Tetiana Bezverkhnia
Window on Britain
Навчальний
посібник
з
країнознавства
Великобританії
для учнів старших класів шкіл з поглибленим
вивченням англійської мови
Хмельницький 2013
Методичний посібник
схвалено до друку рішенням науково-методичної ради
управління освіти Хмельницької міської ради
(протокол № від )
Навчальний посібник з країнознавства Великобританії для учнів
старших класів шкіл з поглибленим вивченням англійської мови
Window on Britain
Безверхня Т.О.,
вчитель англійської мови Хмельницької СЗОШ № 1
Рецензент: Кулакова Л.О., методист інформаційно-методичного
кабінету управління освіти Хмельницької міської ради
Навчальний посібник містить розробки тринадцяти тем з курсу «Країнознавство Великобританії», що вивчається у школах з поглибленим
вивченням англійської мови, ліцеях, гімназіях. Посібник побудований з
урахуванням принципів навчання іноземних мов, покладених в основу нової
програми з англійської мови для шкіл даного типу. Він містить базові тести
та групу завдань для вдосконалення комунікативних умінь учнів.
Посібник адресований учням спеціалізованих шкіл, гімназій, ліцеїв,
учителям й широкому колу людей, які вивчають англійську мову.
Unit 1 UK BASIC FACTS
What is the official name of Great Britain?
What is Union Jack?
Who is the head of the state?
Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Abbreviation: UK
Capital: London
Head of the state: Queen Elizabeth II (from 1952)
Type of Government: Constitutional monarchy
Head of Government: Prime Minister
Language: English
Religions: Protestantism and Catholicism
Unit of currency: pound sterling
NATIONAL EMBLEMS OF UK
The UNION FLAG is so called because it embodies the emblems of three countries united under one Sovereign. It is colloquially known as the Union Jack. The flag is made up of three crosses.
The red cross on a white background is the cross of Saint George, the patron
of England. St. George’s Day falls on 23 April and is regarded as England’s
national day. On this day some patriotic Englishmen wear a red rose pinned
to their jackets. The red rose has been the national emblem of England since
the time of the War of Roses (15th century).
The white diagonal cross on a blue background is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. St. Andrew’s Day falls on the 30 November, is regarded as Scotland’s national day. On this day some Scotsmen wear a thistle in their buttonhole. The thistle is the national emblem of Scotland. This is how, according to an old legend, that homely plant came to be chosen as an emblem, in preference to any other.
In very ancient times the Norsemen once landed somewhere on the eastern coast of Scotland, with the intention of plundering the country. The Scots assembled with their arms and camped behind the river Tay. As they arrived late in the day, weary and tired after a long march, they rested not expecting the enemy before the next day.
The Norsemen, however, were near; noticing no guards were protecting the camp, they crossed the river Tay, intending to take the Scots by surprise and slaughter them in their sleep. To do this they took off their shoes so as to make least noise possible. But when one of the Norsemen stepped on a thistle, the sudden and sharp pain he felt made him shriek. The alarm was given in the Scot’s camp.
As an acknowledgement for the timely and unexpected help from the thistle, the Scots took it as their national emblem.
The red diagonal cross on a white background is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day (17 March) is considered as a national day in Northern Ireland and an official bank holiday there. The national emblem of Ireland is the shamrock. According to the legend, it was the plant bearing three leaves on one stem chosen by St. Patrick to illustrate the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish.
The Welsh flag, called the Welsh dragon, represents a red dragon on a white and green background. St. David’s Day (1 March) is the church festival of St. David, a 6th-century monk and bishop, the patron saint of Wales. On this day many Welshmen wear either a yellow daffodil or a leek pinned to their jackets, as both plants are traditionally regarded as national emblems of Wales.
The link between the leek and St. David is the belief that he is supposed to have lived for several years on bread and wild leeks. The daffodil became an alternative to the leek as a Welsh emblem in the last century, because some thought the leek to be vulgar.
The Royal
Standard or Royal Flag
ROYAL COAT of ARMS
In the
official coat of arms the shield in its four quarters shows the three
golden lions of England in the first and fourth, the red lion of
Scotland in the second and the golden harp of Ireland in the third.
The shield is surrounded by a garter and the motto on it (Honi
soit qui mal y pense)
means “Evil be to him who Evil thinks”. These symbolize the Order
of the Garter, an ancient order of knighthood,
of which the Queen is Sovereign.
The shield with royal crown on its top is supported by the English
lion and the Scottish unicorn. The motto across the bottom of the
coat of arms (Dieu
et mon Droit)
means “God and my Right” and is the motto of the Sovereign.
National
Anthem
The national anthem “God Save the Queen” originated as a patriotic song in London, England, in 1745. Neither the author nor composer is known.
God Save the Queen
God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long reign over us,
God save the Queen!
Queen Elizabeth II
Vocabulary
alternative - can be used instead of something else
colloquially - speaking informally
intention - a plan or desire to do something
acknowledgement - the act of publicly thanking someone for something they
have done
bank holiday - an official holiday when banks and most businesses are
closed
doctrine - a set of beliefs
the Trinity - the union of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in one God
knighthood - a British rank and title which is given to a man as an
honour for doing good things and has the title “sir” before
his name
Sovereign - the highest power; a king or a queen
timely - done at exactly the right time
weary - very tired
bishop - a priest with a high rank in Christian religion
Complete the sentences with the words or word combinations in the list.
Motto, Union Jack, UK, national anthem, daffodil, shamrock, thistle, background, currency, shield, Garter, patron saint, unicorn, harp
The abbreviation for the United Kingdom is … .
The Order of the … is an ancient order of knighthood.
“God Save the Queen” is the … …. Of Great Britain.
The yellow … is an alternative national emblem of Wales.
St. Patrick is the … … of Ireland.
There is an old legend how the … became a national emblem of Scotland.
The white diagonal cross on a blue … is the cross of St. Andrew.
Pound sterling is the unit of British national … .
“God and my Right” is the royal … and the battle cry of Richard I “Coeur de Lion” when he led his army in the battle of 1198.
The … was chosen by St. Patrick to illustrate the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish.
The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the … …, is made up of three crosses.
The …, a mythical animal that looks like a horse with a long horn, has appeared on the Scottish and British royal coats of arms for many centuries, and is a symbol of purity.
The … is supported by the English lion and the Scottish unicorn.
A silver-stringed golden … on a bright blue background represents Ireland in the royal coat of arms.
Match the highlighted words with their meaning.
1)To think about, 2) to scream, 3) to gather together, 4) to think something will happen, 5) to include, 6) to come from/start, 7) to steal large amounts of money or property from somewhere especially while fighting in a war, 8) to rule as a king or a queen, 9) to kill in a cruel, violent way, 10) to set up a tent and stay there, 11) to consider, 12) to fasten
3. Speaking
Pretend that you are an ancient Scottish warrior. You fought at the
battle at the river Tay. Retell the story of the thistle timely and
unexpected help.
Use the following vocabulary: thistle, to plunder, intention, to camp, weary
to notice, to guard, to slaughter, to shriek, to cross, to take by surprise, to
give the alarm, to step, to fight, an acknowledgement, a national emblem.