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stations, restaurants, hostels, in a word any communal place, and in this case the
desire to wash yourself fades away completely. It gets worse. The traditional English
bath (and they are in the majority, with the only exceptions being hotels in large
cities) has two separate taps and no shower. According to this surprising national idea
you should fill it with water, and some sort of bath salts, luxuriate in that, wash his
head and then get out without rinsing off. Note that hotels which have installed a
modern shower instead are less popular among the locals and adverts will particularly
play on the fact that the hotel has a traditional bathroom. The French, who are the
main opponents of the English and have had the bravery to criticize them (everybody
else prefers to remain silent so as not to put their foot in it), believe that all of this is
done specially in order to inconvenience foreigners. The English themselves
instinctively feel a deep running link between form and content: change one and you
will inevitably change the other. Preserving two taps, steering wheels on the right
ultimately helps to ensure their national integrity and protects the distinctive national
traits of their character in the face of total globalization.
Vocabulary:
faithfulness — верность, честность
trait — особенность, свойство
desire — желание, страсть
retain — удерживать, сохранять
behavior — поведение, поступ
initial — начальная, заглавная
contemporary — современный
sharp — острый
completely — совершенно, полностью
accustom — приучать
experience — опыт
rent — арендовать
absurd — абсурд
forbid — запрещать, не давать сделать
force — заставлять силой
entire — полный, целый
supply — запас
inconvenience — неудобство, беспокойство
tap — пробка, затычка
imagine — воображать, представлять себе
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washbasin — умывальная раковина
communal — общественный, коммунальный
fade — увядать
rinse — полоскать, ополоснуться
advert (advertisement) — объявление
remain — оставаться, пребывать
order — порядок, последовательность
in order to — для того, чтобы
content — содержимое, содержание
ensure — обеспечивать, гарантировать
total — всеобщий
Read the text again. Point out which sentences correspond to the content of
the text.
1. When you rent a car you can do well without insurance.
2. English faithfulness to traditions can be called conservatism.
3. The English are criticized because they don’t stick to their traditions.
4. The English drive on the right.
5. It’s very difficult to get used to driving on the left.
6. The desire to retain rituals and customs in their initial form never leads to
absurdities.
7. The desire to keep everything the way that it is may be called globalisation.
8. The English put innovations to their old houses.
9. They prefer to live in modern new houses.
10. They do without modern double-glazed windows.
11. It is very convenient to wash under two separate taps.
12. Any communal place in England has got the same sinks with two taps.
13. Most hotels have got traditional English bathrooms.
14. Most locals prefer to stay at the hotel with traditional bathroom.
15. It is pleasant to get out of the bath without rinsing off.
16. The Spanish are the main opponents of the English.
17. Other nations prefer to remain silent.
18. Faithfulness to traditions helps the English to ensure their national identity.
19. The English want to inconvenience foreigners.
20. They feel the deep link between form and content.
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Answer the questions:
1. What should one take into consideration when discussing the English way of life?
2. What does it sometimes lead to?
3. What desire differentiates the English from most other nations?
4. Do you think it is an interesting place to visit? Why?
5. How do they drive?
6. And how do we drive in this country?
7. Can one get used to drive on the left quickly?
8. What are you recommended to do if you rent a car to travel around England?
9. What has penetrated every aspect of English life?
10. Do the English want to change their houses?
11. Where do most English prefer to live?
12. Why do they do without modern double-glazed windows?
13. How do the English wash in a traditional house?
14. Do you do it in the same way in Russia?
15. What is so special in the traditional English bath?
16. Do you think you will use more water taking a shower than running a bath?
17. Who are the main opponents of the English?
18. Why does everybody except the French prefer to remain silent?
19. What do the Frenchmen believe?
20. What do the English instinctively feel?
Text 2
RUSSIAN CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
There are certain peculiarities that only Russians have and it's useful to know
them. Otherwise, you risk losing friends, getting shot, or having an argument.
Below we tried to list some common traits of the Russian character and list
some things that Russians love and hate. If you are lucky enough to meet a person
whose character incorporates all of the items from the list below, we can assure you
that this person possesses the pure Russian spirit and should be treated with high
respect. If you decide to become a Russian, you can use the list below as guidelines.
• We are a free nation. Here we despise all the rules. It’s an honor for our
drivers to move on the red light or to bother other drivers and scorn pedestrians.
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• It’s cool to do nothing and to just lie on the sofa thinking about how great
you are. Really, Russia is such an amazing country and we have given the world so
much, that we can rest a bit.
• If you're invited for a meal, expect that the hosts will feed you until you feel
completely full and not capable of moving. If you think that's dangerous for your
health, or you're on a diet, we advise you to emulate satiety, otherwise you will end
up badly.
• We value generosity. We can give you the last piece of bread we have if we
believe you really need it. And we expect the same in return.
• ... and most of us are very proud. Don't talk to us about our vices, we won't
listen anyway. And don't dare to criticize the way our country is — Russia is the best
place and we will prove it to the whole world very soon.
• Some of us are quite emotional, but somehow, it’s all kept inside most of
the time. We may seem a bit cold and too much to ourselves at first, but when you get
to know us better, we're like a volcanoes.
• We love trends — even though we're not the global trend-setters, we take
them to the extremes. Give us the latest Dazed & Confused and we'll show you how
to turn avant-garde to mainstream and even make good money on it. By the way,
same goes for technology and the internet. We get it later, but we make it better :)
• We are not politically correct, we take pleasure in talking our opinions out
loud and we will not use fancy words to conceal our real feelings.
• We don't feel easy about talking to strangers on the street, but if you start
conversation saying that you're from another country or ask for some help, there's a
good chance we will be very open, because we are naturally curious about foreigners.
• Some of us think that foreigners are bloody rich; so, if we spot a foreigner,
we try to make some money on him, because we still have this communist idea that
everybody should be equal.
• Women and old women are very respected here. It’s considered polite if
while being in the metro and seeing a woman or an old woman coming in and
there’re no free seats, man offers her his seat.
• Beware of the babushkas (old women). They are active, pushy and very
proud of themselves, so if you do something not the way they think you should’ve
done, better disappear.
• When you are invited to the party bring something with you — beer is
usually accepted with pleasure.
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• If you invited a girl or a woman, somewhere be prepared to pay for her
everywhere. If you invited a man, he’ll pay for himself, and there's a good chance
he'll pay for you as well without telling you about it.
• Men should be strong and assertive and women should be smart and
beautiful. That's just one of our stereotypes.
• Russians are weird. We think that a sudden change from communism to
capitalism has something to do with it, but this topic deserves a more thorough
exploration. The only smart explanation that can be proposed here is that some of us
jumped too deep into capitalist world, while some stayed too far behind.
• Russians are hooligans. It's not because we're bad — we just like everything
extraordinary. But too often we don't express this feeling enough, so when it comes
out, it's like a volcanoe. That's why you hear our tourists singing folk songs at 3am
and that's why we make a revolution every 80 years.
• Yes, we are superstitious. And if you want to shake our hand, you can never
ever do it through the door: you have to come in, otherwise we will quarrel. If you
come back to your house just after you left — look at the mirror, it's for your own
good. If you're sitting at the corner of the table, you won't be married for 7 years. If a
fork falls, a woman is going to come, if a knife falls, a man will certainly appear.
• Most of us know a few words in English, but we are too shy to speak —
no practice, you see... . However, you will be surprised at how many things are
written in English on the streets: it is used to show a shop or a cafe, to advertise a
new product, and there's a lot of foreign goods. Also, almost more than a half of
Russian products have their ingredients listed in English.
Russians learn English at school, and many people can understand the basics,
but are shy to speak to a stranger. We estimate about every one out of five
Moscovitans can speak English well enough, and there's a higher chance among
younger people.
• We like all things fancy. But our understanding of it is very original. You
will often see men in suits or tucked-in shirts and office trousers (even in clubs on
Friday night), while women prefer noticeable and sexy outfits. The colors for men are
usually dark or grey, while women like light and white colors. This is a
generalization and of course you'll see a lot of different people and outfits.
• A club is not a place to party — it's the place for the chosen ones. If you
want to visit clubs, they have this thing called “dress code” where you might not be
allowed because you wear Nike sneakers, old khakis or a fleece coat. However, the
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rules are laxer for foreigners, so if unsure about your appearance just speak English
while you're passing the club's entrance, and you're guaranteed to get in.
• We express what we feel, but we're not extrovert. We shout in public and
we kiss in public. It's acceptable to show affection in public (look at how many
kissing couples there are on the long escalators in Moscow metro!) but extrovert
behavior may be resisted. You won't see a lot of people sitting in public places with
their legs stretched or crossed (in an American way) and Russians do not gesticulate
much when they are talking.
Vocabulary:
рossess — владеть
pedestrian — пешеход
guideline — рекомендация, руководство
scorn — презирать
emulate — подражать
satiety — сытость
generosity — щедрость
assertive — настойчивый
drunkard — пьяница
weird — странный
superstitious — суеверный
fancy — фантазия, необычный, причудливый
laxer — слабый
Answer the questions:
1. Can you list common traits of the Russian character?
2. Do we love trends? Which?
3. Can you prove that we are a free nation?
4. What are your actions if you're invited for a meal?
5. What do we value?
6. Can you give examples of our emotionality?
7. Is it easy to talk to strangers on the street?
8. Why are Russians weird? Do you agree?
9. Why are we shy to speak English?
10. What kind of things do we like?
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UNIT 12. GREAT BRITAIN. LONDON
Text 1
GREAT BRITAIN
The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland. It occupies the territory of the British Isles. The British Isles consist
of two large islands: Great Britain and Ireland and about five thousand small islands.
