Changes on the farm
Britain is now a highly industrialized country and there are only 250 thousand farms in the UK. More and more farmers leave the land because they can no longer earn enough money to survive. Only large farms are economic and because of this most British farms are big. They usually grow cereals in the east of England and raise sheep and cows in the north of England and Scotland. The small family farms often have no money by offering bed and breakfast.
Farming methods in Britain have also changed. Farmers’ fields used to be quite small, divided by ancient hedges, sometimes 1000 years old, full of wild flowers and birds. Many hedges were pulled up to allow farmers to use modern machinery so that they could grow rape for oil production. Now most fields in England are large by European standards. Ironically, even though Britain is not self-sufficient, the European Union asked all large farms to limit the amount of food they produce; so many fields are now not farmed at all.
12. Practise saying the following proper names.
|
the USA Canada America Washington San Francisco California Texas the Pacific Ocean the Atlantic Ocean the Gulf of Mexico |
the North American continent the Kansas City region the District of Columbia the Great Lakes the Mississippi the Hudson River the Rio Grande River the Appalachian Mountains the Cordillera Mountains the Mississippi Valley |
Find these places and objects on the map.
13. If you have an opportunity to go to the USA what part would you like to visit there and why? Read the text about the USA to know more about this country
The usa (Part 1)
The USA is one of the most powerful and highly developed country of the world. It is situated in the central part of the North American continent. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its eastern coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
The USA is separated from Canada in the north by the 49th parallel and the Great Lakes, and from Mexico in the south by a line following the Rio Grande River and continuing across the highlands to the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the USA is over 9 million square kilometres. The continental part of the USA consists of the highland regions and two lowland regions. The highland regions are the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the Cordillera in the west. Between the Cordillera and the Appalachian Mountains are the central lowlands which are called the prairie and the eastern lowlands called the Mississippi Valley. The principal rivers of the USA are the Mississippi, the longest river in the world (7,330 km) and the Hudson River.
The climate of the USA differs greatly from one part of the country to another. The coldest climate is in the northern part, where there is heavy snow in winter and the temperature may go down to 40 degrees below zero. The south has a subtropical climate, with temperature as high as 49 degrees in summer.
The population of the United States of America is about 315 million people (according to 2012 data), who are called Americans. Most of the people live in towns and the population of the countryside is becoming smaller and smaller. For many decades the USA has been the place where lots of people sought refuge from persecution for political or religious beliefs. That’s why in America there are representatives of practically all racial and national groups. There are about 25 million Afro-Americans in the country and a little over half a million Indians.
The capital of the USA is Washington. It is situated in the District of Columbia. Washington is a beautiful administrative city with practically no industry.
14. What do these figures refer to?
9 million; 7330; 40; 49th; 315 million; 25.
15. Find English equivalents to the word combinations in the text:
Одна из самых развитых стран, центральная часть Северо-Американского континента, общая площадь, высокогорные регионы, которые называются американцами, в течении многих десятилетий, по политическим и религиозным убеждениям, вот почему, угольные шахты, федеративное государство.
16. Fill in prepositions where necessary: in, from, in, by, along, about, with.
The western coast is washed … the Pacific Ocean and the eastern coast is washed … he Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
The USA is situated … the central part of the North American continent.
The climate differs greatly … one part of the country to another.
The south of the continent has a subtropical climate, … temperature of about 50 degrees … summer.
There are … 25 million Afro-Americans in the country and a little over half a million Indians.
The capital of the USA is a beautiful administrative city … no industry.
Ship-building is developed … the Atlantic coast and in San Francisco.
The Congress is the highest legislative body … the country.
17. Do you know what industries are developed in the USA? Read and translate the text to find it out.