Fill in the suitable words and phrases from the active vocabulary

1. England, Wales and Scotland … the territory of the largest island.

2. About 80% of the population is …

3. The northern and western part of the country is …

4. All the rest is a … plane.

5. The climate is … the whole year round.

6. Great Britain is a highly developed … country.

7. It is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of …

8. … is one of the chief industries of the country.

9. The most famous … are Oxford and Cambridge universities.

10. The United Kingdom is a …

11. There are 3 main political parties in Great Britain: …

8. Make sure you know these expressions. Use them in the sentences of your own.

to consist of

to occupy smth

to influence smth

with smb at the head

in practice

to be situated in … part

to be situated on … isles

to be ruled by

to be known as …

9. Insert prepositions if necessary.

1. The UK is situated … the British Isles.

2. Great Britain consists … 4 parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

3. England, Scotland and Wales occupy … the territory … Great Britain.

4. Northern Ireland is situated … the northern part … Ireland.

5. The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream influence … the climate … Great Britain.

6. The Queen is the head … the state.

7. But … practice, the country is ruled … the elected government … the Prime Minister … the head.

8. The British Parliament consists … two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

10. Answer the questions:

1. Where is the UK situated?

2. What parts does it consist of?

3. What is the population of the country?

4. What are the most important rivers in the UK?

5. What seas is Great Britain washed by?

6. What kinds of industries are highly developed in the country?

7. What is the political system of the UK?

8. What are the main political parties of the country?

11. Look at the map of the British Isles and give some additional information concerning:

a) small islands belonging to the United Kingdom;

b) seas and channels washing the British Isles;

c) the greatest mountains of the country and their peaks;

d) the largest and the most beautiful lakes of Scotland.

LONDON

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and commercial center. It is one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its population is about 8 million.

London is situated on the river Thames. The city is very old. It has more than 20 centuries old history. Traditionally it is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East end. They are very different from each other.

The City is the oldest part of London, its financial and business center. Numerous banks, offices and firms are concentrated here, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and the Old Bailey. Few people live in the city but over a million come to work here. Two masterpieces are situated within the City: St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. St. Paul’s Cathedral was built in the 17^th century by Christopher Wren. The Tower of London was built in the 11^th century. It was used as a fortress, a palace and a prison. Now it’s a museum.

Westminster is the aristocratic official part of London. It includes Buckingham Palace where the Queen lives and the Houses of Parliament stretching for nearly 1000 feet along the north bank of the Thames.

The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament is famous for its big hour bell, known as “Big Ben”. Westminster Abbey is the place where coronation of nearly all kings and queens has taken place. Many of them are buried here as well as some other famous people of the country (G. Chaucer, Tennyson, Newton, Ch. Dickens, T. Hardy, R. Kipling, etc.)

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It is a symbol of wealth and luxury. The best hotels, restaurants, shops, clubs, parks and houses are situated there. English aristocracy lives in this region. One of the busiest streets in the West End is Oxford Street. There are many various shops in it, which attract customers from different countries of the world.

Trafalgar Square is the geographical center of London. It was named in the memory of Admiral Nelson’s victory at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tall Nelson’s Column stands in the middle of the square.

Opposite the Nelson monument is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. They contain the finest art collection in the world. Not far from the National Gallery is the British Museum famous for it’s rich library.

The East End is an industrial district of London. There are many factories and the Port of London there. The region is densely populated by working class families, those people who have built the palaces of the West End. They are proud to be called cockneys which means true Londoners, hereditary inhabitants of the area. They love the district very much.