Hledejte v chronologicky řazené databázi studijních materiálů (starší / novější příspěvky).

Patriot

This film is a war drama. It is in 80’s and 90’s years of 18th century when 13 American colonies want to separate from Great Britain and they fight because of it. On July 4, 1776 Congress accepted Declaration of Independence but Great Britain did not accept it and sent soldiers to American colonies.
In the beginning Benjamin Martin is father of wonderful family, he lives with his 7 children on his farm. But war starts and his oldest children Gabriel enters the forces. Martin was in war and he does not go there, because he knows what it is.
One day Gabriel returns but because of the war is in front of their farm. At the morning Martin nurses American and British soldiers too. But colonel Tavigton (British army) burns his farm, kills his second oldest son Thomas and he wants to halter Gabriel. Martin kills all soldiers and he sets free Gabriel, when they lead away him.
Aunt Charlotte looks after the children and Martin and Gabriel go to war. Martin becomes a colonel and he and Gabriel try to get soldiers for home defence. Gabriel meets his love. He is married her.
Home defence with Martin win a lot of battles and Tavington’s major is angry. He lets Tavington hurts the home defence’s families and Tavington kills them and Gabriels’s wife too.
Gabriel and the other men are angry and they aggress on Tavington and his soldiers. They fight and Tavington kills Gabriel.
The last and the biggest battle is in Yorktown, where Americans win. After that the French come and help Americans. The war is over and all of them are starting new life.

Mel Gibson (Benjamin Martin) is excellent actor; he is great like a father, like a patriot and like soldier. You believe him, he loves his family, he likes his friends and he is furious avenger.
Heath Ledger (Gabriel Martin) is in background of Mel Gibson, only like a son of 7 children, but after that he fallen in love and there he starts to be important not only like a son but like a husband of one girl and the other family.
Jason Isaacs (colonel Tavigton) is demonology, he makes everything for success and satisfaction with dead pan and sometimes I thought, he is immortal but at the end he died (thank God!).
Joely Richardson (aunt Charlotte), she is wonderful and unwed woman (untypical in this time), who look after sister’s children and fallen in love with Martin. She is loving and brave mother all film.
Dialogues were funny, realistic and now and then emotive or instructive.
There are wonderful houses, churches and all villages, costumes are excellent and the big crowd is great.
I have read about it and it says: It is stupid, false and romantic drama where Mel Gibson argues into all Americans and they won. It is only for Americans.
I don’t think so it is wonderful part of history. It is not documentary film about war; it is drama and war film. The man, who lost 2 sons and a lot of friends, he wants win for better future. He wants to defeat men who are bad people and avenges oneself.
In this film, there is something for everybody: romantic, patriotism, action, funny, exciting and so one. I can recommend it.

Thanksgiving

Throughout the United States and Canada Thanksgiving Day is an annual (každoroční) legal holiday. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States and on the second Monday in October in Canada. There are also (také) Thanksgiving holidays celebrated every year in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Laos, Liberia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Grenada, and the Virgin Islands.
As celebrated in the United States, Thanksgiving was originally a harvest (žně, sklizeň) festival, one of the oldest and most widespread (rozšířený) of celebrations. The American holiday commemorates (připomínají) a harvest (žně, sklizeň) celebration held by the Pilgrims of Plymouth colony in 1621.
The Pilgrims had come ashore (na souš) from the Mayflower on Dec. 21, 1620 (see `Mayflower' ; Plymouth, Mass .). The winter had been heartbreaking (srdcervoucí). Only about half the original group had survived. Fortunately the harvest (žně, sklizeň) was good. There were 20 acres (8 hectares) of the strange Indian corn, for which the Indians had furnished seeds (zařídit semena). There were also barley (ječmen) and plenty (hojnost) of meat. Governor William Bradford sent four men to hunt (hon) for fowl (slepice). They returned with enough waterfowl and wild turkeys to last a week. Fishermen brought in cod (legrace) and bass (okoun). Indian hunters contributed five deer (lovci přinesli 5 jelenů). Ninety Indians, with their chief, Massasoit, feasted (hostil) with the colonists for three days.
The date of the feast (svátek) is not known. Bradford wrote in his history `Of Plimoth Plantation' that on September 18 some men set out (vyrazit) in a small boat for Massachusetts Bay to trade with the Indians. The harvest was gathered after they returned. The feast must have occurred before December 11. It was described in a letter written on that date by Edward Winslow.
There is also no record that the feast was called a "thanksgiving." Appointing (jmenováni) certain (jistý, spolehlivý) days for giving special thanks was a custom of the Puritans, but the first record of such a day was two years later in 1623. Then the Pilgrims "set apart a day of thanksgiving" for rain that ended a terrible drought.
President Abraham Lincoln. On Oct. 3, 1863, during the Civil War, Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26 and he declared thangsgiving a holiday. He also named the last Thursday in November as the day to be observed every year.
Lincoln and every president who followed him proclaimed the holiday each year. The date chosen, with few exceptions, was the last Thursday in November. President Franklin D. Roosevelt thought Thanksgiving fell too close to Christmas. In 1939 he proclaimed the third Thursday Thanksgiving Day. Not all states complied, however. In December 1941 a joint resolution (rozhodnutí, řešení) of Congress specified the fourth Thursday in November (which is not always the last Thursday) as Thanksgiving Day.  
Dinner
First and foremost (především), turkey is usually the featured (rys) item on any Thanksgiving feast (svátek) table (so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as "Turkey Day"). Stuffing, mashed (rozmačkané) potatoes with gravy (omáčka), sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, Indian corn, other fall vegetables, and pumpkin pie are commonly associated with Thanksgiving dinner. 
Česky
Thanksgiving, Den díkůvzdání se ve Spojených státech slaví čtvrtý listopadový čtvrtek, následující den je také volno. Ve Spojených státech se některé svátky slaví přesně na den (Den nezávislosti, Vánoce), jiné (Labor day, Martin Luther King) jsou stanoveny na den v týdnu měsíce (podobně jako české Velikonoce, i když u těch je to ještě složitější) a často spojeny s několikadenními prázdninami.
Původně jsem myslel, že Thanksgiving souvisí s přistáním otců poutníků  (Pilgrim Fathers) na Mayflower k americkému břehu v Plymouth 21. prosince 1620. Poté, co jsem zjistil, že v Kanadě slaví Thanksgiving druhé říjnové pondělí jsem byl ještě více zmaten, takže jsem využil služeb mého oblíbeného zdroje, Compton's Encyklopedia Online a zjistil jak to tedy je. Thanksgiving byl původně dožínkovou slavností, připomínající velkou žranici na podzim 1621, kdy se poutníci po třeskuté zimě, kterou přežila pouhá polovina poutníků dočkali bohatých úlovků a sklizně z políček osetých osivem věnovaným Indiány (ti také přinesli 5 jelenů). Název 'thansgiving' se objevuje dva roky poté; zda byl použit už při původní hostině není jisté.

The American Declaration of Independence

Dates
1642 – The English Civil War begins
1649 – The execution of Charles I.
1660 – The Restoration of the monarchy
1861 – death of Prince Albert
1897 – Victoria celebrates 60 years on the throne
1936 – Edward VIII becomes king
1936 – Edward VIII abdicates
1952 – Elizabeth II become queen
1981 – Prince Charles marries Princess Diana
1996 – Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorce
1997 – Princess Diana dies
2002 – Elizabeth II celebrates 50 years on the throne

Charles I.
•    1629 dismissed the parliament
•    1642 Civil war – Royalists (king power) X Roundheads (parliament power)
•    Roundheads – won it → 11 years England republic
•    1660 Charles II became king

Victoria
•    her husband Prince Albert dead in 1861 → depression
•    20 years performed no duties
•    1897 – Jubilee 60 years on throne

Edward VIII
•    1936 on throne but his love is twice-divorced American woman
•    he abandon throne → brother George VI

Princess Diana
•    drop in popularity of royal family after her death


The American Declaration of Independence
•    on 4th July, in 1776
•    document of 13 colonies
author: Thomas Jefferson (John Adams and Benjamin Franklin )
56 signatures
•    history:
high taxation + Americans can’t to be in Congress → 1773 – Boston Tea Party → fights → on 4th July, in 1776 was signed Declaration → 1783 – piece

