CIVILIZATIA

1. United Kingdom
The official name of the country we usually call England and occasionally Great
Britain is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The U. K. is situated
on the group of islands lying just off the mainland of northwestern Europe. The British
Isles include Great Britain proper, Ireland and a number of smaller islands. Great Britain
consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The southern part of Ireland is the Republic of
Eire.
Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel, the narrower
part of which is called the Strait of Dover. The British Isles are surrounded by the shallow
waters of the Irish Sea and the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the North Channel and the
Atlantic Ocean.
Britain is comparatively small, but there is hardly a country, in the world where
such a variety of scenery can be found. There are wild desolate mountains in the
northern Highlands of Scotland - the home of the deer and the eagle. The Pennine Range
in northern England and the Cambrian Mountains in Wales are much lower. In the
extreme south of England are the famous chalk hills, some of which form the Dover
Cliffs. The southern and south-eastern parts of the island lie in varied lowlands.
The rivers of the region are short and of no great importance as waterways. The
longest of them is the "Father of London", the Thames, which is a little over 200 miles.
Britain's principal ports are London, Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, and Glasgow.
Thanks to climatic conditions, Britain in truth looks like one great well-ordered park
with its old trees, green meadows and hedges.
2. London-capital of Great Britain
The capital of Great Britain is London. It's political, economic and commercial
center of the country. Its population is about 8 million.
London is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the
East End.
The heart of London is the City, its financial and business center. Numerous banks,
offices and firms are situated there, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange
and the Old Bailey. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the city to
work.
There are some famous ancient buildings within the City. Perhaps the most striking
of them in St. Paul's Cathedral, the greatest of British churches. Another important
monument of London is The Tower of London which was used for many purposes: as a
royal palace, an observatory, an arsenal, a state prison and it is now a museum. For
many visitors the principal attraction is the Crown Jewels, the finest precious stones of
the nation. Westminster is the historic, the governmental part of London. Westminster
Abbey is a national shrine where the kings and queens are crowned and famous people
are buried. Across the road from Westminster Abbey is the seat of the British Parliament.
The Clock Tower, which contains the hour-bell called Big Ben, is known the world over.
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen.
Trafalgar Square is the geographical center of London. On the north side of
Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Not far away is
the British Museum - the biggest museum in London.
The West End is the richest and the most beautiful part of London. Only reach
people live there. But in the same time The East End is the poorest district of London.
There are a lot of factories, workshops and docks here. The streets are narrow, the
buildings are unimpressive. This is the place of living of the working class.
So after all we can say that the UK is one of the most powerful countries with great
culture and it would be very exiting to visit it.

3. Climate and Nature of Great Britain

The climate in Great Britain is generally mild and temperate due to the influence of
the Gulf Stream. The south-western winds carry the warmth and moisture into Britain.
The climate in Britain is usually described as cool, temperate and humid.
British people say: "Other countries have a climate, in England we have weather."
The weather in Britain changes very quickly. One day may be fine and the next day
may be wet. The morning may be warm and the evening may be cool. Therefore it is
natural for the people to use the comparison "as changeable as the weather" of a person
who often changes his mood or opinion about something. The weather is the favorite
topic of conversation in Britain.
Rainfall is more or less even throughout the year. In the mountains there is heavier
rainfall then in the plains of the south and east. The driest period is from March to June
and the wettest months are from October to January. The average range of temperature
(from winter to summer) is from 15 to 23 degrees above zero. During a normal summer
the temperature sometimes rises above 30 degrees in the south. Winter temperatures
below 10 degrees are rare. It seldom snows heavily in winter, the frost is rare. January
and February are usually the coldest months, July and August the warmest. Still the wind
may bring winter cold in spring or summer days. Sometimes it brings the whirlwinds or
hurricanes. Droughts are rare.
So, we may say that the British climate has three main features: it is mild, humid
and changeable. That means that it is never too hot or too cold. Winters are extremely
mild. Snow may come but it melts quickly. In winter the cold is humid cold, not the dry
one.
This humid and mild climate is good for plants. The trees and flowers begin to
blossom early in spring.
4.
Customs and traditions in UK
Almost every nation has a reputation of some kind. The English are reputed to be
cold, reserved, rather haughty people. They are steady, easy-going and fond of sports.
There are certain kinds of behavior, manners and customs which are peculiar to England.
Britain is a nation of animal lovers. In Britain pets can send Christmas cards to
their friends, birthday cards.
Every Englishmen spends his weekend different: those who live in cities and towns
like to go out of town. They may go to stay in the country to admire the bright sun and
fresh air where no crowds of people, just silence and leisure are.
There are some traditions concerning food. English cooking is heavy, substantial
and plain. The Englishman likes a good breakfast. To him a good breakfast means
porridge with, fish, bacon and eggs, toast and marmalade, tea or coffee.
Tea is part of the prose of British life, as necessary as potatoes and bread. Seven
cups of it wake you up in the morning; 9 cups will put you to sleep at night.
The English have a popular specialty known as fish and chips. They are bought at
special fish and chips shops.
5.
New Year's Day in UK
The celebration of New Year's Day varies according to the district. In the south of
England, the festival of Christmas, lasting 12 days from December 25th, runs on well
into the New Year. The decorations of colored streamers and holly, put up round the
walls, and of course the fir-tree, with its candles or lights, are not packed away until
January 5th. On the evening of December 31st, people gather in one another's homes, in
clubs, in pubs, in restaurants, and hotels, in dance halls and institutes, to "see the New
Year in".
On New Year's Day all English schoolchildren make New Year resolutions. They
make up lists of shortcomings which they intend to correct. The children, their mothers
and fathers, and their friends laugh and have a good time when they read them. The

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children promise to keep them.

