1) Установите соответствие между заголовками 1 — 8 и текстами A — G. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 1. Brought from the past
2. Scottish sports
3. National clothes
4. National music
5. Scottish celebrations
6. Unstable property
7. National fabrics
8. National plant
A. Every schoolchild in Scotland learns the legend of how the thistle saved the country in the Middle ages, when the Scots and the Norsemen were at war. Under cover of darkness, the Norsemen managed to land unobserved on the coast of Scotland. Removing their boots, they crept on bare feet towards the unsuspecting Scottish army. Suddenly, in the calmness of the night there came a sharp cry of pain: a Norse soldier had stepped on a thistle. Thus awakened, the Scots acted quickly and drove invaders from their shores.
B. The border between Scotland and England stretches for 174 km along the Cheviot Hills and the river Tweed to the North Sea. Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans, ran further south than this, from Carlisle on the river Eden to the river Tyne in the east. The town of Berwick-on-Tweed, at the mouth of the Tweed, changed hands between Scotland and England 13 times between 1147 and 1482 before finally becoming part of England.
C. Bagpipes are found in many countries besides Scotland, but they have become so linked with Scotland that the country and its instrument are practically synonymous. Pipes take many different shapes and forms, and though formerly used in pastoral celebrations, today they are used for every kind of festival activities. They have been adopted by military bands; no weddings or parties can do without piping.
D. A traditional Scottish kilt is made of 100 percent woolen material. It should sit high on the waist, with the bottom edge at the center of the knee. It can cost from $400 to $700. Kilts don’t have pockets, so a special purse or bag is attached to the leather belt to carry keys, money and etc. Kilts are generally accepted at both formal and informal events. Prince Charles often wears a traditional kilt on ceremonial occasions.
E. The word tartan originally came to Scotland from France and it began to denote a special pattern forming checks of different colours. Tartan is traditionally used for making kilts, skirts, shawls and what not. Certain colours and pattern schemes are common in certain regions. Nowadays tartan patterns are extremely popular all over the world and are widely used in modern fashion.
F. Highland Games are held throughout the year in Scotland and many other countries of the world as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage. Certain aspects of the games have become emblematic of Scotland, such as bagpipes, the kilt, and sporting events. While centered around competitions in piping and drumming, dancing and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Gaelic culture.
G. Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. Its official date is December 31. However this is normally only the start of a celebration which lasts through the night until the morning of 1 January or, in many cases, 2 January. The roots of Hogmanay reach back to the pagan celebration of the winter solstice. The winter festival went underground with the Protestant reformation but re-emerged near the end of the 17th century.