About Myself(1)
My name is Ann. I am 18 years old. I am a second year student of the Kostanai State University named after A.Baitursinov. I study at the Economy department. I like my study because it is very interesting. I learn many necessary subjects at my classes.
I have a mother, a father and a sister. My father is a doctor at a big hospital. My mother is a teacher at school. My younger sister is a pupil. She is in the fifth form. Our family is very united. We spend a lot of time together. My parents and sister live in Shitikara, but I live in Kostanai now because of my study.
I am tall and slender. My hair is short and fair. My eyes are big and brown. I have a straight nose and full lips.
My hobby is swimming. I go to the swimming-pool twice a week. It helps me to become healthier. If I have spare time I like to do something different. If the weather is bad I prefer to watch TV, to read books, to play computer games. In spring and summer I like to play volleyball or badminton, to go swimming and fishing. In winter I prefer to ski and to skate.
I have many friends. We study at the same University. We like to go to the cinema, to the theatre together. All of us prefer to spend our weekends out of town
About Myself (2) (for advanced students)
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 wish I were more beautiful. I think that I'm even tempered, rather reserved, calm and modest. But sometimes I can loose 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 Kostanay 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 Kazakhstan I went to school at the age of seven. Here I should say that it was my lucky chance to study for 11 years at school number 1. I think it is the best school in our town. There I got a proper training in such subjects as English, Russian and Kazakh 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 honesty, 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. 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. Then I passed my final exams at school and after a farewell party at the end of June we said good-bye to our teachers who are very well-educated people with broad outlook and deep knowledge of the subjects. They encouraged me in my desire 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. My dream came true. When I entered this University. 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 spent on a good book is never wasted. And of course I like music! I'm fond of music of the 60-s, like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Priestly. 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, to build the home of my dreams and to find someone in my life to share all that with.
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My Family(1)
My name is Igor Petrov. Im a student. Im 18 years old. I have a big family. My father Boris is a doctor. He works at a hospital in our town. My mother Olga is a teacher at school. She likes her job and her pupils. My elder brother Sergey is an engineer. He is married. His wifes name is Oksana. She doesnt work. Sergey and Oksana have two children: a son and a daughter. So, I have a nephew Oleg and a niece Nina. They are schoolchildren. My grandfather lives with us. His name is Alexander. He is my mothers father. He was a teacher too. Parents of my father, Maria and Pavel, live in Rudny. They are retired. My aunt Swetlana is my fathers sister. She has a daughter. Her name is Polina. She is my cousin. So, it is my family.
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My Family(2) (for advanced students)
Family, in my opinion, is someone who loves you and whom you love either. It can be not only your parents but also people who are dear to you, who take care of you. If you have someone who can do everything for you and you can do the same you are lucky you have a family. I think that the family in this point of view is one of the most important things in our life, and people who have no family are always lonely and moreover nobody takes care of them. Its wrong to think that your family is only your father and mother; your family consists of all the dearest people. For example orphans have no parents but maybe on their lifeways they meet people who become dear and important for them and they name it family. Or when you grow up and go away from your parents you meet someone who is another half of you this man is also your family. To some up your family is your parents, your dearest friends and sweethearts. To say about family like a child and father and mother its not always but often the warm of home and kindness of parents. The child without parents cant enjoy the life other children live. And we have to take care of people, who are dear to us, especially if youre the only child in the family because all love and care parents give only to you. And you shouldnt break their hearts. From one hand its great to be the only child in the family but in some cases its not. On the plus side parents are always ready to help you but on the contrary when there is too much care it seems not to be good, because you cannot show your independence, do something yourself. Also you can feel lonely and bored. But your parents often do whatever their child wants and if its necessary they help you. They always spend their time doing something together with their child to make him happy or teach something. And you have to appreciate their care and love. Because only they love you so much and know a lot about you. As for me, I am the only child in the family. And sometimes I think about how I will live if I have a sister or brother. Sometimes it is so boring to be at home along. I think about my parents, that all my childhood they helped me and did everything for me. But it doesnt mean that Im the main person in my family. Family its also our grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles. And the family tree has a long history of generations that sometimes are so ancient that we cannot remember the member of it, the name and occupation. And of course we know about our forefathers from our grandparents. As for me its really interesting to know who lived before me. And when I begin to ask my parents about forefathers I find for myself a lot of interesting things. For example some features of character which I have or part of appearance. But its a pity that I know not many people in my family branch.
My flat. (1)
The house we live in is our home, or in more official speech, our residence or dwelling. Some people live in individual houses. The town building may be five- or nine-storied. There are multi-storied buildings too.
Our first floor is usually called the ground floor in England and the second floor corresponds to the English first floor. Americans call the floors the same as we do: first, second and so on.
Let me tell you about my flat. I live in Pushkin Street. The flat is in a multi-storied building on the sixth floor. It is a three-room flat with all conveniences. The rooms are a living-room, our parents bedroom and the room I share with my younger brother. There is a kitchen, a bathroom and a lavatory in our flat. We have electricity, central heating, running water, gas, a rubbish chute and a telephone.
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First, there is a hall with a rack, a mirror and a small table with a telephone on it.
The living-room is large. There are two windows with a balcony in it. The windows face the park. There is a thick carpet on the floor and white curtains on the windows. The room is well furnished. In the middle there is a large table with some chairs around it. On the table there is a vase with flowers. There are two arm-chairs on the right of the window and a sofa near the wall. Opposite the sofa there is a color TV-set. At the wall stands a bookcase. Some pictures and photos hang on the walls. In the evening all the family gathers in the living-room to watch TV, read newspapers or magazines or to receive guests.
