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Файл:Linguistic and Cultural Studies of English-speaking countries. Лингвострановедение. Англоязычные страны. Учебное пособие
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LECTURE 13: LONDON – THE CAPITAL OF
THE UNITED KINGDOM
A Glimpse of London’s Past
The City
The Royal London
The West End: Westminster
The East End and the Docklands
The Best-Known Streets
Places of Interest
London is the capital of the UK, its political, economic and commercial centre. It is the biggest and busiest port of Britain. Modern London is situated on
the both sides of the river Thames. Its population is 10 million people. Greater
London now covers 1600 sq. km.
London is a very old city. Two thousand years ago the early Britons established a settlement on the north bank of the Thames. The old Britons gave the
town the name, Llyndin, which means a lonely port.
In the first century Britain was conquered by the Romans and Llyndin became Londinium. The Romans made it a large and rich city with good streets,
beautiful palaces, shops and villas.
In the fifth century the Romans left Britain. The Saxon hordes and the
Danes rushed to Londinium and ruined the town. During 400 years the city was
in ruins.
In the 9th century the Saxon kings began to rebuild the ruined city. Two
miles west from it, another centre, Westminster Abbey was founded.
In 1066 William the Conqueror settled in Londinium which became London
– the capital of Norman Britain. The Normans brought with them Latin and
French civilization. They built palaces, churches and cathedrals. Westminster
Abbey founded by the Saxons, was finished by the Normans and William the
Conqueror was the first king to be crowned there. Since then, for 1000 years, all
English monarchs have been crowned and many of them are buried in Westmi nster Abbey.
By the 17th century London had become a busy, rich and crowded city. Lots
of ships came to London daily. On one of them, together with some goods, the
Great Plague had arrived in London. In 1665 a few months nearly 100,000 people died, about 1/5 of the population. Many people left the city and escaped to
the villages. A year after the Plague, in 1666, another misfortune came down. It
was the Great Fire. The Great Fire ended the plague in London, but it destroyed
much of the city. Three thousand houses made of wood were in flames. Nearly
all the churches were destroyed in the flames, including the great building of St.
Paul’s Cathedral. A heavy rain fell and London was saved. The fire cleared
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away the Plague and the old and dirty houses. And a new London, the city of
stone and bricks with better houses, wider streets and squares was built; and
people returned to it.
In 1829 the London buses first came on the streets of London. Seven years
later, in 1836, the first railway came to London. A locomotive, constructed by
George Stephenson, started running from London to Greenwich.
In 1870 the first Tube Railway in the world was opened. The total length of
modern underground in London is 250 miles.
The main parts of London are: Westminster, the City, the West End, the
East End.
The City is the oldest part of London. The Romans formed a settlement there
2000 years ago. Now the City is a financial and business centre of London. It contains the Royal Exchange, the Stock Exchange, and the Bank of England. During the
daytime a million people work there, but less than 8000 people live there.
The most important building in London is Buckingham
Palace, the official residence of the Queen. It stands in St. James’s Park. St.
James’s Park is one of ten so-called royal parks situated in or near London.
These parks officially belong to the Crown, but are open to the public free of
charge. Each park has its own character. Hyde Park was originally a hunting fo rest and is still popular with horse-riders. Regent’s Park is now the home of London Zoo, and an open-air theatre. There are royal palaces, royal parks and colourful ceremonies.
The West End is the richest part of London. It is the ar-
ea of the largest department stores, cinemas and hotels. There are 40 the atres,
concert halls, and many museums including the British Museum. Piccadilly Circus is the heart of the West End and the centre of the night life in London. In the
middle of the Square there is the fountain with the statue of God of Love. The
main shopping streets are Oxford and Regent Streets. Big department stores are
situated there. The most expensive department store is Harrods, the symbol of
high-class living. People say you can buy everything in Harrods, including wild
animals – they have a Zoo which will sell you lion cubs as well as more common pets such as dogs, cats.
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Trafalgar Square was built at the beginning of the 19th century to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. Admiral Nelson’s statue stands on the top of a column in the middle of Trafalgar Square. At Christmas a huge Christmas tree is
there, which is sent to Britain from Norway every year. Behind Nelson’s Column is the building of the National Gallery, a rich art gallery.
Westminster occupies Westminster Palace or the Houses
of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral. The Houses of
Parliament, the political centre of London, occupy a building on the left bank of
the Thames. It was built in the 11th century. The present Houses of Parliament
were built in 1834. This structure is an example of Gothic architecture. At two
corners of the building there are two great towers. One of them is the clock tower Big Ben. Westminster Abbey stands opposite the Houses of Parliament. This
church has stood there since Saxon times. Since the 13th century British mo narchs and many other famous people are buried there.
The East End is an industrial part of London, including
factories, docks. The East End was formerly unattractive, but now changing because of the introduction of new industries and very expensive housing. The
British Airways London Eye, a large structure was built to celebrate the end of
the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. This observation wheel
offers wonderful views of London.
The street Whitehall stretches from Parliament Square to Trafal-
gar Square. In Whitehall are all the important ministers: the Foreign Office, the
Ministry of Defence, the Home Office.
Downing Street 10 is the home of the Prime Minister. Fleet Street is the
street where most newspapers have their offices.
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The earliest historical monument of English architecture
is the Tower of London. For many centuries the Tower has been a fortress, a
royal palace, a prison, and a Zoo. Among the numerous prisoners were kings of
England, France and Scotland. Thomas More, the greatest humanist, was execu ted there. Now the Tower of London is a museum. The Tower is guarded by
Beefeaters, dressed up in traditional medieval clothes.
St. Paul’s Cathedral – the seat of the Bishop of London, is the Christopher
Wren’s masterpiece. Its building lasted for 35 years. Christopher Wren, “the architect of London”, and Admiral Nelson were buried there.
Another place of interest in London is the Albert Hall a huge concert hall.
Characterizing the main parts of London, people often say that the City is
“the money” of London, the West End – “the goods” of London and the East
End – “the hands” of London.
Topics for discussion:
The History of London
Its Importance in the Life of Britain
Places of Interest
Task:
Prepare presentation about London’s Places of Interest
Video (DVD): London (Travel Channel) («Открываем Лондон»);
London (Travel Channel);
London (Chill Culture) («Лондон»)
LECTURE 14: EDUCATION IN BRITAIN
British Schools
Higher Education in Britain
British Universities
World-known Educational Centres
Education in Britain is divided into three stages: primary, secondary and
higher.
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Most children start school at the age of 5. And the Primary school lasts till
11 years. Secondary education begins at 11 and lasts till 16. At the age of 16
students take exams to get General Certificate of Education.
There are three types of secondary schools: comprehensive schools, grammar
schools and modern schools. Children study there according to their abilities.
The majority of secondary schools are Comprehensive schools and they are open
to children of all types of ability. Grammar schools provide an academic course.
They prepare students for colleges and universities. Modern schools give a limited education, pupils get training in woodwork, metalwork, sewing, typing and
cooking there.
Education is compulsory and free for all children between the ages of 5 and
16. At 16 years those students who are going to enter the university they study
for two more years to pass “A” level exams (Advanced Level).
There are 50 universities and 350 colleges and institutes of higher education in Britain. There are no state universities in Britain. They have own independent government.
The oldest and the most famous are Oxford and Cambridge Universities
which were founded in the 12th and the 13th centuries. Students go to large lectures, but most of the work takes place in tutorials: lessons in groups of 10 when
the students discuss their work with the lecturer. 25% of the student population
go on to the higher education.
Over 90% of full-time students receive grants and scholarships to assist with
their tuition, cost of living, books, transport. Students often work during the holidays to earn money.
Universities accept students mainly on the basis of their A-level results.
Undergraduate courses normally take 3-4 years of full-time study and lead to
a Bachelor degree in Arts, Science or Education (BA, BSc, BEd).
There are various postgraduate one or two-year research courses leading to
degree of Master of Philosophy (PhM), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is awarded
for some original research in Arts or Sciences.
In 1971 the Open University was started for adults who do not have these
qualifications. It conducts learning through correspondence and Internet.
The Redbrick Universities are divided into faculties, e.g. faculty of Arts,
faculty of Science, faculty of Social and Economic Studies. These Universities
draw many of their students from their locality.
Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge) are the oldest and the most prestigious
universities in the UK and two world-known educational centres. There are at a
distance of some 70 miles from London. Both Universities represent fine archi-
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tecture of Norman, Gothic, Renaissance, Classic art. There are about 40 colleges
in Oxford and 30 in Cambridge.
