МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ БЕЛАРУСЬ
УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ
"МОГИЛЕВСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ
им. А. А. КУЛЕШОВА"
GREAT BRITAIN
Методические рекомендации
Составители:
Т.В. Ситникова,
И.Л. Хальчицкая
Могилев
МГУ им. А. А. Кулешова
2002
ДК 802.0
ББК 81.43.21
В27
Рецензент
старший преподаватель кафедры
теории и практики английского языка
МГУ им. А.А. Кулешова
И.И. Лукьянова
Печатается по решению редакционно-издательского и
экспертного совета МГУ им. А. А. Кулешова
Great Britain (Великобритания): Методические рекомендации /Сост.:
Т.В.Ситникова, И.Л. Хальчицкая. – Могилев: МГУ им. А. А. Кулешова,
2002. – 34 с.
Методические рекомендации предназначены для студентов неязыковых
факультетов. Целью является развитие навыков устной речи по теме
"Великобритания". В рекомендации включены тексты по данной теме и упражнения к
ним. Система упражнений включает обучающие и контрольно-проверочные
задания. Отдельные тексты, и задания могут быть использованы при обучении
чтению литературы по специальности.
УДК 802.0
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© Составление, Ситникова Т.В.,
Хальчицкая И.Л., 2002
©Учреждение образования
"МГУ им. А. А. Кулешова, 2002
Part I
THE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION
OF GREAT BRITAIN
The Flag of Great Britain
Read the text, translate it into Russian. Use the Vocabulary.
The Union Flag is so called because it embodies the emblems of three
countries united under one sovereign. It is colloquially known as the Union
Jack. So the Union Jack is a combination of the banners of England, Scotland
and Ireland. The Welsh Flag does not appear on the Union Flag.
Vocabulary:
to embody – воплощение;
a sovereign – монарх;
colloquially – в разговорной речи;
banner – флаг.
Territory of the British Isles
Read the texts, translate them into Russian. Use the Vocabulary.
Great Britain lies to the north – west of Europe and includes a group of
islands. Britain, formally known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, occupies the greater part of the islands.
It consists of England, Wales, Scotland and the northern part of Ireland.
The UK's area is about 244.000 square kilometers. From South to North it
stretches for over 900 km, and it is about 500 km across in the widest part and
60 km in the narrowest. Due to the numerous bays and inlets no place in
Britain is as much as 120 km from the sea coast line.
All in all there are over 5000 islands in the system of the British Isles. The
major parts are Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands, Hebrides Islands, the Isle of
Man, the Isle of Wight, Angelesey and others. The total area of British Isles is
more than 322.000 sq. km.
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From the European continent the British Isles are separated by the English
Channel and the North Sea. The English Channel in its widest part in the west
is 220 km. wide, and in the narrowest, what is called the Strait-of-Dover, only
32 km. Today England and France are connected by the underwater tunnel
which is 69 km. long.
In the west the British Isles are washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the east
by the North Sea, The two largest islands, Britain and Ireland, are separated
from each other by the Irish Sea and the two straights, the North Channel and
St. George's Channel.
The British Isles are known for their greatly indented coastline. Therefore
there are a lot of bays and harbours, peninsulas and capes there. That makes
a location of small ports very easy. The largest ports are: London, Liverpool,
Glasgo and etc.
Vocabulary:
to occupy – занимать;
a bay – бухта, залив;
an inlet – бухта, залив;
a tunnel – тоннель,
indented – неровный;
a strait – узкий пролив;
a coastline – побережье;
a harbour – гавань;
a peninsula – полуостров;
a cape – мыс;
Rivers and Lakes
There is a wide network of rivers in Great Britain, but they are not long.
The rivers are navigable.
Mild maritime climate keeps them free of ice throughout the winter
months.
The largest river of Great Britain is the Severn (390 km). The Thames is
332 km. There are also the Clyde, the Mersey, the Shannon, the Tweed and
etc.
The largest lake in Great Britain and the biggest loch in Scotland is Loch
Lomond (~ 70 sq. km). Although the longest lake is Loch Ness (56 sq. km),
which also has the greatest volume of water in it.
In England the largest lake is Lake Windermere (15 sq. km). The largest
fresh water lake in the British Isles Is Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland (381
sq. km).
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Vocabulary:
a network – сеть;
navigable – судоходный;
a loch – озеро (шотл.);
a volume – объем.
Climate and Weather
Britain has a generally mild and moderate climate, which is dominated by
marine influences and is rainy and equable. Britain's climate is much milder
than that in any other country in the same latitudes. This is partly due to Gulf
Stream and partly to the fact that north-west Europe lies in the westerly windbelt This means that not only marine influences warm the land in winter and
cool it in summer, but also that the winds blowing over the Atlantic have a
similar effect and at the same time carry large amounts of rain to the British
Isles.
Britain's Climate is generally one of mild winters and cool summers, with
rain through out the year. It is not so hot in England in summer as on the
continent. July is the warmest month. October is often the rainiest month of the
year. It seldom snows. February is the coldest month in Great Britain. But
climate is different in different parts of the country. In Scotland the climate is
colder than in England.
Vocabulary:
marine – морской;
equable – ровный;
latitude – широта;
wind-belt – зона ветров одного направления.
Vegetation
Vegetation of Great Britain was greatly influenced by the man. Only in the
more remote parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands the original
vegetation remains. The "natural vegetation" in the true sense of the term has
practically disappeared from Britain, and most of the present cover (grass and
trees) is known as semi-natural.
With its mild climate, a wide variety of relief and soils Britain has a great
pattern of vegetation. One can see oak, ash, maple, elm hazel, and spruce
trees.
Today only two original forests remained: the New Forest In Hampshire
and Sherwood Forest In Nottinghamshire. These forests mainly survived to the
fact that In Middle Ages they were set aside as
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"Royal Forests" for hunting. The greatest density of woodland is in the north
and the east of Scotland, in some parts of south-east England and on the
Welsh border.
Vocabulary:
remote - отдаленный, уединенный;
semi - полу-, наполовину;
an oak-дуб;
an ash - ясень,
a maple - клен;
an elm - вяз;
a hazel - орешник;
a spruce - канадская ель.
Population
In number of population Great Britain holds one of the first places among
the European countries. In 2001 – 57,4 million people lived in Great Britain.
English form 82%, Scottish – 10%, Irish – 2%, Welsh – 2%. In the second half
of the 20-th century the number of people came from Commonwealth
countries settled in the country Today Indian and Pakistany form about 2% of
the population. Over 90% of the population live in towns.
Principle religion is Church of England and Roman – Catholic.
Today in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland English is the
language predominantly spoken. In Wales, Welsh, a form of British Celtic is
spoken by about 20 % of the population. In Scotland over 80.000 persons
speak the Scottish form of Gaelic. A few families in N. Ireland still speak the
Irish form of Gaelic.
Some of the country's ethnic minorities formed as a result of recent
immigration have their own languages, normally as well as English.
Great Britain is an Ireland. This peculiar geographical situation has
produced a certain spirit among its inhabitants. A little more than other
people, the British regard their own community as the center of the world.
Englishman are rather conservative, they love familiar things. This
conservatism may be illustrated by the attitude of the British to the monarchy.
Vocabulary:
Commonwealth – содружество;
predominantly – зд. главным образом;
Celtic – Кельтский язык;
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Gaelic - Галльский язык;
a minority - меньшинство;
peculiar-отличительный, особый;
spirit - дух, настрой;
inhabitants - жители;
to form - составлять;
ethnic - этнический;
to regard - признавать;
community - общество;
conservative - консервативный, сдержанный.
Section Review
I. Find the English equivalents for the following:
- включать группу островов;
- европейский континент;
- неровная береговая линия;
- площадь государства;
- судоходные реки;
- мягкий, умеренный климат;
- уединенное место;
- природная растительность;
- этническое меньшинство;
- проявление консерватизма.
II. Answer the questions:
1. Why is the state flag of the UK called the Union Jack?
2. Where are the British Isles situated?
3. How many islands are there in the system of the British Isles?
4. What is the climate of Great Britain?
5. What factors influence the variations (изменение) in the climate of
Great Britain?
6. What rivers and lakes do you know on the territory of the British Isles?
7. Is the UK a multinational state?
8. What vegetation can one see in Great Britain?
9. Why has the "natural vegetation" disappeared in Great Britain?
III. Complete the sentences:
1. Great Britain consists of. . .
2. The British Isles are separated from the continent by . . .
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3. British climate is .. .
4. The longest river is . . .
5. The largest lake is .. .
6. Britain has a great pattern of vegetation. One can see . . .
7. Today there are two original forests . ..
8. British population is . . .
IV. Show on the map the location of the British Isles.
V. Do you remember?
1. How is Britain connected with the continent?
2. The main religion in the country.
3. A certain spirit among the inhabitants.
Pats II
PARTS OF GREAT BRITAIN
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make one state -the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and N. Ireland (the United Kingdom).
England is in the south of the island of Great Britain, Scotland is in the
north, Wales is in the west and N. Ireland is situated in the northeastern part of
Ireland.
England
England occupies the largest part of the island of Great Britain, It has an
area of more than 50.000 sq. miles and a population of more than 46 million
people. The capital of England is London.
England can be devided into two major parts:
1) south - east and midlands are a plain;
2) the most of England is more hilly.
There are two groups of mountains in the north: Pennins and Camberland
mountains.
Across the north end of the Pennine Range there are the grassy Cheviot
Hills. They separate England from Scotland Between the mountains there is
the Lake District where many tourists resort every year.
England is devided into counties - it is the main administrative unit of the
country.
Tills region is an agricultural area.
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Wales
Wales is a country in the west of Great Britain. It has an area of more than
8.000 sq. miles and a population of about 3 million people. The capital of
Wales is Cardiff.
Wales is a mountanious country. The mountain ranges are called the
Cambrian mountains. The highest mountain Snowdon (1,085 m.) Snowdon is
included into the territory of Snowdonia - a national park famous for its
picturesque mountain scenery and unusual tropical plants.
Only 6 percent of Wales is covered by forest, and much of the country is
pasture-Land for sheep and cattle. It is rich in mineral resources.
Administratively Wales is devited into counties.
Scotland
Scotland is a country in the north of Great Britain. Besides the mainland
Scotland includes several islands: the Hebrides, Orkneys and Shetlands.
Scotland may be devided into three regions:
1. the Highlands in the north;
2. the Uplands in the south;
3. the Lowlands in the middle.
The highest mountains are the Grampians Ben Nevis is the highest
mountain in the Grampians. Its hight is 1,343 m.
There are many mountain lakes in Scotland, including Loch Lomond and
Loch Ness. Loch
Ness is probably Britain's best know lake because of the so-called Loch
Ness monster named Nessy - a large prehistoric creature said to be living in
the deep waters of the lake (in some places it is over 213 metres in depth), but
not scientifically proved to exist. Administratively S. consists of 9 regions and
three island areas. Scotland is rich in mineral resources and has a highly
developed industry, with its numerous lochs, mountains, islands and ancient
castles, Scotland is rightly regarded as a beautiful country.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is the smallest component of the United Kingdom,
occupying one sixth of the territory of the island of Ireland. It consists of 26
districts. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.
Northern Ireland occupies the north-east corner of Ireland. There are
mountains in the north and in the south, separated by the basin of Lough
Neagh, the largest lake in the whole of the British Isles.
The climate of Northern Ireland is wet and mild. The largest Industry is
agriculture.
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Vocabulary:
midlands – центральная часть страны;
resort – курорт;
picturesque – живописный;
scenery - пейзаж;
an area - область;
a county ~графство, округ;
a pasture - Land - пастбище;
a range - цепь (гор.)
Section Review
I. Read the text, translate it into Russian. Retell the text.
II.Ate the statesments true or false? Correct the false statesments:
1. Scotland is a country in the south of Great Britain.
2. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.
