Unit 8 Holidays in the USA
8.8.1 Read and translate the text
Holidays in the USA
Americans celebrate Christmas and New Year's Day, Easter, Halloween, St. Valentine's Day as the English do. But there are some American holidays. They are Martin Luther King's Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labour Day, Columbus Day and Thanksgiving.
Independence Day is the most important American holiday. They celebrate it on the 4th of July. On the 4th of July in 1776 the American colonies declared their independence from Britain. Americans usually have picnics on this day.
Martin Luther King's Day is celebrated in January; Martin Luther King was a famous fighter for civil rights for Afro-Americans. In the 1950s and 1960s he organized the civil rights movement. In 1968 he was assassinated.
Presidents' Day is celebrated in February, It is the day on which George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are honoured. They were born in February. George Washington was the first American president. Abraham Lincoln headed the country during the Civil War and put an end to slavery.
Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday in May. On this day Americans honour the soldiers killed in war. There are always parades on this day.
On the first Monday in September Americans celebrate Labour Day. They honour the American worker.
Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Americans mark the coming of Columbus's ship to America. They honour the man who was the discoverer of their country.
On the 31st of October Americans celebrate Halloween. On this day children dress in fancy costumes as witches, ghosts and other monsters or characters from TV programs. They go from house to house, knock at the door and say: "Trick or treat." People give them sweets, fruit or cakes. If they don't get something tasty, they play a trick on people.
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. People go to church and families come together for the day. They decorate their houses with fruit and flowers of autumn and prepare traditional American food: roast turkey, potatoes and pumpkin. They thank God for many things. This holiday was first celebrated in 1621 by the colonists after their first good harvest.
Washington's Birthday is celebrated on the 22nd of February. It's a great day for shoppers. The department stores of Washington D. C. started a national tradition of sales marked by unusual bargains.
| HOLIDAY | DATE |
| 1 New Year's Day | January, 1st |
| 2 Martin Luther King's Day | January, third Monday |
| 3 St. Valentine's Day | February, 14th |
| 4 Presidents' Day | February, third Monday |
| 5 Washington's Birthday | February, 22nd |
| 6 St. Patrick's Day | March, 17th |
| 7 April Fool's Day | April, 1st |
| 8 Easter | late March or early April |
| 9 Memorial Day | May, last Monday |
| 10 Mother's Day | May, one Sunday |
| 11 Father's Day | June, one Sunday |
| 12 Flag Day | June, 14th |
| 13 Independence Day | July, 4th |
| 14 Labour Day | September, first Monday |
| 15 Columbus Day 16 Halloween 17 Veterans' Day 18 Thanksgiving 19 Christmas Day 20 New Year's Eve | October, second Monday October, 31st November, 11th November, fourth Thursday December, 25th December, 31st |
8.8.2 Post -Text Exercises
8.8.2.1 Pronounce the following words and the names of the holidays
Christmas - Рождество
New Year's Day - Новый год
Easter - Пасха
Halloween - Канун дня всех святых
St Valentine's Day — День св. Валентина
Martin Luther King's Day - День Мартина Лютера Кинга
President's Day - День Президента
Memorial Day - День Памяти
Independence Day - День Независимости
Labour Day - День Труда
Columbus Day - День Колумба
Thanksgiving Day - День Благодарения
George Washington - Джордж Вашингтон
Abraham Lincoln - Авраам Линкольн
the Civil War - Гражданская война
Washington's Birthday - День рождения Вашингтона
to declare - объявлять
fighter - борец, боец
civil rights - гражданские права
movement - движение
to assassinate - (предательски) убивать
to honour - чтить, почитать
to head - возглавлять
parade - парад
to mark - отмечать
fancy - причудливый, маскарадный
witch - ведьма
ghost - привидение, призрак
trick - фокус, трюк
treat - угощение
bargain - сделка, удачная покупка
pumpkin - тыква
harvest - урожай
8.8.2.2 Answer the questions
1 What holidays do Americans celebrate as the English do?
2 What is the most important American holiday? When is this holiday celebrated?
3 Why do Americans celebrate Independence Day? What do they usually do on this day?
4 What was Martin Luther King? What movement did he organize? When was he assassinated?
5 Why do Americans celebrate Presidents' Day in February? What were George Washington and Abraham Lincoln?
6 When is Washington's Birthday celebrated?
7 Who do Americans honour on Memorial Day?
8 When do Americans celebrate Labour Day?
9 What was Columbus? Why do Americans honour Columbus?
10 Why do people in America dress in fancy costumes on the 31st of October? What do they usually do on this day?
11 When was Thanksgiving Day first celebrated? Why? What do Americans thank God for on this day? What do they usually have for Thanks
giving dinner?
