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Author: Кощеева Н.Е.
Tags: английский язык лингвистика английский языкознание сборник тестов
Year: 1986
Text
ПК h’vpcbl
CEOPHUK
ТЕКСТОВ
для
дополнительного
чтения
но английском
языке
ГОСКУРСЫ
СБОРНОЙ
текстов
для
дополнительного
чтения
но английском
языке
II КУРС
Составитель Н. Е. Кощеева
ИЗДАНИЕ ЧЕТВЕРТОЕ
МОСКВА
«ПРОСВЕЩЕНИЕ»
1986
ББК 81.2Англ
С 23
СБОРНИК ТЕКСТОВ
ДЛЯ ДОПОЛНИТЕЛЬНОГО ЧТЕНИЯ НА АНГЛИЙСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ
Составитель
Нинель Евстафьевна Кощеева
Зав. редакцией Л. М. Узунова
Редакторы А. С. Кулешова, Ф. И. Юрасова
Художественный редактор И. В. Короткова
Технический редактор И. Е. Хилобок
Корректоры О. М. Алтухова, О. В. Мокрович
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Сборник текстов для дополнительного чтения на английском
С23 языке: II курс/Сост. Н. Е. Кощеева; Гос. центр, курсы заоч.
обучения иностр, яз. «ИН-ЯЗ».— 4-е изд.— Мл Просвещение,
1986.—48 с.
Пособие предназначено для учащихся II курса Госкурсов «ИН-ЯЗ» в качестве до-
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Все тексты снабжены словарем и комментарием, а в конце каждого раздела помещены
упражнения е ключом.
4309000000—832
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Государственные центральные курсы заочного обучения «ИН-ЯЗ»,
1986, с изменениями
От автора
Учебное пособие для дополнительного чтения на английском языке
представляет собой тематический сборник текстов, при составлении
которого широко использовались оригинальные материалы: отрывки
из литературных произведений английских авторов, статьи из газет
и журналов, пословицы, поговорки и шутки, иллюстрирующие и
дополняющие соответствующие темы.
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английского национального характера, с происхождением и содержа-
нием многих интересных традиций, связанных с так называемым бри-
танским образом жизни.
Англо-русский словарь с фонетической транскрипцией и краткий
лексический комментарий помещены параллельно текстам.
Рекомендуется вначале прочитать тексты, затем выполнить все
упражнения, расположенные в конце каждого раздела. Это будет
способствовать закреплению новой лексики, поможет лучше освоить
содержание прочитанного. Очень полезным видом упражнений яв-
ляется устный пересказ содержания отдельных глав.
Письменные отчеты по дополнительному чтению (№ 1, 2) необхо-
димо направлять на проверку два раза в год согласно соответствую-
щему графику. Задания к отчетам высылаются отдельно.
Part I
ENGLISH NATIONAL CHARACTER
INTRODUCTION
generous ['dsenaras] великодуш-
ный, благородный, щедрый
open-hearted ['oupan,hcr.tid] чи-
стосердечный, великодушный
amorous ['amoros] влюбчивый
light-minded ['lait'mamdid] лег-
комысленный
efficient [I'fijont] умелый, зна-
ющий свое дело
boastful ['boastful] хвастливый
technical-minded ['teknikal-
'mamdid] увлеченный техни-
кой
easy-going ['i:zi,going] добродуш-
но-веселый, беззаботный
superiority [sju^pion'onti] пре-
восходство
conscious of ['кэп Jas] сознающий
contemptuous [kon'temptjuos]
презрительный
haughty ['hodi] высокомерный
reserved [n'zo:vd] сдержанный
luxury ['lAkjonl роскошь
Almost every nation has a reputation
of some kind. For example, it has been
generally recognized that the Russian
people are generous, open-hearted, kind;
the Spaniards are said to be noble and
very proud; the French are supposed to be
amorous, gay and light-minded. We say
that the Germans are very efficient but
rather dull; the Americans—boastful, ener-
getic, technical-minded and easy-going.
Now, what about the English?
What is a typical Englishman like?
Many people, especially those who nev-
er lived in England, picture the English-
man so:
A tall, slim, fair-haired gentleman,
with regular aristocratic features and a
look of superiority in his blue eyes;
conscious of his historic mission “to
rule the world”;
contemptuous of all other, non-Eng-
lish, nations;
formal, cold, haughty, very reserved
even in his relations with his fellow Eng-
lishmen;
living in reasonable luxury in his sub-
urban country house which is supposed
to be his “castle” and going on short
round-the-world trips in a private yacht,
now and then, like Sir Francis Chichester,
just to prove that Britain still remains the
country of great sailors;
very conservative in his political and
social views;
4
welF-bred ['wel'bred] воспитан-
ный
taciturn ['taesito:n] молчаливый
praise [preiz] похвала
admiration [,aedmo'rei Jon] во-
схищение
true to fact достоверный
erroneous [frounjos] ошибочный
feature ['ffctja] особенность,
характерная черта
trait характерная черта, осо-
бенность, свойство
well-bred, polite, quiet, taciturn, reti-
cent in speech;
fond of sports and animals;
and at last, possessing a great sense of
humour, a special “English type” of hu-
mour, often difficult to understand for
foreigners.
Many books and articles have been
written on this subject by different au-
thors, both English, giving first-hand
information, and foreign, who have lived
in Britain long dnough to know.
Some of them are full of praise and
admiration for this country and its
people, others are rather critical; some
present a serious study of the subject,
others are just humorous; some are true
to fact, others may be erroneous.
All of them help us to better under-
stand and get to know these people.
Only you must not have the illusion
that all the Englishmen are alike. They are
not. And yet. We have every right to
speak of and describe the English national
character for there are certain and very
definite traits and features, typical for
and characteristic of the English people.
In this book we shall consider some of
them.
1. ARE THEY ALL SNOBS?
quality ['kwoliti] качество
self-satisfaction ['self,saetis'faek-
Jon] самодовольство
fatuous ['faetjuos] бессмысленный
serene [si'rfcn] спокойный, без-
мятежный
sense of superiority [sjw,pian-
' oriti] чувство превосходства
syn superiority complex [sju:-
,piori'oriti 'kompleks]
adj superior to [sju/piono]
insular ['insjula] замкнутый
oppressed угнетенный
ruthless ['nrelis] безжалостный
imprint ['imprint] отпечаток
to be precise [pn'sais] чтобы
быть точным
Most commentators on the English
character agree over one quality, which
they describe as fatuous self-satisfaction,
serene sense of superiority, or insular
pride.
The fact is that for centuries the Eng-
lish had lived in a privileged situation,
when Great Britain ruled the seas and
continents.
They felt superior to the native people,
oppressed and ruthlessly exploited by
them. They felt themselves and acted as
“masters” in their numerous colonies in
Africa, India, Malaya, Australia, etc.
This might have left a certain imprint
on their character, or to be more precise,
5
ruling caste ['rudirj'kcust] правя-
щая каста
notorious [nou'toTios] преслову-
тый
satirize ['saetoraiz] высмеивать
haughtiness ['ho:tims] высоко-
мерие
arrogance [' aerogons] надмен-
ность, высокомерие
unassuming ['Ano'sjwmiij] скром-
ный, непритязательный
on the character of those belonging to the
ruling caste.
Hence the notorious snobbery and
superiority complex of the English aris-
tocracy, so often and well satirized by the
English writers, such as Ch. Dickens,
O. Wilde, J. Galsworthy, G. B. Shaw
and others.
Snobbery, haughtiness, arrogance,
self-satisfaction may be the distinctive
features of the upper and privileged mid-
dle classes of the British society.
But the common people in England
are simple, unassuming and modest by
nature.
2. RESERVE AND COLDNESS
reserve [n'zo:v] сдержанность
adj reserved
with regard to по отношению к
hospitable ['hospitobl] гостепри-
имный
warm-hearted l'wo:m'ha:tid] до-
бродушный
apparent [o'p aeront] кажущийся
companionable [kom'paenjonobl]
общительный
syn sociable ['soujobl]
suppose [so'pouz] предполагать
virtue ['vodju:] добродетель
yell [jel] кричать
boo [bud возглас неодобрения
boo v кричать в знак неодобре-
ния
approve [э'рпи] одобрять
ant disapprove [' diso' pruv]
There is a common illusion that the
British are cold and reserved.
It may be true with regard to the upper
classes. But the common people in England
are as friendly, hospitable and warm-heart-
ed as in any other country. The apparent
coldness of the Englishmen and their
reserve have been often noted by foreign-
ers, but foreigners also confess that they
find English reserve not unpleasant and
that when one gets to know an Englishman
he turns out to be a very companionable
fellow.
Moreover, these supposedly quiet and
reserved Britons lose this virtue complete-
ly at stadiums. They shout and yell as
much as any other nation, especially if
their side is losing. The crowd boos, if it
disapproves and cheers, if it approves of
the team.
3. SPORTING NATION
pastime ['pcustaim] развлечение,
приятное времяпрепровожде-
ние
leisure ['legal time свободное вре-
мя
Most Englishmen regard themselves
as sportsmen. England is the country of
sports, though this pastime has long been
the privilege of the upper classes who had
enough means and leisure time to hunt,
6
yacht [ jot J яхта
yachting ['jotig] яхтенный спорт
sport-conscious ['spo:t'konjas] ув-
леченный спортом
spirit ['spirit] моральный дух
stand one’s ground отстаивать
свою позицию
withstand [wid'staend] выстоять,
выдержать
motto ['motou] девиз
be accustomed to [o'kAstamd]
иметь привычку, быть приу-
ченным
conception [кэп'sepJn] понятие
the ups and downs of life взлеты
и падения (удачи и неудачи)
play cricket, tennis, go in for yachting,
swimming, etc.
They had their clubs, closed for out-
siders. But somehow this monopoly of the
rich over the sphere of sport had been brok-
en through. Sport has become national
pastime.
Many sports and games have been
invented or perfected in Britain: football,
rugby, cricket, golf, hockey, tennis, box-
ing and others.
The British are a sport-conscious na-
tion. The psychological result is the sport-
ing spirit of the people, their will to over-
come, the ability to resist, to stand firm
their ground, to withstand.
The motto of the English sportsmen is:
“Win as if you were accustomed to it;
lose as if you liked it”, or, in other words,
“Be a good loser”. And this motto does
not refer to sport alone. This is their idea,
their conception of meeting and treating
the ups and downs of life.
Many people on the Continent think
that life is a game; the English think
cricket is a game.
Never say die.
When everything is lost. future still
remains.
4» SELF-POSSESSION
self-possession ['selfpo'zej’on] са-
мообладание
i.e.— id est лат. то есть
emergency [I'maxfeonsi] чрезвы-
чайное положение
pay tribute ['pei'tnbjud] отда-
вать должное
staunchness ['sto:ntjnis] стой-
кость
reliability [rijaio'bihti] надеж-
ность
adj reliable [rflaisblj
fortitude ['fo:titju:d] твердость
The traditional quality of the English-
man is self-possession, i.e. the ability
not to lose his head or panic, but remain
quiet and with clear mind in the situation
of emergency, at a moment of crisis, per-
sonal or national. It is considered to be
very un-English to lose one’s head in such
a situation.
Many military leaders paid tribute to
the staunchness and reliability of the
British soldiers in battle. We remember
the courage and fortitude displayed by
the people of London during the German
air-blitz in the Second World War. They
7
take the challenge ['tfaelinds]
принять вызов
waver t'weiva] поколебаться
prove the point доказать поло-
жение
violent ['vaiolontj storm силь-
ней шторм
emerge [I'mardg] появиться
casually f'kaesjuoh] зд. как ни в
чем не бывало
due to the neglect по недосмотру
at large на свободе
get excited разволноваться
alarm [a'lcum] тревога
match подходить (к одежде)
“took the challenge”, as they used to say,
and never wavered.
There are many true stories and jokes
to illustrate and prove this point.
Here are some of them.
A steamboat was crossing the English
Channel in a violent storm. An English-
man was blown off overboard. His head
emerged just once. He looked calmly at
his friend on the deck and remarked
somewhat casually: “Rather windy, isn’t
it?”
Due to the neglect of some circus at-
tendants, a lion found himself at large
and entered one of the London bookshops.
Nobody seemed to notice him. At last
he came up to one of the customers who
was busy choosing records and rubbed his
back against his legs. The man looked
down but he didn’t scream at the top
of his voice. He said: “Oh, this is a lion.”
There was a fire in the middle of the
night at a country house, and as some of
the guests were standing outside watching
the flames another guest joined them.
“There was no need for you people to
get so excited,” he said. “Now look at me.
When I heard the alarm I got out of bed,
lit a cigarette and went on calmly with
my dressing. In fact, when I had put on
my tie, I thought it didn’t match my
shirt very well, so I took it off and put on
another. I didn’t lose my head at all.
I always keep cool in a crisis.” “That’s
good,” said one of his friends. “But why
didn’t you put your trousers on?”
5. RETICENCE IN SPEECH
reticence ['retisonsl сдержанность
adj reticent
survive [so'vaiv] остаться в жи-
вых
earthquake ['a:ekweik] землетря-
сение
The English are short-spoken people,
they are men of few words.
After surviving an earthquake, a nar-
row escape from a violent forest fire or an
attack of wild beasts, it would be very
English to remark: “Sorry to have come
8
narrow escape ['naerouis'keip] на волосок от reveal [n'vld] раскрыть complain [ksm'plein} жаловать- ся pay compliments говорить ком- плименты mumble промямлить kneel down ['nid'daun] стано- виться на колени ravishing ['raevi Jiq] восхититель- ный peculiar [pi'kjudjs] особенный emphasis ['emfosis] ударение, сила passion ['paejn] страсть fancy ['faensi] любить, нравить- ся adore [o'do:} боготворить late. I was detained on my way here.” And to say no more, no details of the un- happy or tragic incident would be re- vealed or expected. The English women complain that because of this manner of speech English husbands cannot pay compliments. Even if a woman looks splendid in her new evening dress, her husband may just mumble: “You look nice tonight.” If a continental youth wants to declare his love to a girl, he kneels down, tells her that she is the sweetest, the most ravishing and charming person in the world, that she has something in her, something peculiar and individual, that he will be unable to live one more minute without her. Often, to give more emphasis to the statement, he shoots himself on the spot. This is a normal, week- day declaration of love in the more temper- amental continental countries. In Eng- land the boy'pats his adored one on her back and says softly: “I don’t object to you, you know.” If he is quite mad with passion, he may add: “I rather fancy you, in fact.”
Diogenes [dai'odsini-zj Диоген, греческий философ (412— 323 гг. до нашей эры) We have two ears and only one tongue, in order that we may hear more and speak less. (Diogenes)
owl [aul] сова, филин A wise old owl sat in an oak; The more he heard the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard. Oh, wasn’t he a wise old bird? 6. MODESTY
modesty ['modisti} скромность adj modest ['modist] assert [o'sod] утверждать self-assured I'selfo'juod] само- уверенный, самонадеянный It is bad manners in England to be clever, to show off, to assert something confidently. It may be your personal view that two and two make four, but you must not state it in a self-assured way, because this is a democratic country and others may be of a different opinion...
9
a tail-question sdt идущий сле-
дом вопрос
the Peace Treaty of Utrecht
Утрехтский мирный договор
the War of Spanish Succession
[sok'sejon] война за Испан-
ское наследство
Pascal Б. Паскаль, французский
математик и философ (1623—
1662)
pompous ['pompos] высокопар-
ный, напыщенный
not permissible [po'misibl] не-
позволительный
profound [pro'faund] глубокий
The English like to use such expres-
sions as:
— I believe...
— It seems to me...
— I think...
And even after starting the sentence
in this way they finish it with a tail-
question:
...isn’t it?
...don’t you?
...aren’t they?
A continental gentleman seeing a nice
panorama may remark:
“This view rather reminds me of Ut-
recht, where the peace treaty concluding
the War of Spanish Succession was signed
on the 11th of April, 1713. The river there,
however, recalls the Guadalquivir, which
is 650 kilometres long and flows southwest
to the Atlantic Ocean. Oh, rivers! What
did Pascal say about them?” And he would
quote Pascal, in French, of course: “Les
rivieres s.ont les chemins qui marchent...”
This 'pompous, showing-off way of
speaking is not permissible in England.
The Englishman is modest and simple. He
uses but few words and expresses so much—
but so much—with them. An Englishman
looking at the same view would remain
silent for two or three hours and think
about how to put his profound feeling into
words. Then he would remark:
“It’s pretty, isn’t it?”
Advice to a Young Man Going to England
by Andre Maurois
mysterious [mis'tionos] таинст-
венный
venture ['ventjo] затея, аван-
тюра
gulf i длИ] пропасть
be reassured Jusd] зд. ус-
покойтесь
blame обвинять
regrettable [ri'gretobl] прискорб-
ный
inoffensive [,ino'fensiv] без-
обидный
You are going to live in a far country,
far not in distance, but in customs and
ideas. You are going to live in a difficult
and mysterious country. For the first few
days you will think: “This venture is hope-
less, I shall never get to know them, the
gulf is too wide.” Be reassured. The gulf
can be crossed.
Do not talk too much until you have
found your depth. No one there will
blame you for silence. When you have not
io
opened your mouth for three years, they
will think: “This is a nice quiet fellow.”
Be modest. An Englishman will say,
“I have a little house in the country.”
When he invites you to stay with him, you
will discover that the little house is a
place with three hundred bedrooms.
If you are a world tennis-champion, say,
“Yes, I don’t play too badly.” If you have
crossed the Atlantic alone in a small
boat, say, “I do a little sailing.”
If you have written books, say nothing
at all. They will find out by themselves, in
time, this regrettable but inoffensive
weakness. They will laugh and say: “Now
we know all about you.” And they will
be pleased with you.
Golden rule: Never ask questions.
For six months during the War I lived in
the same tent with an Englishman: he
never asked me if I was married, what
I did in peace time, or what were the
books I was reading under his nose.
7. COURTESY AND POLITENESS
courtesy ['ko:tisi] учтивость, об-
ходительность, этикет, пра-
вила вежливости
adj courteous ['ko:tjos]
politeness [ps'laitnis] вежливость
adj polite
ant impolite
behaviour [bi'heivjo] поведение
syn conduct
disagree [,diss'gri:] не соглашать-
ся
ant agree
disagreeable [,disa'griobl] свар-
ливый, неприятный
fame слава, известность
rude [ru:d] грубый
n rudeness
call names ругать, обзывать
The English say: “Life is short, but
there is always time for courtesy.” They
know how to be courteous, how to show
their respect for women.
An Englishman, who considers him-
self a real gentleman, never forgets to rise
when a lady comes up to him, or simply ad-
dresses him. He will never remain seated
when a lady is standing.
“Ladies first” is the golden rule of every
gentleman, and it is being followed.
Then the English also say:
“A gentleman is a man, who can disa-
gree without being disagreeable.” What do
they mean?
George Mikes, a Hungarian writer, who
has lived in England for a long time and
made fame describing the English and
their way of life, says this:
“It is very easy to be rude on the Conti-
nent. You just shout and call names, most-
ly of a zoological character.
2*
11
obvious I'obvias] очевидный
adv obviously
apply [a'plai] обращаться
unorthodox I'An'oieadoks] не-
стандартный
commissionaire [l^mijo'nea]
швейцар
grim мрачный
adv grimly
how queer [kwio] как странно
syn how strange
subordinates [sa'bsdnits] под-
чиненные
customer ['kAstama] покупатель
highway шоссе
passer-by прохожий
in trouble в беде
run counter противоречить
generally accepted общеприня-
тый
In England rudeness has quite a dif-
ferent technique. If someone tells you an
obviously untrue story, on the Continent
you would remark ‘You are a liar, Sir, and
a rather dirty one at that’. In England
you just say ‘Oh, is that so?’ or ‘That’s
rather an unusual story, isn’t it?’
When some years ago, knowing ten
words of English and using them all wrong,
I applied for a translator’s job, my would-
be employer (or would-be-not employer)
softly remarked: ‘I am-afraid your Eng-
lish is somewhat unorthodox,’ This trans-
lated into any continental language would
mean: Employer (to the commis-
sionaire): ‘Jean, kick this gentleman down
the steps!”’
Terribly rude expressions (if pro-
nounced grimly) are: “I am afraid that...”,
“I am sorry, but...”, “How queer...”, etc.
The English are polite.
You will hear the words “please”,
“sorry”, “excuse me”, “I beg your pardon”,
etc. very often.
The imperative mood is used very
seldom in everyday conversation, when
speaking to the family members, or even
less so to the subordinates.
“Give me”, “do it”, “help me”, etc. are
not in use. It would be usually:
“Would you give me, please...”
“Won’t you help me...”
“Be so kind as to do it...”
A very widely used expression is:
“What can I do for you?” or “Can I
help you?”
It is used not only in shops when the
shop assistant is speaking to the customer.
There it is a duty expression. But it would
also be used by the driver on the highway
if he sees your car standing by the side
of the road. You will hear it in the street
from a chance passer-by, if you have lost
your way and on many other occasions,
when you are, or appear to be in trouble.
It doesn’t run counter to the generally
accepted view that the English people not
only love privacy themselves but respect
it in others as well.
12
guess [ges] догадаться, зд, про-
читать
count [kaunt] считать
swear [sweo] выругаться
hit ударить
Here is an example of the English way
to be polite:
A businessman (dictating a
letter):
"‘Sir, my typist, being a lady, cannot
take down what I think of you. I, being a
gentleman, cannot even think it. But you,
being neither, can easily guess my
thoughts.”
When angry, count four*
When very angry—swear...
When you want to fight, always count a
hundred before you hit the other fellow,—
and if he is bigger than you, count a thou-
sand.
8. LOVE OF PRIVACY
privacy I'praivssi} уединение
adj private ['praivitj
interfere [/inta'fis] вмешиваться
let alone оставить в покое
mind one’s own business не вме-
шиваться в чужие дела
Intrude [in'tnrd] вторгаться
self-control самообладание
curse [ka:s] проклинать
untimely [An'taimh] несвое-
временный
afford [o'fotd] иметь возможность,
позволить себе
Му house is ту castle.
The English try, if possible, not to
interfere in other people’s affairs. And they
expect others to let them alone and mind
their own business.
Much has been said about this typically
English feature. They do like privacy.
Everyone knows the phrase: “An English-
man’s house is his castle.”
Nowadays it is still true. In the sense
that no one is supposed to intrude or
even call on you without due invitation or
previous agreement.
You may be very busy preparing your
thesis or some kind of report, or tired,
or unwell when suddenly your friends call
on you. You certainly try to be polite
and welcome them as heartily as your
self-control permits you. But at heart you
may be cursing them for this untimely vis-
it. Na such thing would happen in Eng-
land.
The English try to live in their own
houses (if they can afford it), preferably in
the country. If they have to live in the
city, in a big house, they like to have
13
hedge [beds] (живая) изгородь
boundary ['baundsn] граница
virtue ['vo’tju:] достоинство, до-
бродетель
bring about приводить к, по-
рождать
breed порождать
indifference [in'difrsns] безраз-
личие
Brotherhood of Good Samaritans
Общество добрых самаритян
lonely одинокий
distress горе, беда, несчастье
purpose ['po:pss] цель
be engaged in быть занятым
Petticoat Lane Market извест-
ный лондонский рынок
their own entrance and at least a small
lawn in front on their part of the house.
