Career prospects for language students

CAREER PROSPECTS FOR LANGUAGE STUDENTS

Career prospects vary from secretarial, executive and public relation assignments as well as for translation and interpretation`s jobs. Translators are employed with industries, publishing houses, research and government organization such as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and embassies. Other job opportunities for a language specialist are travel and tourism sector, trade organization and teaching.

Interpreters and translators both need to have a good command over two or more languages. Interpreters’ job relates to interpreting spoken words of one language into another, therefore needs to have not only a good command over the language but have excellent verbal communication skills. The job of an interpreter can be of different types. Sometimes they are engaged in simultaneous interpretation, which is used for meetings, speeches. There are also consecutive and liaison interpreting. Translation work can be related to a variety of fields like technical, scientific literary or business. Translators work on books, scripts, articles and translate them into specified languages. Apart from having linguistic skills a translator must possess adequate knowledge in the area of the work so as to maintain the style and essence of the original text.

I should say that today there are many opportunities for language students. I would rather not think about unemployment, so I have every intention of making a successful career.

A language student may have got his eye on international language programs for students with an opportunity to work or travel overseas. Some of students are dying to find a job in the USA or Germany during summer holidays. The advantage point is a good knowledge of a foreign language in an advanced or proficiency level. On the other hand, every language student must pull up his socks to build a successful career after graduation from university.

A student can start his career even still studying in the fourth or third year. Some students begin to work as interpreters, translators or English home teachers. My friend, for instance, now is working for McDonald`s part-time. I do not really fancy such jobs as a waitress, maid, shop assistant or seller at the market. Personally I wouldn`t like to work under the boss and get six or seven hundred thousand rubles.

I think that personal development is the most important factor in career process. I am very much into tourism and travelling. I am determined to be a private owner of a tourist agency. My knowledge of English will certainly help me to negotiate with overseas partners and develop my business.

HOW TO SHINE AT A JOB INTERVEIW

The interview is designed to find out more about you and to see if you are suitable for the job. The interviewer will do this by asking you questions. The way you answer will show what kind of person you are and if your education, skills and experience match what they are looking for.

At first you should find out as much as you can about the job beforehand and ask the job centre or employment agency for as much information as possible. After that you can jot down your qualifications and experience and think about how they relate to the job.

It`s very important to choose your interview clothing with care, you must look professionally-neat, clean and well-organized. It is advisable to wear a suit so as to look official because most companies have a dress-code. You should communicate using simple, direct, standard English (or other required language). Speak to the point, do not beat about the bush.

Don`t avoid eye-contact and smile when entering the interview room. Try to do your best at the interview and point out your humble, confident and helpful attitude. Above all, you should focus on what the employer needs. Don`t talk about pay checks and fringe benefits, it is better to show your keenness to work and your sense of responsibility. Don`t stress poor aspects of yourself, show enthusiasm, concentrate on what the interviewer is saying and if he/she asks if you have any questions, have at least one ready to show that you are interested. Ask questions at the close of the interview, for instance if there is a training program. You can also disagree with your interviewer- in an agreeable way, and don`t hesitate to change your mind. The conventional wisdom says ‘be yourself, true enough.

Well, if you follow all these pieces of advice you will surely get the job.

MY IDEAL JOB

I believe if you want to get on in life and to get ahead you should be a workaholic and always be up to your eyes in work, you just should be a responsible, patient and qualified person. If you are such a person, I think that you will have a good job and you will be an asset to any company. But there is no fear if you haven`t been taken on the job you wanted. It`s not the end of the world. In our days there are all the opportunities to be promoted. For some people an ideal job means that it is different from others. Some may look for a team environment, some just for a pay. Of course I want to have a well-paid job, but, as for me, it is not one of the main attractions of it. I want to work with the kind of people I enjoy spending time, I would like to have flexible working hours. I look at an ideal job as it is something that brings me joy. So to speak, to understand what my ideal job would be, I really have to understand myself first.

To tell you the truth, I`m still in two minds what my future work will be, but I`m dying to work as a personal interpreter. I`m very much into translating. This job has been my ideal and favorite job. I decided to go in for interpreting when I was at school, but my school didn`t specialize in languages so deep as others, so I had to study hard by myself and frankly speaking I picked everything up rather quickly. When I entered MSLU it was the happiest moment in my life-I had done the first step.

In my opinion it is a very exciting, not boring and not monotonous job. Of course, it will take up most of my spare time, but it will never get me down, because I will adore my job and I`ll have good mood during my working hours, and it`s a very important thing for me. Also there is an opportunity to travel a lot. It is so fascinating to see new countries, to meet new people, to see how they live, to know other cultures, to learn them, to observe how people follow their religious customs, how they celebrate their holidays, to know other views on our lives and many other things. It is very good experience.

I think that there will be such difficulties as having lack of your private life or taking different ideas, may be which you don`t like, into account, but I believe that I cope up with it.

