Пособие по обучению практике устной и письменной речи (начальный этап) на английском языке Под ред. О. В. Серкиной
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Official / national holidaysNational or official holidays are called so because they have an official status of days-off throughout the country and are celebrated very widely. Take any Russian calendar and you will see all the official holidays printed in red. There are quite a lot of national holidays in Russia when people all over the country do not work. See the list of the official holidays below. The official holidays in Russia when banks, government offices, libraries and educational establishments are closed:
Stores may be open for fewer hours on some of these days. Sometimes it can be a little complicated, figuring out on which days the most businesses shut down. If the holiday falls on Monday or Friday, then everything is simple — it's a day-off. If it falls on a weekend, then Friday or Monday will also be a day-off. If it falls on Tuesday or Thursday then the weekend will be shifted a day in the right direction and Saturday or Sunday becomes a working day, with the three days-off being Sunday-Monday-Tuesday or Thursday-Friday-Saturday. If the holiday falls on Wednesday then there is no long weekend. Religious holidaysApart from the official holidays, many people in Russia, especially after the fall of the USSR where any religious activities were restricted, celebrate religious holidays. The origin of many holidays is not always Christian or Orthodox. Russians can have holidays which are Christian and pagan at the same time. Through years, Christianity has been converting ceremonies of paganism into Christian ceremonies and traditions, but many religious holidays contain the elements of paganism and are perceived as merry entertainment. Each Russian holiday has its own peculiar ceremonies and traditions. Traditional Russian celebrations of Kolyadki, Maslenitsa (Shrovetide/ Pancake week), Easter, Red Hill, Ivan Kupala, Troitsa and Spas can be great things for tourists to see. Professional holidaysProfessional holidays are widely celebrated among the members of certain professional groups: teachers, doctors, auditors, sales assistants, diplomats, etc. There are really lots of professional holidays in Russia, but they are not public holidays, so the banks, offices and schools are not supposed to close. Other holidaysThough quite a number of holidays have already been described, we haven’t mentioned all the occasions that Russians celebrate. There are some other holidays which are quite important, though some of them are very unusual, to say the least. Take ‘Old’ New Year, for example, which is celebrated on January 14. After Peter the Great moved the date of New Year celebration in Russia from September to January 1, in 1700, it became an official holiday. But in 1918 by a special decree of the Bolshevik party, Russia adopted a new, European calendar, and had to add two weeks to its chronology. So when the country started celebrating New Year on January 1, in 1919, some people would continue celebrating it according to the old calendar, which was on January 14. Due to this calendar change, now we celebrate Christmas on January 7, not on December 25, as our ancestors used to. Some people get into celebration of the Old New Year because they can not stop after celebrating New Year and Christmas! St. Valentine’s Day, which is on February 14, is quite a new, but popular and well-accepted in Russia Catholic holiday. The holiday is celebrated in the same manner as it is celebrated in Catholic countries. April Fools’ Day is unofficially, but very widely celebrated on April 1. Jokes are heard everywhere on this day. People play tricks on their colleagues, relatives and friends. Even if one fools you, you are not supposed to show any signs of bad temper. Otherwise, people will suspect you of the worst possible sin — the lack of humour. Apart from this, Russians also celebrate the Children’s Day (June, 1), Day of Knowledge (September, 1), Mothers’ Day (last Sunday in November), Day of Elderly People (October, 5), Students’ Day (January, 25) and some other holidays. c) Answer the following questions.