In the north, and in Scotland, particularly, the Year known as Hogmanay is very
well kept up. The ceremonies are similar, but they have an added called "first foot". This
means opening your door to anyone who knocks it after midnight, and who will then
enter the house, carrying a piece of coal-or wood, or bread. The visitor is entertained
with cakes and ale.
Considerable quantities of good Scotch whiskey are consumed during these
celebrations.
6. Places of interest
There are a lot of places of interest in London. They are all worth seeing. On the
north side of Trafalgar Square stands one of the world's greatest art galleries. The
National Gallery represents all schools of Western painting from the Italian Primitives to
the early 20th century. Portraits by Reynolds and Gainsborough can be seen here.
Since the time of William the Conqueror the Tower of London has served as a
fortress, a royal residence, treasury, mint and prison. Here many people were imprisoned
and beheaded. Now it's a museum.
St. Paul's Cathedral is the largest and the most magnificent church of the city. The
High Altar forms a memorial to those who died in the two World Wars.
The Victoria and Albert Museum represents the finest examples of the applied and
decorative arts of all kinds. It has collections of furniture, jewellery, costumes, musical
instruments and metalwork.
The Barbican centre was opened by the Queen in 1982. It includes a concert hall,
the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, two theatres, three cinemas and an art
gallery.
Piccadilly Circus is one of London's busiest road-junctions. It's always full of cars,
people as there are many theatres, shops and restaurants there. The statue of Eros is in
the middle of Piccadilly.
One of the beautiful things in London is Madame Tussaud's museum. It represents
wax figures of the famous and infamous people of the past and present. The Chamber of
Horrors is of particular interest and also Company and the Royal Ballet.
7.
Press in Britain
Probably in no other country are there such great differences the various national
daily newspapers- in the type of news they report and the way they report it.
On the one hand, there are the "quality" newspapers: The Times, The Independent,
The Guardian, the Financial times and the Daily Telegraph. These concern themselves, as
far as possible, with factual reports of major national and international events, with the
world of political and business and with the arts and sport.
On the one hand, there are the "populars" and "tabloids", so-called because of
their smaller size. The tabloids- the most widely read of which are The Daily Mail, The
Daily Express, the Daily Mirror, The Sun and the Daily Star- concentrate on more emotive
reporting of stories often featuring sex, violence, the Royal Family, film and pop stars,
and sport. It is often said that the popular press aims to entertain it's rather than inform
them.
In addition to the 12 national daily newspapers there are nine national papers
which are published on Sundays. Most of the "Sundays" contain more reading matter
than daily papers, and several of them also include "color supplements"- separate color
magazines which contain photographically-illustrated feature articles.
The British are one of the biggest newspapers-reading nations in the world.
8.
Museums and Art Galleries of London
London is very rich in museums and art galleries. If you are fond of painting you'll
go to the Tate Gallery. There are about 300 oils and 19000 watercolors and drawings.
There are many works by the English painter William Turner there. There are a lot of
paintings by the 16-th century English artists and paintings by foreign artists of the 19-

20-th centuries, such as Pablo Picasso's paintings. There are many interesting sculptures
there of Henry Moor's
The British Museum is the largest and richest of its kind in the world. It comprises
the national museum of archaeology and ethnography and the national library. The
present building was built in 1852. It contains books and manuscripts: Greek, Roman,
British and Oriental antiques. It has a department of Ethnography. This collection is so
vast that only a very small percentage of it is on show to the public. There's also a
department of prints and drawings. There're departments devoted to maps, coins,
medals and philately. Those who come to the British museum can see a fascinating array
of clocks and watches.
Cultural life of London would be impossible without the Royal Albert hall, the Royal
Festival hall, the National theatre and a great number of
9. The houses of Parliament
The house of Parliament in London, known also as the Palace of Westminster is the
place where members of Parliament (M.P.) gather to make laws.
The members of each House meet in sessions which begin at the end of October
and last for about one hundred and sixty days. The sittings usually begin at 10 o'clock in
the morning and end in the late afternoon; but if Parliament is discussing an important
question sittings may go on till late at night. All the time Parliament is in session, a flag
can be seen over the building, and when the House of Commons is still sitting after dark,
there is a light over the face of Big Ben.
The members of the House of Commons sit on two sides of the hall. The Speaker is
the chairperson at all the debates in the House of Commons, and it is duty to keep order.
The Speaker is elected by all the members of the House of Commons. He belongs to one
of the political parties in Parliament, but he never votes are equal he votes with the
government.
The chairperson of the House of Lords is Lord Chancellor. He sits on the Woolsack,
a large bag of wool covered with red cloth. If shows that wool made England rich
museums: the Victoria and Albert museum, the Geological Museum, the Museum
of Mankind, Natural history museum and others.
10. Political system of United Kingdom
Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy. It means that there is a Queen (or King)
and the Parliament. The Queen has almost no power in the country. Her powers are
limited by the Parliament. Laws are made by the Parliament.
The Queen is only a formal ruler: she reigns but does not rule. In fact everything
that she does is done on the active of her ministers, who are responsible for the royal
acts. Thus, most of her functions are symbolic. The Queen's residence in London is
Buckingham Palace.
The British Parliament consists of two cambers: the House if Lords and the House
of Commons. There are more than 1000 members in the House of Lords. Many seats are
hereditary.
The House of Commons has 635 members. They are elected by a general election
(secret ballot).
The government is headed by the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the party
that has won the election.
In Great Britain there are three main political parties: the Conservatives, the
Labour Party and the Liberals.
11. Sightseeing London
The Tower of London is the most famous of all the historical buildings in London. In
the past the Tower of London served both as a palace and as a state prison, but it is only
a museum today.
Trafalgar Square is in the centre of the West End of London. On the north side is

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the National Gallery; in the north-east corner is the National Portrait Gallery, and in the
centre is Nelson's Column with the figure of the great seamen.
Trafalgar Square is the place where mass meetings and demonstrations for peace
and for working people's rights take place.
"Big Ben" is the name of the great bell which strikes the hour. It is in the clock
Tower of the Houses of Parliament.
Westminster Abbey is the historic building in London to which every visitor sooner
or later goes. Many of Great Britain's famous men are buried in Westminster Abbey.
Piccadilly Circus is a square in the central part of London. London's best-known
theatres and cinemas and most famous restaurants are on Piccadilly Circus. Hyde Park is
the largest park in the West End of London. In the 19th century it became a popular
place for public meetings.
The British Museum is one of the largest museums in the world. It consists of the
National Library and Museum of History, Archaeology, Art and Ethnography.
12. Some facts about London
London has been home of many famous Englishmen. Some were born there. Some
lived there all their lives. Others lived in London only for a short time but all gave
something to this great city
One of the first names of importance is that of Geoffrey Chaucer, the poet. He
lived most of his life in London. He knew the courts of King Richard II d King Henry IV. His
most famous work, 'The Canterbury Tales", opens at the Tabard Inn, in Southward.
William Shakespeare also lived in London. He lived there for more than twenty
years. He acted at the Globe Theatre and wrote his plays in London. But London's
famous men are not only writers. Sir Christopher Wren, the architect, spent most of his
life in London. He designed many beautiful churches, including St. Paul's Cathedral. He
also designed palaces and fine houses.
Music is represented by a very interesting figure. This is George Frederick Handel.
He came to London from Hanover in 1710After some success and some failure he at last
became famous. This happened when he composed "The Messiah". "Judas Maccabeus"
and 'The Music for the Royal Fireworks" Like Chaucer and many other great artists.
Handel is buried in Westminster Abbey. Another famous London figure is one of
England's greatest seamen. Admiral Lord Nelson. He has a very special memorial in
Trafalgar Square. Equally famous is the general who led the army at the battle of
Waterloo in 1815. This was the Duke of Wellington. His house stands at Hyde Park
Comer. It is sometimes known as Number One, London. Like Admiral Nelson, the Duke of
Wellington is buried in St. Paul's Cathedral.
13. Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon lies at the very heart of England. It attracts people not only by
its history and connection with William Shakespeare, but also by its wonderful nature
and typical English character.
Stratford stands on the river Avon and is one of the oldest market towns. It has still
preserved its own character and atmosphere, as you will not see modern buildings there.
The houses are small and lots of them are very old. Some of them date back to
Shakespeare's time.
Here you can visit Shakespeare's birthplace (it is a museum now), Anna
Hathaway's cottage the foundations of the New Place, where Shakespeare lived when he
retired and died in 1616. Just round the corner there is Grammar school that
Shakespeare used to attend.
Here in Stratford there is Holy Trinity Church where William Shakespeare was
buried. Thousands of people from all parts of England and foreign visitors come here on
Shakespeare's birthday (23rd April) to pay tribute to the great poet.
Among other sights connected with the name of Shakespeare there is an