It`s an ideal profession for me, because I like dealing with situation where an extra-consideration may take its place. It may help me to become successful in this sphere. Working as a personal interpreter has always been my dream. I believe in applying my skills to my job. I can work myself up by doing something that makes me happy.

To live to be a hundred

I think that everybody wants to live to hundred. But it is really difficult in our modern world. Air and water pollution, greenhouse effect and many other facts badly influence on our health. To be healthy we should eat right food, regularly pay visits to doctors and of course go in for sports. Nowadays we have a great amount of different doctors and they can really help us. We have general practitioner, surgeon, optician, pediatrician and many-mane others. But we have more and more diseases. AIDS, different allergies, asthma, bronchitis, cancer, diabetes, fever, malaria, measles, pneumonia and etc. We just can catch a cough and we will sneeze, shiver, have problems with swallowing, high temperature. And even this cold can lead to much more serious diagnosis and finally we can become bed-ridden. So if we have regular check-up we will avoid any of these illnesses. And if you realize that you feel really unwell, you should call to ambulance immediately. And of course if we want to be healthy we should go in for sports. There are so many kinds of sport, such as artistic gymnastics, gliding, skating, rowing and canoeing, skiing, ski-jumping, windsurfing, shot-putting, polo, water polo, baseball and many-many others which can attract your attention. Nowadays you can buy all equipment: bats, arrows, cues, pucks, shuttlecocks and etc. There are a lot of competitions, contests, matches and championships in our country. So you can choose any of a great amount of kinds of sport and strong health is guaranteed. And of course it is necessary to keep a diet. Overweighting becomes a common thing in modern world and it is awful. You should eat low fat food, control your weight and maybe change your eating habits. And it is clear that if you follow these sometimes simple sometimes don’t instructions, you will live to hundred.

Maladies of the 21st Century

We entered the 21st century with such maladies as heart and vascular system diseases, environmental diseases, cancer, AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). The risk factors causing these diseases are poor environment, constant stress and bad habits. We witness more and more cases when people suffer from such environmental diseases as food allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, and asthma. They all have a huge impact on the quality of life, darken our prospects for future. Alcohol, drugs, smoking, AIDS have also become the reality of our life, especially among young and middle-aged people. Such social maladies as smoking, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, AIDS have as a result of people`s ignorance and lack of healthy habits.

SMOKING

Smoking is very dangerous. Most young people smoke because their friends pressure them to do so. They may be copying their parents who smoke, or other adults they respect. At one time this would have been accepted as normal. But in the past 30 years attitudes about smoking have changes. Smoking is now banned in many places so that other people don`t have to breathe in smokers` shocking tobacco smoke. Passive smoking, when you are breathing someone else`s smoke, can damage your health just like smoking can. Smoking becomes addictive very quickly, and it`s one of the hardest habits to put an end to.

Take 1000 young people who smoke 20 cigarettes a day. A quarter of them will die from a disease caused by smoking. That`s 250 lives wasted! Only six of those 1000 teenagers will die in road accidents. So what is it in cigarette smoke that is harmful? Chemical called nicotine is a substance that causes addiction. It is a stimulant that increases the pulse rate and a rise in the blood pressure. Cigarette smoke also contains tar- a major factor for causing cancer. Chronic bronchitis occurs when tar and mucus damage the air sacks in the lungs. The sufferer has a bad cough which is worse in the mornings, and may get breathless easily.

If you have ever watched an adult try to give up smoking, you know how hard it can be. It`s easier, healthier and cheaper never to start.

ALCOHOL

Another poison of many young people is alcohol. Remember, alcohol is drug. It makes you sick, and you can become addicted to it. It`s very common form of drug abuse among teenagers. Don`t let anyone at a party pressure you into drinking if you don`t want to, especially if you are legally under age.

For years we have been told not to drive after we have drunk alcohol, which weakens our sense and clouds our judgment. And yet people still do. Young people, who are drunk are less likely to wear their seat belts, and are less experienced when a problem occurs. The alcohol makes them think they are brilliant drivers and can take risks without getting hurt. But, more importantly, they become a risk to other drivers and pedestrians- potential killers. If they do have an accident, the alcohol in their body will make treatment of an injury more difficult.

Alcohol drinks are made up chiefly of water and ethanol, which is an alcohol produced by fermenting fruits, vegetables or grain. Beer is about one part ethanol to 20 parts water.

DRUGS

Cocaine.

In 1997, an estimated 1.5 million people abused cocaine in the USA. Both short- and long-term use of cocaine has been associated with damage to the heart, the brain, the lungs, and the kidneys.

Club drugs.

Ecstasy. This is a stimulant and hallucinogen used to improve mood and to maintain energy, often for all-night dance parties. Long-term use may cause damage to the brain`s ability to regulate sleep, pain, memory.