4.17. a) Put each of the following words in its correct place in the passage below to complete the text about some British traditons. b) Pick up the names of some major British holidays and festivals. cottage cards meals exchanged breaks owes warm holy hands pumpkins conservative scarlet law houses cool They say that the English are very (1) ______. They firmly stick to their customs and traditions. Their theatres are closed on Sundays because of the law, which has been in force since Shakespeare’s times. But cinemas are open because there were no cinemas when the (2) _____ was passed. An English family prefers a small house with a garden to a flat in a block of flats. However, not all working people can afford a (3) ______. Nevertheless both the rich and the poor have a fire-place by all means. This is their tradition. All over the country it is the custom to have (4) ________ at regular hours. Usually they have breakfast between 8 and 10 o'clock. Between 12 and 1 o'clock they have lunch. The third meal of the day is 5 o'clock tea. The English know how to make good tea. Seven cups of it in the morning will wake you up; nine cups will put you to sleep at night. If you are hot, tea will (5) ______ you off, and if you are cold, it will (6) ________ you up. They have dinner at 7 o'clock. There are very beautiful and colourful ceremonies in Great Britain. They are also traditional. The most stirring of all London ceremonies is the Changing of the Guard. The ceremony takes place at Buckingham Palace - the Royal residence. It starts at 11.30 a.m. and lasts about 30 and 40 minutes. It is performed by the Guards who are dressed in their full ceremonial costumes of (7) ______ tunics and bearskin tall hats. Holidays, festivals and celebrations in Great Britain are also connected with some colourful traditions. So, on Christmas Day in Britain the (8) _____ are decorated with holy and bunches of mistletoe. Christmas (9) ______ are arranged on mantelpieces, shelves, tables, and walls. Halloween takes place on 31st October and means a “(10) _____ evening”. It is particularly connected with witches and ghosts. At parties people dress up in strange costumes and pretend they are witches. They cut horrible faces in (11) _____ and put a candle inside, which shines through the eyes. People may play different games such as trying to eat an apple from a bucket of water without using their (12) _______. The Christian religion gave the world such a wonderful holiday as Easter. But the celebration (13) _____ its name and many of its customs and symbols to a pagan festival called Eostre. The egg, for instance, was a fertility symbol long before the Christian era. The ancient Persians, Greeks, and Chinese (14) ________ eggs at their spring festivals. In Christian times the egg took on a new meaning symbolizing the tomb from which Christ rose. The ancient custom of dying eggs at Easter time is still very popular. There are a lot of customs and traditions at some colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. If a "fresher" comes late to dinner or (15) ________ one of the unwritten laws of behaviour, a senior student may order him to drink a large silver cup filled with beer. He must drink it in one attempt. If he succeeds, the senior student pays for it. If not, the cup is passed round the table at the expense of the "fresher". As a rule, the English love and respect their customs and traditions. c) Say whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). 1. ___ The English don’t respect their traditions. 2. ___ An English family prefers a small house without a garden to a flat in a block of flats. 3. ___ All over the country it is the custom to have meals at regular hours. 4. ___ Usually they have breakfast in England between 10 and 12 o'clock. 5. ___ There are no beautiful ceremonies in Great Britain. 6. ___ The ceremony of Changing of the Guard takes place at Buckingham Palace. 7. ___ Halloween takes place on 1st of October. 8. ___ The egg was a symbol of life. 9. ___ The ancient custom of dying eggs at Easter time is still very popular. 10. __ If a "fresher" comes late to dinner or breaks one of the unwritten laws of behaviour, a senior student may order him to sing a song. S 4.18. a) Think of a Russian equivalent to the English “bank holiday”. b) Scan the text for the names of British holidays. Do we celebrate similar holidays? c) Read the text and translate it into Russian. peaking about British traditions, we should distinguish bank or public holidays, annual festivals, celebrations and pageant ceremonies. The term «bank» holiday dates back to the 19th century when the Bank Holiday Acts of 1871 and 1875 declared certain days to be bank holidays, that is days on which banks were to be closed. Today, their observance is no longer limited to banks only. Post offices, most factories, and shops are closed too. There are eight bank holidays in Britain. They are: New Year's Day, Good Friday (= Friday before Easter), Easter Monday, May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, August (or Summer) Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. All public holidays, except New Year's Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are movable, that is they do not fall on the same day each year. Most of bank holidays are of religious meaning. But for the greater part of the population they have long lost their religious significance and are simply days, on which people relax, eat, drink, and make merry. ACQUIRING COMMUNICATION SKILLS 4.19. Read the info on some world demographic indices. Compare them with those of the Russian Federation. Present