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(4) Christmas Pudding – History and Tradition

Puddings range from sweet to savory, with a texture varying from soft to moderately hard. It can take the form of porridges, flans, custards, tarts and dumplings. The pudding is a thick and soft dessert, typically containing flour, milk, eggs, a flavoring and sweetener.

Christmas puddings originated as a fourteenth century 'porridge' called frumenty. They were made of cereal, breadcrumbs, mutton and beef with raisins, wines, prunes, currants and spices. They were stuffed in sausage skins, enclosed in a pastry and baked. It was eaten as a fasting dish before the Christmas festivities.

By 1595, the frumenty was replaced by a plum pudding with eggs, breadcrumbs, and dried fruits flavoured with spirits and ale. Originally a meatbased dish dating from the Middle Ages, Christmas Pudding evolved over the years as various ingredients were added and dropped until we have the nonmeat, dried-fruit based pudding that we all gobble furiously today. Though eaten in same shape or form for hundreds of years, it was only established as a Christmas ‘must’ in the 1800s when Queen Victoria’s husband, with his insatiable appetite for ‘plum duff’, made it fashionable throughout the country.

Today, puddings serve as a dessert as in chocolate pudding or as a main dish, such as corn pudding. It's a dessert in Britain. Some puddings are universally popular (bread and rice puddings) and are made with regional variations.

No Christmas dinner in the UK is complete without a flaming Christmas Pudding – regarded as one of the highlights not only of the main celebratory meal, but also of the entire Christmas festivities. A Christmas Pudding takes about 8 hours to cook initially and is usually prepared at least a full month before Christmas – the intervening time being needed for the pudding and its flavours (especially the alcohol) to roundly mature. On Christmas Day, the pudding is re-steamed for about 2 to 4 hours so that it is served piping hot at the table. It is traditional for Christmas Puddings to be covered with brandy just before serving and for the brandy to be set alight and carried into the dining-room as a flaming pud.

There are many varied traditions associated with the pudding and its making:

-it should be made with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and His Disciples;

-setting the brandy alight is said to represent Christ’s passion;

-a sprig of holly ( , ) is often used to top the pudding as a reminder of the crown of thorns worn by Christ on the cross;

-holly is supposed to bring good luck and have special healing powers; and it is often planted near houses in the belief that it protects the inhabitants;

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-every member of the family should take a turn to stir the pudding with a wooden spoon from east to west, in honour of the three kings. Some families add coins to the pudding for luck and everyone then stirs the pudding and makes a wish; whoever gets a coin in their serving on Christmas Day will get wealth, health, happiness and all their wishes will come true. Some people even add gold rings to the mixture in the belief that the finder of the ring on Christmas Day will get married in the coming year;

-in some families, the father or grandfather (honours to the eldest) of the family carries the Christmas Pudding to the dining-room where he has to knock on the closed door. The rest of the family have to shout ‘Hurrah for the Christmas Pudding’ as loudly as they can, at which point the bearer of the pudding teases that he cannot hear anyone calling for the pud and he is therefore going to take it away as clearly no-one wants any. He knocks again three or four times, each time saying that he cannot hear one or other member of the family, before he eventually agrees to enter the room and dish out the once-a-year treat.

(from: http://www.gouk.com/)

Check yourself

Vocabulary Test to Lesson 2

Task 1. Choose the correct answer:

1.The word double bed is translated into Ukrainian as:

a); b) ; c)

2.A room in which people usually spend their free time or entertain guests is called

a)a bathroom; b) a living room; c) a bedroom

3.What do you call the food the taste of which you like very much

a)delicious; b) disgusting; c) tasteless

4.If you want to eat very much, you usually feel

a)hungry; b) starving; c) sleepy

5.A small often self-service restaurant at which meals and non-alcoholic drinks can be bought is called

a)a bar; b) a coffee shop; c) a cafeteria

6.The word-combination large and imposing house is translated into English as

a)a mansion; b) an annex; c) a tenement house

7.Call in one word: a ring or ball of sweetened dough fried in deep fat and often coated with sugar

a)a pie; b) a doughnut; c) a cutlet

8.The word soda is translated into Ukrainian as

a); b) ; c)

9.Fatty food made from cream, used on bread, in cooking is called

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a)oil; b) butter; c) marmalade

10.The word is translated into English as

a)freezer; b) fridge; c) bridge.

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LESSON 3* ENTERTAINMENT. MASS MEDIA. BOOKS.

SOCIALISING AND PASTIMES

Vocabulary: Entertainment

Introductory Reading

1. Read the text and find out the meaning of the target words (in bold type).

A.

What do you like doing in your spare time? Do you go somewhere with your friends or your family?

