Holidays in Great Britain

Task 1. Find the Russian equivalents for the names of British holidays.

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), Mothering Sunday, St. Valentine`s Day, April Fool`s Day, May Day, Easter Monday, Good Friday, Boxing Day, Christmas, Easter, Guy Fawkes` Night, Hallowe`en.

Канун дня всех святых, Пасха, День подарков, Ночь Гая Фокса, Страстной вторник, День Святого Валентина, День смеха, 1 мая, Пасхальный понедельник, Страстная пятница, День матери, Рождество

Task 2. Guess the meaning of the words.

A festival (a holiday), witches and ghosts, a candle, trick or treat, a dummy, straw, a bonfire, fireworks, Easter bunny, a carol service, holly, Christmas tree, a sock, a stocking, Christmas Eve, Father Christmas, chimney, presents (gifts), turkey, Christmas pudding, cracker, Christmas message, Christmas cake, mince pie, servants, Christ, hot-cross buns, a celebration, jokes, a pancake race, valentine cards

Task 3. Guess the names of the holidays which are described and fill in the gaps.

Use the words from Task 2. One word is repeated twice.

1. A day of small family reunions. On this day absent sons and daughters return to their homes and gifts are made to mothers by their children of all ages.

2. People eat pancakes on this day. One of the main events on this day is the ………...

3. It is the holiday when the church marks the day of ….....death. On this day people eat …….. (buns marked on top with a cross)

4. On this day, people send ……… and presents to their husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends. You can also send a card to a person you don’t know. But traditionally you must never write your name on it. Some British newspapers have a page for Valentine`s Day messages on February 14^th.

5. It is a day for tricks and………

6. It is ………..of the coming of spring. On this day different outdoor events are held. Usually May queen, the most beautiful girl of the celebration, is selected.

7. It is a traditional day for the start of the summer tourist season.

8. This is the time to visit friends and relatives or watch football. People usually give presents to……..on this day.

9. This festival is connected with witches and ghosts. At parties people dress up in strange costumes and pretend they are……….They cut horrible faces in potatoes and other vegetables and put……..inside, which shines through the eyes. People may play difficult games such as trying to eat an apple from a bucket of water, without using their hands. Children dressed in white sheets knock on doors and ask if you would like a………..If you give them something nice, a "treat", they go away. However, if you don`t they play a "trick" on you, such as making a lot of noise or spilling flour on your front doorstep!

10. People burn…….., made of …….. and old clothes, on ……… and let off………

11. People dye eggs. Children eat candy bunnies and listen to stories about the…………, who supposedly brings Easter eggs in a fancy basket.

12. This is………., when many people go home to be with their families. For most British families, this is the most important festival of the year. On the Sunday before this holiday, many churches hold……….where special hymns are sung. Sometimes carol singers can be heard on the streets as they

collect money for charity. Most families decorate their houses with brightly coloured paper or………., and they usually have a………..in the front room, glittering with coloured lights and decorations. There are a lot of traditions connected with this holiday. But perhaps the most important one is the giving of presents. Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them under the……….to be found on……….morning. Children leave a long……. or a………at the end of their beds on………., 24^th December, hoping that………will come down the……….during the night and bring them small…….., fruit and nuts. On this day the family sit down to a big………dinner followed by……………People pull………,which makes a loud crack and a coloured hat, a small toy and a joke fall out. Later in the afternoon they may watch the Queen on television as she delivers her traditional………..to the United Kingdom. If they have room for even more food, they may enjoy a piece of a………..or eat a hot………..