英国常识
General Knowledge of the UK
Chapter1 A sense of Place概况
British Isles & Great Britain vs United Kingdom 不列颠群岛、大不列颠和英国
First of all, where is Britain? Britain
lies off the northwest coast of mainland Europe. Its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK). The unitary state is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland---four unique countries, each with their own customs, 首先，英国在哪里？美国与欧洲大陆的西北海岸隔海相望。它的全称是大不列颠与北爱尔兰联合国。这个单一制国家由英格兰、威尔士、苏格兰和北爱尔兰组成---四个独特的地区，分别具有迥异的风俗、文化和传统。
cultures and traditions.
资料链接
―Are you English?‘The Scots get very
annoyed when asked this question. People from England are English, people from Scotland are Scots (Scotch is a whisky) and people from Wales are Welsh. The Scots and Welsh are not English and vice versa. All of the above are technically British; all live on the island of Britain. The Republic of Ireland is an independent nation and none of its citizens are British. These distinctions are very important, and people in the UK can be very sensitive
“你是英格兰人吗？”苏格兰人听到这个问题会很恼怒。来自英格兰的人叫“English”，来自苏格兰的人是“Scots”（Scotch 是一种威士忌酒），而来自威尔士的人叫“Welsh”。“Scot”和“Welsh”不是“English”，反之亦然。上述三种人都是“British”，生活在不列颠岛。爱尔兰共和国是一个独立的国家，它所有的国民都不是“British”。这些区别至关重要，英国人对此非常敏感。
to them.
Do you know the difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain? And what exactly are the British Isles?
British Isles= all of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
大不列颠群岛=英国+爱尔兰共和国
Great Britain (sometimes called Britain) = England, Wales and Scotland
大不列颠（有时候也叫不列颠）=英格兰+威尔士+苏格兰
the United Kingdom (the UK) = England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland 英国=英格兰+威尔士+苏格兰+北爱尔兰
地理Geography
Occupying an area of 244,820 square
kilometers, Britain is just under 1,000
km long from the south coast to the extreme north of Scotland and just under 500 km across in its widest part. It‘s therefore possible to travel to any part of the country within one day.
Britain varies in scenery. In particular, there is a dramatic contrast between ―highland‖and ―lowland‖Britain. England is predominantly a lowland country, while Wales is a country of hills and mountains, and Scotland contains large areas of wild, unspoilt highlands. 英国国土面积244，820平方公里，南海岸到苏格兰的最北部只有不到1，000公里窄，东西宽不到500公里。所以，人们可以在一天之内到达英国的任何地方。
英国自然风光丰富多彩，高低与低地的对比尤其鲜明。英格兰基本上是一个低地国家，威尔士境内则多山多丘陵，苏格兰有大面积荒凉的，未开垦的高地。
人口Population
Britain is home to more than 59 million people. The largest number of people lives in England.
London is the most populous city in the European Union, with over 7 million residents. It is also one of the European Union‘s most densely settled areas: only Copenhagen, Brussels and Paris are more densely populated. In London , students and business people add to the city is among the most multiracial in the world. It has been estimated that about 160 languages and dialects are spoken by children in London schools.
英国人口超过5千9百万，大部分居住在英格兰。
伦敦有超过七百万居民，是欧盟人数最多的城市。它也是欧盟人口最密集的地区之一：只有哥本哈根、布鲁塞尔和巴黎的人口密度比它大。在伦敦，学生和商人增加了当地的少数民族居民数量。伦敦是世界上最多民族的城市之一。据估计，伦敦学校的孩子所使用的语言和方言大概有160种。
现在是天气预报And Now, Here’s the W eather…
The weatherman might be one of the professions complained about most frequently because they often give the wrong weather report. We cannot blame them, however, because the weather is so changeable that it is difficult to predict. It changes a great deal from one day to the next. One day we can be
wearing shorts and T-shirts and the next sweaters and coats!
Fortunately, as Britain does not experience extreme weather conditions, it is never too cold or too hot. The temperature rarely rises above 32*C (which is 90*F) in summer, or falls below-10*C (14*F) in winter. Average temperatures in England and Wales vary from 4*C in January to 16*C in July and August, whereas in Scotland averages are one or two degrees cooler.
天气预报员也许是英国人抱怨最多的职业，因为他们总是报错天气。然而我们不能怪他，因为英国的天气太善变，很难预测。天气天天不同。可能某天我们穿短裤和圆领汗衫，但第二天要穿毛衣和大衣！
幸运的是，英国的天气从不走极端，从不会太冷，也不会太热。夏天温度极少高于32*C（华氏90度），冬天不低于零下10*C（华氏14度）。英格兰和威尔士的平均温度一月是4*C，七、八月16*C，但苏格兰的平均温度会低一到两度。
夏天通常是凉快的，但是由于全球变暖的缘故，夏天也开始变得越来越干燥炎热了。高温和强烈的太阳光经常带来问题。许多人因为没有保护措施直接暴露在阳光中而被晒伤或者中暑。长期干燥使英国部分地方缺水。一些地方为了节水而禁止人们使用橡胶软管。
冬天的气候通常很温和。偶尔会下雪，但持续时间不会很长，只有在苏格兰山区会积雪，在那里可以滑雪。
观点Viewpoint
Cao Wen is a Chinese student studying in Manchester. This excerpt in from one of her letters to her sister.
We have terrible weather today. It started raining with gale. Now it has turned into snow and the wind is as strong.
After staying in Manchester for four months , I have come to understand better why the British like talking about the weather---it is changing every minute so that people never find it a boring topic to talk about! It‘s like a computer game that constantly offers you new and unexpected data to keep you going on and on without getting tired. We‘ve had some lovely sunny days right after we came to Manchester in October which made us forget about the warnings we got from our friends about how awful the weather could be. Now we know that was only a friendly welcome and we‘d better get prepared for something tough. It can be overcast in the early morning, then a drizzle, then a sunny spell, then clouds, then blue sky for a short while, clouds again followed by rain and finally end up with a windy night! I used to keep a weather record on my calendar with all these details. In the end, I found that the weather was so changeable that I simply put down ―varied‖ in the early morning to save the whole day‘s work.