The American Constitution
•    the oldest constitution on the world
•    the highest law
•    author: Delegates of the Philadelphia Convention
signed on 17th September, in 1787 in Phildelphia
•    officially adopted in 1790 by the original 13 states
•    separate to: executive (President), legislative (Congress) and judicial (Supreme Court)

II. Amendments
•    to have a guns
•    people above 18 years can buy a gun (20 years – specials guns)

Celebrations
Burns Night Supper
•    January 25th, in Scotland
•    celebrate the birthday of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns
•    3 toasts: to haggis with whisky, to the ladies, The Immortal Memory of Robert Burns

St. Patrick’s Day
•    March 17th, in Ireland
•    celebrate day of patron of Ireland
•    parades, fireworks, green color

Independence Day
•    July 4th, in USA
•    celebrate independence (separate and freedom) of 13 colonies of Great Britain
•    barbecue, parades, fireworks, American football

Tsotsi


 The plot of this film takes place in South Africa ofthese days. Tsotsi is black and poor young man. He lives in Soweto, which is aplace in Johannesburg, where poor people live. There are only black people inSoweto, because of apartheid, which was here in the past. He didn’t have happychildhood. His mother died of illness and his father was very cruel so Tsotsiran away from home and lived in big pipe with other children without home.
In these days he lives in a small “room” made fromjunk. He is a gang leader. They steal to survive. They aren’t afraid to killsomebody. Once Tsotsi wounds a woman and steals her car. Suddenly he discoversa baby in the back seat, but  it was toolate to return. He left the car, took the baby into big paper bag and wenthome.
He wanted to take care of the baby, however he didn’tknow how. He found some young woman in his neighbourhood. She also has a baby,but her husband is dead. Tsotsi with “his” baby in the bag follows her insecrecy to her house. He threatens her with gun, so she full of fear fed thebaby. He repeated this several times. Although the woman knew from news, who Tsotsiwas, she didn’t call police. Tsotsi decided to return the baby back, maybe dueto the woman, who had asked him for that. He gives the baby to its real parentsand gives up to police, which surrounded him. And this is the end of the story. 
 I like this film, but it’s sad, because it couldbe real and that’s horrible.

Educational systems

U.S. SYSTEM
School attednance is mandatory from 6 to 16. The schools are either public (publicly owned and funded by states) or private (students pay high tuition). School boards are groups of people who control the school.
There are 6 sections of education:
1. Children aged 2-4 attend a pre-school.
2. For children aged 5-6, there are kindergartens.
3. Boys and girls go to an elementary school from 6 to 12 years (1st to 6th grade).
4. From 11 to 15 (6th to 8th grade) they attend a junior high (or middle school).
5. The next four years there is a high school. The students of each grade have names: 9th freshman, 10th sophomore, 11th junior, 12th senior. There are no entrance exams, the students goes to the school of his / her school district. Some courses are required, some are elective. The student also take part in extracurricular activities – sports, clubs, bands, choir. There are rivalries among the sport clubs, which have cheerleaders, mascots, club colors... There is no exam to graduate. Ending a required class, the students gets a H. S. Diploma (passing grades are A, B, C, D, fail is F).
6. People who want a higher education attend colleges or universities. About ⅓ of high school graduates go there. SAT means Scholastic Aptitude Test, which is needed for entering a college or university. At so called community colleges, which are for 2 years, the student gets an AA degree (Associate of Arts). Apart from the tests, to enter a college or university good grades, teacher’s recommendation, essays and interviews are required. The undergraduates are students, who study for 4 years – they get a B.A. or B.S. degree (Bachelor of Arts or Science). The graduate students (1-3 years more) get a Master’s degree. For a Doctoral degree, you must study 1-5 years more. Your most important subject is called the major, the 2nd most important elective subject is called the minor. The most prestigious U.S. universities are Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Princeton...

BRITISH SYSTEM
Children from 5 years attend an infant school and at 7 they go to junior school. These are primary schools.
The secondary schools, where you go from 11, are either state or private. State schools are paid for by public money, they are divided into comprehensive (studying all subjects, anyone can go there – 90% go) and grammar (based on academic ability). Private (or independent) schools are preparatory (Prep, ages 5-7) and public. In public schools, the students pay tuition, wear uniforms, many schools are not co-educational (boys + girls), some are boarding schools (students live there). Famous public schools are Eton College, Harrow, Westminster... At 16, every student takes an exam to get GCSE – General Certificate of Secondary Education, or A level (General Certificate of Education Advanced Level).
About 30% of students go to college or university for higher education. The most prestigious British universities are Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, Edinburgh... The universities built in 19th century are called „red brick“ universities.
CZECH SYSTEM + COMPARISON
In the Czech Republic, there is a 9-year mandatory school attendance. Before, the children usually attend a kindergarten. At 6 years, they go to an elementary school, which is divided into first (1st to 5th class) and second (6th to 9th class) part. Then they can choose a high school (in Czech called middle school). There are grammar schools and specialised high schools. We also have state and private schools. Some grammar schools open classes for 8-year study, available for those who ended the first part of elementary school, and other various types of study. Usually there are entrance exams for a high school, and every high school ends with an exam called maturita. This is an oral exam in four subjects – one is Czech language and literature, one is a foreign language and the others are usually elective.
A student with maturita can go to a college or university (in Czech called high school) for higher education. An entrance exam is required at most universities, but an interview or essay at only few of them. In the last semester of the study, we have to write a diploma work. Then we can get a Bachelor’s (3 years), Master’s or Engineer’s (5 years) or Doctor’s degree. The oldest university in the Czech Republic is the Charles’ University (UK) in Prague. The other prestigious ones are for example Czech High Technical Education (ČVUT) in Prague, Masaryk’s University (MU) in Brno, and other technical, natural scientific and humanitarian universities in the whole country.
Compared with the U.S. system, there are many differences. We don’t have pre-school and kindergarten separated, the compulsory 9 years are at one school. At high schools, there are no names of the classes, no school districts, and usually no sport clubs with cheerleaders. Unlike the American system, there are entrance and graduation exams. Also the marking is different, as we use numbers 1-5 instead of letters. At universities, no majors and minors are used. And there is one more difference connected with education – almost every student of high school attends dancing lessons for one year and learns to dance classics, which does not exist in America!
The British system has more in common with ours than the U.S. However, our grammar schools are not based on academic ability, but they are used by more than 10% of students. Private schools are not many in the CR (and no Preps at all), uniforms are not used and a great majority of schools is co-educational and not boarding. There are differences between GCSE and maturita – the form of the test, the age when it is taken... And in the Czech Republic, we don’t call any school a „red brick“ university!

