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Great Britain

Many foreigners say “England” and “English” when they mean “Britain”.

This is very annoying for the 5 million people who live in Scotland, the 2.8 million in Wales and 1.5 million in Northern Ireland who are certainly not English (46 million people live in England). However, the people from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England are all British.

The “UK” is an abbreviation of “the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” and is the official name of Great Britain. It occupies the territory of the British Isles and is one thirtieth part of Europe. The British Isles consist of two main islands (Great Britain and Ireland) and over 5 hundred small islands. Great Britain and Ireland are separated by the Irish Sea. The north-west and west of GB is surrounded by the Atlantic ocean, in the east it is washed by the North Sea, in the south it is separated from France by the English Channel. The country lies to the north-west of Europe. The total area of the United Kingdom is 244.100 square kilometres (94,250 sq.miles): with some 56 million people, it ranks about 14th in terms of population of the world.

The capitals of the four parts of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are London (also the capital of the United Kingdom – 6,770,400 people; 609 sq.mi. (1575 sq.km), Edinburgh – 470,085 people, Cardiff – 281.500 people, Belfast – 296.900 people.

As Britain is situated on islands and it is washed by seas from all sides, the climate and the nature of it is very specific: it is not very cold in winter and never very hot in summer. The climate is generally mild and temperate. The average range of temperatures in winter is above 25oC (77oF) and in summer is below – 5oC (23oF). January and February are usually the coldest months, July and August – the warmest. There is no ice on lakes and rivers in winter. The snow does not lie on the ground for long. But it often rains in GB. Rain falls all the year round. In autumn and winter there are often cold, thick fogs. The weather changes very often, so they say: “There is no climate in England, there is only the weather”.

The island of GB is distinctly divided into 2 parts: mountainous (north and west) and lowland (south and east). Scotland is a mountainous country, especially in the north. The main chain of mountains is called the Grampians, the highest peak is Ben Nevis. The northern part of Scotland is called the Highlands, the southern part is known as the Lowlands. England is separated from Scotland by the Cheviot Hills, running from east to west. In Wales there are the Cumbrians, the highest peak of which is Snowdon.

There are many rivers in GB, but they are not long. The longest river is the Severn (210 miles). The most important and deepiest river is the Thames (200 miles), on which the capital of the UK London, stands. The chief river in Scotland is the Clyde. Many of the English and Scottish rivers are joined by canals, so it’s possible to travel by water from one end of GB to the other.

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The UK has many beautiful lakes in Scotland and in the North-West of England. The largest of them are Loch Lomond and Windermere.

The best known lake is Loch Ness where as some people think a large monster lives. The lake district in Northern England with its lakes, valleys and hills is very picturesque.

The nature of the British Isles is picturesque especially in Highlands. This is the region of mountains and rivers, small towns and villages. Everyone who comes to England says that it looks like one great beautiful park.

The Englishmen love their country and take care of it. They are very fond of hedges and prefer them to ordinary fences. The hedges look very beautiful in different seasons.

The UK has a rich and varied landscape that sometimes shows marked contrasts within short distances, particularly on the coasts. Most of the land is agricultural, out of which over one third is arable, and suitable for growing various crops like wheat, barley, oats, corn together with potatoes and sugar beet. Gardening is also developed and lots of vegetables are produced for the people living in the cities. There is a lot of dairy cattle in the wetter west, and beef cattle in the drier east while sheep are also quite numerous.

GB is highly developed industrial country. The main industries are shipbuilding, centered in London, Glasgow, Newcastle and near Liverpool, coalmining, textile industry, the woolen industry, electronics, aircraft engineering and chemical industry. Birmingham is the center of the British heavy industry. The most important industrial cities and towns are London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and the others. GB exports machinery, vessels, motors and other goods to many countries of the world . A lot of British textiles are exported too. At the same time GB imports some food products and raw materials from different parts of the world.

The UK is a parliamentary monarchy. The Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the State but the executive power in the country belongs to the Parliament. The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The main political parties are the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the Labour Party and the Party of Liberal Democrats. The Prime Minister is usually the head of the party in power.

There are four main nationalities in the UK: the English, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish. Each of them has its own language and culture. So it seems that most Welsh and Scottish people are happy to form part of the UK even though they sometimes complain that they are dominated by England, and particularly by London.

