1. Great Britain Revision.docx

GREAT BRITAIN ‘CIVILIZATION’ : Questions you must know how to answer

1) Is that true that Great Britain is one of the world’s biggest countries? 2) What are the British Isles washed by? 3) What can you say about the surface of the British Isles? 4) What do the British Isles consist of? 5) What countries is the UK made up of? 6) What places of interest would you visit in London? What is important to know about them?

Of course not! It’s one of the world’s smallest countries ( with population around 63 million people) The North Sea, the Irish Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, and the Strait of Dover 1. It varies much – the North of Scotland is mountainous, it’s called Highlands and the South has plains and valleys and is called Lowlands 2. The highest mountain is Ben Nevis : 1343 m

2 large islands – GB and Ireland England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

The Tower of London,

1) One of the most ancient buildings in London (11 cent) 2) Ravens that used to live there when it was founded still live there and are carefully guarded. The legend goes: if the ravens disappear, Britain will fall. 3) Was built to protect London. Was a fortress, palace, prison and treasury (mint)

The Tower bridge

1)Has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the most recognized bridges in the word. 2)It opens 100 times a year 1)One of the finest pieces of architecture in Europe

What has the Tower of London served as?

St.Paul’s Cathedral What can you see in St.Paul’s Cathedral? Westminster Abbey

How is Westminster Abbey associated with royalty?

Buckingham palace What is the main function of the Buckingham palace today? What ceremony can you watch outside the Buckingham Palace?

The Houses of Parliament

2)Its interior is fascinating – it’s full of monuments 3)It has a huge dome, the Whispering Gallery (where you can experiment with the physics of the acoustics) 1)A gothic building opposite the Houses of Parliament 2) Higher than any English Church (more than 160 meters) 3) Contains a collection of swords and stained glass 4)All coronations have taken place here since William the Conqueror 5)It’s also called “mausoleum” because there are tombs of almost all English monarchs, scientists, writers and musicians (Chaucer, Dickens, Kipling) 5) There are memorials of Shakespeare and Byron 1)Official residence of Britain’s morarchs since the mid 19 century 2)Today it’s official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II 3) 775 rooms, 19 open for tourists 4) You can see royal collection of art and furniture 5) One of the major attractions – the ceremony of Changing of the guard, which takes place every morning. 1)The House of Lords and the House of Commons meet in the Houses of Parliament, located next to the River Thames in London. 2)The clock tower is the most photographed part of the Houses of Parliament. It houses five bells. The biggest and most famous bell is called Big Ben.

Big Ben is a part of another city sight, which one?

4)The Houses of Parliament are also called the Palace of Westminster and was a royal palace. 1) London’s most modern landmark. 2)It is the world’s biggest ferris wheel, and will carry 800 passengers at a time on a thirtyminute ride. 3)From its highest point of 135 m, it promises views of almost the entire city. 1)Traditionally it is the official residence of the Prime Minister of the UK 2) It’s a national symbol and one of the most famous addresses in the world 3) Political announcements that can change the fates of the world are delivered on the house’s steps. 4) The house’s door is also a very popular spot for politicians’ photo shoot. international modern art from The Tate Modern 1900 to the present day, including major works by Matisse and Picasso as well as contemporary work, exhibitions and installations. The famous British Museum The British Museum exhibits the works of man from prehistoric to modern times from around the world. Five galleries and 7,000 objects The Museum of transport you through the London capital's tumultuous history from 1666 to today. The famous waxwork museum Madame Tussaud’s containing lifelike wax figures of Museum (of wax) many famous people (Jolie, B.Pitt, Obamas, Putin, Adele, Beckhams, M.Jackson, M.Monroe, Gaga) and royalty (Queen Elizabeth, the royal family)

The London Eye

10 Downing Street. 6) What museums can you visit in London?

7) What is the name of the British flag? 7) How many crosses is it made up of? What are they like? What are they called? What do they represent? 8) What other countries’ flags include the Union Jack? 9) What are the 3 most important

monuments in Britain’s history?

