Think of your favourite sport. Whatever it is, there is a good chance that it was first played in Britain, and an even better chance that its modern rules were first codified in Britain. The public schools of the Victorian era believed that organized competitive games had many psychological benefits. These games appealed to, and developed, the British sense of "fair play". You had to be a "good loser". To be a cheat was shameful, but to lose was just "part of the game". Team games were best, because they developed "team spirit".
Modem sport in Britain is very different. "Winning isn"t everything" and "it"s only a game" are still well-known sayings, but to modern professionals, sport is clearly not just a game. These days, top players in any sport talk about having a "professional attitude" and doing their "job" well, even if, officially, their sport is still an amateur one.
Sport probably plays a more important part in people"s lives in Britain than it does in most other countries. For a very large number, this is especially true for men, it is their main form of entertainment. Millions take part in some kind of sport at least once a week. Many millions more are regular spectators and follow one or more sports. There are hours of televised sport each week. Every newspaper, national or local, quality or popular, devotes several pages entirely to sport.
Sometimes the traditions which accompany an event can seem as important as the actual sporting contest. Wimbledon, for instance, is not just a tennis tournament. It means summer fashions, strawberries and cream, garden parties and long, warm English summer evenings.
Many of such events have become world-famous. Therefore, it is not only the British who tune in to watch. The Grand National, for example, attracts a television audience of 300 million. The cup finals of other countries often have better quality and more entertaining football on view - but more Europeans watch the English Cup Final than any other. The standard of British tennis is poor, and Wimbledon is only one of the world"s major tournaments. But if you ask any top tennis player, you find that Wimbledon is the one they really want to win. Every footballer in the world dreams of playing at Wembley, every cricketer in the world of playing at Lord"s.
The British like sports very much. Their native sports are football, cricket, rugby, tennis, table-tennis, badminton, canoeing and others. The first rules for such sports as boxing, golf, hockey, yachting and horse-racing also originated fromBritain. In fact they like watching sports more than playing them.
Is the most popular game. Football, or soccer, is an example of a professional game. The game of football was first played in Britain, and later people began to play it in other countries. There are many amateur soccer players in Britain who play the game on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Amateur clubs often play against professionals. Almost every school has its football team and every boy in Britain knows a lot about the game. He can tell you the names of the players in the most important teams, he has pictures of them and knows the results of many matches.
The Football Association drew up the rules of the modern game in 1863 and in 1888 12 clubs joined together to form the first Football League.England won the World Cup in 1966.Rugby and football became two separate sports when the Football Association said that only the goalkeeper could handle the ball.
Is a team sport, usually played outdoors, on a football pitch, with a round football, a goal, with two teams of 11 players, and a goalkeeper. You play a game of football or a football match.
Rugby is another popular British sport which is played in other countries. It is also called rugby football. The story is told that in 1823 boys at Rugby school inEngland were playing football in the normal way, when suddenly one boy picked the ball up and ran with it. That was how a new game was born. There are two forms of rugby football: the amateur game and the professional game.
Two kinds of rugby are played inBritain. Rugby Union is played by amateurs in teams of15 inthe south ofEnglandand inWales(where it is the national sport). Rugby League is played by professionals in teams of13 inthe north ofEngland.
Rugby is a team sport, played outdoors, on a rugby pitch, with an oval rugby ball, and two teams of 15 players. You play a game of rugby or a rugby match.
is the favorite summer sport. Amateur cricket has the same rules as the professional game. A typical amateur cricket match takes place on a village green, an open space in the centre of the village. It is played between two teams - the “home” team and the “visitors” who come from another village.
Cricket is very much the English game. A match can take five days – and still end in a draw. A form of cricket was being played 250 years ago.
Is a team game, usually played outdoors, on a cricket pitch, with a bat, a cricket ball, and stumps. There are 11 players on each team. You play a cricket match.
Golf was probably invented inHolland, but has been played inScotland for at least 400 years. At first, it was played with balls made of wood, then of leather stuffed with feathers.
Usually played by individuals, golf is played on a golf course, using several types of golf clubs and a golf ball. You play a game of golf or a round of golf.
is also one of the most popular sport games inBritain. The first rules for tennis were drawn up by the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club when it held its first tournament in theLondon suburb ofWimbledon in 1877.Wimbledon is still the world’s most famous tennis event.
Is a racquet sport played by either two players (singles) or two pairs (doubles). It is played on a court divided by a net with racquets and a tennis ball. You play a game of tennis or a tennis match.
Next to football, the main spectator sport in Britainis horse-racing . A lot of people are interested in the races and risk money on the horse which they think will win.Britain is also famous for motor-car racing, boat-racing, dog-racing, and even races for donkeys. The famous boat-race between the teams ofOxford andCambridge attracts large crowds of people.
Sports in America
Americans pay much attention to physical fitness. Many sports and sporting activities are popular in the USA. People take part in swimming, skating, skiing, squash and badminton, tennis, marathons, bowling, archery etc. But five main American sports are hockey, volleyball, baseball, football and basketball. Basketball and volleyball were invented inAmerica.
Think of your favourite sport. Whatever it is, there is a good chance that it was first played in Britain, and an even better chance that its modern rules were first codified in Britain. The public schools of the Victorian era believed that organized competitive games had many psychological benefits. These games appealed to, and developed, the British sense of "fair play". You had to be a "good loser". To be a cheat was shameful, but to lose was just "part of the game". Team games were best, because they developed "team spirit".
Modem sport in Britain is very different. "Winning isn"t everything" and "it"s only a game" are still well-known sayings, but to modern professionals, sport is clearly not just a game. These days, top players in any sport talk about having a "professional attitude" and doing their "job" well, even if, officially, their sport is still an amateur one.
Sport probably plays a more important part in people"s lives in Britain than it does in most other countries. For a very large number, this is especially true for men, it is their main form of entertainment. Millions take part in some kind of sport at least once a week. Many millions more are regular spectators and follow one or more sports. There are hours of televised sport each week. Every newspaper, national or local, quality or popular, devotes several pages entirely to sport.
Sometimes the traditions which accompany an event can seem as important as the actual sporting contest. Wimbledon, for instance, is not just a tennis tournament. It means summer fashions, strawberries and cream, garden parties and long, warm English summer evenings.
Many of such events have become world-famous. Therefore, it is not only the British who tune in to watch. The Grand National, for example, attracts a television audience of 300 million. The cup finals of other countries often have better quality and more entertaining football on view - but more Europeans watch the English Cup Final than any other. The standard of British tennis is poor, and Wimbledon is only one of the world"s major tournaments. But if you ask any top tennis player, you find that Wimbledon is the one they really want to win. Every footballer in the world dreams of playing at Wembley, every cricketer in the world of playing at Lord"s.
Wimbledon, Wembley and Lord"s are the "spiritual homes" of their respective sports.
Sport is a British export!
(from Britain, abridged)
BASEBALL
Baseball is America"s most popular sport. In a baseball game there are two teams of nine players. Players must hit a ball with a bat and then run around four bases. A player who goes around all the bases scores a run for his team. The team that finishes with more runs wins the game.
Where did baseball come from? No one knows for sure. Many people believe that the idea came from a game played by children in England. Other people believe that a man named Abner Doubleday invented the game in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839. But the first real rules of baseball were written in 1845 by Alexander Cartwright. Two teams from New York played a game following Cartwright"s rules.
The rules worked well. Soon there were many teams.
These early teams were not professional. They played only for fun, not money. But baseball was very popular from the start. Businessmen saw that they could make money with professional baseball teams.
The first professional team was started in 1869. This team was the Red Stockings of Cincinnati. Within a few years there were professional teams in other cities. In 1876 these teams came together in a league, or group, called the National League.
Текст про Great Britain – топик о Великобритании, достопримечательностях и особенностях. Написание текстов про Великобританию или устные рассказы — популярная тема в школах и университетах.
Great Britain
Текст на английском про Great Britain:
| Great Britain | |
| The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy consisting of the historical-geographical regions of England, Scotland and Wales (which together from Great Britain) and Northern Ireland, plus several smaller islands, including the Orkneys, the Shetland, the Hebrides, off the Scottish coast; the Isle of Wight, in the English Channel; the Isle of Anglesey, near the Welsh coast; the Isles of Scilly, opposite the Cape Land’s End. They are not part of the United Kingdom, but depend directly on the Crown, conserving extensive autonomy: the Isle of Man, in the Irish Sea, and the Channel Islands located in the English Channel, a short distance from the French coast. | Соединенное Королевство – конституционная монархия, состоит из историко-географических регионов , Шотландия и Уэльс (на острове Великобритания) и Северная Ирландия. В составе также нескольких небольших островов, включая Оркнейские острова, Шетландские острова, Гебриды, от шотландского побережья; остров Уайт, в Ла-Манше; остров Англси, недалеко от побережья Уэльса; архипелаг Силли, напротив мыса Лендс-Энд. Не являются частью Соединенного Королевства, но зависят напрямую от Короны, сохраняя обширную автономию: остров Мэн в Ирландском море и Нормандские острова, расположенные в Ла-Манше, недалеко от французского побережья. |
| When it comes to Great Britain, there is usually some confusion with the names. Great Britain is simply the name of the island, with an exclusively geographical value. It is also the largest island in the British archipelago. Great Britain includes Scotland, England and Wales, while the United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland. In this regard it is interesting to know that the flag of the United Kingdom is the union of three flags: England, Scotland and Ireland. | Когда разговор заходит о Великобритании обычно случается некоторая путаница с названиями. Великобритания – это просто название острова исключительно с географическим значением. Это также самый большой остров Британского архипелага. Великобритания включает Шотландию, Англию и Уэльс, в то время как Соединенное Королевство также включает Северную Ирландию. В этой связи интересно знать, что флаг Соединенного Королевства является объединением трех флагов: Англии, Шотландии и Ирландии. |
| Great Britain or the United Kingdom is a sovereign country in Western Europe with a population of around 64.5 million. The name of “United Kingdom” is none other than the acronym of “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”. | Великобритания или Соединенное Королевство – суверенная страна в Западной Европе с населением около 64,5 млн. человек. Название «Соединенное Королевство» – не что иное, как аббревиатура «Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии». |
| The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was born with the 1800 Union Act which united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland. A large part of Ireland then separated in 1922 constituting the Free State of Ireland (the current Republic of Ireland). | Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Ирландии образовалось в результате Акта об унии 1800 года, который объединил Королевство Великобритании и Королевство Ирландии. Большая часть Ирландии разделилась в 1922 году, образовав Свободное государство Ирландия (нынешняя Ирландия). |
| Although the term Great Britain refers to the island and to England, Scotland and Wales in the political value, it is in many cases used as a free synonym for the United Kingdom as a whole. | Хотя термин Великобритания относится к острову и к Англии, Шотландии и Уэльсу в политическом значении он во многих случаях используется как свободный синоним для Соединенного Королевства в целом. |
| England is the hub of Great Britain, better known to most people and where much of the administration is concentrated. | Англия – центр Британии, более известный большинству людей, где сосредоточена основная административная часть. |
| Great Britain is among the best-defined regions in Europe. | Великобритания – один из лучших регионов Европы. |
| The ancient Albion (the classical name in Gaelic) well known to Greeks and Romans like Britain (from the Latin root “fetus”, “narrow”) largely depends on the characteristics peculiar to its geographical location. | Древний Альбион (классическое название, обозначенное на гэльском языке), хорошо известный грекам и римлянам как Британия (от латинского корня «fretus», «узкий») во многом зависит от характеристик, свойственных его географическому положению. |
| Insularity and the peripheral location of Great Britain compared to continental Europe contributed to its isolation for a long time, at least until the Mediterranean became the center of world trade. | Изолированность и периферийное расположение региона по сравнению с континентальной Европой способствовали его изоляции в течение длительного времени, по крайней мере, до тех пор, пока Средиземноморье не стало центром мировой торговли. |
| Subsequently, when trade moved to the northern seas of Europe, during the reign of Elizabeth I, Great Britain underwent a profound transformation and became the driving force behind a gigantic human, political, economic and cultural expansion. | Впоследствии, когда торговля переместилась в северные моря Европы, во времена правления Елизаветы I, Великобритания претерпела глубокие преобразования и стала движущей силой гигантской человеческой, политической, экономической и культурной экспансии. |
| After opposing revolutionary France and then the Napoleonic one, Great Britain experienced a general demographic increase, an increase in agricultural productivity and, in the last part of the eighteenth century, especially in the textile and metallurgical sector. That industrial revolution affirmed Great Britain as “The workshop of the world”. | После противостояния революционной Франции, затем наполеоновской, Великобритания испытала общий демографический рост, повышение производительности сельского хозяйства, в последней части восемнадцатого века особенно в текстильном и металлургическом секторе. Эта промышленная революция утвердила Великобританию как «мастерскую мира». |
| In 1837, with the rise to the throne of Queen Victoria, Great Britain further strengthened its role as a world power but with the beginning of the new century also ended the era of its expansion. | В 1837 году, после восхождения на трон королевы Виктории, Великобритания еще больше укрепила роль мировой державы, но с началом нового века также закончилась эпоха её расширения. |
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Education in Great Britain
Образованию в Великобритании также присуща своя собственная система, описанная в тексте ниже:
| Текст на английском | Перевод |
| First of all, public education in Britain is free. The schools of Great Britain are divided into maintained (state schools) and independent (private schools). | Прежде всего, государственное образование является бесплатным. Английские школы разделены на государственные и частные. |
| Since the nineteenth century, the school system of Great Britain strongly believes in the decentralization of decisions. | С девятнадцатого века школьная система Соединенного Королевства решительно верит в децентрализацию решений. |
| Local education authorities (LEAs) in Britain are the local councils, 96 throughout the country, that are responsible for education within their jurisdiction. In fact, the LEAs administer the whole system and are responsible for ensuring that free public education is provided in an appropriate manner. | Местные органы образования – местные советы, 96 по всей стране, которые отвечают за образование в пределах своей юрисдикции. Фактически LEA управляют всей системой и несут ответственность за обеспечение того, чтобы бесплатное государственное образование предоставлялось надлежащим образом. |
| Education in Great Britain is compulsory for everyone between the ages of five and sixteen. | Образование в Соединенном Королевстве является обязательным для всех в возрасте от пяти до шестнадцати лет. |
| The phases of the English school system in Britain are three: Primary Education up to eleven years, Secondary Education up to sixteen, and Tertiary Education for those over the age of sixteen. | Этапов английской школьной системы три: начальное образование до одиннадцати лет, среднее образование до шестнадцати лет и третичное образование для лиц старше шестнадцати лет. |
| Tertiary education or postsecondary education in Great Britain is not compulsory but 90% of the total number of students continues to attend school until the age of 18 when a diploma is obtained necessary to enroll at the university. | Третичное образование не является обязательным, но 90% от общего числа учащихся продолжают посещать школу до 18 лет, когда требуется получение диплома для поступления в университет. |
| In 1988, the Education Reform Act introduced a program common to all schools with regard to fundamental subjects; at 7 and 11 years, students take exams in English, mathematics, and science. | В 1988 году Закон о реформе образования ввел программу, общую для всех школ в отношении фундаментальных предметов; в 7 и 11 лет учащиеся сдают экзамены по английскому языку, математике и естественным наукам. |
| Individual schools in Great Britain decide on methodologies and books to be adopted. Private schools in Britain are exempt from following public school guidelines but usually, they also adopt what is called the National Curriculum. | Отдельные школы принимают решение о методологиях и учебниках. Частные школы освобождаются от соблюдения руководящих принципов государственной школы, но обычно они также принимают так называемый национальный учебный план. |
| While education and vocational education systems in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are broadly similar, the Scottish education system has always been a completely separate system, with its own rules and practices. | В то время как системы образования и профессионального образования в Англии, Уэльсе и Северной Ирландии в целом сходны, шотландская система образования всегда была полностью отдельной системой с собственными правилами и практикой. |
| Learning is based on experiences, group work and highly stimulating activities that require the full participation of each student. | Обучение основано на опыте, групповой работе и высоко стимулирующих действиях, требующих полного участия каждого ученика. |
| One of the strengths of the educational system in Great Britain is a great collaboration with the parents of the students. The family is always and continuously involved in the process of learning their child. | Одной из сильных сторон английской системы является хорошее сотрудничество с родителями. Семья всегда и постоянно участвует в процессе обучения своего ребенка. |
Закончить текст или сочинение об образовании в Великобритании помогут такие слова:
The United Kingdom has been a learning center for the last 1000 years and has many ancient and distinguished universities. Соединенное Королевство было учебным центром на протяжении последних 1000 лет и имеет много древних и выдающихся университетов.
