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14. TRADITIONS
Here’s the list of some of the greatest British culture,
traditions and celebrations in the UK
1. Cheese Rolling
Cheese rolling is an unusual British tradition that involves a ball of Double
Gloucester cheese and a crowd that is willing to chase it for fun. It takes place on
Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England (Show on Map), with a slope so steep the
participants have no choice but to stumble their way down to the finish line where,
hopefully, the cheese awaits.
The cheese rolling event takes place every Spring Bank Holiday Monday of the
year. Local participants and visitors from all over the world gather at 12 in the
afternoon to participate in or witness this sport which dates back to the 15th century
when people are assumed to do similar activities as harvest rituals, among other
theories.
2. Morris Dancing
Morris dancing is both art and history in motion. It usually involves dancing
with sticks, handkerchiefs or swords in a style that is depicted mainly by location.
Some styles include Cotswold from the South Midlands and Longsword in Yorkshire.
This type of dance is typically performed on specific occasions and seasons such as
early summer for Oxfordshire and during Christmas and New Year for Yorkshire.
However, Morris dancing can still be performed in other instances
3. Pub Culture
The term pub is a short term for “public house.” True to its word origin, a
British pub is a place in the neighborhood where people gather for drinks and
discussions after the daily grind. The culture prevalent in British pubs is observed to
be different from American bars. A member’s only social club is also very common
in British towns and villages. You can read here the Best Alcoholic British Pub
Drinks To Try in The UK.
4. Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea is probably one of the quintessentially British things to partake,
afternoon tea has become a socially-acceptable and rather a delightful excuse to meet
people for ‘some grub’ from 2 until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. The common
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afternoon tea comprises of select teas, traditional scones, simple sandwiches and
petite cakes. Complementing the pastries is clotted cream and fruit jams, amongst
others. The birth of the afternoon tea happened in the year 1840 when Anna Russell,
the seventh Duchess of Bedford, would request for snacks in between lunch and
dinner. It became a repeated occurrence, and she began inviting friends over to relish
the treats with her. Now, afternoon tea is served regularly around the globe, mostly as
special offers in fancy hotels and English restaurants.
5. Queuing
The next time you see yourself impatiently falling in line to get tickets to a film
showing, think of the humbling history of queuing which traces back to World War
II. Turns out, this social action in which British people are now known for, emerged
as people to form a file to receive supplies, among others. Today, we see English
people following invisible lines and maintaining an organized line for just about
anything. Queuing attitude, though, is a topic for another discussion. Albeit lines are
kept systematized, no one can blame them from grumbling about the long wait —
while instantaneously keeping the queue straight.
6. Regatta
The regatta is a boat race between the rowing teams of Oxford and Cambridge
Universities. The contest dates back to 1829 as a result of a challenge between two
friends, Charles Wordsworth (Oxford) and Charles Merrivale (Cambridge.) Now, the
race is held annually sometime during the Easter vacation on the River Thames in
southwest London. The racecourse is known as the Championship Course. It is
almost 7 kilometers long and is located between Putney and Mortlake.
7. The Queen’s Speech
The Queen’s Speech, or in a lengthier title the Speech from the Throne, is a
speech made by the reigning monarch at the state opening of the Parliament. Here,
the queen addresses the legislature and speaks about the government agenda. The
speech is usually penned by the monarch’s advisors, with the queen having the final
decision on its contents. There have been instances that the queen will not be able to
deliver her speech for some reason. In the United Kingdom, the reigning monarch can
freely choose a delegate to represent her through the speech.
8. Boxing Day
Boxing day is the day after Christmas, December 26th. It is counted as an
official bank holiday in the UK and Ireland. A lot has been thought of to have birthed
such unusual British tradition and celebration, one of which is the idea that this day is
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allotted for gift-giving to the less fortunate or — simply put — people not of equal
ranking. What really happens during this day nowadays, though, is that people gather
to relish the leftovers from yesterday’s festivities. It is also said to be the time to relax
and rest from the holiday prances and parties.
9. Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury is a contemporary arts festival happening at Worthy Farm in
Southwest England. It is founded by Michael Eavis in the 1970s. Nowadays, it is the
most celebrated music festival in the UK every summer that runs for a couple of
days. Festival attire and camping tents are a must to enjoy the great vibes of the
festival. A year in advance ticket booking would be suggested because the
Glastonbury festival tickets typically sell in a few hours after going live.
10. Sports
A lot of famous sports that are now widely enjoyed actually have British roots.
Cricket, football, lawn tennis, rugby and golf to name but a few.
The most popular sport in the UK is football. Each country has its own national
team. They compete with other teams from around the globe in different world
tournaments such as the well-known FIFA World Cup. As people take the utmost
pride in their countries being represented, fans tend to get all worked up with the
competitions. Aside from the international arena, football is also celebrated in local
areas, with people playing in their local parks all across the land.
11. Red Phone Box
Probably one of the most recognizable British icons out there is the red
telephone box. It was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1924 and was launched
by the post office as the K2 two years after. It was later on redesigned to the K6 in
honour of King George V’s silver jubilee. This version is probably the most
identifiable of all the models. Due to the rise in the ownership of mobile phones
among the population, the usage of the red telephone box has greatly declined over
the past years. With the desire to preserve British heritage in mind, the K6 has now
welcomed more diverse purposes for its space. From being a salad stop to housing a
library of books, ingenious ways are sprouting up to save this icon from total
extinction.
12. British Transport
Bus. Quick, cheap and iconic — if you are looking to find those three
adjectives in one mode of transport, the British double-decker bus is for you. It offers
efficient travel, a cheap sightseeing deal and a classic way of doing so. Cab. They say
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a trip to the UK isn’t complete without hailing a black cab. It may be significantly
more expensive than buses, though.
Train. UK’s railway system is the oldest in the world. Almost every town is
connected or accessible by train. Different companies manage the networks. Riding
the train is probably the most scenic mode of travel to go.
Tube. The tube, or the London Underground Railway System, connects all the
main areas in London. Though it tends to be very crowded during rush hour, it still is
the most efficient way of roaming around London.
13. British Food
Fish and chips is a very common takeaway food in the UK. As the name
implies, it consists of fish that is fried in batter and accompanied by potato chips.
Fresh cod is the most common fish used for this dish. These were conventionally
served wrapped in old newspaper, until a more hygienic paper counterpart replaced
the wrap. A lot of restaurants offer fish and chips as Friday specials in regards to the
traditional no-meat fast of Roman Catholics during Fridays.
Roast dinner. Roast dinner (or classically known as Sunday roast) has become
one of the staple British food.
It consists of roast meat, vegetables and a variety of accompaniments such as
Yorkshire pudding and English mustard. The term Sunday roast came from the said
origin of this dish, wherein it is believed to be the traditional meal of British families
after attending church on Sundays. The day starts by popping the meat in the oven,
adding the veggies and then coming to attend mass.
Doing so, they come home to the smell of a perfectly-roasted feast waiting to
be devoured.
14. Excess Politeness
It is quintessentially British to scatter excessive pardon me’s and thank you’s to
one’s speech, they say. It may be seen in two opposing views: that of utter politeness
or of complete nonsense.
Whichever of these two are true, there is no denying that this mannerism has
made its way to the daily lives of the British people.
15. Sarcasm
The British people are said to use sarcasm on a daily basis. As they find
humour in almost everything, they tend to use sarcastic remarks to make fun of the
situation.
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Often, hyperboles are the way to go. If someone is hearing such brand of
comedy for the first time, it might be a bit difficult to keep up.
Tasks
1. There are some stereotypes about national characters. Translate the
sentences into Russian. Use Complex Subject.
• The Irish are said to be great talkers.
• The Scots are thought to be careful with money.
• The English are considered to be great tea-drinkers.
• The Russians are believed to be lazy.
2. Make up sentences about the manners in your country. Use the
sentences and the example.
