Английский язык. Практический курс. Уровень Intermediate. Практикум

six of the nine counties that constituted the former province of Ulster. The total area of Northern Ireland is 14,148 sq km (5463 sq mi).

The most valuable natural resources of Northern Ireland are its fertile soil and rich pasturelands. Natural waterpower is abundant. The chief minerals are basalt, limestone, sand and gravel, granite, chalk, clay, and shale; bauxite, iron ore, and coal also are found in small amounts. Peat is important as a fuel.

The majority of the people are of Scottish or English ancestry and are known commonly as the Scotch-Irish. The remainder of the population is Irish, principally native to Ulster.

English is the sole official language. Unlike the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland does not encourage the use of the Gaelic language.

The population of Northern Ireland is 1882000. The population is unevenly distributed, with greater concentrations in the eastern half. It is almost equally divided between urban and rural dwellers. The capital and largest city of Northern Ireland is Belfast, which is surrounded by heavy industries including shipbuilding and textiles. The other major city in Northern Ireland is Londonderry.

Education in Northern Ireland is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 15. The educational system is essentially similar to that of England. The country has two universities: Queen's University of Belfast, founded as Queen's College in 1845, and the University of Ulster (1984), with campuses in Coleraine, Belfast, Jordanstown, and Londonderry. The total annual university enrollment in the early 1990s was about 17,000. Two colleges, the Belfast College of Technology (1901) and the Union Theological College (1978), are in Belfast.

Northern Ireland shares the early cultural glories of all Ireland. To Ulster belongs one of the two great cycles of Irish myths that contain the exploits of Chulainn and the tragic story of Deirdre. There is a thriving theatrical movement in Belfast, and much literary activity. Belfast is the base of Opera Northern Ireland, which presents seasons at the Grand Opera House in the city, and also tours the province. A ballet company is based in the capital, as is the Belfast Philharmonic Society, one of Britain’s leading choral societies. The Ulster Symphony Orchestra is among the leading orchestras of Britain. Queen's University hosts the annual Belfast Festival.

Northern Ireland has two national museums: the Ulster Museum in Belfast, which houses a collection of Irish antiquities; and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Holywood, County Down.

About 80 percent of Northern Ireland’s external trade is with Great Britain, and the British pound is the legal tender of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland exports linen goods, textiles, clothing, machinery, and food, notably meat, potatoes, and dairy products. Imports consist chiefly of petroleum and other fuels, raw materials and metals, produce, and an assortment of manufactured goods.

Northern Ireland has about 23,730 km (about 14,745 mi) of roads, including 113 km (70 mi) of motorway. The Northern Ireland Railways Company provided passenger service on 357 km (222 mi) of railroad track. Daily steamship and airline services connect Belfast with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Text 16. The British Commonwealth

The Commonwealth as the successor of the British Empire was established as an association of nations consisting of the United Kingdom and several former British colonies that are now sovereign states but still pay allegiance to the British Crown.

The term “Commonwealth” was first used by British Liberal politician Lord Roseberry in Adelaide, Australia, in 1884. During his speech, he referred to the British Empire as “a Commonwealth of Nations”.

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The origins of the Commonwealth come from Britain's former Empire. Many of the members of the Commonwealth were territories, which had historically come under British rule at various times by settlement, conquest or cession. The administration of such colonies evolved in different ways, to reflect the different circumstances of each territory.

After the Second World War, many countries sought their independence. After achieving independence, India was the first of a number of countries which decided that, although they wished to become republics, they still wanted to remain within the Commonwealth.

Over the next two decades, British rule ended in many parts of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Pacific.

The 1949 London Declaration recognized King George VI as Head of the Commonwealth. Following his death, the Commonwealth leaders recognized Queen Elizabeth II in that capacity. The London Declaration made it possible for the Asian and African states of the former Empire, most of which wished to become republics, to remain within the Commonwealth upon attaining independence regardless of their domestic constitutional arrangements.

Countries that acknowledge the British monarch as head of state are known as

“Commonwealth Realms”. There are 15 Commonwealth Realms in addition to the UK: Australia,

New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, etc. Member countries of the Commonwealth can therefore have different constitutions: a republic with a president as Head of State (such as India and South Africa), an indigenous monarchy (for example, Lesotho, Malaysia, Swaziland and Tonga), a sultanate (Brunei), an elected Paramount Chieftaincy (Western Samoa), or a realm recognizing The Queen as Sovereign (for example the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Barbados).