Many people regularly go to the cinema (pictures/US movies). It is really the most popular entertainment nowadays. Most towns have multiplex (multi-screen) cinemas which show a wide range of films: documentary films (based on real events with real participants, not actors), feature films (with elaborated plot, performed by actors), of different genres: adventure, horror, melodrama, comedy, screen version, thriller, shocker, science fiction, epic, (animated)cartoon, detective (crime yarn; gangster yarn), action-film, blockbuster (US; also: Hollywood biggie), sequel and others. Films can be characterised as absorbing (gripping), exciting (thrilling), moving (sentimental), amusing (entertaining), depressing (sad), dull (boring). Besides actors and actresses, many other people work in film industry: script-writers, cameramen, editors (making a selection and arrangement of individual shots in order to construct the flowing sequence of images for a film), directors (those who supervises and instructs actors and actresses, the lighting, camera crew, in films), stuntmen (people performing dangerous acts in a film in place of an actor), producers (responsible for the production of a film). Foreign films are shown to the audience dubbed (with the original soundtrack of a film substituted by a new soundtrack in a different language). They can sometimes be provided with subtitles (captions) or over voice dubbing (a type of dubbing when the original soundtrack can be heard). A typical show usually consists of a newsreel (a short film with a commentary presenting current events), a cartoon and a feature

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film, though there is a double-feature program (when a show consists of a newsreel, a cartoon and two films).

There are concert-halls in large cities that can offer you a huge range of musical performances, from opera and classical concerts to light music, jazz, folk, rock and pop gigs (concerts). Composers, conductors and musicians work to let us enjoy sweet (tuneful) and expressive music, though sometimes it can be scrappy and claptrap. A singer (soloist or vocalist) performs music pieces for the audience in a sweet (pleasant), clear (ringing), deep (chest), low, high-pitched (thin) voice, but sometimes his/her voice may sound too loud (stentorian) or even shrill. Musicians in the orchestra play various musical instruments: wind (clarinet; flute; saxophone; trumpet); percussion (timpani; drum; cymbals; tambourine), string (violin; cello; double-bass; banjo; guitar), piano (upright or grand piano).

State holidays and weekends are favourite times to go out with your family. Some things, such as circuses, zoos and water parks can be quite expensive. But other events, such as fun-days, parades and carnivals are much cheaper. Children often like to go to funfairs, where they can go on the rides and eat candyfloss.

There are also plenty of cheap activities available in towns and cities. You can often find a leisure centre in towns, which offer sport facilities. Many English people go to their local pub where they can play darts or pool (a type of billiards), as well as have a drink with friends. At the weekend, younger people often go clubbing (to night clubs) or to a disco with their friends.

Large towns as well as the major cities have theatres and opera houses where you can see plays, operas, musicals or ballet. You can choose to go in the afternoon, for the matinee performance, or in the evening. Generally, the more you pay the better seat you get. The stalls (pit) are the seats at ground level in front of the stage, and these have the best views. Then there are the seats in the dress circle (or Royal Circle), which are in the first balcony. They also have good views of the stage. Then there are the seats in the upper circle, which are in the second balcony. Above this are cheaper seats in the balcony or the gallery, which are so high up that it is often difficult to see the actors. There are also seats in the boxes, which are private rooms built into the side walls of the theatre.

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Some people may enjoy different art shows (exhibitions) where pieces of painting (or drawing), carving, studio pottery, embroidery, sculpture are displayed. Others prefer to spend their free time on hobbies (pastimes), such as sewing, knitting, collecting various items (like stamps, coins, books, etc.), participating in amateur theatres or groups, computer games, Internet browsing and many others. It may be great fun to socialize, to give (to arrange) and visit parties. The most popular and interesting parties are: tea-party, cocktail party, hen party (night) / stag party (night), surprise party, a dinner party. Well, there are many ways of entertainment nowadays and everyone can choose whatever he/she likes to have a fine time (to enjoy oneself/to have fun).

Reading books is a favourite pastime for many people, for whom it is not really a hobby but an indispensable1 part of life.

Fiction of different genres like novels (historical, mystery/detective, science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction/documentary, romance); (short) stories, novelettes, poetry and drama (the genre of literature represented by works intended for the stage) have millions of devotees all over the world.

B*.

Hobbies

Hobby is an activity that you do regularly in your free time. A typical hobby: sport, reading, watching TV, listening to music, collecting, playing chess/computer games, take photos, painting, drawing, clubbing.

Active kinds of rest: travelling, doing sports, hiking, camping, rock climbing, hunting, jogging;

Useful Expressions: to have much free time, to share one's hobby/activity with, to be connected with, to be somebody's fan, can't stand, prefer, go cycling, go sailing/climbing/skiing etc., have a party, go for a walk, do gymnastics/judo.

