С Новым годом!

Happy new year

Открытка предоставлена Mail.Ru

7 страшных грехов

7 Deadly Sins

Are you a miserable sinner? If you're not, you must be pretty exceptional -- a saint maybe, or perhaps an angel in disguise. The rest of us go about our daily lives committing sins left, right and centre. But be careful, because seven of them are deadly, and lead to eternal damnation in Hell.

Here they are, the famous Seven Deadly Sins:

Pride (гордость)
A too great belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with one's recognition of the grace of God. It is sometimes called the sin that causes all other sins. Pride is also known as Vanity.
Envy (зависть)
Discontent and a desire for another person's possessions, qualities or luck.
Gluttony (обжорство)
An excessive and habitual desire to eat more than one needs.
Lust (похоть)
An excessive sexual desire.
Anger (злость)
A strong feeling of displeasure or hostility, a kind of fury. Anger is also known as Wrath.
Covetousness (жадность)
A strong desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring spiritual things. Covetousness is also known as Greed.
Sloth (лень)
A reluctance to do physical or spiritual work, a very great laziness.
From http://www.englishclub.com

Забавная Рождественская песня

I wanna be a Christmas tree
And have twinkly lights all over me
Hold a star on top of my head
Stay up all night and never go to bed
I wanna be a Christmas tree,eat candy canes that hang from me
If I get thirsty, it will be so neat
To see me drink water from my feet
That's why I wanna be a Christmas tree, that's why I wanna be a Christmas tree
I wanna be a Christmas tree I could sing and dance on MTV
Arms for branches and have green hair
And pine cones in my underwear
I wanna be a Christmas tree
I'd be the best tree in history
Tinsel on my nose I'd look so fine
My underarms would smell like pine
That's why I wanna be a Christmas tree, that's why I wanna be a Christmas tree
Everyone would love me
My friends would say I'm cool
I'd be a tree that grows no balls
And ride my bike to school
That's why I wanna be a Christmas tree
I wanna be a Christmas tree
Mom and Dad would put presents under me
Since I'd be a tree, I'd never make a peep
I'd open up my presents when they go to sleep
That's why I wanna be a Christmas tree, that's why I wanna be,
that's why I wanna be, that's why I wanna be a Christmas tree!

I'd like to be a Christmas Tree with lots of coloured lights on me
I'd shine my star so bright above to tell the world of Jesus love.

Замечательный Стинг!

Sting is a singer, a songwriter and an actor. His born name is Gordon Matthew Sumner. He recived his nickname from his striped sweater in which he looked loke a bee during his early days as a musician. Sting was born on October 2, 1951, in Wallsend, England in the family of a milkman. He appeared first in a rock group "The Police" in the 1970s. "The Police" had a sound that was hard to pin down, filled with many influences from jazz to progressive rock. In 1980 the group won their first Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Also during this time, Sting tackled his first leading role in the 1982 film Brimstone and Treacle. Before his music career he was a ditch digger, a schoolteacher who taught English and a soccer coach. He recieve an honourary Doctorate of Music degree in 1992. He plays guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, piano, harmonica, saxophone and pan-flute. In addition to his musical caree, Sting has been active in human rihts and other social issues. Such as the Rainforest Foundation to help save the rainforests. He and his wife Trudie Styler have been married since 1992. The couple has six children, two of them from his first marriagewith an actress Frances Tomelty.

7 чудес света

7 Wonders of the Ancient World

A "wonder" is something beautiful or exceptional that gives us a feeling of surprise or admiration.The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were amazing buildings and structures in ancient times. Here is the generally accepted list:
The Great Pyramid of Giza (modern Egypt)
Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) at Giza, outside modern Cairo, is often called the first wonder of the world. This pyramid was built around the year 2560 BC and is the only Ancient Wonder to survive today.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (modern Iraq)
These beautiful gardens were probably built by King Nebuchadnezzar around the year 600 BC to please his queen, Amuhia. Their terraces perhaps rose as high as 300 feet.
The Statue of Zeus (Jupiter) at Olympia (modern Greece)
This was a colossal 40 ft high figure in gold and ivory. It was built by Phidias in the 5th century BC.

