Главная страница «Первого сентября»Главная страница журнала «Английский язык»Содержание №2/2008

Game “A Lucky Chance” on the Topic “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”

Форма работы: игра “Счастливый случай”
Тема мероприятия: Великобритания
Участники: студенты II курса факультета иностранных языков
Цели:
а) практическая: систематизировать и обобщить знания студентов по теме “Великобритания”;
б) образовательная: формировать у студентов интерес к культуре народа страны изучаемого языка, расширять их кругозор;
в) воспитательная: создавать положительную мотивацию к дальнейшему изучению языка;
г) развивающая: развивать у студентов память, воображение, внимание, логическое мышление.
Оснащение мероприятия: карта Британских островов, символы и флаги стран Соединённого Королевства, цветные иллюстрации достопримечательностей Лондона, портреты известных британцев, коробка с разноцветными контейнерами из-под киндер-сюрпризов, магнитофон, фонограмма и текст песни “Happy New Year!”

Использованная литература:
1. Ощепкова В.В., Шустилова И.И. О Британии вкратце. – М.: Новая школа, 1997.
2. Павлоцкий В.М. Знакомимся с Британией. – СПб.: Оракул, 1999.
3. Сатинова В.Ф. Читаем и говорим о Британии и британцах. – Мн.: Выш. шк., 1996.

ХОД МЕРОПРИЯТИЯ

I. Вступительное слово ведущего
Well, friends, attention, please. I hope you’re fine today, aren’t you? The weather is wonderful. The holidays are coming and you’ll get a chance to put away all your textbooks and spend enough time with your friends.
We’ve gathered together today to hold one of the TV games which was extremely popular among the school-leavers several years ago. It is called ‘A Lucky Chance’. Our game will be devoted to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That’s why the walls of our classroom are decorated today. You see the geographical map of the country, the flags and symbols of different parts of the UK, the colourful pictures and posters demonstrating some historical places, places of interest and the portraits of outstanding people. I do hope that you’ve learnt a lot of interesting facts at our English lessons concerning the geographical position of the country, climate, vegetation and wild life, the Queen and the British Parliament, streets and squares, some churches and cathedrals, palaces and monuments, national traits of the British people and their lifestyle. I’m sure you’ll certainly get some more useful information today as well.

II. Представление команд и членов жюри, ознакомление с правилами игры
I asked you to split into two teams. Well, the captain of the first team is... Let’s greet the members of the first team. Applause, please. Meet the members of the second team with their captain… And of course, the jury will be all eyes and ears to follow the game and they will be helpful to score the points. Your task is to get as many points as possible. The team with the highest score will become the winners of the game.
The rules of the game are quite simple. You are to respect your group-mates and not to shout. No doubt, winning is the aim, but it’s only a game. Don’t forget about it. And now it’s time to begin the game itself.

III. Содержание игры (раунды):
a) Warming up – Разминка
The first round
is called “Warming up” (“Разминка”). Each team will be offered a certain number of questions. You will have 10 minutes at your disposal. If you know the correct answer you needn’t wait till I read the whole question to the very end. You’re allowed to interrupt me in order to save time. If you don’t know the answer, you’d better hurry up to say to me “Go on!” not to waste time. In this case I’ll begin reading the next question. One point will be awarded for every correct answer.
To begin with, let’s decide which team will be the first to start the round. Captains, will you come up to me to throw the dice? You see, the captain with the highest number will get the right to begin the game.
Well, the members of the…team, will you accompany…and leave the classroom for a while? We’ll invite you again in 10 minutes to continue the game. (Вторая команда выходит из класса в сопровождении члена жюри [чтобы не было искушения подслушивать за дверью кабинета], в то время как члены первой команды отвечают на вопросы ведущей. Затем входит вторая команда, ей предлагаются те же самые вопросы. Побеждает команда, которой удалось дать больше правильных ответов за ограниченное время, поэтому ведущая должна читать вопросы обеим командам в одном и том же темпе.)
(To the members of the…team): Are you ready? One, two, off we go!
1. How many parts does the UK consist of? (four)
2. The highest mountain in the UK? (Ben Nevis –
1343 m)

