ТОПИКИ НА АНГЛИЙСКОМ

ВВЕДЕНИЕ

Прежде всего _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
В соответствии с _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Это общепринятое мнение _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Следовательно _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Если Вы не возражаете _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ОСНОВНАЯ ЧАСТЬ

Лично я _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
С одной стороны, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ с другой стороны, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
К сожалению _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
в то время как _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Должна признать _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Это всем известно _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
По правде говоря _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Однако,_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Это интересный факт _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Например, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
По моему мнению _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
К нашему великому восторгу _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Кроме того _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
К своему стыду _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Это трудно объяснить _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Нет нужды говорить _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Я не уверен, но мне кажется _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Следовательно _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Помимо этого _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Более того _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Судя по _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Таким образом _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ЗАКЛЮЧЕНИЕ

Суммируя все вышеизложенное _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
В любом случае _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
В финале я бы хотел еще раз _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
В целом _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ВВ заключении я бы хотел сказать _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Thor Heyerdahl

Good morning. The subject of today’s talk is the explorer Thor Heyerdahl. First of all I’ll give you some background information, before going on to look at his career, achievements and finally, his main publications and awards. Heyerdahl was born in Larvik in Southern Norway in 1914. He studied Zoology and Geography at the University of Oslo and then made his first expedition to Polynesia from 1937 to 1938. While he was staying in Polynesia, Heyerdahl became interested in how the islands were first inhabited. He had the idea that humans came with the ocean currents from the west. Now I’d like to look at his career. After giving up his study of Geography, he set out to prove his theories. How did he attempt to test his theories? Well, to begin with, in 1947 he built a raft named the Kon-Tiki, and then with five companions crossed from Peru to Polynesia in 101 days. The main idea he wanted to prove was that the cultures of the ancient world were linked by sailors who could cross oceans. After the success of the Kon Tiki expedition, Heyerdahl continued to travel. He organised the Norwegian archaeological expedition to the Galapagos Islands in 1952, before leading an expedition to Easter Island from 1955 to 1956. In addition to this, during 1969 and 1970 he sailed two more rafts, Ra 1 and Ra 2, across the Atlantic to show that ancient Egyptians had contact with South America. What will Heyerdahl be remembered for? Well, most people believe his greatest achievement was the Kon-Tiki Expedition. However, all his expeditions and ideas had a great influence on anthropology and archaeology. Moving on to his publications, the most famous were The Kon-Tiki Expedition, in 1948, The Ra Expeditions, in 1970 and The Tigris Expedition, in 1980. Finally, I’d like to turn to his awards. He received many awards during his lifetime – two of the most important were his election to the Norwegian Academy of Sciences in 1958 and then the American Academy of Science in 1960. Furthermore, his film of the Kon-Tiki expedition won an Oscar in 1951 for best documentary feature. Thor Heyerdahl died in 2002 at his home in Italy.

Achievements of the country

Russia has a lot of achievements in all fields of science, engineering, art, sports, literature, medicine.2. The world knows the names of many great russian scientists: mathematicians,physicists, chemists, biologists, etc. 3. A lot oif discoveries have been made by them. 4. But the greatest event of the 20-th century was the flight of Man into space. 5. The first cosmonaut on the Earth to fly into space, Jurij Gagarin, was from Russia. 6. It is due to our talanted scientists the dream of flights into space came true and a new age of space exploration began. 7. The Russians have right to be proud of it. 8.Russian people many times have won Nobel prizes for science, literature, peace. 9. Russia has nuclear weapons, a strong army and is one of the most respected countries in the world. 10.Espeecially, Russia is famous for its outstanding people. 11. The names of the great Russin scientists Lomonosov, Tsiolkovskij, Mendeleev, Lobachevskij, Pavlov, Landau, Kurchatov, Vavilov as well as the names of great Russian commanders Suvorov, Kutuzov and many others are well-known all over the world. 12. We are proud of our great writers and poets such as Alexander Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoj, Dostoevskij, Turgenev and many others. 13. We are also proud of outstanding Russian composers - Chaikoivskij, Rachmaninov, Glinka; great artists - Ivanov, Brullov, Repin, Vasnetsov, Surikov, Levitan. 14. Russia is proud of its famous sportsmen, who have won a lot of medals in different international sports competitions.15. Hundreds of athlets have become Olympic recordsmen. 16. The names of Irina Rodnina, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Maria Sharapova... are famous all over the world. 17. Russia is also famous for its ancient towns and modern cities, their wonderful arcitecture and beauty. 18. And I'm proud of our people, who are very talented, hard-working, friendly and hospitable. 19. They are open-hearted and very patient, but very courageous and great patriots of their Motherland. 20. So, I'm very proud of Russia and great Russian people who brought a lot of fame to my country.

Ecology

The problems of ecology are very important now. Which problem is the most urgent, in your opinion? What can you and the people around you do to protect the planet? 1. One of the most important problems nowadays is an ecological one. 2.Ecology is the science that studies the conditions of the habitat of man, animals and plants. 3.Our Earth is our home. 4.Everything around us is the environment. 5.It includes all living things and also everything that is nessary for our life - the soil, the air , the water. 6.We need clean air to breathe and pure water to drink and clean soil to grow grains and vegetables. 7.So the environment must be clean and healthy. 8.But the air, the soil and the water are polluted by different harmful substanses. 9.THE AIR IS POLLUTED by smoke and gases from factories, cars, buses, airplanes. 10. AIR POLLUTION can cause different deseases. 11.WATER and SOIL POLLUTION is caused by different wastes and chemicals which are thrown into seas, lakes, rivers. 12.Many fish and birds die because of the polluted water. 13.In my opinion the most urgent ecological problem today is radiation. or the NUCLEAR POLLUTION. 14.Nuclear pollution can't be seen but its effects can be terrible.15. Many people died from radiation some years ago because of the accident at the nuclear power station in Chernobyl. 16.Nuclear wastes are also dangerous for people's lives. 17.So people all over the world protest against nuclear tests and nuclear weapons. 18.Millions of people understand that our planet is in danger and do the best to save it, to protect the environment. 19.They join different organization, such as "Green Peace", "The World Wildlife Fund" (WWF) and others, which work a lot at the ecological problems to save life on our planet. 20.I think there are a lot of simple things we should do to protect the environment. 21.First of all we mustn't drop litter in public places, pick up wild flowers, break branches of trees... 22.Besides, we shouldn't throw out rubbish without thinking that such things as bottles, paper, aluminium can be recycled. 23.We should save the water and the electric power at our homes. 24. We should take care of wild birds and animals. 25.We can help to plant trees and create parks. 26.But first of all we must change people's attitude towards the environment.

Every country is special

Every country is special. What comes to your mind, when you think of the UK and its people? 1.Every country is special, but England (or Great Britain, or the United Kingdom, or just the UK) is especially unusual and interesting country. 2.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland (the UK) is the official name of the state which includes (consists of) England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 3.The different parts of Britain have their own emblems. 4.The red rose is the national emblem of England. 5.The thistle is the national emblem of Scotland. 6.The daffodil and the leek are the emblems of Wales. 7.And the shamrock is the national emblem of Ireland. 8.When I imagine the UK, I think about London, the capital of England and the UK. 9.London is associated for me with its beautiful sights. 10.I have never been to London, but I've read a lot about it 11. The main things that come to my mind about London, are such places as Buchingham Palace - the official residence of the Queen; Westminster Cathedral and Westminster Abby , where many kings amd queens and also a lot of famous writers, poets, actors,musitions are berried; beautiful St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London,which has been a palace, a mint, a prison and now it is a museum. 17.Imagine about London, I also think about its wonderful museums and art galleries, for example London National Picture Gallery or Madam Tussaud's museum of waxworks. 12.Another famous place, which is always associated with England , is Stonehenge . 13.Every year thousands of people go to Stonehenge to take part in summer Druid festival. 14.The universities in Oxford and Cambridge are well known all over the world. 15.They were founded in the 12-th and 13-th centuries. 16.A lot of young people from Russia study there. 18. The British nation is very interesting and unusual. 19.English people are famous for their politeness, reserve, great love for animals and sports and their fine sense of humour. 20.British people keep their old traditions carefully and are very proud of them. 21.The traditional love of English people for tea is well-known. 22.They have their five o'clock tea not only at home or in the office, but also in special tea-rooms or tea-shops which are in every town. 23.Other traditional feachures of Great Britain are numerous clubs, pubs, beer halls, where Englishmen like to spend their time talking and discussing traditional matters: politics, sports, weather. 24.Keeping the traditions for centuries, English people bring some stability into(their life) rapidly changing world. 25.It's my great dream to visit England and to see the country with my own eyes.

GOOD MANNERS IN PUBLIC

Our manners are based on respect for other people. Here are some rules for correct behavior in public places, and, of course, at home. Always say “please” and “thank you”; Don’t attract attention to yourself; Don’t wear dirty or shabby clothes; Don’t speak too loud or laugh too loud; Don’t give way to anger, tears or other emotions; Never eat anything in the street; Do not push your way through crowds; Never stare at people or point your finger at them; Do not ridicule or laugh at anyone in his presence; Do not kiss or embrace in public places; Don’t put your fingers into your mouth, nose etc; Don’t criticize or comment; Don’t talk too much about yourself and don’t ask too many questions; Don’t be rude; Don’t use slang, jargon or gestures; Don’t sneeze and blow your nose; Be polite and considerable!!!

HOW APRIL FOOL GОT STARTED

No one is absolutely sure how April fool got started. Most countries seem to have a day when people play tricks on each other. It is a special fun for the children. Some people believe that trick days began in India. People there celebrate a spring holiday called holi. They fill a bamboo pipe with color powder and blow it at other people. Sometimes they fill the pipe with water and blow. No one knows why all kinds of jokes are allowed on this day. Sometimes children wake their parents with the shouts the house is on fire. When they see alarm on their faces they shouted again Aprol fool At school people try to pin notes to the backs saying “I’m a fool“ Even television joins in the fun on this day. Once they told a story of a building that had been built upside down. It was done by mistake they said. And many people believed. They forgot about the date.April Fool’s Day or all Fool’s Day is the first of April. The fun of the holiday is to play silly but harmless jokes on family members and friends. The victim of these jokes is called an April fool. This holiday first appeared in France when the French began to use the Gregorian calendar, some people continued to use the old calendar and to celebrate New Year’s Day in April 1. These people were called April fools. Playing jokes on this day became popular first in France and then in many other countries. Today, April Fool’s jokes are played mostly by children, who enjoy the holiday very much.

Indian Ocean tsunami

To the countries hit by the catastrophe we express our support to those who are still waiting for information and looking for the lost bodies of their loved ones. We suffer with those who have lost friends and family members. We must compensate the destruction and loss of property. The grief associated with this disaster is universal. It touches every country all over the world. People who have been affected directly and indirectly by disaster Experience hard psychological reaction, including fear, anxiety, sadness, emotional numbing, sleeplessness, and headaches. Reactions may also include distrust of other people and a loss of confidence in themselves. All the countries affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami, Need the support of international community. Health professionals should provide treatment for trauma victims.

Names of baby-animals

You know that a baby-cat is a kitten. A young panther (пантера) and a rabbit (кролик) is a kitten too. A baby-dog is a puppy; a baby-fox is a pup too. A young chicken is a chick. Young horses, zebras and donkeys (ослики) are called colts ( жеребёнок).( koult) Young cows, as well as elephants, giraffes, buffalos (бизоны) and even whales ( киты) are called calves (calf) (телёнок)(kaef). Young tigers, lions and wolves to your surprise are called cubs. You know that a young sheep is a lamb (ягненок). A young deer is a fawn (fon). A young goat or an antelope is a kid. A young kangaroo is a Joey (dzoui). A young pig is a piglet, you know. A baby-bird may be correctly called a nestling ( neslin), because it sits in a nest. But baby-duck is called a duckling, a baby-eagle an eaglet, a baby-owl (сова) an owlet (aulit). It’s really strange, but young seals (морской котик) are known as pups.

New Orleans Tragedy

Regardless of new order made by city major “Go out now or we take you out by force” New Orleans citizens ( about 10000 people) still refuse to leave their homes after the tragedy, caused by “Katherine” Hurricane and the break-through of the drain-levee. The major warns that all measures and precautions are made for their own sake and safety, since the waters are toxic. Besides, there is another danger of gas leakage in the city. No data of evacuated people was reported as yet, however. The Police pains are directed toward people who are free-willing to be rescued from their homes. Apart from that, police forces are not subordinated to the major of the city, and they have not got the order from their military authorities to force people out. As the New Orleans aboriginal citizen Denis Resutto told us, he had enough food and water to supply his family, so he won’t leave his property, pets and possessions on his own will. It was typical reaction of local folk ignoring the official order. President Bush meanwhile in Washington declared that he ordered to star a special investigation of the reasons for the catastrophe. The rescuers are still looking for bodies with special equipment and specially trained dogs. The death toll could reach the horrible number of 10000 people! “All members of the Government are responsible for the tragedy, – the Senator Susan Collins blames. The Army Corps of Engineers started to block the gap with hundreds of sandbags and rocks in order to close the 60 meters high hole in the Levee. “The stormy wave swamped over 80 % of the city which is below sea- level The floodwaters started to recede gradually, but only 5 out of 148 pumps are functioning. How long it takes the pumps to drain the city totally depends upon the conditions of the pumps and whether they were properly submerged”, - the Army Corps stated.

