The British Holidays

Many British people think that it’s better not to spend money on a holiday in Britain because the weather is so changeable. They prefer to spend their money on package holidays in Southern Europe. A package holiday is not a very expensive form of group travel. You pay a travel agent a sum of money and he arranges flight, hotel, food and entertainment. All you need is pocket money when you get to the foreign country. It is sometimes not much expensive to go to Europe than to stay in England. That is probably why package holidays are so popular. But not everybody likes them. Some people say you do not see very much of the country you go to.

However traditional seaside holidays in Britain are still the most popular form of holiday for most of the British people. Because Britain is quite a small island no one lives farther than 75 miles from the sea. As soon as the summer weather begins thousands of people in cars make their ways to the seaside. The seaside is a place for a family holiday. A lot of families look forward to going to the seaside the whole year. They can put up at a hotel and enjoy all modern conveniences there. If hotel rates are high for them they can rent a cottage or even a room. They can spend all days on the beach, lying in the sun and bathing in the sea.

A lot of people have walking holidays. They are the cheapest. One can get beds and meals at the youth hostels that are all over the country or cook meals in the kitchen. There one has to help by sweeping and cleaning the rooms or washing up after meals. But that’s not a hardship, is it? And there one can meet and make friends with lots of young people.

Some people go to holiday camps. There are wooden cabins with beds, electric light, running water. There are large buildings — a dining hall, a large hall for dancing, a cinema, a theatre, a bar, a café, rooms for games such as billiards. The camp usually has its own swimming pool and tennis courts.

So, there are different ways of spending holidays in Britain and everybody can choose something to his liking.

Assignments after the text:

I

1. English people spend their holidays in different ways. Say everything you know about

1. package holidays,

2. holidays at the seaside,

3. walking holidays,

4. holiday camps.

2. You know a lot about the ways English people spend their holidays, don’t you? Speak about them. Keep in mind that you should describe holidays in the country too. Take the Parkers as an example.

II

1. People in our country have different kinds of holidays in summer. Speak on the ways Russian people can have their holidays and say how

1. the students of your group,

2. most citizens of the Komi Republic spend their summer vacations (holidays).

Exercise 6.

Listen to the dialogue, read it and learn it by heart.

Peter: (shouting in the hall downstairs) Mum! Dad! Where is everyone? Is the house empty? Hello!

Robert: (from the bathroom) Peter! What are you making all that noise about?

Peter: (to himself) Ah! That sounds like Robert's voice. (opening the bathroom door) Hello, Robert! What are you doing in the bath-room?

Robert: I'm having a wash – what do you think?

Peter: Well, you sound as if you've got soap in your mouth! Why are you having a wash now?

Robert: You know very well I always have a wash when I get home on Saturday, after football.

Peter: Where's Mum? I want to ask her something.

Robert: Well, you'll have to wait till she comes in – she's shopping. You know very well she goes shopping every Saturday morning and doesn't come in till lunch time.

Peter: I think I smell something cooking. Is lunch ready yet?

Robert: Of course not. It's still in the oven.

Peter: It smells good. Don't I wish Mum would hurry up with her shopping and give it to me. I'm hungry!

Robert: You needn't worry – you never miss your Saturday lunch, young Peter.

Peter: Dad will miss it if he doesn't come home soon. Where is he?

Robert: Don't be silly, you know exactly where he is – having a beer in the pub. You know he always has a drink on his way home from work on Saturday morning.

Peter: (in mock admiration) I say Robert, you do look clean. You've even washed behind your ears!

Robert: Now don't you be rude, young Peter. You could do with a wash yourself… Here, Peter, what are you doing with that cake?

Peter: (imitating Robert) Don't be silly! You know exactly what I’m doing with it. You know very well I always come home on Saturday and have to wait for my lunch so I eat whatever I can find in the pantry – and that's what I'm doing now.

Enlarge the conversation by speaking about what Robert usually does, is doing at the present period of time, is planning to do in the nearest future etc.

Exercise 7.

Listen to the conversation