Файл: тексты 1 курс.docx

1. British “bank holidays” are …

2. Hogmanay is …

3. The First-Footer should be …

4. The first Valentine of all was …

5. Christians connected the rising of the sun with …

6. One of the most popular Easter symbols is …

7. May Day celebrations also go back to …

8. A tall pole called a Maypole is …

9. Guy Fawkes’ Night is celebrated …

10. The English celebrate Guy Fawkes’ Night by …

Exercise 4. Make up the questions covering the content of one of the texts for your fellow-students to answer them.

Part 2. Halloween.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS:

Halloween.

Halloween is a holiday that takes place on October 31. This day was originally called “All Hallows’ Eve” (All Saints’ Eve) but was later shortened to Halloween.

Halloween customs date back to a time when people believed in devils, ghosts and witches. People thought that on this night these evil spirits return to their earthly homes, so the people dressed up and tried to resemble the souls of the dead to make the evil spirits go away.

Now October 31 is a nice holiday, mostly for children who dress up in costumes of evil spirits and go out into the streets to beg. They go from house to house saying “Trick or treat”. People give them candy, cookies and apples.

Black is a traditional colour for Halloween, perhaps because celebrations take place at night. Americans decorate windows of houses and schools with silhouettes of witches. A favourite custom is to make a jack-o’-lantern. Children take out the middle of the pumpkin, cut the holes for the eyes, nose and mouth in its side and put a lighted candle inside to frighten their friends. This custom refers to a man named Jack who couldn’t enter Heaven because he was very greedy and he couldn’t enter Hell because he had played tricks on the Devil, so he still goes around the earth lighting his way with a pumpkin lantern.

Exercise 1. Translate into Russian: a traditional colour for Halloween; to take place at night; evil spirits; a jack-o’-lantern; to date back to smth; a lighted candle; decorate windows of houses and schools with silhouettes of witches; trick or treat; to frighten their friends; very greedy; Halloween customs; to return to earthly homes; to go from house to house; take out the middle of the pumpkin.

Exercise 2. Translate into English: вырезать дырки для глаз, носа и рта; человек по имени Джек; освещая путь фонарём из тыквы; первоначально назывался; напоминать души умерших людей; празднования; леденцы, печенье и яблоки; заставить злых духов уйти; любимый обычай; главным образом для детей; наряжаться в костюмы злых духов.

Exercise 3. Answer the questions:

1. When is Halloween celebrated?

2. What is this holiday connected with?

3. What do people dress up on this night?

4. What do people do with pumpkins?

5. What game do children play?

6. What tricks do children play on the people who don’t give them a treat?

Exercise 4. Write the interrogative and negative forms of the following sentences:

1. Black is a traditional colour for Halloween.

2. This day was originally called “All Hallows’ Eve”.

3. Children take out the middle of the pumpkin.

4. Halloween customs date back to a time when people believed in devils.

5. He couldn’t enter Hell because he had played tricks on the Devil.

Part 3. Thanksgiving day.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS:

Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving Day, the 4^th Thursday in November, is a national holiday in the USA. It was first celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrim Fathers after their first good harvest. The settlers, then called Pilgrims, left England and sailed to America in 1620 on the “Mayflower” seeking for a place where they could have freedom to worship. After a two-month voyage they landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, in icy November.

During their first winter many of the settlers died of hunger or illnesses, but the courageous survivors were able to found a colony.

In spring they planted corn and in autumn they gathered a rich harvest. The settlers decided to celebrate their victory at the new land, by having a feast and thanking God who helped them in their struggle against the bitter climate and rocky soil.

The pattern of the Thanksgiving celebration has not changed through the years. It is a family day when all the members of the family gather at the home of their parents. The family eats a large traditional dinner, usually consisting of turkey, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

Exercise 1. Translate into Russian: after a two-month voyage; cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie; to gather a rich harvest; during their first winter; the Pilgrim Fathers; seeking for a place; in icy November; the courageous survivors; to celebrate the victory at the new land; to die of hunger or illnesses; all the members of the family; to have freedom to worship; to struggle against the bitter climate and rocky soil.

Exercise 2. Translate into English: форма празднования дня Благодарения; большой традиционный ужин; сажать кукурузу весной; четвёртый четверг ноября; многие переселенцы; национальный праздник США; первый хороший урожай; семейный праздник; собираться в доме родителей; благодарить Бога; основать колонию; неблагоприятный климат.

Exercise 3. Answer the questions:

1. When is Thanksgiving Day celebrated?

2. Is it a family day?

3. What do people usually have for the holiday dinner?

4. What facts from the history of this day do you know?

Exercise 4. True or false?

1. Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the UK.

2. It was first celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrim Fathers after their first winter in America.

3. The settlers left England and sailed to America in 1620 on the “Amistad”.

4. The settlers decided to celebrate their victory at the new land, by planting corn and gathering it in autumn.

5. The family eats a large traditional dinner, usually consisting of a pumpkin pie, candy, cookies and apples.