Обычаи и традиции англо-говорящих стран

typically English custom for the first time.

Whatever one is doing, no matter how important it is, or seems to be –

a parliamentary 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 times 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 official,

business executive or firm representative at this time. They won’t be in.

it is no use no waste your time going from one shop to another at one

o’clock sharp they will open. For punctuality is also one of the English

traditions.

English Sunday

The so called Sunday Observance laws* prohibiting all kind of public

entertainment on Sunday date back to the 17-18 century. The idea was to

encourage people to go 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 himself 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 proprietors who disregard closing time.

English Tea

The trouble with the tea is that originally is was quite a good drink.

So a group of the most eminent British scientists put their heads together,

and made complicated biological experiments to find a way of spoiling it.

To eternal glory of British science their labour bore fruit. They suggested

that if you do not drink it clear, or with lemon or rum and sugar, but pour

a few drops of cold milk into it, and no sugar at all, the desired object

is achieved. Once this refreshing, aromatic, oriental beverage was

successfully transformed into colorless and tasteless gargling-water*, it

suddenly became the national drink of Great Britain and Ireland – still

retaining, indeed usurping, the high-sounding title of 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 hostes

or an almost malevolently silent maid. When you are disturbed in your

sweetest morning sleep you must not say: “Madame (or Mabel), I think you

are a cruel, spiteful and malignant person who deserved 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, especially early in the

morning.” If they live you alone with the liquid, you may pour it down the

washbasin.

Than 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 mast not refuse any additional

cups of tea under the following circumstances: is 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…

Fireplaces

In English homes, the fireplace has always been, until recent times,

the natural center of interest in a room. People may like to sit at a

window on a summer day, but for many months of the year prefer to sit round

the fire and watch the dancing flames.

In the Middle Ages the fireplaces in the halls of large castles were

very wide. Only wood was burnt, and large logs were carted in from the

forests, and supported as they burnt, on metal bars. Such wide fireplaces

may still be seen in old inns, and in some of them there are even seats

inside the fireplace.

Elizabethan fireplaces often had carved stone or woodwork over the

fireplace, reaching to the ceiling. There were sometimes columns on each

side of the fireplace. In the 18th century, place was often provided over

the fireplace for a painting or mirror.

When coal fires became common, fireplaces became much smaller. Grates

were used to hold the coal. Above the fireplace there was usually a shelf

on which there was often a clock, and perhaps framed photographs.

Pubs

Do you know what a pub is? The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

defines it as a public house or building where people go to drink and to

meet their friends. English men like to get together in the pub in the

evening. The usual opening hours for pubs are on weekends from 11 a.m. to 3

p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. On Sundays pubs may remain open for not more

than 5 and a half hours.

Pubs usually have two drinking rooms called bars - the public and the

saloon bar, which is more comfortable but more expensive. "Bar" also means

the counter at which drinks are served.

Pubs serve alcoholic and other drinks and often light meals. The main

drink served in pubs, is, of course, beer, light or dark. Light beer is

usually called bitter. As for other kinds of alcohol, most pubs serve

whisky, gin and wine. Beer is always sold in pint or half-pint glasses. A

pint is equivalent to 0.57 liter No alcoholic drinks may be served to young

people under eighteen under British law.

In Great Britain today there are some 80,000 pubs situated in different

cities, country towns, villages, and so on. Of London's 5.000 pubs some of

the most interesting are right by the River Thames, downstream as well as

up. Every English pub has its own sign and name. Some people refer to pub

signs as a great open-air portrait gallery, which covers the whole country.

But actually this gallery includes far more than portraits.

Some pub signs present different types of transport such as coaches,

trams, ships, airplanes and even flying boards. There are signboards

depicting animals, birds, fish as well as kings and queens, dukes and

lords, sailors, soldiers, fat men and giants. A first class example of an

heraldic pub sign is found near Leeds in

Yorkshire at Burley. The Butcher's Arms can be seen in Gloucestershire

on a small typical English country pub near Sheepscombe.

At Cheltenham also in the same county you will see a sign showing the

head of a horse, the name of the pub being Nags Head. At the village of

Slad, also in Gloucestershire you can have a pint of lager in Woolpack and

this pub sign shows a horse with two heavy packs of wool slung over it.

In Wales the most attractive sign in a number of pubs share the name of

Market Tavern because all of them are on the pubs adjoining the market

place.

In London the famous Sherlock Holmes pub with the big portrait of the

famous detective smoking his favourite pipe attracts thousands of visitors

to Northumberland Avenue.

