Ex.2. Answer the questions.

1. Do Englishmen like to speak much?

2. Do they like to speak when they travel by train?

3. What questions are unacceptable?

4. Do Englishmen often say anything good about themselves?

5. Do they often shake hands and embrace each other?

7. What do Englishmen like to drink very much?

8. What is "high tea"?

9. What tea is called "English tea"?

Ex.3. What can you say about the peculiarities of English character?

ENGLISH TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND HOLIDAYS.

Every country has its traditions and holidays. Englishmen keep them up for hundreds of years. In English homes the fire-place is the center of interest. People like to sit round the fires in the evening.

Traditionally English Kings are crowned on the chair called “The Stone of Destiny “. Many hundreds of years the Kings of Scotland were crowned on a large stone. When Scotland became part of Britain, the Stone was brought to London and a large chair was made. The Stone was put into the seat.

The Theatre Royal in Drury Lane in London is very old and has many traditions. It was opened in 1663 and the king was present at the performance (that is why it was called the Theatre Royal). One of the traditions is Badely cake. Robert Badely was a pastry-cook before he became an actor. He was a very good actor. He made a tradition to eat a big cake at the theatre on the Twelfth Night every year. Twelfth Night is the 6th of January, the 12th night after Christmas. Another old tradition is The Veteran Car Run. On the first Sunday in November the demonstration of old cars (made before 1904) begins in Hyde Park in London. They go from London to Brighton. The drivers are dressed in the clothes of those times.

Holidays in England are as old as traditions. Let's speak for example about Bank Holidays. Seven times a year the offices and banks, business houses and factories are closed on a Monday. Those public holidays are known as Bank Holidays. On Bank Holiday the British like to go out of town into the open air. They go to the seaside or to amusement parks. Good weather is very important because a wet Bank Holiday spoils the pleasure.

Londoners often visit the Zoo, outside London, but the real cockney takes his family to Hampstead Heath, a large natural park, where is a big fair on many of the Bank Holidays. There are many different amusements for children and young people at these fairs — merry- go-rounds, swings, a puppet show. A very important event is the coming of the Pearly Kings and Queens — these are cockneys who have sewed pearl buttons all over their dresses and suits. Those of them that have the most beautiful costumes are named Pearly King and Queen for one year.

One more old tradition is A Robin Hood Dance. This very old dance is performed in a little village in Stafford-shire in September every year. 6 men in Robin Hood costumes carry deer's horns in wooden deer's heads. There are also many other characters from Robin Hood legends: Robin Hood's wife, knights, jesters, musicians. The dancers (walk through a wood) visit many farms where they cat, drink and dance. Many people take part in the dance.

References: fire-place - камин ; a fair – ярмарка ; merry-go-round – кapyceль ; swings - качели; pearly – перламутровый; destiny - судьба ; pastry-cook- повар-кондитер; bank holiday - официальный нерабочий день, установленный законом ( все банки в этот день закрыты); Hampstead - Хэмпстед ( район на севере Лондона ).

Ex.1. Ask your friend:

- if Englishmen like traditions.

- where they like to sit in the evening.

- what chair the English kings are crowned on.

- when the stone was brought to London.

- what theatre has many traditions.

- why it is called the Royal Theater.

- what tradition Robert Badely made.

- when the Veteran Car Run takes place.

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Ex.2. Write questions to the following answers:

1. Seven times a year the offices and banks, business houses and factories are closed on a Monday.

2. On Bank Holiday the British like to go out of town into the open air.

3. Hampstead Heath is a large natural park where is a big fair on many of the Bank Holidays.

4. A very important event is the coming of the Pearly Kings and Queens.

5. A Robin Hood Dance is a very old dance which is performed in a little village in Stafford-shire in September every year.

6. There are also many other characters from Robin Hood legends: Robin Hood's wife, knights, jesters, musicians.

7. Many people take part in the dance.

Ex.3. What other British traditions and holidays do you know? Speak about them.