Annual Check-up

I think that everybody wants to be healthy and live long and happy life. But it isn’t very easy in our modern world. Air and water pollution, greenhouse effect and many other facts badly influence on our health. To be healthy we should eat right food, regularly pay visits to doctors and of course go in for sports. Nowadays we have a great amount of different doctors and they can really help us. But we have more and more diseases. AIDS, different allergies, asthma, bronchitis, cancer, diabetes, fever, malaria, measles, pneumonia and etc. We just can catch a cough and we will sneeze, shiver, have problems with swallowing, high temperature. And even this cold can lead to much more serious diagnosis and finally we can become bed-ridden. And if you realize that you feel really unwell, you should call to ambulance immediately. So if we have regular check-up we will avoid any of these illnesses. I always try to do my annual check-up carefully to prevent any complications. At first I fix an appointment and pay a visit to my general practitioner to know about my common state. Then I go to surgeon, optician, ear, nose, throat doctor, do my fluorography. I always consult with doctor about my health. And usually everything is all right. But everything can happen. And if something is wrong, the doctor will inspect you and make a diagnosis. Then you will take some remedies, pills, mixtures, maybe ointments. And soon you will recover. But if everything is bad, maybe you will need an operation. Sometimes people break their legs, arms or something else. And if it happened to you, you need an X-ray. Maybe you will use crutches for some time. So everybody should be careful and take care of health and of course do annual check-up.

A VISIT TO A DENTIST

I am going to tell you about a visit to a dentist. Why people go to the dentist? Mainly they want to have their teeth examined, cleaned thoroughly, x-rayed or cured.

First of all it is important to find a dentist with whom you feel comfortable. Once you have found a dentist you like, your next step is to schedule a check-up- before any problems arise.

On your first visit to a dentist, they will take a full health history. Most dental visits are check-ups. Regular check-ups will help your teeth stay cleaner, last longer and can prevent painful problems from developing.

If your teeth are sound, you probably won`t need to return from 3 to 6 months. If further treatment is required- say to fill a cavity, remove a wisdom tooth or repair a broken crown- you should make an appointment before leaving the office. And don`t forget to ask your dentist any questions you may have- this is your chance to get the answers you need.

Visiting your dentist regularly can help prevent many dental problems as well as to help maintain optimal oral health.

Sport in Belarus

In Belarus there are many opportunities to take up sport. I mean there are Sport Palaces almost in every town in Belarus.. It is popular among young and old people. Many people do morning exercises, train themselves in fitness clubs and different sections. There are sports such as volleyball, hockey and football which are played in teams. For example, boxing and tennis are sports that played against one other person. Sports such as cycling, diving or golf can be played alone. Some people are crazy about open air games such as badminton, basketball, volleyball or golf. Other people like indoor games such as chess or table tennis;. Some prefer reading interesting stores about sportsmen but they do not go in for sports. There are different competition sites for people to go- gym, court, playground, rink, track and others. Physical training is an important subject at all schools and universities in Belarus. Sport helps people to keep fit and health. Children and grown-ups must take care of their health and do morning exercises regularly. There are some popular kinds of sport in our country: football, volleyball, hockey, gymnastics, and skiing. I think that ice hickey and biathlon are the most popular kinds of sport in Belarus. Hockey is a game in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick. Biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Darya Domracheva is a Belarusian biathlete who has been competing in the Biathlon World Cup since 2006. She won three gold medals in the pursuit, individual, and mass start competitions at the 2014 Winter Olympics, and a bronze medal in the individual competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics.[1] She was a Biathlon World Cup overall winner for the 2014–15 season. My favorite sports are skating, swimming and cycling, it always helps me feel as right as rain.

Sport in Britain

The list of sports invented by the British is a long one. It includes football, golf, badminton, cricket, rugby, squash and others. In Britain today sport is almost a national obsession. Many people do morning exercises, train themselves in fitness clubs and different sections. There are sports such as volleyball, hockey and football which are played in teams. For example, boxing and tennis are sports that played against one other person. Sports such as cycling, diving or golf can be played alone. Some people are crazy about open air games such as badminton, basketball, volleyball or golf. Other people like indoor games such as chess or table tennis;. Some prefer reading interesting stores about sportsmen but they do not go in for sports. There are different competition sites for people to go- gym, court, playground, rink, track and others. Many of British are interested in sport than in anything else. There is a special a telephone number which you phone during international cricket matches. It gives you the latest news.

Television has had en enormous influence on sport. Darts, golf and cycling have found regular places in TV programmes. Thanks to television, darts has become an international game played by professionals

. Many traditional sporting contests take place in England, for example, cricket. It is played from May till September. This game is associated with England. There are many cricket clubs in this country. English people like to play cricket. They think that summer without cricket isn't summer. Cricket is the English national sport in summer. If you want to play cricket you must wear white boots, a white shirt and white long trousers. There are two teams. Each team has eleven players. Cricket is popular in boys' schools. Girls play cricket too.

More and more British people take exercise to keep fit and this is running Britain from nation of spectators to a nation of doer.

Extreme sports

Extreme sports are nontraditional sports and activities that require participants to combine athletic skill with pronounced risk.
An extreme sport is a popular term for certain activities which have a high level of danger. These activities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical training. We can call many kinds of sports extreme ones. Extreme sports are rarely sanctioned by schools.
Usually athletes don’t have a coach or may hire him later. People in extreme sports complete not only against each other, but also against weather and difficulties and conditions of exact kind of extreme sport.
There are many extreme sports that take place in air, land, and water. For example there are some of them: ski jumping, sky diving,sky surfing, sky flying, indoor climbing, mountain biking, mountain boarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, windsurfing.

For example, bungee jumping. You jump off a bridge and you fall and fall, and then, just before you hit the ground or water, an elastic rope pulls you back. In skysurfing you jump out of aeroplane and use a board to "surf" the air, doing gymnastics in mid-air! And extreme sports on land can be just as dangerous.All these sports need to have special equipment and glasses.

Winter sports have always an element of danger. For example snowboarding, which has all the excitement of surfing but on snow, is more dangerous even than skiing. Probably the most dangerous of all the new winter sports is snowrafting. You sit in a rubber boat and sail down a mountain at great speed - and you can`t control the boat!
For surfing we need a surfboard and swimming kits. For snowboarding we need a snowboard and special boots to fix them on the board and a suit and also sunglasses that help to look at the snow and a helmet. Sportsmen can dress fashionably, usually in shorts and a T-shirt,trainers.
We can be sure that many new extreme sports will appear soon. Every year more and more people are interested in extreme sports and take active part in them. I’m sure that soon extreme sports will be on a high level.

Doing sports a man become strong and healthy. He begins to take care of his health.

Problems of facing national sport today

Sport itself was invented to provide people an opportunity to express themselves, to provide an outlet for surplus (невыпущенная) energy after a hard working day or just for fun to make some change and enjoy life. People who take up amateur sport want to get rid of tension, get back into shape or provide an opportunity to express themselves.

But when you turn on TV to watch some professional sport or some king of Championship or just follow the latest sport new. It seems that professional sports are missing on something. Professional sport seems less to do with enjoyment and more to do with making money. Top sportsmen appear to view their sport as a way of making as much money as possible in a shortest period of time. As a result some participants are prepared to take drugs to help their performances. And without such record-breaking performances sport would not be as attractive to watch on TV.

Doping is becoming a bigger and bigger problem. Although there are many different drug tests, each year even more different kinds of drugs are available. In addition, more athletes are taking drugs to help their performance. Athletes use drugs in a number of different ways. Some take drugs to make themselves stronger and faster. They also use drugs to mask pain, help them relax, or increase their confidence. But they all take drugs for the same reason-to win. Some of them also believe that not taking drugs is a disadvantage.

Of course, the real problem is not the doping. It is the win-at-all-costs attitude. The importance of winning in sport is more important than ever before. With the high value on winning, doping is unavoidable. We can ban drugs. We can test athletes. We can even stop them from competing, but we will never solve the problem until we change our attitudes.

While doping created unfair environment, the other injustice that people think of is inadequate salaries of sportsmen. Whether it is fair or nor – is hard to answer. Some think it would be better to spent these money on teachers, doctors salaries in order to develop the country. Others can object and say that professional sportsmen, while competing in international championships, present their countries. And that these money are a reward for all their sacrifice and damage to their health. Moreover, many sportsmen have quite short career. So it is a doubtful question.

Ten places to see in London

London is one of the largest and one of the world`s most enjoyable cities. It`s a city of dream of everybody who interested in English history and culture. There are 3 things that make London the place of the greatest attractions to visitors: its architecture, its famous museums and galleries and, finally, the Royal traditions.

1. The National Gallery

You can find hundreds of most famous and beautiful paintings in the world at the National Gallery. The pictures in the collection belong to the public and entrance to see them is free. More than 2.000 Western European paintings are on show dating from the middle Ages to the early 20th century. Discover inspiring art by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Picasso and others.

2. London Zoo

Opened in 1828, the London Zoo is the world`s oldest scientific zoo. Today it houses over 650 different species of animals and it is the only zoo in London where you can experience big animals such as giraffes. You can face some of African`s most unusual animals including zebras and hunting dogs. Other top exhibits include the Butterfly Paradise where you can enjoy myriad species of butterfly as they fly around you. Make sure you don`t miss feeding time at the Penguin enclose and find out more about these popular creates from the zoo`s experienced keepers. New for 2010 zoo has created London`s only living rainforest where you can meet a variety of beautiful rainforest species. In the all new “Night life” area you`ll discover the bats, rats and others.

3. The London Motor Museum

The London Motor Museum is the premier museum in London for car enthusiasts. The Museum has a unique collection of classic American Cars that relate to the story of the early motoring experience. Featuring a showroom full of classic cars from the 1930s to the present day the London Motor Museum has impressive automobiles from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Cars include pimped up rides from the States and luxury brands from Europe. Exclusive models you can see at the London Motor Museum include a Lovis Vutton Cadillac, plenty of deluxe names like Ferrari and Jaguar.

4. Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupies castle in the world, and it`s the official residence of her majesty the Queen. It`s built over 900 years ago. The castle is surrounded by some beautiful gardens and the picturesque English countryside.

5. Westminster Abbey

Just a short walk from the Thames and you see Westminster Abbey, it is a significant structure in British history. The beautiful gothic church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site popular with many visitors to London. Kings, Queens, statesmen, poets and heroes are all part of the church`s fascinating history. Many famous people were buried at the Abbey including Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin and others. Highlights of this grand building include a statue of the Virgin Mary holding a baby Jesus, the Nave with the grave of the unknown warrior and the Little Cloister leading the College Gardens, where a succession of English monarchs from William 1 have been crowned and many are buried in magnificent tombs recently restored at the original colors. Over a thousand monuments are crowded into the building.

6. Piccadilly Circus

It is difficult to say what is the real centre of London but many people would choose Piccadilly Circus. This is because it is not only central but also the heart of London`s entertainment world. Within a few hundred yards of it we find most of London`s best known theatres, cinemas, the most famous restaurants and the most luxurious night-clubs. In the middle of PC there is a statue said to be of Eros, the god of love. On Cup Final night and New Year`s Eve it is boarded up to prevent over-enthusiastic revelers from climbing onto it. Particularly in the evening PC is thronged with people going to the theatre or to a restaurant. The crowd is motley and the atmosphere is cosmopolitan.

7. Trafalgar Square

It is out of questions to tour London without catching a glimpse of Nelson standing high over TS. The column was built during the early part of the 19th century to commemorate Nelson`s victory in 1805 and there is no doubt that this national hero still draws the crowds.

8. The British Museum

The British Museum is a rich treasure-chest, brimming with things of world historical importance. It was founded in 1753 and, since then, has grown to include every conceivable kind of artifact from all over the world.

9. The Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum is equally impressive, with an outstanding collection of fine and applied arts housed in a great building opened in 1909 by Edward 7.

10. The National History Museum

Within this vast and elegant building, unsuspecting visitors may come face to face with anything from huge dinosaurs to working displays of their own insides!

There is so much to see in this, the largest city in Europe that is sure to exhaust you before you exhaust its possibilities. Make sure you leave London determined to visit this fascinating city again and again.

Discovering Great Britain

The UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four independent countries. They are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, the capital of Wales is Cardiff, the capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast and the capital of England is London. The country is surrounded by seas on all sides and is separated from the continent by the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. The country occupies an area of over 242.000 sq miles. The population is about 57 million people.

The scenery and the landscape of Great Britain are very diverse. There you can find flat valleys and high land, forests and lake areas. The highest mountain peaks are Ben Nevis in Scotland and Snowdon in Wales. The rivers in GB are not long. The Thames is the most important waterway in the country, though the longest river is the Severn.

As for the climate of GB it is moderate and mild due to the influence of the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The summers are usually cooler than on the continent. There is a lot of rain in autumn and winter. The weather in GB is very changeable and the English even say they have no climate but only weather which through centuries has become a favorite topic of conversation with British.

The UK is a highly developed industrial state. Historically British industry started chiefly as heavy and textile industry. There are hardly any coal mines in GB today, but textile industry is still prospering. The UK produces and exports iron and steel products, machinery and electronics. The biggest industrial centers are London, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester.

The UK is a parliamentary monarchy and the Queen is the head of the state. But in practice it is ruled by the government formed by the Parliament or, to be more exact, by the political party which is in power at this or that stage. The Parliament consists of two Chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Labour party is in power at present and its leader Tony Blair heads the government.

The UK is a prosperous state with high living standards. But of course each country has its own problems and GB is not an exception. The country is burdened with the long-lasting conflict in Northern Ireland which occasionally manifests itself in violence and disorder.

I have always been interested in the history of GB, its world famous literature and music. I hope that one day I`ll be able to visit this country and see its sights with my own eyes.

Ten places to see in Minsk

There are a lot of cities in the world which are famous for beautiful old buildings and monuments, museums and galleries, theatres and concert halls or big modern shopping centers. Minsk is a remarkable city and there are a lot of things to see in Minsk.

1. Cathedral of the Holy Ghost

One of Minsk`s only remaining historic buildings, the Cathedral of the Holy Ghost dates back to 1642 when it was built as a convent for Bernadine nuns. Like the city itself, the Cathedral has a chequered history, damaged by fire in 1741, turned into a monastery, and ultimately closed down by the Bolsheviks. Today it is once again open for services and visitors, and is one of the city`s prime attractions with its remarkable collection of icons from the Moscow Academic School. The collection includes the Icon of the Mother of God.