The British Commonwealth comprises 54 independent countries, almost all of which were formerly under British rule, with a combined population of nearly 1.8 billion people; representing some 30% of the world’s population. The land of Commonwealth nations equals about ¼ of the world’s land area. It contains countries with huge populations and very tiny ones.

Membership is open to countries that accept the association’s basic aims. Since 1965 there has been a London-based Secretariat of the Commonwealth.

The objectives of the Commonwealth were set down in the Harare Declaration of 1991. It states that the heads of government of the countries of the Commonwealth perceive the

Commonwealth as the voluntary association of sovereign independent states, each responsible for its own policies, consulting and cooperating in the interests of their peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace. The Commonwealth way is to seek consensus through consultation and the sharing of experience. It is uniquely placed to serve as a model and as a catalyst for new forms of friendship and cooperation in the spirit of the UN Charter.

Many Commonwealth countries are poor and face acute problems, including excessive population growth, crushing poverty, debt burdens, migration, communicable diseases, drug production and trafficking, and environmental degradation. Only sound and sustainable development can offer these peoples the prospect of betterment. Achieving this will require a flow of public and private resources from the developed to the developing world, and domestic regimes conductive to the realization of these goals.

These are claimed to be the fundamental political values of the Commonwealth.

Text 17. Canada

Canada is a North American country. It’s located in the northern part of the continent and it extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean. Canada is the world's second-largest country. It had been populated by various Aboriginal peoples until the 15th century when British and French colonists came to this land. After about a century France passed all of its colonies in North America to the United Kingdom. But French influence was still very strong. In 1867 four British North American colonies united and formed Canada with its

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government, parliament and prime minister. And finally in 1931 Canada became an independent nation.

Canada is rich in coal, oil, gas, gold, silver, iron, nickel and other mineral deposits. Machine building, chemical and hydroelectric industries are highly developed. Canada’s agriculture, mostly wheat, cattle, meat, milk and fish, is important too.

The official head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. But of course the real power belongs to the parliament and the prime minister. The red maple leaf is a Canadian symbol. You can see it on the flag of Canada. But this flag is rather young. It appeared only in 1965. One of the traditional symbols of the country is the beaver, a symbol of Canada’s fur trade in the 19th century. Other traditional symbols include the loon – for its iconic call, the moose – for its durability and maple syrup – since over 80 per cent of the world’s maple syrup comes from Canada. Plus, Canadians put it on everything – pancakes, bacon, beans, even snow.

The most important towns in Canada are Ottawa, the federal capital, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Quebec. The population of Canada is about 35 million people. Canada is home for both English and French speakers, so there are two official languages: English and French.

If you go to Canada, you will see lots of amazing things. In Ottawa you should visit the Parliament Hills. The central tower of the Parliament Hills looks like Big Ben. And like Big Ben it’s a bell and a clock tower. But the Ottawa’s star attraction is the Rideau Canal. Running right through the heart of the city, this wide canal becomes the world’s largest ice skating rink in winter.

And in summer you can get a boat ride. You also should spend some time at Niagara Falls. Actually it’s a series of three magnificent waterfalls situated on the border of Canada and the United States. Toronto is Canada's largest city and financial center. It is also one of the world’s most culturally diverse cities. There’s a large number of ethnic districts like Chinatown, Little India or Little Italy.

And you should absolutely see the famous CN Tower. If you go up in one of the famous glass elevators, you will get a brilliant view! One of Canada’s famous meals is called Beaver’s Tail pastry. But there’s no beaver meat in it. It’s fried dough pastry which is baked in such a form that resembles a beaver’s tail. It can be topped with whipped cream, banana slices, chocolate etc.

Canadians are very fond of sport. Not only because they want to display their talents, but also because it’s a great way to unite the country. Popular sports include curling, baseball, lacrosse

– a team game of Native American origin - and, of course, hockey. The modern ice hockey in

Canada began in the 19th century and it is the country’s most popular pastime. All Canadian people are proud of Wayne Gretzky who was named the greatest hockey player of all-time.

One of the most famous Canadian festivals is the annual Winterlude festival in Ottawa which includes public skating, ice sculpture competitions, musical concerts, children’s play areas, an ‘ice lounge’, and numerous other events. One of its symbols is the Ice Hogs Family. Of course, they are not real ice hogs, but people wearing special costumes. They offer warm hugs in the frozen air and pose for photographs.

