Успешная сдача тестов по английскому языку - залог

отличной перспективы в будущем

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК

СТРАНОВЕДЕНИЕ
(история, география, культура, традиции)

СПРАВОЧНОЕ ПОСОБИЕ для ПОДГОТОВКИ

к ВОУД и ЕНТ

КОКШЕТАУ
«КЕЛЕШЕК-2030»
 Предисловие

В заданиях единого национального тестирования для

выпускников средних общеобразовательных школ и
промежуточного государственного тестирования для учащихся 9
классов довольно часто ставятся вопросы, которые вызывают
особое затруднение. Это вопросы, имеющие отношение к так
называемому страноведению, а именно к истории, географии,
политике, культуре и традициям англоязычных стран. В
справочниках по подготовке к сдаче тестов в указанном выше
формате, данные вопросы, конечно же, оговариваются, но это
сделано очень коротко и сжато. По этой причине данный
справочный материал теряется на фоне объёмного
грамматического и лексического материала. В результате
экзаменуемые учащиеся испытывают некоторые затруднения в
определении корректных ответов по вопросам страноведения.
Формат «вопрос - короткий ответ» не всегда даёт
возможность сделать прав ильный выбор. Для этого необходимы
логичные рассуждения, основанные на знании конкретного
материала.

В этой связи автор данного учебного пособия

систематизировал весь набор вопросов, относящихся к этой теме,
которые использовались в заданиях, встречающихся в ходе
государственного контроля за последние годы. Структура пособия
представлена тематическими разделами и включает в себя не
только определение правильного варианта, но и оптимальную
справочную информацию по каждому поставленному вопросу.
Язык изложения соответствует требованиям учебной программы
по предмету в старших классах общеобразовательной средней
школы.

Данное пособие будет полезным не только для учащихся

общеобразовательных школ, но и учителей английского языка при
подготовке к сдаче тестов ВОУД и ЕНТ.
 Chapter 1. History, Symbols & Politics

1. "England" in translation into Russian means: Земля Англов.

In the early 400s the Romans left Britain. New invaders came to catch the
territory of this island. These tribes were of German origin: the Angles, Saxons
and Jutes. They began to establish permanent settlements. They first settled in
the southeastern part of the island and then set up kingdoms throughout southern
and eastern England. The name England comes from the Anglo-Saxon words
meaning the Angle folk or land of the Angles.

2. What is the cradle of Christianity in Great Britain? (Canterbury)

Christianity came to England during the Roman period. A number of things with
Christian symbols and dating from the A.D. 300s have been found in different
places in England. An early Christian chapel has been discovered in the county
of Kent near Canterbury which is the ancient religious center of Britain.
Canterbury's main attraction is its huge Gothic cathedral, which was begun in
the 1000s and is considered as the cradle of Christianity in Great Britain.

3. The Romans first invaded Britain in the first century BС.

In 55 B.C. the Great Roman general Julius Caesar sailed across the English
Channel with a small force to explore England. He returned the next year with
an invading army and 'defeated some of the Celts living there. Later the Romans
made the part of the island under their control a province of their huge empire.
England prospered under the Romans. They built a lot of camps, forts and towns
throughout the land and constructed roads to connect them. London, then called
Londinium, began to develop as a port and the capital city of the country.

4. The oldest university in Britain is Oxford.

Oxford University is the oldest university in the United Kingdom and one of the
world's most famous institutions of higher learning. Oxford University started to
develop during the 1100s. The university gradually developed from a number of
schools in the city of Oxford. The University received its first official
recognition in 1214.
Now it has over 13,000 students and consists of 35 colleges, plus 5 private halls
established by various religious groups.

5. St. Patrick is the patron of Ireland.

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born about AD 390. He
converted the Irish to Christianity and is supposed to have got rid of all the
snakes in Ireland. Saint Patrick' Day is celebrated on 17 March. The name of
Ireland means the land of iron.
6. Many of the Great Britain famous men are buried in Westminster
Abbey.
Westminster Abbey, located near the Houses of Parliament, is more a historical
site than a religious site. The history of the abbey starts in 1050, when King
Edward decided to build an abbey. Only a small part of this original monastery
survived. Most of the present building dates from 1245 to 1272 when Henry III
decided to rebuild the abbey in the gothic style. Since 1066 every royal
coronation has taken place in Westminster Abbey.
The abbey also serves as the burial ground for numerous politicians, sovereigns
and artists. The abbey is stuffed with tombs, statues and monuments. In total
approximately 3300 people are buried in the Church. Some of the most famous
are Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton and David Livingstone.

7. A red dragon is a symbol of Wales.

The red dragon itself has been associated with Wales for centuries, and as such,
the flag is claimed to be the oldest national flag still in use. But why is a dragon?
The answer to that particular question is lost in history and myths. One legend
recalls Romano-British soldiers carrying the red dragon to Rome on their
banners in the fourth century, but it could be even older than that. It is
considered that the Welsh kings first adopted the dragon in the early fifth
century in order to symbolize their power and authority after the Romans left
Britain. Later, around the seventh century, it became known as the Red Dragon.
Geoffrey of Monmouth in his book, written in1120, links the dragon with the
legends of King Arthur. As the national flag of Wales, the red dragon appears to
have regained popularity in the early part of the twentieth century.

8. The national emblem of Scotland is the thistle.

For many centuries the purple thistle has been Scotland's national emblem.
There is a legend that explains why it became the Scottish emblem. According
to that legend, ancient Scandinavians (the Norsemen) wanted to plunder the land
of Scotland and settle there. So, they landed on the east coast of Scotland. The
Scots gathered their army to defend the land. They assembled behind the river
Tay and made a camp to have a rest after a long march. The Scots were sleeping
and did not expect the enemies. When the Norsemen decided to attack the Scots,
they took their shoes off not to make noise. But one of the Norsemen stepped on
a thistle. That sudden and sharp pain made him scream. So the Scots heard this
"alarm" and put the Norsemen to fight. That is how the thistle became the
emblem of Scotland.
9. What great historical event happened in Britain in 1066? (The battle of
Hastings)
The Battle of Hastings took place on 14 October 1066. It was the decisive
Norman victory in the Norman conquest of England, fought between the
Norman-French army of Duke William of Normandy and the Anglo-Saxon army
of King Harold II. The battle took place approximately 6 miles northwest of
Hastings, close to the present- day town of Battle, East Sussex. Harold II was
killed in the battle - a legend tells that he was shot through the eye with an
arrow. Although there was further English resistance, this battle is seen as the
point at which William gained control of England, becoming its first Norman
ruler as King William 1.

10. The oldest part of London is called the City.

The City is part of London. It used to be the old Roman and medieval town of
London, but is now the area of London with all the banks. The City now is one
of the most important financial centers in the world. Although the City is only
one square mile, 300 thousand people work there. It contains 8500 companies
and 524 banks from 76 countries. The City earns 10 billion pounds a year by
selling its financial services. In 1994, London had 40 per cent of the world's
foreign exchange trade (buying and selling of foreign currencies), far more than
the nearest rival, New York.

11. What is the national symbol of the United States? (The bald eagle)
In 1782, soon after the United States won its independence, the bald eagle was
chosen as the national bird of the new country. American leaders wanted the
eagle e to be a symbol of their country because it is a bird of strength and
courage. They chose the bald eagle because it was found all over North
America. But a little over 200 years later, the bald eagle had almost disappeared
from the country. In 1972, there were only 3,000 bald eagles in the entire United
States. The reason for the bird's decreasing population was pollution, especially
pollution of the rivers by pesticides. Today, the American government is trying
to protect the bald eagle. The number of bald eagles is increasing. It now
appears that the American national bird will survive and remain a symbol of
strength and courage.

12. One can become President of the USA for a term. A term is four years.
The president of the USA is elected to serve a four-year term. The 22nd
Amendment to the Constitution, approved in 1951, provides that no one can be
elected to the presidency more than twice. A nationwide presidential election is
he'd every four years in November. The people of each state elect delegates to
the Electoral College. The delegates then choose the president and vice president
based on the popular votes in the state they represent. The president lives in the
White House in Washington, D.C. and has offices there.
13. What is the national emblem of England? (A rose) .
The national flower of England is the rose. The flower has been adopted as
England's emblem since the time of the Wars of the Roses - civil wars (1455-
1485) between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and
the royal house of York (whose emblem was a white rose). The Yorkist regime
ended with the defeat of King Richard III by the future Henry VII on 22 August
1485 and the two roses were united into the Tudor rose (a red rose with a white
centre) by Henry VII when he married Elizabeth of York.

14. The British Parliament consists of two houses - the House of Lords and
the House of Commons.
The British Parliament has been called the Mother of Parliaments because many
of the world's , legislatures have copied features from it. The Parliament ,
consists of two houses - the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The
House of Commons has 659 members, elected from the four main political units
that make up the United Kingdom. Elections to the House of Commons are an
important part of Britain's democratic system. The House of Lords consists of
around 1270 non-elected members. Its main legislative function is to examine
and revise bills from the Commons. It also acts in a legal capacity as the final
court of appeal.

15. Who is the head of the state in Britain? (Queen)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional
monarchy. The monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is the head of state. The monarchy
in Britain can be traced back about 1200 years, although its role has changed
significantly. The monarch must approve all bills passed by the Parliament
before they can become laws. The queen also has a weekly meeting with the
prime minister to discuss public affairs. The queen's chief public role is to attend
ceremonial state occasions and to represent the United Kingdom in visits
throughout the country and the world.

16. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a

constitutional monarchy.
The United Kingdom is both a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional
monarchy. The Parliament, the chief lawmaking body of the United Kingdom,
meets in London. The Parliament consists of the monarch, the House of
Commons and the House of Lords. Queen Elizabeth II acts as head of state, but
a group of senior members of parliament called the Cabinet actually governs the
United Kingdom. The prime minister leads the government.
17. Who is the chairman of the House of Lords? (Lord Chancellor)
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain or Lord Chancellor is a -senior and
important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the
second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State. The Lord Chancellor is
appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Lord
Chancellor is a member of the Cabinet and is responsible for the efficient
functioning and independence of the courts. One of the Lord Chancellor's
responsibilities is to act as the custodian of the Great Seal. The Lord Chancellor
is also the chairman of the House of Lords. He sits on the woolsack, a large bag
of wool covered with red cloth. It shows that wool made England rich.

18. Who is the chairman of the House of Commons? (Speaker)

Contrary to what the title would imply, the Speaker of the House of Commons
does not speak - that is, he or she does not make speeches or take part in debates.
Officially the Speaker is the chairman of the House. That role is now largely
ceremonial and today the Speaker's central function is to maintain order in a
debate. The Speaker is elected by all the members of the House of Commons.
He belongs to one of the political parties in Parliament, but he never votes with
other members. However, when the votes are equal, he votes with the
government.

19. In the House of Commons the members sit on two sites of the hall.
The members of the House of Commons meet in sessions which begin at the end
of October and last for about one hundred and sixty days. The sittings usually
begin at 10 o'clock in the morning and end in the late afternoon. All the time the
Parliament is in session, a flag can be seen over the building, and when the
House of Commons is still sitting after dark, there is a light over the face of Big
Ben. The members of the House of Commons sit on two sides of the hall,
because they traditionally represent the two major political parties. The prime
minister and Cabinet members sit on the front bench on one side of the chamber.
The leading members of the largest opposition party sit on the front bench on the
other side.

20. What does abbreviation "MP" stand for? (Member of Parliament)

The House of Commons consists of 659 elected members called Members of
Parliament or MPs. Its main purpose is to make laws. The members of the
House of Commons are elected for a period of 5 years. MPs can belong to
different political patties, and the government of the country is formed by the
party which has the greatest number of members (MPs) elected to Parliament.
21. Name two major British political parties. (The Labour Party & the
Conservative Party)
The two largest political parties in the United Kingdom are the Conservative
Party and the Labour Party.
The Conservative Party developed from the Tory Party, which began in the late
1600s. The Labour Party began in 1900. Much of its support comes from labour
unions, called trade unions. A third party, the Liberal Democrats, was formed in
1988. Other parties in the United Kingdom include nationalist parties in
Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They favor independence from the
United Kingdom.

22. What is the name of Liberal Party? (The Whigs)

The Liberal Party started in the mid-nineteenth century as a successor to the
historic Whig party. "Whig" was originally a Scottish term applied to horse
thieves. In the late 18th century the Whig Party represented those who wanted
electoral and parliamentary reforms. However the term "Whig" is seldom used
today. By 1839 the term Liberal Party was being used and the first Liberal
government was formed in 1868. In 1988 the old Liberal P~ and the Social
Democratic Party merged into a single party called the Liberal Democrats.

23. What is the name of the Conservative Party? (The Tories)

The Conservative Party dates back to the Tory Party of the late 18th century.
This broadly represented the interests of gentry and merchant classes. The name
Conservative was first used in January 1830 - "conservative" because the Party
aims to conserve traditional values and practices. The Conservative Party today
is the leading right-wing party. The term "Tory" is still used today.

24. Who is the head of the government in the United Kingdom? (Prime
Minister)
The prime minister is usually the leader of the political party that has the most
seats in the House of Commons. After each general election, the monarch
ceremonially appoints the prime minister and asks him or her to form a
government. The prime minister then picks a special group of about 20 ministers
to make up the Cabinet. The prime minister is the head of the government.

25. Formally the head of Canada is Queen of Great Britain.

The form of the government of the country is constitutional monarchy. Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is queen of Canada. She is the official head
of the state. The queen, on the recommendation of Canada's prime minister,
appoints a governor general who acts as her representative. However, the
governor general performs only certain formal and symbolic tasks. Actually the
prime minister directs the government.
26. When did the Great Fire of London take place? (1666)
The Great Fire of London in September 1666 was one of the most famous
incidents in England. It was the second tragedy to hit the city in the space of 12
months. Just as the city was recovering from the Great Plague, the inhabitants
had to flee the city once again - this time not as a result of a disease, but the
result of human accident. The fire started in a baker's shop owned by a king's
baker. His maid failed to put out the ovens at the end of the night. The heat
created by the ovens caused fire in the wooden home of the baker. Once it
started, the fire spread quickly. The city was basically made out of wood and
with September following on from the summer, the city was very dry. Strong
winds fanned the flames. The heat created by the fire was so great that the lead
roof on the old St Paul's Cathedral melted. The Great Fire had burned down 84
churches and a lot of houses.

