Д. Д.

Бочкарёва

COUNTRY STUDIES
СОЦИОКУЛЬТУРНЫЙ КОМПОНЕНТ
ОЛИМПИАД ШКОЛЬНИКОВ
ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ

Москва
Издательство МЦНМО
2018
УДК .
ББК .Англ
Б

Бочкарёва Д. Д.
Country Studies. Социокультурный компонент олимпиад школь-
ников по английскому языку
Электронное издание
М.: МЦНМО, 
 с.
ISBN ----
Пособие по английскому языку предназначено для подготовки
учащихся к успешному выступлению на Всероссийской олимпиаде
школьников. В нем представлены материалы, помогающие выпол-
нить задания раздела Country studies, посвященного истории и куль-
туре англоговорящих стран.
В процессе работы читатель сможет акцентировать внимание на
ключевых аспектах, требующих тщательного изучения, оптимизиро-
вать подготовку к выполнению заданий данного типа. Предложенные
тренировочные задания, помогут проверить полученные при чтении
знания.
Пособие предназначено для учащихся — классов, учителей
английского языка, а также родителей. Издание соответствует Феде-
ральному государственному образовательному стандарту (ФГОС).

Подготовлено на основе книги:

Д. Д. Бочкарёва. Country Studies. Социокультурный компонент
олимпиад школьников по английскому языку. — М.: МЦНМО,
. — ISBN ----.

12+
Учебно-методическое издание

Издательство Московского центра

непрерывного математического образования
, Москва, Большой Власьевский пер., ,
тел. () ––.
http://www.mccme.ru

© Бочкарёва Д. Д., .

ISBN ---- © МЦНМО, .
 ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Предлагаемое вашему вниманию учебно-методическое посо-

бие, разработанное в рамках проекта «Коалиция» Московского
Центра педагогического мастерства, предназначено для подготовки
учащихся к социокультурному аспекту олимпиад по английскому
языку.
Максимальное количество баллов по социокультурному аспек-
ту олимпиады школьников по английском языку порой кажется
недостижимой целью, так как эта часть отличается разнообра-
зием заданий и, соответственно, очень значительным объемом
требуемых знаний. Однако при правильной подготовке нет ничего
нереального.
Начинать следует с построения скелета – освоения истории
Великобритании. Совсем не просто усвоить отдельные детали
исторических и культурных реалий, избежав самого сложного
первого шага. Естественно, чтобы изучить английскую историю
в подробностях, пришлось бы потратить слишком много времени
и усилий, что непозволительно, учитывая, что мы говорим о всего
одном аспекте олимпиады. Следовательно, незаменимым помощни-
ком станут схемы, таблицы и краткие конспекты по каждому этапу
истории Британии в изобилии представленные в данном пособии.
Вместе они создадут цельную картину развития страны, научат
ориентироваться в событиях, личностях, объектах культуры. Нель-
зя забывать и об истории Америки. Несмотря на относительную
молодость, страна богата на выдающихся деятелей и неожиданные
повороты в истории.
Отдельное внимание стоит уделить английской литературе,
так как эта сфера дает необъятный простор для олимпиадных
заданий. Они могут касаться как наиболее значимых авторов, так
и их произведений, не говоря уже об истории литературы. И снова
отличным способом освоить объемный материал станут таблицы,
содержащие информацию об авторе и его основных произведениях.
Формат «годы автор – произведение – сюжет» позволит макси-

3
мально эффективно подготовиться к вопросам по англоязычной
литературе.
Следующий популярный тип заданий сосредоточен вокруг раз-
ницы между британским и американским английским. Одним из
олимпиадных форматов являются кроссворды, требующие подо-
брать американский синоним британскому слову. Важным элемен-
том современной культуры являются и всё более распространяю-
щиеся идиомы. Это языковое явление, несомненно, заслуживает
особого внимание при подготовке.
Таким образом, подготовка к социокультурному аспекту олим-
пиады должна состоять из систематизации наиболее ценного
материала. Данное пособие содержит достаточный фактический
материал, схемы и таблицы, а также рекомендации по источни-
кам для дальнейшего изучения культуры Англии и Америки. По-
собие написано на английском языке для максимизации работы
зрительной памяти, а также с целью обогатить словарный запас
читателей.

4
 Great Britain has an outstandingly rich history. In order to deal
with tasks on the topic, you have to learn the events that shaped the
course of the country’s development, the most prominent figures and
cultural landmarks that created the image of the UK. When working
on this part of the manual, do not forget to pay attention to the refer-
ences at the bottom of the pages.
If the material that follows sparks your interest in British history, you
are sure to find ‘A Brief History of Great Britain’ by Г. А. Вильданова and
О. В. Павлова handy and informative.

1. A Concise History of Britain

1.1. Ancient Britain

The first stages of the existence of life on the British Isles are often
described as prehistoric or as unwritten history of Britain. The greatest
monument existing back then is Stonehenge on Salisbury plain. In
1986 the site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO’s list
of World Heritage Sites.
The land of the Isles was invaded several times by:
The Celts (from France)
™ They imposed their dialects on the native population: Gaelic
spread in Ireland and Scotland, Brythonic in – England and Wales.
™ The Celts were not as barbaric as portrayed by the media. They
are famous for their religion and culture, led by Druids and Priests.
™ In the 1st century AD the Celts were defeated by the Romans
and moved from England to Wales and Scotland.

p
The Romans
™ They conducted two expeditions led by Julius Caesar to con-
quer the land in 55 and 54 BC, but in vain. The expeditions are put
down in history books as exploratory.
™ The conquest was conducted by the Emperor Claudius only
in 43 AD.

5
 ™ The Romans imposed Pax Romana – Roman peace – which
stopped the tribal wars and protected Britain from the outside tribes –
the Scots, Saxons and Picts.
™ The Romans turned the Britons into slaves provoking inevi-
table revolts. The best known of them was initiated by Queen Boa-
dicea’s1 husband. He was soon killed and she was to lead the tribes
against the Romans in 60 AD. The rebels ruined London, Colchester
and St. Albans just to be defeated. The Queen hated the idea of be-
coming a prisoner and poisoned herself and her two daughters.
™ The Romans built walls around London, bridges over the
Thames and the straightest roads in the world. They also made an at-
tempt to impose Christianity in the form of Catholicism.
™ The greatest monument by the Romans is Hadrian’s Wall. It
was built by the Emperor Hadrian in 120 AD to protect the Romans
from invaders. Some parts of the wall can be seen even today.
™ In the 5–7th century the Romans began to disintegrate and
most were ousted from Britain.

p
The Angles, Saxons and Jutes (from what we now know as
Germany), 7th century
™ The time of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table
(they were all romans) who protected the land from the invaders. King
Arthur is alleged to have lived in Scotland.
™ The Anglo-Saxons managed to settle and oust the Roman
dispersed tribes.
™ The Anglo-Saxons killed Christian Britons returning the
country to paganism.

p
The Vikings (from Denmark)
™ At that time the King of the West Saxons (consequently, the
King of Britain) was Alfred the Great. He defeated the Viking armies
1
The Queen of the Iceni tribe. There is a monument to the Queen in Hyde Park,
London.

6
and forced them to settle in Northern France. The place of their settle-
ment was named Normandy.
™ Vikings conquered the British Isles in the 9th century. The
Kingdom of Denmark existed till the 11th century.1
™ In 1042 Edward the Confessor came to power in Britain. By
the way, William the Duke of Normandy was his cousin and a close
friend.
™ Edward the Confessor was very religious and built Westmin-
ster Abbey, which is now the meeting place for the Parliament.
™ In 1066 Edward died and Harold was elected as the next
King. Before death, however, Edward was alleged to have promised
the throne to William the Duke of Normandy.
™ 1066 – the battle of Hastings took place with William the
Duke of Normandy defeating the army of Harold in his successful bid
to take the throne.
™ William captured London and was crowned King of England
in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, 1066. The Norman period
in English history began.

1.2. Britain in Early Middle Ages

witnessed two ruling dynasties: 1) The Royal House of Normandy
2) The Plantagenet Kings
™ William I The Conqueror (1066–1087) won the Battle at
Hastings and died having fallen from his horse. It was he who intro-
duced the Domesday Book (1086) – a survey of England’s land and
people. It stated that all land in the country belonged to the Crown.
The Domesday Book was designed for fiscal (taxation) purposes. The
population was threatened with God’s punishment for telling lies on
Domesday when, according to the Bible, God will judge them on the
last day of the world.
™ William left three sons to dispute his inheritance: Rufus,
Henry I and Stephen. Henry’s emblem was a plant called “Planta
genista” which gave name to the Plantagenet dynasty.