interesting monument with the statue of the great poet on top and with characters from
his plays round it. And, of course, you should visit the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, a redbrick building standing on the banks of the Avon. The Royal Shakespeare Company,
which is one of the best known and largest theatre companies in the world, regularly
performs here and in the Barbican Centre in London.
14. Youth organizations in Great Britain
Youth and youth movement have become important factors in the life of the
country. There are about 60 youth organizations in Great Britain. All youth organizations
can be divided into three large groups:
non-political organizations;
youth organizations associated with political parties;
3. youth organizations controlled by religious bodies.
The two largest non-political youth organizations are the associations of the Boy
Scouts and the Girl Guides.
The Scout movement was intended for boys from 11 to 14, but in 1916 Baden
Powell introduced a program for younger people. He called them Wolf Cubs. They had
special uniforms, badges, a special training system and the motto "Do your best!"
There are some other non-political organizations: the Combined Cadet Force, Sea
Cadet Corps, the Woodcraft Folk, the Youth Hostels Association, the National Federation
of Young Farmers Clubs, Greenpeace.
Youth Organization Greenpeace deals with most urgent ecological problems. It
protests against nuclear weapon tests, sea and soil pollution, etc.
Sport clubs are characteristic youth organizations in the UK. They unite people who
are interested in basebaii, football, golf, etc.
Religious young organizations and groups aim at helping to elderly people or
working in hospitals.
Many of these organizations have done and still are doing useful work in providing
leisure facilities for young English people.
15. Vegetation and wildlife
Britain was originally a land of vast forests. Mainly oak and beech in the Lowlands
and pine and birch In the Highlands, with great stretches of marshland and smaller areas
of moors. Extensive forests remain in eastern and northern Scotland and in southeastern and western England. Oak, elm, ash, and beech are the commonest trees in
England, while Scotland has much pine and birch.
The fauna or animal life of Britain is much like that of north-western Europe, to
which it was once joined. Many larger mammals such as bear, wolf have been hunted to
extinction, others are now protected by law. There are many foxes. Otters are common
along rivers and streams, and seals live along much of the coast. Hedgehogs, hares,
rabbits, rats and mice are numerous. Deer live in some of the forests in the
Highlands of Scotland and England.
Some 230 kinds of birds live in Britain, and another 200 are regular visitors, many
are songbirds. The most numerous are blackbirds, sparrow and starling. Robin
Redbreast is the national bird of Britain. The number of ducks, geese and other water
fowl has diminished during recent years.
16. Holidays in Great Britain
English are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them. English people
celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December. It's the season of good will. It's the most
beautiful time of the year - the time of love, joy and hopes.
There are some traditions on New Year's Day. One of them is the old First Footing.
The first man to come into the house is very important. The Englishmen believe that he
brings luck.
Another best-loved holiday is St.Valentine's Day on the 14th of February - the
holiday of love and affection, the day of sending and giving presents to those you love.

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In England, Easter is a church holiday. A custom is decorating eggs for children.

Halloween is the day or evening before all Saint's Day. Children dress up in Halloween
costumes and masks over their faces.
According to the Act of Parliament of 1871 there are 4 bank holidays Easter
Monday, whit-Monday, Des 26th -Boxing Day. Other public holiday are Good Friday, May
Day, Also there is a Pancake Day, April's Fool Day, Mother's Day.
17. Educational system in Great Britain
The educational system of Great Britain is extremely complex and bewildering. It
is very difficult to generalize about particular types of schools as schools differ from one
to the other.
Primary education takes place in infant schools for pupil's ages from 5 to 7 years
old and junior schools (from 8 to 11 years). Some areas have different systems in which
middle schools replace junior schools and take pupils ages from 9 to 11 years.
Secondary education has been available in Britain since 1944. It is compulsory up to
the age of 16, and pupils can stay at school voluntarily up to three years longer.
At the age of 16 pupils take school-leaving examinations in several subjects at
the Ordinary level. This examination could also be taken by candidates at a further
education establishment. This exam was called the General Certificate of Education
(GCE). Pupils of comprehensive school had taken the examination called the Certificate
of Secondary Education either with or instead of the GCE. A GCE of Advanced ("A") level
was taken two years after the Ordinary level exam.
The private sector is running parallel to the state system of education. There are
over 2500 fee-charging independent schools in GB. Most private schools are single-sex
until the age of 16.
There are over 90 universities in GB. They are divided into three types: the old
universities (Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh Universities), in the 19th century
universities, such as London and Manchester universities, and the new universities.
Full courses of study offer the degree of Bachelor of Art or Science. Most degree
courses at universities last three years, language courses 4 years. Medicine and
dentistry courses are longer (5-7 years).
Most students live away from home, in flats of halls of residence.
There are not only universities in Britain but also colleges. Colleges offer courses
in teacher training, courses in technology and some professions connected with
medicine.
18. Buckingham Palace
Buckingham palace is the official London residence of Her Majesty The Queen and
as such is one of the best known and most potent symbols of the British monarchy. Yet
it has been a royal residence for only just over two hundred and thirty years and a
palace for much less; and its name, known the world over, is owed not to a monarch
but to an English Duke.
Buckingham House was built for John, first Duke of Buckingham, between
1702 and 1705. It was sold to the Crown in 1762. Although King George III
modernized and enlarged the house considerable, the transformations that give
the building its present palatial character were carried out for King George IY by
Nash, by Edward Blore for King William IY and Queen Victoria in the end, and by
James Pennethoooorne.
In the reign of King Edward Yll, much of the present white and gold
decoration was substituted for the richly colored 19th century schemes of Nash
and Blare; and in the 1920s, Queen Mary used the firm of White Alum to
redecorate a number of rooms.
The rooms open to visitors are used principally for official entertainment

