Geography of Great Britain

Active vocabulary

Unit 10 Great Britain

Task 1. Read and translate the text.

Here is a short geographical outline of Great Britain, which comprises England, Wales and Scotland, is situated on the British Isles. The west coast of the country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, the east coast is washed by the North Sea. Great Britain is separated from Europe by the English

Channel and the Strait of Dover which is as narrow as 21 miles.

England and Wales from the southern part of Great Britain, Scotland occupies its northern part. The country in the main has a sloping surface, but in Scotland and in the west of England there are mountains and hills. The highest mountain – Ben Nevis – is in Scotland. In some parts there are valleys and plains. The island can be divided into Highland and Lowland. Of all the rivers, which are plentiful in Britain, the Severn is the longest. The Thames on which London, the capital of Britain is situated, flows into the North Sea and is very deep.

The climate in Britain is mild and damp. There are many foggy and rainy days. The flora of the British Isles is much varied and the fauna is similar to that of north-western Europe. The country is rather rich in natural resources.

England was the first to become a highly developed industrial country. The following are industrially important areas: the Clydeside (Scotland) which is noted for shipbuilding; Yorkshire with its woolen industry; Lancashire which is famous for its cotton textile and heavy engineering; Midlands which is known for its manufacturing and coal mining; West and South-West England and Greater London – the main centre of light industries.

The population of the country is over 58 million.

Task 2. Have a talk based on the text, making use of the following questions: