United Kingdom HISTORY The first Britons (people who live in the United Kingdom) were the Picts, who arrived about 10,000 years ago. In the eighth century B.C., the Celts arrived from Europe and pushed the Picts north into Scotland. In A.D. 43, the Romans invaded and ruled for nearly 400 years. By the sixth century A.D., German peoples known as Angles, Jutes, and Saxons were moving into Britain. In 1485 the Welsh noble Henry Tudor claimed the English crown and became Henry VII, the first of five Tudor monarchs. By the 1800s, Britain was one of the most powerful nations in the world.
The Adventures of Aladdin One day, as he was looking for wild figs in a grove some way from the town, Aladdin met a mysterious stranger. This smartly dressed dark-eyed man with a trim black beard and a splendid sapphire in his turban, asked Aladdin an unusual question: "Come here, boy," he ordered. "How would you like to earn a silver penny?" The Brothers Grimm Once upon a time . . . a widow had an only son whose name was Aladdin. One day, as he was looking for wild figs in a grove some way from the town, Aladdin met a mysterious stranger. "Come here, boy," he ordered. "A silver penny!" "I'm not going to ask you to do much. "The lamp! "Give me the lamp," urged the wizard impatiently. "Let me out first . . ." "Too bad for you," snapped the stranger, slamming down the manhole cover, never noticing that, as he did so, a ring slid off his finger. "At your command, sire," said the genie. Now astoundede, Aladdin could only stammer: "I want to go home!" "How did you get in?" "Where's the silver coin?" "Psst! "Aladdin!
British Royal Family Arms Royal Coat of Arms The main element of the Royal Arms is the shield which is divided into four quarters (see diagram). The three golden lions on a red background, symbolising England, occupy the first and fourth quarters. The lion and the unicorn supporting the shield represent England and Scotland respectively. Around the shield is a belt or strap with the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense ("Evil to him who evil thinks"), the symbol of the Order of the Garter. The Royal Arms we see today have evolved over nine centuries, since Richard 1st (the Lionheart) chose a shield of three lions to represent the three areas England, Normandy and Aquitaine - which were associated with the English crown. This symbol on the King's shield would immediately identify him in the midst of battle. The Arms of the Stuart kings remained very similar to those of James 1st. The succession of George, Elector of Hanover, to the throne as George 1st in 1714 led to further changes to include his territories.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Britain is GREAT The GREAT Britain campaign showcases the very best of what Britain has to offer. We welcome the world to visit, study and do business with the UK. Business The UK’s dynamic economy and business-friendly environment make it a great place to locate and expand your business. Get support to export and invest in the UK from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI). Tourism Explore the Queen’s London home, read the curse on Shakespeare’s tomb or climb the misty peaks of Scotland’s mountains. Start exploring Britain today. Education The UK offers international students a world-class education, globally respected universities and qualifications, great career prospects and a real adventure. Get advice about studying in the UK including scholarships, choosing a course and life in the UK.
American Stories in Easy English / American Stories in VOA Special English There are 57 fifteen-minute MP3 files. That is about 14 hours of listening. Bierce, Ambrose (1842-1914) Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1875-1950) Butler, Ellis Parker (1869-1937) Pigs Is Pigs (Ellis Parker Butler) Cather, Willa (1873-1947) Chopin, Kate (1850-1904) Crane, Stephen (1871-1900) The Open Boat (Stephen Crane) Folk Stories John Henry [Flash Listen and Read Along]Paul Bunyan (An American Tall Tale)Pecos Bill (An American Tall Tale) Garland, Hamlin (1860-1940) The Return of a Private (Hamlin Garland) [Listen and Read Along Machine] Harte, Bret (1836-1902) The Luck of Roaring Camp (Bret Harte) Hawthorne, Nathaniel (1804-1864) Henry, O. (1862-1910) Irving, Washington (1783-1859) Jewett, Sarah Orne (1849-1909) The White Heron (Sarah Orne Jewett) [Listen and Read Along Machine] London, Jack (1876-1916) Melville, Herman (1819-1891) O'Brien, Fitz-James (1828-1862) Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849) Porter, Eleanor H. (1868-1920) The Lady in Black (Eleanor H. Stockton, Frank R. (1834-1902) Twain, Mark (1835-1910) About
FASTEN SEAT BELTS 2 - Travel by Continent - Europe Fasten Seat Belts, a light hearted guide to avoid misunderstandings while travelling. An innovative way to learn languages and pick up cultural tips. Travel by Continent / Europe In the Netherlands, it is the custom on someone's birthday to... Gifts, Miscellaneous, Do's & Don'ts, Netherlands Grec AP Audio program, Greece Neerlandais AP Audio program, Netherlands In Greece, you may see people mock spitting, for luck: « ftou ftou ftou... Body Language, Do's & Don'ts, Greece Turc AP Audio program, Turkey In Spain, in tapas bars, you are expected to throw rubbish on the floor. Bar Culture, Table manners, Do's & Don'ts, Spain In the Netherlands and Germany, don't walk on bicycle paths ! Miscellaneous, Do's & Don'ts, Germany, Netherlands In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, wait for the host to propose a toast and... Bar Culture, Table manners, Visiting people, Do's & Don'ts, Denmark, Sweden Allemand AP Audio program, Germany Portugais AP Audio program, Portugal In the UK, stand on the right side of the escalator Travel
EFLshorts | Short stories for EFL learners Geography of the UK The official title of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . Great Britain (the formerly separate realms of England and Scotland, and the principality of Wales. ) Northern Ireland (also known as Ulster) Numerous smaller islands including the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, and the Scilly, Orkney, Shetland, and Hebridean archipelagos. The UK is an island nation in Western Europe just off the coast of France. The mainland areas lie between latitudes 49°N and 59°N and longitudes 8°W to 2°E. The UK lies between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, and comes within 35 km (22 miles) of the northwest coast of France, from which it is separated by the English Channel. The UK has a total area of approximately 245,000 km², almost a quarter-of-a-million square kilometres. The UK is made up of several islands. The UK is bordered by four seas: Scotland and Wales are the most mountainous parts of the UK. Lakes Find out more about the landscape of England
The Lady, or the Tiger? (Frank R. Stockton) Text & MP3 File www.manythings.org/voa/stories Download MP3 Now, the VOA Special English program, AMERICAN STORIES. We present the short story "The Lady, or the Tiger?" Long ago, in the very olden time, there lived a powerful king. One of the king's ideas was a public arena as an agent of poetic justice. All the people would gather in this building. If the accused man opened one door, out came a hungry tiger, the fiercest in the land. Iron bells rang sadly. But, if the accused opened the other door, there came forth from it a woman, chosen especially for the person. Another door opened under the king, and a clergyman, singers, dancers and musicians joined the man and the lady. This was the king's method of carrying out justice. Sometimes the fierce animal came out of one door. This method was a popular one. The king had a beautiful daughter who was like him in many ways. One day, the king discovered the relationship between his daughter and the young man. The day of the trial arrived.
Let's talk about the UK (still with Scotland) At the beginning of the new school year teachers usually explain to their students what they are going to study. Sometimes efl teachers not only teach grammar but also British culture, so one of the first cultural topics they discuss with their students are the geography of the UK and its form of government. Here you can find an interactive mindmap, a digital poster and a collection of useful websites, just to simplify the work. Click on the Glogster digital poster below, you will find general information about the United Kingdom and some videos. Now take a look at my Cacoo mindmap below about the UK form of government. You can also click on the following link to enlarge the above image: Last September, 18th Scottish people voted for Scotland independence. Scottish referendum explained for non-Brits If you want more general information about the Uk government, the Queen and the Royal Family, open my Blendspace lesson.