.These include Receptions and State Banquets, and it is on such occasions, when
the rooms are filled with flowers and thronged with formally dressed guests and
liveried servants, that the Palace is seen at its most splendid and imposing. But of
course the Palace is also far more than just the London home of the Royal Family
and a place of lavish entertainment. It has become the administrative centre of
the monarchy where, among a multitude of engagements, Her Majesty receives
foreign Heads of State, Commonwealth leaders and representatives of the
Diplomatic Corps and conducts Investitures, and where the majority of the Royal
Household, consisting of six main Departments and a staff of about three hundred
people, has their offices.
19. Media in Great Britain
The media play a central role in Britain's daily life, informing and educating,
questioning and challenging - and of course - entertaining. In recent years the
availability of more radio frequencies, together with satellite, cable and
microwave transmissions, has already made a greater number of local, national
and international services possible. The transition from analogue to digital
transmission technology is now expanding this capacity enormously. Broadcasting
in Britain has traditionally been based on the principle that it is a public service
accountable to people. While retaining the essential public service element, it
now also embraces the principles of competition and choice:
the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), which broadcasts television and
radio programs;
the ITC (Independent Television Commission), which licenses and regulates
commercial television services, including cable and satellite services;
the Radio Authority, which licenses and regulates commercial radio
services, including cable and satellite;
The three bodies work to broad requirements and objectives defined and
endorsed by Parliament, but are otherwise independent in their daily conduct of
business.
Cable services are delivered through underground cables and are paid for
subscription. Cable franchises have been granted covering areas comprising 83
per cent of all homes and nearly all urban areas in Britain. In mid - 1999 there
were about 12.1 million homes able to receive such services, and 3 million
subscribing homes. Digital technology is being introduced which will support up to
500 television channels. Cable also has the capacity for computer - based
interactive services, such as home shopping and email. Satellite television and
cable services are funded mainly by subscription income.
Television viewing is by far Britain's most popular leisure pastime: over 97
per cent of households have at least one TV set. British television productions are
sold world wide
20. European Union
The establishment of the EU intended to work toward common goals of
European countries.
The EU was established after 2nd World War. France officially undertook the
establishment of the EU proposing to create "the first concrete foundation of a
European federation". On May 9, 1950 the EU was created and initially six
European countries joint to the EU: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxemburg,
and the Netherlands. Then other countries joint to the EU and today the number
of the member countries is 27. The requirements for the countries willing to
become member of EU are the following:
Member countries must be a stable democracy, respecting human rights,
the rule of law, and the protection of
minorities;

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Member countries must have a functioning market economy;

The EU has such a structure that there are 5 institutions and each of them is
responsible for a respective objective:
European Parliament - The main functions of this institution is to exercise
the issues related to the legislation, implementing foreign and security policy,
monitor the budget.
Council of the European Union - This is the most influential institution in
decision making process. The main function of this institution is to exercise the
issues related to the legislation, to suggest and monitor the international
agreements, implementing foreign and security policy.
European Commission - It is mainly responsible for creating the initial
outline of legislation, implementing the legislation to assure that law is property
applied, and representing the EU in international scope and signing trade and
cooperation agreements.
Court of Justice -checks whether laws are in the accordance with the justice
or not
Court of Auditors - Its major function is to check whether all the Union's
revenues and expenditures are going in a regular manner, according to the EU
budget.
Today EU became driving force into the international market for member
countries. Such kind of economic communities are needed to increase today's
economic growth and make countries better off.
21. Role of the USA in the world politics
It is impossible to discuss a future role of the United States of America in
the world without understanding the global processes that have been taken place
in the world over the last several years. September 11, without doubt, was a
break point event in these processes. First, it showed people a danger of an
international terrorism. Second, the event brought about a confrontation between
two different viewpoints on the development of world politics. On the one hand,
politicians from many countries believe that any active actions to preserve world
order must be organized only by United Nations. On the other hand, the United
States is pushing forward its aggressive unilateral policy that is based only on
Washington's understanding of the current international situation.
This US strategy was clearly demonstrated in Iraq. Now, after two and a half
years of the war, the question must be asked if this policy achieved its goals. Did
it bring a peace and stabilization in the post Sad am country? Yes, the military
operation itself was a success. Despite the military successes, this strategy did
not produce desirable results. The USA cannot stabilize the situation, and the
Iraqis continue to organize attacks against the US and coalition forces.
It is possible that the USA will not be able to continue its unilateral policy
anymore because it goes against objective processes in the world economy and
international relations. The political regimes in European countries are very close
to American, so any military confrontations are very unlikely at this point. But an
economical competition would be intense. It could be said that the other war,
between the euro and the dollar, is already on, and the dollar is loosing so far.
There is another potential threat to the USA. Only a few years ago, a dollar
was almost equivalent to gold. People and businesses all over the world tried to
keep their savings in dollars. Now, when a dollar is getting cheaper, many try to
get rid of it and buy euros. What would happen if all this dollar cash came back to
the USA? India, Japan, and Russia will probably also try to make their influence on
the world politics comparable with their economical potential.
One thing is clear, however, the future of the country directly depends on
today's policy.

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22. Geographical position of USA

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after
Russia, Canada and China). It m
occupies the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific
to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific
Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square
kilometers. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It
also has a sea boarder with Russia.
The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia, a special
federal area where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The
population of the country is about 250 million.
The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the
Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley, which is located in Alaska.
America's largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande
and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and
deepest in the USA.
The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the
north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part is
continental. The south has subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of
Mexico often bring typhoons. The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It
is the world's leading producer of copper and oil and the world's second producer
of iron ore and coal. Among the most important manufacturing industries are
aircraft, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, armaments, furniture and paper.
The largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit,
San Francisco and others.
The United States is a federal union of 50 states, each of which has its own
government. The seat of the central (federal) government is Washington, DC.
According to the US Constitution the powers of the government are divided into 3
branches: the executive, headed by the President, the legislative, exercised by
the Congress, and the juridical. The Congress consists of the Senate and the
House of Representatives. There are two main political parties in the USA: the
Republican and the Democratic.
23. Scotland
Scotland is administrative division of the kingdom of Great Britain,
occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain. As a geopolitical entity
Scotland includes 186 nearby islands, a majority of which are contained in three
groupsnamely, the Hebrides, also known as the Western Islands, situated off the
western coast; the Orkney Islands, situated off the northeastern coast; and the
Shetland Islands, situated northeast of the Orkney Islands. The largest of the
other islands is the Island of Arran. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland as well as
a major industrial area and seaport
Notable among the lakes, which are especially numerous in the central and
northern regions, are Loch Lomond (the largest), Loch Ness, Loch Tay, and Loch
Katrina. The longest river of Scotland is the Tay; the Clyde, however, is the
principal navigational stream, site of the port of Glasgow.
Like the climate of the rest of Great Britain, that of Scotland is subject to the
moderating influences of the surrounding seas The most common species of trees
indigenous to Scotland are oak and coniferschiefly fir, pine, and larch.
The only large indigenous mammal in Scotland is the deer. Both the red
deer and the roe deer are found, but the red deer, whose habitat is the Highlands,
is by far the more abundant of the two species. Other indigenous mammals are
the hare, rabbit, otter, ermine, pine marten, and wildcat. Game birds include

