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Education plays a very important role in our life. It is one of the most valuable possessions a man can get in his life. We get our knowledge of this world and life through education. Many famous discoveries would have been impossible if people were not interested in learning something. Education develops different sides of human personality, reveals his abilities. Besides, it helps a person to understand himself, to choose the right way in this world. During all the periods of human history education ranked high among people. Human progress mostly depended upon well-educated people.
Self-education is very important for the development of human’s talents. Only through self-education a person can become a harmonically developed personality. A person becomes a highly qualified specialist after getting some special education. And professionalism can be reached only through it. Even highly qualified specialists from time to time attend refresher courses to refresh their knowledge.
The civilized state differs from others in the fact that it pays much attention to the educational policy. John Kennedy said: “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education”. But it doesn’t concern only one particular nation. We know that science and art belong to the whole world. Before them the barriers of nationality disappear. So education brings people closer to each other, helps them to understand each other better.
My school is an ordinary building in a residential area. It’s a 3-storeyed building with a swimming pool and a spacious gym. Of course there is a lot to be improved. For example our canteen could be more pleasant in its design. Also I’d like to have a bigger library with a reading hall. But in spite of all I love my Gymnasium and I’m proud of it.
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.
At school we work at many things like physical development, emotions, relationships, and which is the most important we get knowledge. Various subjects are studied at our gymnasium: 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.
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. Special teachers help children to develop their creative abilities either in sport sections, a school choir or theatre, or to improve English after classes. Ecology and tourism are also very popular today. So, schoolchildren can also be engaged in these activities.
When I’m talking about school I mean all those things that influenced my views, broadened my outlook and shaped my character. I’m sure that school plays an important role in everyone’s life. School doesn’t only provide us with knowledge in Science and Humanities, it is also a place where we develop our talents and skills, make friends and learn to appreciate honesty and sincerity, patience and tolerance.
School is our second home. No one can ever forget it.
Generally speaking, I should say that children have got good opportunities to get good knowledge. Scientific and intellectual potential is the main strategic resource of Belarus. The republic guarantees its citizens the right to universal secondary education and creates means for further professional education. It tries to pay much attention to common human values, developing independent critical thinking instead of simple perception of information.
Our system of education has been reforming for many years probably because the aim of the reform is rather global: to create an independent, qualitatively new national school corresponding to international standards and ensuring each citizen the right to the high-quality education according to his or her abilities and inclinations.
The main principles of the educational system in Belarus are the priority of human values, national culture as the basis of education, humanism, sense of ecological purpose, scientific basis, support of gifted children and others.
3. Ask me whether I liked school when I was a pupil.
4. What ideas from Belarusian school can you advise a teacher from Great Britain to use in British school?
I don’t think it’s a good idea to be intrusive. First of all, I’m not a professional person in the sphere of education. Secondly, it would be more reasonable to have some kind of experience of real British education. And only then, if I were asked, I would be able to suggest something.
5. Today some young people think that having a good education is not very important. Do you agree with them?
It all depends on many things. Those people who think that having a good education is not very important, have their own plans. Some girls want to be good mothers and have big families. Other people think that manual professions do not need good education. In this case they are mistaken. To my mind all professions need special education. Nowadays only highly qualified workers can deal with rather sophisticated equipment and computers.
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Let’s talk about customs and traditions of an English-speaking country
The British have many traditions, manners & customs of which they can be proud. English traditions can be subdivided into the traditions dealing with private life of the English national & religious holidays, public celebrations, traditional ceremonies & traditional sporting events. To know the customs & traditions means to understand the people, their art & culture better.
England has preserved its old ceremonies & traditions to a greater extend than any other country in the world. Most of these traditions have been kept up without interruption since the thirteenth century. Foreigners coming to England are impressed by a great number of ceremonies which seem to be incompatible (несовместимый) with the modern traffic & technical conditions of a highly developed country.
Though there are only six public holidays a year in Great Britain, the days on which people need not go to work. They are: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Spring Bank Holiday and Late Summer Bank Holiday. In Scotland, the New Year’s Day is also a public holiday. Most of these holidays are of religious origin, though it would be right to say that for the greater part of the population they have long lost their religious significance and simply days on which people relax, eat, drink and make merry.
Besides public holidays, there are other holidays, anniversaries and simply days off, for example Pancake Day and Bonfire Night, on which certain traditions are observed, but unless they fall on a Sunday, they are ordinary working days.
1. Do you find some British holidays and traditions special? Why (not)?
When people come from other countries they usually look for something special and traditional in this country.
