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ENGLISH HOLIDAYS, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS
Every country has its own holidays, traditions and customs. It's very important to know them for better understanding the history and life of other peoples. We cannot speak about Great Britain without observing some, of its traditions and customs. If you arrive in Great Britain you'll hear the word "tradition" everywhere. An Englishman has a sentimental love for things and customs because they are old.
In the House of Lords there are two rows of benches for lords and a sack of wool for the Lord Chancellor to sit on. This is so because in the old times wool made England rich and powerful.
The opening of Parliament is an occasion of a very picturesque ceremony. The Queen goes to the House of Lords (according to an old tradition no King or Queen is allowed to enter the House of Commons) and reads a speech which tells what laws the Government intends to make. The members of the House of Commons listen to the Queen standing at the entrance to the House, of Lords.
Horse Guards regiment and members of the royal bodyguard are dressed in traditional medieval clothes which have existed since the 12th century. This dress costs a lot of money but Englishmen stand for it because it is a tradition.
Even the power of the English Queen has more traditional than practical character. They say:"The Queen reigns but doesn't rule". Monarchy in Great Britain appeals to the historical past which is highly respected by the British people.
As you remember all British people (and other nations as well) celebrate Christmas (X-mas) on the 25th of December. They give each other presents and send Christmas cards. Children find X-mas presents in their socks and shoes. The traditional English dinner on Christmas is turkey and pudding. Besides Christmas many people of Great Britain celebrate the New Year.
There is a very interesting New Year tradition in the North of England and Scotland. It's an old custom of First-Footing. The first visitor who comes into a house in the New Year morning is called the First Foot. He brings some symbolic presents: a piece of bread, a coin, a piece of coal which mean that the family will have good luck, will be happy and rich in the coming year.
The First Foot also brings an evergreen branch as a promise of continuing life. To be a true luck bringer, the First Foot must be healthy, young, good-looking and have black or fair hair.
Another interesting traditional holiday is Pancake Day. It takes place in spring and people not only eat pancakes everywhere but... run with them! These races are hold by housewives and the distance is about 415 yards (410 metres).
A bell rings twice before the competition; with the second bell they start running with a pancake on a frying-pan. While running they must toss the pancake three times and catch it back on the frying-pan. The members of the families watch the runners and cheer: "Run, Mum, run quickly!"
As you can see, the British people have very interesting customs, traditions and holidays which have been kept by them for many centuries.
custom - обычай, привычка; sack of wool - мешок с шерстью; the Lord Chancellor - лорд-канцлер; picturesque -живописный; the House of Lords - Палата лордов; the House of Commons- Палата общин; Horse Guards regiment - полк конвой охраны; the royal bodyguard - королевская охрана; medieval— средневековый; to reign — царствовать; to rule- править; evergreen branch - вечнозеленая ветка; to appeal to - взывать, обращаться; pancake - блин; races -гонки, состязания в скорости; frying-pan - сковорода; to toss - подбрасывать; century— век, столетие
УПРАЖНЕНИЯ
I. Ответьте на вопросы.
1. Why is it very important to know holidays, customs and traditions of other peoples?
2. What does the Lord Chancellor sit on in the House of Lords? Why?
3. What kind of ceremony takes place during the opening of Parliament?
4. How are Horse Guards regiment and members of the royal bodyguard dressed?
5. Why does the power of the English Queen have more traditional than practical character?
6. How do all British people celebrate Christmas?
7. What interesting New Year traditions are there in the North of England and Scotland?
8. Who is called the First Foot?
9. What is a cheerful and tasty holiday with the English?
10. Who takes part in pancake races?
11. What are the rules of pancake races?
12. What's your opinion on the English traditions and holidays?
II. Переведите следующие словосочетания на русский язык.
То have its own holidays, traditions and customs, better understanding of the history and life of other peoples, there is a sack of wool for the Lord Chancellor to sit on, to make England rich and powerful, an occasion of a very picturesque ceremony, to be allowed to enter the House of Commons, to be dressed in traditional medieval clothes, to cost a lot of money, to appeal to the historical past, to be respected by the British people, to bring some symbolic presents, to be a true luck bringer.
III. Переведите следующие словосочетания на английский язык.
Слышать слово "традиция" везде, сентиментальная любовь к старым вещам и обычаям, читать речь, в которой говорится, какие законы намерено принимать правительство; слушать королеву, стоя у входа в Палату Общин, существовать с 12-го века, иметь более традиционный, чем практический характер; праздновать Рождество 25-го декабря, означать, что семья будет удачлива, счастлива и богата в предстоящем году; домашние хозяйки участвуют в этих соревнованиях.
IV. Подберите подходящие по смыслу слова, используя подсказку внизу.
1. It is very important to know traditions, holidays and customs for better u... the history arid life of other peoples.
2. There is as... of w... for the Lord Chancellor to sit on.
3. The opening of Parliament is an occasion of a very p... ceremony.
4. The members of the H... of C... listen to the Queen, standing at the entrance to the H... of L...
5. Members of the r... b... are dressed in traditional medieval clothes which have e... since the 12th century.
6. This dress c... a lot of money but Englishmen stand for it because it is a tradition.
7. They say:"The Queen r… but doesn't r...".
8. Monarchy in Great Britain a... to historical past..
9. The traditional English dinner on Christmas is t... and p...
10. With the second bell they start running with a p...on a frying pan.
(picturesque, understanding, House of Commons, royal bodyguard, existed, reigns, rule, pudding, pancake, costs, appeals, turkey, sack, wool, House of Lords).
V. Спросите своего друга по-английски.
1. Какие интересные традиции есть в Великобритании?
2. Гордятся ли англичане своими традициями?
3. Где английская королева читает свою ежегодную речь во время открытия парламента?
4. Что делают люди во время Рождества?
5.Какие символические подарки приносит первый посетитель?
6. Кто участвует в состязаниях по бегу с блинами?
7. Каковы правила этих состязаний?
VI. Предлоги потерялись, помогите восстановить предложения.
1. It's very important to know traditions ... better understanding the history and life of other peoples.
2. An Englishman has a sentimental love … things and customs because they are old.
3. In the House of Lords there are two rows ... benches ... Lords and a sack ... wool ... the Lord Chancellor.
4. According ... an old tradition no King or Queen is allowed to enter the House of Commons.
5. The members ... the House of Commons listen ... the Queen standing... the entrance ... the House of Lords.
6. Monarchy in Great Britain appeals ... the historical past which is highly respected ... the British people.
7. The English celebrate X-mas ...the 25th of December.
8. A bell rings twice ... the race and they start running ... a pancake on a frying pan.
VII. Расскажите, что вы знаете об английских традиция.
VIII. Прочтите эти тексты и скажите, какие факты содержат для вас новую информацию, какие из них кажутся нам странными или любопытными, и почему.