The Union Jack 1)English red upright cross of St. George Three : 2)Scottish blue diagonal cross of St. Andrew

3

3)Irish red diagonal cross of St. Patrick

Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda and about a dozen others. 1)It is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in The the world!! Windsor 2)The oldest parts of Windsor Castle were built by the Normans following the victory of William Castle the Conqueror in 1066. The original castle was

What places you ‘must’ visit travelling to the UK?

The Roman Baths

made of wood and then upgraded to stone 3)The Castle grounds cover 53 thousand square meters which is the same area as 3 of our Chisinau Main Squares. 4) It was a home to more than 10 royal, families, each of them embellished the castle. It also served as a home for Elizabeth II during World War II. She still spends her weekends there. 1)One of the best-preserved Roman sites in the UK 2)Contains an impressive set of thermal spas and an impressive Roman bathing house. 3)It can accommodate more than just the residents of the town. It was a place to socialize and even a religious site. 4)The Roman baths offer an incredible insight into the lives of ancient Romans around Britain.

The Stonehenge

1)Stonehenge is one of Europe's biggest stone circles. The earliest part of Stonehenge, the inner circle, is nearly 5,000 years old and many of the stones are 10 metres high.The stones used in the inner circle are believed to be from the Wales which are nearly 400 km away. The bluestones weigh up to 4 tons each and about 80 stones were used, in all. 2)It is thought that the Druids used Stonehenge for a calendar. There are also other versions – it may have been a religious place of worship or a place of human sacrifice. Nowadays every June 21st hundreds of people go to Stonehenge to watch the sun rise. The sun shines on one famous stone - the Heel stone. For the Druids this is a very important moment of the year.

10) What things do you associate with the UK?

The city Literature

Nature Historical monuments Famous People Musicians Actors Food 11) Why do we need to learn English?

12) What things do you associate with the Scotts?

3)The only thing that is obvious is that those who built it were very sophisticated in mathematics and geometry. the Big Ben, pubs and, Double-decker buses, black taxi cabs Poets: Byron, Shakespeare, Writers: Conan Doyle ( Sherlock Holmes); Jane Austen ( Jane Eyre); Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland), Rudyard Kipling (Junglebook); Tolkien (The Hobbit ; The Lord of the Rings) ; JK Rowling (Harry Potter) Ben Nevis; Loch Ness; Thames River; gloomy weather The Stonehenge

the Royal Family; Princess Diana, Mr Bean; The Beckhams; W.Churchill; I. Newton; David Cameron, Naomi Campbell, Banksy the Beatles, the Queen (Freddy Mercury), the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Muse, Amy Winehouse, Adele, David Bowie, Sting Charlie Chaplin, Kate Winslet, Christian Bale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Nightley, Hugh Laurie, Robert Pattinson, Orlando Bloom fish and chips; tea; beer

1.It’s a universal language of communication 2.It’s a part of formal education in many countries 3.More and more books on subjects as Physics, Philosophy, Science, Math and documents are published in English and yhose who don’t know it will fail to learn the new breakthrough information. 4. It’s a language of opportunities: people with the knowledge of English are more likely to be hired by employees than those who don’t. 5. It’s the universal language of higher education – wherever you go abroad to pursue your university education, you will be able to study in English and communicate with the locals in it. 6. English is the essential language that has to be learnt in the 21 century because you just can’t do without it 1. Bagpipes: historically existing in many other countries since the Middle Ages, this instrument became a national instrument of Scotland since the 16 century. The sound of bagpipes is very stirring, it was used by the army musicians when the troops went into battle. IT consists of many pipes with holes and a bag: when you play, you blow a pipe and squeeze the bag made of animal gallbladder, with the arm. Bagpipes are often decorated with different clans’ tartans. 2. Tartan is a kind of pattern of checked fabric which is today a part of international fashion. Kilts are made of tartan and each clan has its own pattern. 3.’Clan’ means ‘family’ in Gaelic. In the past these were enormous

13) Why historically the most beautiful gardens were in England?