your research to the class. BIRTHS AND DEATHS Birth rates 1955-2025 Death rates 1955-2025 Birth rates are affected by such factors as per thousand population nutrition, the availability of contraception and, to black line - Developing world a certain extent, culture. Death rates tend to fall  grey line -Developed world with improved healthcare and nutrition. There is a significant difference in the birth and death rates between the developed and the developing worlds. The graphs below show that birth and death rates for developing countries took set to continue rising into the 21st century. In developed countries, the rise in birth rate should slow down, and the death rate could remain static. LIFE EXPECTANCY  P  eople in developed countries have a longer life expectancy on average, with women living longer than men. In the developing world people have a shorter life expectancy. In the graph: 1- Sweden, 2 - Japan, 3 - USA, 4 - UK, 5 - Former USSR, 6– Bolivia, 7 – India, 8 - Burkina-Faso URBAN AND RURAL POPULATIONS In many parts of the world, people are packed into cities. Growing urban populations bring problems, including poor sanitation, poverty, and lack of healthcare. Growing cities also mean encroachment on land previously used for agriculture. While the trend is toward living in cities, there is still a significant proportion of the population living in the countryside, especially in the less-developed countries. C 4.20. Compare the educational systems in Russia and the US. haracteristics of the US Higher Education System Colleges and Universities The major difference between colleges and universities is that colleges are four-year institutions, and universities offer longer courses of study. The term "college" is generally used to describe either an independent four-year institution that offers only the bachelor's degree, or a division of a university that offers courses and awards degrees in a specialized course of study. The curriculum in colleges usually emphasizes arts and sciences or liberal arts, a combination of natural and social sciences and the humanities. Academic work at a college leads to a four-year bachelor of arts (B.A.) or bachelor of science (B.S.) degree. Some colleges also have graduate programs. Universities are usually composed of several undergraduate colleges and offer graduate (Master of Arts or M.A., Master of Science or M.S.) and post-graduate degrees (Doctor of Philosophy or, Ph.D., Doctor of Education or, Ed.D). Private and Public Institutions According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are more than 1,400 private and over 500 public institutions that offer either four years or two years of undergraduate education. Private institutions are those which depend primarily on non-government funding sources and student fees for financial support. Public institutions depend primarily on state funds for their support. Most of the large universities in the U.S. are state-supported. Major A major is the primary area of concentration (for instance, English literature, Biology, Political Science, etc.). Students are often required to take the majority of their courses in their declared major. There may also be some other courses related to the major which are required by institutions of higher education for the completion of a degree. A student can also have one or two minors. General Education Courses Many institutions of higher education require students to take courses in several general areas, such as English, Mathematics, and Social Science. The purpose of these general education requirements is to give students a more balanced education. 4.21. Do some research on the educational system in Great Britain. Compare it with that of Russia and the USA. Present the result of your research to the class. T 4.22. a) Scan the text and draw a chart of the power branches in Russia. Give a short presentation on it to class. he Russian Federation became an independent state in December 1991 as a result of the collapse of the USSR. During the Communist era the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (RSFSR) was the largest of the USSR’s 15 republics. The present Russian Federation occupies the same territory as the former RSFSR. Since independence, Russia has adopted a new constitution and a system of government. Russia is a federal and presidential republic governed under a constitution that took effect in 1993, replacing the 1978 constitution of the RSFSR. The central government is composed of three independent branches: - Executive Power is concentrated in the executive branch, which is headed by a president. He or she is directly elected by the people to a four-year term and cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. The president serves as the commander in chief of the armed forces and chairs the Security Council, which is the central decision-making body for matters of defense. With the defense minister, the president has control over Russia’s nuclear weapons. The president appoints the prime minister, who is second in command. The appointment is subject to ratification by the State Duma, the lower house of parliament; if the State Duma rejects the candidate for prime minister three times, the president can dissolve the legislature and call for new elections. - The legislative branch is represented by the Federal Assembly, which is Russia’s bicameral national legislature. It is composed of an upper house, called the Council of the Federation, and a lower house, the State Duma. The Council of the Federation includes two representatives from each of the administrative units that make up the Russian Federation. The State Duma has 450 members. Voters elect half of the Duma members by casting a vote for a specific party listed on the ballot; these 225 seats are divided among the qualifying parties by proportional representation. The other 225 Duma members are elected individually from electoral districts throughout the country. - The highest judicial body is the Constitutional Court, composed of 19 judges who are appointed by the president and approved by the Council of the Federation. Below the Constitutional Court are the Supreme Court and the Supreme Arbitration Court. The Supreme Court rules on civil, criminal, and administrative law, and the Supreme Arbitration Court handles economic suits. The government is responsible to the president, and the executive branch is considerably more powerful than the other two branches. To some extent, presidential decrees can take the place of laws, thereby evading legislative scrutiny. Furthermore, the legislature has only limited rights to investigate government activity. Nevertheless, the legislature can reject the budget, draft legislation, publicize government errors and malpractice, and, at the price of its own dissolution and new parliamentary elections, bring down the government by repeated votes of no confidence. A new constitution, ratified by referendum in December 1993, greatly increased the power of the presidency, it also established basic democratic guidelines, such as fixed terms of office, electoral procedures, and universal suffrage for all citizens aged 18 or older. The constitution also guarantees civil rights and the rule of law. b) What articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation do you know? Have your read the Russian Constitution? Is the constitution important for a country? Why? What do you know about the constitutions of other countries? 4.23. a) What political parties in Russia do you know? What role do they play in society? Are you a member of any political party? Why? Why not? b) Read the text and be ready to discuss the development of parties in Russia? Since the late 1980s Russia has changed from a single-party, totalitarian state led by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) to a multiparty democracy. The CPSU has been replaced by a number of political groups, factions, movements, and parties that span a wide political spectrum, from monarchists to communists. The parties range in size from a few members to more than half a million members. Some of the smaller political groups have lasted only a brief time. Alliances between groups are generally unstable, and coalitions shift frequently. Individual personalities influence political formations to a large degree, and the political agendas of many parties are vague and poorly documented. Russia’s political parties can be divided into four general categories: communist parties; Russian nationalist parties; reformist, or pro-market democratic parties; and centrist and special interest parties. In early 1996 the major groups were the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, led by Gennady Zyuganov, which emerged from the legislative elections of December 1995 with the largest representation in parliament; the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky; and the Agrarian Party, which is dominated by supporters of the collective farms system inherited from the Soviet era. Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on December 7, 2003. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma (Gosudarstvennaya Duma), the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia. As expected, the United Russia pro-Vladimir Putin party won the largest number of votes (38%) and seats, reducing most other parties to minor status. Even the formal figure of 221 seats for United Russia is an underestimate, because most of the minor party and "independent" members are in fact clients or supporters of President Putin. The elections have thus given Putin complete control of the legislature. Of the other parties, the Communist Party (12.8%) is still the largest, though much reduced in strength. Liberal Democratic Party (11.7 %) came in third and improved its position by a few