Sunday, February 28, 2021
Friday, February 26, 2021
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Exam Topics: Belarus
The Republic of Belarus
Belarus is my homeland. It is a country with unique history and rich cultural heritage. Officially it is called the Republic of Belarus, a sovereign independent state with its own government, constitution, state emblem, flag and anthem. Belarus is situated in the eastern part of Europe. Its area is 207 600 square kilometres. It borders on Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Poland. The population of the country is about 9,4 million people. The territory of Belarus is divided into 6 regions: Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno, Gomel, Minsk and Mogilev. The capital of Belarus is Minsk.
The name “Belarus” corresponds with the term “White Rus”. There are several ideas about where the name “White Rus” came from. One of the possible origins of the name is for the white clothing that was worn by the local Slavic population. Yet another theory suggests that the old Rus lands (Polotsk, Vitebsk and Mogilev) were not conquered by the Tatars and as a result of this were described as “white”.
Our native land is fascinating and varied with its blue lakes and ribbons of rivers edged with thick forests, with its endless fields, meadows and swamps, with its varied and plentiful animal and plant kingdom. Because of its unique nature the country has been included into the list of countries called “the lungs of Europe”. There are some 3000 rivers flowing over the territory of Belarus. The longest rivers are the Dnieper, the Nieman, the Western Bug and the Western Dvina. There are over 10 000 lakes in Belarus. The largest of them is Lake Naroch. That’s why Belarus has often been referred to as the blue eyed country.
More
than a quarter of the country is covered with forests. An ancient forest on the
border between Belarus and Poland, Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a national
reservation which is the home of the aurochs (or European bison). This animal is one of the symbols of Belarus, as well as a stork and a cornflower.
The climate of Belarus is continental with comparatively mild winters and pretty warm summers. The nature of Belarus has suffered much from the nuclear catastrophe that took place in Chernobyl in 1986. The radiation has spoiled our soil and air, rivers and lakes, it has poisoned our flora and fauna. Besides, it has badly affected people's health. Belarus is a developing industrial state. It's known for its production of tractors, motor-cycles, bicycles, TV-sets, refrigerators, watches and many other goods. The country's major crops are potatoes, flax, barley, rye and sugar beet.
The geographical position of Belarus got our country involved in major European events over the centuries. The advantageous geographical position – on the crossroads from east to west – turned into disadvantage. Belarus was the arena of many wars, invasions and aggressions. All these events slowed down but didn’t stop the development of the nation. I must admit that despite all the hardships our country managed to preserve its unity and strong spirit.
Speaking about Belarusian national character, many foreigners admit that our people are extremely sociable, hospitable, generous and welcoming. They are also described as resourceful and peaceful. When socialising, Belarusians are open, warm-hearted, fun-loving, humorous and outgoing.
However, when Belarusians are moving around the city, shopping or travelling on public transport they are a bit reserved and tend to keep themselves to themselves. There is a high respect for education and culture, so the majority of people are highly professional, hard-working and intelligent.
In conclusion, I'd like to say that I'm proud of my country and its people. Each time I go abroad I tell foreigners about our great past and achievements. Belarus is the place my heart will always belong to!
Let’s talk about Belarus.
1. What attracts tourists to Belarus?
2. Do you know any symbols of
our country?
3. What questions about Belarus do
you expect to hear from a British teenager?
4. What Belarusian sights would you
advise a foreigner to visit?
5. They say Belarus is at the
crossroads of Europe. Explain why.
Let’s talk about Belarus.
1.
What attracts tourists to Belarus?
2. What parts of
Belarus have you visited?
3. What questions do
you expect to hear from a British teenager about Belarus?
4. What advice will
you give to people who want to visit Belarus?
5. Young people gather
to make the world better. What do you think young people of Belarus can do to
make their country more attractive for foreign tourists?
Answer the questions in comments (at least 3-4 sentences to every question), if you are not signed up on Google, write your name and surname. Answers will be graded.
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Love idioms, phrasal verbs and set expressions
This set of phrasal verbs is sure to come in handy for those who celebrate Valentine's Day and those who are not going to celebrate it.
⭕ Hit on someone – флиртовать с кем-либо; проявлять знаки внимания; давать понять, что человек вам нравится.
▪ He was hitting on her all day, but she was not interested.
⭕ Hit it off – сразу понравиться друг другу.
▪ We met at a party, and we hit it off immediately.
⭕ Fall for someone – влюбиться в кого-то.
▪ He was so attractive that I fell for him.
⭕ Ask someone out – пригласить кого-либо на свидание.
▪ He asked her out to the theatre on Saturday night.
⭕ Go out – ходить на свидания
▪ They have been going out for a year.
⭕ Split up или break up – разойтись, расстаться, завершить отношения.
▪ After a year of stormy relationship they split up/ broke up.
⭕ Drift apart – разойтись, “пойти разными дорогами”.
