Szóbeli tételek 5. - Me and others

5. KAPCSOLATOK MÁS EMBEREKKEL: MAGÁNÉLET ÉS KÖZÉLET

For everyday wear I like sports jackets, a pair of corduroys, pure woollen jumpers, cotton shirts with checked patterns. I like wearing baggy trousers or stretch jeans with a pair of sport or low-shoes. Blue jeans and denim skirts are extremely popular nowadays. They can be worn with everything and for everyday wear. They are durable, hard-wearing, washable and crease-resistant. In short they are practical for causal wear.
A man usually can wear a vest, a pair of underpants, a shirt, trousers, perhaps a waistcoat, a tie and a jacket or a single- or double-breasted suit. On his feet he wears a pair of socks and low-heel shoes with rubber or leather soles.
A fashionably dressed man wears a purple, mustard yellow, dark green or royal blue suit with a brightly coloured patterned shirt and a tie. A woman wears a pair of panties, bras, a slip, a blouse, a skirt or a dress, or a suit, a pair of tights or stockings. A well-dressed woman always appears elegant. She is choosy about clothing and dresses in perfect taste. She usually wears a brightly-coloured suit with golden buttons and a white blouse. The skirt is mini and she looks charming and marvellous in it. She may also wear tight trousers which show off her figure well. Her dresses are always padded at the shoulders. She wears long ear-rings but has never much make-up on apart from her lipstick which is quite bright in colour.  
I think fashion adds spice to life: colour, variety, beauty. Women must always be well-dressed and follow fashions to please themselves and men. The world would be a dull place if people wore the same things. As for me I don’t care much about fashion. I always wear whatever I think is comfortable, practical and attractive. My family tries to keep pace with changing fashion (mostly my mum) but we don’t carry it to extremes. You know we are simple people with a medium income so we can’t afford to spend so much money on clothes. My mother has a good dress sense. Everything she wears invariably suits her. My grandmother is good at sewing and knitting pretty dresses, well-cut suits and fashionable pullovers. All clothes she makes for her grandchild are a perfect fit.
However, it depends on the weather what I put on. In winter you must be careful not to catch cold. You must wear warm clothes and dress in layers. In cold weather people wear fur hats or thick, knitted hats and gloves, warm scarves and polo-necked sweaters, cotton stockings or trousers, winter boots and thick fur-lined overcoats. In summer, anyway, it is enough to put on a light dress with a low-cut neck or a T-shirt with shorts or breeches and a pair of low shoes or sandals. On the beach women wear a bathing suit or a bikini (sometimes a topless one) and perhaps a straw hat. Men wear swimming trunks. In autumn (fall), the best strategy for protecting yourself from the rain is to carry an umbrella with all the time. I don’t like this season, because it is the rainiest one. When the weather is colder, people put on a mackintosh or some other kind of waterproofs. It is important that you should wear water-resistant shoes or wellingtons as well because you can catch a cold easily if you step in the puddles in the street and get your feet wet.
Most towns and villages have clubs or community centres which cater for the cultural requirements of the population. They combine recreation and education and do a lot to help people to develop their talents. They provide entertainment, all sorts of facilities for amateur science and art activities, organise concerts, shows, theatrical performances and lectures on political, scientific and cultural topics. They regularly organise exhibitions of modern art and make efforts to enable museum visitors of every age to better understand the items on display.
Most cultural centres have their own amateur art groups, folk ensembles, choirs or even orchestras who quite often give public performances or concerts. They run astronomy, photo and sewing circles as well as separate clubs for teenagers and pensioners.
Most school institutes have a club, which is extremely popular with the student body. It is not only provides, such as video shows, concerts and discos, but a wide choice of amateur art activities like painting, sculpture, pottery, music, dancing and acting as well. Especially popular are the musical and theatrical groups. Those who like singing join the choir and those who have exceptionally fine voices and a good ear for music go in for solo singing. Those who make dancing a hobby have a choice of ballet, folk dancing or acrobatic rock-and-roll. Most students seem to prefer theatricals. Some of their amateur productions have won the praise of professionals.
The correspondence used to be a popular thing between the pals and students, but this habit totally changed. On these days you need to write a letter in a paper form in ink only if it is demanded e.g. official letters or profiles with your own hand to apply for a job or perhaps a few lines for your relatives. Nowadays people settle all their things on the Internet. The today’s letter is named an e-mail. There are a lot of e-mail programmes so as to help you to write your message easier. In addition to it, e.g. most firms supply only an e-mail address where you can send your curriculum vitae. The most important difference and the biggest advantage is its quickness compare to the old form.
Civil organisations: I’m not a member of any civil organisations. In fact, I don’t know exactly what they are employed in. However, there are different kinds e.g. The Red Cross or the Maltese Cross Service where you can take your old fashionable clothes. They will give them to the poor people. Besides, language courses and computer studies are organized by them, too. In my opinion they usually arrange blood-giving-weekends everywhere. It is a great idea because in that way you can help other people who are in need of blood. You feel only a small pinprick and you relax on a bed for a few minutes. Not to speak of the fact that you will be examined and it may be important for you. In the end you are rewarded with some goods such as a beer, a refreshing and a bar of chocolate so as to be able to regain your energy.
Public safety: There are, at least one local police station in every town or village. Of course, there are more in bigger cities or in the capital. They deal with the public safety’s questions such as car stolen, damaging, and burglars or in fact, they should care about your safety in the streets in the evenings. They have to take drunken people into hospital or they help you if you have lost your way going home.