14) What are the 2 main groups of newspapers? 15) What sports are popular in GB?

16) At what age do British children start school? How is the ‘gradinita de copii’ / ‘детсад’ called? How is the ‘ clasa pregatitare’/ ’подготовительная школа’ called? How is ‘scoala primara’/ ‘начальная школа’ called?

What kind of secondary schools are there?

How are private schools in Britain called?

families that often had battles against each other. McDonalds, McKenzies, Camerons and Campbells are just a few surnames of clans. ‘Mc’ means ‘Son of’ and people with the same surname feel they belong to the same clan. Common girls’ names are Fiona and Jean and the boys’ - Donald, Angus, Jimmy and Jock, that’s why the English call a man from Scotland ‘A Jimmy’ or ’A Jock’ 1. The humid climate of the country with frequent rains contributes to the growth of plants. 2. In the 11 century gardens served the purpose of feeding their owners - growing vegetables was the first priority. 3.First gardeners were monks who grew vegetables and medicinal plants and spread the seeds among other monasteries spreading the culture. There were also vineyards and fruit gardens beside monasteries as well as flowers like roses, lilies, violets and peonies. 4. Book printing introduced in Britain in the 15 century played a big role in the spread of culture of gardening because one of the first printed books was about how to grow certain plants in your garden. 5.In the Tudor period landscape gardening appeared introducing different shapes of bushes and hedges, squares and other neat geometry to gardens. 6. Colonization of other continents played a major role in gardening as it contributed to the spread of different plants that were transported by ship from India, South and North America, as it happened with kiss-mequick and the tulip. 7. In the 17 century after the microscope had been invented, gardening flourished even more because it became possible to study the way plants multiplied. 8.In the 18 century the century of the Industrial revolution the seeding machine was invented in England which made it easier to garden. 9.In the 19 century gardeners become even more creative – by introducing irregular, asymmetrical forms into gardens as well as the ponds in gardens. Moreover, the lawnmower is invented! This made it possible for everyone to have a neat lawn and a glorious garden in their yards. 1.Quality n-p: ‘The Times’, ‘The Guardian’ ,‘The Daily Telegraph’ (they report national and international news, focusing on events, politics, business, science, technology, books, arts) 2. Popular n-p: ‘TheSun’, ‘The Daily Mirror’, ‘Hello (magazine)’ (they publish articles dealing with the private life of celebrities, their photos and intend to shock the reader) 1. The United Kingdom has given birth to a range of major international sports including: football, rugby, darts, cricket, golf, tennis, table tennis , badminton, squash, hockey, boxing, snooker, billiards, curling and even baseball. 2. Undoubtedly, the most popular sport in Britain is football. There are 92 football clubs, the most famous ones are Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. 3. Another very popular sport is tennis, which originated here too. In June the world famous tournament, the Wimbledon takes place here. 4. Horseracing is the most favourite sport of Her Majesty the Queen – she has a great number of racing horses, so she is always present. 5.Polo is another symbol of Britain, although only aristocrats and their descendants take part in tournaments – Prince Charles and his and Diana’s son William are an example. 1. All children must stay at school from the age of 5 till the age of 16. Until the age of 3 children attend nursery schools. At 5 children go to Infant schools where they study writing, reading, simple math, drawing, singing. 2. At 7 they go to junior schools. There just like in our Primary schools they study 11+ subjects like History, Geography, Nature, Art and Music, PE, etc. Pupils are streamed according to their ability to learn into A,B, C or D streams. 2. Secondary schools are divided into: a)Grammar schools (teaching mostly academic subjects) b)Technical schools (teach commercial and technical course) c) Comprehensive schools (include both features of Grammar and Technical schools) 3. There are private schools, too. They are called Public schools; some well known are Eton and Rugby. They are single-sex schools for the privileged. There is a set uniform for each Public school. They are also

What are boarding schools? What is the equivalent of our 9 form exams? How is our’ Bacalaureat’ exam called in Britain?

