Great Britain

GREAT BRITAIN
So many countries so many customs

Britain which is formally known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a political unity of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is one of the member states of the European community. Britain’s area is about 244. 100 km of which nearly 99% is land and the rest is inland water.
The seas surrounding Britain are shallow, usually less than 90 metres because the islands lie on the continental shelf. The shallow waters are important because they provide breeding grounds for fish. The warming effect on the North Atlantic current is magnified as its water spreads across the shelf. Britain constitutes the greater part of the British Isles. The largest of the islands is Great Britain which is the mainland of Scotland, England and Wales. The next largest is Northern Ireland.
Britain has a generally mild and temperate climate. The prevailing winds are South-West. The weather is subject to frequent changes but to few extremes of temperature. It is rarely above 32 degrees above zero or 10 degrees below zero near see level.
Rain is well distributed throughout the year. But on average March to June are the driest months and September to January- the wettest.
Britain’s population is nearly 56 million people and it ranks the 14th in the world in term of population. The population density is about 231 per sq. km. which is relatively high in comparison with most other European countries. England is the most densely populated with 359 people per sq. km. with Greater London having a density of 4.283 per sq. km. and Scotland the least densely populated with 66 people per sq. km. About half of the population lives around London with South Lancashire and West Yorkshire at one end, the London area at the other end and the industrialized mainland of Scotland.

 

The Setting-up of Britain.

The setting-up of the U.K. as a state is a result of continuous wars of aggression and a policy of annexation and increase in power.
The oldest colony of Britain is Ireland. It’s conquest began a long time ago. Though Northern Ireland has officially become part of the U.K. only in the 20th century its conquest started as early as in the 12th century. The Irish stubbornly resisted fiercely defending their territory. Their resistance was broken by the English and they were forced to accept the rule of the English.
In the beginning of the 20th century the revolutionary struggle of the workers in Europe increased in intensity and the fight for independence in Ireland flared up. As a result of it British imperialism was compelled to agree to the establishment of the Irish free state and to yield the greater part of Ireland to the Irish. Yet it succeeded in wrestling from Ireland 6 counties in the north, which are the leading industrious areas in the country. Thus Britain took control of nearly a third of Ireland. In 1922 26 Irish counties succeeded to withdraw from the U.K. as the Irish free state. In the same way both Wales and Scotland failed to capitulate voluntarily to the English rule and had to be attached in force. They fell and were the next.
The name Great Britain started to be used at the beginning of the 17th  century after James the 6th of Scotland had succeeded to the English throne.
England is predominantly a lowland country. There are upland regions in the North where there are Peninnes and the Cumbrian mountains and the Yorkshire moorlands. However, the most part of the country is flat.
England occupies the largest part of the island of Great Britain and has population of more than 47 million. Together with Wales it forms the Southern portion of Great Britain. England is bounded on the North Sea, and in the South by the Strait of Dover and the English Channel, and on the West by the Atlantic Ocean, Wales and the Irish Sea.
In the North of England the Pennine Mountains run from the Scottish border as far as Derbyshire. The most important rivers are the Thames, the Severn and the Trent.
There are many ports including Bristol, Liverpool, Llull, Southhampton and, of course, London.

 

Great Britain is not The United Kingdom!

There is a difference between "Great Britain" and "The United Kingdom". Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales. And The United Kingdom is Great Britain + Northern Ireland.
let's systematize our knowledge about these countries.
Scotland

Population: 5.2 million
Capital city: Edinburgh
Other cities: Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee
Main industries: oil, electronics, shipbuilding, textiles, whisky, tourism
Main farm produce: cereals, wool, beef, lamb
Wales

Population: 2.8 million
Capital city: Cardiff
Other cities: Swansea, Newport
Main industries: coal mining, steel, electronics, engineering, tourism
Main farm produce: milk, butter, cheese, cereals, beef, lamb
Northern Ireland

Population: 1.5 million
Capital city: Belfast
Other city: Londonderry
Main industries: shipbuilding, textiles, engineering
Main farm produce: milk, butter, cheese, cereals, beef, bacon, eggs, chickens and potatoes

Answer the questions

1) What are the parts of the U.K.?
2) What river is London situated on?
3) What people live in Wales?
4) Where is Scotland situated?
5) What is the famous drink in Great Britain?
6) What is the capital of England?
7) Where is the U.K. situated?
8) What is the name of the island which is made up of England, Scotland and Wales?
9) What country is not a part of the U.K.?
10) What is the capital of the Northern Ireland?
11) What is the capital of Wales?
12) What are the main water sources of England?
13) Do the United Kingdom and Great Britain mean the same?

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
annexation – присоединение
flare – гореть, вспыхивать
withdraw (withdrew, withdrawn) – уходить, удаляться, отзывать
yield – уступать, поддаваться, сдаваться
to yield oneself prisoner – сдаваться в плен
capitulate -  сдаваться, капитулировать
increase – расти, увеличивать (ся)
vessel – судно, корабль
leaky vessel – болтун, не умеющий хранить секреты
landmark – знак, веха в истории, ориентир

gothic – architectural style prevalent in West Europe from the 12th till the 16th centuries, with high pointed arches, steep roofs, large windows and lacelike ornamental carving

 
London is situated on the river Thames about 40 miles from its mouth. It is divided into two unequal portions by the river: the more important, with most of the chief buildings, standing on the north bank, and the south bank. The term “London” was originally restricted to the City of London proper, which has an area of only 677 acres and an estimated resident population of 4,600. Westminster, for instance, was a separate community, named from its position in relation to the city. But with the growth of the capital from the 11th century onward, the surrounding districts were absorbed one by one to make up the vast metropolis which is London today. 
London today stretches for nearly 30 miles from north to south and for nearly 30 miles from east to west. This is the area known as Greater London. Greater London with its nine million population includes not only the City and the County of London, but the outer suburbs. It has no definite boundaries like the County of London which was established only in 1889. Within the boundaries of the County of London there are 28 metropolitan boroughs, each with its own mayor and its own council. It is London municipal authorities that are responsible for many of the public services, housing, education and town-planning.
The two landmarks that are a guide to the growth of London are St. Paul’s Cathedral in the City and the group of buildings near Westminster Bridge, the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey at Westminster. Round St. Paul’s Cathedral is the original London, the oldest part, with a history of almost two thousand years. Old St. Paul’s was built during Norman times. It was burnt in the Great Fire that destroyed London in1666. The cathedral that replaced it, the most striking building in the City today, was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the architect who designed many of the other city churches. Many of these were destroyed or badly damaged by bombing during the Second World War. St. Paul’s, though it was hit, escaped the fires that destroyed many of the buildings all round it. St. Paul’s Cathedral is a beautiful site standing out above the other buildings. The massive dome is topped by a gold cross which glitters when the sun strikes. You may climb up the three hundred and sixty five steps to the dome if you wish. Half way up you reach the whispering Gallery, where, if you press your ear to the wall, you can hear the softest whisper from the other side of the dome.
Westminster, with its Palace and Abbey, 600 years younger. Westminster Abbey is regarded as the centre of the Westminster area. In this lovely building we can learn much about events of long ago. Most of the kings and queens of England since William the Conqueror have been crowned here, and you may see the ancient Coronation Chair. Many great men have been honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey, and the church is full of memorials to kings, queens, statesmen, writers, scientists and explorers, all of whom have played a part in shaping Britain’s history. The most beautiful and oldest part of the abbey is the chapel of Henry the 7th , built at the turn of the 14th century. It is noted for the fan-shaped decoration of its ceiling, and the animals carved on the seats. There are many old building in the Westminster area, including the Houses of Parliament which were also rebuilt in the late 19th century because the original House was destroyed by fire, and the facade of Buckingham Palace, which was finished at the beginning of the 20th .
To the west of the City there are finest theatres, cinemas and concert halls, the large museums, the most luxurious hotels, the largest department stores, and the most famous shops. The name West End came to be associated with wealth, luxury and goods of high quality. Visitors with plenty of money to spend and those who come chiefly for enjoyment are likely to spend most of their time in the West End. Those who come to learn about London’s history will find much to interest them in the City.
The port of London is to the east of the City. Here are miles and miles of docks, and the great industrial areas that depend upon shipping. This is the east of London, unattractive in appearance but very important to the country’s commerce. Ships up to 6,000 tons can come as far as London Bridge below which is the part of the river called the Pool. You will be interested to know that London Bridge was originally made of wood, and the first stone bridge wasn’t built until 1176. It lasted 650 years and became famous for the houses, inns and shops crammed in upon it from end to end. A new London Bridge replaced this in 1931 but you won’t find this London Bridge now either, as it was sold to America in 1972. It was taken there stone by stone to be reassembled as a tourist attraction.
The population of London is probably the most cosmopolitan in the world. For example, Whitechapel in the East End of London is a district largely inhabited by Jewish traders and craftsmen whose forefathers began to settle in this neighbourhood after the tsarist persecution in 1881.
In Camden Town, an industrial district in north-west London, is to be found  the Cypriot Colony, both Greek and Turkish. The West Indians, who first started arriving in Britain in the 50-es, settled mainly in Brixton, south of the river Thames and in North Kensington in West London.
But the best known foreign quarter of London is Soho. Its modern history starts after revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 which caused thousands of French Protestants to flee across the English Channel. Today its inhabitants include a large proportion of French, Italian, and Swiss with a sprinkling of many other nationalities.
Add to these immigrants and refugees thousands of young people who come to London from the provinces every year to live and work and you will realize that it is not so easy to find a Londoner who can say, “I was born in London as were my father, my grandmother and my great-grandfather before me”. Many young people come to London in search of a more exciting life. Because cheap accomodation is scarce, they can find themselves on the streets, living the life of  a tramp. This unhappy experience can make them reject society and its values.
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Words Often Confused
altar – a table for a religious ceremony
alter – to change, repair.
The altar was banked with lilies.
The outcome of the election altered the mayor’s plans.
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TASKS

