Customs and traditions in the UK

Every nation and every country has its own customs and traditions. Foreigners coming to Britain are struck at once by quite a number of customs and peculiarities in the English life.

Some ceremonies are traditional, such as the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Trooping the Colour, the State Opening of Parliament.The Ceremony of Trooping the Colour is one of the most fascinating. It is staged in front of Buckingham Palace. It is held annually on the monarch’s birthday which is the second Saturday in June. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is Colonel-in-Chief of the Life Guards. She is escorted by Horse Guard riding to the Parade. The ceremony is accompanied by the music of bands. The procession is headed by the Queen.

In England the Queen opens the parliament once a year, she goes to the Houses of Parliament in the golden coach, and she wears the crown and the crown jewels. She opens the Parliament with a speech in the Houses of Lords.

In the Houses of Lords, Chancellor sits on the sack of wool. This tradition comes from the old times when sheep wool made England rich and powerful.

In the House of Commons there are two rows of benches: one row is for the government and the other one is for the opposition.

The Englishmen have love for old things. They prefer houses with a fireplace and a garden to a flat, modern houses with central heating. The houses are traditionally not very high. They are usually two-storied. British buses are double-decked and red, mail-boxes are yellow, the cars keep to the left side of road – all these are traditions.

Religion has always played an important part in the national way of life. There is complete religious freedom in the United Kingdom. Churches and religious societies may own property, conduct schools, and propagate their beliefs in speech and writing.

There are two established churches: in England the Church of England (Anglican), and in Scotland the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian). Clergy of the established churches work in services which are run by the State, such as the armed forces, national hospitals and prisons, and are paid a salary by the State. Clergy of other religious communities are also appointed.

Though nominally Christian, Great Britain contains adherents of practically every world religion who are free to practice their particular beliefs in a tolerant and free society.

 

IV. Answer the following questions:

 

1) What are foreigners coming to Britain struck at?

2) Who opens the parliament in Britain? How often?

3) What ceremonies are traditional in Britain?

4) Where does Chancellor sit in the House of Lords? Why?

5) What houses do the Englishmen prefer to live?

6) What colour are the buses and mail-boxes in Britain?

7) What are the two established churches in Britain?

 

VI. Mark the sentences below as “True” or “False”:

 

1) In Britain Chancellor opens parliament once a year.

2) In the Houses of Lords, Chancellor sits on the sack of wool.

3) The Ceremony of Trooping the Colour is staged in front of Buckingham Palace.

4) The Ceremony of Trooping the Colour is held annually on the monarch’s official birthday.

5) In the House of Commons there are three rows of benches.

6) British buses are yellow, mail-boxes are red.

7) The Englishmen prefer to live in one-storied houses.

8) Great Britain contains adherents of practically every world religion.

 

V. Write questions to this answers:

 

1) The Ceremony of Trooping the Colour is staged in front of Buckingham Palace. (Where)

2) The monarch’s official birthday is on the second Saturday in June. (When)

3) In England the Queen opens the Parliament once a year. (How often)

4) Chancellor sits on the sack of wool. (Where)

5) The Englishmen have love for old things. (Do)

6) Great Britain contains adherents of practically every world religion. (Does)

 

VI. Complete the sentences with the words from the box below.

 

1) Every nation and every country has its own … and ….

2) The Ceremony of Trooping the Colour is the most ….

3) The Queen goes to the House of Parliament in the golden ….

4) Sheep … made England rich and powerful.

5) In the House of Commons there are two … of benches.

6) In Britain the cars keep to the left … of road.

7) The Englishmen prefer modern houses with ….

8) Churches and religious societies own property, … schools, and propagate their beliefs in speech and writing.

9) Clergy of the … churches work in services which are run by the State.

10) Great Britain contains … of practically every world religion.

 

Row, side, central heating, customs, traditions, adherents, fascinating, wool, conduct, established, coach.

 

ИМЯ ПРИЛАГАТЕЛЬНОЕ (THE ADJECTIVE)

В английском языке имя прилагательное имеет те же степени сравнения, что и в русском: положительную (positive), сравнительную (comparative) и превосходную (superlative).

Одно- и двусложные прилагательные образуют сравнительную степень при помощи суффикса -er, а превосходную при помощи суффикса -est, которые прибавляются к прилагательному в положительной степени:

long — longer — the longest

Степени сравнения многосложных прилагательных образуются при помощи слов more — для сравнительной и most для превосходной степени:

important — more important — the most important

СТЕПЕНИ СРАВНЕНИЯ НАРЕЧИЙ

Степени сравнения наречий образуются аналогично степеням сравнения прилагательных: late — later — the latest, actively — more actively — the most actively.

Некоторые прилагательные и наречия образуют степени сравнения не по правилу:

 

Good well bad badly much many little far

better   worse   more   less farther further

(the) best   (the) worst   (the) most   (the) least (the) farthest (the) furthest

В английском языке после прилагательного в сравнительной степени употребляется союз than (чем), тогда как в русском языке этот союз может опускаться:

My son is younger than yours. Мой сын моложе, чем ваш.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЕ КОНСТРУКЦИИ

Прилагательные и наречия могут употребляться в следующих сравнительных конструкциях:

Модель	Перевод	Пример
as … as	такой же … как     так же … как	This boy is as tall as my brother. Этот мальчик такой же высокий, как мой брат. He runs as fast as you do. Он бегает так же быстро, как ты.
not so … as (not as … as)	не такой … как   не так … как	This room is not so light as that one. Эта комната не такая светлая, как та. She doesn’t know Minsk as well as we do. Она знает Минск не так хорошо, как мы.
the … the	чем … чем	The earlier we leave, the sooner we’ll arrive. Чем раньше мы отправимся, тем скорее приедем.

EXERCISES

Exercise 1. Write down the missing form of the adjectives and adverbs.

 

good famous rich ... strong ... ... quick

... more famous richer more ... earlier nicer quicker

the best … … the most the strongest the earliest the nicest …

Key:

better the most famous the richest many, much stronger early nice the quickest

 

Exercise 2. Use the necessary form of the adjective or adverb.

 

1. The Mississippi is (long) river in the world. My cigarettes are (bad) than yours. 3. The battle of Waterloo was the (great) battle of all times. 4. This plan is (practical) of all. 5. She is not so (tall) as her sister. 6. He is (strong) than his brother. 7. Our house is as (low) as yours. 8. Elbrus is the (high) peak in the Caucasian mountains. 9. The Neva is (wide) and (deep) than the Moskva river. 10. This method is (efficient) than the common one. 11. October is (cold) than June.

Exercises 3. Answer the questions.

 

1. Are the cities in Scotland as large as the cities in England? 2. Is the Volga longer than the Don? 3. Which is the shortest month of the year? 4. Which is the biggest city in Great Britain? 5. Which is the most beautiful square in Minsk? 6. Which season is the coldest? 7. Where is it better to spend a holiday: in the South or in the North? 8. Where is it better to live: in the city or in the countryside?

Exercise 4. Translate into English.

 

1. В прошлом году я тратил на английский язык меньше времени, чем в этом. 2. Ваш доклад был гораздо интереснее. 3. Это крайне важный вопрос. 4. Он тратит большую часть своих денег на книги. 5. Большинство людей любят фрукты. 6. Эта улица самая широкая в городе. 7. Это самая мощная электростанция. 8. Вчера был более трудный день. 9. Эта книга значительно интереснее, чем та. 10. Ваша сестра старше Вас? — Нет, моложе. 11. Ты много читаешь? — Нет, я читаю мало, гораздо меньше тебя. 12. Чем длиннее ночь, тем короче день.