Федеральное агентство по образованию

Государственное образовательное учреждение

высшего профессионального образования
«Ковровская государственная технологическая академия»

Н.В.Кожедуб, Н.А.Ситнова

ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ
Учебно-методическое пособие

Ковров 2005
 –4–

ББК 81.2 (Англ.)

К 58

Кожедуб Н.В., Ситнова Н.А. Великобритания:

Учебно-методическое пособие. – Ковров: КГТА, 2005.
– 52 с.
Пособие направлено на развитие навыков чтения по страноведческой
тематике и формирование умений устной монологической и диалогической
речи на основе прочитанного. В пособие включены тексты, содержащие
познавательный материал о стране изучаемого языка, упражнения и
задания различных типов для усвоения лексического материала и активного
использования его в речи. Структура пособия предусматривает три
основных раздела, которые последовательно описывают географические и
экономические особенности Великобритании, а также и некоторые
существенные стороны ее политической структуры. Каждый раздел
содержит основной текст и ряд дополнительных текстов, имеющих
специальные задания. Раздел текстов для дополнительного чтения
(Additional Reading) предназначен для аудиторной самостоятельной
работы студентов. Заключительный раздел пособия (Texts for Home-
Reading) содержит тексты-задания для контролируемой СРС.
Предназначено для студентов 2 курса дневного отделения.

Рецензенты: канд. филол. наук, доцент Б.А.Жигалёв (НГЛУ им.

Добролюбова); канд. филол. наук, доцент Г.Е.Юрченко (НГЛУ им.
Добролюбова).

Печатается по решению редакционно-издательского совета

КГТА.
 –5–

ISBN 5-86151-207-8 © ГОУ ВПО «Ковровская

государственная технологическая
академия, 2005

Государственное образовательное учреждение

высшего профессионального образования
«Ковровская государственная технологическая академия»

ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ
 –6–

Учебное издание

Кожедуб Наталья Владимировна

Ситнова Наталья Александровна

ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ
Учебно-методическое пособие

Ответственный редактор Е.Ю.Дианова

Корректор Л.Н. Гафурова
Компьютерная верстка Н.Ю. Кузнецовой

Изд.лиц. №020354 от 05.06.97 г. Подписано в печать 22.09.2005 г.

Формат 60х84/16. Бумага писчая №1. Гарнитура «Таймс». Печать офсетная.
Усл.печ.л.3,25. Уч.-изд.л. 3,31. Тираж 630 экз. Заказ № 504.

Государственное образовательное учреждение

высшего профессионального образования
«Ковровская государственная технологическая академия»
601910, Ковров, ул.Маяковского,19.
Государственное образовательное учреждение
высшего профессионального образования
«Ковровская государственная технологическая академия»
 –7–

ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ

ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ
 –8–

Ответственный редактор Е.Ю.Дианова

Корректор Л.Н.Гафурова
Компьютерная верстка Н.Ю.Кузнецовой

Изд.лиц. №020354 от 05.06.97 г. Подписано в печать 08.2005 г.

Формат 60х84/16. Бумага писчая №1. Гарнитура «Таймс». Печать офсетная.
Усл.печ.л. . Уч.-изд.л. . Тираж экз. Заказ № .

Государственное образовательное учреждение

высшего профессионального образования
«Ковровская государственная технологическая академия»
601910, Ковров, ул.Ма яковского,19.
 –9–

PART 1
Text A

Geographical Outline

1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is

situated on the British Isles. They consist of two large islands – Great
Britain and Ireland – and some 5,500 smaller islands. Their total area is
over 244,000 square kilometres.

2. The British Isles are situated to the North-west of the continent of

Europe and separated from it by the North Sea and the English Channel.
The English Channel is 32 kilometres wide at its narrowest point. The
western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the
Irish Sea.

3. The United Kingdom (UK) consists of four main parts. England

and Wales form the southern part of the island of Great Britain, and
Scotland occupies its northern portion. Northern Ireland takes up one third
of the island of Ireland.

4. On the border of England and Scotland there is a range of hills

which is called the Cheviot Hills. In the centre of England there is the
Pennine Chain which is also known as ‘the Backbone of England”.
West of the Pennines are the Cambrian Mountains. There are a
number of beautiful lakes in these mountains, therefore this part of the
country – the most beautiful in England – is called the Lake District. The
highest mountains are in Scotland and Wales: Ben Nevis is 1,343m and
Snowdon is 1,085m.

5.There are many rivers in Great Britain but they are rather short.
Along the Pennine Chain lies the main water – parting. It divides the rivers
which flow east from those which flow west. The western rivers are
shorter than the eastern. They are also more rapid and less navigable.
 – 10 –

The principal rivers in England are the Thames, the Trent, the Tyne
in the east; the Severn, the Wye and some others in the west.
The Thames is the most important river. Large vessels can get as far
as London Bridge, 50 miles from the sea. On its banks are London,
Oxford, a university city, Greenwich with its observatory and many other
places.
The Severn rises in the mountains of Wales. It is connected by its
tributaries and canals with the Thames. Its longest tributary is the Avon, on
which Stratford, the birthplace of Shakespeare, is situated.

Vocabulary

1. to be situated – быть расположенным, находиться

2. island – ocтров
3. area – площадь
4. to separate – отделять, разделять
5. coast – побережье
6. to wash – омывать
7. mountain – гора
mountainous – гористый
8. to occupy – занимать
= to take up
9. range – горная цепь
10. water-parting – водораздел
11. to flow – течь, литься
12. rapid – быстрый
13. navigable – судоходный
14. tributary – приток

Memorize the Geographical Names:

1. The United Kingdom of – Соединённое Королевство

Great Britain and Northern Великобритании и Северной
Ireland Ирландии
2. The British Isles – Британские острова
3. Europe – Европа
4. The English Channel – пролив Ла-Манш
 – 11 –

5. The Atlantic Ocean – Атлантический океан

6. The Irish Sea – Ирландское море
7. Wales – Уэльс
8. Scotland – Шотландия
9. The Cheviot Hills – горы Чевиот-Хилс
10. The Pennine Chain – Пеннинские горы
11. The Cambrian Mountains – Кембрийские горы
12. The Lake District – Озёрная область
13. Ben Nevis – Бэн Нэвис
14. Snowdon – Сноудон
15. The Thames –Темза
16. The Trent – Трент
17. The Tyne – Тайн
18. The Severn – Северн
19. The Wye – Уай
20. The Avon – Эйвон
21. Stratford – Стратфорд
Oral drills

I. Pronounce the following in sentences:

English England English
Welsh Wales Welsh
Scotch Scotland Scotch
Irish Ireland Irish
French people live in France and speak French
Danish Denmark Danish
Spanish Spain Spanish
Russian Russia Russian
Italian Italy Italian
American America English
(the USA)
II. Construct sentences according to the model making use of the
words given below and in the above exercise.
Model:
London is the capital of England
 – 12 –

Words to be used: Edinburgh , Paris, Dublin ,

Copenhagen , Madrid, Rome, Cardiff ,Washington .
III. Construct sentences according to the model using the
corresponding vocabulary.

Model:
They are English people. He is an Englishman. She is an
Englishwoman.
They are English. He is English. She is English.

Words to be used: Welsh, Scotch, Irish, French, Danish.

Word study

1. Translate into English.

Занимать 1/3 острова, в самом узком месте, общая площадь, к

северо-западу от континента, северная часть, горная цепь, главные
реки, несколько прекрасных озёр, главный водораздел.

2. Form pairs of synonyms from the following words:

A large ship, a group or a row of hills, spine, a high hill, rapid, to

occupy, to separate, portion, beautiful, whole
Quick, part, remarkable, range, to take up, vessel, mountain, to
divide, total, backbone

3. Give one word for the following:

A building where planets and stars may be observed; a river flowing

into another river; a piece of land surrounded by water; something less
than a whole; a channel for water made by man, used for ships; affording
easy passage for ships.

4. Note the difference between the two verbs:

 – 13 –

to rise (rose, risen) 1) подниматься, вставать; (употребляется без

дополнения)
2) (in, from) начинаться, происходить;
to raise (raised, raised) – поднимать ч.- л.

Fill in rise or raise:

1. Prices … during the war. 2. He promised to … the workers`
wages. 3. Where does the Thames … ? 4. The sun … at six o`clock. 5. I …
very early in the morning. 6. The teacher told him to … his voice. 7. The
balloon … in the sky.
Find the sentence with one of these words in the text and translate it.