The construction of each college is connected with a name of some king or
queen of England or with some prominent people of the country. Each college
has its own name and traditions. Among the oldest colleges in Oxford is University College (1249). The most famous college in Cambridge is King’s College
(founded by Henry VI in 1440).
For centuries Oxbridge Universities were for men. Only in 1871 the first college for women was opened in Cambridge.
Nowadays Oxford University is a sort of federation of 23 colleges for men and
five for women. All these colleges include twelve thousand students. Oxford is situated on the bank of the river Thames and its population is 125 thousand people.
Cambridge University comprises 19 colleges for men and three for women.
Cambridge University has always had a high reputation in the field of Science
and Mathematics; Oxford University – in Classical Studies and the Humanities.
Topics for discussion:
Types of Higher Schools in Britain
Oxbridge
LECTURE 15: MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
The National Health Service
General Practitioner
The Main Groups of the NHS
Cloning
Discovery of Penicillin
The National Health Service (NHS) of Great Britain has been found over 50
years ago (1948). The British health care system is divided into state and private
sectors. The state sector represented by the British National Health Service is financed by the state from taxes. British citizens who work are obliged to pay a certain
amount of money to the National Health Service. But a large part of the money
comes not from payment but from taxes.
It was designed to provide equal basic health care, free of charge, for everybody in the country. Every citizen of Great Britain has equal access to all necessary
medical services – regardless of their financial status. Therefore, basic medical services are guaranteed to all residents of the UK. Medical treatment by a doctor is for
free. Extra payments are charged for dental treatment as well as glasses but many
people, such as children, pregnant women, pensioners and adults on low incomes are
exempt from payment.
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When a person falls ill he/she first visits his/her General Practitioner (GP).
GPs provide the first diagnosis in the case of illness, give advice and may prescribe a
suitable course of treatment or arrange for the patient to see a specialist. The specialist decides whether the patient needs hospital treatment and if he does whether he
should be treated at the local hospital or at a specialized hospital.
The services provided by the NHS fall into three main groups:
1. The hospital and specialists services.
2. The general practitioners (GPs) services. This includes the family doctor service, the dental service, the eye service and some other services.
3. The local authorities’ health and welfare services.
In February 1997 the world was stunned by the news that a British embryologist
Ian Wilmut and his research team had successfully cloned a lamb named Dolly
from an adult sheep. Scientists have debated the implications of human and nonhuman cloning extensively.
Penicillin was the first effective antibiotic. It was discovered by Alexander Fleming, who was a brilliant medical researcher at St Mary’s Hospital, London. He was
careless, and his laboratory was often untidy. In 1928, after returning from holiday,
he noticed a glass dish that had some mould growing on it. His analysis of this and its
effect on the bacteria in the dish led to the discovery of penicillin. This paved the way
for the treatment of infectious disease. Fleming continued his research.
In 1945 Alexander Fleming shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
with Ernst Chain, who worked out how to isolate and concentrate penicillin. Fleming’s accidental discovery marks the start of modern antibiotics. Penicillin has saved
200 million lives.
Topics for discussion:
The National Health Service in Britain
Discoveries in Medicine
LECTURE 16: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Environment and Ecology
Water and Air Pollution
Green Belts
All of us live as one large family on one small planet called the Earth. Ecology
is the science of how living things are related to their environment. Many Britons are
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concerned about their ecology today. They are concerned about protecting the environment from pollution, overcrowding, and destruction of natural resources.
Environmental protection is an international problem of great importance and
Great Britain pays much attention to it. There are nearly 500, 000 protected buildings
and 7000 conservation areas of architecture of historical interest in Britain. The Government supports the work of the voluntary sector in preserving the national heritage.
Total emissions of smoke in the air have fallen by 85 per cent since 1960.
Most petrol stations in Britain stock unleaded petrol, in order to reduce environmental
pollution. The Government is committed to the control of gases emission, which
damages the ozone layer.
In Scotland the River purification authorities are responsible for water pollu-
tion control.
They also contribute to the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming
and a rise in sea levels. Britain stresses the need for studying the science of climate
change.
Green belts are areas where land should be left open and free from urban
sprawl. The Government attaches great importance to their protection. National parks
cover 9 per cent of the total land area of England and Wales. The National Rivers Authority protects island waters in England and Wales. Great Britain takes care of its
environment both for themselves and for the next generations.
