The Island of Great Britain Words to the text:

be made up of – состоять из

stretch – протягиваться; растянуться; протянуться

flat land – равнина; равнинное место

active volcanoes – действующие вулканы

earth tremors – толчки / колебания почвы

be subdivided into … – подразделяться на …

Lowland Britain – Низменная Британия

Highland Britain – Гористая (Возвышенная) Британия

сomprise – включать; содержать

Pennines (Pennine-Chain) – Пеннинские горы

Lake District – Озерный край

extend – протягивать(ся); простираться

southward – к югу, на юг

Cheviot Hills – горы Чевиот-Хилс

Midlands – центральные графства Англии

plains – равнины

valleys – долины

industrial – промышленный; производственный

manufacturing – промышленный; фабричный

factory cities – промышленные города

chief rivers – главные реки

border – граничить; граница

tributary – приток

the swiftest flowing river – самая быстрая река

lake – озеро

Channel Tunnel – тоннель под Ла-Маншем 

Text

Great Britain is the name of the largest island of the British Isles and is made up of England, Scotland and Wales. It does not include Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. The island of Great Britain stretches for about 900 km, and is just 60 km in the narrowest part. No place in Britain is more than 120 km from the sea coast. Britain has mountains, but none of them are very high; it also has flat land, but you cannot travel far without seeing hills; it doesn't usually get very cold in winter or very hot in summer; it has no active volcanoes and earth tremors.

Geographically, Great Britain is subdivided into two main regions – Lowland Britain and Highland Britain. Lowland Britain comprises southern and eastern England. Highland Britain consists of Scotland, most of Wales, the Pennines and the Lake District. The Pennine chain extends southward from the Cheviot Hills into the Midlands, a plains region with low hills and valleys. The Midlands are the industrial heart of the United Kingdom. Birmingham, one of the world's greatest manufacturing cities, and other factory cities are near the centre of the Midlands in what is called the Black Country.

England is separated from Scotland by the Cheviot Hills, running from east to west.

The chief rivers of Great Britain are: the Severn (350 km), flowing along the border between England and Wales, tributaries of which include the Avon, famed by Shakespeare; the Thames (332 km), which flows eastward to the port of London and some other ports; the swiftest flowing river in the British Isles is the Spey (in Scotland); part of the border between England and Scotland is along the Tweed (in Scotland), near which is made the woolen fabric that bears its name; the Clyde on which Glasgow stands. The mild maritime climate usually keeps them free of ice throughout the year. 

There are many lakes in Great Britain. On the north-west side of the Pennine system lies the Lake District containing sixteen beautiful lakes. This district is widely known for its association with the name of William Wordsworth (1770-1859), the founder of the Lake School of poets.

In autumn 1994 the Channel Tunnel between Folkestone, on the British side, and Coquelles, on the French side, began to operate with high speed trains (160 km/h) covering the tunnel distance (50.5 km) in about 35 minutes.

Find equivalents to the following:

он состоит из Англии, Шотландии и Уэльса; девятый по величине остров в мире; тянется на 900 км.; в самой узкой части; никакие из них; не видя холмов; действующие вулканы; толчки почвы; подразделяется на два основных региона; включает южную и восточную Англию; простирается на юг; равнинный район с низкими холмами и долинами; промышленные города; пролегающие с востока на запад; главные реки; протекающий вдоль границы; притоки которого; течёт на восток; самая бурная река; фабрика по производству шерсти; содержащий красивые озёра; преодолевая расстояние туннеля.

Say whether it is true or wrong:

1. The island of Great Britain consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

2. Britain is far from the sea cost.

3. The island is subdivided into Lowland Britain, Highland Britain and The Lake District.

4. The Midlands is a plains region with hills and valleys.

5. Birmingham is a great holiday area.

6. The Avon is a tributary of the Severn.

7. London stands on the Clyde.

8. The woolen fabric bears the name of the Tweed.

9. The Lake District contains beautiful rivers.

10. The Channel Tunnel linked Britain and Europe.