Tashkent i

TASHKENT

Tashkent is the capital of the independent Republic of Uzbekistan. It is a very old city. It was founded more than 2000 years ago. The city is located at the foothills of the Tian Shan mountain range and lies in the Chirchick river valley. The population of the city has already grown to more than 2 million people.

There are several Muslim monuments and historical buildings such as the Kokaldosh madrasah and the Barkkhan mosque which were built in the 16^th century.

Tashkent, which has new avenues, squares, high buildings and fountains, has become the most modern city in Uzbekistan. The city is flourishing as never before. The transport facilities are good. There are buses, trolleybuses, trams, taxis and subway with many beautiful metro stations decorated with traditional Uzbek art.

Tashkent is the educational and scientific centre of Uzbekistan, where there are a lot of universities, schools and special secondary schools. The city has the republic`s academy of sciences, which unites dozens of research institutes. It is also a cultural centre with many libraries, theatres and cinemas. Tashkent`s industrial establishments, which produce cotton fabric, textile machinery, electrical equipment, cotton harvesters and other products, are well known not only in the CIS but in the world.

Tashkent is often called a city of peace and friendship. Resently Tashkent became well-known in the world as the capital of our new sovereign, independent state. A number of summit talks have been held in Tashkent. A lot of embasses and offices of many international organizations, companies and firms have opened in the city. It has become a tradition to hold film festivals of Asian, African and Latin American cinema in Tashkent.

TAX SYSTEM OF GERMANY

In connection with advertising business of immigration in Germany in our Company the questions on system of the taxation in Germany act which is very complex, as totals about 45 various kinds of the tax. To understand all it is complex, and it is not necessary, for example to them to know, that there is a tax to the owners of dogs. It is important to understand, how the basic taxes in Germany, namely surtax for the physical persons, the from corporations and tax to added cost (VAT) for the legal persons pay off.

Does not cause doubts, that Germany – country with the high taxes, but is the richest coutry of Europe, and also most powerful economy among the countries EU. The Deutsche Banks have faultless reputation and high rating of reliability. And for payment of these taxes Germany gives the tax bearers and inhabitants of the country the large boons and reliable social guarantees. It is not game in football in one gate, and system, well balanced and organized in practice, of interaction of the state and his residents.

The taxes in Germany provide about 80% of the budget incomes, therefore they are considered by government as the main means of influence of the state for development of economy. In Russia, though the tax rates are lower, also about 80% of the budget incomes provide the taxes, but that the tax bearers in exchange from the state receive, we know not by hearsay. And the parameter it is growing interest of the business people of Russia to business of immigration in the countries of Europe, in particular to business of immigration in Germany.

In Germany is applied both vertical, and horizontal alignment of the incomes. of ground (Bavaria, Northern Rhine) list a part of the financial resources to less advanced grounds. It was by a result of long-term development of tax system of Germany.

The basic principles of the taxation in Germany has put in pawn L.Erxard. Briefly essence of his approach is those: the taxes should be whenever possible minimal; at the taxation of this or that object it should be taken into account an economic feasibility of collection of the tax; the taxes should not interfere with  a competition; the taxes should correspond to structural policy. The system of the taxation should be under construction on respect of private life of the tax bearer, observance of a trade secret; in system the double taxation should be excluded; the taxes should provide fair distribution of the incomes in a society; the size of the taxes should be according to the size rendered by the state of services.

Briefly we shall consider three basic kinds of the tax:

1. Surtax from the physical persons. This tax is the basic source of the public revenues. Object of the taxation on it is the income of the physical persons received by them from different sources. As against Russia the surtax in Germany is progressive. His minimal rate – 19%, maximal – 53 %. The maximal rate of the tax is applied to the citizens, whose income exceeds of 120 thousand marks. In present time the tax-free minimum for surtax makes per one year 5616 Yevro for lonely and 11232 Yevro for family pairs.

For example, at the persons, which have reached age 64 years the to Yevro x-free minimum raises up to 3700. At Yevro the persons, which have the ground area, the surtax is not raised with 4750 Yevro.

2. The tax from corporations is paid by the legal persons. Object of the taxation is the profit received by the above-stated tax bearers within calendar year. The base rate of the tax from corporations makes 30%. In the event that the profit of corporations is not distributed, the rate in 45 % is used. Thus, the distribution is stimulated arrived of corporations.

