1 COUNTRY AND PEOPLE:

1. How does the number of 'British' national teams vary in selected sports? (give at least 2
examples)
GB and Republic of Ireland (Olympics), England + Wales, Scotland, Ireland (cricket), England, Wales,
Scotland, Ireland (Rugby union), England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland (football)

2. What are the geographical names (individual and collective, established and alternative) of the
islands lying off the north-west coast of Europe, and what is the problem with them?

British Isles – outdated (refers to time when Ireland was politically under England) = north-east
Atlantic archipelago, north-west European archipelago, IONA – Islands of north Atlantic, The Isles –
none is widely used.
Great Britain and Ireland – geographically incorrect as there are also the Channel Islands (Jersey and
Guernsey) and the Isle of Man – these are “crown dependencies”

3. What are the Crown Dependencies and what is their status with respect to the UK? Who governs
them on behalf of the Monarch, and who appoints these officials?

The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man – not a part of the UK, but independent countries in
federacy with UK, they have their own tax system, parliament and etc. Lieutenant Governor is
appointed by the British government for each.

4. Which two states cover the area of the British Isles? Give their full (official) and other (shortened
or informal) names and the contexts in which they are used.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – United Kingdom (United nations, EU
parliament, Eurovision etc..) – UK (informal speech) – Great Britain (international banks, the
Olympics) – Britain (generally)
The Republic of Ireland (formal) – Eire (native) – Ireland, Republic (informal)

5. What is the origin of the adjective ‘great’ in the name 'Great Britain'?

Differentiation from the area of Brittany, which is in France (great = big)

6. In which year was the political unification of the UK completed, and when did most of Ireland
become a separate state?

1800 – unification 1922 – separation of Ireland (good for them)

7. How do the English differ from the Welsh, Irish and highland Scots racially and linguistically, and
what aspects of British life still reflect these differences today?

The English come from Germanic culture as opposed to the Celtic origins of the Welsh, Irish and
highland Scots.
Difference in economic, legal and social systems even today and strong nationalism
8. What are the alternative (historical or poetic) names of the four nations of the UK?

GB – Albion (albus – white cliffs, Latin and Greek name, mostly England, Scotland of GB as a whole)

Britannia = roman province

Wales – Cambria

Scotland – Caledonia

Ireland – Hibernia (hist.), Erin (poetic – Emerald Island)

9. What are the personifications of Britishness and Englishness called, how are they depicted and
where are they used?

Britannia / rear side of the coin for 3000 years – woman with helmet and spear, John Bull – Mascot of
sorts, looks like British 18th cent. Gentleman / cartoons and football matches

10. What are the typical signs (surnames and names) of national identity associated with the
individual nations of the UK?

Sean O’Connor/Nic’Connor – Irish, Ian Mac/McDonald – Scottish, Morgan, Williams, Evans – Welsh, John
Smith - English

10. What are the typical signs (clothes and musical instruments) of national identity associated with
the individual nations of the UK?

Bagpipes, kilts, ire + wales – harp, ire – tin whistle?,

11. What are the typical signs (national characteristics) of national identity associated with the
individual nations of the UK?

Irish – great talker, scots – careful with money, welsh – good singers

12. What are the flags of the four nations of the UK?

St. George’s cross (eng), Dragon od Cadwallader (wales), St. patric’s cross (north ireland), st. andrew’s
cross (scotland), + lion rampant (republic)

13. What are the national plants of the four nations of the UK?

Shamrock- Ireland, leek/daffodil – wales, thistle – Scotland, rose - england

14. What are the national colours of the four nations of the UK?

White – eng red – wales, blue – scot, green - ireland

15. What are the patron saints of the four nations of the UK?

Eng – st. George, ire – st. Patric, scot – st. Andrew, wales – st. David

16. How can the common use of England/English to mean Britain/British be explained?
British domination and colonization of the other nations as well as it’s popularity/ dominion in
foreign media as well
17. Where can the dominance of England (at the expense of the other three nations) be detected
today?

Bank of England controls UKs money system, English is the main language, Elizabeth II (Eli I only ruled in
England + Wales), the popularity of England in mass media,

18. What are the divisions and crossovers of national loyalties among many people in Britain (in
terms of their national self-identification and support for teams in sporting contests)?

For the English Britain often equals England (much like the rest of the world)

People who are not white English will prefer the team of their birth country/ their parents country to
win over England, but will prefer England winning over other foreign nations, most children of
immigrants will identify with their non-English heritage

20. What are the populations of the four nations and the whole of the UK? (you can give
approximate, round numbers)

UK – 60.6 millions

Eng – 50.8

Ire – 1.7

Wal – 3

Scot – 5.1

21. What are the largest recognizable/identifiable ethnic groupings in the UK other than ‘white
British’? What is interesting about the number of people who came to Britain from eastern Europe?

Asian (Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi), black Caribbean, Irish

We have no exact numbers of people from eastern Europe

22. What is the Union flag called and what symbols is it composed of?

The crosses of the flags of the 4 nations (except the dragon) – Union Jack
3 GEOGRAPHY:

1. What is characteristic of Britain's physical geography (= of the land and climate)?

Island nation. The climate is quite similar to that of north-western Europe, however without extremes –
there can be warm days in winter and cold rains in summer. The land has mountains but they are
generally not very tall, and plain, but they are not very big. It does however have a lot of variability with
hills, plains, fields with hedgerows and moors.

