1.) System of education in Great Britain
- All children and young people between the ages of 5 and 16 must receive full - time education in England and Wales.
- a) In England and Wales compulsory school begins at the age of five, but before that age children can go to a nursery school, also called play school.
- There are two system of state school, depending on the county:
- system A: - primary school from 5 to 11
- secondary school from 11 to 16/18
- primary school is usually divided into two sections: infant school {ages 5 – 7}
junior school {ages 7 – 11}
- system B: - first school from 5 to 8
- middle school from 8 to 13
- secondary school from 13 to 16-18
- b) Primary education
- In Primary School and First School children learn to read and write and the basics of arithmetic.
- In the higher classes of Primary School {or in Middle School} children learn geography, history, religion and, in some schools, also a foreign language
- Physical education is usually done twice a week.
- Outside the normal time / table there are many activities in which students may take part: sports, drama, table tennis and so on.
- c) Secondary education
- Can be divided into: - Grammar School – very academic education
- Secondary Modern School – provide more general education {up to 16 years olds, but they can stay even longer for further studies}
- Comprehensive School – about 90 percent of pupils attend this type of secondary school {from 11 until 18 - year – olds}
- School – learning exam:
- When students are 16 years old, they may take an exam in various subjects in order to have a qualifications.
- This exam called GCSE {General Certificate of Secondary Education}
- There are two levels of GCSF:
- 1) The O – level {Ordinary levels} taken at 16 years old. After sitting their „O levels“, students can either leave school and start working or continue their studies in the same school as before.
- 2) If they continue, when they are 18, they have to take further examinations, called „A levels“ {Advance or Academic levels}, normally two or three, which are necessary for getting into university or college.
- d) Higher education
- In England there are 47 universities, including the Open University which teaches via TV radio, 30 polytechnics and 350 colleges and institutes of higher education.
- The oldest universities I England are Oxford and Cambridge, founded at the end of the twelfth century for the training of priests.
- The Scottish universities of St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh date from the 14th and 15th centuries, the others were founded in the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Generally, universities award two kinds of degrees: the Bachelor’s degree, usually after a three year course, and a Master’s degree, usually one or two more years of study after Bachelor’s degree.
- A minority go on further, preparing theses which must make original contributions to knowledge, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy {PhD}.
- In England and Wales the head of the university is called Chancellor, the principal academic body is the Senate and each faculty is headed by a Dean.
- Private school
- These are very expensive but considered to provide a better education and good job opportunities.
- Only about 6 percent of pupils study there.
- Public school
- For example: Eton College, Harrow, Rugby,……..
- Further Education
- Courses are run by colleges of further education, many of which also teach higher education courses.
- A large number of further education courses are vocational {technical and commercial}.
- Many further education students attend college part – time, either by day or block release from employment or in the evening.
2) System of education in USA
- Education plays a very important role in American society.
- In each school the „principal“, the headmaster of the school, decides the curriculum for each grade in his own school.
- There are many different kinds of school: public schools, private schools, parochial schools, schools specializing in the arts, literature or science,………
- All american children receive free compulsory education from 6 to 18 {or 16 in some states}.
- a) Nursery School
- This school is from 3 to 4.
- b) Kindergarten
- This school is from 4 to 6.
- c) Elementary school
- This school is from 6 to 12.
- There are two stages: - grade 1 – 3 There children learn reading, writing, counting, Physicals exercises, English
- grade 4 – 6 There children learn English, Mathematics, Science, Physical exercises, Social Studies, Information, Technology
- d) Secondary school = High School
- Pupils can choose all kinds of subjects.
- There are High School and Middle School
- Middle School is from 11 to 14.
- There two stages: - Junior High School - from 12 to 15.
- Senior High School – from 15 to 18.
- Marks are called GRADES.
- Pupils and students are evaluated (ocenit, ohodnotit) by marks from A to F, A is the best, F is the worst.
- The typical schoolday starts at 8.30 or 9.00 am and ends at about 3. 30 pm.
- In many schools the day still begins with the salute to the American flag.
- Lessons are normally held five days a week, from Monday to Friday.
- In most American schools television is widely used in teaching and there are television channels, which offer a wide range of new educational shows.
- They are free, most do not have commercial and some provide teacher’s guides.
- The American magazine Newsweek has called the television set “the second blackboard” and “the teaching tube”.
- e) Higher Education
- After graduating from High School students may go on to attend a university or college where they specialize in a subject.
- There are two tests which are used by universities as standards for comparison: the SAT {Scholastic Aptitude Test, which measures aptitudes in verbal and mathematical fields} and the ACT {American College Testing program, which measures skills in English, mathematics, and the social and natural sciences}.
- Colleges and universities give bachelor degrees – after two years, master degrees – after four years, and doctorates after more study.
- Higher education is very expensive in private colleges and universities, but it is much cheaper in those supported by states and cities.
- Many students receive a scholarship from university or have part – time jobs to help pay their expenses.
- Students may live in the campus, but may also go home in the evening.
- Most students do not live with their families, but rent an apartment together with friends.
- Some American universities are famous all over the world; they are very selective and very expensive.
- The most outstanding are: Brown, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth College, Princeton and Pennsylvania.
3) The Czech System of Education
- School attendance in the Czech republic is compulsory from 6 to 15.
- Most children attend state schools, but there are also newly established private and church schools.
- Education at state schools up to 18 is free but students at secondary schools must pay for their books.
- Children in our country do not wear uniforms.
- Handicapped children are educated separately.
- {The school year starts on 1st September and ends on 30th June of the following year.}
- The school year is divided into two terms {September – January, February – June}
- {Lessons usually start at 8:00 and finish between 14:00 and 16:00, there are also breaks between individual lessons 5 or 10 minutes long, the 2nd break is longest – 20 minutes, we have also 45 minutes for lunch sometimes and then afternoon lesson follow.}
- A lesson usually last 45 minutes.
- Students are marked from 1 to5.
- a) Nursery School and Kindergarten
- A child from 1 to 3 years of age can attend a day nursery and from 3 to 6 of age, kindergarten.
- There children experience their first contacts with society, social rules and ethics.
- Children learn basics of counting and thinking.
- b) Primary school
- This school is for children from 6/7 to 15/16.
- There are two stages: - 1st one – from1st to 5th class – children learn to read, write and arithmetic
- 2nd one: from 6th to 9th class – children learn Czech language and literature, Math, Chemistry, foreign languages, Biology, Physics, History, Geography, Civics, Music and Art
- In the final year of the elementary school many people face a problem.
- During this time everybody needs to choose his future occupation.
- The choice depends not only on our interests but also on our performance and success at school.
- c) Secondary School
- This education follows after the primary education.
- You have to pass an entrance examination, then you can become a student.
- There are 3 types of secondary school:
- Grammar school, which prepares its students for university studies. This school provide general education.
- Vocational schools are for example: industrial, medical, economic, agricultural,……..
- Apprentice school
- There are art schools too.
- This type lasts usually 4 years and is finished with a school – leaving exam required for further studies.
- The examination is taken in 4 subjects. The examination has two part – written and oral exams.
- If you pass well you get a School – Leaving Certificate.
- d) Universities and colleges
- There are Universities and colleges.
- It last 4 or 6 years.
- You have to pass an entrance examination in the subjects in which the university specializes.
- There are for example: Charles University in Prague {it is the oldest university and was founded in 1348 by Charles IV.}
- Our other universities are the T.G. Masaryk University in brno, the Palack7 University in Olomouc, the J.E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem or the Univeristy of Western Bohemia in Plzeň.
- The graduation depends on the time you spent in studies there or the chosen subject.
- There are 3 degrees of university education:
- Bachelor’s Degree after 3 years of study.
- Master’s Degree after 5 years of study.
- The university or college is finished with a state exam usually including a diploma thesis.
- The best of all is the graduation ceremony where you receive your diploma.
- Doctoral Degree is received after another few years of study.
- Tuition, accommodation and board are paid for full – time university students.
- Only some get a grant or a scholarship.
- For those who don’t want to study full – time there are two – year courses such as for managers, businessmen, social workers, language experts etc.
Prague
Prague is the capital city of the Czech republic, seat of the President, government, and parliament and the political, economic and industrial centre of the country. It spreads on both banks of the river Vltava in the centre of Bohemia. It has 1.2 million inhabitants and it covers an area of almost 500 km^2. The oldest parts of the town are the Lesser Town, the New Town, Josefov, Hradšany and Vyšehrad. In the Prague we can find the well-known Charles University, the oldest in Central and Eastern Europe.
Dominant of the city is the Prague Castle, the seat of president. From the square outside the castle tourists can admire the city below. They can see Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque houses, palaces and hundreds of church spires. The complex of the castle includes late Gothic Vladislav Hall, Spanish Hall and Rudolph Gallery. The most impressive building of the Castle is St. Vitus Cathedral completed in 1929. Other beautiful places are the Convent and Basilica of St. George, and the well-known Golden Lane with tiny houses from 16th century. There are some palaces too, for example Schwarzenberg P., Archibishop's P., Sternberg P., Černín P.
From the Castle I can go along the Neruda street to the Lesser Town. It is the romantic place with stylish taverns, ancient houses and palaces and romantic gardens and with the St. Nicholas Church in the Lesser town square. From the square I can easily get to Charles Bridge over the river Vltava. It is 520 m long and it is decorated with 30 sculptures and groups of statues mainly of Baroque origin (some of them made by M.B.Brown and J.M.Brokoff).
Next to the bridge is the Charles street which leads to the Old Town square, the centre of Old Town. It is surrounded by beautifully decorated houses. The best known building in the square is the Old Town Hall. Tourists come here to see a horologe with the statues of the Apostles. The dominant of the square is the Týn Church and the John Huss Monument. Now I can go along the Celetna street to the Powder tower and this is the end of the Royal Route which lead from the Castle.
Dominant of the city is the Prague Castle, the seat of president. From the square outside the castle tourists can admire the city below. They can see Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque houses, palaces and hundreds of church spires. The complex of the castle includes late Gothic Vladislav Hall, Spanish Hall and Rudolph Gallery. The most impressive building of the Castle is St. Vitus Cathedral completed in 1929. Other beautiful places are the Convent and Basilica of St. George, and the well-known Golden Lane with tiny houses from 16th century. There are some palaces too, for example Schwarzenberg P., Archibishop's P., Sternberg P., Černín P.
From the Castle I can go along the Neruda street to the Lesser Town. It is the romantic place with stylish taverns, ancient houses and palaces and romantic gardens and with the St. Nicholas Church in the Lesser town square. From the square I can easily get to Charles Bridge over the river Vltava. It is 520 m long and it is decorated with 30 sculptures and groups of statues mainly of Baroque origin (some of them made by M.B.Brown and J.M.Brokoff).
Next to the bridge is the Charles street which leads to the Old Town square, the centre of Old Town. It is surrounded by beautifully decorated houses. The best known building in the square is the Old Town Hall. Tourists come here to see a horologe with the statues of the Apostles. The dominant of the square is the Týn Church and the John Huss Monument. Now I can go along the Celetna street to the Powder tower and this is the end of the Royal Route which lead from the Castle.
Media
COMMUNICATION MEDIA IN MODERN SOCIETY
Great Britain:
THE PRESS: Newspapers are the oldest of the mass media; they started in Britain at the end of the seventeenth century. The British are great newspaper readers. If we got on a bus or caught a train in Britain, especially during the morning and “rush hours” (dopravní špička), when the most people travel to and from work, we would see a lot of people with newspapers in their hands. That is to say (totiž) newspaper reading enjoys great popularity in Britain and more daily newspapers are sold per person than in other developed countries. For many British people the ritual of reading – during breakfast or on the bus, tube or train – is an important part of their daily routine.
Daily newspapers are usually published six times a week ( from Monday to Saturday) and there are also many nationals newspapers published on Sundays ( Sunday papers). Much of the press is owned by large publishing groups, including the national newspapers. Together with provincial papers there are about 120 daily and Sunday newspapers. All national papers are produced in London, sometimes with Manchester edition, but circulate through the country.
The national daily press in Britain is divided into two different groups: the quality press and the popular press.
POPULAR PAPERS – have millions of readers. They are addressed to the lower classes, they have fewer pages and shorter articles with big headlines. They are sometimes called tabloids, because they are printed on paper about half the page size of an ordinary newspapers and usually contain many pictures and a limited amount of serious news. They are full of crime reports, scandal stories and advertisement . These papers usually have large sections of sports. They devote a lot of space to football, cricket, rugby and horse racing. There are the “agony page” where readers write their own problems and the journalist offer them the advice. Each tabloids have own cartoons which are very popular. The most important popular papers are The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Express, The Daily Mail. The popular Sunday papers are The Mail on Sunday, News of the World, The Sunday Mirror, The Sunday People, The Sunday Express and The Sunday Post.
QUALITY PAPERS – are thick and serious. They have smaller circulation than the popular ones. The quality papers contain international news, book and theatre reviews, music and artist criticism and speak about politics and current affairs. The famous quality papers are The Times, The Financial Times. The Guardian, The Independent and The Daily Telegraph. The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Telegraph are the quality Sunday papers. They include colour magazine supplements (příloha).
Although financially independent of any political party, some of the newspapers have traditional political leanings (sklon). For example The Times are conservative, The Guardian supports the Liberal Party and The Daily Mirror the Labour Party.
Many people especially the older ones also read the local newspapers, which are often delivered in the evening.
PERIODICALS - there are some 7.000 weekly, monthly and quarterly periodicals covering a wide range of interests from women’s magazines to specialized journals. The Radio Times, TV Times and Women’s Own have the highest sale. The leading political weeklies are The Economist and The New Statesman. Punch is the leading humorous periodical.
RADIO AND TELEVISION: Radio and television broadcasting services (vysílací služby) are provided by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Independent Television Commission (ITC).
THE BBC - operates (provozovat) two national television channels (BBC 1 and BBC 2), five national and more than 37 local radio stations. BBC 1 broadcasts a wide selection of programmes and BBC 2 specializes on educational programmes. The BBC channels have no advertising and are financed by a government grant, licence fees and sale of programmes. Each of the five national radio station has a different character: Radio 1 plays pop music, Radio 2 has light music and sport programmes, Radio 3 mainly plays classical music, Radio 4 presents news, drama, talks, entertainment programmes and school broadcast and Radio 5 present sport. BBC World Service provides external radio broadcast in English and 35 other languages.
THE ITC - is responsible for two television channels, one operated regionally ( e.g. ITV London, Anglia……) and Channel 4, and over 40 local radio stations. The ITC is financed by its income from advertising. ITC has programmes of general interests (news, sport, quiz, soap operas, comedies and so on). Channel 4 has more documentaries, plays and serious films.
There are also SATELLITE TV CHANNELS. They are transmitted (přenášet) through cable. The famous British satellite channel producer is B sky B ( British Sky Broadcasting), a monopoly owned by News International, which has nine satellite channels.
The United States of America:
THE PRESS: In the United States a very large number of newspapers and periodicals are published. You can buy them almost everywhere, in small shops or in large department stores. A large bookstore is the best place to go if you are looking for a special magazine.
Because of the size of the country, in the USA there are no national newspapers, but only local ones. There is only one local newspaper that can be considered as an almost national newspaper, and that is the New York Times. This paper can be bought in almost every state. It has the more complete news. Its Sunday edition is very heavy: it has over 200 pages and includes many supplements and advertising. Another famous American paper is the Washington Post. It become especially famous during the 1972 presidential campaign, when some of its journalists published the news that a group of agents employed by the re-election organization of President Richard Nixon were caught breaking into (násilím vniknout) into Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate building, in Washington D.C. This even become known as the “Watergate Scandal”.
Most states and the towns and cities have local newspaper, which published the interesting articles to local readers. Many local newspapers are weeklies. Small newspapers are combined (spojený) into monopolistic “newspaper chain “.
Many magazines are published in the US. The majority of magazines are dependent on big-firm advertising for their financial existence. The most known magazines are Reader’s Digest, US News, World Report, Time. National Geographic and some women’s magazine.
RADIO: In the US the radio broadcasting is completely in private hands. It is offered free to the public. It is financed by advertising (sponsors).
There are three national broadcasting networks (síť): NBC ( National Broadcasting Company), ABC (American Broadcasting Company) and CBS ( Columbia Broadcasting System).They are not supported or controlled by the Government. There are also many local and privately operated stations. At present, there are about 7.000 radio stations in the US. The station “The Voice of America”, a broadcasting in many languages is the information and propaganda organ of the US Government.
TELEVISION: There are about 600 TV stations in the USA, but the major television networks are ABC, CBS and NBC. TV viewers don’t pay any tax to receive these stations as the cost of programs is paid by sponsors who advertise their goods during the programs. Recently a new system has been introduced. If you pay you can be connected to the cable TV channel you like. In the US there are many specialized cable channels, we can find also many foreign channels. The most popular become TV network CNN by its excellent news.