1
That is the time when The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William
Shakespeare is set.

7
 p
™ Henry II1 (1154–1189) conflicted with Thomas Becket, the
archbishop of Canterbury, who considered his first loyalty to be to the
Church and not to the King. Thomas was killed but later canonized.2
™ Richard I the Lion Heart (1189–1199) was brave and cruel
(he executed 2000 crusaders being a crusader himself). He was ob-
sessed with conquering new lands and expanding his territory. One
historian says: “Few English kings have played so small a part in the
affairs of England and so large a part in the affairs of Europe as Rich-
ard I.”
™ John Lackland3 (1199–1216) faced unwelcome conse-
quences of his predecessor’s policy. The wars and conflicts needed
money, thus John sold all his property and increased taxation, ris-
ing above the Church and Nobility. So, in 1215 the barons and the
Church united against the king and made him sign The Great Charter
(Magna Carta in Latin). It guaranteed free men certain rights and
liberties and proclaimed the organization of the Council consisting of
25 barons who controlled the power of the king.

1.3. Britain in Later and Late Middle Ages

™ Henry III (1216–1272) came to power at the age of nine. At
first, the country was governed by the aristocracy. Later, Henry fought
for absolute power. The barons made up “Oxford provisions” and
the knights – “Westminster provisions”, and started a Civil War. In
1265 the leader of the barons Earl Simon de Montfort captured the
King and made him summon the first English Parliament.
™ The country developed not only politically but also culturally:
in the middle of the 12th century a group of professors from France
came to Britain and founded schools in the town of Oxford in 1168.
A second university was formed in 1209 in Cambridge.
™ Edward I the Hammer of Scots (1272–1307) was deter-
mined to impose his rule on Wales and Scotland. To this end, he made
1
The son of the daughter of Henry I.
2
It was the first conflict between the Church and the Crown.
3
“Lackland” because he inherited no land from his family and lost significant territory
to France. His other epithet was “Softsword” as he lacked prowess in battles.

8
his son the Prince of Wales. Since then the eldest son of the English
monarch has been given the title.1 Then the turn of Scotland came.
After the death of the King of Scotland ten barons claimed the throne.
Edward I was asked to solve the question. He proclaimed himself the
overlord of Scotland and seized the national Scotland treasure – The
Stone of Destiny – from the Scone Abbey. Nevertheless, he failed to
subdue the Scots for good.2
™ Edward III (1312 – 1377) – a passionate fighter – insti-
tuted the Order of the Garter and cultivated the spirit of chivalry at the
court. In 1337 he claimed the throne of France and started the Hun-
dred Years’ War (1337–1453).3 During his reign the Black Death of
1348 struck Europe, which exacerbated the crisis and led to the Great
Peasants’ Revolt.
™ John Ball, the leader of the opponents (his companion was
Wat Tyler), invented the motto ‘When Adam delved and Eve span who
was then the gentleman?’4
™ King Richard II – the last King from the House of Plantagen-
ets – met the rebel leaders who demanded certain liberties. When
Wat Tyler met with the king he was killed by the king’s men. Though
the king promised to the people to fulfill everything they claimed, as
soon as he found himself safe he broke all his promises.
™ The time was marked by the invention of printing by William
Caxton. Fortunately, that coincided with the life of one of the most
prominent poets – Geoffrey Chaucer – who is often called the father
of English poetry.

1
Presently the heir to the British throne is Charles, Prince of Wales. Next in line after
him is Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. Prince Harry is the younger son of the Prince
of Wales.
2
In 1314 the Scots defeated the English army. It was only in 1603 that Scotland and
England were united under the rule of James I.
3
It was actually a series of dynastic wars for the throne of England. It was given its
name by Sir Walter Scott. The opponents were the Lancasters (with a red rose in the crest)
and the Yorks (with a white rose in the crest). As a result, the two dynasties were destroyed
and a distant relative of the Lancaster family – Henry Tudor – defeated Richard III at the
battle of Bosworth Field and married Elisabeth of York in 1485.
4
= Back when our forefathers worked, who among them would have been better than
the other, who would have observed any class distinctions?

9
 1.4. The Tudor Age
the era started in 1485 after the War of Roses with the reign of Henry VII
Henry VIII (1491–1547)
™ “BROKE FROM THE ROME.”1 The reign of Henry VIII
was to come down into the annals of history as the era of Reforma-
tion. At first Henry VIII hadn’t approved of the ideas of Martin Luther
and was awarded by the Pope the title of Fidei Defensor.2 However,
as the opposition to the Pope as a political prince was growing in
England, Henry VIII started his own Reformation. Thomas Crom-
well was his faithful reformer. In 1534 the Parliament passed the Act
of Supremacy, declaring Henry the Supreme Head of the Church of
England.3 Thomas More4 refused to recognize the Act, which cost
him his life.
™ 1536 – Wales united with England. That was the first Act of
Union in the history of Britain.
™ Henry VIII was nicknamed ‘coppernose’ after he lowered the
percentage of silver in British coinage to the point where they were
mostly copper with a silver coating, which made the image of Henry’s
face disappear starting with the nose.
™ Henry VIII also earned the nickname of Bluebeard as he had
six wives. He beheaded two of them.
1. Catherine of Aragon – divorced (she gave him a daughter – Mary)
2. Anne Boleyn – beheaded (she gave him a daughter – Elizabeth I)
3. Jane Seymour – died (she gave him a son – Edward VI)
4. Anne of Cleves – divorced
5. Catherine Howard – beheaded
6. Catherine Parr – survived
™ Henry VIII wrote the words and music for the famous song
“Pastime with Good Company”, which is a celebration of the courtly
life.

1
Nationalization of the English Church.
2
= “Defender of the Faith”. the letters F. D. are still to be found on every British coin.
3
Henry VIII was the first English king to be called “Your Majesty”. Before him the
kings were addressed as “Your Grace” or “Your Highness”.
4
Henry’s Chansellor, the author of the famous Utopia.

10
 ™ Henry VIII planned to build a tomb for himself and Jane Sey-
mour – his favorite queen – but the monument was completed in
more than a year after his death. Hence, Henry and Jane were left
to rest in peace in a crypt at Windsor Castle. Henry’s intended tomb
later became the final resting place of Horatio Nelson – the British
naval hero of the Napoleonic Wars, a monument to whom was erected
in Trafalgar Square.
™ Henry’s heir Edward died too soon and his daughter Mary
took control of the Kingdom.

p
Bloody Mary (1553–1558) made crucial mistakes:
™ 1st mistake – she married King Philip of Spain – English-
men did not want a foreigner to control their country;
™ 2nd mistake – she made an attempt to bring England back to
the Catholic Church: burned 300 chief Protestants, which gave her
the name;
™ 3rd mistake – she supported Philip (= Spain) in the war
against France. England was defeated and suffered major losses.
™ Mary I is remembered as “Bloody Mary” as an allusion to the
more than 300 Protestants she put to death. In fact, however, Henry
VIII deserves the nickname having ordered tens of thousands of ex-
ecutions during the English Reformation.

p
Elizabeth I (1558–1603) gave her name to the whole historical
period of the Renaissance – the Golden Age of Elizabeth.1 The reign
saw the culture soar, it was marked by work by W. Shakespeare,
Edmund Spenser, Philip Sidney and Sir Walter Raleigh.
™ England had to make the life of her rivals – Catholic Eu-
rope – as hard as possible. The country started to explore the World.
England ignored Spanish monopolies in America and headed for
the New World, too. English sailors John Hawkins, Francis Drake,

1
См. с. 24.

11
Martin Frobisher (also known as pirates) raided the Spanish colonies
and captured Spanish ships.
™ Philip the King of Spain was infuriated. In 1588 he sent
a fleet – the Invincible Armada – to conquer Britain. The Armada
was defeated and since then England has long been considered the
Queen of Seas.

1.5. The Stuarts

James I Stuart (1603–1625)

™ The King disappointed the Catholics because he was not go-
ing to change the Protestant character of England, which provoked
the Gunpowder Plot. Under the leadership of Guy Fawkes, the reb-
els decided to blow up the King and Parliament but the plot was dis-
covered and plotters were arrested. Today the day is celebrated1 and
a well-known rhyme is on everybody’s lips:
“Remember, Remember
the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason
and Plot.”
Charles I (1625–1649)
™ Had tensions with Parliament over money, which ended in
a major conflict. Parliament refused to sponsor war with the Scots,
Charles raised the royal standard at Nottingham and the civil war
began:

The King The Parliament

THE Cavaliers Roundheads2
SUPPORTERS
Oliver Cromwell created a New
Model Army.3

1
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework
Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November. Celebrating the fact that
King James I had survived the attempt on his life, people lit bonfires around London.
2
They had extremely short haircuts.
3
Of educated men instead of country people and gentry.

12
 THE OUTCOME Charles Won in 1645! Oliver Cromwell
I captured came to power1, but his harsh policy
was not popular. After his death,
Charles’s son aggravated the need
to restore the monarchy.
AT THE REIGN Created the Created the party of Whigs.
OF CHARLES II2 party of Tories.
(1660–1685)

p
The Glorious Revolution
™ After Charles II his brother James II came to power. He want-
ed to revive the Catholic Church. The Whigs and the Tories united
against the King forcing him to flee.
™ In 1689 the nobles crowned William of Orange3, who was,
predictably, a protestant. This event went down as the Glorious Revo-
lution – a coup d’etat.4
™ In 1707 the Parliament proclaimed the union of Scotland
and England. The state got the name – Great Britain. The new flag
united the flags of England and Scotland combining the crosses of St.
George and St. Andrew.

p
Industrial Revolution
™ The movement of Luddism against machines emerged on
Nottingham and Sheffield in 1779. The workers started to destroy
machines depriving them of their jobs. The government took severe
measures to crush the movement.
1
He took the title of the Lord Protector of the United Commonwealth of England,
Scotland, Ireland and the colonies.
2
It was marred by the notorious Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London
in 1666. On the other hand, culture flourished: the first great learned society ‘the Royal
Society” was founded with Christopher Wren, John Locke and Isaac Newton as its
members.
3
The ruler of Holland, husband of James’s older daughter Mary.
4
The Twelfth (also called Orangemen’s Day) is a Protestant celebration held on
12 July only in Northern Ireland to commemorate the victory of Protestant king William of
Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

13
 1.6. Britain in the 18th Century
was mostly notable for the change of the ruling dynasty, an immense
Parliament power, wars on France, and industrial, cultural and scientific
achievements

WHO? WHAT?
Queen Ann Was the last of the Stuarts monarchs.
Ann’s successor. Started a new dynasty of
George of Hannover
Hannover.
A Whig statesman. Actually held control of
Sir Robert Walpole
the country 1722–1742.
William Pitt A Tory opponent of Sir Robert Walpole.
Led a fleet against the French at Trafalgar in
1803. The phrase to turn a blind eye to sth
is attributed to an incident in his life. Nelson
was blinded in one eye early in his Royal Navy
career. During the Battle of Copenhagen in
Admiral Nelson 1801 the cautious Admiral Sir Hyde Parker
sent a signal via a system of signal flags to
Nelson’s forces to cease the action. Nelson
lifted his telescope up to his blind eye and
said, «I really do not see the signal.» His
forces continued the action.
Conducted a series of successful campaigns
Duke of Wellington
against the French in Spain.
The Boston Tea Party in 1773 was the protest
against the Stamps for tea taxes when the
colonists threw the East India Company’s tea
into the harbor.
James Watt Invented a steam engine in 1769.
Dr. S. Johnson, Sir
Joshua Reynolds,
Goldsmith, Bruke,
Were the members of the Literary Club.
Fox, Gainsborough,
Sheridan, Adam
Smith

14
 1.7. The Victorian Age of the British Empire
is remarkable for new political movements, an active Parliamentary role
and industrial growth
Home policy:
™ The Poor Law – all the poor were forced to work in work-
houses in the worst conditions imaginable.1
™ 1829: Robert Peel, the Home Secretary, implemented the in-
stitution of police- peelers or bobbies.
™ Lord Melbourne, Sir R. Peel, Lord John Russel, Earl of Der-
by, Earl of Aberdeen, Viscount Palmerstone, Benjamin Disraeli,
W.E. Gladstone, Earl of Rosebery, Marquess of Salisbury – these
are Prime Ministers that followed quickly one after another after Sir
Robert Walpole.
™ Two new political movements – the Chartist movement2 and
the Anti-Corn Law League3 – emerged.
™ Jingoism – extreme, flag waving patriotism – came to exis-
tence.
Industrialization:
™ 1830: The Manchester and Liverpool Railway was opened by
the Duke of Wellington.
™ George Stephenson built a locomotive – “the Rocket”,
which reached a maximum speed of forty-eight km per hour.
™ 1851: Prince Albert and Queen Victoria held The Great Ex-
hibition of the Industries of all Nations in the Crystal Palace in Hyde
Park – the symbol of Technological progress.
Science and culture:
™ Women writers thrived.4
™ Charles Darwin founded the modern theory of biological evo-
lution.

1
Those unfavourable conditions influenced Charles Dickens to a great extent.
2
The movement got its name after the Charter (1838) – a document which expressed
the demands of the working class.
3
It was founded by the middle class in 1838 to establish a fully free-trade economy.
4
См. с. 29–30.

15
 1.8. Britain in the 20th – 21st Century
™ Queen Victoria died on the 22 of January 1901.

p
Edward VII (born Albert Edward)
™ Victoria’s eldest son.
™ He was known as “The Uncle of Europe” as he was related to
most European royalty.
™ Did his best to improve British foreign affairs:
– He reached Anglo-French Entente Cordiale in 1904.
– He was the first monarch to visit Russia in 1908.
– Had to solve the Boer War – the South African Wars be-
tween the British and the descendants of the Dutch settlers
(Boers1) in Africa.
– He got the title of Edward Peacemaker for promoting inter-
national peace.
p
George V
™ Earned respect during World War One.
™ In 1917 anti-German feeling led him to adopt the family name
of Windsor instead of former Germanic Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

p
Edward VIII – the only British sovereign to abdicate voluntarily in
order to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

p
George VI ruled during World War Two.

p
Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953 at Westminster Abbey.

1
Literally “farmer” in Afrikaans.

16
 1.9. To Remember
™ Edward the Confessor was the first English monarch to be
declared a saint. He was England’s patron saint until 1348.
™ The Bloody Code was the harshest and most brutal punish-
ment and penal system of the Western world. It existed in Britain from
the late 1700s till early 1800s.
™ Newgate Prison – was London’s most notorious jail which
stood in London from 1188 to 1902. Many prisoners died before ex-
ecution due to extreme conditions.
™ Tyburn was Britain’s most notorious place of execution. Fel-
ons were hanged from a tree, known as “Tyburn tree”. In 1571 a large
gallows was erected capable of hanging twenty four people at the
same time. In 1783 executions were moved to Newgate prison.
™ England’s youngest monarch ever was King Henry VI (1422–
1461) who came to power aged six months. A history play by William
Shakespeare Henry VI is set during the lifetime of the King. It is often
considered the weakest of the Shakespeare’s plays. The playwright
is believed to have collaborated with Christopher Marlowe and/or
Thomas Nashe to write the play.
™ England’s shortest-reigning monarch was Queen Jane (also
known as Lady Jane Grey, the Nine-Day Queen or Lady Jane Dud-
ley) who reigned for nine days 10 July 1553–19 July 1553.
™ Some royal decisions may sound quite weird: Elizabeth
I made the British eat fish every Wednesday and Friday to build up
England’s shipping capacity, whereas William the Conqueror or-
dered that everyone should go to sleep at eight o’clock.
Choose between the two:
Who led the Roman army on an exploratory foray into Britain in 55BC?
a. The Emperor Hadrian b. Julius Caesar
Who built a wall to protect Britain from Scots and Picts?
a. The Emperor Claudius b. The Emperor Hadrian
Who won the battle of Bosworth, which ended the Wars of the Roses?
a. King Alfred b. King Henry VII
Who started using Britain first printing press?
a. Geoffrey Chaucer b. William Caxton
Who led the last successful invasion of Britain and won the Battle of Hastings?
a. William the Duke of Normandy b. King Alfred

17
 2. An Even More Concise History of America
A not-too-long history of America is by no means less important
than that of Britain. The key points are practically the same: you have
to remember the names, events and landmarks. Fortunately, they are
not that numerous.
What makes the history of America special, however, is its
presidents. It is worth remembering the most prominent of them as
well as other meaningful political figures.
™ October 12, 1492 – the arrival of Christopher Columbus.
™ 1600s – the start of the American Frontier – the process of
settlement of new lands in the West.
™ In September 1620, a group of 102 adventurers, tradesmen
and members of a radical Puritan faction known as the English Sepa-
ratist Church set out from Plymouth, southwestern England. Being
persecuted by King James of England, the Separatists headed for the
New World. Their intended destination was the colony of Virginia –
a region near the Hudson River. The would-be settlers joined a Lon-
don stock company that financed their trip aboard the Mayflower in
1620. A smaller vessel, the Speedwell, had initially accompanied the
Mayflower, but it proved incapable of a long voyage. Some of the
most notable passengers on the Mayflower included Myles Standish,
a professional soldier who would become the military leader of the
new colony; and William Bradford, a leader of the Separatist congre-
gation who wrote the account of the Mayflower voyage and the found-
ing of Plymouth Colony. The latter was among the 41 men who signed
the so-called Mayflower Compact, which would become the founda-
tion of the new colony’s government. The Plymouth settlers had been
formerly known as “Old Comers” before the discovery of Bradford’s
work in which he called them “saints” and “pilgrimes”.
Instead of the intended destination, the ship reached the shores of
Cape Cod, anchoring on the site of Provincetown Harbor. They disem-
barked on the would-be Plymouth rock December, 21st. The settlement’s
first fort and watchtower was built on what is now known as Burial Hill,
where presently the graves of Bradford and other original settlers are.
Soon after the Pilgrims built their settlement – the colony of
Plymouth – they came into contact with a Native American Squanto,
who picked up English when he had been seized by the explorer John

