Цель – формирование представления о достопримечательностях родной страны и стран изучаемого языка.

Places of Interest in Russia / Moscow

The majestic Kremlin serves as the focal point and authoritative symbol of the historic city of Moscow. Established in 1147 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruki, the city flourished as a trading centre, effectively defended by the Kremlin's fortified walls. Despite numerous attacks and occupation by invading Mongols, Moscow continued to thrive and consolidate its sovereignty, emerging as the center of the influential Russian Orthodox Church in 1326.

In the late 15th century, Moscow became the capital of Russia, a status it retained until Tsar Peter I, known as Peter the Great, moved the centre of power to St Petersburg in 1712. The raging fire of 1812 that drove Napoleon out of Moscow in defeat also destroyed much of the city, although its rebuilding was rapid. Industrialization and the advent of the railway brought prosperity and an ever-increasing population to Moscow. With the establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1918, the city again was named the capital.

Moscow is the cultural and political centre of Russia. The imposing walls of the Kremlin that enclose centuries-old cathedrals, museums, and administrative buildings dominate Red Square in the heart of the city. The rest of Moscow spreads in a series of concentric circles reaching into the suburbs, where rows of high-rise apartment buildings constructed since the 1950s commonly fail to meet the enormous demand for housing.

Moscow remains one of the great cities of the world. Its stately architecture, including the multicoloured onion-shaped domes of the Cathedral of St Basil, as well as the renowned Bolshoi Ballet, the lively Arbat Street, and the elegance of its underground metro system contribute to Moscow's international reputation.

Grand Kremlin Palace

The River Moskva flows past the gilded domes of the 15th-century Uspensky Cathedral and the imposing Grand Kremlin Palace, which is the youngest of the numerous buildings and churches enclosed by Moscow's medieval fortress walls. Originally constructed in 1156 and refortified many times to ward off attacks by the Mongols, the Kremlin is today the seat of the Russian government.

Arbat Street in Moscow

Narrow 19th-century Arbat Street has long been a gathering place for writers and artists in the Russian capital city of Moscow. Located west of the Kremlin, the pedestrian avenue is lined with shops and restaurants. During Communist rule, intellectuals who disagreed with the government found refuge along the Arbat.

St Basil's Cathedral on Red Square

Bright sun illuminates the whimsical spires and intricately carved onion domes of St Basil's Cathedral, Moscow's most colourful landmark. Built in the 1550s to celebrate Ivan the Terrible's conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan Province, this extraordinary structure was originally known as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin. Eight chapels, each with a distinct exterior, surround the central church. Now a museum, St Basil's is filled with frescoes, icons, and paintings.

St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and it was called so in his honour. The city is situated on the Neva River and has become the "window" to Europe. It was built by prominent European and Russian architects.

St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia from 1712 till 1918.

The Peter and Paul Fortress was built to protect the Neva banks from Swedish invasion. Later D. Trezzini, a famous Swiss architect, reconstructed the fortress. It became a prison. Now it is a museum. D. Trezzini erected the Peter and Paul Cathedral here, which is a masterpiece of architecture. Russian tsars were buried in it.

St. Petersburg is an industrial, cultural and scientific centre. There are over 80 museums, about 20 theatres, exhibitions, clubs, a university, colleges, institutes, schools, libraries and parks. The Pushkin Drama Theatre, the Bolshoi Gorky Drama Theatre, the Mariinsky Theatre of Opera and Ballet are pearls of the Russian art.

In St. Petersburg there are a lot of parks and gardens where the citizens can spend their free time.

The Summer Garden is the oldest and most fascinating park. Rare trees, bushes and flowers grow there. Beautiful marble statues made by Italian sculptors and a cast iron grille decorate the Summer Garden. There is a bronze monument to the prominent Russian fabulist Ivan Krylov (by sculptor Klodt) in the Summer Garden.

The city is famous for its magnificent architectural ensembles of the 18-19 centuries.

In St. Petersburg tourists usually start sightseeing from Palace Square, the largest and most beautiful one. One cannot help admiring the ensemble in Palace Square: the Winter Palace (built by Rastrelli) was the residence of Russian tsars till the revolution.

The Hermitage, one of the oldest art museums in Russia, occupies the Winter Palace and four other buildings. There one can see masterpieces of the outstanding artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, Velazques and other unique works of art.

The Russian museum is located in the Mikhailovsky Palace, designed by Rossi. Marvellous paintings of the famous Russian artists: Tropinin, Repin, Bryullov, Fedotov, Surikov, Serov, the works of sculptors: Rastrelli, Shubin, Antokolsky are exhibited here.

The streets and squares in St. Petersburg are very beautiful. Nevsky Prospect is the main street of the city, where there are amazing buildings, shops, hotels and the remarkable Kazan Cathedral (by Voronikhin) with a colonade and monuments to M. Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly. Here in the prospect one can see the magnificent building of the Admiralty (by Zakharov) and an ensemble of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Famous Russian writers, painters, composers and actors were buried in the Lavra.

The majestic palaces, cathedrals, churches and other buildings, built by famous architects, decorate St. Petersburg, such as: palaces of Stroganov, Menshikov, Anichkov, the Triumphal Arch and St. Isaak’s Cathedral, erected by Montferrand. St. Isaak’s Cathedral is one of the most beautiful cathedrals, from the observation place of which one can see the panorama of the city.

One cannot forget to mention the Smolny Institute and the Smolny nunnery, masterpieces of Rastrelli. Girls from aristocratic families studied and lived in the institute.

A lot of bridges cross the Neva, the Fontanka, the Moika and the canals, but the Anichkov Bridge is the most beautiful one.

St. Petersburg inspired many of our great poets, writers, painters, sculptors, composers and actors. Much of the life and work of Lermontov, Griboyedov, Pushkin, Belinsky, Glinka, Chaikovsky, Repin and Kramskoi was connected with the city.

Citizens, tourists and guests enjoy visiting the suburbs of St. Petersburg: Petergof, Pushkin, Pavlovsk, Lomonosov with their wonderful palaces, parks and fountains.

Task 1. Each country has various museums and art galleries. Read about Russia's best known museums. Fill in the necessary words.

a house – to house a collection – to collect

an exhibition - an exhibit – to exhibit a display – to display

The Russian museum

The Russian Museum in St. Petersburg is a world “trea­sure _____” of Russian art. It _____ more than 300,000 items. The first state museum of Russian art _____ in the Mikhailovsky Palace in March 1898.

The _____ of Russian art is rich. Here there _____ tens of thousands of drawings and water-colours. The _____ of the Russian Museum include almost 9,000 works of paint­ings of famous Russian artists. The visitors to the Museum today can see the world famous _____ of Russian art in its _____ halls.

The Russian Museum also _____ sculptures and engrav­ings (гравюры). The rich _____ of numerous items of Russian works of art _____ in its 120 rooms.

house collection

painting sculpture

handicraft textiles

furniture culture

art

The Hermitage

It's “a treasure-_______” of world _______ and ________. It's one of the biggest ______ in the world that contains two million seven hundred thousand _______. It contains rich ________ of the art of all ages. Here are exhibited the _______ of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt and other masters; _________ by Michelangelo, Bernini, Falconet and others. There are also wonderful ______ of drawings, popular art, ______ work as _______, gold and silverware (изделия), _____.

Places of interest in London

London is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world.

Traditionally it's divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. They are very different from each other and seem to belong to different towns and epochs.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and business centre. Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and the Old Bailey. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the City to work. There are some famous ancient buildings within the City. Perhaps the most striking of them is St Paul's Cathedral, the greatest of British churches. It was built in the 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren. The Tower of London was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison. Now it's a museum.

Westminster is the historic, the governmental part of London.

Westminster Abbey has more historic associations than any other building in Britain. Nearly all English kings and queens have been crowned here. Many outstanding statesmen, scientists, writers, poets and painters are buried here: Newton, Darwin, Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Kipling.

Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament is famous for its big hour bell, known as "Big Ben".

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen.

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It's the symbol of wealth and luxury. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs, and theatres are situated there. There are splendid houses and lovely gardens belonging to wealthy people.

Trafalgar Square is the geographical centre of London. It was named in memory of Admiral Nelson's victory in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tall Nelson's Column stands in the middle of the square.

On the north side of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Not far away is the British Museum - the biggest museum in London. It contains a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures, etc, and is famous for its library.

St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral is the work of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. It is said to be one of the finest pieces of architecture in Europe. Work on Wren's masterpiece be­gan in 1675 after a Norman church, old St. Paul's, was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. For 35 years the building of St. Paul's Cathedral went on, and Wren was an old man before it was finished.

From far away you can see the huge dome with a golden ball and cross on the top. The interior of the Cathedral is very beautiful. It is full of monuments. The most important, perhaps, is the one dedicated to the Duke of Wellington. After looking round you can climb 263 steps to the Whispering Gallery, which runs round the dome. But if you want to reach the foot of the ball, you have to climb 637 steps.

As for Christopher Wren, who is now known as 'the architect of London', he found his fame only after his death. He was buried in the Cathedral. Buried here are Nelson, Wellington and Sir Joshua Reynolds.

The Tower of London

The Tower on the north bank of the Thames is one of the most ancient buildings of London. It was founded in the 11th century by William the Conqueror. But each monarch left some kind of personal mark on it. For many centuries the Tower has been a fortress, a palace, a prison and a royal treasury. It is now a museum of arms and armour, and as one of the strongest fortresses in Britain, it has the Crown Jewels.

The gray stones of the Tower could tell terrible stories of violence and injustice. Many sad and cruel events took place within the walls of the Tower. It was here that Thomas More, the great humanist, was falsely accused and executed. Among famous prisoners executed at the Tower were Henry VIII's wives Ann Boleyn and Catherine Howard.

When Queen Elizabeth was a princess, she was sent to the Tower by Mary Tudor ('Bloody Mary') and kept prisoner for some time. The ravens whose forefathers used to find food in the Tower still live here as part of its history. There is a legend that if the ravens disappear the Tower will fall. That is why the birds are carefully guarded.

The White Tower was built by William the Conqueror to protect and control the City of London. It is the oldest and the most important building, surrounded by other tow­ers, which all have different names.

Every night at 10 p.m. at the Tower of London the Ceremony of the Keys or locking up of the Tower for the night takes place. It goes back to the Middle Ages. The keys are finally carried to the Queen's House where they are safe for the night. After the ceremony everyone who approaches the gate must give the password or turn away.

Art Galleries

If you stand in Trafalgar Square with your back to Nelson's Column, you will see a wide horizontal front in a classical style. It is the National Gallery. It has been in this building since 1838 which was built as the National Gallery to house the collection of Old Masters Paintings offered to the nation by an English private collector, Sir George Beamount.

Today the picture galleries of the National Gallery of Art exhibit works of all the European schools of painting which existed between the 13th and 19th centuries. The most famous works among them are 'Venus and Cupid' by Diego Velazquez, 'Adoration of the Shepherds' by Nicolas Poussin, 'Mrs Siddons' by Thomas Gainsborough and many others.

In 1897 the Tate Gallery was opened to house the more modern British paintings. Most of the National Gallery collection of British paintings was transferred to the Tate, and only a small collection of a few masterpieces is now at Trafalgar Square. Thus, the Tate Gallery exhibits number of interesting collections of British and foreign modern painting and also modern sculpture.

The collection of Turner’s paintings at the Tate includes about 300 oils and 19,000 water-colours and drawings. He was the most traditional artist of his time as well as the most original: traditional in his devotion to the Old Masters and original in his creation of new styles. It is sometimes said that he prepared the way for the Impressionists.

The modern collection includes the paintings of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon and Graham Sutherland, Peter Blake and Richard Hamilton, the chief pioneers of pop art in Great Britain. Henry Moore is a famous British sculptor whose works are exhibited at the Tate too.

Task 1. Answer the following questions:

1. What are different districts of London famous for?

2. What are the main tourist attractions in London?

3. What is Westminster Abbey noted for?

4. What is Buckingham Palace?

5. What is the biggest clock in London?

6. What do you know about Trafalgar Square?

7. What are the most famous ancient buildings in London?

8. What is St. Paul’s Cathedral famous for?

9. What is the Tower of London associated with?

10. What world – famous museums are there in London?

Places of interest in the USA

Washington is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in the United States. In the very centre of it rises the huge dome of the Capitol — a big white dome standing on a circle of pillars. The 535 members of the Congress meet here to discuss the nation's affairs. It's easy to get lost in this huge building, full of paintings and statues.

Not far from the Capitol is the Library of Congress, the largest library in the States. It contains more than 13 million books, more than 19 million manuscripts, including the personal papers of the US presidents.

The White House is the official residence of the US President. He works in the Oval Office.

One can hardly find a park, a square or an open area in Washington without a monument or a memorial. The most impressive and the best-known ones are the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

There are some important museums in Washington where you can see all kinds of things: famous paintings and sculptures, the dresses of Presidents's wives, the original of the Declaration of Independence, the largest blue diamond in the world, etc.

There are no skyscrapers in Washington, because they would hide the city's many monuments from view. No building in the city may be more than 40 metres tall.

Although New York is not the capital of the United States , it is the biggest and most important city of the country. Situated at the mouth of the deep Hudson River, it has always been the gateway to the USA. But it is more than just a door: it is also a window through which the life of the whole nation may be observed.

It's the centre of American cultural life. It's the national leader in fashion and entertainment.

When people say "New York City" they usually mean Manhattan. It is the real centre of the city. The Empire State Building, Rockefeller Centre, the United Nations building, tremendous traffic, dazzling advertisements, Central Park, Times Square, Broadway, Harlem, Chinatown, the most famous avenues and streets — all these are to be found in Manhattan.

The map of Manhattan seems unusual to a European eye. It is crossed from north to south by avenues and from east to west by streets. Only one avenue, Broadway, runs east to west. Each avenue has either a name or a number. The streets are numbered from one to over a hundred. Only a few of them have names.

Broadway is the symbol of American theatre, as Hollywood is of American cinema.

The intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue forms world-famous Times Square, the heart of the New York Theatre District. It is one of many New York City "squares" that is actually triangles.

Park Avenue represents luxury and fashion because of its large expensive apartment houses.

Madison Avenue is known as the centre of advertising industry.

Fifth Avenue is the most famous shopping centre.

Not far from the Empire State Building there is an interesting architectural complex - Rockefeller Centre. It is a city-within-a-city. It was begun during the Great Depression of the 1930s by John Rockefeller and was built according to one general plan. Rockefeller Centre consists of 19 skyscrapers. It houses all kinds of offices, enterprises, banks, theatres, music halls, restaurants, shops, etc. All parts of the complex are linked by underground passageways.

New York is often called the cultural capital of the USA. There are more than 800 museums in New York. One of the best known is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is the largest art museum in the United States. Its magnificent collection of European and American paintings contains works of many of the greatest masters of art world. The second best known is the Museum of Modern Art. The Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art contains an impressive collection of modern artists ranging from impressionists to abstractionists. The unusual circular building of the museum was designed by F.L. Wright.

No other city in the world offers as many theatres as New York where there is a daily choice of almost two hundred productions. You can see the newest plays and shows on Broadway. But away from the bright lights of Broadway are many smaller theatres.

The Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Centre is known throughout the music world. International stars sing here from September until April. The Carnegie Hall is the city's most popular concert hall.

New York is famous for its festivals and special events: summer jazz, one-act play marathons, international film series, and musical celebrations from the classical to the avant-garde.

People who come to New York by sea are greeted by the Statue of Liberty. It has become a symbol of the city and an expression of freedom to people all over the world. The statue shows liberty as a proud woman draped in the graceful folds of a loose robe. In her uplifted right hand, she holds a glowing torch. She wears a crown with seven spikes that stand for the light of liberty shining on the seven seas and seven continents. In her left arm, she holds a tablet with the date of the Declaration of Independence. A chain that represents tyranny lies broken at her feet.

The Statue of Liberty was France's gift to America. It was designed by the French sculptor Bartholdi and presented to the USA in 1886. The Lady in the Harbour stands 151 feet tall, weighs nearly 225 tons and has a 35-foot waist. In 1986 she underwent a face-lift in honour of her 100th birthday.

There is a museum in the base of the statue devoted to the history of immigration to the United States.

Task 1. Answer the following questions.

1. What is Washington famous for?

2. What can you say about the Capitol?

3. What are the main tourist attractions in Washington?

4. What are the most important museums in Washington?

5. What places of interest are there in New York?

6. What is Broadway famous for?

7. Where is the most famous shopping centre situated in New York?

8. What are famous museum in New York?

9. What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?

10. Who was the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty?

Part VI

HOLIDAYS

Цель – формирование системы знаний и представлений о праздниках родной страны и стран изучаемого языка, формирование социокультурной компетенции.

Holidays, customs and traditions in Russia

Russia, as any other countries in the world, has its national, religious and family holidays. Some of them are very popular with the people.

The main Russian national holidays are Victory Day, Independence Day, New Year's Day, Women's Day and May Day. On these days Russian people don't work, children don't go to school.

There are some renewed holidays in our country now, which had been forgotten for many years. These are religious holidays - Christmas, Easter and some others.

The year begins with one of the most beautiful and loved by both children and adults holidays - New Year with a New Year Tree, bells, presents, Father Frost. New Year's celebrations receive widespread coverage by mass media. On the 31^st of December when the chimes on the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin strike twelve, Russian people greet the New Year with holiday toasts and champagne, wish each other Happy New Year and give each other presents. Father Frost with his bag of presents comes to many Russian families on this day and it's a special fun for the children.

On the New Year night people go to a dance, visit their friends or stay at home and watch TV. Partygoers enjoy a hearty meal. Now January 1 is a national holiday, fortunately for those who like to celebrate most of the night.

Christmas and Easter are of religious origin. In Russia Christmas is celebrated on January 7. In Europe and in the USA it is marked on December 25. On Christmas day people celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Easter, which is celebrated in April or May, symbolizes the Revival of Jesus Christ. For the greater part of people in our country these holidays have lost their religious significance and are the days of family reunion, relax and happiness.

The 13^th of January is an Old New Year's Eve. The 19^th of January is Epiphany - a Christian holiday in memory of the coming of the three kings from the East to see the baby Jesus. The days from Christmas to the Epiphany are called Christmas-tide. At Christmas-tide people used to have a carnival, make a snowman and play snowballs, ride a troika, build a town let, climb a pole for a gift, wear fancy costumes, tell fortunes, sing carols.

In Russia winter is rich in festivals. Late February - early March is Shrovetide (Farewell to Winter Festival). It has deep roots. But nowadays people hardly remember about them, they simply have fun, say good-bye to winter or welcome spring.

On the 8^th of March we celebrate Women's Day. Men try to do their best to make women happy - they do all things about the house, cook, give them flowers and presents.

May Day, or the First of May, is the day of Spring, Labour and Solidarity, which commemorates the tragic events of the years 1884-1888 in Chicago when the workers were fighting for their rights.

Independence Day, which is quite a new Russian holiday, is dedicated to the victory of the democrats and the election of the first President of Russia on June 12, 1992.

But there is a date in the life of our country, which is memorable to every Russian citizen and is the most significant day in our life. It's the 9^th of May - Victory Day. This holiday is celebrated to commemorate the great Victory of the Soviet Army over the German fascists in the Great Patriotic war. The price of that victory was very high. Millions of Russian people gave their lives for peace and freedom. On the 9^th of May war-veterans meet in Gorky Park, in the park in front of the Bolshoy Theatre, at the Memorial on Poklonnaya Gora. The veterans lay flowers and wreaths on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They honour the memories of those who will never come back from battle-fields. Concerts, meetings and parties are organized for the war-veterans. In the evening people can enjoy holiday salute and fireworks.