delegates. The liberal Yabloko (4.4 %) party and the liberal-conservative Union of Right Forces (SPS) (4 %) lost most of its seats. The only other significant party is socialist Homeland Union (Rodina)(9.2 %). L 4.24. a) Scan the text and pick up the names of the Russian holidays described in it along with their main features. b) Ask 5-7 questions about the text. ike any other nation the Russians are famous for their own peculiar customs and traditions kept through the centuries. Peter the Great, an outstanding Russian monarch, introduced many changes to the life of Russia and the Russian calendar. For instance, he brought in European chronology in Russia, which started with the birth of Christ. The New Year is first on the calendar and in popularity. Many celebrate it twice, on January 1 and 14, which corresponds to January 1 in the Julian calendar used in Russia before 1918.  Church holidays have been recently reborn. Christmas, one of the mainChristian holidays in Russia, is celebrated on the 7th of January in compliance with the Russian Orthodox calendar. The festive and merry days of Christmas are called Christmas-tide in Russia. There is no any other holiday celebrated in compliance with so many traditions, ceremonies, etc. One of the ceremonies is called "Kolyadki". The ceremony includes wishing of wealth and happiness to everybody. During the ceremony a snow-lady is made with a carrot nose, eyes of prunes and teeth of green beans. Lady Kolyada comes to the holiday to congratulate people and enjoy merry games and fun. Lady Kolyada is accompanied by some people bearing stars. They sing and dance in a ring on the snow with fired torches and push the festive wheel. At the end of winter Shrovetide (a pancake week) comes. In Russia Pancake week is called "Maslyanitsa". Shrovetide is an ancient festival dating from pagan times. The Christian historians say that those were really "mad" days in the past. People wore funny masks and costumes, sometimes, men wore women's clothing and vice versa. Such masquerade anticipated a merry festival, when delicious food and a lot of wine were consumed. At first it was a festival that celebrated the arrival of spring and the start of work on the land. It included many rituals (burning a man of straw symbolizing winter, lighting fires, leaving festival food on the ancestors' graves) and feasts, the main food at which were ‘bliny’ (pancakes and crepes). The feast fighting was one more great fun that helped to get warm on cold winter days. Later, the Orthodox Church included Shrovetide among its festivals. Shrovetide has lost its ritual significance and has become a symbolic festival of saying good-bye to winter and welcoming spring. At present special performances are held during Pancake week. Throughout the whole week people cook pancakes. Each day of this week has its name: Monday – ‘The Greeting’, Tuesday – ‘Zaigryshi’ (entertainment day), Wednesday – ‘The Sweet Tooth’s Day’, Thursday – ‘The Lavish Day’, Friday – ‘Good Mother’s Evenings’, Saturday – ‘Good Daughter’s Parties’. Sunday is the last day of the Pancake week, and it is a culmination of the holiday. In ancient times the Scarecrow (Maslenitsa Dummy) was burned in fire and its ashes would be swept across the fields ‘for a heavy crop’. Sunday is known as ‘Sunday of Forgiveness’. Easter (in Russian "Paskha") is celebrated in all Christian countries and in Russia as well. In Russia it follows a 7-week Lent. Special round-shaped sweet breads (Easter cakes) are baked. Moreover, eggs are painted in different bright colours. The coloured egg, most often red, is the main symbol of Russian Easter. It symbolizes eternal life, birth and perpetual renewal. The next Sunday, which comes right after Easter, is called the Red Hill holiday. This day is considered the best for wedding ceremonies. The folk holiday called Troitsa (Green Yule-tide, or Whitsunday) is also celebrated in Russia. In old times houses were decorated with green branches. Young birch-trees were covered with girlish clothes. People sang songs and danced round the birch-trees. The garlands made of birch branches and flowers were put into water for fortune telling. Traditionally, Russians love to celebrate. No wonder Russia has a huge variety of different holidays, some of which are very publicly and widely celebrated. Many people are surprised to know how many holidays Russians have to celebrate! Don’t worry - it is an individual choice whether to celebrate all or only some of them. If you don’t want – you don’t celebrate. Just do not stay with those who are celebrating — it’s catching! Russian culture combines different religious traditions, including Roman Catholic, Orthodox and pagan, which are reflected in the amazing sequence of the holidays. Visit Russia and see this perfect combination yourself!