2. Which part of Britain gets more rain than the opposite part? Why is it so?

The west is more rainy than the east.

3. Which part of Britain has slightly colder winters than the opposite part? Why is it so?

The east has slightly colder winters, while south has warmer summers. Idk honestly.

4. Why has Britain's climate got such a bad reputation and who created the image of a wet, foggy land
in the past?

The invading Romans (coming from the south of EU) 2000 years ago. It was since perpetuated by
Hollywood filmmakers.

5. Which parts of Britain are generally low-lying and which are mountainous?

The east and south of Britain are generally low-lying and the west and north are more mountainous.

6. Britain has got a greater proportion of which type of the countryside compared to other European
countries? Grassland.

7. Fields, especially in southern England, are divided from each other by:

Hedgerows.

8. How do English and Welsh cities differ from those in other European countries and why is it so?

They were build out instead of up, so they have much bigger outskirts. People in England and Wales like
their privacy, so they prefer longer commute to living in an apartment block.

9. What is the proportion of Britain's population living in towns?

80%

10. Which two words is the word smog a combination of and why was it first used in Britain?

Smoke and fog. Britain was one of the first places that got industrialized, which led to overwhelming
amounts of smoke, further more London was already famous for it’s thick fogs.

11. What were pea-soupers and through which works of literature did they become famous?

Thick fogs in London – so thick you could barely see where you were going. They got famous mostly
through the works of Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories about Sherlock Holmes.
12. Apart from drowning, what else could happen to a person who fell into the Thames in mid-19th c.?

They could get an illness such as typhus, so you got your stomach immediately pumped.

13. How else did the river Thames make life in London unpleasant at the time?

It smelled horribly.

14. What helped to lessen air pollution in the 1960s and 1970s and what caused an increase in it
again?

Laws were passed, which prevented people from warming their houses with open coal fires, which
stopped much of the pollution from the factories, however with the use of motor cars, it is becoming a
problem once more.

15. What is the original walled city of London colloquially known as today?

‘The square mile’.

16. Why did the city of London not contain Parliament and the royal court?

It would’ve interfered with the autonomy of merchants and traders who lived and worked there.

17. Which part of London is famous for its many theatres and cinemas? West End.

18. Which part is known as the poorer residential area of central London and what is its famous slang
called? East End, cockney – both the people and the accent.

19. What is known as commuter land? Places adjacent to London suburbs, where most people, who
work in London live. These are the most densely populated areas which do not include a large city.

20. What is the county of Kent known as and why?

‘The Garden of England’, it’s because of the many kinds of crops (fruits and vegetables) that are grown
there.

21. Which are Britain's second and third largest cities?

Birmingham, Liverpool

22. What is Birmingham and the surrounding area known as and what was its industry during the
Industrial Revolution?

The ‘Black country’, it was the engineering center focused on heavy industry, including steel and iron.

23. What is meant by the north-south divide? The believed divide between the poor north and richer
south.

24. What is the name of the mountains dividing northern England and why did the surrounding areas
become center of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th c.?

The Pennine mountains. The surrounding areas had access to coal and iron ore, which provided fuel and
material for machinery in the industrial revolution.
25. Which areas were the world's leading producers of cotton and woolen goods respectively in the
19th c.?

Manchester – cotton, Bradford and Leeds - wool

26. Which is the largest National Park in England and which writers are associated with it?

The Lake district. The Romantic poets; Coleridge, Wordsworth, Southey

27. What are Scotland's three clearly-marked regions and which one is most populated?

Southern uplands, central plain, the highlands. The most populated is the central plain.

28. What was Glasgow famous for in European design and architecture at the turn of the 19th c.?

The Gorbals, which had some of the worst housing conditions.

29. Which Glasgow football team is considered Catholic and which Protestant?

Celtic – Catholic, Rangers - Protestant

30. What is Edinburgh called and why?

‘The Athens of the North’, because of it’s historical buildings and castle on a rock, which is located in the
middle of the city.

31. Where do most people of Wales live? In the south-east of the country.

32. What used to be the typical industry of Wales? Coal mining, especially in the south.

33. Where is the largest National Park in Britain and what is its name?

It is called Snowdon, and it’s in the north-east of Wales.

34. Where would you find the Giant's Causeway and why is it called so?

It’s on the north coast of Northern Ireland and it is called so, because the rocks in the area look like giant
stepping stones.

4 IDENTITY

1. What is Scottish distinctiveness felt through?

They have very distinctive way of speaking and separate education, law and welfare systems, which
differ from the rest of Britain, including printing their own banknotes

2. Where in Scotland is felt a genuinely Scottish Gaelic sense of cultural identity?

Western Isles of Scotland and the adjoining land.

3. What is the difference between Scottish Gaelic (Gallic) and Scots?

4. Which Scottish tradition is associated with 25 January and how is it celebrated (what is haggis,
reels, Tam o` Shanter, Dundee cake, Sir Walter Scott's role)?

