Transcript Document

FEBRUARY
2012
1. Land of traditions
2. Unusual customs
calendar anniversaries
3. Interesting to know
4. Famous people
5. From our school life
Queen since 6 February 1952
HM Queen's Diamond Jubilee 2012
Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 upon the death of
her father, King George VI. Her Coronation, at Westminster Abbey, followed on
June 2, 1953. (A new king or Queen begins to rule as soon as their succession to the throne has
been announced. But the coronation - when the crown is placed on the monarch's head - may
not happen until months later.)
The queen celebrated her Golden jubilee (50 years since her accession) in 2002.
Interesting Facts about the Queen
The Queen is the fifth longest serving British monarch. Only four other kings
and queens in British history have reigned for 54 years or more. These are:
Queen Victoria 1837-1901 (63 years)
King George III 1760-1820 (59 years)
James VI of Scotland, 1567-1625,
James I of England 1603- 25 (58 years)
King Henry III 1216-1272 (56 years)
Head of State
Queen Elizabeth II is the United Kingdom's Head of State. She is queen of 16 former British
colonies, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand; and head of the Commonwealth, a
multinational body created after the dissolution of the British empire.
Unusual customs calendar
anniversaries in February
2nd - February is Candlemas Day.
5th - Birth date of Robert Peel in 1788. Formed first police force in London, hence nickname
'Bobbies'.
6th - Queen Elizabeth ll came to the throne on this day in 1952.
7th - Charles Dickens was born in 1812
8th - A minor earthquake shook Britain in 1750.
8th - A strange thing occurred in Devon.
11th - Sir Francis Drake became the first known Englishman to sail the pacific in 1578
11th - Thomas Edison born in 1847. The phonograph and the motion-picture projector were
only a few of Thomas Edison's more than 1,000 inventions.
12th - Birth of Charles Darwin in 1809
14th – St. Valentine’s Day
15th- In 1971 Britain went decimal. All the banks were shut on the 11th and 12th to prepare for
the change over. Three million ponds was spent converting the country’s phone boxes to take
the new two pence pieces. Every cash register in the country had to be changed.
20th - On this day in 1896 the cinema came to Britain when a programme of films was shown for
the first time to a paying audience.
21st -Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day)
22nd - Ash Wednesday.
23rd - Birth of George Frederick Handel in 1685
23rd - Birth of Samuel Pepys in 1632
24th - Kissing Friday (the Friday after Ash Wednesday)
29th - Leap Year Day
Facts about February
Gemstone: Amethyst
Flower: Primrose
The Romans and the Celts regarded February as the start of spring.
When did February first appear on a calendar?
February, along with January, was introduced onto the Roman calendar by Numa
Pompilous when the calendar was extended from ten to twelve. The word February comes
from the word 'februa' - which means cleansing or purification, and reflects the rituals
undertaken before Spring.
Other names for February:
The Anglo Saxons called February 'Sol-monath' (cake-month), because cakes were offered
to the gods during that month. February was also known to the Saxons a'sprout-kale' from the
sprouting of cabbage or kale.
Having only 28 days in non-leap years, February was known in Welsh as 'y mis bach' - the
little month.
In Shakespeare's time about 400 years ago, the second month of the year was called
'Feverell'. In Isaac Newton's time one hundred years later it had become 'Februeer'. The
modern name, February, is only about a hundred years old.
14 St Valentines Day
Valentine's Day (Saint Valentine's Day) is an occasion celebrated on February 14. It is the
traditional day on which people express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards,
presenting flowers, or offering confectionery.
There were any Christians names Valentine. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, at least
three Saint Valentines are mentioned who are associated with 14 February. One is described as a
priest at Rome, another as a Bishop of Interamna (now Terni in Italy) and the other lived and died in
Africa.
The Valentine that most experts believe is the actual one remembered on St. Valentine's Day
was a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity.
Each year in Britain, it is spent around £503m on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts for
Valentine's Day. Traditionally these were sent anonymously, but nowadays we often make it clear
who is sending each 'Valentine'.
Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day)
21 February 2012
In the UK, Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day (or Pancake Tuesday to some people)
because it is the one day of the year when almost everyone eats a pancake.
Pancake Day ( also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the last day before the period which Christians
call Lent. It is traditional on this day to eat pancakes.
Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up. So Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge
yourself, and to use up the foods that aren't allowed in Lent. Pancakes are eaten on this day because
they contain fat, butter and eggs which were forbidden during Lent.
Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year
and falls between 3 February and 9 March. In 2012 Pancake Day will be on 21 February.
The name Shrove comes from the old word "shrive" which means to confess. On Shrove
Tuesday, in the Middle Ages, people used to confess their sins so that they were forgiven before the
season of Lent began.
Charles John Huffam
Dickens
(7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, generally
considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider
popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and
he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English
literature's most iconic novels and characters.
Many of his writings were originally published serially, in
monthly installments, a format of publication which Dickens himself
helped popularize. Unlike other authors who completed novels before
serialization, Dickens often created the episodes as they were being
serialized. The practice lent his stories a particular rhythm, punctuated by
cliffhangers to keep the public looking forward to the next installment.
The continuing popularity of his novels and short stories is such that they
have never gone out of print.
Dickens's work has been highly praised for its realism, comedy,
mastery of prose, unique personalities and concern for social reform, by
writers such as Leo Tolstoy, George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton; though
others, such as Henry James and Virginia Woolf, have criticized it for
melodrama , sentimentality and implausibility.
We had a
party which
was held in
English.
St. Valentine’s Day greetings
funny contests