General Election constituencies

 

A General Election has just taken place all over the Untied Kingdom. These must take place every five years unless the Prime Minister decides to Call an election earlier. Above is the result in Manchester, one of the approximately 450 constituents into which the country is divided for this purpose. Polling day was last Thursday, when the election campaigns and door-to-door canvassing stopped and the people of Manchester went to the polling stations to make their choice, in a secret ballot, from the four candidates (anyone over the age of 21 can Stand for elections, on payment of a deposit of £500, which is returned if he or she receives at least 6% of the votes cast). Voting is not compulsory and the number of people turn-out to vote in Manchester (everyone over 18) was 200,000 so the… was 75%. Now Mr. Johnson will become the Member of Parliament for Manchester, which means he will represent the people of Manchester in the House of Commons in London. If he should die or be forced to give up his seat, the people of Manchester will have to vote again, in a by-elections to replace him. It is a very simple systemand Mr. Johnson will try to represent all his constituents fairly, whether they voted for him or not. However, the fact remains that most voters in Manchester voted for candidates (and parties) other than Mr. Johnson, and their votes, and it is easy to see why the smaller parties would like a system of Proportional representation, in which the number of votes they won was reflected in the number of seats they received in Parliament.

 

Task XIX. Are British superstitious? Read the following text and coincide it with the similar in Block I. Are Russians superstitious? Are there any differences or similarities between them? Make a sort of a comparative analysis, and share the information with the group.

Are British Superstitious?

The remnants of superstitious beliefs survive in traditional customs that still exist in both Britain and North America, and in the asso­ciation of certain objects with good or bad luck. Seeing a white horse, a four-leafed clover, two magpies together, a ladybird or a horseshoe, for example, is supposed to bring good luck, whereas it is regarded as bad luck to look at the new moon through glass or see a single magpie. When a black cat crosses one's path, it can mean either good or bad luck. A horseshoe upside down is unlucky, because its luck is 'running out'. Certain actions are believed to bring bad luck. These include walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, and killing a spider. If someone spills salt he should immediately throw a pinch of it over his left shoulder. On the other hand, picking up a pin from the ground brings good luck, and it is supposed to be lucky to touch a sailor's collar.

Relics of superstitious actions like these have been preserved in phrases like 'touch wood', for avoiding bad luck, or 'keep your fingers crossed'. Some people accompany such sayings with actions, for example by touching wood when saying 'touch wood'. If a person sneezes, it is common to say 'bless you'.

Actors are traditionally superstitious people, and often observe long-established customs. It is regarded as unlucky for one actor to wish another 'good luck', and some actors say 'break a leg' instead. It is a theatrical superstition that Shakespeare's play Macbeth should never be mentioned by name. Actors talk of 'the Scottish play' instead.

Among the strongest superstitious beliefs are those concerning lucky and unlucky numbers. The number 13 is invariably regarded as unlucky. Some hotels even have no room of this number, some buildings have no 13th floor, and airplanes often have no 13th row of seats. When the 13th of any month is a Friday it is regarded as particularly unlucky.

Fortune-telling or prophesying the future can range from 'seeing' the future in tea-leaves or in the flames of a fire to having one's palm read by a palmist or one's fortune told by a fortune-teller. Many seaside resorts and fun­fairs have people who claim special skills in doing this. Almost all popular newspapers and magazines print horoscopes, which foretell the future according to a person's 'stars' or the sign of the zodiac under which he was born.

Schoolchildren and students sometimes take a 'mascot' or lucky charm into an examination room with them. It may be a pet toy, the figure of an animal, or any small object that they feel brings them luck. The mascot may be worn, kept in a pocket, or placed on the desk. Similar lucky objects are often owned by people such as actors and sportsmen, and many car-owners have a mascot (often a toy animal) hanging from the front or back window of their car.

In Britain old houses and inns are sometimes said to be haunted by the ghost of someone who died violently or mysteriously in the house. The ghost may be given a name such as the Grey Lady' or 'the Headless Horseman'.

