Introduction to English Studies 1.2: Civilisation

in the United Kingdom

and Ireland

Workbook

2017

Autumn

Compiled by Ágnes Kiricsi Partially based on the workbook of Erzsébet Stróbl

2

Introduction to English Studies 1.2: Civilisation in the United Kingdom

and Ireland

BAN/BANM/ERPB-BAN 1312

Kiricsi Ágnes

kiricsi@gmail.com

Friday 10:00-11:30, 12:00-13:30, 14:00-15:30

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the geography, political system, and social

scene of the United Kingdom. The course places special emphasis on the cultural heritage of

the country and on contemporary social issues.

Course Manuals:

Workbook. 2017. Compiled by Ágnes Kiricsi.

Károly Pintér, Introduction to Britain.

https://btk.ppke.hu/uploads/articles/463213/file/Britbook_2014.pdf

Collection of slides

Michael Collins (1996) by Neil Jordan

Requirements:

Regular attendance. Students can miss 3 classes, after the fourth absence they will

not get a credit for the course.

Reading the assigned articles and defining terms listed after the articles. Looking up

unknown words and expressions of the article, and commenting on the content of the

text.

Doing the homework assignments.

A midterm test, and an end-of-term test (including an outline-map test and a

vocabulary test of the articles).

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Course schedule

Sept. 15 Introduction, cultural facts about the UK

Sept. 22 National Symbols of the UK, Geography

Sept. 29 The Crown, Religion

Oct. 6 Parliament

Oct. 13 Ireland - movie

Oct. 20

Mid-term test

Scotland: Symbols, Geography

Nov. 10

Scotland: Culture and History

Nov. 17

Wales: Symbols and Geography

Nov. 24 Wales: Culture and History

Dec. 1 Ireland: Symbols, Geography, Outline of History

Dec. 8 End-of-term test

Dec. 15 Course Evaluation

4

1. The UK – Introduction, Symbols

1. The Quintessence of Britishness (from: Julian Barnes: England, England)

2. What Do You Know About Great Britain?

Great Britain comprises England, (1).................... and (2)..................... The full, official name of the

country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and (3).................... Ireland. The national flag of the

UK is the (4)................... Jack. The United Kingdom is a member of the (5) ............... Union. The

capital of the UK, London, lies on the river (6)................. . The highest mountain in the UK is

(7)............ ............. in the Highlands of Scotland, at 1,343 m. The longest river is the (8)....................,

354 km long. The population of the UK is about (9)................ million. The two largest islands in the

English Channel are: (10).................... and ......................... . The most important British government

offices are situated in the City of (11)......................., a borough of Greater London. The British

Parliament consists of the House of (12).................... and the House of (13).................... The

(14)...................of London is one of the most important financial centres in the world. (15)...................

Palace is the official residence of the Queen.

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(16)...................., a county in the south east, is called the Garden of England because it produces a lot

of fruit and vegetables. The (17)................... is the central part of England, important for light

engineering industries. (18)................... is the second-largest city in Britain. In the past it was known

as the industrial centre of England; now it is becoming popular as a centre of music and the arts.

(19)............................ is the birthplace of William Shakespeare. One of the most beautiful areas in the

north of England is the (20).................. District, situated mainly in Cumbria. The population of

Scotland is about (21)................ million. The capital of Scotland is (22)................... Scotland is

divided into three geographical areas: the Highlands, the (23)................. and the Islands. The

population of Wales is about (24)................. million. The capital of Wales is (25).............. The highest

mountain in Wales is (26)...................

The British political scene is dominated by a two-party system. Since 1923 the (27).................. and the

.................... parties have been the most important in political life. The party in opposition is called

”Her Majesty’s Opposition” and its leader forms a (28)”................. cabinet”. The Archbishop of

(29)................... is the leader of the Church of England. The established Church of Scotland is called

the (30)......................... Church. Britain has lost all of her colonies, however, there are still a few

dependencies which remain under British control, such as (31)................. on the southern coast of

Spain and the (32)................... Islands in the south-west Atlantic Ocean near Argentina.

(33).................... was a Crown Colony until 1997. Now it is part of the People’s Republic of China.

One of the most important dates in British history is 1066, the year of the Battle of (34)..................,

during which the Norman Duke William invaded the island and defeated the English army. Since that

time England has never been invaded. Henry VIII, who had six wives, was the founder of the Church

of (35)................ His daughter, (36)..................., gave her name to a golden era of English culture. Her

successor was James I, the son of (37).................. Queen of Scots. His son (38).................... was

executed during the Civil War. At the end of the 18th century Britain entered the period of the

(39)................... Revolution, which led to a rapid increase in national prosperity. In the 19th century

Britain was transformed from an agricultural to a modern industrial country. However, in the 20th

century Britain has lost much of her economic and political power. In 1979, the Conservative

government under Mrs. (40) .................. was determined to improve the economic situation of the

country, which was partly achieved. At present the British (41) ................ is one of the strongest world

currencies.

(from: http://www.uk.filo.pl/quiz.htm?SID=2492be17bc36e1f4a9884bf931d91fe9)

3. What is the Commonwealth?

6

4. Write the following terms into the chart

Yellow: British Isles, British Islands, Great Britain, Ireland, the United Kingdom

Blue: England, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland,

Scotland, Wales

5. What is common in these places?

a) Anguilla; Bermuda; British Antarctic Territory; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands;

Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn Islands (Ducie, Henderson and

Oeno); South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; St Helena; St Helena Dependencies (Ascension

and Tristan da Cunha); and the Turks and Caicos Islands?

b) United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada,

Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the

Grenadines, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu

c) The Isle of Man, Channel Islands

6. What are these flags?

i.) ii.) iii.) iv.)

7

7. Explain

a. b.

8. What can you see in this picture? Can you explain its parts?

9. Match the picture and the name of the national flower with the region.

ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN-IRELAND

THISTLE LEEK DAFFODIL SHAMROCK TUDOR ROSE

8

10. Match the name and the day of the national saint with the region.

ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES NORTHERN-IRELAND

St. Andrew St. Patrick St. George St. David

1 March 17 March 23 April 30 November

Also remember:

Burns Night Remembrance Day

(Scotland): 25 January Sunday nearest to 11 November

11. Can you find the correct order of these lines? What is this?

God save the Queen!

God save the Queen.

God save our gracious Queen!

Happy and glorious,

Long live our noble Queen!

Long to reign over us,

Send her victorious,

And give us ever cause,

God save the Queen.

Long may she reign.

May she defend our laws,

On her be pleased to pour,

Thy choicest gifts in store

To sing with heart and voice,

12. Solve the crossword puzzle

Across

1. Pancake .... is a competition of women over 16. They run 380 metres wearing a cap and an apron. The

most famous one is held at Olney in Buckinghamshire.

2. national flower of Wales

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5. The national flower of Scotland.

8. ... holidays are those days when banks are legally closed.

9. Bunches of .... are often hung above doorways at Christmas time. A couple passing underneath must

exchange kisses.

11. ... rolling competitions are connected to Easter Monday in northern Britain.

13. ... Day is the name for 26 December. This is the time when tradespeople receive a Christmas Box (i.e.:

some money) in appreciation of the work they've carried out during the year.

14. Roast ... is a traditional Christmas dinner

16. Patron Saint of Scotland

19. The Scottish New Year

20. ... or treating is another name for Guising

21. Ireland's national flower

22. ... Day is also called Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday which falls 41 days before Easter).

Down

1. The national flower of England.

3. First ... is a New Year tradition.

4. ...-O'-Lantern

6. National flower of Wales

7. 31 October

10. It's a holiday, the name of which comes from the Saxon godess of spring, Eostre, whose feast tookplace

at the spring eqinox (21 March)

12. Fawkes - a man who attempted to blow up King James I and the Houses of Parliament in 1605. This

day is commemorated with bonfires on 5 November.

15. National saint of Ireland

17. A piece of coal, a loaf of bread and a bottle of .... are connected to the New Year festivities in the North

of England and Scotland

18. A flower worn on Remembrance Day (the nearest Sunday to 11 November)

10

READING

http://www.economist.com/new

s/britain/21578435-minorities-

embrace-englishness-even-

metropolitan-whites-shun-it-

identity-paradeEnglishness

Identity parade

Minorities embrace

Englishness, even as

metropolitan whites

shun it

May 25th 2013 |From the print

edition

IN 1924, speaking on St George’s Day, the then prime minister, Stanley Baldwin, gave

thanks that for once he could refer to England “without some fellow at the back of the room

shouting out: ‘Britain!’” Even then, the tendency of the English to forget the other nations of

the United Kingdom irritated the politically correct.

The distinction between Britain and England continues to confuse tourists; the natives

furrow their brows, too. Filling in their census forms in 2011, some 60% of people in

England gave their national identity as “English” only, whereas 19% gave it as “British” only.

(The remainder were from another part of Britain, foreign nationals or claimed multiple

national identities.) But, as data released on May 16th showed, there is great variation.

Whether a person considers himself English first or British first is a powerful predictor of

class, race and political persuasion.

Blacks and Asians are far more likely to consider themselves British: just 8% of ethnic

Bangladeshis in England identify straightforwardly as English, for example. The old are more

likely to describe themselves as English than the young. And among white Britons there is a

geographical divide. In central London and other wealthy places, Britishness is popular: just

57.5% of white Britons in Cambridge call themselves English. In poorer spots along the

Thames Estuary, in the West Midlands and in many northern cities, Englishness is the

default identity (see map).

As Britain and Britishness have become more ethnically diverse, and as Scottish and

Welsh nationalists have asserted themselves, many white Britons have turned to

Englishness as an alternative identity. A poll by IPPR, a think-tank, finds that people who

consider themselves English rather than British tend to be more hostile to immigration and

more likely to vote for right-wing parties such as the UK Independence Party. For some, the

flag of St George is too closely associated with far-right groups such as the English Defence

League.

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That repels ethnic minorities and wealthy white liberals. Yet there are reasons for optimism.

Mixed-race people are far more likely to claim an English identity: some 46% identified

themselves that way in the census. People with mixed black Caribbean and white parentage

identify as English almost as often as whites do. And in some places where Englishness in

general is more common, such as the West Midlands, ethnic minorities as well as whites are

embracing it. That suggests that Englishness is becoming less exclusive.

Some would like that process to speed up. Sunder Katwala, the director of British Future,

another think-tank, reckons that the government should do more to create a more civic

English identity. Though white Britons are broadly tolerant of other races, a survey in 2008

found that over half would not consider a non-white person to be English even if he was born

in England. Still, few question the Englishness of the England football team—which contains

several black players. If that bunch of serial losers can unite the nation, developing a few

other sources of English pride ought not to be too difficult.

Define the following phrases:

St George’s Day –

to furrow one’s brow –

census –

political persuasion –

Thames Estuary –

West Midlands –

ethnically diverse –

assert oneself –

poll –

think-tank –

UK Independence Party –

to repel –

Caribbean –

survey -

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2. The UK – Geography, Regions

13

1. Colour Ireland and the parts of the UK in different colours in the blank

map England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland

2. Mark the cities in the blank map

Aberdeen

Belfast

Birmingham

Brighton

Cambridge

Canterbury

Cardiff

Dover

Dublin

Dundee

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Inverness

Leeds

Liverpool

London

Manchester

Newcastle

Oxford

Plymouth

Portsmouth

Southampton

Swansea

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3. Mark the following places in the blank map:

Islands

Isle of Man

The Channel Islands

Isles of Scilly

Isle of Wight

Orkney

Shetland

The Hebrides

Anglesey

Geographical Regions

Cornwall

Cambrian Mountains

Pennines

Northwest Highlands

Grampian Mountains

Southern Uplands

Lake District

Dartmoor

Exmoor

Snowdonia

Waters

Irish Sea

Celtic Sea

English Channel

Strait of Dover

North Sea

Atlantic Ocean

The Minch

Firth of Forth

The Wash

Bristol Channel

Thames

Severn

Avon

Laugh Neagh

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4. English Dialects – Listening (Tapescript)

1. If she know she got it coming cushy she ain’t got to bother, have she? (Berkshire)

2. I seed the advertisement in the newspaper and our Dad said to I, ‘If thee carsn’t do that

as good as some of the men, that’s a poor job’. (Gloucestershire)

3. All them men had all to get motor transport for to get till it, and come in their own cars

and one thing and another, so there must be something in a drum for all them people for

to go for to hear them drums. (Belfast)

4. And there were never a betterer mental arithmetic reckoner than my father, but not with

a pen. Well, he could set ‘em down, but not write letters, nor my mother couldn’t — not

till I got big enough — even write her name, and we learned her just to write it, and that

were all they could do them days. (West Yorkshire)

5. We used to have cookers out there and everything, and we used to cook our trotters

there — all come up in trays, all jelly — they used to nosh ‘em there like. It was really

beautiful. (London)

6. One of the teachers, the teacher what I had last — I were only about five and I were

staying to school dinners — and she made me eat a big load of mashed potatoes.

(Lancashire)

7. I was sitting here writing a letter to dear Willie’s mother. Her’s up to Brent, her was

working but now her of course has gone. And I was blowed right up there. (Devon)

8. I’m not sprucing you. They knew every kid in the village, and if they come through the

village and they see you, they always used to call you ‘master’, and you always used to

touch your cap and call them ‘sir’. (Sussex)

9. A good boss was a good boss. He were paying for the stuff that I were supposed to

make perfect or as near perfect as possible. It’s his money. It’s his building. It’s all that.

He’s kept your childer for so many year. Well you work for him, style of thing — hasn’t

he? (Lancashire)

10. I usually just sub, but then again. I’m a defender. I likes playing defender more than

anything else. (Plymouth)

11. I used to work in Marks and Spencer’s. We’ve always kept friends with the people in

there, you know. And then I worked on the station for nineteen year. (Carlisle)

12. When I heard the knocking I never thought nothing like that could ever happen.

(Norwich)

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READING

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/apr/01/highereducation.britishidentity

Dialect explosion signals decline of BBC English

Global travel and migration have given an unexpected shot in the arm to the world's dialects, until recently often viewed as a quaint, doomed relic of more primitive times.

Incoming communities have married their own forms of speech to the argot of their new neighbours, creating fresh versions of widely spoken languages such as English, Arabic and Chinese.

The growth is rapid enough to qualify as a "dialect explosion", according to specialists who meet in Newcastle today to discuss - occasionally in dialect - the boom.

"Language has always developed over time," said Karen Corrigan, a linguist at Newcastle University and co-organiser of the event. "But at the moment it's changing much faster than it ever has done because of increased opportunities for social and geographical mobility."

The research findings, which will be debated by about 400 linguists from across the world, reverse long-standing assumptions about dialects such as Geordie and Bristolian. A mammoth taping project by British academics, started in the 1950s and still continuing, began because of a conviction that the peculiarities in speech of rural Dorset or inner-city Liverpool were bound to die out.

"Just the opposite has happened," said Charley Rowe, another linguist in Newcastle. "It is RP, received pronunciation or 'BBC English', which has been in retreat.

"Here in Newcastle, where new dialects now mean we've got at least 10 ways of saying the word 'don't', there are people who now see a general north-east accent as too posh, let alone RP."

The new dialects are far from complete languages, but follow their predecessors' tradition in enriching vocabulary or changing pronunciations. Old Bristolian, which habitually adds an "l" to words ending in a vowel, has been given Caribbean, Indian sub-continent and eastern European spins.

New terms in the African-Caribbean versions include irie, meaning nice or good, and facety, a version of the English word feisty. Asian English novelties include chuddies for underpants, and gora, meaning a white person.

The conference will also discuss the spread of new dialect phrases and usages such as "bigging something up" (recommending or praising) and the ubiquitous use of "like" by young people.

New dialects are expected to increase yet more rapidly, particularly in Europe and the US, with the movement of workers and the continuing flow of asylum seekers. Specialists reckon the total is three or four times the level of 50 years ago.

The linguistic theories of the fictional Henry Higgins in George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, and the musical adaptation, My Fair Lady, remain true, however.

17

Dr Corrigan said: "The research still suggests that your dialect or accent remains an important indicator of your social status. But the expanding number of varieties means that people have a greater choice of where to place themselves in society."

Local colour

Standard English I'm going into town today

Geordie I'm ganen doon the toon the day Yorkshire Ah'm nicely off out t'taan South London Am gahn dahn tahn todiey Glasgow Am gun uptoon todee Afro-Bristolian Ahs goin ter bristle todayl Serbo-Bradfordian I go ter towen terdaay

Define the following phrases:

Dialect –

Argot –

Social and geographical mobility –

Geordie –

Bristolian –

RP (Received Pronunciation) –

BBC English –

Posh –

Indian sub-continent –

Assylum seeker –

18

3. The Monarchy and the Church

The Royal Family:

Elizabeth II Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh Charles, the Prince of Wales

Diana, the Princess of Wales Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge Prince Henry of Wales

(Prince Harry)

1. Why does the Queen have two birthdays? Fill in the gaps.

Buckingham Palace

flag

Household Cavalry

national anthem

ranks

soldiers

Sovereign

The Mall

Trooping the Colour

Union Jack

The Queen was actually born on 21 April, but it has long been customary to celebrate the

………………’s birthday on a day during the summer. Since 1805 the Sovereign’s ‘official’

birthday has been marked by the ………………………. ceremony, normally held on the

second Saturday in June.

This originated when it was essential for …………………. to recognise the ………………..

or ‘Colour’ of their regiment so that they could follow it into battle. Each year one of the five

regiments of the foot guards take turns to display their Colour in the ceremony.

19

The ceremony begins with the Queen leaving ………………………………… escorted by the

……………………………... She rides down ………………………… to Horse Guards

Parade and inspects the 500 guardsmen.

The Colour is trooped by being carried along the …………………… of guardsmen, and the

Colour party then leads the guards on a march past the Queen, accompanied by the massed

bands of the foot guards.

No particular annual ceremony is held on the Queen’s true birthday, although the

……………………. is flown on public buildings and the ………………………… is sung.

2. Fill in the table

The Powers of the Queen

Theoretical Practical

3. What powers does the Queen have? Reshuffle the words.

Parliament: The Queen msusomn, prorogues (discontinues until the next session without dissolving) and

devsoslis Parliament. She normally opens the new session of Parliament with a speech from

the hetnro which is written for her by the Government and outlines her Government’s

programme. Before a Bill becomes law the Queen must give it her oRayl Aessnt, which is

announced to both Hseuso of tenaliramP.

Justice: The Queen can, on amiirisntel advice, ranopd or show mercy to those convicted of crimes.

In law the Queen as a private person can do no wrong: she is enimum from civil or criminal

proceedings and cannot be esdu in courts of law. This immunity is not shared by other

members of the royal mlafiy.

Honours and appointments: The Queen has the power to confer peerages, tkigohhonsd and other honours. She normally

20

does this on the recommendation of the riPem iteisnMr, although a few honours are

conferred by the Sovereign personally. The Queen makes appointments to many important

state efsocfi, on the advice of the Prime Minister or the relevant ineabCt Minister.

Foreign policy: Foreign diplomatic representatives in London are ecitadcrde to the Queen, and she has the

power to conclude treaties, to derecla war and to make cpaee, to recognise foreign states and

governments and to xanen and cede territory.

4. Royal Ceremonies. Find two sentences characterising each ceremony.

Trooping of the Colour

Searching the Houses of Parliament

The State Opening of Parliament

Ceremony of the Keys

Changing of the Guard

Maundy Money

Swan Upping

The Queen's Telegram

1. At 21:53 each night the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower, dressed in Tudor

uniform, sets off to meet the Escort of the Key dressed in the well-known Beefeater

uniform

2. Before every State Opening of Parliament, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars

beneath the Palace of Westminster by the light of old candle-lanterns.

3. Centenarians receive a birthday telegram from the queen on their one-hundredth

birthday.

4. Every day a new guard of thirty guardsmen marches to Buckingham Palace and takes

the place of the "old guard".

5. It marks the official birthday of the Monarch.

6. Royal ownership of the birds is shared with the Vintners' and Dyers' Companies, who

were granted rights of ownership by the Crown in the 15th century.

7. Swans are weighed and tagged every July. on the Thames.

8. The ceremony and it dates back to 1660 - the monarch and the royal palaces have been

guarded by the Household Troops since this year.

9. The Queen attends the ceremony to take the salute from thousands of guardsmen who

parade the Queen's Flag

10. The Queen gives this to a group of old people.

11. The Queen sits on a throne in the House of Lords and reads the "Queen's Speech".

12. The tradition is over 1,000 years old, and earlier it involved washing the feet of poor,

old people.

13. The various gates of The Tower are toured and ceremonially locked.

14. This ceremony marks the beginning of the new parliamentary year and features peers

and bishops in traditional robes and a royal procession involving the State Coach.

15. This is a fairly new custom.

16. This precaution has been undertaken every year since 1605

21

5. Look at these diagrams and draw conclusions

Religion in the UK (2011)

22

The Anglican Communion

23

READING

(http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/may/24/britain-monarchy-republicanism-queen-jubilee)

24 May 2012

Britain seems to want the monarchy, but also to choose which monarch it gets

Republicanism is a minority interest as the Queen reaches her jubilee – yet many challenge the rules of hereditary monarchy.

It is a troubling irony of contemporary Britain that the surest way to lose popularity is to court it at the ballot box. In our Guardian/ICM poll this week, the voters revealed they believe our three chief party leaders to be doing a bad as opposed to a good job, by respective margins of 11, 12 and 27 percentage points. What any of them would give to swap their standing with that of the Queen, who goes into her diamond jubilee at the head of a royal family enjoying record-breaking popularity, according to the same poll.

After 60 Elizabethan years, the one public figure whom the public cannot get enough of is the one who has never deigned to ask for their approval. Respect for an elderly lady approaching a big day is understandable, even appropriate. But for the withered ranks of principled republicans – among whom the Guardian is proud to stand – the really troubling finding is that a mere one in 10 voters currently favours moving to an elected head of state, even once her reign is done. The crown is, lest we forget, is an institution that embodies deference, inherited privilege and superstition. It pulls a royal robe over the terrific power which Britain's half-written constitution concentrates in executive hands. A half-hearted overhaul of the bigoted royal rules codified in the Act of Settlement – which would allow future monarchs to marry Catholics while continuing to mandate their personal Anglicanism – only underlines how inherently inimical to the ideal of equal opportunities the whole thing is.

There is, however, just a glimmer of republican opportunity when the question turns to the

succession. Voters say they want a hereditary monarch in theory, but they flinch from what that will logically mean in practice – plonking a crown upon the pate of Prince Charles. It is not that they are in any sort of a mood to do to him what they did to the last King Charles but one. The plurality of voters don't want him to give up his head, only his throne – and even then only to his son. That hardly sounds revolutionary, until you consider that skipping a generation on the basis that the younger man would do things better is to bring suitability for the job into the selection process. And as soon as you do that, of course, you shake the very foundations. (…)

Voters have long had a favourable view of the way this particular woman accomplishes her peculiar job. Most republicans would probably have to concede that much. This colours attitudes to the constitutional question because, in a monarchy, one cannot separate the office form the body of the Queen. Elizabeth has pulled off her popularity, principally, through a rare ability to keep her mouth shut – rightly sensing that in her line of work the priority is not venting your opinions, but avoiding treading on toes. It is a talent of a sort and one which we know the heir apparent does not have. From alternative medicine to architecture, he brims with opinions which divide instead of unite.

Today's poll shows that Britain is as far away from being a republic as ever – indeed, probably further away than it has been for some time. Shrewd anti-monarchists should not fight their war right yet, because it is not winnable now. They should instead plot and scheme for what happens after Elizabeth, and encourage the treasonous chatter about whether the next man in line is in fact the right man for the job.

24

Define the following phrases:

Republicanism –

hereditary monarchy –

ballot box –

poll –

margin –

diamond jubilee –

principled republicans –

head of state –

constitution –

the Act of Settlement –

the last King Charles but one -

plurality of voters -

heir apparent –

25

4. Government and Politics

1. Have a look at the results of the 2015 and 2017 UK General Elections,

and the image of today’s leading politicians. Draw conclusions.

2015 results:

2017 results:

26

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/6-charts-that-explain-uk-general-election-results-1625580

https://www.thechicagocouncil.org

Politicians:

Theresa May

Prime Minister, Leader of the

Conservative Party

(since 13 July 2016)

David Cameron

Former Prime Minister of the UK

(2010-2016)

Jeremy Corbyn

Leader of the Labour Party

Shadow Prime Minister

Sir Vince Cable

Leader of the Liberal Democrats

(since 20 July 2017)

Nigel Farage

Former leader of the UK

Independence Party (UKIP)

(2010 – 4 July 2016)

Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London

(since 9 May 2016)

27

Boris Johnson

Secretary of State for Foreign and

Commonwealth Affairs

(since 13 July 2016)

Former Mayor of London

Nicola Sturgeon

First Minister of Scotland Phillip Hammond

Chancellor of the Exchequer

(since 13 July 2016)

2. The First-Past-the-Post System. What are some of the advantages and the

disadvantages?

advantages disadvantages

28

The House of Commons

29

The House of Lords

30

3. Fill in the Table

Parliament = The Palace of Westminster

The House of Commons

The House of Lords

Name of Members

Way of Becoming a

Member

Daily work process

Extra power the

other House does not

possess

4. What are the pros and cons of having a second chamber in Parliament?

________________________ _____________________________

________________________ _____________________________

________________________ _____________________________

________________________ _____________________________

________________________ _____________________________

________________________ _____________________________

________________________ _____________________________

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5. Solve the crossword puzzle

Across

1. another word for members of parliament

3. lords ... = members of the peerage in the House of Lords

7. választókerület

8. The Palace of ... = also known as he Houses of Parliament

11. the British Prime Minister

13. member of parliament

15. a horse thief

18. made up of 20 ministers

19. the upper house = House of ....

20. The Lord ... = The President of the House of Lords

Down

2. 'Great Charter'

4. the traditional left-wing party

5. their leader is Menzies Campbell

6. ... powers = affairs decided centrally in London

7. the leading right-wing party

9. the person who maintains order in a debate

10. a senior group of opposition spokespeople who form an alternative "government"

12. home rule

14. Chancellor of the ....

16. a parliamentary disciplinarian

17. David .... , the former British Prime Minister

32

READING

From: www.parliament.uk

State Opening of Parliament

The State Opening of Parliament marks the formal start of the parliamentary year and the Queen's Speech sets out the government’s agenda for the coming session, outlining proposed policies and legislation. It is the only regular occasion when the three constituent parts of Parliament – the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons – meet.

State Opening happens on the first day of a new parliamentary session or shortly after a general election. The State Opening of Parliament for the 2016-17 session took place on 18 May 2016.

History of State Opening

Traditions surrounding State Opening and the delivery of a speech by the monarch can be traced back as far as the 16th century. The current ceremony dates from the opening of the rebuilt Palace of Westminster in 1852 after the fire of 1834.

The State Opening is a royal ceremony of great antiquity – well-established by the late fourteenth century – which marks the start of a parliamentary year.

It is customary for the Sovereign to be present at the ceremony, which serves as a symbolic reminder of the unity of the three constituent

parts of Parliament: the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The Procedures

The broad outlines of the ceremony have remained largely unchanged for centuries: a procession by the Sovereign to the Palace of Westminster is followed by the assembling of the Members of both Houses, and the reading of the Speech.

Within these outlines, however, there have been adaptations and innovations. For example, from its origins until 1679, the ceremony was usually preceded by a mass at Westminster Abbey, but this was discontinued during the reign of King Charles II for fear of assassination plots.

Queen Elizabeth II has opened Parliament all but two times during her reign. The exceptions were in 1959 and 1963, when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. The ceremony has changed very little throughout her reign.

The public elements of the ceremony begin just before 11am, when members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment lead the procession from Buckingham Palace.

The Sovereign travels, since 1852, in the Irish State Coach, an ornate, enclosed, four-horse-

33

drawn carriage. A coach carrying the royal regalia - the Imperial State Crown, the Cap of Maintenance and Sword of State – precedes the monarch.

The Sovereign’s Bargemaster and four Royal Watermen serve as boxmen on the coaches, acting as ceremonial bodyguards of the Queen and guards of the regalia.

The royal procession makes its way along The Mall, through Horse Guards Parade, down Whitehall and Parliament Street. All along the route were posted members of Britain’s armed forces who ‘present arms’ as the royal party passes. They contribute to the pageantry of the day as well as provide security and crowd control.

The procession arrives at the Palace of Westminster at 11.15am. The Sovereign enters through the Sovereign's Entrance under the Victoria Tower, at the opposite end of the palace to Big Ben, and the royal standard replaces the union flag over Westminster until the Queen quits the Palace at the end of the ceremony. A 41-gun artillery salute is simultaneously fired in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London.

Within Parliament

The assembly in the Lords’ Chamber includes Peers, dressed in traditional scarlet robes and ermine capes, ambassadors and high commissioners, judges, and visiting dignitaries and heads of state. The Sovereign mounts the throne in the Lords’ Chamber at approximately 11.30am. A well-known tradition of the ceremony commences: Black Rod is dispatched to the House of Commons to summon MPs to hear the Queen’s speech.

Upon his approach, the Serjeant at Arms of the Commons slams the doors in his face. He knocks ceremonially upon them three times and is given permission to enter. Black Rod then approachs the Table and announces the Queen’s summons.

This ritual symbolises the right of the Commons to exclude royal messengers, and commemorates the events of 1642, the last time a sovereign entered the Commons, when King Charles I tried to arrest five MPs.

The Commons’ Speaker and Black Rod then lead MPs in procession to the House of Lords. Tradition has it that MPs amble to the Lords noisily, to show their independence.

MPs crowd into the space between the doors and the bar of the chamber to hear the Speech from the throne, which is delivered in neutral tones by the Sovereign and received in silence by the assembly. Although the Queen reads the Speech, it is written by the government. It contains an outline of its policies and proposed legislation for the new parliamentary session. After the speech, the Sovereign returns by coach to Buckingham Palace. Her exit is heralded by military trumpeters, and the royal standard is replaced by the union flag.

When the Queen leaves, a new parliamentary session starts and Parliament gets back to work. Members of both Houses debate the content of the speech and agree an ‘Address in Reply to Her Majesty’s Gracious Speech’. Each House continues the debate over the planned legislative programme for several days, looking at different subject areas. The Queen's Speech is voted on by the Commons, but no vote is taken in the Lords.

Define the following phrases:

General election –

Palace of Westminster –

34

Sovereign –

House of Commons –

House of Lords –

Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment –

Royal regalia –

The Mall –

Horse Guards Parade –

Whitehall –

Royal Standard –

The union flag –

The Tower of London –

Peers –

Black Rod –

MPs –

Sergeant at Arms –

The Table –

Speaker –

Bar –

Legislation –

35

5. Scotland

1. Compare the Scottish version of the Royal coat of arms with the version

used elsewhere in the UK!

2. Listening tapescript

Hello there! I come fer (from) a large town, and it’s on a very big river, and the big river goes

out to the sea, and once upon a time the place where I come fer used to build ships, and these

ships went all over the world. And people went everywhere. You could get ships to Ireland,

you could get ships to your Far East, you could get ships to England. But no’ anymore,

because the industry’s all gone now. There’s nae mair (no more) o’that stuff.

Now the town is broken up into two pieces. You’ve got the East End, and that’s where all the

poor people come fer, and you’ve got the west End. That’s where ... the university is. You’ve

got all the posh people down that way. You get people like ... talk in funny ways. They talk

posh. You ken what I mean? But, where I come fer, it’s all high-rise blocks and motorways.

In the old days — do you know what I mean? — there was the Gorbals and there was

tenement flats, and aye! Folks were rough, you ken? But underneath all that, it was friendly.

You know? You get people upstairs, you get your friends down the close, and everybody

going together. And what can you say about the weather? Well, you ken, there’s a great word

for it when it’s kind of raining and a wee bit damp. It’s drich. And it looks drich. I’ll tell you,

it looks drich.

36

3. Mark the following in the blank map

Islands:

Inner Hebrides

Outer Hebrides

Orkneys

Shetlands

Arran

Island of Mull

Islay

Isle of Lewis

Isle of Skye

Jura

Waters:

Atlantic Ocean

North Sea

Sea of the Hebrides

Firth of Forth

Moray Firth

North Channel

Pentland Firth

Salway Firth

The Minch

Tweed, Clyde

Regions:

Central Lowlands

Cheviot Hills

Grampian Mountains

Northern Highlands

Southern Uplands

37

38

4. TIMELINE OF SCOTTISH HISTORY. Match the centuries with the

events.

Centuries:

5 6 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Events:

Act of Union between Scotland and England, Great Britain is created

After the Jacobite uprisings are defeated (two attempts to restore the Scottish Stuarts

to the throne), revenge is taken on the Catholic Highlands and Highland Clans are

destroyed

Devolution – transfer of power over domestic affairs from London back to Edinburgh

Irish Scots settle in parts of the country bringing Christianity with them

Personal Union with England – James Stuart of Scotland inherits the English crown

Scotland becomes a protestant country and the Presbyterian Kirk is established

The Battle of Bannockburn (with the leadership of Robert Bruce) brings Scottish

victory and recognition as an independent kingdom

The beginning of Viking attacks bring the Scots and Picts together

Referendum ont he independence of Scotland

The Highland-Lowland difference deepens

The Hundred Years War and the War of Roses keeps England busy, so Scottish kings

can can concentrate on subjugating rebellious clans

The Normans settle in the Lowlands after the invitation of the Canmore dynasty to

help subdue the “uncivilised” Highlanders

The original inhabitants, the Picts live in the country

The rise of the industrial towns and revival of interest in Scottish past.

The Scots conquer the lowlands defeating the Anglo-Saxons and Margaret introduces

Roman Catholic Christianity replacing the Celtic Christian Church

The War of Independence begins after the Canmore dynasty dies out with the

leadership of William Wallace

39

5. Consult the diagrams

Religion in Scotland

Scottish Gaelic speakers in 2011 census

40

Referendum on the Independence of Scotland, 2014

41

READING

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-26550736

18 March 2014

Scottish independence: What's going on in Scotland?

The Wallace monument, built to honour Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace

On 18 September, voters in Scotland will be asked in a referendum whether they want the nation to

become independent from the rest of the United Kingdom.

Why is it happening?

The Scottish National Party, whose central aim is independence, won the 2011 Scottish Parliament election by a landslide, giving them a mandate to stage the vote. On referendum day itself, voters across Scotland will head to polling booths to answer the yes/no question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

The arguments for and against

The Scottish government, led by First Minister Alex Salmond, says the 300-year-old Union is no longer fit for purpose and that an independent Scotland, with its oil wealth, would be one of the world's richest countries. He says it's time for Scotland to take charge of its own destiny, free from what he describes as the "shackles" of a London-based UK parliament.

On the opposite side of the debate, the UK government, led by Prime Minister David Cameron, says Britain is one of the world's most successful social and political unions.

What are the key issues? In recent months, two major issues have emerged - oil and currency. a. Oil North Sea oil and gas reserves (or more precisely the tax take from Scotland's share) are vital to the Scottish government's case for independence. Mr Salmond says

42

earmarking a tenth of revenues - about £1bn a year - could form an oil fund similar to the one operated in Norway, creating a £30bn sovereign wealth pot over a generation.

Mr Cameron says the North Sea has been a British success story - and now the oil and gas is getting harder to recover it's more important than ever to back the industry with the "broad shoulders" of the UK. They also argue they're pinning future hopes on something that's eventually going to run out.

b. Currency Currency has been the other big area of disagreement. Under independence, the Scottish government wants to keep the pound as part of a formal currency union with the rest of the UK. It argues this is in everyone's best interests, but the three main UK parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - won't go for it. (…) On the currency, the PM says Alex Salmond is now a man without a plan.

Do people want independence?

Hard to say with any great certainty at the moment.

Polls generally indicate that most people don't want independence, but Yes campaigners say the needle is swinging in their direction. Polling expert John Curtice said that, for a long time, support for independence wavered between about a quarter and a third. The professor of politics at Glasgow's Strathclyde University now says the average "Yes" vote may have edged up to more than 40%, but warns there is still "considerable uncertainty" as to how close the referendum race is.

Who gets to vote

Everyone aged 16 and over who lives in Scotland gets a direct say on Scotland's future.

That means the 800,000 Scots who live in other parts of the UK don't get a vote, while the 400,000 people from elsewhere in Britain who live in Scotland do.

Eligibility to take part in the referendum also includes members of the armed services serving overseas who are registered to vote in Scotland.

Let's end with a history lesson

Thanks to the 1995 Hollywood blockbuster Braveheart, many people are familiar with the Scottish wars of independence, fought between the late 13th and early 14th centuries. A series of events saw England's King Edward overpower the Scottish kingdom in 1296, before Robert the Bruce inflicted some serious payback in the battle of Bannockburn in 1314 - an event which celebrates its 700th anniversary this year.

43

Other key moments through the ages included Bonnie Prince Charlie's ill-fated invasion of England in 1745, culminating in defeat at Culloden the following year.

Despite various challenges, Scotland is generally regarded to have asserted its independence from about 843, until the official unification with England took place in 1707.

At the time, the view was that Scotland was desperate for cash, but opponents of the move were outraged by claims that the Scots who put their names to the Act of Union were bribed.

The episode moved Scotland's Bard, Robert Burns, to write: "We are bought and sold for English gold. Such a parcel of rogues in a nation."

The Scottish government now hopes to write another chapter in Scotland's history.

Define the following phrases:

referendum -

Scottish Parliament –

win by a landslide –

polling booths –

First Minister -

Prime Minister -

polls –

44

eligibility –

Act of Union –

Famous Scots:

William Wallace -

Robert the Bruce -

Bonnie Prince Charlie –

Robert Burns -

45

6. Wales

1. Mark the following in the blank map

Irish Sea

Menai Strait

Cardigan Bay

St. George’s Channel

Bristol Channel

Angelsey Island

Cambrian Mountains

Snowdon

Severn

Dee

Wye

Cardiff

Swansea

St. David’s

Hay on Wye

46

47

2. Quiz on Wales:

1. Who was the famous saint of Welsh origin who was born around 385 AD and whose

day is celebrated on March 17?

2. What did Walter Wingfield invent in Wales in 1874 that is still practised in

Wimbledon each year but not at the Roland-Garros?

3. Who was the first Prince of Wales?

4. Who was the only Welsh Prime Minister of the UK (1916-22) who was called the

Welsh Wizzard and who introduced the National Insurance against illness and

unemployment and the new Old Age Pension scheme?

5. What’s the name of the actress who was born in Swansea in 1969 and received the

Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Chicago? She also starred in

Entrapment playing an art thief.

6. How is Swansea related to swans?

7. What are the pibgorn and the crwth?

8. Oscar winning Welsh actor starring in Meet Joe Black and The Silence of the Lambs

9. Which flag is not connected to Wales: green-white with red dragon, gold field with

black cross, black field with gold cross, white field with blue cross?

10. Son of a coal miner who is most famous for his Shakespearean performances. Married

Elizabeth Taylor twice (1925-1984)

11. What is the Eisteddfod?

12. A peak in the Himalayas named after a Welsh geographer (Sir George …) born in

1790.

13. What did Robert Record, a welshman, introduce in 1557 that is still used today in

mathematics? He explained it the following way: “to auoide the tediouse repetition of

these woordes: is equalle to : I will sette as I doe often in woorke use, a paire of

paralleles, or Gemowe lines of one lengthe”

14. What is the connection between Wales and Stonehenge?

15. Wales has the village with the longest name in the world. How many letters is it?

http://www.bestofwales.co.uk/history_of_wales.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/culture/sites/aboutwales/pages/history.shtml

48

3. Decide which statement is true for Wales, Scotland or both

1. A more than 160-mile-long man-made stronghold separates it from England

2. A successful War of Independence: 13th-14th centuries

3. Act of Union in 1536

4. Act of Union in 1707

5. An unsuccessful War of Independence at the beginning of the 15th century

6. Edward I wanted to conquer it

7. It gave a royal house to Britain

8. It had a half-Hungarian queen

9. It has its own parliament now

10. It used French help against the English

11. Its inhabitants were Celtic

12. Kenneth MacAlpin was its first leader to bring stability

13. One of the leading figures of the Reformation was John Knox

14. One of the leading figures of the Reformation was William Morgan

15. Personal Union with England in 1603

16. Rhodri the Great was its first leader to bring stability

17. The Gavelkind was the most advanced legal system of the age

18. The Iron Ring of castles was built here

19. The most famous leader against the English was Owain Glyndwr

20. The most famous leaders against the Engish were William Wallace and Robert Bruce

21. The threat of the Vikings brought the nation together

49

READING

From: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/The-National-Eisteddfod-of-Wales/

The National Eisteddfod of Wales

By Ben Johnson

The National Eisteddfod is the largest and oldest celebration of Welsh culture, unique throughout Europe as each year it visits a different area of Wales. Eisteddfod literally means a sitting (eistedd = to sit), perhaps a reference to the hand-carved chair traditionally awarded to the best poet in the ceremony 'The Crowning of the Bard'. (In the picture: Eisteddfod at Carnarvon Castle 1862)

The National Eisteddfod of Wales dates back to 1176 when it is said that the first Eisteddfod was held. Lord Rhys invited poets and musicians from all over Wales to a grand gathering at his castle in Cardigan. A chair at the Lord's table was awarded to the best poet and musician, a tradition that continues today in the modern Eisteddfod.

Following 1176, many eisteddfodau were held throughout Wales, under the patronage of Welsh gentry and noblemen. Soon the Eisteddfod developed into a huge folk festival on a grand scale. After declining in popularity in the 18th century, it was revived in the early years of the 19th. In 1880 the National Eisteddfod Association was formed and since then the Eisteddfod has been held every year, except for 1914 and 1940.

The Gorsedd of Bards (Gorsedd y Beirdd) made its first appearance at the Eisteddfod at the Ivy Bush Inn in Carmarthen in 1819, and its close association with the Festival has remained. It is an association of poets, writers, musicians, artists and individuals who have made a significant and distinguished contribution to Welsh language, literature, and culture. Its members are known as Druids, and the colour of their costumes - white, blue or green - is indicative of their various ranks.

The head of the Gorsedd of Bards is the Archdruid, who is elected for a term of three years, and is responsible for conducting the Gorsedd ceremonies during Eisteddfod week. These Ceremonies are held to honour literary achievements amongst Welsh poets and prose writers.

Three Gorsedd ceremonies are held during the Eisteddfod week: - the Crowning (Coroni) of the Bard (awarded to the poet judged best in the competitions in free meter) - the Awarding of the Prose Medal (for the winner of the Prose competitions ) - the Chairing (Cadeirio) of the Bard (for the best long poem) .

During these ceremonies the Archdruid and the members of the Gorsedd of Bards gather on the Eisteddfod stage in their ceremonial robes. When the Archdruid reveals the identity of the winning poet, the 'Corn Gwlad' (a trumpet) calls the people together and the Gorsedd Prayer is chanted. The Archdruid withdraws a sword from its sheath three times. He cries 'Is there peace?', to which the assembly reply 'Peace'.

50

Then the Horn of Plenty is presented to the Archdruid by a young local married woman, who urges him to drink the 'wine of welcome'. A young girl presents him with a basket of 'flowers from the land and soil of Wales' and a floral dance is performed, based on a pattern of flower gathering from the fields. The Gorsedd ceremonies are unique to Wales and the National Eisteddfod.

As well as the traditional ceremonies there is another side to the Eisteddfod: maes yr Eisteddfod, the Eisteddfod Field. Here you find lots of stalls associated mainly with crafts, music, books and food. Music competitions and radio shows take place in the Theatr y Maes (the theatre on the field). There is also a societies tent, a literature tent and the very popular live music tent - only songs in Welsh can be performed. The learners tent is for teachers and students of the Welsh language.

Each year, Welsh people from all over the world return to Wales to take part in a special welcoming ceremony staged during Eisteddfod week. The ceremony is organised by Wales International, an association of ex-patriates from all over the world. The Wales International ceremony is held within the Eisteddfod Pavilion on the Thursday of Eisteddfod week.

Define the following phrases:

Eisteddfod –

Gorsedd of Bards –

Druids –

maes yr Eisteddfod, the Eisteddfod Field –

ex-patriate –

51

7. Ireland

52

1. Connect the followings flags to the areas where they are used

2. Match the period with the dates

Self-government in Northern Ireland (1169 -)

Independence, Partition (1800)

Norman invasion (1999-)

Celtic Ireland (1550s)

Union with Britain (4th c. BC - 12th c. AD)

Protestant colonization (1921-)

Viking invasion (9th -10th c.)

3. There is always ONE FALSE statement in the following points. Try to find

it.

1) In Celtic Ireland there were five kingdoms:

a. Connaught

b. Gwynedd

c. Leinster

d. Meath

e. Munster

f. Ulster

53

2) Some characteristics of Irish monasticism:

a. Round towers

b. Celtic crosses

c. Missionary activity on the continent

d. There were no real monasteries: monks lived as hermits

3) In Viking Age Ireland

a. The Vikings started their raids in the 8th century

b. The main targets were ecclesiastical buildings

c. The Vikings established the first towns

d. Extensive international trade began

e. The country was united under Brian Boru

4) In order to convert the country to protestantism, King Henry VIII

a. Closed monasteries

b. Established Anglican monasteries

c. Brought the first English settlers in the 1550s

d. Introduced Penal Laws to force the Irish to convert to the Anglican faith.

5) In Queen Elizabeth I’s time there were several rebellions:

a. In the 1560s the Spanish armada comes to help the Irish

b. William of Orange defeated the Irish at the Battle of Boyne

c. O’Neill’s rebellion in the north brought victory to the Irish first

d. The rebels’ lands were given away to Scottish Protestants

6) In Ulster

a. There is a protestant majority because O’Neill’s lands were in Ulster

b. The land is the most fertile

c. 90% of the people are Catholic

d. Protestants were settled first

7) Due to Cromwell

a. Most Irish land was in Protestant hands between the 1650s and 1920s

b. 60000 Catholics were sold as slaves in the Caribbean

c. Protestant landowners were forced to move west of the River Shannon

d. The population of Ireland reduced from 1.5 million to half a million

8) William III (of Orange) introduced Penal Laws in Ireland, according to which

Catholics could not:

a. Inherit or buy land

b. Practise their religion

c. Celebrate mass (including Christenings, Weddings, Funerals in old abbeys or

monasteries)

d. Live in larger towns [List continues on next page ]

54

e. Attend Catholic schools (these were closed or turned into Protestant schools)

f. Go to university

g. Sell their products at village markets

h. Take office (teacher, lawyer, Member of Parliament, army)

i. Vote

j. Defend themselves (carry weapons)

k. Marry a Protestant

9) At the end of the 18th cenury reforms were introduced in Ireland which gave

more rights to Catholics because:

a. Britain needed Irish soldiers to fight against America

b. Arthur Guinness (the founder of the brewery) led a successful rebellion against

the English

c. The American War of Independence convinced the British that limited self-

government was needed in the colonies

10) The Orange Order

a. Was established by protestants in 1795

b. Is named after the hero of the Protestants: William III

c. Would like to defend and preserve Protestants and their rule in Ireland

d. Marches through the Catholic districts each year on Saint Patrick’s Day

11) Daniel O’Connell, ”The Liberator”

a. Achieved that one of today’s most significant tourist attractions, Newgrange,

be built

b. Lived in the 19th century

c. Achieved that Catholics could become MPs in Westminster

d. Achieved that Irish Catholics no longer had to pay tax (tithes) to the Anglican

Church

12) The great potato famine in the 19th century

a. Was between 1845-48

b. Led to a failed uprising in 1848

c. Made Jonathan Swift bitter and led him to writing satirical works such as the

Modest Proposal

d. Was caused by a fungus

e. Led to the emigration of 1 million people of which 20% died in the ”coffin

ships”.

