Great Britain: a Country of Traditions

I. English Proverbs

:

With the Foxes we Must Play Fox.

When in Rome Do as the Romans Do

So Many Countries, so Many Customs.

With the Foxes we Must Play Fox.

II.

        Guy Fawkes Day Christmas St.Valentine’s Day Easter Halloween Country Defendant Day The 8 th of March Thanksgiving Day         New Year’s Day Father’s Day Victory Day Maslenitsa May Day Independence Day Pancake Day Remembrance Day

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Guy Fawkes Day Christmas St.Valentine’s Day Easter

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Halloween

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New Year’s Day

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Father’s Day

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May Day

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Pancake Day

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Remembrance Day

III.The Holidays and Their Dates

 Guy Fawkes Day   Christmas New Yer’s Day  Easter   Halloween St.David’s Day   May Day St. Valentine’s Day  1 March  1 May  14 February  April/ May  1 January  5 November  25 December  31 October

IV. What do You Know…

1. English families prefer to live… a). In flats b). In own houses 2. On Sundays theatres and shops are… a). Closed b). opened 3. British buses are… a). Single-decked b). Double-decked and yellow and red 4.The cars keep to the … a) left of road b). Right of road 5. The most popular English game is… a). Cricket b). Football 6. English people have tea … a). For breakfast b). The whole day and supper 7. The Englishmen have sentimental love for… a). New things b). Old things 8. The traditional English house has… a). Three floors b). Two floors 9. They have … in their houses.

a). A fireplace b). Central heating 10. In Great Britain the favourite topic to discuss is … .

a) hobby b). weather

V. Is It True or False:

      1.The New Year’s tree is a present from people of America to people of Great Britain.

2.The day after Christmas is New Year.

3. For Christmas Dinner the English eat hamburgers.

4.The Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place 5 or 6 nights a week in August and September.

5. The name of the British national flag is “The Stars and Stripes” 6. The Eisteddfod is a Welsh festival, devoted to music and poetry.

1.

State Opening the Parliament

• 1. Before every State Opening of Parliament, the men of the guard in their scarlet and gold uniforms, gather in the Prince’s Chamber of the house of Lords. Ignoring the a) Pancake Racing existence of electric light, they search every corner of the cellars beneath the Palace of Westminster by the light of old candle-lanterns. When they are satisfied that all is well a message is sent to the Queen and Parliament is free to assemble.

• 2. The original Easter eggs were hard-boiled eggs, often beautifully decorated. The custom of rolling Easter eggs downhill is observed every Easter Monday at Avenham park, in Lancashire, although chocolate eggs, or even oranges, can be used nowadays. • b) Clootie Wells of Olney and nearby Warmington wear aprons and headscarves for the occasion and, armed with pancakes and frying pans, gather in the village square. From here they race for some 400 metres to the church, tossing their pancakes three times on the way. The winner receives a prayerbook, after which all the frying pans are laid around the church and a service of blessing is help.

4. In Scotland, some wells are decorated by passers-by with strips of cloth, d) Searching the Houses of or on the fist Sunday in May.

Parliament • 5. The Tower of London, started in 1708 by William the Conqueror, is one of the city’s oldest buildings, guarded still be soldiers and Yeoman Warders of the Tower of “Befeaters” in bright Tutor-style costume. One of the Tower’s many traditions is the ancient Ceremony of the Keys, when each night at 9:53 p.m., the chief Warder locks the Tower Gates and carries the Keys ceremonially to the Resident Governor. • e) Ceremony of the Keys

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Intellectual Game

1. They show visitors the main places of interest in the Tower of London.

2. She ruled the country for the longest period of time in the British history.

3. The official residence of the Queen in London and in Scotland.

4. This ceremony is held in front of Buckingham Palace every day.

5.The second name of New Year Eve in Scotland.

6. How do they call the first person to enter a house on New Year’s Day.

7.This holiday is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in March. In the past the girls who worked in rich houses could go home to see their parents.

8. Little chicks, baby rabbits and spring-time flowers are the emblems of this holiday.

9.The tradition of marking the royal swans on the river Thames