UNIT 1

THE UNITED KINGDOM

1. 1. THE UNITED KINGDOM

1.1.1. Introduction

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern

Full name
Ireland
Capital London
Major languages English, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic
Type of
Constitutional monarchy
Government
Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Establishment 1801
Area 244,820 km² (94,526 sq miles)
Population 60.2 million (National Statistic, 2006)
Currency Pound sterling (£) (GBP)
The United Kingdom is officially called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland. It is also often known as Britain or just the UK.
The United Kingdom is situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe. It
is surrounded by the North Sea, the English Channel, the Irish Sea and the Atlantic
Ocean. It only has a land border with the Republic of Ireland. The Channel Tunnel
under the English Channel links England and France.
The UK has four constituent parts, three of which —England, Wales and Scotland —
are located on the island of Great Britain. The fourth part is Northern Ireland, which is
located on the island of Ireland. The UK also comprises numerous smaller islands
including the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, and the Scilly, Orkney, Shetland, and the
Hebrides.
The UK is a highly developed country. It is a Commonwealth Realm, and a member
of the European Union and NATO. It is also one of the major nuclear weapon states.
1.1.2. National flag

Flag Date Use Description

Union Flag, also A superposition of the Flags of
1801 -
known as the Union England, Scotland, and St Patrick’s
present
Jack Flag of Ireland
A red cross on a white field
Flag of England, also
This cross is the cross of Saint
c1300 known as the St
George, who is the patron saint of
George’s Cross
England.
Flag of Scotland, also
known as the St
c900 A white saltire on a blue field
Andrew’s Cross, and
the Saltire
A red cross on a white field
Flag of Northern defaced with a red hand, crowned
1924 Ireland, also known as on a six pointed white star
the Ulster Banner (representing the six counties in
Northern Ireland)
Flag of Wales, also
known as the Red A red dragon, passant, on a green
1959
Dragon or Y Draig and white field
Goch
(Note: ’c’: about)
THE UNION JACK
1.1.3. Mountains of the United Kingdom
The ten tallest mountains in the UK are all found in Scotland. The highest peaks in
each part of the UK are:

Scotland: Ben Nevis (Nevis Range, 1,344 metres)

Wales: Snowdon (Cambrian Mountains, 1,085 metres)

England: Scafell Pike (Cumbrian Mountains, 977 metres)

Northern Ireland: Slieve Donard (Mourne Mountains, 852 metres)

1.1.4. Rivers and lakes

The longest river in the UK is the River Severn (220 miles, 354 km) which flows
through both Wales and England.
The longest rivers in the UK are:
England: River Thames (215 miles, 346 km)
Scotland: River Tay (117 miles, 188 km)
N. Ireland: River Bann (76 miles, 122 km)
Wales: River Towy (64 miles, 103 km)

The largest lakes in the UK are:

N. Ireland: Lough Neagh (147.39 sq mi)
Scotland: Loch Lomond (27.46 sq mi)
England: Windermere (5.69 sq mi)
Wales: Lake Vyrnwy (3.18 sq mi)

The deepest lake in the UK is Loch Morar with a maximum depth of 309 metres
(Loch Ness is second at 228 metres deep). The deepest lake in England is Wastwater
which descends to 79 metres (258 feet).

1.1.5. British industry

Britain used to have many manufacturing industries, but since the Second World War
it is service industries especially banking and relating, which have expanded. About
70 percent of people now work in service industries, including tourism, insurance,
computer technology and relating. Less than 30 percent of people have jobs in
industry.
Heavy industries like steel manufacture and shipbuilding have been replaced by high-
technology manufacturing industries such as airplane engines and pharmaceuticals.
Question: Do the following people work in a service industry or
a manufacturing industry?
Manufacturing
Job Service industry
industry
sale assistance
aircraft factory worker
insurance salesperson
travel agent
research chemist for a drugs
company
bank cashier

Answer Key

1.1.6. Made in Britain

In Britain, there are only a few successful large companies, but many successful small
companies. The large companies often invest a lot of money in research and
development, R & D, to find new and better, usually high-technology, products.
Successful small manufacturing companies in Britain often make expensive products.
These companies are successful because they use first-class materials, have excellent
quality control and the workers are proud of what they make. They include J. Barbour
& Sons, which makes waterproof jackets; Morgan Company, which makes elite cars;
Quad Electroacoustics, which makes top-quality hi-fi equipment; Wilkin & Sons,
which makes jams.

1.1.7. Britain and the Commonwealth

Because it is an island, Britain has always forced to trade with other countries. During
the nineteenth century, Britain traded all over the world and had a large empire
overseas. The Commonwealth is an association of the ex-colonies in the Empire and
works to encourage cultural relations between members. South Africa was forced to
leave the Commonwealth in 1961 because of apartheid. In 1994, after “one person,
one vote” elections, South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth.
The members of the Commonwealth have many different styles of government. Some
of the countries, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand recognise the Queen as
their head of state. In a referendum held in 1999 Australia decided to remain a
constitutional monarchy rather than become a republic. All of the countries recognise
the Queen as head of the Commonwealth, though some countries feel there should be
an elected leader.
(from In Britain - 21st Century Edition, pp. 44-45)

Question: Which countries in the box below are members of the Commonwealth?
Australia
Austria
Canada
Denmark
Germany
China
India
Italy
Nigeria
Sweden
South Africa

Answer Key

1.2. ENGLAND

1.2.1. Introduction
Official language English
Capital London
London, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool,
Largest cities
Manchester, Sheffield
Area 130,395 km²
Highest point Scaffell Pike 978m (3210ft)
Longest river Thames (346km)
Largest Lake Windermere (14.7sq km)
 Population 50.7 million (2006)
Currency Pound sterling (£) (GBP)
National flower the Tudor rose (red, white)
Patron saint St George

England is the southern part of Great Britain and the largest country in the UK. It is
only 35 km from France, the Channel Tunnel under the English Channel links
England and France. It occupies most of the southern two-thirds of the island of Great
Britain and shares land borders with Scotland to the north, and Wales to the west.
England is named after the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes who settled in England
in the 5th century.
England became one country in 937, when it was ruled by King Athelstan. William
the Conqueror took over England in 1066. Queen Elizabeth II is a descendant of
William. England took over the country of Wales in the 13th century. England joined
with Scotland in 1707 to form the kingdom of Great Britain. In 1800 Ireland was
united with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom. Now, only Northern Ireland is
still in the UK.
England is mostly low hills and plains, forming meadowlands and pastures. Uplands
include the Pennine chain, known as the ‘backbone of England’, which splits northern
England into western and eastern sectors. The highest point is Scafell Pike (977
metres) in the north west. The north east includes the rugged landscape of the
Yorkshire moors, while the south west has the upland moors of Dartmoor and
Exmoor.

1.2.2. Cities of interest to tourists:

London - the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, a vast metropolitan
area, and a global capital of finance, fashion and culture.

Birmingham - the UK’s second largest city is located in the Industrial heartland and
many attractions for the traveller, considered Britain’s ’second city’ it is a cultural,
sporting, entertainment, shopping and media hub.

Bristol - largest city in South England (after London), vibrant music scene, lovely
historic buildings and an attractive waterfront.

Brighton - Victorian seaside resort turned into one of the major nightlife entres of
Europe.

Liverpool - famed nautical city and home of the Beatles. (European capital of culture
2008)

Manchester - Considered England’s second city by many, a cultural, sporting,

entertainment, shopping and media hub.

Newcastle upon Tyne - a thriving northern city with world-famous nightlife.

Nottingham - home of Robin Hood and Nottingham Castle.

York - ancient capital of Yorkshire, with Roman, Viking and Medieaeval remains.

Bath - historical city, stunning Georgian architecture and Roman thermal baths.

Chester - historical city with Roman ruins.

The ancient university cities of Oxford and Cambridge

Trafalgar Square The London Eye

1.2.3. Well-known English people

There are many well known English people:
William Shakespeare, the famous English playwright

Sir Isaac Newton, the scientist

Charles Dickens, the famous 19th century author

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web

The Beatles, who came from the city of Liverpool

Sir Winston Churchill led the country in World War Two

Queen Victoria was the Queen for most of the 19th century.

1.2.4. The most popular places visited

SUMMARY
This table below shows a summary of the four countries of the UK. You are to
complete the table with information from the unit. Please copy down your answer to
compare with the answer key.
The UK and its Countries: Facts and Figures

Northern
UK England Scotland Wales
Ireland
Area (km2)
Capital city
Population
(millions)
Highest
Mountain
Longest Severn Tay/Tummel Bann
Usk (136km)
River (354km) (188km) (122km)
Lough
Largest Loch Lomond
Neagh
Lake (71.1km2)
(381.7km2)

The UK and its Countries: Facts and Figures

Northern
UK England Scotland Wales
Ireland
Area (km²) 244,820 km² 130,395 km² 78,782km² 20,779 km² 14,139 km²
Capital city London London Edinburgh Cardiff Belfast
Population 60.2 million 2.95 million 1.7 million
50.7 million (2006) 5.1 million (2006)
(millions) (2006) (2005) (2004)
Highest
Ben Nevis Scafell Pike Ben Nevis Snowdon Slieve Donard
Mountain
Longest
Severn (354km) Thames (346 km) Tay (188km) Towy (103km) Bann (122km)
River
Largest Lake Lough Neagh Windermere Loch Lomond Vyrnwy Lough Neagh

UNIT 2
 PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE

2.1. WHO ARE THE BRITISH?

2.1.1. Why British not English?

Many foreigners say “England” and “English” when they mean “Britain”, or the
“UK”, and “British”. This is very annoying for the 5 million people who live in
Scotland, the 2.8 million in Wales and 1.5 million in Northern Ireland who are
certainly not English. However, the people from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
and England are all British. So what is the difference between the names ‘Great
Britain’ and ‘the United Kingdom”- and what about ‘the British Isles’?
The United Kingdom is an abbreviation of ‘the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland’. It is often further abbreviated to ‘UK’, and is the political name
of the country which is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Several islands off the British coast are also part of the United Kingdom (for example,
the Isle of Wight, the Orkneys, Hebrides and Shetlands, and the Isles of Scilly),
although the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not. However, all these islands
do recognize the Queen.
Great Britain is the name of the island which is made up of England, Scotland and
Wales.
The British Isles is the geographical name that refers to all the islands off the north
west coast of the European continent: Great Britain, the whole of Ireland, the Channel
Islands and the Isle of Man.

2.1.2. How was the United Kingdom formed?

This took centuries, and a lot of armed struggle was involved. In the 15th century, a
Welsh prince, Henry Tudor, became King Henry VII of England. Then his son, King
Henry VIII, united England and Wales under one Parliament in 1536. In Scotland a
similar thing happened. The King of Scotland inherited the crown of England and
Wales in 1603, so he became King James I of England and Wales and King James VI
of Scotland. The Parliaments of England, Wales and Scotland were united a century
later in 1707.
The Scottish and Welsh are proud and independent people. In recent years there have
been attempts at devolution in the two countries, particularly in Scotland where the
Scottish Nationalist Party was very strong for a while. However, in a referendum in
1979 the Welsh rejected devolution and in 1979 the Scots did the same. So it seems
that most Welsh and Scottish people are happy to form part of the UK even though
they sometimes complain that they are dominated by England, and particularly by
London.
The whole Ireland was united with Great Britain from 1801 up until 1922. In that
year the independent Republic of Ireland was formed in the South, while Northern
Ireland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

King James
King Henry VIII

2.1.3. Invasion

What makes the Scottish, Welsh, English and Northern Irish different from each
other? About 2,000 years ago the British Isles were inhabited by the Celts who
originally came from continental Europe. During the next 1,000 years there were
many invasions. The Romans came from Italy in AD 43 and, in calling the country
‘Britannia’, gave Britain its name. The Angles and Saxons came from Germany,
Denmark and the Netherlands in the 5th century, and England gets its name from this
invasion (Angle-land). The Vikings arrived from Denmark and Norway throughout
the 9th century, and in 1066 (the one date in history which every British school-child
knows) the Normans invaded from France. These invasions drove the Celts into what
is now Wales and Scotland, and they remained, of course, in Ireland. The English, on
the other hand, are the descendants of all the invaders, but are Anglo-Saxon than
anything else. These various origins explain many of the differences to be found
between England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland - differences in education, religion and
the legal systems, but most obviously, in language.
Question: Who invaded Britain?
Complete the table below with information from the text:

INVADER FROM DATE

the Romans

Answer Key

2.1.4. Language
The Celts spoke Celtic which survives today in the form of Welsh, Scottish Gaelic
and Irish Gaelic. Less than a quarter of all Welsh people (600,000, out of 2,888,000)
speak Welsh. Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic are still spoken, although they have
suffered more than Welsh from the spread of English. However, all three languages
are now officially encouraged and taught in schools.
English developed from Anglo-Saxon and is a Germanic language. However all the
invading peoples, particularly the Norman French, influenced the English language
and you can find many words in English which are French in origin. Nowadays all
Welsh, Scottish and Irish people speak English (even if they speak their own language
as well), but all the countries have their own special accents and dialects, and their
people are easily recognizable as soon as they speak.
Occasionally, people from the four countries in the UK have difficulty in
understanding one another because of these different accents. A southern English
accent is generally accepted to be the most easily understood, and is the accent usually
taught to foreigners.