Против фашизма

9th November

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

After the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, Jews were subjected to increasingly discriminatory treatment accompanied by organised violence. On November 9th 1938, the Nazis stated a pogrom against the Jews. Synagogues were set on fire. Jewish shops had their windows smashed across the country, which gave rise to the name "Kristallnact", which freely translated the Night of Broken Glass. Many Jews physically attacked too. The "Kristallnacht" pogrom is usually seen as the symbolic beginning of the Holocaust. On 9 November each year a European-wide campaign is organised to commemorate the past and to protest against contemporary forms of fascism and anti-Semitism. From: http://www.unitedagainstracism.org/
Know that racism, fascism and anti-Semitism have resulted in the deaths of millions of people. Understand that intolerance is not something that is only in our past, but is also part of our present. Be aware that racism and fascism have many faces, and not all are so easy to recognise. Remember that brave men and women have resisted against fascism.

Праздник России

Открытка предоставлена Mail.Ru

Страшно!!!?

Halloween

Мой праздник

Teachers' Day is intended to be special days for the appreciation of teachers. This holiday is celebrated across the world on October 5. The importance of teachers has been recognized by UNESCO. World Teachers' Day is celebrated annually to honour the teachers for their special contribution in a particular area or the community in general. The idea of celebrating Teachers' Day took ground independantly in many countries during the 20th century. (from Wikipedia)

Прощание с летом

Though we've gotta say good bye for the summer
Darling, I promise you this
I'll send you all my love every day in a letter
Sealed with a kiss

Пропажа дней календаря

The Gregorian calendar is the one most used nowadays. It is named after Pope Gregory XII who introduced it in 1582. There is a leap year every four years. This means that the year corresponds closely with the astromonical year (365.24219 days) so that it is just one day out every 3,300 years. Up until 1753, the calendar used in Britain was the Julian Calendar. It was 365.25 days long, which was fractionally too long and the calendar over time fell out of line with seasons and thus was less accurate than the Gregorian Calendar. In 1752 Britain decided to abandon the Julian calendar in favour of the Gregorian. By doing so, 3 September instantly became 14 September. Many people believed their lives would be shortened. They protested in the streets, demanding "Give us back our 11 days!"

From http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/calendars/index.htm

Задорной песней лето отзвенело,
И золотая осень началась.
Скорей, друзья, у вас немало дел,
Вас ждет залитый солнцем школьный класс.
Вы побывали в лагере, в походах,
Окрепли, повзрослели, развились -
Позвольте вас поздравить с новым годом,
С учебным годом - новым шагом в жизнь!
Пусть каждый школьный день пройдет недаром,
Вам надо много, очень много знать,
Чтоб стать такими, как герой Гагарин,
Чтоб глубь Земли и Космос покорять!


Открытка предоставлена Mail.Ru

С новым учебным годом!

Разговорные фразы

7 Informal Contradictions

There are some "informal contradictions" or short forms that people use when speaking informally. They are not exactly slang, but they are a little like it. You can find them not in every dictionary. Here are the 7 most common informal contradictions, with example sentences:
1. GIMME = give me
Can you gimme a hand?
Don't gimme that rubbish.
2. GONNA = going to
Nothing's gonna change my love for you.
I'm not gonna tell you.
What are you gonna do? 

Идиомы

Стихи о лете

Summer

by John Clare

Come we to the summer, to the summer we will come,
For the woods are full of bluebells and the hedges full of bloom,
And the crow is on the oak a-building of her nest,
And love is burning diamonds in my true lover’s breast;
She sits beneath the whitethorn a-plaiting of her hair,
And I will to my true lover with a fond request repair;
I will look upon her face, I will in her beauty rest,
And lay my aching weariness upon her lovely breast.

The clock-a-clay is creeping on the open bloom of May,
The merry bee is trampling the pinky threads all day,
And the chaffinch it is brooding on its grey mossy nest
In the whitethorn bush where I will lean upon my lover’s breast;
I’ll lean upon her breast and I’ll whisper in her ear
That I cannot get a wink o’sleep for thinking of my dear;
I hunger at my meat and I daily fade away
Like the hedge rose that is broken in the heat of the day.

Sweet Summer

by Wayne Jarus

The boats adrift in the harbour
As thoughts in a calm mind
A liquid sun beaming today and forever
We hoard happiness a smile at a time

As thoughts in a calm mind
Finding respite in cool shade
A liquid sun beaming today and forever
Butterflies flutter in a golden haze

Finding respite in cool shade
In this pastel world of light and shadows
Butterflies flutter in a golden haze
And crickets sing in motionless meadows

Oh sweet summer stay and sleep
A liquid sun beaming today and forever
Lingering dreams and afternoons of heat
The boats adrift in the harbour.

Hot Summer Nights

by Mary Hamrick

It haunts me so
those summer nights
in dim lit homes
 where music flows
and tempers flare
and lullabies fill the air.
 I while away the hours
under the electric swell of light,
(pulse-scorched out).
 Bone-idle and coral pink,
this dry spell grills,
but Southern nights do fill me.
 Spider-blue legs peddle tales
as gossips-a-brewing
and roaming by my streets.
 Scuttling through like marsh rabbit,
neighbors wave their charmed hellos.
Feverish and swollen together,
 they inhale the blossoms,
riding high, and move through summer
as the lake declines.
 It haunts me so
those summer nights
in dim lit homes
 where music flows
and tempers flare
and lullabies fill the air.

Лето - прекрасная пора!

Summer Quotations

"Of all the wonders of nature, a tree in summer is perhaps the most remarkable; with the possible exception of a moose singing "Embraceable You" in spats." Woody Allen

"Tears are the summer showers to the soul." Alfred Austin

"Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams."  Hosea Ballou

"Being a child at home alone in the summer is a high-risk occupation. If you call your mother at work thirteen times an hour, she can hurt you." Erma Bombeck

""Summer is a promissory note signed in June, its long days spent and gone before you know it, and due to be repaid next January."  Hal Borland

"When one subtracts from life infancy (which is vegetation), sleep, eating and swilling, buttoning and unbuttoning - how much remains of downright existence? The summer of a dormouse." Lord Byron

"For summer there, bear in mind, is a loitering gossip, that only begins to talk of leaving when September rises to go." George Washington Cable

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." Albert Camus

"People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy." Anton Chekhov

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art22031.asp

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.  ~James Dent
If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance.  ~Bern Williams
What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.  ~Gertrude Jekyll
 The summer night is like a perfection of thought.  ~Wallace Stevens
 In summer, the song sings itself.  ~William Carlos Williams
Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.  ~Sam Keen
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.  ~John Lubbock
Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~Henry James
No price is set on the lavish summer;
June may be had by the poorest comer.
~James Russell Lowell, The Vision of Sir Launfal, 1848

More Season Quotes:  The Spirit of Gardening

Английские пословицы

MORE PROVERBS AND THEIR MEANINGS

1. "Soon learnt, soon forgotten."
Something that is easy to learn is easy to forget.
2. "Even a worm will turn."
Everybody will revolt if driven too far.
* worm (noun) = small thin animal with soft body and no legs
* turn (verb) = revolt, fight back
3. "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
Many women have won a man's love by cooking good meals.
* way (noun) = path; route
4. "The best advice is found on the pillow."
We may find the answer to a problem after sleeping.
* advice (noun) = recommendation as to what to do
* pillow (noun) = cushion to rest your head on sleeping
Find many more proverbs and detailed explanations, at:

