My Dreams for the Coming New Year

All the year we wait for our favorite holiday, New Year. Every child or pupil or student has his own hopes for the New Year. But most of all this holiday is liked by children; they wait for Father Frost and many presents. Older children know that there is now Father Frost, and the presents they wait for are from their parents.

As for me I have many hopes for the coming New Year. I want to have my studying better, have good marks, and don’t laugh at the lessons. I think my hopes are real. And also I think New Year brings us much happiness. My friends will be better. I don’t wait for the presents for New Year, but I know they’ll be, I wait for new hopes, new impressions. New Year is my favorite holiday and my youngest sister’s too. My sister waits for presents, and last week I bought for her a nice present. She is not very big but she knows, there is Father Frost.

After this holiday I will go to my grandmother and grandfather and we will have a nice Christmas with them. I like when my grandparents give me presents and my sister likes it too. Of course I’d like to celebrate my New Year with my uncle and aunt too, because I like them very much.

Grade 8, 2002

SERHIY KRAVCHUK

The Liberty Bell

It’s a year 2010. All happened in Zhovkva village, that’s in Lviv region. The time is nine o’clock in the evening.

- Who is there?

- Can you help me?

- What?

- Can you speak English?

- Yes, I can.

- Oh-h-h-h, thanks God, you can!!!! Can I stay in your house just for one night?

- But who are you?

- Please, take me inside and I’ll tell you all what you want to know.

- OK, come in. So, who are you?

- I’m from Philadelphia. I run away, because it is very boring and hot there. My name is “The Liberty Bell”. But before this name I had three or four other names. My first name was “The Old State House”; the second was “The Bell of the Revolution” and the third was “Old Independence Bell”. In 1839 I was finally named “The Liberty Bell”.

- When were you born and where?

- I was born in 1751 in England.

- What is your weight?

- My weight is about two thousand pounds.

- What is it? (Shows to the crack)

- It is a crack. I cracked twice. At first I cracked when I rang at first. But I was recast in Philadelphia. At second I cracked in 1835 during the funeral services of Chief Justice John Marshall.

- Did you visit other towns in your country?

- Yes, I visited such towns as New Orleans, Chicago, Charleston, Boston, Atlanta, St. Louis, San Francisco, etc. And since 1915 I have been on permanent display in Philadelphia.

- Your story is very good, let’s continue our speaking at the table. OK?

- OK.

Grade 6, 2001