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THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN

AND NORTHERN IRELAND: a profile

The UK official flag is called the Union Flag or the Union Jack. It consists of the red cross of Saint George (the patron saint of England ), edged in white, the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland ) and the white diagonal cross of Saint Andrew (the patron saint of Scotland ).

The Royal Coat of Arms depicts the lions symbolizing England and the Monarchy , the chained Unicorn symbolizing Scotland and the Harp which is the emblem of Northern Ireland.

Motto God And My Right Anthem God Save the Queen Capital (and the largest city) London Official Language English National Languages Scottish, Irish, Welsh (валлийский) Status Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy Government the British Monarch the Prime Minister

Area 244,820 km² Population 6 0,587, Density 246 km² Currency Pound sterling (£) (GBP) Time zone GMT UTC+0) Internet TLD .uk Calling code +

Historically, the country is divided into counties. At present, the four main administrative parts consist of regions and areas, which are subdivided into counties and districts.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country to the northwest of Europe. It consists of the island of Great Britain , the northeast part of the island of Ireland and many small islands. The largest island, Great Britain, is linked to France by the Channel Tunnel.

The Houses of Parliament are the seat of the British Parliament, the first parliament in the world (12th^ century).

ENGLAND: a profile

St. George's Flag The Royal Coat of Arms is England‟s Flag is the symbol of the English Throne

The national flower of England is the red rose. The flower has been adopted as England‟s emblem since the time of the Wars of the Roses, the civil wars (1455-

1485. between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and the royal house of York (whose emblem was a white rose).

The Royal Family

Queen Prince Prince Elisabeth II Charles William (the eldest son) (the eldest grandson)

Capital (and the largest city) London Motto God and My Right Anthem God Save the Queen Territory 130,395 km² Population 50,762, Patron Saint Saint George St. George’s Day 23 rd^ April

The Yeoman Warder or the Beefeater is a guard at the Tower of London

Stonehenge is a stone-age monument. It was erected in the Bronze Age in 2000- 2500 B.C.

SCOTLAND: a profile

The Flag of Scotland , known as St. Andrew's Cross , dates from the 9th century.

The Royal Coat of Arms

The national flower of Scotland is the thistle , which was first used in the 15th century as a symbol of defence. Scotland has several unofficial anthems.

Motto No One Provokes Me With Impunity Capital Edinburgh Largest City Glasgow Official Language English National Languages Scottish, Gaelic Territory 78,772 km² Population 5,116, Patron Saint Saint Andrew St. Andrew’s Day 30 th^ November

Ben Nevis (1,343 m.) is the highest peak in the British Isles

A piper , playing the Great Highland Bagpipe. The piper is dressed in a kilt , the Scottish national skirt, the textile pattern of which is tartan that often signifies a particular Scottish clan.

WALES: a profile

The Welsh Flag

The Flag of Saint David

The Coat of Arms

Motto Wales Forever Anthem Land of My Fathers Capital (and the largest city) Cardiff Official Language English National Language Welsh Territory 20,779 km² Population 2,958, Patron Saint Saint David St. David’s Day 1 st^ March

The English name Wales originates from the Germanic word Walha, meaning foreigner. The Welsh call themselves Cymry and their country Cymru in Welsh, which mean compatriots.

Wales is often known by the phrase the Land of Song because its people are fond of singing , music and poetry. The principal Welsh festival of music and poetry is the National Eisteddfod , which takes place annually in a different town or city.

The British Union Flag has the flags of Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, but does not have any Welsh representation. The Flag of Saint David is sometimes used as an alternative to the national flag and is flown on St. David’s Day.

The national flower of Wales is the daffodil. The vegetable called leek is also a traditional emblem of Wales.

On St. David‟s Day, Welshmen wear a daffodil or a leek.

NORTHERN IRELAND: a profile

Northern Ireland consists of 26 districts. Together they are commonly called Ulster.

