Текст 3 (geographical position of the UK)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and North­ern Ireland is situated on the British Isles — a large group of islands lying off the north-western coast of Europe and separated from the continent by the English Channel and the Strait of Dover in the south and the North Sea in the east.

The British Isles consist of two large islands — Great Britain and Ireland — separated by the Irish Sea, and a lot of small islands, the main of which are the Isle of Wight in the English Channel, Anglesea and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea, the Hebrides [ˈhebrɪdiːz] — a group of islands off the north-western coast of Scotland, and two groups of islands lying to the north of Scotland: the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands.

Historically the territory of the United Kingdom is divided into four parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The total area of the United Kingdom is 244 square kilometres.

The territory of Great Britain can be divided into three natural regions:

1) Scotland with highland and upland relief [rɪˈliːf] and coniferous and mixed forests;

2) Wales and mountainous [ˈmaʊntɪnəs] England with upland considerably cut by ravines [rəˈviːnz] and valleys and covered with meadows, moorland [ˈmɔːlənd] and cultivated farmland, with patches of broadleaf forest;

3) South-east England with plain landscape, fer­tile soils, the predominance of cultivated farmland, with patches of broadleaf forest.

The south of England is often called the "Garden of England", due to abundance of gardens and orchards [ˈɔːtʃədz] there. In the orchards [ˈɔːtʃədz] people grow apples, pears, cherries, plums and other fruits, and there are also large plantations of different berries.

Текст 4 (discussing Wales)

Wales, constituent [kənˈstɪtjʊənt] unit of the United Kingdom that forms a westward extension of the island of Great Britain. The capital and main commercial and financial centre is Cardiff.

Famed for its strikingly rugged landscape, the small nation of Wales —which comprises six distinctive regions — was one of Celtic Europe’s most prominent political and cultural centres, and it retains aspects of culture that are markedly different from those of its English neighbours.

Although Wales was shaken by the decline of its industrial mainstay, coal mining, by the end of the 20th century the country had developed a diversified economy, particularly in the cities of Cardiff and Swansea [ˈswɒnzɪ], while the countryside, once reliant on small farming, drew many retirees [rɪˌtaɪəˈriːz] from England. Tourism became an economic staple, with visitors — including many descendants of Welsh expatriates [ˌeksˈpætrɪəts] — drawn to Wales’s stately parks and castles as well as to cultural events highlighting the country’s celebrated musical and literary traditions. In the face of constant change, Wales continues to seek both greater independence and a distinct place in an integrated Europe.

Текст 5 (London)

London is the capital of Great Britain and one of the greatest cities in history and modernity. The government works in Westminster, here you can find Buckingham Palace, as well as the best national galleries, museums, theaters and clubs. London is endlessly changing: from a Roman and then early medieval fortress, it has turned into a major city. After the Great Fire of London in 1666, it literally rose from the ashes, surprising everyone with its Baroque [bəˈrɒk] buildings. In the Georgian era, it embodied the dream of elegance, and during the reign of Queen Victoria the city became the personification of the British Empire. Today it is a major financial center.

In London you will find traces of all historical eras. Most of all, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, British Museum, London National Gallery, Trafalgar Square attract the attention of tourists all over the world. Here you will also find hidden in nooks the Sir John Soane Museum near Lincoln's Inn, unusual buildings on the docks, Chelsea Medicinal Garden and dark-skinned merchants under the dragon arch in Chinatown in Soho.

Most Londoners are conservative and very sensitive to everything that has to do with tradition. Each new skyscraper that grows up in the city causes heated discussions, overgrown with not always disagreeable nicknames, and the new coloring of the classic "black cabs" caused a flurry of indignation here. However, modern architecture and new trends only emphasize the versatility of the city, giving it further distinctive features.