Ask a British teenager what British people are like.

1) What are the main national characteristics of British people?

2) Are the British individualists?

3) What is your favourite saying about the British?

You have to write a short article about Belarusian people for a foreign newspaper. How would you describe our people? (№2, 5)

Belarusian traditions and features of the national character were formed in the course of complex history. The country was engulfed (engulf-поглощать, завалить) by many military conflicts, World Wars, national liberation revolts, revolutions and repressions. So our extraordinary history cultivated special character traits of our people, the main of them are tolerance and diligence (прилежание, усердие).

Different from anyone else, Belarusians are able to adapt to any circumstances — not to change the circumstances but to change themselves, to accept these circumstances, to live them naturally, in harmony and even with pleasure.

The second aspect of the Belarusian character is that a Belarusian holds tight to what he/she has gained. He/she regards the external world with little trust.

At the same time, in the view of Belarusians themselves, they are loved and respected by everyone. People turn to Belarusians for help and support, because they know that a Belarusian will always be responsive and helpful. Belarusian people have been always enjoying receiving guests and have been perfect at this. This tradition is alive today.

To sum up, Belarusian features of character are: tolerance and a lack of temper. Belarusians are kind, soft, soulful, and hospitable. They are easy to be ruled; they are hard-working, reserved, not very jolly; they are rather pessimistic, stubborn and peaceful…

So it isn’t surprising how the past and the present, traditions of the East and the West exist in close relations here. For a long time people of different nationalities and creeds (убеждения, символы веры) have been living in peace and consent.

He/she is pro-active, relaxed and free. A new Belarusian is rather inclined to intellectual jobs. He/she earns for living by using brains rather by digging the soil. The young generation has more Belarusian identity than the Soviet generation. They express more interest in their roots and history.

Appearance

Beauty may have fair leaves, but bitter fruit. As I see it, this is about appearances and characters.

To my mind appearances sometimes may be deceptive, but not always. Of course, practically everyone has met at least someone whose character and appearance differ radically. And still we are captivated by stereotypes. When we watch films we expect positive heroes to be tall, well-built and handsome, with bright eyes, a straight nose, high forehead, and thick brown hair. They are supposed to be brave, strong-willed and confident in character. Positive heroines should be beautiful slender young ladies with delicate features, blue eyes under thick eyelashes, plump lips and long blonde, or at least fair, wavy hair.

Negative characters should be weak and small, with pale eyes and thin or balding hair, with an ugly face. Wicked cinema females are practically always skinny brunettes with ugly irregular features – a hooked nose, a pointed chin, close-set eyes and thin lips. They display their character as cunning and hypocritical.

In ordinary life intelligent, kind, generous and cheerful people do not necessarily have good looks. Similarly, stupid, stubborn, stingy (жадный), impolite and harsh (жёсткий, неприятный) people are not necessarily unattractive. Nature likes to play tricks on us, and we may consider it as a present on the part of nature. Life becomes not a boring routine, but a brilliant kaleidoscope of characters and appearances which often clash.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 2816