Not so long ago big parades and holiday demonstrations took place on November 7 and May 1 in Red Square. It was full of people with flags and flowers in their hands. Now the tradition of visiting Red Square on May 9 remained as well as the tradition of cosmonauts to come here before space flights. As a tradition visitors first go to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. People bring a lot of flowers to the memorial. They honour the memory of the heroes with a minute of silence. You may watch the soldiers on duty, see the Eternal Flame burning at the monument, read the great and simple words "Your name is unknown, your feat is immortal".

Russian people are very hospitable. They like to invite friends and colleagues for a meal at home. Dinner parties usually start between 6 and 8 p.m. and end at about 11. It's polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine as a gift. The tables are usually full of food: meat, fish, vegetables, salads.

For Russian people birthdays are very special days, especially for children. Parents and family members give cards and give presents.

Weddings are old and beautiful traditions in Russia. They usually take place in autumn when the harvest is gathered. Most weddings take place on Saturdays in the early afternoon. You have to get married in a registry office. But nowadays many people like to get married in church with its age-old ritual and customs.

Another strong habit is keeping a pet at home. There is hardly ever a house in Russia without a little friend of the whole family.

There is a tradition that our people follow: it is keeping our country tidy and preserving all the historical sights and places of interest in perfect condition for future generations.

Read some information about holidays.

The school leaver's ball. The ball symbolizes leaving school. Well-dressed school leavers come to school. After farewell speeches, parting wishes and short banquet all the leavers, their teachers and parents go for a walk in the streets and parks, where they dance and sing.

For­tune-telling on Epiphany Eve. Following popular beliefs Epiphany Eve is a time for fortune-telling. Girls are gathered together separately from boys to guess at a future fiancé: for example, they are asked the name of the first person they met in the street late at night and this would be the fiancé’s name. A period of hard frost usu­ally falls on this time (Epiphany frost). A specific ritual of bathing in an ice-hole on the night of Epiphany in order to purge oneself, to atone for one's sins is now reviv­ing not only in the Russian villages, but also in large cities.

Shrovetide, Maslenitsa (Butter week, Cheese week). Week before Lent. Throughout this week, pancakes are made; people enjoy themselves and visit each other to eat pancakes. M. dates back to the old pre-Christian Slavic tradition / marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

Christmas

On the 25-th of December people celebrate Christmas. Christmas is a religious holiday which symbolizes the birth of Jesus Christ.

On the Sunday before Christmas many churches hold a carol service where special hymns are sung. Sometimes carol-singers can be heard on the streets as they collect money for charity. People are reminded of Charles Dickens story 'Christmas Carol'. Most families decorate their houses with brightly-coloured paper or holly, and they usually have a Christmas tree in the corner of the front room, glittering with coloured lights and decorations.

There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but perhaps the most important one is the giving of presents. Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them at the bottom of the Christmas tree to be found on Christmas morning. Children leave a long sock or stocking at the end of their beds on Christmas Eve, 24th December, hoping that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and bring them small presents, fruit and nuts. They are usually not disappointed! At some time on Christmas Day the family will sit down to a big turkey dinner followed by Christmas pudding. They will probably pull a cracker with another member of the family. It will make a loud crack and a coloured hat, small toy and joke will fall out!

Later in the afternoon they may watch the Queen on television as she delivers her traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. If they have room for even more food they may enjoy a piece of Christmas cake or eat a hot mince pie. 26th December is also a public holiday, Boxing Day, and this is the time to visit friends and relatives or watch football.

St. Valentine's Day

St. Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th as a festival of romance and affection. People send greeting cards called "valentines" to their sweethearts, friends, and members of their families.

Many valentines have romantic poems; others are humorous: But almost all valentines ask: "Be My Valentine." This may mean be my friend or be my love or be my companion. Valentines often show a cupid with an arrow. Cupid, also called Eros, was the ancient Roman god of love.

St. Valentine’s Day is not a legal holiday; schools and banks are open as usual. Merchants sell valentines and decorations for St. Valentine's Day’s parties and dances. All the decorations are bright red, and the most popular ones are heart shaped.

School children decorate their classrooms with bright red paper hearts and celebrate the day in their classroom. They also make valentine cards for their friends and parents. Red is the colour most often used in valentines because it is a symbol of warmth and feelings. This is the reason that red roses have long been a symbol of love. Pink is a mixture of red and white and is quite commonly used also. White is the symbol of purity and is a colour often used in valentines. It is believed that the bridal veil may have inspired the use of lace on valentines.

Stores advertise heavily for this holiday since it is traditional for sweethearts, spouses, and members of the family to exchange gifts on St. Valentine's Day. Heart shaped boxes of candy, jewelry and flowers are some of the popular gifts given on this day.

Many newspapers carry advertisements or messages placed by people in love. Both men and women want to let their sweethearts know how much they love them. On St.Valentine’s Day many radio stations play romantic music all day long. One very famous song is called My Funny Valentine.

St. Valentine's Day is a day to share loving feelings with friends and family. It has become traditional for many couples to become engaged on this day. Also famous couples are remembered. Some of them are Romeo and Juliet, Caesar and Cleopatra, among others. This is a happy day because it is especially dedicated to celebrate love, affection and friendship.

Easter

The Cross

Christ was crucified on a cross, so the cross has come to have a special meaning to Christians. It represents Christ's victory over death. It is a significant Easter symbol.

The Lamb

Jesus was known as the Lamb of God. At one time the Jews sacrificed a lamb during a Passover festival, and early Christians adopted this as a sign of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Lamb is now a traditional Easter meal, and cookies and cakes are often made in the shape of a lamb for Easter.

Eggs

Of course, eggs represent new life. Long ago some people believed that the earth was hatched from a gigantic egg! Eggs have been exchanged for centuries. Ancient Egyptians dyed eggs and gave them to friends as gifts. In England friends wrote messages on coloured eggs. The practice of colouring and exchanging eggs has been carried on in many parts of the world today. Some of the most elaborately decorated eggs are Ukranian found in E. Europe. Often eggs are left by the Easter bunny for children to find on Easter morning much to their delight!

Easter Rabbits

In America and around the world many children believe that the Easter bunny brings Easter eggs and hides them for finding on Easter morning. Where did this tradition begin? There are many different legends, but here is a popular one.

Long ago in Germany there lived an old loving woman who adored children. Each year she would give children gifts to celebrate spring. One year she had nothing to give because she had grown very poor due to a great famine in the land. All she had were some eggs. She did not want to disappoint the children, so quickly before they arrived for their gifts, she coloured the eggs and hid them in the grass.

When the children arrived, she told them to run out into the lawn to find their gifts hiding there. Of course, the children ran into the yard in search of their surprise. Just as one of the children uncovered the eggs a large rabbit hop­ped away. So the children thought that the rabbit had left the eggs for them! And ever since, children have searched for the eggs left by the Easter rabbit on Easter morning.

It is also true that in ancient Egypt the rabbit symbolized the moon. It also symbolized new life and birth. Because Easter's date is determined by the moon and Easter occurs in the springtime, it was natural that the rabbit continued to be one of the symbols of Easter.

What is Halloween?

Halloween was first celebrated many centuries ago in Ireland and Scotland by Celtic priests called Druids. They observed the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. The Druids thought that Halloween was the night when the witches came out. As they were afraid of the witches they put on different clothes and painted their faces to deceive the evil spirits. They also placed food and small gifts near the doors of their houses for the witches. This was, as they say now, the beginning of the expression "trick or treat" (meaning “give me something or I'll play a trick on you”).

It is considered that Halloween was brought to America by the immigrants from Ireland and Scotland. In the 19th century they celebrated Halloween according to their old traditions (the integral part of the festival was a lantern made of a pumpkin with holes in the form of eyes, a nose and a mouth, and people believed that during the celebration all pumpkins were leaving their vegetable gardens to dance in the streets). As time went by, grown-up people lost interest in Halloween, and it was celebrated almost entirely by children. Dressed very strangely, children held festivals. During their carnival and after it groups of children visited nearby houses and asked for candies. "Trick or treat! Trick or treat!" was heard everywhere.

In recent years grown-up people have begun taking part in Halloween. In New York, for example, young and old take part in parades together. On the 31st of October long before the time when the carnival procession begins to move, a great number of people get together in one of the streets. They are dressed as witches, demons and other evil spirits. There are hundreds of large orange "pumpkins" in their hands. After the parade the festival lasts almost till early morning.

This is how the Americans celebrate Halloween.

Celebrations in the USA

The population of the USA is made up of people of different nationalities. Centuries ago they brought with them their native celebrations. Some holidays which are marked in the United States originated in America. The number of holidays is different in different states - from 8 in the District of Columbia to 20 in Oklahoma. But the most important holidays are celebrated throughout the USA. They are: New Year's Day (January 1), Lincoln's Birthday (February 12), Washington's Birthday (February 22), Independence Day (July 4), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), Christmas (December 25). Here are a few words about them.

On New Year's Day people see the old year off and the New Year in. Most people stay up all night, even children. At midnight many people go outside and shout «Happy New Year»! Some people set off fireworks and blow automobile horns which are heard everywhere. Everybody exchanges presents and good wishes. Offices, factories, banks and stores do not work on this day.

Lincoln's birthday is celebrated every year on February 12. Abraham Lincoln was President during the Civil War (1861-1865) He led the fight to keep the nation together and to free the slaves. His life ended tragically. He was killed at the theatre during the performance soon after the victory of the North. In honour of this great man a beautiful memorial has been built in Washington, D.C. Lincoln's birthday is celebrated every year on February, 12.

Washington's birthday is marked on February, 22. George Washington led the American Army to victory in the War for Independence. Later he was elected the President of the United States and was in office for 8 years (1789-1797). The national capital of the United States, a state and several towns are named after George Washington.

One of the greatest holidays is Independence Day. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed. It proclaimed independence of the thirteen British colonies from Great Britain. July 4 has become the greatest holiday since. In the past this day was marked with big parades and fireworks, but now it is celebrated more quietly. Cities and towns are decorated with flags on that day, there are parades in some places, but most people just go on picnics to the countryside.

Labour Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September. On this day workers make a public show with marches, meetings, etc. It also marks the beginning of the school year and the end of summer.

