Тексты для экзамена по английскому языку в 8 классе

                                     Russia                                                                                                             Russia is one of the largest countries in the world. The vast territory of the Russian Federation stretches from the Baltic Sea in the West to the Pacific Ocean in the East, from the Arctic Ocean in the North to the Black Sea in the South. Due to the large territory the climate and nature are of various types in Russia . The climate of Siberia is continental with very cold winters and hot and dry summers. The climate in the central part of Russia is rather mild. In the south of Russia the climate is subtropical.                                                                                                                    Russia is a country of thick forests, high mountains and long rivers. The longest rivers are the Volga in Europe and the Ob., Yenissei and the Lena in Asia. Lake Baikal is the biggest and the deepest in the world. It’s famous for its crystal clean water.                                                                       Russia is rich in natural resources such as gas, oil, coal. Russia has one-sixth of the world forests. . Russia gave the world such famous writers and poets as Tolstoi, Dostoevsky, Pushkin. Such composer as Tchaikovvsky, Glinka, Borodin are admired in the world. The emblem of Russia is a double-headed eagle, the most ancient symbols. The symbol of Russia is a three-coloured flag. Is has three horizontal stripes: white, blue, red. White represents peace, blue represents loyality, and red stands for valour. The capital of Russia is Moscow.                                                    

Great Britain

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and above five thousand small islands. Their total area is over 244 000 square kilometers. The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast respectively.

The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. The surface of the British Isles varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountainous ., while the south  has beautiful valleys and plains. .Mountains are not very high. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain. (1343)

There are a lot of rivers in GB, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.

The UK is one of the world’s smallest countries. The population of the country is over 87 million and about 80% of it is urban. The UK is highly developed industrial country. It’s known as one of world’s largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. The UK is constitutional monarchy. In law, the Head of State is the Queen, but in practice, the Queen reigns, but does not rule. The country is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

                                                         The USA

The United States of America is the world’s fourth largest country. Only Russia, Canada and China have bigger territories than the USA. There 50 states in the country. Forty eight are in the same part of North America. The other two are Alaska in the North and Hawaii situated on eight islands in the pacific. The USA is washed by the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Father east lie the tall peaks of the Rocky Mountains, that run from Canada to Mexico. Beyond them stretch the Great plains where the Mississippi River flows. Another mountain chain, the Appalachians, runs down the eastern part of the USA. The USA borders on Canada in the North, where 5 Great Lakes situated, and Mexico in the South. The capital of the United States is Washington, D.C. But the biggest city is New York

                                       English as a world language

Today English is more important than any other language. It has become the language of the planet, the first global language. Now it is the language of technology and science, business and sport. English is the official language of the Olympics, the official voice of the air and of the sea. People use English as the first language in English-speaking countries such as Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It has become the second language in countries like India, Nigeria and Singapore. People teach and learn English as a foreign language in Europe and Asia, in Africa and South America, in other words, all over the world

                                                      Sport

Sport is one of the most popular pastimes all over the world. Lots of people watch sports programmes on television, support their teams at stadiums and go in for different kinds of sports. It is difficult to find a person who has not heard about such team games as football, basketball or such athletics as running and jumping. At the same time there are sports and games that are less common, for example motor races, rock climbing and parachute jumping are not to everyone’s taste. Going in for sport gives you a lot of advantages. It gives you physical exercise, you spend a lot of time in the open air. You meet people who enjoy the same sport. Just think of the excitement of the  moment when your favourite footballer scores a goal at the last moment of the match

                                                          The Olympic  games

The Olympic games are international sports festival that began in ancient Greece. In those days Greek games took place every four years. The earliest information about the Olympic games goes back to 776 BC. Only men could compete or watch games. During games there was peace in the country. The Roman emperor Theodosius ended the Olympic games in 394 AD because he thought that they were a pagan (языческий) festival. With the help of the people the French nobleman organized the modern Olympic Games in 1896. Athletes from thirteen countries came to Greece to compete in nine sports. Russia took part in them too. Now the number of countries taking part in the Olympic games is much larger.The International Olympic Committee heads the Olympic movement. The Olympic games are probably the most important international sport events. Millions of people watch them, supporting their favourite teams and athlets.

                                                       My Hobby

My name is Denis. I live in Perm. My hobby is computers. I got a computer 2 years ago and now I spend a lot of free time in front of it. Sometimes my friends and I go to the Internet café and surf the net. I used to play a lot of computer games but now I think they rather boring. Using the computer helps me with my school as I can get all the information I need from the Internet.

