Halloween Story

The custom to cut out a candle from a pumpkin on Halloween appeared not simply so. It occurred from the story which begun exactly one thousand years ago on October, 31.

There lived a young guy named Robert Pumpkin in England. He had only a mother and a bride, he worked in the wood as the woodcutter and every day went there early in the morning all alone. It was told that his father gone mad and died in the hospital.

Early in the morning on October, 31st the guy went to the wood with an axe. There was very dark in the wood. As soon as he gone deep into a thicket, strange things started to happen. The wind at first raised a howl, then some shades began to appear around him. He couldn't make out them, and had hidden under the tree. Heart loudly knocked. Then he saw witches, ghosts, vampires. They flied over the earth, swinging hands and laughing, baring decayed teeth. Robert began to run very fast, without assorting the road. They ran behind him. Eventually forces to run didn't remain, he fell and begged: - My God, I ask you, help me, I will make everything you will want, just don't allow me to die...

And the Lord answered: - Today is the day of the Satan, and I can help nothing to you. I can't destroy him. I can only give advice to you: stand up, and look directly to them at the face. Be not afraid. Then they will give up.

Robert did so, and the evil spirits were frightened, and after a while everything abated. It became light. Robert fell to knees and cried out: - Thank you, My God! And God answered: - You should pay back me. I should take away one of your relatives. If you conduct good life, you will meet in paradise.

Robert asked to take away his life, God disagreed. Had given up work, the guy rushed off home. His bride was dead. - Oh God, for what you punish me? - he shouted. The lightning sparkled. It became suddenly very dark, the wind raised a howl, the heavy rain gone. Robert saw a black shade, long red eyes of the burned indistinct person. That was the Devil. - God won't help you, Robert. Only I can help you. I can revive your bride, and present immortality to you. You woke up me servants. But for this purpose you should agree to give me your soul.

Robert thought and agreed. The Satan burst out laughing and told: - I will give you a candle, - he cut out the terrible person from a pumpkin and lit a candle inside, - put it in the house. You are the first person who can talk to me. Henceforth your house is the resident of evil. And henceforth this day all my and your servants can create the great troubles.

The Satan left, and Robert was frightened of that he had made that he let out evil spirit and that then his soul belonged to the devil. He tried to throw out a pumpkin with a candle, but it turned out nothing. Then with despair he ran out from the house and was drowned in the river. God didn't regret him, and his soul got to hell. Soon after that he was buried near his bride. The house crashed completely the same night, and only the candle burned still. At the place of two tombs two roses grew - white and red, but they couldn't intertwine with each other. And so their souls wander, can't find rest, can not meet with each other. Roses never fade. When in some years people learned truth, they began to celebrate Halloween as a holiday of malicious forces, and considered a pumpkin as a holiday and Satan sign, in honor of Robert Pumpkin.

Interview with Nadja (№2))

Who are you?

Hello, everybody! My name is Nadya Poritskaya. I’m 21 years old. I live in small town Nizhnegorsk (Crimea). I like my town, because it is small, comfortable and there is no such “crazy” traffic as in cities.

How did you learn English?

Answering this question I should say that I don’t know English in the perfect way=)
I learned it at school, but I had no big interest, mainly because my teachers didn’t make me to be interested in it. If they gave a powerful incentive to learning English, I could learn it better, I could know it better. Of course a lot of depended on me…

When I was in the eleventh grade I went to the tutor. There were the best English lessons during my school time. I have never failed to attend my lessons. The cause is not in the money (these lessons were chargeable). This English was interesting. I have learned how to read, write, and speak in the right way. I have enjoyed my lessons.

I decided to cast in my lot with English (связать свою судьбу). After finishing school I’ve passed entrance examination. Institute… it is another world… Lections, seminars, conferences, hours in library… Arakin, Developing Reading Skills, different manuals…

Practice at school impressed me a lot. All my life somebody had taught me. Firstly my mum, then school teachers, finally institute lecturers. But now at school I was not as pupil, but as teacher. Now I should teach children to read, write, speak. The world turned over =))

What has English given you?

