Stratford-upon-Avon lies at the very heart of England. It attracts people not only by its history and connection with William Shakespeare, but also by its wonderful nature and typical English character.

Stratford stands on the river Avon and is one of the oldest market towns. It has still preserved its own character and atmosphere, as you will not see modern buildings there. The houses are small and a lot of them are very old. Some of them date back to Shakespeare's time.

Here you can visit Shakespeare's birthplace (it is a museum now), Anna Hathaway's cottage (the early home of Shakespeare's wife), the foundations of the New Place, where Shakespeare lived when he retired and died in 1616 (now there is only a wonderful garden on the place of the house). Just round the corner there is Grammar school that Shakespeare used to attend.

Here in Stratford there is Holy Trinity Church where William Shakespeare was buried. Thousands of people from all parts of England and foreign visitors come here on Shakespeare's birthday (23rd April) to pay tribute to the great poet.

Among other sights connected with the name of Shakespeare there is an interesting monument with the statue of the great poet on top and with characters from his plays round it. And, of course, you should visit the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, a red­brick building standing on the banks of the Avon. It was opened in 1932 as a living memorial to the poet's work. The Royal Shakespeare Company, which is one of the best known and largest theatre companies in the world, regularly performs here and in the Barbican Centre in London.

In old times York was the capital of a Viking kingdom. In medieval times, York was the second city of England, then the social centre of the North, and in Victorian times, an important railway centre. Today York is, among other things, the home of world-famous chocolate and one of the beautiful cities in the world. There are a lot of ₉ historic things in York: battlements, glorious churches, ancient narrow streets, old houses and cosy pubs where stories of ghosts are told around the fire.

Among its museums there is the National Railway Museum with a wonderful collection of steam trains and Royal Carriages. In the Castle Museum one can imagine oneself in the 19th century world of Victorian streets, shops, farmhouses and homes. In the newest museum, York Story, visitors travel in a special electric car through an original Viking street with its sights, sounds and smells.

The magnificent Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe and the most important church in the North of England. It is famous for its medieval stained glass windows, and the interior of colour and light. You can climb to the top of the tower and take a trip into history below ground, where you can see the Roman remains.

In today's York there is a festival of music and the arts every summer, which include the famous miracle plays (the religious plays performed in the streets in medieval York).

 

 

London is the capital and the largest city of the United Kingdom. Its population is about eight and a half million.

London is Great Britain's biggest manufacturing centre and the country's main banking and financial centre. London is also one of the largest ports in the United Kingdom. It is linked with all parts of the country by roads and railways.

London is a great educational and cultural centre. The University of London with 14 colleges has more than 76,000 students. The British Library houses one of the finest collections in the world. Museums and galleries are world known too, among them the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Gallery, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, The city's main concert halls are Covent Garden and the Modern Royal Festival Hall.

London is a multinational city, with a large immigrant population from Britain's former colonies especially from South Asia and the West Indies.

In fact, there are several Londons. There is the City of London, which is the oldest part of London. It is the country's financial and business centre. There is the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange, the Mansion House (the official residence of the City's Lord Mayor), and many other important landmarks.

The West End is the name given to the area of central London which includes Trafalgar Square, the main shopping areas of Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, and the entertainment centres of Soho, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. Many government buildings, including 10 Downing Street (the residence of the British Prime Minister), are nearby. There is also Buckingham Palace, the Queen's residence.

The East End covers a wide area to the east of the City, which is quite different from the other parts of London. There are many warehouses and factories producing clothes in the East End. It is also one of those areas of London where working class people live. The East End markets are famous throughout the world for all kinds of goods. Traditionally someone bom in the East End is known as a cockney.

London has a few famous parks: Hyde Park with its Speakers' Corner, St. James' Park, Regent Park with its wonderful Zoo and others.

West of the City, there is Westminster that contains the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben (the famous clock tower) and Westminster Abbey where from the Norman times British monarchs have been crowned and later buried. Many other famous people are also buried in Westminster Abbey including statesmen, musicians and writers. In Poet's Corner one can find statues and the tombs of William Shakespeare, Byron, T.S. Eliot and others.

Trafalgar Square is considered the geographical centre of London. It was laid out in memory of Lord Nelson's great naval victory of 1805 in the Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson's statue stands on top of a column in the middle of the square, which makes a good place for people to meet or to unite for all kinds of meetings. At Christmas time there is a huge Christmas tree which is sent to Britain from Norway every year.

The City is famous for its oldest part, the Tower of London, which is more than nine hundred years old. It was originally built as a fortress, later it was a royal palace, and then served as a prison. Now it is a museum with a wonderful collection or armour and the Crown Jewels. The Tower is full of history and visitors can see the Yeomen Warders or "Beefeaters," in their picturesque uniforms of four hundred years ago. Today they will show visitors the main places of interest and speak about the history of the Tower. Tower Bridge, which crosses the Thames beside the Tower, has a distinctive Victorian construction and can be opened to let big ships pass into the Pool of London.

St. Paul's Cathedral designed by the English architect Sir Christopher Wren in the 17th century, is one of the most famous churches in the world. St.Paul's contains memorials to many national heroes, among them Lord Nelson, Sir John Moore, the Duke of Wellington, and Sir Christopher Wren. There are steps up to the Whispering Gallery, inside the dome, where words whispered into the stone wall can be heard right round the other side. From the stone gallery outside visitors have a magnificent view of London.

My name is Petrov Vladimir. I am 20 years old. I was born in 1983 in Tula. My father, Petrov Alexander, is a computer operator and works at a railway station. My mother, Petrova Anna, is a surgeon , she works at a hospital. My address is: 143070 Tula, Pushkin Street 20, apt.16.My telephone number is 8-916 327-20-16.

In 2000 I finished secondary school number 21 in Tula. From 2000 till 2002 I studied at Railway technical school № 4 in Moscow. Then I did military service for two years. In July 2004 1 passed entering exams successfully and became a student of Moscow State University of Railway Engineering. I study at the Institute of Rail Operation and Information Technologies, my speciality is Automatic Data Processing and Control Systems.

The Institute provides students with basic knowledge of informatics, economics and foreign languages. I have a good opportunity to visit the University's House of Sports and go in for swimming and wrestling.

I live in a student hostel and try to earn my living to be financially independent. I got a part-time job as assistant manager at a computer service centre. My job not only helps me to earn my living but also gives me good practice in computer operating. After graduating from the University I am going to take a postgraduate course and then work in the sphere of new computer technologies on transport.

 

Name Petrov Vladimir

Contact phone: 8-916-327-20-16

Age: 20

Nationality : Russian

Marital status : single

August 2004- up to now : Computer Service Centre

Assistant of a manager

Main responsibilities:

-    to control computer service operations

-    to consult customers

-    to keep order of documentation Education

September 2004- up to now : Moscow State University of Railway Engineering,

Automatic Data Processing and Control Systems, undergraduate

2000-2002: Railway Technical School( Certificate)

1990-2000: Secondary School №21 (Certificate)

September 2000- May 2001: English Language Courses ( Certificate)

July 2001-Oct 2001: Marketing and Sales Promotion Courses (Certificate)

PC user

Sports, traveling

 

 

 

1.EUROPEAN UNION

The establishment of the European Union intended to work toward common goals of European countries. This free trade zone or economic community was and is very successful and seeks special purposes such as political dialogue, free trade and freedom of movement, economic, financial, and cultural cooperation.

The European Union (EU) was established after 2^nd World War. France officially undertook the establishment of the EU proposing to create "the first concrete foundation of a European federation". On May 9, 1950 the EU was created and initially six European countries joined the EU: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands. Then 9 countries joined the EU and today the number of the member countries is 15 (later Denmark, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, and Sweden became Member States). The EU today is preparing for the accession of 13 European countries - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Turkey. In order to join the EU, these countries need to fulfill the economic and political requirements, which in other terms are called "Copenhagen criteria". Those requirements are mainly-related to the following: 1. Member countries must be a stable democracy, respecting human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of minorities;

2 Member countries must have a functioning market economy; 3. Member countries adopt the common rules, standards and policies that make up the body of EU law.

All the countries are integrated in order to realize the principal objectives of the EU. Those objectives are as follows: To establish European citizenship To ensure freedom, security and justice To promote economic and social progress To assert Europe's role in the world.

 

2. INTERPOL

Interpol exists to help create a safer world.

Originally the International Criminal Police Commission, the first headquarters was set up in Vienna, Austria, in 1923. The Organisation was revived after the Second World War with new statues and a General Secretariat in Paris.

Interpol was set up for cross-border criminal police cooperation. Today, it is the biggest international police organization, with 181 member countries spread five continents.

Interpol's mission is to promote international police co-operation i.e. to help officers from different police forces, countries, languages and cultures to cooperate

with one another and work together to solve crime. Because Interpol must play at international level, its Constitution does not allow it to engage in any activity of a political, military, religious, or racial character.

Interpol deals only with international crime and not with national crime i.e. crimes that overlap one or several member countries. It does not deal with crimes which are planned and committed in just one country. Interpol's work covers many specialized areas but its current work is largely related to public safety and terrorism, fugitives, organized crime, illicit drug production and trafficking, weapons smuggling, trafficking in human beings, money laundering, financial and high tech crime and corruption.

Interpol works around the clock in four languages (English, French, Spanish and Arabic).

 

3. GREEN PEACE

An International Environmental pressure group was set up in Canada and the USA in 1971 and in the UK in 1976.

It campaigns by direct actions, non-violent, massive resistance, against commercial whaling and seal culling, the tamping of toxic and radioactive waste at sea, and the testing of nuclear weapons.