1.

The dramatic achievements in science and technology that the United

Kingdom has gained alongside its history
- Ever since the scientific revolution, the United Kingdom has been prominent in
world scientific and technological development. Francis Bacon put forward his
method promoting empiricism and induction in scientific enquiry.
- Possibly the most famous of all British scientists, Isaac Newton is considered by
historians of science to have crowned and ended the scientific revolution. He is
most famous for gravity, classical mechanics, binominal theorem, law of cooling.
- Since Newton’s time, figures from the UK have contributed to the development of
most major branches of science: electric and magnetic forces: thermodynamics;
quantum mechanics; evolution by natural selection.
- Technologically, the UK is also amongst the world’s leaders: in textiles, the steam
engine, railroads and civil engineering.
- Since then, the United Kingdom has continued this tradition of technical
creativity: jet engine; idea of the computer and penicillin. The UK remains one of
the leading providers of technological innovations today.
2. The National costume of the United Kingdom
- There is no specifically British national costume. Even individually, England,
Wales and Northern Ireland have only vestiges of a national costume; Scotland has
the kilt and Tam o’shanter. In England certain military uniform such as the
Beefeater of the Queen’s Guard are considered to be symbolic of Englishness,
though they are not official national costumes. Morris dancers or the costumes for
the traditional English May dance are cited by some as examples of traditional
English costume.
- This is in large part due to the critical role that British sensibilities have played in
world clothing since the eighteenth century. Particularly during the Victorian era,
British fashions defined acceptable dress for men of business. Key figures such as
Beau Brummell, the future Edward VII and Edward VIII created the modern suit
and cemented its dominance. As such, it could be argued that the national costume
of the British male is a three-piece suit, necktie and bowler hat – an image
regularly used by cartoonists as a caricature of Britishness.
3. An overview of the expansion of the British Empire from the defeat of the
Spanish Armanda in 1588 to Queen Victoria’s death in 1981
- The foundations of sea power to protect English trade and open up new routes.
Defeat of the Spanish Armanda in 1588 firmly established England as a major sea
power
- Attracted by the spice trade, English mercantile interests spread first to the Far
East. In search of an alternate route to the Spice Islands, John Cabot reached the
North American continent in 1498. Sir Walter Raleigh organized the first, short-
lived colony in Virginia in 1584, and permanent English settlement began in 1607
at Jamestown, Virginia. During the next centuries, Britain extended its influence
abroad and consolidated its political development at home.
- Great Britain’s industrial revolution greatly strengthened its ability to oppose
Napoleonic France.
- British colonies expansion reached its height largely during the reign of Queen
Victoria (1837-1901). Queen Victoria’s reign witnessed the spread of British
technology, commerce language, and government throughout the British Empire.
4. The differences in Drinking between Commonwealth and American culture
- The legal age to drink: in the USA: 21, while in all Commonwealth countries: 18.
- Closing time of bars: in Britain: 11 p.m. while in the USA: 2 a.m. England has
recently passed a new law that allows late night drinking, so some bars are now
open until the wee hours. Bars in Australia and South Africa vary considerably.
- In Britain, beers (ales or bitter), are served warmer than in America: This applied
to English ales and biters, but not to foreign lager or beer, which is always chilled.
In the USA beers are chilled to almost freezing point.
- In America, beers are mostly served in the bottle (even by 5 star hotels). They will
wrap a paper napkin (serviette) around the bottle to soak condensation.
- Australia is metric. Therefore, a “nip” of alcohol is 30ml. In the US, a ‘nip’ is 1 fl
ounce which is quite a lot larger.
5. British Education
- Years compulsory : 12; Attendance: nearly 100%; Literacy: 99%
- The UK National Curriculum: five key stages
- Further education:

Students of any age may choose to attend the Further Education Colleges to further
their post-secondary school education. Students may choose to study for National
Vocational Qualifications as an alternative to A levels.

- Higher education:

The English student completes the Advanced Level in (usually) 3-4 subjects,
generally taken at age 18 in preparation for admission to University. Students who
attend English universities do a three year to earn a degree, whether it is an ordinary
degree or an honours degree.
6. British food and cuisine
- During the 19th and 20th century, Britain had a reputation for somewhat
conservative cuisine. The stereotype of the native cuisine was of a diet progressing
little beyond stodgy meals consisting of “meat and two veg”. Even today, in more
conservative areas of the country, “meat and veg” cuisine is still the favored
choice at the dinner table.
- The traditional British fare usually includes such as fish and chips; roast dishes of
beef, lamb, chicken and pork; both sweet and savory pies and puddings.
- During the transitional period of 1970s, Delia Smith began the drive to encourage
greater experimentation with the new ingredients (e.g. pasta) increasingly being
offered by the supermarkets.
- Towards the mid to ate 1990s and onwards an explosion of talented new TV chefs
began to come to prominence (Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay). As a result, a new
style of cooking called Modern British emerged.
7. British literature
- British literature comprises verse, prose and drama.
- The greatest Old English poem is a long epic called Beowulf. After the Norman
Conquest, Anglo-Norman literature brought continental influences to the isles.
- In the Middle English period, the first great identifiable individual in English is
Geoffrey Chaucer with his greatest work: Canterbury Tales.
- Following the introduction of the printing press into England by William Caxton
in 1476, the Elizabethan era saw a great flourishing of literature, especially in the
fields of poetry and drama. From this period, poet and playwright William
Shakespeare stands out as arguably the most famous writer in the world.
- The English novel became a popular form in the 18th century, with Daniel Defoe’s
Robinson Crusoe (1719) and Samuel Richardson’s Pamela (1740).
- In the early 19th century, the Romantic period showed s flowering of poetry
comparable with the Renaissance 200 years earlier, with such poets as William
Blake and William Wordsworth. The Victorian period was the golden age of the
realistic English novel, represented by the Bronte sisters (Charlotte, Emily and
Anne), Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy.
- Other well-known novelists include Arthur Conan Doyle, D.H. Lawrence.