Great Britain: General Information

Read the text below. Match choices (A—H) to (1—5). There are three choices you do not need to use.  

SPOTLIGHT ON ENGLAND

1) This paragraph tells about ___________

Although England is the largest of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom (with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), it is still relatively small in comparison with some other European countries. Its population of 58 million people lives in a geographical area of 93,000 square miles. 85 % of the population lives in towns. The capital is London and other major cities include Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and Bristol.

2) This paragraph tells about ____________

England traditionally produces textiles, iron and steel, coal mining and car manufacturing. In the hills there are dairy farms and in the lowlands cereals and potatoes are grown. England’s farms also produce lamb and beef, although the beef industry is still recovering from the Mad Cow Disease catastrophe of the 1990s when millions of cows had to be slaughtered and sales of beef plummeted.

3) This paragraph tells about ________________

The climate in England is moderate with average summer temperatures ranging from 12 °C to 26 °C. However, summers are getting noticeable hotter with recent counts as high as 38 °C in some places. In fact, this changing climate has meant that wine makers in the south of England have recently started to produce a sparkling wine similar to French Champagne. England gets a lot of rain (hence the green hills and valleys) so it’s wise to carry a brolly. London is also famous for its «smog», a mixture of smoke from coal fires and fog that existed in the 19th century before steps were taken to introduce smokeless fuels to the city. Nowadays both London air and the water of the River Thames are much cleaner than they were a hundred years ago.

4) This paragraph tells about ___________

The English are pleased with their quirky sense of humour (Mr Bean, Monty Python), their food (especially roast beef and Yorkshire pud), their sporting achievements (football, cricket and athletics, to name a few) and more contemporary literary, musical and cultural figures such as J. K. Rowling, Robbie Williams or Jamie Oliver, the cook who recently changed the face of school lunches across the country.

5) This paragraph tells about ______________

Although English cooking has a reputation for being uninteresting (or worse), these days culinary standards have been improved. Recently two English restaurants were listed among the top five restaurants in the world.  

A. the weather in Britain

B. British cuisine

C. what English people are proud of

D. English music

E. what can be considered typically English

F. British monarchy

G. the size of the country

H. the industry and agriculture of Britain

Answer the questions about Britain. 

BRITAIN: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE QUIZ

1) The official name of the country is ______ .

a) Britain

b) Great Britain

c) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

d) The United Kingdom of Great Britain

2) The country is usually just called «the United Kingdom, or the UK» because _____ .

a) this sounds better

b) this is the official name of the country

c) the official name of the country is too long

d) it is written in the constitution

3) The United Kingdom is a country made up of _____ .

a) two parts c) four parts

b) three parts d) five parts

4) The parts of the United Kingdom are _____ .

a) England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

b) Britain, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

c) England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland

d) England, Scotland, Wales, and the UK

5) About ____ people live in Britain.

a) 100 million c) 58 million

b) 73 million d) 35 million

6) About ____ people live in the capital, London.

a) 3 million c) 6.3 million

b) 7.7 million d) 8.3 million

7) Which of these places is not in London?

a) The Tower c) The Coliseum

b) Nelson’s Column d) Greenwich

8) What is the name of the architect who built Saint Paul’s Cathedral?

a) Sir Charles Barry c) Northmore Pugin

b) Sir Christopher Wren d) Daniel Libeskind

9) Britain’s second largest city, ______ , has a population of about 1 million

people.

a) Liverpool c) Manchester

b) Edinburgh d) Birmingham

10) The United Kingdom still has a monarchy, and that means .

a) it has no parliament

b) the head of the country is a queen or a king

c) the monarch is the head of the government

d) there are kings and queens, princes and princesses in the UK

11) The British flag is red, and blue.

a) green c) white

b) yellow d) black

12) The British flag is called the _______ .

a) Queen’s flag c) National Banner

b) King’s flag d) Union Jack

13) Britain is ______ Italy.

a) larger than c) about the same size as

b) smaller than d) exactly the same as

14) Although Britain is in the north of Europe, the average temperatures are quite

mild because of warm water from ____ .

a) the Gulf of Mexico c) the English Channel

b) the Mediterranean d) the North Sea

15) In 1066 the English king was defeated by William the Conqueror at the Battle

of _______ .

a) Hastings c) London

b) Brighton d) Dover

Text for reading:

SIGHTS OF LONDON

1. The London Eye

The London Eye is 135 meters high which makes it the world’s tallest observation wheel. It has 32 capsules and carries around 10,000 visitors every day. The London Eye has become the most popular paid-for UK visitor attraction, visited by over 3.5 million people a year. While travelling in complete safety you can see up to 40 kilometers away in all directions from each capsule.In 2009, a 4D Film Experience was added as a free extra to enjoy before your ride on the Eye. About 160 visitors will pass through the 4D cinema every 8 minutes so don’t worry about waiting as the cinema is more spacious than it first seems.

2. A Morning in Greenwich

Greenwich is home to historical landmarks, a busy market, London’s oldest Royal Park, and the Prime Meridian Line. A good way to start your day in Greenwich is to arrive by boat. City Cruises runs a daily service between Westminster, Waterloo, Tower and Greenwich piers, so you can catch all the sights along the Thames. You can’t miss the stunning buildings that Greenwich is famous for. Straight ahead you’ll see the Queen’s House and the National Maritime Museum, which features interactive children’s galleries. Best of all, entry to each of these fantastic attractions is free. On top of the hill in the middle of Greenwich Park sits the Royal Observatory and London’s only public Planetarium. Stand on both sides of the Prime Meridian Line with a foot in both the East and West hemispheres, and set your watch as the bright red Time Ball drops at 1 p.m. sharp.

3. The Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of the oldest buildings in London. It was founded by William the Conqueror and almost 1,000 years of British history have been played out within its walls. It was here that Anne Boleyn was executed, Guy Fawkes tortured, Richard II and Elizabeth I imprisoned and the «Princes in the Tower» disappeared without trace.

The Tower used to be a fortress, a prison, and at present it is the museum where the Crown Jewels are kept. The Ravens are one of the Tower’s most famous sights. These magnificent birds have lived within its walls for hundreds of years and the legend has it that, if they leave, the kingdom will fall. A spectacular programme of special events runs throughout the year. Costumed guides — Beefeaters — guard the Tower and guide visitors.

Decide if the following sentences are true or false:

1. The text tells about a famous observation wheel located in the British capital.

2. From the text we know how many visitors come to the London Eye every

   year.

3. While travelling on the London Eye you can have a great view in all directions

   from each capsule.

4. Since 2009, you can enjoy a 4D movie just during your ride on the Eye.

5. Greenwich is situated in London.

6. It’s possible to get to Greenwich by water.

7. The National Maritime Museum won’t be interesting for children.

8. In Greenwich you have the chance to stand on both sides of the Prime

   Meridian Line.

9. The Tower of London is very old.

10. From the text we know who founded the Tower.

11. Now the Tower is a prison.

12. According to the legend, the kingdom exists while the ravens are in the

    Tower.

Answer the following questions:

1. What was the Tower of London in the past?

2. What is the Tower of London now?

3. What birds live in the Tower of London?

4. What is Madame Tussaud’s famous for?