4.25. Our perception of other people is often influenced by stereotypes (a stereotype is an idea of what a particular group of people is like that many people have). However funny they might seem at first, stereotypes turn out to be quite harmful, especially when we try to communicate with foreigners basing on such biased ideas. Most nations have stereotypes about themselves, though. a) Think of the most famous Russian stereotypes about other nations (especially, British and American). Can you prove that they are unfair or wrong? b) Think of the most famous stereotypes that the Russians have about themselves and that foreigners have about the Russians. How different are they? Why? c) Read the passage below about the way the British and the Americans stereotype each other. Compare them with the Russian stereotypes and comment on them. British stereotypes of Americans: Americans are illiterate, have no culture, are immodest and gauche, have a throw away culture (e.g. automobiles) and everything has a price. Churchill called Americans a nation of shopkeepers. Napoleon said the same of the English, L'angleterre est une nation de boutiquiers. When Clive James visited California in the late 1970s, he reported that restaurants look like car washes, car washes look like art galleries, art galleries look like war memorials, war memorials look like fire stations, fire stations look like churches, and churches look like restaurants. Americans' stereotypes of themselves: they think they are culture-free, think other countries don’t like them, think they are the world (international news are virtually absent from major news broadcasts and newspapers unless American interests are involved), and are born to shop (for trinkets to show off to each other). Americans are patriotic, direct and open in conversation, globally naïve, experts at marketing, welcome you into their stores, have more shopping malls, and don’t have a class structure. American stereotypes of the British: they are bad lovers, terrible cooks, snotty, pompous, insular, cold, traditional, do things in their own fashion, make the best ‘bad guys’ in movies, and speak English correctly. One American at an English college complained, ‘The English girls never got my jokes, the Brussels sprouts were gray, the drizzle was relentless, and the toilet paper was waxy’. British stereotypes of themselves: none. T 4.26. Read some myths about life in the US and comment on them. Have you heard any myths about life in Russia from your foreign friends? What do you think about such myths? See Appendix for some real information about life in the USA. he British despise their own country, pity anyone not British, despise foreigners, talk to themselves (but only after years of acquaintance—Punch Magazine), have a class structure (upper middle class, middle class, and lower middle class), and look upon you as you enter their shops as a trespasser. MYTH: Life is easy in the United States. MYTH: America is “the land of the free,” so I can do whatever I want there. MYTH: Americans are racists. /Americans are tolerant. MYTH: The United States is a classless society. MYTH: Americans are rude and loud. MYTH: All Americans are rich and drive fast cars. MYTH: American students are less prepared academically than students from my country. MYTH: American professors are casual, sometimes even asking students to address them by their first names. MYTH: American students use illegal drugs.
1. A: What’s your favourite holiday? B: Well, that depends. I like (1) ____ that (2) _____ me a long vacation (3) _____ school. (1) a. any b. such c. this (2) a. does b. makes c. gives (3) a. from b. to c. since A: The (4) _______ break is in summer, but that doesn’t (5) ___________ because it’s not for a holiday. But really, which holiday do you (6) ______? (4) a. longer b. longest c. lonely (5) a. number b. count c. add (6) a. like best b. best like c. most best like B: I (5) _______ Easter is my favourite, because I really like doing the Easter egg (6) _______ . My (7) _______ family makes Easter eggs and hides (8) ________, then (9) _______ the children look _______(10) them. (5) a. prefer b. wonder c. guess (6) a. look b. hunt c. find (7) a. every b. all c. whole (8) a. this b. these c. them (9) a. entire b. all c. many (10) a. for b. at c. to A: That sounds fun. (11) ______ I prefer New Year’s Eve. (11) a. Also b. But c. True B: That’s’ a strange (12) __________! (12) a. choice b. choose c. choosing A: I know but I love staying (13) _______ late and watching one year (14) _____ into the (15)___________. And I don’t (16) __________ drinking champagne. (13) a. up b. very c. high (14) a. travel b. make c. change (15) a. forward b. next c. further (16) a. prefer b. mind c. care 2. A: Where are you going (1) ______ Christmas (2) _______? (1) a. in b. during c. time of (2) a. day b. situation c. break B: (3) ___a complicated question. My mother wants (4) __________ to Austria, but my father (5)_____ Italy. My brother (6)__________ to ski, so (7)__________ on my