Powitanie pierwszoklasistów Tak zwane otrzęsiny nie mogą ominąć żadnego pierwszaka. Ta wieloletnia tradycja jest również podtrzymywana w naszej szkole. 17 października w II Liceum Ogólnokształcącym uczniowie klas pierwszych przeszli chrzest, dzięki któremu zostali pełnoprawnymi członkami szkolnej społeczności. Pierwszaków poddano różnym okrutnym próbom, a takie to atrakcje zgotowali im starsi koledzy i koleżanki. Cała impreza rozpoczęła się o godzinie 18.00. Wszyscy mogli potańczyć przy różnorodnej muzyce, lecz gdy wybiła godzina 19.00 rozpoczęła się rzeź niewiniątek. Żaden uczeń klasy pierwszej nie chciał brać udziału w tej zabawie bo przecież nikt nie chciałby ośmieszyć się publicznie. Nie było więc innego wyjścia jak wybrać chętnych kandydatów na siłę. Gdy prowadzący ustalili już skład, zaczęły się wielkie harce. Jedna z konkurencji bardzo zmyliła pierwszaków ponieważ do końca sadzili, że dmuchanie małej piłeczki leżącej na stoliku to pestka. Jednak po tym, jak zawiązano im chustki na oczach, okazało się, że to zadanie to prawdziwa męka. Można wyobrazić sobie jak wyglądali po tych zmaganiach. Starsze klasy dbają o maluchów, dlatego też chcąc dostarczyć im trochę energii, wyznaczyli kilka osób do picia pysznego mleczka z płaskiego talerzyka przez słomkę. Niesamowita zabawa. Zadziwił nas jednak jeden uczeń, który w kilka sekund opróżnił resztę mleka z woreczka. Widać było, że to wielki smakosz. Nie obyło się również bez sprawdzenia siły młodych licealistów. Po połączeniu w pary, musieli oni przenieść na rękach drugoklasistę na odległość kilku metrów. Bardzo wyczerpujące zadnie, za to jaką frajdę mieli ci noszeni! Po tak wyczerpujących konkurencjach, uczestnicy okazali się bardzo głodni. Nie przypuszczali jednak, że będą mogli coś zjeść, a tu proszę! Następne dwie konkurencje związane były z odżywianiem. Pierwsza polegała na zjedzeniu smakowicie wyglądającego jabłuszka z ręki drugiej osoby. Im szybciej, tym lepiej. W drugim zadaniu nie liczył się czas, lecz sposób zjedzenia banana. Dodatkowo dziewczęta musiały odpowiednio wysłowić się w jednym z języków obcych: francuskim, angielskim lub niemieckim. Ach te starszaki! Ciągle by tylko coś sprawdzali, dokładnie, jak na lekcji. Tym razem chodziło o wyobraźnię. Uczniowie musieli wcielić się w rajdowców motocyklowych i pomknąć na swych maszynach w siną dal. To dopiero było widowisko! Około godziny 21.00 nadszedł koniec wielkiej próby aby wszyscy uczestnicy imprezy mogli powrócić do tańca-hulańca. Dla obecnych było to z pewnością niezapomniane doświadczenie, bo jeszcze w poniedziałek dało się słyszeć rozmowy na temat otrzęsin. Ten dzień z pewnością utkwił w pamięci wielu z nas. Katarzyna Wójcik, IE Wizyta w British Council Dnia 29.X.03 klasy z rozszerzonym językiem angielskim Ie i II e wzięły udział w wycieczce do biblioteki British Council, która znajduje się w Lublinie na ulicy Zuchów 2. Podzieleni na grupy, oprowadzeni zostaliśmy po niewielkiej, lecz bardzo dobrze wyposażonej bibliotece. Przywitani zostaliśmy przez bardzo życzliwą kobietę, która zapoznała nas z księgozbiorem oraz zasadami korzystania z niego. Dostępne są tutaj nie tylko wielkie dzieła literatury brytyjskiej, czy opracowania poświęcone historii, geografii, rozrywce i sztuce Wielkiej Brytanii, lecz także kasety audio i video. Ponad to biblioteka oferuje różnego rodzaju podręczniki pomocnicze w nauce tego
