Translate the words and words combinations given in the text in bold.
1.4. Match the words with their definitions:
| 1. shallow | 1. the state or period of flowering |
| 2. plain | 2. of little depth |
| 3. valley | 3. a large area of flat land with few trees |
| 4. bloom | 4. having the power to make laws |
| 5. legislative | 5. a low area of land between hills or mountains, typically with a river or stream flowing through it |
| 6. monarchy | 6. of small width in relation to length |
| 7. to alternate | 7. relating to or denoting a region or climate characterized by mild temperatures |
| 8. temperate | 8. a distinctive attribute or aspect of something |
| 9. narrow | 9. a form of government with a monarch at the head |
| 10. feature | 10. change repeatedly between two contrasting conditions |
II. Reading
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on two large islands and about five thousand small islands, called the British Isles, to the North-West of Europe. The total area is over
244 000 square kilometers.
The UK consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Southern Ireland now called Eire or the Irish Republic, is independent of the United Kingdom. The population of the UK is over 63million. About 80 % of the population live in cities.
Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel, the narrower part of it is called the Strait of Dover.
The country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the Irish Sea. The shallow waters of the North and the Irish Seas provide good
fishing grounds. Fishing therefore is very important.
Shakespeare called Britain a «precious stone set in the silver sea»
because of its natural beauty. It has a varied countryside where you can find mountains, plains, valleys and sandy beaches.
Mountains are an important feature of the geography of the country. There are mountain chains in Scotland, Wales and North-West England, but they are not very high. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Scotland, it is only 1343 metres high. North-West England is also famous for its beautiful lakes.
The rivers of Great Britain are not very long but usually deep and never freeze in winter. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.
Lying in the middle latitudes and surrounded by waters Britain has
a mild and temperate climate. The climate of the British Isles is generally classified as cool, temperate, though in the Highlands of Scotland it is severe. The best season for the English people is spring when everything is in full bloom, there is much sunshine and it is rather warm. Autumn and winter are famous for their fogs and rains. Fog turns into «smog» (smoke + fog) in big industrial cities. It is a very unpleasant time. The usual temperature in winter very seldom falls below 3-5 degrees Centigrade. The weather is very changeable in Great Britain, there may be all kinds of weather within one day, that is why practically every talk the English
people begin with comments on the weather.
The UK is a state with a highly developed industry. It is known as one of the world’s producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding. The UK is also one of the largest exporters of manufactured goods. At the same time it imports metal, oil, grain, meat, fruit, tea and other raw materials and foodstuffs.
The largest cities and most important industrial centers of Great
Britain are London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester,
Sheffield, Leeds, Edinburgh.
London, the capital, is one of the most important industrial centers. Lots of things such as clothes, foodstuffs, cars, aircrafts, instruments, medical equipment are produced in and around London. It is also the biggest port.
Birmingham is the centre of the production of machines, lorries,
TV sets, radios, computers, steel industry, heavy engineering.
Manchester in the North-West of England is the centre of the cotton textile industry, one of the Britain's most important producers of computers and electronic equipment, chemicals.
Oxford and Cambridge are not big industrial centers but they are famous all over the world as educational centers. The oldest and most famous universities of Great Britain are situated there. The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge date from the 12th and 13th centuries and the Scottish Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh from 15th – 16th centuries.
Oxford is international because people from all over the world come to study there. Physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, biology, geography, agriculture are studied there.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a parliamentary monarchy. Legislative power belongs to the Queen (formally) and the Parliament, which consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Officially the head of the State is the Queen (from 1952 – Elizabeth II). But the actual power belongs to the parliament and the ruling party. The powers of the Queen are limited by the constitution.
The government in the UK, since 1945 has alternated between only two political parties: the Conservative (the Tory) and the Labour Parties. No other party has been in office at all since 1945 and there have been no coalitions. The third long-established party, the Liberals, enjoyed moments of success, but no member of the Liberal Party has held government office since 1945.
