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Text 3. Customs and traditions.
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Vocabulary:
to date back – датироваться
to be proud of – гордиться
to preserve – сохранять
to be linked – быть связанным
to obey – подчиняться
to mark – отмечать
a sweetheart – любимый/ая
a message – послание
a scary face – страшное лицо
So many countries so many customs, an English proverb says. A great number of customs and traditions date back to the early days of Great Britain. We can say that they are the reflection of the country’s history and the people’s psychology. The British can be proud of that they preserved their old customs and traditions most of them have been kept without change since the 13th century.
Some British customs and traditions are famous all over the world. For example, the celebration of New Year and Christmas is similar to our own. People decorate New Year trees, give each other presents, some go to parties at friend’s home or at night-clubs.
St. Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th. On that day people send cards and presents to their sweethearts or friends. Some British newspapers have a whole page for Valentine’s Day messages on that day.
April 1st is April Fool’s Day in Britain. It is linked with the celebration of spring, the return of sun and warmth. This tradition is very old and goes back to the Middle Ages. At that time the servants were masters for one day of the year. They gave orders and the masters had to obey. Now April Fool’s Day is different. It is a day for jokes and tricks.
May 1st was another important day in the Middle Ages. Early in the morning, young girls went to the field and washed their faces with dew. They believed this made them beautiful for the whole year.
Midsummer’s Day, June 24th, is the longest day of the year. Even today Druids come to Stonehenge to see the morning sun shine on the famous stones. Stonehenge is one of Europe’s biggest stone circles. The stones are ten meters high and nearly five thousand years old. They say, the Druids used it as a calendar to know the start of months and seasons.
Hallowe’en is celebrated on October 31st. it is a religious holiday known as All Saint’s Day. The symbols of Hallowe’en are evil spirits (witches, ghosts, goblins and skeletons), black color and pumpkins with scary faces and a candle inside. Children usually go trick or treating on that day.
Guy Fawke’s Day is marked on November 5th. All over the country people build wood fires or “bonfires”. On top of each bonfire is a guy. It is made of straw and old clothes.
Answer the questions:
1. What can we say about the customs and traditions of Great Britain? How old
are they?
2. What are the most famous winter traditions?
3. What holidays do they celebrate in spring?
4. What do they mark in summer?
5. What are the most famous autumn traditions?
Translate from Russian into English.
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1. Строительство этой церкви датируется 18 веком.
2. Его сестра гордиться своими оценками в школе.
3. Наша задача – сохранить природу для будущего поколения.
4. Этот праздник связан с религией.
5. Граждане должны подчиняться закону.
6. Учитель отметил все мои ошибки.
7. Он оставил сообщение своей любимой.
8. Фильм, который я посмотрел вчера, был не очень страшный.
Text 4. St. Valentine’s Day.
Vocabulary:
St. Valentine's Day — День Святого Валентина
Christian — христианский
priest — священник
prison — тюрьма
to behead — отрубить голову
authorities — власти
teachings — учение
miracle — чудо
to cure — исцелить
jail — тюрьма
jailer — тюремщик
blindness — слепота
execution — казнь
bishop — епископ
to marry (couples) — венчать (пары)
to be burnt at the stake — быть сожженным на костре
randomly — случайно
sweetheart — возлюбленный
medieval — средневековый
custom — обычай
to spread — распространяться
to care for — любить
valentine — открытка или подарок, посылаемые в день Валентина
anonymous — анонимный
heart-shaped — в форме сердца
There are several legends about St. Valentine's Day. One of the legends says that Valentine was Christian priest who lived in the 3 century A.D. He was put into prison by roman authorities for his teachings and was beheaded on February 14. According to the legend he performed a miracle — he cured his jailer's daughter of her blindness. Before the execution he wrote her a letter signed «From Your Valentine». Another legend says that the same Valentine wrote to children and friends who loved him from the jail.
According to another legend, Valentine was an Italian bishop who lived at about the same time. He was thrown into prison because he secretly married couples, contrary to the laws of the Roman empire. The legend says that he was burnt at the stake.
February 14 was also a Roman holiday. On this day young men randomly chose the name of the girl to escort to the festival. The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this day became very popular in the medieval Europe. Later this custom spread to American colonies.
Now, St. Valentine's Day is the day of sweethearts. On this day, people show their friends relatives and loved ones that they care. People send candy or flowers to those whom they love. Most people send «valentines», greeting cards named after St. Valentine's letters written from jail. Valentines can be sentimental and romantic, or funny and friendly. Valentines can be anonymous. Valentines can be heart-shaped or can carry hearts on them. People buy valentines or make them themselves.
Answer the questions:
1. Who was Valentine according to one legend?
2. What was he beheaded for?
3. What was the Valentine's guilt according to the other legends?
4. What holiday was on February 14 in the Roman empire?
5. What do people send to their loved ones and friends on St. Valentine's Day?
6. What is a «valentine»?
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