Прочитайте слова, соотнося подчёркнутые буквы и звук

Cодержание

 

 

Введение…………………………..…………….. 4

Unit 1. Great Britain……………………………… 5

2 Unit 2. USA…………………………………….. 23

3 Additional Texts………………………………... 33

Список используемых источников…………….. 48

Приложение А…………………………………… 49

Приложение Б……………………………………. 51

Приложение В……………………………………. 51

Приложение Г……………………………………. 53

Приложение Д……………………………………. 54

Приложение Е……………………………………..55

Введение

Данное пособие предназначено для студентов I курса. Оно представляет обзорный материал по страноведческой тематике англо-говорящих стран.

Цель пособия – помочь студентам приобрести знания, умения и навыки, необходимые для того, чтобы вести беседу на английском языке или сделать сообщение по данной теме.

Тексты взяты из учебной и оригинальной литературы, частично сокращены и адаптированы. Ряд текстов предназначен для развития навыков аудирования. Некоторый материал (диалоги и стихотворения) предназначены для заучивания наизусть. К текстам даются упражнения, снижающие трудности восприятия основного текста. Дополнительные тексты можно использовать для внеаудиторного чтения. Пособие предназначено как для работы в аудитории под руководством преподавателя, так и для индивидуальной работы в часы консультаций.

 

1 UNIT 1.Great Britain

 

Прочитайте слова, соотнося подчёркнутые буквы и звук

 

[ ] Island, climate, site, Whitehall, iron, fertile, Ireland

[ ] Plain, Tate, reign, chamber, mace, separate, Wales, nature

[ ] valley, sack, bas-relief, scatter, financial, rally, manuscript, language, natural

[ ] Country, custom, slum, rubber, subtle, cover, sulphur

[ ] Marble, arch, sergeant-in-arms, guard, vast, parliamentary, masterpiece

[ ] Ore, enormous, authority, resources, orchard, honour, walk, call, law

[ ] Surmount, furniture, surface, world, search, word, purpose

[ ] Distinct, miller, mineral, district, wig, ship-building, figuratively, legislative

[ ] Easten, receive, feeling, mean, speaker, green, believe

 

Прочтите вслух слова с ударением

а) на первом слоге

 

channel, mummy, genius, scatter, scenery, density, fortress, mountainous, healthy, occupy, fertile, commonwealth

 

b) на втором слоге

 

united, surmount, depict, elect, maturity, executive, desire, society, mysterious, judicial

 

c) на третьем слоге

 

manufactured, population, innovation, exhibition

 

d) на четвёртом слоге

 

commemoration, communication

 

Проверьте, правильно ли Вы читаете (ключ – запись на магнитофонной ленте)

a) truthful, tower, subject, crown, commerce, rare, before, Christ, tremulous, landscape, artificiality

b) portraiture, innate, spare, legislative, epoch, ideal, satire, executive, award, estuary

c) essence, value, prosperity, reveal, psychology, drawing, innovation, ordinary, ancient, judiciary

 

Прочтите, соблюдая ритмику и интонацию

 

authority

 

the supreme authority

 

the supreme legislative authority

 

the supreme legislative authority | in Britain

 

the supreme legislative authority in Britain | is Parliament

 

the supreme legislative authority in Britain | is Parliament | consisting of two chambers

 

the supreme legislative authority in Britain is Parliament | consisting of two Chambers – the House of Lords | and the House of Commons.

 

Прочтите следующие слова вслух, догадайтесь о значении этих слов и проверьте себя по списку интернациональных слов

 

a)colony, to occupy, nature, history, to form, continent, climate, tradition, date, period, colonist, Ocean, kilometre.

b) capitalist, industrial, electronics, machinery, textile, material, radio, locomotives, navigation, centre.

 

Прочтите следующие географические названия, пользуясь транскрипцией

 

a) Great Britain [ ],

The United States of America[ ],

Canada [ ],

Australia [ ],

New Zealand [ ],

Europe [ ],

England [ ],

France [ ],

British Isles [ ],

Wales [ ],

Scotland [ ],

 

Northern Ireland [ ],

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [ ]

 

b) The North Sea [ ],

The Straight of Dover [ ],

The English Channel [ ],

Lochs [ ],

Kent [ ],

The Severn [ ],

The Thames [ ],

The Atlantic Ocean [ ],

The Gulf Stream [ ]

 

Аннотация к текстам 1,2,3,4,5,6

 

Текст 1 содержит общие сведения об англо-говорящих странах.

Текст 2 передаёт информацию о Великобритании.

Текст 3 познакомит Вас с историей столицы Великобритании.

В тексте 4 вы найдёте подробный рассказ о Лондоне и его достопримечательностях.

Текст 5 – Лондон – самый большой город мира.

Текст 6 знакомит Вас с политической системой Великобритании.

Ваша задача после ознакомления с этими текстами рассказать о Великобритании:

а) её географическом положении,

в) столице

с) политической системе.

 

1.7 Прочтите текст 1 “English-speaking Countries” и найдите ответы на следующие вопросы

 

1 What English-speaking countries are mentioned in the text?

2 Where are these countries situated?

3 What English-speaking countries form the Commonwealth of Nations?

4 What countries form the United Kingdom?

Text 1. English-speaking Countries

Great Britain, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are English-speaking countries. They are situated in different parts of the world, and differ in many ways. The nature of these countries, their weather and climate and the way of life of their people differ. Each country has its own history, customs, traditions, its own national holidays. But they all have a common

language English, the language of the people who left England to make their homes in new countries. Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand form the Commonwealth of Nations.

