Reading 9: Great Britain

READING 9

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 – 14 which are based on Reading 9.

Great Britain

A         Britain comprises England, Scotland, Wales, and across the Irish Sea, Northern Ireland. It is Europe‘s largest island and is 500km wide and nearly 1000km long (roughly the same size as the Japanese island of Honshu). Despite Britain‘s relatively small area, it has the 18th largest population in the world and a population density well over the European average. In mid-1998 Britain's population was estimated at 59.2 million. England accounted for 49.5 million, Scotland 5.1 million, Wales 2.9 million, and Northern Ireland 1.7 million. While English is the official language, 3 million people from around the world all bring their own languages and cultures with them. Britain‘s dynamic street culture, nightlife and heritage make it immensely popular with young visitors. Britain attracts 26 million tourists every year.

B         Since the 1997 general election, and the rejection of the Conservative party after eighteen years in power, there has been a decidedly upbeat air about England. The election of the "New Labour" government has brought about some genuine changes of atmosphere. There is a lot of talk about the importance of "society", a concept much abused during the laissez-faire years of Thatcherism, and England is now being presented as a component part of Europe, whereas previously the attitude to the continent suggested that the Channel Tunnel was a bridgehead into enemy territory.

C         England has maintained its creative momentum consistently from the "Swinging Sixties" to the present day: the music scene is as vibrant as any in the world; the current crop of young artists has as high a profile as you can imagine; all over Europe there are hi-tech and offbeat postmodern buildings that were born on the drawing boards of London.

D         History is constantly repackaged and recycled in England, whether in the form of TV costume dramas or industrial theme parks in which people enact the tasks that once supported their communities. The royal family, though dogged by bad press, continues to occupy a prominent place in the English self-image, a fact demonstrated by the extraordinary manner in which the death of Princess Diana was reported and mourned. The mythical tales of King Arthur and Camelot, the island race that spawned Shakespeare, Drake and Churchill, and a golden rural past - these are the notions that lie at the heart of "Englishness", and monuments of the country's past are a major part of its attraction.

E          Contemporary England is at the same time a deeply conservative place and a richly multi-ethnic culture through which runs a strain of individualism that often verges on the anarchic. In essence, England's fascination lies in the tension between its inertia and its adventurousness.

F          Scotland presents a model example of how a small nation can retain its identity within the confines of a larger one. Unlike the Welsh, the Scots successfully repulsed the expansionist designs of England, and when the old enemies first formed a union in 1603 it was because King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne. Scotland has retained its own institutions, notably distinctive legal and educational systems and the national Presbyterian church, along with a radical social and political culture.

G         Most of the population clusters in the narrow central belt between the two principal cities: stately Edinburgh, the national capital, with its magnificent architecture and imperious natural setting, and earthy Glasgow, a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution and still a hard-working, hard-playing place. The third city, Aberdeen, set in one of the rare strips of lowland in the north, is now fabulously wealthy from the proceeds of offshore oil, and its pristine granite buildings and abundant parks and gardens look even more immaculate than ever.

H         Yet it is the Highlands, severely depopulated but comprising over two-thirds of the total area, which provide most people's enduring image of Scotland. The dramatic landscapes are further enhanced by the volatile climate, producing an extraordinary variety of moods and colours. Here you will find some of the last wildernesses in Europe, though even the highest mountain, Ben Nevis, is an uncomplicated ascent for the average walker, while much of the finest scenery can be enjoyed without too much effort.

I           The relationship between England and Wales has never been entirely easy. Impatient with constant demarcation disputes, the eighth-century Saxon king Offa constructed a dyke to separate the two countries; today, a long-distance footpath running from near Chepstow in the south to Prestatyn in the north follows its route.

J           During Edward I's reign the last of the Welsh native princes, Llewelyn ap Gruffyd, was killed, and Wales passed uneasily under English rule. Trouble flared again with the rebellion of Owain Glyndûr in the fifteenth century, but finally, when the Welsh prince Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth to become king of England, he paved the way for the 1536 Act of Union, which joined the English and Welsh in restless but perpetual partnership.

K         Contact with England has watered down the indigenous Welsh culture: brickedup, decaying chapels stand as reminders of the days when Sunday services and chapel choirs were central to community life. Festivals of Welsh music, poetry and dance, still take place throughout the country in summer – the International Music Eisteddfodau in Llangollen being the best-known, if corrupted, example – but harp-playing and the carving of love spoons survive more or less courtesy of the tourism industry. Nevertheless, the Welsh language is undergoing a revival, and you will see it on bilingual road signs all over the country but are most likely to hear it spoken in north and midWales.

L          Much of the country is relentlessly mountainous and offers wonderful walking and climbing terrain. The biggest towns, including Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth and Caernarfon, cling to the coastal lowlands, but even there the mountains are no more than a bus ride away

M         For so long the image of Northern Ireland portrayed by the media to outsiders was of a place divided by sectarian violence. In reality, even at the height of "The Troubles", many Northerners could live relatively unaffected lives.

N         Now, although you will still see a significant police presence in pressure points such as Belfast and Derry - cities which should be on any visitor's list of places to go - the peace process means that British Army foot patrols are no longer on the streets. Despite the fact that the North is equally as hospitable as the Republic, it is little frequented by tourists, even though the northern coastline of counties Antrim and Derry, especially the weird geometry of the Giant's Causeway, is as spectacular as anything you will find in Ireland.

Questions 1- 5

Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write your answers in boxes 1 – 5.

1. As Europe‘s larges island, Great Britain is the 18th most populous country in the world, its population density is

A. considerably lower than the average in the world.

B. much lower than the that of Europe.

C. significantly higher than the average in Europe.

D. a lot more than the average in the world.

2. Two major changes that the ‘New Labour’ government has brought about are

A. At present people are more concerned about ‘society’ and that England is seen as part of the European continent.

B. People no longer care about the importance of society and the European continent is regarded as enemy territory.

C. Thatcherism is still held as guidelines in the Conservative Party.

D. The situation in England is deteriorating and people do not like it anymore.

3. In Paragraph D, Princess Diana was mentioned because

A. she was respected and deeply loved by the people of the whole country.

B. the author wanted to show that the royal family continues to occupy a prominent place in the English self-image.

C. there is such a high-level of freedom that the press can report anything – even the royal family.

D. the author wanted to demonstrate the extraordinary manner in which the death of Princess Diana was reported and mourned.

4. The national capital of Scotland is described as

A. one of the largest cities in Great Britain and one that is practical and hardworking.

B. one of the two largest cities in Scotland, which is magnificent with its architecture and natural setting.

C. one of the three larges cities in Scotland that is located in the lowland in the north.

D. a city where most of the population clusters.

5. Which of the following is described as place that is ―relentlessly mountainous and offers wonderful walking and climbing terrain‖? A. England. B. Scotland C. Northern Ireland D. Wales.

Questions 6 – 10

Complete the summary below. Choose your answers form the box, and write them in boxes 6 – 10 on your answer sheet. NB. There are more words than spaces so you will not use them all. You may NOT use any of the words more than once.

List of words

49.5 million                       Honshu                     water                        59.2 million

non-English speaking        the Irish Sea             5.1 million,               English

Northern Ireland               British                      visitors                      immigrants

Welsh                                officials                    thinking                    influence

500km wide and nearly 1000km long, Britain is Europe‘s largest island. Despite Britain‘s relatively small area, it has the 18th largest population in the world. Britain consists of England, Scotland, Wales, and …6…. According to the census in the mid 1998, it has a population of … 7…., of which 3 million are from … 8…. background and maintain their own culture. Every year over twenty million …9 … come to see the dynamic street culture, nightlife and heritage of Britain. As the largest part of Britain, England has a great number of high profile artists who have exercised much … 10 … on the architecture of Europe.

Questions 11 – 14

Complete the sentences below using words taken from the reading passage. Use no more than three words for each answer. Write your answers 11 – 14 on your answer sheet.

11. Being part of England‘s attraction and lying at the heart of 'Englishness' are the notions of mythical tales of King Arthur and Camelot, the island race, and …11…

12. Inertia and adventurousness are characteristic of England, and the tension between the two forces creates … 12…

13. By successfully repulsing the expansionist designs of England and retaining its own institutions, Scotland exists an example of how a small nation - within the confines of a larger one – can … 13 …

14. Despite the fact that the northern coastline of counties Antrim and Derry, especially the weird geometry of the Giant's Causeway is very spectacular and that there are not many tourists, the North is … 14 … the Republic.