In the Irish Sea about 20 miles away from the UK you will find a beautiful island. This is the Isle of Man. The people of the island are called Manx and they speak the Manx language. The island occupies a mid-point in the Irish Sea and the British Isles – right between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The scenery of the Isle is varied. There are ranges of hills with green valleys between them, there are sandy beaches in the north which contrast with the rocky cliffs along the coasts. The island's only mountain is slightly over 600 metres high. An old legend says that from its top on clear days you can see six kingdoms: the island itself, Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and Heaven.

The Isle of Man has the oldest parliament in the world. It is called the Tynwald and it has met regularly since 979. The Tynwald usually meets in the capital of the country. However, for one day every summer the Manx parliament

gathers in a small village to celebrate Tynwald Day. It is the only day of the year when parliament is held in the open air. On this day government officials read a summary of all the laws that have been passed during the year in both the English and the Manx languages. There is entertainment before and after the ceremony and it is a real community event. In addition to that, an open air market is organised and different concerts are held in the evening. At the conclusion, the Manx national anthem is played and there is a firework display.

Another thing that attracts tourists to the Isle of Man is its rich and unique culture. Any visitor to the island will be particularly fascinated by the legends, folklore and the ancient traditions that are still kept alive today. Most tourists are happy to participate in the folk programmes.

In Manx mythology, the island’s name comes from the name of a Celtic sea god. He ruled the kingdom and protected the land from invaders by covering the island with mist and thick fog. The island is also reputedly home to fairies who are very special. The Manx fairies are described as small and human-like. They wearred caps and green jackets and are naughty and wicked.

There's even a bridge called Fairy Bridge. Those who cross it are advised to say “hello fairies” in order to get good fortune. If the person doesn’t greet the fairies, the fairies will become angry with him and may play a nasty trick on him. Some people go further in trying to pay their respects to the ‘little people’. They do not just simply say hello, they also leave messages and gifts at the side of the road.

If you love reading about King Arthur and his knights, then a must-see place is Peel Castle. It was constructed in the 11th century by the Vikings and has a fascinating history. It is believed that Peel Castle was the location of Avalon – the legendary island where King Arthur’s sword was made and where King Arthur was taken after being wounded.

Kevin enjoyed waking up in the morning. His window looked out on the green fields around. Their house was an American farmhouse though it looked more like an English cottage. It was Kevin’s mother who had restyled the place. She came from England and wanted to have some of it in her new home.

The bean fields around belonged to their family. As the only child in the family, Kevin’s father took up the family business and had never regretted it. He managed to take care of his fields all by himself, only with occasional help from his wife and his son. The farm was highly mechanized. There were all sorts of tractors, combines and other farming machines in their backyard. The father was skillful with them and mum too — she operated all the machines almost professionally. Kevin’s help was needed too, especially now - his small brother had been born recently and mum was busy with the baby.

Right, Kevin was always ready to help but not today. Some of his school friends were going to visit him and that didn’t happen very often. Living on a farm means some sort of isolation. You can’t just see some of your classmates on the street. You can’t walk around with them when you have an hour or two to spare. His mother drove Kevin to school and back every day and that was it — he spent every evening with his family. But today Max and Bob were coming and Kevin was going to enjoy his day off.

When the boys arrived, both Kevin and his father showed them around the farm. The boys were impressed when they learned how many beans the small family produced. Then the adults got busy with the barbecue and the boys went on exploring the farm land and the constructions there. Bob, who was crazy about archaeology, was absolutely fascinated with the old barn (амбар). It had never been used as a barn. Nobody had even entered it for years — the father kept some ancient farming equipment there.

With sincere interest Bob studied the old spades (лопаты), ploughs (плуги) and other ancient tools, the names of which Kevin did not know. Suddenly, Bob’s eyes sparkled: ‘Where did you get it from?’ In his hand he held something that looked like a spade but it was much smaller and the design was different.