I have got used to waking up with a rainy scene outside the window. Tutors will greet us by saying ―Good wet morning.‖ If it happens to be sunny, the conversation opening will be ― We have non-Manchester weather today.‖ We can never look outside to decide whether we should take an umbrella or not. There is a saying here that it only rains when you forget to take an umbrella! From our
experience, we‘ve learnt this is quite true.
We sometimes leave this decision to the weather forecast. ―Sunshine‖is perhaps the most powerful word to light up our faces. If we can‘t get it in the sky, hearing it from the weatherman will be a compensation .I think people here feel the same, because the weatherman on Channel 3 was once elected by British females as the best companion for a holiday.
今天的下学糟透了。先是风雨交加，现在则是白雪纷飞，狂风依旧。
在曼彻斯特呆了四个月后，我更加理解为什么英国人喜欢讨论天气了，因为它时时刻刻在变化，人们谈起来永远不会觉得枯燥无味！就像电脑游戏一样不断出现新奇难料的内容，让人不知疲倦地玩下去。我们刚到曼城的时候（10月份）有过一段阳光和煦的日子，以致我们把朋友们有关天气可能变糟的警告忘掉了。现在我们知道了；那只是友好的欢迎，我们最好对恶劣的气候做好准备。这里的天气可以是一大早阴天，接着下小雨，然后放晴一段时间，再多云，再晴天一会儿，又是多云，接着下雨，最后呼呼的吹一夜的风。我以前把这些天气情况都详细的写在日历上。后来发现天天都变换无穷，干脆在早上写下“多变”，则省了一天的工夫。
我对一早起来窗外小雨淅沥的情景早已习以为常。老师们会用“湿漉漉的早上好”同我们打招呼。如果恰逢晴天，开场白就会变成“今天是非曼城天气。”我们从不能依外面天气情况而决定是否带伞。这儿有个说法：老天总在你忘记带伞时下雨。根据我们的经验，此话不假。
有时我们会根据天气预测做决定。“阳光”一词最有威力让我们眉开眼笑；如果从老天那里得不到阳光，那么从天气预报员那儿听到这个词也算是个补偿。我想这里的人一定也有同感，因为电视三频道的天气预报员曾被英国女性选为最佳度假伙伴。
开心一刻
关于天气的笑话W eather Jokes
Q: What did the thermometer say to the other thermometer? A: Y ou make my temperature rise.
Q: What‘s the difference between a horse and the weather? A: One is reined up and the other rains down.
Q: What happens when it rains cats and dogs?
A: Y ou have to be careful not to step in a poodle.
Q：一个温度计会对另一个温度计说什么？
A：你使我体温上升。
Q：马与天气有什么不同？
A：一个被驾驭而另一个下雨。
Q：倾盆大雨的时候会怎么样？
A：你千万要小心，别踩到狮子狗。
Chapter2 Politics 政治政府体系System of Government
Britain is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch---Queen Elizabeth II—as head of state. In theory, the constitution of the country has three branches: Parliament, which makes the laws; the Government. Which execute laws; and the law courts, which interpret laws. Although the Queen is officially head of all those branches, she has little direct power.
英国实施议会民主制，国家元首是立宪君主伊丽莎白二世。理论上来说，英国政府体系由三个分支组成：议会制订法律；政府执行法律；法庭解释法律。尽管女王是三个分支的官方领袖，她的直接权利却很少。
Parliament has two parts: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Members of the House of Commons are n\known as MPs.
The government is led by the Prime Minister, who is usually the leader of the majority party in the H ouse of Commons. The Prime Minister is advised by a Cabinet of about twenty other ministers. The current Prime Minister of the U.K is Tony Blair. 议会由两部分组成：下议院和上议院。下议院的成员被称为下院议员。
政府由首相领导，他通常是下议院的多党领袖。一个由大约二十位部长组成的内阁协助首相进行管理。英国现任首相是托尼.布莱尔。
内阁The Cabinet
The leader of the party which wins the most seats in the General Election becomes the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses a committee of ministers called the Cabinet, which is made up of a selection of senior MPs from the House of Commons and some members of the House of Lords.
The Cabinet runs the country. Each of the ministers is responsible for a government department, for instance, the Secretary of State for Education and Science is responsible for all schools, universities and teachers in Britain.
The Cabinet meets at the Prime Minister‘s house. The Cabinet works as a team and all ministers must accept the decision of the ―group.‖The team of ministers must always agree in public because they are collectively responsible for any decision they make. If a minister cannot agree with all the others, he usually resigns from the Cabinet. Cabinet meetings are held in private and the details must remain secret for at least 30 years. It has been argued that Margaret Thatcher tried to change the style of her cabinet and she was forced to resign when the other ministers could not agree with her.
Cabinet ministers cannot, however, do as they please. They are responsible to Parliament and must answer questions from backbenchers in the House of
Commons. Even the Prime Minister must answer questions every Tuesday and Thursday in the Commons---this is called Prime Minister‘s Question Time and can be one of the most interesting discussions in British politics. Everyone wants to know what has been decided behind the closed doors of the Cabinet room!
在大选中赢得多数席位的政党领袖当选为首相。首相选出一个由部长组成的委员会---内阁。内阁通常包括下议院的一些资深议员和上议院的某些议员。
国家由内阁来管理。每位大臣负责一个政府部门。譬如，教育大臣负责管理英国所有的学校、大学和教师。
内阁在首相的宫邸开会。内阁作为一个团体出现，所有的部长必须接受“团队”的决定。部长们必须在公众场合表现一致，因为他们要对团队的决定负责。如果某位部长不同意其他部长的决定，他通常会辞职。内阁的会议高度保密，其中的内容至少要保密30年。前首相玛格丽特.撒切尔试图改变内阁的工作方式，引起了其他部长的不同意见而被迫辞职，此事一度引起争议。
然而内阁大臣们并不能随心所欲！他们要对议会负责，必须接受下议院议员的质询。即使是首相也必须在每周二和周四去下议院回答提问---这被称作首相答问时间，是英国政界最有趣的谈讨之一。每个人都想知道在禁闭的内阁大门里面，内阁做了什么决定！
投我一票Vote for Me!
General elections for the House of Commons are held every five years. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. Each constituency is represented by one MP in the House of Commons.
Every citizen can become an independent candidates , but they have little chance to be elected, except if they are candidates supported by the main parties: Labor, Conservative or the Liberal Democrats.
Each British citizen over the age of eighteen has a vote. The winner is the candidate who gets more votes than any other single candidate, even if the difference is only one vote.
A candidate can stand for any constituency even though he has nothing to do with the area. Therefore, if you lose the general election, you can run for the next one by representing another constituency.
Generally speaking, as soon as the results are released, people know which party will run the country. The party which wins the majority of seats in the House of Commons will form the government.
下议院的大选每五年举行一次，英国分为650个议会选区，每个选区在下议院里都占一个议席。每个选区参加选举的人数不限。
在英国，任何公民都可以成为独立的候选人，但他们被选中的机会很小，除非他们是由工党、保守党或自由民主党支持的候选人。
每位年满十八岁的公民都有投票权。得票最多的候选人当选。即使只有一票之差也是如此。
每个后选人都可以成为任何选区的代表，即使他和这个区域无半点联系。所以，即便你在大选中落败，也可以代表其他选区再参加下一届竞选。
一旦大选揭晓，人们有就知道了哪个
政党执政。如果一个政党在下议院中
占多数席位，那么政府就由它组成了。
资料链接
选举棒棒糖Election Lollipops
A British chocolate maker is giving voters a chance to take a bite out of the main
party leaders with the sale of special election lollipops---and the bestseller is Prime Minister Tony Blair. Thorntons, which has more than 300 stores nationwide, has milk chocolate lollipops featuring the heads of Blair, Conservative Party leader William Hague and the Liberal Democrat‘s Charles Kennedy---at 55 pence each. Sales of the Blair lollipops are far ahead with 1,800 out of a total 4,000 sold since the sweets first hit the shops, a spokeswoman for Thorntons told reporters. Hague‘s sticky alter ego sold 1,200 times, while the Kennedy lollipop found 600 buyers, This is not a big surprise as a poll for the Daily Express put Labor in the lead at 51% in the June 7 election. The spokeswoman said. ―We had to start from scratch with all the models this year as we now have three new party leaders and Tony Blair has started to lose his hair after four stressful years.‖英国巧克力厂商发售特制的选举棒棒糖，给选民提供了在主要政党领导身上咬一口的机会---最好销的是首相托尼.布莱尔。这家在全国有300多家连锁店的索恩顿斯公司制造了分别带有布莱尔、保守党领袖威廉.黑格和自由民主党领袖查尔斯.肯尼迪头像的牛奶巧克力棒棒糖，每块售价55便士。索恩斯顿公司的一位女发言人告诉记者，这种糖自面试以来共售出4000块，其中布莱尔以1800块的销量遥遥领先。黑格的“粘糊糊的自我”卖出了300块，肯尼迪棒棒糖则赢得了600个买家。这算不上什么以外，因为《每日快报》所做的一次民意测试显示，（布莱尔领导的工党在6月7日的选举中以51%的支持率领先。这位女发言人说：“今年我们不得不重新描画所有的模型，因为我们有了3个新的政党领袖，而布莱尔在度过了压力重重的4年后也已经开始谢顶。
皇室的权杖The Mace of the Monarch The Royal Family 皇室
The Royal Family appears in newspapers from time to time. The Britons are very curious about what is happening in Buckingham Palace. Royal events such as coronation, royal birthday, and marriage attract people‘s attention not only from Britain but also form all over the world.
Many members of the Royal Family undertake official duties in Britain and abroad. Their various responsibilities reflect tradition, their own personal interests and Britain‘s former imperial status.
The Royal Family‘s money comes from two sources: government funds and their own personal wealth, which is considerable. On the one hand the Queen is certainly one of the richest women in the world in the world, while
on the other hand her power is limited by the fact that so many of her expense are paid for by government money. Parliament has had effective control of the monarch‘s finances since the seventeenth century.
A survey in 1989 found that 70% of people in Britain thought that the Royal Family offered value for money---this was fewer than in previous surveys. As many as 74% thought the younger Royals should ―get proper jobs.‖
皇室成员经常见报。英国人对白金汉宫里发生的一切事情都怀有浓厚的兴趣。皇室大事例如加冕、生日、婚礼吸引了英国人乃至全世界人的眼球。许多皇室成员承担着许多对内对外的公职。他们不同的公职是传统、个人兴趣以及英国前帝国地位的体现。
皇室的金钱有两个来源：政府基金以及个人财富。他们的个人财富是相当丰厚的。一方面，女王是世界上最富有的女性之一；另一方面，她的权利相当有限，因为她很大一部分花销是由政府支付的。自从17世纪以来，议会就开始对君主的财政实行有效控制。
1989年的一项调查显示70%的英国人认为皇室所花的钱是值得的---这个数字比前次调查有所下降。74%的人认为年轻的皇室成员应该“从事合适的工作”。
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at
Westminster Abbey on 2 June, 1953, sixteen months after her accession to the throne on 6 February, 1952. It was the first coronation ever to be shown on television.
英女王伊丽莎白二世1952年2月6日继承王位，十六个月后与1953年6月2日在威斯敏特教堂加冕。这是第一个电视直播的加冕礼。
Today, known as a ―constitutional monarch,‖Queen Elizabeth II is no longer responsible for governing the country, but she carries out a great many important tasks on behalf of the nation. The Queen has both the right and the duty to offer advice to the government. She has to approve all new laws that Parliament wishes to make, and meets regularly with the Prime Minister to discuss the government‘s plan. She also carries out similar tasks for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies.
She must read and, if necessary, sign the documents and reports from government ministers and Commonwealth officials. 现在，作为“立宪君主”的英女王伊丽莎白二世，尽管不再管理国家，她还是要代表国家履行许多重要事务。女王有权利和义务给政府提建议。她要通过议会将要制订的一切法律，与首相会面讨论政府计划。她对苏格兰议会、威尔士以及北爱尔兰议会都要履行类似的义务。
她得阅读，如果有必要的话，还要签署内阁大臣和英联邦官员的文件和报告。
As Head of State, the Queen often goes on official State Visits abroad. She also invites other world leaders to come to the United Kingdom.
