Examination Topics

Examination Topics

1. Some people think that school years are the happiest days in people’s lives. Can you say that you have been happy at school? Why?
School is the traditional place for acculturating children into our national life. In the modern age, the role assigned to our schools is to prepare children for the literate public culture. Some students like school, others don’t; but they all study for eleven years and gain knowledge by doing different tasks. For students who are doing well in most subjects and who want to get higher education, school is an attractive place. But those who are not successful at school, and who are always pressed by teachers and their parents, school is boring and uninteresting.
I think that the most important role of school is giving knowledge. I can say that my school gives such knowledge, and that’s why I’m happy at school. Most of my teachers have a lot of teaching experience; they understand very well the difficulties of the learning process. They help us to learn all subjects well. They also guide us and advise us on all aspects of our study and life. They share their knowledge and experience with us, and we respond with love.
If you want to study well, you must feel relaxed and happy with your family, school and your social life. Your parents should understand you and help you when you need their help. My parents usually help and support me when I need it. We have our school psychologist who also helps us to overcome difficulties and cope with our problems. The main purpose of our school is to create a supportive and caring atmosphere for students.
The standard of education in our school is very high. I’m a rather good student really. I don’t have many problems with the work; but I usually get into trouble for talking, especially when I speak at the same time as the teacher.
However I think that sometimes we have too much homework. Teachers and parents insist that doing homework develops the student’s ability to work without assistance, or that additional work could help us complete our education successfully. But I believe, in many subjects, homework is totally unnecessary, because it doesn’t do me any good. I think it’s really stupid to copy from a textbook, and there is no point in duplicating the textbook. And if we could get rid of unnecessary homework, we would have more time to take up hobbies and interests.
School is not only a place of education; it is a place where we develop our relationships, increasing tolerance and respect to each other. At school we can enjoy different activities and demonstrate our individual talents.
Everyone has an opportunity to take part in different performances at a school or class party, or to take part in different sport competitions.
These activities help us with our education and relationships among our classmates. We want to have harmony in our class and among our classmates, but it is rather difficult to achieve. Of course, we try our best to do it, and in many cases we overcome our problems and solve them. And only sensitive teachers can help us, because boys and girls are not passive lumps of clay; they are living, pulsating, developing, mysterious beings who must be studied and understood before they can be taught in the true sense.
So a teacher plays an important role in our education, and when we remember our school years we usually remember our teachers, if they were fair and intelligent or not. I think that I’m a lucky person – almost all my teachers are very interesting and intelligent. When our teachers criticize us, they follow such rules: they try to correct a student’s action, not him; they do not impress upon him that he has no abilities; they try to contribute to the minds and souls of their students; they try to be a path for their students to go through a dark forest of school rules. But I can’t judge all teachers, because there are as many opinions how to treat a child as there are people. Teachers must choose their methods themselves, but they should remember that they influence and shape the student’s opinion about their school. As for me, I think that in our school almost all teachers understand the students and become like parents to us. They support us and care for us. I’m happy at my school and so are my classmates.
2. If you want to continue your education, what kinds of institution will you attends? Explain your choice.
At the age of fifteen, students in Russia have to make some important decisions. Will they continue on at school? Or will they enter a lyceum or a gymnasium? Of course, it’s not easy to make the right choice. In our country a nine-year education is compulsory and after the ninth form students have an opportunity to choose. To enter a university or a college it is necessary to study two more years, and take five examinations on finishing the eleventh form. To get a professional education, students have to enter a technical college or a vocational school and study for three years. Finally, they may finish their education, leave school, and get a job. The choice depends on their likes and dislikes.
When choosing a place for future studies, it’s a good idea to consider a number of factors. First of all, we should take into account our own preferences and find out what our talents are. We can do this through aptitude tests, interviews with specialities, and consulting reference books on the subjects that interest us. Different types of schools, for example lyceums and gymnasiums, often specialise in various fields. They can offer a good choice of subjects that will be useful in a future profession. Most of them are affiliated with universities and colleges and help pupils to prepare for their entrance examinations.
I am not sure what I am going to do when I leave school. By the time I finish school I will have already formed a much better idea of what I’d like to do. But the problem is we have to decide which subjects to study for university or college two years before we finish school.
It’s not easy to make the right choice. There are a number of things we could do. For some of the most interesting professions, like medicine, you have to be very good at chemistry, and I am not much of a chemist. Although my parents are doctors, I don’t seem to be very interested in caring for others and helping them with their problems. I don’t think it’s the best decision to follow in the footsteps of a parent or a relative if you are not interested in this profession.
