Customs, traditions and holidays

Ex. 1 Answer the questions:

1. What holidays of Ukrainian people can you name?

2. What’s your favorite holiday?

3. How do you celebrate it?

4. How do you congratulate your relatives and friends on holidays?

TEXT A

State holidays of ukrainian people.

Many historical events are of great importance for all countries throughout the world and almost every country has holidays honouring important events in its history. Each country has its own customs, traditions and holidays. The word “holidays” comes from the word "holy day". Holidays were the first religious festivals.

As we live in Ukraine, we have our own customs, traditions, holidays and festivals. Talking about state holidays in Ukraine, we can't but mention Independence Day, which is marked on the 24^th of August. On that day in 1991 Ukraine was proclaimed a sovereign state and since then this date has been widely celebrated as a national holiday. This holiday commemorates the freedom of Ukrainian people. The official meetings are held in the Verkhovna Rada, the Palace of Culture and official institutions to mark this event. Military parade takes place along the main street of the capital of Ukraine Kyiv to demonstrate the possibility to protect the independence of the state.

The 9^th of May is Victory Day, the holiday celebrates the victory over the fascist invaders. People lay flowers at the war memorials commemorating the people who died in the war. There are commemorative meetings all over the country. War veterans are greeted and there is a firework display in the evening.

On the 8^th of March we celebrate Women's Day. Nowadays this date has lost its political meaning and become just the day when we congratulate and thank our women for everything they do for us at home and at work. It is a nice spring holiday when men give presents and flowers to their wives, sweethearts, girl-friends, sisters and daughters. Children congratulate their mothers on this holiday, or send them holiday cards with best wishes. On this day men and boys do all the work about the house to show their love to their women.

June 28^th, the day when the Constitution was put into effect, is now considered the Day of the Constitution of Ukraine. Since the French Revolution almost all countries (the UK is one exception) have adopted written constitutions. The new Constitution determined the fundamental laws of the Ukrainian state and laid down the system of government. It defines the relationships of the legislative, executive and judicial bodies to each other and to the citizens.

New Year is the most favorite holiday with most families. People usually get together, have a big dinner with a wide selection of tasty food and drinks. The children decorate the New Year tree with shining toys and colored lights. When the clock strikes twelve, everybody drinks champagne and says "Happy New Year!" to each other. This holiday wakes very special feelings of family and traditions.

In Ukraine holidays are days on which people enjoy relaxing, eating, drinking and making merry. It is a tradition to organize evening parties to celebrate holidays. We invite our relatives and close friends to the parties and everybody prepares seriously for them. Women cook their traditional dishes, men go shopping. The meal takes more than four hours and we spend a lot of time chatting about politics, jobs, family affairs, and gossiping. Some people enjoy dancing and singing. The parties are never boring and we recollect them long after.

NOTES:

can’t but mention	не можна не згадати.
chat	дружня розмова
to chat	poзмовляти
fascist invaders	фашистські загарбники .
gossips	плітки
to gossip	пліткувати.
throughout the world	по всьому світу
commemorative meeting	урочиста, пам’ятна зустріч
it is customary	зазвичай

Ex.2. Match the equivalents between the English and Ukrainian words and expressions.

1)firework display, 2) the possibility to protect, 3) throughout the year, 4) fascist invaders, 5) religious festivals, 6) to be of great importance,

7) to commemorate, 8) can’t but mention, 9) to be put into effect,

10) tasty food ,11) commemorative meetings, 12) best wishes,13) to lay down the system of government, 14) to define, 15) to congratulate on.

1. урочиста зустріч, 2) поздоровляти з, 3) мати велику важливість,

4) цілий рік, 5) вступати до сили, 6) встановлювати систему правління, 7) відмічати, 8) смачна їжа, 9) давати визначення,

10) можливість захищати, 11) релігійні свята, 12) фашистські загарбники, 13) найкращі побажання, 14) не можна не згадати,

15) феєрверк.

Ex.3. Read the following sentences and decide if they are true or false.

1. Every holiday is connected with religion nowadays.

2. Independence Day is widely observed as a national holiday in Ukraine.

3. We celebrate Independence Day of Ukraine on the same date as American people do.

4. People commemorate the 9^th of May greeting war veterans and remembering people who died in the war.

5. Nowadays Women’s Day has a political meaning .

6. Constitution is a document which defines the relationships of the legislative, executive and judicial bodies of power.

7. On every holiday the Ukrainians enjoy wandering along the streets, chatting and singing.

Ex.4. Fill in the blanks with the word or word combinations from the text:

1. Almost all countries have adopted a written _____.

2. June the 28^th , is the day when the Constitution was __ _ __.

3. Ukraine like other independent countries has a festival commemorating its _____.

4. Speaking about state holidays we__ __ ___ Constitution Day.

5. We _____ our mothers, wives, daughters __ the 8^th of March.

6. We send ___ ___ to our ____on the 8^th of March.

7. This holiday ____ the freedom of Ukrainian people.

8. On the 9^th of May there are ____ meetings all over the country.

9. The new Constitution _____ the fundamental laws of the Ukrainian state.

10. When the clock _____, everybody drinks champagne and says to each other "Happy New Year!"

Ex.5. Answer the questions:

1. What does the word holiday come from?

2. What state holidays do we celebrate in Ukraine?

3. When is the holiday of Ukrainian Independence celebrated?

4. In what way do the Ukrainians honour the memory of people who died during the war?

5. Do you enjoy going out to see the firework display?

6. How is Women’s day celebrated in Ukraine?

7. What does the new Constitution of Ukraine determine?

8. What country has no constitution?

9. How is New Year celebrated?

10. What do we decorate our houses with and why?

11. How do the Ukrainians celebrate holidays at homes?

Ex.6. Say what you have learned about:

1. The Independence Day.

2. The way of celebrating the 9^th of May.

3. The celebrating Women’s Day.

4. The Day of Constitution.

5. New Year holiday.

TEXT B