Examination Topics

11. People have various reading preferences. What do you like to read? What is your favourite writer?
I think that we can’t live without books. There are a lot of different kinds of books in the world, for example, thrillers, historical novels, science fiction, adventure books and others. Most of them are with us during all our life. Boys all over the world like reading adventure, thrillers and horror stories, whereas girls prefer romances, historical novels and poetry. Encyclopaedias, reference books and dictionaries help pupils to do well at school.
All the members of my family like reading very much. My father often reads newspapers and magazines. He thinks that it is the only way to be in the know of everything. And my mother is keen on reading romances and modern novels. For her they are more interesting than boring historical novels.
She agrees with Anatole France that “history books which contain no lies are extremely dull”. But she wouldn’t mind reading about the life of well- known people.
I enjoy reading very much. Most of all I like reading detective stories, because they have interesting story lines and unusual endings. I am particularly captivated by characters who conduct investigations.
I never believed there really were books that you couldn’t put down. I changed my opinion when I started to read The Woman in White by Wilkie
Collins, an English writer. The book was written in the 19th century. It’s a very good detective story, with a bit of romance thrown in it. The book is basically about mistaken identity. The main character in the story is a young artist who goes up to the north of England to instruct two young ladies. And he falls in love with Miss Fairlie, who looks very like the woman in white. Finally they turn out to be identical twins. The author brilliantly describes the adventures, love and fears of his heroes. He really brings the characters to life. A good writer knows how to keep you reading the book. In The Woman in White the reader’s interest is caught from the very first page and there is suspense till the very end! This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone.
But my favourite writer is Agatha Christie. She is possibly the world’s most famous detective story writer. She wrote 79 novels and several plays.
Her books are translated into 103 foreign languages. Many of her novels and short stories have been filmed. Her sales outnumber those of Shakespeare, but her life was often lonely and unhappy.
She was born in 1890 in Devon. She didn’t go to school, but was educated at home by her mother. During World War I, while she was working in a hospital dispensary, she learned about chemicals and poisons, which proved very useful to her in her later career. She wrote her first detective novel,
“The Mysterious Affair at Styles”, in 1920. In it she introduced Hercule
Poirot, the Belgian detective, who appeared in many subsequent novels. Her other main detective was an elderly spinster called Miss Marple. Miss
Marple doesn’t look like a detective at all. This old lady always uses her instinct and knowledge of human nature to investigate crimes.
In 1914 she married Archibald Christie, but the marriage was unhappy. It didn’t last long, and they divorced in 1926. Agatha desperately wanted solitude and developed very bitter feelings towards the media because the newspapers had given her a hard time over her breakdown. She was determined never to let them enter her private life again and she buried herself in her work. On November 25, 1952 her play “The Mousetrap” opened in London.
Today, over 50 years later, it is still running. It is the longest running show in the whole world. Agatha Christie died peacefully in 1976. People all over the world value this talented writer and consider her to be the
Queen of Crime.
I don’t mind reading adventure stories. I especially like to read about characters who go through dangers to complete their mission. I think it’s more interesting than reading dull historical novels. But I dislike poetry, especially modern poetry. I find it too complicated. Sometimes I fail to understand what poets mean.
I am sure that reading is an essential part of our life. Only in books can you find answers to all your questions. Books can tell us a lot about the modern world and ancient times. Besides, they can help us to explore new ideas and expand our outlook. I completely agree that “reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” What is more, books teach us to be kind and honest. While reading we learn how to solve our problems and to make people happy. And I think that reading is a perfect way to spend free time and not to feel bored. Books must be our friends during all our life.
12. Television is much spoken about nowadays. It has both good and bad points. What are your arguments for and against watching TV?

It goes without saying that television plays a very important part in people’s lives. It’s a wonderful source of information and one of the best ways to spend free time and not to feel bored. Television viewing is by far the most popular leisure pastime. For example, in Britain over 99 per cent of British homes have a TV, and the average person watches “the box” 26 hours a week. It’s not surprising, because TV channels show a great variety of programmes: documentaries and current affairs programmes, feature films and comedies, soaps and police series, concerts and talk shows.
There are four TV channels in Britain: BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV and Channel 4. BBC
1 and BBC 2, the two state channels, do not show adverts. ITV and Channel
4, the two independent channels, do show adverts. BBC 1 and ITV tend to broadcast popular programmes: sports programmes, recent films, news, game shows, children’s programmes and soaps. BBC 2 and Channel 4 show programmes which usually attract much smaller audiences: TV plays, classical concerts, foreign films and programmes for minority groups.
