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SECTION ONE

GENERAL INFORMATIONCHAPTER1

GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYPart 1. Geographical Position.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelandr is situated on the British Isles2 - a large group of islands lying off the north-western coast of Europes and separated from the continent by the English Channela and the Strait of Dovers in the south and the North Sea6 in the east.

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1. Where is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland situated? 2. Which waters separate the British Isles from the continent of Europe? 3. What islands do the British Isles consist of? 4. Which four parts is the territory of the United Kingdom historically divided into? 5. What is the total area of the United Kingdom?The lsle of Wight

QUESTIONS.

Part 2. Nature.Great Britain is situated in the temperate zone of Europe. The nature of Great Britain is greatly affected by the sea: there is no place situated more than 100-120 km from the seashore, in the northern parts only 40-60 km. The territory of Great Britain can be divided into three natural regions: 1) Scotland with highland and upland relief and coniferous and mixed forests; 2) Wales and mountainous England with upland considerably cut by ravines and valleys and covered with meadows, moorlandr and cultivated farmland, with patches of broadleaf forest; 3) South-east England with plain landscape, fertile soils, the predominance of cultivated farmland, with patches of broadleaf forest.

Great The British Isles consist of two large islands Britain and Ireland - separated by the Irish Seal, and the Isle of a lot of small islands, the main of which are Wigfrt' in the English Channel, Angleseaa and the Isle of ftann in the Irish Sea, the Hebridesb - a group of islands off the north-western coast of Scotland6 ' and t*o grorrps of islands lying to the north of Scotland: tft" d"m"y Islands? and the Shetland Islands8 '

is divided into four parts: Englande, Scotland' Waleslo and Northern Ireland. The total area of the united Kingdom is 244 square

Historically the territory of the United Kingdom

kilometres.I2 3

{5

6

the Irish Sea ['alarrJ'si:] - I'Ip;lanAcKoe Mope the Isle of Wight [iatl av'watt] - ocrpon Vafir Anglesea ['.rlglsi:] - Enr.ncu the"Isle of nnut ['irl ev'rnren] - octpor Men the Hebrides ['hebrrdi:z] - le6pu4rt rJIaHArrfi Scotland ['skotl

1. What natural zone is the United Kingdom situated in?

QUESTIONS.

{' England [,rqglond] Anr.nus r0 Wales Valrc [wcrlz]

ih" ott tt.y ttl the Shetlancl Is

arlondz] darlendz]

-

o-p-xneftcxrre ocrpoBa Iller'nan4cKr4e ocrpoBa

I

-

moorland ['mualend]

-

nycrorub, rropocrrrag BepecKoM

4

2. What factor is the nature of Great Britain affected bY? WhY? 3. What natural regions can the Britain be divided into?

territory of Great

Part 3. Coasts.mounespecially in the west and north-west where the tains come close to the coast' The coasts of Scotland' Orkney as well as the coasts of the Hebrides' the numerIslands and the Shetland Islands, are cut by the land gradually ous fiords. In the south and east are sandy slopes down towards the sea, and the coasts ani gentle, here and there interrupted by the ends of The coastline of Great Britain is greatly indented,

1. Why is the coastline of Great Britain especially greatly indented in the west and north-west? 2. Where are fiords especially numerous? 3. How do the southern and eastern coasts of Great Britain differ from the western and north-western coasts?

QUESTIONS.

Part 4. Relief.The general slope of the land is from north-west to south-east. The mountains cover the greater part of northern, western and middle Great Britain. Th.ey can be divided into the following groups: 1) The Highlands of Scotlandl occupy most of the land to the north-west of a line drawn from Glasgow2 to Aberdeen3. Two parts of the Highlands the North-western Highlandsa and the Grampiansb - are separated by a narrow valley, through which- runs the Caledonian Canalo. At the south-western end of the Highlands rises Ben NevisT, 1343 m, the highest mountain of the British Isles. 2) The Central Plain of Scotland8 separates the Highlands from the Southern Uplands of ScotThe Highlands of Scotland |harlcndz ov'skotlendl - ceBepnan BbrconoropEafl qacrb TTTor;ranAran 2 Glasgow ['glo:sgou] l.rasro 'I Aberdeen [,rcbo'di:rr]-- E6ep4rEu tl-re North-western Higlilands ['nr:0'u,cstcn'harlondz] - Cenepoaarra.quafl qacrb BbrcoKoropHofi ITlotnaugltr ' the Grarnpians ['gricnrprenz] -- fparvrnlraHcnrle ropbl

hill-ianges, which form low cliffs'

'

The coast of Britain

kc'nrrl] the Caledonian Canal -- Ka.ne4onctir.ul xaHan ;' Ben Nevis ['bcn'ncvrs][.kclr'd:rrrlcn Ben Heenc * The Central Plain of Scotland ['sentrcl'plcrn cv'skrtlond] -

I{enrpa,trnas TITot.uanAcKafl

paBHrrHa

7

which landl. The Southern Uplands and the Pennines2 ' northstretch in the north-south direction across the form a practically ern and middle parts of England, continuous group. -";;.o|fiv-ttt.t*ttole of Wales is occupied bv the is Cumbrian.d. Th" highest peak of the Cumbrians

Part 5. Glimate.Great Britain enjoys the humid and mild marine West-Coast climatel with warm winters and cool summers and a lot of rainfall throughout the year. The prevailing winds blow from the south-west. As these winds blow from the ocean, they are mild in winter and cool in surnmer, and are heavily charged with moisture at ali times. As they approach the mountainous ar()as near the rvest coasts, they rise up tire nlountain siopes. Their tenperahure drotrrs, which canses condensation of rnoisture in the form of rain. Therefor:e the wettest parts trf Britain are those areas where high mountains lie near the west coast: the western I{ighlands of Scotland, the Lake District2 ancl North Wales. The eastern part of Brilain is said to be in the rain-shadow, as the winds lose most of their rnoisture in tlieir passage over the highlands of thewest.

t Snowdona, 1085 m. part of England is lowland' inThe south-eastern terrupted in places by low chalk ridges'

QUESTIONS. general slope of the land 1. What is the

in Great

Britain? divided 2. Which three groups can the mountains beinto? situated? 3. Where are the Highlands of Scotland What 4. Which are the two parts of the Highlands? are theY seParated bY? 5. Which is thl highest mountain of the British Isles? How high is it? Can you show it on the map? 6. Where are the Souihern Uplands of Scotland? How are they separated from the Highlands? 7. Where are the Plnnines situated? In what direction do theY stretch? 8. Where are the Cumbrians? 9. Which is the highest peak of the Cumbrians? How high is it? Find it on the maP' part of 10. What is the relief of the south-eastern England? the Southern Uplands of Scotland ['s'rr6an'nplendz rb2

All parts of the British Isles receive rain at any tinre of the year. Still autumn and winter are the wettest seasons, except in the Tharnesridistrict, where rnost r:ain falls in the sunrmer half of the -vear. Oxfordr, for example, has 29 per cent of its rain in surrnler and only.22 per cent in winter. As to ternperature, Great Britain has warnrer winters than any other district in the sarle latitude. It is' the humid and mild marine West-Coast clirnate ['hjumrdcud'rnarld rnc'ri:n'westkoust'klarrnrt] - BirarrcHbrfi ra ltnrxnii uropcrcoir KJrr4Mar BanaAnoro no6epexcra 2 the Lake f)istrict ['lerk'drstnkt] - Oedpuufi rpafi 2 the Thames [temz] - Tevrsa I Oxford OrccQop4 ['oksfcd]

av'skct-

I4

lend the the

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Snowdon ['snoudan]

-

CnoY4on

-

8

9

due in large measure to the prevalence of mild southwest winds. Another factor is the Gulf Streaml, which flows from the Gulf of Mexico2 and brings much

warmth from the equatorial regions to north-western Europe.

1. What climate does Great Britain enjoy? What are the characteristic features of this climate? 2. Which are the prevailing winds in Great Britain? What do they bring to the country? 3. Which are the wettest parts of Great Britain? whv? 4. The eastern side of Great Britain is said to be in the rain-shadow. What does it mean? 5. Which are the wettest seasons in Great Britain? 6. Why does Great Britain have warmer winters than any other district in the same latitude? Part 6. lnland Waters.The rivers of Britain are short; their direction and character are determined by the position of the moun-

QUESTIONS.

erpool6, and the ClydeT in Scoiland, which flows west across the Southern Uplands and on.which the port of Glasgow is situated. owing to the fact that British lakes are rather smail and have no outlets, they afford limited economic possibilities in the system of navigable waterways.

counties of Cumberlands, Westmorlande and north

But most of them, especially those situated in ihe

tains. Most of the rivers flow in the eastward direction since the west coast is mountainous. Due to the humid climate and abundant rainfall, the water level in the rivers is always high. The rivers seldom freeze in winter, most of them remain icefree. Many of the rivers are joined together by canals. This system of rivers and canals provides a good means of cheap inland water transport.I

" the Tyne [tarn] - p. Taftn I the Trent [tr.ent] -- p. '' the Mersey ['mc:zr] ' Liverpool ['hvopul] tn" ttuo" [krard] -p'

['sevanj 2 the Bristol channel Cenepn ['brrsteltJrenl]

I

Severn

p.

-

Epzcron'cxutrr

BaJrrrB

2

tlie Gulf Stream ['g,rlF.stri:m] - fom(rcrpuvr the Gulf of Mexico ['meksrkou] Merccnnancrcurl

-

-

saJrrrB

],,

qr l"#"1""J;J*"^ Jlanxaurnp11

10

and deep lakes, ravines, waterfalls and green meadows. The Lake District is one of the most popular holiday districts in Great Britain.

1. Why do most of the rivers in Great Britain flow in the eastward direction? 2. Why is the water level in British riyers always3. 4.

QUESruONS.

5. 6.

7. 8.

htgh? Do British rivers freeze in winter? Many rivers in Great Britain are joined together by canals. What does the system of rivers and canals provide? Are British rivers navigable for ocean ships? What prevents the formation of deltas at the mouths of rivers? Where are most of the large sea ports situated? Which are the most important rivers in Great

Britain?

9. What are the British lakes famous for? Whereare most of them situated? 10. Give a description of the Lake District.

cultivated only the varley lands and the plains where the soils are deeper and richer. With its mild climate and varied soils, Britain has a rich natural vegetation. When the islands were first settled, oak forests probably covered the greater part of the lowland. In the course of the centuries, nearly all the forests have been cut down, and now woodlands occupy only about Z per cent of the surface of the country. The greatest density of woodland occurs in the north and east of scoiland, in some parts of south-east England and on the Welsh border. The most common trees are oak, beech, ash and elm, and in Scoiland also pine and birch. Midland Britain appears to be well wooded be_ cause of the numerous hedgesr and isolated trees. Hedges are a typical feature of countryside land_ scape in England. Farming land is divided inio fields by hedges or stone walls. Most of countryside p"S_ land is agricultural land, about a third of *hi"h i. arable, and the rest is pasture and meadow.

Part 7. Vegetation.

In the mountainous regions of Great'Britain the vegetation is represented by coniferous and mixed forests with the predominance of pine, oak and etation? birch. Many parts of highland Britain have only 4. What has happened to nearly all the forests? thin, poor soils. As a result, there are large stretches What parts of Great Britain do most woods still of moorland in the Highlands of Scotland, the Penremain in? nines, the Lake District, the mountains of Wales and in some parts of north-east and south-west England. In most of these areas the farmers have ' hedges [hed3rz] xcprBbre r,rcropoAlr 1213

1. What is the vegetation represented by in the mountainous regions of Great Britain? 2. Where are stretches of moorland to be found? Why are these places covered with moorland? 3. Why does Great Britain have a rich natural veg_

QUESTIONS.

Which are the most common trees in Great Britain? 6. What is a"typical feature of countryside landscape in England? Why does midland Britain appear to be well wooded?D.

Part 9. Mineral Resources.Great Britain is rich in coal. There a,re rich coal basins in Northumberlandr , Lancashire, yorkshire2, Nottinghamshires, South Wales, North Wales and near Glasgow. Among other mineral resources, iron ores found alongside coal layers are of primary importance, but the iron content of most of the ores is very tow. There are tin and copper mines in Cornrvalla and De_vonshire5, copper and lead mines in England. Lead and silver ores are also mined in DJrby"hi"eu and CumberlandT and Lancashire.

Part 8. Animal

Life.

I

The animal life of the British Isles is now much poorer than it was a few centuries ago. With the disappearance of forests, many forest animals, including the wolf, the bear, the boar, the deer and th Irish elk, have become practically extinct. There are foxes in most rural areas, and otters are found alon many rivers and streams. Of smaller animals are mice, rats, hedgehogs, moles, squirrels, hares rabbits and weasels. There are a lot of birds, including many song-birds. Blackbirds, sparrows and starlings are probably mos common. There are many sea-birds, which nest rou the coasts and often fly far inland in search of f or shelter in rough weather. QUESTIONS.

1' what mineral resources is'Great Britain rich in? 2. Where are the coal basins? 3' where are the iron ores found? what is the drawback of the iron ores in Great Britain? 4. In what parts of Great Britain are the tin, copper, lead and. silver deposits?

QUESTIONS.

!

part 10. Economy.

The United Kingdom was the first country in 1. Why is the animal life of the British Isles mu poorer now than it was a few centuries ago? Wha the world which became highly industrialized. Or"_ forest animals have become practically extinct? ing the rapid industrialization of the lgth century, 2. What animals can be found in most rural a along many rivers and streams? 3. Are ther many birds in Great Britain? Whicare most common?

t4

15

coal one of the most important factors was that a"potit. were situaied near the ground surface' whieh made mining easy' CoaI mining is one-of-the *o.t developed industries in Great Britain' The bigg".i .out urrd iron mines are-in the, lort-h-."T1..;.f Errltur,a, near Newcastlel, in Lancashire and Yorkales near s-hi-re; in Scotland near Glasgow; in Cardiff2 and Bristols '

ir mainly concentrated in the centre of England and Cov the London region. Such towns as Birminghama ' ;;try; and sheffield6 produced h-eavy machines' rail way carriages and motor-cars' In the 20th centurl ;; il;;h;s of industrv have appeared: electronics radio, chemical industry and others' Of great importance for Britain is ship-buildi industry. It is concentrated in London' Glasgow Newcasile, LivbrPool and BelfastT Great Britain produces a lot of wool' and woolle industry is deveioped in Yorkshire' British woolle products are exported to many countries' S"u-ports play a great'role in the life of the coun try. l,ondorr, Lirr""pool and,Glasgow are the b ilgfish ports, from which big liners go to all prod of in" world. Great Britain exports industrial ucts to other countries and imports food and somr other products.I2

Untilrecenttimes,Britain'sheavyindustryw

Sheep-farming, cattle-farming and dairy-farming are also important branches of Great Britain's economy. Chicken farms produee a great number of chickens and eggs for the population. The south of England is often called the "Garden of England", because there are many gardens and orchards there. In the orchards people grow apples, pears, cherries, plums and other fruits, and there are also large plantations of different berries.

1. What was one of the most important factors of the rapid industrialization of the country in the19th century?

QUESTIONS.

2. What industry is mostly developed in Great Britain? Where are the biggest coal and iron minessituated? 3. Where was Britain's heavy industry mainly coneentrated until recent times? What was produied in Birmingham, Coventry and Sheffield? 4. What branches of industry appeared in the 20th century?

5. What towns is ship-building industry concentrated in? 6. Great Britain has always been a great exporter of wool, hasn't it? Where is the woollen industryconcentrated?

7. Do sea-ports play a great role in the life of Great Britain? Which are the biggest sea-ports of the

Newcastle ['nju:ko:sl]

I5

Cardiff ['ko:drtl Bristol Ibrrstl] - BPucro.nr Birmingham ['bc:mrqcnt] - BlrpmrznreuCoventry ['krvcntrl] - Koaenrplr Sheffield ['Jefi:ld] - ilIetbOurg Belfast ['bclfo:st] - Belc[act

KaP4utP(P

-

Hlronacn

8. Why is the south of England often called the "Garden of England"? What fruits grow in theorchards?17

country?

ft

t6

CHAPTER REVIEW I. Fill in the blanks with the correct'words from the

.

II. Write a 20o-word composition on the geography'

of Great Britain.CHAPTER2

COMPOSITION OF THE COUNTRYernpties, agricultural, pasture , !^-: ^- ^ t. Vtost of ttt" Iarge sea-ports of Great rritain are situated in the Iand, a, Most of countrYside England is and the rest is about a third of which is The territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is historically divided into

four parts: 1) England; 2\ Scotland; 3) Wales; 4) NorthernIreland.

S. Ttt" *i"ds blowing from the ocean are heavilY charged with zone of 4. Gre-at Britain is situated in the Europe' 5. Farming land is divided into fields bY and stone walls. West-Coast cli6. Great Britain enjoYs the mate. greatly 7. The coastline of Great Britain is by is greatly 8. The nature of Great Britain the sea. into the North Sea. 9. The Thames landscaPe and 10. South-east England has soils. covered wi 11. f-h" rrigttlands of Scotland are fdrests' ;nd tnpart of England is t2. Tn" .onttt-eastern'

and

Part 1. England.Kingdom, England is the largest. It occupies an area of 131,8 thousand sq. km. England borders on Scotland in the north. In the east it is washed by the North Sea. In the south it is separated from the continent by the English Channel. In the west it borders on Wales and is washed by the Bristol Channel and by the Irish Sea. The highest part of England is in the west, from where the land gradually slopes down to the east. The Atlantic Ocean washes the rock"y and broken west coast of England, Wales and Scotland and is gradually wearing it away, leaving caves and sandy beaches. On the east coast the land is low and sandy. The rivers flowing to the east and emptying into the North Sea form deep estuaries well protected from the sea. The greatest port of the country Lonclon is conveniently situated in the Thames estuary. The white chalk cliffs of the south coast washed19

Of the four countries which make up the United

-'

miles by the English Channel ean be seen from many

QUESTIONS, four parts is the United Kin om of Great 1. Which Britain and Northern Ireland historicatly divided into? 2. How does the west coast of England look? To* one? does the east coast differ from the west 3. Where is the port of London situated? What makes its Position convenient? 4. What is characteristic of the south coast of Eng

457 m above sea level, though some peaks are much higher, rising over a thousand metres. Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the BritishJsles, reacheB the height of 1343 m. The Lowlands are the cradle of the Scottish, nation. They are densely populated. The Southern Uplands seldom rise over 579 m above sea level. It is one of the most sparsely populated districts in Great Britain.

1. Where is Scotland situated? 2. What is the coastline of Scotland like? 3. Which three regions can the territory of Seotland be divided into?

QUESTIONS.

5. What parts can England be divided into as concerns the relief?

Iand?

4. Are the Highlands very high? 5. What part of Scotland can be called the cradle ofthe Scottish nation?

Part 3. Wales.Wales is a peninsula washed by the sea on three sides: the Bristol Channel in the south, the St. George's Channelr in the west, and the Irish Sea in the north. Its territory is 20,8 thousand sq. km. Geographieally Wales may be considered part of highland Britain, the Cumbrian Mountains occupying most of the land. It is an area of high mountains, deep valleys, waterfalls and lakes. Wales is a region of heavy rainfall brought by the prevailing west winds from the Atlantic Ocean. The valleys are sheltered by the high mountains from-told east winds. The climate is rather mild. I the St. George's Channel [srrt'd3o:d3iz'tJrenl] - npo.nnr Ca.feopra21

