Attitudes (text)
PRE-READING
1. Discuss the following: What is a stereotype? Why and how do the stereotypes appear?
What’s the difference between a stereotype and a generalization?
Match the words to their definitions.
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1. Answer the questions.
Where does the popular belief that Britain is a “land of tradition” stem from?
Prove that the British are less inclined to follow traditions in their private everyday lives nowadays.
Comment on the phrase “Among many people in Britain there exist a suspicion of intelligence, education and “high culture”.
In what way has large-scale immigration to Britain affected the British life and attitudes?
What typically British feature makes the British value continuity over modernity? Give examples to illustrate that they like symbols of tradition and stability.
The British pride themselves on being different, don’t they? In what aspects of their life is it manifested?
Do you think that love of the countryside is another aspect of British conservatism? Why?
What is the function of the Youth Hostels Association?
Dwell on the functions of the National trust.
Whose responsibility is renting allotments to people?
Talk about the attitude of the British to clothes as an indication of the difference between observing formalities and being formal in everyday life.
Do charities, self-help groups and other manifestations of amateur participation in public life play any role in British society?
Would you agree that the private life of the British is a mixture of tolerance and embarrassment?
2.Fill in the following tables with the help of the article “Attitudes”. In the right column write key words that develop the idea of the typical misconceptions that exist about the British (Table 1) and those things that are still true to life. (Table 2)
e.g.Table 1: Britain is a land of tradition – difference between public and private lives, etc.
Table 2: Conservatism – housing, reading habits, etc
Table 1
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The characteristics that the British people are ascribed with |
Why it’s better to be cautious about accepting these characteristics too easily |
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1. Britain is the land of tradition |
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2. the stereotype image of the London ‘city gent’ |
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3. the traditional British breakfast |
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4. a nation of tea drinkers |
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5. British love of queuing |
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6. a suspicion of intelligence, education &’high culture’ |
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7. The British are rather formal in their general behaviour |
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8. coldness |
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9. the British are more reserved than the people of many other countries |
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10. the cult of the talented amateur |
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Table 2
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The stereotypes attributed to the British that are actually true to life. |
Proofs: |
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1. conservatism |
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2. individualism |
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3. an idealized vision of the countryside |
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4. the overall concern for animals |
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5. amateur participation in public life |
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6. respect for privacy |
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7. the most convenient conversation topic |
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Monarchy n the UK/