2.1.5. Multiracial Britain

Recently, there have been many waves of immigration into Britain and movement
within the UK. For example, many people from Wales, Scotland and Ireland have
settled in England; Jews, Russians, Germans, and Poles have come to Britain
(particularly London) during political changes in the rest of Europe.
Commonwealth citizens were allowed free entry into Britain until 1962. Before the
Second World War these immigrants were mostly people from Canada, Australia,
New Zealand and South Africa. In the 1950s, people from the West Indies, India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong were encouraged to come and work in Britain.
Today, 2 million British people are of West Indian or Asian origin and over 50 per
cent of them were born in Britain.
The new immigrant communities are concentrated in the following towns and cities:
London, Slough, Leicester, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Luton, Bradford, Coventry,
Bedford, Reading and Sandwell. The main language of the Asian immigrants are
Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, and Cantonese (Chinese). Nowadays the
policy is to encourage these communities to continue speaking their own languages as
well as English. The children of immigrants are often taught their own languages in
school, and there are special newspapers, magazines, and radio and television
programmes for the Asian community. The West Indians, of course, arrive speaking
English, but they do have their own culture which they wish to keep alive. They also
have their own newspapers, and radio and television programmes.
This latest wave of immigration has, of course, caused problems. There is certainly
racial tension and racial prejudice in Britain today. In spite of laws passed to protect
them, there is still discrimination against Asian and black people, many of whom are
unemployed or in low-paid jobs. However, the atmosphere is improving and the
different races are slowly learning to trust one another. In a wide educational
programme white school-children, teachers, policemen and social workers are
learning about the problems and customs of their new neighbours. There are many
areas in Britain now where racial harmony is a reality.
British culture is being enriched through its contact with other cultures. For example,
the British are becoming more adventurous in their cooking and eating habits, and
Chinese, Indian and Pakistani restaurants are very popular. Another example can be
found in the pop music scene where West Indian reggae music has become very
influential.
(from Spotlight on Britain, pp. 2-4)
Questions:
1. What is the government’s policy on immigrants’ languages?

2. What problems do the immigrants have to confront?

3. What have been done to solve these problems?

Answer Key
2.1.6. Anglo Saxon Religion
The Anglo-Saxons were pagans when they came to Britain, but, as time passed, they
gradually converted to Christianity. Many of the customs we have in England today
come from pagan festivals.
The Anglo Saxons believed that they were controlled by superhuman people - gods
and goddesses. They also believed they were directly descended from their gods.
Religion was a means of ensuring success in material things. For example, you might
pray to a particular goddess for a successful harvest, or for victory in battle.
The Saxon gods were similar to the gods of Vikings.
Examples of Saxon Gods:
Woden - god of war
Frigg - goddess of love
Thunor - god of thunder
Tiw- god of battle
Days of the Week:
Certain days of the week are named after early Saxon gods:
Monandæg ( the day of the moon ),
Tiwesdæg ( the day of the Germanic sky god Tiw. Tiu or Tig),
Wodnesdæg ( the day of the god Woden (Othin) ),
Ðunresdæg ( the day of the god Ðunor or Thunor ),
Frigedæg ( the day of the goddess Friga, wife to Woden),
Sæternesdæg ( the day of the Roman god Saturn, whose festival "Saturnalia," with its
exchange of gifts, has been incorporated into our celebration of Christmas.),
Sunnandæg ( the day of the sun ).
From Pagan to Christianity:
In AD 597 the Pope in Rome sent a missionary, St Augustine, to England to convert
the Anglo Saxons to Christianity. The pope gave orders that pagan temples should be
converted into Christian ones and that pagan celebrations should also be made into
Christian ones.
(from Woodlands Junior School Kent Website)
Questions:
1. What religion did the Anglo-Saxons follow?

2. Where do the names of the days of the week originate from?

Answer Key
2.2. INFLUENCES
2.2.1. The Celts
Between the sixth and the third century BC, the British Isles were invaded by Celtic
tribes, who settled in southern England. They originally came from central Europe.
Their culture goes back to about 1200 BC. Between 500 and 250 BC, they were the
most powerful people north of the Alps. They were pagan, with priests known as
Druids, but later converted to Christianity. It was Celtic missionaries who spread the
Christian religion through Scotland and northern England.

2.2.2. The Romans

In AD 43, the Romans invaded southern Britain. It became a Roman colony called
Britannia. The Romans set up their capital in London and built major cities in Bath,
Chester and York. The cities contained beautiful buildings, squares and public baths.
Fine villas were built for Celtic aristocrats who accepted Roman rule.
The Roman invasion was not completely peaceful. In AD 60, the Iceni, a tribe led by
Queen Boudicca, destroyed three cities, including London. The Romans stopped the
rebellion brutally and Boudicca killed herself.
The tribes of Scotland never completely surrendered to the Romans. As a result, in
AD 122, Emperor Hadrian built a long wall to defend the border between England and
Scotland. Hadrian’s Wall was overrun several times by Scottish tribes and was finally
abandoned in AD 383. By then, the Roman Empire was collapsing and the Roman
legions had left Britain to fight the tribes on the continent.
2.2.3. The Saxons, Jutes and Angles

From about AD 350, Germanic tribes began invading south-east England. The tribes
came from what is now northern Germany, Holland and Denmark. The first to come
were the Saxons, joined later by the Jutes and Angles. The Angles gave England its
name. Britain had the protection of only a few Roman legions. The native people
could not stop the new enemy, known as the Anglo-Saxons. The Celts fled north and
west taking their ancient arts and languages with them. Celtic languages have
disappeared from most of Europe, but are still spoken in parts of Wales, Ireland and
Scotland. Celtic Christians later returned to England from Scotland and Ireland as
missionaries. The Anglo-Saxons in southern England were converted to Christianity
following the arrival of Saint Augustine of Rome in AD 597. As Christianity spread,
churches and monasteries were built all over England.
2.2.4. The Vikings
About AD 790, the Vikings started to invade England. The Norsemen, who came
from Norway, mainly settled in Scotland and Ireland. The north and east of England
were settled by the Danes. The Vikings were excellent traders and navigators. They
traded in silk and furs as far as Russia. In 1016, England became part of the
Scandinavian empire under King Cnut. By 1066, England was again facing invasion
from the north and the south. In September, King Harold II marched north to defeat
his half-brother, the king of Norway, at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Just three
weeks later, he himself was defeated and killed at Hastings by another invader of
Viking origin, William, Duke of Normandy, from northern France.
2.2.5. The Normans
The Duke of Normandy, known as William the Conqueror, now became King of
England, establishing a new Anglo-Norman state. England became a strong,
centralised country under military rule. The Normans built castles all over England to
control England better. William was a harsh ruler: he destroyed many villages to make
sure the English people did not rebel. Norman power was absolute, and the language
of the new rulers, Norman French, had a lasting effect on English. Since 1066,
England has never been invaded.
(from In Britain - 21 Century Edition, pp.10-11)
Questions: How did each invasion change Britain? You can post your answer in
the discussion area.

2.3. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

2.3.1. The roots of English
English began as a west Germanic language which was brought to England by the
Saxons around 400 AD. Old English was the spoken and written language of England
between 400 and 1100 AD. Many words used today come from Old English,
including man, woman, king, mother, give and wash, as do many slang expressions
and swear words. But Old English was very different from modern English and only a
few words can be easily recognized. In the 9th and 10th centuries, when Vikings
invaded England, Old Norse words, e.g. sky, take and get and many place names,
entered the language.
From the Norman Conquest (1066) until the late 12th century English was replaced
as the official language by Norman French, though English was still used by the lower
classes. English from about 1300 to 1500 is known as Middle English. It was
influenced by French and also Latin in vocabulary and pronunciation. French brought
many words connected with government, e.g. sovereign, royal, court, legal,
and government itself. Latin was the language of religion and learning and gave to
English words such as minister, angel, master, school and grammar. Literature began
again to be written in English. One of the most famous Middle English works is
Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.
2.3.2. The development of Modern English
Modern English developed from the Middle English dialect of the East Midlands and
was influenced by the English used in London, where a printing press was set up by
William Caxton in 1476. English changed a great deal from this time until the end of
the 18th century. During the Renaissance, many words were introduced from Greek
and Latin to express new ideas, especially in science, medicine and philosophy. They
included physics, species, architecture, encyclopedia and hypothesis. In the 16th
century several versions of the Bible helped bring written English to ordinary people.
The Elizabethan period is also famous for its drama, and the plays of Marlowe and
Shakespeare were seen by many people.
The development of printing helped establish standards of spelling and grammar, but
there remained a lot of variation. Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English
Language (1755), was the first authoritative treatment of English. It defined about 40
000 words and gave examples of their use. Soon afterwards, people tried to establish
grammatical rules, like the use of me, not I, after a preposition, and
that different should be followed by from, not to or than. The idea of having an
English academy to protect agreed standards has been suggested several times,
including most recently in the 1990s, but has never found enough support.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries many dictionaries and books about
language were published including, in Britain, the Oxford English Dictionary, which
was begun in 1858. In 1926 Fowler’s A Dictionary of Modern English
Usage presented a traditional view of grammar but rejected the more extreme rules,
and was held in great respect for a long time. The development of radio promoted
standard English and Received Pronunciation (RP), which became known as BBC
English. Many older British people still consider this to be ‘correct’ English, and
complain about falling standards in schools and the media.
 At the end of the 20th century English tends to be much less formal. Few British
people know much about grammar, since it is not usually taught in schools, but a
person who cannot speak and write grammatically is likely to be at a disadvantage. An
RP accent is now associated mainly with the upper classes, and many younger
educated people have a modified regional accent.

New words are still being added to English from other languages, including Italian
(tiramisu), Chinese (feng shui) and Japanese (karaoke). Existing words gain new
senses, and many slang terms become part of the standard language. New expressions
spread quickly through television and the Internet.
English is now an international language and is used as a means of communication
between people from many countries. As a result the influences on the English
language are wider than ever and it is possible that World English will move away
from using a British or American standard and establish its own international identity.
(from Oxford Guide to British and American Culture, p.178)

2.4. DID YOU KNOW?

Canute (also Cnut) (c.994-1035)

a king of England (1017-35) who was born in Denmark and was also king of
Denmark and Norway.
Boudicca (also Boadicea) (died AD 62)
the queen of the Iceni tribe of eastern Britain when it was part of the Roman Empire.
She led the Iceni against the Romans and destroyed several of their camps. When she
was defeated she killed herself. She is often shown in pictures driving a chariot (= an
open carriage pulled by a horse) with blades attached to the wheels.
Hadrian’s Wall
a wall in northern England built between 122 and 127 AD by the Roman emperor
Hadrian, from Wallsend on the River Tyne to Bowness on the Solway Firth. It was the
northern border of the Roman Empire, from which the Romans could keep back the
Picts. It was a major achievement, 73 miles (120 kilometres) long and 16 feet (4.9
metres) high, with forts (= strong military buildings for defence) every mile along its
length. Long sections of the wall still remain, and thousands of tourists visit it every
year. It was made a World Heritage Site in 1987.
King Arthur Brutus in Hadrian’s Wall
Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1343-1400)

an English poet. He is often called ’the father of English poetry’ because he was the
first major poet to write in English rather than Latin or French. His best-known work
is The Canterbury Tales.
Received Pronunciation, often called RP, is the accent that is widely accepted as the
standard accent for both native and foreign speakers of British English.
 William Caxton (c.1422-91)

the man who set up the first printing firm in Britain. He printed his first book in 1474.
By printing books in English, Caxton had a strong influence on the spelling and
development of the language. Many of the books he published were French stories
which he translated himself.
Unit 3
SOME IMPORTANT EVENTS IN BRITISH HISTORY