Holidays in Great Britain
Еще одна тема для написания текста или рассказа.
Текст о праздниках в Великобритании:
| Текст на английском | Перевод |
| Christmas: December 25th. Certainly in the month of December Great Britain gives its best by combining the Christian culture with the most ancient Celtic tradition. For example, it is easy to meet in the streets children’s choirs singing Christmas carols and twigs of mistletoe and holly, which for the ancient priests were a sign of immortality. | — 25 декабря. Конечно, в декабре месяце Соединенное Королевство приложит все усилия, объединяя христианскую культуру с древнейшей кельтской традицией. Например, на улицах легко встретить детские хоры, поющие рождественские гимны и веточки омелы и падуба, которые для древних священников были признаком бессмертия. |
| In Great Britain nothing unnecessary should be left in the house the first day of the year, not even the trash, also it is said that the first male person who will enter the front door will bring good luck. | В Великобритании ничего лишнего не нужно оставлять в доме в первый день года, даже в мусорном ведре, также говорится, что первый мужчина, который войдет во входную дверь, принесет удачу. |
| St. George: 23 April. Day of the Patron Saint of England. On this day citizens of Great Britain wear a red rose in honor of their patron. | Св. Георгий: 23 апреля. День святого покровителя Англии. В этот день граждане носят красную розу в честь своего покровителя. |
| Easter in Great Britain and throughout the United Kingdom is without a doubt one of the most meaningful Christian holidays. From England to Ireland, from Wales to Scotland, Easter is honored with a myriad of rituals, customs, special and interesting folk events. | Пасха в Англии и во всем Соединенном Королевстве, без сомнения, является одним из самых значимых христианских праздников. Из Англии к Ирландии, от Уэльса до Шотландии, Пасха удостоена множества ритуалов, обычаев, особых и интересных народных событий. |
| Spring Festival (Last Monday of May). Great Britain, influenced by the Celts, relates the spring equinox to a sequence of events aimed at propitiating the “new beginning”. It is the ceremony that celebrates Ostara, the Germanic goddess of productivity, to whom one is directed for a good harvest. | Весенний фестиваль (последний понедельник мая). Соединенное Королевство, под влиянием кельтов, связывает весеннее равноденствие с последовательностью событий, направленных на умиротворение «нового начала». Это церемония, посвященная Остаре, германской богине производительности, которая направляет к хорошему урожаю. |
| The English Labor Day in Great Britain throws its roots into an ancient tradition that of the peasants to gather in May in the town square where dances and songs celebrated the fertility of the land and the abundant work by dancing around the May Pole, hoisted in the center of the square. | Английский День Труда имеет корни в древней традиции; крестьяне собираются в мае на городской площади, танцами и песнями отмечают плодородие земли и обильную работу, танцуя вокруг Майского дерева, поднятого в центре площади. |
| Bank Holidays in Great Britain. There are eight (in the periods of May, August, Christmas and Saint Stephen, New Year and Easter) whose dates vary from year to year. | Банковские праздники. Их восемь (в мае, августе, Рождество и Святой Стефан, Новый год и Пасха), чьи даты варьируются от года к году. |
| Boxing Day (St. Stephens Day): December 26th. In the nineteenth century, wealthy English families gave their employees gifts received at Christmas which were not to their liking. | День подарков (День Святого Стефана): 26 декабря. В девятнадцатом веке богатые английские семьи дарили своим работниками подарки, полученные на Рождество, которые им не нравились. |
| The school calendar in Great Britain varies from year to year and is different depending on the school. Specifically, there are differences between local state schools and private schools. Traditionally there are three quarters in Great Britain, with short half-term holidays and a longer summer break. | Школьный календарь варьируется от года к году и отличается в зависимости от школы. В частности, существуют различия между местными государственными школами и частными школами. Традиционно есть три четверти, с короткими полусрочными праздниками и более длинным летним перерывом. |
Sports in Great Britain
| Текст на английском | Перевод |
| A cultural element that should not be underestimated in Great Britain is that of a sport. In general. The whole United Kingdom is particularly interested in the sporting tradition but in England, tradition is combined with excellence. | Культурный элемент, который нельзя недооценивать в Англии, – это . В целом, все Соединенное Королевство особенно интересуется спортивными традициями, но в Англии сочетаются с превосходством. |
| Without a doubt, football is among the sports in Great Britain. The English Championship is run by the Football Association and is the oldest club football league in the world: it was first played in 1888-1889 even though the English Football Association was founded in 1863. | Без сомнения, футбол является одним из английских видов спорта. Чемпионат по футболу возглавляет Футбольная ассоциация и является самой старой клубной футбольной лигой в мире: его впервые сыграли в 1888-1889 годах, хотя Английская футбольная ассоциация была основана в 1863 году. |
| Second sport in terms of fans is Rugby. The administrative body of Rugby in Great Britain is the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and its offices are located in Twickenham and Middlesex. | Второй спорт с точки зрения болельщиков — регби. Административным органом регби в Англии является Футбольный союз регби, а его офисы расположены в Твикенхеме и Миддлсексе. |
| Definitely, the most autochthonous sport in Britain is Cricket. It is a very old sport, played between two teams of eleven players. | Определенно, самым автохтонным видом спорта в Англии является Крикет. Это очень старый вид спорта, в который играют две команды из одиннадцати игроков. |
| Among the most followed sports in Great Britain, there is the Golf. In reality, sport originated in Scotland in the fifteenth century but later spread throughout Great Britain. | Среди самых популярных видов спорта в Англии Гольф. В действительности спорт возник в Шотландии в пятнадцатом веке, но позже распространился по всей Великобритании. |
| Britain is lucky to have one of the world’s leading tennis tournaments, Wimbledon. Wimbledon is in June when there is the best weather in the UK. It is traditional for spectators to eat strawberries with cream while watching the matches. | Англии повезло с одним из ведущих теннисных турниров мира, Уимблдоном. Уимблдон проходит в июне, когда в Великобритании лучшая погода. Для зрителей традиционно есть клубнику со сливками, наблюдая за матчами. |
| We talk about equitation as “The sport of Kings”. The Queen of Great Britain is a big fan of horse riding and she herself owns some racehorses. It always takes part in the Royal Ascot, the main event of the year; in fact, it has taken the attribute “royal” for this very reason. | Мы говорим о верховой езде как «Королевском спорте». Королева – большой поклонник верховой езды, и она сама владеет скаковыми лошадьми. Она всегда принимает участие в Королевском Аскоте, главном событии года; на самом деле он получил название «королевский» именно по этой причине. |
| In the early eighteenth century, the English boxer James Figg (1695-1740) conceived boxing as a sport where it was more important to defend one than to attack. | В начале восемнадцатого века английский боксер Джеймс Фигг (1695-1740) задумал бокс как спорт, где было более важно защититься, чем атаковать. |
| Loughborough University means the best sport in Great Britain and one of the best in the world. It has an Olympic pool, two gymnastic and sports centers, fields for rugby, hockey, and cricket. | Университет Лафборо означает лучший спорт в Великобритании и один из лучших в мире. Он имеет олимпийский бассейн, два гимнастических и спортивных центра, поля для регби, хоккей и крикет. |
| The Royal London Yacht Club, established in 1838, is one of the oldest and most prestigious yacht clubs in Britain. | Королевский лондонский яхт-клуб, основанный в 1838 году, является одним из старейших и престижных яхт-клубов Великобритании. |
