-- They're very quiet. They face the sea.

-- Good. Are all the rooms with the house phones?

-- Certainly, sir. And you can have our central papers free every morning. Fill in the arrival card and take all the keys. When you go out, please, leave your keys at the reception desk.

-- Sure.

-- If you want a maid, sir, or to order anything, you may use the house phone. All the numbers you may need are on the list beside the phone.

-- Thank you. Show us the rooms, please.

-- This way, please.

2.

-- Do you have a single room for a week?

-- Yes, but only on the top floor.

-- What price is it?

-- 250 euro with service and TV.

-- Fair enough. Can you show me the room, please?

-- Of course. Would you like to follow me?

3.

-- Can I have a double room from now until Monday?

-- You can have Room 5, overlooking the sea.

-- What does it cost?

-- 45 euro a day, not counting the service.

-- Can I have a look at this room, please?

-- Yes, of course. Come this way.

-- Can you show me something a little cheaper, but also with a view of the sea?

-- Yes, of course. I won't keep you a moment.

4.

-- Will you register, please? Here is an arrival card. Thank you. May I have your passport, please? Thank you.

-- May I have a look at my room now?

-- Yes, of course. I'11 show you up to your room now.

5.

-- Are you signing out today, sir?

-- Yes. Make the bill ready, please. In five minutes I'll come down to pay it.

-- Thank you. Shall I send a porter to help you with your luggage, sir?

-- Yes, please. And let him call the taxi for 9 o'clock.

-- In a minute, sir.

b) Make up your own dialogues using these phrases.

Asking the Way

IX. a) Read and translate the following dialogues. Choose one dialogue for acting out.

1.

-- Excuse me, can you tell me where Prater Street is, please?

-- Take the second on the left and then ask again.

-- Is it far?

-- No, it's only about five minutes' walk.

-- Thank you.

-- That's OK.

2.

-- Excuse me but I'm trying to find Heldenplatz.

-- Take the third turning on the right and go straight on.

-- Should I take a bus?

-- No, you can walk it in under five minutes.

-- Thank you very much indeed.

-- That's quite all right.

3.

-- Excuse me, sir.

-- Yes, what is it?

-- Which is the quickest way to the sea?

-- Go straight on, take the street on your right and go as far as the sea.

-- Thank you ever so much.

-- It's all right, sir.

4.

-- Excuse me... I want to get to Kunsthistorisches Museum. At what stop do I get off?

-- Kunsthistorisches Museum? Just a minute. Go farther. Four stops more. Or... wait a moment. You may get off at the next stop and take another route bus. It'll be probably quicker.

-- Oh, thank you. I'll go by this bus, just not to change.

-- Yes, it surely is more convenient.

5.

-- Does this bus go to the market?

-- No, you'll have to get off at the bank and take a 12.

-- Can you tell me where to get off?

-- It's the next stop but one.

6.

-- Do we go to the seafront?

-- No, you're going the wrong way. You want a 16 from the bridge.

-- Have we got much further to go?

-- It's the next stop.

7.

-- Is this the right bus for Donaupark?

-- No, you should have caught a 9. Jump out at the Church and get one there.

-- Could you tell me when we get there?

-- It's two stops after this one.

8.

-- Excuse me. Would you tell me where I can buy postcards with a view of this town?

-- First right, second left. You can't miss a small book-shop with a stand of postcards in front of it.

-- Is it too far to walk?

-- No, it's only half a kilometer.

-- Thank you very much.

-- It's a pleasure.

b) Say it in English:

Не подскажите, как добраться до …; далеко ли до; это в 15 минутах ходьбы; поверните налево (направо); нужно ли садиться на автобус?; на какой остановке сходить?; сойдите на …; нужно ли делать пересадку?; идет ли этот автобус до …?; вы не сможете пропустить (не заметить); далеко ли пешком до …?

с) Use these phrases in the dialogues of your own.

Meals

X. Read and translate the following dialogues. Use the phrases of your own instead of the underlined ones.

-- Here is one of those take-away places. Let's go in.

-- It's worth trying, I think. I am tired.

--What about grilled chicken? It's very popular here, they say.

-- I'd like to taste it. Oh, it looks so attractive.

-- Yes, but the chicken is pretty hot, you know.

-- O.K. I'll try that.

-- What would you like to take, sir?

-- Grilled chicken one.

-- Anything else, sir?

--Two slices of bread, French salad one and coke one.

-- And for me Hot dog with ketchup two, a glass of orange juice and a portion of ice-cream with lemon.

-- Here you are.

-- Many thanks.

Feeling Unwell

XI. Read and translate the following dialogues. Make up a list of useful phrases concerning the matter.

1.

-- Doctor, I feel shivery and I've got a pain in my stomach.

-- Where does it pain you?

-- Here, doctor.

-- How long have you had it?

-- It came on yesterday.

-- What have you been eating of late?

-- Well, I think, doctor, I've overeaten fruits and vegetables these days.

-- Have you had diarrheas?

-- Yes, doctor.

-- I see. I'll give you a prescription and you'll buy these capsules at a chemist's shop.

-- What's the medicine?

-- French Intetrix. You should take the medicine every four hours and in a day or two you'll feel better.

2.

-- Good morning, doctor.

-- Good morning, sir. What is wrong with you?

-- I am running a temperature, and I feel sick. I have a sore throat. I am sneezing. I am afraid, doctor, I have flu.

-- Since when have you been feeling like this?

-- It all started yesterday.

-- Let me examine your throat.

-- A...

-- Strip to the waist, please. Let me feel your pulse. Then I must sound your heart and test your blood pressure (BP).

-- Doctor, what is it?

-- Don't worry. You simply have a slight ailment. Take this prescription to the chemist's and buy these tablets. You need wash them down three times a day. Keep to bed for some three days, try to eat fresh fruits and have a rest.

-- Thank you, doctor.

3.

At a Chemist's Shop

-- Good morning, sir.

-- Good morning. The doctor has given me this prescription. Have you got this medicine?

-- Yes, we have. Here is your medicine. It's written here how to take it, sir (madam).

-- Thank you. And can you give me something for a headache?

-- Certainly, sir. This medicine is good for a headache.

Buying a Souvenir

a) Read the dialogue.

At a Department Store

Betty: Let's do all our shopping here at the Kaufman department store. Then we can have lunch and go to the movies in the afternoon.

Mrs Black: That's a good idea. I want to buy some gloves and a purse at this counter. There's the clerk. Are you busy? Can you help us?

Shop Assistant: Certainly. What can I show you?

Mrs Black: I want a pair of brown gloves, size 6. What's the price of this pair?

Shop Assistant: They are 3.50. They wear very well.

Mrs Black: I'll take one pair. Can you show me a brown purse to match the gloves?

Shop Assistant: Here's a nice one. It's the latest style.

Mrs. Black: How much does it cost?

Shop Assistant: It's ten dollars.

Betty: Do you want a larger purse? I like that one, mother. Why don't you buy it?

Mrs Black: All right, Betty. Please, wrap the purse and gloves together.

Shop Assistant: I'll write a check for them.

Betty: Let's take this elevator to the fourth floor. I want to look at a suit.

Shop Assistant: Good morning. May I help you?

Betty: Yes, I'm looking for a grey suit, size 12.

Shop Assistant: We have several your size. Do you want to try on one of these? The quality is excellent.

Betty: Yes. Oh, I like this one. How much is it?

Shop Assistant: It's 75 dollars.

Betty: That's too expensive. Do you have a cheaper

suit?

Shop Assistant: Yes, this grey flannel is cheaper than that cotton one. It's on sale today for 45 dollars. Do you want to try it on?

Betty: It fits perfectly. I'll take it.

b) Answer these questions:

1. What does Mrs Black want to buy at the Department Store? 2. Is the shop assistant very helpful? 3. What is Betty looking for?4. Do they have a good choice of suits at the department store? 5. What size does Betty wear? 6. How much did the suit Betty bought cost?

c) Find the appropriate English phrases for the following:

Хорошая идея. Вам помочь? Я ищу серый костюм, размер 12. Они хорошо носятся. Вы не можете показать мне коричневый костюм, который бы подходил по цвету к перчаткам? Это последняя мода. Вы можете нас обслужить? Сколько стоит эта пара перчаток? Ты не хочешь кошелек побольше? Почему бы тебе не купить его? Вы не хотите примерить один из этих костюмов? Качество отличное. У вас есть костюм подешевле? Костюм сегодня в продаже за 47 долларов. Костюм сидит на мне хорошо.

d) You want to buy a souvenir for your friend. Make up a dialogue of your own.

NATIONAL TRADITIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IN BELARUS

Great Britain

I. Read and learn the following words.

bang	[bж?]	взрыв
«Cinderella»	[ёsэnd?ґrel?]	«Золушка»
Commonwealth	[ґkom?nwelи]	Содружество (государственное объединение Великобритании и большинства ее бывших доминионов и колоний)
eve	[э:v]	канун
holly	[ґhPlэ]	остролист
ivy	[ґaэvэ]	плющ
«Puss in Boots»		«Кот в сапогах»
robin		малиновка
stocking	[ґstPkэ?]	чулок
Yuletide	[ґju:ltaэd]	Рождество, святки

II. Match the words with their definitions:

1. to celebrate	1) a national holiday in England and Wales, on the first day after Christmas Day
2. festival	2) to show that an event or occasion is important by doing something special or enjoyable
3. to connect	3) something you give someone on a special occasion or to thank them for something
4. present	4) a decorated paper tube that makes a small exploding sound when you pull it apart.
5. to decorate	5) to realize or show that a fact, event, or person is related to something
6. reindeer	6) a drink made from fruit juice, sugar, water, and usually some alcohol
7. piece	7) a special occasion when people celebrate something
8. candle	8) a special place in the wall of a room, where you can make a fire
9. fireplace	9) a vertical pipe that allows smoke from a fire to pass out of a building up into the air, or the part of this pipe that is above the roof
10. cracker	10) a stick of wax with a string through the middle, which you burn to give light
11. performance	11) a large deer with long wide antlers (horns) , that lives in cold northern areas
12. fairy	12) a small ugly creature in children's stories that likes to trick people
13. chimney	13) something that is done by people in a particular society because it is traditional
14. custom	14) a small imaginary creature with magic powers, which looks like a very small person
15. Eve	15) the main ceremony in some Christian churches
16. goblin	16) a coin of a particular value
17. mass	17) a strong alcoholic drink
18. Boxing Day	18) the night or day before an important day
19. punch	19) when someone performs a play or a piece of music
20. spirit	20) to make something look more attractive by putting something pretty on it

II. Read and translate the text.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR IN GREAT BRITAIN

The most popular holiday in Great Britain is Christmas. They celebrate Christmas on the 25^th of December. People in Britain see Christmas as the major festival of the year - an occasion for parties, giving and receiving gifts, eating and drinking, and generally having fun.

