English-speaking Countries
Name the English-speaking countries. Speak about your
Associations with one of the countries and its people.
English is the third most spoken native language worldwide, after Chinese and Hindi, with some 380 million speakers. It is the official language in 71 sovereign states and territories with the total population of 2,135 million people. Among them are the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa and many others. In the UK and the USA there is no law about the official language, and English is the official language there de facto. There are some countries, too, where English is the major language, that is, it is the native language of the overwhelming majority of the population; these countries include the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and some others. The two most important English-speaking countries are, of course, the UK and the USA.
(a)The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The
The British Isles are separated from the Continent by the North Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. The western coast of the country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea; the eastern coast is washed by the North Sea.
The population of the country is over 57 million people. The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast respectively. In everyday speech ‘Great Britain’ is used in the meaning of ‘the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’. The country is also referred to as Britain, England or the UK. The capital of the UK is London, with the population of about 7.5 million people (about 13 million people in Greater London, that is London with the suburbs).
The UK is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the country is governed by the Parliament and the Queen is Head of State. The legislative power in the country is exercised by the Houses of Parliament which consist of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords is composed of hereditary peers and peeresses. The members of the House of Commons are elected by people from the constituencies in the four parts of the country. The House of Commons is the real governing body of the country. The executive power is exercised by Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The government is usually formed by the political party which has the majority in the House of Commons. Prime Minister is the majority party leader appointed by the Queen. Prime Minister chooses a team of ministers; 20 of them form the Cabinet. The most important parties in the UK are the Conservative and the Labour Party.
The judicial branch of the government is represented by the system of courts. There is no written Constitution in Great Britain, only precedents and traditions. The national flag of the country is Union Jack.
The UK is a highly developed industrial and agrarian country. It produces and exports machinery, electronics, railroad equipment, aircraft, textile. One of the chief industries is shipbuilding. Though the country is not rich in mineral resources, it is one of the world’s leading economies. The country also must import about 40 % of its food supplies. Financial sector is the most important one in the economy of the country, 70 % of the country’s population work there. Britain’s most important agricultural products include wool and dairy products. The main industrial and commercial areas are cities.
When I think about British people, I normally recollect two things: British national character and British holidays and traditions.
The British are famous for being conservative, reserved, punctual, friendly to strangers and polite. They are famous for their love to compromise, too. I think some of these traits may be explained by the island location — for example, their conservatism, friendliness to strangers and politeness. Partially due to this location, the British Isles have not been invaded since the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, and the British people were not afraid of strangers. The influence of foreign lifestyles was very small, too, that is probably why they are conservative.
The British have a lot of holidays and celebrations. Many of them are celebrated throughout the world because of their Christian origin. Christmas Day and Boxing Day, Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), Good Friday and Easter are all Christian holidays, or are based on a combination of pagan and Christian traditions. Another group of British holidays include holidays celebrated in English-speaking countries — Mothering Sunday, April Fool’s Day, May Day, Hallowe’en, the New Year.
British people are known to keep up a lot of traditions in their daily routines. For example, they prefer living in their own houses, they are fond of gardening, keeping pet animals, spending holidays on the seaside and playing cricket, darts and golf. They like going to pubs, being members of all sorts of clubs and having five o’clock tea. I believe the pub is the most peculiarly British tradition, as the pub is still the centre of social life in towns and city suburbs. Though television at home is a strong competitor in spending leisure time, many people still go to pubs to communicate with their neighbours and friends. Nevertheless, the importance of the pub as the centre of social life in a locality is decreasing.
Translate the following sentences into English.
1. ΠΠ½Π³Π»ΠΈΠΉΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ — ΠΎΡΠΈΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΠΉ ΡΠ·ΡΠΊ 71 ΡΡΠ²Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π³ΠΎΡΡΠ΄Π°ΡΡΡΠ²Π° ΠΈ ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠΈΡΠΎΡΠΈΠΈ; ΡΡΠΎ ΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ·ΡΠΊ Π² Π½Π΅ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΡ
ΡΡΡΠ°Π½Π°Ρ
, ΡΠΎ Π΅ΡΡΡ ΡΠ·ΡΠΊ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Π°Π²Π»ΡΡΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎ Π±ΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ½ΡΡΠ²Π° Π½Π°ΡΠ΅Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ.
2. ΠΠ΅Π»ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ±ΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΠ°ΡΠΏΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠΆΠ΅Π½Π° Π½Π° ΠΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΡΠΊΠΈΡ
ΠΎΡΡΡΠΎΠ²Π°Ρ
ΡΡΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ Ρ ΡΠ΅Π²Π΅ΡΠ½ΡΠΌ ΠΏΠΎΠ±Π΅ΡΠ΅ΠΆΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΠ²ΡΠΎΠΏΡ, ΠΎΡΠ΄Π΅Π»Π΅Π½Π° ΠΎΡ ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΠΈΠ½Π΅Π½ΡΠ° Π‘Π΅Π²Π΅ΡΠ½ΡΠΌ ΠΌΠΎΡΠ΅ΠΌ, ΠΏΡΠΎΠ»ΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠΌ ΠΠ°-ΠΠ°Π½Ρ ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΎΠ»ΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠΌ ΠΠ°-Π΄Π΅-ΠΠ°Π»Π΅ ΠΈ ΠΎΠΌΡΠ²Π°Π΅ΡΡΡ ΠΡΠ»Π°Π½ΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠΌ ΠΎΠΊΠ΅Π°Π½ΠΎΠΌ, ΠΡΠ»Π°Π½Π΄ΡΠΊΠΈΠΌ ΠΌΠΎΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΈ Π‘Π΅Π²Π΅ΡΠ½ΡΠΌ ΠΌΠΎΡΠ΅ΠΌ.
3. Π Π΅Π»ΡΠ΅Ρ (ΠΏΠΎΠ²Π΅ΡΡ
Π½ΠΎΡΡΡ) ΡΡΡΠ°Π½Ρ ΠΎΡΠ΅Π½Ρ ΡΠ°Π·Π½ΠΎΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·Π΅Π½ — Π³ΠΎΡΠΈΡΡΡΠΉ Π½Π° ΡΠ΅Π²Π΅ΡΠ΅ ΠΈ Ρ ΠΌΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΡΠΈΡΠ»Π΅Π½Π½ΡΠΌΠΈ Π΄ΠΎΠ»ΠΈΠ½Π°ΠΌΠΈ ΠΈ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠΈΡΠ½ΡΠΌΠΈ ΡΠ°Π²Π½ΠΈΠ½Π°ΠΌΠΈ Π½Π° ΡΠ³Π΅.
4. ΠΠΎΠ»ΡΡΡΡΡΠΈΠΌ Π²Π»ΠΈΡΠ΅Ρ Π½Π° ΠΊΠ»ΠΈΠΌΠ°Ρ ΡΡΡΠ°Π½Ρ, ΡΠΌΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π½Π½ΡΠΉ ΠΊΡΡΠ³Π»ΡΠΉ Π³ΠΎΠ΄.
5. ΠΠ΅Π»ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ±ΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡ — ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΡΠΈΡΡΡΠΈΠΎΠ½Π½Π°Ρ ΠΌΠΎΠ½Π°ΡΡ
ΠΈΡ, ΡΠΎ Π΅ΡΡΡ ΠΎΠ½Π° ΡΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΠΏΠ°ΡΠ»Π°ΠΌΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠΌ, ΡΠΎΡΡΠΎΡΡΠΈΠΌ ΠΈΠ· Π΄Π²ΡΡ
ΠΏΠ°Π»Π°Ρ, Π° ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΠ»Π΅Π²Π° ΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ Π³Π»Π°Π²ΠΎΠΉ Π³ΠΎΡΡΠ΄Π°ΡΡΡΠ²Π°.
6. ΠΠ°Π»Π°ΡΠ° Π»ΠΎΡΠ΄ΠΎΠ² ΡΠΎΡΡΠΎΠΈΡ ΠΈΠ· Π½Π°ΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΡΡΠ²Π΅Π½Π½ΡΡ
ΠΏΡΡΠΎΠ² ΠΈ ΠΏΡΡΠ΅ΡΡ; ΡΠ»Π΅Π½Ρ ΠΏΠ°Π»Π°ΡΡ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠΈΠ½, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΠ°Ρ ΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΡΠ΅Π°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΠΌ ΠΏΡΠ°Π²ΡΡΠΈΠΌ ΠΎΡΠ³Π°Π½ΠΎΠΌ, ΠΈΠ·Π±ΠΈΡΠ°ΡΡΡΡ ΠΎΡ ΠΈΠ·Π±ΠΈΡΠ°ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΠΎΠΊΡΡΠ³ΠΎΠ².