The Queen is also Head of the Armed
Forces. She is the only person who can declare when the country is at war and when a war is over, although she must take advice from her government about it first.
The Queen also represents the nation at times of great celebration or sorrow. One example of this is the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph monument in Whitehall. The Queen lays a wreath there each year to honour the members of the armed forces who have died fighting for their nation. Alongside her other duties, the Queen spends a huge amount of time traveling around the country visiting hospitals, schools, factories and other places and organizations. 作为国家元首，女王需到国外作官方访问。她也邀请其他国家的领导人到访英国。
女王还是军队的领袖。她是唯一能够宣布过是处于战争状态以及战争结束的人，尽管在此之前她必须征询政府的意见。
女王也需要代表国家出席庆典或追悼会。举个例子，在白厅西诺托夫纪念碑举行的纪念日活动，女王每年都要在那儿放花环来向那些为国捐躯的士兵致敬。
除了这些以外，女王还要花大量的时间在国内巡视，参观医院、学校、工厂以及其他地方和机构。
开怀一笑Jokes Change Brain 换脑
A wealthy man lay critically ill. ―There‘s only one thing that will save you,‖ his doctor said, ―A brain transplant. It‘s experimental and very expensive.‖―Money is no problem,‖the man said. ―Can you get a brain?‖
―There are three available. The first was from a university professor, but it‘ll cost you 10,000 pounds.‖
―Don‘t worry. I can pay. What about the second?‖
―It was from a rocket scientist. It‘ll cost you 100,000 pounds.‖
―I have the money. And I‘d be a lot smarter too. But what about the third?‖―The third was from a government bureaucrat. It will set you back half a million pounds.‖
―Why so much for the bureaucrat‘s brain?‖ the patient asked.
―Never been used.‖
一个富翁病入膏肓。他的医生说：“只有一个办法可以救你的命---大脑移植。这种方法是实验性的而且非常昂贵。”
“钱不成问题。”那个富翁说，“你能弄得到大脑吗？”
“现在有三个选择。第一个是一名大学教授的，但要花1万元。”
“别担心，我付得起。第二个呢？”
“第二个是一名火箭科学家的。你得付10万元。”
“这个钱我有。这样我会更聪明些。那第三个是什么呢？”
“第三个是一名政府官僚的。他的
脑子将花你50万元。”
“为什么官僚的脑子会这么贵？”
富翁问道。
“因为他的脑子从未用过。”
Chapter3 Festivals and Holidays节日和假期
银行假日Bank Holidays
Many public holidays in Britain are
known as ―bank holiday‖---so called
because these are holidays on which banks are legally closed. Most fall on
Mondays. In England and Wales there are six bank holidays: New Year‘s Day, Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily on 1 May), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and August respectively, and Boxing Day. There are also two common law holidays on Good Friday and Christmas Eve.
In Scotland there are nine public holidays: New Y ear‘s Day, 2 January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily on 1 May), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and the beginning of August respectively, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
In Northern Ireland there are seven bank holidays: New Y ear‘s Day, St Patrick‘s Day (17 March),Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily on 1 May), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and August respectively, and Boxing Day. There are also two common law holidays on Good Friday and Christmas Day and a public holiday on the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne (12 July)
There are holidays in lieu of those public holidays which fall at weekends. Shops, museums and other public attractions, such as historic houses and sports centers, may close on certain public holidays, particularly Christmas Day.
在英国，很多公众假日被称为“银行假日”---因为在这些节日里银行通常停止营业，大多数是星期一。
英格兰和威尔士有6个银行假日：新年、复活节后的星期一、国际劳动节（不一定是5月1日）、五月底的春假、八月底的暑假、圣诞节次日等。还有两个普通法定假日：耶稣受难日和平安夜。
苏格兰有九个公众假日：新年、1月2日、耶稣受难节，复活节后的星期一、国际劳动节（不一定是5月1日）、五月底的春假和八月初的暑假，圣诞节和圣诞节次日。
北爱尔兰有七个银行假日：新年、圣派趣克节（3月17日）、复活节后的星期一、国际劳动节（不一定是5月1日），五月底的春假、八月底的暑假、圣诞节次日等。还有两个普通法定假日：耶稣受难日、圣诞节和一个公众假日，拜恩战役纪念日（7月12日）。在某些地方，上述公众假日定在周末。商店，博物馆和其他公共景点，譬如历史建筑和体育中心可能会在某些公众假日，特别是在圣诞节停止对外开放。
圣诞节次日Boxing Day
Boxing Day (26 December) is so-called because it‘s a time when tradespeople receive a ―Christmas Box‖---some money in appreciation of the work they have carried out all year. Traditionally a time for visiting family and friends and indulging in more feasting, Boxing Day is a popular day for football matches and other sporting fixtures.
The day is a public holiday, so shops and banks are closed. More recently, some shops have broken with tradition and now open on Boxing Day to encourage shoppers who can‘t wait to spend their Christmas money.
圣诞节次日之四被称作Boxing Day （12月26日）是因为在那天从事商业活动的人会收到一个“圣诞节盒子“---里面有一些钱，用以嘉奖他们全年的工作。
传统上，人们在圣诞节次日探亲访友，大吃大喝。这天还是足球比赛和其他体育比赛的理想时刻。
这天是一个公众假期，因此商店和银行都停止营业。近年来，一些商店打破传统，在圣诞节次日也不休息来促进那些迫不及待要花光圣诞节钱的购物者进行消费。
新年New Y ear
New Y ear is often launched with a party---either at home with family and friends or at a gathering in the local pubs and clubs. Merrymaking begins on New Y ear‘s Eve and builds up to midnight. The stroke of midnight is the cue for much cheering, hooting, whistling, kissing and the drinking of toasts. Tradition has it that the first person over the threshold on New Y ear‘s Day will dictate the luck brought to the household in the coming year. This is known as ―first-booting.‖At midnight on 31 December, particularly in Scotland and northern England, ―first-footers‖---traditionally a tall, dark, good-looking man---step over the threshold bring the New Y ear‘s Luck. The first-footer usually brings a piece of coal ,a loaf of bread and a bottle of whisky.