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make one state – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the U.K.). It is situated on the British Isles. The largest islands of the British Isles are Great Britain and Ireland. England is in the south of the island of Great Britain, Scotland is in the north, and Wales is in the West Northern. Ireland is situated in the north-eastern part of Ireland - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were once separate countries but at different times became united in one state. In practice the name Great Britain is still sometimes used to mean the political unit of four parts of the country.

 

Прочтите и переведите следующий диалог

 

A: To my mind there are more than 2400 different languages in the world.

B: And what are the most spoken languages?

C: As far as I know at present the greater part of the world population knows English, German and French.

D: Do you insist on the fact that English, German and French are the most spoken foreign languages?

E: Yes, I do. As far as the English language concern it is spoken by peoples in Canada, the USA, in Australia, India, China and in many other countries.

F: Oh, right you are saying that English is widely spread. It seems to me that English is a language of international congresses and of all businessmen.

 

To my mind - по-моему

As far as I know - на сколько я знаю

English is widely spread - английский широко распространён

It seems to me - мне кажется

Переведите предложения, обращая внимание на выделенные предлоги

 

1 The Romans started calling Llyn-din in their own way. 2 The Tower is by now almost 900 years old. 3 The greater part of goods that were sent to Rome from Britain went through Londinium. 4 The statue is made of aluminium. 5 The tall column to Admiral Nelson is in Trafalgar Square. 6 The Romans stayed in Britain for four hundred years. 7 They left it in the fifth century.

 

Скажите, соответствуют ли данные утверждения действительности, употребив модели

 

This statement is right (wrong); I can’t agree with this;

 

1 The Norman Kings built a large fortress – the Tower because they loved Anglo-Saxons. 2 The Romans started calling Llyn-din in their own way – Londinium. 3 The Angles and the Saxons drove the Britons away to the south of the continent. 4 In 1066 the Normans came from Russia. 5 The Anglo-Saxons won the victory near Hastings. 6 The Tower of London is by now about four hundred years old. 7 Trafalgar Square has become the place where meeting of the English workers are held.

 

Прочтите и переведите предложения

 

1 Occupying Great Britain, the Romans started calling Llyn-din Londinium. 2 The building of the Tower took many years. 3 Men guarding the Tower nowadays are called beefeaters (лейбгвардеец; страж в Тауэре). 4 He followed us driving his own car. 5 I don’t like dealing with people who like directing but not working. 6 We are certain of reach the place in time.

 

Text 4. London

 

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and commercial centre. It is one of the biggest and busiest ports of Great Britain. It is situated on both sides of the Thames, which is navigable, all the years round.

London is a very old city. It is more than twenty centuries old. London consists of many parts and they are very different from each other. They seem to belong to different towns and epochs.

The West End is a symbol of wealth and luxury. The best and the most expensive hotels, restaurants, clubs, theatres, cinemas, and the richest shops are there. There are beautiful houses and lovely gardens there belonging to wealthy people.

Trafalgar Square is in the geographical centre of London. It was so named to commemorate Admiral Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. The monument in the centre of the square is surmounted with a statue of Nelson. Its pedestal is decorated with bas-reliefs of famous naval battles. At the base of Nelson’s column are four great lions. The large platform at the foot is often used by the orators when there are large meetings and demonstrations.

On the north side of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery, an art gallery housing the national collection of pictures, and the National Portrait Gallery housing the national collection of portraits, a great number of them being rather of historical interest than of genuine artistic value.

Whitehall, which leads out of the Square to the South, is the site of many Government offices, the Foreign Office, the War Office, and the Treasury.

A small, rather dull-looking street with ordinary houses branches of Whitehall. It is Downing Street where for the last 200 years at Number 10 each Prime Minister has lived.

At the end of Whitehall is Parliament Square with the Houses of Parliament on the left and Westminster Abbey half right (on the right).

Big Ben is the name given to the clock and bell of the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament.

Westminster Abbey is famous for its architecture, for its historic associations. Westminster Abbey has its world famous Poet’s Corner where many of the greatest English Writers are buried: Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Tennyson, Thomas Hardy and Rudyard Kipling. Here, too, are memorials to Shakespeare,

Burns, Byron, Walter Scott, and Thackeray and to the great American poet Longfellow.

The City is the oldest part of London. It covers only about a square mile and few people live there, but over a million people enter the City in the day-time to work.

At the end of the day the businessmen, clerks and secretaries go home and the City becomes silent and empty. The City is the financial and business part of London. Numerous banks, officers and trusts are concentrated in this part. There are some famous ancient buildings with in the City, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Wren’s masterpiece, and the Tower of London which was built nine centuries ago and used as a royal place, a fortress and a political prison. Now it is a museum.

The East End is the poorest district of London. There are many factories, workshops and docks there. The streets are narrow, the houses are poor. It is a densely populated district where working-class families live.

London is the centre of Britain’s cultural life. There are many museums and art galleries in London: The National Gallery, the Portrait Gallery, the Tate Gallery, the Natural History Museum and many others. The British Museum is well-known as one of the largest museums in the world. It is really a history museum in the world. It is really a history museum. One can see there Egyptian statues, sphinxes, mummies, Roman sculpture, drawings and paintings. The museum has a rich library with copies of rare manuscripts.

Near the British Museum you can see the tall, handsome building of the University of London. It is the main building of the University. London University is divided into a number of colleges and schools scattered about in different parts of London. London University is the principal centre of post-graduate studies and research work.