13) At the end of the 19th century, Prime Minister William Gladstone’s mission was

”to pacify Ireland and to settle the Irish question”. He managed to

a. Disestablish the Anglican Church in Ireland

b. Remove (religious) entrance tests at universities

c. Introduce secret voting

d. Buy back some slaves from the Caribbean.

55

14) The Easter Uprising

a. Happened at the time of World War II.

b. Started at a the General Post Office in Dublin

c. Lasted less than a week

d. Led to the execution of its 16 leaders

e. Caused a British gunboat sail up the River Liffey and bombard the town.

15) In the 20th century history of Ireland there was

a. Bloody Sunday

b. Bloody Friday

c. Good Friday

d. Good Sunday

16) After the 1921-22 Civil war, when Ireland became independent, the New

Constitution was introduced in 1937 declaring that

a. The territory of the state is ”the whole island of Ireland”

b. Irish laws applied only to 26 counties out of the 32

c. The place of women was to be „within the home. Mothers shall not be obliged

by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties within

the home.”

d. Freedom of religion was granted to all but the Catholic minority

e. The head of the state is the President

f. Divorce is illegal

56

4. Which side of the conflict do the following murals represent?

57

READING

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18769781 11 July 2012

Who are the Orangemen?

If you're not from Northern Ireland, you may be

wondering what on earth the 'marching season' is

all about. Who are these men in bowler hats and

orange sashes? Most Orange Order parades pass off

peacefully but the rest of the world has often only seen images of those that don't. So who is marching and why, and why do some people sometimes object to parades?

The Orange Order is a 'fraternal' organisation, named for William of Orange, the Protestant Dutchman who seized the thrones of Catholic King James II back in the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688.

Two years later, 'King Billy' saw off James for good at the Battle of the Boyne, near Dublin. He is revered by the Orange Order as a champion of his faith and the man who secured the Protestant ascendancy in Ireland.

The 'marching season' is a period of events from April to August, with the highpoint on 12 July when Orangemen march to commemorate William's victory.

For many Catholics, these marches are triumphalist and sectarian - a means of very publicly 'rubbing in' a historical wrong - with some traditional Orange routes passing through or by staunchly Catholic and nationalist areas.

Some of those marches have been re-routed but some remain contentious. At Garvaghy Road in Portadown, County Armagh, Orangemen make an annual protest at not being permitted to parade along the route they want to take. Efforts are made to reduce problems around contentious parades with re-routing and highly visible policing.

Becoming Orangefest

The Orange Order itself has also attempted to move with the times, rebranding the 12 July celebrations 'Orangefest' in a public relations charm offensive that presents the day as a fun and inclusive dash of local colour. (…)

It is undeniably a spectacle worth seeing, although you'll hear it long before it appears.

Most lodges march with a band that sometimes includes the occasional enormous Lambeg drum, one of the loudest acoustic instruments in the world. The marchers carry a colourful forest of banners, flags and pennants depicting an array of Protestant symbolism, including iconic

58

scenes from Orange history such a King Billy crossing the Boyne or the 36th (Ulster Division) on the Somme.

This banner in the previous picture depicts William of Orange arriving at Carrickfergus, in what is now Northern Ireland. He brought with him the largest invasion force Ireland has ever seen and used it to defeat James II at the Battle of the Boyne.

Provocative emblems of loyalist paramilitary groups.

The nature of the parade inevitably throws together those who envisage a peaceful future with those who hark back to a darker past. One of the problems confronting the Orange Order is that many cannot easily tell where the line falls between the two. (…)

The Orange Order has its origins in the 18th century Protestant rural vigilantes, who were set up to fight their Catholic equivalent, the Defenders. The Order itself was founded after the so-called Battle of the Diamond, a skirmish that took place in County Armagh in 1795. "The message went out about this organisation they would set up to defend Protestants," says Clifford Smyth, a historian of the Orange Order."Its most important feature was that it brought together people who didn't necessarily get on together, like Presbyterians and Methodists, so it unified the Protestant community."

By the 20th century, the Order had pervaded the highest echelons of society. Every prime minister of Northern Ireland, from Partition in 1921 to the return of direct rule in 1972, was an Orangeman, as are a number of current ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive. The Order still sees itself as a unifying force among Protestants, and as such the lodges and their marches throw together people from very different parts of the social and political spectrum.

Bowlers and sashes

The Orangemen's bowler hats, sashes and white gloves are still very much in evidence, but these are expensive and times are tight. The orange sash has been largely replaced by the cheaper 'collarette' and is the only compulsory item of uniform, usually worn over a suit and tie. The bands, by contrast, have colourful uniforms, finished with tassels, braid and buttons galore.

Union flags are also highly visible, particularly among the spectators. The union with the rest of the United Kingdom is a cornerstone of the Orange Order - a major bone of contention between the marchers and the nationalists who would like to see a united Ireland. (…)

The future's bright?

But even with the rebranding, the PR push and the undeniable spectacle, the question remains: can the celebration of such a deeply contentious date, organised by a group that actively champions one community to the exclusion of another, ever be anything other than divisive? (…)

"For a tourist, the cultural, historical and religious aspects of the parade are what they should see," says Harold Weir, a 42-year-old Orangeman. "We have been trying to get young people to learn and have respect for their own culture and other peoples'."

Dr Eric Kaufmann, an expert on the Orange Order, says the Order's future probably depends on the direction Northern Ireland itself takes. "Their ideology is important. Can they work in a post-peace process Northern Ireland? Oddly enough I think it does work. If multiculturalism is accepting different cultures, then they slot right into that model … [but] they're definitely not going to work well in an integrated rather than a multicultural Northern Ireland."

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Define the following:

'marching season' –

bowler hats –

William of Orange –

King James II –

'Glorious Revolution' –

Battle of the Boyne –

sectarian –

contentious –

lodge –

36th (Ulster Division) on the Somme –

Partition in 1921 –

direct rule –

Northern Ireland Executive –

Union flags –

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EXTRA READING

Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU

By Brian Wheeler & Alex Hunt BBC News 21 July 2016

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-32810887 This article is designed to be an easy-to-understand guide on what happens now that the UK has voted to leave the European Union.

What does Brexit mean? It is a word that has become used as a shorthand way of saying the UK leaving the EU - merging the words Britain and exit to get Brexit, in a same way as a Greek exit from the EU was dubbed Grexit in the past.

Why is Britain leaving the European Union? A referendum - a vote in which everyone (or nearly everyone) of voting age can take part - was held on Thursday 23 June, to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. Leave won by 52% to 48%. The referendum turnout was 71.8%, with more than 30 million people voting.

What was the breakdown across the UK? England voted strongly for Brexit, by 53.4% to 46.6%, as did Wales, with Leave getting 52.5% of the vote and Remain 47.5%. Scotland and Northern Ireland both backed staying in the EU. Scotland backed Remain by 62% to 38%, while 55.8% in Northern Ireland voted Remain and 44.2% Leave.

What is the European Union? The European Union - often known as the EU - is an economic and political partnership involving 28 European countries. It began after World War Two to foster economic co-operation, with the idea that countries which trade together are more likely to avoid going to war with each other. It has since grown to become a "single market" allowing goods and people to move around, basically as if the member states were one country. It has its own currency, the euro, which is used by 19 of the member countries, its own parliament and it now sets rules in a wide range of areas - including on the environment, transport, consumer rights and even things such as mobile phone charges.

What happens now? Theresa May supported the campaign for Britain to stay in the EU but since becoming prime minister - after her fellow Remain campaigner David Cameron stepped down - she has said she will respect the will of the people and said: "Brexit means Brexit and we're going to make a success of it." For the UK to leave the EU it has to invoke an agreement called Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which gives the two sides two years to agree the terms of the split. Mrs May has said she will not kick-off this process before the end of 2016. This means that we will not begin to get a clear idea of what kind of deal the UK will seek from the EU, on trade and immigration, until next year.