There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas.

In the afternoon the British people can watch the Queen on television as she delivers her traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Every year the people of Norway give the city of London a present. It's the biggest Christmas tree in Great Britain and it stands in Trafalgar Square. Most families decorate their houses with a Christmas tree, buy the gifts for the family and friends, and write Christmas cards. Every English family sends and receives many Christmas cards. Traditionally there is a robin on almost every card (it is a Christmas bird). Sometimes there is a bunch of holly on the Christmas card. You can read on the card: “Merry Christmas!”

On Christmas Eve children hang stockings at the end of their beds or over the fireplace. They are told that Father Christmas or Santa Clause arrives at night from the North Pole on his flying sleigh pulled by flying reindeer, climbs down the chimney and fills each stocking with presents. The children open their presents - put there secretly by their parents - on Christmas morning.

On Christmas Eve people like to light candles. If there are children in the family, they often have Christmas crackers. When you pull a cracker it makes a bang and inside there is usually a Christmas hat, a small toy and a piece of paper with a joke on it.

Lunch is the most important point of Christmas Day. The traditional lunch consists of roast turkey with vegetables, followed by Christmas pudding. All the family stir the pudding and make a wish. When the pudding is hot, they put 5-penny piece in it and sometimes little silver charms - a horseshoe, a button or a ring. A 5-penny piece means you are going to have money the next year, the horseshoe brings good luck; the ring means a wedding. The button means you aren't going to get married.

A pantomime is a traditional performance for children at Christmas. All the children have much fun when they watch fairy tales with princes, beautiful princesses and fairies ("Cinderella", "Puss in Boots").

Centuries ago, it was the custom to put an ivy leaf in water on New Year's Eve and leave it there until Twelfth Night (the 6^th of January). If the leaf remained fresh and green, it foretold a good healthy year; if black spots appeared on it, this meant illness and death in the family. All holly and ivy was taken down on Twelfth Night, as it was feared that it would attract goblins. It is still considered unlucky in Britain to leave Christmas decorations up after Twelfth Night.

The Twelfth night is on the eve of the 6^th of January. This is the twelfth day after Christmas Day. It is the last day of Yuletide. People eat the Twelfth cake on the Twelfth night. This is a big cake with a coin baked inside. The person who finds the coin in his piece of cake becomes the king of the Twelfth night.

Many people go to church at Christmas to a midnight mass on Christmas Eve or to the morning service on Christmas Day.

The day after Christmas Day is called Boxing Day and this is a public holiday. Traditionally people put their Christmas presents into boxes. A Christmas box is wrapped in bright coloured paper with ribbons.

New Year in England is not so widely observed as Christmas. Some people ignore it completely.

The most common type of celebration is a New Year party, either a family party or one arranged by a group of young people. This usually begins at about eight o'clock and goes on until the early hours of the morning. Sometimes the host makes a big bowl of punch which consists of wine, spirits, fruit juice and water in varying proportions...

There is usually a supper of cold meat, pies, sandwiches, cakes and biscuits.

At midnight the radio is turned on, so that everyone can hear the chimes of Big Ben, and on the hour a toast is drunk to the New Year. Then the party goes on.

Another popular way of celebrating the New Year is to go to a New Year's dance. Most hotels and dance halls hold a special dance on New Year's Eve. The hall is decorated, there are several different bands and the atmosphere is very festive.

The most famous celebration is in London round the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus where crowds gather and sing to welcome the New Year. In Trafalgar Square there is also a big crowd and someone usually falls into the fountain. Those who have no desire or no opportunity to celebrate the New Year themselves can sit and watch other people celebrating on television.

The 1^st of January, New Year's Day, is a public holiday. Some people send New Year cards and give presents, but it is not a widespread custom. This the traditional time for making New Year resolutions, but they are more talked about than put in practice.

IV. Give the English equivalents for these Russian words and word combinations:

праздник; подарок; повод; украшать; рождественская елка; открытка; камин; сани; малиновка; остролист; северный олень; дымоход; хлопушка; «пятипенсовик» (монета в 5 пенсов); серебряные амулеты; подкова; фея; обычай; плющ; рождественские украшения; святки; месса; утренняя служба; пунш; приветствовать; падать в фонтан.

V. Insert the words in the gaps:

1. … is one of the main festivals in the Christian Calendar.

2. I was searching for a … for Mark's birthday.

3. Children's pictures … the walls of the classroom.

4. … contain a small …, a paper hat, and a joke, and are used at Christmas in Britain.

5. It is believed that some plants can attract ….

6. Some people ignore … completely.

Decorate, present, gift, goblins, Christmas, New Year, crackers.

VI. Put in the right prepositions:

1. They celebrate Christmas … the 25^th of December.

2. There are a lot of traditions connected … Christmas.

3. The biggest Christmas tree … Great Britain stands … Trafalgar Square.

4. People decorate their houses … a Christmas tree

5. Children hang stockings … the end … their beds or … the fireplace.

6. Santa Clause arrives … his flying sleigh pulled … flying reindeer, climbs … the chimney and fills each stocking … presents.

