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Alison Smith

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Commerce and trade WARM UP

1

Where do you buy the products you need?

Do you normally buy things in shops, superstores or online?

Commerce Commerce is a general term for the sale, purchase and distribution of goods and services. It encompasses all the activities which are involved in this process of moving goods from a production centre to the point of purchase. The main branches of commerce are:

time gap lasso di tempo

WAREHOUSING A warehouse is the place where goods are stored. A warehouse is needed to store the goods during the time gap between production and consumption of products: some goods are produced only in a particular season but in demand all year.

Other products are produced throughout the year but in demand only during a particular season, such as Christmas.

TRANSPORT Goods produced by the manufacturer often need to be transported to the consumer, usually from a place of low demand to another place where demand is greater.

The growth of commerce depends largely on using the proper mode of transport; road, rail, sea or air.

LOGISTICS

ACT IV IT IE S

The flow of goods, information and other resources, including energy and personnel, is managed by the logistics department.

16

Reading comprehension 2

Read the text on these pages. Which branches of commerce correspond to these definitions?

1 ________________

The activity of attracting public attention to a product or business, using paid commercials in the press, on TV and electronic media.

2 ________________

The administrative and physical functions associated with the storage of goods and materials.

3 ________________

The process of moving a product from its manufacturing source to its customers.

4 ________________

The activity of accepting and safeguarding money owned by other individuals and entities, and then lending it out in order to make a profit.

MO DULE 1 | BUSINESS in THEORY

DISTRIBUTION Distribution is the process of supplying goods, especially to retailers. It may be impossible for producers to reach the consumers directly, so a number of middlemen are necessary to complete the process. Amongst others, wholesalers, retailers and brokers are all involved in the distribution process.

retailers dettaglianti middlemen intermediari wholesalers grossisti loans prestiti mitigating ridurre credit lines linee di credito

INSURANCE A great deal of risk is involved in every aspect of commerce. The main risks are fire and theft. Insurance ‘covers’ these risks and compensates for possible losses or damage.

BANKING Banks hold money for businesses. They play a vital role in mitigating the need for funds. They offer a number of financial services such as loans and credit lines.

MARKETING AND ADVERTISING The sale of products and services is possible only if the consumer knows of their existence, is aware of their availability and is interested in them. Marketing involves raising consumer interest through research, promoting, selling, and distributing products or services. Advertising is used to raise consumer awareness through print, broadcast or digital media.

3

BEC Read the text on these pages again and choose the correct option.

1 Commerce includes…

A the exchange of goods and services.

B the production of goods and services.

C the production and exchange of goods.

2 The point of purchase is the place where a product is…

A manufactured.

B sold to the end customer.

C warehoused.

3 The logistics department is important for…

A understanding consumer demand.

B the efficient internal organisation of a company.

C the promotion of a company’s image.

4 The distribution process usually finishes at the…

A brokers.

B middlemen.

C the final customer.

5 Companies take out insurance policies to cover…

A damage to goods.

B the sale of goods.

C both A and B.

ACTIVITIE S

Reading comprehension

Vocabulary 4

Find out what the people engaged in each branch of commerce are called. Use a dictionary to help you.

1 2 3 4

trade transport distribution insurance

trader ________________ ________________ ________________

5 6 7 8

advertising banking warehousing market research

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

Exam practice – Oral exam 5

Prepare a short presentation of commerce (3-5 minutes). Use these questions to help you.

• What is commerce?

• What are the branches of commerce?

• What role do they play in commerce?

The World of Business | MO DULE 1

17

WARM UP

1

Do you recognise the Fairtrade mark? Are Fairtrade products available in your area? Do you or your family buy them?

AC TIV IT IES

fair giusto, equo awareness consapevolezza

Green economy The United Nation’s Environment Programme defines green economy ‘as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities’. This means that a reduction in carbon emissions and pollution, efficient use of energy and resources and the prevention of loss of biodiversity must accompany economic growth.

