Vocabulary

to surround окружать arable crops зерновые культуры

to include включать в to delay отклонять

себя to allow позволять

to comprise включать, со- source источник

держать nearly почти

armoured struggle вооруж. борьба, to reduce сокращать

воен. действия mine шахта

to inhabit населять to believe полагать, считать

scenery ландшафт representative представитель

moor заболоченное to support поддерживать

место положение in addition to в дополнение

meadow луг cliff утес

heavy тяжелый iron ore железная руда

vital жизненно- dairying производство молочной

важный, продукции

насущный beef-cattle животноводство

Notes

1. разное происхождение 6. верховная законодательная

2. средняя плотность населения власть

3. грузовые перевозки такой 7. всеобщее избирательное право

продукции, как … 8. духовные лорды и светские

4. удовлетворять в перспективе чиновники палаты

потребности в электроэнергии 9. наследные и пожизненные

5. крупные фермерские хозяйства пэры

Exercises

1. Pronounce correctly:

isle, isles; island, islands; Ireland, Northern Ireland;

Britain, Great Britain; British, the British Isles;

Europe, European, European Continent;

England, English, the English Channel; Wales, Welsh;

Scotland, Scottish; Ireland, Irish, Irish Sea, Irish Republic;

France, French; Roman, the Romans;

Germany, German; Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Vikings, Normans, Angles, Anglia, East Anglia, Saxons, King, Kingdom, the United Kingdom;

unite, union, unification, political unification;

origin, origins, various origins, original, originally;

power, in power, the party in power; powerful;

policy, policies, main policies; political, politician;

arm, army, armies, armed, armed struggle, armour, armoury;

represent, representative, representatives;

produce, producer, major producer, product, production.

2. Find English equivalents to the corresponding Russian words and word combinations:

географический термин; много войн потребовалось для создания нового государства; изначально переселились с континента; разное происхождение объясняет многие различия в …; средняя плотность населения; транспортная сеть внутри страны; высокоразвитое промышленное государство; среди основных направлений в производстве; основной производитель; в последние годы; быстрое развитие технологий и их широкое применение в различных сферах; почти 2/3 потребления продовольствия британцами; важный источник занятости; сеть пассажирских перевозок; верховная законодательная власть; важные государственные документы; получить большинство мест на выборах; монарх не управляет страной – его власть формальна; представители церкви; глава государства; право голосовать на выборах.

3. Complete the sentences:

1. Great Britain is the largest island in the …, and consists of …

2. The English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish are very different from each other because …

3. The total population of the United Kingdom is …, and its area is …

4. The weather tends to be very …

5. Britain is one of the most powerful …

6. Britain is a major producer of …

7. Full-time farms are involved in …

8. Parliament is the supreme …

9. The Parliament consists of two Houses: …

10. The ruler of the country is …

11. The Government is …

12. The Cabinet is responsible for …

13. The elections must be held at least …

14. There are some strong parties in Gr. Br. … some of them reflect the interests of …., the others …

4. Answer the questions:

1. What is Great Britain?

2. What is the United Kingdom?

3. Was the political unification a gradual process?

4. Why are the English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish different from each other?

5. What is the total area of Britain and its population?

6. Why is the climate of Britain rather mild?

7. What separates Britain from the European Continent?

8. What can you tell about the Landscape of Great Britain?

9. What are the leading branches of Britain’s industry?

10. What technologies have been developed rapidly in recent years?

11. Why is the UK a parliamentary monarchy?

12. What House of the Parliament is elected?

13. Who are the members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords?

14. How many members do the House of Commons and the House of Lords consist of?

15. Why is the monarch not allowed to read Her Speech in the House of Commons?

16. Who is the ruler of the country?

17. What are the functions of the Cabinet and the Shadow Cabinet?

LONDON

London is the capital of the United Kingdom and the chief city of the Commonwealth of Nations¹. London is far more than the capital of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and one of the largest cities of the world. In this great historic city the modern is very close with the old, the great and the small live side by side in pleasant harmony, and in every part of London’s complex and busy life one can find a very genuine affection² for its traditions, its fortunes and its prosperity (процветание).

History. London is two thousand years old. Its history reaches back to Roman times, and under their occupation Londinium became the most important trading and road center in Britain. The original name of Londinium was Llin-dun – the town on the lake (Latin version). In the 9^th–11^th centuries London continued to grow as a political and commercial centre. But the invasion of Normans in 1066 brought about profound (great) changes. Up to the 16^th century London was that is now known as the City (only one square mile), and at that time the migration from the city to the suburbs began. The reasons were: the constantly increasing cost of building sites, and soaring (растущие) rents, but nevertheless London continued to grow rapidly, mainly in the 17^th and 18^th centuries and developed into Greater London or Country³. From 1801 to 1840 the population of London increased by one million.

