instructors and experienced group leaders for field trips and cultural excursions.

Elderhostel offers a large number of programmes in a huge variety of areas. Amongst other things, it provides simple, online information on activities and services. First of all, there are traditional programmes. Here, people study ancient history, literature, and art, and can learn about different cultures, modern people and issues.

Also, Elderhostel believes that physical activity helps people to keep a positive selfimage and contributes to the sense of wellbeing both mental and physical. Many programmes have keepfit equipment and a large number of social and cultural events take place there, as well as sporting activities. Regular physical activity can prevent many common illnesses, such as high blood pressure and asthma and it helps people who already have such illnesses. Alongside the usual sports like swimming, hockey and cricket, bowling and tennis, you will find “Dog Clubs” and “Flying Clubs”. Then there is a group of adventure programmes involving activities like hiking, kayaking², biking and studying whales.

There are also programmes which give people the chance to help communities in different ways, such as protecting endangered species, tutoring school children and building affordable housing. Finally, there are programmes which take place aboard a boat, anywhere from Antarctic to the Mississippi River.

The word ‘old’ has a very different and very positive meaning in Elderhostel!

¹ enquiring mind [ɪ nˈ kwaə ɪ rɪ ŋ maɪ nd] пытливый, проницательный ум

² a kayak [ˈ kaɪ æ k] каяк (лодка)

2. What kind of organisation is Elderhostel? Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. What activities does Elderhostel offer?

4. Why does the word ‘old’ have a positive meaning in Elderhostel?

Card 1 Are You Proud of Being Belarusian?

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2-3 sentences what it is about.

I am Belarusian because my parents who gave me life and brought me up are Belarusians. And what if I were born in a different country on a different continent? In my opinion, a sense of pride in your country, a sense of belonging to a particular nation develops in a person with time. Therefore at my age, by the way I am 18, I can say quite positively, that I am proud to live in Belarus.

The real treasure of Belarus is its wonderful nature. The country has hundreds of wild forests, rolling hills, green valleys, sweet-scented meadows and golden fields. Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the only place where you can meet mighty European bison in the wild. Belarus is also famous for its clear lakes and ribbon-like rivers, that’s why it’s called a blue-eyed one. The resorts of lakes Naroch and Braslav are open all year round and let tourists experience the unforgettable peaceful atmosphere.

I am proud of the heroic history of my country and its people. Although for many centuries we were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and then the Russian Empire, we have managed to stay united and haven’t lost our uniqueness. Many foreigners admit that our people are extremely sociable, hospitable and generous and we are welcoming with visitors. We are also described as resourceful and peaceful. When socializing, Belarusians are open, warm-hearted, fun-loving, humorous and outgoing in spite of all the difficulties they face in their life.

Of course I am proud of our nationals holidays and traditions, especially those which are deep-rooted and typical of our nation such as Kalyady, Maslenitsa, Dazhynki.

They are unique and make us stand out. Besides, they are of particular interest for tourists because the reflect our culture.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that I am proud of my country and its people.

Each time I go abroad I tell foreigners about our great past and achievements. Each time I leave the country I want to come back again, because I miss it. If I could draw, I would start drawing pictures with its beautiful landscapes, if I could write, I would write lyric poems about it. Belarus is the place my heart will always belong to!

2. When did the author understand that he/she is proud of being Belarusian?

3. What makes the author to be proud of his/her Motherland?

4. What would the author do if he/she were a creative person?

II. Listen to the story about a girl and answer the questions below:

1. Why was Whitney worried about going to college?

2. How did she find a friend?

3. What lesson did Whitney learn?

III. Let’s talk about accommodation.

1. Let's talk about different types of houses. Tell me about the house/flat you live in.

I really like my flat, because it's cosy and comfortable. My parents were very happy, when we moved into this flat ten years ago. The flat looked very spacious to them at that time. But now as I have grown up, they think it's not as large as it used to be as there's not enough space for the three of us.

The flat consists of a living-room, my parents’ room and my room. Of course, there's a kitchen and a bathroom, two halls and a lavatory. All the rooms are separate. We have all modern conveniences such as central heating, electricity, gas, cold and hot running water and a telephone. I think our flat is nicely furnished.

Our living-room is the largest in the flat. The windows of the living-room face the avenue (yard). This room looks very nice, because the curtains on the windows match the wallpaper and the furniture. By the wall you can see a sideboard, in the corner there is a colour TV set. In the opposite corner there is a sofa, two arm-chairs and a small table. On the floor we have a nice thick carpet.

It's really wonderful to have a room for yourself. I think it means that I've got some independence and privacy. My room is quite big and spacious. It contains almost everything I need. The writing-table and two chairs are placed near the window. There are several bookshelves on the walls. I use my room as a study, where I do my homework. I have an armchair and a little table with a tape-recorder opposite my bed. My friends often come to my place and we like to get together in my room. They say that they would also like to have such a big and nice room as mine.

There is a saying «Men make houses, women make homes». It's true about our family. My father tries to renovate the flat from time to time. But mum wants to make it cosier and more attractive. All of us do our best to keep the flat clean and tidy.

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