27. Christopher Columbus landed in America in 1492.

Before Columbus' voyage, Europeans did not know the Western Hemisphere
existed. During the' 1400s, Europeans became interested in finding a short sea
route to the Far East - a region of spice and other valuable goods. Columbus, an
Italian navigator, believed he could find a short route to the East by sailing west.
Financed by the Spanish king and queen, he set sail westward from Spain on
August 3, 1492. Columbus reached land on October 12, 1492 and assumed he
had arrived in the Far East. Actually, he landed on San Salvador, one of the
islands just east of the North American mainland.

28. The English colonization of the American continent began in the 17th
century.
The first British attempt to establish a colony took place in 1607. A small band
of about 100 British colonists reached the coast near Chesapeake Bay. They
founded Jamestown, the first permanent British settlement in North America.
During the next 150 years, a steady stream of colonists came to America and
settled near the coast. The earliest colonists faced great hardships and danger.
They suffered from lack of food and from disease. But the colonists soon
established productive farms and plantations; built towns, roads, churches and
schools, and began many small industries.
29. Why did people from England come to America? (They wanted to make
a better life for themselves)
Reports of the economic success and religious and political freedom of the early
colonists attracted a steady flow of new settlers. Most of the settlers came from
Britain, but the colonies also drew newcomers from almost every other country
of Europe. Europeans knew that a person who went to America faced great
hardship and danger. But the New World also offered people the opportunity for
a new start in life. As a result, many people were eager to become colonists.
Some Europeans came to America seeking religious freedom. Others became
colonists for economic reasons because they saw America as a place where they
could become rich.

30. What was the first name of New York? (New Amsterdam)
In 1624, the Dutch West Indian Company, a trading and colonizing firm, sent
settlers to Manhattan Island. They laid out a town and built a fort called Fort
Amsterdam. Soon after it the entire settlement was named New Amsterdam.
Because of the war between the Netherlands and England in 1664, the Dutch
gave this town and colony to England under the terms of a peace treaty. The
English renamed the colony New York.

31. When did the United States win its Independence? (In 1776)
A movement to end British rule in the American Colonies became increasingly
active in the early 1770s. In 1775, a war broke out between Great Britain and the
colonies. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress officially declared
independence and formed the United States of America by adopting the
Declaration of Independence. Written by Thomas Jefferson, the declaration set
forth certain self-evident truths that were basic to the revolutionary cause. It said
that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with rights to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

32. The colours of the American flag are red, white, dark blue.
Flag Day, June 14, is the birthday of the American Flag. On this date in 1777,
the Continental Congress adopted a resolution stating that the flag of the new
nation should have 13 horizontal stripes (7 red ones and 6 blue ones) to
symbolize the thirteen colonies and 13 white stars on a blue background to
symbolize the unity and equality of these colonies. Who made the first American
flag? A young woman, who lived in Philadelphia, probably did. Her name was
Betsy Ross. Now on the present day flag you can see 50 stars by the number of
states. So the colours of the American flag are red, white, dark blue. The
American flag is a symbol of the country - its government, its people, and its
ideals. On patriotic days it flies in front of many homes and reminds many
Americans of their valuable Constitutional rights and freedom.
33. The nickname of the US Government is Uncle Sam.
During the War of 1812, the US government hired meat packers to provide meat
for the army. One of these packers was a man named Samuel Wilson. He was a
friendly and fair man, and everybody called him Uncle Sam. He stamped the
boxes of meat for the army with large US for United States. Once a worker of
Wilson's company was asked what the US on the boxes stood for. As a joke, he
answered that these letters stood for the name of his boss, Uncle Sam. The joke
spread, and soldiers began saying that their food came from Uncle Sam. Before
long, people called all things that came from the government "Uncle Sam".
"Uncle Sam" became a nickname for the US government.

34. The political system of the USA consists of three branches.

Three separate branches share the powers of the United States government. In
general, the legislative branch makes the nation's laws, the executive branch
enforces the laws and the judicial branch interprets the laws if questions arise. A
system of checks and balances makes sure that each branch acts only within its
constitutional limits. Each branch has some powers that check those of the other
two. This prevents any single government group or official from becoming too
powerful.

35. What are the last two states to join the United States? (Alaska, Hawaii)
Alaska is the largest state of the United States in area. It is almost a fifth as large
as all the rest of the United States and more than twice the size of Texas, the
second largest state. When Alaska entered the Union in 1959, it was the first
new state in 47 years. Hawaii lies in the Pacific Ocean about 2000 miles west of
the US. It is made up of 20 tropical islands. It is the newest of the 50 U.S. states
(August 21, 1959), and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands.

36. Who is officially the head of the state and the government of the USA.
(President)
The president of the United States has many roles and duties. For many
Americans and people around the world, the president represents the United
States government and is officially the head of the state. As chief executive, the
president enforces federal laws, directs the preparation of the federal budget and
appoints many high-ranking officials. As commander in chief of the armed
forces, the president directs foreign and national security affairs. As chief
diplomat, the president negotiates treaties with other countries. As legislative
leader the president recommends laws to Congress. The president is elected for a
term. Presidential election is held every four years in November. The President
lives in the White House in Washington, D.C. and has offices there.
37. The anthem of the USA is The Star Spangled Banner.
In 1814, the American flag inspired a lawyer and amateur poet named Francis
Scott Key to write "The Star Spangled Banner", the poem that was later set to
music and became the national anthem. During the war of 1812 between Great
Britain and the USA, F.S. Key was on a ship in Baltimore Harbor watching the
British attack Fort McHenry. As long as Key saw the American flag flying over
the fort, he knew his country had not lost the battle. Key set his poem to music,
using the melody of an old British song. More than 100 years later, in 1931,
Congress declared "The Star Spangled Banner" the national anthem.

38. The Canadian Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of
Commons.
The Parliament is the national legislature of Canada. It has two houses - an
upper house called the Senate and a lower house called the House of Commons.
The Senate normally has 105 members. The senators and the speaker are
appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation.
Senators must retire when they reach age 75. The House of Commons consists
of members elected by the people for five-year terms. Each House member
represents a district of a province. The House elects a speaker to preside over
meetings.

39. What is the national symbol of Canada? (The maple leaf)

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the maple leaf was adopted as an
emblem by the French Canadians. Its popularity continued and in 1834 the
maple leaf was one of numerous emblems proposed to represent the society. The
first mayor of Montreal described the maple as "the king of our forest and the
symbol of the Canadian people." The maple leaf slowly became a national
symbol: in 1868, it was included in the coat of arms of both Ontario and Quebec,
and was added to the Canadian coat of arms in 1921. The maple leaf finally
became the central national symbol with the introduction of the Canadian flag in
1965.

40. Which ship did Pilgrim Fathers (the first American settlers) sale to
America in? (The Mayflower)
The first colonists began their journey to America in September of 1620 on a
ship called the Mayflower. These people were called Pilgrims because they
traveled in search of religious freedom. The Mayflower was very crowded with
1 02 passengers, about 25 sailors, two dogs and probably some chickens, cats
and pigs. At times, the trip was very difficult. Yet, during the voyage, the
travelers suffered only one death. They landed in what is now Massachusetts and
established one of the first colonies.
 Chapter 2. People Political Leaders and Rulers

41. The founder of the English fleet was King Alfred.

Alfred was the king of West Saxons in southwestern England. He saved his
kingdom from the Danes and laid the basis for the unification of England under
the West Saxon monarchy. He also led a revival of learning and literature and
was the founder of the English fleet. He was such an outstanding leader in war
and peace that he is the only English king known as "the Great".

42. William the Conqueror invaded the British Isles in 1066.

William the Conqueror was the first Norman king of England. He took power in
1066, following his army's victory over the Anglo-Saxons of England at the
battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066. On Christmas Day, 1066, William was
crowned king of England.

43. George Washington is the first President of the USA.

George Washington, commonly called the father of his country, was born in
1732. The son of a wealthy Virginia planter, he was privately educated and
trained to be a surveyor. Serving as an officer in the French and Indian War, he
gained an interest and experience in military leadership. In 1759, Washington
married and returned to his Virginia plantation. However, he soon became
involved in colonial opposition to British policies in America. In 1775, the
Second Continental Congress declared war on Great Britain and named
Washington commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Army. After the war
when the new country formed a stronger national government, George
Washington was unanimously chosen as its first president. He took office in
1789 and was reelected in 1792.

44. John Adams is the second President of the USA.

John Adams (1 735-1826), guided the young United States through some of its
most serious troubles. He served under George Washington as the nation's first
vice president and followed him as the second president. Adams played a
leading role in the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. During Adam's
term, the United States took its first steps towards industrialization.
45. Thomas Jefferson is the third President of the USA.
Thomas Jefferson is best remembered as a great president and as the author of
the Declaration of Independence. He also won lasting fame as a diplomat, a
political thinker, and a founder of the Democratic Party. He was born on April
13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia. He was the third child in the family and grew up
with six sisters and one brother. Jefferson's interests and talents covered an
amazing range. He became one of the leading American architects of his time.
He greatly appreciated art and music. Jefferson also served as president of the
American Philosophical Society.
He is known as the third President of the USA. During Jefferson's two terms as
President, the United States almost doubled in area and Congress passed a law
banning the slave trade.

46. James Madison is the fourth President of the USA.

James Madison (1751-1836), the fourth president of the United States, is often
called the Father of Constitution. He played a leading role in the Constitutional
Convention of 1787. He also helped to create the US federal system, which
divide power between the central government and the states. Before he became
President, he served as secretary of state. He was elected the president of the
country in 1809. As President, Madison followed policies that generally resulted
in US economic growth and westward expansion.

47. James Monroe is the fifth President of the USA.

Monroe became President after more than 40 years of public service. He had
fought in the Revolutionary War in America. Later, he became a senator,
minister to France, and governor of Virginia. During the war with Britain in
1812, he served as a secretary of state and secretary of war at the same time. In
1817 he was elected the fifth president of the United States. As President,
Monroe presided quietly during a period known as "the era of good feeling". He
looked forward to America's glorious future, the outlines of which emerged
rapidly during his presidency.

48. Abraham Lincoln is the 16tb President of the USA.

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a log cabin in Kentucky. His parents
were uneducated and poor. Stories about Lincoln's youth demonstrate his
honesty. Although he eventually became a lawyer, he had very little formal
education. He is a perfect example of what Americans call a self-made man.
Elected to the presidency in 1860 and reelected in 1864, Lincoln was the first
successful presidential candidate nominated by the Republican Party. During his
presidency the American Civil War was fought. During the war, Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation declared all slaves to be free. After the war, the
Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was adopted. It freed all the slaves
throughout the nation. He was killed on April 14, 1865. He was the first
American to be assassinated, but, unfortunately, not the last.
 49. Franklin D. Roosevelt is the 320d President of the USA.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (18821945) served as President for more than 12
years, longer than any other person. He was the only president elected four
times. Roosevelt led the United States through its worst depression and through
its worst war. He died just 83 days after becoming President for the fourth time.
Born into a wealthy family, Roosevelt entered politics because he believed it
offered great opportunity for public service. Roosevelt had a colorful
personality. He was known for his friendly smile, flashing eyes and genial
manner. People in all parts of the world admired Roosevelt for his personal
courage.

50. John F. Kennedy is the 35th President of the USA.

Kennedy was the youngest man ever elected president and he was the youngest
ever to die in the office. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917. He was the second
of nine children. His family was one of the most wealthy and powerful in
America. He participated in World War II and won a medal. After the war he
began a career in politics. When he became president, he gave a famous speech.
He promised to work for freedom around the world. He asked people to give
something of themselves. "Ask not what your country can do for you," he said.
"Ask what you can do for your country". On November 22, 1963, John F.
Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. The world was filled with shock and
sorrow.

51. Bill Clinton is the 42ud President of the USA.

Bill Clinton is the 42nd President of the USA. He was born on August 19, 1946.
Clinton became interested in politics in high school and went on to Georgetown
University in Washington DC, where he graduated with high honors in 1968. He
was elected president of the United States in 1992 and reelected in 1996.
Clinton, who was 46 when he took office, was the third youngest person ever to
serve as a president. Clinton became a skillful public speaker known for his
ability to seize the attention of a vide variety of audiences. His hobbies include
reading, solving crossword puzzles, playing the saxophone, jogging and golfing.

52. George Bush is the 43rd President of the USA.

George Walker Bush was elected president of the United States in 2000. He was
born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut. He was the first of the
couple's six children. In 1964 Bush began his studies at Yale University. He
majored in history. After military service in the Texas Air Navigational Guard,
he entered Harvard Business School where he received an M.B.A degree in
1975. Then he began his career in politics. He joined the Republican Party. Bush
was elected president at a time of economic prosperity and low unemployment.
He was reelected again in 2004.
53. Who was the 22nd and 24th President of the USA? (Stephen Grover
Cleveland)
Grover Cleveland was the only President who served two terms that did not
directly follow each other. He won the presidency in 1884, but lost it four years
later. He ran again in 1892 and won a second term. He was born on March 18,
1837 in Caldwell, New Jersey. In 188] he was elected a mayor of Buffalo, then a
governor of New York. Cleveland married in 1886 and the couple had five
children. Cleveland was the first Democratic President elected after the Civil
War. His victory was a protest against the waste and corruption that had
disgraced Republican administration after the war. His honesty and common
sense helped to restore confidence in the government.