▪ We dated for two years but gradually drifted apart.
⭕ Make up – помириться, сойтись снова.
▪ They split up but made up after a month.
⭕ Settle down – создать серьёзные длительные отношения. Например, пожениться, создать семью и завести детей.
▪ It is time for my son to settle down.
Now check what you have learnt
Monday, February 22, 2021
Sunday, February 21, 2021
5th grade. Unit 5. Lesson 10. Porridge Time!
Porridge is one of the most popular foods in Britain.
Listen and complete the story of porridge
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
5th grade. Unit 5. At the doctor's
Watch the video and write what health problems kids have and what is the doctor's advice.
Write on the page by clicking the sign "+" in the bottom right corner.
Monday, February 15, 2021
11th grade. Unit 5. Lesson 9. New York.
Why do so many young people try to make it to NYC by any means? Think of as many reasons as you can and write your opinion on the padlet "New York. The Big Apple", clicking on the sign "+" in the bottom right corner.
Sunday, February 14, 2021
Friday, February 12, 2021
Idioms connected with Cold
STOP COLD – резко замереть на месте.
▪ I heard a strange noise in the room and stopped cold.
GIVE SOMEONE THE COLD SHOULDER– игнорировать кого-либо, не принимать, относиться недружелюбно, холодно, из-за личной неприязни к человеку или его проступка.
▪ Since Mary made an offensive remark in class and her groupmates have all been giving her the cold shoulder.
 |
| It's common for people to get cold feet before they get married. |
GET COLD FEET – бояться, нервничать, сомневаться по поводу своего решения или плана, или даже отказаться от намеченного плана из-за сомнений:
▪ I wanted to talk to my boss but then I got cold feet and cancelled the meeting.
▪ I wanted to talk to my boss but then I got cold feet and cancelled the meeting.
COLD COMFORT – что-то, что предположительно должно было поддержать и утешить в сложной ситуации, но не сработало.
▪ Your words are cold comfort after I got my bag stolen. Now I feel even worse.
POUR/THROW COLD WATER ON SOMETHING – испортить впечатление, умерить энтузиазм от чего-либо.
▪ I was so excited after passing my first exam but my teacher threw cold water on my excitement by reminding me about two more exams.
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
11th grade. Video Essay Contest "English and I"
Nowadays it’s almost impossible to imagine any
profession without global communication. You need a foreign language so as to
contact your colleagues from different countries, to read about advanced ideas
in your professional branch or to visit a conference. Your employer will prefer to have a
person who is potentially able to manage all these things.
Watch some videos explaining why my students have chosen the English language as their major in future .....
Monday, February 8, 2021
5th grade. The English Language Olympiad. Test 4.
Reading Test
Today most people travel a lot. In the morning we go to school on foot or by underground or by bus. Sometimes we take a train or even a plane and go far away. Scooter is a means of travelling too. Children and their parents really like them. Children ride a scooter in the park, and New York office workers ride scooters and Berlin policemen travel in that way.
Why don't people go by car or ride a bike? In many cities parking is a problem, even bike parking. But a scooter is a great help for you. They are not so expensive as cars or bikes. And they are safer and easier to use than skateboards or roller skates. Riding a scooter is a fast way of travelling. Usually you can go as fast as six kilometres an hour. A scooter with a motor can go faster. Riding a scooter can be not very safe. There are no traffic rules for scooter riders! In London you mustn't ride a scooter in the City.
The first scooters came to life in Germany in the 19th century. They were very popular with your grandparents too. But they looked different.
Quiz created by Veronika Bebekh with GoConqr
Lexical-Grammar Test
Quiz created by Veronika Bebekh with GoConqrFriday, February 5, 2021
CPD: Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program
A program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX
2021-2022 PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Program Overview
The Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (Fulbright TEA) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Fulbright program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by former United States Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. Fulbright grants are awarded to students, scholars, teachers and other professionals from the United States and to foreign nationals to study, teach, or conduct research. Since its inception in 1946, more than 370,000 “Fulbrighters” have participated in the Fulbright program.
The 2021-2022 program will mark the twenty-fifth year of the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (formerly the Teaching Excellence Awards program) and the fourth year the program will be known as the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program.
Teachers are nominated to participate in the Fulbright TEA Program based on their educational experience, academic training, leadership and professional experience. Final selection of Fulbright TEA teachers is made by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB). The FFSB is an independent, presidentially appointed board that has oversight responsibility for all Fulbright academic exchange programs.
Program Components
Teachers who are selected to participate in the Fulbright TEA Program will:
1) Participate in advanced undergraduate or graduate level classes at a U.S. host university.
2) Observe classes, co-teach, and share their expertise with U.S. colleagues in U.S. secondary schools.
3) Participate in an online professional learning community with other participants to share best practices and other elements of host and home country educational systems; and
4) Take part in other education and cultural activities while on program in the United States.