Russian television has between 10 and 15 channels, which show all kinds of programmes: news and sports programmes, talk shows and quizzes, documentaries and feature films, soaps and police series, comedies and concerts.
Thanks to satellites, TV viewers can increase their options and watch TV from different countries. Conventional television has to struggle to retain its audience, as people switch over to cable viewing, satellite TV, or renting video cassettes.
Television is a reflection of the modern world. It gives you an opportunity to travel all over the world, to see different people and learn about their customs and traditions. Television keeps you informed about the rest of the world. And of course, it helps you to escape from everyday problems.
A lot of people usually relax watching soaps – TV serials which dramatise their characters’ daily life. Their story lines are entertaining, but often unbelievable. I don’t think that they show life realistically; but to many people, the characters in the weekly TV serial shows have become more important than real people.
As for me, I prefer watching different quizz shows. That’s why my favourite
TV programme is “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” It is shown twice a week, and lasts about an hour. The programme is now hosted by Maxim Galkin. It is a game show where the player is asked different questions. If the answers are correct, the participant gets a lot of money. But if he is wrong, he loses everything. I particularly enjoy watching this programme, because the questions are always very interesting and they help me to expand my outlook. Besides, it’s a perfect way to be in the know about everything. I find this programme clever and informative and try not to miss it.
Of course, not everything shown on TV is made in good taste. There are badly-written programmes which contain unnecessary bad language and violence. The strange thing is that neither politicians nor producers like to admit that watching violence on TV leads to greater violence on the streets.
Many people admit that the quality of television could be better. They would prefer to see fewer soap operas and crime series, and more history, drama, and science. One reason for the poor quality of programmes is advertising. Not all people like watching commercials. They find ads silly and boring. As for me, I don’t take advertising seriously. On the one hand, advertisements help people choose the best products and get the best value for their money. But on the other hand, they show life unrealistically and give false information. Besides, in adverts all people seem to be happy consumers, all kids seem to be healthy and well off. But this is not true at all. What is more, I find it very annoying when a film stops at the most interesting moment. Nevertheless, I am not against commercials on TV, because television companies earn their money from advertising.
Another thing I would like to complain about is the amount of smoking in the films that are shown on TV. Smoking is often shown as a very “cool” thing to do – making young people much more likely to copy what they see, and take up smoking themselves.
Some people say that television is a terrible waste of time. Of course, there are TV addicts who can’t drag themselves away from the box. They watch TV for hours without choosing programmes, and spend time in front of television which they could spend talking to their friends and family. In this case, television makes them really waste time. But on the contrary, if we watch TV for an hour a day, to find out what is happening in the world or to relax, then television is really useful.
In short, television does have its good points. Many of the broadcast programmes are educational and can help with schoolwork. A good soap-opera or a comedy is a source of relaxation for many people. Television also provides jobs for thousands of people. So I think it is not the TV itself which is to blame for the bad effects it has, but the fact that people do not know how to make the best use of it.
13. What are the most popular free time activities for British and Russian teenagers? What activities do you like? Why?
Britain has recent by been described as a “leisure society.” This is because there are a great variety of leisure pursuits. Young people generally go out on Friday or Saturday nights to a disco, to a concert or to a pub. In recent years going out for a meal or getting a take-away meal have become popular too. During the past years there is a great increase in keeping fit and staying healthy. A lot of teens started running, jogging and going to different fitness clubs in their spare time. Aerobics classes and fitness clubs opened in every town, and the number of recreation centres greatly increased. Indoor pools, with their wave-making machines, water slides and tropical vegetation, have became very popular.
And the same is true in Russia. A lot of teens go in for different kinds of sport. Sport helps them to feel as fit as a fiddle. In both countries there are special programmes for problem teenagers, such as a high-risk activities, for example they are taught to jump out of aeroplanes. But despite the increase in the number of teens participating in sport, the majority of young people still prefer to be spectators. They prefer to be couch potatoes. Watching sports on TV is a popular leisure activity, as is going to football matches on Saturday. Cinemas have been redesigned with four or more screens, each showing a different film at the same time, and a lot of teens like going to the cinemas too.
The young generation is fond of communication. There are many available methods of communication nowadays, and the most popular one is computers. A lot of teenagers spend plenty of time working on computers. The Internet seems really good fun. You may send e-mails to friends from different countries and get their answers instantly. You even may talk to them. It is easy and quick. A lot of teenagers have mobile telephones, so they can always be contacted, if they keep their telephone switched on, at any time of the day or night, or tend text messages.
