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Файл:Английский язык. Базовый курс. Учебное пособие
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The Palace of Westminster was built by Edward the Confessor in about 1050
and was used as a royal residence. But in 1547 it became the meeting place for Parliament. The fire of 1834 destroyed most of the original building. The new building
was created in the gothic style. The clock tower, called Big Ben, is well known to
everybody. Its clock is the most accurate in the world.
The Tower Bridge is a characteristic part of the London cityscape. It was built
in the early nineteenth century. The bridge is 240 meters long with two massive towers in the neo-gothic style. A mechanism, which is still remarkable today, can raise
and lower the bridge in about two minutes.
The Tower of London plays an important role in the history of the city. This
outstanding castle has been a palace, prison, mint, treasury and observatory. Nowadays the Tower is a museum housing the National Collection of Armour and the
Crown Jewels and Royal Regalia. The Tower is still guarded by the Yeomen, who
wear the traditional sixteenth century uniform.
One of the finest Renaissance cathedrals in Europe is St. Paul’s Cathedral. It
was built in 1710 by the architect Sir Christopher Wren. The church can boast of
some superb carving, frescoes and drawings. The famous Whispering Gallery is a
masterpiece of acoustics.
Buckingham Palace is the Royal residence. The house is comparatively new
and is built in the neoclassical style. Its luxurious interior and gardens are not open to
the public. But here you can see one of the most colorful ceremonies in London, the
Changing of the Guard.
Answer the questions:
1. What is the capital of Great Britain?
2. Where is it situated?
3. What are the main parts of London?
4. What is the City of London?
5. What is the difference between the West and East End?
6. Why is London so popular among the tourists?
7. What is the oldest building in London? What can you say about it?
8. Where does the British Parliament meet?
9. What can you say about the Tower Bridge?
10. What is so peculiar about the Tower of London?
11. When was St. Paul’s Cathedral built?
12. What is it famous for?
13. Where does the Queen live?
14. What can you see in the National Gallery?
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Translate from Russian into English.
1. Московский университет был основан в 18 веке.
2. Лондон привлекает тысячи туристов каждый год.
3. Колумб хотел исследовать неизвестную землю.
4. Цена за комнату включает завтрак.
5. В западной части Лондона живут только состоятельные люди.
6. Когда я разбил свою машину, страховая компания заплатила за ремонт.
7. В Японии много торговых компаний.
8. Достопримечательности Лондона очень живописные.
9. Она любит ходить по роскошным магазинам и покупать дорогую
одежду.
10. Новые звезды будут представлять команду России на Олимпийских
Играх.
11. Они не упомянули об этом факте.
12. Лондон остается одним из красивейших городов мира.
13. Этот выдающийся дворец был создан в 18 веке.
Text 3. Customs and traditions
Vocabulary:
to date back — датироваться;
to be proud of — гордиться;
to preserve — сохранять;
to be linked — быть связанным;
to obey — подчиняться;
to mark — отмечать;
a sweetheart — любимый/ая;
a message — послание;
a scary face — страшное лицо.
So many countries so many customs, an English proverb says. A great number
of customs and traditions date back to the early days of Great Britain. We can say that
they are the reflection of the country’s history and the people’s psychology. The Brit-
ish can be proud of that they preserved their old customs and traditions most of them
have been kept without change since the 13th century.
Some British customs and traditions are famous all over the world. For example, the celebration of New Year and Christmas is similar to our own. People deco-
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rate New Year trees, give each other presents, some go to parties at friend’s home or
at night-clubs.
St. Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th. On that day people send
cards and presents to their sweethearts or friends. Some British newspapers have a
whole page for Valentine’s Day messages on that day.
April 1st is April Fool’s Day in Britain. It is linked with the celebration of
spring, the return of sun and warmth. This tradition is very old and goes back to the
Middle Ages. At that time the servants were masters for one day of the year. They
gave orders and the masters had to obey. Now April Fool’s Day is different. It is a
day for jokes and tricks.