http://www.esldepot.com/page.php?xPage=free-esl-proverbs.html

Традиционные скачки в Лондоне

Royal Ascot London is a prime event in the British sporting calendar. Not just a horse racing event, Royal Ascot in London is also a stage for celebrity networking and fashion statements. Some of the most popular sights at Royal Ascot London are the extravagant ladies' hats which always cause a stir. Queen Elizabeth II and her Royal Party usually attend every day of Royal Ascot in London. Perfect for picnics, visitors are allowed to bring discreet hampers and wine for refreshments. Informal picnics are also permitted in the car parks at Ascot London. All visitors to the Grandstand must dress in smart fashion. Most ladies wear special hats for the occasion and the gentlemen wear shirts and ties. Sports attire, shorts or jeans are strictly forbidden in Royal Ascot in London. If you think you are worthy to rub shoulders with the Royal Family, upper classes and glitterati, do come to the delightful occasion of Royal Ascot in London.):

Сюзанна Вега

Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music. Two of Vega's songs in 1987 reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner". "Tom's Diner" takes place in Tom's Restaurant at 112th Street and Broadway in New York City. Suzanne Vega was born on July 11, 1959 in Santa Monica, California. Her mother, Pat Vega, is a computer systems analyst of German-Swedish heritage. Her father, Richard Peck, is the Scottish-English-Irish. They divorced soon after her birth. Her stepfather, Ed Vega, was a writer and teacher from Puerto Rico. When Suzanne was two and a half, the family moved to New York City. At the age of nine she began to write poetry; she wrote her first song at the age fourteen. Later she attended New York's prestigious High School of Performing Arts. There she studied modern dance and graduated in 1977. She studied English literature at Barnard College, and performed in small venues in Greenwich Village. Vega's self-titled debut album was released in 1985 and was well-received by critics in the U.S. It reached platinum status in the United Kingdom. 

С праздником!

Приставки и их значения

7 PREFIXES AND THEIR MEANINGS

A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. Here are 7 common prefixes in English, together with their basic meaning and some examples.
1. counter-
meaning: opposition, opposite direction
example: counter-attack, counteract
2. extra-
meaning: outside, beyond
example: extracurricular, extramarital
3. hemi-
meaning: half
example: hemisphere
4. inter-
meaning: between, among
example: interact, interchange
5. non-
meaning: absence, negation
example: non-smoker, non-alcoholic
6. post-
meaning: after in time or order
example: postpone
7. re-
meaning: again
example: repaint, reappraise, reawake

С праздником, дети!

7 самых известных английских пословиц

A "proverb" is a short, traditional saying in general use.

It usually expresses some obvious truth or familiar
experience. There are proverbs in all languages. Here are
7 proverbs that are well known in English.
1. "You can't tell a book by its cover."
We need to read a book to know if it's good or bad. We
cannot know what it's like just by looking at the front or
back cover. This proverb is applied to everything, not only
books.
2. "Where there's a will there's a way."
If we have the determination (the will) to do something, we
can always find the path or method to do it.
3. “Don't cross your bridges before you come to them."
Don't worry about problems before they arrive.
4. “It was the last straw that broke the camel's back."
There is a limit to everything. We can load the camel with
lots of straw, but finally it will be too much and the
camel's back will break. And it is only a single straw that
breaks its back - the last straw. This can be applied to
many things in life. People often say "That's the last
straw!" when they will not accept any more of something.
 5. "Bad news travels fast."

"Bad news" means news about "bad" things like accidents,
death, illness etc. People tend to tell this type of news
quickly. But "good news" (passing an exam, winning some
money, getting a job etc) travels more slowly.
6. "You can't take it with you when you die."
When we die we leave everything on earth. We don't take
anything with us. Even the richest people cannot take their
money with them after death. This proverb reminds us that
some material things are not really so valuable as we think.
7. "Still waters run deep."
Some rivers have rough surfaces with waves. That's usually
because the water is shallow and there are rocks near the
surface. But deep rivers have no rocks near the surface and
the water is smooth and still. This proverb means that
people who are calm and quiet on the outside, often have
a strong, "deep" personality inside.

You'll find more proverbs and explanations at:
http://www.englishclub.com/reading/proverbs.htm

День Детства

The Day of Childhood is traditionally celebrated before the holiday of "The Last Bell" at our school. The pupils of the 11th forms put on clothes little children usually wear, bring toys to school, play funny games and take pictures during the breaks. They look touching. Everybody understands that they are not children any more. It's, may be, the last chance for them to behave so childish! 

AudioPal Widget

Очень интересная ссылка для учителей английского языка. Можно записать любой текст для аудирования и использовать на уроке.
И еще, прекрасные советы учителю на YouTube:

Подготовка к экзаменам

Экзамен - наиболее сложная стрессовая ситуация, предъявляющая особые требования к человеку, к его личностным качествам, к его психической устойчивости. А умение не теряться в сложных ситуациях, даже если они повторяются, само собой не приходит. Конечно, главным условием успешной сдачи экзамена была и остаётся хорошая предметная подготовка. Но кроме этого важным критерием успеха на экзамене является эмоциональная устойчивость, умение не впадать в панику, несмотря ни на что.
Итак, как подготовиться психологически?
Для того чтобы в кризисной ситуации не терять головы, 
* Необходимо начинать готовиться к экзаменам заранее, по частям, сохраняя спокойствие.
* Постараться сначала запомнить то, что даётся легко, а потом переходить к изучению трудного материала.
* В перерывах между занятиями слушать расслабляющую музыку, танцевать, делать спортивные упражнения, общаться с интересными людьми, помогать тем, кто особенно нуждается в вашей любви, заботе, ласке.
Режим дня:
* Раздели день на три части: учебный труд - 8 часов, отдых - 8 часов, сон -не менее 8 часов.
* Организуй своё рабочее место так, чтобы никто и ничто не отвлекало тебя во время работы.
Питание:
* Трёх-четырёхразовое, калорийное, богатое витаминами.

С Днем Победы!

C 9 мая!

Помним, скорбим.

Последний бой

Михаил Иванович Ножкин родился 19 января 1937 года в Москве в семье Ивана Петровича и Клавдии Гавриловны Ножкиных. Учился в школе № 479 в Москве, после чего окончил строительный техникум Моссовета. В 1961 году окончил Театральную студию эстрадных искусств Московского государственного театра эстрады. В том же году был принят в труппу Московского театра эстрады. В кино начал сниматься с 1968 года. Великолепно сыграл в таких фильмах как «Ошибка резидента», «Освобождение», «Хождение по мукам», «Юность Петра» и мн. др. С 1973 года член Союза Кинематографистов СССР. В 1980 стал Народным артистом РСФСР. Автор текстов песен к нескольким кинофильмам. Песни на его слова, такие как «Последний бой», «Последняя электричка», «Я люблю тебя, Россия», получили широкую популярность. Михаил Ножкин активно занимается общественной жизнью. Награжден орденом «Знак Почета», Орденом Андрея Первозванного и многими литературными премиями.

Клавдия Шульженко

Синий платочек

Обожаю Клавдию Шульженко!!! Не могу слушать без слез. Так просто, так искренне и так трогательно! Чудо, как хороша! Голос прекрасный, а актриса какая!

Klavdiya Ivanovna Shulzhenko was born on 24 March 1906, in Kharkov in the family of an accountant. Shulzhenko started singing folk songs in the late 1920s. In 1923 she became an actress of Kharkov Drama theatre. In 1926 she first sang for the public at Mariinsky theatre in Leningrad. In 1929 she started her career in Moscow Music Hall. She rose to fame in the late 1930s. Her first vinyl appeared in 1936.

Британский и Американский английский

British English/American English Vocabulary

Here are some of the main differences in vocabulary between British and American English. Bear in mind that there can be differences in the choice of specific terms depending on dialect and region within both the USA and the UK.

British English American English
anti-clockwise counter-clockwise

articulated lorry trailer truck
autumn, fall
barrister attorney
bill (restaurant), bill, check
biscuit cookie
block of flats apartment building
bonnet (clothing) hat
bonnet (car) hood
boot trunk

С праздником, читатели блога!

Открытка предоставлена www.sovetika.ru

Королевство отмечает свадьбу

Watch Duke William of Cambridge and Duchess Kate of Cambridge share the customary royal kiss from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, twice. Watch video and learn more about the royal family: http://abcn.ws/royalweddingindex  The couple, both 28, got engaged while on holiday in Kenya in October. The wedding took place in Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey has hosted the weddings of the Queen and Queen Mother. The prince's private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, said the couple chose the Abbey for its "staggering beauty", 1,000-year royal history and its feeling of intimacy despite its size.  William and Kate married on 29 April. This day was chosen because it fell after Easter and Lent and before a busy political programme in May and June.  Prince William proposed to Kate with his mother Diana's diamond and sapphire engagement ring. Asked why he had done so, he said: "It is very special to me and Kate is very special to me now as well. It is only right the two are put together." http://youtu.be/gUF4VpQKaZE

Watching the wedding the world had a great chance to feel happiness together with the British and at the same time to admire exciting traditions and certainly hats of the invited women.
Photos: Hats off to Royal Wedding http://www.keprtv.com/news/royalwedding/120968344.html
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/04/29/3589301/hats-tk.html

Олимпиада "Bright Crane"

26 апреля в нашей школе прошел очный тур районной олимпиады по английскому языку «Bright Crane». В нем участвовали победители заочного тура: Серикова Анна, Ли Ольга, Коршикова Алёна, Хаустов Виктор, Васильцова Ксения.  

Поздравляем победителей олимпиады:

1 место – Хаустов Виктор
2 место - Серикова Анна
3 место - Коршикова Алёна

Особую благодарность оргкомитет выражает руководителю учащихся Ржахова Н.В. за возможность приехать в наш город для участия в олимпиаде.

С праздником!

Королеве Елизавете II - 85 лет

Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 85th birthday but she’s the one handing out gifts. Queen’s birthday coincides with Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday in 2011. On that day she traditionally gave coins, but special ones, to as many men and as many women as her years. Without any doubt HRH Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most popular British monarchs and now is the oldest monarch ever to rule, having served as a queen for 59 years from June 1953.  The public adore her.  The Queen plays an important role as the head of state and as an ambassador for the United Kingdom and colonies.  But the Queen is ore than that, she is the genuine article.  A good wife, mother and a stupendous grandmother to boot.

Всероссийские конкурсы

At the end of the term at school I’d like to congratulate my pupils to their good results in different contests. Maria Tokareva, Elena Popova and Mikhail Skrylev took part in the second round of the educational project “International basic sciences knowledge contest”. A. Churkina, A. Orlova, M. Skrylev, M.Tokareva, A. Koroleva, E. Dyugay, E. Rezvanova, A. Potselov, Y. Borisenkova, A. Bondarenko, Y. Hudonogova participated in the international contest “British Bulldog”.

Весна - время любви!

