Exam on Countrystudy

1. Tell about Germanic family of languages：

The Germanic branch is one of the ten or so Indo-European subfamilies.
Germanic languages are English's distant cousins, so to speak. The Germanic
family itself has subgroups; English is in the West Germanic branch along with
German, Dutch, Afrikaans, and a few others. Germanic languages, branch of
the Indo-European language family. Scholars often divide the Germanic
languages into three groups: West Germanic, including English, German, and
Netherlandic; North Germanic, including Danish, Swedish, Icelandic,
Norwegian, and Faroese; and East Germanic, now extinct, comprising only
Gothic and the languages of the Vandals, Burgundians, and a few other tribes.
The Germanic languages are related in the sense that they can be shown to be
different historical developments of a single earlier parent language. Although
for some language families there are written records of the parent language
2. The Earliest Period of Germanic History：
According to some authors the Bastarnae or Peucini were the first Germani to
be encountered by the Greco-Roman world and thus to be mentioned in
historical records. They appear in historical sources going back as far as the 3rd
century BCE through the 4th century CE
3. East Germanic languages：
The only East Germanic language of which texts are known is Gothic, although
a word list and some short sentences survive from its relative Crimean Gothic.
Other East Germanic languages include Vandalic and Burgundian, though the
only remnants of these languages are in the form of isolated words and short
phrases.
4. North Germanic languages
5. West Germanic languages
6. Chronological Divisions in the History of English
7. The geographical situation of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the
British Isles — a large group of islands lying off the north-western coast of
Europe and separated from the continent by the English Channel and the Strait
of Dover in the south and the North Sea in the east.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland covers an area of
some 244 thousand square miles. It is situated on the British Isles. The British
Isles are separated from Europe by the Strait of Dover and the English Channel.
The British Isles are washed by the North Sea in the east and the Atlantic Ocean
in the west.
8. Seas, oceans, rivers and lakes in GB
The most famous English river is the Thames. It is 215 miles long. The Severn,
the longest river in the United Kingdom, is 240 miles long. Other important
rivers are the Trent, Mersey, Tyne, Tees, Forth and Clyde. Lakes can be found
in the north of England (Lake District), in Scotland and in Ulster. The most
beautiful lakes, like Loch Lomond and Loch Katrine, are in Scotland and the
Lake District, where the most famous are Windermere and Derwentwater.
9. Mountains. Climate. Population in GB
The climate is mainly temperate with variations between the high- lands and the
lowlands: much of Scotland is cool in summer and cold in winter compared
with most of England.
Average British temperatures do not rise above 32°C in the summer and do not
fall below -10°C in the winter.
Britain has a reputation for being rainy; actually the total national rainfall
average is about 1,100 mm annually, March to June tend to be the driest
months, September to January the wettest, and drought conditions are
infrequent, although they do occur and can cause problems for agriculture.

Within Europe only the Netherlands (Holland) has a higher density of

population than England.
Historically speaking, the true Britons are descendents of the Celtic tribes who
original1y carne; from the Iberian peninsula and settled in the western parts of
the British Isles. The rest of the population is generally considered Anglo-
Saxon in origin.

There are 35178 named mountains in United Kingdom. The highest and the
most prominent mountain is Ben Nevis.
* Scafell Pike.
* Helvellyn.
* Great Gable.
* Blencathra.
* Red Pike.
* Old Man Of Coniston.
* Cross Fell.
* Great Dun Fell.
10. The Roman invasion and results
The invasion of Britain was one of the ways Claudius set out to prove himself.
His imperial predecessor, Caligula, had prepared for an invasion, but then
abandoned the enterprise, in AD 41. The army took this as a failure, and a
source of embarrassment and shame.
As a pretext for invasion, Claudius may have used the expulsion from Britain of
the pro-Roman king, Verica of the Atrebates, by the Catuvellauni. Hostile to
Roman influence, the Catuvellaunian brothers Caratacus and Togodumnus had
been leading attacks on the Atrebates and extending their area of influence
westwards from their homelands north of the Thames. This meant that a
powerful anti-Roman party was gaining wider control of southern Britain.
For Claudius, a successful invasion would bring glory and popularity. It
promised booty and access to the considerable natural resources of Britain, and
it would also satisfy the army.
Underpinning the prospect of invasion was the Romans’ innate belief in their
right to conquer non-Roman peoples. They were confident that the gods had
gifted them the known world and that it was their right and duty to rule it all in
their ‘civilised’ manner.
11. The first settlers on the British Isles
The first one took place in 400 BC when Celts armed with iron weapons
conquered Kent and much of Southern England. They spread north and imposed
their language on the natives. Celts were ancient people who lived in Central
and Western Europe and moved to the British Isles during the Iron Age.
12. The conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity
Pope Gregory I (590–604) sent a group of missionaries to the Anglo-Saxon
kingdoms, led by Augustine, who became the first archbishop of Canterbury.
They arrived in Kent in 597 and converted King Æthelberht (died 616) and his
court. Irish missionaries also helped convert the Anglo-Saxons to
Christianity.
13. The Norman invasion and results
14. The first king of England
15. The basis of feudal society in GB
16. The English Bourgeois Revolution (1642—1648)
17. Oliver Cromwell as a leader in the English Revolution
18. The industrial revolution and Chartism
19. The Queen Victoria and her contribution to the development of GB
20. Art, culture, and literature in Elizabethan era
21. Modern Cultural life in GB, cultural values
22. Folk, rock and pop music and world’s major theatre centers in GB.
British folk rock is a form of folk rock which developed in the United Kingdom
from the mid 1960s, and was at its most significant in the 1970s. British Folk
Artists - The Trees, John Jones, Fishermen's Friends, Vin Garbutt, Mike
Waterson
Rock. he period of the 20th century is the continuation of the rock debut in the
United States in the UK. The Beatles were a British pop and rock band from
Liverpool, composed of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and
Ringo Starr. They are considered the most popular and influential rock band in
history. One of their biggest successes was to have five of their songs in the
Billboard Hot 100 singles chart of april 1964, the five of them at the top of the
singles chart. In ten years of existence and only eight years of record career
(from 1962 to 1970), the Beatles recorded twelve original albums and composed
more than 200 songs. Initially influenced by several musical genres (skiffle,
beat music and rock ‘n’ roll of the 1950s), they quickly changed their musical
style, addressing genres as varied as pop, Indian music, psychedelic rock and
hard rock.
Pop. Ed Sheeran is a musician born in Halifax, Yorkshire. The musical genres
he particularly likes are pop/folk-pop, folk, rock and grime. He masters several
instruments: the guitar (acoustic and electric), the drums, the violin, the cello
and the piano. It is thanks to his love and his talents for music that he is where
he is now. Like any musician, his musical style was influenced when he was
young.
Theatre of United Kingdom plays an important part in British culture.
National Theatre, London. Situated on the South Bank of the River Thames,
the National Theatre has a reputation for producing some of the best theatre the
UK has to offer. The varied programme offers a myriad of classic drama and
new plays by contemporary playwrights, alongside a wonderful selection of
bars and restaurants, exhibitions and a book shop. Since June 2009, the theatre
has also begun a programme of live-production broadcasts to local cinemas, as
well as to those further afield. National Theatre Live screens performances to
over 1,000 venues in 35 countries, so those unable to make it to London have
the opportunity to experience the best of British performing arts wherever they
are.
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. The Royal Exchange Theatre has been
hosting theatre productions since 1976 and is housed in one of Manchester’s
most-beautiful buildings in the heart of the city centre. The theatre itself sports a
stage ‘in-the-round’ and can seat an audience of up to 700, making it the largest
theatre of its kind in Britain. Annually, the Royal Exchange gives an average of
350 performances and puts on a programme that intertwines the classic
performance arts, revivals and contemporary writing.
Theatre Royal, Bath. At over 200 years old, the Theatre Royal in Bath is one of
England’s most reputable theatres with a seating capacity of over 900.
Alongside an extensive programme performed by touring troupes, the theatre
also hosts several events each year, such as the Shakespeare Unplugged festival.
As many productions begin their season at the Theatre Royal before their stints
in London, it is well worth a visit.

23. Traditions, cultural values in GB

Cultural values
Tea (and biscuits, obviously). The word “cuppa” (/ˈkʌpə/) is a common way to
refer to a cup of tea, as when you pronounce the expression “cup of tea”, it
sounds more like “cuppa tea”. And it’s true that the humble cup of tea forms the
basis of many British social interactions. Most Britian people drink tea for
breakfast, more tea during work breaks, tea before bed, tea when the neighbours
visit, tea during a meeting.
Tea was very expensive at the first and was illegal. Because merchants obtained
tea illegally. Many people were arrested for smuggling tea.
Saying sorry. Another custom which many respondents thought was
particularly British was excessive apologising. It is the automatic reaction of
most Brits to say sorry, regardless of whether they are at fault.
Awkward greetings. there are no strict rules for greeting somebody in the UK,
the only essential element is that it’s awkward. In a country like Spain, the
social rules for handshakes or giving two kisses are quite clear. In the UK,
greetings can range from a formal handshake to a hug to a nod of the head or
perhaps just a simple “Hello”. Such lack of guidance spells social disaster, as
one person goes in for a hug while the other is offering a reserved head nod.
The result is embarrassment for everybody, and thus a typical British interaction
has begun!