18
Smith’s men and transported to England for slavery. He taught the
Pilgrims how to plant corn and where to fish and hunt beaver. In
autumn 1621, the Pilgrims famously shared a harvest feast with the
Squanto’s tribe of Pokanokets; the meal is now considered the basis for
the Thanksgiving holiday.
Three more ships traveled to Plymouth after the Mayflower,
including the Fortune (1621), the Anne and the Little James (both
1623). The tribes, however, were not always on so good terms with the
European settlers. In 1675, King Philip’s War 1 broke out. It ruined
the colony of Plymouth and made it the least powerful in the area of
New England. In 1692, Plymouth was absorbed into the larger entity
of Massachusetts.
™ 1773 – the Boston Tea Party took place. The demonstrators,
led by the Sons of Liberty organization, destroyed an entire ship-
ment of tea sent by the East India Company to protest British Parlia-
ment’s tax on tea. They threw the chests of tea into Boston Harbor.
A series of the punitive laws by the British Parliament were called the
Intolerable Acts or the Coercive Acts. The episode escalated into the
American Revolution (1765–1783).
™ April 1775 – a fight broke out between colonists (Patriots)
and British regulars at Lexington and Concord. Colonists who pre-
ferred to stay loyal to the Crown were called Loyalists. Patriots built
a Continental Army under the leadership of General George Wash-
ington. The King of England at that time was King George III. The
conflict was formally ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783 with the
victory of Patriots.
™ 1776 – the Congress declared a new independent nation –
the United States of America.
™ 1789 – the American Constitution was adopted.
™ 1791 – the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution fix-
ing inalienable rights.
™ The Founding Fathers – are those who took park in winning
independence, establishing the USA and writing the Constitution. They
are seven: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton,
John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and George Washington.
1
Philip was the English name of Metacomet, the son of Massasoit and leader of the
Pokanokets since the early 1660s.

19
 ™ 1861–1865 – the American Civil War was being waged be-
tween the USA and the Confederate State, formed by seven Southern
slave states. Among the commanders and leaders of the USA were
Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman;
among their rivals were Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee.
™ 1925 – Mount Rushmore National Memorial was carved,
featuring four presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson,
Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
™ 1929 – the Wall Street Crash also known as Black Tuesday
or the Great Crash happened, resulting in the most devastating stock
market crash in the history of the USA.
Presi-
# President Crucial Facts/Events Chief Characters
dency
1st 1789– George Washington – The commander – Alexander
1797 – is depicted on during the American Hamilton – chief
1-quarter coins Revolutionary War. political and finan-
and on 1-dollar – The only President cial adviser.
banknotes. to have received 100% – John Adams –
– the 1st presi- of votes. the 1st Vice Presi-
dent to appear on dent of the USA.
a post stamp.
2nd 1797– John Adams During his presidency
1801 – the head of the White House
the Continental was constructed to
Congress 1774. accommodate the
administration.
3rd 1801– Thomas Jefferson Made the Lousiana Meriwether Lewis
1809 – 5-cent coin. Purchase in 1803 – the and William Clark
– 2-dollar USA acquired land west led the first American
banknote. of the Mississippi from expedition to cross the
– the main author France. western portion of the
of the United US. It is now known
States Declaration as the Lewis and
of Independence Clark Expedition or
1776. the Corps of Discovery
Expedition.
4th 1809– James Madison Became known as
1817 the “Father of the
Constitution” for his
crucial role in drafting
the Constitution and the
Bill of Rights.

20
 5th 1817– James Monroe – John Adams,
1825 being the Vice-
President, worked
out the Monroe
Doctrine.1
– Later became
the 6th American
president.
16th 1861– Abraham Lincoln – The author of the
1865 – 1-cent coin. famous Gettysburg
– 5-dollar address –the speech
banknote. he delivered to soldiers
during the American
– widely consid-
Civil War, which is
ered the crucial
a hymn for democ-
historic figure who
racy, one of the most
shaped America
influential speeches
for his role in the
known.
Civil War and in
the development of – Was killed by an
democracy. actor John Booth in
a theatre.
28th 1913– Woodrow Wilson Ruled the country during
1921 World War I.
32nd 1933– Franklin D. – Ruled the country
1945 Roosevelt during World War II.
– 1-dime coin. – Served four terms
in a row because of the
War.
35th 1961– John F. Kennedy – The youngest to
1963 – 1/2-dollar coin. come to office at the
age of 43.
– His reign was
marked by the Cuban
Missile Crisis.
– Was killed in
Dallas, Texas, with
his assassination still
remaining a mystery.

1
А U. S. foreign policy that stated that any further European efforts to take control
over Americas would be considered unfriendly. America in its turn would not interfere with
Europe and its colonies.

21
 37th 1969– Richard Nixon – The Watergate
1974 – The only scandal threw light on
president to have Nixon’s unfair ways of
resigned. spying. The incident
could have ended with
impeachment, but
Nixon resigned.
44th 2009– Barack Obama
2016
45th 2016 Donald Trump The president-elect since
November 8. He is to as-
sume office January 20.

Only four presidents died of natural causes – William Henry Har-

rison, Zachary Taylor, Warren G. Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
™ Only four presidents were assassinated – Abraham Lincoln,
James A. Garfield, William McKinley, John F. Kennedy.
™ William Henry Harrison spent only 32 days in office (March
4, 1841 – April 4, 1841).
™ John Tyler had as many as 15 children.
™ Benjamin Franklin is on a 100-dollar banknote. He was one of
the prominent leaders during the American Revolutionary War (War
of Independence).
The following famous children’s song tells us about one of the most significant
events in the American history. Complete the lines with one word only.

Tea, tea, pour that tea,

Be our guest at the tea party.
In the year of seventeen ________ -three (you need a year here)
I got an invite to a tea party.
It was ________ (a colloquial expression for “organized”) by the Sons of Liberty
In ________ (name of the city) Harbour they were pouring tea
They didn’t like the tax ________ (=collected) on their tea
By old King ________(the name) and the royalty.
They didn’t serve crumpets, they just poured the tea
Into the harbor with the fish in the sea.

22
 3. English Language Literature

English literature has been influential throughout its history.

American literature was also affected immensely by it. Nevertheless,
you have to be familiar with the literature of both countries. The tasks
may be of different kinds: e.g. you may have to match a masterpiece to
the author or a plot to the name of the work; also, you may be asked to
match a writer to the historical period.
Obviously, the best way to come to know the literature of the countries
is to read at least a summary of one work by every world known author.
You can easily find the list of them on the Internet. For lack of time,
however, some other way of coping with the task has to be invented.
While studying the following table, pay attention to the names of the
characters, since it will help you to determine the book title. Also, try to
single out features of masterpieces to distinguish between them more easily.
You are encouraged to expand the table and read as much as possible.
Most
Period Author prominent Plot/Main characters
works
The Anglo- Beowulf Beowulf defeats a monster known
Saxon period as Grendel, Grendel’s mother and a
450–1066 dragon.
Middle English Arthur and The main characters are King
literature the Knights Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin,
1066–1500 of the Round the Knights of the Round Table.
Table
Sir Thomas Le Morte
Malory d’Arthur
Geoffrey The Pilgrims travel together from South-
Chaucer Canterbury wark to the shrine of St Thomas
Tales Becket at Canterbury Cathedral and
(unfinished) tell each other stories. The author of
the best story is promised a free meal
at the Tabard Inn.
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a famous folk figure.
stories He was said to steal from the rich
and give to the poor, wearing
Lincoln green1 and living with his
merry men in Sherwood Forest,
Nottinghamshire.