Part 2. Scotland'tha Scotland is the most northern of the countries an constitute the United Kingdom' It occupies of 78,8 thousand sq. km' -in Scotland i's washed by the Atlantic Ocean north and west and by the North Sea in the east' The coastline of Scotland is greatly indented'-I many places deep fiords penetrate very far inland' - -Cuogtuphically

divided inlo three regions: the Northern Highlands it C"rrttal Lowlands and the Southern Uplands' th " The Highlands are the highest mountains in British Isles. Their average height does not20

the territory of Scotland can

bt

Wales has never been densely populated:. T1" rs Welshl have kept their own language, but FJngtrsn spoken in town as well.QUESTIANS. 1.'What kind of relief does Wales have? a lot of 2. How do you explain the fact that the;e is rainfall in Wales? 3. What language is sPoken in Wales?

etables and potatoes. Large areas are taken up by meadows, where cattle graze. On the river banks and on the coasts the population is engaged in fishing.

1. Where is Northern Ireland situated? What coun-

QUESTIONS.

try

does

it

border on?

2. Describe the relief of Northern Ireland. 3. What is characteristic of the coastline of Northern Ireland? 4. What kind of climate does Northern Ireland enjoy? 5. What vegetation prevails in Northern Ireland? 6. What do people grow on their farms? \ CHAPTER REVIEW I. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the list: historically, rnahe up, slopes, rochy, brohen, sandy, estuaries, conueniently, chalh, Pennine, peninsula, sheltered, cradle, sparcely, uolcanic, indented, agrariun, graze. 1. Wales is a washed by the sea on threesides.

Part 4. Northern lreland' Northern Ireland occupies the north-easterrr Pa of Ireland, which is separated from the island ",19:: Britain by the North Channel2. In the south-we Northern Ireland borders on the Irish Republi(Eirea ).

a plai Almost all the area of Northern Ireland is t-".1" of volcanic origin, deepening in the centre-to the largest lake of the British Isles, Lou.9h ^l-i^{i-Irel The greatly indented coastline oi Notthern is abundant in rocks and cliffs. - ii;;h;;; i""i""a has a tvpical ocebnic climate with mild damp winters (the mean temperatutg,ltt- *l:, (the ary is +4, +5) and cool rainy suLmers temperature in July is +14, +15'). , --- scarie, moors and meado prevail. Northern Ireland is mostly an agratian distri oats' veg on small farms they grow crops' ".pE"iuilv I The Welsh [wclJ] YeJIbcqbI 2 the North Channel [inr:0'tJtcrrl] Cenepnrrfi flpo-'rrlB---.--.pecnyoruri Irish Repubri"i'i,,"tiitip^ui'r.t llpianacfias

2. The rivers form

deep

;ili]';;';;il"'

4.5.

6.7.

'' the a;22

Eire ['ccrc] - EfiPe Lough Neagh ['lox'ner]

-

the sea. Cattle in large meadows. The greatly coastline of Northern lreland is abundant in rocks and cliffs. The territory of the United Kingdom is divided into four parts: The territory of Northern England is mostly taken up by the low Mountains. populafed. The Southern Uplands are23

_,

well protected from

-

03. JIox Hefi

the United 10. Of all the four countries which Kingdom, England is the largest' 11. On ihe east coast the land is low and - so coast are cliffs of the L2. The whit e Engllsh Channel' washed bf the of the Scot13. The Central Lowlands are the tish nation.plain 14. Almost all the area of Northern Ireland is a

8. The land in England graduallY west to east. 9. Northern Ireland is mostlY an

down from

the Established Church of Englandr and the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

district.

origin. of 15. The port of London isThames estuarY.

-

1. Who is the official head of the state of Great Britain? 2. What are the official titles of Queen Elizabeth II? 3. The monarchy in Great Britain is founded on hereditary principle, isn't it? What does "hereditary principle" mean? 4. Explain the following sentence: "The power of the monarch is not absolute but constitutional."

QUESTTONS.

situated in

Part 1. The Constitution.

and Practically speaking, there is no written constitu16. The Atlantic Ocean washes the -tion in Great Britain. The term "English Constituwest coasts of England, Wales and Scotland' by the high mountains tion" means the leading principles, conventions and 17. The valleys ate laws, many of which have been existing for centufrom the cold east winds' ries, though they have undergone modifications and extensions in agreement with the advance of civiliza3 CHAPTER tion. These principles are expressed in such docuPOLITICAL SYSTEM ments of major importance as Magna Carta2, a fais a parliamentary monarchy' Official mous document in English history agreed upon in Great Britain pt L2t5 by King Johns and the barons, which set cerIy the head of the state is the king or queen' The is not absolute but constitutional. tain limits on royal power and which was later reol tt," monarch garded as a law stating basic civil rights; Habeas monarch acts only on the advice of the ministers' The hereditary principle upon which the monar Corpus Acta , a law passed in 1679, which guarantees chy is founded is strictly observed' The now reigni I the Established Church of England locuo4crByroqafl monarch, Queen Elizabetlr, II is a descendant of t rlepKoBb Anrnnu Saxon king Egbert. '' Magna Carta ['rnrcgno'ko:tc] - Marna Kapra ( Beturcaa xapmufl The monarch, be it king or queen' is the head ao,nunocnt.eil ) the executive body, an integral part of the legisla ' King John [tl3rn] KopoJrb,[rxon (Hoarun Benemenunwii) ture, the head of ihe judicial body, the commander ' Habeas Corpus Act ['hcrbjos'ko:pes irkt] --. Xa6eac Kopnyc (Jq,rou 1679 e. o HenpurcocHoleHHocmu nuvruocntu) in-chief of the armed forces of the crown' the head2425

acts, separate laws and agreements'

1. Is there a written constitution in Great Britain?

QUESTIONS.

What does the term "English Constitution" mean? 2. Name some important documents which contain the leading principles of government' 3. When was Magna Carta signed? Who signed it What did Magna Carta set limits on? 4. When was Habeas Corpus Act passed? What do Habeas CorPus Act guarantee? 5. When did Parliament pass The BilI of Rights? What did The Bilt of Rights confirm?

Parliament Square

Part 2. Three Branches of Government.Power in Great Britain is divided among th branches: the legislatives branch, the executiv branch and the judicialT branch.

The legislative branch is represented by parliament, which consists of two chambers, or houses: the House of Lordsr and the House of Commons2. Parliament in Britain has existed since I26b. Hav_ ing been organized in the reign of King Edward Ia, it is the oldest parliament in the world.Jreersa, including the "lords spiritual"t: the Arch_ bishop of Canterburyo, the Archbishop of yorkz, andthe House of Lords - Ilanara JrropAoB the House of Commons - flanara o6rqranE.qyapg I King Edward I ['cdrvcd do'tb:st] - Koporrb peers [prcz] napbr "lords spiritual Ispr'rrqjucl]" - Bbrcruee AyxoBerrcrBo the Archbishop [o:tJ'br1cp] of Canterbury ['k:rnrebcrr] apxrrerrr{crcou Kenrep6eplrricxHii the Archbisllop of York apxuerr4crcou froprccxrzft

The House of Lords consists of more than 1000

2 the jury ['d3ucrr] ilprrcfllrcnble saceAareJrlr 3 The Bill of Rights Bu.nnr o rpaBax r the laws clecidi'g the successionlsck'scJn] of the royal famil '' 'i i judicial [cl3tr'drJcl] 26SaKOHbI , OUpeAeJ'IflIOIqUe UOpflAOri HaCJIeAOBaHI4 npecro.Ila legislative ['led3rslctrv] - aaxonoAareJlbHas executive Irg'zckjutrv] - racuo;rrulreJlbHaflKOpOJIeBCKOTO

I court of justice

['kc:t ev'd3nstrs]

cy4

_27

cy4e6naa

-

24 bishoPs of the Church of England. The peers (with the

exception of th "lords sPiritual" their lifetimel

have the right to si in Parliament

transmit their righ to their eldest sons. During the sent century a practice has aPPea red: the practice "creating" ne peers. TheY are cal Ied "life peers", be cause their child do not inherit thei r,itles like the chil The House of Lords dren of heredit by the monarch on th peers. New peers are created ud-ri"" of the Prime Minster. Sometimes a prominen civi sometimes fotti"iutt is made a peer'the country a leading a re 'servantt who has served As well' Lords today are not rep sult, about one-third of the di resentatives of hereditary nobilitya but company rectors, bankers, newspaper proprietors and otbusinessmen.

fhe House of Commons

The nrembers of the House of Commons are elected lry a general electionr. The whole country is divided rrrto constituencies2, every one of which chooses one rlclegate. Big cities are divided into several constitutrrcies each. Members of the House of Commons are r,lected for five years. Parliament's main function is to make laws. The grrocedure of making new laws is as follows: a memlrt:r of the House of Commons proposes a bill3, which is discussed by the House. If the bill is approved, it is sent to the House of Lords, which, in case it does rrot like it, has the right to veto it for one year. If the llouse of Commons passes the bill again the followng year, the House of Lords cannot reject it. Finally lre bill is sent to the Queen for the "royal assent"a, rl'ter which it becomes a law.by a general election - eceo6rqzM roJrocoBauueMoxpyra constituencies [kan'strtjuonsrz] lra6npareJrbrrbrea

2 3C,rYXaUlr'rfi

&Barb cBoe rrpaBo Ift rocY4aPcrBenlrbl [hr'rcdrtcrr]