‘Burn’s supper’

Haggis = typical food made out of sheep stomach Reels = traditional dances Tam o’Shanter = narrative
poem written by Robert Burns + a cap of traditional highland dress Dundee cake = a rich fruit cake,
originally probably from Dundee Sir Walter Scott’s role =

5. Which nation has got more well-known symbols of their national identity – the Welsh or the Scots?
The Scots.

6. In what way does the organization of public life in Wales differ from that of Scotland?

In the same way the Scottish organization of public life differs from England.

7. What is the nature of many Welsh people's feeling of loyalty to Wales?

For many people it is simply geographical.

8. What is the most important symbol of Welsh identity and how is it reinforced?

The Welsh language – it is taught in schools, played on TV, written in newspapers and on signs etc…

9. Which UK nation makes no distinction between British and their own ethnic identity? The English.

10. The great wave of immigration that took place between 1950 and 1965 was from:

From the Caribbean and from Asia (mostly India, Pakistan, and similar…)

11. What is the difference between the nuclear family and the extended family?

Nuclear family includes just your parents and siblings (possibly children)/ only the people that live
together in one place, while your extended family includes everyone else.

12. What are the nicknames of people from Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and (part of) London?

Liverpool – Liverpuddlians/Scousers Manchester – Mancunians Newcastle – Geordies London – Cockney

13. In which counties is there a stronger sense of geographical identity and how is it reflected?

Yorkshire, Cornwall – e.g. the Cornish will talk about ‘going to England’ when leaving Cornwall,

14. How do the 'northerners' and 'southerners' view each other?

The ‘northerners’ consider themselves more honest, hard-working, warm-hearted and tougher than the
“soft, hypocritical and unfriendly” ‘southerners’.
15. What is a typical feature of London's Cockney slang and can you give any examples?

It often rhymes. Duke of Kent = rent, bags of mystery = sausages, Adam and Eve = believe, Rosie Lea =
tea, China plates = mates, porkies = lies, dog and bone = phone, rabbit and pork = talk, apples and pears
= stairs

16. What are double-barreled names and why have their numbers increased over the last decades?

They hyphenated names consisting of both the husbands and the brides names. They are increasing due
to the rise of feminism.

17. Do the British celebrate name-days?

No, only the immigrants do nowadays.

18. What is the most prestigious accent in Britain known as?

‘received pronunciation’ or RP

19. What is the combination of standard English spoken with an RP accent usually referred to as?

‘BBC English’ or ‘Queen’s English’ (now kings?)

20. How does the opposition RP accent – regional accent indicate someone's class?

People with regional accents are usually thought to be working class. (Exceptions in Scotland and Ireland
exist, where some regional accents are “higher valued” than RP even.)

21. Why is someone's accent a clearer indication of his/her class than his/her ability to speak standard
English?

Standard English is taught in schools, however most people don’t alter their accents on day-to-day basis.

22. What is the meaning and the connotation of the word posh?

It has negative connotation as it means being pretentious or snobbish. “pretending to be of higher class
than one is”

23. What is inverted snobbery and what is the belief behind it?

When people describe themselves, or try to adopt mannerism of a class that is technically lower than
the one they belong to. It based on the belief that the lower class is somehow better – more honest,
deserving etc..

24. How has the Anglican Church opened its door to women?

25. How do the two communities of the polarized Northern Irish society differ and how is this
reflected in real life?

Catholics, who want independence from UK and Protestants, who have Welsh or English heritage and
want to stay in the UK.
26. Which sport does and which does not show the typical segregation of the Northern Irish society
and why?

The football, being a lower-class sport, has separate teams while rugby, which is more of a middle-class
sport, has only one in which both parties play and cheer alongside each other.

27. Why are the British not usually actively patriotic?

Because Britain as a whole is built on English supremacy and a history of colonization and control.

28. Which event from the early 1980s brought about a wave of patriotism in Britain?

29. Which country is the popular British image of Europe usually associated with?

05 ATTITUDES

1. Which areas of life does the popular belief that Britain is a 'land of tradition' (not) apply to, and
how is this manifested?

In private life; there aren’t many old customs that people uphold on special occasions, the English
language has fewer proverbs or phrases than other languages and Britain has very few local parades or
processions which are rooted in folklore.

2. What is the stereotyped image of the London 'city gent'? Bowler hat.

3. What is the iconic version of the London red bus called, and how does its (hi)story illustrate the
British love of tradition?

The Routemaster – it was supposed to re-painted by private company, but people didn’t want the well-
known color to change, eventually it stayed the same red as it’s always been, and is now a tourist
attraction.

4. Give 3 examples of supposedly typical British habits connected with food and drink which are
simply not typical any more. What is the reality?

Tea drinkers – not particularly, especially no one has time for afternoon tea,

English Breakfast – again no one’s got the time, so most people breakfast ‘continental breakfast’

Afternoons tea – has always been a thing of the minority

5. What wrong conclusion can be drawn from the British habit of queuing? How does the author argue
against such an explanation? How do some other authors (A. A. Gill) explain this habit?

It could be said that they are patient people, who like queueing however the statistics of ‘queue rage’
that people experience reportedly suggest otherwise. A.A. Gill says the British queue so that they don’t
kill each other,
6. What is behind British anti-intellectualism, how is it manifested, what contradicts it, and why is it
probably better seen as a specifically English characteristic, and not a British one?

