Understanding UK & Ireland Chapter 9 A General Survey of UK
I. Decide whether the following statementsare true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” forfalse in the space provided.
___1. The official name of UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ___2. The longest river in Britain is River Thames.
___3. On the island of Great Britainthere are four political pisions—England Scotland Wales and Ireland.
___4. The United Kingdom consist of two main islands—Great Britain and Ireland.
II. Multiple Choices
5. The flag of the United Kingdomknown as the Union Jackis made up of _____ crosses.
A. one B. two C. three D. four
6. Which flower is symbol of England?
A. Thistle B. Shamrock C. Daffodil D. Rose
7. About two thirds of ____is covered by the Highlands.
A. England B. Scotland C. Wales D. Northern Ireland
III. Match each of the following capitals with its island
8. Scotland a) Belfast
9. Wales b) Cardiff
10.Northern Ireland c) Edinburgh
IV. Answer the Following Questions
11. What are the four regions of Britain?
12. What kind of geographical position does Britain have?
13. Which places in Great Britain are mostly highland and lowland？
14. Does Britain have a favorable climate?
15. What are the factors which influence the climate in Britain? Which part of Britain has the most rainfall and which part is the driest?
Chapter 10
Geography & History of UK Section 1 Geography
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
_____ 1. To the west of Great Britain is the second largest island known as Scotland.
_____ 2. Londonthe capital of the UKis situated on the Severn River near its mouth.
_____ 3. There are three political pisions on the island of Great Britain. They are England，Scotland and Wales.
II. Multiple Choices
4. The British Isles are made up of______.
A. two large islands and hundreds of small ones
B. two large islands and Northern Ireland
C. three large islands and hundreds of small ones
D. three large islands and Northern Ireland
5. The largest lake in Britain is ______.
A. Loch Lomond B. the Lough Neagh
C. Windermere D. Ullswater
6. Britain’s climate is influenced by ______ that sweeps up from the equator and flows past the British Isles.
A. the Gulf Stream
B. the Brazil Current
C. the Labrador Current
D. the Falkland current
7. The second largest city in England_____is a metropolitan district and an industrial and manufacturing city.
A. Edinburgh B. Belfast
C. Glasgow D. Birmingham
8. _____ is England’s biggest naval base.
A. Portsmouth B. Southampton
C. Plymouth D. Dover
9. Which is the largest city in Scotland?
A. Cardiff B. Edinburgh
C. Glasgow D. Manchester
10. Britain hasfor centuriesbeen slowly tilting with _____.
A. the North-West slowly rising and the South-East slowly sinking
B. the North-East slowly rising and the South-West slowly sinking
C. the South-East slowly rising and the North-west slowly sinking
D. the South-West slowly rising and the North-East slowly sinking
Section 2 History
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
_____1. It was the Angles who gave their name to England and the English people.
_____2. The Anglo-Saxon Conquest was important in English history because it laid the foundation on which the English nation was to be formed.
_____3. The Great Charter was signed in 1215 by King John.
_____4. Henry VII was responsible for the founding of the Church of England.
_____5. Britain was the first country to start the Industrial Revolution which contributed to the establishment of the British Empire.
II. Multiple Choices
6. Celts were different groups of ancient people who came originally from___ .
A. France
B. Denmark
C. Ireland
D. Germany
7. Who invaded and conquered Britain for the first time in 55 BC____?
A. Emperor Claudius
B. Julius Caesar
C. King Alfred
D. King Ethelred
8. The Chartist Movement was officially launched at a great meeting in Birmingham
in__with the aim of pressing the Parliament to accept the People’s Charter.
A. 1836
B. 1838
C. 1840
D. 1842
9. The Romans led by Julius Caesar launched their first invasion on Britain in ____.
A. 200 B.C.
B. 55 B.C.
C. 55 A.D.
D. 410 A.D
10. When did the Hundred Years’ War start?
A. 1733
B. 1453
C. 1337
D. 1357
Chapter Exercises
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
___1.The official name of UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ___2.The longest river in Britain is River Thames.
___3.On the island of Great Britainthere are four political pisions—England ScotlandWales and Ireland
___4.The UK lies in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of Europe.
___5.British recorded history begins with the Norman invasion.
II. Multiple Choices
6. The highest mountain peak in Britain is called ____.
A. Ben Nevis B. Cross Fell
C. Snowdon D. Scafell
7. The Lake District is famous for ___.
A. its wild and beautiful scenery
B. its varied lakes
C. the Lake Poets
D. all of the above
8. The first known settlers of Britain were
_______.
A. the Jutes B. the Celts
C. the Saxons D. the Iberians
9. .The objective of the Chartist Movement was democratic rights for all menand it took its name from____.
