Just for fun :) I didn't know what to write, that's why I just decided to translate one amusing text from Russian into English :) Advices of psychologist. Irene's question: One of guys from my university is most interested in my person. I am struggling to flirt with him to support his illusive hopes for our relationship. As a result he does my homework, does up my computer and my car and carries my bags. I don't deny that, certainly, all this is quite well but it is not enough for me. Please, give me some advices how I can get absolute power over this man and what I must do to destroy his personality and to destruct his faith of himself. Psychologist's answer: Dear Irene. From your letter, I've understood that you are a real leader and, also, I've figured out that you are most damned wretch I've ever heard. Therefore, I have to say the following. You should think over your thoughts in the morning. That's why you just should turn your gas-stove on as soon as possible and, then, you will go to bed because the best advise is found on the pillow.

About English and my friend For relatively long time I couldn't make myself to write something in English. In fact, I did want to do it but I hadn't known what to start with. I know that many people have the same problem and this fact is comforting me a little bit :) In additional I'd like to tell you about one of my friends who sincerely tried to study English. Being a student of English courses, which, by the way, he was attending for five months, he just gave up his attempts to learn English because he was most disappointed with his obvious lack of progress. (In his own opinion, of course). Despite the fact that I didn't share his pessimistic assessment of this situation and told him about it, he did as he had wanted, unfortunately... It seems to me that it was a bit stupid step. I know there is many difficulties to learn any language. For example: even if you daily learn new words, the ones will be found out by you again and again and again, whatever you did. Especially it will happen with you at the start of your way and it is quite likely to be irritated for you. If I were my friend, I'd try to pull myself together and continue my way to master English. I am completely sure that I could find some new ways to encourage myself. Though certainly, it is much easier said than done.

About Past Perfect Passive Voice Yesterday I wrote a small entry in which I tried to use Past Perfect Passive. There is this sentence: I got on a train who had been called "the Swallow'". After that I got a correction in which "who had been called" was corrected to "which was called". Concerning "who - which", I am completely agree. It's my foolish mistake but with regard to "had been called - was called", I am still not sure because I meant that this train was called "the Swallow" before than I got on this train. Please help to resolve this little question. Thanks in advance :)

about cars and trains Today I went to my younger sister who is living in Moscow. It's located three hundred kilometers from a place where I am living. I got on a train who had been called "the Swallow'" and, also, the Russian railway company is calling it a "high-speed train" despite the fact that this train is going with average speed only ninety seven km/h (it's in about 60 mph). Anyhow, a trip by the train take much more time than a trip by a car, because near Moscow, we commonly run into a huge traffic, in which we may stay till a deep night. By the way this traffic is more than just a "traffic", I'd rather say it's a super traffic, it's an enormous tail of cars, in which we can't make out where is the start and where is the end. That is why, I hardly ever consider visiting Moscow by a car :)

About learning English (2) Every time when I am going to write something in English, I really doubt whether I can to turn my thoughts into related English text. I'd even say more, sometimes it seems to me that my brain is warmed up like a surface of the sun. Nevertheless I try to do it because in this case I feel the satisfaction from ((by?) I am not sure which of prepositions should I use)) the job done. Erm... I almost forgot that I had wanted to say. In my school days I liked playing in basketball. In basketball there is a term "pivot" which in the Russian variant is pronounced almost identically to the English variant. In this way I could memorize this word without kind of problems :)

"Allegedly" Could you help me with the word "allegedly". Please write two or three short sentences with this word. I would be very grateful to all of you. How often this word use in modern English?

About learning English I want to be honest with all of you. I wish I lived in an English - speaking country for a while, among an educated native speakers. It would helps me to improve my English level. Fortunately there is an Internet. If you ask me how often I use the Internet I will answer that is large part of my life. Thanks to the Internet I can find out a lot of new things everyday. Especially it regard to new words and phrases. When I see a new word I write dawn this word then I try to memorize one. And I do it everyday. As a result, there is enormous list of new words and phrases which have to repeat time to time. If I don't do it I am afraid I will forget most of them soon. Anyway I am entirely sure that I will continue studying English dispite having many difficulties.

About languages If you are a native speaker of one of the Slavic languages, Russian is quite likely to be relatively easy for you. The opposite is correct too. Russian has layers of different grammatical nuances which are rather difficult to understand for people of other language groups. Concerning English I'd like to say one more thing: When I started learning English twenty five days ago it seemed to me that English was quite a simple language. But right now I no longer think so. The longer I am studying English the more difficult it seems to me. English is not as easy to master as it may initially seem. Nevertheless, this only kindles my interest in it. Unfortunately, I can't write much in English because it is still very difficult for me but I wish I were able to do that I didn't want to offend everyone. It is just my opinion.

about word "urchin" The other day I found out that the English word "urchin" and the Russian word "ёжик" have almost the same meaning. It's right for locality where I am living, at least. (Cause, I can't say for everyone). In my town (I am from Smolensk. Smolensk is the country town of the Russia) this word means: - The first meaning is a hedgehog (ёж), of course. (A litle correction: small hedgehog (ёжик, ежонок)) - The second meaning is a short man's haircut. - The third meaning is a boy or a teenage boy. Concerning the English word "urchin", I found some links in the Internet which to refer on the books of Mark Twain, particularlly "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". I'd like to give an example. "Гляди! Ёжики опять в футбол играют" if we translate it from Russian into English we will get something like this: "Look! Urchins (boys) are playing football again" I was astonished by this coincidence. Unfortunately, we use this word quite seldom at the recent time. I am afraid of we will completely forget the third meaning of this word, soon. p.s. Perhaps you will be laughing but I wrote this text about one hour. :)