minats_zone

Dear all. I must apologize for not posting to the blog for so long. I got back from the US July 17th and experienced a very strong discomfort caused by jet lag. It was worse than when I arrived to the US from Moscow. So it took me some 10 days to get used to the time and the way things happen here, in Moscow. Now, I can start telling you about my amazing summer stay at my cousin's Dmitry house in Indianapolis, state Indiana. Firstly, I was very busy every moment of my stay there. I was kept busy by my brother and his wife Elena. Secondly, the internet access there was limited as either my brother Dmitry or his wife were doing something on the Web. Anyway, I did my best to take as many photos as possible to share them with you later. Some of them are really funny and show American life from the perspective of middle class or even wealthy Americans. At the same time,some of these photos may seem very unusual for us, Russian people. If you ask me why - my answer will probably be the ...

Dear all. I've been so busy lately so I really had no time to post to the blog. But it doesn't mean I forgot about it or ignored the importance of taking notes on my pretty hectic but really exciting life this year, 2007. As you know, I was in the USA in December 2006 till mid January 2007. And now here I am, in America again. The decision to go there occurred to me when my brother Dimitry, who has been living in the US since 1990, called me in the late May and invited me to stay with him for a while at the beginning of July 2007. Thanks God, I have a valid visa and the only problem was to buy a ticket and to talk my husband Stanislaw into my going there alone.He didn't want to go with me as it's neither cheap nor interesting to him (but not me). And now I'm staying with my cousin's family in the best area of Indianapolis, state Indiana. The name of the area is Fishers. It is inhabited by mostly professionals and well-off people. The houses and the state of the ...

Dear friends, have a look at Ekateringubg being built. I find its growth very fast and curious in many ways in contrast to other Russian towns. There are too many aggressive and intrusive ads and posters in the city, not to mention the fact that the city is not very clean and sunny. I hope the situation with cleanness and other things will change for the better very soon as the people there ( especially young) are very intelligent and special. It's my first impression there, which I don't think I'll change.

Hello everyone. I've just got back from Ekaterinburg, where I was examining BEC (V), FCE and PET. My stay there was fine. It was my 4th visit to the city and I was glad to discover that Ekaterinburg had changed considerably for better. The city has become neater, many more new and business-like buildings around, huge posters, bright lights, but more importantly, really efficient and helpful people in shops and services. I loved the look of my hotel, a chain one - "Park Inn". I'm a seasoned traveller so I can say that this hotel offers a really high quality service. The look of the church blessed after the Tsar's Faminy and a new one which is being built on the outskirts of Ekaterinburg (not far from the exam venue) are splendid. The latter is blessed after the great Russian Saint Serafim Sarovsky. Have a look at them and get the first impression. As for sculptures erected for Soviet leders (Sverdlov), for example, I can say thet they don't look good, let alon...

She used to be a leading actress in the Omsk Drama Theatre. After retiring she has been living with her younger sister Luba in a big flat in the Stalin's House right on the bank of the Irtysh River in the centre of Omsk. The windows overlook the river and it creates a very special atmosphere when you want to reflect or simply forget about the routine of everyday life. Now my aunt doesn't work as she's 84 years old, but she still obtains her salary from the theatre and receives her ex-colleagues who come to see her with a bunch of flowers or a box of chocolate.They still remember and love her as she was the example for many young actors in Omsk. And you may've heard that Omsk Drama School is famous all over Russia as a lot of outstanding actors came from this school: Olga Aroseva, Yulianov, Dvorjetsky and others. I went to the theatre and watched a performance on the main stage where my aunt spent her last 20 years. The play was not very good but I enjoyed my time there!...

First of all, I wish to congratulate our Ss on finishing the school year 2007. I hope you'll enjoy your summer holiday and get back heathier and more motivated. Now I'd like to share my impression about Omsk where I examined YLE and post some photos which, I hope so, you'll find curious.Omsk is a really nice city with the beautifyl river Irtyish. It's a bit dirty and looks rather brown as well as not so mighty as I expected. People explained that this is because Irtyish runs through densly populated China where folks dump a lot of waste in the river and take its water for irrigation. And the river is becoming narrower and weaker. It's a pity! But still it's really a gorgeous Siberian river. Now look at some sights of Omsk in the centre. There are still a few statues of Lenin there. But you can also see some funny sculptures like 'Santekchnik' who is getting from the underground hole on the pavement, just in the very centre of Omsk. I hope you'll fi...

First of all, I'd like to congratulate our fellows who sat the FCE in March. Exam results have become available on the Cambridge ESOl site and our students found out that all of them passed!!!. The Results are as follows: A (2), B(2), C(4). It's excellent!!!!!! Well done!!! One more thing. Those of you who want to use my site, you're welcome. The URL is here: http://go2pru.77.com1.ru/index.php

Dear all. I've not been writing to the blog as I was unable. I was on the island of Creta from 29th April to 9th May. It was a wonderful holiday which, I hope so, I deserved as I had been working with by broken wrist for so long time without taking a sick leave. I was swimming a lot, even though the temperature was not so comfortable: 19-20 C. But the weather was really warm and sunny so I could feel good after swimming sessions lying in the sun for a while. The place was beautiful, the nothern part of the island, inbetween Heraklion and Retimno. It was my second time on the island. The first one was in 1998, when we returned to Moscow to find ourselves bankrupts as it was the year of the collapse of our economy. We managed to survive and so did the island which didn't seem to have changed. It is said that Creta was the home of the most recent civilization??. In 1998 we were on the southern coast of Creta and now I can say that the southern part is more wild, less civilized t...

