I

6. Expose the realias, statistic data, dates of important events. Prepare your own report about Ireland, using the information from the text and some additional information.

reland and the Irish

Ireland consists of broad central lowland with a few hills and is surrounded by a rim of higher land. There are many lakes in Ireland. No part of the island is more than 70 miles from the sea. The island has a typical maritime climate with mild, damp winters and cooi cloudy summers. Grass grows well in such a climate and it makes the island look green and beautiful Irish poets called Ireland the “Emerald Isle”.

Northern Ireland is the smallest part of the United Kingdom. It has been a part of the UK since 1922. Northern Ireland has a Governor and a Parliament.

Belfast became the capital of Northern Ireland in 1920. It is the largest city and the principal seaport and industrial center in Ireland.

The whole economy of Northern Ireland is closely integrated with that of the UK. Agriculture, textiles and shipbuilding are developed in Ulster (Northern Ireland).

Before 1921 Ulster was one of the four ancient kingdoms of Ireland comprising 9 counties. The first date is 1609 when thousands of Scots Presbyterians were brought over for the Plantation of Ulster.

The hatred between colonized and colonizers was reinforced by the difference in their religion, and the Irish were persecuted not only for being the natives but on the basis of being Catholics as well. Since then they have never sorted out religion from politics.

The march of the Orange Order, which was founded in 1795 to keep up the traditions of Protestantism in Ulster, takes place every year. It’s the same thing, but in reverse, when it comes round to the 1916 Commemoration day, or to August 15^th. The Nationalists, the Catholic Tories of Northern Ireland, keep it as their day and sing anti-Orange songs.

Both the Protestant Unionists and the Catholic

a rim - обод maritime - морской emerald- изумруд; изумрудный Ulster - Ольстер (историческая область на севере Ирландии; в 1921 была включена в качестве провинции в состав Соединенного Королевства, получив название Северной Ирландии)

a county — графство (iадминистративная единица)

Presbyterians - пресвитериане (члены одного из отделений протестантской церкви, приверженцы любой христианской церкви, кроме римско- католической и православной)

Plantation - поселение в другой стране или регионе; колония to reinforce - усиливать to persecute - преследовать, подвергать гонениям

to sort out - отделять, разделять Orange Order - Оранжевый орден

(ультраправая тайная политическая организация, созданная в Северной

Nationalists deny the discrimination against each other, but both use religion to divide and rule the working class.

Separated by this tactic into their religious sects and set against each other the ordinary people have not been able to combine and fight politically for their real interests. At the bottom of the social pyramid with nothing to lose, the Catholic workingman doesn’t really fear the Protestant. But the Protestant workingman, who has very little, fears the Catholic because he knows that any gain made by the Catholic minority will be his loss, for the businessman and the landowner are not going to suffer losses on anybody’s behalf

Where discrimination hurts most is in employment and housing.

Little is heard about the main body of the Republican movement which continues the socialist, working-class-oriented traditions. However, Republicanism is a deep and strongly held tradition in Ireland, widely supported in both north and south.

Ирландии для поддержки Британского монарха и защ ит ы протест ант ской религии, названная так в честь Уильяма Оранжского, короля Англии (1689-1702)

Unionist - юнионист, член юнионистской группировка, выступающей за сохранение Северной Ирландии в составе Соединенного Королевства Commemoration day - День Поминовения to fear - бояться gain - выгода, выигрыш to suffer losses - терпеть убытки

on smb’s behalf- в интересах кого-либо

7. Translate into English:

1. England является самой большой из трех стран Great Britain. 2. Scotland находится на севере от England. 3. Wales расположен на западе от England. 4. The English Channel, ширина которого составляет около 21 мили, отделяет the U К от континента. 5. Cardiff - столица Уэльса и крупный порт. 6. Belfast стал столицей Northern Ireland в 1920 году. 7. London, столица Соединенного Королевства, расположен на реке the Thames. 8. Northern Ireland делится на шесть counties. 9. Население London превышает 8 миллионов, а население Glasgow и Birmingham превысило миллионную отметку. 10. England, Scotland and Wales - три основные части Великобритании.

7. Can you answer these questions?

1. What is the official name of the country? What parts does it consist of? What are their capitals?

2. Why is the UK also called Great Britain, England or the British Isles?

3

What countries of the U К occupy the two main islands?

What is the largest and the most densely populated country of the

)

4)

UK?

3. What languages are spoken in the UK?

4. Where is the country situated? What is it separated by from the continent?

5. Who inhabited the British Isles before the Roman invasion?

6. When and by whom was Christianity introduced?

7. Is Britain mountainous? Where are there mountains in Britain?

8. What British rivers do you know?

9. What can you say about British climate?

10. Why has the sea been important in the history of England?

X. Read the following text to get some additional information:

Great Britain is a highly developed industrial country. It is a great producer of coal and steel. Great Britain has shipbuilding, machine building, automobile industry, chemicals, textiles and others. The industries are concentrated in the central part of the country. This is the so-called “Black Country”. South-Eastern England has less rain, more sun and more fertile soil. This part of the country is an old commercial and agricultural region and it is called “Green England” for its fields.

X. Make up your own topic about Great Britain in accordance with the following outline:

1) Land 2) Climate 3) Population 4) Ethnic Groups 5) Economy