May 1st was another important day in the Middle Ages. Early in the morning,
young girls went to the field and washed their faces with dew. They believed this
made them beautiful for the whole year.
Midsummer’s Day, June 24th, is the longest day of the year. Even today Druids
come to Stonehenge to see the morning sun shine on the famous stones. Stonehenge
is one of Europe’s biggest stone circles. The stones are ten meters high and nearly
five thousand years old. They say, the Druids used it as a calendar to know the start
of months and seasons.
Hallowe’en is celebrated on October 31st. it is a religious holiday known as All
Saint’s Day. The symbols of Hallowe’en are evil spirits (witches, ghosts, goblins and
skeletons), black color and pumpkins with scary faces and a candle inside. Children
usually go trick or treating on that day.
Guy Fawke’s Day is marked on November 5th. All over the country people
build wood fires or “bonfires”. On top of each bonfire is a guy. It is made of straw
and old clothes.
Answer the questions:
1. What can we say about the customs and traditions of Great Britain? How old
are they?
2. What are the most famous winter traditions?
3. What holidays do they celebrate in spring?
4. What do they mark in summer?
5. What are the most famous autumn traditions?
Translate from Russian into English.
1. Строительство этой церкви датируется 18 веком.
2. Его сестра гордиться своими оценками в школе.
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3. Наша задача — сохранить природу для будущего поколения.
4. Этот праздник связан с религией.
5. Граждане должны подчиняться закону.
6. Учитель отметил все мои ошибки.
7. Он оставил сообщение своей любимой.
8. Фильм, который я посмотрел вчера, был не очень страшный.
Text 4. St. Valentine’s Day
Vocabulary:
St. Valentine's Day — День Святого Валентина;
Christian — христианский;
priest — священник;
prison — тюрьма;
to behead — отрубить голову;
authorities — власти;
teachings — учение;
miracle — чудо;
to cure — исцелить;
jail — тюрьма;
jailer — тюремщик;
blindness — слепота;
execution — казнь;
bishop — епископ;
to marry (couples) — венчать (пары);
to be burnt at the stake — быть сожженным на костре;
randomly — случайно;
sweetheart — возлюбленный;
medieval — средневековый;
custom — обычай;
to spread — распространяться;
to care for — любить;
valentine — открытка или подарок, посылаемые в день Валентина;
anonymous — анонимный;
heart-shaped — в форме сердца.
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There are several legends about St. Valentine's Day. One of the legends says
that Valentine was Christian priest who lived in the 3 century A.D. He was put into
prison by roman authorities for his teachings and was beheaded on February 14. According to the legend he performed a miracle — he cured his jailer's daughter of her
blindness. Before the execution he wrote her a letter signed «From Your Valentine».
Another legend says that the same Valentine wrote to children and friends who loved
him from the jail.
According to another legend, Valentine was an Italian bishop who lived at
about the same time. He was thrown into prison because he secretly married couples,
contrary to the laws of the Roman empire. The legend says that he was burnt at the
stake.
February 14 was also a Roman holiday. On this day young men randomly
chose the name of the girl to escort to the festival. The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this day became very popular in the medieval Europe. Later this custom
spread to American colonies.
Now, St. Valentine's Day is the day of sweethearts. On this day, people show
their friends relatives and loved ones that they care. People send candy or flowers to
those whom they love. Most people send «valentines», greeting cards named after St.
Valentine's letters written from jail. Valentines can be sentimental and romantic, or
funny and friendly. Valentines can be anonymous. Valentines can be heart-shaped or
can carry hearts on them. People buy valentines or make them themselves.
