Some people say that the theatre is likely to disappear, while others believe that it will con­tinue attracting large audiences.

The theatre has existed since 2000 ВС. Greek theatres were huge, open-air structures that were able to seat thousands of viewers. Nowadays there are many types of theatres: a comedy theatre, a drama theatre, a concert hall, a musical theatre, an opera and ballet house, a dance theatre and others. Some theatres are famous all over the world such as the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow or la Scala in Milan.

Personally, I am sure that the theatre is not likely to disappear. I am a real theatre-goer. To my mind, a good play stirs spectators¹ imagination, makes them smile and cry, fills them with joy and excitement, makes them forget about dull reality and carries them away to a fantastic coun­try. The theatre is a small world with its own rules, its own life and feelings. Going to the the­atre is always an exciting event for me.

But nowadays a lot of people prefer watching a movie to going to the theatre. Some of them even say that the theatre will not last long. Firstly, a lot of people prefer to watch TV sitting in a com­fortable armchair at home. Secondly, tickets for a good play are rather expensive. Finally, they should be bought beforehand and one will have to stand in a queue for a long time. But I believe that those people who say that they don't care about the theatre have never seen a good play.

To conclude, I think that the theatre will exist as long as people love art and enjoy a special fascinating atmosphere that reigns in the theatre.

Some people compare painting to literature and music. Others say that it is boring to look at pictures.

Millions of people admire pictures by great artists and pay a lot of money to become their own­ers. Other people don't understand why some paintings are spoken about and valued so much.

Some people are fond of going to art galleries, while others consider it a waste of time.

Personally, I am fond of examining paintings by well-known artists. I think that a good picture always provokes some mood. It is either cheerful if the colours are bright and festive, or wistful if the artist uses dull and oppressive colours. The artist tends to depict wonderful scenes of life — the grand beauty of old pines, the formidable power of a storm or the delicate colours of flow­ers. Painting gives me aesthetic experience, stirs my imagination and makes me think about something serious and elevated.

However, some people say that they feel bored when they look at pictures. In contrast to books which tell us an interesting story, a picture always shows a transient moment. So the viewer should guess what happened before that moment and what will happen later. But I strongly feel that a great artist is like a writer. But instead of words he uses a canvas, a brush and paints. The pictures of talented artists can really "speak". Through their pictures artists tell us about their thoughts and feelings and open their inner world to us.

To conclude, the masterpieces of painting, like the masterpieces of music and literature trans­form experience. People will admire a beautiful painting if they learn to understand the language of the artist.

A lot of young people think that music serves only for dancing. However, others say that the aim of music is not just to entertain us.

There is hardly a person in the world who does not like music. Most young people can't ima­gine their lives without it. But what is music? Is it just a pleasant combination of sounds or a far more complicated notion?

Personally, I think that music is a universal language understandable to everybody. People compose music in order to express their feelings and emotions. The composer speaks to us without using any words. Music can fill us with energy and make us happy. It's known that classical music makes us feel delighted and relaxed. And on the contrary, rock music and heavy metal arouse hatred, violence, irritation and rage. Some sounds even have a healing effect on people and can normalize heart rate and soothe them better than any pills.

But some young people think that music serves only for entertainment. They like pop music, rap, dance music and heavy metal. These musical genres help them relax and have fun. Most teenagers are not ready to listen to such serious music as symphony, opera or chamber music. To my mind, musical compositions by such outstanding composers as Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky or Shostakovich should be listened to attentively and brooded over.

To conclude, the aim of music is not just to entertain us, but to give us aesthetic pleasure, to develop our taste and love for beauty. That is why everybody likes listening to music, dancing to it, visiting concert halls, singing or playing musical instruments. Music plays a very important role in our lives and it has the power to unite people all over the world.

Some people say that they are used to working or studying to the sound of music, while oth­ers are convinced that music is a distraction.

Parents often complain that children listen to their favoutite records while doing their home­work. Some employees cannot imagine their working day without music. But is it all right to lis­ten to music and to work or study simultaneously?

Personally, I think that listening to music will hardly help you when you are studying mathe­matics or physics or preparing for an exam. But music is fine when you are doing something that is quite automatic. Many people, especially teenagers, claim that having music on while they study or work can help improve their concentration. Besides, it makes the task seem less boring. Some teenagers even like to do their homework to the sound of heavy rock.