54. What did Martin Luther King fight against? (He fought against racial
discrimination)
Martin Luther King, an African American Baptist minister, was the main leader
of the civil rights movement in the US. He was born on January 15, 1929, in
Atlanta. He had a magnificent speaking ability, which enabled him to effectively
express the demands of African Americans for social justice, against racial
discrimination. King won the support .of millions of people - blacks and whites -
and made him internationally famous. He won the 1964 Noble Peace Prize for
leading nonviolent civil rights demonstrations. At the age of 39 he was shot.

55. When did Elizabeth II become Queen of Britain? (1952)

Elizabeth II is the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland. She became queen when her father, King George VI, died in 1952. The
coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2, 1953, in Westminster
Abbey, London. As a constitutional monarch, Queen Elizabeth is formally head
of the state in the United Kingdom. But she has no power over what the British
government does. Laws are formally enacted in the name of the queen, but their
content is the responsibility of the government.

56. What is the name of Queen's eldest son? (Charles)

Prince Charles is the oldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He
was born on November 14, 1948 in London. In 1967 Prince Charles entered
Trinity College at Cambridge University. He acted in the drama society, took
part in polo and cricket, played the cello and flew his own airplane. He got a
degree in history. In 1958 Queen Elizabeth officially named Charles Prince of
Wales, the 700year-old title traditionally given to the heir. After leaving the
military service, Prince Charles began to handle a full schedule of public duties.
He has frequently represented Queen Elizabeth on state visits to foreign
countries. The prince enjoys fishing, gardening and playing polo. In 1981 Prince
Charles married Lady Diana Spencer. They had two sons - Prince William and
Prince Henry. The couple divorced in 1997.
57. What is the name of Sir Churchill? (Winston)
Winston Churchill (1874-1965), became one of the greatest statesmen in the
world history. Churchill reached the height of his fame as the heroic prime
minister of Great Britain during World War II. He offered his people only
"blood, toil, tears and sweat" as they struggle to keep their freedom. Churchill's
personal courage, the magic of his words and his faith in victory inspired the
British to win fascism. He was also a brilliant speaker, author, painter, soldier
and war reporter. In 1953 he won the Noble Prize for literature.

58. Which party was Margaret Thatcher the leader of? (The Conservative
Party)
The Conservative Party is one of the two main political parties in the United
Kingdom. In 1975, the Conservatives elected Margaret Thatcher as a leader of
the party. Thatcher became the first woman to head a British political party. In
1979 the party won control of the government and Thatcher became the United
Kingdom's first female prime minister.

59. Which of the American presidents never lived in the White House?
(George Washington)
In Washington, D.C., 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is a very special address. It is
the address of the White House, the home of the president of the United States.
It was built from 1792 to 1800. At this time, the city of Washington itself was
being built. It was to be the nation's new capital city. George Washington, the
first president, and Pierre-Charles L'Enfant, a French engineer, choose the place
for the new city. The president's home was an important part of the plan. A
contest was held to pick up a design for the president's home. An architect
named James Hoban won. He designed a large three-story house. But
Washington never lived in the White House. The first people to live there were
John Adams, the second American president, and his wife Abigail.

60. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? (Thomas Jefferson)

Thomas Jefferson is best known as the author of the Declaration of
Independence. After the Revolutionary War began he was asked to make a draft
of this document. The Declaration of Independence remains Jefferson's best
known work. It affirmed belief in the natural rights of all people. Jefferson
created the American spirit and mind. Every later generation has turned to him
for inspiration.
61. Under what king did the Knights of the Round Table live? (Arthur)
King Arthur was a legendary king of medieval Britain. He became the main
character in some of the most popular stories in the world literature. For almost
1000 years, writers have told of Arthur's brave deeds and the adventures of his
Knights of the Round Table. Arthur was raised without knowledge of his royal
ancestry. But when he pulled the magic sword Excalibur from a stone he
decided to become king of Britain. He married Princess Guinevere. Arthur had
several residences. His favorite was Camelot, a castle in southern England. A
real Arthur probably existed, but historians know little about him.

62. This famous American was a writer, scientist, an inventor and a

diplomat. He started the first public library and the first fire department.
He was .... Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a jack-of-all-trades and master of many. No
other American, except possibly Thomas Jefferson, has done so many things so
well. During his long and useful life, Franklin concerned himself with such
different matters as statesmanship and soap-making, book- printing and
cabbage-growing. He also invented an efficient heating stove and proved that
lightning is electricity. As a statesman, Franklin stood in the front rank of the
people who built the United States. Many historians consider him the most
successful diplomat that America has ever sent abroad. Franklin was the leader
of his day in the study of electricity.
 Travelers, Heroes and Military Leaders

63. Who was the first person to tell the world about China? (Marco Polo)
Marco Polo (1254-1324) was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian
Republic whose travels are recorded in his book which did much to introduce
Europeans to Central Asia and China. He traveled through Asia and China.
Returning after 24 years of his travelling Marco was imprisoned, and dictated
his stories to a cellmate. He was released in 1299, became a wealthy merchant,
married and had 3 children. He died in 1324, and was buried in San Lorenzo.

64. Who was the first Englishman to come to Australia? (Captain James
Cook)
James Cook, a British captain and navigator, was one of the world's greatest
explorers. He commanded three voyages to the Pacific Ocean that greatly
increased knowledge of the world's geography. Cook had an outstanding ability
to determine where newly encountered lands should be placed on maps. In 1768,
his ship the Endeavour sailed to the South Pacific.
There Cook explored Tahiti and then sailed south in search of a large continent
that some scientists thought must exist there. It was what is now called
Australia. Cook was killed during his third voyage in 1779.

65. Guy Fawkes is the man that wanted to burn the English Parliament.
Guy Fawkes is Britain's most famous terrorist. On 5 November 1605 Guy
Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament and the King of England
James 1. He succeeded in storing some 30 barrels of gunpowder in a cellar under
the Houses of Parliament. The plot was discovered and Guy Fawkes was
hanged. Parliament proclaimed November 5 an annual day of thanksgiving
shortly after Fawkes's arrest. Every year that date people celebrate by setting off
fireworks. They also make models of Guy Fawkes and bum them on big
bonfires.

66. Robin Hood is a legendary hero of Britain.

Robin Hood was a legendary English hero who stole from the rich and gave to
the poor. He is the subject of many ballads and stories. He treated poor people
kindly and fought the sheriff of Nottingham, a corrupt official who persecuted
the poor. Robin Hood lived with his merry band in Sherwood Forest. No one
knows whether the character of Robin Hood was based on a real person.
67. Who are Prince William and Prince Henry's parents? (Prince Charles
and Lady Diana Spencer are)
Diana, Princess of Wales was an international personality of the late 20th
century as the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, wham she married on 29
July 1981. The wedding, held at St. Paul's Cathedral, was televised and watched
by a global audience of aver 750 million people. The marriage produced two
sons: Princes William and Harry. Diana was born into an old, aristocratic
English family with royal ancestry, and remained the focus of worldwide media
before, during and after her marriage, which ended in divorce on 28 August
1996. She died in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. Diana received
recognition for her charity work.
 People of Science and Art

68. What was J. Constable? (A painter)

John Constable (1776-1837) was the leading English landscape painter. He is
known mainly for his paintings of the rural areas. Constable emphasized such
environmental features as the appearance of the sky and clouds, and the effects
of the light and shadow on the landscape.

69. The printing press was first set up in England by William Caxton.
William Caxton was the first person to print a book in the English language and
to print a book in England. Caxton was bam in Kent, England. From 1441 to
1471 he worked as a merchant in Bruges. In 1471 he went to Germany to learn
printing. In 1476 he set up a press in London. The first book in the English
language was "The Histories of Troy", his translation of a popular French
adventure tale. Other important works from his press in England include the first
editions of "The Canterbury Tales". Caxton also translated many French works,
as well as Latin and Dutch literature. His translations helped to establish the
literary form of the English language.

70. Who was the first man on the Moon? (Armstrong, Neil Alden)
Armstrong, Neil Alden, a United States astronaut, was the first person to set foot
on the moon. He was born on his grandparents' farm in Auglaize County in Ohio
on August 5, 1930. Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo 11 lunar
module Eagle on the moon. Neil left the module and explored the surface of the
moon. Upon taking his first step onto the moon, Neil Armstrong said his famous
words: "That is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind".

71. Who discovered the law of gravitation? (Isaac Newton)

Isaac Newton was an English scientist, astronomer, and mathematician who
invented a new kind of mathematics, discovered the secret of light and colour,
and showed how the universe is held together. Newton is sometimes described
as one of the greatest names in the history of human thought because of his great
contributions to mathematics, physics and astronomy. Newton discovered how
the universe is held together through his theory of gravitation. He was born in
1642 and died in 1727.
72. Who is the architect of famous St. Paul's Cathedral? (Sir Christopher
Wren)
Christopher Wren was an English architect, scientist and mathematician. After
the Great Fire of London in 1666 he redesigned 55 of the 87 churches that it
destroyed. The most famous one is St. Paul's Cathedral (1675-1710). Wren was
born on October 20, 1632 in the county of Wiltshire, England. He received
many honors. He was recognized as a founding member of the Royal Society in
1660. He was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral. There are some words on his grave
"If you want to see a monument to me, look around".

73. What is Benjamin Britten? (A composer)

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), also called Lord Britten, was a British composer
famous for his vocal music, especially operas. Britten wrote much children's
music. Britten skillfully combined words and music in his songs, J which rank
among his best works.
He was born in Lowestoft, in England. He was a child prodigy and composed
several musical works before he was 12 years old. Britten began studying with
the English composer Frank Bridge about that age. At 17 he entered the Royal
College of Music in London.

74. The telephone was invented by Alexander Bell.

Alexander Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father was an expert in
phonetics. As a boy, he became interested in sounds and speech. In 1870 his
family decided to emigrate to America. They lived in Boston, where Alexander
taught in a school for the deaf. There he began experimenting with a machine to
help the deaf hear. He had an idea to use electricity to send the human voice
from one place to another. Together with his assistant, Thomas Watson, they
began to work on a new invention. They tried to send speech trough a wire.
Finally, on March 19, 1876, their experiment was a success. Bell's "talking
machine" was the main attraction at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia
and became the first telephone.

75. What was Norman Rockwell? (Painter)

Norman Rockwell was an American painter. His paintings of everyday, usually
small-town people almost always tell stories, often humorous ones. Rockwell
gained great popularity as an illustrator for some American magazines. He also
did art work for many advertisers. Rockwell was born in New York City in
1894.
76. Where was Thomas Cook born?
Thomas Cook (22 November 1808 18 July 1892) was born in a village of
Melbourne, in England. He founded the travel agency that is now Thomas Cook
Group. Thomas Cook was brought up as a strict Baptist. In February 1826, he
became a preacher. Cook's idea to offer excursions came to him while waiting
for the coach on the London Road. He was the first to organize a tourist
company in the world.

77. What IS Frederic August Bartholdi? (The French sculptor)

Frederic August Bartholdi (1834-1904) was a French sculptor. He specialized in
creating enormous patriotic sculptures glorifying French nationalism and
friendship between France and the United States. His most famous work is the
Statue of Liberty.

78. Aldridge, James (1918-1991), an English writer. His works are: A

Matter of Honour, A Sea Eagle, The Last Inch.
Aldridge was born in State Victoria, Australia. He moved to London in 1938. He
lived in Cairo for many years, writing several books about the Middle East. He
won a Lenin Peace Prize in 1972 for 'his outstanding struggle for the
preservation of peace'. He has also won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, the
World Peace Council Gold Medal, and was awarded the Gold Medal for
Journalism by the Organization for International Journalists in 1972.

79. Blake, William (1757-1827), was a brilliant English poet and a painter. His
symbolic pictures and poems are not always easy to understand. He was born on
November 28, 1757 in London and lived most of his life there. He was a book
illustrator by profession. But Blake is best known for Songs of Innocence and
Songs of Experience. In these works he shows the symbols of what he calls the
two contrary states of the human soul.

80. Burns, Robert (1759-1796), the national poet of Scotland.

Burns was born in Alloway, a village on the River Doon. Like his father Bums
was a farmer and he remained one almost all his life despite his success as a
writer. He was interested in folk music. He collected about 300 original and
traditional Scottish songs. He wrote many poems to be sung by Scottish folk
tunes. His best songs are "Coming into the Rye" and "A Red, Red Rose". He
wrote in both the Scots dialect and standard English. He was really a skilled
poet.
81. Byron, George Gordon (17881824), an English romantic poet.
He was born in London. Many people find his adventurous life as interesting as
his poetry. Byron often set his poems in Europe and the Near East, and they
reflect his own experience and beliefs. Byron's poetry is sometimes violent,
sometimes tender and frequently exotic. However, the underlying theme is
always his insistence that people must be free to choose their own course in life.
His best known poems are: Hours of Idleness, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, The
Bride of Abidos, The Corsair.

82. Chaucer, Geoffrey (13401400), the greatest English poet of the Middle
Ages.
Chaucer was born in London sometime between 1340 and 1343. He lived most
of his life there. He came from a prosperous family. Chaucer was one of the
most learned men of his age. He traveled in many countries on diplomatic
missions. He was influenced by French and Italian writers. He was familiar with
Latin classics, medieval science and theology. He wrote The Canterbury Tales, a
group of stories that is considered to be masterpieces ofliterature. He is a Father
of English Literature.

83. Christie, Agatha (1890-1976), an English writer of detective stories.

The main hero of her first detective stories is Hercule Poirot (The mysterious
affair at Styles, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd). Miss Marple, an elderly English
woman, is a hero of her books: The Murder at the Vicarage, The Murder in the
Orient Express. Christie's mystery and detective fiction consists of 67 novels and
almost 150 short stories. Queen Elizabeth II made her a Dame Commander in
the Order of the British Empire in 1971.

84. Gerald Darrell (1925-1995) was an English naturalist and author. He was
best known for his work wildlife preservation and his books on animals. Darrell
described his experiences with animals in light-hearted stories. Many of them
are very popular with young readers.