 

Unit 2. The USA

Прочтите текст 1“США”. Составьте план

USA

 

The United States of America (USA) is situated in the southern half of North America. The area of the USA is 7.839.000 kms without Alaska. The area of the United States is much larger than that of Europe, but almost three times smaller than that of Russia. The population of the USA is 246.8 (1989) million people.

The United States of America is a federation of states (now there are 50 states) which was established by the Constitution in 1787. Each state has its own government and its own capital city and within each state there are smaller subdivisions, of local government such as countries, townships, cities and villages. The capital of the USA is the city of Washington in the District of Columbia.

Stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, the USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south.

The territory of the United States may be divided into three main parts: the Appalachian Mountain system in the east; the Cordillera system – in the west and the Central Plain between them.

The Great Lakes, situated on the US-Canada border, are the world’s largest fresh water basin. They are five in number, namely: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.

The biggest river of the United States is the Mississippi with its tributaries – the Ohio, the Missouri, and the Arkansas Rivers.

The territory of the United States is rich in natural resources. The reserves of coal, oil and metals in the USA are very large. The main iron ore deposits are concentrated near Lake Superior.

The main cities of the United States are New York, which together with its suburbs has a population of 12 million people, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Detroit.

 

Прочтите текст 1(b). Составьте схему федерального управления

The federal government of the United States is divided in to three main branches: the legislative, the executive and the judicial. The legislative branch of the government is the Congress. It is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The term of the Congress is for two years.

The US Senate has 100 members – two from each of the 50 states. Each Senator is chosen by a majority of voters in the entire state, and his job is to represent the whole state. Members of the Senate are elected to six – year terms.

 

The Constitution says that a Senator must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the U.S. for nine years, and a resident of the state from which he is elected.

The US House of Representatives has 455 members. The member of Representatives which each state sends to the House depends on its population. The Constitution says that each state, no matter how small in population, must have at least one Representative. A Representative must be at least 25, a US citizen for seven years, and live in the state from which he is elected.

The business of Congress is to make laws. The US Constitution also gives Congress the power to:

Raise money by means of taxes or borrowing. Make rules for trade with foreign countries and between states. Set up post offices and federal courts below the US Supreme Court Organize the Armed forces.

Declare war.

Congressmen do work long and hard. But most of their work is done in committee meetings. Here bills are studied, exports heard, and recommendations are made to the whole House or Senate. There are very many Senate and House Standing Committees such as:

1 Aeronautical, Space, Science.

2 Agriculture and Forestry.

3 Armed Service.

4 Foreign Affairs.

5 Rules and Administration and others.

Joint Committees consist of Congressmen from both the Senate and the House.

These may be permanent or temporary, depending on the specific purpose of the committee.

 

Прочтите текст 1(c). Расскажите о Вашингтоне, используя следующие модели

… is situated on (in) …

The population of … is …

The historical places in … are … was founded in …

Washington is a center of …

 

Washington, D. C. – Capital of the USA

Washington was created to be the seat of government of the USA. You know that the flag of the USA, the Stars and Stripes, has fifty stars on a blue background. Each of these stars represents one of the fifty states. But the City of Washington is not in any of these states. It occupies the District of Columbia, abbreviated into D. C. and the name of the capital always goes with this abbreviation not to be mixed up with another Washington, which is a state on the Pacific Coast. The District of Columbia is between the states of Virginia and Maryland, on the Potomac River not far from the Atlantic Ocean.

It is one hundred square miles. This area is not a state and is not municipality, but Federal land. President Washington in whose honour the city was named took an active part in selecting the area of the District of Columbia. He called upon a famous French engineer named Pierra Charles L’Enfant. The population of Washington, D. C., is about 756.000 and together with the Suburbs its population is over 2.800.000.

Washington is like no other city of the USA. New York is a centre finance, of shipping, of fun; New Orleans deals in Cotton; Chicago will sell you wheat and a hundred heads of cattle. But Washington’s only industry is government. The White House here the US President lives and works, the Capitol, the home of the US Congress, and the Supreme Court are all in Washington, D. C. Washington’s street seems at first to be complicated, but it is not so bad as it seems and, in fact, is quite orderly and logical once a few basic rules have been learned.

The first is that the Capitol Building is the city’s central point. From this centre the City is divided into four sections or quadrants: North West, North East, South West and South East which are usually abbreviated N.W, N.E., S.W. and S.E. The Capitol is also the point from which the city’s streets are numbered or lettered. The streets east and west of the Capitol are numbered 1^st Street, 2^nd Street and so on. Similarly the Streets to the north and the south are named for letters of the alphabet. G Street, K Street, etc.

This simple plan of numbered and lettered streets is made somewhat more complicated by a handful of broad avenues, all named after the original thirteen American States.

Прослушайте текст и передайте содержание каждого абзаца на русском языке

Текст 1 (d). Sightseeing in Washington D. C. (Places of Interest in Washington)

Almost every public building, art gallery or government office you want to see is in the North West quadrant.

The Capitol. Seat of the US Congress. Its building was begun in 1793. The Capital consists of a central building crowned by a great dome and connected at each end by galleries with a large wing, one of which contains the Senate Chamber, and the other – the Hall of Representatives. Beneath the dome is a monumental hall called the Rotunda, adorned with works of art relating to American history.

The White House. Official residence of the presidents of the USA located at 1600, Pennsylvania Avenue. Every President except Washington has lived there.

The Library of Congress (the biggest existing library). You are told – contains more than 13 million books in various languages, more than 19 million manuscripts and many other items, such as maps, prints, recordings and musical scores.

The Washington Monument. From miles around can be seen this tall structure on the hill behind the White House. The Monument is 500 feet (about 152 rr) high.

The Lincoln Memorial is a big temple in Greek style with 36 marble columns to represent the states in the union at Lincoln’s death.

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial. This is a memorial to the third President of the United States (1743-1826). He is considered the founder of the Democratic Party, and Jefferson’s birthday, April 13, is a legal holiday in Alabama, Missouri and Virginia and is celebrated by Democratic Party groups.

The Smithsonian Institute. It is almost everything: scientific institutes, art galleries, zoos – all the result of a capricious gift from an Englishman who never saw America in his life – man named James Smithson who died in 1829 and left all his fortune (half a million dollars – a very large sum in those days) to the United States to found “an institution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men”.

The Pentagon. Headquarters of the Department of Defense (the world’s largest office building). Its shape is five-sided (hence the name Pentagon). The Pentagon is of ten as a symbolic reference for the armed forces high command. It is the heart of the US military – industrial complex.

Downtown. Residents of Washington shop in a downtown area, much like that of any other American city.

Georgetown. A residential section of the City of Washington D. C. It contains the homes of many government officials. In Georgetown is located Georgetown University, the oldest Catholic college in the US, known for its Foreign Service school.

The Arlington National Cemetery. It is the site of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In it are also buried the bodies of American Soldiers from every war since the Civil War. President John F. Kennedy was also buried there.

John F. Kennedy Center for Performing arts is the sole official memorial to President Kennedy in the Capital, opened in 1971on the Potomac. Financed by both government and private funds, the marble building houses a 2.200 seat opera hall, a 2.700 seat concert hall, a 1.100 seat theater and other facilities.

 

Прочтите текст и ответьте на вопросы

Secondary Education

Elementary Education

ADDITIONAL TEXTS

Прочтите текст 1

 

A Few Words about Britain

 

The official name for the country whose language we study is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In every day use, however, the word “Britain” is quite possible.

The United Kingdom, populated by 56 Million men and women, consists of the followings parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The first 3 parts make Great Britain. There are also several small islands which are subject to the Crown, such as the Isle of Man (in the Irish Sea), Guernsey (in the English Channel) and others.

The state system of the country may be defined as a constitutional monarchy, though Britain has not any written constitution as one act and the monarchy is a mere formality English kings reign but do not rule. The supreme legislative authority in Britain is Parliament consisting of two chambers the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The normal life of parliament is fixed at five years. It sits for 160 days a year. About 900 peers sit in the House of Lords. Voters do not elect them. Their seats in the chamber are, as a rule, hereditary. The House of Commons is an elected assembly, and is considered more important. There are four main political parties in Britain: the Labour, Conservative, Liberal and Communist parties. The party, which wins the majority of seats at a General Election, forms the cabinet.

The leader of the majority party is appointed by Prime Minister.

Britain is a highly developed industrial country. Its main industries are coal mining, machinery, textiles and clothing, shipbuilding, vehicles, metal manufacture, electronics, chemicals.

Commerce and transport are as follows: London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool and others. English agriculture is also a highly developed industry, but because of lack of cultivated lands, it cannot supply the country with sufficient food products. Britain has to import grain, meat, wine, fruit and other foodstuffs.

Britain heads the so-called British Commonwealth of Nations, whose members, among others, are Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

 

Ответьте на вопросы

 

1 What’s the official name for the main country of the English language?

2 What parts does the United Kingdom consist of?

3 What other countries – members of the British Commonwealth of Nations – do you know where English is spoken?

4 What’s the population of the United Kingdom?

5 What can you say about the institute of monarchy in England?

6 What is the supreme legislative authority in Britain?

7 What chambers does the British Parliament consist of?

8 Are seats in Parliament hereditary or elected?

9 What are the main political parties in Britain and how are they represented in Parliament?

10 What party has the majority of seats in the House of Commons today?

11 What can you say about London, the capital of Britain?

12 What would you advise me to see in London in the first place?

13 What’s the Tower (Westminster, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, etc) famous for?

 

Прочтите стихотворение

No Enemies

By Charles Mackey

 

You have no enemies, you say?

Alas, my friend, the boast is poor.

He who has mingles in the fray

Of duty, that the brave endure

Must have made foes. If you have none,

Small is the work that you have done.

You’ve hit no traitor on the hip;

You’ve dashed no cup from perjured lip.

You’ve never turned the wrong to right,

You’ve been a coward in the fight.

 

Ниже дан построчный перевод стихотворения Чарльза Маккея. Попробуйте сделать литературный перевод этого стихотворения

 

Нет врагов

 

Говоришь, что у тебя нет врагов?

Увы, мой друг, хвальба бедна.

Тот, кто стоял за долг и честь,

Как и любой храбрец,

Должен нажить врагов. Если их нет,

Слишком мало тот сделал в жизни.

Ты ни разу не ударил предателя,

Не оттолкнул чашу от пьяных губ,

Не привёл заблудшего к правде,

Ты был трусом в борьбе.

 

Послушайте стихотворение и повторите за диктором

 

The Evening Bells

By Thomas Moore

 

Those evening bells! Those evening bells!

How many a tale their music tells,

Of youth and home and that sweet time

When last I heard their soothing chime¹.

 

Those joyous hours are past away²;

And many a heart, that then was gay,

Within the tomb now darkly dwells³,

And hears no more those evening bells.

 

And so’t will be⁴ when I am gone⁵;

That tuneful peal⁶ will still ring on,

While other bards shall walk these dells⁷,

And sing you praise⁸, sweet evening bells?

