Episode 7 - 5 things I love about the UK
Hello everyone ! Thank you for joining me for today’s episode of The British English Language Podcast ! This podcast is designed to help intermediate level students improve their understanding of British English by listening to me, a native English girl, discuss various topics in my British accent !
You can find the text for each episode on my website - www.britishenglishlanguage.com and I encourage you to listen whilst reading which will help you to remember new vocabulary and improve your comprehension.
Today I’m going to describe to you my top five favourite things about the UK !
Episode 7 - 5 things I love about the UK
Well you’ll be surprised to hear that one of the things I love about the UK is the weather ! Haha only joking ! No, but seriously, thanks to the British climate, which is mostly wet, not too hot and not too cold, an amazing variety of biodiversity thrives in the environment. The countryside is different types of green with many different species of plants and trees. The springtime is my favourite time of year in England because the natural environment comes alive with wonderful wild flowers and blossoms (blossom is the name for the sweet smelling pink or white flowers that appear on trees in the spring). Many English people love gardening (i.e working in their gardens, caring for their plants etc) and, in the summertime, gardens and parks around the country bloom in multicolours. The abundance of rain means that there are many lovely fresh water rivers, waterfalls and lakes and I really love to be around the water. So with all these colours and varieties of life, the scenery, in some parts of the UK, is extraordinarily beautiful.
Something else I adore about the UK is the incredible and historical architecture. I was lucky enough to live in the city of Oxford for around eight years of my life. Oxford is a very small city located about 50 miles (80km) west of London and is famous for being the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Teaching existed at Oxford as early as 1096, almost a thousand years ago ! One of the oldest buildings, St George’s Tower, which is part of Oxford Castle, was built around the year 1020. But for me, the most impressive buildings are those of the University Colleges. The beauty of some of these buildings will really take your breath away. By the way, ‘take your breath away’ is a common phrase used when talking about something that is so impressive that it literally makes you stop breathing for a moment. But it’s not only the huge, breath-taking buildings that I love, it’s also the pretty little stone cottages, found in British villages, which are also very old and full of charm. I do have a passion for old buildings, all over the world. I think it’s so magnificent what people designed and created hundreds of years ago.
The third thing I really appreciate about the UK is the art, fashion and music scene. I love that it’s easy to see amazing musicians play live. The UK is where many great acts originate from and also where many international acts come to promote their music. There are so many music and arts festivals every year throughout the UK, as well as live shows all year round in thousands of different live music venues. To be honest this is something I have taken for granted and haven’t really made the most out of these opportunities. By the way, to take something for granted is another very common phrase used by English speakers when something or someone is not properly appreciated, especially as a result of overfamiliarity. We all take things for granted every day in our lives, for example our access to clean drinking water or walking on the legs that we have. We realise it is only when the thing is gone that we appreciate its true value and no longer take it for granted. Anyway, there is so much art to enjoy in the UK and I hope that in the future we will all be able to see our favourite artists perform again.
Another thing I love about the UK is that everything is so accessible. You can find anything you need in the UK, for example any kind of food or ingredients, any kind of alternative therapy or wellness class, any kind of educational course, teacher or institution etc. If you can’t find it physically then you will definitely find it online and probably receive it within 2 days of ordering ! The UK is a global centre that is so well connected to the rest of the world, giving people in the UK the privilege of being able to choose.
And finally, the fifth thing that I love about the UK is the abundance of historical sacred sites and mysterious legends and phenomenon. Great Britain is an ancient land with so much history and many stories to tell. Sometimes I like to visit the strange and amazing patterns that form during the night in the wheat fields in the summertime. These phenomenon are called ‘crop circles’. Some people believe that crop circles are created by aliens and ufos. I don’t know if this is true but I like to wonder about things that don’t have answers. Stonehenge is another enigma that fascinates me. If you’re not already familiar with Stonehenge, it’s a very famous, prehistoric monument in the South of England. The stones of Stonehenge are made from huge rocks weighing 25 tons each, but the stone used to create this monument is found 200 miles (290km) away in West Wales. How did the stones travel almost 200 miles without the help of machinery or even wheels ? Some legends talk about ancient giants building this structure, others suggest beings from other planets helped in the construction. Nobody can explain and so it remains a great mystery of the UK.
I wonder if any of you guys have visited the UK before ? Or perhaps you’re currently living there. What are some of your favourite things about the UK ? And, apart from the weather of course (!), what are some things you don’t like ? You can connect with me by visiting the website - www.britishenglishlanguage.com and send a message using the contact form. If you have any comments or questions about anything related to this podcast or you simply want to say hello then I would love very much to hear from you !
If you’d like to support me in making this podcast then you can do that by clicking the ‘Donate to Amy’ button on my website. Any value will be very much appreciated and I will be so happy to receive your kind support. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of The British English Language Podcast ! I hope you found it interesting and I hope to see you next time !