I. Reading Stratford-upon-Avon is known throughout the world as the birthplace of W. Shakespeare. He lived in this town for a long time, died and was buried there.
The town itself has a long history and is full of beauty. Since 1553 Stratford-upon-Avon has been famous for its markets, cottages and agriculture. There are some sights which attract a lot of visitors. Among them there is Shakespeare's birthplace, trust, library, The Trinity Church, where Shakespeare, his wife and their daughter were buried. This building is also famous for its mythical and secular carvings and an original knocker of the 14th century.
The founder of Harvard University, John Harvard, lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, too.
II. Writing Dear Mary! On your birthday, special one, I wish that all your dreams come true. May your day be filled with joy, Wonderful gifts and goodies, too.
On your day I wish for you Favourite people to embrace, Loving smiles and caring looks. That earthly gifts cannot replace.
I wish you fine and simple pleasures. I wish you many years of laughter. I wish you all of life's best treasures. I wish you happily ever after!
Happy Birthday!
Yours, Angela (A poem by Joanna Fuchs)
III. Speaking Electronic books, or e-books, are a relatively new development, and are far from realizing their vast potential for changing the way people read. Most of the advantages of electronic books, such as the fact that they save paper, will continue to offer benefits as the technology evolves. Besides, there are some environmental advantages. Electronic books save trees. By downloading an electronic book rather than buying a hard copy of a book, you eliminate the need to print on paper. Even recycled paper uses more resources than an electronic book. Electronic books save the energy and resources that it takes to print books, as well as the fuel that is required to deliver them. What is more, electronic books offer a range of conveniences, which will continue to expand as the technology develops. Because the content of an e-book is delivered electronically to your device or computer, you can shop for e-books and receive them almost immediately, any time of the day or night. In addition, electronic books provide the convenience of having multiple books available at any given time, without the trouble of having to transport them. This is particularly advantageous when travelling: rather than carrying a suitcase full of books, you can carry a suitcase worth of titles on a single device. However, as every coin has got a reverse side, there are some disadvantages of using the digital books. To start with, many titles that are available in traditional print books are not yet available in an electronic book format. This problem is compounded by the fact that as of 2010, the electronic books on the market are manufactured and licensed by different companies, each of which has access to its own range of titles. Many mainstream best sellers are available in electronic format, but if you tend to read even slightly more exotic titles or academic literature, you will not be able to find much suitable material in e-book format at present. Also, as of 2010, electronic books still present a variety of technological problems that need to be solved. Finally, reading e-books can create eye strain because it is more difficult to read words on a computer screen than on a page. Devices made specifically for reading e-books present other issues. Some models do not come with replaceable batteries. As a result, you must replace the entire device when the battery dies. Technology has always influenced the way people live and do different things. At least, it exists for this. As for me, I like to read printed versions with a pencil in my hand. Books are for use, not for show. You should own no book that you are afraid to mark up, or afraid to place on the table, wide open and face down. A good reason for marking favourite passages in books is that this practice enables you to remember more easily the significant sayings, and to refer to them quickly when needed.
