Life in the UK 入籍試：繁體中文輔助溫習

British society rests on shared values, rooted in its history and traditions, that everyone who lives in the UK is expected to respect. There are five fundamental principles: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, and participation in community life.

Anyone who wants to settle permanently or become a citizen also takes on responsibilities. These are to respect and obey the law and to respect other people's rights (such as their right to hold their own views). Other responsibilities are to treat others fairly, to look after themselves and their family, and to care for their local area and the environment.

In exchange for these responsibilities, the UK provides important freedoms: freedom of speech and freedom of belief and religion. It also provides a right to a fair trial, freedom from unfair discrimination and a right to take part in electing a government. New British citizens mark the occasion at a citizenship ceremony.

There they swear an oath of allegiance to the monarch, or make a non-religious affirmation instead. They then make a pledge to respect the UK's rights and freedoms and uphold its laws.

• Five fundamental principles: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, and participation in community life.
• These shared values grew out of the UK's history and traditions rather than a single law, and are upheld by law, custom and what people expect of each other.
• Extremism and intolerance run against these shared values.
• Applying to settle or become a citizen means committing to respect the UK's laws, values and traditions.
• Responsibility: respect and obey the law.
• Responsibility: respect other people's rights, such as their right to hold their own views.
• Responsibility: treat others with fairness.
• Responsibility: look after yourself and your family.
• Responsibility: look after the area you live in and the environment.
• Freedoms offered: freedom of belief and religion, and freedom of speech.
• Freedoms offered: freedom from unfair discrimination, and a right to a fair trial.
• Freedom offered: a right to take part in electing a government.
• Following a religion is a personal choice, protected by freedom of belief; it is not a responsibility.
• Citizenship ceremony: new citizens swear an oath (by God) or make a non-religious affirmation of allegiance to the monarch.
• Citizenship ceremony: new citizens then pledge loyalty to the UK, to respect its rights and freedoms, uphold its democratic values, observe its laws faithfully and fulfil their duties as citizens.
• The handbook refers to the Queen; since September 2022 the oath and affirmation have been made to King Charles III.

The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Everything else on the island of Ireland forms a separate, independent country. Officially, the UK is called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

By contrast, Great Britain covers only England, Scotland and Wales. 'The British Isles' is a geographical term for the group of islands that includes Great Britain and Ireland; it is not the name of a country. Some places are closely linked to the UK without belonging to it.

The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are Crown dependencies with their own governments. Elsewhere in the world, British overseas territories, St Helena and the Falkland Islands among them, also have ties to the UK without forming part of it. The UK as a whole is governed by Parliament at Westminster in London, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own devolved parliaments or assemblies.

The capital cities are London (England and the UK), Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales) and Belfast (Northern Ireland).

• The UK is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• The remainder of the island of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, is a separate independent country outside the UK.
• Great Britain is England, Scotland and Wales only.
• Northern Ireland is part of the UK but not of Great Britain.
• The handbook uses 'Britain' and 'British' to mean everyone in the UK, even though Great Britain strictly excludes Northern Ireland.
• Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• 'The British Isles' is a geographical term, not the name of a country.
• Crown dependencies: the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
• Crown dependencies have their own governments and are not part of the UK.
• British overseas territories, St Helena and the Falkland Islands among them, have ties to the UK without being part of it.
• The UK is governed by Parliament at Westminster in London.
• Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved parliaments or assemblies; England does not.
• Devolved parliaments and assemblies can only act in the policy areas handed to them; everything else stays with the UK Parliament at Westminster.
• Wales's devolved body, called the National Assembly for Wales in the handbook, was renamed the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) in 2020.
• Capital of England and of the UK: London.
• Capital of Scotland: Edinburgh.
• Capital of Wales: Cardiff.
• Capital of Northern Ireland: Belfast.