Introduction to English Studies 1.2: Civilisation in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Home , Trooping the Colour

Workbook

2016

Autumn

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

Introduction to English Studies 1.2: Civilisation in the United Kingdom and Ireland

BAN/BANM/ERPB-BAN 1312

Kiricsi Ágnes [email protected] 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. 2016. 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).

Course schedule

Sept. 13 Introduction, cultural facts about the UK

Sept. 26 National Symbols of the UK, Geography

Sept. 30 The Crown, Religion

Oct. 7 Parliament

Oct. 14 Mid-term test Scotland: Symbols, Geography Oct. 21 Scotland: Culture and History

Nov. 11 Wales: Symbols and Geography

Nov. 18 Wales: Culture and History

Nov. 25 Ireland: Symbols, Geography, Outline of History

Dec. 2 Ireland - movie

Dec. 9 End-of-term test

Dec. 16 Course Evaluation

3 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.

4 (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?

5 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

6. What are these flags?

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

6 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

7 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! And give us ever cause, God save the Queen. God save the Queen. God save our gracious Queen! Long may she reign. Happy and glorious, May she defend our laws, Long live our noble Queen! On her be pleased to pour, Long to reign over us, Thy choicest gifts in store Send her victorious, 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 5. The national flower of Scotland. 8. ... holidays are those days when banks are legally closed.

8 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)

9 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.

10 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 -

11 READING From: How to Be an Alien by George Mikes

A WARNING TO BEGINNERS In England * everything is the other way round. On Sundays on the Continent even the poorest person puts on his best suit, tries to look respectable, and at the same time the life of the country becomes gay and cheerful; in England even the richest peer or motor-manufacturer dresses in some peculiar rags, does not shave, and the country becomes dull and dreary. On the Continent there is one topic which should be avoided - the weather; in England, if you do not repeat the phrase 'Lovely day, isn't it?' at least two hundred times a day, you are considered a bit dull. On the Continent Sunday papers appear on Monday; in England - a country of exotic oddities - they appear on Sunday. On the Continent people use a fork as though a fork were a shovel; in England they turn it upside down and push everything - including peas - on top of it. On a continental bus approaching a request- stop the conductor rings the bell if he wants his bus to go on without stopping; in England you ring the bell if you want the bus to stop. On the Continent stray cats are judged individually on their merit - some are loved, some are only respected; in England they are universally worshipped as in ancient Egypt. On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners. On the Continent public orators try to learn to speak fluently and smoothly; in England they take a special course in Oxonian stuttering. On the Continent learned persons love to quote Aristotle, Horace, Montaigne and show off their knowledge; in England only uneducated people show off their knowledge, nobody quotes Latin and Greek authors in the course of a conversation, unless he has never read them. (…) Continental people are sensitive and touchy; the English take everything with an exquisite sense of humour - they are only offended if you tell them that they have no sense of humour. (…)

*When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles - but never England.

TEA The trouble with tea is that originally it was quite a good drink. So a group of the most eminent British scientists put their heads together, and made complicated biological experiments to find a way of spoiling it. To the eternal glory of British science their labour bore fruit. They suggested that if you do not drink it clear, or with lemon or rum and sugar, but pour a few drops of cold milk into it, and no sugar at all, the desired object is achieved. Once this refreshing, aromatic, oriental beverage was successfully transformed into colourless and tasteless gargling-water, it suddenly became the national drink of Great Britain and Ireland - still retaining, indeed usurping, the high-sounding title of tea. There are some occasions when you must not refuse a cup of tea, otherwise you are judged an exotic and barbarous bird without any hope of ever being able to take your place in civilised society. If you are invited to an English home, at five o'clock in the morning you get a cup of tea. It is either brought in by a heartily smiling hostess or an almost malevolently silent maid. When you are disturbed in your sweetest morning sleep you must not say: 'Madame (or Mabel), I think you are a cruel, spiteful and malignant person who deserves to be shot.' On the contrary, you have to declare with your best five o'clock smile: 'Thank you so much. I do adore a cup of early morning tea, especially early in the morning.' If they leave you alone with the liquid, you may pour it down the washbasin. Then you have tea for breakfast; then you have tea at eleven o'clock in the morning; then after lunch; then you have tea for tea; then after supper; and again at eleven o'clock at night. You must not refuse any additional cups of tea under the following circumstances: if it is hot; if it is cold; if you are tired; if anybody thinks that you might be tired; if you are nervous; if you are gay; before you go out; if you are out; if you have

12 just returned home; if you feel like it; if you do not feel like it; if you have had no tea for some time; if you have just had a cup. You definitely must not follow my example. I sleep at five o'clock in the morning; I have coffee for breakfast; I drink innumerable cups of black coffee during the day; I have the most unorthodox and exotic teas even at tea-time. The other day, for instance - I just mention this as a terrifying example to show you how low some people can sink - I wanted a cup of coffee and a piece of cheese for tea. It was one of those exceptionally hot days and my wife (once a good Englishwoman, now completely and hopelessly led astray by my wicked foreign influence) made some cold coffee and put it in the refrigerator, where it froze and became one solid block. On the other hand, she left the cheese on the kitchen table, where it melted. So I had a piece of coffee and a glass of cheese.

THE NATIONAL PASSION Queueing is the national passion of an otherwise dispassionate race. The English are rather shy about it, and deny that they adore it. On the Continent, if people are waiting at a bus-stop they loiter around in a seemingly vague fashion. When the bus arrives they make a dash for it; most of them leave by the bus and a lucky minority is taken away by an elegant black ambulance car. An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one. The biggest and most attractive advertisements in front of cinemas tell people: Queue here for 4s 6d; Queue here for 9s 3d; Queue here for 16s 8d (inclusive of tax). Those cinemas which do not put out these queueing signs do not do good business at all. At week-ends an Englishman queues up at the bus-stop, travels out to Richmond, queues up for a boat, then queues up for tea, then queues up for ice cream, then joins a few more odd queues just for the sake of the fun of it, then queues up at the bus-stop and has the time of his life. Many English families spend lovely evenings at home just by queueing up for a few hours, and the parents are very sad when the children leave them and queue up for going to bed.

Define the following phrases:

peer – table manners – public orator –

Oxonian – tea – to queue – s – d –

13 2. The UK – Geography, Regions

14 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

15 3. Mark the following places in the blank map:

Islands Geographical Regions

Isle of Man Cornwall The Channel Islands Cambrian Mountains Isles of Scilly Pennines Isle of Wight Northwest Highlands Orkney Grampian Mountains Shetland Southern Uplands The Hebrides Lake District Anglesey 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

16 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)

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 "Here in Newcastle, where new dialects now unexpected shot in the arm to the world's mean we've got at least 10 ways of saying the dialects, until recently often viewed as a word 'don't', there are people who now see a quaint, doomed relic of more primitive times. general north-east accent as too posh, let alone RP." Incoming communities have married their own forms of speech to the argot of their new The new dialects are far from complete neighbours, creating fresh versions of widely languages, but follow their predecessors' spoken languages such as English, Arabic and tradition in enriching vocabulary or changing Chinese. pronunciations. Old Bristolian, which habitually adds an "l" to words ending in a vowel, has The growth is rapid enough to qualify as a been given Caribbean, Indian sub-continent "dialect explosion", according to specialists and eastern European spins. who meet in Newcastle today to discuss - occasionally in dialect - the boom. New terms in the African-Caribbean versions include irie, meaning nice or good, and facety, "Language has always developed over time," a version of the English word feisty. Asian said Karen Corrigan, a linguist at Newcastle English novelties include chuddies for University and co-organiser of the event. "But underpants, and gora, meaning a white at the moment it's changing much faster than it person. ever has done because of increased opportunities for social and geographical The conference will also discuss the spread of mobility." new dialect phrases and usages such as "bigging something up" (recommending or The research findings, which will be debated praising) and the ubiquitous use of "like" by by about 400 linguists from across the world, young people. reverse long-standing assumptions about dialects such as Geordie and Bristolian. A New dialects are expected to increase yet mammoth taping project by British academics, more rapidly, particularly in Europe and the started in the 1950s and still continuing, began US, with the movement of workers and the because of a conviction that the peculiarities in continuing flow of asylum seekers. Specialists speech of rural Dorset or inner-city Liverpool reckon the total is three or four times the level were bound to die out. of 50 years ago.

"Just the opposite has happened," said The linguistic theories of the fictional Henry Charley Rowe, another linguist in Newcastle. Higgins in George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, "It is RP, received pronunciation or 'BBC and the musical adaptation, My Fair Lady, English', which has been in retreat. remain true, however.

18 Dr Corrigan said: "The research still suggests Geordie that your dialect or accent remains an I'm ganen doon the toon the day important indicator of your social status. But Yorkshire the expanding number of varieties means that Ah'm nicely off out t'taan people have a greater choice of where to place South London Am gahn dahn tahn todiey themselves in society." Glasgow Am gun uptoon todee Local colour Afro-Bristolian Ahs goin ter bristle todayl Serbo-Bradfordian Standard English I'm going into town today 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 –

19 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 ranks Trooping the Colour flag soldiers Union Jack Household Cavalry Sovereign national anthem The Mall

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. 20 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 21 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 Changing of the Guard Searching the Houses of Parliament Maundy Money The State Opening of Parliament Swan Upping Ceremony of the Keys 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

22 5. Look at these diagrams and draw conclusions

Religion in the UK (2011)

The Anglican Communion

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 succession. Voters say they want a hereditary challenge the rules of hereditary monarchy. monarch in theory, but they flinch from what that will logically mean in practice – plonking a It is a troubling irony of contemporary Britain crown upon the pate of Prince Charles. It is not that the surest way to lose popularity is to court that they are in any sort of a mood to do to him it at the ballot box. In our Guardian/ICM poll what they did to the last King Charles but this week, the voters revealed they believe our one. The plurality of voters don't want him to three chief party leaders to be doing a bad as give up his head, only his throne – and even opposed to a good job, by respective margins then only to his son. That hardly sounds of 11, 12 and 27 percentage points. What any revolutionary, until you consider that skipping a of them would give to swap their standing with generation on the basis that the younger man that of the Queen, who goes into her diamond would do things better is to bring suitability for jubilee at the head of a royal family enjoying the job into the selection process. And as soon record-breaking popularity, according to the as you do that, of course, you shake the very same poll. foundations. (…)

After 60 Elizabethan years, the one public Voters have long had a favourable view of the figure whom the public cannot get enough of is way this particular woman accomplishes her the one who has never deigned to ask for their peculiar job. Most republicans would probably approval. Respect for an elderly lady have to concede that much. This colours approaching a big day is understandable, even attitudes to the constitutional question appropriate. But for the withered ranks of because, in a monarchy, one cannot separate principled republicans – among whom the the office form the body of the Queen. Guardian is proud to stand – the really Elizabeth has pulled off her popularity, troubling finding is that a mere one in 10 voters principally, through a rare ability to keep her currently favours moving to an elected head of mouth shut – rightly sensing that in her line of state, even once her reign is done. The crown work the priority is not venting your opinions, is, lest we forget, is an institution that but avoiding treading on toes. It is a talent of a embodies deference, inherited privilege and sort and one which we know the heir apparent superstition. It pulls a royal robe over the does not have. From alternative medicine to terrific power which Britain's half-written architecture, he brims with opinions which constitution concentrates in executive hands. divide instead of unite. A half-hearted overhaul of the bigoted royal rules codified in the Act of Settlement – which Today's poll shows that Britain is as far away would allow future monarchs to marry from being a republic as ever – indeed, Catholics while continuing to mandate their probably further away than it has been for personal Anglicanism – only underlines how some time. Shrewd anti-monarchists should inherently inimical to the ideal of equal not fight their war right yet, because it is not opportunities the whole thing is. winnable now. They should instead plot and scheme for what happens after Elizabeth, and There is, however, just a glimmer of republican encourage the treasonous chatter about opportunity when the question turns to the whether the next man in line is in fact the right man for the job.

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 UK General Election, and the image of today’s leading politicians. Draw conclusions.

Politicians:

Theresa May David Cameron Jeremy Corbyn Prime Minister, Leader of the Former Prime Minister of the UK Leader of the Labour Party Conservative Party (2010-2016) Shadow Prime Minister (since 13 July 2016)

Tim Farron Nigel Farage Sadiq Khan Leader of the Liberal Democrats Former leader of the UK Mayor of London Independence Party (UKIP) (since 9 May 2016) (2010 – 4 July 2016)

Boris Johnson Nicola Sturgeon Phillip Hammond Secretary of State for Foreign and First Minister of Scotland Chancellor of the Exchequer Commonwealth Affair (since 13 July 2016) (since 13 July 2016) Former Mayor of London

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

advantages disadvantages

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? ______

28 The Layout of the UK Parliament

The House of Commons The House of Lords

5. Match the definitions with the headings. The number in brackets indicates how many definitions you should find for each term.

The Whip(s) [4] The Cabinet [3] The Liberal Democrats [3] The Prime Minister [5] The Labour Party [5] Chancellor or the Exchequer [3] The House of Commons [6] The Conservative and Unionist Party [4] The House of Lords [5] First Past the Post System [3] The Monarch [4] The Speaker [3] Question time [3]

1. 650 members called Members of Parliament or MPs. 2. Currently 798members (26 Lords Spiritual: 2 archbishops and 24 bishops of the Church of England, and members of the peerage (Lords Temporal)). The number is constantly changing 3. A document sent out weekly to MPs detailing the forthcoming business of the House. 4. Also known as the plurality voting system or the winner-take-all voting. 5. Appoints and dismisses the ministers

29 6. Britain is divided into constituencies, each of which returns one MP to the House of Commons. 7. Currently 330 MPs 8. Currently 232 MPs 9. Currently 8 MPs 10. For about an hour MPs are allowed to ask questions of government ministers. 11. He is responsible for all financial matters. Every year he formulates the Budget which will define government spending for the following fiscal year. 12. Head of the State 13. His/her official residence is Downing street 11, right next to the Prime Minister. 14. Informs the Sovereign of the dealings of the Government 15. It aims to conserve traditional values and practices. 16. It is presided over by the Lord Chancellor, who sits on the woolsack. 17. Its chief officer is the Speaker 18. Its main legislative function is to examine and revise bills from the Commons. 19. Its main purpose is to make laws by passing Acts of Parliament, as well as to discuss current political issues. 20. Leader: Theresa May 21. Leader: Tim Farron 22. Leader: Jeremy Corbyn 23. Location: Palace of Westminster 24. Location: Palace of Westminster 25. Made up of about 20 ministers chosen by the Prime Minister 26. Makes the “recommendations” to the Monarch concerning the appointments of: Lord Chief Justice, archbishops, bishops, university rectors and deans, the Poet Laureate, BBC board members 27. Meets weekly (when Parliament is in session) 28. Members are elected by the first-past-the-post system to serve (maximum) 5 year terms – unless it is dissolved earlier. 29. Never makes speeches or takes part in debates 30. Of the 650 seats: 533 represent constituencies in England, 40 in Wales, 59 in Scotland, and 18 in Northern Ireland. 31. On Wednesdays: the Prime Minister's turn to answer 32. Originally this person spoke on behalf of the Commons to the Monarch. 33. Parliamentary … is a disciplinarian, controlling the MPs in their party. Government …s are all Ministers of the Crown. 34. Promotes the interests of the industrial working class 35. summons, prorogues, dissolves Parliament and signs Bills passed by the UK Parliament, Northern Irish Assembly and Scottish Parliament 36. Supports civil liberties (freedom of speech, religion, assembly, right to privacy, etc.) 37. The ‘supreme governor’ of the established Church of England 38. The candidate with more votes than any other is elected 39. The commander-in-chief of the armed forces 40. The First Lord of the Treasury 41. The full name is the Labour Representation Committee 42. The head of the Government: in charge of the Cabinet 43. The leading right-wing party. 44. The members are not elected but appointed 45. The most powerful minister after the Prime Minister. 46. The most well-attended, noisiest, part of the parliamentary day. 47. The office has been held continuously since 1377 48. The principal task of the Chief … is the management of government business in the House. Must try to ensure that Parliament has done all the tasks which it had planned during that session. 49. The term comes from ‘whippers-in’ - people who keep the hounds in order at fox-hunting meets. 50. There are departmental and non-departmental ministers 51. Traditionally left-wing party with more neo-liberal policies in recent years

30 6. 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

31 READING

From: www.parliament.uk State Opening of Parliament

The State Opening of Parliament marks the parts of Parliament: the Sovereign, the House formal start of the parliamentary year and of Lords and the House of Commons. the Queen's Speech sets out the government’s agenda for the coming The Procedures session, outlining proposed policies and legislation. It is the only regular occasion The broad outlines of the ceremony have when the three constituent parts of remained largely unchanged for centuries: a Parliament – the Sovereign, the House of procession by the Sovereign to the Palace of Lords and the House of Commons – meet. Westminster is followed by the assembling of the Members of both Houses, and the reading State Opening happens on the first day of a of the Speech. new parliamentary session or shortly after a general election. The State Opening of Within these outlines, however, there have Parliament for the 2016-17 session took place been adaptations and innovations. For on 18 May 2016. example, from its origins until 1679, the ceremony was usually preceded by a mass at History of State Opening Westminster Abbey, but this was discontinued during the reign of King Charles II for fear of Traditions surrounding State Opening and the assassination plots. delivery of a speech by the monarch can be traced back as far as the 16th century. The Queen Elizabeth II has opened Parliament all current ceremony dates from the opening of but two times during her reign. The exceptions the rebuilt Palace of Westminster in 1852 were in 1959 and 1963, when she was after the fire of 1834. pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. The ceremony has changed very little The State Opening is a royal ceremony of throughout her reign. great antiquity – well-established by the late fourteenth century – which marks the start of a The public elements of the ceremony begin parliamentary year. just before 11am, when members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment lead It is customary for the Sovereign to be present the procession from Buckingham Palace. at the ceremony, which serves as a symbolic reminder of the unity of the three constituent The Sovereign travels, since 1852, in the Irish State Coach, an ornate, enclosed, four-horse-

32 drawn carriage. A coach carrying the royal Upon his approach, the Serjeant at Arms of regalia - the Imperial State Crown, the Cap of the Commons slams the doors in his face. He Maintenance and Sword of State – precedes knocks ceremonially upon them three times the monarch. and is given permission to enter. Black Rod then approachs the Table and announces the The Sovereign’s Bargemaster and four Royal Queen’s summons. Watermen serve as boxmen on the coaches, acting as ceremonial bodyguards of the Queen This ritual symbolises the right of the and guards of the regalia. Commons to exclude royal messengers, and commemorates the events of 1642, the last The royal procession makes its way along The time a sovereign entered the Commons, when Mall, through Horse Guards Parade, down King Charles I tried to arrest five MPs. Whitehall and Parliament Street. All along the route were posted members of Britain’s armed The Commons’ Speaker and Black Rod then forces who ‘present arms’ as the royal party lead MPs in procession to the House of Lords. passes. They contribute to the pageantry of the Tradition has it that MPs amble to the Lords day as well as provide security and crowd noisily, to show their independence. control. MPs crowd into the space between the doors The procession arrives at the Palace of and the bar of the chamber to hear the Speech Westminster at 11.15am. The Sovereign from the throne, which is delivered in neutral enters through the Sovereign's Entrance under tones by the Sovereign and received in silence the Victoria Tower, at the opposite end of the by the assembly. Although the Queen reads palace to Big Ben, and the royal standard the Speech, it is written by the government. It replaces the union flag over Westminster until contains an outline of its policies and proposed the Queen quits the Palace at the end of the legislation for the new parliamentary session. ceremony. A 41-gun artillery salute is After the speech, the Sovereign returns by simultaneously fired in Hyde Park and at the coach to Buckingham Palace. Her exit is Tower of London. heralded by military trumpeters, and the royal standard is replaced by the union flag. Within Parliament When the Queen leaves, a new parliamentary session starts and Parliament gets back to The assembly in the Lords’ Chamber includes work. Members of both Houses debate the Peers, dressed in traditional scarlet robes and content of the speech and agree an ‘Address ermine capes, ambassadors and high in Reply to Her Majesty’s Gracious Speech’. commissioners, judges, and visiting dignitaries Each House continues the debate over the and heads of state. planned legislative programme for several

days, looking at different subject areas. The The Sovereign mounts the throne in the Lords’ Queen's Speech is voted on by the Commons, Chamber at approximately 11.30am. A well- but no vote is taken in the Lords. known tradition of the ceremony commences: Black Rod is dispatched to the House of Commons to summon MPs to hear the Queen’s speech.

Define the following phrases:

General election –

Palace of Westminster –

33 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 –

34 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.

3. Mark the following in the blank map

Islands: Waters: Regions:

Inner Hebrides Atlantic Ocean Central Lowlands Outer Hebrides North Sea Cheviot Hills Orkneys Sea of the Hebrides Grampian Mountains Shetlands Firth of Forth Northern Highlands Arran Moray Firth Southern Uplands Island of Mull North Channel Islay Pentland Firth Isle of Lewis Salway Firth Isle of Skye The Minch Jura Tweed, Clyde

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

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

39 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.

40 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 –

41 eligibility –

Act of Union –

Famous Scots:

William Wallace -

Robert the Bruce -

Bonnie Prince Charlie –

Robert Burns -

42 6. Wales

1. 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?

43 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

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'.

45 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 –

46 7. Ireland

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

The Troubles (late 1960s-1998)

The Two Sides Unionists / Protestants / Loyalist Republicans / Catholics / Nationalists

48 2. Which side of the conflict do the following murals represent?

49 Michael Collins (1996) by Neil Jordan

Historical events depicted in the film:

1916 Easter Rising, General Post Office, Dublin + executions 1918 UK general elections in UK: campaign - Sinn Féin won 73 out of the 105 Irish seats First Dáil (1919–1921) members from the Irish MPs elected to sit in the Westminster parliament → but they refused to attend! → formed their own “national assembly” (Dáil Éireann) Éamon de Valera became president in April Michael Collins: Minister for Finance War of Independence – starts on the day of the 1st meeting of the Dail (21 January, 1919) The Squad - special assassination unit organized by Collins De Valera in the USA between June 1919 and December 1920 Bloody Sunday (21 November, 1920) - a “Squad” operation to assassinate the Cairo Gang (undercover British agents) - Royal Irish Constabulary opened fire on the crowd at a Gaelic football match in Croke Park - three IRA suspects in Dublin Castle were beaten and killed by their British captors Burning of the Customs House – 25 May, 1921 Truce of July, 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty of 6 December 1921 -- Irish Free State created  Ireland partitioned (South: Irish Free State, North: Northern Ireland = 6 counties of Ulster) the Irish Free State→ became a Dominion of the British Commonwealth → members of the Dáil had to take an Oath of Allegiance to the king → British retained several naval ports  Narrowly ratified (64 to 57) by the Second Dáil (16 August 1921 - 8 June 1922) De Valera resigns Provisional Government formed under Collins ("President of the Provisional Government") The Formal surrender of Dublin Castle to Collins by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. (He remarked that Collins had arrived seven minutes late for the 16 January 1922 ceremony, to which Collins replied "We've been waiting over seven hundred years, you can have the extra seven minutes.") Four Courts in Dublin occupied by anti-treaty forces in April 1922 Irish general election of 1922 – (16 June) - pro-Treaty parties secured 75% support of the electorate Civil War broke out - 28 June 1922, Provisional Government's troops began a bombardment of the Four Courts

Major historical figures depicted:

Michael Collins (1890–1922) Director of Intelligence for the IRA. 1920 - British offered a bounty of £10,000 for information leading to the capture or death of Collins. Organised a large bond issue in the form of a "National Loan" to fund the new Irish Republic Éamon de Valera (1882–1975) Easter Rising: sentenced to death: released in 1917. 1917 elected president of Sinn Féin. President of the First Dáil. Politically active: 1917 to 1973 Arthur Griffith (1872–1922) 1904 published: The Resurrection of Hungary, 1905 - Founder of Sinn Fein Strategy: parliamentary abstention: Irish MPs should refuse to attend the Parliament of the UK First Dáil: Vice-President, Head of the Irish delegation at the negotiations for the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

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

51 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."

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 –

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

54 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..

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.

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 –

57 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 –

58 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 –