Ex. 2. Read the text and say what new facts you have learnt about Great Britain.

Great Britain

Great Britain is an island lying off the north-western of Europe. The English Channel separates it from the mainland in the South. The Strait of Dover, 18 miles wide, divides it from France. Great Britain is separated from Belgium and Holland by the North Sea and from Ireland by the Irish Sea.

The official name of Great Britain is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the name of the major island of the United Kingdom including England, Scotland and Wales; the United Kingdom, or the UK comprises Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The UK is often referred to as Great Britain or the British Isles. It is an island state consisting of more than 5000 large and small islands, the most important being the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight. England is a part of the island of Great Britain; the Cheviot Hills and the river Tweed divide it from Scotland.

No part of Great Britain lies more than one hundred miles from the coast. The coastline is broken and has a few bays and excellent natural harbours. Internationally famous ports include London, Bristol, Southampton, Portsmouth, Dover and others.

Geographically the island of Great Britain is subdivided into two main regions: Lowland Britain and Highland Britain. The highest mountain Ben Nevis (1343) is in Scotland; the highest peak in Wales is Snowdon (1085).

The greater part of the land is flat. There are plenty of short rivers in Great Britain; the Severn is the longest one, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.

Due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current washing Britain's western shores, the UK enjoys warmer winters and cooler summers than other countries at the same latitude.

There is much rain and fog in England. October is usually the wettest month, July is the hottest and January is the coldest one. All over the world Britain is notorious for its fogs. For many centuries, during the cold time of the year the English people have been using coal in their fireplaces in private houses, though smoke from factories contributed a great deal to the trouble too. That kind of fog and smoke English people used to call smog. An unusually thick smog in London in 1962 caused the death of some 4,000 people. During the 1960s and 1970s, laws were passed under which using open coal fires in homes in the city area was forbidden. The laws stopped much of the pollution from the factories, too. The ordinary damp mists which afflict all parts of the country from time to time are no worse than similar mists in many other countries.

The flora of the British Isles is varied and the fauna is similar to that of the north-west of Europe.

The country is not very rich in mineral resources. Over three-quarters of Britain's land is used for farming; farms produce nearly half of the food that Britain needs. The UK is a highly developed industrial country too, known as a producer and exporter of machinery, electronics, ships, aircraft and navigation equipment.

The capital of the UK is London, in England. The capital of Wales is Cardiff, and the Scottish capital is at Edinburgh; the capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.

Britain has been many centuries in the making. The Romans conquered most part of Britain, but were unable to subdue the independent tribes in the West and in the North.

Further waves of invaders followed: Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Vikings and Normans. All these contributed to the mixture we call the English. For many centuries this country was known simply as England.

It had a strong army and Navy. It waged numerous colonial wars. England, once «the workshop of the world», was the first to become a highly developed industrial country.

 

COMPREHENSION CHECK

 

Ex. 3. Answer the following questions:

 

1. Where does Great Britain lie?

2. What separates Great Britain from the mainland? From France, Belgium, Holland and Ireland?

3. What part parts do Great Britain and the United Kingdom include?

4. What are the most important isles?

5. What are the main important ports?

6. Where is England situated?

7. What main regions is the island of Great Britain subdivided into?

8. How can you define the climate of Great Britain?

9. What was the origin of smog in the UK?

10. What goods are produced in the UK?

11. What tribes and people was Great Britain conquered?

 

 

VOCABULARY

 

Ex. 4. Find the English equivalents for the following:

 

береговая линия, отделять от, материк  (континент), охватывать (включать), называться (именовать), залив, бухта (гавань), течение, омывать берега, широта, быть (скандально) известным, обострить проблему, провести закон, загрязнение, сельское хозяйство (фермерство), высокоразвитая промышленная страна, оборудование, завоевать,  подчинять независимое племя, военно-морской флот, вести колониальную войну

 

FOLLOW UP

 

Ex. 5. Talk to your partner about Great Britain according to the following plan:

1. Describe the geographical position of England.

2. Point out the obvious geographical differences. Say if you have a similar division in your country.

3. Compare the climate of Great Britain with that of your country.

4. Say if the UK is an unusual country, in your opinion. Give your reasons.

 

Useful vocabulary

- I quite agree with you.

- I can’t agree more.

- I disagree with you.

- Are you sure?

- I suppose so.

- I’m afraid you are wrong.

 

 

UNIT 2

WARM UP