Match the highlighted words or word combinations in the text with their definitions.

1. comprising the whole number or amount;

2. persons who are kept in a prison as a punishment for a crime that they have committed;

3. in the order already mentioned;

4. extending across or relating to two or more continents;

5. treeless cold desert covers almost all the extreme north of European and Siberian Russia from the Arctic coast to the northern margin of the coniferous forest;

6. situated in the interior of a country rather than on the coast;

7. the lowest point or part of something;

8. the outside part or uppermost layer of something;

9. a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water;

10. The territory which is famous for black earths or chernozems. Their thick upper layer consists of black organic matter or humus, the residual product of decayed roots and feather grass foliage, sedges and other flowering herbs.

Exercise2.

1) Match items from columns (1-12) and the second one (A-L) to form phrases which describe geographical facts of Russia:

Exercise3.

A group of foreign students is planning to visit Russia as a part of a cultural and educational exchange program. You have volunteered to help by preparing an information sheet, to be distributed to them on their arrival.

You should include:

· Brief details about Russia;

· Sights and places of cultural interest:

· Any other information that you think would be useful for the visiting group.

Exercise4. (a)

Fill in the missing part of the conversation. Act it out with different partners

1. A: ………………………………………………………….?

B: Millions of Russian migrants live nowadays in various cities of Russia. Immigration has become an important factor today that greatly affects the demographic situation in Russia.

2. A: Where in Russia can the largest forests be found?

B: ……………………………………………………………

3. A …………………………………………………………..?

B: Taiga is the boreal forest covering almost all the sub-Arctic north of Russia extending from Europe eastwards to the Pacific Ocean.

4. A: …………………………………………………………?

B: Peter the Great.

5. A: Who was the last Russian Emperor?

B: ………………………………………..

(b) Complete the table with appropriate information.

Answer the following questions about the text:

1. Where is Russia situated?

2. What is Russia washed by?

3. What are Russia’s main regions? What can you say about each region?

4. Where are Russia’s chief regions located?

5. What mountain range constitutes a natural boundary separating European and Asian Russia?

6. What is the world’s deepest lake? What is Europe’s longest river? What can you say about Russia’s lakes and rivers?

7. What type of climate is there on the territory of Russia? What climatic zones can be found in Russia?

8. How many time zones is Russia divided into?

9. What natural resources is Russia rich in?

Unit 4

You will read & translate a text about Great Britain. Before you read, discuss in pairs the following.

1. Where is Great Britain situated? 2. Do England, Wales and Scotland occupy the territory of Great Britain? 3. What is England famous for? 4. Do you know anything about Wales? What about its relief? 5. What does Albion mean? 6. Does English landscape change continually if you go north - or east – or west? Prove it.

Great Britain (its geographical position, climate, relief)

To begin with I’d like to say that Great Britain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK- for short), England, and the British Isles – different names used to denote the same thing. There is one more name: Albion. But they are sometimes used wrongly. Let’s start with some definitions, for which a map would be useful.

(1) On the North West coast of Europe lie two substantial islands. (2)The larger one, a straggling irregular triangle about 1,200 kilometers in length is called Great Britain. (3)The other, to the west which is roughly rectangular is Ireland. Since 1922 most of Ireland has been an independent republic which took the name Eire in 1937. (4)The north-east corner of Ireland, sometimes known as Northern Ireland, sometimes as Ulster, is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island. Officially it is not a country but a province or «constituent region». (5)The capital of Northern Island is Belfast.

(6) Great Britain, an island country in northwestern Europe, is divided into three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales with capitals London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff respectively.(7)It is separated from mainland Europe by the North Sea on the east and by the English Channel on the South. It is a well-known fact that there is no place to be far from the sea in Britain.

(8)The British Isles consist of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of Ireland and a great number of small islands. (9)Such as: Orkney Islands, the Hebrides, the Isle of Wight and many others.

(10)The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The territory of the United Kingdom is about 244000 (two hundred and forty four thousand) square kilometers, that is the 75-th place among all other countries in the world.

Great Britain has a very good geographical position. The sea connects Britain with most European countries such as: Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Russia and some other countries. The surface of the British Isles varies very much. It is manly low-lying meadow and forests, but there are mountains in Scotland and Wales, so we can say that the northern and the western parts of the country are mountainous. All the rest is a vast plain. The mountains are not very high. The rivers are not very long. The biggest of them is Thames while the longest one is the Severn. It rises in the mountains of Wales and follows a circulation route for over 200 miles before reaching the Bristol Channel and the sea. There are many beautiful lakes in the mountainous part of the country in Scotland.

(11)The climate of Great Britain is mild due to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf Stream’ warm waters, and the mountains. The country weather often changes. The summers are not cool. The winters are cold, with plenty of snow.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland isn’t rich in mineral resources but it is known as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of electronics and machinery, chemicals, and various aircraft and navigation equipment.

Topical vocabulary

Exercise1.

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