Every year on the 5th of November Bonfire night is celebrated all over the UK. It goes back to the discovery of the so-called Gunpowder Plot. The event is commemorated by fireworks and burning “guys” on bonfires.
Traditionally, 41 days before Easter Sunday is a special day for Christians, called Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday. It is the day before Lent starts. On Pancake Day people used to celebrate the last day before Easter when they could eat what they wanted. All over England there were pancake races on or near Shrove Tuesday. The tradition is still around today. The rules of pancake races are different in different places, but each participant, usually a woman, has to wear an apron and a hat or a scarf.
2. Would you like to take part in a British holiday celebration? Why?
If I had such a chance it would be Christmas.
Christmas is the main public holiday in Britain. It is celebrated on the 25th 0f December. Christmas is a Christian festival to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. This holiday is celebrated together with family, relatives and friends who share the much loved customs and traditions which have been around for centuries.
Long before Christmas time shops become very busy, because a lot of people buy Christmas presents. People also buy Christmas cards to send to their friends and relatives, whatch nativity plays and go carol singing. They put up Christmas decorations inside and outside homes and decorate Christmas trees too. The traditional Christmas decorations are evergreens, such as holly, mistletoe and ivy.
On Christmas Eve (the 24th of December) some people go to a special church service called Midnight Mass which starts at 12 o’clock at night. In churches people sing Christmas carols – special religious songs. Sometimes groups of people walk along the streets and sing carols at the doors of houses. One of the well-known carols is “Silent Night”.
Young children are told that Santa Claus will bring them presents if they are good. Before going to bed on Christmas Eve the children hang stockings at the back of their beds, for Santa Claus to put the presents in when he comes in the middle of the night through the chimney.
Christmas is the day when people stay at home, open their presents and eat and drink together. The most important meal is Christmas dinner. The typical meal consists of turkey with potatoes and other vegetables, followed by a Christmas pudding. Other traditional foods include a special Christmas cake and mince pies — small round cakes filled with a mixture of apples, raisins and spices.
The day after Christmas, the 26th of December, is also a public holiday. It is called Boxing Day. The name goes back to the old tradition: some time before Christmas, boxes were placed in churches for the people to put some money or presents for the poor. On the day after Christmas, the 26th of December, the priest opened the box and gave the contents away to poor people.
3. What questions can you ask a British teenager about his/her birthday celebration?
Birthdays are always happy events for all children and teens. And of course it’s interesting to know about these celebrations in Britain. So the questions may be:
4. What national souvenirs would you buy in Britain?
Typical English presents (souvenirs) to take back home are rather various.
Common themes depicted on many English souvenirs include The Royal Family, Policemen, Royal Guards, London Transport, Union Flag and famous London buildings.
You can buy thimbles (напёрстки), bells, T-shirts, soft toys, models, magnets, pens and pencils, mouse mats, caps, pin badges, post boxes, aprons and much more.
5. Nowadays more and more people are getting interested in customs and traditions of different countries. What do you think about it?
So many countries so many customs, an English proverb says. The combination of the words tradition & custom means a usual manner of doing something, of conduct passed on from generation to generation.
By comparing the customs and cultures of people from other countries, we can learn how others view the world and why they think the way they do. By understanding others, we can not only form deeper friendships with others but can also learn more about ourselves and our own culture.
Let’s talk about Belarusian customs and traditions.
So many countries so many customs, an English proverb says. The combination of the words tradition & custom means a usual manner of doing something, of conduct passed on from generation to generation.
By comparing the customs and cultures of people from other countries, we can learn how others view the world and why they think the way they do. By understanding others, we can not only form deeper friendships with others but can also learn more about ourselves and our own culture.
Having a holiday is great fun in many ways. Firstly, people have a day off. Secondly, it’s a variety and change from everyday routine. Every country has got its own national and religious holidays. In our country there are several public holidays that are observed nationwide and are official days off.
There are many traditions connected with such holiday as the New Year, Christmas and Easter. The preparation for these holidays starts long before they come. About a fortnight before the New Year the streets in our city are decorated with colourful lights, the shop windows display a wide choice of New Year decorations and Christmas gifts. Of course different people choose different ways of celebrating them. New Year is traditionally a family holiday with a New Year tree, plenty of delicious food, presents and good wishes. Some people either take part in festivals arranged in parks and squares or go to parties or restaurants.
Orthodox Christmas comes a week after the New Year and this week in Belarus is called Kalyady. During the Christmas week street festivals of all kinds take place in the cities and towns of Belarus. For religious people this holiday is of special meaning. So they go to churches and take part in different religious celebrations.
