Обычаи и традиции Великобритании. Customs and Traditions of Great Britain.

Customs and traditions of Great Britain

Thematic vocabulary:

All Saints’ Day – День всех святых

an evil spirit – злой дух

holly – остролист (растение)

hot cross buns - (горячая) булочка с изображением креста

public (bank) holiday – официальный праздник

shop-made valentines – готовые валентинки

congratulations -поздравления

Shrove Tuesday – Страстной вторник

Good Friday – пятница перед пасхой

treat – угощение

to be held – проводиться

to be marked by smth – отмечаться чем-либо

to be observed – праздноваться, соблюдаться

to confess one’s sin to a priest – исповедаться в грехе священнику

to date back to – относиться к (о времени)

to exchange greetings – обменяться поздравлениями

to fall on – приходиться на (какой-либо день)

to revive – возрождаться

to scare smb– пугать кого-либо

to scrape out a pumpkin – выдолбить тыкву

Read the text:

Customs and traditions of Great Britain

The British created a powerful Empire with a successful economy, culture, the preservation of their traditions. Traditions of Great Britain is the basis of their culture. Great Britain is considered to be one of the most democratic countries, but the British life continues to be determined by the old traditions. That's why even the most strange and old English traditions affect modern daily life. There is the long menu of traditional British food. There are many royal occasions. There are songs, saying and superstitions. English traditions can be classified into several groups: national holidays, religious holidays, Royal traditions and public festivals.

What about royal occasions? There are numerous of them in Britain. One of the most interesting royal traditions is, for example, the changing of the guard. This happens every day at Buckingham Palace, the Queen's home in London. Soldiers stand in front of the palace. Each morning these soldiers (the "guard") change. One group leaves and another arrives. In summer and winter tourists stand outside the palace at 11.30 every morning and watch the Changing of the Guard.

Traditionally the Queen opens Parliament every autumn. The Queen travels from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament in a gold carriage the Irish State Coach. At the Houses of Parliament the Queen sits on a “throne” in the House of Lords. Then she reads the “Queen’s Speech”. At the State Opening of Parliament the Queen wears a crown.

The Queen is the only person in Britain with two birthdays. Her real birthday is on April 21st, but she has an "official" birthday, too. That's on the second Saturday in June. And on the Queen's official birthday, there is a traditional ceremony called the Trooping of the Colour. It's a big parade with brass bands and hundreds of soldiers at Horse Guards' Parade in London. A "regiment" of the Queen's soldiers, the Guards, march in front of her. At the front of the parade is the regiment's flag or "colour". The Guards are trooping the colour. Thousands of Londoners and visitors watch in Horse Guards' Parade. And millions of people at home watch it on television.

Another interesting tradition is The Queen’s telegram. This custom is not very old, but it's for very old people. On his or her one hundredth birthday, a British person gets a telegram from the Queen.

The registration for young Royal swans appeared in the 12th century. There is a very special royal tradition. Nine centuries, every year in July on the Thames there are special boats with the Royal emblem. The purpose of the expedition to count – how many new swans appeared in the property of Her Majesty. The name of this strange but interesting custom is Swan Upping.

There are also many different festivals in Britain. The Edinburgh international arts festival takes place in the Scottish capital every August and lasts almost a month. It also presents theatre, Opera, dance and music, concerts of classical, orchestral, vocal music, dance shows, ballets. This festival is listed in the Guinness book of records as the largest in the world. Another great festival, a truly Welsh event is the Eisteddfod, a national festival of traditional poetry and music, with a competition for the best new poem in Welsh.

Traditions of everyday life of English people are also worth our attention. For example, talking about the weather. The British talk about the weather a lot because it changes so often. The British are also considered to be great tea lovers. Traditional tea time in England is late afternoon, when world-famous 5 o’clock tea is served. Five o’clock tea is a ceremony, a work of art. But tea is also drunk in the morning and during the day because the English believe it to be healthy and refreshing.

