- •Unit I. Me and my world. Part 1. About myself.
- •About myself.
- •Part 2. Seasons.
- •Autumn.
- •Winter.
- •Spring.
- •Summer.
- •Part 3. The way I spend my free time in different seasons.
- •The way I spend my free time in different seasons.
- •Part 4. My family.
- •My family.
- •Part 5. Our flat.
- •Our flat.
- •Unit II. Studies. Part 1. My favourite teacher.
- •My favourite teacher.
- •Part 2. Friends.
- •My friend.
- •Part 3. The daily programme.
- •The daily programme.
- •Unit III. Hobbies. Part 1. Hobbies.
- •Hobbies.
- •Part 2. Book collecting.
- •Book collecting.
- •Unit IV. Travelling.
- •Travelling.
- •Unit V. The united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland. Part 1. The uk.
- •The uk.
- •Part 2. London.
- •London.
- •Unit VI. The united states of america. Part 1. The usa.
- •The usa.
- •Part 2. Washington, d.C.
- •Washington, d. C.
- •Unit VII. Shopping. Part 1. Shopping.
- •Shopping.
- •Part 2. Shopping in london.
- •Shopping in London.
- •Unit VIII. Holidays. Part 1. Holidays in the uk.
- •Holidays in the uk.
- •Part 2. Halloween.
- •Halloween.
- •Part 3. Thanksgiving day.
- •Thanksgiving Day.
- •Part 4. Christmas.
- •Christmas.
- •Part 5. Holidays in russia.
- •Holidays in Russia.
- •Unit IX. Sports. Part 1. Sports in russia.
- •Sports in Russia.
- •Part 2. Sports in the uk.
- •Sports in the uk.
- •Part 3. Sports in the usa.
- •Sports in the usa.
- •Part 4. My favourite kind of sport.
- •My favourite kind of sport.
- •Unit X. Our country. Part 1. The russian federation.
- •The Russian Federation.
- •Part 2. Moscow.
- •Moscow.
- •Part 3. Sergiev posad is my native town.
- •Sergiev Posad.
Holidays in the uk.
The British have fewer holidays than most European nations. British “bank holidays” are New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. There are other festivals as well, on which certain traditions are observed.
Celebrating New Year is still more popular in Northern England and Scotland where it has a special name, Hogmanay. It is the time for merrymaking, giving presents and expecting the First-Footers. It was believed that the first person to visit one’s home on New Year’s Day could bring good or bad luck. So the First-Footer should be a dark-haired man with three things: a piece of coal to wish warmth, a piece of bread to wish food and a silver coin to wish wealth.
February 14th is the day on which young lovers in England send each other anonymous valentines – colourful cards with loving emblems. The first Valentine of all was a bishop, a Christian martyr, who before he was put to death by the Romans sent a note of friendship to his jailer’s blind daughter.
Many of Easter customs and symbols go back to a pagan festival of spring, of awakening nature. Christians connected the rising of the sun with the resurrection of Jesus and their own spiritual rebirth. One of the most popular Easter symbols is an egg, which has always been a fertility symbol on the one hand, and it also symbolizes the tomb from which Christ rose on the other hand.
May Day celebrations also go back to a pagan spring festival connected with dancing performed to encourage life and growth and to drive away evil spirits. A tall pole called a Maypole decorated with flowers and ribbons is put up on the village green and children holding to the ribbons dance around it. Men dressed in white fancy costumes decorated with flowers, ribbons and small bells perform morris dance which is about 800 years old.
Guy Fawkes’ Night is celebrated on November 5th to commemorate the Gunpowder Plot. Some plotters wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King James I with them. Guy Fawkes was to explode thirty-six barrels of gunpowder but was discovered, arrested and hanged. The English celebrate the day by burning a dummy made of straw and old clothes and called a guy, and by letting off fireworks.
Exercise 1. Translate into Russian: Good Friday; fewer holidays; Boxing Day; a village green; morris dance; Summer Bank Holiday; certain traditions; time for merrymaking, giving presents; to bring good or bad luck; customs and symbols; young lovers; a piece of coal to wish warmth; the rising of the sun; awakening nature; to explode thirty-six barrels of gunpowder; a dummy made of straw and old clothes; decorated with flowers and ribbons; a dark-haired man.
Exercise 2. Find the equivalents of these expressions in the text:воскресение Иисуса Христа; символ плодородия; Пороховой заговор; канун нового года; пасхальный понедельник; соблюдать традицию; карнавальный костюм; языческий праздник; христианский святой мученик; весенний официальный выходной; первый новогодний гость; приветствовать пробуждение жизни и начало роста всего живого; духовное возрождение; самый известный символ Пасхи; взорвать здание Парламента; серебряная монетка, чтобы пожелать богатства; с одной стороны, с другой стороны; украшенный цветами, лентами и маленькими колокольчиками; цветные открытки с символами любви.
Exercise 3. Complete the sentences in logical way:
British “bank holidays” are …
Hogmanay is …
The First-Footer should be …
The first Valentine of all was …
Christians connected the rising of the sun with …
One of the most popular Easter symbols is …
May Day celebrations also go back to …
A tall pole called a Maypole is …
Guy Fawkes’ Night is celebrated …
The English celebrate Guy Fawkes’ Night by …
Exercise 4. Make up the questions covering the content of one of the texts for your fellow-students to answer them.