2 семестр

It is hardly surprising that weather is a favourite topic for so many people around the world — it affects where we choose to live, what we wear, our moods, and perhaps even our national characteristics. A sunny day can relieve the deepest depression, while extreme weather can destroy homes and threaten lives.

“I'm feeling a bit under the weather” is a common complaint in Britain, especially on Monday mornings, and it seems that weather really can be responsible for moods. Studies have shown that changeable weather can make it hard to concentrate, cloudy skies slow down reflexes, and high humidity with hot, dry winds makes many people irritable and snappy.

If you live in a place like Britain, where the weather seems to be different daily if not hourly, you could be forgiven for thinking that the weather is random. In fact the weather is controlled by systems which move around areas of the globe. In the UK the weather depends on depressions, often called 'lows', and anticyclones, also known as 'highs'. These systems start in the Atlantic Ocean, and make their way across the British Isles from the west to the east. Highs bring sunny weather, while lows bring rain and wind.

The human race has always tried to guess the weather, especially in areas of the world where there are frequent changes. Two popular traditional ways of forecasting the weather used pine cones and seaweed. Pine cones and seaweed react to changes in humidity — pine cones open, and seaweed feels dry when the humidity is low, while high humidity has the opposite effect.

Today's methods of prediction increasingly rely on technology. Satellites, balloons, ships, aircraft and weather centres with sensitive monitoring equipment send data to computers. The data is then processed, and the weather predicted. However, even this system cannot predict weather for longer than about a week.

Cardiff is the capital city of Wales, Europe's youngest capital and one of the fastest-growing cities and tourist destinations in Britain. Cardiff's recent redevelopment has resulted in world-class sporting and entertainment places that must be visited. Add to this excellent shopping, varied restaurants and plenty of art, history and culture, and Cardiff is an ideal holiday destination to keep the family happy.

When you visit Cardiff, you'll find the «big 3» sights — Cardiff Castle, the Millennium Stadium and the National Museum all close to each other in the city centre. But there are great places of interest to be found all over the city — the Wales Millennium Centre and Techniquest, and the fairy-tale Castell Coch.

Wales is the land of castles, and Cardiff itself is home to a huge number of castles and historic sites. Cardiff's history dates back to Roman times, and Cardiff Castle, right at the heart of the city, is well worth a visit, from its magnificent Norman keep to the decadent and luxurious interiors of the Victorian castle.

As with most of Wales, Cardiff has a growing reputation for fine dining. This is down to great local chefs, and even better local produce — Welsh lamb and beef, fresh seafood and organic vegetables.

Ukraine is situated in the south-eastern part of Central Europe, and it borders _______ other European countries: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova and Romania.

The population of our country is ______ 42 million people.

The capital city of Ukraine is situated on the banks of _______ Dnieper river.

Ukrainians are ________ on dancing and singing.