A lot of teenagers in both countries are crazy about animals. They race them, train them and breed them. They like to hear stories about them on television programmes and they like reading books about them. Many teens have a pet animal. It could be a dog, a cat, a goldfish, a bird or a small furry animal like a hamster. Looking after and being kind to their pets is very important for teens. Why are teens so interested in animals? Perhaps it’s because they are rather shy in their heart of hearts. One of my friends says: “I can say anything I like to my dog, but she never thinks
I’m silly.”
There are plenty of other kinds of activities, such as travelling, visiting historical places, babysitting, delivering newspapers, putting together jigsaw puzzles, reading, going to different museums, skateboarding, going fishing, hitchhiking, shopping, helping people in need, joining a computer club and others. We can say “So many teens; so many kinds of activities.”
Now some words about me. I am fifteen and I am a computer addict. I am fond of communication with other teens. That’s why I have a lot of friends in my and other countries. We send messages from one computer to another one using e-mail; we have on-line conversations. I am a member of the computing club and I spend much time there. Of course, it’s rather expensive, but my parents understand me and give me enough money to pay for my computer club.
And I think that my hobby will be useful in my future profession. Besides,
I spend my free time in the sport club. I go in for kung fu. Recently films about kung fu have become very popular in Russia. This fighting itself is a great art, the result of many years of hard work and self-discipline. The man who made kung fu films famous was Bruce Lee. He used fists, elbows, feet (never weapons) and moved as fast as lightning. I am rather good at kung fu now, but I never use my skills to hurt anybody, unless it is absolutely necessary. Now people know what Kung Fu is, and I think it may become a sport of the future, because it develops up your personality, will and nobility.
14. Young people are fond of different styles of music. What kinds are popular now? What kind of music do you like? Why?
Can you think of a day without music? We can hear music everywhere: in the streets and at home, over the radio and on TV, in the shops and in the parks. People all over the world are fond of music. They listen to music, they dance to music, they learn to play musical instruments.
But what is music? Specialists explain that music isn’t only a combination of pleasant sounds. It is an art which reflects life. There are a lot of different kinds of music. Some of them appeared long ago, and some are modern. For example, folk music appeared long ago, but it is still alive.
There are many local performers, choirs and folk groups in Russia; but perhaps the most famous singer is Nadezhda Babkina. Folk songs are very tuneful and pleasant to listen to. Classical music is often associated with the music of the past. However, this style also includes music being written now, and we may speak of modern classical music. Rap is a modern musical style where the singer speaks or shouts the words in time to music with a steady beat. Such groups as Public Enemy or House of Pain are leaders in this style.
Great Britain has produced more popular music stars than any other country.
Over the last 30 years rock and pop music have been very popular in
Britain. The Beatles, with their style of singing, eloquent and exciting, is still one of the most popular groups. British groups often set new trends in music. New styles, groups and singers continue to appear. Some of the more recent pop groups are Dire Straits, Eurhythmics and Spice Girls.
Many of the new bands have been able to use the changes in technology to develop their music. Computerised drum machines, synthesisers and other electronic instruments are now just as popular as the piano and electric guitars.

Tastes differ. So people’s musical interests range from pop and rock music, which are extremely popular nowadays, especially among young people, to classical music and opera.
My favourite style of music is pop music, because it is breathtaking and full of energy. When I listen to pop music it makes me remember happy times and forget the problems of everyday life. It helps me to relax when I’m tired, and entertains me when I’d like to have fun. My favourite group is
Abba. It was formed in 1973 in Sweden. Abba’s cheerful tunes made them international pop stars and one of the most successful groups of the seventies. Their most famous songs (“Waterloo”, “Money, Money, Money”,
“Knowing Me, Knowing You”, etc.) often topped European charts. Though the group doesn’t exist any more, it is still popular with people of all ages.
I can’t but admire their style of singing. I find it fascinating and overwhelming. When I have free time I listen to their records. I also like having background music while I am working.

I don’t mind listening to dance music, especially when I go to disco clubs.
This style of music is catchy and firey and I like catchy tunes. It makes me more energetic.
It’s a pity that many young people like to listen only to modern music. As for me, I also enjoy listening to classical music. I find it tuneful and appealing. Classical music is always a complex of emotions. It gives me delight, pleasure and a sense of happiness. Some pieces of classical music are really wonderful. Not long ago I listened to the First Piano Concerto, composed by Tchaikovsky. The power of his music captivated me. The impression was overwhelming.