mother’s side. My sister is crazy about museums – she really (8)___ them. (9)_____ she (10)____ my father. (3) a. It’s b. this c. so (4) a. going b. go c. to go (5) a. prefers b. liking c. very more (6) a. is loving b. love c. loves (7) a. he was b. he’s c. his (8) a. do love b. loves c. hates (9) a. Obviously b. Perfectly c. Nobody (10) a. supporting b. support c. supports A: So really it’s up to you (11) __________. (11) a. to decide b. deciding c. decide B: Yes. (12) ______considering the situation (13) ________. (14)__________ my mother (15) __________better choices. But my father is a (16) ________ person to travel (17) ____________. (12) a. I will b. I’m c. I (13) a. carelessly b. careful c. carefully (14) a. Usually b. Normal c. Every (15) a. making b. makes c. make (16) a. more good b. gooder c. better (17) a. to b. with c. for A: It’s none of my business, but I (18) ____ think your problem is very big. (18) a. don’t b. didn’t c. aren’t 4.29. Imagine it’s New Year’s Day. Make up five resolutions, using the words ‘ will’ and ‘ won’t’. Compare your resolutions with those of your group mates. What is the most common resolution? Which is the most unusual? Do you think everyone will keep these resolutions? Why do people keep on making these resolutions if few of them ever manage to stick to them in the end? C 4.30. Read the following citations and comment on each. Which one do you like best? Why? Express your opinion to class. itations about the nation and patriotism: 1. The country of every man is that one where he lives best. (Aristophanes) 2. I … do not call the sod under my feet my country. But language, religion, laws, government, blood – identity of these makes men of one country. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) 3. [Education is] something which makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave. (Lord Brougham) 4. [Government] is to have one party govern the other party watch. (Thomas Reed) 5. [A nation is] a group of men who speak one language and read the same newspapers. (Friedrich W. Nietzsche) 6. [A nation is] two classes – the nations in which the government fears the people, and the nations in which the people fear the government. (Amos R.Pinchot) 7. [Patriotism is] your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it. (George Bernard Shaw) 8. [Patriotism is] the passion of fools and the most foolish of passions. (Arthur Schopenhauer) 9. [Patriotism is] a bad and harmful feeling … a stupid doctrine. (Leo Tolstoy) 10. [Patriotism is] our country, right or wrong. When right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be put right. (Carl Schurz) 11. [Patriotism is] one person’s meat is another person’s poison. (Proverb) 4.31. Make up a role-play. Imagine that you are members of a State Committee on Pubic Holidays. On your agenda you have one issue. You have to eliminate one holiday from the official holiday list and add a new one. Discuss in details what holidays might be considered in this connection and why. Do all the preparations for your meeting (make up a questionnaire to conduct a survey among your friends and relatives, look into history, etc.). WRITING 4.33. Take a trip in your imagination backwards in time. Think about a holiday celebration when you were a child. Try to see in your ‘mind’s eye’. Did you believe in any magical figures or happenings (Baba Yaga, Father Frost, Santa Claus, etc.)? What emotions did you feel? How have your beliefs and feelings changed? How old were you at the time? How old were your parents, relatives, and friends? Write a 250-word essay about the holiday, your beliefs and your emotions. N 4.32. Make up a ‘visiting card’ for Russia, showing the major parameters of its social and political life. Be ready to present it to class. 4.34. Describe some celebration in Russia or any other country, using the list of celebration descriptions below. ame of celebration, traditional food, meaning of name, traditional dances, history, date, music and songs, preparation for celebration, traditional clothes, gift giving, typical activities 4.35. Make up a list of five nations, mostly stereotyped by the Russians. Describe each in short (national character, time perception, gift giving, their preferences in food, clothes, life style, etc.). 