A lot of opportunities!!! Firstly I can speak in English and every native speaker can understand me. And they do! I have pen friend in Poland. Several times I’ve worked as interpreter (volunteer from USA works now at my town). She doesn’t know Russian, but she wants to know, so through such communication we help each other)))
Secondly I understand English songs, movies, sitcoms.
Knowing English brings me not only moral satisfaction, but working skills.
English is my language!

Interview with Andrew

Elmira: - Hello Andrew, happy to see you today! Dear friends I just wanna to remind that today is the fifteenth of October, Friday, and I am going to get to know some important points from my old friend Andrew. He was so kind to agree to meet me in the evening and to answer all my questions.

Andrew: - No problem. It's a language practice which in no way won't be superfluous for me. Especially, I am always glad to help to the friend.

Elmira: - About language I also wanna to get to know a little. What place English occupies in your life. It would be desirable for you to tell how exactly you decided to be engaged in English, and what advantages it presented to you. But at first tell pair of words about yourself.

Andrew: - Ok. My full name is Bastrikov Andrew Aleksandrovich. I’m 21-year old student. I live in Kerch, it’s the city in Ukraine. I’ve been living here since I was born. My interests are: music – I like to play the guitar, sport – I like to do exercises on the horizontal bar, languages – the more languages you know, the more times you are a human. I love good rock and heavy groove metal.

Elmira: - Hmm, so, you are rather self-developed person. Unfortunately, I can't share your admiration of heavy metal, I prefer classics... But it doesn't matter. Well, you was born in Kerch, and suddenly decided that English is necessary for you. How did it happen?

Andrew: - I started to learn English when I was in elementary school. Together with a few of my friends I had English classes with a private teacher. From the very beginning I had a great motivation to study it, there was no any motives – I was just very curious. The more new letters and words I learned the more I wanted to learn new ones. I had a great satisfaction from doing it!

But not everything was so cloudless. At the 5-th grade I had a new English teacher. It was a critical moment, because I could understand almost nothing she was talking about. From that moment I lost my interest to this language. After a year we again had a new English teacher, than he changed again and again. I’ve been learning English that just to have some mark.

When I was studying in the higher school the interest to this language started to increase. And the main reason of it was again my English teacher. She managed to give such kind of tasks, which totally involved me. And once I understood that I want to read books in English and freely speak it. I did my best, but studying in the school came to the end. So I decided to continue it’s studying.

Elmira: - Great! Don't you agree that its a real heroic and even a bit lyrical story! It was your destiny – to learn English! So, what was further?

Andrew: - I promised to myself to enter the foreign language department. And with some difficulties managed to do it! At the institute I understood that English has many sides. That it is important to develop different skills. Of course my teachers played the basic role in this process. Now I have the right to give English lessons and I understand that the teacher plays a very important role in the language studying. He often gives motivation, develops the skills, helps to understand and clarifies every difficulty.
Elmira: - Well, can you frankly tell me that you are satisfied? Don't you regret that you have chosen this way, this profession?

Andrew: - No way. I am sure.

Elmira: - Well, Andrew, you can't even imagine what a pleasure is this to see a really self-confident person! And the last question for today: what English gave to you?

Andrew: - A lot:

• The profession. I’m a teacher and I can be a translator.
• 
  The ability to broaden my interest. English is the international language of communication, so I can read a lot of things (books, newspapers, articles, advertisements, films, songs) in this language, can communicate with native speakers and with everyone who more or less can do it.
• It developed my memory and taught me to study at all.

Elmira: - Ok. Thanks for everything, today I enjoyed very much to communicate to you. I wish you success, and a prompt career growth. Be same self-confident as now, and never be disappointed in English!

Andrew: - Thanks a lot. I received pleasure as well.

Elmira: - By the way, our interview you can read tomorrow in the evening on my blog. I think, it will be interesting to everybody to know your way in English. If that, tell me the remarks and reflections. Thank you a lot, see you soon!

Andrew: - Bye.