SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO HỊA BÌNH TRƯỜNG CAO ĐẲNG SƯ PHẠM *** ĐỀ CƯƠNG BÀI GIẢNG MÔN: ĐẤT NƯỚC HỌC Ngành đào tạo: CĐSP Tiếng Anh Họ tên: Phạm Thị Minh Huyền Đơn vị: Khoa Trung học Cơ sở Năm học 2019- 2020 Contents Introduction Chapter 1: The United Kingdom Lesson 1: Introduction about the United Kingdom A Understanding the names B History C Things British D Physical Geography E Population F Language Lesson 2: People, Beliefs and Religions A Stereotypes and Change B English versus British C.Multiculturalism D Being Different E Religions Lesson 3: The Government, Political life and Election A The Cabinet B The Prime Minister C The Civil Service D Parliament E Election Lesson 4: Education A Historical Background B Organization C Recent Development D School Life E Public Exams Lesson 5: Economy A Background Information B Economic Growth C Trade in the U.K D Industry in Britain E Working in Britain Lesson 6: Holidays A Christmas B Easter C Halloween Lesson 7: Celebrations and Special Days A Birthdays B Weddings C Special Days Chapter 2: The United states of America Lesson 8: Introduction about the U.SA A Weather and Climate B Natural Resouces C Population D Ethnic Groups E Languages F.Culture Lesson 9: People, Beliefs and Religions A Cultural Diversity B Individual Freedom and Self- Reliance C Equality of Opportunity and Competition D Material Weath and Hard Work E.Religions Lesson 10: The Government, Political life and Election A Power of the President B Political Party System C The Organization of the American Government D The Development of the Government E Election Lesson 11: Education A Puplic Schools B Educational Ladder C The Money Value of Education D Extracurricular Activities E Racial Equality and Education Lesson 12: Economy A Free Enterprise: theoretical and Historical Background B Roles of Government C High Living Standard D The Characteristics of American Business Lesson 13: Holidays A Christmas B Easter C Halloween Lesson 14: Celebrations and Special Days A Birthdays B Weddings C Special Days References Introduction This book is intended for the third-year students majoring in English, Department of Secondary Education, Hoa Binh College of Education, who are trained to be teachers of English with the hope that they can improve their English language through various reading passages There is a collection of topics from different sources about two famous English Speaking Countries: The United Kindom and The United States of America The aims of this book To give some background information about the country as well people in the the UK and the USA To raise student's awareness of political system in developed countries To familiarize students with economic development in the UK and the USA To help students have an idea about two famous Educational Systems in the world To give students some main information about the most three important holidays in the UK and the USA including Christmas, Easter and Halloween To compare some special celebrations like birthdays and weddings between Vietnamese culture and foreigners' From this, students have an opportunity to share their findings and discuss their opinions with their partners From then, they can develop their presentation skill which is important for their future career Hopefully that students will have fun when taking part in this course and get an insight into the British and American life in general Chapter The United Kingdom Lesson 1: Introduction about The United Kingdom A Lead-in How many people (to the nearest million) live in Britain? A 23 million B 48 million C 58 million? What percentage of the British population belong to ethnic minorities: A 1% B 5.5% C 15 %? Is the birth rate in Britain…………live births per 1,000 people? A.7.4 B 12.9 C 19 What percentage of the population in Britain is under 16 years of age: A 10% B 20% C 30%? Which of the following countries is the nearest continental neighbour to Great Britain? A Denmark B Portugal C France D Greece? Name the two most popular destinations in Europe for British tourists? ………………………………………………………………………………… Which of the following is Britain's longest river? A The Thames B The Severn C The Tyne? What's the British National Anthem? ………………………………………………………………………………… … B Reading Text Understanding the names Britain or the United Kingdom, lies off the north-west coast of mainland Europe This is an abbreviation of ‘the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’ It is the political name of the country which is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Several islands off the British coast are also part of the United Kingdom (for example, the Isle of Wight, the Orkneys, Hebrides and Shetlands, and the Islands and the Isles of Man are not However, all these islands recognize the Queen London is the capital Other big cities include Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast Countries within a Country The name United Kingdom refers to the union of what were once four separate countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (though most of Ireland is now independent) History How was the United Kingdom formed? This took centuries, and a lot of armed struggle was involved In the 15th century, a Welsh prince, Henry Tudor, became King Henry VII, united England and Walse under one Parliament in 1563 In Scotland a similar thing happened The King of Scotland inherited the crown of England and Wales in 1603, so he became King James I of England, Walse and Scotland were united century later in 1707 Scotland was separated from England Wales and Ireland were under some English control but were not fully part of the kingdom The four countries were united by 1750 In 1485 England was ruled by the King of England; Scotland was ruled by the King of Scotland Wales, a principality, ruled by the Prince of Wales (eldest son of the English King) Wales had its own culture and language Ireland – small parts were controlled by the English Kings but in many places the English control was weak In 1750 England