2. Great Britain is also famous for other eminent people. What do you know about them? Match the person to the appropriate field of his/her activity
Robert Burns philosophy
Francis Bacon monarchy
Joan Rowling poetry
Henry VIII politics
David Beckham modern literature
Margaret Thatcher football
William Hogarth cinema
Joe Cocker piracy and sea-faring
Sir Francis Drake painting
King Arthur music
Sir Anthony Hopkins mythology
1. What countries does the UK include?
a) Ireland, Wales, England,
b) Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland,
c) Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
2. What is the capital of Northern Ireland?
a) Belfast,
b) Cardiff,
c) Edinburgh.
3. What is the symbol of Wales’s fag?
a) lion,
b) dragon,
c) blue cross.
4. What does Stonehenge look like?
a) huge bricks built in a circle,
b) very tall ancient tower,
c) huge stones built like a henge.
5. When is St. Patrick’s Day celebrated?
a) April, 5th,
b) May, 11th,
c) March, 17th.
6. What is the origin of the Welsh language?
a) Roman,
b) Celtic,
c) French.
7. Who among these famous people was involved in charity work?
a) Charles Darwin,
b) Princess Diana,
c) William Shakespeare.
8. Who wore kilts in ancient times?
a) herdsmen,
b) soldiers,
c) housewives.
9. What materials were used in making a bagpipe?
a) ship skin and reed,
b) paper and metal,
c) wood and fiber.
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nit
III
Introduction
What Do You Know About America?
1. Read what people from different countries say answering the question in the title.
2
.
How would you answer this question? Use the expressions:
I think the USA is mostly famous for … …
To my mind the USA is commonly known for … …
To me America is known for … …
The most famous thing about the USA is … …
I. Some Glimpses of American History
Discovery of America
I
t
is a commonly held belief that America was discovered by Christopher
Columbus. This fact however can neither be ruled out nor accepted
blindly. In October, 1492, Columbus reached the shores of America
when he was in search of India. Some historians believe that it was
not America’s mainland that Columbus reached in 1492. The place was
actually an island of the Bahamas. Exploration of American continent
is also closely connected with the name of another European sailor,
Amerigo Vespucci, who reached America in 1497. However, one cannot
say for sure that Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci were the first to
discover this huge continent. They are supposed to have been preceded
by the Vikings and Chinese sailors. As most expeditions prior to the
times of Christopher Columbus were not documented properly, the
Spanish explorer is now commonly considered to be the discoverer of
America.
to rule out – исключить, отклонить, отмести как невозможное
to accept blindly – безоговорочно принять, слепо поверить
mainland – материк
to precede – предшествовать
prior to – до
The Mayflower
T
he
Mayflower was the ship that transported Pilgrims from England to
Massachusetts, in 1620. There were 102 passengers and a crew of
25–30. This voyage has become an iconic story in the earliest
annals of American history with its tragic story of death and of
survival in the harshest New World winter environment. The
culmination of the voyage in the signing of the Mayflower Compact
(the first governing document of Plymouth Colony) is one of the
greatest moments in the history of America.
annals – анналы, летописи
harsh – суровый, жесткий
The Boston Tea Party
T
he
Boston Tea Party was one of a long series of conflicts between the
American colonies and the British government. The decision by the
British government in 1773 to grant the East India Company the right
to import tea to the North American colonies tax-free was intended to
undermine the economy of the colonies. It provoked the indignation of
the colonists, especially the merchants who dealt in contraband tea.
In December 1773 a group of members of the Sons of Liberty, dressed
up as Indians, secretly boarded British ships standing in Boston
harbor and threw a large quantity of tea into the sea. The subsequent
closing of Boston harbor, ban on meetings of the townspeople, and
quartering of British soldiers in the city further sharpened the
conflict between the mother country and the colonies.
to grant the right – предоставить право
tax-free – не облагаемый налогом
to undermine – подрывать, дестабилизировать
indignation – негодование, возмущение
merchant – торговец
to deal with – вести дела с
harbor – гавань
subsequent – последующий
The Emergence of the United States of America
T
he
United States emerged from 13 British colonies located along the
Atlantic seaboard: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire,
Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island. Disputes between
Great Britain and these colonies led to the American Revolution. On
July 4, 1776, delegates from the 13 colonies unanimously issued the
Declaration of Independence. The ensuing war ended in 1783 with the
recognition of independence of the United States from the Kingdom of
Great Britain, and was the first successful war of independence
against a European colonial empire.
to emerge – возникнуть
seaboard – побережье
unanimously – единодушно
to issue – выпускать, издавать
ensuing – последующий
recognition – признание
independence – независимость
Check yourself. Fill out the chart.