The river is dyed green on St. Patrick‟s Day because this colour is the colour of Ireland. Some people call Ireland the Emerald Isle because the colour of the grass there is bright green.

Motto Who Shall Separate? Anthem God Save the Queen Londonderry Air ( de facto ) Capital (and the largest city)

Belfast Official Language English National Language Irish Territory 13,843 km² Population 1,710, Patron Saint Saint Patrick St. Patrick’s Day 17 th^ March

The national flower of Northern Ireland is the shamrock , a plant with three heart- shaped leaves (a three-leaf plant), similar to clover. An Irish tale tells of how Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. St. Patrick’s Day is an official bank holiday in Northern Ireland.

The Holy Trinity

THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND

NORTHERN IRELAND: A FACTFILE

The Map of the British Isles

There are two independent countries on the British Isles. They are:

 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (consisting of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland ), the capital is London ;  the Irish Republic or the Republic of Eire, the capital is Dublin.

1. The Names of the Country

 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии (official) or the United Kingdom – Соединенное Королевство (less official) or the UK (spoken English).

 Great Britain (geographically, an island). It is also called Britain.  England (geographically, a part of the country).  Britannia is the historical name of the country. It means the Land of Britons in Latin; a Briton – бритт.  Albion is the poetic name of the country, which is a White Land in Latin. It was Julius Caesar who called the country Albion in 55 B.C. because of the chalky cliffs, which he first saw on a bright sunny day.

2. The UK National Symbols

The British National Flag is the Union Flag , commonly known as the Union Jack. It has the flag of England (St. George‟s Cross), the flag of Scotland (St. Andrew‟s cross) and Saint Patrick‟s cross, representing Northern Ireland. Wales is not represented in the Union Jack.

The Royal Coat of Arms depicts the symbols which represent the parts of the country.

The Statue of Britannia in Plymouth is the symbol of the UK.

The national bird of the UK is Robin Redbreast (красногрудая малиновка).

God Save the Queen is the national anthem of the UK. In fact, it was a patriotic song, first performed in 1745. It became known as the national anthem at the beginning of the 19th^ century. The national anthem is played whenever the British monarch makes a public appearance. It is also played by the British Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC) every night before closedown. Besides, it is sung at the end of all important ceremonies, including football matches and other sports events.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN God save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen: Happy and glorious,^ Send her victorious, Long to reign over us: God save the Queen. O Lord, our God, arise, Scatter her enemies, Confound their politics,^ And make them fall. Frustrate their knavish tricks, On Thee our hopes we fix, God save us all. Thy choicest gifts in store, On her be pleased to pour; May she defend our laws,^ Long may she reign: To sing with heart and voice^ And ever give us cause God save the Queen.

When the monarch is a man, “Queen” is replaced by “King”.

The motto of the UK is Dieu et mon droit (French) that means God and My Right.

3. The Status and the Government of the UK

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy.

The monarch of the UK represents the royal power. The king or the queen of the UK is the head of the state. This monarch is also the head of the state of the fifteen other Commonwealth countries. It is a well-known fact that the monarch of the country reigns but doesn‟t rule.

Windsor Castle is another official residence of the British monarch. It has been a Royal home and fortress for over 900 years. Today the Castle is a working palace, used as a summer residence.

The Parliament or Westminster Parliament is the legislative body of the UK. It is located in the Palace of Westminster. The Parliament is made up of the monarch and two houses.

 The elected House of Commons is the lower house: it plays the major role in law- making and consists of 659 members of the Parliament (MP s for short); this house is presided over by the Speaker.  The appointed House of Lords is the upper house: it consists of peers and lords (пэры, лорды); this house is presided over by the Lord Chancellor who sits on a special seat, called the Woolsack.

General elections to the Parliament are held every five years.

The UK‟s three major political parties are the Conservative Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal Party. They appeared in Britain at the end of the 17th^ century.

Buckingham Palace is the official winter residence of the Royal family in London. It was built by the Duke of Buckingham in 1705 and bought by King George III in 1761.

 The Conservative Party, which is the ruling party in the UK, is often called the Tory Party. The word “tory” means an Irish highwayman (разбойник) and was applied to the conservatives by their opponents.  The Labour Party is the other ruling party that was founded by the Trade Unions, and has always been the opposition to the Conservative Party.  The members of the Liberal Party were called Whigs by the Tories. A whig was a Scottish preacher, who could go on for four or five hours at a time preaching moralizing sermons. The party stopped existing in 1988.  The Party of Liberal Democrats was formed in 1988 on the basis of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party; the latter appeared in 1981. The Conservative and Liberal Parties are the oldest parties. They were the only parties elected to the House of Commons until the end of the 19th^ century.

Westminster Palace is the place where the British Parliament sits. The north-eastern part of this palace is the clock tower Big Ben, named by the Londoners after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw the installation of the Great Bell. As Sir Benjamin was a very tall man, his nickname was Big Ben.

The Prime Minister represents the executive branch of power and is the UK‟s head of the government. He/she is the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons and this very party forms the British government. The Prime Minister presides over the Cabinet, which consists of 20 ministers or Ministers of the Crown. They are traditionally chosen from the members of the Prime Minister‟s party. The first woman prime minister of Britain was Margaret Thatcher.

The Shadow Cabinet or His or Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition is the cabinet in opposition to the Prime Minister‟s cabinet. It consists of the members of the second largest party. The Shadow Cabinet‟s responsibility is to criticize the government and to offer alternative policies.

The UK is one of the three countries in the world, along with New Zealand and Israel, that has no single constitutional document. The main constitutional document is the Magna Carta (Charta) signed by King John in 1215. Although there is no written constitution in the UK, the UK‟s unwritten constitution governs the country and consists mostly of written sources, including statutes, court judgements and European treaties.

The judicial power in the UK is partially represented by the monarch, the constitution and the High Court.

Thus, the four branches of power in the UK are represented by:  the Monarch (the royal power);  the Parliament and its Houses (the legislative power);  the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (the executive power);  the Monarch, the Constitution and the High Court (the independent judicial power).

10 Downing Street or Number 10 in London is the official residence of the Prime Minister. It is situated near the Palace of Westminster, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Number 10 is almost three hundred years old and has 100 rooms.

4. The Geography of the UK and its Location

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country to the northwest of Europe. The UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea.

The English Channel (Английский канал) is also called “Пролив Ла-Манш” (it is the official name of the channel in French). The narrowest part of the English Channel has two names. The English name is the Strait of Dover (Дуврский пролив) because Dover is an English town, but the French name of this strait is Pas de Calais ( Па-де-Кале ) as Calais is a French town. In French, it means “a step to Calais”. Great Britain is connected to France by means of the Channel Tunnel, which is constructed under the strait.

There are no very big rivers in the UK. The biggest are the Severn (the longest) and the Thames (the deepest).

There are quite many lakes in the UK. The sixteen of them are in the Lake District. This place is a very popular resort because of the beautiful lakes which give it its name. The deepest lake in the UK is Loch Morar. Loch Ness is the second deepest lake of the country, which is also famous for its monster and the legend about it.

There are a lot of mountains in the UK. The biggest mountain chains are the Cheviot Hills (the Cheviots), which separate England from Scotland, and the Pennine Chain (the Pennines), which is also called the backbone of England. The ten tallest mountains in the UK are all located in Scotland. The highest point of the UK, Ben Nevis , is in the Scottish Highlands, too.

Loch Morar (^) Loch Ness

5. The Climate and the Environment of the UK

The climate of the UK is usually cool, temperate and humid. The weather in Britain changes quite often because of the winds, the seas and the Gulf Stream. Summers are not hot and winters are not cold in Britain. As a rule, there is no ice on the water of the rivers and the lakes. The temperature seldom drops below −10 °C (14.0 °F) or rises above +35 °C (95 °F). So we may say that the British weather has three main features: it is mild, humid and very changeable. The well-known joke about it is: there is no bad weather, there are bad clothes.

