British Traditions and Customs

British nation is considered to be the most conservative in Europe. It is not a secret that every nation and every country has its own customs and traditions. In Great Britain people attach greater importance to traditions and customs than in other European countries. Englishmen are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up. The best examples are their queen, money system, their weights and measures.

There are many customs and some of them are very old. There is, for example, the Marble Championship, where the British Champion is crowned; he wins a silver cup known among folk dancers as Morris Dancing. Morris Dancing is an event where people, worn in beautiful clothes with ribbons and bells, dance with handkerchiefs or big sticks in their hands, while traditional music- sounds.

Another example is the Boat Race, which takes place on the river Thames, often on Easter Sunday. A boat with a team from Oxford University and one with a team from Cambridge University hold a race.

British people think that the Grand National horse race is the most exciting horse race in the world. It takes place near Liverpool every year. Sometimes it happens the same day as the Boat Race takes place, sometimes a week later. Amateur riders as well as professional jockeys can participate. It is a very famous event.

There are many celebrations in May, especially in the countryside.

Halloween is a day on which many children dress up in unusual costumes. In fact, this holiday has a Celtic origin. The day was originally called All Halloween's Eve, because it happens on October 31, the eve of all Saint's Day. The name was later shortened to Halloween. The Celts celebrated the coming of New Year on that day.

Another tradition is the holiday called Bonfire Night.

On November 5, 1605, a man called Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament where the king James 1st was to open Parliament on that day. But Guy Fawkes was unable to realize his plan and was caught and later, hanged. The British still remember that Guy Fawkes' Night. It is another name for this holiday. This day one can see children with figures, made of sacks and straw and dressed in old clothes. On November 5th, children put their figures on the bonfire, burn them, and light their fireworks.

In the end of the year, there is the most famous New Year celebration. In London, many people go to Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve. There is singing and dancing at 12 o'clock on December 31st.

A popular Scottish event is the Edinburgh Festival of music and drama, which takes place every year. 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.

If we look at English weights and measures, we can be convinced that the British are very conservative people. They do not use the internationally accepted measurements. They have conserved their old measures. There are nine essential measures. For general use, the smallest weight is one ounce, then 16 ounce is equal to a pound. Fourteen pounds is one stone.

The English always give people's weight in pounds and stones. Liquids they measure in pints, quarts and gallons. There are two pints in a quart and four quarts or eight pints are in one gallon. For length, they have inches» foot, yards and miles.

If we have always been used to the metric system therefore the English monetary system could be found rather difficult for us. They have a pound sterling, which is divided into twenty shillings, half-crown is cost two shillings and sixpence, shilling is worth twelve pennies and one penny could be changed by two halfpennies.
Questions:

1. What nation is considered to be the most conservative in Europe?
2. What are the best examples of their conservatism?
3. What are the most popular English traditions?
4. What is the original name of Halloween?
5. What is a popular Scottish event?
6. What is the Eisteddfod?
7. What peculiarities of the English monetary system do you know?

Vocabulary:

to be considered — считаться, рассматриваться как
customs — традиции
to attach — уделять
proud — гордый
to keep (past kept, p.p. kept) up — поддерживать, хранить
to crown — короновать
folk — народный (относящийся к обычаям, традициям простого народа)
to wear (past wore, p.p. worn) — одевать, носить
ribbon — лента, ленточка; тесьма
handkerchief — носовой платок
Boat Race — лодочные гонки
Easter Sunday — Пасхальное Воскресенье
exciting — возбуждающий, волнующий
amateur — любитель; поклонник; любительский
rider — всадник, наездник; жокей
event — событие
countryside — сельская местность
Celtic — кельтский
origin — происхождение; начало
All Halloween's Eve — Канун всех святых (сокр. Хэлло-уин)
Bonfire Night — Ночь костров
to blow up — взорвать, подорвать
to catch (caught) — схватить, арестовать
to hang (past hung, p.p. hung) — повесить
straw — солома
bonfire — костер
firework — обыкн. мн. фейерверк
truly — действительно, по-настоящему
Eisteddfod — ежегодный фестиваль бардов (в Уэльсе)
competition — соревнование
to convince - убеждать, уверять
essential — важнейший; необходимый; основной
ounce — унция (- 28, 3 г)
pound — фунт (современная мера веса, используемая в англоговорящих странах; = 453, 6 г)
stone — мн. обыкн. неизм. стоун (мера веса, равен 14 фунтам, или 6, 34 кг)
pint — пинта (мера емкости; в Англии = 0, 57 л; в США = = 0, 47 л для жидкостей)
quart — кварта (единица измерения объема жидкости; равняется а/4 галлона — 2 пинтам)
gallon — галлон (мера жидких и сыпучих тел = 4, 54 л)
inch — дюйм (= 2, 5 см)
foot — мн. ч. неизм. фут (мера длины, равная 30, 48 см)
yard — ярд (мера длины, равная 3 футам или 914, 4 мм)
mile—английская миля (= 1609 м)
metric system — метрическая система
pound sterling — фунт стерлингов (денежная единица Великобритании, равнялась 20 шиллингам, или 240 пенсам; с 1971 г. = 100 пенсам)
shilling — шиллинг (англ. серебряная монета = 1/20 фунта стерлингов — 12 пенсам)
penny — мн. репсе, pennies (об отдельных монетах) пенни, пенс
half-crown — полкроны (монета в 2 шиллинга 6 пенсов)
halfpenny — полпенни

