TEXT 12 CLIMATE, WEATHER, WILDLIFE.

The climate in the UK is generally mild because of the Gulf Stream and it is usually described as cool, humid and changeable.

The weather is so changeable indeed that the English often say that they have no climate but only weather. The English also say that they have three kinds of weather: when it rains in the morning, when it rains in the afternoon or when it rains all day long. The weather is never too hot or too cold. Winters are very mild. Sometimes it snows and snow melts quickly and the English seldom have “white Christmas”. In fact in the South of England grass remains green all the year round.

This humid mild climate is good for plants. The trees and flowers begin to blossom early in spring.

Some of them have become symbols in the UK. You may know that poppy is the symbol of peace, the red rose is the national emblem of England, the thistle is the national emblem of Scotland. The daffodils and the leek are the emblems of Wales and the shamrock is the emblem of Ireland. The UK used to be a land of big forests, mainly oaks, elms and beeches in England, while Scotland had mainly pines and birches. But nowadays a lot of these territories are cultivated.

The animal life of the UK is much like that of Europe, to which it was once joined. Many animals are now protected by law. About 50 land animals are found in the UK: foxes, hares, rabbits, and deer among them.

Some 230 kinds of birds live in the UK. The most numerous are blackbirds, sparrows and starlings. Robin is the national bird of the UK.

But wildlife in Britain is in great danger, because of pollution. Many British rivers have become “biologically” dead. There is no fish in them and wildlife around them is not growing the way it should.

mild - мягкий

humid - влажный

remain - оставаться

poppy - мак

thistle - чертополох

daffodil - нарцис

leek - лук-порей

shamrock - клевер

elm - вяз

I. Find English equivalents in the text.

1. из-за
2. таять
3. символ мира
4. скворец
5. воробей

II. Complete the sentences.

1. Sometimes it rains so heavily_______________________.
2. Sometimes it snows and snow_______________________.
3. The trees and flowers_____________________________.
4. The daffodils and the leek__________________________.
5. But wildlife in Britain is____________________________.

III. Make the right choice:

1. The emblem of England is

a) leek

b) poppy

c) rose

2. The emblem of Ireland is_____________________________.

a) daffodil

b) rose

c) shamrock

3. The emblem of Scotland is____________________________.

a) rose

b) thistle

c) poppy

4. The emblems of Wales are_________________________.

a) poppy and leek

b) leek and rose

c) leelk and daffodil

5. The symbol of peace is_______________________________.

a) birch

b) poppy

c) rose

IV. Put the sentences in the correct order and use them as a plan to retell the text.

1. Wildlife in Britain is in great danger.
2. The British climate is mild, cool and changeable.
3. Different flowers are emblems of different parts of the UK.
4. The animal and plant life of the UK is much like that of Europe.

V. Retell the text.