10th form

SCIENCE OF THE 21st CENTURY
Science has existed and developed hand in hand with the development of humanity. First scientific knowledge was applied because people learnt what plants and seeds could be eaten, gathered and planted. Then people tried to know how to hunt and what to use to kill animals. As it is seen, firstly, there was applied science and the history of its development took many years till it became theoretical one. The first human discovery was fire and the first invention was the wheel. Each century added something new and important for humanity in scientific development. The main means of any development is curiosity, which pushes human thoughts to new discoveries, inventions, development of new technologies and new branches of knowledge.

The development of scientific thought cannot be stopped. Human mind works with great might, creating new products, technologies and scientific methods. Modern technology is rapidly spreading all over the earth. Material achievements and living standards are changing for the better with each coming day. It's common knowledge that science is organized knowledge which brings merits and hazards to mankind. Genetics, a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity and variation in living organism. Genetics deals with molecular structure and function of genes and gene behavior. It's known that genes are universal to living organisms and genetics can be applied to the study of all living systems, from viruses and bacteria through plants and domestic animals to humans. The fact that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding. Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of organism genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest. The introduction of new DNA does not require the use of genetic methods; however, traditional breeding methods are typically used for propagation of recombinant organisms. Genetic engineering techniques have been applied in numerous fields including research, biotechnology and medicine. Medicines, such as insulin and human growth hormone are now produced. Genetically engineered plants and animals are also being developed and in 2009 the FDA approved the pharmaceutical protein antithrombin produced in the milk of genetically engineered goats. Cloning belongs to genetic engineering and deals with producing a genetic copy of some living organism. Scientists have effectively been cloning animals since the early 1960s. Now cloning is possible in creating mammals and people are getting interested in cloning a special mammal - humans. Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanotechnology is very diverse; it develops new materials and new devices which can be used in medicine, electronics, biomaterials and energy production.

A SOUND MIND IN A SOUND BODY

For centuries people have dreamed about everlasting youth and immortality. In every culture there are fairy tales about a miracle means of being young, healthy and wise forever. And all these centuries people have followed sensible patterns of work at day time and rest at night.

Nowadays the world seems to have driven crazy. All traditional norms of working hard at day time and having a rest at night have changed as now we live in what is fast becoming a 24-hour society. But we are still the children of nature with an inbuilt body clock.

To be healthy you should follow simple rules: have a strict daily routine which suits your natural rhythms. It's better to alter different kinds of activity during the day: changing mental and physical workout. To keep alert during a hectic day, you should start your morning with a cup of warm green tea and in half an hour do your morning exercises. Never forget about breakfast. Let an English proverb "Have breakfast as a king, dinner as a prince and supper as a pauper" be a slogan for all your life. It is known that we are what we eat. That is why remember about healthy food containing a necessary amount of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Have meals at regular intervals and don't forget about snacks between meals: you can snack with nuts, dry fruit, and a piece of chocolate or a glass of juice with some cookies. Never change your sleeping patterns because it influences your immune system. Remember, when we sleep the body repairing mechanisms are at work, protecting us. To live a healthy life means following a diet, doing sports and thinking positively. Don't concentrate on your mistakes, misfortunes and fears, analyze them and go ahead. Try to reduce stresses, get rid of frustration and anger, and live in tune with nature. Think of possible hobbies, they will enrich your mind and strengthen your body. A human body is a perfectly organized creation and each man is a creator of a temple called the human body.

ART IN OUR LIFE

“We all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth, at least the truth that is given to us to understand,” these words of the famous 20th century artist Pablo Picasso define the main function of art - to reflect life in its innumerable ways. Ire’s difficult to limit the definition of the word “art: as it comprises its countless kinds such as literature, music, architecture, dance, painting, theatre, cinema, computer arts and what not. Art has excited and flourished with the development of humanity. It influences our feelings and emotions, stirs our imagination and awakes our creativity. Art differs from country to country and from century to century. Genuine works are cultural heritage of humanity as art doesn’t have any boundaries and time restrictions. Tastes differ and each of us chooses the most appealing kind of art.

Our modern life is closely connected with the mass media - the radio, TV, the press, The Internet. Their main functions are to educated, entertain and inform people. These media acquaint us with masterpieces of literature, music, painting and architecture. The 21st century is a century of literate people who can read and know how to read; so literature well deserves the fame as one of main mans of molding people’s soul. Paper books have lost their mighty power in our century but the Internet and E-books allow young people to get in touch with the pearls of the best world’s writers. One can’t deny emotional power and enormous spiritual influence of a written word.

“Music is a high revelation that all wisdom and philosophy” Ludwig van Beethoven states. And it’s really a unique unifying force for people all over the world. It’s magic that appeals to everyone turning them into devoted fans forever. The history of music is long and complicated but it’s enough to say that each historical period demands its own tunes, trends and favourites. Music surrounds us like a warm sea, breathtaking melodies bring us to other worlds, raises our spirit and provokes thoughts in our mind. Music heals, inspires and gives us incomparable enjoyments. While we speak about music, it’s rational to speak about musical theatres and ballet because human voices and movements make music more sparkling and touching.

