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One of the first things that people associate with Scotland is the kilt. The kilt is only worn by men and it is a relic of the time when the clan system existed in the Scottish Highlands. The clan was like a very large family and everyone had the same family name, like MacDonald or MacGregor (Mac means "son of). The clan had its particular territory and was governed by a chieftain. Each clan had its own tartan, which both men and women wore.
The kilt and the tartan are very much connected with Scottish history, which was a long story of struggle for independence. The highlanders from the clans took part in many rebellions against the English rule but they were defeated.
The rebels were hunted down and the clan settlements were destroyed. To break up the clans and to make people remember that they were ruled by the English, a law was passed that made it a crime to wear the tartan. The punishment was death. The tartans were no longer woven and in time were forgotten.
The ones that people can buy in the shops nowadays are new designs, different from the ones worn by the clans long ago. The old fabrics woven from local sheep's wool disappeared, and the secret of making them is lost. But the machine-made tartans are picturesque and popular. The clans are dangerous no longer.
Answer the questions on the text:
1 What was a Scottish clan like?
2 What is a kilt and by whom is it worn?
3 How can you explain the fact that Scottish names begin with Mac?
4 Why were the clan settlements in the Highlands destroyed?
5 Are the present-day tartans exact copies of the Scottish tartans of long ago?