On entering he must place the fuel on the fire, put the loaf on the table and pour a glass for the head of the house, all normally without speaking or being spoken to until he wishes everyone ―A Happy New Y ear.‖He must, of course, enter by the front door and leave by the back.
In Wales the back door is opened to release the Old Year at the first stroke of midnight. It is then locked up to ―keep the luck in‖and at the last stroke the New Y ear is let in at the front door.
In Scotland the New Y ear remains the greatest of all annual festivals. Called ―Hogmany‖( a word whose meaning has never been satisfactorily established), it‘s marked by an evening of drinking and merrymaking , culminating at the stroke of midnight when huge gatherings of people at Edinburgh‘s Tron Kirk and Glasgow‘s George Square greet the New Y ear by linking arms and singing ―Auld Lang Syne.‖
新年经常始于派对---或者在家与家人朋友一起，或者在当地酒吧和夜总会聚会。欢庆活动在新年前夕开始，
持续到午夜。新年的钟声是欢呼、叫嚷、口哨、拥吻和干杯的前奏。
国家传统，第一个在新年跨过门槛的人决定了新的一年带给家庭的运气。这被称作“第一步：。在12月31日午夜，特别是在苏格兰和英格兰北部，“第一步者”（惯例上是一个高大、皮肤黝黑、好看的男性）跨过门槛，带来新年运气。“第一步者”通常会拿着一块煤、一条面包和一瓶威士忌。进去的时候他必须把煤放进火堆，把面包放在桌面，给一家之主倒一杯酒，这期间通常他不说话，别人也不和他说话，直到他祝福大家“新年快乐”。当然，他必须得从前门进，后门出。在威尔士，当午夜的钟声一响，人们就敞开后门，放走旧年。而后把它关紧，留住好运。钟声一结束，人们就从前门迎接新年。
在苏格兰，新年是一年所有节日中最隆重的，被称作“Hogmanay‘（关于此此的意思，还没有一个令人满意的诠释）。当晚，人们喝酒并尽情狂欢没，在午夜的钟声敲响时，庆祝达到高潮，聚集在爱丁堡的丘克教堂和格拉斯哥的乔治广场的庞大人群互道新年，臂挽臂，唱着“友谊地久天长”。
万圣节前夕Halloween
Halloween (31 October) is the night before ―All Saints‘ Day.‖ Halloween and
its associations with witches and ghosts derive from the Celtic Old Y ear‘s Night ---the night of all witches, when spirits were said to walk the earth. Witches and supernatural beings are still remembered all over Britain, when bands of children roam the streets in ghoulish costumes, carrying Halloween lanterns, named Jack-O‘-Lantern-pumpkins hollowed out with a ghostly face cut into one side, which glows when a candle is placed inside.
In recent years the custom of ―trick-or-treating‖has gained in popularity. Although we commonly associate this practice with America, the custom originated in England as ―Mischief Night‖when children declared one lawless night of unpunished pranks, usually May Day ever or Halloween.
万圣节（10月31日）是诸圣节的前一天。万圣节及它与女巫、鬼魂的联系来源于凯尔特的旧年夜---一个属于女巫的夜晚，期间据说所有的鬼魂都会来地面行走。女巫和超自然生物至今在整个英国也没有被遗忘，成群的小孩穿得像鬼魂一样，提着南瓜灯（又称杰克灯）---挖空的南瓜一面刻着一张鬼的脸，点上蜡烛时闪闪地在街上游荡。
近年来“你不款待，我就捣蛋”的风俗非常流行。尽管我们一般把这个风俗和美国联系起来，它在英国是作为“恶作剧夜”出现的，孩子们拥有一个不会因为恶作剧而受到惩罚的“无律之夜”（通常是劳动节前夕或者是在万圣节）。
What is Guy Fawkes Night? 什么是盖伊.福克斯之夜？
In 1605 Guy Fawkes, a Roman Catholic, and his fellow conspirators attempted to blow up King James I and the House of Parliament, as they
disagreed with the King‘s Protestant policies. They succeeded in storing some 30 barrels of gunpowder in a cellar under the House of Parliament, but before Parliament opened, on 5 November, the ―Gunpowder Plot,‖as it has come to be known, was discovered. Guy Fawkes and his colleagues were executed for treason.
Since then, the 5th November has been celebrated in England by the burning of stuffed figures of Guy Fawkes on bonfires, usually accompanied by a firework display. These may be large organized events open to members of the public, or smaller, private gathering of family and friends held in people‘s gardens.
Guy Fawkes Night is also known as ―Bonfire Night‖ or ―Firework Night‖. In the days leading up to 5th November children traditionally take their home-made Guys out onto the streets of their town or village and ask passengers-by ―a penny for the Guy.‖This money is supposedly used as a contribution towards their fireworks. 1605年，一位罗马天主教徒盖伊.福克斯和他的同谋反对国王詹姆士一世的新教徒政策，企图炸死国王和炸毁议会大厦。他们成功地把30桶黑火药运进了一会大厦的递交，安定那时在一会开会前的11月5日，这个后世所知的“黑火药阴谋”被揭发了。盖伊.福克斯和他的同党以叛国罪被处死。此后，英格兰人在11月5日进行庆祝，生起篝火，焚烧盖伊.福克斯的人像并观看焰火表演。这些可以是对公众开放的大型活动，也可能是小型家人朋友在花园举行的聚会。
“盖伊.福克斯之夜”也叫“篝火之夜”或者“焰火之夜”。在节前，孩子们把按照传统手工制作的盖伊拿到镇上或是村庄的街道上，向行人要“给盖伊的便士”。得到的钱一般是用来买焰火。
Easter Eggs复活节彩蛋
Easter Day is named after the Saxon goddess of spring, Eostre, whose feast took place at the spring equinox. Easter is now the spring festival of the Christian church, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus. It falls on a Sunday between 22 March and 25April, according to the church calendar. Traditionally Easter eggs, dyed and decorated or made of chocolate, are given as presents symbolizing new life and the coming of spring.
Egg rolling competitions take place in northern Britain on Easter Monday: hard-boiled eggs are rolled down a slope, with the winner being---according to local preference---the one which rolls the furthest, survives the most rolls, or is successfully aimed between two pegs! The best-published event takes place at Avenham Park in Preston, Lancashire. In some families, the breakfast eggs on Easter Sunday morning are boiled in several pans, each containing a different vegetable dye, so that when they are served the shells are no longer white or pale brown in color, but yellow or pink, blue or green. The dyes do not penetrate the shell of course.
Easter parades are also part of the Easter tradition, with those taking part wearing Easter bonnets, traditionally decorated with spring flowers and ribbons.
复活节的名字来源与撒克逊人的春之女神的名字Eostre，人们在春分时
节为她进行庆祝。今天复活节是基督教在春天的节日，纪念耶稣的复活。根据教堂历，复活节是在3月22日与4月25日之间的某个星期天。
人们习惯互相赠送复活节彩蛋。这些染色的、装饰的或者用巧克力做的鸡蛋象征着新的生命和春天的来临。
英国北部有在复活节后的星期一滚鸡蛋比赛的习俗。人们把煮熟的鸡蛋滚下山坡，赢的人---根据当地习惯---就是把鸡蛋滚得最远，滚到最后最多鸡蛋是完整的，或者是瞄准最佳，成功把鸡蛋滚过两个桩之间的人！最大型的滚鸡蛋比赛在兰开夏郡普雷斯顿的阿文汉公园举行。
某些家庭在复活节早晨用不同的锅煮早餐鸡蛋，每个锅装着不同的植物染料，这样当鸡蛋煮好时，白色的或浅棕色的蛋壳变成了黄色、粉红、蓝色或是绿色的了。而染料当然没有穿透蛋壳。
复活节游行也是复活节的传统之一，游行者头戴复活节无边帽，根据传统，帽子上有春花和丝带的装饰。
Merry Christmas圣诞快乐
In Britain , Christmas Day is normally spent at home with the family, and it is regarded as a celebration of the family and its continuity. Preparations start well in advance, with the sending of Christmas cars and the setting up a decorated Christmas tree in a prominent place in the hole. Although it is now a firmly established tradition, the Christmas tree was first popularized by Queen Victoria‘s husband, Prince Albert, who introduces the custom from his native Germany in 1840.
Some houses are decorated with evergreens, plants which do not lose their leaves in winter; a wreath of holly on the front door; and garlands of holly, ivy and fir indoors. Branches of mistletoe are often hung above doorways---any couple passing underneath must exchange kisses! The traditional food is prepared: sweet mince pies, a rich Christmas cake and the Christmas pudding. Everyone has their own favorite recipe, but they‘re all packed full of spices, nuts dried fruits and brandy.
Presents are bought and wrapped, and traditionally placed under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. Christmas is both a secular and a religious holiday, and many families like to attend a midnight service at church on Christmas Eve, or celebrate Christmas in church on Christmas morning.
The excitement begins for children on Christmas Eve, when they hang up their stockings (an old sock, or more ambitiously, pillowcases) around the fireplace or at the foot of the bed for Father Christmas to fill with presents. The English Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, is first recorded in his tradition red and white outfit in a woodcut of 1653, but the story of Santa arriving in his reindeer-drawn sleigh and descending down the chimney to fill children‘s stockings with presents derives form the USA.
Practically everyone sits down to a Christmas dinner in the early afternoon of Christmas Day. Traditionally roast turkey is served, but some families prefer goose or roast beef. The turkey is followed by the Christmas pudding, brought to the table flaming hot. Brandy is poured over the pudding. The day ends with everyone relaxing, watching
television or playing guessing-games like charades.
英国人一般在家里和家人一起过圣诞节。圣诞节被认为是一个庆祝家庭及家族的节日。人们老早就做好准备，寄圣诞贺卡，在家里的显眼位置摆放用来装饰的圣诞树。圣诞树如今是一个深入人心的传统，此风俗是由维多利亚女王的丈夫阿拉伯特亲王推广开来的。他在1840年从故乡德国引进了这个习俗。
有些家庭用常青树（冬天不落叶的植物）装饰房子；前门挂上冬青树花环，室内摆上冬青树、常春藤和枞树花环。门口挂上槲寄生树枝---每一对从下经过的爱人都要接吻！传统食物有：甜肉末馅饼、圣诞奶油蛋糕和圣诞布丁。每个人都有自己最钟爱的菜单，但这些食物无一例外都包括香料、坚果、干果，白兰地酒。
人们一般在圣诞前夕把买来包装好的礼物放在圣诞树底下。圣诞节既是世俗的即日，又是宗教的节日。许多家庭在圣诞前夕参加教堂的午夜弥撒，或者在圣诞节的早晨去教堂庆祝。
对小孩子来说，欢乐始于平安夜，那时他们把袜子（一只旧袜子，或者贪心一点的，一个枕头套）挂在壁炉附近或床脚让圣诞老人往里装礼物。英国的圣诞老人最早的记载是在1653年的一张木版画上，画中的他穿着传统的红与白的衣服。而关于他驾着驯鹿拉的雪橇，爬下烟囱给孩子们的袜子塞满礼物的故事则来自美国。
事实上在圣诞节那天，大家下午很早就开始吃圣诞晚餐了。根据传统，晚餐是烤火鸡，但有些家庭喜欢吃鹅或烤牛肉。吃过火鸡后就上圣诞布丁，热腾腾的端上餐桌。人们在布丁上面倒少白兰地。最后，大家放松地休息、看电影或玩看手势猜字谜之类的游戏。
开怀一笑Jokes
圣诞节购物Christmas Shopping
It was Christmas and the judge was in a merry mood as he asked the prisoner, ―What are you charged with?‖
―Doing my Christmas shopping early,‖ replied the defendant.
