An Englishman's Diary

by Stephanie Andrews

An Englishman's day — and who can describe it better than an Englishman's wife? It begins when he sits down to breakfast with his morning newspaper. As he looks through the headlines there is nothing he likes better than his favourite breakfast of cornflakes with milk and sugar (porridge if he lives in the North), fried bacon and eggs, marmalades on toast and tea (with milk, of course) or coffee. He in fact gets such a meal if there is enough money in the family to buy it.

After breakfast, except on Saturdays and Sundays which are holidays, he goes to work by train, tube, bus, car, motor scooter, motor bike or walks there. He leaves home at about 7:30.

At offices or factories there is a tea or coffee break at eleven. Then at mid-day everything stops for lunch. Most offices and shops close for an hour from one to two. Englishmen are fond of good plain food, and they usually want to know what they eat. They like beefsteaks, chops, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, fried fish and chipped potatoes. There are usually two courses in the mid-day meal - a meat course with a lot of vegetables, a sweet dish, perhaps fruit pudding and custard with tea or coffee to finish. Then back to work again with another break in the middle of the afternoon, once again for tea or coffee, sometimes with a cake or biscuit.

The working day finishes at any time between four and six. When an Englishman gets home he likes to inspect his garden before the evening meal: tea, dinner or supper. When his evening meal is over, the Englishman may do a little gardening and then have a walk to the “local” (the nearest beerhouse) for a “quick one” (a drink, alcoholic, of course!)There are a lot of people at the “local” and he can play darts, dominoes, billiards or discuss the weather, the local events or the current situation. But it if the Englishman stays at home, he may listen to the radio, watch television, talk or read.

Then at any time between 10 and 12 he has his “night-cap” — a drink with a snack — and then off to bed ready for tomorrow.

Ex. 2. In the list below cross out things an Englishman doesn't have for breakfast.

Pancakes, vegetable salad, beefsteak, porridge, plum pudding, toasts, prawn salad, cornflakes with milk, chicken, marmalade, baked potato, fried bacon, fried fish, eggs, garlic bread, pasta, mushrooms, coffee, tea, lemon, cream, scrambled eggs, cheese, tomatoes, fried eggs, butter, fruits, salad, orange juice, ice-cream, nuts, honey, jellied fish, cold cereals, chops.

Ex. 3. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1) День англичанина начинается с завтрака и чтения утренней газеты. 2) Его любимый завтрак обязательно включает поджаренный бекон, тосты с джемом и чай. 3) Чай англичане пьют со сливками и сахаром. 4) Каждое утро я ем кукурузные хлопья с молоком. 5) В 11⁰⁰ утра перерыв, когда все пьют чай или кофе. 6) Есть еще один такой перерыв в течение дня — в пять вечера. 7) Чай пьют с печеньем или кексом. Но чаще всего просто горячий ароматный чай. 8) Англичане не пьют чай с лимоном. Такой чай они называют "русский чай". 9) Англичане предпочитают простую еду: жареную рыбу с картофелем, овощи и какое-нибудь мясное блюдо. 10) На десерт обязательно что-то сладкое, часто знаменитый пудинг. 11) Вечером, после обеда англичане любят посидеть в пабе и выпить пива. 12) В пабе не только пьют пиво, можно вкусно перекусить, поиграть в шахматы или на биллиарде

Ex. 4. Translate the following word combinations into Russian

1. A rasher of bacon, 2. a joint of meat, 3. a loaf (two loaves) of bread, 4. a slice of cheese, 5. a crate of beer, 6. a bar of chocolate (ice-cream), 7. a punnet of strawberries, 8. a dash of pepper, 9. a pinch of salt, 10. a piece of spaghetti, 11. a lump of sugar, 12. a head of cabbage, 13. a bunch of grapes (bananas), 14. a jar of honey, (instant coffee), 15. a can of sardines (coke; beer), 16. a carton of yoghurt, 17. a package of hot dogs, 18. a bag of flour, 19. a pack of chewing gum, 20. a tub of margarine (ice-cream), 21. a stick of butter (chewing gum), 22. a container of sour cream, 23. a bottle of vegetable oil, 24. a handful of hazel nuts, 25. a fillet of cod, 26. a drop of cognac (brandy) 27. a mug of cocoa, 28. a barrel of beer, 29. a tin of condensed milk, 30. a box of biscuits.

Ex. 5. Sort these words out under the headings fish and seafood.

Prawns, squid, sardines, oysters, mackerel (скумбрия), mussel (двустворчатые моллюски), hake (xeк), crab, plaice, sole (палтус), trout, lobster, cod.

Ex. 6. Which of these fruit grow in your region (in the Far East)?

Peach (персик), lime (лайм - разновидность лимона), avocado, black-currant (черная смородина), plum (слива), raspberry (малина), grape (виноград), pine-apple (ананас), cherry (вишня), kiwi-fruit, mango, grapefruit, apricot, date (финик), prune (чернослив), cran­berry (брусника), gooseberry (крыжовник).

Ex. 7. Try to find the Russian equivalent to the following English idiomatic Expressions.

1. Aftermeatmustarda) молочные реки, кисельные берега;

изобилие

2. Dog’sbreakfastb) иметь отменный аппетит

3. Eatlikeabirdc) после ужина горчица, слишком поздно

4. Easy as a piece of cake d) беспорядок, неразбериха

5. Eatlikeahorse\wolfe) мало есть, клевать как птичка

6. Milk and honey f) проще простого

7. As hungry as a hunter g) голоден как волк

Ex. 8. What do we call the meat of these animals and bird?

1. What do we call the meat of a hen? (two names)

2. What kind of meat do the Indians never eat? (calf, cow) (two names)

3. What kind of meat do Russian people eat in the Far North? (deer)

4. What kind of meat do the Australians sell around the world? (sheep) (two names)

5. What kind of meat do the Germans usually eat? (pig) (three names)

6. What do we call the meat of a partridge (куропатка)?

Ex. 9. Match the words and phrases in column A with those in column B

Fast Food

1. long thin pieces of potato cooked in deep fat a. a sandwich

2. a kind of sausage placed inside a bun, it is often made from pork b. taco

and can be steamed, boiled, or grilled.

3. a flat round cake (bun) of finely cut beef, not ham. It is often eaten c. pizza

with tomato, or lettuce, or onion, mustard, and ketchup.

4. it is made with two pieces of bred, usually spread with butter, and d. French fries with some other usually cold food (a filing) between them. Some common fillings are: tuna fish, eggs, ham, chicken, turkey, cheese.

5. a plate-shaped piece of dough or pastry baked with a mixture of e. a hamburger cheese, etc.

6. a spiced (“hot”) seasoned dish of beef, beans, chili peppers, and f. a hot dog

Tomato

7. a sweet non-alcoholic carbonated drink of American origin g. Coke

8. Mexican food made from a tortilla (flat bread made usually of h. chilli

maize or flour) folded into two to hold a filling, usually of beef

and chicken

Ex. 10. Read and translate the text