Exercise 4.

Why do the British Like Drinking Tea?

Everything in Britain, says a popular song, stops for tea. It’s true that tea is the most popular drink in Britain - far more popular than coffee. The Dutch brought the first tea to Europe in about 1610. By 1750 tea had become the principal drink of all the people in Britain. Tea was kept in special containers called tea-caddies, often with a lock. Nowadays, tea-drinking became a fashionable social ritual. That’s why there are a lot of tea gardens in London, where people could walk in the afternoon and enjoy a cup of tea with bread and butter and cakes. Many years ago tea parties were also popular at home, and soon the " afternoon tea” a real tradition. Today the custom of tea-time continues. Most people in Britain prefer strong cup of tea with milk.

True or false:

1. Coffee in Britain as popular as tea.

2. By1750 tea had become the principal drink of rich people in Britain.

3. Most people in Britain prefer to drink tea with milk.

4. English people prefer not very strong tea.

5. Tea was kept in opened boxes in the kitchen.

6. Tea became so popular that tea gardens appeared in London.

Exercise 5. Find names of the holidays.

1. People called this holiday after the man who discovered America. His name was Christopher. What is this holiday?

2. It is the most important holiday in our country. It is in spring. People have street parades in the day time and set off fireworks when it is dark.

3. It’s a big festival in the USA and Canada to celebrate the harvest. The special foods on the table are a turkey, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.

4. People decorate the houses with bright lights and ornaments. They exchange postcards and gifts. Children like this holiday very much, because they always find presents early in the morning.

5. This festival lasts for three days. People treat their guests with sweet rice cakes and fresh fruit.

6. The traditional colours of this holiday are orange, black and yellow. Children dress up in costumes of skeletons, goblins, black cats and spiders. There are many jack-o-lanterns in the streets when it is dark.

Exercise 6. Choose and describe one holiday according these questions:

1. In what country was this holiday born?

2. When do people celebrate it?

3. Do people go to school or work on this holiday?

4. What costumes do people put on?

5. Why do children like this holiday? How do they celebrate this holiday? What do they do?

6. What are the special foods on the table?

7. What are the traditional colours of this holiday?

Exercise 7. Read and retell the text.