Painting is an important part of national cultural heritage. It shines back various epochs, life styles, fashions and historical events. Painting presents history in a vivid visual-form, leaving us gap for imagination work. Numerous masterpieces have raised the sense of admiration and delight. Every person tends to prefer a certain artist with his peculiar style or a definite style embracing representatives of different countries.

It’s no need to speak about theatre and cinema as these types of art are part and parcel of our everyday life. The television makes it possible to watch all new film and performances and enjoy them. Nowadays the computer replaces the theatre and cinema and we are losing the opportunity to visit these places, communicate and discuss films and performances.

To conclude, it’s necessary to outline that each historical period gives birth to a new form of art: cinema, photography, design and web-design, graffiti. Comics, flash mob, printmaking and net- art, environment and installation are examples of new forms of art. But whether they are class.ca or modern forms of art, they all serve the same functions - they make our life lighter, stimulate our mind, give grounds for our thoughts and mold our souls.

SEASONS

There are 4 seasons in the year - spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring is the season of hope and happiness. It is the season when nature awakens from its deep winter sleep - the ice is broken, the grass is beginning to shoot, here buds are showing, there trees are already bursting into leaf, fresh, green and lovely. The air is rich with a fragrance of young grass and the breath of early spring flowers, foremost among them "'the herald of spring- the snowdrop"'.

Summer is the hottest season in a year. The bright sunshine scores the earth. Not a single cloud is in the sky. It is pleasant to get out of town where one is so oppressed with the heat and ramble through woods, among hills and valleys. The fields are green and shorn - here and there big stacks of hey are seen. The meadows are fragrant with hosts of wild flowers such as bluebells, buttercups, poppies and daises. The days are long in summer. Summer is a luxuriant season.

But on moves the earth in its race round the sun. The days are becoming shorter, the sun rays are losing their glittering force - autumn is approaching. Autumn is a maturing season. The trees, which are long ago bloomed with flowers, are laden with ripening fruit. But the beautiful "Indian summer" is over. It is deep autumn - the trees look bare for they cast off their leaves, the flowers have faded away, the sky is overcast with low, black, heavy clouds - the period of rain has set in.

Winter is a season of black and white. The colours are washed away. The colours are frozen. The clouds are grey like ashes. The red sun flashes through the grey clouds on the windows and they glimmer red. But the pictures of winter are not always gloomy and dreary. The sun in winter can shine from a clear blue sky and the snow sparkles then under it like jewels. Everything around looks so fascinating! Each season has its own beauty and it's you who chooses the best one.

TOPICS FOR PRELIMINARY
1. About Myself
2. Colours
3. A Place to Live In
4. Travelling
5. Internet
6. Mobile Phones
7. Shopping
8. Belarusian Cuisine
9. British Cuisine
10. Mass Media
11. Sound Mind in a Sound Body
12. Ecology
13. Famous People of Belarus



MASS MEDIA
It goes without saying that mass media have become part and parcel of any contemporary society. The press, the radio, TV and the Internet play a very important part in the life of a modem society. People are united into a global community with the help of mass media. They inform, educate and entertain people. Mass media also influence the way people look at the world and make them change their view. The role of mass media in the life of present society is difficult to overestimate. They have become a daily and essential necessity with contemporary men. Mass media report about various aspects of life, form and affect public opinion. As you know, newspapers come out to provide their readers with the latest news. The aim of newspapers is to inform as widely as possible about national and international news, to keep people acknowledged all topical issues of the day. All current events receive full coverage on the pages of the newspapers. To my mind, the press also plays an educational role and gives as more detailed knowledge of the world. Today Belarus can be proud of the variety of newspapers circulating throughout the country. On the news stalls we can find newspapers of all kinds: national and local, official and private, quality and popular, newspapers issued for children and teenagers, people of different trends. My father subscribes to "'The Economic News". It comments on international, political and economic events in Belarus and abroad. I find rather interesting articles on cinema, new books, music and sport as well as crosswords and weather forecasts in broadsheet and popular newspapers. The radio has not lost its importance with appearance of TV and the Internet. Today there are a lot of radio stations of many different types and so much variety. They give the full coverage of the latest events, comment on the most important political and domestic affairs. Talk shows and musical programmes with DJs are of great popularity. I should say, today computers play a very big part in proving news and information to the public. The internet is a computer system that allows millions of people around the world to receive and exchange information about almost anything. People communicate over the internet with the rest of the world and can do it very cheaply. To my mind TV is also one of the best inventions that man has ever made. Television provides a rich variety of programmes: news, different talk shows, TV games, concerts, sport programmes, feature and scientific films and so on and so forth. Thanks to TV we get a great amount of information, it enriches our intellect: we become better informed watching documentaries, science programmes, discussions. As I see, one of the advantages of television is that it gives wonderful possibilities for education. But besides all advantages of the means of mass media all of them have disadvantages, they make us passive and isolate us from friends and wonders of real live. Nevertheless, mass media can save us a lot of time, money and efforts keeping us aware of what is happening in the world.
BELARUSIAN CUISINE
National cuisine is determined by the climate and geographical position of a country. On the other hand, it's in some way a reflection of a national character. As we live in a temperate continental climate, when winters are not very cold and summers are not very hot, we have various dishes in our cuisine.
While speaking about cuisine of ordinary people, I should say that Belarusian food is heavy and plain. The diet includes dishes made from potato, pork, poultry, flour and milk. The Belarusians eat different soups as an obligatory dinner course: kryshany, zatirka, schie, borsh are common soups. The main dish usually consists of meat, poultry and vegetables mainly potato, peas, beans and cabbage. In winter time different kinds of porridge are cooked and different sour and pickled vegetables are served such as sour cabbage, cucumbers, and beet. Potato is the queen among vegetables and is called the second bread in Belarus. More than 100 dishes are made from potato. Of course, there are many different dishes of flour-pancakes; pies with mushrooms, cabbage and potato, and famous Belarusian draniki made from ground potato and fried in fat. Salted and smoked lard is a traditional dish eaten at lunch, dinner, breakfast as a separate dish or as a main course. The Belarusians drank zbiten, kvas, milk and herb-drinks. Coffee and tea came to Belarus in the 20lh century'. This is the traditional cuisine of ordinary people, aristocracy followed European cuisine and their eating habits.
Time changes even hills. Nowadays there are a lot of fast food restaurants and cafes in Belarus and junk food is very popular with the young. Today's diet includes dishes of Japanese, Chinese, European cuisine so our cuisine is becoming international.


BRITISH CUISINE
British food is surprisingly regional. It is greatly influenced by local agricultural conditions and depends on geography and climate. For instance, in Scotland, where oats grow better that wheat, 1осa1 dishes use oatmeal rather than wheat flour. In Wales, too, oatmeal is the chief cereal, and in both places scones, oatcakes and pancakes are traditionally cooked. England is famous for the hard cheeses the names of which derive from the rich dairy farming areas, such as Cheddar, Cheshire, Derby. Hams also have a regional character and are cured in different ways in Yorkshire, Suffolk, etc. Cornwall is famous for meat pies. Black pudding, made from pig's blood is a speciality of North England.
A characteristic feature of British cuisine is the high quality of the ingredients and the simplicity of the way in which they are used. Fish is usually poached, meat is roasted or boiled. Both are accompanied with traditional sauces. Parsley sauce accompanies cod, gooseberry sauce goes with mackerel, apple sauce with roast pork, horseradish sauce with beef. Roast beef is also served with chips and Yorkshire pudding.
Puddings are the most prominent produce of Britain's kitchen. The most well-known is probably Christmas pudding. In addition to the basic mixture of flour, bread-crumbs, suet, and eggs, the ingredients of Christmas pudding include raisins, currants, candied peel, chopped almonds and walnuts, grated carrot and a good measure of brandy, whisky or old ale. A dish called trifle made with sherry-soaked sponge cake, custard, plenty of fruit and cream also deserves special attention.
The potato, which was brought to England in 1585 is cooked in a variety of ways nowadays and is eaten at almost every meal.
A special place in the life of the British is occupied by tea. They are the world's greatest tea-drinkers. Tea is drunk with milk, and often without sugar. Among other strong drinks in Britain are beer, whisky, gin, wine and cider.
The usual meals peculiar to Britain are the English breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. However, though times have changed, and people very seldom eat traditional English breakfast in the morning, giving preference to plain cereal and toast or continental breakfast, that of juice, bread, butter and jam. Famous British five o'clock tea has survived in southern resorts and is more popular with the elderly couples than with young people.
Anyway, the usual English breakfast is porridge or cereals with milk or cream and sugar, a large "fry-up": bacon, eggs, beans, fried mushrooms and tomatoes; and afterwards buttered toast with marmalade or jam. For lunch people can have cold meat, potatoes, salad with fruit or pudding to follow. It can be a simple cucumber or tuna sandwich if you are at work though, or very traditional fish and chips. The traditional afternoon tea consists of small sandwiches, scones, sponge cakes, biscuits and sometimes buttered crumpets.
Dinner usually begins with soup, which is followed by fish, roast chicken, potatoes and vegetables.

THE BRITISH BREAKFAST
The British are not gourmands; their food is rather simple and heavy. The variety of food from meal to meal is probably greater than anywhere in the world. You can never confuse breakfast and dinner, for example.
The British breakfast is famous all over the world. Actually the British breakfast is going out of fashion. Many people nowadays have what they call a “continental breakfast” — breakfast of rolls and butter and coffee and nothing more. The Traditional British breakfast is becoming popular with London businessmen and there are families where they eat a “proper” breakfast. In hotels and country inns and trains the British breakfast is served. Breakfast time is between 7 to 9 a m.
The usual British breakfast is porridge or corn flakes with milk or cream and sugar, bacon with eggs, marmalade (made from oranges) with buttered toast and tea or coffee. For a change a soft- boiled egg, cold ham or, perhaps, fish.
ENGLISH TEA. Tea in England is a suitable occasion for social entertainment when people often come in for a chat over their cup of tea. Tea making in England is an art. The hostess first of all rinses the teapot with boiled water (this is called “warming” the pot), then 3 or 4 teaspoons of tea are added. The pot is filled with boiling water and covered by a tea-cosy to allow the tea to infuse for 5 min. The British usually have tea with milk, tea with lemon is called Russian tea. There is also the so called “high tea’ in Britain. (Find the information about it).

