19.

Marriage traditions in Ukraine

The Ukrainian Wedding is one of the most symbolic celebrations of Ukraine culture.
Traditions and customs for Ukrainian weddings are numerous and have evolved
through the ages. National traditions are dominant in Ukrainian wedding ceremonies.
Some of them are very old and difficult to explain. Understanding Ukrainian wedding
events can be difficult, especially if you don’t speak the language. Foreign guests at
Ukrainian weddings will have endless questions about certain things that are taking
place.
1. Buyout a bride
Groom just need to pick up the bride from her parents’ house and escort her to
the church ceremony – which is called “crowning” in Ukraine
2. Parent’s blessing
The loving couple is eager and ready to move on, but they must wait patiently.
Parents and godparents of the bride and groom will bless them with wedding
bread (korovai) and icons. The wedding couple then proceeds to make their
way towards the church or RAGS (according to plan).
3. Church service
According to Christian practice, marriage takes place only when both husband
and wife are willing to commit themselves to each other for eternity. Husband
and wife both vow respect and eternal love. Such love is to be considered
unconditional and only such love can be the foundation for the church wedding
ceremony.
4. Korovai (wedding bread)
The preparing of Korovai is one of the most common wedding rituals
amongst Ukrainians, which symbolizes the blessing the community gives to
the wedding couple. In different regions of Ukraine, this ritual may slightly
differ. The main wedding bread has been designed according to a certain
theme/scenery. The process of making Korovai should have been started on the
Friday or Saturday before the wedding day at the bride’s or groom’s house.
Members of both families should participate in the ritual as a symbol of
families connecting.
5. Wedding embroidery
Traditional Ukrainian embroidery is well known for its exquisite beauty and
complex patterns. A variety of authentic embroidery plays a significant role in
an Ukrainian wedding ceremony
6. Wedding icons
During the sacrament of marriage, the priest will bless the couple for a long
and happy life together. The groom receives such blessing with the icon of
“Jesus Christ”, and the bride receives the blessing with the icon of “Holy
Mother of God”. Those two icons are specifically referred to as – wedding
icons
20.Marriage traditions in English-speaking countries

The date of the wedding is typically set up after a proposal has taken place.
Traditionally, the man was the one to propose to his beloved, rather than the other
way around. Nowadays this part of the tradition is not always followed, although we
do find that most of our couples still observe it.

English tradition has it that the man is to propose to his beloved with a ring, which
she is to wear on the ring finger of her left hand. Tradition also used to say that a
woman can propose to her man on February 29th – on a leap year.

Once the couple had set a wedding date, it was customary to set the so-called banns
of the marriage (from an Old English word meaning “to summon”). The banns were
basically a marriage notice. The purpose of this was to announce to everyone that a
wedding was to take place, in case anyone had any objection to it. A marriage was
only considered legally valid if the reading of the banns had taken place.

The bride celebrates with her female friends a hen party, whereas the groom
celebrates the engagement with his male friends in a stag do. It is said, however, that
the groom should not see his bride on the day before the ceremony, because that will
bring bad luck to the newlyweds.

It was said that the best season to marry was between the harvest and Christmas (in
the Autumn). In fact, we still have a rhyme that reminds us of that:

“Marry in September’s shine, your living will be rich and fine.”

On the day of the wedding, a traditional English bride will wear a white bridal
dress and her groom will wear a suit, typically complete with top hat and tails.

The bride is traditionally given a decorative horseshoe, to be worn on her wrist or

sewn to the hem of her dress. This item was given for good luck, and although it is
rare to use an actual horseshoe at present – in the old days it was commonplace!

Another fantastic tradition, still followed today, is to follow this Victorian rhyme on
the day of one’s wedding:

“Something old,something new,something borrowed,something blue,

and a silver sixpence in her shoe.”

The bride was to wear each and every one of these items during her ceremony, as a
way of bringing good luck for her and her husband-to-be.

16. Traits of character that I hate

Without a doubt, everyone has their own disposition. This is exactly the thing that
distinguishes us from each other. But not only the perfect personalities surround us as
there are people we admire and there are people we can not stand. It happens because
each of us has the traits of character we loathe.

