U.K.Official name：The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .Size: 242,514 square kilometers (93,635 square miles).Location：is a country situated in the British Isles，which lie off the northwest coast of the European continent.4 political divisions：Scotland，England，Wales，Northern IrelandCapital：London, Located on the bank of the River Thames in southeast England.Ben Nevis:英国最高山英国最高山 the highest mountain，本尼维斯山脉，本尼维斯山脉 1343m,in Scotland.Lough Neagh：英国最大湖泊英国最大湖泊 the largest lake，内伊湖，内伊湖 396 平方千米，平方千米，in Northern Ireland.Thames River：英国最重要河流英国最重要河流 the important river,泰晤士河泰晤士河(母亲河母亲河/第二长河第二长河)336km，in EnglandBritish Isles：不列颠群岛（包括大不列颠岛、爱尔兰岛、马恩岛及附近的不列颠群岛（包括大不列颠岛、爱尔兰岛、马恩岛及附近的 5500 多个小岛；群岛上有英国多个小岛；群岛上有英国和爱尔兰共和国）和爱尔兰共和国）.Great Britain= Scotland + England + WalesJulius Caesar： (100 BC44 BC 凯撒大帝凯撒大帝)Rome general, statesman and historian. He invaded Britain(55 BC), crushed the army of his political enemy Pompey(48 BC), pursued other enemies to Egypt, where he installed Cleopatra as queen(47 BC), returned to Rome, and was given a mandate by the people to rule as dictator until he was murdered(44 BC).Romans Influence：Christianity spread / Eg: Roman bath house in Bath, England.?Constantine the Great：(272-337) The first Christian EmperorAngle 1951-1955)Prime Minister , an eloquent orator.Constitutional monarchy(君主立宪君主立宪)：Constitution(宪法宪法)UK has no written constitution. It mainly consists of:1)Statute Laws 成文法成文法 2)Common Law 普通法普通法 3) Conventions 习惯法习惯法 4)Ancient documents 5)European Union Laws 欧盟法；欧盟法；Monarchy(帝王帝王/君主君主)The British Monarchy is the longest reigning monarchy in the world. “to reign but not rule”Parliamentary democracy(议会民主议会民主)：Elizabeth II：The present Sovereign-Queen Elizabeth II, was born on April 21, 1926, and came to the throne on February 6, 1953. Her Majesty is: 1. Sovereign of the UK 2. Head of State of 15 other realms 3. Head of the Commonwealth. The Queen is the symbol of the whole nation.Prime Minister：Parliament：The division of the Parliament(议会议会): 1.the Crown 2.the House of Lords 3.the House of Commons. Address: the Palace of Westminster in London. Maximum duration: 5 years. House of Commons: 1.the Lower House 2.with real power 3.651 Members of Parliament 4. members are elected every 5 years from constituencies. House of Lords: 1. the Upper House 2.members: a. the lords temporal b. the lords spiritual c. the law lords.Official residence：10 Downing Street(Prime Ministers official residence)Political Parties: the Labour Party - in opposition; the Conservative Party - in power; the Liberal Democratic Party Keynesian(凯恩斯主义者凯恩斯主义者/理论理论)：that advocate government monetary and fiscal programmes, designed to increase employment and stimulate business activity.Thatcher(撒切尔夫人撒切尔夫人)：the real Iron Lady of the former British Prime Minister(1979-1991)Privazation：In 1979,the Conservative governments under Margaret Thatcher implemented a radical shift from public ownership to privazation, believing that it would improve efficiency, reduce government spending, increase economic freedom, and encourage share ownership.Farm crops：The most important farm crops-wheat, barley, oats, sugar beets, potatoes and rapeseed.Welfare state(福利社会福利社会)：Following the Second World War, the state introduced a series of legislative and policy reforms known as the “welfare state”, providing effective and comprehensive social welfare to the most disadvantaged. It is a system of government by which the state provides the economic and social security of its citizens through its organization of health services, pensions, and other facilities.Conformist churches(国教教堂国教教堂)：2provinces of Canterbury and York：State schools：The vast majority of children; Non fee-paying; Co-educational day school; Governing body: parent representatives, head teacher, serving teachers, governors, members of the local community.Public schools( Independent schools)：A small number of children; Private fee-paying schools; Day and boarding schools; Single-sex; Fees + charitable foundations; Near 100% university acceptance rate.Open university:1.Adults of all ages 2.through TV, radio, produced books, audio/video cassettes, correspondence courses and local study programmes 3.no entry qualifications, no admission interviews, no barriers of any kind.Cricket：used to be the English national sport in the 1950s, played and watched by all social classes of men. Today, cricket is still popular in England, but is less important in Scotland or Wales.Tennis：is the highest profile sport for the two weeks of the Wimbledon Championships, but otherwise struggles to hold its own in the country of its birth.Football：Cultural centrality; National sport; National teams the FA Cup; the FA Premier League; Football is the most popular female sport in England.Newspaper：1.national daily newspaper: The Sun 17%; 2.Sunday newspaper: The News of the World 19%; 3. Men outnumber women.BBC：It is the abbreviation of British Broadcast