Imagine that you were invited to take part in the conference on healthy lifestyle

- why lots of people try to keep fit;

- what you do to keep fit;

- what sports are popular with your friends.

Everybody knows that our health is the only thing which is impossible for us to buy. That is why keeping fit is one of the most important things we should do. Physically inactive people get older earlier than those who have plenty of exercise. Being in a good health means having both body and mind in a good working order, free from disease and pain.

As for me, I support the idea of a healthy way of life and always try to keep fit. In my opinion, you can be fit if you do sports, exercise and follow any healthy diet. I am a member of a dance group and I have trainings three times a week. It makes my body stronger, no doubt. Besides, most mornings my mother and I jog at the stadium which is close to our house. As for my diet, I try to eat more vegetables and fruit and never buy fast food or fizzy drinks. I know that such products are high in saturated fat (насыщены жирами).

Fortunately, most of my friends lead a healthy way of life too. They are members of different sport sections and go swimming, play basketball, football, do athletics and what not. I am sure, participating in different sport sections and clubs is very useful for us because we have a chance to develop our abilities and to be fit and healthy.

Always remember, “ A sound mind in a sound body”.

 

Card 18

You want to organize a party for your friends. Tell them:

- where the party will take place;

- what food and drinks will be served;

- whom you are going to invite;

- what activities will you organise.

I am sure most people like parties because they can have a nice time with their friends during them. It’s a wonderful chance to communicate with your close people and to make fun.

So, I’m going to arrange a party. I don’t have any special occasion for it except the fact that we have almost passed our final exams and it’s a good idea to relax and to devote some time to my friends.

I have already agreed it with my parents and I’m going to invite my friends to my place. At first I had an idea to go to a café but then I decided to have a party at home. As for food and drinks, I think we will cook ourselves. I am not going to prepare many dishes, but I will make several salads and different kinds of sandwiches. Certainly we will buy a lot of fruit, some juice and still mineral water. I hope it will be enough.

I’d like to invite all my classmates, but I’m not sure if all of them can come. So, I have invited my close friends. We are always happy to see each other and I hope to we’ll enjoy our time together.

Not to be bored, I have prepared some activities for my event. First of all, music will accompany us for the whole evening. I have lots of CDs with songs of our favourite bands. Then we can dance, of course. I think it’s the best thing at the party because all my friends are young and active and enjoy dancing. After it we are going to have a kind of competition to see who the best singer is. I have all the necessary equipment for karaoke, which is very popular among my friends. It will be very interesting.

So, I am sure we’ll pass all our exams successfully. And after it we’ll have a rest. I am looking forward to having a nice party with my friends.

 

Card 19

You were asked to tell about such kinds of sport as parachuting, bungee jumping, kayaking:

- whether you consider these kinds of sport interesting/ dangerous

- what sports you go in for

- whether you consider going in for sport to be important

- what piece of advice you would give to those who don’t like going in for sport

Different people prefer different kinds of sport. Parachuting, bungee jumping, kayaking are all extreme kinds of sport. Bungee Jumping is the sport of leaping off tall structures while connected to a thick rubber band. Maybe it’s not really sport but a kind of entertainment for those who are bored. Parachuting is not as dangerous as one might expect. Although many people do a jump just learning the basics, the complex skills can take thousands of jumps to master. The basics include safety, free fall movements, parachute operation and how to land. The first jump can be a tandem jump where you are attached to your instructor. Kayaking is a kind of sport where you sit in a seat on the floor of the boat with your legs directly in front of you and paddle down the river or a stream.

Of course, these kinds of sport have a high level of danger. These activities involve speed, height, a high level of physical training. It is interesting for people because they usually compete not only against each other, but also against weather, difficulties and conditions of exact kind of extreme sport.

As for me, I am not a fan of extreme sports, but I like keeping fit. So, my choice is fitness. It’s rather popular among people for several reasons. All of us want to look great. Everyone understands that the more fit you are, the more you can reach in your life. Fitness builds energy that makes it possible to live with more power.

Without any doubt doing sport is important. It makes people healthy, keeps them fit, more organized and better disciplined. Sports and games can be of great value to people who work with their brains. Moreover taking up sport relieves any stress of everyday life and helps people to replace their loneliness.

Nevertheless, there are people who don’t like sport. I’d like to recommend them to change their point of view. In this way you can feel active and be sure in your future happy life.

 

Card 20

Imagine you share the same room with a foreigner during studying. He/she is interested in your family traditions:

- Tell him or her about your family, their age and family traditions;

- Ask about your friend’s family traditions;

- Express your opinion on common and different things in your families.

If to speak about my family, Jack, I can tell you a lot. It’s not that big but very friendly. I have two parents and a sister. My mother is 38 and she is a hairdresser. She is optimistic, tolerant and helpful. My Dad is 40. He is a journalist, so he is very sociable, easy-going and clever. As for my sister, she is five years younger than me. I truly love my sibling and take care of her.

We all share many interests and hobbies. We enjoy spending time outdoors, so every summer we go camping to the mountains. It’s our tradition and no matter how busy we are or what other plans we might have, we go there to spend time together. Our family has a special place and we always go there. We discuss the route, buy food and drinks and plan our everyday activities.

Another tradition that I like in my family is connected with sports. Every spring and autumn we take part in a charity race. This marathon is regularly held in our city and we are great fans of it. We think it’s useful for our health and the money, collected in this charity race, is a helping hand for ill people.

And now, Jack, tell me if you have any traditions in your family. I’ve heard that people in your country respect their traditions and follow them as well. Are there any unusual traditions that you and your parents have?

As I can see, our families have something in common. We both like spending time together, especially outdoors. However, Jack, our families are different because we have a different lifestyle. It seems to be that you travel abroad more often. Anyway, as long as we love our families and follow our traditions, we are strong and happy. In a word I am proud of my family. And I am sure that you are proud of your family too.

 

Card 21

Imagine your friend came to see you. Tell him:

- what the house looks like;

- what your favourite room is and what is in it;

- where in the world your house would be located.

There is a wonderful and inspiring proverb – “A man's home is his castle." And I totally agree with it. I believe that each person should value the place he lives in and of course think about the place he wants to live in his future.

It is quite obvious that nowadays there are various kinds of dwellings['dwelɪŋz], from town houses, which include terraced houses, semi-detached, detached houses, to country houses. In my opinion the best option for me is a single-level house, which I believe is quite cozy.

The house of my dream will meet all the needs of my family. That is why it should be equipped with a large convenient kitchen to cook food and a dining room to eat and enjoy meals. Besides I would like to have several bedrooms where each member of my family will be able to rest, sleep and have a sense of privacy. Each bedroom will have a separate bathroom and of course a dressing room. I believe that I will also need a spacious living room to host guests or just to spend free time together with my family. It seems to me that it will be my favourite room and the most important room in the house. It is totally true that this is the best place in the house for communication and interaction among the members of my family. One can do all kinds of activities in the living room or just spend some time with his family.

Moreover, the living room is also a good place for individual activities like reading, working on a project or doing homework. So this room is quite functional. That is why it is very important to make this room comfortable. I suppose that my living room will be quite spacious. I guess that the walls will be flesh-colored (красноватый; телесный). My living room will have two big windows with big windowsills for beautiful plants and a fireplace. This is a very important detail because it always creates a special atmosphere of peace. Speaking about the furniture there should be a big brown sofa with a black glass coffee table. I will always be able to decorate the room with a vase of fresh flowers. Besides, my living room will have a smart TV and a lot of family pictures on the walls. My house will also have a beautiful garden and lawn where I can have different trees and plants.

As for the location I guess the perfect place is the Crimea with its most beautiful town which is called Alupka. The major attractions in this place include Vorontsov`s Palace and Vorontsov's Park and majestic Ai-Petri Mountain. I am absolutely convinced that it is a wonderful place not only for tourists but also for living as it has excellent views of the Black Sea.

That is why I believe it is an ideal place for my house and I hope that one day my dream will come true.

 

Card 22.

You were asked to make a report about a school uniform. Tell your friends:

- whether you wear a school uniform in school or not;

- what the advantages and disadvantages of wearing a school uniform are;

- what design your school uniform will be.

There are a lot of rules and traditions of schooling in different countries of the world. Wearing a school uniform is one of them.

Speaking about my lyceum I should admit that we don’t have strict rules about the uniform but we have to wear smart clothes at school. It means that jeans are forbidden for us.

In my opinion, there are some advantages and disadvantages of this approach to this problem. Wearing smart clothes disciplines pupils, they go to school to get knowledge, not to show the latest fashion brands. On the other hand, sometimes it is more comfortable to wear jeans and warm trousers, especially in winter when it is cold.

If I had a chance to design my own variant of school uniform for my educational establishment, I would make it comfortable, smart and nice. Girls would wear dark blue or green skirts or trousers with white or grey blouses or jumpers and boys would have shirts or jumpers of the same colour with trousers. Besides, I would design a special emblem which would show that we are the pupils of the same school. In my opinion, it would unite us.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that whether you wear a school uniform or not, one rule is certain – you should wear smart clothes which will show that you are a pupil and you come to school to study.

 

 

Card 23

Tell what you like to do in your free time:

- whether you spend more time outdoors or indoors;

- whether you prefer to have a rest with your friends or alone;

- whether it is necessary to have free time.

Once I read the following saying ”Free time is the most expensive time you have, because nobody pays for it.”Sorry to say I don`t know the author of this saying, but it seems to me that there is a common sense in it. As I am a very busy person I appreciate my free time very much and it is very important for me how I can spend it.

Frankly speaking I prefer doing three things in my spare time: going to the swimming pool, listening to music and reading books. As for swimming it helps me to keep fit and to be in a good mood. This activity builds up my stamina and persistence. Speaking about music I can`t imagine my life without it. What is more I`m ready to listen to any kind of music. The choice depends on my mood.As far as reading books is concerned it is a special page of my life. I am really keen on reading. Books open the world to me and I can imagine myself in different situations.

It is not a secret that some people prefer to spend their time outdoors, but other people like staying indoors. I am sure it depends on a person`s character and on his mood at this or that moment. Of course we can say that people who like to be outdoors are more sociable and outgoing. Those who prefer to be inside enjoy loneliness or they are very happy to be with their family. As for me when I have such a chance as my free time I always go for a walk with my friends because communication with them gives me strength and a good mood.

To continue my story I want to say that when I have my free time I try to be surrounded by my friends it does not mean that we only walk and chat. We try to organize some interesting activities in order not only to have a rest but also to spend our free time in a useful way. However, when I am very tired because of my study I can simply stay at home and enjoy lying in bed and watching TV.

To conclude I want to say that people are not robots and they all need their free time. If they only work, they can become exhausted and can get ill. So we must work and rest. The words said by Amy Tan, an American writer, is quite right ”Free time is the most precious time, when you can do what you love, then your life is worthwhile and happy.” We can`t but agree with it.

Card 24.

Tell how important and necessary friendship is for you:

· describe your friend’s appearance and his/her character;

· whether people can be happy without friends;

· whether it is important to be a friend to others.

It seems to me friendship is one of the most valuable things in the world. Everyone reads his own thoughts in the word ‘friendship’. I think friendship is the highest of non-material benefits of the mankind. I’m absolutely convinced that a person who has a true friend is actually the richest. No matter what kind of trouble he gets into// his chance to find the way out and survive will increase// in case he has a person to trust and rely on.

