Linguistic and Cultural Guide

(Лингвострановедческий справочник)

Alaska the largest state in the USA, north and west of Canada

bagpipes (also pipes) musical instruments played esp. in Scotland, in which air stored in a bag is forced out through pipes to produce the sound

baseball a game played with a bat and ball (the baseball) between two teams of nine players each, on a large field which has four bases (базы) which a player must touch in order to make a run

BBC, the the British Broadcasting Corporation; the main British radio and television broadcasting company

Beatles Britain’s most influential (оказавшая самое большое влияние) pop group, first performing in 1959 in Liverpool. The group included Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their records were consistently (постоянно) top of the pop music charts in the mid 1960s. Their first success was “Please Please Me” in 1962. The Beatles broke up in 1971. Lennon was murdered in New York in 1980

Big Ben the clock in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament in London. The sound of Big Ben is well-known all over the world because it is broadcast by the BBC. The tower of Big Ben is used as a symbol of London and Britain

British Museum, the a famous museum in London founded in 1753. It contains Britain’s most important collection of ancient art and the reading room of the British library

Briton a British person

Brontё, Charlotte (1816-55) an English writer, the sister of Ann and Emily, best known for her novel Jane Eyre

Buckingham Palace (also the Palace) the official London home of the British Royal family

Burns, Robert (1759-1796) a Scottish poet who wrote poems on country life, love and national pride in Scots dialect

caber a long heavy wooden pole (полено) used in Scotland in sports competitions (tossing the caber) in which the pole is thrown into the air as a test of strength

California written abbrev. CA, a state on the Pacific coast of the USA, Major cities are Los Angeles and San Francisco. It is famous for Disneyland and Hollywood

Cambridge a city in England famous for its old University

campus the land and buildings of a university or college

Cardiff the capital, main port and industrial city of Wales

Changing of the Guard a ceremony regularly held outside Buckingham Palace, in which one troop of guards replaces another. They wear red uniforms and black hats (bearskins). The Changing of the Guard is a popular tourist attraction

Chaplin, Charlie (1889-1977) a comedian and movie star of the early 1900s. His most famous character was the Little Trump

Charles, Prince the first son of Queen Elizabeth II and next in line to the British throne. His title is the Prince of Wales

Chaucer, Geoffrey (about 1340-1400) an English writer best known for his poem The Canterbury Tales

Chelsea an area of London known for its expensive housing and fashionable shops

Christmas 1. a Christian holy day held on December 25th in honour of the birth of Christ; 2. the period just before and just after this

Columbus, Christopher (1451-1506) an Italian navigator who discovered America in 1492 when he was searching for a new way to the Indies

Congress the law-making body of the US, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress works in the Capitol, Washington D.C

Continent, the Western Europe not including the British Isles. When Americans speak of Europe they usually mean both Britain and the Continent: We’re going to Europe this summer. British speakers who are going, for example, to France or Spain might say: We’re going to the Continent

Cook, Capitan James an English explorer who discovered the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Islands

cricket a very popular summer game played with a ball, a bat and wickets by two teams of eleven players each

Crown Jewels, the the jewellery used by a British king or queen on state occasions. When not in use it is displayed to the public in the Tower of London

darts a game in which darts are thrown at a circular board. It is popular in pubs and working men’s clubs

Darwin, Charles (1802-1882) a great English scientist, known for his theory of evolution

David Copperfield a novel by Charles Dickens describing the life of a boy called David Copperfield in Victorian England. Many well-known characters appear in it, among them Mr Micawber and Uriah Heep

Deep Purple a heavy-metal band, formed in London, 1968. Debut single “Hush” (1968). First LP “Shades of Depp Purple” (1968). Disbanded 1980

Diana, Princess (1961-1997) the wife of Prince Charles (at present) and the mother of Prince William and Prince Henry. Her name before she married was Lady Diana Spencer. Her title is the Princess of Wales

