The festival of Pokrov
план-конспект урока по английскому языку (6, 7, 8 класс)

Lesson    The festival of Pokrov

Before you start

Answer the question.

Don’t you know any Russian autumn festivals?

Word Bank:

verbs - keep safe, stand up for, be called, be doused, be celebrated, remind,

winterize, arrange, spin, weave, moan, frighten, vanish, consider;

nouns - trouble, misfortune, suffering, veil, flax, bast.

adjectives -happy, overjoyed, angry, miserable

I) Read the text and choose the best title for it:

A) Old Russian Traditions; B) An Orthodox festival; C) Forest creatures

Russia is called the Virgin Mary’s country. Whenever Russia is in trouble She is sure to help and stand up for its people. Under Her Veil Russia is kept safe from misfortune and suffering.

The Virgin Mary’s Veil is one of the Orthodox festivals. It is celebrated on 14 October. The festival is called Pokrov in Russian. That day is the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, “зазимье” in Russian. The Russian people say, “До Покрова – осень, за Покровом – зима”. It means: enjoy autumn until Pokrov and meet winter after its coming.

Pokrov brings first frosts and the very first snow. The snow makes people feel happy. It reminds them of the Virgin Mary’s Veil, which is as white as snow.

At that time farmers finish their work. They clean and winterize their houses. On Pokrov Eve children are doused with cold water to prevent them from getting cold.

In former times there was no outdoor pastime till spring. Young people used to gather indoors. They arranged “посиделки”, a kind of parties. Girls spun flax and wove clothes. Young men made shoes from bast. They were called “lapty”. Young people sang funny songs-“chastushky”.

Девушки вы, девушки, Что ты, милочка, не робишь?

Где берёте денежки? На кого надеешься?

- Летом ягодки берём, Придет зимонька холодна,

Зимой куделечку прядём. Ты во что оденешься?

It was formerly believed that on Pokrov Eve forest creatures Leshies broke trees and frightened animals. They moaned louder than the wind. After that Leshies vanished deep underground till spring. Nobody went to the forest that day. Leshy was considered to be more dangerous than a bear.

II) Read the text more carefully and choose the best answer.

1) The Virgin Mary’s Veil is celebrated in …a) summer, b) early autumn,

c) the middle of autumn.

2) If it snows on Pokrov Day people feel… a) overjoyed, b) angry), c) miserable.

3) Parents doused children with cold water to… a) frighten them, b) make them healthy, c) amuse them.

4) Young people arranged “посиделки”because … a) it was cold outside, b) they were lazy, c) they were given a good dinner.

5) On Pokrov Eve people … a) always, b) sometimes, c) never went to the forest.

Option

1 Find some more information about Pokrov Day.

2 Draw a picture to illustrate the text.

3 Give an English version of “chastushka”.

Don’t you know…?

In Russia there are a lot of churches and cathedrals which were erected in honour of The Virgin Mary’s Veil. The most beautiful is the Church of Pokrov on the river Nerl, built in 1165. It is a real masterpiece of the ancient Russian architecture.

The name of the main street in Nizhny Novgorod is Bolshaya Pokrovskaya. Long ago it was churches which gave names to the streets. Look at the old photo of Bolshaya Pokrovskaya. You can see a church. This is The Virgin Mary’s Veil church. Unfortunately it was destroyed in the 1930-s.Its name is immortalize in the name of the street.