Thanksgiving Day is marked on the fourth Thursday of November On this day the Americans honour the memory of the first settlers. It also marks the end of the harvest season. It is a long-standing tradition to make a festive meal with a fried turkey on this day.

Christmas is a religious holiday which symbolizes the birth of Jesus Christ. By this day people decorate fir trees with toys and candies Children wait for Santa Claus who comes to every house and brings them presents. Before going to bed, children leave their shoes to find in them what they want most of all the next morning. Some people, especially young people, like to celebrate it in restaurants and cafes and pubs, but most people prefer to stay at home with their family on this day.

Birthdays

For British and American people, birthdays are very special days, especially for children. Parents and family members send cards and give presents. Often, children have birthday parties. They invite their friends, who bring presents to the party. There are games, and prizes, and a birthday "tea" with sandwiches, biscuits, ice cream and a birthday cake. There are small candies on the cake. If the child is four years old he has four candles. If he is five, he has five candles, and so on. When the little guests leave, they each get a small present and a balloon.

Birthdays are special days for older people too. Family members and friends give presents and send birthday cards. When people meet someone on their birthday, some­times even at work, they say “Happy birthday!” or “Many happy returns of the day!” (This means “I hope you will live to have many more birthdays.”)

The most important birthday is the eighteenth. When you are eighteen, you are grown up. You can vote, you can get married and you can even go to prison! People often have a big party on their eighteenth birthday, and receive a lot of presents. Until a few years ago, the most important birthday was the twenty-first, and some people still wait for their big party until they are twenty-one.

Fortieth and seventieth birthdays are also rather special, and in Britain, if you live to be a hundred, the Queen sends you her congratulations.

Weddings

In Britain and the USA, wedding invitations go out about six weeks before the wed­ding day. The guests write as soon as possible to say if they can or cannot come.

Choosing a present for the couple can be difficult. In Britain people don't take their presents to the wedding. They send them to the woman's house before the wedding day. To help them find a present, couples often make a list of what they would like and leave it at a store. Their friends cаll the store and order something from the list.

Most weddings take place before lunch or in the early afternoon. Many people like to get married in church. The bride often wears a long white dress. Guests wear their best clothes and most of the women wear hats. In the church, the bride's family sits on the left and the groom's family sits on the right.

In Britain you have to get married in a church or a registry office (never both). But in the States you get married where you like, in your home, in a hotel or in a park or garden.

After the wedding, there is a short reception. The guests go to the bride's home or to a hotel, pub or restaurant and have something to eat and champagne to drink. The bride and groom cut the wedding cake, and the groom's friend (his "best man") makes a speech. The guests usually leave after the bride and groom. Sometimes the couple gives a party or disco in the evening.

Married people wear their wedding rings on the third finger of the left hand. Most married women wear wedding rings, but married men often do not.

Task 1. A British couple invite you to their home for dinner. What should you do? Choose a) or b).

1. You accept the invitation, but you find later you are not free after all.

a) you call them to say you cannot come.

b) you do not want to be rude, so you do not call.

2. You go to the dinner, and you take with you:

a) an expensive present

b) some flowers

Task 2. Speak on Russian, British and American traditions of birthday and wedding celebration.

Task 3. Answer the following questions:

1. What are the differences between celebration of Russian, English and American holidays?

2. Are there any holidays in Russia, England or the USA which are celebrated not only in these countries but all over the world?

3. Are there any holidays in these countries which are celebrated more than one day?

4. What are the most important religious holidays in Russia and England?

5. Which is the most popular holiday in Great Britain?

6. What are the most favourite Russian and American holidays?

7. When is Christmas celebrated in these countries?

8. How do people in Russia, G.B. and the USA usually decorate their houses and Christmas trees at Christmas and New Year?

9. How do people celebrate Christmas?

10. Are there any performances in these countries on celebrating holidays? What do the people do when they take part in a festival or parade?

11. What is the symbol of the New Year?

12. What can you say about Easter?

13. Do Russian people dye eggs on Easter?

14. Where do people go on Easter?

15. What may people usually cook on Easter?

16. What country do you want to go to on winter holiday?

17. You want to make surprise for your mother on Mother’s day. What is this?

18. How do people celebrate Halloween?

19. Do you like to celebrate holidays with your friend or with your family?

20. Do you like getting presents or giving them?

PART VII

POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Цель - формирование системы знаний и представлений о политическом устройстве родной страны и стран изучаемого языка, формирование социокультурной компетенции.

Political system in Russia

Russia as a state is a constitutional or parliamentary republic. The capital of the country is Moscow. The head of the state is the President who controls all the three branches of power. The Federal Assembly, consisting of the Council of Federation and the State Duma exercises the legislative power. The president of Russia is the government’s chief executive, head of state, and most powerful official. The president is elected by the people to a four-year term. The president, with the approval of the lower house of parliament, appoints a prime minister to serve as head of government. The prime minister is the top – ranking official of a Council of Ministers (cabinet). The council carries out the operations of the government. The Federal Assembly is also called the Parliament, though it is not its official name. Both chambers (the Council of Federation and the State Duma) are headed by chairmen sometimes called speakers. The State Duma consists of 450 deputies. 225 are elected personally by the population. The other half consists of the deputies who are appoint­ed by their parties after party-list voting according to which every party gains a number of seats. The State Duma makes the country’s laws. Legislation proposed by the Duma must be approved by the Federation Council and by the president before becoming law. However, the State Duma can override a veto by the Federation Council and send legislation directly to the president. The Federation Council approves government appointments and such presidential actions as the declaration of martial law and the use of armed forces outside of Russia. Members of the State Duma are elected by the people to four – year terms. Members of the Federation Council are local government officials. They are not elected directly by the people. Half of the members are appointed by local governors. The other half are elected by local legislatures. All Russian citizens 18 years of age and older may vote in the countries elections. The members of the Council of Federation are elected on a different basis. Two representatives of each subject of the Federation are to be elected, and there are 89 subjects in the Russian Federation. Every law to be adopted must be approved by the State Duma, the Council of Federation and signed by the President.

Russia has a highly-developed system of social insurance. It means that the country invests its money in pensions, public health, education and sport. In Russia a person has insurance and doesn't have to pay much when he or she enters a university or visits a doctor. When a person retires, he or she doesn't have to starve, but gets a pension and can afford travelling abroad, medical care and good food.

There are many political parties in Russia. The most well-known are the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, United Russia, Regions of Russia, Motherland – All Russia, Yabloko and Union of the Right Forces.

Task 1. Answer the questions:

1. What kind of state is Russia?

2. What is the political structure in Russia?

3. Who is the head of the state?

4. What institutions does the Federal Assembly consist of?

5. Who may be a deputy of the State Duma?

6. What is the State Duma responsible for?

7. What can you say about the system of social insurance in Russia?

8. Do you think that in politics much depends on the personality of a politician?

9. Which traits are positive and which are negative for a politician in your opinion?

10. Are there many political parties in Russia?

Task 2. Review the functions each of the power institutions performs.

Task 3. Prove that it is very important to have the head of state who is democratically elected.

Task 4. What is important for real democracy?

Task 5. Cross out the words that don’t match the idea of democracy: integration, separatist, ethnic harmony, liberal, peace, democratic, constitutional, and racist.

Political System in Great Britain

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. This means that it has a monarch (a king or a queen) as its Head of State. The monarch reigns with the support of Parliament. The powers of the monarch are not defined precisely. Eve­rything today is done in the Queen's name. It is her govern­ment, her armed forces, her law courts and so on. She ap­points all the Ministers, including the Prime Minister. Eve­rything is done, however, on the advice of the elected Government, and the monarch takes no part in the decision-making process.

Once the British Empire in­cluded a large number of coun­tries all over the world ruled by Britain. The process of decoloni­sation began in 1947 with the independence of India, Paki­stan and Ceylon. Now, apart from Hong Kong and a few small islands, there is no longer an empire. But the British ruling classes tried not to lose influence over the former colonies of the British Empire. Аn association of former members of the British Empire and Brit­ain was founded in 1949. It is called the Common­wealth. It includes many countries such as Ireland, Burma, the Sudan, Cana­da, Australia, New Zea­land and others. The Queen of Great Britain is also the Head of the Commonwealth, and so the Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand... The Queen is very rich as well as the other members of the royal family. In addi­tion, the government pays for her expenses as Head of State, for a royal yacht, train and aircraft as well as for the upkeep of several palaces. The Queen's image appears on stamps, notes and coins.

Parliament consists of two chambers known as the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government of the country, and they only meet together on symbolic occasions such as the coronation of a new monarch or the opening of Parliament. In reality, the House of Com­mons is the only one of the three which has true power. It is here that new bills are introduced and debated. If the majority of the members are in favour of a bill it goes to the House of Lords to be debated and finally to the mon­arch to be signed. Only then it becomes law. Although a bill must be supported by all three bodies, the House of Lords only has limited powers, and the monarch has not refused to sign one since the modern political system be­gan over 200 years ago.

The British Parliament and the Electoral System

The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons and the Queen as its head.

The House of Commons plays the major role in law-making. It consists of Members of Parliament (called MPs for short), each of whom represents an area in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. MPs are elected ei­ther at a general election, or at a by-election following the death or retirement of an MP.

Parliamentary elections must be held every five years, but the Prime Minister can decide on the exact date within those five years. The minimum voting age is 18, and the voting is taken by secret ballot.

The election campaign lasts about three weeks. The election is decided on a simple majority—the candidate with most votes wins. An MP who wins by a small num­ber of votes may have more votes against him (that is, for the other candidates) than for him. Many people think that it is unfair because the wishes of those who voted for the unsuccessful candidates are not repre­sented at all. The British parliamentary system depends on political parties. The political parties choose can­didates in elections. The party which wins the major­ity of seats forms the Government and its leader usu­ally becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses about 20 MPs from his or her party to be­come the Cabinet of Ministers. Each minister is respon­sible for a particular area of the government. The sec­ond largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and “Shadow cabinet”. Leader of the Opposition is a recognized post in the House of Com­mons.