 

Task XX. The idioms and proverbs. Down page you can see a list of well-known and widely used set expressions and proverbs. Match the proverb or expression with its explanation that is to the right. Translate the Russian sentences given below using the following list.

 

To slip somebody s memory - To escape from the memory

At snail s pace - To be very slow

To turn somebody on -To interest

To kill two birds with one stone - To do two things together

It rings a bell - To sound familiar

To make quite a name of somebody - To give the exactly right answer

To hear it through the grapevine - To hear the information through some roomers

From rags to riches - To get some fortune from nowhere

To make a mountain out of a molehill - To exaggerate

To snowball - To increase

Straight form the horse mouth - From the authoritative sources

To race somebody s brains - To think about something very hard

To have no idea which end is up - To be uncertain

To know something like the back of his hand - To know extremely well

To be on the tip of somebody s tongue - Something one can almost remember

To be not able to make head and tail of something - To have absolutely no idea

To know the ropes - To know all the aspects

I haven’t got a clue - Not to understand

To carry coals to Newcastle - To take something to the place where there are tones of the same

What is bugging you? - What are you thinking about so hardly?

On the wave length - To have the same sort of idea

To breath a word - Not to say a word

A friend in need is a friend indeed - Only a real friend can help you

To hope against hope - Not to loose the desire to live and love

To put two and two together - To make a deduction from the evidence

To loose the train of mind - To forget the idea

To take the words right out of my mouth - The exactly what I was going to tell

Put somebody s finger on it - To be too difficult for somebody

To belt somebody - To be totally confused

To be over somebody - To get good reputation

 

1. Я знаю наверняка, что ничего хорошего из этого не получится!

I know like the back of his hand that nothing good will come of it.

2. Это похоже на то, что мы видели в прошлом году в музее в Лондоне! Ну, точно, я именно это и собирался сказать!

This is similar to what we saw last year at the museum in London! Well, exactly, you took the words right out of my mouth!

3. …таким образом, эта теорема не требует никаких доказательств. – Вы дали совершенно правильный ответ!

... thus, this theorem does not require any evidence. You made quite a name of this!

4. Я полностью разделяю вашу точку зрения! В этом платье нет ничего такого! Модное, но безвкусное!

I’m absolutely on the wave length with you! There is nothing in this dress! Fashionable, but tasteless!

5. Говорят, Джордж Клуни женился;

To hear it through the grapevine George Clooney has married

6. «Финансовые ведомости» сообщили, стало известно из достоверных источников, что президент Франции посетит Испанию в конце месяца;

"Financial statements" reported, straight form the horse mouth that the French president will visit Spain at the end of the month

7. Знаменитый сыщик Шерлок Холмс всегда говорил: «Чтобы распутать дело необходимо собрать все улики и сделать лишь одно верное умозаключение»;

The famous detective Sherlock Holmes always said: "In order to unravel the case it is necessary to collect all the evidence and put two and two together.

8. Я знаю все детали этого отвратительного убийства. Я настолько неуверенно себя чувствую, что не знаю, смогу ли распутать это дело;

I know all the details of this disgusting murder. I have no idea which end is up and I do not know if I can untangle this case

9. Я совершенно забыла то, о чем хотела разговаривать с папой. Надеюсь, что когда мы увидимся, я вспомню все;

I lost the train of mind what I wanted to talk about with my dad. I hope that when I see him, I will remember everything

10. Когда Джейн встретила мистера Брокльхерста в гостиной, он стал задавать ей вопросы, смысл которых она совершенно не понимала;

When Jane met Mr. Brocklehurst in the living room, he began to ask her questions, the meaning of which she hadn’t got a clue;

11. Математика, химия и физика всегда были космическими предметами для Льва. Он абсолютно ничего не смыслил в этих теоремах, формулах и элементах;

Mathematics, chemistry and physics have always been space objects for Leo. He wasn’t be able to make head and tail of anything in these theorems, formulas and elements

12. Годы, проведенные в школе, навсегда исчезли из памяти Дэвида;

Years spent in school, forever slip David’s memory

13. Когда он сел отвечать, все правильные ответы выскочили из его головы. Он напрягал память даже для того, чтобы вспомнить элементарные слова;

When he sat down to answer, he loose the train of mind. He strained his memory even to remember the elementary words;

14. Миссис Роббинс не имела не малейшего представления о том, как жарить котлеты, месить тесто или солить огурцы! Она была совершенно не приспособлена к семейной жизни!

