Traditions and customs

Study the words and expressions

customs – обычаи

to be proud of – гордиться

to keep - хранить

foreigner – иностранец

to be struck – быть пораженным

a number of – ряд, много

peculiarity – особенность

the Changing of the Guard – смена караула

Trooping the Colour – торжественный вынос знамени

cavalrymen – кавалеристы

shining helmets - блестящие шлемы

Life Guards – Лейб-гвардейский конный полк

to guard - охранять

to prefer – предпочитать

fire place – камин

central heating – центральное отопление

anywhere – повсюду

to observe – соблюдать

to offer – предлагать

race – гонка

A Look through the text quickly and answer these questions.

1 What English traditions are well-known?

2 What English traditions do you like best of all?

1 _________________________

Every nation and every country has its own customs and traditions. In Britain traditions play a more important part in the life of the people than in other countries.

2 _________________________

Englishmen are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up. Foreigners coming to England are struck at once by quite a number of customs and peculiarities in English life. Some ceremonies are rather formal, such as the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Trooping the Colour, the State Opening of Parliament. Sometimes you will see a group of cavalrymen riding on black horses through the streets of London. They wear red uniforms, shining helmets, long black boots and long white gloves. These men are Life Guards. Their special duty is to guard the king or queen of Great Britain and very important guests of the country.

3 _________________________

To this day an English family prefers a house with a fire place and a garden to a modern house with a central heating. Most Englishmen love gardens. Sometimes the garden in front of the house is a little square covered with cement painted green imitation of grass and a box of flowers. They love flowers very much.

4 _________________________

The Englishmen love animals very much, too. Pet dogs, cats, horses, ducks, chickens, canaries and other friends of man have a much better life in Britain than anywhere else. In Britain they have special dog shops selling food, clothes and other things for dogs. In recent years the English began to show love for more “exotic” animals such as crocodiles, elephants, tigers, cobras, camels.

5 ___________________________

Holidays are especially rich in old traditions and are different in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. Christmas is a great English national holiday and in Scotland it is not observed at all. But six days later, on New Year’s Eve the Scotts begin to enjoy themselves. All the shops and factories are closed on New Year’s Day. People invite their friends to their houses. Greeting and presents are offered.

6 __________________________

A new tradition has been born in Britain. Every year a great number of ancient motor-cars drive from London to Brighton. Some of these veteran cars look very funny. This run from London to Brighton is a colourful demonstration. People are dressed in the clothes of those times. It is not a race, and most of the cars come to Brighton, which is sixty miles from London, only in the evening.

B Read the text again and choose the most suitable heading from the list a-g

for each part 1-6 of the text. There is one extra heading that you do not need.

a Animals in their life.

b The best holiday.

c Funny veterans.

d National symbols.

e My home is my fortress.

f Their favourite red post boxes.

g Most traditional of all.

C Find words in the text which mean the same as the words below.

Paragraph 1 are far more significant

Paragraph 2 are surprised

specific features

must

Paragraph 3 would like

Paragraph 4 in other countries

take interest in

Paragraph 5 is not celebrated

a day before New Year’s Day

Paragraph 6 a lot of

bright

D Answer the question.

What Russian traditions are well-known in other countries?