UNIT TWO

UNITED KINGDOM

Figure 2.1 Map of United Kingdom (Source: An Atlas Worlds Maps, 2001)
“England” is one of the countries of the United Kingdom or Great Britain.
This is the first country which we think about when we refer to English native
speaking country because it is the first country that let us know the word “English”.
The following passages will let you know more about United Kingdom.

Figure 2.2 United Kingdom Flag (Source: Media Encarta Online, 2001)
 PASSAGE 1
History of the United Kingdom

Elizabeth II became queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1952 upon the
death of her father, King George VI. Throughout her reign she has been a symbol of unity and continuity
within the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Figure 2.3 Queen Elizabeth II (Source: Deutsch, 2002)

Buckingham Palace in Westminster is the official London residence of the British sovereign. Its interior, open
to the public during August and September while the queen is on vacation, contains many elegantly furnished
apartments and noted collections of paintings. Funds raised from the summer visits go toward repairing
Windsor Castle, a royal residence located just outside of London that was damaged by fire in 1992.
Figure 2.4 Buckingham Palace (Source: Picturebank, INC, 2001)

Buckingham Palace in London has been the official town residence of the British monarch since 1837. These
Buckingham Palace guards undergo inspection while on duty outside the residence of Queen Elizabeth.
Tourists visiting the palace witness the ceremonial "changing of the guard" in which a sentry is relieved of
duty with traditional military precision.
Figure 2.5 Buckingham Palace Guards (Source: Will and Mclntyre, 2001)
 WORDS TO KNOW
although (conj) independent (a)
comprise (v) influence (v)
constitutional (a) legislation (n)
designate (v) monarchy (n)
dominion (n) populous (a)
emigrant (n) prominence (n)
entity (n) substantial (a)
entire (a) trace (v)
establishment (n) unite (v)
ACTIVITY
Direction: Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow.
The United Kingdom, a constitutional monarchy in northwestern Europe, is
officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. People often
confuse the names for this country, and frequently make mistakes in using them.
United Kingdom, and UK, are proper terms for the entire nation, and the term
Britain is also often used when talking about the island of Great Britain, which does
not include Northern Ireland. The term England should never be used to describe
Britain, because England is only one part of the island. It is always correct to call
people from England, Scotland, or Wales British, although people from England may
also properly be called English, people from Scotland Scottish, and people from
Wales Welsh. However, the names “United Kingdom”, “Great Britain”, and
“England” are often used interchangeably.