3. Wales is the smallest component of Great Britain.
4. The Largest industry in Scotland is agriculture.
5. England is a mountanious country.
6. The highest mountain in Scotland is Snowdon.
7. Administratively England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are
devided into counties.
III. Show on the map and describe the geographical position of all the
four parts of the U.K. Name the capitals of England. Scotland, Wales,
Northern Ireland.
IV. Prove the following statesment. There are a lot of places in the U.K.
which attract tourists because of their picturesque scenery.
Part I I I
BRITISH NATIONAL ECONOMY
Place of Britain in the World Economy
Within the most developed capitalist countries of the world Great Britain
has lost its former position as the leading industrial nation. Today Britain
ranks 12"1 in terms of its gross domestic product (GDP) per head (1998).
As the result of World War I the country lost its monopoly in world trade.
After World War II Britain lost its colonial empire. At. the same time
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the country had an increasing growth of monopolies with their further mergers.
The export of capital abroad continues to be the main factor of its
development. The most significant change in Britain's trade took place after
1973 when the country joined the European Economic Community.
The British economy is based on private enterprise. Some of the industries
are nationalized.
Only part of public transport, the power industry, the coal mines, some
steel and manufacturing plants are governed by the state. The nuclear
industry is also in the public sector.
In recent years new industries have made serious progress such as
aerospace, chemicals, oil, gas, electronics, biotechnology. At the same time
the traditional old industries such as steel, coal production, shipbuilding,
production of textiles have met serious difficulties and declined
Agriculture supplies nearly two-thirds of the countries food and employs
about 2,5 per cent of Britain's employed labour force More than two-thirds of
the arable lands and pastures belong to the landlords.
The structure of the British economy has underwent serious changes
common to all developed capitalist countries there has been a rise in the
importance of services.
Despite government policies there has been a marked growth of
concentration of industry in the traditional industrial regions, especially in
South-East England. The reason is that the South has the advantages for the
location of modern industry.
Vocabulary:
rank - занимать;
gross domestic product - валовой национальный продукт;
merge -слияние;
manufacturing - производство;
nuclear industry-ядерная промышленность;
decline -спад;
private enterprise - частное предпринимательство;
to supply - обеспечивать;
to employ - нанимать;
labour force - трудовые ресурсы;
arable lands - пахотная земля;
pastures - пастбище.
Chief industries
Manufacturing plays a vital role in the economy. It accounts for 25 per
cent of GDP and employees 25% of the labour force. Most manufacturing is in
private hands. It accounts for 75% oft he export.
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Electricity is mainly generated by steam power stations, gas turbines and
oil engines (80%). 18% are made by nuclear plants Today there are 20
nuclear power stations in operation in Great Britain 1% of the electricity is
produced by hydro – electric plants and 1% by wind generators.
Metals. Britain's largest manufacturing industry is iron and steel industry.
Aluminium copper, lead, zink are also important products. Great Britain
doesn't have many important ores and has to import many metals from
abroad.
Electronics is developing very fast and is one of the most important
sectors of British economy. The Thames valley is an area of concentration of
high technology industries such as electronic engineering, microelectronics,
etc., and has been called "Sunrise Strip".
The Motor Vehicle Industry. Once the largest manufacturing industry
today it still makes a lot of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Output of
them is dominated by four large monopoly groups: Rover, Ford, Vauxhall and
Peugeot. About 50 per cent of capital investments in the motor industry belong
to American companies.
Car manufacturing is concentrated in the Midlands, in the
Birmingham/Coventry area in London area, near Liverpool and in Scotland.
Britain is a major producer and exporter of agricultural tractors.
AEROSPACE INDUSTRY is the largest in Western Europe. The most
famous companies are British Aerospace, Rolls-Roys and the Shot Brothers.
The products of the industry include civil and military aircraft, helicopters,
aero engines, guided weapons and space vehicles
SHIPBUILDING has a long established tradition. British ships are
famous the world over. But today the industry is alarmingly contracted and
many jobs have been lost.
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY is developing intensively and accounts for
about 16 per cent of British manufacturing exports, placing the country among
the main chemical exporting nations of the world. The largest concentration of
the heavy chemical industry is in the south Lancashire - north Chesire area.
The most important centre of this area is Warrington.
TEXTILE industry is one of the oldest and traditional British industries. It
includes cotton and woolen manufacturing. British woolen products are still
considered the best, especially from Scotland. But today it has some
difficulties because of increased competition of other countries. Lancashire
and Yorkshire are the centres of textiles.
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AGRICULTURE is one of the most important British industries. It
supplies nearly two-thirds of the country's food. It employs 2,5 per cent of the
able-bodied population.
Nearly 80 per cent of the land area is used for the agriculture. The area for
the farming is declining about 20.000 hectares each year. Soils vary from poor
in the Highlands to very fatile in the low line areas in the east and south-east.
There are about 250.000 farming units.
However due to the competition today the number of small farms under 20
hectares is decreasing.
Most of the farms specialize in dairying or cattle-breeding. Sheep and
cattle are bread in Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland and northern and south-western
England.
As regards the cereals wheat takes the lead. It is cultivated on over 40 per
cent of the total cropland. Barley follows next covering about 40 percent of
the total cropland. Potato and vegetable production is spread mostly in the
south-east of the country.
Woodland covers about 9% of the total area. Most woods of the country are
in Scotland and England. Private woods comprise 60% of the total forest area.
British imports over 90% of its timber mainly from Scandinavia and Russia.
Britain's second source of food is the surrounding sea. The FISHING
INDUSTRY provides 70% of British fish supplies. Today the main fishing
ports are Crimsby, Hull, Aberdeen, Ullapool, etc.
Vocabulary:
steam - теплоэлектростанция;
nuclear - ядерная установка;
ore - руда;
iron - железо;
steel - сталь;
copper-медь;
lead - свинец;
zink - цинк;
motor vehicle - транспортное средство;
aircraft - самолет;
guided weapons - управляемое оружие;
space vehicles - космическое средство;
to contract - сокращать;
fatile soil - плодородная почва;
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to decrease - сокращать, уменьшать;
dairy - молокопродукты;
cattle-breeding - разведение скота;
wheat - пшеница;
barley - ячмень;
Mineral resources
The rise of Britain as an industrial nation in the 18-19-th centuries was
partly due to the presence of considerable mineral resources and sources of
power. The two chief minerals on which the Industrial Revolution was based
were coal and iron ore. Britain had enough non-ferrous metals too-copper,
lead, tin.
