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Great Britain
The official name of Great Britain is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Great Britain is an island country. It is situated on the British Isles in the northwest of Europe. The English
Channel 18 miles wide separates it from France. Great Britain is separated from Belgium and Holland by the North Sea, and from Ireland by the Irish Sea.
Parts of Great Britain
The United Kingdom of Great Britain consists of four parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. England, Wales and Scotland occupy the territory of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated in the
northern part of Ireland. The territory of the United Kingdom is about 244 000 (two hundred and forty-four thousand) square kilometers. The population is over 56 million. The capital is London.
The surface of the United Kingdom varies greatly. The northern and the western parts of the country are mountainous and are called the High-lands. All the rest is а vast plain that is called the Lowlands. The mountains are not very high. The rivers are not very long. The most important of them are the Severn and the Thames. There are many beautiful lakes in the mountainous part of the country.
No part of England lies more than one hundred miles from the sea. The coast line has а number of fine bays and excellent natural harbors.
World famous ports include London, Liverpool, Bristol, Plymouth, Southampton, Portsmouth, Dover and others.
Climate ln Great Britain
The climate of Great Britain is mild the whole year round. The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream influence the climate of Great Britain. Winters are not cold and summers are not hot. October is usually the wettest month, July – the hottest, and January – the coldest. The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream influence the climate of Great Britain.
The weather in GB is very changeable. A fine morning can change into a wet afternoon and evening and the wrong side out. The English people say: "Other countries have a climate; in England we have weather." The English also say that they have three variants of weather: when it rains in the morning, when it rains in the afternoon or when it rains all day long.
British Economy
Great Britain is а highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the world's largest producers and exporters of iron and steel products, machinery and electronics, chemicals and textile. One of the chief industries is shipbuilding.
Great Britain is а country with old cultural traditions and customs.
The most famous educational centers are Oxford and Cambridge universities. They are considered to be the intellectual centers of Europe. The education is not free, it is very expensive.
British Political System
The United Kingdom is а monarchy and the Queen is the head of the state. But in practice it is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the Labor party, the Conservative party and the Liberal party.
Exercise 1
Match the following words and translations, write
| to occupy | экспортировать |
| to vary | земля, страна |
| to produce | озеро |
| to develop | отличаться |
| to export | низкий |
| to consist of | текстиль |
| to be situated | состоять из |
| lake | палата |
| density | занимать |
| textile | дорогой, дорогостоящий |
| land | поверхность |
| chamber | химический |
| surface | развивать |
| plain | высокий |
| shipbuilding | огромный |
| climate | плотность |
| government | равнина |
| high | кораблестроение |
| low | производить |
| vast | климат |
| chemical | быть расположенным |
| expensive | правительство |
Exercise 2
Answer the following questions
1. What is the official name of Great Britain?
2. Where is it situated?
3. What parts does it consist of?
4. What are the territory and the population of Great Britain?
5. What city is the capital of Great Britain?
6. What is the surface of the country?
7. Are there any big rivers and lakes in Great Britain?
8. What is the climate on the British Isles like?
9. Is Great Britain а highly developed industrial country?
10. What goods does the British industry produce?
11. What big industrial cities are there in Great Britain?
12. What outstanding people of Great Britain do you know?
13. Are there any big educational establishments in Great Britain?
14. Is Great Britain is а constitutional monarchy?
15. What is the name of the Queen of Great Britain?
16. How many chambers does the British Parliament consist of? What are they?
17. What are the main political parties in Great Britain?
Exercise 3
Say in English using the expressions from the text:
Официальное название Великобритании…
Англия расположена…
Столица Великобритании…
Ландшафт страны….
Климат Великобритании…
Промышленность Англии…
Самые известные учебные заведения Великобритании…
Политическая система Великобритании…
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