I have always wanted to be something like a computer programmer, because I like computers and I am interested in knowing how computer programmes work.
Besides, I have an aptitude for working with figures and solving mathematical problems. Maths is my favourite subject, and I am really good at it. So I think I can work in a scientific or computational field. As far as my personal qualities are concerned, I can say that I’m creative and hard-working; I have good logical-reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Besides, I’m rather communicative and like to work in a team. So I feel I can become a good specialist in programming.
To my mind the profession of a programmer has a lot of advantages. It is a highly paid job, and it can offer many opportunities. I will be able to work on the full range of development activities, such as analysis, design, coding, testing and implementation. Computers are the most rapidly changing sphere of modern technology. The next generation of computers will be able to talk and even to think. We are living in the age of information. And I think that the future will be just filled with computers. Today, in the USA people work, go shopping, or even go on dates, sitting at their computers.
But to become a good specialist in computing, you should know a lot of programming languages and application programmes. So after finishing school it is necessary for me to enter a university or a college and to study computer science. I’ll have to take three entrance examinations: in Maths,
Physics and Literary composition. If I am lucky, I’ll have the chance to study interesting sciences, and to listen to the lectures of famous professors.
However, it’s very difficult to pass entrance examinations. The school I am now studying in is a comprehensive school with a standard curriculum.
Though the teachers here are very knowledgeable and experienced, my school only offers general education. So after finishing the ninth form, I would like to leave it and to enter a lyceum of information technologies. It gives its pupils profound knowledge in Maths, Physics and other academic subjects. Besides, pupils are offered a wide choice of elective subjects connected with computers. They study different programming languages and learn how to write programmes. The teachers there are friendly and well- qualified. The lyceum is known for its academic excellence.
I hope my education at the lyceum will form a basis for my future occupation. But it goes without saying that I’ll need some extra knowledge to pass my entrance exams at the university or college. That is why I’ll have to take preparatory courses in Maths and Physics. Anyway, I have to get down to some hard work now, if I want to achieve my aims.
3. Choosing a profession is not an easy matter. What do you think can help you to make the right choice?
What do you want to be when you grow up? We have heard this question many times during our school years. Perhaps, it was difficult for us to give a definite answer earlier. But now we understand that the time to choose our future profession has come. Finishing school is the beginning of an independent life for millions of school-leavers. Many roads are open before us: technical schools, colleges and universities.
Centuries ago there were only a few jobs: people were farmers, bakers, butchers or carpenters. Today there are thousands of different kinds of jobs, and new ones are constantly appearing. No wonder that it is not an easy thing to make the right choice.
When choosing a future career, we should consider different factors. In my opinion, money is one of the most important factors when you make a choice.
There are highly paid jobs and low-paid jobs. For example, a businessman, a president or a film star, are highly paid jobs. A worker, a doctor or an engineer, are low-paid jobs. I think everybody wants to earn as much money as possible. Training, promotional prospects and conditions should be also taken into account.
On the other hand, it’s good when you get satisfaction from your job. It is very important to choose a profession that suits your interests. In my opinion, a job should be interesting and socially important. Some jobs are considered to be more suitable for men and others for women. For example, the professions of secretary or nurse are more suitable for women. A lifeguard or a pilot are more likely the jobs for men. You should also decide whether you want to work indoors or outdoors.
To make the right choice, you should take into account your traits of character. It goes without saying that to become a good doctor you must be patient, caring and kind. Teacher’s work requires love for children, profound knowledge of subjects, and the ability to explain. A secretary has to be efficient and careful in order to do her work quickly and accurately.
Salespeople need to be friendly and persuasive, to get people buy their products.
There are so many people who influence us in choosing our occupation.
Parents and friends play a very important role in our choices.
My father works is a bisnessman. It is a highly paid job and it offers a lot of opportunities. You can travel abroad and meet different people. My father is a friendly person and he is easy to talk to. He thinks that I must choose my future profession according to my taste and preferences. I respect him but I want to become a programmer.
I have always been interested in computers. I’m rather communicative and have good social skills. I have good analytical abilities and I am good at problem-solving. Besides, I am good at English. English has become the standard language for all kinds of international programs. To know English today is absolutely necessary for every programmer.
But to become a good specialist in computing, you should know a lot of programming languages and application programmes. So after finishing school it is necessary for me to enter a university or a college and to study computer science. I’ll have to take three entrance examinations: in Maths,
Physics and Literary composition. If I am lucky, I’ll have the chance to study interesting sciences, and to listen to the lectures of famous professors.

4. There are different ways of learning about the world: through the mass media, books, travelling, visiting museums, meeting other people, etc.
Which ways do you prefer to learn about the world?
There are a lot of different ways of getting new information. In the past the only way to learn about the world was traveling. The first travelers were explorers who wanted to discover new lands. Nowadays, millions of people travel around the world either for pleasure or on business.
Traveling has always been a part of people’s education. It teaches people about the art and culture of different countries. It teaches them to be understanding. Besides, you can improve your knowledge of foreign languages. In my opinion, traveling is the most pleasant way of learning about the world. It’s always interesting to discover different ways of life, to visit different museums, to try different foods, and to listen to different kinds of music. In brief, when we travel, we can learn a lot of things that we can never see and learn at home.
But to travel around the world you need a lot of money. That is why the main source of information for millions of people is mass media. Mass media includes newspapers and magazines, advertising and radio, and, of course, television.
Television is a reflection of the modern world. It gives you an opportunity to travel all over the world, to see different peoples, and learn about their customs and traditions. Television keeps you informed about the rest of the world. When you need immediate information about the latest world events, you switch the TV on. There are always a great variety of programmes on TV: current affairs programmes and documentaries, plays and feature films, talk shows and TV games. A lot of people like TV news because they can see everything with their own eyes. Besides, TV has the power to educate and broaden our minds.
Some people think that the only way to be in the know of everything is to read newspapers and magazines. If you get on a bus or catch a train during the morning and evening “rush hours”, when most people travel to and from work, you will see a lot of people with their heads in a newspaper or a magazine.
Newspapers are packed with the latest news, information, fashion and facts.
They cater to a variety of political views, interests and levels of education. Papers are generally divided into “quality papers”, or broadsheets, and “popular papers” that are half the size of broadsheets.
But the size is not the only thing that makes them different. “Quality papers” are serious, with long, informative articles; while “popular papers”, known as “tabloids”, have a more sensational reporting style and contain more human interest stories than news. The two most popular British daily newspapers, The Sun and The Daily Mirror, are both tabloids. Tabloids sell many more copies than broadsheets.
In Russia we also have these two types of newspapers. For example,
Izvestiya or Kommersant are broadsheets. They contain political, business and cultural information. Such tabloids as Megapolis-Express and Express
Gazeta contain the latest gossip, sensations and crossword puzzles. People choose a paper according to their tastes and preferences. Though newspapers don’t react to events as quickly as TV, they usually provide us with extra details, commentaries and background information.
There are also a lot of magazines and other periodicals. Whatever your interest, there is likely to be a magazine about it – from sport, cookery, and farming, to religion, computers, cinema and more. Young people below the age of 18 do not buy newspapers; but they do buy magazines. Girls enjoy magazines about pop music, clothes, fashion and make-up; whereas boys prefer to read about sport, cars and computers. As far as I am interested in fashions I enjoy reading Yes. It is a monthly magazine for girls containing the latest information about our favourite pop, film and soap stars, brilliant fashions and beauty, sports and romance. It approaches interesting subjects with intelligence and good humour. Besides, there is a lot of useful advice on various areas of life.
Still, many people prefer the radio. It’s good to listen to the radio in a car, or in the open air, or when you do something about the house.
Listeners can tune into all kinds of stations: pop or classical music, news, sport or foreign radio stations. People can often call in and ask questions about everything from cooking or car repair to politics or health. Callers often get a chance to give their opinions on the air.
Besides, radio has fresher news than newspapers. They inform every half hour.
The Internet has recently become another important source of information.
It is a computer system that allows millions of people around the world to receive and exchange information about almost everything. The main use of the Internet is to find information – for your schoolwork or job, or just to find out more about your hobbies, sports or current events. All the latest information is available to you in your home, at any hour of the day and night. It’s much faster and easier to surf the net in search of information from all over the world than to travel to libraries in dozens of countries.
However, the real world of the Internet may not be as perfect as it seems.
With so much information available, finding what you want can take you hours. Multimedia web pages with photographs are attractive, but they make downloading slow and boring. Besides, there is too much advertising instead of real information.
With so many modern forms of finding information, such as radio, TV and the
Internet, people read fewer books, newspapers and magazines. Nowadays, most people consider television their most important source of information, and a majority ranks television as the most believable news source. In my opinion, we can’t say exactly which source of information is the best. It depends on what kind of information you need. However, I don’t think we should forget the educational value of reading a good book.
5. Travelling is one of the ways of discovering new countries. What attracts tourists to Russia? What would you show your foreign friends in your home town?
Millions of people all over the world are fond of travelling. They travel to see other countries and continents, to discover different ways of life, to meet different people and to practise foreign languages. It goes without saying that travelling broadens the mind. While travelling we can see and learn a lot of things that we can never learn staying at home and watching
TV or reading books. That’s why a lot of foreign people come to Russia to get acquainted with Russian culture, with Russian customs and traditions.
Russia has always been a country of mystery attractive for foreigners.
There are lots of villages and towns in Russia famous for their specific crafts: painted boxes in Palekh, wooden tableware in Khokhloma and toys in
Dymkovo. Thousands of foreigners visit Russia to enjoy the typical Russian log houses, decorated with wood carvings.
Tourists like to visit old Russian towns and cities famous for their ancient architecture. They are especially attracted by Russian orthodox cathedrals, churches and monasteries. One of the most interesting old cities in Russia is Novgorod, or Novgorod the Great, as it was called in the old times. It is a treasury of architecture, painting and applied art created over the 11th to 17th centuries. The first records of the city on the Volkhov River date back to the year of 859. Now Novgorod has expanded far beyond its former limits. It is an important industrial and cultural centre, located on the busy highway linking Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The focal point of the city is the Detinets, or the Kremlin. The present- day Kremlin stems largely from the 15th century. Several alterations made in the 16th and 17th centuries were minor and did not affect its appearance. Novgorod’s contribution to the development of Russian culture is outstanding. No other city excels Novgorod in the number of ancient monuments of architecture. The Novgorod Museum of History, Architecture and
Art shows visitors the history of the medieval Novgorod. Its artistic value lies primarily in its collection of medieval icon painting.
There is a lot to see in Russia, but first of all foreign tourists visit the capital of our country, Moscow, its political, economic, commercial and cultural centre. They dream of visiting Red Square, which is called the heart of Moscow. Perhaps, the most ancient monument of Red Square is St.
Basil’s Cathedral. With its nine beautifully painted cupolas, it is a real masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture.
If you come to Moscow for the first time, you should by all means visit the
Kremlin, which is very impressive. On the territory of the Kremlin you can see old cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the State Kremlin
Palace, the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell, the biggest cannon and bell in the world. The tallest Kremlin tower, the Spasskaya Tower, has become the symbol of the country.
If you leave the Kremlin by the Trinity Gate you will come to the
Alexandrovsky Gardens. The first thing to do in the Gardens is to stand by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, still and silent. Not far from the
Alexandrovsky Gardens, behind the Bolshoi Kamenny Bridge, you will see
Christ the Saviour Cathedral, with its huge beautiful gilded dome.
Foreigners are usually surprised by the number of churches and cathedrals in and around the city. There are also a lot of beautiful palaces, old mansions and monuments in Moscow.
There are more than 80 museums in our capital. The largest museums are the
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, whose collections include works of art of the ancient Orient and ancient Egypt, and the State Tretyakov Gallery, which houses a rich collection of Russian painting and Russian icons. Other unique museums in Moscow are the State History Museum, the All-Russia
Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art, the Polytechnical Museum and many others. Moscow is famous for its theatres, too. The best-known of them is the Bolshoi Opera House. Drama theatres and studios are also very popular.
Another interesting place to visit in Moscow is the All-Russia Exhibition
Centre which occupies an area of 530 acres. The Exhibition Centre is situated in a beautiful park. The most admired feature of the Exhibition
Centre is its fountains. The “Friendship of the Nations” and the “Stone
Flower” fountains are the most beautiful. The Exhibition Centre is a large cultural and commercial complex where different international exhibitions and fairs are held.
One of the most famous sights of the city is the Moscow Metro and a journey by Metro will be unforgettable. In the Metro you do not feel as if you’re underground. This is due to the unique architecture and the artistic design of the stations, which are more like palaces. No two stations are alike; most of them have their own appearance.
Of course, every foreigner should visit St. Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia and one of the most splendid cities in the world. It was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great at the mouth of the Neva River. Now it is an important industrial, cultural and educational centre.