Word- building

1) Find in the text adjectives of the same root:

principle, navigation, beauty, west, mountain.

2) Make up compound words from:

Water; bone; birth; back; parting; place.

Translate the compounds.

Word Usage

Supply the right words from the text:

1) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland …

… on the British Isles. 2) The British Isles … … from the continent of
Europe by the North Sea and … … . 3) The United Kingdom … of four
main parts. 4) Northern Ireland … one third of the island of Ireland. 5) On
the … of England and Scotland there is a … of … which is called the
Cheviot Hills. 6) There are a … of beautiful lakes in the Cambrian
Mountains. 7) The Severn … in the mountains of Wales.
 – 14 –

Oral exercises on the text

1. Give full answers to the following questions:

1) Where is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern

Ireland situated? (the British Isles).
2) What is the total area of the British Isles? (over 244,000 square
kilometres).
3) What seas is Great Britain washed by? (the North Sea, the Irish
Sea).
4) What channel separates Great Britain from the continent of
Europe? (The English Channel).
5) What are the main parts of Great Britain? (England, Wales,
Scotland, Northern Ireland).
6) How is the Pennine Chain called? ( “the Backbone of England”).
7) What part of the country is called the Lake District? (the Cambrian
Mountains).
8) What are the highest mountains in Great Britain? (Ben Nevis,
Snowdon).
9) Where does the main water-parting lie? (the Pennine Chain).
10) What does it divide? (rivers which flow east from those which
flow west).
11) What are the principal rivers in England? (the Thames, the
Trent, the Severn, the Wye).
12) What is the longest tributary of the Severn? (the Avon).

2. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Start with

a) That’s right. b) (I am afraid) You are wrong.

Exactly. Far from it.
I (quite) agree with you. I don’t think so.

1. The British Isles are situated to the north-east of the continent of

Europe.
 – 15 –

2. The English Channel separates Great Britain from the continent of

Europe.
3. England forms the northern part of the island.
4. The Cheviot Hills are called the Lake District.
5. The rivers in Great Britain are rather short.
6. Along the Cambrian Mountains lies the main water-parting.
7. The western rivers are shorter than the eastern.
8. The Severn together with the Avon, its longest tributary, is the
most important river.
9. The Thames rises in the mountains of Wales.

3. Speak on the following points:

a) the geographical position of Great Britain,

b) the mountains of Great Britain,
c) the rivers of Great Britain.

Use the map if necessary.

 – 16 –

Text B

The Climate of England

1. As a rule the climate depends on the geographical position of the

country. The position of Great Britain gives it a temperate climate. Britain
lies in the eastern part of the warm Atlantic, and it is surrounded by the
sea. The sea makes the climate warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
2. What influences the English climate greatly is the Gulf Stream. It
makes the sea warm. The Gulf Stream is like a hot-water pipe because it
brings a little of the warmth of the tropics to the very doors of English
people.
3. The climate is not the same in the parts of England. The western
side of England is warmer than the eastern and it also has more rain. This
is due to the nearness to the continent and to the form of the surface of
England. The western hills and mountains shut out some of the mild winds
from the Atlantic. Gales are nearly always very strong on the western
coasts.
4. The wind in Britain can blow from any quarter, but southwesterly
winds are the most frequent. They usually bring mild weather. The east
wind, on the contrary, brings cold and snowfall in winter. Strong winds, or
gales, sometimes bring on great disasters: inundations, the wrecking of
buildings and dams, etc.
5. There is much moisture in the air of England. When the
temperature falls, the air cannot hold all its moisture in the form of vapour;
then a thick mist, or fog, always comes down and rests on the surface of
the sea and land. Britain is well known as a foggy island. The mean annual
temperature in London is about +8˚.

Vocabulary

1.temperate – умеренный
(о температуре, климате)
2. to surround – окружать
3. cool – прохладный
4. to influence – влиять
5. due to – благодаря
 – 17 –

6. surface – поверхность
7. frequent – частый
8. disaster – бедствие, несчастье
9. inundation – наводнение
10. wrecking – разрушение
11. dam – дамба, плотина
12. moisture – влажность, влага
13. vapour – пар
14. mean – средний
15. annual – ежегодный
16. mild – мягкий

Oral exercises

1. Reconstruct the general questions given below into disjunctive

ones; answer the questions according to the model:

Model:

Does the Gulf Stream make No, it doesn`t. It makes the

the sea cold? sea warm.
The Gulf Stream makes the
sea cold, doesn`t it?

1) Does Britain lie in the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean?

2) Do the western hills and mountains let the winds pass?
3) Does the cold east wind come to England from the Atlantic?
4) Do south winds usually bring cool weather to Britain?
5) Does Scotland occupy the western part of the island of Great
Britain?
6) Do large vessels get as far as London along the Severn?
 – 18 –

2. Ask as many questions as possible on the following sentences. Use

all types of questions:

1) Scotland occupies the northern part of the island of Great Britain.

2) The western hills and mountains shut out some of the mild winds
from the Atlantic.

3. Answer the questions according to the model:

Which sea is warmer: the The Black Sea (is).
North Sea or the Black Sea ? The Black Sea, I think.
The Black Sea, I believe.
The Black Sea is warmer.

1) Which is wider: the Thames or the Avon ?

2) Which is heavier: vapour or water ?
3) Which is worse: a severe wind or a thick fog ?
4) Which month is longer: June or July ?
5) Which side of England is warmer: western or eastern ?

Word study.
1) Find the difference in the meaning of the following words:
Hill – mountain; mist – fog; wind – gale.
2) Give synonyms or synonymous expressions for:
strong wind; happening very often; flood; thick mist

3) Give antonyms to:

Cold (adj.), cold (noun), severe wind, far, hardly ever, to rise (about
the temperature)

Word- building

1) Translate the following compounds:

hot-water pipe
snowfall
 – 19 –

Find, read aloud and translate the sentences where these compounds
are used.

2) Read and translate the following derivatives:

moist - moisture- to moisten
vapour- vaporous- to vaporize
frequent- to frequent- frequency
wrecking- to wreck-wreck-wreckage
strong- strength- to strengthen

3) Find in the text or think of some words ending in the following

suffixes and give their meanings in Russian:
Nouns: -ion, -ing, -ness, -ure, -th.
Adjectives: -al, -ate, -ent, -y, -ern.

Word Usage.

1. Find the equivalents:

благодаря близости к континенту – to the very doors of English

people
наоборот – to bring on great disasters
с любой стороны – to depend on the geographi-
cal position
средняя годовая температура – as a rule
как правило – the mean annual temperature
умеренный климат – from any quarter
к самым дверям англичан – on the contrary
вызывать страшные бедствия – due to the nearness to the
continent
зависеть от географического
положения – temperate climate
 – 20 –

2. Fill in the blanks with suitable words.

a)… depends on… . b) … lies in the … part of … . c) … is
surrounded by … . d) … makes the climate … . e) … bring on disasters. f)
… influences the … greatly. g) The … falls in … . h) The climate … in
… . i) … due to … . j) … is well known as … . k) … blows from … . l)
The … wind usually brings …, while the … wind, on the contrary, … .

3. Fill in the blanks with the following words: mountain, hill, wind,
gale, mist, fog:
1) … is the sailor`s greatest enemy. 2) … is not so thick as fog. 3)
Everest is the highest … in the world. 4) There are very many lakes and …
in Estonia. 5) In autumn the … blows the leaves off the trees. 6) … are
frequent in February.

4. Translate into English.

1) Территория России так велика, что климат в разных ее частях
совершенно различный. 2) В Санкт-Петербурге (St. Petersburg),
благодаря близости Балтийского моря (The Baltic Sea), климат мягкий
и влажный. 3) Средняя годовая температура в Санкт-Петербурге
+4ºС. 4) После дождя воздух прохладный и свежий. 5) Остров
окружён водой. 6) Ветры с Атлантического океана приносят много
влаги.

Oral exercises on the text

1. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the climate of the country depend on?

2) What is the temperate climate of England due to?
3) Why is there a difference in the climate of eastern and
western England?
4) Winds of what direction are usual in England?
5) What do strong winds sometimes bring on?
6) How does the Gulf Stream influence the English climate?
7) What makes Britain a foggy island?

2. Speak on the climate of Great Britain.

 – 21 –

Text C

Read and translate the text using a dictionary:

Weather forecast

Thursday April 15 Today’s weather

General situation

Southeast England will see a mainly sunny day, especially in the

morning. Scotland and northeast England will start cloudy, but rain will
spread south, and may turn to snow over the hills and mountains of
Scotland.

Local weather: SE England

This morning will start sunny, but clouds will move in from the north
during the afternoon. The maximum temperature will be 20º C/ 68 º F.
Winds will be light to moderate.

Outlook

There will be a dry start to Friday in all parts, but rain will spread from the
southwest during the day.
 – 22 –

Text D

Read the text. How do you interpret the words “scenic grandeur”?
Give as many Russian equivalents as possible.

Isle of Mull
Mull is one of the largest islands in the Herbrides, almost 30 miles
long and about 24 miles across at its widest point. However, due to
numerous sea lochs and indentations, its coastline measures about 300
miles, and owing to the sparse population, it is quite unspoilt.
Approaching Mull on the steamer many tourists feel that they have
entered a different world, where the rush and cares of modern life can be
forgotten, and where a much more leisurely existence is the commonly
accepted way of life.
Much of the scenic grandeur of Mull is dominated by Ben More,
which rises to a height of 3,169 feet. Very attractive routes are covered by
the coach tours in Mull, travelling beside its many sea lochs, through
wonderful glens with numerous waterfalls and giving panoramic views of
many of the islands in the Inner Herbrides.

1. Answer the questions:

1) How large is Mull?
2) How long is its coast line?
3) What is Ben More? How tall is it?
4) What are the most wonderful tourist attractions of Mull?
5) Why does the island still remain unspoilt ?

2. Correct the following statements:

1) Mull is the smallest of the Herbrides.
2) The island is densely populated.
3) Life on the island is as active as anywhere in the big world.
4) It is possible to get to the island only by plane or helicopter.
5) Only hiking tours are organized on the island not to spoil its
nature.
 – 23 –

Text E

Read the text. Be ready to speak on the following points:

1) Why is the island of Iona known as “The Sacred Isle”?
2) Which of the numerous attractive features of the island are you
fascinated by?

Isle of Iona

Iona is widely known as “The Sacred Isle”, mainly due to the fact
that St. Columba landed there in 563 and was the first to bring Christianity
to the islands and mainland of Scotland. No doubt for this reason Iona was
described by the famous Dr. Johnson as 'the luminary of the Caledonian
regions.'
Every year thousands of tourists travel to Iona to visit the restored
Abbey, view the ruins of the Nunnery founded in 1203, and stand beside
St. Oran's Chapel at the burial ground of many Scottish Kings and Clan
Chieftains – all very wonderful, impressive and interesting.
But in the very brief hour which they may have ashore it is
impossible for such tourists to appreciate that this small island, about 3.5
miles broad, is brimful of interest and natural beauty. Only by staying on
the island is it possible to absorb its atmosphere of peace and tranquility, to
visit the west side of the island with its magnificent sandy bays protected
by high rocks, to listen to the song of hundreds of larks and revel in the
profusion of wild flowers and beautifully coloured pebbles, to and enjoy
the wonderful colouring of its scenery.
 – 24 –

PART 2

Text A

Economy

The United Kingdom was the first country in the world which became
highly industrialized. During the rapid industrialization of the 19th century, one
of the most important factors was that coal deposits were situated near the
ground surface, which made mining easy. Coal mining is one of the most
developed industries in Great Britain. The biggest coal and iron mines are in
the north-east of England, near Newcastle, in Lancashire and Yorkshire; in
Scotland near Glasgow; in Wales near Cardiff and Bristol.
Until recent times, Britain`s heavy industry was mainly concentrated
in the centre of England and in the London region. Such towns as
Birmingham, Coventry and Sheffield produced heavy machines, railway
carriages and motor- cars. In the 20 th century new branches of industry
have appeared: electronics, radio, chemical industry and others.
Of great importance for Britain is the ship – building industry. It is
concentrated in London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool and Belfast.
Great Britain produces a lot of wool, and the woollen industry is
developed in Yorkshire. British woollen products are exported to many
countries.
Sea – ports play a great role in the life of the country. London,
Liverpool and Glasgow are the biggest English ports, from which big
liners go to all parts of the world. Great Britain exports industrial products
to other countries and imports food and some other products.
Sheep – farming, cattle – farming and dairy – farming are also
important branches of Great Britain`s economy. Chicken farms produce a
great number of chickens and eggs for the population.
The south of England is often called the “Garden of England”,
because there are many gardens and orchards there. In the orchards people
grow apples, pears, cherries, plums and other fruits, and there are large
plantations of different berries.
 – 25 –

Vocabulary

1. deposit – залежь, месторождение

2. to mine – добывать (руду, т.п.)
3. mine – залежь, пласт
4. orchard – фруктовый сад
5. coal – уголь
6. iron – железо
7. branch – отрасль
8. sheep-farming – овцеводческое хозяйство
9. cattle-farming – скотоводческое хозяйство
10. dairy-farming – молочное хозяйство
11. wool – шерсть
Read and learn to pronounce correctly the following geographical
names:
Newcastle
Lancashire
Yorkshire
Liverpool
Cardiff
Bristol
Sheffield
Birmingham
Coventry
Glasgow
Belfast
Oral drills

I. Make up sentences using the passive voice. Translate the

sentences into Russian.

Model: Languages – to teach – the institute → Languages are taught

at the Institute.
 – 26 –

1) British woollen products – to export – many countries.

2) Coal deposits – to mine – the north-east of England.
3) Ship – building industry – to concentrate – London, Glasgow.
4) Woollen industry – to develop – Yorkshire.
5) Apples, pears, cherries – to grow – the orchards.
II. Use the sentences of the previous exercise in the Past Indefinite
Passive and in the Future Indefinite Passive.

Word Study
1. Read and translate the following international words:
Export, electronics, radio, industry, import, factor, liner, region, role,
port, product, plantation.

2. Arrange the antonyms in pairs:

Slow, heavy industry, export, little, difficult
A great number of, easy, rapid, light industry, import

3. Give English equivalents to the following:

Поверхность земли, угледобыча, железнодорожные
пассажирские вагоны, тяжелая промышленность, новые отрасли
промышленности, до недавнего времени, промышленные товары.

Word- building
1) Read and translate the following derivatives. Pay attention to the
pronunciation of the words.
Industry- industrial- industrialization- industrious;
to produce- product- productive- productivity- producer;
import- to import- importable- importer;
economy- to economize- economic- economical- economics.

2) Find adjectives of the same root in the text:

Wool, chemistry, industry, rapidity, importance.

 – 27 –

Word Usage

Fill in the blanks with the words given below:

1) The United Kingdom was the first country in the world which
became … . 2) Sheep – farming, cattle – farming and dairy – farming are
important … of Great Britain`s economy. 3) … is one of the most
developed industries in Great Britain. 4) Great Britain … industrial
products and … food and some other products. 5) Of great importance for
Britain is … industry. 6) In … people grow apples, pears, cherries and
other fruits.
Orchards, highly industrialized, imports, branches, exports, coal-
mining, ship – building.

Oral exercises on the text

1. Answer the following questions:

1) What was one of the most important factors of the rapid
industrialization of the country in the 19th century?
2) What is the most developed industry in Great Britain?
Where are the biggest coal and iron mines situated?
3) Where was Britain`s heavy industry mainly concentrated
until recent times? What was produced in Birmingham, Coventry
and Sheffield?
4) What branches of industry appeared in the 20th century?
5) What towns is ship – building industry concentrated in?
6) Great Britain has always been a great exporter of wool,
hasn`t it? Where is the woollen industry concentrated?
7) Do sea – ports play a great role in the life of Great Britain?
What are the biggest sea – ports of the country?
8) Why is the south of England often called the “Garden of
England”? What fruits are grown in the orchards?

2. Expand the following statements. Add information from the text:

 – 28 –

1) The United Kingdom was the first country in the world

which became highly industrialized.
2) Coal mining is one of the most developed industries in Great
Britain.
3) Britain`s heavy industry was mainly concentrated in the
centre of England and in the London region.
4) Great Britain produces a lot of wool.
5) Sea – ports play a great role in the life of the country.
6) Agriculture is also an important branch of Great Britain`s
economy.