England and Wales were united administratively, politically, and legally by

1543. The crowns of England and Scotland were united in 1603, but the two
countries remained separate political entities until the 1707 Act of Union, which
formed the Kingdom of Great Britain with a single legislature. From 1801, when
Great Britain and Ireland were united, until the formal establishment of the Irish Free
State in 1922, the kingdom was officially designated the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland. At present the UK comprises England, Scotland, Wales and
North Ireland. The capital and largest city is London.
 Many nations around the world have been influenced by British history and
culture. With each passing year, English comes closer to being a world language for
all educated people, as Latin once was. The prominence of English can be traced to
the spread of the British Empire during the last three centuries. In the early 20th
century, a quarter of the world's people and a quarter of the world's land surface
were controlled in some way by Britain. Some parts of the world received substantial
numbers of British emigrants and developed into what were called daughter nations.
These colonies eventually became self-governing areas called dominions. Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand fit this pattern. For a long time India was the most
important colony in the British Empire, but after a long anti-colonial struggle with
Britain, independent India today is the world's most populous democracies. The
British Empire once included substantial portions of southern, western, and eastern
Africa; important areas in Asia, such as Hong Kong; a few holdings in the Americas;
and a large number of islands in the Pacific. Today most of these are independent
nations, but many retain some British law, institutions, and customs. (Passage
adapted from Weisser and Mark, 2001)
Exercise 2.1 Using information from the passage to complete in the blank.
1. The United Kingdom consists of………………………………………………………….
2. The people from England, Scotland and Wales are called………………
3. Canada, Australia and New Zealand used to be……………………………..
4. The Kingdom of Great Britain was formed in…………………………………
5. Great Britain is used in reference to…………………………………………………
6. England and Wales were united in……………………………………………………
7. The term that should never use to describe Britain is……………………
8. “Daughter nation” means………………………………………………………………….
9. The language which used to be the world language was………………
10. The term which can refer to the entire United Kingdom is………….
 PASSAGE 2
Government and Politics
WORDS TO KNOW
burgess (n) knight (n)
commonwealth (n) medieval (a)
convict (v) hereditary (a)
corrupt (n) parliamentary (v)
clergy (n) peer (n)
cabinet (n) primogenitor (n)
debate (n) privy (a)
detain (v) temporal (a)
dictate (v) recognition (n)
enormous (a) suffrage (n)
executive (n) summon (v)
ACTIVITY
Direction: Read the following passage and answer the questions.
The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy—that is, the head of state
is a monarch with limited powers. Britain's democratic government is based on a
constitution composed of various historical documents, laws, and formal customs
adopted over the years. Parliament, the legislature, consists of:
(1) The House of Lords today that has around 1,200 members is more a
place of discussion and debate than one of power, and it normally passes legislation
already approved by the House of Commons (Crowther (Ed.),1995:D3). Its members
are not elected. The House of Lords comprises the lords temporal, the lords spiritual,
and the law lords. The lords temporal are either hereditary peers or life peers. Life
peers are appointed by the monarch for the duration of the person's lifetime. These
appointments are usually made in recognition of outstanding careers or contributions
to society.
The House of Lords, part of Parliament, is composed of hereditary peers, who inherit their titles, and life
peers, who are appointed by the Crown in honor of their professional achievements. The lobby of the House
of Lords is shown here.
Figure 2.7 The House of Lords (Source: Hulton Deutsch, 2001)
(2) The House of Commons which has 650 Members of Parliament is the
source of real political power in the United Kingdom (Crowther (Ed.),1995:D3). Its
members are democratically elected by universal suffrage of citizens over the age of
18. Certain groups that are denied the right to vote, however, include members of the
House of Lords, some detained mental health patients, sentenced prisoners, and those
convicted of corrupt or illegal election practices in the previous five years. In
addition, certain persons are excluded from standing for election to the House of
Commons. They include peers, clergy from the Church of England, the Church of
Scotland, the Church of Ireland, or the Roman Catholic Church, people sentenced to
more than a year in prison and those with unpaid bankruptcy bills.
(3) The monarch or the Crown who theoretically has enormous powers, but
in reality those powers are limited and the Crown follows the dictates and advice of
the ministers in Parliament. Primogeniture, the passing of the throne to the eldest son
when a monarch dies, has been the rule of succession, and when there are no sons,
the eldest daughter ascends the throne.
The chief executive of the government is the prime minister. He or she is the
leader of the party that holds the most seats in the House of Commons. The monarch
goes through the ceremony of selecting as prime minister the person from the House
of Commons who is head of the majority party. The prime minister presides over the
Cabinet and selects the other Cabinet members, who join him or her to form the
government that is part of the functioning executive. Acting through the Cabinet and
in the name of the monarch, the prime minister exercises all of the theoretical
powers of the Crown, including making appointments. In the past, prime ministers
also came from the House of Lords. Today, in the unlikely circumstance that a peer
(a member of the House of Lords) is sought as a prime minister by one of the
parties, he or she must first resign from the House of Lords and gain election to the
House of Commons.
The Cabinet has about 20 members, or ministers, all of whom must be
members of Parliament (MPs). Members of the Cabinet are leaders of the majority
party in the House of Commons or, more rarely, members of the House of Lords.
Cabinet ministers who head a particular government department, such as the Ministry
of Defense, are known as secretaries of state. The prime minister serves as the first
lord of the treasury and as minister for the civil service. Two key doctrines of
Cabinet government are collective responsibility and ministerial responsibility.
Collective responsibility means that the Cabinet acts unanimously, even when
Cabinet ministers do not all agree upon a subject. If an important decision is
unacceptable to a particular Cabinet member, it is expected that he or she will resign
to signify dissent. Ministerial responsibility means that ministers are responsible for
the work of their departments and answer to Parliament for the activities of their
departments. The policy of departmental ministers must be consistent with that of the
government as a whole. The ministers bear the responsibility for any failure of their
department in terms of administration or policy.
The Privy Council comprises all current and former Cabinet members, as well
as important public figures in Britain and the Commonwealth. The council advises
the monarch and arranges for the formal handling of documents. It has a large
number of committees, each with a specific task, such as dealing with outlying
islands, universities, or legal matters. The most important committee is the Judicial
Committee of the Privy Council, which is the highest court of appeal for certain
nations in the Commonwealth, some church-related appeals, and for disciplinary
committees of some professions. (Passage adapted from Weisser and Mark, 2001)
Exercise 2.2 Answer the questions.
1. What is UK Parliament comprised of?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. At what age can UK citizens vote?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Who can ascend the throne? And How?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 4. Who can be the Prime minister of the UK according to political
system? And How?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. How is The House of Commons important?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Exercise 2.3 Complete in the blank with an appropriate word in the box.