 55 and 54 BC: Julius Caesar’s expeditions to Britain

 AD 43: Roman conquest begins under Claudius
 122–38: Hadrian’s Wall built
 c.409: Roman army withdraws from Britain
 450s onwards: foundation of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms
 597: arrival of St Augustine to preach Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons
 664: Synod of Whitby opts for Roman Catholic rather than Celtic church
 789–95: first Viking raids
 832–60: Scots and Picts merge under Kenneth Macalpin to form what is to become
the kingdom of Scotland
 860s: Danes overrun East Anglia, Northumbria and eastern Mercia
 871–99: reign of Alfred the Great in Wessex
 1066: William the Conqueror defeats Harold Godwinson at Hastings and takes the
throne
 1086: Domesday Book completed: a survey of English landholdings undertaken on
the orders of William I
 1215: King John signs Magna Carta to protect feudal rights against royal abuse
 13th century: first Oxford and Cambridge colleges founded
 1301: Edward of Caernarvon (later Edward II) created Prince of Wales
 1314: Battle of Bannockburn ensures survival of separate Scottish kingdom
 1337: Hundred Years War between England and France begins
 1348–49: Black Death (bubonic plague) wipes out a third of England’s population
 1381: Peasants’ Revolt in England, the most significant popular rebellion in English
history
 1400–c.1406: Owain Glyndwˆ r (Owen Glendower) leads the last major Welsh revolt
against English rule
 1411: St Andrews University founded, the first university in Scotland
 1455–87: Wars of the Roses between Yorkists and Lancastrians
 1477: first book to be printed in England, by William Caxton
 1534–40: English Reformation; Henry VIII breaks with the Papacy
 1536–42: Acts of Union integrate England and Wales administratively and legally,
and give Wales representation in Parliament
 1547–53: Protestantism becomes official religion in England under Edward VI
 1553–58: Catholicism restored by Mary I
 1558: loss of Calais, last English possession in France
 1558–1603: reign of Elizabeth I; moderate Protestantism established
 1588: defeat of Spanish Armada
 1603: union of the crowns of Scotland and England under James VI of Scotland
 1642–51: Civil Wars between King and Parliament
 1649: execution of Charles I
 1653–58: Oliver Cromwell rules as Lord Protector
 1660: monarchy restored under Charles II
 1660: founding of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Natural Knowledge
 1665: the Great Plague, the last major epidemic of plague in England
 1666: the Great Fire of London
 1686: Isaac Newton sets out his laws of motion and the idea of universal gravitation
 1688: Glorious Revolution; accession of William and Mary
 1707: Acts of Union unite the English and Scottish Parliaments
 1721–42: Robert Walpole, first British Prime Minister
 1745–46: Bonnie Prince Charlie’s failed attempt to retake the British throne for the
Stuarts
 c.1750–c.1850: Industrial Revolution
 1761: opening of the Bridgewater Canal ushers in Canal Age
 1775–83: American War of Independence leads to loss of the Thirteen Colonies
 1800: Act of Union unites Great Britain and Ireland
 1805: Battle of Trafalgar, the decisive naval battle of the Napoleonic Wars
 1815: Battle of Waterloo, the final defeat of Napoleon
 1825: opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world’s first passenger
railway
 1829: Catholic emancipation
 1832: first Reform Act extends the franchise (increasing the number of those entitled
to vote by about 50 per cent)
 1833: abolition of slavery in the British Empire (the slave trade having been abolished
in 1807)
 1837–1901: reign of Queen Victoria
 1868: founding of the Trades Union Congress (TUC)
 1910–36: during the reign of George V, the British Empire reaches its territorial
zenith
 1914–18: First World War
 1918: the vote given to women over 30
 1921: Anglo-Irish Treaty establishes the Irish Free State; Northern Ireland remains
part of the United Kingdom
 1928: voting age for women reduced to 21, on equal terms with men
 1936: King Edward VIII abdicates
 1936: Jarrow Crusade, the most famous of the hunger marches in the 1930s
 1939–45: Second World War
 1947: independence for India and Pakistan: the United Kingdom begins to dismantle
its imperial structure
 1948: the National Health Service begins to offer free medical care to the whole
population
 1952: accession of Elizabeth II
 1965: first commercial natural gas discovery in the North Sea
 1969: first notable discovery of offshore oil in the North Sea
 1969: the vote is extended to all over the age of 18
 1971: decimal currency is introduced
 1973: the United Kingdom enters the European
 Community (now the European Union)
 1979–90: Margaret Thatcher is the first UK woman Prime Minister
 1994: Channel Tunnel opens to rail traffic
 1999: Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland
Assembly assume devolved powers
(from UK 2005, pp 496-497)
Question: What happened on these dates? Complete the table with major events from
UK history.
DATE EVENT
1066
1215
1337
1381
1455
1534
1588
1750
1800
1948

Answer Key
3.1. MEDIEVAL ENGLAND
After defeating the Anglo-Saxon king Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066,
William of Normandy introduced the Norman feudal system, rewarding his French-
speaking followers with land in return for their continued support, and French
remained the language of the upper classes and administration until the 14th century.
The power of these Norman Barons gradually increased and during the reign of the
Plantagenets began, together with the Church, to challenge the King’s absolute power,
which resulted in King John being forced to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede in
1215. This document contained a long list of limitations to the King’s power and these
rights obtained by the Barons were eventually extended to the entire population.
The origins of Parliament are to be found in the reign of John’s successor, Henry
III. It was a meeting of the King and his Barons and servants at which various
administrative and financial problems were discussed. In order to make it easier to put
the decisions taken into practice, each Shire had to elect a number of knights to attend
these meetings and report the decisions to their Shires. Edward I continued this
experiment and in 1295 called a parliament that became known as the Model
Parliament, at which barons, earls and the high clergy (bishop and abbots) were
present, together with the knights and burgesses representing the shires and boroughs.
The ‘House of Commons’ as a separate Chamber resulted from the unofficial meeting
of these knights and burgesses. The person chosen to ‘speak’ for these ‘commoners’
in Parliament became known as the Speaker.
 The House of Parliament

The Hundred Years’ War fought between France and England had a devastating
effect on the English economy. This high taxation necessary to finance the war and
the Black Death (a plague in 1348 that killed a third of the population of England) led
to such extreme hardship for the peasant class that there was a revolt in 1381.
Although the Peasants’ Revolt was soon put down, it led to greatly improved
conditions for the peasant class and was the first step towards the ending of the feudal
system in England.
 The Black Death

3.2. TUDOR ENGLAND

No sooner was the Hundred Years’ War over than a long power struggle (1455-
85) began for the English Crown between two families: the House of Lancaster and
the House of York. The Wars of the Roses (so called because both families used a
rose as their symbol) ended when Henry VII (Henry of Tudor) united the two rival
houses, giving origin to the Tudor dynasty.
During Henry‘s reign the medieval period came to a close. Men was no longer tied
to manors and estates in the country; the power of the towns, with their educated and
industrious middle classes, began to make itself felt; and there was a revival, or
Renaissance, of learning, partly as a result of the printing press, which ended the
Church’s monopoly of learning.
Henry’s son and heir, Henry VIII (1509-1547), was a typical renaissance prince;
handsome, learned, ambition and unscrupulous. He also had an instinctive
understanding of his times. It was his creation of the Royal Navy that enabled
England to realised her imperialistic ambitions under Elizabeth and defy the Pope and
the Catholic power of Europe.
 King Henry VIII

Henry used Parliament to establish himself as the head of the Protestant Church of
England with the Act of Supremacy in 1534. his decision to act through Parliament
greatly strengthen this institution, which had lost virtually all its authority under
Henry VII. There was general support on the part of the English people, who was
resentful of papal interference in national affairs. His Reformation led to the creation
of the religiously distinct Anglican Church. The dissolution of monasteries (and the
confiscation of their large estates) served to destroy papal authority in England and at
the same time provide Henry with much needed wealth.
Elizabeth I (1558-1603) was an outstanding ruler. She restored national unity,
opposing extremist doctrines and supporting a moderate form of Protestantism similar
to that of her father’s. Her reign is considered by many as the Golden Age of English
history, producing not only poets of the stature of Shakespeare and Spenser, but also
prosperity for the entire nation. The discovery of America placed Britain at the centre
of the world’s trading routes and brilliant naval commanders (especially Sir Francis
Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh) enabled England to dominate these trade routes.
During this period great trading companies, like the East India Company, were also
established. Parliament was regularly called and consulted, while Justices of the Peace
administered justice and carried out all the ordinary functions of local government.

Queen Elizabeth I

3.3. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN KING AND

PARLIAMENT
3.3.1. The Civil War
Convinced of the divine right of kings, the Stuart kings James I and Charles I
followed the medieval notion of monarchy, ignoring Parliament. Charles I raised taxes
without its permission and prevented it from meeting for 11 years until he needed its
help to raise the money to fight the war against Scotland. Relations between King and
Parliament became so bad that civil war eventually broke out (1642).
The majority of the nobles supported Charles and the majority of the gentry
supported Parliament in this fight over who should have sovereign power. After
Oliver Cromwell had led the Parliamentarian Roundheads to victory (1648), Charles I
was executed for treason and Cromwell became Lord Protector. England was now a
Republic.

Charles I Oliver Cromwell

3.3.2. The Restoration of the Monarchy

The monarchy (together with the Anglican Church and the House of Lords) was
restored in 1660, two years after Cromwell’s death, when Charles II was invited to sit
on the throne of a country tired of the harsh morality of Puritan rule. The Plague,
which killed almost 70,000 of London’s inhabitants, and the Great Fire (1666), which
destroyed most of the city during his reign, were considered signs of God’s wrath by
the Puritans.
 Although Charles had restored some power to the monarchy by the time James II
came to throne, Parliament’s support was necessary to govern the country. Parliament
was dominated by two groups: the Whigs, who had tried to exclude Charles’ Catholic
brother from the throne, and the Tories, the conservative aristocracy that had favoured
the royal prerogative. However, his filling of civil and military posts with Catholics
while the Protestants were being murdered in France so angered Parliament that the
Tories and Whigs agreed to invite the Protestant William of Orange and Mary (James
II’s Daughter) to take the Crown as joint sovereigns. This Glorious
Revolution (1688, so-called because it was bloodless) was accompanied by a Bill of
Rights, which made it obligatory for the sovereign to rule with Parliament’s
assistance and outlawed Catholicism for all Englishmen, including the King.
(from Aspects of Britain and the USA, pp. 21-24)

3.4. EMPIRE AND INDUSTRY

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Britain itself was peaceful. Abroad,
it was aggressively expanding its empire. It became a powerful and rich country
because of its empire and its industry. Cheap raw materials, produced by badly paid or
unpaid workers, were imported from the colonies. The technological changes of the
Industrial Revolution allowed Britain to manufacture products cheaply for export back
to the colonies and other countries.
The Industrial Revolution caused great social changes in Britain. Many people
moved from the land to the cities. These people worked in the factories, creating an
urban working class, which was often very poor. In Queen Victoria’s reign (1837-
1901), children as young as four had jobs in factories and mines. Their parents had no
right to vote and try to change things.
The Reform Act of 1832 gave the vote to all men who owned a house, but it was
not until 1918 that the right to vote was given to all men over 21 and to women over
30. Women under 30 had to wait until 1928 for the vote.
Britain at its most powerful had colonies in every continent, but the end of the
Empire came quickly, after the Second World War (1939-1945). India, one of the
most important colonies, became independent in 1948. In the 1960s, the African and
Caribbean countries also became independent. British people began realise that their
country was no longer an imperial world power but just a country in Europe.
(from In Britain-21st Century Edition, p.13)

3.5. DID YOU KNOW?

Francis Drake (c.1540-96)
 an English sailor who fought against the Spanish and was the first Englishman to
sail around the world.
Walter Raleigh (also Ralegh) (c.1552-1618)

an English explorer, politician and soldier. He began his career fighting the
Spanish and the Irish, and was made a knight in 1584 by Queen Elizabeth I. With her
support he made several journeys to North America (1584-9) and South America
(1595), bringing back tobacco and the potato, but failed to establish a permanent base
there. After the death of Elizabeth he was put in prison for treason for 13 years, during
which he wrote his History of the World (1614). In 1616 he was released by King
James I to look for gold in South America. He was not successful in this, and when he
returned he was punished by having his head cut off. One of the most popular stories
about Raleigh describes how he spread his coat over a piece of wet ground so that
Queen Elizabeth could walk over it.
Magna Carta

a document that King John was forced to sign by the English barons at Runnymede
in 1215. It restricted the king's power and gave new rights to the barons and the
people. Some of these rights are basic to modern British law, e.g. the right to have a
trial before being put in prison. Four of the original copies of the Magna Carta still
exist, two in the British Library and one each in the cathedrals of Salisbury and
Lincoln.
John (1167-1216)

the king of England from 1199 to 1216. He was the youngest son of Henry II and
became king after the death of his brother Richard I, having previously tried to take
power from him. He was not a popular or successful king. He lost most of the English
land in France, quarrelled with the Church, and was forced by his barons in 1215 to
sign the Magna Carta, which limited his royal powers. He is the subject of King John,
an early play by Shakespeare.
the Model Parliament

the name later given to the English parliament set up in 1295 by King Edward I. It
was the first to include not only members of the clergy and the aristocracy but also
elected members to represent ordinary people. In this way it established the pattern for
future parliaments.
The Hundred Years War

a war between France and England that lasted, with long periods between battles,
from the 1340s to the 1450s. The English were trying to get control of France, and
won some major battles, including Crecy (1346) and Agincourt (1415), but by the end
of the war they had only gained the area around Calais, which they kept until 1558.
The Peasants' Revolt

The Hundred Years’ War lead to a period of high taxation. In 1381 the introduction
of a poll tax led to the most significant revolt in English history. The peasants of Kent
and Essex marched to Canterbury and then to London to protest at their conditions of
life and the harsh taxes they had to pay. They occupied several major buildings,
including the Tower of London. The young king, Richard II, talked to their leader,
Wat Tyler, and promised to help them. Many of them then went home, but Tyler was
killed and the Revolt ended in failure.
the Wars of the Roses

the name now used for the period of fighting (1455-85) in England between the
supporters of the two most powerful families in the country at the time, the House of
Lancaster, whose symbol was a red rose, and the House of York, whose symbol was a
white rose. The aim of each side was to make a member of their family the king of
England. Each side was successful at different times and the wars only ended when
Henry Tudor (House of Lancaster) defeated Richard III (House of York) and became
King Henry VII. His marriage to Elizabeth of York united the two sides and ended the
fighting.
the Golden Age