3. Speak on the British economy using the scheme with the key
words and key expressions.

The economy

Resources Manufacturing Agriculture

(coal, iron) (heavy industry,
electronics, radio,
chemical industry, ship –
building industry, woollen
industry)
(sheep- farming,
cattle – farming,
dairy – farming; “the
Garden of England”;
gardens and orchards)

Text B
Cumbria
A group of counties to the north of the Midlands are often referred to
as Cumbria.
By the Local Government Act of 1972, the boundaries of the English
counties were redrawn: some ceased to function as official areas (the
counties of Cumberland, Westmoreland, for example), others (such as
Cumbria) were newly established.
The former counties of Cumberland, Westmoreland and some parts
of Lancashire consist of high ground of ancient rocks surrounded by a
 – 29 –

broken ring of younger sediments.

Northern England is relatively thinly populated. The greatest part of
its population lives in the coastal strip. The region is dependent on the
long-established heavy industries, notably coal-mining, iron and steel
manufacture. Atomic energy is important in Cumbria and there are two
nuclear power stations.
Part of Britain's richest coal-field lies in the area near the Pennine
upland. The uplands have very few trees and the existing vegetation is
classed as rough pasture good for grazing. Farming is confined to the
valleys. There are more than three million sheep in the region today.
The political boundary between England and Scotland runs here
north-eastwards in Cumberland and Northumberland. On the west the
region links with the Lake District.
1. Correct the statements:
1) Cumbria is a territory in Scotland;
2) Northern England is densely populated;
3) Most people in Cumbria live in the mountains;
4) The textile industry and shipbuilding are the main branches
of economy in the area;
5) The territory of Cumbria is rich in forest resources;
6) There is no agriculture in Cumbria.

2. Say a few words on the following points:

– population of the Cumbrian region;
– typical landscape;
– industry;
– natural resources;
– vegetation;
– farming.

2. Show the area on the map.

 – 30 –

PART 3

Text A

Political System

1. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. At the head of

the state is the Queen or the King.
Power in Great Britain is divided among three branches: the
legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch.
In her role as Monarch, the Queen is head of the executive and plays
an integral part in the legislature. She heads the judiciary and is both the
commander-in-chief of all the Armed Forces of the Crown of England. In
practice, the Monarch acts on the advice of her ministers.

2. The legislative branch is represented by Parliament, which consists

of two chambers, or houses: the House of Lords and the House of
Commons. The main functions of Parliament are: to pass laws, to scrutinize
government policy and administration, to debate the major issues of the day.
The House of Commons consists of 659 elected Members of
Parliament. The chief officer of the House of Commons is the Speaker.
The House of Lords has more than 1000 members. It consists of
hereditary peers, life peers and senior bishops of the Church of England.
The members of the House of Lords debate a bill after it has been passed
by the House of Commons. The Queen signs the bill. Only then it becomes
law.

3.The executive branch is headed by the Prime Minister, who is

appointed by the king (queen). According to tradition, the Prime Minister
is the leader of the party that has won the elections and has the majority in
the House of Commons. The Prime Minister appoints the ministers to
compose the government. The most important ministers of the government
(about twenty) form the Cabinet. The members of the Cabinet take the
final decisions on all government policy.

4. The judicial branch interprets the laws. The highest judicial body
 – 31 –

is the Supreme Court of Judicature which consists of the High Court of

Justice and the Court of Appeal.
Notes:

1. the British Parliament – Британский парламент

2. the House of Commons – палата общин
3. the House of Lords – палата лордов
4. the Cabinet – кабинет министров
5. the Church of England – англиканская церковь
6. the Supreme Court of Judicature – Верховный суд
7. the High Court of Justice – «Высокий суд» (суд первой
инстанции по гражданским
делам с юрисдикцией на
территории всей Великобри-
тании)
8. the Court of Appeal – апелляционный суд

Vocabulary

Learn these words and word combinations:

1. branch – ветвь
2. executive – исполнительный;
исполнительная власть
3. judicial – судебный
4. integral – существенный
5. chamber – палата (парламента)
6. major – более важный
7. to elect – избирать
8. to appoint – назначать
9. to pass a law/bill – принять закон / законопроект
10. to scrutinize – тщательно исследовать
(рассматривать)
11. an issue – проблема, спорный вопрос
 – 32 –

12. hereditary – наследственный

13. a bishop – епископ

Oral drills

Choose the right definition:

What do we call: We call him (her, it, them):
A female ruler in her own right; The House of Commons
A chamber of Parliament which The Supreme Court of Judicature
consists of hereditary and life
peers;
The head of Parliament; The House of Lords
The chief officer of the House of The Government
Commons;
A group of ministers who are The Prime Minister
chosen by the Prime Minister;
A chamber of Parliament which The Cabinet
consists of elected members;
A body of persons appointed or The Queen
elected as the law- makers of a
country ;
The highest judicial body. The Speaker
The body of persons who rule a The Parliament
country

Word study

1. Read and translate the following international words:

Parliament, parliamentary, constitutional, democracy, monarchy,

monarch, state, to command, integral, function, policy, administration, to
debate, peer, prime minister.

2. Find the equivalents:

 – 33 –

to take the final decisions – формировать правительство

to compose the government –
in practice –
to play an integral part –
major issues –
to debate a bill –
to act on the advice –
to interpret the laws –
толковать законы
обсуждать законопроект
принимать окончательные
решения
на практике
действовать по рекомендации
играть существенную роль
наиболее важные спорные вопросы

3. Give synonyms for the italicized words using the verbs from the text:
a) The time for thinking has passed; we must do something at once.
b) Please, write your name on this document.
c) They did everything they could to gain success in this fight.
d) First you should examine everything with great thoroughness and
then make up your mind what to do.
e) The question of whether war can be abolished has often been
discussed.

Word- building
1. Find in the text and write down the missing derivatives.
Read them paying attention to the pronunciation:
Verbs – nouns nouns – adjectives
To advise – … constitution – …
… – scrutiny … – live
to decide – … judiciary – …
… – interpretation … – major
to elect – … legislature – …
… – appointment … – monarchic(al)

Word Usage

Fill in the blanks with the verbs given below in the right form:
 – 34 –

1) He always … his time between work and play.

2) Water … of hydrogen and oxygen.
3) We were … whether to go to the mountains or to the seaside for
our summer holidays.
4) Mr. Bell has been … mayor of the city.
5) The bill … and became law.
6) Poetry helps to … life.
To pass, to debate, to interpret, to divide, to appoint, to consist

Oral exercises on the text

1. Answer the questions:
1) What kind of state is the UK ?
2) What is the role of the monarch ?
3) How is the legislative branch represented?
4) What are the main functions of Parliament?
5) How does a bill become law?
6) Who heads the executive branch?
7) How is the Cabinet formed?
8) What is the highest judicial body?

2. Fill in the following graph using the words and expressions given
below:
The British Political System
 – 35 –

1) The British Parliament.

2) The British Government.
3) The Cabinet.
4) The House of Commons.
5) The House of Lords.
6) The Speaker.
7) The Prime Minister.
8) The Supreme Court of Judicature
9) The legislative branch
10) The executive branch
11) The judicial branch
12) The Court of Appeal
13) The High Court of Justice

3. Finish the sentences using the phrase That's why for connection
with the opening part:

Model: I know little of the British political system (to study this text
properly)
I know little of the British political system, that's why I must study
this text properly.
1) Whatever the Queen does is done on the recommendation of her
ministers (to be responsible for the royal act).
2) The British monarch is only a formal ruler of Great Britain (not
actually govern the country).
3) The House of Lords is a hereditary chamber member (not to be
elected).
4) The House of Commons is an elected chamber member (to be
elected by a general election once in 5 years).
5) The main functions of the House of Commons are the legislative,
the financial and the controlling one (to play an important role in the
country’s life).
6) The Prime Minister is to form a new government (to select the
ministers personally).

3. Speak on the British Political System using the scheme with key
words and expressions:
 – 36 –

The Monarch

Officially appoints
(head of the executive;
to play an integral part in the legistrature;
to head the judiciary; to act on the advice of the ministers;)

Officially appoints life peers

The Government

The Prime Minister

chooses

that has won the elections; to have the majority in the House of Commons; to compose the government)
is responsible to

The Cabinet (about 20 ministers)

(to take the final decisions on all government policy)

Parliament

laws, to scrutinize government policy and administration; to debate the major issues of the day)

The House of Commons The House of Lords

(1000
(659 elected members of non-elected
Parliament) members; life peers, hereditary peers, senior bishops)
elect The people
(all men and women over 18)

Text B
 – 37 –

Political parties

A two-party system has existed in the United Kingdom since the late 17
th century. From the mid 1920s the dominant groupings have been the
Conservative Party and the Labour Party, despite the existence of smaller
parties such as the Liberal Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party.
The two-party system is one of the outstanding features of British
politics and has generally produced firm and decisive government.
The two-party system formed in the British political practice the
phenomenon of the Opposition. Its decisive characteristic is that it attempts
to form an alternative government, ready at any time to take office, in
recognition of which the leader of the Opposition is paid an official salary.

Answer the questions:

1) Since what time has a two-party system existed in the U.K.?
2) What are the dominant groupings?
3) What kind of government has the two-party system generally
produced?
4) What phenomenon has this system formed?
5) What is the decisive characteristic of the Opposition?

Text C

Read the text silently and give the number of the paragraph
describing the voting procedure.

The Electoral System in Great Britain

1. The Parliament Act of 1911 decreed that there must be a general

election at least every 5 years. It is the Prime Minister who decides when a
general election shall be held, and he (or she) usually advises the Queen to
dissolve Parliament when the full 5 years are up. He chooses the time
which he thinks is best for his party.
2. The United Kingdom is divided into 635 electoral areas called
constituencies, and each one has to choose its MP. A large city may be
divided into several constituencies.
 – 38 –

3. If there are only two candidates in a constituency, one who gets

the majority of votes is elected. But if there are 3 or more candidates and
the successful candidate gets 10,001 votes and the other candidates –
10,000 each, he will be elected then with the support of only a third of
those who voted.
4. Every person who has the right to vote can vote for an MP and no
one else knows for whom she or he has voted. Voting is done by ballot. On
Election Day the voters go to the polling station. They record the votes bу
placing a cross against their candidate's name on a printed piece of paper,
which they place in the ballot-box. Late in the evening the election
officials count up the number of votes and the Returning Officer
(уполномоченный по выборам) announces the elected candidate.

Find in the text answers to the following questions:

1. What did the Parliament Act of 1911 decree?
2. How many electoral areas are there in the UK?
3. In what case is the candidate considered to be elected?
4. Who can vote for an MP?
5. What kind of voting do they have in Great Britain?

Text D

Translate the text in writing paying attention to the meaning of the

underlined words. Take 10 minutes for the translation.

The members of Parliament (MPs) or the members of the House of

Commons ere elected by the country at a general election every 5 years, or
at a by – election which is held when a vacancy occurs in the House.
Formally no law can be adopted or abolished without the approval of the
House of Commons. It has the right of the legislative initiative, i.e.
submitting bills to the consideration of the Parliament. But in fact all
important political decisions are nowadays adopted by the Cabinet of
Ministers without the Parliament.
Text E
 – 39 –

Read the text, think of a suitable title to it. Explain (in English) the
reason for mentioning the year 1911.
The House of Lords or the Upper House is not elected, it consists of
the English nobility whose titles are hereditary. The members of the House
of Lords are peers. Property has always been and still remains the basis of
the Upper Chamber. One third of the Lords are company directors,
bankers, industrialists and landowners. The House of Lords is a typical
survival (пережиток) of the middle ages. Before 1911 the Lords had the
right of absolute veto over any bill passed by the House of Commons. In
1911 this right was finally abolished after a great struggle. Now the Lords
still have the right to delay a bill passed by the House of Commons for one
year, but they have no power to reject a Bill relating to money.

Text F
Read the text and then say (either in English or in Russian) what
new things you have learnt about the British parliament and its work.
Traditionally, the Parliament sits in Westminster Palace which was
once the residence of the English kings and queens. Westminster Palace
was first built in the 11th century on the bank of the Thames. It was
heavily destroyed by a great fire and since that time the Palace has been
rebuilt several times. Nowadays Westminster Palace is generally called the
Houses of Parliament, attractive for tourists from many countries.
The House of Commons sits in an oblong hall, with seats for the
Government supporters on the Speaker's right and the seats for the
Opposition on his left.
The front bench on the Speaker's right is for the Prime Minister and
the leading members of the Government. That on the Speaker's left is for
the Leader and senior members of the Opposition, the so-called "shadow
Cabinet”. The back benches are the seats occupied by members who have
no right to front bench seats. The cross benches may be used by those
Independent members who do not vote regularly with the Government or
with the official Opposition.
Only 4 members of the House of Commons have reserved seats - the
Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the member
 – 40 –

who is known as the Father of the House of Commons (who sat in the
House of Commons for the longest unbroken period).
The life of the Parliament is divided into annual sessions. A session
is a period when the Houses of the Parliament are sitting. The periods
when the Parliament is not sitting are known as recesses. The session
normally starts in November and ends in July.
Each Parliamentary session is officially opened by the Queen in
person. In the House of Lords the Queen reads what is called the speech
from the throne. In her opening speech the Queen outlines the
Government's plan for the main work of the session. She talks about the
Government policy and mentions the main bills which the Government is
going to introduce during the session. When the speech has been made,
both Houses discuss and debate the speech separately.

1. Find English equivalents for the following:

тронная речь;
ежегодные сессии;
места на передних скамьях.

2. Imagine that you are a “Moscow News” correspondent and your

task is to interview a British M.P. You will be allowed to ask only 4
questions. Put them down in your note-book .

UNIT 4
 – 41 –

Text A

Britain Today

Read the text. Match these titles with the sections:

Accommodation, Differences, Weather, Eating Out, Money,

Telephones, Travel

(1) Don't expect to see red phone boxes everywhere - there aren't
many left nowadays! Some phones take cash (£1, 50p, 20p and 10p coins) and
some take phonecards – we suggest having both. Phone after 6 p.m. - it's
cheaper! Useful numbers: Emergencies 999, International Operator 155.
(2) There are £50, £20, £10 and £5 notes, and coins worth £2, £1,
50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p. Avoid getting £50 notes if you can - some
places might refuse to change them. If you don't want to risk carrying a lot
of cash, get some traveller's cheques before your holiday. Banks are
usually open from 9.30 to 4.30, but most of them are closed on Saturdays.
If the bank is closed, use your own cash or credit card from home in a cash
machine or 'hole-in-the-wall', as the British call them - the machine will
give you British currency.
(3) Most pubs offer a good variety of food at reasonable prices. If
you can afford to pay for something more special, there are many
international restaurants. If you see 'service included' on a restaurant bill,
you don't need to tip. If it says 'service not included' a 10% tip is expected.
(4) Hotels are expensive in Britain but there are some cheaper
alternatives. 'Bed and Breakfasts' are private houses which offer
accommodation and breakfast. Many of them give excellent value for
money. Youth hostels are even cheaper, if you don't mind sharing with
other people. Hostels vary greatly, but all those belonging to the Youth
Hostel Association (YHA) guarantee certain standards of comfort and
cleanliness.
(5) Wherever you decide to stay in Britain, we advise you to take a
plug adaptor if you plan to use any electrical appliance like a hairdryer. Plugs
in Britain (like a lot of other things!) are different from the rest of Europe.
(6) Buses are probably the cheapest way to travel. If you can't
 – 42 –

stand going on long bus journeys, you can always go by train. Trains in
Britain are expensive but 'return' tickets (especially 'day returns') are a lot
cheaper than singles. If you are staying in London, you can save a lot of
money by getting a travel card for one day or for a week to go on the Tube
and buses.
(7) We can't promise to provide good weather for your trip -
British weather is very changeable. If you enjoy sitting in the hot sun all
day, you should consider going somewhere else for your holidays! During
the main tourist season, June-August, the weather is mild, usually between
20°C and 25°C.

2. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?

1) In Britain, phone calls are more expensive in the evening.
2) £50 is the largest note.
3) You don't always need to leave a tip after a meal in a
restaurant.
4) Youth hostels are cheap but very uncomfortable.
5) You can't take electrical appliances to Britain and use them
without an adaptor.
6) UK buses are cheaper than trains.
7) You can use travel cards when you travel around Britain by
bus or train.
8) Britain is usually hot and sunny in the summer.