‘I have no idea what it is,’ Kevin looked puzzled. ‘It was probably my grandfather or great-grandfather who left it here.’

‘But I suspect that it was made much earlier than your great-grandparents lifetime,’ Bob looked really excited. ‘Can I take it with me? To show it to the people in the Archaeology society?’

Kevin shrugged his shoulders. ‘I don’t think anyone minds if we take everything from here. Father would be glad to get rid of the stuff. He has always wanted to remove this barn completely but still cannot find time to do it.’

‘Do not be in too much of a hurry to do it,’ Bob gave him a wink. ‘Who knows... this ancient stuff will probably make your name famous.’

The koala is a small bear-like animal that looks like a soft toy. The animal is cute and non-aggressive, but it’s difficult to see a koala in the Zoo and no one ever keeps them as pets. Why is it so?

The main reason why people shouldn’t try to take koalas out from their natural home is their diet. It’s a strict diet of eucalyptus leaves as koalas practically never eat anything else. In Australia there are over 600 types of eucalyptus, but koalas eat only 40–50 varieties with only about 10 being preferred. And even if you find the koala’s most favourite tree and plant it in your backyard, you won’t be able to supply your koala-pet with food anyway. The thing is that koalas eat only fresh young leaves, and the tree has few of them. So, to keep a koala happy and healthy, you would have to plant about 100 eucalyptus trees!

It’s difficult to explain why koalas love eucalyptus leaves so much. The leaves are tough and feel like rubber. They have very few calories and they are poisonous to most animals. Koalas, however, cope with such a diet easily. Nature has equipped them with specialised adaptations. Each koala eats approximately 200 to 500 grams of leaves per day. They are very slow eaters and they manage to get the maximum amount of energy from such a small amount of food. They also sleep for up to 18 hours per day in order to conserve energy.

Koalas spend all their lives on eucalyptus trees and they don’t have any need to leave them. Normally the animals don’t drink water as they receive it from the leaves. For this reason the koala got its name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning “no drink”.

Koalas live in societies, just like humans, so they need to be able to come into contact with other koalas. They live in suitable eucalyptus forests which are large enough to support a healthy koala population and to allow for expansion by maturing young koalas. In spite of their peaceful and sleepy look, koalas are highly territorial animals and don’t allow strangers to approach their “home trees” and “food trees”.

A female koala gives birth to only one baby in one or two years. It's hairless, blind and very little – about 2 cms long! It gets into the mother's pouch – a special pocket of skin on the stomach – and stays there for six or seven months. Then it gets out of the pouch but stays with the mother until it's about one year old. Koalas are slow-breeding animals and their population can't grow fast. The animals were in danger of extinction at the beginning of the 20th century when the koala was hunted for its fur. Fortunately, the population has been restored and today the Australian government doesn't consider the koala as endangered.

Jamie Oliver is a genius in the world of food and one of Britain's most famous cooks. He has encouraged people to spend more time in the kitchen and enjoy it. His programmes are shown in over 100 countries including the USA, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Japan and Iceland. They were translated into over 30 languages. Jamie Oliver's cookery books are bestsellers not only in the UK but across the world.

Jamie Oliver was born in 1975 in England. From an early age he got interested in food. His parents had a pub where he often helped them in the kitchen. He actually began working there at the age of eight. Jamie cut vegetables like any other ordinary worker in the pub.

Jamie Oliver left school at 16 without any official certificate. He went to Westminster College to study economics and after that travelled to France. Jamie knew that in France cooking was a kind of art. And he wanted to master that art. It was no doubt the best place to study if he wished to become a professional chef.

After returning from France, Jamie worked in a number of British restaurants. At that time there was a programme on the telly about the cafe where Jamie worked. TV producers were impressed by the young chef. The next day Jamie received calls from five different TV companies wishing to work with him. He soon became the best-liked celebrity chef on television and his programme was a real revolution in cooking shows. Thanks to an informal and friendly manner Jamie Oliver won crowds of fans around the world.

