Е. В. Захарова язык и культура великобритании в условиях европейской интеграции предисловие данное учебное пособие
| Вид материала | Учебное пособие |
| Unit v. the nation of passive worshippers Ii. vocabulary focus Iii. interpretation Iv. speaking personally |
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UNIT V. THE NATION OF PASSIVE WORSHIPPERS
I. READING COMPREHENSION
A. Pre-reading Task. Answer the questions:
1) Do religious holidays always preserve their liturgical character?
2) What are the most popular religious holidays in Russia? Are they the same as in Britain?
B. Read and translate the text. Make use of the words given below:
Liturgical – литургический
Feast – (религиозный) праздник
Whitsun – троицын день
Pentecost –( церк). пятидесятница
Easter – пасха
Holy Spirit – святой дух
Apostle – апостол
Annunciation – (церк). благовещение
Pagan – языческий
Fertility – плодородие
Resurrection – воскресение
Rite – обряд, ритуал
Shrove Tuesday – вторник на масленой неделе
Lent – Великий пост
Fast – поститься
Observe – соблюдать
armistice – перемирие
mourning – траур
solemnity – торжественность
commemoration – церковное поминовение усопших, панихида
carol service – рождественское богослужение с гимнами
blessing – благословение
One of the most obvious examples of religion in contemporary British life is in the progression of the year through religious festivals and significant dates. The Anglican church has traditionally divided the year according to a liturgical calendar – basing the year around a number of key religious feasts and thus creating holidays such as Whitsun, named after the feast of the Pentecost which is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter, when the Holy Spirit appeared to the apostles. British life is punctuated by such national holidays, some of which still have a religious meaning, but many of which are now largely secular festivals ,An example of the latter is Mother’ Day, which is based on Lady’s Day, or Annunciation (25 March). Some public festivals have roots in the pagan religions that held sway in Britain before the arrival of Christianity, lost religions whose customs are being recreated and celebrated by a new generation of ‘pagans’, who celebrate seasonal events such as the winter and summer solstices by meeting at ancient sites of worship, most famously at Stonehenge.
The name Easter is derived from the name of the Saxon goddess of spring, Eostre (related to a Mediterranean pagan goddess mentioned in the Bible, Astarte). In some areas, Easter rituals, as well as celebrating the resurrection of Christ, include ceremonies which were once probably part of pagan fertility rites, though now performed in a spirit of secular fun, for example, the eating of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday at the beginning of Lent, the period of fasting before Easter (observed by few Christians in Britain, in contrast with the month of Ramadan, observed by Muslims).
The role of the traditional churches as part of the British state is most obvious on Armistice Day (the Sunday nearest to 11 November).This day is also known as ‘Poppy Day’, as many British people, particularly the older generations, will wear a red paper poppy to show that they remember those who have died fighting for their country. (In the First World War many British soldiers were killed in battle in the wheat fields of Flanders, which had poppies growing in them).All over the country ceremonies which combine military drill and Christian ritual are held to remember the war dead, especially those killed in the 1939-45 war. This is principally a time of mourning and of celebration for the generations who have lived through the Second World War and those who died. However, even many young people, who feel uncomfortable about the solemnity and emphasis on the past of Poppy Day, also feel that some of their sense of identity as British subjects is defined by this day. Even if the themes of patriotism and military service are not those with which they personally identify, the commemoration ceremonies held in schools, churches and town centres provide an annual reminder of another history of British identity – one which now needs to be negotiated alongside strengthening links with EU.
For those without significant religious festivals, Christmas is without question the single most important event in the British social, religious and cultural calendar (though it should be noted that in Scotland, where it was not until the 1950s that Christmas Day became a public holiday, the alternative celebration of ‘Hogmanay’ or New Year has historically been of much greater importance and in the Highlands of Scotland particularly, remains so).
While the Christmas festival, celebrating the birth of Jesus, is of course a religious one, it could be argued that for most British people any religious meaning is very slight. Passive religion, however, is more popular at Christmas than at any other time, with many people listening to carol services on the radio, such as that broadcast by the BBC from King’s College in Cambridge. Despite the widespread commercialism most British people do derive some religious meaning from Christmas and, for this one time in the year, will participate in a Christian ceremony. They will also listen to the monarch’s only annual talk to the nation, which has an ostensibly religious purpose. It is broadcast on both radio and television and the queen asks for God’s blessing on the British people.