2. The Mir Castle

The Mir Castle is unique monument of Belarusian architecture of the 16th century. It was founded by Duke Ilinich near the village called Mir at the end of the 15th century. He built the castle instead of the wooden farmstead that existed there. One of the Castle`s greatest features is its varied and ornamental construction. Each of the five towers is made in its own way. The number of embrasures and their design vary. Pattern arrangements on the walls are also different. Yet, tower disposition at the corners, square footing and cathedral top give entirely and completeness to the construction.

3. Obelisk to Hero City Minsk

Obelisk to Hero City Minsk was opened on the 4th of July, 1954. This monument was erected to Soviet soldiers and partisans who died the death of a hero during World War II. Obelisk is 38 meters and topped with the Order of Victory. Four sides of the monument are decorated with bronze high reliefs called patriotically “The 9th of May, 1945”, “ The Soviet Army in the Years of the War”, “The partisans of Belarus”, “The Glory to Fallen Heroes”. Four bronze wreaths around the Obelisk symbolized four battle-fronts.

4. Troitskoye Predmestye

The first settlement on the left bank of the river Svisloch appeared in the 12-13th century. Historians suppose that the name of the place- Troitskoye Predmestye originates from a Roman-Catholic Trinity Church that was situated there. Troitskoye Predmestye is a birth place of the outstanding Belarusian poet Maxim Bogdanovich. In 1982-1985 the historical place was being carefully restored and now it is one of the most favorite place of the citizens and tourists.

5. The Church of St. Simon and Helena

This Catholic Church was built in 1908-1910 by a noble Belarusian family upon the premature death of their two young children. The church with red-brick towers, spires, and pitched roofs became a symbol of inconsolable grief or those who died untimely. When the Bolsheviks came to power, the church became a cinema then a film studio. Only not long ago, in 1990, the church was given back its original status. Services here start at 7 a.m.

6. Yanka Kupala`s Park

Yanka Kupala`s Park was founded on the right bank of the River Svisloch. Before World War II on this site there were several wooden buildings that were ruined during the first days of the War. Among them was the house where the poet lived in 1927-1941. In 1972 the monument to the great Belarusian poet was built. One of the favorite places of citizens is the fountain “Venok”. In 1959 the Yanka Kupala`s museum was constructed. In the new building architects tried to convey the interiors and the atmosphere of the original house.

7. Chelyuskinites Park

For all the fun of the fair, old-fashioned style, visit the Chelyuskinites Amusement Park in the city center of Minsk. Established in 1932 and little changed since, it is a far cry from Disneyland, but there is plenty of fun to be had on rides like a Ferris wheel and roller-coaster and one can rent radio-controlled planes to play with.

8. National Museum of Culture and History

Those interested in the long and turbulent history of Belarus can do no better than to visit the National Museum of Culture and History, which chronicles the past from 40,000 BC through to the present. Among the most interesting exhibits are archaeological finds from the area`s primitive societies, ancient manuscripts, a collection of folk costumes, and an exposition on the heraldry of Belarus.

9. Museum of the Great Patriotic War

Not for the faint-hearted, Museum of the Great Patriotic War showcases the horrors of World War II. Include among the exhibits are a model of a Nazi concentration camp, and an interesting section depicting the Belarusian resistance movement.

Motorcar Curse or blessing

Today motorcar became very popular and it plays an important role in every person’s life. It’s hard to imagine modern life without a car. Manufactures improve cars, supply them with the latest technology, creating new models and brands.

Before buying a car you have to take into consideration all pluses and minuses of having a car.

To advantage we can refer an opportunity of fast movement in any place and in any time. The car provides maximum comfort during the movement. Motorcar – it’s a vehicle, which you don’t need wait, there are always comfortable sits and it’s warm inside in winter and cool in summer. If you have a car you may have part-time job of taxi driver or courier.

But, of course, there are some disadvantages.

The first one is the value of the car, and then you have to spend money on petrol, repairing and other costs. Moreover, even the car makes your traveling very comfortable and fast, in the same time it needs a lot of time and attention. If you decided on buying a car, you also need think on buying a garage for it. Besides, buying the car needs big costs from family budget. It also has a bad influence on man’s health: it pollutes the environment with exhaust gases, car drivers spend little time going on foots and don’t breathe the fresh air enough.

Also when you live in a big city, you spent a lot of time in traffic jams and it’s hard sometimes to find a parking. Also you have a risk of getting into car accident and sometimes it’s a really great danger for your life and also you can become a victim f car theft.

Motorcar has it’s pluses and minuses and buying it is every person’s business.

National Stereotypes

Generalizations about cultures or nationalities can be a source of pride, anger or simply bad jokes. Some people say that in all stereotype there is some basis in reality, as they don’t develop in vacuum.

To give a more serious definition: “National Stereotype is a system of culture-specific beliefs connected with the nationality of a person. This system includes beliefs concerning those properties of human beings that may vary across nations, such as appearance, language, food, habits, psychological traits, attitudes, values etc.”

True cold-blooded scientists warn, that “National character stereotypes are not even exaggerations of real differences: They are fictions.”