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grouse, blackcock, ptarmigan, and waterfowl.

Both agriculture and industry are important in the economy of Scotland. The
chief exports are petroleum and natural gas and manufactured goods, especially
burlap, clothing, machinery, textiles, and whiskey.
The chief imports are food and iron
The most populous city in Scotland is Glasgow. Other important industrial
cities are Dundee and Aberdeen.
Scotland is governed as an integral part of Great Britain. It is represented by
72 members in the House of Commons and by 16 Scottish peers in the House of
Lords.
24. Olympic Games
The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 777 BC in
Greece and took place every four years for nearly twelve centuries at Olympia.
They included many different kinds of sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All
the cities in Greece sent their best athletes to Olympia to compete in the Games.
For the period of the Games all the wars stopped. So the Olympic Games became
the symbol of peace and friendship.
In 394 AD the Games were abolished and were not renewed until many
centuries later.
In 1894, a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, addressed all the sports
governing bodies and pointed out the significance of sports and its educational
value.
Two years later the first modern Olympic Games took place. Of course, the
competitions were held in Greece to symbolize the continuation of the centuriesold tradition. In 1896 the International Olympic Committee was set up. It is the
central policymaking body of the Olympic movement. It is formed by the
representatives of all countries which take part in the Olympic Games.
The International Olympic Committee decides upon the programmed of the
games, the number of the participants and the city host for the Games.
Over one hundred and fifty countries are represented in the International
Olympic Committee now. Besides, each country has its National Olympic
Committee.
Summer and Winter Games are held separately. There are always several
cities wishing to host the Games. The most suitable is selected by the
International Committee. After that the city of the Games starts preparations for
the competitions, constructs new sports facilities, stadiums, hotels, press centers.
Thousands of athletes, journalists and guests come to the Games, and it takes
great efforts to arrange everything.
There is always an interesting cultural programmer of concerts, exhibitions,
festivals, etc., for each Games.
The next summer games will be held in Beijing, Republic of China.
25. Holidays in USA
The U.S. has no national holidays. Legal holidays - days on which banks,
schools, or other public institutions and most places of business are closed.
Memorial Day is a legal holiday, observed annually on the last Monday in
May in most of the United
Independence Day is an annual holiday commemorating the formal
adoption by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence on July
4, 1776, in Philadelphia. Although the signing of the Declaration was not
completed until August, the Fourth of July holiday has been accepted as the
official anniversary of United States independence and is celebrated in all states
and territories of the U.S.
The Fourth of July is traditionally celebrated publicly with parades and

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pageants and public speeches.

Thanksgiving Day, a legal holiday in the U.S., was first celebrated in early
colonial times in New England. President Abraham Lincoln appointed a day of
thanksgiving, and since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day
proclamation, generally designating the fourth Thursday of November as a
holiday.
New Year's Day is the first day of the year, January 1 in the Gregorian
calendar.
Christmas is an annual festival, held on December 25, to celebrate the
Nativity, or birth of Christ. The Christmas tree, an evergreen trimmed with lights
and other decorations, is derived from the so-called paradise tree, symbolizing
Eden.
Saint Valentine's Day, a holiday honoring lovers, is celebrated on February
14. There is a custom of sending greeting cards or gifts to express affection. St.
Valentine has traditionally been regarded as the patron saint of lovers.
26. Washington
Washington is the capital city of the United States. It is located on the north
bank of the Potomac River. It was called after George Washington, the first
President of the USA, Washington is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities
in the United States. It has little industry, and only one million people. One reason
Washington looks different from other cities is that no building in the city may be
more than 40 meters tall. There are no skyscrapers, because they would hide the
city's many monuments from view. One can easily find a park, a square or an
open area there. The most impressive and the best-known ones are the Lincoln
Memorial and the Washington Monument.
The heart of Washington is the Capitol, which is connected with the White
House by Pennsylvania Avenue. It dominates the city of Washington. All the
tourists begin sightseeing from the Capitol and see the Senate Chamber, the Hall
of Representatives, the Statuary Hall and some others.
The Washington Monument, the tallest stone structure in the USA, is in the
Potomac River. It was opened to the public in 1888. It is 555 feet tall, is called the
"Pencil" because of its shape. It is three blocks south of the White House. There is
an elevator, which will carry you to 500-foot level observation windows. The
Lincoln Memorial is in the west of the Washington Monument. It is designed like a
Greek temple. The dominant figure is the realistic figure of Abraham Lincoln
seated in the centre of the open temple. The Jefferson Memorial is worth seen,
too. It is situated south of the Washington monument near the Potomac River. The
Library of Congress contains millions of books and manuscripts. The Washington
Cathedral is on Massachusetts Avenue, and the Arlington National Cemetery is
outside the city limits just across the Potomac River near the Pentagon in Virginia.
The famous Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is visited by millions of people every
year.
Washington is the place where mass demonstrations take place against
unemployment and racism, for democracy and civil rights.
27. Theatres in Great Britain
One peculiarity of the theatres in Great Britain is a follows: there are two
kinds of seats, which can be booked an advanced (book able), and unbootable
once have no numbers and the spectators occupy them on the principal: first
come - first served. And ancient time's plays were acted inside churches and later
on the market places. The first theatre in England "The Backfires" build in 1576,
and "The Globe" build in 1599, which is closely connected with William
Shakespeare. Speaking about our times we should first of all mention "The English
National theatre", "The Royal Shakespeare Company" and "Covent Garden". The