• Take off your shoes entering someone’s home.
• Make way for a girl or older people.
• Give up your seat in favour of older people or other people who need it.
• Say “Good appetite” to people that are having a meal.
• Greet your friends each time you meet them during the day.
• Jump the queue waiting for a service.
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15. HOLIDAYS
There are fewer public holidays in Great Britain than in other European
countries. They are: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New year’s Day, Good Friday,
Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday and Summer Bank Holiday. Public
holidays in Britain are called bank holidays because the banks as well as most of the
offices and shops are closed. The most favourite holiday is Christmas. Every year the
people of Norway present the city of London a big Christmas tree and it stands in the
Trafalgar Square. Before Christmas, groups of singers go from house to house. They
collect money for charities and sing carols, traditional Christmas songs. Many
churches hold a service on the Sunday before Christmas. The fun starts the night
before, on the 24th of December. Traditionally this is the day when people decorate
their trees. Children hang stockings at their beds, hoping that Father Christmas will
come down thechimney during the night and fill them with toys and sweets.
Christmas is a family holiday. All the family usually meet for the big Christmas
dinner of turkey and Christmas pudding. And everyone gives and receives presents.
The 26th of December, Boxing Day, is an extra holiday after Christmas. It’s the time
to visit friends and relatives. This day postmen and servants receive their presents in
the boxes. New year’s Day is less favourite in Britain than Christmas. But in Scotland
Hogmanay, New year’s Eve is the biggest festival of the year. Besides public
holidays, there are some special festivals in Great Britain. One of them takes place on
the 5th of November. On that day, in 1605, Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses
of Parliament and kill King James I. He didn’t succeed. The king’s men found the
bomb, took Guy Fawkes to the Tower and cut off his head. Since that day the British
celebrate the 5th of November. They burn a dummy, made of straw and old clothes,
in a bonfire and let off fireworks. This dummy is called a «guy» (like Guy Fawkes).
Vocabulary:
• charities [‘tʃærɪtɪz] — благотворительная деятельность
• carol [‘kær(ə)l] — рождественский гимн славит рождение Христа
• chimney [‘ tʃɪmnɪ] — дымоход, дымоход
• turkey [‘tə:kɪ] — индейка
• festival [‘festɪv(ə)]] — праздник, празднование
• to blow up [‘bləu ʌp] — взрывать, взрывать
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• to succeed [sək’si:d] — достичь цели, добиться
• dummy [‘dʌmɪ] — чучело, манекен
• bonfire [‘bɔn,faɪə] — костер, очаг
• to let off firework [‘faɪəwə:k] — устраивать фейерверк
Task
Questions:
1. Are there many holidays in Great Britain?
2. What is a bank holiday»?
3. What is the most popular holiday in Britain?
4. When Christmas is celebrated?
5. What are traditional Christmas songs called in Britain ?
6. What do children leave at the foot of their beds and why?
7. What do the British do on Boxing Day?
8. What is the name of New year’s Eve in Scotland?
9. When is Guy Fawkes Night celebrated?
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16. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Great Britain’s role in the world
There has been much handwringing in the run up to the Brexit referendum in
June about Britain’s role in Europe. The larger and more important question is what
is Britain’s role in the world. Understanding that will give us a better indication of the
most appropriate landing zone for Britain in Europe. The recently released report on
the costs of Brexit released by the Treasury assumes that an EU exit means a closing
of the UK economy to open trade and competition. While this is a potential outcome,
it is not necessarily true. The Report also assumes that structural reform in Europe is
not only possible but happening now. Again, this does not appear to be borne out by
the facts.
As Treasury notes, access to the European single market is very important to be
sure. The European area particularly in its expanded context is a large market for
Britain’s exporters of goods and services. The importance of access to this market
should not be underestimated.
