HEALTCHARE

Most of the time we feel well. We can play sports, go to work and enjoy our lives. But sometimes we just don't feel well. What happens then?
Some people have medical insurance but most people can't afford it and rely on the National Health Service, the NHS. This is provided by the government in Britain.

You may need to go to the chemist to buy cough mixture or pills for a headache. There are lots of medicines you can buy in the chemist but for more powerful ones like antibiotics you need to have prescription.

If you can't get to a doctor, there are two other NHS services you could try. The first is NHS Direct. This is a phone service where a trained nurse will suggest the best way to treat you.

Hopefully these treatments won't be necessary. The best way to avoid getting ill is to have a healthy diet, get a lots of exercise and take good care of yourself. You shouldn't't then need to use the heallthcare system at all!

COMPUTERS

Computers are a very important part of our lives. They tell us about delays to transport. They drive trains, analyses evidence and control buildings. Did you know that 60% of homes in Britain have got a PC (a personal computer)?

The smart home is now a real possibility. It will become very common. A central computer will adjust the temperature, act as a burglar alarm and witch on lights ready for you come back home.
Many homes have got lots of televisions and several computers.The smart home will provide TV and Internet sockets in every room so you'll be able to do what you want.

Are computers taking over our lives? In a survey, 44 per cent of young people between 11 and 16 said their PC was a trusted friend. Twenty per cent said they were happier at their computer than spending time with family or friends.

TRANSPORT

Exploring Mars is going to be very exciting, but for now, it's easier to explore our own planet! In particular, London.
We're going to follow Freddie as he explores all the different kinds of transport in London.

The next part of Freddie's journey is on a another kind of train called Docklands Light Railway. These are computer-controlled trains with no drivers.
The different kinds of transport link up pretty well but sometimes you have to walk from one point in the journey to the next.

People use lots of other forms of transport in London. Some people use boats on the River Thames to go to walk

There is one kind of transport that isn't very good in London - and that's the car. They move very slowly because there is too much traffic.

MARITIME HISTORY

In England no town is more than 170kilometres from the sea. So it's no surprise that Britain has a very important history of ships and the sea.

In Liverpool there is a great museum of maritime history. It's got several ships in the docks outside. Inside it shows what it was like to be on some of the ships.

In the early twentieth century there were large numbers of very elegant passenger ships. They crossed the Atlantic from Liverpool of Southampton to New York in five or six days.

The most famous ship was probably the Titanic. It sank in 1912 and over1,500 people drowned. It was the worst disaster in maritime history. You probably know about it from one of the most expensive films ever made - Titanic!

The majority of people do travel around the world by plane but ships are still very important for moving goods.

UNIT 5: Horror stories

People like to be scared. They love reading horror stories and watching horror movies. Some of the most famous horror stories were written by British writers.

Bram Stoker got the idea for Dracula while he was sitting in High gate cemetery in North London. Sunlight fell on a crack in the lid of a tomb. Stoker wondered what would happen if the light woke up the dead body in the tomb. count Dracula the vampire was created.

UNIT 4: Shopping

the most famous police station Britain is New Scotland yard in London, but there are police stations all over the country. They've all got a blue light outside to show they are police stations.

Next day he went to court. Here three magistrates listen to evidence from the police and witness. They then decide if the person is guilty or not guilty.

Fingerprints are a good way of identifying people but DNA is more reliable. A person's identity can be found from a single hair! Each person has got a unique DNA profile. DNA profiles can be matched on these computers.

UNIT 3: SUPERMARKETS

Supermarkets are an important part of daily life in Britain.
The five biggest supermarkets sell 90% of all groceries.
Two of them, Asda and Tesco, are also the biggest sellers of clothes in Britain.

In the larger supermarkets you can buy just about anything. On the selves you can find all the food and drink you need. You can buy sports equipment, bicycles, books, toys and games, CDs and DVDs.

But not everyone likes supermarkets. Small shops in towns and villages are closing because supermarkets can sell the same things cheaper. So people without cars have less choice.
Many supermarkets are open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, so people can shop 24/7. But not on Sundays when shops can only open for five hours.

