Grammar topic: Past Simple Tense.

«What do we know about it?»

Every country and every nation has it's own traditions and customs. It's very important to know traditions and customs of different people. It will help you to know more about the history and life of different nations and countries.

Very often when speaking of English traditions, we think first of some curious theatrical ceremonies of the court or parliament procedure. But the word “tradition” does not mean only that. First and foremost “tradition” is the generally accepted way of living, acting, behaving of just doing things. There are many very good traditions of this kind in the everyday life of the English.

In England everything is the other way round.- On Sunday on the Continent even the poorest person puts on his best suit, tries to look respectable, and at the same time the life of the country becomes gay and cheerful; in England even the richest peer or motor-car manufacturer dresses in some peculiar rags, does not shave, and the country becomes dull and dreary. - On the Continent there is one topic, which should be avoided – the weather; in England, if you do not repeat the phrase “Lovely day, isn’t it?” at least two hundred times a day, you are considered a bit dull.- On the Continent Sunday papers appear on Monday; in England – a country of exotic oddities – they appear on Sunday. - On the Continental bus approaching a request stop the conductor rings the bell if he wants his bus to go on without stopping; in England you ring the bell if you want the bus to stop. - On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners. - On the Continent public orators try to learn to speak fluently and smoothly; in England they take a special course in Oxonian stuttering. - On the Continent learned person love to quote Aristotle, Horace, Montaigne and show off their knowledge; in England only uneducated people show off their knowledge, nobody quotes Latin or Greek authors in the course of a conversation, unless he has never read them. - Continental people are sensitive and touchy; the English take everything with an exquisite sense of humour – they are only offended if you tell them that they have no sense of humour. - People on the Continent either tell you the truth or lie; in England they hardly ever lie, but they would not – dream of telling you the truth.- Many continentals think life is a game; the English think cricket is a game. Many foreigners are sometimes taken aback of English custom to have a lunch. Whatever one is doing, no matter how important it is, as soon as the clock strikes one everybody breaks for lunch. The time from one to two o’clock is a “sacred” hour in England. Everybody knows that there is no use trying to get in touch with some official, business executive or firm representative at this time. They won’t be in. it is no use no waste your time going from one shop to another at one o’clock sharp they will open. For punctuality is also one of the English traditions. An English proverb say: “So many countries, so many customs” Vocabulary:

1. custom	обычай
2. curious	любопытный
3. court	суд, судебный
4. to mean	значить
5. foremost	прежде всего
6. generally accepted	общепринятый
7. way of behaving	манера поведения
8. poor	бедный
9. respectable	уважаемый
10. gay and cheerful	радостный и веселый
11. peer	сверстник
12. peculiar rag	своеобразная тряпка
13. dull and dreary	скучный и унылый
14. to avoid	избегать
15. oddity	странность
16. smoothly	гладко
17. shuttering	заикание
18. sense of humour	чувство юмора
19. to offend	обижаться
20. truth or lie	правда или ложь
21. sacred hour	священный час

1. Circle the correct answer. 1. Every country and every nation has it's own traditions and customs.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 2. It is not necessary and important to know traditions and customs of different people.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 3. Very often when speaking of English traditions, we think first of their native holidays.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 4. In England even the richest peer or motor-car manufacturer dresses in some peculiar rags.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 5. In England, if you do not repeat the phrase “Lovely night, isn’t it?” at least two hundred times a day, you are considered a bit dull.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 6. In England people have good desk manners.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 7. In England only uneducated people show off their knowledge.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 8. The English are not offended if you tell them that they have no sense of humour. A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 9. In England they hardly ever lie, but they would not – dream of telling you the truth.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 10. The English think life is a game.A Right B Wrong C Doesn`t say 2. Look at the pictures and tell about English customs. e.g. The English like to dress peculiar rags. e.g. In England Sunday paper appears on………………

e.g. In England if you want to stop a bus you……………..

 

e.g. In England people have ………………

e.g In England people are offended if………

e.g. In England people think that …………….

Write the missing word.

ü Every country and every nation has it's own _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _.

ü It will help you to know more about the _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ of different nations and countries.

üIn England even the richest - _ _ _ _ or motor-car manufacturer dresses in some peculiar rags, does not shave, and the country becomes _ _ _ _ and dreary. üIn England, if you do not repeat the phrase “Lovely _ _ _, isn’t it?” at least two hundred _ _ _ _ a day, you are considered a bit dull.

üIn England you ring the _ _ _ _ if you want the bus to stop.

üIn England only uneducated _ _ _ _ show off their knowledge.

üIn England people hardly ever _ _ _ _, but they would not – dream of telling you the _ _ _ _.