American – arrogant; assertive; open-minded; materialistic; ambitious; progressive; efficient; straight-forward; alert; practical; US-centered world view; egoistic; anxious; fast food eaters; war mongers; God is with us!

British (UK) – drinkers; lousy food; stiff upper-lips; ultra-traditional; steady-on, old chaps; bulldog spirit; bad teeth and hygiene; rude; thin; smoke cigar or pipe; scruffy hair; “fitted” clothing; heavy binge drinkers; swear all day long; artistic; “fashionable”; deep thinkers; intelligent and articulate; boastful; anti-American; ride bikes; God save the Queen!

Russians – aggressive; rude; good tippers, big spenders; generally generous; open-minded; agreeable; love their “babushkas” and the last Czar; either spys or communists; alcoholics (primarily Stolichnaya vodka); mainly poor – with a few shiny billionaires; buy football clubs around the world (mainly in England); love ice hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, weight lifting; organized crime (the Russian Mafia) is everywhere; overweight; have deep hearty laughs; threatening nuclear war; want to invade with MIG fighter jets; ultra-orthodox Christians; love to secretly poison their enemies with uranium injections; warmongering similar to Americans

Living in a big city

Nowadays people prefer live in a big city. Because, first of all, it’s much easier to find a well-paid job. There is usually a choice of public transport, so you don’t need to own a car. In a city you can always find a place to go(parks, concerts or museums). For example, you can find a park where you can feed the ducks or just sit on a park bench and read a book. Also every city has its own scenery-magnificent skyscrapers and huge modern buildings taste for all tastes.

Modern schools and universities are one of the main reasons for living in a city.

But for every plus there is a minus. One of the disadvantages is that living in a city is often very expensive. Public transport is very often crowded and dirty, especially in the rush hour. In a city everybody is in a hurry, and nobody has time to be friendly. In my opinion, when you live in a big city you lose touch with the nature, because you can’t see these crystal-clear lakes and treasure of natural beauties.

As for me, I would like to live in a city, for example, for a few months and then take a rest from this hustle and bustle life and spent a few weeks in a bijou village.

How to make our roads safe.

Amount of car crashes is increased every year. And our roads become more and more dangerous. In order to make our roads safe drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclist shouldn’t break the rules. For drivers the main rules are:

1. always wear a seatbelt

2. don’t drink or take drugs and drive

3. don’t use a mobile phone even if it is hands free

4. always drive for the road conditions and don’t exceed the speed, in order to brake or swerve, give yourself time to react

5. take a break on long journeys, tiredness can kill not only driver.

6. Main rules for passengers:

7. always wear a seatbelt(this is the main thing, which may safe your life!)

8. on long journeys encourage the driver to take regular breaks

9. if you feel unsafe in a car, talk calmly to the driver and let them know what is making you feel this way, for example if they are going to fast ask them to slow down

10. never encourage the driver speed or drive recklessly even if you are running late

11. never accept a lift from someone who you know has been drinking alcohol or has taken drugs

Rules for cyclists:

1. are encouraged to wear a cycle helmet to protect their head

2. make sure you have the right gear, light coloured or florescent or reflective clothing so other road users can see you

3. cycle safely on the roads, look and give a signal as necessary before you start, stop or turn – don’t expect a driver or pedestrian to know what you are going to do

4. don’t listen to your iPod, MP3 player or use your mobile phone whilst cycling as you need to be able to hear what is going on and what is happening around you

And rules for pedestrians:

1. wear bright or light coloured clothing and reflective materials

2. always walk on the pavement

3. find a safe place to cross – do not cross near a bend or near parked vehicles

4. don’t use headphone or mobile phones when crossing the road

5. always stop, look and listen before you cross a road

Means of travelling

There are many different means of transport to get around. Nevertheless, most people take the plane to reach their destinations. And when they set out for longer journeys, they also take the airplane to move between destinations, even if they are not far apart.

According to us, taking the airplane is not the most adventurous way of travelling. It will only bring you to big cities or the most popular places, skipping the interesting countryside. And it will not bring you in contact with the locals, who are not using airplanes to get around.

And what about those of us who afraid of flying? And what about the air travel’s contribution to global warming? So, let’s find out about some alternative means of transport for adventure travel.

5 Futuristic Forms Of Transportation We Could See Soon

5 Hyperloop Tunnel of speed

A brilliant billionaire designs an innovative all-electric car, founds a company to resupply the International Space Station, and invents a super-successful alternative banking system. It may sound like the next summer blockbuster, but it’s real life. Elon Musk is the founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and PayPal, and now he’s revolutionizing public transport. He recently unveiled his idea for an ultra-fast, city-to-city transport system that could get you from San Francisco to Los Angeles in just 35 minutes. Hyperloop is described as an elevated steel tube containing aluminum capsules that would travel at speeds over 1,200 kilometers per hour (760 mph), ferrying cars as well as people. Oh, and it would all be powered by solar energy.The major drawback? The price tag. Musk estimates that Hyperloop would cost $70 billion just to get started. The final expenditure could be a mind-boggling $100 billion. But Hyperloop also has its critics. Many complain that the system is too expensive, too impractical, even too slow.Nevertheless, the plan is rolling ahead. A start-up named Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc. has published a timeline projecting the completion of a Hyperloop prototype in the first quarter of 2015. Only time will tell if this is actually feasible, but who knows? The future could be here sooner than we think.

