Часть I

GREAT BRITAIN.

1. Great Britain is formed of the following parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and is situated on the British Isles which. lie to the west of the continent of Europe. Great Britain is separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. It is washed on the western coast by the Atlantic Ocean and by the Irish Sea, the latter separating England from Ireland.

Great Britain being an island, its climate is rather mild. Thus the weather, which is greatly influenced by the cool wind that blows from the sea, is cooler in summer and warmer in winter then in most other countries of Northern Europe. There is not a single point in Great Britain which is more then 120 kilometres away from the sea.

2. There are many rivers in Britain, the Thames, the Mersey, the Aire and others but none of them is very long. Many of the rivers are joined by canals, so that it is quite possible to travel by water from one end of England to the other.

3. Great Britain is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, the average density being over 200 people per square kilometre, 80 per cent of the population live in towns. The population of Great Britain is more then 52 mln. England is one of the most powerful capitalist countries in Europe. There are many big industrial cities here, such as Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and many others.

4. London, its capital, which is situated on the river Thames, is one of the biggest commercial centres of the world.

One of the leading industries of Great Britain is the textile industry. Coal, iron and steel as well as various machines are also produced there. Shipbuilding and motor industry are highly developed too.

5. Northern and Western England is a coal, metal and textile industry. The most ancient centres of English iron and steel industry are Birmingham and Sheffield. Iron smelting based on local ore deposits has been practised here since ancient times. In the period of England’s industrialisation Birmingham and Sheffield played the leading role in the creation of England’s heavy industry.

6. Each of the two towns became the centre of various industries. Especially great is the variety of industries of Birmingham. One can find any type of production here, from steel smelting to manufacturing the most delicate articles. Rifles, pistols, various machinery, railway cars, motor cars, electrical equipment, scientific instruments and many other things are produced in Birmingham in great quantities. Alongside with the most modern big plants, a lot of old small enterprises are to be found in this town.

7. Sheffield is the city of steel. It has specialised in producing high-quality steel and articles of steel, heavy armaments, wheels of railway cars, weaving looms, knives, fine instruments, etc.

Задание к тексту.

I. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What parts does Great Britain consist of?

2. What is Great Britain washed by?

3. Are there many rivers in Britain?

4. Great Britain is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, isn’t it?

5. Which industrial centres are situated in Great Britain?

6. What is one of the big commercial centres in Great Britain?

7. Where are the most ancient centres of iron and steel industry situated?

II. Скажите по-английски:

- отделена от, омывается океаном, быть основанным, путешествовать по воде,

- средняя плотность, такой как, высокоразвитая промышленность.