Characteristic features of the British.

In a nation of many millions of people, there are many different kinds: good and bad, honest and dishonest, happy and unhappy. The best-known quality of the English, for example, is reserve. A reserved person is one who does not talk very much to strangers, does not show much emotion. He never tells you anything about himself. But the people of the North and West of Britain, especially the Welsh, are much less reserved than those of the South and East. Closely related to English reserve is English modesty. The famous English sense of humour is similar. Its ideal is the ability to laugh at oneself - at one's own faults. Some greetings in England are very informal: a simple "good morning" or a wave of the hand across the street is quite enough. English people do not readily ask each other to do anything, they prefer to wait for a service to be offered before asking for it. If they do ask, then they say something like "I don't really like asking you, but..." It is considered polite to give up one's seat to a woman who is standing, to open door for her, carry things for her, and so on.

Sights of Great Britain.

London, the capital of Great Britain, is one of the largest cities in the world. London stands on the river Thames. On the bank of the Thames, not far from the Tower of London, you can see Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament. It is the seat of the British government. The road to the City runs across Tower Bridge. Crossing the river by the Tower Bridge you can see the Tower of London. It is one of the oldest buildings of the city. One of the most interesting monuments in the City is St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is the finest Renaissance church in Europe. London has many fine squares. Some of them are quiet, others are busy like Trafalgar Square. Trafalgar Square is the central square of the city. London is also famous for its beautiful parks. Hyde Park is the most democratic park in the world, as anyone can say anything he likes there. Regent’s Park is the home of London Zoo. London is very different, it has many faces.

Culture and art.