There would be no fence around it, only
a green hedge, showing the boundaries
somehow. That’s one of the reasons why
flats in England were built not horizon-
tally but vertically. When you come to
London all along the highway you can
see two or three-storeyed houses painted
in many colours with almost as many doors
as windows. Now things are different, of
course, you cannot do it in modern many-
storeyed buildings.
Love of privacy is not so bad in itself.
And the respect for other people’s private
life is certainly a virtue.
But privacy brings about and breeds
egotism. Very often the people, who are
ready to help one another in trouble, show
strange indifference to other people’s
joys. On holidays the streets of our cities
are full of joyous people. In England they
are empty. Everybody is at home, in the
small family circle. Neighbours may live
for years without any other contacts but a
formal “Good morning” in a chance meet-
ing in the street.
In London there is a “Brotherhood of
Good Samaritans” who decided to help
lonely people by giving them a chance “to
hear a kind human voice at the moment
of distress”. So they established a special
office with a telephone number “Mansion
House 9000”.
If you have lost all hope and are ready
to do away with your life, or just feel upset,
you may dial this number and hear a
kind word of comfort. The statistics
register about 3000 daily calls to that of-
fice...
An English writer R. Morley says that
the English are a society of silent people.
With the exception of the Parliament,
where they speak too much, the Hyde
Park, where people come with the purpose
to make speeches, and the Petticoat Lane
Market, the English are sinking into the
sea of silence. If you enter an English
house, you will see a family, all separately
14
knitting I'mtig] вязание
blame винить
interlocutor [,mte'hkjuto] со-
беседник
engaged: father reading his evening news-
paper, mother doing some knitting, chil-
dren playing records or smoking. If it is
dinner time, every one is silently eating,
watching television. The most broadly
used expression in family relations is
“Shut up!” The people blame modern
science, particularly television, which,
they say, is killing the art of conversation.
People are losing the habit of personal
contacts. They speak to one another only
rarely and prefer radio, television or a
newspaper to a living interlocutor.
9. PUNCTUALITY
appointment свидание
syn date
annoy [s'noi] раздражать
An Englishman will be surprised if
you come to an appointment fifteen minutes
before your time. And he will be annoyed if
you were five minutes late.
Coming in time is essential when keep-
ing a date, whether private or business.
10. SENSE OF HUMOUR
value ['vaelju:] ценить
rest on основываться на
pull somebody’s leg подшучивать
над кем-л., морочить кому-Л.
голову
syn joke at, play jokes at
appreciate [g'prkj’ieit] оценить
по достоинству
puppet theatre кукольный театр
camera ['каешэгэ] фотоаппарат
take shots of фотографировать
syn photograph
thief [eiTl вор
The English value this quality in men
above anything else. The English humour
is ironical, often directed against oneself,
in a self-critical way. Very often it rests
on verbal battles. It is quite common to
find good friends playing jokes at each oth-
er or pulling somebody’s leg, as they call
it. The English can understand and ap-
preciate a good joke.
S. Obraztsov, a Russian actor, who
stayed with his puppet theatre in England
for several months, told the following two
stories:
“Throughout all my journey while I was
in England, I always took my camera with
me and tried to take shots of everything
I saw, particularly everyday life. One day,
I. set off for Petticoat Lane Market. One
of the passengers in the bus in which we
were travelling was gaily telling us that
this market had, for a long time, been fa-
mous for its thieves. When a woman came
15
petticoat ['petikout] нижняя юб-
ка
at reduced price по сниженной
цене
whistle ['wisl] насвистывать
interpreter [m't^pnts] перевод-
чик
grumble ворчать
expensive [iks'pensiv] дорогой
be convinced [ken'vinst] быть
убежденным, убедиться
worth [w9«e] стоящий
for ages века
hunt охотиться
lion лев
spread [spred] the news распро-
странять новость
out of the market she had been offered her
own petticoat at a reduced price, the very
same one which she had been wearing
when she came into the market. Hence
the name.
The conductor appeared to be paying
no attention to our conversation and was
whistling some tune fairly loudly. The bus
came to a stop at the market. The jolly
passenger shouted: “Good luck! You’ll
: ind something to photograph in the mar-
ket allright,” and the conductor added: “If
you’ve still got a camera...”
Again at the station, we buy tickets
to Nottingham. The cashier mentions the
price: about £ 5. “Isn’t it a bit expensive
for a three-hour journey?” asks our lady
interpreter. “Don’t grumble, miss. If you
get to Nottingham and you’re convinced
that it wasn’t worth it, you can always
come back again.”
Jokes
A speaker talking for more than two
hours said to his audience:
“I am sorry, I spoke so long. You see,
I haven’t got a watch with me.”
“Yes,” shouted one of the audience,
“but there is a calendar back of you?
“Hallo, Bob, I haven’t seen you for
ages. Where have you been all this time?”
“Hunting lions in Africa.”
“Well, but in Africa there are no lions.”
“You are quite right, I shot them all.”
“How far is your house from the sta-
tion?”
“Oh, it is only a ten-minute walk if you
run.”
“Do you know the quickest and surest
way to spread the news?”
“Telephone?”—“No.”
“Telegraph?”—“No.”
“Television?”—“No.”
“What then?”—“Tell a woman.”
16
editor ['edita] редактор contributor [kon'tribjuto] сот» рудник газеты Editor: Did you write this poem yourself? Contributor; Yes, every line of it. Editor: Then I am glad to meet you, Edgar Allan Poe. I thought you were dead long ago. “I say, Jim, do you know the differ- ence between Lord Byron and me?” “Well, I could think of a good many
dream видеть во сне differences. What is it?” “Byron woke up once to find himself famous. I often dream that I am famous, and then wake up.” “Since he lost his money half of his friends don’t know him any more.” “And the other half?” “They don’t know yet that he has lost it.” “Who was the pretty little thing 1 saw you with last night?” “Will you promise not to tell my wife?” “Sure, I promise.” “It was my wife.” Puns
pun каламбур, игра слов “Why did they hang that picture?” “Perhaps, they couldn’t find the artist.” She is a nice girl, as far as nice girls go, but nice girls don’t go far.
rap стучать order порядок, заказ entire весь beer пиво The professor rapped on his desk and shouted; “Gentlemen, order 1” The entire class yelled: “Beer!”
round of golf партия в гольф thunder ['елпдэ] загреметь “I had a round of golf with my wife this morning.” “Which won?” The husband did not reply. “Which won?” asked his friend a second time.
17
hang повесить
hang about болтаться
“Which one?” thundered the husband.
“How many wives do you think I have? Do
you take me for a Turk?”
“If you don’t marry me, Jane, I’ll
hang myself on a tree in front of your
house.”
“Oh, Johnny, don’t. You know my
father hates young men hanging about
the house.”
Improving of the Dictionary
Improve [im'pruv] улучшить
advertize ['aedvotaiz] объявлять,
рекламировать
advertizing ['«dvotaizirj рек-
лама
long for страстно желать
worry I'wAri] беспокоиться
stout [staut] полный, тучный
mink coat ['miijkkout] норко-
вая шуба
wedding ring обручальное коль-
цо
device [di'vais] прибор
design [di'zain] предназначать
bore [Ьэ:] надоедать
n bore скука, скучный чело-
век
cauliflower I'koliflaua] цветная
капуста
hypocrisy [hi'pokrosi] лицеме-
рие, притворство
hypocrite ['hipoknt] лицемер
Advertizing—something which makes
one think he’s longed all his life for some-
thing he never even heard of before.
Budjet—a method of worrying before
you spend instead of after.
Conference—a meeting of a group of
people who singly can do nothing, but who
collectively agree that nothing can be
done.
Diplomat—a man who convinces his
wife that a woman looks stout in a mink
coat.
Gentleman—a man who remembers the
lady’s birthday but forgets her age.
Wedding ring—a special device de-
signed to stop circulation.
A bore—one who, when you ask him
“How are you?” tells you.
Cauliflower—is nothing but a cabbage
with a college education. (Training is
everything.)
11. HYPOCRISY
The English are like that: they say
a thing. Of course, you think, it is a lie;
but it is the truth. So they deceive.
18
deceive [di'skv] обманывать
swear [sweo] клясться
syn take the oath [oue] давать
клятву
explode [iks'ploud] взрывать(ся)
n explosion [iks'plousn]
be frightened I'fraitond] быть ис-
пуганным
pancake ['paenkeik] блин
embarrassed [im'b aerost] сму-
щенный
flick off смахнуть
dust пыль
expose [iks'pouz] выставлять,
разоблачать
satire f'saetaia] сатира
satirize ['saetsraiz] высмеивать
biting satire острая сатира
“The Man of Destiny” «Избран-
ник судьбы»
miraculous [mi'raekjulos] чудо-
действенная
patiently ['peifantli] терпеливо
burning conviction горячее убеж-
дение
conquer ['кэдкэ] завоевать, по-
корить
irresistible [,iri'zistabl] непрео-
долимый, неотразимый
be at a loss быть в затруднении
attitude ['aetitjurd] отношение
moral attitude моральное оправ-
дание
champion ['tfaempjsn] of freedom
защитник свободы
I swear to tell the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth. (The
oath taken at the court.)
A variant for everyday use: “Tell the
truth, only the truth, but never the whole
truth...”
George Mikes says this:
“If you want to be really and truly Brit-
ish, you must become a hypocrite.
Now: how to be a hypocrite?
As some people say that an example
explains things better than the best
theory, let me try this way.
I had a drink with an English friend
of mine in a pub. We were sitting on the
high chairs in front of the counter when a
flying bomb exploded about a hundred
yards away. I was truly and honestly
frightened, and when a few seconds later
I looked around, I couldn’t see my friend
anywhere. At last I noticed that he was
lying on the floor, flat as a pancake.
When he realized that nothing particular
had happened in the pub he got up a little
embarrassed, flicked the dust off his suit,
and turned to me with a superior and
sarcastic smile.
“Good Heavens! Were you so frightened
that you couldn’t move?”
But no one can expose and satirize
this tendency of the English better than
their own authors. G. B. Shaw gave a
brilliant example of a biting satire in his
famous play “The Man of Destiny”.
“Every Englishman is born with a
certain miraculous power that makes him
master of the world. When he wants a
thing, he never tells himself that he wants
it. He waits patiently until there conies
into his mind, no one knows how, a burn-
ing conviction that it is his moral and
religious duty to conquer those who have
got the thing he wants. Then he becomes
irresistible. He is never at a loss for
an effective moral attitude. As the great
champion of freedom and national inde-
2*
19
pendence, he conquers and annexes half
the world, and calls it Colonization.
Gospel ['gospol] of Peace еван-
гелие
fly to arms браться за оружие
reward [ri'wo:dj вознаграждение
heaven ['hevn] небеса
burn сжигать
dispute [dis'pjirt] оспаривать
rob грабить
enslave [m'sleiv] порабощать
support [so'po:t] поддерживать
When he wants a new market, he sends
a missionary to teach the natives the
Gospel of Peace. The natives kill the mis-
sionary: he flies to arms in defence of
Christianity; fights for it; conquers for it;
and takes a market as a reward from heav-
en. In defence of his island shores, he
sails to the end of the earth, sinking, burn-
ing and destroying all who dispute the
empire of the seas with him.
You will never find an Englishman in
the wrong. He does everything on princi-
ple. He fights you on patriotic principles;
he robs you on business principles;
he enslaves you on imperial principles; he
supports his king on loyal principles and
cuts off his king’s head on republican
principles.”
