Name interesting facts you have learnt about British traditions, holidays and customs, especially those different from the Russian ones.

Comment on the following statements.

1. It is generally believed that English people respect their traditions very much.

2. There a lot of traditional ceremonies in the UK that have been preserved since old times and are still regularly observed.

3. One of the well-known English traditions is 5 o’clock tea.

4. Christmas is the main public holiday in Great Britain.

Make a presentation of the most famous Russian holidays and traditions.

Appendix 1. Do you know Britain well?

The Land

1. Give the names of:

a) the longest river,

b) the highest mountain,

c) the largest lake,

d) the largest city outside London,

e) the busiest port in Great Britain.

2. What islands do the British Isles consist of?

3. What waters separate the British Isles from the continent of Europe?

4. What natural regions can the territory of Great Britain be divided into?

5. Which are the most important rivers and lakes in Great Britain?

6. Which river does Oxford stand on?

7. What is the main difference between the Cumbrians and the Cambrians?

8. What climate does Great Britain enjoy?

9. What is the average winter temperature in Great Britain?

10. What mineral resources is Great Britain rich in?

The State

1. What is the state order in the United Kingdom?

2. What does the term English Constitution mean? Can you name some important documents which contain the leading principles of British legislation?

3. Which are the three branches of state power in the United Kingdom and what bodies are they represented by?

4. What is the position of the monarch in the British constitution?

5. What are the main functions of British Parliament today?

6. What do you know about the House of Lords/Commons?

7. What political parties of Great Britain do you know?

8. What is the British Commonwealth of Nations?

9. What is the name of the English state flag?

10. What do the crosses on the state flag of the UK stand for?

11. What flower is the national emblem of England/Scotland/ Wales/Northern Ireland?

12. What is the name of the building in which the British Parliament sits?

13. Why did the Romans call Britain Albion?

14. Which of the two Houses of Parliament has more power?

15. What is Downing Street in London known for?

16. Where are most of the government offices situated in London?

17. Why is a district in the centre of England called The Black Country?

The Economy

1. What industries are mostly developed in Great Britain?

2. What branches of industry appeared in the 20th century?

3. What agricultural activities are developed in different regions of the country?

4. What is the name of one of the biggest textile industry canters in England?

5. What is the name of the biggest city in Scotland, famous for its shipyards?

6. Where is woolen industry concentrated?

7. What do Britain’s major imports/exports include?

The People, the Way of Life

1. What is the population of Great Britain?

2. What languages are spoken in the United Kingdom today?

3. What religions can be found in modern Britain?

4. Which are the most popular sports in Great Britain?

5. What holidays do people celebrate in Great Britain?

6. How do people usually spend Saturday and Sunday?

7. What kinds of entertainment are popular in Britain?

8. Which are the best-known monuments/museums/galleries/palaces/ castles/ parks of Great Britain?

9. How are the fur hats of the Queen’s lifeguards called?

10. What is the ceremony which takes place daily in the forecourt of the official residence of the Queen?

11. What are English buses called?

London

1. Where are most of London’s big department stores? When are they especially crowded? Why?

2. What is the name of the tower which contains the famous Big Ben?

3. What is the name of an English architect who built 50 churches in London?

4. Who guards Nelson in the Trafalgar Square?

5. What is the name of the headquarters of London police?

6. Who was the first monarch who took residence in Buckingham Palace?

7. What is the name of London underground?

8. Who lives in the Tower of London?

9. What is the famous place in Hyde Park where people can say anything they like?

10. What are the English policemen called?

11. What important events took place in London’s history in 1066 (1577; 1666; 1836; 1863; 1952.)?

GENERAL ENGLISH

Учебное пособие для студентов очной формы обучения всех специальностей и направлений подготовки

Составители: Гулканян М.К., Гимранова Г.Ш.