1.Give definitions to the underlined words. Compose the sentences with these    words.

2. Give synonyms to the words written in bald italics. Comment on the differences  between the synonyms and shades of meaning.

3.Analyze the underlined sentences from grammar point of view.

4. Find additional information about William the Conqueror.

LONDON SITES

THE TOWER BRIDGE

The Tower Bridge, named after its two impressive towers, is one of London's best known landmarks. This Victorian Bridge is now more than 100 years old. Designed by Wolfe Barry and Horace Jones, and completed in 1894, the middle of the bridge can be raised to permit large vessels to pass the Tower Bridge. It used to be raised about 50 times a day, but nowadays it is only raised 4 to 5 times a week. The bridge is 60 meters long and its towers rise to a height of 43 meters. From the top of the towers, you have a great view on the center of London. You can also visit the inside of the tower, where you can observe the original mechanism used to raise the bridge.

 

 

 

 

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

The City of Westminster, at the heart of London is the place where the parliaments have been located for more than 700 years. In the middle of the 11th century, Edward the Confessor* had moved his court to the Palace of Westminster, situated on a central site near the river Thames. It wasn't until 1256 that Henry III moved the Great Parliament to the Palace. In 1834, a fire destroyed the ancient Palace of Westminster, upon which a competition was commissioned to build a new building in the Gothic or Elizabethan style. A design of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin was chosen from 97 entries. On the freshly married Prince Albert's request, artists were sought to create fresco-like designs depicting British history to decorate the new palace. The more than 300 meters long facade is now adorned with countless sculptures, and makes the Houses of Parliament together with the strict design and unique towers one of the finest buildings in London. The whole complex, not finished until 1860 includes the Big Ben, House of Commons, Westminster Hall, the Lobbies and the House of Lords. Most of the attention of the millions of tourists visiting the Houses of Parliament each year, goes to the clock tower. This tower, opposite the larger Victoria Tower is better known as the Big Ben , the nickname of the bell inside the tower. It is uncertain whether the nickname comes from Benjamin Hall, the first commissioner of Works, or from Benjamin Caunt, a famous boxer. The Big Ben is only one of five bells hanging in the clock tower, but it is with its 13 tons the largest. The clock itself was designed by E.B. Denison & E.J. Dent and was completed in 1858. The clock tower reaches a height of no less than 96 meters.