dość nieskomplikowanego języka. Gorąco zachęcano nas również do zapisu. Chętnych jednak nie było wielu ponieważ, pomimo zniżki, opłata członkowska jest dość wysokie i wynosi 30 zł rocznie. Oprócz udostępniania księgozbioru dla zainteresowanych, Brytyjska Biblioteka organizuje egzaminy Cambridge (FCE,CEA,PCE), które mogą zapewnić nam start w przyszłości. Zachęcano nas do przystąpienia do tych egzaminów, ponieważ mogą one pomóc nas w znalezieniu przyszłej pracy. Wycieczkę tę uważam osobiście za bardzo udaną, gdyż skłoniła mnie ona do nauki języka angielskiego. Teraz po usłyszeniu, jakie mogę mieć ułatwienia w uzyskaniu np. pracy przy zdanym egzaminie Cambridge, nie mam już wątpliwości, że watro inwestować w swoją przyszłość. Natalia Przybylska, IIE Christmas Word Search Odszukaj poniższe słowa związane z tradycją bożonarodzeniową S C C H R I S T M C C H P P F A H S M S K C C A R R R U A A N R C H S M A R A S E D I T H T I R S H C O C S S D R T O A A S S C H L K S E I Y K L C N C T I N S E L N N L T L A S G L M H C R S T G I S Y R T C E A A H S T S I G H C D S A M L U S T A O S H C H R I S T M A S T R E E T R I S T T U R K E Y M A S S D E C O R A T I O N S H C Jadwiga Kopniak British X-mas traditions Christmas Day, 25 th December, is very special day for Christians all over the world. In Britain they have three or four day s holiday for Christmas. It s a happy time, especially for children. Weeks before Christmas, everyone in busy. People send Christmas cards to all their friends and relations. People decorate their houses with Christmas cards, holly and paper decorations-bells, chains and stars. They buy a Christmas tree and put it in the sitting-room. Every year there is a very big Christmas tree in the centre of London, in Trafalgar Square. This is a present from the people of Norway to the people of Great Britain. In the evenings before Christmas people sing special songs-christmas cards- round the tree. In the big cities, especially in London, there are Christmas decorations in the streets. All the shops decorate their windows with Christmas trees, presents, coloured lights and artificial snow. The shops are very busy at Christmas. Everyone wants to buy presents for their family and friends. One Christmas Eve, 24 th December, some shops are open late in the evening. Then they close for three days. On Christmas Eve everyone puts their presents under the tree. Young children go to bed early and hang empty stockings at the foot of their beds. At midnight or early in the morning Christians go to church for a mass. Everyone opens their presents on Christmas morning and then it s time to decorate the table with candles and crackers. For Christmas dinner people eat roast turkey, roast potatoes, green vegetables and sauces. Then they have the Christmas Pudding. After dinner they pull crackers and put on paper hats. They read out the jokes from the crackers or play games. At five o clock it s time for tea and Christmas cake. The day after Christmas is Boxing Day. People visit their relations or go to parties. Or they just spend a quiet day at home. No one works on Boxing Day. After Christmas everyone needs a holiday. Ilona Stefańska, IE
My Christmas in England an essay by a Polish student I suppose not many people would disagree that spending Christmas abroad is a major experience. Whatever you do, you just can't help comparing what you find with the things you are used to. The first Christmas I spent away from home happened to be in England in 1989. At that time shops in Poland were still pretty bare and Christmas decorations didn't appear in the shop windows until about a week before Christmas festival. Therefore I was amazed to see so many English shops beautifully decorated from top to bottom as early as November. I was enchanted and I loved it. By the middle of December, however, it started to annoy me and when I could hear Christmas carols in every shop I went to, I started to feel sad and homesick. Never mind, I thought, as I was really looking forward to experiencing Christmas the English way. I spent Christmas Eve with an English family in a small village in the north of England. The house was tastefully decorated, there was a Christmas tree, roaring fire in the fireplace and howling wind on the hills. My first shock on that day came when instead of going to church, everybody went to the local pub. Surely, I thought, there can't be anything special about it as they go there every Friday, Saturday and occasionally in