It grows big. When you are at the top of the wave you will stand up on the surfboard. You should stand near the back of the surfboard. Standing on the surfboard on a wave is difficult. You must have good balance! If you don’t stand up with good balance you will probably fall. Then you have been wiped out!                                         Surfing is good exercise and makes you strong. Next time you visit the beach, you can try it! And remember the saying ….. practice makes perfect. Circle true or false for each sentence.

1.Surfing is an interesting sport.                                     True    False

2.Only young people can try surfing.                              True    False 

3.You need a long surfboard.                                         True    False

4.A beginner surfer should try a small wave first.           True    False

5.When you see a good wave, you should stand up.       True    False

6.You need good balance to be a good surfer.                True    False​

At the beginning of the 19th century a little boy was born in the family of John Dickens, a clerk at an office in Portsmouth, and was named Charles. He had a sister who was older than himself, and there were several other children in the family. When Charles was seven, he was sent to school. He was not a strong child. He did not like to play cricket or football and spent all his free time reading. In 1821 the family went to London, and little Charles left behind him the happiest years of his childhood. His father was in money difficulties, and the family became poorer and poorer. The boy had to give up his studies. Mr. Dickens was put into a debtors' prison. Little Charles learned to know all the horrors and cruelty of a large capitalist city. He had to go to work at a blacking factory. He worked there from morning till night. When his father came out of prison, Charles was sent to school for some time. Soon he got work as a clerk. Then he learned stenography and became a reporter in Parliament. In 1836 at the age of 24 Charles Dickens published his first book. It was a collection of stories. The title of the book was "Sketches by Boz." These were followed by "Pickwick Papers" and "Oliver Twist" and many other famous novels. Charles Dickens is one of the greatest writers of the 19th century. His novels are now translated into most languages of the world.  

USA. It is faraway country, on the other side of the world. It is country of contrasts and great opportunities. There are a number of time zones and two oceans, the Pacific and the Atlantic, between us. And what attracts me to it?

The US is state with rich cultural heritage and fascinating history. It has passed a long way of formation and has earned respect from other countries. During the Second World War the US had been a reliable support for the Soviet Union because it had helped much in the fight against the fascism.

America gave the world a lot of great people, such as Abraham Lincoln, James Fenimore Cooper, Ernest Hemingway and Martin Luther King. This list is endless. We should not forget about Christopher Columbus, because he had discovered this previously unknown continent.

A lot of cultures, mentalities and nations are intertwined in America. This has formed the current face of the country. Today, the US is a prosperous country, "the first economy of the world". Many people want to go to the US to get an education, make a career, or just see this truly amazing place.

There are so many beautiful cities in America: big cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami as well as little provincial towns. I want to pick out New York City among big cities. I associate New York with lots of yellow taxis on Times Square, crowds of people, who hurry somewhere and of course with skyscrapers and Statue of Liberty. Recently, I wanted to "taste "The Big Apple"". No matter how stupidly it sounds, this ambition appeared, when I was playing video game `Grand theft Auto IV`.

That would be so nice to wake up in the morning and go for a walk on Manhattan, visit the famous Wall Street, see Columbia University, stroll along Broadway, stare at the colorful advertising signs in Times Square. Then, we can go to Central Park for a walk, encountering running people in tracksuits, mummies with prams, people walking their dogs or to sit on green grass. After this we can pop to coffee shop and then go to Liberty Island where a statue with the same name is located, which has become a national symbol of America.

New York is the capital of American fashion. Fashion Weeks are held there. New York City is not only a big beautiful city, but it is one of the world economic centers. Also there is the headquarters of UN.

California will certainly leave nobody indifferent. San Francisco with Cable Cars and Golden Gate Bridge, Silicon Valley and high technologies, San Diego and its Zoo - that`s California.

There are most picturesque beaches of the West coast. I would be glad to be on of these beaches. Lying on golden sand and the sun gently caressing your skin, ocean softly roaring, boys and girls in swimsuits playing beach volleyball and the rescuers attentively watching over what is happening. California is an excellent place for surfing. I would take a lesson from local surfing instructors.

There is also Hollywood in the Golden State, it is the well-known suburbs of Los Angeles. Hollywood had discovered the world-famous stars like Audrey Hepburn, Kirk Douglas, Harrison Ford and Meryl Streep. It is noteworthy, that the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is actor too. By the way, I want to visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

It is interesting, that there are two towns, which name is Washington, in America except the capital of the US. The capital of the US, Washington D.C., deserves attention too. What can I say about this city? The government of the USA is situated there and a number of government buildings, like United States Capitol, residence of president of the United States, the White House, and Supreme Court of the United States. Washington D.C. is one of the most beautiful cities of America. Architecture of US Capitol and Supreme Court of the US is amazing. In the US capital we can also see The Lincoln Memorial, inside which the statue of sixteenth president is located. You must see this.

United States of America is a truly great country, with special lifestyle, unique people and its own traditions. My cherished dream is to go there and learn how America really is.