Text 18. Australia

Australia is situated in the south-west of the Pacific Ocean. The area of this country is 7,7 million square kilometres. The population of the country is more than 20 million people. The capital is Canberra. The population of Canberra is more than 300000 people. Official language is English. Australia is the largest island in the world and it is the smallest continent.

The Commonwealth of Australia is a self-governing federal state. It has 6 states – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania – and two territories – the Federal Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

The first Englishman to visit the continent was a buccaneer, William Dampier, who landed near King Sound on the northwest coast in 1699.

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A second wave of immigration began in 1770, when Captain James Cook, of the British Navy, sighted the east coast of the continent.

Cook had been sent to Tahiti to make astronomical observations and when his mission was completed, he sailed south in Endeavour, circumnavigated New Zealand and headed due west. On April 20, 1770, Cook sighted land near Cape Everard, in the southeast corner of Australia. He turned north, charting the coastline as he went and, 9 days later, landed at Botany Bay, which he named for the variety of botanic specimen found there. He raised the British flag and claimed New South Wales as a British Colony.

In 1901, the separate colonies in Australia merged together and became the States of the Commonwealth of Australia, which acquired the status of dominion of Great Britain. The Commonwealth of Australia – a federation of the 6 former colonies as states – was declared to come into being on January 1, 1901. The first Governor – General, the Earl of Hopetoun, convened the first Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia on April 29, 1901. It was opened in Melbourne on May 9 by Duke of Cornwall and York, son of King Edward VII. Sir Edmund Barton was the first Prime Minister.

The constitution provided for Federal Parliament to sit in Melbourne until a federal capital territory was selected and established. The present Australian Capital Territory was ceded from New South Wales to become federal territory in 1911, and the future capital was named Canberra in 1913. The first Federal Parliament to meet in Canberra was opened by the Duke of York, later King George VI, on May 9, 1927.

However, Australia now is an independent state, according to the Constitution the head of the state is the Monarch of Great Britain, represented by the Governor-General. His duties include assenting to bills, opening, proroguing and dissolving Parliament and commissioning the Prime Minister to form a government. Governor-General’s residence Jarralumla is in Canberra.

There are five big cities in Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. Each city is the capital of the state in which it is situated. Most of the factories are concentrated in or around the big cities. They produce goods for the motor-car, machine-building, clothing and food industries. Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth are the country's main ports. Agriculture is the main occupation in Australia. Wheat and sugar are the main agricultural crops, fruit-growing is also highly developed. Australia is famous for its sheep. The great sheep-farms, called sheep-stations are found in many parts of the country.

Text 19. New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses ‒ that of the North and South Islands ‒ as well as numerous smaller islands.New Zealand varies in climate, from cold and wet to dry and to subtropical in some areas.

New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major land masses. Polynesian settlers arrived probably some time between 500 and 1300 AD, and established the indigenous Maori culture. The first Europeans known to reach New Zealand were led by Abel Janszoon Tasman in 1642. The Dutch named it "Nieuw Zeeland". In 1769 Captain James Cook began extensive surveys of the islands. This led to European whaling expeditions and eventually significant European colonisation. The Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 between the British government and the Maori established British sovereignty over New Zealand. When gold was found in South Island (1861), the population began to grow very quickly. In 1833, New Zealand was officially joined to New South Wales of Australia. New Zealand was granted full independence in 1931; since 1947 when New Zealand has been a sovereign constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations.

Natural resources in New Zealand provide for a thriving rural industry in forestry, agriculture, horticulture, and fisheries. The most primary groups are agriculture and horticulture

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with New Zealand being the leading dairy provider in the world, exporting nearly one third of the world's dairy needs. Along with beef and sheep meat, New Zealand is the second largest producer of wool in the world.

New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy. The British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, is the monarch of New Zealand. She appoints a governor general to represent her, but the governor general has little power. New Zealand is self-governing state. The Parliament consists of one House only – the House of Representatives. The Prime Minister is the head of the government. There are some political parties in New Zealand. They are the Labour party, the party of Socialist Unity and others.

There are some big cities such as Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dune-din, Nelson. Auckland and Wellington are the main ports of the country.

The cities and towns of the country resemble very much those of England, and people very often call the country ‘The Britain of the Pacific’. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and

Auckland is the largest city.

Auckland is the leading port of New Zealand. Because of its proximity to main Pacific shipping lanes, Auckland has an advantage over other New Zealand ports for trade with the Pacific Islands and with other nations. Auckland is the largest industrial centre in New Zealand and engages in great variety of manufacturing activities. Within the city there are a great number of parks and public reserves, several of them situated on volcanic hills which afford excellent views of the city and its harbours. The Auckland War Memorial Museum has an outstanding Maori collection. The city has art gallery, zoological gardens, a public library, and the University of Auckland which was founded in 1882.