Creative hobbies: making clothes; knitting; photography: Caroline makes her own clothes (she makes clothes for herself; she doesn't buy them). Barbara likes photography. Brigit is mad about

(really likes) DIY (do-it-yourself).

1

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Notes:

Things people play: golf, cards, board games, chess; musical instruments(guitar, piano, violin, saxophone).

Things people collect: coins, stamps, model cars, dolls, etc.

With hobbies we can use two different verbs, go and do: we often go camping in the summer; I do a bit of/ a lot of rock climbing in the summer

When we start a hobby for the first time, we often use the phrasal verb take up, and when we stop doing the hobby for the final time, we often use the phrasal verb give up. I took up golf when I was fifteen, but I gave it up last year.

People join clubs (become members of clubs) where they can play cards, chess, billiards, etc.

Free Time When you stay at home:

Stay in (to stay at home and not go out): "Do you want to go and see a movie tonight, or shall we stay in?" "I usually stay in when there's school next day." Watch television/watch TV: "Did you go out last night?" "No, we stayed in and watched TV." Listen to music: Sometimes I like just to sit in my room and listen to music. Play computer games: "Where's Fran?""Up in her room playing computer games." Read: I spend a lot of my free time reading. She enjoys reading science fiction novels. Get a video (to rent a film to watch on your own television): "Let's get a video. How about that new Bruce Willis movie?"

Get a takeaway / get takeout (US) (to buy food from a restaurant and take it home to eat): I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's get a takeaway.

When you go to the cinema, a restaurant, a club etc.:

Go out (to go out of your house and go to a restaurant, cinema, club etc): "Did you go out last night?" – "Yeah, We went to that new Mexican restaurant on 4th Avenue." Go out to dinner/lunch, also go out for a meal (to go to a restaurant and have a meal): It was Ellen's birthday, so we went out to dinner. Go to the cinema/go to the movies (US) (to go and watch a film): Do you want to go to the movies tonight? We haven't been to the cinema for ages. Go to a concert (to go to listen to people playing music): We went to a concert of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". I go to lots of pop concerts. Go

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to a gig (to go to listen to a band – people who play popular music):

"I'm going to a gig tonight." "Who are you going to see?" "The Smashing Pumpkins." Go clubbing/go to a club (to go to a place where you can dance and drink until late at night): Michelle always goes clubbing on Friday night. Go to a cafe/a bar/a pub (to go to a place where you can drink and talk to your friends): On Friday we usually go to a bar after work.

Talking about your free time: What do you do in your free time (when you are not working or studying)? I like.../I enjoy... /I'm (really) into...: I like playing volleyball. Most of all, I enjoy going to jazz (I like or enjoy something very much). I'm into all sports, especially tennis and basketball. Simon's started learning Spanish, and he's really into it (informal). In my free time/spare time: In my free time, I'm learning.

Mind!

The arts (plural) covers everything in the network. Art (singular, uncountable) usually means fine art, but can also refer to technique and creativity. For example: Have you read the arts page in The Times today? (that part of the paper that deals with all the things in the network); She’s a great art lover. (loves painting and sculpture); Shakespeare was skilled in the art of poetry. (creative ability)

Dance usually refers to modern artistic dance forms; ballet usually has a more traditional feel, unless we say modern ballet.

What’s on at the cinema/theatre, etc. today? – The Jurassic Park by Stephen Spielberg is on at the Movie Palace.

A novel is a long story, e.g. 200-300 pages; a short prose fiction, e.g. 10 pages, is a short story.

A penny-dreadful (US: dime novel) a cheap melodramatic novel, usually in paperback.

2. Fill in the chart using the information from Ex. 1. Consult the dictionary id necessary.

Word Ukrainian Equivalent

cinema (movies)

film (picture)

absorbing/gripping

exciting/thrilling

moving/sentimental

amusing/entertaining

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depressing/sad

dull/boring

genre

documentary

feature

horror

screen version

thriller

shocker

science fiction

epic

(animated)cartoon

detective-film (crime yarn; gangster yarn)

action-film

blockbuster

sequel

script-writer

cameraman

editor

director

stuntman

to dub a film

subtitles (captions)

over voice dubbing

show

newsreel

double feature program

conductor

sweet (tuneful)

expressive

scrappy

claptrap

music piece

wind instrument

percussion instrument

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string instrument

funfair

to go on the rides

leisure centre

matinee performance

stalls (pit)

stage

art show (exhibition)

carving

studio pottery

embroidery

hen party/stag party

dinner party

fiction

novel

novelette

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