The House of Commons

The House of Commons is made up of 650 elected members, known as Members of Parliament (MPs). The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker, a member acceptable to the whole House. MPs sit on two sides of the hall, one side for the governing party and the other for the opposition. The first two rows of seats are occupied by the leading members of both parties (called ‘front-benchers’), the back benches belong to the rank-and-file MPs ('back-benchers'). Each session of the House of Commons lasts for 160—175 days. Parliament has inter­vals during its work. MPs are paid for their parliamentary work and have to attend the sittings. MPs have to catch the Speaker's eye when they want to speak, then they rise from where they have been sitting to address the House and must do so without either reading a prepared speech or con­sulting notes.

Although there is some space given to other than government proposals, the lion's share of parliamentary time is taken by the party in power. A proposed law, a bill, has to go through three stages in order to become an Act of Parliament. These are called readings. The first reading is a formality and is simply the publication of the proposal. The second reading involves debate on the principles of the bill, its examination by a parliamentary committee, and the third reading—a report stage, when the work of the committee is reported on to the House. This is usually the most important stage in the process. The third reading is often a formality too; if six members table a motion, then there has to be a debate on the third reading. If the majority of MPs still vote for the bill, it is sent to the House of Lords for discussion. When the Lords agree, the bill is taken to the Queen for Royal assent. All bills must pass through both houses before being sent for signature by the Queen, when they become Acts of Parliament and the Law of the Land.

The House of Lords

The other House of Parliament is the House of Lords. The House of Lords has more than 1,000 members, although only about 250 take an active part in the work of the House. This House consists of those lords who sit by right of inher­itance and those men and women who have been given life peerages which end with the life of their possessors. Mem­bers of this Upper House are not elected. They sit there because of their rank. The chairman of the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor and he sits on a special seat called the Woolsack.

The members of the House of Lords debate a bill after it has been passed by the House of Commons. Changes may be recommended, and agreement between the two Houses is reached by negotiations. The Lords' main power consists in being able to delay non-financial bills for a period of a year, but they can also introduce certain types of bill. The House of Lords is the only non-elected second chamber in the parliaments of the world, and some people in Britain would like to abolish it.

The division of Parliament into two Houses goes back to over some 700 years when a feudal assembly assisted the King. In modern times, real political power rests with the elected House although members of the House of Lords may oc­cupy important cabinet posts.

Political Parties

Political parties first emerged in Britain at the end of the 17th century. The Conservative and Liberal Parties are the oldest and until the end of the 19th century they were the only parties elected to the House of Commons. The main British political groupings are the Conservative and Labour Parties and the Party of Liberal Democrats. The Conserva­tive Party is the present ruling party, the Labour Party - the opposition to the Conservative—and the party of Lib­eral Democrats is called 'conservatively oriented'. The So­cial Democratic Party was formed in 1981 and made an alliance with the Liberal Party in 1988.

There are also some other parties: the Scottish National and Welsh Nationalist Parties, the Communist Party of Britain and the Communist Party of Great Britain.

Because of the electoral method in use, only two major parties obtain seats in the House of Commons. People be­longing to smaller political parties join one of the larger parties and work from within to make their influence felt. The exception to this are members of the Scottish National and Welsh Nationalist Parties, who, because their votes are concentrated in specific geographical areas, can manage to win seats although their total sup­port is relatively small.

The Conservative Party

The Conservative Party, often called the Tory Party, is one of those which can trace its roots back to this early period. Today the Tory Party is that of big business, indus­try, commerce and landowners. Most of the money needed to run the party comes from large firms and companies. The party represents those who believe in private enterprise as opposed to state-owned undertakings. There is some divi­sion within the party itself: the more aristocratic wing and the lower-middle-class group. The Tories are a mixture of the rich and privileged—the monopolists and landowners. The Conservative Party is the most powerful and is often called a party of business directors.

The word “Tory” means an Irish highwayman and was applied to the conservatives by their opponents but later they adopted the name to describe themselves. The Tories opposed the ideas of the French Revolution, Parliamentary Reform and the development of Trade Unionism. They represent co­lonial policy. In home policy they opposed the tendencies of the Labour Party to nationalize gas, electricity, coal and the railways. Today the Conservative Party can broadly be de­scribed as the party of the middle and upper classes.

The Liberal Party and the Labour Party

The Conservative Party and the Liberal Party are more than three hundred years old. The Tories called the Liberals 'Whigs'. A ‘whig’ was a Scottish preacher who could go on for 4 or 5 hours at a time preaching moralising sermons. In the middle of the 19th century the Liberal Party represented the trading and manufacturing classes. Its slogan at that time was 'Civil and Religious Liberty'. William Gladstone headed the first administration (1868—74) and for long periods the Liberals had a Parliamentary majority. During the second half of the 19^th century many working people looked at the Lib­eral Party as an alternative to the Conservatives and their policy.

At the end of the 19^th century and in the first two decades of the 20^th century," the Liberals lost the support of working-class voters. In 1988 the Liberal Party made an alliance with Social Demo­crats and the Party of Liberal Democrats was formed.

The Labour Party, formed in 1900, was the one which drew away working people's support. It was founded by the Trades Unions. When the Labour Government was first elected in 1945 it showed a considerable change in policy from the Tories.

Since 1924 the Labour Party has been in and out of power four times with the Conservatives forming the government for the rest of the time. The social system has remained unchanged. As a result of divisions within the Labour Party its right-wing members broke away in 1981 to form a new organization, the Social Democratic Party. The later fought the 1983 election in an alliance with the Liberals, but only a small number of their MPs were elected. They would like to change the electoral sys­tem because they think the present system unfair.

Task 1. Answer the following questions:

1. What is Britain’s political system?

2. What does the term “constitutional monarchy” mean?

3. What role does Parliament play?

4. What can you say about the electoral system of the British parlament?

5. What are the functions of the House of Commons and the House of Lords?

6. What are the major political parties in Great Britain?

7. What interests does the Conservative Party present?

8. Is there any division within the party itself?

9. What can you say about the Liberal and the Labour Party?

10. Are there any other parties in Great Britain?

Task 2. The idea of democracy plays a great role in politics. What do you think 'democracy' means?

• People do what they want.

• People rule the country.

• People do what they want within the framework of law.

• People elect their representatives to rule the country.

• People elect the head of state directly.

• People say what they think.

• People can live in any place they choose.

• The head of state guarantees the rights of cit­izens.

• All people and authorities follow the constitution.

Task 3. What activities are the Queen, lawmakers, the Prime Minister, the members of the opposition and ministers involved in?

Task 4. There are people who think that the monarchy is undemocratic. What do the British think about the monarchy?

Task 5. Match the words with their definitions:

a group of the most important ministers non elected members of Parliament the number of seats the leading party has the head of state in Britain now the name the chambers of parliament are called

a) majority b) cabinet persons who are responsible for the government policies c) ministers d) opposition e) house f) queen g) lords

The USA and its political system

The country is a federative republic which consists of 50 states and District of Columbia, where Washington, D.C., the capital of the country, is situated. The head of the country is the President, who is elected every four years. Every state has its own Constitution and the system of power.

The supreme legislative organ is the Congress of the US. The members of the Congress are called congressmen. The Congress consists of two chambers — the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is the lower chamber, the representatives are elected pro­portionally to the population of the USA. The Senate is the higher chamber; two senators are elected from each of the USA states notwithstanding the size of population in the state.

The main political parties are the Republicans (their symbol is Elephant) and the Democrats (their symbol is Donkey).

The main law of the USA is the Constitution. It was created and adopted in Philadelphia in 1787. The main goals of the Constitution were to create a stable federative state and to guarantee the right to have private property. But other rights and freedoms of the citizens were not guaran­teed by the Constitution. So in 1789 there appeared the necessity of in­cluding more articles which would declare and guarantee political and personal rights of the US citizens. The first ten items — called Amend­ments — were called the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights on the one hand is now a part of the US Constitution, that's why it is rather difficult to write a Bill of Rights for an imaginary state. The US Bill of Rights is an addition to the existing Constitution and is formed of some Amendments to it. So any Bill of Rights should be built on the Constitution. On the other hand, the US Bill of Right is the only part of the US Constitution which guarantees the main rights and freedoms of the citizens. Russia doesn't need any Bill of Rights, since all the rights and freedoms are guaran­teed by the Russian Constitution.

Task 1. Answer the questions.

1. What is the political system in the USA?

2. Who is the head of the state in the USA?

3. Do you think that the role of the head of state in the USA is ceremonial like in Great Britain?

4. What is the supreme legislative organ?

5. What chambers does the Congress consist of?

6. What can you say about the electoral system in the USA?

7. What kind of person may be elected a senator?

8. What are the main political parties in the USA?

9. What is the main function of the constitution?

10. What can you say about the US Bill of Rights?

GROUP WORK

1) The US, British and Russian governmental systems have different features. What is the difference between them?

2) Are there any common features in the governmental systems in Russia, Great Britain and the USA?

Part VIII

NATIONAL LIFE

Цель - – формирование системы знаний и представлений о наиболее типичных национальных черт характера и национальных особенностях родной страны и стран изучаемого языка, формирование социокультурной компетенции.

Flags

The Russian flag has stripes of white, blue and red colour. It was adopted in 1991. The state seal was adopted in 1993. it includes symbols of the Russian Empire.

The United Slates flag is called the "Stars and Stripes". It has thirteen red-and-white stripes and fifty white stars on a blue square. One star is for each state of the United States now, and the stripes are for the first thirteen states of the union. There is a story that the first flag was a patchwork quilt made by a patriotic lady called Betsy Ross. The flag is also called the "Star-Spangled Banner", the name of the national anthem of the United States.

In the eighteenth century, America was a land of many flags. There were, for example, the ship of New Hampshire, the tree of Massachusetts and the anchor of Rhode Island. The Stars and Stripes first became the national flag after the Declaration of Independence, in 1776.

Americans enjoy their flag. They use the stars and stripes as a popular design on shirts, shoes, hats anywhere and everywhere in fact. It is typical of American informality and their love of bright, cheerful colours.

