English 8th form

British  Traditions and Customs British nation is considered to be the most conservative in Europe. It is not a secret that every nation and every country has its own customs and traditions. In Great Britain people attach greater importance to traditions and customs than in other European countries. Englishmen are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up. The best examples are their queen, money system, their weights and measures. There are many customs and some of them are very old. There is, for example, the Marble Championship, where the British Champion is crowned; he wins a silver cup known among folk dancers as Morris Dancing. Morris Dancing is an event where people, worn in beautiful clothes with ribbons and bells, dance with handkerchiefs or big sticks in their hands, while traditional music- sounds. Another example is the Boat Race, which takes place on the river Thames, often on Easter Sunday. A boat with a team from Oxford University and one with a team from Cambridge University hold a race. British people think that the Grand National horse race is the most exciting horse race in the world. It takes place near Liverpool every year. Sometimes it happens the same day as the Boat Race takes place, sometimes a week later. Amateur riders as well as professional jockeys can participate. It is a very famous event. There are many celebrations in May, especially in the countryside. Halloween is a day on which many children dress up in unusual costumes. In fact, this holiday has a Celtic origin. The day was originally called All Halloween's Eve, because it happens on October 31, the eve of all Saint's Day. The name was later shortened to Halloween. The Celts celebrated the coming of New Year on that day. Another tradition is the holiday called Bonfire Night. On November 5,1605, a man called Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament where the king James 1st was to open Parliament on that day. But Guy Fawkes was unable to realize his plan and was caught and later, hanged. The British still remember that Guy Fawkes' Night. It is another name for this holiday. This day one can see children with figures, made of sacks and straw and dressed in old clothes. On November 5th, children put their figures on the bonfire, burn them, and light their fireworks. In the end of the year, there is the most famous New Year celebration. In London, many people go to Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve. There is singing and dancing at 12 o'clock on December 31st. A popular Scottish event is the Edinburgh Festival of music and drama, which takes place every year. A truly Welsh event is the Eisteddfod, a national festival of traditional poetry and music, with a competition for the best new poem in Welsh. If we look at English weights and measures, we can be convinced that the British are very conservative people. They do not use the internationally accepted measurements. They have conserved their old measures. There are nine essential measures. For general use, the smallest weight is one ounce, then 16 ounce is equal to a pound. Fourteen pounds is one stone. The English always give people's weight in pounds and stones. Liquids they measure in pints, quarts and gallons. There are two pints in a quart and four quarts or eight pints are in one gallon. For length, they have inches» foot, yards and miles. If we have always been used to the metric system therefore the English monetary system could be found rather difficult for us. They have a pound sterling, which is divided into twenty shillings, half-crown is cost two shillings and sixpence, shilling is worth twelve pennies and one penny could be changed by two halfpennies.

