ГОТОВИМСЯ К ОЛИМПИАДЕ ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ. СИТУАЦИИ ДЛЯ ГОВОРЕНИЯ

Предисловие

Данный сборник  представляет собой подборку дидактических материалов для чтения и обсуждения на учебных занятиях по английскому языку в 4-6 классах учреждений общего среднего образования.

Сборник может также использоваться для подготовки устного этапа олимпиады по английскому языку.

Весь материал представлен в вопросно-ответной форме, что позволяет использовать сборник для создания собственных монологических и диалогических высказываний на учебных занятиях по английскому языку.

Form 4

SITUATIONS

1. Let’s talk about your house/flat. What is your favourite place in your house/flat?
2. Is there a garden near your house/flat?
3. You tidy your room every day, don’t you?
4. How many rooms do you have in your home or flat?

We have a nice flat in a new block of flats. Our flat is on the fourth floor. It has all modern conveniences: central heating, gas, electricity, cold and hot water. There are three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hall in our flat.

The living-room is the largest and the most comfortable room in the flat. In the middle of the room we have a table with six chairs round it. To the right of the table there is a wall-unit which has several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and some shelves. At the opposite wall there is a piano. Between the two large windows there is a little table with a colour TV set on it. Near the TV set there are two cosy armchairs. There is a small round table, a sofa and a standard lamp in the left-hand corner. This small table is for newspapers and magazines. My father likes sitting on the sofa and read books, newspapers, magazines or watch TV.

The bedroom is smaller than the living-room and not so light. In this room there are two beds.  There is a small lamp on the table. In the left-hand corner there is a dressing-table with a big mirror.. There is also a wardrobe in this room. There is a thick carpet on the floor. The third room is my room. It is not big but very cosy. There isn’t much furniture in it, only a writing-table and an armchair before it. In the right-hand corner there is a bookcase full of books, magazines and newspapers. A small table with a radio is in the left-hand corner. Near it there is a sofa. In my opinion, my room is the best room in our flat.

But the warmest place in our flat is the kitchen; I think it is the place where our family has dinner every evening. We also talk and rest here. I like the English proverb: “My home is my castle” because my flat is, indeed, my castle. (Это не нужно все учить, только самое главное…. Можно переделать)

2. Let’s talk about seasons. What is your favourite season?

1.Spring starts in April, doesn’t it?

2.Do you like to go for a walk or stay at home in winter?

3.What is the weather like in your favourite season?

There are four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Every season is beautiful in its own way.

When spring comes the days become longer and the nights become shorter. The ground is covered with green grass and spring flowers. The air is fresh, the sky is blue and cloudless, and the sun shines brightly. The trees are green. Birds begin to sing their lovely songs, and sweet melodies may be heard from every wood and park. The days are warm and everything is full of life and joy.

Spring is followed by summer. The weather is usually fine in summer, but it can be very hot, especially in July. Sometimes there are storms with thunder and lightning. In summer people try to spend more time in the open air. They pick mushrooms and berries in the forest, swim in the rivers and lakes, go fishing and boating. Most people prefer to have their holidays in summer.

Autumn begins in September. The days become shorter and the nights become longer. The leaves are yellow, red and brown and fall to the ground. Most birds fly away to warm countries. There’s a short spell of dry sunny weather in September which is called Indian Summer. It’s a beautiful time when the sky is cloudless, the trees around are golden, and it’s still warm. It often rains in October and November which makes autumn an unpleasant season.

In winter the sun sets early and rises late. The rivers and lakes are frozen over. Everything is covered with snow. Sometimes it’s very cold, about 25-30 degrees below zero. Winter is a good time for sports. People go in for skating and skiing. Tobogganing is also popular, not as a kind of sports, but rather as fun.

As for me, I like all seasons, but I think there’s nothing like late spring.

3. Let’s talk about your family. Who is your best friend in your family?

1.Are you happy in your family?

2.Do you spend your days off with your family or friends?

3.What do you like to do with your family in the evening?

My family is not very big, just a typical family: Dad, Mom, me, my brother and sister and our cat.

My Mummy is forty-one; she is a teacher of Spanish at the University.

She is a born teacher. She has teaching abilities.

My Dad is forty-two, he is a professional painter, he works for a design company.

My parents both like their work very much.

My elder sister Natasha is nineteen, she goes to the University, she wants to be a teacher of history.

She is fond of reading books on history and fiction.

My younger brother Igor is only six years old, he goes to the kindergarten. He is very funny, I like to spend my free time teaching him something. Igor likes to play with our cat.

My grandparents are retired. They like gardening. They spend a lot of their time in the garden.

They grow vegetables and fruits.

We enjoy having fresh vegetables and green on our dinner table.

I love my family very much. We always help each other. Everyone in my family is my best friend.

4. Let’s talk about your friends. Who is your best friend?

1.Your friend likes sport, doesn’t he/she?

2.Is it better to have one friend or many friends?

3.What hobby does your friend have?

I have a lot of friends. Most of them are my classmates. My best friend’s name is Andrey. He is fourteen. He lives with his parents not far from the school.

Andrey has a lot of hobbies: he enjoys   playing   computer games, reading detective stories and collecting butterflies. He likes animals, espesially cats. He has got a cat Lastik at home.

Andrey has short, light hair and grey eyes. He is quite short and rather thin. He is always cheerful, energetic, full of life and energy. Besides, he is helpful and honest.

Andrey is very popular. Hе is a helpful person and he tries to do his best to help somebody when he has problems.

Andrey is very attentive to his parents. Of course, he has some drawbacks – sometimes he is a naughty boy and a bit stubborn. But he has a good sense of humour and he is pleasant to deal with.

We spend much time together – watch video or listen to the music, walk or go to the cafe discussing all sorts of things. Our friendship helps me feel strong and sure of myself.

5. Speak about the most interesting things you do on your day off

1.Do you go to the circus or cinema on your day off?

2.How many days off do you have a week?

3.You like to go to the amusement park, don’t you?

On weekdays people must go to work to earn money or to school to have knowledge. But days off are a good time to have a rest, to commu­nicate with friends and relatives. I usually go to school six days a week so Sunday is my only day off. On this day I don’t get up early, I can sleep more than usual because there is no need to hurry anywhere. I get up, have a shower and at 10 or 11 o’clock we have a family breakfast. Then I rest for a while, watch TV, read a book or just listen to the radio. When the weather is fine I try to spend my time out­doors. My friends come to me and we can go to the cinema, circus, park or museum. But best of all I like to go to the cafe. We even have our favourite one. We can sit there for hours, drink Coca-Cola, eat ice cream and chat about everything.

When I don’t feel like having fun I prefer to go to the sports club or swimming pool. And there I have a real rest.

Sometimes on Sundays we invite our close friends and relatives for dinner. Then in the morning my father and I go to the supermarket to buy some food and my mother cooks tasty dishes. As a rule on these days my parents with their friends go to the cinema and I have to stay at home with my little sister. We watch cartoons or play games.

As you know on weekends time flies quickly. And in the evening I like to watch TV or read my favourite book. You know I have one custom which helps me to have a good rest. It is «No study on Sunday». I always try to do my homework on weekdays. After a good rest on Sunday everything I have to do is to get ready for the next working week and look forward to my day off.

Vocabulary

to earn — зарабатывать outdoors — на свежем воздухе circus — цирк to chat — болтать to invite — приглашать custom — обычай, привычка

6. Is school interesting for you? Say what is good at your lessons.

1.Do you like Belarusian or Russian Reading?

                            2.Your favourite lesson is English, isn’t it?3.When do you have Maths?

I go to School  №5 in Volkovysk. I am a Pupil of the fourth form. Our lessons start at 2 p. m. We usually  have six lessons. One lesson  lasts  45 minutes. We have two  long breaks  . We study a lot of different subjects at school: Maths, English, Russian, Belarusian , Reading, Nature Studies, PE, Handicraft and others. Some subjects are difficult, some are easy to study. I think that English is one of the most difficult subjects. It is sometimes hard to translate and make up  sentences. But I try to get good  marks  in it.

I am  good at Nature Studies. It is always interesting to learn something new about animals and plants.

I often get  good marks in it.

Form 5

SITUATIONS

1. Let’s talk about your favourite TV programmes. What do you usually watch?

1.Do you like horror films or comedies?

2.You watch TV a lot, don’t you?

3.Who is your favourite cartoon character?

Many people watch TV at free time. They can choose the programme they likes best. Those who like music can listen to various concerts. Sport fans can watch football or hockey matches. Television extends our knowledge about the world in which we live. Millions of people can see different lands, new plants, unusual animals and birds, mountains and valleys.

2. Let’s talk about Belarusian holidays. What are the most popular holidays that we celebrate in our country?

1.Do you like giving presents or getting them?

2.People usually paint eggs at New Year, don’t they?

3.When do we celebrate Victory Day?

Throughout many centuries the Belarusian people created its unique and original culture. Traditional folk customs are mixed with Christian traditions.

Christmas and Easter are the main religious holidays, annually celebrated by millions of believers all over the country. In Belarus, all the Christian holidays are celebrated twice: by the Catholic and Orthodox religious calendars.

Along with Christian holidays, such folk festivities of pagan origin as Kupalle  and Maslenitsa  are celebrated in Belarus. Folk games and traditional ceremonies are part of them. Maslenitsa is a ceremony of the meeting of two seasons winter and spring. Popular festivals of folk music, dancing and national costumes are organized at the time of Maslenitsa.

My favourite holiday is New Year. New Year is widely celebrated all over the country. Preparations to this holiday start a couple of weeks before. The towns and cities of Belarus put on holiday decorations, illumination, New Year trees in the squares and New Year fairs add to the holiday special mood. The night on the 1 of January is the night, when various concerts and open-air merrymaking take place. It is an official holiday.

The Belarusian people are proud of the country’s past and its traditional culture. Every summer, in Belarusian castles (in Lida, Mir, Novogrudok, Nesvizh, etc.) knights’ tournaments and international medieval festivals take place. They attract spectators and participants from many countries of the world.

3. Let’s talk about your summer holidays. Were they interesting?

1.Why did you like your last holidays?

2.You met new friends in summer, didn’t you?

3.Where will you go next summer?

All the people enjoy summer holidays very much. It is a great pleasure to have a rest after a whole year of hard work or study. People like to travel during their summer holidays. Some people go abroad to see new countries, some people prefer to go to the country-side to enjoy country-life far from noise and fuss of big cities.

Some people like to spend their holidays in cities, visiting theatres, museums and sightseeing. But a great number of people go to the seaside in summer.

I like to have rest at the seaside best of all. I do not like crowds when I am on holiday. My family and I always have our holiday on the coast. Sea and sunshine that is what we look forward to every summer. Hotels at the large seaside towns are rather expensive, so we usually go to a holiday camp.

Last year we spent our holidays in such a camp. Each day was full of small joys. We swam in the sea, lay in the sun, played different games and had a wonderful time. We lived there for about a month and did not even notice when the time came for us to return home. The time flew very quickly. It was fantastic!

4. Let’s talk about living in the city and country. Where is better to live?

1.There are a lot of sights in the village, aren’t there?

2.What can you do in the country?

3.What animals live on a farm?

More and more people nowadays live in cities and towns. Life in the city is much easier than in the country. Cities have developed transport systems, quick access to medical aid, education, information, sports, shopping malls. There is more entertainment in the city than in the country.

In cities there are also possibilities for cultural development: theatres, cinemas, art galleries. In the city people have more chances to be employed, as the number of jobs is greater than in a village.

In the city people live in apartments with central heating, gas, electricity, and other modern conveniences.

In many villages residents still use coal and wood to warm their houses. Sometimes they have to bring water from the well. Villagers grow vegetables, fruit and berries in the gardens and work on their plots even at weekends.

Many villagers raise cattle and domestic birds. Some villages do not have access to the Internet and cell phones.

I think everyone enjoys going to the country. I am fond of gathering berries or picking mushrooms in the silence of the wood. It is enjoyable to walk in the fields or in the forest. Swimming in a river or a lake is one of the best things for kids to do. In winter you can sledge, ski, and skate.

5. Let’s talk about healthy lifestyle

1.It is important to be healthy, isn’t it?

2.Do you go to the doctor or take pills when you have toothache?

3.What should you do to be healthy?

A person should be strong and healthy in order to overcome all difficulties. To achieve this aim people should take care of their physical and mental health. There are several ways to do it.

The state of your body depends on how much time you spend doing sports. At least everybody must do morning exercises every day. The healthiest kinds of sports are swimming, running and cycling.

Healthy food is also a very important factor. Overeating causes many dangerous diseases. The daily menu should include meat, fruit and vegetables, milk product, which are rich in vitamins, fat, proteins. On the other hand modern diets are very popular especially among women. Diets may be harmful, if they are used in the wrong way.

To be healthy, people should get rid of their bad habits. It’s necessary to stop smoking and drinking much. Everyone should remember that cigarettes, alcohol and drugs destroy both body and brain. Besides according to statistics most of crimes are committed by people under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

In addition it is recommended to watch TV less, avoid anxiety and observe daily routine. Certainly it’s hard to follow all these recommendations, but every person has to choose between healthy life style and numerous illnesses.

6. Let’s talk about travelling

1.How do you like to travel?

2.Would you like to travel in your country or abroad?

3.What is the most comfortable means of transport?

Millions of people all around the world adore travelling. We travel because we wish to see new countries and cities, visit historical places, meet new people and taste different cuisines. [kwɪˈziːnz]

There are different means of travelling. People can travel by ship, airplane, train or car. All means of travelling have their advantages and disadvantages.

I would like to tell you some words about each of them.

Travelling by airplane is the fastest but the most expensive. A lot of people prefer travelling by airplane, but some people are afraid of height [haɪt] and that’s why they prefer travelling by train.

I have to notice that travelling by train is very popular in Belarus. Modern trains have very comfortable carriages and seats. There is also a dining-car in each train. You can see a lot of interesting places and enjoy the nature, looking through the window.

Trips on cruise [kruːz] ships have a lot of advantages. One of them is the amazing pricing. Most cruise lines are all-inclusive packages. They include a person’s cruise fare, lodging, food and some onboard entertainment and sightseeing.

And, finally, travelling by car is also very popular in our country. A lot of people choose this means of travelling. They don’t need to buy tickets, book hotels and others. They can stop whenever they wish, rest and stay at the same place as long as they want.

Hiking is a very popular means of travelling, but not as popular in Belarus as it is popular abroad. Usually Young people prefer this kind of travelling. Walking tours are very exciting.

As for me I prefer travelling by plane. To my mind it is the most comfortable and the fastest means of travelling.

And finally, you know travelling is a great thing! Nothing can give you so many positive emotions and memories as travelling to some remarkable countries or cities.

7. Let’s talk about your family

1.You help your parents about the house, don’t you?

2.How do you spend your free time with your family?

3.What is your favourite family holiday?

My family is not very big, just a typical family: Dad, Mom, me, my brother and sister and our cat.

My Mummy is forty-one; she is a teacher of Spanish at the University. She is a born teacher. She has teaching abilities. My Dad is forty-two, he is a professional painter, and he works for a design company. My parents both like their work very much.

My elder sister Natasha is nineteen, she goes to the University, she wants to be a teacher of history. She is fond of reading books on history and fiction.

My younger brother Igor is only six years old, he goes to the kindergarten. He is very funny, I like to spend my free time teaching him something. Igor likes to play with our cat.

My grandparents are retired. They like gardening. They spend a lot of their time in the garden. They grow vegetables and fruits. We enjoy having fresh vegetables and green on our dinner table.

I love my family very much. We always help each other. Everyone in my family is my best friend.

8. My native town

I want to tell you about Volkovysk. I was born here, so it’s my hometown. First of all I’d like to give you some facts from history of the town. The history of Volkovysk goes back to the 11^th century. It’s one of the ancient settlements in Belarus. Volkovysk was first mentioned in the manuscript in 1005. Volkovysk has lived through many hardships because different wars took place on its territory. In Volkovysk there was a headquarter of the Russian General Bagration. In present days in this house there is the Bagration’s Museum of History.

Nowadays  Volkovysk is a big industrial centre of the region. There are some industrial enterprises in the town. The largest are “Bellakt” Enterprise, the Plant of Building Materials, the Cement Plant, the Meat-packing factory. Their goods are well known not only in our country but abroad. In Volkovysk there are 2 cinema halls, a music school, a concert hall. We have the Veterinary Technical College, the Teacher’s Training College, two high schools, 8 schools and a number of kindergartens. There are two big department stores and many shops in it. In the centre of the town there is a big park.

In Volkovysk there are lots of green places. On warm summer evenings I like going for walks about the town or by the river Volkovia which flows through the town.

Volkovysk is a fast-growing town. Many new buildings appear on its outskirts. So the population is constantly growing. Now about 60000 people live in Volkovysk. The town consists of the old and new parts. There are also areas with detached and semi-detached houses.

In the end I’d like to add that my native town is situated in a very picturesque place. The landscape in this part of the country is very beautiful. So my native town is a nice place to live in. The life there is quiet and peaceful. You are most welcome to visit my town

I love my native town.

Where do you live? What is your favourite place in your town? What do you like doing with your friends?

Form 6

SITUATIONS

1. Let’s talk about your family. Why is family important?

I think that a family is the most important thing for every person. Family is the people that always love you, support you and help you. For me it is impossible to live without my family. My family is rather large. There are: my parents, brother, sister and grandparents.

My father is a plastic surgeon; he helps people become more beautiful. He is a professional. My father does his work very well and gets a very good salary. My mother is a housewife. She looks after the house and us, the kids. Mother makes very tasty breakfasts and dinners. Our mother is very kind, but strict to us. She always checks how we do our homework. Mother arranges our free time, so that we cannot just fool around.

My elder brother, Jason, is a student of the medical faculty. He wants to become a good surgeon, like our father. Besides he is also a member of the local theatre club. He plays main parts in several plays.

My sister, Jenny, is finishing school this year. But she has not yet made up her mind about her future profession. On one hand she loves animals and can become a vet, on the other hand she is very good at mathematics and knows some complex computer programs. Maybe she will have a year off to think over her future possibilities.

As for me, I have always loved music. I can play the guitar and piano very well. I love all kinds of music, but mostly I prefer rock. After school I am planning to enter the music college, because I want to become a professional musician. Parallel with that I want to have my own rock band.

Our grandparents are scientists. Grandfather is a historian and grandmother is a linguist. They give lectures in different universities and write serious books. We all get on with each other very well.

Everyone in our family is rather busy, but we always look forward to a possibility to spend some time together. My family means a lot to me.

What’s your mum’s name? What does your mum like? What’s your mum? Are you and your mum big friends? Do you help your mum? What does your Mum/Dad like to do in the evening? What do you do together? Is it important to have a friendly family, isn’t it? Does your mum or dad help you with your homework? How do you spend days off with your family? It’s important to have a friendly family, isn’t it? Does your mum or dad help you with your homework? How do you spend days off with your family?

2. Let’s talk about your summer holidays. Were they interesting?

All the people enjoy summer holidays very much. It is a great pleasure to have a rest after a whole year of hard work or study. People like to travel during their summer holidays. Some people go abroad to see new countries, some people prefer to go to the country-side to enjoy country-life far from noise and fuss of big cities.

Some people like to spend their holidays in cities, visiting theatres, museums and sightseeing. But a great number of people go to the seaside in summer.

I like to have rest at the seaside best of all. I do not like crowds when I am on holiday. My family and I always have our holiday on the coast. Sea and sunshine that is what we look forward to every summer. Hotels at the large seaside towns are rather expensive, so we usually go to a holiday camp.

Last year we spent our holidays in such a camp. Each day was full of small joys. We swam in the sea, lay in the sun, played different games and had a wonderful time. We lived there for about a month and did not even notice when the time came for us to return home. The time flew very quickly. It was a wonderful rest!

ИЛИ

I like summer very much. This doesn’t mean that I don’t like spring, winter or autumn, but the fact that you do not need to get up early to go to school and you needn’t do your homework every day makes summer my favorite season.

During my summer holidays, I do everything I like most of all. I play football, spend time with my parents and friends.

Usually, I spend my summer holidays in the country. I like growing fruit and vegetables. My dad always tells me something interesting about plants and nature.

I like to walk in the summer forest with my friends or with my parents. We often go to the river. This year we went fishing with my dad. We got up early, took our fishing rods and went to the nearest lake. We caught a lot of fish. That was amazing.

Summer holidays are the funniest, aren’t they? Have you ever been at summer camp? Where would you like to spend next summer holidays?

3. Let’s talk about the Republic of Belarus. What makes Belarus attractive for tourists?

I live in Belarus. The nature of our country is very beautiful. You can see blue lakes and rivers, green fields, thick forests here. If you like plants, trees, mushrooms and animals you should come to Belarus.

You can find fir and pine-trees, oaks and ash-trees in the Belarusian forests. Elks, wild boars, deer, wolves, hares and beavers live in the wilds.

There are also a lot of fish and birds in our republic.

Our lakes are rich in eel, trout and pike. There are no dangerous snakes in Belarus. Visit our national parks! In Pripyatsky National Park you can see 200 moss species! Welcome to our blue-eyed country! You will fall in love with our nature.

OR

The Republic of Belarus is a small, beautiful country with the heroic past and difficult present. It lies in Eastern Europe. The Republic borders on Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. It has an area of 207,600 square kilometres and a population of about 10 million people. The capital of Belarus is Minsk. The largest cities are Gomel, Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno and Mogilev. The Republic of Belarus has its symbols: the anthem, the emblem, the flag and the costume, The national flag of Belarus is red, green and white. The national symbols of Belarus are stork and the cornflower.

Belarus is famous for its beautiful nature. One third of the republic’s territory is covered with forests. The largest of them are called pushchas. The most beautiful is the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, where bison live. There are 3,000 rivers in the republic. The longest riv­ers are the Dnieper, the Neman, the Western Dvina, the Pripyat and the Bug. There are 4,000 lakes in Belarus. The largest of the lakes is the Naroch.

Our country is proud of its castles, the most famous of them are the castle of Mir and the castle of Nesvizh. I love Belarus.

What Belarusian traditions do you like? What is interesting to visit in Minsk? Why are we proud of our country? What are national symbols of Belarus? What places in Belarus would you like to visit? Belarus is the country of rivers and lakes, isn’t it? What are the most famous symbols of Belarus?

4. Let’s talk about living in the city and country.

More and more people nowadays live in cities and towns. Life in the city is much easier than in the country. Cities have developed transport systems, quick access to medical aid, education, information, sports, shopping malls. There is more entertainment in the city than in the country.

In cities there are also possibilities for cultural development: theatres, cinemas, art galleries. In the city people have more chances to be employed, as the number of jobs is greater than in a village.

In the city people live in apartments with central heating, gas, electricity, and other modern conveniences.

