Exercise 4 . In teams, make up five questions to the text you have read. Ask the opponent team to answer them. Reply to their questions.
Exercise 5 . Add the beginnings to the following sentences:
1. … to give her to the bridegroom.
2. … has usually been decorated by their friends.
3. … and waits inside, near the altar with the best man.
4. …dress and a white veil and to carry flowers in a bouquet.
5. … to be your wedded husband/wife?
6. … hired for the occasion and decorated with ribbons.
7. …throw confetti or rise over them.
8. … usually made by the bride’s father, the groom and the best man.
Exercise 6 . Look back at the text and fill in the following table for either British or American wedding:
| Traditional wedding | ||
| Symbols | Clothes | Characters |
| … | … | … |
Exercise 7 . In pairs, discuss what kind of wedding you would like to have. Give reasons. Does your partner agree with you?
Exercise 8 . Imagine that you attended a wedding party a week ago. Write about it in a letter to your imaginable friend from England.
Exercise 9 . Using the text translate the following words and phrases:
перед тем, как уйти, в прошлом, принесет ей удачу, медовый месяц, новобрачные, шафер, свадебный торт, длинное белое платье, отец невесты, подружки невесты, обручальное кольцо, смокинг, свадебный прием, по очереди, украшенная лентами, отдел записей актов гражданского состояния, белая вуаль, ждет внутри, во время церемонии, бросает букет, произносить речь, жених, приезжает в церковь на машине.
Exercise 10 . Read the text about wedding superstitions in England. Find answers to the following questions:
1. Which month is traditionally unlucky for weddings?
2. What is the tradition for the bride's parents which dates from two or three centuries ago?
3. What is considered to be a lucky omen on the wedding day?
4. What was the old custom for the bride and the groom as they left the church?
5. What does the richness of the wedding cake symbolize?
Text 7
Wedding Superstitions
In England the wedding preparations, ceremony and feast have all become loaded with ritual practices to ward off evil and bless the marriage with fortune and fertility.
The choice of date is important. May is traditionally unlucky for weddings and many modern couples marry between Easter and late May, a practice much encouraged by tax rebates. The tradition that the bride's parents should pay for the wedding dates from two or three centuries ago, when wealthy families would pay an eligible bachelor to take an unmarried daughter off their hands in exchange for a large dowry. At most formal weddings, brides still get married in virginal white – many other colours are considered unlucky.
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A bride will also ensure that her wedding outfit includes "something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue." "Old" maintains her link with the past; "new" symbolizes the future; "borrowed" gives her a link with the present; and "blue" symbolizes her purity.
Even a modern bride will observe the taboos about wearing her dress before the ceremony. The groom mustn't see her in it until she enters the church. The veil should be put on for the first time as she leaves for the church.
It's a lucky omen if the bride should see a chimney sweep on her way to church. Sometimes a sweep is paid to attend the ceremony and kiss the bride — a relic of the old idea that soot and ashes are symbols of fertility.
After the ceremony, the couple is showered with confetti — to bless the marriage with fertility.
One old custom was for the bride and sometimes the groom to negotiate some obstacle as they left the church — guests would impede them with ropes of flowers, for example, or with sticks that had to be jumped over.
After that the bride is faced with the feast. The most important item is the wedding cake, whose richness symbolizes fertility, just as it has done since Roman times. Today, the first slice is cut by the bride to ensure a fruitful marriage.
Text 8
I am dreaming of a white wedding
One of the happiest moments, traditionally, of a mother's life is when her daughter gets married – especially if she decides to have a "White wedding", with all the necessary pomp and ceremony. Despite all the trouble and expense this involves, it is a day a mother will never forget. Indeed, she will probably remember it (and certainly look forward to it) far more than her daughter, and even years after the event, the mere mention of it will be sufficient to bring tears to her eyes plus the words, "Oh, but it was such a lovely wedding!" Here is a brief guide to a typical Church of England wedding.
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The wedding usually takes place at the Parish church of the bride, and once a date and time has been set for it, the next step is to send out the invitations. It is also at this stage that the best man, bridesmaids, ushers and possibly a page boy are chosen. After the invitations have been received, the guests usually begin to enquire what presents the bride would like. Nowadays, it is fairly common for the bride and groom to prepare a list of suitable presents (with a wide price range) which they then circulate to the guests, thus avoiding getting eight electric blankets, five sets of cutlery, three toasters, thirty matching sheets and pillow cases, not to mention the set of flying geese from Aunt Edna ("They'll look lovely above the mantelpiece, dears!"), plus other possible white elephants. As to who pays for what, the. bulk of the expenses rests with the bride's parents –no doubt a throwback to the days when a bride had to provide a dowry!
Traditionally, marriage means saying goodbye to a hitherto fairly uncomplicated, carefree existence and saying hello instead to a life full of worries and responsibilities. As if to emphasize the fact that one is about to lose one's freedom, it is customary for the bride, accompanied by her female friends, and the groom, accompanied by his male friends, to go out together for one last evening of pleasure (a euphemism for a drunken orgy!)
The ladies' evening is called a "Hen Party" and the gentlemen's evening a "Stag Party". The latter used to be held on the eve of the wedding – often with disastrous consequences – so that nowadays it is more usual (and certainly wiser) for both events to take place at least two or three days before the actual wedding. I have never really found out what exactly goes on at a "Hen Party" but, according to my sister, it is becoming increasingly popular to hire a male striptease-dancer for the evening! As for the "Stag Party", the aim is pure and simple – to get everyone, especially the groom, as drunk as possible!
