Английский язык. Методические указания. Иванова С.Г. - 36 стр.

      8 Unit 8 Holidays in the USA

      8.1 Read and translate the text

                                   Holidays in the USA

      American celebrate Christmas and New Year's Day, Easter, Halloween, St.
Valentine's Day as the English do. But there are some American holidays. They are
Martin Luther King's Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day,
Labour Day, Columbus Day and Thanksgiving.
      Independence day is the most important American holiday. They celebrate it on
the 4th of July. On the 4th of July in 1776 the American colonies declared their
independence from Britain. Americans usually have picnics on this day.
      Martin Luther King's Day is celebrated in January, Martin Luther King was a
famous fighter for civil rights for Afro-Americans. In the 1950s and 1960s he
organized the civil rights movement. In 1968 he was assassinated.
      Presidents' day is celebrated in February, It is the day on which George
Washington and Abraham Lincoln are honoured. They were born in February.
George Washington was the first American president. Abraham Lincoln headed the
country during the Civil War and put on end to slavery.
      Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday in May. On this day Americans
honour the soldiers killed in war. There are always parades on this day.
      On the first Monday in September Americans celebrate Labour Day. They
honour the American worker.
      Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Americans mark
the coming of Columbus's ship to America. They honour the man who was the
discoverer of their country.
      On the 31st of October Americans celebrate Halloween. On this day children
dress in fancy costumes as witches, ghosts and other monsters or characters from TV
programmes. They go from house to house, knock at the door and say: "Trick or
treat." People give them sweets, fruit or cakes. If they don't get something tasty, they
play a trick on people.
      Thanks giving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. People go to
church and families come together for the day. They decorate their houses with fruit
and flowers of autumn and prepare traditional American food: roast turkey, potatoes
and pumpkin. They thank God for many things. This holiday was first celebrated in
1621 by the colonists after their first good harvest.
      Washington's birthday is celebrated on the 22nd of February. It's a great day for
shoppers. The department stores of Washington D. C. started a national tradition of
sales marked by unusual bargains.




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