The Weekend

Most people in Britain work five days a week from Monday to Friday. Schools, colleges and universities are closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Weekend starts on Friday evening when people leave work and wish each other a nice weekend.

Those who work away from home may go home. Some people go away for the weekend. They stay in a hotel or boarding house in the country or at the sea.

People who stay at home at the weekend try to relax, enjoy themselves. On Friday night people like to go to a bar for the happy hour, or the theatre. Nowadays it is not "in" to go to all-night parties, they get up early on Saturday morning. Saturday morning is the time for cleaning the house, washing the car, doing the laundry. Women usually do housework, sewing and gardening.

Saturday morning is a busy time for shopping. On weekdays shops close between 5.30 and 6 p.m. (They're closed on Sundays.) The shops in the centre of big cities usually close at one in the afternoon.

At about one o'clock people go out for lunch. After lunch they go for a walk or do some sports. On Saturday afternoon sporting events take place - football, horse-racing, rugby, cricket and other sports. People either go and watch or sit and watch the sports programmes on television.

Saturday evening is the favourite time for going out: parties, dances or theatre, maybe pictures. Some people like to go to watch a band.

Church bells are a typical feature of an English Sunday morning. On Sunday morning most people stay in bed till 9 o'clock. Then they have a cup of tea or coffee. They look through the newspapers. Reading Sunday papers is one of numerous traditions in Britain. There are quite a number of papers which are published weekly on Sundays.

After breakfast most people go for a walk or to the local pub. Usually men go to the pubs alone and their wives and children prepare for brunch.

At one or 1.30 people have brunch. It is a good time for all the family, when grandparents, parents and children go out to some restaurant and spend an hour or two over brunch. Brunch is a huge meal. They have all sorts of salads, vegetables, chicken, cold meat, pies, fruit, coffee, pudding.

Sunday evenings are rather quiet. Most people prefer to stay at home and watch television or just get ready for Monday. So they usually have an early night.

Questions to be answered:

1. How long is a week in Britain? 2. When does the weekend start in Britain? 3. When do the shops close on Saturday in Britain? 4. What do people usually do on Saturday afternoon? 5. What is the favourite time for going out? 6. What does brunch mean? 7. What do people usually have for brunch?

2. Match the two halves.

1. People work ... a) the weekend.

2. Weekend starts on ... b) because they get up early on Saturday.

3. Some people go away for ... c) cleaning the house and doing shopping.

4. Those who stay at home try to … d) at 9 o'clock.

5. People don't go to all-night parties ... e) an English Sunday morning.

6. Saturday morning is the time for ... f) 5 days a week.

7. Saturday evenings is the time for ... g) a huge meal.

8. On Sundays people get up ... h) going out.

9. Church bells are a typical feature of... i) Friday evening.

10. Brunch is ... j) relax and enjoy themselves.

11. On Sundays people have ... k) an early night.

3. Decide if the following is true (T) or false (F).

1. People work 6 days a week. 2. Weekend starts on Saturday. 3. Women do housework on Sunday. 4. On weekdays shops close at 2 o'clock. 5. Saturday morning is a busy time for shopping. 6. On Sunday afternoon sporting events take place. 7. Saturday evening is the favourite time for going out. 8. On Sunday morning people stay in bed till 9 o'clock. 9. People have brunch at 5 p.m. 10. Brunch is a snack between meals. 11. People have tea or coffee for brunch. 12. On Sunday evenings people watch television.

4. Arrange the sentences in the proper order. Consult the text.

1. On Sunday people get up at 9 o'clock. 2. At 1 p.m. people go out for lunch. 3. Most men go to the pubs alone. 4. Weekend starts on Friday night. 5. On Friday people like to go to a bar. 6. After lunch they do some sports. 7. On Saturday afternoon people either go and watch or sit and watch the sports programmes. 8. On Saturday people usually do housework. 9. On weekdays shops close at 5.30 or 6 p.m. 10. After breakfast most people go to the local pub. 11. Sunday evenings are usually quiet. 12. On Sunday people have brunch in a restaurant. 13. They have an early night. 14. All the family spend an hour or two over brunch. 15. People get ready for Monday. 16. Over a cup of tea or coffee people read Sunday papers.

5. Tell how people in Britain spend their weekends.

6. Speak about your day-off. The questions below will help you.

1. When do you have your day-off, on Saturday or on Sunday? 2. Do you have a good rest? 3. When do you get up? 4. Do you go to the country for the weekend? 5. Do you always have a good time in the country? 6. What do you do in the country? 7. What do you do if you stay at home? 8. Do you feel rested after the day-off?

7. Read the text ‘Hobbies’.