Who is going to negotiate Britain's exit from the EU? Theresa May has set up a new government department, to be headed by veteran Conservative MP and Leave campaigner David Davis, to take responsibility for Brexit. Former defence secretary, Liam

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Fox, who also campaigned to leave the EU, has been given the job of international trade minister and Boris Johnson, who led the Leave campaign, is foreign secretary. These men - dubbed the Three Brexiteers - will play a central role in negotiations with the EU and seek out new international agreements, although it will be Mrs May, as prime minister, who will have the final say. The government did not do any emergency planning for Brexit ahead of the referendum - and it is now rushing to hire a team of skilled negotiators to manage the complex business of negotiating withdrawal and ensuring Britain gets the best possible deal.

How long will it take for Britain to leave the EU? Once Article 50 has been triggered, the UK will have two years to negotiate its withdrawal. Brexit Secretary David Davis has suggested the country could formally sever its relationship with the EU by December 2018. But no one really knows how the Brexit process will work - Article 50 was only created in late 2009 and it has never been used. Former Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, now Chancellor, wanted Britain to remain in the EU, and he has suggested it could take up to six years for the UK to complete exit negotiations. The terms of Britain's exit will have to be agreed by 27 national parliaments, a process which could take some years, he has argued. EU law still stands in the UK until it ceases being a member. The UK will continue to abide by EU treaties and laws, but not take part in any decision-making.

What happens to EU citizens living in the UK? The government has declined to give a firm guarantee about the status of EU nationals currently living in the UK, saying this is not possible without a reciprocal pledge from other EU members about the millions of British nationals living on the continent. EU nationals with a right to permanent residence, which is granted after they have lived in the UK for five years, will be be able to stay, the chief civil servant at the Home Office has said. The rights of other EU nationals would be subject to negotiations on Brexit and the "will of Parliament," he added.

What happens to UK citizens working in the EU? A lot depends on the kind of deal the UK agrees with the EU. If it remains within the single market, it would almost certainly retain free movement rights, allowing UK citizens to work in the EU and vice versa. If the government opted to impose work permit restrictions, then other countries could reciprocate, meaning Britons would have to apply for visas to work.

What about EU nationals who want to work in the UK? Again, it depends on whether the UK government decides to introduce a work permit system of the kind that currently applies to non-EU citizens, limiting entry to skilled workers in professions where there are shortages. Citizens' Advice has reminded people their rights have not changed yet and asked anyone to contact them if they think they have been discriminated against following the Leave vote. Brexit Secretary David Davis has suggested EU migrants who come to the UK as Brexit nears may not be given the right to stay. He has said there might have to be a cut-off point if there was a "surge" in new arrivals.

What about all the economic warnings about Brexit? Were they wrong? There was a dramatic fall in the value of the pound against the dollar and in share prices in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote. Britain also lost its top AAA credit rating, meaning the cost of government borrowing will be higher. Sterling has lost more than 10% of its value against the dollar since Brexit. With the pound worth about $1.32, this is down to the lowest levels since 1985. It has also fallen in value against the euro. For much of 2015 the pound would buy you between €1.35-1.45. This year sterling has weakened against the euro, and dropped following the Brexit vote to about €1.20. Summer holidaymakers travelling overseas from the UK are finding that their pounds are buying fewer euros or dollars after the Brexit vote. The day-to-day spending impact is likely to be more significant. Imported goods will consequently get more expensive - that means food, clothing and homeware are all likely to get pricier..

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Will immigration be cut? Prime Minister Theresa May has said one of the main messages she has taken from the Leave vote is that the British people want to see a reduction in immigration. She has said this will be a focus of Brexit negotiations. The key issue is whether other EU nations will grant the UK access to the single market, if that is what it wants, while at the same time being allowed to restrict the rights of EU citizens to live and work in the UK. Mrs May has said she remains committed to getting net migration - the difference between the numbers entering and leaving the country - down to a "sustainable" level, which she defines as being below 100,000 a year. It is currently running at 330,000 a year, of which 184,000 are EU citizens, and 188,000 are from outside the EU - the figures include a 39,000 outflow of UK citizens.

What does this mean for Scotland? Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in the wake of the Leave result that it is "democratically unacceptable" that Scotland faces being taken out of the EU when it voted to Remain. A second independence referendum for the country is now "highly likely", she has said.

What does it mean for Northern Ireland? Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the impact in Northern Ireland would be "very profound" and that the whole island of Ireland should now be able to vote on reunification. But, speaking while she was still Northern Ireland Secretary, Theresa Villiers ruled out the call from Sinn Féin for a border poll, saying the circumstances in which one would be called did not exist.

Could MPs block an EU exit? Could the necessary legislation pass the Commons, given that a lot of MPs - all SNP and Lib Dems, nearly all Labour and many Conservatives - were in favour of staying? The referendum result is not legally binding - Parliament still has to pass the laws that will get Britain out of the 28 nation bloc, starting with the repeal of the 1972 European Communities Act. The withdrawal agreement also has to be ratified by Parliament - the House of Lords and/or the Commons could vote against ratification, according to a House of Commons library report. In practice, Conservative MPs who voted to remain in the EU would be whipped to vote with the government. Any who defied the whip would have to face the wrath of voters at the next general election. One scenario that could see the referendum result overturned, is if MPs forced a general election and a party campaigned on a promise to keep Britain in the EU, got elected and then claimed that the election mandate topped the referendum one. Two-thirds of MPs would have to vote for a general election to be held before the next scheduled one in 2020.

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Who wanted the UK to leave the EU? The UK Independence Party, which received nearly four million votes - 13% of those cast - in May's general election, has campaigned for many years for Britain's exit from the EU. They were joined in their call during the referendum campaign by about half the Conservative Party's MPs, including Boris Johnson and five members of the then Cabinet. A handful of Labour MPs and Northern Ireland party the DUP were also in favour of leaving.

What were their reasons for wanting the UK to leave? They said Britain was being held back by the EU, which they said imposed too many rules on business and charged billions of pounds a year in membership fees for little in return. They also wanted Britain to take back full control of its borders and reduce the number of people coming here to live and/or work. One of the main principles of EU membership is "free movement", which means you don't need to get a visa to go and live in another EU country. The Leave campaign also objected to the idea of "ever closer union" between EU member states and what they see as moves towards the creation of a "United States of Europe".

Who wanted the UK to stay in the EU? Then Prime Minister David Cameron was the leading voice in the Remain campaign, after reaching an agreement with other European Union leaders that would have changed the terms of Britain's membership had the country voted to stay in. He said the deal would give Britain "special" status and help sort out some of the things British people said they didn't like about the EU, like high levels of immigration - but critics said the deal would make little difference. Sixteen members of Mr Cameron's Cabinet, including the woman who would replace him as PM, Theresa May, also backed staying in. The Conservative Party was split on the issue and officially remained neutral in the campaign. The Labour Party, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats were all in favour of staying in. US president Barack Obama also wanted Britain to remain in the EU, as did other EU nations such as France and Germany.

What were their reasons for wanting the UK to stay? Those campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU said it gets a big boost from membership - it makes selling things to other EU countries easier and, they argued, the flow of immigrants, most of whom are young and keen to work, fuels economic growth and helps pay for public services. They also said Britain's status in the world would be damaged by leaving and that we are more secure as part of the 28 nation club, rather than going it alone.

Define the following phrases:

Brexit –

Referendum –

European Union –

Single market –

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Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty –

Conservative –

Defence secretary –

Foreign secretary –

Three Brexiteers –

Reciprocal pledge –

Permanent residence –

Home Office –

Work permit –

Cut-off point –

Top AAA credit reting –

reduction in immigration –

net migration –

sustainable –

Sinn Féin –

MP –

SNP –

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Lib Dem –

Labour –

Legally binding –

1972 European Communities Act –

ratified by Parliament –

House of Commons –

House of Lords –

Be whipped –

General election –

election mandate –

Cabinet –

DUP –

Plaid Cymru –