First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Taras. I'm seventeen years old. I'm at 11-th grade. There are two more kids in the family besides me my elder brother Oleg and my younger sister Marija

Tea is the Most Popular Drink in Britain
Everyone knows that tea is the most popular drink in Britain. It's even more popular than coffee, which is favoured throughout Europe and America. The Dutch brought the first tea to Europe in 1610. But it was not until 1658 that the first advertisement for tea appeared in a London newspaper. At that time a pound of the cheapest tea cost about one-third of a skilled worker's weekly wages. Tea was guarded by the lady of the house and kept in special containers, often with a lock and carefully doled out by the teaspoon. By 1750 tea had become the principal drink of all the classes in Britain. Later, tea-drinking developed into a fashionable social ritual. Tea parties were popular at home and soon the ritual of "afternoon tea" was firmly established. Nowadays, throughout the homes, tea shops and hotels of Britain, the custom of tea-time continues. Tea in Britain is brewed in a teapot. Then the one spoonful of tea per person and one for the pot is added. Most people in Britain prefer a rich, strong cup of tea with milk, and sugar is sometimes added to taste.
Questions: 1. What is the most popular drink in Britain? 2. When did the Dutch bring first tea to Europe? 3. When did tea become the principal drink in Britain? 4. What is the way to brew tea in Britain? 5. And what drink do you like?


A "Leisure Society"
Britain has in recent years been described as a "leisure society". This is because there is a greater variety of leisure pursuits and people have more spare time and money to spend on relaxation. Most spare time after work or at the weekends is spent at home. Older people may go to the pub or to the theatre, or visit friends. In recent years going out for a meal or bringing a take-away meal home have become popular with all ages. In Britain people watch TV for many hours every week. Many cities have twenty or more channels, sometimes going for twenty-four hours a day. Many well-off people have a "trailer" which they can use for weekends away. Some have holiday houses in the country and spend as much time as possible on outside activities like fishing. Young people generally go out on Friday or Saturday nights to a disco, to a concert or to the pub. In London one or two new nightclubs open every week. Sunday is traditionally a day of rest and town center can be very quiet or even deserted. People read the Sunday newspapers, go for a walk in the park or countryside or work at home in the garden. A lot of people wash their cars on Sundays or do jobs around the house. Naturally the leisure industry persuades people to spend a lot of money, especially
on new and more expensive interest such as computer games and sports equipment.
Questions: 1. Britain is called a "leisure society", isn't it? 2. Where do British people spend their free time? 3. What do young people do? 4. Sunday is traditionally a day of rest, isn't it? 5. Are there many leisure pursuits in Britain?