didn’t last long, and they divorced in 1926. Agatha desperately wanted

solitude and developed very bitter feelings towards the media because the

newspapers had given her a hard time over her breakdown. She was determined

never to let them enter her private life again and she buried herself in

her work. On November 25, 1952 her play “The Mousetrap” opened in London.

Today, over 50 years later, it is still running. It is the longest running

show in the whole world. Agatha Christie died peacefully in 1976. People

all over the world value this talented writer and consider her to be the

Queen of Crime.

I don’t mind reading adventure stories. I especially like to read about

characters who go through dangers to complete their mission. I think it’s

more interesting than reading dull historical novels. But I dislike poetry,

especially modern poetry. I find it too complicated. Sometimes I fail to

understand what poets mean.

I am sure that reading is an essential part of our life. Only in books can

you find answers to all your questions. Books can tell us a lot about the

modern world and ancient times. Besides, they can help us to explore new

ideas and expand our outlook. I completely agree that “reading is to the

mind what exercise is to the body.” What is more, books teach us to be kind

and honest. While reading we learn how to solve our problems and to make

people happy. And I think that reading is a perfect way to spend free time

and not to feel bored. Books must be our friends during all our life.

12. Television is much spoken about nowadays. It has both good and bad

points. What are your arguments for and against watching TV?

It goes without saying that television plays a very important part in

people’s lives. It’s a wonderful source of information and one of the best

ways to spend free time and not to feel bored. Television viewing is by far

the most popular leisure pastime. For example, in Britain over 99 per cent

of British homes have a TV, and the average person watches “the box” 26

hours a week. It’s not surprising, because TV channels show a great variety

of programmes: documentaries and current affairs programmes, feature films

and comedies, soaps and police series, concerts and talk shows.

There are four TV channels in Britain: BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV and Channel 4. BBC

1 and BBC 2, the two state channels, do not show adverts. ITV and Channel

4, the two independent channels, do show adverts. BBC 1 and ITV tend to

broadcast popular programmes: sports programmes, recent films, news, game

shows, children’s programmes and soaps. BBC 2 and Channel 4 show programmes

which usually attract much smaller audiences: TV plays, classical concerts,

foreign films and programmes for minority groups.

Russian television has between 10 and 15 channels, which show all kinds of

programmes: news and sports programmes, talk shows and quizzes,

documentaries and feature films, soaps and police series, comedies and

concerts.

Thanks to satellites, TV viewers can increase their options and watch TV

from different countries. Conventional television has to struggle to retain

its audience, as people switch over to cable viewing, satellite TV, or

renting video cassettes.

Television is a reflection of the modern world. It gives you an opportunity

to travel all over the world, to see different people and learn about their

customs and traditions. Television keeps you informed about the rest of the

world. And of course, it helps you to escape from everyday problems.

A lot of people usually relax watching soaps – TV serials which dramatise

their characters’ daily life. Their story lines are entertaining, but often

unbelievable. I don’t think that they show life realistically; but to many

people, the characters in the weekly TV serial shows have become more

important than real people.

As for me, I prefer watching different quizz shows. That’s why my favourite

TV programme is “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” It is shown twice a week,

and lasts about an hour. The programme is now hosted by Maxim Galkin. It is

a game show where the player is asked different questions. If the answers

are correct, the participant gets a lot of money. But if he is wrong, he

loses everything. I particularly enjoy watching this programme, because the

questions are always very interesting and they help me to expand my

outlook. Besides, it’s a perfect way to be in the know about everything. I

find this programme clever and informative and try not to miss it.

Of course, not everything shown on TV is made in good taste. There are

badly-written programmes which contain unnecessary bad language and

violence. The strange thing is that neither politicians nor producers like

to admit that watching violence on TV leads to greater violence on the

streets.