The music I hate is heavy metal. I find it noisy and dreadful. When I listen to this style of music it presents to my mind pictures of dark days.
Though some young people are fond of this style of music, it is not to everyone’s taste. To my mind, music too loud can destroy our ears. I am indifferent to other styles of music. For example, I don’t mind listening to jazz. Improvisation is an important part of this style, that’s why a jazz song may sound a little different each time it is played. I think that jazz is a mixture of many different kinds of music, but I consider it a bit complicated.
My mother and father approve of my tastes in music. Though they prefer to listen to classical and “bard music”, they think that, on the whole, modern music is not too bad. My parents agree that each generation has its own tastes.
It goes without saying that music plays a very important role in people’s lives. It reflects our moods and emotions. Music appeals to our hearts and transforms our feelings. It conquers our souls and enriches our minds.
Besides, listening to music is the perfect way to spend free time and not to feel bored. You can hardly find a person who doesn’t like or need music, who never sings or dances. Music is beauty in sounds, it is our magic source of inspiration.
15. What are traditional British kinds of sports? Are they popular in
Russia? What kinds of sport, is your family interested in?
Englishmen are known to be great sports-lovers. One of the most popular
British games is cricket, which foreigners can hardly understand. There are two teams of 11 players. Matches last from one to five days. It is played all over the country in the summer. To many Englishmen cricket is both a game and a standard of behavior. When they consider something unfair they say “That isn’t cricket.” Almost all Englishmen become fans when they watch a traditional cricket match between the teams of Great Britain and
Australia, or New Zealand. England without cricket would be like bacon without eggs.
Another game which attracts great attention is soccer (European football).
There are plenty of amateur and professional soccer clubs in every town.
Professional soccer is big business. The Cup Final played in London is the culminating event of the football season. Rugby football is also very popular, but it is played mainly by amateurs. It’s a kind of English football in which the players use their hands for carrying the ball. This game is played by teams of 15 men with an oval ball and it’s often considered to be a violent game.

A great number of people play and watch tennis. Among many tennis tournaments the most famous is the one in Wimbledon. Horse racing is also extremely popular in Great Britain. The racing season includes five races.
The annual race for “Derby” is perhaps the most famous sporting event in the whole world. Englishmen also go in for golf, baseball, hockey, basketball, bowling, and badminton. Athletic sports, such as running, jumping, rowing, swimming, boxing and gymnastics, are practiced at schools and colleges. The annual Oxford-Cambridge boat race on the river Thames attracts lots of people and is very popular. In Scotland, where there are good conditions for winter sports, skiing is very popular.
Great Britain and America are the birthplaces of many sports. That’s why many of them have English names. It is easy to understand how these games were named. For example, baseball is played with a ball and bases.
Basketball is played with a ball and two baskets. The names for other sports come from the name of the place where they were first played.
Badminton comes from the name of a piece of land owned by an English Duke.
The game was first played on the Duke’s land in 1873. Golf was first played in Scotland, but its name comes from the Dutch word for a hockey club
“colf.”

Almost all these games are popular in Russia. Russian people even began to play cricket. And plenty of bowling clubs appeared in our country. This is because we can hardly overestimate the meaning of sport in our life and day- to-day activities. The main purpose of going in for sports is to develop a generation of strong and healthy people. Sports prevent us from getting too fat, and brings up a harmoniously developed generation. Sometimes playing a sport is connected with great risks. Besides, there are violent kinds of sports and sportsmen and fans discuss whether these kinds of sports are necessary.
In my family we prefer swimming. I began swimming at the age of six. I think that swimming is something like music or languages, and that’s why it’s very good to start as early as possible if you want to be good at it.
There is no question that you can speak; there is no question that you can walk; and there is no question that you can swim if you start at a very early age. My parents also go to the swimming pool, but they began going in for swimming when they were grown-ups. There are some sports which I’ve not had a chance to experience but would really like to. They’re mostly non- competitive sports. I love the water very much and I’d really like to try some more water sports. For instance, being pulled by a boat whilst wearing water-skis would, I’m sure, be a fantastic experience. And I’d also like to try surfing. I think there’s no greater feeling on earth than riding the top of a wave on a surfboard. I’d like to try it just to see. My parents and I are great fans. We subscribe to a sports newspaper and like watching nothing but football matches. We read the newspaper from cover to cover and lie on the sofa watching sport competitions on television on Sunday.
16. Some people go in for sports, while others like to watch sports competitions? Which is better: to watch or to participate?
The modern way of life, when people have little physical activity, use cars instead of walking, watch television for many hours, and work on computers is turning them into legless creatures. Although a lot of people are interested in staying healthy, not many people do very much about it. Only
10 per cent of adults take part in sport more than twice a week.
The majority of people live in towns and cities, where space for team sports is limited. To keep fit, most people take part in individual sports.
They usually go walking, swimming, cycling, or do aerobics. Taking part in all of these sports is informal and casual. Most people just want to relax.
If they do aerobics or go swimming, they usually go to the sports centre; but not many people join a sport club.

Some people argue that sports are not very useful. It takes a lot of energy and time. As a result of going in for sports, people have broken legs and arms and other injuries. Besides, it makes you unhappy when you lose. A lot of people prefer to watch sports competitions rather than take part in sports. Thousands of people go to the stadiums to support their favourite teams and sportsmen. The most popular spectator sports are football, hockey and figure skating. Most of the important competitions are televised, and people enjoy watching sports programmes on TV. They needn’t buy tickets and go to a stadium, especially in cold and rainy weather. But certainly watching sports events and going in for sports are two different things.
In my opinion, people can’t do without sports. Sports play an important part in our lives. I think sports help us in different ways. First of all, it helps us to stay in good shape, to keep fit and to be healthy. It makes people strong, fast and agile. What is more, sport builds character; it teaches us to compete and practice sportsmanship. It makes us more organised and better disciplined in our daily activities. Besides, it is a good way to meet people and to make new friends.

Sports are an essential part of our everyday life. To have a healthy mind, you must have a healthy body. But to be healthy, it is not necessary to become a professional sportsman. You may go in for sports just for pleasure, when you have free time. Some people jog every morning; some follow fitness classes shown on TV. Young people usually put on their roller-skates and skate in the streets and parks. A lot of young people spend their holidays hiking; it doesn’t cost much, and it is a really good way of getting away from crowds.
Physical education is an important subject at school. It helps pupils to relax and to keep fit after a hard working day. Each school has sports facilities. A lot of different competitions are usually held at school and a great number of pupils take part in them. That’s why I think sports are so popular in our country.

The most popular sports in Russia are football and hockey, skating and skiing, track and field and swimming, tennis and basketball. It is not always easy to decide which sport to take up. The aim of all sports training is to improve fitness and skills, and to develop training programmes that are both safe and effective. The important thing, however, is that anyone who is not used to exercising should not do too much at the beginning. Moreover, it is better to do a little regularly than a lot once every two months. Among the be-nefits of regular exercise are a healthier heart, stronger bones, quicker reaction times, and less susceptibility to various illnesses. Scientists believe that if you go in for sport on a regular basis, it could even help you to live longer.
I enjoy many sports; but best of all I love swimming. I started to learn when I was about seven years old. When I was younger I used to go swimming three or four times a week. Now I have less free time, but a week never goes by without my visiting the pool at least once. Sports help me to work off my extra energy.
Swimming is an inexpensive and simple sport. You do not need any complicated equipment. You just need a swimming costume or trunks and perhaps a cap. You can swim in the sea or a river, or you can go to a special swimming pool. I love swimming because it is a very good exercise for the whole body. I would recommend it because it is so convenient to do: you can do it when you like and for as long as you like.
17. What does a healthy way of life mean? How do you look after your health?
People nowadays are more health-conscious than they used to be. They understand that good health is above wealth.
To be healthy we should avoid different bad habits that can affect our health. In my opinion, smoking, and drinking too much alcohol, are the worst ones. It’s common knowledge that smoking and drinking can shorten our lives dramatically. Smoking, for example, causes a number of heart and lung diseases, such as pneumonia, emphysema and cancer. Besides, it makes your teeth yellow and skin unhealthy. Fortunately, in recent years smoking has received a lot of bad publicity, and fewer people smoke nowadays. Some companies don’t employ people who are smokers. Smoking has been banned in most public places because everyone agrees it does harm to our health. I don’t smoke, because I don’t want to have unhealthy skin and teeth and die young.
Smoking and drinking are joined by less dangerous habits, such as skipping meals, eating unhealthy food, or even overeating. Of course, they are not quite as deadly as smoking or drinking alcohol, but they also affect our health.
