4. What Are Britain's National Flowers?

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 at Bosworth 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.

The national flower of Northern Ireland is the shamrock, a three-leaved plant similar to clover which is said to have been used by St. Patrick to illus­trate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

The Scottish national flower is the thistle, a prickly-leaved purple flow­er which was first used in the 15th century as a symbol of defence.

The three flowers - rose, thistle and shamrock - are often displayed be­neath the shield on the Royal Coat of Arms.

The national flower of Wales is usually considered to be the daffodil, which is traditionally worn on St. David's Day. However, the humble leek is also considered to be a traditional emblem of Wales, possibly because its col­ours, white over green, echo the ancient Welsh standard.

5. What Is the Most Popular Food in Britain?

Britain's most popular "fast food" has got to be fish and chips. Fish and chip shops first made an appearance at the end of the 19th century and since then have been a firm favourite up and down the country. The dish is sim­plicity itself: fish (usually cod, haddock or plaice) is dipped in a batter made from flour, eggs and water and then deep fried in hot fat. Chips are made from thick batons of potato and deep fried.

Fish and chips are served over the counter wrapped in paper, and tradi­tionalists prefer to eat them straight out of the paper because they taste bet­ter that way!

The best-known British dish eaten at home has been roast beef, tradi­tionally eaten on Sunday. Roast beef is served with roast potatoes, vegeta­bles and gravy - a sauce made from meat juices and stock, thickened with flour. Yorkshire pudding - batter baked in hot fat in the oven - is a favourite accompaniment to roast beef.

6. Do the British Like Drinking Tea?

Everything in Britain, says a popular song, "stops for tea". It's certain­ly true that tea is the most popular drink in Britain - far more popular than coffee, which is favoured throughout Europe and America. The Dutch brought the first tea to Europe in about 1610, but it was not until 1658 that the first advertisement for tea appeared in a London newspaper.

Gradually, tea-drinking developed into a fashionable social ritual and tea gardens blossomed in places like Vauxhall and Marylebone in London. Tea parties were also popular at home, and soon the ritual of 'afternoon tea' was firmly established. Today, throughout the homes, tea-shops and hotels of Britain, the custom of teatime continues, and it remains a feature of any cricket match or summer fete. High Tea is a more substantial evening meal, popular in northern England and Scotland.

Tea in Britain is traditionally brewed in a china teapot, adding one spoonful of tea per person and one for the pot. Great importance is attached to the use of freshly boiled water, which is poured onto the leaves and then the tea is left to 'brew' for a few minutes. Most people in Britain prefer a rich, strong cup of tea with milk, and sugar is sometimes added to taste.