The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Тема: Велика Британія. Географічне положення та політична система країни.
План роботи
I. A) Читання, робота із виділеними словами та обговорення тексту.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The UK is situated on two large islands called the British Isles. The larger island is Great Britain, the smaller is Ireland. The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It consists of four parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
The country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Irish Sea. The area of the UK is 84, 550 square miles. The population is 57 million people.
If you travel to Great Britain from Ukraine, it will take you two days to pass through several countries on the continent by train, and six more hours to cross the English Channel by boat. If you fly to Great Britain, it will take you only three and a half hours.
There are also mountain chains in Scotland, Wales and North-West England, but they are not very high. North-West England is also famous for its beautiful lakes. The longest river in England is the Severn and the deepest is the Thames. London stands on the river Thames. London is the capital of England.
The sea enters deeply into the land. It has a great influence on the climate. The climate is damp, but mild. The winter is not very cold and the summer is not very hot. The winds are very warm: refreshing breezes come from the sea. There is much rain during the year. In fact, no region in the country is dry for three weeks. England is also famous for its fogs. Englishmen call them "pea soups". But, in fact, there is no fog in England now.
Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. The formal head of the state is Queen Elizabeth II. But the Prime Minister is the real head of the state. He is the head of the government. Ministers govern Great Britain. And queen doesn’t have any power at all. She is only a symbol of Great Britain.
Parliament makes laws. It consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. People elect the members of the House of Commons (MPs). The members of the House of Lords inherit their titles. MPs receive a salary, and the members of the House of Lords do not receive a salary. The UK doesn't have any written constitution.
Great Britain has a very powerful economy. It is a manufacturing and trading nation. It exports cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles. But it doesn't produce enough food. The UK imports food. Englishmen raisesheep for meat and wool. They grow potatoes, sugar beets and wheat. Apple and cherry orchards in spring are very beautiful. Natural resources of the UK are gas, coal and oil.
I. B) Виконання післятекстових вправ.
Ex 1.Choose the right words from given in brackets.
1) The UK is situated on (two, three) large islands called the British Isles.
2) It consists of (three, four) parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
3) (Scotland, England) is the largest part of the UK.
4) Southern Ireland now called (Eire, the Irish Republic) is independent of the UK.
5) The country is washed by the (Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean), (the North Sea, the Southern Sea) and the (Irish Sea, British Sea).
6) The population of the UK is (60, 57) million people.
7) If you travel to Great Britain from Ukraine, it will take you two days to pass through several countries on the continent by (plane, train, ship), and six more hours to cross the English Channel (by boat, by train).
8) North-West England is also famous for its (beautiful lakes, mountain chains).
9) If you fly to Great Britain, it will take you only ( 3, 5) hours.
10) The longest river in England is (the Severn, the Thames).
11) The deepest river in England is (the Severn, the Thames).
12) The sea has (a great influence, no influence) on the climate.
13) The winds are very warm: refreshing (breezes, storms) come from the sea.
14) There is (much, not much) rain during the year.
15) England is also famous for its (fogs, pea soups).
16) There is no fog in England now. (Antipollution, pollution) helped.
17) Great Britain is a (constitutional, absolute) monarchy.
18) (The real, the formal) head of the state is Queen Elizabeth II.
19) (The Queen, Parliament) makes laws.
20) People elect the members of (the House of Commons, the House of Lords).
21) (MPs, the members of the House of Lords) receive a salary.
22) (MPs, members of the House of Lords) inherit their titles.
23)Great Britain has a very (weak, powerful economy).
24) It (exports, imports) buses, trucks, motorcycles.
25 The country (exports, imports) food.
26) Englishmen raise (sheep, cows) for meat and wool.
27) They grow (wheat, sugar beets, and bananas).
Ex. 2. A)Match the pieces of information in column B with topics in column A.
| A | B |
| a. Monarch (queen or king) |
| b. about 1, 170 members |
| c. Constitutional Monarchy, parliamentary democracy |
| d. wool, beef, cattle, milk, chicken and eggs, pigs, wheat, potatoes, barley, sugar beet |
| e. Parliament of two houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords |
| f. food and beverages, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, electrical and electronic goods, machinery, motor vehicles, textiles and clothing, rubber and plastics goods, iron and steel, meal manufactures, ceramics |
| g. 651 member |
| h. Prime Minister (chosen from candidates of the leading political party) |
| i. Cabinet of Ministers headed by Prime Minister |
| g. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland |
| k. pound, also called pound sterling |
B) Make up to 10-12 (your own) questions, using the following models:
- Who rules the UK? / Who makes laws in the UK?/ What products does the UK produce?/ What is the function of the Prime Minister?/What industrial goods are mostly produced in the UK?
Ask them to your partner.