Elizabeth I's rule is remembered as the Golden Age of English history. Under her
rule, England advanced in such areas as foreign trade, exploration, literature, and the
arts. During Elizabeth's reign the age of exploration began with explorers such as
Francis Drake claiming new lands for England and introducing new materials and
foods. The American State, Virginia, is named after her.
the Spanish Armada

the group of 129 ships sent by Spain in 1588 to attack England. A group of British
ships, led by Lord Howard of Effingham's Ark Royal and Francis Drake's Revenge,
defeated the Armada in the English Channel. It was the first sea battle in history
involving large number.
the Civil War

a war (1642-51) between the King of England, Charles I, and his parliament. Its
causes were both political and religious. It divided the people of England and caused
great suffering. Charles I's soldiers (the Cavaliers) were defeated by those of
parliament (the Roundheads) at the battles of Marston Moor (1644) and Naseby
(1645). The Roundhead soldiers were very well organized, in the New Model Army,
under Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell. Charles I was held prisoner for more
than two years, and was then executed, in January 1649. The Commonwealth was
declared. For 11 years England had no king or queen, although for much of this time it
had a strong leader in Oliver Cromwell. The Commonwealth did not last long after
Cromwell's death, however, and in 1660 Charles's son took his place as King Charles
II at the Restoration.
Whig

a member of a British political party established in the late 17th century. The
Whigs believed that Parliament should have more power than the king or queen, and
supported the Hanoverian kings and queens against the Stuarts. They believed in
religious freedom and political reforms. The Whigs, who were mainly rich
businessmen and people who owned land in the country, were in power for the first
half of the 18th century. In the 19th century they changed into the Liberal Party.
Tory

a member of one of the two main political parties in Britain from the 1670s until
the 1830s. The Tories were originally a group of politicians who wanted the Roman
Catholic James, Duke of York (later James II) to be allowed to become king of
England. They were powerful for various periods during the 18th and 19th centuries.
In the 1830s, the Tories developed into the Conservative Party and the name is widely
used as an informal alternative name for the Conservative Party.
the Glorious Revolution (the Bloodless Revolution)

the events in Britain in 1688 when the Roman Catholic James II was removed as
king and replaced by his daughter Mary and her husband William III (William of
Orange). So many of James's Protestant officers joined William's side that there was
no fighting, and James escaped to France with his family. These events are also called
the Glorious Revolution because constitutional monarchy was introduced at the same
time.
the Bill of Rights

the informal name of the Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject,
which was passed by Parliament in 1689. This Act dealt with the relationship between
the king or queen and Parliament, not with the rights of individuals. The earlier
Declaration of Right had greatly reduced the power of the king or queen, and the new
Act helped make Britain a constitutional monarchy, in which real power lies with
Parliament, not with the monarch. The Act also prevented a Roman Catholic from
becoming king or queen.
the Industrial Revolution
 the phrase used to describe Britain's progress in the 18th and 19th century from
being largely an agricultural country to being an industrial one. Britain was the first
country to change in this way. During this time, many important machines were
invented. These were mostly made possible by the discovery of steam power and the
invention of the steam engine, which allowed one worker to do what before had
required many workers. As a result, big factories were built which could produce a
wide variety of goods in large quantities. New methods of transport, in particular
canals and railways, were developed for transporting these goods from place to place.
During the Industrial Revolution, the populations of cities grew rapidly as people
moved from the countryside to work in factories. The same kind of development soon
began in other countries in Europe and in the US.
(from Oxford Guide to British and American Culture)
Unit 4
GOVERNMENT

4.1. Introduction
The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy, based on universal suffrage. It
is also a constitutional monarchy in which ministers of the Crown govern in the name
of the Sovereign, who is Head of State and Head of the Government. There is no
single document that forms the UK constitution; instead, the relationship between the
State and the people relies on statute law, common law and conventions.
 The Palace of Westminster, on the banks of the River Thames, London, houses
the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The UK Parliament (the legislature) makes primary legislation, although it has
devolved a range of issues to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for
Wales and, when it is sitting, the Northern Ireland Assembly. Under the constitution,
Parliament is supreme and has authority over government and law-making in the
United Kingdom as a whole. The executive comprises the Government (members of
the Cabinet and other ministers responsible for policies); government departments and
agencies; local authorities; public corporations; independent regulatory bodies; and
certain other organisations subject to ministerial control. The Government derives its
authority and membership from Parliament and can only stay in office if it is able to
command a majority in the House of Commons. The judiciary determines common
law and interprets legislation.
As Monarch, The Queen is head of the executive and plays an integral part in the
legislature. She heads the judiciary and is both the commander-in-chief of all the
Armed Forces of the Crown and ‘supreme governor’ of the established Church of
England. In practice, the Monarch acts on the advice of her ministers.
Notes:
 conventions: rules and practices that are not legally enforceable but are regarded as
indispensable to the working of government.
 statute law: all the written laws of parliament
 common law: law which has developed from old customs and from past decisions
made by judges, e.g. not created by Parliament.

4.2. Parliamentary electoral system

The United Kingdom is divided into 659 constituencies, each of which returns one
Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons. Constituencies vary in size
and area; the average electorate is around 67,300. The largest electorate in December
2003 was the Isle of Wight (with 106,600 registered voters) and the smallest the
sparsely populated Eilean Siar (21,300).
Voters
UK citizens, and citizens of other Commonwealth countries and the Republic of
Ireland resident in the United Kingdom, may vote in elections to the UK Parliament
provided that they are aged 18 or over; included in the register of electors for the
constituency; and not subject to any legal incapacity to vote.
Members of the Armed Forces, Crown servants and staff of the British Council
employed overseas (together with their wives or husbands if accompanying them)
may be registered as ‘service voters’ or at an address in the constituency where they
would live if not serving abroad. British citizens living overseas are entitled to register
at their last UK constituency and to vote for up to15 years after moving abroad.
People not entitled to vote include members of the House of Lords, foreign
nationals (other than qualifying Commonwealth citizens or citizens of the Republic of
Ireland) resident in the United Kingdom, some patients detained under mental health
legislation, convicted prisoners detained in a penal institution, and people convicted
within the previous five years of corrupt or illegal election practices.
Voting procedures
Voting is not compulsory in the United Kingdom and the simple majority system is
used for Westminster elections.
At Westminster elections each elector may cast one vote and usually does so in
person at a polling station. As part of its plans to modernise the electoral system, the
Government has taken a number of measures designed to make voting more
accessible for the electorate and allow people more flexibility in where and when they
vote. These include the introduction in 2000 of postal voting on demand and the
possibility of voting in a number of other ways in General Elections sometime after
2006.
Candidates
British citizens, and resident citizens of other Commonwealth countries and the
Republic of Ireland, may be elected as MPs provided that they are aged 21 or over and
are not disqualified. Disqualified people include members of the House of Lords; and
holders of certain offices listed in the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975.
Each candidate’s nomination must be proposed and seconded by two electors
registered in the constituency and signed by eight others. Candidates do not have to be
backed by a political party. A candidate must deposit £500, which is returned if he or
she receives 5 per cent or more of the votes cast.

4.3. The party political system

The origins of the Conservative Party go back to the 18th century, while the
Labour Party emerged in the last decade of the 19th century. The Liberal Democrats
were formed in 1988 when the Liberal Party, which also traced its origins to the 18th
century, merged with the Social Democratic Party, formed in 1981. Other parties
include two nationalist parties, Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales (founded in 1925)
and the Scottish National Party (founded in 1934). Northern Ireland has a number of
parties. They include the Ulster Unionists, formed in the early part of the 20th
century; the Democratic Unionists, founded in 1971 by a group that broke away from
the Ulster Unionists; the Social Democratic and Labour Party, founded in 1970; and
Sinn Féin, which is the political wing of the Irish Republican Army.
The party that wins most seats (although not necessarily the most votes) at a
General Election, or that has the support of a majority of MPs in the Commons,
usually becomes the Government. By tradition, the Sovereign invites the leader of that
party to form a government. The largest minority party becomes the official
Opposition, with its own leader and ‘shadow cabinet’.
Since 1945 the traditional two-party system of government in the UK Parliament
has been maintained, with power being held by either the Conservative Party or the
Labour Party. Each has won eight General Elections in this period, the Labour Party
being successful in the most recent General Election in 2001.
State of the Parties in the UK Parliament

MPs elected in
MPs at July
2001 General
2004
Election
Labour (1) 407 412
Conservative 163 166
Liberal Democrats 55 52
Scottish National 5 5
Plaid Cymru – The Party of
4 4
Wales
Democratic Unionist 6 5
Ulster Unionist 5 6
Sinn Féin (2) 4 4
 Social Democratic and Labour 3 3
KHHC (3) 1 1
Independent Conservative 1 0
Independent Labour 1 0
Other parties 0 0
Speaker and three deputies (4) 4 1
1. There have been a number of changes since the General Election. One Labour MP
has changed parties and now sits as a Liberal Democrat. One Labour MP now sits as
an Independent Labour MP and one Conservative MP sits as an Independent
Conservative. One Ulster Unionist MP has left the party and now sits as a Democratic
Unionist. The Liberal Democrats have gained two Labour-held seats in by-elections:
Brent East in September 2003 and Leicester South in July 2004.
2. The Sinn Féin Members have not taken their seats.
3. The constituency of Wyre Forest was won by the independent Kidderminster
Hospital and Health Concern candidate.
4. The Speaker and Deputy Speakers do not normally vote. At the 2001 General
Election the Speaker stood for election in this capacity, while the Deputy Speakers
were elected for their particular parties.
(Source: House of Commons)

4.4. Parliament
The UK Parliament is one of the oldest representative assemblies in the world,
with its origins in the 13th century. During the 14th century two distinct Houses of
Parliament began to emerge, with the ‘Commons’ sitting apart from the ‘Upper
House’ from 1341. It was also accepted that there should be no taxation without
parliamentary consent, which remains a fundamental principle.
There are three parts of Parliament – the elected House of Commons, the appointed
House of Lords and the Sovereign.
Functions: The main functions of Parliament are:
 to pass laws;
 to provide (by voting for taxation) the means of carrying on the work of government;
 to scrutinise government policy and administration, including proposals for
expenditure; and
 to debate the major issues of the day.
Meetings
A Parliament has a maximum life of five years, but not all Parliaments serve their
full term. The maximum life has been prolonged by legislation in rare circumstances,
such as the two World Wars of the last century. The Sovereign dissolves Parliament
and calls for a General Election on the advice of the Prime Minister.
 The life of a Westminster Parliament is divided into sessions. Each usually lasts a
year – normally beginning in November and ending in October or November –
although a session may be longer if there has been a General Election. The two
Houses do not normally sit at weekends, at Christmas, Easter and the late Spring Bank
Holiday. There is also a recess in the summer from late July to October, but since
2003 both Houses return for about two weeks in September before
a break that coincides with the political party conferences.
At the start of each session the Sovereign’s speech to Parliament outlines the
Government’s policies and proposed legislative programme. Each session is ended by
the Sovereign dismissing it – called ‘prorogation’. Parliament then ‘stands prorogued’
for a few days until the new session begins. Prorogation brings to an end nearly all
parliamentary business.

4.5. The party system in Parliament

Leaders of the Government and Opposition, with members of the Cabinet and
shadow Cabinet respectively, sit opposite one another on the front benches in the
debating chamber of the House of Commons. Their supporters, ‘the backbenchers’, sit
behind them. Benches to the right of the Speaker are used by the Government and its
supporters; those to the left are occupied by the Opposition and members of the other
parties. There are similar seating arrangements for the parties in the House of Lords,
but many peers do not wish to be associated with a political party, and choose to sit on
the ‘crossbenches’. The effectiveness of the party system in Parliament relies to a
large extent on the relationship between the Government and the Opposition parties.
In general, the Opposition contributes to the formulation of policy and legislation by
constructive criticism; opposes government proposals with which it disagrees; tables
amendments to Government Bills; and puts forward its own policies in order to
improve its chances of winning the next General Election.
The Government Chief Whips in the Commons and the Lords, in consultation with
their Opposition counterparts, arrange the scheduling of government business under
the direction of the Prime Minister and the Leaders of the two Houses. The Chief
Whips and their assistants, who are usually chosen by the party leaders, manage their
parliamentary parties. Their duties include keeping members informed of forthcoming
parliamentary business, maintaining the party’s voting strength by ensuring members
attend important debates, and passing on to the party leadership the opinions of
backbench members.
The term ‘whip’ also applies to the weekly circular sent out by each Chief Whip to
all their MPs or peers notifying them of parliamentary business. The degree of
importance is indicated by the number of times that the debate or division is
underlined. Items underlined once are routine and underlined. Items underlined once
are routine and intends to be absent. A ‘three-line whip’, when an item is underlined
three times, indicates that attendance is required and pairing is not normally allowed.
This is imposed on important occasions, such as second readings of major Bills and
motions of no confidence.

4.6. House of Commons

The House of Commons consists of 659 elected MPs, of whom 529 represent
constituencies in England, 40 in Wales, 72 in Scotland and 18 in Northern Ireland. In
July 2004 there were 119 women MPs and 13 MPs who had declared that they were
of minority ethnic origin.
After a Parliament has been dissolved, and a General Election has been held, the
Sovereign summons a new Parliament. When an MP dies, resigns or is made a
member of the House of Lords, a by-election takes place.

Officers of the House of Commons

The chief officer of the House of Commons is the Speaker, an MP elected by other
MPs to preside over the House. Other officers include the Chairman of Ways and
 Means and two deputy chairmen, who are also MPs and may act as Deputy Speakers.
They are elected by the House as nominees of the Government, but may come from
the Opposition as well as the Government party. The House of Commons
Commission, a statutory body chaired by the Speaker, is responsible for the
administration of the House.
Permanent officers (who are not MPs) include the Clerk of the House of Commons
– the principal adviser to the Speaker on the House’s privileges and procedures. The
Clerk’s other responsibilities relate to the conduct of the business of the House and its
committees. The Clerk is also accounting officer for the House. The Serjeant at Arms,
who waits upon the Speaker, carries out certain orders of the House. He is also the
official housekeeper of the Commons’ part of the Palace of Westminster and is
responsible for security.

4.7. House of Lords:

The House of Lords consists of:
 hereditary peers;
 life peers created to help carry out the judicial duties of the House (up to 12 Lords of
Appeal in Ordinary or ‘Law Lords’ and a number of other Lords of Appeal;
 all other life peers; and
 the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishops of London, Durham and
Winchester, and the 21 next most senior bishops of the Church of England.
Members of the House of Lords do not receive a salary for their parliamentary
work, but they can claim for expenses incurred in attending the House and for certain
travelling expenses.
In June 2003 the Government announced a number of major constitutional
changes, including the creation of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which
replaced the Lord Chancellor’s Department.
Officers of the House of Lords
The Speaker in the Lords, traditionally the Lord Chancellor, has limited powers
compared with those of the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Lords themselves
control the proceedings with advice from the Leader of the House, who leads the
governing party in the House and is a member of the Cabinet. Under the
Government’s proposed constitutional changes, the role of Speaker would no longer
be fulfilled by the Lord Chancellor. In the light of this, the House of Lords set up a
select committee to look at the Speakership of the House, and in November 2003 it
recommended that the Speaker should be known as Lord Speaker.
As Clerk of the House of Lords, the Clerk of the Parliaments is responsible for the
records of proceedings of the House of Lords and for the text of Acts of the UK
Parliament. The Clerk is the accounting officer for the House, and is in charge of its
 administrative staff, known as the Parliament Office. The Gentleman Usher of the
Black Rod, known as ‘Black Rod’, is responsible for security, accommodation and
services in the House of Lords’ part of the Palace of Westminster.