' hereclitary28

nobility -

HacJIeAcrBeHHafl 3Harb

"royal-assent [c'scnt]" - KopoJreBcroe ogo6penlre29

bill

3axoHorrpoexr

-

The executive branch is headed by the Prime ister, who is appointed by the king (queen)' Ac ing to tradition, the Prime Minister is the leader ItZ pu.tv that has won the elections Td. h*.:l-t,l Ministt loriiy in-the House of Commons' The Prime uppoints the ministers to compose th.e,Sover"*:l After that the newly appointed minigters are serited to the *orr'u""h for the formal bpproval' *.tt important ministers of the government-(abo

ll. The British Parliament is the oldest parliament in the world, isn't it? Since what time has it existed? How old is it? 4. Which are the two chambers of the British Parliament? l'r. How many peers are there in the House of Lords? Who are the "lords spiritual"? 6. Who are "hereditary peers'.' and "life peersl'? How are life peers created? 7. How are the members of the House of Commons elected? How often do general elections of the House of Commons take place? 8. What is the main function of Parliament? 9. Explain in detail how new laws are made. 0. Who is the executive branch headed by? 1. How is the Prime Minister chosen? t What is the procedure of forming the government? 3. What is the Cabinet? What is the work of the Cabinet? What is the highest judici.al body of the country called? Which two divisions does it consist of? Why is it often said that English law is superior to the law of most other countries?

l*""tvl

the Cabinetl' Memb"It.of tl:. 9uPio Minister' mak" loi"t decisions or advise the Prime of The main function of the executive branch .tl (to see to it,thl government is to administer the liws the countryj Th" h*. are carried out, actually to rule the laws' The iudicial branch interprets "friett"st judicial body is the Supreme 9""* itt. Hi .luJicatui2, which consists of two divisions: the It is^ ofl ' C."* Justices and the Court of Appealalaw of "f English law is superior to the ."iJ tnut judicial s other countries. Indeed, the English many rules which protect the individual agait """iti". actions by the police and the government'

^fot*

""Ufi*w

QUESTIONS, power 1. Which are the three branches of state the United Kingdom? Z. Wfrat body is the legislative power representedthe Cabinet - rca6unet MrltHrrcrpoB the Supreme [rju"pri,m]t";-ik;*i Li 'luaicuture ['d3u:c'katJa] ' Bepxoanrtft cY4 ths rrioh cnrrrt of .Iustice ['d:,rstrs'l -^nBucor-lrl :Xl:-.1 1anam c nPuc0urcqu nep

Part 3. Political Parties.tre Conservative

I2

The two main political parties of Great Britain are Partyr and the Labour Party2. The Conservative Party (otherwise called the Tory3 arty) is right-wing, tending to be opposed to greatthe Conservative [kon'sc:votrv] Party

3

Hu the arb

uu)

qraonnuft cy4 Jrbgbre geficreuc

the.Labour ['lcrbc] Party Tory ['o:r'r] - Topu

-

Jleft6opucrcKas raprr.Ifl

KoncepnarvBHafl naprr{ff

v0

)1

order of and sudden changes in the established lt is against state control of industry' "tV. Labour Party, sometimes called the Socialis The Unionsl ' has a close u.ro"iuiion with the Trade as it used to be' though it is now not as left-wing working-cl has many supporters, especially among 1 and middle-class PeoPle' QUESTIONS. the two main political parties in Gret 1. Which are

corrrse

of centuries, the huge British Empirer came into being. After World War II, with the growth of

Britain? Z. Wnat is the Conservative Party otherwise How can the general policy of the Conservati Party be described? 3. Whai is the Labour Party sometimes called?a c organization does the Labour Party have Pr u.So"iution with? Where does the Labour have the majoritY of suPPorters?

rrutional liberation movement2 in the world, the countries which were dependent on Great Britain and l'ormed parts of the British Empire, began claiming inclependences. As a result of this movement, the llritish Empire fell aparta. However, centuries-long cconomic, cultural and political ties of these former colonies and dominions with Great Britain were too strong for them to completely break away from each other, and it was found advisable to maintain the old bies. A new organization was established: the British Clommonwealth of Nationss, including about 50 indellendent states which were formerly parts of the British Empire. The British Commonwealth of Nations oncourages trade and friendly relations among its trtembers. The Queen is the official head of the Commonwealth.

Part 4. The British Gommonwealth of Nations.For centuries British sailors and merchants a lands ettea aII over the world, discovered new .i.i*"a them for England2 ' Large territories in Not Ausl Americas, Africaa, the whole continent of of ftarl$s i;;; N"; Zealand', India? ""q3 lot graduallv' i1 t in ;;; llt ,rna"t British rule' Thus'

1. How was the British Empire formed? 2. What international movement brought about the fall of the British Empire? When did this movement start? 3. Why didn't for.mer dependent countries completely break away from Great Britain? Why was it found advisable to maintain the old ties?the British Empire ['hrrtr{'cnrpara] BpuraHcrcaa rrMrreprrfl national ['nrc]cncl] liberation -ilrbc'rcrJn] movernent Ha

QUESTIONS,

:

1A i, A ,, -N 7 India)2

rerljc]-Aacrpa,rur'nji:'ii:lcnd]['rndro]

Atlpuxa

r"yxTH;H*"'Hoaas Senangua

rlrlroHa.rrbno-ocao6o4IrTeJIbHoe ABrl)KeHrre

began clairning independence Irndc'pendcns]BATb HESABIICI4MOCTII

-

EaqaJrrr rpe6o-

-

llugua

-

pacnaJ'Iacb flell apalt the British -Comrrronwealth ['krrncnwcl0] of Nations crioe coApyxrecrBo naquft

- BpuraH11

association of f 4. What is the name of the new British colonies and dominions? Commonwealth of Na 5. What does the British encourage? British Common 6. Wh; i. ihe official head of the . wealth of Nations?