English people also have traditions in social life. They like to spend their free time in numerous pubs where they can have a glass of beer and talk about different things with their friends.

Thus Britain is full of traditions and customs. Some are funny and some are strange. But they are all interesting. They are all part of the British way of life.

Vocabulary:

custom – обычай

preservation – сохранение

to determine – определять, обусловливать

to affect – влиять, оказывать влияние

superstition – суеверие, примета

festival – празднование, фестиваль

occasion – событие, мероприятие

carriage – карета, экипаж

the Irish State Coach – Ирландский парадный экипаж

throne – трон

to wear - (wore, worn) — одевать, носить

the Trooping of the Colour – вынос (пронос) знамени

horse Guards' Parade - парад конной гвардии

regiment [ˈreʤɪmənt] - полк

«сolour» - здесь: знамя, флаг

swans - лебеди

to count – считать, подсчитывать

property - собственность

Her Majesty – Её Величество

Swan Upping – учет (маркировка) лебедей

Edinburgh [ˈedɪnbrə] - Эдинбург

Eisteddfod - [aɪsˈtedvɔd] - ежегодный фестиваль бардов (в Уэльсе)

ballet - [ˈbæleɪ] - балет

to list – вносить (в список)

the Guinness book of records – Книга рекордов Гиннеса

truly – действительно, по-настоящему

event - событие

Welsh – валлийский язык

a work of art – произведение искусства

refreshing – освежающий

2. Find in the text the English equivalents for:

• могущественная империя,

• сохранение традиций,

• основа их культуры,

• быть обусловленным традициями,

• оказывать влияние на повседневную жизнь,

• традиционная британская кухня,

• королевские мероприятия,

• проезжать от Букингемского дворца к зданию Парламента,

• официальный день рождения королевы,

• вынос знамени,

• духовой оркестр,

• парад конногвардейцев,

• проходить маршем,

• знамя полка,

• получить телеграмму от королевы,

• в собственности Её Величества,

• учет (маркировка) королевских лебедей,

• Эдинбургский международный фестиваль искусств,

• быть внесенным в Книгу рекордов Гиннеса,

• лучшее новое стихотворение на валлийском языке,

• заслуживать чего-либо внимания,

• любители чая,

• быть полезным и освежающим,

• быть полным традиций и обычаев,

• британский образ жизни.

3. Answer the questions:

1. Why do old English traditions influence the modern life of the English?

2. What groups can English traditions be classified?

3. What time does the Changing of the Guard take place in London every day? Where does it happen?

4. Who traditionally opens Parliament every autumn?

5. Where does Queen usually sit during her Speech in the House of Lords?

6. How many birthday does the British Queen have? When is her real birthday?

7. What is called the Trooping of the Colour? When does it take place?

8. Who in Britain receives the Queen’s telegram? What traditions is it?

9. How old is the tradition of registration for Royal Swans?

10. What British festival is listed in the Guinness Book of records?

11. When does it take place and how long does it last?

12. What is the Eisteddfod?

13. What are the most popular Royal traditions?

14. What is one the favorite topics of conversation among the British? Why?

15. Where do the British like to spend their free time?

Exercises to practice vocabulary

1.   Read and translate the following sentences using active vocabulary:

1. The term “bank holiday” dates back to the 19^th century.

2. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are observed on the 25^th and 26^th of December respectively.

3. Besides public holidays there are other days, which are marked by centuries-old traditions. These are different festivals and anniversaries.

4. February, 14 is St. Valentine’s Day, it is a day for choosing sweethearts and exchanging signs of love.

5. Valentine was a colourful card with a short love verse composed by the sender.

6. Shop-made valentines are cards with ready-made congratulations and decorations.

7. On Shrove Tuesday Christians confessed their sins to a priest.

8. The customs of Halloween, the eve of All Saints’ Day, date back to a time, when people believed in evil spirits.

2. Fill in the blanks with the prepositions:

1. There are several bank holidays … the United Kingdom.

2. Most … the holidays are of religious origin.

3. Certain customs and traditions are connected …most bank holidays, because many … them are part … holiday seasons like Easter and Christmas seasons.