Parliament seat Crown royal supplement

Granting burgesses separately advice representatives

Parliament comprises three parts: the Monarch (Crown), the House of Lords,
and the House of Commons. Over the course of centuries, the…………….. of power has
passed from the…………………….to the Lords to its final resting place in the House of
Commons. ………………………… originated in the great councils called by the Crown
during the Middle Ages. Through these meetings, medieval monarchs sought
the………………….. of their subjects, exchanged information about the realm, and
gathered petitions. In other words, Parliament originated with the…………………..wish to
gain the approval and sanction of the realm for acts of state. Later, Parliament served
to …………………………royal revenues by making grants of taxation—that is, by
…………………………the monarch's request for extra subsidies to pay for wars. The Crown
invited all great nobles and church leaders to attend these councils. By the end of the
13th century ……………………………… from the counties, called knights of the shire, and
representatives of the towns, called……………………….., were also being summoned to
attend regularly. The knights and the burgesses eventually came to sit……………………….
from the nobles and church leaders, in what eventually became the House of
Commons. The nobles and church leaders sat in what came to be called the House of
Lords. (Passage adapted from Weisser and Mark, 2001)
 PASSAGE 3
United Kingdom Society
WORDS TO KNOW
archbishop (n) ethnic (a)
aristocracy (n) gentry (n)
assert (v) inheritance (n)
blur (a) invade (v)
carpentry (n) marriage (n)
confiscate (v) millennia (n)
cohabitation (n) primogeniture (n)
courtesy (a) privilege (n)
descend (v) nobility (n)