Speaking about me, I hate conceited and self-obsessed people as they are too proud of
themselves and always look down on somebody. To be honest, it makes me annoying
every time. Moreover, irresponsibility is unacceptable for me because I need a person
I can rely on and trust.

Also, I try to steer clear of envious and mean people as they can plant a pig on me. To
my mind, everyone feel aversion when see a boastful man or woman, especially when
they tell that achieve something or do successfully one job, but everybody know that
it is not the truth.

What makes me highly strung too is boneidle person who wants to become a
businessman, for example, lying on the bed.

So, we always don’t see eye to eye with people like this, but it doesn’t mean that we
should humiliate them as someone, maybe, can’t stand your traits of character.

13) Appearance can be deceptive

The proverb Appearance can be deceptive cannot be taken as 100% true. It has a
mixture of both good and bad. Good people, of course, look good. At the same time,
bad ones also wear the guise of good people, knowing that their appealing appearance
has some influence on others. However, some decent-looking people behave oddly,
while others, though ugly looking, behave very well. Therefore, judging a person by
their external look is impossible. A variant of this proverb says “Not to judge a book
by its cover”. Shakespeare was not handsome. But his writings have portrayed his
high intellect. Contrary to this, Walt Disney was not only handsome but had an
international reputation for his work and dedication to it. So, one must not conclude
by the mere external look of a person or a thing.
15)Fashion photography
The arsenal of fashion photography has always included teenagers with a great bone
structure, chic clothes, and a good make-up job. But with computer graphics, these
models look even more flawless on the page. Since the advent of Photoshop, the
fashion and advertising industries have been airbrushing pimples, removing wrinkles,
and shaving off thighs. Michael LaMont, a freelancer photographer from Los
Angeles, objects to digital manipulation because by removing lines, chins, and
shadows retouchers are erasing people`s individuality. But even the models know the
point of the picture is to create an image, not a portrait. By the time photo is taken,
the model has already been heavily made up, her clothes tucked into her body.
Colleague Megan Shoemaker says readers are savvy enough to know fashion
photographs do not represent real life. “I think that most people know that images can
be manipulated; consumers are aware,” she says.
18)Marriage and related issues in modern society
Nowadays people have the opportunity to live in whatever way they want. And when
it comes to marriage they shouldn`t care whether this person wants to get married or
the opposite. However, we still feel a profound impact of outdated mentality on such
things as people`s choices. It`s mostly considered if a woman hasn`t gotten married
before 30 this means she has no prospects in life. Some consider her to be
unsuccessful and selfish because she chose to dedicate her life only to herself.
Another common problem is once people decide to get married there is a lot of
misunderstanding between their relatives depending on the background and traditions
of each of them. Sometimes one side wants to hold a sophisticated and elegant
wedding with all traditions included. The other desires the wedding to take place in a
calm atmosphere with only a close circuit of relatives. So these quarrels may lead to
disappointment in each other.

4. Unemployment as a problem of the young generation

Nowadays, one of the greatest problems is unemployment of young people. Half a
century ago it was typical when people, having completed their education, worked at
one factory/company/public institution their entire life. In today’s world, however,
jobs quickly disappear in entire fields or occupations, while the knowledge and skills
that will be demanded in the future are difficult to predict. Any of us may become
unemployed. However, young people who rarely have much experience and savings
are one of the most vulnerable groups of population heavily affected by
unemployment. In 2015, the level of unemployment among young people aged 15-29
in Ukraine accounted for 15.5% compared to 9.1% among the entire population. It’s
clear that such problem creates a number of short-term problems – stress, income
loss, loss of habitual social status, and, as a consequence, deterioration of mental and
physical health and well-being. If a person loses his/her job at a young age (14-35),
this leads to a greater consumption of alcohol and smoking among men, while
women become less physically active. The young people, especially students
suggested optimizing the work of the employment centers for a fixed period of time
after graduating from the university to gain work experience. Transition from
education to employment is an important stage in human formation. The unemployed
youth should be supported by their families, communities, and government, as it
helps to prevent disappointment and waste of the potential of young people who
found themselves in difficult circumstances.
7. Evolution of beauty stereotypes
While we might have beauty standards that involve the latest trends such as the side
or middle part, time and place deeply influence the idea of beauty.
The idea of beauty has changed and will continue to change throughout history. What
was once a beauty standard is no longer the norm, and things are always changing.
Let's take a look at how beauty has changed throughout time.

