About Myself

Let me introduce myself. My name is Olga Ignatenko. I was born on the 15th of December 1997 in Moscow. I’m fifteen years old. I’m at 10-th grade.

I’m usually emotional and active person. My life is very diverse. I think that I have a charitable nature, because I always help people. I’m usually calm, but sometimes I can lose my temper and become either angry or sad. I like to laugh and joke. I have got a sense of humor. I’m hard-working and ambitious person. I set high goals for myself and I work hard to reach them. I’m sociable, so I have got a lot of friends. I appreciate people’s honesty, frankness and politeness. I don’t like when people are rude and aggressive.

Also, I have a big family. We are a family of four. My father’s name is Sergey. He is 45. He works as a surgeon in a hospital. He is middle aged. He is a good-looking man, handsome, with dark brown hair just beginning to go grey. He is a very sociable person. What I don’t like about my dad is that he is always busy. Very often he works overtime. He is a bread-maker in our family. My mother’s name is Anna. She is three years younger than my father. She works as a teacher at a nursery school. My mother is rather slim and pretty, she is always elegant and smart. In short, she is a pleasant-looking woman of middle age. She always has a lot of work to do both at work and about the house. She is fond of her work and spends a lot of time there.
Alex is my elder brother. He is 8 years senior to me. So he is 23. He has graduated from the University and he is an economist by profession.

I have got some hobbies. I’m always very busy but when I’m free I like to read books. I think books help me to continue my education. In my opinion, books are a source of new and useful information. I enjoy reading books about life of famous people, but I hate reading detectives. I think it’s just a waste of time. I also love music. My favorite types of music are dance music, hip-hop and rock. I like to draw. I study at art school and take lessons of painting there. I’m also a photographer. I like to take photos.
Sometimes I play different sport games. My favorite games are basketball, tennis and volleyball. I don’t like to watch TV, but I do it from time to time. I often go for a walk or to the cinema with my friends or my boyfriend.

As for my future life, I want to be an architect and a designer. I am going to build the house of my dream! http://englishstyle.net/topics/about-myself/

Idioms picture

How many idioms do you see here?

Top 10 Qualities of Highly Successful People

If you really want to bring success into your life, you should cultivate yourself just as you'd cultivate a garden for the best yield.

The attributes here are shared by successful people everywhere, but they don't happen by accident or luck. They originate in habits, built a day at a time.

Remember: If you live your life as most people do, you will get what most people get. If you settle, you will get a settled life. If you give yourself your best, every day, your best will give back to you.

Here are the traits that the highly successful cultivate. How many do you have?https://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/the-10-most-important-attributes-of-highly-successful-people.html

1. Drive

You have the determination to work harder than most and make sure things get done. You pride yourself on seeing things getting completed and you take charge when necessary. You drive yourself with purpose and align yourself with excellence.

2. Self-reliance

You can shoulder responsibilities and be accountable. You make hard decisions and stand by them. To think for yourself is to know yourself.

3. Willpower

You have the strength to see things through--you don't vacillate or procrastinate. When you want it, you make it happen. The world's greatest achievers are those who have stayed focused on their goals and been consistent in their efforts.

4. Patience

You are willing to be patient, and you understand that, in everything, there are failures and frustrations. To take them personally would be a detriment.

5. Integrity

This should not have to be said, but it's seriously one of the most important attributes you can cultivate. Honesty is the best policy for everything you do; integrity creates character and defines who you are.

6. Passion

If you want to succeed, if you want to live, it's not politeness but rather passion that will get you there. Life is 10 percent what you experience and 90 percent how you respond to it.

7. Connection

You can relate to others, which in turns makes everything reach further and deepen in importance.

8. Optimism

You know there is much to achieve and much good in this world, and you know what's worth fighting for. Optimism is a strategy for making a better future--unless you believe that the future can be better, you're unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.

9. Self-confidence

You trust yourself. It's as simple as that. And when you have that unshakeable trust in yourself, you're already one step closer to success.

10. Communication

You work to communicate and pay attention to the communicators around you. Most important, you hear what isn't being said. When communication is present, trust and respect follow.

