What is the official name of great britain now

Текст про Соединенное королевство с заданиями Great Britain

Текст про Соединенное королевство с заданиями

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) is the official name of the state, which is situated on the British Isles. This state is also called Great Britain after the main island with the same name. The UK consists of four countries, which are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

Geographical position of the UK . Географическое положение Соединенного королевства

The UK is an island state. The two main islands are Great Britain (where England, Scotland and Wales are situated) and Ireland (where Northern Ireland and the independent Irish Republic are situated). The two islands are separated by the Irish Sea. The UK is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the north and the North Sea in the east.

The UK is separated from the continent by the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. The Strait of Dover is the narrowest part of English Channel. The nearest point to Europe is Dover which is only thirty-two miles from France. Dover is one of the most ancient ports. If you cross the English Channel by ferry you can see the white chalk cliffs of Dover and Dover Castle.

Everyone who was born in Britain is British. People from England are English. People from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not English. They are Scottish or the Scotts, Welsh and Irish.

Everyone in Britain speaks English. But in some parts of Scotland and Wales people speak different languages as well. The Welsh are especially proud of their language. They like to speak Welsh, to sing songs in Welsh and when you travel you can see road signs in Welsh all over Wales. Everyone in the UK speaks English but they all speak it differently. A Scottish person has to listen carefully if he wants to understand a Londoner or a Welsh person.

More than 56 million people live in Britain. Many of them live in big industrial cities like London. The biggest cities of England are Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool (England); Edinburg, Glasgow, (Scotland).

Foreigners are often surprised by the fact that much of land in Britain is open country. There are many lonely hills, quiet rivers, deep lakes and just farmlands especially in the south of the country. The open country is named Lowlands but it changes for hills called Highlands in the north of the country.

The climate in Great Britain is very mild. The winter temperature is between +3° and +7°. Snow does not cover the ground very long, except on the mountains. The summer temperature is between +15° and +18°. It often rains.

The English weather is very changeable. So when English people make plans for holidays they usually begin, “If the weather…”

State Symbol. Государственный символ

The flag of the United Kingdom is known as the Union Jack. It is made up of three crosses: the cross of St. George (the patron saint of England), the cross of St. Andrew (the patron saint of Scotland) and the cross of St. Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland).

Упражнения к тексту «Great Britain»

Упражнение 1. Read the text and complete the following sentences:

1. … is the official name of the state which is situated on the British Isles.

2. The capital of Great Britain is …

3. The capital of Scotland is …

4. The capital of Northern Ireland is …

5. The capital of Wales is …

6. Ireland and Great Britain are separated by …

7. The UK is separated from the continent by …

8. The UK is washed by… in the west.

9. The UK is washed by … in the east.

Упражнение 2. Complete the following sentences making the right choice.

1. The Union Jack is …

1. the flag of the UK

2. the flag of the USA

2. English is spoken …

1. all over Britain

2. only in England

3. The UK is the official name of the country situated …

1. on the island which is called Great Britain

2. on the British Isles

4. Edinburgh is the capital of …

5. The independent Irish Republic is situated …

1. in Northern Ireland

2. on the smaller of the two biggest islands of the British Isles

6. Great Britain and Ireland are separated by …

1. the North Sea

2. the Irish Sea

7. The nearest point to Europe is …

1. the Strait of Dover

8. The UK is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in …

Упражнение 3. Fill in articles where necessary.

(1) ________ United Kingdom is situated on (2) ________ British Isles which are separated from (3) ________ continent by (4) _________English Channel and (5) _________Strait of Dover. (6) __________two main islands of (7) _________ British Isles are (8)_________Great Britain and (9) ________Ireland. (10) _______ England is situated in (11)________ south of (12) _______ Great Britain and (13) _______ Scotland in its (14) ________ north. (15)_______ two big islands are separated by (16) _______ Irish Sea.

Упражнение 4. Complete this text about Great Britain and learn it by heart.

Use the words: mild, large, falls, rain, sightseeing, Western, Atlantic, temperature, pound, population, Highlands, English, London.