UNIT 2: SOAP OPERAS

The most popular British soap operas are Eastenders and Coronation Street. These are popular dramas about the lives of ordinary people. Many people are addicted to soap operas. Eastenders is set in the east end of London and has been broadcast since 1985. Coronation Street is based in Manchester and it is the oldest soap. It was first broadcast in 1960. Then there's also Emmeralde shich takes place in a village in the Yorkshire countryside. It started in 1972 and is on TV every evening from Monday to Friday.

UNIT 1: SCOTLAND

Scotland is in the north of Britain and has got a lot of wild, mountainous countryside in the Highlands. It's famous for its lakes which are called lochs in Scotland.
Scotland occupies one third of the land are of Britain, but it has got only nine poer cent of the population.

Scotland is a part of Britain it's got its own parliament, a different education system and different laws.



Lots of famous things come from Scotland too. One of them is a drink - Scotch whisky, a strong sipirit made from barley, yeast and water. There are thousands of different wiskies.

9 THE WEATHER

The weather is a very popular topic of conversation in Britain, because the weather changes a lot.
When the weather is good, people complain that it's too hot.
When it rains, they say it's too wet. When it isn't sunny, they say it's too cold.
Winter las from December to February, Spring is from March to May, Summer is from June to August, then the Autumn last from September to November.
Scientists at he Met Office make weather forecasts for the public and for special purposes - military, shipping, airlines and many others.

UNIT 8 READING

British people read a lot. They read books, newspapers and magazines.
There are bookshops where you can buy books, and there are lots of public libraries where you can borrow books for free.
There are often reference rooms where you can go to look something up or go to study.
The British Library is one of the world's greatest libraries. The Queen opened its new building in 1998.

people predicted that radio, then television, then the Internet would kill reading, but it is still a very popular activity.

UNIT 7 BRITISH SPORTS

At the weekend in Britain, millions of people take a part in some kind of sporting activity. Half of all men over 16 regularly participate in sport.
Football is played in schools and as a leisure activity. Both girls and boys play.

Cricket is the main summer sport in Britain. Local teams play in towns and villages every Saturday and Sunday from April to September.

Tennis is another popular sport, especially in the summer after the famous Wimbledon championships. There are tennis courts all over Britain.

UNIT 6 ANIMALS

Some of the world's animals are in danger of extinction.
The most serious threat to animals is from man. In some parts of the world people collect rhino horn for use in medicine.

Another big problem is he destruction of the rainforests. This is removing the habitat of many animals.

There are a number of projects in Britain which deal with endangered species.

UNIT 5 BRITISH HOUSES

90% of the population live in towns.

There are lots of different kinds of houses.
Terraced houses are joined together. Semi-detached houses - just two houses joined together.
60% of the population live in terraced or semi-detached houses.
Detached houses - there aren't any other houses joined on to them.
Lots of people live in flats, especially in big towns and cities.
Houses in different parts of Britain can look very different.
British people spend a lot of time and money on their homes and gardens.

UNIT 4 SHOPPING

People in Britain really like shopping.
The womens of between the ages 16 and 40 often go shopping every day.
Traditional local shops sell different things like food, medicines, and cosmetics, clothes and books.
Many towns have a large shop where you can buy a wide variety of items.
There are a lots of big out-of-town shopping centers. There are many shops.
Many nights of the week and from 11 o'clock until five o'clock on Sundays.

UNIT 3 SCHOOL IN BRITAIN

The school starts between eight thirty and nine o'clock.
They go to school by cycle, walk and they come in cars.
The school day starts with a registration. After two or three lessons there is a break.
Sometimes especial subjects last for two lessons.
The final bell goes at three thirty to mark at the end of school.
Students have homework everyday. This can be from one to three hours of schoolwork at home.

UNIT 2 FOOD IN BRITAIN

Schools in Britain provide hot meals and salads every day.
Chocolate, crisps, fatty foods and cola isn't good for people.
Many children are obese. They want people to eat five pieces of fruit and vegetables every day.
One school in England helps students witch Green Machine. Green Machines have got a lots of interesting snacks.Cereal bars, organic crisps, yoghurts, and the drinks in Green Machines are healthy as well.

UNIT 1 THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY

Queen Elizabeth the Second is the Queen of England. Duke of Edinburgh is she's husband. They've got four children. The Queen live in Buckingham Palace.
Prince William and Prince Charles are the Queen's grandchildren. William was born in 1982, Harri in 1984
A lot of people like to see the Royal Family, they often appear in public.
Prince Harry wants to be a soldier in the army.