THE UNITED
KINGDOM OF GREAT
BRITAIN
AND NORTHERN
IRELAND
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Great Britain is situated to the northwest of Europe on
the British Isles. It is made up of England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is
separated from the Continent by the English Channel,
and is connected with many countries by sea.
England is the southern and central part of Great Britain.
Scotland is in the north of the island, and Wales in the
west. Northern Ireland is situated in the north-eastern
part of Ireland. England, Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland form the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland with a total area of
94,212 square miles.
The climate of the country is mild and warm because of
the warm Gulf Stream. Most of the mountains are in
the north, in Scotland, but they are not very high. The
British Isles have many rivers and lakes.
The United Kingdom has some mineral resources. Coal and oil
are the most important of them. The United Kingdom is one
of the world’s most industrialized countries. Agriculture
takes an important sector in economy of the country. The
British people grow wheat, fruit, vegetables, oats. London is
the capital of country. The most important industrial cities
are Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham and
others. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. London,
Liverpool and Glasgow are the biggest English ports. Oxford
and Cambridge are famous university cities.
The UK is a constitutional monarchy. The official
head of state is the king or the queen. But
according to the constitution, power in the
country belongs to Parliament. The British
Parliament consists of the House of Lords and
the House of Commons. Members of the House
of Commons are elected by the people.
Members of the House of Lords are appointed.
Parliament makes laws. The head of the
Government is the Prime Minister. At present
there are four main political parties in Great
Britain: the Conservative, the Labor, the Liberal
and Social -Democratic Party.
The Houses of Parliament
Julius Caesar came to Britain in 54 BC. A hundred years
later the Romans came again, and this time they stayed for
four hundred years (43 AD until 410 AD). Camps for
soldiers were constructed at road junctions. These sites of
old Roman camps became centers of trade. When the
Romans had departed (in 410 BC) the English swept over
the country and destroyed almost all the civilization which
Rome had established. In the 11th century England was
invaded by the Normans. The Norman invasion changed
both the history and the language of Britain. The Anglo –
Saxon Earl, Harold was chosen to the throne. William a
distant relative of the late king also claimed the English
throne. William promised the Roman Pope to strengthen
his power over England. The battle took place on the 11th of
October 1066 at Hastings. The Normans won battle and
William became king of England.
Two thousand years before the Romans came to
Britain the ancient inhabitants started building
Stonehenge in Wiltshire. The newest parts of it
were built in about 1400 BC – more than three
thousand years ago. It is the oldest of Britain’s
famous monuments. Huge stones weighing up to
30 tons were brought from hills 20 miles away,
and the smaller ones 200 miles from Wales.
Some people say Stonehenge was a kind of
clock, or calendar for working out the
movements of the sun and the moon.
Archaeologists used to think that Stonehenge
was just a temple for religious ceremonies.
Stonehenge
The symbol of Wales is a daffodil.
The Wales Valley are wonderful.
There are many daffodils in the Wales Valleys.
The symbol of Scotland is a thistle.
In Scotland some men wear kilts.
The national instrument of the Scots
is the bagpipe.
The symbol of
England is a red rose.
The symbol of Northern Ireland is a
shamrock.
Ulster is the old name of Northern
Ireland.
London, one the world’s biggest cities, situated on
the River Thames. The British capital is a very old
city. We’ll start our tour from Trafalgar Square,
which is the geographical centre of London.
Trafalgar Square is also historical place. In the
middle of it is the famous Nelson Column. Here,
there is also the National gallery with its
wonderful collection of works. Farther west from
Trafalgar Square is the Mall, at the other end of
which is Buckingham Palace. Westminster is the
most important part of London. Here, there is the
Houses of Parliament. In one of their beautiful
towers, the Clock Tower, is the famous Big Ben.
Opposite the Houses of Parliament is Westminster
Abbey.
Another interesting sight in the West End is Hyde
Park. It is the largest of London parks and famous
for its Speakers’ Corner.
In the centre of the City There is the Tower of London
and St. Paul’s Cathedral. After visiting Hyde Park,
it will be convenient to go back towards the east
along Piccadilly to Piccadilly Circus or to go the
British Museum and the University of London.
Westminster Abbey is
a very large Gothic
church in
Westminster, near
the Houses of
Parliament. The
present building was
started in 1245.
Almost all English
kings and queens
since William I have
been crowned in the
Abbey and many
famous people are
buried there.
Big Ben is the large
bell in the clock
tower of the houses
of Parliament in
Westminster. The
sound of Big Ben
striking is well –
known to all British
people and tower of
Big Ben is often
used as a symbol of
Britain.
Tower of London is an ancient fortress to the east
of the City of London, on the north side of the
River Thames, formerly a place where the king
and queen lived, and a prison for important
people. It is now a museum, and the place
where the crown jewels are kept. The Tower of
London is ceremonially guarded by the
Yeomen Warders or Beefeaters.
In the course of its history it has been a royal
palace, a state prison, a citadel and an arsenal.
Its many associations with English history
make it a popular tourist attraction. Two
important parts of it are the Bloody Tower and
the White Tower.
Tower Bridge is one of
London’s best-known
landmarks – the
distinctive twin
drawbridges with
Gothic (style) towers
over the River Thames
near the Tower of
London. The bridge
was built in the late
19th century, and is the
farthest downstream of
all London Bridges.
St Martin-in-the-Fields is
a famous church in
Trafalgar Square, built
in a neoclassical style
in the early 18th
century. The main
church itself is
frequently used for
musical performances.
Original church on this
site stood on open land
– hence the name of
the church.
Royal Albert Hall is a
large hall in London,
with seating for
8,000, where the
annual Promenade
Concerts are held, as
well as a number of
other concerts,
parades, meetings
and ceremonial and
sporting events. Built
in 1867-1871 and
named in honour of
Prince Albert, the
husband of Queen
Victoria.
Halloween is on
October 31th.
Although it is a
much more
important holiday
in the United
States than
Britain. People
cut horrible faces
in pumpkin and
put a candle
inside, which
shines through
the eyes and go
from house to
house saying, “
Trick or treat”
Christmas is on December
25th. For most British
families, this is the most
important holiday of the
year, the Christian
celebration of the birth
of Christ.
(1564-1616)
William Shakespeare is the world’s greatest poet and dramatist.
He was born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His
mother, Mary Arden, was a daughter of Robert Arden, a
farmer. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glover who had
an office at Stratford-upon-Avon.
William lived in Stratford until he was about twenty-one, when he
went to London. There is a story that Shakespeare’s first work
in London was holding rich men’s horses at the theatre door.
But nobody can say whether this story is true.
Shakespeare wrote 37 plays. Among them are tragedies such as
Hamlet, King Lear, Othello; comedies such as The Merry
Wives of Windsor, All’s Well That Ends Well, Twelfth Night,
Much Ado About Nothing; historical dramas such as Henry
IV, Richard III.
Shakespeare spent the last years of his life at Stratford, where he
died in 1616. He was buried in the church of Stratford.
House where William Shakespeare was
born.
(1759 -1796)
Robert Burns was born in the north of Scotland. His Father
William was a gardener. When Robert was 13, he had to do
most of the work on the farm, for his father was growing old.
Those were hard times. Robert was often ill because of the
hard work and little food. But in spite of all this, fifteen year-old he began to write.
Burns wrote many poems in English, but the best of his works
are written in the language of his native Scotland. In his
poems he described with love and understanding the simple
life he knew, and his poems touch the heart of every reader.
Robert Burns died at the age of 37. All his life he had lived very
poorly, he had no money and had to work very herd.
Among his well-known poems are The Jolly Beggars,
Halloween, The two Dogs.
Now Robert Burns is Scotland’s national poet and January 25
– the day of his birth – is always celebrated in his country
and in other countries.
The Beatles are a
British popular
music group who
made their first
record in 1962 and
became probably
the most famous
and successful
group ever. When
they separated in
1970, each member
(George Harrison,
John Lennon, Paul
McCartney, Ringo
Starr) of the group
continued to work
in popular music.
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Who is the official head the state?
What is the national instrument of the Scots?
What is the symbol of Northern Ireland?
Where was born of Robert Burns?
What is the symbol of Scotland?
What is the symbol of Wales?
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What is the capital of Scotland?
Which House of Parliament is elected by people?
What is the capital of Britain?
Who wrote “Hamlet”?
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What is the official name of Britain?
What parts does the United Kingdom consist of?
What river is the British capital situated on?
What is the symbol of England?
When do British people celebrate Christmas?
What channel lies between Britain and the continent
Of Europe?
7. Where did most of the English Kings and Queens have
their coronation ceremonies?
8. What is Big Ben?
9. Who wrote “The two Dogs”?
10. Who wrote “Twelfth Night”?
11. When do British people celebrate Halloween?