Dickens, Charles (1812-1870) one of the greatest English novelists. He described life in Victorian England and showed how hard it was, esp. for the poor and children. His novel include Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities and A Christmas Carol

disc jockey, DJ 1. a broadcaster who introduced records of popular music on a radio or television show, and talks in an entertaining way between records. 2. someone who introduces and plays records at a party or some other social event

double-decker double-decker bus, a bus with two levels (two passenger decks), esp. a red bus of this type in London. At many seaside resorts, double-deckers with an open top deck are used in the summer season for tourists who are sight-seeing

druid a member of an ancient Celtic group of priests, in Britain, Ireland, and France, before the Christian religion

East End (also East End of London) the eastern part of central London north of the River Thames. It is thought of by many people as a poor, rough area, but one of great character and friendliness among the working class people who live there. It is now changing because of new industries and very expensive housing bought by the rich. (See West End)

Easter a Christian holy day in March or April when Christians remember the death of Christ and his return to life

Easter Monday the day after Easter Day, which is a public holiday in the UK

Edinburgh the capital of Scotland, and industrial, business, educational and tourist centre, famous for the Edinburgh Festival

Elizabeth II, Queen the Queen of Britain since 1952

Empire State Building (also Empire State) a building in New York City when has 102 floors and was for many years the tallest in the world

extrovert a person who likes to spend time in activities with other people rather than being quiet and alone

Fawkes, Guy (1570-1606) an English Roman Catholic killed for his part in a secret plan to burn the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated each year on November 5 when the figure of a man called “a Guy” is burned

Galsworthy, John (1867-1933) an English writer of books and plays best known for The Forsyte Saga. Nobel Prize for literature in 1932

Globe Theatre, the the theatre in London where Shakespeare’s plays were performed

golf a game in which people hit small hard white balls into holes in the ground with a set of special sticks

Good Friday the Friday before the Christian holiday of easter

Great Fire of London, the a fire in 1666 which started in a baker’s shop. Thousands of buildings were burnt down, but only four people were killed

Green, Graham (1904-1991) an English writer of novels and plays, famous especially for the novel Brighton Rock and for the film “The Third Man”, for which he wrote the story

Greenpeace an international organization which actively works to protect the environment from harm

Guardian a national daily newspaper in Britain

The Guards special groups of soldiers in the British army whose original duty was to guard the king or queen

Hardy, Thomas (1840-1928) an English writer and poet. Most of his books are about Dorset, where he was born, and often describe the unhappy side of life

Henry VIII (1491-1547) the King of England (1509–1547), he declared himself to be the supreme head of the Church I England, more popularly remembered for his six wives. Under Henry VIII England became richer and more powerful

Hepburn, Audrey (1929-1993) an actress of great beauty who appeared in British and American films of the 1950s and 1960s. She was known for her work with children in the Third World

Highlands, the a mountainous area of northern Scotland famous for its Gaelic speakers. People who live there are called Highlanders. Highland dress is a special kind of clothing worn by some Scottish men on special occasions. It includes a formal jacket, a bow tie, a kilt with a sporran, long socks, and a small knife kept under the fold at the top of the sock

House of Commons, the (also House, Commons) the larger and more powerful of the two parts of the British or Canadian parliament, the members of which are elected by citizens over 18 years of age. Each member represents people in a particular area and is their MP (member of parliament). The British House of Commons has 650 members

House of Lords, the (also House, Lords) the smaller and less powerful of the two parts of the British parliament, the members of which are not elected but have positions because of their rank or title of honour. Members of the House of Lords include Lords, bishops, and life peers
(= people who have been given a title as a reward for important public service)

Houses of Parliament, the the buildings in London in which the British parliament sits

Hyde Park a large London park where people go to walk or to relax. Its area is 615 acres (249 hectares)

Independent, The a national daily newspaper in Britain. It is a quality paper

Ireland the second largest island in the British Isles, which lies west of Scotland, England and Wales, and is separated from them by the Irish Sea. Ireland is known for its beautiful, green countryside. It is sometimes called the Emerald Isle

