NATIONAL EMBLEMS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

The United Kingdom (abbreviated from "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland") is the political name of the country which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (sometimes known as Ulster). Great Britain is the name of the island which is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, whereas the British Isles is the geographical name of all the islands off the north-west coast of the European continent. In everyday speech "Britain" is used to mean the United Kingdom.

The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three crosses. The upright red cross on a white background is the cross of the 1st George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross on a blue background is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red diagonal cross on a white background is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The Welsh flag, called the Welsh dragon, represents a red dragon on a white and green background.

St. George's Day falls on 23 April and is regarded as England's national day. On this day some patriotic Englishmen wear a rose pinned to their jackets. A red rose is the national emblem of England from the time of the Wars of the Roses (15th century).

St. Andrew's Day (the 30th of November) is regarded as Scotland's national day. On this day some Scotsmen wear a thistle in their buttonhole. As a national emblem of Scotland, thistle was apparently first used in the 15th century as a symbol of defence. The Order of the Thistle is one of the highest orders of knighthood. It was founded in 1687, and is mainly given to Scottish noblemen (limited to 16 in number).

St. Patrick's Day (the 17th of March) is considered as a national day in Northern Ireland and an official bank holiday there. The national emblem of Ireland is shamrock. According to legend, it was the plant chosen by St. Patrick to illustrate the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish.

St. David's Day (the 1st of March) is the church festival of St. David, a 6th century monk and bishop, the patron saint of Wales. The day is regarded as the national holiday of Wales, although it is not an official bank holiday. On this day, however, many Welshmen wear either a yellow daffodil or a leek pinned to their jackets, as both plants are traditionally regarded as national emblems of Wales.

In the Royal Arms three lions symbolize England, a lion rampant – Scotland, and a harp – Ireland. The whole is encircled and is supported by a lion and a unicorn. The lion has been used as a symbol of national strength and of the British monarchy for many centuries. The unicorn, a mythical animal that looks like a horse with a long straight horn, has appeared on the Scottish and British royal coats of arms for many centuries, and is a symbol of purity.

Questions:

1. What does the word "Britain" mean?

2. What is the flag of the United Kingdom made up of?

3. How is the Welsh flag called?

4. What do some Englishmen wear on St. George's Day?

5. What day is regarded as Scotland's national day?

6. What day is a national day in Northern Ireland?

7. What do three lions in the Royal Arms symbolize?

8. What does the unicorn symbolize?

Text 2

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THE ROYAL FAMILY

At present the British royal family is headed by Queen Elizabeth. When the Queen was born on the 21st of April 1926, her grandfather, King George V, was on the throne and her uncle was his heir. The death of her grandfather and the abdication of her uncle brought her father to the throne as King George VI. As a child she studied constitutional history and law as well as art and music. In addition she learned to ride and acquired her enthusiasm for horses. As she grew older she began to take part in public life, making her first broadcast at the age of 14. The marriage of the young Princess Elizabeth to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place in November 1947. She came to the throne after her father's death in 1952 and was crowned in Westminster Abbey in June 1953.

Among Queen Elizabeth's many duties are the regular visits she makes to foreign countries, and especially those of the Commonwealth, whose interests and welfare are very important to her. The Queen has allowed the BBC to make a documentary film about the every day of the royal family. She also started the tradition of the "walkabout", an informal feature of an otherwise formal royal visit, when she walks among the public crowds and stops to talk to some people. The annual Christmas broadcast made by the Queen on radio and television has become a traditional and popular feature of the season, and there were widespread celebrations and special programmes of events in 1977 to mark her Silver Jubilee.

The Queen's husband, Duke of Edinburgh, was born in 1926 and served in the Royal Navy. He takes a great deal of interest in industry, in the achievements of young people (he founded Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme in 1956) and in saving raise wild animals from extinction.

The Queen's heir is Charles, Prince of Wales, who was born in 1948, married Lady Diana Spencer and has two children, Prince William and Prince Harry. The Prince of Wales is well-known as a keen promoter of British interests. In recent years he has become outspoken on such controversial topics as modern architecture, violence in films and on television, and the standard of English teaching in schools. His wife Diana, Princess of Wales (often called in mass media Princess Di), won the affection of many people by her modesty, shyness and beauty. Unfortunately, she died in a car accident in August, 1997.

