Great Britain.

Great Britain is situated to the north of Europe on the British Isles. It is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The official name of the country is the United Kingdom (UK). Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel and is connected with many countries by sea.

The climate of Britain is mild and warm because of the Gulf Stream. Most of the mountains are in the north, in Scotland, but they are not very high. Scotland is also famous for its beautiful lakes. The rivers in Great Britain are not long but many of them are deep. The longest rivers are the Clyde and the Thames.

London, the capital of the country, is situated on the Thames. It is divided into three parts: the West End, the East End and the City.

The West End is a historical part of London. You can visit many interesting places here: the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Westminster, the Houses of Parliament, Hyde Park, etc. The West End is full of museums, art galleries, the best theatres, cinemas, expensive clubs and shops.

The City is a small area, but it is the business and commercial heart of London. Very few people live there. All main banks and offices are situated in the City. In the centre of the City there is the Tower of London and ST. Paul’s Cathedral.

The East End is an industrial part of London. Many enterprises and docks are situated here.

The most important industrial cities are: Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham and others.

Cambridge and Oxford are famous university cities.

The UK is a constitutional monarchy. The official head of the state is the king or queen. But the power of the monarch is limited by Parliament, which is made up of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Members of the House of Lords are appointed, and members of the House of Commons are elected by the people. Parliament makes laws.

The head of the Government is the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the party in power. Downing Street No. 10 is the residence of the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

At present there are four main political parties in Great Britain: the Conservative, the Labour, the Liberal and the Social-Democratic Party.

The official language of Great Britain is English. It is now spoken in many countries of the world: the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and others.

Questions:

1.Where is Great Britain situated? 2. What countries is it made up of? 3. What is the official name of the country? 4. What is the capital of Great Britain? 5. Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, isn’t it? 6. Who is the head of the state?