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Britain and Brits

Preparation
1. Reading
Each part of the text contains a false statement about Britain. Underline these statements and correct them.

An Island State

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) occupies all the territory of the British Isles. It consists of four main parts which are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the official name of the state which is sometimes referred to as Great Britain or Britain (after its major isle), England (after its major historic part) or British Isles. But there is one more name: Albion. Two thousand years ago, in the year 55 B.C. Julius Caesar struggling forward on his galley to the unknown land saw white cliffs. “The land behind them must be white too. We shall call it Albion,” said he. Alba in Latin means white, and the name Albion remains to this day.

Population

The population of the UK is nearly 59 million people. The population lives mostly in towns and cities and their suburbs. Four out of every five people live in towns. The population has remained relatively stable but has aged.
English is the only language people use in the UK. English is the official language. Besides standard literary English there are many regional and social dialects. A well-known example is the cockney of East Londoners.

Key:
1. The UK occupies all the territory of the British Isles. (The UK occupies the most territory of the British Isles: some 5,500 islands, large and small. There is one more state on the British Isles – Irish Republic.)
2. English is the only language people use in the UK. (Some people speak Gaelic in Scotland and Welsh in Wales.)

2. Use of English
Read these short dialogues and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.
1
• What do you imagine when you think of Britain and (1)________ people?
• The only country that has no climate, hedges, the oldest (2)__________, the Beatles and Princess Diana.
2
• What do you (3)________ when you speak about “lifestyle”?
• I think it’s the way of living, including the (4)______ of home one lives in, the things one owns, the kind of job one has and activities (5)_____ enjoys.
3
• Buckingham Palace is open to public all year (6)_____. Is that so?
• I’m (7)_______ you are wrong. The state rooms of Buckingham Palace are open to public for two months a year with walks through the Throne Room, the Music Room and the State Dining Room.
4
• (8)_______ you tell me about historical ceremonies in Great Britain?
• What about exactly?
• The State Opening of Parliament.
• Traditionally the Queen (9)_____ Parliament every autumn. She makes the speech from the Throne saying what the government plans to (10)______. At the State Opening of Parliament the Queen wears a crown and crown jewels.

Key: 1. its; 2. Underground; 3. mean; 4. kind/type/sort; 5. one; 6. round; 7. afraid/sure/certain; 8. Could/Can;
9. opens; 10. do

3. Complete the text using the correct form (present simple, present participle, past participle) of the verbs above.
study memorize call look want
know spend climb get have

Black Cabs

The black London taxi cab is another traditional symbol of London. It (1)______ old-fashioned and clumsy but in fact it’s comfortable and speedy. Besides, London taxi drivers (2)______ the city very well. They (3)_______ up to two years (4)______ and (5)_______ 25,000 streets, as well as the location of hospitals, hotels, theatres, clubs, museums, etc. Then they (6)______ to pass a very difficult test (7)_____ “The Knowledge”. So when you (8)_____ into the famous black cab you can be absolutely sure that it’ll (9)______ you wherever you (10)_____ and by the quickest possible route.

Key: 1. looks; 2. know; 3. spend; 4. studying; 5. memorizing; 6. have; 7. called; 8. climb; 9. get; 10. want

TEST

1. Reading
Each part of the text contains a false statement about Britain. Underline these statements and correct them.

The Commonwealth

Once the British Empire included a large number of countries all over the world ruled by Britain. The process of decolonisation began in 1947 with the independence of India, Pakistan and Ceylon. Now, there is no longer an empire. But the UK tried not to lose influence over its former colonies. An association of former members of the British Empire and Britain was founded in 1949. It is called the Commonwealth. It includes many countries such as Ireland, the Sudan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others. Though the Queen of Great Britain is the Head of the Commonwealth she is not the Queen of Canada, Australia and New Zealand as many people think.

Oxbridge

Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and most prestigious universities in Great Britain. They are often collectively called Oxbridge. Both universities are independent. Most of their students are former public schools leavers.
The universities are only for men. Many great men studied at Cambridge, among them Roger Bacon, the philosopher, Oliver Cromwell, the soldier, Newton, the scientist, and Kapitza, the famous Russian physicist.

Key:
1. Though the Queen of Great Britain is the Head of the Commonwealth she is not the Queen of Canada, Australia and New Zealand as many people think. (The Queen of Great Britain is also the Head of the Commonwealth and so the Queen of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.)
2. The universities are only for men.( In Oxford there are now twenty-four colleges for men, five for women and another five which have both men and women members. Cambridge University was only for men until 1871.)

2. Use of English
Read these short dialogues and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.
1
• (1)______ makes a person upper class?
• (2)______ of all his or her family background, education, political opinions and even the right kind of accent.
• Education? Right accent? What do you mean?
• The schools such (3)____ Eton, Harrow give (4)_____ pupils self-confidence, the right accent, a good academic background and perhaps, (5)_______ important of all, the right friends and contacts.
• I see, “the old boy network”.

(old boy network – чувство дружбы, взаимопомощи, основанное на принадлежности к одной и той же школе)
2
• Public schools… I think it’s rather confusing to call
(6)_______ schools public because these are the schools for privileged students.
• You are (7)_____right. But these schools accept pupils on the basis of an (8)_____, known as Common Entrance. Nothing (9)____ impossible for a willing heart.
3
• Do you know what the best (10)_______ streets in London are?
• Yes, I’ve read about them. They are Whitehall with important Government (11)_____, Downing Street, the London residence of the Prime Minister and the place (12)______ the Cabinet meets, Fleet Street where most newspapers had their offices (13)______ the 1980s, Harley Street where (14)______ highest-paid doctors live and some others.
4
• I know that some structure has (15)______ built in London to celebrate the end of the 20th century and the (16)________ of the 21st century. Do you know its (17)_______?
• Yes. I’ve read about it. The Millenium Dome. It is very large with a round roof. It’s (18)______ exhibitions.

Key: 1. What; 2. First; 3. as; 4. their; 5. most; 6. these; 7. quite; 8. examination; 9. is; 10. known; 11. offices; 12. where; 13. until; 14. the; 15. been; 16. beginning; 17. name; 18. for

3. Complete the text using these words and word combinations.
wrong of the road hated should to the left
upon a time right conquered to make it first

London Traffic

Traffic in London differs from that of the Continent. In England they keep (1)________ but not to the right. In England people say: “If you go left you go (2)______. If you go right, you go (3)______.”
They say that once (4)______ people kept to any side (5)______ they liked. But then they decided (6)_______ a rule to keep to the left. As Napoleon (7)_________ the British very much, he decided (8)_______ that in France the people (9)_________ keep to the other side. And later on in all countries which he (10)__________ he made the traffic keep to the right.

Key:
1. to the left; 2. right; 3. wrong; 4. upon a time; 5. of the road; 6. to make it; 7. hated; 8. first; 9. should; 10. conquered