History, geography, fairytales are kept alive by the name or sign of

the "local" (the neighbourhood pub). As history is being made, so the

owners of the pubs - usually the brewery companies - and individual

publicans are quick to record it by new signs. Typical example is the "Sir

Francis Chichester" named after the first man to sail alone around the

world.

Not all British pubs have individual signboards, but a considerable

effort is being made now to retain old signs. Jerome K. Jerome, the creator

of the internationally known book "Three Men In a Boat" over a hundred

years ago revealed himself at probably his most authoritative intro matter

or pubs. He clearly was a pub man and you can consider his famous book not

only a guidebook to the Thames but as the first of those now familiar

surveys of recommended places where to sleep, eat and enjoy beer. But in

many pubs one can also enjoy some traditional pub games. There are darts,

cards, skittles, coin games and various table games, of which playing darts

is the oldest one.

Some of these games are difficult to find, as pubs have updated their

amenities by offering TV and video games, such as two-men tennis, fruit

machines, pinball machines, and so on. There are also other pub

entertainments, such as piano playing, folk-singing, jazz performances and

even theatres. However, if such table games as billiards or table football

which are played with two or four players as well as cards, dominoes and

coin games are known in this country, skittles and darts are less familiar.

Skittles is one of the oldest pub games and dates back to medieval

England, the object of the game being to knock down as many skittles as

possible with a wooden ball. This pub game has lots of variations all over

Britain. Darts is also an old game, ' which was played by the Pilgrims in

1620 when they sailed, from England to the New World. That is why it is

well known in the USA, too. To play this game one must first of all have a

standard dartboard with numbers marked on it to indicate score. The outer

ring counts double, the middle one treble while at the very centre is the

bull (50) with its own outer circle (25). Dart players should stand at

least eight feet away from the board. The aim of the game is to score as

quickly as possible with the least number, of throws. The actual score a

player must get depends on the variety of game he is playing. Many pubs in

Great Britain have their own darts teams. So, if you come to Britain drop

in a pub, enjoy a pint of bitter and a "tongue sandwich, which speaks for

itself”.

It sounds funny to foreigners but when it is closing time, the pub

barman calls "Time!" or "Time, gentlemen, pleaser!”

English Habits of Politeness

Some greetings in England are very informal: a simple “good morning” or

a wave of the hand across the street is quite enough. Handshakes are only

exchanged on a first introduction or as a token of agreement or

congratulation. “Sorry” takes the place of “no” when you cannot do

something for a person or give a positive answer in situation like “May I

use your pen?”, “Do you know the time?” or “Have you any size seven

shoes?”. “Pardon” is the polite way of asking somebody to repeat what he

has said.

English people do not readily ask each other to do anything, they

prefer to wait for a service to be offered before asking for it. If they do

ask, then they say something like “I don’t really like asking you, but…”

It is considered polite to give up one’s seat a woman who is standing,

to open door for her, carry things for her, and so on.

Manners in Public

Our manners in public, like our manners in our homes, are based on self-

respect and consideration for other people.

It is really surprising how stingy we are with our “Please” when we ask

anyone to do something for us. We unwillingly part with our “Thank you”, as

if it were the most difficult and costly thing in the world. We don’t stand

aside for others to pass us in the trams, buses or the underground. We

don’t rice to let people pass us to their seats in the theatres or movies.

1.Not to make yourself conspicuous, not to attract unfavourable

attention to yourself or others, here are some of the rules for correct

behaviour in a public place.

2.Not to be conspicuous, don’t wear conspicuous clothes.

3.One should not talk loud or laugh loud.

4.No matter how trying the circumstance, do not give way to anger or

uncontrolled emotion.

5.Never eat anything in the street, or in a public place (restaurants,

buffets and cafes excluded).

6.Do not rudely push your way through crowds.

7.Never stare at people or point at them.

8.Do not ridicule or comment on anyone in public.

9.Reserve “affectionate demonstration” (kissing, embracing, etc.) for

appropriate places.

10.Don’t monopolise the sidewalk, by walking 3 or 4 abreast, or by

stopping in the centre to speak with someone.

When in the street keep to the right.