 

¹soothing chime – утешительный перезвон

² joyous (=joyful) hours are past away – прошло счастливое время

³ Within the tomb now darkly dwells – в могиле ныне мрачно пребывает

⁴And so’t will be = And so it will be

⁵when I am gone – когда меня не будет

⁶tuneful peal – мелодичный звон колоколов

⁷bards shall walk these dells – певцы будут ходить по этим лесистым долинам

⁸sing you praise – восхвалять

 

Прочтите текст 4 “Windsor” с помощью словаря и передайте краткое содержание

Windsor

One of the most interesting places and sights in England is a title town of Windsor not far from London on the river Thames. It is not the town itself that is of interest but the castle – the famous Windsor Castle. The Castle consists of a number of buildings of different epochs with an ancient wall around it. The oldest building – the Round Tower, was built by William the Conqueror at about the same time as the well – known Tower of London and is mentioned in documents as far back as 1084.

For about nine hundred years Windsor Castle has been and still is royal residence. That is why wonderful specimens of architecture as well as collections of painting, sculpture, armour and porcelain are accumulated there. Today Windsor Castle has one of the most brilliant collections of pictures and sculptures in Western Europe (among these are paintings by Holbein, Rembrant, Durer, Troy and others). A whole room is dedicated to the works of Rubens, and another one to the works of Van Dyck – a famous Flemish artist of the 17^th century who was invited by Charles I to come and settle in England. A gallery of portraits of English and West European leaders of mark in the struggle against Napoleon, drawn by a famous English artist – Thomas Lawrence, is in the Waterloo Chamber. In the Castle you can find original portraits of Mary Stuart, Queen Elisabeth and other historical personages self – portraits by Rubens and Van Dyck.

Though the Castle is still one of the royal residences, the batter part of it is open to public inspection.

It may be justly said Windsor Castle has one of the most brilliant collections of outstanding specimens of human skill and talent.

Text 5. John Constable

(1776 - 1837)

England gave the world a school of famous and interesting artists to which belong such great masters of brush as William Hogarth, Joshua Reynolds [ ], Thomas Lawrence [ ], Thomas Gainsborough [ ], and William Turner. But perhaps one of the greatest among English artists is John Constable [ ]. A miller’s son he finished elementary school and went to work in his father’s son he finished elementary school and went to work in his father’s mill. His strong wish to draw brought him to the attention of the local gentry¹, one of whom showed the young man’s work to some famous artists of the day. In 1795, at nineteen, Constable went to London, spent two years studying, and returned to his father’s mill. He continued to draw in his spare moments. When he was 23, these drawings enabled him to enter one of the Royal Academy schools². Within a few years his pictures were accepted for the Academy exhibitions. From this point onward John Constable developed his own style of painting, but fame was slow to come. It was not before 1816 that Constable could marry and settle down. In 1824, when he was about fifty, Constable exhibited a number of his landscapes at the Paris Salon³. Among them was his famous Hay Wain⁴ for which the painter was awarded the gold medal. But in his own country there were but few people who understood him. John Constable was elected to full membership of the Royal Academy only 1829, and he felt that this honour and come too late in the life to have much meaning. If you could have an attentive look at Hay Warn, you would see Constable’s deep love for the English country-side and its beauties, for the common people of England. The picture would impress you with the feeling it is so full of. This is one of reasons why Constable played an important role in the development not only of the English out also of the French schools of painting.

¹ – привлекло к нему внимание местного дворянства.

² – школа при Королевской академии искусств.

³ [ ] – Парижский салон (ежегодная выставка живописи и скульптуры)

⁴ Hay [ ] wain [ ] – “ телега для сена ”

Text 6. Thomas Gainsborough

(1727 – 1788)

 

 

Gainsborough turned to the Olds masters, especially to Van Dyck. To this study he brought an innate genius for drawing and a sensuous delight in colour and movement that seems at times to amount to almost an intoxication with them. No other painter has thus caught, at his best, the essence of sinks and lace in motion, nor the tremulous flicker of an eyelash. The particular discovery of Gainsborough was the creation of a form or art in which the sitters and the background merge into a single entity. The landscape is not kept in the background, but in most cases man and nature are fused in a single whole through the atmospheric harmony of mood. It is no accident that in the works of Gainsborough’s late maturity the figures blend with the background to such an extent that they become almost transparent this effect was possible only by situating the figures in the background, not in order to add an element to the portrait but with the sole purpose of achieving the greatest possible degree of spontaneity. It was this same striving for spontaneity which prevented Gainsborough from portraying his society people in historical costume of striking attitudes. This was a distinct innovation at a time when the whole tradition was to extol an ideal and historical concept of beauty to abandon nature and embrace artificiality. Each of Gainsborough’s portraits is distinct and individual even though taken as a whole, they depict an entire society in its significant manifestation.

Gainsborough’s truthful and subtle rendering of character is typical of his portrait painting. His special insight into the psychology of women make him essentially the woman’s painter the most fascinating works of this painter are “Two Daughters”, “Mrs Siddons”, “The Market Cart” and others.

 

Text 7. William Hogarth

(1697 – 1764)

 

William Hogarth [ ] was unquestionably one of the greatest English artists and a man of remarkably individual character and thought, It was his achievement to give a comprehensive view of social life within the framework of moralistic and dramatic narrative. He observed both high life and low with a keen and critical eye and his range of observation was accompanied by an exceptional capacity for dramatic composition, and in painting by a technical quality which adds beauty to pictures containing an element of satire or caricature. His art was a reflection, an interpretation, and a commentary on the social condition of his time. In portraiture Hogarth displays a great variety and originality. In his portraits he reveals him self as more concerned with character than with basic form Hogarth’s best works are “Gin Lane”, “The March to Finchley”, “The Election Entertainment”, “The Shrimp Girl”.

