Culture

Immigrants have immensely contributed to British cultural life. There is a rich variety of ethnic cuisine in Britain, especially in large cities. Italian, Indian, Chinese restaurants are enjoying a great popularity. Immigrants publish their own newspapers, organize ethnic festivals. One of the most colourful events is Notting Hill Festival in London. This is an annual carnival in August, mostly involving Afro-Caribbeans. The carnival attracts a lot of tourists and just on-lookers by its rhythmical music and bright exotic costumes. Immigrants contribute a lot to modern literature in UK. Among famous immigrant authors is Kazuo Ishiguro who was born in Nagasaki and raised in the home counties. In the 40 years since leaving Japan, Ishiguro has returned only once, on a brief "author's tour" in 1989 after the Japanese publication of his third novel, the Booker prize-winning The Remains Of The Day. Another well known writer of Asian origin is Salman Rushdie. He was born in Bombay, India, then in 1968 received M.A. from King’s College in Cambridge,UK, was an actor in London, then in 1975 began his authorial career. In 1981-82 he received literary awards for his ‘Midnight’s Children.’ His ‘The Satanic Verses’ (1988) became a very controversial novel.

 

 

Task 3. Check yourself questions:

1. Which parts of UK have Celtic historical roots?

2. What is the per cent of ethnic minority communities in the total population of UK?

3. When were waves of immigration into UK?

4. From what countries and parts of the world did immigrants come?

5. In what cities do non-white immigrants concentrate?

6. What do you know about Notting Hill Festival?

7. Where does the line dividing the North from the South go?

8. What are the main differences between the South and the North?

9. What are the main classes in Britain?

10. Speak about some attributes of the upper classes and the lower classes life.

11. What are the differences between the English, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish?

12. Name the biggest cities with a high density of population.

13. Which city has the largest China town in Europe?

 

Task 4. The population of UK is divided historically, ethnically, geographically, socially, from the religious point of view. Please give examples of the aforesaid divisions and speak of how these differences affect modern life. This task may take the form of a small panel discussion.

You may find the following phrases useful:

Celtic identity vs. Anglo-Saxon identity; North-South divide lowlands vs. highlands; density of population; urban vs. rural ways of life; classes; ethnic minorities; Catholics vs. Protestants; Afro-Caribbeans inner city areas; suffering harassment;

 

Task 5. Read the letter to the Sunday Express and enumerate the benefits of immigration for Britain. Can you add other benefits? Does immigration create any problems for Britain? What are they?

Asylum seekers bring many benefits

I AM happy to report to Colin Stubbs that the figures about immigration stated in my original letter do have some foundation and that we are indeed living in a more Utopian society than he gives credit for (Letters, Sunday Express, October 27). The assertion that 90 per cent of immigrants have no qualifications is simply not correct. I would suggest looking at the Refugee Council website for more details. I can also reassure him that pensioners are probably the biggest beneficiaries of increased immigration, as those who become increasingly dependent on others for their welfare need to have more younger people in the population to care for them.

As for David Larkford's worries about criminality amongst asylum seekers, the Association of Chief Police Officers has reported that there is no evidence of a higher rate of criminal behaviour by refugees and asylum seekers compared with the general population.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said when tliey are the victims, as they are much more likely to suffer at the hands of criminals themselves,Christian McArdle, Reading, Berkshire (Sunday Express, November 10, 2002)