I. Reading A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City. It was lunch time and the streets were crowded with people and full of noise peculiar for streets of a busy city.
Suddenly the Native American said that he had heard a cricket. His friend was greatly surprised and told that it was nonsense. But the Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where he found a small cricket. His friend was amazed. The Native American explained that it all depends on what is really important to the others. He pulled out a few coins from his pocket and dropped them on the sidewalk. People passing by turned their heads to see if the dropped money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.
II. Writing CURRICULUM VITAE Name: Ann Shevchenko Address: 12 M. Tsvetayeva Street, Kyiv 02253 Telephone: 099-... Date of Birth: 10 March, 1995 Education: Specialized school #277 Work experience: No
Skills and personal qualities: • Hard-working and reliable • Always on time for school • Good attendance record • Cheerful and work well with others • Keen and enthusiastic • Willing to train and gain further qualifications • Good word processing skills (Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, Internet Exprorer) Interests: • Music • Yoga
Other information: Driving License
III. Speaking Since I can remember, I've always lived in a flat. I think it has many advantages. First of all, yon don't have to worry about modern conveniences as almost all modern flats have them. These include hot and cold running water, gas and the rubbish chute. Also, blocks of flats are always situated in the centre of the town so you have everything not far from the place you live, for example, the chemist's, the greengrocer's, the supermarket, etc. Many people nowadays tend to pay special attention to their interior and furniture - all with an accent on luxury. They want their homes to be a statement of their position in the world. That's why they redesign their flats or houses architecturally and redo the interior. We did something of the sort recently with our flat. We used special design to refashion it into a comfortable living space. Good modern design created the best layout, and modern technology created the best environment within that layout. Our living room is fully-furnished. It is the place where we meet every evening for heart-to-heart talks. This is the time to forget about all the arguments and do our best to clear the air. The living room is large, spacious with comfortable furniture. My father is fond of photography and there are a lot of family photos on the walls which give special character to this room. They remind us of some memorable events in our family history. Every member of our family takes care of our flat. My mother has green fingers - everything she plants grows really well. That's why there are many green plants in our flat, especially in the balcony. It's so nice to spend time there on cold winter evenings. My favourite place in my house is, of course, my room. My room is decorated with posters and photos. My grandparents even say that sometimes I'm too creative but they aren't against my decisions as for décor. I always take the style of my room into consideration when I buy souvenirs while travelling. I especially like hand-painted tiny china figures and vases. You'll ask me what makes a house a home, and what makes a home a castle? These are the people who live there. I think, every person always dreams about the place where he or she can share his/her secrets with his/her parents and relatives, chat with close friends, where he/she can feel happy and calm. As for me, it is my family and my home. It is the best place in the world and my dearest people live here. We all feel happy when we are together. All things considered, "My home is my castle". It's really so.
