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to be situated on	- располагаться где-либо
the British Isles	- Британские острова
island	- остров
to include	- включать
mainland	- материк, большой остров
to be divided	- быть разделенным, делиться
total area	- общая площадь
average population density	- средняя плотность населения
primary	- основной
to separate	- отделять, разделять
comparatively	- сравнительно, относительно
distinctly	- точно, четко, ясно
direction	- направление
to determine	- определять, устанавливать
physical geography	- географическое положение
notable lack of extremes	- отсутствие значительных контрастов
insular	- островной
to promote	- содействовать, способствовать
government	- правительство
voter	- избиратель
constituency	- избирательный округ
civil servant	- государственный служащий, чиновник
permanent officials	- постоянные работники
hereditary peer	- наследный пэр
to appoint	- назначать, утверждать

Answer the following questions:

1. Where is Great Britain situated?

2. What countries does Great Britain include?

3. What is the total area of the United Kingdom?

4. What oceans and seas is Great Britain washed by?

5. What is the population of Great Britain?

6. What can you say about the landscape of Great Britain?

7. Are there many rivers in Great Britain?

8. What is the capital of the United Kingdom?

9. What is climate of Great Britain?

10. What is the political system of Great Britain?

11. Who is the heads of the British government?

12. How many parts does Parliament have?

13. Who is the leader of political party?

14. What can you tell about the House of Lords?

15. What are the main political parties in Great Britain?

EXERCISES

Ex. 1. Translate from Russian into English:

располагаться, остров, отделять, юго-восток, включать, общая площадь, направление, правительство, сравнительно, наследный пэр, северо-запад, находиться, определять, разделять.

Ex. 2. Translate from English into Russian:

to be divided, primary language, mainland, average population density, physical geography, to appoint, to be situated, parliamentary monarchy, landscape, to determine, the House of Lords, executive power, government, legislative power.

Ex. 3. Give English equivalents to the following place-names:

Атлантический океан, Великобритания, пролив Ла-Манш, Северное море, Шотландия, Британские острова, Северная Ирландия, Ирландское море, Темза, Уэльс, республика Ирландия, Объединенное королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии.

Ex. 4. Fill in gaps:

1. Great Britain is situated on … .

2. … is one of the highest in the world.

3. The western coast is washed by … and … .

4. The … language spoken in the UK is English.

5. The direction of the rivers … … by the position of the mountains.

6. The Prime Minister is the head of the … .

7. 30 per cent are officially … by the Queen.

Ex. 5. Decide if these sentences are true or false:

1. The British Isles consist of New Zealand and Ireland.

2. The total land area of the United Kingdom is 250,000 sq. km.

3. The primary language spoken in the UK is English.

4. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Pacific Ocean and the North Sea.

5. Great Britain is a monarchy with the Queen as a Head of State.

6. The island of GB is distinctly divided in two parts: highlands and lowlands.

7. The British Parliament has two parts: the House of Representatives and the House of Lords.

8. In the UK there are some political parties: the Conservatives, the Liberals and the Labor Party.

Ex. 6. Translate into English:

1. Великобритания состоит из трех частей: Англия, Шотландия, Уэльс.

2. Большинство британских рек впадает в Северное море.

3. Пролив Ла-Манш отделяет юго-восток Великобритании от Франции.

4. Великобритания – одна из самых густонаселенных стран в мире.

5. Говорят, что любовь британцев к компромиссам - результат географического положения страны.

6. Официально королева является главой всех ветвей власти правительства: законодательной, исполнительной, судебной.

7. Британский парламент состоит из палаты лордов и палаты общин.

8. Премьер-министр возглавляет правительство Британии.

9. Членов палаты лордов не выбирают.

Ex. 7. Retell this text.

Ex. 8. Role-playing:

Imagine that some of you are Englishmen. Others are your Russian friends who come to you. Tell them about your Motherland as they know very little about your country.

TEXT B: SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN THE UK

Read and translate the text:

State Education in Britain

Twelve million children attend about 40.000 schools in Britain. All state schools in Britain are free, and schools provide their pupils with books and equipment for their studies.  Education in Great Britain is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16.

Parents can choose to send their children to a nursery school or a pre-school play group to prepare them for the start of compulsory education. There are many children who attend a nursery school from the age of 3, but it is not compulsory. In nursery schools they learn some elementary things such as numbers, colours, and letters. Apart from that, babies play, have lunch and sleep there. Whatever they do, there is always someone keeping an eye on them.