John, Elton an English popular music singer, piano player and songwriter. His original name is Reginald Dwight. Famous for his lively performances and outrageous costumes

kilt a skirt with many pressed folds (в складку) at the back and sides, and usually of a tartan pattern, worn by Scotsmen

Kipling, Rudyard (1865-1936) an English writer born in India where his stories and poems are set. Best known for his Jungle Book. Nobel Prize for literature in 1907

Lake District an area in the north west of England where are a number of lakes in beautiful mountain scenery

limerick a humorous short poem with five lines about something funny

Loch Ness Britain’s best known lake, because of the Loch Ness Monster. It is in northern Scotland. “Loch” is the Scottish word for “Lake”

Loch Ness Monster (also Nessie), the a large prehistoric animal that may live in the deep waters of Loch Ness, Scotland, but there is no scientific proof

London Fire see Great Fire of London, the

London Zoo, the a large old zoo in London’s Regent’s Park and Britain’s best-known zoo. Opened in 1826

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth an American poet, he wrote The Song of Hiawatha, Paul Revere’s Ride, and The Courtship of Miles Standish

Madame Tussaud’s a museum in London which contains wax figures of famous people. Opened in 1835

Madonna a very successful American popular music singer known for her unusual, often extreme, styles in clothes and appearance

mall (AE) A street lined with shops, and clothes to vehicles

Manchester a city in the north west of England, a cultural and financial centre

Manchester United (also Man United) an English football team from Manchester with a long history of success. In 1958 an aeroplane carrying members of the team crashed in Munich, and several team members were killed. People still remember this event

National Gallery, the one of London’s well-known art-galleries, it contains one of the most important collections of Western paintings. Founded in 1824

National Geographic, the a popular American monthly magazine produced by the National Geographic Society. It has stories and pictures from interesting places around the world

Nelson, Horatio (1758-1805) an English admiral who lost his right arm, and the sight in his right eye, during the wars against France

Nobel Prize any of several prizes given in Sweden each year to people from any country for important work in science, medicine, economics and literature and towards world peace. The prize was established by Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), a Sweden engineer and chemist

Normans the northern French people who took control of England in the 11th century

Norman Conquest the period in English history following the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when the Normans, led by William the Conqueror, ruled England, introducing French as the language spoken by the upper classes.

Nottingham a city in England. It is a centre for making lace. According to old stories the main enemy of Robin Hood was the Sheriff of Nottingham. Sherwood Forest, mainly in Not­tinghamshire, is famous as the place where Robin Hood is supposed to have lived

Observer, The a serious British newspaper which is printed and sold every Sunday. First published in 1791

The Old Man and the Sea a short story by Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway is known for his simple sentences. In a very direct style he celebrates men who are strong

Oliver Twist a novel by Charles Dickens; the title character is an or­phan boy, who later becomes a pickpocket in a gang of young thieves, led by Fagin. Oliver is eventually taken into a wealthy household and educated. (See Twist, Oliver.)

Orwell, George (1903-1950) an English writer best known for his novels about totalitarian government, Nineteen Eighty Four and Animal Farm

Palace of Westminster, the the official name of the Houses of Parliament, London

patron someone who is given a special honour by the Christian

pilgrim someone who travels a long way to a holy place religious reason

Presley, Elvis an American singer and guitar player who made rock'n'roll (later called rock) popular in the 1950s. From 1956-1963 he was the most successful person in popular music

pub (also public house) a place, not a club or hotel, where alcohol and light meals are served

public schools a private fee-paying secondary school where children live as well as study. They are expensive. The most famous British public schools include Eton, Harrow, Winchester and Rugby

rugby (also rugby football) a type of football in which the ball can be handled, played with an oval ball by two teams of thirteen players each

Sawyer, Tom the main character in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Tom is a clever boy but often in trouble. His best friend is Huckleberry Finn

