Группа№1.The united kingdom of Great Britain and Northen Ireland.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northen Ireland

Geografical position

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and above five thousand small islands. Their total area is over 244 000 square kilometers. The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast respectively.

Population

Customs and traditions

Education

The UK is one of the world’s smallest countries. The population of the country is over 87 million and about 80% of it is urban. The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It’s known as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. The UK is constitutional monarchy. In law, the Head of State is the Queen, but in practice, the Queen reigns, but does not rule. The country is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

There are a lot of rivers in GB, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.

Symbols

The British Politeness

Generally British people are polite, but this way of behaviour is probably a mask for all kinds of other feelings. They may be polite partly because they are afraid of drama and of confrontation. British people are obliged by society stereotyping to be polite. They accumulate negative emotions and feelings and do not as a rule express their real feeling spontaneously. Interpersonal contacts are generally rather cool and formal. The British punctuality should be connected with this formality, but also with a kind of respect and consideration for other people that helps to avoid embarrassing confrontations.

The British royal family

Despite its ups and downs, the Royal Family has survived the installation of a Republic - from 1649-1660 - and retained a prominent place in British society.

The House of Windsor, formerly Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, succeeded the House of Hanover on the death of its last monarch, Queen Victoria. The original dynastic name of Victoria's German-born husband, Albert, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was changed to Windsor during the anti-German atmosphere of World War I by their grandson King George V.

The current head of the house, Queen Elizabeth II, who ascended to the throne in 1952, is married to Prince Philip, the Duke Of Edinburgh. Their son and heir, Prince Charles, has two sons - Prince William and Prince Harry - whose mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a car crash in 1997. When the Prince of Wales remarried, in 2005, to his longtime companion Camilla Parker-Bowles, their union met with a mixed response. Public feeling for the new Duchess of Cornwall has since warmed, however.

The official royal website can be found at www.royal.gov.uk

The flag of the UK is called

the "Union Jack".

The national flower of England is rose.The flower has been adopted as England emblem since the time of the wars of roses.

the Tudor rose of England(sometimes called the Union Rose) is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origin from the Tudor dynasty.

Popular pets

Today, half of the 24.2 millon homes in Great Britain have a pet. Cats are especially popular, there are 8 million of cats in Britain. Other popular pets are dogs, birds, rabbits, fish, guinea-pigs and hamsters.

Meals

Elevenses is a snack that is similar to afternoon tea, but eaten in the morning. It is generally less savoury than brunch, and might consist of some cake or biscuits with a cup of coffee or tea.

Afternoon tea, is a small meal snack typically eaten between 2pm and 5pm. The custom of afternoon tea originated in England in the 1840s.

Traditionally, loose tea is brewed in a teapot and served with milk and sugar. For laborers, the tea was sometimes accompanied by a small sandwich or baked good (such as scones). For the more privileged, afternoon tea was accompanied by luxury ingredient sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, fish paste, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with clotted cream and jam) and usually cakes and pastries (such as Battenberg, fruit cake or Victoria sponge).

Nowadays, a formal afternoon tea is usually taken as a treat in a hotel or tea shop. In everyday life, many Britons take a much simpler refreshment consisting of tea (and occasionally biscuits) as one of many short tea breaks throughout the day.

High tea (also known as meat tea) is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5pm and 7pm. It is now largely followed by a lighter meal later in the evening.

High tea typically consists of a hot dish such as fish and chips, shepherd's pie, or macaroni cheese, followed by cakes and bread, butter and jam. Occasionally there would be cold cuts of meat, such as ham salad. Traditionally high tea was eaten by middle to upper class children (whose parents would have a more formal dinner later) or by labourers, miners and the like when they came home from work.

In its origin, the term “high tea” was used as a way to distinguish it from afternoon tea. It is stated that the words 'low' and 'high' refer to the tables from which either meal was eaten. Afternoon tea was served in the garden where possible; otherwise it was usually taken in a day room, library or salon where low tables (like a coffee table) were placed near sofas or chairs generally.

British Museum

This is one of the greatest museums

in the world and millions of people visit

it every year. It is famous for its incredible

Ancient Egyptian Hall, beatiful sculptures

from the Parthenon in Athens and thousands

of objects from all over the world. it has

over 94 galleries.

Madam Tussaud’s is the most popular museum in the world. There are wax models of the famous and infamous, both living and dead, from every walk of life. There is no other place where you can see all the celebrities at once.

The museum is situated in Marylebone Road, not far from the street which is famous as the home of the first great detective in fiction, Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.

Many tourists come to London to visit the museum.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the Queen's official and main royal London home. It has been the official London residence of Britain's monarchy since 1837. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to live there. Buckingham Palace is not only the home of the Queen and Prince Philip but also the London residence of the Duke of York (Prince Andrew) and the Earl and Countess of Wessex (Prince Edward and his wife) and their daughter. Buckingham Palace is used also for the administrative work for the monarchy. It is here in the state apartments that Her Majesty receives and entertains guests invited to the Palace.

The London Eye

The London Eye is a 135 metres (442.9 ft) tall giant Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames, in London, England. It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually. The London Eye is located at the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Lambeth, between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The site is adjacent to that of the former Dome of Discovery, which was built for the Festival of Britain in 1951.

Famous cities and towns

Oxford

Higher Education

OXBRIDGE

HISTORY

Of the two universities Oxford is the oldest. Nobody knows for sure when it was founded but teaching was already going on there by the early 12th century. Life was hard at Oxford at that time because there was constant trouble, even fighting, between the townspeople and the students. Then one day a student accidentally killed a man of the town. The Mayor arrested three other students who were innocent, and by order of King John they were hanged. In protest, many students and teachers left Oxford and settled in another little town, and so the University of Cambridge was born.

Since then there has been constant friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge.

AMAZING FACTS

• In the early centuries, Oxford and Cambridge were the only universities in the country - if you wanted a uni­versity education, that's where you went. But in those days student life was very different from what it is now. Students were not allowed to play games, to sing or to dance and all the lessons were in Latin!

• Until the late 19th century, only men were allowed to be students at the two universities.

• Both Oxford and Cambridge students refer to each other as 'the other place'. Oxonians sometimes call Cambridge 'a pale imitation of the real thing'. (Cambridge's colours are light blue). Cantabrigians (people of Cambridge) refer to Oxford as 'the dark side' (Oxford's colours are dark blue).

LOTS AND LOTS OF COLLEGES

It might seem strange to you but there isn't really any university at Oxford or Cambridge. Oxbridge is made up of independent colleges. The 'University' is just an administrative body that organises lectures, arranges exams, gives degrees, etc.

Today, there are 70 colleges at Oxbridge, and

each college has its name, its coat of arms

and its own buildings, including a chapel, a

library, a dining hall and rooms for students

to live in. Each college has its own character

and its own traditions.

As well as the college libraries, there are

two university libraries. They have the right

to have a free copy of every book published

in Britain.

TEACHING SYSTEM

Each Oxbridge college has its own staff, known as 'Fellows'. The Fellows teach the college students either one-to-one or in very small groups (known as 'tutorials' in Oxford and 'supervisions' in Cambridge). This system of teaching is one of the ways in which Oxford and Cambridge differ from other universities.

Students also go to lectures that are arranged by the University and are open to all students.

The normal length of the degree course is three years, after which the students take the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Some courses, such as medicine or languages, may be one or two years longer. The students may work for other degrees as well.

SPORT

Sport is a very important part of Oxbridge life. Colleges within each university often compete with each other in various tournaments (for example, rowing, punting, chess, etc), but will happily pool their talent to form university teams for competitions against the greater 'enemy' (Oxford or Cambridge as the case may be). The most famous competition between the two universities is the Boat Race, a rowing race which takes place every year on the River Thames. It's a popular national event and is shown on television.

Eton:

The Factory of Gentlemen

Eton is a very old school. It was founded by King Henry VI in 1440 (who was only 18 at that time). Henry's aim was to give education to 70 poor boys so that they could then go to Cambridge University (which was founded at the same time). He wrote that the chosen boys should 'have a good character, be good at reading, Latin grammar and singing'. They were not allowed 'to carry swords or knives, to keep monkeys, bears and badgers', and if they 'behaved badly, married, or became monks', they had to leave.

Life in the early days of Eton was hard. The boys had to get up at 5 o'clock in the morning and wash outside with cold water, rats ran free about the college, and all the lessons were in Latin.

Today, Eton College has 1,290 boys aged 13-18. It has become the largest and most prestigious public school in Britain. It's a very expensive school, too. You have to pay more than £25,000 a year to study there, so Eton's students are mainly from rich families. But you don't automatically get into Eton even if you have money. You have to pass entrance exams first!

A lot of famous people have been to Eton, including the novelists Henry Fielding, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Percy Shelley and Ian Fleming, 18 British prime ministers, and, in recent years, Prince William and Prince Harry. Two important Etonians in British politics today are David Cameron, the leader of the Conser¬vative Party, and Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London.

Men who have been educated at Eton are called 'Old Etonians' and they often want to send their sons to Eton too. As soon as a son is born some parents 'put his name down for Eton' (tell the school that they want him to study at Eton).

Just like Harry Potter's Hogwarts, Eton is a boarding school where boys live and study away from home.

When a boy comes to Eton he joins a 'house' of 50 boys. This house will be the hub of his life for the next five years.

Each boy has his own small room with a bed and desk which he can decorate as he likes (within limits, of course) and where he can entertain his friends. Having your own room from the first day at school (even if you are only 13) is central to Eton's philosophy. The teachers want their students to think independently, organise their own lives and take responsibility for themselves.

Each house is under the care of a house master, who looks after the boys, supports them and, if necessary, makes sure they behave themselves. The house master is supported by a dame, who looks after the boys' health and helps them with personal matters. There are a number of important senior boys with responsibilities in the house, too. They will do their best to make sure a boy enjoys his time in the house and takes part in Eton's activities: games, plays, concerts, musical and debating competitions, and so on.

Eton students wear a strange old-fashioned school uniform. It consists of a black tailcoat (or morning coat), black pin-striped trousers, a black waistcoat, well-polished black shoes, a false-collar and a white tie. This uniform is not for special occasions, it is worn at all times and if you visit Eton, you'll see the boys walking around the campus in these strange clothes. In the past Eton students also wore a top-hat and a walking-cane.

There are some variations in the school dress of important senior boys with responsibilities. The members of Pop (a small group of 21 elected prefects) are allowed to wear any colourful waistcoat and a white bow-tie. Prince William, for example, liked to wear a waistcoat made from the British flag.

Teachers also wear a uniform, consisting of a white bow-tie, black jacket and striped trousers.

Quality Education

With its combination of excellent teachers and small classes, Eton gives its students a very good education. A personal tutor looks after the progress of every boy. When students leave Eton, they usually go to top universities, such as Oxford or Cambridge. Although the college looks old-fashioned, it is very well-equipped and has state-of the-art laboratories. Every boy has a lap-top computer, and a network connects all classrooms and all boys’ bedrooms to the Internet.

Languages are very important at Eton. Every boy takes at least two modern languages chosen from French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. Students also study Latin for at least one year and many choose to study Greek as well. Outside the main timetable they may choose Chinese or Arabic.

The academic year starts at the end of September and has three terms. The year finishes with the exams in early June.

Societies

There are about fifty societies and clubs at Eton. Whatever your interest - music, photography, design, astronomy, computing, electronics, Scottish dancing, stamp collecting, cinema - there'll be a club for you.

The college has a fantastic art school (Prince Harry's favourite), a music school with many bands, orchestras and choirs and even its own recording studio. Eton is also famous

for its theatre. More than 20 productions - from classics and musicals to the latest plays - are staged at Eton every year. Every third year there is a School Play Festival for the performance of

new plays written by boys and teachers. As well as acting, writing, and directing, boys build the sets and make lighting and sound effects for the shows. Senior boys may take part in military training. Both Prince William and Prince Harry were members of Eton cadet forces.

Sports

The Duke of Wellington once said that The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton'. The college is very strong in the area of sports. Students can do 30 different sports including rugby, football, cricket, rowing, hockey, basketball, swimming and many others. It even has its own sports, played at no other schools: the wall game and the field game (forms of football).

There is an excellent golf course, an indoor swimming pool and one of the best rowing lakes in the world, Dorney Lake. This will be the site of the rowing events in the 2012 Olympics.

Strict Discipline

The author Evelyn Waugh once said, 'Anyone who has been to an English public school will feel comparatively at home in prison.'

Until 1983 Eton was renowned for 'flogging' and 'fagging'. You can see the birches and canes used by the teachers (and sometimes senior boys) at the Museum of Eton Life. It was a public ceremony which usually took place in the library. One headmaster, John Keate, managed to beat 80 boys publicly on one day!

Fags were first-year boys who were the personal servants of older boys and had tasks like stoking the fire in their room, warming up a toilet seat, etc.

All 'flogging' and 'fagging' is now forbidden but discipline is still very strict at Eton.

Eton Slang

Like in many other public schools, students at Eton use a special language. Teachers are

called 'beaks' and lessons are called 'schools'. There are three terms a year at Eton, but strangely enough, each of the three terms is called a 'half.

Here are just a few more examples of Eton slang:

popper - prefect (member of Pop)

dry bob- cricket-player

wet bob - rower

to sock - to eat

sock-shop - sweet shop

tap- school bar

Russian at Eton College

Peter Reznikov was appointed Head of Russian and Teacher of French at Eton College in 1998, with the task of bringing new ideas to teaching of Russian at this famous school. In fourteen years Peter has certainly revitalized Russian at Eton. In 1998 there were just a handful of boys learning the language. Now there are 135 boys on Russian courses from beginners to AS and A2 and Cambridge Pre-U levels, there are two teachers of Russian and a full time Russian language assistant. There is a flourishing Slavonic Society with fortnightly meetings, a popular “Red Army” football team, and a trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg for boys in Year 11. The prestigious annual Duke of Newcastle Russian Prize is awarded to the strongest Russianist at Eton, with an external adjudicator from a UK university.

Tourist

attractions

in Britain

Tower of London

In the 11th century William the Conqueror built a fortress here to quard the entrance to London.You can see London's Beefeaters and the Crown Jewels,theworld's best collection of precious objects.Experience the atmosphere of the Bloody Tower,where British kings and queens imprisoned somany famous historical figures.You can see any ghosts on Tower Green?

London Olympics 2012

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012, followed by the 2012 Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September.

This will be the third time London has hosted the games having also done so in 1908 and 1948.

Discover more about the history of London Olympics.

The 2012 Olympics will take place in a host of new venues as well as using existing and historic facilities. Many of the new facilities will be reused and the plans are part of the regeneration of Stratford and Lower Lea Valley in east London.

The logo for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics was unveiled in a star-studded ceremony in London in June 2007. The jagged emblem, based on the date 2012, comes in a series of shades of pink, blue, green and orange and will evolve in the run-up to the Games. The word London and the Olympic rings are included in the first two digits of the new logo.

The British Parliament

The British Parliament sits in one building which is called the Palace of Westminster. It is also called the Houses of Parliament because there are two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

In the House of Commons members of Parliament make all the important decisions and work on bills. They represent all people in the country. They are elected every five years.

The Prime Minister is in the House of Commons too. The Prime Minister is the head of government in the United Kingdom.

Some people in the House of Lords inherit their places from their fathers and grandfathers. They’re hereditary peers. Some people in the House of Lords are life peers. They get the title “Lord” or “Lady” for their personal achievements. In the House of Lords people talk about the bills before they become laws.

The Queen is the head of state.

Parliament

Age And The Law:

Some Facts About Britain

Children have to stay at school until the age of 16.

There is no upper age limit.

In Scotland, you can be

prosecuted for a crime

at the age of 8. In England and Wales, the age is 10. You can't

be sent to prison until you are 21.

You have to be 18 to buy alcohol

in a shop or a pub, but if you are 16 and you are having a meal in a pub, you can drink beer or wine with it.

Men can join the army at 16, women at 17. If you are under 18, you need your parents' consent.

16-year-olds can ride a motorbike.

At 17 you can ride a car.

You can smoke cigarettes at any age, but you can't go into a shop and buy them until you are 16.

You can get married at 16 with your parents' consent.

Otherwise you have to wait till you are 18.

You can take a part-time job at 13,

and a full-time job at 16 (i.e. when you've

left school.

Women can retire on full pension at 60.

Men have to wait till they are 65.

Anyone aged 18 or over can vote in a general election.

The minimum age for becoming a Member of Parliament is 21. The youngest person to become an MP in the 20th century was Bernadette Devlin, who was elected a week before her 22nd birthday.

"Beatles"

Bob Marley

• He wore dreadlocks. He sang of revolution, revelation and romance. His concerts were almost mystical events, with whole arenas standing and dancing to the rhythms of his songs. Phrases such as 'get up, stand up, stand up for

your rights' became mottos for his many admirers.

• Bob Marley was born in 1945 to a black mother and a while father, who left home before Bob was born. He lived with his mother in a small Jamaican village until he was ten years old. Then they moved to Trenchtown, a poor district in Kingston, Jamaica' s capital. Living conditions in Trenchtown were very hard. Poverty as well as ambition drove Bob to make music, and escape from Trenchtown. His professional career began in 1962 when he made his first singles ' Judge not' and ' One Cup of Coffee' . These singles didn' t do well but that didn' t discourage him. In 1963, Bob and his close friends joined together to form a band. At first they called themselves ' The Teenagers' but then changed the name to ' The Wailing Wailers' , and finally to ' The Wailers' . Very soon the group became a sensation in Jamaica.

• In 1966 he went to the USA. It was at this time that Bob Marley became a Rastafarian and started to wear his famous dreadlocks. The Rastafarians believed that Jesus Christ would soon return and that all black people must go back to Africa. Marley was becoming more and more interested in this religion and his music reflected this. It was thought that reggae sold only on cheap singles. The Wailers' first album, 'Catch a Fire', broke all the rules: it was beautifully packed and professionally promoted.
• By 1975, when the single 'No Woman No Cry' reached the charts, the Wailers had con¬quered Britain.
• By 1979, Bob Marley and the Wailers had conquered every corner of the world. The future looked bright for Marley, but during his tour of America in 1980, he suddenly fell ill. Doctors diagnosed cancer. As a Rastafarian, he didn't believe in western medicine and refused an operation. Marley fought the disease for eight months and died in a Miami Hospital on May 11, 1981. He was only 36 years old.

One love, one heart

Let's get together and feel all right

Hear the children crying (One love)

Hear the children crying (One heart)

Sayin', 'Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right."

Sayin', "Let's get together and feel all right."

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa

Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (One love)

There is one question I'd really love to ask (One heart)

Is there a place for the hopeless sinner

Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?

Believe me

One love, one heart

Let's get together and feel all right

As it was in the beginning (One love)

So shall it be in the end (One heart)

Alright, 'Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right."

"Let's get together and feel all right."

One more thing

Let's get together to fight this Holy Armageddon (One love)

So when the Man comes there will be no, no doom (One song)

Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner

There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation

Sayin', 'One love, one heart

Let's get together and feel all right."

I'm pleading to mankind (One love)

Oh, Lord (One heart) Whoa.

'Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right."

Let's get together and feel all right.

(Repeat)

British Teenage

Magazines

Two of the most popular magazines for girls are 'Sugar' and 'Bliss'. They have glossy, colourful covers and include beauty and fashion, celebrity and gossip, real life stories, horoscopes, quizzes and problem pages.

Boys don't find these magazines very interesting. Instead, they buy magazines like 'NME' or magazines about sport, like 'Shoot' or 'Match'. Usually, teenage magazines might use 'celeb' instead of 'celebrity, 'lads' instead of 'boys' and 'dosh' instead of 'money'. This language makes the magazines more attractive to teenagers and easier to understand.

On a more serious note though, a lot of magazines can help teens find solutions to problems they don't feel comfortable discussing with their parents. In fact, many teenagers buy them just for the problem page.

How about you? What do you like most in magazines?

British Superstitious

• The number 13 is very unlucky and

Friday the 13th is a very unlucky date.

• A horseshoe over the door of a new house brings good luck.

But it must be the right way up. The luck runs out of a

horseshoe if it's upside down.

• A black cat crossing your path will bring you good luck.

• It's extremely unlucky to break a mirror.

It means 7 years of bad luck.

• It,s unlucky to put new shoes on the table.

It's lucky to touch wood, If you feel you've said something that is tempting fate, touch some item of wood with the right hand.

• It's extremely unlucky to walk under a ladder propped against a wall or building. but if you must pass under a ladder, you can avoid bad luck by crossing your fingers and keeping them crossed until you see a dog. Another remedy is ti spit on your shor and leave the spittle to dry.

• Burning cheeks or ears mean someone is talking about you. It's a friend if your left cheek is burning. It's an enemy if your right cheek is burning.

• It's very bad luck to open an umbrella in the house - it will either bring misfortune to the person who has opened it or to those who live in the house.

• It's unlucky to spill salt. If you do, you must take a pinch and throw it over your left shoulder.

• Clover usually has three leaves, but a few have four.

A clover with four leaves is supposed to bring good luck.

• It's bad luck to see one magpie. However, it's lucky to see two.

London Zoo, officially known as ZSL London Zoo, is situated in Regent's Park in central London, and covers 36 acres. It was opened in 1828, making it the oldest scientific zoo in the world. Owned and operated by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), it is a charity dedicated to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. ZSL also owns Whipsnade Zoo, and together the two zoos contain over 17,000 animals, and over 650 different species.

London Zoo

WWF news

Snow leopards and prey thriving in Bhutan's protected areas: there's lots to do to keep them safe from threats of poaching and climate change.

London parks and gardens

The capital 's parks have been described as 'the lungs of London'. They provide a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of the city's streets for visitors, residents and workers.

Take a look at Hyde Park on a hot summer's weekday. At lunchtime it will be packed with people taking a break from work and enjoying the sunshine whilst eating their sandwiches.

Although most of us have heard of London's major parks like Hyde Park, Regents Park and St James's Park, the capital contains many more, most of which provide welcome open space for residents.

Parks, gardens, and churchyards abound in Inner London. The most celebrated parklands are the six royal parks that sweep through London's West End: St. James's Park, oldest of the six central royal parks, bordered on the north by the half-mile-long Mall that terminates at the Queen Victoria Memorial; Buckingham Palace Gardens, bordered on the east by the royal residence; Green Park, plainest of the royal parks but fringed on the east by lavish, once-private buildings; Hyde Park, with its famous Speakers' Corner for soapbox orators; the more elegant Kensington Gardens, with the Victorian Gothic Albert Memorial and an 80-acre (32-hectare) cultural centre; and Regent's Park, home of the Zoological Gardens and Regent's (Grand Union) Canal.

The English gardens presented an idealized view of nature. The English garden usually included a lake, sweeps of gently rolling lawns set against groves of trees, and recreations of classical temples, Gothic ruins, bridges, and other picturesque architecture, designed to recreate an idyllic pastoral landscape.

English Stereotypes

Stereotyping is believing that people of a certain group, race or religion all have the same characteristics when they don't.

What are the first three things which come into your mind when you hear the words 'England' or 'the English?

The most common image people have of a typical Englishman is a man wearing a bowler hat and reading the Times newspaper.

Bowler hats are very rarely seen in England today.

When I think of the English, I think of .........

"Beer, honesty, Bulldog-type, Royal Family, Cricket, the Weather"

- Dickie Bird (Famous English cricket umpire)

"Long shadows on county cricket grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers and old maids bicycling through the morning mist"

- John Major (Ex Prime Minister )

"Gardening, warm beer, stiff upper lip, double-decker buses, Morris dancing "

"Saying the words 'splendid' and 'terribly' and old fashioned words/phrases like 'cheerio', 'spiffing' etc, ''

We don't say these words!

"England is a land of beer, football and bad weather."

Contrary to popular belief, it DOES NOT rain every day in England!

"Patriotic people, some think we are snobs but we are just proud of our country and Queen. We are very polite and patient although as in any country, there are the bad eggs. But on the whole we are a very pleasant nation."

Tom Eccles aged 13.

"People think the English are no good at learning foreign languages and have the attitude that if they yell loud enough in English the "foreigners" will evertually understand them... "

English painters

John Constable

John Constable (11 June 1776 – 31 March 1837) was an English Romantic painter. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for his landscape paintings of Dedham Vale, the area surrounding his home—now known as "Constable Country"—which he invested with an intensity of affection. "I should paint my own places best", he wrote to his friend John Fisher in 1821, "painting is but another word for feeling".[2]

His most famous paintings include Dedham Vale of 1802 and The Hay Wain of 1821. Although his paintings are now among the most popular and valuable in British art, he was never financially successful and did not become a member of the establishment until he was elected to the Royal Academy at the age of 52. He sold more paintings in France than in his native England.

Joshua Reynolds

Sir Joshua Reynolds RA FRS FRSA (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an influential 18th-century English painter, specialising in portraits and promoting the "Grand Style" in painting which depended on idealization of the imperfect. He was one of the founders and first President of the Royal Academy. King George III appreciated his merits and knighted him in 1769.

Thomas Gainsborough

Thomas Gainsborough (christened 14 May 1727 – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter. He was born the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver in Suffolk, and, in 1740, left home to study art in London with Hubert Gravelot, Francis Hayman, and William Hogarth. In 1746, he married Margaret Burr, and the couple became the parents of two daughters. He moved to Bath in 1759 where fashionable society patronised him, and he began exhibiting in London. In 1769, he became a founding member of the Royal Academy, but his relationship with the organisation was thorny and he sometimes withdrew his work from exhibition. Gainsborough moved to London in 1774, and painted portraits of the King and Queen, but the King was obliged to name as royal painter Gainsborough's rival Joshua Reynolds. In his last years, Gainsborough painted relatively simple landscapes and is credited (with Richard Wilson) as the originator of the 18th century British landscape school. Gainsborough died of cancer in 1788 and is interred at St. Anne's Church, Kew, Surrey. He painted quickly and his later pictures are characterised by a light palette and easy strokes. He preferred landscapes to portraits. Cecil Kellaway portrayed Gainsborough in the 1945 film Kitty.

English gardens

Portrait of Admiral Augustus Keppel (1725-1786)

Lady Caroline Howard, 1778

Mrs. Sarah Siddons (1785)

Margaret Burr (1728–1797), the artist's wife, c. early 1770s

Maria Bicknell, painted by Constable in 1816

The Cornfield (1826)

Statistics

Different types of schools

School grades

Most children enter the public education system around ages five or six. The American school year traditionally begins at the end of August or the day after Labor Day in September, after the traditional summer recess. Children are assigned into year groups known as grades, beginning with preschool, followed by kindergarten and culminating in twelfth grade. Children customarily advance together from one grade to the next as a single cohort or "class" upon reaching the end of each school year in late May or early June.

The American educational system comprises 12 grades of study over 12 calendar years of primary and secondary education before graduating and becoming eligible for college admission.[13] After pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, there are five years in [13] primary school (normally known as elementary school). After completing five grades, the student will enter junior high or middle school and then high school to get the high school diploma.[13]

The U.S. uses ordinal numbers (e.g., first grade) for naming grades rather than the cardinal numbers (e.g., grade one) frequently used in Canada and Australia. Typical ages and grade groupings in public and private schools may be found through the U.S. Department of Education.[14] Many different variations exist across the country.

In the year 2000, there were 76.6 million students enrolled in schools from kindergarten through graduate schools. Of these, 72 percent aged 12 to 17 were judged academically "on track" for their age (enrolled in school at or above grade level). Of those enrolled in compulsory education, 5.2 million (10.4 percent) were attending private schools.

Among the country's adult population, over 85 percent have completed high school and 27 percent have received a bachelor's degree or higher. The average salary for college or university graduates is greater than $51,000, exceeding the national average of those without a high school diploma by more than $23,000, according to a 2005 study by the U.S. Census Bureau.[5] The 2010 unemployment rate for high school graduates was 10.8%; the rate for college graduates was 4.9%.[6]

The country has a reading literacy rate at 99% of the population over age 15,[7] while ranking below average in science and mathematics understanding compared to other developed countries.[8] In 2008, there was a 77% graduation rate from high school, below that of most developed countries.[9]

The poor performance has pushed public and private efforts such as the No Child Left Behind Act. In addition, the ratio of college-educated adults entering the workforce to general population (33%) is slightly below the mean of other developed countries (35%)[10] and rate of participation of the labor force in continuing education is high.[11] A 2000s study by Jon Miller of Michigan State University concluded that "A slightly higher proportion of American adults qualify as scientifically literate than European or Japanese adults".[12]

over 100 years old

American Education

Elena Grigorouk is working here

Our ultimate goal has always been People living in harmony with nature- so we are about respecting and valuing the natural world and finding ways to share the Earth's recources fairly.

English learning information

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey was founded in AD960 as a Benedictine monastery. This was when most European Christians were Roman Catholic, but following the Reformation in the 16th century the Church of England was formed. Many traditions remain in the Abbey but services are conducted in English, and not Latin.

Westminster Abbey is the nation's Coronation Church and also the burial and memorial place for historical figures from the last thousand years of British history.

• It's unlucky to take the last piece of bread on the plate.

• It,s a bad luck to pick up scissors that you have dropped.

Here are some superstitious with long traditions.

Some of them are similar to Russian ones, others are different.

• It's unlucky to meet or pass someone on the stairs.

If it's unavoidable, cross your fingers.

Music

WWF isn't just about saving endangered animals. we care about how all life on Earth shares our unique planet.

WWF UK

Prosecution

School-leaving Age

Alcohol

Motor Vehicles

From left: Prince William, The Duchess of Cornwall, Ellen Mountbatten, Prince Charles, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II, The Countess of Wessex, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne and Tim Laurence

Marriage

Armed Forces

Smoking

Voting

Retirement Age

Paid Job

Entering Parliament

http://support.wwf.org.uk/?page=shop&pid=20

How to become a member

Education in Britain is compulsory and free for all children between the ages of 5-16. About 93 percent of all children are educated in state schools and the rest attend private schools.

Eating manners

The British generally pay a lot of attention to good table manners. Even young children are expected to eat properly with knife and fork.

They eat most of their food with cutlery. The food they don't eat with a knife, fork or spoon include sandwiches, crisps, corn on the cob, and fruit.

Always chew and swallow all the food in your mouth before taking more or taking a drink.

If you cannot eat a certain type of food or have some special needs, tell your host several days before the dinner party.

If you are a guest, it is polite to wait until your host starts eating or indicates you should do so. It shows consideration

You may eat chicken and pizza with your fingers if you are at a barbecue, finger buffet or very informal setting. Otherwise always use a knife and fork.

Things you should do:

Teatime in the UK

The British isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. The surface of the British Isles varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called Highlands, while the south, which has beautiful valleys and plains, is called Lowlands. The north and west of England are mountainous, but all the rest - east, center and southeast - is a vast plain. Mountains are not very high. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain. (1343)

On formal dining occasions it is good manners to take some butter from the butter dish with your bread knife and put it on your side plate (for the roll). Then butter pieces of the roll using this butter. This prevents the butter in the dish getting full of bread crumbs as it is passed around.

Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and most prestigious universities in Britain. Known together as 'Oxbridge' (the word was invented by Lewis Carroll, the author of 'Alice in Wonderland' and a lecturer in mathematics at Oxford), they have been chosen as national icons.

135 m high

Education is an important part of British life. There are hundreds of schools, colleges and universities, including some of the most famous in the world.

Education is free and compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 - 16. Some children are educated at home rather than in school.

Children's education in England is normally divided into two separate stages. They begin with primary education at the age of five and this usually lasts until they are eleven. Then they move to secondary school, there they stay until they reach sixteen, seventeen or eighteen years of age.

Find out what year (grade) you would be in England.

Teachers in primary schools ( 4 - 11 year olds) are always addressed by their surname by parents and pupils alike, always Mr, Mrs or Miss Smith.…. In secondary schools (11 - 16 years), teachers are usually addressed as Miss or Sir.

SOCIETIES

There are lots and lots of societies at Oxbridge: debating clubs, drama societies, philosophy societies, language clubs, political clubs of all colours, cinema clubs, in fact, for almost every activity under the sun!

Education in Britain is compulsory and free for all children between the ages of 5-16. About 93 percent of all children are educated in state schools and the rest attend private schools.

Population

Primary School

Mass media

In 2001, the population of the United Kingdom was recorded at just under 59 million people.

Schoolchildren attend a primary school for 6 years (5 to 11 years). When students transfer to Secondary School at the age of 11, they do not take any examination, but their reports are sent on from the Primary School.

The population is very unequally distributed over the four parts of the UK:

England more or less constantly makes up 84% of the total population, Wales around 5%, Scotland roughly 8.5 %, and Northern Ireland (since 1921) less than 3%

rainbow rescue

Mid-2010 estimate 62,262,000

Tom from McFly and Carrie Fletcher sing the London 2012 mascots song

Eton College is probably the most famous school in the world. It has educated boys (there are no girls at Eton) for nearly six centuries! It's located in the small town of Eton, next to Windsor which is famous for Windsor Castle. Find out some interesting facts about the school where Prince William and Prince Harry studied.

Motto: Floreat Etona

Life at Eton

Boris Johnson

History

Famous Etonians

out of a rainbow

adventures on a rainbow

(cc) photo by theaucitron on Flickr

Dress Code

Peter Reznikov

The history of London Bus

Oxford

Its history goes back to twentieth century. Buses play a big role in the public transport of the United Kingdom.

Double-decker buses are as common a sight in the United Kingdom, as the old red telephone boxes and black city cabs.

The name bus came from the Latin word omnibus which means "for everyone". These buses are for large amounts of people and they are also designed to be available and possible for all people to use.

The first omnibus service in the United Kingdom was started by John Greenwood in 1824.

In 1829 George Shillibeer started the first omnibus service in London, operating his horse drawn omnibus service. Buses have conductors and have been dressed in “blue cloth uniform” and cut like midshipman.

A horse-drawn buses has one horse or a team of horses, but then they have been replaced by automobiles.

Horse buses became bigger, and double deck buses were introduced in the 1850s.

A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. While double-decker long-distance coaches are used around the world, double-decker city buses are less common. Some double-deckers used in short sightseeing tours for tourists, as William Gladstone says, "The way to see London is from the top of a 'bus".