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United Kingdom of Great Britain
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UNIT VII
UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN
AND NOTHERN IRELAND
Words and phrases for the topic:
kingdom – королевство
monarchy – монархия
a queen – королева
a king – король
the House of Lords – Палата лордов
the House of Commons – Палата общин
to elect – выбирать
a crown – корона
royal – королевский
a prison – тюрьма
to include – включать
to occupy – занимать
to inhabit – населять
coal-mining – угледобыча
a vessel – судно
Text I
Great Britain
Read the text and say what part of Great Britain you would like to visit.
Britain, Great Britain, the United Kingdom, England – these names are sometimes used to mean the same thing. But the name used at the United Nations is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So «Great Britain» should only be used as the name of the country, as England is only a part of Great Britain.
The United Kingdom (U. K. ) is situated on the British Isles and includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England is the largest part of Great Britain. Wales is a peninsula in the south-west of the island of Great Britain. Scotland is the most northern part of Great Britain. Northern Ireland occupies the north-east part of the island of Ireland.
Foreigners generally refer to the inhabitants of the United Kingdom as «the English» but they should speak of them as «the British», for they include Irishmen, Scotsmen and Welshmen, who are not Englishmen. A person from Scotland considers himself a Scot, or a Scotsman; he is British, but he is not an Englishman. Only the people of England call themselves English.
In the north-west and west the country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, in the east – by the North Sea. The island of Great Britain is separated from France by the English Channel. Northern Ireland is separated from Great Britain by the North Channel.
The island of Great Britain is divided into two parts: mountainous (in the north and west of the island) and lowland (in the south and east). There are no very long rivers in Great Britain. The most important rivers are the Thames (the deepest) and the Severn (the longest). The rivers seldom freeze in winter. Due to the moderating influence of the sea Great Britain has an insular climate, rather humid and mild, without striking discrepancy between seasons.
U. K. is highly developed country. The original basis of British industry was coal-mining, and the first factories grew up near the main mining areas. Glasgow and Newcastle became centers of engineering and shipbuilding. Lancashire and Yorkshire produce cotton and wool. Sheffield develops steel industry. Birmingham and the other towns develop light engineering. The country exports machinery, vessels, motors and other goods. There are a lot of factories and mines there. The textile industry is also highly developed and a lot of British textiles are exported. At the same time Great Britain imports some food products and raw materials from many countries of the world.
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Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy. Officially the head of state is the Queen (or the King). However, the power of the Queen in Great Britain is not absolute. The power of the Queen is limited by the Parliament, which consists of two Houses – the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is a nation-wide representative body which is elected by the people at a general election, within 5 years of the last election. After the general election the Queen appoints the head of the government – the Prime Minister. As a rule the Prime Minister is the leader of the party that has won the election. The Prime Minister makes up the government.
The house of Lords consists of 1000 peers who are not elected by the people.
I. Give Russian equivalents of the following:
1. the head of the government
2. to win the election
3. a peninsula
4. mining areas
5. the climate is humid and mild
6. the island of Ireland
7. without striking discrepancy between seasons.
II. What’s the English for:
1. назначать
2. благодаря влиянию
3. высокоразвитая страна
4. общее голосование
5. низменность
6. власть королевы ограничена
7. формировать правительство
III. Match two parts of the sentences in 2 columns:
1. England is the largest part a) a part of Great Britain.
2. Wales is a peninsula in the south-west b) call themselves English.
3. Scotland is the most c) of Great Britain.
4. Northern Ireland occupies d) machinery, vessels, motors and other goods.
5. Only the people of England e) of the island of Great Britain.
6. The country exports f) the north-east part of the island of Ireland.
7. Lancashire and Yorkshire g) northern part of Great Britain.
8. The Parliament consists of h) within 5 years of the last election.
9. The House of Commons is elected i) produce cotton and wool.
10. England is only j) the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
IV. Finish the following sentences using appropriate words and word combinations:
1. The United Kingdom … on the British Isles.
2. The island of Great Britain … into two parts: mountainous and lowlands.
3. The … rivers are the Thames and the Severn.
4. In the north-west and west the country …by the Atlantic Ocean.
5. The … of state is the Queen (or the King).
6. Great Britain … raw materials from many countries of the world.
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7. The house of Lords … of 1000 peers who are not … by the people.
8. The name of the country used at the United Nations is ….
V. Answer the following questions:
1. What is an official name of Britain?
2. Is it correct to name the country «England»?
3. What is the largest part of the country?
4. What part of the country is situated in the north of the island Ireland?
5. What is the U. K. washed by?
6. Why don’t the rivers in the U. K. freeze in winter?
7. What industries are highly developed in the country?
8. What kind of state is the U. K.?
9. Who is the head of the country?
10. What Houses does the Parliament consist of?
VI. Look through the second and the forth passages again and describe geographical position of the U. K using the map. Don’t forget to use the following words and phrases: is situated, the British Isles, the largest part, a peninsula, the most northern part, to occupy, the north-east part, is washed by, is separated from.
VII. Look through the sixth passage of the text once again and prove that the U. K. is a highly developed country. Don’t forget to use the following words and phrases: British industry, coal-mining, engineering, shipbuilding, steel industry, textile industry, to produce, to export, to import.
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