SCHOOL YEARS

Some people think, that school years are the happiest days in people's lives. Can you say that you have been happy at school? Why? 1.Some people think that school years are the happiest in their life. 2.As for me, I can not say whether it is right or wrong. 3.I am still too young and it's difficult for me to say if my future will be happier than my past. 4.But I am sure that school plays a very important part in the life of every person, and knowledge we get at school is the key to our future success. 5.For students, who are doing well and want to get higher education, school is a very attractive place, but others, who are not successive in learning, think that school is boring and uninteresting place. (As for me I think that school is a great place) 6.So, people think differently about this time of their life. 7.School is not only a place of education. 8.It is also the place where almost everything happends with a person for the first time. 9.School is the first true experience of the real life. 10.School society is a model of real society with its advantages and disadvantages. 11.But these lessons may be very pleasant and happy for ones and unhappy for others. 12.I'm rather a good student. 13.I don't have many problems at school and I really like to study. 14.First of all, it's interesting for me to learn a lot of new things every day. 15.A teacher plays an important role in our education. 16.I can say that I'm lucky because all our teachers are experienced and knowledgeable. 17.We study various subjects and our lessons are usually interesting and exciting. 18.My favourate subjects are Literature, English. Informatics and I like these lessons very much. 19. I have some friends among my classmates. 20. We go in for sports and spend a lot of time together after school. 21.And it's so great to have real friends and good teachers, whom I can respect and trust. 22.I go to school with pleasure because I like my school, my teachers and my class. 23.So I can say that I 'm really happy at school and may be my school years will stay in my memory as the happiest years in my life.

Sports and sports competitions

Which is better: to watch or to participate? Different people have different attitude to sports. 2. Some people prefer to watch sports events, others - to participate in them, and very many people go in for sports for health and pleasure. 3. Some people believe that sports is not very useful . 4. It takes a lot of energy and time and as a result of going in for sports many people have broken legs and hands. 5. So they prefer to watch sports competitions. 6. Thousands of people go to stadiums to support their favourite teams and sportmen. 7.Most of the important competitions and games are shown on TV and they needn't buy tickets and go to the stadium, especially in cold and rainy weather. 8. They can enjoy sports sitting in a comfortable arm-chair in front ot the "box". 9. But , certainly, watching sports events and going in for sports are two different things. 10. IN MY OPINION, people should go in for sports. 11. It helps us in different ways. 12. First of all it it helps us to keep fit, to be healthy and strong. 13.It makes us more organized and better disciplined. 13. And it's a good way to meet people and to make new friends. 14. Sports is an essential part of our life. 15. To be healthy, it's not necessary to become a professional sportsman. 16. Very many people go in for skiing, skating, swimming, play different sport games. 17. As for me I enjoy sports games. 18. I have been a football and basketball fan since my childhood. 19. After classes my friends and I often go to the sports ground and we can play for hours.19. But I also enjoy watching sports competitions or a really interesting football match on TV 20. What is better: to watch or to participate? 21. To my mind it should be a combination of these both components . 22. Sports helps people to keep in a good health, and health is above wealth. 23.To have a healthy mind, you must have a healthy body.

Television is much spoken about nowadays

It has both good and bad points. What are your arguments FOR and AGAINST watching TV? 1.Television plays a very important part in people's lives. 2.It's a wonderful source of information and one of the best ways to spend free time. 3.TV channels show a lot of different programmers': documentaries and news programmers, feature films and comedies, soap and police series, concerts and talk shows. 4.Television has a lot of advantadges. 5.It gives us the opportunity to travel all over the world, to see different people and to learn about their customs and traditions. 6.Television keeps us information about the rest of the world. 7.TV is the cheapest form of entertainment, which gives pleasure to millions of people, especially to old peopole who live alone. 8.But many people say that television has a lot of disadvantages and that watching TV is a terrible waste of time. 9.There are really a lot of bad programmes on TV and of course, there are TV addicts who just sit down in front of the "box" and watch TV for hours without choosing programmes. 10.In this case , watching television is for such people really waste of time. 11. Television really makes some people lasier. 12.They stay at home, they read less, think less, even talk less. 13.TV cuts them off from reality and real life is better than this passive enjoyment. 14.The other disadvantadge is that there is too much violence on TV and many people think that watching such programmes can turn people into criminals. 15.But if we watch TV for an hour a day to know what is happening in the world or to relax, or to watch some interesting programme, then television is really useful. 16. Many of programmes shown on TV, can help us a lot. 17.A good soap-opera, or a comedy or even an advertisement may be a source of relaxation and even some new knoledge for many people. 18.So I think that television has a lot of advantadges (good points, good effects). 19.I think, that TV itself doesn't have bad effects , but people should learn how to use it properly. 20.The ideal thing is to turn on the TV only when there is a really interesting programme, and to turn it off, if the programme is stupid or boring and uninteresting. 21.As for me, I like watching different quizzes. 22.My favourite TV-programme is "Who wants to be a millionaire?". 23.It is a game-show where a player is asked different questions. 24.If the answers are correct, the participant gets a lot of money. 25.But if he is wrong, he losses everything. The questions are always very interesting and they help me to learn many new useful things.

THE BEST PLACE I HAVE EVER VISITED

I would never have imagined that jAPAN would produce such an unforgetable impression on me, but it did made me fall in love with that country and its people at once. I visited Japan in 1997. And still remember my living there. First of all, I was deeply touched by the traditions of the Japanese. It was easy for me to learn to use chopsticks, but I gradually used to their food. I had no problems with fried meals as "yakitory" which is the same with our chicken shashlik, but I detested fresh seafood and all dishes with it - sushi, rolls etc. I like their soups - "udon" and "ramen" with thick and thin noodles. I always liked rice. I was delighted by Japanese nature, but shocked about numerous earthquakes that occure there almost every month. I was really frightened by the vibration sitting at home. I have got aquainted with many friends - Sughiki, Katoyama who were my schoolmates, and Tomo who invited me the youth joint football-team where I succesfully played for one year as a forward player. At first I had some problems with understanding because nobody can speak Russian at all and very few Japanese people can actually speak English.I had a teacher who tought me Japanese. After a year of study I could understand and express myself easily as a real native speaker. The house where I lived was decorated in traditional European style with one Tatami room, which was equipped with Panasonic company. I have visited very many cities besides Nara where I stayed - Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka. I was perpetuated by the huge statue of Buddha which is 20 m high. Anyway it was the best time of my abdolence and I always recalled two years spent there with gratitude.

Traditional Russian holidays and celebrations

1.Every country has its own national holidays and festivals. 2.First of all, I would tell my foreign friends about the most popular and favourite holiday in Russia -New Year's Day. 3.Russian people have some traditions of celebrating this holiday. 4.They begin to prepare for the hoiliday beforhand. 5.They decorate a New Year tree and put presents under it. 6.At 10 o'clock they see the Old Year off and when the Kremlin clock strikes 12, they see the New Year in. 7.In our country New Year'Day is a family festival. 8.All the family and relatives gather at holiday table and say to one another: "Best wishes for the New Year! The New Year's Day is always connected with our new hopes and dreams. 9.Everybody hopes that the new year will be better than the last one and enjoys this holiday very much! 10.The greatest national holiday in Russia is Victory Day which is celebrated on the 9-th of May. 11.On this Day in 1945 the Soviet Army completely defeated the German Fascists and the Great Patriotic War ended. We lost 30 million people during this war. 12.Many veterans meet on this day and they participate in the military parade on Red Square. 13.The other popular holidays in Russia when people all over the country don't work, are: Christmas, Day of the Defender of Motherland, Women's Day. 14.As for traditional holidays in Britain, I think, the most popular is Cristmas Day, which is celebrated on December, 25. 15.English people pay mych more attention to Christmas than to New Year. 16.Most cities are decorated with coloured lights and beartiful Christmas trees. 17.The biggest Christmas tree stands on Trafalgar Squre in London. 18.On Christmas Day the family usually meets for a traditional dinner of turkey and Christmas pudding and everyone gives and reseives presents. 19.I think, my British friends would also tell me about such traditional festivals as Saint Valentine's Day, Hallowe'en, April Fool's Day.Guy Fawkes Day. 20.Some of these festivals have become popular in Russia too, for example, St. Valentine's Day and Hallowe'en.

