Theme 8. Ways of Life in uk basic facts:

• Ways of life in UK depend to some extent on class and nationality.

• All Brits are sportive.

• There are national kinds of sport.

• There are national kinds of food and drink.

• Gardening is a national passion in UK.

Task 1. Look at the picture. What game is it? What are the social connotations of the game? (Is it for ordinary or for the rich people?)

1. Sports in Great Britain

Task 2. Read the text and focus on the British values, which are reflected in their attitude to sports.

Sport is a very important part of life in Great Britain. The list of sports invented by the British includes football, golf, lawn tennis, badminton, cricket, rugby, squash and some others. Frequently as in the case of football the British did not invent the game itself, they formulated the rules. Nowadays, thousands of people devote their leisure time to outdoor and indoor games: athletics, mountain climbing, boxing and other sports.

Outdoor games are team games such as football, cricket, and hockey, and games in which individuals or couples try their skill, for example golf. Team games are part of the old public school system of bringing up. Sport is supposed to develop character and team spirit. Among the sports “essentially dear to the English nature” Anthony Trollope, a famous novelist, includes the traditional gentlemen pursuits: hunting, shooting, rowing, and horse racing.

In recent times, though, team games are becoming less popular, while sports for individuals, like swimming, cycling, snooker, motor racing, golf are rising in popularity. Television has had an enormous influence on sport. Darts, snooker, golf and cycling have found regular places in TV programmes. Thanks to television, darts has become an international game, played by professionals. Darts also remain associated with British pubs. People frequently come to local pubs to watch the more important football games and play darts.

Football. Although Englishmen played a kind of football from the middle age or even earlier as an organized game it dates back from just over a century ago. Football matches get big crowds. The Cup Final is one of the most important football matches of the year in England; it is always played at the Wembley stadium, in London. There is no British Football team. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete separately in European and World Cup matches. British fans are notorious for their violent behaviour. Football hooliganism was at its worst in 1985. The worst incident occurred at a European interclub game in Brussels. A number of spectators were killed in the panic caused by the violence of a group of British football supporters.

Rugby. One type of football, in which the players carried the oval ball in their hands, appeared in 1859 at Rugby School. That is why the name took the name of Rugby. The rules of the game are different from football (soccer). The ball can be carried and passed to other players by throwing or kicking. Points are won by carrying the ball to the opponents’ end of the field or by kicking it over an H shaped bar. Informally rugby football is called rugger. Rugby is a rough, hard game.

Cricket. Cricket is England’s national summer game. Nobody knows exactly how old the game is, but some forms of cricket were played in England in the 13^th century. The rules of the game have changed over the years.

The oldest series of international matches is between England and Australia, and the team that wins takes home a famous trophy called The Ashes. And even today for cricket lovers in England and Australia winning The Ashes is like winning The World Cup for football!

In England cricket is played in schools and universities, and almost all towns have their cricket teams, which play regularly at least one match a weak during the season – from May to September. There are thousands of cricket grounds all over England. The Marylebone Cricket Club is the most important authority on cricket in the world. The club is situated at Lord’s cricket ground in London.

Lawn-tennis. The number of people who play lawn-tennis is great. The tennis championships held at Wimbledon for two weeks at the end of June and at the beginning of July are the main event of the lawn-tennis season in Britain and, in fact in the world. These championships in which men and women of many nationalities complete, gather large crowds.

Swimming.Many children in Britain learn to swim at school, or during the holidays at the seaside, and swimming pool as a summer pastime is enjoyed by millions of people. There are also indoor swimming pools, which makes swimming possible all the year round. Swimming championships and competitions are widely reported in press and on TV. Attempts to swim the English channel have been made by swimmers of many nationalities every summer. Some of the attempts are successful. The numerous rivers afford excellent opportunities for swimming and rowing.

Rowing. The Oxford and Cambridge boat race, in which crews from these two universities compete take place every spring on the Thames. The high point of the rowing season is the Royal Henley Regatta. Each July the pretty town of Henley-on Thames is flooded by boating enthusiasts. This annual event began in 1851. Although the regatta was designed for amateur rowers, participants had to belong to the correct social class.

During the autumn and winter shooting and fox-hunting are the great sports in Great Britain for the upper classes.

Polo is another aristocratic pursuit. Polo is a team sport with each player filling a specific role and supporting the team effort on both offense and defense. The outdoor polo field is the area of 10 football fields. The indoor polo arena is only about 100 yards long and 50 yards wide. Three players instead of four are used on a team. There are between four and eight chukkas (periods of play), depending on the standard of the match (usually four in low goal up to eight in world class matches.  Each chukka lasts seven minutes. Chukka comes from the Indian word for a circle or round. The shaft of the mallet or stick is usually made from bamboo cane and the head from a hard wood. The wide face of the mallet head is used to strike the ball. Players use a fresh pony for each chukka.  Although termed 'ponies' they are usually horses. Two mounted umpires (one for each side of the field) who regulate the game. They usually wear striped shirts. There are many polo clubs in England: Ascot Polo Club, Cowdray Park at Midhurst, Guards’ Polo Club, Cirencester [‘saierenseste] Park Polo Club in Gloucestershire.