Spring is the time of love. Everybody expects better changes in life: new friends, sweethearts. These are how we can call each other:
• guy - разг. парень
• bloke - разг. малый, парень
• geezer - разг. тип
• chick - разг. (пренебр.) цыпочка
• bimbo - разг. (пренебр.) чувиха
• She is good looking/ - Она симпатичная (сексуальная).
• She's a real babe. - Она настоящая красотка.
• fun-loving - любитель повеселиться
• easy-going - беззаботный; тот, с кем легко иметь дело
• broad-minded - с широким кругозором, терпимый к различным взглядам
• likeminded people - люди, придерживающиеся одинаковых взглядов, имеющие общие интересы
Sometimes we:
• go on a blind date - идти на свидание с незнакомым человеком
• ask someone out - пригласить кого-нибудь на свидание
They can have:
• GSOH - good sense of humour - хорошее чувство юмора
• LTR - long term relationship - длительные отношения
When we fall in love we say:
• I'm mad/crazy/bonkers about him. - Я схожу по нему с ума.
• He's the love of my life. - Он - любовь всей моей жизни.
• I'm head over heels in love. - Я влюблен по уши.
• He is the One. - Он - тот самый, единственный, неповторимый.
• I think the world of him. - Я о нем высокого мнения.
• We're going to take the plunge. - Мы собираемся пойти на решительный шаг.
Sometimes everything goes wrong:
• Things just aren't working out between us. - Мы перестали ладить друг с другом (наши отношения дали трещину).
• We're bickering all the time. - Мы все время ссоримся по пустякам.
• I'm sure he's having an affair! - Я уверен, он с кем-то встречается

Знаете, каким он парнем был?

I want everybody to remember this very brave and handsome man, Yury Gagarin, and to be proud of his heroic flight. Thanks to him we have an opportunity now to watch our beautiful and so fragile planet from space.

Флаг Соединенного Королевства

12^th April 1606 Union Flag became the official flag of the United Kingdom. It is called  the Union Jack and symbolizes the administrative union of the countries of the United Kingdom. It is made up of the Flags of three of the Kingdom's countries all united under one Sovereign - the countries of 'England, of 'Scotland' and of 'Northern Ireland' (since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom). As Wales was not a Kingdom but a Principality it could not be included on the flag. The Union Flag is commonly known as the Union Jack, although the exact origin of the name is unclear. One explanation is that it gets its name from the "jack staff" of naval vessels from which the original Union Flag was flown. The Union Flag should be flown with the broader diagonal band of white uppermost in the hoist (near the pole) and the narrower band of white uppermost in the fly (furthest from the pole).

Всемирный день здоровья

World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). In 1948, WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate the World Health Day to mark WHO's founding, and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health. The WHO organizes international, regional and local events on the Day related to a particular theme. World Health Day is acknowledged by various governments and non-governmental organizations with interests in public health issues. 7 April 2011 - Drug resistance is becoming more widespread and many infections are no longer easily cured, leading to prolonged and expensive treatment and greater risk of death. For World Health Day WHO calls for urgent and concerted action to slow down the spread of drug resistance, limit its impact today and preserve medical advances for future generations. Antimicrobial resistance is not a new problem but one that is becoming more dangerous; urgent and consolidated efforts are needed to avoid regressing to the pre-antibiotic era.  For World Health Day 2011, WHO is introducing a six-point policy package to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Олимпиада "Bright Crane"

Our school together with local authorities of education organized an Olympiad "Bright Crane". The aim of it is to get pupils of secondary schools of our region interested in studying English, learn more about Yakutia and improve IT skills. The winners of the first stage of the Olympiad are:

Ann Serikova - 39 p

Olga Smolyaninova - 41 p

Olga Li - 42 p

Kseniya Vasiltsova - 42 p

 Elina Irmekeeva - 43 p
Alexandra Glushko - 43 p

Alyona Korshikova - 44 p

Victor Haustov - 45 p

Congratulations to the winners! We are waiting for your commentaries and essays.

День смеха

On the first day of April all people laugh and make jokes. About the origin of this holiday I have a post in this blog. You can easily find it in the topic "Holidays". One more joke about this day.

