KIIV
Kiiv is the capital of our country and one of the oldest and most beatiful cities in Eastern Europe. It’s also the largest city of Ukraine. It has population of 2.6 mln people and occupies an area of 790 sq. km. Kiiv is situated on the Dnieper river which divides it into two parts.
According to the Rus Primary Chronicle the founders of Kiiv Were three brothers: Kyi, Shek and Kharyv. The city was named after the eldest Kyi.
Kiiv is world-wide known for its beauty, for the variety of its green landscape and unique architecture. Tourists are attracted by numerous places of historical interest in Kiiv such as Kiivo-Pecherska Lavra, St. Sophia’s Cathedral, the Golden Gates, the monument to Prince Volodymyr and very many others.
Kiiv combines historic values and traditions with modern and tense industrial and business life. There are many plants and facto- ries in Kiiv, producing industrial machines, electrical equipment, furniture, audio and video equipment, motor- cecles etc.
Kiiv is the cultural and academic centre of Ukraine.
Research institutes, the National Scientific Library and
the main Astronomical Observatory are located there. Kiiv is the city of higher schools, among them are Shevchenko State University, Polytechnic Institute, Kiivo-Mogilanska Academy. The main professional theatres are: the National Opera, Ukrainian Drama theatre, Puppet theatre, Russian Drama theatre, the House of Organ and Chamber Music.
Kiiv is the important political centre of our country. It’s the seat of Supreme Council and the Cabinet of Ministers.
Kiiv is the major transportation hub of our country. It has got 5 railway stations, two airports and an important river port.
We, the Ukrainians, can be proud of our capital, as Kiiv is the city of ancient culture, unusual beauty and eternal glory.
LONDON (GENERAL)
London is the capital of Great Britain and one of the largest and most interesting cities in the world. London has a population of about 6 770 000. It lies on the River Thames, where the Romans landed nearly 2000 years ago. From about 1800 until World War Two, London was the biggest city in the world, but now there are many cities which are much bigger.
London is interesting for many things. Tourists come from all over the world to visit its historic buildings, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, which has a huge dome, and the Houses of Parliament. where you can see and hear the famous clock, Big Ben. They also come to visit its theatres, museums, and numerous shops, such as Harrods, Marks & Spencer where you can buy everything. I Like many big cities, London has problems with traffic and pollution. Although over 1 000 000 people a day use the London Underground, there are still too many cars on the streets. The air isn’t clean, but it is cleaner than it was 100 years ago. Until the Clear Air Act in 1956, London was famous for its fog or «smog» which is a mixture of smoke and fog.
The best thing about London is the parks. There are five in the illy centre. Parks of London are the places, where Londoners and visitors can escape from the noise of the city streets and relax under the canopy of park trees
LONDON AND ITS PLACES OF INTEREST
London is the capital of Great Britain and one of the largest and most interesting cities in the world
In London one meets the past and the present, the old and the modern.
London is traditionally divided into 4 main parts.
They are Westminster, the City, the West End and East End.
Westminster is the historical area in London.
Famous monuments and buildings are located there.
One of the most beautiful places is Westminster Abbey? famous for its architecture and history. Nearly all kings and queens have been crowned in the Abbey, since the time of Conquest. Chaucer, Spencer, Dickens, Newton, Darwin and many other famous men and writers were buried there. In the Poet’s corner there are memorials to Shakespeare, Milton, Burns and many other poets and writers.
The City is the oldest part of London. It’s only one square mile in area but is the most important banking and commercial centre of the country. Only 10 thousand people live here, but in the daytime millions of people come here.
The West End is the richest and the most fashionable parti London. The most interesting places can be found here.
The Tower of London comes first among the historic buildings of London. The Tower dates from the Roman times and in different periods of British history it was a fortress, a royal palace, a prison and king’s treasury. Now it’s a museum of armour and also the place, where Crown Jewels are kept.
The greatest of English churches is St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was built in 1675-1708 by Sir Christopher Wren, a famous English architect.
The English are proud of Trafalgar Square and Nelson Column in the centre of it. The Square was named in memory of the victory at battle of Trafalgar in 1805 in which Admiral Lord Nelson was fatally wounded.
Speaking about London it’s impossible to say nothing about the British museum. It shows works of art from ancient Asia, Egypt, Rome and Greece, as, well as those of Great Britain and other countries.
London is one of the most famous capitals of the world and every year crowds of visitors come to explore its historic buildings, to see its museums and galleries, its streets and parks.
The climate of great britain
Britain is varied in scenery. The country is as far north as Canada’s Hudson Bay or Siberia. Yet its climate is much milder because the Gulf Stream, which brings warm water and air across the Atlantic from the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, snow only falls occasionally and does not remain for long, except in the Scottish mountains, where skiing is possible. Average temperatures in England and Wales vary from 4°C in January to 16°C in July and August. In Scotland averages are one or two degrees cooler, and an average July day is about as farm as Marseilles in December.
The wind brings rain from the Atlantic to the hills of the west. This means that the western parts of Britain are wetter than the east, which is fairly sheltered. London is drier than continental cities such as flamburg. Its weather may be unpredictable, but it is not particularly wet. The weather changes very often. You can never have the same kind of weather for a long time. In spring sunshine and showers follow each other so often during the day, that an umbrella or a raincoat are things you want most in Great Britain. In winter sometimes it rains, Sometimes it snows. That’s why the English often say: "Other countries have a climate, in England we have Weather".
The climate of ukraine
The climate of Ukraine is determined by its geographical position Since Ukraine lies in the south-eastern part of Central Europe rather far from the Atlantic Ocean and close to the large continent of Asia it has a moderate continental climate. The characteristic features of the climate are four seasons, annual snowfalls, occasional rainfalls is autumn.
The mountains of Ukraine — the Carpathians and the Crimean Mountains have a different mountain climate and belong to the Mediterranean climatic zone. The Crimean Mountains protect the southern coast from bitter steppe winds.
Now, let’s give a general outline of every season in Ukraine.
Winter is rather mild with no severe frosts, but with snowfalls everywhere except the southern coast of the Crimea.
The snow cover protects winter cultures from freezing.
Spring is the season when nature returns to life.
Vegetation grows rapidly, there are periods of sunshine broken by occasional showers. Thin new blades of grass come up and the fruit trees begin to blossom.
Spring is a wonderful season!
Then summer comes. It’s a bright season: green trees, vericoloured flowers and blue sky warm the cockles of our hearts. The longest day of the year is on the twenty-first of June.
In September it’s still warm, but soon comes a period of biting winds and miserable chilly days. A spell of sunny weather in October is called an Indian summer.
In conclusion it’s very important to mention that such climate conditions are favourable for farming, especially for the cultivation of field crops.
The geographical position of great britain
Great Britain is the largest island of Europe and the seventh largest island in the world. The waters of the North Sea and the English Clannel separate Great Britain from Europe.
England occupies the southern and the eastern parts of Great Britain. It has an area of 50 327 sq miles. Scotland, covering 30 400 sq mi- les, lies to the north. Wales, to the west, has an area of 8016 sq miles and Northern Ireland — 5460 sq miles. No part of Great Britain is more than 70 miles from the sea.
Great Britain has six distinct natural regions. The Highlands in northern Scotland is a region of mountain ranges, plateaus, deep valleys and lakes. Ben Nevis — the highest peak in Great Britain — rises in the Highlands.
The Scottish Lowlands lie in the valleys of the Clyde, Forth and Taу rivers . Scotland principal cities lie in this area.
The Pennine Chain, a region rich in iron and coal, extends from the Scottish Lowlands.
The Midlands is a lowland region, between the southern end of the Pennine Chain and the Cambrian Mountains of Wales. Many of the manufacturing and shipping industries lie in the Midlands. The south-eastern Plains include the entire area south and east of the Pennines and to the Midlands. This region includes chalk downs and low plains and fenlands. These plains were the first part of the island to be settled and are Great Britain’s best farmlands.
Northern Ireland is a lowland region surrounding an area of pent bogs. It includes Lough Neagh, the largest lake in the United Kingdom.
The important natural resources are coal and iron ore. These minerals have helped to make the country a great manufacturing nation. The main deposits of coal and iron lie in the region of the Pennine Chain, but coal is also mined in other regions.
Great Britain is not large enough to have many long rivers. The two longest, the Thames and the Severn, are only a little more than 200 miles long. The Clyde, Forth, Humber, Mersey, Severn and Thames rivers all have estuaries that make fine harbours. Cities on these estuaries serve as centres of ocean and inland commerce.