Unit 3

§1. English- speaking Countries

1. Have you ever been to foreign countries? If yes, say what country? Would you like to go there?

2. Study the Vocabulary, get ready to read and translate the texts

Vocabulary

an isle an island a coast a mountainous peninsula an estuary a continent a line a highland a lowland/lowlands (pl.) a countryside an area a region a valley a river a prairie an industry

a decade a main part a mountain a port a colony a deposit a chamber a system temperature agri­culture in the north in the south in the west in the east subtropical monarchy to be situated to differ (from)

to go down to seek to live to mine to become to develop to find to dominate to elect to contest to be washed by to border on to consist of to separate to stretch to discover to occupy to flow

Proper Names

the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland the British Isles the North Sea Wales Scotland England the Thames the Mersey the Trent the Tyne the Clyde the Bristol Avon Glasgow

the English Channel the Irish Sea the Atlantic Ocean the Irish Republic the Pennies the North Sea the Cambrian mountains the Highlands Birmingham Manchester Liverpool Bristol London Leeds

Great Britain

The full name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and a great number of small islands. Their total area is over 314 000 sq. km. The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Northern Ireland occupies one third of the island of Ireland. It borders on the Irish Republic in the south. The island of Great Britain consists of three main parts: England (the southern and middle part of the island), Wales (a mountainous peninsula in the West) and Scotland (the northern part of the island).

There are no high mountains in Great Britain. In the north the Cheviots separate England from Scotland, the Pennies stretch down North England along its middle, the Cambrian mountains occupy the greater part of Wales and the Highlands of Scotland are the tallest of the British mountains. There is very little flat country except in the region known as East Anglia. Most of the rivers flow into the North Sea. The Thames is the deepest of the British rivers. Some of the British greatest ports are situated in the estuaries of the Thames, the Mersey, the Trent, the Tyne, the Clyde and the Bristol Avon.

Great Britain is not very rich in mineral resources, it has some deposits of coal and iron ore and vast deposits of oil and gas that were discovered in the North Sea. The warm currents of the Atlantic Ocean influence the climate of Great Britain. Winters are not severely cold and summers are rarely hot.

The population of the United Kingdom is over 58 million people. The main nationalities are: English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish. In Great Britain there are a lot of immigrants from former British Asian and African colonies. Great Britain is a highly industrialized country.

New industries have been developed in the last three decades. The main industrial centers are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow and Bristol.

The capital of the country is London. The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy.

3. Find English equivalents to the words and word combinations in the text:

Состоит из двух больших островов, большое количество маленьких островов, западное побережье, омывается Атлантическим океаном, занимает одну треть, высокие горы, большинство рек впадают, большинство самых больших портов Великобритании, залежи угля и железной руды, теплые течения Атлантического океана, население, высокоразвитая страна, столица страны – Лондон.

4. Scan the text and answer the questions:

1.  Where is the United Kingdom situated? 2.  What islands do the British Isles consists of? 3. What ocean and seas are the British Isles washed by? 4.  How many parts does the Island of Great Britain consist of and what are they called? 5. What country does Northern Ireland border on? 6. Are they any high mountains in Great Britain? 7.  What sea do most of the rivers flow into? 8.   What mineral resources is Great Britain rich in? 9. What is the climate like in Great Britain? 10.  What is the population of Great Britain? 11. What is the capital of the U. K.? 12. What kind of state is Great Britain?

5. This is the flag of Great Britain. The British people call it “the Union Jack”. It is red, white and blue. Do you remember the Russian and American national flags? Describe them and explain the meaning of their colours.

The Russian flag

The American flag

6. Study the map of the United Kingdom. A) complete the sentences with word combinations from the box.

in the north of in the south of

in the west of in the east of

Model: London is situated in the south of England.

Manchester is situated … England.

Dublin is situated … Ireland.

Glasgow is situated … Scotland.

Birmingham is situated … Wales.

Leeds is situated … England.

Belfast is situated … Northern Ireland.

Plymouth is situated … England.

Brighton is situated … England.

B) Work with the Wikipedia and say what the cities from this exercise are famous for.

7. Make these sentences negative and interrogative.

Model: The island of Great Britain consists of three main parts.

The island of Great Britain doesn’t consist of three main parts.

Does the island of Great Britain consist of three main parts?

1. Most of the rivers flow into the North Sea.

2. Northern Ireland occupies one third of the island of Ireland.

3. It borders on the Irish Republic in the south.

4. The warm currents of the Atlantic Ocean influence the climate of Great Britain.

5. The Cambrian mountains occupy the greater part of Wales.

6. The British Isles consist of two large islands.

8. Supply articles where necessary and explain their usage:

__ United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, __ The British Isles, __ North Sea,__ English Channel,__ Atlantic Ocean, __ England, __ Wales, __ Scotland, in __ north, __ Cambrian mountains, __ Liverpool, __ Glasgow.

9. Match English proverbs with their Russian equivalents and explain their meaning.

So many countries, so many customs East or West- home is best! Every country has its customs.

В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше. Сколько стран, столько обычаев. Что город, то норов, что деревня, то обычай.

10. Give a summary of the text using the following words and word combinations: the full name of the country; to consist of two large islands; a great number of small islands; a total area; the western coast of Great Britain; three main parts of Great Britain; the greater part of Wales and the Highlands of Scotland; British greatest ports; mineral resources; the population of the United Kingdom; the main nationalities; a highly industrialized country; the main industrial centers.

 

Would you like to visit Great Britain? If yes, why? If no, why?

11. Describe a typical farm in Great Britain. Use the information from the text “Changes on the farm”