9. Weather and the seasons

The weather is a very popular topic of conversation in Britain. That's because the weather changes a lot.

Sixty -five per cent of all the days in Britain are overcast - dull, grey and often cold. That's 260 dull days. What do people find to talk about?

When the weather is good, people complain that it's too hot.

When it rains, they say it's too wet. When it isn't sunny, they say it's too cold.

It's not surprising that Britains has got one of the most important weather centres in the world. The Met Office omploys over a thousand people. Tey provide weather forecasts for radio, television and newspapers - and on the Internet.

The Met Office also looks at environmental issues such as global warming and climate change. The computers can predict the tropical stroms and hurricanes that cause so much damage around the world.

The trouble is weather chages very quickly and so nobody ever believes the weather forecast. They still go out in their shorts and get wet! But at least it's something to talk about.

8. Libraries and reading

British people read a lot. They read books, newspapers and magazines. And of course they read text messages on their mobile phones. Sixty-five per cent of British people list reading for pleasure as a major hobby. A quarter of the population reads more than 20 books each year.

So where do these books come from? Well, there are bookshops where you can buy books.

And there are lots of public libraries where you can borrow books for free.

The British Library is one of the world's greatest libraries. The Queen opened its new building in 1998. It receives a copy of every book published in Britain and adds 3 million new items every year. It's got books of course, but also sound recordings, music, maps, newspapers and magazines.

People predicted that radio, then television, then the Internet would kill reading, but it is still a very popular activity.