In the 17^th century London suffered two great catastrophes. In 1665 there was a terrible plague (чума), 100,000 people lost their lives; in 1666 the Great Fire destroyed much of the city. It was one of the worst fires in history, but the baker’s mistake did result in good⁴ however, the slums (трущобы) of central London were destroyed in a single week and the fire cleared the last traces of a previous disaster – the Great Plague⁵.

Places of interest. There are a lot of places of interest in London. Almost every building, church, street is London’s history. Today, the metropolis of Greater London covers some 610 square miles (1580 sq. km.), the population is about 9 million. London is divided into the City and 29 Boroughs (район, округ) and has three governing bodies⁶: the City Corporation; the London Country Council and Metropolitan Borough Councils, each of which has its own mayor, Aldermen (члены муниципалитета) and Councellors.

Traditionally London is associated with the East End and West End. The East End grew with the spread of industries and the growth of the port of London.

The West End is the area of central London with the main shopping and entertainment centres, palaces, museums and galleries.

The East End. London lies along the Thames, because it began life as a Roman fortification at a place where it was possible to cross the river. The invading Romans immediately sized up the value of the site in terms of strategy and facilities⁷. Its estuary provided a natural entry to the country for ships coming from the North Sea. Without the river, London would never have been built. That’s why London has become one of the biggest ports. It covers a wide area; here are miles and miles of docks and the great industrial areas that depend upon shipping. This is the East End. Earlier this district was unattractive with grey and dirty streets; and dwelling blocks looked more like warehouses (склады) than homes. Now it is the rapidly developing modern area. It’ll be like Manhattan full of sky-scrapers in a few-years time.

The Tower Bridge. Fifteen bridges connect the two banks of the River Thames. They all are unique structures, a triumph of engineering. The Tower Bridge is the most spectacular of the bridges crossing the river, was built in 1894. Its central part consists of two great sections and they are opened by hydraulic mechanisms (machinery) so efficient (быстро), that the process occupies only about a minute to enable ships to pass beneath the bridge. It is situated near the Tower of London.

The Tower of London is the earliest historical monument. No other ancient monuments of Roman times have remained in the city. It was William the Conqueror who selected the site for building a defensive fortress. He built the Tower just outside the City of London boundaries to impress the English with his might and power⁸ and secure (обеспечить охрану) the Port of London. Since the 11^th century this forbidding (грозный) fortified (укрепленный) structure has been a citadel (fortress), a royal palace, a state prison, a mint (монетный двор) and an armoury and a treasury⁹ (museum). The Crown Jewels worn by the Sovereign at coronations, the National Collection of arms and armour are in it. The Tower has a fascinating (захватывающий) history with many dramatic and bloody moments especially during the reign of Tudors. Custodians of the Tower, the picturesque Yemen Warders are as old as the Tower itself. According to an ancient custom all the kings and queens spend the first days of their reign in the Tower, but they are crowned in Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey was built in the 11^th century as a church and is known as the West Monestery. Not only the monarchs have been crowned here, but they and other famous Englishmen are buried here since the 13^th century.

The Houses of Parliament is the seat of Britain’s government. The building was built in 1852 on the site of the ancient Palace of Westminster, which was a royal residence. Once it was destroyed by the fire and by bombing during World War II. A huge clock known as “Big Ben” was installed inside the right tower and has become a symbol of London. The Clock Bell was named after Sir Benjamin Hall. He was nicknamed “Big Ben” because of his immense physique¹⁰. He was at the head of works when the clock was installed.

Buckingham Palace has been the London residence of every British Sovereign (monarch) since 1837. It was built for John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham in 1702-1705. Queen Victoria was the first to make the Palace her official residence.

The City of London, the site of the original walled Roman town¹¹, occupies an area of only one square mile. It is the heart of Nation’s financial and business life with the Bank of England, Royal Exchange and headquarters of Press industry. The City is headed by its own Lord Mayor, who is elected each year.

The British museum was built in the first part of the 19^th century. Nowhere else in world one can find such a collection of treasures gathered together under the same roof. It has a wonderful art gallery with interesting collections of drawings and paintings, sculpture and ceramics. Besides, this museum is a great scientific institution, known as Natural History Museum. It is the most important place of archaeological study with unique prehistoric collections. It has a huge Reading Room, practically with every copy of a book, pamphlet, periodical including maps and music published in Britain.

Parks are Londoners’ pride. They are its lungs and little oasises, where the citizens spend their leisure time and weekends. There are very large parks and hundreds of smaller ones with unique, beautiful trees and flowers, ponds and streams, birds and animals.

Downing Street 10. Downing Street is named after its builder Sir George Downing who died in 1684. №10 is the official residence of Prime Minister, № 11 of the Chancellor of the Exchequer (казначей), who is responsible for financial planning and the British economy, and №12 of the Chief Government Whip (водитель).

Today the face of London is changing. Everywhere great new blocks of offices and apartments are climbing towards the sky. Victorian and pre-war facades are giving way to modern architecture, old streets are being widened and new ones constructed. But London retains its personality; the “Beefeaters ” still guard the Tower, the guard is still changed daily in the forecourt of Buckingham.