 

Do you know that?

The Royal Society of Arts was founded in 1754. Its principal of science has been to promote the progress of all department of science. It has a character at once scientific, artistic, technical, industrial and commercial. The Royal Society stands for international co-operation in science.

In 1948 the Republic of Ireland was proclaimed as a sovereign independent democratic state. Irish Gaelic is the first, English is the second official language.

Since 1922 Northern Ireland has been a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Robert Burns (1759 – 1796) is regarded by the whole Scottish people as their national poet. Every Year, on the 25^th of January his birthday is celebrated in cities, towns and villages, and by all kings of clubs and associations.

Newton, one of the greatest scientists of all time, was born on the 25^th of December 1642. His father was a farmer and had died before Newton was born. His mother was a clever woman for whom Newton retained a great love all his degree there in 1665.

Newton died when he was 84 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, where his monument is today.

Jerome Klapka Jerome was a well-known English writer. He was a dramatist, novelist and journalist. He became famous for his humorist story “Three Men in a Boat”. The three men are George, Harris and “I” (myself).

Dover is one of the most ancient ports – a Roman port 2000 years old. Right above the harbour, on a cliff, stands Dover Castle called “The Key of England”. The Key: it is the Pharos (лат. маяк), the first Roman lighthouse in Britain Which the Romans built to guide their ships across the sea.

 

Прочтите тексты о Канаде и ответьте на вопросы

 

1 What country is Canada?

2 Where is it situated?

3 What languages do Canadians speak?

4 What are the two largest provinces of Canada?

5 What can you say about the population of Canada?

6 What is the capital of Canada?

7 What can you say about Canadian State organization?

8 Say something on the education in the country and Canadian English.

 

Текст 8 (a). Canada

Canada is the largest self-governing country in the Commonwealth of Nations¹. Its population is more than 26 million people. Its total area is 3.851.809-sq. mi. Canada comprises the northern half of the Continent of North America and its adjacent islands except Alaska, a state of the U. S. Canada is divided into ten self-governing provinces and two territories which are administered by the federal government.

Quebec is the largest province of Canada. It is much larger than the four Atlantic Provinces. In it lives more than a quarter of all people in Canada. Most of the people live near the great rivers of the province in villages and towns. There are crowded cities like Montreal² and Quebec. In northern Quebec there are mining settlements and wandering bands of Indians ³. Still farther North, on the shore of Hudson Bay are Eskimos. The people here speak English or French. Growth of the population has been rapid in the post World War II period, but Canada is still a country of sparse settlement and vast area. Canada’s main area of settlement is a belt of 200 miles along the United States border and within that belt 90% of the Canadian people lives.

Ontario accounts for about one third of Canada’s population, and Quebec for more than one-quarter. Quebec is a French-Canadian province.

By the mid – 1950’s 70% of the people of the Province of Quebec lived in cities and town. Almost 45% of Canadians are of British origin. The French-speaking Canadians number about 28% of the Canadian total. Immigrants from Europe came in increasing numbers after 1900. They settled the prairie farmlands or became workers in the industrial cities of Ontario. As a result many Canadians have a European (non-British) national background. The largest numbers have been classified as from Germany, the Ukraine and Italy. The native Indians in 1961 totaled 208.286 (living mostly in the Prairie Provinces). The Eskimos numbered 11.835 (Arctic Canada, mostly).

 

¹ – Британское содружество наций

² – Монреаль, большой город в провинции Квебек с французским большинством населения

³ – Индейцы, древнейшее коренное население Америки

 

Текст 8 (b). Canadian State organization

Canada is one of the self-governing nations of the Commonwealth of Nations. The governor general as the representative of the queen is appointed on the recommendation of the Canadian cabinet. The active executive authority rests in the cabinet which is selected by the prime minister from among his followers in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is normally the leader of the political party holding the most seats in parliament. The Canadian parliament consists of the Senate and a House of Commons.

The capital of Canada is Ottawa. Canada is officially a BI-lingual country.

 

Education in Canada

In the English-speaking provinces the elementary schools usually have 8 grades, with pupils beginning at the age of five or six years. Secondary schools continue for another four or five grades and provide entrance qualifications for university courses of from three to seven years in various academic and professional fields.

In the French-speaking schools of Quebec, boys and girls are taught separately, taking primary courses to grade seven. Pupils may then enter either the church-operated college classique, which provides an eight year course leading to the baccalaureate and entry to a university professional course, or the may enroll in the secondary division of the public school, which provides farther training preparatory to certain technical fields, trades, arts or home economics; or, in a growing number of schools the first four years of the classical course. Higher schools of applied science, commerce or agriculture, affiliated with universities, are available to graduates of the secondary courses. Trade school or regional agricultural school training is optional.

There are special day or residential schools for Indians.

Текст 8(c). Canadian English

 

The English language was brought to Canada by English-speaking loyalists¹ (settlers) from revolting American colonies. They formed the original population of Ontario and New Brunswick. In Canada English had to work its way through a thick accent, which might be Ukrainian, German, Estonian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, or Czech. The most surprising thing about the English currently used in Canada is its homogeneity. Regional differences exist, but they are subtle. Anyone wishing to know what Canadian English is like when purged of individual peculiarities and accidentals would be well advised to listen to the best C. B. C. (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation²) announcers and to C. B. C. Drama. These offer something which is not a copy of British English; nor yet of American English.