Wales is officially bilingual, and Welsh is spoken by about a fifth of its population. The Scottish and Irish forms of Gaelic l-ge survive in some parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland; and some groups continue to use their own (national) languages, usually in addition to English.

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Vocabulary

to occupy – зд. занимать, охватывать to consist of – состоять (из)

to be separated from – быть отдаленным (от)

to be surrounded by – зд. быть окруженным (чем-либо)

to be situated on – зд. быть расположенным (на чем-либо) average – средний

distinctly – зд. точно (отчетливо)

to be divided into – быть разделенным (на что-либо) chief – зд. основной, главный

to be joined by – быть соединенным (чем-либо) picturesque – живописный

hedges – зд. живая изгородь varied – разнообразный

arable – зд. пригодная для культивации land – пахотная земля

wheat – пшеница barley – ячмень oats – овес

corn – кукуруза vessels – суда

executive – исполнительный bilingual – двуязычный

Parliament – парламент Monarchy – монархия

Ex.1 Make the correct form of the verb in brackets, using Present Simple:

1.The UK (to occupy) the territory of the British Isles.

2.The British Isles (to consist of) two main islands and 500 smaller ones.

3.The country (to lie) to the north-west of Europe.

4.The UK (to have) many beautiful lakes in Scotland.

5.GB (to import) raw materials from many countries of the world.

Ex.2 Make the correct form of the verb in brackets, using Passive Voice:

1.The north-west of GB (to surround) the Atlantic Ocean.

2.GB and Ireland (to separate) the Irish Sea.

3.GB (to separate) France … the English Channel.

4.The Island of GB (to divide) into 2 parts.

5.English and Scottish rivers (to join) … canals.

6.Gardening in GB (to develop) and lots of vegies (vegetables) (to produce) for

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the people.

Ex.3 Use the correct form of the verb “to be”:

1.There … no ice on rivers and lakes in winter.

2.In autumn in Britain there … often thick fogs.

3.There … a lot of dairy cattle in the wetter west.

4.There … a lot of sheep in the Highlands.

5.There … four main nationalities in the UK.

Ex.4 Use the appropriate (comparative or superlative) degree of an adjective:

1.January and February are (cold) months in GB.

2.Lochness is (good) known lake in Scotland.

3.Severn is (long) than the Thames.

4.(important) and (deep) river in England is the Thames.

5.Ben Nevis is (high) peak of the Grampians.

Ex.5 Use the correct article (definite or indefinite), where necessary:

1.… people from … Scotland, … Wales, … Northern Ireland and … England are all British.

2.… north-west of GB is surrounded by … Atlantic Ocean, in the east it is washed by … North Sea and in … south it is separated from France by …

English Channel.

3.… UK lies to … north-west of Europe.

4.… capitals of … four parts of … UK: are … London, Edinburgh, … Cardiff and … Belfast.

5.Some people think that in … Lochness … large monster lives.

6.… Englishmen love their country.

Ex.6 Choose the correct preposition in the following sentences:

4. GB consists … 3 parts: England, Scotland and Wales. a) with b) for c) of

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5. GB export machinery and vessels … the other countries of the world. a) from b) with c) to

Ex.7 Complete the sentences:

1.The official name of the country is … .

2.The British Isles consist of … .

3.The country lies to … .

4.… is separated from … by … .

5.… consists of 3 parts: … .

6.The population of the country is about … .

7.The island of GB is divided into … and … .

8.Many rivers are joined by … .

9.The lake district is … .

10.The Englishmen are very … of hedges and … of them.

11.The UK has a very … and … landscape.

12.GB … many … to the other … of the … .

Ex.8 Answer the questions:

1.What is the UK?

2.What do the British Isles consist of?

3.What is the water border between Great Britain and Europe?

4.What are the capitals of the UK?

5.What are the features of the English climate?

6.What parts is the island of GB divided into?

7.What are the main rivers in GB?

8.What are peculiar features of the British Isles nature?

9.Describe the UK agriculture?

10.Name the main industries of GB?

11.What is the political system of the UK?

12.What are the main nationalities in the UK?

Ex.9 Translate from Russian into English:

1.Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии состоит из двух больших островов и более 500 мелких.

2.Климат Британии умеренный.

3.Британские острова расположены к северо-западу от Европы.

4.Природа Британии довольно живописна.

5.Многие британцы предпочитают окружать свои дома живым фасадом.

6.Британия имеет благоприятные условия для выращивания различных сельскохозяйственных культур.