People who are academic are seen either as not a team player or, in the case of men, effeminate. People
are therefore not prone to announce their education to the world, nor to pay for private tutors or even
go to university. However, even though this does resonate through the Isles, it is still seen as more of a
English thing. The Scottish have always placed a high value on education for all classes. The Irish o f all
classes place a high value on being quick, ready, and able with words. The Welsh have long exported
teachers to other parts o f Britain and beyond.

7. How is English anti-intellectualism reflected in vocabulary? (give and explain 7 examples)

Swot, teacher’s pet, smartarse, clever (too clever by a half = cannot be trusted), intellectual = negative
con., to say someone ‘gets all their ideas form books’ = to lack common sense,

8. Where in Britain are multicultural communities most likely to be found, how do the divergences
between imported and traditional attitudes/values in Britain compare with those in the USA, and
what contribution have the new British made to British life and attitudes?

They are likely to be found in big cities, however unlike USA, they do not have the space to create
exclusive communities, which would have little to no contact with the British or other cultures.

9. What are the three possible perceptions/interpretations of the concept of multiculturalism, and
which one is dominant? Give examples of some negatively viewed aspects of their application.

‘salad bowl’- is dominant, but also believed to be perhaps being taken too far (viewing the cultures as
almost separate) ‘melting pot’ ‘separation’

10. Why and how has the procedure for becoming a British citizen changed?

It used to be enough to be a resident, but nowadays people must study the Life in the UK and pass the
official test as well as go through a formal ceremony.

11. Give examples of how British conservatism manifests itself in the British liking for symbols of
tradition and dislike of change/modernity. Why does the author consider this as paradoxical with
respect to British mentality?

They consider themselves worse of than were people in the past, despite being healthier, having labor
laws and cleaner air. They also like their houses, pubs, Christmas cards, etc.. looking older. They
complain about changes and are inclined to agree with politicians, who talk about ‘traditional’ families,
despite most of them not living like that.

12. How does Britain compare with other countries in terms of the number of CCTVs, and why is this
fact curious?

They have far more CCTV’s than any other EU country, which is ironic as they are known for liking their
privacy.
13. In what matters does British conservatism combine with British individualism, and how is the
resulting pride in being different reflected in the side for driving in Britain, its time zone and start of
the financial year?

They are pick/mes who want to be different as well as keep the world around them as it used to be.

14. Give examples of how British conservatism has manifested itself in the public resistance to the
metric system (in volume, temperature, and weight/mass measurement). Who were the 'metric
martyrs', what does the fund named after them do, and what characteristically British attitude drives
it?

British people don’t like using metric system, most do not even understand Celsius. They use, pounds,
feet, pints and Fahrenheits. Two greengrocers became ‘ metric martyrs’ after they failed to sell their
produce by kilos instead of pounds. Their fund now helps others with similar problems.

15. What do British length/height/distance and weight measurements (inch, foot, yard, mile, pound,
stone) equal (approximately) in metric measures?

Inch=2.53 cm foot=30.48 cm yard=0.92 m mile=1.6 km pound =0.45 kg stone=6.38 kg

16. Give 2 examples of Britain's pioneering role in nature/countryside conservation. Name Britain's
leading conservation charity, and illustrate its activities, strength, and which 2 British attitudes it
embodies.

The National Trust – they are the largest one in EU, 3rd biggest land owner, they buy land to prevent it
from being built on or otherwise destroyed.

Countryside= stability = conservatism

17. What negative/positive associations does the countryside (not) have to the British, and what is the
stereotypical picture of a country village they would like to live in if they could? How do some 4x4
owners try to give the impression of driving to the countryside?

Peace, quite, beauty, health and no crime. (they don’t think about lack of facilities or opportunities)

Thatched cottages built around the village green, ducks and romantic atmosphere,.

Spray on mud.

18. Why was the high-speed rail link through the channel tunnel completed later on the British side
than on the continental side of the tunnel, and what British attitude led to this situation?

The English didn’t want because they viewed it as something disrupting their quiet.

19. How does the author explain the British love of the countryside? Comment on some aspects of
British people's access to the countryside and the public 'rights of way'.

People love the peace and quite where they can relax. Rights of way – the idea that the public has a
right to cross through someone’s private property if it is in the purpose of going on a country walk.
20. Which popular hobby illustrates the British love of nature, and how? What is the word for a small
piece of land in or just outside a town that a person rents for growing vegetables, fruits or flowers?

Gardening. Allotment.

21. What is the (prevailing) British attitude to genetically modified (GM) crops and new nuclear power
stations, and how can it be explained in terms of the British love of nature?

They don’t trust them and are suspicious. Along the love of nature comes strong dislike of everything
“unnatural”

22. How does the British love of animals manifests itself with respect to pets? What proportion of
British households keep an animal as a pet?

There are many laws which protect pets and treat them almost as humans (must stop the car if you run
over a pet, pet cemeteries).

23. Apart from sentimental attachment to domestic pets, what else illustrates the British love of
animals? What is a peculiarly British pastime in this respect? What is the RSPCA, and what is peculiar
about its prominent status?

RSPCA – royal society for prevention of cruelty to animals is crown funded while similar charity for
children is not. The British also like to watch wildlife programs, bird watch and include bird-feeders in
their garden.

24. Is foxhunting legal in Great Britain? What did the foxhunting debate look like, and what attitudes
and features of British life made it such an issue?