| For sailing enthusiasts, there are countries that seem to know forever, because they are inextricably linked to the history of this sport. One of these is certainly Great Britain and in particular, the coasts that overlook the Channel and the Atlantic, where there are famous ports such as Plymouth or Southampton, not to mention the Isle of Wight, theater of prestigious competitions. | Для поклонников парусного спорта есть страны, которые, кажется, известны всегда, так как они неразрывно связаны с историей этого вида спорта. Одной из них, безусловно, является Великобритания и, в частности, берега, выходящие на Канал и Атлантику, где есть знаменитые порты, такие как Плимут или Саутгемптон, не говоря уже об Острове Уайта. |
Текст про Лондон на английском
Про Great Britain с переводом на русский, рассмотренные в статье, станут отличными помощниками тем, кто не знает о чем написать или рассказать и познакомят с главными особенностями страны.
Think of your favourite sport. Whatever it is, there is a good chance that it was first played in Britain, and an even better chance that its modern rules were first codified in Britain. The public schools of the Victorian era believed that organized competitive games had many psychological benefits. These games appealed to, and developed, the British sense of «fair play». You had to be a «good loser». To be a cheat was shameful, but to lose was just «part of the game». Team games were best, because they developed «team spirit».
Modern sport in Britain is very different. “Winning isn’t everything” and «it’s only a game» are still well-known sayings, but to modern professionals, sport is clearly not just a game. These days, top players in any sport talk about having a «professional attitude» and doing their «job» well, even if, officially, their sport is still an amateur one.
Sport probably plays a more important part in people’s lives in Britain that it does in most other countries. For a very large number, this is especially true for men, it is their main form of entertainment. Millions take part in some kind of sport at least once a week. Many millions more are regular spectators and follow one or more sports. One of the chief spectator sports in British life is horse-racing. Lots of people are interested in the races and risk money on the horse which they think will win. The Derby is perhaps the most famous single sporting event.
There are hours of televised sport each week. Every newspaper, national or local, quality or popular, devotes several pages entirely to sport.
Sometimes the traditions which accompany an event can seem as important as the actual sporting contest. Wimbledon, for instance, is not just a tennis tournament. It means summer fashions, all white, strawberries and cream, garden parties and long, warm English summer evenings.
Many of such events have become world-famous. Therefore, it is not only the British who tune in to watch. The Grand National, for example, attracts a television audience of 300 million. The cup finals of other countries often have better quality and more entertaining football on view – but more Europeans watch the English Cup Final than any other. The standard of British tennis is poor, and Wimbledon is only one of the world’s major tournaments. But if you ask any top tennis player, you find that Wimbledon is the one they really want to win. Every footballer in the world dreams of playing at Wembley, every cricketer in the world of playing at Lord’s. Wimbledon, Wembley and Lord’s are the “spiritual homes” of their respective sports.
Sport is a British export!
TEXT 12. Read and translate the text. Be ready to discuss.
Four Characters of the British
It is interesting to know something about the people who live in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The best way of describing them to you is to «invent» four different characters on our own. They are Michael Wallingford-Smith, from England; Paddy O’Donoghue, from Ireland; Robby McGregor, from Scotland; David Jones, from Wales.
The stories about them are meant to be funny.
What Is an Englishman?
