III. Переведите следующие предложения, догадайтесь о значении подчеркнутых слов.
Great Britain
I. Прочитайте и переведите следующие интернациональные слова:
Capitalist, climate, constitutional, industrial, kilometre, monarchy, nationality, navigation, ocean, parliament, party, political, textile, total.
II. Переведите следующие производные:
king – kingdom, north – northern, mountain – mountaneous, develop – development – developed, machine – machinery, navigate – navigation, equip – equipment, dense – density – densely, populate – population – populated, constitution – constitutional, national – nationality, monarch – monarchy, govern – government, elect – election – elected, rule – ruler – ruling.
III. Переведите следующие предложения, догадайтесь о значении подчеркнутых слов.
1) There are a lot of health resorts on the coast of the Black Sea. 2) Belarus is situated in the centre of Europe. 3) Russia is the biggest producer of steel in the world. 4) The area of United Kingdom is 244 thousand square kilometres. 5) The climate of Great Britain is damp, that means that there is a lot of rain throughout the year. 6) The American President is elected every four years. 7) A flying machine of any kind is called an aircraft.
IV. Заполните пропуски, необходимыми по смыслу словами, приведенными ниже.
nationalities, head, capital, reigned, mountains, chambers, densely, climate, area, coast, island, parliament.
1) The … of England as well as of Great Britain is London. 2) The British parliament has two … . 3) Queen Elizabeth II is the … of the state. 4) England is the most … populated part of the island. 5) The Scots and the Welsh still feel that they are separate … . 6) Queen Elizabeth I … in the 16 th century. 7) Scotland is a land of … . 8) The centre of England (the "Midlands") is an …, and you are never far from the sea. 10) The east … of Scotland is busy with oil rigs and fishing boats. 11) The … of the USA is different in every part of the country. 12) … is the real government of Britain.
V. Read and translate the text.
Great Britain
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is situated on the British Isles. Great Britain and Ireland and the largest islands and there are about five thousand small islands. The total area of the UK is about 244 thousand square kilometres.
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 and west are mountaneous, but all the rest is a vast plain. The mountains are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest peak in Great Britain.
There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain but they are rather short. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one. The climate of the country is mild and damp and it is very good for agriculture.
Great Britain is not very rich in natural resources, it has some deposits of coal and iron ore and vast deposits of oil and gas that were discovered in the North Sea.
The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It is one of the world’s largest producers of machinery, electronics, textiles, aircraft and navigation equipment.
Great Britain is a densely populated country, its population is over 57 million. The four main nationalities are the English, the Irish, the Welsh and the Scots. The official language is English.
The UK is a constitutional monarchy, 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. The main political parties are the Labour, the Conservative and the Liberal parties. The Labour Party is the ruling party nowadays.
The capital of Great Britain is London. It is situated on the river Thames. It is one of the largest cities and ports in the world.
VI. Найдите в тексте:
а) слово, подходящее к следующим определениям:
1) to be composed of; 2) a number of people living in a place; 3) a large stretch of flat land; 4) a state ruled by a king or queen; 5) a very high hill; 6) a person or company that produces goods.
б) синонимы к следующим словам:
wet, territory, seashore, plane, state, tongue, govern, chief.
VII. Воспроизведите предложения из текста, где встречаются следующие слова и выражения:
to be washed by, area, to consist of, surface, climate, developed, populated, rule
VIII. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:
1) What is the official name of Great Britain? 2) What do we call a group of islands on which the UK is situated? 3) What are the names of the biggest islands? 4) What seas surround the British Isles? 5) Are the mountains in Great Britain low or high? 6) What can you say about the climate of Great Britain? 7) Does Great Britain import or export aircraft and navigation equipment? 8) What can you say about the composition of the population of Great Britain? 9) Is the UK a monarchy or a republic? 10) Is the Queen the head of the government? 11) What is the role of the Queen to-day? 12) How many chambers has the English Parliament? What are they? 13) Which is the ruling party now? 14) What kind of city is London?
GEOGRAPHY
I. Прочитайте и переведите следующие интернациональные слова:
analysis, antiguity, aspect, cartography, dimatology, complex, energy, fauna, flora, geology, geomorphology, global, hydrology, industrial, interpretation, mathematics, method, mineral, natural, ocean, phenomena, physics, potential, rational, regional, resources, service, specific, territory.
GEOGRAPHY
The origins of geography as a science go back to antiquity. At first, it concerned itself with the description of various parts of the world, of near and distant countries. The name "geography" means "description of the Earth" (from the Greek "geo-" earth, and grapho" – I write).
Geographers and travellers penetrated every corner of the Earth and plotted all the explored areas on geographical maps. Eventually very few unexplored places remained, and geography went over from fact gathering and description to the interpretation and explanation of the arrangement of things on the Earth's surface.
Modern geography makes a deep analysis of the relationship among the phenomena of nature and of the economic life of society. In studying these relationships, geographers make use of other branches of science such as physics, chemistry biology, geology, mathematics and social sciences.
The main emphasis in geographic research is now on studying the natural environment, the natural resources of specific areas and determining the most rational methods of utilizing them.
Discovery is still one of the fascinating aspects of this science. There are some blank spaces on the map of the world.
What vast natural resources every such blank space conceals! Mountain ranges abound in ore, valuable timber and swift mountain torrents, the potential source of energy; wide-stretching plains rich in forests, various kinds of minerals, rivers, lakes and subterranean waters and the ocean is rich in food fauna and minerals. To reveal the secrets of unexplored territories and water areas, to chart them on a map, to study nature's riches and place them at the service of mankind – such is the task of the geographic explorer.
Modern geography is a complex science having many interconnected branches. They are: physical geography, economic geography, social geography and cartography.
Physical geography includes landscape study, geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, soil geography and biogeography; economic and social geography include population geography, industrial geography, agricultural geography, geography of transport and service. Cartography is concerned with making up of all sorts of maps. On the boundary between physical and economic geography there have appeared some "marginal" branches of geography: political, historical, medical and recreational, geography.
General geography studies global problems, while regional geography is concerned with the study of nature and resources of a definite country or area.
IV. Найдите в тексте слова, определения которым даны ниже:
a) a science that is concerned with the description of the Earth;
b) a place on the Earth's surface that has not been explored and plotted on the map;
c) a branch of geography that is concerned with making up maps;
d) nature's riches that can be used by mankind;
e) a person who explores nature;
f) a group of mountains.
V. Найдите в тексте слова и словосочетания, близкие по значению следующим словам и словосочетаниям:
to study; a far-away country; plot on a map; to find out; unexplored areas; abundant resources, to be rich in something, to open a secret; to make it possible for mankind to use nature's riches; underground waters.
VI. Найдите в тексте слова, противоположные по значению следующим словам:
to be unconcerned, to conceal, distant, general geography, indefinite, regional problems, scarce resources, valueless.
VII. Найдите в тексте прилагательные, характеризующие следующие существительные:
area, environment, geography, mountain torrents, plains, resources, spaces.
PART II
This is Britain
“Great Britain” has several different names. Some people say “Britain” or “the United Kingdom”, or just “UK”. There are four different countries in the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Everyone from Britain is British, but only people from England are English. People from Scotland are Scottish, people from Wales are Welsh, and people from Northern Ireland are Irish. Don’t call a Scottish or Welsh person English. He won’t like it! The fact is that the Scots and the Welsh still feel that they are separate nationalities.
Altogether more than 56 million people live in Britain, many of them in big industrial cities like London, Liverpool and Manchester, but people are often surprised by how much of Britain is open country, with lonely hills and woods, quiet rivers, lakes and farmlands.
Everyone in Britain speaks English. But in some parts of Scotland and Wales people speak an older language as well. The Welsh are especially proud of their language, and you can see road signs in Welsh all over Wales.
Everyone speaks English, but they do not all speak in the same way. A Scottish person has to listen carefully if he wants to understand a Londoner. And when a Welsh person speaks everyone knows at once where he comes from!
Many people think that the weather is cold and wet in Britain all the year-round. But it isn’t! True, it sometimes rains and even snows for days and days, but every year there are weeks of beautiful sunny weather when the British put on their bikinis and go out to sunbathe.
Answer the following questions:
1. What other names has Great Britain? What is the official name of the state?
2. What are the main nationalities in Great Britain and what countries do they live in?
3. Why don’t Scottish and Welsh people like to be called English?
4. Does the majority of Britain’s population live in cities or in the country?
5. What people speak some other language besides English?
6. Is it easy for people from different parts of Great Britain to understand each other? Does the same problem exist in our country?
7. Is it correct to say that the English weather is nasty?
NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST
Britain is only a small country, but every part is different. Scotland is a land of mountains, lakes and romantic castles. The winters are cold, with plenty of snow, but the summers are often warm and sunny. Most farmers keep sheep, and there are many small factories which make fine sweaters from their wool. In some parts of Scotland, there are very few people. Deer live in the hills, and rivers are full of salmon. But Glasgow and Edinburgh are both large and busy, with all that is good (and bad) in modern cities.
Northern Ireland has its problems, but it has beauty too. In the warm, wet climate, the grass grows a brilliant green, and much of the land is farming country. Belfast is a large industrial city with many fine buildings and a big port from which ships come and go to Scotland and England. But Belfast has had many difficult years, and it is not the busy place it once was.
In the north of England there are many old industrial towns. Now, a great number of factories have closed and thousands of people have no work. Some have moved to the new towns, built in the 1960s and 1970s, where the industries are more modern. Outside the towns, much of this part of England is beautiful countryside, with green hills, lakes and sandy beaches. Fishing is an important industry in the North East, and every night (except Sunday) the fishing boats go out to sea.
The centre of England (the Midlands) is also an important industrial area, especially near the huge cities of Coventry and Birmingham, the centre of the car industry. But everywhere, even in the heart of a modern city, there are buildings from an older Britain – cathedrals, castles, and houses built hundreds years ago.
Wales is a special place, a country of high mountains and pretty valleys. But Wales has plenty of industry too, with many factories and coal mines. The people of Wales are very musical. Every year they have a festival of Welsh music and poetry called an “Eisteddfod”.
The west of England is rich farming country. It produces milk, cream, butter, cheese (especially Cheddar cheese, Britain’s favourite), and apples, which go to make cider, a popular drink in the villages. Country people often grow their own fruit, vegetables and flowers.
Some areas of Britain are very crowded. Around Manchester, in north west England and Glasgow, in Scotland, are large city areas of houses and factories. The south east of England, too, has many towns and cities, including London, the giant capital. But quite near London there are some quiet villages and peaceful farms.
Britain is an island, of course, and you are never too far from the sea. Some of the coast, especially in the west, is wild and rocky, with small sandy beaches, and romantic old harbours. Other parts are industrial. The east coast of Scotland, for example, is busy with oil rigs and fishing boats. The most popular beaches are near the many holiday towns on the south coast, where the weather is usually warmer. It is here that Londoners come to relax.
Answer the following questions:
1. Can you say that Britain has a varied landscape?
2. In what parts of Britain is the climate favourable for agriculture?
3. What problems do old industrial towns have?
4. What part of Britain is the industrial centre of the state?
5. The Welsh are musical people, aren’t they?
6. What products are produced in the west of England?
7. What are the most populated areas in Britain?
8. Would you prefer to spend your holiday on the west or south coast of Great Britain? Why?
LONDON
London has been a capital city for nearly thousand years, and many of its ancient buildings still stand. The most famous of these are the Tower of London (where the Crown jewels are kept), Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral, but most visitors also want to see the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace (the Queen’s London home) and the many magnificent museums.
Once, London was a small Roman town on the north bank of the Thames, but slowly it grew into one of the world’s major cities with more than seven million people. Fewer people live in the centre now, but the suburbs are still growing.
Places now in the heart of London like Westminster, once stood in the middle of green fields. Many small villages, like Hampstead, Chelsea and Mayfair, became part of London, but they still keep some of their old atmosphere. Different areas of London seem like different cities. The West End is a rich man’s world of shops, offices and theatres. The East End is the old working people’s district, where there are many small flats and houses, some of them old, some new.
London is always changing. New buildings go up and old ones come down. Poorer areas become fashionable and people with more money move into them.
A hundred years ago, the river was crowded with ships, leaving for Java and Japan, New Zealand and New York, but now the port is nearly empty. People travel by air, and London’s main airport Heathrow is one of the busiest in the world.
Like all old cities, London has streets and concrete buildings, but it also has many big parks, full of trees, flowers and grass. Sit on the grass (you are allowed to!) in the middle of Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens, and you will think that you in the country, miles away.
Many people live outside the centre of London in the suburbs, and they travel to work by train, bus or underground. Every day, nearly half a million office workers travel into the “City”, the business centre of London, a small area full of banks and offices. Some people come from far out of London, even from the coast, and spend up to four hours travelling every day.
Working hours are from 9 am to 5 p.m. From 8 until 10 every morning, and 4.30 to 6.30 every evening, the trains are crowded with people, and after the morning “rush hour” the shoppers come.
By day the whole of London is busy. At night, the City is quiet and empty, but the West End stays alive, because this is where Londoners come to enjoy themselves. There are two opera houses here, several concert halls and many theatres, as well as cinemas, and in nearby Soho the pubs, restaurants and night clubs are busy half the night.
Many people think that London is all grey, but in fact red is London’s favourite colour. The buses are red, the letter boxes are red, and the mail vans are all bright, bright red. London is at its best when people are celebrating. Then the flags, the soldiers’ uniforms, the cheering crowds and the carriages and horses all sparkle in the sunshine – if it is not raining, of course!
Answer the following questions:
1. What are the oldest buildings in London?
2. On what bank of the river Thames did London originate?
3 Many people prefer to live in the outskirts of London, don’t they?
4. What districts of London were once villages?
5. Why has the port lost its importance?
6. What is characteristic of the City?
7. Where can Londoners spend their evenings?
8. What colour is London’s favourite?
EDINBURGH
Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital, and one of the most beautiful cities in Britain. It has been the capital since fifteenth century when it was the centre of Scotland’s resistance to its enemies. The heart of Edinburgh is the thousand-year-old castle, where the kings of Scotland lived for centuries. Nowadays, it overlooks one of Europe’s most famous streets, Prince Street.
From Edinburgh castle you can see for miles, north over the beautiful old streets and squares to the “Firth”, and arm of the sea that pushes island. Far away are the mountains of Central Scotland, often covered with snow.
There are also the Royal Palace of Holyrood and many other beautiful monuments. It is a city of elegant Georgian architecture.
Edinburgh has a busy cultural life. Every year, in September, the international Festival takes place. Musicians, actors and singers come from all over the world and thousands of visitors fill the city. In the evening, the opera house, the theatres and the concert halls are full. In cafes and pubs, small groups sing, act and read poetry.
The castle is at its best in Festival time. Every night there is a magnificent military “Tattoo”. Highland soldiers wearing “kilts” play the bagpipes, and march to the music.
The kilt is only worn by men and is a relic of the time when the clan system existed in Scottish Highlands.
Tartans, the patterns of the kilts, have an interesting history. Since the fifteenth century, each Scottish family ( or ‘clan”) has worn its own tartan as a kind of badge. It was a useful way of recognizing people, especially in times of war. Many tartans date only from the nineteenth century, but some of the old patterns still exist. “Dress” tartans, worn on special occasions have light, bright colours. “Hunting” tartans are usually green, blue or brown.
The kilt and the tartan are very much connected with Scottish history. In 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie came to Scotland and led a rebellion against King George II in an attempt to regain the throne for the Stuarts. Most of the Prince’s followers were highlanders from the clans. The rebellion was a disaster and at the battle of Culloden the Scots were finally defeated.
Answer the following questions:
1. How long has Edinburg been the capital of Scotland?
2. What is the castle famous for?
3. What kind of celebrations do the inhabitants of Edinburg have during the international Festival?
4. What is a kilt?
5. What is a tartan?
6. In what way are the kilt and tartan connected with Scottish history?
OXFORD
What is so special about Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest universities in England? Why do so many students want to study there?
Both of these university towns are very beautiful. They have some of the finest architecture in Britain. Some of their colleges, chapels and libraries are three, four and even five hundred years old, and are full of valuable books and precious paintings. Both towns have many lovely gardens, where the students can read and relax in the summer months.
Oxford is the older university of the two. The first of its colleges was founded in 1249. The university now has thirty-four colleges and about twelve thousand students, many of them from other countries. There were no women students at Oxford until 1878, when the first women’s college, Lady Margaret hall, opened. Now women study at most colleges.
Oxford is, of course, famous for its first-class education as well as its beautiful buildings. Some of the most intelligent men and women in the country live and work here. Oxford gives them what they need: a quiet atmosphere, friendly colleagues, and the four-hundred-year-old Bodleian library, which has above five million books.
It is not easy to get a place at Oxford University to study for a degree. But outside the university there are many smaller private colleges which offer less difficult courses and where it is easy to enroll. Most students in these private schools take business, secretarial or English language courses.
Answer the following questions:
1. Oxford is a small town with fine architecture, isn’t it?
2. What are Oxford and Cambridge famous for?
3. Which of the two universities is the older and in what century was it founded?
4. Do woman have an opportunity to study at Oxford?
5. Why do many students want to study at Oxford?
6. Is it difficult to get a place at Oxford University?
FAMILY LIFE
British and American families are small. In fact, the populations of both Britain and the USA have stopped growing. The typical family has a father, mother and two children. Grandparents come to visit, but do not usually live with their children.
Most people get married between the ages of 20 and 23, but many marriages end in divorce. This means that in both countries there are a large number of “single parent families”, one father or mother looking after their children alone.
The typical British family has a car, a colour TV set, a washing machine, and a cat or dog as well. They start the day at about 7 o’clock, have breakfast at 8, and are off to work by 8.30. More and more women now go out to work as well as men. The children have lunch at school at about 12.30 and come home at 4 in the afternoon. Their parents are usually home by 6 o’clock, and the family eats together at 6.30 or 7 .In the evening, father may go to the pub for a drink, or stay at home and watch TV with the others. Children go to bed early, at about 8 o’clock, two or thee hours before their parents.
The typical American family has more money than a British family. Many have two or three cars, large modern kitchens and more electrical goods. They eat more meat and spend more on clothes. But their daily programme is nearly the same. Like British children, American children eat lunch at school, come home mid-afternoon, and go to bed earlier than their parents.
Answer the following questions:
1. Are American and British families large or small?
2. What is a typical American family?
3. Do parents and their grown-up children live together?
4. At what age do people get married? And in our country?
5. Which people have more money to spend?
6. How much time do children spend at school?
7. How do fathers spend their evenings?
FESTIVALS
In the USA, different states celebrate different holidays, but everyone remembers July 4th, “Independence Day”. On this day, in 1776, America signed the “Declaration of Independence” and started the fight for freedom from British rule. People go out into the streets on July 4th, dress up, and take part in parades. In the evening there are always parties and fireworks.
The second big American festival is Thanksgiving Day. On the fourth Thursday in November, American families meet for a special dinner, usually with turkey, pumpkin and pies. They give thanks to God for the past year, and remember the first harvest of the first European Americans in 1621.
Children always have fun at Halloween on October 31st. They dress up as ghosts and witches. They cut up a pumpkin to look like a frightening face and put a light inside. They go from house to house and say “Trick or Treat?” If they get a “treat” (something nice, like sweets or an apple), they go away happy. But if they don’t, they play a “Trick”. They might put soap on the windows, or throw rubbish into the garden.