Television programs includes quiz programs, serials, documentaries, news, comedies, sitcoms, talk shows, Walt Disney movies…..and so on. The Americans also love soap operas. They have the origin in America and they are called “soap” because the first ones were made for commercial TV and were sponsored by companies that made soaps. American soaps are usually about rich, nice people living exotic lives with lots of expensive clothes, cars and houses but with many dramatic problems too. Many people watch them every day and they live with the main characters together and we can say that they escape from their ordinary, everyday world to the soap fantasy. English soaps are quite different. The plot is usually situated to the family, street and workplace. The characters are ordinary people and they have similar problems as the normal people.
The movie industry has centre in Hollywood. The best films, actors, actresses and producers, American and foreign, can win prestigious awards known as Oscar.
The Czech Republic
The press, radio, internet and television are important media of mass communication. They have a great influence on what the public will think and say on many controversial problems, on their opinions and tastes (chuť), on what they will buy. Television has become a major form of home entertainment. Almost the every family has the TV set at home. Without TV, a radio or CD-recorder or stereo, no family can exist. And so people watch or listen music and reports all the day. Sometimes they even do not know what it is about, and noise creates just a background to them and so they do not feel lonely or depressed. Not long ago people could not imagine to live without their newspapers or magazines. But now the internet seems taking over this business.
TELEVISION: In the Czech Republic there are 4 channels on our television.ČT1, ČT2 are state ones. Their income is from the licence fees for TV and the sale of programmes. Nova and Prima are independent and are financed by advertising. Each of these TV channels has got a different scope (oblast) of direction. ČT1 and ČT2 are more serious. ČT1 presents a higher percentage of TV programmes of general interest, such as light entertainment, sport, commentaries, children’s programmes and current affairs, while ČT2 brings more documentaries, travel programmes, serious drama, music and educational films. Nova and Prima presents more serials, soap operas, thrillers` and so on. In fact, almost on all the channels , there is too much violence. So the trouble is, young people can be influenced by this violence and it is also very danger for small children.
INTERNET: Recently, the internet has become the new way of information. You can get in touch with the most of people in the world. As a student I can find there useful information. The future is determined by virtual shopping and bussines.
Great Britain:
THE PRESS: Newspapers are the oldest of the mass media; they started in Britain at the end of the seventeenth century. The British are great newspaper readers. If we got on a bus or caught a train in Britain, especially during the morning and “rush hours” (dopravní špička), when the most people travel to and from work, we would see a lot of people with newspapers in their hands. That is to say (totiž) newspaper reading enjoys great popularity in Britain and more daily newspapers are sold per person than in other developed countries. For many British people the ritual of reading – during breakfast or on the bus, tube or train – is an important part of their daily routine.
Daily newspapers are usually published six times a week ( from Monday to Saturday) and there are also many nationals newspapers published on Sundays ( Sunday papers). Much of the press is owned by large publishing groups, including the national newspapers. Together with provincial papers there are about 120 daily and Sunday newspapers. All national papers are produced in London, sometimes with Manchester edition, but circulate through the country.
The national daily press in Britain is divided into two different groups: the quality press and the popular press.
POPULAR PAPERS – have millions of readers. They are addressed to the lower classes, they have fewer pages and shorter articles with big headlines. They are sometimes called tabloids, because they are printed on paper about half the page size of an ordinary newspapers and usually contain many pictures and a limited amount of serious news. They are full of crime reports, scandal stories and advertisement . These papers usually have large sections of sports. They devote a lot of space to football, cricket, rugby and horse racing. There are the “agony page” where readers write their own problems and the journalist offer them the advice. Each tabloids have own cartoons which are very popular. The most important popular papers are The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Express, The Daily Mail. The popular Sunday papers are The Mail on Sunday, News of the World, The Sunday Mirror, The Sunday People, The Sunday Express and The Sunday Post.
QUALITY PAPERS – are thick and serious. They have smaller circulation than the popular ones. The quality papers contain international news, book and theatre reviews, music and artist criticism and speak about politics and current affairs. The famous quality papers are The Times, The Financial Times. The Guardian, The Independent and The Daily Telegraph. The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Telegraph are the quality Sunday papers. They include colour magazine supplements (příloha).
Although financially independent of any political party, some of the newspapers have traditional political leanings (sklon). For example The Times are conservative, The Guardian supports the Liberal Party and The Daily Mirror the Labour Party.
Many people especially the older ones also read the local newspapers, which are often delivered in the evening.
PERIODICALS - there are some 7.000 weekly, monthly and quarterly periodicals covering a wide range of interests from women’s magazines to specialized journals. The Radio Times, TV Times and Women’s Own have the highest sale. The leading political weeklies are The Economist and The New Statesman. Punch is the leading humorous periodical.
RADIO AND TELEVISION: Radio and television broadcasting services (vysílací služby) are provided by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Independent Television Commission (ITC).
THE BBC - operates (provozovat) two national television channels (BBC 1 and BBC 2), five national and more than 37 local radio stations. BBC 1 broadcasts a wide selection of programmes and BBC 2 specializes on educational programmes. The BBC channels have no advertising and are financed by a government grant, licence fees and sale of programmes. Each of the five national radio station has a different character: Radio 1 plays pop music, Radio 2 has light music and sport programmes, Radio 3 mainly plays classical music, Radio 4 presents news, drama, talks, entertainment programmes and school broadcast and Radio 5 present sport. BBC World Service provides external radio broadcast in English and 35 other languages.
THE ITC - is responsible for two television channels, one operated regionally ( e.g. ITV London, Anglia……) and Channel 4, and over 40 local radio stations. The ITC is financed by its income from advertising. ITC has programmes of general interests (news, sport, quiz, soap operas, comedies and so on). Channel 4 has more documentaries, plays and serious films.
There are also SATELLITE TV CHANNELS. They are transmitted (přenášet) through cable. The famous British satellite channel producer is B sky B ( British Sky Broadcasting), a monopoly owned by News International, which has nine satellite channels.
The United States of America:
THE PRESS: In the United States a very large number of newspapers and periodicals are published. You can buy them almost everywhere, in small shops or in large department stores. A large bookstore is the best place to go if you are looking for a special magazine.
Because of the size of the country, in the USA there are no national newspapers, but only local ones. There is only one local newspaper that can be considered as an almost national newspaper, and that is the New York Times. This paper can be bought in almost every state. It has the more complete news. Its Sunday edition is very heavy: it has over 200 pages and includes many supplements and advertising. Another famous American paper is the Washington Post. It become especially famous during the 1972 presidential campaign, when some of its journalists published the news that a group of agents employed by the re-election organization of President Richard Nixon were caught breaking into (násilím vniknout) into Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate building, in Washington D.C. This even become known as the “Watergate Scandal”.
Most states and the towns and cities have local newspaper, which published the interesting articles to local readers. Many local newspapers are weeklies. Small newspapers are combined (spojený) into monopolistic “newspaper chain “.
Many magazines are published in the US. The majority of magazines are dependent on big-firm advertising for their financial existence. The most known magazines are Reader’s Digest, US News, World Report, Time. National Geographic and some women’s magazine.
RADIO: In the US the radio broadcasting is completely in private hands. It is offered free to the public. It is financed by advertising (sponsors).
There are three national broadcasting networks (síť): NBC ( National Broadcasting Company), ABC (American Broadcasting Company) and CBS ( Columbia Broadcasting System).They are not supported or controlled by the Government. There are also many local and privately operated stations. At present, there are about 7.000 radio stations in the US. The station “The Voice of America”, a broadcasting in many languages is the information and propaganda organ of the US Government.
TELEVISION: There are about 600 TV stations in the USA, but the major television networks are ABC, CBS and NBC. TV viewers don’t pay any tax to receive these stations as the cost of programs is paid by sponsors who advertise their goods during the programs. Recently a new system has been introduced. If you pay you can be connected to the cable TV channel you like. In the US there are many specialized cable channels, we can find also many foreign channels. The most popular become TV network CNN by its excellent news.
Television programs includes quiz programs, serials, documentaries, news, comedies, sitcoms, talk shows, Walt Disney movies…..and so on. The Americans also love soap operas. They have the origin in America and they are called “soap” because the first ones were made for commercial TV and were sponsored by companies that made soaps. American soaps are usually about rich, nice people living exotic lives with lots of expensive clothes, cars and houses but with many dramatic problems too. Many people watch them every day and they live with the main characters together and we can say that they escape from their ordinary, everyday world to the soap fantasy. English soaps are quite different. The plot is usually situated to the family, street and workplace. The characters are ordinary people and they have similar problems as the normal people.
The movie industry has centre in Hollywood. The best films, actors, actresses and producers, American and foreign, can win prestigious awards known as Oscar.