Traveling to Russia

What would you show your foreign friends in your home town? 1.Millions of people all over the world are fond of travelling. 2. It's always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people. 3.While travelling we can see and learn a lot of things that we can never see and learn staying at home and watching TV or reading books. 4. People say: It's better to see once, than to hear 100 times. 5.The best way to understand people is to meet them in their own homes, the best way to learn different countries is to travel. 6.Russia has always attracted foreign touristrs because it has a very interesting culture and history, and there are very many places of interest.7.There is a lot to see in a Russia, but first of all foreign tourists want to visit the capital of our country. 8. If my foreign friends came to Moscow, first of all I would show them the main historical place - Red Square. 9. It is the heart of Moscow. 10. All important ceremonies and parades are held there. 11.On Red Square there are many interesting buildings, but the most beautiful is St.Basil's Cathedral, built in the 16-th century.12. I think it will be interesting for my friends to visit Lenin Mausoleum or GUM - the largest department store in Russia and certainly, they should see our Kremlin. 13. The Kremlin with its beautiful cathedrals attaches to Red Square. 14.The word "Kremlin" means "a fortress". The Kremlin with its towers was built in the 15-th century. 15. The most famous tower of the Kremlin is the Spasskaya tower with the Kremlin clock(chimes).It is a symbol of Russia 16. On the territory of the Kremlin my friends can see the Tsar- Cannon and Tsar- Bell- the biggest canon and bell in the world.17. If my foreign friends are fond of art, I will recommend them to visit the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and The Tretiakov Gallery, which are famous all over the world.18. If the weather is fine we 'll go to the All-Russia Exhibition Center or to the parks of Sokolniki, Izmailovo or Kolomenskoe . 19. In the evening the best way to spend time is to visit the Bolshoi Theater, which is well-known all over the world, or the circus .20. Of course, there are a lot of cities and towns in Russia which are all worth visiting, for example, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Novgorod, Suzdal. 21. But I think, Moscow is the most beautiful city and everybody will be happy to visit it and to enjoy it's wonderful sights.

WHICH OF THE SENCES WOULD YOU BETTER COPE WITHOUT

"WHICH OF THE SENCES WOULD YOU BETTER COPE WITHOUT. SPECIALLY DEVELOPED SENCE" Above all I should say that a human being has got 5 sences - sence of ear, sence of eye, sence of taste, touch, smell. Apart from that I must admit, that there is one more sence, the so-called "sixth sence": namely - intuition. We don't pay much attention to them and do not appreciate them properly since we take them for granted: How do you find that smell? Do you hear that noise? Taste this!Is it bitter, sweet,sour or salty? Look at me! Touch this, isn't it soft? Do you feel something strange? Our sense organs (nose, eyes, ears, tongue, and skin) are collecting information and sending it to the brain for processing automatically. If we didn't have them, we would not be able to smell, see, hear, taste, or touch anything! Many scientists say we actually have 3 more senses apart from 6 mentioned above - the sence of pain, blanace and hunger. It seemed to me that the sence of smell is the least important of all. At least, I can easily cope without it. On one hand there are many pleasant odours like perfume, for example. But I can easily do without pleasant fragrances. On the other hand I won't be able to detect spoiled food without taste of smell,consequently, in this case it's a rather important item. No doubt,the most important sence of all is the sence of eye, because 80% of information perception is coming to my brain through visual channel. Living is very hard for blind people.It's a little bit easier for deaf people. As compared to the sence of touch (with numerous receptors situated on our skin) the sence of smell has a certain number - 347 - functional odour receptors in the nasal cavity. To all appearence, the absence of the sence of smell is not so dangerous for life, when you are crossing the street, for example, as the absence of eye and ear. Personally I have a very developed sence of hearing. Perhaps because I'm very curious.I can hear people's whisper from a distant room.Besides, I am fond of music, so I have a developed ear for music also.Moreover, I have a very developed eye. I can see in the darkness almost like a cat. In fact, it's a great privilege to possess and enjoy all the range of human sences!

About Our Company

About Our Company. MWV is a global leader in packaging and packaging solutions for the cosmetics, healthcare, food and tobaco, home and garden. We work with the world's most admired brands to design and manufacture solutions that meet their needs globally, no matter how challenging the requirements are. MWV has sales, manufacturing and converting facilities on six continents and customers in over 100 countries around the world.   The solutions that we offer. MWV offers a solution for every packaging challenge. MWV Calmar designs and manufactures dispensers and sprayers for the cosmetics, fragrance, home and garden, auto, personal care and pharmaceutical industries. MWV Calmar provides global service, quality, innovation and partnership our customers expect. Multi-Packs & Packaging Machinery MWV offers innovative and cost-effective packaging machinery that fills, folds and glues functional and eye-catching paperboard cartons around any multi-pack product. Paperboard - We offer a wide array of substrates and packaging materials that deliver exceptional performance, quality and reliability, and help products perform more sustainably. Coated Covers MWV coated covers offer outstanding color reproduction and trouble-free performance day after day, job after job. Our bleached coated covers offer versatility across a variety of printing needs. Specialty Paper MWV Specialty Papers are found in the most demanding applications, from automotive transmissions to flooring, building and industrial products to laboratories. We deliver high performance solutions to meet our customers’ needs. Specialty Chemicals MWV Specialty Chemicals brings a tradition of excellence to today's dynamic world of specialty chemicals products and technologies. Consumer & Office Products MWV Consumer & Office Products is the leading manufacturer and marketer of the most trusted brands in school supplies, office products, planning and organizing tools. Packaging Materials. Successful packaging solutions must not only meet performance requirements, but must also achieve the brand’s communication needs at retail. That’s why MWV offers a wide range of products that offer distinct performance characteristics to meet the diverse needs of industries around the globe. We rely on more than a century of industry-leading expertise using a variety of substrates, such as paperboard, plastics, films, metals and multi-substrate and bio-based materials to manufacture premium packaging solutions. The materials meet a variety of specific customer requirements, including durability, scratch and tear resistance, tamper resistance, superior printability, engaging graphics and visual appeal. We even offer a variety of protective properties to retard flame or to lock in scent, taste and freshness. And our material scientists and engineers are always working to expand and develop new and innovative packaging substrates to meet the marketplace’s ever-changing needs. Innovation & Design. Well-designed packaging expresses a brand’s essence through shape, texture, graphics and usability—building a bond with the consumer at first touch. MWV’s approach to packaging design is focused on solving problems in innovative ways that create value for customers and brand owners alike. Through our Center for Packaging Innovation, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, we facilitate global partnerships that enable brand managers and supply chain experts to work side by side with our industry-leading designers and market researchers. In this incubator for creativity, we explore design possibilities through hands-on exposure to endless packaging geometries, materials and finishing options. Once ideas are developed, we conduct quantitative concept screens to yield statistically projectable data on how consumers react. We develop prototypes and observe consumers as they use the product, handle it, open and close it. Then, armed with data from the field, MWV’s graphic and structural designers are able to deliver innovative and thoughtful packaging solutions, designed specifically to meet our customers’—and their customers’—unique needs. 