Horse-racing is also a great national sport. There are several races that attract special attention. The Grand National is England’s main steeplechase (race over obstacles) held in March or April in Aintree, near Liverpool. The course is over seven kilometres and includes thirty jumps, of which fourteen are jumped twice. It is one of the most difficult and dangerous races in the world. The National Hunt Festival is held in Cheltenham in March. There are twenty races there. The Derby [da:bi] takes place at Epsom, a famous racecourse to the south of London. It is England’s leading flat race. The Royal Ascot is held in June near Windsor and it is one of the highlights of the English social season. For a week in June racegoers, gamblers, socialites, the royal family make their way to Berkshire and the Ascot racecourse. The racecourse was built in 1711 by an order of Queen Anne. It is not only a sports event, it is a great social event when the upper classes gather to see the Queen who always attends. Women traditionally invent unusual and inimitable hats. Men wear top hats.

Toe wrestlingis a new kind of sports recently invented in England and gaining popularity. Its rules are similar to arm wrestling.

The game of Golf was invented in Scotland and enjoyed by the nobility as early as the 15th Century. Golf was enjoyed by James IV, James V and Mary Queen of Scots (who is said to have popped out for a game after successfully plotting to murder her husband, Lord Darnley). James VI was also an avid player and encouraged the game in London when he became King of England in 1603. The first rules of the game were laid down in 1744. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club (known as the R&A), was founded in 1754. It is the world governing body for the game and is based in St. Andrews, along with the "Old Course" - perhaps the world's most famous golf course. The Old Course is a public course (a tradition widespread in Scotland, where the City Council owns and maintains the course) and as such is open to locals and visitors for a modest fee.

Curling started in Scotland in the 16th century, at least, and the earliest stone dating back to 1511 is held in Stirling at the Smith Institute. The outdoor game was obviously well established by the 17th century. The National Bard, Robert Burns, as a farmer probably played the game, and certainly wrote knowledgeably about it in his poem ' Tam Samson's Elegy'. Since the first indoor game took place in Glasgow in 1907 the outdoor game is now very infrequently played apart from 'The Bonspiel' or 'Grand Match' traditionally played on the Lake of Monteith in Perthshire. Scotland not only invented the game, wrote the rules, gave the game to the world but also makes the best curling stones. The Gold Olympic success should greatly increase interest in the game, which in turn should benefit the Scottish manufacturer of curling stones. Nearly all the curling stones in the world are made from Scottish granite from Ailsa Craig - also known as Paddy's Milestone - the famous rocky outcrop off the Ayrshire coast.

Shinty is another Scottish game. It is recognised that Scotland is one of the world warrior nations. Although renowned as one of the friendliest and welcoming of countries, the Scots love nothing more than watching, or taking part in, a good going "stramash" (fight).  If there was ever a game that helped Scots develop their courage, speed, stamina and weapon handling skills, it is the game of shinty. It requires a lot of mental and physical strength.  The earliest documented rules of play were recorded by the Aberdeen University Shinty Club who in 1861 became the first constituted shinty club in Scotland. The Camanachd Association was formally instituted in 1893 with the first final for a national trophy - the Camanachd Cup – taking place in 1896.

In Ireland the national game is hurling. Players use sticks called 'hurleys' to strike the ball. The part of the hurley used to strike the ball is known as the 'bas'. At its widest point the bas shall not be more than 13cm. The ball in hurling is known as a 'sliotar'. The sliotar weighs between 100g and 130g. The circumference of the ball is between 23cm and 25cm. Championship hurling matches last 70 minutes and league matches last 60 minutes.

Another popular game is Gaelic Football. A Gaelic football team consists of 15 players and a number of substitutes, who may be called into the game at any stage. The team's manager chooses his starting 15 and substitutes from a 'panel' of players. Only three substitutes can be used in one match. Every football team has a goalkeeper, six defenders, two midfielders and six forwards. In Gaelic Football there are two methods of recording scores. A 'point' is scored when the ball is played over the crossbar between the posts by either team. A 'goal' is scored when the ball is played over the goal line between the posts and under the crossbar by either team.

In Wales rugby is very popular, though it was born in England. There are two forms of rugby: Rugby Union and Rugby League. In Wales they play Rugby Union. There are 15 players in each team. Rugby Union is played internationally. It is thought of as a middle class game. Rugby League is a professional game played mainly in the north of England and Australia.