But in the 20-th century the situation had changed. Many of British
deposits had been worked out.
At the same time Britain has become increasingly oriented towards lighter
industry. The absence in Great Britain of high-grade iron ore, manganese,
chrome, nickel and other rare metals makes the country greatly dependent on
imported raw materials
Coal. Once major industry and employment source today the branch has
declined greatly. It extracts about 100 mm. tons and employs 200.000 people.
The number of working pits had fallen from 960 to 98. Most coal comes from
Yorkshire and Midlands, which produce about 60% of Britain output.
According to scientific estimations Britain will have enough coal for 300
more years.
Iron Ore. Most of the iron fields in Britain are to be found in the areas of
major coal basins. This created favourable conditions for the development of
metallurgical industry, especially at early stages of its history. But about 1850
most of the best iron ores had been worked out. At the beginning of the 1990
Britain could produce only 300.000 tons a year. So, practically all the iron ore
for the metallurgical industry of the country is imported.
As a century ago Britain still needs the majority of non-ferrous metals
indispensable for her economy. Nearly all of them manganese, copper, tin,
zinc - are imported too.
Oil and Gas. As the importance of coal declined, oil became increasingly
significant. The first oil was brought ashore from the North Sea in 1975.
Today Britain produces about 125 mln. tons of oil a year. It has about 40 fields
producing oil. The largest are Brend Ecofisk and Hurtles. Practically all of
them are located in the North Sea. Major gas deposits are situated closer lo the
eoasl In the North Sea. The largest
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gas field is Viking. So Britain has become self-sufficient in gas and oil and
even an exporter mainly to the USA and Germany.
Non-metallic minerals. A great variety of non-metallic minerals is
produced in Britain. Most of them are common rocks for building purposes,
clay, chalk, sand and gravel different kinds of salts, kaolin and other
minerals.
Vocabulary:
coal - уголь;
iron ore - железная руда;
поп - ferrous metals - цветные металлы;
manganese;
raw materials;
clay - глина;
chalk - мел;
gravel - гравий.
Section Review
I. Answer the questions:
1. What was the place of Britain in the world economy?
2. What events in Britain's economy took place in the 20-th century?
3. What branches of industry are paid great attention to?
4. What is the British economy based on?
II. Write out from the text:
a) the main features of the British economy;
b) the main British industries.
III. Complete the sentences with the best answer (a, b, or c).
1. Many of Britain's most valuable deposits of non-ferrous metals have
been:
a) developed;
b) worked out;
c) exhausted.
2. At the same time British industry has become increasingly oriented
towards:
a) heavier industry;
b) lighter industry;
c) agriculture.
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3. Most of the iron fields in Britain are to be found in the areas of major
coal basins, and this created favourable conditions for the development of:
a) chemical industry;
b) metallurgical industry;
c) textile industry.
IV. Speak briefly about the main mineral resources of Great Britain.
Part IV
POLITICAL SYSTEM
Great Britain - a Constitutional Monarchy
Read the text, translate it into Russian. Retell the text.
The United Kingdom is one of the few countries in the world where a
constitutional monarchy has remained with its old customs, traditions and
ceremonies. The British constitution is not a single document. There is no
written constitution in Great Britain. It is formed by Acts of parliament, bills
and conventions.
.Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, and the Crown is a permanent
and continuous institution. According to the Constitution, the powers of the
Crown are very great. Every action of the government is carried out in its
name. But the Queen cannot act independently. She may exercise these powers
only on the advice of her ministers, who are responsible politically to
Parliament.
In Britain they look to the Queen not only as their head of State, but also as
the "symbol of their nation's unity". The royal title in the United Kingdom is:
"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen,
Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. The seat of the monarchy
is in the United Kingdom. The Queen personifies the State. The Queen reigns
but does not rule. She never vetoes bills passed by Parliament.
Although the Queen is deprived of actual power, she has retained many
important, though formal, functions. She summons and dissolves Parliament,
gives approval to Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament, she appoints
government ministers, judges, officers in the armed forces, governors,
diplomats and bishops of the Church of England. The Queen appoints the
Prime Minister (usually the leader of the political party which has a majority
In the House of Commons) to form a government. As head of State the Queen
has, in international affairs,
14
the power to declare war and make peace, to recognize foreign states and
governments, to conclude treaties, etc. She gives audiences to her ministers
and other officials at home and overseas, receives accounts of Cabinet
decisions. She is informed and consulted on every aspect of national life.
The Queen is also head of the Commonwealth, and is head of State in 14
of its 41 member countries. The royal family is the main aristocratic house in
the country It is the biggest landowner in Britain. Today the monarchy is also
one of the great attractions for tourists.
Vocabulary:
account - отчет, доклад;
to appoint - назначать;
armed, forces - вооруженные силы;
Commonwealth - Содружество;
to declare - объявлять;
to dissolve - распускать (парламент и т.п.);
monarchy - монархия;
to permanent - постоянный;
to personify - олицетворять, воплащатъ;
to reign - царствовать;
to remain - оставаться;
responsible - ответственный;
to summon - созывать (собрания, парламент);
References
Commonwealth- межгосударственное объединение Великобритании и
большинства бывших английских доминионов, колоний и зависимых
территорий. Устава или конституции, определяющих характер,
структуру и цели Содружества, не имеет. Население около 900
миллионов человек.
Defender of the Faith - один из титулов английского монарха со
времен Генриха VIII (титул был присвоен Генриху VIII за его книгу
против Лютера).
Section Review
I. Fill in the blanks with the correct words.
1. The United Kingdom is one of the few countries in the world where
__________ a has retained.
15
2. The Crown is a _____ and _____ institution.
3. Although the Queen is deprived of _____ power, she has retained
many important, though formal, ______ .
