III. Fill in the blanks. The first letter of each missing world has been given

Parliament in the UK consists of two c______: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. In the House of Commons there are 650 m_____, each representing one c_____. The ruling party in the Commons is the one which gains a m_____ of seats. The main figure in this party is called the P_____ M_____. The members of the House of Commons are elected for a maximum period of five years although the PM may call a general e_____ at any time within that period.

The House of Commons is the most powerful and decides the national policy, but the House of Lords can v_____ a b_____ and ask the House of Commons to rewrite certain parts of it before it becomes a new law.

The position of the British PM is in direct contrast to that of the m_____. Although the Queen appears to have a great deal of p_____, in reality she has very little. The PM appoints the Cabinet, the members of which are the leading government m_____.

London

London is the capital of the United Kingdom, its economic, political and commercial centre. It is one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its population is about 8 million.

London has been a capital for nearly a thousand years. Many of its ancient buildings still stand. The most famous of them are the Tower of London, where the crown jewels are kept, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament is famous for its big hour bell, known as “Big Ben”.

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen.

Different areas of London seem like different cities. The West End is a rich man’s world of shops, offices and theatres. The City of London is the district where most offices and banks are concentrated. The East End is the district where mostly working people live.

By the day the whole of London is busy. At night, offices are quiet and empty, but the West End stays alive, because this is where Londoners come to enjoy themselves. There are two opera houses here, several concert halls and many theatres, as well as cinemas.

Like all big cities, London has streets and concrete buildings, but it also has many big parks, full of trees, flowers and grass. In the middle of Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens you will think that you are in the country, miles away.

Topical Vocabulary

Answer the questions:

1. What part does London play in the life of the United Kingdom?

2. What are the most ancient buildings of London?

3. What are different districts of London famous for?

4. What has London except concrete buildings?

5. What places of interest in London do you know?

The United States of America

Fact file

The United States of America are situated in the central part of the North American continent. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its eastern coast – by the Atlantic Ocean.

The total area of the USA is over nine million square kilometers. The population of the USA is about 250 million people.

The USA is a very large country, so it has several climatic regions. The coldest regions are in the north and north-east. The south has a subtropical climate.

The United States is a land of rivers and lakes. The longest rivers in the USA are the Mississippi, the Missouri and the Rio Grande. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada.

The United States i s rich in natural and mineral resources. It produces copper, oil, iron ore and coal. It is highly-developed industrial and agricultural country.

There are many big cities in the USA, such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and others. The national capital is Washington, D.C. Its population is about 3,4 million. It was built in the late eighteenth century as the centre of government. It was named after George Washington.

Topical Vocabulary

I. Answer the questions:

1. What can you say about the geographical position of the United States of America?

2. What is the total area and the population of the United States?

3. What is the climate of the United States like?

4. Why is the United States called a land of rivers and lakes?

5. How can you characterize the natural and mineral resources of the country?

6. What are the major cities of the United States?

II. Translate into English:

1. Соединенные Штаты Америки расположены в центральной части материка Северная Америка и омываются Тихим и Атлантическим океанами.

2. США – высокоразвитая промышленная и аграрная страна с богатыми природными ресурсами.

3. США богаты полезными ископаемыми: медью, нефтью, железной рудой и углем.

4. Столица страны, Вашингтон, получила название в честь Джорджа Вашингтона.