There are two days in the year when both the Americans and British remember special people. February 14th is St. Valentine’s Day. People in love send “Valentines” to each other, special cards with hearts, flowers and loving words. The second Sunday in May is “Mother’s Day”. People buy cards, flowers and chocolates for their mothers.
There are fewer public holidays in Britain than in most countries. There is Christmas Day, of course, and “Boxing Day” (the day after Christmas), New Year’s Day, the Monday after Easter, and three more Mondays, two in May and one in August.
Public holidays in Britain are called “bank holidays”, because the banks as well as shops and offices are closed.
There is no national day in Britain, but there is one festival that everyone celebrates – Christmas. The fun starts the night before, on Christmas Eve, when children hang stockings at the ends of their beds for Father Christmas to fill with toys. Christmas Day is a family day. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all meet for the big Christmas dinner of turkey and plum pudding, and everyone gives and receives presents.
In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is the biggest festival of the year. The dancing goes on all night, and too many people drink too much whisky!
One special British festival takes place on November 5th. On that day, in 1605, Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. He did not succeed, but the children of Britain never forgot him. Every year, on “Guy Fawker’s night”, they make “guys” to burn on bonfires, and let off fireworks.
There smaller, local festivals all through the year. In the spring, village children dance round the Maypole. In the autumn, people take vegetables and fruit to church for the Harvest Festival, and once a year the Lord Mayor of London puts on a show and rides through the streets in his golden coach.
Answer the following questions:
1. What festivals have roots in national traditions?
2. What is the greatest holiday in the USA? How do people celebrate it?
3. What holidays are celebrated both in Britain and the USA?
4. Which people have fewer public holidays?
5. What are the main holidays in Great Britain?
6. Why are public holidays in Britain called “bank holidays”?
7. In what way do the British celebrate Christmas?
8. What is “Guy Fawker’s night”?
9. What holidays are celebrated in spring and in autumn?
SCHOOLS
In America all children from six to sixteen go to school. They spend six years in “elementary” school, and four or six in “secondary” school. School education is free.
At the end of every school year, the child takes a test. If he does well. He goes into the next class (“grade”). If he doesn’t do well, he has to repeat the grade.
Some schools have modern teaching equipment, like computers and closed circuit television, but there are also small country schools, with just one classroom.
At the end of their time at school, most students get a higher school diploma. If they want to go on to college, they take college admission tests.
In Britain, all children from five to sixteen go to school. They spend six years in “primary” school, and then go on to “secondary” school.
In Britain there are “state” schools which are free, and private schools for which parents pay. Many British private schools are “boarding” schools. The children stay at school all the time, and only come home in the holidays. They usually wear uniforms.
Teaching in both countries is usually quite informal. Students often work together in groups and go to the teacher only when they need help.
Answer the following questions:
1. Do children in Britain and the USA start school at the same age?
2. On what condition are children allowed to go into the next grade?
3. What is required of the children who want to study at college?
4. Do parents have to pay for their children’s education?
5. What is the difference between an ordinary school and a boarding school?
Great Britain
I. Прочитайте и переведите следующие интернациональные слова:
Capitalist, climate, constitutional, industrial, kilometre, monarchy, nationality, navigation, ocean, parliament, party, political, textile, total.
II. Переведите следующие производные:
king – kingdom, north – northern, mountain – mountaneous, develop – development – developed, machine – machinery, navigate – navigation, equip – equipment, dense – density – densely, populate – population – populated, constitution – constitutional, national – nationality, monarch – monarchy, govern – government, elect – election – elected, rule – ruler – ruling.
III. Переведите следующие предложения, догадайтесь о значении подчеркнутых слов.
1) There are a lot of health resorts on the coast of the Black Sea. 2) Belarus is situated in the centre of Europe. 3) Russia is the biggest producer of steel in the world. 4) The area of United Kingdom is 244 thousand square kilometres. 5) The climate of Great Britain is damp, that means that there is a lot of rain throughout the year. 6) The American President is elected every four years. 7) A flying machine of any kind is called an aircraft.