―That‘s no offense,‖ said the judge. ―How early were you doing this shopping?‖
―Before the store opened,‖ countered the prisoner.
圣诞节，法官心情很好，他问被告：“你被指控什么罪？”
“提早购买圣诞用品。”被告辩护道。
“这不算什么犯罪，”法官说，“你什么时候去购物的？”
“商店开门前。”犯人辩护道。
Chapter4 Travel Around the UK
走遍英伦
出行交通工具Travel Conditions
Most forms of transport in the British Isles generally provide an efficient, comfortable means of transportation. Cars are the most popular forms of
transport but the public transportation system of bus, coach, rail, or air offers a wide choice of routes and networks to any destination. Generally holidaymakers only travel by air when going abroad as domestic flights are too expensive for most people to afford.
一般来说，英国的交通系统提供高效、舒适的交通工具。汽车是最普遍的交通工具，但是公共交通系统例如公共汽车、长途汽车、铁路和飞机提供大量路线和庞大的交通网络。通常旅游度假者只有去国外的时候才乘飞机，因为对大多数人来说，国内的航线太昂贵了。
For coach and rail travel a ticket may be purchased immediately before a journey or in advance and the ticket will usually guarantee that a seat is available. Single or return tickets may be purchased.
Cheaper fares are often available if the
ticket is bought in advance or for a particular day of the week.
Travel cards are available for students, giving them cheaper concessionary fares.
Travel abroad is made easier for students who can buy a Student Inter-Continental Rail Ticket in Britain. Which allows travel on the trains in many countries on the continent during a specified period, for example, a month. Travelers in Britain usually expect comfortable and uncrowded conditions; however, at peak times such as the August public holiday, all the forms of transportation may be liable to delays or difficulties. Trains may be packed and a seat difficult to find, motorway travel may be slow or blocked with traffic jams and airports such as Heathrow may be crowded and flights delayed.
长途汽车票和火车票可以在出发时买，也可以提前购票，通常有票就有座位。
可以购买单程票和双程票。
提前购票者或者一星期特定的一天买票清楚可以得到优惠。
学生凭旅行卡可享受购票优惠
购买了跨大陆铁路票的学生出国会更方便些，学生可以凭票在一个指定的时期内（譬如一个月）在欧洲大陆的许多国家乘坐火车。
在英国，游客通常希望交通舒适，不拥挤，但是在旅游旺季譬如在八月的公共假期，所有的交通都可能晚点或者对旅客造成不便。火车可能人满为患，很难找到座位，公路交通缓慢甚至塞车，飞机场如希斯罗可能拥挤不堪，航班晚点。
资料链接
University students have their own travel agency which was set up by the National Union of Students and gives students who hold a Students‘Union membership card special reduced rates which they have negotiated with various companies. This is especially the case with air-fares. Cheap, Intercontinental Rail Tickets are also available for European travel.
大学生有自己的旅行社，该社由国家学生联盟建立，它与许多公司进行磋商，给予特有学生联盟会员卡的学生折扣。特别是在购买飞机票时打折最高。去欧洲旅行可以买到便宜的跨大陆火车票。
旅途的住宿问题Where to Stay?
Bed and Breakfast, where the charge includes a bed for the night and an English breakfast: ―traditional‖style of bacon and eggs followed by toast, or ―continental‖style, coffee and croissants.
住宿加次日早餐这种旅馆只提供一张夜晚睡觉的床和一份英式早餐。（“传统式”包括火腿、鸡蛋和土司；或者是“大陆式”，包括咖啡和新月形面包）
Camp sites cater for tents or caravans. People may either bring their own tent
or caravan or hire them for a few days on large organized sites. Camping has become more and more popular because it is cheaper than staying at a hotel and it offers flexibility and open air. Some campsites have restaurants and entertainment. Camping is also possible on private land if permission is first obtained from the owner. 野营地提供帐篷或大蓬车。游客可自带帐篷或大篷车，也可以在大型的野营地租借几天。野营变得越来越受欢迎，因为野营比住酒店便宜、便利，还可以享受户外生活。一些野营地还有餐馆和娱乐措施。如果事先得到主人的同意，也可以在私人领地进行野营。
Y outh Hostels are popular with young people. Cheap and basic self-catering accommodation is provided, usually in dormitories, with a warden. But visitors have to tidy up after themselves. 青年旅社特别受年轻人欢迎。提供低价的不包伙食的基本住宿条件，通常是住宿舍，有一个看守人，但是住客在离去前要自己收拾干净。
Hotels range from the smaller guest houses to expensive, luxury, five-star hotels. 酒店从小旅社到昂贵豪华的五星级宾馆一应俱全。
旅游景点Travel Destinations and Attractions
Britain is a country full of tourism
resources; tourists are surprised to find a wide variety of landscapes and diverse cultures to explore whichever direction they travel. The most famous tourism cities include Edinburgh, London, Oxford, etcetera.
英国是一个旅游资源极为丰富的国家，无论走到哪里，游客都会对其多彩的风光和多样的文化感到惊讶。最著名的旅游城市包括爱丁堡、伦敦、牛津等。
The most popular destinations may be divided into three categories:
最受欢迎的旅游景点可以分为三类：
1) Seaside attractions: Brighton, on the south coast; Blackpool Beach, north-west of England; Blackpool Tower
海边风景区：布赖顿（南海岸）、布莱克埔海滩（英格兰西北部）、布莱克埔塔2)Areas of natural beauty: mountains and coats of W ales and Scotland , the mountains of Mourne (Northern Ireland), and the Lake District
自然风景区：威尔士和苏格兰的高山和海岸、莫恩山脉（爱尔兰北部）、湖区3) Historical or cultural sites: Stonehenge (Wiltshire); Edinburgh castles; Stratford upon Avon, Shakespeare’s Birthplace; Windsor Castle; Roman Baths and Pump Room (Bath); the university city of Cambridge
历史或文化景观：史前巨石阵（威尔特郡）、爱丁堡古堡、艾旺河边的斯特拉特福德，也就是莎士比亚出生地、温莎堡、罗马浴场、剑桥大学等等。
注释：William Shakespeare not only grew up in this building but was also associated with it all his life. It is quite likely that he and his wife lived here for some time after their marriage.
