| Year | Event |
| UK joins the EU Metric system introduced in British schools Channel Tunnel opened Obligatory pricing of food in metric measurements Major European countries adopt the euro |
Choose the correct alternatives to complete this summary of the text.
Britain is/isn't a member of the EU, but a lot of British people feel that their country is quite separate from / similar to the rest of Europe. The metric system of currency / measurement has been used in Britain since the 1970s, but many Britons, especially older/ younger people, prefer to use the old imperial system. Food sold in Britain is usually priced using both types of measurement, but it is legal/ illegal to price products using imperial measurements only. Britain uses the euro / pound sterling as its currency, like/ unlike all of the other countries in the EU. A date for a referendum in the UK on the euro has already / hasn't yet been fixed.
WHO ARE THE BRITISH?
The UK is a confused nation when it comes to national identity, especially in relation to major sporting events. Commentators proudly refer to the country's internationally successful sportspeople as 'English' if they come specifically from England. Welsh and Scottish athletes, however, are usually given the general label 'British' without any recognition of their individual homelands.
But it's when the countries compete individually, especially against each other, that the idea of a 'united kingdom' becomes completely lost. At football and rugby matches there has been a strong revival of the individual flags, songs and symbols of England, Scotland and Wales – and there often isn't a Union Jack to be seen.
Away from the sports pitch, the national saints' days of St David in Wales and St Andrew in Scotland are starting to be marked with large celebrations in the same way that St Patrick's Day has always been celebrated in Ireland. And the flag of St George can be seen in England on public buildings and churches where the Union Jack used to be. With Scotland and Wales now having their own parliaments, there is even extreme talk of an 'English Independence Movement', and some people are wondering if the United Kingdom will last into the next century.
Match the beginnings and the endings of the sentences.
1. Welsh and Scottish sportspeople get annoyed when
2. If England and Scotland play a rugby match,
3. People enjoy St Andrew's Day and St David's Day now, but
4. Some buildings in England used to display the Union Jack, but now
a. they display their own symbols and flags, not British ones.
b. they show the English flag.
c. they aren't referred to as 'Scottish' or 'Welsh'.
d. they didn't use to celebrate them much.
THE LAND OF THE FREE
unanimous - единодушный, единогласный
to endow - to provide - наделять
unalienable - неотъемлемый
to pursuit -стремиться
to insure - обеспечить
domestic tranquility - внутреннее спокойствие / правопорядок
welfare - благосостояние
posterity - последующие поколения
the free exercise therof - the freedom to practice it (religion)
to abridge - сокращать
t o petition - to ask for sth
redress of grievance - making right sth that is not fair
arms - оружие
involuntary servitude - being someone's servant when you don't want to be - подневольное состояние
resignation - отставка
on account of - в зависимости от
The American Declaration of Independence
This is part of the original American Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson to challenge the British government on July 4th 1776.
The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America
... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that are among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The American Constitution