Hi there! I’m Andy Scott. I come from Sacramento, California, USA. I think I spend all my free time playing basketball. I play for the school team and they say that I’m one of the best players. I go to the stadium to watch basketball games with my dad or with my friends. I support the LA Lakers, they are the best team in the NBA. If I can ever play for Lakers, I’ll be the happiest person in the world.

                                                               A visit to a doctor

Last week I caught a bad cold. I felt bad. I had a  running nose, a bad cough and a sore throat. The temperature was 38,5. I also had a headache and couldn’t sleep. I decided to go to the clinic. The doctor examined me and said that I had the flue. He told me to stay in bed for a few days and prescribed some medicine. He put me on the sick list. When I returned home, I went to bed at once. I had some hot tea with honey and took some medicine. The treatment helped me. Soon I felt better and few days later I recovered. My temperature became normal. When I came to the clinic again, the doctor said, that everything was all right and I could go to school. He advised me to spend a lot of time in the open air and devote more time to sport

                                                            Nature (8) (10)

There are many different species of wild plants and animals on our planet. People discover hundreds of new kinds every year. There are more than 300 000   different species of plants on earth. Some plants grow very tall and leave very long life. Other plants are so tiny that you can see them only through a microscope. The same is true about animals. You can find plants and animals in the oceans and deserts, in mountains and in cold tundra plains. When people first learned to cultivate plants and domesticate animals, our civilization began. We can’t live without them. Plants are able to use sunlight to  build themselves up. They use carbon dioxide gas and “breath out” life-giving oxygen. They support life on our planet

                                  English as a World Language   (10)

1). Today English is the language of the world. .2). In Shakespeare's time it was a «provincial» language of secondary importance with only 6 million native speakers. 3). Nowadays over 300 million people speak it as a mother tongue.

4). English is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the United States of America, of Australia and New Zealand. 5). It is used as one of the official languages in Canada, the Republic of South Africa and the Irish Republic.

6). English is also spoken as a second language in the former British and US colonies. .

7). English is the major international language of communication in such areas as science, technology and business. 8). It is the language of literature, education, modem music, and international tourism. 9). English is the major language of diplomacy, it is one of the official languages of the United Nation organization and other political organizations.

10). Russia is integrating into the world community and the problem of learning English for the purpose of communication is especially urgent today.

11). One should say that English is not an easy language to learn. 12). There is a big problem of spelling, of the large number of exceptions to any rule. 13). This language is very idiomatic and the prepositions are terrible. . 14). You will be able to speak to people from other countries, to read foreign authors in the original, which makes your outlook wider. 15). To know English today is absolutely necessary for every educated man, for every good specialist.

Sports - Спорт (10 класс)

1). They say, "Health is above wealth". 2). Thousands of people consider sports to be very helpful in gaining good health. 3). That's why every country pays much attention to developing sports. 4). It is sport that helps to bring up physically strong, strong-willed, courageous and energetic people.

5). Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find time for going in for sports regularly. 6). People have become too busy nowadays. 7). There are quite a number of people who prefer watching sporting events rather than taking part in them. 8). They are so-called sportfans. 9). They pack stadiums during sport matches and competitions, they sit glued to the TV, and they are ready to give every moral support to their favourite sportsmen or teams.

10). In the meantime thousands of people devote their spare time to going in for sports. 11). They play indoor and outdoor games: volleyball, basketball, table-tennis, hockey, law-tennis. 12). The number of participants and spectators show that the most popular games are basketball, hockey and, of course, football. 13). A lot of people go in for track-and-field athletics, cycling, boxing, wrestling, gymnastics and so on.

14). Hockey, figure skating, skiing and skating are among the most popular winter sports. 15). In summer swimming is enjoyed by millions of people. 16). There are also many indoor swimming pools, which make swimming possible all the year round. 17). Cycling is useful exercise, too, because it takes you out into the fresh air and gives much work to all the muscles. 18). So if you arrange your day correctly you can find an opportunity for sports.

19). Physical training is an essential part of young people's development. 20). All pupils and students have regular training at PT lessons. 21). These classes are enjoyed by everybody as they give a lot of energy, develop muscles, make pupils strong, quick and healthy. 22). From time to time different kinds of competitions are organized at school or between schools. 23). The most popular sports at school are basketball, football and volleyball. 24). Besides, pupils and students attend a lot of sports clubs and sports sections after classes, where they take up their favourite kind of sport. 25). So if you think that physical fitness and health are important you are to go in for sports.