3. Tax to cost (VAT). This tax has replaced the earlier existing tax from a revolution. The densities of the VAT in the incomes of the budget of the country makes 28%. As well as in Russia the rate. The general rate makes 15%, but number of articles of food production 7% are taxed under the minimal rate. Object y this tax is the revolution, that is delivery of the goods, rendering of services, import of the goods and his purchase. Practically is a general excise concerning private and public consumption. As well as any other indirect tax, it by burden on the consumer, and the legal persons are his technical collectors. The tax is included in the price of the goods with the obligatory separate instruction of his sum in the accounts.

MY FAMILY

My name is Aziz Rashidov. I have a big family- a mother, a father, two sisters and a grandmother. My mother is an engineer at a big plant. She likes her work very much. The plant is not far from our house.

My father is a teacher. He works at the Tashkent Polytechnical Institute. He is a professor and is the outhor of several books. Sometimes he takes part in international conferences and visitis foreign countries. He has visited the USA, France, England and many other countries. He speaks Enlish, German and French.

My sisters are schoolgirls. They do well and get only good and excellent marks at school. My younger sister likes mathematics, she solves problems from math`s in her free time. My elder sister likes foreign languages. She can speak English and Turkish fluently. My grandmother is 78 years old. She was a teacher. Now she is retired. She likes reading books. Our family likes English, and sometimes we speak English at home. 

TRAVELLING

Modern like is impossible without traveling. Thousands of people travel every day either on business or for pleasure. They can travel by air, by rail, by sea or by car.

Traveling by air is fastest and the most convenient way, but it is the most expensive too. Traveling by train is slower than by plane, but it has its advantages. You can see more interesting places of the country when you are traveling through it. Modern trains have very comfortable seats. There are also sleeping cars and dining cars which make even the longest journey enjoyable.

Traveling by sea is popular mostly for pleasure trips. On board of large ships and small river boats people can visit foreign countries and different places of interest within their own country. On board of large ships there are facilities to help you enjoy trip. There are tennis and badminton courts, swimming pools, cinemas and dance halls. It`s a pleasant way to spend a holiday.

As for me, I prefer traveling by car. I think it is very convenient. You need`t book any tickets in advance. You can stop wherever you wish and spend as much time as you like.

MY DAY OFF

Every day I get up at 7 o`clock. Usually I do morning exercises. After that I wash my hands, face and brush my teeth. Then I put on my uniform and comb my hair. Having breakfast, I go to school at 7:40. My lessons start at 8 a.m. After classes I usually walk home. I like to walk after a busy day at the school. I have a lunch at home with my sister. After eating I have a short rest. Then I help my mother prepare supper. We have supper at 8 p.m. Supper is a very pleasant time for me because the whole family is around the table and we have interesting talks about different things. We talk about me and my sister`s studies at the lyceum.

After supper I do my homework. I read and translate texts, write exercise, memorize new words and so on. It takes me two hours to prepare my lessons. Sometimes, if I have free time, I watch TV. I usually put my alarm-clock at 7 a.m. and go to bed at 11 o`clock.

PRESERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

The 20 th century is a century of great achievements in all fields. But at present there are many problems that must be solved. One of them is protection of the environment. Many countries all over the world face this problem.

The protection of the environment is an international problem. Scientists and people all over the world must preserve the earth for future generations.

People need the environment more than they often know. They need trees and plants to provide the oxygen that humans need to breathe. They need clean water to drink and to grow the food they eat. They need clean lend without chemicals and trash so that their food will be safe to eat. Whatever we put into our environment, into the air, into the water or into the ground, changes how safe that air, water or ground will be for humans to use later. The land, the water and the air belong to everyone, so it is important that everyone treat the environment well, because even one bad person can effect the health of everyone everywhere.

We must preserve Earth for future generations. We must remember that the power of man to conquer nature is unlimited indeed. We must preserve our environment because it is nature that provides us with everything we need for our existence.

SPORT

Sport is probably as old as the humanity itself. It has been developing with the developing and growth of the mankind. All over the world people of different ages are very fond of sports and games. Sport not only helps people to become strong and to develop physically but also makes them more organized and better disciplined in their daily activities. It makes for a healthy mind in a healthy body.

We all need to exercise. Even if you don`t plan to make a career in sport you still have to practice Regular exercises give you still have to practice. Regular exercises give you more energy. That is why many people who suffer from general tiredness should take more exercise than more rest. Exercise makes you feel and look better. The best exercise is one  which involves in repeated movements, those are: walking, jogging and swimming. Bending and stetching will add flexibility and feeling of lightness.

Among the sport popular in our country are football, basketball, swimming, volleyball, ice hockey, tennis, gymnastics, figure skating. A person can choose sports and games for any season, for any taste.