7. The traditional lunch consists … roast turkey … vegetables, followed … Christmas pudding.

8. There was a custom to put an ivy leaf … water … New Year's Eve and leave it there … Twelfth Night

9. The Twelfth night is … the eve … the 6^th of January.

10. Many people go … church … Christmas … a midnight mass … Christmas Eve or … the morning service … Christmas Day.

11. A Christmas box is wrapped … bright coloured paper … ribbons.

12. This the traditional time … making New Year resolutions, but they are more talked … than put … practice.

VII. Answer the questions:

1. What is Christmas? When do people celebrate it?

2. Who is Father Christmas? What other names of Santa Clause do you know?

3. What folklore characters are connected with Christmas? In what ways?

4. What traditions are connected with Christmas pudding?

5. What is Boxing Day?

6. How does New Year differ from Christmas? How is it celebrated?

7. Where can you celebrate New Year? What are the most popular places?

VIII. Translate into English.

1. С празднованием Рождества связано много языческих и христианских традиций.

2. Одним из символов Рождества является малиновка, которую часто изображают на открытках.

3. Рождественский пудинг - традиционное блюдо, в приготовлении которого участвует вся семья.

4. Хлопушки - любимая детская забава.

5. Считается, что Санта Клаус живет на Северном полюсе вместе со своей женой. На Рождество он развозит подарки, попадая в дом через дымоход. В благодарность дети оставляют для него молоко и печенье.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. The first Christmas card, as the term is now understood, is believed to have been designed in England in 1843 by John Callcott Horsley. An edition of 1,000 hand-coloured copies was placed on sale in London. A triptych, the card depicted a family party in the centre, beneath which were the words “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” In the United States the owner of a variety store in Albany, New York, in the mid 19th century produced a card carrying Christmas greetings from “Pease's Great Variety Store in the Temple of Fancy.” Boston lithographer Louis Prang is credited with producing the first commercial Christmas cards in the United States; by the 1880s he was producing more than five million a year, using the chromolithography process, which allows subtle and realistic coloration and detail.

2. In most European countries gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve, December 24, in keeping with the notion that the baby Jesus was born on the night of the 24th. The morning of December 25, however, has become the time for the exchange of gifts in North America. In 17th- and 18th-century Europe the modest exchange of gifts took place in the early hours of the 25th when the family returned home from the Christmas mass. When the evening of the 24th became the time for the exchange of gifts, the Christmas mass was set into the late afternoon of that day. In North America, the centrality of the morning of the 25th of December as the time for the family to open presents has led, with the exception of Catholic and some Lutheran and Episcopal churches, to the virtual end of holding church services on that day, a striking illustration of the way societal customs influence liturgical practices.

3. The Russian Orthodox church and the Ethiopian Orthodox church also recognize January, 7 as Christmas day, and the Armenian church honours January, 6.

4. Christmas tree is an evergreen tree, often a pine, balsam, or fir, decorated with lights and ornaments as a part of Christmas festivities. The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands to symbolize eternal life was a custom of the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity in the Scandinavian customs of decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the devil and of setting up a tree for the birds during Christmastime; it survived further in the custom, also observed in Germany, of placing a Yule tree at an entrance or inside the house during the midwinter holidays. The modern Christmas tree, though, originated in western Germany. The main prop of a popular medieval play about Adam and Eve was a “paradise tree,” a fir tree hung with apples, that represented the Garden of Eden. The Germans set up a paradise tree in their homes on December 24, the religious feast day of Adam and Eve. They hung wafers on it (symbolizing the host, the Christian sign of redemption); in a later tradition the wafers were replaced by cookies of various shapes. Candles, symbolic of Christ, were often added. In the same room was the “Christmas pyramid,” a triangular construction of wood that had shelves to hold Christmas figurines and was decorated with evergreens, candles, and a star. By the 16th century the Christmas pyramid and the paradise tree had merged. Introduced into England in the early 19th century, the Christmas tree was popularized in the mid 19th century by the German Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. The Victorian tree was decorated with toys and small gifts, candles, candies, and fancy cakes hung from the branches by ribbon and by paper chains.

5. Blown-glass ornaments were offered for sale in Britain and the United States as early as the 1870s, many produced in small workshops in Germany and Bohemia, which also created decorations made from tinsel, cast lead, beads, pressed paper, and cotton batting. In the United States, F.W. Woolworth was selling $25 million in ornaments annually by 1890, by which time strings of electric tree lights were also available.

6. In South and Central America, unique religious and secular traditions mark the Christmas celebration. In Mexico, on days leading up to Christmas, the search of Mary and Joseph for a place to stay is reenacted and children try to break a piсata filled with toys and candy. Christmas is a great summer festival in Brazil, including picnics, fireworks, and other festivities as well as a solemn procession of priests to the church to celebrate midnight mass. In India, the fir as Christmas tree is replaced by the mango tree or the bamboo tree, and houses are decorated with mango leaves. Japan serves as illustration of a different sort. There, in a predominantly Shintф country, the secular aspects of the holiday - Christmas trees and decorations, even the singing of Christmas songs such as "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" or "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" - instead of the religious aspects are widely observed.