Compulsory education begins at the age of 5 when children go to primary school. Primary education lasts for 6 years. At primary school children become acquainted with Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and develop their creative abilities, they are taught to sing, dance, play, draw. Primary children do all their work with the same class teacher, except for physical education and music, which are often taught by specialists.  Most children are taught together, boys and girls in the same class.  Ninety per cent of secondary schools in England, Scotland and Wales are co-educational.  

Primary education is divided into two periods: infant schools (pupils from 5 to 7 years old) and junior schools (pupils from 7 to 11 years old). In infant schools children don't have real classes. They mostly play and learn through playing. It is the time when children just get acquainted with the classroom, the blackboard, desks and the teacher. But when pupils are 7, real studying begins. They don't already play so much as they did it in infant school. Now they have real classes, when they sit at desks, read, write and answer the teacher's questions.

Compulsory secondary education begins when children are 11 or 12 and lasts for 5 years. Secondary school is traditionally divided into 5 forms: a form to each year. Children study English, Mathematics, Science, History, Art, Geography, Music, a foreign language and have lessons of Physical training. Religious education is also provided. English, Mathematics and Science are called "core" subjects. At the age of 7, 11 and 14 pupils take examinations in the core subjects.

There are 3 types of state secondary schools in Great Britain. They are:

1) comprehensive schools, which take pupils of all abilities without exams. In such schools pupils are often put into certain sets or groups, which are formed according to their abilities for technical or humanitarian subjects. Almost all senior pupils (around 90 per cent) go there;

2) grammar schools, which give secondary education of a very high standard. Entrance is based on the test of ability, usually at 11. Grammar schools are single sexed schools;

3) modern schools, which don't prepare pupils for universities. Education in such schools gives good prospects for practical jobs.

After five years of secondary education, at the age of 16, pupils take the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examination and then they can leave school if they wish. This is the end of compulsory education.  When they are in the third or in the fourth form, they begin to choose their exam subjects and prepare for them.

After finishing the fifth form pupils can make their choice: they may either leave school and go to a Further Education College to study hairdressing, typing or mechanics or continue their education in the sixth form. Those who stay at school after GCSE, study for 2 more years for "A' (Advanced) Level Exams in two or three subjects which is necessary to get a place at one of British universities. The 6th form prepares pupils for a national exam called “A” level at 18.

Private Education  

There are also about 500 private schools in Great Britain. Most of these schools are boarding ones, where children live as well as study. Education in such schools is very expensive, that's why only 5 per cent of schoolchildren attend them. There are 3 levels of private schools: primary schools (age four to eight), preparatory schools (for children up to 13 years old) and public schools (for pupils from 13 to 18 years old). At the age of 13 children take an examination. If they pass it, they go to public school. Any pupil can enter the best university of the country after leaving this school. The most famous public schools have a long history and tradition. It is often necessary to put a child’s name on a waiting list at birth to be sure he or she gets a place. Children of wealthy or aristocratic families often go to the same public school as their parents and their grandparents. The most famous British public schools are Eton, Harrow and Winchester. Eton is the best known of these schools.  It is situated in Eton, a town about 20 miles west of London, on the River Thames. The school was founded in 1440 by King Henry 4, and some of the original buildings are still standing. Many famous figures from British public life were educated at Eton. Immediately opposite Eton, across the Thames, is Windsor, a town which is closely associated with Eton. Windsor Castle, the largest castle in England and a favourite home of the Royal family, dominates the skyline the town.  

Traditionally, public schools were always single-sex schools but now many of them are becoming co-educational, both boys and girls attend the school. Eton, however, still remains a public school for boys only.

Higher Education in Great Britain

After leaving secondary school young people can apply to a university, a polytechnic or a college of further education.

Higher education has become more available in the second half of the 20^th century. Universities take the better student, that’s why nearly all students complete their studies. The normal course of study lasts 3-4 years. Students aren’t supposed to take a job during the term. Unless their parents are rich, they receive a state grant, which covers most of their expenses, including the cost of accommodation. Quite a lot of students live on campus (or in college) or in

There are 126 universities in Britain. There are no great distinctions between different types of British universities. But still there are some categories of them. They are divided into 5 categories:

• The Old ones, which were founded before the 19th century, such as Oxford and Cambridge;

• The Red Brick, which were founded in the 19th or 20th century;

• The Plate Glass, which were founded in 1960s;

• The Open University, it is the only university offering extramural education. Students learn subjects at home and then post ready exercises off to their tutors for marking;

• The New ones. They are former polytechnic academies and colleges.

The best universities, in view of "The Times" and "The Guardian", are The University of Oxford, The University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, London Imperial College, London University College.

Universities usually select students basing on their A-level results and an interview.