Fair trade Not all trade is fair. The people at the beginning of the food production chain – the farm workers in developing countries – do not usually get a fair share of the profits or other benefits of trade. The international fair trade movement is seeking to balance out this inequality by ensuring that workers and producers in developing countries get a fair deal.

Fair trade’s objective is to negotiate a decent price for goods that will cover the cost of production and guarantee a living income, as well as establishing long term contracts which offer security. Another important aspect of fair trade is to provide the necessary support and education MORE ABOUT... so that producers and workers have the skills to develop The FAIRTRADE their business and protect their Certification Mark is a registered environment for the future. trademark which is The fair trade movement also used on consumer campaigns to change the regulations retail products that of conventional international business meet the Fairtrade Standards. There are and works towards building consumer general and product specific awareness of the issues concerning trade standards which producers in developing countries. Over the last and traders have to meet. few years, consumers have become more • €5.9 billion were spent on aware of the treatment of small-scale Fairtrade products in 2014. farmers and producers in poor countries • There are 827 Fairtrade certified producer and the demand for fair trade products organisations in 74 has increased. Thanks to this consumer countries, with 1.5 million demand, the number of retailers which farmers and workers. sell fair trade goods, and the selection • An estimated 6 million people directly benefit of products available, continue to grow, from Fairtrade. benefiting more and more communities. www.fairtrade.net

Reading comprehension 2

Read the text and complete these sentences.

1 The fair trade movement wants to get a fair deal for…

2 If producers receive a fair price for their goods, it means…

3 Support and education are important for producers and workers because…

4 Fair trade campaigns are aimed at…

5 The fair trade movement wants consumers to be more aware of…

6 Due to the increase in consumer demand, now there are…

Internet research 3

Go to www.fairtrade.net, choose a product and find out this information for that product: • the problems the producers are facing; • how fair trade is helping the producers/workers; Then prepare a short oral presentation to give to the class.

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MO DULE 1 | BUSINESS in THEORY

• the country/countries involved.

Sustainable trade A new kind of trade system is emerging in the business world. Sustainable trade is a type of trade that harms neither the social nor the ecological environment. It ensures that trade contributes positively to economic, social and environmental development. It can be applied to agricultural products as well as manufactured goods like handicrafts and textiles.

In developed countries, the markets for certified products have grown significantly in recent years. As a result, a growing number of socially-driven companies have become a medium to support sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly production activities in underdeveloped parts of the world.

Natural products are purchased directly from rural cooperatives growing organic coffee, cocoa, tea, fruit and spices. Buyers from these socially-aware companies are able to increase the incomes of small producers and enhance local productivity and competitiveness by offering steady markets, price protection, financial and technical assistance. Similarly, it is possible to purchase products which have been manufactured according to processes that cause minimal negative environmental impact, with respect for natural resources, workers and communities.

handicrafts lavori artigianali gathering raccolta

MORE ABOUT...

BioTrade, closely tied to sustainable trade, is the collection, production, transformation and selling of goods (e.g. medicinal plants, tropical fruit, coffee, tea, etc.) from native lands to other countries worldwide.

4

Read the text and match the two halves of the sentences.

1 2 3 4

Sustainable trade is a type of trade that It includes The market for certified products The organic agricultural produce market means that

a b c d

has increased in developed countries. natural and manufactured products. farmers can compete on an international level. does not damage the social or the ecological environment.

Listening 5

ACTIVITIES

Reading comprehension

1.04 BEC Listen to this short description of an initiative called ‘Aid For Trade’. Complete the notes below.

AID FOR TRADE Aim: Start date: Facts: Projects: Recent report:

to improve trade and economic growth in developing countries which have no basic (1) ____________ and cannot compete in regional and (2) ____________.

(3) ____________.

US$137 billion, most of which is destined for (4) ____________ infrastructure projects. improvement to road networks; simplification of business rules; (5) ____________ for farmers and women.

