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1. What do you know about the UK? Distinguish England from Britain.
The United Kingdom is officially called the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland. It is also often known as Britain or just the UK. The
United Kingdom is situated off the north-western coast of continental
Europe. It is surrounded by the North Sea, the English Channel, the Irish
Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It only has a land border with the Republic of
Ireland. The Channel Tunnel under the English Channel links England and
France. . The UK hasa four constituent parts, three of which—England,
Wales and Scotland are located on the island of Great Britain. The fourth
part is Northern Ireland, which is located on the island of Ireland. The UK
also comprises numerous smaller islands including the Isle of Wight,
Anglesey, and the Scilly, Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebrides. The UK is a
highly developed country. It is a Commonwealth Realm, and a member of
the European Union and NATO. It is also one of the major nuclear weapon states.
England is a country, which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants
account for more than 83% of the total UK population, whilst its mainland
territory occupies most of the southern two-thirds of the island of Great
Britain.The word Britain is often used as a shortened form of Great
Britain either to refer geographically to the island or to refer politically to
the United Kingdom. Like Great Britain, the word Britain is often used as
more than a geographical term.Great Britain is the larger of the two main
islands of the British Isles, the largest island in Europe, the 9th-largest
island in the world and the 3rd most populated island on earth. It is also
the second richest island in the world (after Japan).
2. What is England/ Scotland/Wales/ Northern Ireland famous for?
England is famous for many things - David Beckham, Fish and Chips, Big
Ben, Red Buses, black cabs, Oasis, Blur, the Beatles, London and tea.
England is famous for its long history. England is famous for its Royal
Family. Windsor Castle is the oldest royal residence still in use.
Fewer and fewer monarchies exist in the world today, but in England, the
British Royal Family still remains very public and very famous. Mix of cultures
England is known for being home to blended cultures too. Over a third of
Londoners are foreign born, a result of Britain’s long history of war, trade
and international relations. The UK itself is made out of four different
nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. English tea and Afternoon Tea
The English are well known for their love of tea – specifically, afternoon
tea. Bet you didn’t know that drinking tea was originally for the rich only! Rich literary history
Speaking of reigning monarchs, England is a great source of period tales.
From scandalous stories of nobility, to the challenges of growing up in a
poor working family; history is captured within the English’s rich literary endeavors. The Royal Family
Fewer and fewer monarchies exist in the world today, but in England, the
British Royal Family still remains very public and very famous. Scotland Castles
Beautiful and historic castles are one of the first things that come to mind
when thinking of what Scotland is best known for. From well-preserved
structures to understated ruins, the country is synonymous with this
magical and symbolic fairytale icon.
The Scottish Highlands are easily one of the most remarkable places in
the country. The landscape is ready to be explored via road trips, cycling, and hiking.
One of the top things Scotland is known for is the Loch Ness Monster, who
is said to reside in the waters of Loch Ness. The “monster” has been the
source of much speculation and possible sightings, often referred to in books and films.
Scotland is known for its rich varieties of whisky. Visiting one of the 109
distilleries is a fantastic way to taste the country’s national drink during your time in Scotland.
Scotland’s most iconic performance takes place in Edinburgh Castle in the
capital city. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo puts on an incredible
musical and artistic display to a rapt audience every summer.
Bagpipes are often associated with Scotland and widely known as a
national symbol of the country. Rooted in military beginnings, the Great
Highland bagpipe has a long history in Scottish culture. Often paired with
fiddles and folk songs, the bagpipe is played as street music, in pubs, and
provides the soundtrack for events and festivals. Wales
Wales is famous for having a dragon on its flag. Wales is part of Great
Britain, so it's official flag is the Union Jack. However, the national flag is charming, cool, and historic!
Wales is known for its capital, Cardiff. Nestled on Wales’ south coast,
Cardiff has an impressive bay and plenty of lush green hills separating it
from its neighboring country, England.
Wales is famous for its unique and, to outsiders, baffling language. Northern Ireland
The Titanic was built in Belfast
It may have been over a century since Titanic sank, but it remains the
Ship of Dreams to the countless visitors that make their pilgrimage to
Belfast’s Titanic Quarter each year. Titanic was designed, built, and
berthed right here in Belfast. Visit the award-winning visitor experience, Titanic Belfast T
, walk the itanic Slipways and Shipyard, or set
off on a Titanic Discovery Walking or Boat Tour.
