N. Kryazheva - The United States and the United Kingdom. Past and Present (doc) (798446), страница 11
Текст из файла (страница 11)
innovation - новшество, нововведение
variety -разновидность
know-how - умение; знание дела; секреты производства
Tasks:
1. Answer the following questions.
a. Are differences in pronunciation sometimes noticeable?
b. What are the reasons of differences between modern British English and American English?
c. Are differences between the two languages disappearing or increasing ?
d. Is modern British English strongly influenced by American English nowadays?
2. Make up short dialogues about British and American English.
BRITAIN: PAST AND PRESENT
Great Britain is a purely geographical name. People often use this name as the name of the country but it is not its direct meaning. Why is it called Great Britain? In France there is a peninsula called Bretaigne. When people from this province came to what they later called Great Britain they found some familiar conditions there and first of all its damp climate. Since this country was larg^ than their own Bretaigne they called it "Great Britain". The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom includes four nations with marked differences: the Welsh, the Scots, the English and the Irish.
Each part of the UK has its capital. The capital of England is London; Wales has Cardiff; Scotland has Edinburgh; the capital city of Northern Ireland is Belfast. Only those people who live in England call themselves "English", Scottish and \/Velsh are called "British people" or "British", and Irish people call themselves "Irish".
Each country also has a national "emblem" or sign. The English emblem is a red rose. The Welsh emblem is a vegetable or flower - a leek or a daffodil. The Scottish emblem is a wild plant - a thistle. And the Irish emblem is another wild plant - a shamrock. The United Kingdom's flag is the Union Jack. It's red, white and blue. It is made of three flags-the crosses of St.George, St.Andrew, and St.Patric, which represent England, Scotland and Nothern Ireland. The British national anthem is God Save the Queen (King).
Almost every nation has a reputation of some kind. The English are reputed to be cold, reserved, rather haughty people who do not yell in the street, make love in public or change their governments as often as they change their underclothes. They are steady, easy-going, and fond of sport.
The fire is the focus of the English home. Even when central heating is installed it is kept so low in the English home that Americans and Russians get chilblains, as the English get nervous headaches from stiffness in theirs.
Most English people have been slow to adopt rational reforms such the metric system, which came into general use in 1975. They do not want to trouble of adapting themselves to new.
The conservatism may be illustrated by reference of the public attitude to the monarchy. The English are amongst the most amiable people in the world, they can also be very ruthless. They have a genius for compromise, but can enforce their idea of compromise on others with surprising efficiency.
They are generous in small matters, but more cautious in big ones. The Scots, the Irish and the Welsh are not the English. They have a lot of in common but all of them have their own national spirit, national pride and they cherish their customs and traditions.
Words and Phrases:
haughty people - надменные to get chilblains - получить озноб
to yell - вопить, визжать stiffness - духота
underclothes - нижнее белье to adopt - приспосабливать
steady - постоянный ruthless - жестокий, безжалостный
to cherish - лелеять easy-going - легкие на подъем
cautious - осторожный generous - великодушный, благородный
to house - вмещать headache - головная боль
focus -центр amiable -дружелюбный
to focus - сосредоточивать genius - дух
Tasks:
1- Render the text in your own words.
2. Draw a parallel between Russian and English.
3- Express doubts, hesitations or disbelief in the response to the text.
THE ROLE OF THE MONARCHY
The age of democracy has not produced any significant revolutionary movement in Britain. The monarchy survives, but has no power and does not want any Parliament to establish its rights. The powers of the Queen are nowhere exactly defined. Theoretically every act of the state is done in her name; every letter sent out by any government department is posted in an envelope marked "On Her Majesty's Service". All ministers in the Government are appointed by her. But in reality everything that she does is done "on the advice of her ministers". Laws passed by two Houses do not become affective until she has signed them.
The Queen Elizabeth II was born in London 21 April 1926. She was crowned at Westminster on the 2 of June in 1953. She was the sixth Queen Regnant of Britain and second of her name. Today the Queen is not only the head of state, but also an important symbol of national unity.
Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, i.e. the power of the Queen is limited by the Parliment. But the real power is concentrated in the hands of the great trusts and banks and the tiny section of rich property owners. They control the land, industry, finance, trade, armed forces, police, judiciary and mass media. The Monarchy is used by the ruling class as an ideological weapon of maintaining the stability of the regime. In the law the Queen is the Head of the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary. She reigns, but does not rule, although the Queen is the third richest woman in the world.
Vocabulary:
significant - значительный to crown - короновать
to survive - выживать in the law - по закону
to appoint - назначать although - хотя
appointment - назначение, встреча to reign - царствовать
Tasks:
1. Answer the questions.
a. What is the first name of the Queen?
b. Whom does the real power belong to in the UK?
c. What do banks and trusts control?
2. Make up short dialogues about the Role of Monarchy in the United Kingdom.
The Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon was born in 1900 at the very birth of the century. In her life she has been the greatest witness to the history. Two global wars. Many personal tragedies. Considerable triumphs. The creation of new sort of world, which has moved from horse and carriage to space travel, from ink pens to computers.
Her eyes have seen it all. Around her are the Royals. Diana was her favourite. The Queen Mother helped her a lot. In 2000 she was 100 and celebrated her birthday together with all Great Britain. But the Queen Mother died in 2002.
The story of Diana, Princess of Wales, began when she was just 16 years old and met her future husband Charles, Prince of Wales, when he joined a shooting party at her family home when she was a shy teen-ager. But on September 8, 1980 her life changed forever. The shy teen-ager blossomed into a Royal Bride. She adored children and soon she became a mother. William was born on June 1982 and Harry two years later. She never handed her sons to nannies. She was 'Ways there, if they needed her. Diana and Charles seemed united in their love 0r their small sons. There were no hints then of the dramas to come. But soon Verything has changed.
Diana began to strike out on her own and carry out official duties without her husband. And people began to take her seriously. She began to transform She got 2,000 invitations to visit different places every year. Diana began to щ awards for her humanitarian work. She gave a lot of money to different hospitals She had no fear of AIDS. Diana shook hands and warmly embraced patients Then "Di" turned her attention to lepers. By the end of the eighties the Princess had achieved her objective. The world regarded her as a woman of substance She made a real contribution to her country and the Commonwealth. But by De^ cember 1992 the unthinkable had happened. The Prime Minister announced to a House of Commons that Charles and Diana were to part. But Diana found hap- I piness in her independence. Keeping tears and frustration to herself she always produced smiles and jokes for those in need, especially children. She knew how important love was in people's lives, probably because she had not had much of it in her family and then in her marriage. And probably only with Dodi-AI-Fayed, it seemed, she had found a happiness that might have changed her solitude.
She was a star. Diana was a source of beauty and glamour. "Di" was a humanitarian. She had been killed in a car crash in Paris. She is irreplaceable. She was just 36.
Peoples have lost a unique woman who will be forever remembered with love and admiration. Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke of the Princes as a wonderful and warm human being and called her "the People's Princess".
Words and Phrases:
shooting - охота на дичь objective - цель
shy - застенчивый a man of substance - самостоятельный человек
hint - намек frustration - расстройство, разочарование
AIDS - СПИД marriage - брак, замужество
to embrace -обнимать solitude -одиночество
leper - прокаженный admiration - обожание
Tasks:
1. Answer the following questions.
a. Why does the Prime Minister call Diana the "People's Princess"?
b. What can you say about Royal family?
c. What do you know about Princess of Wales?
2. Speak about Diana's activities.
PARLIAMENT
Parliament is the supreme legislative authority in the United Kingdom. It con-
sists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. They constitute оn
different principles, do different work in different places and meet only on occasions
of symbolic significance such as the coronation and the opening of Parliament.
The life of Parliament is divided into periods called "sessions". A session normally lasts for about a year from late October of the last year to about the same date of the next year.
The House of Commons is elected, nonhereditary chamber. The House of Commons has 659 members who belong to different political parties, and its discussions are controlled by an official called the Speaker.
The House of Commons meets every day but Saturday. A light at the top of the Clock Tower, where the famous Big Ben strikes, is kept on for so long as the House is sitting. Only members of Commons are known as MPs - Members of parliament. The Commons is more important of the two Houses.
The House of Lords is nonelected, hereditary chamber. The House of Lords spends much time in discussing general and particular problems connected with governmental policy and administration. The Lords can reject Bill once.
Most bills are introduced by the Government. About 50 bills are passed each year. The preparation may take many months. At last the bill is ready to be submitted to Parliament. It will have passed by both Houses of Parliament, one after the other.
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