4.8. Parliamentary privilege

To ensure that Parliament can carry out its duties without hindrance, certain rights
and immunities apply collectively to each House and its staff, and individually to each
member. These include:
 freedom of speech;
 first call on the attendance of Members, which means that members are free from
arrest in civil actions and excused from serving on juries, or being forced to attend
court as witnesses; and
 the right of access to the Crown, which is a collective privilege of the House.

4.9. Parliamentary procedure

Parliamentary procedure is largely based on precedent and is set down by each
House in a code of practice known as its ‘Standing Orders’. The debating system is
similar in both Houses. Every subject starts off as a proposal or ‘motion’ by a
member. After debate, in which each member (except the person putting forward the
motion) may speak only once, the motion may be withdrawn: if it is not, the Speaker
or Chairman ‘puts the question’ whether to agree to the motion or not. The question
may be decided without voting, or by a simple majority vote. The main difference
between the two Houses is that in the House of Lords the Lord Chancellor, or the
deputising Chairman, does not control procedure; instead such matters are decided by
the general feeling of the House, which is sometimes interpreted by its Leader or a
Government Whip.
In the Commons the Speaker has full authority to enforce the rules of the House
and must uphold procedure and protect the rights of minorities in the House. The
Speaker may or may not allow a motion to end discussion so that a matter may be put
to the vote, and has powers to stop irrelevant and repetitious contributions in debate.
In cases of serious disorder the Speaker can adjourn or suspend the sitting. The
Speaker may order MPs who have broken the rules of behaviour of the House to leave
the Chamber, or may suspend them for a number of days.
The Speaker supervises voting in the Commons and announces the final result. If
there is a tie, the Speaker gives a casting vote (usually to keep the situation as it is),
without expressing an opinion. Voting procedure in the House of Lords is broadly
similar, except the Lord Chancellor can vote, but does not have a casting vote.
4.10. The Monarchy
The Monarchy is the oldest institution of government. The Queen’s full title is
‘Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the
Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith’.
In addition to being the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, The Queen is Head of
State of 15 other realms and Head of the Commonwealth. In each country where she
is Head of State, Her Majesty is represented by a Governor-General, appointed by her
on the advice of the ministers of the country concerned and independent of the UK
Government.

Queen Elizabeth II

Succession
The first seven members of the Royal Family in order of succession to the Throne
are: The Prince of Wales, Prince William of Wales, Prince Henry of Wales, The Duke
of York, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York and The Earl of
Wessex. Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of The Earl and Countess of Wessex,
became eighth in line to the throne on her birth in November 2003.
The Sovereign succeeds to the throne as soon as his or her predecessor dies: there
is no interval without a ruler. He or she is at once proclaimed at an Accession Council,
to which all members of the Privy Council are called. Members of the House of
Lords, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and other leading citizens of the City of London are
also invited.
The Monarch’s role in government
 Over time the Monarchy’s power has been gradually reduced. The queen’s
influence is mainly informal and, having expressed her views, she abides by the
advice of her ministers. The Queen continues to perform a range of duties, such as
summoning and dissolving Parliament, and giving Royal Assent to legislation passed
by the UK or Scottish Parliament or, when it is sitting, by the Northern Ireland
Assembly. She formally appoints important office holders, including the Prime
Minister and other government ministers, the First Minister in Scotland, judges,
officers in the Armed Forces, governors, diplomats, bishops and some other senior
clergy of the Church of England. The Queen confers peerages, knighthoods and other
honours. In international affairs, as the Head of the States, she has the power to
declare wars and make peace, to recognise foreign states and conclude treaties.
The Queen holds Privy Council meetings, gives audiences to her ministers and
officials in the United Kingdom and overseas, receives accounts of Cabinet decisions,
read dispatches and signs State papers. She is consulted on many aspects of national
life, and must show complete impartiality.

4.11. Her Majesty’s Government

The Government consists of ministers responsible for the conduct of national
affairs. After a General Election, The Queen appoints the leader of the party that won
the most seats in the House of Commons as Prime Minister. She appoints all other
ministers on the Prime Minister’s recommendation. About 100 members of the
governing party receive ministerial appointments. Most ministers are MPs; the
remainder sit in the Lords. The composition of governments varies both in the number
of ministers and in the titles of some offices. New ministerial offices may be created,
others may be abolished, and functions may be transferred from one minister to
another.
Prime Minister

Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, First

Tony Blair, Ex-Prime Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the
Civil Service
 The Prime Minister is head of the UK Government and is ultimately responsible
for the policy and decisions of government. By tradition, the Prime Minister is also
First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. By modern convention,
the Prime Minister always sits in the Commons. The Prime Minister presides over the
Cabinet and is responsible for allocating functions among ministers, has regular
meetings with The Queen to inform her of the general business of the Government,
and recommends a number of appointments to The Queen (including senior clergy).
The Prime Minister represents the United Kingdom at major international events, such
as the annual meeting of the Group of Eight leading industrialised countries.
The Cabinet
The Cabinet is the supreme decision-making body in the UK Government. The
Prime Minister chairs meetings of the Cabinet and appoints its members, normally
about 20. In September 2004 there were 22 Cabinet ministers – 20 MPs and two peers
– while a third peer, the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords, also usually
attends Cabinet meetings. The Cabinet usually meets weekly, normally on a Thursday
morning. It meets in private and its business is confidential, although after 30 years
Cabinet papers usually become available for inspection in the National Archives.
Much of the work of the Cabinet is delegated to Cabinet committees. They provide
a framework for collective consideration of, and decisions on, major policy issues and
matters of significant public interest, and ensure that the views of all relevant
ministers are considered. Some of the committees have subcommittees, which focus
on a narrower range of issues. Cabinet committees include those dealing with defence
and overseas policy; economic affairs, productivity and competitiveness; public
services and public expenditure; the environment; and constitutional reform policy.
Cabinet and other ministers
The Deputy Prime Minister is First Secretary of State, deputising for the Prime
Minister in the United Kingdom and abroad and chairing a number of Cabinet
committees and subcommittees. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM)
has responsibilities for regional policy; local government (including finance); and
planning, housing and regeneration. The Chancellor of the Exchequer manages the
business of HM Treasury and is responsible for presenting annually to Parliament the
Budget and the Pre- Budget Report. Ministers in charge of the other main government
departments are usually members of the Cabinet. Most have the title ‘Secretary of
State’.
(from UK 2005, pp 39-51)
Government Departments
1. Department for Constitutional Affairs
2. Department for Culture. Media and Sport.
3. Home Office
4. Department of Health
5. Foreign and Commonwealth Office
6. Department for Transport
7. Department for Education and Skills
8. Department for Trade and Industry
9. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
10. HM Treasury
11. Northern Ireland Office
12. Privy Council
13. Wales Office
14. Scotland Office
15. Department for Work and Pensions
16. Department for International Development
17. Ministry of Defence
18. Office of Deputy Prime Minister
19. Cabinet Office

4.12. DID YOU KNOW?

the Leader of the House
A member of the government who is officially responsible for arranging and
announcing the programme of business in the British parliament each week. There is a
Leader of the House of Commons and a separate Leader of the House of Lords.
the Privy Council
A group of people appointed to advise the British king or queen. It is made up of
politicians and other important people in the legal profession, the Church and the
Commonwealth, and its head is the Lord President of the Council. At present it has
over 400 members, who are given the position for life. The Privy Council first became
powerful in the 14th century, but was replaced in 1688 by the Cabinet. It now has few
functions in government, and is mainly important as a personal honour for its
members.
the budget
To people in Britain the budget means an announcement made each year by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, the minister in charge of finance, about the
government's plans concerning taxation and public spending (= money to be spent by
the government). From 1997 Budget Day was moved back to April. A pre-budget
report each autumn is intended to introduce ideas on which the following year's
budget will be based.
On Budget Day the Chancellor explains in a long speech to the House of
Commons the financial policy of the Treasury, plans for government spending, and
how the money for this will be raised through taxation. There is then a debate on the
budget, which lasts for several days, followed by a vote to accept or reject it. The
contents of the budget speech are kept secret until the last moment, and any leak of
information is a serious embarrassment. The speech is broadcast on national radio and
television and is much discussed by financial and political experts.

UNIT 5
EDUCATION
5.1. Schools
Parents are required by law to ensure that their children receive full-time education
between the ages of 5 and 16 in Great Britain and between 4 and 16 in Northern
Ireland.
About 94 per cent of pupils in the United Kingdom receive free education paid for
from public funds, while 6 per cent attend independent fee-paying schools.

5.1.1. State schools

In England and Wales state schools are classified into three broad categories.
Community schools are mainly schools that were traditionally owned and funded by
Local Education Authorities (LEAs). Foundation schools include many of the former
grant-maintained schools. Voluntary schools are divided into controlled and aided, of
which many are connected to a particular religious faith. LEAs are responsible for
employing staff and for admission arrangements in community and voluntary
controlled schools. The school governing body performs this role in foundation and
voluntary aided schools.
All state schools in Scotland are directly managed by local authorities. However, there
are also eight grant-aided schools, seven of which are special educational needs
schools. In Northern Ireland, although all state schools are open to all religions, most
Protestant children attend controlled schools, managed by education and library
boards, while most Catholic children attend voluntary-maintained schools. There are,
in addition, 54 voluntary grammar schools which tend to be either Catholic or non-
denominational in character. Integrated schools aim to educate Catholic and Protestant
children together; these schools may be either controlled or grant-maintained. The
Government has a statutory duty to encourage integrated education as a way of
breaking down sectarian barriers. Publicly financed schools can apply to become
integrated, following a majority vote by parents. In 2004, 6 per cent of children in
Northern Ireland attended an integrated school.

5.1.2. Primary schools

In England and Wales, all children must attend school no later than the start of the
term after their fifth birthday. Primary schools consist mainly of infant schools for
children aged 5 to 7, junior schools for those aged 7 to 11, or combined junior and
infant schools for both age groups. However, first schools in some parts of England
cater for ages 5 to 9 or 10 as the first stage of a three-tier system: first, middle and
upper. Middle schools cover various age ranges between 8 and 14 and usually lead on
to comprehensive upper schools.
In Scotland, where children start school at the same age, public primary schools
normally lead to the transfer to secondary school at the age of 12.
In Northern Ireland, primary schools cater for children aged 4 to 11. Some children
are educated in the fee-charging preparatory departments of grammar schools.

5.1.3. Secondary schools

In January 2004, 88 per cent of secondary pupils in the maintained sector in England
and all such pupils in Wales attended comprehensive schools. These generally take
pupils without reference to ability or aptitude, providing a wide range of secondary
education for all or most of the children in a district. All Scottish state pupils also
attended non-selective schools.
Secondary education in Northern Ireland is currently organised largely on selective
lines, with grammar schools admitting pupils on the basis of ‘11-plus’ transfer tests in
English, mathematics and science.

5.1.4. Independent schools

Independent schools are not funded by the state and obtain most of their finances from
fees paid by parents. Independent schools are required to register with the appropriate
government department and are subject to inspection.
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) represents the seven independent schools’
associations in the United Kingdom and has overall responsibility for the Independent
Schools Inspectorate (ISI). In England the ISI inspects schools in the ISC every six
years, using criteria approved by Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) and the
Department for Education and Skills (DfES). In Wales all schools are inspected by the
Office of HM Chief Inspector in Wales. Independent schools have to pass an
inspection to qualify for membership of an association within ISC. All other
independent schools are inspected by the relevant national inspectorates.
5.1.5. Curriculum

All state schools in the United Kingdom must provide religious education, but parents
have the right to withdraw their children from these classes.
Sex and relationship education, including education about HIV/AIDS and other
sexually transmitted diseases, is compulsory in UK secondary schools and voluntary
in primary schools.
Children follow the National Curriculum in England, the National Curriculum for
Wales in Wales and the Northern Ireland Curriculum in Northern Ireland. The
curricula contain programmes of study for age groups split into Key Stages. These
stages outline what pupils are entitled to be taught and set out expected standards of
performance. The programmes of study represent a statutory minimum – schools have
flexibility to add other elements, to choose how they teach the content of the
curriculum, and to focus more or less time on particular aspects.
There are four Key Stages covering the ages of compulsory schooling. Key Stages 1
and 2 are studied in primary schools, and Stages 3 and 4 in secondary school.
The National Curriculum requires all pupils in Wales to study Welsh up to the age of
16. A major review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum has taken place and proposals
for a revised curriculum agreed. Legislation will be in place by September 2006.
There will be greater flexibility to enable schools to provide a curriculum appropriate
to the needs of individual pupils and greater emphasis on the development of skills
and attributes.
There is no statutory national curriculum in Scotland.
Organisation of compulsory school years