4. Public holidays do not fall … the same date each year.

5. Only Christmas Day and Boxing Day are observed … the 25^th and 26^th of December accordingly.

6. Good Friday and Easter Monday depend … Easter Sunday which falls … the first Monday .. May.

3. Read the sentences, using the English phrases instead of the Russian ones:

1. A bank holiday is (официальный праздник) when all banks and post offices are closed.

2. (Рождество, 25 декабря) is the day which the families traditionally spend together.

3. People usually give some small presents or money to postmen or servants (в день подарков).

5. (В пятницу перед Пасхой) people usually eat (особые булочки с крестом наверху).

6. (Некоторые традиции и обычаи англичан) are famous all over the world.

7. St. Valentine’s Day (празднуется) on the 14^th of February.

4. Read the words, guess the holiday and say the odd word:

1) Fir tree, holly , Santa Claus, pumpkin, stockings, coloured lights and decorations, cards

2) Shrove Tuesday, Maundy Thursday, maypole, making pancakes, going to church, egg-rolling, an ancient symbol of new life

3) Trafalgar Square, first footing, Hogmanay, fir tree, Morris dance

4) “Penny for a guy”, “trick or treat”, jack-o’lanterns, ghosts, horrible faces, pumpkin

5) Joke, tricks, a pint of pigeon’s milk, laugh, autumn

6) Love, flowers, summer, cards, winter

7) Gunpowder Plot, bonfires, the Houses of Parliament, “Penny for a guy”, jack-o’lanterns

5. Complete the sentences with words traditionally associated with Christmas:

1) The tradition of singing ______, or Christmas songs, at Christ­mas is older than Christmas itself.

2) Traditionally people decorate their trees on Christmas ______ — that's December 24.

3) A traditional Christmas ______usually has a piece of holly on the top.

4) On Christmas Day everyone gives and receives ______.

5) Christmas trees are often decorated with ______symbolizing Christ as “Light of the World”.

6) Christmas ______often show the pictures of Nativity.

7) Santa Claus visits houses by climbing down the ______.

8) Carol-singers usually collect money for ______.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list:

1) British people celebrate Christmas and Easter with of Europe.

2) Guy Fawkes planned to ­­­­­­­­­-_________the Houses of Parliament, but his plot , and he was executed.

3) Every November, 5 British people _______a model of Guy Fawkes, made of old clothes. There are lots of _______everywhere on this day.

4) During Pancake Races people must race and __________pancakes in the air at the same time.

5) On the fourteen of February people send a card to someone they are , but they didn’t it____________.

6) You must_______ who it is from.

7) October the thirty-first is a festival of _______and witches, when children in unusual costumes.

8) Mr. Robinson _____four pairs of socks as a gift.

9) There is a little present, a paper hat and____ inside the crackers.

10) Silver coin in _______will bring you good luck.

11) After Christmas there’s the last _______of the old year - New Year's Eve.

12) All round the country people have ______________ .

Check your results with these ones:

1) British people celebrate Christmas and Easter with the rest of Europe.

2) Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament, but his plot failed, and he was executed.

3) Every November, 5 British people burn a model of Guy Fawkes, made of old clothes. There are lots of fireworks everywhere on this day.

4) During Pancake Races people must race and throw pancakes in the air at the same time.

5) On the fourteen of February people send a card to someone they are in love with, but they didn’t sign it.

6) You must guess who it is from.

7) October the thirty-first is a festival of ghosts and witches, when children dress up in unusual costumes.

8) Mr. Robinson was given four pairs of socks as a gift.

9) There is a little present, a paper hat and a joke inside the crackers.

10) Silver coin in pudding will bring you good luck.

11) After Christmas there’s the last festival of the old year - New Year's Eve.

12) All round the country people have parties.

1. Match the parts of the sentences: