Economy

The United Kingdom was the first country in the world which became highly industrialized. During the rapid industrialization of the 19^th century, one of the most important factors was that coal deposits were situated near the ground surface, which made mining easy. Coal mining is one of the most developed industries in Great Britain. The biggest coal and iron mines are in the north-east of England, near Newcastle, in Lancashire and Yorkshire; in Scotland near Glasgow; in Wales near Cardiff and Bristol.

Until recent times, Britain`s heavy industry was mainly concentrated in the centre of England and in the London region. Such towns as Birmingham, Coventry and Sheffield produced heavy machines, railway carriages and motor- cars. In the 20^th century new branches of industry have appeared: electronics, radio, chemical industry and others.

Of great importance for Britain is the ship – building industry. It is concentrated in London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool and Belfast.

Great Britain produces a lot of wool, and the woollen industry is developed in Yorkshire. British woollen products are exported to many countries.

Sea – ports play a great role in the life of the country. London, Liverpool and Glasgow are the biggest English ports, from which big liners go to all parts of the world. Great Britain exports industrial products to other countries and imports food and some other products.

Sheep – farming, cattle – farming and dairy – farming are also important branches of Great Britain`s economy. Chicken farms produce a great number of chickens and eggs for the population.

The south of England is often called the “Garden of England”, because there are many gardens and orchards there. In the orchards people grow apples, pears, cherries, plums and other fruits, and there are large plantations of different berries.

Vocabulary

1. deposit – залежь, месторождение

2. to mine – добывать (руду, т.п.)

3. mine – залежь, пласт

4. orchard – фруктовый сад

5. coal – уголь

6. iron – железо

7. branch – отрасль

8. sheep-farming – овцеводческое хозяйство

9. cattle-farming – скотоводческое хозяйство

10. dairy-farming – молочное хозяйство

11. wool – шерсть

Read and learn to pronounce correctly the following geographical names:

Newcastle

Lancashire

Yorkshire

Liverpool

Cardiff

Bristol

Sheffield

Birmingham

Coventry

Glasgow

Belfast

Oral drills

1. Make up sentences using the passive voice. Translate the sentences into Russian.

Model: Languages – to teach – the institute → Languages are taught

at the Institute.

1. British woollen products – to export – many countries.

2. Coal deposits – to mine – the north-east of England.

3. Ship – building industry – to concentrate – London, Glasgow.

4. Woollen industry – to develop – Yorkshire.

5. Apples, pears, cherries – to grow – the orchards.

II. Use the sentences of the previous exercise in the Past Indefinite Passive and in the Future Indefinite Passive.

Word Study

1. Read and translate the following international words:

Export, electronics, radio, industry, import, factor, liner, region, role, port, product, plantation.

2. Arrange the antonyms in pairs:

Slow, heavy industry, export, little, difficult

A great number of, easy, rapid, light industry, import

3. Give English equivalents to the following:

Поверхность земли, угледобыча, железнодорожные пассажирские вагоны, тяжелая промышленность, новые отрасли промышленности, до недавнего времени, промышленные товары.

Word- building

1) Read and translate the following derivatives. Pay attention to the pronunciation of the words.

Industry- industrial- industrialization- industrious;

to produce- product- productive- productivity- producer;

import- to import- importable- importer;

economy- to economize- economic- economical- economics.

2) Find adjectives of the same root in the text:

Wool, chemistry, industry, rapidity, importance.

Word Usage

Fill in the blanks with the words given below:

1. The United Kingdom was the first country in the world which became … . 2) Sheep – farming, cattle – farming and dairy – farming are important … of Great Britain`s economy. 3) … is one of the most developed industries in Great Britain. 4) Great Britain … industrial products and … food and some other products. 5) Of great importance for Britain is … industry. 6) In … people grow apples, pears, cherries and other fruits.

Orchards, highly industrialized, imports, branches, exports, coal-mining, ship – building.

Oral exercises on the text

1. Answer the following questions:

1) What was one of the most important factors of the rapid industrialization of the country in the 19^th century?

2) What is the most developed industry in Great Britain? Where are the biggest coal and iron mines situated?

3) Where was Britain`s heavy industry mainly concentrated until recent times? What was produced in Birmingham, Coventry and Sheffield?

4) What branches of industry appeared in the 20^th century?

5) What towns is ship – building industry concentrated in?

6) Great Britain has always been a great exporter of wool, hasn`t it? Where is the woollen industry concentrated?

7) Do sea – ports play a great role in the life of Great Britain? What are the biggest sea – ports of the country?

8. Why is the south of England often called the “Garden of England”? What fruits are grown in the orchards?

2. Expand the following statements. Add information from the text:

1. The United Kingdom was the first country in the world which became highly industrialized.

2. Coal mining is one of the most developed industries in Great Britain.

3. Britain`s heavy industry was mainly concentrated in the centre of England and in the London region.

4. Great Britain produces a lot of wool.

5. Sea – ports play a great role in the life of the country.

6. Agriculture is also an important branch of Great Britain`s economy.

3. Speak on the British economy using the scheme with the key words and key expressions.

T he economy

Resources		Manufacturing		Agriculture
(coal, iron)		(heavy industry, electronics, radio, chemical industry, ship – building industry, woollen industry)		(sheep- farming, cattle – farming, dairy – farming; “the Garden of England”; gardens and orchards)