MY FUTURE PROFESSION

Finishing school is the beginning of the independent life for millions of school leavers. Many roads are opened before them: vocational and technical schools, institutes and universities. But it is not an easy thing to choose a profession out of more than 2000 existing in the world. Some pupils follow the advice of their parents, others can`t decide even after leaving school. As for me, I made my choise long ago. I want to become a teacher of the English language and literature. My choice of this occupation didn`t come as a sudden flash. During all school years literature was any favourite subject. I`ve read a lot of books by English and other foreign writers.

I understand that reading books helps people in self-education and in solving different life problems. I would like to teach my pupils to enjoy reading, to encourage them to learn our national language and literature, which is the source on national culture.

It is known that teaching is a very specifik and difficult job. It shouldn`t be taken easily. The teacher is a person who is learning as well as teaching all his life. Teachers do not only teach their subjects. They develop their pupil`s intellect, form their views and characters, their attitudes to life and to other people. It`s a great responsibility and the teacher must be a model of competence himself.

MY ROOM

We live in three-room flat.

The room I like best in our flat is mine. I use my room as a study and a bedroom. It is very nice and cosy. There isn`t much furniture in it, only the most necessary pieces. The built in furniture doesn`t take much space in the room.

On the left there is my bed and desk. The desk has a lot of drawers where I keep my text-books, notes, pens, pencils and other necessary things. On the right there is a sofa and a built-in wandrobe. In the right corner there is a comfortable arm-chair. Beside it stands a lamp with blue shade. I like to turn on the lamp, sit in the armchair and read an interesting book. There are some shelves with books in my room. You can see Uzbek and English books there.

There is a big thick carpet on the floor. There are some posters with my favourite singers on the wall.

I like my room very much. When my friends come to visit me, I invite them into my room.

My room is a nice place for both rest and work.

THE HOUSEHOLD DUTIES

This is my last year at school, and I work hard to pass my final exams successfully. As I am every busy, I can`t help my parents much in keeping the house. But still I have some household duties.

Every day I do my room and my bed, wash up dishes, dust the furniture and usually go to the baker`s after I have dinner. I buy some brown and white bread, biscuits and cakes there. The shop is not far from our house and it doesn`t take me long to do everyday shopping. Once a week I help my mother to do all other work about the house. We wash our linen, iron and mend it, clean the flat. We beat the dust out of the carpets, vacuum the floors and polish them. It`s not difficult to keep the flat tidy if you do your rooms regularly. This is my usual roud duties.

But sometimes I have some other things to do. When my mother is ill or away from home, I do the cooking and the washing-up, the buying of food and the planning of meals. I am not a good cook, but my vegetable soup is always tasty. I can also boil an egg or fly some meat. I also lay the table and clear away the dishes. If  I`m  too busy or can`t do these things, all the duties are organized among other members of our family.

Sometimes I have to visit everyday services: hairdresser`s, shoemaker`s, tailor`s, dry-cleaner`s, photographer`s. At the hairdresser`s I have my hair cut and waved. At the shoemaker`s I have my shoes and boots repaired, at the photographer`s I have my photos taken. Service is generally good, but in some cases it leaves much to be desired.

MY FLAT

We have a nice flat in a new black of flats. Our flat is on the forth floor. It has all modern conveniences: central heating, gas, electricity, cold and hot water, a lif and a chute to carry rubbish down.

There are three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hall in our flat. The living-room is the largest and most comfortable room in the flat. In the middle of the room we have a square-table with six chairs round it. To the right of the dinner table there is a wall-unit. At the opposite wall there is a piano and a stool before it. Between the two large windows there is a little table with a colour TV set on it. Near the TV set there are two cosy armchairs.

The bedroom is smaller than the living-room and not so light as there is only one window in it. In this room there are two beds with a bedside-table between them. An alarm-clock and a small lamp with a pink lamp-shade are on the table. In the left-hand corner there is a dressing-table with a big mirror. In this room we have a built-in wardrobe with coat-hangers to hang clothes on.

The third room is my study. It is not large but very cosy. There isn`t much furniture in it, only the most necessary. It has a writing – table and a armchair before it. In the right-hand corner there is a bookcase full of books, maganizes and newspapers. A small table with a radio is standing in the left-hand corner. Near it there is a sofa with some cushions. In my opinion, the study is the best room in our flat.