 

¹ – Лоялисты, противники отделения Сев. Америки от Англии, поселились в Канаде, которая считалась Британской территорией.

² – Канадская радиовещательная корпорация.

 

Do you know it?

 

Do you know that in 1854 Ottawa was chosen as the seat of government because it was more than a hundred miles from boundary. A second reason for the selection was that Ottawa stood at the crossroads of French and English-speaking Canada. Montreal is the largest and most important city in Canada of more than a million people. One of the oldest Canadian universities – the McGill University is housed in a group of buildings at the base of Mount Royal.

The second city in Canada is Toronto. It is an important educational centre. There is the University of Toronto with its colleges: Victoria College, Trinity College and St Michael’s College.

Three transcontinental railways connect the eastern cities with the Pacific coast and with such important ports as Vancouver, Victoria, Prince Rupert. Vancouver is famous for its harbour among high Rocky Mountains.

Education in Australia

 

Primary and secondary education in Australia is mainly the responsibility of the state governments: they educate ³/₄ of all children of school age. About ¹/₅ go to Roman Catholic schools the remainder go to other private schools. There are 3 types of secondary education – technical, academic and general. There is a university in each of the seven capitals.

Текст 9(b). Australian English

Australian English differs from ordinary English both in vocabulary and in pronunciation. But Australian English is still English, and the vocabulary, even of colloquial conversation, is not very different from that of educated Southern English. A wide difference exists in the section of the vocabulary dealing with specifically Australian things and conditions. Words like geen, valley meadow, wood, dale do not appear in the Australian vocabulary, and the Australian words bush, scrub, paddock and creek have wide and varied meanings. The aborigines gave kangaroo, boomerang. Gold discovered in 1850, gave diggings mullock, fossick.

Differences in a language spoken are much more striking than differences in a language spoken are two types of Australian speech – Broad Australian and Educated Australian. Broad Australian is not cockney. The first element in the Broad Australian pronunciation of “day” is not lowel sound in “but”. Many Australians also tend to avoid the use of broad “a” in such words as “dance”, and in both Broad and Educated Australian the sound of i in it is seldom used in unstressed syllables.

It is inevitable that before very longsome form of Educated Australian will become standard Australian speech.

Прочтите текст о Новой Зеландии и ответьте на следующие вопросы

 

1 How many miles is it from the New Zealand north and south coasts?

2 What sea and ocean wash New Zealand?

3 What is an outstanding feature of the New Zealand topography?

4 What is the New Zealand’s climate?

5 Is agriculture developed in the country?

6 What can you say about the population of New Zealand?

7 Is New Zealand rich in mineral resources?

8 What industries are developed in New Zealand?

9 What country is New Zealand?

10 Who is the head of the New Zealand government?

 

Текст 10(a). New Zealand

 

New Zealand comprises three islands: the North and South Islands and Steward Island, a small land just to the South of the South Island. From north to south the whole territory of New Zealand expends for about 1.000 miles and is washed by the Tasman Sea in the west and by the Pacific Ocean in the east. The South Island is mountainous. Seventeen peaks in the Alps reach a height of more than 10.000 ft, the highest of then, Mount Cook, is 12.349, New Zealand’s highest point. Only one-tenth of the North Island’s area is mountainous and only four peaks exceed 6.000 ft. Two of them are active volcanoes. Almost one-quarter of the country is forest-covered and one-third of the rest is devoted to agriculture. There are areas of the desert-like tracts in the central North Island.

New Zealand’s climate resembles that of the northern Mediterranean.

 

Population and Language

 

The population of New Zealand is over three million.

The differences between New Zealanders and Britons are subtle and not easy to detect. The non-Maori New Zealand has a skin the colour of a white man, he speaks the same language, though with a different accent.

The Maori¹ people make up 7 per cent of the total population. They are concentrated in certain districts such as Northland and the East Coast of the North Island.

Maori, a language of the Polynesian group still is spoken among the Maori population. A large number of people, born and bred in New Zealand, speak English as correctly and with as pure an accent as the best speakers in England. About 8 per cent of the population speaks England with a more or less marked London, or “Cockney” accent.

¹ – Maori – коренное население Новой Зеландии.

 

Economy

 

Although lacking the mineral resources required for most heavy industry, New Zealand has established light foundries and engineering works, and builds locomotives, small ships, coaches, as well as assembling imported motor vehicles and machines.

Light engineering especially in the field of electrical goods has increased since World War II. Other industries include the manufacture of textile and leather goods, fruit and vegetable packing and canning; the production of tyres, tubes and other rubber goods. The pulp and paper industry is now producing a variety of commodities. The clothing and footwear industry must also be mentioned.

About 40 per cent of all goods available in New Zealand are imported from other countries. New Zealand factories rely on overseas countries for heavy machinery and for much of their raw materials, such as iron, steel, and aluminium.

 

Government

 

New Zealand is a self – governing Dominion with a governor – general, an Executive Council to advise him, a General Assembly (Parliament), which is now consist of the Governor – General and the House of Representatives (the Upper House) having abolished since 1951 and the usual local government bodies.

The Queen of the United Kingdom is still Queen of New Zealand. Her personal representative is in New Zealand. There are two political parties resented in Parliament at present: National and Labour.

A General Election is held every three years or when specially called for.

The Governor – General is appointed for three years and has his main residence in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.