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

St. Paul's Cathedral has had an eventful history. The first records date from 604 AD, when Mellitus, Bishop of the East Saxons built the first wooden church on the summit of one of London's hills. At the end of the 7th century, it was built in stone by Erkenwald, Bishop of London. In 962 and 1087, the Cathedral was destroyed by fires, but each time it was rebuilt. By that time, it was one of the largest cathedrals in Europe. Rebuildings and extensions in the 13th and 14th century enlarged the cathedral even more. But disaster struck again on the night of the 2nd of September 1666, when a fire destroyed 4/5th of all of London, wiping 13,200 houses and 89 churches, including the St. Paul's Cathedral off the map. In 1669, Christopher Wren designed the so-called 'Great Model' for the new St. Paul's Cathedral. In this model, the cathedral was shaped like a Greek cross, with a portico, consisting of Corinthian columns, on the entrance. The model was topped by a striking large dome, the largest in the world after Michelangelo's dome of the St. Peter’s Bazilica in Rome. The design was approved in 1675, but it took until 1711 before the Cathedral was finally finished.
Built, amid much controversy, between 1675 and 1710 by Sir Christopher Wren, St Paul’s Cathedral stands on the site of four previous cathedrals, the first of which dated from 604.
The dome still dominates the City and the only church dome that exceeds it in size is that of St Peter’s in Rome. Pictures of the cathedral miraculously surviving the devastation of  WWII bombing can be seen in a glass case in the southern choir aisle and the images have become an icon of the Blitz.
Before you enter, take a moment to walk around to the north of the cathedral (that’s to the left as you face the large stairway). A long overdue monument to the people of  London – not all those warmongers, sabre-warmongers, sabre-rattlers and heroes at rest in the crypt-has been unveiled in the small garden just outside the northern transept in St Paul’s Churchyard. Simple, elegant, it honours the 32,000 civilians killed in London during WWII.
From the main entrance, proceed up the northern aisle, past the Chapel of St Dunstan, dedicated to the 10th century archbishop of Canterbury, and the grandiose Duke of Wellington Memorial (1875), until you reach the central pavement area under the dome. Some 30m above the paved area is the first of three domes – actually a dome, inside a cone, inside a dome – supported by eight massive columns. The walkway around its base is called the Whispering Gallery, because if you talk close to the wall it carries your words around to the opposite side 32m away.
In the northern transept chapel is Holman Hunt’s celebrated painting The Light of the World, which depicts Christ knocking at an overgrown door that, symbolically, can only be opened from the inside. Beyond are the quire (or chancel), whose ceilings and arches dazzle with green, blue, red and gold mosaics, and the high altar. Walk around the altar, with its massive gilded oak canopy, to the American Chapel, a memorial to the 28,000 Americans base in Britain who lost their lives during WWII.

On the eastern side of the southern transept, a staircase leads down to the Crypt, Treasury and OBE Chapel, where services (weddings, funerals, etc) reserved for members of the Order of the British Empire are held. The Crypt has memorials to up to 300 military demigods, including Wellington, Kitchener a Nelson, who is below the dome in a black sarcophagus.
The most poignant memorial of all is to Sir Christopher himself. It is south of the OBE Chapel and is just a simple slab with his name, the year of his death (1723) and his age (‘XCI’). The Treasury displays some of the cathedral’s plate. There is also a cafe and shop in the crypt open 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Saturday (from 10.30 am Sunday).
Back upstairs in the nave, the Whispering Gallery as well as the Stone Gallery and the Golden Gallery can be reached by a staircase on the western side of the southern transept. All there are 259 steps to the first gallery, another 116 to the Stone Gallery and 155 more steps to the top gallery; that’s total of 530 steps to climb up and down. Even if you can’t make it right up to the Golden Gallery, it’s worth struggling as far as the Stone Gallery for one of the best views of London.
The cathedral opens 8.30 am to 4 pm Monday to Saturday. Admission costs ?5/ 2.50. Audio guide tours lasting 45 minutes are available for ?3. guided 90-minute tours (?2.50/2) leave the tour desk at 11 and 11.30 am, and 1.30 and 2pm. There are organ concerts at St Paul’s at 5 pm most Sunday. Evensong takes place at 5 pm most weekdays and at 3.15 pm Sunday.
St. Paul’s Cathedral is open daily-although visitors are requested not to walk about during service time.
The Cathedral, built of Portland stone, was firs begun in 1675 and was not completed until 1710. It was designed by Christopher Wren.
The West Front overlooks Ludgate Hill, and in the North Tower is a peal of twelve bells, while in the South or Clock Tower is the largest bell in England, “The Great Paul”. The bell is normally rung for five minutes at one o’clock every day and for services on Sundays. Owing to the possible damage to St. Paul’s by the blitz on London, the bell has not been rung, as the vibration might cause further damage to the Cathedral. “The Whispering Gallery” will fascinate all visitors. In this Gallery the slightest whisper is audible 100 feet away. 

 

WESTMINSTER ABBEY

The Westminster Abbey, located near the Houses of Parliament, is more a historical site than a religious site. Since 1066, every royal coronation, with the exception of Edward V and Edward VIII has taken place in Westminster Abbey. The abbey also serves as the burial ground for numerous politicians, sovereigns and artists. The abbey is stuffed with graves, statues and monuments. Many coffins even stand upright due to the lack of space. In total approximately 3300 people are buried in the Church and cloisters. Some of the most famous are Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton and David Livingstone. The history of the abbey starts in 1050, when King Edward The Confessor decided to build an abbey. Only a small part of this original Norman monastery, consecrated in 1065, survived. The only representation of this original building is shown on the Bayeux Tapestry. Most of the present building dates from the 1245-1272 century when Henry III decided to rebuild the abbey in the gothic style. Large parts were later added: the Chapel of Henry Vii was added between 1503 and 1512, while the two West Front Towers

