When it comes to tough jobs, nothing beats being a smokejumper! er Smokejumpers are elite firefighters who risk their lives fighting forest fires in remote areas. They bravely parachute out of aeroplanes into burning forests, where they quickly get to work putting the fire out. A smokejumper's duties are not easy. They have to do long, tough training before they can become part of a team. Smokejumpers need to be very good parachutists, and know how to read maps to get out of a forest safely. "To be a smokejumper you need to be very fit, and able to work for long hours in difficult conditions," says Zach Meyers, a smokejumper at West Yellowstone. "We train all the time and we're always trying to improve." When they parachute into a fire zone, they wear a padded jump jacket and trousers, boots, gloves, a face mask and a helmet. They also carry a backpack with some food and water, and a fire shelter. The aeroplane drops the tools and equipment they need to fight the fire. "People think that smokejumpers have a very dangerous job, but we don't see it like that," says Zach with a smile. "This job keeps me happy. I love the feeling I get when I jump out of the aeroplane and fly through the air. I wouldn't want any other job in the world." краткий пересказ текста
Before New Year's Day, in Uzbekistan, people prepare for the holiday. They put decorations on a New Year tree at home; they also decorate the streets and houses with colourful lights and balloons. The main heroes of the Uzbek New Year are Father Frost and Snow Girl, who are called in Uzbekistan as Korbobo and Korkiz. At midnight on December 31, when the clock strikes 12, the Uzbeks organize a party, the main dish of which is a watermelon. If the watermelon is sweet and juicy then the whole year will be successful and happy. In addition to a watermelon on the Uzbek New Year's table, there should be a lot of fruits: grapes, persimmons, apples, bananas and oranges. Uzbekistan's New Year is a really family holiday. At the table relatives and friends gather together, they talk about the good things of the old year and hope to have happiness in the new year. This great international holiday comes to every family and, of course, is celebrated in cities and round the whole country widely and cheerfully. The capital shines with colourful lights and it is decorated with balloons and beautiful New Year trees. Children have a lot of entertainment programmes in the circus, theatres, squares and and parks. They can meet their popular heroes from favourite books(?) cartoons. Leisure activities for adults are interesting too. Cinemas, cafes, clubs and restaurants are full of people. Each entertainment place tries to differ from others with its unique show programmes