GREAT BRITAINGreat Britain is situated on a group of islands lying off the north-west of Europe. The official title of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It includes the following parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The British nation consists of the English, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish. The United Kingdom is bordered to the south by the English Channel, which separates it from continental Europe, to the east by theNorth Sea, and to the west by the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The only land border is between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The total area of the United Kingdom is 242 km². The climate of Great Britain is mild and damp. This is because of the west winds which often blow from the ocean. They keep the weather cool in summer and warm in winter. Rain and fog are rather common things in Great Britain, especially in autumn and in winter. In general the weather is rather changeable and every Englishman wishes it to be more stable. Great Britain is one of the most highly developed industrial countries in the world. Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy – a kingdom. But the King’s or Queen’s power is limited by Parliament. Parliament consists of two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. There are two main parties in Great Britain: the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. London is the capital of Great Britain. The population of United Kingdom is more than 56 mln people, but it is one of the world's leading commercial and industrialized nations. ADD TO YOUR ACTIVE VOCABULARY:
north-west – северо-запад English Channel – пролив Ла-Манш separate – отделять border – граница between – между mild – мягкий, умеренный because of – из-за, благодаря fog – туман changeable – изменчивый kingdom – королевство power – власть limit – ограничивать House – здание, палата Labour Party– Лейбористская партия Ex.1. Answer the questions: 1. Where is Great Britain situated? 2. What parts does it include? 3. How is it separated from the continent? 4. What is the total area of the United Kingdom? 5. What is the population of the United Kingdom? 6. How can you describe the climate and the weather in Great Britain? 7. What is the form of ruling in the country? 8. What is the King’s or Queen’s power limited by? 9. Will you name the main parties in Great Britain? 10. What is the capital in Great Britain? Ex.2. Give antonyms to the following words: North, west, mild, damp, warm, stable, highly, often. Ex.3. Fill in the blanks. Use the suitable words from the text: 1. Our main building of the University is … in the very centre of our town. 2. The strong wind often … in our region in autumn. 3. Not all people like … life, they often look for adventures. 4. Her mood is very …. She is sad in the morning and is singing joyfully in the evening. 5. His freedom is now … because he often infringes … and orders. 6. Our work at the English text … reading, translation and retelling. 7. There are several kingdoms in Europe where a … or a … is at the head. Ex.4. Read the following dialogue and invert your own: - You see, I’m a bit confused. I thought Britain, Great Britain and the British Isles mean the same. Am I right? - Well, in everyday speech Britain, Great Britain and the British Isles are used to mean the same country, but it is not quite correct. - Can you explain why Britain is called Great Britain? - In fact, it is only one of about 5500 British Isles. It is the biggest one. That is why it’s called Great, because of its size. - I see. Does it also mean the United Kingdom, then? - No, it consists only of the country’s three parts. The fourth part, Northern Ireland, is on the next largest island – Ireland. Ex. 5. Use the following phrases and word combinations to retell the text: 1. As I understood from the text... 2. According to the text... 3. According to the author... 4. As it is described in the text... 5. As it is said in the text... 6. As the author puts it... 7. According to the figures (data, information, opinions) from the text... Ex. 6. Discuss the following statements. Use the following phrases to express your opinion: 1. It seems to me (that)... 2. I would like to say that... 3. As I see it... 4. I think that... 5. I guess... 6. I suppose... 7. I (strongly) believe that... 8. I am (absolutely) sure that... Statement A: The United Kingdom is a small country. It is one of the leading countries now because it had many rich colonies in the past. Statement B: UK will loose Northern Ireland soon and Wales and Scotland later, like it lost Hong Kong in 1997, because of the differences in languages, culture and history. Statement C: British people don't travel much because they live not too far from the sea (ocean).
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