The total area is over 244 000 square kilometres.
The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are: London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast
respectively. The population of the country is over 57 million people; about 80 % of
them live in cities and towns.
Great Britain is separated from the European continent by the English Channel
and the Strait of Dover. The west coast of the country is washed by the Irish Sea, the
east coast is washed by the North Sea. There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but
they are not very long and not good for navigation. The chief rivers are the Severn
and the Thames.
The climate in the United Kingdom is generally mild and temperate due to the
influence of the Gulf Stream. It is mild, humid and changeable. It is never too hot or
too cold. Great Britain is well known as a foggy and rainy country.
The United Kingdom is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as
one of the world's largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile,
aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the main important industries of the
country is shipbuilding. The largest cities of Great Britain are: London, Birmingham,
Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh.
The United Kingdom is a monarchy. The Queen is the official head of the state.
The legislative power is vested in Parliament. It consists of two chambers: the House
of Lords and the House of Commons. There are three main political parties: the
Labour, the Conservative and the Liberal. The party which wins the majority of seats
in Parliament forms the Government and its leader becomes Prime Minister. The
Prime Minister chooses about twenty MP's from his party to become Cabinet
Ministers. Each minister is responsible for a particular area of government.
English is the official language, but some people speak Scottish, Welsh and
Irish. The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three
crosses. The upright red cross is the cross of St. George, the patron saint of England.
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The white diagonal cross (with arms going into the corners) is the cross of
St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red diagonal cross is the cross of
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. David is the patron saint of Wales. Rose is a
symbol of England, daffodil is a symbol of Wales, thistle is the symbol of Scotland
and shamrock is the symbol of Ireland.
Vocabulary:
Great Britain — Великобритания
official — официальный
to occupy — занимать
island — остров
to consist of — состоять
total — общий
square — квадратный
to make up — составлять
capital — столица
respectively — соответственно
population — население
to separate — отделять
coast — побережье
to wash — омывать
navigation — судоходство
chief — главный
mild — мягкий
temperate — умеренный
influence — влияние
Gulf Stream — Гольфстрим
humid — влажный
changeable — изменчивый
foggy — туманный
rainy — дождливый
producer — производитель
machinery — оборудование
textile — текстильный
aircraft — авиационный
shipbuilding — судостроение
monarchy — монархия
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chamber — палата
to win — побеждать
majority — большинство
seat — место
leader — лидер
to choose — выбирать
to be responsible for … — быть ответственным за …
particular — особый
government — правительство
to cross — пересекать
upright — вертикальный
saint — святой
patron — покровитель, заступник
daffodil — нарцисс
thistle — чертополох
shamrock — трилистник
House of Commons — палата общин
English Channel — Английский канал (Ла-Манш)
Strait of Dover — Па-де-Кале (Дуврский пролив)
Answer the questions:
1. What is the official name of the country?
2. What parts does it consist of?
3. Is the population over 57 million people?
4. What is Great Britain separated by from the continent?
5. The chief rivers in Great Britain are the Severn and the Thames, aren't they?
6. Why is British climate mild?
7. Is Great Britain a highly developed industrial country?
8. What British industries do you know?
9. Who rules Britain officially?
10. What does the British Parliament consist of?
11. What is the official language in Great Britain?
What do you know about …
1. … the United Kingdom as an island state?
2. … the countries and largest cities in the United Kingdom?
3. … the chief rivers of Great Britain and their importance?
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4. … industries of the country?
5. … the distribution of population in the United Kingdom?
6. … the climate of Great Britain?
7. … the political parties in the country?
8. … the language spoken in the United Kingdom?
9. … the national emblems of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
10. … the flag of the country?
Finish phrases choosing appropriate word combinations.
1. Great Britain consists of (one large island, two large islands, about five
thousand small islands).
2. The population of Great Britain is (7 million, 15 million, 57 million, over
57 million).
3. The climate of the country is (dry, sunny, temperate, windy, humid, mild).
4. A great number of new industries were added to the traditional ones such as
(aircraft, electronics, shipbuilding, automobile, engineering).
5. At the head of the State is (the Prime Minister, Parliament, the King,
the Queen).
6. The flag of the United Kingdom is made up of (one, three, several crosses).
7. (Scottish, Welsh, English) is the official language of the country.
Choose the prepositions:
1. The British Isles consist … two large islands.
a) in
b) for
c) of
d) at
2. The United Kingdom is made up … four countries.
a) of
b) about
c) at
d) in
3. Great Britain is separated … the European continent — the English
Channel … the Strait of Dover.
a) from
b) by
c) at
d) and
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