UK Historical Figures
1. I am famous for creating or popularizing thousands of English words and phrases still used today.
William Shakespeare
Which British ruler ruled the longest?
Elisabeth II
Choose the correct word:
Despite / Although the rain, we continued the picnic.
Despite the rain, we continued the picnic.
The magician’s final trick will blow your socks off—it’s unbelievable.
That new restaurant will blow your socks off; the food is incredible.
To amaze or impress someone greatly.
Their bromance was obvious; they spent nearly every weekend watching football together.
The movie highlights the funny side of a bromance between two lifelong friends.
A close, affectionate friendship between two men.
1. I was a British leader during the 20th century and I was also a painter, a writer, and won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Winston Churchill
Over a quarter of the English population died during this event.
The plague (Black Death, 1346)
Rewrite the sentence using “since”
They got married in 2010.
They've been married since 2010.
OR
It's been ___ years since they got married.
Sarah laughed at Tom for being messy, but that was the pot calling the kettle black—her room is always a disaster.
When the lazy manager criticized his team for being unmotivated, it was like the pot calling the kettle black.
Criticizing someone else for a fault you also have.
Don’t listen to him—he’s a total gobshite.
She called her brother a gobshite for bragging about things he never did.
An insulting term for a foolish or annoying person (Irish/British slang).
1. I was born in 1643 and spent much of my life studying nature and mathematics.
2. I formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation.
Isaac Newton
How many wives did Henry VIII have?
6
Catherine of Aragon (divorced)
Anne Boleyn (beheaded)
Jane Seymour (died)
Anne of Cleves (divorced)
Catherine Howard (beheaded)
Catherine Parr (survived)
Complete the sentence:
She was promoted, not _____ because of her skills but _____ because she showed great leadership.
She was promoted, not ONLY because of her skills but ALSO because she showed great leadership.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater by canceling the whole project just because of one small problem.
In their rush to make changes, the committee threw the baby out with the bathwater and got rid of some useful rules.
Accidentally get rid of something valuable while trying to remove something unwanted.
The salesman tried to bamboozle me into buying a useless warranty.
She felt completely bamboozled by the complicated instructions.
To trick or deceive someone.
1. I became queen in 1558 and ruled for 45 years.
2. I defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 and helped England become a major world power.
Elisabeth I.
Which event does the following rhyme refer to:
“Remember, remember the 5th of November”
Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot of 1605
= Guy Fawkes and a group of Catholic conspirators tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament to assassinate King James I and restore a Catholic monarch.
Rewrite using "last"
I haven’t seen her for two years.
It's been two years since I last saw her.
Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think of my idea.
He kept beating around the bush instead of admitting he’d forgotten her birthday.
Avoiding the main topic or not speaking directly.
There was a bit of a kerfuffle when the seating arrangements got mixed up.
The new policy caused quite a kerfuffle among the employees.
A commotion, fuss, or minor argument.
1. I am a contemporary British artist whose identity is officially unknown.
2. I create street art with strong social and political messages, often in public spaces.
Banksy
What happened during the event called “Boston Tea Party”?
a protest by American colonists who, frustrated with British taxes on tea, dumped an entire shipment of tea into Boston Harbor.
Complete the sentence:
He was late. If he ___________ (know) about the traffic, he ___________ (leave) earlier.
If he had known about the traffic, he would have left earlier.
She was running around like a headless chicken before the guests arrived, trying to clean everything at once.
On the morning of the wedding, everyone was running around like headless chickens trying to get things ready.
Acting in a panicked, disorganized, or frantic way.
After the long flight, I felt discombobulated and couldn’t think straight.
He looked discombobulated when he realized he was in the wrong meeting room.
Confused, disoriented, or thrown off balance.