2015-04-20
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English is a close relative of German and French. The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is the result of its historical development. The first inhabitants of the British Isles were the Celts. Then in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. the Isles were invaded by the Germanic tribes of Jutes, Angles and Saxons. That’s why the other name of the British is the Anglo-Saxons. The Celts were driven to the mountains of today's Wales and Scotland. In the 11 th century A.D. Britain was conquered by William, Duke of Normandy (France), who got the name of William the Conqueror.
William the Conqueror, сonquer завоевать
1066 (Ten sixty - six), Conqueror Завоеватель
Played on the Saxons mean [mi:n] злой
Very mean tricks. trick шутка, трюк
Since that time the King and aristocracy spoke French, while the British people spoke the Germanic dialects. Little by little the two languages mixed and a beautiful baby - the English language - was born.
After Christopher Columbus discovered America the English language crossed the ocean.
Columbus sailed
The ocean blue sail плыть под парусами
In fourteen hundred ocean [ouSn] океан
And ninety-two (1492).
Now the US is the largest country where American English is spoken.
Englishmen had always been good sailors and brought their language to different parts of the globe - Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, India and others. For a long time Spain was a rival to Britain as a naval power. The battle of the two countries ended with a defeat of the Spanish Armada.
The Spanish Armada
Met its fate meet (met, met) встречать
In fifteen hundred fate судьба
And eighty-eight (1588).
A little boat of the famous English pirate Francis Drake sailed from one huge Spanish ship to another and set them on the fire. After the victory the Queen of England made him Knight Sir Francis Drake.
Less than a century later London experienced the two greatest misfortunes in its history - the Great Plaque and the Fire.
London burnt burn гореть
Like rotten sticks like подобно
In sixteen hundred rotten прогнивший
And sixty-six (1666). stick палка