12. CONSERVATISM
terrify I'tenfai] вселять ужас
anticipation [sen/isi'peijn]
ожидание
decimal ['desimsl] system деся-
тичная система
change over ['tjeinds'ouvs] пере-
ход
date back to вести начало от,
восходить
intact [in'taekt] нетронутый
left-hand driving левостороннее
движение
complicate ['komplikeit] услож-
нять
display [dis'plei] обнаруживать,
проявлять
manifest ['maenifestl находить
выражение
preserve [pr/zorv] сохранять
The English are known for their con-
servatism. Let us consider some of the
recent examples.
Most of them were just terrified in the
anticipation of the introduction of decimal
system in 1971 and the change over to the
new measures and weights in ten years
time.
There is still “no go” with their numer-
ous and reportedly successful experiments
with the new alphabet of 40 letters. The
traditional spelling dating back to the
15th century remains intact to the horror
of foreigners and even more so, of English
school children and their parents.
Or take the left-hand driving that so
much complicates life for foreign visitors
and for the English travelling abroad.
But first and foremost, the English
conservatism is displayed and manifested
in their numerous traditions, most of
which have long outlived themselves but
are still preserved and kept alive because of
the also traditional English conservatism.
20
13. FOUR CHARACTERS OF THE BRITONS
This time we tell you something about
the people who live in England, Ireland,
Scotland and Wales.
We decided that the best way of de-
scribing them to you was to “invent” four
different characters of our own. They are:
Michael Wallingford-Smith, from Eng-
land; Peddy 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?
catch the train садиться на по-
езд
miss the train опоздать на
поезд
be engaged to быть помолвлен-
ным с
the Rolling Stones название по-
пулярного оркестра
This is Michael Wallingford-Smith.
He is an Englishman. He was born on
November 23rd, 1911. 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: TheTimes,
the Queen, money, people who call him
“Sir”, big dogs, and his umbrella.
He doesn’t like: the Labour Govern-
ment, the Rolling Stones, and girls in
mini-skirts.
The national emblem of England is
the Rose.
What Is an Irishman?
brick кирпичный This is Peddy O’Donoghue. He is an
earn moneyЧ'аи'тлш! зарабаты- Irishman. He was born on March 15th,
вать деньги 1922.
21
horse-racing бега
exactly [ig'zaektli] точно
pub пивная, трактир
shamrock ['Jsernrok] трилистник
(название цветка)
Peddy lives in a grey brick house with
five rooms, in Dublin, the capital of
Southern Ireland (Eire). 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, Peddy writes
about horse-racing every week for a
Dublin newspaper.
Peddy 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 every-
body 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.
Peddy likes: a good fight, his coloured
ties, the bar-maid in the pub, singing,
beer, and Ireland.
He doesn’t like: rich Englishmen, peo-
ple who don’t listen to his stories, and work.
The national emblem of Ireland is
Shamrock.
What Is a Scotsman?
kilt юбка шотландского горца
tartan ['teuton] шотландский
плед
true настоящий
guilty ['gilti] виноватый
enjoy oneself получать удоволь-
ствие, наслаждаться
bagpipe ['baegpaip] волынка
horrible ['horibl] ужасный
Highland Games игры шотланд-
ских горцев
stupid ['stjwpid] глупый, ду-
рацкий
thistle ['eisl] чертополох
This is Robby McGregor. He is a Scots-
man. He was born on August 6th, 1926.
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 trou-
sers 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.)
22
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 dif-
ficult instrument to play: they sound beau-
tiful 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.
The national emblem of Scotland is the
Thistle.
What
mine работать в шахте
coal-mine угольная шахта
chapel ['tjaepl] часовня, цер-
ковь, зд. капелла
rugby ['глдЬг] регби
harp [hcup] арфа
Is a Welshman?
This is David Jones. He is a Welshman.
He was born on March 1st, 1934.
David lives in a mining village in
South Wales. Most of the men in his vil-
lage 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 Eng-
land, 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 teaming to play the harp, the national
instrument of Wales.
David sometimes takes his wife and
family to London, but he thinks it is too
big. He doesn’t like London very much be-
cause 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
23
old-fashioned [.ould'faejand]
старомодный
the leek [Irk] лук-порей
the daffodil ['daefodil] нарцисс
smell запах
miserable ['mizorabl] несчастный
Welsh language is old-fashioned, big
cities, and English cooking.
The national emblem of Wales is the
Leek—or the Daffodil, which has a nicer
smell.
An Englishman is never happy, but
when he is miserable.
A Scotsman is never at home, but when
he is abroad.
And an Irishman's never at peace, but
when he is fighting.
Exercises
1. Answer the following questions:
1. What are the generally recognized features of the English national
character?
2. Do you believe that self-possession and reserve are good qualities?
Why do you think so?
3. What positive (negative) features of character does your husband
(wife) possess?
4. What is your idea of a typical Englishman?
5. What English writers exposed the snobbery of the English aristoc-
racy? In what books?
6. What is the possible explanation of the “superiority complex”
of the upper classes of the English society?
7. What sports and games were invented or perfected in England?
8. What is the motto of the English sportsmen?
9. Do you meet the ups and downs of life like a sportsman?
10. What is your favourite pastime?
11. What sports do you go in for?
12. What games do you play?
13. What idea is expressed in the saying “An Englishman’s house is his
castle”?
14. Do you agree that one’s private life should be respected and not
interfered with?
15. What is your reaction when someone is trying to interfere into your
private affairs?
16. Have you got a sense of humour? Do you find English humour easy
to understand?
17. Whom do you call a hypocrite?
18. What would you speak about if you were asked to describe English
conservatism?
19. What is a “pun”? Give an example.
20. Why is the English spelling so difficult to master?
21. What do you call the people who live in Ireland (Scotland, Wales)?
24
2. Write (10) questions to texts 5—7.
3. Substitute synonyms taken from the texts for the underlined words and word
combinations:
1. He did not panic at the moment of crisis.
2. The traditional feature of the Englishman is his ability not to lose
his head in an hour of danger.
3. He is a short-spoken person.
4. Only a few people remained alive after the heavy bombing.
5. Do not interfere into other people’s affairs.
6. I cannot meet you tonight, I have an appointment.
7. She is going to marry this man next year.
8. You must work hard to better your pronunciation.
9. He seems to be a very strange person.
10. What is your point of view on this question?
4. Find in the texts the English equivalents to the following:
отдавать должное, не терять самообладания, в критический момент,
отстаивать свою точку зрения, кругосветное путешествие, ошибочные
взгляды, чувство превосходства, это противоречит очевидным фактам,
любовь к уединению, подшучивать над.
5. Write the antonyms to:
well-bred efficient
superior boastful
to agree to tell a lie
6. Write the synonyms to:
feature sociable
erroneous rude
taciturn behaviour
unassuming
Use them in sentences of your own.
7. Write the derivatives and translate them into Russian:
generous, superior, haughty, conscious, hypocrite, efficient.
8. Retell the jokes given on pages 16, 17, 18 in the indirect speech.
9. Learn by heart the extract from the play “The Man of Destiny”, translate this
text into Russian.
10. Write about a friend of yours (no more than 1 page). Describe his appearance and
the most distinctive features of his character. Say wiiat you admire in him and what
makes you criticize him sometimes.
11. Retell in English the contents of text 13.
12. Copy out of the texts ail the adjectives you will need for the description of a
person.
25
КЛЮЧ к УПРАЖНЕНИЯМ
3
1. Не did not lose his head in the situation of emergency.
2. Quality, his self-possession, the situation of emergency.
3. a man of few words.
4. survived.
5. Mind your own business.
6. a date.
7. is engaged to marry.
8. to improve.
9. queer.
10. viewpoint.
4
to pay tribute to, not to lose one’s head, at the time of emergency, to
stand one’s ground, a round-the-world trip, erroneous views, sense of
superiority, it runs counter to obvious facts, love of privacy, to play
jokes at.
5
ill-bred, inferior, to disagree, inefficient, modest, to tell the truth.
6
quality, mistaken, reticent, modest, companionable, impolite, conduct.
7
generosity, superiority, haughtiness, consciousness, hypocrisy, ineffi-
cient.
Part П
ENGLISH NATIONAL TRADITIONS
INTRODUCTION
absorb [ob'so:b] впитывать
accumulate [a'kjirmjuleit] на-
капливать
reflect [ri'flekt] отражать
generation [Дзепэ'ге^эп] поколе-
ние
picturesque Lpiktja'resk] живо-
писный
reasonable ['rbznobl] разумный
curious ['kjusrios] любопытный
maintain [mein'tein] сохранять
tourist attraction ['tuonst-
o'traekfan] средство для прив-
лечения туристов
burdensome ['bardnsom] обреме-
нительный
make no sense не иметь смысла
keep alive сохранять
associate [a'soujieit] связывать
court [ko:t] двор (королевский)
connect [ka'nekt] связать
deal with иметь дело с
behaviour [bi'heivja] поведение
habit ['haebit] привычка
People of different countries have
their own traditions. The national tradi-
tions absorb, accumulate and reflect the
historic experience of the past generations.
They unite the people of one nation into a
close family.
English life is full of traditions. Some
of them are very beautiful, colourful and
picturesque, and seem to be quite reason-
able; others are curipus., sometimes funny,
and often are maintained simply as a
tourist attraction.
Many English traditions have long
outlived themselves and became burden-
some. They make no sense in the present
day life and only complicate things. But
they are preserved and kept alive because
of the traditional English conservatism.
There are many traditions associated
with some historical facts, parliamentary,
court and state ceremonies, university
life, popular holidays. Others are connect-
ed with the mode of everyday life. They
deal with customs, manners of behaviour,
habits of the people. Studying them will
help us better understand the English
way of life.
1. WAYS OF EVERYDAY LIFE
mediaeval^ [zmedi'i:v©l] средне- Very often when speaking of English
вековый traditions we think first of some curious
uniform форма theatrical ceremonies of the court or par-
27
guards [gcudz] гвардейцы
solemn ['solam] торжественный
cloak [kloukj плащ, мантия
wig парик
judge [дзлдз] судья
bowler котелок
invariable [in'veonobl] неизмен-
ный
first and foremost прежде всего
generally accepted ['dsenaro-
liak'septid] общепринятый
liament procedure. There come to our
mind mediaeval uniforms on the guards,
the solemn cloaks and wigs of the judges or
the bowlers and the invariable umbrellas
of the clerks of the London City.
But the word “tradition” does not mean
only that. First and foremost “tradition”
is the generally accepted mode or way of
living, acting, behaving or just doing
things. There are many very good tradi-
tions of this kind in the everyday life of
the English.
Lunch at 1 O’clock
take aback поразить, ошело-
мить, застигнуть врасплох
face оказаться лицом к лицу с
sacred ['seiknd] священный
convenient, [kan'vfcnjsnt] удоб-
ный
get in touch with связаться c
it’s no use нет смысла
executive [ig'zekjutiv] админи-
стратор
waste time тратить попусту
время
Many foreigners are sometimes taken
aback when they are faced with this
typically English custom for the first
time.
Whatever one is doing, no matter how
important it is, or seems to be—a parlia-
mentary debate or any kind of business
routine—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. And it appears
to be not only good for health—having
meals at regular time is certainly
healthy—but it is very convenient socially
as well. Everybody knows that there is no
use trying to get in touch with some offi-
cial, business executive or firm repre-
sentative at this time. They won’t be in.
It is no use to waste your time going from
one shop to another at one o’clock. All
shops will be closed, as sure as that at
two o’clock sharp they will open. For
punctuality is also one of the English
traditions.
