Тема "The United Kingdom of Great Britain"
материал по английскому языку (8 класс) на тему

1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain

        The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of the island of Great Britain, The north-eastern part of Ireland and a great number of small islands. Among these islands one could name: The Orkney and the Shetland Islands in the north, The Hebrides in the north-west, The Isle of Wight in the south, and many others.

        Great Britain includes England, Scotland and Wales. The capital of England is London. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh. The capital of Wales is Cardiff. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.

        If you look at the map of Europe you will see that Great Britain is not large. It takes just six hours to travel in a fast train from London, the capital of England, to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.

Though Britain is small, it has a wide variety of scenery. There are beautiful lakes and high mountains, swift rivers that flow down from the hills into valleys and heather covered moors.

Great Britain is not far from the continent. It is separated from the continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The narrowest part of the English Channel is the Strait of Dover. It is only 32 kilometers wide and when the weather is fine one can easily see Irom the middle of it both the British and the French coasts.

The country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and Irish Sea. The seas round the British Isles are shallow. The North Sea for example is nowhere more than 600 feet deep, so if we put St. Paul’s Cathedral down in any part of it some of the cathedral would still be above the water. Shallow water is warmer than deep water and helps to keep the shores from extreme cold. It is too the home of millions of fish.

The biggest sea-ports in Great Britain are London, Plymouth, Southampton and Glasgow.

Great Britain has a very good geographical position as it lies on the crossways of the sea routes from Europe to other parts of the world. The sea connects Britain with most European countries such as Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Norway and others. The main sea-route from Europe to America also passes through the Channel.

There are no big rivers in Great Britain. The longest river is the Thames. London, the capital of Great Britain, stands on the river Thames.

The Climate

Britain’s climate is mild and damp. It often rains. It is foggy in autumn and in winter. The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current coming from the Gulf of Mexico, crosses the Atlantic Ocean and warms the seas around the British coast. It influences the climate and gives it cool summers and mild winters.

The temperature in winter seldom falls below zero. It seldom snows heavily. If snow comes it melts quickly. In some parts of England the fields and meadows are green all the year round.

The weather in Great Britain is very changeable and it is the favourite topic of conversation there. Sudden rains often spoil outings and picnics.

Famous people of Great Britain

As Great Britain is surrounded by seas on all sides, it is a great sea power. The Britons are proud of their great seamen, such as

• Sir Francis Drake, who fought with success against the powerful Spanish fleet in the 16-th century,
• Sir Walter Raleigh, an outstanding traveller and explorer,
• Captain James Cook, one of the greatest explorers of the 18-th century,
• Captain Scott, the explorer of the Antarctic,
• Admiral Lord Nelson, Britain’s national hero who destroyed the French fleet at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

2. The United Kingdom of Great Britain

The Relief

        The surface of England and Ireland is mostly flat. Scotland and Wales are mountainous.

        The main mountainous areas in England are the mountains of the Lake District with its lakes, mountains and valleys, and the Pennines.  The Pennine Chain is often called the backbone of England.

        England is separated from Scotland by Cheviot Hills running from east to west.

        The main mountain chain in Scotland is the Grampian Mountains situated in the Northern Highlands. The highest peak of the United Kingdom – Ben Nevis is situated there.

The main mountain chain in Wales is the Cambrian Mountains. The highest mountain in Wales is Snowdon. It is situated in the mountainous region called Snowdonia famous for its beautiful scenery. It is not so high as Ben Nevis in Scotland but it is well-known for the very difficult climbing that can be practiced on its slopes.

Mineral resources and industry

        The United Kingdom has few mineral resources of which the most important are coal, oil and iron. The largest coal fields are in the North Sea along the north-eastern coast of Scotland and England.

        The United Kingdom is one of the most industrialized countries in the world. The industrial centers of Great Britain are London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and others.

        Lots of things such as planes and cars, food and clothes are made in and around London.

        Nearly all the chief towns of the industrial Midlands (areas in the middle of England) are close together. They lie in the great industrial area which used to be called the “Black Country”. Here we find numerous factories and coal mines. The main industrial centers are Sheffield and Birmingham where iron structure are made. People call Birmingham “The City of 1500 Trades”. All pins and needles in English homes, the pens that people write with, the spoons and the forks they use for dinner, the glasses which they drink out are mostly products of Birmingham industry. It also produces motor-cars, bicycles, railway carriages, radio and TV-sets and many other things.

Sheffield is famous for its knives and scissors.

Coventry is the birthplace of the motor manufacturing industry.

Manchester is the center of the cotton industry and the district round it is dotted with cotton mills. It is also one of Britain’s most important producers of computers and electronic equipment.