A. the Bill of Rights
B. the Agreement of the People
C. the People’s Charter
D. the Great Charter
10. Who invaded and conquered Britain for the first time in 55 BC____.
A. Emperor Claudius B. Julius Caesar
C. King Alfred D. King Ethelred
III. Gap-filling
11. The total area of Britain is about____ square kilometers.
12. Britain is separated from the European continent by ______ and_____________.
13. The capital of the Scotland is (1) ________the capital of Wales is___ and the capital of Northern Ireland is (2) ________.
14.________ is the largest and most populous of the three political pisions on the
island of Great Britain.
15. The first steam engine was devised by Thomas Newcomer at the end of the 17th
centuryand the Scottish inventor ________ modified and improved the design in 1765.
IV. Terms Explanation
16. The Hundred Years' War
17. The Lowland Zone
18. Norman Conquest of 1066
19. Industrial Revolution
20. The Chartist Movement
Chapter 11
Political System & National Economy of UK Section 1 Political System
I. Decide whether the following statementsare true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
______1. The United Kingdom is a federal not a unitary state.
______2. Members of Parliament (MPs) are those who inherit the noble titles.
______3. In Britainchanges of government do not involve changes in departmental staff who continue to carry out their duties whichever party is in power.
______4. The Labor Party has always had strong links with the trade unions and received financial support from them.
______5. Prime Minister is the leader of the British government.
II. Multiple Choices
6. The House of Commons consists of ______ Members of Parliament.
A 651
B. 1200
C. 1198
D. 763
7. The ultimate authority for law-making resides in the ______.
A the House of Lords
B. the House of Commons
C. the Privy Council
D. the Shadow Cabinet
8. In Britain the succession order of the Crown can be altered only by common consent of _____.
A. all members of the royal family
B. the House of Lords and the House of Commons
C. cabinet and ministry
D. the countries of the Commonwealth
9. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. The _____ has very little power.
A. queen
B. monarch
C. prime minister
D. king
III. Match the following items
10.
1) England has existed as a unified entity since the ________ century. a) King John
2) The most important part of the English constitution is the
Magna Chartaor Great Chartersealed by _______ in 1215. b)the Conservative Party
3) In 1994 the Labor Party elected Tony Blaira young lawyeras its leader. c) James II d) the Labor Party
e)10th
f) 11th
Section 2 National Economy
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
_____ 1. Mrs. Thatcher's government took numerous measures to improve the efficiency of the economy during the past decadeusing both macroeconomic and microeconomic policies. _____ 2. Todayin Britainiron and steel is called a “sick” industry.
_____ 3. There are steady development in the 50s and 60seconomic recession in the 70s and economic recovery in the 80s.
II. Multiple Choices
4. Traditional British farming involved__ which dated back to the 5th century.
A. the open field system
B. the system of crop rotation
C. the use of artificial fertilizer
D. the use of new agricultural machinery
5. In the 1970soil was discovered in___but the revenue from oil did not create an economic miracle for Britain.
A. the English Channel
B. the Irish Sea
C. the St. George Sea
D. the North Sea
6. Local authorities in Great Britain raise revenue through___.
A. the income tax
B. the council tax
C. the capital receipts
D. personal contribution
7. The economic policy Britain pursued in the 1950， and 1960s was based on the theory of_______.
A. Adam Smith B. John M. Keynes
C. Margaret Thatcher D. Karl Marx
8. Under Margaret Thatcher’s administration Britain experienced _________.
A. economic recession
B. economic expansion
C. economic decline
D. economic depression
9. In Britain only about ____ of the population are farmers but they manage 70% of the land area.
A. 2% B. 3% C. 4% D. 5%
III. Match the following items
10.
1) The two important crops in Britain are ____.
2) ____is now often referred to as the “Silicon Glen”.
3) In the early 2000s Britain’s levels of inflation and unemployment remained among the lowest in the European Union.
a) wheat and rice
b) wheat and barley
ｃ）the area between London and South Wales
ｄ）the area between Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland
e) lowest
f) highest
Chapter Exercises
I. Gap-filling
1. The British were the ______ in the world to enter the Industrial Revolution.
2. The main textile producing regions of Britain are _____________and_____.
3. An industrial complex in suburban Glasgow dubbed _______is the center of Scotland’s thriving technology industry.
4. Historicallythe financial services industry has been based in the City of______ in an area called the Square Mile.
5. The Bank of Englandchartered in 1694 was ______in 1946 and is the only bank that issues banknotes in England and Wales.