3. Read the Tour of London. Complete the text with the verbs in
brackets in the correct form (-ing or to infinitive).
Tour of London
Start at Baker Street Station. Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker
Street but don't expect (see).........................him there now.
While you are in the area you will want (visit)......................…...
Madame Tussaud's Waxworks. You should expect (be) .........................
amazed at the Planetarium next door, where you can see the stars indoors.
If you like (watch)......................... animals, you're in the right place
because you aren't far from London Zoo, in Regent's Park. If you decide
(go)......................... .........................to the zoo, we recommend
(walk) ......................... across the beautiful park first. And don't miss
(feed) ......................... the animals at the zoo. You can buy animal food to
 – 43 –

give them. From the zoo, you can avoid (take) ................... the
underground or (catch) ......................... a bus a little while longer and still
do something interesting. We suggest (go) .........................to Great
Portland Street next, where you can go up the 188 metre Telecom Tower
for a great view of London, but we don't recommend
(eat) .........................up there as it’s very expensive. After that it’s back on
the underground again at Goodge Street Station. You need
(change)............ at Embankment Station to get to Westminster Station.
From there you can visit the Houses of Parliament - which are still there
even though Guy Fawkes hoped (blow them up) .........................in 1605.
There's a lot to do in London but you won’t be able (see)_________
everything in one day.

Text B

The English. Dislike of Theories

1.Read the text. Explain why it is so easy to lose your way in London.

The visitor is bound to notice that life in England is glorified village

life. Even London, with its many small houses with comparatively large
gardens, is not only one of the world's largest towns, it is also its largest
village. London was built as a village, or rather as many villages. It was
not planned, it grew like a mushroom. Houses were built next to each
other, and the result was a number of villages, – these villages grew till
they touched each other's frontiers, and the result is London. This great
city is a jungle and a wilderness; there is no order in its winding, erratic
streets and do not try to take shortcuts here, trusting your sense of direction
-however reliable it may have proved in the past – because you will lose
your way without the slightest hope of finding it again without help. Soho
is a particular masterpiece of disorder and chaos. W. S. Gilbert once wrote
of a British policeman who lost his way in Soho, then wandered about for
twenty years and finally starved to death in that wilderness. This
probably never occurred; but as a cautionary tale it is fair and just.
 – 44 –

The British hate too much order in their streets, and they hate too
much planned order in their thoughts. They dislike theories, systems, and
clear-cut divisions. They built up London as a conglomeration of human
dwellings and then they tried to introduce as much order into it as was
possible at that late stage. It is the same with all their institutions. The
essence of British compromise is the readiness to compromise with the
requirements of realities.

2. Make a written translation of 6 lines from the text at your own

choice.

Text C

Read the text and name the two most typical British celebrations
described there.
Interpret the word “elements” in the first paragraph. Say which of
the two celebrations you would more willingly attend, explain why.

Old Cars and Old Customs in the Great Outdoors

The weather may dominate conversation in Britain, but it rarely

succeeds in putting a damper on the British love of tradition, pageantry and
outdoor life. Even as late in the year as October and November, people
think nothing of lining the streets or standing around in parks, wrapped up
against the elements, to gaze at processions of firework displays. The big
outdoor events are held in this period. They are the London to Brighton
Veteran Car Run and Guy Fawkes Night celebrations.
On the morning of Sunday, November 4, veteran cars – many of
them the last remaining examples of their kind in the world – assemble in
London's Hyde Park for the drive to Brighton, eighty kilometres away on
the south coast.
You don't have to be a car enthusiast to find this colourful event
fascinating. Many of the participants dress up in costumes to match the
vintage of their vehicles — creating an atmosphere of a bygone age.
For the average Briton, November 5 instantly calls to mind one man,
Guy Fawkes. It is a date that people remember long after other memories
 – 45 –

of schoolday history lessons have dimmed, and there is even a popular

verse about it: 'Remember, remember the Fifth of November, Gunpowder,
Treason and Plot.' But do many people remember much about the plot —
or the year in question?
Guy Fawkes was one of the group of conspirators who planned to
blow up the House of Lords on 5 November 1605. The conspirators were a
group of Catholics who had hoped the new king, James I, would put an
end to the penal laws. The penal laws punished those, who did not accept
the new protestant religion, with fines and imprisonment. At that time it
was thought necessary to prevent Catholics from practicing their religion
and to keep them out of public office. These penal laws, as they were
called, were in existence from the 15th to the 19th centuries.
Guy Fawkes' name is remembered because he was discovered in a
cellar full of barrels of gunpowder under the Parliament building. He had
intended to put a torch to them when the ceremony began in the House of
Lords but one of the conspirators warned a friend not to attend the
Opening of Parliament. The cellars were searched and Guy Fawkes was
arrested. He and some of the other conspirators were executed outside the
building they had planned to blow up. The vaults of the Houses of
Parliament are still searched every day in a special ceremony by Yeomen
of the Guard wearing traditional uniforms.
November 5 was established by King James I as a day of
thanksgiving. Every year it is commemorated in gardens, municipal parks
or even football stadiums throughout the country, with firework displays
and bonfires. Children make guys – figures representing Guy Fawkes -out
of old clothes and masks, and burn them on the bonfires. Many of the
public events are free, with a collection for charity, and sometimes they
take place during the weekend nearest 5 November rather than on the day
itself.
 – 46 –

Text D

Read the text. Explain in English what “a free house” is.

The Pleasures of the Pub

Where do you think most tourists go when they visit Britain? Is it

Buckingham Palace? The Tower of London? Stratford –on- Avon?
Oxford? Sorry, obviously, not. Most tourists spend most of their time
visiting the pub.
As the British have more than 70,000 of them, which is a large
number for a small country, there are quite a lot of them to visit.
As far as it is known, no tourist has managed to visit them all, but
some of the people have had a good time trying! In the majority of the
pubs, the most popular drink is beer. You can have a glass of it, called a
pint, or a small glass which we call a half.
Remember that if you want English beer, you ask for bitter because
in English, beer is a very general word and can mean lager. Most pubs are
owned by a brewery, the factory that makes the beer. These sell only the
beer made by that brewery.
If you see a pub that is a free house, this means that the pub is inde-
pendent and can buy its beer from any brewery. These are good pubs to
visit if you want to try different kinds of beer.
Another thing that confuses foreigners is that a lot of pubs have the
same name. The most popular pub names are: "The Red Lion"; "The
Crown"; "The White Hart".
Another confusing thing about pubs is their opening and closing
times. If you come from a country where the bars are open all the time,
you'll get very angry at four o'clock on a hot summer's day when you feel
like a long cool drink. You can't get one.
British pubs open at 10.30 in the morning and close at 2.30 in the
afternoon. They open again at 5.30 and close at 11.00. This is generally
true but you will find slightly different opening and closing times in
different parts of the country. And don't forget that Sundays are different -
the pubs open one and a half hours later, and close half an hour earlier. Of
course in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, opening and closing times are
completely different...
 – 47 –

Text E

Read the text. Give a detailed answer to the following question: Why
is The National Gallery considered to be one of the most outstanding art
collections in the world?

London's Artistic Attractions

In the sphere of visual art London can supply any visitor with a vast
range of emotions. The British Museum is an almost incomparable
introduction to Egyptian, Greek, and Roman arts in all their branches, from
pottery to sculpture; and it can hold its own with antiquity department
of the Louvre or the prewar Pergamon museum in Berlin. The
collection has been arranged with great care, and the layout is clear and
easy to grasp.
The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square has one of the best
balanced picture collections in the world. It can show the progress of
Italian painting from the medieval to the mature mastery of the
Renaissance; some outstanding pictures of the old Roman masters; an
excellent choice of Spanish painters, with El Greco, Velasquez, and Ribera
leading; a great variety of unsurpassed Dutch and Flemish masters; a most
valuable display of French paintings from the early days of the
Impressionists; and, of course, the bulk of the finest English painting, with
Gainsborough, Turner, Constable, and Reynolds.
The Tate Gallery in Millbank has a collection complementary to that of
the National Gallery, for it presents modern masters of England and France.
Its collection of French Impressionists is outstanding, and there are some fine
examples of modern sculpture. The Victoria and Albert Museum in Brompton
Road has a splendid collection mainly of the applied arts of all countries and
periods and many exhibits of interest to any student of the visual arts.
There are great art treasures dispersed in private collections
throughout the country; the Queen's collection is the most valuable among
them.
 – 48 –