(6) ____________, ____________ and finance sectors increased.

The (7) ____________ (e.g. commodity prices) affects Aid for Trade and its growth rate.

Exam practice – Written exam 6

For more information, visit www.oecd.org and www.wto.org

A What have you learnt about commerce and trade? Write a short essay (150-200 words) about it following these guidelines.

• • • •

What is commerce and what are its branches?

What is the difference between domestic trade and international trade?

What is the green economy and how is it changing trade?

What is the difference between the supply chain and the distribution chain? How do they work?

The World of Business | MO DULE 1

27

Oral communication Oral communication whether face-to-face, on the phone or via web conference is a vital part of business today. Therefore good oral communication skills – in both your mother tongue and in English – are essential to help you make a good impression, express your ideas clearly and get ahead in the business world.

Telephone calls Making and receiving telephone calls in a foreign language is one of the hardest things to do in the workplace. Because we are unable to see the person we are speaking to, we cannot use the usual non-verbal clues. Eye contact, facial expressions and body language are all unvoiced ways of communicating and help us understand our interlocutor.

Fortunately, phone calls follow certain standard phrases. Learning to pronounce them well will help you go a long way in mastering telephone skills and reduce the anxiety that is so common at first attempts.

Receptionist

Raul Niser Clive Suarez

Phraseology p. 46

Functions 1

Read the phone call and find the equivalent expressions.

1 My name is Sam. This is Sam. 2 Can I speak to…? _______________ 3 She isn’t here. _______________

38

MO DULE 1 | BUSINESS in PRACTICE

4 Would you like to leave a message? _______________ 5 Clive Suarez speaking. _______________ 6 Could I have…? _______________

2

1.06 Listen to this phone call and write the missing words/expressions.

Mr Jack O’Neill of Pens & Pencils receives a phone call from Peter Greene of Wonderland Shop, who would like to add some items to an order.

Telephonist Peter Greene

Hello, Pens & Pencils, this is Judy. How can I (1) ___________ you?

Hello, (2) ___________ I speak to Mr O’Neill, please? (3) ___________ Peter Greene from Wonderland Shop.

Telephonist

Yes, Mr Greene, I’ll (4) ___________.

Jack O’Neill

Sales Department, Jack O’Neill (5) ___________.

Peter Greene

Good morning, Jack, (6) ___________ Peter Green from Wonderland Shop.

Jack O’Neill

Hello, Peter. How are you?

Peter Greene

Fine, thank you. (7) ___________ you about the order I emailed you last Friday.

Jack O’Neill

What can I do for you?

Peter Greene

(8) ___________ to add 50 Tinkerbell Character Pens and 25 Taz Character Pens to our order.

Jack O’Neill

OK, Peter. (9) ___________ send me a fax confirming these new quantities?

Peter Greene

Yes, of course. (10) ___________ make sure that these changes won’t delay delivery.

Jack O’Neill

No problem. We can deliver everything next Monday as scheduled.

Peter Greene

Thank you, Jack. Goodbye now.

Jack O’Neill

Goodbye.

ACTIVITIES

Listening

scheduled programmato

3

1.07 Reorder this phone call, then listen and check.

Mr Sam Crawford from Greystone Ltd. calls Mr Dawson of King Industries to make an appointment.

Mr Dawson

How about Tuesday morning?

Mr Crawford

Hello, Mr Dawson, this is Sam Crawford from Greystone Ltd. We met at the trade fair in London last June.

Mr Dawson

Well, Mr Crawford, see you next Tuesday. Goodbye.

Mr Crawford

That would be fine.

Receptionist Hold on, please, I’ll put you through to Mr Dawson.

Mr Dawson

Mr Dawson speaking.

Mr Crawford

We are interested in your capsule coffee machines. Next week I’ll be in Brighton and I’d like to make an appointment to see you. What day would suit you?