In many villages residents still use coal and wood to warm their houses. Sometimes they have to bring water from the well. Villagers grow vegetables, fruit and berries in the gardens and work on their plots even at weekends.

Many villagers raise cattle and domestic birds. Some villages do not have access to the Internet and cell phones.

I think everyone enjoys going to the country. I am fond of gathering berries or picking mushrooms in the silence of the wood. It is enjoyable to walk in the fields or in the forest. Swimming in a river or a lake is one of the best things for kids to do. In winter you can sledge, ski, and skate.

Why is life in the village difficult sometimes?  Do you like your town/village? What interesting things can tourists see in your place? Do you want to live in a new place in the future? Is it better to live in the country or in the city? Have you ever worked in a vegetable garden? What are the advantages of living in the city?

5. Let’s talk about household duties in the family

MY HOUSEHOLD |ˈhaʊshəʊld| DUTIES  |ˈdjuːtɪz| домашние обязанности

I think nobody likes it when his house is in a mess. Doing housework and keeping the house clean and cosy are necessary [ˈnesɪsərɪ] in every flat. My parents work hard and I have to help them. Every day I make my bed, do the washing up, tidy my room in the evening, clean my shoes and take out the rubbish.

My mother usually goes shopping because she knows best what we need. She buys bread, milk and vegetables every day. My dad sometimes helps her to carry the bags. After that my mum makes lunch and dinner. We all like her cooking. She is especially [ɪsˈpeʃəlɪ] good at cooking meat with vegetables. I often help my mum lay the table. To tell you the truth [truːθ] I’m really good at doing it.

Once a week, on Sundays my parents give the flat a big cleaning. There is a lot of work to do: dusting the furniture, ironing the clothes, mopping the floor, tidying the bathroom and the kitchen. I am busy [ˈbɪzɪ] with vacuum-cleaning the carpets in our bedrooms and cleaning the mirrors.

I don’t consider [kənˈsɪdə] my household duties difficult and I can cope with [kəʊp wɪð] (справиться c) them easily, but sometimes I feel a bit lazy or I may be too busy with my school homework.

How do you help your parents about the house?    Is your mum the busiest person in your family?  What machines can you use?  What housework \ household chores are you good at? Is it comfortable to have a dishwasher ay home? Do you or your mum make your bed? What household chores are you good at?

6. Let’s talk about your school and school life. What makes your school life interesting for you?

I go to School  №5 in Volkovysk. I am a Pupil of the 6^th form. Our lessons start at 8.30 a. m. We usually have six lessons. One lesson  lasts  45 minutes. We have two  long breaks  . We study a lot of different subjects  at school: Maths, English, Russian, Belarusian , Literatures, Geography, Biology, PE, Handicraft, History and others. Some subjects are difficult, some are easy to study. I think that English is one of the most difficult subjects. It is sometimes hard to translate and make up  sentences. I sometimes get bad marks  in it.

I am  good at Biology. It is always interesting to learn something new about animals and plants. I often get  good marks in it.

ИЛИ

First of all, I’d like to say some words about my school. I am a student of school №5. The school building is quite ordinary with a stadium behind it. It is surrounded by trees.

My Attitude to School

To my mind, school is an attractive place for students who do well in most subjects, for those who don’t it is boring and uninteresting. I can’t say that I like my school. In my opinion, the worst thing about school is homework. It takes so much time. But I must admit that school gives me not only knowledge, but also true experience of a real life. It helps me to learn how to get on with other people and become successful in life.

Teachers and Subjects

Teachers play an important role in our education. I think that I am lucky because all my teachers are very experienced and encouraging. They support us and take care of us.

I am a rather good student and do not have many problems at school.  I try to do my best and very often I have to sit up to write a composition, prepare a report, and learn a poem.

‘My Favourite Subjects

My favourite subjects are English and Math. We have a very good Math teacher, her name is… She is very motivating. When she became our teacher many of us got interested in the subject.