Mrs. Robbins wasn’t able to make head and tail how to fry cutlets, knead dough or salt cucumber! She was completely unsuited to family life!

15. Эта девушка меня сильно заинтересовала. Я слышал, она закончила Гарвард. В этом институте у меня хорошая репутация. Думаю, она меня знает, и мы поладим;

This girl was very interested in me. I heard she graduated from Harvard. I’m over in this institute. I think she knows me, and we will get along.

16. Моя маленькая дочка вытирала пыль, а сын подметал пол. Пока я мыла посуду мы успели сделать одновременно тысячу вещей;

My little daughter wiped the dust, and my son swept the floor. While I was washing dishes, we killed two birds with one stone

17. Дела навалились, как снежный ком. Не знаю, успею ли я все сделать до четверга;

Cases snowballed. I do not know if I will have time to do everything until Thursday;

18. Роб совершенно ничего не понимал в амурных делах. Когда Триша подошла к нему совсем близко и задала наивный вопрос о занятиях, он совершенно запутался и не знал, что ответить;

Rob did not understand anything at all in amorous affairs. When Trisha approached him very close and asked a naive question about his studies, he belted himself and did not know what to say;

19. Этот неразрешимый вопрос ел его изнутри и даже ночью он не мог уснуть, думая об этом;

This insoluble question bugging him and even at night he could not sleep, thinking about it

20. Циркач выполнял такие сложные трюки, что в зале царила мертвая тишина.

The circus performed such complex tricks that the hall breathed a word

21. Эта улица забита книжными магазинами. Открыть еще один все равно, что поехать в Тулу своим самоваром!

This street is full of bookstores. Open another one is the same to carry coals to Newcastle!

22. Миссис Молли Браун была на Титанике единственной женщиной- миллионершей. Она вышла замуж за Роберта Брауна, разбогатевшего на золотых раскопках. Моя мама называла ее «новомодной богачкой»;

Mrs. Molly Brown was on Titanic the only woman millionaire. She married Robert Brown, who became rich on gold excavations. My mother called her "From rags to riches ";

23. Она такая паникерша! Всегда делает из мухи слона и наводит суматоху в коллективе;

She's such an alarmist! Always makes a mountain out of a molehill and leads a commotion in the team

24. Что ты плетешься как черепаха. Если бы ты надела туфли без каблуков, мы бы дошли в два раза быстрее!

You are at snail’s pace! If you put on shoes without heels, we would have reached twice as fast!

25. «Надежда умирает последней» - даже если ты не поступишь в этом году, ты подготовишься и тебя возьмут в следующем!

“To hope against hope” - Even if you do not enter this year, you will be prepared and you will be taken in the next!

Task XXI. Here is a list of idiomatic expressions. They are not completed. Make them complete by matching each with the necessary picture to the left (the pictures are placed in disorder). Your correct translation of the pictures will complete the expressions.

As strong as a horse

As good as gold

As mad as a hatter

As pretty as a picture

As blind as a bat

As old as the hills

As light as a feather

As deaf as a post

As hard as nails

As solid as a rock

As cool as a cucumber

As free as a bird

As fit as a fiddle

As quiet as a mouse

Task XXII. The “connotative lexis” exercise. Down page you can see combinations of words, idiomatic expressions, or just constructions. All of them bear the “color” aspect. Decide where there is a connotative adjective, and where is just a simple one.

Red