The Fauna and the Flora of the UK

The UK is not really rich in animals, birds and plants. The animals are squirrels, rabbits, hares, hedgehogs and others. The birds are golden eagles, kingfishers (зимородки), pigeons and sparrows. But there are many trees and about 1, different kinds of wild flowers in Britain.

6. The Capital of the UK

The capital of the UK is London which is situated on both banks of the river Thames and has the population of seven million people. There are four areas or boroughs in London: Westminster, the City, the West End, and the East End.

Westminster is the governmental and political centre of London. Westminster Palace ( the seat of the Houses of Parliament ), Westminster Abbey and Scotland Yard are there. There are also such important streets as Whitehall (the street, in which the important government offices are located) and Downing Street (the London residence of the Prime Minister and the place where the Cabinet meets).

Westminster Abbey is used for the coronation of all the British monarchs. William the Conqueror became the first king, crowned in the abbey.

The City or Square Mile is the commercial and business centre of London with many offices, banks and the Stock Exchange. It is the oldest part of London, its area is about a square mile. Only five thousand people live here, but more than a million people work in this area. There are also some historical sights in the City. Among them are the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral. The best- known street here is Fleet Street, where most newspapers have their offices.

The West End is London‟s main entertainment and shopping district. It is associated with wealth, luxury and goods of high quality. There are a lot of historical places in this part of London, such as Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden (the famous Royal Opera House) , Trafalgar Square (named after the battle at Trafalgar) and Piccadilly Circus. London is also famous for its parks, which are Hyde Park with its Speaker’s Corner, Kensington Gardens, St. James’s Park and London Zoo. The National Gallery, Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum and the Tate Gallery (which was named

St. Paul’s Cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1708.

The Tower of London. It was a fortress, a royal palace, a prison, and it is a museum now.

Bishops gate in the City of London

The skyline of the City of London

Tower Bridge

after its founder Sir Henry Tate ) are well-known, too. The West London area is also known for its fashionable and expensive residential areas, such as Notting Hill, Knightsbridge and Chelsea.

The University of London is also in the West End. Bloomsbury is London‟s student quarter. (Cf: In Paris , the Sorbonne University is in Latin Quarter – Латинский квартал – a district, where students and artists live.)

The Royal Academy

Trafalgar Square with Nelson’s Column

Buckingham Palace Piccadilly Circus at night

The Tate Gallery The National Gallery

The Royal Opera House, also known as Covent Garden (=a convent garden), is the leading theatre of opera and ballet in London.

The East End is the eastern side of London, which is near the Port of London. It is also one of the poorest areas in London, where working people live. It is an industrial district, which is very important for the UK‟s commerce and trade. Greater London (Большой Лондон) is an administrative part, which includes the city of London, its suburbs, outskirts and the surrounding counties.

7. The Parts of the UK The parts of the UK are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 England : London is the capital. The English (англичане) – an Englishman (woman); British English is the state language.  Scotland : Edinburgh is the capital. The Scots (шотландцы) = the Scottish and the Scotch: a Scotsman (woman) in English, a Scotchman (woman) in Scottish; British English is the state language, Scottish (шотландский) is the national language.  Wales : Cardiff is the capital. The Welsh (валлийцы) – a Welshman (woman); British English is the state language, Welsh (валлийский язык) is the national language.  Northern Ireland (Ulster – Ольстер): Belfast is the capital. The Irish (ирландцы) – an Irishman (woman); British English is the state language, Irish is the national language.

Many national newspapers edited in London have traditionally been associated with Fleet Street in the City, but they are now primarily based around Canary Wharf.

The skyline of Canary Wharf, London.

City Hall is the headquarters of the Greater London Administration.

8. The Religions in the UK

Christianity is the largest religion in the UK. About 21% of the people living in England, Scotland and Wales are Christians and belong to the Church of England. The second and the third most popular religions in the UK are Hinduism and Sikhism (последователи сикхизма, секты в индуизме).