British institutes

Parliament is the most important authority in Britain. Parliament first

met in the 13th century. Britain does not have a written constitution, but

a set of laws. In 1689 Mary II and William III became the first

constitution monarchs. They could rule only with the support of the

Parliament. Technically Parliament is made up of three parts: the Monarch,

the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The continuity of the English monarchy has been interrupted only once

during the Cromwell republic. Succession to the throne is hereditary but

only for Protestants in the direct line of descent. Formally the monarch

has a number of roles. The monarch is expected to be politically neutral,

and should not make political decisions. Nevertheless, the monarch still

performs some important executive and legislative duties including opening

and dissolving Parliament, singing bills passed by both Houses and

fulfilling international duties as head of state. The present sovereign is

Queen Elizabeth II who was crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1953.

The House of Lords comprises about 1,200 peers. The house is presided

over by the Lord Chancellor. The House of Lords has no real power but acts

as an advisory council for the House of Commons. As well as having

legislative functions, the Lords is the highest court of appeal.

The House of Commons consist of members of Parliament who are elected

by the adult suffrage of the British people in general elections which are

held at least every five years. The country is divided into 650

constituencies each of which elects one Member of Parliament. The Commons

therefore, has 650 Members of Parliament. The party which wins the most

seats forms the Government and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. The

functions of Commons are registration and security of government

activities. The house is presided over by the Speaker. The government party

sits on the Speaker’s right while on his left sit the members of the

Opposition.

Education in Britain

In England and Wales compulsory school begins at the age of five, but

before that age children can go to a nursery school, also called play

school. School in compulsory till the children are 16 years old.

In Primary School and First School children learn to read and write and

the basis of arithmetic. In the higher classes of Primary School (or in

Middle School) children learn geography, history, religion and, in some

schools, a foreign language. Than children go to Secondary School.

When students are 16 years old they may take an exam in various

subjects on order to have a qualification. These qualifications can be

either G.C.S.E. (General Certificate of Secondary education) or “O level”

(ordinary level). After that students can either leave school and start

working or continue their studies in the same school as before. If they

continue, when they are 18, they have to take further examinations which

are necessary for getting into university or college.

Some parents choose private schools for their children. They are very

expensive but considered to provide a better education and good job

opportunities.

In England there are 47 universities, including the Open University

which teaches via TV and radio, about 400 colleges and institutes of higher

education. The oldest universities in England are Oxford and Cambridge.

Generally, universities award two kinds of degrees: the Bachelor’s degree

and the Master’s degree.

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 color which adds life and warms to the picture at all

seasons of the year.

The dominating factor in Cambridge is University, a center of education

and learning. Newton, Byron, Darwin, Rutherford and many other scientists

and writers were educated at Cambridge. In Cambridge everything centers on

the university and its Colleges, the eldest of which was founded in 1284.

They are 27 in number. The college is a group of buildings forming a square

with a green lawn in the center. An old tradition does not allow the

students to walk on the grass, this is the privilege of professors and head-

students only. There is another tradition which the students are to follow:

after sunset they are not allowed to go out without wearing a black cap and

a black cloak.

The University trains about 7.000 students. They study for 4 years, 3

teams a year. The long vacation lasts 3 months. They are trained by a

tutor; each tutor has 10-12 students reading under his guidance. There is a

close connection between the University and colleges, through they era

separate in theory and practice.

A college is a place where you live no matter what profession you are

trained for; so that students studying literature and those trained for

physics 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 “sooncing”. If a 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 present may

order him to be “soonced”. The Butler brings in a large silver cup, known

as “sconce cup”, filled with offender, who must drink it in one attempt

without taking the cup from his lips. (It holds two and 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”. Now

the origin of this custom.

Until 1954, undergraduates (students studying for the first degree)

had to wear cloaks, called gowns, after dark, but now they are only obliged

to wear them for dinner and some lectures. This tradition is disappearing,

but one which is still upheld is that of punting on the Cam. It is a

favorite 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 rive, 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*.

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.

On May 21st every year, Eton College and King’s College, Cambridge,

honour the memory of their founder, Henry VI, who died very suddenly, and

was almost certainly murdered, in the Tower of London on that day in 1471.

he is generally supposed to have been killed whilst at prayer in the

Oratory of the Wakefield Tower, and here, on the anniversary, the Ceremony

of the lilies and Roses now takes place. Representatives of both colleges

walk in procession with Beefeaters and the Chaplain of the Tower, and the

short service is conducted by the latter, during which a player composed by

Henry himself is said. A marble tablet in the in the Oratory marks the

place where the King is believed to have died, and on each side of it

flowers are laid - lilies from Eton bound with pale blue silk, and white

roses from King’s College, bound with purple ribbon. They are left there

for twenty-four hours, and then they are burnt.

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