Read the text and speak about Oxford and Cambridge.

Read and translate the text “Great Britain”.

When we speak about the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelandwe actually speak about four countries united into one state: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each of these countries has its language, its capital, and its government. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, the capital of Wales is Cardiff, the capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast and the capital of England is London. At the same time London is the capital of the United Kingdom. English is the official language, but some people also speak Scottish, Welsh and Irish.

The population of the country is over 57 million people; about 80 per cent of them live in cities and towns. There are many beautiful cities in Great Britain: Liverpool and Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Belfast and York, Birmingham and Leeds, Nottingham and Brighton.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles off the north-western coast of Europe. The British Isles consist of two large islands: Great Britain and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. Their total area is over 244,000 square kilometres. The English Channel (or La Manche) and the Strait of Dover (or Pas de Calais) separate them from the Continent. The Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea wash the West Coast of the country. The East Coast is washed by the North Sea.

The relief of the British Isles varies very much. The north and the west of England are mountainous, but all the rest - east, centre and south - is a vast plain. The mountainous northern part of Scotland is called the Highlands. The south, which has beautiful valleys and plains, is called the Lowlands. England is separated from Scotland by the Cheviot Hills, running from east to west. The Pennines extends from the Cheviot Hills to the south of England. Mountains in Great Britain are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain in the UK (it is only 1,343 m high).

There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, flowing between England and Wales. One of its tributaries is the Avon, famed by Shakespeare. The Thames is the deepest and the most important river. London is situated on the Thames.

There are many lakes in Great Britain. Scotland is widely known for the number and beauty of the lakes. The famous Lake District is situated there. Scottish lakes are long and narrow. The largest and the most beautiful is Loch Lomond. The most famous of the Scottish lochs, however, is Loch Ness, because of the mystery of the monster “Nessie”.

The mountains and the warm waters of Gulf Stream influence the climate of the British Isles. It can be described as mild and temperate. Winters are warm, the rivers do not freeze in winter and snow never lies on the ground for a long time. At the same time summers are cool and wet. Rainfalls all the year round. Thick fogs in autumn are typical of the climate of Great Britain.

The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy. The Queen is the official head of the state. But it is more a tradition than a real fact. In practice the country is ruled by an elected parliament. The legislative power in the country belongs to the British Parliament, which consists of two cham­bers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The seats are partly hereditary in the House of Lords, but the members of the House of Commons are elected every 5 years.

In Great Britain there are three main political parties: the Labour, the Conservative and the Liberal. Every four years a general election is held. The leader of the party, which receives the majority in the House of Commons, is appointed Prime Minister by the Monarch.

Great Britain was originally an agricultural and sheep-farming country. The main agricultural products are wheat, barley, oats, and a big variety of food products. Britain usually imports tea, fruit, and tobacco.

The great disadvantage of Britain’s industry is that it has very few raw materials. Nevertheless the United Kingdom is a highly developed industrial coun­try. The North Sea oil and gas can be considered as one of the major mineral resources. Moreover it has always been rich in coal and iron ore. Coal mining is one of the most important British industries. It is also known as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of iron and steel goods, machinery and electronics, aircraft and naviga­tion equipment, textiles and chemicals. One of the most important industries of the country is shipbuilding.

Great Britain is a birthplace of many famous people: Robert Burns and George Gordon Byron, Walter Scott and Charles Dickens, Bernard Shaw and Robert Louis Stevenson, William Thackeray and Oscar Wilde, William Somerset Maugham and John Galsworthy, Conan Doyle and Lewis Caroll, Thomas Gainsborough and Joseph Turner, Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton, Admiral Lord Nelson and Winston Cherchill.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the official name of Great Britain?

2. What are the capitals of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

3. The capital of Great Britain is London, isn’t it?

4. What languages are spoken in the UK?

5. What is the population of Great Britain?

6. Where is the country situated?

7. What is the total land area of the UK?

8. What seas and oceans is Great Britain washed by?

9. The surface of Great Britain varies much, doesn’t it?

10. What are the main rivers in the country?

11. What river does London stand on?

12. Which part of Great Britain is known for its lakes?

13. Why is British climate mild?

14. What is characteristic of the Britain’s climate?

15. What kind of state is the UK?

16. Who rules Britain officially? Who rules Britain in practice?

17. What is the difference between the House of Lords and the House of Commons?

18. Who won the last general election? Who is the PM now?

19. What mineral resources can be found on the territory of the country?

20. What can you say about the economy of the country?

21. Do you know any famous Englishmen? Who are they?

Ask your neighbour :

1) what parts Great Britain consists of;

2) if English is the official language of Great Britain;

3) what the biggest cities of the UK are;