Text III Wedding Superstitions in England
Ex.6. Read the text and choose the appropriate words from the list below to fill in the gaps: fruitful, outfit, wedding, omen, impede, fertility, slice, ashes, bachelor, church, confetti, bless, virginal, custom, veil, symbolizes, taboos, dowry, weddings
In England the wedding preparations, ceremony and feast have all become loaded with ritual practices to ward off evil and … the marriage with fortune and fertility.
The choice of date is important. May is traditionally unlucky for … and many modern couples marry between Easter and May. The tradition that the bride’s parents should pay for the wedding dates back from two or three centuries ago, when wealthy families would pay an eligible … to take an unmarried daughter off their hands in exchange for a large … . At most formal weddings, brides still get married in … white – many other colours are considered unlucky. A bride will also ensure that her wedding … includes “something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue”. “Old” maintains her link with the past; “new” the future; “borrowed” gives her a link with the present; and “blue” symbolizes her purity.
Even a modern bride will observe the … about wearing her dress before the ceremony. The groom mustn’t see her in it until she enters the … . The … should be put on for the first time as she leaves for the church. It’s a lucky … if the bride should see a chimney sweep on her way to church. Sometimes a sweep is paid to attend the ceremony and kiss the bride – a relic of the old idea that soot and … are symbols of fertility.
After the ceremony the couple is showered with the … - to bless the marriage with fertility.
One old … was for the bride and sometimes the groom to negotiate some obstacles as they left the church – guests would … them with ropes of flowers, for example, or with sticks that has to be jumped over.
After that the bride is faced with the feast. The most important item is the … cake, whose richness … … , just as it has done since Roman times. Today the first … is cut by the bride to ensure a … marriage.
Ex.7. Ask questions on the text. Ex.3. Retell the text.
Ex.8. Read and translate the text. Text IV What’s the best age to get married?
1) “James and I got married when I was 35,” says Paula Dawson, a yoga instructor from Bristol. “I wanted to get married when I was younger, but I didn't meet the right person when I was in my twenties. I only met James three years ago. It's a pity we didn't meet sooner, because we're perfect for each other. We have so much in common, as well as our own individual interests, which I think is important. The big problem now is; will I be able to have children? If you get married in your twenties and find out that there are problems, you have more time to sort them out. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed at the moment.”
2) “My parents are divorced, so, 1 suppose I wanted security,” says Victoria Kidman, a teacher who married her partner, Richard, when they were both 23. “Also, Richard's parents were quite old when he was born, and he wants to be a father when he's still young. I felt we'd made an important statement – that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. Since we got married, lots of our friends have had relationship ups and downs, and I'm just glad we made a commitment when we were young and didn't have those problems. Getting married after knowing each other for just two years meant we still had things to discover about each other. Getting to know each other as a married couple made it very special.”
3) “I read recently that the average first-time bride is 28, while her groom is 30. J got married when I was 28, and I'm pleased I waited until then,” says Katie Lee, a 33 year-old computer programmer from Birmingham who is married to Dan. “In your early 20s, you're not an independent person. If you stay single until your late 20s, you've developed as a full individual. If you get together in your early 20s, you don't have time to develop your own individuality. Instead, you have a joint identity with your partner. Other people see you as a couple, and outside that couple identity you have to work out who you are. In addition, if you wait until, you're older before getting married you have a better idea of the kind of person you want to marry.”
4) “Twenty-four is just too young,” says Jill Boston, 38, who married at that age but is now in the process of getting divorced from her husband. “You haven’t had enough experience of life to really appreciate the person you’re with. William felt he’d missed out at work, because he had two small children, and I felt I’d missed out on that carefree, irresponsible attitude you’re only allowed to have in your 20s. Even though getting married young was the ultimate proof of commitment, and I appreciate being a relatively young mum, your 20s are your only chance for putting yourself first.”
5) “It’s estimated that one third of couples in Britain will be unmarried by the year 2021,” says Amanda Brown. “And my partner Tom and I will be one of those couples. We are both in our mid-thirties now, and we’ve been together for more than ten years. We have three children, too. Tom and I have talked about getting married, but we don’t see why we should. We know we love each other, so what do we have to prove to the world? Plus the fact that both Tom’s brothers are divorced – that has rather put him off marriage. Also, of course, getting married takes a lot of organization – the ceremony, a party, the clothes. No, thank you. It’s not for me!”
Ex.9. Answer the questions.
1) What ages are good for marriage? Why?
2) What do flowers presented on the occasion of marriage symbolize?
Ex.10. Read and translate the text. Text V Why do People Give Gifts for Weddings?
People give gifts for weddings for different reasons. Usually, people want to help the bride and groom. Many countries have their own countries. In the United States, both families give gifts to the couple. In other places, the customs are very different.
In India, the groom’s family asks for a large payment from the bride’s family. The payment is called a dowry. Sometimes the payment is a special gift with a brand name. For example, some families ask for a Singer sewing machine or a Sony television set. Sometimes the payment is money. The money may be equal to the family’s salary for two or three years. Both families agree about the money. They agree on how much money the bride’s family can afford to pay. Some Indian families do not like to have many daughters. It’s too expensive! Today in India, a woman with a large salary is the same as a woman with a large dowry.
