Questão 43 - UFSM 2º Dia 2010

British Culture

 

[1]      Awareness will be one of your best allies during your first few days in Oxford. Below you will find a brief overview
of some aspects of life in Britain that may be the most strikingly different from your own country.

 

General habits

    In general, the British are very polite most of the time. 'Please' and 'thank you' are among the most commonly
[5]  used words in Britain. People also have a tendency to apologize —some would say too much— and so, you will also
hear 'sorry' and 'excuse me' a lot. The popular stereotype of the average British person is more often than not true
—they will say sorry to you, even when it is in fact you who has accidentally stepped on their toes or bumped into them!

 

    It will not surprise you to know then that queuing, or waiting in line so that someone who arrived first is served
first, is another British near-obsession. It is sacrosanct. Seriously! Be it in the pub, at the supermarket or at a bus stop,
[10]  people in Britain queue for everything. Pushing in or cutting into a queue is considered very impolite and you will be
heavily frowned upon for doing it. It is one of the few occasions when the famously reserved British can get visibly
annoyed in public, so do bear it in mind.

 

    In most cases, queues are easy to spot. They tend to be tidy lines of people waiting. In public places, including
shops and restaurants, there will also usually be a sign —such as 'Please Wait Here to Be Served' or 'Please Queue
[15]  Here'. Where it can be a bit tricky is in pubs, where the lines are neither tidy nor so easy to spot at the bar. The best thing
to do is to take note of who was there before you and wait your turn to be served after them. Bar staff are usually very
good about keeping track of who should be served next.

 

    Finally, punctuality is important in Britain. As a rule, you should arrive on time for lectures, tutorials and any
other appointments. Similarly, if you've arranged to meet someone at a pub, café or elsewhere and find yourself running
[20]  late or unable to make it, then let the person you are meeting know.

 

Pubs

 

Students in a beer garden.

 

    The word 'pub' is short for 'public house', which is a
place where you can buy and consume alcohol on the
premises. A pub is not very different from a bar. Indeed, it is
[25]  often difficult to tell them apart in cities today and opinion can
be divided even among the British. Though it is difficult to
generalize, pubs are more traditional and have a more
intimate atmosphere. They also tend not to sell cocktails and
liquors, but serve a variety of beers and wine instead. You can
[30]  find a pub in or near every village, town and city in Britain.

 

    Going to the pub is very popular and you may be
surprised by the amount of beer people drink! This does not
mean that you have to drink alcohol, if you go to a pub. All
pubs serve non-alcoholic drinks and small snacks (such as
[35]  crisps or salted nuts). Going to the pub is a common social
activity among students and central to British social life.
People go to the pub not simply to drink, but as importantly
to meet friends, socialize and relax.

 

    Many pubs also have gardens —often known as 'beer gardens'— where people can sit and eat or drink in
[40]  summer. Most pubs serve food at reasonable prices, making them a great place to eat lunch and dinner with friends as
well. As with drinks, meals usually have to be ordered at the bar.

 

    Most pubs close at 11pm. Although recent changes in licensing law allow them to have longer opening hours
and serve alcohol round-the-clock, only a few pubs make use of these new rules. Anumber of them, however, stay open
till later on Fridays and Saturdays.

http://handbook.oxfordisc.com/01b.php (com adaptações)

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