4 Nuclear-Powered Cars

Even though everybody seems to be terrified of nuclear energy these days, it could very well be a huge part of our future. And there’s one American company that’s powering headlong into the radioactive transportation business. For years, Laser Power Systems (LPS) has been touting the benefits of thorium, a radioactive element that’s largely responsible for generating the heat at the center of the Earth.While nations are busy researching thorium for use in nuclear power plants, LPS has a more direct goal: They plan to build a car engine that’s powered by a single, small chunk of the radioactive material. The engine would work by focusing the heat given off by the thorium and using it to turn water into steam, spinning a series of microturbines to generate eletricity. Thorium is incredibly dense, which means it holds a lot of energy—an eight-gram nugget would be able to power a car for over 100 years. In other words, you would never have to shell out another penny for gas. Now that’s a future we can all get behind.

3 Next

We’ve all heard about Google’s self-driving car. But have you heard about Next? Part taxi, part Segway, part origami construction with an emphasis on social interaction, Next has to be seen to be understood. Essentially, designer Tommaso Gecchelin envisions a world in which you use your smartphone to call Next, and a self-driving module comes to pick you up. You slide into the configurable seat, and the doors close. Your module scoots along on four wheels until it meets up with a group of other modules. Then the magic happens: Your seat stays upright, while around you the module rears up on two wheels to connect to the group. A panel opens, and suddenly you have the impression of sitting on a bus or a train. Modules can split off as easily as they join on. As you approach your destination, your module unhooks itself to drop you off seamlessly.It’s a fantastic idea. Unfortunately, we’ve got a long way to go before we’re ready for Next. In his design plans, Gecchelin outlines the timeline of technologies that have to be developed or improved before Next can feasibly be built. That includes production of cheap nanomaterials, a consumer self-driving car, a high-capacity battery, and high-capacity, cheap solar panels. All in all, Gecchelin figures we won’t be ready for Next until at least 2025.

2 Skylon

The Skylon is being touted as the successor of the Concorde, the plane that traveled faster than sound but was retired nearly 10 years ago. In 2013, the United Kingdom announced plans to spend more than $90 million developing the Skylon, a super-fast plane that could travel at five times the speed of sound and break out of the Earth’s orbit to travel in outer space. It would be able to take off from any runway in the world, and could bring 300 passengers from London to Sydney in four hours. Or it could be used to drop off a load of up to 15,000 kilograms (33,000 lb) in outer space—at the International Space Station, for example.Development has only just begun, and there are some formidable obstacles to overcome. John Hansman, the head of MIT’s International Center for Air Transportation, says, “It looks great from a science fiction standpoint, but it’s really, really tough to do.” Additionally, the $90-million figure is just the beginning—final costs could amount to more than a billion dollars.However, many scientists and science journalists are optimistic about the project. And if everything goes according to plan, a prototype will be ready by 2017, with the real deal following just a couple years later. After that? “Access to space, access to anywhere in the world within four hours is on the cards,” says Alan Bond, the founder of Reaction Engines, the company behind the Skylon’s propulsion system.

1 SkyTran

Tel Aviv, Israel is in the heart of the Fertile Crescent, the ancient cradle of civilization. But it’s anything but outdated. Tel Aviv is a vibrant, bustling, 24-hour city—with a major traffic problem. That’s why they’ve set themselves the goal of building aerial magnetic public transportation in the near future. They’re calling it SkyTran. As with many other futuristic transport ideas, the designers of this one had their sights set on the clouds. SkyTran will run on metal tracks six meters (20 ft) above the ground, although they won’t actually be “on” the tracks: The pod-like cars will hang below the tracks, floating along nearly friction-free thanks to maglev (magnetic levitation) technology.Passengers will be able to use a smartphone app to call a car to the nearest station (picture a staircase going up to a simple platform). Cars can run independently and will take riders as close to their destination as tracks allow. According to SkyTran’s CEO, Jerry Sanders, a SkyTran ride will cost a little more than a bus, but less than a comparable distance in a taxi. Additionally, once solar panels are installed, the SkyTran system will be energy neutral.SkyTran will be capable of speeds of up to 241 kilometers per hour (150 mph), but it will run slower, at least at first, as riders get used to the idea.It sounds like something out of a 1950s comic book and, to be honest, the aerodynamic car shape looks like it, too. But maybe we’ll all take a leaf out of Tel Aviv’s book and start zooming around the skies like the Jetsons. The future is now, after all.

Дата добавления: 2015-09-29