My parents bedroom is a cozy room. The window faces the yard. The walls in this room are papered blue and the curtains over the window match them. There is a double-bed in the bedroom. In the corner there is a dressing-table with a mirror and a lamp on it. Opposite it there is a large wardrobe.
My room is very nice. The window faces the south, thats why it is very sunny. The furniture is very simple. There are two beds, a wardrobe, a writing-table, two chairs and a comfortable arm-chair. In the corner stands a small table with a computer and DVD-player on it. On the wall you can see shelves full of books, magazines, toys and disks.
Our kitchen has a large built-in cupboard with many shelves. A table stands in front of the window. On the left of the table there is a refrigerator, on the right of it there is a gas-stove. The floor in the kitchen is covered with linoleum. All modern gadgets make housekeeping easy.
In our bathroom we have a bath, a shower and a wash-stand. There is a shelf for toilet articles and a mirror over it. A washing-machine stands in the corner of the bathroom.
The flat is comfortable enough. We are fond of our flat.
The House of my Dream (2) (for advanced students)
1. First of all I'd like to say that all of us have our own ideas and dreams about a perfect home, because "home" can't mean the same to everybody. But I'm sure that for all people home is not just a place to live in. Home is your little world where you live according to your own rules and interests. It's a place where you feel comfort, warmth and reliability, that's why we say "East or West, home is best" and the English say "My home is my castle". In my opinion home always awakens the best feelings and high emotions in people's souls. But what an ideal home is everybody decides for himself.
It goes without saying that nowadays there are a lot of types of dwellings, that's why everyone can choose a house he or she likes. For instance some people prefer semi-detached houses or duplexes (as the Americans call them). I think that such houses attract them because they are less expensive than mansions or bungalows, for example. You also have neighbours you can always turn to if you need something, but at the same time your neighbours can disturb you while repairing their part of the house or when they listen to music too loudly. But in general I'm sure that it's quite pleasant to live in a semi-detached house.
Other people like cottages and farmhouses. I think that people, who prefer these types of dwelling, are fond of nature, fresh air and they want to have calm and measured rhythm of life. Usually they keep the poultry and the cattle. One of advantages living in such a house is that you have your own land where you can grow fruit and vegetables, make flowerbeds and plant various beautiful flowers there that will warm your heart, lay out an orchard, etc. You can also build some outhouses like a green-house, a garage, a tool shed, an arbour. The most important disadvantage of living in a farmhouse or in a cottage, to my mind, is that it takes a lot of time to get to the nearest town, but if you have a car it isn't a problem for you. That's why I'd like to live in a cottage after I retire.
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2. Now I live in a block of flats. It seems to me that it's the cheapest type of dwelling in a town. Flats can be of different sizes: one-roomed, two-roomed, three-roomed and you can choose a flat you like. If you are going to live alone, for instance, you certainly would prefer a studio to a large detached house in three stores. Besides, among advantages of living in a block o f flats some people name that it takes less time to tidy up a flat than a house. But as any type of dwelling a flat has its disadvantages: a noise that your neighbours make when they, for example, drill or hammer or when they organize a party. Sometimes you can depend on your neighbours - imagine such a situation: your neighbours' tap is dripping and they need it to be repaired, so they block water supply not only in their own flat but also in yours and you have to wait for hours till you can do the washing-up or take a shower. It isn't convenient, but in spite of it the largest part of population in our country live in blocks of flats. I personally live on a flat and I can say that all these disadvantages don't bother me a lot, and in general it's a nice type of dwelling.
3. But frankly speaking my dream is to live in a detached house. Why? First of all your neighbours can never disturb you, for instance by hammering a nail into the wall. But at the same time if you want to ask your neighbours for something or just have a talk you can visit them. As you have some land around the house you can build outhouses; and if I had a detached house I would build a garage, a summer house, maybe a padding pool and certainly I would arrange some flowerbeds as I have a green thumb. I hope that one day I will have such a house.
4. I imagine the house of my dream in such a way: it's a two-storied but not a large brick house with a red gable roof, fenced by a hedge. A narrow path leads to front steps by the both sides of which there are small nice flowerbeds. When you come in through the front door you find yourself in a spacious hall with a wide staircase, on one side of which there are potted plants. I'd like to have four or five rooms, but frankly speaking I can't imagine then clearly now. I only want to add that I want my bedroom to be the lightest room in my house owing to a French window and it should have a small open balcony. On the contrary, the sitting-room should be the darkest room in the house. Here I want to have a fireplace near which I can spend long winter evenings sitting in a rocker and listening to pleasant music or sipping coffee.
5. It goes without saying that it's almost impossible to find an appropriate sum of money to buy such a house at once. But there is always a way out: you can turn to a building society for a mortgage. Mortgage is a long-term loan that a building society gives you for a certain period of time. Building societies make their money by borrowing money from some members of the public - their "depositors" - and lending it to others. A lot of people have building society savings accounts. They save their money with a building society, which pays them interest. The society then lends this money to people who want to buy a house or a flat and charges them a higher interest rate on the amount borrowed.
My working day (1)
I am very busy on my weekdays. My weekdays dont differ much one from another. My working day usually begins at 7 oclock. I never wake up myself, my mother always wakes me up. Im not an early riser, that is why its very difficult for me to get out of bed, especially in winter. Sometimes I do my morning exercises. Then I go to the bathroom, clean my teeth and wash my face and hands. The cold water makes me feel not so sleepy. Then I go back to my room, make my bed, put on my clothes and comb my hair.
By that time my breakfast is ready. My mother usually cooks it for me. When my mother is busy I make breakfast myself. While having breakfast I listen to the tape-recorder or watch TV.
At a quarter past eight I go to the University. I live not far from the University, that is why it usually takes me ten minutes to walk there. I often meet my friends on the way to the University, we go together and chat.