A lot of tourists come to Great Britain every year to do some (13) …. in its big and small towns.

Упражнение 5. Match the words in the two columns to say what these places are famous for. Make notes to remember.

Example: London is famous for its places of interest.

The places of interest: the Lake District, Hadrian’s Wall, Stonehenge, Land’s End, Cambridge and Oxford, Heathrow, Greenwich, Liverpool, Stratford-upon-Avon.

1. the biggest airport in England

2. a group of huge stones of pre-historic times

3. the fact it is the most westerly [‘west(ə)lɪ] point in the country

4. the fact that it was built by Romans

5. its 12 th century universities

6. its lakes and beautiful scenery

7. the fact that it is the home town of Beatles

8. the fact that it is Shakespeare’s place of birth

9. Greenwich Observatory, the zero meridian of longitude passes through it.

Упражнение 6. Answer the questions.

1. What is the official name of Great Britain now?

2. What parts does the UK consist of and what are their capitals?

3. What is the national symbol (emblem) of England (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)?

4. What is the British flag called? Why?

5. What are the names of two main islands of the British Isles?

6. What separates Great Britain from the continent?

7. What do we call the narrowest part of the English Channel?

8. Why is the UK called an island state?

9. What do we call people who were born in Britain? In Scotland? In Wales? In Ireland?

10. Is English the only language people speak in the UK?

11. What is the Union Jack? What does the Union Jack look like and what does it symbolize?

12. What language is spoken in Scotland? In Wales? In Ireland?

13. How big is London compared with other cities?

14. How does the scenery change across the country?

15. What is the British climate like?

16. What is the English weather like?

17. What is Stratford-upon-Avon famous for?

18. What is Oxford famous for? Cambridge?

19. What is Liverpool famous for?

20. What is Lake district famous for?

Упражнение 7. Match the country and its symbol.

Countries of the UK: England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland

Symbols: Daffodil, Rose, Shamrock, Thistle

Ex. 6. Translate into English

A)

1. Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии занимает большую часть Британских островов.

2. Соединенное Королевство состоит из четырех частей: Англия, Шотландия, Уэльс и Северная Ирландия. Столицы этих государств – Лондон, Эдинбург, Кардифф, Белфаст.

3. Население Соединенного Королевства более 57 млн. человек.

4. Самые высокие горы располагаются в Шотландии и Уэльсе: Бен Невис высотой 1343 м. и Сноудон 1085 м.

5. Озёрный край расположен в северо-западной части Англии. Это очень романтическое место, известное своими долинами, горами, озерами и водопадами.

6. Оксфорд – старый английский университетский город. Он расположен в Центральных графствах Великобритании к северо-западу от Лондона.

7. Юго-восток Англии известен своими плоскими равнинами, где расположено много ферм.

8. Великобритания является одним из самых крупных производителей и экспортеров в мире электроники, текстиля и навигационного оборудования.

9. Высший орган законодательной власти – парламент. В его состав входят король, палата лордов и палата общин.

B)

1. Лондон – большой порт и важный торговый, промышленный и культурный центр страны.

2. Римляне дали Лондону его первое название.

3. Развитие большинства отраслей промышленности связано с обеспечением потребностей населения столицы.

4. Лондон – важный международный центр авиалиний.

5. Тауэр Лондона, бывшая резиденция английских королей, была основана Вильгельмом Завоевателем.

6. Три четверти Лондона было уничтожено Великим Пожаром в 1666 году.

7. В Лондоне находятся более 30 музеев, около 40 театров, работает одна из крупнейших в мире библиотека Британского музея.

Ex. 7. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the official name of Great Britain now?

2. What sea separates the two main islands?

3. What influences the climate of the British Isles?

4. What are the largest cities of Great Britain?

5. Who is the head of the state?

6. What makes London important for the life of Great Britain?

7. Who designed St. Paul’s Cathedral?

8. What is the historic part of London?

9. What part can be called the center of London?

10. What industries are developed in Great Britain?

11. What is the political system of the United Kingdom?

12. What is understood by the Commonwealth?

13. Is Great Britain a republic or monarchy?

Ex. 8. Work in pairs or in groups. Imagine you are going to visit Great Britain. Try to get information about this country. Your group mate will play the role of an English. Ask her/him all the questions. Here is the list of possible options.

