Definiciones

Great Britain

Some English customs and traditions are famous all over the world. Tea and talking about the weather, for example. England is a land rich with traditions ranging from wassailing to special holiday events and superstitions.

In Great Britain there is no written constitution, only customs, traditions and precedents. Traditionally the Queen reigns but does not rule.

( glish people have traditions not only in political, but in social life. They like to spend , Ijr free time in Pubs where they can have a glass of beer and talk about different things

their friends.

epical feature of an English house is a Replace, even when there is central heating in

house. Many families have pets — a dog, a cat or a bird.

politeness is a characteristic feature of English people- They often say "Thank you", "Sorry", "Beg your pardon".

Australia

Many A ustralians come together on St Patrick's

Day to celebrate Irish culture and rem em ber St Patrick. Som e organizations hold St Patrick's Day breakfasts and lunches w here lucky draw prizes are given and Irish food and drinks are served. On St Patrick's D ay parades people wear traditional Irish costumes or dress in green.

Ireland

Many families prepare their homes for Easter Sunday by doing "spring cleaning" to prepare the house for blessing by the local priest which is a religious ceremony that dates back hundreds of years.

Canada

Canadian culture reflects a heavy influence °f British, American and Aboriginal culture and Editions. For example, according to Canadian Prairie etiquette, if a neighbour brings you a Plate of food, you must return the plate dirty; "'ashing it will bring bad luck.

^evv Zealand

Ch_{urch weddings are the most traditional} rriage celebrations in New Zealand.

f Wording to custom, the groom should not see the bride before she joins him at the bv^ church on their wedding day. The Maori wedding cerem ony is conducted

a hibal elder and the couple is blessed in the Maori language. Wedding rings made carved bone are also popular amongst those w ishing to include the ancient culture in 6lr Wedding.

Unit

9 Are these statements true or false? Correct the false ones.

1. All English traditions are famous all over the world. 2. Wassailing is a kind of English superstition.

3. According to the British constitution the Queen reigns but does not rule. 4. English people like to spend their free time at home.

5. You can find fireplaces in English houses where there is no central heating. 6. British people are very polite.

7. Many Irish people come to Australia to celebrate St Patrick's Day. 8. Many Australian families do "spring cleaning" on Easter Day. 9. In New Zealand all the wedding ceremonies should be conducted in

accordance with Maori customs.

10. Canadian culture reflects an influence of Australian traditions.

Listening

1 0 TRACK 27.

Listen to the dialogues and fill in the gaps with the words from the box.

pumpkins, trick-or-treating, Christmas tree, ghosts, Christmas, witches, Halloween, presents, funny, goblins, decorated, lanterns

1.

— Hello, Alex!

— Hi, Ann! Haven't seen you for ages! Where have you been?

— Oh, I was at my relatives'. We celebrated ...It was wonderful! We . • • j the house and t h e ... I love this tradition. I b o u g h t... for my relative! and I got a lot of n ic e ...

— You're lucky. Did you go out anywhere?

— Yes, we walked a lot. And we also visited some of their friends. — Do you plan to go there n e x t...?

2.

— Hello, Nadia! W hat are your plans for October 31st?

— Hi, Pete! Don't you know we are celebratin g...? It's an old English tradition and we also like it.

— Yes, I heard something about it, but I never took part in it. Could you tell me about it?

— Sure! Listen. On that day many homes

are decorated and lit b y ...made fro m ... that have been hollowed out. — Really? That's interesting. Go on, please.

— We dress up a s ..., ... a n d ... and g o ... to neighbours. — But why?

— Well, it's an old tradition. Besides, it's ra th e r...

Sp eaking

Give simple reasons for liking/disliking different holidays and traditions using the following prompts.

I really love . . . It's my favourite holiday. I enjoy celebrating it because . . .

Truly speaking, I don't like the tradition of . . . because . . . To my mind the most mysterious holiday is . . .

I think t h a t. . . (St Valentine's D ay etc) is a good way to . . . Personally I would never e a t . . . I prefer to have . . .

W riting

Choose one of the E n glish-speaking w orld's holidays and describe it using the follow ing plan.

• Is it old or modern?

• In what countries do people celebrate it? • How do they celebrate it?

• Do you like this tradition? Why? / Why not?

Unit

кPractice

i

Find the 10 hidden words. традиция королева праздновать чай национальный фестиваль праздник индейка обычай страна u t r a d i t i о n a t i о n a 1 i с f e s t i v a 1 о с h о 1 i d a у u _{P u} t n у s о m n e w s u t u n e t e e _p 4 г у n о r t e a 1 о k _{g e} У s t о P d m e u q u e e n о d a у п с е 1 е b

Fill in the gaps with articles where necessary.

1. The oldest country in the world i s ...Iran, which was known a s ...Щ

Persia until 1934.

2. The hunters got lost i n ...Rocky Mountains. 3...Iceland is a volcanic island.

4. The highest peak i n ...North America i s ... M ount McKinley. 5. They are planning to v is it...Lake Chad i n ... North Central Africa

during their holiday.

6. A lth ou gh ...Australia is the smallest continent, it is the largest island in the world.

7 Europe extends fro m ...British Isles i n ...west tow ard s...Я

Urals i n ... east.

8 Republic of Ireland is a state i n ... West Europe.

9 Dead Sea, also ca lle d ... Salt Sea, is a salt lake b ord erin g ... j Jordan t o ...east a n d ... Israel a n d ... West Bank t o ... west-

1 0...Tasmania, lo ca te d ... southeast o f ... mainland Australia, is a major tourist attraction due to its diverse and spectacular scenery, unspoilt wilderness and heritage.

Fill in the gaps w ith the follow ing words and word com binations. Halloween o r ...of All Saints' Day is celebrated on October 31.

Though there are f e w ...working today, a Sweeps Festival is celebrated in Rochester on the first weekend in May, in honour of this old profession.

St Valentine's Day is celebrated o n ...14. To p re sen t...on Christmas is a good tradition.

...is a characteristic feature of English people.

I know that many English people lik e ... animals.

7. Thanksgiving Day is very popular i n ...

8. The people can sp e n d ...with their families, as it is a four-day holiday. 9. As th e ... cooks, make the simple hom em ade...

10. The Lord Chancellor presides over Parliament sitting on a ... which symbolizes the importance of wool in English

a. gifts b. the USA c. turkey d. February e. politeness f. wool sack g- Thanksgiving Day h. cranberry sauce i. domestic j- the eve k. chimney sweeps

16

Unit

17

Country Birthday Traditions

Canada Greasing the nose with butter or margarine. The greased nose makes the birthday person too slippery for bad luck to

catch them.

England Fortune-telling cakes and bumps. If the birthday person's piece of cake has a coin in it, he or she will be rich. Also his or her friends give him or her the "bumps" — they lift him or her in the air by his or her hands and feet and raise him or her up and down to the floor, one for each year, then one for luck,

two for luck and three for the old man's coconut!

Ireland Birthday bumps. The birthday person is lifted upside down and "bumped" on the floor for good luck. The number of bumps given is the age of the child plus one for extra good

luck.

Scotland A pound note and a soft smack. A pound note is given for every year old the child is plus an additional pound for good luck. A soft smack on the bottom is also given

for each year.

New Zealand Birthday claps. After the birthday cake is lit, the "Happy Birthday" song is sung loudly and often out of tune and then

the birthday person receives a clap for each year and then one for good luck.

The USA Cake, candles and song. Candles are put on top of the I birthday cake based on how old the person is. Then e v e r y o n e

sings "Happy Birthday" and at the end of the song the birthday person blows out the candles. If he or she blows them all out with one blow, his or her birthday wishes will

come true. Russia --- -—■f ? ___ ^

1 7 0

For Project 3

ig In your groups make a collection of good-luck and bad-luck superstitions an beliefs of different English-speaking countries. Compare them with Russian one Prepare illustrations. Here are some examples:

If a rooster comes to your threshold and crows, you may expect visitors. (Irish'

It's bad luck to pick up a coin if it's tails side up. Good luck comes if it's heads

up. (A m erican ) ---

Catch falling leaves in autumn, and you will have good luck. Every leaf means a lucky month next year. (E n glish)

It is unlucky to cross two knives on a table.

(Scottish)

See a pin, Let it lay,

You will have bad luck all day. See a pin,

Pick it up,

You will have good luck. (A ustralian)

Breaking a mirror brings seven years ...

15

Unit