ACTIVITY
Direction: Read the passage and then answer the questions.
The majority of the people of the United Kingdom are descended from the
many peoples who invaded the islands in the two millennia before 1066. However,
people of many other ethnic backgrounds have settled in the United Kingdom over
the centuries, including Jews, Chinese, central, eastern, and southern Europeans; and,
particularly since the 1950s, people from the Caribbean and South Asia.
Britain's social structure developed much like the social structure in other
European nations. In the past, most people inherited their class because there was
limited social mobility until modern times. Those with incomes from rents and
property payments were considered in the upper class; those who dealt with paper,
either in business or in a profession, were middle class; and those who did manual
labor, such as carpentry and factory work, were in the working class.
Upper, landed classes that controlled most of the agricultural land and wealth
emerged during the Middle Ages. Families from these upper classes became the
nobility, or aristocracy, and played key political roles on the monarch's councils, in
the House of Lords in Parliament, and in local government. Often members of the
House of Lords from the nobility had politically conservative views. England's
upper-class social structure differed from that of the rest of Europe in three important
ways. In addition to a landowning nobility with the right to sit in the House of
Lords, a lower upper class developed that, while still landed, didn't have the same
privileges as the nobility. Secondly, the aristocracy did not lose its status during
Britain's revolutions of the 17th and 18th centuries as the Continental aristocracy did
during revolutions in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. Lastly, inheritance
arrangements based on primogeniture, a system in which the first-born son is the
prime inheritor, encouraged a degree of social mobility.
The lower upper class has been called knights, squires, gentry, or country
gentlemen. Members of this class were elected to the House of Commons and played
a major role in asserting control over monarchs through their positions in Parliament
during the revolutions of the 17th century. Many present-day members of the House
of Commons are still drawn from this class, and they continue to play significant
roles in local politics and as leaders in society.
The principle of primogeniture has had significant consequences for social
structure in Britain. In noble families the first-born son, as the prime inheritor, gains
the title while his siblings have only courtesy titles. These siblings were likely to do
something off of the estate, such as governing a colony, serving as a general in the
army, or playing a part in politics. The younger sons could not sit in the House of
Lords, but they could have political careers in the House of Commons. Many
younger sons of aristocrats also followed religious careers, becoming bishops and
archbishops. For the gentry, or lower upper classes, primogeniture usually meant the
first-born son inherited the estate and the younger sons sought other occupations,
perhaps as doctors, lawyers, or writers. Many went into professions in which they
studied and worked with members of the middle class. This made for an element of
social mobility in the class structure, although for the gentry it could mean
downward social mobility.
Marriages were extremely important to the nobility, as they could provide
alliances with other families to increase a family's prestige or influence. Families
usually took a strong hand in arranging marriages. Women were expected to marry
within their rank, but a woman with a large dowry could often marry someone with
a higher social status—an eligible young nobleman or a gentleman—whose income
fell far short of his expenditures.
At present some class distinctions have become blurred in Britain. Today
only a small number of people are considered upper class, and their former influence
in conservative politics has been largely taken over by wealthy people in the middle
class. Liberal and left-wing politics have middle-class leadership as well. Because the
British economy has created many semiprofessional and technical jobs, it is no
longer easy to tell which jobs are middle class and which are working class.
Moreover, growing national affluence has brought greater social mobility between
the working class and the middle class. As technological advances have expanded
the ranks of affluent professionals, managers, administrators, and technical experts, a
proportion of the working population has shifted into these positions and now
identify themselves as middle class. Although prosperity may move working-class
people into the middle class, no amount of wealth will guarantee upper-class status,
which is determined by land and family.
The increasingly widespread distribution of capital has also blurred class
lines, as more money in the form of stocks, bonds, property, and bank accounts is in
more hands. Many middle-class employees and workers have become owners of
capital, particularly in the form of pension plans. There is less inequality in wealth
than earlier in the 20th century, due in part to the spread of home ownership, and
government programs have been created to help equalize access to health services
and education.
Family structure has changed as well with the advent of the nuclear family.
Married couples have an average of two children, a figure that has not changed since
World War II. However, marriage rates fell in the 1980s, and there has been a
significant shift from formal marriage to stable cohabitation. By 1993 one-third of
births were to parents who were not formally married. The number of divorced,
separated, or never-married single mothers has also increased. (Passage adapted from
Weisser and Mark, 2001)
Exercise 2.4 Answer these questions.
1. How many classes are there in UK society? And what are
they?…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The people from which class take the major role in the House
of Commons?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. What is a nuclear family? Explain.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. “At present some class distinctions have become blurred in
Britain” What factors contribute to this? Explain.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. What does the term “single mother” mean?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 PASSAGE 4
Educational System of United Kingdom