17)

What 3 types of universities are there in Britain?

How long is the main ‘Bachelor’ course? What kind of degree do you get at the end of the main course? What are the names of the further 2 courses at university? Why is studying at university important (besides from a better chance to get quality education and further find a well-paid job)?

18) What famous people would you write a report about and why?

What holidays are celebrated only in Great Britain? What exactly is celebrated? What happens on these days?

boarding schools, which means that pupils live there during the term time. 4. At 16 pupils take GCSE exams and can stay on at school or do a vocational course. 5. At 18 pupils take the final exams called A-levels. 1. a) Oxford and Cambridge (referred to as Oxbridge) are the oldest and the most prestigious universities. Mostly elite studies there(usually the graduates of Public schools). b) There are 19 century universities as London and Manchester universities and c) There are new universities. 3. Most degree courses at university last 3 years (language courses – 4 years; medical – up to 7 years). At the end of the course you get the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. 4. You can pursue further education and get a Master’s Degree and then a PhD. 5. University life is considered ‘an experience’ as many students live far from home. The exams are competitive and the life in a new environment teaches students to socialize. Universities and colleges are also associated with clubs, parties and concerts. 1) William 1.He is the finest English writer and poet. His plays, Shakespeare: such as Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet and others have had a huge impact on culture, literature and language all over the world. 2. He is also the greatest word creator in history – he created more than 1500 new words and expressions that hadn’t existed before. Among them champion, generous, lonely, gossip, addiction, gloomy, fashionable, bedroom, luggage. 2)Alfred the He was a powerful ruler who achieved great goals that Great influenced the future of England: a) he united the quarrelsome Angle and Saxon kingdoms b) he successfully defended the land against the Viking attempt at conquest. c) he created a system of fortified towns – a military innovation that protected Britain from raids and invasion. 3)Isaac He is widely considered the greatest scientist of all Newton time. a) Newton is most famous for discovering gravity. His theory about gravity helped to explain the movements of the planets and the Sun. This theory is known today as Newton's law of universal gravitation. b) Newton's laws of motion were three fundamental laws of physics that laid the foundation for classical mechanics. c) Calculus - Newton invented a whole new type of mathematics .Today it is an important type of math used in advanced engineering and science. d) In 1668 Newton invented the reflecting telescope. This type of telescope uses mirrors to reflect light and form an image. Nearly all of the major telescopes used in astronomy today are reflecting telescopes. Others Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Charlie Chaplin, Jane Austen, Captain James Cook, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, JR Tolkien, Stephen Hawking. Irish festival honoring the saint that brought Christianity St. Patrick’s into the country. It’s celebrated not only in Northern Day Ireland, but also all around Britain, the USA and in other countries by Irish descendants and amateurs of th March, 17 Irish culture. Folk music and traditional dancing; wearing green clothes with the shamrock, the holy trinity symbol; painting faces green; drinking green Guinness beer; All TV channels, radio, newspapers, etc congratulate the Queen’s queen. The ceremonial parade, the trooping of the Birthday color, secular ball take place. This year the Queen turned 90. More than 900 horses st April, 21 and 1500 participants (actors, musicians, dancers) told

May Day May, 1st

Guy Fawkes Night November 5th

What cities would you travel to if you came to the UK? Why?