85. Doyle, Arthur Conan (18591930), a British writer, created Sherlock

Holmes, the world's best known detective. Holmes appeared in 56 short stories
and three other novels - The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The
Valley of Fear. Millions of readers have followed Holmes's adventures and
delighted in his ability to solve crimes by an amazing use of reason and
observation. Doyle was born on May, 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He became
a doctor but his practice was not a success. He started to write while waiting for
the patients who never came. His early stories earned him little money but he
won great success with his first Holmes novel.
86. Dickens, Charles (18121870) is a great English novelist and one of the most
popular writers of all times. His best known books include A Christmas Carol,
David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, The Pickwick Papers, A
Tale of Two Cities. Dickens created some of the most famous characters in
English literature. He also created scenes and descriptions of places that have
long delighted readers. Dickens was a keen observer of life and had a great
understanding of humanity, especially of young people. He sympathized with
the poor and helpless, and mocked and criticized the selfish, the greedy and the
cruel.

87. Dreiser, Theodore (1871-1945), one of the best American writers.

His characters are the victims of apparently meaningless incidents they can
neither control nor understand. His best novels are - Sister Carrie, Jennie
Gerhardt, The Financier, The Titan, The Stoic, An American Tragedy. Dreiser
was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. His family was very poor and he soon saw a
profound difference between the promise and the reality of American life. This
realization was a major source of Dreiser's discontent and an important influence
on his works.

88. Defoe, Daniel (1660-1731), an English novelist and journalist. He wrote

Robinson Crusoe, one of the first English novels and one of the most popular
adventure stories in literature. Defoe was born in London. He was the son of a
Protestant butcher and candle merchant. For about 25 years, Defoe earned his
living as a journalist. He is unusual for the quantity and variety of his works. It
is difficult to tell how many works he produced, because most were published
anonymously. For most readers today Defoe is known primarily as a novelist.
However, he did not become a novelist until he was about 60 years old.

89. Galsworthy, John (1867-1933), an English novelist and playwright, won

the Noble Prize for literature. His best known work is The Forsyte Saga
consisting of three novels The Man of Property, In Chancery, To Let. He
continued the story in a later trilogy A Modern Comedy, consisting of The
White Monkey, The Silver Spoon, The Swan Song.

90. Frost, Robert (1874-1963), the most popular American poet of his time. He
won four times the Pulitzer Prize for poetry; in 1960 Congress voted Frost a
gold medal for recognition of his poetry, which has enriched the culture of the
USA and the philosophy of the world. He was born on March 26, 1874, in San
Francisco. Frost's poetry is identified with New England where he lived most of
his life. He found inspiration for many of his finest poems in the region's
landscapes. His poetry is noted for its plain language, conventional poetic forms
and graceful style.
91. Gaskell, Elizabeth (1810-1865), often referred to simply as Mrs Gaskell, was
a British novelist and short story writer during the Victorian era. Her novels offer a
detailed portrait of the lives of many levels of society, including the very poor, and
as such are of interest to social historians as well as lovers of literature. Gaskell's
first novel, Mary Barton, was published anonymously in 1848. The best known of
her remaining novels are Cranford (1853), North and South (1854), and Wives and
Daughters (1865). She became popular for her writing, especially her ghost stories.
In addition to her fiction, Gaskell also wrote the first biography of Charlotte
Bronte, which played a significant role in developing her fellow writer's reputation.

92. Irving, Washington (1783-1859) is one of the first American writers. He is

considered to be the Father of American literature. His best known works include
two short stories, "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". He
began to write in 1802. After moving to England for the family business in 1815,
he achieved international fame with his publication. He continued to publish
regularly-and almost always successfully-throughout his life, and completed a five-
volume biography of George Washington just eight months before his death, at age
76, in Tarrytown, New York. Irving was among the first American writers to earn
honour in Europe, and Irving encouraged many American authors.

93. Hemingway, Ernest (18991961), a famous American writer, he received a

Noble Prize for literature. His works are - Across the River and into the Trees, The
Old Man and the Sea, For Whom the Bells Tolls. Hemingway used a plain style,
characterized by simple sentences. He created a type of male character, who faces
violence and destruction with courage.

94. Kipling, Rudyard (1865-1936) was a leading English writer, poet and
novelist. He was born in Bombay, India, on December 30,1865. He is best known
for his stories about India when it was a British colony. Kipling wrote more than
3,000 short stories, which illustrate a wide variety of narrative techniques He also
wrote children's stories that became popular worldwide. In 1907, Kipling was the
first English writer to receive the Noble Prize for literature. His most famous
stories are: Simple Stories from the Mountains, Kim, Jungle Book.

95. Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth (1807-1882) is one of the most famous

American poets. His best known works include Evangeline, The Song of Hiawatha,
The Courtship of Miles Standish. His lyric and narrative poetry made lasting
contributions to the American literary tradition. To the modern reader,
Longfellow's sentimental and optimistic poetry often makes him seem somewhat
old-fashioned. In fact, he consistently experimented in verse forms from outside
the English poetic tradition.
96. London, Jack (John Griffith) (1876-1916) is an American writer. His
famous books are: The Son of the Wolf, The Call of the Wild, White Fang, The
Sea Wolf, Martin Eden. He was born on January 12, 1876 in San Francisco. In
1897, he traveled to Canada to seek his fortune in gold. Many of his books
described difficult life in the North. His life and work were filled with
contradictions. But his stories are really very nice and amazing.

97. Maugham, W. Somerset (18741965) is a fiction and drama British writer.

His finest works are: Cakes and Ale, The Moon and Sixpence, Ashenden, The
Summing Up. He became one of the
most popular British authors of the 1900s. His reputation stood far higher with
the public than with critics. Maugham usually wrote in an ironic style, yet he
often showed sympathy for his characters. William Somerset Maugham was
born on January 25, 1874 in Paris. He studied medicine at the request of his
family, but he never practiced after completing his internship.

98. Marshall, Alan (1902-1987) is an Australian writer.

His works are: Tell us About this Turkey, In My Heart, 1 Can Jump over the
Pools. Alan Marshall wrote numerous short stories, mainly set in the bush. He
also wrote newspaper columns and magazine articles. He traveled widely in
Australia and overseas. He also collected and published Indigenous Australian
stories and legends.

99. O. Henry (1862-1910) is a pen name of an American story writer, William

Sydney Porter. He published about 16 volumes of stories. His best known works
are: 171e Voice of the City, Cabbages and Kings, The Four Million, The
Trimmed Lamp, Heart of the West, Sixes and Sevens. Most of O. Henry's stories
are sentimental. His sympathy for human weakness and the naturalness of his
characters make his stories appealing. O. Henry wrote in the language of
common people.

100. Shaw, George Bernard (18561950) is an Irish born British playwright.

He was awarded a Noble Prize for literature. He wrote over 50 plays. His most
popular dramas are: Man and Superman, Pygmalion. Shaw's dramas are filled
with wit, challenging ideas and forceful characters. While his plays often treat
serious matters, their points are frequently twisted, compromised or emphasized
through comedy. Shaw thought that a sense of humour can give balance and
depth to seriousness. Shaw was also a political, social and religious thinker. He
was a critic of art, music and theatre as well as a socialist, vegetarian and
feminist.
101. Shakespeare, William (15641616) is an English playwright and a poet. He
is generally considered the greatest dramatist the world has ever known and the
finest poet who has ever written in the English language. His world famous
works are: All Well that Ends Well, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello,
Much Ado about Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and sonnets. He was
born in Stratford-on-A von. It is now the second most visited town in Britain.
People come to see his plays, performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company at
the theatre which is named after him, and to see his tomb.

102. Steinbeck, John (1902-1968) is an American writer, won a Noble Prize in

literature. His most famous novels are: The Grapes of Wrath, Cup of Gold, The
Pastures of Heavens. The last novel tells the story of a poor Oklahoma farming
family, who migrate to California in search of a better life during the Great
Depression of the 1930s. Steinbeck effectively demonstrated how the struggles
of one family mirrored the hardship of the entire nation.

103. Swift, Jonathan (16671745) is an English author who wrote Gulliver's

Travels, a masterpiece of comic literature. Swift is called a great satirist because
of his ability to ridicule customs, ideas and actions he considered silly or
harmful. His satire is often bitter, but it is also delightfully humorous. Swift was
born in Dublin on November 30, 1667. He became a minister in the Anglican
Church of Ireland. Swift spent the rest of his life - more than 30 years - as dean
of St. Patrick's. At that time he wrote his famous Gulliver's Travels, the book
that children read with great delight but which adults find rather serious.

104. Stevenson, Robert Louis (1850-1894) was a Scottish and English novelist
and poet who became one of the world's most popular writers. His well known
works are: Treasure Island, The strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Afr. Hyde,
Kidnapped, The Master of Ballantrae. Stevenson's life was as varied and
fascinating as his work. He fought illness constantly, writing many of his best
books from a sickbed. He traveled widely for his health and to learn about
people. He spent his last years on the South Sea island of Samoa.

105. Twain, Mark (1835-1910) was the pen name of Samuel Clemens. He is a
famous American writer and the greatest humorist in American literature.
Twain's varied works include novels, short stories, sketches and essays. His
novels are: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The Prince and the Pauper, Life on
the Mississippi, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, A Connecticut Yankee in
King Arthur's Court. He was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida. His life
was very interesting and exciting. He worked as a clerk, blacksmith's helper and
bookseller's assistant. Then he was a pilot on the Mississippi River, where he got
his pen name.
106. Voynich, Ethel Lillian (1864-1960) was an Irish novelist and musician,
and a supporter of several revolutionary causes. She is most famous for her
novel The Gadfly, first published in 1897 in the United States, about the
struggles of an international revolutionary in Italy. This novel was very popular
in the Soviet Union and was the top best seller and compulsory reading there.

107. Reed, John (1887-1920) is an American writer. He is best known for his
book Ten Days that Shook the World. Reed was born in Portland, Oregon. He
graduated from Harvard University in 1910. He gained national attention for his
reporting of the revolts in Mexico and Russia.

108. Reid, Thomas Mayne (1818-1883) was an Irish American novelist. Reid
wrote many adventure novels. These novels contain action that takes place
primarily in untamed settings: the American West, Mexico, South Africa, the
Himalayas, and Jamaica. Books such as the Young Voyagers had great
popularity, especially with boys. He was also very popular around the world. His
tales of the American West captivated children everywhere. Among his books,
many of which were popular in translation in Russia, were The Rifle Rangers,
Scalp Hunters, Boy Hunters, and Headless Horseman. Many famous people
recalled The Headless Horseman as a favourite adventure novel of their
childhood years.

109. Aesop was a Greek slave, who died about 565 B.C. He was famous
because of his collection of fables. Like all fables, each of his tales teaches a
moral and offers useful advice. Most of the characters in Aesop's fables are
animals that talk and act like humans. They show different features of human
nature in a simple and humorous way. Each fable ends with a proverb that sums
up the fable's moral and advice. The most famous of these fables are "The
Tortoise and the Hare' and "The Ant and the Grasshopper".

110. Wells, G. H. (1866-1946) was a famous English novelist, historian, science

writer and author of science-fiction stories. Herbert George Wells was born in
Bromley, Kent (now a part of London). His training as a scientist is reflected in
his imaginative science-fiction stories. Many of them are still popular even now.
His best novels are: The Time Machine, The War o/the Worlds, The Invisible
Man and others.
111. Jerome, K. Jerome (18591927) was an English writer and humorist, best
known for the humorous travelogue Three Men in a Boat.
Jerome was born in England, and was brought up in poverty in London. He
attended St Marylebone Grammar School.
Young Jerome wished to go into politics, but the death of his father at age 13,
and his mother at age 15, forced him to quit his studies and find work to support
himself. He tried to become a journalist, writing essays, satires and short stories.
He was a school teacher, a packer, and a clerk. The book Three Men in a Boat,
published in 1889, became an instant success. In its first twenty years alone, the
book sold over a million copies worldwide. It has been adapted to movies, TV
and radio shows, stage plays, and even a musical.

112. Milne, A. Alan (1882-1956) was an English author, best known for his
books about the teddy bear Winnie-the Pooh and for various children's poems.
Milne was a noted writer, primarily as a playwright, before the huge success of
Pooh overshadowed all his previous work. Milne is most famous for his two
Pooh books about a boy named Christopher Robin after his son, and various
characters inspired by his son's stuffed animals, most notably the bear named
Winnie-the -Pooh.
Winnie-the-Pooh was published in 1926. A second collection of nursery rhymes,
Now We Are Six, was published in 1927. His book The World of Pooh won the
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958.

113. Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-
1898). Carroll wrote one of the most famous books in the English literature -
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. People throughout the world read this book.
It was translated into more than 30 languages, including Arabic and Chinese.
Carroll wrote his book to give pleasure to children.
But adults also enjoy the humor, fantastic characters, and adventures in the
story.

114. Bronte, Charlotte was a famous English novelist (18161855). Her two
sisters Emily and Anne were writers too. She went to several boarding schools
where she received a better education than was usual for girls at that time, but in
a harsh atmosphere. Her famous novel Jane Eyre (1847) is largely
autobiographical. This book was enormously successful and very popular among
readers.

115. Wilde, Oscar (1854-1900) was an author and playwright. He was born on
October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. At 20, he went to study at Oxford
University. Soon he became a well-known public figure and a writer. In 1888 he
published The Happy Prince and Other Tales. Wilde's only novel The Picture of
Dorian Gray is a great moral fable. This book seems to show the destructive side
of a devotion to pleasure.
 Chapter 3. Culture, Traditions & Everyday Life

116. The famous Globe Theatre where Shakespeare staged his plays is
situated in London.
The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William
Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord
Chamberlain's Men, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613. A second Globe
Theatre was built on the same site by June 1614 and closed in 1642. A modem
reconstruction of the Globe, named "Shakespeare's Globe", opened in 1997
approximately 750 feet (230 m) from the site of the original theatre.