Founded in the 13th century, Cambridge University is one of the oldest educational institutions in Europe and
one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Among its many distinguished graduates are Charles
Darwin, John Maynard Keynes, Oliver Cromwell, and John Milton.
Figure 2.10 Cambridge University, England (Source: Garg, 2001)
WORDS TO KNOW
alternative (n) remainder (n)
cater (v) remit (n)
comprehensive (a) revenue (n)
endowment (n) segregation (n)
equivalent (n) vital (a)
inspect (v) workforce (n)
literacy (n) worship (n)
ACTIVITY
Direction: Read the passage and then answer the questions.
Education is a vital concern throughout Britain because a highly developed
nation depends upon educated professionals and a skilled workforce. The literacy
rate in Britain is one of the highest in the world at over 99 percent.
Compared to the United States, fewer people go on to higher education in
Britain, and there is more emphasis on segregating pupils at the lower levels on the
basis of ability. Most British schools are funded by the central government, with
local governments providing supplemental funding. England and Wales have a
national curriculum of core courses for students 5 to 16 years old, and schools are
inspected by the Office for Standards in Education. National tests at the ages of 7,
11, and 14 assess students' progress. Schools must provide religious education and
daily collective worship for all pupils, although parents can withdraw their children
from these. Full-time or compulsory education begins at age 5 in Great Britain and
at age 4 in Northern Ireland. In addition, about half of 3- and 4-year-olds are
enrolled in specialized nursery schools or in nursery classes at primary schools.
In Britain, the term form is used to designate grade; old boys and old girls
refer to people who have graduated from a school. Private schools or independent
schools are called public schools, a term that means just the opposite in the United
States. What are called public schools in the United States are called state schools in
Britain. When a person is sent down from school, it means he or she has been
thrown out. Grammar schools are university preparatory schools, most of which have
been replaced by comprehensive schools catering to students of all academic
abilities. Secondary modern schools provide vocational education rather preparation
for university entrance.
The responsibility for schools in England is held by the Department of
Education, headed by the Secretary of State for Education, while in Northern Ireland
the responsibility is held by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland,
headed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In Wales and Scotland
education is now part of the remit for the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish
Parliament, both of which were elected in May 1999. The majority of funding for
state education is provided from central government revenues; the remainder is met
from local government income from rates on property and local taxes.
Education after 16 is voluntary. After taking at age 16 the examinations for
the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE; England, Wales, and
Northern Ireland) or the Scottish Certificate of Education, students can choose to
stay on in school or attend colleges of further education. They study either for
vocational qualifications or, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, for the General
Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level examinations, commonly known as
A Levels, which are the usual requirement for entry to university, teacher-training
college, and other establishments of higher education. Other qualifications such as
Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level examinations were introduced in 2000, allowing
students to study more than the number of A-levels. General National Vocational
Qualifications (GNVQ)—renamed vocational A levels—have been introduced that
provide vocational alternatives to A levels. In Scotland, the equivalent of the A
Level is the Scottish Certificate of Higher Education.
 British universities are completely self-governing and are guaranteed
academic independence. Funding for education and research is provided by funding
councils set up by Parliament; many of the older universities also have significant
endowments. The number of universities increased dramatically in 1992 when
polytechnics and some other higher education establishments were given the right to
become universities. (Passage adapted from Weisser and Mark, 2001)

Students at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England, prepare to receive their academic degrees. The
sashes of their gowns are lined with different colors of silk, designating each student's respective college or
field of study. The music is by English composer Edward Elgar. It is the first of Elgar's five Pomp and
Circumstance marches, a work that is played at many graduation ceremonies.
Figure 2.11 Oxford University Graduation (Source: Media Encarta Online, 2001)
Exercise 2.5 Fill in the blank with an appropriate word from the passage
you have read.
1. United Kingdom children begin their compulsory education at age…………in
Northern Ireland and at age…………….in Great Britain.
2. Compulsory education in United Kingdom takes………………years.
3. Education after 16 of age is not…………………………………
4. In Scotland when the student are in the last step of compulsory education,
they have to take the exam for…………………………………………………………………………
5. The schools which develop all academic abilities of student in order to
prepare them for university are called…………………………………
 PASSAGE 5
Religions and Language

Saint Paul's Cathedral, a major landmark in London, is one of British architect Sir Christopher Wren's
greatest achievements. After the Great Fire of London destroyed the old Saint Paul's in 1666, the city
commissioned Wren to design a replacement, which was completed in 1710.
Figure 2.12 Saint Paul’s Cathedral (Source: Art Resource, NY, 2001)

Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, England, is the largest Anglican cathedral in the world. It was designed by
British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and completed in 1978. Construction took nearly 75 years due to two
world wars and rising costs.
Figure 2.13 Anglican Cathedral (Source: Brooke, 2001)
 WORDS TO KNOW
agitation (n) overwhelmingly (ad)
descendant (n) renaissance (n)
dialect (n) resurgence (n)
differentiate (v) sectarian (a)
evangelical (a) symbolize (v)
guarantee (v) terrorism (n)
homogeneity (n) wither (v)
inhabitant (n) undergo (v)

ACTIVITY
Direction: Read the following passage and then answer the questions.
Religious freedom in the United Kingdom is guaranteed by various laws
passed between the 17th and early 20th centuries. Religion has played a minimal
role in politics in Great Britain since the 18th century. However, in Northern Ireland
religion came to symbolize the political and cultural differences between the
descendants of the original Irish inhabitants and the descendants of the Scottish and
English settlers—which in the 1970s erupted into sectarian violence and terrorism.
The latter group, in a majority, are overwhelmingly Protestant and in favor of
remaining part of the United Kingdom; the former are overwhelmingly Roman
Catholic and the majority are in favor of a united Ireland.

Ely Cathedral is an important Norman church in the eastern county of Cambridgeshire. The cathedral
was begun in 1083 and took more than 200 years to complete.
Figure 2.14 Ely Cathedral (Source: Bethell, 2001)
 About 9 per cent of the British people are Roman Catholic, 4 per cent belong
to one of the Presbyterian Churches, and 1 per cent are Methodists. About 3 per cent
of the population is Muslim, and there are also large Hindu, Jewish, and Sikh
communities; Britain's Jewish population is the second-largest in Europe. There are
smaller communities of Jains, Zoroastrians, and Bahais. Islam and evangelical
Christianity are the fastest-growing faiths in the United Kingdom. (Passage adapted
from Weisser and Mark, 2001)
Exercise 2.6 Draw the map to present religions in the United Kingdom.

RELIGIONS

Exercise 2.7 Complete the blank with an appropriate word in the box.
language dialectal England spoken
first Welsh speakers available majority

English is the official………………………. of the United Kingdom and the first

language of the vast majority of the population. The spoken language, however, is
far from homogeneous. Distinctive regional and local accents differentiate natives of
different parts of the kingdom, although the various……………………….forms of English
with their individual vocabularies have largely withered, especially
in……………………………
 The indigenous Celtic Languages of Scotland and, especially, Wales continue
to be ……………………and in recent years have undergone something of a renaissance,
paralleling the resurgence of nationalism in both countries. In Wales, a lot of people
are…………………………….. and Welsh remains the…………………..language of most people in
the north and west of the country. Bilingual education is………………………………..in many
schools and there is a Welsh-language television channel. Since 1993, and following
decades of agitation by nationalists, Welsh has been the joint official language with
English for the courts, the civil service, and other public sector bodies. Scotland also
has a lot of Gaelic speakers, the………………………… living in the Hebrides. (Passage
adapted from Weisser and Mark, 2001)
PASSAGE 6
Arts of United Kingdom

English artist Edward Burne-Jones worked with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of artists who found
inspiration in medieval art. Burne-Jones's Frieze of Eight Women Picking Apples, painted in 1876, is in the
Tate Gallery in London, England.
Figure 2.15 Pre-Raphaelite Art by Edward Burne-Jones
(Source: Tate Gallery, NY, 2001)
WORDS TO KNOW
broadcast (v) illustrate (v)
consistency (n) pageantry (n)
contribution (n) reflect (v)
depict (v) remarkable (a)
dominate (v) trite (a)
enrich (v) vigorous (a)
 ACTIVITY
Direction: Read the following passage and then answer the questions.
The United Kingdom has a long history of excellence in the arts. British
contributions to literature are remarkable in their richness, variety, and consistency.
For many centuries in Britain and elsewhere, art and music were the domain of the
nobility. When Britain became the world's first urban, industrialized society, and a
vast middle class developed. More people had the time, education, and inclination to
appreciate the arts, and the middle class developed an interest in literature, art, and
music. A close relationship evolved between this large audience and the creators of
art and literature because authors wrote about and painters depicted characters,
situations, and scenes either familiar or interesting to large numbers of middle-class
people. Although some of the works created were trite and ordinary, such as sweet
paintings of dogs and children, many others were not. Britain is also being the first
place of popular performing arts—drama, opera, orchestra and ballet.