Британские традици и  обычаи Британская нация, как полагают, является самой консервативной в Европе. Это не секрет, что каждая нация и каждая страна имеет свои собственные обычаи и традиции. В Великобритании люди уделяют большее внимание традициям и обычаям, чем в других европейских странах. Англичане гордятся своими традициями и тщательно хранят их. Лучший пример — их королева, парламентская монархия, денежная система, их система мер. Существует много обычаев, и некоторые из них очень древние. Есть, например, мраморный чемпионат, где британского чемпиона коронуют; его награждают серебряным кубком, известным среди танцоров народного танца как Моррис Дансинг. Моррис Дансинг — это событие, когда люди, одетые в красивые одежды с лентами и колокольчиками, танцуют под традиционную музыку, держа в руках носовые платки или большие палки. Другим примером являются состязания по гребле, которые проходят на реке Темза, часто в Пасхальное Воскресенье. Лодка с командой от Оксфордского университета и вторая лодка с командой от университета Кембриджа плывут наперегонки. Британцы думают, что большие национальные гонки на лошадях — самая захватывающая гонка в мире. Она проходит около Ливерпуля ежегодно. Иногда это случается в один и тот же день, когда проходят состязания по гребле, иногда это бывает на неделю позже. Могут участвовать как наездники-любители, так. и профессиональные жокеи. Это — очень известный праздник. Много праздников в мае, особенно в сельской местности. Хэллоуин — день, когда многие дети наряжаются в необычные костюмы. Фактически, этот праздник имеет кельтское происхождение. День первоначально называли Кануном всего Хэллоуина, потому что это случается 31 октября, накануне Дня всех святых. Название было позже сокращено до Хэллоуина. В этот день кельты праздновали наступление Нового года. Другая традиция — это праздник, который называется Ночь костра. 5 ноября 1605 года человек по имени Гай Фокс планировал взорвать здание парламента, где король Джеймс I должен был в тот день открыть заседание парламента. Но Гаю Фоксу не удалось совершить задуманное, он был пойман и позже повешен. Британцы все еще помнят ту ночь Гая Фокса. Это другое название этого праздника. В этот день можно увидеть детей с фигурками, сделанными из мешковины и соломы и наряженными в старую одежду. 5-го ноября дети помещают свои фигурки в костер и сжигают их, затем зажигают свои фейерверки.   В конце года проходит самый известный новогодний праздник. В Лондоне многие люди на празднование кануна Нового года приходят на Трафальгарскую площадь. Там в 12 часов ночи 31-го декабря они поют и танцуют. Эдинбургский Фестиваль музыки и драмы — ежегодный популярный шотландский праздник. Настоящим валлийским праздником является Айстедфод, ежегодный фестиваль бардов, национальный фестиваль традиционной поэзии и музыки, с соревнованием за лучшую новую поэму на валлийском языке. Если мы посмотрим на английскую систему мер и веса, мы можем убедиться, что британцы — очень консервативные люди. Они не используют международную, принятую во всем мире систему мер. Они сохранили свои старые меры. Есть девять основных мер. Для общего использования, наименьшей мерой веса является одна унция, тогда как 16 унций равны фунту. Четырнадцать фунтов — один стоун.  Англичане всегда определяют вес людей в фунтах и стоунах. Меру жидкости они измеряют в пинтах, квартах и галлонах. В кварте — две пинты, в одном галлоне — восемь пинт или четыре кварты. Для измерения длины они используют дюймы, футы, ярды и мили.Если мы всегда привыкли использовать единицы метрической системы, то английскую денежную систему нам было бы трудно понять. Они имеют фунт стерлингов, который делиться на двадцать шиллингов, полкроны стоит два шиллинга и шесть пенсов, шиллинг стоит двенадцать пенни, один пенни можно поменять на два полпенни.

Vocabulary:

to be considered — считаться, рассматриваться как
customs — традиции
to attach — уделять
proud — гордый
to keep (past kept, p.p. kept) up — поддерживать, хранить
to crown — короновать
folk — народный (относящийся к обычаям, традициям простого народа)
to wear (past wore, p.p. worn) — одевать, носить
ribbon — лента, ленточка; тесьма
handkerchief — носовой платок
Boat Race — лодочные гонки
Easter Sunday — Пасхальное Воскресенье
exciting — возбуждающий, волнующий
amateur — любитель; поклонник; любительский
rider — всадник, наездник; жокей
event — событие
countryside — сельская местность
Celtic — кельтский
origin — происхождение; начало
All Halloween's Eve — Канун всех святых (сокр. Хэлло-уин)
Bonfire Night — Ночь костров
to blow up — взорвать, подорвать
to catch (caught) — схватить, арестовать
to hang (past hung, p.p. hung) — повесить
straw — солома
bonfire — костер
firework — обыкн. мн. фейерверк
truly — действительно, по-настоящему
Eisteddfod — ежегодный фестиваль бардов (в Уэльсе)
competition — соревнование
to convince - убеждать, уверять
essential — важнейший; необходимый; основной
ounce — унция (- 28,3 г)
pound — фунт (современная мера веса, используемая в англоговорящих странах; = 453,6 г)
stone — мн. обыкн. неизм. стоун (мера веса, равен 14 фунтам, или 6,34 кг)
pint — пинта (мера емкости; в Англии = 0,57 л; в США = = 0,47 л для жидкостей)
quart — кварта (единица измерения объема жидкости; равняется а/4 галлона — 2 пинтам)
gallon — галлон (мера жидких и сыпучих тел = 4,54 л)
inch — дюйм (= 2,5 см)
foot — мн. ч. неизм. фут (мера длины, равная 30,48 см)
yard — ярд (мера длины, равная 3 футам или 914,4 мм)
mile — английская миля (*= 1609 м)
metric system — метрическая система
pound sterling — фунт стерлингов (денежная единица Великобритании, равнялась 20 шиллингам, или 240 пенсам; с 1971 г. = 100 пенсам)
shilling — шиллинг (англ. серебряная монета = 1/20 фунта стерлингов — 12 пенсам)
penny — мн. репсе, pennies (об отдельных монетах) пенни, пенс
half-crown — полкроны (монета в 2 шиллинга 6 пенсов)
halfpenny — полпенни

  

Great Britain - 1

Great Britain Great Britain, an island country in northwestern Europe, has about 1 per cent of the world's total population. For hundreds of years, Great Britain was one of the world's most important countries. The Britain started the Industrial Revolution and founded the largest empire in history. For centuries, Britain ruled the seas and ranked as the world's greatest trading nation.      By the end of World War II Britain's power had been much reduced. Today although Great Britain is still a leading -industrial and trading nation, it is no longer the world power it was once. By the early 1950's, GB's empire was declining rapidly, as many of its former colonies became independent nations. Today, most of these nations are linked with it and with one another through membership in the Commonwealth of Nations. This association of free countries and other political units once under British recognizes the British monarch as head of the commonwealth. But the monarch is mainly symbolic and has no government power. Although GB is part of Europe, it is separated from it by the North Sea on the east and by the English Channel on the south — a separation that has helped shape the independent character of the British people. Throughout its history, Britain has preferred to stay out of "European" affairs, and the channel has also helped protect GB from invasion. In May 1994, a 31-mile (50 km) railway beneath the English Channel opened. The Channel Tunnel, nicknamed "The Chunnel", cost between 15— 16 billion dollars and was hailed as an outstanding engineering project. It allows passengers to travel by rail from London to Paris in about 3 hours. Most British people do not think of themselves as Europeans, but they do not generally consider themselves to be "British". GB is made up of four countries united under one government. These countries are England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Although all British people share certain customs and traditions, each country has its own dialect, culture, history and traditions. The union of these countries is called The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Велика Британія є острів­ною державою на північному заході Європи, яка має 1% сві­тового населення. Протягом століть Велика Британія була однією з найважливіших де­ржав світу. Саме тут відбулася перша індустріальна рево­люція і народилася найбіль­ша у світі імперія. Століттями Британія панувала на морі й тримала першість найпо­тужнішої торгівельної нації. Наприкінці Другої світової війни владу Британії було сут­тєво підірвано. Хоча нині вона залишається однією з провід­них промислових і торгівельних держав світу, Британія вже не є тією володаркою сві­ту, котрою була колись. На початку 50-х років XX ст. Британська імперія по­чала розпадатися. Це відбуло­ся внаслідок того, що багато її колоній здобули незалеж­ність. Нині ці країни пов'язані з Британією та одна з одною через членство в Співдруж­ності націй. Ця асоціація вільних і незалежних держав і політичних об'єднань — ко­лишніх британських підда­них — визнає верховну владу британського монарха. Але ця монархія є радше символіч­ною, бо є позбавленою пов­новажень. Хоча Велика Британія є час­тиною Європи, вона відділена від суходолу Північним морем на сході та Ла-Маншем на пів­дні. Така відокремленість спри­яла формуванню своєрідно­го «британського характеру». Протягом усієї своєї історії Британія надавала перевагу від-стороненості від «європейських справ», а Ла-Манш захищав її від вторгнення європейців. У травні 1994 р. було відкрито залізничний тунель завдовжки 31 милю (50 км), що його було прокладено під Ла-Маншем. Підземний тунель, охрещений «Чунелем», коштував близько 15—16 мільярдів доларів і являв собою видатне досягнення сві­тової інженерії. Завдяки йому пасажири з Лондона можуть дістатися Парижа за 3 години. Більшість британців не вважають себе європейцями, хоча й британцями вони себе теж не відчувають. Велика Британія є державним утво­ренням, яке об'єднує 4 різні країни під владою одного уря­ду. Цими країнами є Англія,, Шотландія, Північна Ірлан­дія та Уельс. Хоча всі британці мають певні спільні традиції, кожна нація має власну мову, культуру, історію та звичаї. Це державне утворення має офіційну назву: Сполучене королівство Великої Британії та Північної Ірландії.

