From Buckingham Palace to Oxford, the UK is loaded with wonderful icons(标志) of past eras. But it has also modernized with confidence. It’s now better known for vibrant(充满活力的) cities with great nightlife and attraction. Fashions, fine dining, clubbing, shopping — the UK is among the world’s best.

Most people have strong preconceptions about the British. But if you’re one of these people, you’d be wise to abandon those ideas. Visit a nightclub in one of the big cities, a football match, or a good local pub and you might more readily describe the English people as humorous and hospitable. It’s certainly true that no other country in the world has more bird-watchers, sports supporters, pet owners and gardeners than the UK.

Getting around England is pretty easy. Budget airlines like Easyjet and Rynnair fly domestically. Trains can deliver you very efficiently from one major city to another. Long distance express buses are called coaches. Where coaches and buses run on the same route, coaches are more expensive (though quicker) than buses. London’s famous black cabs are excellent but expensive. Minicabs are cheaper competitors, with freelance(个体的) drivers. But usually you need to give a call first. London’s underground is called the Tube. It’s very convenient and can get you to almost any part of the city.

The UK is not famous for its food. But you still need to know some of the traditional English foods. The most famous must be fish and chips. The fish and chips are deep fried in flour. English breakfast is something you need to try. It is fried bacon, with toast and a pot of tea. Other things like shepherd’s pie and Yorkshire pudding are also well-known as a part of English food culture.

Pubbing and Clubbing are the main forms of English nightlife, especially for the young. Pubbing means going to a pub with friends, having drinks, and chatting. Clubbing is different from pubbing and includes going to a place of music, or a bar, or any other place to gather with friends. Clubbing can be found everywhere. Usually there is some kind of dress code for clubbing, such as no jeans, no sportswear, while pubbing is much more casual.

Customs on either side of the Atlantic

We all know that Britain and the US are two countries connected by a common language. But in fact, 【小题1】. as BBC did in a recent story called 8 Situations When Britons Behave Differently From Americans. Below Teens has picked out four for you. Take a look.

When someone knocks into you.

If someone bumps into an American, the victim will most likely look the accidental aggressor in the face and expect an apology. If however, 【小题2】. chances are that the victim will say "sorry" before the other can make his or her own apology.

【小题3】

Britons don’t all change into evening dress for supper like what you may have seen in popular TV shows like Downton Abbey. But they do tend to make an effort when going out for dinner somewhere nice. Americans, however, will probably wear a casual shirt to a fancy eatery.

When you don't finish your food.

When dining out at a restaurant, 【小题4】 They think the food is somehow "tainted" once they’ve poked at it with a knife and fork. In the US, wrapping it up to take home is a standard practice.

When you get into a taxi.

Britons will give the cab driver an address, then assume that’s it for the interaction until it’s time to pay. Even if they’re being taken in a roundabout way, 【小题5】 In the US, however, most passengers think nothing of telling the driver what route to take after telling him or her the destination.

Do you think Great Britain and the United States are alike? Winston Churchill once joked that the people of Britain and the people of America are separated(分离) only by their language. Do you think that is true? The British and the Americans both speak English as the official language. However, each uses some different words. We Americans are similar to the British. After all, our country was once owned by Great Britain, so we have a lot in common. But there are many differences between us.

Great Britain has a king or queen, and the leader of the government is the Prime Minister. The United States has no kings or queens. Our leader is the President.

Both the British and Americans use pounds and ounces, pints, quarts, and gallons. Both use miles, yards and feet. Our money is different, though. The British use pounds and pence. Americans use dollars and cents.

Driving in a car is very different in England. They drive on the left side of the road. We drive on the right. What we call the hood of the car, the British call the “bonnet”. British cars run on “petrol”, which we call gasoline.

In our everyday lives, we do many of the same things as the British. But we describe them differently. A young mother here might push a baby in a baby carriage. A British mom pushes a “pram”. The British watch the “telly”, while we watch TV. We like to eat French fries, but the British call them “chips”. Millions of Americans drink coffee, but most British prefer tea.

So we are different in many ways. But we stay friendly anyway.