The Following are a collection of ten interpretation exercises from English into Russian. The topics are intended to be very random.
Most popular American Sport (177 words)
As far as most people in America are concerned, some of the biggest most popular sports are basketball, baseball, and soccer. Baseball, actually, is considered the national pastime. Children often play variations of Baseball. For example, Softball is a game with a slightly larger ball. There is also kickball which is when a large ball is rolled and then kicked. All three: Baseball, Softball, and kickball are all variations of the same game, where players from each team take turns hitting or kicking the ball and then try to run the bases. I always assumed that the most popular sport of all is Football. There are football teams in schools, then universities, and then even a professional league. In fact, the reports of all the games are always in the newspapers and on the news. It must be one of the most popular sports, however there is a different sport that is the most attended sport. That is track and field. Track and field events are all the events dealing with running and jumping and disc throwing.
Cooking with Vegetables- tips (183 words)
Those who love cooking know the value of cooking with fresh vegetables. Here are some tips to help you use more fresh vegetables with no stress. First of all, be prepared to spend more time doing prep work, like washing, chopping and soaking. Remember that since knives will be your most important tool to keep them sharpened. If youre going to cut fresh chilies, make sure to wear a latex glove like a doctor so the chemicals wont burn your skin. Its better not prepare food when your feet are bare, incase you were to drop a knife. You should read the recipe first and have everything ready before you actually start. This way there will be no surprises in the middle of cooking. Especially when baking something, be precise with all the measurements. After you master a recipe then its safe to alter the recipe slightly. If you follow only one piece of advice, heres the one that separates a happy cook from a cranky one: Clean as you go! Dont leave one giant chaotic mess to deal with at the end.
(Adapted from: Vegetarian Times. March 1999. 9 Tips to Get You Started.)
Napoleon Dynamite (183 words)
A recent American film, Napoleon Dynamite, was an unexpected hit. The movie is about a lonely unpopular high school student named Napoleon Dynamite. In fact, he is considered a high school outcast in every sense of the word. He is ignored by everyone in his small home town of Preston, Idaho. At home, things arent much better for Napoleon. He has a nerdy older brother, Kip, and a vain Uncle Rico, but they are too busy with their own obsessions to give Napoleon the time of day. Things begin to change for Napoleon when a new student, Pedro, begins to attend the high school. Due to their friendship, Napoleon performs an act of bravery that makes him a true hero. The film has an odd sense of humor that makes it funny and irresistible. Since no one, including the creators and actors of this film thought it would be a huge success, they had a small budget and the actors were paid very little. Because of that the actors of the movie didnt become rich at all, only famous for a short while.
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(Adapted from: DVD jacket of film Napoleon Dynamite. Fox Searchlight pictures, 2004.)
Yoga (167 words)
Yoga is a practice that has become quite popular today. Of course many people practice it only as a form of physical exercise. However, it finds its roots in Ancient Indian Philosophy. According to the Indian philosophy of yoga, Human beings are made up of three components: body mind and soul. Corresponding to these are three needs that must be satisfied in order to have a contented life. The physical need is health. The psychological need is knowledge. And the spiritual need is inner peace. When all three things come together there is harmony. Yoga is believed to help people in these three areas. Firstly, it improves health and helps relieve people from pain and illness. Secondly, it sharpens the intellect. Also it calms the mind and helps people to concentrate. Practicing yoga regularly gives one the energy to lead life fully and with enjoyment. Its also not as difficult as many believe. All it takes is a little time everyday to see the benefits of yoga.
(adapted from: Silva, Mira and Shyam Mehta. Yoga the Iyengar Way. New York, 2001.)
Aromatherapy (181 words)
Using some simple aromatherapy techniques you can effectively and naturally help your body and mind in a number of ways. Probably the easiest way to use aromatherapy in everyday life is by using different oils in a special kind of lamp. The lamp has a place for a small candle at the bottom. The candle then heats the small bowl above it. In this bowl should be water and a few drops from whichever oils are necessary at a given time. The scent of the oils are diffused into the air, so a person can smell them and breath them in. Since you only want to breath in particles that are not harmful, only 100% natural oils should be used. Collections of aromatherapy oils should definitely include Lavender and Melissa; both of these are good to relieve stress and Melissa is also recommended when one suffers from headaches. Lemongrass oil is great to help you wake up and get more energy. Orange and Mint oils are both good when you need to concentrate. Mint especially can really help people learn better.
Paulo Coelho (180 words)
Paulo Coelho has become on of the most prominent authors of our time. He was born in Brazil, but it wasnt until the last few decades that he began writing. He believes being a writer was what he was destined to be and he has become one of the most widely read authors in the world today. Renowned for his best loved work, The Alchemist, he has sold more than 47 million books worldwide and has been translated into 56 languages. Some of his other books include The Fifth Mountain, Veronika Decides to Die, and Eleven Minutes. Thus far his works have been primarily novels, however one of his newest books, Manual of the Warrior of Light is an inspirational guide to living a good and honorable life. Each of his books carries a special message. A person who has never read any of Coelhos works should probably start by reading The Alchemist. Coelho is the recipient of numerous prestigious international literary awards. His daring novels challenge our prejudices and open our minds. He is a writer to inspire many.
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(adapted in part from book jacket: Coelho, Paulo. Eleven Minutes. HarperCollins Publishers, 2003.)
About the Violin (184 words)
The Violin is wonderful instrument with an old and rich tradition. To the amateur, it may seem at first that all violins look alike, however this is definitely not the case. Of course there are differences in the ages of the violin, which can make a great deal of difference in the sound. Actually the value of a violin goes up the older the violin is and the more it is played. There are other physical attributes of a violin that can affect the quality of the noise it produces. For example, the kind of wood its made from makes a difference. Also important is how the back of the violin is made. The back of one kind is made from two symmetrical pieces of wood. The back of another kind is made from one single piece of wood. Because it takes more skill to make this second kind of violin back, they are rarer and more expensive. The bow needed to play the violin is also interesting. Traditionally it was made from horse hair, however today the bow hair is often made synthetically.