117. July Fourth is Independence Day.

Independence Day, the most important patriotic holiday in the United States,
celebrates the birth of the nation. In 1776, the 13 American colonies were in the
midst of the Revolutionary War against Great Britain. On July 2, the Second
Continental Congress passed a resolution of Independence. Two days later they
adopted the declaration of Independence - a document that declared the
American colonies free and independent. Since that time July Fourth is
celebrated as a national holiday. Since it is a summer holiday and a day off for
almost everyone, many families enjoy picnics. The occasion is also
commemorated by colorful and noisy fireworks and parades. The flag is flown,
and red, white and blue ribbons are used for decorations at public ceremonies.

118. What part of Britain is called a "a land of song" (Wales)

The Welsh have been famous for their singing for centuries. In old days while
traveling around Wales one could meet crowds of singers and listen to a lot of
different melodies. This tradition carries on today. If you go to any Welsh rugby
match, you will hear fans singing in harmony. Male-voice choirs are found
throughout Wales and many Welsh people have become famous opera singers.
The reputation of Wales as a centre for music attracts musicians from all over
the world to its various festivals. 40 countries take part in the International
Music Eisteddfod each year.
119. Madam Tussaud's is a museum of wax figures.
Madame Tussaud's, historically associated with London, is the most famous
name associated with wax museums. In 1835 Madame Tussaud established her
first permanent exhibition in London's Baker Street. There are also Madame
Tussaud's in Dam Square, Amsterdam; Berlin; Hong Kong; Shanghai; and three
locations in the United States: the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, Times
Square in New York City, and a new one in Washington, D. C. Her first solo
exhibit appeared on Baker Street in 1835 followed by her famous Chamber of
Horrors collection in 1845, where Madame Tussaud displayed a collection of
death masks that she had made of the victims of the guillotine during the French
Revolution in Paris.

120. "The Smoke" is a nickname of London.

Englishmen often call London as "The Big Smoke". This name can be translated
into Russian as «Большой дым». Without doubt, this name is connected with
the famous London smog. Smog was caused by large amounts of coal burning in
the area of London beginning with the 15th century. Nowadays, smog caused by
traffic pollution, however, does occur in modem London.

121. The ravens in the Tower of London are taken care of because of a
legend.
The Tower of London is one of the most popular and imposing of London's
historical sites. Every year a lot of tourists visit the Tower of London because of
its interesting history. No visit to the Tower would be complete without seeing
the ravens, huge black birds that are an official part of the Tower community.
Legend states that if the ravens were to leave the Tower the Crown will fall and
Britain with it. Under the special care of the Raven Master, the ravens are fed a
daily diet of raw meat paid for out of a special fund set aside by Parliament.
There is no danger of them flying away, as their wings are clipped.

122. What is the name of the oldest and best known public school for boys
in Great Britain? (Eton)
Eton College is the largest and most famous of the group of English private
secondary schools called public schools. This is a boys' school. Many English
statesmen, including 20 prime ministers, have graduated from Eton. The school
is in the town of Eton, about 20 miles west of London. More than 1200 boys,
from 12 through 18 years old, live and study at Eton College. Eton offers
courses in such subjects as ancient history, divinity, Greek, Latin, modem
languages, mathematics and science. Each student is assigned a tutor who
provides assistance and instruction outside of class. Today all students live at the
college.
123. What is the national sport in America? (Baseball)
Baseball is a sport that is so popular in the United States that it is often called the
national pastime. Every spring and summer millions of people throughout the
country play this exiting "bat & ball" game. Millions also watch baseball games
and follow the progress of their favourite teams and players. Baseball began in
the eastern United States in the mid-1800s. By the late 1800s people all over the
country were playing the game. There are two major leagues. The National
League was founded in 1876, and the American League in 1900. To create some
excitement, in 1903 the two leagues decided to have their first-place teams play
each other. This event was called the World Series. Each year since then the
National League winner and the American League winner play in the World
Series. And, each year, millions of people look forward to this exiting sports
event.

124. What is the name of the London underground? (Tube)

The London Underground or "tube" as it is often known was the world's first
urban underground railway. It began operating in 1863, when the Metropolitan
Railway opened the first line. Even in those days traffic jams caused by the
congestion of horse drawn vehicles generated a lot of complaints, and as a result
construction work began on the underground railway in 1860. Although
Londoners were originally sceptical about the project, the service was an
immediate success.

125. Who is the chairman of the House of Lords? (Lord Chancellor)

The House of Lords is one of the two houses of Parliament, the lawmaking body
of the United Kingdom. The main function of the House of Lords is to examine
bills passed by the House of Commons. The House of Lords has about 700
members. The chairman of the House of Lords is Lord Chancellor.

126. What's the name of the British flag? (Union Jack)

Union Jack is the name sometimes used for the national flag of the United
Kingdom officially called the British Union Flag. It is called the Union Jack
because it derives from the use of flag on the jack-staff of naval vessels. The
flag embodies the emblems of three countries under one Sovereign. The
emblems that appear on the Union Jack are the crosses of three patron saints: the
red cross of St. George, for England; the white diagonal cross of St. Andrew, for
Scotland; the red diagonal cross of St. Patrick, for Ireland. The final version of
the flag appeared in 1801.
127. What street in London is famous for shops? (Oxford Street)
Oxford Street is a major street in the City of Westminster in the West End of
London. There are 548 shops on Oxford Street. It is Europe's , busiest shopping
street. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road. Now it runs for
approximately a mile and a half (two and a half kilometers) from Marble Arch at
the north east comer of Hyde Park. Oxford Street is home to major department
stores and numerous brands' flagship stores, as well as hundreds of smaller
shops. It is the major shopping street in central London, though not the most
expensive or fashionable, and part of a larger shopping district with Regent
Street, Bond Street and other smaller nearby streets.

128. What is soccer? (Football)

Soccer is the world's most popular sport. It is the national sport of most
European and Latin American countries, and of many other nations. Millions of
people in more than 200 countries play soccer. Soccer's most famous
international competition, the World Cup, is held every four years for both men
and women. In a soccer game, two teams of 11 players try to kick a ball into
each other's goal without using their hands. Soccer as it is played today
developed in the United Kingdom during the 1800s and quickly spread to many
other countries. In the United Kingdom and many other countries, soccer is
called football or association football. The word soccer comes from assoc., an
abbreviation for association.

129. Where is the official residence of the Queen? (Buckingham Palace)

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen and one of the major
tourist attractions in London. The original building was constructed in 1705 by
the duke of Buckingham. King George III bought the house in 1761 for his wife.
Queen Victoria was the first to live in the palace. The palace was expanded in
1850. A part of the palace is still used by the the Palace. The palace has about
600 rooms, including a throne room, a ballroom, picture gallery and even a
swimming pool. Some of these rooms can be visited during a couple of months
in the summer when the Royal Family is not in the palace.

130. For Christmas dinner the English usually have ... (turkey)
A traditional Christmas dinner in the United States and in England includes
stuffed turkey. Today roast turkey is the most popular main dish. Christmas
dinner is usually eaten in the afternoon on the 25th of December.
The dinner usually consists of roast turkey (although other poultry such as
goose, chicken, duck are alternatives), sometimes with roast beef or ham. Served
with stuffing; cranberry sauce or jelly; bread sauce; roast potatoes (sometimes
also boiled or mashed); vegetables (usually boiled or steamed); with dessert of
Christmas pudding (or plum pudding), sometimes mince pies or trifle, with
brandy butter and cream.
131. What is Eisteddfod? (A festival in Wales)
Every year, in August, there is a National Eisteddfod in Wales. It is a/estival
o/Welshmen interested in Welsh poetry, songs and music. It lasts for a week.
About 15000 people come to Eisteddfod every day. Some want to listen to the
poems; some want to listen to the singing; and some just want to meet their
friends and talk in Welsh. There are competitions at an Eisteddfod, too - for the
best Welsh poem and song of the year and the best singers. About a hundred
years ago, some Welsh people became very interested in the revival of old
traditions. They decided to use some of the old traditions and ceremonies at the
Eisteddfods.

132. People celebrate Halloween on the 31st of October.

Halloween which is celebrated on the 3pt of October and its association with
witches and ghosts derives from the Celtic Old Year's Night - the night of all
witches, when spirits were said to walk the earth. Witches and supernatural
beings are still remembered all over Britain and the United States, when bands
of children roam the streets in carnival costumes, carrying Halloween lanterns -
pumpkins hollowed out with a face cut into one side, which glows when a
candle is placed inside. In recent years the custom of "trick or treating" has
gained in popularity. Halloween parties include games such as apple bobbing,
where apples are either floated in water or hung by a string. The object of the
game is for the players to put their hands behind their back and try to seize an
apple with their teeth alone.

133. The midday meal in English speaking countries is called ... (lunch)
In English-speaking countries during the eighteenth century, lunch was
originally called "dinner". This word is still used regularly to mean a noontime
meal in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and many parts of England, and also in some
parts of Canada and the United States. The abbreviation lunch, in use from 1823,
is taken from the more formal "lunchentach," which is known from 1580, as a
word for a meal that was inserted between more substantial meals.

134. The official languages of Canada are English and French.

Canada has two official languages, English and French. The Official Language
Act of 1969 guarantees all Canadians the right to communicate with the national
government in either French or English. About 59 percent of the Canadian
people speak mainly English; about 23 percent speak mainly French. About 18
percent speak other languages, which include Chinese, Italian, German, and
Spanish.
135. The traditional English drink is tea.
Everything in Britain, says a popular song, "stops for tea". It is certainly true that
tea is the most popular drink in Britain. The first tea was brought to London in
1658. By 1750, tea had become the principal drink of all the classes in Britain.
Gradually, tea-drinking developed into a fashionable social ritual. Tea in Britain
is traditionally brewed in a china teapot. Most people in Britain prefer a rich,
strong cup of tea with milk, and sugar is sometimes added to taste.

136. The British money is pounds.

Pound, also called pound sterling, is the monetary unit of the United Kingdom.
The British pound (£) is equal to 100 pence. There are paper bills for £ 5, £ 10, £
20, and £ 50. The British pound is often used as an international form of money
to settle debts between nations. Gold pounds and United States dollars are the
most widely accepted forms of international money.

137. Money in the United States is dollars.

Dollar is the monetary unit of the United States. The dollars are paper bills or
coins equal to 100 cents. The US dollar was modeled after a Spanish coin called
the peso. The origin of the dollar sign ($) is unknown. Dollar became the official
currency unit of the United States by an act of Congress in 1792. The earliest
silver dollar appeared in 1794. Paper dollars circulate widely in the USA.

138. Money of some European countries is Euro.

Euro is the basic monetary unit of 12 members of the European Union. The 12
countries are Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland,
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. The euro is divided
into 100 cents. Most of the countries that use the euro adopted it on January 1,
1999. The euro replaced such traditional currencies as the French franc, the
German mark, and the Italian lira. Additional European countries could adopt
the euro in the future.

139. "Down town" means the centre of the city.

Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to
refer to a city's center or central business district. The term is thought to have
been coined in New York City, where it was in use by the 1830s to refer to the
original town at the southern tip of the island of Manhattan. During the late 19th
century, the term was gradually adopted by cities across the United States and
Canada to refer to the historical center of the city.
140. The size of the house in Britain is determined by the number of
bedrooms.
Now more people are buying their own homes than in the past. About two thirds
of the people in England and the rest of Britain own their own home. Most
others live in houses or flats that they rent from a private landlord, the local
council, or housing association. Most houses in England are made of stone or
brick from the local area where the houses are built. The colours of the stones
and bricks vary across the country. England has many types of homes. In the
large cities, people often live in apartments, which are called flats. In most
towns, there are streets of houses joined together in long rows. They are called
terraced houses. The main types of houses in England are: detached (a house not
joined to another house), semi-detached (two houses joined together), terrace
(several houses joined together), flats (apartments). The size of the house is
determined by the number of bedrooms.

141. Oscar is a prize given for achievements in motion-picture production.

The best-known awards are made each year by the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Science. These awards, called the Academy Awards or Oscars, are
presented for outstanding achievements in filmmaking during the preceding
year. The Oscar is a gold-plated bronze statue presented to winners of the
Academy Awards. The statue received its name in 1931, when an Academy
librarian said it resembled her Uncle Oscar.

142. The safest topic for conversation in England is weather.

Weather is the only thing which always interests the English. They say «Other
countries have a climate, in England we have weather". It happens because the
weather changes more often than in other countries. It is thought a good manner
to change ideas about weather. It also helps people in the situation when it is
necessary to keep up the conversation.

143. The Tower of London now is a museum.

It is a group of stone buildings in London. It has served as a fortress, a prison
and a palace. The oldest of the buildings, a central tower called the White
Tower, was built by William I, the Conqueror, and dates from the late 1000s.
Many stories associated with British history come from the Tower. Now it is a
museum and the most popular among tourists' destinations in London.

144. A double-decker is a bus.

London's buses carry around four million passengers every day, and bus routes
cover over 2900 km. of the capital's roads. The familiar double-decker buses are
one of the most distinctive sights in London, and no visit to London would be
complete without a trip on one. The most famous design, with an open passenger
platform at the rear of the bus, dates back to the 1950s, although now they are
being replaced with more modern types with the entrance at the front.
145. Brunch is late breakfast.
On Sundays, many families in the USA have brunch, a meal that combines
breakfast and lunch. It is usually served between 11 :00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and
includes typical breakfast food plus cheese, cake, and perhaps casserole dishes
and cold fish.

146. The common name for a toy bear in the USA is Teddy-bear.
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white
cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in
many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent
times, some teddy bears have become collector's items. Now, teddy bears come
in various styles and people can dress them up in many different articles of
clothing. Teddy bears are also among the most popular gifts for children and
significant others on Valentine's Day, birthdays, Christmas and other holidays.
The name Teddy Bear comes from former United States President Theodore
Roosevelt, whose nickname was "Teddy".
Early teddy bears were made to look like real bears.
Today's teddy bears tend to have larger eyes and foreheads and smaller noses,
baby like features that make them more attractive to buyers.