was ruled by the King of England who was also the King of Scotland One King ruled both countries Wales, remained a principality but more clearly under English control English language and customs were more fashionable, but the Welsh language and culture was still strong The UK’s full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Great Britain comprises only of England, Scotland and Wales Great Britain is the largest island of the Britain Isles Great Britain This is the name of the island which is made up of England, Scotland and Wales and so, strictly speaking, it does not include Northern Ireland The origin of the world ‘Great’ is a reference to size, because in many European and Brittany in France are the same In fact, it was the French who first talked about Grande Bretagne! In everyday speech the United Kingdom Great Britain: Great Britain is the official name given to the two kingdoms of England and Scotland, and the principality of Wales It is an island lying off the western coast of Europe, comprising the main territory of the United Kingdom England is part of an island called Great Britai, the largest island in Europe Great Britain is divided into small regions called countries England – the capital is London; Scotland – the capital is Edinburgh; Wales – the capital is Cardiff; Northern Ireland – the capital is Belfast Great Britain (or Britain) is only used in references to England, Scotland and Wales Great Britain is very often, but incorrectly, used as a synonym for the sovereign state properly known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) Great Britain is a political term which describes the combination of England, Scotland, and Wales, the three nations which together include all the land on the island It is also a geographical term referring to the island on which the greater parts of England, Wales and Scotland are situated Great Britain has area of 229.850 km2 (88.745 sq m) and is the largest island of the British Isles Is Great Britain the same as Britain? Yes, sometimes people use the shorten name Britain instead of Great Britain England in Britain in the UK 'When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles - but never England’ ‘How to be an Alien' by George Mikes’ "England" is sometimes, wrongly, used in reference to the whole United Kingdom, the entire island of Great Britain (or simply Britain), or indeed the British Isles This is not only incorrect but can cause offence to people from other parts of the UK The diverse history of England, Scotland and Wales has led to very different cultural traditions; The Scots and Welsh have right to feel aggrieved whenever the term 'English' is used wrongly, to mean all three Most people in England call themselves “British” or “British” and “English” unless specified otherwise This of course is wrong British people can be Scottish, Welsh, Irish (living in Northern Ireland) or English However, the Scots and the Welsh are proud of their separate identities and tend to be more forward about referring to themselves as Scottish or Welsh Interesting Facts England used to be known as England land, meaning the land of the Angles, people from continental Germany, who began to invade Britain in the late th century, along with the Saxons and Jute The term Great Britain was first used during the reign of King James I of England (James VI of Scotland) in 1603, to refer to the separate kingdoms of England and Scotland, on the same landmass, that were ruled over by the same monarch Despite having the same monarch both kingdoms kept their own parliaments The ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain’ was formed in 1707 by the Act of Union that created a single kingdom with a single Parliament (Scotland has always retained its own legal system) A hundred years later the Act of Union of 1801 joined Ireland to ‘Great Britain’ and the name “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland” was first used (Since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been a part of the United Kingdom and so the name changed) Things British This is the geographical name that refers to all the islands off the North West coast of the European continent: Great Britain, the whole of Ireland (Northern and Southern), the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man But it is important to remember that Southern Ireland – that is the Republic of Ireland (also called ‘Eire’) is completely independent So you can see that ‘the United Kingdom’ is the correct name to use if you are referring to the country in a political, rather than in a geography way ‘British’ refers to peple from the UK, Great Britain or the British Isles in general The Scottish and Welsh are proud and independent people In the recent years there have been attempts, particularly in Scotland where the Scottish Nationalist Party was very strong for a while However, in a referendum in 1979 the Welsh and Scottish people are happy to form part of the UK even though they sometimes complain that they are dominated by England, and particularly by London The whole of Ireland was united with Great British from 1801 up until 1922 In that year the independent Republic of Ireland was formed in the South, while Northern Ireland was still dependent on Great Britain The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three crosses The upright Red Cross is the cross of St George, the patron saint of England The white diagonal cross (with the arms going into the corners) is the cross of St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland The red diagonal cross is the cross of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland St David is the patron saint of Wales Why and how does England dominate the UK? Land mass and population: England is a country in the UK and occupies most of the southern two thirds of Great Britain England contains about 84% of the UK population England is the largest country in the UK The total area of England is 130.410 sq km (50,352 sq mi), equivalent to 57 per cent of the area of Great Britain Capital and Government: The capital, seat of government, and the largest city in the United Kingdom is London London is also is the capital of England All of Great Britain has been ruled by the UK government in London since 1707 (In 1999 the first elections to the newly created Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales took place leaving England as the only part of the Great Britain with no devolved assembly or parliament.) Language: As it names suggest, the English language, today spoken by hundreds of millions of people around the world, originated as the language from England, where it remains the principal tongue today English is the official language of the UK and the first language of the vast majority of the population Both Wales and Scotland land have their own languages but English is spoken in both countries more Physical Geography and population Britain has an area of about 242,000 sq km (93,000 sq miles) It is just under 1,000 km (600 miles) from the south coast of England to the extreme north of Scotland, and just under 500 km (300 miles) across the widest part Although Britain is quite small in terms of land area, it has a large population of nearly 59 million people, which ranks 18th in the world Britain has a generally mild and temperate climate The weather, however, tends to be very changeable as a result of the constant influence of different air masses The prevailing winds are south- westerly, which bring warm air in 10 spirit They often ran small businesses to add to the money they made from farming De Tocqueville also noticed that American farmers were often more interested in buying and selling land for a profit than in farming it Thus, even in de Tocqueville’s day, when most Americans were still farmers, the seeds of a business civilization had already been planted Not only is business seen as the best way for individuals to become rich, it is also seen as benefiting the entire nation Through competition, more people gain wealth By contrast, a socialistic system of production and distribution of goods (one that is owned and operated by the government) is seen as greatly inferior A socialistic system is distrusted because of the monopoly of power held by the government that eliminates competition There are few countries, if ay, in the world where institutions as agencies for producing and distributing goods and for providing services For example, the United States is one of the few industrialized countries in the world that does not have universal healthy care guaranteed and managed in some way by the government Americans have traditrionally preferred to have a system where health care provides compete with each other in a free market and individuals are free to choose their own doctors and hospitals, even if that means that some people go without health insurance *Two kinds of American Business Heroes Because of the many beliefs that connect business to the wealth and the traditional values of the United States, people who are successful in business have sometimes become heroes to the American people Two kinds of business heroes have gained widespread respect: “the entrepreneur” and the “organization man or woman” Entrepreneurs provide examples of traditional American values in their purest form, and these people are most likely to be idealized by the American public The second kind of hero, “the organization man/ woman”, is seen as a less perfect example of basic American values, but he or she still commands great respect The Entrepreneur as Hero Entrepreneurs are the purest kind of business heroes for a number of reasons The first reason is that they succeed in building something great out of nothing The people who, more than 100 years ago, built up the nation’s great industries, such as steel, railroads, and oil refining, were usually entrepreneurs They started with very little money or power and ended up as the heads of huge companies that earned enormous fortunes The fact that these early entrepreneurs built great industries out of very little made them seem to millions of Americans like the heroes of the early frontier days, who went into the vast wilderness of the United States and turned forests into farms, villages, and small cities The entrepreneur, like the earlier hero of the frontier, was seen as a rugged individualist Entrepreneurs made so much out of so little that they became heroes to the common people in America Entreprenuers often began as common peole themselves; without the aid of inherited social title or inherited money, they 74 became “self- made” millionaires They were thus perfect examples of the American idea of equality of opportunity in action The strong influence of the success stories of the early entrepreneurs can be found in the great popularity of the novels of Horatio Alger Which were published in the late 19th- and early 20th-century America public The central theme of Alger’s novels is that in the United States a poor city boy or a poor farm boy can become a wealthy and successful businessman if he works hard and relies on himself rather than depending on others This is because the United States is as land of equality of opportunity where everyone has a chance to succeed In Alger’s first published novel, Ragged Dick, a poor city who shines shoes for a living becomes Richard Hunter, a successful and wealthy businessman The hero rises “from rags to riches” and fullfills the American Dream Dick succeeds only partly because he lives in a land of equality of opportunity His success is also due to the fact that he practices the American virtues of selfreliance and hard work According to Alger, Dick “knew that he had only himself to depend upon, and he determined o make the most of himself… which is the secret of success in nine cases out of ten” Dick was also a hardworking shoe shine boy, “energetic and on the alter for business” This quality marked him for success, explained Alger, because in all professions, “energy and industry are rewarded” Although few americans