However, Jamie devotes his time not only to cooking. He's a family man, with a wife and four children. He also works on a number of projects. For example, Jamie Oliver created the "Fifteen Foundation". Each year, fifteen young people are trained and taught to work in the restaurant business. It's interesting that they are not common people. They are from unhappy families, they are unemployed. Some of them were in prison or took drugs. In this way Jamie Oliver tries to help them start a new life.

Another project by Jamie Oliver was connected with school dinners and lunches. He wanted school children to begin eating healthy food instead of junk food. The British government supported the project. It spent extra 280 million pounds to improve school meals. Part of the money was spent on training cooks and buying modern equipment for schools.

It's really hard to name all the TV programmes, shows, projects that Jamie Oliver had and is still having. He's so creative and imaginative, that there's no end to new ideas and projects. Except television, Jamie Oliver is a writer. His every book immediately becomes a bestseller. It's interesting that he became the best-selling author in the country after J. K. Rowling, the "Harry Potter" writer.

In the Irish Sea about 20 miles away from the UK you will find a beautiful island. This is the Isle of Man. The people of the island are called Manx and they speak the Manx language. The island occupies a mid-point in the Irish Sea and the British Isles – right between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The scenery of the Isle is varied. There are ranges of hills with green valleys between them, there are sandy beaches in the north which contrast with the rocky cliffs along the coasts. The island's only mountain is slightly over 600 metres high. An old legend says that from its top on clear days you can see six kingdoms: the island itself, Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and Heaven.

The Isle of Man has the oldest parliament in the world. It is called the Tynwald and it has met regularly since 979. The Tynwald usually meets in the capital of the country. However, for one day every summer the Manx parliament

gathers in a small village to celebrate Tynwald Day. It is the only day of the year when parliament is held in the open air. On this day government officials read a summary of all the laws that have been passed during the year in both the English and the Manx languages. There is entertainment before and after the ceremony and it is a real community event. In addition to that, an open air market is organised and different concerts are held in the evening. At the conclusion, the Manx national anthem is played and there is a firework display.

Another thing that attracts tourists to the Isle of Man is its rich and unique culture. Any visitor to the island will be particularly fascinated by the legends, folklore and the ancient traditions that are still kept alive today. Most tourists are happy to participate in the folk programmes.

In Manx mythology, the island’s name comes from the name of a Celtic sea god. He ruled the kingdom and protected the land from invaders by covering the island with mist and thick fog. The island is also reputedly home to fairies who are very special. The Manx fairies are described as small and human-like. They wearred caps and green jackets and are naughty and wicked.

There's even a bridge called Fairy Bridge. Those who cross it are advised to say “hello fairies” in order to get good fortune. If the person doesn’t greet the fairies, the fairies will become angry with him and may play a nasty trick on him. Some people go further in trying to pay their respects to the ‘little people’. They do not just simply say hello, they also leave messages and gifts at the side of the road.

If you love reading about King Arthur and his knights, then a must-see place is Peel Castle. It was constructed in the 11th century by the Vikings and has a fascinating history. It is believed that Peel Castle was the location of Avalon – the legendary island where King Arthur’s sword was made and where King Arthur was taken after being wounded.

Louis Armstrong played jazz, sang jazz and wrote jazz. He recorded hit songs for fifty years and his music is still heard today on television, radio and in movies.

Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, in the state of Louisiana on August 4^th, 1901. His father was a factory worker and left the family soon after Louis's birth. Young Louis was desperately poor. He lived with his sister, mother and grandmother in the poorest area of New Orleans known as the Battlefield because of the fighting and shooting that often happened there.