ADDITIONAL READING
Text A
The name Britain is very ancient: the earliest known form is believed
to date back to about 325 BC.
The term Great Britain was widely used during the reign of King
James VI of Scotland and England to describe the island, on which co –
existed two separate kingdoms ruled over by the same monarch. Though
England and Scotland each remained legally in existence as a separate
state with its own parliament, collectively they were sometimes referred to
as Great Britain. In 1707, an Act of Union joined both states. That Act
used two different terms to describe the new all island state, a “united
Kingdom” and the “Kingdom of Great Britain”.
In 1801, under a new Act of Union, this kingdom merged with the
Kingdom of Ireland, over which the monarch of Great Britain had ruled.
The new kingdom was called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland. In 1922, twenty- six of Ireland’s thirty- two countries left to form
a separate Irish Free State. The remaining kingdom is now known as the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which also now
includes a number of Overseas Territories.
Notes
1. B.C. – before Christ – до нашей эры
2. An Act of Union – 1) Уния Англии с Шотландией (1707);
2)Уния Великобритании с Ирландией (1801)

Text B
Rule Britannia
Britannia rule – what? Well, until quite recently, she ruled the waves
-or so patriotic British people liked to think when they sang a traditional
sea-song of that name. Now, there's very little Royal Navy left for her to
rule the waves with.
Britannia was the Roman name for Britain. In A. D. 161, during the
reign of the Emperor Antonius, a coin was issued showing a seated figure
of "Britannia", dressed in armour and looking out to sea. Britannia became
 – 49 –

a symbol of the land of the same name. After Roman times, the lady was
not seen again until three hundred years ago when King Charles II used the
figure on his coins. The king's friend, Frances Stuart, Duchess of
Richmond, was the model for the figure and many people liked to see the
figure of the Duchess on the coin.
Britannia has continued to appear on the British coins since then, but
with the introduction of decimal currency, it looked as if she would
disappear forever. However, the story has a happy ending. Nobody could
decide what to put on the new 50 pence coin. The choice was between
Britannia and the Royal Arms. Most people thought it would be a pity if
Britannia disappeared after such a long time and so she was chosen in
preference to the Royal Arms. What's even nicer, she's in a better position
than before. Now she appears not on their smallest coin, but on the largest.

Text C
When visitors from abroad come to Britain one of the things they
often take back with them is wool or woollen cloth, for Britain has been
famous for its wool for centuries.
All sorts of people bred sheep for centuries before the Norman Con-
quest, but after that it was the churches who led the wool business. The
Domesday Book (a special register of all lands and real estate made by
William the Conqueror himself) lists 13,000 sheep as belonging to Ely
Abbey, and by the 13th century Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire was
producing more than 28,000 lb of wool a year.
During the next two or three centuries people made immense
fortunes from wool – sometimes from dishonest dealing, mixing odd bits
and pieces with good wool, substituting old wool for new, or smuggling
wool and fleeces to avoid paying export taxes.
People in power, not only kings, but clothiers, merchants and landlords,
thought only of the money they could make out of wool. Landlords took over
common land for sheep rearing, thus throwing many people off their holdings.
Clothiers employed children of six and seven years old, and kept
down weavers' wages. Kings used wool to raise their taxes and wool
exports as part of their foreign policy.
There is hardly a place in the country which hasn't got some
connection with the wool trade, either through sheep farming, spinning,
weaving and other cloth-making processes, or shipping the wool abroad.
Like gold in other countries, wool has become in Great Britain both
 – 50 –

the source of all the wealth and the reason for all the grief.
Text D

Sherlock Holmes Lives!

In the 1880s a young doctor sat waiting for new patients who never
came. To pass the time, he wrote stories about a man who was very good
at solving crimes. These stories were so popular that the doctor decided to
give up medicine and become a writer instead. The doctor was Arthur
Conan Doyle and his creation - the detective, Sherlock Holmes.
Conan Doyle's first story about Holmes, "A Study in Scarlet",
appeared in 1887. It is the story in which the detective meets his equally
famous friend and colleague Dr. Watson at St Bartholomew's Hospital in
east London. The hospital still exists today and there is a special plaque
there to celebrate the occasion.
Holmes and Watson shared rooms at 221 B Baker Street in London.
Many serious discussions have taken place about where 221 B was.
Anyway, no house exists there now. Instead, a large finance company has
its office nearby and has taken responsibility for the twenty or so letters
which still arrive each week addressed to Mr. Sherlock Holmes, 221 B
Baker Street. Most come from the United States and many correspondents
ask if Mr. Holmes can help them with some problem, such as finding a
missing relative. Replies are sent on special paper saying that: "...unfor-
tunately Mr. Sherlock Holmes has now retired to Sussex and is keeping
bees. He is no longer working as a detective". If he were alive today, he
would be about 129 years old!
There is the Sherlock Holmes Pub near Trafalgar Square. Here an
upstairs room has been made into a likeness of 221 B Baker Street, as it is
described in the stories.
The room is filled with everything which Holmes and Watson would
have had – Holmes's violin on a shelf, his distinctive hat and pipe, the
Persian slipper in which he kept his tobacco, unanswered letters pinned to
the wall with a knife, as well as the fireplace, chairs and tables.
The pub is decorated in the style of the early 1900s and the walls are
covered with pictures connected with Holmes and Conan Doyle, including
photos of the many actors who have played Holmes and Watson in films,
on television and radio.
 – 51 –

The 1950s was a time when many people became interested in

Sherlock Holmes and The Sherlock Holmes Society of London was
formed in 1951. Its membership of about 500 meet three or four times a
year to talk about their hero and to re-live his adventures. A good
knowledge of all the stories is important for the discussions which take
place and for the trips which are arranged about once a year. In 1983 a
group went to South Wales to look over the area where "The Boscombe
Valley Mystery" took place. And there have been two special visits to
Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland - the scene of Holmes's famous struggle
with Professor Moriarty. Details of the society's activities are published in
The Sherlock Holmes Journal and news is exchanged with the many
other societies all over the world.

Text E

The Crystal Skull

A life-size crystal skull sits in a glass case at the top of the stairs in
London's Museum of Mankind. Its origin, age and purpose are a complete
mystery. The label on the museum case display says simply "Crystal skull,
possibly of Aztec origin."
The Museum of Mankind bought the skull from Tiffany's the New York
jewellers for 120 pounds in 1898. Nobody knows where Tiffany's got it.
And what could be the purpose of the skull? It depends on its date
and origin, really. Do you think it's an unusual paperweight, not more than
one hundred years old? Or was it a religious sculpture used by Aztecs
more than six hundred years ago for seeing into the future?
Several smaller crystal skulls exist, too. Experts think they were
possibly decorations on Aztec priests’ walking sticks. The Aztecs, they
say, thought crystal was a very special material; it kept snakes away and it
was useful for seeing into the future.
The mystery remains unsolved. Meanwhile the cleaners who work at
London's Museum of Mankind at night don't like the way the crystal skull
stares at them in the dim light. They have refused to clean unless the
museum managers cover the skull's case with a cloth at the end of each
 – 52 –

day.

TEXTS FOR HOME READING

From the History of Great Britain.

1. Primitive Society on the Territory of the British Isles

The earliest human remains found on the British Isles show that there
was life before the Ice Age, but this was ended by the glaciers which
covered Britain as far south as the Thames valley. The modern settlement
of Britain began in the Stone Age with tribal groups who are known as
Iberians because some of their descendants are still found in the north of
Spain (the Iberian Peninsula). They came by sea between 3,000 and 2,000
B. C., settling near the coasts of south and west Britain as well as in
Ireland.
They brought with them the agricultural methods of raising cattle
and planting wheat. Those tribes did not use metals, but they used stone
weapons and tools.
During the period from the 6 th to the 3rd century B. C. tribes of Celts
came from the Continent. Celtic tribes called Picts penetrated into the
mountains in the North; some Picts, as well as tribes of Scots crossed over
the sea to Ireland and settled there. Later the Scots returned to the larger
island (now called Great Britain) and settled in the North beside the Picts.
They came in such large numbers that some time later the name of
Scotland was given to that part of the territory. Powerful Celtic tribes,
called Britons, held most of the country, and the southern half of the island
was named Britain after them. Today the words “Britain” and “British”
refer to all the people of the British Isles.
The Iberians were unable to fight back the attacks of the Celts who
were armed with metal spears, swords, daggers and axes. Most of the
Iberians were killed in the conflict; some of them were driven westwards
into the mountains of Wales, and the others probably mixed with Celts.
It is of interest that the development of the British nation was limited
to the part of the British Isles which is called Britain. The main reason for
that is the favourable geographical position of the part later called
England. It has plain relief, rich soils, deep navigable rivers. The Britons
 – 53 –

were mostly farmers. They built large villages and they used money for
trade. That is why that part, England, historically became the nucleus of
the United Kingdom, and London became its capital. Scotland and Wales,
isolated from England correspondingly by the Cambrian and the Grampian
mountains, preserved Celtic population. This and the independent and warlike
spirit of their people were the main reasons why the numerous invaders did
not manage to go farther into the country after the invasion of England.

