British crown

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. This means that it has a monarch (a king or a queen) as its Head of State. The monarch reigns with support of Parliament. The powers of the monarch are not defined precisely. Everything today is done in the Queen’s name. It is her government, her armed forces, her law courts and so on. She appoints all the Ministers, including the Prime Minister. Everything is done however on the advice of the elected Government, and the monarch takes no part in the decision-making process.

The Queen is very rich as are other members of the royal family. The government pays for her expenses as Head of State, for a royal yacht, train and aircraft as well as for the upkeep of several palaces. The Queen’s image appears on stamps, notes and coins.

At present the British royal family is headed by Queen Elizabeth. When the Queen was born on 21 April 1926, her grandfather, King George V, was on the throne and her uncle was his heir. The death of her grandfather and the abdication of her uncle brought her father to the throne as King George VI.

The marriage of the young Princess Elizabeth to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place in November 1947. She came to the throne after her father’s death in 1952 and was crowned in Westminster Abbey in June 1953.

1. What does the constitutional monarchy mean?

a) there is no monarchy b) monarch is the Head of State c) the President is the Head of State d) constitution rules the country

2. Who is the British royal family headed by at present?

a) King George V b) King George VI c) Queen Elizabeth d) Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

3. What are the powers of the monarch?

a) she appoints all the Ministers, but takes no part in the decision-making process b) everything is done by monarch c) the monarch reigns without any support d) the monarch pays for all expenses the Head of State

4. Where was Elizabeth crowned?

a) in Westminster Abbey b) on the royal yacht c) in the Tower of London d) in the Trafalgar Square

5. Who was Elizabeth’s husband?

a) King George V b) King George VI c) Philip, Duke of Edinburgh d) the Prime Minister

І. Reading Comprehension Test

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England

Of the four parts, which make up Great Britain, England is the largest, the industrial and most densely populated part of the United Kingdom. Over 46 million people of the population of the UK live in England.

The greatest concentrations of population are in London, Birmingham and northwest industrial cities. The coasts of England are washed by the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. No part of England is more than 120 kilometres from the sea.

It is interesting to note that the sea has been important in the history of England. It was a good protection against the attacks of outside peoples. Fishing has always been an important industry, especially in the east. The sea also has a great effect on England’s climate.

There are many rivers in England. The longest is the Severn (388 km), the most important is the Thames (354 km). The rivers are of great importance for communication and especially for carrying goods.

England is mostly a lowland country. There are uplands regions in the north and the southwest, but the rest of England is almost flat.

Northern England, Midlands and Southern England – each part of England is different. The Lake District in Northern England with its lakes, mountains and valleys is a favourite holiday area. On either side of the Pennines the plains of Yorkshire and Lancashire stretch to the sea. In Yorkshire swift rivers flow down from the hills into valleys called ‘dales’.

1. What is the largest part of Great Britain?

a) Scotland b) Northern Ireland c) Wales d) England

2. What has been important in the history of England?

a) people b) the sea c) the North Sea d) the Strait of Dover

3. What is the longest river in England?

a) the Thames b) the Clyde c) the Dnieper d) the Severn

4. What waters is England washed by?

a) the Severn and the Thames b) the North Sea and the Severn c) the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover d) the Strait of Dover and the Severn

5. What is the most important river of England?

a) the Thames b) the Severn c) the English Channel d) the Strait of Dover

І. Reading Comprehension Test

This text is followed by 5 multiple-choice questions. For each task choose the best possible answer from A, B, C or D and circle the letter of your choice.