Examination Card 7

People in Ukraine and in Great Britain like to celebrate their birthdays. Talk about the way you celebrate your birthday.

• Do you receive presents or cards?
• Do you go out for a meal?
• Do you celebrate with your family or with your friends?

I love my birthdays because they bring a lot of pleasant things into my life.

To begin with, they create a festive atmosphere in my house several days before the event itself. I get birthday cards from all my relatives and friends and display them on the walls and on the bookshelf in my bedroom. Then my sister and I make invitation cards and send them to our guests. We sister also decorate our living-room with balloons and bright streamers and my mother makes a beautiful birthday cake.

Another thing that delights me is that I have a chance to gather all my friends at my place and enjoy their company for several hours on end. On that day I wear my best clothes and put on some disco music some time before the guests arrive. The best moment comes when everybody wishes me a Happy Birthday and gives me presents. My friends usually give me books, candies, soft toys or flowers, and my parents give me something they know I want to have very much. For example, last year they gave me a lap-top which made me really happy.

Still another reason why I love my birthdays is that my mother, who is an excellent cook, makes a lot of tasty dishes such as vegetable salads, roast chicken, grilled fish and pizza. There are also fizzy drinks and juices on the table. After the dinner is over, the birthday cake arrives and my friends sing Happy Birthday and I blow out the candles on the cake. Then we talk and dance or watch TV.

The time to leave comes too soon, and I see my friends off to the bus stop. When I come back home, I feel tired but happy because I know that my birthday party has been a success.