UK: Geography

Britain lies off the north-west coast of the Europe across the English Channel, the Strait of Dover and the North Sea. It consists of two large islands (Great Britain and Irealnd0 and about 5000 smaller ones (e.g. the Isle of Wight, the Isles of Scilly, the Isle of Man, Anglesey, the Hebrides, the Orkneys, the Shetlands and the Channel Islands). Its neighbours are Ireland to west and France to south-east. It covers the are of about two and a half square kilometres. Britain consists of four countries: England (London capital), Scotland (Edinburgh), Wales (Cardiff) and North Ireland (Belfast). London, the capital is the centre of government for the whole of Britain but local authorities are also partly responsible for education, health care, roads, the police and some other things. England is mostly rolling land, rising to the Uplands of southern Scotland. The main mountain regions here are the Cornish Heights (south-west England), the Cambrians (Wales), the Cambrian Mountains (in the Lake District), the Pennines (the Backbone of England). The Cheviot Hills are on the border between England and Scotland. The Highlands of Scotland are the highest mountains in Britain (with the highest mountain Ben Nevis – 1342 km). Coast is heavily indented especially on the west. The longest rivers are the Severn (354 km), Thames (336 km), Clyde in Scotland, the Humber and the Mersey. Rivers are very important as sources of energy (Tweed). There are beautiful lake areas in Cumbria (Lake Windermere), the Highlands of Scotland (Loch Lomond and Loch Ness) and in Ireland (Lough Neagh). Lakes are not important for freight transport but thy are a big tourist attraction. Britain also has a dense network of canals, which are important for freight transport – Manchester Ship canal. British Isles have milder climate due to the Gulf Stream, which comes from the Gulf of Mexico to Western Europe. That is why winter temperatures are higher and summer temperatures are lower.
Population:
Population is about 57 million people. The density is one of the highest in the world – 232 people to one square kilometre. Most inhabitants live in urban areas. In Britain we can find the following ethnic groups: English (81.5%), Scottish (9.6%), Irish (2.4), Welsh (1.9), Ulster (1.8), Indian, Pakistan and others (Jews, Italian, Chinese, Caribbeans, Cypriots). The majority of people speak English. There are minority languages, which are of Celtic origin – Welsh, Scottish and Irish Gaelic.
National economy:
The main industries are steel, metals, vehicles, ship building, shipping, banking, insurance, textiles, chemicals, electronics, aircraft, machinery, distilling. Important centres of industry are Yorkshire, London, Manchester, South Wales, etc. 30% of land is arable and the main agricultural products are grains, sugar beet, fruit, and vegetables. British cattle and sheep breeding earn lots of money. Britain’s natural riches are mainly coal (black coal in Midland have world significance, this area is called also Black-land), tin, oil and gas (in North Sea), limestone, iron, salt, clay, chalk, zinc and lead. Major economic activities are manufacturing and trade. Main exports: machinery, chemicals, clothing, cars, lorries, jet aircraft, ships, drugs, scientific instruments, arms, books, whisky (scotch whisky). The valid currency in Britain is one pound, which has hundred pence. The best known newspapers and magazines in Britain are The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mirror. There are two main public institutions ensuring television and radio broadcasting in Great Britain: BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and IBA (Independent Broadcasting Authority). The best known channels are BBC I, BBC II, ITV and Channel IV. There are also many local televisions, which brings local news, such as Grenada television in Liverpool.
Government:
Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. Parliamentary democracy is practised there. Parliament consists of two houses – the House of Lords (hereditary for life) and the House of Commons. There are 635 seats here. Elections take place after five years. The Prime Minister selects the other ministers. Twenty of them form the Cabinet. The second most powerful party forms the Opposition. British national flag is sometimes called “Union Jack”. It symbolises the Union of England, Scotland and Ireland. Each country has its cross in the flag: England has St. George’s Cross (white oblong and red cross), Scotland has St. Andrew’s Cross (blue with white diagonal) and Ireland has St. Patrick’s Cross (white with red diagonal). National anthem is “God Save the Queen!”. Each part of Great Britain also has its own symbol: England has the red rose, Wales has the leek and daffodil, and Scotland has the thistle and Ireland the shamrock.
Places of interest:

The USA

The United States of America has 50 sates. 48 states are situated in the southern part of North America. Alaska is situated in the North and Hawaii in the Mid-Pacific. Its neighbours are Canada in the north, Mexico in the south.
   
Central plains are bounded by the Rocky Mountains and the Coastal Mountains in the west, the Appalachian Mountains in the east and alluvial plains around the Gulf of Mexico. The highest mountain in the USA is Mount McKinley in the Alaska Range, which is 6 194 m high..
   
The largest rivers are the Mississippi and the Missouri. The border with Canada is in its central part made by the Great Lakes Region. The Great Lakes are: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Between Erie and Ontario are all over the World known Niagara falls. There are many national parks in the USA, e. g. Yellowstone NP, Rocky Mountains NP, Grand Canyon NP, etc.
  
 The USA population is about 250.000.000. Around 79 per cent of inhabitants live in urban areas. Now there are 79 per cent of white people, 12 per cent of black people and about and the rest are Asian and Pacific islanders, Indians and Eskimos. The main language spoken here is American English but various ethnic minorities speak their original languages (Chinese, Spanish) American English differs from British English in vocabulary (for example: In British English flat, in American apartment, or lift x elevator or post x mail or cinema x the movies), pronunciation and spelling (colour X color, catalogue x catalog )
   
Now I would like tell you something about the history of the USA. I will start with:
   
First settlements - Till 1400 native Indians were the only inhabitants in the USA. In 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered America. The first English colony was founded in Virginia at Jamestown in 1607. In 1620 the ship named Mayflower brought 102 English men, women and children to the north-east coast where they founded the colony called Plymouth. They were members of a religion sect called Pilgrim Fathers, but in winter about one half of them died. The next year in October 1621 they celebrated good harvest and the day of celebrations they called Thanksgiving day. During the 17th century many colonists settled in the country. From these settlements became the 13 colonies under British rule.
   
The War of Independence - British government started to charge new taxes on the imported goods (for example: sugar, coffee, textiles etc.) to cover the costs of the war against France. The colonists refused to pay taxes, so British soldiers were sent to Boston. In 1773 a group of patriots, dressed as Indians, threw the cargo of British tea into the Boston Harbour. This event is known as Boston Tea Party. Americans began boycotting British trade. In 1775 at Lexington the War began. Later George Washington took over the command of a Continental Army. The Continental Congress began to work as a national government and on July 4th, 1776 they agreed on th Declaration of Independence written mainly by Thomas Jefferson. This is the day, when the USA was founded. The War of independence lasted till 1783. The new constitution was adopted in 1787.
   
Civil War- About 60 years of never ending discuses about slaves freedom led to the Civil War between the North and the South. It started in 1861 after Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. Southern states protested against Lincoln being president and wanted to separate from the Union. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 which granted freedom to all slavers. In April 1865 the Union Forces won the War. Only shortly after that Lincoln was assassinated in the theatre.

 The American flag has 13 red and white stripes and on the blue field in the top corner there are 50 white stars. Each star represents one of the 50 states and each strip represents one of original state.

The USA can be divided into four parts:
   
The 1st area The North and the North East with centres of heavy and light industry.

The biggest cities here are New York - the biggest port and Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on 4th July 1776.
   
The 2nd The Middle west, the area of Great Lakes. Here agriculture is closely connected with industry. The biggest city here is Chicago. There is situated the highest skyscraper in the USA. It is named Sears Tower.
   
The 3rd area is the agricultural South with the mainly black population. There is also situated the capital - Washington, D. C. in this area. Other big city here is New Orleans, the home of jazz.
   
The 4th area is the Far West, which is the largest area, but has the smallest number of population. San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego are the largest cities here. There is also situated Las Vegas where you can win much money.

The United Kingdom

The official name of this country is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

 It is situated on the British Isles, which lie off the north-west coast of Europe. It consists of two large islands (Great Britain and Ireland) and about 5,000 smaller ones (e.g. the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Scilly, the Isle of Man, Anglesey, the Hebrides, the Orkneys, the Shetlands and the Channel Islands). Its neighbours are Ireland to west and France to south-east. It covers the area of 244,805 square kilometres. We can get there either by air or by ferry (or by faster hovercraft) from Calais to Dover across the Strait of Dover, which is the shortest way. We can get there also through the tunnel under the English Channel. In the east is the North Sea, in the west is the Atlantic Ocean, between Ireland and Great Britain is the Irish Sea and between Great Britain and France is the English Channel. The Great Britain includes four countries: England with its capital London, Scotland with Edinburgh, Wales with Cardiff and Northern Ireland with Belfast.

England is mostly rolling land, rising to the Uplands of southern Scotland. In the north of England are the Pennies (the Backbone of England) – they run north-south through the central part of northern England. There are also the Cheviot Hills on the border with Scotland and the Cumbrian Mountains in the Lake District which is very romantic place for holidays. The South is also a holiday resort so there is a very high density. The patron of whole England is St. George. Scotland is historically and culturally separate country from England. It is the land of many special traditions, which cannot be found elsewhere in the world – playing the pipes, quality tweeds, woollen knitwear, wearing kilts etc. It is a large and magnificent lake and mountains area. The biggest lake is Loch Lomond and Loch Ness is famous for its „Loch Ness Monster“. The Grandpians are the highest mountains in Britain (with the highest mountain Ben Nevis – 1,342m). Wales is also hilly land with its mountain range Snowdonia. Because of number of castles it is often called the land of castles. In Northern Ireland (or Ulster) there are some political problems. They want to separate from Great Britain and IRA did some bomb attacks and terrorist actions in London. There are two longest rivers in Great Britain – Severn and Thames.
A lot of people think that the people who lived in Great Britain are English. But only people in England are English, people in Scotland are Scottish, people in Wales are Welsh and people in Northern Ireland are Irish. Population is about 57,000,000 people. The density is one of the highest in the world – 232 people to one square kilometre.
British national flag is sometimes called „Unions Jack“. It symbolises the Union of England, Scotland and Ireland. Each country has its cross in the flag but Welsh’s flag (the dragon) miss. National anthem is „God save the Queen!“

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Power is represented by a Monarch and Parliament. A Monarch (a king or a queen) is Head of State but can only reign with a support of Parliament. The role of a sovereign is to represent state and appoint all the Ministers, including the Prime Minister but it is just formal. The present Monarch is the Queen Elizabeth II. She had four descendants – Charles – Prince of Wales, Andrew, Edward and Anne. She had of course a husband – Duke of Edinburgh and a sister – Margaret. The very popular member of the royal family is the Queen Mother (or Queen Mum) who is 97 years old. The heir of the throne is William who is Prince Charles’s and Lady Diana’s son because there were some scandals about Charles.

Parliament has two chambers – the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The first one contains more than 1,000 members but only 250 of them take an active part in the work. They consist of hereditary peers, life peers, 24 bishops and 2 archbishops. The hereditary peers inherit their post from generation to generation and they are mostly noblemen. The life peers become peers when they do something important for the state. The House of commons contains 650 elected members and each MP represents a definite part of a county. They are elected at General Election or By – Election, which is decided on a simple majority. It is held every 5 years and everyone over the age of 18 can vote.

Both Parliament and the Queen represent legislative power. New bills are introduced and debated in the House of Commons. If they are approved by the majority of the members the bills go to the House of Lords to be approved and finally to the monarch to be signed. Only then does it become the law.
The British democratic system depends on the two strongest parties – Conservative and Labour. The party, which wins the majority of seats, forms the Government and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. The present Prime Minister is Tony Blair from Labour Party. The second largest party in the election becomes the Opposition and its role is to criticise the Government. The Prime Minister chooses 20 Ministers to form Cabinet. The leader of the Opposition form Shadow Cabinet.
The United Kingdom constitution is unwritten. It is based on agreement, tradition and common law.

New York

Tourist Attractions: Some big tourist attractions of New York City are the Times Square, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty, etc. The Statue of Liberty is the symbol of freedom in this world. This was a gift from France to the United States. Click here to find out about some of the other tourist attractions of New York City. Tourist Attractions of New York City

 Museums: One of the world famous museums of New York City is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The American Museum of Natural History, located in New York City, is also world famous. Click here to find out about some more museums located in New York City. Museums of New York City

Amusement Parks: The United States has more theme parks and family entertainment centers than any other country of the world. Some of the big amusement parks in New York City are Astroland and Deno's Wonder World Amusement Park.Amusement Parks of New York City
Beaches: Some beaches in New York City are the Orchard Beach and Promenade, Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk, and Manhattan Beach.

Outdoor Activities: You can enjoy various outdoor activities in New York City ranging from golf, hiking and climbing, water sports to winter sports. If you love horse-riding, the Bronx Equestrian Center is just the right place for you. They provide guided horseback tours of the park and horse-riding lessons.

Where is It: Lying in the Mid Atlantic and Northeastern regions of United States, New York City is located on the mouth of the River Hudson. This most populated city if United States is primarily built on the three islands of Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island.

How to Commute: New York City transportation constitutes of one of the oldest transportation infrastructures in United States. John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, La Guardia Airport, and Teterboro Airport are the four main airports of the city. The city has the largest chain of public transports. New York City subway is the most preferred mode of transportation to reach the tourist destinations of the city.

Where to Stay: New York City is one of the top tourist destinations of the world with outstanding exhibitions, attractions, and global cuisine. There are a variety of New York City hotels to choose from as well as spas, stylish restaurants, and rooftop lounges. Radisson Lexington Hotel New York, Hotel Wolcott in New York City, Comfort Inn JFK, Howard Johnson Express Queens, 70 Park Avenue, Affinia 50 and Affinia Dumont are some of the most famous New York City hotels.

What to See: New York City attractions include a large number of attractive sites which are extremely popular among tourists from all over the world. These attractions include the Statue of Liberty, the Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Terminal and the American Museum of Natural History. Some of the other attractions in the city of New York include the Empire State Building, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and others.
About CityIn terms of size and population, New York City is the largest city in the US, located in the state of New York, near the Hudson River. New York City consists of five boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, and the Bronx. Among its many attributes, the headquarters of the United Nations is situated in New York City. Nicknamed "The Big Apple", the New York City is one of the most important business, commerce and entertainment Capital of the world. New York City guide provides an extensive coverage of New York City, the largest city in the US. New York City guide also provides its users the benefit of booking flights and hotels in New York City as well as any other place in the world. Start a virtual tour of New York City with our New York City Guide.

London

London is the capital of the United Kingdom. It is the 9th largest city in the world, its population is about 10 million. London is situated on the river Thames in south-east England. It was founded as a Roman settlement. The great fire in 1666 destroyed almost all the city. London is as well as our Prague important industrial city. To London we can get by various means of transport – aeroplane (there are three airport, the most important ones are Heathrow and Gatwick), bus (Victoria Coach Station), train, car or ship. This city is famous for its red double-deckers and old fashioned black taxis. For fast transport you can go by the Underground, which is the oldest one in the world. There are many places of interest. When I was going from Victoria Coach Station I was passing:Buckingham Palace – the Queen’s residence in London since the Queen Victoria’s reign. On of the biggest London’s parades is Changing the Guards. Before the entrance to the Buckingham palace stands a big statue of Queen Victoria – Queen Victoria Monument.There are many parks in London

 – James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park (it is the largest one and it is known for its Speakers Corner, where anybody can have a speech at any theme except criticising the Queen).Piccadilly Circus (there is a nice fountain situated in the centre of the square), Regent Street, Oxford Street are the most famous shopping centres.The National Gallery – situated on the top of Trafalgar Square. There are paintings by nearly all the great European artists. It is free of charge.Trafalgar Square – was named after Admiral Nelson’s victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson’s statue is at Trafalgar Square situated on a high column. The square is very popular also for its fountains. Many meetings and demonstrations take place there. At Christmas time a big Christmas tree stands there and on New Year’s Eve people gathered there at midnight, sing and dance.Whitehall – street, leading from Hoses of Parliament to Trafalgar square.Downing Street 10

– the official home of British Prime Ministers, two horse guides stands before the entrance. Today’s Prime Minster is Tony Blair.The Houses of Parliament – gothic style, in 19th century the old building had burnt down. The only part, which escaped the fire, was Westminster Hall. It is the political centre of the United Kingdom, the home of British Parliament. There is also a famous clock-tower with Big Ben situated. It is said that it got its name after one rather fat MP Benjamin. Big Ben striking is known all over the world, because it is used by BBC as a time signal.Westminster Abbey – Britain’s Kings and Queens are crowned there. And England’s greatest poets, artists, statesmen and other famous people are buried there in the Poet’s Corner. It was built in a gothic style. Many stet occasions and also royal wedding take place there.The City of Westminster – the oldest part of London around St. Paul Cathedral. It was founded by Romans in 43 AD. There are many banks and also the most important Bank of England, and offices.St. Paul’s Cathedral – on of the largest cathedral in the world. It is great renaissance dome made by famous architect Sir Christopher Wren in 17th century. The Cathedral is known for its Whispering Gallery. Standing on the Gallery you can clearly gear what is whispered on the opposite side. During the WWII it was badly damaged by bombs. Prince of Wales and Lady Diana were married here.The Monument – it is not far from St. Cathedral. It is commemorating the place where the Great Fire of London started.The Tower of London

– it was founded by William the Conqueror. Following kings added another parts to the fortifications. It served as a royal home, then as a prison, execution site and royal observatory. Now it is a museum where you can see Crown Jewels. The Tower Bridge – one of the most famous symbols of London. It was built last century. It can open in the middle and let large ships go through.The British Museum – the largest museum in the world. There are the biggest collection of all kinds of animal and minerals and rocks. There is also a library, which is the largest in the world as well. Also here the admission is free.The Post Office Tower – the tallest building in Great Britain.The National Theatre – was moved to a new building. There are many other theatres and also the royal Shakespeare Company, which usually play in Stratford.Windsor Castle – is the residence of nearly all the British sovereigns outside London.Greenwich – there is the Royal Observatory and it is situated at the prime meridian.

Holidays and important days

February the 14th, St.Valentine´s Day – it is a lover’s feast. People give gifts or send greeting cards called Valentines to people they like or admire. The day is named for an early Christian martyr. Easter is an ancient symbol of spring and new life. Christians remember Christ’s death and his return to life. In Britain is celebrated as in thFebruary the 14th, St.Valentine´s Day – it is a lover’s feast. People give gifts or send greeting cards called Valentines to people they like or admire. The day is named for an early Christian martyr.