But Americans are patriotic, too. Many of them think that America is the best, the first and the greatest nation in the world, and that their flag is the flag of freedom.

The Stars and Stripes stands by the President's desk. The flag hangs in every classroom in America, and in many schools every day children salute it before the school day begins. And on July 4th, Independence Day, “Stars and Stripes” are everywhere: on the streets, on houses and in the big parades. Britain's flag is called the "Union Jack". It is really three flags on top of each other: the red cross on white of St George for England, the white "X" on blue of St Andrew for Scotland and the red "X" on white of St Patrick for Ireland.

Like Americans, British people have fun with their flag. They put it on biscuit tins, party hats and plastic bags. But unlike Americans, most British people do not like to talk about or show patriotic feelings. They feel too embarrassed. You will see the Union Jack on top of government offices in London, but you will not often find it in shops, in offices or in people's homes.

Task 1. Answer the following questions:

1.What can you say about American flag?

2.Why is Britain’s flag called the “Union Jack”?

3.What does Russian flag look like?

Russian homes

Many Russian people live with their families in block of flats in cities and small towns. They live in very comfortable and well-planned flats with all modern conveniences, such as central heating, electricity, gas, cold and hot running water and telephones. There are usually two, three or four rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet and a hall in each flat. Some families own their own houses. These are detached houses with land around them. Typically a house has a small garden at the back and small yard in front of it, a garage and a swimming pool.

People in the village live in the country cottages. Most of them are stone buildings with gardens, but some of them are very old and may have a thatched or tiled roof. Accommodation in Russia is very expensive and that’s why some people rent flats or houses. One third of Russian people live in rented state-owned homes. It is often very difficult for young people to buy a home when they want to start a family.

There is a state program in Russia which helps young people to build their own flat or house. They may get a loan from the bank for construction the accommodation. Students usually live in the youth hostels, which each university, institute or college provides them.

American homes

Many young Americans do not live with their families, but in apartment blocks or residential areas where everyone is more or less of the same age.

Young people often move away from home when they leave school if they can afford it into shared apartments or small, one-room "studio" apartments. They do their own cooking and cleaning, and go to the family home perhaps for the weekend.

Young married couples may move to new suburbs where most people have young families. In the country, some even build their houses themselves.

If a family's income goes up, they often move to another suburb, where the houses are bigger with two or even three garages, a swimming pool, a games room for the children and everything a family could want.

Old people often do not live with their grown-up children. Many live in old people's homes. Some live in special towns, built for old people, where there are no young children and the atmosphere is quiet.

Americans are always on the move, and some families change their homes every few years. Every year, 20% of Americans move house. For example, some people could start life in an apartment in New York, go on to a white-painted wooden home in New England with small windows to keep out the cold in winter, and end their life in a sunny house in California where oranges grow in the garden and big windows give a wonderful view of the swimming pool and the sea.

British homes

British homes are usually smaller than American homes, but, like Americans, old people, young families and unmarried people do not usually live together.

Many British people love old houses, and these are often more expensive than modern ones. They also love gardening, and you will see gardens everywhere you go: in towns, villages and out in the country. Some are very small, with just one tree and a few flowers. Others are enormous, with plenty of flowers and enough vegetables and fruit trees to feed a family.

There are 22 million homes in Britain - big homes and small homes, old cottages and new high-rise buildings, houses and flats. (Americans say "apartment", but British people say "flat").

Two thirds of the families in Britain own their own homes. Millions of these "owner-occupied" houses are the same, with two or three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs; a sitting room, dining room and kitchen downstairs and a small garden at the back and front of the house. To pay for their house, home owners borrow money from a "building society" and pay back a little every month.

One quarter of British people live in rented state-owned homes, called "council houses".

Many of these are flats, but some are houses, each with a small piece of garden. Other people rent their homes from private owners.

There are a great many different kinds of homes in Britain, but they are not enough! It is often very difficult for young people to find a home when they want to start a family.

Task 1. Read the texts about Russian, British and American homes, and be ready to answer the following questions:

1. Where do America, British and Russian people prefer to live?

2. Do they often change the place of living?

3. Do the old people prefer to live with their grown-up children?

4. Is the accommodation expensive or cheap in these countries?

5. Is it difficult for young people to buy or build their own home?

6. Does the government of these countries help young people buy or build their own home?

7. What is the typical Russian, American and British house? Describe it.

Task 2. Be ready to discuss these problems.

1. The Russian, British and American living standards.

2. Welfare and poverty problems.

3. Dependence of the young people on their parents.

Family life in Great Britain and the USA

British and American families are small. In fact the populations of both Britain and the USA have nearly stopped growing.

In the old days, a "typical" family had a father, a mother and two or three children, with grandparents living near. Most children still live in this kind of family, but in both countries there is a growing number of "single parent families", with only one parent.

Some parents are single because they are divorced, but many other young parents do not get married at all.

The typical British family has a car, a colour TV set, a washing machine and a cat or dog as well. They start the day at about 7 o'clock, have breakfast at 8 and are off to work by 8.30. More and more women now go out to work as well as men. The children have lunch at school at about 12.30 and come home at 4 in the afternoon. Their parents are usually home by 6 o'clock, and the family eats together at 6.30 or 7. In the evenings, father may go to the pub for a drink or stay at home and watch TV with the others. Young children go to bed early, at about 8 o'clock, two or three hours before their parents.

The typical American family has more money than a British family. Some have two or three cars, large modern kitchens and more electrical goods. They eat more meat and spend more on clothes. But their daily program is nearly the same. Like British children, American children eat lunch at school, come home mid-afternoon and go to bed earlier than their parents.

Customs and Traditions Patterns of the American Family Life

Diversity of Patterns

The diversity of patterns of American family life is really remark­able. Various things account for this: ethnic background, immigration date of their forebears, social background, religion, and other factors. The ancestors of present-day Americans came from more than 17 different European countries, Canada, Mexico, from other Latin American nations, as well as from Africa, China, Japan, the Philippines and many other eastern countries. There are over 22 million blacks (Afro-Americans) living in the US. In addition there are more than 700,000 Native Americans (American Indians). It is now estimated that by the year 2050 half of Americans will be Hispanic, Black, or Asian by ethnic background. This great diversity makes family customs so varied.

Social Problems

People's living standards vary greatly — from the affluence of the rich in the upper income bracket and the moderate but satisfying living standards of the so-called "middle class" to the very low incomes of those who are on official subsistence using welfare because they are either unemployed or lack the necessary means for day-to-day living.

Welfare and poverty problems have been a central issue for many years. Many are inclined to treat welfare recipients as "undeserving poor" who are alleged to have low intelligence or low ambition. President John F. Kennedy was the first to generate programs directed toward services and work-oriented counseling for the welfare poor. The subculture of poverty is sometimes seen as pathological and contradictory to the values cherished by the middle class which emphasize hard work, motivation to succeed, thrift and stable family life. Some play up the image of "undeserving" masses of welfare recipients. But in fact, their economic plight can be combatted only through dealing with flaws in the surrounding social and economic system, such as racial discrimination or high rates of unemployment. As a matter of fact, the poor, both blacks and whites, never have had freedom of choice. Their education for the most part has been inadequate and the market has been unable to absorb all the working hands. The solution to the problem of poverty lies in the change of the culture and values of the poor by means of expanding social work, education, and training programs.

Though some people claim that welfare recipients do not try to work, many surveys have found that for most welfare recipients work patterns are seasonal or irregular; for many work and welfare are alternative means of economic existence; for some welfare supplements low wages; there are also such reasons as poor health, the lack of child care, the inability to find work. Attitudes of typical welfare recipients in fact are not anti-work or oriented toward laziness and delight with welfare living. Seven in ten would rather work for pay than stay at home on welfare. Many mothers have no good place to leave their children all day. It is obvious that the poor, young and old, black and white — are very work-oriented and usually have as high aspirations as the nonpoor. Studies have also found a negative attitude toward being on welfare among many recipients. Most people think that getting money from welfare makes a person feel ashamed. This feeling may account for the fact that a large proportion of those who have not found decent-paying jobs have not gone on welfare even though they qualify. Suggestions that the majority of welfare recipients live as well as the average American worker seem ludicrous. Many recipients are unable to afford medical or dental care; many put off paying the rent in order to buy enough food. The short of it is: Welfare is the "good life only for those who have not lived it."

Marriage

Marriage in the United States is considered a matter of individual responsibility and decision. American marriages are usually based on romantic love, rather than on social class, education, money, or religion. On the other hand, marriages between blacks and whites are rare. They probably account for fewer than 1 per cent of all marriages each year. Marriage is preceded by dating. Casual dating usually begins in the early teens, and by the late teens a pattern of steady dating develops. Steady dating is often followed by marriage.

What has been called the "new morality" among young people was a controversial development which started in the 1960s. Practiced largely by the young, this pattern accepts close relationships and even living together before marriage. However, many Americans do not approve of this behavior pattern and uphold a double standard in sexual behavior, which means that what is acceptable for young men is not for young women. On the other hand, some young people — both men and women — accept a single standard for both sexes before marriage.

Dating in America looks generally very casual to outsiders. For example, it is perfectly respectable for a young man to call up a young woman, introduce himself by telephone, and arrange a date. Usually they have a friend in common. It is equally acceptable for a friend to arrange a "blind date" that is a date between two young people who have not met before.

After their marriage the young couple is free to decide where to live. Most newlyweds set up their own household immediately. Most married people practice some kind of birth control. They plan the number of children they are going to have and when their children will be born. Birth-control information and family planning are easily available.

Today, according to the US Census Bureau, 59 percent of men and 47 percent of women between 18 and 24 depend on their parents despite all traditional patterns of behavior, at least for housing. This is part of a major shift in the middle class. Analysts cite a variety of reasons for this return to the nest. The marriage age is rising. A high divorce rate and a declining remarriage rate are sending economically pressured and emotionally battered young people to parental shelters. For some, the expense of an away-from-home college education has become so exorbitant that many students now attend local schools. Even after graduation young people find their wings clipped by skyrocketing housing costs.