SHOPS AND SHOPPING

The face of the towns and villages in Uzbekistan is changing. We see new houses, schools, cinemas and shops in every town. Shops are very important in our life. There are different kinds of shops. Some of them sell bread. Others have a tea, sugar, coffee, butter, cheese, sousages, meat of fruit. When we want to buy something we take our shopping basket and go to a shop. There we talk with shopkeepers who sell things. Many people do their shopping at the market. There farmers sell vegetables and fruit they grow themselves. They sell meat, milk and other things to.

Big shops with many departments are called stores. It stores we can buy almost anything we like. In the windows we see all the things that they sell-food, suits, dresses, coats, shoes, radios, TV sets and many other things.

When we want to buy clothes we go to a department store. This is a big store with many departments where clothes, textiles, linens, and jewellery are sold.

THE TOWN OF MY DREAM

Peking is the capital of the People`s Republic of China. In spreats across a vast area. Part of its border is formed by the Great wall of China, a huge wall which sretches along the mountains. It is the ancient seat of government and a modern industrial and commercial city. The population of Peking is about 10 millions people and is still growing, although it is only the second largest city in China.

In 1421 Peking become the imperial capital of the Ming dunasty (1368-1644) and it was during this time that the specious walled city was built. Like many ancient Chinese cities, the walls and streets were based  on the points of the compase. Peking has remained the capital of China since than. With its modern international airport, it is not surprising that Peking has become a popular tourist destination. Peking`s broad straight streets are crowded with people, bicycles and buses. Very few people own a car. Industries include textiles, steel and engineering. It is also a city of great cultural importance. There are  more than fifty institutes of higher education, including Peking University. It has a famous opera, a ballet and some outstanding museums – The museum of Chinese History and Gugun Museum. Among the many historical and cultural landmarks in Peking is Square, one of the largest public squares in the world. It is used for political rallies and military parades.

Fashion in the USA and Britain

Many British people don`t think about clothes very much. In Britain, as well as in the USA, men in the offices usually wear suits and ties and women wear dresses or skirts (not trousers). Doctors, lawyers and business people wear quite formal clothes.

And in some hotels and restaurants men have to wear ties and women wear smart dresses. Jeans and open skirts are sometimes not allowed. It is difficult to say exactly what people wear in Britain and the States because everyone is different. If you are not sure what to wear whatch what other people do and then do the same. Or ask the advice of a friend or your host. You`ll feel relaxed if you don`t look too dofferent from everyone else.

British people just like to be comfortable. When they go out to enjoy themselves, they can wear almost everything. At theatres, cinemas and concerts you can put on what you like – from elegant suits and dresses to jeans and sweaters. In many ways, Americans are more relaxed than British people, but they are more careful with their clothes. At home or on holiday most Americans wear informal or sporty clothes. But when they go out in the evening, they like to look elegant. In good hotels and restaurants men have to wear jackets and ties and women wear pretty clothes and smart hairstyles. But these days most people in Britain and in the USA do not wear very formal clothes. But sometimes it is important to wear the right thing.

BIORHYTHMS

At the beginning of this century medical scientists made a surprising discovery: that we are built not just of flesh and blood but also of time. They were able to demonstrate that we all have an internal “body clock” which regulates the rise and fall of our body energies, making us different from one day to the next. The idea of an internal “body clock” should not be surprising, since the lives of most living thins are dominated by the 24-hour night-and-day cycle. The most obvious feature of this cycle is the way we feel tired and fall asleep at night and become awake during the day. If the 24-hour rhythm is interrupted, most people experience unpleasant side effects. As well as the daily rhythm of sleeping and waking we also have other rhythms which last longer than one day and which influence wide areas of our lives.

Most of us would agree that we feel good on some days and not so good on others. Scientists have identified the following three biorhythmis cycles: physical, emotional and intellectual. Each cycle lasts approximately 28 days and each is divided into a high energy period and a low energy period of equal length. During the law energy period we are less resistant to illness and tire more easily. The low perion puts energy into our “batteries” for the next high period. During the high energy period of a physical biorhythm we are more resistant to illness, better coordinated and more energetic. The “critical” or weakest time is the time of changeover from the high energy period to the low energy period, or vise versa. This “critical” time usually lasts a day. On the critical day of a physical biorhythm, there is a greater change of accident and illness.

MASS MEDIA

Mass media are one of the most characteristic features of modern civilization. People are united into one global community with the help of mass media. People can learn about what is happening in the world very fast using mass media. The mass media include newspapers, magazines, radio and television. The earliest kind of mass media was newspaper. The first newspaper was Roman handwritten newssheet “Acta Diurna” started in 59 B.C. Magazines appeared in 1700 s. They developed from newspapers and bookseller`s  catalogs. Radio and TV appeared only in the last century.