American Food and Drinks

What is “American” food? The answer is that it is part Italian, part British, part German, part Mexican, part Chinese… When people from other countries came to live in the US, they brought different cooking traditions. Some of them opened restaurants. Today Americans enjoy food from all over the world. Over the years some foreign dishes changed a little. Doughnuts were originally from Holland. In 1847 a young American boy told his mother that her doughnuts were never cooked in the middle. He cut out the centre and his mother cooked them — and they were very tasty! Maybe the US is most famous for “fast foods”. The first fast food restaurants served hamburgers, but now they serve other kinds of food too. Inside there is often a “salad bar”, where you can help yourself to as much salad as you want. Americans eat a lot, and when they go to a restaurant, they don’t expect to be hungry afterwards. Most restaurants will put a lot of food on your plate — sometimes it can be too much. But if you can’t finish it all, don’t worry: they will give you a “doggy bag” and you can take it home. Most Americans now have a light breakfast instead of the traditional eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice and coffee. But on weekends there is more time, and a large late breakfast or early lunch is often eaten with family or friends.

About My Family

My family is not very big, just a typical family: Dad, Mom, me, my brother and sister and our cat. My Mummy is forty-one, she is a teacher of Spanish at the University. She is a born teacher. She has teaching abilities. My Dad is forty-two, he is a professional painter, he works for a design company. My parents both like their work very much. My elder sister Natasha is nineteen, she goes to the University, she wants to be a teacher of history. She is fond of reading books on history and fiction. My younger brother Igor is only six years old, he goes to the kindergarten. He is very funny, I like to spend my free time teaching him something. Igor likes to play with our cat. My grandparents are retired. They like gardening. They spend a lot of their time in the garden. They grow vegetables and fruits. We enjoy having fresh vegetables and green on our dinner table. I love my family very much. We always help each other. Everyone in my family is my best friend.

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was one of the most famous presidents of the USA. He was born in the family of a poor farmer in 1809 in Kentucky, but soon his family left for the wild forestland of Indiana. He was taught reading, writing and simple arithmetic, as his family could not afford better education. When he was 18, he went to New Orleans and there he saw a slave market. It made a deep impression on him and he began to hate slavery and he decided to fight against it. In 1830 he went to Springfield and became a clerk in a store. He learned much and greatly improved his knowledge. He entered politics and in 1832 became a candidate for the Parliament of the State. Soon he became a force in political life and in 1860 was elected President of the USA. He was an enemy of slavery. Some of the Southern States left the Union, and the war between the South and the North began. At first the war went badly for the North but Lincoln never lost his courage and soon they won. When the war was over, Lincoln issued a proclamation to say that slavery was abolished. Lincoln was well known all over America and everybody loved him. In 1864 he was elected President of the USA for the second time. But his enemies could not let him continue his work. He was shot in a theatre in Washington on April 14, 1865 and died the next day.

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie was sure the world's best-selling crime writer. Moreover, she was an immensely prolific writer. 79 shot stories, 4 non-fiction ones and 19 plays were written by that strange woman. They were translated into 136 languages. Over 3 billion books by Agatha Christie were sold worldwide. She is popular for ingenuity of plots, which are classical murder mysteries: marooned places and a well-mannered murderer. Her way to present the stories was quite different from that of her colleagues. In the first place, her stories appealed to the readers inside, so you can't find much blood and violence in her stories. Agatha Christie created two major characters for her stories. Hercule Poirot, a Belgian, used to work in the Police, but by the time of the action he already retired. He can be described as a funny little man taken by many readers as a comic personage. He had a luxurious moustache and he was really proud of it. Miss Marple was the complete opposite of Poirot. She wasn't a professional and had never been one. She was just an old spinster, very modest but perceptive and not a flamboyant personality, who acted as a detective just by virtue of taking thought. Agatha Christie's favourite way of murdering was poisoning. She accurately described the process because she had learned a lot about poisons and other chemicals during World War II, while working in a hospital. The reader has to solve the mystery and decide who the murderer is together with the author. Most of the crimes were committed in some closed surroundings with a limited number of people to suspect. Finally the identity of the murderer is revealed and the reader is hooked and starts looking for another book by Agatha Christie. Agatha Christie lived between 1890 and 1976. She started writing stories at a very early age, at first to entertain herself. However, she managed to become famous. Not many people know that she used to write under a pen-name of Mary Westmacott. Later, already as a world-known writer, she tried to avoid publicity and stayed out of the public eye.

American Symbols

The American flag is often called "The Stars and Stripes", it is also called "Old Glory". It represents the growth of the nation. It has 13 horizontal stripes,7 red and 6 white which stand for the original 13 states. In the top left hand corner there are 50 white stars on a blue background: one star for each state. The national anthem of the United States is "The Star Spangled Banner". The words written during the Anglo-American war and set to the music of an old song. Every state has its own flag, its own emblem and its own anthem too. The eagle became the national emblem of the country in 1782. It has an olive branch (a symbol of peace) and arrows (a symbol of strength). You can see the eagle on the back of a dollar bill. The Statue of Liberty is the symbol of American democracy. It stands on Liberty Island in New York. It is one of the first things people see when they arrive in New York by sea. This National Monument was a present from France to the USA. France gave the statue to America in 1884 as a symbol of friendship. Liberty carries the torch of freedom - in her right hand. In her left hand she is holding a tablet with the inscription "July 4, 1776" - American Independence Day.

English Traditions

If you arrive in Great Britain you'll hear the word “tradition” everywhere. Englishmen have sentimental love for things and traditions. They never throw away old things.

In many houses in Great Britain they have fire-places and though their bedrooms are awfully cold, the English people do not want to have central heating because they do not want to have changes.

Therefore the Yeomen-Warders are dressed in traditional medieval clothes and the traditional dress of the Horse Guards regiment has existed since the twelfth century.

In the House of Lords of the British Parliament there are two rows of benches for lords and a sack of wool for the Lord Chancellor to sit on it. This is so because in the old times wool made England rich and powerful. In the House of Commons you will see two rows of benches for the two parties: the government on one side and the opposition — on the other. In front of the benches there is the strip on a carpet and when a member speaking in the House puts his foot beyond that strip, there is a shout “Order!”. This dates from the time when the members had swords on them and during the discussion might want to start fighting. The word “order” reminded them that no fighting was allowed in the House.

Another old custom remains from the time when there was a lot of robbers in London. In those days the shouting “Who goes home?” was often heard in the Houses of Parliament and the members went in groups along the dark narrow streets of the old city. In modem London with its well-lit streets the shouting “Who goes home?” is still heard.

