N. Kryazheva - The United States and the United Kingdom. Past and Present (pdf), страница 11

TheChristmas story comes from the Bible.To people all over the world Christmas is a season of giving and receiving presents. In Scandinavianand other European countries, Father Christmas, or Saint Nicholas, comes into houses in the night andleaves gifts for the children.

Saint Nicholas is represented as a kind man with a red cloak and long whitebeard. He visites houses and left gifts, bringing people happiness in the coldest months ofthe year. Another character, the Norse God Odin, rode on a magical flying horse across the sky in thewinter to reward people with gifts. These different legends nassed across the ages to make the presentday Santa Claus.Immigrant settlers brought Father Christmas to the United States. Father Christmas's name wasgradually changed to Santa Claus.In the USA the spirit of Christmas arrives about a month before the holiday itself.

Late in November,street lights and store windows are decorated with the traditional Christmas colors of red and green.Families decorate their homes inside and out, with colored lights and evergreen (especially greenwreaths). Christmas tree is part and parcel of the holiday.

It is believed that it brings good luck.American children believe that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole with his wife. All year he lists thenames of children, both those who have been good and those who have been bad. He decides whatpresents to give to the good children.One of the important customs of Christmas is to send and receive Christmas cards, which helpsto express the sentiment of the season. Some are religious in nature; others are more secular.

Americansbegin sending Christmas cards early in December to friends, acquaintances, and co-workers. The postoffice advises customers to mail early in the season and avoid the Christmas rush.Going home for Christmas is a most cherished tradition of the holiday season. No matter where youmay be the rest of the year, being at "home" with your family and friends for Christmas is "a must". TheThanksgiving and Christmas holidays are the busiest times of the year at airports, train stations, and busdepots. It seems that all America is on the move and Americans are on their way to spend the holidayswith their loved ones.The Christmas table looks much like a Thanksgiving feast of turkey or ham, potatoes and pie.

NoChristmas is complete without lots of desserts, and nothing symbolizes Christmas more than bakedbreads and cookies hot from the oven. Many American traditional desserts, like other Christmas customswere started •°ng ago in other parts of the world.People go from house to house to sing Christmas carols to their neighbours.

Long ago, each childhung a stocking, or a sock, over the fireplace. Santa C|aus entered down the chimney and left candy andpresents inside the socks f°r the children. Today the tradition is carried on, but the socks are now largered sock-shaped fabric bags still called stockings. Each child can't wait to open his or her eyes to seewhat Santa Claus has left in the stocking.Giving gifts is a Christmas tradition.Christmas is too "commercialized," especially in large cities. Store owners be-9'n advertising anddecorating very early in hopes of selling more goods.

To get extra money, many students get part-timejobs during December, delivering mail 0r selling gifts, trees or greetings. Commemorating the birth ofJesus Christ is the Vei7 reason for Christmas and should be central to the celebration. Thus, Amendsinstall Christmas trees at Rockefeller Center in New York and Washington,c- in front of the White House.Americans RestThe rapid spread of videotaped movies watched nightly by millions of Amerj, cans in their homes hasmade movies even more popular and influential form 0f entertainment in recent years.But performances in theaters, and exhibitions and museums are usually very well attended.

It is difficultto get tickets despite their high prices.But the most popular sources of entertainments are television, movies, radio and recorded music. MostAmericans enjoy sport - both playing sports them! selves and watching their favorite sports and teams.Americans like to travel. Car travel is the most common leisure activity during holiday time. Manypeople fly to other cities and countries to visit their friends and relatives.Words and Phrases:the rest - остальная часть"a must" - необходимость, потребностьsecular - светскийchimney - труба, дымоходto attend - посещатьgift - подарокfire-place - каминto advertize - рекламироватьinfluential - влиятельныйadvertisement (ad) - рекламаcarol-воспеваниеno matter -неважноretailer- торговецevergreen - вечнозеленыйcherished traditions - взлелеянные традицииTasks:1.

Divide the group into 4 or 5 parts. Discuss American holidays and compare them with Russian ones.2. Speak about prejudices (предрассудках) when celebrating holidays.3. Speak about superstitions (приметах) when celebrating holidays.4. Discuss with your group-mates:a. What holidays do you consider to be the most dear to the American people in this country?b. What do the people of the US and Russia have in common while celebrating the New Year's Day ?IN THE ENDThe general picture given above is, of course, a generalization.

A home owner in Arizona might nothave any grass, but rather a gravel "lawn" and a rock garden. Other people don't have to change theirterm windows, because their climate is mild, or because the entire house is air-conditioned. When it getsto be 90 degrees (Fahrenheit) and 90 per cent humidity week after week, you wouldn't want to live therewithout it.

Some children come to cosy homes or apartments. Others learntheir lessons at high cost in the streets. The pleasures and worries of a construc-ton worker in BatonRouge, Louisiana, or a wheat farmer in Kansas are often different from those of a lawyer in Connecticut,a divorced mother of three in Chicago, or a medical doctor in Southern California.Some Americans detest all clubs and organized activities. Some take care about their neighbors or theneighborhood.

Some Americans go in for kidding and subtle humor. Some haven't been to a church sincethey were married, and won't again until they die. Some wouldn't marry, as this can lead to children.Some teen-agers can't find any jobs, part-time or full-time, and some children from wealthier familieswouldn't try. Some Americans seem content to spend their days at everyday jobs and their week-endsfishing. Others feel trapped and bitter, because the chance they needed never came. Most Americanslook forward to the Christmas season, or getting together with the family at Thanksgiving, or evenremember Halloween as children and the excitement of "trick or treating." Others are afraid of holidays asthe loneliest times of the year.

And many Americans do not care much for public displays of patriotism:flag-waving and parades leave them cold.The generalization refers to the variety of America and Americans. It's more or less middle-class life, inAmerican terms, with everyday concerns.The extremes frequently seen in films and on television have little in common with the lives of the vastmajority of people, or what average Americans dream about. They look forward to the summer vacation,but in the meantime, the dog is sick and the furnace needs to be fixed.Words and Phrases:gravel - гравийsubtle humor - тонкий юморlawn - газонthe loneliest times - одиночествоterm window - сезонная рамаto detest - ненавидетьto seem content - казаться довольнымto refer to - относитьсяto feel trapped - чувствовать себя в ловушкеvariety - разнообразиеto go in for kidding - заниматься подшучиваниемto feel bitter - чувствовать себя разочарованнымTasks:1.

Study the text.2. Agree or disagree with the following statements.a. Many men, many minds;b. Rome was not built in a day;с Experience is the mother of wisdom; d. You never know what you can till you try; e- Practice is the bestmaster.3. Try to recollect all you know about the USA.4- Discuss the problems of life in the United States of America.5. Express your likes and dislikes as to the customs and traditions in the US.PART IIGREAT BRITAINIT IS INTERESTING TO KNOW ABOUT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGEENGLISH is losing its political and cultural associations and becoming the prop, erty of all cultures.Over 70 countries in the world use English as the official or semi-official language and in 20 more Englishoccupies an important position.

It j$ the main foreign language taught within most school systems.Worldwide, many newspapers are published in English and it is the language of much radio and television broadcasting. English is the language of international businness, the main language of airports, airtraffic control and international shipping. It is the language of science, technology and medicine, and it isestimated that two-thirds of all scientific papers are first published in English. It is the language ofdiplomacy and sport; it is one of the working language of the United Nations and the language used bythe International Olympic Committee. International pop culture and advertizing are also dominated byEnglish.