Answer the questions:
1. Who was Valentine according to one legend?
2. What was he beheaded for?
3. What was the Valentine's guilt according to the other legends?
4. What holiday was on February 14 in the Roman empire?
5. What do people send to their loved ones and friends on St. Valentine's Day?
6. What is a «valentine»?
Text 5. The history of Halloween
Vocabulary:
All Saints Day — День всех святых;
Irish Celts — ирландские кельты;
transition — переход, окончание;
ancient inhabitants — древние жители;
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Lord of the Death — Повелитель смерти;
boundary — граница;
to blur — размывать, стирать;
the Druids — друиды;
priest — священник, священнослужитель, жрец;
hilltop — вершина холма;
oak forest — дубрава;
to consider — рассматривать, считать, полагать;
to offer sacrifices of — приносить в жертву;
human beings — люди, человеческие существа;
to tell fortunes about — предсказывать;
ember — тлеющие угли;
evil spirits — злые духи;
to dress up in ghoulish costumes — наряжаться в омерзительные костюмы;
to frighten away — пугать, отпугивать;
to honour — праздновать в честь;
prayers — молитвы, мольба.
On October 31st, the eve of All Saints Day or just Halloween is celebrated.
The tradition of Halloween began in the fifth century B.C. by the Irish Celts,
who organized their year according to the agricultural calendar and marked the transition from one year to the next on October 31.
The Celts, ancient inhabitants of Great Britain, celebrated their New Year on
November 1st. It was celebrated every year with a festival that marked the end of the
«season of the sun» and the beginning of «the season of darkness and cold.
On the eve before their new year, October 31, it was believed that Samhain,
who was the Lord of the Death and Prince of Darkness, called together all the dead
people. The Celts believed the boundary between the worlds of the living and the
dead became blurred on this night.
On October 31st, the Druids, who were the priests and teachers of the Celts,
would meet in the hilltop in the dark oak forest. They considered oak trees to be sacred. The Druids would light fires and offer sacrifices of crops, animals and possibly
even human beings. They told fortunes about the coming year by examining the remains of the animals that had been sacrificed.
When the morning arrived, the Druids would give an ember from their fires to
each family who would then take them home to start new cooking fires at home.
These fires would keep the homes warm and free from evil spirits.
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The story tells us that during the transition, spirits return to earth, looking for
living bodies to possess for the following year. The Celts dress up in ghoulish costumes and parade around to frighten them away.
In the year 835 AD the Roman Catholic Church made November 1st a church
holiday to honour all the saints. This day is called All Saint's Day. It used to be also
known as Hallowmas. Gradually, over the years, October 31st became known as All
Hallow Even, eventually All Hallow's Eve, and then Halloween as we know it today.
It was thought that even strangers could help a soul's passage to heaven by saying prayers.
Answer the questions:
1. When do we celebrate Halloween?
2. When did the tradition of All Saints Day begin?
3. Who were the priests of Celts?
4. What did Druids do during this holiday?
5. Why did the Celts dress up in ghoulish costumes?
6. When did November 1st become a church holiday?
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UNIT 5
TOPIC 8. ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES
Text 1. The largest cities of the USA
Vocabulary:
to abound in — изобиловать;
to impress — производить впечатление;
to cover the history of — охватывать историю;
to involve — вовлекать;
to flourish — процветать;
to celebrate the anniversary — праздновать годовщину;
to decorate — украшать;
an ancient civilization — древняя цивилизация;
a giant skyscraper — гигантский небоскреб;
a broad highway — широкая дорога;
a recreation ground — площадка для игр;
greenery — зелень;
a pond — пруд.
Washington is the capital of the USA. It is a unique city, because its only industry is government. Its population is only 1 million people. Washington abounds in
national monuments and historic buildings. The Capitol, the White House and the
Lincoln Memorial are known throughout the world. The National Gallery of Art is
famous for its collection of paintings and sculpture by the greatest masters from the
thirteenth to the nineteenth century. The Library of Congress contains more than
13 million books in various languages.
