Practical English

An Ambush in the Tunnels Buffy. They’re close. Xander. How can you tell? Buffy. No more rats. Xander nods at something ahead. He shines his flashlight there, and they see Jesse lying on the floor. It’s unclear whether he’s dead or alive. Xander. Jesse! Buffy. Oh, no! They rush over to their friend. Jesse jumps to his feet, holding a piece of pipe for self-defence. Xander. Jesse! Jesse. Xander. (Relief in his voice. Xander hugs his friend; both are very glad.) Xander. Jesse, man, are you OK? Jesse. I am not OK on an epic scale. (Fear and panic on Jesse’s face.) We have to get out of here. Buffy lowers her flashlight and sees that Jesse’s leg is chained...

“In every generation there’s a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.” At the cemetery Buffy is desperately trying to get out from under the devilishly strong Luke. Not only is he very strong, but he’s also much bigger than her. The Master’s faithful hound opens his jaws and draws ever closer to Buffy’s neck — he’s already ready to sink his teeth into her throat. Buffy. Uhh! No. Ahh! Buffy is in a dire situation; she’s already closed her eyes in despair. Everything is turning against her — it seems she’ll have to stay in this crypt forever...

Introduction Lately, I’ve begun to increasingly ask myself the question: “What does our Reality actually represent?” For a long time now, I’ve been writing stories set in a fictional universe of my own creation. On top of that, I’m quite deeply immersed in such topics as Extraterrestrial Civilizations, Paranormal Phenomena, Parallel Worlds, Magic, Superpowers, and so on. This year, I discovered some amazing YouTube channels dedicated to alternative history — a subject that has interested me since childhood. Besides of that I’ve long been interested in the issues surrounding the translation of the Bible and other Sacred Scriptures...

Despite the fact that Buffy may seem at first glance to be a rather simple TV series for schoolchildren, this is not the case at all. Already from the very first episode we see that behind fleeting details, dialogues, and even short lines lies a massive subtext. In later episodes, it becomes obvious that Buffy encompasses a wide range of knowledge, without which it’s quite difficult to catch certain details. Of course, one can watch this masterpiece series without immersing oneself in hidden meanings, allusions, and parallels. But if you are rewatching this show not for the first time, you should...

Buffy walks past a long, single-storey building clad in corrugated metal that looks like weathered slate. The door ahead is open, and a group of young people stands nearby. A young girl in a dress approaches two guys lingering by the entrance. Across the street, about three metres from the building, several cars are parked. Music and live singing spill out from the open doorway. Well, this must be The Bronze — though the place looks more like a half-century-old abandoned warehouse than a trendy nightspot. Buffy reaches the entrance just as a few couples arrive too. She pulls a bill from her pants pocket and hands it to the bouncer — a burly man standing guard at the door...

Opening. The main entrance to Sunnydale High School. Night lights are on inside. From outside, there’s a muffled, distant barking of dogs. The school hallways are deserted, dark, and silent. The only light comes from the display case with the school trophies. Closed doors to empty night classrooms line both sides of the hall. The double doors separating the corridors are closed. No one is here to disturb their peace at this hour. A dark, empty classroom — a human skeleton model stands in the corner, so this must be the biology room. The horizontal blinds on all the windows are closed. But the...

Welcome to the first entry of our new section dedicated to the enduring legacy of the beloved series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For those who grew up alongside the slayer, this show was more than just entertainment; it was a phenomenon that shaped their views, friendships, and even teenage identities. Unfortunately, I didn’t watch Buffy during my school and college years. Only a few years ago was I introduced to the grim yet love-filled world of the Slayer. From the very first episode, I realized that Buffy would become an integral part of my life. The amazing storyline, full of unpredictable twists, keeps us on the edge of our seats and captivates our hearts...

"Wanderer above the sea of fog" Caspar David Friedrich 1818 A lot of people will blame me for what I'm going to say, but those with open minds will consider my point of view and maybe pick up something from my interesting experience. A few days ago, when I met the striking image of this picture, I didn't even know the name of that enigmatic masterpiece, not mention the name of its author. But I wasn't upset by this ignorance at all, because I've learned and appreciated at that moment the power of...

Have you ever found yourself bored while waiting somewhere and wishing you had something productive to do? Well, here's a fun little trick I've discovered that's perfect for improving your English skills without needing anything more than what's right in front of you. Let's dive into how I stumbled upon this technique one afternoon... It all began a few days ago... I was waiting for my sister in a neighbouring town, with absolutely nothing to do. I didn't want to use my phone as the only entertaining, what meant to find something else to do. I understand that we all get used to occupy ourselves by social media scrolling or watching YouTube videos...

All we love to watch something what we really like. It's especially pleasant activity if you do it in a target language. Unfortunately most of us, who even do it a lot (reading, watching/listening), don't bother yourself with at least a shortest summarizing of that information we've just received. That's why we have these popular questions like "How to memorize new vocabulary?", "How to express yourself in English language fluently?", "How to start speaking English after nth years of learning?" etc. But the answer to all these questions is only one actually. Just practice a target language every day...

What do you know about Rudyard Kipling? I guess your answer is something like this: "He is an English writer who wrote the Mowgli." I would say something like that recently but now I have discovered that firstly his Mowgli is the Jungle Book actually. Second thing is that he wrote two Jungle books and third is that he isn't just a novels' writer. He is a journalist and a poet as well. I have read his poem "If" a week ago and I couldn't help but share my thoughts on that poem to my friend, who also loves to expand his horizons. The only question was how to intrigue him to start searching for this poem by himself, without forcing from my side...

Многим известна усталость от ежедневного чтения или просмотра видеороликов одного и того же, хоть и любимого, блогера. Не удивительно, ведь мозг быстро привыкает, а затем и пресыщается, если не давать ему разнообразную пищу. Я заметил это по себе, поскольку регулярно впадаю в монотонный режим ежедневного чтения на одну тему. Такое случается, если берешься за семитомник Гарри Поттера или даже одну, но основательную книгу. Также с завидной регулярностью я зацикливаюсь на просмотре контента лишь одного канала на YouTube. При такой монотонности рано или поздно замечаешь, что чтение или просмотр не приносит той радости, которой ты ожидаешь...