No one plans on being mediocre; mediocrity happens when you don't plan. If you want to succeed, learn the traits that will make you successful and plan on living them out every day.

Be humble and great. Courageous and determined. Faithful and fearless. That is who you are, and who you have always been.

First impression

Is first impression important for you? 

Can you trust your first impression?

Some useful vocabulary for you:

Break the ice-розтопити лід;

to get acquainted-познайомитись;  

to introduce somebody-відрекомендувати;  

to pay attention to-звернути увагу;

to attract (draw) attention-привернути увагу;

to form subconscious opinion-сформувати підсвідому думку;

to give somebody value-оцінити;  

to make quick assumptions-робити швидке припущення;

Exchange a glance-обмінятись поглядом;

to catch someone off guard- застати когось зненацька; 

 to make kickass 🔞impression=wow impression 😉

The influence of Teachers

64% of people surveyed say they are grateful to at least one teacher for inspiring the person they are today

Teachers are the biggest influence on a person's life, behind only parents and friends, new research suggests.

Some 82 per cent of people said teachers were very, or quite, influential on the lives of others, according to the results of a survey published by the Get Into Teaching campaign.

More than a third (36 per cent) of the 3,002 respondents in England aged over 16 said school or university was one of the biggest influences on their life - topped only by family life (58 per cent) and work life (40 per cent).

When looking at those who had most recently been in education – 16 to 23-year-olds – this figure rose to 49 per cent, with only 12 per cent saying celebrities and popular culture.

Overall, celebrities (59 per cent) and social media influencers (56 per cent) were deemed to have less effect than parents, friends and school teachers.

Almost two-thirds (62 per cent) said between one and five teachers helped to influence and shape them into the person they are today, and 43 per cent felt teachers influenced them most between the ages of 13 and 15.

The majority (58 per cent) remembered the name of their favourite teacher, and 64 per cent said they were grateful to at least one teacher for inspiring the person they are today.

Roger Pope, spokesman for the Get Into Teaching campaign and a National Leader for Education, said: "Our research underlines how teachers have stood the test of time when it comes to shaping the lives of others.

"In a world where modern-day social media and celebrity influencers are often in the limelight, it is interesting to see how the public recognise the real and lasting impact teachers have as influencers in their own right.

"Teachers are essentially the original influencers in that they are the individuals, aside from loved ones, that people spend a significant amount of time with, giving people from a young age the confidence and courage to achieve.

"Teaching should be a consideration for anyone looking for an opportunity to make this kind of positive and lasting impact as it genuinely is a career that few others can compete with."

When asked about teachers leaving a positive and lasting influence, more than half said teachers had helped to push them further, or believed in their talents (56 per cent)https://www.tes.com/news/teachers-are-third-biggest-influence-peoples-lives

The Most Interesting Easter Traditions

The Most Interesting Easter Traditions
from Around the World

CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA
Traveling to these Eastern European countries over Easter? If so, you'd better watch your back. There's an Easter Monday tradition in which men playfully spank women with handmade whips made of willow and decorated with ribbons. According to legend, the willow is the first tree to bloom in the spring, so the branches are supposed to transfer the tree's vitality and fertility to the women.

VERGES, SPAIN
 On Holy Thursday in the Medieval town of Verges, Spain, the traditional "dansa de la mort" or "death dance" is performed. To reenact scenes from the Passion, everyone dresses in skeleton costumes and parades through the streets. The procession ends with frightening skeletons carrying boxes of ashes. The macabre dance begins at midnight and continues for three hours into the early morning.

WASHINGTON, DC
For over 130 years, the White House has hosted the Easter Egg Roll on its South Lawn. The main activity involves rolling a colored hard-boiled egg with a large serving spoon, but now the event boasts many more amusements, like musical groups, an egg hunt, sports and crafts.

HUNGARY
"Sprinkling," a popular Hungarian Easter tradition, is observed on Easter Monday, which is also known as "Ducking Monday." Boys playfully sprinkle perfume or perfumed water on girls. Young men used to pour buckets of water over young women's heads, but now they spray perfume, cologne or just plain water, and ask for a kiss. People used to believe that water had a cleaning, healing and fertility-inducing effect.

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL
Taking place in the city where it is believed Jesus was crucified, Christians celebrate Good Friday by walking the same path Jesus did on the day he was nailed to the cross. Taking note of his pain that fateful day, some of those who participate carry a cross with them in remembrance. On Easter Sunday, many pilgrims attend a church service at Garden Tomb—the area it is believed Jesus was buried.

SICILY, ITALY
In Prizzi, Sicily, "the Abballu de daivuli is a representation of devils from locals wearing terrifying masks of zinc and dressed in red robes," according to The Telegraph. Those dressed in costume pester as many "souls" as they can (which really means making them pay for drinks) before the afternoon when the Virgin Mary and the risen Christ save the day by sending the devils away with angels.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Obama

Did You Know? Did you know that Barack Obama was a member of the Democrat Political Party? Did you know that Barack Obama likes to read Harry Potter? Did you know that he has a YouTube channel? Do know what his pet dog is called? Fun Fact 1: Barack Hussein Obama II was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4, 1961 Fun Fact 2: Barack Obama's father was a Kenyan, he left the family when Barack was two years old and died in a car crash in 1982. Barack Obama was raised by his mother Ann Dunham from Kansas; she died from cancer in 1995 and did not live to see her son become president

Fun Fact 3: Barack Obama had a good education, and was a skilful basketball player, because of this he was given the nickname "O' Bomber" at high school. Later he attended Columbia University in New York and then Harvard Fun Fact 4: When he was at Harvard he met his future wife Michelle LaVaughn Robinson. They married on October 18, 1992 and have two daughters named Malia Ann and Natasha Fun Fact 5: Barack Obama was 47 years when became the 44th president of America on January 20, 2009. He was the first African American to be elected president Fun Fact 6: Barack Obama's inauguration was the largest attended presidential ceremony. With an estimated crowd of nearly 2 million people it also established a record for the most attended event ever held in Washington D.C. Fun Fact 7: He was given a symbolic wooden carving of a hand holding an egg. It is a Kenyan symbol to remind the observer of the fragility of life; Barack Obama keeps his carving on the presidential desk in the White House Fun Fact 8: Bo is the Obama family dog, he is a black and white Portuguese Water Dog. Bo came to the White House when Barack fulfilled a promise he made to his daughter; he had promised her that they could have a dog if he was elected president Fun Fact 9: Barack Obama included his favourite candy at his inauguration, just as Ronald Reagan included his favourite Jelly Bellie Beans. Barack Obama's choose Salted Caramels for his guests, made by master chocolatier Fran Bigelow; these treats are considered to be outstanding and made by one of the finest chocolatiers in America Fun Fact 10: Michelle Obama once confirmed in an interview that Barack Obama had read all six Harry Potter books! Apparently he read them to his daughter, but we like the thought of him reading them at the presidential desk! Fun Fact 11: Barack Obama is certainly a 21st century president, and has a YouTube Channel since 2006. He is the first ever American president to upload his weekly address, and his channel has exceeded over 289 million views. We wonder what George Washington would think of that? Fun Fact 12: One of the first policy targets Barack Obama addressed was the reform of national health care, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed on March 23, 2010 Fun Fact 13: A key achievement during the presidency of Barack Obama was the ending of the war in Iraq. On May 1, 2011 it was announced that the leader of al Qaeda and the Taliban, Obama bin Laden, had been found and killed by US Special Forces Fun Fact 14: On November 6th, 2012 Barack Obama was elected to a second term as U.S. president, at his second inauguration he also became the second U.S. president to take oath of office four times. During the first oath in 2009, a mistake was made on the wording, so the oath was retaken in a ceremony the following day. Tradition states that inaugurations take place at Midday on Jan 20th, however, when Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term in 2013 that date was a Sunday, so he took oath on that day in a private ceremony, and again the following day at the Capitol. The other President who took oath four times was President Franklin Roosevelt Fun Fact 15: An inspirational quote from Barack Obama; "If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress"http://m.fun-facts.org.uk/american-presidents/barack-obama.htm