Внимание! ON-line викторина по страноведению "Великобритания"

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Регистрация: 25.02.13 - 04.03.13
Проведение игры: 4 марта в 20:00 НАЧАТЬ ИГРУ 
Подведение итогов: 5 марта
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Floors of a House

There are some important differences between British English (BrE) and American English (AmE) in talking about the floors in a house.In BrE the floor at the level of the surrounding land or ground is called the ground floor (this is the floor where you usually enter a house). In AmE the same floor is called the first floor. The floors above are numbered starting from the ground or first floor, so there is usually a difference of one level in BrE and AmE usage, as follows:

BrE: ground floor, 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor etc
AmE: 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor, 4th floor etc
This diagram shows a two-storey house that also has a basement level underneath.

A floor is the same as a storey: all the rooms that are at the same level. 
http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/buildings-house.htm

Express English: National stereotypes

''A Christmas Carol''

The History of English in 10 Minutes

Mayflower Myths

MOTHER'S DAY

Mother's Day is a holiday to honor and give thanks to our mothers. People celebrate the day all over the world. In France, a flower-shaped cake is part of the family meal. In the U.S., most restaurants claim this day as their busiest all year. In many other countries, carnations have a special significance.

Although the holiday is very commercial, it's not a Hallmark holiday. In other words, it's not a holiday created by businesses to make money. Mother's Day actually has its origins long ago in ancient Greece. Rome, which copied much of the Greek way of life, had a similar holiday. So did other countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Unlike today, though, people didn't honor their own mothers. People honored the mother of the gods, Rhea. After the Roman Empire fell, Mother's Day disappeared.

So how did our modern version of the holiday come about?

Many believe that Mother's Day as we know it originated from the British holiday called "Mothering Sunday." All through the Middle Ages in Europe, people brought gifts to their home (or mother) church on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Then in the 16th century, people began to live greater and greater distances from where they had been born. About this time, it also became increasingly common for children to work far from home as servants and apprentices. They would often need the day off to make the journey, which also allowed them to visit their mothers and family. They would bring a cake and pick wildflowers to give as presents, too. From here the holiday was born.

Americans have had a great influence on the holiday, too. A woman named Julia Ward Howe brought the holiday from Britain in the 1870s. She saw it as a way to honor mothers, of course, but also as a way to honor and promote peace. Then in the early 1900s, another woman campaigned for a national holiday for mothers. Her name was Anna Jarvis, and she sent letters to business leaders, clergy members, women's clubs, and anyone else who might help. Within a few years, forty-six States celebrated the holiday. In 1914, Mother's Day became an official holiday, and was quickly commercialized with cards, carnation flowers, and chocolate candy. Anna Jarvis "wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." She also called greeting cards "a poor excuse for the letter you are too lazy to write!"

Different countries celebrate the holiday on different days. Different countries have adopted different traditions. But one thing remains the same everywhere: it's a day to say to your mom, "Thank you."

http://www.headsupenglish.com

Stonehenge

Дорогие десятиклассники, для вас!

Guy Fawkes Day

Do They Know its Halloween

Transcript:A Benefit for UNICEF: Do They Know it's Halloween?Once a year on a spooky nightIt's Halloween... and what a fright!

Mother's Day

April Fool’s Day

April Fool’s Day

April Fool’s Day or all Fool’s Day is the first of April. The fun of the holiday is to play silly but harmless jokes on family members and friends. The victim of these jokes is called an April fool.This holiday first appeared in France when the French began to use the Gregorian calendar, some people continued to use the old calendar and to celebrate New Year’s Day in April 1. These people were called April fools. Playing jokes on this day became popular first in France and then in many other countries. Today, April Fool’s jokes are played mostly by children, who enjoy the holiday very much. (с сайта)