Halloween

I. Read and learn the following words.

bonfire	[ґbonёfaэ?]	костер
hilltop		вершина холма
witch	[wэt ]	ведьма
wicked	[wikid]	злой, безнравственный
creature	[ґkrэt ?]	существо
saint	[seэnt]	плющ
pagan	[ґpeэg?n]	языческий
to supplant	[s?ґpla:nt]	вытеснять

II. Match the words with their definitions:

1. to honour	1) a person that the Christian Church recognizes as being very holy, because of the way they have lived or died
2. saint	2) to show that an event or occasion is important by doing something special or enjoyable
3. goblin	3) the spirit of a dead person that a living person believes they can see or hear
4. to celebrate	4) to show respect
5. ghost	5) a woman who is believed to have magic powers, especially to do evil things
6. secular	6) a small ugly creature in children's stories that likes to trick people
7. to supplant	7) not connected with spiritual or religious matters
8. witch	8) replace

III. Complete the table:

noun	verb	adjective
	shorten
thought
		powerful
greenery
	celebrate
		dark

IV. Read and translate the text.

Halloween (October, 31)

Since most holidays honour famous people or celebrate important events, what started this rather strange holiday that seems to "honour" witches and ghosts?

Halloween wasn't always a children's "fun" holiday. At one time, it was a very serious and rather frightening event.

Thousands of years ago, in England, Scotland, Ireland, and some other places, the day that is now November 1 was the beginning of the new year. People also thought of this day as the start of winter. They called it "Summer's End."

People believed there was a sort of war between winter, with its cold and darkness, and summer, with its bright, long days and pleasant greenery. They felt that at Summer's End, the "army" of winter - ghosts, goblins, witches, and other evil creatures - grew very strong.

The night before Summer's End, October, 31 became a frightening time. People were sure that all the wicked creatures would be out celebrating - and might attack them.

To protect themselves, people held special ceremonies. They built big bonfires on hilltops to light up the night. They put on masks and animal skins. They hoped that their strange "costumes" would keep the evil creatures from knowing who they were.

Hundreds of years later, the Christian religion came tо these countries. In the 7th century AD, Pope Boniface IV established All Saints' Day, originally on May 13, and in the following century, perhaps in an effort to supplant the pagan holiday with a Christian observance, it was moved to November 1. The evening before All Saints' Day became a holy, or hallowed, eve known as All Hallows' E'en (e'en is an old way of saying "evening"). After a time, it was shortened to Halloween.

Many people, especially in England, kept up some of the old Summer's End customs. Even after thousands of years had passed, people remembered that ghosts, goblins, and witches were supposed to be most powerful on Halloween. They also remembered that it was a night on which people had once put on special costumes.

As a secular holiday, Halloween has come to be associated with a number of activities. One is the practice of pulling usually harmless pranks. Celebrants wear masks and costumes for parties and for trick-or-treating, thought to have derived from the British practice of allowing the poor to beg for food, called “soul cakes.” Trick-or-treaters go from house to house with the threat that they will pull a trick if they do not receive a treat, usually candy. Halloween parties often include games such as bobbing for apples, perhaps derived from the Roman celebration of Pomona. Along with skeletons and black cats, the holiday has incorporated scary beings such as ghosts, witches, and vampires into the celebration. Another symbol is the jack-o'-lantern, a hollowed-out pumpkin, originally a turnip, carved into a demonic face and lit with a candle inside. Since the mid 20th century, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has attempted to make the collection of money for its programs a part of Halloween.

V. Write down all the irregular verbs used in the text. Give all their forms.

VI. Find synonyms and antonyms to these words.

Strange, threat, following, to supplant, to remember, to derive, cold.

VII. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1. Originally Halloween is a children's "fun" holiday.

2. The day that is now November 1 was the beginning of the new year.

3. To attract strange creatures, people built big bonfires on hilltops.

4. Now Halloween is a religious holiday.

5. Halloween parties often include games, perhaps derived from the Roman celebration of Pomona.

6. Originally the main symbol, the jack-o'-lantern, was a hollowed-out turnip.

VIII. Answer the questions:

1. What's the origin of Halloween? Where can we find its roots?

2. When was All Saints' Day moved to November 1? Why?

3. Who are trick-or-treaters? Give the example of our analogous custom.

4. What original British scary beings do you know? How do they correlate with our mythological creatures?

5. What traditional games, connected with Halloween, can you name? Do they resemble our games?

IX. Work in groups. Using the words below, make up a horror story.

Night, bagpipe, threat, chirr, dark, screw out, cold, ravine, nose, lurking-place, dark-lantern, jump out.

X. Translate the text into Russian.

Хэллоуин тесно связан с праздником Cамхейн (Samhain), который широко отмечали кельты. 1-е ноября считалось концом летнего периода, когда стада возвращались с пастбищ. Считалось, что в это время души умерших навещают своих родных. Чтобы отпугнуть злых духов, люди жгли костры на возвышенностях. В этот день гадали по поводу брака, здоровья и богатства. Когда в I веке н.э. римляне завоевали кельтов, они принесли свой праздник Фералия (Feralia), который был связан с почитанием памяти умерших и с богиней урожая.

