Практичне заняття № 1 "Географічне розташування та політична система Великої Британії"

The Geographical Position of Great Britain

The Geographical Position and The Political System of Great Britain

The United Kingdom is a constitutional or parliamentary monarchy. It means that it has a monarch (either a queen or a king) as its Head of State but the monarch has very little power. The Queen (or King) reigns but she (he) doesn't rule. Parliament and the existent government have the power. Parliament and the monarch have different roles and they only meet together on symbolic occasions such as the coronation of a new monarch or the traditional annual opening of the Parliament.

The United Kingdom is very small comparing with the biggest countries of the world such as Russia, China or the USA. It occupies only 0.2 per cent of the world's surface and its total area is about 244,000 square kilometres. However there only 15 other countries with more people (there are about 57 million people in the UK now), and London is the world's seventh biggest city. Many foreigners say “English” and “England” when they mean “British” and “Britain”. This is very annoying for the 5 million Scotsmen, 2,8 million Welsh and 1,5 million Irishmen who are not certainly English but are all British.

The country whose official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is made up of England (London), Wales (Cardiff), Scotland (Edinburgh) and Northern Ireland (Belfast) and is situated on the British Isles. This group of islands lies between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and consists of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and 550 smaller islands around them. It is separated from the continent of Europe by the English Channel, the narrowest part of which is called the Straight of Dover or Pas de Calais. In the west the UK is separated from Ireland by the Irish Sea and the North Channel. The seas around Britain are often rough and difficult to navigate during storms but they are full of fish and are extremely important for trade. Britain's main ports are London, Hull, Liverpool, Glasgow and some others. You will not find high mountains or large plains in Britain. Everything occupies very little place. The highest mountain, Ben Nevis, is in Scotland. In the centre of England is a range of hills called the Pennine Chain which is also known as the “backbone of England”. The Cambrian mountains in Wales and the Cambrian mountains in the Lake District in the north of England are not high but amazingly beautiful. The Cheviot Hills mark the boundary between England and Scotland, and physically Scotland is divided into three regions: the Highlands, the Central Lowlands and the Southern Uplands.

There are very many rivers in Great Britain but they are not very long. The longest river is the Severn in England, but the most famous is the Thames because it gave rise to the capital of the country ― London.

Great Britain is not very rich in mineral resources though there is oil in the North Sea, coal in Wales and in the north of England, tin and other non-ferrous metals in the south. The biggest cities of Britain are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow and some others.

Grammar: PRESENT CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE ACTIVE(тривалий час)

1. Дія, що відбувається в момент мовлення.	E.g.: Please don't make so much noise, I'm studying.
2. Дія, що відбувається в певний період у теперішньому часі.	E.g.: You're working hard today. I am going to school (in sb’s life).
3. Описання ситуації, яка поступово змінюється.	E.g.: The population of the world is rising very fast. Is your English getting better?
4. Довготривала дія, яка не припиняється.	E.g.: The earth is always moving. The sun is always shining. She is constantly thinking of you.
5. Запланована дія в найближчому майбутньому переважно з дієсловами руху arrive, leave, come, go, fly... (Future (personal) arrangements and plans)	E.g.: I'm leaving/flying tomorrow. We are dining out on Saturday. He is taking his examination on Friday.
6. Повторювана дія у тепер. часі, що викликає у того, хто говорить, здивування чи роздратування (irritation).	E.g.: He is always losing his keys.
7. Майбутня тривала дія у підрядних реченнях умови і часу.	E.g.: If I am sleeping when he comes, wake me up, please.

NB! Уживання Present Simple (Простого неозначеного часу):

1. Звичайна, повторювана, типова дія/характерна ознака, властивість підмета.	E.g.: We live in Russia.
2. Зазначення загальновідомих фактів, простих істин.	E.g.: The Earth goes round the Sun.
3. Запланована дія в майбутньому відповідно до розкладу.	E.g.: The next train leaves in an hour.
4. Найближча дія в майбутньому.	E.g.: What do we do now?
5. Дія, що відбувається в момент мовлення (замість Pr. Cont.), з дієсл., що не вжив. у часах групи Continuous.	E.g.: I see a ship in the distance. I think it is wrong.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE ACTIVE

РОЗПОВІДНЕ СТВЕРДЖУВАЛЬНЕ РЕЧ.: TO BE (в PR.S.) + V-ing

I AM reading, we ARE reading, you ARE reading, you ARE reading, s/he/it IS reading, they ARE reading.

→ Кінцева -Е опускається: write – writing, smoke – smoking. BUT!!! See – seeing.

→ Кінцева приголосна після короткої наголошеної голосної подвоюється: cut – cutting, begin – beginning, run – running, swim – swimming… NB! Open – opening, happen – happening.

→ Подвоєння кінцевої -L після короткої голосної: travel – travelling, control – controlling… ! Appeal – appealing, trouble – troubling, giggle – giggling…

→ Кінцева -Y не змінюється: fly – flying, dry – drying, cry – crying.

→ Пригол. + -IE + -ing → -Y + -ing: lie – lying, die – dying.

РОЗПОВІДНЕ ЗАПЕРЕЧНЕ РЕЧЕННЯ: TO BE (в PR.S.) + NOT + V-ing

I AM NOT reading, we ARE NOT reading, you ARE NOT reading, you ARE NOT reading, s/he/it IS NOT reading, they ARE NOT reading.

ПИТАЛЬНЕ РЕЧЕННЯ: TO BE (в PR.S.) + підмет + V-ing

AM I reading? ARE we reading? ARE you reading? ARE you reading? IS s/he/it reading? ARE they reading?

NB! Заперечне питальне речення: Are you not reading?/Aren't you reading?

TIME EXPRESSIONS (обставини часу): (right) now, still, at the (present) moment, at this moment, at present, this minute, at 7 o’clock every day, from … till, while… Listen! Look!

Дієсл., які означають дію не як процес, а як дещо постійне, незмінне в часі (дієслова, які виражають розумовий стан, сприйняття, відчуття та деякі інші), не вживаються в Pr. Cont.:

1. Дієслова розумової діяльності (Brain work):	Think, consider, know, believe, guess, imagine, realize, suppose, remember, recognize, understand, forget, forgive, remember, mind, notice, seem.
2. Дієслова відчуттів та емоційного стану (Feelings):	love, like, dislike, hate, prefer, fear, envy, feel, doubt, hope, regret, wonder, appreciate.
3. Дієслова сприйняття (Senses):	feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch, sound.
4. Дієслова, що виражають стан абстрактні відносини (State):	be, exist, concern, fit, suit, cost, mean, involve, deserve, care, weigh, owe, appear, miss.
5. Дієслова враження (Impression):	astonish, impress, please, satisfy, surprise.
6. Дієслова володіння (Possession):	belong, have, own, possess.
7. Дієслова волевиявлення і бажання (Wish):	need, want, wish, desire, object, agree, refuse.
8. Дієслова вмісту (Contain):	contain, consist of, include, depend on.
9. Дієслова, що вводять пряму мову (Introductory clauses for direct speech):	answer, ask, reply, say.

Mixed Verbs

Дієслово	Stative (State) Verbs (дієсл. стану) Не вживається в Present Continouos в значенні:	Уживається в Present Continouos в значенні:
to hear	"чути" She hears the music. (Non-Cont. Verb: She hears the music with her ears.)	"отримувати звістку" She is hearing voices. (Normal Verb: She hears something others cannot hear. She is hearing voices in her mind.)
to see	"бачити/розуміти" I see her. (Non-Cont. Verb: I see her with my eyes.)	"дивитися, зустрічатися" I am seeing the doctor. (Normal Verb: I am visiting or consulting with a doctor/dentist/lawyer.) I am seeing her. (Normal Verb: I am having a relationship with her.) I am seeing her. (Normal Verb: I am having a relationship with her.)
to look	"виглядати/здаватися на вигляд" Nancy looks tired. (Non-Cont. Verb: She seems tired.)	"дивитися" Farah is looking at the pictures. (Normal Verb: She is looking with her eyes.)
to smell	"пахнути" The coffee smells good. (Non-Cont. Verb: The coffee has a good smell.)	"нюхати" I am smelling the flowers. (Normal Verb: I am sniffing the flowers to see what their smell is like.)
to taste	"мати смак" The coffee tastes good. (Non-Cont. Verb: The coffee has a good taste.)	"пробувати на смак" I am tasting the cake. (Normal Verb: I am trying the cake to see what it tastes like.)
to think	"вважати/мати думку" He thinks the test is easy. (Non-Cont. Verb: He considers the test to be easy.)	"розмірковувати/думати" She is thinking about the question. (Normal Verb: She is pondering the question, going over it in her mind.) What are you thinking about? (=What is going on in your mind?)
to have	"мати" I have a dollar now. (Non-Cont. Verb: I possess a dollar.)	"робити щось" NB! To have a bath (a shower), to have a nap, to have fun, to have breakfast (lunch, dinner, supper, tea), to have a music lesson, to have a pain, to have coffee: I'm having breakfast. She's having a bath. I am having fun now. (Normal Verb: I am experiencing fun now.)
to feel	" здаватися, почуватися" The massage feels great. (Non-Cont. Verb: The massage has a pleasing feeling.) I don't feel well today. (Sometimes used as Non-Cont. Verb: I am a little sick.)	"почуватися" I am not feeling well today. (Sometimes used as Normal Verb: I am a little sick.) NOTICE: The second meaning of "feel" is very flexible and there is no real difference in meaning between "I don't feel well today" and "I am not feeling well today."
to appear	"здаватися" Donna appears confused. (Non-Cont. Verb: Donna seems confused.)	"з’являтися" My favorite singer is appearing at the jazz club tonight. (Normal Verb: My favorite singer is giving a performance at the jazz club tonight.)
to miss	"сумувати" John misses Sally. (Non-Cont. Verb: He is sad because she is not there.)	"пропустити" Debbie is missing her favorite TV program. (Normal Verb: She is not there to see her favorite program.)
to weigh	"важити" The table weighs a lot. (Non-Cont. Verb: The table is heavy.)	"зважуватися" She is weighing herself. (Normal Verb: She is determining her weight.)
to be	"бути" Joe is American. (Non-Cont. Verb: Joe is an American citizen.)	"поводитися як…, бути ніби…, поводитися не так, як зазвичай" Joe is being very American. (Normal Verb: Joe is behaving like a stereotypical American.) Joe is being very rude. (Normal Verb: Joe is behaving very rudely. Usually he is not rude.) Joe is being very formal. (Normal Verb: Joe is behaving very formally. Usually he is not formal.) NOTICE: Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is most commonly done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or stereotypically. It can also be used when someone's behavior is noticeably different.

EXERCISES:

Ex. 1. Change the sentences into Present Continuous/Progressive and mind the time expressions.

1. Bob goes to the cinema every weekend. 2. Sandra visits her aunts every month. 3. The boys play football in the yard. 4. We hammer the nails ourselves. 5. Terry learns new words and expressions. 6. I cook the pie for my Granny. 7. Mr. Dobson write all the letters on Sunday. 8. Carol speaks French fluently. 9. Mrs. Hogget paints two watercolours every week. 10. You hide it behind the door. 11. Barry sometimes saves kittens from the puddle. 12. Ann always rides the bike on Sundays. 13. The horses run in the field every day. 14. Charles conducts the orchestra in a fortnight. 15. Vivian recites the poems too loudly.

Ex. 2. Choose the correct form of the verb.

1. The kitten ... in the box now. (mew, mews, is mewing) 2. What ... you ... about, Ned? (talk, talks, are talking) 3. Right now I ... Tommy with his math. (help, am helping, helps) 4. Sarah ... angry now. What happened? (looks, look, is looking) 5. Why ... you ... the glass? It's perfectly clean. (rub, rubs, are rubbing) 6. We ... her stories about summer. (don't believe, are not believing, doesn't believe) 7. Ann is busy now. She ... her music lesson. (has, have, is having) 8. What ... you ...? Nothing. (can hear, are hearing, does hear) 9. My mother ... everything. (understand, understands, is understanding) 10. Look! It ... outside. (snows, snow, is snowing) 11. Patrick, what ... you ... at the moment? (are whispering, whisper, whispers) Speak a little louder, please. 12. Mrs. Ashley ... the texts every day. (is dictating, dictate, dictates) 13. Bertie ... the papers now. (is signing, signs, sign) Wait a minute, please. 14. Mr. Nichols ... this experiment every semester. (carries out, carry out, is carrying out) 15. You ... this document now. (see, sees, are seeing) Can you check it?

Ex. 3. Imagine that three or four people you know have rather bad habits, which irritate you. Imagine that you are complaining of them. The first is done for you.

1. Alan smokes in the bedroom. — Alan is always smoking in the bedroom. 2. Fiona leaves her underwear everywhere. 3. Bob borrows money and never returns. 4. Alan boasts all the time. 5. Fiona usually messes everywhere. 6. Bob always leaves his dirty socks in the tub. 7. Alan leaves dirty dishes in the basin. 8. Fiona leaves the light switched on. 9. Bob always closes the windows and never airs the bedroom. 10. Amanda always asks the money for new dresses. 11. Bob often loses the money I give him. 12. Fiona always smiles oddly. 13. Alan bullies me very often. 14. Fiona giggles when I see her. 15. Bob always teases my cat. I hate him for that.

Ex. 4. Choose the right answer.