When Louis was eleven years old, he was arrested for firing a gun into the air on New Year's Eve. He was sent to a reform school, where he learned to play the trumpet in the school's band. Eighteen months later Louis was back home and already dreaming of the life of a musician. He sold newspapers, unloaded boats and sold coal. However, in the evenings Louis played the trumpet with local groups or went to clubs to listen to jazz bands. He soon became friends with one of the greatest musicians of the time, Joe Oliver, who became young Louis's teacher. As Louis's skills developed, he began to perform professionally.

He was soon able to stop working on manual labour jobs and began concentrating full-time on music, playing at parties, dances, and at local cafes. He joined Joe Oliver's band and moved to Chicago. Later, Louis organised his own band and began to record one of the greatest series of songs in the history of jazz. Louis developed a unique style of singing: he could make his voice sound like a musical instrument and he could make an instrument sound like a singer's voice. Louis enjoyed singing improvised melodies and rhythms. Armstrong was an easygoing and communicative person. His fellow musicians called him “Satchelmouth” because of his wide smile. Later, it was shortened to “Satchmo”.

Armstrong's biggest hits came later in his life. In 1964, his version of the song «Hello Dolly» was a top hit around the world. It even replaced a top-selling hit by the hugely popular British group, the Beatles. Three years later, he appeared in the film version of “Hello Dolly” with singer Barbra Streisand. The song “What a Wonderful World”, recorded in 1968, was his final big hit.

Louis Armstrong never finished the fifth grade in school, yet he wrote two books about his life and many stories for magazines. He appeared in more than thirty movies. He composed many jazz pieces. He won several gold records and many other awards. Armstrong performed about three hundred concerts each year, travelling all over the world. He became known as the legend and symbol of jazz.

Jack and Martin were walking along the coast. It was typical weather for early September - misty and grey. It felt like the summer days were far behind. The sea was calm and the seagulls flew in the sky monitoring the surface of the water for small fish.

It was a routine view for Jack who had been born in a fishing village and had lived all his life there. He had left it only twice when his parents took him to New York for the holidays. Actually, Jack’s home was not a fishing village any more as there were very few people who really went to the sea to fish. Most young people preferred to work in the city. Jack thought that after finishing school he would probably leave his village too. But, for now, he enjoyed living by the sea. Unlike Jack, Martin was a typical city boy and the walk along the sea edge was a sort of adventure to him. He chased the waves and hunted the crabs only to throw them back into the water. He and Jack were cousins, they even looked alike, but it was the first time they’d ever spent holidays together. Martin’s parents had let him spend a month with his aunt’s family. And both Martin and Jack seemed to be enjoying their time together.

Thanks to Jack, Martin had a black spaniel puppy. The puppy had belonged to Jack’s neighbours and it was Jack who arranged the whole deal. He persuaded the neighbours to give him the puppy as a birthday present, as Martin had just turned twelve. Both Jack and Martin agreed that it was a clever plan - it would be not so easy for Martin’s parents to reject the present when they came to collect their son after the holidays. Martin had never kept cats or dogs and he was not sure what his parents’ reaction would be.

The puppy was cute and it followed Martin and Jack everywhere. Now it was happily running backwards and forwards, barking at the large birds and chasing the small ones. It was a curious dog and was impatient to explore the surroundings.

‘Where’s Pup?’ asked Martin when all of a sudden he couldn’t see him anywhere around. ‘He’s gone missing.’

Martin still called the puppy just Pup as he didn’t want to give him a proper name before he got his parent’s permission to take him to the city. He thought that the trick would help him feel less attached to the dog 1in case the parents were against it.

The boys searched for the puppy for an hour but with no result. Jack looked worried and Martin felt like crying.

‘We should check the rocks,’ Jack said. ‘There are caves in the rocks and Pup could have got lost there. But first we need to get back home.’

‘No! ’ cried Martin. ‘I won’t leave Pup here alone.’

‘We have no choice,’ Jack explained. ‘The caves are a dangerous place and we’ll never find Pup there ourselves. What we need is another dog that could smell and find him. Hurry! I know a dog that will help us.’