XI. Choose one of the topics and prepare short reports.

1. Halloween as a unique British tradition.

2. The origin of Halloween.

3. Our customs resembling Halloween.

Guy Fawkes Day

I. Read and learn the following words.

fuse	[fju:z]	запал, фитиль
straw		солома, соломенный
dummy	[ґdmэ]	чучело
to blow up		взрывать
treat	[trэ:t]	обращаться
cellar	[ґsel?]	подвал, погреб
plot	[ґpeэg?n]	заговор
martyr	[ґma:t?]	мученик
effigy		объемное изображение

II. Match the words with their definitions:

1. fuse	1) stems of wheat or other grain plants that have been cut and dried
2. cellar	2) to explode
3. straw	3) a person who suffers very much or is killed because of their religious or political belief
4. to treat	4) a secret plan made by a group of people to do smth wrong or illegal
5. plot	5) a long piece of string or paper which is lit to make a bomb explode
6. martyr	6) a statue/a model of a person
7. to blow up	7) to behave in a particular way towards smb/smth
8. effigy	8) an underground room often used for storing things

III. Complete the table:

noun	verb	adjective
	build
		colourful
leader
		governable
	treat
centre
		impressive
	live
attraction

IV. Read and translate the text.

Guy Fawkes Day (November, 5)

"A penny for the Guy! A penny for the Guy!"

The merry shouts of children asking for money echo up and down the streets. And with them they have "the Guy," a straw dummy dressed in old clothes. Many of the children are wearing costumes and masks.

It is November, 5 and people in England are celebrating a holiday called Guy Fawkes Day.

Nearly four hundred years ago, in 1605, a man named Guy Fawkes tried to blow up a government building. He wanted to kill King James I and the king's leaders. Fawkes was one of a group of men who felt that the government was treating Roman Catholics unfairly.

The king and his leaders were to meet on November, 5. So, the group placed barrels of gunpowder in a cellar beneath the building where the king and others were to meet. Guy Fawkes was to light the fuse that would set off the explosion. But the plot was discovered before he had a chance to do this. The king was saved, and Guy Fawkes was hanged.

Ever since, Guy Fawkes Day has been a time for merrymaking. It is a holiday that both children and grown-ups enjoy. The best part comes as darkness falls. Then, straw dummies of Guy Fawkes are tossed onto huge bonfires. Amid cries of glee, firecrackers pop and "the Guy" goes up in a blaze of fire.

***

Bonfire Night is the most important event in Lewes. But it isn't just about the Gunpowder Plot. It also remembers the Martyrs, seventeen Protestants who were burned in Lewes in the middle of the 16th century, during the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary. So as you might imagine the people of Lewes take their fifth-of-November celebrations rather more seriously than most other people.

In other British towns and cities the effigies of the Catholic Guy Fawkes are burned at Bonfire Night celebrations. But here in Lewes Guy Fawkes is only one of several victims! Pope Paul V, who became head of the Roman Catholic Church in 1605, is a regular victim too. In addition, the seven bonfire societies in Lewes prepare new effigies of 'Enemies of Bonfire'. Over the years, these have included Tony Blair, George W. Bush, Osama bin Laden.

The main event usually starts at about 5.30 pm. The bonfire societies parade through the town dressed in colourful costumes, ranging from Tudor and Victorian dress to Native Americans and Vikings. They drag their effigies which they will later burn on one of five bonfires. Many people carry fire-lit torches. They march to the beat of drums and brass bands. Fireworks explode as they go, filling the air with pink smoke.

To mark the burning of the Martyrs, seventeen burning crosses are carried through the town and a wreath is laid on the War Memorial in the centre of the town.

The event is loud, colourful and impressive. It attracts thousands of people from all over the country... And then it's November, 6 and everyone goes back to their quiet daily lives.

V. Give the English equivalents for these Russian words and word combinations:

несправедливо, раскрывать заговор, бросать, шествовать по городу, жертва, кроме того, одежда эпохи королевы Виктории, коренные американцы, тащить, маршировать.

VI. Find synonyms to these words.

To explode, cheerful, an adult, a fire, to throw, happiness, to take with you.

VII. Answer the questions:

1. Who was Guy Fawkes?

2. Why did he want to kill James I?

3. What people do with straw dummies of Guy Fawkes?

4. Why is Bonfire Night the most important event in Lewes?

5. Who are 'Enemies of Bonfire'?

VIII. Prepare short reports.

1. Why there were problems with Protestants in the middle of the 16th century, during the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary?

2. What was the reign of King James I?

Additional reading

Here are some more British traditions. Read and translate them. Try to classify them into 1) unique customs, distinctive for Britain; 2) traditions, analogous to those of our country. Substantiate your choice. What is precisely in common? What are the differences?

POET OF SCOTLAND (JANUARY, 25)

How would you like to eat a pudding that has been cooked in a sheep's stomach? You'll certainly have a chance if you ever go to a party to celebrate the birthday of Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland.

Every January 25, many people in Scotland and elsewhere celebrate this event in a very fitting way. Among Burns's poems is one called "To a Haggis," in which he describes this dish as that "Great chieftain o' the puddin'-race!" So, of course, haggis must be served at the party.

Haggis tastes somewhat like hash. It is made from the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep. These are chopped up and mixed with oatmeal, onions, and seasonings. Then everything is boiled in a bag made from the stomach of a sheep.

When the haggis is served, a man marches into the dining room playing a bagpipe. Behind him comes another man, proudly carrying the haggis on a tray. The arrival of the famous pudding is greeted with a cheer.