Sharing the family home requires adjustment for all. There may be the hassles over bathrooms, telephones and privacy. Some families, however, manage the delicate balancing act.

The familiar structure in present-day America is the so-called "nuclear family". It is unusual for members of the family other than the husband, wife, and children to live together. But the forgotten term "extended family" is coming back again with a different meaning. Now it means that there have appeared an increasing numbers of families that include half brothers and sisters, and stepmothers and stepfathers. There is a growing number of people who have been married three or even four times.

The reasons for re-marriage are: the comparative ease of divorce and the greatly lessened social stigma that it now carries; a romanticization of marriage that cannot live up to the long-term reality; a "flip of the dial" attitude that fosters moving on as soon as problems or ennui set in; the economic independence of women; a level of affluence that makes multiple families possible for some; an attitude among the so-called "me" generation that places fulfilment of personal needs ahead of compromise or sharing.

Census figures show that 50 percent of American families now end in divorce. 85 percent of these divorced people remarry, usually within 5 years, with 60 percent of those marriages ending in divorce.

"I've changed my name so many times I don't know who I am any more," said Barbara Freedman, a Manhattan social worker, who has been married three times, having been widowed as well as divorced. She went on: "It's disruptive. It's hard to maintain a stable core of friends or pattern of life. So much of your structure is built around your marriage."

Children of parents who marry several times are another concern. They suffer a loss of faith in relationships. Multiple marriages also aggravate sibling conflicts. Who is entitled to get college money if there isn't enough to go around? How do you equitably settle the claims of children from the different marriages when the parent dies? What if the children from a marriage are left out of the will? So, re-marriage may create unforeseen difficulties for both parents' and children's lives.

Changing Roles Within the Family

When the twentieth century began all the different varieties of American families shared one characteristic: the wife did not work outside the home. The only exceptions were black wives. At that time, for a wife to work was a sign that a husband was not able to support a family or that he was crippled or otherwise incapacitated. By contrast to that situation, in the 1990s over 60 percent of women were in the work force. The transformation was relatively quick. It began in the years of the Great Depression, but the major impetus was provided by the Second World War. The pattern established then, though originally intended to be a temporary war measure, continued after the war was over.

Many women preferred working and many firms found the relatively low wages of women an inducement to continue to employ their labor. The immediate consequence was a great expansion of jobs open to women. Women became electricians, machinists, carpenters, as well as lawyers, engineers, and physicians in unheard of numbers.

Despite the widening opportunities for women, the great majority of working women have remained at the bottom of the economic pyramid. In the 1980s, for instance, the average pay for a woman worker was about 59 percent of the average male; the principal cause for the difference was usually a failure to pay equal wages for equal work and also the fact that the jobs which most women held were low-paying. The working woman is generally a typist, a maid, a teacher, a nurse, a cashier, or a saleswoman.

Simply because work for married women is now accepted and so commonplace, the internal character of American families has greatly changed.

For some two hundred years now, American women have been seeking to enhance their autonomy within the family. This has involved their gaining better education, a place as the moral guardian of the family, the opportunity to control childbirth, and to dissolve the marriage if it proved too limiting or unsatisfactory. They have also asserted their right to combine family and work outside the home.

Today, as a result of the widening of employment opportunities for women and also the consciousness-raising fostered by the women's movement, the pressure for women's equality within families has reached a new height. But still many women do not feel happy to be torn in two.

There is the so-called Supermom; the woman who tries to juggle a career with a family. Others have come to the conclusion that the dual role can often cause them to be mediocre at both. So they have given up their career to stay home with children. Some view it as a temporary solution until their children start school. But even when at home women pursue various interests. They participate in all kinds of organizations, for example, English-teaching committee for the for­eign-born, in fund-raising activities for the colleges they graduated from, they jog in the morning with friends, compete in New York City Marathons, etc. All that gives them a feeling of achievement. One thirty-five-year old lawyer who quit her job to stay home with her three children, said she spent her spare time gardening and doing carpentry work. She said that one summer she took the children to Colorado, where she rebuilt an old garage that she and her husband use for hiking in summer and siding in winter.

The major worry for most is that if they decide to go back to work they will have difficulty in finding jobs. Many women say they continue to read in their fields so that they will not fall behind. Others say that they try to have lunch occasionally with former co-workers to keep up with what is going on. Otherwise, they say, you feel that you're "a bit out of touch".

But there are many women who work outside the home — even if they have children at home — of necessity. Many women say that they don't have the option of working inside the home or outside the home any more because economic needs require that they go out and find a job. Many married women work because their husbands are unemployed or disabled. Such women are the sole support of their families and themselves.

The wives of low-wage earners who are taking jobs to supplement their husband's income, help keep the family budget solvent in the face of inflation. Women in middle-income families are taking jobs in response to the economic squeeze. Such women are taking jobs to maintain the standard of living to which they have been accustomed. But increasingly, a second income in the family is being sought to achieve traditional goals, such as a college education for their children or for a one-family home. Even braces on children's teeth or meeting continually raising utility and other rates make women work for the money.

On the other hand, women are making inroads into men's occupations — tellers in banks, busdriving and bartending. This changes the general perception of male and female jobs.

Changes in the family pattern with women working have not been easily accepted by men, who sometimes show anger and resentment. On the one hand, a majority of men now believe that both sexes should enjoy equal employment opportunities, but on the other, most also believe that children may be harmed psychologically if their mothers work outside the home. This contradiction increasingly rules the life of Americans.

Very busy, spouses sometimes let each other know that they feel victimized by the requirements of the other partner. In order to make a go of this sort of life husband and wife have to cut out almost everything that does not relate to family or career. There is a frequent feeling that husband and wife are "against the ropes" in regard to available time. It is the amenities of life in terms of friends, entertainment, and general leisure that get put aside in order to focus on the everyday essentials.

One Atlanta attorney says: "My wife has her own career as a lawyer and when I arrive home from a tough day, all I want to do is put my feet up and have a drink — the sort of thing a man has always expected. Instead I have to help with the household or attend to my children. I frequently must cut short my own working day in order to pick up our eighteen-month-old son from day care or to spend time with my older child. Often, I am also the one who is on call in case of illness, who prepares many of the meals, and who keeps the house clean. There is no question that the rewards of sharing career achievement and child rearing with one's spouse are great, but the price paid can be high. There lies much of the trouble. We are faced with having to become supermen, in response to today's superwomen. Many of us don't know how to balance full participation in work and in family.

We are now exploring uncharted territory, with all the mistakes and false starts that such exploration requires. I found that I had learned something further about what it means to be a man, something that goes beyond simply bringing home a paycheck."

Task 1. Make a project about the life of typical Russian, British and American family.

Task 2. Speak on these problems.

1. The Russian, British and American living standards.

2. Welfare and poverty problems in these countries.

3. “New morality” of the young people.

4. Dependence of the young people on their parents.

5. Women and their role in the society.

   1. women’s work;

   2. women’s movement.

6) How do you explain such definition: “superwoman” and “supermother”.

Part IX

HOBBIES AND PASTIMES

Цель – развитие межкультурной компетенции, формирование представлений о свободном времяпрепровождении в России, Америке и Великобритании.

Working hours are shorter, holidays are longer and people have more time off now than ever before. What do they do with it?

In both Britain and America, people watch TV for many hours every week. In America there is a very big choice. Many cities have twenty or more channels, sometimes going for twenty-four hours a day. In Britain there are many new channels but most people prefer to watch the four old ones: BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV and Channel 4.

Many well-off Americans have a "camper" or "trailer" which they can use for weekends away. Some have holiday house in the country, and spend as much time as possible on outside activities like fishing and water-skiing.

Fewer British people have caravans or second homes, but many have gardens where they spend a lot of their free time. Home owners often take time doing jobs round the house. They paint, put up wallpaper, build cupboards and even make furniture. There are a lot of DIY (Do it Yourself) shops all over the country selling everything they need.

But for some, time off means music and dancing. In London and New York, one or two new nightclubs open every week. Some close again after a night or two, but some, like Stringfellows in London, go on, and on, and on…

The Exercise Craze

Everybody’s doing it, old and young, men and women. They're running, dancing, jumping up and down, bending and stretching. Exercise is in fashion. Everybody wants to be fit, feel good, look slim and stay young.

It started with running. Millions of Americans put on their new white "trainer” shoes and fashionable tracksuits and ran through the parks or along the streets for half an hour a day. Then the runners got the marathon craze. Popular marathons are now held everywhere. Lots of people want to see if they can run 42 kms and do it faster than everyone else. The big city marathons, in London and New York, are important sporting events. Television cameras and newspapers report them in detail. Some remarkable people take part in the marathons: seventy-five-year-old grandfathers and nine-year-old grandchildren, and even disabled people in wheelchairs.

But marathons are not for everyone. Some prefer to get fit at home. For them, there’s a big choice of books, cassettes and video programmes with music and instructions, one of the most popular of these home exercise programmes is called aerobics Bend down and touch your toes. You can do it too.

Taking exercise is only one part of keeping fit. You've got to get slim, too. Books and magazines about slimming are bestsellers these days. Some people eat nothing but fruit for two or three days a week, sounds terrible. Why not forget about keeping fit, sit down and have another chocolate biscuit?

Sport in Britain

The British are a sporting nation. Like everyone else they love football - in fact, they invented it. Most British towns and cities have a football team. Every year, each team plays in the Football Association competition. The two best teams play in the Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London. Some fans pay up to E250 for a ticket for the Cup Final. It is one of the biggest sporting events of the year.

Cricket is a typically British game. The only other countries that play are Pakistan, India, the West Indies, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Cricket is a summer game, lovely to watch from under old trees on a village "green". It looks slow, but it can be exciting if you understand what's going on. There are eleven men in each team. One man, (“the bowler”) throws the ball, and a "batsman" hits it with his bat.

Cricket is a very long game. The big international matches go on for five days. But in the real English way, the players always stop for tea.

Tennis is another popular game in Britain. Every summer, in June, the biggest international tennis tournament takes place at Wimbledon, a suburb of London. There are strawberries and cream for sale, and everyone hopes the rain will stay away.