8.8.2.3 Read and learn the dialogue by heart. Then act it out
- I say, Maggie, could you tell us what are the main public holidays in the USA?
- January 1st should be mentioned. It is New Year's Day. All banks, stores, factories and schools are closed. People see the old year out and the New Year in. They go to bed after midnight. New Year's Day is celebrated throughout the
country.
- I hear that Decoration Day is marked on the last Monday of May. What is it dedicated to?
- Decoration Day is sometimes called Memorial Day. It is dedicated to those who fell in the War of Independence, in World War I and World War II.
- I see. The greatest holiday is July 4, isn't it?
- Yes, it is. The Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776 when the American colonies were fighting for independence against England. July 4 has become the greatest holiday since.
- What do the Americans mark on November 11?
- November 11 is Veterans' Day. All Americans who died in the antifascist struggle are honoured.
- It is so difficult for me to remember when Thanksgiving Day is celebrated.
- That is a great holiday. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It has been celebrated since the autumn of 1621, that was the first harvest festival in America.
- You want to say that the Pilgrim Fathers celebrated the first harvest festival in America.
- That's exactly what I mean to say.
- Don't you think that Christmas is a great holiday?
- Christmas is a religious holiday. It is always celebrated on December 25. Schools and colleges are closed between Christmas and New Year's Day. It is customary to stay at home and spend time with one's families.
- Thank you for the information.
Unit 9 Mark Twain
8.9.1 Read and translate the text
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
All modern American literature comes
from one book by Mark Twain
called Huckleberry Finn.
Ernest Hemingway
Mark Twain is a famous American writer. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. "Mark Twain" was his pen name. On the river Samuel often heard the boatmen shout "Mark twain." This meant the water was twelve feet deep. When Samuel began to write he chose for himself the name Mark Twain.
Samuel Clemens was born in 1835 in a small town in the State of Missouri in the USA. When the boy was five years old, he was sent to school. Little Samuel did not like school, but he had many friends at school. Samuel was their leader. In summer, when school was over, the boys spent many happy hours on the Missouri River. When he became a writer he wrote about his friends in his stories. Tom Sawyer was very often a portrait of the writer; Huckleberry Finn was his friend Tom Blankenship; Aunt Polly was his mother; Tom's brother Sid was like Mark Twain's brother Henry.
When Samuel was 11 years old, his father died, leaving nothing to his wife and four children. Samuel had to leave school and look for work. His elder brother was working as a printer and he helped Samuel to learn printing. For some years Samuel worked as a printer for the town newspaper and wrote short humorous stories for the newspaper.
In 1853 Samuel decided to leave home. He wanted to be a sailor. First, he went to St. Louis, then to New York, then to Philadelphia. When Samuel was 20 years old he found a job on a boat travelling up and down the Mississippi. On that boat he learned the work of a pilot. The pilot had to know the river very well when he took a ship along it.
Then Samuel Clemens went to California and worked on gold-mines for a year. There he continued writing humorous stories. He sent them to newspapers under the pen name of Mark Twain. The publishers and readers liked his stories. Mark Twain was invited to work as a journalist for a newspaper.
In 1870 he got married, and a new and happy life began for him. He had one son and three daughters. He loved his family very much.
In 1876 Mark Twain published his best novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and in 1884 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
These novels are known and loved by children and grown-ups all over the world.
