The World of English

Twice a year, on the Queen's birthday in June and at the New Year, Buckingham Palace announces the names of around 1,500 people to receive special medals for, "services to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth." Last year Mick Jagger became a 'Sir', Eric Clapton and Sting received CBEs, and a tea lady from Scotland became an MBE. But why does the Queen give out these strange sounding honours, and what happens if somebody says "No thank you, Your Majesty"? Glenn Fobister explains.

Karolina (right) is currently in her second year of study at Newlands Manor School in the south of England. She tells us about her experiences in the Sixth Form of a co- educational private school.

In recent years studying abroad has become increasingly popular among Polish students. I chose to do this after I went on a language course in London during the summer of 1998. I began my education that September at Newlands Manor School in Seaford, East Sussex, where I intend to complete my 'A' Levels.

In March this year a feat of architectural technology opened in the English county of Cornwall. From inside one of man's most modern buildings, the Eden Project brings you something as old as the world - Nature.

Where were you on September 11? What were you doing? And how did you react when you first learned about the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington? That day is likely to be remembered by many World of English readers, just as their parents recall the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the day martial law was declared in 1981 and when a Pole was elected pope three years earlier.

"Please to remember, the fifth of November: gunpowder, treason and plot."

That's what children in Britain chant on Guy Fawkes Night, as fireworks spiral into the sky and an effigy of Guy Fawkes burns on a fire. It's been like that since the night, in 1606, when Fawkes was caught preparing to blow up the Houses of Parliament. In celebration, we present a timeline of the activities of Britain's very first terrorist.

Background

If you wanna make big bucks, beware: America encourages the gambling addiction....

In the all-American health kick, it's not sport but food that's at the center of the obsession with healthy living. But have they got it all wrong?

Contrary to general belief, Africa is neither a monolithic nor a monocultural society. There are three mainly Negroid groups - West African, Sudanic and Bantu, scattered all over the huge continent. These main groups are further divided into subgroups. For example, the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria, who are the second-largest African tribe (population: about 20 million) are made up of at least 25 subtribes each with distinct customs, traditions and cultural practices.

Every language contains its fair share of illogicalities, but English might seem to have more than most. If you have an 'ept' command of the language - read on!

Perhaps made famous to foreigners thanks to Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in the film of the same name, this part of London is really on the map because of the annual carnival in August, second only to Rio de Janeiro's.

If you imagine the Notting Hill Carnival as a colourful, loud and fast moving pageant, you are wrong. It is far more resplendent and clamorous, and way too crowded to move with any speed at all - the streets are not as wide as in Rio!