03 (Топики по Английскому языку для англ.шк. (10 класс))

Topic 3

In the UK represents four nations, which are distinct from each other in almost every aspect of live. They have their own dialects, economics, social and legal systems. All of them have got their own stereotypes. The Irish for example are supposed to be good talkers when the Scots are supposed to have a reputation for being careful with money. The Welsh are famous for their singing abilities and English are individualists. The first nation I’m going to speak about is the English. The English are mainly Anglo-Saxon in origin. Since 12-th century the English people have developed their own character and personality. They managed to save their traditions of dance, food and music from mixing with other origins. English people are generally tolerant of new ideas and influences. Traditionally, the English are thought to be reserved, shy of strangers, suspicious of change and slow to accept new ideas. The Scots have a strong sense of national identity, of their own distinct values, and traditions. This is partly due to history. Scotland’s history is a history of endless battles against the English for independence, and Scots have many national heroes who fought in these battles. Scotland is a country with an intense national tradition, with its own songs, its poetry, its own national food and drinks, sports and manners. To many foreigners, the image of Scotland looks a little bit childish. Kilts, tartans, bagpipes, and tweed play an important role in it. Although the part of the UK, Scotland has it’s own laws, which in some are really very different from English ones and Scotland even has got its own pound coin. The Welsh are proud of themselves and they believe to be the true Britons. Nowadays only twenty per cent of them speak Welsh, the oldest language in Europe. Wales was inhabited from ancient times. From the 6-th century the Welsh fiercely resisted the attacks of the Anglo-Saxons into their land. Also the Welsh fought for many years against the English to win their freedom but they were defeated in 1282. The Welsh are proud of their culture, traditions, and their language. They are really gifted in the art of self-expression in words, they are not afraid of being poetic in speech, of using bright and pictorial descriptions of men and events in ordinary conversations. And the last nation I’m going to speak about is the Irish. The Irish are mainly Celtic people. They have maintained their ancient Gaelic language but English is spoken everywhere. To understand the present situation in Northern Ireland it is necessary to know something about the island’s long and violent history. Before the early 20^th century, Northern Ireland was a part of Ireland as a whole. After many English and Scots people had settled there in the 16^th century, Northern Ireland became mainly Protestant, unlike the rest of Ireland which remained, as before, mainly Roman Catholic. By the terms of an Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, Northern Ireland was granted its own parliament in which the protestant government was formed. And also Britain has a lot of immigrants who left their countries because of the political or religious persecution or some other problems. In the UK they form different societies in which they follow their native traditions.