From 19 to 29 June, the Wimbledon tournament, an international tennis tournament, is held every year in England. Winners are determined in late June and early July: 5 ranks among adults, 4 among juniors and 4 among people with special needs (wheelchair users). The victory in this tournament is the most prestigious among all the Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open, French Open, US Open), as the winners become world champions. They also get the right to practice on the courts of the club, while the rest of the players are allowed to prepare for the tournament only in training pavilions. The organizer of the competition is the…

County Cornwall is in the south-west of England; it is inhabited by about 500 thousand people. In the Middle Ages, this territory was called Western Wales. The Cornwall Peninsula is a place shrouded in myths and legends. According to legends, here, in the castle of Tintagel, King Arthur was born. Also, one of the county’s cities, St. Ives, is the center of art where the galleries and workshops of British artists are located. The village of Porthcurno in the south-west of England is known for its open theater — Minack Theater. Also, there is one of the best beaches in England, owned by the National Fund of the country. Saint Ives — The City of Artists The city of St.…

The history of bank holidays in the UK Bank holidays are days that are officially non-working. Basically, they are Mondays, so the date is not fixed. In 1871, the government for the first time legalized the bank holidays with the legislative act of the Bank Holiday Act. Initially, Britain, Wales and Ireland received 4 days off, Scotland — 5. However, today Britain has 8 such officially non-working days, Scotland and Ireland — 10. In the 19th century, all banks and official institutions were closed on these days, so the activities of other enterprises were also suspended, since all their work was connected with…

Great Britain is one of the most unusual countries with its own special traditions. We have prepared 25 facts about this country that will surprise you. 10 amusing facts about British history 1. In 18th-century Britain, men and women were forbidden to sunbathe on the same beach. 2. The city where the first fire department appeared was Edinburgh. 3. The first programmer in the world was an Englishwoman — Ada Lovelace. 4. The first subway appeared in London, Britain. 5. The Big Ben Tower got its name not because of the clock, but because of the bell that is located inside. 6. The…

Most people associate the weather in England with cloudy skies, rain and damp. And there is some truth in this — British weather is often unpredictable. But you will be surprised to find out that rainfalls in London are less than in other capitals of Europe, for example, in Rome. Temperatures in England Due to the temperate continental climate, winter in Britain passes without strong frosts, but the summer is not characterized by heat — the temperature raising to +30 degrees is considered the record. The highest temperature was recorded in Kent (2010) — 38.5 degrees Celsius. The lowest (-27.2 ° C) was recorded in Scotland in 1995. The weather in Scotland really does…

Curling is a team sport where players take turns to launch granite projectiles (stones) towards «home» (a special target). The goal of the game is to launch as many stones as possible into the center of the «home» or push out the rivals' stones, depriving opponents of earned points. How curling emerged Curling or «roaring stones» comes from Scotland. It was there that the first time a heavy sports projectile was discovered. It was manufactured at the beginning of the 16th century. Also curling is mentioned in the medieval chronicles of 1541. After Scotland, curling began to become popular in the Netherlands, just like golf. The story goes that the «aisstock» game (Bavarian…

Valentine’s Day is the most romantic holiday in the whole world. It is mysterious and shrouded in legends and rich history. In Britain, a special attitude to this winter holiday has developed, because this day is an opportunity to show your feelings, express sympathy, gratitude and love. The history of Valentine’s Day The holiday is celebrated in Britain since the XVII century. The origins of Valentine’s Day are rooted in the history of the Roman Empire, when one of the rulers, Claudius II, forbade marriages, because it was believed that the best soldiers are single men. It was then that the Christian priest Valentine began to conduct the engagements of people secretly.…

British television service was first launched in 1936. Today it includes about 500 channels, among which only 6 have the largest number of views. On average, the content of these channels earns an annual income of 2.6 billion euros. Commercial television appeared in Britain in 1955 and was a real breakthrough for advertisers. The whole system of broadcasting, the list of programs, the advertising content is strictly controlled by the ITA. Digital television appeared in the UK in 1998. Since October 2012, all the terrestrial, cable and Internet television in Britain is broadcast in digital format. The history of British television The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established in 1922. Its first…

Great Britain is famous for the variety of its holidays. The reason for this are the ancient traditions, which the British have been respecting and following to this day. So, in England there are a catching worms holiday (it was founded thanks to Tom Shaflbotom, who managed to catch 511 worms in half an hour in 1980), a skating cheese championship (held in Coopers Hill, next to a special hill on which rolling cheese is rolled, and participants must to catch him), the Guy Fawkes' Night (named after the night of preventing the anti-royal conspiracy at the beginning of the XVII century), the holiday of the straw bear (a man in a bear costume walks…

Christmas is the most long-awaited holiday of the British. They celebrate it on December 25, but preparations for the celebration begin in November. Advent, the time of preparation for Christmas, starts 4 weeks before the significant day. The English wish each other a happy Christmas season and always send greeting cards. This tradition was born in England, the first such postcard was printed in 1843 in London. Decoration of a house and Christmas tree The main tree of Christmas is a spruce, a symbol of eternal nature. Traditionally, the British decorate it in three colors: green, red and gold. The tradition to hang sweets on a Christmas tree derived from Britain. The…

Study English with your friends and gain advantages! Just recommend your friend use ECTV On-the-Go, and you both will get a special bonus for your study! In this case, we give both of you 100% of the tariff you have bought as a present. For example, you have paid 30$ for 1 year of the Platform use, and your friend has bought a 3-months subscription for 8$. So, your subscription will be extended for 1 more year, and your friend’s subscription will be extended for 3 more months. Entering this…

The Colchester Town in England lies in the borough of Colchester in Essex. According to the 2011 census, the Town boasts over one and a half million people. It was counted as one of the fastest growing cities in the country and Europe regarding population, taking into account the rapidly rising population. Moreover, British history shows that Colchester is the oldest town in the country. The Roman Britain made it their capital at one time and counted as a city in the Network of the Most Ancient European Towns. One…