Upon returning home, teachers will be expected to share the knowledge and experience gained on the program with teachers and students in their home schools and within their communities.
Fulbright TEA:
- Provides approximately 177 international secondary school teachers with professional development to enhance their expertise in their disciplines and provide them with a deeper understanding of best practices in education.
- Contributes to improving education in participating countries and communities by preparing participants to serve as even stronger educational leaders who are equipped to apply and share their experience and skills with their colleagues and students upon returning home.
- Promotes mutual understanding between educators, participants’ schools, and communities in the United States and abroad.
University Coursework:
Weekly Seminars: Teachers will participate in weekly seminars at their host university featuring presentations and discussions led by university staff, faculty members, and invited educational experts. The academic seminars will focus on new teaching methodologies, content-based instruction, project-based learning, infusing thematic topics into curriculum, lesson planning, and instructional technology training for teachers.
U.S. School Placements: Teachers will be placed in a U.S. secondary school during the U.S. program, where they will observe classes, co-teach, and share their expertise and information about their home countries and schools. Each Fulbright teacher will be paired with a U.S. partner educator at their assigned school to facilitate sharing of best practices between the teachers. Host university staff will identify schools and partner teachers near the university campus that are appropriate to each grantee’s teaching discipline(s).
Online Professional Learning Community: Each Fulbright teacher will participate in a virtual community with other international educators to collaborate and share best practices about education and leadership in the participating countries.
Logistical Information
Travel: IREX will make international travel arrangements and provide all teachers with an international airline ticket. Fulbright teachers will also be reimbursed for round-trip travel expenses between their home city and the point of departure for the United States; however, participants are responsible for making these domestic travel arrangements to and from the international airport. Fulbright teachers may travel after the end of their program during the thirty-day grace period of the J-1 visa, provided that all conditions in the Terms and Conditions are met.
Housing: Participants will live on or near the host university campus in housing that is arranged for them. Dependents are not permitted to accompany the teachers on the program.
Finances: Each Fulbright teacher will receive a maintenance allowance during the program to cover expenses such as supplies for classes, household items, personal items, medical co-payments, and cultural and other activities. Also included in this total is a daily stipend to purchase groceries, meals at local restaurants, or food from on-campus dining services. Costs associated with housing, required program activities, and other program-related expenses are paid in advance by the Fulbright TEA Program and may vary by host university.
The fellowship provides:
- J-1 visa support
- A Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) held in participant’s home country or territory
- Round-trip airfare to and within the U.S.
- An orientation workshop at the start of the program in the U.S.
- Academic program fees (paid directly to the host institution)
- Housing (generally shared with other participants) and meals
- Accident and sickness medical coverage (does not cover pre-existing conditions)
- Transportation to local schools (if necessary)
- A daily allowance for incidentals during the university academic program
- A baggage allowance
Fulbright TEA Selection Criteria
- Commitment to secondary education;
- Leadership potential;
- Professional and educational experience and achievements;
- Potential for developing long-term linkages between U.S. and home country educational institutions and schools;
- Preparedness (including maturity, flexibility, and ability to function independently) for an intensive based training program;
- Willingness and capacity to work and live collaboratively with international peers to foster a positive learning community for professional development;
- Ideas for applying program experience to improving secondary education in Belarus upon return;
- Ability to express ideas clearly and effectively;
- English language skills adequate to manage coursework, develop lesson plans, and team-teach in U.S. schools.
Applicants must:
- Be full-time teachers of English, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), math, science, or social studies, including special education teachers in those subjects at institutions serving primarily a local population;
- Have earned a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education and experience;
- Have five or more years of full-time teaching experience at the start of the program;
- Be citizen of and resident in Belarus;
- Earn a minimum score of 450 on the paper-based TOEFL;
- Demonstrate a commitment to continue teaching after completion of the program;
- Submit a complete application.
Program Dates
Spring 2022
November-December 2021: Pre-Departure Orientation: Prior to arrival in the United States, the U.S. Embassy will conduct a Pre-Departure Orientation for Spring 2021 teachers.
Late-January-mid-March 2022: Fulbright teachers take part in the program in the United States.
Fall 2022
June- July 2022: Pre-Program Departure Orientation: Prior to arrival in the United States, the U.S. Embassy will conduct a Pre-Departure Orientation for Fall 2022 teachers.
September-late October 2022: Fulbright teachers take part in their program in the United States.
How to Apply
Country Application deadline: March 21, 2021
The online application is available at: www.fulbrightteacherexchanges.org
and https://www.irex.org/fulbright-tea
For more information about Fulbright TEA please contact U.S. Embassy in Minsk at belarusprogram@gmail.com or IREX at fulbrighttea@irex.org
We look forward to receiving your application!
Monday, February 1, 2021
5th grade. The English Language Olympiad. Test 3
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