English is the official language of New Zealand and is spoken throughout the country. Many native people speak their own language, Maori, in addition to English.

The kiwi, a small bird, is the symbol of New Zealand people. The national anthem is « God

Defend New Zealand».

Text 20. Types of mass media

The role of mass media in the life of the present society is difficult to overestimate. They have become a daily and essential necessity with contemporary men. People can learn about what is happening in the world very fast using mass media. The media include print media such as newspapers and magazines, and electronic media such as radio, television and the Internet.

Every day we read newspapers and magazines, listen to radio and watch TV. So mass media are our main means of getting information in all its variety. Nowadays there are so many newspapers and magazines, radio stations and TV channels that we have to be very selective. Mass media can be used for various purposes: advocacy, both for business and social concerns. This can include advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations, and political communication. They influence the way people look at the world and make them change their views. They influence people, excite the interest, keep the audience informed and others. The Media can serve as critical links among political and governmental institutions and it is a good opportunity for government to speak to the public.

Some people still prefer reading newspapers or magazines. The earliest newspapers appeared in 17th century. Many different sorts of newspapers have emerged since these days: weekly, daily, national, local. Most newspapers contain news, detailed, articles on home and international affairs, book’s reviews, radio and TV programs. There are also newspapers and magazines for young people.

Millions of people watch TV. Everybody knows what a great force is TV today. On the one hand, television plays a positive role in our life. Thanks to the TV we get a great amount of information. It gives wonderful possibilities for education. TV brings the world to our room. We

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see people in our country and in the other lands and learn of their customs occupation, opinions, and problems. But on the other hand television can play the negative role in the life on human beings. It can dominate the life of the family most of the time. We begin to forget how to spend our spare time. Little by little television cuts us off from the real world. Some children have made watching television their main leisure activity. Many children no longer read books. Besides that there is a lot of advertising on TV.

Some people can’t imagine their life without radio. It can be turned on most of the time, creating a permanent background noise. It does not interfere with your activities. You can listen to the radio while doing some work about the house or driving a car. On the radio, we can hear music, plays, news and various commentaries and discussions.

The Internet is the newest type of mass media. In the internet, you can find any kind of information. All main newspapers and broadcasting companies have their sites in the Internet. So you find there the latest news without buying a newspaper. Via e-mail and in the chat rooms you can communicate with people all over the world.

Text 21. London museums and art galleries

Millions of tourists visit London every year. In the visual art, London can supply any visitor a vast range of emotions. There is quite a number of museums and art galleries in London which are world-famous.

The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square was founded in 1838 and has one of the best balanced picture collections in the world. It can show the progress of Italian painting from the medieval to the mature mastery of Renaissance; some outstanding pictures of the old Roman masters; an excellent choice of Spanish painters, with El Greco, Velasques and Ribera leading; a great variety of unsurpassed Dutch and Flemish masters, particularly the paintings by Rembrandt; a most valuable display of French paintings from the early days of the Impressionists; and of course, the bulk of the finest English painting, with Gainsborough, Turner, Constable and Reynolds.

The National Portrait Gallery is situated near the National Gallery. It is Britain’s leading art gallery of portraits of famous people in British history The National Portrait Gallery is noted for representing various kinds of portraits – from traditional oil paintings to photographs. Founded in 1856, in 1984 it contained over 800 original portraits and more than 500 000 photographs.

The famous Tate Gallery in Millmank was opened in 1897 with the financial support of Sir Henry Tate. He also gave a collection of 65 paintings. The Gallery has a collection complementary to that of the National Gallery, for it presents modern masters of England and France and contains a unique collection of British painting from the 16th century to the present day. Turner and Blake are particularly well represented in the collections and its collections of French Impressionists is outstanding. There are also fine examples of modern sculpture.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in Brompton Road has a splendid collection mainly of the applied arts, of all countries and periods, also a new Costume Court. It contains a great collection of miniature too and many exhibits of interest to any student of the visual arts.

The British Museum was founded in 1753 and it is an almost incomparable introduction to Egyptian, Greek and Roman arts in all their branches, from pottery to sculpture; and it can hold its own with antiquity department of the Louvre or the prewar Pergamon Museum in Berlin. The collection has been arranged with great care and the layout is clear and easy to grasp. It also houses the main collection covering the history of plants, minerals and the animal world. There is the Reading room of the British Library in the museum as well.