About Myself

From the very start I should say that it is not an easy thing to speak about myself as it is hard to have a look at yourself from aside, but at the same time who knows you better than you yourself do?

I am a girl of sixteen. When I look at myself in the mirror I see a blond girl with short straight hair, dark eyes and slander figure. As to my appearance I'm rather tall and slim. I have never thought I'm a beauty I whish I were more beautiful. I think that I'm even tempered, rather reserved, calm and modest. But sometimes I can lose my tempo and become either angry or sad. I like staying alone and sometimes I retire into my shell. But at the same time I like my friends, I like to laugh and joke. I have got a sense of humour. It means I understand humour and appreciate it.

There are many things in our life I like and some I dislike. I like when everything is OK. Being happy is one way of being wise. I like to study because knowledge is useful sometimes. I'm fond of reading as it gives not only knowledge, but wonderful moments of joy and pleasure. I am neither short nor tall, so I like to wear highheeled shoes, trousers or jeans.

I was born on the 25th of April 1985 in the town of Molodechno where I live now together with my parents and my younger sister (older brother). My early years which I remember badly, were typical of a child living in a town. I was born in a family of a teacher and a doctor. I was sent to a kindergarten at the age of three as both the parents were working. As all the children of Belarus I went to school at the age of six. Here I should say that it was my lucky chance to study for 11 years at the school of fine arts in the town of Molodechno . it turned out to be the best school in our town. There I got a proper training in such subjects as English, Russian and Belarusian literature and world culture. I usually did a lot of home preparation for them and I liked everything I was doing in them. I really tried hard in them. But despite my efforts I was not good at Math.

School for me was not only lessons and learning I had a lot of friends there. We organized extra class activities such as parties and other social activities. I actively participated in most of them.

I am sociable, so I have got a lot of friends among my schoolmates. As for me I appreciate people's hornesty, kindness, sense of justice and intelligence. I don't like when people are rude and aggressive.

I am stubborn at times. But to my mind being persistent is not always a bad thing. It means my aim, I never leave things half done. At times I feel dissatisfied with myself, especially when I fail to do something or can't do things the way they should be done. At the same time I think I am hard-working and diligent. My greatest problem at school was talking in front of the class. I always blushed and went red.

Very soon I'll pass my final exams at school and after a farewell party at the end of the June I'll say good-bye to my teachers who are very well-educated people with broad outlook and deep knowledge of the subjects. They encouraged me in my disire of choosing my future career. School meant a lot to me and it wasn't just learning and studying. I had made good friends there and met many interesting people. I faced a new life without school with a mixed feeling of sadness and joy.

I had asked myself a lot of times what I wanted to be when I left school. A few years ago it was difficult to give a definite answer. As the years passed I changed my mind several times. But it was only in my last year at school that I finally made up my mind what profession I would most like to have in future. I realized that my strongest desire was to continue specializing in humanities and learn foreign languages in particular. I hope my dream will come true. If I fail in my exams I'll try to enter the University again.

And now a few words about my inclinations. I haven't got any special hobby, like collecting something but I'm fond of reading books. They give me more knowledge of their people's lives and feelings and broaden my outlook. In my opinion, books are a source of emotional inspiration and romantic feeling . besides, books help me to continue my own education. The time spend on a good book is never wasted. Reading is a rewarding pasting.

And of course I like music! I'm fond of music of the 60-s, like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Prestly. The songs of the Beatles give me much delight and pleasure. Besides, I am a great theatre-goer. Whenever I have some time to spare, I go to the theatre. I'm not keen on television.

Sometimes I play different sport games for health and pleasure. I usually play such games as volley-ball, basketball, tennis, and sometimes football.

And the last thing I would like to tell you about things I hope to achieve in my life are: to have a very successful career, so this year after finishing school I try to enter the University, to build the home of my dreams and to find someone in my life to share all that with.

American Holidays

There are a number of holidays in the USA which are celebrated every year. Here are some of them.

The 1st of January is New Year's Day. People do not go to bed until after midnight on December 31. They like to see “the old year out and the new year in”. Many people give parties on New Year's Eve.

Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, is dedicated to those who fought in the War of Independence, in World War I or in World War II.

The 4th of July is Independence Day. It is the biggest national holiday in the USA. The Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, when the American colonies were fighting for independence against England.

On the 11th of November there is Veteran's Day. It is I dedicated to those who fell in the two World Wars.

Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday in November. In the autumn of 1621, the Pilgrim Fathers celebrated their first harvest festival in America and called it Thanksgiving Day. Since that time it has been celebrated every year.

Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December. People usually stay at home at Christmas time, and spend the day with their families.

American Sports and Games

Baseball is the most popular game in the US. It is played throughout the spring and summer by schools, colleges and professional teams.

Football is the most popular game in the autumn. There are professional football teams in all the main cities of the United States. In American football there are eleven players in each team, as in original football, but the rules are different. Players are often hurt in American football. So the teams wear special clothing and helmets as in hockey.

Basketball is a very popular game in the United States too. It is especially popular in high schools, both among boys and girls.

The game of golf is very popular with businessmen and professional people. It is played by both men and women. There are now more golfers than tennis players.

Swimming, water siding and skin diving are popular summer sports. In winter many people go in for ice-skating, skiing and hockey if they live in the Northern and Central states.

Other sports include wrestling, boxing and horse-racing.

Customs and traditions of English speaking countries

Every country and every nation has it's own traditions and customs. It's very important to know traditions and customs of different people. It will help you to know more about the history and life of different nations and countries.One cannot speak about England without speaking about it's traditions and customs .They are very important in the life of English people.Englishman are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up. There are six public holidays a year in G.B.. Cristmas day is one of their favorite holidays.It's celebrated on the 25-th of december. There are some traditions connected with it.One of them is to give presents to each other.It is not only children and members of family.It's a tradition to give cristmas presents to the people you work with.Another tradition is to send cristmas cards.All these cards are brightly and coloured.Most of big cities of G.B.,especially London, are decorated with coloured lights and cristmas trees. On Trafalgar Square, in the center of London stands a big cristmas tree.It is a gift from the people of Oslo.It is over 50 feet high. Many families celebrate cristmas day in the open air near the cristmas tree in order to catch the spirit of cristmas.Children find cristmas presents in their stockings.The traditional english dinner on cristmas is turkey and pudding.Other great holidays are:FatherТs day,MotherТs day,Helloween and other.

Climate and Nature of Great Britain

CLIMATE

The climate in Great Britain is generally mild and temperate due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. The south-western winds carry the warmth and moisture into Britain. The climate in Britain is usually described as cool, temperate and humid.

British people say: "Other countries have a climate, in England we have weather."

The weather in Britain changes very quickly. One day may be fine and the next day may be wet. The morning may be warm and the evening may be cool. Therefore it is natural for the people to use the comparison "as changeable as the weather" of a person who often changes his mood or opinion about something. The weather is the favourite topic of conversation in Britain. When two Englishmen are introduced to each other, if they can't think of any thing else to talk about, they talk about weather. When two people meet in the street they will often say something about weather as they pass, just to show their friendliness.

