Cultural Icons

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English cultural icons

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Cultural icons:
1. W. Churchill= English politician who was the Prime Minister of Britain
during most of the Second World War. He is unanimously admired and
remembered for his great leadership of the nation, for his famous speeches
and brilliant sense of humour
2. Dover (white cliffs of) = a town in SE England known as a port from
which ships travel to and from France carrying passengers and goods. The
port is below some high cliffs which can be seen from a distance. English
people say that the first sight of the white cliffs of Dover is a sign that one
is near home again after travelling.
3. Stonehenge= a group of very large and tall stones arranged in circles
which stand on the Salisbury Plain in S England. They date back to
Megalithic times and their functions- either astronomical or religious or
both- are still the subject to heated debate
4. Trinity college Dublin- is a research university and the sole constituent
college of the University of Dublin in Ireland. The college was founded in
1592 as the "mother" of a new university, modelled after the collegiate
universities of Oxford and of Cambridge, but, unlike these, only one college
was ever established
5. The Booker Prize- award to the best novel written in English. You can
participate if you are a writer in the UK, Ireland or in one of the 51 states of
Commonwealth, but since last year they decided to let the Americans to
participate. The Booker Prize is more important than the Nobel Prize in
literature. In 1969 it was first awarded and the sponsor was a company of
catering named “Booker”. It’s unique because it makes the average people
read literature. It starts in autumn when journalists are invited to send 2
titles. The jury is not changed. There are 4 members of the jury. In August
there is selected the long list (12 books) and in September is selected the
short list (6 books). Salman Rushdie won the prize for Midnight’s Children
in 1981. 3 people won the prize twice: Hilary Mantel, Peter Carey and John
M. Coetzee. The prize is given in Guildhall

Customs:
1. 4 o’clock tea: Afternoon tea is not common these days because most
adults go out to work. However, you can still have Afternoon tea at the
many tea rooms around England. Afternoon tea became popular about one
hundred and fifty years ago, when rich ladies invited their friends to their
houses for an afternoon cup of tea. They started offering their visitors
sandwiches and cakes too.
2. Cricket: is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players
each on a field at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch.
The objective of the game is to score more runs (points) than the opposing
team. It is a team game and it originated in its modern form in England,
and is popular mainly in the Commonwealth countries.
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3. Fish and Chips: is the classic English take-away food and is the
traditional national food of England. It became popular in the 1860’s when
railways began to bring fish straight from the east coast to the cities over
night. The fish is deep fried in flour batter and is eaten with chips.
Traditionally, the fish and chips are covered with salt and malt vinegar and,
using your fingers, eaten straight out the newspaper which they were
wrapped in.
4. The Morris dancing: is a traditional dance seen throughout the month of
May. It is a traditional English form of folkdancing, performed by groups of
men and women. The dancing is very lively and accompanied by an
accordion player, a melodeon or fiddle player or a noisy band with a drum.
Morris dancers wear different clothes depending on the part of the country
in which they dance.

Icon people:
1. Paul McCartney: is a former member of the Beatles and one of the most
popular solo performers of all time. His work with the Beatles in the 1960s
helped lift popular music from its origins in the entertainment business and
transform it into a creative, highly commercial art form. He is also one of
the most popular solo performers of all time in terms of both sales of his
recordings and attendance at his concerts.
2. David Bowie: is an English rock star known for dramatic musical
transformations, the original pop chameleon, Bowie became a science
fiction character for his breakout Ziggy Stardust album. He later co-wrote
"Fame" with John Lennon which became his first American No. 1 single. An
accomplished actor, Bowie starred in The Man Who Fell to Earth in 1976.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
3. Morrissey was the lead singer for the Smiths, a British band that gained a
loyal following during the 1980s. With his eccentric style and acid-tongued
lyrics, he became an icon for disaffected youth. After the band's breakup in
1987, Morrissey embarked on a successful solo career, while also
continuing to make waves with his many controversial comments.
4. Michael Caine is a beloved Oscar-winning actor known for his roles in
films like Alfie, Hannah and Her Sisters and the latest Batman incarnations.
His first acclaimed role was as agent Harry Palmer in 1965's The Ipcress
File , and he went on to be featured in films like Alfie, The Italian
Job, Sleuth, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight
series and many more. He’s won two Oscars, one for Hannah and Her
Sisters and the other for The Cider House Rules.
5. Kate Moss was born January 16, 1974 in London, England. She appeared
in her first cover shot a year after she was discovered at age 14. Featured
in Calvin Klein's Obsession ad campaign in 1993, she became even more
famous and sought-after. During her career, she has appeared on the cover
of more than 300 magazines. She also starred in advertising campaigns for
many of the top fashion houses.

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