Great Britain (its geographical position, climate, relief)

To begin with I’d like to say that Great Britain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK- for short), England, and the British Isles – different names used to denote the same thing. There is one more name: Albion. But they are sometimes used wrongly. Let’s start with some definitions, for which a map would be useful.

On the North West coast of Europe lie two substantial islands. The larger one, a straggling irregular triangle about 1,200 kilometers in length is called Great Britain. The other, to the west which is roughly rectangular is Ireland. Since 1922 most of Ireland has been an independent republic which took the name Eire in 1937. The north-east corner of Ireland, sometimes known as Northern Ireland, sometimes as Ulster, is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island. Officially it is not a country but a province or «constituent region». The capital of Northern Island is Belfast.

Great Britain, an island country in northwestern Europe, is divided into three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales with capitals London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff respectively. It is separated from mainland Europe by the North Sea on the east and by the English Channel on the South. It is a well-known fact that there is no place to be far from the sea in Britain.

The British Isles consist of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of Ireland and a great number of small islands. Such as: Orkney Islands, the Hebrides, the Isle of Wight and many others.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The territory of the United Kingdom is about 244000 (two hundred and forty four thousand) square kilometers, that is the 75-th place among all other countries in the world.

Great Britain has a very good geographical position. The sea connects Britain with most European countries such as: Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Russia and some other countries. The surface of the British Isles varies very much. It is manly low-lying meadow and forests, but there are mountains in Scotland and Wales, so we can say that the northern and the western parts of the country are mountainous. All the rest is a vast plain. The mountains are not very high. The rivers are not very long. The biggest of them is Thames while the longest one is the Severn. It rises in the mountains of Wales and follows a circulation route for over 200 miles before reaching the Bristol Channel and the sea. There are many beautiful lakes in the mountainous part of the country in Scotland.

The climate of Great Britain is mild due to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf Stream’ warm waters, and the mountains. The country weather often changes. The summers are not cool. The winters are cold, with plenty of snow.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland isn’t rich in mineral resources but it is known as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of electronics and machinery, chemicals, and various aircraft and navigation equipment.

Topical vocabulary

Exercise1.

Match the highlighted words or word combinations in the text with their definitions.

1. a statement of the exact meaning of a word;

2. something which is famous or familiar;

3. brings together or into contact;

4. a piece of grassland, especially one used for hay;

5. a literary term for Britain or England, often used when referring to ancient or historical times;

6. the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period;

7. a large or sufficient amount or quantity; more than enough;

8. free from outside control; not subject to another's authority;

9. a piece of land surrounded by water;

10. it is shaped like a rectangle.

Exercise2.

Are the following statements true or false? Find some mistakes. Check yourself.

1. The UK is washed by the North and Irish seas and by the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans.

2. Administratively the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is divided into 55 counties.

3. A county is a region of Britain and Ireland, which has its own local government.

4. North and West of the UK are highlands, South and East – lowlands.

5. The highest mountain of Great Britain Ben Nevis is in Wales.

6. The Clyde, the Avon, the Trent and the Cam are among the UK longest rivers.

7. Bristol is a city in southwestern England, located on the Avon River about 6 miles from the Bristol Channel.

8. The Coat of Arms of the UK shows a shield, a crown, a lion, a unicorn and the motto “Dieu et mon driot”.

9. English people call the national flag the Union Jack, the Saint George’s Cross, the Saint Andrew’s cross.

10. There are many large cities in Great Britain: Chicago, San-Francisco, and Detroit.

11. The national emblem of England is a rose; in Wales it is a daffodil and leek; in Scotland – a thistle, in Northern Ireland – a shamrock.

12. The Arctic Ocean separates Great Britain from the continent.

Exercise3.

Give a one-minute talk on the situations.

· Channel Tunnel - a railway tunnel under the English Channel, linking the coasts of England and France, opened in 1994 and 49 km (31 miles) long;

· Britain is a member of NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization (an international organization which consists of the USA, Canada, and other European countries who have agreed to support one another if they are attacked.);

· Loch Ness - a deep lake in northwestern Scotland, in the Great Glen. It is 24 miles (38 km) long, with a maximum depth of 755 feet (230 m). The lake has long been rumored to be the home of the Loch Ness monster.

· Bagpipes - a musical instrument associated especially with Scotland, but also used in folk music in Ireland.

Exercise4.

Draw a simple map of Great Britain. Write the names of some cities, rivers, lakes, mountains etc. Work with your partner. Ask each other questions about geographical features of the UK.

Test yourself.

1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland comprises _______ parts. A. 3 B. 4 C. 5

2. The name for the island that comprises England, Scotland, and Wales is _______.

A. The United KingdomB. Great Britain C. The British Isles

3. The Coat of Arms of the UK shows _______.

A. a shield, a crown, a lion, a unicorn and the motto “Dieu et mon driot”;

B. a bald eagle with a ribbon in its mouth bearing the motto “E pluribus Unum”, 13 arrows and an olive branch in its talons;

C. a shield, a kangaroo, an emu, a branch of acacia

4. The British national flag (The Union Jack) hasn’t _______.

A. St Catherines’ Cross B. St George’s Cross

C. St Andrew’s Cross D. St Patrick’s Cross

5. The British national anthem is _______.

A. “God Save the Queen”

B. “In God we trust”

C. “God forbid”

6. The British unit of money is _______.

A. Irish pound

B. pound sterling

C. Egyptian pound

7. A city in eastern England where one of the oldest Universities is located _______.

A. Bedford B. Harvard C. Cambridge

8. One of the main industrial cities in west central England is _______.

A. Belfast

B. Birmingham

C. Cardiff

9. An industrial city and metropolitan district in England, founded in Roman times, developed in the 18th and 19th centuries as a centre of the English cotton industry is _______.

A. Manchester B. the Wheat Belt C. the Rust Belt

Unit 5

You will read & translate a text about London. Before you read, discuss in pairs the following.

1. Have you ever been to London? 2. How do foreigners characterize the British? 3. What happened in London in1666? 4. How do the British call the London Underground? 5. What traditional song is performed at a British birthday party? Do you know it? 6. What is Conrad (Nicholson) Hilton famous for? Do you know anything about the Hilton Hotels Corporation?

London

The capital of the United Kingdom, in southeastern England on the Thames River about forty miles from its mouth is London. London is a leading global city, with its strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the largest city in Britain and one of the largest cities in the world. It is known as one of the largest sea ports in the world. London has the largest city GDP in Europe, and is home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies.

The Thames River has had a major influence on the development of the city. London began on the Thames' north bank and for a long time the main focus of the city remained on the north side of the Thames. For many centuries London Bridge was the only bridge in or close to the city.

London’s history goes back to its founding by the Romans, who called it Londinium. It was settled as a river port and trading centre shortly after the Roman invasion of AD 43 and has been a flourishing centre since the Middle Ages. It is divided administratively into the City of London, which is the country's financial centre, and 32 boroughs. The London boroughs are administered by London Borough Councils which are elected every four years. The boroughs are the principal local authorities in London and are responsible for running most local services in their areas, such as schools, social services, waste collection, and roads.

As far as I know in London one can see architecture of different centuries and styles. It is closely connected with the history of London. The Romans, the Saxons (West Germanic tribe), the Danes, the Normans settled in Britain. London survived the Great Plague - a serious outbreak of bubonic plague in England in 1665-1666, in which about one fifth of the population of London died. It was the last major outbreak in Britain.

The Great Fire of London is to be mentioned. During the Fire all wooden houses were completely ruined and a New London with bigger houses and wider streets was built.

Traditionally London is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. I’d like to start with the City.

The City of London is a small area within Greater London. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis of London, though remains a notable part of Central London. It is often referred to as the City (often written on maps as "City") or the Square Mile, as it is just over one square mile (1.12 sq mi/2.90 km²) in area. These terms are also often used as metonyms for the United Kingdom's financial services industry, which has historically been based here. The City has a resident population of around 10,000, but around 330,000 people work there, mainly in the financial services sector. There are many banks, offices, and the Stock Exchange.

Greater London covers an area of 1,579 square kilometers (610 sq mi), an area which had a population of 7,172,036. The West End is the richest part of the city with its beautiful avenues, parks and gardens, grand hotels, theatres and fashionable shops. It is a symbol of wealth and luxury. Here one can see the Houses of Parliament, most governmental offices, such as Foreign Office, Home Office, etc. The East End is a vast area running eastward from the city. It is poor and crowded. It has all the main docks and a lot of factories. In the East End one can see numerous dirty houses and slums.

If you want to get some glimpses of London, you’d better start sightseeing with the Tower of London, which comes first among the historic buildings of the city. It was built as the fortress after the Norman invasion of England in 1066. It has been used as the Royal Palace, as an observatory, and a prison. For many visitors the principal attraction is the Crown Jewels, the finest precious stones of the nation.

Another historic building is St. Paul’s Cathedral, the greatest of English churches. It was built by a famous English architect Sir Christopher Wren. St. Paul’s Cathedral, with its famous Whispering Gallery, is considered to be a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.

Westminster Abbey was founded by Edward the Confessor in 1050. The best part of the Abbey is a wonderful chapel, dating back to the 16^th century. It is famous for its magnificent architecture. There are many monuments there. Many English kings and queens are buried there. One of the greatest treasures of the Abbey is oaken Coronation Chair made in 1300. On the south side of Westminster Abbey is Poet’s Corner, where the greatest English writers are buried. Here also are memorials to Shakespeare, Burns, Byron, Scott and so on. Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, which is spread magnificently on the north bank of the Thames. It is a remarkable example of Gothic architecture.

Topical vocabulary

Exercise1.