What can you advise people who want to have a good relationship with their parents and grandparents

I think we are old enough to realize that adults are not saints and may make mistakes and that the so-called generation gap should not spoil our relations. Good children are prepared to compromise and meet their parents halfway, render any possible help to their parents, treat their parents in the way they would like to be treated themselves.

So first of all I can advise for anyone to try to understand the feelings of your parents and show respect to them. Even if you don’t agree with their thinking, try to make them understand politely, don’t use harsh words with them which may hurt. It’s important to celebrate your parents’ and grandparents’ birthdays. It will make them realize that you care for them.

5. They say that parents and children have difficulties understanding each other because of the generation gap. What do you think about this problem?

I often hear this term “generation gap”, but I hope it’s not about my family. To my mind misunderstanding may happen if people don’t respect each other. Of course different generations have different ideas and values, nevertheless children and parents love each other. So any problem can be discussed. It’s much easier to find the way out together.

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Let's talk about familytraditions

Family is very important for every person, because it gives you a sense of stability and tradition, a feeling of having support and understanding. You feel secure when there’s a family behind you. They are people you can trust and rely on, people who won’t let you down and who share your joys and sorrows. In happy families parents are frank and honest with their children, they treat their children with respect without moralizing or bossing them, and children in their turn learn how to treat other people and how to form relationship with their peers.

I enjoy the honest and open relationship in my family. I like it when parents trust their children, give them enough freedom and respect them. I think these things make family relations warm and pleasant. There is no so-called “generation gap” in our family, though we may argue and disagree on certain issues. I can always bring my friend home and my parents are very positive about it, although they don’t always approve of our tastes, views and clothes.

I guess, when people spend more time together they are closer to each other.

We have some family traditions. But to my mind we haven’t got anything special or original in our family. All our family traditions are connected with some holidays. Apart from national holidays there are family holidays like birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. A birthday is always a happy event in our family. On these days we usually have a party. Friends and relatives come with flowers and gifts and a festive dinner is served with plenty of delicious food to eat. Afterwards the guests either dance or sing, listen to music or just chat. One more family tradition is spending summer holidays together either at the seaside or in the country, which I enjoy very much. I’d like to become more independent from my parents in future, nevertheless we’ll always be the best friends because my parents are the most important people in the world.

1. Are there any things that you do with your parents together?

My parents are the most important people in the world. You know, my parents and I are usually very busy during the weekdays and we seldom have a chance to spend time together. Sunday is the day when we can sit at a table and talk over everything that happened during the week. Eating together makes us feel close and we often have our most useful conversations at these times. Almost every weekend we visit our grand parents, sometimes we visit my uncle (aunt) and his family.

Also once a week my parents give the flat a big clean. Of course I help them with it. By the way it’s not so boring. I turn on music and we even have fun. Then we may go shopping together. I like to go shopping with my parents because they always buy me something. During our shopping rounds we discuss a lot of things and make plans for the next weekend.

2. What is your favourite family tradition?

My favourite tradition is to celebrate the New Year. It’s a special holiday with its charm and surprises. We give presents to each other, go for a walk together, visit our grandparents and family friends.

3. What will you ask your British friend about his/her family traditions?

Have you got any family traditions?

Do you like to spend your free time with your family?

What is the most unusual tradition in your family?

4. What can you advise people who want to get on well with their parents?

Do you often spend your free time with your parents?

To tell you the truth, I don’t often spend time together with my family on weekdays. But on Sunday we try to organize something to have time for each other. We visit our grandparents and friends, go shopping, go for a walk or just eat out.

In summer we often go somewhere together to the seaside or to the country. I like such holidays because usually we have a lot of fun.

№4

Let's talk about friendship and relationship with friends

Songs, poems and proverbs about friendship are common and can be found in all languages. It is so because friendship has a great value in our life. It is good to have a friend in the family, but it’s more common when we have our best friends among our classmates or people of the same age.

You know, I’ve learnt not long ago that there is a special day to celebrate friendship. International Friendship Day was traditionally celebrated on the first Sunday of August each year. However, in 2011 the United Nations declared July 30 to be the new International Day of Friendship.

Everyone knows the proverb “A friend in need is a friend indeed” – according to the old saying a good friend should always help us in difficulties, cheer us up and raise our spirits when we are down, troubled or when nothing is going right. However, experience shows that good friendship is based on a delicate balance. That is why friendship must be cherished to become stronger and stronger, it must be “planted like a seed”. Trust is the most important aspect of any relationship. It takes time to establish trust with people and it's essential that you make establishing trust a priority in your friendship. And, most importantly, once that trust has been established, don't break it. Once trust has been broken, it can be very difficult to get it back.

The best of friends totally love and support and trust each other, and bare to each other the secrets of their souls, and run – no questions asked – to help each other, and tell harsh truths to each other when they must be told.

It's true. You can tell a person by the company she keeps. Our friendships not only tell a lot about who we are -- they make us who we are. You will know a friendship is true when it brings out the best in you.