The Czech Republic
The press, radio, internet and television are important media of mass communication. They have a great influence on what the public will think and say on many controversial problems, on their opinions and tastes (chuť), on what they will buy. Television has become a major form of home entertainment. Almost the every family has the TV set at home. Without TV, a radio or CD-recorder or stereo, no family can exist. And so people watch or listen music and reports all the day. Sometimes they even do not know what it is about, and noise creates just a background to them and so they do not feel lonely or depressed. Not long ago people could not imagine to live without their newspapers or magazines. But now the internet seems taking over this business.
TELEVISION: In the Czech Republic there are 4 channels on our television.ČT1, ČT2 are state ones. Their income is from the licence fees for TV and the sale of programmes. Nova and Prima are independent and are financed by advertising. Each of these TV channels has got a different scope (oblast) of direction. ČT1 and ČT2 are more serious. ČT1 presents a higher percentage of TV programmes of general interest, such as light entertainment, sport, commentaries, children’s programmes and current affairs, while ČT2 brings more documentaries, travel programmes, serious drama, music and educational films. Nova and Prima presents more serials, soap operas, thrillers` and so on. In fact, almost on all the channels , there is too much violence. So the trouble is, young people can be influenced by this violence and it is also very danger for small children.
INTERNET: Recently, the internet has become the new way of information. You can get in touch with the most of people in the world. As a student I can find there useful information. The future is determined by virtual shopping and bussines.
London
London is the capital city of the United Kingdom. It lies on the river Thames and covers an area of 1580 sq km. Almost 7 million people live there and about 12 million in its conurbation. It includes the City of London and 32 boroughs. London is the seat of the Monarch, the Parliament and the Government. It is also cultural and economic centre of the Kingdom, it contains many important museums, galleries, theatres and many historical buildings and parks. In the London I can travel by ship on the river or by rail for long distances, by bus (there are red double-deckers, single Red Arrow busses or Green Line buses), by underground or by taxi (black).
Central London is divided into two parts - The East End (there live immigrants and working people) and The West End (here are shops, theatres, beautiful residential area, great parks...).
The Buckingham Palace is situated in the centre of London. It is the home of the kings and queens of Great Britain. Now there lives the queen Elisabeth the 2nd. When is she in the palace on the roof of the palace fly the flag. Outside the palace take place every day the famous ceremony - Changing of the Guard. 30 guardments dressed in tradition uniform (red coat and black helmet) are changing their palace with another.
The Tower of London is the top tourist attraction. William the Conqueror began to build the massive fortress - the White Tower - it is 30 m high and now it is the museum. Tourists can see the arsenal of weapons or Crown Jewels here. Now it is a beautiful place, but before it was prison for many famous prisoners. Next to the Tower stands the Tower Bridge, which opens when the ships want to pass (it takes 90 seconds to raise).
The largest and best-known church of the City is St. Paul's Cathedral, which was build by Sir Christopher Wren in 1711. It stands on the site of the previous cathedral which was damaged by the Great Fire of London in 1666. St. Paul's Cathedral is built in Baroque style. Inside the dome along the cupola is remarkable acoustics which make it possible to hear words on one side whispered against the wall on the opposite side (the Whispering Gallery). There took place royal wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981.
The Houses of Parliament is the political centre of the United Kingdom. (two halls - the House of Lords, the House of Commons) Near the Parliament rises the clock tower called Big Ben. The Big Ben is the name of the bell (named after Sir Benjamin Hall).
Trafalgar Square, I think, is the largest in London and is place of political demonstrations and busy traffic. Its name commemorates the victory of Admiral Lord Nelson over French and Spanish fleet at Trafalgar in 1805. In the middle of the square is Nelson's Column (about 50 m high) with five-meter tall statue of Horatio Nelson at the top. On the square is the National Gallery too. Short way from Trafalgar Square is the Piccadilly Circus. This is busiest and noisiest place in London with night clubs, theatres, cinemas, shops and restaurants.
There is many green places in the London (St. James's Park, Hyde Park with Speaker's Corner, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park.
Central London is divided into two parts - The East End (there live immigrants and working people) and The West End (here are shops, theatres, beautiful residential area, great parks...).
The Buckingham Palace is situated in the centre of London. It is the home of the kings and queens of Great Britain. Now there lives the queen Elisabeth the 2nd. When is she in the palace on the roof of the palace fly the flag. Outside the palace take place every day the famous ceremony - Changing of the Guard. 30 guardments dressed in tradition uniform (red coat and black helmet) are changing their palace with another.
The Tower of London is the top tourist attraction. William the Conqueror began to build the massive fortress - the White Tower - it is 30 m high and now it is the museum. Tourists can see the arsenal of weapons or Crown Jewels here. Now it is a beautiful place, but before it was prison for many famous prisoners. Next to the Tower stands the Tower Bridge, which opens when the ships want to pass (it takes 90 seconds to raise).
The largest and best-known church of the City is St. Paul's Cathedral, which was build by Sir Christopher Wren in 1711. It stands on the site of the previous cathedral which was damaged by the Great Fire of London in 1666. St. Paul's Cathedral is built in Baroque style. Inside the dome along the cupola is remarkable acoustics which make it possible to hear words on one side whispered against the wall on the opposite side (the Whispering Gallery). There took place royal wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981.
The Houses of Parliament is the political centre of the United Kingdom. (two halls - the House of Lords, the House of Commons) Near the Parliament rises the clock tower called Big Ben. The Big Ben is the name of the bell (named after Sir Benjamin Hall).
Trafalgar Square, I think, is the largest in London and is place of political demonstrations and busy traffic. Its name commemorates the victory of Admiral Lord Nelson over French and Spanish fleet at Trafalgar in 1805. In the middle of the square is Nelson's Column (about 50 m high) with five-meter tall statue of Horatio Nelson at the top. On the square is the National Gallery too. Short way from Trafalgar Square is the Piccadilly Circus. This is busiest and noisiest place in London with night clubs, theatres, cinemas, shops and restaurants.
There is many green places in the London (St. James's Park, Hyde Park with Speaker's Corner, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park.
Irish Republic
GEOGRAPHICAL AND POLITCAL DIVISION RELIEF: The Republic of Ireland occupies about five-sixths of the total area of Ireland. The rest of the island – the larger part of the province of Ulster- is occupied by Northern Ireland. People usually call Ireland the Emerald Island because of its beautiful green countryside, the Romans used to call it Hibernia, poets have named it Erin, while the name of the island in Gaelic is Eire.
The Republic of Ireland is about half the size of England. It consists of four provinces (Ulster, Munster, Leinster, Connaught) and 26 counties. It is mainly a lowland, with a central plain broken (planina, přerušovaná) by hills and surrounded by not very high mountains along the coast. The highest peak is Carrantuohill in the county of Kerry. Like in Great Britain the western coasts are extremely divided into a lot of peninsulas (poloostrov), bays(zaliv) and fjords. One of their most exciting features (znak) are the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare in the southern province of Munster. Ireland has numerous lakes and considerable areas of bogs (mokřina). It is from this wet ground, where the peat (rašelina) can be dug out (vykopat). In Ireland peat has been used for centuries by poor people as a substitute for coal.
The Shannon, the longest river in the British Isles, rises (pramenit) in the northwest and flows south. The river Liffey flows into the Irish Sea at Dublin.
HISTORY: In the fifth century BC Ireland was invaded by the Gales and the Celts, two peoples speaking the same language and with the similar culture but divided into a lot of small clans, always fighting one against the other. In the fifth century AD St Patrick and other monks brought Christianity to Ireland and he country become the cradle of European monasticism, in the Middle Ages Irish monks founded monasteries all over Europe: St Gall in Switzerland, St Columba in Bobbio, Italy, St Killian in Wurzburg, Germany and many others. From the 8th and 10th century was attacked by the Vikings. In 1002 King Brian Boru defeated he Vikings and become the king of Ireland, but the peace did not come. There were many small kingdoms and they fought continuously. In 1167 the Anglo-Normans came to Ireland to make peace and were assimilated by the local population. They brought the English parliament, law and system of administration to the island. In1541 Henry the VIII declared himself the King of Ireland. Irish lands, especially in Ulster, were confiscated and colonized with Protestant English and Scottish people who, because of religious differences were never assimilated into the native population and began to fight against the Irish. Eventually, in 1601, the army of Elizabeth I defeated the Irish and the island was governed by the English Parliament. In 1800, with Act of Union, Ireland came under direct British rule. A devastating potato famine in the 1840s killed thousands and thousands of Irish and forced millions to emigrate, mainly to he North America. The Irish never accepted the Act of Union and there had been sporadic armed rebellions in the 19th century. In 1916 an armed rising was put down, but with the elections of 1918 the first Parliament was established. In 1921 the Irish Free State was founded, but Ulster, after a civil war and by means of a referendum, remained in the United Kingdom. In 1949 the Irish Free State declared itself the Republic of Ireland.