1
It is the color associated with Robin Hood.

23
 English Philip Sidney and Poets of the Tudor Times.
Renaissance Edmund Spenser
1500–1660
Thomas Utopia The book describes the society of
More the island of Utopia with its political,
social and religious customs.
Macbeth A brave Scottish general named
England. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre opened in Stratford-upon-
William Shakespeare (He is often regarded as the national poet of

Avon. The Globe Theatre is the place where Shakespeare’s plays

Macbeth is foretold by three witches
that one day he will become the King
of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife,
Macbeth murders King Duncan
and takes the Scottish throne. He
is forced to commit more and more
murders to protect himself from
suspicion. The bloodbath drives
were put on)

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth mad

and, eventually, kills them.
King Lear King Lear of Britain decides to
divide his kingdom among his three
daughters, and declares he’ll offer
the largest share to the one who
loves him most. His daughters
are Goneril, Regan and Cordelia.
Flattered by the speeches of Goneril
and Regan, the King divides the
realm between them, which brings
on consequences too tragic for the
King to stay sane.
Christo- The Tragical A play based on the German story
pher Mar- History of “Faustus”.
lowe the Life
and Death
of Doctor
Faustus
Ben Volpone The main characters are Volpone –
Jonson a nobleman, Mosca – his servant,
Voltore – a lawyer, Corbaccio – an
old miser, Corvino – a merchant and
others. The story tells about Volpone
pretending to be on his deathbed and
others trying to get a fair share of his
inheritance.

24
 The An outbreak of plague in London
Alchemist forces Lovewit, to flee to the
countryside, leaving his house under
the charge of his butler, Jeremy.
Jeremy transforms himself into
“Captain Face,” and with the help
of Subtle, a fellow conman, and Doll
Common, a prostitute, pretends to
possess magic skills.
John A poet
Donne
Francis The Novum Presents a new system of logic, a
Bacon Organum philosophical work.
Neoclassicism John Paradise The poem tells the Biblical story of
= Restoration Milton Lost the Fall of Man: the temptation of
Age Adam and Eve by the fallen angel
(1660–1700) Satan and their expulsion from the
+ Garden of Eden.
the Age of John Locke Two The First Treatise attacks
Enlightenment Treatises on patriarchalism, the Second Treatise
(or Age of Government outlines Locke’s ideas for a more
Reason) civilized society based on natural
18th century rights and contract theory.
Daniel Robinson An autobiography of a castaway from
Defoe Crusoe York who spends thirty years on a
remote tropical island near Trinidad,
encountering cannibals, captives,
and mutineers, and making friends
with Friday – a native, before being
rescued.
Jonathan Gulliver’s The full name of the main character
Swift Travels is Lemuel Gulliver.
Alexander Pope A poet.
Samuel A Dictionary The first English-English dictionary.
Johnson of the
English
Language
Romanticism Walter Ivanhoe The main characters are Sir Wilfred
1798–1837 Scott of Ivanhoe, who is out of favour with
his father because of his loyalty to
Richard the Lionheart; the legendary
Robin Hood, initially known under
the name of Locksley; Ivanhoe’s
father Cedric; various Knights
Templar, including Sir Wilfred’s
main rival Brian de Bois-Guilbert.

25
 Mary Franken- The story tells about a young
Shelley stein scientist Victor Frankenstein who
creates a monster.
Jane Sense and The story is set in London and Kent
Austen Sensibility and portrays the life and loves of
the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and
Marianne. Apart from the sisters,
the main characters are Edward
Ferrars, John Willoughby and
Colonel Brandon.
Pride and The story is about the life of Mr
Prejudice and Mrs Bennet’s five unmarried
daughters after two gentlemen have
moved into their neighbourhood:
rich Mr Bingley and even richer Mr
Darcy.
Emma Emma is a handsome clever lady
from a high social class. Her hobby
is making matches among her circle.
She admires her own matchmaking
abilities and her only critic is her
best friend George Knightly.
Washing- The Legend Sleepy Hollow itself is a haunted
ton Irving of Sleepy glen where the story takes place.
(he’s Hollow Ichabod Crane, a schoolmaster,
American) who competes with Abraham “Brom
Bones” Van Brunt, the town rowdy,
for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina
Van Tessel is the main character.
After a failed attempt to secure
Katrina’s hand, Ichabod meets
the Headless Horseman, the most
notorious ghost from the glen, on
his way home and disappears into
thin air.
Rip Van To escape his wife’s nagging,
Winkle Rip Van Winkle wanders up the
mountains with his dog, Wolf, for a
hunt. Out of the blue Rip hears his
name and on looking around sees a
man carrying a keg up the mountain
and asking for help. Together they
proceed to a hollow in which Rip
discovers a group of men

26
 who are playing nine-pins1. Rip does
not ask who they are or how they
know his name. Instead, he begins
to drink some of their moonshine
and soon falls asleep to awaken in
20 years when American War of
Independence is in full swing.
Lord Byron Childe The main character decides to travel
Harold’s abroad as he is disillusioned with the
Pilgrimage life of pleasure.
Don Juan It is based on the legend of Don
Juan, with the main character,
however, portrayed not as a
womanizer but as someone easily
seduced by women. A noteworthy
fact is that the poem is partly set in
Russia. It contains the portrayals of
Catherine II and Alexander Suvorov.
Besides, the protagonist takes part
in the Seige of Izmail.
She walks in His most famous poem.
beauty
The Lake Poets2, John Keats, Percy Shelley.
Victorian William Liza of Liza Kemp is an 18-year-old factory
Literature Somerset Lambeth worker. She lives with her aging
1837–1901 Maugham mother who is a drunkard. Liza’s
lovers’ names are Tom and Jim. Her
friend’s name is Sally.
Of Human Tells about the life of Philip Carey
Bondage with his aunt Louisa and uncle
William after his parents’ death. His
would-be wife’s name is Sally. The
story is about his ill-fated attempt
to find happiness and eventually to
conclude that the simplest pattern
(born-worked-married-children-
died) is the most flawless.
Theatre Julia Lambert is a successful
46-year-old actress. He has a
husband, Michael, and a son,
Robert.

1
А bowling game.
2
The three main the three main figures of the Lakes School were William Wordsworth,
Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey.

27
 However, her husband is too
reserved for her to keep feelings
for him. She meets young Thomas
Fennel with whom she has an affair.
Sooner or later she understands
that not only do their relations spoil
her reputation, but also Thomas
cheats on her with a young talentless
actress Evis.
Edgar The Raven Edgar’s most famous poem.
Allan Poe The Fall of The narrator arrives at the house of
(he’s the House of his friend, Roderick Usher, having
American) Usher received a letter from him in a distant
part of the country complaining of
an illness and asking for his help.
As he arrives, the narrator notices a
thin crack extending from the roof,
down the front of the building and
into the nearby lake. Roderick claims
to believe the house to be alive and
also mentions that his sister has died
recently.
Robert Treasure The story tells about the hunt
Louis Island after the treasure of Captain Flint.
Stevenson The characters are Jim Hawkins,
Dr David Livesey, Squire John
Trelawney, Captain Alexander
Smollet, Job Anderson, Israel Hands
and others.
Charles The Samuel Pickwick is the founder
Dickens Pickwick and president of the Pickwick Club.
Papers He and three other “Pickwickians”
make journeys to places remote from
London and report on their findings
to the club.
Oliver Twist Describes adventures of an orphan.
A Christmas An old miser named Ebenezer
Carol Scrooge is visited by the ghost of
his former business partner Jacob
Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas
Past, Present and Yet to Come.
Great Ex- Describes the life of an orphan
pectations Philip Pirrip, nicknamed Pip. Other
characters are his brother-in-law and
sister Mr and Mrs Joe Gargery, his
uncle Mr Pumblechook and others.

28
 A Tale ofThe historical novel is set in London
Two Citiesand Paris. It describes the years
leading up to the revolution and
many unflattering social parallels
with life in London during the same
period. The main characters are a
depressed barrister Sydney Carton,
a flawless Lucie Manette, Charles
Darnay and others.
David The story follows the life of David
Copperfield Copperfield from childhood to
maturity. Some of the other
characters apart from David are
his mum Clara, their servant Clara
Peggotty, his great-aunt Betsey
Trotwood and others.
William Vanity Fair: Tells the story about two women
Makepeace A Novel Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley
Thackeray without a amid their friends and family.
Hero
Rudyard The Jungle Tells about the life of a boy named
Kipling Book Maugli who was brought up by a
pack of wolves.
Just so Fairy tales about various animals and
stories about how they came to their current
state
Arthur Sherlock Stories about one of the most
Conan Holmes famous detectives Sherlock Holmes
Doyle and his assistant Dr Watson.
Herman Moby-Dick Sailor Ishmael tells the story of
Melville Ahab, captain of the whaling ship
(he’s the Pequod, seeking revenge on
American) Moby Dick, the white whale which
destroyed his ship and severed his
leg.
Emily Wuthering The story takes place in a remote
Bronte Heights farmhouse, Wuthering Heights. It is
(Emily’s about the families of Earnshaw and
only novel) Linton and the curse of the lovers
Catherine and Heathcliff.
Charlotte Jane Eyre Apart from Jane Eyre some of the
Bronte other characters are her beloved Mr
Rochester, the Byronic master of
Thornfield Hall, her uncle Mr Reed
and his family and others.