 

date from 1745. The youngest part of the abbey is the North entrance, completed in the

The abbey’s nave is England’s highest. In the nave you find the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, a World War I soldier who died on the battlefields in France and was buried here in French(!) soil. Nearby is a marble memorial stone for Winston Churchill. His body is not, like many fellow prime ministers, buried in the abbey, but in Bladon. The Cloister were built between the 13th and 15th century. They were completely rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1298. The cloisters were used by the monks for meditation and exercise. The beautiful octagonal Chapter house is one of the largest of its kind in England. It has an original tile floor dating from 1250 and 14th century murals. The Henry VII Chapel (Lady Chapel), built 1503-1512, is one of the most outstanding chapels of its time, with a magnificent vault. It features a large stained glass window, the Battle of Britain memorial window. The window, which dates from 1947, commemorates fighter pilots and crew who died during the Battle of Britain in l940.

The Development of the British Monarchy

 

Queen and the Armed Services

The monarch is Head of the Armed Forces and it is the monarch alone who can declare war and peace. (This dates from the times when the monarch was responsible for raising, maintaining and equipping the Army and Navy, and often leading them into battle.) These powers, however, cannot now be exercised on the monarch’s own initiative. The Bill of Rights (1689) declared that “the raising or keeping of a standing army within the Kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with the consent of Parliament, is against the law”. The monarch’s powers today cannot be exercised except upon the advice of responsible Ministers.
The existences of the Army (raised as a series of different regiments by colonels - historically, many of these were not loyal to the Government) and the Royal Air Force are legally based on the Army and Air Force Acts of 1955 and previous Parliamentary Acts; their continued existence depends on annual Continuation Orders passed by Parliament. On enlistment, the Acts require members of the Army, Air Force and Royal Marines to take an oath of allegiance to the monarch as Head of the Armed Forces (those for whom it is against their religion to take oaths and those who are of no religion, affirm instead of swearing an oath). The Royal Navy was formed hundreds of years ago, and its existence stems from the sovereign’s prerogative - members of the Navy have never therefore been required to take the oath. The oath of allegiance is sworn to the monarch, rather than to Parliament, which might be confused with the political party in power at the time. This reaffirmation of loyalty to the monarch, as Head of State, also ensures that the loyalty of servicemen and women as serving members of the Armed Services (regardless of their personal political beliefs) is not given to any one political party, but to the country in the form of the Head of State.
The Queen takes a keen interest in all the Armed Services both in the United Kingdom and in the Commonwealth. She keeps in touch with the work and interests of the Services through the Chiefs of Staff and her Defence Services Secretary (a serving officer who is also a member of the Royal Household, who acts as the official link between The Queen, through her Private Secretary, and the Secretary of State for Defence). The Queen is regularly briefed by her Ministers. As Princess Elizabeth, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945 and thus became the first female member of the Royal Family to be a full-time active member of the Armed Services. Many royal Princes have received training in the Services; The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales have served in the Royal Navy (The Prince also trained in the Royal Air Force as a pilot), and The Duke of York is a serving officer in the Royal Navy.
The Queen and various other members of the Royal Family hold appointments and honorary ranks in the Armed Services, both in the United Kingdom and in the Commonwealth. Such appointments include “special relationships” with certain ships, honorary colonelcies in Army regiments and corps, and honorary ranks connected with Royal Air Force stations. These links are maintained by regular visits by members of the Royal Family to Service establishments (on occasions such as passing out parades and the presentations of new Colours) and to ships (usually when they are in port), to meet Servicemen and women of all ranks and their families, both in this country and overseas.
TASKS

• Find additional information about British system of government.
• Present the report about Buckingham Palace.
• Find information about Elizabeth the Second.
• Comment upon the meanings of the following words:

declare, Navy, royal, colonel, allegiance, oath, prerogative, duke, commonwealth.

 

Museums of London.

• Victoria and Albert Museum
• Museum of Childhood
• Natural History Museum – Музей естественной истории
• Science Museum
• Geological Museum
• Museum of Mankind – Музей человечества
• Museum of London
• Madam Tussaud’s Planetarium* - Музей восковых фигур мадам Тюссо
• British Museum
• Tea and Coffee Museum – Музей чайников и кофейников
• Sherlock Holms Museum
• London Transport Museum
• Theatre Museum
• Pollock’s Toy Museum – Музей игрушки
• History of Garden Museum – Музей истории сада
• Living Steam Museum – Музей паровых машин
• Imperial War Museum