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.
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)
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"
'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
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
Two out of
three teenagers in Britain are keen to work abroad but most of them don't speak
foreign languages. Government figures show that 58% of 11-18 year olds in the
UK have no foreign language skills, and this has a negative effect on the
economy.
Those views
on the streets of London are backed up by figures out this week.
The British Government found that 58 percent of 11-18 year olds in the UK do
NOT speak a second language. However two thirds of teenagers in Britain want to
work abroad when they're older - the countries of choice being Italy, Spain,
France or China.
The British
Government admits there is a problem - that not enough young people
continue learning a second language when they leave school. Teresa Tinley from
the country's national centre of languages says it has big implications
for the economy:
The research
is seen as further evidence that most young people assume they
can get by in a foreign country by speaking English - something the
authorities in London want to change.
NOTES:
- fiction
- вымысел
- are backed up by
- подтверждаются
- out -
зд. обнародованными
- admits
- признает
- implications
- негативное влияние, последствия
- potential customers
- потенциальными клиентами
- is geared towards
- ориентирована на
- further evidence
- еще одно подтверждение
- assume
- считают
- get by
- зд. прожить без знания языка страны, в которую приезжают работать