24. Public Holidays in GB

Public Holidays (UK bank holidays) -
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
New Year’s Day
Good Friday
Easter Monday
May Day
Spring Bank Holiday
Late Summer Bank Holiday
Christmas Day - is celebrated in the United Kingdom on December 25. It
traditionally celebrates Jesus Christ's birth but many aspects of this holiday have
pagan origins. Christmas is a time for many people to give and receive gifts and
prepare special festive meals. Christmas Day is a public holiday. It is a day off
for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. Prior to
Christmas Day, people decorate their homes and gardens prior to Christmas
Day. These decorations may include: Christmas trees, Small colored fairy
lights, Leaves and berries from holly trees and mistletoe bushes, Various other
decorations with rich colors that spark the Christmas mood.
Easter Monday occurs after Easter Sunday, which commemorates Jesus Christ's
resurrection, according to Christian belief. It is a bank holiday in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland but not Scotland. In England, Wales and Northern
Ireland, many businesses and organizations are closed. Stores are often open to
welcome shoppers, but public transport systems may run to a different
timetable. There may be some congestion on train services and roads as people
return from trips made during their four-day weekend. In Scotland, Easter
Monday is a normal Monday.
What Do People Do?
For many people, Easter Monday is the last day in a four day weekend. If
people have been on a short vacation or have visited family or friends, who live
some distance away, they often travel back on this day. For other people, it is
just a welcome day off to enjoy the spring weather or work on their garden or
home improvements. In some places, there are egg rolling competitions, Easter
bonnet parades, displays of traditional Morris dancing fairs or special sports
matches. In Biddenden, Kent, special cakes are distributed in memory of
conjoined twins born in 1100, who lived to the age of 34.
The spring bank holiday, also known as the late May bank holiday, is a time
for people in the United Kingdom to have a day off work or school. It falls on
the last Monday of May.. Many organizations, businesses and schools are
closed. Stores may be open or closed, according to local custom. Public
transport systems often run to a holiday timetable.
What Do People Do?
For many people the spring bank holiday is a pleasant day off work or school.
Some people choose to take a short trip or vacation. Others use the time to walk
in the country, catch up with family and friends, visit garden centers or do home
maintenance. However, in some parts of the United Kingdom, there are some
customs associated with this day.

25. British system of education: primary and secondary education in GB

- A Primary School is divided into Infant and Junior ones.
- At Infant Schools reading, writing and arithmetic (three "Rs") are taught
for about 20 minutes a day during the first year, gradually increasing to
about two hours in their last year.
- There is usually no written timetable.
 - Much time is spent in modelling from clay or drawing, reading or singing.
- By the time children are ready for the Junior School they will be able to
read and write, do simple addition and subtraction of numbers.
- At the age of 7 children go on from the Infants School to the Junior
School.
- This marks the transition from play to "real work". The children have set
periods of arithmetic, reading and composition which are all "Eleven
Plus" subjects. History, Geography, Nature Study, Art and Music,
Physical Education, Swimming are also on the timetable.
- Core subjects are English, Maths, Science. Exams in them are taken at
the age of 7 and 11.

26. The difference between Comprehensive and Grammar schools in GB

1. The idea of comprehensive education was to give all children of
whatever background the same opportunity in education.
Comprehensive Schools are non-selective ("all-in") schools, which
provide a wide range of secondary education for all the children of a
district. They are the most important type of school because they are
attended by 88 % of all Secondary School pupils. All Scottish state pupils
also attend nonselective schools.
2. A Grammar School mainly provides an exam-centred academic course
from 11 to 18. It is the main route to the universities and the
professions. A large proportion of university students is recruited from
Grammar Schools, though they make 3 % of all schools.

27. What is known about secondary technical schools in GB

1. Grammar schools (exams are taken: math and language)

2. Comprehensive schools – GCS (math, languages and others) at the age of
15-16.
3. Years 7 and 8 are the first two years of secondary school education in
the UK. In some independent schools they are included in the Junior
School, in others, they are part of the Senior School.
4. Under the UK school system, all students study English, Maths, Sciences,
a Humanity and a Modern Language. Besides these subjects, each school
has a list with optional subjects (Art, Music, Drama, Latin, Sport Science,
Design Technology, Computer Science), and students may choose a few
subjects that interest them.

5. In some schools, students sit Common Entrance Exam in year 7. There

are 3 examination sessions, in November, January and May/June. The
transition from Junior to Senior School (from year 8 to year 9) may be
conditioned by the Common Entrance Exam results in those schools.

28. What do you know about Public schools in GB

To talk about the Public schools in GB I can say there are Primary and
Secondary

Primary school (4-10)

A Primary School is divided into Infant and Junior ones.

At Infant Schools reading, writing and arithmetic are taught for about 20
minutes a day during the first year, gradually increasing to about two
hours in their last year. There is usually no written timetable. Much time
is spent in modelling from clay or drawing, reading or singing. By the
time children are ready for the Junior School they will be able to read and
write, do simple addition and subtraction of numbers.

At the age of 7 children go on from the Infants School to the Junior

School. The children have set periods of arithmetic, reading and
composition which are all "Eleven Plus" subjects. History, Geography,
Nature Study, Art and Music, Physical Education, Swimming are also on
the timetable. Core subjects are English, Maths, Science. Exams in them
are taken at the age of 7 and 11.

Secondary school (11-12)

At the age of 11 most pupils go to secondary schools. About 90% of

children receive their secondary education at comprehensive schools.
Grammar schools (exams are taken: math and language)

Comprehensive schools provide compulsory education for all pupils,

there are no entrance exams there. About 6% of pupils go to grammar
schools, which take students who pass the 11+ examination.

Pupils are streamed, according to their ability to learn, into A-, B-, C- and
D-stream. Formerly towards the end of their fourth year the pupils wrote
their "Eleven Plus" Examination.The abolition of selection at "Eleven
Plus" Examination brought to life Comprehensive Schools where pupils
of all abilities can get secondary education.

Grammar schools

A Grammar School mainly provides an exam-centred academic

course from 11 to 18. It is the main route to the universities and the
professions. A large proportion of university students is recruited
from Grammar Schools, though they make 3 % of all schools.

Most Grammar School pupils remain at school until 18 or 19 years

old, especially if they want to go on to a university. Some degree of
specialisation, especially as between arts and science subjects, is usual
in the upper forms.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

At the age of 16 students write an examination called GCSE(General

Certificate of Secondary Education) and then they can leave school if
they wish. This is the end of compulsory education.

29. The system of Higher Education in GB

The system of higher education in Britain includes universities,

colleges of higher education and advanced courses in the further
education. The British educational system on the higher level is still
more selective and class-divided than secondary education, particularly
so far as the oldest universities are concerned.

Most big towns in Britain have both a university and a college of higher
education. There are 91 universities and 47 colleges of higher education
today.

Universities offer 3- and 4-year degree courses, though a number of

subjects take longer, including medicine, architecture and foreign
languages (where courses include a year abroad).

Undergraduate courses normally take 3 years of full-time study and lead

in most cases to a Bachelor degree in Arts, Science or Education.

Only 25 % of the student population go on to higher education.

Competition to get into one of Britain's universities is fierce and not
everyone who gets A-levels is admitted.

30. Art in GB. Museums and galleries.

The genre school, realistic landscape and portraiture schools expressed

the social contradictions of English life.

I want to tell you about Sir David Wilkie. He is leader of the genre
school

One of his well-known pictures is “Village Politicians“

Portrayed the joys and sorrows of the "little man"

The British have always been known as great art collectors

In 1753 by an Act of Parliament the British Museum was founded, and

the state itself became a big collector.

London is the world's leading centre of museums and galleries, holding

the richest variety of works of arts.

There are about 2,000 museums and galleries in Britain which include
the chief national collections, and a great variety of independently or
privately owned institutions.

National museums and galleries in London:

1. the British Museum,

2. Victoria and Albert Museum,

3. the Science Museum,

4. the National Gallery,

5. the Tate Gallery,

6. the National Portrait Gallery,

7. the Geological Museum,

8. the Natural History Museum,

9. Madame Tussaud's,

10. the Tower of London

There are national museums and art galleries in Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland

In Edinburgh — the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland, the

Royal Scottish Museum;

in Cardiff — the National Museum of Wales;

in Belfast — the Ulster Museum.

Situated in Bloomsbury, THE BRITISH MUSEUM is the world's largest

museum.

Thx

THE NATIONAL GALLERY

1. Van Dyck,

2. Rubens,

3. Vermeer,

4. Holbein,

5. El Greco,
6. Goya,

7. Velasquez,

8. Gainsborough

9. Leonardo da Vinci

31. William Hogarth.

William Hogarth (1697-176).

He is an English painter, draftsman and engraver, founder and major

representative of the national school of painting, and illustrator.

In 1724 he produced his first set of engravings entitled "The Talk of
the Town“

•"The Rake's Progress" - series of pictures were highly praised by Henry

Fielding

•"The Marriage Contract" is the first of the series of his pictures forming
the famous

"Marriage a la Mode“ - the picture is a protest against marriage for

money and vanity.

•Hogarth was the first great English artist - "the Father of English
Painting".

32. Joshua Reynolds.

- the first President of the Royal Academy of Arts, was not only a painter

but the founder of the academic principles of a "British school“

He created a whole gallery of portraits of the most famous of his

contemporaries — statesmen, scholars, writers and actors, depicting them
in heroic style, showing them in all their glory as the best people of the
nation.
He was one of the founders of the English school of portrait-painting at
the time of the industrial revolution.

Painters:

“Commander the Venerable August Keppel” - is the first ceremonial

portrait by the great painter.

"Portrait of Penelope Boothby" is a classic children's portrait of the

Romantic era.

"The Age of Innocence" is another charming children's portrait.

«Lady Waldegrave» is an exquisite group portrait of young girls.

33. Thomas Gainsborough.

English painter and engraver.

•His portraits of children have infinite charm.

•"The Portrait of Lady Howe" (1765) is one of his masterpieces.

•He loved the country-side of his childhood and often said that the
Suffolk country-side had made him a painter.

•One of the most famous of his late landscapes is "The Market Cart"
painted two years before he died.

His notable works are The Boy in Blue, Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, Cornard
Wood.e.t.c

34. Joseph Turner.

35. Museums and galleries in GB.

36. The British state system

37. The monarchy.

38. The government in GB.

39. Parliament in GB.

40. Political parties of the USA and their functions.

41. Geography of the USA. The nicknames of the states: official and non-
official

42. The climate. Land. Population of the USA

43. The structure of the government of the USA

The highest legislative body is the bicameral parliament - the U.S.

Congress: the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.Each
state has two representatives in the Senate. Senators are elected for a six-
year term, representatives are elected for a two-year term. Both senators
and representatives can be re-elected an unlimited number of times.

Judicial branch of government

The highest court of the United States is the Supreme Court. The
Supreme Court has great power. In addition, members of the court are
elected for life with the exception of extremely rare cases. There are 9
members in the court, its chairman, the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme
Court, has small additional powers. Members of the court are nominated
by the president and approved by the Senate.

Executive branch of government

To rule The President of the United States is the head of state,

government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces.The President of
the United States is elected for a four-year term, and can be elected to this
post no more than twice,

44. The war of Independence in USA

The U.S. War of Independence is the war of the American colonies against
Great Britain. In 1765, the British Empire owned 13 colonies on the east coast
of North America. The authorities sometimes imposed taxes and fees into them,
which caused protests from the local population. Tensions have been growing
since the late 1760s, eventually the colonies demanded independence, the first
shots were fired in 1775. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was
adopted, but the war continued until 1782. In 1783, Great Britain officially
recognized the independence of the colonies. Thus, the United States of
America appeared. During the XIX century, a large number of texts appeared
about George Washington, who during the War of Independence was the
commander-in-chief of the united army of colonies, and later became the first
president of the United States. In these texts, he was described as a person
without fear and reproach, a man without the most flaws in behavior and moral
foundations, on whom the younger generation should be equalized and with
whom, in general, none of the living Americans could compare.
45. The civil war in USA: reasons and results
The American Civil War (1861-1865), also called the North-South War, has
remained in history as the largest and bloodiest conflict on the American
continent. The causes of the American Civil War can be divided into three
groups.
. Political contradictions
The population of the Northern States was replenished by free emigrants, and
the South by slaves imported from abroad. This led to the fact that only a
quarter of the population of the Southern States had the right to vote by the
early 1860s. The southerners feared that with such dynamics all controversial
political issues in Congress would be resolved in favor of the North by a
majority vote. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States.
He ran for the Republican Party, which advocated the abolition of slavery and
support for the country's domestic market.

Economic disagreements,
All the country's industry was concentrated in the North, while cotton, sugar
cane, tobacco and other industrial crops were harvested in the South. For a long
time, the Southern States supplied raw materials to the North, where local
manufacturers were engaged in its processing and export of goods. However, at
some point, planters realized that trading with Europe without intermediaries
was much more profitable. Owners of factories of the North risked being left
without supplies, and their goods in the South were replaced by European ones.
Wishing to protect the domestic market, the government imposed huge taxes on
trade with Europe, causing discontent among the Southerners.

Attitude to slavery
All agriculture in the South was based on slave labor, while the use of unskilled
slaves in factories was ineffective. Industrialists of the North needed free
workers and advocated the abolition of slavery. For the Southern Planners, this
would mean the collapse of the entire economic system built on free labor.

The American Civil War was the bloodiest conflict in the history of the nation:
600,000 dead and 400,000 missing
The main outcome of the war was the famous 13th Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the country. This was the
most important step towards equality of American society.

46. The US state system

47. The role of the local government in the USA
48. The America’s holidays and customs
first of all I have to tell you that I found it quite difficult to justify what is a
tradition or not. Firstly, traditions vary from place to place and with the USA
being such a huge country it is just natural that there are other traditions in the
north than there are in the south. So I tried to find traditions that are spread
across the country or at least known across the fifty states. Secondly, there are
traditions that have a history and used to be big one day, but lost their
importance as time went by. I tried to pick the traditions that are of importance
to the average American citizen. That means that I will leave out holidays like
President's day, where people know that it is a holiday, but it does not really
matter to them except if they get off school. So please excuse if I will leave out
things you consider important or experienced differently. I will now just go
through the year 2001 and talk about the holidays as they fall.
Martin Luther King, Jr.`s Birthday Monday, January 15 Each year on the third
Monday of January schools, federal offices, post offices and banks across
America close to celebrate the birth, the life and the dream of Martin Luther
King. He fought for freedom, equality and dignity of all races and people with
non-violent means. Martin Luther King day also reminds everybody of Rosa
Parks and the Civil Rights Movement. It was a hard way to pass the bill to make
this day a federal holiday. Many felt that there were other Americans that
deserved a national holiday. But in 1983, fifteen years after King's death,
Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law, making the third Monday of January a
national holiday. This year's theme is ,,Remember! Celebrate! Act! A day on,
not a day off!"
Super bowl Sunday January 28 Super bowl Sunday is a very important day for
most Americans. It is the day where the winner of the American Football
League and the winner of the National Football league play against each other
for the greatest trophy in football history. People have Super bowl Parties and
meet to watch the game. The first Super bowl took place in 1967 and this year's
game was won by the Baltimore Ravens who won over New York 34 to 7.
Every year, communities run out of water because everybody goes to the
bathroom at the same time, at the quarterly breaks. The winner team get Super
bowl Rings, each worth 5000$ and about 120 000$ prize money. The game is
interrupted for commercial breaks and the show starts at early afternoon, so if
you watch the whole show you will see a few thousand commercials. The
average cost of a thirty second spot is 2.3 million dollars. This years national
anthem was performed by the Backstreet Boys and the half time entertainment
was by Aerosmith and NSYNC. The game was watched in more than 43 million
homes.
Groundhog Day February 2 It is an ancient belief, that hibernating creatures,
which means that they sleep in winter, can predict the arrival of springtime. The
day half way between the first day of winter and first day of spring is called
Candlemas. An old lore says:
,,If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings
clouds and rain, Winter will not come again."
So when the groundhog comes out of his den and sees his own shadow, it will
be winter for six more weeks. The U.S. official groundhog is kept in
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. In a great ceremony, in early morning of
February 2, ,,Punxsutawney Phil", as the groundhog is called, is pulled from his
den and whispers his prediction in the ear of his keeper. This happens in front of
hundreds of reporters and lots of cameras it is broadcasted on the news all day.
Remember the movie ,,Groundhog Day (Und täglich grüßt das Murmeltier)".
Valentine's Day February 14 Valentine's day derived from a Roman holiday and
was brought to the USA by British settlers. People send Valentines to their
Valentines. A Valentine can be a card or a gift as a token of love or a person,
singled out as somebody's sweetheart. It is also a huge business, shops and
restaurants are decorated and the newspapers are full of ads.
Mardi Gras Tuesday, February 27 Mardi Gras is a traditional holiday celebrated
in many of the southern states of the USA, especially New Orleans, Louisiana.
It was introduced by French settlers in 1699 and the Americans added to it.
About two weeks before Fat Tuesday there are parades and masquerade balls
that can be watched nightly, that are organized by crews, that pick a king and
queen that reign for the parade. The official Mardi Gras colours are purple
standing for justice, green for faith and gold for power. At the parades you can
make a catch by shouting the sentence: ,,Throw me something, mister." The
crews` members ride on floats and throw beads, doubloons, cups and trinkets.
Beads are glass necklaces of all shapes and colours that resemble jewellery,
royalty would wear, doubloons are metal coins that carry the crews emblem and
their theme for the year, cups are plastic drinking cups that hold about 8-10 oz.
and they carry the emblem and the theme as well. The trinkets are everything
else that is thrown from the float, including candy, Frisbees and whistles. The
traditional food for Mardi Gras are King Cakes, which are made of Cinnamon
Rolls, formed into an oval with purple, green and yellow icing. Inside there is a
figure of a baby hidden, and the one who finds it will have to host the next King
Cake party.
Ash Wednesday February 28 People go to Church and get the ashes, which
means that the priest will make a cross with ash on their forehead and some of
them carry it all day long. St. Patrick’s Day March 17 St. Patrick is the Irish
national saint and with Ireland being the green island, for this holiday
everything is to be green. Shops are decorated as well as restaurants and you
have to wear something green, if you do not you can get pinched by anybody.
Easter April 15 Of course Easter is the holiday of the celebration of Jesus’
resurrection. The symbols of Easter are the egg and the rabbit, both pagan
symbols of fertility. Apart from going to church on Easter Sunday, Americans
like to play Easter games like the Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter Egg Roll.
Easter Egg Hunts take place in most homes, lots of churches, shopping malls
and public places where eggs are hidden and the kids are invited to find them.
The second big game on Easter is the Easter Egg Roll where kids look who can
roll an egg the greatest distance or without breaking it, which is usually played
on a grassy hillside or slope. The most famous Egg Roll takes place on the
White House Lawn, where hundreds of kids come with baskets full of egg and
they play where usually the reporters are standing and hope that the President is
watching the fun.
The second symbol of Easter is of course the Easter Bunny and he appears in a