9. The History of the UK

900 B.C. – 55 B.C. (B.C. – Before Christ = до н.э.): The Celts (кельты) arrive in and settle on the isles. London is just a small settlement, called Llyn-din ( a lonely port in Celtic). 55 B.C. : Julius Caesar invades the isles. 43 A.D. (A.D. – Anno Domini – in the year of Our God = н.э.): England is added to the Roman Empire. The Romans call the land Britannia and its Celtic inhabitants Britons (бритты). Llyn-din becomes Londinium. Latin, the language of Romans, influences the Celtic tongues. 410 A.D. : During the Migration Period (Великое переселение народов), waves of Angles, Saxons and Jutes arrive from the German lands. These Germanic tribes conquer the Celtic population (or Britons) and give England its name Angle land. They speak their languages. That is why the English and the German of this period resemble each other. 1066 : The French-speaking Normans (short for northmen ) arrive from Normandy, the dukedom in the north of France. At the battle near Hastings, they defeat the Anglo- Saxons, and the Norman Duke William becomes the English king William I, the Conqueror. London (which is no longer Londinium) becomes the capital of the country. It is from the union of the Norman conquerors and the defeated Anglo- Saxons that the English people and the English language are born. First the Norman noblemen speak Norman French; the common people speak their own tongue. Later the mixture of these languages gives birth to modern English. Thus Latin, German and French have influenced English greatly.

1215 : The Magna Carta (Charta) is signed by King John, who is forced by the nobles. The document is a guarantee of rights and the rule of law ( Великая хартия вольностей ). The foundation of the parliamentary system is laid. The House of Lords is established. 1265 : The first House of Commons is elected. Thus the British Parliament (the first in the world) is established. It consists of the House of Lords (the upper house) and the House of Commons (the lower house). The members are MPs. 1301 : King Edward I defeats the Welsh and awards his new-born son the noble title of the Prince of Wales. Since then, the eldest son of the British monarch is the Prince of Wales (Принц Уэльский) and his wife is the Princess of Wales (Принцесса Уэльская). 1536 : Wales is finally conquered and becomes the official part of England. 1642 – 1649 : A bloody civil war is waged by the Parliament and the monarchy. King Charles I is executed; a republic is proclaimed under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell , a London brewer. 1660 : The monarchy is restored. 1665: The Great Plague in London kills thousands of people. 1666 : The Great Fire of London nearly destroys the town. It breaks out in the City and quickly burns London‟s wooden houses and buildings. Later London is rebuilt and becomes one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. 1707 : England and Scotland are united as the Kingdom of Great Britain. 1801 : Ireland is conquered, and the union of Great Britain and Ireland is called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The national flag, the Union Flag (Союзный Флаг) or the Union Jack (sp. Eng.), is established: Union = союз (a union of four nations), a jack = морской гюйс, флаг корабля. 1805 : At the battle of Trafalgar (a cape), Admiral Nelson defeats Napoleon‟s invasion armies. Admiral Nelson is deadly wounded. Trafalgar Square in London is named after this event. The Nelson Column (or Monument) is in its centre. 1912 : The Titanic (the best and the largest ship then) collides with an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean and sinks. More than 1,500 lives perish.

1914 – 1918 : World War I: Great Britain, France and Russia fight against Germany, Italy and Austria. 1921 – 1922 : Ireland becomes a British dominion. Most of Ireland separates and becomes the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland (Ulster – Ольстер) remains part of the United Kingdom. 1922: The official name of the country is changed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 1931 : The Statute of Westminster recognizes the independence of the dominions. They are united as the British Commonwealth of Nations , an association of self- governing autonomous states. 1939 – 1945 : World War II : the USSR, Great Britain, France and the USA fight against Germany, Italy and Japan. 6 th^ June, 1944 : D-Day (D is short for “day”= День “Д”, i.e. “день с большой буквы”, важный день): The Allies (the UK and the USA) land in Normandy, France, and the Second Front is opened. 1947 : The British Empire stops existing. The British Commonwealth of Nations becomes the Commonwealth of Nations.