                                                 My future profession (10)

Choosing an Occupation (1)

One of the most difficult problems a young person faces is deciding what to do about a career.

There are individuals, of course, who from the time they are six years old "know" that they want to be doctors or pilots or fire fighters, but the majority of us do not get around to making a decision about an occupation or career.

Choosing an occupation takes time, and there are a lot of things you have to think about as you try to decide what you would like to do.

You may find that you will have to take special courses to qualify for a particular kind of work, or may find out that you will need to get some actual work experience, to gain enough knowledge to qualify for a particular job.

Fortunately, there are a lot of people you can turn to for advice and help in making your decision. At most schools, there are teachers who are professionally qualified to counsel you and to give detailed information about job qualifications.

And you can talk over your ideas with family members and friends who are always ready to listen and to offer suggestions. But even if you get other people involved in helping you to make a decision, self evaluation is an important part of the decision-making process.
 

I originally became interested in the law during my 9th form when I realized that my skills as a writer, speaker, and leader — as well as my powers of logic — would probably serve me well in a legal career.

That is why I entered an optional class where I could have lessons on law twice a week. All that I have done and experienced in my studying of the basic aspects of the law has further stimulated and reinforced my interest in the law, especially international obligations and public law, and my determination to pursue a legal career.

Studying to be a lawyer represents the fulfilment of one of my longest held dreams.

Whatever I could do as a lawyer to help people who are victimised by unscrupulous businessmen, as well as their own ignorance of the law, would give me a great satisfaction.

The duty of the lawyer is not only to punish people for various crimes: from espionage to serial murder and terrorism, but they must do their best to prevent crimes, to fight against evil in our society.

The lawyers should help those people, who committed an error (broke the law) to find the right road in their life. Judges can hand down a death sentence for murder in our country. I feel strongly that the death sentence should be abolished. The lawyers protect the rights and legal interests of citizens, institutions and organisations.

I want to help people, businesses to solve their problems, I want to help everybody to know the rules that we all have to get along. I think that the profession of a lawyer is one of the most important in the law-governed state, which we are creating now.

There are many interesting and useful professions, and it is really not an easy task to choose the right one.

I began to think about my future profession at the age of 15. My favourite subjects at school were mathematics and English. My teachers were well-educated people with deep knowledge of the subjects. They encouraged me in my desire to become an economist. Now I know well what I'm going to do after leaving school. I didn't make a blind choice. It was not a sudden flash either.

I opted for a career in business economics. I came to this decision little by little. It was my father who aroused my interest in that field. You see, he is a chief economist at a large plant and I often saw him work at home and discuss business matters with his colleagues.

To become a good specialist in economic matters and business one must know many sciences, such as business economics, finance and credits, statistics, history of economic theory and philosophy, mathematics, as well as economic management, trade business and, of course, marketing, which is a modern philosophy of business.

It is very important for a specialist in business matters to be a skilful user of computers and to speak at least one foreign language. It should better be English as it is the most popular language of international business communication.

You'll be able to follow business developments in the world by listening to radio and TV news, by reading newspapers or magazines, or by getting in contact with your business partners abroad.

If I pass my entrance exams successfully and enter the University, I'll try to study to the best of my abilities to achieve my life's ambition and to justify the hopes of my parents. I also hope that I'll never regret my choice and get a well-paid and interesting job afterwards.

Maybe I should consider a job in a world of banking. There's a surprisingly wide range to choose from, in the financial world.

For example, I could work for a big international company, run my own company, write about economics as a financial journalist, run my own International Business Research Agency, raise money for charities or just sell famous paintings.

 Diana - the People's Princess . (10)

Diana Spencer was born on the first of July 1961 in Sandringham in England. She had two older sisters and a younger brother. In childhood she liked games, swimming, running and dancing. She wanted to become a dancer. Besides she loved children very much and at the age of sixteen she worked in schools for very young children.

Diana became princess, when Prince Charles, the Queen's son, asked her to be his wife and they got married. They seemed to be a happy couple at first. They had two sons. They travelled a lot they worked a lot, they visited many countries together. But Diana was not quite happy because they did different things and Charles didn't understand her.

Why was Diana the most famous, the most beautiful, the most photographed woman in the world?

Why did she win the hearts of millions and millions of people in many countries? Why did so many people come to London to remember her when she died? Why did the car accident which took her life, become such a total shock to crowds of people? Why did people feel the need to be in London at the funeral?

Why did the tears and love at the funeral move the world?

The answer is so simple. Matthew Wall, a student at St. Michael's College in Burlington said: "She was such a lovely lady. She did so much for those people less fortunate that herself".

She was a kind woman. Hundreds of people talked about Diana's kindnesses. She liked ordinary people, though she was rich and had many rich friends. Wherever she was, she was always ready to lend a hand. She was devoted to the sick and the poor. She visited hospitals for people with AIDS and for lepers and wasn't afraid to touch them, talk to them, listen to them.

She worked on children's charities, and had teamed up with Hillary Clinton in an effort to ban landmines. And it's not only money, that she wanted to give people. She wanted to give them a part of her soul, to make them happy because she was unhappy herself. She wanted to give them love, because she needed love herself.

Rock stars (Sting, Elton John), pop singer George Michael, film stars and producers (Tom Hanks, Steven Spilberg, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise) and other famous people were among her friends. But she had more friends among ordinary people.

Diana was seen many times in floods of tears, because of the pressures of her loveless 15-year marriage. It is not a secret that Diana was hounded and humiliated to the point of mental breakdown and was able to pull through only because she knew she had the love of the people to buoy her in her darkest hours.

She was, indeed, the People's Princess.

                                                             Travelling (10)

People on our planet can't live without travelling now. Tourism has become a highly developed business. There are express trains, cars and jet-air liners all of that provide you with comfort and security.

What choice to make? It's up to you to decide. There is a great variety of choice available for you.

Those who live in the country like going to a big city, visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City-dwellers usually like acquired holiday by the sea or in the mountains.

Most travellers carry a camera with them and take pictures of everything that interests them — the sights of a city, old churches, castles, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, forests, trees, flowers and plants, animals and birds. Later, perhaps years later, they will be reminded by the photos of the happy times they have had.

If you travel for pleasure you would like all means to enjoy picturesque areas you are passing through, you would like to see the places of interest in the cities, towns and countries. Travelling gives us a good opportunity to see wonderful monuments, cultural and historical places, to learn a lot about the history of the country you visit, about the world around us, to meet people of different nationalities, to learn a lot about their traditions, customs, culture. In other words, you will broaden your mind.

Nowadays people travel not only for pleasure but also on business. You have to go to other countries ., to sign contacts, to participate in different exhibitions, in order to push the goods produced by your firm or company . Travelling on business helps you to get more information about achievements of other companies» which will make your own business more successful.

There are a lot of means of travelling: by sea, by plane, by car, on foot. Tastes differ. That is why it is up to you to decide which means of travelling you would prefer. All means of travelling have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans.

No wonder that one of the latest means of travelling is travelling by plane. It combines both comfort and speed and you will reach the place of destination very quickly.

Before boarding the plane you must check in at the airport. You are required to have your baggage weighed. Each passenger is allowed 20 kilograms of baggage free of charge. But if your baggage is heavier you must pay an extra charge.

Before the plane takes off the stewardess gives you all the information about the flight, the speed and altitude. She asks you to fasten the belts and not to smoke. She will take care of you during the flight and will help you to get comfortable in your seat. Inside the cabins the air is always fresh and warm. During the flight you can take a nap or have a chat, you can read and relax. In some planes you can watch video or listen to the music.

When the plane is landing or taking off you have an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful scenery and landscapes. While travelling by plane you fly past various villages and cities at the sight of which realize how majestic and tremendous our planet is. No doubt, travelling by air is the most convenient and comfortable means of travelling.

But if you are airsick the flight may seem not so nice to you. Unfortunately sometimes the flights are delayed because of unfavourable weather conditions, and one more inconvenience is jet-lag.

Travelling (2)

I like to travel. First of all, the members of our family usually have long walks in the country. Such walks are called hikes.

If we want to see countryside we have to spend a part of our summer holidays on hikes. During such hikes we see a lot of interesting places, sometimes we meet interesting people.

It's useful for all members of our family. We take our rucksacks. We don't think about tickets and there is no need to hurry up.

As for me, it's more comfortable to travel by train and by plane. But it's difficult to buy tickets for the plane. That's why we buy our tickets beforehand.

When I travel by plane, I don't spend a lot of time going from one place to another, I like to fly. If I travel by train or by plane my friends see me off at the railway station or in the airport.

I like to travel by car. It's interesting too, because you can see many things in a short time. When we go by car, we don't take tickets. We put all things we need in a car. We don't carry them.

Sometimes we go to the seaside for a few days. As usual the weather is warm and we can swim. It's a pleasure to watch white ships.

So I can say that I enjoy all kinds of travelling very much.

                                                   About Myself (10)

I was born on the 3rd of July 1990 in Moscow. Like many other children I went to a kindergarten. At the age of 6 I went to school. My school was next to my house. Many pupils of our primary school were my neighbours. I was very proud when I became a pupil.

But very soon I realized that this was not a game, and I had to work hard if I wanted my parents to be pleased with me. Now, when the school years have passed so quickly I see clearly that sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I failed in my intention.

I am an outgoing person. I think I took after my father. As a matter of fact my parents are friendly and hospitable. They like to invite our friends and neighbours.

I like to go to discos, to parties with my friends. We like to dance, have coffee and soft drinks. I like when somebody plays the guitar or the piano. But I myself don't play any musical instrument. Certainly we talk a lot about life, our problems. But now I cant afford to spend much time for entertainment.

Sometimes I like to stay home alone, especially when I need some relaxation. Then I listen to music, watch television or read books. 1 am fond of reading. I prefer historical novels. Some detective stories are very interesting too. It is considered that detective stories can t be regarded as the real literature. I don't agree with this. Everything depends on the skill and gift of the writer.

I don't go in for sport regularly. But if I have a possibility, I go to the swimming pool. I also like to play different ball games such as volleyball, basketball.

I am a school leaver now. I have good marks. I am going to enter the university. Our teachers say I am good at Literature. It seems to me that in fact I have some attitude for it.

My parents think that after graduating from the university it will be difficult to find a job I'll be trained for. But as for me it's early to discuss this question. The most important thing now is to pass the entrance exams well and to enter the university.
 

My family is not very big, just a typical family: Dad, Mom, me, my brother and sister and our cat. My Mummy is forty-one, she is a teacher of Spanish at the University. She is a born teacher. She has teaching abilities. My Dad is forty-two, he is a professional painter, he works for a design company. My parents both like their work very much.

My elder sister Natasha is nineteen, she goes to the Uni­versity, she wants to be a teacher of history. She is fond of reading books on history and fiction. My younger brother Igor is only six years old, he goes to the kindergarten. He is very funny, I like to spend my free time teaching him something. Igor likes to play with our cat.

My grandparents are retired. They like gardening. They spend a lot of their time in the garden. They grow vegetables and fruits. We enjoy having fresh vegetables and green on our dinner table. I love my family very much. We always help each other. Everyone in my family is my best friend.

Computers in my life .

. Computer studies is a subject in many schools and many young people have personal computers. About one in three hundred computer owners spend almost all their time using computers. Ninety six per cent of them are males of all ages. All of them spend about twenty hours per week on home computers. The majority of the adults also use computers at work. All the computer addicts are very intelligent. They have been interested in science and technology from a very early age and they are usually very shy people who like being alone.

A survey in a school showed that fewer girls are interested in computers because girls are less likely to have a computer. Even if they have one, they use then less frequently than boys. .

Computer addicts are usually very shy people. Using computers gives them confidence. They love  solving problems, develop programs and love learning programming languages. They learn to communicate with other users through computer networks and the people they met in school.  Very few computer addicts play computer games, but many people use a computer exclusively for games.

Some parents worry about computer games because they think their children won't be able to communicate with real people in the real world. But parents do not need to worry. According to research computer addicts usually do well after they have left school. Parents also do not need to worry that computer addiction will make their children become unfriendly and unable to communicate with people.

It is not the computer that makes them shy. In fact, what they know about computers improves their social lives. They become experts and others come to them for help and advice.

If we didn't have these computer addicts, we wouldn't have modern technology. They are the inventors of tomorrow.

My Favourite Book (10)

 I've recently read a book, which has made a very deep impression on me. It is named "Gone with the Wind" The author of the book is Margaret Mitchell. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in a family of the president of the Atlanta Historical Society.

All the family was interested in American history and she grew up in an atmosphere of stones about the Civil War.

After graduating from the college Margaret Mitchell worked for a time for the Atlanta Journal. In 1925 she got married. In the following ten years she put on paper all the stories she had heard about the Civil War.

The result was Gone with the Wind. It was first published in 1936 and became the talking point of all America.

In 1939 the book was made into a highly successful film. Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable played the leading roles. Vivien Leigh won the Oscar. Everyone loved her high-spirited and beautiful heroine, Scarlett O'Hara.

The story is set around the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865), when the Southern states went to war with the North to defend their way of life.

It was a way of life in which rich gentry lived in large houses and owned huge areas of land, cultivated by black slaves. Scarlett O'Hara was born in one of those rich houses.

But "Gone with the Wind" is also about a love triangle. While Scarlett loves the quiet, gentlemanly Ashley Wilkes, the wild and decidedly ungentlemanly Rhett Butler is in love with her.

Not so long ago, in 1991, a publishing company asked Alexandra Ripley, a historical novelist, to write the continuation of the story. Her novel "Scarlett" was not in the same class as the original. Critics have been writing very bad reviews of "Scarlett" but the book is popular with the public.
 

My Favourite Book (2)

My favourite book is "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe. D. Defoe (1660—1731) was a great master of realistic detail. The novel "Robinson Crusoe" was written in 1719. The novel is praise to human labour and the triumph of man over nature.

Defoe shows the development of his hero. At the beginning of the story we see an inexperienced youth, a rather frivolous boy, who then becomes a strong-willed man.

Robinson Crusoe's most characteristic trait is his optimism. His guiding principle in life become "never say die" and "in trouble to be troubled is to have your troubles doubled".

He had confidence in himself and in man. He believed it was within the power of man to overcome all difficulties. Crusoe was an enthusiastic worker and always hoped for the best.

Defoe is a writer of the Enlightenment. He teaches people how to live, he tries to teach what's good and what's bad. His novel "Robinson Crusoe" is not only a work of fiction, an account of adventures, a biography and an educational pamphlet.

It is a study of man, a great work showing man in relation to nature and civilization as well as in relation to labour and private property.

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Christmas in Great Britain (10)

For most British families, this is the most important festival of the year. This is the day when many people are travelling home to be with their families on Christmas Day. If you try to catch a train on 24th December you may have difficulty in finding a seat.

There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but the most important one is the giving of presents. Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them at the bottom of the Christmas tree to be "bound on Christmas morning.

At some time on Christmas Day the family will sit down to a big turkey dinner followed by Christmas pudding.

In the afternoon they may watch the Queen on the television as she delivers her traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. Then they enjoy a piece of Christmas cake or eat a hot mince pie.

On the Sunday before Christmas many churches hold a service where special hymns are sung. Sometimes singers can be heard on the streets as they collect money for charity.

Most families decorate their houses with brightly-coloured paper or holly, and they usually have a Christmas tree in the corner of the room, glittering with coloured lights and decoration. 26th December is also a public holiday, called Boxing Day.

This is the time to visit friends and relatives or be a spectator at one of the many sporting events.

Everyone in Great Britain is waiting and enjoying this holiday very much!

Christmas in Great Britain (10)

(1) Christmas Day, December 25, is probably the most popular holiday in Great Britain. It is a family holiday. Traditionally all relatives and friends give each other presents. So, before Christmas all the department stores and shops are crowded, everybody is choosing a present.

In general, people get prepared for this holiday very carefully. They decorate their houses in the traditional way. Christmas trees are set up in houses, in the streets and churches. They are always decorated with fairy lights, angels and small toys. In addition, little packets with nuts, candies and special biscuits are hung on the tree. Presents are put around the tree and artificial «frost» is scattered over the branches.

The Germans are believed to be the first to use the Christmas tree in their celebrations and Martin Luther was the first to place a star on the top of the tree. This star represents the star appeared over the stable in which Christ was born.

(2) In Great Britain, the Christmas tree became popular while Queen Victoria ruled the country.

On the eve of Christmas children hang their stockings, so that Santa Claus could put presents into them: oranges, sweets, nuts and if the child didn't behave properly Santa Claus can put there a piece of coal as punishment.

Santa Claus got his name from a man known as St. Nicolas, who lived in the fourth century. He gave his wealth to the poor and often to children. After he died, the Dutch brought this legend to colonial America. Soon the Dutch name Sinter Klaus became Santa Claus.

Carol singing is an essential part of Christmas. No church or school is without its carol service. Carols may be traditional or with some variations that express different feelings. Carols were used for the first time during Christmas in the fifteenth century.

Usually children come around in the evening to the front doors and start singing carols and people who live in these houses give children candies, nuts, pies and so on, to thank them for carol singing.

A typical Christmas lunch includes turkey with cranberry sauce and pudding. Every young woman in each household helps to stir the Christmas pudding, if she wishes to be married that year. Usually a coin or two are hidden inside the pudding and part of the fun is to see who finds it.

After the lunch they go to the sitting room to listen to the Christmas speech of the Queen, shown on TV.

So, Christmas is a merry family holiday for all the people of Great Britain. Christmas comes but once a year.