Write out unknown words out of the text. Use them to speak about royal travelling.

20. Read and translate the text about the queen’s charges to entertain her quests.

ROYALTY ENTERTAINS

The Queen is the country's official hostess entertaining, on behalf of her people, guests from all over the world. She has been described as the most generous hostess in the world with no other Head of State entertaining on quite the same scale. Her Majesty welcomes visiting monarchs, princes, sheiks and presidents to her palaces, castles, the Royal Yacht and even to her private homes at Balmoral and Sandringham, where they are treated to a unique hospitality.

In addition to the State Banquets required by protocol to be held in honour of visiting Heads of State, The Queen will host numerous official dinners and lunches throughout the year. At Windsor Castle close friends are invited to a con­tinuous house party throughout Royal Ascot week each June.

Windsor is also the scene of The Queen's large Christmas party where the family gathering has now expanded to include more than 40 people. New Year is spent at Sandringham where the Duke of Edinburgh hosts a series of shooting parties, and in August the royal couple move to Scotland where, once again, a large number of guests arrive at Balmoral. A tradition has grown whereby the Prime Minister and his wife are invited for a weekend, which usu­ally includes several hours discussing affairs of State.

When the Court moves to the Palace of Holyrood house in Edinburgh for one week in July, another round of parties then begins with an official dinner every evening and a Garden Party for 6,000 guests held in one of the most attrac­tive settings in Britain.

Union Jack

This is popular name given to the flag of Great Britain. Actually it is called the Union Flag and it is a mixture of several flags.

It all began in 1606 when Scotland was joined to England and Wales. The Scottish flag, St Andrew’s Cross, blue with a white cross from corner to corner, was joined to the English Flag, St George’s Cross, white with a red cross. The flag of St George can still be seen on churches in England.

Later, in 1801, when Ireland was joined to the Union, as it was called the Irish Flag of St Patrick’s Cross added, white with a red cross from corner to corner.

In this way the English people got the Union Flag whish is red, white and blue. King James the Third (1566-1622) ordered that the Union Flag should be flown on the main mast of all British ships, except on ships of war. Here the flag was flown at the front of the ships, on whet was called the Jack Star and so we get the mane of Union Jack. A “jack”, by the way, is an old word for the sailor. The Union Jack is also on the flags of Australia and New Zealand.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1148