147. The language spoken in Scotland is Scottish.

The official name of Scottish is the Gaelic language. It belongs to the Celtic
branch of the Indo-European family of languages. It was brought to Scotland by
Irish colonists about A.D. 500. In the 1500s, the first texts in Scottish Gaelic
appeared. This language is rich in poetry. Invaders from England tried to impose
the English language upon the Scots beginning in the 1100s. By 1800, Gaelic
speakers were in the minority in Scotland. However, since the late 1800s,
Scottish authors have revived the tradition of writing in Gaelic. Now about 80
thousand people in Scotland speak Gaelic.

148. The Crown Jewels are in the Tower of London.

The Tower of London is one of the most interesting places in London. Once it
was a royal residence, then a prison and now it is a museum. The Tower is also
famous as home of the Crown Jewels. Today they can be viewed in their new
jewel house from a moving pavement, designed to cope with the huge number of
tourists. They include the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother which
contains the celebrated Indian diamond, the Kohinoor (mount of light). and St.
Edward's Crown which is used for the actual crowning of the Sovereign and
weighs over two kilograms.
149. St. Valentine's Day is celebrated in February.
On February 14, Americans send greeting cards called valentines. The holiday is
primarily about romantic love, but many people also send valentines to their
children and parents. In elementary school, children commonly exchange
valentines with friends and teachers. Most valentines are decorated with a red
heart. This holiday originated in Europe in the 1400s, but today it is more
popular in the United States than anywhere else. Traditional Valentine's Day
gifts are flowers or a heart shaped box of chocolate.

150. In England, «public school" means private school.

All English children between the ages of 5 and 16 must attend school. About 90
percent of the students go to school supported by public funds. The rest attend
private schools. England's public schools are actually private schools. But they
are called publics because the earliest of them were established for the children
of the middle classes. Most of the public schools are boys' boarding schools.
This type of schools is very popular. To pass the difficult entrance examination
of the public schools, some young boys attend private preparatory schools.

151. The first colonists in America started the tradition of Thanksgiving

Day.
On the fourth Thursday in November, in houses around the United States,
families get together for a feast or a large meal. Almost all families eat turkey
and cranberry sauce for this meal and have pumpkin pie for dessert. This feast is
part of a very special day, the holiday of Thanksgiving. In 1620 the Pilgrims
made a difficult trip across the ocean from England. Their first winter in
America was very hard. But the Native Americans taught the Pilgrims to plant
com, to hunt and to fish. When the next fall came, the Pilgrims had plenty of
food. They were thankful and had a feast to give thanks. This was the first
Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving became a national holiday many years later. In
1863 President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a holiday.

152. What is "bed and breakfast'? (A type of accommodation)

A bed and breakfast (or B&B) is a small lodging establishment that offers
overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals.
Typically, bed and breakfasts are private homes with fewer than 10 bedrooms
available for commercial use.
153. The telephone number to call for emergency services in Britain is 999.
Telephone number 999 can be used to summon assistance from the three main
emergency services, the police, fire brigade and ambulance, or more specialist
services such as the Coastguard and mountain and cave rescue. Calls to 999 are
free. First introduced in the London area on 30 June 1937, the UK's 999 number
is the world's oldest emergency call service. The system is said to have been
introduced following a fire on 10 November 1935 in a house on Wimpole Street
in which five women were killed. The choice of 999 was because in the dark or
in dense smoke, 999 could be dialed by placing a finger against the dial stop and
rotating the dial to the full extent three times. This enables all users including the
visually impaired to easily dial the emergency number.

154. The telephone number to call for emergency services in the USA is 911.
Many countries' public telephone networks have a single emergency telephone
number, sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number, that
allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assistance. The
emergency telephone number may differ from country to country. It is typically
a three-digit number so that it can be easily remembered and dialed quickly.
Some countries have a different emergency number for each of the ditTerent
emergency services; these often differ only by the last digit. Inside the USA, 911
was introduced as a common emergency call number.

155. The Beatles started their career in Liverpool.

The Beatles became the most popular group in rock music history. The group
consisted of four Englishmen: George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney,
and Ringo Starr. All the Beatles were born in Liverpool. There they formed a
band. The Beatles gained nationwide fame in 1962 and worldwide fame in 1964.
They helped to give rock music a new direction and gave this musical style a
great impulse for further development.

156. What park of London is Speakers' Corner situated in? (Hyde Park)
Speakers' Corner in the north-east corner of Hyde Park in London is by tradition
an area where public speeches can be made by anyone who has anything they
want to say no matter how eccentric or unusual. The area was set aside for such
use in 1872, after Hyde Park itself became a popular center for public speaking.
Speakers talk to the crowds from a soap-box. Crowds often gather around a
speaker and generally feel free to make comments on their speech or simply to
heckle the speaker if they don't agree with what is being said. Speakers' Comer
is often taken as a symbol of free speech.
157. Where are concerts of classical music held in London? (In the Royal
Albert Hall)
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated in London. It is best known for
holding the annual summer concerts since 1941. The Royal Albert Hall is one of
the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, recognizable all over the
world. Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists
have appeared on its stage. Each year it hosts more than 350 performances
including classical concerts, rock and pop, ballet and opera, tennis, award
ceremonies, school and community events, charity performances and lavish
banquets.

158. The climate of Great Britain is commonly mild.

The United Kingdom has a mild climate. Winter temperatures rarely drop as low
as -12C and summer temperatures seldom rise above 32C. The climate is
influenced by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current. Winds blow across this
current and bring warmth in winter. In summer, the ocean is cooler than the
land. Winds over the ocean come to Britain as refreshing breezes. The United
Kingdom has rain throughout the year, and rarely is any section of the country
dryas long as three weeks.

159. England consists of counties.

A county is usually a division of local government. The word county comes
from the French word that means domain of a count. The English, influenced by
the French, began to use this word in 1400.

160. Where is the Bank of England situated? (The City of London)

The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and is the
model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in
1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world. It was established to act
as the English Government's banker, and to this day it still acts as the banker for
the Government. In 1997 it became an independent public organization. The
Bank has a monopoly on the issue of banknotes. The Bank's headquarters have
been located in London's main financial district, the City of London, since 1734.
As well as the London offices, the Bank of England also has secondary offices
in Leeds.

161. Where was W. Shakespeare born? (In Stratford-on-A von)

Stratford-upon-Avon is a quiet English town famous as William Shakespeare's
birth place. It is one of the oldest towns in England. The house where
Shakespeare probably was born in 1564 has been kept as a memorial. It is
always open to visitors. In 1879, a Shakespeare Memorial was completed on the
riverbank. It includes a theatre, a museum and a library with valuable books and
manuscripts having to do with Shakespeare and his life.
162. The word "Albion", the poetic name of Great Britain, means white.
Albion, which in Greek means "white", is the oldest known name of the island
of Great Britain. It is thought to derive from the white cliffs of Dover. Today, it
is still sometimes used poetically to refer to the island or England in particular. It
is also the basis of the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland.

163. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France.

One of the most famous statues in the world stands on an island in New York
Harbor. It is the Statue of Liberty. This statue was put up in 1886. It was a gift to
the United States from the people of France. Over the years France and the
United States had a special relationship. In 1776 France helped the American
colonies gain independence from England. The French wanted to do something
special for the US centennial, its 100th birthday. The statue is so large that as
many as twelve people can stand inside the torch. Many more people can stand
in other parts of the statue. The statue weighs 225 tons and is 301 feet tall.

164. What is Disneyland? (Children's Park of Wonder)

Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and
operated by the Walt Disney Company. Known as Disneyland when it opened
on July 18, 1955, and still known by that name, it is the only theme park to be
designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Walt Disney
came up with the concept of Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks
with his daughters in the 1930s and 1940s. Walt bought a 160acre site near
Anaheim in 1953. Construction began in 1954. Disneyland has a larger
attendance than any other theme park in the world, with close to 600 million
guests since it opened. In 2010, 15.98 million people visited the park, making it
the second most visited park in the world that year. Both adults and children
consider this place a real children's park of wonder.

165. The coyote is a relative of the wolf.

Coyote is a wild member of the dog family. It is known for its terrible howl,
usually heard during the evening, night or early morning. Coyotes once lived
primarily in western North America. However they now inhabit much of the
United States, Canada and Mexico. The coyote lives in a variety of
environments, including deserts, mountains and prairies. Adult coyotes vary in
color from light yellow to brownish-yellow. Most coyotes live alone or in pairs,
but some form groups of three or more. Farmers dislike coyotes because they
kill cattle, sheep and other livestock.
166. The US centre for an and business is New York.
New York is the largest city in the USA. More than 8 million people live there.
New York has very tall buildings and is famous for its skyscrapers. It is the
biggest port in the world. Thousands of ships come to the port each year. It has
Macy's, one of the biggest stores in the world. New York is a very cosmopolitan
city. People from many countries came to live there. New York is the centre for
culture in the United States. It has the finest museums and best art galleries in
the country. If you want to see a play, you can go on Broadway. There are many
theatres there. People call New York the "Big Apple". Jazz musicians in the
1920s gave New York this name. When a musician says he is going to the Big
Apple, it means he is the best. Today, New York is still the US centre for art and
business.

167. What is the White House? (The residence of US President).

The White House, the official home of the United States President, was not built
in time for George Washington to live in. It was begun in 1792 and was ready
for its first inhabitants, President and Mrs. John Adams, in 1800. When they
moved in, the White House was not yet complete and they suffered many
inconveniences. Thomas Jefferson, the third president, improved the comfort
added new architectural features such as terraces on the east and west ends. In
1812 the United States and Britain went to war. In 1814 the British invaded
Washington. They burned many buildings, including the Presidential Palace.
After the war Hoban, the original architect, rebuilt the president's home. To
cover the marks of the fire, the building was painted white. Before long it
became known as the White House.

168. Australia is famous for its sheep.

Australia's leading farm products are mutton and wool.
These products are also the country's chief agricultural exports. It is the world's
largest producer and exporter of wool. That is why Australia is famous for its
sheep. Farmers raise sheep in all the Australian states.

169. Its name is the country of kangaroos. (Australia)

Australia is the only country that is also a continent. It is the sixth largest
country and the smallest continent in the world. At one time, all the continents
were part of one huge land mass. Australia became separated from this land
mass 200 million years ago. As a result its animals developed differently from
those on the other continents. Australia's most famous animal is the kangaroo.
This interesting and unusual animal has become a symbol of Australia, which is
often called the country of kangaroos. The kangaroo can also be seen in
Australia's coat of arms.
170. What is the emblem of New Zealand? (Kiwi bird)
Kiwi is a New Zealand bird that cannot fly. Many kiwis live in New Zealand's
forests, but people seldom see them. The birds are shy and they will usually run
away when anyone comes near them. The kiwi is about the size of a chicken.
The neck and legs of the kiwi are short and its bill is long and flexible. At night
the bird feeds on insects and berries. During the day, the kiwi hides. The term
kiwi is a nickname of New Zealand.

171. Tom Sawyer had to whitewash the fence.

Tom Sawyer is the character of the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer (1876). He appears in three other novels by M. Twain: Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn (1884), Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894), and Tom Sawyer,
Detective (1896). Tom Sawyer's best friends include Joe Harper and
Huckleberry Finn. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom's love to his
classmate Rebecca "Becky" Thatcher is apparent. He lives with his half brother
Sid, his cousin Mary, and Aunt Polly in the town of St. Petersburg, Missouri.
Tom is the son of Polly's dead sister. This character became very popular
because of his resourcefulness, kindness, disobedience and sense of humour
quite natural for children of his age. The funniest episode in the book is when
Tom could make his friends do the work (whitewash the fence) he had been
given by Aunt Polly as a punishment.

172. Australia is divided into states.

Australia is a federation of six states, two mainland territories and eight
additional territories. The six states have their own government. Australia is a
constitutional monarchy like the United Kingdom. The British monarch is
recognized as queen of Australia but has little power. A governor general
represents the monarch at the federal level and a state governor represents the
monarch at the state level. Australia has a parliamentary system of government.
The national government is controlled by the political party with a majority of
seats in the lower house of Parliament.

