Vocabulary
to
keep old customs and traditions
to
be very proud of
widely
spread
give
up their seats to
shake
hands
to
bring some tasty things to tea
have
long chats
to
be hospitable and open-hearted people
to
invite guests to their places
to
give traditional souvenirs to their foreign friends
Matryoshka
dolls
beautiful
mugs, plates and spoons from the village of Khokhloma
Palekh
boxes
Zhostovo
tea-trays
Gzhel
dishes
Pavlovo
headscarves
propose
the head of the house’s health;
the
groom parents’ house
bathhouses
an
entertainment
a
part of a healthy lifestyle
the
main attributes of Russian baths
birch
and oak brooms
steam
the
prevention of cold diseases and a nice way of relaxation;
to
be christened in a church
Christening
an
ancient
to
have a festive dinner;
kulich
and coloured hard-boiled eggs
Orthodox
Church
kutya
(ritual boiled rice)
the
pagan Slavs
Shrovetide
the
scarecrow of Maslenitsa
Reading skills – Strategy
1.
Read the headline of the text. Predict the content of the text.
2.
Read the text to check your predictions.
Customs
and traditions in Russia
People
in Russia keep their old customs and traditions and are very proud of them.
Customs are changing more often than traditions. Today the most widely spread
are the following ones:
Russian
people usually give up their seats to the elderly or to other people who need
it;
When
you meet your friend you may kiss him or her or shake hands;
We
usually visit our friends not only on holidays and week-ends. We can do it
without any warning and it’s quite common to bring some tasty things to tea;
Russian
people usually go to bed late in the evening especially at weekends. They enjoy
drinking tea with their relatives or friends in the kitchen and having long
chats;
The
Russians are known to be hospitable and open-hearted people. They like to
invite guests to their places, they like to give traditional souvenirs to their
foreign friends as Matryoshka dolls, beautiful mugs, plates and spoons from the
village of Khokhloma and Palekh boxes, Zhostovo tea-trays, Gzhel dishes,
Pavlovo headscarves;
Russian
people like having parties and receiving guests. It’s common to propose the
head of the house’s health;
According
to an old tradition a very important guest should be welcomed with the symbol
of life giving food – bread and salt;
Also
when the newly husband and wife come to the groom parents’ house, his mother
meets molodykh with the bread and salt. All guests watch attentively who takes
a bigger piece of the wedding caravay. He or she is supposed to be at the head
of the family;
Russian
people enjoy reading very much. It’s not surprising at all to see reading
people in transport, especially on the underground;
The
Russians are known as pet lovers. Many families keep different pets at home.
They take care of their pets and train them. Cats, dogs, guinea pigs, parrots
and fish are the most common pets in Russia;
Until
the beginning of the 20th century Russian bath had been the
first necessity of home life. People often went to bathhouses. Today it is
rather an entertainment or a part of a healthy lifestyle. It’s one of the best
ways to communicate with friends. The main attributes of Russian baths are
birch and oak brooms, steam, sweet tea with herbs, kvass or other drinks.
Russian people believe in the healing force of baths, it’s very effective for
the prevention of cold diseases and a nice way of relaxation;
Many
Russians are religious people. When a new baby is born in Russia he or she is
usually christened in a church. Christening is an ancient ceremony during which
a new baby is dipped 3 times in to the water. After a baby has been christened
we usually say: “He or she is a man of God”. It’s common to invite relatives
and guests after this ceremony and to have a festive dinner;
Russian
people celebrate religious holidays such as Easter, Christmas, Christmas-tide,
Shrovetide (or Maslenitsa) and others. Easter is one of the most favourite
holidays in Russia. It has no the fixed date. It’s celebrated on the first
Sunday after the first spring new moon. It usually falls on April. Easter is
the day of memory of Jesus Christ: his life, death and resurrection. The
holiday has some ceremonies: the all-night vigil and the religious procession.
On the Easter day we greet each other by the words: “Christ is risen!” And the
expected answer is: “He is risen indeed!” The traditional Easter food is kulich
and coloured hard-boiled eggs;
The
6th of January is Christmas Eve according to the Orthodox
Church. It was said on that day: “It’s good to have kutya (ritual boiled rice)
on Christmas Eve”. If the kutya was good it was believed that the coming year
would be a happy one. The 7th of January is Christmas day by
the Julinian calendar. The sun was expected to appear on that day. “On this day
the Earth will hear you”, – old people used to say. This holiday is celebrated
with all-night services in churches. Nowadays more and more people observe and
enjoy the day;
The
days from Christmas to the Epiphany are called Christmas tide. Earlier people
had carnivals, told fortunes, made snowman, rode troikas, played snowballs,
wore fancy costumes and sang carols during this days. At present many people,
especially young girls enjoy telling fortunes. The simpliest way is to write
down the name of the sweetheart on a sheet of paper, to put it on the plate and
to burn it. If the sheet is not burned to ashes, the sweetheart will marry her;
Almost
all Russians observe Old New Year which falls on the 13th of
January. Until 1918 Russia had used the Julinian calendar which was 13 days
behind the European (or Gregorian) one. In 1918 Russia accepted the Gregorian
calendar but the tradition to celebrate Old New Year remained. Many Russians
stay at home on this day. They invite friends and relatives, have a festive
supper, have fun and set off fireworks;
Maslenitsa
came to Russia from the pagan Slavs. The most important god in the pagan times
was Yarilo, the God of the Sun and Fertility. The Slavs believed that the
change of seasons was the struggle between Yarilo and the evil spirits of cold
and darkness. According to the ancient beliefs it was necessary to help Yarilo
in his fight against winter. And that’s why the main element of Shrovetide (or
Maslenitsa) was pancake eating. Pancakes symbolized Yarilo, the God of the Sun.
