Traditions of the english people

The traffic regulations in Great Britain are different from ours: we are to keep to the right, while they are to keep to the left. The English buses are very high, because they are double-decked; all of them are red.

The concentration of some professions n certain streets are characteristic for London. For example, if someone works in Fleet Street, you know that he is a journalist. If someone works in Harley Street, you know that he is a medical man.

The houses are not very big, they are mostly two-storeyed buildings with as many front doors and as many little gardens as there are lodgers in the house. The windows of one and the same house are painted in different colours. And not only the windows, the doors, steps and walls are painted in different colours too. Everybody paints his own part of the house in colour he likes best. Central heating is found in very few houses even in London. In most rooms there is a fireplace. Englishmen are fond of spending their evenings round the fire. This is an old tradition.

The English people like tea more than coffee, that’s why there are so many tea-rooms or tea-shops where the people go shopping and can have a rest. Sunday is a very quiet day in London. All the shops, theatres and most of the cinemas are closed. Londoners like to go out on Sundays. It is also their tradition.

IX Ответьте письменно на следующие вопросы:

6. What is the difference in the traffic regulations in Great Britain from ours?

7. What do the English people like more than coffee?

8. When are all the shops, theatres and most of the cinemas closed?

Вариант 2

I. Выпишите из текста предложение, содержащее причастие II, и переведите это предложение.

II. а)Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на степени сравнения прилагательных и наречий.

1. For further information, consult the reference book.

2. Is there anything worse than war?

3. Life in our country is becoming more and more expensive.

б) Переведите следующие предложения, включающие конструкцию типа the more... the less.

1. The more attention you pay to your children’s education, the better results they achieve.

2. The more we know them, the less we liked them.

3. The more you speak English, the better your pronunciation is.

III. Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на перевод неопределенных местоимений и наречий.

1. There is someone in the room.

2. Don’t phone me in the evening. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow.

3. She looks somewhat tired.

4. I am very sorry but there is some message for you.

5. They knew nothing.

6. Somebody wants to see you.

IV. Перепишите предложения, подчерните глагол-сказуемое и определите видовременную форму и залог; напишите форму инфинитива. Переведите предложения.

1. Don’t disturb Peter. He is working.

2. He thanked me for what I had done for him.

3. I was afraid that we should be late.

V. Перепишите предложения, подчеркните Participles I, II и укажите функцию каждого из них. Переведите предложения.

1) Cooking dinner she forgot to put salt into the soup.

2) The students who discussed the article have already left.

3) Feeling bad I went to the University policlinic.

VI. Переведите предложения, обращая внимание на значение каждого модального глагола или эквивалента.

1) Soon he’ll be able to speak English.

2) They told him that he might come later.

3) You may wait for him if you like.

4) We can already see that free education for all is not enough.

5) He is to make a speech next Monday.

6) Every scientist must check the results of his research.

VII. Прочтите, перепишите и письменно переведите текст.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

Every year thousands of people, both Englishmen and foreigners, visit a fine building in one of the London streets north0west of the City. It is the famous British Museum. It was founded in 1753, and today it is spoken of as one of the richest and most famous museums in Europe.

Let us enter the Museum and take a look at some of its treasures. While we pass from one room to another, many new worlds rise before our astonished eyes. We see Britain as it was in the early days of its history. We learn about things which were used thousands of years ago. The Past tells its secrets to those who study it carefully. There are rooms in which works of art of various times and countries can be seen. All these collections prove the greatness and wisdom of man, who worked and struggled through centuries, who lost neither hope nor courage, until he became skilful enough to make more remarkable things.

The British Museum is also famous for its zoological, botanical and geological collections.

The reading room of the British Museum is a large round hall, in which 500 readers can work at a time. More than five million books by British and foreign authors fill more than eighty miles of shelves. Books that are published in Great Britain and in other countries are sent to the British Museum every year.

Many great men have studied in the famous reading-room.

VIII. Ответьте письменно на следующие вопросы:

1) When was the British Museum founded?

2) What does the reading-room of the British Museum look like?

3) How many readers can work in the British Museum reading-room at a time?

Вариант 3

I. Выпишите из текста предложение, содержащее герундий и переведите это предложение.

II. а) Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на степени сравнения прилагательных и наречий.

2. This was the most enjoyable experience I ever had.

3. We cannot work any further without rest.

4. This is the best way to develop language skills.

б) Переведите предложения, включающие конструкцию типа the more... the less:

1. The less you talk, the better.

2. The more a man has, the more he wants.

3. The longer days are, the shorter are nights.

III. Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на перевод неопределенных местоимений и наречий:

1. There will be no difficulty in finding the house.

1. There is something I want to tell you.

2. She did not tell us anything.

3. Even he could understand nothing.

4. My glasses are somewhere here, but I can’t find them.

5. I sometimes think that people are much better than they seem to be.

IV. Перепишите предложения, подчеркните в каждом глагол-сказуемое и определите видовременную форму и залог; напишите форму инфинитива. Переведите предложения.

1. The seminar was attended by all the students of the group.

2. I’ll have written the letter by this time tomorrow.

3. We were bathing in the river when the rain began.

V. Перепишите предложения; подчеркните Participles I, II и укажите функцию каждого из них. Переведите предложения.

1. We admired the picture painted by that student.

2. We had read the book before we saw the film.

3. I shall be working at my report at this time tomorrow.

VI.Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на значение каждого модального глагола или эквивалента:

1. We could not go any more because we were hungry and tired.

2. I shall have to stay at home tomorrow.

3. My son was ill and had to stay in bed.

4. Were you able to come back by the 7 o’clock train?

5. You can go on a skiing trip with us tomorrow.

6. He may take part in the match if he likes.

VII. Прочтите, перепишите и письменно переведите текст.

NEW YEAR IN ENGLAND

1. In England the New Year is not as widely observed as Christmas. Some people ignore it completely and go to bed. Many others celebrate it in one way or another, the type of celebration very much according to the local custom, family tradition and personal taste.

2. The most common type of celebration is a New Year party. This usually begins at about eight o’clock and goes until the early hours of the morning. There is a lot of drinking, mainly beer, wine, gin and whisky; sometimes the hosts make a big bowl of punch consists of wine, spirits, fruit juice and water.

3. Another popular way of celebrating the New Year is to go to a New Year’s dance. Most hotels and dance halls hold a special dance on New Year’s Eve. The hall is decorated, there are several different bands and the atmosphere is very gay.

4. The most famous celebration is in London round the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus where crowds gather and sing and welcome the New Year. In Trafalgar Square there is also a big crowd and someone usually falls into the fountain.

5. January 1st , New Year’s Day, is not a public holiday, unfortunately for those who like to celebrate most of the night. Some people send New Year cards and give presents but this is not a widespread custom. This is the traditional time for making “New Year resolutions”, for example, to give up smoking, or to get up earlier.

VII. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. When does a New Year party begin?

2. Where can one go to dance on New Year’s Eve?

3. Is January 1st, New Year’s Day, a public holiday?

Вариант 4

I. а) Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на степени сравнения прилагательных и наречий.

1. His eyes are blacker than coal.

2. Are humorous stories to your taste?

3. Our new experiment is much more sophisticated than the previous one.

б) Переведите следующие предложения, включающие конструкцию типа the more... the less.

1. The less we forget, the more we know.

2. The smaller the class is, the less air is in it.

3. The more I knew our literature, the more I liked it.

II.. Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на перевод неопределенных местоимений и наречий.

1. Whо of you speak French? None of us does.

2. Nothing is clear to me.

3. There was no end in his questions.

4. He has got some money

5. You may get this magazine in any library.

6. Do you think there is any benefit in this exercise?

III. Перепишите предложения; подчеркните в каждом глагол-сказуемое и определите видовременную форму и залог; напишите форму инфинитива, переведите предложения.

1. I have never been to England.

2. The children will be sleeping when he comes.

3. He is being waited for.

IV. Перепишите предложения; подчеркните Participle I, II и укажите функцию каждого из них. Предложения переведите.

1. Listening to his arguments I found myself agreeing with his views.

2. Some medical cases given up quite unexpectedly recovered.

3. The articles translated by me will soon be published.

V. Переведите предложения, обращая внимание на значение каждого модального глагола или эквивалента.

1. You must not worry.

2. This cannot be done without special training.

3. I am sure I shall never be able to express my gratitude.

4. Something ought to be done to stop it.