Before you start
Put the words below into the correct
categories in the Key Words box.
animal lovers, advanced, democratic,
emotional, friendly, liberal, modern, noisy
nature lovers, outgoing, powerful, violent
KEY WORDS: National I d e n t i t y
country developed, developing, historic,
innovative, multicultural, wealthy,
well-organised
people: class-conscious, communicative,
conservative, excitable, family-oriented,
law-abiding, nationalistic, polite, proud,
religious, reserved, serious, traditional,
tolerant, suspicious of foreigners
Look at the photos of Britain. Choose
eight adjectives or expressions from
Exercise 1 that reflect your view of Britain
and the British. Tell the class.
Example
To me the British seem to be quite traditional.
Listening
Read the Strategies.
Listening Strategies: Revision
• Before listening, look at the task. Try to guess answers to the
questions.
• The first time you listen, answer as many questions as you can.
• The second time, answer the questions you missed.
• Do not worry if you don't understand every word.
Listen to a radio phone-in programme. Use the Strategies to
decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F). Then listen
again and check your answers.
Great Britain is made up of four different nations: England,
Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
In a poll, British people described themselves as animal
lovers and tolerant but suspicious of foreigners and reserved.
Eighty-seven percent of British people thought that the
British were class-conscious.
The first caller thinks Britain is an innovative place.
She describes herself as English rather than British.
The second caller feels European.
The third caller is of Indian origin.
She thinks Britain is multicultural but there is an intolerant
minority.
The last caller thinks Britain is a modern country.
He is a Scottish nationalist and doesn't feel British.