Monarchy without a Constitution
Britain doesn't have a written constitution! Of course, there are rules and principles for the running of the country, but there is no single written document. Nobody can refer to «article 5» or anything like that, because nothing like that exists.
The Royal Surname
The surname of the British Royal Family is Windsor. This probably sounds very British, but the Royal Family's ancestors were German. The family name was changed from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1917 by George V because of strong British feelings against Germany during the First World War.
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is the oldest royal residence in the world that is still being used by the royal family! It's almost 1,000 years old! It is also believed that the castle has lots of ghosts including those of Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, King George III, and Charles I.
Her Majesty's Subjects
Other countries have «citizens». But in Britain people are legally described as «subjects» – subjects of Her Majesty the Queen. And criminals are sent to one of «Her Majesty's» prisons.
John Smiths
There are over 30 000 John Smiths in Britain.
Tea Drinkers
British people drink more tea than anyone else in the world: 2,5 times more than the Japanese and 22 times more than Americans! Most Britons like their tea strong and dark, but with a lot of milk. Besides, the British have a «sweet tooth». They love cakes, chocolates and sweets, pies and puddings.
Multicultural Britain
If you walk down a street in Britain, especially in the bigger cities, you will see people with different hair, skin and eye colours. More and more people from different countries arrive in Great Britain each year. Today, you can hear 300 languages in the streets of London! But now those who want to live in Britain have to take a test on «Britishness» to show their knowledge of British culture, history and laws.
A Nation of Newspaper Readers
More daily newspapers are sold per person in Britain than in almost any other country. Sunday papers are especially popular and some people spend all day reading them.
A nation of Animal Lovers
Britain is famous for being a nation of animal lovers, and many people in Britain keep pets. The most popular pets are dogs, cats, hamsters, birds and rats. All in all, there are more than 27 million pets in the country. According to a recent survey, half of pet owners let their cats or dogs sleep in their bed, 40% buy their pets Christmas and birthday presents, 10% of pets eat meals at the table with their owners.
The Rich
The richest people in Britain are pop stars, actors, writers, inventors and members of the royal family. Paul McCartney is the world's first pop star billionaire.
London Zoo
Founded in 1828 London Zoo is the oldest zoo in the world. More than 15,000 animals live there today. One cage invites visitors to step inside, and the sign on the cage reads: «London Zoo presents the most destructive animal in the world – Man».
The London Eye
The London Eye is one of the tallest observation wheel in the world. It is 135m high. Since opening in March 2000 it has become a symbol of modern Britain.
The London Underground
The London Underground is the oldest underground railway in the world! It was built in 1863! Londoners call it the “Tube” because of the shape of the most tunnels.
Cricket
Cricket, the national sport of England, is terribly long. It can take five days to play! It's terribly slow, too. Thirteen players are on the field, but ten of these stand still most of the time. Another strange thing about cricket is that both teams wear the same colour - white. Some words and phrases usedin cricket have become idioms. It isn't cricket, for example, means «it's unfair».
Clubs and Societies
There are all sorts of clubs and societies in Britain: the Left-Handers Club, the Tall Person Club, the Talbot Association (only for people called Talbot), the Bald-Headed Club, the Spoon Collectors club, the Button collectors club, the Thimble Society, the Hat Pin Society ... The list is endless.
TEXT 3. Read and translate the text. Give some more symbols of Great Britain.
Icons of Great Britain
The Rose
England. The national flower of England isthe rose. It all started during 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).
At the end of the war the two roses were combined in the Tudor rose. The idea belonged to Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch and the father of Henry VIII. Henry was a Lancastrian, but he fell in love with Elizabeth of York, married her – and united the two houses. Looking for a symbol of this union, he chose a red rose with a white rose in it.
During the Tudor period, hundreds of inns were named the Rose – to show loyalty to the royal family. There are still many pubs and hotels all over the country named after this flower.
In 1871, the newly formed Rugby Football Union selected an England team to play the first ever international match against Scotland. The committee chose a red rose as the team's badge. Although England lost the match, held in Edinburgh, the country's rugby teams have worn red roses ever since. Besides, every country in the United Kingdom has its own national flower.
Scotland. The national flower of Scotland is a wild plant– a thistle.
Wales. The Welsh emblem is a vegetable or a flower– a leek or a daffodil.
Northern Ireland. And the national flower of Northern Ireland is another wild flower– a shamrock.
The V-sign
Nobody knows for sure where the V-sign came from but many English people have chosen it as a national icon. During World War II it was used to mean victory, and it was used again by hippies in the 1960s and 1940s to mean peace. As the symbol of peace, it has become universal, while the «V for Victory» will forever be associated with the wartime prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill.
Fish and Chips
It all started about 150 years ago, when women in poor English families had to go out to work in factories. There was no time to shop and cook so they bought fast food in the street, on the way back from work. The most popular was fried fish with a piece of bread. Then the first chips came from France. The «chipped» potatoes, as they were called in those days, were also sold in the street. But at first, no one thought of selling fish and chips together.
The idea to sell fish and chips together first came to a Londoner Joseph Malin. In 1860, he opened a fish-and-chip shop in Cleveland Street in London’s East End. Soon there were fish’n’chip shops everywhere in working-class areas. They used to put your fish and chips in an old newspaper – with a lot of salt and vinegar on top. Be careful because sometimes they give you too much!
Today, fish and chips are a still very popular in Britain but they come in clean white paper bags! You can buy your fish and chips «open» so you can eat them as you walk home, or you can buy them «wrapped» to keep them warm until you get home. More than 250 million portions are eaten in the country every year.