In ancient Egypt, you were considered beautiful if you were slim with a symmetrical
body. Typically, younger females and males with muscles were most beautiful.
Similarly, Greeks valued a symmetrical face, but men's bodies were valued over
women's.

In ancient China, beauty was all about size. The smaller you were, the more beautiful
you'd be considered.
Women during the Renaissance era normally had longer hair, wider hips, and on the
heavier side. A more full figure was often considered an indicator for signs of
fertility. Fertility was a defining trait of beauty for men during this time, as these men
wanted health and child-bearing hips.

After the middle ages, the beauty standards changed for women. The standard
became a curvier, fuller figure with pale skin and light hair. The ideal beauty was a
pale face, rosy cheeks and dark eyes.

In the '20s, women had shorter hair and less emphasis on the waist. In regard to
fashion, women dressed up. They would wear big fur coats, flapper hats, dresses,
more. It was a statement that women dress to impress. You would never see a woman
leave without her hair, makeup, stockings, and bold lipstick on. As this trend started
in the 20th century, it is something that never died and is a great way for women to
fully dress up on a night out. Only ten years later, the beauty standards changed
again, with Hollywood bringing back the hourglass figure. This standard continued in
the '40s and '50s with popular stars such as Marilyn Monroe.
 When you think about the '80s, you likely think about workout videos. This was the
first time that working out was truly in style. Women began trying to obtain more
athletic figures to be thin and fit. The trends you’re most likely to remember from the
‘80s are big square blazers, shoulder pads, big hair, and bold colors.

The 21st century may have just begun 20 years ago, but the concept of beauty
continues to change. Most women aim for a slender look with larger breasts and flat
stomachs. But this century has allowed us to realize that not everyone needs to fit
those standards. Thanks to social media, we now see beauty in many different lights.
Instead of aiming for the "ideal body," women are putting more effort into being
happy and healthy.

9. Reasons for juvenile delinquency

In many under-developed and developing countries including many parts of India,
criminal tendency of a person is looked upon as the results of evil deeds in the past
life of the parents. This is undoubtedly a misconception and prejudice.
Social circles matter most after a child’s home environment. If parents are too
controlling, the child might resort to the wrong company to feel better by breaking
the rules. Similarly, if parents are absent and the child cannot tell wrong from right,
they choose to go with a circle to feel in control and protected.
Delinquents lack ethical standards and emotional ties. They are very impulsive and
indulge in acts at the spur of the moment. They are socially insensitive and lack guilt
feeling. Delinquents, inspite of their socially unacceptable behaviours, created
difficulties for the self as well as for others.
Considered as a learned behaviour, delinquency was found to be highly correlated
with low life styles with lack of recreational facilities and lack of permanent
residence.