However, for many people, it would be difficult not only to work with heavy rock music playing, but with any kind of music at all. They say that music does not help them concentrate, and therefore study or work. Most people need total silence to be able to work. If there's any background noise, they get distracted and annoyed. But to my mind, loud chatter, whistle or rustle disturb us more than music.

To sum up, it is up to you to decide whether to listen to music while you study or not. I think that it is a matter of personal preference. But it is not always good to have music playing in the office or workplace. While it improves concentration or provides relaxation for some people, for others it may be a distraction and even an irritant.

The silent film disappeared when the era of the talking film began. A lot of people say that modern movies are much better than the early ones. However, some people are sorry about the disappearance of the silent film.

Movies are truly the art of our time. Nowadays there are quite a lot of interesting films among which we can find westerns, horror films, hits, comedies, science fiction films, thrillers, romance films and many others. But why do some people still admire the first black and white films?

Personally, I am fond of modern cinematography. Nowadays films are skillfully made and con­tain a lot of special effects. They attract people's attention with absorbing plots, stunning visual and sound effects, exciting scenes and complicated scripts. One of the latest inventions is 3-D films. To my mind, it is amazing to look at objects which seem to have length, depth and height. Besides, modern movies have become easily accessible.

However, many people like early films that have picture but no sound. They say that modern movies have lost something. Silent films were understandable to everybody without any words. They were like a universal language and they united people of all nationalities. But now films have to be translated into different languages and dubbed. They make our imagination work no more and sometimes they don't help us relax and forget about our everyday problems as there is too much violence, filth and horror in them. What is more, some people say that a lot of mod­ern films are stupid and uninteresting. But I believe that most of them have a successful run. They are watched, discussed and admired.

To conclude, I think it is difficult to compare modern movies to silent films. They are absolutely different and have their own charm. Anyway, tastes differ and everybody can choose what to watch.

Some people are fond of 3D films and they are convinced that 3D will take over the cinema in the future. Others are against 3D films.

Nowadays production companies are putting many films in 3D. Some people wonder if it will enhance or ruin the film they want to see.

Personally, I think that watching a 3D movie is a great fun. It gives you a wonderful opportuni­ty to interact more with the film. To my mind, 3D movies prove that the technology can enhance not only the experience, but the storytelling too. People perceive the world around them with depth. So it would be natural to see films that are given more depth to the scene instead of flat images.

However, a lot of people say they were disappointed with 3D films. Firstly, some of them did not have a feeling that they got their money's worth because of the lack of effects. Secondly, some movies have 3D graphics added later. It makes films darker and 3D effect is often not very good. Thirdly, some people believe that when we see 3D we lose the artistry of the film. They also say that 3D movies are made for amusement rather than for aesthetic pleasure. In addition, tickets are expensive and it is a great disadvantage for people who are tight with money. They believe that 3D films are not worth the extra cost and they are just a way for companies to boost profits. But I am convinced that a skillfully made 3D movie is worth seeing.

To conclude, most people think that someday every movie will be released in 3D. But you still have a choice today. If you do not want to watch movies in 3D you can choose the 2D version of a film.

Some people think that graffiti is an art form, while others think that it is vandalism.

Nowadays graffiti can be seen in the subway and on the walls of many buildings. Some people, especially teenagers, enjoy examining these drawings. But not everybody likes graffiti and rec­ognizes it as an art form.

I think that graffiti is definitely art. It is so popular nowadays that it can be seen in some muse­ums and art galleries. Graffiti varies from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. One can see graffiti on many websites, in fashionable magazines and ^en on clothes and toys. Some graffiti artists get thousands of dollars for their paintings. To my mind, graffiti gives young peo­ple an opportunity to express their feelings and to demonstrate their skills.

However, a lot of people say that graffiti is the work of vandals. According to them, it is silly and aggressive and it makes cities ugly. Graffiti is sometimes revolutionary. It often has a reputation as part of a subculture that rebels against authority. Besides, graffiti is still illegal in many places and punishable by fines that is why most graffiti artists choose to remain anonymous. But in my opinion, if the artists were given some place to practice their art, the attitude to graffiti would be different.

To sum up, nowadays graffiti has the status of "street art". Some paintings are really skillfully made, while others are unsightly. Personally, I like graffiti, but I wouldn't like to see it every­where.