If we eat too much, we’ll become obese, and obesity leads to serious health problems. A lot of people like drinking coca cola and coffee, and enjoy pizzas and hamburgers. But what is tasty is not always healthy. Fast food makes you fat, that is why Americans are the fattest people in the world.
In recent years eating habits have undergone a change. People are encouraged to eat less fat and more fibre. Fat is believed to be one of the major causes of obesity and heart disease. High fibre and low fat foods can now be found in all shops and supermarkets. Salads, beans, and fruit have taken the place of steak and ice cream. The fashion for health food is growing all the time.
Many people feel they are too fat, even if their doctors disagree. And a lot of people try to improve their fitness. There are a lot of ways to lose weight and avoid gaining it. Perhaps the most popular of them is following a diet. If you want to lose weight, you should cut out snacks and desserts, and cut down on fat. People have also become more aware of calories, the energy value of food. Some people count the number of calories they eat every day; so that they can try to take in fewer calories and lose weight.
This is called a calorie-controlled diet. Manufacturers are increasingly producing special foods with fewer calories for slimmers.
But excessive dieting may be dangerous, too. Some people refuse to eat meat as they consider it harmful. They say a vegetarian diet reduces the risk of cancer and vegetarians live longer than others. I can’t agree with them, because meat is an excellent source of good nutrition. In my opinion, it’s wrong to put down a food simply because excessive amounts can cause health problems. Consumed in moderate amounts, meat is perfectly good for our health.
To my mind, the only way to stay healthy and to keep fit is by going in for sports. Among the benefits of regular exercise are a healthier heart, stronger bones, quicker reaction times and more resistance to various illnesses. Besides, you can eat and drink as much as you want because you are burning it all off.
To be healthy, it is also very important to spend a lot of time in the open air. It is useful to go for a walk before going to bed, or to air the room.
I think it is very important to be fit and healthy, and it is necessary to take care of your health. Being fat, in fact, can cause real problems. It is harder for fat people to get a good job, or even to make friends. If you want to do well, you must be thin. That’s why I go in for sports on a regular basis. I have been doing aerobics for three years and I feel great.
I am not enthusiastic about strict dieting, but I try to eat only low-fat food, and fruit and vegetables which are rich in vitamins.
Personally I believe that regularity in life promotes our health. Sleeping eight or nine hours, getting up early, regular meals, a healthy diet and going in for sports is really a good way to live.
18. The problems of ecology are very important now. Which problem is the most urgent, in your opinion? What can you and the people around you do to protect the planet?
Environmental problems have become exceptionally acute in the modern world, and environmental protection has become a vital necessity for all people.
Our planet is in serious danger. One of the most important environmental problems in the world today is the shortage of clean water. Industrial pollution has made many sources of water undrinkable. Rivers, lakes and even seas have become poisonous. Thousands of fish die every year as a result of the illegal dumping of waste in rivers by factories all over the world.
Lake Baikal is one of the worlds’ largest and most beautiful lakes. It contains a rich variety of fish and plants, including 1,300 rare species that do not exist anywhere else in the world. However, they are being killed by massive industrial waste, which some factories still pour into the lake every day. A few years ago people thought that the supply of clean water was unlimited. Now clean water is scarce, and we are beginning to respect this precious resource. We must protect the clean water that remains for the sake of our children and grandchildren.
Air pollution is another important problem. In hundreds of cities and towns the concentration of harmful substances in the air is over ten times the admissible level. Every day a huge number of plants and factories emit lots of harmful substances into the atmosphere of big cities. The great increase in the use of motor cars in the last quarter of the twentieth century has caused an increase in a new kind of air pollution. Pollution from factories and cars poison the air we breathe, and is the main reason for the greenhouse effect and acid rain.
Acid rain can damage life in lakes and rivers and destroy forests. The greenhouse effect may also have disastrous consequences for our planet. It is already affecting several areas of the world with unusual weather causing droughts or heavy storms. The world’s temperature is going up and the climate is changing. Cutting down on emissions from large combustion plants and exhaust fumes from vehicles would help solve the problem. I think we should try and use alternative energy, such as solar energy and wind energy, and design plants and cars that run on electricity, a much cleaner fuel than petrol.
One of the most alarming environmental problems is depletion of the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from the dangerous ultraviolet rays of the sun. Because of the ozone holes, the dangerous rays get through the atmosphere, causing skin cancer and other serious diseases. Many scientists think that these ozone holes are the result of air pollution.
In my opinion, the most urgent ecological problem today is the environmental safety of nuclear power stations. Nuclear pollution can’t be seen, but its effects can be terrible. We all know how tragic the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster are. Nuclear waste also endangers people’s lives. People all over the world protest against nuclear tests and nuclear weapons. If we do not take any action, the possibility of a global nuclear disaster is very real.
Of course, we can’t help mentioning such burning issues as destruction of tropical forests and wildlife, overpopulation, and shortage of natural resources. The list of serious ecological problems could be continued.
Today environmental issues are much spoken and written about on TV, radio, and in the newspapers. If people want to survive, they must do their best to solve these problems. Fortunately, it’s not too late to save our planet.
We understand that our environment is not just our home town, but the whole earth. The protection of the environment requires the cooperation of all nations. Governments should take measures that will help improve the environment.
There are a lot of environmental groups and international organisations, whose main goal is to strengthen cooperation among environmentalists from different countries. The most famous of them is Greenpeace, which combines the people’s efforts for peace with the huge and ever mounting movement for nature conservation. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is the name of another international organisation that appeared in 1961. It has created or given support to National Parks on five continents.
However, there are a lot of simple things we should all do to stop the destruction of the environment. First of all, we mustn’t drop litter in public places. Besides, we shouldn’t dump our rubbish without thinking which things, such as bottles and paper, can be recycled. We must stop using aerosol sprays, because the stuff they contain destroys the ozone layer. We should take care of birds and animals. We can help to plant trees and create parks for endangered species. We can clean rivers and canals and create footpaths. But first of all we must change people’s attitude towards the environment.
If we take action now, there might be some hope for the future. If we do nothing, we are heading for disaster!
19. People set up different organizations for various purposes. What do you know about these organizations? Are you a member of any organization? Which organization would you join? Why?
The 20th century is characterized by the creation of international organizations: only a small number of the international organizations now in existence were formed before 1850, and about 90% were organized in the period 1900–1956. In the 1980s there were more than 2500 international organizations, of which about 750 were formed after World War II. This number included more than 130 intergovernmental agencies, of which the most notable were the United Nations and its affiliates.
The name United Nations was devised by United States President Franklin D.
Roosevelt and was first used in the “Declaration by United Nations” of 1
January 1942, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their governments to continue fighting together against Germany, Japan and Italy. The Charter of the United Nations was signed by 51 states on 26 June 1945. This day is now celebrated each year throughout the world as United Nations Day. Russia is a member of the United Nations.
A specialized agency of the United Nations is UNESCO (United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). It was founded in 1946.
It promotes international collaboration in education, science and culture.
Education is UNESCO’s main activity. The organization attempts to assist and support national efforts of member states in eliminating illiteracy, training teachers, developing educational institutions and extending free education. UNESCO also works to study, develop and promote cultural heritage and protect historic monuments and the natural environment. UNESCO assists and supports the efforts of member states through conferences, seminars and publications, through the promotion of research and exchange of information and knowledge.
Now I’d like to tell you about the World Health Organization (WHO). It began its activities in 1948. It is a specialized agency designed to further international cooperation for improved health conditions. The major function of the WHO is to establish measures for the control of epidemic diseases. This consists of mass campaigns promoted by WHO against communicable diseases. The major function of WHO is nursing concerned with maternal and child health. It also assists educational programmes for nurses and assistants. WHO is coordinating an international effort against
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as well as the current threat of
SARS.
Another medical organization is the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The Red
Cross is an humanitarian agency with national affiliates in almost every country in the world. The Red Cross movement began in 1863. Its peacetime activities include first aid, accident prevention, water safety, training of nurses’ aids and mothers’ assistants and maintenance of maternal and child welfare centres, clinics, blood banks and numerous other services.
The Red Cross is the name used in Christian countries; the Red Crescent is the name used in Muslim countries.
Greenpeace is an international nongovernmental organization dedicated to preserving endangered species of animals, preventing environmental abuses and taking care of wildlife. Greenpeace was founded in 1971 in Vancouver,
Canada. It brought together people concerned with terrible abuses to the environment. The organization has a small staff and relies largely on voluntary staffing and funding. Greenpeace also campaigns:
– for stricter control over chemical waste disposal on land;
– to stop all nuclear weapons tests;
– to close down nuclear power stations and nuclear reprocessing plants;
– to stop acid rain and protect the atmosphere;
– to reduce the trade in endangered species products;
– to declare Antarctica a World Park – free of military and industrial exploitation, and so forth.
Today it is a global organization with national offices in 27 countries; one of them is in Russia (since 1992).
There are also youth organizations, because the main aim of society is to prepare young people for responsible roles in the adult world and to provide constructive outlets for energies of young people. Some organizations such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or Guides, and Young Men’s
Christian Association and Young Women’s Christian Associations, have spread all over the world. The Boy Scout movement was founded in Great Britain in
1908. In 1910 the Girl Scout movement was also founded in that country.
There are about 1,300,000 boys and girls in them. The movement of the Boy
Scouts has its aim to help a Scout (a boy from 8–18) to develop into a good man and a useful citizen. He must be able to handle sails, to use a compass, to lay and light a fire outdoors, he must know first aid and develop his interest in music, literature, drama, arts and films. A Scout is a friend to animals, he’s “clean in thought, word and deed”. He must obey the Scout Law.
As for me, I’m not a member of any organization. But if I had chance, I would become a Scout, because I like the aims of this organization and the ways they are achieved.
20. Growing up can cause problems. Do you have any problems with your friends, your parents and other people around you? How do you cope with these problems?
It’s hard not to see that teenagers nowadays have a lot of problems. One of the real problems is having no close friend. Several days ago I had a best friend, but now I don’t. My friend was much more to me than just a person with whom I communicated. We were as thick as thieves. We helped each other to survive and got along well. But some days ago we quarrelled, and now I’m at a loss what to do. Fortune turned its back on me and I feel very lonely.
I can’t say that my parents don’t understand me, they try to support me; but I think only time can heal me. Some young people are just sure that their parents don’t want to understand them. It’s a very serious problem.
I’m sure that this point of view is absolutely wrong.
Psychologists believe, parents-child conflicts cannot be avoided in a society that is undergoing rapid change. In our society youngsters are at odds with their parents on a wide range of issues, from how late they can stay up, to whom they should marry. It’s called a generation gap. But I think our parents are people whom we can trust. In most cases teens don’t understand their parents and become very nervous. When this happens, it’s time to say to yourself “stop”, and try to find in your parents more positive than negative traits. Our parents should understand one thing, that today’s children will become tomorrow’s society. So they should try to understand the child; they should find out about teen problems and help solve them.
The other very important problem is our school life. Teens are often under pressure in many ways at school – they are supposed to be “macho” – good at school subjects, able to stand up for themselves without crying. If they can’t, they are “wimps”, and often children will tease and bully them, especially at school. But all children are different – they have different needs and talents, likes and dislikes. Teens are not just “machos” and
“wimps”, they are rebels and conformists, extroverts and introverts. Our teachers and our parents should assure us that all these types of people are good, and it will reduce a lot of our problems.

Teenager’s Problems
There are so-called “problem teenagers”, who take drugs. A large number of teens use them very often. They are drug addicts. I don’t have such friends and I think that there should be special programmes to solve this problem.

Drugs Destroy Lives
Another problem is connected with biorhythms. Not all people know what it is, and they begin to laugh at you and can offend you, when sometimes you are all fingers and thumbs, when you are accident-prone, or when your temper seems to be on a short fuse. It is because we all have an internal
“body clock” which regulates the rise and the fall of our bodies’ energies and it’s called biorhythms. So our teachers, parents and classmates should understand it and not pay attention to it because it’s the law of our life and nature.
My other serious problem is to enter a good university and find a good job afterwards. But unemployment rates are extremely high – even qualified people with great knowledge can’t find something good. But in spite of that
I hope for the best.
I always want to impress people. But the first impression we make almost fully depends on what we wear and how we wear it. Manners and speech are noticed next and character only later. Many teens have the same taste. They like to keep up-to-date with the changes in our society. They like to wear clothes which look good and which you feel comfortable in. Being in fashion makes you feel good, in tune with the world you live in. But when you are at school it is important to wear the right clothes, even formal ones, and not to dress up. I understand it, but some of my classmates don’t. They like to shock their teachers and parents, and provoke them, and that’s why they have some problems at school. So you should have some “clothes sense” to know and feel the types of things that are your style in formal situations (when you are at school) and at parties.
As for me nowadays, I try to cope with all my problems alone, or with the help of my parents. My parents are real friends and they understand me and try to help me or give advice.
So if someone denies all of the problems teenagers have, they are not being honest. Teens have a lot of problems. But the first thing we have to think about is the future we’re building for ourselves and our children. The better we are now, the better we understand one another, the better our place will be when we grow up.

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