2. Read the following sentences and paraphrase the words in italics using the necessary substitute among those offered below.

strait	a) narrow strip of sea joining two large areas of sea b) isthmus c) (plural) difficult situation
country	a) political area b) the people who live in a particular country c) land away from towns and cities
border	a) the dividing line between two countries b) a strip of band around the edge of something c) a strip of ground planted with flowers along the lawn

1. The family was in difficult straits. 2. The English Channel in its narrowest part is called the Strait of Dover. 3. A country has its own government, people, language, culture and land. 4. There was a big move of people away from the country to the towns. 5. It’s painted in white with a gold border. 6. The United Kingdom’s only land border with another nation is between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

3. How much do you know about Britain? Look at the chart below and work in pairs using this information.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Dieu et mon droit  (the Royal motto) (French for "God and my right")
Anthem: "God Save the Queen"
Capital	London 51°30′N 0°7′W
Most populous conurbation	Greater London Urban Area
Official languages	English, Cornish, Welsh and more (de facto)
Government	Constitutional monarchy
- Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
- Prime Minister
Formation
- Union of the Crowns	24 March 1603
- Acts of Union	1 May 1707
- Act of Union	1 January 1801
- Anglo-Irish Treaty	12 April 1922
Accession to EU	1 January 1973
Area
- Total	244,820 km² (79th) 94,526 sq mi
- Water (%)	1.34
Population
- 2006 estimate	60,609,153 (21st)
- 2001 census	58,789,194
- Density	243/km² (48th) 629/sq mi

4. a) Try to complete the following information about Britain. Then read the text and check. Speak of the characteristic features to your partner using the map below.

There are various ways to describe the two large islands and several small islands that are situated off the coast of France:

1. The British Isles refer to …

2. The United Kingdom refers to …

3. Great Britain, or simply Britain refers to …

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (usually shortened to the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a country and sovereign state that lies to the northwest of Continental Europe with the Republic of Ireland to the west.

The United Kingdom is a political union made up of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It occupies all of the island of Great Britain and the northeast part of the island of Ireland, sharing a land border with the Republic of Ireland.

The United Kingdom is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and its ancillary bodies of water, including the North Sea, the Strait of Dover, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the Irish Sea. The United Kingdom is linked to France by the Channel Tunnel, which is located in the south-east of England. The United Kingdom also has fourteen overseas territories, including Bermuda, Gibraltar, the Pitcairn Island group, British Indian Ocean Territory, the Falkland Islands, and British Antarctic Territory among others. The dependencies of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, formally possessions of the Crown, form a federacy with the United Kingdom collectively known as the British Islands.

The constitutional monarch, Queen Elizabeth II is also the Queen and Head of State of 15 other Commonwealth Realms such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica.Despite the dissolution of the British Empire and the decline of the UK's influence throughout the world, it remains a significant player in world diplomacy and a Great power.

The United Kingdom is a developed country with the fifth largest economy in the world and second largest in Europe, estimated at $2.2 trillion. It is the third most populous state in the European Union with a population of 60.2 million and is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (UN), where it holds permanent membership on the Security Council. The UK is a major military power and is an acknowledged nuclear power.

b) Find the synonyms in the text

a) abbreviate

b) compose, constitute

c) frontier

d) disintegration

e) continuing, constant

f) recognized

c) Say in other words.

1. two or more countries joined together

2. additional to something else

3. the state of having or owning something

4. if something becomes smaller, weaker or worse

5. one of the countries that has joined an international organization

6. country or area which has a lot of people living in it

5. Ann and Nick are going to spend their holidays touring the United Kingdom. Their tour will cover the whole country. They have asked an English friend, Jane, to describe the landscape of Great Britain. Read and fill in the right words from the columns. Using the map below describe what Ann and Nick have learned about Great Britain’s landscape.

The scenery and the landscape of Great Britain are very (1). England, which is the richest, the most (2) and the most populated part of the country, is a vast plain. It is (3) from Scotland by the Cheviot Hills running from east to west. In Northwest England there are many picturesque lakes. It is famous Lake District, the real tourist (4). Wales and Scotland are mountainous areas. The (5) mountain peaks are Snowdon in Wales and Ben Nevis in Scotland. The north of Scotland is (6) and is called the Highlands, while the south, which has (7) valleys and plains, is called the Lowlands. Scotland is a land of (8) lakes called Lochs there. Loch Lomond is (9) one and Loch Ness attracts millions of tourists by its legendary (10). The longest rivers are the Severn, the Clyde and the Mersey. They (11) into the Irish Sea. The Thames, the Trent, the Ouse keep their way to the North Sea. The Thames is the busiest and the most important river of the country.

1.	a) diversity	b) diversify	c) diverse	d) diversion
2.	a) fertilize	b) fertile	c)fertility	d) fertilizer
3.	a) separately	b) separated	c) separation	d) separable
4.	a) attractive	b) attraction	c) attract	d) attractively
5.	a) high	b) height	c) highly	d) highest
6.	a) mountain	b) mountaineer	c) mountaineering	d) mountainous
7.	a) beautify	b) beautified	c) beautiful	d) beauty
8.	a) fame	b) famous	c) famed	d) faming
9.	a) larger	b) the largest	c) large	d) much larger
10.	a) monster	b) monstrous	c) monstrosity	d) more monstrous
11.	a) flow	b) flows	c) flown	d) flew