материалы для подготовки к переводным экзаменам
материал по английскому языку (5 класс) по теме

English-speaking countries

The English language is the most important language nowadays. It is very popular among people all over the world. English has become an international language of the modern world.  Children, grown-ups study this language with great pleasure. In Russia, in France, in Germany, in Egypt people learn English as a foreign language.

In Great Britain, in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand English is used as a native language. But there is a little difference in each of these countries. For example, people speak American English in the USA and British English in Great Britain. Different words often name the same things. For example, people live in flats in England but they live in apartments in America. They eat cookies and candies in the USA but biscuits and sweets in Great Britain. Children go to school in the fall in America but in autumn in England.

So, English-speaking countries use English as their native language but with little differences.

Popular British sports and games

The British people like different sports and games. The most popular are football cricket and tennis, but some people also prefer golf, hockey, horse riding, boating, rugby and rowing.

Football was first developed in England. It is spread all over the country- in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their national teams compete with each other every year. They take part in different competitions. The two best teams play in the Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London.

Cricket is another popular summer sport. Many cricket clubs were founded in the 18th century. Nowadays this typically British game is played in schools colleges and universities. It is a very long game. International cricket matches can last for 5 days.

The first tennis match was played in England in 1872 and the first championship at Wimbledon was in 1877.

Swimming, boating and sailing have always been popular in Britain, but the British are less interested in skiing and skating, typically Russian types of sport.

Popular British sports and games

The British people like different sports and games. The most popular are football cricket and tennis, but some people also prefer golf, hockey, horse riding, boating, rugby and rowing.

Football was first developed in England. It is spread all over the country- in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their national teams compete with each other every year. They take part in different competitions. The two best teams play in the Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London.

Cricket is another popular summer sport. Many cricket clubs were founded in the 18th century. Nowadays this typically British game is played in schools colleges and universities. It is a very long game. International cricket matches can last for 5 days.

The first tennis match was played in England in 1872 and the first championship at Wimbledon was in 1877.

Swimming, boating and sailing have always been popular in Britain, but the British are less interested in skiing and skating, typically Russian types of sport.

Popular British sports and games

The British people like different sports and games. The most popular are football cricket and tennis, but some people also prefer golf, hockey, horse riding, boating, rugby and rowing.

Football was first developed in England. It is spread all over the country- in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their national teams compete with each other every year. They take part in different competitions. The two best teams play in the Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London.

Cricket is another popular summer sport. Many cricket clubs were founded in the 18th century. Nowadays this typically British game is played in schools colleges and universities. It is a very long game. International cricket matches can last for 5 days.

The first tennis match was played in England in 1872 and the first championship at Wimbledon was in 1877.

Swimming, boating and sailing have always been popular in Britain, but the British are less interested in skiing and skating, typically Russian types of sport.

Shopping

Lots of people go shopping almost every day. People buy different things: clothes, shoes, bags, books, furniture, cars and even houses. But more often we buy food. When people need to buy a lot of products they make a long shopping list.

If you want sugar, bacon, salt or rice you can go to the grocer’s. You can buy dairy products at the dairy. For fruit and vegetables you should go to the greengrocer’s. If you want one or two loaves of bread you can go to the baker’s shop. You should buy meat at the butcher’s. As for me, I like beef more then pork, because pork is too fat for me.

When you buy something in a shop you have to pay for it. If you pay more, the seller can give you change. If you want a shop assistant to wrap your new things you can ask him\her to do it.

If you don’t have enough cash, you can use your credit card , which is very easy.

Shopping

Lots of people go shopping almost every day. People buy different things: clothes, shoes, bags, books, furniture, cars and even houses. But more often we buy food. When people need to buy a lot of products they make a long shopping list.

If you want sugar, bacon, salt or rice you can go to the grocer’s. You can buy dairy products at the dairy. For fruit and vegetables you should go to the greengrocer’s. If you want one or two loaves of bread you can go to the baker’s shop. You should buy meat at the butcher’s. As for me, I like beef more then pork, because pork is too fat for me.

When you buy something in a shop you have to pay for it. If you pay more, the seller can give you change. If you want a shop assistant to wrap your new things you can ask him\her to do it.

If you don’t have enough cash, you can use your credit card , which is very easy.

Shopping

Lots of people go shopping almost every day. People buy different things: clothes, shoes, bags, books, furniture, cars and even houses. But more often we buy food. When people need to buy a lot of products they make a long shopping list.

If you want sugar, bacon, salt or rice you can go to the grocer’s. You can buy dairy products at the dairy. For fruit and vegetables you should go to the greengrocer’s. If you want one or two loaves of bread you can go to the baker’s shop. You should buy meat at the butcher’s. As for me, I like beef more then pork, because pork is too fat for me.

When you buy something in a shop you have to pay for it. If you pay more, the seller can give you change. If you want a shop assistant to wrap your new things you can ask him\her to do it.

If you don’t have enough cash, you can use your credit card , which is very easy.

The Earth is in danger

The 22nd of April is Earth Day.  People all over the world think about our planet. They say the Earth is in danger. But people are ready to protect animals, plants, water and air.

Water is very important for life on Earth. Very little water is drinkable because rivers, seas and oceans are poisoned.  Even fish can not live in such water.

The way people live has changed the climate on our planet. Nowadays the temperature is rising. If the temperature grows by 3-4 degrees it will become more difficult to live on the planet.

Some people’s activities do a lot of harm to the forests. People cut down trees to build farms, homes and roads. Many animals and plants lose their homes and this is bad for the air too.

It is very difficult to breathe in big cities because modern plants and factories send a lot of smoke into the atmosphere.

So, the problem now is to protect life on Earth, and to save our planet for the future.

The UK, the Queen and the Parliament.                                              

   The United Kingdom or the UK includes England,

 Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals

 are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

   The UK is an island state. The two main islands are

 Great Britain and Ireland.

   The UK is separated from the continent by the

 English Channel and the Straits of Dover.

The UK is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the north

 and the North Sea in the east.

   More than 56 million people live in Britain. Everyone

 in Britain speaks English but they all speak differently.

   The Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State but

she  has no power. She is the symbol of the country,

 its history and traditions.

The Queen is very rich. She travels about the UK,

 meets different people, visits schools, hospitals and so on.

   The real power in the country belongs to the British

Parliament and to the British Government.

 The British Parliament has two

houses: the House of Commons and the House

 of Lords. They discuss, make and change laws

 about the policy of the country.

The UK, the Queen and the Parliament.

   The United Kingdom or the UK includes England,

 Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals

 are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

   The UK is an island state. The two main islands are

 Great Britain and Ireland.

   The UK is separated from the continent by the

 English Channel and the Straits of Dover.

The UK is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the north

 and the North Sea in the east.

   More than 56 million people live in Britain. Everyone

 in Britain speaks English but they all speak differently.

   The Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State but

she  has no power. She is the symbol of the country,

 its history and traditions.

The Queen is very rich. She travels about the UK,

 meets different people, visits schools, hospitals and so on.

   The real power in the country belongs to the British

Parliament and to the British Government.

 The British Parliament has two

houses: the House of Commons and the House

 of Lords. They discuss, make and change laws

 about the policy of the country.

England

England is the largest part of the UK. There are 5 regions in it: the Southeast, the Southwest, East Anglia, the Midlands and the North of England.

The Southeast is famous for Heathrow Airport near London and picturesque resorts in Brighton. It is very interesting to visit the County of Kent. It is known as the garden of England.

  The Southwest is a region where the main activity is farming. Stonehenge is a remarkable historic place to visit.

East Anglia is a flat area with farm fields which produce good harvest. Also one of the most important and best universities in the world is situated here. It is Cambridge.

 The Midlands is known as the heart of England. The most important industrial cities are Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool and Birmingham. Oxford is famous for its university. Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of the great William Shakespeare.

 In the North of  England you can find deep valleys, rivers and waterfalls. The main attraction is the Lake District. Many tourists come over especially to look at the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall. It was built to defend England from the Scottish tribes.

So, England has different landscapes and historical attractions.

Scotland

Scotland is a country in the United Kingdom to the north of England. Its symbol is a thistle and its patron saint is St. Andrew.

The capital of the country is Edinburgh.  And another big industrial city is Glasgow. Glasgow is a business and trade centre with busy streets and a large port.

Edinburgh is an ancient city full of history. There are two parts in it: the Old Town and the New Town. In the Old Town there is the Castle which used to be a fortress and a royal palace. Now it attracts a lot of tourists. Another tourist attraction is Holyrood House which is a big royal palace and a residence of the Queen when she is in Edinburgh. One of the most modest and well-known monuments is a monument to a dog Bobby. This statue is a symbol of devotion.

The New Town is a striking contrast to the Old Town. Princes Street is the most beautiful street of the New Town. There are lots of gardens in it and this street is also a popular shopping centre. Princes Street is connected with the name of the famous writer Walter Scott. There is a monument and a marble statue of the writer and of his favourite dog.

So, Scotland is a prosperous country with exciting sceneries.

Scotland

Scotland is a country in the United Kingdom to the north of England. Its symbol is a thistle and its patron saint is St. Andrew.

The capital of the country is Edinburgh.  And another big industrial city is Glasgow. Glasgow is a business and trade centre with busy streets and a large port.

Edinburgh is an ancient city full of history. There are two parts in it: the Old Town and the New Town. In the Old Town there is the Castle which used to be a fortress and a royal palace. Now it attracts a lot of tourists. Another tourist attraction is Holyrood House which is a big royal palace and a residence of the Queen when she is in Edinburgh. One of the most modest and well-known monuments is a monument to a dog Bobby. This statue is a symbol of devotion.

The New Town is a striking contrast to the Old Town. Princes Street is the most beautiful street of the New Town. There are lots of gardens in it and this street is also a popular shopping centre. Princes Street is connected with the name of the famous writer Walter Scott. There is a monument and a marble statue of the writer and of his favourite dog.

So, Scotland is a prosperous country with exciting sceneries.

The fragile planet

The word environment means simply what is around us. Nowadays people understand how important it is to solve the environmental problems. One of the most serious problems is pollution in its many forms (water pollution, air pollution, nuclear pollution). Many oceans and seas are used for dumping industrial and nuclear waste. Many rivers and lakes are poisoned too. Fish and reptiles can’t live in them. In such places all the birds leave their habitats and many plants die. And you certainly know that most of the air pollution in big cities comes from cars and buses.

More and more often people are told not to spend too much time in direct sunlight, because ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer. Another serious problem is destruction of wildlife and the beauty of the countryside. People cut down forests and hunt endangered species of animals instead of protecting them.

We should also think about the shortage of food, water and natural resources. If people want to survive they must solve these problems quickly. Our environment is the whole earth which is so fragile, that’s why people think and speak so much about ecology.

The UK

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the official name of the state which is situated in the British Isles. It consists of four countries which are England , Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can see them on the map. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The UK is an Island state. The two main islands are Great Britain and Ireland, they are separated by the Irish Sea. The UK is separated from the continent by the English channel and the Straits of Dover.

More than 56 million people live in Britain. Many of them live in big industrial cities like London, Manchester and Liverpool. Everyone in Britain speaks English but in some parts of Scotland and Wales people speak different languages as well. As you know, the flag of  the United Kingdom is known as the Union Jack. It is made up of three crosses: the cross of St. George, the cross of St. Andrew and the cross of St.Patric.

In Britain the Queen is the Head of  State, but in fact she does not rule the country as she has no power. The real power in the country belongs to the British Parliament.

The UK is an amazing country with picturesque scenery, friendly people and wonderful traditions.

Wales

Wales is a country in the United Kingdom to the west of England.  The symbols of the country are a leek or a daffodil. St. David is the patron saint of Wales.

In Wales people speak English. But Welsh is also widely spoken in this country. It is still the first language for many people and it is taught in schools. It is very difficult to learn and people are proud of their language.

The capital of the country is Cardiff. It is also the main port and an industrial city. It has a roman castle, a university, a cathedral and a modern shopping centre. Other big cities are Swansea and Newport.  Every year an international festival called Eisteddfod [ ai’stedfed] is held in the town of Llangollen [læn’goӨlәn]. People come from all over the world to recite poetry, sing and dance in this colorful competition.

Wales has high mountains, including Snowdon, the second highest mountain in Britain. It is also a land of valleys, streams and waterfalls.  There are three National Parks in Wales. These parks are protected by law because of their natural beauty.

So, Wales is a country with its own geography, culture, traditions and language.