the middle of the week. So I missed our Polish special moments that happen on Christmas Eve, our traditional supper, breaking the bread and wishing each other only good things. But when abroad, I thought, you have to expect things to be different. It was Christmas Day that felt much more special. I enjoyed taking part in the preparations that were made since the early hours of the morning. The turkey went in the oven, carrots were topped and tailed and the brussel sprouts were prepared. The smell of apple sauce was hanging in the air and brought on a festive atmosphere. Christmas dinner was on the table. We had to pull Christmas crackers (of course I didn't know what it was) which went off with a bang and put on a silly hat, that I was told, was a token of party time. The meal was never ending and I couldn't believe how much can be eaten at one sitting: roast turkey, carrots and sprouts, roast potatoes, apple sauce and then the famous Christmas pudding, which is a literally calorific bomb full of dried fruit, nuts and spices served with brandy and white sauce. The cheese and biscuits followed by Christmas cake with a layer of icing sugar, mince pies, which I loved, and finally a refreshing cup of coffee. When the feast was over, it was time to open the presents and I joined in with everybody else's excitement. Then, I remember that some people wanted to watch the Queen's speech and some didn't, As far as I was concerned Christmas was over, because Boxing Day didn't feel like Christmas at all. But I did go to a football match together with my friends. At first I thought that I missed spending Christmas the way we do it in Poland but looking back, I know that it was an unforgettable experience. Now, whenever I happen to spend Christmas in England the tiling I enjoy most is the way it differs from the Polish way of celebrating Christmas. Bogusia Whyatt
Christmas in European Union GREAT BRITAIN On Christmas Eve, the British decorate their Christmas trees with tinsels (łańcuchy), glass balls and other ornaments. They also hang a piece of mistletoe (jemioła) over the entrance door as a symbol of happiness and prosperity. At Christmas all families gather at a table to have a traditional dinner which consists of baked potatoes, turkey and Christmas pudding. On this day children unpack their presents which they find under the tree or in Christmas stockings. British children have also great fun unwrapping crackers. They are jokes or little presents packed in a paper which explode whilst being opened. On Boxing Day (26 th December), people visit their families of rest at home. BELGIUM Belgians have a traditional meal on Christmas Eve which starts with a drink and nibbles. Then there is a starter consisting of sea-food, and then stuffed turkey. The main course is followed by a dessert, a cake called la buche de Noel. For Christmas breakfast they have a special sweet bread called cougnou. People in Belgium call Father Christmas Saint Nicholas, who brings presents to children on December 6th. More presents are given under the tree or in stockings at Christmas. FINLAND On Christmas Eve morning Finnish people eat rice porridge and plum cake. They also decorate their Christmas trees during the day. In the evening, they have a traditional Christmas dinner. Many families visit cemeteries to light candles on the graves of their family members. This is also the day when children get their presents. Usually a family member pretends to be Father Christmas. FRANCE In France, everyone has a Christmas tree decorated with red ribbons and wax candles. People also decorate trees in their gardens with lights on all night. GERMANY Germans decorate their windows with lights and pictures of paper and plastic. Sometimes, they will have little cribs (a model of a stable where Jesus was born). Father Christmas brings presents on the afternoon of December 24th and puts them under the Christmas tree. One family member rings a bell and everybody comes to the room to find their presents. On Christmas Day, Germans eat fish or goose. LATVIA In Latvia, Father Christmas brings presents every day for twelve days beginning December 24th. The presents are put under the Christmas tree. LUXEMBOURG People in Luxembourg decorate streets and shop windows from the beginning of December. There are Christmas trees in public squares. Most people in Luxembourg celebrate Christmas Eve with their families. Many go to Midnight Mass (pasterka). After the visit to church, families have supper. There is no Father Christmas in Luxembourg, but St. Nicolas Day is celebrated on December 6th.On December 5th,children put a plate on the kitchen table. St. Nicholas 'fills them in with sweets and other small gifts during the night. SWEDEN Christmas Eve is the most important day. Swedish people eat a special meal on that day: ham, herring fish, and beans. Then they give presents to each other. On Christmas Day, many people go to church. Christmas Eve -wigilia nibbles -małe przekąski starter -przystawka sea-food -owoce morza stuffed turkey -nadziewany indyk stockings -pończochy rice porridge -danie z ry u plum cake -ciasto śliwkowe cemetery -cmentarz a candle -świeczka grave -grób family members -członkowie rodziny pretend udawać red ribbons -czerwone wstążki stable -stajnia goose -gęś public square -publiczny plac Midnight Mass -pasterka ham -szynka herring -śledź beans -fasola
Christmas Recipes 4 You CHRISTMAS MINCE PIES 225g/8oz shortcrust pastry 225g/8oz mincemeat 3 tbsp brandy 6 tbsp milk 2 tbsp caster sugar 1. Preheat the oven to 200C, 400F, Gas mark 6 and very lightly grease 2-3 bun trays. 2. On a floured surface, roll out 3/4 of the pastry to approximately 6mm/1/4 inch thickness then cut 16 rounds out with a 6cm/2 1/2 inch cutter. 3. Use these rounds to line the bun trays. 4. In a bowl, mix together the mincemeat and brandy until well blended. 5. Divide the mincemeat between the pastry shells, pressing down lightly. 6. Roll out the remaining pastry and using a 5cm/2inch pastry cutter, cut out 16 circles for the tops of the pies. 7. Place the milk in a shallow bowl and dip the smaller pastry circles in the milk and cover each of the filled pies with a top. Use a fork to press the edges of each pie firmly together to seal then sprinkle with a little caster sugar. 8. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden. Serve hot or cold as a dessert with cream, custard or Brandy Butter. Alternatively serve at tea-time. 3 oz chopped candied orange peel (or mixed) 1 tablespoon orange marmalade finely grated rind of 1 orange 2 oz finely chopped walnuts pinch of salt 8 oz fresh white breadcrumbs 6 oz shredded suet 6 oz raisins 6 oz sultanas grated rind 1/2 lemon 3 eggs 1/4 pint milk Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Add crumbs, suet, sugar, fruit, nuts, marmalade and rind, then mix to a stiff consistency with eggs and milk. Stir thoroughly until mixture is well blended then turn into a well greased 2-2.1/2 pint pudding basin. Cover securely with double thickness of well greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil and steam steadily for 5 hours. serve with hard sauce or whipped cream. *** BRANDY BUTTER 4 oz unsalted butter 6 oz icing sugar 4-8 dessertspoons brandy (rum may be substituted) Cream the butter until white. Gradually add the sugar and the brandy. stand for some little time in a cold place to get really hard. pipe or pile into pyramid shape - decorate with cherries and angelica. Jadwiga Kopniak tb sp = tablespoon duża łyżka; oz ounce (uncja) = 28,35 g; shortcrust pastry - kruche ciasto; mincemeat mięso mielone; caster shugar cukier puder; rind skórka; walnut orzech włoski pint pół kwarty = 0,568 l; level teaspoon płaska łyżeczka *** CHRISTMAS PUDDING 6 oz plain flour 1/2 level teaspoon ginger 1/2 level teaspoon mixed spice 6 oz caster (or soft brown) sugar