Attainment expected in final

Pupil ages Year group
year of the group

England and Wales

Key Stage 1 5–7 1–2 Level 2

Key Stage 2 7–11 3–6 Level 4

Key Stage 3 11–14 7–9 Level 5/6
Key Stage 4 14–16 10–11 GCSE
Northern Ireland
Key Stage 1 4/5–8 1–4 Level 2
Key Stage 2 8–11 5–7 Level 3/4
Key Stage 3 11–14 8–10 Level 5/6
Key Stage 4 14–16 11–12 GCSE
5–7 P1–P3 Level A
7–8 P3–P4 Level B
Scotland
(Curriculum following national 8–10 P4–P6 Level C
guidelines from ages 5 to 14) 10–11 P6–P7 Level D
NQ
11–13 P7–S2 Level E
14–15 S3–S4 Standard Grade
Standard Grades are now part of the National Qualifications (NQ) framework in
Scotland. They are broadly equivalent to GCSEs.
Source: Department for Education and Skills; National Assembly for Wales; Scottish
Executive; Northern Ireland Department of Education
Compulsory subjects at Key Stages
Northern
England Wales
Ireland

All Key Stages -

English - -
- -
Welsh/Irish -
Mathematics - -
- -
Science -
- -
Physical education -
-
Design and technology (1-2) -
ICT (3) -
-
Cross-curricula themes
Key Stages 1 to 3 -
History - -
- -
Geography -
- -
Art and design -
- -
Music -
Technology -
Key Stages 3 and 4
 Citizenship - -
Modern foreign language - - -
Cross-curricula themes (4) -
Humanities
1. InWales, art and design is art; technology includes design and ICT. A language is
optional at Key Stage 4.
2. Irish is taken in Irish-speaking schools. Science includes technology at Key Stages
1 and 2. Design and technology is taken at Key Stages 3 and 4 only.
3. Information and communications technology.
4. Cross-curricula themes include cultural heritage, education for mutual
understanding, health education and ICT at Key Stages 1 to 4, and economic
awareness and careers education at Key Stages 3 and 4. At Key Stage 4 pupils must
choose a humanities subject.
Source: Department for Education and Skills; National Assembly for Wales; Scottish
Executive; Northern Ireland Department of Education

5.1.6. Qualifications

Examinations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are typically taken at the
following ages:
16 – General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE);
17 – General Certificate of Education Advanced Subsidiary (AS level) which is
equivalent to 50 per cent of an A level; and
18 – General Certificate of Education Advanced (A level).
In Scotland, the National Qualifications (NQ) Framework covers Standard Grade
(usually taken at age 16); and Access, Intermediate 1 and 2, Higher and Advanced
Higher qualifications (usually taken at ages 17 and 18).

5.1.7. Administration and management

State schools in England and Wales are maintained by LEAs. With a few
exceptions, this is also the position in Scotland. In Northern Ireland all schools are
funded by the five education and library boards. Further education colleges in the
United Kingdom are legally independent institutions with independent governing
bodies that include nominations from the local community and businesses.
Universities and higher education colleges are legally independent corporate
institutions with individual governing bodies. A number of government departments
are responsible for education policy:
- the DfES in England;
- the Welsh Assembly Government Department for Training and Education;
- the Scottish Executive Education Department (primary and secondary education)
and the Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department;
and
- the Department of Education and the Department for Employment and Learning in
Northern Ireland.
LEAs are responsible for pre-16 provision in Great Britain and they fund schools
largely on the basis of pupil numbers. The DfES funds post-16 education institutions
directly. Specific central government grants are made to LEAs in Great Britain to
improve school performance in literacy, numeracy and ICT. The Government also
allocates some resources directly to schools in England for them to use as they wish.
The costs of the
education and library boards are met directly by the Northern Ireland Executive.
(from UK 2005, pp. 118-126)

5.1.8. The school day

This is Steve’s timetable at St Mary’s Comprehensive school.

What time does school start and finish?start at 8:30 and finish at 3:30
What do students do in Registration and Assembly?
How many foreign languages is Steve studying?one
How does this compare with your timetable?very different.start at 7 and finish at
11:30
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8.30-8.40 registration registration registration registration registration
8.40-9.00 assembly assembly assembly assembly assembly
9.00-9.45 French Technology SE Art RE
9.45-10.30 French Science Maths Art IT
10.30-11.15 Science Science Maths French Science
11.15-11.30 break break break break break
11.30-12.15 Maths History E. Literature Science Technology
12.15-1.00 Maths History E. Literature Science Technology
1.00-2.00 lunch lunch lunch lunch lunch
2.00-2.45 E. Language Art PE History E. Language
2.45-3.30 E. Language Art PE History E. Language

5.1.9. Categories of schools

There are 4 main types of maintained school in England:

- Community
- Foundation
- Voluntary Aided
- Voluntary Controlled
In 1998 these replaced the previous categories of state school: county, voluntary
controlled, special agreement, voluntary aided and grant-maintained (GM).
Schools in all the categories have a lot in common. They work in partnership with
other schools and the LEAs, and they receive funding from LEA and they have to
deliver the national curriculum. Each category has its own characteristics.
Community schools
In community schools (formerly county schools), the LEA employs the schools' staff,
own the schools' lands and buildings and have primary responsibility for deciding the
arrangements for admitting pupils.
Foundation schools
In foundation schools the governing body employs the staff and has primary
responsibility for admissions. The school land and buildings are owned by the
governing body or by a charitable foundation. Many of these schools were formerly
grant maintained schools. The Foundation appoints the majority of governors. In 2005
the Labour government proposed allowing all schools to become Foundation schools
if they so wished.
Voluntary aided (VA) schools
Many voluntary aided schools are church schools. VA governing bodies employ the
staff and decide admission arrangements. The schools' lands and buildings are
normally owned by a charitable foundation. The governing body contributes towards
the capital costs of running the school. Most aided schools are linked to either the
Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church, but there are schools linked to
other faith groups and a few non-denominational schools, often linked to
philanthropic organisations like the Haberdashers and the Drapers.
Voluntary controlled schools
Voluntary controlled schools are almost always church schools, and the lands and
buildings are often owned by a charitable foundation. However, the LEA employ the
schools' staff and has primary responsibility for admission arrangements.
5.1.10. Examinations and assessments

Under the National Curriculum system, all pupils undergo a series of tests at specific
points in their education. These are known as Key Stage National Curriculum Tests
and are numbered 1 to 4 as follows:
- Key Stage 1 (KS1) — during Year 2 (ages 6/7)
- Key Stage 2 (KS2) — towards the end of Year 6 (ages 10/11)
- Key Stage 3 (KS3) — towards the end of Year 9 (ages 13/14)
- Key Stage 4 (KS4) — during both Year 10 and 11, mostly at the end of Year 11
(ages 14-16) — incorporated into GCSE examinations
These Key Stage exams are often referred to as SATs (Standard Assessment Tests).
Pupils wishing to progress in to a grammar school must sit an additional exam,
usually the Eleven plus.
(from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
5.2. Going to university in Britain
After school many British students go to university. They apply to several universities
through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admission Service) and receive offers of a
place on condition that they achieve certain grades in their A levels.

Most universities receive some money from the state. The oldest and most famous are
Oxford and Cambridge. Other much respected universities include London, Durham
and St Andrew’s. Some universities such as Birmingham and Manchester are called
redbrick universities because they were built in the 19th century with brick rather than
stone. The newer universities have their buildings grouped together on a campus.

A first degree, which is usually an honours degree, generally takes three years. Most
courses end with exams called finals. Results are given as classes (= grades): a first is
the highest class, seconds are often split between upper second and lower second, and
below that is a third. Graduates may add the letters BA (Bachelor of
Arts) or BSc (Bachelor of Science) after their name. Some graduates go on to study
for a further degree, often a master’s degree or a doctorate.

Students in Britain formerly had their tuition fees paid by the state and received a
government grant to help pay their living expenses. Now, they receive only a loan
towards their expenses, and from 1999 most will also have to pay £1 000 a year
towards tuition fees. The new arrangements have caused a great deal of concern both
among students and among members of the public who believe that education should
be free.
At most British universities the academic year is divided into three terms. Students
study a main subject throughout their degree course, which is usually a mix of
compulsory courses and electives. Teaching methods vary between universities. Most
students have lectures and seminars (= discussion groups) and there are practicals for
those doing a science subject. At some universities students have individual tutorials
or supervisions.
In Britain a professor is the person in charge of a department or a senior member of
staff. Other teaching and research staff are called lecturers. Junior academic staff may
be called research associates.
(from Oxford Guide to British and American Culture, p.507)
_________________________________________________________
Honours degree: a first degree at a university obtained with distinction
First degree: the degree obtained by most students when graduating from
university.
Finals: exams taken at the end of courses
5.3. Further education
Further education in Britain means education after GCSE exams taken around the age
of 16. It includes courses of study leading to A levels which students take at their
school or sixth-form college. Some students go straight to a college of further
education which offers a wider range of full- and part-time courses. Further education
also includes training for professional qualifications in nursing, accountancy and
management, and in fields such as art and music. The term higher education is used to
refer to degree courses at universities.
Many students in Britain take vocational training courses in fields such as building,
engineering, hairdressing or secretarial skills. Colleges of further education offer
courses leading to NVQs and other certificates and diplomas. Work-related courses
are designed with advice from industry, with the aim of producing students who will
have the skills employers require. On longer courses students may do placements (=
periods of work) lasting several months with
companies. On other courses, called sandwich courses, students divide their time
between periods of paid work and periods of study. A common arrangement is for
students to get day release from their work to attend college one or two days a week
over several years. Some students do a formal modern apprenticeship, learning their
skills on the job and attending college part-time.
The British government is keen to persuade more young people to remain in education
as long as possible in order to build up a more highly skilled, better educated
workforce. Over 700,000 people take part-time further education courses at around
500 institutions, while another 700,000 are accepted as full-time and sandwich course
students.
 (from Oxford Guide to British and American Culture, p.213)
UNIT 6:
HOLIDAY
Holiday in British English means a period of a week or more spent away from work or
school. This is called a vacation in American English. So, the period of several weeks
around Christmas when schools are closed is called the Christmas holiday, or the
Christmas holidays in Britain and the Christmas vacation in the US.
Holiday and vacation are also used to refer to the period when people go away for a
time to a beach resort or to the country, or go travelling. British people have about
four weeks' paid leave from their jobs. Most take their main holiday in the summer.
People without children of school age often go on holiday in the off-season when
prices are lower and there are fewer other holidaymakers. Some people stay in Britain
for their holiday, but many go to beach resorts in Europe for one or two weeks. Some
travel to the US or visit India, the Far East and other parts of the world. Many British
people going abroad buy package holidays sold by high-street travel agents, which
include transport, accommodation and sometimes excursions in the price. Some
people see their holidays as an opportunity to relax in the sun, but others prefer
activity holidays during which they can visit famous buildings or go walking in the
countryside. A few go to a holiday camp, such as Butlin's or Pontin's, which provides
entertainment for all the family. People often arrange their holiday a long time in
advance and look forward to it through the winter. Many people also have a short
break, usually three or four days, e.g. at a country cottage in Britain or in a European
city.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Butlin's
any of a group of British holiday camps, where families can sleep, eat and be
entertained without leaving the centre. The first one was opened in Skegness, on the
east coast of England, in 1936 by Billy Butlin (1899-1980). They were very popular in
the 1950s before travel abroad became cheap, and they still attract many British
families who want to enjoy a wide range of entertainments that are not too expensive:
Pontin's
any of a group of British holiday camps, the first of which was opened by Fred Pontin
in 1946. These camps, offering cheap family holidays/vacations, were very popular in
the years after World War II, but became less so towards the end of the 20th century.
6.1. Bank holidays in the UK

In Britain a bank holiday is an official public holiday (on a day other than Saturday or
Sunday) when all banks and post offices are closed, as well as most factories, offices
and shops.
New Year’s Day UK
Good Friday UK
Easter Monday England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Early May Bank Holiday UK
Spring Bank Holiday UK
Summer Bank Holiday England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Christmas Day UK
Boxing Day UK
In addition, there are various traditional local holidays in Scotland, Northern Ireland
that are determined by the local authorities there.
Spring Bank Holiday: the bank holiday that takes place each year on the last
Monday in May in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
August Bank Holiday (also Summer Bank Holiday ): a bank holiday on the last
Monday in August, when many people go to the coast, or to events such as the
Edinburgh Festival or the Notting Hill Carnival.

6.2. The New Year

New Year’s Eve is on 31 December, the last day before the New Year begins. In
many places, people go to parties, bars or restaurants with friends in the evening.
Sometimes they meet outside in a big square. In London, people go to Trafalgar
Square. Just before midnight, people look at the clock, and together they count the last
ten seconds before the New Year begins: ‘Ten, nine, eight ...’
At midnight they stand in a circle, join hands and sing an old song called ‘Auld Lang
Syne’. A Scottish man called Robert Burns wrote the words of this song about two
hundred years ago. It is about remembering old friends. Many people drink a glass of
champagne, light some fireworks, or dance until the sun comes up. In Scotland, New
Year’s Eve has a special name: Hogmanay. At Hogmanay, there is a tradition called
first footing. The first person to come into the house in the New Year is the first foot:
if he is a tall, dark man, and someone you do not know, he will bring good luck. He
must carry some food, some money, or a piece of coal for the fire. In Edinburgh, there
are house parties and street parties, Scottish music and dancing, parades and lots of
fireworks. People often eat special food at this time. The traditional Scottish food for
festivals in haggis, which is like a large round sausage, usually made from sheep
meat.
New Year’s Day is 1 January, the first day of the New Year. It is a holiday for most
people, and the banks and many shops don’t open. Many people stay at home on that
day and rest. Most people go back to work on 2 January, but in Scotland they have
two days’ holiday and go back to work on 3 January.

At this time of year, a lot of people make New Year’s Resolutions. They decide to do
something different to be a better person. For example, they say:
‘I’m going to stop smoking,’ or
‘I’m going to learn something new,’ or
‘I’m going to work harder.’
The shops are very busy in January with January sales. This means things are cheaper
than before Christmas, so it is a good time to buy winter clothes.
The first time people see friends in the New Year, they usually say ‘Happy New
Year!’
6.3. Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day started over two thousand years ago, as a winter festival, on 15
February. On that day, pagans asked their gods to give them good fruit and
vegetables, and strong animals.
When the Christians came to Britain, they came with a story about a man called Saint
Valentine. The story is that Valentine was a Christian who lived in the third century
(between the years 200 and 300). The Roman Emperor at the time, Claudius II, was
not a Christian, Claudius decided that his soldiers must not marry, because married
soldiers do not make good soldiers. Valentine worked for the church, and one day he
helped a soldier to get married. The Emperor said that Valentine had to die because he
did wrong. In prison Valentine started to love the daughter of a man who worked in
the prison. The day he died, he sent a note to this woman, and at the end of the note,
he said: ‘Your Valentine.’ He died on 14 February, so the date of the festival changed
from 15 to 14 February, and the name changed to Saint Valentine’ s Day.

In the early nineteenth century, when the post office started in Britain, people started
to send valentine’s cards to the person they loved on 14 February. The cards had
pictures of flowers and birds on, and words inside like:
Roses are red, my love,
Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet, my love,
But not as sweet as you.
People still send each other Valentine’s cards, but often they do not write their names
inside: they just write ‘Be me Valentine,’ or ‘From your Valentine’. It is a kind of
game. Some children give their friends or teachers cards or chocolates. A man will
perhaps give his girlfriend or wife red roses.
A lot of people go out to restaurants for the evening and have dinner for two, with
candles and soft music.

6.4. Easter
Easter is the most important festival in the church year: more important than
Christmas. It begins with Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, which is the day the
Romans killed Jesus Christ, in Jerusalem, about two thousand years ago. In the
Christian religion it represents the day on which Christ died. It is a bank holiday in
Britain. Two days, later, on Easter Sunday, Christians believe that Jesus returned to
life.
Easter is now a Christian festival but the word ‘Easter’ comes from ‘Eostre’, the
pagan goddess of spring. Easter Day is the Sunday after the first full moon after the
first day of spring (21 March). It is different every year, but always between 22 March
and 25 April. Many animals and birds are born in the spring. So when people started
to send Easter cards in the nineteenth century, the cards often had baby sheep, rabbits
or birds on them.
Eggs are an important part of Easter because they mean spring and new life. One
Easter tradition is ‘egg rolling’. People decorate eggs with different colours, then take
the eggs to the top of a hill and the eggs roll down. The first egg to get to the foot of
the hill is the winner. On Easter Sunday, people give chocolate Easter eggs as
presents. These eggs started in Europe in the early nineteenth century and came to
Britain in the 1870s. Today some of the eggs are empty, others have small chocolates
inside; some are very small, some very big.

Some mothers and fathers tell their children that the Easter Rabbit brings the eggs and
hides them in the garden. The children must go outside and look for them.
Many people also eat hot cross buns at Easter. These are small loaves of bread, made
with fruit and spices, and they have a cross on top. They are best hot, and there is an
old song about them:
Hot cross buns, hot cross buns.
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns.
If you have no daughters,
Give them to yours sons,
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns.
Some women and girls decorate hats, called Easter bonnets. They put lots of spring
flowers on them, and wear them in Easter bonnet parades.
Many people go to church on Easter Day. There are lots of flowers in the churches
and people sing Easter songs.
Easter Monday is a holiday for everyone, so a lot of people watch some sport, or go
out for the day. Children usually have a week or two holidays from school around
Easter.

6.5. Lent

Lent is the 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter, the most serious period in the
Christian year. Traditionally, Christians did not eat meat or rich foods during Lent.
Today some people stop doing something they enjoy, such as eating sweets or
drinking alcohol, at this time.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Traditionally, Roman Catholics go to church
on Ash Wednesday and their foreheads are marked with ashes as a sign that they are
sorry for their sins (= offences against religious or moral laws). In the US this
tradition is still widely followed. They ashes are not washed off but left to go away on
their own. It is not polite to make a comment on such marks on a person's forehead.
Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. The word shrove is a past tense of
the English verb "shrive," which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by
confessing and doing penance. Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the shriving
(confession) that Anglo-Saxon Christians were expected to receive immediately
before Lent.

6.6. Pancake Day

In Britain, Shrove Tuesday is known as Pancake Day. Pancakes were traditionally

allowed to be made between the ringing of a curfew bell in the morning of Shrove
Tuesday and its ringing again that evening. Housewives had that time in which to use
up all the eggs and fat they had left over. Until the early 1900s, Shrove Tuesday was a
half-day holiday, and the ’Shriving Bell’ was rung at eleven o’clock in the morning to
remind people that the holiday had begun. It became known in some parts as the
’Pancake Bell’, and it is still rung today even though the day is no longer a holiday.
Originally, pancakes were eaten to use up milk and eggs, which traditionally were not
eaten during Lent and would otherwise spoil during this period. Pancakes first
appeared in English cookbooks in the 15th century. In Britain and Ireland in
particular, a number of traditions have grown up around the eating of pancakes. Some
people in Britain know the day only by the name ’Pancake Day’ and some are even
unaware of the day’s connection to Lent.

Pancake Races
On Pancake Day, pancake races are held in villages and towns across Britain. In 1634
William Fennor wrote in his Palinodia:
’And every man and maide doe take their turne,
And tosse their Pancakes up for feare they burne.’

But the tradition of pancake racing had started long before that. The most famous
pancake race, at Olney in Buckinghamshire, has been held since 1445. The
contestants, traditionally women, carry a frying pan and race to the finishing line
tossing the pancakes as they go. As the pancakes are thin, some skill is required to
toss them successfully while running. The winner is the first to cross the line having
tossed the pancake a certain number of times.
The tradition is said to have originated when a housewife from Olney was so busy
making pancakes, that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for
the service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan
and pancake.

6.7. April Fool's Day

April 1st is April Fools Day. A day when people play practical jokes on each other.
Here are some of the most memorable ones in England:
In 1957 Panorama, a TV programme, fooled millions of Brits into believing that
spaghetti grows on trees! The show announced that thanks to a very mild winter and
the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a
bumper spaghetti crop.
In 1980 the BBC reported that Big Ben, in order to keep up with the times, was going
to be given a digital readout. It received a huge response from listeners protesting the
change. The BBC Japanese service also announced that the clock hands would be sold
to the first 4 listeners to contact them, and one Japanese seaman in the mid-Atlantic
immediately radioed in a bid.
In 2000 early morning commuters travelling on the northern carriageway of the M3
near Farnborough, Hampshire encountered a pedestrian zebra crossing painted across
the busy highway. (A zebra crossing is a place where people cross the road. Traffic
has to stop for people wanting to cross on a zebra crossing)
In 2002 Tesco published an advertisement announcing the successful development of
a genetically modified whistling carrot with tapered air holes in their side. The
extraordinary carrots would start to whistle once fully cooked!

6.8. May Day

May Day is the first day of May, which has been marked in Britain for many centuries
by outdoor events held to celebrate the arrival of spring. In Britain, traditional events
on or near May Day include dancing round the maypole and choosing a May Queen.
May Day itself is not necessarily a holiday in Britain, but since 1978 there has been a
bank holiday on the Monday closest to 1 May, called the Early May Bank Holiday. In
some countries, though not in Britain, May Day has been an occasion for socialist
celebrations, often involving military parades (= processions).
Maypole is a tall decorated pole which people dance around during traditional May
Day celebrations in Britain. The dancers, usually children, hold coloured ribbons
attached to the top of the pole, which is fixed upright into the ground. Maypoles used
to be common in villages on May Day but are now less often seen.
May Queen (also Queen of the May) is a pretty girl who is chosen in a town or village
to be the central figure of traditional May Day celebrations in Britain. She wears a
crown of flowers and may be driven through the streets on an open vehicle.

6.9. Hallowe’en
The pagans who lived in Britain two thousand years ago celebrated their New Year on
1 November. Then the Christians came and people celebrated ‘Hallowmas’, a three-
day festival between 31 October and 2 November. 31 October was called All
Hallow’s Eve, and slowly the name changed to Hallowe’en.
In November, winter is near, and hundreds of years ago people believed that bad
spirits, like ghosts, came in the winter. They wanted the bad spirits to go away, so
they made fires outside and used big autumn fruit or vegetables to make jack
o’lanterns. The name ‘jack o’lantern’ means ‘Jack of the lantern’. A lantern is a kind
of light, and some people think Jack was a nightwatchman who had one of these
lights.
To make a jack o’lantern, people cut a hole in a large fruit - usually a pumpkin. Then
they put a candle in the hole, and cut a face in the side so the light was easy to see.

Another thing people did, to make the spirits go away, was to dress like witches and
ghosts.
Children still do this if they go to Hallowe’en parties. People often put up decorations
for Hallowe’en parties, and play games. The decorations are usually black (for dark
nights and death) and orange (for the autumn vegetables).
One Hallowe’en party game is called ‘bobbing for apples’. Many apples fall off the
trees in October so they are easy to find.
Someone puts water and apples in a big bowl. The apples stay on top of the water.
Often someone puts something round the first player’s head so they cannot see. The
player must keep their hands behind their back and take an apple out of water with
their teeth. Then the next player tries. The game is sometimes very difficult and
players usually get very wet!
In Canada and the USA, and sometimes in Britain, children
go ‘trick or treating’. They dress like witches and ghosts, and
go to the houses around where they live, often in a small
group. When someone answers the door, the children say:
‘Trick or treat?’ This means that the person in the house must
decide. Either they give the children a treat (like fruit or
chocolate) or the children will play a trick on them. For a
trick the children sometimes throw something like an egg at
the house.
6.10. Guy Fawkes’ Day

In 1604, the King of England was James I and a Protestant. Many people did not like
him because they were Catholics and wanted a Catholic king. A Catholic called Guy
Fawkes, and his friends, had a plot to kill King James, and his government, when he
opened Parliament in London on 5 November 1605. They put thirty-six boxes of
gunpowder in a room underneath the Houses of Parliament. They wanted to kill
everyone at the same time. But the plan did not work. One of Guy Fawkes’ friends
wrote a note to someone about it. At about midnight on 4 November, the King’s
soldiers found Guy Fawkes and the gun powder. They sent him to prison but he did
not want to give the names of his friends. They did terrible things to him for eight
days until he said all their names. Parliament decided that Guy Fawkes and the other
plotters had to die. In January 1606, when people heard the news that the plotters were
dead, they made many fires in the streets to celebrate. King James was alive and well!
Every year on 5 November, in most parts of Britain, people build a big fire outside,
with all the dead leaves and old pieces of wood they do not want. The fire is called a
bonfire. They make a dummy (called a ‘guy’) of Guy Fawkes, from old clothes.
Sometimes children carry the streets to show people. They say: ‘Penny for the guy’,
and ask people for money for fireworks. Some people have a bonfire with fireworks in
their garden, but fireworks are expensive, so often people get together and have one
big party in a park or a field. It is usually very cold in November, so they have hot
food and drinks to keep warm.
Many children learn these old words about Guy Fawkes’ Day:
Remember, remember,
The fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot
6.11. Christmas

At Christmas, people remember when Jesus Christ was born and the Jesus Christ was
born and the Christian religion started, Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem,
about two thousand years ago. The people who followed Jesus’ teaching were the first
Christians.
Today, Christmas is a very important time in the Christian year, but it is also very
important to those who do not go to church. It is a time for buying and giving
presents, having parties, and being with family.
People start to get ready for Christmas in late October or early November. Shop-
keepers decorate their shops with lights, trees and other decorations, and shoppers
start to look for presents. Shops get very busy and stay open later. People with family
and friends in other countries often send them cards and presents, and everyone begins
to make plans for the coming holiday.
In the middle of December, most families buy Christmas trees, put them inside the
house, and put colourful decorations on them. They also send cards to friends and
family. The cards say things like ‘Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year’ or
‘Season’s Greetings’. These two traditions (the trees and the cards) both started in the
middle of the nineteenth century.

Many children learn about the baby Jesus at school. Sometimes they do a play about
the story and sing Christmas songs, called carols, for their mothers and fathers.
Many children have Advent calendars with little doors for each day the child opens a
new door and inside there is a picture or a chocolate.
Many children have parties at school, and many adults have parties at work in
December. Most people have 25 and 26 December off work, and many have a week
off, from 25 December to 1 January. They usually spend this time at home with their
family or visiting family who live far away.
The Christmas holiday begins on 24 December: Christmas Eve. People often stop
work early and have a drink together, or finish their Christmas shopping. They cover
the presents in special paper, and put them under the tree.
Children leave a stocking for Santa Claus when they go to bed. Santa Claus is a big
man with white hair and red clothes who brings presents for children during the night.
(In Britain he is usually called Father Christmas). If the house has a fireplace, the
children sometimes leave their stocking by the fire because Santa Claus comes down
the chimney.