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The classes at the University start at 8.30. Usually I have four or five lessons a day. We have 15 minutes breaks between classes, during which we can talk and have a bite. The lessons are over at 10 minutes to three.
When classes are over I go home. Sometimes I go to the library, where I can get some necessary books.
When I come back home I have dinner and a little rest. I start doing my homework in the evening. It often takes me 2 or 3 hours to do it. Then I play computer games or read a book. Sometimes my friends come to my place in the evening and we listen to music.
My parents get home at about 7 oclock. We have supper together. Then we sit in the living room, drink tea, watch TV or just talk.
At half past 11 I usually go to bed. My working day is over.
My working day (2) (for advanced students)
When I studied at lyceum my usual working days looked practically the same. But in my opinion, everything depends on person himself, so I did my best to make them more interesting and useful.
Life is impossible without work. Of course not all creatures as well as people like it, but it is very important for progress. Our teachers and parents always say that hard work is the only way to achieve our aims and goals. To my mind one can't appreciate the value of rest if he doesn't work. As for me I tried to organize my working day in such a way that I would be able to do as much work as possible.
My working day usually started like this. At sharp 6.30 my radio alarm buzzed. As it was actual on my bed it literary blasted me into awareness of the morning. This was due to the loudness I needed to wake me up. Though I am not a lazy-bone, in winter it was always difficult for me to wake up early. I hate the cold that's why I usually tried to stay in bed as long as possible. Sometimes I lay for a while deciding whether to pretend to be fatally ill, but then I usually gave up this silly idea because only little children practiced it and besides this trick usually didn't work. But when spring came and the air was fresh, when the sun shone brightly in the morning and the birds were singing I forgot about my sleep and felt full of energy.
So I finally crawled out of bed. By this time it was usually about 6.50. a.m. I think it wouldn't be fair to say that I did my morning exercises only from time to time. Though, of course. I know that good health is better than wealth. Nevertheless I preferred taking a shower to merely washing my face and after having a shower I got dressed and brushed my hair. It took me about 25-30 minutes to do my toilet. I want to say that while I was doing all these things my mother was making breakfast. I was in a habit of having only a light breakfast. A cup of tea, some ham or cheese sandwiches were enough for me to be full. As a rule while having my breakfast I listened to a piece of good music on the radio. After breakfast I snatched my school bag. Frankly speaking I found my habit of packing the bag in the morning quite irritating, because I always left something important at home, but I couldn't make myself do it in the evening. And then I rushed for lyceum. Unfortunately I live far from the lyceum. It took me about forty minutes to get there, that's why I was not lucky to sleep a bit longer than pupils who lived near it.
Frankly speaking sometimes my mood depended on what classes I had. On some days lessons flashed by very quickly, especially if they were the humanities, which I liked most, but they were dragging more slowly if I had such sciences like Physics, Chemistry or Math and especially when we had to write tests in them. Wednesday was the hardest day for me; I stayed in lyceum longer than usual because we had an additional lesson in the Kazakh language. I should say that I usually enjoyed hours at lyceum if I was up-to-date with my school work, because I hated the feeling of being left behind with anything. In general I enjoyed lyceum hours because they were instructive and interesting besides I liked lyceum because of the number of friends I had there, but I didn't let my private life interfere with my school work. In common I found life at lyceum bright and absorbing. Our classes started at 8.20 instead of 8.00 as they do in most schools. Usually we had 7 lessons a day. Every lesson lasted 45 minutes, as in a common school, but our breaks were too short, that's why our freedom lasted only 5 or 10 minutes. But we were lucky to have a large break in the middle of the day which lasted 45 minutes. During this break we went to the canteen, and if there was nothing tasty and edible in it, we visited the nearest shop to buy something, for example, sweets or rolls and then did almost everything we wanted. As life is given us only once I try to live it in the best and useful way. So I usually spent the rest of time reading various interesting books or magazines or doing special exercises useful for brain, for example. I could solve puzzles. When I didn't manage to do all my homework at home the large break was mainly the time when I had an opportunity to finish it.
At 3 o'clock when my classes were over I stayed at lyceum to play volleyball or to do some crafts. Our lyceum administration arranged several kinds of extra-class activities like concerts, debate clubs and sports competitions. Honestly I wasn't their active participant, but I took part in them from time to time. Frequently I was back home later than 5 o'clock. On my way home I went to the baker's to buy some white and brown bread, biscuits and cakes.
In the evenings I was busy doing my homework. There were subjects which required a lot of homework to be done and I usually spent most of my time on them. The English language, as it was my main subject, took me no less than three hours to be done. Kazakh and Russian literatures took me a lot of time as well as I should read a lot, wrote different compositions and thought over various problems of our life. These subjects had never seemed easy to me. When late evening came and I had some free time left, which happened very seldom, I went for a walk with my friends. But I rarely sat in front of the TV set, as I prefer meeting friends to merely watching TV. Besides I'm keen on music. Listening to music makes me feel relaxed and calm. Sometimes it even helped me to do my homework. I was in the habit of doing two things together, for instance, listening to music and at the same time reading a book or writing a composition. I don't know why but music didn't prevent me from productive work and didn't draw my attention away. On the contrary it helped me. Here I should say that there were not many household chores that I did in my final year as my parents understood that I was preparing for entering the university and they tried to set me free from spending my precious time on anything else but studying. But in spite of it I had little time for rest; I think working hard is the right thing to do if you want to achieve something in life. At about eight o'clock we usually had supper and all our family gathered in the kitchen. I should mention that it was the only time when we could see one another and talk about different things. We shared our joys and sorrows; discussed our plans for the next day. As for my supper it was usually light as I had dinner very late (at 5 or 6 o'clock), that's why I was not hungry when time came to have supper. At about 11 o'clock I usually had a bath and then I went to bed. When I went to bed I often thought about possible careers and dreamt of becoming reach and famous due to an outstanding talent that no one had discovered yet (just like they do in the movies). Then I allowed myself to worry a bit about lyceum, my future, the next day, what I looked like, what people thought about me and what I could do to change the way people thought about me. I usually fell asleep at midnight.
My days off (1)
People spend their days off in different ways. Some of them prefer to stay in town and to visit an art exhibition, a museum or a sport event. In the evening as a rule they visit a cinema, a theatre or go to see their friends. Other people spend their days off out of town. As for me I also prefer to spend them in the country. Sometimes I take part in sport events, which usually take place during the week-ends. Two weeks ago I took part in the skiing competition of our University.
Last week-end I got a letter from my sister inviting me to spend the week-end at her place in the country. I accepted her invitation with pleasure. My sister and her husband live in the country, not far from our town. They have a nice little house with a garden arount it. There is a forest near their house.
Last Friday as soon as the classes at the University were over, I hurried to the station to catch the four oclock train. My sister lives about 50 kilometers from the town. It took me a little more than an hour to get there. My sister met me at the station. We were very glad to ee each other. When we came home we spent the rest of the evening talking, listening to music and watching TV. We had a very good time.
On Saturday we got up later than usual. After breakfast we started on a skiing trip. We went skiing in the forest for some hours enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful scenery around us. When we came back we were hungry and a little tired.
I was home in the evening. After supper I listened to the news on the radio and went to bed at 11.30.
My days off (2) (for advanced students)
I go to the University five days a week, so I have two days off Saturday and Sunday (I'm lucky, because some other students have the only one day off). During the week I am very busy, so I like to have a rest on weekend. I am not an early riser and it is a rare Saturday or Sunday when I get up before 9 o'clock. I enjoy staying in bed, when 1 don't have to hurry anywhere. I do my bed, wash my face and hands, clean my teeth and go to the kitchen. In the kitchen the table has already been laid and we have late breakfast at 10 and watch TV. Usually we have something tasty: meat salad, fried potatoes, chicken, cake or pie. If the weather is fine, I usually do not stay indoors, I and my dog go outside. Often we go to the park and play there. But sometimes when the day happens to be rainy and gloomy. I preferr to be in watching TV, listening to music, reading books, speaking over the phone or just lying on the sofa idling away the time. Some of my groupmates can watch all TV-programmes from morning till night, but I think it's rather boring, and I always feel sorry for these TV-addicts. It's much more interesting to play a game of chess with your grandfather, or help your mother about the house, or argue with your father about the latest events at home and abroad.
After dinner we go to visit our grandparents or relatives, or just simply take a nap. Sometimes when my friends call me we go roller blading near the theatre I like roller- blading very much, I think it is a lot of fun. In the evenings I like to watch video and music programs. There is a big armchair in my room right beside the lamp with blue shade. If it is cold I like to sit there with cup of coffee and read. Sometimes I do something special on weekends: go to an art exhibition, to the theatre, to the consert. I always go to bed late on Sundays, and Monday morning is the nastiest thing through all the week. I like weekends very much, because I can rest and gain some energy for the next week.
In the evening, when all the family are together, we have some tea with a cake or biscuits, we listen to my younger sister playing the piano, sometimes we sing folk songs. Every Sunday, when go to bed, I thinki that the day has flashed past and the next week will bring new problems and their solution.
Kazakhstan (1)
The Republic of Kazakhstan is an independent state situated in the central part of Euroasia.
In the west and north Kazakhstan borders on Russia, in the south on Turkmenistan, Kirgiziya, Uzbekistan, in the east on China. It is the ninth biggest country in the world with the territory 2,7 million square km. The population is over 15 million people.
Kazakh is the official language, Russian is the language of international communication. About one hundred nationalities and ethnic groups live in our country.
The Republik of Kazakhstan consists of 14 oblasts. Nowadays it has 85 cities, 169 regions, 2150 settlements. Astana is the capital of the country.
The Republik of Kazakhstan is a secular, democratic and unitary state. The head of state is President. The highest legislative organ is Parliament consisting of the Senate with 47 senators and the Majilis with 67 deputies, local representative authorities are Maslikhats. The executive power belongs to the Government. The currency is tenge.
The Kazakh people were formed by a process of assimilation of ancient tribes that inhabited the territory of Kazakhstan in prehistoric times. The Kazakhs led a nomadic life roaming along the boundless steppes their herds. As a result of ethnic, political and social-economic processes in 1468 an independent Kazakh State was founded on the territory of Kazakhstan. The annexation of the Kazakh territory had been finished by the second half of the 19th century.
In 1936 Kazakhstan became a Union Republic, during 70 years our country was under the rule of the Soviet power. In 1991 Kazakhstan got its Independents. The first president was Nursultan Nazarbaev. The new Constitution of the Republic was adopted in 1995.
The land of Kazakhstan is rich in mineral resources, including large reserves of oil, iron, ore, copper, chrome, gold and silver.
Our country is an advanced agricultural state. It gives people wheat, cotton, rise, apples, vegetables.
The Sovereign Kazakh Republic is developing its political and economic ties with other countries of the world.
The important social, economic and political reforms are being undertaken in our independent country. It plays an important role in the world.
Kazakhstan (2) (for advanced students)
General information and geography: The Republic of Kazakhstan is a sovereign independent state in the centre of the Eurasian continent. The official language is Kazakh. The Russian language is officially used on equal grounds along with the Kazakh. The republic celebrates its Independence Day on December 16. The population of Kazakhstan is 16 million 402 thousand. People of more than 130 nationalities live in the country: Kazakhs 53.4%, Russians 30%, Ukrainians 3.7%, Uzbeks 2.5%, Germans 2.4%, Tatars 1.7%, Uygurs 1.4%.
