Bonfire Night
In the UK, Bonfire Night (or Guy
Fawkes Night) is celebrated on 5 November
and the night skies are filled with colour. It’s a
special day in honour of a historic event.
The history
The year was 1605 and some English Catholics were angry because King James I was treating
them badly. In November of that year, a group of men made a plan to blow up the Houses of
Parliament in London. An enormous explosion was planned for 5 November. This was the day
that the king was due to open Parliament.
The plan became known as the ‘Gunpowder Plot’ and the leader of the group was called Guy
Fawkes. The men put 36 barrels of gunpowder in the Houses of Parliament and waited for the king
to arrive. The group decided that Guy Fawkes should light the gunpowder and cause the
explosion.
Did they succeed? No, they didn’t. The police found the gunpowder before it exploded and they
caught all the men involved in the plot. The men were tortured and killed. To celebrate his
survival, King James ordered the people of England to have a bonfire on the night of 5 November.
Bonfires, Guys and fireworks
On 5 November, people remember the plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament by celebrating
‘Bonfire Night’. All over Britain there are firework displays and bonfires with models of Guy Fawkes,
which are burned on the fire. The Guy is made of old clothes and the clothes are filled with
newspaper.
The fireworks are a reminder of the gunpowder that Guy Fawkes hid in the cellar of Parliament.
Some people have a small bonfire in their garden on 5 November, while in main towns and cities
there are big bonfires and firework displays.
Food
It’s normally quite cold in November in Britain, so on Bonfire Night people wear hats, scarves and
gloves to spend the evening outside. They need some warm food too. Traditional Bonfire Night
food is hot baked potatoes. They are cooked on the bonfire and filled with butter and cheese. There
are also toffee apples (apples on a stick, covered in sweet toffee) and in the north of England
they eat a special type of cake called PARKIN. Toasting marshmallows on the bonfire is also
popular. Yum!
Penny for the Guy
In Britain only adults can buy fireworks but in the past they were sold to children too. During the
days before Bonfire Night, children used to take their home-made Guys onto the streets and ask for
‘a penny for the Guy’ to collect money to buy fireworks. Now you have to be over 18 to buy
fireworks, and safety on Bonfire Night is an important issue.
1
VOCABULARY
to be filled with – наполнены чем-то
special day – особый день
historic event – историческое событие
angry - злой
to treat badly – плохо обращаться
to blow up - взорвать
the Houses of Parliament - Парламент
an enormous explosion – огромный взрыв
to be due to – должен/обязан что-то сделать
Gunpowder Plot – Пороховой заговор
to wait for – ждать кого-то
to arrive – прибыть, приехать
to decide - решить
to light the gunpowder – поджечь порох
to cause the explosion – вызвать взрыв
to succeed – добиться успеха
before – перед тем как
to explode - взорвать
to involve IN the plot – вовлечь в план
to torture - пытать
survival - выживание
to order - приказать
bonfire - костер
to remember - помнить
firework displays – фейерверки
to be burned on the fire – сжигается на костре
made of – сделан из
reminder of – напоминание о
а cellar – подвал, погреб
while – пока, в то время как
to spend the evening outside – проводить вечер на улице
baked potatoes – запеченый картофель
toffee apples – яблоки в карамели
a stick - палочка
covered - покрытый
in the north of – на севере
marshmallows - зефир
an adult - взрослый
in the past – в прошлом
to be sold to – продавались кому-то, были проданы кому-то
used to - РАНЬШЕ
to collect money – собирать деньги
to be over 18 – быть старше 18
safety - безопасность
important issue – важный момент
2
COMPREHENSION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
When the Bonfire Night is celebrated?
Why English Catholics were angry?
Why people wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in the November the 5?
Who’s Guy Fawkes?
What does the ‘Gunpowder Plot’ mean? What is it?
What should Guy Fawkes do on that night?
Did the Catholics succeed? Did the plan work?
What happened to people who wanted to make an enormous explosion?
What happened to King?
How people celebrate the Bonfire Night?
What is the Guy models made of?
Where was hid the gunpowder?
What do people wear on the Bonfire Night?
What do people eat on the Bonfire Night?
What are toffee apples?
What do people do with the marshmallows?
What does ‘a penny for the Guy’ mean?
How old should you be to buy fireworks?
3