"Which is the boy and which is the girl?" you may say, walking behind two long-haired young people in a London street. Your question may arise from the fact that the young people are both dressed in jeans and sweaters. A parent may say, "I'm surprised so many girls don't trouble to dress up when they go out with their boy-friends". But another may answer that it's one way they have of showing they are as independent as men.
But the statement that girls don't trouble to dress up is not correct. Most British girls today take a great deal of interest in clothes and enjoy looking attractive. In fact, they think much more about fashion than their mothers did twenty or more years ago. Not so long ago English women had the reputation of being amongst the worst dressed women in Europe. English men have always had the reputation for being smartly dressed.
During the 1960s fashion shops for young people were opened all over Britain, and London became the world's most important fashion centre for the young. More than half of the ten million foreign tourists who come to Britain every year are under thirty and most of them never go further than London. Not only the girls go shopping. The boys go to Kensington and also to Chelsea to visit the famous fashion shops of these two districts of London.
It is possible today to dress well without spending a great deal of money. Many shops sell clothes which are both cheap and modern. You would find it difficult to guess from their clothes the social background of the young people you see in the street.
Text 5
Exercise 1. You will listen to the text and define if the statement is true, false or there is no information in the text. If the statement is true you must put down the letter T, if it is false – the letter F, if there is no information – NI.
1. The British don’t give names to their meals.
2. The names of British meals are meant to confuse foreign visitors.
3. The British once took their breakfast at 5 a.m.
4. In some parts of the country the names of meals never changed.
5. The big part of the British call the meal taken between midday and half past two in the afternoon lunch.
6. Dinner in the 14th century was taken at the time now called tea-time.
7. Workers who start work at sun-rise miss their lunch break.
8. Families of workers outside south-east of England have tea at about 6 p.m.
9. The majority of the British people have dinner (sometimes called supper) at 7.30 in the evening.
10. Supper is favourite meal of the British people.
Text 6
Exercise 1. Read and translate the dialogue:
Bob Keslar is 42. He is a writer and he lives in a small village in the west of England with his wife and daughter.
- Bob, you aren’t English, are you?
- No, I am from West Hills, a small town in California in the United States.
- And what’s your job?
- I write travel books, mainly about England and the English, but also about other countries like Italy and France. I go to Europe 2 or 3 times a year.
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- And what do you think of England?
- I like it here. I don’t want to go back to the United States, I like the traditions and the way of life. It’s so different from the States. For example, I love the way everyone says “Sorry”, “Beg your pardon” all the time. I don’t understand why, but it’s nice. Many foreigners have commented on the remarkable politeness of the English people.
- What other characteristic features did you notice?
- I am greatly impressed by the English reserve. English people don’t like displaying their emotions even in dangerous and tragic situations, and ordinary people seem to remain good-tempered and cheerful under difficulties. Besides, they don’t like any boasting or showing off in manners, dress and speech.
- So, you are happy in England.
- Yes, very happy! My daughter goes to school here, and she’s got lots of English friends, and my wife, Jane, drinks milk even without tea.
Exercise 2. Find the English equivalents in the dialogue:
Вы не англичанин, не так ли, книги о путешествиях, в основном об Англии и англичанах, не хочу возвращаться, мне здесь нравится, образ жизни, мне нравится как все постоянно говорят «извините», удивительная вежливость англичан, в трудных ситуациях.
Exercise 3. Find and read the sentences with the following words and phrases:
In a small village, a small town, to write, to go, to think, the traditions and the way of life, to be different from, to comment on, to be impressed by, to display emotions, boasting or showing off in, to drink milk without tea.
Exercise 4. Make up your own dialogues discussing British characteristic features.
SPEECH EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Answer the following questions.
1. What quality of the English character do most commentators agree over?
2.What is the basis of the English patriotism?
3. Why were Frenchmen often puzzled by the vehemence of English political debates?
4. What characteristics of English people have been almost universally noted by foreigners?
5. Give the difference in meaning and usage of the English words "Sorry" and "Pardon".
6. When were fireplaces most popular?
7. What is British girls' attitude to dressing up?
Exercise 2. Speak on the topics:
1) Characteristic features of the British.
2) Compare the Russians and the British (features of characters).
WRITTEN TASKS
Exercise 1. Here is a part of the letter from your friend Ben from Australia.
“ … As far as I know you have been to England lately. I wonder if it’s true that girls don't trouble to dress up there. What is your opinion? Do the youth follow fashion and what style in clothes do they prefer?
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Hope to hear from you soon.
Love,
Ben”
Write the answer observing rules of letter writing.
Exercise 2. Write a composition: There are a lot of nations all over the world. All of them have their own characteristic features. Would you like to have an Englishman as a friend?
Follow the plan:
1) Give a general statement of the problem.
2) Give reasons for friendship with an Englishman.
3) Give reasons against friendship with an Englishman.
4) Make a conclusion.