3. The nickname of Glasgow? (“the friendly city”)
4. What colour are the letter boxes in London? (red)
5. The national musical instrument in Northern Ireland? (harp)
6. How many children has Elizabeth II got? (four)
7. Who are the ‘Tories’? (the Conservative Party)
8. The most popular sport in England? (football = soccer)
9. When do Englishmen celebrate Boxing Day? (on the 26th of December)
10. The first animated exhibit in the wax museum of Madam Tussaud’s? (Sleeping Beauty)
11. How old is the Tower of London? (900 years)
12. Freedom of speech, freedom of expression is guaranteed here? (Speaker’s Corner)
13. The home of the first great detective Sherlock Holmes? (Baker Street)
14. It was he who ordered the building of Westminster Abbey? (Edward the Confessor)
15. An ancient symbol of fertility? (an egg)
16. The highlights of Madam Tussaud’s? (Grand Hall, the Chamber of Horrors, the Spirit of London)
17. The centre of night life in the West End? (Piccadilly Circus)
18. Where is the Poets’ Corner situated? (at Westminster Abbey)
19. The home of London Zoo? (Regent’s Park)
20. The name of Shakespeare’s Theatre? (the Globe)
21. Britain’s currency? (pounds and pence)
22. The Avenue designed for Royal processions? (the Mall)
23. What is there inside the oak coronation chair in Westminster Abbey? (the Stone of Destiny)
24. Why is Wales often called ‘The Land of Songs’? (due to festivals of music)
25. How do they punish everyone who commits a crime inside the Houses of Parliament? (there is a small prison cell on the 11th floor)
26. How often does Big Ben strike? (every quarter of an hour)
27. How many days was the Great Fire of London in 1666? (five)
28. Who are ‘the Beefeaters’? (Yeomen warders in the Tower of London)
29. The longest river in England? (the Severn – 388 km)
30. What is Downing Street No. 11 famous for? (the home of Chancellor of Exchequer)
31. What is the most popular game in English pubs? (darts)
32. The song which can be heard on New Year’s Eve? (“Auld Lang Syne”)
33. How many monarchs have there been in Great Britain? (Elizabeth II is No. 40)
34. The Headquarters of the Metropolitan Police? (Scotland Yard)
35. The national emblem of Wales? (daffodil and the leek)
36. The first king who was responsible for torture and execution in the Tower of London? (Henry the VIII)
37. In what style was St. Paul’s Cathedral designed? (baroque – French style)
38. How many countries does the Commonwealth include? (49 independent states)
39. The driest period of the year in Great Britain? (from March to June)
40. The population of London? (about 7 million people)

Thank you, now let’s invite the...team and ask them the same questions. …Well, it’s difficult to decide which team is better. But it’s not our job. Our respected jury must do it. Will you tell us the results of the first round? …Cheer up! It’s only the beginning of the game.

b) Puzzles in the Barrels – Заморочки из бочки
The next round is called “Puzzles in the Barrels” (“Заморочки из бочки”). You see, this time the questions have been hidden in the colourful barrels. There are 12 of them, six for each team. Choose any barrel to your liking, open it, find the question inside and try to answer it. Mind, you have only 10 seconds to think it over. You will get one point for every correct answer. (Вопросы спрятаны в контейнеры от киндер-сюрпризов. Студенты поочередно из каждой команды вытягивают колпачки с вопросами).

1. What is the nickname of the British flag? Why?
(“The Union Jack”: “Union” reflects the union of England and Scotland in 1606. And “Jack” means the flag flown on the jack staff (a small flagstaff) of ships to show their nationality; “jack” = sailor).