7. ΠΡΠΏΠΎΠ»Π½ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½Π°Ρ Π²Π»Π°ΡΡΡ ΠΎΡΡΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΠΏΡΠ΅ΠΌΡΠ΅Ρ-ΠΌΠΈΠ½ΠΈΡΡΡΠΎΠΌ, ΡΠ²Π»ΡΡΡΠΈΠΌΡΡ Π»ΠΈΠ΄Π΅ΡΠΎΠΌ ΠΏΠ°ΡΡΠΈΠΈ Π±ΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ½ΡΡΠ²Π° ΠΈ Π½Π°Π·Π½Π°ΡΠ°Π΅ΠΌΡΠΌ ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΠ»Π΅Π²ΠΎΠΉ, ΠΈ ΠΊΠ°Π±ΠΈΠ½Π΅ΡΠΎΠΌ ΠΌΠΈΠ½ΠΈΡΡΡΠΎΠ².
8. Π‘ΡΠ΄Π΅Π±Π½Π°Ρ Π²Π»Π°ΡΡΡ ΠΏΡΠ΅Π΄ΡΡΠ°Π²Π»Π΅Π½Π° ΡΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌΠΎΠΉ ΡΡΠ΄ΠΎΠ²; ΠΏΠΈΡΡΠΌΠ΅Π½Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΡΠΈΡΡΡΠΈΠΈ Π½Π΅ ΡΡΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²ΡΠ΅Ρ, ΡΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΎ ΠΏΡΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π΄Π΅Π½ΡΡ ΠΈ ΡΡΠ°Π΄ΠΈΡΠΈΠΈ.
9. ΠΠ΅Π»ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ±ΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡ — ΡΡΠΎ Π²ΡΡΠΎΠΊΠΎΡΠ°Π·Π²ΠΈΡΠ°Ρ ΠΏΡΠΎΠΌΡΡΠ»Π΅Π½Π½Π°Ρ ΠΈ Π°Π³ΡΠ°ΡΠ½Π°Ρ ΡΡΡΠ°Π½Π°, ΠΏΡΠΎΠΈΠ·Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΡΡΠ°Ρ ΡΡΠ°Π½ΠΊΠΈ, ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠ½ΠΈΠΊΡ, ΠΆΠ΅Π»Π΅Π·Π½ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΡΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΎΠ±ΠΎΡΡΠ΄ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅, ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΎΠ»Π΅ΡΡ, ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΡΠΈΠ»Ρ, ΡΡΠ΄Π°.
10. Π‘ΡΡΠ°Π½Π° Π½Π΅ Π±ΠΎΠ³Π°ΡΠ° ΠΏΠΎΠ»Π΅Π·Π½ΡΠΌΠΈ ΠΈΡΠΊΠΎΠΏΠ°Π΅ΠΌΡΠΌΠΈ, Π½ΠΎ ΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΈΠ· Π²Π΅Π΄ΡΡΠΈΡ
Π² ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠΌΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠΌ ΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠΈ ΡΡΡΠ°Π½ ΠΌΠΈΡΠ°, ΠΏΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΡΠΈΠ½Π°Π½ΡΠΎΠ²ΡΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΎΡ ΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΈΠΌ ΠΈΠ· ΡΠ°ΠΌΡΡ
Π²Π°ΠΆΠ½ΡΡ
ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΎΡΠΎΠ² Π΅Π΅ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠΌΠΈΠΊΠΈ.
11. ΠΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΡΡ ΡΠ΄Π΅ΡΠΆΠ°Π½Ρ, ΠΏΡΠ½ΠΊΡΡΠ°Π»ΡΠ½Ρ, ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΠ΅ΡΠ²Π°ΡΠΈΠ²Π½Ρ ΠΈ ΠΈΠ·Π²Π΅ΡΡΠ½Ρ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠ΅ΠΉ Π»ΡΠ±ΠΎΠ²ΡΡ ΠΊ ΠΊΠΎΠΌΠΏΡΠΎΠΌΠΈΡΡΠ°ΠΌ, ΡΡΠΎ, Π²Π΅ΡΠΎΡΡΠ½ΠΎ, ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎ ΠΎΠ±ΡΡΡΠ½ΠΈΡΡ ΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΡΠ°ΠΊΡΠΎΠΌ, ΡΡΠΎ ΠΠ΅Π»ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ±ΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡ Π½Π΅ Π·Π°Π²ΠΎΠ΅Π²ΡΠ²Π°Π»Π°ΡΡ ΡΠΎ Π²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½ ΠΠΎΡΠΌΠ°Π½Π΄ΡΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π·Π°Π²ΠΎΠ΅Π²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ.
