Freshers' week

The UK has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all, it can be overwhelming and sometimes confusing.

October is usually the busiest month in the academic calendar. Universities have something called Freshers' Week for their newcomers. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life.

However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nerve-wracking. Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?

Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don't rush into anything that you'll regret for the next three years.

Here are some top tips from past students on how to survive Freshers' Week:
- blend in. Make sure you are aware of British social etiquette. Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends;
- be hospitable. Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends;
- be sociable. The more active you are, the more likely you'll be to meet new people than if you're someone who never leaves their room;
- bring a doorstop. Keep your door open when you're in and that sends positive messages to your neighbours that you're friendly.

So with a bit of clever planning and motivation, Freshers' Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you'll be passing on your wisdom to next year's new recruits.

NOTES:

• well-respected - имеющая хорошую репутацию
• can be overwhelming - может представлять огромные трудности
• in the academic calendar - в учебном году
• newcomers - зд. первокурсники
• settle into - вкусить, начать познавать прелести
• can be nerve-wracking - может раздражать/нервировать
• in the same boat - в одинаковом (зд. сложном) положении
• on the right foot - зд. успешно
• take it all in - разбирайтесь в ситуации и привыкайте к новой среде
• blend in - зд. постарайтесь выглядеть как другие студенты, впишитесь в студенческое сообщество
• social etiquette - норм поведения в обществе
• have ... handy - имейте ... под рукой
• give you a head start in making friends - помочь вам быстрее подружиться (с другими студентами)
• you'll be passing on your wisdom - вы сами будете обучать (нормам университетской жизни)

What to wear?

One of the biggest shocks when you arrive in a new country can be the clothes people are wearing. You may look fashionable at home, but you suddenly find you are behind the times or simply someone to laugh at when you arrive abroad. With this in mind, let's take a look at teenage fashion in the UK for girls.

One of the things that may shock an outsider most is piercings. These days it is not enough to simply wear rings in your ears. You will see many teenagers with rings in their navel, or belly button, nose, lip, or even their eyebrow. Ouch!

Some girls go for a 'glam' look. They wear T-shirts; trousers are usually preferred, blue or black, and the look is finished off with metallic bags and shoes and arms full of bracelets. Another alternative is the 'rocker' look. You start with a T-shirt of your favourite band and tight jeans or a long skirt. On top of this you can wear a denim jacket. Jewellery tends to be large and metallic, and to add colour, wear a scarf.

If neither of these is for you, why not go 'sporty'? T-shirts are usually tie-dyed in hot colours. Wear long shorts, short jeans or a denim skirt. And on your feet? Beach sandals, of course! If you prefer something more feminine, there's the 'girly' look. Skirts are long, to the floor. Wear a top with butterflies or flowers printed on it!

Finally, how about the 'Tom Boy' look? Wear flared jeans and a T-shirt with a logo. Don't forget your waistcoat, of course!

Follow the fashion tips above, and you shouldn't feel out of place. However, it's important to remember to wear clothes and choose a look that you feel comfortable with. Don't just be one of the crowd - be yourself!

NOTES:

• you are behind the times - ты старомоден
• piercing - пирсинг
• glam - гламурным
• rocker - рокерский
• denim - джинсовый
• scarf - шарф
• tie-dyed - размытых (расцветок)
• sandals - сандалии
• flared - расклешенные, клеш
• waistcoat - жилет
• feel out of place - зд. чувствовать себя "белой вороной"

Advent

'Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat!'

Christmas is the biggest festival in Britain and is celebrated on 25th December. The four weeks before Christmas are called Advent, and are traditionally celebrated in churches by lighting a candle each Sunday during Advent. Nowadays, many people in Britain are not very religious, but they still celebrate Christmas. But watch out - the preparations begin long before Advent. In fact, as early as September or October, you start to see signs that Christmas is on the way.

The first places to tell us that we should be thinking about Christmas are the shops. People in Britain spend on average over 600 pounds (around $1000) per person on Christmas every year, and the shops encourage people to spend more and more.

Shops put up Christmas decorations and play cheesy Christmas songs or carols; and some shop workers wear Christmas hats. Some big shops on Regent Street and Oxford Street in London create wonderful displays in their windows with moving characters, falling snow, colourful lights and music.

So what do people buy in preparation for Christmas? Well, Christmas decorations; Christmas cards to send to your friends and relatives; presents for your loved ones and wrapping paper to wrap them up with. And of course food! Apart from the special Christmas dinner of roast turkey or goose, people buy lots of chocolates, nuts and snacks for everyone to enjoy.

But the children are the most excited that Christmas is coming. They start making lists of presents they would like, and give them to their parents, or send them to Santa Claus. In December, they can also open their Advent calendars. Advent calendars are a way of counting down to Christmas. They have a window to open for every day from 1st - 24th December (Christmas Eve).

A basic Advent calendar has a Christmassy picture behind each window, but the children's favourite is usually a chocolate Advent calendar, with a chocolate for every day of the month. It's a great build-up to the overeating that goes on at Christmas!

NOTES:

• Advent - рождественский пост
• watch out - будьте на чеку
• is on the way - приближается
• cheesy - незамысловатые
• carols - рождественские песенки
• wrapping paper - упаковочная бумага для подарков
• аpart from - помимо
• Christmassy - рождественскую
• build-up - подготовка
• overeating - перееданию/объедаловке/празднику живота

Soap operas

Watching TV is a very popular pastime in the UK. But what kind of programmes do British people like to watch? Well, the most-watched TV programmes every week are very popular dramas that are usually on at least four times every week. They are dramas based in one neighbourhood that try to depict ordinary life in the UK - we call these dramas 'soap operas' or 'soaps'.

In the early days of TV, there were often dramas on during the day. Back in those days, it was traditional for the husband to go out to work and for the wife to stay at home and look after the house and the children.

Most of these daytime dramas were aimed at entertaining the housewives who would traditionally be at home, probably doing the washing. Companies selling washing powder would advertise their products at times when these dramas were on, and sometimes those companies would even sponsor the drama. Hence the word 'soap'.

So what about the word opera? Well, that's because these dramas are often an exaggeration of real life. They are supposed to represent ordinary lives but, to make them entertaining, lots of dramatic events, like murders, divorces, affairs etc., all happen probably much more regularly than they would in a normal neighbourhood.

Most soap operas these days are shown in the evening. Each show will have several different storylines happening at once that continue over several shows. The same cast members will appear in every show, too.

There are lots of different soaps on in the UK on different channels but there are three main popular ones. 'Coronation Street' has been on since 1960. It is set in a suburb of Manchester and it's supposed to represent working class life in the north of England. Then there's 'Eastenders' which started in 1985, set in the East End of London, and 'Emmerdale', which is set on a farm in Yorkshire, in the north of England.

The BBC even has a soap opera to help you learn English - so if you want to experience one of these dramas in English, 'The Flatmates' would be a good place to start - go to www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/flatmates.

NOTES:

• pastime - времяпрепровождение
• neighbourhood - районе или квартале
• to depict - отображать
• housewives - домохозяек
• washing powder - стиральный порошок
• would advertise - зд. часто рекламировали
• would sponsor - зд. нередко финансировали
• hence the word 'soap' - отсюда слово "мыльные" ("оперы")
• exaggeration - сгущение красок
• affairs - любовные связи/романы
• at once - одновременно, сразу
• cast members - актеры
• it is set - зд. действие фильма происходит
• it's supposed to represent - он должен показывать