Questions:

1. What is the most important festival in Great Britain?

2. What is the most important festival in Russia?

3. What is the most important festival in the USA?

4. What is Easter?

5. Why is St. Valentine's Day associated with love and ro­mance?

6. What did people do on this day?

7. When do Americans celebrate Independence Day?

8. Do Americans work on this day?

9. When do Russians celebrate the Day of the Sovereignty of the Russian Federation?

10. What is your favorite holiday?

Vocabulary:

Christmas Рождество

Christian христианский

to celebrate праздновать

birth рождение

primitive примитивный, простой

customs обычаи, традиции

predominantly преимущественно

hollow полый, пустой

silver paper фольга

exact точный

mass месса

Christmas tree рождественская елка

wreath венок

ornament украшение

bell колокольчик

carol рождественский гимн

request просьба

employee служащий

to trim украшать

tinsel мишура

Christmas Eve сочельник

gift подарок

church service церковная служба

stuffed turkey фаршированная индейка

Thanksgiving День благодарения

thanksgiving воздаяние благодарности

harvest урожай

to settle поселиться

charitable благотворительный

Halloween Хэллоуин; канун Дня всех святых

fortunetelling гадание

ghost привидение

witch ведьма

to establish установить

All Saints Day День всех святых

mass месса

eve канун

treat угощение

hallowed-out pumpkins тыквы, пустые внутри

Judgment Day Судный день

independence независимость

gradual постепенный

painful болезненный

to impose taxes облагать налогами

grievance претензия

draft проект

Revolutionary War война за независимость

Continental Congress континентальный конгресс

to approve утвердить

Declaration of independence Декларация Независи­мости

firework фейерверк

to observe торжественно праздновать;

to conquer завоевывать, покорять

favour расположение, благосклонность

to appoint назначать, определять

Cupid римск. миф. Купидон

Amour римск. Амур, Купидон

to execute казнить

St. Valentine's Day День Святого Валентина

authorities власти

custom обычай

to spread распространяться

to care for любить

valentine открытка или подарок, посылаемые в день Валентина

anonymous анонимный

heart-shaped в форме сердца

Dialogue:

- I say, Maggie, could you tell us what are the main public holidays in the USA?

- January 1 should be mentioned. It is New Year’s Day. All banks, stores, factories and schools are closed. People see the old year out and the New Year in.

- I hear that Decoration Day is marked on the last Monday of May. What is it dedicated to?

- Decoration Day is sometimes called Memorial Day. It is dedicated to those who fell in the War of Independence, in World War 1 and World War 2.

- I see. The greatest holiday is July 4, isn’t it?

- Yes, it is. The Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Philodelphia on July 4, 1776 when the American colonies were fighting for independenceagainst England.

- What do the Americans mark on November 11?

- November 11 is Veteran’s Day. All Americans who died in the antifascist struggle are honored.

- It is so difficult for me to remember when Thanksgiving Day is celebrated.

- That is a great holiday. It is celebrated on the fourth Thuesday of November. It has been celebrated since the autumn of 1621, that was the first harvest festival in America.

- Thank you for the information.