According to the administrative and territorial division, Kazakhstan consists of 14 regions and 223 districts. The President is Nursultan Nazarbayev. Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan.
The Republic of Kazakhstan lies directly between Europe and Asia, to the south from the Ural Mountains. The southwestern border is washed by the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan borders on China (1,460km), Kyrgyzstan (980 km), Turkmenistan (380km), Uzbekistan (2,300km), Russia (6,467 km). The total extent of Kazakhstan's borders is nearly 12,187 km. The territory is 2,724,900 sq. km.. The territory of the country stretches for 1600 km from north to south and 2800 km from west to east: the total area is 2.7 million square kilometers. The size of the territory places Kazakhstan ninth in the world, after Russia, Canada, China, USA, Brazil, Australia, India and Argentina, second among CIS countries. The Kazakhstan territory is greater than that of the twelve countries of the European Union.
The landscape of Kazakhstan is diverse: about 10% of its territory are highlands; the rest - lowlands, plains and hills. The South-West, North and central parts are mostly plains. In the South-East, there are mountains with peaks rising as high as 5000-6000 meters above the sea level. Khan-Tengri peak reaches 6.995 meters.
Water resources are spread over its territory. There are many rivers, lakes and 2 seas in Kazakhstan. The River Irtysh is the longest. It is 1.700 km. The second longest river is the Syr-Darja - 1.400 km. The other big rivers are the Ill, Ishim, Tobol, Ilek, Chu, Turgai, Irgiz, Talaz, Nura and Emba. The biggest lakes of Kazakhstan are the Balkhash, Alakol and Tengiz. There are the Caspian and Aral Seas in Kazakhstan.
Climate:Kazakhstan has an extreme continental climate due to distance from oceans and great territory. The average temperature in January is within limits from 19 to 4 degrees below zero, in July from 19 to 26 degrees above zero. Different climatic zones, territories change from north to south, all of them have own flora and fauna.
Religion: Diversity of religions; most prevalent are Islam and Christianity.
Political System: Republican form of government. President is the head of the state. Legislative authority parliament. Administrative divisions 14 oblasts.
Kazakhstan government overview: Kazakhstan has a hybrid system of government that combines aspects of both parliamentary and presidential systems.
The principle of independence and the political system were formulated in the first Constitution of Kazakhstan of January 1993, which was approved by referendum on 30 August 1995
Kazakhstan government features: Kazakhstan has a parliamentary system with a president as head of the State. Kazakhstan last presidential election was in January 2006 for a seven-year term. Kazakhstan president serves as commander-in-chief, sets foreign policy, can initiate legislation, and appoints Kazakhstan prime minister, subject to Parliamentary approval.
Kazakhstan parliament is the supreme legislative body and consists of two chambers, the Senate (Upper House) and the Mazhilis (Lower House). The 47 members of Kazakhstan Senate are indirectly elected representatives of regional assemblies and appointees of Kazakhstan president. The Mazhilis is composed of 67 elected deputies. Kazakhstan parliament is elected for a four-year term.
Kazakhstan prime minister is the head of the executive branch of government and is appointed by Kazakhstan president, with the approval of Kazakhstan parliament. He chairs the Cabinet, which, as of January 2006, consists of three Deputy Prime Ministers, the Ministers of the 14 State Ministries and the 5 Chairmen of the State Agencies.
The heads of the local administrations (Akims of 14 oblasts and 2 cities) are appointed by Kazakhstan president. Since December 1997, the capital of Kazakhstan has been Astana. From 1929 to 1997 the capital of Kazakhstan was the city of Almaty, founded in 1854.
The Economy of Kazakhstan: Agriculture accounts for about two-fifths of the value of Kazakhstans economic production. Farmers raise sheep and cattle in Kazakhstan. The main products are dairy goods, meat, leather and wool. The countrys major crops include barley, cotton, rice and wheat.
Kazakhstans industries include food processing, mining and chemical, textile and heavy engineering and agricultural machinery manufacturing. They account for about one-third of the value of the economic production of the country.
Astana, Almaty, Chimkent, Pavlodar and Karaganda are the main industrial centers
The mines of the region have many valuable minerals, including bauxite, borax, chromium, gold, iron, lead, nickel, phosphate, silver, tin, tungsten, uranium and zinc. Coal is mined in Central, Eastern and Northeastern Kazakhstan. Petroleum and natural gas come from fields near the Caspian Sea. Copper mines operate in central, northern and eastern Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan has trade relations with many countries of the world. The most important trading partners of Kazakhstan are Russia, China, Germany, France, America and others.
Astana
In the XIX century Akmola was a popular trading and economic steppe center. Its history started in 1830 when Russia founded a fortress with this name. From 1832 the fortress began to be called Akmolinsk and by the end of the XIX century it became a town with the population of about 6428 people.
The next step in the development of this city was cultivating virgin lands. By 1960 the city having the population 100 thousand people had become the center of the north region of Kazakhstan. It was renamed into Tselinograd and became a beautiful modern city with the population 250 thousand people. Many institutes, hospitals, museums, theatres were built there. The virgin area became an agricultural center with the developed machinery engineering, cattle-breeding and poultry-keeping.
After Kazakhstan gained its independence the city got its former name - Akmola. But in 1998 when the capital was transferred from Almaty, the city got a symbolic name Astana. The decision to transfer the capital depended on some economic, ecological and geographical factors.
For the last few years Astana has changed greatly. It became a beautiful city of Kazakhstan. The city centre impresses especially. Grand buildings of the Government and Parliament Houses, other administrative establishments meet all modern requirements. The city is marked by magnificent architectural items. Astana is very wonderful at night. After a working day citizens and guests love walking along the embankment of the Ishim River with attractions, parks and cafes working half the night.
The capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2)
(for advanced students)
Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is situated in the central part of the country. In 1830 Akmolinsk was founded as the military locality, in 1862 it had got the status of the town, because of its ever growing importance as it was on the trading way from Tashkent to the Urals.
In 50s of the XXth century it was an important centre of development of virgin lands in the north of the country. The town was renamed into Tselinograd and typified the administrative centre of an agricultural region
Astana is located on the bank of the river Ishim. After Kazakhstan gained its independence in 1991, the city and the region were renamed to "Akmola", literally meaning "White Shrine".
In 1995, the city was designated as the future capital of the country, and the capital was officially moved from Almaty on December 10, 1997. The new name, Astana, was bestowed on May 6, 1998. On the 10th of June 1998 the international presentation of the new capital Astana took place.
In 1999 Astana had the population of 281,000. By 2007 Astana's population had more than doubled since the move to over 600,000, and it is estimated to top 1 million by 2030. Migrant workers legal and illegal have been attracted from Kazakhstan and neighboring states such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, and Astana is a magnet for young professionals seeking to make a career. This has changed the city's demographic, bringing more ethnic Kazakhs to the city.
Politics and government are the main economic activities in the capital, which also forms a Special Economic Zone. At present many different branches of industry such as machine-building, food and consumer goods production, building materials industries are well developed there.
There are 5 Universities in the city, among them the State Euro-Asian University named after N.Gumilev, Nazarbaevs University.
Ak Orda is the official workplace of the President of Kazakhstan. Ak Orda Presidential Palace was built in 2004 as a five-story building. The total area is 36,720 square meters. Ak Orda includes a yurt-like hall designed of marble and granite, a marble hall for summits and official visits by foreign-country representatives, and a golden hall for negotiations and private discussions between the head of the state and the leaders of other countries.
The Tower of Baiterek became the city's symbol. At the height of 97 meters an observation deck is located providing a bird's eye view of the city. Height of 97 meters was chosen to symbolizes the year of changing the capital of Kazakhstan from Almaty to Astana. The Baiterek Tower accommodates an art gallery, large aquarium and a traditional restaurant. In the sphere on the top of Bayterek there is an imprint of President Nursultan Nazarbayev 's hand.
Palace of Peace and Reconciliation (Pyramid of Peace)has been conceived and designed by architect Sir Norman Foster andengineers Buro Happold and inaugurated inSeptember 2006. It contains accommodationsfor different religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and other faiths. There is a 1,500 - seat opera house, a national museum of culture, a new university of civilization, a library and a research center for Kazakhstans ethnic and geographical groups. The pyramid is 62 meters high with a 62 x 62-meter base. The building is conceived as a global center for religious understanding, the renunciation of violence and the promotion of faith and human equality. The Pyramid of Peace expresses the spirit of Kazakhstan, where cultures, traditions and representatives of various nationalities coexist in peace, harmony and accord.
The Islamic Center was built in 2005 and was sponsored by the Emir of Qatar. It consists of a mosque, madrasah, and a library. The mosque has 4 minarets, 63 meters high, and has a capacity of 5,000 people. The height of the mosque's dome is 43 meters
In December 2006 President Nursultan Nazarbayev unveiled plans to build Khan Shatyry, a "giant, transparent tent", over an area of the city. The project has been completed in July 2010. The tent is 150 meters high, and likes a pyramid. The Khan Shatyry entertainment centre in
Astana will become a dramatic civic focal point for the capital of Kazakhstan. The 100,000sqm centres unique concept - to provide a sheltered environment embracing an urban-scale internal park, shopping and entertainment centers - was developed in response to the harsh climate of extreme weather in both winter and summer. The building will become a lively public space and an unprecedented amenity for the people of Astana which can be used throughout the year.
The Central Concert Hall is located next to the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Astana. It has been inaugurated by the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev on the Independence Day of Kazakhstan, the16th of December 2009. The buildings shape reminds the dynamism of the petals of a flower as a metaphor of the dynamism of music itself. The building external structure is made by a series of curved inclined walls made of concrete with a blue back painted glass panels.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1)
The names Great Britain, The United Kingdom and England are often used interchangeably. The use of Great Britain is often shortened to Britain. Officially this state is called The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .
The United Kingdom (the UK) is situated on the British Isles lying off the north-western coast of Europe. The north-west and west of the British Isles are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, and a group of small islands. The UK is separated from the European continent by the English Channel and a Strait of Dover.
The population of Great Britain is over 58 million. The capital is London. Historically the UK is divided into 4 parts: Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and England. Their capitals are Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and London.
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. It is the 7th largest city in the United Kingdom and the 2nd largest Scottish city. Edinburgh is often considered one of the most picturesque cities in Europe. Edinburgh is well-known for the Edinburgh Festivals. The most famous of these events is the Edinburgh Comedy Festival (the largest comedy festival in the world). This city is one of Europe's major tourist destinations, attracting 1 million visitors a year.
Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland. Belfast has over forty public parks. Belfast is the home of The News Letter, the oldest English language newspaper in the world still in publication.
Cardiff is the capital and most populous city in Wales. It is Wales's centre for business, education, sport, tourism, culture, media and government. Cardiff is part of the Euro cities network of the largest European cities. Cardiff has speakers of at least 94 languages.
English is the official language, but some people speak Scottish in western Scotland, Welsh in parts of northern and central Wales and Irish in Northern Ireland.
The formal name of the British national flag is Union Flag, which is known as the Union Jack. It is made up of three crosses. The flag combines the St. Georges cross of England, St. Andrews cross of Scotland and St. Patricks cross of Ireland.
There are some animals on British royal coat of arms. One of them is lion, which has been used as a symbol of national strength and of British monarchy. The other one is unicorn. The unicorn is a mythical animal and the symbol of purity.
A red rose is the national emblem of England. The 23rd of April is regarded as Englands national day. A thistle is the national emblem of Scotland. The 30th of November is regarded as Scotlands national day. A yellow daffodil is the national emblem of Wales. The 1st of March is regarded as national day of Wales. The national emblem of Ireland is a shamrock. The 17th of March is considered as a national day in Northern Ireland.
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. It means, formally the head of the country is a king or a queen, but all the real power is in the hands of Parliament, which is one of the oldest in the world. Parliament is made up of two chambers, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Now the official head of the state is the Queen Elisabeth II. The real head of the state is the Prime Minister. The person, being a leader of one of the two main parties, labour or conservative, which wins in the elections, becomes the Prime Minister of the country.
There are no high mountains in Britain, but some low mountains are situated on the North of the country, in Scotland. The central part of the country is plain.
There are many rivers and lakes in the UK, but the main rivers are the Thames and the Severn. The Severn is the largest river; the Thames is the most important one.
The climate of the UK is influenced by the warm current of the Gulf Stream flowing across the Atlantic Ocean and is very mild. The temperature on the British Isles seldom reaches of hot or cold. Almost all the time the country is covered with fog.
The UK is one of the most industrialized countries. Such branches as coal mining, metal industry and light, especially textile industry are very well developed here. For many years England was famous throughout the world as the main producer of wool. Agriculture takes also an important sector in the economy of the country. British people grow wheat, fruit, vegetables and oats.
Great Britain is well-known for its great writers such as W.Scott, Ch.Dickens, A.Christie, scientists I.Newton, J.Joule, J.Watt and many others famous people.
In Britain there are such famous Universities as Cambridge and Oxford, which were founded as far back the 12th century.
The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland (2)
(for advanced students)
The United Kingdom is situated on the north-west coast of Europe between the Atlantic Ocean in the north-west and the North Sea in the east. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and about five hundred small islands The U. K. includes Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain, the largest island in Europe, contains England, Scotland and Wales. The British Islands are separated from the Continent by the North Sea, the English Channel and Strait of Dover. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.The United Kingdom has the area of 244,000 square kilometres (94,249 square miles). The capital of the country is London. English is the official language. The population of the U. K. is about 66 million people. The population lives mostly in towns and cities and their suburbs. Four out of every five people live in towns. Over 49 million people live in England. Over 4 million - in Wales. A little over 7 million - in Scotland, about 2 million- in Northern Ireland. London's population is over 8 million people. The British nation consists of the English, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish. There are many people of all colours and races in the United Kingdom.
Britain has a remarkable variety of landscapes. The surface of England and Ireland is flat, but Scotland and Wales are mountainous To the north and west are highlands, to the east are flat plains, and in the south are lowlands with hills. Mountains here are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain, it is 1343 meters high..
The climate of Great Britain is mild. It is not too hot in summer or too cold in winter. It often rains in England. Rain falls in summer and in winter, in autumn and in spring. Snow falls only in the north and west of the country. The surface of England and Ireland is flat, but Scotland and Wales are mountainous. Many parts of the country have beautiful villages. There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river (350 km), while the Thames is the deepest and the most important river there.Many ships and barges go up and down the river.
There are many universities, colleges, libraries, museums and theatres in the country. The most famous universities are Cambridge University, Oxford University, Glasgow University. Oxford is the oldest university in the UK.
The U. K. is a parliamentary monarchy. The British Parliament consists of two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is the head of the government.
The United Kingdom has some mineral resources. Coal and oil are the most important of them. The United Kingdom is one of the world's most industrialized countries. The main industrial centres are Sheffield, Birmingham and Manchester. The largest cities of the country are London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin. Agriculture takes an important sector in economy of the country. The British people grow wheat, fruit, vegetables, oats.
The Political System of Great Britain. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy. It means that there is a Queen (or a King) and the Parliament. The Queen has almost no power in the country. Her power is limited by the Parliament. Laws are made by the Parliament. The Queen is only a formal ruler: she reigns but does not rule. In fact everything that she does is done on the active of her ministers, who are responsible for the royal acts. Thus, most of her functions are symbolic. The United Kingdom is governed by Her majesty's Government in the name of the Queen. But the Queen has all information, has the right to encourage and the right to warn. The Queen's residence in London is Buckingham Palace. Besides, she has some homes in England and Scotland.
Britain does not have a written constitution, but a set of laws. The British Parliament is the most important authority in Britain. Technically the Parliament is made up of three parts: the Monarch, the House of Lords; and the House of Commons. In reality the House of Commons is the only one of the three which has true power. The monarch serves formally as head of the state. But the monarch is expected to be politically neutral and should not take political decisions.
The present sovereign is Queen Elizabeth II. She was crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1953.
There are more than 1000 members in the House of Lords. Many seats are hereditary. The House of Commons has 635 members. They are elected by general elections (secret ballot). General elections are held every five years. The country is divided into 650 constituencies. All citizens aged 18 and registered in a constituency, have the right to vote. But voting is not compulsory in Britain. Only persons convicted of corrupt and certain mentally ill patients don't take part in voting.