A SOUND MIND IN A SOUND BODY

For centuries people have dreamed about everlasting youth and immortality. In every culture there are fairy tales about a miracle means of being young, healthy and wise forever. And all these centuries people have followed sensible patterns of work at day time and rest at night.

Nowadays the world seems to have driven crazy. All traditional norms of working hard at day time and having a rest at night have changed as now we live in what is fast becoming a 24-hour society. But we are still the children of nature with an inbuilt body clock.

To be healthy you should follow simple rules: have a strict daily routine which suits your natural rhythms. It's better to alter different kinds of activity during the day: changing mental and physical workout. To keep alert during a hectic day, you should start your morning with a cup of warm green tea and in half an hour do your morning exercises. Never forget about breakfast. Let an English proverb "Have breakfast as a king, dinner as a prince and supper as a pauper" be a slogan for all your life. It is known that we are what we eat. That is why remember about healthy food containing a necessary amount of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Have meals at regular intervals and don't forget about snacks between meals: you can snack with nuts, dry fruit, and a piece of chocolate or a glass of juice with some cookies. Never change your sleeping patterns because it influences your immune system. Remember, when we sleep the body repairing mechanisms are at work, protecting us. To live a healthy life means following a diet, doing sports and thinking positively. Don't concentrate on your mistakes, misfortunes and fears, analyze them and go ahead. Try to reduce stresses, get rid of frustration and anger, and live in tune with nature. Think of possible hobbies, they will enrich your mind and strengthen your body. A human body is a perfectly organized creation and each man is a creator of a temple called the human body.

MOBILE PHONES
From children to senior citizens mobile phones have become a craze as a way of staying ahead with the technology. With our fast lifestyle, we have no time to meet our relatives or friends and are left with the only option of talking over the phone. Here comes the need of mobile phones, which allow us to stay-connected wherever we are and whatever we need to. Everybody today owns at least a basic mobile phone. People are always eager to replace their mobile phones with the latest models having more advanced features. As the technology is scaling new heights, mobile phones are becoming more and more complicated. A great way of amusing yourself is by playing games on your computer or storing precious moments, using its video recording feature. Mobile phones have definitely become the most vital part of our life; they keep you connected round the clock. They are now inexpensive, easy to use. equipped with almost every latest feature you desire. You can install different dictionaries on your mobile phone and connect to the Internet. Today, a technologically advanced mobile phone can perform as many tasks as that of a personal computer. However, advantages of mobile phones have always scored over their disadvantages. Nothing is as comfortable as a mobile phone for communication over a distance. On the other hand, they influence our health, cause addiction and distract us from living communication. Whatever may be said against mobile phones, they can become expressions of who we are by getting mobile ringtones, wallpapers, which turn your phone into a unique device.



SHOPS AND SHOPPING
Going shopping is a part of our everyday life. For some people it's a pleasant pastime while for others it's everyday routine. Some people love doing the shopping and they are happy if they can pick up a bargain in the sales. But whether you like shopping or not you have to do it because it's necessary. In cities and towns there are all kinds of shops and stores, as well as supermarkets and malls. Supermarkets are mainly selling all kinds of food: fresh, frozen and canned meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, dairy products and bread. Practically everything a family needs can be found in a supermarket. There the customer serves himself and pays at the cash-desk on leaving the shop. Department stores carry clothing for men, women and kids, china and glassware, household electric appliances, furniture and other goods. Such stores are always overcrowded. Malls are big shopping centres with accommodation made for cars. They are a collection of independent stores, services and parking area, they may also contain banks, restaurants, currency exchange offices, professional offices and other establishments. In each city there is a wide variety of different specialized shops which sell definite goods and products: bakery, butchery, confectionery, greengrocery, grocery, haberdashery, footwear and clothes stores, ready-made clothes, perfumery, jewellery, books, household electric appliances, stationary and others. I love shopping in book and music shops. I can stay here for hours, leafing through book pages or going through piles of CDs. These shops are worth visiting even if you don't intend to make a purchase there as they offer a wide selection of books and music. In our family it's father who does most of the shopping. He usually purchases in the supermarket, where all necessary foodstuff is sold. Buying food is boring and hard work, that's why my father does it.

