II Answer the questions, please:

1. What can you tell about the location of Great Britain?

2. How many parts does the United Kingdom include?

3. What are the most important rivers of the country?

4. What is the population of Great Britain?

5. What are the most important cities in this country? ^

6. What is the role of the Queen in the political life of the United Kingdom?

7. What are the peculiarities of the British Parliament?

8. What are the main political parties of Great Britain?

Ill Translate into English, please:

1. Общая площадь Великобритании, которая располагается на двух крупных островах, составляет 240000 км².

2. Англия, Шотландия, Уэльс и Северная Ирландия - четыре основные части Великобритании.

3. Климат в этой стране умеренный: здесь довольно влажно и прохладно.

4. Хотя главой государства является королева, ее власть ограничивается парламентом.

5. Парламент, который был основан в 1265 году, состоит из двух палат: Палаты Лордов и Палаты Общин.

6. Промышленность очень развита в этой стране.

7. Премьер Министр - глава правительства, назначается королевой.

IV Transcribe the following words, please:

1. kingdom

2. Ireland

3. island

4. mountainous

5. due

6. Birmingham

7. Edinburgh

8. occupy

9. monarchy

10. parliament

11. legislation

12. guarantee

Cities of the United Kingdom

I Read and translate the following text, please:

The population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is more than 57 million people. It is mostly urban: nine tenth of it lives in towns and cities. London, the largest city in Europe, dominates Britain. It is home for the headquarters of all government departments, Parliament, the major legal institutions and the monarch. It is the country's business and banking centre and the centre of its transport network. It contains headquarters of the national television networks and of all the national newspapers. It is about 7 times larger than any other city in the country. About a fifth of the total population of the United Kingdom lives in the Greater London area.

The country's second largest city is Birmingham. During the industrial revolution, the city and the surrounding area of the west midlands, known as the Black Country, developed into the country's major engineering centre. Factories of Birmingham still convert iron and steel into a vast variety of goods.

In the northern England, there are large deposits of coal and iron ore. They enabled this area to lead the the industrial revolution in the 18^th century. On the western side, the Manchester area became, in the 19th century, the world's leading producer of cotton goods. On the eastern side, towns such as Bradford and Leeds became the world's leading producers of woollen goods. Further south, Sheffield became a centre for the production of steel goods. Further north, around Newcastle, shipbuilding is the major industry.

Glasgow in Scotland is the third largest city in Britain. It is associated with heavy industry and some of the worst housing conditions in Britain. However, this image is one-sided. Glasgow has a strong artistic heritage, At the turn of the last century, the work of the Glasgow school put the city at the forefront of English design and architecture.

Edinburgh, which is half the size of Glasgow, is the city of science and is associated with science, law and administration. This reputation, together with many historic buildings has led to its being called «The Athens of the North». The annual festival of the arts is internationally famous.

Topical Vocabulary

1. to develop into — превратиться в

2. deposits of coal and iron ore — залежи угля и железной руды

3. the world's leading producer of cotton and woollen goods — ведущий в мир епроизводитель товаров из хлопка и шерсти

4. to be associated with heavy industry — ассоциироваться с тяжелой промышленностью

5. housing conditions — жилищные условия

6. at the turn of the last century — нарубежепрошлоговека

7. to be half the size of — бытьвдваразаменьше

8. put the city at the forefront of — вывестигороднапереднийплан

9.themajorindustry— основная отрасль промышленности

10.to be one-sided — бытьодносторонним

11.to have a strong artistic heritage — обладатьбогатымхудожественнымнаследием