Act to a person arrested the right to appear in court of _. The monarch Queen Elizabeth II is a of the Saxon king Egbert. I il. The main function of the executive branch is toI 1. Habeas Corpus

laws.1,4.

CHAPTER REVIEW words from I. Fill in the blanks with the correct

Many leading principles, conventions and laws modifications in agreement with the have advance of civilization.The power of the queen of England is not

I l-r.

lfi. The

branch of power is represented by Parliament. 17. The House of Lords consists of more than 1000

lli.

Magna Carta set certain limits on royal branch of power is headed by the

Prime Minister. 20. Parliament's main function is to make a bill l. The House of Lords has the right to for one year. Write a 200-word composition on the political sys;m of the United Kingdom.peoPle.

6.

i;i;"iten

orinciPle. f the governme 8. The most imPortant ministers o form the _-Minister.is t 9. According to tridition' the Prime rn the --leader of the party which has Ilouse of Commons' do not 10. The children of life peers

is founded 7. The motu,"hy-i" Ct"ut Britain -

said that English law is Iaw of most other countries'

to

t

titles.15

34

SECTION TWO

HISTORYUNIT ONE

THE EARLY DAYS OF BRITAIN peopled Around, 10,O0O BC Britain was They fo ^b oS t'unters and fishers' ";;il Jroup''of d'eer ' wh ich prouid'ed them wit lowed' herd's

food' and' clothing' p": In the "ou,r" i1 tim'e' d'iff erent g.roul: ".f cu.s gists find their tools and weapons, as well as remains their pt) taept arritting in Britain'bringin$ p i e d''B r it oli primitive houses. w h o o c cu ', olnr- i'o a sh iLLs.-T h R o * an s' These people were religious, though we know very " th" ,ty.::I:r: in the -l*t c"ntury' broug-ht word' was im' little about their religion. Some temples which they ain frry wriiten lrrrilt still stand in many parts of England and Scotreading ona culture' lund. These temples are also very primitive. They piortan"t for spreaans ideas and rr:e just circles of great stones standing vertically. CHAPTER 1 he greatest of them is Stonehengel in the south BRITONS ANCIENT rf England.

A hut of ancient people inhabiting the British lsles (reconstruction)

*'iii"g'

Part 1. The Ancient PoPulation' population Little is known about the ancientthe British Isles'

;;il' ;;;t'"tood. Graclually they learned toilt"Li" ftt36

iitt" otft"r primitive people in ot *o'ta, t1"v.. ti13{ ll ":"^": -1*::: grow co

QUESTIONS 1. Where did the ancient population of Britain live? How did they get their food? 2. What material did they use to make tools andweapons?

They made primitive-t^or and breed domestic animals' Later they learned to smel

;]. What is known about the religion of the ancient population of Britain?Stonehenge ['stounhcrrd3]

and weapons of t1o""' weapons' Archaeolc metal and make *Lt"f tools and

- Ctoyuxen4x

)7

Part 2. Who were the Britons?

these people Britons and

island

Britannia. - centuries the Brito course of

In th

workers. TheY made things ou of iron, bronze, tin, cIaY wood, and decorated them wi beautifully drawn lines and Pa terns2. TheY made moneY out gold and silver. TheY began make roads, along which travelled about the country, buying and selling things There were some good and rather big houses it Britain, which had many rooms and corridors' richer Britons lived in these big houses' When had feasts in their houses, they sat round low tabl There were no forks or spoons. They took big pi of meat in their fingers and tore them apart' or cu them with their knives. They drank from big made of earthenware or silver' 1 the Celts 2 patterns38 [kelts]

partly killed the native PoPu lation, partlY mixed with it' The Britons were skilfu

-

- KeJlbrbr Ysopbr

A village of Britons

39

In the moun offer up sacrifices of human beings. The Druids put Not all parts of Britain were civilized' there wer lrren into huge baskets and burned them in the presnorth tains and forests of the west and of iron and did nc ence of the people. the use ;;;;";ho did not knowreal house:'b:'-"'llll":.1: The Britons often fought among themselves. The tto use money. They tt"J remains of forts built by the Britons can be seen in werr ;;; The parts in the south-east of Britain con rlifferent parts of the country. From time to time t3;!-he *o.t "irrilized, because they were neare;t t,he Britons had feasts arid entertainments. During il"."t, from which people got new knowledge' n feast a minstrel usually sang songs about brave QUESTIONS rleeds of famous warriors. After the minstrel's songs How did his listeners began to boast of their own brave deeds. 1. Where did the Britons come Jrom? What were theY armed-with? And when they had drunk too much, they began look? were skiiful workers' weren't rluarrelling and fighting, and usually some men 2. The Britons were killed. What could theY do? of life t