Questions

1. Is the United Kingdom a European country?

2. What does Great Britain border on?

3. What are the longest rivers of Great Britain?

4. The United Kingdom consists of 4 countries, doesn't it?

5. Is the English Channel also called La Manche?

6. Where is Great Britain situated?

7. What is the population of the UK?

8. What territory does Great Britain occupy?

9. What is the capital of the UK?

10. What is the political system of Great Britain?

3. Read and translate the dialogue.

- Well, Natasha ... What country is situated in the north-west of Europe on the British Isles?

- Of course, it is the UK, the island country separated from the French coast by the English Channel.

- Do you know the other names of the English Channel?

- Well, let me see. La Manche or Strait of Dover .

- Exactly. What countries does Great Britain border on?

- Oh, I am fond of Geography since my childhood. I know it. Great Britain borders on Northern Ireland and France.

- That's right. And how is the flag of the UK called?

- The Union Jack. It is made up of three crosses.

- I am sure you know what the Welsh Flag looks like, don't you?

- It represents a red dragon on a white and green background.

- Very well. And what about the population of the UK?

- The population is 57 million.

- Quite right. The capital of Great Britain is London, isn't it?

- Yes, London is the capital of England, Wales has Cardiff, Scotland has Edinburgh and the main city of Northern Ireland is Belfast.

- You are quite right.

4. In his last letter Oleksiy asked Claud about the national symbols and holidays of the

British people. Here is some information from Claud's reply.

Dear Oleksiy,

Thanks a lot for your letter. It was very interesting for me and my parents to learn about the history of your country. Now I see that Ukraine has gone a long and difficult way.

To my mind, your people have to work hard to get the real independence and better life. I hope your letter will help me to get ready for a School Conference of young Historians that is going to be next week.

Now a few words about the national symbols and holidays of my country. First of all, it is our flag. We call it the Union Jack. It is made up of three crosses: the cross of St. George (the patron saint of England), the cross of St. Andrew (the patron saint of Scotland) and the cross of St. Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland). It is red, white and blue. Each country has its own colour: England - white, Scot­land - blue, Wales - red. These are used, for example, for football or rugby teams. These colours come from the national flags. The English flag is white with a red cross. The Scottish flag has a white cross on a blue background. The Welsh flag shows a red dragon.

Then there are emblems of Britain.

They are plants, you can see them on pound coins.

		Our people are proud of their tra­ditions and carefully keep them up. But when we speak about British traditions we must remember that there are four parts in Britain. Traditions are different in them.
	St. George's Day falls on April 23 and is celebrated as an England’s national day. On this day some patriotic Englishmen wear a rose pinned to their jackets. A red rose is the national emblem of England from the time of the Wars of the Roses (the 15th century).
	St. Andrew's Day (November 30) is a Scotland’s national day. On this day some Scots wear a thistle in their buttonhole. As a national emblem of Scotland, thistle first was used in the 15th century as a symbol of defence. The Order of the Thistle is one of the highest orders of knighthood. It was founded in 1687.
	St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) is considered to be a national day in Northern Ireland and an official bank holiday there. The national emblem of Ireland is a shamrock. According to a legend, it was the plant chosen by St. Patrick to illustrate the idea of Christianity of the Trinity to the Irish.
	St. David's Day (March 1) is the church festival of St. David, a 6th-century monk and bishop, the patron saint of Wales. The day is regarded as the national holiday of Wales.

They are only some facts about our national symbols and holidays. By the way, it's interesting to know what national emblems and colours your country has. Do different parts of Ukraine have their own emblems, flags and colours, too? Can you write about the origin of the symbols and colours of your country for me? Write and tell me as soon as you can.

Good luck with your English study.

Truly yours, Claud.