English Sunday
Sunday Observance [sb'zorvons]
Laws законы, запрещающие
развлечения в воскресенье
The so called Sunday Observance
Laws prohibiting all kinds of public enter-
tainment on Sunday date back to the
28
prohibit [prohibit] запрещать
entertainment [,enta'teinmsnt]
развлечение
encourage [т'клпсЫ поощрять
church [t/a-tf] церковь
profane [pro'fein] осквернять,
профанировать
amuse oneself [o'mjttz] развле-
каться
unrestricted неограниченный
variety programme [vo'raiati-
'ргопдгэгп] эстрадная програм-
ма
thriller ['Onia] сенсационный
фильм или роман; боевик
hit спектакль, фильм, имеющий
большой успех; нашумевшая
пьеса, книга
strict строгий
hesitate ['heziteit] колебаться
withdraw [wi6'dro:] отнимать
licence ['laisans] лицензия, раз-
решение
proprietor [pra'praiata] владелец
17—18th centuries. The idea was to encour-
age people to go to church and not to
allow them “to profane the Lord’s Day”
by amusing themselves.
Three hundred years have passed since
then. Church services are attended by
fewer people now than some decades ago.
But the old custom of having a quiet
Sunday is still alive. This is another
English tradition preserved by law.
On Sunday you may visit a museum or
go to a concert but all shops, theatres,
dance and music halls are closed. This is
rather illogical when compared with the
unrestricted variety programmes on radio
and television or the fact that one can
always go to the bingo-club to enjoy him-
self or to the cinema to see a “thriller” or
the latest American “hit”.
Pubs and restaurants are open only
from 12 to 2, and from 5 to 10 p.m. The
police are very strict and do not hesitate
to withdraw the licence from the proprie-
tors who disregard closing time.
All professional football and cricket
matches, as well as horse and dog racing
are banned, though you can play tennis or
go swimming or rowing. About 50 years
ago any excursions would have been con-
sidered to be improper. Now there is a
great number of people who like to go
to the country or to the sea-side and spend
their week-ends fishing, camping or hiking.
But still many Englishmen prefer a
quiet Sunday at home. They get up late,
go to church in the morning, have a big
dinner, sleep afterwards, work in their
garden until tea, read books and listen to
the wireless.
After three centuries the Puritan in-
fluence is still to be felt.
Everything Is the Other Way Round
...In England everything is the other
way round. On Sundays on the Continent
even the poorest person puts on his best
suit, tries to look respectable, and at the
29
cheerful ['tfioful] жизнерадост-
ный
rags лохмотья
dull унылый, скучный
dreary ['drionj мрачный
oddity странность, чудакова-
тость
request stop остановка по тре-
бованию
fluently ['flirsntli] бегло
smoothly гладко
Oxonian [ok'sounjan] оксфорд-
ский
stutter заикаться
show off one’s knowledge выста-
влять напоказ свои знания
quote [kwout] цитировать
Aristotle ['aenstotl] Аристотель,
греческий философ (386—
322 гг. до н. э.)
Horace ['horas] Гораций, рим-
ский поэт (65—8 гг. до н. э.)
Montaigne [mon'tein] М. Мон-
тень, французский философ
эпохи Возрождения (1533—
1592 гг.)
sensitive 1'sensitiv] чувствитель-
ный
touchy ['tAtfi] обидчивый
offend обижать
exquisite ['ekskwizit] изыскан-
ный
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 Sunday papers ap-
pear on Monday; in England—a country of
exotic oddities—they appear on Sunday.
On a continental bus approaching a
request stop the conductor rings the bell if
he wants his bus to go on without stop-
ping; 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 persons 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 hard-
ly ever lie, but they would not dream of
telling you the truth.
The Weather
avoid [s'void] избегать On the Continent there is one topic
thrilling волнующий which should be avoided—the weather;
contradict [^kontra'dikt] возра- in England, this is an ever-interesting,
жать противоречить even thrilling topic, and if you do not
uproot [лр ru-tl вырвать с корнем repeat the phrase “Lovely day, isn’t it?”
30
hail град
hesitation [,hezi'teijn] колеба-
ние
judge судить
barbarous ['bcrbaros] варварский
hostess ['houstis] хозяйка
malevolently [mo'levolonthl зло,
злорадно
disturb [dis'to:b] беспокоить
cruel [kruol] жестокий
spiteful ['spaitful] злобный
malignant [mo'hgnontl зловред-
ный
adore [o'do:] обожать
liquid ['hkwid] жидкость
washbasin умывальник
additional [o'dijonol] дополни-
тельный
circumstances ['so:komstonsiz]
обстоятельства
nervous ['no:vos] нервный, воз-
бужденный
gay веселый
at least two hundred times a day, you are
considered a bit dull.
A very important rule:
You must never contradict anybody
when discussing the weather. Should it
hail or snow, should hurricanes uproot
the trees from the sides of the road, and
should someone remark to you: “Nice day,
isn’t it?” answer without hesitation: “Isn’t
it lovely?”
English Tea
There are some occasions when you
must not refuse a cup of tea, otherwise you
are judged an exotic and barbarous bird
without any hope of ever being able to
take your place in civilized society.
If you are invited to an English home,
at five o’clock in the morning you get a
cup of tea. It is either brought in by a
heartily smiling hostess or an almost
malevolently silent , maid. When you are
disturbed in your sweetest morning sleep
you must not say: “Madame, I think you
are a cruel, spiteful and malignant person
who deserves to be shot.” On the contrary,
you have to declare with your best five
o’clock smile: “Thank you so much. I do
adore a cup of early morning tea, especial-
ly early in the morning.” If they leave you
alone with the liquid, you may pour it
down the washbasin.
Then you have tea for breakfast;
then you have tea at eleven o’clock in the
morning; then after lunch; then you have
tea for tea; then for supper; and again at
eleven o’clock at night.
You must not refuse any additional
cups of tea under the following circum-
stances: if it is hot; if it is cold; if you are
tired; if anybody thinks that you might
be tired; if you are nervous; if you are
gay; before you go out; if you have just
returned home; if you feel like it; if you
do not feel like it; if you have had no tea
for some time; if you have just had a cup...
31
2. TRADITIONS AND PARLIAMENT
Immediate [i'mi:djet] result не-
посредственный результат
Magna Carta ['maegno'kcuts]
Магна Карта, Великая хар-
тия вольностей (1215 г.)
define определять
levy of taxes ['leviov'taeksiz]
взимание налогов
guardian ['gcudjon] попечитель,
смотритель, блюститель зако-
на
terms условия
The first English Parliament met in
Westminster Hall in 1265, as a result of
Magna Carta, which defined the rights of
citizenship, limited the powers of the
Crown, particularly in the levy of taxes,
and appointed a council of 25 guardians
who undertook to see that the terms of the
document were carried out.
Many of the ceremonies carried out
in the Parliament are very old.
Procedure in the House of Commons
procedure [pra'srdsal процедура
wear [weo] носить
wig парик
gown [gaun] одеяние, мантия
Chaplain I'tfasplin] капеллан,
священник
Serjeant-at-Arms ['scudgsnt-
Qt'cumz] парламентский при-
став
Mace булава, жезл
responsible for [ns'ponsibl] от-
ветственный за
strangers посторонние
misconduct ['misksn'dAkt] дур-
но вести себя, нарушать поря-
док
prayer [ргеэ] молитва
provided [prs'vaidid] при условии
quorum ['kwotram] кворум
withdraw [wid'dro:] зд. уда-
литься
entail [in'teill влечь за собой,
вызывать
Public Bill публичный законо-
проект
supply запас
amendment [a'mendmant] по-
правка
item of business ['aitamav'biz-
nis} один из вопросов повестки
дня
permission [pa'mijanj разреше-
ние
The sitting of the House of Commons
each day is opened by the Procession of
the Speaker. Wearing his wig and gown, he
is accompanied by the Chaplain, his Sec-
retary and the Serjeant-at-Arms, carrying
the Mace.
(The Serjeant-at-Arms is responsible
for seeing that strangers do not misconduct
themselves in the House, and for arresting
members as directed by the Speaker.)
On arrival at the Chamber, the Mace is
set on the Table, prayers are read by the
Chaplain, and provided a quorum of forty
members is present, the Speaker takes the
Chair, the Chaplains withdraw, and the
business of the day is taken.
Except on Fridays the first hour in the
House of Commons is set aside for ques-
tions, the Speaker calling in turn the Mem-
bers whose names appear in the notice
paper.
After question time new Members, if
any, are introduced, and then the Speaker
directs the Clerk at the Table to read the
Order of the Day, and the regular business
is begun. This may entail debating a
particular stage of a Public Bill, going in-
to Committee to discuss the business of
supply, considering Lords’ amendments
to a Bill, or any other item of business.
No Member may speak in a debate
unless he has received permission from the
32
obtain [ob'tein] получать
desirous [di'zaioros] желающие
whereupon [,w£oro'pon] после
чего
resume [n'zju:m] вновь занять
свое место
subject to [sab'djekt] подвергать
strip of carpet ковровая дорож-
ка
date back to относиться к
heated discussion горячая дис-
куссия
hotheads горячие головы
frontier ['frAntja] граница
relics ['reliks] остаток, пережи-
ток
unsafe небезопасный
safety безопасность
fixed hours установленное время
admittance [ad'mitans] зд. посе-
щение, присутствие
obligatory [o'bligatari] обяза-
тельный
lobby коридор, в который члены
парламента выходят при голо-
совании
teller счетчик голосов в парла-
менте
Speaker and this he obtains by what is
known as “catching the Speaker’s eye”.
In effect what happens is that those Mem-
bers desirous of speaking rise to their feet
and the Speaker calls upon one of them
whereupon the remainder resume their
seats.
Speeches are addressed to the Speaker
and may not be read, this however is a
rule that has lately been subjected to ex-
ceptions.
There is another curious custom in the
Parliament. In front of the Members’
benches in the House of Commons you will
see a strip of carpet. When a Member speak-
ing in the House puts his foot beyond
that strip there is a shout: “Order.” This
dates.,back to the time when the Members
had swords on them and during a heated
discussions might want to start fighting.
The word “order” reminded the hotheads
that no fighting was allowed in the House.
The carpet became the limit, a sort of a
frontier.
The day in the Parliament ends with
the Speaker leaving the Chamber through
the door behind his Chair to the cries of
“Who goes home?” and “Usual time tomor-
row”. These cries are relics of the days
when the streets were unsafe and the mem-
bers went together for safety and when
there were no fixed hours for meetings.
In the House of Commons there are
only 437 seats for 625 Members. The ad-
mittance of the sittings is not obligatory.
And if more than 437 Members turn up for
some important debate they have to stand.
When the Members of Parliament vote,
they “divide”, those voting “yes” file out
to the lobby on the Speaker’s right; and
“noes” go through to the lobby on his left.
In each lobby they are counted by 2 Mem-
bers called “tellers”.
The Chamber of the House of Lords
woolsack набитая шерстью по-
душка, на которой сидит
лорд-канцлер в палате лордов
At the end of the Chamber stands the
Throne. In front of it is the Woolsack
where the Lord Chancellor wearing a full-
33
staple trade ('steipl'treidj тор-
говля сырьем
upholster [Ap'houlsto] обивать
leather [Чебэ] кожа
bottomed wig, court dress and a gown,
sits as Speaker of the House of Lords.
The woolsack is traditionally held to
have been placed in the House in the
reign of Edward the Third. Records of the
House of Lords show that “the Judges shall
sit on woolsacks”—emblematic of Eng-
land’s one time staple trade. In the course
of time the woolsack came to be stuffed
with hair. But in 1938 it was restuffed
with wool. It is a big square divan with a
kind of back in the middle, upholstered in
red leather.
