Great Britain
Text 1
Symbols
The national flag is Union Jack. Union Jack is the combination of colours and crosses of existing at that time national flags of England, Scotland and Ireland. The name, the colours and crosses symbolize the united parts of the country. Union Jack comprises three crosses.
The red upright cross on the white field is St. George’s Cross – the patron saint of England. He was a soldier famous for saving the Princess Cleolinda from being eaten by a dragon. He is also the patron of Germany, Portugal and Greece.
The diagonal white cross on the blue field is St. Andrew Cross – the patron of Scotland. Saint Andrew, a fisherman, was one of the 12 apostles who followed Jesus Christ. Paintings of St. Andrew often showed him being killed on X-shaped cross. He is the patron of Russian also.
The red diagonal cross on the white field is St. Patrick’s Cross – the patron saint of Ireland. He converted the Irish to Christianity and is supposed to have got rid of all the snakes in Ireland.
The Welsh flag shows a dragon. It bears the red dragon on the white and green background. Saint David is its patron saint Paintings of St. David normally show him with the dove on his shoulder.
National emblems are:
The red rose became the emblem of England after the war of roses (1455 – 1485) which was the war of the dynasties for the English throne. The red rose has since become the national emblem of England. The thistle, the national emblem of Scotland, was chosen as such because it saved the country from the enemy. The leek or daffodil is Welshmen’s emblem. Welshmen all over the world celebrate (on March, 1) St. David’s Day by wearing either leeks or daffodils. The shamrock, the national emblem of the Irish, is proudly on St. Patrick’s Day.
Questions.
What is the name of the UK flag?
What crosses does it consist of?
Name the patron saints of each UK part.
Name the symbols of each UK part.
*Find the information about the country’s coat of arms and tell the group about it.
Text 2
Geography
To the west of the continent of Europe there lie two large islands called the British Isles. The larger of these islands is known as Great Britain and it consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The smaller island is Ireland with Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
England is the southern and the central part of Great Britain. Scotland is in the north of the island and Wales is in the west. Northern Ireland is situated in the north-eastern part of Ireland. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Great Britain is washed all around by water. It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea in the west and the eastern coast is washed by the North Sea. The southern coast is washed by the English Channel. The narrowest part of the Channel, the Straight of Dover, is only 32 kilometers wide.
The British Isles have no high mountains. Scotland is a mountainous country. Here there is the main chain of mountains which is called the Grampians and its highest peak is Ben Nevis which is 4 400 feet high. Mountains which separate Scotland and England are called the Cheviot Hills. In England the Pennine Chain runs down from the north through the centre. In Wales there are the Cambrian Mountains. Its peak Snowdon is in the North Wales. Ireland is covered with mountains and hills.
The British Isles have a lot of rivers, but they are not very long. The longest river is the Severn which flows south-west into the Irish Sea. The other important rivers are the Thames in England on which London stands and the Clyde in Scotland where Glasgow is situated. Many rivers in England and Scotland are joined by canals. There are a lot of lakes in Great Britain and the most famous lakes are in the Lake District in the north-west of England. There are no great woods on the British Isles now. Historically the most famous forest is Sherwood Forest in the east of England. It was the home of Robin Hood.
The climate of the British Isles is not very cold in winter and never very hot in summer. The rivers do not freeze in winter and snow never lies on the ground for long. In winter thick fogs cover Britain. The British Isles are warmed by the Gulf Stream, as a result the temperature in Britain is higher than in Moscow and St. Petersburg which are between the same parallels. It often rains in Great Britain in all seasons. The mild and damp climate is very good for agriculture.
At the head of the state there is the Queen but in practice state power is in the hands of the Parliament and, to be more precise, in the hands of the Prime Minister. The Parliament has two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The members of the House of Lords are not elected. The Commons are elected. The Prime Minister is the leader of the party which has the majority of seats in the House of Commons.
Exercises
I. Agree or disagree.
1. The British Isles consist of 3 large islands.
2. The UK includes 3 parts.
3. Great Britain is washed by water.
4. England is the northern part of Gr. Britain.
5. Wales is in the west of the island.
6. The Gulf Stream warms the British Isles.
7. The UK isn’t a highly developed industrial country.
8. In practice state power is in the hands of the Queen.
9. There are two houses in the Parliament of Great Britain.
II. Choose the right variant.
1. To the (west, east) of Europe there lie the British Isles.
2. Great Britain is washed by (the Pacific, the Atlantic) ocean.
3. Scotland is in the (north, south) of the island.
4. (The North Sea, the English Channel) connects Great Britain with the continent.
5. (Ben Nevis, Snowdon) is the highest peak of the Grampians.
6. London is situated on (the Severn, the Thames).
7. The climate of Great Britain is (cold, mild).
8. People elect members of (the House of Lords, the House of Commons).
III.Read the sentences translating Russian word-combinations.
1. To the west of the continent there lie two islands (называемые Британскими островами)
2. The British Isles (омываются) by the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the Atlantic Ocean.
3. The official name of Great Britain is (Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии).
4. The UK consists of (Англии, Уэльса, Шотландии, Северной Ирландии).
5. The mountains of the British Isles are (Грампианские, Шевиотские, Кембрийские Пенинские).
6. (Самые важные реки) are the Severn, the Thames, the Clyde.
7. The climate of Great Britain is (мягкий, влажный).
8. The Parliament in Great Britain consists of (Палаты Лордов и Палаты Общин).
IV. Answer the questions.
1. What is Great Britain washed by?
2. What is the official name of Great Britain?
3. How many parts are there in the UK? What are they? What are their capitals?
4. Are there high mountains in Great Britain? What mountains in Great Britain do you know?
What are the highest peaks?
5. Are the rivers in Great Britain long? What is the deepest river? What is the longest one?
6. What are the main characteristic features of the climate in Great Britain?
7. How many parts does the British Parliament include? What are they?
Text 3
History. Invasions into Britain.
The people who now live in Britain are descended from various peoples who inhabited the British Isles many years ago. The first settlers on the British Isles were Iberians who came from the Iberian Peninsula (the area of Spain and Portugal) between 3000 and 2000 BC. The Iberians stayed comparatively long before they were attacked or driven away westwards by the numerous Celtic tribes (Picts, Scots and Britons), which came from Central Europe and the Rhine valley in the period between the 6th and 3rd centuries BC. Their culture goes back to about 1200 BC. Between 500 and 250 BC, they were the most powerful people north of the Alps. They were pagan, with priests known as Druids. They later converted to the Christianity. It was the Celtic missionaries who spread the Christian religion through Scotland and northern England. The Celts were famous artists, known for their sophisticated designs, which are found in their elaborate jewelry, decorated crosses and illuminated manuscripts.
In the middle of the 1st century AD Britain was successfully invaded by the Romans who stayed on the island for four centuries, living in the military camps, building towns, roads, walls and bridges. The Romans set up their capital in London (Londinium) and built major cities which contained beautiful buildings, squires and public baths. By AD 383 the Roman Empire was collapsing and Roman legions had left to fight the tribes on the continent.
After the Roman legions left Britain at the beginning of the 5th century the British Isles were almost immediately attacked by numerous invaders from all sides. Germanic tribes – the Jutes, the Saxons and the Angles attacked Britain from the south and east, Danes and Norsemen from Scandinavia in the north-east. Again the native population was driven to the west (Wales) and north (Scotland). These tribes gave the name to the country, and their language formed the basis of the Old English language.
About AD 790, the Vikings started to invade England. The Norsemen, who came from Norway, mainly settled in Scotland and Ireland. The north and east of England were settled by Danes. The Vikings were excellent traders and navigators. In 1016, GB became part of the Scandinavian empire.
The last in the long succession of invaders on the British Isles were the Normans, the Norsemen who had assimilated in France. In 1066, led by Duke of Normandy (who went into history as William the Conqueror), they crossed the Channel and conquered England,. England became a strong centralized country under military rule. For almost two centuries there were two languages, two nations and two cultures in the country. The New English (Middle English) greatly enriched and changed under the influence of Norman-French.
The mixture of nations must not be overlooked. It is inaccurate to refer to the British as English. This mistake is made all over the world – when talking about English. Such reference may hurt the Welsh, the Scots, and the Irish. Thus everybody from the UK is British, but only people from England are English.
Task
Questions
1) Where did the first settlers come from to Britain?
2) What were the names of the Celtic tribes?
3) What was the religion of the Celts?
4) When did the Roman invasion into Britain start?
5) What were the consequences of the Roman invasion?
6) What was the second important invasion into Britain? Name the tribes who made it.
7) What happened in 1066? How did it happen?
8) Who were the last invaders? How did they influence the British culture?
Make a presentation or a report about the next periods of the UK history (consult the additional material):
1) The Middle Ages
2) The Tudor period
3) The Stuart Period
4) The Georgian period
Text 4
London
London, the capital of Great Britain, is one of the largest cities in the world. It is a big port and a major industrial, commercial and cultural centre. London stands on the river Thames which flows into the North Sea. For centuries entry to London from the sea was guarded by the Tower fortress. The Tower was built 9 centuries ago. It once served as a royal residence and later as a prison. Now it is a museum. Ravens have always lived in the Tower. There is popular belief that if ravens left the fortress, Britain Empire will fall. This bridge built in 1894, is still in daily use though the traffic in and out of the London wharves has increased to an extraordinary extent during the course of the 20th century. Even today Tower Bridge regulates a large part of the impressive traffic of the Port of London.
London grew out of the ancient centre known as the City. The City is London’s business centre. The road to the City runs across London Bridge. One of the most interesting monuments in the City is St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is the finest Renaissance church in Europe. All other English churches are mostly medieval Gothic. The Cathedral was designed by the great English architect Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666.
London shows examples of building that express all the different areas of its history. Buckingham Palace – is the official London residence of the Sovereign. Whitehall – is a street in central London running from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament and contains many important buildings and government offices. Whitehall is a small unimpressive street that no one would give a second look if not for the fact that the Prime Minister has his official residence there at number 10 Downing Street.
Westminster Abbey is the crowning and burial place of British monarchs. It has its world famed Poets’ Corner with memorials to Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, The Bronte sisters, Burns, Dickens, Thackeray, Rudyard Kipling and other leading writers. Only a few however, are actually buried here.
Trafalgar Square is so named in commemoration of Nelson’s great victory at Trafalgar. In the middle stands the famous Nelson Column surmounted by the statue of Nelson 170 feet high so as to allow him a view of the sea. The column stands in the geographical centre of the city. It is one of the best open air platforms for public meetings and demonstrations.
The West End is the most pleasant residential area of London. There are lovely parks in the West End, among them one of the most popular is Hyde Park with its Speakers’ Corner where speakers from various political parties often hold public meetings. There are also luxurious mansions and elegant shops and restaurants as well as theatres, museums and hotels. Oxford street is one of the busiest thoroughfares in the West End.
While the West End is a residential district of the wealthy, the East End is the place where chiefly industrial and dock workers live. In the East End there are no magnificent parks and mansions and far from all the men here have a steady job.
Londoners usually either take the tube or the double-decker. Most of London buses are the famous red double-deckers that have two decks for passengers. Bright-red, they look very nice in the grey streets of London. There are also green one-storied buses, they run from London to the countryside.
Topics for discussion
1) The three districts of London.
2) The places of Interest in London.
3) Places for going out in London (make your own survey and tell the group about the results: cinemas, theatres and concert halls, museums and galleries, libraries, trade centers or markets, famous streets or houses, parks, universities).
Dialogues
Read the dialogues and find all the places of interest on the map of London.
Dialogue 1.
David: This is Whitehall. All these big buildings are Government offices. At the beginning of November every year the Queen drives down Whitehall from Buckingham Palace to open Parliament. Many people come to watch the Queen and the soldiers who ride with her.
Margaret: What are those buildings at the end of the street?
David: You know the building with the clock; that’s the Houses of Parliament. The building beside it with two towers is Westminster Abbey. Now we’ll go by boat to the Tower.
Edward: How far is it?
David: About three miles. It’s near Tower Bridge.
Edward: Is that the bridge that opens in the middle to let boats go through?
David: Yes. Now we are going under London Bridge. This bridge isn’t old, but there was a bridge here many years ago with houses and shops on it.
Margaret: Is that the Tower of London? But there are a lot of towers there.
David: Yes, but the one in the middle – the White Tower – is the Tower.
Margaret: How old is it?
David: About nine hundred years old. Years ago kings and queens lived – and died – here.
Margaret: Can we get to the National Gallery from here?
David: Yes. We’ll go by bus. Then you can see all the interesting buildings on the way. That’s the Bank of England. This is Fleet Street, with all the newspaper offices. Now we are in the Strand. Charring Cross Station is on the left, and now we are coming to Trafalgar Square. The National Gallery is on the right.
Margaret: How many pictures are there in the Gallery?
David: About six hundred, I think.
Edward: I am so tired after our tour about the city, but tomorrow, I hope, we’ll visit the Gallery and enjoy the masterpieces. Thank you very much for your interesting excursion.
Dialogue 2
- Excuse me, can you tell me the way to Trafalgar Square?
- Certainly. Go down Regent Street to Piccadilly Circus and go down the Haymarket. Turn to the left at the bottom and in less than a minute you’ll be in Trafalgar Square.
- Thank you very much. How far is it from here?
- If you walk, it’ll take you ten minutes or a quarter of an hour.
- Is there a bus?
- There’s sure to be. But you’d better ask the policeman over there. He’ll give you all the information you want.
- Thank you.
Dialogue 3
- Excuse me, can you tell me where South Street is, please?
- Take the second on the left and go straight on.
- Is it far?
- No, it’s only about five minutes walk.
- Thank you.
- Not at all.
Dialogue 4
- Is there a bus from here to the National Gallery?
- Yes, take a 12 and ask the conductor to put you down at Trafalgar Square.
- Thank you.
- That’s OK.
Dialogue 5
- Is this the right bus for the Tower Bridge?
- No, you are going the wrong way. You’ll have to change at the post-office and take a 192.
- Thank you.
- Not at all.
Find in the dialogues English equivalents for these word combinations and sentences.
1. Что это за здания в конце улицы? 2. здание с часами. 3. около трех миль. 4. Это Лондонский Тауэр? 5. Сколько ему лет? 6. Можно попасть отсюда в Национальную Галерею? 7. Большое спасибо за интересную экскурсию. 8. Вы не подскажите дорогу к Трафальгарской площади? 9. Поверните налево. 10. Вам потребуется 10-15 минут. 11. Поверните во вторую улицу слева и идите прямо. 12. Садитесь на 12 автобус. 13.Вы едете не в ту сторону.
Translate these dialogues.
1. - Извините, далеко ли отсюда до парламента?
- Очень близко. Сверните во вторую улицу направо и идите прямо, вскоре вы увидите здание парламента с правой стороны.
2. - Что мне еще посмотреть?
- Вы уже были в Британском музее? Я советую вам сходить туда.
- Как мне проехать туда?
- Вы можете доехать на метро. Нужно сделать пересадку у банка.
3. - Простите, этот автобус идет к Трафальгарской площади?
- Нет. Этот автобус не идет туда. Вам нужно будет пересесть на 12 автобус на остановке “Marble Arch”.
- Спасибо.
- Пожалуйста.
4. - Извините. Скажите, пожалуйста, как мне пройти к ближайшей станции метро?
- К сожалению, я не здешний. Спросите лучше у полицейского.
5. - Идет ли отсюда автобус до Гайд-Парка?
- Садитесь на любой автобус и попросите кондуктора высадить вас у Гайд-Парка.
Text 5
Famous Englishmen
Exercise 1 Look at the photos. Who are the people? What are they famous for?
Read 4 Biographies and write down the surnames before each text. Match the texts with the photos.
1) ____________ was a British prime minister and statesman who led the country to victory against Nazi Germany and the Axis powers in World War Two. He was known for his domineering presence, sharp wit, and uncompromising resilience in the face of adversity, when lesser men would falter. His epic speeches often paraphrased and parodied. He was captured during the Boer War. Yet, he escaped the prison and returned home. Some people say that such event was the most important thing happened within his life which may motivate him to contribute better to his country.
2) ____________ was an English chemist and physics, known for his pioneering experiments in electricity and magnetism. Many consider him the greatest experimentalist who ever lived. Several concepts that he derived directly from experiments, such as lines of magnetic force, have become common ideas in modern physics. But he refused to accept a knighthood and declined becoming the President of the Royal Society. He turned down the British Governments request to assist them with the manufacture of chemical weapons that they intended to use in war.
3) ____________ was an English musician, singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a founder member of the Beatles, the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of popular music. He was the Beatles' most committed rock & roller, their social conscience, and their slyest verbal wit. Lennon strove to break taboos and to be ruthlessly, publicly honest. He was killed by a crazed fan named Mark David Chapman.