As for me, I can say that I’m lucky to have a true friend. His name is Michael. He’s the same age as I am. Michael is my next door neighbour. We’ve been friends since our early childhood. He is a dark-haired boy with large blue eyes and a friendly smile. Michael is really trustworthy. He can keep secrets. He’s also helpful and cheerful. We never feel bored when we are together. We have lots of things in common. For example, both Michael and I enjoy listening to the same kind of music. It’s rap /rock/. Both of us are also keen on (into) chess and photography (dancing, sport, collecting things, fashion, art). But we have different preferences

about books. I enjoy reading historical novels but Michael prefers adventures and fantasy. Don’t think it’s a problem for us. Different tastes just make our friendship brighter and more exciting.

To my mind, friends play an important part in any person’s life. Actually, I appreciate friendship. It makes happiness grow brighter and grief less painful, because we have friends to share it with. When we doubt our ability to fulfill our aspiration or to reach our secret goal it is our best friend who gives us a spark of assurance. We trust our friends and we are grateful to them for their devotion. Friendship is a bridge between loneliness and fellowship, frustration and confidence, despair and hope, setbacks and success. That's why a true friend is a priceless gift. They are rich who have true friends, says a proverb and I agree. I’m absolutely sure that those who have no friends actually can’t be happy. It seems to me any person needs a feeling of being necessary. Only delivering benefits to others a person can feel happy indeed.

So, the best way to have a friend is to be one. I’m inclined to think that all people must treat each other kindly. If you’re polite, helpful and friendly to people, they will appreciate and trust you. As a result, you’ll be easier to make new friends. And it is always important to be friendly to people around you.

Card 25

Your friend phones you to congratulate on your birthday though it is late. You had a party on this occasion. Tell him/her:

- how many guests came to you, who they were and where the party took place;

- who helped you to prepare for the party;

- what you were presented with.

 Hello, Nick! I’m so happy to hear you. Thanks a lot for your congratulations on my birthday, don’t worry that it is late. As people say, “Better late than never”. Frankly speaking it’s a pity that you couldn’t come to my birthday party, it was really great.

Without any hesitation I can say it was an unforgettable day. My birthday started at 1 in the morning. My friend and neighbour Alyona phoned me and she was the first to say "Happy Birthday". The second person who said "Happy Birthday" was Alyona too. But she was another Alyona. My friends congratulated me all night that’s why I switched off my mobile phone.

When I got up in the morning my family congratulated me. My father presented me with a watch-player Echo. My mother bought me fashionable Diesel jeans. And my younger sister gave me a postcard which she had made by herself. Suddenly my friend Liza called me and asked to look out of the window. And I did it. "Happy Birthday” was written on the asphalt (['æsfælt] асфальт). I was so happy.

At noon I had a party for my family and some of my relatives. It was very hearty.

As you know I don’t like noisy and big companies. That’s why only six closest friends were at my birthday party. Four of them are my classmates and two of them are my neighbours. The party started at the café “Melange” at 6 in the evening. I hope you know that it is a very popular place among Lugansvites.

The atmosphere was cosy and the food was delicious. You understand that the chef and some cooks of the café organized everything on a high level. How nice it is that I did not have to prepare food by myself. Certainly all of us enjoyed all the dishes there.

We stayed at the café from 6 up to 8 o’clock. And only guess, the party went on at the skating-rink “Ice Arena”. It’s a fact that at the skating-rink we burned some calories we had got at the café and, no doubt, we mastered our skating skills. We joked, listened to music and danced.

As for the presents, I got books, accessories ([ək'sesərɪz]) and flowers. My friend Oleg presented me with two statues of animals as I have a collection of such things.

The time flew very quickly. We stayed at Ice Arena till 10 in the evening. Then I hired two taxis to get my guests home. It seems to me everything was perfect and all my friends enjoyed every minute of the party.

I hope, Nick that next year you’ll be with us, you won’t regret.