I also like English. Our English teacher speaks English very fluently and always encourages us to speak English at the lessons. We have learnt a lot about English speaking countries. We watch films in the original and try to understand native speakers.

Social Life

I spend much time after classes at school because our social life is very well-organized. We have different clubs. We often go to the museums. Also sport is played much attention at our school and it is very important for me as I am very good at sports and often take part at different sports competitions.

7. Let’s talk about hobbies. Do you have any hobbies?

Every person in modern sociality has hobbies. Without them, our life becomes boring and uninteresting. You may have several hobbies. For example, doing sports, listening to music, reading books and others. I would like to tell you about my hobbies.

Sport is a good way to have some fun, to keep your body fit. My favorite kind of sports is horse riding. I like animals very much and I like to move fast, that`s why horse riding is for me. Horse riding is one of the most romantic and beautiful kinds of sport, too. Horse riding isn`t the only sport I like. I am fond of swimming, badminton, table tennis.

Music is the spirit of the soul. I like listening to different music: tunes and songs. I have already finished music school, but sometimes I play the piano and the flute. Beautiful tunes take my mood up.

Art is the way of life of your soul. Photos, pictures, dancing, are parts of you. Unfortunately I haven`t got abilities to draw pictures, but I can dance well. My favorite kind of art is literature. It is wonderful when you feel the cover of this book, breathe on its smell and hear how pages are rusted. When you are sitting in a comfortable armchair, your mind has a wonderful travels and amazing adventures.

I also like languages. English is my favorite one. I also love my native language and I would like to learn Spanish. But it is a different story …

Can you do anything with your own hands? Is it better to have an active or quiet hobby? How do you learn new things? What hobby would you like to take up? What do you like more: indoor or outdoor games? Does your hobby help you with school work? Do your parents like your hobby?

8. Let’s talk about food.

There are so many tasty dishes that it is difficult to choose my favorite one. I can say that after visiting several countries I can name dozen of them. After visiting Italy I fell in love with pizza and I can cook it very well. Having visited Greece I can cook very tasty cakes. From my trip to China I brought some tasty recipes of chicken in sweet and sour sauce. Desire to cook some dish really depends on the mood but there is one meal I adore the most. It is called French meat. I remember having ordered this meal during my trip in France and immediately decided that I want the recipe of it. When the waiter served it, I felt the taste I couldn’t resist. I believe most people have tried it in this or that form. At our family parties when the whole family gathers I always cook it. It consists of the meat and onion rings, filled with sour cream and slices of cheese. When all the layers are done, you place the dish in the oven or gas-stove and cook it for two hours. It can be served with any food you like: potatoes, rice or vegetables. It is so tasty that all my relatives adore it. Of course I can cook many other dishes but that one is my love forever.

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My Everyday Meals

I usually have four meals a day. They are breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper. Most of my classmates have a snack rather than a meal in the morning. But for me breakfast is the most important meal, because it gives me energy for the day. I usually have breakfast at 8 o’clock before going to school. I usually have porridge with fruits or eggs and bread with butter or bacon. For breakfast, I always drink black coffee with no sugar in it. I have lunch at about 1 p.m. At first, I drink a glass of orange juice, and then I eat vegetable salad with some meat in it. Sometimes I have pies with mushrooms, potatoes or jam instead of salad. Then I drink tea. My dinner is at four or five o’clock. It consists of soup for starter, meat or fish with vegetables and chocolate sweets, jelly, ice-cream or cookies. The last meal of my day is supper, which is at eight or nine o’clock. My mother usually cooks fried fish and potatoes, chicken or omelette. We also have some salad every evening. After supper, I drink tea or cocoa with biscuits. Before going to bed, I drink a glass of warm milk with honey. It helps me sleep well and feel healthy next morning.

Do you go to a café or eat at home? You can eat fast food every day, can’t you? What is your favourite dish? What food don’t you like? What food does your mum like? Do you drink tea or coffee? What do you like at Christmas?