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Most people like dressing up occasionally and a white wedding is the perfect opportunity for everyone—especially wives, who now have a perfectly valid excuse for buying a particular outfit they have had their eyes on for weeks. The correct attire for the bridegroom, the best man, the father of the bride (or the person who is giving her away), the father of the groom and the ushers is morning suits. The remaining male guests usually wear dark lounge suits.
Traditionally, the bride wears a long white dress (to symbolize her virginity) with a veil and a bouquet. She should also wear of course, "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Bridesmaids' dresses are usually brighter and more fashionable—though never black! As for the women guests, they normally wear a suit or a dress-coat ensemble or just a dress. They should also wear gloves and most of them will wear hats, too.
The first people to arrive at the church are the ushers. They are responsible for showing the guests to their places. The best man and the groom (usually a nervous wreck by now) should arrive at the church at least fifteen minutes before the service is due to begin. They sit on the right of the aisle in the front pew. (This is no doubt to give the groom practice in waiting for his wife – something he will have to get used to once he is married!)
Five minutes later, the bridesmaids and the bride's mother should arrive. The bridesmaids wait for the bride in the porch while the mother is ushered to her place by the chief usher. Five minutes before the ceremony begins, the bride, accompanied by her father, arrives at the church. At a pre-arranged time the bride, on her father's right arm, walks up the aisle followed by the bridesmaids. The guests rise as she enters the church, the groom's legs turn to rubber, the best man fumbles in his pockets for the wedding rings while the bride's mother takes out a box of handkerchiefs in readiness.
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After the ceremony, the wedding party go off to the vestry to sign the register. They are now man and wife – not only in the sight of God but also in the eyes of the law and, presumably, in the memory of some government computer or other.
There is nothing like a wedding ceremony to give one an appetite, so after the formalities at the church are over, most of the guests eagerly await the next phase of the great day, namely the reception, which can be either a buffet or a sit-down meal. The high point of the reception is when the bride and groom cut the wedding cake – usually three tiers high. After this, the most distinguished guest – in most cases a godfather or a favourite uncle of the bride or in some cases her father – proposes a 'Toast to the Bride and Bridegroom". The groom replies on behalf of his wife and himself and ends his speech with a toast to the bridesmaids. Again, women are not allowed to speak as the best man gets up to reply on their behalf. He also reads out any telegrams that have been received, one or more of which invariably contain the lines, "May your troubles only be little ones!"
The next big event of the day is when the bride and groom leave for their honeymoon. The guests (at least those who are still able to stand) usually gather at the door to wave them off. As she leaves, the bride tosses her bouquet to one of the bridesmaids. The saying goes that whoever catches it will be the next person to get married. Once they have gone, everyone heaves a huge sigh of relief, and the party really begins – often going on well into the early hours of the morning. Long before this time, of course, the bride's parents will have collapsed in a corner somewhere – totally exhausted, pretty near broke – and, no doubt, hoping that their younger daughter, won't think of getting married for at least another ten years!
Exercise 1. True – False – Don't know
Work in pairs. Read through the text again and say whether the following sentences are true or false, according to the information given. If there is no way of saying whether something is definitely true or false, then mark the sentence "Don't know".
1 Weddings are usually held in the afternoon.
2 The wedding is usually held at the Parish church of the bride.
3 The "Hen Party" used to be held on the evening before the wedding.
4 According to tradition, the person who catches the bride's bouquet will marry the best man.
5 The bride should always wear on the day of the wedding something belonging to someone else.
6 The groom and the best man should arrive at the church five minutes before the bridesmaids.
7 Invitation cards should be sent out at least three weeks before the wedding.
8 The register must be signed by one of the bride's parents.
9 Many couples let their guests know what sort of wedding presents they would like.
10 The best man is the person who usually proposes a toast to the bride and bridegroom.
Male guests at a wedding should wear morning suits.
12 Any telegrams are usually read out before the cake is cut.
13 Women guests always wear hats.
14The best man is usually the groom's brother.
15 The ushers usually arrive at the church half an hour before the service begins.
Exercise 2. In the box below are fifteen words which were used in the text. To check that you understand them, complete each of the sentences with a suitable word.
sufficient broke aim
expenses avoid cutlery
customary disastrous valid
veil pew relief
invariably latter honeymoon
1 Many politicians, especially those from the Labour Party, consider that Britain's decision to join the E.E.C. was a ... mistake.
2 We could do with a new set of … darling. We've had these knives and forks since we got married.
3 We'd better get another bottle of wine – I don’t think one is going to be ...
4 I can't afford to go out this weekend, I'm afraid. I'm ... .
5 Both Swansea and Cardiff are cities in South Wales, the ... being the capital.
6 In most Moslem countries a woman is expected to wear a ... in public.
7 Many people have just one ... in life – to make as much money as possible.
8 The driver braked hard to ... hitting the cyclist.
9 It is ... in many countries for men to embrace each other when they meet.
10It was such a ... to hear that you'd arrived safely. I was beginning to get really worried.
11The wooden bench you sit on in a church is called a … .
12The private detective asked for £40 a day, plus … .
13 In Britain, a train ticket is usually ... for three months.
14My wife and I spent our... in Paris.
15The weather ... turns bad whenever I decide to go to Spain for my holidays.
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