The History of the British Empire

17 – 18 centuries : Under Queen Elizabeth I , England becomes a great sea power. In her reign and later, the English conquer countries and areas in the New World and the Orient. Ireland becomes the first English colony. 19 th^ century : In the reign of Queen Victoria , England keeps on expanding its colonial domain. 1870 : The term The British Empire gets into use. 1920 : The British Empire becomes the largest in the world‟s history (a quarter of the world‟s population on a quarter of the planet‟s land surface). The British ambitiously say, “The sun never sets in the British Empire.” By 1931 : The British Empire evolves into the British Commonwealth of Nations. Many colonies become dominions.

1940 - 1950 : Due to the liberation movement, all the colonies get independent, and the British Empire stops existing. However, the British monarch is still the head of the state in many dominions, which are governed by governor-generals representing the British Crown. That is why the British monarch reigns but doesn‟t rule (even in the Mother Country or the Old Country).

The History of the Population

 Earlier: the Iberians (иберийцы), who were the early inhabitants and invaders; the Celts (кельты); the Romans ; the Anglo-Saxons (Germanic tribes); the Danes (датчане); the Normans (= northmen).  At present: the British (британцы, the nation as a whole), including the English , the Scottish (the Scots), the Welsh (валлийцы), the Irish ; the nationality: a Britisher (британец) – a British subject (британский подданный) – a Briton (in a romantic, political or patriotic context).

The Royal House of Windsor

King George VI (died in 1952). Queen Elizabeth (his wife) – the Queen Mother (Королева-мать). Elizabeth II (his daughter) – the ruling monarch (1952 – up to now). Prince Philip (her husband) – the Duke of Edinburgh (Герцог Эдинбургский). Prince Charles (the eldest son) – the Prince of Wales (Принц Уэльский); his 1st^ wife (born Diana Spencer ) was the Princess of Wales (Принцесса Уэльская); his 2d^ wife (born Camilla Rosemary ) is the Duchess of Cornwall (Герцогиня Корнуэльская). Prince Andrew (the elder son) – the Duke of York; his wife is the Duchess of York (Герцог и Герцогиня Йоркские). Princess Anne (the only daughter) – the Princess Royal (≈ Великая Княжна). Prince Edward (the youngest son) – no title. Prince William, Prince Henry (Harry) – Prince Charles and Lady Diana‟s sons. Prince William – the Duke of Cambridge (Герцог Кембриджский); his wife (born Catherine Middleton ) is the Duchess of Cambridge (Герцогиня Кембриджская).

10. The Currency and Economy of the UK

The currency of the UK is the pound sterling or the British sterling, represented by the symbol £. It is the third-largest currency after the U.S. dollar and the euro.

The currency used at present Coins: 1 penny, 2 pence, 5 pence, 10 pence, 50 pence, one pound, 2 pounds. All the coins carry the Queen‟s head on the front. Notes: 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 20 pounds, 50 pounds.

On the 13th^ of March 2007, a new £20 note was issued by the Bank of England. The new note shows the image of Adam Smith (the 18th^ century economist), which makes him the first Scottish citizen on a UK banknote. However, the British monarch is depicted on the other banknotes. By the way, the £20 note is the most commonly used note nowadays.

The Bank of England is the central bank of the UK, responsible for issuing currency.

The UK’s economy is made up of the economies of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Today the UK is the sixth largest economy in the world and the third largest in Europe after Germany and France.

Manufacturing is a significant part of the country‟s economy. It includes the British motor industry (aerospace engines for civil and defence aircraft and Rolls-Royce) and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

The UK service sector is also highly developed. Financial services, especially in banking and insurance, form the biggest part of this sector.

Tourism is another important sphere of the British economy. The UK is the sixth major tourist country, and London is one of the most visited cities in the world.