After three years of study a university graduate get the Degree of a Bachelor of Arts, Science or Engineering. Many students then continue their studies for a Master's Degree and then a Doctor's Degree (PhD).

For seven hundred years Oxford and Cambridge universities dominated the British education. Scotland had four universities, all founded before A. D. 1600. Wales only acquired a university in the 20th century; it consisted of four university colleges located in different cities (Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor, and Aberystwyth). The first English university after Oxford and Cambridge (sometimes referred to as Oxbridge) was Durham, in the North of England, founded in 1832. The University of London was founded a few years later in 1836.

During the 19^th century institutions of higher education were founded in most of the biggest industrial towns, like Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and Sheffield (sometimes called the Redbrick Universities). At first they did not have full university status but were known as university colleges; since 1945, however, all have become independent universities, and in recent years a number of other universities have been founded: Sussex, Essex, Warwick, and others.

In the middle 60s there was a further new development. Some of the local technical colleges maintained by local authorities had gained special prestige. By 1967 ten of these had been given charters as universities. Many of them are in the biggest cities where there were already established universities; so now we have the University of Aston (Birmingham), Salford (close to Manchester), Strathclyde (Glasgow), Herriot-Watt University (Edinburgh), and Brunei University (London).

When we add all these together we find that the number of universities in England increased within ten years from nineteen to thirty-six, and in Scotland from four to eight.

Oxbridge

Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest universities in GB. They are called Oxbridge to denote an elitee education. Only rich people send their children to these universities. The main characteristic feature of these universities is the tutorial (that means individual tuition). The normal length of the degree course is 3 years, after which the students take the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Some courses may be a year or two longer.

Oxford is one of the oldest universities in Europe. Oxford had existed as a city for at least 300 years before scholars began to resort to it. The end of the 12^th century saw the real beginning of the University. A characteristic feature of Oxford is that many traditions of the Middle Ages are still current there. One of them is that the students have to wear gowns.

Oxford University is a federation of colleges, and it is impossible to understand its structure unless one first understands the nature and function of these colleges, which have no resemblance whatever with the institutions called "colleges" in America.

Oxford has twenty-nine ordinary colleges for men, five for women and another five have both men and women members. All these are parallel institutions, and none of them is connected with any particular field of study. No matter what subject a student proposes to study he may study at any of the men's colleges.

Each college has a physical existence in the shape of a dining-hall, chapel, and residential rooms (enough to accommodate about half the student membership, the rest living in lodgings in the town). It is governed by its Fellows (commonly called "dons"), of whom there are usually about twenty or thirty. The dons are also responsible for teaching the students of the college through the tutorial system. The Fellows elect the Head of the college (whose title varies from college to college).

The colleges vary very much in size and extent of grounds and buildings.

Colleges choose their own students, and a student only becomes a member of the University by having been accepted by a college. Students are chosen mainly on academic merit, but the policy of colleges in this respect varies from college to college. Some tend to be rather keen to admit a few men who are very good at rugby or some other sport, or sons of former students or of lords, or of eminent citizens, or of millionaires.

The colleges and university buildings are scattered about the town, mostly in the central area, though the scientific laboratories and the women's colleges are quite a long way out.

The university teachers are mostly Fellows of colleges, who may at the same time hold university appointments as lecturers or professors. Part of the teaching is by means of lectures and any student may attend any university lecture. At the beginning of each term (there are three terms in the Oxford academic year) a list is published showing all the lectures being given during the term within each faculty, and every student can choose which lectures he will attend, though his own college tutor will advise him which lectures seem likely to be more useful. Attendance at lectures is not compulsory, and no records of attendance are kept.

Apart from lectures, teaching is by means of the "tutorial" system, which is a system of individual tuition organized by the colleges. Each Fellow in a college is tutor in his own subject to the undergraduates who are studying it. Each student goes to his tutor’s room once every week to read out an essay which he has written, and for an hour he and the tutor discuss the essay. A student does not necessarily go only to his own tutor but may be assigned to another don in his own college or in another college when he is studying some particular topic which is outside the special interest of his own tutor.

Cambridge University dates back as the 13^th century. Today there are more than 30 colleges. The oldest one is Peterhouse (founded in 1284) and the most recent is Robinson College (1977). But the most famous is the King’s College. The building is the real example of English 15^th century architecture. Until 1871 the University was only for men. In 1871 the first women’s college was opened. In 1970s most colleges admitted both men and women.

Students at Oxbridge have different societies and clubs. Different sports are very popular, but the most popular sports are rowing and punting.

Every year at the end of March a contest between Oxford and Cambridge universities takes place on the River Thames.

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