lot of Nursery Rhymes, too.
,,Here comes Petter Cottontail hoppin` down the bunny trail Hippity hoppity
Easters on its way!"
The Easter Bunny has his origins in Germany and was introduced to American
folklore by German settlers in Pennsylvania during the 1700s. It was
called ,,Oschter Haws" and considered one of ,,childhood's greatest pleasures"
Take our Daughters to Work Day April 26
People take their kids to work on this day.
Mother's Day May 13 In 1907, a woman from Philadelphia began campaigning
to establish Mother's Day as a national holiday. She did not give up until in
1914, President Wilson made the official announcement, proclaiming Mother's
Day a national holiday. Kids are supposed to let their mom have a day off.
Many families begin mothers day with a breakfast in bed, while dad and the
kids do the work and let mom sleep late. Maybe the kids prepare a little gift for
their mom or write a card and lots of families go out for a dinner in mom's
favourite restaurant. As a national holiday, Mother's Day is proclaimed by the
President every year. For example in 1996, President Clinton proclaimed it as
following: ,,...Now, therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United
States of America, do hereby proclaim May 12, 1996, as Mother's Day. I urge
all Americans to express their gratitude for the many contributions made by our
mothers and to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities and
programs..." You see that as a good American citizen you have to celebrate
Mothers Day.
US Independence Day July 4 Independence Day celebrates the birthday of the
United States of America, which was founded on July 4th, 1776, with the
signing of the Declaration of Independence. On this day you see the national
colours white-red-blue everywhere, people are off work and have July 4th
parties, they have flags hanging in their front yards, they have barbecues, throw
horseshoes, play sports and burn fireworks, a lot more than they do for New
Year.
Tooth Fairy Of course there are more traditions in America that are not bound to
a certain date, for example the Tooth Fairy. If an American kid looses its tooth,
it will put it under its pillow that night. When the kid is asleep, the Tooth Fairy
will come and take the tooth and leave some hard cash instead. Of course prices
have gone up, while my host mom got a quarter for each tooth, my little host
sister is expecting the Tooth Fairy to bring at least a dollar for each tooth.
Halloween Wednesday, October 31 Halloween is the time of ghost, witches,
pumpkins and Trick or Treating. The history of Trick or Treating can be traced
back to the early celebrations of All Souls` Day in Britain, when beggars
walked from house to house and got treats to say a prayer for the dead. The
custom changed and the children became the beggars, and during the Pioneer
Days housewives would give kids treats to keep from being tricked. Nowadays,
the kids walk their neighbourhood and say ,,Trick or Treat" and get candy from
the people sitting in front of their houses with loads of candy. Even shopping
malls and public places make Trick or Treating Days for kids to come and get
candy. The symbol of Halloween is of course the pumpkin. It is pumpkin season
and people used to cut faces out of pumpkins and put lights in it, but nowadays,
Jack'O`Lanterns` are mostly made of plastic.
Thanksgiving Thursday, November 22 In 1621, after a hard first year in the
New World, the Pilgrims` fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. Their
governor proclaimed a day of celebration that was to be shared by all the
colonist and the neighbouring Native Americans. The tradition of a
thanksgiving day was kept in the following years, and in 1863, President
Abraham Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation and so did all of the
following Presidents, usually on the fourth Thursday of each November.
Although there is no real evidence that turkey was served at the Pilgrims` first
Thanksgiving, it is now the traditional meal for the family dinner. Usually
people go home and spend the holiday with their families. Therefore,
Thanksgiving is one of the most busy travel days of the year. A lot of people did
not forget the origins of this holiday and they still give thanks for things that are
important to them.
Christmas December 25 Christmas is very big in America. People decorate their
homes weeks in advance and shops, malls and restaurants are full of Christmas
trees and Santa Figures. A lot of shops offer pictures to take for kids with the
real Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, which is on December 24, a lot of people
go to church and then the kids have to go to sleep, of course after putting their
stocking up at the chimney, so Santa Claus can come and fill the stocking and
lay the presents under the Christmas tree. The story of Santa Claus began a few
hundred years ago in what today is Turkey, where St. Nicholas lived, who
became a saint for giving all his money to the poor. From this figure derived all
the European images of St. Nicholas, which were brought to America by the
European settlers where they all mixed up. As time went by, the image of the
Bishop in a red robe changed to the jolly old elf he is known as today. This
picture was drawn by a lot of writers, for example Washington Irving describes
him in his comic ,,History of New York" as a plump and jolly old Dutchman
and this was continued by Clement Moore's poem ,,A Visit From St. Nicholas",
which we read in school. In the 1860s cartoonist Thomas Nash drew pictures of
a plump and kindly Santa Claus for an illustrated paper. These images were
ingrained into the minds of American people, including the eight reindeers with
Rudolph being the most famous one. Santa Claus fills the stockings. This
tradition is based on the story of nobleman who had three daughters and whose
wife died of an illness. The nobleman soon lost all of his money in useless
inventions, so they had to move into a cottage. The daughters couldn't marry
because they had no dowries and money and property. One night they hung
their stockings over the fireplace to dry, and when St. Nicholas came by and
saw their despair, he dropped three bags of gold down the chimney right in the
girls` stockings and so they could marry. Since then, in a lot of countries in the
world, kids set up their boots or stockings for St. Nicholas to come and put
something in it. So after Santa Claus came down the chimney and filled the
stockings, he will leave the bigger presents under the Christmas tree. The
Christmas tree was introduced to America by German settlers and was
considered an oddity until the end of the 19th century. Today it is most common
and every year the President of the United States of America light the National
Christmas Tree in Washington D.C., and people go ice skating beneath the
lighted tree in Rockefeller Center, NYC. Remember Kevin alone in NY, when
Kevin and his mom meet at the Christmas tree.

