I was born on the 22nd of March. Birthday is a very remarkable day for me. It is spring and the weather is fine. In the morning my parents come to my room to wake me singing "Happy Birthday, dear Andy". They give me the presents. I like to get them very much. Most people hold their birthday party on their birthdays. Usually, we hold my birthday party on Sunday next to the 22nd of March. Once or twice we went for a picnic on that day, but usually we celebrate it at home. We invite my friends and relatives to the party. I get up early in the morning on that day. My father and I go shopping to the district marketplace and supermarkets. We buy everything we need for the party. My mother stays at home to clean the flat and bake a pie and cakes. Then we lay the table together, put on evening suits and wait for the guests. At about four o'clock my relatives and friends come to congratulate me and I am glad to see them. They bring a bunch of roses for my mother and books, sweets and records for me. I thank my friends for coming and the presents. My aunts usually buy some clothes for me as a birthday present. We have an abundant dinner on this day. Mother brings the birthday cake and I blow the candles out. We dance and sing songs, make jokes and play games. When everybody is tired, we just lie on the floor and tell stories or just listen to the music in my room. I enjoy my birthday party and my friends like this day too.
My Breakfast
It is not a secret that our meals influence much on our health and our mood. That’s why I consider breakfast to be the most important meal in the day as it is the first our meal and it can put us in good spirits. Now I shall tell you about my breakfast.
In the morning I usually have porridge. I often start my breakfast with a cereal which is not cooked, it is something dry, ready to be eaten or muesli – some grain or porridge which is not cooked with dried fruit, nuts and so on.
I also like eggs (cooked in different ways). I don’t practically eat butter, I prefer soft margarine – made of vegetable fat, which is not heavy and creamy. I don’t eat jam at breakfast, I eat marmalade which is not sweet, there is slight bitterness; it’s rather pleasant.
I usually don’t have substantial breakfast on weekdays, I do it on weekends when I get up late. Very often I have just tea or coffee with sandwiches. Tea is usually taken by me with milk. I like very strong tea without sugar.
Sometimes when I am in hurry I don’t have time to have proper breakfast and I go to the university being hungry. In such case I usually buy something like “Snickers” or “Mars” on my way to the Alma Mater.
My Daily Program
I get up at 7 o'clock in the morning. I do my morning exercises, wash myself and dress. Then I have breakfast. At 8 o'clock I leave home and go to the Institute. As a rule I come to the Institute at a quarter to 9. The lessons begin at 9 sharp. Today we have two lectures, a seminar and an English lesson. At our English lessons we read texts, ask and answer questions and do all sorts of exercises. We do not write many exercises. We usually write exercises at home. We speak English at the lessons. We speak English a little now, but we want to speak English well.
At about 1 o'clock I generally have dinner in the canteen. I come home at about 6 o'clock. I have supper and do my homework. I always do my homework in the evening, but I never work late in the evening. At 11 o'clock I go to bed.
My Daily Program
A typical day goes something like this. We get up around 6 a.m., wash, have some coffee and toast, let the dog outside and feed him, bring the dog back in and leave for work. I drop Martha off at her job around 7:15 a.m. and then I drive to the University (from our house to her work is about three miles, from her work to the University is another three). I park the car and get to my office by 7:45 a.m. Then I check my schedule and start to work. Around 11:30 a.m. we break for lunch. I usually eat at the student union with co-worker or other students. Then back to work. I usually leave for the day at 4:30 p.m. I pick Martha up at her job and we are back home by 5:30 p.m. After changing into more comfortable clothes, we turn on the television to watch the news while we prepare dinner. After dinner, we may study. go shopping, or just relax and watch television or listen to music.
Saturdays are a bit different. We often sleep late, until 9:00 a.m. or even a bit later. Once or twice a month we may go out for breakfast at a local restaurant. The rest of the day is spent working on the house, studying, or running errands. Saturday evening is often spent with friends or family members, typically over dinner, or we go to a concert.
My favourite book is "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway. This story is one of the well-known works of the writer. The author depicts the characters of the old man and the boy and their relations very vividly and skillfully. Santiago, the old man, was one of the writer's beloved characters. The old man was a born fisherman, but he was not a butcher and fished only for a living. He was very lonely. He had a devoted friend - the boy, Manolin. The boy loved the old man for his kind heart, his devotion to the sea. Manolin was like a son to Santiago. He took care of the old man's food and his belongings. The old man was glad to pass his experience to the boy. He looked forward to going to the sea together with the boy. All Santiago's life had been in preparation for the battle with big fish. He knew that he had been born for this and it was time to prove it. A strong man at last had met a strong fish. The battle was a difficult one and full of danger. Though the sharks had eaten the fish and nothing had left but the backbone, the old man had morally won the battle. Santiago's words "man can be destroyed but not defeated" are the main idea of this story. "The Old Man and the Sea" is a masterpiece for its imaginative language and the description of nature.
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