3. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the total area of Great Britain?

2. What parts does Great Britain consist of?

3. Where is the United Kingdom situated?

4. What is the state system in Britain?

5. Who is the head of the state in the U.K.?

6. What can you say about the monarchy in Great Britain?

7. What is the Supreme legislative authority in the U.K.?

8. Do you know anything from the history of the British Parliament?

9. What chambers is the British Parliament composed of?

10. Are seats in the Parliament hereditary or elected?

11. When does the bill return to the House of Commons for further debate?

12. What are the major political parties in Britain?

13. What is the climate of Great Britain?

14. What rivers of Great Britain do you know?

15. Is Wales a densely populated region?

16. Whom was London founded and when?

17. When did London become the capital of England?

18. What historical monuments and places of interest are there in London?

19. What are the traditional industries in the U.K.?

20. Has Great Britain made any contribution to science, art, literature and world culture?

4. Speaking about Great Britain:

Step 1. Choose a partner and ask each other questions about Great Britain introducing these questions with the following phrases:

Could you tell me …? Do you know …?

Do you happen to know …? Is it true that …?

I’ve heard that … Is it really true?

I’d like to know if …?

Could you explain why / where / how / what …?

What is your opinion about … ?

What do you think of … ?

Do you agree with …?

I wonder if you take part in …?

Step 2. Prove that:

а) The U.K. is defined as a constitutional monarchy.

b) The traditional industries are in decline in Britain.

c) The Queen’s power is symbolic.

d) The House of Commons is considered more important.

e) The country has a typical maritime climate.

Use the following words and phrases: I think that…; Frankly speaking…; I’d like to call your attention to…; This is my

point of view…; I’m sure that… .

Step 3. Divide the text into logical parts and try to annotate each of them.

Step 4. Get ready to speak about:

a) The official name of the state.

b) The capital of the U.K.

c) The official language and minority languages.

d) The geographical location of Great Britain.

e) The major parts of the U.K.

f) The state system of Great Britain.

g) The political parties of the country.

h) The traditional industries of Britain.

Step 5. Fill in the gaps with the words given below.

/settlement, nearly, the capital, dependent, cattle and sheep, grain, have been built, was founded, business centre, stretches, rainfall, food supplies, businessmen and financiers, engaged, developed it into./

For centuries, the British Isles have been famous for their ___ ___ ___, because the temperature and ___ favour the growing of grass rather than of ___. Today less than seven percent of the population are ___ in farming and the islands are largely ___ on other countries for their ___ ___. London ___ ___ hundreds of years before our era. On the banks of the Thames there was a small ___ named Llin-din. The Romans named Llindin as Londinium and ___ ___ ___ a large and rich city. In 1055, Londinium became London, ___ ___of Great Britain. Since that time many beautiful buildings, palaces and bridges ___ ___ ___ there. London today ___ for nearly 30 miles from north to south and for ___ the same extension from east to west.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and ___ ___ . Few people live there but thousands of clerks, ___ ___ ___ rush to it every day.