The earth is divided into four climate zones. It means the artic, moderate, subtropical and tropical zone.
In artic zone the weather is very cold. There are hard frosts so there is lots of snow. For this zone are typical only two seasons – very long winter and very short summer. Winter takes almost nine months. Summer isn’t too warm it is as well cold. The artic zone isn’t too right for life because the day lasts half
a year and the night also lasts half a year, so many people suffer from psychical diseases. The country is still covered by snow so there aren’t live many animals and there aren’t plant a lot of vegetation.
We live in moderate zone. I think we can be lucky we live in it because it means that we have
four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The flora and the fauna in moderate zone are very rich. The moderate zone has the best conditions for the life. Many animals live here and the vegetation is really beautiful and fresh.
Now I will describe the year’s seasons. I will start with spring.
Spring begins on the twenty-first of March. In spring snow melts and the nature wakes up from winter sleep. The days get longer and the nights are shorter and shorter. In spring the weather is usually unpredictable because sometimes sun shines but sometimes can awful thunderstorms or floods come from the snow. After spring comes summer.
Summer begins on the twenty-first of June. It is a period of long holidays. It is the warmest season in moderate zone. The temperature always rises above twenty-five degrees and the sky is often clear and bright. Rain and storms usually come after this dead calm. Summer is usually warm sometimes also dry but sometimes very rainy. In the morning there is always dew.
The end of summer is called Indian summer. It is very beautiful season when the sun still shines and the nature is especially coloured. Indian summer is a period of fruit harvest. It is a beginning of autumn.
Autumn begins on the twenty-third of September. The nature is still coloured. The leaves from the trees fall down, the grass get yellow and so on. It is usually rainy or only showery season with awful wind. Sometimes in the morning they can be fogs. Days in autumn get shorter and it gets dark soon. Autumn is typical season for mushrooming.
Winter starts on the twenty-first of December according the calendar but the first frosts usually come earlier. In winter everything is covered by white snow and the lakes ponds and streams are frozen over. For children it is very nice season – they can make snowballs and skating on ice and so on. But for drivers I think winter is the worst season – the roads are cover with snow and ice, along the roads are piled up the snowdrifts and it is very dangerous. In winter are very often cars accidents.
If I would have to say my favourite season I can’t do it because love all of the. I try to explain it. In summer I like the first sun shining and fresh flowers. In summer I love the high temperature and bathing in ponds, rivers, likes or sea. I like autumns because everything is coloured and I have my birthday in autumn so I get some presents. In winter I love snow and winter sports.
Subtropical zone is much warmer than our moderate one. There aren’t so sold weather but there is rainy weather especially during the winter period. This zone is famous for growing subtropical fruits. The temperature in winter is about twenty degrees high without snow. Summers are very warm and dry.
Tropical zone is typical for long, very hot and dry summer. It lasts all year. The countries in tropical zone suffer from draughts which changes with periods of heavy rains. This zone is the zone of often natural disaster for example hurricanes or tropical thunderstorms. There live many tropical animals here. There are regions of tropical jungles but also regions of deserts.
Both our country and Great Britain are situated in moderate zone. But the weather is very different in these two countries because The Czech Republic is influenced by the continent and Great Britain is influenced by the ocean and by the Golf Stream. It means we have big differences between summers and winters (as I mentioned earlier) while in Great Britain it is completely different. The average temperature is about fourteen degrees above zero. There aren’t too big differences between summer and winter. For Britain is typical rainy and misty weather.
In Europe we have two times. The basic time is measured from Greenwich. In Britain they have one hour little than we have. If we have eight o’clock a.m. they have seven o’clock a.m.
Food
At first I will tell you something about my eating habits. I usually eat five times a day. The first meal of my day is my breakfast which I make every day. I am used to have breakfast at seven o’clock during the schools days. I like to have for it something light and healthy. Most often I have cereals, fruit and honey in cottage cheese or in milk. Sometimes I prepare porridge with fruit.
The second meal I make at home in the morning but I have it till at school during a break at ten or eleven o’clock. I usually have a slice of brown bread and cheese and some fruits or vegetables.
At about two o’clock p.m. I have lunch at school canteen. Our school canteen is about five minutes of walking far from the school. I can choose from two meals. I like a lot chicken meat and rice or some sweat dish like dumplings with fruit and cottage cheese.
Next meal I have at home when I am hungry. It is usually at about five o’clock. At this time I like eating some pasta and a lot of cheese or pizza, some toast or some bread and vegetables.
For last meal of my day I usually have some yoghurt and fruits. I have it at about eight o’clock.
I haven’t got any favourite meal because I like a lot of meals.
If I have a taste for something I usually can cook it or I read a recipe in a cookery book. Cooking is my hobby. I will give you a recipe for tasty but very easy meal – potatoe cakes.
You need potatoes, flour, garlic, bread, eggs, oil, marjoram and salt.
At first peel and grate the potatoes. Then put them in a bowl, squeeze out the water and add the others ingredients – eggs, flour and bread, mashed garlic. Finally sprinkle salt, marjoram and everything mix. Now the batter is ready. Prepare a pan, pour some oil on it and heat it. On the hot pan, pour potatoe batter and fry it on the both sides. Now I can tell you only “Enjoy your meal!”
Now I would like to say something about our national dish and typical Czech cuisine.
Our national meal is roast pork and dumplings (they can be bread or potatoe) and cabbage or caver crowds. The national drink especially for this meal is beer. I think Czech beer is known all over the world. The other typical dish is beef sirloin in cream sauce and bread dumplings. It is usually decorated by a slice of citron, cranberries and cream. Typical old Czech cuisine is very unhealthy. You can find there only fat pork meat, a lot of flour and no vegetables. Nowadays Czech cuisine is similar to British cuisine. It consists more of lean meat like chicken and fish and more vegetables.
If I were compare eating habits in Great Britain and in Czech Republic I would say that British one are still healthier. British people are used to eat five or six times a day. Some Czech people eat only once or twice a day. In Great Britain they are never in a hurry when they eat. Typical English breakfast is very famous. They start every day with a glass of juice and then they make eggs, bacon, sausages, toasts and tomatoes or spicy beans in one pan. They usually continue with dried buttered toast and citrus jam.
The second meal of the British day is elevenses in the middle of the morning. It is consists of cup of strong black tea or coffee and some biscuits.
At weekends when they get up late they have brunch. It is a combination of breakfast and lunch.
Midday dish is called lunch and it is light, for example sandwiches, pizza, hamburgers or soup.
It is very different from Czech lunch which is main dish of the day and very often we have it at school or work canteens or in a restaurant. It is consists of three courses-soup, main course and some dessert.
At about four o’clock British have teatime. Traditional tea means thin slice of buttered bread and cheese, fish or ham and vegetables, cakes, pies or biscuits and of course tea. Tea and coffee is drunk wit milk to not to be so strong.
Hot dinner is served around seven o’clock. It has four courses-soup or some other starter, main dish, dessert and finally cheese and biscuits. For the main course British usually have meat and vegetables. They prefer beef, mutton, fish and chicken to pork meat.
Later in the evening they can eat sandwiches, bread or cakes and biscuits as a supper.
National meal in Great Britain is mutton chop and potatoes and Brussels sprout in a mint sauce. As national dessert they eat Yorkshire pudding and onion sauce.
I would like also compare British and Czech Christmas meals. At Christmas in Czech Republic we eat fried carp and potatoes salad, somebody eat fish soup. British eat roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and potatoes.
In the present fast food restaurants are very popular. You can have there meal during a short while. But meal which is prepared there is unhealthy and everything tastes similar. Typical meal for fast food restaurants is hamburger and chips. Sometimes I also visit some fast food restaurant, especially if I am somewhere in large town and don’t have much time to have lunch. I prefer going to classis restaurants especially pizzerias to fast food restaurants.
The second meal I make at home in the morning but I have it till at school during a break at ten or eleven o’clock. I usually have a slice of brown bread and cheese and some fruits or vegetables.
At about two o’clock p.m. I have lunch at school canteen. Our school canteen is about five minutes of walking far from the school. I can choose from two meals. I like a lot chicken meat and rice or some sweat dish like dumplings with fruit and cottage cheese.
Next meal I have at home when I am hungry. It is usually at about five o’clock. At this time I like eating some pasta and a lot of cheese or pizza, some toast or some bread and vegetables.
For last meal of my day I usually have some yoghurt and fruits. I have it at about eight o’clock.
I haven’t got any favourite meal because I like a lot of meals.
If I have a taste for something I usually can cook it or I read a recipe in a cookery book. Cooking is my hobby. I will give you a recipe for tasty but very easy meal – potatoe cakes.
You need potatoes, flour, garlic, bread, eggs, oil, marjoram and salt.
At first peel and grate the potatoes. Then put them in a bowl, squeeze out the water and add the others ingredients – eggs, flour and bread, mashed garlic. Finally sprinkle salt, marjoram and everything mix. Now the batter is ready. Prepare a pan, pour some oil on it and heat it. On the hot pan, pour potatoe batter and fry it on the both sides. Now I can tell you only “Enjoy your meal!”
Now I would like to say something about our national dish and typical Czech cuisine.
Our national meal is roast pork and dumplings (they can be bread or potatoe) and cabbage or caver crowds. The national drink especially for this meal is beer. I think Czech beer is known all over the world. The other typical dish is beef sirloin in cream sauce and bread dumplings. It is usually decorated by a slice of citron, cranberries and cream. Typical old Czech cuisine is very unhealthy. You can find there only fat pork meat, a lot of flour and no vegetables. Nowadays Czech cuisine is similar to British cuisine. It consists more of lean meat like chicken and fish and more vegetables.
If I were compare eating habits in Great Britain and in Czech Republic I would say that British one are still healthier. British people are used to eat five or six times a day. Some Czech people eat only once or twice a day. In Great Britain they are never in a hurry when they eat. Typical English breakfast is very famous. They start every day with a glass of juice and then they make eggs, bacon, sausages, toasts and tomatoes or spicy beans in one pan. They usually continue with dried buttered toast and citrus jam.
The second meal of the British day is elevenses in the middle of the morning. It is consists of cup of strong black tea or coffee and some biscuits.
At weekends when they get up late they have brunch. It is a combination of breakfast and lunch.
Midday dish is called lunch and it is light, for example sandwiches, pizza, hamburgers or soup.
It is very different from Czech lunch which is main dish of the day and very often we have it at school or work canteens or in a restaurant. It is consists of three courses-soup, main course and some dessert.
At about four o’clock British have teatime. Traditional tea means thin slice of buttered bread and cheese, fish or ham and vegetables, cakes, pies or biscuits and of course tea. Tea and coffee is drunk wit milk to not to be so strong.
Hot dinner is served around seven o’clock. It has four courses-soup or some other starter, main dish, dessert and finally cheese and biscuits. For the main course British usually have meat and vegetables. They prefer beef, mutton, fish and chicken to pork meat.
Later in the evening they can eat sandwiches, bread or cakes and biscuits as a supper.
National meal in Great Britain is mutton chop and potatoes and Brussels sprout in a mint sauce. As national dessert they eat Yorkshire pudding and onion sauce.
I would like also compare British and Czech Christmas meals. At Christmas in Czech Republic we eat fried carp and potatoes salad, somebody eat fish soup. British eat roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and potatoes.
In the present fast food restaurants are very popular. You can have there meal during a short while. But meal which is prepared there is unhealthy and everything tastes similar. Typical meal for fast food restaurants is hamburger and chips. Sometimes I also visit some fast food restaurant, especially if I am somewhere in large town and don’t have much time to have lunch. I prefer going to classis restaurants especially pizzerias to fast food restaurants.
School and educational system
Schoul systém in Czech Republic
Educational system in Czech Republic has for stages:
1. pre-school education
2. primary school
3. secondary school
4. tertiary education.
Now I tell you something more about these stages.
Pre-school education is for children from two to six years. It is provided by nursery schools and kindergartens. I think most of children attend crèches and kindergartens before their compulsory attendance at primary school.
Attendance from six to fifteen at primary school is compulsory. Most pupils attend state schools where education is free of charge. There are also private and church schools in Czech Republic but at these types of schools you must pay for your attendance. Children in our school system needn’t wear uniforms.
After finishing primary school students can find a job and start working but most of them choose some secondary school and continue in their school attendance. I our country there are three types of secondary schools:
grammar school
special school
vocational school. Secondary education lasts three or four years it depends on the type of school and it is finished with school leaving examination. This examination is held from four subjects at grammar and special schools. Two from them are compulsory it is Czech and one foreign language. The others two are elective. The exam is consists of written and oral tests. If you pass the both tests you get School-Leaving Certificate.
The last form of education is provided by universities and colleges. It lasts four or six years it depends on type of school. Each secondary graduate can apply as many colleges as he wants but he musts pass an entrance tests if he wants start with studies. The oldest university in our country is Charles university in Prague which was founded by Charles the fourth in 1348. Others universities are for example in Brno, Olomouc, Ostrava, Zlín and České Budějovice.
School year starts on the first of September and it is divided into two terms. The first term starts in September and it finishes in the end of January. The second term is from beginning of February and it ends on the last day of June. In the end of each term students get their School report. After the second term pupils and students have holidays which are two months long.
Classes begin between eight and eight fifteen. School day is different at different types of schools but one thing must be same - one lesson lasts forty-five minutes. Breaks between the lessons are ten or twenty minutes long.
Pupils and students are evaluated by marks from one to five. Mark one is the best and mark five is the worst.
Now I attend grammar school in Havlíčkův Brod which is named after a famous Czech writer KAREL BOROVSKÝ who was living in Havlíčkův Brod. School was founded by Kateřina Barbora Kobzinová in 1734. School is situated nearly the centre of the town. A building of a school has a cellar, ground floor, the others two floors and an attic. In the cellar there are two gyms. In the attic you can find atelier for arts and a classroom for singing.
My classroom is situated on the first floor. It is equipped with sixteen desks and thirty-one chairs for students, one cathedra an a chair for our teachers, a blackboard, a small board, two cupboards, a basin, a mirror and so on.
At our school there are some special classrooms for example a classroom for computer and language lessons, laboratory of chemistry and physique.
I like my school but now I am looking forward to university where I would like to continue in my studies.
British system of education
If I compare our system of education and the British one I like more the Czech one.
In Britain children start primary school at the age of five. At eleven they go to secondary school and attend it to the age of sixteen. School attendance is compolsory from five to sixteen. At sixteen pupils take GCSE which means General Certificate of Secondary Education. After these exams about thirty percents of students leave school, the others study three subjects for two others years. After this two years they take
“A” Levels. About twenty percents of eighteen-years-old go to university.
Classes starts at nine o’clock and finishes at about four o’clock. After morning lessons students have a break of an hour for lunch.
At most of secondary schools students must wear uniforms.
British schools are usually states it means they are free of charge.
American system of education
American system of education is very similar to British one. There are only small differents for example in USA compulsory school attendance is from six to seventeen.
Educational system in Czech Republic has for stages:
1. pre-school education
2. primary school
3. secondary school
4. tertiary education.
Now I tell you something more about these stages.
Pre-school education is for children from two to six years. It is provided by nursery schools and kindergartens. I think most of children attend crèches and kindergartens before their compulsory attendance at primary school.
Attendance from six to fifteen at primary school is compulsory. Most pupils attend state schools where education is free of charge. There are also private and church schools in Czech Republic but at these types of schools you must pay for your attendance. Children in our school system needn’t wear uniforms.
After finishing primary school students can find a job and start working but most of them choose some secondary school and continue in their school attendance. I our country there are three types of secondary schools:
grammar school
special school
vocational school. Secondary education lasts three or four years it depends on the type of school and it is finished with school leaving examination. This examination is held from four subjects at grammar and special schools. Two from them are compulsory it is Czech and one foreign language. The others two are elective. The exam is consists of written and oral tests. If you pass the both tests you get School-Leaving Certificate.
The last form of education is provided by universities and colleges. It lasts four or six years it depends on type of school. Each secondary graduate can apply as many colleges as he wants but he musts pass an entrance tests if he wants start with studies. The oldest university in our country is Charles university in Prague which was founded by Charles the fourth in 1348. Others universities are for example in Brno, Olomouc, Ostrava, Zlín and České Budějovice.
School year starts on the first of September and it is divided into two terms. The first term starts in September and it finishes in the end of January. The second term is from beginning of February and it ends on the last day of June. In the end of each term students get their School report. After the second term pupils and students have holidays which are two months long.
Classes begin between eight and eight fifteen. School day is different at different types of schools but one thing must be same - one lesson lasts forty-five minutes. Breaks between the lessons are ten or twenty minutes long.
Pupils and students are evaluated by marks from one to five. Mark one is the best and mark five is the worst.
Now I attend grammar school in Havlíčkův Brod which is named after a famous Czech writer KAREL BOROVSKÝ who was living in Havlíčkův Brod. School was founded by Kateřina Barbora Kobzinová in 1734. School is situated nearly the centre of the town. A building of a school has a cellar, ground floor, the others two floors and an attic. In the cellar there are two gyms. In the attic you can find atelier for arts and a classroom for singing.
