Customs and Traditions in Great Britain

Some English customs and traditions are famous all over the world¹. Bowler hats², tea and talking about the weather, for example. From Scotland to Cornwall, the United Kingdom is full of customs and traditions³. Here are some of them.

St. Valentine's is the saint⁴ of people in love, and St. Valentine's day is February, 14. On that day, people send valentine cards⁵ and presents to their husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends. You can also send a card to a person you don't know. But traditionally you must never write your name on it. Some British newspapers have a page for Valentine's Day messages⁶ on February 14th.

April, 1 is April Fool's Day⁷ in Great Britain. This is a very old tradition from the Middle Ages⁸. At that time servants⁹ were masters¹⁰ for one day of the year. Now April Fool's Day is different. It's a day for jokes and tricks¹¹.

May, 1 was an important day in the Middle Ages. In the very early morning young girls went to fields and washed their faces with dew¹². They believed this made them very beautiful for a year after that. Also on May Day young men of each village tried to win prizes¹³ with their bows and arrows, and people danced round the Maypole¹⁴.

November, 5 is Guy Fawkes's Day. All over the country people build wood fires, or «bonfires¹⁵», in their gardens. On top of each bonfire is a guy, this is a figure of Guy Fawkes. On November, 5,1665, Guy Fawkes tried to kill King James I. He and a group of his friends put a bomb¹⁶under the Houses of Parliament in London. But the king's men found the bomb and Guy Fawkes. They took him to the Tower of London, where his head was cut off¹⁷. Before Novembers; children use guys to make money¹⁸. They stand in the street and shout: «Penny for the guy».

Notes

1. to be famous all over the world - 2. a bowler hat - 3. to be full of customs and traditions 4. a saint - 5. to send valentine cards to smbd. - 6. a Valentine's Day message - 7. April Fool's Day - 8. the Middle Ages - 9. a servant - 10. a master - 11. a trick - 12. to wash one's face with dew - 13. to win a prize - 14. to dance round the Maypole - 15. to build a bonfire - 16. to put a bomb under smth. - 17. to cut one's head off - 18. to use a guy to make money -

быть известным во всем мире котелок быть полным обычаев и традиций святой посылать валентинки кому-либо послание Дня святого Валентина День смеха средние века слуги хозяин проделка, проказа умывать лицо росой выиграть приз танцевать вокруг майского шеста устроить костер заложить бомбу под что-либо отрубить голову кому-либо использовать чучело, чтобы заработать денег

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What proves that the United Kingdom is a country of traditions?

2. How is St. Valentine's Day marked?

3. What is April Fool's Day?

4. What are the old traditions of May Day?

5. Why is the guy put on top of the bonfire on November, 5?

Тема № 4

English as world language

The role of foreign languages is also increasing today. Thanks to the knowledge of foreign languages one can read books, magazines in the original, talk to foreigners, translate various technical articles. Moreover, joint ventures which have recently appeared in our country need specialists with profound knowledge of foreign languages like English, German or French. To know foreign languages is absolute necessary for every educated person, for good specialists. Our country is transferring to a market economy. Research and innovations should improve living, working conditions of our people. That is why it is so important to be persistent in students. English is a world language. It is the language of progressive science and technology, trade and cultural relations, commerce and business. It's the language of international aviation, sports. It's also the major language of diplomacy. Geographically it is the most widespread language on earth, second only to Chinese in the number of people who speak it hearing a foreign language is not an easy thing. It's a long and slow process that takes a lot of time and practice. A foreign language is not just a subject learnt in the classrooms. It's something which is used in real life situations. There are many reasons why we begin to study foreign languages. First of all it's an effective medium of international communication. I'm convinced if we are working in any brunch of science we must read books and magazines in other languages. Learning foreign languages opens up opportunities and careers that didn't even exist some years ago. Knowing foreign languages can help us to find a job in such fields as science and technology, foreign trade and banking, international transportation communication, teaching librarian science and others. A more general aim is to make our intellectual and cultures. Learning a foreign language including learning also culture, traditions and mode of thought of different people. Of course speaking and writing in a foreign language is a difficult art and it has to be learned. Needless to say that English has become very popular today. About 350 million people speak English as its first language. About the same numbers use it as a second language. It's an official language in 44 countries. It's the dominant language of medicine, electronics and space technology, of international business and advertising, of radio. It has replaced French in the world of diplomacy and German in the field of science.

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What is the role of foreign languages in your life?

2. Why is English a world language?

3. What are reasons why we begin to study foreign languages?

4. How many people speak English as its first language?

5. What language has English replaced?

III СЕМЕСТР

Грамматический материал

1. Времена группы Perfect Continuous.

2. Сложные предложения. Типы придаточных предложений.

3. Основные сведения о сослагательном наклонении.

4. Прямая и косвенная речь.