6. The predecessor of the English parliament is________.
7. There are _______ political pisions on the island of Great Britain.
8. In the UKthe party which wins the second largest number of seats in the House becomes _______with is one leaderand forms a ________.
9.____________were the forerunners of the Conservative Party.
10. In the United Kingdomthe party which wins the ___________ number of seats in the House of Commons becomes the official Opposition.
III. Terms Explanation
1. Constitutional monarchy
2. Primogeniture
3. First past the post
4. The Conservative Party and the Labor Party
5. High Street Banks
IV．Answer the Following Questions
16. What is a general election?
17. What is the supreme legislative authority in Britain? What does it consists of?
18. What are the three areas in Britain which have seen some high-tech industrial growth?
19. What is the British government’s role in the economy?
20. How did the structure of British industry change in the last half of the 20th century? Chapter 12 Society & Culture of UK
Section 1
British people & their Ways of Life
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
_____1. It is customary to leave a 10% tip when eating in restaurants for good service (but not in fast food restaurants such as McDonalds.)
_____2. Britain is home of the world's largest foreign exchange market and the world's richest football club—Manchester United.
_____3. The once typical British family headed by two parents has undergone substantial changes during the nineteenth century.
_____4. Marriage is legal at age 18 in Britain.
II. Multiple Choices
5. What is the most popular type of home in England?
A．semi-detached
B．detached
C．flat
D．terraced
6. Which of the following is not included in the most common and typical foods eaten in Britain?
A. sandwich
B. fish
C. chips
D. Pisa
7. When does the world's most famous tennis tournament Wimbledon begin?
A. on the nearest Friday to June 22
B. on the nearest Monday to June 22
C. on the nearest Tuesday to June 22
D. on the nearest Saturday to June 22
III. Match the following items
8. When you are invited to dinnerten minutes _____ is excellent.
9.________is undoubtedly the most popular sport in England.
10. In EnglandPeople usually _____ when first introduced.
a) Football
b) Horseracing
c) late
d) shake hands
e) kiss each other lightly on one cheek
Section 2 Holidays and Special Days
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
_____1. Banks are not allowed to operate on bank holidays.
_____2. Each part of the United Kingdom has the same Saint's Day.
_____3. There are currently 8 permanent bank and public holidays in EnglandWales and Scotlandand 10 in Northern Ireland.
II. Multiple Choices
4. In EnglandWales & Irelandboth Christmas Day and _____Good Friday were traditional 'days of rest'.
A. New Year's Day
B. Easter Monday
C. Good Friday
D. May Day
5. England's National Day is ____.
A. St George's Day1 March
B. St George's Day23 April
C. New Year's Day. 1 Jan
D. Christmas25 Dec
6. In EnglandWalesparts of Canadaand in some other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations____ is a popular term applied to December 26the day following Christmas Day.
A. Easter
B. Lent
C. Boxing Day
D. Remembrance Day
III. Match each of the following parts with its Saint’s Day.
7. England a) St. David
8. Scotland b) St Patrick
9. Wales c) St. George
10.Northern Ireland d) St. Andrew
Section 3 Education
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
_____1. Education in Britain is compulsory for children aged from 5 to 16.
_____2. Like all British universities Buckingham University is also partially funded by central government grants.
_____3.Public schools are mainly financed by fees paid by parents.
_____4. Boarding private schoolssuch as Eton CollegeHarrow School are open to all in Britain and a large percentage of population can attend the schools.
II. Multiple Choices
5. Which one is not considered as the most famous boarding private schools in Britain?
A. Eton College
B. Harrow School
C. Woodland Junior School
D. Rugby School
6. Normallyit will take _______ years to get an undergraduate degree
A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 2
7. Which of the following statements is not true about the comprehensive schools?
A. They are only taken students with good academic abilities.
B. They provide a large range of secondary education.
C. they are founded in 1960s and 1970s.
D. Most grammar schools were replaced by comprehensive schools.
III. Match the following items
8. Oxbridge
a)Universities dedicated to the sciences and applied technology
9. public schools
b)Ivy League
10. polytechnics
d) state schools
e)private schools that charge attendance fees
f) Oxford and Cambridge
Section 4 British Literature
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
_____1. Spencer is regarded as the father of modern English poetry.
_____2. One of Milton’s major poetic works is Paradise Lost.
_____3. The majority of traditional English poems were written in iambic pentameter.
_____4.The Victorian Age is most famous for its essays.
II. Multiple Choices
5. What is the essence of the Renaissance?
A．Poetry B．Drama
C．Humanism D．Reason
6. “If Winter comescan Spring be far behind!” is an epigrammatic line by _____.
A. J. Keats B. W. Blake
C. W. Wordsworth D. P. B. Shelley
7. Among the following poets_____ doesn’t belong to the Victorian Poets.
A. T. S. Eliot B. Alfred Tennyson
C. Robert Browning D. Matthew Arnold
III. Match the following writers with their works
8.
1) Virginia Woolf a) The Canterbury Tales
2) Geoffrey Chaucer b) Mrs Dalloway
3) Charles Dickens c) Othello
d) David Copperfield
e) I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
IV. Gap-filling
8._____________ is the most popular literary form in the medieval period.
9. The Romantic Movement appeared on the literary arena of England from the publication of _____________ by Wordsworth and _____________ in 1798 to the death of _____________ in 1832. The literary form which is the most flourishing during the
Romantic Period is _________.
10. Samuel Richardson was the master of writing _____________ novels and the first novelist of ____________ tradition. His novels have a ___________trying to inculcate virtue and good deportment. _________ was his best novel.
11. W. M. Thackeray was another representative of _________ in 19th England. In 1847 he published his masterpiece _________________ with a subtitle“________________________”.
12. ____________________________ are considered as Shakespeare's four greatest tragedies. V. Terms Explanation
1. Spenserian stanza
2. Stream of Consciousness
Chapter 13
Understanding Ireland
Section 1 A General Survey of Ireland
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
_ _1. Most people in the Republic of Ireland are Protestantand the rest are Roman Catholics.
_ _2. Dublin is the largest city of the Republic of Irelandand also the largest city on the island of Ireland.
___3. "Urban Dublin" includes not only Dublin Citybut also the contiguous suburban areas that run into the adjacent counties of Dun Laoghaire-RathdownFingal and South Dublin.
II. Multiple Choices
4. The reason why Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle is because of _________.
A. its connection with Britain
B. its green scenery
C. its abundant natural resources
D. its unique shape
5. What are the two official languages in Ireland?
A. Irish and Gaelic
B. English and Ulster-Scots
C. English and Gaelic
D. Irish and Ullans
6. What are the three colors that constitute the Republic of Ireland's national flag?
A. orangewhite and green
B. orangegreen and blue
C. whitegreen and red
D. whiteblue and green
7. Who made harp the official symbol of colonial Ireland in the 16th century?
A．Queen Victoria of England
B. Queen Elisabeth I of England
C. King Henry VII of England
D. King Henry VIII of England
III. Match the following items
8. the largest religious group in Ireland
9. the religious group that belongs to the Protestant
10. the religious group that is against war and centralization of government power
a) the Church of Ireland
b) Jehovah's Witnesses
d) Roman Catholics
e) Orthodox
f ) Jews
Section 2 Geography & History of Ireland
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
___1. Ireland is on the western fringe of Europe and it stretched from Malin Head in the south to Mizen Head in the north
___2. The River Shannon is the longest river in both Ireland and Britainand has influenced the militarysocial and economic history of Ireland.
___3. In 1459 Henry VII extended English law over the entirety of Irelandand assumed supremacy over the existing Irish parliament.
II. Multiple Choices
4. What caused the death of over 1 million lives and the departure of a further 1 million people in Ireland in the 1840s?
A. the war against England
B. political unrest
C. the Great Famine
D. the harsh weather
5. What are the names of the two largest islands along the western coast of Ireland?
A. the Achill and Dundalk Island
B. the Achill and the Aran Island
C. the Dundalk and Dublin Island
D. the Dundalk and the Aran Island
6. Which of the following word can be used to describe the outstanding feature of the Irish weather?
A. changeable B. humid
C. sunny D. dry
7. What is the most valuable natural resource in Ireland?
A．zinc and lead
B. gypsum and alumina
C. peat and bogs
D. its lowland soils
II. Multiple Choices
8. the highest mountain in Ireland
a) Wicklow Mountains
9.the principal mountain ranges in the south of Dublin
b) Carrauntoohil
10.the mountain in the far southwest in County Kerry
c) Macgillycuddy's Reeks
d) Caher
Section 3
Political System & National Economy of Ireland
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
___1.In the Republic of Irelandthe Uachtarán is the head of government and of a multi-party system and the Taoiseach is the head of state.
___2. Dublinthe capital the Republic of Ireland was ranked 16th in a worldwide cost of living survey in 2006.
___3. The monetary unit of Ireland is the single currency of the European Union(EU) the Euro. Ireland was among the first group of EU member states to adopt the Euro.
