Great Britain

THE CLIMATE OF GREAT BRITAIN

        The climate in the UK is usually described as cool, temperate and humid.

        The weather is so changeable that the English often say that they have no climate but only weather. That's why the weather is the favourable conversational topic in the UK. As the weather changes with the wind and Brit­ain is visited by winds from different parts of the world, the most characteristic feature of Britain's weather is its variability.

        Rainfall is more or less even throughout the year. In the mountains there is heavier rainfall than in the plains of the south and east. The driest period is from March to June and the wettest months are from October to Janu­ary. The average range of temperature (from winter to summer) is from 5 to 23 degrees above zero. During a normal summer the temperature sometimes rises above 30 degrees in the south. Winter temperatures below 10 degrees are rare. It seldom snows heavily in winter, frost is rare. Snow may fall but it melts quickly.

         January and February are usually the coldest months; July and August are the warmest.

          Winters are extremely mild. The rivers and lakes are seldom covered with ice. The worst thing about the cli­mate in Great Britain is the thick fog which they so often have in autumn or winter. Thanks to the mild climate there are a lot of evergreen plants in Great Britain, and
the country is always green. Grass grows all the year round. Trees and flowers begin to blossom early in spring.

         So, we   may say that the British climate has three main features:
it is mild, humid and changeable. That means that it is never hot or too cold.

1. The climate of the UK is ...

2. It is influenced by...

3. The weather is ...

4. The driest period is from ... to ...

5. The wettest months are from ... to ...

6. Winters are...

7. The worst thing about the climate is...

8. Thanks to the mild climate ...

9. Three main features of the British climate are ...

                    THE CLIMATE OF THE BRITISH ISLES

The British Isles which are surrounded by the ocean have an insular climate. The climate is moister and more equable than that of Central Europe.

The three things that chiefly determine the climate of England are: 1) the position of the island in the temperate belt; 2) the fact that the prevailing winds blow from the west and south-west; 3) the warm current — the Gulf Stream that flows from the Gulf of Mexico along the western shores of England.

The British Isles are situated, in the temperate zone, between
the parallels on which Moscow and Kyiv are situated. The climate is
mild, and strong frosts are rare. Due to the moderating influences of
the sea and of the Gulf Stream, the January temperature is higher and
the July temperature lower than in any other country of the same
latitude. That is why the British ports are ice-free and its rivers not
frozen throughout the year.                                            

It is hard to say that England has typical weather because of the sudden changes that occur — showers from what was only a few hours before a clear blue sky; sunshine that makes you want to leave off most of your clothes followed by winds that set you wishing for two overcoats.

There is an abundance of rainfall in the west. As a result, there are thick fogs which last for days and weeks at a time during autumn and winter. The lack of sunshine hinders the cultivation of many species of plants, especially grain crops. However, grasses grow all the year round, providing fodder for cattle.

Vocabulary

be surrounded — бути оточеним       

latitude — широта

insular — острівний      

occur — з'являтися

temperate — помірний

    shower — злива

due to — завдячуючи   

hinder — перешкоджати

influence — вплив         

fodder — фураж, корм для худоби

____________________________________ Discussion

1.         What kind of climate do the British Isles have?

2.         What things chiefly determine the climate of England?

3.         What zone are the British Isles situated in?

4.    Why are the British ports ice-free throughout the year?

5.         There is an abundance of rainfall in the west, isn't there?

6.         What does the lack of sunshine hinder?

The Mystery Of  The Loch Ness Monster

There are a lot of lakes in Scotland. The people in Scotland call them “lochs”[loks]. And the most famous of all lochs is Loch Ness. Scientists say that it is a very old lake, perhaps, it is 25,000 years old. Scientists believe that Loch Ness was once an arm of the sea. The water of the lake ran into the sea, and seawater ran into the lake. This means that sea animals could swim into the lake from the sea.

 Loch Ness has its mystery. There are many stories about a water monster which people say lives in the lake. About fifty years ago there were reports in the newspapers about a great creature in the lake whose body was like that of some prehistoric creatures that once lived in the sea. But even those rare people who said they had happened to see the “monster” in Loch Ness could not say exactly what it looked like. They all noticed a very long body, and they all said that the strange creature made waves as it swam. And they add that the waves it made were as big as the waves a passing steamer would make.

