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Let’s talk of the Republic of Belarus
The official name of our
county is the Republic of Belarus. It’s total area is 207,600 km2.
It is situated in the western part of the East-European Plain within the basins
of the Dnieper, the Western Dvina and the Upper Neman. It borders on Russia in
the north and east, on Lithuania and Latvia in the north-west, on Poland in the
west, and on the Ukraine in the south. Belarus stretches for 560 kilometres
from south to north and for 650 kilometres from east to west.
Its population is about
9.5 mln people: 83% of Belarusians, 8% of Russians, 3% of Poles and 2% of
Ukrainians. 76% of the population live in towns and cities.
There are more than
3,000 rivers in the country. The longest are the Dnieper, Neman, Western Dvina,
Prypiat, Berezina, Sozh and Vilia. Belarus is called a lake-country. There are
about 10,800 lakes here noted for their great depth and beautiful scenery. The
largest of them is Lake Naroch.
The largest forests in
Belarus are called pushchas. There are elks and deer, wild boars and wolves,
bears and foxes, beavers and lynxes in the forests.
Belarus has a
temperate-continental climate with moderate features which is characteristic
for Central Europe, with hot summers, long, cold winters and very distinct
seasons. The annual average temperature is about 7°C.
The capital of our
country is Minsk. Its population is about one fifth of the country population.
In accordance with the political division, Belarus consists of six regions:
Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno and Mogilev regions.
The Republic of Belarus
is a democratic social state with the rule of law. The state power exercised on
the basis of its division on legislative, executive and judicial. Belarus is a
presidential republic. The President of the Republic of Belarus is a head of
state. We have two official languages: Belarusian and Russian.
The most developing
branches of industry are motor-car construction, machine-tool construction,
electrical industry, fertilizers, pharmaceutical industry, production of
building materials, light and food industries.
Natural conditions of
the Republic of Belarus let successfully produce milk, beef, pork, meat and eggs
of poultry, grain, potatoes and so on.
Our country is famous
for its people who are hospitable, tolerant, hard-working and friendly. I’m
proud of my country and its people and I'm happy that it is my homeland.
As far as I know weather is the condition of the
outside air or atmosphere at a particular time and place. It can be hot or
cold, wet or dry, calm or windy, clear or cloudy. Humidity, air temperature and
pressure, wind speed and direction, cloud cover and type, and the amount and
form of precipitation are all atmospheric characteristics of the momentary
conditions we call weather.
Belarus has a temperate-continental climate with
moderate features which is characteristic for Central Europe, with hot summers,
long, cold winters and very distinct seasons. Snowfalls may occur throughout
the country from December to sometimes early March or even April.
The annual average temperature is about 7°C. Daytime
temperatures vary from 5degrees below 0 to 0 degrees in winter and from 25 to
30 degrees above 0 in summer months. The summer lasts about 150 days in Belarus
and it is most of the time sunny and dry. Local thunderstorms are quite common
in the late afternoon and evening and can be very heavy sometimes. Spring and
autumn can be damp and rainy.
As we live in the western part of Europe, the seasons
here have their specific features, both attractive and unpleasant. Every season
is beautiful in its way. We should choose the right clothes to wear in order
to be healthy and feel comfortable and warm. In my view, modem designers create
nice and comfortable clothes. So, we can choose the clothes we like and enjoy
any kind of weather.
If to speak about Great Britain, the weather there is
very changeable. British people say: “Other countries have a climate, in
Britain we have only weather”. One day may be fine and the next day may be wet.
The morning may be warm and the evening may be cool. British people are apt to
complaining of their climate as being damp and rainy, and foreigners laugh at
it and say that the British summer is made up of three fine days and a
thunderstorm.
The Republic of Belarus
The Republic of Belarus is in eastern part of
Europe. It borders on Latvia, Lithuania, Ukrain, Russia and Poland. The
territory of Belarus is more than 200 thousand square kilometers. The
population of the country is about 12 million people.
Belarus is famous for its nature. There are a
lot of forests, beautiful lakes and rivers there. The biggest forest is
Belovezhskaya Pushcha. It is in Brest region. The symbol of Belovezhskaya
Pushcha is the bison, a very strong animal. The symbol of Belorussian fields is
the cornflower, a small blue flower. Belarus is famous for its white storks.
People say they are a symbol of good luck. The national symbol of the country
is the flag. It is green, red and blue. Green colour symbolize Belorussian
forests, white colour is the symbol of peace and red colour symbolize blood and
bravery.
