Transcript Bizarre Annual Еvents in the UK

Alexey Belukhin
Form 6A
Lyceum №3
Teacher: Tatiana Vasilievna Maslova
The Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling Races
In England, many towns have traditional competitions. In them,
competitors usually try to win a game or contest. However, the annual
cheese-rolling race in Brockworth is a little unusual. First, the
competitors stand at the top of a very steep hill named “Cooper’s Hill”.
They wait for someone to push a very large wheel of cheese down the
hill. Then, the competitors run very quickly after it. Nobody ever
manages to catch the cheese, but the first person to reach the bottom
of the hill is the winner, and keeps the cheese as a prize!
Many people enjoy the cheese-rolling races of
Brockworth. However, the race can be
dangerous. The slope of the hill is very steep –
almost 45 degrees! The cheese may reach up to
40 miles per hour. The competitors go quite
fast too. They can get injured. This is especially
true when the weather is very cold. There are
also more injuries when there hasn’t been
much rain before the race. But the hard ground
doesn’t stop the competitors.
The crowds keep on cheering, and the cheese racers keep on running –
year after year. It seems that a lot of people are very happy to try this
dangerous run.
The Bognor Birdman Competition takes place in Bognor Regis in
May. Competitors build strange homemade flying machines or wear
unusual costumes and try to “fly” off the pier. The person who flies the
furthest wins a large cash prize. Many of the fliers take part to raise
money for charity. As many as 40,000 spectators watch this
competition every year.
Up-Helly-Aa is held every year on the last Tuesday of January in the
Shetland Isles. Up to 1000 people dressed as Vikings and holding
flaming torches pull a Viking galley through the streets. When they
reach a certain place, they throw their torches into the galley and burn
it. Then, they put on short funny plays in local halls. The festival is very
popular with locals and tourists alike.
The Peel Dip takes place every New Year’s Day on the Isle of Man.
About 200 people jump into the freezing waters of the Irish Sea to raise
money for charity. The dip attracts people of all ages. All the swimmers
get a medal and a certificate.
THE END