29
 Ann Bronte Agnes Grey Agnes Grey, the governess, works
for the English gentry. Other
characters are Agnes’s would-be
husband Edward Weston, her family
and others.
Lewis Alice’s Alice falls through a rabbit hole into
Carroll Adventures a fantasy world inhabited by fantasy
in creatures. Some of them are Bill the
Wonderland Lizard, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire
Cat, the Hatter etc.
Oscar The The main characters, John Worthing
Wilde Importance and Algernon Moncrieff, propose
of Being to two different women. Each of
Earnest the men wants to get married out
of hidden motives and pretend to
be men named Ernest. The pun is
that ‘ernest’ means ‘serious’ which
is definitely not the case when
considering their intentions.
The Picture Dorian Gray is painted by an artist
of Dorian Basil Hallward. Through the painter
Gray Dorian gets acquainted with Lord
Henry Wotton and indulges into the
world of pleasure. Understanding
that his beauty will fade soon, Dorian
sells his soul, so that his portrait
ages instead of him. However, not
only does the picture get older,
but also reflects every single sin of
Dorian.
The The story is about a family moving to
Canterville the castle of Canterville. The place is
Ghost haunted by the ghost of a nobleman
Sir Simon who killed his wife and
was starved to death by her brothers.
The family consists of Mr. and Mrs.
Otis, their daughter Virginia and the
twins who are nicknamed Stars and
Stripes.
Modern Herbert The Time The book’s protagonist – Time
Literature George Machine Traveller – is an English scientist
20th century Wells and inventor living in Victorian
England. The Time Traveller tests
his device with a journey that takes
him to the future.

30
 The Earth is nothing like we know it
today. The machine has conquered
humanity and divided it into two
parts: the Eloi, a society of small,
elegant, but lazy adults, and the
Morlocks, disgusting, inhuman, but
initiative creatures.
The Invisible The book is about the scientist
Man whose surname is Griffin. While
experimenting, he discovers
chemicals that make tissue invisible.
Greedy for power and fame, he
applies the chemicals to himself
but fails to find a way to reverse the
process. Soon he learns to use his
new condition to commit crimes but
is to find out all the disadvantages of
his obsession.
The War of Describes an invasion from Mars.
the Worlds
Jack The Call The story is set at the times of the
London of the Wild Golden Rush. The main character
(he’s (compare is a domesticated dog named Buck.
American) with the next He is stolen from home and sold as a
novel) sledge dog in Alaska.
White Fang The story is about a wild wolfdog,
named White Fang, getting
domesticated.
Martin Eden Martin Eden is a young proletarian
struggling to rise above the
circumstances and become a writer.
His ultimate motivation is his
beloved Ruth Morse – being an
uneducated sailor, he has to reach a
certain level of wealth in order to be
with the girl from a bourgeois family.
Hearts of Pirate Henry Morgan left the
Three protagonist a rich inheritance. The
main character together with his
cousin, also Henry Morgan, are in
for great adventures on their way to
treasures.
Bram Dracula Dracula attempts to move from
Stoker Transylvania to England in search of
fresh blood but is fought against by
Van Helsing.

31
 Ernest A Farewell An American soldier Frederic Henry
Heming- to Arms is having a love affair with Catherine
way (he’s Barkley who works at a hospital. The
American) First World War doomed their love
to failure.
For Whom Robert Jordan, a young American,
the Bell Tolls serves as a dynamiter during the
Spanish war. He is ordered to
destroy a bridge. On his way to
the destination he meets a rebel
Anselmo, who brings him to the
hidden guerilla camp. There Robert
meets Maris who has suffered a lot
from the scourges of war. The war is
still in full swing and the characters
have a long way to go.
The Old Santiago, an aging Cuban
Man and the fisherman, has experienced a
Sea stretch of bad luck with no fish. His
apprentice, Manolin, is forbidden
to go fishing with him. To save face,
Santiago sets out to sea alone. He
struggles with a giant marlin far out
in the Gulf Stream for three days.
Eventually, he brings home nothing
but a skeleton of the marlin, but
does deserve praise.
Mark The Adven- Apart from the boys, important
Twain (he’s tures of Tom characters to their adventures are
American) Sawyer the kindest possible Widow Douglas
The Ad- and her sister Miss Watson, Huck’s
ventures of father “Pap” Finn and others.
Huckleberry
Finn
Bernard Pygmalion Henry Higgins, a professor of
Shaw phonetics, bets he can train a flower
girl Eliza Dolittle to pass for a
duchess. The main task is to get rid
of a strong Cockney accent.
James Ulysses Ulysses is the Latinised name of
Joyce Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s
epic poem, and the novel draws
parallels between the poem and the
novel. The main character is named
Leopold Bloom from Dublin.

32
Virginia Mrs Clarissa Dalloway strolls around in
Woolf Dalloway the morning, getting ready to host a
party that evening and recalling her
past. The story is set in the post-war
London and the characters have
witnessed WWI, which shaped their
personalities.
Orlando The book describes the adventures
of a poet Orlando who changes sex
from man to woman and lives for
centuries, meeting the key figures
of English literary history (notably
Alexander Pope).
George Nineteen The dystopian novel is set in Airstrip
Orwell Eighty-Four One (formerly known as Great
(1984) Britain) and describes a totalitarian
society with the cult of personality
of the party’s leader – Big Brother.
The protagonist is called Winston
Smith, his lover’s name is Julia.
Animal Farm Old Major, the old boar on the
(According Manor Farm, summons the animals
to Orwell, on the farm together for a meeting,
the book re- during which he refers to humans as
flects events “enemies” and teaches the animals
leading up to a revolutionary song called Beasts of
the Russian England. When Major dies,
Revolution two young pigs, Snowball and Na-
of 1917 and poleon, drive the animals to revolt.
the Stalin- They overthrow the farmer Mr. Jones
ist era of and rename the farm into “Animal
the Soviet Farm”. They adopt Seven Com-
Union) mandments of Animalism, the most
important of which is, “All animals
are equal.” As the story progresses,
the pigs are becoming more and
more like humans.
William Lord of the The story is set on an uninhabited
Golding Flies island, where a bunch of children are
trapped as the result of an airplane
crash. The main heroes are Ralph,
Piggy, Jack, Simon, Eric and Sam.
In their attempt to survive, the well-
educated boys turn to savagery.
Many end up dead. The book ends
with war sailors rescuing the kids.

33
 They are staggered by boys who have
become so merciless, forgetting that
they make war themselves.
Agatha The The action takes place in Monkswell
Christie Mousetrap Manor, a guesthouse run by a young
(the most couple, Mollie and Giles Ralston.
famous While waiting for the guests to
detectives arrive, Mollie listens to a radio report
of her about the murder of a woman called
stories Maureen Lyon. Their first guests
are Miss are Christopher Wren, Mrs Boyle,
Marple Major Metcalf and Miss Casewell.
and In the morning they find themselves
Hercule snowed in. One more guest, Mr
Poirot) Paravicini, turns up on skis, claiming
his car has overturned in a snowdrift.
He declares that the murderer is in
the house. The next day Mrs Boyle is
found dead. The investigation starts.
And Then A grоup of people are lured onto an
There Were island for different reasons. All have
None been involved in the murders, but
none has been punished. The guests
and two servants (Thomas and Ethel
Rogers) who are present are charged
with their crimes via a gramophone
recording after dinner the first night,
and informed that they have been
brought to the island to pay for their
actions. All ten are killed in turn,
each in a manner that seems to
parallel the deaths in the nursery
rhyme
(known as “Ten little Indians”).
Nobody else seems to be left alive
on the island by the time of the
apparent last death. A confession, in
the form of a postscript to the novel,
unveils the truth.
Ian James Bond A series of stories about a British
Fleming Secret Service agent 007, James
Bond.
C. S. Lewis Chronicles A series of seven fantasy novels set
of Narnia in the fictional realm of Narnia. The
protagonists are mostly children

34
 from the real world who are
magically transported to Narnia,
where they are called for by the lion
Asilan to protect the country.
J. R. R. The Lord of Dark Lord Sauron creates the One
Tolkien the Ring, Ring to rule the other Rings of
The Hobbit. Power to conquer Middle-earth.
The main characters are hobbits
(Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee,
Meriadoc) and their companions
(Aragorn son of Arathorn, a Ranger
of the North, Boromir).
J. K. Harry Potter There are seven novels altogether.
Rowling The main characters are Harry
Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron
Weasley and Lord Voldemort.
Arthur C. Space Some of the characters are a
Clarke Odyssey computer HAL 9000, Dr David
(the famous Bowman, Dr Heywood R. Floyd, Dr
film is Frank Poole and some other Drs.
produced
and directed
by Stanley
Kubrick)

™ Famous Nobel Prize Winners:

– Rudyard Kipling
– George Bernard Shaw
– Bertrand Russell
– Winston Churchill
– Ernest Hemingway
– John Steinbeck
– William Golding
– Joseph Brodsky
™ The Lake Poets were a group of English poets who all lived
in the Lake District of England, United Kingdom, at the turn of the
nineteenth century. They are considered part of the Romantic Move-
ment. The three main figures of what has become known as the
Lakes School of poetry were William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor
Coleridge and Robert Southey.