CLIMATE: Thanks to the influence of the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the climate is mild, more temperate(mírné) than in any country in Europe of the same latitude (zeměpisná šířka). As the island is small and no part of it is more than 110 km from the sea, temperature is the same all over the country. There is considerable rainfall, especially in the west, because of the winds blowing from the Atlantic Ocean. Along the western coasts there can be as many as 222 rainy days in the year.
PEOPLE: The Republic of Ireland has a population of about three and half million, with an average density of 49 people per square kilometre. About 60 per cent of the inhabitants live in towns in the south and east of the country, in Dublin, the capital city with a population of about 550,000, in Cork, in Waterford and in Limerick. Apart from these four, no other towns have a population over 25,000. In fact Ireland is a country of small market towns. The great majority of the Irish people are Catholic(95%), but there are also Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists and Jews. The official languages are Irish Gaelic and English. But Gaelic, a Celtic language, is spoken only in some western districts.
ECONOMY: The economy of the Irish Republic is still largely based on agriculture. Cattle and sheep rearing is the most important agriculture activity in Ireland. Industry is closely connected with agriculture and zootechnical production: many industries are concerned of agricultural products like a butter, cheese and cream, the production of tinned meat and the brewing (vaření) of beer from hops. Other important industrial activities are engineering, textile manufacturing and chemicals. Ireland is poor in natural resources and especially in minerals. The traditional source of energy, peat, which covers large parts of the central plain, is used to generate electricity.
GOVERNMENT: The Republic of Ireland is a parliamentary democracy. The President, who is the head of state, is elected directly by the people, not by parliament, for no more than two terms, each of seven years. Parliament consist of two Houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The members of the Senate are nominated partly by Prime Minister and partly by some professional and academic groups: the members of the House of Representatives are elected by anyone over 18 .The head of government is Prime Minister. Among the political parties of Ireland the greatest attention is attracted (přitahovaná) by Sinn Fein supporting IRA, one wing of terrorist methods in its fight for the reunification (znovusjednocení) of Ireland. The Irish flag is a tricolor with vertical stripes of green, white and orange. The official languages are Gaelic and English.
DUBLIN: Dublin is a capital and the chief port of the Republic of Ireland. It is a colourful city situated at the mouth of the river Liffey. By international standards, it is a small and compact town, easy to walk around and admire the architecture. Many of the public building were built in the eighteen century in neo-classical style, which gives the city much of its elegance. The medieval (středověký) castle was largely rebuilt in the 1750s, it used to be the official residence of the English viceroys (místokrál) when Ireland was under British rule. Trinity College, which has a Corinthian facade, was founded by Elizabeth I: by tradition it is the Protestant university of Dublin, while University College is the Catholic one. The library of trinity contains many ancient books and documents, among which the Book of Kells, a precious illuminated manuscript dating back to the eighth century. Other important buildings south of the river are the two cathedrals: Christ Church and St Patrick’s , only a short distance from each to other. Church-going is an important part of everyday life in Ireland: most Irish people are Catholics who crowd (naplnit) into their churches on Sundays and closely follow the Pope’s teachings. But they also like talking, laughing an pub life n general. Dublin has always been famous for its pubs, which amount to something like 600. The best-known among them is Davy Byrnes, which is connected with James Joyce. Another attraction of the city is the Guinness Brewery, which was founded in the 1759 and still is the largest brewery (pivovar) in the world. The General Post Office in O`Connell Street is another famous landmark in the history of Ireland: it was the central point of rebellion against the British in 1916. The building, which was heavily bombed and finally destroyed by fire, has been reconstructed as it was originally. Dubliners, like all Irish people, are very friendly and warm towards visitors.
The Republic of Ireland is about half the size of England. It consists of four provinces (Ulster, Munster, Leinster, Connaught) and 26 counties. It is mainly a lowland, with a central plain broken (planina, přerušovaná) by hills and surrounded by not very high mountains along the coast. The highest peak is Carrantuohill in the county of Kerry. Like in Great Britain the western coasts are extremely divided into a lot of peninsulas (poloostrov), bays(zaliv) and fjords. One of their most exciting features (znak) are the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare in the southern province of Munster. Ireland has numerous lakes and considerable areas of bogs (mokřina). It is from this wet ground, where the peat (rašelina) can be dug out (vykopat). In Ireland peat has been used for centuries by poor people as a substitute for coal.
The Shannon, the longest river in the British Isles, rises (pramenit) in the northwest and flows south. The river Liffey flows into the Irish Sea at Dublin.
HISTORY: In the fifth century BC Ireland was invaded by the Gales and the Celts, two peoples speaking the same language and with the similar culture but divided into a lot of small clans, always fighting one against the other. In the fifth century AD St Patrick and other monks brought Christianity to Ireland and he country become the cradle of European monasticism, in the Middle Ages Irish monks founded monasteries all over Europe: St Gall in Switzerland, St Columba in Bobbio, Italy, St Killian in Wurzburg, Germany and many others. From the 8th and 10th century was attacked by the Vikings. In 1002 King Brian Boru defeated he Vikings and become the king of Ireland, but the peace did not come. There were many small kingdoms and they fought continuously. In 1167 the Anglo-Normans came to Ireland to make peace and were assimilated by the local population. They brought the English parliament, law and system of administration to the island. In1541 Henry the VIII declared himself the King of Ireland. Irish lands, especially in Ulster, were confiscated and colonized with Protestant English and Scottish people who, because of religious differences were never assimilated into the native population and began to fight against the Irish. Eventually, in 1601, the army of Elizabeth I defeated the Irish and the island was governed by the English Parliament. In 1800, with Act of Union, Ireland came under direct British rule. A devastating potato famine in the 1840s killed thousands and thousands of Irish and forced millions to emigrate, mainly to he North America. The Irish never accepted the Act of Union and there had been sporadic armed rebellions in the 19th century. In 1916 an armed rising was put down, but with the elections of 1918 the first Parliament was established. In 1921 the Irish Free State was founded, but Ulster, after a civil war and by means of a referendum, remained in the United Kingdom. In 1949 the Irish Free State declared itself the Republic of Ireland.
CLIMATE: Thanks to the influence of the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the climate is mild, more temperate(mírné) than in any country in Europe of the same latitude (zeměpisná šířka). As the island is small and no part of it is more than 110 km from the sea, temperature is the same all over the country. There is considerable rainfall, especially in the west, because of the winds blowing from the Atlantic Ocean. Along the western coasts there can be as many as 222 rainy days in the year.
PEOPLE: The Republic of Ireland has a population of about three and half million, with an average density of 49 people per square kilometre. About 60 per cent of the inhabitants live in towns in the south and east of the country, in Dublin, the capital city with a population of about 550,000, in Cork, in Waterford and in Limerick. Apart from these four, no other towns have a population over 25,000. In fact Ireland is a country of small market towns. The great majority of the Irish people are Catholic(95%), but there are also Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists and Jews. The official languages are Irish Gaelic and English. But Gaelic, a Celtic language, is spoken only in some western districts.
ECONOMY: The economy of the Irish Republic is still largely based on agriculture. Cattle and sheep rearing is the most important agriculture activity in Ireland. Industry is closely connected with agriculture and zootechnical production: many industries are concerned of agricultural products like a butter, cheese and cream, the production of tinned meat and the brewing (vaření) of beer from hops. Other important industrial activities are engineering, textile manufacturing and chemicals. Ireland is poor in natural resources and especially in minerals. The traditional source of energy, peat, which covers large parts of the central plain, is used to generate electricity.
GOVERNMENT: The Republic of Ireland is a parliamentary democracy. The President, who is the head of state, is elected directly by the people, not by parliament, for no more than two terms, each of seven years. Parliament consist of two Houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The members of the Senate are nominated partly by Prime Minister and partly by some professional and academic groups: the members of the House of Representatives are elected by anyone over 18 .The head of government is Prime Minister. Among the political parties of Ireland the greatest attention is attracted (přitahovaná) by Sinn Fein supporting IRA, one wing of terrorist methods in its fight for the reunification (znovusjednocení) of Ireland. The Irish flag is a tricolor with vertical stripes of green, white and orange. The official languages are Gaelic and English.
DUBLIN: Dublin is a capital and the chief port of the Republic of Ireland. It is a colourful city situated at the mouth of the river Liffey. By international standards, it is a small and compact town, easy to walk around and admire the architecture. Many of the public building were built in the eighteen century in neo-classical style, which gives the city much of its elegance. The medieval (středověký) castle was largely rebuilt in the 1750s, it used to be the official residence of the English viceroys (místokrál) when Ireland was under British rule. Trinity College, which has a Corinthian facade, was founded by Elizabeth I: by tradition it is the Protestant university of Dublin, while University College is the Catholic one. The library of trinity contains many ancient books and documents, among which the Book of Kells, a precious illuminated manuscript dating back to the eighth century. Other important buildings south of the river are the two cathedrals: Christ Church and St Patrick’s , only a short distance from each to other. Church-going is an important part of everyday life in Ireland: most Irish people are Catholics who crowd (naplnit) into their churches on Sundays and closely follow the Pope’s teachings. But they also like talking, laughing an pub life n general. Dublin has always been famous for its pubs, which amount to something like 600. The best-known among them is Davy Byrnes, which is connected with James Joyce. Another attraction of the city is the Guinness Brewery, which was founded in the 1759 and still is the largest brewery (pivovar) in the world. The General Post Office in O`Connell Street is another famous landmark in the history of Ireland: it was the central point of rebellion against the British in 1916. The building, which was heavily bombed and finally destroyed by fire, has been reconstructed as it was originally. Dubliners, like all Irish people, are very friendly and warm towards visitors.
Holiday and Briatin and the USA
HOLIDAYS IN GREAT BRITAIN
New Year’s Day
January 1st - Titles {název} and decorations are conferred {udělit} by the sovereign {panovník}.
On New Year’s Eve {31 December} people have parties and at midnight they sing “ Auld Lang Syne”. In London people go to Trafalgar Square. There is singing and dancing and some enthusiasts traditionally swim in the fountain.
St. Valentine’s Day
On 14th February young people send Valentine cards to a darling person, usually anonymously, and exchange {vyměnit} gifts {dar}. The cards have funny, loving or serious contents {mít spojení}. It is lover’s day.
On Pancake (palačinka) Day people eat lots of pancakes. Some towns also hold pancake races on that day. People run through the streets holding a frying pan and tossing the pancake in the air: if they drop the pancake (palačinka) they lose the race.
St. David’s Day
March 1st {the patron saint of Wales}
St. Patrick’s Day
March 17th {the patron saint of Ireland}. It is a public holiday in Ireland. People often wear shamrocks (jetel) on that day.
All Fool’s Day
April 1st - It is named after the custom of playing practical jokes and tricks (trik) on people and then you can shout “ April Fool”!
Easter
At Easter time, the British celebrate the idea of new birth by giving each other chocolate Easter eggs, which are opened and eaten on Eaters Sunday. On Good Friday bakers sell hot cross buns (bochánek, buchta), which are toasted and eaten with butter. Easter Monday is a holiday and many people travel to the seaside for the day or go and watch one of the many sporting events, such as football or horse - racing.
St. George’s Day
April 23rd {the patron saint of England}
May Day
May 1 - political parties of the left hold processions (průvod) and public meetings. On 1 May children may be seen dancing round the Maypole on village greens, weaving their brightly coloured ribbons (stuha, mašle) into a beautiful pattern (šablona, střih).
Mother’s Day
2nd Sunday in may - honours (vzdát čest, uctívat) all mothers
Spring Bank Holiday
Last Monday in May. Bank Holiday in England are also public holidays when banks and shops are closed. People spend Bank Holidays going for excursion, to the coast if possible. Londoners {real Cockneys} take their families to a big fair on Hampstead Heath.
The Queen’s Official Birthday
June {Saturday after June 9}. There are various ceremonies associated with it, such as the ceremony of Trooping the Colour {a ceremonial mounting /zahájení/ of the guard /stráž, průvodčí/ in the presence of the sovereign /panovník, vladař/} at the Horse Guards Parade in London.
Father's Day
3rd Sunday in June - honours all fathers
Summer Bank Holiday - last Monday in August
Halloween
Means the eve of All Saints’ Day or All Hallows Day and takes place on 31st October. At parties people dress up in strange costumes and pretended (předstírat) they are witches (čaroděj, baba). They cut horrible faces in pumpkins (tykev) and other vegetables and put a candle (svíčka) inside, which shines through the eyes.
In recent years children dressed in white sheets (prostěradlo, pokrývka) knock (zaklepat) on doors at Halloween and ask if you would like a “trick” or “treat”. If you give them something nice, a “treat”, they go away. However, if you don’t, they play a “trick” on you, such as making a lot of noise or spilling (rozsypat, rozlít) flour on your front doorstep. This is an American tradition.
Guy (chlápek, chlap) Fawkes Day
On 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes, a Yorkshire Catholic, with other conspirators (spiklenec), planned to blow up (vyhodit do povětří) the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. with gunpowder (střelný prach) placed in the cellars (sklep). Thos became known as the Gunpowder Plot. Guy Fawkes was arrested on November 4th, tortured (mučit) and executed by hanging (poprava, oběšení), after revealing (odhalující) the names of the other conspirators (spiklenec).
Since then, Guy Fawkes Day, has been celebrated in England with fireworks (ohňostroj) and bonfires (oheň).
English children make the Guy with old clothes, newspapers and a mask. Then they take their Guy round the street and ask passers - by (kolemjdoucí) from money to buy fireworks (ohňostroj) saying: “A penny for the Guy”
Remembrance Day
November 11. There is a ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, in which two minutes' silence honours those killed in the two world Wars.
St. Andrew's Day
November 30 (the patron saint of Scotland)
Christmas
On 24th December. The most important festival of the year is Christmas. Traditionally at this time of the year houses are gaily decorated with paper chins, ivy (břečťan), holly (cesmína), mistletoe (jmelí) and Christmas trees.
On Christmas Eve {on 25th December} children hang up (zavěsit) their stockings (punčocha) over the fireplace (krb, ohniště) or at the end of the bed and wait for Father Christmas {or Santa Claus as he is often called} to fill (naplnit) them with presents.
Almost every town in Britain has a Christmas tree: in London, in Trafalgar Square, a huge Christmas tree is decorated every year. It is a present from Norway and Londoners meet there to wish each other “ Merry Christmas”.
On Christmas Eve children and adults go from house to house singing carols at the doors. Sweets are given to the children and drinks are offered to the adults. The traditional Christmas dinner includes fish soup, roast goose with dumplings and cabbage, Wiener schnitzel (smažený řízek) or roast turkey (krůta, krocan) with chestnut (kaštan) stuffing (nádivka) and potatoes, as a dessert sweets, apple pie and Christmas pudding. This is a special rich pudding made with lots of dried fruit, eggs, suet and very little flour. Hogmanay (silvestr) - is the Scottish name for New Year’s Eve, which is more celebrated than Christmas.
The day after Christmas {on 26th December} is a national holiday called Boxing Day after the tradition of giving Christmas boxes to milkmen, postmen etc.
Carols: Good King Wenceslas, Silent Night, or Jingle Bells
AMERICAN HOLIDAY
Martin Luther King’s Day
3rd Monday in January. M. L. King {1929 - 1968} was a black leader and civil - rights campaigner. He demanded racial equality. As an advocate of non-violence he was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1964. He was assassinated in 1968.
Lincoln’s birthday
February 12 - some states still celebrate it instead of the President’s Day
St. Valentine’s Day
February 14
Washington’s birthday
February 22 - commemorated by public ceremonies. Some states celebrate it instead of the President’s Day.
The President’s Day
3rd Monday in February - on this day all presidents of the USE are honoured.
Easter
is not a national holiday. Most Americans spend Easter Sunday with the family. Many people give children dyed eggs and sweets. In some families they organized an egg hunt - children look for eggs which the adults hid somewhere in the house, yard or garden. There is a traditional Easter Egg Roll in front of the White House in Washington on Easter Monday.
Mother’s Day
2nd Sunday in May
Memorial Day
4th Monday in May. It honours Americans killed in all the past wars and most recently all the dead. Flowers and flags are placed on the graves (hrob) of the {war} dead. It also marks the beginning of the summer season.
Father’s Day
3rd Sunday in June
Independence Day
July 4. Each city has own ceremony parades (přehlídka), band concerts and firework (ohňostrij) displays (podívaná) in the evening. This day commemorates the singing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, thus establishing USA.
Labour Day
1st Monday in September - honours all the working people. It is celebrated by a day of rest. It marks the end of the summer season.
Columbus Day
October 12th, the date of Christopher Columbus’ landing in the West Indies, is a legal holiday in most states of the United States.
Halloween - October 31
“Trick or treat” says the little witch who is at your door together with a plump - faced ghost (přízrak, duch). You give them candies (cukroví) and they leave for the next door.
It is the day all American children wait for. They dress up (obléci) in funny (legrační) clothes and masks and go round the houses asking for fruit, candies or money. If you don’t give anything to them, they play tricks on you, like taking the garbage (odpadky) bin (popelnice, koš) in front of your door or throwing flour at your windows.
