We spend a lot of time together. We often watch video or listen to music

Sometimes we go to the cinema or to the theatre, or walk around the centre of Moscow, visiting small cafes, museums, art galleries, shops. We talk for hours about all sorts of things (politics, love, teachers, girls). We discuss films, television programmes, books.

I never quarrel with Nick. But if there's some misunderstanding between us we try to make peace as soon as possible. What I like best about him is that he is always willing to help and share his knowledge, thoughts and feelings. I respect him for his fairness, strong will, intellect and modesty.

I miss Nick when we don't see each other for a long time. Without him I would feel lonely and uncomfortable. Our friendship helps me to feel strong and sure of myself.

Vocabulary

To make friends подружиться

Of the same age ровесники

Block of flats многоквартирный дом

slender ['slenda] стройный

straight [streit] прямой

spectacles ['spektaklz] очки

guy [gai] парень

honest ['onist] честный

just [d3/\st] справедливый

Understanding отзывчивый, чуткий

To trust доверять, верить

to rely [n'lai] on smb полагаться на кого-либо,

Доверять

To let smb down подводить

responsible [ris'ponsibl] ответственный

whatever [wofeve] что бы ни

shortcoming ['fo:t,k/\mirj] недостаток

stubborn ['sUban] упрямый

nevertheless [,nevada'les] тем не менее

he is pleasant ['pleznt] to deal with с ним

Приятно иметь дело

An only child единственный ребенок в семье

lawyer [1o:ja] юрист, адвокат

brilliant ['briljant] замечательный, блестящий

no wonder ['w/vnda] неудивительно

talented ['taelantid] талантливый

A good ear for music хороший музыкальный

Слух

jazz [djaez] джаз

video ['vidiau] видеозапись

cafe f'kaefei] кафе

art gallery f'gaelari] картинная галерея

politics ['politiks] политика, политические взгляды,

Убеждения

quarrel ['kworal] ссориться

misunderstanding [,misAnda'staendir)] недопонима-

Ние

To make peace помириться

As soon as possible как можно скорее

share [Jea] делить, разделять

to respect [ri'spekt] уважать

fairness ['feanis] справедливость

Strong will сильная воля

intellect [Intilekt] ум

modesty ['modisti] скромность

To miss smb скучать без кого-либо

Questions

1. Have you got a lot of friends?

2. What is your best friend's name?

3. How long have you been friends?

4. Where does he (she) live?

5. Do you often see each other?

6. Where did you meet for the first time?

7. What do you do in your free time?

8. What do you usually talk about?

9. Do you quarrel?

10. What do you like best about your friend?

11. Has he (she) got any shortcomings?

12. Do you think friendship depends on shared interests — hobbies and leisure activities?

13. Does it mean that if two people don't have common hobbies they can't be real friends?

14. What features do you like (dislike) in people?

MY SCHOOL

I've just left school and I'd like to tell you a few words about it. My school is one of the oldest specialized schools in Moscow. It's famous for its highquality education and strict discipline. The school is very well-equipped. On the ground floor there's a gym, a canteen, a library and two workshops. On the first floor there's a large assembly hall, a home economics room, a computer class and a language laboratory. On the second floor there are physics, chemistry and biology labs.

I went to school five days a week. Classes began at nine o'clock in the morning. But I usually came to school ten minutes earlier. Each lesson lasted forty minutes. After three or four lessons we had a thirty-minute break. During this break we went to the canteen to have lunch. Every day we had 7 or 8 lessons. The lessons were over at four o'clock in the afternoon.

We usually had a lot of homework and it took me several hours to do it. I sometimes had to sit up to write a composition, to prepare a report, to translate a newspaper article from English into Russian or to learn a poem by heart.

After classes I didn't usually go home right away. We had some out-ofclass activities. Our social and cultural life was well-organized. For example, we had an orchestra, a choir, an arts club, an International Friendship Club. I took part in the drama club.

At school we had classes in Russian, Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, English, History, Computer Programming. We also had Music, Physical Education, and Information Technology.

My favourite subject was English. I liked to learn new words, to dramatize texts and dialogues. I liked it when we discussed something interesting to us, when we were taught to debate, when we had small-group discussions or set up a role play.

But I wasn't very good at chemistry. I always failed to learn formulas and terms properly. Maybe our chemistry teacher was too serious, too academic.