There is a number of museums in London which are neither art museums or galleries. Nevertheless, they attract tourists from different parts of Great Britain and of the world. One of them is of special interest. You are sure to know about Madam Tussaud’s Museum of Waxworks,

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named after its founder- a French woman, Madam Marie Tussaud (1761-1850), who started the museum in 1835. The museum contains hundreds of life-size wax figures of outstanding statesmen, scientists, sportsmen and sportswomen, world-famous film stars and musicians, poets and writers of Britain and the world over. Among them are the figures of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Marilyn Monro, Elizabeth Taylor with her seven husbands, Elvis Priestly, Alfred Hichcock, Charles Chaplin and many others. There are several halls in the museum where the figures of kings, queens, princesses are placed. A special hall is dedicated to the Royal family. The figures of adults and children look quite natural. They are standing or sitting, looking at each other, smiling and “talking”. They have clothes and some things that are characteristics of them. Special attention is drawn by the eyes sparking and looking at you so that sometimes you feel uncomfortable in their company.

Text 22. Theatre in Great Britain

The first theatre appeared in London on the bank of the river Thames in 1599. It was the Globe, the theatre build by the actor Richard Burbage and favoured by William Shakespeare whose most plays were performed at this theatre. The Globe is known to be a round summer building, on the front door of which everybody could read "All the world is a stage", the words written by W. Shakespeare. At that time, the theatre had no scenery, but some signs on the stage lettered different pieces of scenery instead. People say that all parts of the plays were performed by man. The Globe enjoyed great reputation among Londoners but in 1642 it was closed by the Puritans. In memory of the legendary theatre, an exact copy of the Globe was built in 1997 almost on the same place as the original one.

The Theatre Royal / Drury Lane is a London theatre famous for its musicals. It's London's oldest theatre, founded in 1663. David Garrick, a great actor of the 18th century, made his first appearance here. The theatre is named after Drury Lane, a street that runs behind it.

The famous Victoria Theatre, build in 1818 and known now as Old Vic, was mostly popular at the beginning of the 20th century. This theatre was the home of the National Theatre Company from 1963 to 1976 when it moved to the new building. At its 25th anniversary the National Theatre was given the title Royal. Now the Royal National Theatre contains three theatres and the theatre company that perform in the new building. The famous directors of this theatre have been Lawrence Olivier, Peter Hall, Richard Eyre and Trevor Nunn.

The Royal Opera House / Covent Garden is one of the most famous Opera houses in the world. It is situated near the former site of the Covent Garden Market in central London. The first theatre here opened in 1732 and staged plays as well as concerts. Twice it was destroyed in 1808 and again in 1856. The present building was opened in 1858 and now is the home of the Royal Opera (founded in 1946) and Royal Ballet (founded in 1931) companies. It's the leading theatre of opera and ballet in London. In 1999 the Royal Opera House reopened after a $214 million redevelopment and expansion programme. The theatre presents spectacular productions with international stars. The repertoire is classical. Seats are expensive, the top price for opera is £100 and for ballet - £37. The seating capacity is 2000 spectators.

The Barbican Theatre (up to 1,166 seats) is the London home of the Royal Shakespeare Company. It's one of the Britain's most important theatre companies working in the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stradford-on-Avon and called the Shakespeare Memorial Company until 1982. Now it's based both in Stradford and London, with its London home at the Barbican from 1882. The Barbican Centre was opened in 1982. During World War a historical part in the City of London was devastated by bombing. After the war it was decided to establish the area for residents, together with arts facilities in this place. Now it's known as the Barbican Centre, the largest complex of its kind in Western Europe. It contains the Barbican Hall, three Cinemas, an Art Gallery, a public library, The Barbican Theatre, a studio theatre called the PIT.

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London Coliseum, the largest theatre in London, is also one of the most flamboyant. The grand building was designed by Frank Matcham in 1904 and crowned by a huge gilded globe. The Coliseum was the first theatre in London to have a revolving stage and the first theatre in Europe to be fitted with lifts. Originally a variety house, the Coliseum became a cinema for a short period in 1961-68, but now it is home to the English National Opera. Its productions, all sung in English, are often more challenging than those at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The Coliseum is also cheaper and less pretentious than the Royal opera House.

In 1956 there occurred an important event in the theatrical life of London - establishment of the Royal Court Theatre. It was the first theatre with a permanent company of actors, the English Stage Company, which declared its intention of seeking and presenting new plays.