2. (Pointing to the British flag) ‘The Union Jack’ is made up of 3 crosses on a blue ground. It combines the red cross of England, the white cross of Scotland and the red cross of Ireland. The symbol of Wales is not reflected in ‘The Union Jack’. Why?
(Because when the flag first appeared Wales was already firmly united with England. Thus, the Welsh flag is a red dragon on a white and green ground).

3. “The Beatles” became internationally famous, with a lot of hit-records. Several generations of people grew up on their songs. Will you name the members of this popular group from Liverpool?
(Four superstars were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Star).

4. What do you know about the traffic in Britain? What should everyone keep in mind while crossing the street in London?
(In London you can see many buses, cars, taxis and the London Underground. There are no trams in London. The buses are of two kinds: the red double-decker (though they promise there won’t be any soon) and the red single-decker. The taxis are black. London traffic differs from that of the Continent. In England they keep to the left, not to the right. In England people say: “If you go left, you go right. If you go right, you go wrong”).

5. What drinks are served in English pubs? What ages are not served and allowed inside the bar?
(They serve beer, whisky, gin, wine. No alcoholic drinks may be served to young people under 18, and no children under 16 are allowed inside the bar).

6. The British are known to be the world’s greatest tea-drinkers. It is said that they drink a quarter of all the tea grown on the Earth each year. What is the so-called ‘high tea’ in England? What does it include? At what time is it?
(It’s quite a substantial meal at about 6 p. m. when all the members of the family gather together. In a well-to-do family it may include ham, bacon, tongue, tinned salmon or sausage, cheese and butter, stewed fruit and some pastries: cookies or buns with cream, honey or marmalade and of course several cups of strong tea.)

7. What was Robin Hood?
(He was a legendary hero of England. He lived in the 12th century. The legend said that he lived in Sherwood Forest with his merry fellows, they took money from the rich and gave it to the poor).

8. What do the letters BBC stand for?
(British Broadcasting Corporation – it has 4 radio stations and 2 TV channels. The BBC receives its income from the government).

9. Why is Great Britain known as the Mother of Parliaments?
(She was the first to introduce a workable body, an assembly of elected representatives of the people with the authority to resolve social and economic problems by free debate leading to the making of laws).

10. What are the nicknames of the British capital? What do they mean?
(“Albion” (Greek) – this meant “white land”, because the first view of Britain for most visitors was the white cliffs near Dover; “Llyn-din” (Celtic) = “lake-fort” or “river-place”).

11. Pelmeny, bliny, golubtsy – the food you can find in Russia on a festive dinner. Great Britain is famous for hot dogs, fish and chips, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, Coca-Cola. They are sold in McDonald’s and Whimpy Bars. Why are hamburgers called so?
(Hamburgers got their name from Hamburg, a city in Germany, where they first appeared, but not from the word ‘ham’ – it’s a false analogy).

12. Some English words became international and they are frequently used now in the Russian language: tennis, manager, business. Do you know the origin of the word “sandwich”?
(The word “sandwich” comes from the name of an English politician John Montague, the Earl of Sandwich (1718–1792) who was very fond of gambling. He invented sandwiches in order to be able to eat without leaving the gambling table. He also gave his name to the Sandwich Islands which are now called the Hawaiian Islands).
* By the way, “a sandwich man” is not a man who sells sandwiches. It is a man who walks along the streets carrying advertisements on two boards, one hanging over his chest, and the other – on his back.
Let’s listen to the jury. How many points did both teams manage to get in this round? What is the total score for a while?

с) Ask me a question and I’ll ask you – “Ты – мне, я – тебе”
“Ask me a question and I will ask you” (“Ты – мне, я – тебе”)
is the name of the next round. Your home task was to think over one question for the member of the opposite team. It’s time to hold the crossing battle. The requirements are: a) read the questions loudly and distinctly; b) the addressee can’t ask his team-mates for help in case he/she doesn’t know the right answer; c) guesses must be given within 20 seconds. Is it clear? Who will start this round? Well, …begin, please. Whom do you want to ask your question? (Who will be your addressee?) …Is that right or wrong? Which is the correct variant? (Will you give your own answer?)

d) A Dark Horse – Темная лошадка
While the jury is busy doing the sums let’s pass over to the next round which is called “A Dark Horse” (“Темная лошадка”). This time you are to listen to short stories and guess who this person is. The first student who puts up his hand, gets the right to answer. If he is wrong, the members of the opposite team can answer the same question and get a point. Mind, no point for the team if I hear somebody shouting.
a) It was our Russian newspaper “The Red Star” which gave her the nickname “the Iron Lady”. Who and what was this woman? (Margaret Thatcher – the first woman to occupy the position of prime minister 1979–1990; Conservative Party)
b) He was a famous English dramatist and poet at the beginning of the 17th century. He wrote lyric plays, comedies, tragedies, historical plays. His home town was Stratford-upon Avon. The tourists can visit the house where he lived with his family; his theatre “The Globe” is known all over the world. (William Shakespeare)
c) The Old Curiosity Shop was built in London in 1567. It was described in one of his novels. He is a well-known English writer popular for his memorable characters and his portrayals of the social evils of Victorian England. His works are “Pickwick Papers”, “David Copperfield”, “Oliver Twist”. (Charles Dickens)
d) It took him 35 years to build one of the Royal Churches in London. It was designed in a French style which was quite unusual for Britain at that time. He died at the age of 91 and was buried inside his masterpiece – the place where the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana took place. (An architect Sir Christopher Wren)
Can we listen to the jury now? Will you declare the results of the last two rounds?

e) Hurry up to See! – Спешите видеть!
The next round is “Hurry up to See!” (“Спешите видеть!”) I’ll show you several colourful pictures of some places of interest in London. You are to name what it is and give some interesting information about this or that sightseeing. All the members of the team can add something if they want.

Photos for the first team:
a) Trafalgar Square
b) The Houses of Parliament
c) Queen Victoria Memorial

Photos for the second team:
a) Piccadilly Circus
b) Buckingham Palace
c) Cenotaph

Jury, will you be so kind to comment on the answers of both teams? … And what is the total score for a while? … Thank you.

f) Trivial Pursuit – Гонка за лидером
I see, our today’s game is coming to its end and the last round will turn out to be decisive. It’s called “Trivial Pursuit” (“Гонка за лидером”). I’ll be reading the questions in turn for each team. Again you may interrupt me declaring the right answer or say ‘Don’t know’ to let me read the next question for the opposite team. Of course, the team which answers the most questions wins this round. This time we shall start with the team which has less points.
1. The most important river in England? (the Thames)
2. The swiftest flowing river? (the Spey)
3. The national musical instrument of the Scots? (bagpipes)
4. The national dress of the Scots? (kilt)
5. It was named after the sugar millionaire (the Tate gallery)
6. The place of dreams and nightmares, of victory and defeat (the Tower of London)
7. At what age did Madam Tussaud die? (89)
8. How old was Christopher Wren when he died? (91)
9. The permanent seat of the British Parliament? (the Houses of Parliament)
10. The masterpiece of Christopher Wren? (St. Paul’s Cathedral)
11. The official name of the Houses of Parliament? (Westminster Palace)
12. The nickname of Fleet Street? (the Street of Ink)
13. The traditional uniform of guards near Buckingham Palace? (bearskin caps, red [scarlet] tunics, blue trousers)
14. What signifies that the British Parliament is in session? (a flag or a light)
15. Entertainment district of London? (the West End)
16. This famous building is often compared with the Mausoleum because a lot of people were buried there (Westminster Abbey)
17. The Royal Opera House is situated there (Covent Garden)
18. What are lanterns made of on Halloween? (pumpkins)
19. The English writer whose most famous novel is Robinson Crusoe (Daniel Defoe)
20. Two popular gentlemen associated with Baker Street? (Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson)
21. The chairman in the House of Commons? (the Speaker)
22. The seat of Lord-Chancellor? (a woolsack)
23. The bird – symbol of peace all over the world? (pigeon = dove)
24. The plant (flower) – symbol of peace in Great Britain? (poppy)
25. The name of the association of former members of the British Empire? (Commonwealth)
26. Who meets the visitors at the entrance of the Chamber of Horrors in Madam Tussaud’s (Dracula)
27. He wrote a famous book for children Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? (Lewis Carroll)
28. The outstanding scientist who discovered the law of gravitation? (Isaac Newton)
29. The smallest of the Royal Parks in London which is well-known for pelicans? (St. James’s Park)
30. What are the bodies made of at Madam Tussaud’s now? (fiberglass)
31. The national bird of Great Britain? (Robin Redbreast)
32. When does “The Ceremony of the Key” take place? (at 9:53 p. m. daily)
33. Why don’t black ravens leave the Tower of London? (their wings are clipped)
34. The final journey of the prisoners in the Tower of London? (Traitor’s Gate)
35. What cities did Queen Elizabeth visit when she was in Russia in autumn of 1994? (Moscow and St. Petersburg)
36. The size of the Houses of Parliament is impressive. What does the building symbolize? (the might and power of the British Empire)
37. Who is the prime-minister of Great Britain today? (Gordon Brown)
38. Whose face can be seen on the British five-pound notes? (Queen Elizabeth II)
39. The capital of Wales? (Cardiff)
40. The national emblem of Scotland? (thistle)
41. Why is Ireland called the Emerald Isle? (because of the bright green colour of grass)
42. The memorial in front of Buckingham Palace? (Queen Victoria Memorial)
43. The minimum voting age in England? (18)
44. For what period are the members of the House of Lords elected? (they aren’t elected)
45. When was the only break in the continuity of the British monarchy? (the defeat of Charles I 1649–1660)
46. What is the Shadow Cabinet? (the official opposition of the governing party)
47. What must a first-footer bring at New Year’s night? (a piece of coal, some bread and coins)
48. Where do children find Christmas presents? (in stockings or beneath the Christmas Tree)
49. A Welsh festival of songs and poetry? (Eisteddfod)
50. The Anglo-Saxon goddess of springtime and sunshine? (Eostre)

IV. Исполнение песни “Happy New Year”
That’s all! I knew you could do it! And now we’ll have a musical pause to let the jury score the game. Take these sheets of paper with the song “Happy New Year!” Listen to the tape and enjoy the melody. You can sing in unison with ABBA if you wish.

V. Подведение итогов игры
Well, the jury, it’s time to declare the winners of our today’s game. You’re welcome.
Congratulations to all the members of the…team. You were the top. But…team, there is no need to worry. You were also great. I’m sure next time you’ll be luckier!

VI. Заключительное слово ведущего
Thanks a lot to everyone for taking an active part in our game. I’m satisfied with your answers. You really demonstrated perfect knowledge of the topic “The United Kingdom”. I hope you’ve had a nice time together and learnt something new. I want to give you small prizes to sweeten your life before the exams. Thank you once again and good-bye.
Thanks to all of you for coming,
For taking part and learning something!
And I hope that games like this
You will never ever miss!

Подобные игры лингвострановедческого характера, безусловно, обеспечивают эффективное усвоение учебного материала повышенной трудности и активизируют резервные возможности обучаемых. С одной стороны, игра – это способ обучения, когда работает вся группа, с другой стороны, игры используются как механизм для контроля знаний, умений и навыков студентов. Многолетний опыт работы в школе и ВУЗе подтверждает, что освоение языка через игру – это увлекательно, быстро, просто и качественно. В игре, как правило, задействованы все виды речевой деятельности: аудирование, говорение, чтение, письмо. Игра является одним из методов технологии коммуникативного обучения иноязычной речи. Она учит студентов работать и сотрудничать в коллективе, устанавливаются эмоциональные контакты, происходит интеллектуальный рост обучаемых.

Е. А. Павлова ,
Нижневартовский государственный гуманитарный университет