climate is not the same in all parts of England. The western part of England is warmer than the east and it has more rain. There is much humidity in the air of England, it is well known as a foggy country.

Talking about the weather is an ever-interesting, even thrilling topic in England, so to be good at discussing it a very important rule should be observed. You must never contradict anybody when discussing the weather. Should it hail and snow, should hurricanes uproot the trees from the sides of the road, and should someone remark to you: “Nice day, isn’t it?” - answer without hesitation: “Isn’t it lovely?” The flag of the UK, known as Union Jack, is made up of three crosses. The upright red cross is the cross of St. George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross (with the arms going into the corners) is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red diagonal cross is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St. David is the patron saint of Wales.

Comments

English Channel - Ла-Манш

humidity - влажность

Strait of Dover - Дуврский пролив

AD ['ei ^!di;] -лат. Anno Domini - an abbreviation used after a date to show that it refers to a time after the birth of Jesus Christ (нашей эры)

ВС - abbrev Before Christ is used after a date to show that it refers to a time before the birth of Jesus Qhrist (до нашей эры) patron saint - святой покровитель

2. Use some additional sources of information and answer the questions that follow:

1. What are the names of a) the longest river?

2. the largest country?

3. the highest mountain?

4. the largest lake?

5. the largest cities except London?

6. the busiest ports in the British Isles?

2. Which river do the following towns stand on:

1. Glasgow; b) Hull; c) Newcastle; d) Oxford; e) Stratford; f) Cambridge?

3. How wide is the English Channel at its narrowest part?

4. What is the name of the biggest passenger seaport on the English Channel?

5. What are the national emblems of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

6. When did Romans come to England? What did they call Great Britain? Why?

2. Define the main idea of the text and the field of knowledge to which this text belongs:

The English

Almost every nation has a reputation of some kind. As compared to the French, the Germans, and the Americans, the English are said to be cold, reserved, rather haughty people who do not yell in the street or change their governments as often as they change their underclothes. They are steady, easy-going and fond of sports.

There are certain kinds of behaviour, manners and customs which are peculiar to the English.

The English are a nation of stay-at-home. There is no place like home, they say, or My home is my castle. These are the sayings known all over the world; and it is true that English people prefer small houses built for family, perhaps with a small garden, though nowadays more and more blocks of flats are being built, and fewer detached and semi-detached houses remain.

The fire is the focus of the English home. While other nations go out to cafes or sit round the cocktail bar the English sit round the fire.

Foreigners often picture the Englishmen dressed in tweeds, smoking a pipe, striding across the open countryside with his dog.

The English are amongst the most amiable people in the world; they have a genius for compromise; they are generous in small matters but more cautious in big ones.

Apart from the conservatism on a grand scale in which the attitude to the monarchy is typified, England is full of small-scale and local conservatism. The army, municipal corporations, schools and societies have their cwn private traditions and customs which they are unwilling to change; they like to think of their customs as differentiating them, as groups, from the rest of the vorld.

The English have been very slow to adopt some reforms, the metric system for example or the twenty- four clock for railway timetables. In 1966 it was decided that decimal money would become regular from 1971; but conservatism triumphed in this matter as well when the Government decided to keep sterling as the basic

haughty ['ho:ti] - надменный, высокомерный to yell - кричать, вопить

steady - твердый, непоколебимый be peculiar (to) - быть своеобразным, специфичным, semi-detached - один из двух особняков, имеющих общую стену

tweeds - коспомы из твида

to stride - шагать (большими шагами) amiable - дружелюбный; дружественный a genius - дух generous - благородный cautious - осторожный on a grand (large, small) scale - в большом (маленьком) масштабе

be (un)willing to do - (не)охотно делать (что)

to adopt — зд. проводить (реформы) decimal money - новая десятичная денежная система в Великобритании

W money unit, with its one-hundredth part a “new penny”. To triumph - победить, восторжествовать Read the text, make the logical plan of it: ales and the Welsh

Wales is a country of hills, mountain, old hard rocks and deep rivers. Over three million people live in Wales. About 75 per cent of the population is urban.

Wales has been united with England for seven hundred years.

Wales has its own Welsh language. About 20% of the people in Wales speak Welsh and children learn it in Welsh schools.

South Wales is industrialized while North Wales rears sheep and cattle.

Who are the Welsh and how did they come to live in Wales? The two languages, Welsh and English, are very different and so are the two nations. Nowhere in the British Isles national spirit is stronger, national pride more intense or national traditions more cherished than in Wales. The Welsh still wear their national dress; the Welsh language is still a living force; the Welshmen have a remarkable record in the realm of poetry, song and drama.

About 2,500 years ago the Welsh came to England from Europe but were driven westward until they found themselves in this mountainous country of Wales. The Welsh history begins with the Anglo-Saxon victories in the 6^th and 7^th centuries which isolated the Welsh from the rest of their fellow-Britons.' Henceforth, the people of Wales were constantly harried by the English chieftains, and until the 11^th century the Vikings made frequent raids on the coast. Then came the Noonans who established many strongholds in spite of strong resistance organized by the Welsh.

The English Crown annexed Wales in 1284, but it was not until 1536 when Wales was placed under the authority of England. England and Wales are now administered as a unit.

What kind of people are those who live in this country? They call their country Cymru and themselves Cymry, a

urban - relating to towns and cities to rear - to look after young animals until they are fully grown national spirit - национальный дух to cherish - лелеять, нежно любить realm of [reim] - переноси, царство henceforth - с этого времени

to harry - разорять, опустошать chieftain - вождь (клана, племени) Anglo-Saxons -- Germanic peoples Angles, Saxons and . Jutes formed the Anglo- Saxon people Normans — relating to the 11^th and 12"' centuries in English history, when England was ruled by people from Normandy in Northern France a stronghold¹ - твердыня; оплот to annex - аннексировать, присоединять to administer - управлять root - гром, корень

word which has the same root as “camrador” (friend or comrade). They are quick and impetuous in speech nor are they afraid of being poetic in speech, of using bright and pictorial descriptions in ordinary conversation. They like listening to good speaking and they are very critical as an audience.

The Welsh are a nation of singers. Whenever they meet, they sing. Even if singing happens spontaneously, it is always good. This custom dates back to a period long before any written music was available to the people. Wales has not, however, produced a great composer.

The love of reading is also widespread. Welsh prose, romance and poetry are its chief glory. The Welsh had made their contribution to the legends of King Arthur of Britain.

impetuous -

импульсивный,

пылкий;

стремительный,

быстрый

audience -

аудитория,

слушатели

be available — зд.

появляться,

изобретать

gloiy - слава

contribution - вклад,

лепта

5. Read the text, divide it into logical parts and head them: