What should do the government to encourage people to drive less?
I think that Parliament should be more concerned about the transport system, namely, the unit of public transport. So, to get people to drive less by car, the government simply must offer an alternative form of transport: the people must trust public transportation and it should be comfortable should go on a regular basis in order to eliminate the crowding in buses, trolleybus.
Also, that people have the opportunity to ride a bike, it is necessary to build bike paths, as is done in many European countries: Germany, France, etc.
Still need to show people that the earth is not eternal and that our environment is slowly seeks to ensure that our children will not know what fresh air, and this is detrimental to humanity. Offer an alternative for small movements in the city - a bicycle, this practice only in some cities of the world.
Also, the government should draw the attention of citizens to eco-cars, and does not itself establish the country's economy on oil, because oil is also not an infinite resource, which, according to scientists, would last only a few years. And, of course, the government itself should allocate funds for the development of technologies related to eco-cars.
Quality papers or yellow press
Yellow journalism, or the yellow press, is a type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate well-researched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers.[1] Techniques may include exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, or sensationalism.[1] By extension, the term yellow journalism is used today as a pejorative to decry any journalism that treats news in an unprofessional or unethical fashion.[2]
Campbell (2001) defines yellow press newspapers as having daily multi-column front-page headlines covering a variety of topics, such as sports and scandal, using bold layouts (with large illustrations and perhaps color), heavy reliance on unnamed sources, and unabashed self-promotion. The term was extensively used to describe certain major New York City newspapers about 1900 as they battled for circulation.
Frank Luther Mott (1941) defines yellow journalism in terms of five characteristics[3]:
scare headlines in huge print, often of minor news
lavish use of pictures, or imaginary drawings
use of faked interviews, misleading headlines, pseudoscience, and a parade of false learning from so-called experts
emphasis on full-color Sunday supplements, usually with comic strips
dramatic sympathy with the "underdog" against the system.
And two words about quality papers:
It contains Britain’s oldest national daily newspaper, The Times, and its sister paper, The Sunday Times. Both papers are renowned for the high quality of their news and current affairs reporting and authoritative comment on a wide range of issues. Letters to the Editor are included with effect from April 1991. News agency items, extract from books, articles by specific authors, entertainments listings, tabular information, and articles from The Sunday Times Magazine , are not included. The Times is a respected source of news and comment on UK and international issues, business, finance, law and current affairs. It was founded in 1785.
I think that, basically, young people prefer the yellow press, as it is easier to understand, because to look at other people's lives much more interesting than reading something about the dull economy, another thing is that in this case, you have read the literature, rather than unverified facts about the questionable stars.
Test for new citizens
Foreign nationals could soon have to take a test on British history before they are granted a UK passport after David Cameron set out moves to toughen up requirements for citizenship.
The British prime minister appealed to the public to "shop" illegal immigrants and announced a drive against bogus marriages as he promised to "reclaim our borders".
In a major speech on immigration, he said the government would overhaul the structure of citizenship tests to give them a more traditional flavour.
"There's a whole chapter in the citizenship handbook on British history. But incredibly, there are no questions on British history in the test," he said."
Mr Cameron has set his government the target of reducing net migration to Britain from "hundreds of thousands" to "tens of thousands" by the next general election.
Citizen: A UK citizen is someone who is legally recognised as a member of this country.
Citizenship: Is about giving people the knowledge and the skills that they need to be active and responsible members of their local and national communities.
[2] Quiz: Could you be an American? Can students answer the following questions taken from the test for would be American Citizens;
What are the colours of the American flag?
How many stars are on the American flag?
Who is the American president?
Who is the American vice president?
How many amendments are there to the American constitution?
Do you speak fluent English?
Are you over eighteen?
Have you lived in America for five years without getting into trouble?
If you failed the test does that mean you could not fit into American society?
If you revised for the test, and you passed it how might that help you fit in with American society?
Main activity
Students devise their own test with twenty questions about British society. The questions can include anything they think is an important part of being British. Subjects might include; politics, entertainment, sport etc. They can try the test out on each other.
Was it easy to think of twenty questions?
How did they feel about other people telling them what it was to be British?
Could we ever agree on what should be in the test?
[4] Extension activity Come up with a script or storyboard for what they think the citizenship ceremony should involve.
or
Using an A3 sheet turn their quiz into a board game decorated with images from British life.
Plenary Being a good citizen is something that we should all work towards, why?
Giving immigrants a test may help them to learn some facts about British society, but they might think we are saying we are better than them. How would they feel if they were not let in even though they were a good hardworking person?
Possible points for Britishness test
Able to speak English, Welsh or Gaelic
Know how to acquire necessities like electricity
Understand how democracy and Parliament works
Have knowledge of etiquette and sexual equality
Understand British institutions like the monarchy and elections
British history since 1945
Applicants must have lived in the UK for five years or three years if married to a Briton.
Habib Rahman of the Council for the Welfare of Immigrants says: "If you don't speak English fluently you can still be an upstanding member of the community."
He added: "This debate will give credence to the racists and all the racial prejudice in this country."
Ted Cantle, who chaired the inquiry into the Bradford riots says: "Details of a new oath of allegiance should be the subject of a national debate."
Turn this into an assembly
Devise a true/false quiz on what it is to be British, but add questions that reflect our diverse population. The result will be a quiz that no individual can answer on their own, but the whole group acting as a team could answer.
Test the group with a show of hands for true or false.
Reflect on what it is to be British. Introduce the idea of multiple identities. Some people may have got answers wrong because they are British tennis fans, not British football fans.
With differing backgrounds and interests our knowledge is as diverse as our skin colour, but we are all British.
Almost every nation has a reputation of some kind. The English are reputed to be cold, reserved, rather haughty people. They are steady, easy-going and fond of sports. There are certain kinds of behavior, manners and customs which are peculiar to England.
The English are naturally polite and are never tired of saying < Thank you > and < I am sorry >. They are generally disciplined, you never hear loud talk in the street. They don't rush for seats in buses and trains, but they take their seats in queues at bus stops. English people do not shake hands when meeting one another, they do not show their emotions even in tragic situations. They seem to remain good-tempered and cheerful under difficulties.
The English are a nation of stay-at-homes. There is no place like home. The Englishman says < My house is my castle > because he doesn't wish his doings to be overlooked by his neighbours. It is true that English people prefer small houses, built for one family. The fire is the focus of the English Home. Other nations go out to cafes or cocktail bars. The fireplace is the natural centre of interest in the room. They like to sit round the fire and watch the dancing flames, exchanging the day's experience. In many houses you will still see fireplaces, sometimes with columns on each side and a shelf above it on which there is often a clock or a mirror or photos.
The love of gardens is deep-rooted in the British people. Most men's conversations are about gardens. It may be a discussion of the best methods of growing cucumbers, a talk about the plot which differs from all the others.
The British like growing plants in a window-box outside the kitchen or in the garden near the house. They love flowers very much.
Britain is a nation of animal lovers. They have about five million dogs, almost as many cats, 3 million parrots and other cage birds, aquarium fish - and 1 million exotic pets such as reptiles. In Britain they have special dog shops selling food, clothes and other things for dogs. There are dog hair-dressing saloons and dog cemetries. In Britain pets can send Christmas cards to their friends, birthday cards. Owners can buy for their pets jewelled nylon collars, lambswool coat for a dog, lace-trimmed panties, nightgowns, pyjamas, and so on. There are special animal hotels at the airports. The English people believe that they are the only nation on the earth that is really kind to its animals. How do they spend their week-ends.
Those who live in cities and towns like to go out of town. They may go to stay in the country. Every Englishman is fond of the countryside in a nice thatched cottage with roses round the porch and in the garden, the fresh air and bright sun. No crowds of people, silence and leisure.
Those who stay at home try to do all the jobs they, were too busy to do during the week. Some go shopping on Saturday mornings, some do the house - washing, cleaning. Some men do and watch sporting events.
Saturday evening is the best time for parties, dances, going to the cinema or theatre.
On Sunday after breakfast they may go to work in the garden take a dog for a walk, play a visit to a pub. Sunday is a day for inviting friends and relatives to afternoon tea.
There are some traditions concerning food. English cooking is heavy, substantial and plain. The Englishman likes a good breakfast. To him a good breakfast means porridge with, fish, bacon and eggs, toast and marmalade, tea or coffee. It is the same day to day. The English like their toast cold.
Tea is part of the prose of British life, as necessary as potatoes and bread. Seven cups of it wake you up in the morning, 9 cups will put you to sleep at night.
The midday meal is called lunch. This meal consists on week- days of stew, fried fish, chops, liver or sausages, vegetables. Rice and macaroni are seldom served. Then does an apple tart, or hot milk pudding. Sunday dinner is a special occasion, it is a joint of beef or lamb with vegetables. Then goes a large heavy pudding with custard. From 4 to 6 there is a very light meal called 5 o'clock tea. It is a snack of thin bread and butter and cups of tea with small cakes. This became a kind ritual. At this time everything stops for tea.
Dinner (usually at 6 p.m.) is much like lunch and is in many families the last meal of the day. Supper is a snack of bread and cheese and cocoa.
The English have a popular speciality known as fish and chips. They are bought at special fish and chips shops.
Advantages and disadvantages of living where you live
I would like to start with the advantages and disadvantages of the big city life. Living in such a big city has a lot of advantages. There is a big offer how to spend free time. There are a lot of theatres, concerts and other ways of entertainment. There is always a lot to do and visit! There are a lot of possibilities of shopping. In various shopping centers and galleries you can buy whatever you want. What is more, there are a lot of working places in a city. Many big international companies have their locations in the cities, so it is much easier to find a job in a big city. Moreover, the public transport is developed quite well, so the commuting to work isn't a problem. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of living in a big city. Cities are very crowded. Everywhere there are crowds: on the pavements and in the buses. What is more, the traffic is heavy and city's car parks are always very full. Sometimes it is very difficult to get from a given place to another. It may take hours! Moreover, the other disadvantage is the safety in a city, but actually the lack of safety. There is a big crime rates in cities. So you have to be very careful at nights when you leave your home.
I think that in the country the problem of crime isn't so big. There aren't so many people and they usually know each other well. The possibility of robbery or other crime is relatively lower. Life in the countryside is more peaceful and the life is also slower. What is more, it is less stressful. There isn't any time pressure and the traffic conditions are better. A lot of places you may reach on foot.
The city offers a lot: there are huge buildings, skyscrapers or some historic monuments. On the other hand, in the countryside there are a lot of breathtaking sceneries, space and other amazing places such as forests, lakes or mountains. Moreover, people in the countryside are quite different than people living in the city: they are relaxed, friendly and family-oriented. People in the city are like ants. They are always in hurry, busy and out of time. In the country people enjoy lives and take pleasure in their daily activities. As a disadvantage of living in the countryside we may consider the commuting problems. People who stay in the countryside often have to work in the nearest cities, so it may take a lot of time to get to it. However, the living costs in the country are much lower; the variety of products in shops is smaller.
To sum up I would like to say that both countryside and city have some advantages and disadvantages. Both city and country may be a good place to live. However I will stay in the city till I retire. Then I would like to move to the country to have a rest. I think that everyone of us will take into consideration all aspects before he decides to move to the country.
I have one unlucky friend; he lived at USA for seven month. A travel company gave him adopted parents, after seven month living in USA he decided to visit his friend in Minnesota. So he turns off his mobile phone and took one ticket to that place, on the third day living with his friend he decided to use the internet, unknown girl wrote him an e-mail: «Hello! How do you do?”, - and he wanted to joke with her: he wrote her: «I don’t know what can I do, my friend make a suicide in garage”, - that was a beginning of his unlucky story, because she believed him: she answered: “Are you crazy? Call the police!”, - but he wrote: ” No, life is so boring. I will join to my friend and kill myself. Good bye!” Unfortunately, the girl was very responsible, so she called the police and said that two boys make suicide in Minnesota. Police founded my friend’s adopted parents and informed them that their student died. Only after two days of search they found him alive and he said that it was just a joke.
But he was very unlucky, so police put him to the special colony for emigrants. He lived there five days. In my friend’s room were only three subjects: ball, bed and radiator. When he decided to play with the radiator, he accidentally broke it. Police found a broken radiator and said, that it is a weapon and my friend wanted to kill somebody. When they made interrogation, he asked: “What kind of crime will I do, if I’ll say in a plain, that I have a bomb? ” In police decided, that he is crazy, and call his mother in Ukraine. They asked her to take her son-terrorist back.
Now he’s living in Ukraine, but he has ban for coming to USA. And it’s all after one little joke! He’s really unlucky!