Mr Dawson

Of course, I remember.

Mr Crawford

No, 9.30 is fine with me.

Receptionist Good morning, King Industries. Can I help you?

Mr Crawford

Good morning, this is Sam Crawford from Greystone Ltd. I’d like to speak to your Sales Manager, Mr Dawson, please.

Mr Dawson

Well, shall we say 9.30? Or is that too early for you?

Mr Crawford

Goodbye.

The World of Business | MO DULE 1

39

1

BUSINESS LANGUAGE Phraseology

Online worksheet

Written communication WRITING A BUSINESS LETTER

1

Opening and closing salutations

Body of the letter

• Dear Sir/Madam, / Dear Sirs, (UK) ➞ Yours faithfully, / Yours truly, / Best/Kind regards, / Regards, • Gentlemen: / To whom it may concern: (US) ➞ Truly yours, / Very truly yours, / Best/Kind regards, / Regards, • Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss Ruthford, ➞ Sincerely, / Sincerely yours, / Yours cordially, / Cordially, / Best/Kind regards, / Regards, / Yours sincerely, • Dear Jack/Jennifer, ➞ Best wishes,

• I am writing in relation to/to enquire about…

• Many thanks for your letter of 17th September 20..

• We are the leading/largest importers of…

• Our company specialises in…

• We would be grateful if you could…

• We look forward to hearing from you.

• Please do not hesitate to contact us.

• We hope to start a mutually advantageous business relationship.

• Looking forward to receiving a prompt reply.

• Thanking you in advance for your kind assistance…

Write any ten sentences from a business letter and then swap them with a partner, who has to decide if they are suitable for the opening, middle or closing paragraphs.

Oral communication MAKING TELEPHONE CALLS Introducing yourself

Saying that someone is not available

• Good morning/Hello. This is John Boswell from Sun Equipments Ltd. • My name is John Boswell.

• I’m sorry, but Mr Miller isn’t here at the moment/is out of the office/is away from his desk/is in a meeting.

• I’m sorry, but the line is engaged/Mr Miller is on another line.

• I’m afraid he isn’t in today. Can he call you back tomorrow?

Answering the phone • Good morning/Hello. Judy Lennon speaking.

• Hello. This is Judy. Can I help you?

• Speaking! (If the caller has asked for you by name) Asking for caller identification • May I ask who’s calling?

• Could I have your name, please?

• Who’s calling, please?

Saying why you are calling • I’m calling to…/about...

• I’m phoning you about…

• I’ve been trying to get through to the manager. Is he in today?

• Hello? I was speaking to Mr Miller and I think we were cut off.

Asking to speak to someone • Could/May I speak to Mr Miller, please?

• I’d like to speak to Mr Miller, please.

• Could you put me through to Mr Miller, please?

If you keep the other person waiting • Hold on, please.

• Can you hold on a moment?

• Hang on a second. I’ll see if he’s there.

• Sorry to keep you waiting.

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MO DULE 1 | BUSINESS LANGUAGE

Offering to take/Leaving a message • Would you like to leave a message?

• Can I take a message?

• Can I take your name and number?

• Could you ask Mr Miller to call me back, please?

• Can I leave a message for Mr Miller?

Promising action • I’ll give Mr Baxter your message as soon as he comes back.

• I’ll pass your message on.

• I’ll call you back as soon as possible.

• I’ll do/check it straight away/at once.

• I’ll call our suppliers now and get back to you later.

• This line is terrible. Hang up and I’ll call you back.

• I’m a little busy at the moment, but I’ll call you later today.

If you don’t understand what the other person is saying • Sorry?/Pardon?

• Could you repeat that, please?

• Sorry, I can’t hear you. Can you speak up, please?

• I’m sorry I didn’t catch that.

• Can you spell that, please?

Saying goodbye • Thank you for calling/your help.

2

Complete these sentences with the expressions from the box.

a message − could I − help you − I’m calling about − tell him − This is 1 Good afternoon. Simpsons Ltd. Can I ___________?

2 ___________ Mr Steele from Chicago.

3 ___________ speak to the manager please?

3

4 ___________ our meeting next week.

5 Can you give her ___________?

6 Could you ___________ I called?

In pairs, practise these phone calls. Remember to swap roles.

Caller 1 Vuoi parlare con il Sig. Frankson. Lascia un messaggio se non è in ufficio.

2 Chiedi di parlare con la Sig.ra Midler. Vuoi sapere se ha ricevuto il tuo fax. La linea non è buona, perciò devi chiedere di ripetere il numero di fax corretto.

Receiver 1 Sei l’assistente del Sig. Frankson che oggi non è in ufficio. Chiedi se chi ha chiamato vuole lasciare un messaggio.

2 Sei la Sig.ra Midler. Non hai ricevuto nessun fax. Il vostro numero è 0171 896 3211.

FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION Introducing people • This is Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Redford, and this is Mr/Mrs/Miss/ Ms Jenkins.

• How do you do, Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Redford.

• How do you do. / Pleased/Nice to meet you.

4

• We’ve already been introduced.

• Can/May I introduce you to Mr Hopkins / Mr Hopkins to you?

• I’d like to introduce you to Mr Hopkins / Mr Hopkins to you.

• Can/May I introduce myself? I’m Samuel O’Neil.

Work in groups of three or four. You are all at a business conference. Practise introducing each other, inventing different scenarios and names.

Visual communication TALKING ABOUT GRAPHS/DIAGRAMS Referring to graphs • As you can see here in this chart, …

• This diagram clearly represents/shows…

• Please note that the information included here covers the period from... to...

Indicating trends • The index of industrial production fluctuated between… and…

• The industrial production index remained constant/reached a peak/declined to its lowest last week/month/year.

• Inflation rose/went up/increased to/by …% last year.

5

• Inflation is forecast to rise/go up/increase by... next year.

• Inflation fell/dropped/went down/decreased sharply/gradually last year.

• Exports have risen steadily this quarter.

• There was a slight/gradual/steady fall/rise in sales in June.

• Imports have been stable for the last six months.

Talking about figures • This product/sector had the highest/lowest sales in…

• The highest-selling/lowest-selling month was…

• Inflation now stands at 6%.

• Our market share is over …%.

In pairs, take it in turns to describe this graph.

You can decide what it represents (sales, inflation, number of employees etc).

The World of Business | MO DULE 1

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1

Vocabulary WORD FORMATION (1) It is often possible to form a noun by adding a suffix to a verb or an adjective. Spelling changes may be necessary.

The suffixes -sion, -tion, -ment can be added to a verb, while -ence, -ance can be added to a verb or an adjective.

1

Change these verbs and adjectives into their noun form and write them under the correct column.

You may need to change the spelling.

accept − assist − create − decide − develop − divide − employ − govern − important include − independent − inform − intelligent − organise − pay − prefer − produce

2

-sion

-tion

-ment

-ence

-ance

________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________

Transform the words in brackets into the appropriate form (adjective, noun or verb) in order to fit the meaning of the text.

Nations with their own natural resources can (1) ___________ (exploitation) them by specialising in the (2) ___________ (extract) and (3) ___________ (produce) of these resources. For example, the (4) ___________ (develop) of North Sea Oil and Gas. A need is a necessity for the survival of a person, animal or (5) ___________ (organise).

Basic human needs are things like food and (6) ___________ (protect) from the weather.

Wants are things which are desired and they are (7) ___________ (importance) for (8) ___________ (improve).

COLLOCATIONS WITH BUSINESS verb + (a) business set up (a) / do / lose / go into / run (a) / go out of / business business + noun business plan / trip / model / lunch / meeting / partner / deal

3

Choose the most suitable collocation to complete these sentences.

1 2 3 4 5 6

48

My dream is to ___________ my own ___________ one day.