 

 

Приложение А

Приложение Б

Имена собственные

 

Aldrige Олдридж

Graham Greene Грэм Грин

Iris Murdock Айрис Мердок

Alan Sillitoe Алан Силлитоу

John Galsworthy Джон Голсуорси

Bernard Shaw Бернард Шоу

Somerset Maugham Сомерсет Моэм

Arnold Bennett Арнольд Бенетт

C. P. Snow Чарльз Перси Сноу

Thackeray Теккерей

Theodore Dreiser Теодор Драйзер

Приложение В

National Academy of Sciences Национальная Академия Наук

National Historical Wax Museum Национальный исторический

музей восковых фигур

Washington Cathedral Вашингтонгский Собор

National Zoological Park Национальный зоопарк

New York Нью-Йорк

Metropolitan Museum of Art Метрополитен музей

Museum of Modern Art Музей современного искусства

The World Trade Centre Центр международной торговли

United Nationals Building Здание ООН

Statue of Liberty Статуя свободы

Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts Линкольновский центр исполнительных искусств

Metropolitan Opera Оперный театр

"Метрополитен- опера"

Museum of American Indian Музей американских индейцев

Museum of the city of New-York Музей города Нью-Йорка

Washington Square Arch Арка Вашингтона

Rockfeller Centre Рокфеллеровский центр

Brooklyn Museum Бруклинский музей

Central Park Центральный парк

Radio City Music Hall Концертный зал "Радио сити мьюзик-холл"

Carnegie Hall Концертный зал "Карнеги-холл"

Приложение Г

Надписи и вывески

Signs надписи и вывески

Closed Закрыто

Entrance Вход

Exit Выход

Pull К себе

Push от себя

No entry Проход/вход/воспрещен

Service Entrance Служебный вход

Road Closed Проход/проезд/закрыт

Detour Объезд

Caution осторожно

Caution; Automobile Traffic Берегись автомобиля

Danger опасно

No stopping (No Parking) стоянка запрещена

Parking стоянка

Bus (Tram) Stop остановка автобуса (трамвая)

Stop. Don’t Walk Стойте

Walk Идите

Hotel Гостиница

Information Справочное бюро

Restrooms туалет

Smoking section Место для курения

Cinema; Movie Theatre (US) Кинотеатр

Hairdressers Парикмахерская

(Barbers Shop)

Chemist’s (Br) Drugstore (US) Аптека

Department Store Универмаг

Hours… to … Открыто с…до…

Taken. Reserved Занято.Забронировано

Private Property Частная собственность

Private Beach Частный пляж

No swimming Купаться запрещено

Keep off the grass По газонам не ходить

Wet paint Осторожно! (Окрашено!)

Admission by ticket only Вход платный

Admission by free Вход бесплатный

Fasten safety belts Пристегните ремни

Emergency exit Запасный выход

Приложение Д

Приложение Е

Президенты США

 

PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR TERMS IN OFFICE

 

George Washington Join Adams Thomas Jefferson James Madison Lames Monroe John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren William Henry Harrison John Tyler James Knox Polk Zachary Taylor Millard Fillmore Franklin Pierce James Buchanan Abraham Lincoln Andrew Johnson Ulysses Simpson Grant Rutherford Birchard Hayes James Abram Garfield Chester Alan Arthur (Stephen) Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (Stephen) Grover Cleveland William McKinley Theodore Roosevelt William Howard Taft (Thomas) Woodrow Wilson Warren Gamaliel Harding Calvin Coolidge Herbert Clark Hoover Franklin Delano Roosevelt Harry S. Truman Dwight David Eisenhower John Fitzgerald Kennedy Lyndon Baines Johnson Richard Milhous Nixon Gerald Rudolph Ford Ronald Reigan D. Bush Bill Klinton

1789 – 1797 1797 – 1801 1801 – 1809 1809 – 1817 1817 – 1825 1825 – 1829 1829 – 1837 1837 – 1841 March 4,1841 – April 4,1841 1841 – 1845 1845 – 1849 1849 – 1850 1850 – 1853 1853 – 1857 1857 – 1861 1861 – 1865 1865 – 1869 1869 – 1877 1877 – 1881 March 4,1881 – September 19,1881 1881 – 1885 1885 – 1889 1889 – 1893 1893 – 1897 1897 – 1901 1901 – 1909 1909 – 1913 1913 – 1921 1921 – 1923 1923 – 1929 1929 – 1933 1933 – 1945 1945 – 1953 1953 – 1961 1961 – 1963 1963 – 1969 1969 –1974 1974 – 1976 1976 – 1984 1984 – 1992

 

Cодержание

 

 

Введение…………………………..…………….. 4

Unit 1. Great Britain……………………………… 5

2 Unit 2. USA…………………………………….. 23

3 Additional Texts………………………………... 33

Список используемых источников…………….. 48

Приложение А…………………………………… 49

Приложение Б……………………………………. 51

Приложение В……………………………………. 51

Приложение Г……………………………………. 53

Приложение Д……………………………………. 54

Приложение Е……………………………………..55

Введение

Данное пособие предназначено для студентов I курса. Оно представляет обзорный материал по страноведческой тематике англо-говорящих стран.

Цель пособия – помочь студентам приобрести знания, умения и навыки, необходимые для того, чтобы вести беседу на английском языке или сделать сообщение по данной теме.

Тексты взяты из учебной и оригинальной литературы, частично сокращены и адаптированы. Ряд текстов предназначен для развития навыков аудирования. Некоторый материал (диалоги и стихотворения) предназначены для заучивания наизусть. К текстам даются упражнения, снижающие трудности восприятия основного текста. Дополнитель<