  Great Britain - 2

The United Kingdom of G.B. and Northern Irelands is situated on the British Isles/ The British Isles consists of two large islands, G.B. and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. Their total area is over 244,000 square kilometers.

The UK is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. GB consists of England, Scotland and Wales and doesn't include Northern Ireland. The capital of the UK is London.

The British Isles are separated from European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of GB is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.

The surface of the British Isles varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called the Highlands, while the south, which has beautiful valleys and plains, is called the Lowlands.

There are a lot of rivers in GB, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.

The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters if Gulf Stream influence the climate of the British Isles. The weather in GB is very changeable. A fine morning can change into a wet afternoon and evening and the wrong side out. The English people say: "Other countries have a climate; in England we have weather." The English also say that they have three variants of weather: when it rains in the morning, when it rains in the afternoon or twhen it rains all day long.

The weather is the favorite conversational topic in GB. After they greet each other they start talking the weather.

The best time of the year in GB is spring (of course, it rains in spring too). The two worst months in Britain are January and February. They are cold, damp and unpleasant. The best place in the world then is at home by the big fire. Summer months are rather cold and there can be a lot of rainy days. So most people who look forward to summer holidays, plan to go abroad for the summer.

The most unpleasant aspect of English weather is fog and smog. This is extremely bad in big cities especially in London. The fog spreads everywhere so cars move along slowly and people can't see each other. They try not to be run over by a car but still accidents are frequent in the fog.

Great Britain - 3

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. It consists of 4 parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England, Wales and Scotland occupy the territory of Great Britain. Northern Ireland is situated in the northern part of Ireland. The population is over 57 million people. The northern and western parts of the country are mountainous and are called the Highlands. All the rest: south, east and center are a vast plain, called the Lowlands. The mountains are not very high. The rivers are not very long. The most important of them are the Severn and the Thames. There are many beautiful lakes in Great Britain. Great Britain is a country with old cultural traditions and customs. The most famous educational centers are Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The United Kingdom is a monarchy and the Queen is the head of the state. But in practice it is ruled by the government with a Parliament at the head.

