Queuing is as British as Big Ben. It is a symbol of Britain and British life as traditional as the bowler hat and as popular as the Sunday joint. If a Briton wants to catch a bus or take a train, he queues. He queues to make a telephone call. he queues to see an exhibition. It has been said that wherever two or more Britons are gathered together, they form a queue. If no one else is around, a true Briton will form a queue by himself.
But what lies behind this curious custom? Why does everyone obey the unwritten rules? Why stand and wait when you can push in front of everyone else? The answer lies in the British sense of fair play. In other countries the weak and the slow may get pushed aside in the rush, the lame and the old may get left behind, but in Britain all have their turn, if all are prepared to wait.
But do not be deceived by the apparently placid picture of a queue. As long as everyone keeps their place, all is well. But the moment someone puts a foot out of line, pandemonium breaks loose. Old ladies wave their sticks, City gentlemen brandish umbrellas and insults fill the air. The innocent visitor will receive no mercy from an outraged queue.
So, when in London, do as the British do – and whatever happens, don’t step out of line!
( from:London Life by Sandra Alfry, 1978)
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Activity 11. Distribute the adjectives according to the qualities of people