II. Questions for discussion:

1.What is the location of Great Britain?

2.What nationalities inhabit the country?

3.Do all the citizens speak English?

4.Why do we find the relatively limited variety of fauna and flora on the island?

5.What kind of reputation do the English have?

6.Do the English prove their proverbs “There is no place like home” and “The Englishman’s home is his castle”?

7.Why is central heating kept so low in the English home?

8.Can you give any examples of the English conservatism?

9.What main racial sources does the nation of modern Scotland derive from?

10.What is the purpose for the Scottish natives to endure the greatest embarrassments and discomforts?

11.How different are the Highland Scots from the Lowland Scots?

12.Do they differ even by the names?

13.What stories do the Scottish tell about the English?

14.What stories do the English tell about the Scottish?

Supplementary reading

I. Study the vocabulary to understand the text better. Read the text and do tasks after it.

rank, v, (among) – занимать какое-либо место; классифицировать rank, n – ряд, шеренга, звание trace, v, n – прослеживать; след sights (pl.) – достопримечательности entertain, v - развлекать entertainment, n – развлечение air raid – атака с воздуха; налет insure, v - страховать insurance, n – страховка

LONDON

London is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It ranks as one of the world's oldest and most historic cities. London traces its history back nearly 2,000 years.

Each year, millions of tourists visit London to see such historic sights as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the Tower of London. Buckingham Palace has long been the London home of Britain's monarchs, including the present queen, Elizabeth II. The nation's kings and queens are crowned in the beautiful church known as Westminster Abbey. Saint Thomas More and many other famous individuals were imprisoned in the Tower of London. Today the tower serves as a museum.

London is a large, lively city as well as a historic one. It is the 9th largest city in the world, with almost 10 million people. London's banks, insurance companies, and shipping firms do business in almost every country. Few other cities have so many outstanding museums and art galleries or offer such a wide variety of plays and other entertainment. It also has beautiful parks and gardens nearby where people can escape the crowds and traffic. London was nearly destroyed twice, by fire in 1666 and by German air raids during World War II. The old City of London and the communities surrounding it form one political unit, with definite boundaries. This area is called Greater London or simply London.

Central London can be divided into three main sections. They are: 1) the City, 2) the West End, and 3) the South Bank. The City consists largely of modern bank and of­fice buildings.

The West End is the center of Britain's government and London's retail trade and night life. It is also London's most fashionable residential area. The South Bank is one of London's fastest-growing sections. It is the site of a large, modern cultural center that includes a number of theatres, concert halls, and art galleries.

London is so large that many Londoners think of themselves mainly as residents of a particular district, such as Chelsea, Soho, or Hampstead. Chelsea, for example, is known for its artists and entertainers, and Soho for its restaurants. London has long been Britain's chief centre for advanced study and research.

London ranks as one of the world's leading cultural centers. It has many professional theaters, whose programs range from musical comedies to the plays of the great English dramatist William Shakespeare.