Unit 2 Topic: Great Britain Text 1. Geographical position

The British Isles are situated in the north-west of Europe. They consist of two large islands: Great Britain and Ireland. Its total area is 120 thousand square miles. Great Britain is divided into three parts – England, Scotland and Wales.

Great Britain is separated from the continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. In the west it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. The Atlantic Ocean, with the warm current, greatly affect the climate, which is damp and mild. The weather is very changeable. In summer it is usually hot and in winter it is not very cold. There are often dense fogs and rains.

The surface in the north and west of Great Britain is mountainous. The mountains are not high. The southern part of the island is in the lowland. The position of the mountains determines the direction and length of the rivers. The largest are The Severn and The Thames. There are lots of beautiful lakes in Scotland.

Great Britain is an industrial country rich in coal. It has highly developed iron, mining, textile, chemical and ship-building industries.

It is a sea power with many ports and big cities. The biggest industrial centers are Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Glasgow. London is the capital of Great Britain.

Words and phrases to remember:

to be situated – находиться

to consist of – состоять из

to be divided into –делиться на

to be separated from – отделяться от

to be washed by – омываться

to affect the climate – влиять на

to determine the direction – определять направление

to be rich in – быть богатым чем-либо

a warm current – теплое течение

a damp climate - влажный

a mild weather – мягкая погода

a dense fog – плотный туман

a surface - поверхность

Answer the questions:

1. Where are the British Isles situated?

2. What parts does Great Britain consist of?

3. What is the climate in Great Britain?

4. What is it influenced by?

5. What can be said about the surface of Great Britain?

6. What are the main industries?

7. What is the capital of Great Britain?

Ex. 1. Translate from Russian into English.

1. Отель расположен рядом с пляжем.

2. Джем состоит из фруктов и сахара.

3. Эта книга поделена на 10 глав.

4. Австралия омывается двумя океанами.

5. Курение может повлиять на ваше здоровье.

6. Теплое течение определяет погоду в Великобритании.

7. Наша страна богата естественными ресурсами.

8. В Англии часто идут дожди. Климат там мягкий и очень влажный.

9. Ландшафт нашей страны очень разнообразен.

Text 2. State organization

Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. But the real power is concentrated in the hands of the banks and rich private owners. They control the land, industry, finance, trade and mass media.

In the law the Queen is the Head of the state. In fact she reigns but doesn’t rule. Her power is limited by the Parliament. It is the supreme legislative authority in the United Kingdom. It consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. They have different principles, they do different work and meet very rarely. The House of Commons is elected but the House of Lords is based on the hereditary principle.

The Prime Minister is the head of the Government. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the Party that has majority in Parliament. He has the right to choose the ministers and form the Cabinet. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet represent the executive body. They are responsible for directing the national policy of the United Kingdom.

Word and phrases to remember:

to reign – царствовать

to rule – править

to elect – выбирать

to be based on – основываться на

to be responsible for – отвечать за

a constitutional monarchy – конституционная монархия

a supreme authority – верховная власть

a hereditary principle – принцип наследования

a legislative power – законодательная власть

an executive power – исполнительная власть

Answer the questions:

1. Is Great Britain a constitutional monarchy?

2. Who in law is the Head of the State?

3. Does the real power belong to the Queen?

4. What is Parliament?

5. Who is the Head of the Government?

6. What is he responsible for?

Ex. 2. Translate from Russian into English.

1. Царствование королевы Елизаветы II началось в 1952 году.

2. Во время правления королевы Виктории Англия стала индустриальной

державой.

3. Они избрали нового президента в 1900.

4. Фильм основывается на реальной истории.

5. Он был ответственным за организацию собрания.

6. Англия - это страна с конституционной монархией.

7. Парламент – верховная законодательная власть в Англии,

исполнительная власть принадлежит премьер-министру.