Leeds is the center of wool industry.

Ship-building is an important industry in the United Kingdom. The main ship-building centers are London, Glasgow, Belfast and some others.

On the whole Great Britain is a large exporter of manufactured goods. It does not export raw materials. It imports them.

Though the United Kingdom is industrialized country agriculture remains a major sector of economy. Britain grows wheat, oats, fruit, and vegetables.

3. From the history of Great Britain

The name Britain is very old, but history can explain where it comes from. During the period from the 6th to the 3rd century B.C. (before Christ) a people called the Celts spread across Europe from the east to the west.

More than one Celtic tribe occupied Britain. Celtic tribes called the Picts penetrated into the mountains in the North. Later the Scots settled in the North beside the Picts. They came in such large numbers that in time the name Scotland was given to that country. Powerful Celtic tribes, the Britons, held most of the country, and the southern half of the island was named Britain after them. Today the words “Briton” and “British «refer to the people of the whole of the British Isles.

In 55 B.C. the Romans invaded Britain, but they never conquered the northern part of the island (Scotland).

In fact, Julius Caesar invaded the country twice, because the Celts drove him back the first time. He had too few troops to hold the island.

In the next year, 54 B.C., Caesar again came to Britain. The Celts fought bravely for their independence but they were not strong enough, in spite of their courage to drive the Romans off. The Romans who had better arms and armory and were much better trained defeated the Celts in several battles.

Although Julius Caesar came to Britain twice, he was not able, really, to conquer it. It was Claudius (Head of the Roman Army) who established Roman power in Britain. He invaded the island in 45 A.D. After that Britain began to develop economically. Trade was developed, and large numbers of Roman traders and colonists settled in Britain. The Romans taught the Britons how to build houses and bridges of stone. They made strong straight stone roads, hundreds of miles long.

Besides, to guard the country against the Picts and the Scots who lived in the hills of Scotland a high wall was built in the north. It was called “Hadrian’s Wall” because it was built by command of the Emperor Hadrian. In fact, they raised two great walls across the island from the east to the west. The walls divided the country into 2 parts, a conquered and unconquered one.

There were different towns in Britain under the Roman occupation, for example: Londinium, Colchester, York, Bath, etc. The houses were built of stone. Sometimes the walls were highly coloured. Many people lived in villages. A kind of provincial Roman life was developing in Britain. The rich people lived in villas.

The Romans held Britons in their power for about 400 years. When Rome itself was in danger they withdrew their troops in 407 to protect the empire from the enemies on the continent. The Romans did not return to Britain because The Roman Empire fell.

In the fifth century some tribes from the northern part of the continent of Europe landed in Britain. They were the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes. Those were wild and fearless people. They settled down in the land they had conquered and became the forefathers of the people of England and a part of Scotland. Several states were formed; one of them was East Anglia [‘æŋgli ə], the land where the Angles lived. Sometime later the people began to call the whole of the southern part of the country the Land of Angles (Angle Land), which became England.

In 1066 the Normans, a people who came from the north of France, conquered England. They were led by William, the Duke of Normandy, who claimed the English throne. He defeated the Saxons under King Harold and became the King of England – William the I or William The Conquer. As the year passed, The Normans and Anglo-Saxons formed the English people.

Little by little England became the strongest of all the states on the British Isles. In the 15th century it conquered Wales. There were many wars between England and Scotland until in 1707, when England and Scotland were united under one king, and became a powerful state. Its name has been Great Britain since then.

4. The British floral symbols

Red Rose. The floral symbol of England is the Red Rose. Earlier, it decorated the arms of the House of Lancaster. The Lancastrians argued for the throne of England with The Yorkists whose arms had a white rose. The war for the throne between The Lancastrians and The Yorkists became known in the history of the country as the War of the Red and White Rose. It lasted 30 years (1455-1485). When The Lancastrians won the war, their arms of the Red Rose became the symbol of the whole England.

The Thistle. The Scottish symbol is a wild plant called the Thistle. At one point the Scandinavians planned to attack a Scottish village. But since the Scots knew they were coming they started to prepare for war. Late at night, the Scandinavians came in their bare feet so as to not awaken the Scottish warriors in the village. But the thorns of the thistle hurt their bare feet. Their howls of pain pierced the silence and the Scots awoke to fight the enemy.

The Leek. The Welsh symbol is a vegetable called the Leek (or, on occasion, the flower, the daffodil). The patron saint of Wales, David, ate only leeks and bread. In memory of this Christian saint, the leek became the symbol of Wales. Daffodils which burst into flames by the 1st of March celebrate the revered Welsh saint.

