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Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
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Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
In England less emphasis is placed on Christmas Eve than in other countries, much more is made on Christmas Day. Carol singing, midnight church services and going out to the pub are some of the activities that many families enjoy (sometimes all three activities can be combined into one fun night out! ).
In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal, all festivities were banned by the Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting on what was supposed to be a holy day to be immoral. The ban was lifted only when Cromwell lost power in 1660.
During Queen Victoria's reign, Christmas became a time for gift giving, and a special season for children.
St Patrick's Day - March 17th. . St Patrick (c. 389-c. 461) is the patron saint of Ireland. He was an ancient Briton during the time when Britain was a colony of the Roman Empire. When he was 16 he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland. According to the legend St. Patrick's work in Ireland transformed the country. He drove all the snakes out of Ireland and they all went into the sea and drowned. The snake was a pagan symbol, and perhaps this is a metaphor for the fact that he drove paganism out of Ireland.
In Ireland, March 17th is a public holiday in celebration of his life and death. The feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is celebrated all over the world wherever Irish exiles gather.
St David's Day - March 1st St. David (520-588), or Dewi as he is called in Welsh, is the patron saint of Wales. He founded twelve monasteries across the country and went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he became a bishop.
Bank Holidays - public holidays when banks, post offices, shops and some attractions are closed. Bank holidays always occur on Monday (the late Spring Bank Holiday is the last Monday in May).
Midsummer Day - 24th June - ceremonies in honour of the Sun have been held from the earliest times. This day is preceded by Midsummer Night when supernatural beings are said to wander about.
Edinburgh Festival
It began in 1947, with the aim of providing 'a platform for the flowering of the human spirit'. Right from the start people were inspired to put on shows of their own, and these soon grew into the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Since then half a dozen or so festivals have grown up around it in August and early September, and collectively these are often know as 'the Edinburgh Festival'.
The Highland games are events held throughout the year in Scotland as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands.
During the time of English occupation, the men of Scotland were forbidden to train in an attempt to prevent another Scottish uprising. Scots continued to train for war during so-called the Highland games. Certain aspects of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the heavy events. While cantered on competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Gaelic culture.
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Answer the following questions
1. Whenwas the British’s power weakened for the first time?
2. When and how was English Parliament formed?
3. Why is King Henry the 8th important historically?
4. What do you know about Queen Elizabeth the First?
5. What is the period of Industrial Revolution in England?
6. When did the saying “The Sun never sets on the British Empire become popular”?
7. How did Britain act during two World Wars?
8. When did the British Empire collapse?
9. Describe British foreign policy now.
10. What is the UK economically now?
11. What is class division in England and how is this reflected in speech?
12. What is a typical British house?
13. Is the expression “My house is my castle” still important for Englishmen?
14. What do you know about British eating habits?
15. Why do so many English people prefer to live in the province?
16. What are “commuters”?
17. Why are pubs so important for Englishmen?
LECTURE № 3
THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE AND ELECTIONS IN Great Britain
Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. Britain is administered from the centre of Westminster in London. Technically the UK is ruled by the Parliament, the Prime minister and the Monarch (at the moment the Queen Elizabeth 11 who has been in power since 1953). She is formally the Head of the State.
The Parliament which is the oldest in Europe (1258) made up of two chambers (палаты) — the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The House of Commons has 651 seats which are occupied by Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected by the British people during general elections which are held every five years. The country is divided into 650 constituencies (избирательные округа) each of which elects one Member of Parliament (MP).
The party which wins the elections gets the most seats in the House of Commons and forms the Government. Its leader becomes the Prime Minister.
The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker. The government party sits on the Speaker's right while on his left sit the members of the Opposition.
Although Britain is called constitutional monarchy it does not have a written constitution, but a set of laws. Most legislation (законодательство) originates in the Commons. The Bill becomes a law when it is debated and confirmed after three hearings by the MPs, then debated in the Lords and finally signed by the Queen.
The House of Lords comprises about 1 200 members. The members of the House of Lords are not elected: they sit in the House because they are aristocrats who have inherited their seats from their fathers or those who got the titles from the Queen and also bishops (эпископы) of the Church of England.
This House has no real power but acts as an advisory council for the House of Commons. The House of Lords may take part in legislation, but it cannot permanently block a bill (законопроект) passed by the Commons.
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The House of Lords is presided over by the Lord Chancellor (Лорд Kанцлер, председатель суда) and is the highest court of appeal.
The Queen opens and closes the sessions of the Parliament.
The English monarchy has been interrupted only once during the Revolution and the Cromwell republic. Succession (наследование) to the throne is hereditary (наследственное). Formally the monarch has a number of roles. The monarch is expected to be politically neutral, and should not make political decisions. Nevertheless, Queen Elizabeth the Second still performs some important executive and legislative duties (исполнительные и законодательные обязанности) including opening and dissolving Parliament, signing bills (законопроекты) passed by both Houses and fulfilling international duties, visits to foreign countries, and especially those to the Commonwealth (Содружество наций), whose interests and welfare (благосостояние) are very important to her. She started the tradition of the " walkabouts", when she walks among the public crowds and stops to talk to some people. The annual Christmas broadcast made by the Queen on radio and television has become a traditional. The Queen's husband is Duke of Edinburgh and her heir (наследник) is Charles, Prince of Wales, who was born in 1948, married Lady Diana Spencer and has two children, Prince William and Prince Harry. Diana died in a car accident in August, 1997. The Queen's other children are Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
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