which are played with two or four players as well as cards, dominoes and
coin games are known in this country, skittles and darts are less familiar.
Skittles is one of the oldest pub games and dates back to medieval
England, the object of the game being to knock down as many skittles as
possible with a wooden ball. This pub game has lots of variations all over
Britain. Darts is also an old game, ' which was played by the Pilgrims in
1620 when they sailed, from England to the New World. That is why it is
well known in the USA, too. To play this game one must first of all have a
standard dartboard with numbers marked on it to indicate score. The outer
ring counts double, the middle one treble while at the very centre is the
bull (50) with its own outer circle (25). Dart players should stand at
least eight feet away from the board. The aim of the game is to score as
quickly as possible with the least number, of throws. The actual score a
player must get depends on the variety of game he is playing. Many pubs in
Great Britain have their own darts teams. So, if you come to Britain drop
in a pub, enjoy a pint of bitter and a "tongue sandwich, which speaks for
itself”.
It sounds funny to foreigners but when it is closing time, the pub
barman calls "Time!" or "Time, gentlemen, pleaser!”
English Habits of Politeness
Some greetings in England are very informal: a simple “good morning” or
a wave of the hand across the street is quite enough. Handshakes are only
exchanged on a first introduction or as a token of agreement or
congratulation. “Sorry” takes the place of “no” when you cannot do
something for a person or give a positive answer in situation like “May I
use your pen?”, “Do you know the time?” or “Have you any size seven
shoes?”. “Pardon” is the polite way of asking somebody to repeat what he
has said.
English people do not readily ask each other to do anything, they
prefer to wait for a service to be offered before asking for it. If they do
ask, then they say something like “I don’t really like asking you, but…”
It is considered polite to give up one’s seat a woman who is standing,
to open door for her, carry things for her, and so on.
Manners in Public
Our manners in public, like our manners in our homes, are based on self-
respect and consideration for other people.
It is really surprising how stingy we are with our “Please” when we ask
anyone to do something for us. We unwillingly part with our “Thank you”, as
if it were the most difficult and costly thing in the world. We don’t stand
aside for others to pass us in the trams, buses or the underground. We
don’t rice to let people pass us to their seats in the theatres or movies.
1.Not to make yourself conspicuous, not to attract unfavourable
attention to yourself or others, here are some of the rules for correct
behaviour in a public place.
2.Not to be conspicuous, don’t wear conspicuous clothes.
3.One should not talk loud or laugh loud.
4.No matter how trying the circumstance, do not give way to anger or
uncontrolled emotion.
5.Never eat anything in the street, or in a public place (restaurants,
buffets and cafes excluded).
6.Do not rudely push your way through crowds.
7.Never stare at people or point at them.
8.Do not ridicule or comment on anyone in public.
9.Reserve “affectionate demonstration” (kissing, embracing, etc.) for
appropriate places.
10.Don’t monopolise the sidewalk, by walking 3 or 4 abreast, or by
stopping in the centre to speak with someone.
When in the street keep to the right.
British institutes
Parliament is the most important authority in Britain. Parliament first
met in the 13th century. Britain does not have a written constitution, but
a set of laws. In 1689 Mary II and William III became the first
constitution monarchs. They could rule only with the support of the
Parliament. Technically Parliament is made up of three parts: the Monarch,
the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
The continuity of the English monarchy has been interrupted only once
during the Cromwell republic. Succession to the throne is hereditary but
only for Protestants in the direct line of descent. Formally the monarch
has a number of roles. The monarch is expected to be politically neutral,
and should not make political decisions. Nevertheless, the monarch still
performs some important executive and legislative duties including opening
and dissolving Parliament, singing bills passed by both Houses and
fulfilling international duties as head of state. The present sovereign is
Queen Elizabeth II who was crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1953.
The House of Lords comprises about 1,200 peers. The house is presided
over by the Lord Chancellor. The House of Lords has no real power but acts
as an advisory council for the House of Commons. As well as having
legislative functions, the Lords is the highest court of appeal.
The House of Commons consist of members of Parliament who are elected
by the adult suffrage of the British people in general elections which are
held at least every five years. The country is divided into 650
constituencies each of which elects one Member of Parliament. The Commons
therefore, has 650 Members of Parliament. The party which wins the most
seats forms the Government and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. The
functions of Commons are registration and security of government
activities. The house is presided over by the Speaker. The government party
sits on the Speaker’s right while on his left sit the members of the
Opposition.
Education in Britain
In England and Wales compulsory school begins at the age of five, but
before that age children can go to a nursery school, also called play
school. School in compulsory till the children are 16 years old.
In Primary School and First School children learn to read and write and
the basis of arithmetic. In the higher classes of Primary School (or in
Middle School) children learn geography, history, religion and, in some
schools, a foreign language. Than children go to Secondary School.
When students are 16 years old they may take an exam in various
subjects on order to have a qualification. These qualifications can be
either G.C.S.E. (General Certificate of Secondary education) or “O level”
(ordinary level). After that students can either leave school and start
working or continue their studies in the same school as before. If they
continue, when they are 18, they have to take further examinations which
are necessary for getting into university or college.
Some parents choose private schools for their children. They are very
expensive but considered to provide a better education and good job
opportunities.
In England there are 47 universities, including the Open University
which teaches via TV and radio, about 400 colleges and institutes of higher
education. The oldest universities in England are Oxford and Cambridge.
Generally, universities award two kinds of degrees: the Bachelor’s degree
and the Master’s degree.
Cambridge
Cambridge is situated at a distance of 70 miles from London; the
greater part of the town lies on the left bank of the river Cam crossed by
several bridges.
Cambridge is one of the loveliest towns of England. It is very green
presenting to a visitor a series of beautiful groupings of architecture,
trees, gardens, lawns and bridges. The main building material is stone
having a pinkish color which adds life and warms to the picture at all
seasons of the year.
The dominating factor in Cambridge is University, a center of education
and learning. Newton, Byron, Darwin, Rutherford and many other scientists
and writers were educated at Cambridge. In Cambridge everything centers on
the university and its Colleges, the eldest of which was founded in 1284.
They are 27 in number. The college is a group of buildings forming a square
with a green lawn in the center. An old tradition does not allow the
students to walk on the grass, this is the privilege of professors and head-
students only. There is another tradition which the students are to follow:
after sunset they are not allowed to go out without wearing a black cap and
a black cloak.
The University trains about 7.000 students. They study for 4 years, 3
teams a year. The long vacation lasts 3 months. They are trained by a
tutor; each tutor has 10-12 students reading under his guidance. There is a
close connection between the University and colleges, through they era
separate in theory and practice.
A college is a place where you live no matter what profession you are
trained for; so that students studying literature and those trained for
physics belong to one and the same college. However the fact is that you
are to be a member of a college in order to be a member of the University.
The students eat their meals in the college dining-hall. At some
colleges there is a curious custom known as “sooncing”. If a should come
late to dinner or not be correctly dressed or if he should break one of the
little unwritten laws of behaviour, then the senior student present may
order him to be “soonced”. The Butler brings in a large silver cup, known
as “sconce cup”, filled with offender, who must drink it in one attempt
without taking the cup from his lips. (It holds two and half pints). If he
succeeds then the senior student pays for it, if not, the cup is passed
round the table at the expense of the student who has been “sconced”. Now
the origin of this custom.
Until 1954, undergraduates (students studying for the first degree)
had to wear cloaks, called gowns, after dark, but now they are only obliged
to wear them for dinner and some lectures. This tradition is disappearing,
but one which is still upheld is that of punting on the Cam. It is a
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