today read Horatio Alger’s stories, they continue to be inspired by the idea of earning wealth and success as entrepreneurs who “make it on their own” A final characteristic of entrepreneurs that appeals to most Americans is their strong dislike of submitting to higher authority Throughout their history, Americans have admired entrepreneurs who conduct their business and their lives wihout taking others from anyone above them Americans have great respect for those who say “I am my own boss” Today, many Americans are willing to take the big financial risk that is necessary to start their own small business Although one out of every four new business fail within the first two years (and half of them within the first four years), small business account for three out of four of the new jobs employ one to four people Inspired by entrepreneur heroes like Steve Jobs, who started Apple Computer in his garage, Bill Gates, who developed Microsoft into a global giant, and Ross Perot, a self- made billionaire who ran for President, risk- taking entrepreneurs still launch their businesses with high hopes of “making it big” Ross Perot’s popularity provides an interestin illustraion of he fact that Americans tend to have more respect for individuals who build a business form the beginning than they for those who inherit a family business and manage it well In the 1996 presidential campaign, another billionaire, Steve Forbes, tried unsuccessfully to get the Republician nomination In contrast to the wealthy entrepreneur Ross Perot, Forbes inherited his fortune from his father, Malcolm Forbes Although both men were extremly wealthy, Americans seemed to respect the self- made Perot more than the privileged 75 Forbes Indeed, many presidential candidates proudly state that they have come from poor or working- class families They not want to be known as “rich” or wealthy William (Bill) H Gates [born on Oct 28,1955] is the chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft Corporation, the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential Microsoft had reveneus of US$36.84 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2004, employs more than 55,000 people in 85 countries and regions The Organization Man/ Woman as Hero The great entrepreneurs of the late 19th century built huge business organizations that needed a new generation of business leaders to run them These leaders have often been called organization men/ women They are also heroes to Americans in the sense that they are role models of success in American society They acquire power and wealth, but they not have as strong a hero image as entrepreneurs because they are managing businesses that someone else started Lee Iacocca is an example of an “organizaion man” admired by Americans Iacocca took over Chrysler Corporation when it was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1979 With the help of a government loan, he returned the company around and made it profitable, restoring American faith in the ability of the United States to compete in the global market Some Americans urged Iacocca to run for president, although he, like Ross Perot, had never run for elected office It is interesting to note that as the United States come out of the 1980s- a decade of greed, excess, and in many cases dishonest business practicesAmericans took a second look at their view of the business world Although most Americans admire the earning power of entrepreneurs and would probably bot want to put a limit on their income, they are less generous in their view of the organization man/ woman In the early 1990s, highly paid corporate executives started to come under severe attack for their multimillion- dollar- a- year salaries On the other hand, most Americans would probably say that self- made millionaireshave the right to as much money as they can get C Comprehension Check Task 1: Read the text and discuss the questions in the lead-in Task 2: Discuss the following questions Is it true that in America, one of the most affluent countries in the world, everybody enjoys high standards of living? Why? Why not? What are the main features of the U.S foreigh trade? What changes are taking place in modern time? D Follow-up: Presentation 76 Work in groups to point out the main characteristics of the economy in the USA and compare them to the ones in Vietnam Lesson 13: Holidays in The USA A Lead-in What holiday is it? It's one of four important traditional holidays in the UK It's mainly for children Most of the children go from house to house and say '' Trick or Treat'' on that day B Reading Text Christmas Christmas, one of the most popular and celebrated holidays throughout the world, combines religious and non-religious traditions that have been around for hundreds of years In the 4th cetury a Turkish clergyman named Bishop Nicolas was famous all over the land for his kindness and generosity toward children Years laler he was designated the patron saint of children and was called Saint Nick The spirit of Saint Nick has evoled into modern day’s familiar figure of Santa Claus ( or Father Christmas) one of the most widely recognized symbols of Christmas While the Christmas customs were presently celeberate began in Victorian England, a primary American influence came from Washington Irving’s 77 book, The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., (1820), because of Irving’s description of Christmas in an English manor house Irving wrote a descriptive picture of the holiday as one of family and friends sharing love and joy; of the feasting, merriment and exchanging gifts It’s been said that his loving description of Christmas in The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent was just wishful thinking Whether or not that is true, it has influenced what people have come to expect of the holiday Around the same time in England, Charles Dicken wrote A Christmas Carol That story reminded people to be kind and considerate, especially during the Christmas season This was added to the list of Christmas