4. She _____ and _____ Parliament, _____ government ministers,
judges, officers in the _____ .
5. She (the Queen) gives ____ to her ministers and other officials at
home and overseas, receives _____ of Cabinet decisions.
6. The Queen is also head of the _____ , and is head of State in _____
of its ____ member countries.
7. The ____ family is the main aristocratic house in the country
and today the ____ is also one of the great attractions for tourists.
II. Are the statements true or false?
1. Two characteristics of the British Constitution confuse most foreigners:
there is no written constitution, it is not contained in any single document.
2. Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, and the Crown is a
permanent and continuous institution.
3. The Queen's powers in Britain are unlimited and can act independently.
4. The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party which has a
majority in the House of Commons.
5. As head of State the Queen, in international affairs, has no power to
declare war and make peace, to recognize foreign states and governments, to
conclude treaties.
6. The royal family is the main aristocratic house in the country and the
biggest landowner in Europe.
III. Answer the questions.
1. Explain the statement: "Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy".
2. Who is the constitutional monarch of Great Britain now? Is the Queen's
power hereditary or elective?
3. What is the relationship between the Queen and the Parliament In
Britain?
4. What are the formal functions retained by the Queen? What functions
does she have in home and international affairs?
5. How do you think who is the virtual ruler of the country? Explain the
following sentence: "The power of the monarch is not absolute but
constitutional".
16
IV. Points for discussion.
1. The constitutional monarchy in modern society.
2. The symbol of nation's unity.
Texts for Additional Reading
Read the text, translate it into Russian and retell in English. Use the
Vocabulary.
NER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
Background
The present British sovereign is Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth is
one of the Windsors. The dynasty inherited the Crown in 1917.
Elizabeth was born in London on 21 April 1926, the first child of the Duke
and Duchess of York, subsequently King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
Five weeks later she was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in the chapel at
Buckingham Palace.
Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her
younger sister. After her father succeeded to the throne in 1936 and she
became heir presumptive, she started to study constitutional history and law.
She also studied art and music; learned to ride (she has been a keen
horsewoman since early childhood); and enjoyed amateur theatricals and
swimming.
With the outbreak of war in 1939, there was some suggestion that the
Queen and her daughters should evacuate to North America, but throughout
the Second World War the Queen and the Princesses shared the dangers and
difficulties of the rest of the nation. They were in Buckingham Palace when it
was bombed in September 1940. The Queen and the King visited badly
damaged areas throughout the country after the air-raids, and toured Britain
visiting hospitals, factories and troops.
In early 1945 Princess Elizabeth was made a junior officer in the
Auxiliarv Territorial Service (ATS). By the end of the war she had reached the
rank of Junior Commander, having completed her course at № 1 Mechanical
training Centre of ATS and passed out as a fully qualified driver.
Marriage and Family
In 1947 the Princess's engagement to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten was
announced. The couple, who had known each other
17
for many years, were married in Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947.
Lieutenant Mountbatten, now His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh, was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and a great-greatgrandson of Queen Victoria.
The Royal couple had four children, and so far have six grand children.
Prince Charles, now the Prince of Wales, heir apparent t the throne, was
born in 1948, and his sister, Princess Anne, now the Princess Royal, two years
later.
After Princess Elizabeth became Queen, their third child, Prince Andrew,
arrived in I960 and the fourth- Prince Edward, in 1964 Prince Andrew and
Prince Edward were the first children to be bon. to a reigning monarch since
Queen Victoria had her family.
Their grandchildren are Peter and Zara Phillips (b. 1977 and 1981); Prince
William of Wales and Prince Henry of Wales (b. 1982 and 1984); and
Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York (b. 1988 and 1990).
Accession and Coronation
After her marriage Princess Elizabeth paid formal visits with the Duke of
Edinburgh to different countries. In 1948 her parents - the King and Queen celebrated their Silver Wedding. Sadly, the King's health was getting worse.
The last major public occasion that he and the Queen attended together was
the opening of the Festival of Britain in May 1951. In 1952, King George VI’s
illness forced him to abandon his proposed visit to Australia and New
Zealand. The Princess, accompanied by Prince Philip, took his place.
On6February 1952, during their journey in Kenya, she received the news of
her father's death at Sandringham and her own accession to the throne.
Her Majesty's coronation took place in Westminster Abbey on 2 June
1953. Representatives of the peers, the Commons, the Prime Ministers and
leading citizens of the other Commonwealth countries, and representatives of
foreign states were present. The ceremony was broadcast on radio around the
world and, at the Queen's request, on television. The coronation was followed
by drives through every part of London, and by visits to Scotland, Northern
Ireland and Wales.
Work as Monarch
The Queen and Prince Philip make visits to other countries at the
Invitation of foreign Heads of State. Since her coronation, the Queen has also
visited nearly every county in Britain, seeing new developments
18
and achievements in industry, agriculture, education, the arts, medicine and
sport and many other aspects of national life.
As Head of State, the Queen keeps up close contact with the Prime
Minister, with whom she has a weekly audience when she is in London, and
with other Ministers of the Crown. She sees all Cabinet papers and the records
of Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings. She receives important Foreign
Office telegrams and a daily summary of events in Parliament.
Her Majesty acts as host to the Heads of State of Commonwealth and other
countries when they visit Britain, and receives other notable visitors from
overseas.
During her visits to other Commonwealth countries she presents honours
to people who have distinguished themselves in public life.
As Sovereign, Her Majesty is head of the Navy, Army and Air Force of
Britain. On becoming Queen she succeeded her father as Colonel-in-Chief of
all the Guards Regiments and the Corps of Royal Engineers and as CaptainGeneral of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Honourable Artillery
Company. The Queen is also the head of the Commonwealth countries.
The Queen is Patron or President of over 700 organisations.
Her interests
Her Majesty takes a keen and highly knowledgeable interest in horses. She
attends the Derby at Epsom, one of the classic flat races in Britain, and the
Summer Race Meeting at Ascot, which has been a Royal occasion since 1911.