49. The American cultural values

VALUES IN AMERICAN CULTURE
 PERSONAL CONTROL OVER THE ENVIRONMENT
People can/should control nature, their own environment and destiny. The
future
is not left to fate.
Result: An energetic, goal-oriented society.
 CHANGE / MOBILITY
Change is seen as positive and good. This means progress, improvement and
growth.
Result: An established transient society geographically, economically and
socially.
 TIME AND ITS IMPORTANCE
Time is valuable - achievement of goals depends on the productive use of time.
Result: An efficient and progressive society often at the expense of
interpersonal
relationships.
 EQUALITY / EGALITARIANISM
People have equal opportunities; people are important as individuals, for who
they are, not from which family they come.
Result: A society where little deference is shown or status is acknowledged.
 INDIVIDUALISM, INDEPENDENCE AND PRIVACY
People are seen as separate individuals (not group members) with individual
needs.
People need time to be alone and to be themselves.
Result: Americans may be seen as self-centered and sometimes isolated and
lonely.
 SELF-HELP
Americans take pride in their own accomplishments.
Result: Americans give respect for self achievements not achievements based
on
rights of birth.
 COMPETITION AND FREE ENTERPRISE
Americans believe competition brings out the best in people and free enterprise
leads to progress and produces success
Result: Competition is emphasized over cooperation.

50. The American variant of the English language

51. The system of education in the USA: elementary (primary), secondary and
high schools
Education is not mentioned in the Constitution, nor is there any federal
department of education, so the matter is left to individual states.
Education is free and compulsory in all states (from the age of 6 till 16).
Americans place a high value on education. In 1865 education was becoming
available to all.
The specific feature: absence of national administration. Each of the 50 states
controls and directs its own school
Comprises three basic levels: elementary, secondary and higher education;
The vast majority of students at the primary and secondary levels go to public
schools.
Most of those who attend private schools attend church sponsored parochial
schools.
Nine months long, from early September to mid-June.
includes elementary school in grades 1 through 6,
junior high school in grades 7 through 9,
senior high school in grades 10 through 12.
Elementary school
The purpose - general intellectual and social development of the child from 6
to 12 or 15 years of age.
At 6 years of age children go to elementary school
Secondary school
The pupil has one teacher for all major subjects during his or her first six years
of schooling. For the last six grades, however, they have a separate teacher for
each discipline.
Two basic types of high school
The first is based on academic curriculum, preparing students for admission
to college,
The second is a primarily vocational education (training in a skill or trade)
1. Vocational education:
agricultural education, business education, home economics, trade and
industrial education
This program prepares students either for employment or further training.
Higher education is usually obtained within 4 years of study at a college or
university. All training programs in public and private universities are
accredited by the accreditation councils. There are colleges and universities that
have not passed accreditation.
52. Higher education in USA
53. Culture and the American customs
54. Music, art and theater in the USA