It’s not legal, but there are people working on making it legal again. There are animal/lovers vs
traditionalists. There is also the question of class, as foxhunting a typicaly an upper class sport.

25. What idea has Britain traditionally followed in public life, what is it supposed to mean, where can
this be seen, and how has the attitude towards 'professionalism' changed?

It used to like a enthusiastic amateur, where it was suspicious if someone was too good at something or
too professional, however this has changed lately. As a result however som of the biggest charities today
originated in UK.

26Gilfddiilfiiiiblilifdf6 national and international level respectively. ?

Neighbor watch, Oxfam, Amnesty International, Save the Children…

27. What is the British attitude towards clothes, and what image do the British have in this respect
(compared with other western European countries)?

In public roles the clothes can have very rigid rules, however in private life (out of duty) they are even
more accepting of strange fashion and consider it a private business.

28. Illustrate how the British display friendliness or keep their distance by (not) observing formalities.

They “ignore the rules”, meaning they might not say please or thank you, or be dressed up etc…
29. What is the reputation of the British/English in terms of their dealings with other people? What
has changed about the public display of their emotions such as laughter and grief? What has made
them more comfortable in this respect, according to the author, and what historically/culturally
conditioned phenomenon can their habit of reserve be attributed to?

They tend to be cold and distant, as only laughter is an acceptable form of emotion in public, however
this Victorian stiff upper lip I slowly changing under the influence of reality TV and bold dramas which
make them less sensitive to such displays. Also princess Diana’s death cause quite a grief outpour which
was for many very public.

30. How is British/English people's politeness reflected in the language they use? What meanings can
the word 'sorry' have? (give at least 5 examples)

I empathize. I can’t hear you. I apologize. I don’t apologize. Excuse me. What did you just say? I’m angry.

31. What is meant by the idea of privacy which underlies many aspects of British life?

The Brits consider it very rude to inquire private questions, such as salary, family or sex oriented
questions, of person you do not know very very well.

32. What reputation does British public life have, and to what degree does it allow a politician a
private life, respecting their privacy? How has public life changed in regard to sexual puritanism?

The politicians are allowed private life as long as it does not affect their job. Sex is becoming less ‘bad’ or
‘shameful’ and ‘immoral, but it I still embarrassing.

33. What are some problems attributed to the British attitude treating sex as an absolutely private
matter? What is the official attitude to prostitution in Britain?

Kids don’t know how sex and pregnancy work. Prostitution is legal, however ‘acting like a prostitute’ in
public is not.

34. How do some customs of road use illustrate the British tendency to support 'the underdog'? What
is 'jaywalking', and is it illegal in Britain?

Jaywalking is the act of crossing the road either on red light or outside of zebra. It is not illegal, which is
mostly because cars are required to stop even if the person has just one foot on the zebra, since the
pedestrian is the ‘underdog’.

35. How can the well-known stereotype that the British are always talking about the weather be
explained?

They need something to fill the gap, when asking private questions is rude but staying silent is also rude.
TEST 2

6 POLITICAL LIFE

1. What is the meaning of the words 'Never Believe Anything Until It's Been Officially Denied'?

British politicians do not tend to needlessly deny rumors that aren’t true. It is also seen as untrustworthy
to express the desire to be a politician openly, as they are seen as power hungry liars so you must deny
your plans to be more polite.

2. What indicates a lack of enthusiasm for politicians in Britain?

The disregard to who they are and lack of generosity towards their expenses (calling them freeloaders).

3. Can you think of any TV political satire popular in Britain in the 80s and 90s? (name two titles)

Yes, Prime Minister and Spitting Image

4. What was the affair surrounding the book Spycatcher?

The government tried to stop it from being published, despite its being published in multiple other
countries already.

5. What shows a British high respect for the law?

The country has little to no systematic lawbreaking committed by a large number of population (e.g. tax
evasion)

6. Is there a tendency in Britain towards a lack of regulation or an excess of regulation?

Lack of regulations.

7. Is it currently compulsory for British citizens to have identity cards? No, it is not.

8. Are British citizens obliged to carry identification with them? No, they are not.

9. What is the traditional assumption about the relationship in Britain between the individual and the
state?

That they should leave each other alone.

10. What are and what are not the duties of the individual towards the state in the UK?

The duties are to not break the law and to pay taxes. There is no obligatory vote, national service or
registration in case of change of address.

11. What does it mean that Britain is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy?

That while Britain still retains a royal family, which does have some rights of the monarch, their function
is mostly representational and the majority of power goes to the parliament, which is voted much like in
other parliamentary democracies. In short it means simply that they have a King or a Queen instead of a
president.
12. Compared to other countries, is there more or less participation in Britain by ordinary citizens in
governing and lawmaking? Less. There are very few referendums or votes.

13. What was the only countrywide referendum in British history on and when did it take place?

There are 3 now. 1975 – European Community membership 2011- Alternative vote 2016 – European
Union Membership

14. What is the nature of the UK constitution in contrast with other countries (= what is meant by the
constitution in the UK and in other countries)? There is no single document.

15. How can the British party system be described (in three words)? Two party system.

16. Which are the three main political parties in the UK, what are their political outlooks and who are
their voters?

Conservatives: right wing, minimal governmental interference in the economy, lowering of income tax –
upper class and minority of working class

Labour: left wing, equality, government involved in economy, providing of social services – working class
and middle-class minority

Liberal Democrats: center/slightly left, unification with EU, environment – middle class

17. Has Britain a tradition of single-party or coalition governments? A single party with opposition
‘alternative government’ system.