Great Britain - 4

The UK of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland occupies the territory of the British Isles. It consists of 4 main countries which are England, Scotland, Wales and Nothern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Cardiff and Belfast. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland is the official name of the state which is sometimes referred to as Great Britain or Britain (after it major island), England (after its major historic part or the British Isles). The UK is an Island state - it is composed of about 5500 islands, large and small. The two main islands are: Great Britain to the east and Ireland to the west. They are separated by the Irish Sea. The area of the UK is 244,100 square kms. It is situated off to the northwest coast of Europe between the Atlantic Ocean on the north and the North Sea on the east and is separated from the European continent by the English Channel (or La Manche) and the Straits of Dover (or Pas de Calais). The population of the UK is over 57 mln people. The UK is inhabited by the English, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish who constitute the British nation. English is not the only language. Scottish, Welsh and Irish are also used. The flag of the UK is known as the Union Jack. It has its history. It all began in 1603 when Scotland was joined to England and Wales. The flag is made up of 3 crosses. The upright cross is the Cross of St. Jeorge, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red diagonal cross is the cross is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. All of them are on the blue background. The national currency is pound. Geographically the island of Great Britain is subdivided into 2 main regions: Lowland Britain and Highland Britain. Lowland Britain comprises southern and eastern England. Highland Britain consists of Scotland, most of Wales, the Pennines (or the Pennine Chain) and the Lake District. The highest mountain top is Ben Nevis in Scotland. The chief rivers of Great Britain are: the Severn, separating England and Wales, the Thames (the longest and the deepest one). The swiflest flowing river is the Spray. Also the Tweed is famous (the woolen fabric is made here). There are many lakes in Great Britain. The Lake District is the most beautiful. The largest are London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds, Cardiff. The capitals are: London in England, Edinburgh in Scotland, Cardiff in Wales and Belfast in Northern Ireland. Every country has its own national emblem. The red rose is the national emblem of England the thistle is the national emblem of Scotland the daffodils and the leek are the emblems of Wales and the shamrock (a kind of clover) is the emblem of Ireland.

Great Britain - 5

The United Kingdom is situated in the north-west coast of Europe between the Atlantic Ocean on the north-west and the North Sea on the east. The U. K. includes Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I Great Britain, the largest island in Europe, contains England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom has an area of 244,000 square kilometres (94,249 square miles). The capital of the country is London. English is the official language. The population of the U. K. is nearly 60 million people. The population lives mostly in towns and cities and their suburbs. Four out of every five people live in towns. Over 46 million people live in England. Over 3 million — in Wales. A little over 5 million — in Scotland. About 1.5 million — in Northern Ireland. London's population is over 7 million people. The British nation consists of the English, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish. There are many people of all colours and races in the United Kingdom. The climate of Great Britain is mild. It is not too hot in summer or too cold in winter. It often rains in England. Rain falls in summer and in winter, in autumn and in spring. Snow falls only in the north and west of the country. The surface of England and Ireland is flat, but Scotland and Wales are mountainous. Many parts of the country have beautiful villages. There are many rivers in Great Britain. The main river is the Thames. Many ships and barges go up and down the river. The longest river is Severn. It is 350 kilometres long. There are many universities, colleges libraries, museums and theatres in the country. The most famous universities are Cambridge University, Oxford University, Glasgow University. The U. K. is a parliamentary monarchy. The British Parliament consists of two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is the head of the government. The United Kingdom has some mineral resources. Coal and oil are the most important of them. The United Kingdom i one of the world's most industrialize» countries. The main industrial centres are Sheffield, Birmingham and Manchester. The largest cities of the country are London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin. Agriculture makes an important sector in economy of the country. The British people grow wheat, fruit, vegetables oats.

