Location

The Geography (Location, Climate, Physical Relief)

I. Mind the pronunciation of the following geographical names:

Ulster [;[lst{] - Ольстер

Anglesey [`@NglsI] - остров Англиси

Hebrides [;hebrIdi:z] - Гебридские острова

Isle of Wight [;AIl{v;wAIt] - острова Уайта

Pennines [;penAInz] - Пеннинские горы

Devon [;dev{n] - Девон (графство Англии)

Cornwall peninsula [;kO:nwO:l] - полуостров Корнуолл.

Brecon [;brek{n] -Брекон (графство Уэльса)

Cubrian Mountains [;k[brI{n `mauntInz] - Камберлендские горы

Scafell Pike [;skO:,fel’pAIk] -Скофелл (гора)

Cambrian Mountains [;k@mbrI{n `mauntInz] -Кембрийские горы

Yorkshire dale [;jO:kSI{;deIl] - долина графства Йоркшир

Exmoor [;eksmu{] - Эксмур (болота)

Dartmoor [;da:tmu{] - Дартмур (плато)

Antrim [;@ntrIm] -Антрим (графство Сев. Ирландии)

Mountains et Antrim - горы графства Антрим

II.Read the text.

Location

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland -the state informally known as Britain - constitutes the greater part of the islands, described geographically as the British Isles. The largest island is Great Britain proper comprising England, Scotland and Wales. The second-largest island, Ireland, is shared by Northern Ireland (or Ulster) and the Republic of Ireland (also known as Eire. The Irish Republic is politically independent and not part of the UK). These and over 5,500 smaller islands (such as Anglesey, the Hebrides, the Orkneys, the Shetlands, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Islands and the Isles of Scilly) lie varying distances from the coasts and are included in the British administrative and political union.

Britain is located between the latitudes of 50°N, which cuts through the Lizard peninsula in south-west England and 61°N, which stretches across the Shetlands off the north-east coast of Scotland. The prime meridian of 0 passes through the old observatory of Greenwich, London.

The total area of the country is 243, 000 sq. km. Thus, Britain is relatively small and compact when compared with many European countries, being, for example, half the size of France or almost 20 per cent smaller than Italy.

The British Isles are separated from continental Europe by the English Channel; the shortest stretch of its water (32 km) between Dover in southern England and Calais in France is called the Strait of Dover.

The eastern coast reaches the waters of the North Sea. The Atlantic Ocean washes the coast in the west and northwest. Great Britain is separated from Ireland by the Irish Sea, the North Channel and St.George’s Channel.

The British coastlines are deeply indented with numerous bays, inlets and estuaries. Consequently, no part of the country is more than 120 km from some type of tidal water. However, tides along the coasts and in inland rivers can cause frequent flooding in many parts, particularly on the English east coast.

The seas around the coasts are not deep, often less than 90 m, because the greater part of the British Isles lies on the continental Shelf. To the north-west edge of the Shelf (to the west of Ireland) there is a sudden deepening of the sea floor from 180 m to about 900 m.