GREAT SCIENTISTS OF DIFFERENT CENTURIES
ISAAC NEWTON (1643-1727)
Isaac Newton, a famous English mathematician, physicist, mechanic, philosopher, and astronomer, gathered the results of Galileo's experiments and the work and thinking of others into clearly worked "laws" summing up the experimental facts concerning mass, motion, and force, with the help of clear ideas and definitions. He extended the force of gravity to universal inverse-square-law gravitation, showing that this would account for the moon's motion, for Kepler's three planetary laws, for the tides, etc, thus building a great deductive theory. He experimented and speculated in other branches of physics, particularly optics. In terms of his summary of mechanics, Newton showed that universal gravitation could explain the whole of the behavior of the Moon and the planets. Isaac Newton was 42 years old and at the very peak of his scientific genius, when he began his famous masterpiece called "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" or as it is always referred to simply "The Principia". Newton's mind overflowing with the results of more than 20 years of original scientific thinking and he accomplished the gigantic task of putting it all on paper in this masterwork of his life. This book gave the world his law of universal gravitation. Newton like Archimedes gave up the whole life and his talents to science and mathematics. It is the author of the "Principia" that the world" looks back with gratitude and awe as the first mind in the 18th century that equaled the mind of Archimedes.
THOMAS EDISON (1847-1931)
Thomas Edison started work on the railway when he was 12, selling newspapers and snacks. There were long periods with nothing for him to do. He built a little laboratory in the luggage van where he could carry out experiments when he was not selling things to passengers. By a happy chance he was given an opportunity to learn telegraphy. At 21 he left telegraph office to devote all his time to being an inventor. He was going on to invent the electric light bulb, the phonograph and movie camera.
MICHAIL LOMONOSOV (1711-1765)
Lomonosov was a scientists, poet, and grammarian, often considered the first Russian linguistic reformer. He studied in St. Petersburg and then in Germany, at the University of Marburg. In 1741 he returned to St. Petersburg, here he worked on "276 Notes on Corpuscular Philosophy and Physics", where he set forth the dominant ideas of his scientific work. His important works such as "Theory of Electricity", "Cause of heat and Cold" he translated into Latin. He reordered more than 4,000 experiments, the results of which enabled him to set up a coloured glass works and make mosaics with these glasses. He joined together abstract and applied science and to these achievements were added the composition of "Rossiyskaya grammatika" and "Short Russian Chronicle" and the "universal law of nature" - that is the law of conservation of matter and energy.
ALFRED NOBEL (1833-1896)
Alfred Nobel belonged to a famous family of inventors and industrialists. Immanuel, the father of the family, two his sons and a grandson gave much to our world. Alfred Nobel performed experiments to develop a new commercially and technically useful explosive based on nitro-glycerin. In 1866 Alfred patented his new explosive material called dynamite. This invention drastically reduced the cost of blasting rock. Alfred Nobel's greatness lay in his ability to combine the penetrating mind of a scientist and inventor with the forward looking dynamism of the industrialist. Nobel was very interested in social and peace-related issues and held what were considered radical views in his era. He had a great interest in literature and wrote his own poetry and dramatic works. The Nobel Prizes (first given in 1901) became an extension and fulfillment of his lifetime interests.


Famous People of Belarus
The culture of the Belarusian society consists of many different historical, philosophical and spiritual aspects that determine the Belarusian lifestyle. Talented personalities of Belarus have always been an example for the definition of the contemporary Belarusian culture.
The Belarusian land has made lasting cultural marks around the world. The history of the Belarusian culture is more than one thousand years old. The names of such Belarusian thinkers as Eusphrosyne Polotskaya and Kiryla Turousky have been known since ancient times. Since the 12th century we have known the name of the great Belarusian jeweler Lazar Bogsha and his priceless creation - the Cross of St.Euphrosyne, which was decorated with numerous precious stones.
Eusphrosyne Polotskaya, a princess, a philosophical and spiritual leader in Polotsk principality, did a lot of charitable work which included opening schools and hospitals. She taught other people, wrote and rewrote books by hand. She founded the Spass-Eusphrosyne church in Polotsk and now Eusphrosyne Polotskaya is considered to be the protectress of Belarus.
The great age of the Renaissance enriched our culture with new names of great Belarusian statesmen and writers, for example, Leu Sapega, the dynast of Radzivil, Mickola Gusousky and many others. The name of the first printer Francisak Skaryna and his followers Symon Budny and Vasily Tsyapinsky are known throughout the world. In 1990 we celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Dr. F.Skaryna's birth, the first printer and the first translator of the Bible into the native Belarusian language. He was a true Renaissance man - his intellectual interests embraced theology, literature, linguistics, poetry, art, law, medicine, botany and printing. As the translator of the Bible (first in Prague and later in Vilnya) he wanted to "make knowledge available to the people in their own language”.
Many prominent names of the history of Belarus in the 20th century are connected with two main events: the Great Patriotic War and space exploration. All Belarusians fought heroically defending their Motherland but we are especially proud of the heroes K.Zaslonov, E.Osipova, N.Gastello, V.Talalikhin, the defenders of Brest Fortress and many others. In the family of cosmonauts there are also two Belarusians - V.Kovalenok and P.Klimuk.
As for the art in our country the names of Kazimir Malevich, Mark Shagal, Vassily Kandsinsky, A.Isachev, M.Savitsky and others are known far beyond the borders of our country.
The Belarusian culture is also famous for its ballet. The Opera and Ballet Theatre in Minsk is the centre of the national Belarusian school of ballet. V.Elizariev is one of the famous choreographers in the world. The national theatre school is well-known too. The names of G.Makarova, S.Stanyuta, N.Eremenko, L.Filatov and other actors are also of great popularity abroad.
It's also a pleasure to mention the names of such famous Belarusian composers as N.Churkin, I.Luchenok, V.Alovnikov, A.Bogatyrev, N.Aladov. There are wonderfully melodious romances and songs by A.Turankov, as well as V.Semenyaka's operas. And even more popular younger composers are D.Smolsky, S.Kortes and V.Glebov, a talented author of opera and ballet music. The Belarusian vocal groups "Pesnyary", "Syabry' and dance group "Khoroshky"' have been a great success in Europe.
It goes without saying that Belarusian literature has made a great contribution to world heritage. The names of Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas, Maxim Bogdanovich, Kandrat Krapiva, Vladimir Korotkevich, Vasil Bykov are world famous. Even in New York State you can find a monument to honour the memory of Yanka Kupala, a poet who sang so dramatically and passionately about his people's hardship and sufferings, their joys and sorrows. These names are followed by a number of other well-known writers and poets, such as N.Gilevich, P.Brovka, I.Shamyakin, M.Tank, K.Chorny, A.Adamovich. Their works are translated into many European languages. Many of Minsk streets are named after the Belarusian writers.
In addition I must say that many people well-known all over the world were born in Belarus. The by-gone history of Elena Glinskaya, the mother of Ivan the Terrible, can be recalled for instance. She was a Belarusian compatriot by birth that went on to rule Russia for five years.
The forefathers of classical world writers, including Fyodor Dostoevsky, were members of the Polish Gentry of the Pinsk region.
The mystery is that Belarusians themselves often do not know which famous people are of Belarusian origin. For example, Eliezer (Lazar) Mayer, a legendary movie producer and a father of American cinema, founded Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). During his work at the studio he discovered such timeless actors as Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe. Very few people know that he was born in Minsk.
At the present day time, the time of revaluation of values, it's difficult to find heroes. But we can mention at least one of them - P.Masherov. He was always with his people and could not imagine his life anywhere except Belarus. He made a lot of useful things for Belarusians and even died while doing his job.
Time will put everything in its place and give everybody his due. But one thing is obvious: great times are created by great men. Their names are sure to become history whatever it may be.






Birth and life of St Evfrosiniya of Polotsk
It has been stated by some historians that princess Sophia, a daughter of Vladimir Monomakh, was the mother of St Evfrosiniya. Thus, St Evfrosiniya of Polotsk was a great-granddaughter of St Vladimir and a granddaughter of Yaroslav the Wise.
January 5, 1104 is probably the date of Evfrosiniya’s birth. Since her childhood princess Predslava — future St Evfrosiniya — had been noted for her extraordinary wisdom, education and beauty. No wonder that many men were eager to marry her. But her father had a special hope in marrying off Predslava who was only 12 at that time.
Predslava was against that marriage. When she had come to know about her father’s intention to marry her off to meet his political and dynastical needs, she decided to act. She went to the Mother Superior of the convent, who was her aunt. After a serious talk with Predslava the Mother Superior decided to admit the girl to the monastic vows. Predslava became a nun named Evfrosiniya.
Some years later, with the blessing of the bishop of Polotsk she moved into the Church of St Sophia in Polotsk where Evfrosiniya took to translating spiritual and religious books from Greek and Latin into the Belarusian language.She copied these books by hand and gave the money she earned to poor people.
St Evfrosiniya founded a convent in Polotsk named after the feast of Transfiguration.It took place on August 6, 1126. The convent had a rich library, and then a school for the nuns as well as for the girls of the town was opened. Grandislava, the younger sister of the prioress, was educated here. She took monastic vows with the name of Evdokiya. Soon Evfrosiniya’s cousin Zvenislava also became a nun with the name of Evprakiya.
Later on St Evfrosiniya organized a monastery for men. This monastery was founded in 1150 in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Assumption.
In 1167 St Evfrosiniya undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Besides veneration the place of Jesus Christ’s preaching and the Lord’s Tomb, Evfrosiniya’s travel through Kiev and Constantinople to Jerusalem had certain ecclesiastic and diplomatic targets. In Jerusalem St Evfrosiniya fell seriously ill. She thanked the God for granting her the desease in the Holy city. For 24 days she had been on the brink of death. After confession and receiving the Holly Communion, St Evfrosiniya passed away on May 23, 1167. She was buried in St Theodosius monastery in Jerusalem.
The sacred remains of St Evfrosiniya rested in the Holy city of Jerusalem up to 1187 when the Egyptian sultan who besieged the city allowed monks to take the sacred Christian objects away from Jerusalem. Since that time the miracle-working relics of the saint had been in St Theodosius caves of Kiev-Pecherskaya monastery up to 1910. In 1910 the miracle-working relics were transferred to Polotsk into the Cathedral of the Saviour raised by the Saint where they are up to our days. The Spaso-Evfrosiniya Church in Polotsk, built on Evfrosiniya’s request by the architect Ioan, has been reconstructed. Paying tribute to that great woman, the Belarusians restored the Cross of Ebfrosoniya and placed in into the Spaso-Evfrosiniya’s Church in 1998. It has become one of the most sacred things in Belarus.
In 2000 the monument to St Evfrosiniya was opened in Polotsk.









Ecological Problems
Since ancient time Nature has been the source of people’s lives. For thousands of years our ancestors lived in harmony with the environment and considered the Earth’s resources to be unlimited. With the development of civilization man’s interference in nature began to increase.
The destruction of nature gradually led to the loss of the most essential element of existence, a healthy biological habitat. Environmental pollution increases the cases of disease, raises the cost of medical services, reduces the life-span of a man. By now the pollution and poisoning of the soil, water and air have reached a critical level.
One of the ways to solve the environmental problem is the usage of new, renewable, clean and safe sources of energy. Nowadays with the help of modern technologies solar power can be stored and used to run small gadgets like calculators. It is also used to heat water and heat and cool factories and even large buildings. Another way to produce energy is wind. Wind turbines with large blades catch the wind and the connected generator produces energy. Wind farms produce enough electricity to run homes and communities. What is more, wind turbines make hardly any noise and they are not unpleasant to look at, certainly not as ugly as nuclear power stations. Fast moving streams and rivers have always been used for different agricultural purposes and now they create electricity for whole cities. Some hydroelectric power plants can store the power to use it later. But even with these safe and natural sources of energy we must be careful not to interfere too much in the environment.
When people mention endangered species the first things that come to mind are probably whales, pandas or tigers. Not many people would think of plants but in fact there are far more threatened species of plants than of the threatened mammals, fish, birds and insects combined. One of the major threats to the survival of many plants is industrialization. This causes pollution and acid rain, which destroy forests and harm many species of plants. Another threat is man. Many products that man uses come from plants. For instance, many plants are collected from the Amazon and are used to make medicines. Other plants are very popular valued for their timber and are very popular building materials. There are even plants that have become considerable collectors’ items. Luckily, more and more people are becoming aware of the problem and change is on the way. There are now a number of organizations that are working to protect endangered plants as well as animal species and preserve all living things for the future.
Our planet is extremely fragile, so any changes caused by increasing temperatures and high pollution levels will have a considerable effect on the environment. We need to safeguard this delicate environment for the future.

YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS IN BELARUS

According to the Article 36 of the Constitution of Belarus youth public associations may be organized by citizens of the Republic from the age of 16. Public associations may found unions of public associations.

There are a lot of youth organizations in Belarus. The most authoritative of them are: the Belarusian Republican Union of Youth (BRSM), Belarusian Republican Pioneer Organization, the Association of Belarusian Scouts, the Belarusian Organizations of Falcons, the Belarusian National Scout Organization, the Association of Belarusian Guides, etc. These organizations take an active part in the life of the country especially with all activities connected with youth policy. These activities are managed by the State Committee on the Affairs of Youth.

The most numerous youth organization is the Belarusian Republican Union of Youth.

The BRSM was formed on the 6^th of September 2002 by uniting the Union of Youth, Belarusian Patriotic Union of Youth and the Belarusian Union of Youth. . It has the status of a public union and works in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. Every young person aged from 14 to 31 can join the BRSM.

The main goal of the BRSM is to create the conditions for all round development of young people all over Belarus and unite young people. The main objectives of the organization are:
-    to express, defend and realize the rights and legal interests of its members;
-  to foster patriotism and moral and spiritual values;
-  to help every member of the organization in his development and in realization of his abilities and creative potential.
The Belarusian Republican Union of Youth and its members support the initiatives of the youth and help young people to become members of society: carry out different different educational, social and other youth programmes; help in finding jobs, promote international youth co-operation; attract the attention of the mass media and state power to the problems and initiatives of the youth. Every month they organize conferences, meetings, lectures, exhibitions, concerts for young people for example...

Members of the BRSM have certain rights and duties and they can leave the organization at their own free will.

Travelling is Necessary

Traveling is necessary for us all. It keeps us from growing stale and old, it develops our imagination, it gives us that moment and change which are necessary to our life.

One of the aims of travel is to go in search of beauty. The beauty spots of the world are magnets which attract travellers year after year. Yet even more valuable to the traveller is the knowledge which he gets of his fellow-men by going among people of different character and different ways of life. The proverb says: «So many countries, so many customs».

Most people enjoy travelling. Some travel for pleasure and some on business, some travel light and some take a lot of luggage on their travels, journeys, voyages or trips. We may choose various means of travelling and go by air, by sea, by train, by car, by coach, on a bike, on foot or even on horseback.