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first "Covent Garden theatre" was built in 1732. It was burnt down in 1808 and
rebuilds exactly a year after. It opened in September 1809, with Shakespeare's
"Macbeth". Since the middle of the last century "Covent Garden" became
exclusively devoted to opera.
Now "Covent Garden" in busier than ever, it is one of the few well-known
opera houses open for 11 months of the year and it employs over 600 people
both of the Opera company and the Royal Ballet.
Theatres are very much the same in London as anywhere else; the chief
theatres, music halls and cinemas are in the West End. If you are staying in
London for a few days, you'll have no difficulty whatever in finding somewhere to
spend an enjoyable evening. You'll find opera, ballet, comedy, drama, revue,
musical comedy and variety. The best seats at theatres are those in the stalls, the
circle and the upper circle. Then comes the pit, and the last of all the gallery
where the seats are cheapest. Boxes, of course, are the most expensive.
At the West End theatres you can see most of the famous English actors
and actresses. As a rule, the plays are magnificently staged - costumes, dresses,
scenery, everything being done of the most lavish scale.
28. Famous people of America
There are many outstanding people in United States. America produced
statesmen, thinkers, explorers, musicians, writers, scientists and other people
who are well known around the world.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, is known to most people as Mark Twain.
While he worked as a reporter he began to sign his articles "Mark Twain".
From then on Clemens used Mark Twain as his pen-name.
While he spent his summers on his farm, he wrote "The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer", published in 1876.
"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", "Tom Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn"
are among the most popular books ever published in the United States. Among
Mark Twain's other books are "Joan of Arc", "Life on the Mississippi".
Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States.
Lincoln became president in 1860. In 1861, there was a war between the
North and the South of the United States. The people in the South wanted a
separate government from the United States. The North wanted the United States
to stay together as one country. Lincoln was the leader of the North.
The North won the Civil War. The war ended on April 9, 1865. Six days later,
President Lincoln and his wife went to the theatre. Inside the theatre, a man went
behind the president and shot him in the head. The man's name was John Wilkes
Booth. He was a supporter of the South. Lincoln died the next morning.
Ernest Hemingway is one of the greatest 20th-century American writers. He
was a brilliant writer of stories and novels. His most successful novels are the
following: For Whom The Bells Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea and others He was
awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954.
29. Education in USA
The general pattern of education in the USA is an eight-year elementary
school, followed by a four-year high school.
There are eight years of elementary schooling. The elementary school is
followed by four years of secondary school, or high school. Often the last two
years of elementary and the first years of secondary school are combined into a
junior high school.
Admission to the American high school is automatic on completion of the
elementary school. During the four-year high school program the student studies
four or five major subjects per year, and classes in each of these subjects meet
for an hour a day, five days a week. In addition, the student usually has classes in

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physical education, music, and art several times a week. If he fails a course, he
repeats only that course and not the work of the entire year. Students must
complete a certain number of courses in order to receive a diploma, or a
certificate of graduation.
Usually there is no admission examination required by a state university for
those who have finished high school within the state. Sometimes a certain pattern
of high school studies is necessary, however, and some state universities require
a certain scholastic average, or average of high school grades.
It usually takes four years to meet the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts or
Bachelor of Science degree. A Master of Arts or Master of Science degree may be
obtained in one or two additional years. The highest academic degree is the !
Doctor of Philosophy. It may take any number of years to complete the original
research work necessary to obtain this degree.
In general, higher education in the USA may be divided into two broad
fields: liberal arts and professional. Each of these fields may be further subdivided
into undergraduate and graduate levels. The liberal arts program, on the
undergraduate level, may be a two-year junior college course, or a four-year
course leading to a degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. The fouryear course is usually subdivided into a lower division (which may be called the
junior college), consisting of the two first years, and the upper division, which is
the last two years. The first two years
continue the general education and specialization begins in the third year.
30. Fast Food of America
Have you ever enjoyed a hamburger, sitting on a lawn? May be you're
against all these hot dogs and cheeseburgers, because it's a junk food. Anyway, it
is always interesting to find out something about the origin and history of such
trifles, which make our life more comfortable. They really make life more
pleasant, especially outdoors, don't they?
Pop Corn- It's impossible to imagine American takeaway food or snacks
without popcorn. Clear as a day, it is made from corn. But what about the first
part of the word "pop". Actually, when you put a kernel of corn on a fire, the water
inside makes the corn explode. This makes a "pop" noise. That is why we call it
popcorn. But in 1945 a new machine was invented that changed the history of the
product. The electric machine enabled to pop corn outside the home. And soon
movies started selling popcorn to make more money. The famous American habit
of eating popcorn at the movies is well-known. Many people like to put salt or
melted butter in their popcorn, some peeper to have it without. Either way
Americans love their popcorn
Coca Cola- Coca-Cola The world famous fresh drink Coca-Cola first was an
all-purpose medicine, made in 1886 by a druggist from Atlanta, who made a
brown syrup by mixing coca leaves and cola nuts. The syrup wasn't a success and
then another druggist, Jacobs, had an idea of selling Coca-Cola as a soda fountain
drink. He mixed the syrup with soda water. Soon everyone was going to soda
fountains and asking for Coca-Cola. And the World War II helped to make CocaCola popular outside America, when the Coca-Cola Company sent bottles of the
drink to US soldiers fighting in Europe. It became so popular with the soldiers that
the US Army asked the company to start ten factories in Europe. It's a curious
thing but of 1903 coca leaves were no longer used in the drink. The exact
ingredients and the quantities are not known - the Coca-Cola Company keeps its
recipe a secret
31. Political system of USA
The nation's capital, Washington, D.C., is the capital of a federal union of 50
states. Therefore, in 1789, they adopted a new Constitution establishing a federal

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union under a strong central government.