My classroom is situated on the first floor. It is equipped with sixteen desks and thirty-one chairs for students, one cathedra an a chair for our teachers, a blackboard, a small board, two cupboards, a basin, a mirror and so on.
At our school there are some special classrooms for example a classroom for computer and language lessons, laboratory of chemistry and physique.
I like my school but now I am looking forward to university where I would like to continue in my studies.
British system of education
If I compare our system of education and the British one I like more the Czech one.
In Britain children start primary school at the age of five. At eleven they go to secondary school and attend it to the age of sixteen. School attendance is compolsory from five to sixteen. At sixteen pupils take GCSE which means General Certificate of Secondary Education. After these exams about thirty percents of students leave school, the others study three subjects for two others years. After this two years they take
“A” Levels. About twenty percents of eighteen-years-old go to university.
Classes starts at nine o’clock and finishes at about four o’clock. After morning lessons students have a break of an hour for lunch.
At most of secondary schools students must wear uniforms.
British schools are usually states it means they are free of charge.
American system of education
American system of education is very similar to British one. There are only small differents for example in USA compulsory school attendance is from six to seventeen.
American literature
American literature hasn’t so long history as for example the British literature. But of course it is also full of excellent writers and poets. We can divide it into four main parts or periods.
The first period is called COLONIAL PERIOD. The first writers of this time were the Englishmen. They described the exploration and colonisation of America. These authors were influenced by the Indians and their legends.
The second period is usually called REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. It is the period of War to Independence. The writers are called “Founding fathers”. They wrote especially essays. The best known piece of the literature of this time is DECLARATION OF INDEOPENDENCE whose main author is THOMAS JEFFERSON. Another well known representant of the revolutionary period was for example BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
The third part is THE PROSE AND THE POETRY OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. One of the best authors was JAMES FENIMORE COOPER. He wrote about thirty novels. His famous work is I think THE LAST OF THE MOHYCANS. The others famous writers of this period are for example Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman and Mark Twain.
EDGAR ALLAN POE is a founder of detective story, horror and sci-fi. His best works are THE PIT AND THE PENDRLUM, THE FALL OF THE HOESE OF USHER, THE MASK OF RED DEATH or THE RAVEN which is a poem and if you read it you should hear the raven’s beak hitting the door.
HERMAN MELVILLE had a tragic view of the life – he was a pessimist. He divided the world into two sides – good and evil. His master piece MOBY DICK is about a great white whale and a captain Ahab who wanted kill the whale so he attacked the whale but his ship was destroyed and he dies.
MARK TWAIN is one of the greatest representants of American humour in literature. Maerk twain is his nick name – his real name was Samuel Clemens. He comes from family of a lawyer but his family was quite poor so Twain didn’t get very good education. He left school very soon and he took different jobs for example he was a pilot on the steamboat on the river Mississippi and he used a terminology from the boat as his pseudonym. Many of his books reflect his own experiences from his life. He became famous with a short story called THE CELEBRATED JUMPING FROG. It is about people in a mining camp where ordinary men cheat a frog racer. They fill the frog with small metal balls. His best known stories are called THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER, LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI and THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLBERY FIN. Mark Twin is also considered to be a master of short story. I read his story called DOG.
WALT WHITMAN was an excellent poets, his most famous piece is called THE LEAVES OF THE GRASS.
The last period is PERIOD OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. In this period we can find a group of authors called lost generation. These authors write about World War. The member of this group was for example ERNEST HEMINGWAY. He was a reporter, soldier, short-story writer, novelist, playwright and fisherman. Ernest Hemingway came from six children of a small town doctor. He was active in sports and he was an excellent hunter and fisherman. His parents wanted him to be a doctor too but after his graduation from high school he began his writing career as a sports reporter. When the USA entered the first world war Hemingway left his job and became an ambulance driver in Italy. In the war he was badly wounded so he spent several weeks in hospital in Milano. This experience hw describes in his piece. He is usually called a man of adventures because he liked adventures very much an a master of short story writing. He is the author of several world known pieces:
A FERWELL TO ARMS where he describes love story during the First world war. It is about a young nurse and a young soldier who is wounded. Novel FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS tell about Spanish Civil War. Hemingway also liked travelling and hunting the animals – his experiences he described in a piece called GREEN HILLS OF AFRICA. THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA is his very famous short story, slim book about an old fisherman who wanted to catch a big fish during his life so everyday he went to the sea in his small boat. One day he caught the fish of his dreams but during the journey home the smaller fishes ate his big fish and the old man brought home only its skeleton.
During the last years of his lifeHemingway suffered from depression and finaly he commited suicide.
The representants of the poesy of the twentieth century in American literature are called beat generation. The memberes of this generation were influenced by oriental philosophy and they loved drinking alcohol, taking drugs, sex and fast conversation. They were concentrated in San Francisco. To this group belong for example JACK KEROAC and ALLAN GINSBERG who visited Prague in nineteen nineties.
The first period is called COLONIAL PERIOD. The first writers of this time were the Englishmen. They described the exploration and colonisation of America. These authors were influenced by the Indians and their legends.
The second period is usually called REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. It is the period of War to Independence. The writers are called “Founding fathers”. They wrote especially essays. The best known piece of the literature of this time is DECLARATION OF INDEOPENDENCE whose main author is THOMAS JEFFERSON. Another well known representant of the revolutionary period was for example BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
The third part is THE PROSE AND THE POETRY OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. One of the best authors was JAMES FENIMORE COOPER. He wrote about thirty novels. His famous work is I think THE LAST OF THE MOHYCANS. The others famous writers of this period are for example Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman and Mark Twain.
EDGAR ALLAN POE is a founder of detective story, horror and sci-fi. His best works are THE PIT AND THE PENDRLUM, THE FALL OF THE HOESE OF USHER, THE MASK OF RED DEATH or THE RAVEN which is a poem and if you read it you should hear the raven’s beak hitting the door.
HERMAN MELVILLE had a tragic view of the life – he was a pessimist. He divided the world into two sides – good and evil. His master piece MOBY DICK is about a great white whale and a captain Ahab who wanted kill the whale so he attacked the whale but his ship was destroyed and he dies.
MARK TWAIN is one of the greatest representants of American humour in literature. Maerk twain is his nick name – his real name was Samuel Clemens. He comes from family of a lawyer but his family was quite poor so Twain didn’t get very good education. He left school very soon and he took different jobs for example he was a pilot on the steamboat on the river Mississippi and he used a terminology from the boat as his pseudonym. Many of his books reflect his own experiences from his life. He became famous with a short story called THE CELEBRATED JUMPING FROG. It is about people in a mining camp where ordinary men cheat a frog racer. They fill the frog with small metal balls. His best known stories are called THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER, LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI and THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLBERY FIN. Mark Twin is also considered to be a master of short story. I read his story called DOG.
WALT WHITMAN was an excellent poets, his most famous piece is called THE LEAVES OF THE GRASS.
The last period is PERIOD OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. In this period we can find a group of authors called lost generation. These authors write about World War. The member of this group was for example ERNEST HEMINGWAY. He was a reporter, soldier, short-story writer, novelist, playwright and fisherman. Ernest Hemingway came from six children of a small town doctor. He was active in sports and he was an excellent hunter and fisherman. His parents wanted him to be a doctor too but after his graduation from high school he began his writing career as a sports reporter. When the USA entered the first world war Hemingway left his job and became an ambulance driver in Italy. In the war he was badly wounded so he spent several weeks in hospital in Milano. This experience hw describes in his piece. He is usually called a man of adventures because he liked adventures very much an a master of short story writing. He is the author of several world known pieces:
A FERWELL TO ARMS where he describes love story during the First world war. It is about a young nurse and a young soldier who is wounded. Novel FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS tell about Spanish Civil War. Hemingway also liked travelling and hunting the animals – his experiences he described in a piece called GREEN HILLS OF AFRICA. THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA is his very famous short story, slim book about an old fisherman who wanted to catch a big fish during his life so everyday he went to the sea in his small boat. One day he caught the fish of his dreams but during the journey home the smaller fishes ate his big fish and the old man brought home only its skeleton.
During the last years of his lifeHemingway suffered from depression and finaly he commited suicide.
The representants of the poesy of the twentieth century in American literature are called beat generation. The memberes of this generation were influenced by oriental philosophy and they loved drinking alcohol, taking drugs, sex and fast conversation. They were concentrated in San Francisco. To this group belong for example JACK KEROAC and ALLAN GINSBERG who visited Prague in nineteen nineties.
British literature
The British literature has very long and rich history full of excellent authors. The literature reflects important events happening in the British society. The history of British history can be divided into several periods:
The first period goes back to the EIGTH CENTURY which was an Anglo-Saxon period.
In this time come into being BEOWULF. It is the oldest poem from unknown writer. It describes the conflict between the good and the evil. The main hero is Beowulf represents good so he fights the monster.
The second period is made by the literature after the Battle at Hastings. The authors were the French and the main hero of legends and romances was King Arthur.
The third period is the literature of FOURTEENTH CENTURY. It is a period of Renaissance and Humanism which was a time of big development of literature in Britain. The literature was written at Royal court, in aristocrat’s houses, monasteries, churches and in the cities.
The best known representatives of this period was JOHN WICLIFE and GEOFFREY CHAUCER who is supposed as the real father of English poetry. His most famous piece CANTERBURY TALES tells about thirty pilgrims who tell the stories on their journey from London to Canterbury (they travelled to grave of Thomas Becket). The book isn’t completed.
The biggest personality of British Renaissance is WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. He is considered to be the greatest dramatist. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in England. He had one sister and one brother – he was the youngest from them. He attended local grammar school. Later he married and had two daughters. In 1592 he came to London and joined a group of actors called Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Later he bought the Globe Theatre. At first he helped adapt or re-write older plays but later he started to write his own plays and he was very successful. William Shakespeare is buried in Trinity Church in Stratford.
He is the author of poems, sonnets and plays (history plays, comedies and tragedies). His plays are very popular till now. His plays are especially about questions of human life.
His best known tragedies are: ROMEO AND JULIET. It is about unhappy love. HAMLET is about hesitation. OTHELLO is about jealousy, MACKBETH,
KING LEAR is about loyalist.
The best known comedies are named: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, AS YOU LIKE IT, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.
In his historical plays he wrote about English kings: HENRY IV, HENRY V, HENRY VI, RICHARD III, RICHARD II, JULIUS CAESAR.
I have read several pieces from William Shakespeare and I would like to retell one of them, for example King Lear.
King Lear had three daughters. He decided to divide his kingdom among this daughters so he
asked them to tell him which of them loved him best. The two eldery ones (already married) said
that they loved him above all, but it wasn’t the truth. Cordelia, the youngest daughter who
really loved her father tell him the truth. She said that she would divide her love among her
father and her future husband. The king became very angry so Cordelia had to leave her home.
All to late king Lear recognized that his two daughters told him lie and later he went mad.
The youngest daughter Cordelia who had married the king of France came back to England to
help her old father. But unfortunately both she and her father were made prisoners by the eldery
girls. Cordelia was put to the death. It broke heart of King Lear and he died too.
The other period is in the SEVENTH CENTURY. It is a period of Civil war in England. There were fighting King’s army and Oliver Cromwell’s people. In this time wrote JOHN MILTON his poem PARADISE LOST.
The fifth period is in the EIGHTEETH CENTURY which is characterised by development of novel. The famous writer of this period is JONATHAN SWIFT the author of GULLIVER’S TRAVELS. This work is a satire on British society it tells about people who never existed or about animals who behave like human beings.
The other famous author of eighteenth century is DANIEL DEFOE who is well known for his book called ROBINSON CRUSIOE.
PERIOD OF ROMANTISM is the sixth period. Romantic literature is literature of the end of eighteenth century. There are many important writers like GEORGE GORDON BYRON, WILLIAM BLAKE and SIR WALTER SCOTT who is the author of historical novel IVANHOE. William Blake is famous poet. He was influenced by French revolution. He is admired for his two collections of sonnets: SONGS OF INNOCENCE and SONGS OF EXPERIENCE.
The other period is PERIOD OF AESTHETICISM which is especially represented by OSCAR WILDE. Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in Ireland. He came from quite rich family – his father was a famous surgeon and his mother was a successful writer. Young Oscar decided to study classical literature at Trinity College in Dublin. Later he studied at Oxford University in England. His writing career began when he win the Newdigate Prise for his poem RAVENNA. AFTER COLLEGE HE MOVED TO London and published his first book called POEM.
In 1882 Wilde went to America to New York where he married and had two sons. During the time he wrote many stories for them, for example THE HAPPY PRINCE and THE CANTERVILLE GHOST.
He is the author of four comedies; I would like to mention two from them: AN IDEAL HUSBAND,
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.
Oscar Wilde wrote only one novel, its name is THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY. It tells the story about man who loves himself so much that he doesn’t grow old and instead of him his portrait grows old.
He also wrote a play called SALOMÉ.
VICTORIAN AGE. It means a period of the rule of Queen Victoria. In this time the writers described English society. The most famous writer is CHARLES DICKENS who is considered to be one of the greatest British novelists and story-teller. He came from poor family. When he was nine his family moved to London where his father got into debt so they had to go to prison. Later his father inherited some money so they could leave the prison and Charles could return to school to become a newspaper reporter. In his twenty-five he became famous and he married and had seven sons and two daughters.
He enjoyed life but he hated the social system. In his novels he describes bad schools, government, bad prisons, dirty houses and so on. He usually write about poor and hungry children as he was, thieves, men in debt and so on. His most famous novels are: DAVID COPPERFIELD, OLIVER TWIST.
Charles Dickens love Christmas so he wrote a story about Christmas time called CHRISTMAS CAROL.
The first period goes back to the EIGTH CENTURY which was an Anglo-Saxon period.
In this time come into being BEOWULF. It is the oldest poem from unknown writer. It describes the conflict between the good and the evil. The main hero is Beowulf represents good so he fights the monster.
The second period is made by the literature after the Battle at Hastings. The authors were the French and the main hero of legends and romances was King Arthur.
The third period is the literature of FOURTEENTH CENTURY. It is a period of Renaissance and Humanism which was a time of big development of literature in Britain. The literature was written at Royal court, in aristocrat’s houses, monasteries, churches and in the cities.
The best known representatives of this period was JOHN WICLIFE and GEOFFREY CHAUCER who is supposed as the real father of English poetry. His most famous piece CANTERBURY TALES tells about thirty pilgrims who tell the stories on their journey from London to Canterbury (they travelled to grave of Thomas Becket). The book isn’t completed.
The biggest personality of British Renaissance is WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. He is considered to be the greatest dramatist. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in England. He had one sister and one brother – he was the youngest from them. He attended local grammar school. Later he married and had two daughters. In 1592 he came to London and joined a group of actors called Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Later he bought the Globe Theatre. At first he helped adapt or re-write older plays but later he started to write his own plays and he was very successful. William Shakespeare is buried in Trinity Church in Stratford.
He is the author of poems, sonnets and plays (history plays, comedies and tragedies). His plays are very popular till now. His plays are especially about questions of human life.
His best known tragedies are: ROMEO AND JULIET. It is about unhappy love. HAMLET is about hesitation. OTHELLO is about jealousy, MACKBETH,
KING LEAR is about loyalist.
The best known comedies are named: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, AS YOU LIKE IT, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.
In his historical plays he wrote about English kings: HENRY IV, HENRY V, HENRY VI, RICHARD III, RICHARD II, JULIUS CAESAR.
I have read several pieces from William Shakespeare and I would like to retell one of them, for example King Lear.
King Lear had three daughters. He decided to divide his kingdom among this daughters so he
asked them to tell him which of them loved him best. The two eldery ones (already married) said
that they loved him above all, but it wasn’t the truth. Cordelia, the youngest daughter who
really loved her father tell him the truth. She said that she would divide her love among her
father and her future husband. The king became very angry so Cordelia had to leave her home.
All to late king Lear recognized that his two daughters told him lie and later he went mad.
The youngest daughter Cordelia who had married the king of France came back to England to
help her old father. But unfortunately both she and her father were made prisoners by the eldery
girls. Cordelia was put to the death. It broke heart of King Lear and he died too.
The other period is in the SEVENTH CENTURY. It is a period of Civil war in England. There were fighting King’s army and Oliver Cromwell’s people. In this time wrote JOHN MILTON his poem PARADISE LOST.
The fifth period is in the EIGHTEETH CENTURY which is characterised by development of novel. The famous writer of this period is JONATHAN SWIFT the author of GULLIVER’S TRAVELS. This work is a satire on British society it tells about people who never existed or about animals who behave like human beings.
The other famous author of eighteenth century is DANIEL DEFOE who is well known for his book called ROBINSON CRUSIOE.
PERIOD OF ROMANTISM is the sixth period. Romantic literature is literature of the end of eighteenth century. There are many important writers like GEORGE GORDON BYRON, WILLIAM BLAKE and SIR WALTER SCOTT who is the author of historical novel IVANHOE. William Blake is famous poet. He was influenced by French revolution. He is admired for his two collections of sonnets: SONGS OF INNOCENCE and SONGS OF EXPERIENCE.