C. Write questions to go with these answers:
1) __ 1)._ It is in the progression of the year through religious festivals and significant dates.
2) ___2). Mother’s Day is based on Lady’s Day, or Annunciation.
3) ___3) It is derived from the name of the Saxon goddess of spring.
4) ___4) It is most obvious on Armistice Day.
5) ___5) This is a time of mourning and of celebration for the generations who have lived through the Second World War and those who died.
6) ___6) For most British people any religious meaning is very slight.
II. VOCABULARY FOCUS
A. Translate the following word-combinations into Russian:
To hold sway; solstice; fertility rites; military drill; British subjects; to derive meaning; ostensibly; a public holiday; widespread commercialism; the progression of the year.
In which situations are they given in the text? Reproduce them.
B. Find the English equivalents in the text:
Уходить корнями; поля, засеянные пшеницей; мак; безусловно; просить благословения для кого-либо; крепнущие связи; ежегодный; современный; основные праздники; старшее поколение.
Think of your own sentences with these expressions.
C. Match the words which collocate with each other:
1. commemoration a. generation
2. military b. ceremony
3. seasonal c. goddess
4. older d. drill
5. pagan e. events
D. Match the words which are close in their meaning:
1. widespread a. ecclesiastical
2. ostensibly b. armed
3. religious c. enlarging
4. military d. extensive
5. strengthening e. supposedly
E. Match the words having the opposing meaning:
1. strengthening a. atheistic
2. widespread b. actually
3. military c. weakening
4. religious d. civilian
5. ostensibly e. limited
F. Match the words and their definitions:
| 1) Relating to an ancient religion that had many gods and praised nature. | a. rite |
| 2) to eat no food or very little food for a period of time, often for religious reasons | b. blessing |
| 3) the process or ceremony of expressing great sadness because someone has died | c. pagan |
| 4) a traditional ceremony, especially a religious one | d. fast |
| 5) protection and help offered by God | e. mourning |
G. Translate the following sentences into Russian:
1) Those pagan temples were devoted to the Greek and Roman gods.
2) Observing the fast is compulsory for worshippers.
3) The whole country was in mourning.
4) The traditional rites of homage to the emperor were performed.
5) They prayed for God’s blessing.
H. Insert prepositions where necessary (from; to; with; after; on):
1. to be named ___ smb 5. in contrast ___ smth
2. to be based ___ smth 6. emphasis ___ smth
3. to be derived ___ smth 7. despite ___ smth
4. to be related ___ smth 8. blessing ___ smb/smth
I. Complete the sentences using the words in the box:
| pagan roots carol services religious meaning goddess blessing secular derived |
1) Passive religion is more popular at Christmas than at any other time, with many people listening to ___ on the radio.
2) British life is punctuated by such national holidays, some of which still have a _______but many of which are now largely ___ festivals.
3) Some public festivals have ___ in ___ religions.
4) The name Easter is ___ from the name of the Saxon ___ of spring.
5) The queen asks for God’s ___ on the British people.
J. In which meanings are the following words used in the text:
1) blessing
a. smth good that you feel very grateful or lucky to have
b. permission or support for smth
c. protection and help offered by God
2) fertility
a. the ability of the soil to produce a lot of crops or plants
b. a woman’s ability to have babies
c. someone’s ability to have good ideas or produce good work.
III. INTERPRETATION
Paraphrase the following sentences and comment on them:
1) One of the most obvious examples of religion in contemporary British life is the progression of the year through religious festivals and significant dates.
2) British life is punctuated by such national holidays.
3) Some public festivals have roots in the pagan religions that held sway in Britain before the arrival of Christianity.
4) Many young people, who feel uncomfortable about the solemnity and emphasis on the past of Poppy Day also feel that some of their sense of identity as British subjects is defined by this day.
5) The commemoration ceremonies held in schools, churches and town centres provide an annual reminder of another history of British identity- one which now needs to be negotiated alongside strengthening links with EU.
IV. SPEAKING PERSONALLY
Discuss with your partners the following statements. What is your reaction to the ideas given in them?
1) While the Christmas festival, celebrating the birth of Jesus, is of course a religious one, it could be argued that for most British people any religious meaning is very slight.
2) Lent is observed by few Christians in Britain, in contrast with the month of Ramadan, observed by Muslims.
Using the following phrases can help you avoid sounding too dogmatic in the discussion:
It looks like … because
It seems to me that it’s … because
I don’t think it’s … because
It could either be… or…
I think this comes from … because…