expectations *Christmas in American Stanta Claus, as we know him today, is a short, roly-poly, jolly man, with rosy red cheeks and a fluffy white bread He wears a red suit and hat trimmed with white fur and drives a toy- filled sleigh, pulled by eight reindeer He lives in the North Pole with Mrs Claus and the elves who make the toys This version of Santa Claus was created by a cartoonist and an advertising campaign by the Coca- Cola Company in the 1930s However, the poem, Visit from St Nicolas, by Clement C Moore has also a direct influence on how people regarded Santa Claus This poem, which begins T’ was the night before Chrismas…, is famous around the world It’s been made into songs and children’s picture books Americans love Santa Claus, and they love Christmas, too They celebrate it by setting up a Christmas tree in their home sometime during December Before or on Christmas Eve they decorate it with special ornaments that may have been passed down from generation to generation as well as twinkling, colored lights and perhaps some red velvet bows Sometimes they drape popcorn garlands around the tree, and put an angel or a star at the top The predominant Christmas colors are red and green Christmas cards are sent to family and friends Some families sent a long Christmas letter and recent family photos to faraway friends citing all the family news and events that have occurred in the past year The majority of Christmas gifts, wrapped in Christmas paper, are put under the tree branches Stockings are from the fireplace mantle and are filled with small gifts and candy There is usually stockings fot all the family members – even the family pets! Because the America has such a variety of nationalities, Christmas traditions vary in different parts of the country Some families open the gifts on Christmas Eve, and some wait until the Christmas morning Houses are decorated with pine garlands, wreaths and some holly.( an evergreen plant with small white flowers and red barries, and often used for Christmas decoration) Red and white poinsettia plants are placed around the house as another form of decoration The outside of the houses are decorated with colored and white lights, and there are lawn and roof decorations, too 78 Advent is the time of year Christians await the birth of Jesus Christ It starts four weeks before Christmas Day Counting down the days until Christmas is often done with an Advent calendar Each day has different Christmas symbol or design to see Children especially like to see what each day's picture is Food for the holiday varies according to the family’s location in America and religious and family traditions However, a typical Christmas dinner may consist of roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, baked ham, candied yams or mashed potatoes, string beans, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls A favourite drink is eggnog made with brandy, cream and eggs It is used to toast the holiday Traditional desserts are Christmas cookies, mincemeat pie, and special holiday cakes such as fruitcake Easter Easter, the most important time in the Christian church calendar, is the holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ It is both religious and non-religious holiday, depending on the strength of people's Christain faith, much the way Christmas has become Easter always falls on a Sunday and it is celebrated by many people of different Christian religions with church services Easter are movable feast and is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox, the time of year when the day and night are of equal length This means Easter Sunday falls anywhere from late March to mid- April Easter colors are pastels: spring green, pale pink, sky blue ad downy chick yellow Special foods are eaten during this holiday, especiall hard- boiled eggs and hot cross buns The Easter or Pascal Candle, is a special candle lit on Easter Eve to symbolize the good news of Christ's resurrection (this is similar to lighting the Advent candles during the four Sunday church services preceding Christmas Day.) The Easter egg is a symbol of creation, fertility and new life The custom of hiding Easter eggs for children to find has become world- wide tradition The legend of the Easter Bunny carrying brightly painted eggs in his basket began in Germany in the late1500s Many people where new clothes at Eastertime which can symbolize the new life of Christ (the religious view) or the beginning of the new spring fashion season (the commercial view.) The tradition of the Easter parade dates back to the Middle Ages when, during Lent, people took long somber walks in a procession following the handheld cross This walks represented the suffering of Jesus as he carried his heavy wooden cross on his back as he walked to his death by crucifixion Easter in America Easter in America is celebrated by families and friends gathering together Everyone dresses in their “Easter” best People wear pastel- colored spring 79 clothing and women often wear new hats which range in style from the beautiful to the absurd A popular tradition is today’s version of the Easter Parade It’s on Easter Sunday after church when everyone promenades down the avenue looking to see and be seen in their Easter finery One of the most renown parades of all takes place in New York City in stylish Fifth Avenue It passes directly in front of St Patrick’s Cathedral and Rockefeller Center, two famous landmarks Decorating and dyeing hard- boiled eggs with Easter designs and pastel colors is a favorite tradition Children like to this and many different types of dye kits are available for purchase Nowadays eggs can be glittered, decaled or handpainted, as well as dyed in non-traditional neon colors On Easter morning, children like to eat the candy treats, chocolate bunnies, jelly beans and marshmallows from their Easter baskets which were left by the Easter bunny the night before Easter Sunday dinner usually consists of a baked ham topped with pineapple, or spring lamb, mashed