Many people admit that the quality of television could be better. They

would prefer to see fewer soap operas and crime series, and more history,

drama, and science. One reason for the poor quality of programmes is

advertising. Not all people like watching commercials. They find ads silly

and boring. As for me, I don’t take advertising seriously. On the one hand,

advertisements help people choose the best products and get the best value

for their money. But on the other hand, they show life unrealistically and

give false information. Besides, in adverts all people seem to be happy

consumers, all kids seem to be healthy and well off. But this is not true

at all. What is more, I find it very annoying when a film stops at the most

interesting moment. Nevertheless, I am not against commercials on TV,

because television companies earn their money from advertising.

Another thing I would like to complain about is the amount of smoking in

the films that are shown on TV. Smoking is often shown as a very “cool”

thing to do – making young people much more likely to copy what they see,

and take up smoking themselves.

Some people say that television is a terrible waste of time. Of course,

there are TV addicts who can’t drag themselves away from the box. They

watch TV for hours without choosing programmes, and spend time in front of

television which they could spend talking to their friends and family. In

this case, television makes them really waste time. But on the contrary, if

we watch TV for an hour a day, to find out what is happening in the world

or to relax, then television is really useful.

In short, television does have its good points. Many of the broadcast

programmes are educational and can help with schoolwork. A good soap-opera

or a comedy is a source of relaxation for many people. Television also

provides jobs for thousands of people. So I think it is not the TV itself

which is to blame for the bad effects it has, but the fact that people do

not know how to make the best use of it.

13. What are the most popular free time activities for British and Russian

teenagers? What activities do you like? Why?

Britain has recent by been described as a “leisure society.” This is

because there are a great variety of leisure pursuits. Young people

generally go out on Friday or Saturday nights to a disco, to a concert or

to a pub. In recent years going out for a meal or getting a take-away meal

have become popular too. During the past years there is a great increase in

keeping fit and staying healthy. A lot of teens started running, jogging

and going to different fitness clubs in their spare time. Aerobics classes

and fitness clubs opened in every town, and the number of recreation

centres greatly increased. Indoor pools, with their wave-making machines,

water slides and tropical vegetation, have became very popular.

And the same is true in Russia. A lot of teens go in for different kinds of

sport. Sport helps them to feel as fit as a fiddle. In both countries there

are special programmes for problem teenagers, such as a high-risk

activities, for example they are taught to jump out of aeroplanes. But

despite the increase in the number of teens participating in sport, the

majority of young people still prefer to be spectators. They prefer to be

couch potatoes. Watching sports on TV is a popular leisure activity, as is

going to football matches on Saturday. Cinemas have been redesigned with

four or more screens, each showing a different film at the same time, and a

lot of teens like going to the cinemas too.

The young generation is fond of communication. There are many available

methods of communication nowadays, and the most popular one is computers. A

lot of teenagers spend plenty of time working on computers. The Internet

seems really good fun. You may send e-mails to friends from different

countries and get their answers instantly. You even may talk to them. It is

easy and quick. A lot of teenagers have mobile telephones, so they can

always be contacted, if they keep their telephone switched on, at any time

of the day or night, or tend text messages.

A lot of teenagers in both countries are crazy about animals. They race

them, train them and breed them. They like to hear stories about them on

television programmes and they like reading books about them. Many teens

have a pet animal. It could be a dog, a cat, a goldfish, a bird or a small

furry animal like a hamster. Looking after and being kind to their pets is

very important for teens. Why are teens so interested in animals? Perhaps

it’s because they are rather shy in their heart of hearts. One of my

friends says: “I can say anything I like to my dog, but she never thinks

I’m silly.”

There are plenty of other kinds of activities, such as travelling, visiting

historical places, babysitting, delivering newspapers, putting together

jigsaw puzzles, reading, going to different museums, skateboarding, going

fishing, hitchhiking, shopping, helping people in need, joining a computer

club and others. We can say “So many teens; so many kinds of activities.”