As an owner and breeder of thoroughbreds, she often visits other race
meetings to watch her horses run.
Vocabulary:
accession – вступление (на престол);
background – происхождение; биографические данные;
Commons = the House of Commons – палата общин;
duchess – герцогиня;
engagement – помолвка;
flat race – скачка без препятствий;
heir – наследник;
heir apparent – бесспорный наследник;
heir presumptive – предполагаемый наследник:
highness – высочество (титул);
junior officer – младший офицер;
19
lieutenant – лейтенант (морской);
peer – пэр, лорд;
request – просьба;
so far – пока, до сих пор;
sovereign – монарх;
subsequently – впоследствии, позже;
to succeed – сменять к.-л. (быть преемником).
References
Windsors – Династия Виндзоров.
Buckingham Palace – Бакингемский дворец, королевская резиденция в
Лондоне.
Westminster Abbey – Вестминстерское аббатство, место коронации
английских монархов.
Sanddringham – Over a century has passed since Sanddringham House
first came into royal possesion. It has been the private home of four
generations of monarchs. Its present owner is Her Majesty the Queen. She
usually celebrates Christmas at] Windsor Castle, and moves to Sanddringham
for the New Year. In 1977 Sandringham was first opened to the public.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is the name of the present British sovereign?
2. Where was Princess Elizabeth educated? What subjects did she study?
3. Did the Royal family leave London with the outbreak of World War II?
4. When did Princess Elizabeth become Queen Elizabeth?
5. Where and when did Her Majesty's coronation take place?
6. Who is Queen Elizabeth's heir apparent to the throne?
7. What are the main functions of Queen Elizabeth as a monarch?
8. What is the Queen's keen interest?
Part V
MOTHER OF PARLIAMENTS
Read the text, translate it into Russian. Use the Vocabulary.
Great Britain is known as mother of parliaments. The Parliament,
consisting of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, is the centre of
British politics.
20
One of the fundamental principles of the unwritten constitution is the
sovereignty of Parliament. It means that Parliament has unlimited power in the
legislative and the executive spheres and that there is no institution that can
declare its acts unconstitutional. The Parliament can make, unmake, change
any law or destroy established conventions.
The supreme legislative authority in Great Britain, Parliament resides, in
Westminster Palace, and all its power is concentrated in the House of
Commons, which is elected by the adult population of the country. The House
of Commons is the centre of parliamentary power. It is the main law-making
organ. It is elected every five years. The whole of the UK is divided into 650
electoral districts. Each district elects one member of the House of Commons.
The minimum voting age is 18. Voting is on the same day (usually a Thursday)
in all districts, and the voting stations are kept open from seven in the morning
until nine at night.
As soon as the results of a general election are known, it is clear which
party will form the government. The leader of the majority party becomes
Prime Minister. The Queen appoints him (her). Then the Prime Minister
forms the Cabinet of Ministers, which is responsible for all Government
decisions. The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its
leader and "shadow cabinet".
The chief officer of the House of Commons is the Speaker an impartial
member acceptable to the whole House. He is elected by the House at the
beginning of each Parliament.
The House of Lords is composed of about 1,200 members. They are the
Lords Spiritual (2 Archbishops and 24 Bishops of the Church of England)
and the Lords Temporal consisting of all hereditary peers (about 800),
because their fathers were peers before them, all life peers and peeresses
whose title's are not passed on to their children. They are officially appointed
by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. Sometimes a prominent
politician is made a peer, sometimes a leading civil servant who has served
the country well. As a result, about one – third of the Lords today are not
representatives of hereditary nobility, but company directors, bankers,
newspaper proprietors and other businessmen.
The Lord Chancellor presides over the House as its Speaker and is sitting
on a large couch known as the Woolsack, a symbol surviving from the
fourteenth century when wool was England's staple trade. There is no Minister
of Justice in Britain, but the Lord Chancellor performs some of the functions
which would normally belong to a Minister of Justice if there was one.
21
The House of Lords is not an elective body. The House of Lords like the
Monarch has now lost most of its powers and cannot influence the process of
decision-making in Parliament. It is the House of Commons which is the
dominant part of the legislature.
Parliament's main function is to make laws. The procedure of making new
laws is as follows: a member of the House of Commons proposes a bill, which
is discussed by the House. If the bill is approved, it is sent to the House of
Lords, which, in case it does not like it, has the right to veto it for one year. If
the House of Commons passes the bill again the following year, the House of
Lords cannot reject it. Finally the bill is sent to the Queen for the "royal
assent", after which it becomes a law.
The focal point in the Chamber of the House of Lords is the gilded Throne.
The Queen enters the Palace of Westminster only on the day of the State
Opening of Parliament at the beginning of a session. Crowned and wearing
many of the finest Crown Jewels, she makes her speech from the Throne in the
House of Lords.
Before the Throne in the House of Lords, and dividing the benches, is the
Woolsack upon which the Lord Chancellor presides over the lords. The
arrangement of seating in both Houses of Parliament reflects the nature of the
party system. The Peers benches, covered in red leather, are arranged in five
rows on either side of the House. Members of the Government and their
supporters are to the right of the Throne, and those of the Opposition to the
left. The galleries are reserved for diplomats and distinguished strangers or
guests, and reporters.
Before every sitting of the House of Commons, the Speaker wearing wig
and gown walks in procession to the Chamber from his residence within the
Royal Palace. The benches in the House of Commons are covered in green
leather. The floor of the House is covered by a green carpet bearing on either
side a red stripe, over which no Member may cross when addressing the
House. The front bench on the Speaker's right is for the Prime Minister and the
leading members of the Government. The Leader of Opposition and his
supporters are on the Speaker's left.
A typically British institution in the House of Commons is Question Time.
It is a period when for an hour (from 2.30 until 3.30 p.m.) each afternoon on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday members of Parliament may
question any minister on the work of his department and the Prime Minister on
general national policy.