威廉.莎士比亚不仅在此出生，他的一生都与这栋建筑联系在一起。很可能，他和妻子婚后在这所房子生活了一段时间。
资料链接
In July 2002,20,000 Britons voted for
their top ten favorite castles, stately homes, ancient monuments and gardens---recommending the ―most precious jewels‖that every visitor should experience during a stay. 2002年七月两万英国人投票选出了最受游客欢迎的十座城堡、豪宅、古迹和花园---推荐每一位游客在逗留期间都不应该错过。
庄园Houses
1．查兹沃斯庄园Chatsworth House 2．爱地格府邸Erddig HALL& Garden
3．霍华德庄园Castle Howard 4．汉普顿宫Hampton Court Palace
5．邱吉尔庄园Blenheim Palace 6．皇家行宫Royal Pavilion 7．圣十字王宫Holyrood House 8．曼德斯府邸Manderston House 9．康奈府邸Knole House
10.哈德维克礼堂Hardwick Hall
神秘古迹Featured Mysterious Sites 1.史前巨石柱Stonehenge 2.罗马浴场Roman Baths
3.哈德良长城Hadrian‘s Wall
4.斯卡拉山城Skara Brae
5.鱼溪罗马宫殿Fishbourne Roman Palace
6.艾维里岩石圈Stone Circles of Avebury
7.伦敦塔Tower of London
8.乌飞顿白马峭壁Uffington White Horse
9.马易斯.霍维墓Maes Howe Burial Mound
10.色尼.阿比斯巨人像Cerne Abbas Giant
花园Gardens
1.英国皇家植物园Kew, Royal
Botanic Gardens
2.黑里甘迷失花园Lost Gardens
of Heligan
3.查兹沃斯庄园Chatsworth
House
4.汉普顿宫Hampton Court
Palace
5.斯岛尔和德花园Stourhead
Garden
6.波维斯顿Powis Castle
7.思辛赫斯特园Sissinghurst
Garden
8.大第亚特园Great Dixter
Garden
9.莱纹丝厅Levens Hall
10.斯托薇园Stowe 城堡Castles
1.沃里克堡Warwick Castle
2.爱丁堡古堡Edinburgh Castle
3.锡钽格尔堡Tintagel Castle
4.薄典堡Bodiam Castle
5.处女堡Maiden Castle
6.艾琳.多纳堡Eilean Donan
Castle
7.温莎堡Windsor Castle
8.艾维克堡Alnwick Castle
9.卡那封堡Caernarfon Castle
10.康玮堡Conwy Castl
湖区The Lake District
The English Lake District is one of the most beautiful natural terrains in
the UK. It is famous for its fantastic scenery and the quality of the walk, rambles and climbs. The spectacular and beautiful scenery in this area has inspired a large number of poets and writers of English literature.
英格兰的湖区是英国最美丽的自然景观之一。该区以奇异的景色闻名于世，适于散步和登山。在英国文学史上，这片旖旎风光曾是无数诗人和作家灵感的源泉！
沃兹沃斯出生地W ordsworth’s Birthplace
―Who comes not hither ne‘er shall know how beautiful the world below…‖
----William Wordsworth, 1778 “没有到过此地的人从来不知道下面的世界多么美……‖
------威廉.沃兹沃斯， 1778年伦敦London
London is a vibrant, bustling, multi-cultural city. Tourists expect to see the first-class culture, history and pageantry, world-class restaurants, museums and theatres in London.
Main attractions: Tower of London, Buckingham Palace,
St.Paul‘s Cathedral, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, London Zoo, Kew Gardens, the Royal Academy, Notting Hill, Royal Albert Hall, London Eye, Tate Modern, the British Museum.
伦敦是一个生机勃勃、熙熙攘攘的多文化城市。在伦敦，游客可以体味一流的文化，感受她的历史和绚丽，还可以见到世界顶级餐馆，博物馆和剧院。
主要景点有：伦敦塔、白金汉宫、圣保罗大教堂、自然历史博物馆、科学博物馆、伦敦动物园、英国皇家植物园（又称耶园）、皇家学院、诺丁山、皇家阿尔伯特音乐厅、“伦敦眼”摩天轮、泰特现代美术馆、大英博物馆。
St. Paul‘s Cathedral is in the heart of London. THE FIRST St. Paul‘s
was built in about AD 604, but it was rebuilt many times and the magnificent cathedral you see today was finished in 1710.
St. Paul‘s is called ―the great and the good‖of England come to celebrate their marriages, bury their dead, and give thanks for the ending of wars.
Perhaps the most popular royal event to take place there in recent times was the marriage of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. The ceremony was shown on television and watched by 750 million people all over the world.
圣保罗大教堂位于伦敦的心脏地带。它始建于公元604年，但此后多次重建，现在我们见到的教堂于1710年完工。
圣保罗教堂被称为“国家教堂”，因为英格兰的“最伟大和最好的人”在此举行婚礼、埋葬死者，为战争的结束表示感恩。
也许在此举行的最隆重的现代皇家庆典要数查尔斯王子和戴安娜在1981年的婚礼了。电视直播了这场婚礼，全球超过7亿5千万人见证了这场婚礼。
Big-Ben---the world’s most famous clock 大笨钟---世界最出名的钟
大笨钟Big Ben
Beacon of the ―mother of all Parliaments,‖Big Ben is possibly London‘s most famous landmark, and looks most spectacular at night when the clock faces are illuminated. Y ou even know when Parliament is in session, because a light shines from the clock face.
The four dials of the clock are 23 feet square, the minute hand is 14 feet long and the figures are 2 feet high. Minutely regulated with a stack of coins places on the huge pendulum, Big Ben is an excellent timekeeper, which has rarely stopped.
作为议会建筑群中的灯塔，大笨钟可能是伦敦最著名的标志性建筑。夜晚当钟面的灯全部亮起来的时候，大笨钟看起来尤其漂亮。你甚至可以知道什么时候议会正在开会，因为钟面上面的一盏灯会亮起来的。
每个钟盘面积为23平方英尺，分针