Every journey has to be arranged beforehand. There’s a number of things we must take care of if we want to make our journey comfortable. To begin with it’s necessary to choose the most convenient way of getting at your destination. It may be a direct flight, a sea liner, a fast coach or a long-distance train with a sleeper and a dining-car. Then you should book or buy your tickets: first-class or second-class, economy-class or business-class tickets, single or return tickets. Don’t forget to find out the time of departure and the time of arrival, pack your luggage neatly and come to the railway station, coach station or airport well in advance. If you are well-organized, you will have enough time for finding the right platform, carriage and compartment or the right gate at the airport. Travelling by plane you must go through the customs formalities and passport control and fill in a declaration. Before boarding the train, ship or plane you may do some last-minute shopping at the station or duty-free.

For sure, there are some things which can spoil the impression of your journey. For example, travel sickness (but you can take a medicine for it), heavy luggage (but you can hire a porter or use a trolley), talkative fellow passengers (but you can always pretend that you are reading or that you are deaf), missing your transport (this won’t happen if you are well-organized), bad food (but you can always pack a couple of sandwiches just in case), delays and cancellations of trains, flights, etc. (but it may be nice to have some time for yourself), bad weather (but suitable clothes can help you).

Some things can make your travel easier and more rewarding are: a season ticket or a travel card cost you less than a regular ticket; a nice book or an interesting magazine help you to while away the time on the journey. You can look through the window and admire the picturesque views having the warmest felling of visiting new places or returning home. 

A PLACE ТО LIVE IN

I am sure that each person chooses a place for living due to his taste and it reflects his personality, but as you know "Tastes differ." I think that's why some people enjoy hustle and bustle of cities with its ever moving transport, noise, bright lights and crowded streets. They like their flats that become their castles. Cities give us a variety of different places to live in from a tiny bedsit to a spacious penthouse. You may live in a cosy 2-3-bedroom flat or in a fancy, stylish apartment. If you want to be closer to nature, you may live in a boathouse or somewhere in the suburb in a pretty maisonette, a grand villa or even in an ancient castle. At the same time there are others who can't stand living in cities and prefer tranquility and birds songs, stunning sunsets and drops of dew on leaves.

I am a real city-dweller, I can't imagine life without the speed of city-life and great possibilities it gives As a rule city-dwellers are sociable and communicative: a city is the place where you can make a host of friends, have advanced education, an opportunity to attend different course including preparatory or have tutors and therefore you have more chances to enter university. Cities offer us not only the opportunity to get good education but also a wide range of different entertainments: cinemas, theatres, museums, sport facilities and concerts. A city is the place where you can easily find a dream-job, well-paid and with brilliant prospects. Of course, I see all the disadvantages of city-life: busy transport and rush hours, a high level of air, water and noise pollution, street crime and violence and as paradox- loneliness. But whatever the disadvantages are, I'm charmed with this dangerous but seducing place; I suppose I belong to it.

I think, that maybe, when I grow older and have my own big family with children and grandchildren, I'll change my mind and for the sake of the family will move to the countryside, I‘ll have a wonderful cottage or farmhouse in an isolated place surrounded by a rose garden. I will enjoy peace and calmness of the place with its natural products and vegetables. Bright stars will shine in the dark sky, nightingales will sing delicious songs and fireflies will twinkle in the garden in the evening. But what will I, a spoilt city-dweller, do on the porch of my house? Will I belong to this place?

TYPES OF HOUSES

It is common knowledge that there is no place like home. To the British their homes are important. They are dedicated to them, they give them a lot of time and effort, looking after their homes with much love, care and enthusiasm.

More than half of British families own their homes (houses or flats). Others live in council accommodation and some people rent from private owners.

There are three main types of houses that people live in:

a)      detached;

b)      semi-detached;

c)      terraced.

A detached house is the most expensive type of home. It stands on its own land and is not attached to another building. Such houses have privacy from neighbours, and they are ideal for keen gardeners who can devote plenty of time to work in their garden.

A semi-detached house is joined to the house next door by a shared wall. A house of this kind is less expensive than a detached house, but still offers a good standard of privacy and comfort. It usually has a small garden at the front and a larger garden at the back.

A terraced house is usually two- or three-storey high. It is one of a continuous row of similar houses, joined together by their side walls. Many rows of terraced houses were originally built for workers in nearby factories or coalmines. A terraced house usually costs less than a semi-detached or detached house of similar size. There are miles of terraced houses in most towns. Over a quarter of British families live in them.

There are also other types of buildings in which people live:

d)       apartment blocks;

e)      bungalows;

f)        country cottages.

Bungalows are one-storey houses which are particularly popular with older people.

Apartment blocks are high-rise blocks of flats which provide accommodation for a lot of city dwellers. But these buildings are not very popular. About 20% of the population live in flats. There are more flats in cities than in rural areas. Most people in Britain traditionally like to live in houses.

The number of people owning their own houses is steadily rising in Britain though a house is expensive. A person does not usually need to have all the money himself to pay for the house. Most people buy their homes with a mortgage which they get from a bank or a building society.

Public Housing. About one third of the population now live in council houses. These houses are provided by local authority councils such as town councils, usually at a low rent. Such houses are mainly occupied by workers who cannot afford to buy a house.

Since 1980 it has become possible for house tenants to buy their houses at favourable rates after they have lived in them least two years.