Tashkent i

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.