Topics for discussion:
Ecological Problems in Britain
Protection of Architectural and Historical Buildings
Task:
Prepare presentation about protection of architecture.
LECTURE 17: BRITISH CULTURE
English Theatres
Music in Britain
British Museums
British Art Galleries
In 1576 the first theatre was built in London. In 1599 “the Globe” the theatre closely connected with the name of Shakespeare appeared in England. It
was a round summer theatre with a sign on the main door “All the world is a
stage”. According to the theatrical tradition of that time all the parts were played
48
by men. This theatre was not only for the rich but for the poor people as well.
William Shakespeare’s tragedies, comedies and poems were of great success.
The Theatre Royal was opened in 1663. King Charles II was the first British king who attended a public theatre and was present at the performance.
The Covent Garden Theatre was built in 1732. It is one of the few well-known
opera houses in the world. The famous Italian singer Caruso and the great Russian
singer Shalyapin sang here many times. There you get the best of everything – a first
rate orchestra, famous conductors, celebrated singers and dancers.
There are several hundred local musical societies in England; most of them
are choral societies. Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the outstanding contemporary English composers. He is famous for his rock-based works. Lloyd Webber’s
most popular musicals include the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1971),
“Cats” (1981) which became the longest-running musical in the history of British theatre, “The Phantom of the Opera” (1986) and others.
In the second half of the 20th century Great Britain became the world centre of pop music. Such outstanding groups as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones,
Pink Floyd, Deep Purple brought undying fame to the music of the British Isles.
The Beatles was one of the most popular groups, first performing in 1959 in
Liverpool. The names of the four Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney,
George Harrison and Ringo Starr – soon became popular all over the world. The
musicians wrote words and music and their songs were about love, friendship,
good and bad times.
Concerts of the leading symphony orchestras, numerous folk and pop music
groups are held in the Royal Albert Hall. The programmes include new and contemporary works as well as classics. Among them are symphonies and other
pieces of music composed by Benjamin Britten, the famous English musician.
In Britain, as in other countries, museums developed from private collections. The first and oldest public museum in the country was the Ashmolean
Museum, founded in 1683 by Elias Ashmole in Oxford University. It houses a
collection of archeological and classical rarities.
Victoria and Albert Museum, opened in 1857, was named after Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert. The museum includes a collection of fine
and applied art of all countries and periods and a large library.
The British Museum, light-grey building, like a Greek temple, is one of the
world’s greatest treasure-stores. It was opened in 1753. Today the Museum has
two departments – the Museum of Mankind and the National History Museum.
The Museum of Mankind contains a vast collection of ancient works of art (including marbles from the Parthenon).
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The British Museum has one of the largest libraries in the world. It has a
copy of every book that is printed in the English language, so there are more
than six million books there.
The National Art Gallery, situated in Trafalgar Square of London, is one
of the greatest museums of art in the world. The Gallery was founded in 1824
when King George IV urged the government to purchase a collection of 38
paintings including six of Hogarth.
Nowadays the Gallery holds the British national collection of paintings, as
well as the collection of many foreign painters.
The Tate Gallery contains a national collection of British art from the 16th
century to the present day. It was opened in 1897 with the financial support of
Sir Henry Tate, a sugar merchant, who also gave the Gallery a collection of 65
paintings. It houses superb Constable and Turner paintings.
Topics for discussion:
British Drama Theatre Today
Music and Musicians
The Main Museums
Art Galleries
Video (DVD): British Museum
LECTURE 18: BRITISH NATIONAL TRADITIONS
Habits and Customs
Royal Ceremonies
Holidays and Festivals in Britain
Every country and every nation has its own holidays, customs and traditions. The British people are very proud of their traditions and carefully keep
them up, because many of them are associated with the history and cultural development of the country.
The British people are great lovers of gardens, dogs and horses. Their devotion to animals and gardening is a tradition. Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the country and English people are described as a nation of flower-growers. There are flower-shows and vegetable-shows, with prizes for the
best exhibits.
Though Britain does not often produce world-famous sportsmen the British
people are sport-lovers and taught the rest of the world organised games. Many
kinds of sports were born in Britain: cricket, football, tennis, golf, boat-racings,
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