The british character, sights of the uk
Part 1 «THE UNITED KINGDOM»
1. a) Give your associations to the United Kingdom:
b) Choose one of the points and tell about it in details.
2. Do the test about the UK:
1. How many countries does the UK consist of?
| a) 2 | b) 4 | c) 3 |
2. Who rules the country?
| a) the Prime-Minister | b) the Queen | c) the President |
3. What is the capital of the UK?
| a) London | b) Manchester | c) Washington |
4. In which part of the UK do men wear skirts?
| a) Wales | b) Ireland | c) Scotland |
5. What is the main river of Great Britain?
| a) the Rhine | b) the Thames | c) the Seine |
6. What is the name of the Queen?
| a) Victoria | b) Diana | c) Elizabeth |
7. What kind of monarchy is there in the UK?
| a) absolute | b) constitutional | c) non |
8. What is Big Ben?
| a) bell | b) clock | c) tower |
9. What is the Tower of London?
| a) museum | b) prison | c) fortress |
10. What is the symbol of London?
| a) Big Ben | b) the Tower | c) British museum |
11. What do the British like to discuss?
| a) money | b) weather | c) politics |
12. What is the usual place where the British meet in the evenings?
| a) pub | b) café | c) restaurant |
13. What is a typical British meal?
| a) lunch | b) dinner | c) tea |
14. Which university is not a British one?
| a) Harvard | b) Cambridge | c) Oxford |
3. Work in groups. Look at the words and make up a text about GB. Choose one person to present your text:
| England often Wales river to be washed by Scotland Northern Ireland the Highlands country | cities population highly-developed head capital Oxford and Cambridge to be famous for the Parliament to be situated the Atlantic ocean | total area main London to consist to be ruled the Thames the Lowlands surface | queen Irish sea British Isles different traditions snow climate rain industrial |
Read the text and compare it with the text you’ve done in the group. What new information have you learnt?
GREAT BRITAIN
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. Their total area is over 244,000 square kilometres.
The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and the Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales and does not include the Northern Ireland. But in everyday speech 'Great Britain' is used to mean the United Kingdom. The capital of the UK is London. The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.
The surface of the British Isles varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called the Highlands, while the south, which has beautiful valleys and plains, is called the Lowlands. The north and west of England are mountainous. Mountains are not very high. There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.
The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of Gulf Stream influence the climate of the British Isles. It is mild the whole year round. It is never too hot or too cold here. In winter they have all sorts of weather. Sometimes it rains and sometimes it snows.
The UK is one of the world's smaller countries. Its population is over 57 million.
The UK is a highly developed industrial country. There are many big industrial cities there, such as Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and many others. The UK is known as one of the world's largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding.
Great Britain is a country with old cultural traditions and customs. The most famous educational centres are Oxford and Cambridge universities.
They are considered to be the intellectual centres of Europe. The education is not free, it is very expensive.
The UK is a constitutional monarchy. In law, the Head of the State is the Queen. In practice, the Queen reigns, but does not rule. The country is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the Labour, the Conservative and the Liberal parties.
VOCABULARY
| to be situated to consist of (to be made up of) to include part the Northern Ireland total area to wash to be washed by to separate to be separated from by coast surface mountainous deep mild industry producer chief (main) aircraft equipment navigation equipment agriculture textile to be considered constitutional monarchy in law the head of the state to reign to govern Prime minister to form elected government at the head chamber party the House of Commons the House of Lords a highly developed industrial country | располагаться, находиться г-либо состоять из включать в себя часть Северная Ирландия общая площадь территории омывать омываться ч-либо отделять отделять ч-либо от ч-либо морское побережье земная поверхность (ландшафт) гористый глубокий мягкий (климат) промышленность, отрасль производитель главный, основной авиационное оборудование навигационное оборудование сельское хозяйство, земледелие текстиль считается, воспринимается конституционный монархия по закону глава государства царствовать управлять, править премьер-министр формировать, образовывать избранное правительство во главе палата партия палата общин палата лордов высокоразвитая индустриальная страна |
EXERCISES
5. Match the two halves of the sentence:
1) The British Isles are separated from …
2) The western coast of Great Britain is …
3) The North of Scotland is mountainous and is …
4) There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but …
5) The UK is known as …
6) The UK is …
7) The country is ruled by …
8) The British Parliament consists of …
9) The warm waters of Gulf Stream influence …
a. … the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel.
b. … two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
c. … the climate of the British Isles.
d. … the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head.
e. … one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment.
f. … a constitutional monarchy.
g. … washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.
h. … called the Highlands.
i. … they are not very long.
6. Fill in the gaps with the correct verb: