Travelling

Millions of people all over the world spend their holidays travelling. They travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, they travel to enjoy picturesque places, or just For a change of scene, It is always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food, to listen to different musical rhythms.

Those who live in the country like to go to a big city and spend their time visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City dwellers usually like a quiet holiday by the sea or in the mountains, with nothing to do but walk and bathe and laze in the sun.

Most travellers and holiday-makers take a camera with them and take pictures of everything that interests them-the sights of a city, old churches and castles, views of mountains, lakes, valleys (долина) , plains (равнина) , waterfalls, forests; different kinds of trees, flowers and plants; animals and birds.

Perhaps years later, they will be reminded by the photos of the happy time they have had.

People travel by train, by air, by boat and by car.

All means of travel (способы путешествовать) have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans and destinations (ожиданиями) .

Of course, travelling by air is the fastest and the most convenient way, but it is the most expensive too. Travelling by train is slower than by plane, but it has its advantages. You can see much more interesting places of the country you are travelling through. Modern trains have -very comfortable seats. There are also sleeping cars and dining cars which make even the longest journey enjoyable. Speed, comfort and safety are the main advantages of trains and planes. That is why many people prefer them to all other means.

Travelling by sea is popular mostly for pleasure trips. On board large ships and small river boats people can visit foreign countries and different places of interest within their own country.

As for me I prefer travelling by car. I think it's very convenient. You needn't reserve your tickets. You needn't carry heavy suitcases. You can stop wherever you wish and spend at any place as much time as you like.

If we are fond of travelling, we see and learn a lot of things that we can never see or learn at home, though we may read about them in books and newspapers, and see pictures of them on TV. The best way to study geography is to travel, and the best way to get to know and understand people is to meet them in their own homes.

Music and its role in the life of the people

Music accompanies us everywhere. Small children hear their mothers' songs when they put them to bed. We hear the music of birds in the gardens and woods. We listen to music on the radio and TV and cassette recorders.

When we grow up, we prefer to listen to music we like. Some people are fond of classical music and attend opera houses and concert halls. They also collect recordings of their favourite singers and orchestras. Others especially young peo­ple, are more interested in light and pop music. They fre­quently go to pop-group concerts and listen to their favourite group. Some of them can play a guitar and like to sing to their friends at parties and gatherings. Many young people, especially students, compose music and write the lyric themselves; they take part in the contests of amateur singers which are very popular.

Specialists explain that music isn't only a combination of pleasant sounds. It is an art which reflects life. There are a lot of different kinds of music. Some of them appeared long ago, and some are modern. For example, folk music appeared long ago, but it is still alive. There are many local performers, choirs and folk groups in Russia; but perhaps the most famous singer is Nadezhda Babkina. Folk songs are very tuneful and pleasant to listen to. Classical music is often associated with the music of the past. However, this style also includes music being written now, and we may speak of modern classical music. Rap is a modern musical style where the singer speaks or shouts the words in time to music with a steady beat. Such groups as Public Enemy or House of Pain are leaders in this style.

There are a lot of music schools and children's choirs in small and big towns, where children learn to play different musical instruments, to sing and to appreciate music. So, besides guitar, piano is also a very popular musical instrument. Folk songs and instruments have always been popular in Russia. Every nationality and ethnic group has its own folk tra­ditions. There are non-professional groups and choirs that perform during national holidays and festivals. The most pop­ular traditionally Russian musical instruments are balalaika and accordion, especially in small towns and villages.

Young people in bigger cities and towns like to spend their free time in disco clubs where they listen to their favourite music and dance. Today everybody has an opportunity to enjoy the kind of music he or she likes best.

to accompany — сопровождать

woods — лес

to attend — посещать

recording — запись

light music — легкая музыка

lyric — слова песни

contest — конкурс

amateur — самодеятельный

choir — хор

to appreciate — понимать, ценить

folk — народный

to perform — исполнять