1. What can you tell me about your favourite holiday?
My favourite holidays are the New Year, Christmas and Easter. Though we are not a religious family and we don’t go to church regularly, but we respect national traditions and my grandmother always dyes eggs red and makes Christmas cakes and Easter pies. These holidays are always connected with warm feeling and pleasant emotions.
2. What can you tell about Kupalle celebration in Belarus to your British friend?
Kupalle is the most loved and celebrated pagan holiday in Belarus. Kupalle is celebrated in the night from the 6th of July to the 7th of July. In ancient times young girls used to go into the meadows to collect plants and herbs – cornflower, ferns, etc. It was believed that the plants gathered at that time had special magic and strength and could protect people and their homes from illnesses and evil spirits. That’s why some of these plants were used in food, some were put up on the walls of the houses, and some – in the wreaths worn on the head by young men and women during the Kupalle celebration.
The central part of Kupalle celebration was a fire, which symbolized life. There were a lot of purification rituals during the celebration – jumping over the fire, bathing in the river, rolling in the grass dew. There would be a lot of dancing in karagods, competing in strength, fortune-telling and looking for a blossoming fern flower – “paparats kvetka”.
Special ritual food was cooked on the fire – fried eggs, kulaha (a sort of pudding made of wheat flour), vareniki (stuffed with blueberries, raspberries, cherries).
A lot of this tradition is followed today.
3. What questions can you ask your friend about her best school celebration?
- How often do you have school celebrations?
- Do you decorate the assembly hall?
- Do you organize any contests?
- What prizes do you prepare for the winners?
4. What national souvenirs will you recommend a British tourist to buy?
Straw weaving is a very old craft that has been known in our country for many centuries. It has become an identity card for Belarusian art. Straw horses, spiders, as well as beautiful and useful objects of everyday life were made out of straw and used both for decorating homes and for the storage of goods and foods. Even Belarusian children’s toys and dolls were often made out of straw. And, of course, we can’t forget traditional straw hats of Belarusian men – a”bryl”. In the gallery of straw art you can not only see and buy a fantastic straw souvenir, but also visit Belarusian Festival of Straw and try making a straw item with your own hands with the help of the best Belarusian masters of straw art and crafts.
5. Do you think it is important to follow our grandparents’ traditions? Why?
Belarusian national culture is rooted in old antiquity. Belarusian nation has stored tremendous spiritual treasures that reflect the versatility (многосторонность) of its intellectual, moral, aesthetical and other being. Belarusian culture has always maintained its national traditions, at the same time remaining an integral part of the world cultural heritage.
So we are responsible for this heritage and shouldn’t repeat the mistakes of those generations that destroyed our national treasures and forgot our history.
Let’s talk about fashion
We call fashion something that is popular at some period of time. Fashion is something we deal with everyday. For sure everyone wants to keep up to date. Even people who say they don’t care what they wear choose clothes every morning that say a lot about them and how they feel that day. Especially the majority of young people like to show themselves off in public.
In all times, particularly taking roots from the past centuries, person’s welfare was valued by the way a man or a woman was dressed. Nowadays people’s point of view hasn’t changed a lot; merely people’s choices often lay neither in the quality of product nor in its easiness in use, but in the choice brands.
Sometimes we could claim that fashion often rules the world, turning many people’s heads. To attract attention of others they wear non-traditional clothes, made by popular brands.
One certain thing in the fashion world is change. We are constantly being bombarded with new fashion ideas from music, videos, books, and television. Movies also have a big impact on what people wear. Sometimes a trend is world-wide.
Musicians and other cultural icons have always influenced what we’re wearing, but so have political figures and royalty. Newspapers and magazines report on what celebrities wear.
Fashion is revealing. Clothes reveal what groups people are in. In high school, groups have names: “goths, skaters, preps, herbs.” Styles show who you are, but they also create stereotypes and distance between groups. People dress a certain way to deliver the message of rebellion and separation, but within that group, the look is uniform. Acceptance or rejection of a style is a reaction to the society we live in.
Fashion is a language which tells a story about the person who wears it. “Clothes create a wordless means of communication that we all understand,” according to Katherine Hamnett, a top British fashion designer. Hamnett became popular when her t-shirts with large messages like “Choose Life” were worn by several rock bands. There are many reasons we wear what we wear. Protection from cold, rain and snow: mountain climbers wear high-tech outerwear to avoid frostbite and over-exposure. Physical attraction: many styles are worn to inspire “chemistry.” Emotions: we dress “up” when we’re happy and “down” when we’re upset. Religious expression: Orthodox Jewish men wear long black suits and Islamic women cover every part of their body except their eyes. Identification and tradition: judges wear robes, people in the military wear uniforms, brides wear long white dresses.
Fashion is big business. More people are involved in the buying, selling and production of clothing than any other business in the world. Everyday, millions of workers design, sew, glue, dye, and transport clothing to stores. Ads on buses, billboards and magazines give us ideas about what to wear, consciously, or subconsciously. Clothing can be used as a political weapon. In nineteenth centuryEngland, laws prohibited people from wearing clothes produced inFrance. During twentieth century communist revolutions, uniforms were used to abolish class and race distinctions.
High fashion is the style of a small group of men and women with a certain taste and authority in the fashion world. People of wealth and position, buyers for major department stores, editors and writers for fashion magazines are all part of Haute Couture (“High Fashion” in French). Some of these expensive and often artistic fashions may triumph and become the fashion for the larger majority. Most stay on the runway. Popular fashions are close to impossible to trace.
1. What style in clothes do you prefer and why?
As for me, it is always important to remember the rules of politeness, that there are different styles of clothes for different types of events. From my point of view, things that you have in your wardrobe should be comfortable to wear. It is better to remain true to yourself. As one wise well-known proverb says, “People meet by clothes and set off by mind”.
My favourite clothes are jeans, shirts and sweaters or jackets. They are comfortable and I can wear them in any weather.
2. Do you prefer fashionable clothes to comfortable ones? Why (not)?
I tend to wear clothes that are appropriate for the environment and fashion. To my mind fashionable clothes don’t mean uncomfortable clothes. I try to combine both comfort and fashion.
The explanation is quite simple I want to keep up to date and feel comfortable. At the same time I like to experiment with my style and remain true to myself.
3. What questions can you ask a shop assistant in a big shop?
Where is a clothes department for girls/ boys?
Have you got any discounts?
What is on sale today?
Is there a café in your shop?
Where can I have a rest?
4. What would you advise your friend who wants to buy some new clothes?
Before any kind of shopping you have to plan everything carefully. It means you should decide what you need first of all then you should know how much money you can afford. The next step will be going through some shops so as to find out the types of clothes and their prices.
I wouldn’t recommend rushing at conclusions what to buy. Think everything over and then you may go exactly to the shop you are going to make your choice at.
5. A famous person once said: “Fashions come and go, style is forever.” What do you think about it?
I like this saying. Some people try to be fashionable at any cost. But they may not have their style. Fashion will not help you to look attractive if it is impersonal. Also there are cases when these or those fashionable clothes don’t fit you. In this case only your personal style will help you to avoid clumsy situations.
Besides, fashion is so changeable. As for your style, it is unique and reveals your personality.
Let’s talk about choosing a career
For most people choosing a career is not an easy task. It is one of the most important decisions one makes in life. The properly chosen career makes a person happy and successful for the rest of his life.
There are several factors that influence the decision of making the choice. They concern material and spiritual aspects of the future profession. It is generally believed that professions should be both prestigious and interesting. Everybody wants to benefit from the social privileges provided by the profession. At the same time other factors are important. Much depends on the inclinations and interests of the person. Although it is wonderful when one’s hobby becomes one’s profession. Another important factor is social environment. The profession of the parents often in this or that way influences the future profession of their children.
It is impossible to forget about the material aspect of the future profession. It indicates the level of the society’s values. Today all professions can be classified as prestigious and not prestigious. The problem of prestige is subjective. Nobody can explain the meaning of this notion. “Prestigious” jobs give a chance to an individual to enter the upper circles of the society. When the job is prestigious money is of secondary importance. The future profession should be interesting and meet the demands of a person.
To avoid mistakes, it is necessary to start thinking about the future profession as soon as possible. Some of us want to become physicians, others teachers, economists, historians, historians of art, mathematicians, biologists, and computer operators. All the professions are very useful.
1. What would you like to become?
To avoid mistakes, it is necessary to start thinking about the future profession as soon as possible. Some of us want to become physicians, others teachers, economists, historians, historians of art, mathematicians, biologists, and computer operators. All the professions are very useful. As for me I would like to be …
2. Does a person need to possess special qualities to become a good specialist in this or that particular field? Why?
Every person has got his or her interests, values, goals, aptitudes, skills and special qualities. Having these special qualities means you’ve got a talent for this or that profession. Every person needs to realize his or her talent. This realization will bring emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. People who work from a sense of passion are usually the happiest people and they can make other people happier and bring benefits for them.
3. What questions will you ask your future employer at a job interview?
What is a timetable for me?
Have you got any special rules to regulate a working day?
Is there any dress-code in your office?
What is the period of holidays?
Are there any additional financial rewards for the job?
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