Ghosts (přízrak, duch), witches and spirits are present in all Halloween celebrations and the symbol of Halloween is a ghostly figure called Jack O’Lantern - a hollowed pumpkin (tykev) which has holes (díra) cut in it to represent a human face.
Veteran’s Day
November 11 - honours the veterans (bývalý voják) of all wars
Thanksgiving
4th Thursday in November - national holiday in the USA and Canada, first celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrim settlers of Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, on the first harvest. Now it is an occasion for the whole family to be together. It is celebrated by a traditional dinner whose main course is roast turkey and pumpkin (tykev) pie.
Christmas
is not a national holiday in the USA but since most American are Christans, almost all shops are closed and people have a rest day on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Americans of British origin follow the same traditions as their ancestor. Unlike Christmas in our country, Christmas in the USA is not a family holiday, families invite friends to join them at Christmas dinner and often give parties at Christmas - time. On Boxing Day most shops are open although people have a day off. Besides the Christmas tree the Americans also decorate their houses with garlands (věnec, girlanda) and wreaths (věnec) and electric coloured lights inside and outside the house or on the trees in their gardens.
The January sales begin just after Christmas both in the USA and in Britain. Most large shops sell off (rozprodat, prodávat) their old stock (zcela, kompletně) at low or “bargain “ (výhodný) prices.
New Year’s Day
January 1st - Titles {název} and decorations are conferred {udělit} by the sovereign {panovník}.
On New Year’s Eve {31 December} people have parties and at midnight they sing “ Auld Lang Syne”. In London people go to Trafalgar Square. There is singing and dancing and some enthusiasts traditionally swim in the fountain.
St. Valentine’s Day
On 14th February young people send Valentine cards to a darling person, usually anonymously, and exchange {vyměnit} gifts {dar}. The cards have funny, loving or serious contents {mít spojení}. It is lover’s day.
On Pancake (palačinka) Day people eat lots of pancakes. Some towns also hold pancake races on that day. People run through the streets holding a frying pan and tossing the pancake in the air: if they drop the pancake (palačinka) they lose the race.
St. David’s Day
March 1st {the patron saint of Wales}
St. Patrick’s Day
March 17th {the patron saint of Ireland}. It is a public holiday in Ireland. People often wear shamrocks (jetel) on that day.
All Fool’s Day
April 1st - It is named after the custom of playing practical jokes and tricks (trik) on people and then you can shout “ April Fool”!
Easter
At Easter time, the British celebrate the idea of new birth by giving each other chocolate Easter eggs, which are opened and eaten on Eaters Sunday. On Good Friday bakers sell hot cross buns (bochánek, buchta), which are toasted and eaten with butter. Easter Monday is a holiday and many people travel to the seaside for the day or go and watch one of the many sporting events, such as football or horse - racing.
St. George’s Day
April 23rd {the patron saint of England}
May Day
May 1 - political parties of the left hold processions (průvod) and public meetings. On 1 May children may be seen dancing round the Maypole on village greens, weaving their brightly coloured ribbons (stuha, mašle) into a beautiful pattern (šablona, střih).
Mother’s Day
2nd Sunday in may - honours (vzdát čest, uctívat) all mothers
Spring Bank Holiday
Last Monday in May. Bank Holiday in England are also public holidays when banks and shops are closed. People spend Bank Holidays going for excursion, to the coast if possible. Londoners {real Cockneys} take their families to a big fair on Hampstead Heath.
The Queen’s Official Birthday
June {Saturday after June 9}. There are various ceremonies associated with it, such as the ceremony of Trooping the Colour {a ceremonial mounting /zahájení/ of the guard /stráž, průvodčí/ in the presence of the sovereign /panovník, vladař/} at the Horse Guards Parade in London.
Father's Day
3rd Sunday in June - honours all fathers
Summer Bank Holiday - last Monday in August
Halloween
Means the eve of All Saints’ Day or All Hallows Day and takes place on 31st October. At parties people dress up in strange costumes and pretended (předstírat) they are witches (čaroděj, baba). They cut horrible faces in pumpkins (tykev) and other vegetables and put a candle (svíčka) inside, which shines through the eyes.
In recent years children dressed in white sheets (prostěradlo, pokrývka) knock (zaklepat) on doors at Halloween and ask if you would like a “trick” or “treat”. If you give them something nice, a “treat”, they go away. However, if you don’t, they play a “trick” on you, such as making a lot of noise or spilling (rozsypat, rozlít) flour on your front doorstep. This is an American tradition.
Guy (chlápek, chlap) Fawkes Day
On 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes, a Yorkshire Catholic, with other conspirators (spiklenec), planned to blow up (vyhodit do povětří) the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. with gunpowder (střelný prach) placed in the cellars (sklep). Thos became known as the Gunpowder Plot. Guy Fawkes was arrested on November 4th, tortured (mučit) and executed by hanging (poprava, oběšení), after revealing (odhalující) the names of the other conspirators (spiklenec).
Since then, Guy Fawkes Day, has been celebrated in England with fireworks (ohňostroj) and bonfires (oheň).
English children make the Guy with old clothes, newspapers and a mask. Then they take their Guy round the street and ask passers - by (kolemjdoucí) from money to buy fireworks (ohňostroj) saying: “A penny for the Guy”
Remembrance Day
November 11. There is a ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, in which two minutes' silence honours those killed in the two world Wars.
St. Andrew's Day
November 30 (the patron saint of Scotland)
Christmas
On 24th December. The most important festival of the year is Christmas. Traditionally at this time of the year houses are gaily decorated with paper chins, ivy (břečťan), holly (cesmína), mistletoe (jmelí) and Christmas trees.
On Christmas Eve {on 25th December} children hang up (zavěsit) their stockings (punčocha) over the fireplace (krb, ohniště) or at the end of the bed and wait for Father Christmas {or Santa Claus as he is often called} to fill (naplnit) them with presents.
Almost every town in Britain has a Christmas tree: in London, in Trafalgar Square, a huge Christmas tree is decorated every year. It is a present from Norway and Londoners meet there to wish each other “ Merry Christmas”.
On Christmas Eve children and adults go from house to house singing carols at the doors. Sweets are given to the children and drinks are offered to the adults. The traditional Christmas dinner includes fish soup, roast goose with dumplings and cabbage, Wiener schnitzel (smažený řízek) or roast turkey (krůta, krocan) with chestnut (kaštan) stuffing (nádivka) and potatoes, as a dessert sweets, apple pie and Christmas pudding. This is a special rich pudding made with lots of dried fruit, eggs, suet and very little flour. Hogmanay (silvestr) - is the Scottish name for New Year’s Eve, which is more celebrated than Christmas.
The day after Christmas {on 26th December} is a national holiday called Boxing Day after the tradition of giving Christmas boxes to milkmen, postmen etc.
Carols: Good King Wenceslas, Silent Night, or Jingle Bells
AMERICAN HOLIDAY
Martin Luther King’s Day
3rd Monday in January. M. L. King {1929 - 1968} was a black leader and civil - rights campaigner. He demanded racial equality. As an advocate of non-violence he was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1964. He was assassinated in 1968.
Lincoln’s birthday
February 12 - some states still celebrate it instead of the President’s Day
St. Valentine’s Day
February 14
Washington’s birthday
February 22 - commemorated by public ceremonies. Some states celebrate it instead of the President’s Day.
The President’s Day
3rd Monday in February - on this day all presidents of the USE are honoured.
Easter
is not a national holiday. Most Americans spend Easter Sunday with the family. Many people give children dyed eggs and sweets. In some families they organized an egg hunt - children look for eggs which the adults hid somewhere in the house, yard or garden. There is a traditional Easter Egg Roll in front of the White House in Washington on Easter Monday.
Mother’s Day
2nd Sunday in May
Memorial Day
4th Monday in May. It honours Americans killed in all the past wars and most recently all the dead. Flowers and flags are placed on the graves (hrob) of the {war} dead. It also marks the beginning of the summer season.
Father’s Day
3rd Sunday in June
Independence Day
July 4. Each city has own ceremony parades (přehlídka), band concerts and firework (ohňostrij) displays (podívaná) in the evening. This day commemorates the singing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, thus establishing USA.
Labour Day
1st Monday in September - honours all the working people. It is celebrated by a day of rest. It marks the end of the summer season.
Columbus Day
October 12th, the date of Christopher Columbus’ landing in the West Indies, is a legal holiday in most states of the United States.
Halloween - October 31
“Trick or treat” says the little witch who is at your door together with a plump - faced ghost (přízrak, duch). You give them candies (cukroví) and they leave for the next door.