Every daily paper publishes a weather forecast. Both the radio and television give the weather forecast several times each day.

The English also say that they have three variants of weather: when it rains in the morning, when it rains in the afternoon or when in rains all day long. Sometimes it rains so heavily that they say "It's raining cats and dogs".

Rainfall is more or less even throughout the year. In the mountains there is heavier rainfall then in the plains of the south and east. The driest period is from March to June and the wettest months are from October to January. The average range of temperature (from winter to summer) is from 15 to 23 degrees above zero. During a normal summer the temperature sometimes rises above 30 degrees in the south. Winter temperatures below 10 degrees are rare. It seldom snows heavily in winter, the frost is rare. January and February are usually the coldest months, July and August the warmest. Still the wind may bring winter cold in spring or summer days. Sometimes it brings the whirlwinds or hurricanes. Droughts are rare.

So, we may say that the British climate has three main features: it is mild, humid and changeable. That means that it is never too hot or too cold. Winters are extremely mild. Snow may come but it melts quickly. In winter the cold is humid cold, not the dry one.

This humid and mild climate is good for plants. The trees and flowers begin to blossom early in spring.

In the British homes there has been no central heating up till recently. The fireplaces are often used. but the coal is not used as it's very expensive. Britain has no good coal now and imports it itself. Many schools and universities have no central heating either, and the floors there are made of stone. The British bedroom is especially cold, sometimes electric blankets or hotwater bottles are used.

VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE

Britain was originally a land of vast forests. mainly oak and beech in the Lowlands and pine and birch In the Highlands, with great stretches of marshland and smaller areas of moors. In the course of time, much forest land was cleared and almost all Lowlands outside the industrial areas were put under cultivation. Today only about 6 per cent of the total land area remains wooded.

Extensive forests remain in eastern and northern Scotland and in south-eastern and western England. Oak, elm, ash, and beech are the commonest trees in England, while Scotland has much pine and birch. The Highlands with thin soil are largely moorland with heather and grasses. In the cultivated areas that make up most of Britain there are many wild flowers, flowering plants and grasses.

The fauna or animal life of Britain is much like that of north-western Europe, to which it was once joined. Many larger mammals such as bear, wolf have been hunted to extinction, others are now protected by law. There are many foxes. Otters are common along rivers and streams, and seals live along much of the coast. Hedgehogs, hares, rabbits, rats and mice are numerous. Deer live in some of the forests in the Highlands of Scotland and England.

Some 230 kinds of birds live in Britain, and another 200 are regular visitors, many are songbirds. The most numerous are blackbirds, sparrow and starling. Robin Redbreast is the national bird of Britain. The number of ducks, geese and other water fowl has diminished during recent years.

There are many threats to wildlife and ecological balance around the coast. The biggest threat to the coastline is pollution. Even much-loved.

Blackpool is not officially asafe. More than 3.500 million tons of industrial waste is pumped into the North Sea every year. "We cannot continue to use our seas as a dustbin and expect our coastline to survive," says Greenpeace. Many other ecological problems may be caused by privatization of the coast. Many of the rivers are "biologically dead", i.e. unable to support fish and wildlife.

Drinking: Alcoholism

Getting the Facts

For many people, the facts about alcoholism are not clear. What is alcoholism, exactly? How does it differ from alcohol abuse? When should a person seek help for a problem related to his or her drinking? This information will explain alcoholism and alcohol abuse, symptoms of each, when and where to seek help, treatment choices, and additional helpful resources.

A Widespread Problem

For most people, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social activities. Moderate alcohol use--up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people (A standard drink is one bottle of beer or wine, one glass of wine) - is not harmful for most adults. Nonetheless, a substantial number of people have serious trouble with their drinking. Currently, nearly 30 million Russians - abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. In addition, approximately 53 percent of men and women in Russian Federation report that one or more of their close relatives have a drinking problem. The consequences of alcohol misuse are serious--in many cases, life-threatening. Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially those of the liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx (voice box). It can also cause liver cirrhosis, immune system problems, brain damage, and harm to the fetus during pregnancy. In addition, drinking increases the risk of death from automobile crashes, recreational accidents, and on-the-job accidents and also increases the likelihood of homicide and suicide.

What Is Alcoholism?

Alcoholism, which is also known as "alcohol dependence syndrome," is a disease that is characterized by the following elements:

· Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
· Loss of control: The frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun.
· Physical dependence: The occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking. These symptoms are usually relieved by drinking alcohol or by taking another sedative drug.
· Tolerance: The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to get "high."

Alcoholism has little to do with what kind of alcohol one drinks, how long one has been drinking, or even exactly how much alcohol one consumes. But it has a great deal to do with a person's uncontrollable need for alcohol. This description of alcoholism helps us understand why most alcoholics can't just "use a little willpower" to stop drinking. He or she is frequently in the grip of a powerful craving for alcohol, a need that can feel as strong as the need for food or water. While some people are able to recover without help, the majority of alcoholic individuals need outside assistance to recover from their disease. With support and treatment, many individuals are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives.

Many people wonder: Why can some individuals use alcohol without problems, while others are utterly unable to control their drinking? Yet it is important to recognize that aspects of a person's environment, such as peer influences and the availability of alcohol, also are significant influences. Both inherited and environmental influences are called "risk factors." But risk is not destiny. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically develop alcoholism.

What Is Alcohol Abuse?

Alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism in that it does not include an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control, or physical dependence. In addition, alcohol abuse is less likely than alcoholism to include tolerance (the need for increasing amounts of alcohol to get "high"). Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that is accompanied by one or more of the following situations within a 12-month period:

· Failure to fulfill major work, school, or home responsibilities;
· Drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, such as while driving a car or operating machinery;
· Recurring alcohol-related legal problems, such as being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or for physically hurting someone while drunk;
· Continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened by the effects of alcohol.

While alcohol abuse is basically different from alcoholism, it is important to note that many effects of alcohol abuse are also experienced by alcoholics.

What Are the Signs of a Problem?

How can you tell whether you, or someone close to you, may have a drinking problem? Answering the following four questions can help you find out. (To help remember these questions, note that the first letter of a key word in each of the four questions spells "CAGE.")

· Have you ever felt you should Cut down on your drinking?
· Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
· Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking?
· Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover (Eye opener)?

One "yes" response suggests a possible alcohol problem. If you responded "yes" to more than one question, it is highly likely that a problem exists. In either case, it is important that you see your doctor or other health care provider right away to discuss your responses to these questions. He or she can help you determine whether you have a drinking problem and, if so, recommend the best course of action for you.

Even if you answered "no" to all of the above questions, if you are encountering drinking-related problems with your job, relationships, health, or with the law, you should still seek professional help. The effects of alcohol abuse can be extremely serious--even fatal--both to you and to others.

The Decision To Get Help

Acknowledging that help is needed for an alcohol problem may not be easy. But keep in mind that the sooner a person gets help, the better are his or her chances for a successful recovery. Any reluctance you may feel about discussing your drinking with your health care professional may stem from common misconceptions about alcoholism and alcoholic people. In our society, the myth prevails that an alcohol problem is somehow a sign of moral weakness. As a result, you may feel that to seek help is to admit some type of shameful defect in yourself. In fact, however, alcoholism is a disease that is no more a sign of weakness than is asthma or diabetes. Moreover, taking steps to identify a possible drinking problem has an enormous payoff--a chance for a healthier, more rewarding life.