Concerts are also very popular in Britain and London has several concert halls, the most famous of them are the Royal Festival Hall and The Royal Albert Hall.

Text 23. Holidays in the United States

Feasts and festivals serve to meet specific social and psychological needs of the people of the country. Holidays can be religious and secular, national and local, official and unofficial. Traditions make a nation special. Some of them are old-fashioned and few people remember them, others are part of people’s life.

Great Britain and the USA have some common holidays. Among them are New Year’s Day, St. Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas. But there are holidays which are celebrated only in America. Here are some of them:

Washington's Birthday, celebrated on the 22d of February, commemorates the birth of the United States' first President. Many schools, offices and banks close for this day, some stay open. The US Congress observes the birthday of George Washington with speeches and readings from his works.

Memorial Day is observed on the 30th of May. It is a national holiday. On that day, Americans honour the servicemen who gave their lives in past wars. Schools, clubs and churches decorate the cemeteries. They put up the flags on the graves of the army, navy and airmen. They hold memorial services in churches, halls, parks and cemeteries. In addition to solemn services Memorial Day is often marked by other, more joyful ceremonies: colourful parades, sports competitions.

Independence Day is on the 4th of July. On this day, in 1776, America signed the Declaration of Independence. It is a national public holiday celebrated with fireworks and speeches praising "Americanism, democracy, free enterprise”.

Labor Day is observed on the first Monday in September. It is a holiday of recreation. It marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Vacation time is over. Resorts, camps and beaches close.

Veterans Day. On this day, the radio and television broadcast services held at the National Cemetery in Arlington. High officials come from Washington to attend these services. They place a wreath of flowers at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. All stand in silence for a few minutes at eleven o'clock to honour the memory of the servicemen killed in the two World Wars.

Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday in November, is a time for family reunions and large turkey dinners in the United States. It’s perhaps the most important day in the American Year.

People go to church, and families come together for the day. They decorate their houses with fruit and flowers of autumn and prepare traditional American food: roast turkey, potatoes and pumpkin.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims, the first settlers in America in 1621, during their second winter in the new world. The first winter had been horrible, for nearly half of the people had died from lack of food and because of the bad weather. But the following year,

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thanks to the help from Indians who showed the Pilgrims how to plant Indian corn, they had a successful harvest.

To show gratitude, they decided to hold a feast, to give thanks for the good harvest. The Indians were invited to share in the festival. For several days all the women and girls were busy cooking. The boys cut many fresh branches from trees and made spoons. The men brought in wild turkey, geese and duck as well as deer. The Indians were tall strong men, some with feathers in the bands around their heads. Their long straight hair shone with bear’s grease. They wore deerskins over their shoulders. A few had their faces painted in black or red, or yellow. Massasoit, their chief wore a heavy chain of white bone beads around his neck. He was also wearing the copper chain with a jewel in it that the white people had given him. In addition to geese, ducks, fish, corn meal, bread contributed by the colonists, the Indians brought wild turkey and deer meat to the three-day feast.

When everything was ready the wonderful dinner began. Truly the food melted away that day. Later on they wrestled, ran races, sang, danced, played games. It meant peace and good will between the pilgrims and the Indians.

Since then, Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated in America.

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Appendix

How to write a summary

Аннотация – краткое описание работы, дающее характеристику выходных данных, основной темы, проблемы, объекта, цели работы и её результатов. Аннотация включает сведения об авторе, направленности работы, её ценности и назначении и имеет справочный характер. Рекомендуемый средний объём аннотации – 500 печатных знаков (обычно 7-8 предложений на английском языке).

Для написания аннотации на английском языке руководствуйтесь следующими указаниями:

I. Придерживайтесь определенной структуры:

1.Введение, в котором необходимо указать инициалы автора и фамилию; название статьи, текста или книги; дать выходные данные источника (номер журнала или газеты, месяц и год издания, место издания, том, страница).

2.Область или раздел знания, к которому относится реферируемый ма-териал; структура источника, если статья является одной из нескольких в книге, сборнике, пособии и т.п.; указание на наличие иллюстраций, схем, таблиц и т.п., если таковые имеются.

3.Главная мысль, идея реферируемого материала (в этом пункте аннотации в двух-трёх предложениях описывается основная мысль содержания письменного источникаоригинала).

4.Заключение (в этом пункте в зависимости от содержания и направленности источника мы пытаемся определить цель и предназначенность данной работы, то есть, сообщаем, для какого круга читателей предназначен текст, на который мы пишем аннотацию).

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