CANDLES AND WEATHER (FEBRUARY, 2)

Сandlemas Day is a special day when church candles are blessed. At one time, the people then carried lighted candles around the church. This custom goes back to the Romans, when people paraded with lighted candles at this me of year.

The Roman custom comes from a story in both Greek and Roman mythology. In the story told by the Greeks, Demeter, the goddess of farming, had a beautiful daughter named Persephone. Hades, god of the underworld, fell in love with Persephone and carried her off. With lighted candle, Demeter roamed the world in search of her daughter.

Whilе Persephone was with Hades, all the world turned cold and barren. Nothing would grow. Finally, Zeus, the king of the gods, arranged for Persephone to return to her mother for part of the year. Persephone's return was a sign of spring. The Greeks and Romans used this myth to explain the seasons.

People in many countries have long thought of Candlemas Day in terms of the coming of spring. An old British rhyme tells of this hope for a change in the weather:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,

Winter will have another flight;

But if it is dark with clouds and rain,

Winter is gone and will not come again.

PANCAKE DAY

Many people in the United Kingdom eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins. The custom began long ago, when people could not eat butter and eggs during Lent. So, to use up their butter and eggs before Ash Wednesday, they made pancakes.

On Pancake Day, as it is called, the women of Olney, England, have a pancake race. On this day, the women line up in the market square. Each carries a pancake in a frying pan. The women must flip their pancakes three times as they race for the church door at the other end of the square.

A bell clangs. They're off! Pancakes are flipping and feet are flying. The race lasts about a minute. The winner gets a kiss from the bell ringer of the village.

On the same day, there is also a pancake race in Liberal, Kansas. The people of Olney and the people of Liberal compare winning times by telephone to see which town has won the pancake race.

THE BEGINNING OF LENT

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It can be as early as February 4 or as late as March 10. The exact date depends on the date set for Easter Sunday.

Ash Wednesday is observed in Roman Catholic churches and in some Protestant churches. In Roman Catholic churches, ashes from burned palm leaves are blessed. A priest then uses these ashes to mark a cross on each person's forehead. The ashes are to remind people that they came from dust and will one day return to dust.

Lent is a religious season that is a time of fasting (not eating as much food as usual) and of prayer. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, forty days before Easter (not counting Sundays) and ends on Easter Sunday. The forty days of Lent are to remind people of the forty days Jesus fasted in the wilderness. The word Lent comes from the Old English word lencten, which means "spring."

In many countries, special foods are eaten during Lent. These foods are usually a substitute for meat. In Ireland, people have a dish called champ. It is made up of scallious, a kind of onion, whipped in with hot mashed potatoes and served with a lump of butter in the middle.

The English also make special foods for Lent. One is a pudding of flour and milk, flavored with fruit syrups. Because it can be made quickly, it is known as hasty pudding.

In most places, fish is a standard food throughout Lent. So are eggs. But there was time when people were forbidden to eat eggs and butter, as well as meat. During the forty weekdays of Lent they could have only bread and water.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY (MARCH 17)

On St. Patrick's Day, you may hear such Irish songs as "The Wearing of the Green." And on this day, many people - even some who are not Irish - do wear something green. The bit of green is a reminder of the beautiful green countryside of Ireland. This island nation is so green that it is often called the Emerald Isle. (An emerald is a lovely green jewel.) Green is also the color of the shamrock, a small cloverlike plant with three leaves on each stem. It is the national symbol of Ireland.

In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is both a holy day and holiday. Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, brought Christianity to Ireland. According to legend, he used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain the idea of the Trinity - that in the one God there are three divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Another legend says that Saint Patrick rid Ireland of snakes by charming them into the sea.

St. Patrick's Day is usually celebrated with a parade. The one in Dublin, Ireland, has some to be known as the Irish Mardi Gras. The St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City is perhaps the biggest.

Two big Irish wolfhounds always lead the marchers in the gala New York City parade. These huge dogs are the mascots of the Fighting 69th, an infantry regiment that is part of the New York National Guard. At one time, this regiment was made up entirely of Irishmen. More than a hundred bands and a hundred thousand marchers follow the dogs up Fifth Avenue. The parade lasts for hours.

You don't have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Next March 17, put on a shamrock or a bit of green and have fun.

APRIL FOOL! (APRIL, 1)

There's a spot on your nose! Did you look to see? If you did, April fool! The joke is on you.

If you have a trick played on you in the United States, you are an "April fool." In England, you might be called a "noddy," which means a "fool" or "simpleton." But if you live in England, don't try to play any tricks in the afternoon of All Fools' Day. In England, tricks are played only till noon. If you do try to play a trick in the afternoon, you will probably hear this shout:

"Up the ladder and down the wall,

You're the greatest fool of all!"

In Scotland, a person who is fooled by being sent on some foolish errand - such as finding a left-handed monkey wrench - is said to be "hunting the gowk." Gowk means "cuckoo" or "simpleton."

The custom of playing harmless tricks on April 1 is said to have begun in France more than four hundred years ago. At that time, *Jew Year's Day was March, 25. Celebrations went on through April, 1, at which time people exchanged New Year's gifts.

Then, the French adopted a new calendar. New Year's Day was switched from March, 25 to January, 1. This confused many people for a long time. On April, 1 those who remembered the switch began to play tricks on those who forgot.