The most exciting and intertaining kind of mass media is television. In brings moving pictures and sounds directly to peoples homes. Radio is widespread for its portability. It means that radios can easily be carried around. People like listening to the radio on the beach or picnic, while driving a car or just walking down the street. The main kind of radio entertainment is music.

Newspapers can present and commet on the news in much detail in comparison to radio and TV newscasts. Newspapers can over much more events and news.

Magazines do not focus on daily, rapidly changing events. They provide more profound analysis of events of proceeding week. Magazines are designed to be kept for a longer time so they have cover and binding and are printed on batter paper.

SPACE EXPLORATION

Mankind always dreamt of overcoming gravitation and reaching other planets. But it was only in the 1960 ies that this dream was to become reality.

On the 12 th of April 1961 the spaceship “Vostok” was launched into space with a man on board and after orbiting our planet successfully returned to the Earth. The first man to overcome gravitation and orbit the Earth was Yuri Gagarin. This day went down in history of mankind as an outstanding achievement, opening the space era. In the course of space exploration there have been lots of achievements of world science and technology. This period saw the launching of many earth satellites, numeraous space laboratories. Among the achievements we many numerate the landing of outomatic stations on the Moon, the flights of space laboratories towards the Venus and Mars.

There are the years of manned space flight progammes: Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman-cosmonaut to make a space flight, A.A.Leonov achieved the first “Space walk” in 1965 and  the first soviet experimental station with four cosmonauts on board went into orbit, the first American expedition landed on the Moon.

  The Soviet “Lunokhad”, outomatic orbital stations “Soyuz” and other space laboratories opened to up a new period of space exploration. From the first experiments scientists went over to systematic exploration of space.

OXFORD – THE UNIVERSITY TOWN

This university town is very beautiful. The oldest university there is Oxford. The first of its colleges was founded in 1249. The university now has thirty-five colleges and about thirteen thousand students many of them from other countries. There were no women at Oxford until 1878, when the first women`s college Lady Margaret Hall, opened. Now most colleges are open to men and women. It is not easy to get a space at Oxford University to study for a degree. But outside the university there are many smaller private colleges which offer less difficult courses and where it is easy to enroll. Most students in these private schools take business, secretarial or English language courses.

Oxford is, of course, famous for its first-class education as well as its beautiful buildings. Some of the most intelligent men and women in the country live and work here. Oxford gives them what they need: a quite atmosphere, friendly colleagues and the four hundred-year-old library, which has about five million books. Oxford has same of the finest architecture in Britain. Some of their colleges, chapees and libraries are there, four and even five hundred years old, and are full off books and precious paintings. You can see there many lovely gardens, where the students can read and relax in the summer months.

CAMBRIDGE

Cambridge in one of the best known towns in the world and it can be found on most tourists lists of places to visit. Cambridge is famous for its university, which started during the 13 th century and grew steadily, until today there are more than twenty collages. The oldest is Peterhouse, which was founded in 1284. And the most recent is Robinson College, which was opened in 1977. But the most famous is King`s College, because of its magnificent chapel. Its choir of boys and undergraduates is well known all over the world. The Universities were only for men until 19 th century when the first women`s college was opened. Later the doors of colleges were opened to both men and women. Nowadays almost all the colleges are mixed. To the north of Cambridge is the Cambridge Science Park, the modern face of the University. This park has developed in response to the need for universities to increase their contact with high technology industry. It is now home to more than sixty companies and research institutes. The whole area is in fact very attractive designed, with a lot of space between each building. The planners thought that it was important for people to have a pleasant park like environment in which to work. Every year thousand of students come to Cambridge from overseas to study English.

EDUCATION IN BRITAIN

In England and Wales compulsory school begins at the age of five, but before that age children can go to a nursery school, also called play school. School is compulsory till the children are 16 years old.

In Primary School and First School children larn to read and write and the basis of arithmetic. In the higher classes of Primary School (or in Middle School) children larn geography, history, religion and, in some schools a foreign language. Then children go to the Secondary School.

When students are 16 years old they may take an exam in various subjects in order to have a qualification. These qualifications can be either G.C.S.E. (General Certificate of Secondary Education) or “O level” (Ordinary level). After that students can either leave school and start working or continue their studies in the some school as before. If they continue, when they are 18, they have to take further examinations which are necessary for getting into university or college.

Some parents choose private schools for their children. They are very expensive but considered to provide a better education and good apportunities.