Another biggest city is New York. It is a financial center of the country. New
York has an ocean of theatres, restaurants, movies and night clubs; it has a very flourishing hotel industry. The architecture of the city with its skyscrapers, bridges and
broad highways can impress anyone. The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of New York.
It is made of bronze and was given as a present to America by France in 1886 to the
100th anniversary of American Independence. The University of New York is situated
at Washington Square. It is the largest educational establishment in the city. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has rich collections, which cover the history of world art
from ancient civilizations to the present day, and include hundreds of world-famous
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masterpieces. New York’s famous Empire State Building is the tallest in the city. It is
500 meters high. Visibility on a clear day is more than 80 miles. The place that attracts the attention of all in Manhattan is Central Park. There are lots of recreation
grounds, greenery and beautiful ponds.
Los-Angeles and Hollywood is world-known for its film-making industry.
There are about 600 firms directly involved in movie-making. Hollywood Boulevard
is the main street of the city decorated with the actors’ stars.
San-Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in America. It lies on the hills.
It is the largest and the most important port on the Pacific coast. San-Francisco is famous for its bridges. The Oakland Bay Bridge — the largest in the world — is 8 km.
long and has two stories. The lower is for the heavy transport and the upper — for
cars. The Golden Gate Bridge is painted in orange color and looks like a giant sunbeam over the blue ocean.
Answer the questions:
1. What is the capital of the USA?
2. Why is it a unique city?
3. What are the most famous buildings there?
4. Why do the tourists enjoy visiting New York?
5. What are the most famous sights there?
6. Would you like to visit Los-Angeles or San Francisco? Why?
Translate from Russian into English.
1. Нью Йорк изобилует гигантскими небоскребами и широкими маги-
стралями.
2. Достопримечательности Сан-Франциско впечатлили нас очень сильно.
3. Эта выставка охватывает историю древней цивилизации.
4. В Голливуде множество фирм, которые непосредственно вовлечены в
кинобизнес.
5. Оксфорд знаменит своим древним Университетом.
6. Их компания успешно процветает.
7. Мосты Сан-Франциско известны по всему миру.
8. Фильмы Спилберга всемирно знамениты.
9. В этом парке есть площадки для отдыха, много зелени и красивый пруд.
10. Это учебное заведение находится на главной улице.
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Text 2. Canada
Vocabulary:
to live side-by-side — жить бок о бок, в согласии;
Commonwealth — содружество;
to gain — добиться, получить;
ties — связи, отношения.
Canada is a good example of the way peoples of different ways of life and different languages can live side-by-side under one government. The Canadian government is more British in style than American, except that it is a federal government.
Parliament is divided into two parts, the Senate and the House of Commons.
Voters in each province (Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 2 territories) choose
candidates from different political parties. The party that wins the most seats in the
House of Commons chooses the Prime Minister, who heads Canada’s government.
Senators are not elected, they are appointed by the Prime Minister.
Canada now belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations (nations which once belonged to the British Empire). Queen Elizabeth II is still the Queen of Canada. But
ties with Great Britain are not so strong as they were.
Canada is unique in the Americas because it gained its Independence without
fight. They celebrate it on July the 1st with fireworks and picnics. But most of Canadians do not mind that there are still some ties to the British Queen. Many like to continue old customs and still give honor to the Queen of England.
More than half of all people in Canada live in Southern Quebec and Ontario.
Quebec is Canada’s oldest province. This province was settled by the French, and the
people still follow French customs. The heart of French Quebec is its capital, Quebec
city. In many ways the lower part of the city, with its narrow streets, old churches,
and little houses built close together in long rows, resembles the cities of France.
Quebec is the largest province in size. Ontario is the largest in population.
Some call it nation’s heartland, as it is Canada’s demographic and economic center
and is a major force in national politics. It is Canada’s most industrialized province,
producing half of the nation’s manufactured goods.
Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is the political and administrative center of the
nation. Most national cultural institutions, including museums, archives, the National
Gallery, and the National Art Center are in the city.
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