4) ___________ was an English writer and social critic. Over the course of his writing career, he wrote the beloved classic novels Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. His writing overlapped. He started Oliver Twist when halfway through Pickwick Papers, and Nicholas Nickleby halfway through Oliver Twist. He had a pet raven called 'Grip'. After it died, he had it stuffed. He loved nicknames. He had a number of different nicknames for himself and he also gave his children nicknames. He loved magic, cold showers and knew shorthand.
For more information see:
https://www.biography.com/people
Text 6
British Holidays
Before reading
Divide into 3 groups. Each group reads about one of the British Holidays. Then each group presents the holiday answering the following questions:
1) When is the holiday celebrated?
2) What occasion is commemorated/celebrated on this day?
3) What do the British usually do on this day?
Notes:
Good Friday - Великая пятница, пятница на страстной неделе, является официальным выходным днем. В этот день по традиции едят горячие булки с крестами.
Boxing Day - день рождественских подарков, второй день рождества, 26 декабря, официальный выходной день. В этот день принято дарить подарки. Состоятельные люди делают небольшие денежные подарки прислуге, почтальону и т.д.
the Battle of the Boyne – битва на реке Бойн (1690), принесла победу королю Вильгельму III над войсками Якова II, завершила процесс покорения Ирландии Великобританией (по названию реки в Ирландии, на которой проходило сражение).
England and Wales. Most public holidays in the United Kingdom are also known as “Bank Holidays’. These holidays are: New Year’s Day (January 1st), Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (first Monday in May), Spring Bank Holiday (last Monday in May), August Bank Holiday (last Monday in August), Christmas Day (December 25th), Boxing Day (December 26th).
Scotland. The Scots do not usually celebrate Good Friday or Boxing Day. In the winter they concentrate instead on Hogmanay, their version of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, which is even more of a festive occasion than Christmas.
Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has several additional festivals of its own, namely, St. Patrick’s Day in Catholic communities (March 17th) and Orange Day, in Protestant communities, celebrating the Battle of the Boyne (July 12th).
CHRISTMAS
For most British families this is the most important festival of the year. They decorate their houses with brightly-coloured paper or holly, and they usually have a Christmas tree in the corner of the front room, glittering with coloured lights and decorations. There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but perhaps the most important one is the giving of presents. Children leave a long sock or stocking at the end of their bed on Christmas Eve, December 24th, hoping that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and bring them small presents, fruits and nuts. On Christmas Day the family sits down to a big turkey dinner followed by Christmas pudding. Later in the afternoon they may watch the Queen on television as she delivers her traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
FIRST-FOOTING*
In parts of Northern England and in Scotland the old custom of first-footing is still observed. Tradition says that the first person to enter a house on New Year’s Day should be a dark-haired man, otherwise ill-luck will follow. It is also advisable that the person should bring with him a gift – a piece of coal, a fish, a bottle of whisky or a piece of bread – they are traditional gifts. Curiously enough, in a few other parts of the country, the First-Footer is required to be a fair-haired man! In the past, young men of the right colouring and with an eye to business would offer their service as First-Footer to households in the district – for a small fee.
FEBRUARY 14th
It’s the day, when boys and girls, sweethearts and lovers, and even the office staff exchange greetings of affection, undying love or satirical comment. And a quick modern way to do it is a Valentine’s card. Valentines as we know them first appeared in the 18th century and were cards with drawings and verses made by the sender. In the 19th century shop-made Valentines appeared and became increasingly elaborately adorned with lace, real flowers, feathers and moss. Valentine-sending revives from time to time.
The first Valentine of all was a bishop, a Christian martyr, who before he was put to death by the Romans, sent a note of friendship to his jailer’s blind daughter.
HALLOWEEN
Another popular British tradition is Halloween, celebrated on October, 31, the eve of All Saints’ Day. Halloween customs date back to the time when people believed in devils, witches and ghosts. They thought that they could do all kinds of damage to property. Some people tried to ward off witches by painting magic signs or nailing a horseshoe. Now most people do not believe in evil spirits. Today the day is usually marked by costume balls or fancy-dress parties and is a popular tradition with young people and children. On the night of Halloween children or grown-ups visit houses and ask the residents if they want “trick” or “treat”. If the people in the house give the children a “treat” (usually money or sweets), then the children will not play a trick on them. Another Halloween custom is to scrape out a pumpkin, cutting eyes, nose and mouth and lighting a candle inside, this is made to scare their friends.