The history of thanksgiving day

(by Monica Vincent)

The last Thursday in November, as you know, is a holiday in America. People call this holiday Thanksgiving Day. It is perhaps the most important day in the American year. People go to church, and families come together for the day. They decorate their houses with the fruits and flowers of autumn and prepare traditional American food: roast turkey, potatoes and pumpkin. It's rather like Christmas, but what are people celebrating? What are they giving thanks for?

Do you remember the first colonists in New England? In 1620 they came to America and began a new life there. It was a very hard life. The colonists started to farm the land. The work was difficult and full of danger. In New England, the place where they lived, there were many wild birds. They were like chickens but much bigger. They were turkeys. In the autumn of 1621 the colonists had their first harvest. It was rather good. The colonists decided to have a special dinner. They wanted to thank God — to give him their thanks for many things. It was a difficult year, but the people still had food to eat. The colonists had a thanksgiving dinner for all the people. It lasted three days. For the whole three days they gave thanks for their good harvest and their happy year in a new country.

Wild turkeys were on the table of this meal, and since then the turkey has become a symbol of Thanksgiving Day.

I Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions (Найди в тексте следующие слова и выражения на английском языке):

1) день благодарения; 2) возможно; 3) церковь; 4) украшать чем-то; 5) жареный; 6) тыква; 7) Рождество; 8) праздновать; 9) тяжелая жизнь; 10) дикий; 11) индейка; 12) урожай.

II Give Russian equivalents for the following words and expressions from the text and use them in sentences of your own (Переведи следующие слова и выражения из текста на русский язык и составь с ними свои предложения);

1) they were like chickens but much bigger; 2) be rather good (bad); 3) to last some days; 4) for the whole three days.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1) When did people celebrate this holiday for the first time?

2) Why did people celebrate this holiday?

3) What is the traditional food of this holiday?

4) What is the most important day in America and why?

IV Retell the text (Перескажи текст).

V Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание).

1. Ask questions about the words in bold type:

a)The last Thursday in November is a holiday in America.

b)They decorate their houses with the fruits and flowers of autumn.

c)In 1620 they came to America and begana newlife there.

d)The colonists had a thanksgivingdinner for all the people.

e)Wild turkeywere on the table of this meal.

2. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a)They (to call) their dog Rex.

b) My mother (to decorate) our house with flowers.

c) He (to begin) a new life many years ago.

d) Their life (to be ) very hard.

e) The colonists (to have) their first harvest in the autumn of 1621.

f) The turkey (to be) like chicken but much bigger.

3. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) They were very happy.

b) Mr. Brown was in London in 1939.

c) It is the most important day in the American year.

d) They prepare traditional American food.

e) The work was difficult and full of danger.

f) They had a thanksgiving dinner for all the people.

4. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) День Благодарения – Американский праздник.

b) Там было много диких индеек.

c) Это продолжалось десять дней.

d) Осенью они собрали свой первый урожай.

e) Колонисты решили сделать эту трудную работу.

f) Мы украсили наш дом цветами.

Unit 6

NATIVE AMERICANS

(by Terry Tomsha)

Native Americans came from Asia. Over 20000 years ago they travelled across the land between Siberia and Alaska.

When English colonists came to the New World on board the "Mayflower" the Native Americans met them and were very friendly and helped them a lot. In those days people lived in small earth houses and grew their own food. Some Indians ate only grass, nuts and what fruit they could find. Other people were fishermen and lived in wooden houses. Most Native Americans were very peaceful. They wanted to live happily with nature and each other. They believed in many gods and thought that gods lived in trees, stones, water and fire. They believed their gods could bring success in hunting, farming and fishing. They often had special ceremonies with dances and music before they went hunting or fishing or when they began farming.

Native American songs and poems are a very important part of their traditions as they help them to keep their history and culture alive.

Another famous tradition was smoking of a peace pipe. When they smoked this pipe together with people they didn't know, it meant friendship and peace.

Many years ago Native American tribes lived in all parts of the USA, and hunted and fished wherever they chose. Now most of them live in poor lands to the west of the Mississippi River. Many live on "reservations".

I Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions (Найди в тексте следующие слова и выражения на английском языке):

1) коренной; 2) на борту; 3) выращивать; 4) орех; 5) миролюбивые; 6) природа; 7) охота; 8) племя.

1) across the land; 2) New World; 3) believe in God; 4) bring success in smth.; 5) smoking of a peace pipe; 6) to keep their history and culture alive.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1) Where did Native Americans come from?

2)How did they travel?

3)Where did they live?

4)What did they eat?

5)What did Native Americans believe in?

6)Where do most Native Americans live now?

IV Retell the story on the part of (Перескажи текст от лица ) :

1) the author; 2) the Native American.

V Grammar Task (Грамматическое задание) :

1. Ask questions about the words in bold type (Задай вопросы к выделенным словам):

1) Native Americanscame from Asia.

2) Other peoplewere fishermenand lived in woodenhouses.

3) They often had special ceremonieswith dances and music.

4) Another famous traditionwas smokingof a peace pipe.

2. Open the brackets (Раскрой скобки):

a)They (to come) from Asia many years ago.

b) Native Americans (to be) very friendly to English colonists.

c) Indians (to believe) in many gods.

d) When people (to smoke) the pipe together it (to mean) friendship and peace.

e) Before they (to go) fishing they (to have) special ceremonies.

f) Who (to eat) only fruit?

3. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (Cделай эти предложения 1)вопросительными и 2)отрицательными):

a) Native Americans traveled across the land between Siberia and Alaska.

b) They wanted to live happily with nature and each other.

c) They believed their gods could bring success in hunting.

d) Their songs and poems are a very important part of their traditions.

e) Many years ago their tribes lived in all parts of the USA.

f) Now many Native Americans live on “reservations”.

4. Translate from Russian into English (Переведи с русского на английский):

a) Коренные американцы хотели жить в мире с колонистами.

b) Они могли рыбачить и охотиться.

c) Многие люди верят в Бога.

d) Люди должны знать песни и стихи своей страны.

e) Не курите! Это очень вредно.

f) Мы живём к западу от этого места.

Unit 7

THE WILD WEST

(by I.N. Vereshcagina, O.V. Afanasyeva)

At the beginning of the 17th century the first colonies appeared in America. Many of them were English colonies, for example, New England. But there were also Spanish and German colonies there. African Negroes arrived as slaves in 1619 and began working on plantations situated in the South. They grew rice and tobacco.

There were 13 colonies in America in 1733. The English King who lived in England, far away, was the King of New England and the other colonies. The colonists in America didn't like that. They didn't want to depend on the English King or on England. The Americans began to fight for their independence and got it. George Washington became the first president of the United States.

In the 18th century some Americans went to the west to look for new lands, and the story of "Wild West" began. In the 19th century people went west to look for gold. They built new settlements and new towns on these lands. Some people were lucky but some were not as they couldn't find any gold. Then they left the towns, so they became empty. Now these "ghost towns" are very popular with tourists.

Life in the Wild West was full of danger. The Native Americans in the west didn't like white people who took their land, Sometimes they attacked them.
There were bears and other wild animals and people had to have guns. Today many Americans still keep a gun in their houses and all American police officers have guns.

Another tradition from the "Wild West" is "cowboy" clothes.
In the days of the Wild West clothes were very important as
they helped people to live leading a difficult and dangerous
life. Cowboys spent much time outdoors. '

They usually wore hats, boots and jeans. Hats helped them in the sun and protected their faces and eyes from the hot sun. Boots were also very important. It was more comfortable to walk through long grass in boots. There were many dangerous snakes where cowboys worked and lived and the boots protected people from them. Boots also made riding a horse easier.

In the middle of the 19th century in the city of San Francisco there lived a tailor called Levi Strauss. He made special clothes —

strong trousers called jeans. Very soon cowboys started to wear jeans. Now people wear jeans in America and all over the world.

I Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions (Найди в тексте следующие слова и выражения на английском языке):

1) раб; 2) располагаться; 3) зависеть от кого-то; 4) сражаться за что-то; 5) век; 6) поселение; 7) золото; 8) опасность; 9) ружьё; 10) пастух; 11) защищать; 12) удобно; 13) змея; 14) портной.

1) far away; 2) look for smth.; 3) be lucky; 4) ghost town; 5) be popular with tourists; 6) lead life; 7) spend time out doors; 8) ride a horse; 9) in the middle of the 19^th century; 10) people had to have guns.

III Answer the questions (Ответь на вопросы):

1) When did the first colonies appear in America?

2) Were all the colonies English?

3) How many colonies were there in America in 1733?

4) Why did the Americans begin to fight for their independence?

5) Where did Americans go in the 18^th – 19^th centuries and why?

6) Why did Americans have to wear guns?

7) What is another tradition from the “Wild West”?

8) Why was it important for cowboys to wear hats and boots?

9) What trousers did the cowboys wear in those times?

10) Who made jeans then?

10) Where did the tailor live?