The Slavs believed that by eating pancakes they received the vital power, light
and warmth of the sun. Today the Russians eat them with honey, red and black
caviar, mushrooms, soured cream or jam – to any taste;
We
celebrate Shrovetide for seven days. The whole week is filled with fun and
games. Every day of the week has its special name and rituals. The last day of
Maslenitsa is called the Forgiveness Day. Everybody ask one another for
forgiveness in order to redeem themselves from their sins. We bow to one
another and say: “God will forgive you”. On the last day of the week we burn
the scarecrow of Maslenitsa. It means we say good bye to winter and welcome
spring;
3.
Are these statements true or false? Correct the false ones.
1.
People in Russia keep their old customs and traditions and are
very proud of them.
2.
We usually visit our friends only on holidays and week-ends.
3.
The Russians are known to be hospitable and open-hearted people.
4.
The Russians like to give traditional souvenirs to their foreign
friends as Matryoshka dolls, beautiful mugs, plates and spoons from the village
of Khokhloma and Palekh boxes, Zhostovo tea-trays, Gzhel dishes, Pavlovo headscarves.
5.
According to an old tradition a very important guest should be
welcomed with the symbol of life giving food –sugar and salt;
6.
When the newly husband and wife come to the groom parents’
house, his mother meets molodykh with the bread and pepper.
7.
The main attributes of Russian baths are birch and oak brooms,
steam, sweet tea with herbs, kvass or other drinks.
8.
Christening is an ancient ceremony during which a new baby is
dipped 3 times in to the milk.
9.
Russian people celebrate religious holidays such as Easter,
Christmas, Christmas-tide, Shrovetide (or Maslenitsa) and others.
10. The
6th of January is Christmas Eve according to the Orthodox
Church.
11. Maslenitsa
came to Russia from the pagan Slavs.
4.
Tell about any Russian custom or tradition you like.
Activities:
Ex.1.
Watch the video and name the superstitions.
Ex.2. Do you know what superstition is? Match the left and right
columns and read the superstitions.
1. Lucky
to knock
|
a)
salt.
|
2. The
luck runs out of the horseshoe
|
b)
is a very unlucky day.
|
3. Friday
the thirteenth
|
c)
will bring that person bad luck.
|
4. The
bride and the groom
|
d)
when the moon is growing.
|
5. If
you drop a table knife,
|
e)
you will soon receive money.
|
6. Unlucky
to spill
|
f)
if it is upside down.
|
7. Cut
your hair
|
g)
expect a male visitor.
|
8. To
give someone a purse or wallet without money in it
|
h)
will be the next to marry.
|
9. If
your palm itches
|
i)
must not meet on the day of the wedding.
|
10. The one who
catches the bridal bouquet
|
j)
on wood.
|
Ex.3. Act the dialog in
pairs
Katya: Sergey, are there any interesting traditions in your
family?
Sergey: Let me think… Of course, we spend most of holidays
together. But you ask me about special occasions, don’t you?
Katya: Yes, I do. May be, you arrange some unusual birthday parties,
picnics or some other holidays…
Sergey: Oh, I guess what you mean… We always help our mother on
International Women’s Day. My sister cleans the room, I go shopping, and then
our father starts to cook.
Katya: Can your father cook?
Sergey: Yes, he can. He has got a special menu on that day.
Katya: Does he cook anything exotic?
Sergey: No, he doesn’t. Traditionally, it is a roast chicken with
potatoes and vegetables, some salads and a cake.
Katya: Do you help your father to cook?
Sergey: I try to do it. Though, I think, it’s not a man’s business. I
always break a cup or a plate when I help him.
Katya: Oh, do you?
Sergey: But our father says, we should thank our mother for
everything she does for us all the year round.
Katya: I think, he is right. And you are a close family.
Ex. 4. Answer the question
and tell us about your family traditions.
1. Аre there any interesting
traditions in your family?
В твоей семье есть
интересные традиции?
2. Do you arrange
some unusual birthday parties, picnics or some other holidays?
Вы устраиваете необычные дни
рождения, пикники иди другие праздники?
3. What do you do
on such special occasions?
Что вы делаете в таких
особых случаях?
4. Do you go
somewhere or stay at home on that day?
Вы идете куда-нибудь в этот
день, или остаетесь дома?
5. Do you invite guests or stay with your
family on that day?
Вы приглашаете гостей в этот
день, или остаетесь в кругу семьи?
6. Are you a
close family?
Вы – сплоченная семья?
Ex. 5. Group discussion.
1.
Why do people keep their old customs and traditions?
2.
Why do we believe in strange things? Why do people have
different superstitions?
3.
All families have their own traditions.
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