1. Sandra: "What ...... about?" Ann: "My summer holidays! I wish I was still lying on the beach.

A) do you think B) are you thinking

2. What does the shop assistant say to the customer in a shop if he wants to know if someone is

already helping her? A) Do you serve? B) Are you serving?

3. My father ...... too much! A) Smokes B) is smoking

4. Oil ...... on water. A) is floating B) floats

5. Money ...... on trees! A) isn't growing B) doesn't grow

6. Why ...... ? You should be listening to me! A) do you talk B) are you talking

7. Sandra: "Do you play the piano?" Ann: "No, I ...... any musical instrument! A) isn't playing B) don't play

8. You ...... into things and breaking them. How can anyone be so clumsy? A) always bump B) are always bumping

9. Alex and I ...... basketball after school today. Do you want to play too? A) are playing B) play

10. My father ...... me to school this week because we had an accident and our car is being repaired.

A) doesn't drive B) isn't driving

11. You should see the new Brad Pitt film. He plays the part of a cowboy who ...... up a lawless town.

A) Cleans B) is cleaning

12. What ...... next weekend, Alex? A) are you doing B) do you do

13. You'd better go to bed early tonight. The plane ...... at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning so we'll have

to be up by 4.30! A) leaves B) is leaving

14. What time ...... A) is the train leaving? B) does the train leave?

15. Rebecca: "Are you going to the dance on Friday?" Sandra: "No, I'm not. I ...... school dances;

they're loud, hot and crowded! A) am not enjoying B) don't enjoy

16. John ...... his teeth before breakfast every morning. A) Cleans B) is cleaning

17. At a school dance: Rebecca: " ...... yourself?" Sandra: "Yes, I'm having a great time!

A) Do you enjoy B) Are you enjoying

18. Babies ...... when they are hungry. A) Cry B) are crying

19. Don't make so much noise. Ann ...... to study for her ESL test! A) Tries B) is trying

20. I ...... for my pen. Have you seen it? A) Look B) am looking

21. Sorry, she can't come to the phone. She ...... a bath! A) is having B) have

22. Rebecca ...... her blue jeans today, but usually she wears a skirt or a dress. A) Wears B) is wearing

23. How many students in your class ...... from UK? A) Come B) are coming

24. Rebecca: "What ...... ?" Sandra: "I'm trying to fix my calculator. A) are you doing B) do you do

25. Rebecca: "What ...... in the evenings?" Sandra: "Usually I watch TV or read a book. A) do you do B) are you doing

26. Sorry, you can't borrow my pencil. I ...... it myself. A) Use B) am using

27. Weather report: "It's seven o'clock in Moscow and ...... . A) it snows B) it's snowing

28. I've just finished reading a story called Dangerous Game. It's about a man who ...... his wife

because he doesn't want to lose her. A) Kills B) is killing

29. I think I ...... a new calculator. This one does not work properly any more. A) am needing B) need

30. You can keep my gameboy if you like. I ...... it any more. A) am not using B) don't use

31. ...... many times every winter in Moscow. A) It is snowing B) It snows

The Political System of The United Kingdom

There is no written constitution in Britain. The present British monarch is Queen Elizabeth II (since 1953) and the next in line to the throne is her son, Charles, the Prince of Wales, and then his son, Prince William of Wales. Britain is a democracy. Men and women over 18 have the right to vote, but it is not compulsory. They have the right to elect a Member of Parliament (M.P.) for their electoral area (constituency). Most M.P.s belong to a different political party. Although there is no limit to the number of political parties, and at present there are more than 100 of them, Britain in reality has a two-party system of government, since most people vote either Labour or Conservative. The party that wins the most seats in a general election forms the government and its leader becomes the Prime Minister, the head of the government. At present the Prime Minister of Britain is David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party. He usually takes policy decisions with the agreement of the Cabinet of Ministers. The power of the Cabinet, in its turn, is controlled by the Parliament, for no bill can become law until it is passed by an Act of Parliament.

All important bills are presented to the House of Commons (the lower chamber of the Parliament, all 659 members of which are elected by people), where they are explained and debated. If they receive a majority vote they go to the House of Lords (the upper chamber consisting of 92 hereditary or life-time peers, clergy and supreme judges) and after that to the monarch to be signed. Although a bill must be supported by all three bodies, the House of Lords has only limited powers, and the monarch has not refused to sign any bill for about 200 years. The monarch always acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. So the House of Commons is the main law-making body while the Cabinet of Ministers and the government are the main executive bodies. Scotland and Wales have their own governments: the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff. Both opened in 1999.