Giant’s Causeway (Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage site)
The Giant’s Causeway is a bizarre and spectacular rock formation that
spills out into the sea. Northern Ireland’s most famous natural attraction is
made up of 40,000 basalt columns, caused by a volcanic eruption some
60 million years ago. Located on the north coast of County Antrim, the
wind really whips in off the Irish Sea here so wear plenty of layers and suitable footwear. Cuisine
Northern Ireland is known for its incredible seafood. Surrounded by the
North Atlantic Ocean, it’s no surprise that it has a wide array of seafood on
offer, such as scallops, mussels, oysters, lobsters, and crab, as well as
countless species of fish.It is said that Northern Irish restaurants serve
some of the best oysters in the world. Additionally, there are also other
famous dishes such as: Irish stew ( made up of cuts of lamb or mutton
cooked for a long time to make the meat tender, added to some potatoes
and onions); Champ ( made with potatoes, milk, butter and scallions) or
BarmBrack ( a traditional sweetened type of bread with cinnamon and dried mixed fruit).
3. Why has the UK Government encouraged immigrant
communities to speak their own languages and English?
The UK government encourages immigrant communities to speak their
own languages and English because of these two reasons. In terms of an
immigrant's mother language, the UK government wants them to bring
their own culture and language into their country in order to preserve
their cultural identity and mother tongue. Additionally, this can contribute
to inclusive culture in the UK. As for English, It is the international
language so if the immigrants can be proficient in English, It will give them
job opportunities and facilitate social and political participation.
4. Why is standard English with an RP accent the usual model for
people leaving British English as a foreign language? What
justification can you find for this practice?
Like other countries around the world, the United Kingdom has many
areas with different dialect accents. Some people recognized standard
English with an RP accent is a useful
model which is used to teach foreigners. There are some primary causes
of this as well as benefits of using RP for people learning British English as
a foreign language. The first reason is that Received Pronunciation is a
popular accent. If people use it, they will avoid some mistakes like using
local vocabulary. In the United Kingdom, there are 4 parts and people
speak 4 languages: English, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, and Irish Gaelic. Now,
people speak modern kinds of English. However, they have old English like
Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic,and Welsh. Thus, it is hard for non native
speakers to learn English as a second language if they do not know
standard English with an RP accent. The second reason is that people can
avoid some non-standardized grammatical structures when using RP. For
example, the Scottish Gaelic is a kind of Old English but English means
Modern English. Old English and Modern English have significant
differences between vocabulary, grammatical structures. If the teacher in
the United Kingdom has to choose Old English not Modern English -
standard English to teach non-native speakers, they would have some
problems understanding and learning English effectively. Thirdly, English is
an international language which people around the world want to learn as
an effective means of communication in business and academic
environments. For instance, if you write an email or speak with people
who are older than you, you should use RP and avoid slang. This could be
explained by the fact that standard English often shows respect or to
make a good impression when we talk or write.
5. Give your comment on the British Parliament
Parliament is the British legislative body. It is made up of three elements:
the monarch, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. The
monarch's role, however, is mostly symbolic. While the queen or king is
the official Head of State, and all laws are passed in his or her name, the
monarch has no active role in the Parliament aside from presiding at its
opening ceremonies each year.The UK Parliament has two Houses that
work on behalf of UK citizens to check and challenge the work of
Government, make and shape effective laws, and debate/make decisions on the big issues of the day.
The British Parliament, however, performs four primary duties: 1. It passes laws.
2. It authorizes taxes and government budgets.
3. It scrutinizes and investigates government administration. 4. It debates current issues.
Each session of Parliament is opened with a speech by the monarch
from the throne in the House of Lords in the presence of members of
the House of Commons. The speech, written by the government and
handed to the sovereign by the lord chancellor, contains a list of
proposals that the government intends to introduce in the upcoming parliamentary session.
6. Why does the British Prime Minister continue to “advise” and
“request” the King/Queen, when everyone knows that he/she is
really telling the Monarchy what to do?
The Queen cannot choose anyone she likes to be Prime Minister. She has
to choose someone who has the support of the majority of MPs in the
House of Commons (the elected chamber of the two Houses of
Parliament). This is because the law says that ‘her’ government can only
collect taxes with the agreement of the Commons, so if she did not choose
such a person, the government would stop functioning. In practice the
person she chooses is the leader of the strongest party in the House of
Commons. Similarly, it is really the Prime Minister who decides who the
other government ministers are going to be (although officially the Prime
Minister simply ‘advises’ the monarch who to choose).It is the same story
with Parliament. Again, the Prime Minister will talk about ‘requesting’ a
dissolution of Parliament when he or she wants to hold an election, but it
would normally be impossible for the monarch to refuse this ‘request’.
Similarly, while, in theory, the Queen could refuse the royal assent to a bill
passed by Parliament – and so stop it becoming law – no monarch has
actually done so since the year 1708.
7. What are the outstanding features of the English education system?
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with certain exceptions, follow the
National Curriculum of the United Kingdom. The Department for Education
in the United Kingdom is in charge of education in England. Local
government officials are in charge of putting public education and state-
funded schools policies into action on a local level.
The English educational system is divided into primary, secondary, and
higher education. Children are required to start school at the age of five.
Compulsory education lasts until the age of sixteen. Most pupils transfer
from primary to secondary education at the age of eleven.
Students may then continue their secondary studies for a further two
years (sixth form), leading most typically to an A level qualification,
although other qualifications and courses exist, including Business and
Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualifications and the International Baccalaureate.
Higher education typically begins with a 3-year Bachelor's Degree.
Postgraduate degrees include Master's Degrees, either taught or by
research, and Doctor of Philosophy, a research degree that usually takes at least 3 years.
8. Give your comment on the British education system(kinds of
schools, school levels, curriculum, qualifications, management,ect).
Public schools are highly selective, as many contain boarding facilities
for students as well. Apart from public schools, the other two forms of fee-
paying schools in the UK include schools private
and independent schools. Whilst independent schools are overseen by a
board of governors or trustees, private schools are run by the owners. On
the contrary, government-funded schools are labeled as state schools, as
most provide education free of charge. Contrary to popular belief, state
schools can be viewed as equally, or even more competitive than private
schools, as many have pushed to build a stronger work ethic among
students to strive for greater academic achievements. According to a
study conducted by the University College London, there is "no evidence
that management practices in private schools in Britain are more
advanced than in state schools"; this suggests an equal potential for
strong productivity and efficiency for both state and private schools.
Moreover, the academic potential of state schools may also be determined
by where they are located geographically, as some areas have a more
academically-driven culture and provide more government funding for
their local state schools. Such widened resources and emphasis on
education may improve the quality of teaching and opportunities offered
in these state schools, as some are even viewed at the same level as other esteemed public schools
Secondary education (including what they call high school in the UK, sixth
form, and “college”) lasts for five to seven years. Students between 12
and 16 years old are legally required to attend a secondary school in the
UK. This stage of compulsory education is called “lower secondary”
· Key Stage 1: 5 to 7 years old
· Key Stage 2: 7 to 11 years old
· Key Stage 3: 11 to 14 years old
· Key Stage 4: 14 to 16 years old
· The state-funded education system is divided into Key
Stages based upon age: Early Years Foundation Stage (ages 3–4 by August 31); (ages 5 to 10 by August 31), primary education
subdivided into Key Stage 1 (KS1) Infants (ages 5 to 6 by August 31)
and Key Stage 2 (KS2) Juniors (ages 7 to 10 by August 31);
(ages 11 to 15 by August 31), subdivided secondary education
into Key Stage 3 (KS3; ages 11 to 13 by August 31) and Key Stage
4 (KS4; ages 14 to 15 by August 31); Key Stage 5 is post-16
education (ages 16 to 17 by August 31); and tertiary education (for ages 18+).
· At the end of Year 11 (at age 15 or 16, depending on their
birthdays) students typically take General Certificate of Secondary
Education (GCSE) exams or other Level 1 or Level 2 qualifications.
For students who do not pursue academic qualifications until the
end of Year 13, these qualifications are roughly equivalent to the
completion of high school in many other countries, or high school
graduation in the United States and Canada. 9.
The British Parliament is the legislative branch of government. It is made
up of two parts - elected House of Commons and partly elected House of
Lords - which limit the power of each other and are there to provide for
the best expertise of any legislation going through. Any Bill passed by the
Parliament gains legitimate power only when the Queen approves it,
however, nowadays it's more of a formal ceremony rather than a proper
check. Judiciary is often considered the most efficient check on the
Parliament, because any MP can be called to the court to respond for his actions.
The executive branch is made up of the government machine itself,
starting with the prime minister and his office and down to the local
branches of government such as city majors. They are the ones
responsible for implementing the Bills produced by the Parliament. Their
actions are mainly limited by the judiciary and publicity.
Judiciary is the last branch of power in the UK and it is made up of the
court system with the Supreme Court on top. Its members have a great
power because they are the ones who decide what the law actually
implies in any given case. The power of judges in the UK is even higher
because UK does not have a written constitution and therefore there is no
supreme set of laws collected in one place to be available for the citizens.
Due to this enormous power judiciary has a large amount of checks and
balances. Firstly, the court system intself allows any case to be considered
by a more supreme court every time if the court decision was considered
unfair. Secondly, judges are appointed and approved by the experts
outside judiciary, who are theoretically unlikely to be prejudiced during the appointment process.
10 How many types of family patterns are there in the UK? Which is your favorite? why?
There are seven types of families in the UK such as nuclear family,
extended family,single parent family, grandparent-grandchild
family,childless family reconstituted family and homo sexual family.
A nuclear family consists of a father and a mother who are married, are in
a civil partnership, or cohabit, and their dependent children. These two
generations live together in one household. The characteristics of this
family are economic freedom, few conflicts, and they live in harmony with each other.
In a single-parent family, there is only one adult who is raising children.
The other parent might not be there for many different reasons – death,
divorce, etc. The characteristic of this family is that children often have
psychological problems because they do not receive enough love from
their parents and sometimes have financial difficulties.
A Reconstituted family(blended family) forms when one single parent
marries another single parent. For example, Sharon and her husband have
2 kids, and then they get divorced. Michael and his wife have 3 kids, and
then they get divorced. Sharon and Michael get married to each other,
and now they have 5 kids – 2 from Sharon’s previous marriage, and 3 from
Michael’s previous marriage. They have blended (mixed/put together) two families.
This type of family often has conflicts about children because they are not
related by blood hard to last long.
Grandparent – grandchild Family
Sometimes, for various reasons, a child is raised by his grandparents
instead of his parents because parents must work far from home or die ...
When grandparents are raising their grandchildren without help from the
children’s parents, this is a grandparent family. This family often has
economic difficulties because their grandparents are old, so they don't
have enough money to support their studies. Childless Families
Not all families have children. Some couples choose not to have children,
and some couples are not able to have children, but this is a childless
family. This family is difficult to survive for a long time because parents
do not have children, it is difficult for the family to harmonize, and it is
easy to have conflicts leading to divorce.If they can live together, when
they were old, they was taken to nursing home because there were no children to take care. Extended Families
An extended family might include one or two parents, children,
grandparents, aunts and uncles, and/or cousins all living together. As
grandparents get older, they might move in with their adult children and
grandchildren. Or if a spouse (husband or wife) dies, another adult family
member might move in to help with the children. There are many reasons
why a family might live together in this way. This family is prone to
conflicts because of the distance of generations, so there is no common
opinion, prone to arguments about finances and accommodation and
often have financial difficulties.
11. Explain the functions of the House of Commons?
The House of Commons has more functions than the House of Lords.
Forming a government: After a federal election, the political party with the
most seats usually forms the government. The leader of that party
becomes the Prime Minister, who chooses Cabinet ministers to lead
different government departments and policy areas. Together, the Prime
Minister and the Cabinet make decisions about government policy and
potential new laws to introduce.
Passing bills: The main role of the House of Commons is to introduce,
debate and pass bills. This process involves many steps, both in the chamber and in committee.
Government accountability: Members of Parliament (MPs) who belong to
political parties other than the governing party form the opposition. Their
role is to provide alternative perspectives and policies, debate ideas, and
question the government about its actions and decisions.
Budgets and taxes: The House of Commons decides how taxpayer money
is redistributed across Canada. Budgets, estimates (the spending
requirements for ministries) and funding issues are debated and resolved in the House.
Representing Canadians: Each MP represents one of Canada’s 338
constituencies (also called ridings). They ensure that different
perspectives – particularly those of the people living in their
constituencies – are considered when making decisions.