In England there are 47 universities, including the Open Universities which teaches via TV and radio, about 400 colleges and institutes of higher education. The oldest universities in England are Oxford and Cambridge. Generally, universities award two kinds of degrees: the Bachelor`s degree and the Master`s degree.

CONAN DOYLE

Many years ago a young doctor began to write stories about a man who qas a detective. Readers liked his stories because they were very interesting and the doctor decided to become a writer. The doctor was Conan Doyle and he wrote about Sherlock Holmes.

Conan Doyle wrote his first story about Sherlock Holmes in 1887. In this story the detective meets his friend Dr.Watson. Holmes and Watson lived at 221 B Baker Street in London.

Many discussions take place about where 221 B was. There is no house there now. But a large company has its office near the place. This company answers twenty or so letters which still come every week to Sherlock Holmes, 221 B Baker street. Most come from United States and many people ask if Mr.Holmes can help them with some problem.

The company answers saying that,  “Mr.Sherlock Holmes is no longer working as a detective”.

There is a pub in London called Sherlock Holmes. One of the rooms in the pub is Sherlock Holmes room. It has many things the room in Conan Doyle`s stories had – Holmes` hat, some letters written to Sherlock Holmes, chairs and tables like those described in the stories. Besides, there are some pictures of Holmes and Conan Doyle, of actors who played Holmes and Watson in films, on television and radio. In 1961 lovers of Sherlock Holmes formed the Sherlock Holmes Cosiety. They meet three or four times a year to talk about Sherlock Holmes. The members of the Society know the stories about Sherlock Holmes very well, and they discuss these stories at their meetings.

The most popular British Writers

William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens remain two of the most popular and widely known British writers all over the world. Dickens began his writing career as a journalist, and all his novels were first published serially in periodicals. Many of his works highlight the injustice of 19 th century social institutions and inequalities between the rich and the poor. His most famous works include “Oliver Twist” and “David Copperfield”. As to Shakespeare in addition to writing 35 known plays, he wrote 154 sonnets and sometimes acted in small parts in his own plays. He is known to have played the Ghost in “Hamlet”. His best known plays include “King Lear”, “A Midsummer night`s dream” and “Romeo and Juliet”.

The Bronte sisters, Charlotte (1816-55), Emily (1818-48) and Anne (1820-49), where three talented 19 th century women novelists whose works are regarded as classics today. Charlotte is best known for her novel “Jane Eyre”.

The novels of Jane Austen are known for their subtlety of observation and irony, together with their insights into the provincial life of the middle-class in the early part of 19 th century. He works include “Emma”, “Pride and Prejudice” and others.

One of the most widely known English poets is remarkably because his work has been transcribed published, read and comment on since his death. He is Goeffrey Chaucer (c.1345-1400). His best known is “The Canterbury Tales, a collection of tales”. Chaucer is buried in Westminster  Abbey.

JULES VERNE

Jules Verne was born in 1828 in Frence. Young Jules was interested in machinery, sailing and writing. Together with his brother Poul, he explored the river near their home in an old sailboat.

Jules father was a lawyer and he wanted his son to continue his career. So Jules was sent to Paris to study law. Jules, however, decided soon that his main interested was writing. He joined the club of scientific writers. This group was interested in balloons so Jules soon wrote an adventure story called “Five Weeks in a Balloon”. His favourite subject at school was geography, so he wanted to describe in his books as many parts of the world as possible.

Jules Vernes books are still popular now because they are good adventure stories. But in his book Verne also forecast many inventions that we have now. He believed that someday people would have airplanes, submarines, television, dirigibles and powerful weapons.

His most popular books are “Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea” and “Around the world in Eighty Days”.

Verne had a notebook where he wrote every idea or bit of information he come across that might be useful for his books. In his study he had a large map of the world with all routes of his heroes marked on it.

During his life, Jules Verne had written more than 50 books. He died at the age of 77.

Places if interest in Great Britain

Britain is rich in its historic places which link the present with the past. The oldest part of London is Lud Hill, where the city is originated. About a mile west of it there is Westminster Palace, where the king and the Parliament met, and there is also Westminster Abbey, the coronation church.

Liverpool, the “city of ships” is England`s second greatest port, ranking after London. The most interesting sight in the Liverpool is the docks. They occupy a river frontage of seven miles. The University of Liverpool established in 1903, is noted for its School of Tropical Medicine. And in the music world Liverpool is a well-known name, for it`s the home town of “The Beatles”.

Stratford – on – Avon lies 93 miles north-west of London. Shakespeare was born here in 1564, and here he died in 1616. Cambridge and Oxford Universities are famous centres of learning.

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument, presumably built by Druids, members of an order priests in ancient Britain. Tintagel Castle is King Arthur`s reputed birthplace. Canterbury Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Church of England.

The British Museum is the largest and richest museum in the world. It was founded in 1753 and contains one of the world`s richest collections of antiquities. The Egyptain Galleries contain human and animal mummies. Some part of Athen`s Parthenon are in the Greek section.

Madam Tussaud`s Museum is an exhibition of hundreds of life-size wax models of famous people of yesterday and today. The collection was started by Madam Tussaud, in French modeler in wax, in the 18 th century. Here you can meet Marilyn Monroe, Elton John, Picasso, the Royal Family, the Beatles and many others.

The story of “MCDonald`s” and “Coca-Cola”

In 1937 the McDonald brothers, Dick and Mark, opened little restaurant in California. They served hot dogs and milk shakes. In 1945 they have 20 waiters. All the teenagers in town ate hamburgers there. When the There were no more waiters – it was self-service. So it was cheaper and faster.

In 1960`s the McDonald`s company opened hundreds of McDonald`s restaurants all over the States. In 1971 they opened restaurants in Japan, Germany and Australia. Now the McDonald`s company opens restaurant every 8 hours. There are more than 14000 restaurants in over 70 countries.

The Coca-Cola story began in Atlanta in 1886. John Pemberton invented a new drink. Two of the ingredients were the South American coca leaf and the African cola nut. Pemberton couldn`t think of a good name for the drink. Finally, Dr.Pemberton`s partner Frank Robinson suggested the name Coca-Cola. Thirty years later the famous Coca-Cola bottle design first appeared.

For many years only Coca-Cola was made. They only introduced new drinks-Fanta, Sprite in the 1960`s. The recipe of  Coca-Cola is a secret. Today they sell Coca-Cola in 195 countries. Hundreds of millions of people from Boston to Beijing drink it every day. It has the most famous trademark in the world.

Summer holidays

The beach is a traditional summer destination for thousands of people. Everyone wants to go to the beach! Sun, surf and sand are magnetic lure for millions of visitors. The wealth of things to do includes sunbathing, jogging, boating, fishing and surfing. Ever presented breezes keep the temperature comfortable and the water warm. Beach cities are the centres for easygoing life styles. The newest trends in youth culture often originate there. For example, the roller skating craze started on the Venice boardwalk.

Though sea, sun and sand are the same, people try to go to a different place every year, because fauna, and flora and the air are different.

Spending holidays on the beach is a great rest though many people combine sunbathing with visiting museums and places of interest.

James Eldridge

James Eldridge was born in 1918, in the of Swanhill, in Australia. His father was a journalist and writer. His parents came to England only a few years before James was born.

When James was 14 years old, he began to work as a messenger boy far a newspaper in Melbourne. In 1939 he went to England to enter the Oxford University.

In 1940 he was sent to Finland as a war correspondent. In the years of the Second World War Aldridge was a war correspondent and visited Norway, Greege, Egypt, Iran and other countries.

During 1944-1945 he visited Russia three times, living there for nearly a year.

He saw how people fought against the for fascist invaders. Aldridge`s first novel “Signed with Treir Honours” was published in 1942. In this novel he described the heroic struggle of the Greek people with the fascist invaders and internal reaction.

His novel “The Sea Eagle”, published in 1944 tells us about the people of Crete and their fight against fascists. Aldridge`s books are devoted to the liberation struggle in the years of the Second World war.

Aldridge was awarded the Gold Medal of Peace for the book “Diplomat” in 1953. “The Last Inch” was written in 1957 and translated into Russian the same year, while the first English edition came out in 1960.

For many years James Aldridge has been a fighter for peace among nations.

Isaac Newton

Newton, one of the greatest scientists of all times was born in 1642 in the little village in Lincolnshire, England. His father was a farmer and died before Newton was born. His mother was a clever woman whom he always loved.

After the school, Newton studied mathematics at Cambridge University and received his degree in 1665. Then the university was closed because of the danger of plague and Newton went home for eighteen months. It was most important period in his life when he made his three great discoveries – the discoveries of the differential calculuses of the nature of white light, and of the law of gravitation.

These discoveries are still important for the modern science. Newton had always been interested in the problems of light. Many people saw colours of a rainbow but only Newton showed by his experiments that white light consist of these colours.

It  is interesting how he discovered the law gravitation. Once, as he sat at the garden, his attention was drawn by the fall of an apple. Many people saw such a usual thing before. But it was Newton who asked himself a question: “Why does that apple fall perpendicularly to the ground? Why doesn`t it go sidewards or upwards?” The answer to this question was the theory of gravitation, discovered by Newton.

Newton died at the age of 84, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, where his monument stands today.

THE HERMITAGE

One of the world-wide known museums is the Hermitage. The word “Hermitage” means “a place of solitude”. This name was in the XVIII century by Catherine II to her private museum housed in a small building adjacent to the Winter Palace and accessible only to the chosen few.

In the course of time, the Hermitage grew into one of the greatest museums of the world. At the present, the collection take up five interconnected buildings. The museum retains its old name.

The accumulation of artifacts to the formation of new departments devoted to the culture and art of the Peoples of the East, of the Prehistoric culture and of the Russian culture. Three other departments are those of Western European art, classical antiquities and numismatics.

One of the rooms that impressed visitor the most is St.George Hall. The interior of the room is considered by experts to be a perfect example of the Classical style. The room covers about 800 square meters, but does not seem enormous due to perfect proportions. It is decorated in the whitest merble and gilded bronze.

The Throne Hall was used for column assemblies. Members of the Tzar`s family, when coming of age, took their oaths here.

The Leonardo da Vinci Hall is one of the most gorgeous interious. The hall is decorated in the style of 17 century French Baroque. The Hermitage possesses two, out of the 12 or 14 works surviving from Leonardo.

The Malachite Room reflects the style of 1889. The columns, pilasters, and floorlamps are veneered with thin plaques of rich green malachite. About two tons of malachite were used in decoration of the room.

Environmental Pollution

People have always polluted their surroundings. But until now pollution was not such a serious problem. People lived in not crowded rural areas and did not have pollution-causing machines. With the development of crowded industrial cities which put huge amount of pollutants into small areas the problem has become more important. Automobiles and other new inventions make pollution steadily worse. Since the late 1960`s people have become alarmed with the danger of pollution.

Air, water, and soil are necessary for existence of all living things. But polluted air can cause illness, and eveen death. Polluted water kills fish and other marine life. On polluted soil, food can not be grown. In addition environmental pollution spoils the natural beauty of our planet.

Pollution is as complicated as serious problem. Automobiles are polluting the air but they provide transportation for the people. Factories pollute the air and the water but they provide jobs for people and produce necessary goods. Fertilizers and pesticides are important for growing crops but they can ruin soil.

Thus, people would have to stop using many useful things if they wanted to end pollution immediately. Most people do not want that of course. But pollution can be reduced gradually. Scientists and engineers can find the ways to reduce pollution from outomobiles and factories. Government can pass the laws that would make enterprises take measures for reducing of pollution. Individuals and groups of people can work together to persuade enterprises to stop polluting activity.

THE TOWER OF LONDON

The Tower of London is one of the most improssing and popular of London`s historical sities. It comprises not one, but 20 towers. The oldest of which, the white Tower, dates back to the 11 th century and the time of William the Conqueror. Nowadays a lot of tourists visit the Tower of London, because of the Tower`s evil reputation as a prisoner. The Tower is fomous as horne of the Crown Jewels. Today they can be viewed in their jewel house. They include the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother which contains the celebrated Indian diamond. Many stories associated with British history come from the Tower. In 1483 King Edward IV`s two sons were murdered in the so-called Bloody Tower. Over two centuries later the skeletions of two little boys were found buried beneath steps in the white Tower.

Traitor`s Gate, has steps leading down to the River Thames. Countless prisoners including the future Queen Elithabeth I of England, were brought to the Tower by barge and ascended the steps before being imprisioned. For many it was their last moment of freedom before their death. But Elizabeth was released from the Tower and became Queen. The King`s second wife, Anne Boleyn, was brought to trial there in 1536 and beheaded six years later her causin, Catherine, Henry Vills fifth wife, suffered the same fate. Sir Thomas More was beheaded there in 1535.

Of course, no visit to the Tower would be complete without seeing the ravens; huge black who are an official part of the Tower community. Legend states that if the ravens were to leave the Tower the Crown will fall and Britain with it. Under the special care of the Raven Master, the ravens are fed a daily diet of raw meat. And there is no danger of them flying away, because their wings are clipped.

Music in our life

I love music. I think people can not live without it. The first thing I do in the morning I switch on my tape-recorder. We can hear music everywhere: in the streets, in the shops, on TV, over the radio, in the cars, in the parks, everywhere. I think it`s really doesn`t matter what kind of music you prefer: rock, pop, classic, jazz. A lot of people are fond music. They buy tapes, go to the concerts, and visit Concert Halls and Opera Theatres.