The Royal Ballet, a British dance company, was founded in 1931 and became famous for its productions of
classical ballets, such as The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. The company reached its greatest popularity
in the 1960s with the pairing of British dancer Margot Fonteyn and Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev. Here,
Nureyev rehearses with the Royal Ballet in 1977.
Figure 2.16 Royal Ballet (Source: Gotfryd, 2001)
Traditional Highland dances of Scotland began as military dances, performed before or after battle. The
Highland fling, for example, was originally performed by Highlanders to celebrate a victory, and the
bagpipe is the instrument most often associated with it. Since the 17th century, bagpipers have
accompanied Scottish troops through many wars. Here, at the annual Aboyne Highland Games, dancers
perform wearing traditional Scottish attire, including tams and kilts, while Pipe Major James MacColl
plays a traditional tune titled "Balmoral Castle.".
Figure 2.17 Highland Dancers of Scotland (Source: Media Encarta, 2001)
Britain's rich cultural heritage and traditions are the main reasons why it has
more than 20 million overseas visitors each year. The attractions include the many
theatres, museums, art galleries, and historical buildings to be found in all parts of
the United Kingdom, as well as the numerous annual arts festivals and the pageantry
associated with the British royal family. The expansion of tourism, combined with
the collapse of many traditional economic activities, has helped encourage the
growth since the 1980s of the so-called “heritage” industry—seen in the explosion
of “living” museums illustrating Britain's rural and industrial past.

English artist Paul Nash was known as a war painter. His Vimy Ridge, completed in 1917, shows a scene in
northeastern France after an Allied attack on a German position during World War I.
Figure 2.18 Vimy Ridge by Paul Nash (Source: Atkinson Art Gallery, 2001)
 London has the greatest concentration of theatres, orchestras, and galleries,
and is also the main home of the print and broadcast media, and of the fashion,
record, film, and publishing industries—as such, it often seems to dominate modern
British culture. However, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the regions of
England all have vigorous cultural traditions that have contributed to and still enrich
all aspects of British life. The traditions and abilities of the various ethnic minorities
are also reflected in modern British culture. (Passage adapted from Weisser, 2001)

Exercise 2.8 Answer these questions.

1. Why do many people come to visit United Kingdom?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Given the examples of United Kingdom performing arts.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. What is London famous for?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. What can help to encourage the growth of heritage industry?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. What is reflected in modern British culture?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 PASSAGE 7
United Kingdom Way of Life

The Thames River in London is the most important river in England and the main source of London's water
supply.
Figure 2.19 Thames River, London (Source: Bertinetti, 2001)

The Tower of London, located on the northern bank of the Thames River, was built about 1078. It was used
alternately as a fortress, royal residence, and state prison in its early years. Today, it is maintained as an
arsenal with a garrison, and is open to the public. The well-preserved Norman and medieval structures cover
nearly 7.2 hectares (18 acres).
Figure 2.20 Tower of London (Source: Will and McIntyre, 2001)
 WORDS TO KNOW
allotment (n) kipper (n)
angling (n) maintain (v)
appliance (n) popover (n)
croquet (n) rarebit (n)
dampness (n) reputation (n)
haggis (n) retain (v)
hallmark (n) tweeds (n)

ACTIVITY
Direction: Read the following passage and then answer the questions.
British society is overwhelmingly urban, but it has retained distinct links with
its rural past—reflected in the popularity of gardening, and in the working-class
tradition of growing one's own vegetables on allotments. Sport is important in
Britain, and the British originated or developed the modern forms and rules of a
number of sports—notably football, rugby, cricket, tennis, polo, horse racing, field
hockey, and croquet. Angling is the most popular British sport or pastime, attracting
more active participants than football.