35
 ™ Famous Pseudonyms:
– Mary Westmacott – Agatha Christie
– Daniel Foe – Daniel Defo
– Charles Lutwidge Dodgson – Lewis Carroll
– John Griffith Chaney – Jack London
– William Sydney Porter – O. Henry
– Samuel Langhorne Clemens – Mark Twain
– Helen Lyndon Goff – Pamela Lyndon Travers (the author of
“Mary Poppins”)
– Anne Bronte – Acton Bell, Charlotte Bronte – Currer Bell,
Emily Bronte – Ellis Bell

Be wiser than Jane Austen’s Emma and test your matchmaking abilities.

Emily Bronte “Pride and Prejudice”

Charlotte Bronte William Sydney Porter
Mark Twain Jane Eyre
O. Henry “Wuthering Heights”
Edgar Poe one of the greatest authors of “ghost”
stories
Charles Dickens Samuel Clemens
Jane Austen David Copperfield
William Makepeace Becky Sharp Thackeray
Washington Irving Jennie Gerhardt
Walter Scott Rhett Butler
Geoffrey Chaucer “The Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Margaret Mitchell Mr. Gatsby
Francis Scott Fitzgerald “Rip Van Winkle”
Theodore Dreiser “Ivanhoe”
William Shakespeare “The Canterbury Tales”

36
 4. What’s in a Word…
4.1. British and American English
There are several rules to help you out when finding an American
equivalent to a British word:
1) Words ending with -RE in British, end with -ER in American
(centre – center)
2) Verbs ending with -ISE in British, end with -IZE in American
(realise – realize)
3) Words ending with -OUR in British, end with -OR in American
(colour – color)
4) Irregular verbs are often used as regular in America (learnt –
learned)
5) Present Perfect is scarcely used in American English. Past
Simple is preferable.
6) Often double constant is omitted in American Variant (pro-
gramme – program)
Unfortunately, there are a lot more words that do not follow the
rules, thus, they are to be learnt by heart.
American British American British
apartment flat pavement road surface
quiz test, exam assignment homework
reserve book administration government
candy sweets chips crisps
check bill purse handbag
cookie, biscuit railroad railway
cracker
crazy mad rest room, toilet
bathroom
crosswalk pedestrian, resume CV
zebra crossing
diaper nappy round trip return ticket
ticket
elevator lift schedule timetable
eraser rubber sidewalk pavement
fall autumn sneakers trainers
loan lend mail post

37
 located situated movies cinema
first floor ground floor line queue
flashlight torch store shop
french fries chips subway underground
garbage, trash rubbish truck van, lorry
gas petrol two weeks fortnight
highway, main road, vacation holidays
freeway motorway
mean nasty windshield windscreen
cell phone mobile phone period full stop
movie film parking lot car park
one-way ticket single ticket baggage luggage
can tin closet wardrobe
checkers draughts fix repair
couch sofa grade mark
druggist chemist last name surname
pants trousers bill banknote

4.2. Abbreviations

For convenience abbreviations can be divided into categories:

1) Graphical (a word is only written in a reduced form, not pronounced)
™ Abbreviations of Latin origin form the most ancient group:
a.m. – in the morning (ante meridiem), p.m. – in the evening
(post meridiem) or after death (post mortem)
i.e. – that is (idest), e.g. – for example (exampli gratia), NB –
please note (nota bene)
p.a. – a year (per annum)
BC – before Christ, AD – anno Domini;1
™ M.A. – Master of Arts, BA – Bachelor of Arts, Ph.D. – Doc-
tor of Philosophy, M.D. – Doctor of Medicine, Sgt – sergeant;
™ st. – street (St is for Saint), rd. – road, blvd. – boulevard,
emb. – embankment;
™ DC – District of Columbia, WA – Washington;
1
AD is often incorrectly considered to stand for After Death, i.e. after the death of
Jesus.

38
 ™ m.p.h. – miles per hour, f./ft – foot/feet, sec. – second,
in. – inch, mg. – milligram, Ib – pound.
2) Lexical
™ BBC – British Broadcasting Corporation;
™ WC – water closet, DIY – do it yourself;
™ SMS – short message service, MMS – multimedia message
service;
™ LG – lucky gold star, Wi-Fi – Wireless Fidelity;
™ (V)POTUS – (vice-)president of the USA, FLOTUS – first
lady of the USA;
™ flu – influenca, ТВ – Tuberculosis, fridge – refrigerator.
3) Digispeak (digital + speak)
™ a.s.a.p. – as soon as possible, aka – also known as, AFK –
away from the keyboard, ATM – at the moment, AFAIK – as far
as I know, ACU –all completely useless, AUT? – Are you there?,
ASO – and so on, AFAIAAAs – as far as I am aware, AFAICS – as
far as I can see, AFAIR – as far as I remember, AAK – asleep
at the keyboard;
™ В4 – before, BF – boyfriend, BT – but, BBIAF – be back
in a few minutes, BBIAH – be back in an hour, BBIAM – be back in
a minute, BRB – be right back, BTW – by the way;
™ C – see, CYO – see you on-line, c/о – care of, CU – see
you, CUL –
™ see you later, D8 – date, DIKY – do I know you?;
™ F8 – fate, FOAF – friend of a friend, FYI – For Your Informa-
tion;
™ GF – girlfriend, GR8 – great, GTG – got to go;
™ H8 – hate, HTH – hope this helps, HAND – have a nice
day, HRU – how are you;
™ IC – I see, IMCO – in my considered opinion, IMHO –
in my humble opinion, IMNSHO – in my not so humble opinion,
IOW – in other words, IRL – in real life;
™ JK – just kidding;
™ L8 – late, L8r – later, LTNS – long time no see;

39
 ™ M8 – mate, MU – I miss you;
™ OST – official soundtrack;
™ RSVP – please reply, RUOK – are you ok?;
™ U4E – you forever;
™ w/o – without, w/ – with, WYSIWYG – what you see is
what you get;
™ yr – years;
™ X – kiss, O – hug, XOXO – hugs and kisses;
™ V-day – Victory day, X-mas – Christmas;
™ 10Q – Thank You, 2ez – Too easy, F2F – Face to Face.
4) Blending
™ a-bomb – atom-bomb;
™ scific – scientific fiction;
™ Eurasia – Europa and Asia;
™ edutainment – educational entertainment;
5) Names of organizations deserve being classified as a separate group
™ UNESCO – United Nations Economic, Scientific, Cultural
Organization;
™ OPEC – Oil Producing European Countries;
™ WHO – World Health Organisation;
™ EU – European Union.

Now try to decipher the following:

A: Hi, bro! Ltns. Mu, m8. Hru?
B: I’m fine, tnx. Mu, 2. How is ur sis?
A: She’s Ok. She’s on a d8 2day.
B: Ic. Who’s her BF?
A: Afaik, he’s from UNESCO. A srs guy, u know.
B: That’s g8!
A: Hope I’ll cu l8er.
B: Maybe 2morrow?
A: Ok! Hand. Cul.

40
 5. UK and USA Today
A lover of British culture is known as an Anglophile. How do you
earn this title?
First of all, watch the news. Besides putting you in the picture, it
refines your language skills.
Secondly, watch TV shows and films with subtitles. You never know
where, how and when you come across a word that may be your key
to success.
Thirdly, stay interested. Read carefully the following list of facts you
might not know and get inspired.
™ The UK (whose flag is called the Union Jack, and the coat of
arms with three lions on it was invented by King Richard the Lion-
heart in 1198) is composed of
1) England: the flag – St George’s Cross, the symbol – the red
rose (Tudor Rose), the traditional clothing – smock-frock, the Bowler
hat and the rolled umbrella;
2) Northern Ireland: the flag – the Ulster Banner, the symbol –
the Shamrock, the capital – Belfast. The country has no official
national costume, so “Irish dress” may refer to a leine – a very large
linen shirt, usually dyed yellow. Men used to wear this with a woolen
jacket, breeches and a type of shaggy cloak called a mantle. Irish
women of the 19th century are often described wearing a red petticoat,
and men – a style of coat called a swallow-tail;
3) Scotland: the flag – St Andrew’s Cross or the Saltire, the
symbol – the thistle, the capital – Edinburgh, the traditional
clothing – kilt, Tarn o’shanter and tartan clothing;
4) Wales: the symbol – the daffodil, the capital – Cardiff, the
traditional clothing – the Welsh hat.
The Union Jack is composed of the three Crosses, but Wales’s flag
was never reflected on it.
™ British cultural icons are the red telephone box designed
by Sir Giles Gilbert in 1924 and the Royal Mail red post box which
gained popularity after the invention of a post stamp1 by Sir Rowland
Hills. Another cultural icon is the Christmas Card invented by Sir
Henry Cole in 1843.
1
It is known as Penny Black and incorporates Queen Victoria.

41
 ™ The west-end of London is famous for theatres. Andrew Lloyd
Webber put several world-known plays there, namely The Phantom
of the Opera, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar.
™ When it comes to music, British influence is hard to be over-
estimated. The country has something to suit everyone’s age and
taste.
England can boast of numerous nursery rhymes, notably Twinkle
Twinkle Little Star, Roses are red, Peter Piper, Humpty Dumpty.
Besides, Christmas Carols are popular.
The Beatles (1960–1970) are the most commercially successful
and critically acclaimed band in the history of music with sales over
one billion. The famous names are John Lennon, Paul McCartney,
George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

Add to the line as many British or American singers and music band
as you know. Follow the example:
BeatleSex_PistolSadElton_JohNew_ordeR

™ The UK has a lot to boast about in the film industry.

The country was the location of the oldest surviving motion picture
film, Roundhay Garden Scene.
The world’s first colour motion film was shot by Edward Raymond
Turner in 1902.
Alfred Hitchcock’s first thriller, the Lodger: A Story of the London
Fog, helped shape the thriller genre.

Find out who Madeleine Carroll is!

Scottish actor Sean Connery played James Bond in seven films

between 1962 and 1983. The other popular James Bond is Daniel
Craig.
Elton John and Sir Tim Rice collaborated to write music for
Disney’s The Lion King winning the Academy Award for the Best
Original Song.
Odeon, Cineworld and Vue are the three busiest cinema chains
in the UK.

42
 Match the names on the left to the names of films on the right:

James Cameron Interstellar

Peter Jackson Bridget Jones’s Diary
Christopher Nolan Titanic
Guy Ritchie The man from U. N. C. L. E.
Richard Curtis Mr. Bean
Rowan Atkinson The Lord of the Rings

™ The Parliament resides in Westminster Palace. It consists of

two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The
government resides in the part of London called Whitehall (which is
actually the central street). Hence, if we say THE Westminster, we
refer to the Parliament, not to the Palace. The same goes for THE
Whitehall standing for the Government. The Prime Minister’s offi-
cial residence is 10 Downing Street.
™ The official office and residence of the president of the United
States is the White House, formerly known as the Executive Man-
sion. Pennsylvania avenue is the seat of both the President and the
government. The avenue connects the White House and the USA
Capitol Hill.
The Congress of the United States is composed of two houses: the
Senate and the House of Representatives. It is located on the Capitol
Hill.
Fancy more matchmaking?

Christopher Wren Architect who reconstructed London after the fire of 1666
Sir Berners Lee Founder of the WWB
John Bull Impersonation of the USA
John Logie Baird Presented the first working television system
Edward Jenner Invented the first vaccine
Sir Hugh Beaver Father of the Guinness Book of Records
Uncle Sam Impersonation of the UK

™ In the UK bank holidays are holidays when banks and many

other businesses are closed for the day. Public holidays are holidays
which have been observed through custom and practice. In most cas-
es, however, they coincide. In total, there are eight public holidays in
England and Wales and ten in Northern Ireland.

43
 ™ On special occasions, extra holidays are proclaimed. Jubilees
of Elizabeth II serve as an example. The wedding of Charles, Prince of
Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981 as well as the wed-
ding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011 also
resulted in extra bank holidays.
™ In the USA the most celebrated holidays are also known
as Hallmark holidays based on the sales of greeting cards, candy,
or gifts in general. Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, are laws
designed to restrict or ban some or all Sunday activities to promote
the observance of a day of worship or rest.
™ Some of the most celebrated holidays are
Date Holiday Remarks
1 January New Year’s Day It celebrates the beginning
(both the UK and the USA) of the Gregorian calendar.
In the UK there is
a tradition of first footing –
letting a stranger into the
house on the stroke of
midnight. In the USA the
ball drop1 at Times Square
in New York and the Auld
Lang Syne song have
become the distinguishing
attributes of the holiday.
17 March St. Patrick’s Day The celebrations involve
(Northern Ireland) parades, festivals, ceilithe
(Irish traditional music
sessions) and wearing of
green attire or shamrocks.
Floating Easter Monday The attributed events
(both the UK and the involve egg rolling and
USA) dousing other people
with water. The symbol
is the Easter Bunny, who
is alleged to come from
Germany.

1
The ball descends in 60 seconds down a specially designed flagpole.

44
25 December Christmas Day Santa Claus is a Canadian
citizen. Christmas
celebrations include the
installing and lighting
of Christmas trees, the
hanging of Advent wreaths,
Christmas stockings, candy
canes, and the creation of
Nativity scenes depicting
the birth of Jesus Christ.
Other Christmas attributes
are mistletoe, Christmas
garlands, and Bethlehem
cribs.
26 December Boxing Day
31 October Halloween The attributes of the
celebration are the song
called Monster Mash,
trick-or-treating and the
jack-o’-lantern, which
is a carved pumpkin or
turnip lantern, named after
a strange flickering over
pear bogs, called will-o’-
the-wisp or jack-o’-lantern.
November 22– Thanksgiving To learn about the history
28 (the fourth of the holiday, go back to
Thursday of the history of the USA.
November) Presently, the main
attributes are turkey,
pumpkin, apple pie, gravy
and cranberry sauce.
Football is also extremely
popular to play and to
watch on this day.
Follows Black Friday It marks the start of
Thanksgiving Christmas sales. One of
the versions of how it has
got is name is that retailers

45
 go “into the black” on the
Christmas season. Another
supposition suggests that
black slaves were sold at
a discount on this day in
the USA.
After Black Cyber Monday Online sales take off on
Friday ‘Cyber Monday’.
July 4 Independence Day the It celebrates the signing
Fourth or simply The of the Declaration of
Fourth Independence from British
rule. The attributes involve
the Yankee Doodle song,
fireworks and barbecues.
Super Tuesday It refers informally to
one or more Tuesdays
early in a United States
presidential primary season
when the greatest number
of U.S. states hold primary
elections and caucuses.

™ And for dessert:

There are two main types of newspapers: quality papers or
broadsheets and popular papers or tabloids.
Daily national newspapers are The Times, the Guardian, Daily
Mail, the Telegraph, Daily Mirror, Daily Express. The Observer
is world’s oldest Sunday newspaper. Its present proprietor is the
Guardian.
The Proms is a nine-week summer season of daily concerts,
culminating with a final night of traditional patriotic music.
Cool Britannia was a period of increased pride in the culture of the
United Kingdom throughout most of the 1990s inspired by 1960s pop
culture. Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell in a Union Jack mini-dress
is its symbol.
Florence Nightingale (known as the Lady with the Lamp) is the
founder of modern nursing with her establishment of the first nursing
school ever.

46
 Before turkey was widely accessible, goose had been served for
Christmas. And the most popular cheese in Britain is Cheddar.
Match countries, capitals, flags, flags’ names, coats of arms,
floral emblems and patron saints. Find the flags on the second page
of the cover of this book, the coats of arms – on the third page of
the cover.

Country Capital Flag Flag’s Coat of Floral Em- Patron

name arms blems Saint
The UK –
The USA
England
Wales –
Scotland
Northern
Ireland
Canada
Australia –

Capitals: Ottawa, London (2), Edinburgh, Canberra, Belfast,

Washington, Cardiff
Flags’ names:
a) St Andrew’s Cross, the Saltire
b) the Stars and Stripes; Red, White and Blue; Old Glory; the Star-
Spangled Banner
c) the Ulster Flag (Ulster Banner)
d) St George’s Cross
e) the Union Jack (the Union Flag)
f) the Maple Leaf
Floral Emblems: golden wattle, red rose, thistle and bluebell,
shamrock, maple, daffodil and leek, rose.
Patron Saints: St Andrew, St Rosa, St David, the Virgin Mary,
St George, St Patrick, St Joseph.

47
 CONTENT

Предисловие ....................................................................... 3
1. A Concise History of Britain ............................................. 5
2. An Even More Concise History of America ........................ 18
3. English Language Literature ............................................ 23
4. What’s in a Word .............................................................. 37
5. UK and USA Today ........................................................... 41