Mothers and fathers tell their children that Santa Claus only comes when they are
sleeping, but they do not usually sleep very well. If they are good children, he leaves
presents in the stockings. (if they are bad he leaves them a piece of coal!). Some
children leave a drink and a mince pie for Santa and some vegetables for his animals.
Many people go to church at midnight on Christmas Eve. They hear the Christmas
story and sing carols.
Christmas Day (25 December) is a holiday. Children usually wake up very early.
They look in their stockings to see what Santa put there for them. After breakfast they
open their other presents around the tree.
Christmas dinner is in the afternoon and is the biggest meal of the day. Before they
start to eat, people pull crackers. The crackers make aloud noise, and have a small
game and paper party hat inside.
Dinner is usually turkey with lots of winter vegetables and then hot mince pies or a
Christmas pudding.
At three o’clock many people in Britain turn their televisions on because the Queen
says ‘Happy Christmas’ to everyone. A lot of people go for a walk in the afternoon or
play with their new games.
In the evening, people eat cold meat, and Christmas cake (a kind of fruit cake), fruit
and nuts, but they are usually not very hungry because of their big dinner. Boxing Day
(26 December) is also a holiday in Britain, but many shops now open on this day. In
the nineteenth century, rich people gave boxes to their workers on Boxing Day, with
Christmas presents inside. Now it is another day for eating, drinking and watching
television at home, or going out to watch some sport.
Another British Christmas tradition is the pantomime.
A pantomime is a kind of play with a children’s story (kike Cinderella or Aladdin)
and lots of music and songs. There is usually a man who wears women’s clothes and
plays an old woman. ‘She is not very beautiful, but makes everyone laugh. There is
also a ‘bad’ person in the story. Every time the bad person comes out, the people who
watch the pantomime say ‘Boo! Or ‘Hiss!’ very loudly. Children like pantomimes
because they can often go with their school or family.
The Christmas season ends on the twelfth day after 25 December, which is 6 January.
Most people take down their Christmas trees and decorations by this date, and some
people think it is bad luck not to do that.

1. Part 1:

Câu 1: The United Kingdom is officially called the United Kingdom of ......... and
Northern Ireland.

A. Great Britain
B. Ireland
C. Wales
D. Scotland

Câu 2: What is the British Flag commonly known as?

A. The White, Red and Blue
B. The Common Flag
C. St George's Cross
 D. The Union Jack

Câu 3: What is the name of the official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II?

A. Windsor Castle
B. The Tower Of London
C. Clarence House
D. Buckingham Palace

Câu 4: The United Kingdom is the union of .....

A. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

B. England, Wales and Ireland.
C. England and Scotland.
D. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Câu 5: Britain has always forced to trade with ........

A. The US
B. other countries
C. Germany
D. France

Câu 6: What is the name of the Prince of Wales?

A. Peter
B. Manolo
C. Henry
D. Charles
Câu 7: How many times did King Henry VIII get married?

A. Six
B. Five
C. Eight
D. Three

Câu 8: ................. industries like steel manufacture and shipbuilding.

A. Heavy
B. Gold
C. Light
D. Coal

Câu 9: The deepest lake in the UK is .........with a maximum depth of 309 metres.

A. The Sense
B. Loch Morar
C. The Thames
D. Lock Nake

Câu 10: The Commonwealth is a/an ... of the ex-colonies in the Empire and works to
encourage cultural relations between members.
A. club
B. association
C. group
D. band

Câu 11: The United Kingdom is situated off the ... coast of continental Europe.

A. south-eastern
B. north-eastern
 C. north-western
D. south-western

Câu 12: Which sport originated in England and is currently popular mainly in the
present and former members of the Commonwealth?
A. Baseball
B. Handball
C. Cricket
D. Football

Câu 13: Who is the only woman to have served as British Prime Minister?

A. Hillary Clinton
B. Margaret Thatcher
C. Hillary
D. Vivien Westwood

Câu 14: What is the name of the river that flows through London?
A. The Seine
B. The Loch Ness
C. The Thames
D. Heathrow

Câu 15: Which monarch had the longest reign in British history?

A. Queen Elizabeth I
B. Queen Victoria
C. King Charles II
D. King Henry VIII

Câu 16: The UK is a highly ... country.

A. developing
B. developed
 C. unstable
D. stable

Câu 17: What is the currency in the UK?

A. The Pence
B. The Libra
C. The Pound
D. The Dollar

Câu 18: The members of the Commonwealth have many different styles of ........
A. House of Common
B. government
C. parliament
D. monarchy

Câu 19: Where were “The Beatles” from?

A. Liverpool
B. Manchester
C. Edinburgh
D. London

Câu 20: In Britain, there are only .......... successful large companies, but many
successful small companies.

A. a lot
B. no
C. a few
D. several

Câu 21: When did William Shakespeare live?

A. In the 16th and 17th centuries

 B. In the 17th and 18th centuries
C. In the 14th and 15th centuries
D. In the 18th and 19th centuries

Câu 22: What is the name of the British National Anthem?

A. Rule Britannia
B. The Stars and Stripes
C. God Save the Queen
D. The Star-Spangled Banner

Câu 23: What is the name given to the association of over 50 independent countries,
almost all of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom?
A. The League of Nations
B. The British Union
C. The Commonwealth
D. The Common Nations

Câu 24: What is the name of the forest where Robin Hood used to live?

A. Nottingham Forest
B. Sherwood Forest
C. Yorkshire Forest
D. Yorkshire Forest

Câu 25: What is the main theatre district in London commonly known as?
A. Notting Hill
B. Petticoat Lane
C. Broadway
D. The West End

Câu 26: What are the names of the two largest political parties in the United
Kingdom?
 A. The Conservative and the Labour Parties
B. The Labour and the Liberal Democratic Parties
C. The Republican and the Democratic Parties
D. The Conservative and the Liberal Democratic Parties

Câu 27: Capital of Wales.

A. Swansea
B. London
C. Belfast
D. Cardiff

Câu 28: The longest river in the UK is the..........

A. The Sense
B. The Thames
C. River Severn
D. Lock Nake

Câu 29: Which of the following countries is the nearest continental neighbour to
Great Britain?
A. Denmark
B. Germany
C. France
D. Portugal

Câu 30: How many countries make up the United Kingdom?

A. Five
B. Four
C. Three
D. Two

2. Part 2:
Câu 31: Feudalism was introduced into England by the Romans.
A. True B. False

Câu 32: Great Britain is the name of the island which is made up of England,
Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
A. True B. False

Câu 33: Welsh and English developed from Celtic.

A. True B. False

Câu 34: The Vikings arrived from Denmark and Norway throughout the 19th century.
A. True B. False

Câu 35: All of the countries recognise the Queen as head of the Commonwealth.
A. True B. False

Câu 36: England is a mountainous country.

A. True B. False

Câu 37: A Northern English accent is generally accepted to be the most easily
understood.
A. True B. False

Câu 38: The Channel Tunnel links the UK with France.

A. True B. False

Câu 39: England is the northern part of Great Britain and the largest country in the
UK.
A. True B. False

Câu 40: People from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England are English.
A. True B. False
Câu 41: England is named after the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes who settled in
England in the 5th century.
A. True B. False

Câu 42: Modern English developed from the Old English dialect of the East
Midlands.
A. True B. False

Câu 43: The UK is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.

A. True B. False

Câu 44: The Romans came to Britain from Italy in AD 43.

A. True B. False

Câu 45: It is a nuclear weapon country.

A. True B. False

BÀI LÀM
Câu Trả lời Đáp án Ghi chú
1 A B False
2 D D True
3 D D True
4 A A True
5 B B True
6 D B False
7 A A True
8 A A True
9 D B False
10 B B True
11 C D False
12 C D False
13 B B True
14 C C True
15 B D False
16 B C False
17 C C True
18 B B True
 19 A A True
20 D C False
21 A C False
22 C C True
23 D C False
24 B B True
25 D D True
26 A A True
27 D D True
28 C C True
29 C C True
30 B B True
31 1 0 False
32 0 0 True
33 1 1 True
34 1 0 False
35 1 1 True
36 1 0 False
37 0 0 True
38 1 1 True
39 1 0 False
40 0 0 True
41 1 1 True
42 1 0 False
43 0 0 True
44 1 1 True
45 1 1 True

1. Part 1:

Câu 1: What exam should British children take to go to university

A. GCSE exam
B. A-level exam
 C. AS-level exam
D. Entrance exam

Câu 2: What do secondary students in England study but Vietnamese pupils do not
learn?

A. Craftwork
B. Design
C. Science
D. Art

Câu 3: What is not the source of English law?

A. Constitution
B. Statutes
C. Acts
D. Precedents

Câu 4: The government authority taking charge of British trade is.........

A. The Exchequer
B. The Department of Trade and Industry
C. UK Trade and Investment
D. The Treasury

Câu 5: Children often have summer vacation after which term

A. Spring term
B. Autumn term
C. Winter term
D. Summer term

Câu 6: Which is included in the royal title of the Monarch?

A. Head of the Church of England
B. All of these
 C. Head of the Commonwealth
D. Commander in Chief

Câu 7: On which occasion is the song Auld Lang Syne sung .........

A. New Year day

B. Hallowe’en night
C. April’s Fool Day
D. Christmas dinner

Câu 8: Which duty is often performed by the Queen?

A. Giving Royal Assent
B. Dissolving the Parliament
C. All of these
D. Appointing P.M. and ministers

Câu 9: MA or MSc is conferred to

A. Postgraduates
B. Graduates
C. Undergraduates
D. Either of these

Câu 10: What can the Speaker of the House of Lords do?
A. End the debate
B. Preside over the House
C. Speak in debates
D. Supervise the voting

Câu 11: All these holidays are religious except.........

A. Shrove Day
B. Christmas
C. May Day
 D. Easter

Câu 12: What is now the residence of Royal family?

A. Tower of London
B. Westminster Palace
C. Warwick Castle
D. Buckingham Palace

Câu 13: What is the main duty of P.M.’s government?

A. Answering MPs’ questions

B. Conducting national affairs
C. Seeking amendments to bills
D. All of these

Câu 14: Who is the member of House of Lords?

A. Duke
B. M.P.
C. P.M.
D. Queen

Câu 15: Redbrick University refers to.............

A. Oxford
B. Ones built in 15-16th century
C. Neither of these
D. Cambridge

Câu 16: Children start their public school at the age of ...

A. 8
B. 17
C. 13
 D. 5

Câu 17: The group of 20 minister headed by the P.M. conducting national affairs is
A. The Cabinet
B. The Privy Council
C. The Cabinet Office
D. The Shadow Cabinet

Câu 18: MP is elected by most

A. Legal ballots
B. Spoiled ballots
C. Counted ballots
D. Secrets ballots

Câu 19: At what stage of law-making procedure is Bill discussed and/or amended
A. All of these
B. Third reading
C. Committee stage
D. Second reading

Câu 20: Queen Elizabeth II has rules for ...

A. 60 years
B. 50 years
C. Over 50 years
D. Over 60 years

Câu 21: By which means the monarch act as final check?

A. Talking to the P.M once a week
B. Opening hospitals
C. Receiving ambassadors
D. Giving Royal Assent
Câu 22: Secondary-school subjects include .........
A. All of these
B. Science
C. Craftwork
D. English

Câu 23: The British monarchy could retain its dignity due to...

A. The mystery of its royal life

B. The contradiction between monarchy and democracy
C. Its religious importance for many people
D. Its not involvement into politics

Câu 24: Children study at what school when they are 11?

A. Sixth form school

B. Primary
C. Elementary
D. Secondary

Câu 25: What is the main responsibilities of the Lord of Chancellor?

A. Administration of higher court
B. All of these
C. Administration of court procedures
D. Head of the judiciary of England

Câu 26: The party in power now in Britain is...........

A. Scottish National
B. Labour
C. Conservative
D. Liberal Democrats
Câu 27: Pancake Day is immediately followed by.............

A. Easter
B. Shrove Tuesday
C. Christmas
D. Lent

Câu 28: What the Monarch does not embody is......

A. Cultural heritage
B. Traditional values
C. Political democracy
D. National identity

Câu 29: Britain’s administrative units are...........

A. Counties
B. Boroughs
C. Councils
D. Constituencies

Câu 30: MP can perform the Parliament’s scrutinizing function by..........

A. Drafting laws
 B. Putting forward his own policy
C. Questioning ministers and P.M
D. Criticizing government policy

2. Part 2:

Câu 31: All pupils in Wales must study the Welsh language.
A. True B. False

Câu 32: The minority party becomes the official Opposition.

A. True B. False

Câu 33: The Budget is presented annually by the First Secretary of the State.
A. True B. False

Câu 34: Children in Britain start school at the age of 5.

A. True B. False

Câu 35: Only members of the House of Lords are not entitled to vote.
A. True B. False

Câu 36: Religious education is provided by all state schools in the UK.
A. True B. False

Câu 37: The Prime Minister sits in the two Houses of Parliament.
A. True B. False

Câu 38: The minimum age of candidacy is 18.

A. True B. False

Câu 39: AS is equivalent to A level.

A. True B. False

Câu 40: The academic year in Britain is divided into 2 terms.

A. True B. False
Câu 41: The two oldest universities are Oxford and London.
A. True B. False

Câu 42: Sex and relationship education is compulsory in primary and secondary
schools.
A. True B. False

Câu 43: Comprehensive is a state secondary school.

A. True B. False

Câu 44: The Queen chooses the Prime Minister.

A. True B. False

Câu 45: It takes 4 years for students to study for a BA or BSc.

A. True B. False

BÀI LÀM
Câu Trả lời Đáp án Ghi chú
1 B B True
2 B B True
3 C A False
4 B C False
5 A D False
6 B B True
7 A A True
8 B C False
9 C A False
10 B B True
11 B C False
12 C D False
13 B B True
14 D A False
15 A C False
16 D C False
17 B A False
18 B A False
19 C A False
20 D C False
21 A A True
22 A A True
23 C D False
24 D D True
25 B B True
26 C B False
27 B D False
28 C C True
29 A A True
30 B C False
31 1 1 True
32 0 0 True
33 1 0 False
34 1 1 True
35 0 0 True
36 0 1 False
37 1 0 False
38 0 0 True
39 1 0 False
40 0 0 True
41 0 0 True
42 1 0 False
43 0 1 False
44 1 1 True
45 0 0 True