4.36. George B. Shaw once wrote about patriotism “[It is] your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because your were born in it”. Write a 250-300 word essay about Russia, using the above words as an epigraph. T 4.37. Many of these sentences have some errors. Add an article or make a noun plural to correct these mistakes. Some sentences may be correct. Rewrite the text, making the necessary changes. he New Year holiday is the most common celebration around the world. Every culture has interesting New Year’s tradition. In many countries, custom focus on good luck for the new year and saying good-bye to the past. In Peru and many South American country, people put on yellow underwear. No one knows where the custom comes from. However, yellow has been the colour of good luck for many generations. Second Peruvian tradition is to eat twelve grape at midnight. The grapes represent the twelve month of the year. Some people say you must eat grape under table or without chewing them. If you want to take trip in the new year, you must run around the block with packed suitcase. Another interesting custom is to throw away old calendar. In fact, if you are in Lima on December 31, at noon you will see calendar flying out of the windows! Н 4.38. Render the text in English. овый год (1 января) Новый год в Англии отмечают без подарков и не обязательно в кругу семьи. Традиционных блюд для этого торжества нет. Обычно английские хозяйки готовят яблочный пирог. В Шотландии встреча Нового года считается более важным праздником, чем Рождество. Новый год по-шотландски – это, в первую очередь, генеральная уборка. Ни одно дело не должно остаться незавершенным. С первым ударом часов глава дома распахивает дверь и держит ее до последнего удара, так он выпускает старый год из дома, а новый впускает. Также в Шотландии считается, что первый человек, который зайдет в дом после наступления Нового года, значительно повлияет на финансовое состояние. В зависимости от региона, удачу приносит светловолосый или темноволосый чужак. В Англии удачу приносит человек, принесший в дом кусок угля и стакан чистой воды. 1 января, с началом нового года, британцы всегда принимают какие–то важные решения, которые должны улучшить их жизнь (бросить курить, заняться спортом и другие). День святого Валентина (14 февраля) В Англии и Шотландии день Святого Валентина сопровождается тайным вручением подарков и открыток – "валентинок". В старину вечером 13 февраля богатые и бедные воздыхатели клали свои дары на ступеньки заветной двери, звонили и убегали. Кстати, поздравительная открытка как таковая появилась именно в связи с днем Валентина, и родина ее - Англия. Первым открытку отправил Чарльз, Герцог Орлеанский (Duke of Orleans). Полагают, что традицию дарить в день Валентина красные розы положил Людовик XVIII, именно красные розы он преподнес в этот день Марии-Антуанетте (Marie Antoinette). В последнее время 14-го февраля стало популярным не только посылать открытки, но и дарить своим любимым сладости в виде сердечек, мягкие игрушки, особенно столь популярных в Британии медвежат Teddy. Хеллоуин (31 октября) Хеллоуин – вечер перед Днем всех святых. Истоки этот противоречивый праздник берет из кельтской культуры. Хэллоуин имел огромное значение, в это время с помощью ритуалов прощались со старым, плохим, ненужным и встречали новое. Древние англичане в дар богам природы приносили яблоки, осенние овощи, цветы, оставляли их под деревьями или зарывали в землю с просьбой о помощи и поддержке. Ночью 31 октября было принято выставлять тарелку с фруктами на улицу - для мертвых душ, чтобы те могли прийти на помощь живым. Сейчас праздник возвращается в Европу. Дети наряжаются в костюмы чудовищ и ходят по соседским домам, требуя сладостей. Этот обычай назван trick-or-treat - "угости, а то напакощу". Также устраивают маскарады и выставляют в окно полую тыкву с вырезанными глазами и ртом и свечкой внутри, чтобы отпугнуть духов. Кстати тыква – изобретение американцев. А до этого американского изобретения в Ирландии и Шотландии страшные рожи, в которые потом вставляли свечки, вырезали из реп и картофелин, в Англии - из свеклы. Рождество (24-25 декабря) Жители Англии и Уэльса считают Рождество более важным праздником, чем Новый год. На рождественский вечер 25 декабря собирается, как правило, вся семья. Рождественский обед включает такие традиционные блюда как фаршированная индейка у англичан или жареный гусь в Уэльсе и Ирландии. Подарки британцы открывают утром 25 декабря, обязательно в присутствии всей семьи. Кстати обычай вешать носки для подарков пришел из Англии. Есть легенда о том, что Санта Клаус (Santa Claus) однажды уронил несколько золотых монет, когда спускался вниз по дымоходу. Монеты попали в носок, повешенный для просушки. С тех пор дети вешают носки на камин в надежде найти их полными подарков. Письма Санте не отправляют по почте, а сжигают. В Британии считается, что Санта Клаус читает пожелания детей по дыму. Дом британцы украшают хвойными ветками и лесными ягодами. Над головой, где-нибудь в дверном проеме, вывешиваются веточки омелы. Если под ними встретились мужчина и женщина, то по традиции они обязательно должны поцеловаться. Рождественскую ель в Англии стали украшать после 1841 года, когда принц Альберт (Albert) приказал принести и украсить елку в Виндзорском (Windsor Castle) замке для его жены Виктории (Victoria) и их детей. А с XIX в. вошло в обычай обмениваться поздравительными открытками. В 1843 году англичанин Хорслей (Horsley) нарисовал первую рождественскую открытку. 1000 экземпляров открытки были тогда проданы в Лондоне.  |