Sources

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 425.

What system of weights and measures is used?

What is national currency?

What are the typical characteristics of the nation and its people?

Britain is the country of traditions. The English have a serene sense of superiority, a deep sense of security and belief in their national successes.

The best-known quality of the English is reserve. They do not talk very much to strangers, do not show emotions. The other characteristic is English modesty.

The English surnames: Charles Baker (connected with a person's job), e.g. Jack Long (connected with the size), Robin Williamson (with a family relationship: son of William).

The Welsh surnames: Geoffrey Jone (from Chisrian name John). Gary Pritchard (putting «p» at the beginning: from Richardson).

Irish surnames: O'Brien, Fitzwilliam, MacMahon, Kilmartin, Gilmurray (beginning with «O» – «from the family of», «Fitz», «Mac», «Kil», «Gil» – from «son of»).

The currency of the UK is the pound sterling (symbol ₤, code GBP), commonly called the pound. It is subdivided into 100 pence (one – a penny). Sterling is the third- largest reserve currency after the US dollar and the euro.

The metric system is in official use withim the United Kingdom; however, use of imperial unit is widespread in many cases.

1. Harvey, Paul; Jones, Phodri. Britain Explored. – Longman, 2002. – 176 p.

2. Vaughan-Rees; Michael; Bystrom, Peter; Bateman, Steve. In Britain. – Chancerel International Publishers. Лицензионное издание: издательство «Титул», 1997. – 119 p.

3. О Британии вкратце. Книга для чтения на английском языке / Сост. В.В. Ощенкова, Ш. И. Шустилова. – М.: «Лист», 1997. – 224 с.