173. What is the basic currency III Canada? (Dollar)

Dollar is the monetary unit of Canada. The dollars are paper bills or coins equal
to 100 cents. Canada adopted the dollar as its basic currency in the 1800s,
indicating the importance of the US dollar in trading. Canada issued its first
paper dollar in 1870 and began to make silver dollar in 1935.
174. What is QWERTY? (The first six letters on the top of the keyboard)
The first modern typewriter was developed by Christopher Sholes and two of his
friends. They worked on a newspaper in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 18605
Sholes put each letter on the end of a metal bar. A key was pushed down and the
end of the bar hit the paper. The typewriter keys were put in alphabetical order, but
this order caused a problem. Fast typing made some of the letter bars get caught on
one another. The bars were too close together. Sholes solved the problem. He
found out the most used letters in English. Then he put these letters far apart on the
typewriter keyboard. The letter bars did not hit each other easily. The first six
letters on the top of the keyboard are QWERTY!
175. When and where did the Titanic sink? (In the Atlantic Ocean in 1912)
Titanic was a British passenger ship that struck an iceberg and sank in the Atlantic
Ocean in 1912. The disaster occurred on the liner's first voyage from England to
New York City. The Titanic carried enough lifeboats for only about half of its
approximately 2200 passengers and crew. The first rescue ship to reach the site
picked up 705 survivors, most of whom were women and children. A total of 1517
people died in the disaster.
176. The farms are called "sheep stations" in Australia.
Sheep farming is the main occupation in many states of Australia. The farms are
called "sheep stations". Life on a sheep station is very different from the life in a
town. Houses are sometimes hundreds of kilometers from towns. The sheep
stations are very big and people often ride motor bikes and drive cars. The children
can't go to school. They have lessons from a two-way radio or via the Internet. It is
called distant learning. In case of emergency a doctor comes to a farm station by
plane. They are called the "flying doctors".
177. What is the main industry of Washington? (Government industry)
Washington is the capital of the United States. It is the headquarters of the US
government. It is the only American city which is not a part of a state. Washington
also differs from most American cities because it has no factories or traditional
manufacturing enterprises. It was founded to house the federal government.
Because of it people often say that the main industry of Washington D.C. is
government industry.
178. The British celebrate the idea of the new birth by giving each other
chocolate eggs on .... Easter
Easter is the most important Christian festival of the year. It celebrates the return to
life of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. Many symbols remind Christians
of the original Easter events and their meaning. Among them are eggs and rabbits.
Eggs represent new life. Christians adopted the egg as an Easter symbol because of
the relationship between Easter and the renewal of life. Rabbits are associated with
the fertility of spring because of their ability to produce many young. Some parents
tell that the Easter Rabbit, or Easter
Bunny, brings Easter eggs.
179. The National library is situated in the British Museum
The British Museum in London is among the oldest of the world's great national
museums. Many of its collections are among the finest in the world. The museum
was founded in 1753 by an act of Parliament after Sir Hans Sloane, a British
scientist, willed his collection to the nation. The British Museum attracts more than
4 million visitors a year. The National library is also located there.
180. The traditional clothes for men In Scotland are a .... Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment, originating in the traditional dress of men and
boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has
become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic
heritage even more broadly. It is most often made of woolen cloth in a tartan
pattern. Although the kilt is most often worn on formal occasions and at Highland
games and sports events, it has also been adapted as an item of fashionable
informal male clothing in recent years, returning to its roots as an everyday
garment.
181. The main modem art museum in London is .... The Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of
British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art. The gallery was
founded in 1897, as the National Gallery of British Art. When its role was changed
to include the national collection of Modern Art as well as the national collection
of British art, it was renamed the Tate Gallery after Henry Tate, who had founded
the collection.
182. Uncle Tom, the main hero of the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was ....
A slave
Sometimes a book can help to change history. One book that certainly did was
Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was a book that spoke
against slavery. The author told a story of characters like Tom, a courageous old
slave, and his friends. The book was published in 1852. People reacted strongly to
this novel and many of them were finally convinced that slavery must be ended in
the United States.
183. What is the emblem of Wales? Leek
The leek is also a national emblem of Wales. According to legend, Saint David
ordered his Welsh soldiers to identify themselves by wearing the vegetable on their
helmets in an ancient battle against the Saxons that took place in a leek field. It is
still worn on St David's Day each 1 March
184. Cockney is .... an accent
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations.
Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners,
particularly those in the East End. Linguistically, it refers to the form of English
spoken by this group. Cockney speakers have a distinctive accent and dialect, and
occasionally use rhyming slang.
185. Porridge is made of …Oats
Porridge is a dish made by boiling oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or
both. It is usually served hot in a bowl or dish. Other grains may be used,
although dishes prepared with other ingredients are often referred to by other
names, such as polenta or grits. Oat porridge is very popular in many countries.
In addition to oats, cereal meals used for porridge include rice, wheat, barley,
and corn. Porridge was a traditional food in much of Northern Europe and
Russia. In many modern cultures, porridge is eaten as a breakfast dish, often
with the addition of salt, butter, sugar, milk or cream, depending on regional
preferences. Porridge is one of the easiest ways to digest grains, and is used
traditionally in many cultures as a food to nurse the sick back to health. It is also
commonly eaten by athletes in training

186. What is a "bank holiday"? Public Holiday

A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or in Ireland. There is
no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the
population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days,
depending on their contract. The first official bank holidays were the four days
named in the Bank Holidays Act 1871, but today the term is used for public
holidays which are not officially bank holidays, for example Good Friday and
Christmas Day.

187. Where is London Zoo? Regent's park.

London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27
April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific
study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847. Today it houses a
collection of 755 species of animals, with 16,802 individuals, making it one of
the largest collections in the United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern edge
of Regent's Park, on the boundary line between City of Westminster and
Camden.

188. What two animals can we see on British royal coat of arms? The lion
and the unicorn
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the
British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the
Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are
officially known as her Arms of Dominion. The two animals can be seen on the
coat of arms. They are the lion and the unicorn. The lion is a symbol of courage
and the unicorn according to a legend is considered a very dangerous beast that
is why it is in chains.
189. What is the national anthem of Great Britain? "God save the King"
"God Save the Queen" (alternatively "God save the King") is an anthem of Great
Britain. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the
current monarch.
It is the national anthem of the United Kingdom and some of its territories. The
tune of "God Save the Queen" has also been used as the basis for different
patriotic songs, generally connected with royal ceremony.
The authorship of the song is unknown.

191. What is the most important airport in Great Britain? Heathrow

Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow is the busiest airport in the United
Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world. It was opened in 1929 and
became an international airport in 1946. Over 40 million people pass through
Heathrow each year and 1 000 planes a day land and take off. More than 53
thousand people work at Heathrow airport. There are four terminals from which
you can fly directly to 85 countries.

192. Scottish surnames begin with .... Mac or Me

"Mac", Gaelic for "son", is the most frequent part of Scottish surnames. "Me" is
always an abbreviation of "Mac". It also used to be abbreviated "M'" even
though this spelling is now not so common. "Mac" is always considered an
addition to a name. Before there was a "Donald's Son", now it is "MacDonald" .

193. The national emblem of Northern Ireland is the Shamrock

The shamrock is the symbol of Northern Ireland. It is also connected to St.
Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick is most famous for bringing
Christianity to Ireland. The legend tells how he used the shamrock, a kind of a
white clover with three leaves to explain the Holy Trinity.
Apparently, he used it to show how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
could all exist as separate elements of the same unity.

194. What is the national musical instrument of Scotland? (Bagpipes)

A bagpipe is a wind instrument that consists of a leather bag fitted with one or
more pipes. The most common type of bagpipe is the Scottish Highland pipe, a
famous symbol of Scotland. It has five pipes. The player blows air through the
blowpipe into the bag and then presses on the bag to force air through the other
pipes, creating sound. The bagpipe dates back thousands of years and is one of
the oldest instruments still in use. Its origin is unknown.
 Chapter 4. Geography

195. What beautiful waterfall is situated in the USA? (Niagara)

Niagara Falls, one of the most famous North American natural wonders, mainly
it is situated in the United States. This fall was probably formed about 12
thousand years ago. Large number of tourists began visiting Niagara Falls
during the 1800s. Many hotels and restaurants were built on the American side
and famous Niagara Falls Park was created in 1885 in order to protect the land
surrounding this natural wonder.

196. Which is the biggest state in the USA? (Alaska)

Alaska is the largest state of the United States in land area but the smallest in
population. It is more than twice the size of Texas, the second largest state. But
its population is only 627 thousand people. Alaska's climate and geography are
quite varied. Its sights include smoking volcanoes, grassy plains, rain forests,
about 3 million lakes, 100 thousand glaciers, and many high mountains
including Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America Alaska
entered the Union as a state in 1959.

197. What is the capital of the United States? (Washington)

Washington is the capital of the United States, and the headquarters of the US
government. It is one of the nation's most beautiful and historic cities and the
site of many of its most popular tourist attractions. Washington serves the
American people as a symbol of the countries unity, history and democratic
traditions. Every year, millions of tourists from all parts of the United States and
many other countries visit Washington. They tour such government buildings as
the Capitol, where Congress meets; the White House, where the president lives
and works; and the Supreme Court, where the justice of the nation's highest
court hears cases. Tourists also visit the city's many famous monuments,
memorials and museums. It was the first city in the United States to be designed
before it was built. The nation's first president George Washington chose the site
in 1791. The federal government moved there from Philadelphia in 1800.

198. What is the capital of Georgia? (Atlanta)

Atlanta is the capital and the largest city of Georgia. It serves as a center of trade
and transportation for the Southeastern United States. More than 400 thousand
people live in the city. It was founded in 1837. African Americans make up
Atlanta's largest single ethnic group. Atlanta is famous for its large single-family
houses with beautiful flower gardens. The city has a lot of colleges and
universities.
199. Lake Loch Ness is situated in Scotland.
Lake Loch Ness is situated in Scotland and is considered as one of the main
tourist attractions. It became famous because of a legend about a terrible
monster that lives there. If such creature exists, it avoids people. But hundreds of
people have reported seeing the animal, which is nicknamed "Nessie". The
creature supposedly has flippers and a long neck. Some observers believe the
Loch Ness monster may be related to a dinosaurlike reptile.

200. Harlem is situated in New York.

Harlem, a section of Manhattan in New York City, is best known community in
the United States. It has long been a centre of African American business and
cultural activities.

201. Where is Ben Nevis situated? (Scotland)

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western
end of the Grampian Mountains in the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of
Fort William. It rises 1343 meters. The area around it is one of Europe's best
mountain-climbing areas.

202. The Irish Sea is to the west of England.

The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected
to the Atlantic Ocean in the south by St George's Channel and in the north by the
North Channel.
The sea is of significant economic importance to regional trade, shipping and
transport, fishing, and power generation in the form of wind power and nuclear
plants. Annual traffic between Great Britain and Ireland amounts to over 12
million passengers and 17 million tones of traded goods.

203. The capital of Canada is Ottawa.

Ottawa is the capital of Canada. It lies on gently rolling hills along the south
bank of the Ottawa River. Attractive parks, stately government buildings and
scenic drives add beauty to the city. In 1826, British troops founded the first
settlement in the area that is now Ottawa. It was a small town when Queen
Victoria chose it in 1857 to be the capital of the United Province of Canada.
Millions of tourists visit Ottawa yearly. They come to see Parliament in action
and to view such attractions as the Peace Tower and the eight locks of the
Rideau Canal. Ottawa's annual festivals and fairs, its many museums attract
many visitors to the area.
204. The capital of Australia is Canberra.
Canberra is the capital of Australia. The construction of the capital began in
1913. In 1927 the Australian Parliament met in Canberra for the first time. The
city is built around several hills. The Molonglo River flows through Canberra.
Its population is about 310 thousand people. The national government employs
about half of the city's workers. Other leading economic activities include
construction, retail, and wholesale trade and tourism.

205. What is the capital of Wales? (Cardiff)

Cardiff IS the capital and largest city of Wales. It is also the chief economic,
industrial and cultural center of Wales. About A.D. 75, Roman soldiers built a
fort on the site of what is now Cardiff. Normans settled the area in the late
1000s. They built Cardiff Castle on the site of the old Roman
fort. A walled town grew up around the castle and served as a market and port
for Welsh farm products. By the early l800s, Cardiff was still a small town.
Then, it became a major center of coal mining and iron and steel production. In
1955 Cardiff became the capital of Wales.

206. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.

Belfast is the capital, largest city, chief industrial center and port of Northern
Ireland, a division of the United Kingdom. English and Scottish settlers
established Belfast as a trading center in 1613. During the 1800s Belfast became
an industrial city and major port. For many years shipbuilding and textile
manufacturing provided most of the jobs in Belfast. Belfast shipyards have built
many warships and ocean liners, including the famous British liner Titanic.
Textile factories in Belfast produce delicate Irish linen that is famous throughout
the world.

207. Boston is in Massachusetts.

Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England. It is
the leading
business, financial, government and transportation center. In addition to its
commercial importance, Boston IS a center of education, medicine and
technology. Boston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in the United
States. It was founded in 1630. English Puritans named it after the town of
Boston in England, where many of them had lived. Boston is known as the
Cradle of Liberty because it was the birthplace of the Revolutionary War in
America.
208. What river does London stand on? (The Thames)
The Thames is the most famous and most important river on England. It is the
second largest river in Great I Britain after the Severn. Part of the river serves as
a major English trade route. A number of towns and cities lie along the River
Thames. The river winds through the centre of London passing such famous
buildings as the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London.
London has its origin and much of its importance from this river. In London,
industries were established on the banks of the river and the city became
England's most important trading port.

209. What is Britain separated from the Continent by? (The English
Channel)
The English Channel is a body of water between England and France that
connects the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. The channel is about 563 km
long. It ranges from about 34 to 160 km in width. The narrowest part of the
channel is between the English city of Dover and Calais - is called the Strait of
Dover. The English Channel is the world's busiest sea passage. About 600
vessels sail through or across it daily. Ferryboats carry passengers across the
channel between England and France. The English Channel has long been a
challenge for swimmers. In 1875, Matthew Webb made the first recorded
crossing of the channel, swimming from England to France in 21 hours 45
minutes. In 1986, the United Kingdom and France announced plans to build a
railroad tunnel under the channel. Construction of the tunnel began in 1987 and
was completed in 1994.

210. What does the United Kingdom consist of? (England, Scotland, Wales,
and Northern Ireland)
The United Kingdom is a country in northwestern Europe. It consists of four
main political units - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which
occupies the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland. The nation's official
name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. When
people refer to the country, most shorten its name to the United Kingdom, the
UK, or Britain. The country has only 1 percent of the world's people. But the
UK has a rich history. The British started the Industrial Revolution. They
founded the largest empire in history. They have produced some of the world's
greatest scientists, explorers, artists and political leaders.

211. Sometimes Australia is called the upside down world.

Australia is a continent, a country and an island all at the same time. It is located
in the southern hemisphere. That is why it has summer when we have winter and
it has winter when we have summer. It is interesting to know that January is the
hottest month in Australia. Because of it people sometimes call Australia the
upside down world.
212. The longest river in Britain is the Severn.
The Severn is the longest river in the United Kingdom, and one of its chief
waterways. It begins in central Wales and winds about 200 miles through
England to the Bristol Channel.