Grammar:
Exercise 1. Read the situations and write sentences from the words in brackets.

1. You went to Sue's house, but she wasn't there.

(she/go/out) ………. She had gone out................

2. You went back to your home town after many years. It wasn't the same as before. (it / change / a lot)

.................................................................................

3. I invited Rachel to the party, but she couldn't come. (she / arrange / to do something else)

.................................................................................

4. You went to the cinema last night. You got to the cinema late. (the film / already / begin)

...................................................................................

5 It was nice to see Dan again after such a long time. (I / not / see / him for five years)

....................................................................................

6 I offered Sue something to eat, but she wasn't hungry. (she / just / have / breakfast)

.....................................................................................

Exercise 2. For each situation, write a sentence ending with never... before. Use the verb in brackets.

1. The man sitting next to you on the plane was very nervous. It was his first flight.

(fly) ……….. He’d never flown before......................................................................................

2. A woman walked into the room. She was a complete stranger to me.

(see) I............................................................................. before.

3. Sam played tennis yesterday. He wasn't very good at it because it was his first game.

(play) He.........................................................................

4. Last year we went to Denmark. It was our first time there.

(be there) We....................................................................

Exercise 3. Use the sentences on the left to complete the paragraphs on the right. These sentences are in the order in which they happened - so (1) happened before (2), (2) before (3) etc. But your paragraph begins with the underlined sentence, so sometimes you need the past perfect.

1. (l) Somebody broke into the office during We arrived at work in the morning

the night. and found that somebody.. had broken..

(2) We arrived at work in the morning. into the office during the night. So

(3) We called the police. we …………………….....

2 (l) Laura went out this morning. I tried to phone Laura this morning, but.

(2) I tried to phone her.................................. no answer.

(3) There was no answer. She.............................. out.

3 (l) Jim came back from holiday a few I met Jim a few days..........

days ago. just........................ holiday.

(2) I met him the same day...........................very well.

(3) He looked very well.

4 (l) Kevin sent Sally lots of emails. Yesterday Kevin......................

(2) She never replied to them. from Sally. He...very surprised.

(3) Yesterday he got a phone call from her. He..lots of emails

(4) He was very surprised. but she....................................

Exercise 4. Put the verb into the correct form, past perfect (I had done) or past simple (I did).

1.'Was Paul at the party when you arrived? ' 'No, he..... had gone..... (go) home.'

2. I felt very tired when I got home, so I... (go) straight to bed.

3. The house was very quiet when I got home. Everybody... (go) to bed.

4. Sorry I'm late. The car... (break) down on my way here.

5. We were driving along the road when we... (see) a car which... (break) down, so we... (stop) to help.

Exercise 5. Complete the sentences using the Past Perfect Tense of the verb in brackets.

When John and I got to the theatre, the play....

1. (start already) When John and I got to the theatre, the play had already started.

2. (work too hard the day before) She felt tired because she...........................

3. (pass the exams) She went for a holiday after she........................................

4. (spend all the money) I didn't know what to do when I................................

5. (go) I didn't look at the present until after he................................................

6. (die) I was very sorry to hear that he.............................................................

7. (wash his hands) He didn't start eating until...............................................

8. (marry her) When I met Helen, I understood why Bill...............................

9. (read it again) He understood the book only after he..................................

10. (not lock the door) When she went to bed, she remembered that she........

Exercise 6. Answer the questions using because and the verb suggested in the Past Perfect.

1. Why didn't you listen to that play on the radio? (hear) Because I had heard it before.

2. Why didn't Kate want to go to the cinema? (see the film)

Because ………………………………………………………………..............

3. Why didn't you tell him my new address? (forget) ………………………....

4. What did Jeff hear about Kate's examination? (pass) ……………………....

5. Why did Fred come home so soon from his holiday? (spend all the money).....

6. Why couldn't you get into your flat at once? (lose the key).............................

7. Why did he dash to the refreshment room during the first break? (have no breakfast)................................................................................................................

8. What did you learn about Bob? (marry) …………………………....................

9. What did she read in the newspaper about the expedition? (return)...................

10. What did he learn about Helen from the letter he received? (be ill for a month)

....................................................................................................................................

Exercise 7. Put the verbs in brackets in the right form. Use Past Tenses:

1. When I (arrive) the lecture already (start). 2. Peter (sit) in a dark room with a book. I told him that he (read) in very bad light. 3. Mother (make) a cake when the light (go) out. She had to finish it in the dark. 4. When I arrived Jenny (leave), so we only had time for a few words. 5. John (have) a bath when the phone rang. He (get) out of the bath and (go) to answer it. 6. When we (come) to the airport, the plane already (land). 7. He suddenly (realize) that he (travel) in the wrong direction. 8. You looked very busy when I saw you last night. What you (do)? 9. I (call) Paul at 7.00 but it wasn't necessary because he already (get) up. 10. When I (see) him he (cross) the street. 11. While he (water) the flowers it (begin) to rain. 12. Ann said that she (be) on holiday. I (say) that I (hope) that she (enjoy) herself. 13. When I (look) through your books I (notice) that you (have) a copy of Jack London. 14. She said that she (not like) her present flat and (try) to find another. 15. When Ann (finish) her homework she (turn) on TV.

Exercise 8. Define the Tense and translate into English:

1. Вчера в 9 часов вечера я смотрел телевизор. 2. Она сказала, что еще не выполнила домашнее. 3. Когда пришел мой друг, я еще не закончил завтракать. 4. Когда я встретил ее впервые, она работала в школе. 5. Все студенты выполнили упражнение правильно после того, как преподаватель рассказал им, как его делать. 6. Когда мы вышли на улицу, ярко светило солнце. 7. Мой друг сказал, что его брат уже приехал. 8. Я читал книгу, когда услышал телефонный звонок. 9. После того, как врач осмотрел больного, он поговорил с его родственниками. 10. Когда мы пришли на остановку, автобус уже ушел. 11. Он смотрел телевизор, когда пришел его друг. 12. Почтальон обычно приходит в девять часов утра. Сейчас уже половина десятого, а он все еще не пришел. 13. Каждый вечер я смотрю телевизор. 14. Служащие заканчивают работу в шесть часов вечера. 15. Разве она не знала об этом? 16. Разве вы не видели этот фильм? 17. Она еще не брала своего маленького сына в театр, но уже водила его в кино в первый раз несколько дней назад. 18. Он обычно очень внимательно слушает учителя, но сейчас он не слушает, у него болит голова. 19. Я не играл в футбол с прошлого года. 20. Маленькая девочка часто помогает своей матери. 21. Автор еще молодой человек. Он написал свою первую книгу в 1989 году. 22. Сейчас 8 часов утра и ребенок уже проснулся. Вчера утром он проснулся раньше. 23. В школе он играл в футбол.

Exercise 9. Change the sentences into questions as in the example. Answer the questions:

Example: He can play chess. — Can't he play chess? — Yes, he can. / No, he can't.

1. They left for Moscow.

2. He has finished his work.

3. She will visit us on Monday.

4. She has many relatives.

5. His father works here.

6. You know his address.

7. We shall go home together.

8. They are at home.

9. I am listening to you.

10. His friends were working in the garden.

11. You have done the task.

Exercise 10. Past Simple, or Present Perfect.

1. the day before yesterday; 2. a week ago; 3. in the past; 4. at that time; 5. lately; 6. today; 7. a minute ago; 8. just; 9. since; 10. never; 11. this year; 12. so far; 13.yesterday; 14.just now; 15.ever; 16.last Wednesday; 17.last night; 18.not yet; 19.up to now; 20.last century; 21.this century

Exercise 11. Compare Kazakh and British traditions and customs