Ex. 3. Give definitions of the following words. Look them up in the English-English dictionary

to be a res­ponsible adult, a nationwide survey, affection, appreciation, to be committed to one another, to leave behind a community, to delay marriage, a great concern about the family, to get a divorce, a love match.

Ex. 4. Complete the sentences with the words from the list:

machine; turned; turkey; new; former; after

THE PERFECT WIFE

In ______ (1) a man succeeded in divorcing his wife _____ (2) a six-year court battle. He_____ (3) to a computer service for a _____ (4) partner only to find that the _____ (5) selected his ______(6) wife.

Ex. 5. a) Read the text using a dictionary if necessary. Fill in the gaps with the words from the list:

Nor; in contrast to this; because; as; that; and; when; just as.

For most people weddings are a magical time _____ (1) even the least superstitious will watch for portents of fu­ture happiness. The choice of date is important. May is traditionally unlucky for weddings, _____(2) in ancient Rome this was a month for remembering the dead, and an ill-omened time for lovers._____(3) there exists the Christian belief that you shouldn't marry in Lent. The tradition that the bride's parents should pay for the wedding dates from two or three centuries ago, when wealthy families would pay an eligible bachelor to take an unmarried daughter off their hands in exchange for a large dowry.

Every bride regards her wedding dress _____(4)the most hallowed garment she will ever possess. At most formal weddings brides still get married in virginal white, many other colours are considered unlucky. A bride will ensure _____(5) her wedding outfit includes «something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue». «Old» maintains her link with the past; «new» symbolizes the future; «borrowed» gives her a link with the present; _____(6) «blue» symbolizes her purity.

Even a modern bride will observe the taboos about wear­ing her dress before the ceremony. The groom mustn't see her in it until she enters the church. _____(7) must she wear the complete outfit before the wedding day. Certainly the veil shouldn't be tried on at the same time as the dress; many brides put it on for the first time as they leave for the church.

The most important item is the wedding cake, whose richness symbolizes fertility, _____(8) it has done since Roman times. Today the first slice is cut by the bride to en­sure a fruitful marriage, though once the cake was literal­ly broken over the bride's head; guests then scrambled for fragments, which would bring good luck.

(From «BBC English»)

Notes:

Portent – предзнаменование

Ill-omened — злополучный

Lent — Великий Пост

To date from – датироваться

Eligible - подходящий, приемлемый

In exchange for - в обмен на

Dowry - приданое

Hallowed garment - почитаемое/чтимое одеяние

To ensure that - следить за тем, чтобы...

Complete outfit - полный наряд/убор

Veil - вуаль try on - примерять

To leave for - отправляться в...

Fertility - плодородие

Though once... - хотя когда-то...

To scramble for — бороться /драться за...

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