Great Britain - 6

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with an area of some 244.000 square miles is situated on the British Isles which are separated from the European continent by the North Sea, the Strait of Dover and the English Channel. Britain's population is over 57 million. For out of every five people live in towns. The UK is a constitutional monarchy: the head of the state is a king or a queen. In practice, the Sovereign reins, but doesn't rule: the UK is governed by the Government- a body of Ministers who are the leading members of the political party in power and who are responsible to Parliament. The present Sovereign is Queen Elisabeth 11. The territory of Great Britain is small. Yet the country has a wide variety of scenery. England is the heart of Britain. It is the richest, the most fertile and most populated in the country. The north and the west of the England are mountainous, but all the rest territory is a vast plain. In Northwest England, there are many beautiful lakes with green, wooded or grassy shores and gray mountains all around. It is called Lake District. The national symbol of England is the red rose. Wales is the smallest land of the UK, but has a considerable variety, from the picturesque mountains of the north [including Snowdoina] to the mining and industrial areas of the south The capital of Wales is Cardiff, an important industrial centre and port. Most people in Wales live in the coastal plains. The national symbol of Wales is a leek or daffodil. Scotland is a land of mountains, narrow valleys and plains, famous lakes and no end of large and small islands off the coast. The Highlands of Scotland are among oldest mountains in the world. The highest of them is Ben Nevis. The lakes in Scotland are called "locks". The beautiful Lock Lomond with its thirty islands is the largest. One-third of the people in Scotland live in or near its capital, Edinburg , and its great industrial center, Glasgow. The national symbol of Scotland a thistle. Northern Ireland was a part of Ireland as a whole before the early 20th century and developed in the middle ages as the Kingdom of Ulster, later the Province of Ulster. The territory is small. It is a land of lakes, rivers and a varied sea coast. Some places are known for their wild beauty, the Glen of Antrim among of them. The capital city is Belfast. The capital of Great Britain, London, stands on the Thames which flows into the North Sea. The Thames is the busiest and the most important river in Great Britain, but it is not very long. The Severn Which flows into the Irish Sea is the longest British river. The climate of Great Britain is mild. The Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf-stream affect the weather of the British Isles. The summer are usually cool and rainy. There is much rain and fog in autumn and in winter. Great Britain is a very damp country.

Great Britain -7

The official name of the country we usually call England and occasionally Great Britain is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The U. K. is situated on the group of islands located just off the mainland of north-western Europe. The British Isles include Great Britain proper, Ireland and a number of smaller islands. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The southern part of Ireland is the Republic of Eire. Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel, the narrower part of which is called the Strait of Dover. The British Isles are surrounded by the shallow waters of the Irish Sea and the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the North Channel and the Atlantic Ocean. Britain is comparatively small, but there is hardly a country, in the world where such a variety of scenery can be found. There are wild desolate mountains in the northern Highlands of Scotland - the home of the deer and the eagle. The Pennine Range in northern England and the Cambrian Mountains in Wales are much lower. In the extreme south of England are the famous chalk hills, some of which form the Dover Cliffs. The southern and south-eastern parts of the island lie in varied lowlands. The rivers of the region are short and of no great importance as waterways. The longest of them is the "Father of London", the Thames, which is a little over 200 miles. Britain's principal ports are London, Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, Glasgow. They have splendid harbours, for the coast line is very indented. Owing to the shape of the country, any point in Great Britain is no more than 70 miles from the sea. Naturally, it's made the English race a sea - loving one. The warm currents in the Atlantic Ocean influence the climate of Great Britain. The winters are not severely cold, while summers are rarely hot. The British Isles are well - watered throughout the year. The cloudiness is rather dense, well over half the days of the year are overcast - fogs along the coast frequently hide the sun. The fogs of London, often made severe by mixture with city smoke have a world - wide reputation, but the one not to be envied. Rivers in Great Britain are seldom frozen and generally ice-free. The grass remains green all the year round. Thanks to climatic conditions, Britain in truth looks like one great well-ordered park with its old trees, green meadows and hedges.

