ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES. GREAT BRITAIN

Теоретическая часть

Данный лексический материал предназначен для того, чтобы студенты могли читать специальные тексты и подготовить монологическое высказывание по теме.

To lie on                                                                           находиться на

To be made up of smth                                                    состоять из чего-либо

An island neighbour                                             островной сосед

To be occupied by                                                            быть занятым (чем-либо)

The remainder                                                      остаток

To be linked with                                                             быть связанным с (чем-либо)

Highlands                                                                         горы, гористая местность

A flat plain                                                                   плоская равнина

Lowlands                                                                         низменность

A low range of hills                                              низкая гряда гор

To extend out                                                       тянуться, простираться

A continental shelf                                               континентальный шельф

Shallow waters of the North Sea                         мелководное Северное море

An ocean current                                                              океаническое течение

To wash the shores                                               омывать берега

To heat up                                                                        нагреваться

To cool down                                                       охлаждаться

At the same latitude                                             на той же широте

To conquer                                                                       завоевать

An invader                                                                       завоеватель

Angles                                                                  англы

Saxons                                                                  саксы

Jutes                                                                                 юты

Vikings                                                                             викинги

Normans                                                                           норманны

To wage a colonial war                                                    вести колониальную войну

An empire                                                                        империя

To establish capitalism                                                     установить капитализм

Machinery                                                                        станки

Electronics                                                                       электроника

Задания

Задание 1. Прочитайте и переведите текст :

Great Britain

When we talk about an English-speaking country I believe we have a choice – Great Britain, the USA, Canada or Australia, right? OK.

       So I’d rather tell you about Great Britain.

       The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, called for short the United Kingdom or the UK, lies on the Atlantic coast of Western Europe, separated from France by only 34 km (21 miles) of water. The names Great Britain and United Kingdom are now often used informally to mean the same thing. It is made up of three countries, England, Scotland and Wales. The UK refers to the political state that includes the countries of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The capital of the United Kingdom is London, in England. The capital of Wales is Cardiff, and the Scottish capital is at Edinburgh.

       Great Britain’s largest island neighbour is Ireland. This is mainly occupied by the independent Republic of Ireland. The remainder is Northern Ireland which is a part of the United Kingdom. Many small islands are also linked with the United Kingdom.

       Although a small island, Great Britain has a remarkable variety of landscapes. To the north and west are highlands – the mountains of Scotland, Cambria(the original Roman name for Wales) and Wales, and the Pennine Chain. To the east are flat plains, and in the south are lowlands broken by low ranges of hills. To the Southwest are the bleak moors of Devon and Cornwall.

       The continent of Europe extends out below the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, in the form of a continental shelf. Great Britain is perched on this shelf, surrounded by the shallow waters of the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the English Channel.

       A warm ocean current, the Gulf Stream, washes Britain’s western shores. This water heats up and cools down very slowly. Britain therefore enjoys warmer winters and cooler summers than other countries at the same latitude. The west of the island has a higher rainfall and slightly milder climate than the east.

       Britain has been many centuries in the making. The Romans conquered Britain, but were unable to subdue the independent tribes in the west and the north. Other invaders were Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Vikings and Normans. England waged numerous colonial wars and was the empire for many centuries. England was the first country where capitalism was established.

       Great Britain is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding.

       The UK is a constitutional monarchy. The powers of the British Queen are limited by the Parliament. Over time, the sovereign’s powers have been reduced and, though the present Queen is still head of state and Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, she “acts on the advice of her ministers”, and Britain is in practice governed by “Her Majesty’s Government”. The main role of the Queen is as a representative of Britain and the British people. She is a symbol of the unity of the nation beyond party politics. The British Parliament consists of the sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

Задание 2.Ответте на вопросы:

1. Where does the UK lie?

2. What does the UK consist of?

3. What is Great Britain’s largest island neighbour?

4. What proves that Great Britain has a variety of landscapes?

5. How does the Gulf Stream influence Britain’s climate?

6. What is Britain’s history?

7. What are Britain’s chief industries?

8. What is Britain’s political system?

9. Does the Queen rule? What is the role of British Queen in the country?

Вопросы к практическому занятию  

1. Где находится Великобритания?

2. Из скольких частей состоит Великобритания?

3. Какая в Великобритании политическая система?

Практическое занятие 22-23