Topic 5, 6

Recently I've read a story about a man who decided to spend a night in a

quiet country inn. He was driving to a conference in Dorchester when he

saw an old inn. It was only a few miles from Dorchester and surroundings

were so peaceful and picturesque that the man decided to spend a night

there. The owner of the inn greeted him warmly. There weren't any visitors

for a fortnight as it was nearly November, so the man was charged less than

usual. The man stayed in the Prince Charles room. The room was very old,

with low ceilings and a small window looking out on green hills. It was

spotlessly clean but stuffy and very cold. Moreover, the window refused to

open. Then the man didn't find any coat-hangers in the room, and what is

more, there were no towels and the water in the basin was icy. He

complained to the owner and she promised to do everything possible and

then suggested him to spend a night in the lounge near the fire. Then the

man had the cold meal and it was excellent. The next morning his room was

still cold, the water still refused to run away and a single small towel was

very damp. But the dining-room was gloriously warm and breakfast was

very tasty. The man had a feeling that the world was created only the

previous night and there was the first day of the existence. And he decided

to find his way back to this quiet country inn one fine day despite all its

disadvantages.

Topic 7

Many people believe their homes are safe and secure, unless it is broken

into by a burglar. So we must take basic, sensible precautions to protect our houses.

First of all, it's necessary to buy security locks and fit them to all doors and

windows, because when you buy a lock - you buy time. And this is the one

thing a burglar can't afford. And don't rely on safe or secret plaices for keys

or valuables, as they are often the first place a thief will look into. Really

valuable items should be in the bank or in a security safe. It's also important to have an up-to-date list of your valuables and their descriptions, as it can help the police to find your valuables. When you move into a new house you should always change the locks, as you don't know who may have duplicate keys. And never let anyone that you don't know into your house.

Don't advertise the fact that your house is empty and if you're going away

for a long time don't live cash or valuables in the house.

Undoubtedly, these suggestions can really help us to protect our houses and belongings. And what is more some of them will even cost us nothing.

Topic 8

For two hundred years, the White House has stood as a symbol of the Presidency, the United States government and the American people. Construction began when the first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792. It was not until 1800, when the White House was nearly completed, that its first residents, President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved in. Since that time, each President has made his own changes and additions. The White House is the President’s private home that is open to the public free of charge. The White House has a unique and fascinating history. It survived a fire in 1814 and another fire in 1929, while Herbert Hoover was President. At various times in history, the White House has been known as the President Palace, the President House and so on. President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its currents name in 1901. The White House was designated (провозглашена) a National Historic Landmark in 1960. And now I’d like to tell you about some facts of the White House. In fact, the White House has 6 stories, 132 rooms, 5000 visitors a day and so on. It is one of the first government buildings in Washington that made wheelchair-accessible. It was done for Franklin Roosevelt, who needed to use a wheelchair as a result of polio. Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President John Kennedy, remodeled the interior of many rooms. Since then, every presidential family has made changes to the décor of the White House.