The other period is PERIOD OF AESTHETICISM which is especially represented by OSCAR WILDE. Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in Ireland. He came from quite rich family – his father was a famous surgeon and his mother was a successful writer. Young Oscar decided to study classical literature at Trinity College in Dublin. Later he studied at Oxford University in England. His writing career began when he win the Newdigate Prise for his poem RAVENNA. AFTER COLLEGE HE MOVED TO London and published his first book called POEM.
In 1882 Wilde went to America to New York where he married and had two sons. During the time he wrote many stories for them, for example THE HAPPY PRINCE and THE CANTERVILLE GHOST.
He is the author of four comedies; I would like to mention two from them: AN IDEAL HUSBAND,
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.
Oscar Wilde wrote only one novel, its name is THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY. It tells the story about man who loves himself so much that he doesn’t grow old and instead of him his portrait grows old.
He also wrote a play called SALOMÉ.
VICTORIAN AGE. It means a period of the rule of Queen Victoria. In this time the writers described English society. The most famous writer is CHARLES DICKENS who is considered to be one of the greatest British novelists and story-teller. He came from poor family. When he was nine his family moved to London where his father got into debt so they had to go to prison. Later his father inherited some money so they could leave the prison and Charles could return to school to become a newspaper reporter. In his twenty-five he became famous and he married and had seven sons and two daughters.
He enjoyed life but he hated the social system. In his novels he describes bad schools, government, bad prisons, dirty houses and so on. He usually write about poor and hungry children as he was, thieves, men in debt and so on. His most famous novels are: DAVID COPPERFIELD, OLIVER TWIST.
Charles Dickens love Christmas so he wrote a story about Christmas time called CHRISTMAS CAROL.
Canada
Canada is situated in the north of the continent of North America. It borders on the USA in the south and it is surrounded by the oceans – the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Arctic Ocean in the north.
Canada is the second large country in the world. It covers almost ten million square kilometres.
In the west of the country there are the mountains called the Cordilleras with the highest mountain Mount Logan. The prairies and planes spread in the central part. The lowlands are situated around the Hudson Bay.
Canada is very rich in lakes, for example it is Great Bear Lake, Great Have Lake, Winipack Lake and Ontario with the famous Niagara Falls. In Canada there are as well several important rivers. The most important and famous from them are the Saint Lawrence River, the Columbia and the Youcon.
In the north there is an arctic climate and along the borders there is a mild climate. The coasts are influenced by the oceans.
The original populations of Canada were Indians and Eskimos. The Indians live in reservations today while the Eskimos still occupy the northern part of the country. Nowadays the population of Canada consists of the English, French and others minorities. Together there live about twenty-eight million people. The density is very low. People mostly live in the large cities in the east.
Economy of the country is very good. Canada belongs to the richest countries in the world. It has big natural sources like natural gas, uranium, cadmium, gold, silver and coal.
Industry is concentrated in the large cities for example in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. The main branches of industry are wood and papery industry, food, engineering and mining industry.
Canada has also very good agriculture. It is known especially for growing wheat. In Canada there are many green houses where the vegetable is grown.
The capital of Canada is Ottawa. It isn’t too large city. It is the seat of the government and parliament. The Canadians parliament has two parts – the House of Commons and the senate. The official head of the country is the British queen who represented by the gouverner general. The real politic power is in the hands of Prime Minister and his cabinet. Canada is divided into English and French part and it is consist of ten provinces and three territories. It means that Canada is the bilingual country so it has two official languages – English and French. Most of the French people in province called Quebec; the second largest French city is Montreal.
Canada was discovered in 1497 by JOHN CABOT who was English seamen. The first settlers of Canada were the French in the seventh century. Later came the English and Canada became the British Colony. In 1867 Canada Became the First dominium in the British empire.
New york and washington d.c.
NEW YORK
New York is situated on the each coast of the United States and on a few islands. It lays on the river Hudson and East. The city is divided into five parts (boroughs), they are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Broncos and Richmond (Staten Island).
New York is the biggest city in the USA. It has about eighteen million people together with its surroundings. It is as well very important city because it is also busy port, industrial city, the commercial, financial, educational, cultural… centre not only of the USA but of the world.
Originally the city was called New Amsterdam the Doge made there their settlement in a part of Manhattan in the seventh century. They bought this area from the Indians who gave the Brittan’s some trinkets which had a value of twenty-four dollars and some alcohol. Later the Indians wanted to get the area back and they struggled with the Dodge so the Dodge built a high wall in one part of the island. This wall protected them from the Indians. Today there is a famous Wall Street. Forty years later New Amsterdam became the. British town and it was renamed to New York after duke from York. New York was and it is still very important centre of trade, port …
The most important part of New York is Manhattan where we can see the famous sky-scrapers and some sights, for example the tourists can admire the Statue of Liberty which is situated on Liberty Islands and it became one of the symbols of New York and the USA. This statue was a gift from the French who always admired American freedom and democracy.
Not far from Liberty Island the tourists can visit Ellis Island with a museum of emigration.
Then the tourists can finally enter Manhattan which is famous for many sky-scrapers – the oldest one is the Empire State Building which was for a long time the tallest building in the world. Later there were built Twin Towers which was the world trade centre. These towers were the highest sky-scrapers in New York but unfortunately they were destroyed by terrorists attack on the eleventh of September in 2001.
There you can go for example to Time Square. It is one of the best known squares in New York and it is called after the New York Times which is a famous newspapers.
Very famous street in New York is Wall Street. It is the financial centre of New York and of the world because there are situated banks and of course the stock-exchange.
Another famous street is Broadway. It is the cultural centre of New York. There you can find theatres, cinemas museums, galleries, concert halls for example the Metropolitan Museum of art, the Guggenheim Gallery, Carnegie Hall which is a concert hall.
