My daughter's review The London Eye. When I first saw the London Eye, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It is the biggest wheel in the world. You can take a 30 minute flight on the London Eye and enjoy the astonishing view. You can also study the engineering of this amazing structure. I was fascinated by the flight. The day was very clear. There weren’t any clouds in the sky at all. That is why I could see 40 km across England. London buildings and bridges looked very small from 135 meters above the ground. What I didn’t like about the London Eye is that there was a huge queue to the ticket office, and there were also a lot of people in the pod. So, I have got two tips for other visitors: 1) It is better to visit it early in the morning to avoid queues. 2) Choose a sunny and clear day for your visit to enjoy the view.

Saint Basil's Cathedral One of the most astonishing buildings I have ever seen is Saint Basil’s Cathedral. When I was 10 years old, I read about it in my history textbook. Since that time, it was my dream to see it with my own eyes. I had a chance to visit it only after many years, when I was an adult, but it is view took my breath away and I was happy as a child. I think it is the most popular tourist attraction in Russia. It is very colorful and looks like a sugary cake. The walls are made of red brick. Each of ten domes are coloured and decorated in different way. Ivan the terrible, a Russian tzar, who ruled the county in the 16th century and ordered to build this stunning structure, wanted to be sure that it would remain unique. After the building was finished, he asked the architect whether he would be able to re-create it. The architect said that he would and the tzar ordered to blind him. Nowadays, this masterpiece still has no analogue. It combines different architectural styles. People argue about the root of its design. Most of them think that its elements look similar to Asian and Byzantine, while others suggest that they are taken from Europe. Anyway, from my point of view, the Catherdal is fascinating. When I look at it, I admire the talent of its creator and almost unlimited possibilities of a human mind.

An apartment review Last summer my family and I had a one-week trip to Moscow. We booked a nice apartment on a website. It was very convenient that the host sent us an entry password via the Internet and we didn’t waste any time waiting for him to come. The apartment was on the first floor of an old building and it had a quiet courtyard with beautiful playgrounds for children. It took only five minutes to get a metro station, as well as the largest and he most beautiful park in the city, from it. So, the location was perfect and exceeded our expectations. What we didn’t expect is that there was no hot water during the whole week. However, the host was not to blame, because other people in that building faced the same problem. Anyway, we enjoyed staying there, as it was comfortable, the decoration was new and the kitchen was well equipped. I wish the owner offered us better linens and towels, but considering the reasonable price we paid for the rent and taking into account other more essential pros, we shouldn’t complain. All in all, I would advise this accommodation for staying, but it would worth to take ‘cloth’ things from home.

Can you describe your relationships with elders?

Hi. I would like to discuss quite a serious topic. I live in the southern part of Russia among people of many ethnic groups, who have different religion, customs and traditions. Some of them, for instance, are not allowed to communicate with their in-laws. In other families sons have never shared a meal with their fathers and fathers have never touched the hand of their child in front of other people (including their own parents). Many men don't drink or smoke in front of their parents or elder brothers. I think, partly I can understand the last fact, but on the other hand, I am glad that I was born in a family, in which I can be myself.

I am always honest with my parents. If I know that they would not want me to do something, I will try not to do it even if there is no way for them to know about that. In most situations my parents are like friends for me. Well, ok, I don't use some slang words while talking to them and we don't discuss some 'too personal' things, but we can have fun together. I like having diner, dancing, telling jokes and relax with my parents, my in-laws, my husband and my kids. I don't worry that they will misunderstand me or that they will consider my behavior as some kind of disrespect. I am Christian by the way. 

What about you? Where are you from? What is your religion? Could your describe your relationships with your elders?

The best advice I have ever had Usually it is our friends who are expected to give advice, and my friends, of course, do it quite frequently. However, today I want to tell you about the best one, which was given to me by my mum. I proud that I have closed relationships with her and can discuss different topics. Once I complained that I am not fond of my life and I am not sure how to improve it. In previous times, take for example, the Soviet Union era, most people have a similar lifestyle. Now due to globalization, the unlimited access to the Internet, traveling abroad and other factors, we are all different. When we see all these perfect famous women in magazines or people of your age, who suddenly became extremely wealthy, we can doubt our success or lose our self-confidence. Can you guess what my mum told me? Don’t compare yourself with others, don’t try to follow anybody’s path, because often things and people are differ from what they look like. Don’t rely on others’ opinion and compare yourself only to younger you. I always remember her words. It helps me a lot in making a list of my priorities, in achieving goals, in loving myself and accepting my imperfections.

A Job Application letter Dear Ms. Murphy, I am writing to you in order to apply for a position of a shop assistant, which was advertised in Stavropol News. I am 25 years old and I have a bachelor degree in marketing. In addition, I have been working at a cloth store for about three years. I believe that my education and working experience make me a highly competitive candidate for the position in a fashion department. My key strengths that would support my success in it are punctuality, responsibility and excellent communication skills. I also attached my CV for additional information. I could visit you for the interview at any convenient time and if you are interested in hiring me, I will be able to start next week. I can be reached via email: [email protected] or by cellphone: +7 888 88 88 888. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to discussing with you this employment opportunity. Sincerely, Inna G*****.

A letter to a friend 2 Hi, Alex. Thank you for your reply and for paying so much attention on my future visit. I am sure that your city is fantastic. First of all, I would like to see your favourite places. It doesn’t matter whether they are located in downtown or on the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately, I can’t ride a bike, so I guess we will have to use public transport to travel for long distances. However, I am passionate about walking. I can walk the whole day exploring new places and enjoying beautiful landscapes as well as the view of unusual buildings. I would definitely prefer parks, squires and cathedrals to museums and theatres. One more thing, let’s don’t make a strict plan of my journey in advance. I think the best things in our life are often happen spontaneously. The last, let me know, please, if you would like me to bring something particular for you and your parents. I was thinking about some local products, but I am still not certain what to choose. Can’t wait to see you. Bye for now. Inna.

Should we spend money on exploring space? Nowadays many countries experience an economic crisis. Governments are trying to reduce their expenses. Some people think that in such circumstances it is not right to dedicate money for exploring space. Honestly, partly I agree with these people. For instance, millions people die of cancer and heart diseases every year. The quality of groceries is becoming lower and people have to each cheap and harmful food because they cannot afford healthy and useful groceries. There are also so many other important problems on the Earth that it would be better to concentrate on them instead of space. On the other hand, space programmes can result in making essential discoveries, which will lead to a progress in many spheres, including economics. To sum up, I think if a developed country can provide a high level of life for its citizens and still has some finances for space exploring it is certainly will not be just a waste of money.

A letter to a friend Hi, Yulya. I am glad to receive your message, but I’m sorry to hear about your problems. Of course, I will try to help you. Honestly, I experienced something like that once, while I was studying in college. First of all, I suggest you should talk to each other. Ask him some questions about things that worry him. Be a good listener. From my point of view, in such circumstances it usually helps a lot. Then, tell him about your feelings and explain that you can support your friend in difficult situations, but it must have some limits. You know, unhappy people are often selfish. They focus only on their own matters. It is possible that he didn’t even notice that you are doing for him and how much efforts it takes for you. Anyway, I hope he will find a suitable job soon and you will forget about this situation. In another case, let’s have dinner on weekend and discuss this issue in person. Take care. Inna.