It is the day all American children wait for. They dress up (obléci) in funny (legrační) clothes and masks and go round the houses asking for fruit, candies or money. If you don’t give anything to them, they play tricks on you, like taking the garbage (odpadky) bin (popelnice, koš) in front of your door or throwing flour at your windows.
Ghosts (přízrak, duch), witches and spirits are present in all Halloween celebrations and the symbol of Halloween is a ghostly figure called Jack O’Lantern - a hollowed pumpkin (tykev) which has holes (díra) cut in it to represent a human face.
Veteran’s Day
November 11 - honours the veterans (bývalý voják) of all wars
Thanksgiving
4th Thursday in November - national holiday in the USA and Canada, first celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrim settlers of Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, on the first harvest. Now it is an occasion for the whole family to be together. It is celebrated by a traditional dinner whose main course is roast turkey and pumpkin (tykev) pie.
Christmas
is not a national holiday in the USA but since most American are Christans, almost all shops are closed and people have a rest day on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Americans of British origin follow the same traditions as their ancestor. Unlike Christmas in our country, Christmas in the USA is not a family holiday, families invite friends to join them at Christmas dinner and often give parties at Christmas - time. On Boxing Day most shops are open although people have a day off. Besides the Christmas tree the Americans also decorate their houses with garlands (věnec, girlanda) and wreaths (věnec) and electric coloured lights inside and outside the house or on the trees in their gardens.
The January sales begin just after Christmas both in the USA and in Britain. Most large shops sell off (rozprodat, prodávat) their old stock (zcela, kompletně) at low or “bargain “ (výhodný) prices.
History GB
- The Iberians – the first inhabitants, they build stone circle (Stonehenge)
- The Celts – 700 BC, they were ancestors (předchůdci) of many people living today in Wales, Scotland, Ireland – they using Celtic language
- The Romans –(0-400AC) the Celts and the Romans lived relatively in peace together, they build towns, forts, roads, the country prospered for 400 years under the Roman rule, they made a system in government and strong administration in the country, around 400 they had to leave because they had problems at home in Rome
- The Jutes, The Angles, The Saxons – (400-800) they arrive from germany lands, they drove (vytlačit) the Celtic people into the mountains of Wales and Scotland, during this time Christianity began to spread in England from Ireland, king Arthur was Celtic leader, who defended the country against the Saxons invasion (he lived in castle Camelot)
- The Vikings – (800-1000) they arrived from northern parts of Europe, they raided (vyplenit) the - Normans – they came from France, were the last invaders of the country, they were lead by William The Conqueror and he defeated the Saxon king Haroln in the Battle of Hastings in 1066, they establish a strong government, gradually the Norman and the Anglo-Saxon languages and customs merged (spojit)
- The way to parliament – a struggle between the king and the noblemen in 1215 Magna Charta was signed, it limited the power of the king, the king had to listen the opinions of the noblemen, the noblemen started to meet regularly, it means the beginning of Parliament in England
- The hundred years war – (1338-1453) the conflict between England and France, it was conflict over land, England was defeated and did not get land in France
- The war of roses – (1455-1485) it was a civil war, between the house of Lancaster (white) and the house of York (red), the war ended with the establishment of the powerful Tudor house
- Tudors – Henry VIII – he quarrels (hádat se) with the Pope, Henry wanted to get divorced (rozvod) but Pope did not allow it, Henry separated from the Church of Rome and establish the Church of England (1534), he declared himself the head of this church of England
Elizabeth I – Henry’s daughter, she was a protestant, she executed Mary Stuart (her cousin and queen of Scotland, catholic the Catholics in England wanted her as a queen), during her reign Britain became a major sea power – sir Francis Drake – he defeated Spanish army in 1588, which wanted invade England, sir Walter Raleigh – he founded the first colony in America (Virginia)
- The Stuart house – Elizabeth had no children, her closest relative (nejbližší příbuzný) was James VI of Scotland (son Mary Stuart), he became king as James I of England, Scotland and England were united under one king in 1603, in 17th century there were conflicts between king and parliament, it led to civil war, in the end the parliament, their leader was Oliver Cromwell, won and king James I was executed, Cromwell establish the republic, he was a head a state, but he needed the help of army, after his dead the monarchy was restore but parliament remain very strong
- The industrial revolution – about the end of 18th century, is characterised by the radical change in the way was made – from hands to machines, new machine – steam machine, new machine could do the work a several people and mass production became possible, many people were poor, work a lot and live in horrible conditions
- Reign of Victoria – she ruled from 1837 to 1901, she was a symbol of stability and continuity of the British way of live, her age was characterize industrialising and urbanising and she establish compulsory public education, in this times Britain had a lot of colonies, the British empire reach its peak
- 20th century – WWI – Britain lost a lot of men and suffer from a economic crisis, the situation was even worse after the Wall street crash – the Wall street crash was follow by the severe depression all over the world, some important changes happen in this time: many unemployed people, right vote to women, old age pension
WWII – Britain suffered from bombing, Britain did not fall and helped to win the second WW against Germany
- from the British empire to the European Union – Ireland became independent in 1921, in 1926 the Commonwealth of nations was founded = a free association of equal states under one king or queen Britain and 47 colonies, Britain is member of the United nations, NATO and European Union
- The Celts – 700 BC, they were ancestors (předchůdci) of many people living today in Wales, Scotland, Ireland – they using Celtic language
- The Romans –(0-400AC) the Celts and the Romans lived relatively in peace together, they build towns, forts, roads, the country prospered for 400 years under the Roman rule, they made a system in government and strong administration in the country, around 400 they had to leave because they had problems at home in Rome
- The Jutes, The Angles, The Saxons – (400-800) they arrive from germany lands, they drove (vytlačit) the Celtic people into the mountains of Wales and Scotland, during this time Christianity began to spread in England from Ireland, king Arthur was Celtic leader, who defended the country against the Saxons invasion (he lived in castle Camelot)
- The Vikings – (800-1000) they arrived from northern parts of Europe, they raided (vyplenit) the - Normans – they came from France, were the last invaders of the country, they were lead by William The Conqueror and he defeated the Saxon king Haroln in the Battle of Hastings in 1066, they establish a strong government, gradually the Norman and the Anglo-Saxon languages and customs merged (spojit)
- The way to parliament – a struggle between the king and the noblemen in 1215 Magna Charta was signed, it limited the power of the king, the king had to listen the opinions of the noblemen, the noblemen started to meet regularly, it means the beginning of Parliament in England
- The hundred years war – (1338-1453) the conflict between England and France, it was conflict over land, England was defeated and did not get land in France
- The war of roses – (1455-1485) it was a civil war, between the house of Lancaster (white) and the house of York (red), the war ended with the establishment of the powerful Tudor house
- Tudors – Henry VIII – he quarrels (hádat se) with the Pope, Henry wanted to get divorced (rozvod) but Pope did not allow it, Henry separated from the Church of Rome and establish the Church of England (1534), he declared himself the head of this church of England
Elizabeth I – Henry’s daughter, she was a protestant, she executed Mary Stuart (her cousin and queen of Scotland, catholic the Catholics in England wanted her as a queen), during her reign Britain became a major sea power – sir Francis Drake – he defeated Spanish army in 1588, which wanted invade England, sir Walter Raleigh – he founded the first colony in America (Virginia)
- The Stuart house – Elizabeth had no children, her closest relative (nejbližší příbuzný) was James VI of Scotland (son Mary Stuart), he became king as James I of England, Scotland and England were united under one king in 1603, in 17th century there were conflicts between king and parliament, it led to civil war, in the end the parliament, their leader was Oliver Cromwell, won and king James I was executed, Cromwell establish the republic, he was a head a state, but he needed the help of army, after his dead the monarchy was restore but parliament remain very strong
- The industrial revolution – about the end of 18th century, is characterised by the radical change in the way was made – from hands to machines, new machine – steam machine, new machine could do the work a several people and mass production became possible, many people were poor, work a lot and live in horrible conditions
- Reign of Victoria – she ruled from 1837 to 1901, she was a symbol of stability and continuity of the British way of live, her age was characterize industrialising and urbanising and she establish compulsory public education, in this times Britain had a lot of colonies, the British empire reach its peak
- 20th century – WWI – Britain lost a lot of men and suffer from a economic crisis, the situation was even worse after the Wall street crash – the Wall street crash was follow by the severe depression all over the world, some important changes happen in this time: many unemployed people, right vote to women, old age pension
WWII – Britain suffered from bombing, Britain did not fall and helped to win the second WW against Germany
- from the British empire to the European Union – Ireland became independent in 1921, in 1926 the Commonwealth of nations was founded = a free association of equal states under one king or queen Britain and 47 colonies, Britain is member of the United nations, NATO and European Union
Přihlásit se k odběru:
Příspěvky (Atom)