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Showing posts from January, 2007

Looking back on USA - American smile – sincere or false?

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I think many of you would agree that people in Russia tend to dislike Americans. They say that ever smiling Americans are insincere. Some go even farther and say that Americans put on their faces a kind of mask which hides their real feelings and temper. This clichéd image of a bit childish and narrow-minded Americans is rather popular in our society. It is so because of some well-known TV comedians and shows. But let me disagree and say that many Americans are really friendly and helpful. During our stay in NY, and don’t forget that NY is as busy and overpopulated as Moscow with lots of people rushing here and there, we came across several very frank and open-minded people. I recall one particular occasion. On that day, my husband and I were waiting for a boat to take us to the Island of Liberty and Elis Island. We’d already taken many photographs of some beauty spots around and were standing expecting nothing special. The weather was freezing and windy. All of a sudden I heard: “Guys

Home assignment - 25.01.07

Group 2.30pm Writing -Successful Writing , Unit 3, ex 6 (1,2), PEP (1) - Tests 5 Mission (1) - Unit 2 parts 1,2 Speaking about dwellings (L&Sp) book, Unit 1 Deadline 01.02.07 Group 5 pm Writing - Successful Writing, ex1, page 111 FCE-5, Test 2, Mission KW Transformations, ex 12, till end + Error correction-one page Use of English ,Unit 9 page 144-150 Deadline 01.02.07 To your attention: please note that I've resent invitations to start writing to the blog. Those who are already contributors, please start writing, too. For that you do the following: Via 'Google' reach your blog by its name (you'll need to type in your bolg's name then follow the link, after that 'sign in' using your 'username' and 'password'. Mind that you sign in after you've started your 'Google account' following my invitation. Good Luck!

Looking back on USA - figure skating with tears

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Here I'd like to tell you about that day. It'll stuck in my memory forever as one of most bizzare days in my life. It was the very Eve of New Year, December 30th. My family startet toying with the idea of going figure skating in the morning. First, I didn't take them seriously, then I realized that I couldn't help it. They were so pushy that I agreed to join but without my skating. Frankly speaking, I'm a risk-taker, but for no reasons at all on that day, I didn't feel like skating. I don't know why. My gloomy promonitions got even worse when we spent about 30 min. standing in line to the ticket box with lots of overenthuziastic Afro and Chinese kids chewing Burgers or Nuudles from big plastik boxes with their parents doing the same. However, the moment we got skating boots and a glisterring skating-rink with splendid music was only one step ahead, I lost my mind. All my premonitions wore off and I bravely stepped on the ice. My first movements were rather w

Home assignment 18.01.07

Group 2.30pm Writing -Successful Writing , Unit 2, last ex (1-3) PEP (1) - Tests 4 Use of Eng (1) - Unit 1- second part + speaking about photos with modal structures Deadline 25.01.07 Group 5 pm Writing - Successful Writing, articles (H,I. L) FCE-5, Test 1, Those who haven't done FCE-2, will do tests 3&4 Mission KW Transformations, ex 12, till end Deadline 25.01.07

List of your blogs

Hi, everybody Now I can post a list of your blogs. You can reach them in the same way as my blog via 'Google'. I said about that earlier. I'm blog administrator. My blog - minats_zone Manage Your Blogs and Good Luck! Group at 2:30pm lena_minats_zone kate_minats_zone anna_minats_zone fardan_minats_zone kirill_minats_zone andrey_minats_zone dasha_minats_zone alesya_minats_zone alena_minats_zone marina_madlen_zone Group at 5pm yayloyans5_zone elya_gri5_zone mysticeye5_zone devil_ann5_zone joker5_zone

More of NY city

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Hi, there. Hope I'll manage some more photos. Minats

How to start your blog (To Marina_Madlen and others)

Dear M_M, and others, I hope we'll be able to interact somehow. Minats. The Procedure of using the blog is not very hard. It is the following: Get my (not olgakut_z0ne) invitation Start your Google Account (on New Blogger with beta) Use your E-mail as your username and nick as your password. You can try several times till you manage. Save this data for me. Or sent it to me by e-mail You'll get a status of a team member along with me (minats - administrator). Don't use olgakut group because it was done by mistake. Reach my (or your blog) by going to 'Google', 'More', 'Blogs', then insert in the search box the name of my blog minats_zone or your name (for marina it is marina_madlen_zone ) and follow the links (green) Start posting from your blog Regularly visit my blog for updates and home assignments E-mail me if you have any queries, Minats

Back from NY

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Hello, everyone, The trip back was rather tiring but relatively smooth. Though we had to take 2 connections: in NY and Amsterdam, we arrived in time. Now we're home and I can sit back and tell you about my 3 days in NY. I'm sorry for not writing from NY. It was impossible as we stayed with the Russian Priest's family in the area called 'Queens', which, in fact, is only 6 stops from the '5th Avenue by Subway.' The family have no computers and TV sets. But, perhaps, it's for good in my situation. NY is as usual amazing. It's my favourite city in US as it has sth in its atmosphere which makes it special. Not to mention lovely bridges and plenty of water everywhere. I'll try to tell you more on our meeting. The much I can say now is that we managed to climb to the observatory deck of the Statue of Liberty so I took some gorgeous photos. Have a look at some photos to catch the feeling of NY. See you soon. Minats

Russian Orthodox Christmas in SF. NY tomorrow

Dear all, It's a great pity, but I'm leaving the most welcoming city of SF,CA tomorrow, at 7:50am. Hope to be in NY at 4pm local time. The weather in SA has been so dazzlingly sunny recently that I'll miss this brightness for some time. We celebrated Russian Christmas at the local Orthodox Church on Geary Street and attended 2 services. For the local Russians it's a very special occasion to go to church as I saw all of them very smartly and elegantly dresses there. The young and old alike. There were some really very old people there who looked as if they belong to the 1-2d wave of emigration- faces noble and aristocratic, wearing some antiquated clothes and hats. I loved the way they behave and speak. It's very different from our modern Russia. Services were held in both languages ( Rus & Eng) so that even kids and teens could understand them. They have a lyceum and Orthodox schools here. I'll stop writing here as I have to pack my stuff. Hope to writ

Trip to Alcatraz

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Hi,everyone, I'll tell you more about this place in SF. But I guess you 've heard about the prison on the rocky island in SF Bay. 1.3 miles from the shore. Now it's a beauty spot and local attraction, but before 1964 it used to be a big prison. Three inmates escaped from it and were never found as the streams in the ocean around the island are violent and there are many whirls there, too. Anyway, you'd better have a look and try to imagine what it was like to be there. Regards, Minats

Big city of SF

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Hi, I'd like you to look at some gorgeous views of SF bridges. They make the city very special. Best wishes, Minats

New Year 2007 in SF, California

Hi, everyone, Now that 3 days of the New Year 2007 have already passed, I can share with you my impressions. The big day was more modest than Chrismas as all shops kept working till late in the evening. The only thing that made it different was that lots of people in the streets and shops said "Happy New Year!" to each other and to you whenever it's the right situation for that. Frankly speaking, I expected more excitement as in Russia it's always sth special about this day. But still I remembered the saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," so we went to the skating rink for a change. There we had a lot of fun but I fell on the ice and damaged my wrist. The X-ray is very dear here so I decided to wait till Moscow. This incident slightly spoiled my stay here. Hopefully, it's not serious. I'll try to post further comments later on, this week. Best wishes, Minats