22
Vocabulary:
acceptable – желанный;
to appoint – назначать;
bill – законопроект;
bishop – епископ;
decision-making – принятие решений;
distinguished quest – почетный гость;
to divide into – делить на, подразделять;
to elect – выбирать;
hereditary – наследственный;
House of Commons – палата общин;
House of Lords – палата лордов;
impartial – справедливый, беспристрастный;
leading civil servant – ведущий государственный служащий;
legislative – законодательный;
legislature – законодательная власть, законодательное учреждение;
life peer – пожизненный пэр;
the Lords Spiritual and Temporal – лорды духовные и светские;
nobility – знать;
to make a speech – произнести речь;
to make a speech – произнести речь;
peer – пэр, лорд;
peeress – женщина имеющая титул пэра;
to preside over – председательствовать на;
to be reserved for – сохранять за;
royal assent – королевское одобрение;
supporter – сторонник.
References
1. The Crown Jewels – королевские драгоценности - драгоценности,
которые королева надевает во время официальных церемоний.
2. The Lord Chancellor – лорд – канцлер (высшее должностное лицо
палаты лордов, член кабинета и королевского совета, дающего
рекомендации монарху по определенному кругу вопросов государственной
важности; руководит заседаниями палаты лордов).
3. The Opposition – оппозиция (крупнейшая после правящей
политическая партия в Великобритании; места ее представителей в зале
заседаний находятся напротив мест правящей партии).
4. The Speaker – высший чиновник палаты общин (председательствует
на заседаниях палаты, следит за порядком дебатов и соблюдением правил
парламентской процедуры).
23
5. The State Opening of (the)Parliament –- официальное открытие
парламента после каникул (обычно в октябре каждого года или после
всеобщих выборов; открывается тронной речью королевы).
6. Woolsack –- мешок с шерстью, набитая шерстью красная подушка,
на которой сидит лорд-канцлер в палате лордов. Обычай сохраняется со
времен Эдуарда III, когда шерсть была важнейшей статьей английского
экспорта.
Section Review
I. Fill in the blanks with the correct words.
1. One of the fundamental principles of the unwritten constitution is the
of Parliament.
2. The supreme legislative authority in Great Britain, Parliament
resides in _____ , and all its power is concentrated in the _______ , which is
elected by the adult population of the country.
3. The whole, of the UK is ________ 650 electoral districts.
4. The leader of the majority party becomes _________ .
5. The chief officer of the House of Commons is the _______ .
6. The _____ is composed of the Lords Spiritual, the Lords Temporal.
7. The powers of the House of Lords are now strictly _________ .
8. Parliament's main function is __________ .
9. Members of the Government and their ________ are to the right of the
Throne, and those of the
to the left.
10. A typically British institution in the House of Commons is _______ .
II. Match English and Russian equivalents.
1. hereditary peers
1. голосование
2. majority
2. пожизненный пэр
3. election
3. большинство
4. to limit
4. власть
5. civil servant
5. наследственные лорды
6. preside
6. ограничивать
7. life peer
7. создать закон
8. voting
8. председательствовать
9. power
9. выборы
10. to make a law
10. чиновник.
III. Are the statements true or false?
Correct the false statements.
l. The Parliament, consisting of the Mouse of Commons and the House of
Lords, Is the centre of British politics.
24
2. The House of Lords is the centre of parliamentary power.
3. Voting is on the same day (usually a Friday) in all districts, and the
voting stations are kept open from seven in the morning un till twelve at night.
4. The Prime Minister forms the Cabinet of Ministers, which is responsible
for all Government decisions.
5. Life peers are officially appointed by the Queen on the advice of the
Prime Minister.
6. The House of Lords is an elective body.
7. The process of passing a Bill is not the same in the House of Lords as in
the House of Commons.
8. The arrangement of seating in both Houses of Parliament reflects the
nature of the party system.
IV. Answer the questions.
1. What Chambers das the British parliament consist of?
2. How are the members of the House of Commons elected? How often do
general elections of the House of Commons take place?
3. How many peers are there in the House of Lords?
4. What is the difference between a life peer and a hereditary peer?
5. Is Prime Minister elected? If it so, what House of Parliament is Prime
Minister elected in?
6. What is the main function of Parliament?
7. What part does the Queen play in the Parliament?
8. Who do we call the Opposition? What is its role in the Parliament.
9. Examine the process of passing a Bill in Parliament.
10. Describe the arrangement of seating in both Houses of Parliament.
V. Retell the text. Use the Vocabulary.
Points for discussion.
1. Parliament – the centre of British politics.
2. The role of Parliament in your country.
3. "Question time" – a typically British institution.
Part VI
THE PARTY SYSTEM AND THE GOVERNMENT
Read the text and say what you have learned about the British
Government and its functions in Great Britain.
Great Britain has a parliamentary government based on the party system.
The government is formed by the party, which wins most seats
25
at a general election, or which has the support of a majority of the members in
the House of Commons. The leader of the majority party is Prime Minister.
The Queen must appoint him. This minister has an official London House
while he (or she) is in office; it is at № 10, Downing Street.
The Prime Minister selects Cabinet ministers. The Cabinet is a
conventional organ of Government composed of about 20 most important
ministers (Secretary of State for the Home Department, Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Secretary of State for Defence, Secretary
of State for Education and Science, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and
Food, Lord Chancellor, etc.). Most of the Ministers are chosen from the House
of Commons, but a few must be in the House of Lords. All the Ministers are
appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
A modern British Government consists of over ninety people, of whom
about thirty are heads of departments, and the rest are their assistants. The
Government controls and arranges the business of the House of Commons. As
the initiator of policy, it dictates what action it wishes Parliament to take.
But the main feature of the British political system is "Cabinet
Government", that is, the leading role is played not by the Monarch, who
remains head of state, or Parliament, which is officially the supreme
lawmaking body, but the Cabinet.
The Cabinet directs the administration, determines policies, controls
government and co-ordinates government departments.
All ministers must agree on the policy of the Cabinet. If a Minister finds he
cannot agree, he resigns. The Prime Minister himself may require a minister to
resign, though in fact resignations of Ministers are usually arranged so as to
appear to be voluntary, with polite letters exchanged and published in the
newspapers.