Task 3. Read the text below and discuss the similarities and differences in eating and drinking habits in Russia and UK.

Eating and Drinking Habits in the UK

     The usual meals in Britain are: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

ENGLAND

Traditional English breakfast is generally a bigger meal than they have on the Continent. Usual English breakfast is porridge or cornflakes with milk or cream and sugar, bacon and eggs, marmalade made from oranges with buttered toasts and tea or coffee. But in our days British are responding to recent medical advice and are cutting down on fatty food and at breakfast time they usually have cereal and toast or rolls with butter and jam instead of the "traditional English breakfast". This is because of health consideration, the time needed for preparation and the cost.

British traditional food is roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, cheddar cheese,clotted cream (thick cream from Cornwall) and fish and chips, Shepherd’s Pie (meat covered with potato). The main family meal of the week tends to be on Sunday lunch at which, typically, a roast joint of meat will be served with several vegetables and Yorkshire pudding (a round baked food made from flour, eggs and milk). You may also be served a pudding such as apple pie with cream. This is an occasion for the family to get together to talk and relax in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere.

Some kinds of food are connected with traditional holidays. For example on Christmas after church many return to homes fragrant with the smell of turkey roasting in the oven. Old and young wait while the cook makes his or her last-minute preparations and stirs the gravy, which is rich with the pan juices of the turkey. The table is laid with the best table linen and china or pottery. While Christmas is primarily a family occasion with relatives travelling long distances to be together, friends or acquaintances with no family of their own may be invited to join the gathering. The meal may begin with something light such as melon, smoked salmon with lemon or celery, or Stilton soup under a thin pastry ‘hat’. Roast turkey is the most popular main dish today, though roast goose is a strong contender. The turkey is accompanied by one or two stuffings, such as chestnut and bacon stuffing or sausage-meat stuffing, chipolata sausages and bacon rolls. A sauce made from cranberries cooked with a port and orange flavoured syrup contrasts well with the rich turkey meat. Home-made bread sauce is traditional and is flavoured with cloves and nutmeg. Brussels sprouts are at their best at Christmas and are sometimes mixed with chestnuts or other nuts, or with breadcrumbs fried in butter. Delicious roast vegetables such as crunchy potatoes and caramelized parsnips add hugely to the delight. Mince pies continue to be popular at Christmas time in Britain. The picture of the Christmas pudding being brought to the table flaming with brandy is a traditional image of the British Christmas lunch.

England has stable tea traditions. Nowadays 20 million cups of tea are sipped in England a day. People drink tea in the morning, at eleven o’clock at work, at lunch, in the afternoon and before going to bed. English tea is normally with milk. The tradition of the afternoon tea associated with the upper classes appeared around the beginning of the 19th Century, when the Duchess of Bedford, complaining of a 'sinking feeling' late in the afternoons began inviting friends around for an 'extra' meal.  The meal was based on the European tea service format where small cakes, sandwiches, assorted finger sweets and tea were served.  Until this point, Great Britain had only two meals in a day.  Breakfast was served much later in the day than it is now and consisted of beef, bread, and ale.  Dinner, served late in the evening, was a massive meal. The Duchess' meals became so popular amongst her friends that soon virtually everyone was hosting afternoon tea in order to appear socially acceptable.  The tea was kept warm by sitting on a small stand positioned over a candle flame. Tea cuisine consisted of thin crustless sandwiches spread with butter, fish pates, toasts with jam and regional pastries such as scones or crumpets. Two distinct forms of tea service evolved: High and Low.  Low tea was served in the low part of the afternoon in the homes of wealthy aristocrats.  Low tea featured gourmet tidbits rather than solid meals, with the emphasis on presentation and conversation. High tea was the main (or high) meal of the day.  It was the major meal of the lower and middle classes, consisting of full dinner items such as roast beef, potatoes, peas and tea. Debated much more than it seems it should be is: "What is the official time for afternoon tea?" Now it is 4:00 PM. As important as time is atmosphere. If you want to serve tea in English style, use doilies under your plates, fine bowls, cups, a particularly nice tablecloth, some attractive napkins. Also, choosing pleasant music fills the air in ways smells and sights cannot.

WALES

The food of Wales developed to satisfy the appetites of hard-working farm labourers, coal miners, quarrymen and fishermen. From the mining valleys of the south to the rugged upland farms of the north, the Welsh landscape produces food of freshness, quality and variety and, in turn, the Welsh people cooked dishes that were hearty and filling. Traditional Welsh foods include bacon, cheeses, crempog (pancakes spread with salty Welsh butter), Bara Brith (a rich tea loaf, sometimes known as 'speckled bread') and cawl - a rich stew made with bacon, scraps of Welsh lamb and vegetables including Wales' emblem, the leek.