England -1

England is often subdivided into three parts: the South, the Midlands and the North. The South. The landscape is varied. The climate is warmer than in other areas. There are hundreds of miles of sea coast which vary from flat or stony beaches to high rocky cliffs. The mild and sunny climate makes the south coast popular with holiday-makers. Some coastal resorts are famous, Brighton among them. Somerset, Devon and Cornwall are rural countries with hidden fishing hamlets and Britain’s warmest weather in winter. There are high and deep wooded valleys. Inland, the landscape is gentle and green; it’s famous for it’s quite beauty of its countryside. One of the most beautiful countries in the South of England is certainly Kent. It is known as the gardens of England, because it is famous for its fruit and vegetables. In general, the South is wealthier than other areas of Britain. Work of all kinds is provided on the land. British Aerospace has factories building aeroplanes in several parts of the South. Lots of people are involved in service industries including financial, business and government services, computer services and information system. There are science-based companies and research organizations. The Midlands. The Midlands Region has much farming land, but this part of the country is better known as an industrial area. Birmingham which is often called ‘the big heart of England’, is the most important city of the Midlands. It is the second largest city in the United Kingdom. Birmingham is famous for engineering, especially car production. Derby is another engineering centre. Rolls Royce makes aero engines and cars there. The West Midlands, Another industrialized area where there are many collieries and steelworks, is known as the Black smoke and blackened buildings there. In contrast, the Midlands region has some beautiful picturesque countryside in the Peak District with its National Park. The North. The weather is considerably colder. There is almost always snow in winter. This is a region of great natural beauty although industry of some kind has existed here for hundreds of years. There is a great contrast in the North between the beautiful open, hilly countryside and the industrial towns and mining villages. In parts of the North – in Yorkshire particularly – there are gentle wooded valleys and green pastures and excellent farming land. West Yorkshire is very good country for ship-farming, and it has long been Britain’s most important area for the wool industry. Some famous industrial cities in the North are Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle-on-Tyne.

England - 2

The United Kingdom is very small compared with many other countries in the world. However there are only nine other countries with more people, and London is the world’s seventh biggest city. When you travel about the country you can see how the scenery changes right in front of your eyes. Highlands turn into lowlands; forests and hills turn into meadows and plains very quickly. It’s hard to believe, but in Great Britain one you can find practically any type of scenery. Britain is unusually beautiful country! England can be divided for four parts: the Southeast, the Southwest, East Anglia, the Midlands and the North of England. The Southeast is a highly populated region of England. London, the capital of the UK, and such historical cities as Windsor, Dover and Brighton are situated here. When people travel to Britain by sea or by air they usually arrive in the Southeast, for this is where the main passenger ports and airports are. Heathrow airport, one of the world’s busiest airports is about 33 km west of central London. The Southwest is the region where the main activity is farming. The Southwest used to be known for its pirates. The two principal cities of the region are Bristol and Bath. If you want to see the famous Stonehenge you should also come here. The most westerly point of Great Britain “Land’s End” is also in the Southwest. East Anglia is very flat and it is another farming region. It has beautiful cities with fine historic buildings such as Cambridge. It is more that half surrounded by the sea. The Midlands, known as the heart of England, is the largest industrial part in the country. The most important industrial cities are Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool which is one of Britain’s big ports, and Birmingham. The two famous Midlands cities are Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford. Stratford is the birthplace of William Shakespeare and Oxford is famous for its university. The North of England has some of the wildest and loneliest parts in the country. Here you can find deep valleys, rivers and waterfalls, hills and mountains. This part of the country is rich in coal. The main attractions of the North of England are certainly the Lake District, the cities of York and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

 U k r a i n e 

  

BOOOKS AND READERS

 Nowadays there are quite a fewer people who think that as more and more people have television sets in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read a novel when a play or a film on television can tell you the same story with colour, picture and action?

However, television has not killed reading. Today newspapers and maga­zines are sold in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a rather cheap way to get necessary information for many people all over the world. Although it is true that some books with hard covers are quite expensive, many books are published today a paperbacks, which are reasonable cheap.

Books in the home are a wonderful source of knowledge, information and pleasure, and some types of books should be in every house. Every home library should have some good dictionaries, and a geographical atlas of the world with maps. It might be expensive, but a good encyclopedia is useful, too, because in it you can find information on any subject you are interested in. In addition it is useful to have on your bookshelves other non-fiction books such as history books, science textbooks, cookery books, books about medicine and health. I is also important to have some fiction on your shelves, too.

Then you can relax with a good story, or from time to time, you can take a book of poems off your shelf and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poet or writer.