Vocabulary:
to compose of – создавать, составлять;
to consist of – состоять (из);
to coordinate – координировать;
to determine – определять;
head (s) – глава, руководитель;
to resign – уходить в отставку;
the rest – остальные;
voluntary – добровольный.
26
Section Review
1. Translate the text into Russian. Use the Vocabulary.
2. Find in the text the English equivalents for:
a)иметь поддержку большинства;
b)он формирует свой кабинет;
c) все министры назначаются на должность королевой;
d)по рекомендации;
e)правительство состоит из....;
f) определяет основное политическое направление.
3. Answer the following questions:
a) What party forms the government?
b) Who becomes the Prime Minister?
c) What are the functions of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet?
d) What are the main functions of the government?
4. Retell the text. Use the Vocabulary.
5. Points for discussion:
a) What is the parliamentary government?
b) Do you like the way how Great Britain is governed? What do you think
about the British Parliament? Do you see any drawbacks in the British
political system? What are they?
Political Parties of Great Britain
Read the text, find the answers to the questions given below, get ready
to render its contents in Russian. Use the Vocabulary.
Britain has a two-party system. From 1832 to 1918 the dominant parties
were the Conservatives (otherwise called the Tory Party) and the Whigs or
Liberals on the other. Later the Labour party backed by the trade unions
replaced the Liberals as the main party of reform, and since 1924 the political
scene has been dominated by the Conservative and Labour parties.
The Conservative Party was officially formed in 1867 on the basis of
political groups of the English landed aristocracy In the course of its long
existence it has inherited or adopted both political beliefs and political
interests. One of the most important things it has accepted (from (he Whigs)
are the teachings of Lohn. Locke about government and
27
about property. One of the characteristic concepts of the Conservatives is that
the State must protect property. The modern Tory concept of democracy
includes social and economic reform, government responsibility for health,
education and social security, and a certain measure of economic planning.
The Conservative party has no official permanent programme. Before a
general election the party issues a pre-election manifesto which states the main
aspects of the home and foreign policies of the future Conservative
government if the party wins the election.
The members of the Conservative party come from various groups,
although they are not easy to distinguish. Among them there are the country
aristocracy consisting of big landowner, smaller farmers and businessmen in
small towns and cities. There are also many working-class people who vote for
Conservative candidates because they believe in social reform but not in
socialism.
The principal source and philosophy of the Labour Party was the Fabian
Society, formed in 1884, though the party itself was founded much later. This
group was led by such intellectuals as George Bernard Shaw and Sidney
Webb.
The Fabians opposed the doctrine of class warfare and substituted
evolution for revolution. The Labour party adopted this doctrine.
The Labour party proper was founded in 1906. After the First World War
it proclaimed its socialist ideas. Its socialist programme called for
nationalization and equalities of wealth. Today the Labour party advocates a
mixed programme based on the platform of social-democratic reformism.
Membership of the Labour party is also mixed, though the majority are
members of trade unions. Nearly all trade unions contribute funds to the
political activities of the party, and many of the leaders of the unions are also
leaders of the party Despite the domination of the industrial workers the
influence of the middle-and upper -class members of the party should not be
underestimated. As a result of the split in the Labour party in 1981 a new
party was formed, the Social-Democratic party. It formed an alliance with
the old Liberal party. The two parties acted together in one bloc in the
elections of 1983 and 1987. In 1988 these two parties finally merged together
under the name the Liberal-Social Democratic Party which is the third most
important political party in the country, though not as influential as each of the
two noted above. The Liberal-Social Democratic party occupies an intermediate
position between the Labour and Conservative parties and advocates reforms
without socialism. The social basis of the party is formed of the middle and
petty bourgeois intellectuals.
28
There are a number of minor parties in Great Britain: the Scottish
Nationalist party (1928), the Welsh Nationalist party (1925). There are several
political parties in Northern Ireland. The main way in which people exert
influence over government is though political parties. These parties organise
opinion on national issues, formulating policies which they feel will meet the
wishes of as many people as possible.
Vocabulary:
to adopt – принимать;
to advocate – отстаивать, пропагандировать;
aristocracy – аристократия;
on the basis – па основе;
belief (s) – убеждение;
concept – идея, концепция;
to contribute to – делать вклад, содействовать;
democracy – демократия;
to distinguish – различать;
dominant – доминирующий, преобладающий, доминировать;
to dominate – преобладать;
to exert – оказывать давление, влиять;
to merge – соединять(ся), сливать(ся);
to oppose – выступать против;
permanent – постоянный, неизменный;
to property – собственность;
to proclaim – провозглашать;
to protect – защищать;
to underestimate – недооценивать.
References
1. The Conservative Party – Консервативная партия;
2. the Tory Party – Тори;
3. the Whigs – виги (историческое название Либеральной партии);
4. the Labour Party – Лейбористская партия;
5. the Social-Dernocratic Party – Социально-Демократичская партия;
Section Review
I. Answer the questions, using the text.
1. What are the main political parties In Great Britain?
2. What are the dominant parties in modern Britain?
3. What party forms the Government?
29
4. Who becomes the Prime Minister?
5. What are the functions of the Prime Minister?
6. Analyze the modern concept of the Conservative parry?
7. Examine the principal source and philosophy of the Labour party at the
time of its formation.
8. What does the Labour party advocate today?
9. Describe how the Liberal-Social Democratic party was formed. What is
its political platform?
10. Is the role of the Liberal party today insignificant?
11. There is little difference between the Labour and the Conservative
policies, isn't there?
12. Name the minor political parties in Britain.
13. What is the ruling party in Great Britain now?
II. Points for discussion
1. The role of the parties in society.
2. Is a party system in the political life of a country necessary?
CONTENTS
Part I. Тhe Geographical Position of Great Britain ............................. 1
Pats II. Paris of Great Britain .................................................... ..........6
Part III. British National Economy .....................................................8
Part IV. Political System ................................................................... 14
Part V. Mother of Parliaments ........................................................... 20
Part VI. The Party System and the Government ...............................25
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