potatoes, spring vegetables such as asparagus and various desserts such as coconut cake Lucky children ages 3-6 who live in the Washington, D.C area have a special Easter event they can attend at the White House Every Easter week for the past 123 years, the White House hosts the Easter Egg Roll It takes place on the south lawn of the executive mansion and upward of 25,000 children at one time have atteded in recent years The object of the Easter Egg Roll is to roll the egg down a slight incline and reach the finish line first The grass is marked in rows and the egg is supposed to stay in its own lane to complete the race One can imagine the excited chaos of 3-6 years old trying to push a hard- boiled egg down a narrow path with a spoon! Other Easter activities like dying eggs and visiting holiday- customed characters add to the festivities A good time is had by all Halloween in America Halloween was introduced to America by the newly arrived Irish immigrants around 1840s The holiday was also known by the names Devil’s Night or Hell Night People played mischievous tricks on their neighbors For instance, they might steal some of their eggs from the hen house or overturn a full milk pail In today’s times it has become more family- oriented with Halloween costume, games like “bobbing for apple” or a contest for the most original costume To bob for apples: place apples in a large tub filled with water With their hands tied behind their back, people try to catch one of these apples using only their teeth Person catching the most apples wins the game Sometimes coins are placed into the fruit offering the bigger incentive to catch an apple It is not very easy or very dry! 80 Dressed in costumes of ghosts, goblins, witches and other favorite characters, children go from door- to -door trick- or- treating for candy or money Scary faces are carved into pumpkins turning them into jack-o’lanterns A little candle is placed inside the pumpkin to light up the scary face because, traditonally, it is believed that the presence of light will scare away evil spirits Some plastic jack-o’lanterns to hold candy are carried by children while they trick- or -treat, and other jack-o'lanterns are left on porches and in windows of home to ''protect'' the home from evil on this night Many towns have “haunted” hay rides where people ( teenagers especially) pay money to ride in a hay wagon on a dark pathway through a “haunted” forest to get frightened by scary sights and scream Everyone knows it is just real people dressed up in costumes pretenting to be ghosts, ghouls, monsters but it adds to the Halloween atmosphere It's all done in fun Halloween cartoons for children and scary movies for the brave of heart are shown on television also C Comprehension Check Task 1: What have you known about the Americans’ holidays? Discuss these questions What activities people like doing at Christmas? Where people put presents at Christmas? What are the main colours at Easter? What activities are common at Easter? When is Halloween? Task 2: Read the following statements and decide whether they are true (T) or false (F) Write the letter (T) or (F) after each statement The colours for Halloween are orange, black and white Christmas is the holliday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ Easter always falls on the first Sunday of March Many people wear new clothes at Easter time which can symbolize the new life of Christ Hard-boiled eggs and hot cross buns are special foods, eaten during the Easter holiday Easter's colours are yellow, black and green American children joyfully await Halloween because for one night of the year they're allowed to go from door to door collecting hot cross buns There is a new trend celebrating Christmas in July in Australia At Easter, the Easter Bunny brings Easter eggs to each house and hide them for the children to find 10 On Christmas morning, children like to eat the candy treats, chocolate bunnies jelly beans and marshmallows which were left by Santa Claus the night before D Follow-up 81 Work in groups to present the main features of Chritsmas, Easter and Halloween in the USA Lesson 14: Celebrations and special days in the USA A Lead-in Work in groups to list all the celebrations in the USA that they know B Reading Text Birthdays Most birthday parties are given for children, unless an adult is celebrating a milestone birthday like 21, 30, 40, 50 and 100 These are important ages to American A 21st birthday means you've become an adult A 30th means pending '' middle age'' A 40th and 50th are ones many people deny In youthconscious American culture, almost no one wants to admit they are so old especially women! The 100th birthdays rates a congratulatory letter from the President However, when a teenaged girl turns 16, it's often celebrated by a big party called a '' Sweet Sixteen party.'' It's celebrating the young girl's approaching womanhood Sometimes their party is held in a rented hall where a band plays music and the guests dance and feast on party food It seems almost like a 82 wedding is being celebated The parties can range from a simple house or restaurant party to the elaborate arrangements of a catering hall For a birthday, the party room is decorated with paper streamers and balloons Children especially love to wear party hats There is often a cartoon, toy character or ageralated them in the decorations Friends and family are invited to celebrate and everyone gives presents to the birthday person There is usually a special birthday cake, ice cream, soda and candy Sometimes parties are held at bowling alleys, swimming pools, ice or rooler skating rinks, tennis courts or amusement parks Foods like pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers and French fries might be served However, when the birthday party is held in a restaurant or catering hall, both the food and atmosphere are usually more formal Also it is not unusual for people to celebrate their birthdays by being treated to special events like sports games, the theater, or concert *Game descriptions Musical chairs Place a line of chairs next to each other, back to back There should be one less chair than the number of children playing the game Music is played while the children circle the chairs in a single file When the music stops, everyone sits on the chairs closest to him There is always one person who is eliminated because he or she doesn't have a chair to sit on Another chair is removed and the music starts again The children circle the chairs until the music stops and everyone scrambles for the remaining chairs After the next child without a chair is dismissed another chair is removed and another child is left without a seat The game continues until there is only one child and one chair left He or she is the winner and is given a small prize Pass-the-parcel This game also takes place with music A parcel is wrapped in as many layers of paper as there are children at the party Between each layer of paper is a small gift such as a lollipop or a piece of candy While the music is playing, the parcel is passed around to all the children When the music stops, the children holding the parcel gets to unwrap a single layer of paper and keep the small hidden gift The child is then eliminated from the game The music starts again and the parcel is passed around to the remaining children, until all have received their gifts The gift tucked inside the box goes to the birthday child Whacko The child sits in a circle on the floor A large tray holding candies and lollies are placed in the middle of the circle Every child is given an empty paper bag One child leaves the room Another child who is sitting in the circle points to one piece od candy or lolly and that becomes the Whacko candy for this portion of the game The child comes back into the room and is asked to point to a piece of candy or a lolly on the tray If that candy isn't the Whacko candy, they put it in their bag If they point to the Whacko candy, everyone yells '' Whacko!'' and the game starts all over again 83 Treasure hunt Little treasures like candy or lollies are hidden around the house Every child is given a list of clues to where the treasures are Each child searches around the house, trying to find and collect the hidden treasures The first child who finds the treasures wins Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey A large picture of a donkey or an outline in the shape of a donkey is drawn on a large piece of paper, then pinned on the wll In addition to the picture of the donkey, smaller pictures are drawn in the shape of a donkey;s tail Each '' tail'' has a piece of tape attached to it There is one donkey's tail for each child One by one, the children are blindfolded and slowly spun around and around until they are confused as to the location of the donkey The child is pointed in the direction of the picture of the donkey and must try to pin the tail on the donkey Each child gets one try This is repeated with every child until the one who comes closes to pinning the tail on the correct place of the donkey wins Weddings It seems that no matter where in the world you go everyone loves a wedding, the bribe is beautiful and the groom is handsome Because of their shared cultural history, Western wedding customs are mostly universal in the three countries of America, Britain and Australia, even though Australia is on the opposite side of the world from the other two However, it must be noted here that with the assimilation of many different foreign cultures into these existing cultures due to immigration and mass communication around the planet, new wedding customs are being introduced all the time In Western cultures, unmarried people are free to make their own choices regarding whom they wish to marry Most couples-despite the rising divorce rate in all three countries go into their marriage with the expectations of remaning with the same partner forever Some social scientists speculate that because humans are living longer than ever, it is unrealistic to expect a couple to remain together forever because it's difficult to sustain any relationship for areally long period of time That being said, couples in love believe it will last forever and ever Mostly, people choose their future partners on the basis of love But since even the most love-struck know that there are no guarantees in the life and love won't pay the bills, it really helps if the couple are also good friends of long standing, share the same hopes and dreams, and come from similar social and educational backgrounds 84 Typically, many little girls grow up dreaming about their wedding day Bride dolls and bride dress-up clothes are common toys they like to play with As the girls grow-up and eventually meet the men they wish to marry, once the engagement becomes official the couple are off and running to the biggest event of their lives thus far Once a couple is officially engaged (promised to wed one another), quite often their families will plan a party to publicly announce the happy news to family and friends Most commonly an announcement along with a picture of the future bride or of the couple together is placed in the local newspaper's social section for all to see On the average, couples are engaged for at least a year before the wedding day Many are using this period of time to save money for the wedding, expenses, purchases for their new home together and even for their honeymoon trip Then, because their friends and other wedding guests would like to give the happy couple a useful gift, the future bride and groom will '' register'' at a variety of stores for things they could use or would like in their married life The gift buyer can choose from those lists It used to be that a young woman went from her father's house to her husband's house but nowadays that is not the case The age of marriageable couples has been on the rise over the last decade or so Young adults are seeking to further their educations and have secure, good-paying careers first before marriage Therefore, many of the young couples already own household items and basic furniture because they had moved out of the parental home long before Often times these already-established couples willl request that any wedding gift be a donation to their favorite charity Then the wedding preparations begin in earnest The bride must choose her wedding dress, not just white but also from an array of colors if she prefers One wedding superstition that still holds true today is that the groom isn't permitted to see the bride's dress before the wedding To that is supposed to bring bad luck to the marriage The bride and groom must choose wedding invitations, reply cards, a food menu, flowers, and a band to play music at the wedding party They need to rent a place to hold the party, and most importantly, secure a wedding date at the church of their choice Invitations have to be mailed out weeks before the wedding and replies returned in plenty of time to notify the caterer how many guests will need to be fed When at last the wedding day arrives, the bride-either having lost weight or gained weight due to all the pre-marital stress-is dressed in her grown Before the walk down the church aisle on her father's arm, she has to 85 check: Is she wearing something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue? And if she British: Does she have a lucky sixpence in her shoe? As the organ begins to play the Bridal Chorus, a hush falls over the nave as all turn to see the beautiful bride griding down the aisle in a happy glow to stand beside the most handsome groom in the world with-hopefully-ahappily-ever-after-ending Special Days New’s Year Day (1 January) In Scotland, January is also a public holiday St Valentine’s Day (14 February) Shrove Tuesday (47 days before Easter) St Patrick’s Day (17 March) This is a public holiday in Northern Ireland Mother’s Day (the fourth Sunday in Lent) Millions of bouquets of flowers are bought for this day Cards are also sent April Fool’s Day (1 April) On this day, it is traditional for people to play tricks on each other Children are the most enthusiatic about this custom, but even the BBC and serious newspapers sometimes have ‘joke’ (i.e not genuine) features on this day Good Friday The strange name in English for the day commemorating Christ’s crucifixion Easter Sunday Easter Monday The day after Easter Sunday May Day (the first Monday in May) In Britain, this day is associated more with ancient folklore than with the workers In some villages, the custom of dancing round a maypole is acted out Spring Bank Holiday (the last Monday in May) There used to be a holiday on ‘Whit Monday’ celebrating the Christian feast of Pentecost Because this is seven weeks after Easter, the date varied This fixed holiday has replaced it The Queen’s Official Birthday (the second or third Saturday in June) This is not her real birthday (which is on 21 April) Her official birthday is when she celebrates her birthday in public and certain public ceremonies are performed Father’s Day (the third Sunday in June) The father’s equivalent of Mother’s Day above Orangemen’s Day (12 July) This is a public holiday in Northern Ireland It is associated with the Protestant part of the community and balances with St Patrick’s Day, which is associated with the Catholics Summer Bank Holiday (the last Monday in August) 86 Halloween (31 October) Guy Fawkes Night (5 November) Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday in November) This day originated from Armistice Day (11 November) which marked the end of the First World War It is used to commemorate the dead of both World Wars and of more recent conflicts On and before this day, money is collected in street on behalf of charities for ex-servicemen The people who donate money are given paper poppies to pin to their clothes No politician would be seen on this day without a poppy! St Andrew’s Day (30 November) This is a public holiday in Scotland Christmas Eve (24 December) Christmas Day (25 December) Boxing Day (26 December) Explanations for the orgin of this name vary One is that is was that the day on which landowners and householders would present their tenants and servants with gifts (in boxes) Another is that it was the day in which the collecting boxes in churches were opened and contents distributed to the poor New Year’s Eve (31 December) C Comprehension Check Task 1: Fill in the gaps with the missing information A slice of birthday cake with a coin in it means you will be very One wedding superstition is that the groom isn't permitted to see the before the weddding The wedding invitations have to be mailed out before the wedding Children love to wear at the birthday party The birthday room isdecorated with paper and Task 2: Read the text and answer the questions: What is a Sweet Sixteen party? How they decorate the birthday room? For whom are most birthday parties given? Where are birthday parties often held? What activites are most common in a birthday party? What is the most important when people choose their future partners? Who chooses the wedding dress for the bride? According to some social scientists, what is the main reason of the rising divorce rate? D Follow-up 87 Work in groups to present the main celebrations in the USA and compare them to the ones in Vietnam References Hoa, T H N (2006) General Geography of the U.K and the U.S Hanoi, Vietnam: VNU - University of Language and International Studies Hoa, T X H (2012) An introduction to American studies Hanoi, Vietnam: VNU- University of Language and International Studies O’s Driscoll J (2009) Britain for Learners of English Oxford University Press O’Driscoll, J., & Hanh, H N (2012) An introduction to British studies Hanoi, Vietnam: VNU - University of Language and International Studies Kearny, N.E., Kearny, A M & Crandall, A J (1984) The American Way Prentice- Hall, Inc Eaglewood Cliffs, New Jersey Lieberman, R., Stewart, G & Kaye, D (2001) Cultural Notes for Teachers NXB Giáo Dục Staple, C & Phan Thi Minh Chau (2007) Tìm hiểu Nước Anh qua đọc hiểu NXB DHQG TP Ho Chi Minh 88