213. What is the greatest waterway in the United States? (The Mississippi
River)
The Mississippi River is one of the chief rivers of North America. It is the
nation's chief inland waterway. It carries agricultural goods, industrial products
and raw materials. Ships can travel the river for more than 1800 miles. With the
coming of steamboats, the Mississippi became a great transportation and trade
route. The famous American author Mark Twain described the river vividly in
his book Life on the Mississippi.

214. In which city is Hollywood? (Los Angeles)

To many people, the word Hollywood has two meanings. It is an area in Los
Angeles. It is also the American movie industry. The first movie studio was built
in Hollywood in 1918. The next thirty years were Hollywood's greatest years.
Thousands of movies were made by a few large and powerful studios.
Hollywood, the area in Los Angeles, also reached its high point in these years.
Today, Hollywood is not what it was. More movies are made outside of it. But
visitors to Hollywood today can go to the famous Chinese Theater and see the
footprints and autographs of movie stars. They can go down the Walk of Fame
and see the golden stars in the sidewalk.

215. "Ulster" is another name for Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is the smallest of four political divisions that make up the
United Kingdom. Northern Ireland occupies the northeastern corner of Ireland.
Northern Ireland is often called Ulster. Ulster was the name of a large province
of Ireland until 1920, when Northern Ireland was separated from the rest of the
country.

216. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in our planet.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water in the world. The ocean covers
about 66 million square miles. The area represents over 45 percent of the total
area of all the oceans and about one third of Earth's total surface area. The
Pacific Ocean is the source of many natural resources, including seafood,
petroleum and minerals. The word pacific means peaceful. The ocean received
the name from the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who sailed its
waters for several months, driven by gentle winds. But the Pacific is often far
from peaceful. Very often hurricanes and typhoons in the Pacific have wrecked
ships and destroyed island cities.
217. Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side and American Falls on the US
side comprise Niagara.
Niagara Falls is one of the most spectacular natural wonders of North America.
Niagara Falls is on the Niagara River, about half way between Lake Erie and
Lake Ontario. It actually consists of two waterfalls, the Horseshoe Falls and the
American Falls. The Horseshoe Falls is on the Canadian side of the border in the
province of Ontario. The American Falls is on the United States side in the state
of New York. At night, wide beams of colored lights illuminate the fall. Millions
of people visit Niagara Falls annually.

218. What is the largest city in the USA? (New York)

New York City is the largest city in the United States and one of the largest in
the world. It ranks as one of the world's important centers of business, culture
and trade. It is also the home of the United Nations. Much of what happens in
New York City affects what happens throughout the United States and in other
parts of the world. New York City has a population of about 8 million. The
business, financial and trading organizations in New York play a major role in
the economy of the nation and of the world. The skyscrapers that form the
spectacular New York skyline house the home offices of many national and
international business firms. As a cultural center, New York has no equal in the
United States. The city's world-famous Broadway area is the center of profess
iona 1 theater in the country. It is also the home of some of the nation's largest
museums and art galleries. In spite of some serious problems, New York
remains one of the most interesting and exciting cities in the USA. In fact, many
people consider it the most fascinating city in the world.

219. The world's oldest and largest national park is Yellowstone Park.
Yellowstone National Park, the oldest national park in the world, is famous for
its many national wonders. The park has more geysers and hot springs than any
other area in the world. Its scenic attractions include deep canyons, waterfalls,
lakes and vast evergreen forests. Yellowstone is also one of the largest wildlife
preserves. It has a great concentration of large and small animals. Bears, elk and
bison roam the park, and bald eagles, swans and white pelicans nest there.

220. What is the highest mountain in the USA? (Mt. McKinley)

Mount McKinley, in south-central Alaska, is sometimes called the top of the
continent because it has the highest peak in North America. The mountain is
20320 feet (6194 meters) high. Mount McKinley is part of the Alaska Range. It
was named for William McKinley, who served as president of the United States
from 1897 to 1901. The Indians of Alaska called the mountain The Great One.
Mount McKinley is the chief scenic attraction of Denali National Park.
221. What is the largest city in Australia? (Sydney)
Sydney is Australia's oldest and largest city. The city is also the leading
industrial city and major port of the country. Sydney lies on a huge, deep
harbour. The United Kingdom founded Sydney as a prison colony in 1788. The
city and its suburbs now cover about 4800 square miles. The city's main street,
George Street, runs through downtown Sydney. The oldest section of the city is
called the Rocks. It lies near the waterfront. Many of the historic buildings in the
area have been restored, and it is now a major tourist attraction with shops,
hotels and restaurants. Most families in the Sydney area own a house in one of
the suburbs. But an increasing number of people live in apartments in central
Sydney to be close to jobs and city services.

222. Which is the nearest continental neighbor to Great Britain? (France)

Great Britain is an island located off the northwest coast of the mainland of
Europe. It is separated from the mainland by the English Channel. The nearest
European neighbor is France.

223. What river does Washington stand on? (The Potomac)

The Potomac River is a beautiful and historic stream that forms the boundary
between Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. It winds 287 miles. Large ships
can sail inland for 115 miles to Washington D.C. The river is from 2 to 7 miles
wide. The Potomac River flows past Washington D.C.

224. Washington D.C. is a district.

Washington lies on the Potomac River in the eastern part of the United States,
between Maryland and Virginia. It is the only American city or town that is not
part of the state. The city was named after George Washington and the larger
area was called the District of Columbia. The city now covers the entire district
and it is sometimes called simply D. C.

225. What is the nickname of Utah in the USA? (Salt Lake State)
Utah is a state in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. It serves as an
important link in the transportation communications systems of the Western
United States. Salt Lake City is Utah's capital and largest city. It is situated near
the Great Salt Lake which is considered as a symbol of Utah. Most of Utah
people live in urban areas. Mainly they are the members of a specific religious
group and are called Mormons. Utah has rich mineral deposits. Petroleum, coal
and copper are the leading mineral products. Utah has national parks, ski resorts
and other facilities that attract tourists who contribute greatly to the economy.
226. One of Britain's leading seaside resorts is ... Brighton.
Brighton is a city on the southern coast of England. Its pleasant climate and
location along the English Channel attract many people. Brighton began as a
small fishing village. It became a fashionable health resort when British
aristocrats began vacationing there in the late 1700s. In the 1800s, rail
transportation made Brighton a favorite vacation spot for middle and working-
class people.

227. The largest river In Alaska is .... The Yukon

The Yukon River is one of the longest rivers in North America. About two-
thirds of the rivers course is in Alaska in the United States. The river's total
length is 1979 miles. The Yukon was the principal transportation route during
the early mining days of Alaska. People that live along the river still use boats to
transport their necessities. The river is frozen up to seven months of the year.

228. Glasgow is a big city of about one million inhabitants in …Scotland

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland. The city is situated on the River Clyde.
A person from Glasgow is known as a Glaswegian. Glasgow grew from the
medieval small town and the later establishment of the University of Glasgow in
the 15th century. With the Industrial Revolution, the city became one of the
world's centers of Heavy Engineering especially in the Shipbuilding and Marine
engineering industry. Glasgow was known as the "Second City of the British
Empire. Today it is one of Europe's top twenty financial centers and is home to
many of Scotland's leading businesses. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Glasgow grew to a population of over one
million and was the fourth-largest city in Europe, after London, Paris and Berlin.

229. The northern part of Scotland is called …The Highlands

The Scottish Highlands is a historic region of Scotland. It was culturally
distinguishable from the Scottish Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the
modem period, when Lowland Scots (English) replaced Scottish Gaelic
throughout most ofthe Lowlands.
The area is rarely populated, with many mountain ranges dominating the region,
and includes the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis. Before the
19th century the Highlands was home to a much larger population, but due to a
combination of factors including the outlawing of the traditional Highland way
of life and mass migration to urban areas during the Industrial Revolution, the
area is now one of the most sparsely populated in Europe. The average
population density in the Highlands is very low.
 Chapter 5. Architecture

230. The tallest sight in Washington, D. C., is US Capitol.

United States Capitol is the place where members of Congress meet to propose
and adopt legislation. The Capitol ranks among the nation's most magnificent
buildings. The Capitol has 540 rooms. Many of them contain beautiful paintings,
sculptures that portray events and people important in American history. Visitors
may attend sessions of Congress to hear the debates and watch democracy in
action. This building stands in the centre of Washington on the hill. The Capitol,
including the statue on the top of the dome, rises nearly 300 feet (91 meters)
above ground. According to the law no building in Washington can be higher
than the Capitol.

231. The United Nations Organization Building is situated in New York.

United Nations headquarters consists of several buildings along the East River in
New York City. The three main buildings are the Central Assembly Building,
the Secretariat building, and the Conference Building. The flags of all the
members fly in front of UN headquarters. The Secretariat Building houses the
administrative offices of the UN. Millions of people have taken guided tours of
the UN, which are conducted in 20 languages.

232. Nelson's Column IS situated in Trafalgar Square in London.

Nelson's column is located in the heart of Trafalgar Square in London. It took 3
years to put up. Lord Admiral Nelson is a great British hero. Nelson's Column is
a memorial produced after his victory and unfortunate death at the battle of
Trafalgar. After Nelson's death, he became such a hero in the United Kingdom
that the government decided to commemorate both the importance of the battle
and the popularity of the victor. The Nelson Memorial Committee was founded
in 1838 to raise money for a memorial to Nelson. They also invited people to
design an appropriate monument. The architect William Railton won the
commission. The building of the monument began in 1840. The column is over
180 feet high. An 18-foot high statue of Nelson stands on top of the column. The
four great lions at the base of the column seem to guard it. Nelson's column in
Trafalgar Square is a major tourist attraction in London. Although one can not
see any specific detail of the statue, it still impresses visitors. It can be seen from
a great distance.
233. You can see a monument to Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham
Palace in London.
The Victoria Memorial is a sculpture in London, placed in front of Buckingham
Palace and dedicated to Queen Victoria. Standing 25 meter (82 feet) high and
made of 2,300 tons of white marble, the Victoria Memorial pays honour to
Queen Victoria, who reigned for almost 64 years from 1837 until her death in
1901. The memorial was designed by Sir Aston Webb, an English architect also
responsible for the main facade of Buckingham Palace. The large statues were
sculpted by Sir Thomas Brock. The memorial was completed in 1911, one
decade after Queen Victoria's death.
234. What is standing in the middle of Piccadilly? (The Statue of Eros)
The famous Statue of Eros that sits in the centre of Piccadilly Circus was erected
in 1893 as a memorial to Lord Shaftsbury, who was famous for the huge
amounts of philanthropy work he did helping poor children. The famous Statue
of Eros isn't even a statue; it is in fact a memorial fountain. Shortly after the
fountain and archer with the little bow and arrow were erected Londoners began
calling it the Statue of Eros. The Statue of Eros was made by the Victorian
Sculptor Sir Arthur Gilbert. The Statue of Eros at Piccadilly Circus is a spot that
all true romantics appreciate. There have been many thousands of marriage
proposals made under the gaze of the naked archer! There is a tradition that
states if you propose under the Statue of Eros at the stroke of midnight, you will
receive good luck and happiness in your marriage!
235. The Whispering Gallery is situated in St. Paul's Cathedral.
A whispering gallery is a gallery beneath a dome or enclosed in a circular area in
which whispers can be heard clearly in other parts of the building. A whispering
gallery is usually constructed in the form of an ellipsoid, with an accessible
point at each focus. When a visitor stands at one focus and whispers, the line of
sound coming from this focus reflects directly to the focus at the other end of the
room, and to the other person. Circular whispering galleries may provide
"communication" from any part on the circumference to the opposite point. One
of the most famous whispering galleries can be found in St. Paul's Cathedral in
London.
236. What is the most ancient monument in Great Britain? (Stonehenge)
Stonehenge, the most famous prehistoric monument in Britain, is situated on
Salisbury Plain in the county of Wiltshire. It is regarded the site was built by the
Druids around 3000 BC. The site was subsequently abandoned and rebuilt
between 2100 BC and 1800 BC. There are many mysteries surrounding this
ancient site. It has been suggested that Stonehenge once operated as a massive
astronomical clock, and there are even suggestions that it was a landing site for
UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects). A more likely explanation is that
Stonehenge was an important centre of worship connected with the sun.
237. The Tower of London was started by William the Conqueror.
The Tower of London was built at the beginning of the 11th century by William
the Conqueror. The Tower was built to enforce the power of the king over the
newly conquered region. The fortress, strategically located at the Thames, was
originally not more than a temporary wooden building which was replaced later
by the White Tower. Over time the
complex was expanded into a complex with about 20 towers. The Tower was a
royal residence. Several kings lived here, especially during hard times when this
fortress seemed a lot safer than the palace in Westminster. The oldest part of the
fortress is the so-called White Tower, which was completed in 1097. This
building was long the tallest one in London at 27.4 meter. Its walls had a width
of 4.6 meter. Now it is a museum. The Tower's most popular attraction is the
famous collection of Crown Jewels.

238. What is the name of the most famous clock in London? (Big Ben)
The Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster is known as the Big Ben. It is
one of London's most famous landmarks. The tower was constructed between
1843 and 1858 as the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, now better
known as the Houses of Parliament. The clock was probably named Big Ben
after Benjamin Hall - a very tall man who supervised the construction of the
tower. The clock was the largest in the world and still the largest in Great
Britain. The clock-face has a diameter of almost 25 feet. The hour hand is 9 feet
or 2.7 meters long and the minute hand is 14 feet (4.25 meters) long. The clock
is known for its reliability. 11 has rarely failed during its long life span. The
clock's mechanism, designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, has a remarkable
accuracy.

239. The building of Westminster Abby was started by King Henry III.
Westminster Abby is a great national church that stands near the Houses of
Parliament in London. This world-famous church is one of the most beautiful in
England. Westminster Abby marked the scene of many great events in English
history. All the English rulers from the time of William the Conqueror were
crowned there. The main part of the Abby was begun in 1245 by Henry III. He
made the Abby one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture in
England.