11. The Educational System of the UK

Each part of the UK has its own educational system. In general, there are three stages in the UK state educational system.  Primary education includes pre-schooling (a nursery school playground or a kindergarten under 5 years) and a primary school : infant classes (5-7 years) and junior classes (7-11 years).  Secondary education is compulsory and given in the secondary (comprehensive) school : at the age of 16 the pupils get the GCSE, i.e. the General Certificate of Secondary Education (an examination); at the age of 18 they get the A-level GCE, i.e. the Advanced Level General Certificate of Education (an examination to enter universities).  Higher education is the university level education, which is not under the state control, i.e. students have to pay for it.

All the coins carry the Queen’s head.

The most famous public schools in the UK are Eton, Harrow, Rugby, Winchester. The fees for the tuition in these schools are very high. Children can enter these schools only through preparatory schools at about 11-13 years of age on the basis of the examination, known as Common Entrance.

It is interesting to know that Rugby is a town, the public school in this town and a kind of football, that originated in Rugby School for boys (also called rugger).

There are many colleges and universities in the UK. The total number is 100.

After three years of study, a university graduate gets a Bachelor’s Degree (ученая степень бакалавра), i.e. a Bachelor of Arts or B.A. (бакалавр гуманитарных наук) and a Bachelor of Science or B.S. (бакалавр технических или естественных наук). After a year or two more of study, a university graduate gets a Master’s Degree (ученая степень магистра), i.e. a Master of Arts or M.A. and a Master of Science or M.S. The highest degree is a Doctor’s Degree (ученая степень доктора), traditionally called a Doctor of Philosophy or Ph.D. (доктор философии); research work for any number of years is necessary to obtain this degree.

Oxford and Cambridge are the two “intellectual eyes of Britain”.

Harrow School (^) Rugby School

King’s College ( part of the University of Cambridge)

Eton College

The University of Oxford (the oldest)

Oxford is a town and the oldest university founded in the 12th^ century. Cambridge is also a town and the second oldest university founded at the beginning of the 13th^ century. Oxbridge is made up of the two words: Oxford and Cambridge. Camford is also made up of these two words: Cambridge and Oxford.

The Redbrick universities are also well-known. They are called so because they were made of red brick in the 19-20 centuries in London, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham.

The Open University is a special educational institution for people, who study in their free time and who “attend” lectures by watching TV, listening to the radio, using the Internet. They keep in touch with their teachers by phone, letter, e-mail and attend summer schools to have consultations, tests and exams. The graduates have no formal qualifications after graduation.

12. The Island of Great Britain

Great Britain is the largest of the two main islands of the British Isles and makes up most of the territory of the UK. It is also the largest island in Europe and the ninth- largest island in the world. It is surrounded by over 1,000 smaller islands and islets. England, Scotland and Wales are situated on the island.

England is a part of the Island of Great Britain. It consists of nine regions, divided into 45 counties, and Greater London (Большой Лондон). The main cities are

The Victoria Building, the University of Liverpool

The Aston Webb building, the University of Birmingham

London (the capital), Birmingham (the UK‟s second largest city after London, “the workshop of the world” or the “city of a thousand trades”), Manchester (a textile centre), Bristol (a cultural centre), Leeds (the country‟s largest centre of business and finance), Oxford and Cambridge (the university towns), Stratford-upon-Avon (the native town of William Shakespeare).

The two main rivers of the UK, the Thames and the Severn, flow through England. Lots of England‟s best sights are located in the southern counties.

Scotland is the second part of the Island of Great Britain. It consists of nine regions and areas. The main cities are Edinburgh (the capital), Aberdeen (an industrial centre), Glasgow (a cultural centre), Liverpool (a port and the native town of The Beatles ). Scotland consists of the Highlands , the Lowlands and the Southern Uplands ( high hills). Castles are the main sights of Scotland.

Great Roman Ruins of Bath

Castle Stalker Edinburgh Castle

Canterbury Cathedral Lincoln Cathedral