Home assignment for FCE group. Writing -Successful Writing , Unit 8, page 56, ex. 6 (1). FCE Plus -Exam 4 (Reading & Use of English) Speaking - (L&Sp) book - forms of entertainment (compare and contrast 2 of them, same task) Use of English Unit 4, Pre-Test till the end. Unit 5 till exs 129 Mission Unit 4, parts 3,4 (in a week) Deadline 26.04.07 Home assignment for CAE group. Fast Track Workbook, Unit 1 Speaking - monological mini presentations on assertiveness (1-1,5 min). Make use of advanced Gr& Voc from the text Deadline 26.04.07

I'm happy to say that we are going to have 5-6 students joining us in CAE group. They'll have classes at 5'30 pm, after the FCE group. The coursebooks used are: 'Fast Track to CAE' Students book and Workbook. Also they'll need to buy CAE Plus 1 book so that they can start doing tests right after they begin the course. The supposed date of the examination is going to be in March. Let's wish them good luck and improve their English throughout the course, which they must achieve as all of them are really good and ambitious as well as they already have had good experience doing FCE. Good luck! Home assignment for FCE group. Writing -Successful Writing , Unit 8, page 56, ex. 6 (2). PEP (1) - KWTransformations -till end. FCE Plus -Exam 3 (Reading & Use of English) Speaking - (L&Sp) book - forms of entertainment (compare and contrast 2 of them, same task) Mission Unit 4, parts 1,2 Use of English Unit 4, Pre-Test till the end. Unit 5 till exs 129 (in a week...

Writing -Successful Writing , Unit 9, page 53, ex. 6 (1,2).Your choice. PEP (1) - KWTransformations at the bottom of the book, till # 149 FCE Plus -Exam 2 (Reading & Use of English) Speaking - (L&Sp) book - forms of entertainment (compare and contrast 2 of them, same task) Mission Unit 4, parts 1,2 Use of English Unit 4, Pre-Test till the end. Unit 5 till exs 129 (in a week) Deadline 12.04.07 I'd also like to congratulate all my ex-FCE students who have recently received their ESOL certificates (I brought exactly 12 of them in the envelop and handed in to be kept in a safe place at the Principal's room). So I'd be very happy to see all of you or, at least those who are willing to continue, and I hope you'll join in a small CAE group at 5:30 pm on Thursday, after my classes with the FCE group. See you.

Writing -Successful Writing , Unit 8, ex. 4, page 50.Your choice. PEP (1) - KWTransformations at the bottom of the book. FCE Plus -Exam 1,2 (Reading & Use of English) Speaking - (L&Sp) book - forms of entertainment (compare and contrast 2 of them) Mission Unit 4, parts 1,2 (in a week) Use of English page 65-71 Deadline 05.04.07 Have a look at some more photos of Y-Sakhalinsk. The place where I took these photos is believed to be very bizarre and odd. People say they witnessed UFOs in this area. What is more, the sea and many big and small lakes are together, creating the feeling of something mysterious. I wish I could go there in summer and in early autumn so as to enjoy the view of 'sopkas ' , the forest and the sea which was covered in ice by the shore when I was there. I could see only daredevil fishermen on the ice. There are some crazy people who love fishing more than anything else in the world.

Hello everyone, I've been disconcerted to find only 7 of you in the class last time (22d March). Why's that? Probably you were affected by the first warm spring sunshine. Hope you'll turn up next time - March 29 at 3pm. Here's your home assignment: Writing -Successful Writing , Unit 8, ex. 7, page 48.Your choice. PEP (1) - page 150 - ## 66-132. FCE Plus -Exam 1 (Reading & Use of English) Speaking - (L&Sp) book -same hometask Mission Unit 3, parts 3,4 Use of English (in a week)-page 65-71 Deadline 29.03.07 Have a look at some more photos made in Yuzno-Sakhalinsk. They show the city itself with the statue of Lenin dominating over the main street called ulitsa Lenina. The city is full of five-storey buildings and is a typical one of the mid 50th. See you on 29th, Minats

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Hello everyone. I've just come back from Yuzno-Sakhalinsk. My trip was amazing! I did not expect I could find there so many interesting and unusual things, which make living on an island very different from that of the continent. First of all, I saw mountains everywhere. It's so different and romantic. Secondly, dazzlingly beautiful snow and sunshine, which are very rare things in Moscow, made me feel very good. Last but not least, fish (salmon), caviar, nuts, berries etc on the market. But more importantly - children of all over Sakhalin sitting PET. They seemed to be so brave, outgoing, trendy and beautiful. I was surprised to see them like that as I expected to observe a bit timid and humble provincial kids. On the contrary, some of them could even outshadow the Moscovites. I was pleased to realize, that I was very mistaken about their look and character. There are many Korean people in Sakhalin as well as Russians, Ukrainians and some Chinese. The last community is not big ...

Hi everyone. I've experienced some trouble with my blog as I was unable to post to my blog. Only title appeared. Now, it's the first time it started working as usual. Please, keep writing to your blogs. See you on March 15th at 2:30pm.

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Let's keep our fingers crossed!!! The fellows struggling for FCE in a Group at 5pm are sitting their Listening and Speaking on March 3d at school 1937. We all wish them Good Luck! See you all on March 7th at 3:00pm and 5:30 pm respectively. It will be the final leg before Reading, Writing and Use of English come on March 10th.