Major English-Speaking Countries: A Survey
School of Foreign Studies
Part One
The United Kingdom
Unit One: The Country

Have a general idea of the geographical positiited Kingdom and Northern Island is located in northern Europe. ( ) The United Kingdom consists of four political divisions -----England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. ( ) England is one of the two large islands in the British Isles. ( ) The British Isles are made up of three large islands and hundreds of small ones. ( ) Wales lies on the east coast of the island of Great Britain. ( )
ONE that best completes the sentence or answers the question.

The British Empire was replaced by the British Commonwealth or the Commonwealth of Nations in _____. A. 1921 B. 1931 C. 1945 D. 1950
D. two large islands and dozens of small ones.
Which of the following is NOT a political division on the island of Great Britain? A. England B. Scotland C. Northern Ireland D. Wales
)
The English language is the predominant language in Northern Ireland. ( ) English people all strive to free themselves of regional or local accents in order to sound like educated English-speaking people. ( ) Social class in the UK lays more emphasis on money and property. ( ) Britishness is associated with political, historical, technological, sporting, and cultural achievements in Britain. ( )



Quiz: 2. The following are questions or incomplete sentences. Choose the
ONE that best completes the sentence or answers the question.

The British Isles are made up of _______. A. three large islands and hundreds of small ones. B. three large islands and dozens of small ones. C. two large islands and hundreds of small ones.
Be informed of the statistics about the British population Know something about the languages in Britain

Understand the class structure in Britain Be familiar with the Britishness
ONE that best completes the sentence or answers the question.

The regional capital of Northern Ireland is _____. A. Glasgow B. Edinburgh C. Cardiff D. Belfast
Quiz: 1. Read the following statements carefully and then
decide whether they are true or false.

The English, the Scots, and the Welsh are Anglo-Saxons, but the Irish are Celts. ( ) London and England as a whole have great influence over the rest of the United Kingdom because of their large population. ( ) People of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi origin are the largest group of immigrants in Britain. ( ) Compared with the rest of the world, the UK has a smaller percentage of older people and a higher percentage of younger people. ( ) The Welsh language is the official language in Wales. ( )
Build some brief knowledge about the climatic pattern in the UK

Quiz: 1. Read the following statements carefully and then
decide whether they are true or false.

Which of the following statements about the climate in Britain is NOT true? A. Britain’s climate is of the maritime type B. Winters in Britain are extremely cold



Quiz: 2. The following are questions or incomplete sentences. Choose the
Understand the different names of the country Know something about the topography of the UK


Be familiar with the important rivers and lakes in the UK



Quiz: 1. Read the following statements carefully and then
decide whether they are true or false.

The Commonwealth of Nations is a free association of independent countries that all used to be colonies of Britain. ( ) In Scotland, rugged mountains, green valleys, and deep, blue lakes provide some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe. ( ) Britain’s longest river is the Thames. ( ) The largest lake in Britain is the Lough Neagh in northwest England. ( ) Britain’s climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current that sweeps up from the equator and flows past the British Isles. ( )


All the following are natural zones in Scotland, except _____. A. Highlands in the north C. the Eastern lowlands B. the Central lowlands D. the Southern uplands




Quiz: 1. Read the following statements carefully and then
decide whether they are true or false.

Scottish Gaelic is the official language in Scotland. (


Quiz: 2. The following are questions or incomplete sentences. Choose the
ONE that best completes the sentence or answers the question.