The stories of this mysterious creature, now called the “Loch Ness Monster” have filled the people with excitement and curiosity. What is it? Is it a very big strange fish? A whale ? Only photographs can answer the question.

Many curios visitors and newspaper reporters have tried to photograph the monster. For days they waited on the lake shore and watched and waited. When some strange body happened to appear in the water, they look pictures of it. But when the photographs were ready, it was difficult to say what they showed. Some said they showed a big strange animal. Other answers were that it was simply a tree in the water or a boat or a big fish, but not a monster. None of the pictures made things clear.

Not only newspaper reporters and curious visitors take a great interest in the Loch Ness Monster. Scientists don’t like mysterious, they want facts. Is the Loch Ness Monster a creature from the past? That question is important to scientists.

The water of Loch Ness is not clear and very deep. It is impossible to see anything in it but it is possible to listen. So scientists put special tape recorders into the water to listen and record every sound. The tape recorders have it clear that there is some kind of a big animal or fish the lake. What is it? Nobody can say. But that there is a strange, very large creature living in the deep waters of Loch Ness is a fact.

The mystery of Loch Ness remains a mystery.

1.     In what part of Great Britain is Loch Ness situated?

2.     What is the mystery of Loch Ness?

3.     How many people have ever seen a strange creature in Loch Ness?

4.     What did they say it looked like?

5.     Could photographs show exactly what the strange thing in the lake looked like?

6.     Are only newspapermen and curious visitors interested in the Loch Ness Monster?

7.     Is it a fact that a strange creature lives in the lake or not?

8.     How did scientists get to know this fact?

9.     Does the mystery of Loch Ness remain a mystery?

Fill in the text               in                       of                   at

English Meals

     There are four meals during the day (1) an English home: breakfast, lunch or dinner, tea and dinner or supper. Breakfast is the first meal (2) the day; people usually have breakfast (3) about 8 o'clock (4) the morning. Breakfast usually consists (5) porridge with milk and sugar, fried or boiled eggs with bacon,
bread and butter or toast with marmalade or jam. Some people like to drink tea (6) the morning, but others prefer coffee,
     (7) 11 o'clock the English, who work, have a tea or coffee  break; tea or coffee is usually brought to the factory bench or  office desk. (8) schools the children drink (9) this time their milk, which they bring (10) bottles from home.

     (11) mid-day the English have lunch — most offices and small shops are closed for an hour from 13 till 14 o'clock. (12) this time many people hurry to cafes or pubs, but factory or office workers usually eat (13) their canteens. Usually lunch consists (14) meat or fish and vegetables — potatoes, peas, beans, cabbage, carrots; some people also like cheese and pudding with tea, coffee, juice or lemonade.

    Those, who eat (15) home, usually call their mid-day meal dinner; dinner consists (16) three or four courses and is cooked by the mother (17) the family.

     (18) the afternoon (19) about 5 o'clock the Englishmen have a meal,which they call tea. Usually it is a,cup (20)  tea with bread-and-butter and a cake or roll with jam; friends and visitors are often invited to have tea.
      The evening meal has various names — tea, high tea, dinner  or supper; usually the English have the evening meal (21) 7 o'clock, |when all the members (22) the family gather (23) the table after their working day. The evening meal usually consists (24) soup, meat or chicken with vegetables, cheese, tinned fruit or ice-cream. (25) the evening meal people talk about their problems and what has happened during the day.

Meals in Britain

A traditional English breakfast is a very bag meal-sausages, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms…But nowadays many people just have cereal with milk and sugar, or toast with marmalade, jam, or honey. Marmalade and jam are not the same! Marmalade is made from oranges and jam is made from other fruit. The traditional breakfast drink is tea, which people have with cold milk. Some people have coffee, often instant coffee, which is made with just hot water. Many visitors to Britain find this coffee disgusting!

For many people lunch is a quite meal. In cities there are a lot of sandwich bars, where office workers can choose the kind of bread they want - brown, white, or roll – and then all sorts of salad and meat or fish to go in the sandwich. Pubs often serve good, cheap food, both hot and cold. Schoolchildren can have a hot meal at school, but many just take a snack from home – a sandwich, a drink, some fruit, and perhaps some crisps.

“Tea” means two things. It’s a drink and a meal! Some people have afternoon tea, with sandwiches, cakes, and, of course, a cup of tea. Cream teas are popular.

The evening meal is the main meal of the day for many people. They usually have it quite early, between 6.00 and 8.00, and often the whole family eats together.

