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  • 3) Find the following information:

a) where the time of origin of the legends about St. Valentine is mentioned,

b) how the tradition of exchanging cards, notes and flowers appeared,

c) who receives the greatest number of cards,

d) the kind of man Valentine was according to the legends.

3.9 St. Patrick’s Day

  • 1) Skim the text and make a brief outline of it.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by both nationalists and unionists. It is the feast day which annually celebrates Saint Patrick (386-493), the Patron Saint of Ireland, on March 17. It is a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland (but not in Northern Ireland, where it is a bank holiday), the overseas territory of Montserrat, and the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide. The St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin, Ireland is part of a five day festival. The largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is held in New York City and watched by 2 million spectators.

As well as being a celebration of Irish culture, Saint Patrick’s Day is a Christian festival celebrated in the Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland (among other churches in the Anglican Communion) and some other denominations.

In many parts of North America, Britain, and Australia, expatriate Irish, those of Irish descent, and ever-growing crowds of people with no Irish connections but who may proclaim themselves “Irish for a day” also celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, usually by drinking alcoholic beverages (lager dyed green, Irish beer and stout, such as Murphy’s, Smethwick’s, Harp or Guinness, or Irish whiskey, Irish Cider, Irish Coffee or Baileys Irish Cream).

Many Irish people still wear a bunch of shamrock on their lapels or caps on this day or green, white, and orange badges (after the colors of the Irish flag). Girls traditionally wear green in their hair.

With its improved international reputation, Ireland has recently witnessed rising numbers of tourists who come to appreciate the area’s unique heritage. Attractions include cultural festivals, musical and artistic traditions, countryside and geographical sites of interest, pubs, welcoming hospitality and sports (especially golf and fishing).

  • 2) What questions does the text deal with? Is the text information up-to-date or out-of-date?

3.10 Why do the British drive on the left?

  • 1) How does driving in Britain differ from that in Europe?

  • 2) Scan the text and name the paragraphs which give the following information:

a) when many countries changed from the left to the right when driving,

b) when driving on the left was general in Europe,

c) why soldiers carried the shield on the left,

d) the British law which had a “keep left” recommendation,

e) how a horse is mounted.

(1) Up to the late 18th century, driving on the left was general in Europe. So why should be all milestones and signs put to the right? In the late 50s people in Britain thought about changing to the right, like in Sweden. But they dismissed the thought, because of the costs (steering wheels in cars, signs etc.). And Britain is an island, so there was no need to change to the right. And the British kept a little of their “splendid isolation.”

(2) In Roman times the shield was carried with the left hand and the sword with the right. The soldiers marched on the left, so they could protect their body with their shield and they were able to fight with their right hand.

(3) A horse is mounted from the left. You swing the right leg over the horse’s back. To make it easier for smaller people to mount the horse, special stones (mounting stones) were provided. They were put on the left side of the roads.

(4) Battles are fought via the left wing, like in soccer. Napoleon fought his battles via the right wing. It made him successful as his enemies didn’t expect this strategy. Napoleon ordered that people had to drive on the right. In countries where Napoleon did not invade, people still drove on the left. The drivers of old stagecoaches sat on the right. In 1967, the change from the left to the right side took place in Sweden, due to practical reasons. Iceland followed in 1968. The US after the War of Independence changed too, and so did Canada due to the French influence. Commonwealth countries and other ones, such as Japan, didn’t change the way.

(5) One must point out that in those days logic dictated that when people passed each other on the road they should be in the best possible position to use their sword to protect them. As most people are right handed they therefore keep to their left. This practice was formalized in a Papal Edict by Pope Benedict around 1300AD who told all his pilgrims to keep to the left. Nothing much changed until 1773 when an increase in horse traffic forced the UK Government to introduce the General Highways Act of 1773 which contained a “keep left” recommendation. This became a law as part of the Highways Bill in 1835.

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