Belarus has 6 regions: Brest, Mogilev, Vitebsk,
Gomel, Grodno and Minsk regions. The capital of the country is Minsk, it’s also
the largest city in Belarus. The population of Minsk is about 2 million people.
There are a lot of historical castles in the
country. The most famous are the Mir and the Nesvizh castles. Nesvizh castle
was the residence of the Radziwills.
Belarus is a very beautiful country. People
sometimes call it the blue-eyed country because there are a lot of lakes and
rivers. All Belorussian people are proud of their country. Belarus is a nice
place to visit.
Let's talk about family
I believe that everything has its
beginning in the family. Family is very important for every person, because it
gives you a sense of stability and tradition, a feeling of having support and
understanding.
I do think the family is very important
as a unit in our society. Nothing else but family can be an emotional centre
of people's lives and a transmitter of culture. Understanding between all
members of the family and consideration for others are very important in family
relationships. Tenderness, warm-heartedness and respect must always be present
in the family to make it friendly. In my opinion, when a child is brought up in
a friendly family, he or she will become a reliable and responsible person
with a strong character and mind.
My family consists of my father, my
mother, my sister and me. I think I'd better start my story
with my dad. His name is Vladimir. He is in his late thirties. He's tall with
dark hair and hazel eyes and is of a strong built. He works as an electrician.
My father is a very intelligent man and he is fond of reading and watching
scientific programs. In some situations he is very serious but in general he is
a cheerful person with a good sense of humour. He enjoys telling funny stories
and taking photos. I think I take after my dad both in appearance and in
character.
My mother's name is Galina. She is a
programmer. She is very interested in her work and she is a professional. It
has always impressed me how she can find enough time for both family and work.
I can't say that my mother's life is easy as she has to keep the house and work
but she manages to do everything in time. She is a strong and charming person
and she docs a good job of being a mother. In fact, she means a lot to me. She
understands me in the way no other person would and she always finds proper
words to comfort me.
My sister Kate is seven years old.
She takes after our mother in her appearance. She is a nice girl with green
eyes and long fair hair. She is a first-former. She likes music and dancing.
She learns to play the piano. She likes playing with toys and watching cartoons
in her free time. I love my sister but sometimes we quarrel about petty things.
I think I must be more patient and tolerant with her.
We don't live with our extended
family but we have many relations: two grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts,
uncles and cousins. All of them live in Belarus and we get together from time
to time, mainly on our birthdays or other holidays. It's also our family
tradition to spend summer holidays together either at the seaside or in the
country, which i enjoy very much.
As I've already said the bonds of
the family are always stronger than those between unrelated people. And I am
happy to say that my home is a place where even the tea kettle sings from
happiness. I can say that my parents trust me, give me freedom, rely on me and
respect me. These things, in my opinion, make family relations warm and
pleasant.
Let’s talk about healthy way of life
I believe that health is better than wealth, basically because you can get by living on a small amount of money, but you cannot live without good health, and without good health nothing else is worth having. People nowadays are more health-conscious than they used to be.
In order to be healthy we should avoid bad habits that can affect our health. In my opinion, smoking and drinking alcohol, are the worst ones. It's common knowledge that smoking and drinking alcohol can shorten our lives dramatically. Smoking, for example, causes lung diseases, such as pneumonia, cancer, heart deceases and high blood pressure. Besides, it makes teeth yellow and skin unhealthy. Alcohol causes heart disease and brain damage. A drinker becomes nervous and aggressive, loses friends, and finally loses his work, family and happy life. Teenage drinking is particularly dangerous, because what happens to a grown-up in 10 years will happen to a teenager in two years.
Smoking and drinking are joined by less dangerous habits, such as eating unhealthy food, or even overeating. If we eat too much, we start to put on weight, and obesity leads to serious health problems.
Experts say people should remember a wise proverb ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’. This means that we should eat more fresh vegetables and fruit, foods which are high in fiber and vitamins А, В, С and E. Such vegetables as Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower contain agents that block cancer. Beet greens, bell peppers, carrots and tomatoes as well as cherries, apricots and watermelon are rich in beta-carotene. We should have regular eating habits and try to have meals every day in the same time.
Regular exercise is an essential part of our life. I believe it’s very important for people to have some regular exercises. After doing some exercises followed by a shower, you can really feel that your life is renewed. A person who takes regular exercise will stay physically fit, vigorous and keep a youthful shape.
Regular sleeping habits are also important. We should remember that the most important period for our brain is from 12 p.m. to 3 a.m., as during this period our brain produces hormone melatonin, which helps us stay young and active. At night while we sleep our brain also processes and stores all the information learnt during the day. That is why staying late hours is not good for our health.
In conclusion I would like to say that it’s easier to prevent a disease rather than try to cure it after you get sick. We should take a good care of our health, because health once lost is lost forever.
I believe that health is better than wealth, basically because you can get by living on a small amount of money, but you cannot live without good health, and without good health nothing else is worth having. People nowadays are more health-conscious than they used to be.
In order to be healthy we should avoid bad habits that can affect our health. In my opinion, smoking and drinking alcohol, are the worst ones. It's common knowledge that smoking and drinking alcohol can shorten our lives dramatically. Smoking, for example, causes lung diseases, such as pneumonia, cancer, heart deceases and high blood pressure. Besides, it makes teeth yellow and skin unhealthy. Alcohol causes heart disease and brain damage. A drinker becomes nervous and aggressive, loses friends, and finally loses his work, family and happy life. Teenage drinking is particularly dangerous, because what happens to a grown-up in 10 years will happen to a teenager in two years.
Smoking and drinking are joined by less dangerous habits, such as eating unhealthy food, or even overeating. If we eat too much, we start to put on weight, and obesity leads to serious health problems.
Experts say people should remember a wise proverb ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’. This means that we should eat more fresh vegetables and fruit, foods which are high in fiber and vitamins А, В, С and E. Such vegetables as Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower contain agents that block cancer. Beet greens, bell peppers, carrots and tomatoes as well as cherries, apricots and watermelon are rich in beta-carotene. We should have regular eating habits and try to have meals every day in the same time.
Regular exercise is an essential part of our life. I believe it’s very important for people to have some regular exercises. After doing some exercises followed by a shower, you can really feel that your life is renewed. A person who takes regular exercise will stay physically fit, vigorous and keep a youthful shape.
Regular sleeping habits are also important. We should remember that the most important period for our brain is from 12 p.m. to 3 a.m., as during this period our brain produces hormone melatonin, which helps us stay young and active. At night while we sleep our brain also processes and stores all the information learnt during the day. That is why staying late hours is not good for our health.
In conclusion I would like to say that it’s easier to prevent a disease rather than try to cure it after you get sick. We should take a good care of our health, because health once lost is lost forever.
Let’s talk about
leisure time
Leisure or free time is a period of time spent out of work and domestic
activity. It is also the period of recreational time before or after compulsory
activities. Leisure time is the time when you can forget about day-to-day
stress and stressful activities and relax.
It goes without saying that every person needs entertainment and enjoyment,
free time and rest after hard work. All our activities can be divided into
physical, intellectual and mental activities. Scientists prove that we can
benefit from combining activities of different kinds as much as from having a
rest.
The most popular hobbies are collecting view cards, coins, stamps,
badges and books. Hobbies differ like tastes. They are divided into 4 large
classes: doing things, making things, collecting things and learning things.
Doing things, for example, include a wide variety of activities from gardening
to travelling. Making things includes painting, drawing, designing costumes,
handicraft, composing music.
If you ask me how I usually spend my leisure time, I can say that I play
volleyball, play the guitar, read for pleasure, listen to music or spend time
with my best friend.
It goes without saying that sport is very important for every person.
Playing volleyball helps me to keep my body in a good shape, makes me more
organized and self-disciplined. Every Thursday I have volleyball classes. They
help to create a healthy body for a healthy mind and give possibilities to
communicate with my teammates.
I’m keen on reading. My parents taught me to read at a very early age.
Books teach me to live, help to form moral values, entertain and give pleasure.
I like adventure stories in which brave and clever people are shown, I’m interested in reading
detective stories which show crime, criminals and clever detectives. I like
psychological dramas which show how people behave in different situations.
I’m fond of listening to music. My favourite bands are ‘Three Days
Grace’ and ‘Nightwish’
In my free time I try to read English books in the original. It increases
my vocabulary. I’m fond of watching American films. It helps me to learn
pronunciation and social English better.
I like to spend some of my free time with my best friend. We watch
movies, listen to music or go for a walk together.
To sum up I would like to say that without leisure activities life becomes
dull and boring, and people become frustrated.