London England

What season of the year would you choose? “If I could choose the time of the year, I’d go in _____season________, in _____month________. It is considered the _______________ month of the year”

Wiltshire England

Blackpool England

Bath England

Fort William Scotland

Inverness Scotland

Snowdonia Wales

Who is your favourite English writer and which of their works impressed you the most?

the story of her life. The celebration went on for 4 days in Windsor Castle and were broadcast on TV. Celebration of the soon coming of summer and the arrival of warmer weather and abundant blooming of trees and flowers. Cheerful parades, festivals, street decoration with flower garlands, processions through towns and villages, old traditions (gathering flowers before the sunrise and decorating the houses to keep the evil spirit away; washing faces with dew to stay beautiful all the following year; archery contest; strength contest; crowning of the May Queen) People commemorate the prevention of Gunpowder Plot that could have blown the Houses of Parliament in London in the 17 century. A thunder of fireworks, huge bonfires in city squares, burning of the Guy Fawkes’ effigy, celebrating the farewell to autumn. Ride the London Eye and the double decker bus along the river Thames, see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, take photos of the Big Ben and my favourite stars in the wax museum of Madame Tussaude, go over the Tower Bridge, spend several hours exploring St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London, have some fish and chips, visit the Sherlock Holmes museum,….. Stonehenge: Stonehenge is one of Europe's biggest stone circles. The earliest part of Stonehenge, the inner circle, is nearly 5,000 years old and many of the stones are 10 metres high. The stones used in the inner circle are believed to be from the Wales which are nearly 400 km away. It’s a really enigmatic place and an absolute must-see in Britain. I hope to go there in summer. I’d visit the Pleasure beach with its enormous amusement park including one of the fastest roller coasters in Europe, the Big One. Then I would certainly go to the beach and swim and sunbathe. I’d like to see the Roman Baths, One of the bestpreserved Roman sites in the UK. It contains an impressive set of thermal spas and an impressive Roman bathing house. It can accommodate more than just the residents of the town. It was a place to socialize and even a religious site.The Roman baths offer an incredible insight into the lives of ancient Romans around Britain. I want to see Ben Nevis, the Highest mountain on British Isles, it’s 1344 m. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people climb ‘The Ben’ each year. I’d like to do that too. I know that snow can be found on top of the mountain throughout the year. I’d visit Loch Ness lake. Although I know that some photos of the monster which is believed to live there are fake, the lake still fascinates me. The lake is enormous: it is more than 200 m deep and holds more water than in all of the lakes and rivers of England and Wales combined. Snowdonia is an area and an awesome national park, where I’ll see its stunning 360-degree views of the mountains, valleys and coast below, and if it happens to be a clear day, I’ll even see Ireland. It is located along the coast of Wales and is home to Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and England.

My favourite English writer is William Shakespeare. He is the finest English writer and poet. His plays, such as Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet and others have had a huge impact on culture, literature and language all over the world. My favourite play is Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet stretches across all generations and cultures in terms of theme. The dueling families, the teenage quest to interpret the difference between passion and desire

How can you characterize British people?

and real love, the role of a family friend or mentor and how to deal with the blows that life prepares for you – are eternal themes of the human life. People may deal with these issues at different times in their lives, but almost all people deal with at least one of these issues if not all. Some say that every love story written since owes at least a little something to this story of Juliet and her Romeo. Any love story needs an obstacle, something that keeps the lovers apart, at least temporarily. Shakespeare's version of an obstacle--the feud between the Montagues and Capulets--has been imitated so often it is now cliche. One aspect I've always found interesting about the play's popularity is that it is a love story with an unhappy ending. How rare is that! Of course, the play is a tragedy and contains much more than just the love story. And maybe it's the mix of romance and tragedy that makes the play so great. According to many opinions of people from different backgrounds who have been to England or have English friends or “mates” as the British say, they are In general nice and friendly people once they get to know you more. Everybody says in one voice that they’re very polite. Talking about sense of humour, they are often described as cynically funny and sarcastic. They are also obsessed about the weather - they’d discuss it no matter what the weather is like – freezing cold, boiling hot or just lovely. Thus British people love small talk and love pubs and beer. There is a great bond in families and family reunions are a rather frequent thing as well as having traditional roast dinners on such days. The British are said to have a sense of justice and fairness