The State Opening of Parliament
precede [pri.'sbd] предшествовать
be steeped in быть пропитанным
panoply ['paenoph] доспехи
Her Majesty ['maedsisti] ее ве-
личество
sovereign ['sovrm] монарх
escort ['esko:t] эскорт
Household Cavalry гвардейская
кавалерия
beneath под
route [ru:t] путь
regiment ['redsimsnt] полк
Footguards ['futgcrdz] гвардей-
ская пехота
bearskin ['beoskm] (меховой) ки-
вер (английских гвардейцев)
courage ['kArid3] мужество
loyal ['loiol] верный, преданный
pursuivants ['posivants] служа-
щие в коллегии герольдии
tabards ['taebodz] костюм ге-
рольда
embroidered [im'broidad] выши-
тый, расшитый
royal arms ['roiol'ccmzj королев-
ский герб
Beefeater ['bid,Ida] лейб-гвардеец
(при английском дворе)
Gentleman-at-Arms лейб-гвар-
деец
scarlet ['skaditl алый
magnificent [maeg'nifisnt] ве-
ликолепный
apparel [э'раегэ!] облачать
The opening of Parliament at the be-
ginning of a session is preceded by a cere-
mony that is steeped in ancient tradition
and dressed in the full panoply of a roy-
al and state occasion. It is the most col-
ourful as well as the most important cere-
mony of the year.
Her Majesty the Queen, attended by a
sovereign’s escort of the Household Caval-
ry, drives in state from Buckingham Pal-
ace to the Sovereign’s Entrance beneath the
Victoria Tower at the south end of the
Palace of Westminster. The route is lined
by regiments of Footguards wearing the
black bearskins which have for so long
been a symbol of courage and loyal ser-
vice.
At the foot of the Royal Staircase
which is lined by Household Cavalry,
Her Majesty is received by the great
officers of the State.
The Procession headed by the four
pursuivants wearing their tabards embroi-
dered with the royal arms passes through
the Royal Gallery and between lines of
Beefeaters and Gentlemen-at-Arms in uni-
forms of scarlet, black and gold. The
Queen magnificently apparelled in robes of
state, crowned, and wearing many of the
finest crown jewels, enters the House of
Lords. The assembly rises to its feet. The
peers are in their scarlet robes, the peer-
34
jewel ['<1зи:э1] драгоценность
archbishop ['cutf'bijop] архи-
епископ
Diplomatic corps [ко:] диплома-
тический корпус
blaze сверкать
pray be seated ['preibr'sidid]
прошу садиться
Gentleman Usher of the Black
Rod церемониймейстер с чер-
ной булавой
proceed to [pro'srd] направиться к
Bar барьер, отделяющий место
в палате лордов, куда могут
быть допущены члены палаты
общин
slam захлопывать
maintain [men'tein] поддержи-
вать
ancient ['einjant] right право
давних времен
deny royal access [di'nai'roial-
'aekses] отказывать королю в
праве заходить в парламент
deliver [di'livo] доставить
message ['mesids] послание
repair to [п'реэ] направиться к
kneel before [nid] преклонить
колена перед
summary ['злтэп] краткое из-
ложение
measures ['гпезэг] меры
adopt [o'dopt] принимать
conclusion [кэп'к1и:зп] оконча-
ние, заключение
coach [koutf] экипаж
esses in evening dress; the archbishops
and judges in scarlet; the Diplomatic corps
blazing with gold and decorations.
Her Majesty occupies the throne and
says: “My Lords, pray be seated.” At the
Queen’s request the Gentleman Usher of
the Black Rod proceeds to the House of
Commons to command the presence of its
members at the Bar of the House of Lords.
The door of the Commons Chamber is
slammed in his face by the Serjeant-at-
Arms. Thus do the Commons maintain
their ancient right to deny royal access to
their Chamber.
(King Charles I (1625—1649) was the
last English King ever to enter the House
of Commons.)
Black Rod knocks three times with his
rod, and the door is opened. He advances
towards the Speaker and delivers his mes-
sage, whereupon the Commons, preceded
by the Speaker and the chief ministers,
repair to the Bar of the House of Lords.
When the Commons are assembled at
the Bar, the Lord Chancellor kneels be-
fore the Queen and hands her a copy of the
royal speech, which has been prepared by
the Cabinet. The speech is a summary of
the policy which the Government intends
to follow and the measures which it pro-
poses to adopt during the session about to
be open. At the conclusion of the Queen’s
speech the Commons return to their
Chamber. The Queen is escorted to her
coach and returns to Buckingham Palace.
Searching the Parliamentary Cellars
search [sodjj осмотр, обыск
cellar ['selol подвал
Guy Fawkes ['gai'fo;ks]
Gunpowder Plot ['gAn/paudo-
'plot] Пороховой заговор
blow up ['Ыои'лр] взорвать
Before the opening of Parliament hail
a dozen “Beefeaters” do the searching of
the cellars underneath the Houses of
Parliament, in memory of Guy Fawkes
and the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.
Guy Fawkes was the chief instrument
in the Gunpowder Plot which was intend-
ed to blow up James I and his anti-
Roman Catholic Government at the open-
3b
miscarry [mis'keen] потерпеть не-
удачу
owing to ['ошд] благодаря, из-за
warning ['womigj предупрежде-
ние
barrel ['baerslj бочка
stack складывать
torture ['tojtfoJ пытать
confession [ksn'fejh] признание
evidence t'evidans] доказатель-
ство
trial ['traialj суд
conspirator [kan'spirata] заго-
ворщик
sentence to приговорить
drown [draun] утопить
quarter ['kwa-ts] четвертовать
pageantry Грае<1зэпйт] пышное
зрелище
ing of Parliament on the 5th of November,
1605. The plot miscarried owing to an
anonymous warning sent to Lord Montea-
gle. Fawkes was arrested among the barrels
of gunpowder that he had stacked beneath
the House of Lords. He was tortured by or-
der of James I and signed confessions.
These confessions were used as evidence at
the trial in Westminster Hall of Fawkes
and his fellow-conspirators, who were
sentenced to be hanged, drowned and
quartered.
The 5th of November is marked in
England as Guy Fawkes Day. In the eve-
ning bonfires are lit on high hills and fire-
works are let off in the streets.
3. PAGEANTRY
Pageantry and other colourful cere-
monies are part of everyday life in Brit-
ain.
Royal Ceremonies
Changing of the Guard
royal ceremony ['roiol'senmoni]
торжественная церемония о
участием королевы
Changing of the Guard смена ка-
раула
guard [gcud] караул
mount [maunt] выставлять (ка-
раул)
sentry 1'sentn] часовой
on duty зд. на посту
occasionally [o'keignali] иногда
honour 1'эпэ] честь
Regiment of the Line армейский
полк
service l'so:vis] род войск
band оркестр
Horse Guards конногвардейский
полк
Queen’s Life Guard of House-
hold Cavalry I'kaevolnl лейб-
гвардейский конный полк
The Changing of the Guard at Bucking-
ham and St. James’s Palaces are ceremo-
nies of great interest. Each new guard
mounts sentries for 24 hours, though
sometimes the guard remains on duty for
48 hours.
The ceremony at Buckingham Palace
takes place daily at 11.30 a.m. By tradi-
tion the duty of mounting the Queen’s
Guard is undertaken by one of the five
Regiments of Foot Guards, but occasion-
ally the honour is given to a Regiment of
the Line or to one of other Services. The
ceremony is attended by one of the Regi-
mental bands.
At the Horse Guards in the Whitehall
the Changing of the Queen’s Life Guard of
Household Cavalry takes place at 11 a.m.
on weekdays and at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
36
Lord
Lord Mayor ['la:d'meo] лорд-мэр
Mansion House ['maenfanhaus]
резиденция лорда-мэра
impressive [im'presiv] впечатля-
ющий
temple храм
magistrate ['maedaistnt] член го-
родского магистрата
Keys [ki-z] of the City ключи от
Сити
Griffin ['grifin] грифон, мифи-
ческое существо с головой ор-
ла и туловищем льва
elect выбирать
Aiderman ['oddomon] ольдермен,
член городского управления
miss пропустить
pack заполнять
event событие
velvet бархат
fur мех, меховой
chain цепь
clad одетый, облаченный
trumpeter I'trAmpita] трубач
splendour ['splenda] великолепие
Guildhall ['gild'hod] ратуша (в
Лондоне)
High Court of Justice ['hai 'ko:t-
av'd3Astis] Высокий суд пра-
восудия (входит в состав Вер-
ховного суда в Англии)
gilded carriage ['gildid 'kaeridj]
позолоченная карета
harness ['hcunis] упряжь
banquet ['baegkwit] банкет
Corporation муниципалитет
Mayo r’s Day
Lord Mayor of London lives in the
City—in the Mansion House— a big,
impressive house with a classic front very
much like a Greek temple.
The Lord Mayor is the first citizen of
the City and the first Magistrate. He has
the Keys of the City. No troops are allowed
to cross the limits of the City, neither
King or Queen are allowed to come here
without his permission.*
The Lord Mayor is elected every year
by the Aidermen and every year on the
second Saturday in November there is a
great ceremony—“The Lord Mayor’s
Show”.
The streets are packed with people,
nobody wants to miss the great event.
The Lord Mayor is dressed in a traditional
medieval red velvet robe with fur and a
golden chain, and a fantastic hat. He has
flowers in his hands. The escort clad in
picturesque 17th century uniform accord-
ing to tradition, the Household Cavalry,
the State Trumpeters and severaj military
bands all lend additional splendour to
the scene.
The Lord Mayor drives slowly through
the cheering crowded streets from the
Guildhall to the High Court of Justice to
receive from the magistrates the Key of
the City. The gilded historic carriage
(300 years old) is drawn by six horses in
red and gold harness. After the election the
Lord Mayor holds his Grand Banquet in
the Guildhall of the Corporation of the
City.
The Ceremony of the Keys at theTower
warder I'w^do] страж Every night at 9.53 p. m. the Chief
time-honoured I'taim'onad] oc- Warder of the Tower carries out the time
вященный веками honoured routine of locking up the Tower.
* Centuries ago there used to be a gate with a heavy wooden bar, dividing the City
from the other parts of London. Now there remains in this place only the old Griffin,
guarding the Bar.
The Lord Mayor of the City meets the kings and queens at this place and invites
them into the City*
37
lock up запирать
approach [o'proutf] приближать-
ся
sentry ['sentn] часовой
custodian [kAs'toudjon] сторож,
хранитель (музея)
dress uniform парадная форма
одежды
breast [brest] грудь
castle [Aka:sl] замок
raven ['reivn] ворон
on the strength of the garrison
I'gaensn] в штате гарнизона
superstition [,sju:pa'stiJon] су-
еверие
downfall падение
Empire ['empaia] империя
wing крыло
clip подрезать
extend расширить
William the Conqueror ['wiljam-
бэ'кэокэгэ] Вильгельм Завое-
ватель
fortress крепость
explorer [iks'ploTo] исследова-
тель
beheaded [bi'hedid] обезглавлен-
ный
crime [kraim] преступление
Commit [ko'mit] a crime совер-
шить преступление
troubled t'trAbld] times смут-
ные времена
murder I'm^do] убийство
weapon ['wepen] оружие
tools of torture ['to:tja] орудия
пыток
knight [nait] рыцарь
armour ['cumo] доспехи, латы
sword [so*d] меч
sceptre ['septs] скипетр
diamond I'daismsnd] бриллиант
pearl [pod] жемчуг
38
Known as the Ceremony of the Keys, this
has taken place almost without a break for
700 years. The Chief Warder and his escort
of four approach the gates. The sentry calls
out:
“Halt, who comes there?”
“The Keys.”
“Whose Keys?”
“Queen Elisabeth’s Keys.”
“Advance, Queen Elisabeth’s Keys.
All is well.”
The custodians of the Tower are the
Yeomen Warders, known as “Beefeaters”.
They wear a state dress uniform dating
from Tudor times. It consists of funny flat
hats, trousers bound at the knee, and the
Royal monogram on their breast. These
traditional medieval clothes make the old
castle look still more fantastic and theat-
rical. Nowadays these Yeomen Warders
act as guides taking tourists around the
Tower and telling them numerous his-
tories and legends associated with this
place. Usually they are veterans of the
Second World War. Often you will see
war medals on their traditional uniform.
A number of ravens have their home
at the Tower, and they are officially “on
the strength of the garrison”. There is a
superstition that when the ravens fly away
the Tower will fall down and that will be
the sign of the downfall of the British
Empire. Because of this superstition the
wings of the ravens are regularly clipped.
The Tower is one of the oldest histori-
cal monuments of London. It dates from
the 11th century. In 1088 William the
Conqueror selected this place for the
erection of the White Tower and in later
years various kings extended the defences
of the fortress.
In its long history the Tower has served
as fortress, Royal palace and prison.
Sir Thomas More, author of the famous
“Utopia”, Sir Walter Releigh, navigator
explorer and historian, Henry the Eighth’s
queens Anna Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey,
Guy Fawkes, to mention but a few were
among the numerous “privileged” people
sapphire ['saefais] сапфир
emerald I'emarold] изумруд
ruby ['ru:bi] рубин
beheaded in the Tower. Perhaps the black-
est of the many crimes committed in
the Tower in those troubled times was
the murder of the boy princes by the ty-
rannical Richard the Third.
Now the Tower is a museum. You can
see there a great collection of weapons of
different times, tools of torture, knights’
armour, numerous Royal regalia—swords,
sceptres, crowns. Tourists are usually
attracted by the famous and priceless
Crown Jewels. The Imperial State Crown,
for example, contains 2,783 diamonds,
277 pearls, 14 sapphires, 11 emeralds and
5 rubies.
4. SOME TRADITIONS OF UNIVERSITY LIFE
bridge [bridj] мост
lawn [lo:n] лужайка
pinkish ['piokif] розоватый
tutor ['tjwto] руководитель груп-
пы студентов
under the guidance t'gaidans] под
руководством
Cambridge
Cambridge is situated at a distance of
70 miles from London; the greater part of
the town lies on the left bank of the river
Cam crossed by several bridges.
Cambridge is one of the loveliest towns
of England. It is very green presenting to a
visitor a series of beautiful groupings of
architecture, trees, gardens, lawns and
bridges. The main building material is
stone having a pinkish colour which adds
life and warmth to the picture at all sea-
sons of the year.
The dominating factor in Cambridge is
the University, a centre of education and
learning. Newton, Byron, Darwin, Ruther-
ford and many other scientists and writers
were educated at Cambridge. In Cambridge
everything centres in the University and
its colleges, the eldest of which was found-
ed in 1284. They are 27 in number. The
college is a group of buildings forming a
square with a green lawn in the centre.
An old tradition does not allow the stu-
dents to walk on the grass, this is the
privilege of professors and head-students
only.
The University trains about 7,000
students. They study there for 4 years,
3 terms a year. The long vacation lasts 3
months. They are trained by a tutor;
39
sconce [skons] штраф
law [1э«] закон
behaviour [bi'heivja] поведение
offender [o'fends] зд. нарушитель
порядка
succeed [sok'std] иметь успех,
достигать цели
at the expense of за счет
origin ['ondsin] происхождение
degree [dr'grl:] ученая степень
be obliged to [o'blaidsd] быть обя-
занным
disappear [,diso'pio] исчезать
uphold Up'hould] соблюдать,
придерживаться
punting катание на лодках с ше-
стом
pastime приятное времяпрепро-
вождение
alas [o'lees] увы
christen I'krisn] крестить
excuse [iks'kjirs] оправдание
let oneself loose дать себе волю
Rag Day день студенческих шу-
ток
charity I' tjaenti] благотворитель-
ность
eat fire глотать огонь
drain водосток
suspend [sos'pend] подвешивать
each tutor has 10—12 students reading
under his guidance. There is a close con-
nection between the University and col-
leges, though they are separate in theory
and practice.
The students studying literature and
those trained for physics may belong to
one and the same college. However the
fact is that you are to be a member of a
college in order to be a member of the
University.
The students eat their meals in the
college dining-hall. At some colleges there
is a curious custom known as “sconcing”.
If a student should come late to dinner or
not be correctly dressed or if he should
break one of the little unwritten laws of
behaviour, then the senior student pres-
ent may order him to be “sconced”. The
Butler brings in a large silver cup, known
as “sconce cup”, filled with beer, which
is placed in front of the offender, who must
drink it in one attempt without taking the
cup from his lips. (It holds two and a half
pints.) If he succeeds then the senior
student pays for it, if not, the cup is
passed round the table at the expense of the
student who has been “sconced”. No one
seems to know the origin of this custom.
Until 1964, undergraduates (students
studying for the first degree) had to wear
black cloaks, called gowns, after dark, but
now they are only obliged to wear them
for dinner and some lectures. This tradi-
tion is disappearing, but one which is
still upheld is that of punting on the
Cam. It is a favourite summer pastime for
students to take food, drink, guitars
(or, alas, transistor radios) and girl friends
on to a punt (a long, slim boat, rather
like a gondola) and sail down the river,
trying very hard to forget about exams.
Many students feel that they have not
been christened into the University until
they have fallen into the River Cam. This
has almost become a tourist attraction.
Students also have an official excuse
to “let themselves loose” once a year
(usually in November) on Rag Day.
40
swing раскачивать
bucket ['Ьлкй] ведро
On this day, hundreds of different
schemes are thought up to collect money
for charity, and it is not unusual to see
students in the streets playing guitars,
pianos, violins, singing, dancing, eating
fire, fishing in drains for money, or even
just lying in beds suspended over the street
swinging a bucket for money to be thrown
into.
Oxford University
dominate ['dommeit] иметь пре-
обладающее влияние
equal [Tkwsl] равный
particular [pa'tikjula] особый,
специфический
no matter ['masts] зд. независимо
от
propose [pro'pouz] зд. намере-
ваться
on academic merit [,aeko'demik
'merit] по успеваемости
in this respect [ris'pekt] в этом
отношении
vary I'veori] зд. отличаться
tend иметь тенденцию
be keen зд. стремиться
admit [sd'mit] принимать в кол-
ледж (школу, клуб)
Fellow of college член совета кол-
леджа, университета
hold an appointment [o'point-
mont] занимать должность
by means of [mi;nz] посредством,
при помощи
attend [a'tend] посещать, при-
сутствовать
choose [ifu:z] выбирать, отбирать
compulsory [kom'pAlsori] обя-
зательный
record l'reko:d] запись
apart from [o'pcut] кроме, помимо
tuition [tju(:)'if(s)n] обучение
undergraduate lands' graedjuit]
студент последнего курса
assign [s'sam] поручать, при-
креплять
don [don] преподаватель (в Ок-
сфорде, Кембридже)
For seven hundred years Oxford and
Cambridge universities dominated the
British education.
Oxford university is a sort of federa-
tion of colleges. It has twenty-three ordi-
nary colleges for men, five for women. All
these are parallel and equal institutions,
and none of them is connected with any
particular field of study. No matter what
subject a man proposes to study, he may
study at any of the men’s colleges.
The university teachers are mostly
Fellows of colleges, who may at the same
time hold university appointments as
lecturers or professors. Part of the teaching
is by means of lectures organized by the
university, and any student may attend
any university lecture. At the beginning
of each term (there are three terms in
the Oxford academic year) a list is pub-
lished showing all the lectures being given
during the term within each faculty, and
every student can choose which lectures
he will attend, though his own college
tutor will advise him which lectures seem
likely to be more useful. Attendance at
lectures is not compulsory, and no records
of attendance are kept.
Apart from lectures, teaching is by
means of the “tutorial” system, which is
a system of individual tuition organized
by the colleges. Each Fellow in a college
is tutor in his own subject to the under-
graduates who are studying it. A student
does not necessarily go only to his own
tutor but may be assigned to another don
41
in his own college or in another college
when he is studying some particular top-
ic which is diitside the special interest
of his own tutor.
5. ENGLAND GOES DECIMAL
decimal ['desimal] десятичный
currency ['kAransi] деньги, валю-
та
monetary Гтлпйэп] денежный
denarius [di'neanas] денарий
(древнеримская серебряная
монета)
penny пенни
pl репсе
shilling шиллинг
pound sterling ['paund'stadig]
фунт стерлингов
coin монета
copper медный
brass [brccs] латунь, медь
farthing ['fccdir)] фартинг
tanner (si) таннер
bob (si) шиллинг
florin ['florin] флорин
crown [kraun] крона
sovereign ['sovnn] соверен
quid [kwid] разг, соверен или
фунт стерлингов
gold золотой
silver серебряный
value ['vaelju:] ценность, стои-
мость
issue ['isju:] выпускать
in circulation находящиеся в об-
ращении
obverse ['obvos] side лицевая
сторона
reverse [ri'va:s] side оборотная
сторона
Royalty члены королевской
семьи
image ['imidj] образ, портрет
tail хвост
heads and tails орел и решка
On February 15, 1971 Great Britain
went over to Decimal Currency.
For the English people with their
conservatism and love of tradition the
change over to Decimal Currency was an-
other D-Day.*
The old monetary system was rather
complicated.
12 pence made a shilling. (1 s. = 12 d.)
20 shillings made a pound sterling.
(£1=20 s.)
Old English money
Coins:
a) copper
farthing = d. (Denarius)
halfpenny = у d.
penny = 1 d.=-|2 s.
twopence = 2 d.
b) copper and brass
threepence = 3d.
c) silver
sixpence = 6d. (si. tanner)
shilling—1 s. = 12d. (si. bob)
florin = 2s.
halfcrown = 5s.
d) gold
ha If sovereign = 10s.
sovereign = 20s. = £ 1
(1 pound sterling) (si quid)
Banknotes:
£ 1, £ 5, £ 10, £ 100.
The new currency system is still based
the pound sterling, divided into one
hundred new pence.
£ 1 = 100 new pence.
The new coins are issued to the value
of 50p, Юр, 5p, Ip, 1/2р. Three of the old
on
* D-Day — Debarkation in Normandy Day — день высадки союзников в
Нормандии, открытие второго фронта в Европе (6 июня 1944 г.).
42
Britannia [bn'taenja] древнерим-
ское название Великобрита-
нии
В. С.— Before Christ [bi'fo:-
'kraist] до нашей эры
Julius Caesar ['(feudjas 'sfcza]
Юлий Цезарь, римский импе-
ратор
Albion ['aelbjan] Альбион, Ан-
глия
reign [rein] царствование
Claudius ['klo:djos] Клавдий,
римский император
A. D.— Anno Domini ['aenou-
'dominai] нашей эры
armour ['сита] броня, доспехи
identify [ai'dentifai] отождест-
влять
denomination [di,nomi'neijn]
достоинство
alterations [,odta'reijnz] изме-
нения
rock скала
globe земной шар, глобус
standard штандарт (знамя)
sceptre ['septa] скипетр
spear [spia] копье
shield [Jidd] щит
bareheaded без головного убора
conquer ['кэдкэ] завоевать
revive оживить, вернуть к жиз-
ни
Neptune’s trident ['neptjwnz-
'traidant] трезубец Нептуна
appear появляться
reappear вновь появляться
disappear исчезать
switch over зд. перейти на но-
вую денежную систему
syn change over, go over
design [di'zain] рисунок
coins are still in circulation—2s. (two
shillings), Is., 6d. (sixpence).