8.9.2 Post -Text Exercises
8.9.2.1 Pronounce the following words and proper names
Mark Twain - Марк Твен
Ernest Hemingway - Эрнест Хемингуэй
Samuel Langhorne Clemens - Сэмюэль Лэнгхорн Клеменс
the State of Missouri - штат Миссури
the Missouri River - река Миссури
New York – Нью- Йорк
St. Louis – Сен- Луи
Philadelphia - Филадельфия
the Mississippi - Миссисипи
California - Калифорния
Tom Sawyer - Том Сойер
Huckleberry Finn - Гекельбери Финн
real - настоящий
pen name - псевдоним
portrait - описание, портрет
to look for - искать
printer - печатник
printing - печатание
humorous - юмористический
sailor - моряк
boat - лодка
pilot - лоцман
gold-mine - золотой рудник, прииск
to publish - публиковать
journalist - журналист
to get married - жениться
adventure - приключение
grown-up - взрослый
boatman - лодочник
shout - крик
deep – глубина
8.9.2.2 Answer the questions
1 What was Mark Twain's real name? Why did he choose such a pen name?
2 Where and when was the famous American writer born?
3 At what age did he begin to go to school?
4 Did Samuel like to go to school?
5 Who were the prototypes of the heroes of his stories?
6 What happened to Samuel's family when his father died?
7 Who helped Samuel to learn printing?
8 Where did Samuel work as a printer?
9. What stories did he write when he worked as a printer?
9 Why did Samuel decide to leave home in 1853? Where did he go?
10 What job did Samuel find when he was 20 years old?
11 Where did Samuel go then? Where did he work for a year?
12 Where was Mark Twain invited to work as a journalist?
13 When did he get married? Was he happy with his family? How many children did he have?
14 When did Mark Twain publish his best novels?
8.9.2.3 Read the beginning of the sentence and find its end in the text
1 In 1870 he got married and ...
2 The pilot had to know ...
3 This meant ...
4 In summer, when school was over, ...
5 Samuel Clemens was born in ...
6 For some years Samuel worked as ...
7 In 1876 Mark Twain published his best novel ...
8 When Samuel was 20 years old ...
9 These novels are known and ...
10 When he became a writer, ...
11 First, he went to St. Louis ...
8.9.2.4 Put in the missing words according to the text
1 Samuel was their ....
2 "Mark Twain" was his ... name.
3 Then Samuel Clemens went to California and worked on ... for a year.
4 On the river ... Samuel often heard the boat men ... "Mark twain." This meant the water was twelve ....
5 On that boat he learned the work of a ... .
6 His elder brother was working as ... and he helped Samuel to learn ... .
7 His ... name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens.
8 Samuel was their ....
8.9.2.5 Choose the correct verb for each blank: was invited, was sent, had, took, decided, began, was, was, published, spent
1 In summer, when school ... over, the boys ... many happy hours on the Missouri River.
2 Mark Twain ... to work as a journalist for a newspaper.
3 In 1876 Mark Twain ... his best novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyerand in 1884 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
4 When Samuel... to write he chose for himself the name Mark Twain.
5 When the boy ... five years old, he ... to school.
6 The pilot ... to know the river very well when he ... a ship along it.
7 In 1853 Samuel ... to leave home.
8.9.2.6 Read and learn the dialogue by heart. Then act it out
Carol: 4827086.
Cathy: Carol? It's Cathy speaking. How are you getting on?
Carol: I am well. And you?
Cathy: Not too bad. Can you help me, Carol?
Carol: Certainly. What's the problem?
Cathy: I need your advice. My younger brother has read all books for children we have at home. Now I'm going to the library because I want to borrow some books for him. He can't go there himself because he is ill.
Carol: What kind of books does he prefer? As far as I remember, he is in the 6th form, isn't he?
Cathy: Yes, you are quite right. If I'm not mistaken, he enjoys reading adventure novels and different detective stories.
Carol: It seems to me that a detective story isn't a good reading for him. What do you think about The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain? Has he read this novel yet?
Cathy: I know for sure he hasn't. What a good idea! This novel is loved by children and grown-ups all over the world. As for me, I've read this novel several times.
Carol: OK. Come to me right now and I'll give you this book. Is that OK with you?
Cathy: Oh, it's great! Thanks for your help, Carol. I knew you would give me good advice and help me.
Carol: You're welcome.