Conversation
1. Dwell upon the topic: Young generation: alcohol and drug abuse.
For many young people, using alcohol, drugs, or other substances like cigarettes is just
part of growing up. Many of them try these substances only a few times and stop, while
for others it can be all-consuming passion. Youth use these substances for many
reasons, to relax or feel good. Or they may want to rebel against their parents or fit in
with their friends.
Using alcohol or drugs can affect young people's general health, physical growth, and
emotional and social development. It can also change how well they make decisions,
how well they think, and how quickly they can react. And using alcohol or drugs can
make it hard for young people to control their actions, but they continue to do it.
Although the fact that young people think that binge drinking is not as serious a
problem as drugs was astonishing. The development of addiction occurs in the same
way in two situations. At first you just try, then light drugs or a glass of wine, and later
it doesn't give you the same effect and you increase the dose. To put it in another way,
you drive yourself into a hole from which it is very difficult to get out.
3. Speak about bullying and peer pressure among the youth
Our environment has a great influence on us. Eventually, teens are influenced every
time when they peers spend time with their peers. Even though they may not realize it,
just by spending time together they are learning from one another.
Sometimes peer influences can be positive like encouraging each other to try new things
or step out of their comfort zone in a positive way. But peer pressure also can be
negative, especially when it relates to drugs and alcohol use. And the negative influence
of peers leads to bullying.
When it comes to bullying, pressures to bully others often start with a cyberbully. In the
social networks people are usually subject to hate, because it is easiest to sit at home on
the couch and write angry comments. However, in life, these people may be
underconfident and they are afraid to express their opinion.
The victims of bullying are usually those who are not influenced by others and do not fit
into society's standards. But, would the bowlers want to be the victim? I'm sure not.
No one wants to be offended, because people are social creatures who need each other.
17. Dwell upon the topic: "Inner beauty VS Outer beauty"
Discussions about the importance of inner or outer beauty have been going on for years.
This question will never have an accurate answer. Each person independently decides
what is more important for him or her.
The outer beauty can easily be faked and changed through makeup, dressing, surgery
etc. But it takes a whole lot of effort and a true heart to maintain your inner beauty in
this modern age. Moreover, I believe that our inner beauty is expressed in the outer, as
beauty is not about what brand of clothes you wear; it’s about you carry them. Beauty
isn’t about the matching earrings or expensive bracelets, it is always about carrying the
smile and a whole lot of confidence on your face. If a person takes care of his inner
beauty, improves himself and works on himself every day, this will also be reflected in
taking care of his body and appearance.
Beauty is how you feel inside and it reflects in your eyes. In Conclusion, I would like to
state that , if you love yourself truly, you will look beautiful and attractive. What you
are on the inside would eventually reflect on the outside.
5. Speak about your personal interests
Personally,I have a lot of interests,that can say a lot about me. One of them is
traveling and everything that is related to it. I really love visiting new
countries,cognizing different cultures and just seeing how people live out there. I feel
like it broadens my horizons and the experience I get from every trip is priceless.
Another interest of mine is fashion. I’ve never been really interested in it until the last
year. Something happened that all those fashion shows or events became really
exciting to look at. Just knowing what changes that industry went through makes me
want to respect it more,because it’s not just cat-walking,it’s about showing who you
are and influencing others.

6. Analyze and contrast the human personality today with that of a few hundred
years ago.

People nowadays are so independent. Everyone has a right to share their opinion and
spread awareness. Everyone is so determined and knows what they are doing. If we
compare our generation to what people were like in 18th century,we could definitely
say that a lot changed. People back then were so pliant. Racism and inequality
problems were at their highest and no one did a thing about it because they were
closemouthed and reserved. People nowadays are sociable and affable,while
people,who lived 300 years ago were aloof and grumpy. The only people they had
contact with were their relatives and family. Back in 18th century your personality
could be determined by your physical appearance and facial expressions. But it
doesn’t work this way anymore. Even if a person looks fragile and of a poor build,it
doesn’t mean they are cowards,even more,they can be very brave and strong-willed.
A lot of appearance stereotypes have been ruined through the years,but there’s still a
lot to work on. In a nutshell, people who lived a few hundred years ago and us are
completely different generations. They shouldn’t be compared much as we live in
different conditions. Previous generations had more difficulties and it reflected on
their characters.

11. Dwell on the topie "Appearance of famous fiction story hero*

Harry Potter- has brown hair,which is not so long. His face is clean,has no
pimples,and is pale. His cheeks are a little bit hollow.He has a high forehead and a
big bolt-shaped scar on it. His eyebrows are brown and bushy. His eyes are big and
green. His eyelashes are long. He also has a straight nose,which is not so big. His lips
are thin and he has straight teeth. His face is pretty thin and we can clearly see his
jawline. He also has small ears and always wears glasses. He has no face hair like
mustache or a beard. He’s in a good physical shape,of an average build and is not so
tall. His legs are pretty short,the same as arms.