New York is as well important educational centre. The famous university in New York is the University of Columbia and New York University.
In New York there are many beautiful parks and gardens however the best known one is Central Park.
The streets and avenues in New York are numbered but Wall Street and Broadway are exceptions.
New York is often called as a meeting pot because there are living many different nationalities.
There are two official languages – English and Spanish. In New York there are some parts where you can find different minorities, for example China Town (it has about one million people), Jewish Neighbourhood, Little Italy, Latin Quarter and Germany neighbourhood.
WASHINGTON D.C.
It is the District of Columbia – it means the city is situated in special territory which doesn’t belong to any state. It lies on the bank of the River Potomac from the sight of the state Maryland. This place was chosen by the first American president George Washington who lived not far from here.
It is the federal capital but it is relatively small. It has only one million people (three quarters of them are black). Washington D.C. is the seat of the president, the government and the parliament.
The president lives in the White House. It is called white because its walls are white. The first who use this name was Theodore Roosevelt. The parliament and the government are placed in the Capitol.
There is no industry in Washington D.C. but there are many places of interests, museums and galleries there.
The city was designed by a French engineer Pierre L’Enfant.
The tourists can visit several interesting monuments for example:
The Washington Monument which was planned at the end of the eighteenth century but it was built till during the nineteenth century. There are nearly nine hundred steps to the top (exactly eight hundred and ninety-seven). But unfortunately you can’t walk these steps – you must use a lift.
The Jefferson Monument. I would like to remember Thomas Jefferson who was one of the authors of The Declaration of Independence and he was the third president of the USA.
The Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln was the president of the USA during the Civil War (1961-1965). He died in interesting way because he was shut in theatre. This monument has thirty-six marble columns because when Abraham Lincoln ruled the USA had thirty-six states. And it has fifty-six steps because he died in age of fifty-six.
The tourists can also see The Arlington National Cemetery where are buried famous people and soldiers and heroes from different wars.
New York is situated on the each coast of the United States and on a few islands. It lays on the river Hudson and East. The city is divided into five parts (boroughs), they are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Broncos and Richmond (Staten Island).
New York is the biggest city in the USA. It has about eighteen million people together with its surroundings. It is as well very important city because it is also busy port, industrial city, the commercial, financial, educational, cultural… centre not only of the USA but of the world.
Originally the city was called New Amsterdam the Doge made there their settlement in a part of Manhattan in the seventh century. They bought this area from the Indians who gave the Brittan’s some trinkets which had a value of twenty-four dollars and some alcohol. Later the Indians wanted to get the area back and they struggled with the Dodge so the Dodge built a high wall in one part of the island. This wall protected them from the Indians. Today there is a famous Wall Street. Forty years later New Amsterdam became the. British town and it was renamed to New York after duke from York. New York was and it is still very important centre of trade, port …
The most important part of New York is Manhattan where we can see the famous sky-scrapers and some sights, for example the tourists can admire the Statue of Liberty which is situated on Liberty Islands and it became one of the symbols of New York and the USA. This statue was a gift from the French who always admired American freedom and democracy.
Not far from Liberty Island the tourists can visit Ellis Island with a museum of emigration.
Then the tourists can finally enter Manhattan which is famous for many sky-scrapers – the oldest one is the Empire State Building which was for a long time the tallest building in the world. Later there were built Twin Towers which was the world trade centre. These towers were the highest sky-scrapers in New York but unfortunately they were destroyed by terrorists attack on the eleventh of September in 2001.
There you can go for example to Time Square. It is one of the best known squares in New York and it is called after the New York Times which is a famous newspapers.
Very famous street in New York is Wall Street. It is the financial centre of New York and of the world because there are situated banks and of course the stock-exchange.
Another famous street is Broadway. It is the cultural centre of New York. There you can find theatres, cinemas museums, galleries, concert halls for example the Metropolitan Museum of art, the Guggenheim Gallery, Carnegie Hall which is a concert hall.
New York is as well important educational centre. The famous university in New York is the University of Columbia and New York University.
In New York there are many beautiful parks and gardens however the best known one is Central Park.
The streets and avenues in New York are numbered but Wall Street and Broadway are exceptions.
New York is often called as a meeting pot because there are living many different nationalities.
There are two official languages – English and Spanish. In New York there are some parts where you can find different minorities, for example China Town (it has about one million people), Jewish Neighbourhood, Little Italy, Latin Quarter and Germany neighbourhood.
WASHINGTON D.C.
It is the District of Columbia – it means the city is situated in special territory which doesn’t belong to any state. It lies on the bank of the River Potomac from the sight of the state Maryland. This place was chosen by the first American president George Washington who lived not far from here.
It is the federal capital but it is relatively small. It has only one million people (three quarters of them are black). Washington D.C. is the seat of the president, the government and the parliament.
The president lives in the White House. It is called white because its walls are white. The first who use this name was Theodore Roosevelt. The parliament and the government are placed in the Capitol.
There is no industry in Washington D.C. but there are many places of interests, museums and galleries there.
The city was designed by a French engineer Pierre L’Enfant.
The tourists can visit several interesting monuments for example:
The Washington Monument which was planned at the end of the eighteenth century but it was built till during the nineteenth century. There are nearly nine hundred steps to the top (exactly eight hundred and ninety-seven). But unfortunately you can’t walk these steps – you must use a lift.
The Jefferson Monument. I would like to remember Thomas Jefferson who was one of the authors of The Declaration of Independence and he was the third president of the USA.
The Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln was the president of the USA during the Civil War (1961-1965). He died in interesting way because he was shut in theatre. This monument has thirty-six marble columns because when Abraham Lincoln ruled the USA had thirty-six states. And it has fifty-six steps because he died in age of fifty-six.
The tourists can also see The Arlington National Cemetery where are buried famous people and soldiers and heroes from different wars.
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