Although Welsh lamb is one of the country's most famous exports today, it would have been considered a rare treat not long ago, with pork being far more common for the mid-week meal. Welsh black beef has almost overtaken Welsh lamb in its fame and along the coast, of course, fishing remains an important industry with great shoals of herring and mackerel caught off the west coast often just fried in bacon fat for a simple supper. Laverbread (seaweed) is a Welsh speciality usually sold by the quarter, rolled with fine Welsh oatmeal into little cakes and fried into crisp patties with eggs, bacon and cockles for a traditional Welsh breakfast. Welsh cakes are a bit like a flat scone, baked on a griddle and with a distinctive flavour and texture, usually served hot spread with butter.

Welsh organic dairy based in Aberystwyth whose products can be found everywhere - many Welsh producers are now supplying large supermarkets and food halls. Welsh cheeses (especially goats' cheese), mineral water and even Welsh wines are readily available across the country. There is a wide variety of cheeses including Castle Meadows, Caerphilly, St David's, Pantysgawn farm goats' cheese, Tintern, Harlech, Y-Fenni and St. Illtyd. Llanerch Vineyards produce Cariad (a term of endearment meaning "sweetheart") wines plus cider and elderflower drinks. Graig Farm is an award-winning organic meat mail order service. Much of the recent success of Welsh producers is thanks to an accreditation scheme called A Taste of Wales (Blas ar Gymru). It was launched a few years ago and promotes the use of Welsh produce on the menus of hotels, restaurants, guesthouses, pubs and cafes throughout Wales. The first ever Wales Food and Drink Awards were also launched in 2002. Gwynedd Confectioners, based in Bala, is a supplier of exclusive gift confectionery to the retail industry. The range includes Welsh fudge, mint humbugs, coconut ice, nougat, Welsh style shortbread biscuits and toffee.

SCOTLAND

Scotland is renowned for the quality of its natural produce. Fresh Scottish salmon, heather-fed venison, fresh tender lamb and well-hung prime beef all feature in Scottish menu. For vegetarians there is a varied selection of dishes from home-made nut rissoles to fresh papardelle pasta. Porridge used to be typical of Scotland and then spread all over UK. Haggis is the most traditional of all Scottish dishes, eaten on Burns Night (25th January; the birthday of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, 1759-1796) and at Hogmanay (New Year's Eve), accompanied by the traditional Black Bun and Shortbread. Haggis is really a large round sausage; the skin being a sheep's paunch. The finest haggis of all is made with deer liver, served to the skirl of the pipes, cut open with a traditional knife and accompanied by small glasses of neat Scotch whisky. Scotch whisky is nicknamed ‘water of life’ and ‘mountain dew’. It is a large industry. The distilling, blending, bottling, transporting and selling of Scotch whisky employs more than 20,000 people. There are about 112 malt distillers in Scotland. The aristocrat of whiskies is the single malt, or unblended whisky. The basic ingredient of whisky is malted barley. Ale brewing in Scotland predates whisky distillation. There is Heather Ale, made to a 4,000 year old Pictish recipe. It is a pale golden beer, with a refreshing fruit aroma, fruity wheat flavour and crisp finish. Recommended with, light foods, pastas and salads. Brewed in Scotland since 2000 B.C. heather ale is probably the oldest style of ale still produced in the world. From an ancient Gaelic recipe for "leann fraoich" (heather ale) it has been revived and reintroduced to the Scottish culture. Introduced by the Vikings, spruce and pine ales were very popular in the Scottish Highlands until the end of the 19th century. It is a light amber ale with floral peaty aroma, full malt character, a spicy herbal flavour and dry wine like finish. Many early explorers, including Captain Cook, used spruce ale during long sea voyages since it prevented scurvy and ill health.

IRELAND

Traditional Irish foods are: boxty (raw and cooked potato mashed with butter, buttermilk, flour, and then baked), champ (potato boiled and mashed with butter, milk, scallion, salt), colcannon (champ and cabbage), Dublin coddle (bacon, ham-bone, onion, potato, sausage), Irish stew (mutton, carrot, leek and potato), Black pudding (a kind of thick dark-coloured sausage made of animal blood and fat, and grain). Black pudding is also popular in the North of England. The traditional drinks in Ireland are Guinness beer and Irish whiskey.

St James's Gate in the heart of Dublin was where Arthur Guinness set up in business in 1759. He began to produce stout beer, and now it is one of flourishing businesses in Ireland. The best known kinds of Irish whiskey are: Bushmills and Jameson.

Task 4. Think how the hobby of gardening is connected with national character. Then read the text.