British Year: Festivals and Holidays
BRITISH YEAR: Festivals and Holidays
1. Although (1) Midsummer’s Eve is not traditionally a widely celebrated festival in Britain, it is celebrated by (2) druids (practitioners of an ancient religion now virtually extinct), at the prehistoric stone circle of (3) Stonehenge . In recent years, groups of travellers — caravan dwellers — and (4) hippies have also tried to claim the right to enter the circle to see the sun rise on this day, but they have generally not been allowed, largely because of fears damage to the ancient monument.
2. This is one of four great world tennis championships and the only one which is played on grass. It is held in the last week on June and the first week of July at (5) Wimbledon in south-west of London. One of the biggest horse-race meetings in Britain is held at (6) Ascot, in the south of England, slightly earlier. It is traditional for men and women to appear at the meeting wearing their best hats. The largest rowing competition in Britain, (7) Henley Regatta, has been held at Henley-on Thames almost every year since 1839. The Thames runs in a straight line for over two kilometers and makes it an ideal place for rowing.
3. Over the last weekend in August there is a big carnival at (9) the Notting Hill in west London. People who take part in it dress up in fabulous costumes. Steel bands play African and Caribbean dance music and people dance and blow whistles. It is the biggest carnival outside Brazil.
4. (10) The Proms - this is a popular series of classical music concerts held in late August. The season lasts 7 weeks but most of the people like to go to the Last Night of the Proms. Most of the concerts are performed at the (11) Royal Albert Hall. The last song of the programme is (12 Land of Hope and Glory, a patriotic song, sung by performers and people in the hall while waving Union Jacks.
5. (13) Harvest Festival is a very old festival, dating from pre-Christian times but nowadays celebrated by Christians. Each
1. Although (1) Midsummer’s Eve is not traditionally a widely celebrated festival in Britain, it is celebrated by (2) druids (practitioners of an ancient religion now virtually extinct), at the prehistoric stone circle of (3) Stonehenge . In recent years, groups of travellers — caravan dwellers — and (4) hippies have also tried to claim the right to enter the circle to see the sun rise on this day, but they have generally not been allowed, largely because of fears damage to the ancient monument.
2. This is one of four great world tennis championships and the only one which is played on grass. It is held in the last week on June and the first week of July at (5) Wimbledon in south-west of London. One of the biggest horse-race meetings in Britain is held at (6) Ascot, in the south of England, slightly earlier. It is traditional for men and women to appear at the meeting wearing their best hats. The largest rowing competition in Britain, (7) Henley Regatta, has been held at Henley-on Thames almost every year since 1839. The Thames runs in a straight line for over two kilometers and makes it an ideal place for rowing.
3. Over the last weekend in August there is a big carnival at (9) the Notting Hill in west London. People who take part in it dress up in fabulous costumes. Steel bands play African and Caribbean dance music and people dance and blow whistles. It is the biggest carnival outside Brazil.
4. (10) The Proms - this is a popular series of classical music concerts held in late August. The season lasts 7 weeks but most of the people like to go to the Last Night of the Proms. Most of the concerts are performed at the (11) Royal Albert Hall. The last song of the programme is (12 Land of Hope and Glory, a patriotic song, sung by performers and people in the hall while waving Union Jacks.
5. (13) Harvest Festival is a very old festival, dating from pre-Christian times but nowadays celebrated by Christians. Each