III. Comprehension check
3.1. Answer the following questions:
1. Where is the United Kingdom situated?
2. What is the total area of the United Kingdom?
3. How many parts does Great Britain consist of?
4. Where are the mountain chains situated?
6. What are the largest rivers of Great Britain?
7. What is the climate of the British Isles like?
8. What is the best season for the English people?
9. What is England’s winter famous for?
10. What is smog?
11. Is the UK a state with a highly developed industry? Prove it.
12. What are the largest industrial centers in Great Britain?
13.Is the United Kingdom a parliamentary monarchy or a republic?
14. Whom does legislative power belong to?
15. What are the main political parties in the British political
system?
3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
1. The UK is situated to the North-West of Europe.
2. Oscar Wilde called Britain a «precious stone set in the silver sea».
3. The Severn is the deepest river, the Thames is the longest one.
4. Great Britain has a mild and temperate climate.
5. Summer is a very pleasant time for English people.
6. The UK is a state with a highly developed industry.
7. The UK is famous for its automobile manufacturing.
8. Great Britain imports raw materials and foodstuffs.
9. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a parliamentary monarchy.
10. The actual power belongs to the Queen.
IV. Grammar in Focus
4.1. Choose the appropriate form of the Participles:
1. … so little in the country, I am afraid 1 cannot answer all your questions.
a) Seeing b) having seen c) seen
2. The centre of the cotton industry is Manchester … with Liverpool by a canal.
a) connecting b) connected c) being connected
3. The story … by the old captain made the little girl laugh.
a) telling b) having told c) told
4. He didn’t doubt that the information … by morning mail was of great interest for his competitors.
a) receiving b) received c) has received
5. … thoroughly, the experiments gave good results.
a) having been conducted b) having conducted c) conducting
4.2. Translate the sentences paying attention
to the different forms of Participles. State its function:
A. 1. Mildly speaking you are wrong.
2. The method mentioned is worth using.
3. Though received in time the data were of no use for further research.
4. When explained the rule appeared quite simple.
5. She is checking her translation now.
6. While working in the laboratory yesterday he hurt himself.
7. She left having told us she had found out.
8. If done properly the work will give good results.
9. As I had never seen anything like that before , I was eager to see the performance.
10. We are satisfied with the quality of presented samples.
B. 1. This method of work being employed at the company is quite new and very effective.
2. Having arrived two days before the conference he had a lot of time to see Edinburgh.
3. Having been weakened by the storm the bridge was no longer safe.
4. Never having experienced such difficulties, he was at loss.
5. Being heated, most substances expand.
6. If supported I will continue the work.
7. As transported carelessly some goods were damaged.
8. Having been trained by a good teacher he could easily pass all
exams.
9. The machine-tool installed was tested by the engineer.
10. When he had passed the last examination, he began to look round for a job.
4.3. Translate into Russian paying attention to the Participle Constructions:
1. Time permitting, the manager will write a report.
2. The contract having been signed, the delegation went away.
3. It being very late, we went home.
4. The terms of delivery having been discussed, he signed the contract.
5. The morning being cold, Nick put on his overcoat.
6. Weather permitting, the plane will fly.
7. The article deals with microwaves, with particular attention being paid to radio location.
8. The weather being wet, we didn’t go for a walk.
9. With factories operating at less capacity, total output of goods and services enters a long-term decline.
10. He went to the park, his dog running after him.
11. It being a hot day, they decided to go to the country.
12. Dinner finished, she began to clear the table.
V. Speaking
5.1. Read and dramatize the dialogues with your partners. Make up your own dialogues on these models:
Task: You have been on a tour to Great Britain. You have 4 hours before leaving for the airport. Discuss with your friend how to spend this time and choose one place you would both like to go to. You can choose from:
• a shopping centre;
• a cafe;
• a museum;
• a park;
1) - So we have 4 hours before leaving for the airport. What shall
we do?
- Well, 4 hours is quite a long period of time. Why don’t we go shopping? We could buy some more gifts for our friends and relatives. I usually bring home lots of small souvenirs that remind me of the journey. Besides, it’s a good way to relax.
- Oh, no! I hate shopping. The shops are usually crowded and I am tired of too many people around me. In addition, it’s very difficult for me to choose presents.
- Well, what about going to a cafe? I’m afraid we can get hungry before the flight. Cafes are usually beautifully decorated so we could take some more pictures.
- Do you suggest spending 4 hours in a cafe? I think we’ll get bored if we spend this time in one place.
- Why? We could have delicious English tea there and try new foods. And we can speak with English people and practice our language.
- I’m afraid I don’t have enough money for a cafe. To be honest,
I didn’t plan spending any more money. I’d rather see more of the city
than sit in a stuffy cafe.
- So what do you suggest?
- Let’s go to the British Museum. It’s one of the biggest museums in Great Britain and it’s free of charge. I think we shouldn’t miss the opportunity of seeing the exhibits which are famous all over the world. Besides, there is a cafe inside and if you are hungry, you can have a snack.
- I don’t think it’s a good idea because we won’t have enough time to see the whole museum. And it’s a bit boring just to look around. I am not fond of visiting museums though I must admit that the British Museum is worth visiting.
- Oh, I agree with you and I want to see its famous library. But you are right that we won’t have enough time for everything. Why not go for
a walk to the park then?
- To the park? It sounds tempting! It’s so nice to be in the open air for a change. We have already visited so many museums! And where can
we go?
- We can go to Hyde Park, which is riot far from our hotel. Have you been there before?
- No, I haven’t been to any park in Great Britain yet. I think it would be interesting to know what they are like here.
- Of course it would. Moreover, Hyde Park is famous for its Speakers’ Corner and if we are lucky, we can see someone making a speech there.
- That’s fantastic! Anyway, we may enjoy the sunny weather and have a nice time there.
- I’m with you there! And we can take beautiful photos and show them to our families and friends. But what if the weather changes for the worse? You know, English weather is so unpredictable!
- Never mind, we’ll take our umbrellas. So what shall we decide on?
- I think that Hyde Park is the best way of spending our time. Anyway, let’s hope for the best.
- Ok. Let’s hurry.
2)- Max? What a nice surprise! It` s great to see you!
- Hi, Alex! I haven’t seen you for ages. Where have you been?
- I’ve just come back from Britain.
- Have you? How did you like it there?
- I enjoyed it greatly. I can’t say I’ve seen a lot, but I liked the places
I visited: London, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Cambridge.
- How long did you stay there?
- For a week. I wouldn’t mind staying there longer. You know, you need lots of time to see all British landmarks.
- Sure. You visited Stratford, Cambridge, Oxford and London within
a week! How did you manage?
- Stratford and Cambridge are small towns; it took me a day to go sightseeing there. Another day for Stratford-upon-Avon – all the other time I went sightseeing in London. And I can’t say I was able to see much of London. So, I have an excuse to come back there someday.
- You are right. What impressed you most?
- The weather. When I was in London, it rained the whole time.
- Is it a joke?
- About the weather? Unfortunately, it isn’. And if you mean the sights, I liked everything I saw there. Well, Ann, I’m afraid, I have to go. Goodbye.
- Goodbye, Max.
5.2*. Role-play the following situation:
1. One of you is a manager of the international travel agency. Another person is a tourist, who wants to choose the route for travelling.
A manager is offering the UK as the country for travelling. A man/a woman is asking some questions about the geographical position, the capital, the climate, big cities, etc.
2. British and Russian students exchange opinions about their countries.
5.2. Use the Internet to search for informationabout theEnglish speaking countries. Make a five-minute presentation. Use tips given in the appendix 1. Topics to be discussed:
1. The national symbols. 2. The traditions and customs. 3. The climate of the country. 4. The places of interest. 5. The most important cities. 6. The industry. 7. The state structure. 8. The main political parties. 9. The national holidays. 10. The topic you are interested in.
VI. Listening
6.1. Listen to the text Sightseeing Around Town on http://www.esl-lab.com