British Realia

Oprea Alina
1. Westminster / the City of Westminster
a) A borough = a part of a city which is responsible for managing its own schools, roads etc, which contains
a large part of west central London, including Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and
Buckingham Palace.
b) The British Houses of Parliament = the buildings in which the members of the British Parliament meet.
While, in theory, parliament could meet anywhere, since the mid-19th century, it has sat in the Palace of
Westminster (technically a royal palace), the familiar landmark on then Thames. The building itself has both
helped to shape many parliamentary procedures and created a sense of its significance as an institution. Its
grand, Victorian self-confidence was appropriate to the political life of a great imperial power, but might seem
less relevant to the style and aims of modern democratic politics.

2. Constitutional monarchy
England & Scotland has almost always been monarchies, but the monarchs power has increasingly
been restricted. One very early step in this process occurred in 1215 when the king was forced by his subjects
to agree to terms set out in the magna carta, which established some of their basic freedoms. Another
landmark was the passing of the Bill of Rights (1689), which established that the monarch could not act
without the agreement of Parliament. This was the basis for the modern system of British government,
generally known as constitutional monarchy in which the monarch is restrained by the constitution and not
free to stand above the law.

3. The Queens symbolic role

Today the monarch remains the official head of state, but her role is almost wholly symbolic because
the Queen has little real political power. She has to give her official agreement (Royal Assent) to all new laws
before they become official legislation but in fact she does not have the right to refuse this agreement. The
Queen takes no part in political life and has no ability to act independently in domestic affairs, except when it
happens that no party wins a clear majority. In this case, the monarch will invite one party leader to form a
government. On the other hand, the Queen still has great symbolic power. In fact, in the absence of genuine
political power, the monarchys taste for public spectacle and ceremonies grew. The typical behaviour of the
British Monarchy is to keep its distance from the public, moving from palace to palace and appearing only on
grand formal occasions. Despite the calls for reform (particularly the reduction of the public expense of
maintaining the royal family on its present scale), there is still little support for the abolition of the monarchy.
Real executive power therefore lies with government ministers, led by the Prime Minister, who hold office
because they belong to the majority party.

4. Commonwealth
It is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member states that were mostly territories of the former
British Empire. The Commonwealth operates by intergovernmental consensus of the member states, organised
through the Commonwealth Secretariat and Non-governmental organisations, organised through the
Commonwealth Foundation. The Commonwealth dates back to the mid 20th century with the decolonisation of
the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories.

5. The Cabinet
It is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom,
composed of the Prime Minister and some 21 Cabinet ministers, the most senior of the government ministers,
who are government department heads. The Cabinet only hold power as long as they have majority support in
Parliament. If that support is lost, they are expected to resign and call a new general election.

6. PM
The Prime Minister of the Government. The Prime Minister (informal abbreviation: PM) and Cabinet
are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Monarch, to Parliament, to their political party
and ultimately to the electorate. The current Prime Minister, David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party,
was appointed by the Queen on 11 May 2011.

7. MP
Members of Parliament (MPs) are directly elected by the people and represent them.

8. Commons & Lords

Parliament consists of 2 houses: a lower house (the House of Commons) and an upper house (The
House of Lords). The former is for Members of Parliament (MPs) who are directly elected by the people. The
latter is unelected and contains those Lords known as hereditary peers who have a right by birth to sit there
plus the bishops of the Church of England and the most senior judges (the Law Lords). In addition, there are
those who held life peerages usually important public figures who have been given their title in recognition
of public service, but who are not able to pass it on to their descendants. Just as the powers of the Monarch
have been greatly reduced over time, so too have the powers of the Lords. Since 1998, legislation has been
passed to remove the great majority of hereditary peers and it is likely that all will be removed in the near
future, as the House of Lords is reformed to make it more directly accountable to the public. The two houses
sit in two separate chambers.

9. The Speaker
The Speaker presides over the House's debates, determining which members may speak. The Speaker
is also responsible for maintaining order during debate, and may punish members who break the rules of the
House. Unlike presiding officers of legislatures in many other countries, the Speaker remains strictly nonpartisan, and renounces all affiliation with his or her former political party when taking or leaving the office.
The Speaker does not take part in debate or vote (except to break ties). The Speaker also performs
administrative and procedural functions, and remains a constituency MP. The Speaker has the right and
obligation to reside in Speaker's House at the Palace of Westminster.

10. Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to vote on a particular proposal.
This may result in the adoption of a new law. Some definitions suggest that it is a type of vote to change
the constitution or government of a country.

11. League Tables

Competition among schools is emphasized as the UK government prints the LEAGUE TABLES of
schools which put institutions in order according to their examination results. Some people think that this helps
parents to choose the best school for their children but others believe that they are unhelpful and are not a good
way of judging how successful a school is.

12.

UCAS

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK-based charity

whose main role is providing the application process for almost all British universities.
Some of UCAS' services include several online application portals, a number of search
tools, and free information and advice aimed at a number of key audiences, such as
students considering higher education, students with pending applications to higher
education institutes, parents and legal guardians of applicants and pre-applicants,
school and Further Education college staff involved in helping students apply, and
providers of higher education.

13. Personal statement

It is a short piece of writing about oneself and their interests that forms part of their university
application (= request to be given a place to study at a university). Course tutors read personal statements to
compare different applicants so this is where they should describe their ambitions, skills and experience that
will make them suitable for the course.

14. The National Curriculum

In England and Wales the subjects taught in schools are listed in the NATIONAL CURRICULUM, which
was introduced in 1988, and lists in detail the subjects that all children must study. Children are tested at the ages
of 7, 11, 14, and 16 (the so-called key stages) to see it they have reached a particular level of achievement in those
subjects. Needless to say, this testing greatly increased teachers workload and was initially widely resisted. The
National Curriculum does not apply in Scotland, where each school decides what subjects it will teach.

15. GCSE
GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. Students in England start GCSEs at age 14. At
age 16, students take GCSE examinations in subjects they have been studying for 2 years. The GCSE

examinations involve a final examination as well as CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT (i.e. looking at a students
coursework). The marks students get in these examinations help them decide which subjects to study for ALEVEL. This is the end of compulsory school in the UK.
16. A-LEVELS
The A-LEVEL is an examination in a particular subject which students take when they are 18.
Students usually start their A-LEVELS when they are 16 and need to pass at least 2 A-LEVELS to go to a
university (very frequently they need to pass 3). In order to go to a good university and study a popular
subject such as MEDICINE or ENGLISH students usually need to get grade A or B in all their ALEVELS. For less popular subjects, however, they do not need to achieve such high grades.

17. Student loan / 21000 plus

Students in the UK take out STUDENT LOANS, which means that they borrow money from a
bank to pay for their tuition & living costs and often have large debts by the time they finish their course.
Some students from poor families receive a GRANT from the government to help pay for their living
costs. Universities can charge as much as 9000 / year for tuition fees. This means that students have to
borrow even more money so the government introduced a system which means that students pay the
money back gradually after they have left university and only after their income goes over 15,000 /
year for 2011/2012, 21,000 / year for 2012/2013.
Loans are cancelled if the borrower dies or becomes permanently unable to work. Depending on when
the loan was taken out and which part of the UK the borrower is from, they may also be cancelled after a
certain period of time usually after 30 years, or when the borrower reaches a certain age.

18. Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau (blend word) of the University of Oxford and the University of
Cambridge in the United Kingdom. The term is used to refer to them collectively in contrast to other
British universities and more broadly to describe characteristics reminiscent of them, often with
implications of superior social or intellectual status.

19. Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is a non-ministerial
department of the UK government . They inspect and regulate services that care for children and young
people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.

20. The Bodleian Library

It the main research library of the University of Oxford and one of the oldest libraries in Europe.
With over 12 million items, it is the second biggest library in Britain after the British Library

21. Eton, Harrow, Rugby

In the UK, some children go to schools that their parents pay for. These are called private schools /
independents schools, but the most famous ones, such as ETON, HARROW, WINCHESTER, and RUGBY, are
confusingly known as PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Parents pay fees, often of thousands of pounds / term, although the
schools themselves are run as non-profit making charities, with all profits put back into the school. Many such
schools are often BOARDING SCHOOLS, where students live as well as study. Some British people think that

children at public schools get a better education than children at state schools. Many of these independent schools
often pride themselves on their long traditions and on developing character as well as academic abilities. The best
ones among them are able to attract highly qualified teachers and select only the brightest pupils.

22. British Council

It is a British organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is
registered as a charity both in England and Wales and Scotland. Founded in 1934 as the British Committee for
Relations with Other Countries, and granted a royal charter by King George VI in 1940, the British Council
was inspired by Sir Reginald ("Rex") Leeper's recognition of the importance of "cultural propaganda" in
promoting British interests. Its "sponsoring department" within the United Kingdom Government is
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, although it has day-to-day operational independence. Sir Ciarn
Devane has been chief executive since January 2015.

23. Bachelor, Master, Doctorate

a)Bachelors degree or baccalaureate is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and
universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to seven years (depending on institution and
academic discipline).
b)Masters degrees is an academic degree awarded by universities upon completion of a course of study
demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional
practice.Within the area studied, graduates are posited to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of
theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation, or professional application; and
the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously and independently. The master's degree may qualify
the holder to teach at a college or university in certain disciplines.
c)Doctoral Degree is an academic degree awarded by universities that, in most countries, qualifies the holder
to teach at the university level in the degree's field, or to work in a specific profession. In some countries, the
highest degree in a given field is called a terminal degree. Many universities also award "honorary doctorates"
to individuals who have been deemed worthy of special recognition, either for scholarly work or for other
contributions to the university or to society.

24. IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, CPE

a) The International English Language Testing System, or IELTS, is an international standardised
test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers. It is jointly managed by
the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment, and was established
in 1989. IELTS is one of the major English-language tests in the world.
There are two modules of the IELTS: the Academic Module and the General Training Module. There is also
a separate test offered by the IELTS test partners, called IELTS Life Skills:

IELTS Academic is intended for those who want to enrol in universities and other institutions
of higher education and for professionals such as medical doctors and nurses who want to study or practise
in an English-speaking country.

IELTS General Training is intended for those planning to undertake non-academic training or to
gain work experience, or for immigration purposes.

IELTS Life Skills is intended for those who need to prove their English speaking and listening skills
at Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels A1 or B1 and can be used to
apply for a family of a settled person visa, indefinite leave to remain or citizenship in the UK.

IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand academic institutions, by over
3,000 academic institutions in the United States, and by various professional organisations across the world.
b) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standardized test of English language ability for
non-native speakers wishing to enrol in American universities. The test is accepted by many Englishspeaking academic and professional institutions. TOEFL is one of the two major English-language tests in the
world, the other being the IELTS.
TOEFL is a trademark of the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a private non-profit organization, which
designs and administers the tests. ETS issues official score reports, sent independently to institutions, for two
years following the test.
c) Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE), also known as the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), is an
international English language examination developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment . It is
targeted at Level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and can be used for
study, work and immigration purposes.
d) Cambridge English: Proficiency, also known as the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), is an
English language examination provided by Cambridge English Language Assessment. It is the most advanced
qualification offered by it and has been developed to show achievement of an extremely high level of English.
Today Cambridge English: Proficiency continues to test English ability at the highest possible level and
demonstrates that a candidate can communicate with fluency approaching that of a native English speaker.

25. Tuition fee

Tuition fees were first introduced across the entire United Kingdom in September 1998 under the
Labour Government as a means of funding tuition to undergraduate and postgraduate certificate students at
universities, with students being required to pay up to 1,000 a year for tuition.Parents pay fees, often of
thousands of pounds / term .

26. Overseas student

Around 18% of all students in UK higher education came from other countries in 2012-13, statistics
show that the UK attracts a large proportion of international students globally, with a market share of around
13% in 2011, second only to the US on 16.5%. Nevertheless, international students themselves remain an
enigma: we hear stories about vast wealth and we hear about poor students forced to work on miserable
salaries. As the largest group of migrants from outside the EU, international students are also dragged into the

immigration debate, with politicians arguing about whether they should be included in statistics on migrant
numbers.

27. Referee
A reference, is a document in which the writer assesses the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the
person being recommended in terms of that individual's ability to perform a particular task or function. Letters
of recommendation are typically related to employment (such a letter may also be called an employment
reference or job reference), admission to institutions of higher education, or scholarship eligibility. The
person providing a reference is called a referee.

28. Tutorial system

At Cambridge University and Oxford University, undergraduates and some graduates are taught in
the tutorial system. Students are taught by faculty fellows in groups of one to three on a weekly basis. At
Cambridge, these are called "supervisions" and at Oxford they are called "tutorials." One benefit of the tutorial
system is that students receive direct feedback on their weekly essays or work in a small discussion setting.
The University of Buckingham also retained the weekly tutorial system when it was set up as England's first
private university in the 1970s. Student tutorials are generally more academically challenging and rigorous
than standard lecture and test format courses, because during each session students are expected to orally
communicate, defend, analyse, and critique the ideas of others as well as their own in conversations with
the tutor and fellow-students. As a pedagogic model, the tutorial system has great value because it creates
learning and assessment opportunities which are highly authentic and difficult to fake.

29. Academic Interviews

Most academic interviews will follow a similar format. This section outlines what to expect at
academic interviews and how to prepare effectively.
What to expect
Panel interviews are most common, so you could be interviewed by anywhere from 2 to 6 or more
people. The panel will usually include at least one person from the department, a representative from Human
Resources, and often someone from another department outside your discipline. You will often be asked to
give a presentation either to the panel or to other members of the department / research group. You may also
have the opportunity to talk informally to other departmental staff to find out more about the department and
teaching and research activities.

Preparation
Do your homework on the research group and / or department where you are applying. This can
involve internet based research or asking colleagues what they know of the department or institution. In a job
advert, you will often be given contact details of someone who you can talk to informally about the vacancy
before making your application. It is a good idea to do this especially if you are not already known to the
people recruiting. Make sure you are well prepared to ask good questions and to answer any questions they
may ask about your experience.
Presentation
Youll often be asked to give a presentation, usually on your research and to an audience of the
interview panel and other staff in the recruiting department. If possible, you should ask for advice from, and
practice your presentation in front of, your PhD supervisor and any other members of your department /
research group who have some knowledge of your research area.

30.
The pound is a unit of currency in some nations. The term originated in Great Britain as the value of
a pound (weight) of silver. The currency's symbol is , a stylised representation of the letter L, standing
for livre or lira. Historically, 1 worth of silver coins were a troy pound in weight; in April 2011 this amount of
silver was worth approximately 300 sterling.

31. The City

It is the financial district, simply known as the City occupies one square mile of central London. The
United Kingdom's trading and financial services industries continue a notable history of being largely based in
the City.

32. Rolls Royce

Rolls-Royce Limited is a renowned British car-manufacturing and, later, aero-engine manufacturing
company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Sir Frederick Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a
partnership formed in 1904. In addition to the company's reputation for superior engineering quality which has
led to its epithet as the "best car in the world".
ROLLS ROYCE produces luxury cars and jet engines (Trent) that power different Airbus planes (e.g.
Trent 900 engines are mounted on Airbus A-380) and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

33. Contactless
It is a fast, easy and secure way to pay, for purchases costing 30 and under. Contactless payments are
becoming increasingly common on a range of devices including: pre-paid, debit, charge and credit cards,
stickers, key fobs, smartphones and other mobile devices, that use radio-frequency identification (RFID)
or near field communication (NFC) . The embedded chip and antenna enable consumers to wave their device
over a reader at the point of sale terminal. Some suppliers claim that transactions can be almost twice as fast as
a conventional cash, credit, or debit card purchase. Because no signature or PIN verification is typically
required, contactless purchases are typically limited. Those unauthorized may still take advantage of
contactless payment systems as no identification occurs before payment except for certain devices, such as

when using mobile payments. However, owners can block transactions, and that may provide a relatively short
time frame, if any, for fraudulent activities to occur.

34. Service sector

Today, the service sector dominates the UK economy contributing 78% of GDP. This is a feature
associated with developed countries. E.g. the financial services industry, the aerospace industry, the
pharmaceutical industry, the automotive industry.

35. G-20
The Group of Twenty is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from
20 major economies. The members include 19 individual countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada,
China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South
Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United Statesalong with the European Union (EU).
The G-20 was founded in 1999 with the aim of studying, reviewing, and promoting high-level
discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. It seeks to address
issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any organization. Collectively, the G-20 economies account for
around 85% of the gross world product (GWP), 80% of world trade, and two-thirds of the world
population. The G-20 heads of government or heads of state have periodically conferred at summits since their
initial meeting in 2008, and the group also hosts separate meetings of finance ministers and central bank
governors. Since the November 2011 Cannes summit, all G-20 summits have been held annually.