The topic of fashion has always been popular, especially among the youth. In my opinion, that is not surprising, as they are eager to be in the spotlight. One of the advantages of being fashion-conscious is that such people have more chances to be accepted by the society. As it is known, the majority think of a person judging by the first impression, which depends mostly on the one`s appearance. Secondly, stylish people are distinguished by their creativity and singularity from the others. That is why it is easier for them to draw the public attention at first. From the other hand, having goodlooks is not enough so as to score a success. Apart from that, you have to be brainy and intelligent. Otherwise, not having necessary skills, you will not be able to do any good to the society. Therefore, they will not need you. Certainly, it is possible to make a fotune and get fame due to gossips and scandals. But there is no guarantee that you will be happy. The thing is that being restricted by laziness and idleness you will not be able to feel the fullness of this life. To conclude, fashion plays a significant role in our life. However, we must not forget that moral human`s qualities are more important and valuable.

When we want to buy something we go to a shop. There are many kinds of shops in every town or city, buy most of them have a food supermarket, a department store, men's and women's clothing stores, grocery, a bakery and a butchery. I like to do my shopping at big department stores and supermarkets. They sell various goods under one roof and this is very convenient. A department store, for example, true to its name, is composed of many departments: ready-made clothes, fabrics, shoes, sports goods, toys, china and glass, electric appliances, cosmetics, linen, curtains, cameras, records, etc. You can buy everything you like there. There are also escalators in big stores which take customers to different floors. The things for sale are on the counters so, that they can be easily seen. In the women'' clothing department you can find dresses, costumes, blouses, skirts, coats, beautiful underwear and many other things. In the men's clothing department you can choose suits, trousers, overcoats, ties, etc. In the knitwear department one can buy sweaters, cardigans, short-sleeved and long-sleeved pullovers, woolen jackets. In the perfumery they sell face cream and powder, lipstick, lotions and shampoos. In a food supermarket we can also buy many different things at once: sausages, fish, sugar, macaroni, flour, cereals, tea. At the butcher's there is a wide choice of meat and poultry.. At the bakery you buy brown and white bread, rolls, biscuits. Another shop we frequently go to is the greengrocery which is stocked by cabbage, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, beetroots, green peas and what not. Everything is sold here ready-weighed and packed.

Scientists say that in the future people will live longer. With healthier lifestyles and better medical care the average person will live to 90 or 100 instead of 70 and 75 like today. When the human genome is decoded, we'll probably live up to 150. Incurable diseases will be cured and "bad" genes replaced. But that's tomorrow. And today, we continue to stuff ourselves with fast food — chips and pizzas, hamburgers and hot dogs. We are always in a hurry. We have no time to enjoy a home-cooked dinner with family and friends. We want to eat now and we want to eat fast. What is tasty is not always healthy. Doctors say that chips and pizzas are fattening, cola spoils our teeth and coffee shortens our lives. If we eat too much, we'll become obese, and obesity leads to heart disease, diabetes and other serious illnesses. But the world today is getting fatter and fatter. America is the world's leader in obesity, but Europe is quickly catching up. Lack of exercise is another serious problem. We spend hours in front of our computers and TV-sets. Few of us do morning exercises. We walk less, because we prefer to use cars or public transport. Research shows, however, that young people who don't take enough exercise often suffer from heart attacks. It's common knowledge that smoking and drinking can shorten our lives dramatically. Cigarette-smoking, for example, kills about 3 million people every year. We all know that the healthier we are, the better we feel. The better we feel, the longer we live. So why not take care of ourselves?

The American system of school education differs from the systems in other countries. There are state public schools, private elementary schools and private secondary schools. Public schools are free and private schools are fee-paying. Each state has its own system of public schools. Elementary education begins at the age of six or seven, when a child goes to the first grade (form). At the age of sixteen schoolchildren leave the elementary school and may continue their education at one of the secondary schools or high schools, as they call them. The programme of studies in the school includes English, Arithmetic, Geography, History of the USA, Natural Sciences and, besides, Physical Training, Singing, Drawing, Wood or Metal Work, etc. Sometimes they learn a foreign language and general history. Beside giving general education some high schools teach subjects useful to those who hope to find jobs in industry and agriculture or who want to enter colleges or universities. After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. The students do not take the same courses. During the first two years they follow a basic programme. It means that every student must select at least one course from each of the basic fields of study: English, Natural Sciences, Modern Languages, History or Physical Training. After the first two years every student can select subjects according to his professional interest. The National Government gives no direct financial aid to the institutions of higher education. Students must pay a tuition fee. This creates a financial hardship for some people. Many students have to work to pay their expenses. The Americans place a high value on education.

In England and Wales compulsory school begins at the age of five, but before that age children can go to a nursery school. School is compulsory till the children are 16 years old. The school year is divided into three terms with the intervals between them during Christmas and Easter holidays lasting about two weeks each and summer holiday which is usually six weeks long. All kinds of out-of-class activities are part of school life in Britain. Schoolchildren attend a primary school for 6 years (5 to 11 years). In Primary School and First School children learn to read and write and the basis of arithmetic. In the higher classes of Primary School (or in Middle School) children learn geography, history, religion and, in some schools, a foreign language. Then children go to the Secondary School. When students are 16 years old they may take an exam in various subjects in order to have a qualification. These qualifications can be either G.C.S.E. (General Certificate of Secondary Education) or "O level" (Ordinary level). Weak students may only sit for three or four subjects. Better students take ten subjects. At the age of 16 about two thirds of these pupils leave school and get jobs. About one-third stay on at school until the age of 18, preparing themselves for higher education. They have to take further examinations which are necessary for getting into university or college. Some parents choose private schools for their children. They are very expensive but considered to provide a better education and good job opportunities. In England there are 47 universities, about 400 colleges and institutes of higher education. The oldest universities in England are Oxford and Cambridge. Generally, universities award two kinds of degrees: the Bachelor's degree and the Master's degree.

In our country we have got different types of education, for example: primary, secondary and higher education.
Children in Russia start school when they are six or seven years old. Primary education lasts three or four years. At primary school children get the elementary education, they learn to read, write and count. They go to a primary school until they are nine or ten. Then they go to a secondary school. From the fifth form the secondary education begins. Children begin learning different subjects, such as Literature, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Computing, Foreign Languages and soon. The nine-year secondary education is compulsory in our country, but after completing the nine-year schooling pupils have to decide either to continue their studies in the tenth and eleventh forms at a general secondary school, or to transfer to specialized colleges. Colleges give young people a secondary education plus trade training. This means that after finishing a college they are both educated and financially independent. They leave when they are sixteen or seventeen. When young people finish school they get school-leaving certificate. Next academic year young people can get a job or they can go to an institute or university. Higher education lasts on the average 5 years. Then young people have examinations and if they pass them successful they get diploma. When young people leave university, they can get a good job or go to another university.

When you leave school you understand that the time to choose your future profession, your future life has become. It's not an easy to make the right choice of a job. I have known for long time that leaving school is the beginning of my independent life, the beginning of a far more serious examination of my abilities and character. What do I want to be when I leave school? It's very important question for me. A few years ago it was difficult for me to give a definite answer. As the years passed I changed my mind a lot of times about what science or field of industry to specialize in. It's difficult to make up my mind and choose one of the hundreds jobs to which I might be better suited. A coupe of years ago I wanted to become a doctor, you know I wanted to help people who had problems with health. Then I wanted to become a policeman, then a spaceman, I even wanted to become a professional football player. But all of them now are in the past; they were like children's dreams and nothing more. Now I have already decided what to do. I'd like to be an aviator. I know that it's very difficult. I should know perfectly everything about the planes, airports, weather and other things. You know that the weather is very important thing for the flights too. I must be well educated and well informed. So that's why at first I am going to go to the Aviation University in Moscow, then when I finish studding I'll go to my country to try to get a job in the air companies. You know may be something will be not OK, because I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I know that I'll do everything to realize my plane and my dreams. I also want to say that the profession should be chosen according to the character and hobbies of the person. That's why parents mustn't make their children choose the thing they like (parents like). Children must do it themselves. Because they must love the thing they do, believe that people need them and their job will bring them more pleasure.

Millions of people all over the world spend their holidays travelling. They travel to see other continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, they travel to enjoy picturesque places, or just for a change of scene. It’s always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food.

The American system of school education differs from the systems in other countries. There are state public schools, private elementary schools and private secondary schools. Public schools are free and private schools are fee-paying. Each state has its own system of public schools.

In our country we have got different types of education, for example: primary, secondary and higher education.
Children in Russia start school when they are six or seven years old. Primary education lasts three or four years. At primary school children get the elementary education, they learn to read, write and count. They go to a primary school until they are nine or ten. Then they go to a secondary school.