1. What's your best friend like?

I’d like to tell you about my best friend. Her name is … . I have known her since our primary school. From our appearances we are total opposites. She has blond hair, hazel eyes, full lips, a snub nose and a broad smile. ….is tall and slim, because she goes in for sports. I wouldn’t say the way we dress is not very different, but of course we have some special preferences in our clothes. I think her clothes are a little bit funky. As for her personality she is outspoken and outgoing. Nevertheless she is quite reasonable. It’s her best quality, I think. Besides she’s got a good sense of humor. She always has a witty joke for a situation. So we always have fun. She is the kind of person that likes to start the party. She is very kind and always ready to give me a helping hand.

Our hobbies are along the same lines. We love sports, music, good films, reading fashion magazines, hanging around with our friends, surfing the Internet and that sort of stuff. And with a friend that’s all that really matters, I mean common interests. I feel she is my true friend and I’m happy to have such a good friend.

2. Can you rely on your best friend? Why (not)?

Everyone knows the proverb “A friend in need is a friend indeed” – according to the old saying a good friend should always help us in difficulties, cheer us up and raise our spirits when we are down, troubled or when nothing is going right. Trust is the most important aspect of any relationship. I believe I can trust my best friend and rely on him/ her.

Only being a good friend yourself you may understand the meaning of friendship.

3. What questions do you usually ask when you want to get acquainted with someone?

The questions may be like these: Where are you from?Where do you study?What is your hobby?What is your favourite writer?How do you usually spend your holidays?

4. What can you advise a teenager who has no friends?

Frankly speaking it’s not a usual case. Probably, a person with such problems needs advice on behalf of a psychologist. But if someone asks me to help, I will recommend her or him to join some kind of a club or a society to meet people with the same interests.

5. They say: "A person has just one true friend". What do you think about this?

In the reality there are very few true friends. There is no shortage of acquaintances with whom you have superficial relationship. A real friend, on the other hand, is usually one person who shares your life. A friend can bare his inner feelings to you, and will support you unconditionally through thick and thin. And you can rely on your friend to tell you the truth, even if it’s not always fully pleasant. There is no envy and there are no such hidden agendas between friends. True friends are hard to find, and are worth holding on to. They are worth more than gold.

№5

Let’s talk about education

Education plays a very important role in our life. It is one of the most valuable possessions a man can get in his life. We get our knowledge of this world and life through education. Many famous discoveries would have been impossible if people were not interested in learning something. Education develops different sides of human personality, reveals his abilities. Besides, it helps a person to understand himself, to choose the right way in this world. During all the periods of human history education ranked high among people. Human progress mostly depended upon well-educated people.

Self-education is very important for the development of human’s talents. Only through self-education a person can become a harmonically developed personality. A person becomes a highly qualified specialist after getting some special education. And professionalism can be reached only through it. Even highly qualified specialists from time to time attend refresher courses to refresh their knowledge.

The civilized state differs from others in the fact that it pays much attention to the educational policy. John Kennedy said: “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education”. But it doesn’t concern only one particular nation. We know that science and art belong to the whole world. Before them the barriers of nationality disappear. So education brings people closer to each other, helps them to understand each other better.

1.THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN BELARUS

We can say that Belarus has a developed system of education. Scientific and intellectual potential is the main strategic resource of Belarus. The republic guarantees its citizens the right to universal secondary education and creates means for further professional education. It tries to pay much attention to common human values, developing independent critical thinking instead of simple perception of information.

Our system of education has been reforming for many years probably because the aim of the reform is rather global: to create an independent, qualitatively new national school corresponding to international standards and ensuring each citizen the right to the high-quality education according to his or her abilities and inclinations.

The main principles of the educational system in Belarus are the priority of human values, national culture as the basis of education, humanism, sense of ecological purpose, scientific basis, support of gifted children and others.

There have been changes in the organization of education itself. New types of educational establishments have appeared: gymnasium, lyceum, experimental school, college. There appeared non-state schools of various kinds, private kindergartens, schools at home, commercial institutes. So, it stimulates effectiveness of education, creates new ideas.

2. Do you agree that Belarusian secondary school provides a person with good knowledge? Why (not)?

Generally speaking, I should say that children have got opportunities to get good knowledge. The programmes of Belarusian secondary school comprise all the subjects necessary for basic knowledge so as to have a chance to choose any profession. Students may be involved in different educational activities which provide not only theoretical base but also practical skills: such as making different projects and presentations, research work, making speeches. The aim of our secondary education is also to learn social skills, to develop critical thinking, to develop understanding of other people, to prepare for life in the workplace and many others.

Thus, those people who has got determination, persistence, self motivation will succeed in their future life.

4. What can you advise a student who is not very good at languages to do to achieve better results?

Nowadays it’s almost impossible to imagine any profession without global communication. You need a foreign language so as to contact your colleagues from different countries, to read about advanced ideas in your professional branch or to visit a conference. Your employer will prefer to have a person who is potentially able to manage all these things.