Scotland a country in the United Kingdom, north of England. Scot­land has many lochs (=lakes) and in parts it is very mountainous. The national symbol of Scotland is the thistle, and its patron saint is St. Andrew

shamrock a small plant with three green leaves on each stem that is the national emblem of Ireland

snooker a game like billiards, played with 15 red balls, 6 coloured balls, and 1 white ball, each worth different points The balls are hit by a long stick and fall into any of 6 pockets round the table in order to make points

Snowdon a mountain in Wales. It is the highest point in England and Wales

soap opera (also soap) a television or radio programme about daily life, which is broadcast regularly. In the USA and Britain there are soap operas that have been running for 20 years or more

soccer a game that is played between two teams of 11 players using a round ball that is kicked but not handled

Stevenson, Robert Louis (1850-1894) a Scottish writer, whose books Treasure Island and Kidnapped are among the best-known adventure stories in English

St. James's Palace a famous palace in Pall Mall, London, built on the site of a former hospital dedicated to St. James, and the residence of British kings from 1697 to 1837. Foreign ambassadors are still accredited to the " Court of St James"

St. James's Park a beautiful small park near Buckingham Palace in London

St. Paul's (Cathedral) one of London's most famous landmarks. The present ca­thedral was built in the early part of the 18th century

Stratford-upon-Avon a town in central England, on the River Avon. It is famous as the birth place of William Shakespeare. Places of interest include the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the house where Shakespeare lived

Thames, the Britain's best known and longest river, on which London stands

Time an American weekly news magazine that is sold in the US and around the world

Times, The a national daily newspaper in Britain

Tower Bridge one of the London's best-known landmarks, a bridge that crosses the River Thames in London

Trafalgar Square a square in central London, where Nelson's Column stands. It is known for the large numbers of pigeons (голуби) which come there and are fed by tourists

trainers strong shoes for sports

trick something you do in order to surprise or deceive someone

Victoria, Queen (1819-1901) Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Еmpress of India. She had the longest reign in British history During her reign, Great Britain became the world's most powerful nation

Wales a country in the United Kingdom, west of England. It has high mountains. There is a lot of agriculture there, coalmining was a main industry. The national symbols of Wales are the leek, the daffodil, and the red dragon. The patron saint of Wales is Saint David

Washington written abbrev. WA, a state in the north west of the USA by the Pacific Ocean. Its largest cities are Seattle and Tacoma

Washington, George (1732-1799) the first president of the USA, the leader of the American armies during the Revolutionary War. One of the most honoured men in American history. He is called " the father of his country". The nation's capital, Wash­ington, D.C. (District of Columbia), is named after him Washington's picture can be seen on the one-dollar bill

Wells, H.G. (1866-1946) an English writer and social thinker whose books include The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and Outline of History, The Invisible Man

West End the western part of central London, considered a fash­ionable place, where there are large fashionable shops, theatres, etc

western a film about life in the American West in the past, esp. about cowboys, Indians, horses, and gunfights. They are not usually based on fact

Westminster the main part of central London containing Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and other important historic buildings

Westminster Abbey one of the leading landmarks of London, a large gothic church in Westminster where almost all English kings and queens have been crowned and where many famous people are buried

Wild West a name given to the states west of the Mississippi River in the USA in the late 1800s before law and order was established there

William, the Conqueror (also William I) (1027-1087) the Duke of Normandy who became king of England after he had conquered it in 1066

Wimbledon an important tennis competition which takes place every summer in the part of London called Wimbledon

Windsor, Castle one of the official homes of the British royal family in the town of Windsor

World Wildlife Fund, the (now World Wide Fund for Nature) an international organ­ization which raises money for conservation

Wordsworth, William (1770-1850) an English romantic poet whose poems are mainly about the beauty of nature

Wren, Sir Christopher an English architect who built many churches in London, including St. Paul's Cathedral

Wright brothers, the American aviators who worked together building airplanes. Famous for making the first motor-driven, heavier-than-air flying machine at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA in 1903