The phrase "I am a mess" I can guess what the phrase "I am a mess" means. I heard this phrase in movies and songs. But I'd like to hear the versions from you, please. Could you please explain it to me?

The words すっぱい and すい I've found in a classbook that "すい" means "sour", but I know "すっぱい" means the same. Is it a mistake or these two words are similar? Maybe "すい" is a root of something. Help me please.

The words すっぱい and すい I've found in a classbook that "すい" means "sour", but I know "すっぱい" means the same. Is it a mistake or these two words are similar? Maybe "すい" is a root of something. Help me please.

Pancake week in Russia Every year in February Russian people have a tradition to celebrate Shrovetide. Shrovetide's rituals are unusual because people say goodbye to the winter and meet the spring, expacting abundant harvest. At this time participants of the ceremony make the scarecrow of the winter. A lot of people gather in the square and set the scarecrow on fire eventually. It's an impressive pageant. Also making tasty flavorous pancakes is popular. From the past it means a commemorative meal. Wherever you go, you are going to see pancakes. The Russian bake them at home and in the main square. Moreover, there are several concerts and games at the place of the event. Everybody is happy and friendly.

My eventful journey It was long ago, when I was a kid. At that time my father was a sailor. We both love oceans and seas. That was usual windy autumn day. We intended to get shrimps. Having had our breakfast, we set off to the ocean. Not wanting to get wet, we get dressed properly. The sky was cloudy and the wind was rising. But I wasn't afraid. In my childhood I never be afraid, when my dad was near. Feeling excited, we sail from the coast farther and farther. We even almost reached Japan. The more time we spent in the dark endless ocean, the harder violent storm broke down. I will never ever forget that ocean. It was everywhere. The waters of the ocean were so sinister. The nature was ramping. Noticing that it started to rain, we made our minds up to catch some shrimps and finish that adventure. My dad gave me the helm and pulled out the nettings. But only now I realize how much my dad had to bear in his mind and how dangerous it was!

Friendship Informal letter to my friend. Could you please help me with it? Dear Alex, Thank you for your letter. It was great to hear from you. Sorry, I haven't written for so long because I was busy with my work. The first thing I want to say is that I agree with you about friendship. My friends are very important to me. They always stand by me and help me to cope with any problems. So do I. My best friend is Marina. She is the same age as me and she works as a teacher. Unfortunately, we seldom meet each other because of our work. But we keep in touch. I can say that she is an interesting person. She is practical. When I have some issues, Marina comes up with a plan to overcome them. Also she is a thoughtful person. She constantly thinks about what other people want and need. I hope one day you can get to know her. Tell me more about your friends. Write back soon! Best wishes, Julia Thank you!

Ways of preparations for Cambridge Exams Part Speaking It'd be great to know what ways of preparations for Cambridge Exams Part Speaking You can offer. Any information would be helpful.

What does "notorious" mean? I've come across on this word. There are several meanings. I don't quite understand whether "notorious" has negative tone. Could you please help me to figure this out.

What does "vagabond" mean? Can we call the poor or homeless people "vagabonds"? Or are they people who always travel?