On the obverse side of all English
coins there are heads of the Royalty, the
images of Kings or Queens. So the obverse
side is called “the heads”. The reverse side
is called “the tails”.
On the reverse side of the old 1 penny
coin you can see the symbolic figure of
Britannia.
In the 1st century В. C., to be more
exact, in the year 55 В. C. the legions of
Julius Caesar landed on the British Isles.
According to the legend, when their
ships were approaching the coast the
Romans saw the white cliffs and Caesar
cried out: “The land must be white. We
shall call it Albion.” Caesar didn’t stay in
Britain long. Some time later, during the
reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius,
Britain became a Roman province (colony)
and remained so till the 4th century
A. D. During the period of Roman colo-
nization, in 161 A. D., a coin was issued
showing a seated figure of Britannia—a
lady dressed in armour and looking out to
sea. Since then this figure has been iden-
tified and associated with Britain and
has become the symbol of the country
(later—symbol of the British Empire).
On different coins, of different denom-
inations, there were made some slight
alterations in that symbolic figure.
Sometimes Britannia was seated on a
rock or on the globe, placed over the
waves. Sometimes she had a standard,
sceptre and spear (symbols of power) and
a round shield.
On some coins she was bareheaded, on
others she wore a helmet.
After the Romans left Britain the
country was invaded by the German tribes
of Anglo-Saxons (5th century), later by the
Danes (9th century), and finally in 1066 it
was conquered by the Normans, under
William the Conqueror.
About 300 years ago at the end of the
16th century, in the reigns of Elisabeth I
and James I Britannia was revived as an
43
Royal Mint Королевский монет-
ный двор
indignation [,indi'gneij9n] не-
годование
Question hour время, отведен-
ное в парламенте для вопросов
House of Commons палата об-
щин
the Opposition оппозиция
MP (Member of Parliament)
член парламента
undertake предпринимать
public opinion [o'pmjon] обще-
ственное мнение
Chancellor of the Exchequer
[Ч/аепзэЬэубпкзЧ/екэ] канц-
лер казначейства
something to the effect что-то
в смысле
be satisfied ['saetisfaid] быть
удовлетворенным
pour [po:] лить, зд, посыпаться
editor ['edits] редактор
reconsider пересмотреть
originally b'ridginsli] первона-
чально
add добавлять
improve [im'prttv] улучшать
be determined [di'to:mind] быть
преисполненным решимости
do away with покончить с чем-то
discredit [dis'kredit] дискреди-
тировать
be worthy of t'wo«6i] быть до-
стойным чего-то
a certain Miss некая мисс
ungrateful [An'greitful] неблаго-
дарный
immortalize [I'modslaiz] уве-
ковечить
unfaithful [An'feiOful] неверный
allegoric personage. The spear was now
replaced by Neptune’s trident to symbolize
growing Britain’s sea power.
On coins the figure of Britannia reap-
peared in the reign of Charles II and has
been always there ever since.
With the introduction of the decimal
system of currency in 1971 it looked as if
it would disappear again. Because when
the decision was taken in 1968 to switch
over to decimal system the new coins were
to have new designs with new symbols.
There were different and numerous pro-
jects.
In 1968 newsmen were invited for
the press-conference to the Royal Mint.
The press-conference was held in connection
with the coming change over to decimal
system. The journalists were shown the
first newly made coins. Can you imagine,
their surprise, shock and indignation
when they saw no traditional figure of
Britannia on any of the new coins. There
were a halfpenny, penny, twopenny,
fivepenny and a tenpenny pieces.
Several days later in the House of Com-
mons during the Question hour the Oppo-
sition raised the question. A conservative
MP asked the Government to explain
why the lady Britannia had disappeared,
and how the Government could undertake
such a step without consulting the public
opinion. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
couldn’t give a satisfactory explanation.
He said something to the effect that
“there wasn’t enough place for the figure
on the surface of the coin”. The Govern-
ment Opposition were not satisfied. Pro-
tests began to pour, letters to the MP’s
and the editors of newspapers. The question
was reconsidered. A new coin, not planned
originally, was added to the new set—
a 50 pence bit with the familiar figure of
Britannia on the reverse side. She feels
much more comfortable there. Her posi-
tion has even improved—formerly she was
on the smallest coin, now she is on the
largest.
But before the victory was won there
44
duke [dju:k] герцог
duchess ['dAtfis] герцогиня
outraged ['autreidsd] оскорблен,
возмущен, вне себя от гнева
nevertheless [,nevo6a'les] тем не
менее
prove [pruv] доказывать
artist-designer художник-модель-
ер
respectable [ns'pektobl] респек-
табельный
adherence [od'hiorons] привер-
женность, верность
feathers of the Prince of Wales
['fedozavdoprinsav'weilz] эмб-
лема Уэльса
portcullis [,po:t'kAlis] with chains
опускная решетка Вестмин-
стерского дворца
prosperity [prs'spenti] процве-
тание, благосостояние
well-being благосостояние
stability [sta'biliti] стабиль-
ность
equality [i(:)'kwoliti] равенство
give preference ['preforons] от-
дать предпочтение
heraldic [he'raeldik] геральдиче-
ский
was a long struggle between the opponents
and the supporters of Britannia. Those
who were determined to do away with
Britannia tried to discredit the lady, who
had served as its model. They said that
she was not worthy to be on the coin.
The model for the figure of Britannia
in the 17th century was a certain Miss
Frances Stuart, a very great friend of
King Charles II. He loved her so much
that he decided to issue a coin with her
image. But the girl was ungrateful and
in spite of the fact that Charles II im-
mortalized her she was unfaithful to
him and ran away from the Royal court
with the Duke of Richmond who later
married her. The King was outraged but
the coins with the beautiful courtesan
remained in circulation nevertheless.
However the defenders of Britannia
proved that at the end of the 19th century
when a new series of coins was made a new
model was invited to sit for the artist^
designer and she was quite a respectable la-
dy—the daughter of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer. This story can serve as an-
other example of the English adherence to
old traditions.
As to the other coins—they all have
new symbols.
On the 10 penny bit a crowned British
lion represents England; Scotland is re-
presented on the 5 penny piece by a thistle
which is the emblem of Scotland; on the
2 penny there are the feathers of the Prince
of Wales. The new penny bears the portcul-
lis with chains, originally the badge of
Henry VII, and the new halfpenny bears
a crown.
The “tails” designs are the work of Mr
Christopher Ironside. He said that he
wanted to find some modern symbols,
something connected with abstract cate-
gories—to express the ideas of prosperity,
well-being, stability, equality, progress.
For example, one of his projects was
to place on one coin mathematic formulas
as a symbol of science and stability. But
the special Committee of the Royal
45
Mint headed by Prince Phillip, the Duke
of Edinburgh, gave preference to his heral-
dic variant.
A profile of the Queen appears on the
“heads” side of each coin. On the old coins
the monarch was usually shown full-
face. Asked why there couldn’t have been
a break with tradition, a representative of
the Royal Mint explained that, when
this was done, the nose was always
rubbed off with usage.
Exercises
1. Answer the following questions:
1. What is the role of national traditions in the life of the people?
2. What kinds of traditions are there in England?
3. Why does all business and social life stop dead at 1 o’clock p.m. in
England?
4. Why do so many Englishmen still prefer to have a quiet Sunday?
5. What are they supposed to do on Sunday?
6. What public activities are prohibited on Sunday?
7. What sports and games and other entertainments are allowed on
Sunday?
8. In what way do you usually spend your days off?
9. Do you find it (in)convenient that all shops and department stores
are closed on Sunday, or do you think it is reasonable? Why?
10. On what occasions are you offered a cup of tea when you stay in
England?
11. Under what circumstances must you not refuse an additional cup
of tea?
12. Where and when can the tourists see the Changing of the Guards in
London?
13. When is the Mayor of London elected and what ceremony follows the
election?
14. In what century was the Tower built and what role did it play in
the course of history?
15. Due to what superstition are the ravens kept “on the strength of the
garrison”?
16. What can you see in the Tower now?
17. What are the two oldest English universities?
18. When were they founded?
19. What traditions connected with university life do you know? (De-
scribe 2 or 3 of them without going into many details.)
20. What do you know about Rag Day?
21. When and why did England change over to decimal system?
2. Write 10 questions to text 2 (Traditions and Parliament),
46
3. Find the synonyms in the texts:
to prohibit, to be surprised, an appointment, to keep alive, to enjoy
oneself, an exciting topic, extremely, mode of life, under these condi-
tions, to be connected with.
4. Translate the following using the words and word combinations given below:
(to be taken aback, to deal with, to be reasonable, it's no use doing, to get in touch with,
to contradict, to avoid)
Я был поставлен в тупик. С ним трудно иметь дело. В этой статье
говорится о... Будь благоразумным. Не имеет смысла идти туда
сейчас. Вы должны связаться с ним. Не спорьте со мной. Старайтесь
избегать этой темы.
5. Describe the procedure of the state opening of Parliament using your active vo-
cabulary.
6. Find in the texts the English equivalents to the following words and word com-
binations and use them in short sentences (10 sentences).
а) все наоборот, при каких обстоятельствах, без колебаний, при-
манка для туристов, не имеет смысла;
б) права гражданства, ограничивать королевскую власть, палата
общин, палата лордов, быть ответственным за, поправка к законо-
проекту, получить разрешение, в память, один из вопросов по-
вестки дня, в период царствования Эдуарда III, символ мужества
и преданности, краткое изложение политики, заговор, заговорщики,
быть приговоренным к смерти.
7. Translate into Russian an extract from the article “The State Opening of Par-
liament” (text 2)beginning with “Her Majesty occupies the throne...” to the end of the
text.
КЛЮЧ К УПРАЖНЕНИЯМ
3
to ban—not to allow—not to permit, to be astonished, a date, to pre-
serve—to maintain, to amuse oneself—to entertain, a thrilling topic,
extraordinary—greatly, way of life, under the circumstances, to be
associated with
4
I was taken aback. It is difficult to deal with him. This article deals
with... Be reasonable. It’s no use going there now. You must get in
touch with him. Don’t contradict me. Try to avoid this theme.
6
a) everything is the other way round, under what circumstances, without
hesitation, tourist attraction, it makes no sense;
b) the right of citizenship, to limit (restrict) the Royal power, the House
of Commons, the House of Lords, be responsible for, an amendment
to the bill, to obtain permission, in memory of, an item on the agenda,
in King Edward III reign, symbol of courage and loyalty, summary
of the policy, a plot (conspiracy), plotters (conspirators), be sentenced
to death.
47
Contents
От автора..................................................................... 3
Part I. English National Character
Introduction............................................................. 4
1. Are They All Snobs?.................................................. 5
2. Reserve and Coldness............................................... 6
3. Sporting Nation...................................................... —
4. Self-Possession...................................................... 7
5. Reticence in Speech.................................................. 8
6. Modesty.............................................................. 9
7. Courtesy and Politeness............................................. 11
8. Love of Privacy..................................................... 13
9. Punctuality......................................................... 15
10. Sense of Humour . » ,................................................ —
11. Hypocrisy........................................................... 18
12. Conservatism........................................................ 20
13. Four Characters of the Britons ..................................... 21
Exercises............................................................ 24
Ключ к упражнениям................................................. 26
Part II. English National Traditions
In troduction.......................................................... 27
1. Ways of Everyday Life . . . ........................... • • • . • 27
2. Traditions and Parliament ........................................... 32
3. Pageantry............................................................ 36
4. Some Traditions of University Life .................................. 39
5. England Goes Decimal................................................. 42
Exercises ........................................................ 46
Ключ к упражнениям................................................... 47