18. Because of a tendency towards the informal/unofficial style of politics, the House of Commons
used to be called: ‘most exclusive club in London’

19. Where is the seat of the Parliament of the UK? (the name of the building and its alternative name)

The Palace of Westminster, a.k.a. the Houses of Parliament (The Prime Minister sits at Number Ten or
Number ten Downing street.)

20. How does the television advertising of political parties work in Britain? The party conferences are
always televised and are therefore a show of unity and presentation as a potential government to the
people.

21. What is the 'pairing system' in the UK parliament? Each MP has a ‘pair’ from the opposition. If they
know they will both vote opposite and therefore cancel each other out, they both just don’t show up for
the vote and do something better with their time.

22. When was the Labour Party formed and which party did it replace as the other main party in the
UK?

1900, it replaced the Liberal Party as the main opposition to the conservatives.

23. What is the formal title of the leader of the strongest opposition party in the UK? Leader of Her
Majesty’s opposition

24. The cabinet that the leader of the strongest opposition party forms is called: ‘a shadow cabinet’
25. When do the party annual conferences of the three main political parties take place? In Autumn,
generally end of September, beginning of October.

26. What was the controversy over Salman Rushdie (in terms of the UK constitution)?

It showcased that the law is discriminatory, having only banned blasphemy against Christian God, and
inconsistent as it is in opposition to the freedom of religion and speech act. Therefore Salman could not
be sued for being derogatory towards Islam.

7 THE MONARCHY

1. What is the name of the current ruling dynasty? Windsor

2. What was the original name of the current ruling dynasty? Who changed it, when, and why?

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, it was thought better to not have a German sounding name during WWI so George
V changed it. (1917)

3. When did Elizabeth become the Queen? 1952

4. Who formally accuses a person in the UK courts? The Crown

5. What is the theory and practice of the Monarch's role in choosing the Prime Minister? Why does
s/he have to make the choice s/he makes?

In theory they can choose whoever they want. In practice they choose the leader of the strongest party
in the Commons, because in order to have a functioning government, it needs to be a person with a
majority support in the House of Commons, since the government can only collect taxes with the
agreement of the Commons-

6. If the Slovaks are citizens, what, legally, are the British? Subjects

7. What is the full name and the title of the Queen's husband? Prince consort Philip Mountbatten

Prince Philip, duke of Edinburgh, earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, also called Philip
Mountbatten, original name Philip, prince of Greece and Denmark,

8. How many children does the Queen have and what are their names? Prince (now king) Charles,
Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward (so 4)

9. When was the last time a British monarch refused to give a bill his/her royal assent? 1708

10. Who writes the speech the Monarch reads during the State Opening of Parliament? The
Government ministers.

11. What are the three roles of the Monarch?

The symbol of government, the last check of the parliament and the figurehead who does all the
representational stuff so government can actually work.
12. What are honours (give at least one example), who gives them, where, and who decides about the
names? The Knight of the Order of the Garter, the honours are symbolic titles given to persons who
have done something significant for the country. Often celebrities, musicians and sportsmen. Member
of the British empire.

13. Does the Queen pay taxes on her private income? She does now, but it is quite recent.

14. What is the phrase the Queen used to describe 1992, and why? Annus Horribilis – Diana and
Charles, Windsor Castle fire, Australia became republic

8 THE GOVERNMENT

1. Has Britain a tradition of single-party or coalition governments? Single party.

2. What is the title of most heads of government departments? Secretary of State (for…)

3. What is the title of the minister in charge of Britain's foreign relations and the name of the
department? Foreign Secretary for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

4. What is the title of the minister responsible for law and order and the name of the department?
Home secretary for the Home Office

5. What is the title of the minister in charge of the country's finance and the name of the department?
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Treasury

6. The name of the institution responsible to the monarch which ran the government before the
cabinet was: The Privy Council

7. The official residence of the Prime minister is: Number 10 Downing Street, or just ‘Number Ten’

8. People who run government departments irrespective of the outcome of election are known as:

(the civil service) Permanent secretaries.

9. What is the name of the elected bodies of local government and their members?

Councils and councilors

10. What is the organization of local government in Britain? Same as nationally: councilors (MPs) meet
in Town Hall (Parliament) and their policies are implemented by local government officers (civil servants)

11. What is the only kind of tax local governments are allowed to collect? The Council tax

12. What is this local tax based on? Estimated value of a property

9 PARLIAMENT

1. Where is the residence of the Parliament of the UK? (the name of the building and its alternative
name) The Houses or Parliament (House of Commons and House of Lords), officially the Palace of
Westminster or Westminster Abbey
 2. How many members are there in the House of Commons and does each of them have their own
seat? Around 650, the room physically sits less than 4OO

3. Who chairs and controls discussions in the House of Commons? The Mr. or Madame Speaker

4. What tradition is associated with the appointing of a new Speaker and what is its historical
explanation?

Dragging the new speaker and forcing them onto the chair. In the past the speaker has the very
unpleasant job of communicating the parliamentary decisions to the Monarch, who was often
displeased.

5. What are the jobs of the Speaker of the House of Commons? To chair the debate and make sure
procedures are followed.

6. What is the arrangement of the government and opposition benches in the House of Commons?
What is the historical explanation for this?

The are on opposite sides with a table in the middle. The government sits on one side, the opposition on
the other. It encourages confrontation between them. It is a semicircle.

7. From where do MPs speak or address other MPs? What is the effect of this?

They simply stand up and speak. They sit on simple benches with no place for notes. This is because
originally they used to meet in churches and sit on the benches.

8. How do MPs address one another? Is there any reason for that? The “friend” or “member”, but
never directly “you” or by name. Originally it was supposed to take the heat out of the debate.

9. What is the difference between the Commons and commoners? Commons – members of the
parliament. Commoner - peasant

10. Are MPs paid? Yes, but only since the beginning of 20. century

11. What happens when the House rises? End of work day

12. What is Hansard? This is the name given to the daily verbatim reports of everything that has been
said in the Commons. They are published within 48 hours of the day they cover.

13. What are constituencies and constituents? The areas the MPs represent and the people they
represent.

14. What are private members' bills? Bills suggested by individual MPs instead of the entire party.

15. What is motion for the adjournment? Adjournment is a time when any topic can be discussed.

16. What is meant by gentleman's hours for the hours of business of the Commons?

That they end quite late at night.

17. What is MPs' vote for or against a particular proposal called and how does it proceed?
In case of “division” they walk through the opposing corridors according to their opinion through the
Ayes and Noes.

18. How do committees work?

There are permanent committees, which overlook the right working of the Parliament and can question
civil servants and then there are committees appointed to examine a particular law.

19. Who are frontbenchers and backbenchers?

The front benches are reserved for important members of the cabinet. The back benches are left for
people who are not a part of the cabinet or shadow cabinet.

20. Who are the Whips and what is their role?

They inform other MPs of how the party is voting and make sure that the MPs vote accordingly.

21. What is Question Time? The government ministers answer questions from the MPs.

22. What is the difference between a bill and a law and how does the former become the latter (=
stages before and in Parliament)? (Green and White Papers, stages, royal assent...)

First it goes through Green or White paper, at which its background and possibilities are discussed, 1 st
reading – where it is proposed, 2nd reading – debate and possibly vote, committee stage, 3rd reading,
sent to the House of Lords where it goes through the same stages, Royal assent, law.

23. Can a bill become a law without the agreement of the House of Lords? Yes

24. Who are peers? Are they elected? They are not elected, they can either be awarded through the
recommendation of the Prime minister, parties or House of Lords Appointments Positions. They are
members of the House of Lords.

25. Who are Lords Spiritual? 26 most senior bishops in England, given the opportunity to be peers.

26. Who are Lords Temporal? Secular members of the House of Lords.

27. Who were hereditary peers? Peers who inherited their right to sit in the House of Lords through
their aristocratic family.

28. Who are life peers? Why has the life peerage system been established? The life peerage system has
been established to allow non-aristocratic people sit in the House of Lords. Life peers are generally
people who are awarded honours, often former MPs, who are becoming too old to be active politicians
but still want to have their voice heard.

29. What are the advantages of the House of Lords over the House of Commons in making new laws?
They are able to talk about the laws more in depth and discuss longer, as they have less responsibilities
and more time.

30. What is the State Opening of Parliament? The Queen speaking to her Parliament. An annual
tradition.
31. Who is Black Rod, what is his job during the State Opening of Parliament, and what tradition is
associated with him?

He is the servant of the Queen, who symbolically demands that the Queen be let in the House of
Commons to tell her government what they should the following year. He knocks on the door, the
House of Commons refuses and meets the Queen elsewhere.

32. Is the Queen/King allowed to enter the House of Commons? What is the historical explanation of
this?

No, not since in the 17th cent. Charles I got in and tried to arrest multiple MPs.
TEST 3

10 ELECTIONS:

1. How often does an election in Britain have to take place? At least once in five years, however within
this period it is allowed any time. Usually the period is a bit shorter.

2. On which day does an election take place? Since 1931 they take place on Thursday.

3. What is the minimum voting age in Britain? 18 years

4. What is the electoral register? A register where everyone who wants to go vote must put their name
on.

5. What is a constituency? A geographical area represented by one MP into which the entire Britain is
divided.

6. What are the marginals (= marginal seats)? The constituencies in which only a small shift in the
preference would change the outcome of the election.

7. What is canvassing? Before the election day, representatives of the parties go from door to door and
ask about people’s preferences – if they are undecided, the party candidate may attempt to persuade
them, they might also remind people who said they would go vote for their party to actually go to the
polling station and may even offer help with transportation.

8. What is a polling day and a polling station? The day of the election and the place where you go to
cast your vote.

9. What is a ballot paper? The piece of paper on which the candidate names are written and the citizens
mark which one they vote for.

10. Who is the Returning Officer and what does s/he do after the ballot papers are counted? The
person responsible for conducting the election in each constituency. They announce the amount of
votes cast for each candidate and who won.

11. What is meant by the first-past-the-post system and where is this term from? The term comes
from horse racing and in politics it simply means that the only thing that matters in an election is who
gets the most votes in the constituency – there is no preferential voting, it does not matter if a party
gets more votes overall if they are not first they do not get a seat.