When you visit your health care provider, he or she will ask you a number of questions about your alcohol use to determine whether you are experiencing problems related to your drinking. Try to answer these questions as fully and honestly as you can. You also will be given a physical examination. If your health care professional concludes that you may be dependent on alcohol, he or she may recommend that you see a specalist in diagnosing and treating alcoholism. You should be involved in making referral decisions and have all treatment choices explained to you.

Getting Well

Alcoholism Treatment

The nature of treatment depends on the severity of an individual's alcoholism and the resources that are available in his or her community. Treatment may include detoxification (the process of safely getting alcohol out of one's system); taking doctor-prescribed medications, such as disulfiram or naltrexone, to help prevent a return to drinking once drinking has stopped; and individual and/or group counseling. There are promising types of counseling that teach recovering alcoholics to identify situations and feelings that trigger the urge to drink and to find new ways to cope that do not include alcohol use. Any of these treatments may be provided in a hospital or residential treatment setting or on an outpatient basis.

Because the involvement of family members is important to the recovery process, many programs also offer brief marital counseling and family therapy as part of the treatment process. Some programs also link up individuals with vital community resources, such as legal assistance, job training, child care, and parenting classes.

Alcoholics Anonymous

Virtually all alcoholism treatment programs also include meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), which describes itself as a "worldwide fellowship of men and women who help each other to stay sober." While AA is generally recognized as an effective mutual help program for recovering alcoholics, not everyone responds to AA's style and message, and other recovery approaches are available. Even those who are helped by AA usually find that AA works best in combination with other elements of treatment, including counseling and medical care.

Can Alcoholism Be Cured?

While alcoholism is a treatable disease, a cure is not yet available. That means that even if an alcoholic has been sober for a long while and has regained health, he or she remains susceptible to relapse and must continue to avoid all alcoholic beverages. "Cutting down" on drinking doesn't work; cutting out alcohol is necessary for a successful recovery.

However, even individuals who are determined to stay sober may suffer one or several "slips," or relapses, before achieving long-term sobriety. Relapses are very common and do not mean that a person has failed or cannot eventually recover from alcoholism. Keep in mind, too, that every day that a recovering alcoholic has stayed sober prior to a relapse is extremely valuable time, both to the individual and to his or her family. If a relapse occurs, it is very important to try to stop drinking once again and to get whatever additional support is needed to abstain from drinking.

Help for Alcohol Abuse

If your health care provider determines that you are not alcohol dependent but are nonetheless involved in a pattern of alcohol abuse, he or she can help you:

· Examine the benefits of stopping an unhealthy drinking pattern.
· Set a drinking goal for yourself. Some people choose to abstain from alcohol, while others prefer to limit the amount they drink.
· Examine the situations that trigger your unhealthy drinking patterns, and develop new ways of handling those situations so that you can maintain your drinking goal.

Some individuals who have stopped drinking after experiencing alcohol-related problems choose to attend AA meetings for information and support, even though they have not been diagnosed as alcoholic.

New Directions

· Genetic research: Scientists are now studying 3,000 individuals from several hundred families with a history of alcoholism in order to pinpoint the location of genes that influence vulnerability to alcoholism. This new knowledge will help identify individuals at high risk for alcoholism and also will pave the way for the development of new treatments for alcohol-related problems. Other research is investigating the ways in which genetic and environmental factors combine to cause alcoholism.
· New medications: Studies have led to the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the medication naltrexone for the treatment of alcoholism. When used in combination with counseling, this prescription drug lessens the craving for alcohol in many people and helps prevent a return to heavy drinking. Naltrexone is the first medication approved in 45 years to help alcoholics stay sober after they detoxify from alcohol.

Together, these investigations will help to prevent alcohol problems; identify alcohol abuse and alcoholism at earlier stages; and make available new, more effective treatment approaches for individuals and families.

Alcohol Availability.

The availability and accessibility of alcohol may influence employee drinking. More than two-thirds of the 984 workers surveyed at a large manufacturing plant said it was "easy" or "very easy" to bring alcohol into the workplace, to drink at work stations, and to drink during breaks. Twenty-four percent reported any drinking at work at least once during the year before the survey. In a survey of 6,540 employees at 16 worksites representing a range of industries, 23 percent of upper-level managers reported any drinking during working hours in the previous month. Restricting workers' access to alcohol may reduce their drinking.

Supervision.

Limited work supervision, often a problem on evening shifts, has been associated with employee alcohol problems. In one study of 832 workers at a large manufacturing plant, workers on evening shifts, during which supervision was reduced, were more likely than those on other shifts to report drinking at work.

Alcohol Policies.

There is wide variation in the existence of alcohol policies, in employees' awareness of them, and in their enforcement in workplaces across the country. Researchers found that most managers and supervisors in one large manufacturing plant had little knowledge of the company's alcohol policy. In addition, supervisors were under constant pressure to keep production moving and were motivated to discipline employees for drinking only if the drinking was compromising production or jeopardizing safety. Workers' knowledge that policies were rarely enforced seemed to encourage drinking.

Effects of Employee Drinking

Alcohol-related job performance problems are caused not only by on-the-job drinking but also by heavy drinking outside of work. Ames and colleagues found a positive relationship between the frequency of being "hungover" at work and the frequency of feeling sick at work, sleeping on the job, and having problems with job tasks or co-workers. The hangover effect was demonstrated among pilots whose performance was tested in flight simulators. Yesavage and Leirer (20) found evidence of impairment 14 hours after pilots reached blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of between 0.10 percent and 0.12 percent. Morrow and colleagues found that pilots were still significantly impaired 8 hours after reaching a BAC of 0.10 percent. Drinking at work, problem drinking, and frequency of getting "drunk" in the past 30 days were positively associated with frequency of absenteeism, arriving late to work or leaving early, doing poor work, doing less work, and arguing with co-workers.

Preventing Alcohol Problems in the Workplace

Health promotion programs offered in the workplace may reduce employees' alcohol-related problems. An employee health promotion program delivered in three 2-hour sessions at one manufacturing plant was designed to increase participants' awareness of the health risks related to stress and drinking. More than one-half of the 294 workers attended the sessions. Researchers based their results on data from 120 employees who completed prestudy and poststudy evaluations. After 6 months, 76 percent of the heaviest drinkers reportedly reduced their alcohol consumption. Moderate drinkers also reduced their consumption, and participants reported changes in their attitudes toward drinking and drinking and driving, knowledge about problem drinking, and recognition of signs of a drinking problem.

A 15-session worksite coping-skills intervention designed to reduce work- and family-related risk, to enhance protective factors, and to reduce negative health outcomes was conducted among 136 female secretaries. Six months later, participants reported less work-related stress, higher social support, and less alcohol use compared with a control group. Twenty-two months later, participants reported greater use of coping strategies and less drinking.