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aliens captured in the crash – dead or alive. There are rumours that meetings between high government officials and extraterrestrials are actually taking place in on the base. But there are other theories as to what actually goes on there.

Some people believe that weather control or time travel experiments are being conducted there. Some conspiracy theorists even think that a secret one world government, a New World Order, is conducting their activities within Area 51. In 2000, Fox Television broadcast a show that talked about the possibility that the Apollo moon landing was a hoax. People who think the moon landing was a big hoax believe that the footage seen of the moon landing was actually filmed in Area 51.

Bob Lazar

In 1989, Bob Lazar did an interview with reporter George Knapp from KLAS TV. He said that he worked with alienИspace craft in an area south

of Area 51 known as S-4. As a physicist, he said it was his job to study the

propulsion system of an alien spacecraft.ДIn the interview, he went on to explain the system, but was somewhat vague about where the spacecraft

came from, other than to say it was from the civilisation Zeta Retuculi 1 & 2 star systems and the race of beings was referred to as “Greys.”

his name didn’t appear on eitherАschool’s alumni rolls. Lazar countered with the fact that thatиwas due to the government’s attempt to erase his

Sceptics point out that Lazar claimed to have degrees from the California

that Bob was indeed employedбby the Department of Naval Intelligence in 1989.

Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but

past for secrecy. George Knapp did locate a W-2 tax form that showed С

So did Bob Lazar really work on alien spacecraft and were his credentials removed to make him a “non-person” in the eyes of the government? Or was his whole story just a figment of his imagination about a place that is so secretly guarded, most people can only imagine what goes on in there?

As long as the government continues to guard Area 51 as it does, there will no doubt continue to be rumours about UFOs, aliens, and secret governments.

http://www.spookystuff.co.uk

8.Explain the words in bold, then give the synonyms for the highlighted words.

9.Popular culture often portrays Area 51 as a haven for extraterrestrials. The numerous conspiracy theories surrounding Area 51 have

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granted it a fairly high profile in popular culture, specifically in the area of science fiction. Dozens of films and television programs deal with fictionalized events at the site. For example, in the video game Tomb Raider 3, Lara Croft breaks into Area 51. She must find a special stone called "Element 115." Can you think of any other examples?

AMERICAN AND BRITISH HOLIDAYS

Halloween

October 31st

3. Read the text and answer the questions:

1.Who had the festival that was probably the start of our Halloween?

2.When did they hold the festival?

3.Who was Samhain?

4.What did Celts do to scare all the ghosts?

5.What do people do nowadays on Halloween?

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6. What are the colours of Halloween?

Thе Roots of Halloween

In the fall the nights get longer. The weather turns colder. Leaves fall from trees, and plants die. For these reasons, fall has long been thought of as a time of death.

Long ago, many people believed that on certain fall nights dead spirits came back to earth. This idea was held by the Celts, a European people who lived in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and France. Over 2,000 years ago, the Celts held a festival that was probably the start of our Halloween.

The Celts' festival was held on October 31. It was called Samhain,

after the Celts' lord of the dead. Samhain was thought to send ghosts to earth on the night of October 31. When angry,ИSamhain could send many evil ghosts. The Cells built fires on hilltops to scare off the ghosts. They also scared the ghosts away by wearing costumes made of animal heads and skins.

Traces of the Samhain festival remain in our Halloween customs. Ghosts still roam about on October 31. Only today they are children under

Jack-o'-lanterns

Each year, millions of people carve Halloween pumpkins. The carved pumpkins are nicknamed "jack-o'-lanterns." The custom of carving Halloween jack-o'-lanterns began long ago in Ireland and Scotland. But when the custom began, people in those lands did not have pumpkins. (They are thought to have grown first in North America.) The people in Ireland and Scotland carves jack-o'-lanterns out of turnips.

An Irish story told how jack-o'-lanterns got their name. Long ago, the story began, a man named Jack met the devil on a road. Jack had been very selfish. He knew the devil would take his soul — unless he could fool him. As they passed an apple tree, Jack had an idea. He asked for an apple before going to hell.

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The devil climbed the tree to get the apple. As he did so, Jack carved a cross on the tree with his knife. The devil was scared to come down past the cross, which is a symbol of Christianity's good power. Jack helped the devil down — but only after he promised to leave Jack's soul alone.

Jack soon died. He could not enter heaven because he had been so bad. Needing a place to go, Jack tried to enter hell. But the devil kept his promise and would not let him in. The devil said that Jack must return to earth. When Jack cried that he could not find his way in the dark, the devil threw him a hot coal. Jack carved a turnip and placed the glowing coal inside it.

Ever since, Jack has wandered the earth with his turnip lantern. Turnips with lighted candles inside them became known as “jack-o'-

Wiches’ Brew

Mark Burgess

Hubble-bubble on the stove.

The witches gather round.

They all declare there's no compare,

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It's such a lovely sound. “What is the formula?” cries one.

“I think I have forgot.”

“A spoon for each of us,” they shout. “Then one more for the pot!”

7. Let’s play.

Halloween words

Разделиться на две команды. На двух листках бумаги написано слово Halloween. По сигналу за 5 минут каждая команда должна написать как можно больше слов, состоящих из букв, которые есть в слове Halloween. Учитывается правильность написания.

Tricks before treatsИ

(tricks). Бутылку вращают, и тот, на кого она укажет, должен выполнить задание на листке, который он возьмет.

Все участники рассаживаются по кругу, в центр которого кладут пустую бутылку. Заранее заготовить небольшиеДлисточки с заданиями

St. Valentine’s Day

8. St. Valentine’s Day Quiz.

a)froteenth;

b)fourtienth;

c)fourteenth.

4.According to a popular belief, why was St Valentine beheaded?

a)because he secretly married young couples;

b)because he was in love with a young girl;

c)because he was always in love with someone.

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