school tie : The distinctive tie worn as part of the school uniform by members of a school and regarded as symbolic of that particular school and its educational values. School ties are typically designed with a repeated pattern such as a crest or stripe. Compare old school tie.

Scotland : The northernmost part of mainland Britain, bordered on the South by England. Although a part of the United Kingdom, Scotland has its own legal and educational system, its own banknotes, its own £1 coin and now its own Parliament. With its many moors, lochs (i.e. lakes) mountains, islands and ancient castles, Scotland is rightly regarded as a beautiful country, and is popular with English tourists, especially those who enjoy sporting facilities such as skiing in winter which is not possible in England. The Gaelic language is still spoken by about 80,000 people mainly in the north and west, in the Highlands and Islands.

Shadow Cabinet : The team of ministers in the Opposition (the major political party not currently in power) who would probably form the Cabinet if their party won the next general election, so that you have a Shadow Prime Minister, a Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, etc ... Meanwhile, they individually deal with the same matters as the Cabinet ministers in the current government.

Shakespeare, William : William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is generally acknowledged to have been Britain's finest playwright and one of her most accomplished poets. His plays show a great understanding of human activities of all kinds. In them, he very skilfully uses many different literary styles to express a wide range of emotions. The plays are usually described as comedies, tragedies and histories, but this is an over-simplification as many of them do not fall neatly into any one category. His poems, especially his 'Sonnets', show his extraordinary powers of expression and his depths of emotional understanding. His work has had a great influence on English and many of his expressions have become part of the language, for example 'a winter of discontent' (a winter marked by political or industrial unrest , sometimes accompanied with bad weather - from Richard III). Because the English language has changed so much since Shakespeare's day, many people, including the students who have to study his plays, find his works difficult and 'dated'. His birthplace at Stratford-upon-Avon remains a popular tourist attraction.

THE TEMPEST - THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA - THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR - MEASURE FOR MEASURE - THE COMEDY OF ERRORS - MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING - LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST - A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM - THE MERCHANT OF VENICE - AS YOU LIKE IT - THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL - THELFTH NIGHT - THE WINTER'S TALE - THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING JOHN - THE TRAGEDY OF KING RICHARD II - HENRY IV - THE LIFE OF KING HENRY V - HENRY VI - THE TRAGEDY OF KING RICHARD III - THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF KING HENRY VIII - TROILUS AND CRESSIDA - TITUS ANDRONICUS - ROMEO AND JULIET - TIMON OF ATHENS - JULIUS CAESAR - MACBETH - HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK - KING LEAR - OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE - ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA - CYMBELINE - PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE

shilling : A silver coin worth 12 pence or one twentieth of a pound (sterling), officially replaced in 1971 by the 5p piece (value 5 pence), which is the same size. The term is still sometimes used, especially among older people, for the 5p coin.

Snowdonia : A national park in northwest Wales, famous for its picturesque mountain scenery, and including the highest mountain in Wales, Snowdon (1,085 m)

snooker : A game like billiards, played with 15 red balls, worth one point each, six coloured balls (yellow, worth two points; green, three; brown, four; blue, five; pink, six; black, seven) and one white cue ball.

Speakers' Corner : The northeast corner of Hyde Park, London, where at week-ends individuals or representatives of various organisations and causes, which vary from the ordinary to the very eccentric, make public speeches from improvised stands or soapboxes. The area was set aside for such use in 1872.

tabloid : A term for a newspaper with small-size pages (30cm by 40cm). Almost all popular papers are of tabloid size, and the term usually implies the popular press.

tea : 1. the traditional popular British drink, usually taken with milk and sometimes sugar, drunk at all hours of the day. 2. A light, uncooked meal, taken between four and five o'clock. 3. A light supper sometimes called 'high tea', usually with a single cooked dish and with tea to drink.

Thatcher, Margaret : Margaret Thatcher (born 1925) began her political career in politics in 1959, when she became a Conservative MP. Her shrewdness and political instinct brought her rapid advancement within the Conservative Party so that in 1975 she became its leader. In 1979 she was elected as Britain's first woman Prime Minister. From the start, her autocratic style earned her the nickname of 'Iron Lady', and she soon acquired a reputation for speaking her mind boldly and even brusquely. Her abrasive manner has attracted some criticism, as well as the fact that she never accepted to talk, when forced to. (cf. Welsh minors, Northern Ireland hunger strikes) Margaret Thatcher's was re-elected Prime Minister in the general election in 1983, and her noticeably right-wing policies became known by the name of thatcherism.

thatcherism : The political economic policies pursued by Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party. The underlying aim of thatcherism is to shift the economic emphasis back to private enterprise which is directly contrary to the policy of the Labour Party. This involves cutting public ownership whenever possible, curbing the power of the trade unions, and reducing inflation by 'monetarist' policies (i.e. by controlling the supply of money in the country). In the 1980s this 'hard-line' doctrine was moderated slightly, partly because of opposition within the Conservative Party, and partly because the Conservative voters seemed to prefer less extreme policies.

Tower of London : One of the oldest, best-known, and most imposing fortresses in England, on the north bank of the river Thames in London. The Tower was begun in the 11^th century by William the Conqueror, and was added and altered by later sovereigns. In the course of its history it has been a royal palace, a state prison, a citadel and an arsenal. Its many associations with English history make it a popular tourist attraction. Two important parts of it are the Bloody Tower and the White Tower. There are also the Crown Jewels on display, and Yeomen Warders are on guard.

Trafalgar Square : The main square of central London, where there are a number of famous buildings and monuments, including the National Gallery, St-Martin-in-the-Fields and Nelson's Column. The square is popular with visitors, who come to relax by the fountains there or feed the pigeons. Trafalgar Square is also a popular meeting place for political and other demonstrations.

Twickenham : A district of Richmond-upon-Thames (southwest Greater London) where international matches are played on the famous rugby ground there.

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