2. The Romans in Britain

The first to invade Britain was Julius Ceasar himself. His troops
landed near Dover in 55 B. C. His attacks were resisted by the Celts in the
southern part of Britain whose capital was Londinium (London). Ceasar
called the country “Albion” because of the white chalky cliffs on the
southern coast of Britain.
By the year 43 A. D. the Romans had occupied most of Britain’s
territory. The resistance of the tribes in the far north (now Scotland)
prevented occupation of that area. Indeed, the Romans had to build two
walls for their defense across Britain, one not far from the present Scottish
border and one farther north, beyond Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The civilized Romans were city dwellers, and they began to build
towns and splendid villas in Britain. York, Gloucester, Lincoln and
London became the chief Roman towns; there were also about 50 other
smaller towns. London, which had been a small settlement before the
Roman conquest, became a centre for trade both by river and road.
Colchester, Gloucester, York and Lincoln sprang around the Roman
military camps, which were called “castra”. This word can be recognized
in various forms in the names of many towns in Great Britain, such as
Colchester, Manchester, Winchester, Doncaster and others. The town of
Bath became famous for its hot springs.
The Romans remained in Britain for about 4 centuries and during that
time Britain was a Roman province governed by Roman governors and
protected by Roman legions. In the 5th century A. D. the Roman legions were
called back from Britain to defend the central provinces of the Roman Empire
from the attacks of the barbarian tribes. Britain had practically no protection
and was soon occupied by migrating Anglo-Saxon tribes.
The Romans left many things in Britain to remind. The wells, which
the Romans dug give water today, the chief Roman roads are still among
 – 54 –

the highways of Modern England. Walting Street still runs from London to
Chester. There are ruins of public baths, parts of the Roman bridges,
fragments of the old London wall.
3. The Anglo-Saxon Conquest
In the middle of the 5th century Britain was invaded by the
Germanic tribes of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes who migrated to the
British Isles from the Continent . The Saxons came from the territory
lying between the Rhine and the Elbe rivers which was later on called
Saxony. The Angles and Jutes came from the Jutland Peninsula.
By the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 7th century they had
formed several kingdoms on the territory of Britain. Kent was set up by the
Jutes in the south-east of the country. In the southern and the south-eastern
parts the Saxons formed a number of kingdoms – Sussex (the land of the
South Saxons), Wessex (the land of the West Saxons) and Essex (the land
of the East Saxons). Farther north were settlements of the Angles who
conquered the greater part of the country. Their kingdoms constantly
fought for supreme power in the country.
The Jutes, the Saxons and the Angles were closely akin in speech
and customs, and they gradual1y merged into one people. The name
"Jutes" soon died out and the conquerors were called Anglo-Saxons. The
old English language is also called Anglo-Saxon.
As a result of the contest the Anglo-Saxons made up the majority of
the population in Britain, and their customs, religion and language became
predominant.
Gradually, the Celts who lived in most parts of Britain merged with
the Anglo-Saxon conquerors, adopted their customs and learned to speak
their language. Only the Celts who remained independent in the West (in
Wales), Scotland and Ireland spoke their native language. Some of the
Celts crossed the sea to the north-west of France and settled in Brittany
named so after the Celtic tribes of Britons.
In the course of time all the people of Britain came to be referred to
as English after the Angles and the new name of England was given to the
whole country. The Anglo-Saxon language, or English, has been the
principal language of the country since that time, although it has
undergone great changes.

4.The Vikings, or the Danes, on the British Isles

 – 55 –

The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms waged a constant struggle against the

dangerous attacks of some barbarian tribes. The barbarians came from the
North of Europe – from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark – and were called
the Northern. In different countries the Northmen were known by other
names, as the Vikings, the Normans, the Danes. To Britain they came from
Norway and Denmark, but more often from Denmark. Therefore the
invaders came to be known in English history as the Danes (or the
Vikings).
The Vikings were bold and skilful seamen and warriors. They were
well-armed: with swords, spears, daggers, battle axes and bows.
In 793 the Danes carried out their first raids on Britain for plunder
only. They came in 3 or 4 ships, each with as a hundred men on board, in
spring and in summer. When their ships were loaded with plunder they
returned home for winter.
In later years large Danish fleets brought large armies to conquer the
new land and settle there. They conquered the North of England , but were
defeated in the south-west by the Anglo-Saxons from the Kingdom of
Wessex. In 886 the country was divided into 2 parts: the Danish (the North
of England) and the English (the south-western part).
But at the beginning of the 11 th century England was conquered by
the Danish king (1017-1035) who became the king of Denmark, Norway
and England. He made England the centre of his power. After his death his
kingdom split up, as a result an Anglo-Saxon king came to the throne
(1042), and the line of Danish kings came to an end in Britain.
The Danes who settled in England gradually mixed with the Anglo-
Saxons. They spoke the Anglo-Saxon language, but retained many of their
customs that were very much like those of the Anglo-Saxons.
Many Scandinavian words came into the English language that are
still used today. Such words as “happy”, “low”, “ill”, “weak”, “to take”,
“to die”, “sister”, “husband”, “sky”, “law”, “window”, “leg” are the words
of Scandinavian origin. The Danes gave their own names to many of the
towns they built.

5. The Norman Conquest of England

Another branch of Northmen who were related to the Danes carried
on raids on the Northern coasts of France. Those tribes came to be called
the Normans, a variation of the word “Northmen”. The Normans settled
down on the land conquered from the French king – a territory which is
 – 56 –

still called Normandy after those Normans.

The Normans lived under the rule of their own duke. By the 11 th
century the dukes of Normandy had become very powerful. In fact, they
were as strong as the French king himself. The dukes of Normandy coined
their own money, made their own laws, held their own courts, even against
the king himself. As a well-armed and well-trained cavalry, the Norman
knights were the best in Europe.
In 1066 William, the Duke of Normandy, began the invasion of
Britain. The pretext for the invasion was William’s claim to the English
throne, because he was related to the Anglo-Saxon kings. William of
Normandy claimed that England belonged to him and his large army. The
battle between the Normans and the Anglo-Saxons took place on the 14 th
of October, 1066 at a little village near the town now called Hastings. The
Normans outnumbered the Anglo-Saxon forces and were greatly superior
in quality. They were well-armed, and the chance of being killed was not
so great, because they all wore armour and there were no fire-arms at that
time. So the Normans defeated the Anglo-Saxons.
The Norman duke became King of England William I or, as he was
generally known, William the Conqueror. He ruled England for 21 years
(1066 - 1087).
The Norman Conquest was a turning point in the history of the
country, for it became a strong and united feudal state, in which trade and
commerce were developed. In those days the basis of the UK proper was
laid with the invasion of Ireland in 1170 and Wales in 1283. Scotland was
the last to be joined in 1707. So we may say that the 11th - 12th centuries
were the time of the birth of the nation.

Литература
1. Великобритания. С.И. Иванова. Методическое пособие по
английскому языку. КТИ, Ковров, 1993.
2. О Британии вкратце. В.В.Ощепкова, И.И. Шустилова.
Москва, Издательство «Лист», 1997.
3. В Великобритании принято так. Т.Н.Химунина и др.
Москва, 1984.
4. Как сдать экзамен по английскому языку. Е.А. Волгина, Е.Н.
Степанова, Ростов-на-Дону, Издательство «Феникс», 1997.
5. J.J. Bell. The History of England. Издательство «Питер»,
Санкт-Петербург, 1995.
 – 57 –

6. A.S. Hornby. The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current

English. СПИИП «Сенгилей», 1992.
7. Материалы периодической печати на английском языке за
2002-2005 гг.
SUPPLEMENT
Map of Great Britain
– 58 –