The Queen's other children are Princess Anne (born in 1950), Prince Andrew (born in 1960) and Prince Edward (born in 1964). Anne, Princess Royal, has acquired a reputation for being arrogant, but in recent years has become quite popular with the general public. The Queen is widely known for her interest in horses and horse-racing. She is now president of the Save the Children Fund, Chancellor of the University of London and carries out many public engagements. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, served as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy. In 1986 he married Miss Sarah Ferguson (Fergie, for short) and has two daughters. Prince Edward is keen on the theatre. This interest began while he was at university. He quit the Royal Marines, and is now pursuing a career with a theatrical company.

The Queen Mother, the widow of the late King George VI, celebrated her one hundred birthday in 2000 and continues to carry out many public engagements. The Queen's only sister, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, is well-known for her charity work.

Questions:

1. Whom is the British royal family headed by at present?

2. When was the Queen Elizabeth crowned?

3. What did the Queen Elizabeth study as a child?

4. What tradition did she start?

5. When was the Queen's husband born?

6. What does he take a great interest in?

7. Who did Prince Charles marry?

8. What are the names of the Queen's other children?

Text 3

Translate the text and get ready to answer the questions.

GREAT BRITAIN

The full name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and a great number of small islands. Their total area is over 244 000 sq. km.

The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Northern Ireland occupies one third of the island of Ireland. It borders on the Irish Republic in the south.

The island of Great Britain consists of three main parts: England (the southern and middle part of the island), Wales (a mountainous peninsula in the West) and Scotland (the northern part of the island).

There are no high mountains in Great Britain. In the north the Cheviots separate England from Scotland, the Pennines stretch down North England along its middle, the Cambrian mountains occupy the greater part of Wales and the Highlands of Scotland are the tallest of the British mountains. There is very little flat country except in the region known as East Anglia.

Most of the rivers flow into the North Sea. The Thames is the deepest and the longest of the British rivers. Some of the British greatest ports are situated in the estuaries of the Thames, Mersey, Trent, Tyne, Clyde and Bristol Avon.

Great Britain is not very rich in mineral resources, it has some deposits of coal and iron ore and vast deposits of oil and gas that were discovered in the North Sea. The warm currents of the Atlantic Ocean influence the climate of Great Britain. Winters are not severely cold and summers are rarely hot.

The population of the United Kingdom is over 58 million people. The main nationalities are: English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish. In Great Britain there are a lot of immigrants from former British Asian and African colonies.

Great Britain is a highly industrialized country. New industries have been developed in the last three decades. The main industrial centres are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow and Bristol.

The capital of the country is London. The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy.

Questions:

1. Where is the United Kingdom situated?

2. What islands do the British Isles consist of?

3. What ocean and seas are the British Isles washed by?

4. How many parts does the Island of Great Britain consist of and what are they called?

5. What country does Northern Ireland border on?

6. Are there any high mountains in Great Britain?

7. What sea do most of the rivers flow into?

8. What mineral resources is Great Britain rich in?

9. What is the climate like in Great Britain?

10. What is the population of Great Britain?

11. What city is the capital of the U. K.?

12. What kind of state is Great Britain?

PART 2

PRACTICE YOUR READING SKILLS

Text 1

Read the extracts, use a dictionary if you need. Answer the following questions in writing.

1. Why did he/she come to Britain?

2. What does he/she do?

3. Find one thing he/she likes about Britain, and one thing he/she doesn't like so much.

KIMIKO – JAPAN

There are now more than two dozen Japanese companies in Tyne and Wear in the northeast of England. Many Japanese families now live there. Kimiko Kinoshita Wood came to Britain as a bride six years ago. "There is much more freedom for women here", she says. "It is sometimes difficult for Japanese women to adjust". For Kimiko, the change was easy because she is a translator and speaks English fluently. Also, she has an English husband. "Attitudes to women are very different", she says. "Japanese wives come to Britain and after a while they discover they can have a life of their own outside the home. They don't have that kind of freedom in Japan". In Japan it is unusual to see men shopping with their wives, helping in the house, or babysitting. But Kimiko's husband, John, a shipping engineer, happily lends a hand with the children. John says that Japanese husbands soon adapt in Britain, and seem to relax more with their families. Education is one thing that worries Kimiko. In Japan, children go to school six days a week and work much harder than English children. Another complaint is that shops don't have many clothes for small women!