12. Π£ Π±ΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΡΠ΅Π² ΠΌΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΏΡΠ°Π·Π΄Π½ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ² ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠ°Π·Π΄Π½ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠΉ, Π² ΡΠΎΠΌ ΡΠΈΡΠ»Π΅ ΠΌΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΡΠΈΡΠ»Π΅Π½Π½ΡΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠ°Π·Π΄Π½ΠΈΠΊΠΈ, ΠΈΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠΈΠ΅ Ρ
ΡΠΈΡΡΠΈΠ°Π½ΡΠΊΠΎΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠΎΠΈΡΡ
ΠΎΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅, ΡΠ°ΠΊΠΈΠ΅ ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ Π ΠΎΠΆΠ΄Π΅ΡΡΠ²ΠΎ, ΠΠ΅Π½Ρ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Π°ΡΠΊΠΎΠ², ΠΠ°ΡΠ»Π΅Π½ΡΠΉ Π²ΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊ, Π‘ΡΡΠ°ΡΡΠ½Π°Ρ ΠΏΡΡΠ½ΠΈΡΠ° ΠΈ ΠΠ°ΡΡ
Π°, Π΄ΡΡΠ³ΠΈΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠ°Π·Π΄Π½ΠΈΠΊΠΈ, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠ΅ ΡΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π»ΡΡΡΡΡ Π²ΠΎ Π²ΡΠ΅Ρ
Π°Π½Π³Π»ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΡΡΡΠΈΡ
ΡΡΡΠ°Π½Π°Ρ
.
13. ΠΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΡΡ ΡΠΎΠ±Π»ΡΠ΄Π°ΡΡ ΠΌΠ°ΡΡΡ ΡΡΠ°Π΄ΠΈΡΠΈΠΉ Π² ΠΏΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅Π΄Π½Π΅Π²Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΆΠΈΠ·Π½ΠΈ, ΡΠ°ΠΊΠΈΡ
ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ ΠΈΠ³ΡΠ° Π² ΠΊΡΠΈΠΊΠ΅Ρ, Π΄ΡΠΎΡΠΈΠΊΠΈ (Π΄Π°ΡΡΡ) ΠΈ Π³ΠΎΠ»ΡΡ ΠΈΠ»ΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ΠΏΠ°Π±ΠΎΠ².
1. English is the official language in 71 sovereign states and territories, it is the major language in some countries, that is, the language of the overwhelming majority of the population.
2. Great Britain is situated on the British Isles, off the northern coast of Europe; it is separated from the Continent by the North Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover and is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the Irish Sea, and the North Sea.
3. The surface of the country varies very much, it is mountainous in the north and abounds in valleys and vast plains in the south.
4. The Gulf Stream influences the climate of the country, which is mild the whole year round.
5. The UK is a constitutional monarchy, that is, it is governed by the Parliament consisting of two chambers and the Queen is Head of State.
6. The House of Lords is composed of hereditary peers and peeresses, the members of the House of Commons which is the real governing body are elected from the constituencies.
7. The executive power is exercised by Prime Minister, who is the majority party leader appointed by the Queen, and his Cabinet.
8. The judiciary branch of the government is represented by the system of courts, there is no written constitution, only precedents and traditions.
9. The UK is a highly developed industrialized and agrarian country producing machinery, electronics, railroad equipment, aircraft, textile, ships.
10. The country is not rich in mineral resources, but it is one of the world’s leading economies with financial sector as one of the most important sectors of the economy.
11. The British are reserved, punctual, conservative and famous for their love to compromise, which can probably be explained by the fact that the British Isles have not been invaded since the Norman Conquest.
12. The British have a lot of holidays and celebrations which include many holidays of Christian origin, such as Christmas, Boxing Day, Shrove Tuesday, Good Friday and Easter, other holidays are celebrated in all English-speaking countries.
13. The British keep up a lot of traditions in their daily routines like playing cricket, darts and golf and going to pubs.
ΠΠ· ΠΏΠΎΡΠΎΠ±ΠΈΡ «ΠΠΠ. ΠΠ½Π³Π»ΠΈΠΉΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ ΡΠ·ΡΠΊ. Π£ΡΡΠ½ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ΅ΠΌΡ» ΠΠ°Π½ΠΈΠ½Π° Π. Π. (2010, 272Ρ.) — Part one. English examination topics. Forms 9/11.