Many British people who live near the sea, a lake or a river enjoy sailing. If you are really enthusiastic, and rich enough to buy your own boat, you can take part in one of the annual sailing races or “regattas” at Cowes, near Portsmouth, for example, or at the Henley on the river Thames.

Sport in the USA

Baseball is the most popular summer sport in America. The first American baseball match was in 1839 in New York, but some people think that baseball comes from a much older game called rounders, played in Europe for many years.

To play baseball, you need two teams of nine players. The "pitcher" throws the ball, and the "batter" hits it with a bat. Americans start playing baseball young. There are "leagues" which children of eight can join. The top players become big stars and earn a lot of money every year.

Americans play tennis, hockey and most other international sports, but they do not play football in the same way as the rest of the world. American football is a very different game. The players can run with the ball, touch and push each other. The field looks different, and even the ball is a different shape. Players wear special clothes for American football, with helmets on their heads, because the game can be dangerous. Like international football teams, American teams have eleven players.

Basketball is another popular game in America. Only five people play in each team. One American basketball team, the Harlem Globetrotters, are famous all over the world. These extraordinary sportsmen, all very tall, have shown the world that sport can be funny as well as exciting.

Americans love winter sports, and ice hockey is a great favourite. This game, the national sport of Canada, is very fast, and can be dangerous. So if you play ice hockey, remember to wear your helmet!

Pubs

Pubs are an important part of life in Britain, but they are not open to everyone Children under the age of fourteen cannot go into most pubs, and you cannot buy alcoholic drink in a pub until you are eighteen.

Some people go to the same pub every day. They meet the same friends every time, and sometimes they do business there. In the country the pub is the centre of village life. Everyone meets there to hear the village news. In the cities pubs often have their own special character. You can find pubs where most people are Irish or African or Ameri­can. There are actors’ pubs and miners’ pubs, fishermen's pubs and lawyers’ pubs, pubs with loud music where everyone is young, and quiet pubs where most people are old.

You can buy most kinds of drink in a pub: beer, lager, all kinds of wine, spirits, liqueurs, fruit juice and soft drinks. Beer is (the most popular drink, and there are many different kinds. You ask for beer by the "pint" (a little more than half a litre) or the "half pint". When people buy beer they ask for "bitter" (strong beer), "mild" (less strong), or lager. People just say the name of the maker: "A half of Double Diamond, please." Or "Two halves of Export, please." Many pubs sell hot and cold food (called "pub grub"). It is often good and is cheaper than most restaurant food.

Most pubs do not sell hot drinks like tea and coffee, but more of them are doing it now. Doctors and policemen say that British people drink too much alcohol. They want people to drink more soft drinks and less beer and wine. The pub owners are beginning to listen to them.

Hobbies in Great Britain and the USA

"Hobbies" are a great British and American tradition. A "hobby" is a special interest or activity that you do in your time off.

Some people have animals as hobbies. They keep rabbits, or go fishing. They train dogs to do tricks, or keep pigeons to race and carry messages. Some are crazy about plants. They try to grow cacti or rare tropical flowers in their kitchens and sitting rooms.

Others are mad about their car or their motorbike. They spend their Saturdays and Sundays washing them, painting them or buying new bits and pieces to make them go even faster.

Children and teenagers are great collectors. They collect stamps or postcards or matchboxes or pictures of a favourite footballer or pop star.

Many people make things as a hobby. Some teach themselves at home, but a lot of people go to evening classes at their local college, just look wider letter B in a list of London or New York evening classes and you'll find: Ballet, Batik, Bengali, Body building, Bread-making and Byzantium.

But not everyone goes to evening classes to learn about their special interest. No one helped the people below to do what they did.

Hobbies in Russia

Millions of people all over the world spend their holidays travelling. They travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, they travel to enjoy picturesque places, or just for a change of scene. It is always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food, to listen to different music.

Those who live in the country like to go to a big city and spend their time visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City dwellers usually like a quiet holiday by the sea or in the mountains, with nothing to do but walk and sit in the sun.

Most travelers and holiday-makers take a camera with them and take pictures of everything that interests them - the sights of a city, old churches and castles, views of mountains, lakes, valleys, plains, waterfalls, forests; different kinds of trees, flowers and plants; animals and birds.

People travel by train, by boat and by car.

All means of travel have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans and destinations.

If we are fond of traveling, we see and learn a lot of things that we can never see or learn at home, though we may read about them in books and newspapers, and see pictures of them on TV. The best way to study geography is to travel, and the best way to get to know and understand the people is to meet them in their own homes.

Making things includes drawing, painting, making sculpture, designing costumes, and handicrafts.

Almost everyone collects something at some period in his life: stamps, coins, matchboxes, books, records, postcards, toys, watches. Some collections have no real value. Others become so large and so valuable that they are housed in museums and galleries. Many world-famous collections started in a small way with one or two items. People with a good deal of money often collect paintings, rare books and other art objects. Often such private collections are given to museums, libraries and public galleries so that others might take pleasure in seeing them.

No matter what kind of hobby a person has, he always has the opportunity of learning from it. By reading about the things he is interested in, he is adding to what he knows. Learning things can be the most exciting aspect of a hobby.

A hobby is a favourite pastime of a person. Hobbies differ like taste If you have chosen a hobby to your liking, lucky you are: you have made your life more interesting.

Numerous hobbies can be subdivided into four large classes: doing things, making things, collecting things, and learning things.

Recreation Russian style

Russians enjoy watching television, read­ing, playing chess, seeing motion pictures and plays, visiting museums, walking, and taking part in sports. The government actively promotes athletic activities, espe­cially team sports. Soccer is the most popular partici­pant and spectator sport in Russia. Other popular sports include gymnastics, basketball, and such winter sports as hockey, ice skating, and skiing. Tennis is growing in popularity.

Russia has many athletic clubs, stadiums, recreational centers, and other sporting facilities. Schools provide physical education at all levels. There are also special sports camps and clubs for children and adults.

The people of Russia are avid nature lovers, and they enjoy spending time in the countryside. Many Russians have country cottages called dachas. There, they garden, hike, bicycle, swim, fish, gather mushrooms, and take part in other outdoor activities.

The majority of Russia's people vacation in the sum­mer. Price increases, an end to government support, and ethnic unrest have made vacationing away from home more difficult for many Russians. However, resort areas along the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Volga River—and in Siberia—remain popular destinations.

Recreation American style

A "hobby” is usually something that a person does alone. But American (and British) families sometimes like to do things together, too. Some American families have quite a lot of money to spend on their recreation. They can all enjoy their holiday home or their boat somewhere in the country away from home.

Americans love to get out of town into the wild, and many go for holidays or long weekends into the thirty-five fabulous national parks. These magnificent areas of countryside include tropical forests, high mountains, dry deserts, long sandy coast, grassy prairies and wooded mountains full of wild animals. The idea of these parks, which cover 1% of the whole area of the USA, is “to make a great breathing place for national lungs”, and to keep different parts of the land as they were before man arrived. There are camping places in the national parks as well as museums, boat trips and evening campfire meetings. Americans really enjoy new "gadgets", especially new ways of travelling. In the winter, the woods are full of "snowmobiles" (cars with skis in the front). In the summer they ride their "dune buggies" across the sands or lake to the sky in hang gliders.

But Americans do not only spend their free time having fun. They are very interested in culture, too. Millions take part-time courses in writing, painting and music, and at the weekends the museums, art galleries and concert halls are full.

Have a nice holiday!

Most British people take a two-week holiday in July or August, when the schools are closed, but shops, offices and factories do not usually close for the holidays. Some people have a short holiday in the winter or spring as well, if they can afford it, they go abroad, to sunny Italy, Spain or Greece. In the States, the school summer holidays are longer than in Britain (nearly three months in the States, six or seven weeks in Britain). Richer American families often go out of town to the country for the hot summer months. Many fathers stay at work in the cities and visit their families at weekends. When some people are on holiday, they like just sitting in the sun, but others want a bit more. "Special interest" holidays are very popular, and you can find a hundred interesting things to do in Britain and the USA for a week or two. Do you like riding? Why not see the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA, on horseback? What about a winter holiday? There are hundreds of ski resorts in the mountains of the USA: the Rockies, the Sierra Nevada and the Appalachians. Yon ran ski in Britain, too. Perhaps you prefer to be less energetic? Try a painting holiday or a musical holiday of even a computer holiday. You can get some hours of teaching every day, meet other people who share your special interest and have time to relax as well in a pleasant country hotel or college campus.

Task 1. You are going to Britain for a summer holiday. Choose a) or b).

1. You will be able to watch

a) a cricket match

b) a baseball match.

2. You will visit

a) Liverpool, home town of the Beatles

b) Nashville, centre of country and western music.

3. You will

a) enjoy a ride in a dune buggy

b) eat strawberries and cream at Wimbledon.

4. You will be able to watch

a) one of the two BBC channels

b) one of more than twenty TV channels.

Task 2. Put the verbs in brackets into the past tense.

a. Last year I (try) to get fit. I (get) a new tracksuit and (put) on my trainers. I (run) a kilometre on the first day. It (be) too much! So the next day I (begin) playing tennis.

b. We (have) a wonderful holiday last summer. We (travel) all over America. We (see) some fascinating places, and we (go) to two of the national parks. We also (make) some interesting new friends.

Task 3. Fill each blank with one word from the list below:

with, for, until, at, in

a. Some British people like to go to a pub ... an hour or two every day.

b. ... weekends, the pubs are always busy.

c. Country pubs sometimes have gardens where people like to sit … summer.

4. There are quiet pubs and pubs ... loud music.

5. You cannot buy an alcoholic drink in a pub ... you are eighteen.

Writing practice

Write your own letter, asking for information about spending free time in Moscow, London or New York?

Task 4. Answer the following questions.

1. How do Russian, British and American people spend their time off?

2. Do Russian, American and British people like going in for sports?

3. What is the most favorite kind of sport in Russia, in Britain and in America?

4. Do Russian, British and American people prefer to visit restaurants, bars or pubs?

5. Is hobby a great tradition for Russians, British and American people?