Supplementary Reading
7.3.1 Give a short summary of the text in Russian
On English Climate
The climate of England is milder than that of other countries. English people are apt to complain of it as being damp and rainy, and foreigners laugh at it and say, that the English summer is made up of three fine days and a thunderstorm.
It is hard to say that England has typical weather because of the sudden changes that occur - showers from what was only a few hours before a clear blue sky; sunshine that makes you want to leave off most of your clothes followed by winds that set you wishing for two overcoats.
There is an abundance of rainfall in the west. As a result, there are thick fogs which last for days and weeks at a time during the autumn and winter.
The three things that chiefly determine the climate of England are: 1)the position of the island in the temperate belt; 2) the fact that the prevailing wind blows from the west and south-west; 3) the warm current - the Gulf Stream that flows from the Gulf of Mexico along the western shores of England.
All this combined makes the climate more moderate - that is, the winters warmer and the summers cooler. The winters are never cold enough to freeze the rivers and the summers are seldom hot.
Notes:
1) to be apt to complain - быть склонным жаловаться;
2) thunderstorm - гроза;
3) sudden - неожиданный, внезапный;
4) shower - ливень;
5) abundance - избыток;
6) to determine - определять;
7 ) temperate belt - умеренный пояс;
8 ) current - течение;
9 ) moderate - умеренный.
7.3.2 Read the text and tell the class what you learnt about English cities
English Cities
The most important cities of Great Britain are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Glasgow.
London is the largest city in Europe. It is a busy port and an important industrial centre. Londoners say that the most famous sights of London are Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and St. Paul's Cathedral with "the Great Paul" on it - the largest bell in England.
Glasgow, the second largest town in the British Isles, situated on the river Clyde is the centre of the British ship-building industry. More than half of British-made ships are built in Glasgow ship-building yards.
Birmingham is the greatest metal-working centre of Britain. Various articles are produced there from steam engines to nails, pens and pins.
Manchester is the centre of cotton industry. It is a very beautiful city. There are over 50 parks in Manchester - more than in any other English town.
Sheffield is another big town in the centre of England, which is famous all over the world for its manufacture of steel goods.
7.3.3 Substitutional Patterns
| a) "In what part of the United Kingdom is situated?" | Oxford Belfast Glasgow Cardiff Edinburgh Birmingham |
| "As far as I know, it's in England." | Central part of England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland |
| b) "What's the city of Manchester known for?" | Newcastle Glasgow Cambridge Liverpool |
| "That town is known as a biggest centre of textile industry." | a largest port on the Western Coast a centre of ship-building a large industrial centre a University centre a famous sea resort on the Southern Coast. |
7.3.4 Translate the following text into Russian in written form
Traditions of the British Parliament
Speaking about old English customs and habits we can't but mention in the first place those that are kept in Parliament. They have a long history and some of them look rather funny now.
The Lord Chancellor, chairman of the House of Lords, still sits on the large sack of wool covered with red cloth. Many, many years ago, when wool was the main product of England, it naturally was the symbol of the country's power. Today the Woolsack is a mere tradition.
Many traditions are found in the House of Commons, too. When its new chairman, the Speaker, is elected, he is dragged to his chair putting up a show of resistance. This custom dates from the times when it was dangerous to be the Speaker.
Now take the voting procedure in the House of Commons. After the discussion of a bill the Speaker asks if it has the approval of the House. In case the approval is not unanimous some of the members shout "Aye" (which is derived from the old French word meaning "Yes") and others shout "No". Then the Speaker "calls for division", or in other words, puts the bill to the vote. This is called "division" since the voting is done by dividing the members leave their seats and pass into the corridors through different doors, to show which way they are voting. The votes are counted as the members go through.
And here is another Parliament tradition. In the House of Commons there are benches and not separate seats as in most European parliaments. The first strange thing about those benches is that they don't provide seats for all 630 members of the House, but only for the two-thirds of the number. So, in case all the MP's appear at the session there won't be enough room for sitting. The second thing is that the rows of benches face each other while the Speaker's chair is in the centre of the House, between those rows of benchers.
The front benches on the Speaker's right are for the members of the Government, the front benches on his left are for the leaders of the Opposition. The back benches are occupied by the ordinary members who are called "back-benchers".
These traditions of Parliament as well as many other England's customs and habits do not change.
Notes:
1) resistance - сопротивление
2) approval - одобрение
3) Aye [ai]
4) MP's = Members of Parliament
7.3.5 Do You Know That …
1) … the Circus is not only a kind of show, but it is also a circular open space in a city or town where a number of streets meet? You know Piccadilly Circus, Ludgate Circus and some others. The word square is used if the open space is rectangular in shape. You know Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Hanover Square, Gavendish Square and some others.
2) … Covent Garden is the principal vegetable, fruit and flower market in London? The Royal Opera House known as Covent Garden is almost inside the market.
3) … the biggest of London Parks are: Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park, Victoria Park, Richmond Park, Finsbury Park, Palace Park and Kew Gardens?
4) … the typical Londoners of the East End are called cockneys?
5) …in 1603 Scotland and England became one Kingdom - Great Britain?
6) … between 1411 and 1594 Scotland established four universities, at St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, while England had but two - Oxford and Cambridg1411 and 1594 Scotland established four universities, at St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, while England had but two - Oxford and Cambridge?
7) … Britain's first Labour Party, the Scottish Independent Labour Party, was founded by the pioneer Labour leader Kein Hardie in 1888?
8) … Sir Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin, was a Scotsman too. That he was born on August 6, 1881, and died on March 11, 1955?
9) … Belfast became the capital of Northern Ireland in 1920?
10) … in his speech in Parliament on April 21, 1812 George Byron expressed his disapproval of the policy of the British Government towards the Irish people and demanded independence for Ireland?
7.3.6 Learn the poem by heart
Roadways
By John Masefield
One road leads to London,
One road leads to Wales,
My road leads me seawards
To the white dipping sails.
One road leads to the river,
As it goes singing slow.
My road leads to shipping
Where the bronzed sailors go.
My road calls me, lures me
West, east, south and north.
Most roads lead men homewards,
My road leads me forth.
Notes:
1) to dip - спускать парус;
2) sails - паруса;
3) to lure - завлекать, соблазнять;
4) homewards - домой, к дому.