The Shamrock. The Irish symbol is another wild plant called the Shamrock. This plant helped St. Patrick explain to the people of his country what the Holy Trinity is.

The historic colours  of the parts are: England, WHITE, Scotland, BLUE, Wales, RED, Northern Ireland, GREEN. Sport teams of the nations wear these colours.

5. The Union Jack

The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom.  It was adopted in 1801.

It is red, white and blue and made up of 3 crosses. The red St. George’s cross on a white field symbolizes England. The white St. Andrew’s cross on a blue field symbolizes Scotland. The red St. Patrick’s cross on a white field symbolizes Ireland. St. David, the patron saint of Wales, is not represented on the flag

It all began in 1603 when Scotland was joined to England. The flag was found on the Jack Staff (flag-staff) to show the nationality. A “Jack” by the way is an old word for a sailor that’s why the national flag of the United Kingdom is known as a Union Jack. 

London. Places of interest. (Part I)

        London is the capital of Great Britain, it’s political, economic and cultural center. London is an ancient city. It is more than 20 centuries old. It was found by the Romans. London is one of the biggest cities in the world and in Europe. If we travel to London by air we’ll land at Heathrow airport.

        London stands on the river Thames about 40 miles from its mouth. Due to its geographical position London has developed into an important seaport where ships load and unload cargoes.

The river Thames divides the city into 2 parts – the West End and the East End. So the most important parts of London are the City, the West End and the East End. If the city is the “money” of London, the West End is the “goods” of London; the East End is the “Hands” of London.

The City is the oldest part of London. Most of the streets are narrow here and the traffic is slow. There are a lot of banks and various offices in the City.

The West End is the western part of London where the rich people live

The City and the West End are the heart of the capital. The best cinemas, theatres, concert halls, museums, picture galleries, famous shops, comfortable hotels, restaurants, gardens and parks are situated here.

The most beautiful London park – Hyde Park – is in this district.

The East End is the eastern part of the city and the poorest one. There are many factories and docks there. The buildings are old, the streets are dirty. Poor people live there.

London is famous for its historical places of interest.

Trafalgar Square is the geographical center of London. It was so named to commemorate Admiral Nelson’s victory at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. He destroyed the French fleet in Trafalgar Bay, off the coast of Spain, and didn’t let Napoleon occupy England. The Admiral was killed in the battle. The Nelson Column was erected in the center of Trafalgar Square by a well-known English sculptor Edward Bailey. The height of the monument is 65 metres. The sculpture of Admiral Nelson is high upon the top of the Nelson Column. Its pedestal is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs of famous naval battles and Nelson’s victories. Four bronze lions are guarding the monument (the lions are the work of the English sculptor Landseer). The largest platform at the foot of the monument is often used by the orators during meetings and demonstrations. There is no traffic in the square. People enjoy sitting near the fountains feeding pigeons in Trafalgar Square.

There is the well-known ancient church of St. Martin-in-the Fields in the northeastern corner of the square. Its name reminds us of the time when the church was surrounded by green fields. On the north side of Trafalgar Square are the National Gallery built in 1824 and the National Portrait Gallery, housing the national collection of portraits. The National Gallery has a rich collection of more than 850 masterpieces of all the European schools of painting.

Another famous square in London is Parliament Square with the Houses of Parliament on the left and Westminster Abbey on the right.

The Houses of Parliament is the place where the British Parliament sits. It consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, or as 2 parts are sometimes called, the Upper House and the Lower House.

The building was erected in the Gothic style by an architect Charles Barry. There are 2 towers in the building: the Victoria Tower and the Clock Tower (St. Stephen’s Tower) with the bell Big Ben in it.

When Parliament is sitting, the British Flag flies from the Victoria Tower (the tallest tower of the complex). The light in the Clock Tower at night also shows that Parliament is in session. Visitors can watch the House of Commons and the House of Lords at work from the Stranger’s Gallery.

The Clock Tower is famous for its big bell called Big Ben. The bell chimes every hour to the music of the well-known composer Handel. Big Ben is a symbol of London. It got its name after Sir Benjamin Hall. He was a Member of Parliament, the Chief Lord of the Woods and Forests and he was nicknamed “Big Ben” because of his immense physique. He had the job to see that the bell was put up. One day Sir Benjamin said in Parliament: “Shall we call the bell “St. Stephen’s?” But someone said for a joke: «Why not call it Big Ben? » The clock is huge and has 4 faces. The hour-hands are 9 feet long; the minute-hands are 14 feet long.

By the way, the official name of Houses of Parliament is the Palace of Westminster.

Westminster Abbey is an ancient church in London built in the Gothic style too. It stands opposite the Houses of Parliament. It was founded in the middle of the 11th century by Edward the confessor. In the 13th century the Abbey was pulled down and a new church was to be built, a task which lasted nearly 300 years. Since then the Abbey remains the most French of all English gothic churches because it is higher than any other English church and much narrow. The two West Towers were added even later, in 18th century.

The 1st church in Westminster Abbey was an abbey dedicated to St. Peter. “Wes Minster” means western monastery showing its geographical relation to the City of London. Westminster Abbey is a coronation church. Since William I (or William the Conqueror) most British kings have been crowned here and many of them are buried here. You may see the Ancient Coronation Chair there beneath which is the Stone of Scone King Edward the First had brought it from Scone Abbey in Scotland in 1297 when the Scots were defeated. When Scotland had a separate ruler, on this stone many Scottish kings were crowned here. Westminster Abbey is sometimes compared with a mausoleum because there are tombs and memorials of almost all English monarchs (kings and queens) and other outstanding citizens. You can see the tombs of 2 great queen-rivalries - Elizabeth the First Tudor and Mary Stuart – quite close to each other. The church is full of memorials to states man, writers, artists, scientists, explorers and soldiers.

There is the grave of Unknown Warrior near the West Door of the Abbey.

Two unidentified British soldiers res here, one was killed in the First and the other – in the Second World War. The body of the 1st British Warrior was brought from France and buried here in 1920. The grave commemorates those who gave their lives during the War and that place of burial is unknown. The grave is completely covered with wreathes and bunches of flowers. The inscription on black marble includes the sentence “They buried him among the kings because he had done good toward his House”.  Westminster Abbey is famous for Poets Corner. Many of the greatest writers are buried here: R. Kipling, Ch. Dickens and others. Many poets and writers though not buried in Westminster Abbey are honored by memorials in Poets Corner. They are Shakespeare, Burns, Scott, Thackeray and the great American poet – Longfellow.

London. Places of interest. (Part II)

        Another ancient church in London is St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is said to be one of the finest pieces of architecture in Europe. Old St. Paul’s was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Sir Christopher Wren built a new cathedral. The work began in 1675. Christopher Wren took St. Peter’s in Rome for his model and St. Paul’s became his masterpiece. When Wren made a start he picked out a stone from the heap of ruins and found on it a word in Latin which meant “I shall rise again”. So he made that the 1st stone of the new cathedral. The work on it was completed in 1710, so it took Christopher Wren 35 years to build the cathedral. The architect was very poorly paid. He found his fame only after his death. Christopher Wren was buried in the Cathedral. On his tomb-stone there is an inscription in Latin “If you look for my memorial look about you”. The Cathedral is the 3rd largest church in the whole world. From far away you can see the huge dome with a golden ball and a cross on the top. It’s really a majestic dome. The interior of the Cathedral is very beautiful. Like Westminster Abbey it contains many memorials to famous British artists, musicians and writers, the tombs of a number of famous Englishmen and many fine pieces of English craftsmanship. In this respect it is similar to Westminster Abbey. One of the monuments is dedicated to the Duke of Wellington. Admiral Lord Nelson is buried in the Cathedral. His tomb is situated beneath the center of the dome.

After looking round you can climb 263 steps to the Whispering Gallery, which runs round the dome. Every word pronounced in a whisper here can be heard from the opposite wall. It is decorated with paintings of the life of St. Paul.

There are several bridges in London. One of them is Tower Bridge. It was built across the Thames in 1894. Its two halves can go up and down and let sea-going ships pass through. The bridge also has 2 walkways 45 metres above the Thames and people can cross the river at any time. The bridge is quite modern and interesting with its imposing towers. Tourists have a fine view of the Tower from the Tower Bridge.

The Tower was built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. It was a fortress surrounded by a deep moat, which is now dry. He had it built for 2 purposes: to defend London from invaders and to keep London under the control of his government. The oldest part of Tower is the White Tower (the square building with 4 cupolas). Later many of the monarchs occupied the Tower as a palace. Henry III lived there and had it whitewashed, after which it became known as White Tower. For many years in the 15th and 16th centuries the Tower was a state prison. Many famous prisoners were imprisoned there. The Garden Tower became known as Bloody Tower in 1483, when Richard Duke Gloucester murdered the 2 young princes in the Tower and was crowned the King. Among the famous prisoners are for example the princess-afterwards Queen Elizabeth, 2 wives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.

The Tower of London includes several Towers: the Jewel Tower or the Wakefield Tower (a royal treasure where the Crown Jewels are kept), the White Tower, the Bloody Tower (the scene prisoners loved by London people were secretly executed) and others.

The Tower is now one of London’s tourist attraction and includes a museum and barracks for the soldiers who guard it.

There’s a collection of arms and armory and instruments of torture once used in the Tower. And in the Wakefield Tower, one of the 4 towers lies the Crown Jewels and the Royal Regalia.

James I was the last monarch to use the Tower as a residence. The chief occupants today are the Yeoman Warders or “Beefeaters” in their Tudor costumes and the black ravens – without which, it is said, the Tower will fall. The ravens can’t fly away because their wings are clipped. The ravens have 2 meals a day and there is a special Raven Master who takes care of them. The Yeoman Warders everyday uniform is black and red but their unusual traditional clothes are picturesque. They wear a fine red uniform with its golden and black strips and wide lace collars, which were in fashion during the 16th century. There are 2 letters, E.R., on the front of the tunic. They stand for the Queen’s name, Elizabeth Regina. That means Queen Elizabeth.

The ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London has a very long history: every evening for 700 years the main gate of the Tower has been locked by the Chief Yeoman Warders and an escort of Guards in this colourful ritual.

Another sight in London is Buckingham Palace. It has been the official London residence of the British monarch since 1837.

Buckingham Palace was built as a country house for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 and was bought by King George III in 1762. Buckingham Palace was rebuilt in the 19th century by architect John Nash. Queen Victoria was the 1st monarch to live there and her statue stands in front of the palace. Buckingham Palace is a big grey stone building with a Royal Banner over it. If the Queen is not in London, the flag is taken down and replaced with the ordinary Union Jack.

There is a balcony over the central entrance where the Royal Family usually appears on important occasions.

Those who visit London often come to the Palace to watch the ceremony of Changing of the Queen’s Guard which starts at 11.30 a.m. and lasts for half an hour. It is very picturesque. The soldiers with their red tunics black busbies and white belts make a colourful picture. To the sound of a brass band and words of command, guardsmen form as they change position. At the conclusion of this ceremony each stands still in the pose of a sentry and everything becomes quiet. Londoners love traditions and it is considered that London has preserved them to a greater extent than any other city in England.

Questions

1. On what river does London stand?
2. What sights of London do you know?
3. Where do black ravens live?
4. What is Big Ben?

Презентация «London».

         Первый слайд:    London is the capital of Britain and the United Kingdom. It is one of the world’s largest cities with a population of 6,700,000.

      London was established by the Romans shortly after their invasion of Britain in 43 AD. The Romans built a city a square mile in size, surrounded it with a wall and called it “Londinium” This original site of London is now called the City of London and is only a very small part of it.

          Второй слайд: London is situated upon both banks of the River Thames.

    It   consists of three parts: the City of London, the West End and the East End.

          Третий слайд:  The Tower .It was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison. Now it’s a museum.

          Четвертый слайд:   The Houses of Parliament The buildings in which the British parliament sits. The present Houses of Parliament were built  between 1840-1867

           Пятый слайд:  Big Ben. The Clock Tower is the symbol of London, known as “Big Ben” .          Шестой слайд:  Westminster Abbey.  Is the crowning and burial place of British monarchs. It has its world famed Poet’s Corner with memorials to Chaucer, Shakespeare, Kipling and other leading writers. Many outstanding people are buried here: Newton, Darwin, Dickens and others.  

          Седьмой слайд:The Tower Bridge. One of London’s best-known landmarks. It is over the River Thames near the Tower of London and the last bridge before the sea.

          Восьмой слайд: Buckingham Palace. The Palace is the official home of the British royal family. When the flag is flying on the top the Queen is at home. This palace contains almost 600 rooms.

           Девятый слайд:  Trafalgar Square. Trafalgar Square is so named in commemoration of Nelson’s great victory. In the middle stands the famous Nelson Column with the statue of Nelson 170 feet high so as  to allow him a view of the sea.  The column stands in the geographical center of London.  

           Десятый слайд:  The British Museum.  It’s the national museum of Britain, founded in 1753. It has one of the world’s best collections of art and archaeological  treasures.

          Одиннадцатый слайд: Piccadilly Circus . This square is a well-known road junction in central London. It’s such a focal point on special occasions, such as a Coronation or on New Year’s Eve

           Двенадцатый слайд:  Famous streets. Downing street,10 – the London residence of Prime Minister . Fleet street is the area where most of the important newspaper offices used to be.

              Тринадцатый слайд:  Modern London. Barbican Arts Centre is a large cultural centre in London  opened in 1982.It contains a conference hall, a theatre, cinemas, an art gallery, a library and some bars and restaurants