My translation from Russian to English - So! Where do you want to go on vacation? We have only two months until August! - Oh, my God! Time flies so fast! - Right! I think we need to go somewhere in hot countries. The Sun, sand and sea! - Hmm, I`m not sure. Honestly speaking, I don`t really like the hot. - Really? You look so relaxed and happy when it is hotly. - That is not true! It is impossible to relax when you are burned and sweat. - I agree. Well, then use cream from sunburn and drink cold drinks! It is said that every time when you sunburnt, your skin becomes hardy. - Nonsense! Sunburn is harmful! Point! - Well, allright! So, you want to go somewhere in snowy or rainy countries? - Exactly! You are a mind reader! - I was joking... - Why not? It is very refreshing. You can play winter sports… - Yes, of course. - … and under the rain you feel more freedom! - Well, it is not quite right. You are wet! - And what? - Well, I mean I don`t want to wet and catch a cold. - Hmm, I afraid we want different vacations. What a pity… - Wait… It seem, I came up! We need to go somewhere where it is sunny and rainy, coldly and hotly, where the weather changes every day. - Exactly! - Let`s stay in the United Kingdom! - Ok, deal!

The Peter and Paul Fortress - 2 Hello, everybody again! :) I listened this text and wrote it. Listening is my weakest skill, and this text contains mistakes. I listened it many-many times, but I'm not sure I understood everything correctly. Can you specify me on my mistakes? (you can listen to the original here: http://www.visit-petersburg.ru/en/audioguide/2/) The Peter and Paul Cathedral, story means, is tallest building in St.Petersburg. It is one hundred twenty two and half meters tall and the elegant spire is crowned by angel with the cross. It soars above the city and is the keeper of St.Petersburg. There is believed that so long the angel soars above the city, St.Petersburg will be safe. Even during the lengthy blockade the angel remained there. It was not taken down from the spare but was cover with a camouflage net. Thus St.Petersburg is only capital in the world that is not surrendered to the enemy. And the city was not captured. Nevertheless the fortress last its military properties rather quickly. The Swedes retreated and St.Petersburg was not longer under threat. Gradually the fortress standing a political prison, a kind of Russian Bastille, the most terrible political prison Russia. No escape from it, from this prison and so set dwellers us to say at there only three roads from Peter and Paul fortress – hard labor, the cemetery or mental hospital. Inside the prison were Decembrists, Petrashevsts and even members of the provisional Russian government for a kept. The first prisoner of the Peter and Paul fortress ever was the Prince Alexey, Peter`s poor son. Now within the fortress is museum and its dark walls don`t seem quite of gloomy the people anymore. On a beach in front of the bastions people of St.Petersburg sunbathing and jokingly call self prisoners of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Its ones of reigning silhouette has became one of the main symbols of the city St.Petersburg.

The Peter and Paul Fortress - 1 Hello, everybody! :) I listened this text and wrote it. Listening is my weakest skill, and this text contains mistakes. I listened it many-many times, but I'm not sure I understood everything correctly. Can you specify me on my mistakes? (you can listen to the original here: http://www.visit-petersburg.ru/en/audioguide/2/) The Peter and Paul fortress is consider first building of the city. The date was founded May 27 1703 is considered to be the birthday of St.Petersburg. The place for the fortress was very fortunate. It is clearly visual on a map what here the Neva River divided to two branches and then falls into the Finnish gulf. This mean, around whichever arms a warship put into the Neva it would be merely fired self under the fire of cannons from The Peter and Paul fortress. Peter the First was there on a first stone at the fortress was laid. The tsar wasn`t afraid to get his hands dirty. He took a spade himself and started digging. Then the first stone was laid a miracle happened – an eagle come down from the sky. It`s soaring over the island for a walk and everyone around saw a good omen. The tsar Peter cut down two young birch trees tied their tops together and stuck them in soft soil. At the place was to build the gate at the fortress. The soaring eagle flew down and sat on the wooden arch. Peter was rather pleased by this and so he took the eagle from the birches, ties his claws with a handkerchief and lay down to his arm. Point of view eagle’s story is just a beautiful fable. Eagles are not often found in these areas. But many people suppose there was a tame eagle which had perhaps escaped from defeated Swedes. And when it saw people building this fortress, and trustingly come down to them. One way or another this is one of beautiful legends about the city. The fortress meanwhile continued to build. The main building on its territory was the Peter and Paul Cathedral founding it in 1712. The date wasn't chosen accidentally. It was that year when St.Petersburg officially became the capital. And the capital city need the Cathedral. Domenico Trezzini was appointed the architect - the first architect of St.Petersburg. Peter did not live to see Cathedral finished as he died January 1725 and was buried in the unfinished Cathedral. It was later consecrated of Anna Ioanovna in 1733. The Cathedral became the burial vault for Russian monarchs. The emperors and members of them families are laid to rest.