There are few political parties in Britain thanks to the British electoral system. The main ones are: the Conservative Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal / Social Democratic Alliance. Each political party puts up one candidate for each constituency. The one who wins the most votes is elected MP for that area. The party which wins the most seats in Parliament forms the Government. Its leader becomes the Prime Minister. His first job is to choose his Cabinet. The Prime Minister usually takes policy decisions with the agreement of the Cabinet.
The functions of the House of Commons are legislation and scrutiny of government activities. The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker. The Speaker is appointed by the Government. The House of Lords comprises about 1,200 peers. It is presided by the Lord Chancellor. The House of Lords has no real power. It's in the House of Commons that new bills are introduced and debated. Any member may introduce a Bill and ask permission to bring it to the House for the first reading. After the third time reading if the majority of the members are in favour of a bill, it goes to the House of Lords to be debated. The House of Lords has the right to reject a new bill twice. But after two rejections they are obliged to accept it and if the Lords agree to a Bill, it will be placed before the Queen for signature. Only then it becomes law. Parliament is responsible for British national policy. Local governments are responsible for organizing education, police and many others.
London (1)
London is the capital of the United Kingdom, its economic, political and cultural centre. It is one of the worlds most important ports and one of the largest cities in the world. Its population is about 7 million people.
London is situated upon both banks of the river Thames. It is very attractive for tourists because there are a lot of historical buildings, monuments famous for their architecture.. There are four parts in London: the City, the West End, the East End and the Port.
The oldest part of London is the City with its narrow streets. It is the business and financial centre of the whole country. A lot of banks and offices are situated here.
The West End is associated with wealth, luxury, and goods of high quality. There are the finest theatres, cinemas and concert halls, the largest department stores, the most fashionable hotels there.
The East End and the Port of London are situated to the east of the City. They are unattractive, but very important to the countrys economy.
London is very rich in sights famous for their architecture: Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament with Big Ben, Buckingham Palace the Queens residence, the National Art Gallery, the British Museum, St. Pauls Cathedral and the Tower, which was first a fortress, then a prison and which is now a museum.
There are a lot of parks in London; the most famous of them is Hyde Park with its Speakers Corner.
London (2) (for advanced students)
London is the capital and the largest urban area of both England and the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's leading businesses, financial and cultural centers. Its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts contribute to its status as a major global city. The population of London is more than 8 million people.
London was founded more than two thousand years ago by the Romans. In 1666 the Great Fire destroyed three quarters of the city. After that London was rebuilt and got a new life.
London is situated on the river Thames. Traditionally London is divided into 4 several parts: the City, the West End, the East End and Westminster.
Westminster is the most important part of the capital, its aristocratic part. It's the administrative centre. The Houses of Parliament are there. The seat of the British Government is called the Palace of Westminster.
Westminster Hall, the oldest existing part of the Palace of Westminster, was erected in 1097.
The Hall has a huge wooden roof decorated with angels. It has been used for Royal banquets and State trials.
Victoria Tower is the tallest (98.5m) square tower at the south-western end of the Palace. Now it is home of the Parliamentary Archives. Millions of government documents are kept here.
A flag flies on the tower when the Parliament is sitting during the day.
Big Ben is the huge bell in the Clock Tower on the eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. It is 96.3 meters high. People are allowed to get inside the tower so they can see the works of Big Ben. The bell has been named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who supervised the rebuilding of Parliament. The booming bell first rang out in 1859.
The first room you enter in is called the Royal Robbing Room. This is a room where the Queen puts on a special robe and the Imperial State Crown, which has been brought here from the Tower of London.
Westminster Abbey is a very beautiful church. It is the place where coronation of nearly all kings and queens has taken place. Many of them are buried here as well as some other famous people of the country (G.Chaucer, Tennyson, Newton, Ch.Dickens, R.Kipling).
Buckingham Palace is the residence of the Queen. Buckingham Palace has served as the official royal residence since 1837. Now it is opened to visitors on a regular basis.
The City is the oldest part of London, its financial and business centre. Numerous banks, offices and firms are concentrated here, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and the Old Bailey. Few people live in the City, but over a million come to work here. Two masterpieces are situated within the City: St. Pauls Cathedral and the Tower of London.
One of the greatest English churches - St. Pauls Cathedral was built by Christopher
Wren in 1710. The Tower of London was built in the 11th century. It was used as a fortress, a palace and a prison. Now its a museum. The Tower protects the Imperial State Crown. There are 2 800 diamonds on it.
The West End is the part of London where the rich people live. It is a symbol of wealth and luxury. Fine houses, the best cinemas, theaters, concert halls, clubs, famous shops, hotels, restaurants, large museums are situated here.
The London Eye (also known as the Millennium Wheel), at a height of 135 meters, is the biggest wheel in Europe and has become one of the most popular sights of London for tourists from the world.
The East End is the poorest part of London. The workers and unemployed people live here. There are many factories and the Port of London in this part.
The English are proud of Trafalgar Square, the geographical centre of London. It was named so in memory of the victory at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tall Nelsons Column stands in the middle of the square. Opposite the Nelson monument is the National Gallery. It contains the finest art collection in the world. Not far from the National Gallery is the British Museum famous for its rich library (about 7 million books).
Tower Bridge was completed in 1894. Between the massive gothic-style towers are walkways, giving the great view of the river Thames and the city.
Education in Kazakhstan
Secondary education is mandatory in Kazakhstan. Children start school at the age of 6 and finish at 17. As a rule, a child attends the school located in the neighborhood. However, in big cities there are also so-called "special" schools, offering more profound studies of the major European languages (English, French, or German), or the advanced courses in physics and mathematics.
The first stage of education is elementary school for grades 1 through 4. The second is secondary school for grades 5 through 9. Upon graduation from secondary school (which is not the equivalent of having completed their secondary education), students are given the choice of either continuing to attend the same school (high