And in France, a person who is fooled is called a poisson d'Avril, which means "April fish." Why a "fish"? No one is quite sure. Perhaps it is because in April fish are young and easily caught. In France, as a special treat, you can buy chocolate fish on April Fools' Day.

MAYPOLES AND PARADES (MAY, 1)

In many countries, the first of May is May Day - a day to welcome spring. People gather flowers and dance, often around a Maypole.

May Day came to the United States from England - but it was brought to England by the ancient Romans. In Rome, there was a day in spring when the young men paraded through the city, carrying a pine tree. There was also a festival to honor Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers. When the Romans conquered England, the pine tree became a Maypole.

On May Day in England, the pole was set up on the village green and decorated with flowers and ribbons. A May Queen was picked and crowned with flowers. Villagers danced around the Maypole, holding the ends of ribbons that hung from the pole. As they danced, they wove the ribbons in and out.

In time, some people thought the merrymakers worshiped the Maypole. For a while, the Maypole was forbidden by law. Bui it reappeared later. To this day, children in parts of England and elsewhere still sing and dance around the Maypole on May Day.

CHEESE ROLLING

Of all Britain's famous customs and traditions, cheese rolling is probably the strangest - and certainly the most spectacular.

Every year, large crowds of people gather at Cooper's Hill in Gloucestershire to watch the Cheese Rolling Championship.

A group of brave (and crazy) people roll a large cheese down the hill, and then run down after it. In theory, competitors must catch the cheese, but as it can reach speeds up to 70 miles an hour, this rarely happens.

Cheese Rolling is one of the old-est customs in Great Britain. It's been going on for hundreds of years and nobody knows for sure when it first started.

The master of the ceremonies must wear a white coat, ribbons and a top hat. He starts the event with the traditional signal: 'One to be ready, two to be steady, three to prepare - and FOUR to be off.'

In the past the cheese-rolling day also included a fair that took place at the top of the hill.

Four races are held on the day: three for men and one for women. There are also uphill races for children.

Cheese Rolling is a dangerous sport. There is usually an ambu-lance at the event - to treat people with sprained ankles, black eyes and sometimes more serious injuries.

Oh, and what's the prize for win-ning in this 'extreme' sport? You get to keep the cheese!

Belarus

"KALYADY" HAS COME

I. Pay attention to these words. Pick out sentences with these words from the text and read them out:

Kalyady - Каляды;

Christmas - Рождество;

Epiphany [i'pifsni] - Крещение;

Svyatki - Святки;

Kalyadnaya Kuttzya - Калядная кутья;

Bethlehem - г. Вифлеем (библ.);

Christ [kraist] - Христос

II. Read out these phrasal verbs and expressions several times till you remember them:

to get rid of - избавляться от чего-л.;

to see the New Year in - встречать Новый год;

treat to - угощать чём-л.;

they say - говорят;

to play the accordion - играть на аккордеоне;

to act out - представлять, разыгрывать.

III. Match the English words and their Russian equivalents:

eternity ярмарка

fair бессмертие

mysterious вечность

vagrant избавляться от

smart предки

to get rid of бродячий

forefathers веселый

merry таинственный

immortality переодеваться

to disguise нарядный

IV. Combine the words with the help of the preposition of:

groups a. everything bad

many countries b. Christ's birth place

the masks c. elite

a sort d. ''Kalyady"

a symbol e. Goats and Bears

eternity f. immortality

the name g. the world

holiday h. porridge

to get rid i. merry young boys and girls

V. Give the comparative and superlative of the following adjectives:

Long, old, late, young, ancient, delicious, bad.

VI. Give the three forms of the following verbs:

to come, to spoil, to begin, to call, to hold, can, to treat, to bear, to disguise.

VII. Give the plural of:

Calendar, amateur, carol, fair, story, masquerade, holiday.

VIII. Write the derivatives of the following words:

To fall, a mystery, to celebrate, a host, to congratulate, music, to perform, an origin.

IX. These words can be used both as verbs and nouns. Make up your own sentences to show the difference in their usage:

Work, visit, purpose, feature, treat.

X. Read these expressions and find their English equivalents in the text:

Таинственное время года; древние языческие традиции; актеры-любители; угощать восхитительными вещами; быть священной едой; символ бессмертия; давать представления: играть на аккордеоне; происходить от.

XI. Read the text and get ready to speak about “Kalyady”

«KALYADY» HAS COME

If you want to experience real joy - the joy that isn't even spoiled by fall-ing snow or severe frost - you should come to Belarus when "Kalyady" is being celebrated. Catholics celebrate it from December, 25 to January, 6 when the sun turns its gaze towards spring and the days begin to become longer. As for Ortho-dox Christians and the old calendar, the mysterious time of the year comes a bit later - it continues from January, 7 to January, 19. People say that "Kalyady" is a God's holiday. In Russia, all these days and nights from Christmas till Epiphany are called "Svyatki" (Sacred Evenings) and in Belarus - "Kalyady." It is a jolly time when people are enjoying themselves.

During "Kalyady" groups of merry young boys and girls in smart clothes go from house to house in Belarusian villages and towns. "Kalyady" celebrations have ancient, pagan traditions. In many countries of the world, people have carnivals and masquerades to see the New Year in. Such festivals are also held in Belarus.

Each person in the processions of "Kalyadovschchyki"(carol-singers) has a role according to his character and ...