So, if a person has got a strong motivation, it’ll be easy for him/ her to make progress in English. First of all it’s necessary to learn English after classes. For example to watch English films, listen to different educational programs, songs, read in English. The Internet can offer you a great variety of activities connected with learning languages.

5. Today some young people think that having a good education is not very important. Do you agree with them?

It all depends on many things. Those people who think that having a good education is not very important, have their own plans. Some girls want to be good mothers and have big families. Other people think that manual professions do not need good education. In this case they are mistaken. To my mind all professions need special education. Nowadays only highly qualified workers can deal with rather sophisticated equipment and computers.

№ 6

Let’s talk about studying at school

Everyone remembers his or her school and the first school day. It’s an unforgettable event. When I think of my school some pictures come to my memory: I’m on my way to school, flowers in hand, my parents accompany me, saying some kind words and encouraging me, many children with bags and flowers.

Happiness, sadness and other emotions, or even love sick, we all can find in our school time. That's why school life is the best time in human life. During this time, we will develop many things like physical development, emotions, relationships, and especially knowledge. Various subjects are studied at school. So we have a great variety of things to choose for our future interest in our professional life.

1. My school is an ordinary building in a new residential area, a 3-storied building with a swimming pool and a spacious gym. Of course there is a lot to be improved. For example our canteen could be more pleasant in its design. Also I’d like to have a bigger library with a reading hall. But in spite of all I love my Gymnasium and I’m proud of it.

Most of our classrooms are quite good, light and spacious. When you enter this or that classroom you understand what subject is taught here as you see special devices or equipment in every room.

At school we work at many things like physical development, emotions, relationships, and which is the most important we get knowledge. Various subjects are studied at our gymnasium: History, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, Belarusian, Russian, Literature, Geography, Astronomy, Drawing and Singing. As for me I’m fond of … I work hard so as to gain appropriate knowledge and to pass my future exams successfully.

School provides children not only with knowledge. It’s also a place where children spend their free time. There are many amateur groups or circles and sport sections in my school. Special teachers help children to develop their creative abilities either in sport sections, a school choir or theatre, or to improve English after classes. Ecology and tourism are also very popular today. So, schoolchildren can also be engaged in these activities.

Going to school also means you will have a lot of friends. There is nothing better than belonging to a great group of friends and nothing worse than feeling like an outcast. Friends are important. They are shoulders for you to cry on when you are sad or happy so your sadness will be less, and your happiness will be twice.

Talking about school time, you can never forget the time you share your sweet dreams to your friends, and they tell you theirs; the time you have fun with them playing on the school yard or going shopping or even playing truant together! ... No matter how good or bad those memories are, school time is still unforgettable with sweet friendship and platonic love. Going to school also means you will have new family, new moms who teach you many things about life.

School is our second home. No one can ever forget it.

1.

2. Do you agree that our school gives a person a good start in life? Why (not)?

Education plays a very important role in our life. It is one of the most valuable possessions a man can get in his life. We get our knowledge of this world and life through education. Many famous discoveries would have been impossible if people were not interested in learning something. Education develops different sides of human personality, reveals his abilities. Besides, it helps a person to understand himself, to choose the right way in this world. During all the periods of human history education ranked high among people. Human progress mostly depended upon well-educated people.

The aim of our secondary education is to learn social skills, to develop critical thinking, to develop understanding of other people, to prepare for life in the workplace and many others.

Thus, those people who has got determination, persistence, self motivation will succeed in their future life.

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5. Nowadays some young people complain that they have lots of problems at school. Do you agree with them?

There are always people who complain about something. The same thing happens at school. Personally, I don’t like these wet blankets. They may not like teachers or subjects or timetables or what not. They are always complaining about their huge home tasks or something else. There may be two reasons of such behavior: either they are lazy or depressed. To tell you the truth, this group is not a numerous one. I try to avoid such people.

№ 7

School Traditions

My school life is connected not only with studies but with many other important things. When I think about my school years I recollect a lot of events. Many of them became traditions because they happen every year on the same dates. Some traditions are similar in all Belarusian schools, some are unique.

The school year starts on the 1st of September. This day is special for all: school children, their teachers and parents. The day starts with the school gathering when all classes and teachers stand in front of the school and listen to the welcoming speeches of their teachers, schoolmates and parents. Students look really nice in their new school uniforms. Everyone is excited to see their school friends and teachers after long summer holidays. After the school gathering teachers take their classes to their classrooms for the first lesson. When the lesson is over, students may have a class event – a picnic or a walk in the park or a class trip. The events on this day are usually the same every year but everyone waits for this day, likes it and remembers it.

Every year in September we have the opportunity to show our athletic skills and abilities during our Sports Day. Though we have Sports weeks every season this day is also among our favourite school traditions. There is a wide range of activities. It opens with a running race. Then we have competitions in different sports, we play sports games, run, jump, climb a wall. Everyone from the 1st to the 11th class takes part in some events. The day finishes with a Closing ceremony where winners get their prizes.

Of course we never forget to congratulate our teachers on Teacher’s Day. Some of our best students take part in School Olimpiads. Very soon we’ll have our last and traditional School leavers’ Party.