12. In what ways are British pubs different from typical cafes and bars in your country?
There are some differences between Vietnamese bars and British pubs,
which depend on their country’s culture. This paper will show several main
differences between bars in Vietnam and pubs in Britain on some aspects:
decoration, service, name, and ownership.
Firstly, it can be easy to find the differences between Vietnamese bars and
British pubs in decoration. Most bars in Vietnam are designed and
decorated following a modern, new, and convenient style. Meanwhile,
most pubs in Britain look old. It is part of their appeal to tradition. Even a
newly built pub is often designed to look, inside and out, as if it were several hundred years old.
Secondly, their way of serving is also different. In Vietnam, all of the bars
always have waiters and waitresses, and customers are served at a table.
This shows the bar's welcoming and hospitality. However, British pubs
have no waiter service. If you want something, you have to go and ask for
it at the bar. To British people, it makes them feel comfortable and
relaxed, so it is more informal. You can get up and walk around whenever
you want – it is like being in your own house.
In addition, the calling-name style of Vietnamese bars and British pubs are
also different. In Vietnam, to show bars’ modern and new style, they were
always called by foreign names such as VIP bar, Visco’s bar, DMZ bar….On
the other hand, appealing to the idea of tradition, many pubs are called by
the name of an aristocrat ( for example, ‘the Duke of Cambridge’ ) or after
a monarch; others take their names from some traditional occupation
( such as ‘The Bricklayer’s Arms’);
13. Do you think that the British welfare state is successful in
giving help to everyone who needs it?
Personally,I totally think that the British welfare state is successful in
giving help to everyone because the UK is a developed country, and the
welfare system is very good. For example, unemployed people, pregnant
women, young children, or lonely elderly people are entitled to benefits.
For that allowance, they can live enough for that one month. Money is
strictly controlled by the state and supported on time, so all of these
people are on welfare and have no abandoned status. As for Vietnam, It is
a developing country with limited state expenditure, so the support for subsidies is still limited.
14. The UK press provides the platform for a multiplicity of voices to be
heard. At national, regional and local level, it is the public’s watchdog,
activist and guardian as well as educator, entertainer and contemporary
chronicler. Press freedom is an essential pillar to any democracy. As the
eyes and ears of the public, journalists must be able to report upon
matters of public interest without fear of arrest or other forms of interference.
National newspapers are often described as broadsheet or tabloid papers
on the basis of differences in format, style and content, although one
broadsheet, The Times, is available in a ‘compact’ tabloid size as well as
the traditional broadsheet and another, the Independent, is only available
in compact format. Many newspapers have color pages and most produce
extensive supplements as part of their Saturday or Sunday editions, with
articles on the arts, personal finance, travel, gardening, home
improvement, food and wine, fashion and other leisure topics. Increasing
competition from other media in the delivery of news, information and
entertainment has contributed to a gradual decline in circulation for many titles.
15. In your opinion, what bank holiday is the most popular with
British people?Describe it in detail. Is it similar to a certain
holiday or festival in your country?
In my opinion, The most popular bank holiday is New Year's Day.New Year
is a secular holiday in the UK. It is celebrated on January 1 and marks the
beginning of the New Year in the Gregorian calendar. Even though
employers are not legally obliged to give their employees a day off, most
places of business and work are closed on this day. Many people tend to
spend a quiet day with family and friends after attending New Year Eve
parties.Before midnight on New Year’s Eve, people hold hands and Sing
“Auld Lang Syne” - a traditional song. Today, Auld Lang Syne is not only a
traditional Scottish and British New Year song, but it has also been
translated into many languages and appeared in Korea, Japan, India,
China and other countries. other East Asian countries.It is traditional to
say ‘black rabbits, black rabbits’ reight before midnight. Saying these
words should bring good fortune for the rest of the year.
In Vietnam, there is also New Year’s Day.But it doesn’t happen on the first
date of January like other countries. It is known as “Lunar New Year”
because as a result of being calculated by the lunar calendar, the Tet
festival often occurs at the end of January or the beginning of February,
which is later than New Year’s Day.During subsequent days, people visit
relatives and friends. Traditionally but not strictly, the second day of Tet is
usually reserved for friends, while the third day is for teachers, who command respect in Vietnam. 1