Considered the national game of England, cricket is also popular in countries that were formerly British
colonies. Every summer the international Test matches are held at Lord's, a cricket ground northwest of
London, and matches can last from three to five days.
Figure 2.21 Game of Cricket (Source: Media Encarta, 2001)
 British society is increasingly middle class in numbers and outlook, and
maintaining a high standard of living is a top priority. Material possessions, such as
the family home, car, appliances, and clothes, are important, and many families take
vacations abroad. The well-being of children is highly regarded, and British middle-
class families often make substantial investments in order to provide the best
education and life-enriching opportunities for their children.

Street performers in colorful attire rest during the Edinburgh International Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The festival runs from mid-August to mid-September and includes several different arts festivals. It was
founded in 1947.
Figure 2.22 Edinburgh Arts Festival, Scotland (Source: Ward, 2001)

British houses are made with concrete blocks or concrete-like building

materials because the dampness of the climate causes wood to rot. Central heating is
now widespread; previously, individual fires or heating devices were used. In
general, British people are much more tolerant of the damp chill and less tolerant of
heat over 26’C (80’F). Clothes reflect the climate, and woolen goods, particularly
tweeds, are famous products. British people tend to buy fewer but better-quality
pieces of clothing and keep them longer, although this cannot be said for the rapidly
changing fashions of youth culture.
British cooking has a reputation for overcooked vegetables and unhealthy
fried foods. This situation has improved considerably in recent years, and foreign
foods, particularly those from southern Europe and Asia, have become popular.
Perhaps the most famous British specialties are roast beef with Yorkshire pudding
(a type of popover baked in meat drippings); shepherd's pie, made with minced lamb
and mashed potatoes; and scones served with thick, clotted cream. Other favorite
foods include fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, Cornish pasties, Welsh rarebit,
kippers (salted and smoked herring or salmon), and, in Scotland, haggis (stuffed
sheep's stomach).
The British tend to socialize by joining clubs and hobby groups. The local
public house, or pub, serves alcoholic beverages and is an important gathering place,
particularly for the working class. Politeness is a hallmark of British society, and
shouting is regarded as rude. People are often reserved and do not want to show
emotion in public, although this appears to be changing. (Passage adapted from
Weisser and Mark, 2001)

Exercise 2.9 Answer the following questions.

1. Give some examples of sport which are popular in United Kingdom.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. What is Yorkshire pudding?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. What influenced the British house style?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. What is the distinctiveness of British society?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. What is the famous clothing product of United Kingdom?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
REVIEW EXERCISE
Direction: Put T in front of the true sentence and put F if it is false.
………….1. Great Britain is the island which comprises, North Ireland, Scotland
and England.
………….2. Members of the House of Commons are elected by the monarch.
………….3. People of United Kingdom must vote in elections at the age of 18.
………….4. The prisoners and mental health patients can vote for the election.
………….5. The Crown has unlimited power beyond the national constitution.
………….6. The Cabinet must be the members of the House of Lords.
………….7. The son of the monarch cannot ascend the throne.
………….8. Family structure in United Kingdom is a nuclear family.
………….9. In North Ireland the compulsory education starts at 4 years of age.
……….10. After 16 of age, going to higher education is voluntary.
……….11. Most people in United Kingdom are Roman Catholic.
……….12. Official languages used in United Kingdom are English, Celtic and
Gaelic language.
……….13. One of famous UK performing art is ballet.
……….14. There a lot of historical buildings in the United Kingdom.
……….15. British houses are made of concrete because of dampness that
causes wood to rot easily.
……….16. Most people in the north and west still speak Welsh.
……….17. Muslim is the second-largest community in United Kingdom.
……….18. The members of the House of Lords are elected by public votes.
……….19. If the members of the House of Lords wanted to be the Prime
Minister, it was necessary to first resign from the House of Lords.
……….20. State schools in United Kingdom are the same as public schools in
the United States of America.
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