Easter is an ancient symbol of spring and new life. Christians remember Christ’s death and his return to life. In Britain is celebrated as in the rest of Europe. Before Easter boys have to prepare plaited willow canes decorated with ribbons. Girls have to colour, decorate or paint eggs. On Monday morning boys with their canes go from house to house, chase girls and whip them saying traditional rhymes and asking fore Easter eggs. The girls try to hide and pretend to run away. The boys collect their rewards (eggs, sweets, chocolates, and money). In USA children on Sunday morning start hunting for painted eggs around the house.

Halloween is a festival that takes place on October 31st. It is very popular in the United States, but it is celebrated by many people in Great Britain, too. People cut horrible faces in pumpkins and put a candle inside. Children dress up as ghosts and monsters and go round people’s houses asking, “Trick or treat?”. A treat means that they get candies, fruit, nuts or money. If the children do not get a treat, they play a trick on the people. A favourite trick is to put soap on the windows or to make a lot of noise at the door.

November 5th is Guy Fawkes Night when the unsuccessful plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 is commemorated with bonfires, fireworks and burning of guys.

Christmas is marked by fairy lights and brightly illuminated streets, carols and children awaiting the arrival of Father Christmas and his reindeer stopping outside their chimney. They hang up their stockings at the foot of beds and wait for the presents. They open them only on December 25th at breakfast-time. At noon they have their traditional Christmas dinner – roast turkey and Christmas pudding. December 26th is called Boxing Day.

New Year’s Eve is the night of merry-making all over the land, especially in Scotland. They have family parties and at twelve o’clock they sing “Auld Lang Syne”. People gather in squares, link arms and sing. In Scotland they call the last day of the year Hogmanay. Is more celebrated than Christmas. They eat traditional dish haggis (minced heart, lungs and liver or a sheep boiled in a sheep’s stomach with oatmeal).

Every part of Britain has its own holiday:
    St.David’s  Day – March 1st (Wales)
    St. Patrick’s Day – March 17th (Ireland)
    St. George’s Day – April 23rd (England)
    St. Andrew’s Day – November 30th (Scotland)

In the USA there are eight main holidays:

Independence Day – 4th July, the birthday of the USA; The Americans have a holiday, each town has its own parade. After parades people go home and have parties. These days commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Thanksgiving Day – every fourth Thursday in November nearly everyone in the USA tries to get home to spend the day with their families or friends and enjoy the traditional food (roast turkey, apple or pumpkin pie etc.) It remembers the first settlers – Pilgrim Fathers who came in 1620 from England in their ship called Mayflower. This is a day of gifts, charities and food for poor people.

Veteran’s Day
Columbus Day
Memorial Day
President’s Day
Martin Luther King Day
Labor Day


In the Czech Republic, Christmas is also the most popular family holiday. People buy Christmas trees, hang various decorations and Christmas sweets on it. On 24th December we have the traditional Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. Some people follow the old tradition of fasting all day before the meal. We have fish soup and the main meal is fried carp and potato salad. Children expect the bell signal from the "Infant Jesus" after the Christmas dinner to unwrap their presents under the Christmas tree.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Abraham Lincoln was born on 12th.February 1809 in Hodgenvill in Kentucky. His father was farmer and worker. His mother Nancy died, when he was nine. But his father married Sarah Bush again. Abraham didn´t go to school very often, because he has to help on a farm.He learned mainly from books, which he read. He started a new life, when he came to a businessman. This man opened a shop and young Lincoln worked as a shop assistant. In his free time he read books and citiziens of New Salem consired him as a clever man. When the shopkeeper closed the shop, Lincoln got to the chamber of state Illinois. There he was to 1840. In that time, he sAbraham Lincoln was born on 12th.February 1809 in Hodgenvill in Kentucky. His father was farmer and worker. His mother Nancy died, when he was nine. But his father married Sarah Bush again. Abraham didn´t go to school very often, because he has to help on a farm.He learned mainly from books, which he read. He started a new life, when he came to a businessman. This man opened a shop and young Lincoln worked as a shop assistant. In his free time he read books and citiziens of New Salem consired him as a clever man. When the shopkeeper closed the shop, Lincoln got to the chamber of state Illinois. There he was to 1840. In that time, he studied law and in 1837 he and J.T. Stuart established an advocate company. Then he married Mary Todd. They had four children, but only one survived.
In 1846 he became the congressman of USA. His policy was again slavery and against the war with Mexico. Mainly for the second reason, he wasn´t elected again.

He came back to policy in 1858. He became famous mainly of his speaking fights with demokrat Douglas. The power of republicans grew by 1860 and Lincoln was elected the prezident of USA in 1860.

But Southern states were afraid of cancelling the slavery. Therefore South Carolina in head, Georgie, Loisiana and Texas left Union and associated in Confederate States of America. Lincoln tried to prevent war, but on 12th.April 1861 was bombed fortress near Charleston. The war started.

Arkansas, Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina joined the state of Confederation. In head of army of Confederation was General Lee. In head of union army changed many officers, but general Grant was the best. At the beginning of war Union lost many battles, because majority of officers went on a side of Confederation. Reversal of war became in 1863 at Gettysburg. From that time, Confederation just defended themselves and on 9th.April 1865 General Lee had to capitulate at Appomattox Courthouse. Confederation officially capitulated two days later. 600 000 soldiers died in civil war.

A bill was passed before war, which ment freedom for black slaves on area, which was under Union. Lincoln became the prezident of USA for the second time in 1865.
He planed to restore and to creat cabinets in South states. He always wanted just unity. It was his priority.

But on 14th.April 1865 he was schot twice in head in Ford Theater. The shooter was actor John Wilkes Booth. It was planed by him and nine other men, who sympathized with South. Secretary was assassined in hospital too, but he survived.
John Wilkes Booth was cautght and shot. The next day Lincoln died. Corpse of Lincoln was exhibited in white White House and Capitol. Then he was transfered to Springfield, where he was buried at cemetery Oak Ridge on 4th.Mai 1865. Lincoln was so important, that his birthday is observed as a state feast up to now.
tudied law and in 1837 he and J.T. Stuart established an advocate company. Then he married Mary Todd. They had four children, but only one survived.In 1846 he became the congressman of USA. His policy was again slavery and against the war with Mexico. Mainly for the second reason, he wasn´t elected again.He came back to policy in 1858. He became famous mainly of his speaking fights with demokrat Douglas. The power of republicans grew by 1860 and Lincoln was elected the prezident of USA in 1860.But Southern states were afraid of cancelling the slavery. Therefore South Carolina in head, Georgie, Loisiana and Texas left Union and associated in Confederate States of America. Lincoln tried to prevent war, but on 12th.April 1861 was bombed fortress near Charleston. The war started.Arkansas, Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina joined the state of Confederation. In head of army of Confederation was General Lee. In head of union army changed many officers, but general Grant was the best. At the beginning of war Union lost many battles, because majority of officers went on a side of Confederation. Reversal of war became in 1863 at Gettysburg. From that time, Confederation just defended themselves and on 9th.April 1865 General Lee had to capitulate at Appomattox Courthouse. Confederation officially capitulated two days later. 600 000 soldiers died in civil war.A bill was passed before war, which ment freedom for black slaves on area, which was under Union. Lincoln became the prezident of USA for the second time in 1865.He planed to restore and to creat cabinets in South states. He always wanted just unity. It was his priority.But on 14th.April 1865 he was schot twice in head in Ford Theater. The shooter was actor John Wilkes Booth. It was planed by him and nine other men, who sympathized with South. Secretary was assassined in hospital too, but he survived.John Wilkes Booth was cautght and shot. The next day Lincoln died. Corpse of Lincoln was exhibited in white White House and Capitol. Then he was transfered to Springfield, where he was buried at cemetery Oak Ridge on 4th.Mai 1865. Lincoln was so important, that his birthday is observed as a state feast up to now.

My future career

It is very hard to say, what my future job will be, because I don't know university in which I will study. I want to experience many professions, but I will study only one thing. I want to have a job, which will entertain me. First of all, I want to finish secondary school.When I was younger I wanted to be mum, a teacher, an actress or a detective, a writer, a vet, a journalist, an archaeologist, or a film director, a doctor, secretary a shop assistaIt is very hard to say, what my future job will be, because I don't know university in which I will study. I want to experience many professions, but I will study only one thing. I want to have a job, which will entertain me. First of all, I want to finish secondary school.

When I was younger I wanted to be mum, a teacher, an actress or a detective, a writer, a vet, a journalist, an archaeologist, or a film director, a doctor, secretary a shop assistant in a shop with clothes and a astronomer. Now, when I have to decide, what I want to study next, I can´t choose it. Because I am interested in a lot of diference things, so I make decision very hardly. I am interested in nature, in animals, in reading, in history, in art, in cycling, in culture, in travelling, in playing the guitar,  in universe, in psychology, in volunteer working…

I want a profession which will satisfy me, challenge me and bring me joy. I believe that a job should be a hobby. I thought about a psychologist, a journalist, or a judge, but these jobs are very freguent last few years. So I think about my career out of the country. I am not sure what I want to do, but I know that I have to work very hard. In this time are languages very important  to get a good job. So first i want to become better in my English and Germany. Than I will have more possibilities. nt in a shop with clothes and a astronomer. Now, when I have to decide, what I want to study next, I can´t choose it. Because I am interested in a lot of diference things, so I make decision very hardly. I am interested in nature, in animals, in reading, in history, in art, in cycling, in culture, in travelling, in playing the guitar, in universe, in psychology, in volunteer working…I want a profession which will satisfy me, challenge me and bring me joy. I believe that a job should be a hobby. I thought about a psychologist, a journalist, or a judge, but these jobs are very freguent last few years. So I think about my career out of the country. I am not sure what I want to do, but I know that I have to work very hard. In this time are languages very important to get a good job. So first i want to become better in my English and Germany. Than I will have more possibilities.

Jane Austen

I chose this person, this exceptional woman, because I admire her. I thing, she had to be very wise, ambitious and brave, because the women weren't appreciate at the time. I love her novels. There are independent, intelligent and witty heroine, like Jane was. There are described bearings and opinions of the society of the 19th century. The Importance of property, all prejudice about women and marriage.A lot of her novels was cinematized as well as her life. She belived in power of love and that is why she didn't marry. She never met the right man. Her the best friend was her older sister Cassandra, who so Jane as didn't marry. They like I chose this person, this exceptional woman, because I admire her. I thing, she had to be very wise, ambitious and brave, because the women weren't appreciate at the time. I love her novels. There are independent, intelligent and witty heroine, like Jane was. There are described bearings and opinions of the society of the 19th century. The Importance of property, all prejudice about women and marriage.
A lot of her novels was cinematized as well as her life. She belived in power of love and that is why she didn't marry. She never met the right man.
Her the best friend was her older sister Cassandra, who so Jane as didn't marry. They like reading, balls, visiting their relatives and friends and walking.
Her first literary work was First Impressions, but it didn't succeed and she had to rewrite it- so arose the most famous work Pride and Prejudice. One year before Sense and Sensibility appeared. It was successful, because of her anonymity. If somebody knew that it wrote woman, they wouldn't read it. It was the prejudice about which she wrote.
After those two novels came another: Mansfiel Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and The Persuation.
About her life was maked film Becoming Jane with Anne Hathaway who played Jane. I think that it  is nice and credible film about her life.
reading, balls, visiting their relatives and friends and walking. Her first literary work was First Impressions, but it didn't succeed and she had to rewrite it- so arose the most famous work Pride and Prejudice. One year before Sense and Sensibility appeared. It was successful, because of her anonymity. If somebody knew that it wrote woman, they wouldn't read it. It was the prejudice about which she wrote. After those two novels came another: Mansfiel Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and The Persuation. About her life was maked film Becoming Jane with Anne Hathaway who played Jane. I think that it is nice and credible film about her life.

William Shakespeare

W.S. is probably the greatest dramatist of England. He lived and worked in the 16th century, in the period of Renaissance. The Renaissance humanists played a great role in the development of mankind when they acknowledged man as the centre of universe. They fought against the dogmatism of the Catholic Church; it was the era of fight against feudal backwardness. It was the time when people began to believe in their own reason and senses, when the great works of ancient artists and philosophers were admired. In this time the Tudor monarchs (Henry VII, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I) were ruling the country with support of the bourgeoisie and it was a period of stability and prosperity. In this time many literary genres developed, e.g. poetry, essays, and, above all, - brilliant drama. W.S. was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, six years after Elizabeth I became Queen. He was one of eight children of Mary Arden and John Shakespeare, who was a successful tradesman. W.S. attended the local grammar school in Stratford, which was the most common form of education. He would also have learnt the Catechism and studied the Bible. Although he was brought up with these orthodox Protestant teachings, he managed to remain open-minded and a freethinker. Stratford-upon-Avon was a flourishing market town, which became busy on fair days. In Elizabeth times, England was known as Merry England for different celebrations and festivals. Acting was part of local village culture. Amateur actors would come to town and their performances gave people a release from the problems of everyday life. William as a young boy had plenty of opportunity to see plays and players from various travelling companies, so all this must have been a wonderful experience for his personality and imagination. When he was 18, he married Ann Hathaway, who was eight years older. They had three children. In spite of his love for his family, he went to London because only there he can make a career. He worked there first as an actor, then as a reviser and writer of plays. The theatres were very popular being the only places where people could hear honest comments about life. The company of his fellow players was made up of about a dozen actors, and the company came to be called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men because of patronage of the Lord Chamberlain. His plays may well have been popular with Queen Elizabeth I, who loved music and drama. When James I came to the throne, the company was known from then as the King’s Men. In   W.S. is probably the greatest dramatist of England. He lived and worked in the 16th century, in the period of Renaissance. The Renaissance humanists played a great role in the development of mankind when they acknowledged man as the centre of universe. They fought against the dogmatism of the Catholic Church; it was the era of fight against feudal backwardness. It was the time when people began to believe in their own reason and senses, when the great works of ancient artists and philosophers were admired. In this time the Tudor monarchs (Henry VII, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I) were ruling the country with support of the bourgeoisie and it was a period of stability and prosperity. In this time many literary genres developed, e.g. poetry, essays, and, above all, - brilliant drama.

 W.S. was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, six years after Elizabeth I became Queen. He was one of eight children of Mary Arden and John Shakespeare, who was a successful tradesman. W.S. attended the local grammar school in Stratford, which was the most common form of education. He would also have learnt the Catechism and studied the Bible. Although he was brought up with these orthodox Protestant teachings, he managed to remain open-minded and a freethinker. Stratford-upon-Avon was a flourishing market town, which became busy on fair days. In Elizabeth times, England was known as Merry England for different celebrations and festivals. Acting was part of local village culture. Amateur actors would come to town and their performances gave people a release from the problems of everyday life. William as a young boy had plenty of opportunity to see plays and players from various travelling companies, so all this must have been a wonderful experience for his personality and imagination.

When he was 18, he married Ann Hathaway, who was eight years older. They had three children. In spite of his love for his family, he went to London because only there he can make a career. He worked there first as an actor, then as a reviser and writer of plays. The theatres were very popular being the only places where people could hear honest comments about life. The company of his fellow players was made up of about a dozen actors, and the company came to be called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men because of patronage of the Lord Chamberlain. His plays may well have been popular with Queen Elizabeth I, who loved music and drama. When James I came to the throne, the company was known from then as the King’s Men. In those times Shakespeare made enough money to build a comfortable life.
 In 1616 he made his will and a month later he fell ill with a temperature. He did not recover and died on the same day as his birth. He was exactly 52 years old.
 W. S. wrote a lot of dramas, both comedies and tragedies – for example Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and, above all, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark.
Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is heir to the Danish throne and is in love with Ophelia, the daughter of Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain. Hamlet’s father, the King of Denmark, suddenly dies. Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, immediately marries the dead king’s brother, Claudius, who makes himself king. Hamlet is confused and deeply unhappy about these events. When the play opens, some guards are talking about a ghost they have seen on the castle walls. The ghost looks like Hamlet’s father. Hamlet hears about the ghost and decides to see for himself. At midnight, the ghost appears and tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. The ghost makes Hamlet promise to take revenge for his murder and Hamlet agrees to kill Claudius.
 However, Hamlet cannot make up his mind to do it. He wants proof of his father’s murder and asks a group of actors to perform a play about the murder of a king by his brother. When Claudius sees the play, he rushes out of the room during the murder scene. Hamlet is now convinced that his uncle is guilty and goes to accuse his mother.
While Hamlet is telling his mother that he knows the truth, he hears a noise behind a curtain. He thinks Claudius is secretly listening to their conversation. He stabs and kills the person behind the curtain who is, in fact, Polonius, Ophelia’s father. Now King Claudius has a good excuse to send Hamlet away and he orders him to go to the England.    
Hamlet leaves for England, not realising that Claudius has secretly planned his murder during the journey. Meanwhile Ophelia, who has been rejected by Hamlet, drowns herself from grief in a stream. Hamlet manages to escape and returns to Denmark. Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, wants revenge for the deaths of his father and sister, so he challenges Hamlet to a duel. King Claudius gives Laertes a poisoned sword to use against Hamlet in the duel but the plan goes wrong and both Hamlet and Laertes are wounded by the same sword.
As the poison from the sword slowly begins to take effect on Hamlet and Laertes, Queen Gertrude drinks from a cup of poisoned wine, which Claudius prepared for Hamlet. As Laertes is dying, he tells Hamlet the truth about the poisoned sword. In the final scene, Hamlet stabs his uncle with the same sword just before he dies.
those times Shakespeare made enough money to build a comfortable life. In 1616 he made his will and a month later he fell ill with a temperature. He did not recover and died on the same day as his birth. He was exactly 52 years old. W. S. wrote a lot of dramas, both comedies and tragedies – for example Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and, above all, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark.Hamlet Prince Hamlet is heir to the Danish throne and is in love with Ophelia, the daughter of Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain. Hamlet’s father, the King of Denmark, suddenly dies. Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, immediately marries the dead king’s brother, Claudius, who makes himself king. Hamlet is confused and deeply unhappy about these events. When the play opens, some guards are talking about a ghost they have seen on the castle walls. The ghost looks like Hamlet’s father. Hamlet hears about the ghost and decides to see for himself. At midnight, the ghost appears and tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. The ghost makes Hamlet promise to take revenge for his murder and Hamlet agrees to kill Claudius. However, Hamlet cannot make up his mind to do it. He wants proof of his father’s murder and asks a group of actors to perform a play about the murder of a king by his brother. When Claudius sees the play, he rushes out of the room during the murder scene. Hamlet is now convinced that his uncle is guilty and goes to accuse his mother. While Hamlet is telling his mother that he knows the truth, he hears a noise behind a curtain. He thinks Claudius is secretly listening to their conversation. He stabs and kills the person behind the curtain who is, in fact, Polonius, Ophelia’s father. Now King Claudius has a good excuse to send Hamlet away and he orders him to go to the England. Hamlet leaves for England, not realising that Claudius has secretly planned his murder during the journey. Meanwhile Ophelia, who has been rejected by Hamlet, drowns herself from grief in a stream. Hamlet manages to escape and returns to Denmark. Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, wants revenge for the deaths of his father and sister, so he challenges Hamlet to a duel. King Claudius gives Laertes a poisoned sword to use against Hamlet in the duel but the plan goes wrong and both Hamlet and Laertes are wounded by the same sword. As the poison from the sword slowly begins to take effect on Hamlet and Laertes, Queen Gertrude drinks from a cup of poisoned wine, which Claudius prepared for Hamlet. As Laertes is dying, he tells Hamlet the truth about the poisoned sword. In the final scene, Hamlet stabs his uncle with the same sword just before he dies.

Let me intoduce myself

My name is Marie Bachratá. I was born on August 6, 1990 in Bílovec. I am a student at grammar school of Nikolas Kopernikus in Bílovec. In addition to my studies, I also visit volunteer centre ADRA and have a driving sMy name is Marie Bachratá. I was born on August 6, 1990 in Bílovec. I am a student at grammar school of Nikolas Kopernikus in Bílovec. In addition to my studies, I also visit volunteer centre ADRA  and  have a driving school. I sometimes have to do some housework, help at home or take my cat for a walk.
I have shorter lighter hair and grey-green eyes. I am not tall. I think, I am stubborn, moody, reserved and reliable. I like wear more elegant but comfortamble clothes. I like all colours, I choose it according to my mood.
I like nature and animals very much. I have a cat at home. His name is Mio. I love him. I am grateful for my cat to my parents.

I also enjoy reading books, cycling, listening to music and next. I am interested in sci-fi and fantastic literature, but I read also historical and popular literature. My big hobby is trevelling too. For example, I have already been in France, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Monaco. Very often I trevel about the Czech Republic ( Praha, Liberec, Brno, Olomouc and next). I like using my bicycle as a means of transport.
I dislike spiders, running, big cities and our politicians. I hated the people who maltreat animals.
I prefer to spend time alone with some book, but each holiday I spend with my family. I like it.
I have got younger sister.Her name is Lucy. I never had to look after her. But when our mum began to work I began to prepare breakfast for us (me and my sister). But it isn´t difficult. We usualy have breakfast together. We talk about everything at the same time. Our relationship is good. We help ourselves. Of  course We have an argument too but we always become friends again.

Lucy go at primary school of Tomas G. Masaryk in Bílovec. She is goot at school, but she is lazy. She has short dark hair and dark brown eyes. She is tall and slim. My mum- her name is Marie- is dark haired and she also like books. She is optimistic, cheerful, reliable and taklaktive She works in office in Nový Jičín. I can say, that my dad is trustworthy, practical patient, creative and calm. His name is Jan. He is tall and strong. He works as a locksmith in factory Massag in Bílovec. I have four grandparents. My maternal grandparents live in Bílovec. They are retired. They are very understanding, calm and warm. We are together very oft. Our relationship is very good. My paternal grandfather is working but my grandmather is retired. We visit them on occasion. Uncle Antonín is my dad´s brother. He is very amusing and witty man. His wife Eva is also cheerful. They have got two doughter- Pavla and Terezka. Pavla is sixt years old and terka is 10 months old. I love them. They have got excellent  dog Bella too. They live in Nový Jičín.
My daily duties isn´t big. I have to learn, do my homeworks and do the washing-up. Somethimes- when is a beautiful weather- I take my cat for a walk. I have amazing prents. chool. I sometimes have to do some housework, help at home or take my cat for a walk. I have shorter lighter hair and grey-green eyes. I am not tall. I think, I am stubborn, moody, reserved and reliable. I like wear more elegant but comfortamble clothes. I like all colours, I choose it according to my mood. I like nature and animals very much. I have a cat at home. His name is Mio. I love him. I am grateful for my cat to my parents.I also enjoy reading books, cycling, listening to music and next. I am interested in sci-fi and fantastic literature, but I read also historical and popular literature. My big hobby is trevelling too. For example, I have already been in France, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Monaco. Very often I trevel about the Czech Republic ( Praha, Liberec, Brno, Olomouc and next). I like using my bicycle as a means of transport.I dislike spiders, running, big cities and our politicians. I hated the people who maltreat animals. I prefer to spend time alone with some book, but each holiday I spend with my family. I like it. I have got younger sister.Her name is Lucy. I never had to look after her. But when our mum began to work I began to prepare breakfast for us (me and my sister). But it isn´t difficult. We usualy have breakfast together. We talk about everything at the same time. Our relationship is good. We help ourselves. Of course We have an argument too but we always become friends again. Lucy go at primary school of Tomas G. Masaryk in Bílovec. She is goot at school, but she is lazy. She has short dark hair and dark brown eyes. She is tall and slim. My mum- her name is Marie- is dark haired and she also like books. She is optimistic, cheerful, reliable and taklaktive She works in office in Nový Jičín. I can say, that my dad is trustworthy, practical patient, creative and calm. His name is Jan. He is tall and strong. He works as a locksmith in factory Massag in Bílovec. I have four grandparents. My maternal grandparents live in Bílovec. They are retired. They are very understanding, calm and warm. We are together very oft. Our relationship is very good. My paternal grandfather is working but my grandmather is retired. We visit them on occasion. Uncle Antonín is my dad´s brother. He is very amusing and witty man. His wife Eva is also cheerful. They have got two doughter- Pavla and Terezka. Pavla is sixt years old and terka is 10 months old. I love them. They have got excellent dog Bella too. They live in Nový Jičín. My daily duties isn´t big. I have to learn, do my homeworks and do the washing-up. Somethimes- when is a beautiful weather- I take my cat for a walk. I have amazing prents.

Holidays and feasts

During the whole year various holidays and feast days are celebrated in Britian, U.S.A. and our country- Czech republic. Some holidays are celebrated in all these countries; some are national holidays. One of the biggest holidays of the year is Christmas. It is day, when Christ was born.

Christmas
In Britian
Preparations for Christmas start long before in late October or early November. That is when British housewives make their Christmas cakes. These cakes taste much better if made a month or two before Christmas. Some weeks before Christmas the streets and shops are decorated. A lot of British families have Christmas trees made of plastic. There are no candles on them but electric lights. Socks are hung up. Children believe Father Christmas will fill them. He comes on his sledge-pulled by reindeer-very early on the morning of Christmas Day. He enters the house through the chimney and puts the children’s presents into their stockings. They get their presents on Christmas Day and not on Christmas Eve. The dinner on Christmas Day is the „most important“ meal of the year. The British usually have roast turkey and roast potatoes followed by Christmas pudding (also called plum pudding). Christmas pudding is a special rich pudding made with lots of dried fruit, eggs, suet and flour. It is made well ahead before Christmas, boiled for four hours and then heated again on Christmas Day. It will keep for a long time. There is also an old custom of stirring into the pudding a coin, a thimble and a ring to bring wealth, work and a wedding to those who find it. There are plenty of carols on the radio and TV.
December 26 is called Boxing Day from the custom in earlier times of giving postmen, milkmen, newspaper boys and the like small sums of money, which they collected in their Christmas boxes.

In our country
Preparations for Christmas begin four weeks before 24 December. This time is called Advent. The housewives bake sweets. Kind of sweets, gingerbread taste much better when made a month before Christmas. Gingerbread is decorated with white icing. Many people make Advent’s wreath with four candles. One of candles is lighted on in every advent’s Sunday. On Christmas Sunday all candles are lighted. During the preparation for Christmas there is a nice, friendly atmosphere. A lot of people buy Christmas tree, but many people have tree made of plastic. The most important day of Christmas is Christmas Eve. People eat only Christmas cake with tee or coffee for breakfast. They haven’t to eat any meat all day, because according to customer, in the evening they will see the Golden pig. Somebody, mostly mother, prepares the dinner and the tree is decorated with chocolate, sweets, flasks and no candles, but electric lights. During waiting for evening people watch TV, because there are many fairy tales (Cinderella, The very sad princess or The princess with gold star on forehead). The children believe that Christ Child brings the presents and he puts them under the tree. Around six o’clock in the evening a lot of families have Christmas dinner. It is the most important meal of the year. The usually have fried carp with potatoes salad after the lentil or fish soop. The carp taste much better, when it swim a few days in bath before Christmas, because then it don’t smell of pound. Some people give some scales from carp in the purse and they believe according to the custom that they will have much money in New Year. After the big meal the family go to the room, where the tree stand. There are some presents. Children unpack them and they always are happy.
25 Th December people often go visiting their relations and friends. They get presents friend and friends’ get presents them.
One week after Christmas people celebrate the New Year’s Eve. People stay up till midnight to see how the old year out and drink a toast to the New Year.                             
In Britian two months than people celebrated St. Valentine’s Day. It is on 14thFebruary. It is lover’s day. On this day young people send Valentine cards to a person of the opposite sex. The cards have funny, loving or serious contents. This day is celebrated in U.S. and now in our country.
All Fool’s Day-On 1st April is day of all foot. It is named after the custom of playing practical jokes and tricks on people and then you can shout “April fool”.
The Easter is celebrated in all countries, too.

Easter
The date of Easter is different every year. It’s celebrated after the first full moon in spring. It is a Christian festival, marking the crucifixion and resurgence of Christ. Many people go to church. For some people it is only a spring holiday.
In U.S.A.
Easter Sunday in U.S. is a special day for many people. Children enjoy the holiday very much. They hunt for coloured eggs, eat chocolate bunnies and wear their best clothes. Legend says that Easter rabbits bring Easter eggs: Once old woman dyed some eggs during a famine and hid them in a nest as a present for her children. Just when her children found the nest a rabbit leaped away. The rabbit brought the eggs, thought the children. On Sunday morning children start hunting for painted eggs all over the house and garden. Some children have their baskets full of the eggs.

In England
In England Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays (official holidays). On Good Friday hot cross buns are eaten for breakfast. Children look forward to Easter Sunday called Easter Day, which is day for chocolate and painted eggs, the symbol of new life. Easter Monday has no particular customs and in spent in a variety of ways, but either at home or in a countryside the rule is enjoys you.
In our country
In our country the most important day for children especially for boys is Easter Monday. For them Easter Monday is full of fun. There are many groups of boys in the streets from early morning till noon. They visit the girls. Boys have plaits willow cane and they carry small baskets. When they come into a girl’s house they say a rhyme and whip the girl on her legs and bottom. The girl gives them chocolate, Easter eggs or some cake or some money.
St George’s Day is on April 23rd.Georg is the patron saint of England.
On May Day there are political parties.

Halloween
October 31. Among the old Celts it was the last day of the year and the beginning of winter when witches and ghosts were supposed to celebrate their rites. When the pagans were Christianised, the holiday was converted to the Eve of All Saints Day when the Christian Church honours the memory of the dead. In Britian it is celebrated only in the North of England and in Scotland, but it is generally celebrated in the USA and Canada. Children celebrate it by dressing up in Halloween costumes with masks over their faces. Carrying baskets or bags they go to their friends and neighbours houses and they knock at the door or ring the bell. When people come to the door, children say “Trick or treat” which means “Give us a treat or we will play a trick on you”. The people treat the children with sweets, fruit or money. The most common trick is soaping the windows of houses and cars (that is drawing pictures on the windows with soap). A favourite custom is to make a jack-o-lantern from a pumpkin, which is scraped, out and in which eyes, a nose and a mouth are cut and then a candle is lit inside. People sometimes give parties on Halloween. The guests wear fancy costumes and masks and the rooms are decorated with paper moons, witches and ghosts.

In USA there are different holidays. One of them is Independence Day; July 4.Each city has its own ceremony and parades, band concerts and firework displays in the evening. This day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, thus establishing USA.

Thanksgiving day
Thanksgiving day is celebrated in the U.S. on 4thThursday in November. It remembers the first settlers who came to America in 1620. In 1620 the ship named Mayflower brought one hundred and two English men, women and children to America. They were puritans, members of a religions sect. They called themselves the Pilgrim Fathers. The winter was cold and half of them died. In spring they planted corn and other plants with helps and advice from the Indians. In autumn they celebrated good harvest and had a feast with much food. They called this day their day of Thanksgiving. It is family holiday the whole family gathers together and enjoys a traditional dinner – roast turkey, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
The turkey is the glorious centrepiece of the Thanksgiving Day. The turkey should be golden brown on the outside and the inside should be moist and tender. The gravy is thickened juice from turkey that we get during baking. The mashed potatoes can be cream or smooth. For best results, the cranberry sauce should be made about three days in advance. You need water, sugar, cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks. Then you add cranberries. The pumpkin pie needs a good crust made from dough. Dinnertime is between 3 to 5 PM. By that time there is a great smell in whole house. The dinner table has special decorations – napkins with Thanksgiving ornaments, small decorative pumpkins, decorative turkey made out of paper and flowers. Favourite colours are orange and brown. The family speak about the thinks for which they are thankful. People give thanks for their being well, for happiness of their families. Many families begin Thanksgiving dinner with a prayer.

St. Patrick’s Day
Though St, Patrick’s Day on March 17, is not an official holiday in the U.S., it is celebrated all over the country. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and Irish immigrants brought this holiday to America. The facts of his life are largely obscured by legend. It is known that he was born about the year 385. He became a monk in France. According to legend he had a vision that called him to return to Ireland to Christianise it. By showing the Irish a shamrock he explained the doctrine of the Trinity. Shamrock is a plant with leaves composed of three leaflets. It is now used as the emblem of Ireland. An artificial or real shamrock leaf is usually worn on St Patrick’s Day. It is the anniversary of his death though it is not certain in what year he died. People also celebrate this day by wearing something green and getting together to party and sing Irish songs. They are usually a very happy crowd. In many pubs they serve green beer and in most restaurants they offer an Irish menu on that day. People wish each other “A happy St. Patrick’s day” and the Irish wear buttons that read “Kiss me I’m Irish”. In most big cities colourful parades with marching bands mark the holiday to the delight of many onlookers and passers-by. It is estimated that there are about 17 million Irish living in the United States.