Under the Constitution, the federal government is divided into three
branches, each chosen in a different manner, each able to check and balance the
others.
The Executive Branch is headed by the President, who, together with the
Vice President, is chosen in nationwide elections every four years. The elective
process for a U.S. President is unique. The presidential candidate needs 270
electoral votes to be elected; if no candidate has a majority, the House of
Representatives make the decision. Any natural-born American who is 35 years
old or older may be elected to this office. The President proposes bills to
Congress, enforces federal laws, serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed
Forces and, with the approval of the Senate makes treaties and appoints federal
judges, ambassadors and other members of the Executive Departments
The Vice President, elected from the same political party as the President,
acts as chairman of the Senate, and in the event of the death or disability of the
President, assumes the Presidency for the balance of his term.
The Legislative Branch is made up of two houses: the Senate and the House
of Representatives. Each state elects two members of the 100-member Senate; a
Senator's term of office is six years
The Judicial Branch is made up of Federal District Courts (at least one in
every state), 11 Federal Courts of Appeals and, at the top, the Supreme Court.
Federal judges are appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate; to
minimize political influences, their appointments are for life. Federal courts decide
cases involving federal law, conflicts between states or between citizens of
different states.
Every American citizen is allowed to vote from the age of 18.
32. Science in 20th century
The 20th century began slowly, to the ticking of grandfather clocks and the
stately rhythms of progress. Thanks to science, industry and moral philosophy,
mankind's steps had at last been guided up the right path. The century of steam
was about to give way to the century of oil and electricity.
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, only 41 years old in 1900, proposed a
scientific basis for the notion that progress was gradual but inevitable,
determined by natural law.
And everybody thought that the development would continue in the small
steps that had marked the progress of the 19th century. Inventions like the
railroad or the telegraph or the typewriter had enabled people to get on with their
ordinary lives a little more conveniently.
No one could have guessed then that, in the century just beginning, new
ideas would burst upon the world with a force and frequency that would turn this
stately march of progress into a long distance, free-for-all sprint. Thrust into this
race, the children of the 20th century would witness more change in their daily
existence and environment than anyone else who had ever walked the planet.
Assassinations in Sarajevo in 1914 lit a spark that set off an unprecedented
explosion of destruction and death. The Great War did more than devastate a
generation of Europeans. It set the tone - the political, moral and intellectual
temper - for much that followed.
Before long the Great War received a new name - World War I. The roaring
1920s and the Depression years of the 1930s proved to be merely a prelude to
World War II. Largely hidden during that war was an awful truth that called into
question progress and the notion of human nature itself.
But civilization was not crushed by the two great wars, and the ruins
provided the stimulus to build a way of life again. To a degree previously unheard

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of and perhaps unimaginable, the citizens of the 20th century felt free to reinvent
themselves. In that task they were assisted by two profound developments psychoanalysis and the Bomb.
33. Sports in USA
Americans pay much attention to physical fitness. Many sports and sporting
activities are popular in the USA. People participate in swimming, skating, squash
and badminton, tennis, marathons, track-and-field, bowing, archery, skiing,
skating etc. But the five major American sports are hockey, volleyball, baseball,
football and basketball. Basketball and volleyball have been invented in America.
There is a large choice of sports in America. This can be explained by the
size and variety of the country. Another reason of the popularity of sports is the
people's love of competition of any kind. One more reason is that Americans use
sports activities for teaching socials values, such as teamwork and
sportsmanship. All this explains why Americans have traditionally done well in
many kinds of sports.
Some Americans like active games and others like quite games. I think that
quite games, as golf and crocket, intend for rich elite people. Most popular games
in the USA are hockey, American football, baseball, basketball.
Opportunities for keeping fit and playing sports are numerous. Jogging is
extremely popular, perhaps because it is the cheapest and most accessible sport.
Aerobic exercise and training with weight-lifting machines are two activities which
more and more men and women are pursuing. Books, videos, and fitnessconscious movie stars that play up the glamour of fitness have heightened
enthusiasm for these exercises and have promoted the muscular, healthy body as
the American beauty ideal
American sports are becoming more competitive and more profit-oriented.
As a result, playing to win is emphasized more than playing for fun. The obsession
with winning causes some people to wonder whether sports in America should be
such serious business
34. The USA court system
The courts are the overseers of the law. They administer it, they resolve
disputes under it, and they ensure that it is and remains equal to and impartial for
everyone.
In the United States each state is served by the separate court systems,
state and federal. Both systems are organized into three basic levels of courtstrial courts, courts of appeal and High Court or Supreme Court.
Trial courts bear the main burden in the administration of justice. Cases
begin there and most instances are finally resolved there.
The trial courts in each state include: common pleas courts, which have
general civil and criminal jurisdiction and smaller in importance municipal courts,
country courts and mayor's courts
The main job of courts of appeal is to review cases appealed from trial
courts to determine if the law was correctly interpreted or applied.
The Supreme Court of each state is primarily a_ court of appeal and the
court of last resort.
The federal court structure is similar to the structure of the state court
system. The trial courts in the federal system are the United States District
Courts. The United States courts of appeal are intermediate courts of appeal
between the district courts and the United States Supreme Court.
The USA Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation and the court of
last resort. It consists of a chief justice and eight associate justices, all of whom
are appointed for life by the President with the Advice and Consent of the Senate.
The duty of the Supreme Court is to decide whether laws passed by Congress

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agree with the Constitution. The great legal issues facing the Supreme Court at
present are Government involvement with religion, abortion and privacy rights,
and race and sex discrimination.
35. Sports in Great Britain
National sports in Great Britain... It is a very interesting question, because
many kinds of sport have taken the origin in England. The Englishmen love sports,
they are called sports-lovers in spite of the fact that some of them neither play
games nor even watch them. They only like to speak about sports. Some kinds of
sport are professional in England. Many traditional sporting contests take place in
England, for example, cricket. It is played from May till September.
Football, it has got a long history. Football was played by the whole village
teams in the middle ages in England. Now football is the most popular game in
Britain. It is a team game. There are some amateur teams but most of the teams
are professional ones in England. Professional football is a big business. Football is
played at schools too.
Rugby is a popular game in England. There are many amateur rugby teams
in this country. It is a game that is played between two teams of players using an
oval ball that can be handled or kicked. The captain of the team must be the
oldest or best player.
There are some tennis clubs in England, but if you play there it is necessary
to pay money for it. Englishmen like playing tennis but many of them prefer to
watch this game. Wimbledon it is the centre of lawn tennis.
Englishmen pay much attention to swimming, rowing and walking. Usually
the OxfordCambridge Boat Race takes place at the end of March or at the
beginning of April. It is an interesting contest between the universities of Oxford
and Cambridge. It is usually held on the Thames River. The first such race was
held in 1820. There were a lot of people watching this race. There are some
racing competitions in England. They are motor-car racing, dog-racing, donkeyracing, boat-racing, horse-racing. All kinds of racings are popular in England. It is
interesting to see the egg-and-spoon race. The runner, who takes part in this
competition, must carry an egg in a spoon. It is not allowed to drop the egg. There
are such competitions as putting the weight, tossing the caber and others.
The English are great lovers of sports.
36. History of Great Britain
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country of
great history rich in important events and entertaining legends connected with
them. It's not enough to write several volumes to tell the full history of the
country.
That's why we'll try to answer the question where the British come from and
who they are. After 800 BC the Celts arrived from Central Europe and opened up a
new important page of the British history. The name Britain comes from the
name of a Celtic tribe known as the Britons. Their influence was greatest in Wales,
Scotland and Ireland, as they were driven to these parts by the invaders who
followed them. That's why these parts of Britain are very different from England in
language, customs and traditions. However quite soon it was attacked by
Germanic tribes: People began to call the new land of the Angles and Saxons
England. Wales, Cornwall, the northern part of Britain and Ireland remained
unconquered and preserved Celtic culture. An important event which contributed
to the unification of the country was the adoption of Christianity in England in
664. In the 9th century the Danes attacked England. It was Alfred who defeated
the Danes making them sign a peace agreement.
The last of the invaders to come to Britain were the Normans from France.
The French language became the official language of the ruling class for the next