However, Britain’s role in the world is much more significant than simply its
relationship with Europe. Britain has a role in the wider world, both with its
traditional trading partners such as the US, its Commonwealth relationships and
many other strong historic ties that are being neglected in the relentless focus on
Europe. It is this analysis that is missing from Treasury’s Report. It is merely
assumed that Britain would not have better trade agreements status than the EU does
today with other non-EU countries. Again this is not necessarily the case.
There are also a number of disturbing trends in the world where Britain
because of its historic role can play a significant part in finding solutions. For
example, Britain’s long and deeply embedded embrace of free trade, free markets and
competition should act as a bulwark against the forces of protectionism that are
taking hold around the world, including in the EU itself. The foreign investment
relationship between Britain and the US and the special relationship between the two
countries and more critically its peoples means that Britain can play a role in ensuring
a liberal, transatlantic zone that is not necessarily geographically contiguous.
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Britain and NATO
Britain’s role in Europe is without question an important one, but is much
deeper than simply its role within the European Union. The key relationship that
Britain has is within NATO. It is NATO, more than the European Union that has
ensured peace and security in Europe. Britain should continue to play an important
role in NATO, and increased financial support for it from Britain ought to
counterbalance the current seventy-five per cent or so of NATO costs that are borne
by the US.
Britain and the European Single Market
In order to understand Britain’s relationship with the European single market,
one must first understand how these individual economies interact with the rest of the
world. Below is a graph which shows the global import/export breakdown of trade in
goods and services for France, Germany, and the UK from 2014.
Task
Choose the most suitable word in each sentence.
1. The long-standing relationship/cooperation between the United Kingdom
and Australia formally began in 1901. 2. As one of the first British Empire/English
colonies, the initial permanent European settlement took place in the early
seventeenth century by English settlers. 3. The policy goal is developing effective
international institutions/departments. 4. The United Kingdom is a founding
member/superpower of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 5. The United
Kingdom is one of the United States’ closest enemies/allies. 6. The United Kingdom
is the sixth-largest market for U.S. interests/goods exports. 7. Taking into account
mutual/different interests is guarantee of effectiveness and reliability. 8. The main
priority in the foreign policy of the Russian Federation in international economic
relations is to promote the development of the foreign/national economy. 9. Of key
importance/insignificance are relations with the European Union. 10. There are good
prospects for the development/decline of the Russian Federation’s relations with
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
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17. PLACES TO VISIT
5 Best Places to Visit in the UK
Consisting of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the United
Kingdom (UK) has long been one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations. The
country's appeal has much to do with its diverse scenery and rich cultural heritage.
The best places to visit include everything from beautifully preserved country estates
and castles, to its many world-class art galleries and museums.
One of the greatest pleasures of a UK vacation, however, is just how easy it is
to explore this fascinating and diverse country. Thanks to its size-the UK could easily
fit into the state of Texas (with room to spare)-you can base yourself in cities such as
London or Liverpool and simply take a train or bus to explore other areas.
From the nation's capital, a 90-minute train ride is all it takes to access
beautiful Salisbury, and a short bus ride or tour from here will take you to one of the
country's most recognizable attractions, Stonehenge. And if you want to hop between
the Scottish cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, a one-hour train ride will deposit you
in the heart of either city.
Plan your sightseeing adventures with our list of the best places to visit in the
UK.
1. London: The UK's All-in-One Destination
While it's possible to plan a trip to the UK without visiting London, it's
certainly not to be advised, as the nation's sprawling capital boasts plenty of
attractions to keep you busy. For those interested in learning more about the UK's
rich history, one of the top things to do in London is visit the Tower of London.
Located beside the spectacular Tower Bridge on the banks of the River Thames, this
former palace and prison includes highlights such as the iconic 1,000-year-old White
Tower, with its fascinating displays of armor and weaponry, and the Jewel House,
home to the Crown Jewels.
Fans of Britain's Royal Family will want to head to Buckingham Palace,
London's Royal home since Queen Victoria's reign. Here, you can enjoy the colorful
pomp of the Changing of the Guard or even take a tour of the Palace's State Rooms
(be sure to book in advance as they're only open for a few weeks each year).
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