In the Middle East, the bride’s family asks for a large amount of money from the groom. The gift is called a mahr. The mahr is money or sometimes land or a house. In Saudi Arabia the groom gives a lot of money. He buys clothes for the bride for one year and buys furniture for their new house. Rich couples get expensive gifts from both parents. The parents often give nice furniture or a new car.
At one time in Saudi Arabia, the mahr for a bride was very high. Men could not afford to marry Saudi Arabian women. They married women from Lebanon and Egypt. This was bad for Saudi women. Soon, many Saudi women did not have husbands. The government made new rules. They made it hard to marry a foreigner. Another Middle Eastern country, Oman, had problems too. Soldiers in the army could not afford to get married. The sultan of Oman made a law against large mahr payment. This helped couples in Oman to get married.
A wedding is a very special and important time. People give gifts for different reasons, but one thing is the same. Everybody wants the bride and groom start a happy life together.
Ex.11. Write the correct words in the blanks: bride, groom, foreigner, to agree, to afford, couple, expensive, reasons, salary
1) A man and a woman who are getting married are the … .
2) The woman who is getting married is the … .
3) The man who is getting married is the … .
4) Some families give all the money they get from their jobs to the groom’s family. They give their … .
5) The man did not marry a woman from his country. He married a … .
6) Why did the sultan make a new law? What were the … why he made the law?
7) The wedding gift was … . It cost a lot of money.
8) The two families have the same ideas about the wedding gift. They … about the wedding gift.
9) The family had enough money to buy the gift. They could … the gift.
Ex.12. Words that go together. Write the correct words in the blanks.
Brand name, the same as, asks for
1) The groom’s family wants special things. The family … the things they want. 2) A large salary for a woman is … a large dowry. They … are like each other in many ways. 3) People give gifts from famous companies. The gifts have a … .
Ex.13. Work with a partner to answer the questions. Use complete sentences.
What is a brand name of clothes you like?
What color dress does a bride wear in your country?
What does a groom wear in your country?
What does the couple do after the wedding ceremony?
When can you afford to go on a trip?
What are some reasons to get married?
What problems does a foreigner have in a new country?
Ex.14. Understanding the reading. Choose the correct answer.
1) Wedding gift customs are (the same all over the world, the same in India and the Middle East, different in most countries.
2) In India, the groom’s family (gives payment, asks for payment, asks for furniture). 3) In Saudi Arabia, the groom (gives payment, wants a foreign bride, asks for payment).
Ex.15. Remembering details. Agree or disagree with the following statements.
1) In the United States, the parents of the bride and groom give gifts.
2) Indian families like to have many daughters.
3) In the Middle East, the gift for a bride is a mahr.
4) At one time, many Saudi women did not have husbands.
5) The men from Saudi Arabia married women from Oman.
6) In Oman, the sultan could not afford to get married.
Ex.16. Sentence completion. Match the words in Column A and Column В to make sentences.
A |
B |
1) Many countries have |
a) sometimes gives gifts with brand names. |
2) Gifts help |
b) the couple start a happy life. |
3) In the Middle East, the groom |
c) their own customs. |
4) The mahr was |
d) very high at one time. |
5) In India, the bride’s family |
e) the same as a woman with a large salary. |
6) A large dowry is |
f) Gives money and land or a house. |
Ex.17. Dictation. Work with a partner. Read three sentences from the exercise above. Your partner listens and writes the sentences. Then your partner reads three sentences and you write them.
Ex.18. Discussion. Discuss the answers to these questions with your group-mates.
1) Who pays for weddings in your country?
2) Do you think the custom of giving wedding gifts in your country is good? Why or why not?
3) Some countries have arranged marriages. Do you think this is a good idea?
Ex.19. Writing. Complete the sentences about wedding gifts.
Example: Each country has its own customs.
1) In the United States, … . 2) In India, … . 3) In Saudi Arabia, … . 4) In Oman, … . 5) People give gifts … .
Ex.20. Spelling and punctuation. Capital letters: Brand names.
We use a capital letter for the brand name of a product.
They like Singer sewing machines.
We do not use a capital letter for a product with no special name.
They use sewing machines to make clothes.
A. Choose the correctly spelled words for each sentence.
The girls parents are going to buy her a (Dior suit/dior suit).
The bride will have a special (wedding dress /Wedding dress).
Most people cannot afford to buy a (cartier/Cartier) watch.
In most Indian villages, there is a (television/Television) set.
The parents gave the couple a (Sony/sony) television.
An American (refrigerator/Refrigerator) costs a lot of money in India.
The (Electrolux/electrolux) refrigerator is very popular.
Some women like to use expensive (handbags/Handbags).
Some women like (chanel/Chanel) handbags.
The couple wants to get a new (Washing machine/washing machine).
B. Answer the questions. Use correct capital letters.
What is your telephone’s brand name?
What is your favorite brand name for clothes?
What is your favorite brand name for drinks?