— the geographical position of the UK;

— the parts of Great Britain and their capitals;

— the political system in the UK;

— the chief rivers;

— the highest mountains;

— London, the capital and the heart of Great Britain;

— a part of London he/she likes most of all ;

Great Britain The official name of

Great Britain
The official name of Great Britain
is The United Kingdom ojGreat
Britain and Northern Ireland.
Great Britain is an island country. It
is situated on the British Isles in the
northwest of Europe. The English
Channel 18 miles wide separates it
from France. Great Britain is separated
from Belgium and Holland bу the N orth Sea, and from Ireland bу the
lrish Sea.
Parts of Great Britain
The United Kingdom of Great Britain consists of four parts: England,
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. England, Wales and Scotland occupy
the territory of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated in the
northern part of Ireland. The territory of the United Юngdom is about
244 000 (two hundred and forty-four thousand) square kilometres. The
population is over 56 million. The capital is London.

The surface of the United Юngdom varies greatly. The northem and
the westem parts of the country are mountainous and are called the Highlands.
All the rest is а vast plain that is called the Lowlands. The mountains
are not very high. The rivers are not very long. The most important of
them are the Severn and the Thames. There are many beautifullakes in
the mountainous part of the country.
No part of England Hes more than one hundred miles from the sea.
The coast line has а number of fine bays and excellent natural harbors.
World famous ports include London, Liverpool, Bristol, Plymouth,
Southampton, Portsmouth, Dover and others.
Cllmate ln Great Brltaln
The climate of Great Britain is mild the whole year round. The mountains,
the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream influence
the climate of Great Britain. Winters are not cold and summers are
not hot. October is usually the wettest month, July- the hottest, and
January- the coldest.
British Economy
Great Britain is а highly developed industrial country. It is known as
one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of iron and steel products,
machinery and electronics, chemicals and textile. One of the chief
industries is shipbuilding.
Great Britain is а country with old cultural traditions and customs.
The most famous educational centres are Oxford and Cambridge universities.
They are considered to Ье the intellectual centres of Europe. The
education is not free, it is very expensive.
British Political System
The United l(ingdom is а monarchy and the Queen is the head ofthe
state. But in practice it is ruled Ьу the elected government with the Prime
Мinister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers:
the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the Labour
party, the Conservative party and the Liberal party.

Unit 7. How Much Do We Know About Britain?

You already know a lot about Britain and its people, but some things are easily forgotten. Let us brush up our knowledge of the country. So.

* * * * * Let Us Review * * * * *

1. Look at the map and say: a) what the main parts of Great Britain are; b) what their capitals are; c) what their symbols are.

2. Choose the right item.

a) the flag of the UK
b) the flag of Scotland
c) the flag of Wales
d) the flag of England

a) 12 Whitehall
b) 10 Downing Street
c) 7 Russel Street
d) 15 Oxford Street

a) a street leading from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament;
b) a big hall in the centre of London;
c) a white palace near Trafalgar Square;
d) the palace where the Queen lives in summer.

a) 1066
b) 1766
c) 1106
d) 1666

a) Buckingham Palace
b) Westminster Abbey
c) St. Paul’s Cathedral
d) the Tower of London

a) Piccadilly Circus
b) Parliament Square
c) Trafalgar Square
d) Leicester [’lests] Square

a) cultural
b) political
c) business
d) industrial

a) the Pacific Ocean b) the Irish Sea c) the Bristol Channel d) the English Channel

a) north
b) south
c) west
d) east

a) the Prime Minister
b) the President
c) the Queen
d) the Speaker

* * * * * Let Us Read * * * * *

5. Read to get more information about British festivals. 1

Traditional games on Halloween Night are usually difficult, such as trying to get an apple from a bucket 2 of water without using hands or trying to find a coin in a bowl 3 full of flour.