On Sundays many families have a traditional lunch. They have roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Grave is a sauce made from the meat juices.

The British like food from other countries, too, especially Italian, French, Chinese, and Italian. People often get take-away meals- you buy the food at the restaurant and then bring it home to eat! Eating in Britain is quite international!

Christmas in Great Britain and America

The most popular holiday in Great Britain and America is Christmas. They celebrate Christmas on the 25^th of December.

There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas. Every year people of Norway give the city of London a present. It’s a big Christmas Tree and it stands in Trafalgar Square.

Most families decorate their houses with a Christmas tree, buy gifts for the family and friends, write Christmas cards. In England almost every family receives more than 60 Christmas cards.

On Christmas Eve people put their presents under the trees. And usually they have Christmas crackers. When you pull them, they make a bang and inside there is usually a paper hat or a small toy.

People open their presents on Christmas morning and they all are happy with what they have.

For Christmas lunch people eat turkey, potatoes and green vegetables. Then they have Christmas pudding. In England they make Christmas pudding before Christmas. All the family stir the pudding and make a wish. At five o’clock it’s time for tea and Christmas cake.

The day after Christmas is Boxing Day. People usually visit their relatives and friends. They don’t work on that day.

While-reading tasks.

1. Guess these words from the text.

Pr_s_nt, d_co_ate, c_a_kers, c_rd, t_rk_y, _ish, pu __ing, c_leb_ate, _otatoes.

. 2. True or False?

1. People in Great Britain and America celebrate Christmas on the 26^th of December.

2. A big Christmas Tree stands in Trafalgar Square.

3. Every year a Christmas tree comes from Norway.

4. In England People receive a few Christmas cards.

5. Before Christmas people usually make puddings.

6. In the family only grandmother can make Christmas pudding.

3. Fill in the gaps with the suitable words.

Wishes, traditions, toys, popular, hats, tree

1.   Christmas is a very______holiday.

2.    There are a lot of Christmas____________________ .

3.   People decorate their houses with a Christmas_______ .

4.   When people make Christmas pudding they make_____ .

5.   5. There are usually paper_______ or small_____ in Christmas crackers.

4. Answer the questions.

1.   When do people open their Christmas presents?

2.   What do they usually have for Christmas lunch?

3.   What do people do on Boxing Day?

5. Write about celebrating Christmas in your country.

When is it? How do you decorate your house? What presents do you buy? What Christmas food do you enjoy?

STONEHENGE – FOREVER A MYSTERY

( 29 The Londoners 3)

1. Listen and read. Then answer the questions?

•    How old is Stonehenge?

•    Can you think of some ancient places in your country?

   The stone circle of Stonehenge is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Great Britain. It is more than four thousand years old, and it is one of the wonders of the world. There are other stone circles in Great Britain, and some are older and bigger, but Stonehenge is the most famous.

2. Listen and read.

Guide I'm going to tell you a little bit about the history of this amazing place. It isn't really one circle, it's actually two, and they were built at different times. The circle of bigger stones was built first.

Vicki   What about the smaller one in the middle?

Guide That circle isn't as old as the other one.

The stones are different from the others -they came from a different place - but both circles are ancient. They're older than some of the Egyptian pyramids!

Kim    Those stones are huge! How were they carried here?

Guide Nobody really knows. It's a mystery.

Remember, this was before the wheel was invented, and the biggest stones weigh about forty-five tonnes - that's heavier than eight elephants!

Rob    Why was Stonehenge built, anyway?

Guide Well, that's even more mysterious. There are lots of theories. Many people believe it was a giant calendar or a temple.

Vicki   This must be one of the most interesting places in Great Britain!

Rob    Yes. I usually think History is boring but this isn't the same as an ordinary lesson. This is the best History lesson I've ever had!

Guide Well, there are a lot of other stone circles in Great Britain - in fact the biggest one in the world is just forty kilometres away from here, at Avebury. It's about the same age as Stonehenge and it's as interesting, although it's less famous.

Mark Can we take some photos?

Guide Of course you can. Go on.

3. Comprehension.

1) Stonehenge is the only stone circle in Great Britain.

2) There are two stone circles at Stonehenge.

3) All the stones were taken from the same place.

4) they didn’t use wheels to move the stones.

5) Eight elephants carried the stones.

6) There is a bigger stone circle at Avebury.