Now some words about me. I am fifteen and I am a computer addict. I am fond

of communication with other teens. That’s why I have a lot of friends in my

and other countries. We send messages from one computer to another one

using e-mail; we have on-line conversations. I am a member of the computing

club and I spend much time there. Of course, it’s rather expensive, but my

parents understand me and give me enough money to pay for my computer club.

And I think that my hobby will be useful in my future profession. Besides,

I spend my free time in the sport club. I go in for kung fu. Recently films

about kung fu have become very popular in Russia. This fighting itself is a

great art, the result of many years of hard work and self-discipline. The

man who made kung fu films famous was Bruce Lee. He used fists, elbows,

feet (never weapons) and moved as fast as lightning. I am rather good at

kung fu now, but I never use my skills to hurt anybody, unless it is

absolutely necessary. Now people know what Kung Fu is, and I think it may

become a sport of the future, because it develops up your personality, will

and nobility.

14. Young people are fond of different styles of music. What kinds are

popular now? What kind of music do you like? Why?

Can you think of a day without music? We can hear music everywhere: in the

streets and at home, over the radio and on TV, in the shops and in the

parks. People all over the world are fond of music. They listen to music,

they dance to music, they learn to play musical instruments.

But what is music? Specialists explain that music isn’t only a combination

of pleasant sounds. It is an art which reflects life. There are a lot of

different kinds of music. Some of them appeared long ago, and some are

modern. For example, folk music appeared long ago, but it is still alive.

There are many local performers, choirs and folk groups in Russia; but

perhaps the most famous singer is Nadezhda Babkina. Folk songs are very

tuneful and pleasant to listen to. Classical music is often associated with

the music of the past. However, this style also includes music being

written now, and we may speak of modern classical music. Rap is a modern

musical style where the singer speaks or shouts the words in time to music

with a steady beat. Such groups as Public Enemy or House of Pain are

leaders in this style.

Great Britain has produced more popular music stars than any other country.

Over the last 30 years rock and pop music have been very popular in

Britain. The Beatles, with their style of singing, eloquent and exciting,

is still one of the most popular groups. British groups often set new

trends in music. New styles, groups and singers continue to appear. Some of

the more recent pop groups are Dire Straits, Eurhythmics and Spice Girls.

Many of the new bands have been able to use the changes in technology to

develop their music. Computerised drum machines, synthesisers and other

electronic instruments are now just as popular as the piano and electric

guitars.

Tastes differ. So people’s musical interests range from pop and rock music,

which are extremely popular nowadays, especially among young people, to

classical music and opera.

My favourite style of music is pop music, because it is breathtaking and

full of energy. When I listen to pop music it makes me remember happy times

and forget the problems of everyday life. It helps me to relax when I’m

tired, and entertains me when I’d like to have fun. My favourite group is

Abba. It was formed in 1973 in Sweden. Abba’s cheerful tunes made them

international pop stars and one of the most successful groups of the

seventies. Their most famous songs (“Waterloo”, “Money, Money, Money”,

“Knowing Me, Knowing You”, etc.) often topped European charts. Though the

group doesn’t exist any more, it is still popular with people of all ages.

I can’t but admire their style of singing. I find it fascinating and

overwhelming. When I have free time I listen to their records. I also like

having background music while I am working.

I don’t mind listening to dance music, especially when I go to disco clubs.

This style of music is catchy and firey and I like catchy tunes. It makes

me more energetic.

It’s a pity that many young people like to listen only to modern music. As

for me, I also enjoy listening to classical music. I find it tuneful and

appealing. Classical music is always a complex of emotions. It gives me

delight, pleasure and a sense of happiness. Some pieces of classical music

are really wonderful. Not long ago I listened to the First Piano Concerto,

composed by Tchaikovsky. The power of his music captivated me. The

impression was overwhelming.

The music I hate is heavy metal. I find it noisy and dreadful. When I

listen to this style of music it presents to my mind pictures of dark days.

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