On New Year’s Eve, people used to take a soaking 4 in the fountains in Trafalgar Square.

The Christmas tree which is put in Trafalgar Square for Christmas is always a present from Norway.

On Christmas day the Queen gives her traditional Christmas speech to the UK and the Commonwealth on television and radio.

At Easter time, the British often give their children chocolate Easter eggs, which are opened and eaten on Easter Sunday.

1 a festival — праздник
2 a bucket — ведро
3 a bowl — миска
4 to take a soaking — окунаться

6. A Russian girl, Olga, comes to Britain on the 30th of October. She is going to stay with an English family. Alice, the eldest daughter, is going to take Olga to a Halloween party. Read their dialogue and say why Olga is so surprised.

HALLOWEEN PARTY

Olga: Alice, it can be a stupid question, but I’m afraid I don’t know much about Halloween. What is it like?

Alice: I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Such parties are usually great fun. People dress up in strange costumes and pretend they’re ghosts and witches.

Olga: Oh. are you sure I’m going to like it? It sounds very unusual.

Alice: Don’t be silly, we’ll play games and dance and laugh a lot. And you know what, when the party is over, we’ll put on white sheets and knock on our neighbours’ doors asking if they would like a “trick” or “treat”.

Olga: Trick or treat? What d’you mean?

Alice (laughing): Nothing dangerous. If they give us a treat — some sweets, nuts or cakes — we’ll say “thank you” and go away. But if they don’t we’ll play a trick on them.

Olga: What? A trick? What shall we do?

Alice: We’ll make a lot of noise and throw flour on their front doorstep!

Alice: But can you help me to get ready for the party?

Olga: Of course I will. What shall I do?

Alice: We’ll cut an ugly face in a pumpkin and put a candle inside. It will shine through the eye holes. Then we’ll take the pumpkin to the party to decorate the hall.

Olga: How interesting! I’ve never heard about this holiday before. We don’t have it in Russia.

Alice: You just wait! On the 5th of November I’ll take you to see a Guy Fawkes Night.

1 Wow! — Ух ты! (возглас удивления и/или восторга)

7. Imagine that that very night Olga wrote a letter to her family where she told them what she had learned about Halloween. Name 10 things she had learned about that holiday. Begin with: «Alice told me. ”.

Example: Alice told me she was going to take me to a Halloween party.

* * * * * Let Us Talk * * * * *

8. Work in pairs. Make up two dialogues: a) about Guy Fawkes Night, b) about Maslenitsa in Russia. One of you is a Russian student, the other comes from Britain.

* * * * * Let Us Write * * * * *

10. Do ex. 3, ex. 6 in writing.

11. Write a paragraph on one of the topics from ex. 9.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain

The official name of the country, we usually call England and occasionally Great Britain, is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The U. K. is situated on the group of islands, lying just off the mainland of northwestern Europe. The British Isles include Great Britain proper, Ireland and a number of smaller islands. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The southern part of Ireland is occupied by Great Britain and is called by native citizens the Republic of Eire.

Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel, the narrower part of which is called the Strait of Dover. The British Isles are surrounded by the shallow waters of the Irish Sea, on the west, the North Sea on the north and northeast, the Norwegian Sea on the east. Britain is comparatively small, but there is hardly a country, in the world where such a variety of scenery can be found.

Объединенное Королевство Великобритании

Официальным названием страны, которую мы обычно называем Англией, иногда Великобританией, является Объединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии. Объединенное Королевство расположено на группе островов, находящихся недалеко от материка северо-западной Европы. Британские острова включают саму Великобританию, Ирландию и множество маленьких островов. Великобритания состоит из Англии, Шотландии и Уэльса. Южная часть Ирландии оккупирована Великобританией и называется самими гражданами Республикой Эйр.

Вопросы:
2. Where is the U. K. situated?
1. What is the official name of Great Britain?
4. Are Northern England Mountains and the Cambrian Mountains very high?
3. What is the Republic of Eire?
6. What are Britain’s principal ports?
7. What makes the climate of Great Britain mild?
5. What is the biggest river of Great Britain?

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