- •Language and area Lecture 1
- •Introduction
- •Brief geographical outline
- •Lecture 2 history of the united kingdom
- •Lecture 3 The Theme: national symbols of great britain and national characterisyics
- •The history and design of the union flag or union jack
- •2. The royal coat of arms
- •3. The british national anthem
- •4. National emblems
- •5. The patron saints of england, wales, scotland and ireland
- •National characteristics. National stereotype (part 2)
- •Lecture 4 religion in the united kingdom
- •Lecture 5 stratification in british society
- •1. Classification of the people of britain into classes
- •Lecture 6 the political system of the united kingdom
- •The united kingdom, a constitutional monarchy
- •2. The legislative branch of power
- •The House of Commons
- •3. The executive branch of power
- •4. Political parties
- •5. Judiciary Plan
- •2. Courts and crimes
- •Sentencing
- •Appealing
- •2. The comprehensive, selective and private systems of education
- •The Comprehensive System
- •3. Examinations
- •4. School year
- •Higher education
- •Lecture 8 traditions, manners, customs, special festivals, holidays
- •I. Britain round the calendar
- •5. St. Valentine’s Day – February 14
- •I’ll be your sweetheart, if you will be mine,
- •II. Festivals and fairs
- •III. Traditional ceremonies in london
- •IV. Engagements, weddings, births and funerals
- •1. Getting Engaged
- •2. Weddings The Forms of Marriage
- •VII. Manners
- •Lecture 9 cultural life in great britain
- •1. Various interests in great britain
- •2. Painting Painting in England in the 15th -17th centuries
- •Painting in England in the 19th and 20th centuries
- •3. Sculptures and architecture
- •4. Art galleries and museums
- •5. Cinema
- •6. The british theatre today
- •7. Music life
- •8. Folk music
- •Independent personal work texts for reading
- •I. Mass media
- •II. British youth
- •III. Environment
3. Examinations
At the age of 16 (since 1988), most students in England and Wales take GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations in subjects that they have been studying for two years. The students must take examinations in subjects such as English and Maths, but can choose the other subjects that they study. The GCSE examinations involve a final examination as well as continuous assessment by looking at their coursework (=work that they do during the course). The marks students get in their examinations help them decide which subjects to study for A-level, if they are not planning to leave school. Students who take A-levels also study for two years (either in the sixth form of a secondary school, or in a separate sixth form college) and take examinations at the end of the course. They usually study only three subjects for their A-levels. Students who want to go to university must take A-levels examinations.
Other pupils may choose vocational subjects such as catering, tourism, and secretarial or building skills. Subsidized courses in these subjects are run at colleges of further education.
School-leavers with jobs sometimes take part-time vocational courses, on day-release from work. School-leavers without jobs get no money from the government unless they join a youth training scheme, which provides a living allowance during two years of work experience.
In Scotland, students take SCE examinations. A year later, they can take examinations called Highers, after which they can either go to university or spend another year at school and take the Certificate of Sixth Year Studies.
In the US, students do not take national examinations as the British do. Students in high school usually take examinations in the subjects they are studying at the end of each semester, and their marks in their courses are based partly on these examinations and partly on other tests, homework, and work done in class. The marks a student gets in his or her courses are added together, and then divided by the number of classes the student has taken to produce the student’s GRADE POINT AVERAGE, or G.P.A. The highest G.P.A. possible is 4.0, which is equal to getting an A in every class.
Students who have passed enough courses graduate from high school at the end of the twelfth grade, and receive a HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA from their school at a graduation ceremony, which is held at the end of the school year.
American students who want to go to university must take a test called the SAT or another test called the ACT, and some universities ask students to take tests in several subjects as well. Students give their test scores, G.P.A., and a record of their other achievements to a university when they apply to go to that university.
EXAMINATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS. GCSE = GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION.
As it was mentioned before the exams are taken by most fifteen- to sixteen-year-olds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Marks are given for each subject separately. The syllabuses and methods of examination of the various examining boards differ. However, there is a uniform system of marks, all being graded from A to G. Grades A, B and C are regarded as “good” grades.
SCE = Scottish Certificate of Education
Scottish Certificate of Education is the equivalent of General Certificate of Secondary Education. The Scottish Examination Board sets the exams. Grades are awarded in numbers (1= the best).
“A” Levels = Advanced Levels
The same examining boards that set GCSE exams sets higher-level academic exams. Mostly people around the age of eighteen who wish to go on to higher education take them.
SCE “Higher” = the Scottish equivalent of “A” levels
GNVQ = General National Vocational Qualification
Courses and exams in job-related subjects are divided into five levels, the lowest level being equivalent to GCSEs/SCEs and the third level to “A” levels”/ ”Highers”. Most commonly, but more and more schools are also offering them.