Reading 8 form II term Text “ The Embroidered Towel”

         Reading  8 form  II term

Text  “ The Embroidered Towel”

   The towel on the wall… It’s our ancient custom. There was not a single Ukrainian house , which would not be decorates with towels. A house without a towel was compared with a family without children.  A towel symbolized not only aesthetic taste , it was a face of a house and of a hostess. The towels proved that the hostess was tidy and hard-working.

A newly-born child was handed with the towel, guests were met with bread and salt on the towel. A son , a husband, a father were seen off with the towel.  While getting married the  newly-formed family was standing on a towel too. Bread and salt on an embroidered towel were a symbol of hospitality of the Ukrainian people. To take the towel , to kiss bread symbolized unity, peace, love , understanding among people. This custom has a good tradition in our country.

Towel were used in different ceremonies and in everyday life as well: for wiping a face and hands, for drying dishes, for decorating the houses, for presenting dear people. The ornaments and colours of towels were different in different regions. A lot of songs about the embroidered towel have been created in Ukraine.

A.  Finish the sentences.

1.   There was not a single Ukrainian house, which wouldn’t be decorated with…

   a)   flowers;   b)  portraits of relatives;  c)  a towel.

2.   A newly-born child…

   a)  was wiped with the towel; b) was wrapped with the towel; c) was handed with the towel.

3.   While getting married , the newly-formed family was standing on….

   a)  a porch;   b)  a carpet;   c)  a towel.

4.   The towel in the house proved …

    a) the hostess liked to decorate the house;

     b)the hostess was tidy and hard-working;

     c) the hostess was hard-working.

5.   A house without a towel was compared with…

      a)  a garden without flowers;   b)  a family without children;  fields without wheat.

6.    The ornament and colours of towels were…

     a)  different in same regions;  b)  the same in different regions; c)  different in different regions.

B. Answer the questions.

1. How were the houses decorated with towels?

2. What did an embroidered towel prove?

3. Why were guests met with bread and salt on the towel?