St. Petersburg is indeed a wonderful city: at every turn there is something to catch your eye. The Winter Palace, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Peter-and-
Paul Fortress, and the Admiralty Building attract thousands of tourists from every corner of the world. Petersburg’s many museums house some of the world’s most famous art collections. The Hermitage and the Russian Museum, for example, contain the richest collections of pictures in the world.
The city is called the Northern Venice, because there are 65 rivers, branches and canals there with artistically decorated bridges. It’s also famous for its beautiful white nights.
There are a lot of Hero-cities in our country. And I would recommend that my foreign friends visit one of them. Volgograd is a legendary city, because here in 1943 the Soviet Army won the great and glorious victory over the fascists. The city was completely ruined during the war, but now it is a beautiful city again. It stands on the banks of the great Russian river Volga. The symbol of Volgograd is the Mamaev Hill. It was the centre of fighting during the heroic defence of Stalingrad. Now there is a great memorial there. Besides, you can visit the Stalingrad Battle Panorama
Museum, which is situated on the bank of the Volga River. The centre of
Volgograd is the Square of the Fallen Heroes. In the middle of it there is a granite obelisk and the common graves of the heroes of the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War. At the foot of the memorial you can see the
Eternal Flame. Now Volgograd is a big industrial and cultural centre.
There are a lot of other interesting towns and cities in Russia, which are all worth visiting.
6. Every country is special. What comes to your mind, when you think of the
UK and its people?
The British Isles is the name for a collection of about 4000 islands, including Great Britain and Ireland. Great Britain, known as Britain or GB, is the name for the largest of the Islands in the British Isles. It includes England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom or UK is a political term which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. All of these countries are represented in Parliament in London, and the abbreviation UK is used on most official documents produced by
Parliament. Everybody from the UK is British, but be careful: only people from England are English. People from Wales think of themselves as Welsh; people from Scotland as Scottish; people from Northern Ireland as either
British or Irish.
Britain is split into counties. The word county describes an area with its own local government. County councils are elected to run things, such as education, housing, town planning, and rubbish disposal. They look after things like roads, libraries and swimming pools.
The British flag, known as the Union Jack, is a combination of three flags: the Saint Andrew’s cross, the Saint Patrick’s cross and the Saint George’s cross.
The Saint Patrick’s cross is the former flag of Ireland. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born about AD 390. He converted the
Irish to Christianity. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated on 17 March. The symbol of Northern Ireland is a shamrock and a red hand.
The Saint George’s cross is the English flag. Saint George is the patron saint of England. He was a soldier famous for saving the Princess Cleolinda from being eaten by a dragon. Saint George’s Day is celebrated on 23 April.
The symbol of England is a red rose.
The Saint Andrew’s cross is the Scottish flag. Saint Andrew, a fisherman, was one of the 12 apostles who followed Jesus Christ. Paintings of Saint
Andrew often show him being crucified on an X-shaped cross. Saint Andrew’s
Day is celebrated on 30 November. He is the patron saint of both Scotland and Russia. The symbol of Scotland is a thistle.
The Welsh flag shows a dragon. Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, converted Wales to Christianity and established the Welsh church. Paintings of Saint David show him with a dove on his shoulder. Saint David’s Day is celebrated on 1 March. The symbol of Wales is a daffodil or leek.
London is the capital city of England and the UK. It is a place where the invading Romans first crossed the River Thames. They built a city and called it Londinium. This original site of London is now called the City of
London. London manages in a unique way to reflect the past and, at the same time, to live a life of a modern city. The saying “When a man is tired of
London, he is tired of life” means that you can’t be bored in London. There are hundreds of historic buildings, galleries and museums in London.
As for me, I’m fond of history and I’ve read a lot about English kings and queens. I’d like to visit all places in London which are connected with
Royal London, such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall and
Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tower of London. And I’d like to visit places which are not in London, such as Windsor Castle, the
Queen’s house in Greenwich, the Palace of Holyrood house in Edinburgh and other places in the UK which are connected with the Crown. The UK is famous for its castles such as Edinburgh Castle and Leeds Castle and others, and
I’d like to see them with my own eyes. Another place which is worth seeing is Madam Tussaud’s Museum of Waxworks. This museum consists of several halls with wax images of outstanding political characters, poets and writers, world-famous film stars and musicians. Then I’d like to see one of the wonders of the world – the famous Stonehenge. Every year thousands of young people go to Stonehenge to take part in the midsummer Druid festival.
I wish I were there.

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