King Philip the Gracious and His Jester

King Philip the Gracious, in the year 1466, made a bet with his court jester: the jester would earn a bag full of gold if he managed to fool the King on 1 April. Otherwise he would lose his head. Philip, clever as he was, met with his jester the day before 1 April and got him drunk. When the jester came back to his senses, he found himself sentenced to death, already on the scaffold, with the executioner's sword already raised. What the jester didn't know was that the whole thing was an April Fool's trick played on him, the sword wasn't a sharp one and there was a hog's bladder attached to his neck, filled with blood. The sword was swung, blood poured all over the place. However, the jester didn't move an inch. King Philip, surprised and distraught, and convinced that his ruse had horribly back-fired and that Jester was actually maimed, went to over to recover the jester's remains, whereupon the jester suddenly lifted up his head and requested his bag of gold!

Учителя тоже учатся!

Так интересно каникулы я еще не проводила! Мне посчастливилось пройти курсовую переподготовку у двух прекрасных преподавателей: Красноярского и Якутского институтов усовершенствования учителей. Климентова Н. Т. обучала группу из 25 учителей Мирнинского района методическим приемам работы с младшими школьниками и давно забытым, но не потерявшим актуальность, видам работы, позволяющим сделать преподавание английского языка коммуникотивно направленным и  интересным. Семенова В.Д. показала прекрасную обучающюу программу. Мои коллеги и я имели возможность говорить по-английски и слушать свободную граммотную речь преподователей. Всегда важно узнавать что-то новое, полезное, что хочется тут же использовать в своей работе.

Час Земли - присоединяйтесь!!!

Earth Hour is the biggest environmental awareness campaign ever seen! Earth Hour takes place once every year, the last Saturday of March. This year it will be on Saturday 26th from 8.30 to 9.30 PM local time. Its aim is to raise environmental awareness and get us do small things in our daily lives that together can have huge impacts: in other words, to go beyond the hour. It involves turning off your lights for 1 hour. Earth's hour. Earth Hour 2011 will go beyond the hour and beyond climate change, marking a moment where every individual, government and business can make their commitment to environmentally sustainable action for the forthcoming year. Homes, offices, government buildings will go dark to acknowledge the actions of people from all corners of the globe that go beyond the hour.

 Сделай первый шаг - выключи свет 26 марта, в 20.30!

Час Земли - это символическая акция, общественный призыв к решительным мерам по сохранению климата. По оценкам ученых,

Элизабет Тэйлор

Elizabeth Taylor is considered one of the last major stars, to have come out of the old Hollywood studio system.  Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born in London on February 27, 1932. Although she was born an English subject, her parents were Americans, art dealers from St. Louis, Missouri (her father had gone to London to set up a gallery). Her mother had been an actress on the stage, but gave up that vocation when she married. Elizabeth lived in London until the age of seven, when the family left for the US when the clouds of war began brewing in Europe in 1939. They relocated to Los Angeles. A family friend noticed the strikingly beautiful little Elizabeth and suggested that she be taken for a screen test. Her test impressed executives at Universal Pictures enough to sign her to a contract. Her first film released in 1942 when she was ten. Throughout the rest of the 1940s and into the early 1950s Elizabeth appeared in film after film with mostly good results. She grew from a doll-faced child starlet to become one of the silver screen's most striking beauties, not to mention a compelling actress and one of the world's most famous movie stars. She has been a natural magnet for publicity throughout her life and is one of the most photographed women in history.  She even holds the record for the most appearances on the cover of Life Magazine.  Taylor has received five Best Actresses nominations and two Oscar statuettes over the course of her amazing six-decade career. In 1963 she starred in Cleopatra , which was one of the most expensive productions up to that time--as was her salary, a whopping $1,000,000. Her personal life has been a tempest of love affairs, unsuccessful marriages and multiple medical problems. Upon the death of her friend, she began her crusade on the behalf of AIDS sufferers. In the 1990s, she has also developed a successful series of scents. Elizabeth Taylor is known internationally for her beauty, especially for those violet eyes, with which she captured audiences early on in her youth and has kept the world hooked on ever since.