1.

Answer and discuss the following questions:

1. What is United Kingdom made up of?
United Kingdom is a country in north-western Europe. It is made up of: Great Britain (the formerly
separate realms of England and Scotland, and the principality of Wales), Northern Ireland (which
occupies the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, also known as Ulster) and numerous smaller
islands including the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, and the Scilly, Orkney, Shetland, and Hebridean
archipelagos.

2. What is the official name of the country? Provide some shorter names of it.
The official name of the country is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland although it
is usually known by a shorter name. In the European parliament, at the United Nations and at the
Eurovision Song Contest, for instance, it is referred to as “The United Kingdom”. In everyday speech this
is often shortened to “the UK”. In other contexts it is referred to as “Great Britain”. In writing and
speaking that is not especially formal or informal, the name “Britain” is used.
 
3.When was the term ‘Great Britain’ officially used for the first time?The use of the very name (Britain)
dates back to the time of Aristotle, however the term Great Britain was not officially used until 1474
when a marriage proposal between Edward IV of England's daughter, Cecily, and James IV of Scotland
was written. The normal adjective, when talking about something to do with the UK, is “British”.

4.How many countries are larger in size that the United Kingdom?
77 countries are larger in size that the United Kingdom. Some of them are the United States, Spain,
Egypt, Denmark, France and Afghanistan.

5.Who is the head of state?

The United Kingdom has a hereditary constitutional monarch serving as head of state, who is Queen
Elizabeth II. The monarch is also known as 'the Crown'.

6.Who governs the country?

In the UK, the Prime Minister leads the government with the support of the Cabinet and ministers. The
Prime Minister is Boris Johnson.
The Cabinet is made up of the senior members of government. Every week during Parliament, members
of the Cabinet meet to discuss the most important issues for the government.
Ministers are chosen by the Prime Minister from the members of the House of Commons and House of
Lords. They are responsible for the actions, successes and failures of their departments.

7.What is the chief lawmaking body of UK?

 Parliament is the chief lawmaking body. It consists of the monarch, the House of Commons and the
House of Lords.
 
8.What symbols does the shield of Royal Arms bear?
 The shield bears the symbols of  England, Ireland and Scotland.
 
9.What is another name for United Kingdom’s flag?
 Flag or the Union Jack. It was officially adopted in 1801. It is called the Union Flag because it
symbolises the administrative union of the countries of the United Kingdom.
 
10.When the UK’s flag was officially adopted? Dwell upon the history of the flag.
 It is a well-known fact that the flag of the United Kingdom is often called the Union Jack.
It has its history.
In 1536, Wales became a province of England. As Wales was not a Kingdom but a Principality it could
not be included on the flag.
In 1603, Scotland was joined to England and Wales. At that time there was a problem which flag to raise
on the king's ships. English sailors resented the Scottish colours and the Scots scorned the cross of St.
George. On 12 April 1606, the National Flags of Scotland and England were united for use at sea, thus
making the first Union 'Jack'. When the red cross of England was put onto the flag of Scotland, a white
border was added around the red cross for reasons of heraldry. (The rules of heraldry demanded that two
colours must never touch each other.)
In 1801 appeared the final version of the United Flag, it followed the Union of Great Britain with Ireland
and it included the cross of St Patrick. The cross still remains on the flag, though only Northern Ireland is
now a part of the United Kingdom. The greater part of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1921.
The flag is made up of 3 crosses. The upright cross is the Cross of St. George, 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 of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. All of them are on the blue background.
We won’t find Wales on the Union Flag, because it is not represented here. When the first version of the
flag appeared, Wales was already united with England. The national flag of Wales is a red dragon on a
field of white and green.
United Kingdom’s flag is known as the British Union Flag or the Union Jack. It is called the Union Flag
because it symbolises the administrative union of the countries of the United Kingdom.
 
11. What is the floral emblem and patron saint of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Each country in Britain has its own patron saint and floral emblem. St. George is a patron saint of
England. St. Andrew – a patron saint of Scotland, St. Patrick and the Shamrock – Northern Ireland. St.
David –  a Wales's patron saint.
Also each country in Britain has its floral emblem. The national flower of England is the Rose, Scotland –
the Thistle and Scottish Bluebell, Wales - the Daffodil, which is traditionally worn on St. David’s Day.
The floral emblem of Northern Ireland is the Shamrock (three-leaved plant similar to clover).
 
12. Provide 8 main land regions of Britain.
Britain can be devided into eight main land regions. Seven of these regions occupy the island of Great
Britain. They are (1) the Scottish Highlands, (2) the Central Lowlands, (3) the Southern Uplands, (4) the
Pennines, (5) Wales, (6) the Southwest Peninsula and (7) the English Lowlands. Northern Ireland makes
up the eighth region.
 
