Good Luck With Your Exams!

The traditional last bell (Последний звонок)   ceremony took place in the schools of Russia and some other countries yesterday.  

     The date for this celebration usually falls on 25 May, before the final exams. Only on this day you'll see young girls wearing short dark dresses with white lacy aprons, together with fluffy white bows in their hair, white knee-high socks and black shoes, and teenage guys wearing business suits adorned with a colourful, shoulder-to-hip diagonal sash, somewhat reminiscent of a Miss Universe competition! The outfits are all part of a long standing tradition.  During the ceremony school leavers say good bye to their school and thank their teachers. A symbolic last school bell is rung, usually by a first-grader.

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My 9th-graders have also had their last lesson of English. And I wish them good luck and only good results in their coming exams!

Effective Exam-taking strategies (From: Enjoy English-11)

• Prepare the night before. Lay out your clothing, pens or pencils, watch, lunch, and other school supplies. You don't want to be rushing around in the morning!
• Choose comfortable clothing.
• Get a good night's sleep. A solid eight-hour sleep can recharge your batteries and give you the winning edge on any test \ exam.
• Be sure to eat breakfast. Eat a nourishing breakfast of cereal, fruit, eggs and toast or anything else that will help you last through the morning.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks. Too much caffeine can give you the jitters.
• Wake up! If you are not a morning person, wake yourself up with a hot shower or take some brief exercise. A short jog can make a big difference.
• Leave yourself enough time in the morning by adding an extra 15 minutes to the time you normally need to get ready in the morning. You can review your notes for a few extra minutes.
• Build your self-confidence. Getting yourself upset and worked up before a big test will make you feel even more nervous. Remind yourself that you have prepared well so you will do well. A positive attitude brings great results.