Foreigners have many ideas what the English are like. For example, many people say that they are cold and reserved, friendly and well-mannered. You hardly find a person in England who dislikes tea drinking, home cooking and gardening. Their sense of humour is known all over the world.
As for other characteristics which are associated with the English, they are egoism, self-confidence, intolerance of outsiders, independence, love of comfort and a strong belief in private property. Moderation, the avoidance of extremes, the choice of middle way is among the essential qualities of the English. The English have a strong sense of individualism which can be explained by the uniqueness of the British which was isolated from the European continent for a long time.
One thing never fail to confuse foreigners when they come to Britain and it is British meals. The English are used to certain food and seem never get tired of it. The legendary English breakfast consists of bacon, eggs, tomato, fried bread and a variety of sausages. It is usually finished off with slices of toast spread with orange marmalade and a cup of tea with milk or lemon. The English are very fond of tea. They drink tea four or five times a day.
The English are said to be a nation of stay-at-homes. Their famous saying “There is no place like home” is known all over the world. When the Englishman is free, he likes to be at home with the company of his wife and children. There is another saying which is typical for the English — “The Englishman’s house is his castle.”
Undoubtedly, the English are rather conservative. They are proud of their customs and are reluctant to change them in a way. Examples of the English conservatism, such as eating traditional English food or reading a newspaper in the morning are well-known worldwide. On a large scale their conservatism is expressed through the attitude to the monarchy, for an example. The local conservatism can be easily noticed in private traditions observed at schools and societies. So, Britain is the country of traditions and they make a nation special. Which of the following are not considered to be characteristics of the English?
