Great Britain
I. Listen, read, remember, write down the transcription of
unknown words:
a) England –
English
Англия – английский
Scotland – Scotch (Scottish) Шотландия
– шотландский
Wales –
Welsh Уэльс – уэльский
Northern Ireland –
Irish
Северная Ирландия – ирландский
Europe – European Европа – европейский
Asia –
Asian Азия – азиатский
Africa –
African
Африка – африканский
Edinburgh Эдинбург
the North
Sea Северное море
the English
Channel
Ла-Манш
the
Highlands
Шотландское Высокогорье
the
Thames
Темза
Great
Britain
Великобритания
the House of
Lords
Палата Лордов
the House of
Commons
Палата Общин
b)
coast
побережье
mineral
resources
полезные ископаемые
deposit
запас
coal
уголь
iron
ore
железная руда
quality
качество
goods, consumer goods
товары, товары народного потребления
labour
труд
equipment
оборудование
chemicals
химические препараты
raw
materials
сырье
precision
точность
monarchy
монархия
government
правительство
parliament
парламент
chamber
палата
с) flat
плоский, ровный
deep
глубокий
maritime
морской
vast
громадный
expensive
дорогостоящий
skilled
квалифицированный, умелый
various
различный, разный
d) to
separate
отделять
to
wash
омывать
to flow into
впадать в (море, реку)
to
discover
открывать
to
require
требовать
to
reign
царствовать
to
rule
править
to be rich
in
быть богатым ч.-л.
to consist
of
состоять из
e)
severely
сурово
typically
типично
rarely
редко
nearly
почти
II. Listen and read the text and then answer the questions after it:
GREAT BRITAIN
The
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland occupies the most
territory of the British Isles: some 5500 islands, large and small. It consists
of four main parts which are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
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.
Though there is very little flat country in Great Britain,
its mountains are not high. The Highlands of Scotland are the tallest of the
British mountains. Ben Nevis, the tallest peak of the Highlands, is only 1343 m
high.
Most of the rivers flow into the North Sea. The Severn is
the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.
The climate is typically maritime with rains, strong winds
and fogs. Winters are not severely cold and summers are rarely hot.
Great Britain is not very rich in mineral 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 population of the UK is nearly 59 million people. Four
out of every five people live in towns. The main nationalities are: English,
Scottish, Welsh and Irish. In Great Britain there are a lot of immigrants from
former British Asian and African colonies. English is the official language.
Great Britain is a highly industrialized country. It
produces and exports high quality expensive goods, requiring skilled labour,
such as precision instruments, electronic equipment, chemicals and various
kinds of consumer goods. The country imports raw materials and agricultural
products.
The Political system is constitutional monarchy. In law, the
Head of 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.
There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the
Labour, the Conservative and the Liberal parties.
The capital of the country is London.
1. How many parts does the United Kingdom
consist of?
2. What is the capital of the country?
3. Are the mountains in Great Britain
high?
4. What is the longest (the deepest) river
in Great Britain?
5. What is the climate like in the
country?
6. Is Great Britain rich in mineral
resources?
7. What is the population of the United
Kingdom?
8. What are the main nationalities?
9. What does the country export (import)?a
10. What is the political system of
the country?
11. Who is the Head of State?
12. Does the Queen rule?
13. What chambers does the British
Parliament consist of?
14. What are the main political
parties in Great Britain?
III. Insert articles wherever necessary:
1. … United Kingdom is situated on …
British Isles.
2. … British Isles are separated from …
Europe by … North Sea and … English Channel.
3. … Northern Ireland borders on … Irish
Republic in … south.
4. In … north … Cheviots separate …
England from … Scotland, … Cambrian mountains occupy the greater part of …
Wales and … Highlands of … Scotland are … tallest of the British mountains.
5. … Ben Nevis, … tallest peak of …
Highlands, is only 1343 m high.
6. … population of … USA is over 237 mln.
7. … Netherlands is washed by … North Sea
in … west.
8. … Mississippi is … longest river in …
USA.
9. … capital of … Russian Federation is …
Moscow.
10. Have you ever heard of … lake
Lock Ness?
11. Oxford and Cambridge are …
oldest universities in … Great Britain.
12. … Canada is very rich in …
mineral resources.
13. … English is not the only
language people use in … UK.
14. Some people speak … Gaelic
in … Scotland and … Welsh in … Wales.
IV. Complete the sentences:
1. The UK occupies … .
2. Great Britain consists of … .
3. The capital of Scotland is … .
4. The capital of Wales is … .
5. The British Isles are separated from
Europe by … .
6. The western coast of Great Britain is
washed by … .
7. The tallest of the British mountains
are … .
8. The tallest peak of the Highlands is …
.
9. The longest of the British rivers is …
.
10. The climate in Great Britain is
… .
11. Winters are … and summers are …
.
12. Great Britain is not very rich
in … .
13. The country has some deposits of
… and … and vast deposits of … and … .
14. The main nationalities are … .
15. Great Britain produces … .
16. The country imports … .
17. The political system of the UK
is … .
18. The parliament consists of … .