BRITISH CULTURE QUIZ

1. Is the United Kingdom (UK) the same as Britain and Great Britain? (No)
- The actual name of the sovereign /'sɔvrin/ state we are talking about is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland (UK). The United Kingdom is made up of the countries England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- The term “Great Britain” refers to the land mass that comprises England, Scotland, and Wales.
(Something that aids in the confusion as to the difference between Great Britain and the UK is that the term is
sometimes internationally used as a synonym for the UK. For instance, the UK’s Olympic team competes under the
name “Great Britain” and the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) gives the UK the country codes
of GB and GBR. This can be confusing given that the ISO also codes England, Scotland, and Wales as subdivision
countries of the UK but Northern Ireland as a subdivision province. If you’re getting the impression that Northern
Ireland is the red-headed stepchild of the UK, you may be right!)
- Britain refers to England and Wales.
2.- You are at a famous lake in Scotland. What are you looking for? (a monster)
a. fish and chips b. a monster c. a dolphin
3.- The Queen of England has got three residences. When you see a flag you know that she's at home. Where is she?
(Buckingham Palace)
4. What’s the capital of Northern Ireland? (Belfast)
5.- You're shopping in Belfast. Are you using euros? (No, I’m using pounds.)
6.- You're in an Indian restaurant. What are you eating? (Chicken curry)
7.- What's the capital of Wales? (Cardiff)
8.- Where's Loch Ness? (In Scotland)
9. What’s the capital of Scotland? (Edinburgh)
10. The British flag is popularly known as _______. (c. Union Jack)
A. Jack Union B. Jack United C. Union Jack
11.- How many streets are there in London? (c. 25,000)
a. 29,000 b. 35,000 c. 25,000
12. What is the population of the UK? (B)
A. About 80 million B. About 60 million C. About 30 million
13.- What's the symbol for Ireland? (a shamrock)
a. a shamrock b. a rose c. thistle
(Daffodil and Leek– Wales)
14.- When was Buckingham built? (in 1705)
a. in 1795 b. in 1705 c. in 1715
15.- A woman is swimming from England to France. How many kilometres is she swimming? (480)
a. 48 b. 480 c. 8
16. Who is the current monarch /'mɔnək/? (b. Elizabeth II)
a. Elizabeth I b. Elizabeth II c. Elizabeth III
17. What is the most popular food in Britain? Fish and chips (curry is another possible answer)
18. What is the Tube? (The London underground)
19. What is a double-decker? (A bus that has two storeys)
20. Who is David Cameron? (The Prime Minister)
21. What is 221B Baker Street famous for? (Sherlock Holmes’s fictional address)
22. What is a bobby? (A policeman)
23. What is the town of Stratford upon Avon famous for? Shakespeare’s birthplace
24. Who is Nessie? (The Loch Ness monster)
25. When is Boxing Day? What do people do? (December 26th; beginning of the sales)
26. In what book can you find the following quotation: “To be or not to be, that is the question.”(Hamlet)
27. What is the busiest airport in the UK? (Heathrow)
a. Heathrow b. Gatwick c. London City
28. Which university is the oldest in the UK? (Oxford)
29. Unlike in most European countries, entry to British museums and art galleries is usually _______. (free)
30. The Queen, Britain's official head of state, has ________ power.
a. absolute b. little real c. no
Read the following texts and choose the correct answers.
A. QUEEN ELIZABETH II: LIFE AS QUEEN
After the Coronation Elizabeth and Philip moved to Buckingham Palace in central London. Like many of her predecessors,
however, she dislikes the Palace as a residence and considers Windsor Castle, west of London, to be her home. She also
spends time at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Queen Elizabeth is the most widely travelled head of state in history. In 1953-54 she and Philip made a six-month round-the-
world tour, becoming the first reigning monarch to circumnavigate the globe, and also the first to visit Australia, New Zealand and
Fiji. In October 1957 she made a state visit to the United States, and in 1959 she made a tour of Canada. In 1961 she toured
India and Pakistan for the first time. She has made state visits to most European countries and to many outside Europe. She
regularly attends Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings.
At the time of Elizabeth's accession there was much talk of a "new Elizabethan age". Elizabeth's role, however, has been to
preside over the steady decline of Britain as a world military and economic power, the dissolution of the British Empire and the
gradual development of its successor, the Commonwealth. She has worked hard to maintain links with former British
possessions, and in some cases, such as South Africa, she has played an important role in retaining or restoring good relations.
