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(E)Now, therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 1996, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all the people of the United States to assemble in their homes, places of worship, or community centers to share the spirit of goodwill and prayer to express heartfelt gratitude for the blessings of life; and to reach out in friendship to our brothers and sisters in the larger family of mankind.

(F)In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two-hundred and twenty-first.

William J. Clinton

1) making an appeal to the nation to preserve the values and the spirit of

to give informationСиbut rather to appeal to the nation, we can still learn something specific about the U.S. find at least eight bits of information and formulate them in your own words.

23. Try to read aloud a paragraph observing the rhythm, intonation and tone of the address.

24. Now make a speech of your own (it may be humorous). Decide who you are, where you are, to whom you speak and on what occasion. Try to use some expressions from Clinton's proclamation. Start by making an outline.

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25. Read about Guy Fawkes Night. Do you have similar holidays in your country?

Remember, remember The fifth of November,

Gunpowder Treason and Plot. I see no reason

Why Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot.

British people celebrate some festivals-like Christmas and Easter – with the rest of Europe. But some are just British. Here’s a very British Festival and a very noisy one. This is Guy Fawkes Night in Britain. On the 5th of November every year British people remember Guy Fawkes and his plot to blow up the king and the Houses of Parliament in 1605.

At first sight, Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night celebrations may look alike. They are both in late autumn and have a touch of mystery,

Pic. 114

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27. Let's make a pumpkin pie! Look at these actions and choose

28.Now think of the necessary ingredients and write a recipe and draw a picture of your pie. Don't forget to treat your classmates!

29.Look through the headings. Try to identify if these holidays are Russian, American or British ones. Some of them are obvious; one holiday doesn’t belong to any group.

Work in three groups (A – American, B – British, R - Russian). Use

the information below to describe unusual, strange or interesting holidays of your country. Create a poster toИdecorate Did you know?Д

It begins a week before Shrove Monday, which is the last Monday before the 40-day fasting period of Lent. Shrovetide is the most cheerful of all Russian holidays. Not to participate in this holiday means to live in poverty for the rest of the year.

Each day of Shrovetide has its own rituals. They are:

MONDAY – People set up stalls selling pancakes, toys and crafts. A Shrovetide dummy is dressed in a sarafan and seated on a sledge. The sledge goes along the streets, inviting people to join in and celebrate the festival.

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TUESDAY – People dress in their best clothes and go out for tobogganing and pancakes. Young men look for their future wives and people kiss, dance and flirt with each other.

WEDNESDAY – Mothers-in-law invite their sons-in-law to try delicious pancakes. The sons-in-law bring gifts and sweet honey cakes.

THURSDAY – On this day there is more tobogganing along with plenty of fun. People play at fist fighting and capturing snow fortresses. They go theatre performances, eat pancakes, drink and dance.

FRIDAY – Sons-in-law invite their mothers-in-law to their homes for pancakes.

SATURDAY – Sisters-in-law receive guests.

SUNDAY – The Shrovetide straw dummy is solemnly burnt as a

symbol of life’s victory over death. Ashes are scattered over the fields in order to have an excellent harvest in the autumn. In the evening, people forgive all offences so that everyone can meet the spring with a clear conscience.

Jesus Christ died then returned toАlife accordingДto the Bible. In Great Britain and the USA Easter is theбsymbol of spring coming. Easter consists of Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Adults present to each other flowers and chocolatesиand children are presented Easter eggs. Women cook Easter cake and Easter Bunny in the USA and Great Britain. In Russia womenСalso cook Easter cake and so-called paskha – rich mixture of sweetened curds, butter and raisins. People use the following phrases: Best wishes for Easter! Happy Easter! Happy Easter to you all! I wish you and all the family a very happy Easter! Also people exchange a triple kiss as Easter salutation. The week before Easter people colour eggs. In Great Britain and the USA on Easter Sunday children wake up to find the Easter Bunny has left them a basket of candy.

Quebec Winter Carnival

Since its beginning in 1954, the Quebec Winter Carnival has grown to become the world’s biggest winter festival. From 1st to 17th of February every year, visitors come from all over the world to enjoy the more than 300 events and activities on offer. One of the highlights is the famous canoe race on the St. Lawrence River. Thousands of people gather to watch and cheer as brave teams cross the river, battling their way through ice

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floes and powerful currents. Other popular events are the Grand Viree, a dog sled race through the streets of Old Quebec, and the International Snow Sculpture competition. Visitors can participate in many activities, including snowshoe racing, ice skating, ice fishing and sleigh rides, or visit the Ice Castle, a medieval castle that is built every year out of ice and snow. The whole city is transformed into a magical winter fantasy, providing both adults and children with the opportunity to rediscover the wonders of winter.

Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of the most spectacular shows in the world. It takes place annually, as it has since 1950, at the beginning

of August. Today, more than 200,000 people attend the festival, while millions watch it on TV. It begins late every evening, with bands from more than thirty countries marching across the castle’s drawbridge, playing in harmony.

too also features the best of Scottish highland dancers,Иwheeling and swirling across the esplanade. Every year, a variety of international guest per-

formers also appear and thrill the crowdДwith motorcycle stuns, Chinese dance and much more. For the grand finale, all 1,000 or more performers

Apart from the nightly displays of traditional Scottish music, the Tat-

gather on the esplanade: columnбАafter column of marchers, dancers and bandsmen. As the applause of the audience dies down, a hush falls as the Lone Piper begins to play the tunes that signal the end of the show. Fireworks burst forth into the night sky and the audience joins in a chorus of

singing, the perfect endиto a memorable event full of colour and tradition.

The 60s producedСone of the most famous movements: the hippie movement. Hippies were young people, whose lifestyle could be summed up in two words: peace and music. They dressed in a specific way: colourful, flowery shirts and bell-bottoms. They also had long hair and took a lot of drugs. Another characteristic feature was that they lived in communes, which could consist of a few or many people. The festival at Woodstock took place on 15th August, 1969. The organizers expected 150,000 people; to their surprise over 300,000 came. The place was filled with hippies lying about on the grass, listening to music and having fun. The festival became the symbol of the hippie movement and the announcement of its end. Woodstock brought together the best rock artists of the period. They

Woodstock festival

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