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What is your
favourite holiday? Why?
My favourite
holiday, or, better to say, holidays are, definitely, the New
Year and Christmas. I n Russia the New Year is celebrated twice
— on January 1, according to the Gregorian calendar, and on
January 14, according to the Julian calendar which was used in
Russia before 1918. Christmas is a traditional holiday
celebrating the birth of Jesus with both religious and secular
aspects. It is commonly observed on December, 25 by Catholics,
and on January, 7 by the Russian Orthodox Church. New Year and
Christmas are the first, and the most joyful, holidays of the
year, when people see the Old Year off and the New Year in. I
enjoy the holidays for several reasons. Firstly, they have a
special atmosphere of joy and excitement everyone looks forward
to for several months. They are holidays of renewal and magic,
exchanging presents and wishes. Most people, irrespective of
their age, stay up all night on December, 31, setting off
fireworks and making merry. Father Christmas and Snow Maiden are
the popular characters of TV programmes and school festivals
though no one except very young children believes in their
existence. The second reason I prefer this holiday to all the
rest is that it is the centre of the New Year and Christmas
season which is, in fact, a sequence of holidays. It starts on
the 25th of December and finishes on January 14, and everyone
has a chance of relaxing after a long period of hard and
stressful work.
There are many
New Year and Christmas traditions which make these holidays so
special. For Christmas people decorate their houses with
mistletoe and the Christmas tree, go to church, send Christmas
cards — and, of course, give and receive gifts.
My favourite
Christmas tradition has been receiving and giving presents since
my childhood when gifts were put into stockings for me and I
believed it was Father Christmas who brought them, unheard and
unseen while I was sleeping. I believe Christmas presents should
be special and have a touch of magic, enabling your dearest
wishes to come true. Firstly, giving gifts to all the members of
the family adds to love and affection in it and helps to forget
minor quarrels and misunderstandings. It makes you believe you
are a family no matter what happens. Secondly, it creates the
atmosphere of joy and magic. This simple and long-standing
tradition helps you to believe in miracles and renewal, and
regain optimism if you are in trouble.
I believe
Christmas is not as popular in Russia as in most Christian
countries. There are two main reasons why it is not. The first
one is that after the Revolution of 1917 Christmas celebrations
were banned in the Soviet Union for the next seventy-five years,
and a century-old tradition was destroyed. It is being restored
now, but it will take some time to do it. The second one is that
in Russia there is a long-standing tradition of celebrating the
New Year whose traditions are very similar to those of
Christmas. The only difference is that Christmas is a Christian
holiday marking the birth of Jesus Christ, and Christianity is
not as wide-spread in Russia now as it used to be before the
Revolution.
Translate the
following sentences into English.
1. В России Новый год празднуют дважды: 1 января по
григорианскому календарю, и 14 января по юлианскому календарю.
2. Рождество отмечает рождение Иисуса Христа и имеет религиозный
и светский аспекты.
3. Новый год — это праздник, в который люди провожают старый год
и встречают Новый год и не ложатся спать всю ночь 31 декабря.
4. Новый год отличает особая атмосфера радости и волнения,
обновления и чудес.
5. Рождество не так популярно в России как в других христианских
странах по двум причинам: во-первых, оно было запрещено в России
после революции 1917 года, во-вторых, подобные традиции
характерны для Нового года, который популярен в стране.
1. In Russia the
New Year is celebrated twice — on January, 1, according to the
Gregorian calendar, and on January, 14, according to the Julian
calendar.
2. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus and has both
religious and secular aspects.
3. New Year is the holiday when people see the Old Year off and
the New Year in and stay up all night on December, 31.
4. New Year has a special atmosphere of joy and excitement,
renewal and magic.
5. Christmas is not as popular in Russia as in other Christian
countries due to two reasons: firstly, it was banned in Russia
after the Revolution of 1917, and secondly, New Year which has
similar traditions is popular in the country.
Из пособия "ЕГЭ. Английский язык.
Устные темы" Занина Е.Л. (2010, 272с.) - Part
one. English examination topics. Forms 9/11.
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