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42 views3 pages

Britain

Uploaded by

Mónica Alexandra
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Britain - is it really different?

Linguapress easy intermediate English text

Page 1 of 3

You are here: English reading resources Intermediate English Is Britain different ?

British life : An easy intermediate level English resource.

Britain, that island


Is Britain really very different from other places ?
Just off the north coast of
continental Europe, there is an
island called Britain. Today, this
island is closely connected to the
rest of Europe; there are direct
trains to Paris and Brussels, and
thousands of people, cars and
lorries cross the Channel and the
North Sea every day between
British and continental ports.
Britain is very much a part of
Europe; however most of the
people in Britain (today, at least)
do not want any more European
"integration".
"We're different, aren't we?"
A traditional image of Britain! It could only be Britain.... But beyond the
says Eddie, from London. "We do
images, is Britain really very different?
things differently. We don't want to
become like other countries."
Millions of people think the same as Eddie. For example, a large majority do not want Britain to join
the Euro. They imagine that Britain's "identity" will be lost, if we say goodbye to our pounds and our
pennies. They forget that things are also very different from one European country to another.
It's quite a strange situation really; but it is a situation that can easily be explained.
"Insularity" is a deep and historic part of British culture and society. Great Britain's borders have
been fixed by nature for thousands of years. If you walk in a straight line for long enough in any direction,
you will know when you have reached the edge of Great Britain; you will find yourself in salty water!
If you want to go to another country from Great Britain, you have to take a ship, a plane, a train or a
car; you can't just drive or walk across the border. Great Britain is physically separated from every other
country; and this is the main reason why British people imagine that other countries are so "different".
Of course, lots of things about Britain are different. We drive on the left, we like our pubs, we have
sports like cricket, we have our own popular TV programmes, we use pounds and pennies and miles, we
drink tea with milk in it, we don't carry identity cards, and our policemen don't carry guns. So yes, Britain
is different, in these respects, from France or Germany or Spain, or Japan, or even the USA.
Nevertheless Britain's "difference" is disappearing fast! Fifty years ago, British people drove British
cars; today the cars in Britain are British, French, German, Italian, Japanese and more. Today we buy
petrol in litres (not gallons) and fruit in kilos (not pounds). Fifty years ago, our favourite foods were fish 'n'
chips and "bangers and mash". Among today's young people, the most popular foods and drinks are
Italian pasta and pizza, Indian curry, American hamburgers and colas, Chinese take-aways, Continental
beers and Mexican tacos.

http://linguapress.com/intermediate/britain-different.htm

22/06/2016

Britain - is it really different? Linguapress easy intermediate English text

Page 2 of 3

As far as culture is concerned, young Britons love their Britpop bands; but they also like American and
Australian TV series, American films, and Japanese and British video games.... In fact, they like more or
less the same things as young people all over Europe and North America!
The real problem is perhaps not that we are very different. It's just that lots of people (in and out of
Britain) imagine that Britain is different..... because "Continentals" speak other languages, and old ideas
take a very long time to die.
WORD GUIDE

bangers and mash: sausages and mashed potatoes - border: frontier - Channel :
the English Channel, the sea between England and France - edge: end, side insularity: being an island, imagining that one is different - integration: coming
together, unity - large majority: much more than 50% - main: principal - off:
distant from - take-aways: ready-cooked meals, to take home.

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22/06/2016

Britain - is it really different? Linguapress easy intermediate English text

Page 3 of 3

For teachers;
Introduction: Ask pupils to tell you what they know about Britain; if necessary, do this in their native
language, but write up the English equivalents of useful words, when these occur. Next ask them if they
know anything about everyday life and ordinary people. Many may do so. Can they compare British life
with life in their own country? What differences are there?
Next ask pupils what makes Britain different from their own country? It is probably best allow them five
minutes to work in pairs, and write down their ideas... any ideas... preferably in English. Then ask to
answer orally. Once this has been done, it is time to go through the article. It is not difficult.
Follow-up: Have pupils rewrite the top two paras. of column 2 (Starting Of course, lots of things.....),
referring to their own country, not Britain.
Written exercise: Pupils should imagine that they are in the year 1955, are aged 16, and are on holiday
in Britain. They should write a short postcard home, describing life.
N.B.. "Great Britain" is a geographic, not a geopolitical unit. It is the largest British isle.

Exercise

Using information from the article, complete these sentences in your own words:
Note the following expressions which may be helpful in your answers:
different from - the same as - more ... than - less ... than
1. The seas separating Britain from Europe are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Eddie thinks that . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. When they go shopping, British people use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Great Britains borders have not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. People cant leave Great Britain by . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Identity cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. Fish n chips were . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. Young Britons are not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This teaching resource is copyright Linguapress 2001-2016.


Revised 2015 . Originally published in Freeway, the Intermediate level English newsmagazine.
Republication on other websites or in print is not authorised

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22/06/2016

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