Ms. Morton is away next week on a ___________.

If you don’t want to ___________ to your competitors, you need a good ___________.

That company has expanded and has started to ___________ with Russia.

A ___________ in a restaurant can be an excellent way to close a ___________.

A recession can cause a financially unstable company to ___________.

MO DULE 1 | BUSINESS LANGUAGE

Grammar PRESENT SIMPLE

1

We use the present simple to talk about: • permanent situations What does Joe do? He’s a manager.

He works for a retail company.

• habits and regular actions Do you often give presentations?

• timetables (e.g. public transport, cinema) for the future What time does your plane leave tomorrow? It leaves at 3.30 p.m.

Video tutorial 1

2

Complete these sentences with the present simple form of the verbs in brackets.

1 A How often ________ you ________ web conferences? (have) B Twice a month. We _____________ them every week. (not hold) 2 A How many people ________ the company ________? (employ) B It _____________ 1,650 employees. (have) 3 A What ________ your company ________? (produce) B It _____________ computer parts. (make) 4 A ________ you ________ your products? (export) B Yes, we do. We _____________ all over the world. (ship) 5 A ________ fair trade ________ poor countries? (help) B Yes, it does, but it ________ enough. (not be)

Complete these sentences with what or which.

WHAT/WHICH

1 ___________ of the two products should we order?

2 ___________ do you want to do about postponing the meeting?

3 ___________ is intellectual capital?

4 ___________ sector of production concerns the provision of services?

5 ___________ risks are likely to occur during production?

PRESENT SIMPLE PASSIVE We use the passive when the focus is on what happens and not who does the action.

Advertising is used to help consumers be aware of products.

The goods are transported from the place of low demand to the place of greater demand.

We can use by + agent to say who or what does the action.

The world economy is affected by global events.

Video tutorial 2

3

We use Which…? when we are asking about one or some of a limited set.

Which goods or services could you live without?

We use What…? when there is an unlimited number of answers.

What is the importance of labour?

Rewrite these sentences in the passive form.

1 People often contrast needs with wants.

Needs ______________________________________________.

2 The manufacturer transports the goods to places of higher demand.

The goods __________________________________________.

3 Companies use marketing to increase consumer interest in their products.

Marketing ___________________________________________.

4 Banks play a vital role in providing funds to firms.

A vital role __________________________________________.

5 Wholesalers buy goods at cost price from manufacturers.

Goods ______________________________________________.

Translation 4 Translate these texts.

Production is divided into three main sectors.

The primary sector refers to industries engaged in the production or extraction of natural resources such as crops, oil, and metals. The secondary sector refers to the manufacturing of products. It is also known as manufacturing of goods. The tertiary sector refers to those industries which provide services.

Il canale di distribuzione è il percorso che un prodotto segue partendo dal produttore per arrivare al consumatore finale. Il canale diretto è quando la merce passa direttamente dal produttore al consumatore, ad esempio tramite internet. Si parla invece di canale indiretto quando vengono utilizzati vari intermed iari, ad esempio grossisti e dettaglianti.

The World of Business | MO DULE 1

49

DOSSIER

2

WARM UP

1

Scan the texts quickly and match these historic figures to the correct description.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Claudius William I King John Henry VIII Oliver Cromwell Wellington

a

formed the Church of England won the Battle of Waterloo important figure in the Civil War signed the Magna Carta ruled under the feudal system first Roman Emperor to conquer Britain

b

c

d e

f

ACT IV ITI ES

Under the Feudal System the king had complete control and owned all the land, which he leased to his barons. These barons swore to be faithful to the king. In turn, the barons gave the land to their knights, who had to fight and protect the baron and king when needed.

At the lowest level, there were the servants or serfs.

330

DO S S I E R 2 | History

History A brief history of the UK Prehistoric history The first people to inhabit the British Isles were hunters and gatherers. Around 4500 BC the introduction of farming marked the beginning of the Neolithic period, when people started to have more settled lives and introduced rituals and ceremonies. Famous monuments, like Stonehenge, were built in this period.

Through the Bronze and the Iron Ages the population increased and defensive forts were built.

The Anglo-Saxons (410-800) With the departure of the Romans, Britain was vulnerable to attacks from the Anglo-Saxons, from northwest Europe. They invaded and eventually settled in most of England, some of Scotland, but not Wales or Ireland. The country was divided into several kingdoms.

The Romans

The Vikings

(43-410 AD) The Romans first arrived under Julius Caesar in 55 and 54 BC but the first conquest was carried out by Claudius and his troops in 43 AD. They gradually conquered all of what is now England and Wales but never managed to conquer Scotland.

In fact, they built Hadrian’s Wall across the north of the country to protect them from the Scottish tribes. The Romans founded many important settlements, such as London, Bath, Manchester and York. They also built roads and introduced sanitation and sewage systems.

(800-1066) The next invasions came from the Vikings from Scandinavia. They settled in many areas and dominated a large part of the country, taking over political control. Yorvik (now York) was their capital. Their legacy was the formation of the independent kingdoms of Scotland and England.

The Normans (1066-1154) In 1066 William, the Duke of Normandy, defeated the Saxons at the Battle of Hastings.

He became King William I of England and ruled the country under the Feudal System .

The Normans built many stone churches and cathedrals, as well as castles to protect the land.

The Tudors (1485-1603)

High and Late Middle Ages (1154-1485) This part of the Middle Ages was marked by war (the Hundred Years War between England and France), natural disasters (such as the plague in 1348 killing between 30% and 45% of the population) and public rebellion. The monarchy was starting to become less dominant and in 1215 King John was forced by his feudal barons to sign the Magna Carta, the oldest constitutional charter in Europe, which imposed limits on the monarch’s power.

This period had perhaps two of the country’s strongest monarchs: Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I. Henry, who had six wives in his attempt to have a male heir, separated from the Catholic Church as the Pope would not allow him to divorce and remarry. He appointed himself head of the Protestant Church of England. Queen Elizabeth I reigned over a period of great discovery and exploration as well as cultural renewal.

On her death, the crown passed to her cousin James Stuart, King of Scotland.

The Stuarts (1603 -1714) With James I now king of Ireland and England, as well as Scotland, it started to be difficult to maintain peace between the Catholics and Protestants. Civil War broke out in 1642 between Royalists, who supported the monarch, and Parliamentarians, led by Oliver Cromwell, who were against the absolute power held by the king and in favour of a more powerful parliament.

King Charles I, who succeeded James, was executed in 1649 and later Cromwell became Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. The monarchy was restored in 1660.

The Georgians (1714-1837) After Queen Anne, the last of the Stuarts, the crown passed to George, from the House of Hanover. The Georgian period (there were four kings of the same name) saw social change, for example the abolition of slavery, and the increase in the power of Parliament. It was also a period of wars, notably the American War of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars, with Nelson beating Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar and Wellington’s victory at Waterloo.

2

PET Now read the texts more carefully and decide if these sentences are true (T) or false (F).

T 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Romans invaded Britain before the Anglo-Saxons.

The Anglo-Saxons settled in Wales.

The Kingdoms of England and Scotland were formed under the Vikings.

During the Middle Ages the figure of the king became even more important.

Queen Elizabeth I was one of Henry VIII’s wives.

The Civil War was between supporters of the king and supporters of Parliament.

During the Stuart Age, the country became a republic for a short period of time.

Slavery became illegal during the Georgian period.

F

ACT IV IT IE S

Reading comprehension

Internet research 3

Choose one of the historical periods above and compare it to the same period in your country.

Write a short report, including these points: • what the significant events and developments in your country were; • who the important people were;

• any similarities or connections with British history.

Cultural Background | DO SSI ER 2

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