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...