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three centuries. This explains the great number of French words in English.
However the final unification of Scotland and England took place in 1707
when both sides agreed to form a single parliament in London for Great Britain,
although Scotland continued to keep its own system of law, education and have
an independent church.
Ireland was England's first colony, but even now there are problems there
connected with religion. Recently, there have been many waves of immigration
into Britain. Now Britain is a multinational society, which benefits from the
influence of different people and cultures.
37. William Shakespeare
The last half of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries are known
as the golden age of English literature. It was the time of the English Renaissance,
and sometimes it is even called "the age of Shakespeare". William Shakespeare,
the greatest and most famous of English writers, and probably the greatest
playwright who has ever lived, was born on the 23d of April, 1564, in Stratford-onAvon. In sprite of his fame we know very little about his life. At the age of six he
was sent to school, but had to leave it at the age of 13. His father, John
Shakespeare, was a glove-maker, and when he fell into debt, William had to help
him .When Shakespeare was twenty-one, he went to London. We don't know why
he left Stratford-on-Avon. There is a story that Shakespeare's first job in London
was holding rich men's horses at the theatre door. But nobody can be sure that
this story is true. Later, Shakespeare became an actor and a member of a very
successful acting company. It's highly probable that The Comedy of Errors, Romeo
and Juliet and some other plays by Shakespeare were performed for the first time
on this stage. Shakespeare's experience as an actor helped him greatly in the
writing of his plays. His knowledge of stage and his poetical genius made his
plays the most wonderful ones ever written. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays: 10
tragedies (such as Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, Macbeth), 17 comedies (such as As
You Like It, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing), 10 historical plays (such as
Henry 4, Richard 3). He also left 7 books of poems and sonnets. Most of
Shakespeare's plays were not published in his lifetime. So some of them may
have been lost in the fire when the "Globe" burned down in 1613. Shakespeare
spent the last years of his life at Stratford, where he died in 1616. He was buried
in the church of Stratford. A monument was erected to the memory of the great
playwright in the Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey.
38. New York
New York City is the capital of USA It is the most populous city in the United
States. For more than a century, it has been one of the world's leading business,
financial and cultural centers and its influence in politics, education,
entertainment, sports, media, fashion and the arts all contribute to its status as
one of the major global cities. As the home of the United Nations, the city is a hub
for international diplomacy. Residents of the city are known as New Yorkers.
New York has five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island
and the Bronx. The Bronx is famous for a zoo, which is situated there.
Manhattan is the center of New York City. Near 1 million people live here,
but over than 5 million come here to work from all parts of the city every day. The
main street, Broadway, is also here. And there are a lot of other famous streets
which known nationwide. Wall Street is famous for finance. Madison Avenue
means advertising, and Fifth Avenue is famous for world-class shopping. There is
a famous crossing Times Square. It famous for Theatre district, there are more
than thirty theaters there, and every evening they play their plays.
Most of New York's skyscrapers are located on the island of Manhattan.

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There are such buildings as Art Deco Chrysler Building and there were twin towers
of the World Trade Center. One of the famous building in the world is the Statue of
Liberty. It was built in 1886. It was a present from the people of France. It
represents America's symbol of freedom!
In 2005, nearly 170 languages were spoken in the city and 36 percent of its
population was born outside the United States. New York is also known as "The
City that Never Sleeps," not least because its subway system operates around the
clock and because many neighborhoods in Manhattan, such as Times Square, are
busy at all hours.
39. Australian culture.
Since 1788, the primary basis of Australian culture has been Anglo-Celtic,
although distinctive Australian features had been evolving from the environment
and indigenous culture. Over the past 50 years, Australian culture has been
strongly influenced by American popular culture (particularly television and
cinema), large-scale immigration from non-English-speaking countries, and
Australia's Asian neighbors. The vigor and originality of the arts in Australia
literature, cinema, opera, music, painting, theatre, dance, and crafts have
achieved international recognition.
In 1973, Patrick White was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the only
Australian to have achieved this; he is recognized as one of the great Englishlanguage writers of the 20th century. Australian English is a major variety of the
language; its grammar and spelling are largely based on those of British English,
overlaid with a rich vernacular of unique lexical items and phrases, some of which
have found their way into standard English. Sport plays an important part in
Australian culture, assisted by a climate that favors outdoor activities; 23.5%
Australians over the age of 15 regularly participate in organized sporting
activities. At an international level, Australia has particularly strong teams in
cricket, hockey, netball, rugby league, rugby union, and performs well in cycling,
rowing and swimming. Nationally, other popular sports include Australian rules
football, horse racing, football (soccer) and motor .acing. Australia has
participated in every summer Olympic Games of the modern era, and every
Commonwealth Games. Australia hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics in
Melbourne and the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, and has ranked among the
top five medal-takers since 2000Televised sport is popular; some of the highest
rating television programs include the summer Olympic Games and the grand
finals of local and international football (various codes) competitions
40. Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and one of the most beautiful cities in
Europe. It has been the capital of Scotland
since 1437 and is the seat of the Scottish Parliament. It lies on seven hills
and goes down on those hills to the sea. The highest hill is three hundred meters
above the sea. From the street in the centre of the city you can see ships coming
to Edinburgh from different countries of the world.
Many great men have lived and worked in this beautiful city. Robert Burns,
the great Scottish poet published his first book of poems in Edinburgh. There is a
monument to him in the city.
Walter Scott, the father of the historical novel in the world literature, was
borne in Edinburgh. The monument to Walter Scott is in the main street of the
city.
Robert Louis Stevenson, a famous English writer, was born and lived in
Edinburgh. He loved the city and wrote about it his best novels.
Edinburgh is well-known for the annual Edinburgh Festival, a collection of
official and independent festivals held annually over about four weeks from early

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August. The number of visitors attracted to Edinburgh for the Festival, is roughly
equal to the settled population of the city. The most famous of these events are
the Edinburgh Fringe (the largest performing arts festival in the world), the
Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and the Edinburgh
International Film Festival. In fact the city is one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan
cities in Europe and is regularly voted as one of the most desirable places to live
in the world.This is a city that knows how to be both ancient and modern. And a
fantastic place to live.