13.What seas border the country?
The UK is bordered by four seas:
• to the south by the English Channel, which separates it from continental Europe
• to the east by the North Sea
• to the west by the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
 
14. Enumerate the largest lakes of UK:
Northern Ireland is also home to the UK's largest lake, Lough Neagh, which covers an area of 396sq.km
(153 sq miles). Other major lakes include Windermere in the English Lake District (16km/10 miles long
and up to 1.6km/1 mile wide) and Loch Lomond in Scotland (37 km/23 miles long and 8 km/5 miles wide
at its widest point). Another of Scotland's lakes, Loch Ness is famous for sightings of 'Nessie', a mythical
monster!
 
15. What is the division of London?
London (the largest city in Europe; the 9th largest city in the world) dominates Britain. It is home for the
headquarters of all government departments, parliament, the major legal institutions and the monarch. It is
the country’s business and banking centre and the centre of its transport network. It contains the
headquarters of the national television networks and of all the national newspapers. London was nearly
destroyed twice, by fire in 1666 and by German air raids during World War II. Although each disaster
wiped out much of London, many old landmarks were rebuilt.
The old City of London and the communities surrounding it form one political unit with definite
boundaries. This area is called Greater London or simply London.
London is divided into 32 boroughs (local units of government) plus the old City of London, often simply
called the City.
Central London can be divided into three main sections. They are: (1) the City, (2) the West End and (3)
the South Bank. The City and the West End lie on the north side of the Thames. The South Bank lies
across the river from these areas. A number of great bridges link the South Bank with the City and West
End. These bridges include the new London Bridge, Tower Bridge and Westminster Bridge.
The City forms London’s famous financial district. It covers about 2.6 square kilometers (1 square mile)
at the eastern edge of central London. It is the oldest part of London. It consists largely of modern bank ;
office buildings; dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral; the Guildhall; Mansion House, the home of the City’s lord
mayor; a 62-meter (202-foot) stone column called the Monument stands near the spot in the City where
the Great Fire started in 1666.
The West End is the center of Britain’s government and London’s retail trade and night life. It is also
London’s most fashionable residential area. The West End covers  about 18 sq.km. (7 sq.miles) just west
of the City: Britain’s chief government buildings are in the City of Westminster; The Houses of
Parliament, the government buildings; Number 10 Downing Street; Buckingham; London’s main
shopping and entertainment districts; Trafalgar Square; Piccadilly Circus, a district crowded with
restaurants and nightclubs.
 
2.Translate these sentences
1. Більша частина Великобританії складається з пологих пагорбів з ізольованими вершинами,
такими як Дартмур на південному заході Англії або гори Морн у Північній Ірландії.
2. Найсильніші дощі випадають у високогірних районах західної Шотландії.
3. По центру Північної Англії простягається/проходить гірський хребет Пеннін.
4. Ландшафт Великобританії дуже різноманітний, починаючи від Гремпіанських гір Шотландії до
низинних боліт Англії, які місцями знаходяться на рівні моря або нижче.
5. Клімат Великобританії помірний, його пом’якшує Гольфстрім.
6. Час від часу над частинами країни нависають м’які тумани. Але відомі тумани Лондона та
інших великих міст, схожі на «гороховий суп», з’являються вже рідко.
7. Many bays cut into the region’s Atlantic Ocean and North Sea coasts.
(?) Багато заток входять в Атлантичний океан і омивають узбережжя Північного моря
 8. More important today is the region’s fine white china clay, used to make pottery.
(?) Більш важливими сьогодні є поклади високоочищеної білої (фарфорової) глини, яку
видобувають у регіоні та використовують для виготовлення порцеляни.
 9. The country was once known for its deciduous forests, which with passage of time have reduced
largely in number due to deforestation.
Країна колись була відома своїми широколистяними лісами, кількість яких з плином часу значно
скоротилася внаслідок вирубки лісів.
 10. Britain is an island under constant attack from the surrounding sea.
Британія - це острів, який знаходиться під постійною загрозою/небезпекою  з боку навколишніх
морів.
 11. Many British rivers have drowned or sunken, mouths called estuaries, up which the ocean tides flow.
(?) Багато річок Великої Британії, затоплених морем, утворюють гирло під назвою естуарій, в
якому відбуваються припливи і відпливи.
 12. In the 19th century it was once suggested that the House of Parliament should be wrapped in
enormous wet sheets to protect those inside from the awful smell of the River Thames.
Одного разу в 19 ст Вестмінстерський палац запропонували закрити великою кількістю вологих
простирадл, щоб захистити людей, які знаходились всередині, від жахливого запаху річки Темзи.
13. Великий купол собору Святого Павла все ще височіє над іншими будівлями в цьому районі, як
і протягом сотень років.
14. Південний берег є одним із районів Лондона, які швидко розвиваються.
15. Багатолюдні квартали оточують більшу частину центру Лондона.  
16. Південна Англія є найбільш густонаселеною територією Великобританії, яка не включає в себе
велике місто, і мільйони її жителів щодня їздять до Лондона на роботу.  
17. Норфолк-Бродс, наприклад, перетинають сотні водних шляхів, але тут немає міст, тому це
популярне місце для відпочинку на човнах.  
18. Дикі вітряні болота, які є місцем подій відомого роману Емілі Бронте «Буремний перевал»,
здаються світом подалі від диму й похмурого міського життя, насправді вони знаходяться
неподалік від Бредфорда.

3. Match the following words and word combinations to their correct meaning:
1.  heather - a few small trees and low evergreen shrubs
2.  Britannia - a name that the Romans gave to their southern British province.
3.  haggies - dish made from sheep’s heart, lungs and liver
4.  sea lochs - narrow bays
5.  The Pennines - backbone of England
6.  Erin - a poetic name for Ireland.
7.  smoggies - the inhabitants of Middlesbrough and the surrounding urban area of Teesside
8.  The Wash - most of the land north of the Thames and up to bay of the North Sea
9.  Albion  - a word used in some poetic or rhetorical contexts to refer to England
10.  reels’ - traditional dances
11.  Briton - a word used in official contexts and in formal writing to describe a citizen of the United
Kingdom
12.  moor - an area of coarse grasses
13.  The Fens – great plain borders The Wash

 4. Find the correspondence in these two columns and provide the system of measuring:
 • 94,058 square miles (243,610 sq km) - a total area of the UK
 • 4,406 foot (1,343 meter) - the highest point in the British Isles
 • 7,723 miles (12,429 m) - a coastline of the UK
 • 62,698,362 people - population of the UK
 • 220 miles (354 km) - the longest river of the UK (The Severn)
 • 717 persons per square mile (277 persons per square kilometer) - a population density
 • 215 miles (346 km) - the length of the Thames
 • 153 sq miles (396sq.km)  - an area which Lough Neagh covers (to the UK's largest lake)
 
 
5.
1. London is built along the Thames.
2. Three quarters of the land in Britain is used for farming.
3. 8 out of ten people live in towns and cities.
4. The highest mountains are in Wales and England.
5. More than 63 % of people own their own homes.
6. Great Britain is the ninth-largest island in the world (218 980 Km2) and the largest in Europe.
7. London is about 7 times larger than any other city in the county.
8. The Channel Tunnel, the longest undersea rail tunnel in the world.
9. The 2nd longest tunnel in the world = The Channel Tunnel (England-France; 49.9 Km).
10. The 3rd longest suspension bridge in the world = Humber (2220 m).
11. London - the largest city in Europe; the 9th largest city in the world.
12. There are 35 bridges in London that span the River Thames.
13. The first London Bridge was a wooden one built by the Romans in 43 A.D.
14. The Westminster Bridge was the only bridge over the Thames until 1750.
15. The most common surname in both England and Scotland is Smith.
16. In addition to English, 14 minority languages are officially recognised.  

6.
•If you wet your feet with dew in the morning, you may keep them dry for the rest of the day.(Якщо
вранці змочити ноги росою, ви можете зберегти їх сухими до кінця дня.)
•With dew before midnight, the next day sure will be bright. (З росою до півночі, наступний день
обов’язково буде світлим.)
•Mackerel sky, mackerel sky – never long wet, never long dry. (A mackerel sky can be used to forecast
weather, a mackerel sky of any kind means change is likely.)
•If you see clouds going crosswind, there is a storm in the air. (Якщо ви бачите, що хмари рухаються з
бокового вітру, у повітрі гроза.)
•When small clouds join and thicken, expect rain. (Коли невеликі хмаринки з’єднуються і
згущуються, чекайте дощу.)
•Black clouds in the north in winter indicates approaching snow. (Чорні хмари на півночі взимку
вказують на наближення снігу.)
•If it rains before seven, it will clear before eleven. (Якщо дощить до сьомої, то до одинадцятої
проясниться.)
•Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning. (Червоне небо вночі,
насолода моряка. Червоне небо вранці, моряк приймає попередження.)
•Unusual clearness in the atmosphere, with distant objects seen distinctly, indicates rain.
(Незвичайна прозорість в атмосфері, коли віддалені об’єкти видно чітко, вказує на дощ.)
•It's raining cats and dogs',(йде сильний дощ)
•'blowing a gale' (сильний вітер) •throwing it down' (йде сильний дощ)
•The higher the clouds, the finer the weather. (Чим вище хмари, тим краща погода.)
•When clouds appear like towers, the Earth is refreshed by frequent showers. (Коли хмари здаються
вежами, Земля освіжається частими зливами)
•Ring around the moon? Rain real soon. (Кільце навколо місяця? Скоро дощ.)
•When pipes smell stronger, it’s going to rain. (Коли труби пахнуть сильніше, це до дощу)
•Frogs croaking in the lagoon, means rain will come real soon (Квакання жаб в лагуні означає, що
скоро прийде дощ)
•When the ass begins to bray, surely rain will come that day (Коли осел почне ревіти, неодмінно того
дня прийде дощ)