This is Michael Wallingford-Smith. He is an Englishman. He was born on November 23 rd, 1960. He lives in a small country town outside London. Every morning, he goes to his local station, buys a copy of The Times and catches the 8.14 train to London. (He says: «I catch the 8.14 to Town».)
Mr. Wallingford-Smith works there for a bank in the City. He has worked there for twenty-four years, and he has never missed the 8.14 train. Mr. Wallingford-Smith has a pretty wife, called Marion. They have two children: a boy, called Mark, who is thirteen, and a girl, called Sylvia, who is nineteen. Mark goes to the same school his father went to, and Sylvia is engaged to a young man who also works for a bank in the City.
Mr. Wallingford-Smith likes: The Times, the Queen, money, people who call him «Sir», big dogs, and his umbrella.
He doesn’t like: the Rolling Stones, and girls in mini-skirts.
What Is an Irishman?
This is Paddy O’Donoghue. He is an Irishman. He was born on March 15th, 1963.
Paddy lives in a grey brick house with five rooms, in Dublin, the capital of Southern Ireland. He dislikes work very much; if he didn’t have to work, he would be a very happy man. He says: «Well, you see, I’ve got a wife and six children and they all need food and clothes». So to earn money, Paddy writes about horse-racing every week for a Dublin newspaper.
Paddy loves talking and telling stories. If he didn’t have to work every day, he says, he knows exactly what he would do: he would get up late in the morning and eat a big plate of bacon for breakfast. He would then go to his favourite «pub» and have three glasses of beer, and tell everybody what he did the day before. In the evening, he would have a big meal and then dance and sing with his wife, and friends.
Paddy likes: a good fight, his coloured ties, the bar-maid in the pub, singing, beer, and Ireland.
He doesn’t like: rich Englishmen, people who don’t listen to his stories, and work.
What Is a Scotsman?
This is Robby McGregor. He is a Scotsman. He was born on August 6th, 1965.
Robby’s house is in the hills, in the north of Scotland. He is married and has three children – all boys. He is very proud of his kilt and the McGregor family tartan. He goes to work every day wearing trousers but he wears a kilt at the weekend and on special occasions.
Robby works in a factory which makes tartans. He says: «Only true Scotsmen should wear the kilt. I am a true Scotsman».
Robby, like most Scotsmen, is a proud man. He likes to work hard and earn a lot of money, but doesn’t like to spend it. (He always feels guilty if he goes out for an evening and enjoys himself.)
Robby’s youngest son is learning to play the bagpipes – Scotland’s traditional instrument. This makes Robby feel very proud. The bagpipes, however, are a difficult instrument to play: they sound beautiful if someone plays them well but they sound horrible if a learner tries to play them.
Robby likes: his kilt, fishing, Scotch whisky, and the Highland Games.
He dislikes: people who say he looks stupid in his kilt, the English, and people who wear kilts and are not Scotsmen.
What Is a Welshman?
This is David Jones. He is a Welshman. He was born on March 1st, 1958.
David lives in a mining village in South Wales. Most of the men in his village work in a coal-mine. Every day, after work, they meet in «The Black Spade» and drink and sing together. David loves to sing: he sings in chapel every Sunday, and he sings in the coal-mine when he is working. David’s wife, Glynis, says: «He sings in his bath every night, too».
David speaks Welsh, his country’s language. But if he speaks Welsh in England, Ireland or Scotland, nobody can understand him. He thinks that everybody should speak Welsh because it is a very musical language.
David’s eldest son, John, plays rugby for his school team; his daughter, Jenny, is learning to play the harp, the national instrument of Wales.
David sometimes takes his wife and children to London, but he thinks it is too big. He doesn’t like London very much because none of his friends live there, and there are no mountains in London.
David likes: music, poetry, fresh air, singing in the bath, his family, and his friends in the coal-mine.
He doesn’t like: people who say the Welsh language is old-fashioned, big cities, and English cuisine.
TEXT 13. Read and translate. Name 3 things you associate with the English.
