2. Answer the questions:

1. How was the national British Flag constructed?

2. What tradition concerning the British flag is connected with the name of James the First?

3. What was the meaning of the word “jack”?

4. What is the British national anthem?

3. Match the words with their definitions.

1. Flag

2. cross

3. church

4. mast

5. anthem

6. tune

1. a series of musical notes that are sung or played in a particular order to form a piece of music

2. a tall pole on a boat or ship that supports the sails

3. a mark or an object formed by two lines crossing each other

4. a song which has a special importance for a country, an organization, or a particular group of people and is sung on special occasions

5. a building where Christians go to worship

6. a piece of cloth with a special coloured design on it that may be the symbol of a particular country or organization, or may have a particular meaning

4. Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word from the topical vocabulary, making any necessary changes.

cross tune mast legally anthem flag religion

established recognized community cult intolerance declare

1) Immigrants have been successfully assimilated into the ___________.

2) The government has ___________ war on illiteracy.

3) The new treaty ___________ a free trade zone.

4) There are no analogies with any previous _________ cases.

5) The national ______ was played at the opening and closing ceremonies.

6) The heat was ____________.

7) The law states that everyone has the right to practise their own ___________.

8) Flags were flown at half _________ on the day of Capitan’s funeral.

9) I __________ him as soon as he came in the room.

10) I’ve put a ___________ on the map to show where the hotel is.

11) Their son ran away from home and joined a ___________.

12) The black and white __________ went down, and the race began.

13) These proposals are perfectly in _________ with our own thoughts on the subject.

5. Grammar Focus

Point out the subject in the following sentences and say by what it is expressed.

1.There are two most widespread Christian Churches in Wales, they are Methodist and Baptist.

2.It all began in 1603, when Scotland was joined to England and Wales.

3.Married men are not allowed to be Catholic priests.

4.They bring nearer the movement toward universal Christian unity.

5.Britons are predominantly Christians.

6.Usually it is called the Flag and it consists of several flags.

7."God Save the Queen / King" is the British national anthem.

8.The words and tune probably date back to the 16th century.

 6. a) Translate the following information about the national symbols of Great Britain.

НАЦІОНАЛЬНІ CИМВОЛИ ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНІЇ

Усім відомо, що британський прапор часто називають «Юніон Джек». Ця назва бере свій початок з тих часів, коли державний прапор використовувався на судах. Він представляє емблеми трьох країн під одним командуванням. На прапорі - кілька емблем. Це хрести трьох заступників.

Червоний хрест на білому тлі — хрест святого Георга, заступника Англії. Білий діагональний хрест на блакитному тлі — хрест святого Ендрю, заступника Шотландії. Червоний діагональний хрест на білому тлі — хрест святого Патрика, заступника Ірландії. У 1801 р. з'явилася остання версія прапора, вона стала результатом об'єднання Великобританії з Ірлан­дією, тоді й було додано хрест святого Патрика. Хрест усе ще на прапорі Британії, хоча тільки Північна Ірландія є частиною Сполученого Королівства.

Ви не знайдете на прапорі емблеми Уельса, тому що її там немає. Коли з'явилася перша версія прапора, Уельс уже був об'єднаний з Англією. Національний прапор Уельсу — червоний дракон на зелено-білому тлі. Він датується XV століттям.

Британський національний гімн — це патріотична пісня, яка була вперше представлена в 1745 р. На офіційних подіях виконується тільки його перший куплет.

BRITISH ROYAL CEREMONIES AND HOLIDAYS

1.a) Here is a table of main ceremonial and traditional events, public holidays and festivities in Great Britain. Look through the information below and think if you celebrate the same holidays in your country; if yes – then when?

Name	Usual activities on the day and before
State Opening of Parliament	The Monarch delivers the Speech from the Throne in Westminster Palace before the official opening of a new session of Parliament (usually at the end of October or beginning of November, or after a general election)
Trooping the Colour	Inspection of the troops by the Monarch on His/Her Official Birthday (the second Saturday in June). The monarch reviews the seven regiments of the Royal Guard on Horse Guards Parade
Changing the Guards	Martial music, shouted commands, handing over the duty to the new guard in Buckingham Palace forecourt and in the Horse Guards court (daily)
Lord Mayor's Show	Travelling of London's new mayor in a golden coach through the city to be sworn in at the Royal Courts of Justice (second Saturday in November)
Ceremony of the Keys	The ritual daily locking up of the Tower of London for the night
Christmas	Buying Christmas presents, putting presents for children into their stockings; using red and green decorations for the house, decorating Christmas trees, singing carols (December 25), bank holiday
Boxing Day	The day of giving small Christmas presents/money to employees, postmen, milkmen, etc. (December 26), bank holiday
New Year's Eve and / or New Year's Day	Making resolutions to give up smoking, to keep to a slimming diet, etc. Cooking New Year's dinner (December 31 / January 1), bank holiday
Remembrance Day (Poppy Day)	Laying wreaths at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, commemorating those who died fighting in the two world wars, poppies being a sym­bol of mourning (Sunday nearest to 11 November, Armistice Day, the final day of the WW I, 1918)
Spring Bank Holiday	The bank holiday that falls on the last Monday in May
Summer Bank Holiday (August Bank Holiday)	The bank holiday that falls on the last Monday in August
Easter Sunday (Easter Day) and Easter Monday	Decoration of Easter eggs, eating candy eggs and giving chocolate eggs and bunnies as presents (no fixed day, falling between 22 March and 25 April), bank holiday
Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)	The day before Ash Wednesday in February, once thought of as a last day of enjoyment before the fasting of Lent in the Christian year. Many people still traditionally eat pan cakes on Shrove Tuesday (named from a rare verb 'shrive', meaning 'to make one's confession', i.e. to confess one's sins to a priest before Lent)
Mothering Sunday	The fourths Sunday in Lent, when people traditionally give or send cards and presents to their mothers. Now it is usually called Mothers Day
Mother's Day	The second Sunday in May (since WW II), the holiday of the American origin
Father's Day	The third Sunday in June, when presents are traditionally given by children to their father (based on Mother's Day, the tradition was imported to Britain in the 20th century from America)
St. Valentine's Day	Sending cards with red hearts, words of love, etc.(February 14)
Halloween	Telling ghost stories, making masks and playing tricks (October 31)
Guy Fawkes Night	Making a guy for the bonfire (November, 5)
Eisteddfod	The annual Welsh picturesque ceremony of choosing the winner among contesting poets and singers
May Day	The springtime festival celebrating the end of winter, morris men dances, children dancing round the maypole (May, 1)
St. George's Day	The Day of the Patron Saint of England (April 23), the church festival, regarded as England's national day (although not an official bank holiday)
St. Patrick's Day	The Day of the Patron Saint of Ireland (March 17), regarded as a national day in Northern Ireland and an official bank holiday there
St. Andrew's Day	The Day of the Patron Saint of Scotland (November 30), the church festival, regarded as Scotland's national day (although not an official bank holiday)
St. David's Day	The Day of the Patron Saint of Wales (March 1), the church festival, regarded as the national holiday of Wales (although not an official bank holiday)

b) Answer the questions:

When do Britons celebrate …

• …Christmas?

• …Spring Bank Holiday?

• …Mother's Day?

• …Father's Day?

• …St. Valentine's Day?

• …May Day?

• …Halloween?

• …St. George's Day?

• …St. Patrick's Day?

• …St. Andrew's Day?

• …St. David's Day?

 2. a) Read the following text, translate it into Ukrainian. Make sure you study the language of the text to be competent in further exercises and discussions.

BRITISH TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

British nation is considered to be the most conservative in Europe. It is not a secret that every nation and every country has its own customs and traditions. In Great Britain people attach greater importance to traditions and customs than in other European countries. Englishmen are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up. The best examples are their queen, money system, their weights and measures.

British bank holidays have been recognized since 1871. The name Bank Holiday comes from the time when Banks were shut and so no trading could take place during this time. Even though Banks are still closed on these days, many shops now remain open.

Traditionally on a Bank Holiday many businesses are closed to enable the workers to have a holiday. This time is often spent with the family. Anyone, who works on Bank Holidays, usually gets extra payment — «time-and-a-half» or even «double time», negotiated for them by the Trades Unions.

In England and Wales there are six bank holidays: New Year's Day, Easter, May Day (not necessarily May, 1), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and August respectively, and Boxing Day. There are also two common law holidays on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Scotland has nine public holidays: New Year's Day, January 2, Good Friday, Easter, May Day (not necessarily May, 1), spring and summer holidays at the end of May and the beginning of August, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

In Northern Ireland there are seven bank holidays: New Year's Day, St. Patrick's Day (17 March), Easter Monday. May Day (not necessarily May, 1), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and August respectively and Boxing Day. There are also two common law holidays on Good Friday and Christmas Day and a public day on the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne that takes place on July, 12.

There are many customs and some of them are very old. There is, for example, the Marble Championship, where the British Champion is crowned; he wins a silver cup known among folk dancers as Morris Dancing. Morris Dancing is an event where people, worn in beautiful clothes with ribbons and bells, dance with handkerchiefs or big sticks in their hands, while traditional music sounds.

Another example is the Boat Race, which takes place on the river Thames, often on Easter Sunday. A boat with a team from Oxford University and one with a team from Cambridge University hold a race.

British people think that the Grand National horse race is the most exciting horse race in the world. It takes place near Liverpool every year. Sometimes it happens the same day as the Boat Race takes place, sometimes a week later. Amateur riders as well as professional jockeys can participate. It is a very famous event.

There are many celebrations in May, especially in the countryside.

Halloween is a day on which many children dress up in unusual costumes. In fact, this holiday has a Celtic origin. The day was originally called All Halloween's Eve, because it happens on October 31, the eve of all Saint's Day. The name was later shortened to Halloween. The Celts celebrated the coming of New Year on that day.

Another tradition is the holiday called Bonfire Night.

On November 5, 1605, a man called Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament where the King James I was to open Parliament on that day. But Guy Fawkes was unable to realize his plan and was caught at later, hanged. The British still remember that Guy Fawkes' Night. It is another name for this holiday. This day on can see children with figures, made of sacks and straw and dressed in old clothes. On November 5th, children put their figures on the bonfire, burn them, and light their fireworks.

In the end of the year, there is the most famous New Year celebration. In London, many people go to Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve. There is singing and dancing at 12 o'clock on December 31st.

A popular Scottish event is the Edinburgh Festival of music and drama, which takes place every year. A truly Welsh event is the Eisteddfod, a national festival of traditional poetry and music, with a competition for the best new poem in Welsh.

If we look at English weights and measures, we can be convinced that the British are very conservative people. They do not use the internationally accepted measurements. They have conserved their old measures. There are nine essential measures. For general use, the smallest weight is one ounce, and then 16 ounce is equal to a pound. Fourteen pounds is one stone. The English always give people's weight in pounds and stones. Liquids they measure in pints, quarts and gallons. There are two pints in a quart and four quarts or eight pints are in one gallon. For length, they have inches, feet, yards and miles.

• Ounce = 28,3 grams

• Pound = 453,6 grams

• Stone = 14 pounds = 6,34 kilograms

• Pint = 0,57 litre in Britain

• Quart = 2 pints

• Gallon = 4,54 litre

• Inch = 2,5 centimetres

• Foot = 30,48 centimetres

• Yard = 3 foots = 914,4 millimetres

• Mile = 1609 metres