The English Character

The national character of the English has been very differently described, but most commentators agree over one quality, which they describe as fatuous self-satisfaction, serene sense of superiority, or insular pride. English patriotism is based on a deep sense of security. Englishmen, as individuals may have been insecure, threatened with the loss of a job, unsure of themselves, or unhappy in many ways; but as a nation they have been for centuries secure, serene in their national success. They have not lived in a state of hatred of their neighbours as Frenchmen or Germans have often lived. Thus national sense of security, hardly threatened by the Armada, or by Napoleon, or by the First World War, has been greatly weakened by the Second World War and by the invention of the atomic bomb.

Many books have been written – even more, perhaps, by Frenchmen, Germans, and other foreigners than by Englishmen – on English traits, English ways of life, and the English character Their authors are by no means always in agreement, but they tend to point out what seem to them puzzles, contrasts, in the way the English behave. A few of these contrasts may serve to sum up how the world looks at the English.

First, there is the contrast between the unity the English display in a crisis, their strong sense for public order, indeed for conformity, and their extraordinary toleration of individual eccentricities. Germans are usually astounded by what they regard as the Englishman’s lack of respect for authority and discipline. Frenchmen are often puzzled by the vehemence of English political debates, by the Hyde Park public orator, and similar aspects of English life, which in their own country would seem signs of grave political disturbance. This sort of contrast has led to the common belief held by foreigners, and indeed by Englishmen themselves, that they are a most illogical people, always preferring practical compromises to theoretical exactness.

Second, there is the contrast between English democracy, the English sense of the dignity and importance of the individual, and the very great social and economic inequalities that have hitherto characterized English life. There has recently been some tendency to allow greater social equality. But Victorian and Edwardian England – which foreigners still think of as the typical England – did display extremes of riches and poverty, and draw an almost caste line between ladies and gentlemen and those not ladies and gentlemen.

Third, there is the contrast between the reputation of the English as hard-beaded practical men – the “nation of shopkeepers” – and as men of poetry – the countrymen of Shakespeare and Shelley. The English tradition in philosophy has always been realistic and hostile to mysticism; yet the English look down on the French as narrow rationalists. The apparent coldness of Englishmen and their reserve has been almost universally noted by foreigners; but foreigners also confess that they find English reserve not unpleasant, and that once one gets to know an Englishman he turns out to be a very companionable fellow.

From ‘Oxford Junior Encyclopedia’

AROUND BRITAIN

КОНТРОЛЬНОЕ ЗАДАНИЕ № 4

Чтобы правильно выполнить задание № 4, необходимо усвоить следующие разделы курса английского языка по рекомендованному учебнику:

1. Условные предложения трех типов.

2. Сложные формы инфинитива и причастия.

I. Перепишите и письменно переведите на русский язык следующие предложения, принимая во внимание, что объектный и субъектный инфинитивные обороты большей частью соответствуют придаточным предложениям.

1. Automation is known to have speed up both the development of rocket production and that of nuclear industry.

2. The new system of automatic control is likely to be used in the near future.

3. We know the existence of life on the Earth to depend upon the continuous receipt of enormous quantities of energy from the Sun.

4. In recent years we have seen vast new progress take place in space research.

II. Перепишите и письменно переведите на русский язык следующие предложения, учитывая различия в переводе зависимого и независимого причастных оборотов.

1. Automation having been firmly established in space research, our spaceships employ automatic instruments in the study of cosmic space.

2. Having made a great many observations during their flights, cosmonauts successfully fulfilled their programme.

3. Space research is being developed rapidly in our country, automation being widely used in space research.

III. Перепишите и письменно переведите на русский язык следующие предложения, содержащие придаточные предложения условия.

1. A great number of stones lying on the Moon’s surface proved that the lunar ground was firm enough and would not sink, if it were stepped on, walked across or put heavy weight upon.

2. It would have been impossible to launch space rockets, if we had not had the necessary polymeric materials and synthetic fuels.

IV. Прочитайте и устно переведите текст. Перепишите и письменно переведите 1 - 4-й абзацы текста

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