School is the traditional place for acculturating children into our national life. In the modern age, the role assigned to our schools is to prepare children for the literate public culture. Some students like school, others don't; but they all study for eleven years and gain knowledge by doing different tasks. For students who are doing well in most subjects and who want to get higher education, school is an attractive place. But those who are not successful at school, and who are always pressed by teachers and their parents, school is boring and uninteresting. I think that the most important role of school is giving knowledge. I can say that my school gives such knowledge, and that's why I'm happy at school. Most of my teachers have a lot of teaching experience; they understand very well the difficulties of the learning process. They help us to learn all subjects well. They also guide us and advise us on all aspects of our study and life. They share their knowledge and experience with us, and we respond with love.
   I have just finished school number 21. My school is not very new and modem but I think it is very comfortable and all the pupils like it very much, it is really home for everyone, who studies there. It has three floors. The classrooms are light and high. There are classrooms for practically all the subjects - English, History, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Geography, Literature, etc. There is a computer class in our school, -where pupils study computing, one of the most important subjects nowadays. There is a school hall in our school, too. Meetings, conferences, concerts and all the celebrations take place there. Our school has a gymnasium and a sports ground. Many pupils are fond of sport and they have a good opportunity to go in for different sports there. I am very thankful to my school. When I was only seven years old, I entered it to get some knowledge and I know many things now thanks to my school and my teachers. The teachers in my school are very kind and clever; they give all their knowledge and all their love to the pupils. There is a good tradition in our school. Every year the school leavers come here to meet their teachers and classmates. Such meetings are very touching and interesting. I'll never forget my school, my favorite teachers, especially my English teacher, and my classmates. It is my childhood and it is the happiest period in my life. My first friends, my first love and my first achievements and disappointments are all connected with my school life.
   School is not only a place of education; it is a place where we develop our relationships, increasing tolerance and mutual respect of one another among our classmates. At school we can enjoy different cultural activities and demonstrate our individual talents. Everyone has an opportunity to take part in different performances at a school or class party, or to take part in different sport competitions. These activities help us with our education and relationships among our classmates. We want to have harmony in our class and among our classmates, but it is rather difficult to achieve. Of course, we try our best to do it, and in many cases we overcome our problems and solve them. And only sensitive teachers can help us, because boys and girls are not passive lumps of clay; they are living, pulsating, developing, mysterious beings who must be studied and understood before they can be taught in the true sense.
   Each lesson lasts forty-five minutes. During the breaks we just stand outside, talk, play and repeat our homework. We haven't got lunch. But some students eat in the canteen, but most bring their own lunch. WE usually have a lot of homework and it takes us several hours to do it. Sometimes we have to sit up to write a composition, to prepare a report or to learn a poem by heart. I like my school, because I've got many friends there and I always remember: "Education brings a child the world."
   Questions.
   1. Where is your school situated?
   2. What kind of a person is your form-mistress?
   3. Is your school rather big?
   4. How many floors are there?
   5. Is there a library?
   6. What do the classrooms look like?
   7. Do you like your school?
 

   As you become older you realize that there are several essential things and places you always long to come back to. They are your birthplace, your home and the school you went to. My school was a three-storeyed building situated in one of the residential districts of our city (town, settlement). All the children from the neighbourhood went there because it was a walking distance from their homes. There was a sports ground behind the school-building and a green lawn with flower-beds in front of it. The school was built a few years ago. That's why its classrooms were light and spacious. There were three large windows in each classroom with flower pots on the windowsills. It was pupils' (especially girls') responsibility to water the flowers. And they did it with utmost care. There were maps and portraits, tables and charts on the walls of the classrooms. Our classroom was on the second floor. Its windows faced the school-yard. Our form was the only one at school who had a form-master, but not a form-mistress. He appeared to be a very kind and knowledgeable teacher who spared no time to take us to different places of interest and exhibitions. He taught us Russian and Russian literature. We respected him very much. Our lessons began at eight o'clock in the morning and lasted till one thirty in the afternoon. We had six lessons a day. Every pupil had a day-book where the teachers wrote down the mark each pupil had earned for his answers. The teacher also wrote down the mark in the class register. When the teacher asked a question, the pupils who could answer it raised their hands, and the teacher called out one of them to answer the question. The pupils were often called to the blackboard to do some exercises or to write some sentences. When they made mistakes, other pupils .were called out to correct those mistakes or the teacher corrected them herself. After every lesson the teachers gave us some home assignments both written and oral. At the next lesson the teachers checked them up. The teachers often took our exercise-books home to check them up. If there were any mistakes they corrected them and gave us marks. At the end of each quarter we got our report cards which our parents signed. At the end of the study year we were promoted, to the next form.
   Questions:
   1. What do you realize as you become older?
   2. At which school did you study?
   3. Where was your school situated?
   4. Why did all the children from the neighborhood go to your school?
   5. What was there behind the school-building and in front of it?
   6. When was the school built?
   7. Were the classrooms light and spacious?
   8. What was there on the walls of the classrooms?
   9. On which floor was your classroom situated?
   10. What kind of a man was your form-master?
   11. What subject did he teach?
   12. When did your lessons begin?
   13. How many lessons had you a day?
   14. What did the teachers write down in the day-books of every pupil?
   15. What for were the pupils often called to the blackboard?
   16. What happened if the pupils made mistakes?
   17. What did the teachers give you after every lesson?
   18. What for did the teachers often take your exercise-books home?
   19. What did you get at the end of each quarter?
   20. Where were you promoted at the end of the study year?