XAVIER – FRANCE

When Xavier Dupont came to Britain, his friends in Paris said he'd hate it. However, Xavier, a 26-year-old chef, says they were wrong. "French people imagine that Britain is a cold, miserable country where everyone dresses badly, you can't see anything for fog, and the food is the worst on the planet. I don't agree". Xavier insists that the British look good because they don't follow fashion so seriously. He enjoys shopping in Britain because there are so many fresh things in the supermarkets. He particularly likes the street markets. However he has some complaints. He thinks that British men don't show enough consideration or appreciation of the women. Also, he doesn't like British bathrooms where you stand or sit in the bath to have a shower! Last of all, he feels that shops and restaurants close far too often and far too early.

MARGARETHA – NORWAY

In Britain, Margaretha Simons can be a full-time housewife, at home with her four children. This, she says, is unusual in her native Norway because almost all Norwegian women go out to work, partly because there are more creches. It is also unusual in Norway to have more than two children. Margaretha, who is 43, met her British husband, Noel, a university professor, while she was learning English in Cambridge. "I find British people friendly", she says. "New neighbours invite you for coffee, introduce their children, and take you to the shops. The men are more courteous and romantic than Norwegian men". However she doesn't like everything. She thinks British houses are not built well – even modern houses have a lot of draughts. Also, there is too much litter on the streets and by the sides of the motorways. She likes fresh British food, but at first she did not like the tea because it looked cloudy and grey. Now she is addicted to it, and has cups of tea all the time!

Comprehension check: Look at the following statements about the three people. Which are true? Which are false?

1. Japanese men find it difficult to relax in Britain because their wives are so busy all the time.

2. Xavier thinks the British dress well.

3. Kimiko and Margaretha both have English husbands.

4. Both Xavier and Margaretha have a good opinion of British men.

5. Kimiko met her husband in Japan but Margaretha met hers in England.

6. They all enjoy shopping in Britain. They have no complaints about British shops.

7. Both Xavier and Margaretha have complaints about the design of British houses.

Text 2

Read the text below and do tasks 1 and 2 in writing.

CHINESE TOURISTS HURRY TO BRITAIN
TO FIND SHOES, FOG, AND THE "BIG STUPID CLOCK"

A bus with a large group of Chinese tourists stopped outside the Harks shoe shop in the Bicester Village Shopping Park near Oxford. "I've never seen anything like it", said one of the shop assistants, "They were queuing right out of the door". The tourists wanted to buy shoes for their family back home and some of them bought six pairs. Many of them came with paper cut-outs of their relatives' feet – a clever idea, as you can never be sure that shoes sizes are accurate.

In the past, only business people and students could get visas to visit the UK, and other people hardly ever visited as tourists. But the visa rules have changed. Now, Chinese tourists are allowed to travel to Britain in groups. Also, the Chinese economy is strong and airlines are introducing more direct flights from China to Britain. This is all good news for British tourism. But what do the Chinese expect to find when they come here?

According to Calum MacLeod of the Great Britain China Centre, they sometimes have old-fashioned ideas of Britain. They think of Charles Dickens's book Oliver Twist and the famous London fog. "When I tell people I live in London, they often ask me how bad the fog is", says MacLeod. "They are interested in the UK's history and traditions", says MacLeod. Lai Gaik Ung Polain, a tour guide, agrees. "We usually take them to see the famous tourist attractions in London and the south east of the country such as Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, and they always want to see Big Ben". In Chinese, they call it "DaBen hong", meaning "Big stupid clock". But they are quite often interested in less well-known sights too, such as Winston Churchill's home or Karl Marx's grave. But they don't only want to go sightseeing while they are in Britain. "We always take our groups to Soho to eat Chinese food", says Polain. Most tourists enjoy food from home when they are abroad. Shopping is important, too. Chinese tourists rarely stay in Britain for more than a few days before continuing to another European country. They often buy presents for family and friends. Apart from Clarks, well-known British goods such as Burberry raincoats are also popular. You can buy many of these goods in China, but people usually prefer to buy them in the country of origin if they can. People in the British tourism business are very pleased. They are comparing it to twenty years ago, when tourists suddenly started coming from Japan.

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