Elizabeth is a conservative in matters of religion, moral standards and family matters. She has a strong sense of religious duty
and takes seriously her Coronation Oath. This is one reason why it is considered highly unlikely that she will ever abdicate. Like
her mother, she never forgave Edward VIII for, as she saw it, abandoning his duty, and forcing her father to become King, which
she believed shortened his life by many years. She used the authority of her position to prevent her sister, Princess Margaret,
marrying a divorced man, Peter Townsend. For years she refused to acknowledge her son Prince Charles's relationship with
Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Elizabeth's political views are supposed to be less clear-cut (she has never said or done anything in public to reveal what they
might be). She preserves cordial relations with politicians of all parties. It is believed that her favourite Prime Ministers have been
Winston Churchill, Harold Macmillan and Harold Wilson. Her least favourite was undoubtedly Margaret Thatcher, whom she is
said to "cordially dislike". She was thought to have very good relations with her current Prime Minister, Tony Blair, during the first
years of his term in office, however, there has been mounting evidence in recent months that her relationship with Blair has
hardened. She reportedly feels that he does not keep her informed well enough on affairs of state.
The only public issue on which the Queen makes her views known are those affecting the unity of the United Kingdom. She has
spoken in favour of the continued union of England and Scotland, angering some Scottish nationalists. Her statement of praise
for the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement raised some complaints among some Unionists in the Democratic Unionist
Party who opposed the Agreement.
Despite a series of controversies about the rest of the royal family, particularly the marital difficulties of her children throughout
the 1980s and 1990s, Queen Elizabeth remains a remarkably uncontroversial figure and is generally well-respected by the
British people. However, her public persona remains formal, though more relaxed than it once was. Her refusal to display
emotion in public prevents the growth of deeper feelings for her among the public.
Queen Elizabeth has never become unpopular, certainly not as unpopular as Queen Victoria was during a long period of her
reign. However, in 1997 she and other members of the Royal Family were perceived as cold and unfeeling when they were seen
not to participate in the public outpouring of grief at the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. This brought sharp criticism from the
normally royalist tabloid press.
It is widely believed that Elizabeth held negative feelings towards Diana and thought that she had done immense damage to the
monarchy. However, the sight of the entire Royal Family bowing to Diana's coffin as it passed Buckingham Palace, together with
a rare live television broadcast by the Queen, addressed the public grief. The Queen's change of attitude is believed to have
resulted from strong advice from the Queen Mother and Tony Blair.
The Queen remains a highly respected head of state. In 2002 she celebrated her Golden Jubilee, marking the 50th year of her
accession to the throne. The year saw an extensive tour of the United Kingdom, state visits to several Commonwealth Realms,
and numerous parades and official concerts. In June thousands gathered outside Buckingham Palace for the "Party at the
Palace", a massive concert featuring various famous musicians from across the British Isles. A national service of thanksgiving
was held the following day at St. Paul's Cathedral, to which the Queen and Prince Philip travelled in the centuries-old Gold State
Coach. This was followed by massive carnivals and processions, finishing with a fly-past by Concorde and the Red Arrows. The
Royal Family watched all this from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, before a crowd of one million people.
Sadly the Jubilee year coincided with the deaths, within a few months, of the Queen's mother and sister. Elizabeth's relations
with her children, while still somewhat distant, have become much warmer since these deaths. She is particularly close to her
daughter-in-law the Countess of Wessex. The Queen and Prince of Wales still see little of each other, however. She is known to
disapprove of Charles's long-standing relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles, but has made gestures of recognition of the
relationship in recent years. On the other hand, she is very close to her grandchildren, noticeably Prince William and Zara
Phillips.
In 2003 the Queen, who is often described as robustly healthy, underwent three operations. In January she had torn cartilage
removed from her right knee as a result of a fall over Christmas. In December 2003 she underwent a similar operation to her left
knee, at the same time having several lesions removed from her face. This prompted rumours that she might have skin cancer,
quickly scotched by the Palace. However, these surgeries have brought concerns that she is now overworked.
As the Queen approaches her 80th birthday, she has made it clear that she has no intention of abdicating. Those who know her
best have stated that she intends to reign as Queen until the day she dies. She has, however, begun to hand over some public
duties to her children. She is also reducing the amount of international travel she normally undertakes (she has usually
undertaken two state visits each year, her first in 2004 being her state visit to France, and her second to Germany in November,
and up to two Commonwealth visits a year). Like her mother, she intends to keep working until she is physically unable.
Elizabeth's public image has noticeably softened in recent years, particularly since the death of the Queen Mother. Although she
remains reserved in public, she has been seen laughing and smiling much more than in years past, and to the shock of many
she has been seen to shed tears during emotional occasions such as the memorial service at Westminster Abbey for those killed
in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

1. Queen Elizabeth II was the first monarch to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
2. Queen Elizabeth II created the Commonwealth.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
3. Why is it considered unlikely that she will ever abdicate?
A. She likes being queen.
B. She is conservative in matters of religion.
C. She takes seriously her coronation oath.
4. She had good relations with ______.
A. Margaret Thatcher. B. Camilla Parker-Bowles. C. Winston Churchill.
5. Queen Victoria was more popular than Queen Elizabeth II.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
6. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles spend a lot of time together.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
7. How many countries did she visit in 2004?
A. Two. B. Four. C. We don't know.

B. CHARLES DICKENS
Charles John Huffam Dickens (February 7, 1812 - June 9, 1870), pen-name "Boz", was an English novelist of the Victorian era.
The popularity of his books during his lifetime and to the present is demonstrated by the fact that none of his novels have ever
gone out of print.
Dickens' writing style is florid and poetic, with a strong comic touch. His satires of British aristocratic snobbery — he calls one
character the "Noble Refrigerator" — are wickedly funny. Comparing orphans to stocks and shares, people to tug boats, or
dinner party guests to furniture are just some of Dickens' flights of fancy which sum up situations better than any simple
description could.
The characters themselves are amongst some of the most memorable in English literature. Certainly their names are. The likes
of Ebenezer Scrooge, Fagin, Mrs. Gamp, Micawber, Pecksniff, Miss Havisham, Wackford Squeers and many others are so well
known they can easily be believed to be living a life outside the novels, but their eccentricities do not overshadow the stories.
Some of these characters are grotesques; he loved the style of 18th century gothic romance, though it had already become a bit
of a joke.
One character most vividly drawn throughout his novels is London itself. From the coaching inns on the out-skirts of the city to
the lower reaches of the Thames, all aspects of the capital are described by someone who truly loved London and spent many
hours walking its streets.
Most of Dickens' major novels were first written in monthly or weekly installments in journals such as Household Words and later
collected into the full novels we are familiar with today. These installments made the stories cheap and more accessible and the
series of cliff-hangers every month made each new episode more widely anticipated. Part of Dickens' great talent was to
incorporate this episodic writing style but still end up with a coherent novel at the end. The monthly numbers were illustrated by,
amongst others, "Phiz" (a pseudonym for Hablot Browne).
Among his best-known works are Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, A Tale of Two Cities,
and A Christmas Carol. David Copperfield is argued by some to be his best novel — it is certainly his most autobiographical.
However, Little Dorrit, a masterpiece of acerbic satire masquerading as a rags-to-riches story, is on a par with the very best of
Jonathan Swift and should not be overlooked.
Dickens' novels were, among other things, works of social commentary. He was a fierce critic of the poverty and social
stratification of Victorian society. Throughout his works, Dickens retained an empathy for the common man and a skepticism for
the fine folk.
Dickens was fascinated by the theatre as an escape from the world, and theatres and theatrical people appear in Nicholas
Nickleby. Dickens himself had a flourishing career as a performer, reading scenes from his works. He travelled widely in Britain
and America on stage tours.
Much of Dickens' writing seems sentimental today, like the death of Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop. Even where the leading
characters are sentimental, as in Bleak House, the many other colourful characters and events, the satire and subplots, reward
the reader. Another criticism of his writing is the unrealistic and unlikeliness of his plots. This is true but much of the time he was
not aiming for realism but for entertainment and to recapture the picaresque and gothic novels of his youth. When he did attempt
realism his novels were often unsuccessful and unpopular. The fact that his own life story of happiness, then poverty, then an
unexpected inheritance, and finally international fame was unlikely shows that unlikely stories are not necessarily unrealistic.
All authors incorporate autobiographical elements in their fiction, but with Dickens this is very noticeable, particularly as he took
pains to cover up what he considered his shameful, lowly past. The scenes from Bleak House of interminable court cases and
legal arguments could only come from a journalist who has had to report them. Dickens' own family was sent to prison for
poverty, a common theme in many of his books, in particular the Marshalsea in Little Dorrit. Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop
is thought to represent Dickens' sister-in-law, Nicholas Nickleby's father is certainly Dickens' own father and the snobbish nature
of Pip from Great Expectations is similar to the author himself.
At least 180 movies and TV adaptations have been based on Dickens' works.
1. Charles Dickens used the pseudonym "Boz".
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
2. Ebenezer Scrooge was the name of Dickens' wife.
 A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
3. The capital of England is very well described in his novels.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
4. Some of his novels appeared in journals.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
5. He criticised the differences between classes in the Victorian era.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
6. Charles Dickens never liked performing.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
7. Poverty is a common subject in his books.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.

C. THE LONDON UNDERGROUND

The London Underground is a public transport network, composed of electrified railways (that is, a metro system) that run
underground in tunnels in central London and above ground in the city's suburbs. The oldest metropolitan underground network
in the world, first operating in 1863, the London Underground is usually referred to as either simply "the Underground" by
Londoners, or (more familiarly) as "the Tube".
Since 2003, the Tube has been part of Transport for London (TfL), which also schedules and lets contracts for the famous red
double-decker buses. Previously London Transport was the holding company for London Underground.
There are currently 275 open stations and over 253 miles (408 km) of active lines, with three million passenger journeys made
each day (927 million journeys made 1999-2000; there are a number of stations and tunnels now closed).
Lines on the Underground can be classified into two types: sub-surface and deep level. The sub-surface lines were dug by the
cut-and-cover method, with the tracks running about 5 metres below the surface. Trains on the sub-surface lines have the same
loading gauge as British mainline trains.
The deep-level or "tube" lines, bored using a tunnelling shield, run about 20 metres below the surface (although this varies
considerably), with each track running in a separate tunnel lined with cast-iron rings. These tunnels can have a diameter as
small as 3.56m (11ft 8.25in) and the loading gauge is thus considerably smaller than on the sub-surface lines, though standard
gauge track is used.
Lines of both types usually emerge onto the surface outside the central area, the exceptions being the Victoria Line which is in
tunnel for its entire length save for a maintenance depot, and the Waterloo & City Line which, being very short, has no non-
central part and no surface line.
Each station displays the Underground logo containing the station's name in place of the word "Underground", both at entrances
to the station and repeatedly along the station walls so that they can easily be seen by passengers on arriving trains.
In addition, many stations' walls are decorated in tile motifs that are unique to the station, such as profiles of Sherlock Holmes'
head at the Baker Street station or a cross containing a crown at the King's Cross station.
1. The London Underground runs, as the name implies, all the time underground.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
2. There are more than 275 stations.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
3. The sub-surface lines run about
A. five metres below the surface.
B. fifteen metres below the surface.
C. twenty metres below the surface.
4. The Waterloo & City line is the longest in the system.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
5. Baker Street station is decorated with profiles of Sherlock Holmes' head.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
6. It is estimated that there are
A. 927 million passengers per day.
B. 1 million passengers per year.
C. 3 million passengers per day.

D. BIG BEN
Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell of Westminster, the hour bell of the Great Clock, hanging in the Clock Tower of the
Palace of Westminster, the home of the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom.
One theory holds that the bell was named "Big Ben" after Sir Benjamin Hall, the Chief Commissioner of Works. Another theory
suggests that at the time anything which was heaviest of its kind was called "Big Ben" after the then-famous prizefighter
Benjamin Caunt, making it a natural name for the bell.
Big Ben is commonly taken to be the name of the clock tower itself, but this is incorrect - the tower is simply known as The Clock
Tower. Sometimes, the tower is referred to as St. Stephen's Tower, but this title is not used by staff of the Palace of
Westminster.
The bell weighs 13.8 tonnes (13 tons 10cwt 99lb), with a striking hammer weighing 203.2kg (4cwt), and was originally tuned to
E. There is delay of 5 seconds between strikes. It is a common misconception that Big Ben is the heaviest bell in Britain. In fact,
it is only the third heaviest, the second heaviest being Great George found at Liverpool Cathedral (14 tons 15cwt 2qr 2lb) and
the heaviest being Great Paul found at St Paul's Cathedral (16 tons 14cwt 2qt 19lb).
The original tower designs demanded a 14 ton bell to be struck with a 6cwt hammer. A bell was produced by John Warner and
Sons in 1856, weighing 16 tons. However, this cracked under test in the Palace Yard. The contract for the bell was then given to
the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, who in 1858 re-cast the bell into the 13 ton bell used today. It too started to crack under the 6cwt
hammer, and a legal battle arose. After two years of having the Great Bell out of commission, the 6cwt hammer was replaced
with a lighter 4cwt hammer, and the bell itself was turned 90 degrees so the crack would not develop any further, coming back
into use in 1862. However, the crack, now filled, and the turn meant that it no longer struck a true E.
The belfry also houses four quarter bells which play the Westminster Chimes, derived from Handel's Messiah, on the quarter
hours. The C note in the chime is repeated twice in quick succession, faster than the chiming train can draw back the hammers,
so the C bell uses two separate hammers.
Reliability
The clock is famous for its reliability. This is due to its designer, the lawyer and amateur horologist Edmund Beckett Denison,
later Lord Grimthorpe. As the clock mechanism, created to Denison's specification by clockmaker Edward John Dent, was
completed before the tower itself was finished, Denison had time to experiment with the clock. Instead of using the deadbeat
escapement and remontoire as originally designed, Denison invented the double three legged gravity escapement. This
escapement provides the best separation between pendulum and clock mechanism. Together with an enclosed, wind-proof box
sunk beneath the clockroom, the Great Clock's pendulum is well isolated from external factors like snow, ice and pigeons on the
clock hands, and keeps remarkably accurate time.
The clock had its first and only major breakdown in 1975. The famous quarter bells broke in late April 2004, and were reactivated
again on May 9. During this time BBC Radio Four had to make do with the pips.
The idiom of putting a penny on, with the meaning of slowing down, sprung from the method of fine-tuning the clock's pendulum
by adding or subtracting penny-coins. Even to this day, only old pennies, phased out of British currency during the 1971
Decimalization, are used.
A 20-foot metal replica of the clock tower known as Little Ben, complete with working clock, stands on a traffic island close to
Victoria Station. Several turret clocks around the world are inspired by the look of the Great Clock, including the clock tower of
the Gare de Lyon in Paris and the Peace Tower of the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa.
Culture
Big Ben is a focus of New Year celebrations in the UK, with radio and TV stations tuning to its chimes to welcome the 'official'
start of the year. Similarly, on Remembrance Day, the chimes of Big Ben are broadcast to mark the 11th hour of the 11th day of
the 11th month and the start of two minutes silence.
For many years ITN's "News at Ten" began with an opening sequence which featured Big Ben with the chimes punctuating the
announcement of the news headlines. This has since been dropped, but all ITV1 and ITV News Channel bulletins still use a
graphic based on the Westminster clock face. Big Ben can also be heard striking the hour before some news bulletins on BBC
Radio 4 and the BBC World Service, a practice that began on December 31, 1923.
The clock features in John Buchan's spy novel The Thirty-Nine Steps and makes for a memorable climax in Don Sharp's 1978
film version, although not in Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 original adaptation. A similar scene is recreated in the 2003 film, Shanghai
Knights which culminates with Jackie Chan hanging from the hands of the clock. The clock also appears in the animated cartoon
Basil, the Great Mouse Detective.
An earlier film climax on the clock face of Big Ben appears in Will Hay's 1943 film My Learned Friend, although the scene is
more slapstick than thriller.
1. The Palace of Westminster is where the Houses of Parliament reside.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
2. Great George, the bell at Liverpool Cathedral is heavier than Big Ben.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
3. How many quarter bells are there in the belfry?
A. Three. B. Four. C. Five.
4. When did the clock break down?
A. 1975. B. 1971. C. 1923.
5. Little Ben looks exactly like Big Ben.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.
6. BBC Radio started broadcasting the chimes on news bulletins in
A. 1923. B. 1935. C. 1978.
7. The clock was never used for any film.
A. True. B. False. C. We don't know.