12. What is a by-election? An election which happens when a new MP must be chosen outside of
regular scheduled election time.

13. How can an MP resign? They apply for the role of ‘Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds’ which is a job
with no duties or a salary but still considered a ‘ job of profit under the crown’ which means the person
can no longer be a part of the parliament, as the parliament must be divided from the monarch.

14. What are the three major political parties in Britain today? Conservative party, Labour Party and
Liberal Democrat party.
11 THE LAW:

1. What is the organisation of the police force in the UK? They belong to 50 or so local forces, the state
now can control them though meetings and provides a part of their funding but the most influence they
have is over the Metropolitan police – the Greater London area.

2. What is the name of the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service? The New Scotland Yard

3. What is the well-known nickname of a British police officer? Bobby

4. Do British policemen carry guns? No

5. What are Neighbourhood Watch Schemes? Organisations that warn and educate people about the
crimes and how to protect one self as well as encourage people to watch the streets carefully and what
to watch out for.

6. Explain and translate into Slovak the following terms: conditional/unconditional discharge –
podmienečné/nepodmienečné prepustenie, (on) probation – v podmienke, community service –
verejné práce, death penalty – trest smrti, life sentence - doživotie, acquitted - oslobodený, bail -
kaucia, convicted - odsúdený, defendant – obhajca, on remand – vyšetrovacia väzba, party - strana,
plaintiff – žalobca/navrhovateľ verdict - rozsudok.

7. What are the two kinds of court in the UK? The crown court and the magistrate’s court.

8. How does a magistrate's court work? There are three (or two) volunteer judges checked and advised
by one professional barrister, who decide about the fate.

9. Who are JPs? Justices of the Peace or the magistrates – they pass judgement in the magistrates court.
They are not trained lawyers nor do they receive salary for this role.

10. What are the two sides in criminal cases known as? Prosecution and defense.

11. How are the members of a jury selected and what decision do they make? They are randomly
selected from a list of voters. They make the decision in the Crown court whether someone is or isn’t
guilty.

12. How does a jury reach a verdict and what happens if they fail to do so? At least 10 of them must
reach concord otherwise the Judge declares mistrial and the entire trial happens again with a different
jury.

13. How does the function of the judge differ from that of a jury? The judge helps advice the jury as to
what is legal and what isn’t and acts as a referee between the prosecution and defense deciding what is
and what isn’t admissible. They also choose the sentence if the accused is found guilty by the jury.

14. What is the highest court in Britain? The Supreme court

15. What are the two types of lawyer in Britain and what is the main difference between them? The
Barrister (who presents the cases in higher court and only speaks to the client in the presence of their
solicitor) and the Solicitor (who talks to the client, gathers witnesses, represents the client in magistrates
court, draws up legal documents etc…)
16. How does the training of solicitors differ from that of barristers? They pass different exams and
acquire different skills. Solicitors need 2year internship in a solicitor firm and barristers have to get a one
year pupillage under a senior barrister.

17. Explain the terms call to the bar, take silk, QC:

QC- queens council – senior barristers

call to the bar – to be able to approach the judge and present a case in higher court

take silk – to become a QC

18. What different legal knowledge and skills are typical of solicitors and barristers? Barrister needs to
have more exact knowledge of the law and good oratorial skills whereas solicitors have more experience
in working with legal documents and talking to the clients.

19. Do solicitors and barristers need a university qualification? yes

20. Why do judges and barristers wear the archaic gown and wig in court? To symbolize the
impersonal majesty of the law – also mostly tradition

21. Judges are appointed exclusively from the ranks of: QCs

22. What reinforces the independent (social) status of judges? (give 3 things) high salaries, higher
retirement age and the difficulty with dismissing them (both houses would need to come to an
agreement)

23. Is there a ministry of justice in the UK? Yes

24. How does the legal system of Scotland differ from the rest of the UK? They have different names
and three possible verdicts – guilty, not guilty and not proven
Prehistory:

 monumental architecture - sites, county, priestly caste

 Stonehenge - location, purpose, references in literature

The Roman period:

 province, its extent, capital, approach to Celts, resistance leader

 Scotland – tribes, Roman defences

 conquered and unconquered Celts (Britons, Gaels) and two branches of Celtic languages

 Roman legacy, place names and their etymology

The Germanic invasions:

 main tribes, origin, religion, resistance leader – legend and historical paradoxes

 Christianization – sources, types, differences, representatives

 Vikings, their defeat and peace treaty, cultural similarities

 King Alfred, military and cultural legacy, legend

 unification of England

The medieval period:

 Norman Conquest (1066), decisive battle and its protagonists, difference from the Germanic invasions,
consequences, feudal system and its hierarchy, new elite, language and social class (+ an example),
survey of land

 murder of Thomas Becket, The Canterbury Tales

 Wales – Welsh language and culture strongholds and festivals, resistance leader, conquest, new
custom – title for heir to the throne

 Scotland – cultural split between the Lowlands and Highlands, reasons, differences

 evolution of Parliament, origin of the word, Model Parliament and its pattern

 Robin Hood – aspects of his legend (king, location...)

 Magna Carta (1215) - main protagonists, significance

 Wars of the Roses – reasons, dynasties and their symbols, last battle and its protagonists

 W. Shakespeare’s Richard III – historical basis and main characters, quotes