II. Multiple Choices
4. What are the two opposed and competing Parties that dominated the Republic of Ireland?
A. Fianna Fáil and Seanad éireann
B. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael
C. Dáil éireann and Seanad éireann
D. Dáil éireann and Fine Gael
5. The presidency is open to all Irish citizens who are at least____ years old.
A. 30
B. 36
C. 40
D. 35
6. What is the name of the parliament of the Republic of Ireland?
A. Dáil éireann
B. Seanad éireann
C. Oireachtas
D. Fine Gael
7. The prime minister is appointed by________after being nominated by the lower house of parliament.
A．the President
B. the Senate
C. the Oireachtas
D. the Council of State
III. Match the following items
8. Mary Patricia McAleese
a) the tenth Prime Minister
9. Bertie Ahern
b) the head of Irish Supreme Court
10. Brian Cowen
c) the current Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland
d) the eighthand currentPresident of Ireland
e)the present Vice-President
f) the head of the High Court
Section 4 Society and Culture of Ireland
I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false in the space provided.
___1. Ireland’s population is predominantly of Irish originbut ancient tribes had inhabited Ireland for thousands of years when Celtic peoples settled the island in the 4th century BC.
___2. In the 1960s and 1970s emigration in Ireland increased sharply because people wanted to seek employment and better lives in foreign countries.
___3. In Irelandmost weddings are performed in a churchbut a minority is also performed in a registry office.
II. Multiple Choices
4. Ireland also has a small indigenous minority known as ______.
A. Celtic B. Travelers
C. Normans D. Vikings
5. Since 1991how many women presidents have the Irish elected?
A. two B. three
C. four D. none
6. What is not included in the renowned local stout varieties in Ireland?
A. Guinness
B. Beamish
C. Murphy
D. whiskey
7. What are the two popular national sports in Ireland?
A. Irish soccer and hockey
B. Gaelic rugby and sailing
C. Gaelic football and hurling
D. Irish cycling and golf
III. Match the following items
8. Céad míle fáilte a) Go safelyand blessings be with you
9. Dia dhuit b) Go safely
10.Slán agus beannacht
c) A hundred thousand welcomes
d) How's it going
e) God be with you
f) How are you?
Chapter Exercises
I. Gap-filling
1. Ireland means "Eire land". Eire is the Irish name for the country and is believed to mean _________
2. Originally founded as a centre for the Viking slave tradeDublin has been Ireland's capital city since ________ times.
3. In 432St. Patrick arrives in Ireland and confronts King Laoghaire who allows him to spread the
word of ________ in Ireland.
4. In 1914the implementation of _______ is postponed because of the outbreak of World War I.
5. The state operates under the Constitution of Irelandadopted in 1937. The constitution may only be amended by ________.
6. The population within the administrative area controlled by Dublin City Council was 505739 at the census of 2006. A person from Dublin is known as a ________ or a Dub. Is the country’s second largest city and major port. English is the main language used in Ireland (spoken with an Irish accent). The traditional ________ language is spoken mainly in areas along the west coast of Ireland. The major religions of Ireland are Roman Catholic and _________. The Republic of Ireland's flag is made of three equal-sized rectangles of orange whiteand green. The green color on the flag represents the native people of Irelandmost are _________.
7. Two popular national sports in Ireland probably are: _________ and _________both strictly _________ sports. _________ has become a particularly popular spectator sport in the 1990s. Besides_________ sailing cyclinggolfand _________ racing are also favorite activities.
8. Major public holidays observed in the Republic of Ireland include: New Year's DaySt Patrick's DayEaster MondayLabor Day/May Day and Christmas Dayamong which _________ honors the patron saint of Ireland and _________ was newly introduced in _________.
9. The Republic of Ireland's education system is quite similar to that of most other western countries. There are three distinct levels of education in Ireland: _____________ and ________.
10. Ireland's most widely-known literary works are undoubtedly in English. Particularly famous examples of such works are those of James JoyceOscar Wildeand Ireland's four winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature: ________________________ and ________.
II. Terms Explanation
1. The River Shannon
2. The Irish Free State
3. Shamrock
4. George Bernard Shaw
5. The Supreme Court
III. Answer the Following Questions
1. What kind of holiday is St Patrick's Day?
2. What is the origin of the Irish national anthem
“The Soldier's Song”?
3. What is “the Potato Famine”?
4. What do Protestant groups in Ireland include?
5. How much do you know about James Joyce?
