O`ZBEKISTON RESPUBLIKASI OLIY VA O`RTA MAXSUS TA`LIM

VAZIRLIGI
FACULTY OF FOREIGN FILOLOGY

Department of Translation studies and linguodidactics

SIROJOVA ZARNIGOR NASRIDDINOVNA

UBAYDULLAYEVA DILAFRUZ FAZLIDDINOVNA

STUDY GUIDE
FOR THE SUBJECT OF

COUNTRYSTUDY

BUKHARA-2023

Sirojova Zarnigor Nasriddinovna

Ubaydullayeva Dilafruz Fazliddinovna
Countrystudy
120 pages-in English
Editor: f.f.f.d., (PhD), dotsent [Link]
Reviewers: f.f.f.d., (PhD) [Link]
f.f.f.d., (PhD) M.B. Barotova

Students studying English language in the field of translation theory and

practical training can use this teaching method and guide in practical training
of the Department of Country Studies. This study guide is based on science
training topics and is filled with relevant information, exercises and exercises.
This study guide has been developed taking into account the general
requirements and suggestions that can ensure students to have systematic
knowledge of science, to have the competence specific to their chosen
profession, to be able to independently master its sciences, to work on
themselves and to organize their labor activity on a scientific basis, and to
recommend it for publication. possible

This teaching manual prepared in English for students of 60230200 -

Translation theory and practice was discussed at the "Translation Studies and
Linguistics" department of Bukhara State University, Faculty of Foreign
Languages, and was referred for permission to print. (Report N_____, 2023)
This guide and translation activity, translation theory and practice study
guide is intended for students studying at Bukhara State University.
CONTENTS
Lesson Theme: Page

Preface . 7

1 Introduction to Country Study. Great Britain. 8-10

General Information.
2 The History of Great Britain. 11-15

3 The Government of Great Britan. British 16-21

Monarchy.
4 The State symbols of Great Britain. Political 22-34
Parties.
5 Education System in Great Britain. 35-39

6 British Customs and Traditions. Mass Media, 40-41

Economy, Sport in the UK.

7 The USA. General Information. 42-48

8 The History of the USA. 49-51

9 The US Government. 52-53

10 The State Symbols of the USA 54-62

11 Education System in the USA. 63-64

12 The Culture and Traditions of the USA and 65-71

Canada
13 General Information about Australia and New 72-73
Zealand.
 MUNDARIJA
DARS Mavzu Bet
So'z boshi 7

1. Mamlakatshunoslikka kirish. Buyuk Britaniya. 8

Umumiy ma'lumot.
2 Buyuk Britaniya tarixi. 11
3 Buyuk Britaniya hukumati. Britaniya monarxiyasi. 16

4 Buyuk Britaniyaning davlat ramzlari. Siyosiy 25

partiyalar.
5 Buyuk Britaniyadagi ta'lim tizimi. 35

6 Britaniya urf-odatlari va urf-odatlari. Buyuk 40

Britaniyada ommaviy axborot vositalari, iqtisodiyot,
sport.
7 AQSh. Umumiy ma'lumot. 42

8 AQSH tarixi. 49

9 AQSh hukumati. 52

10 AQSH davlat ramzlari 54

11 AQShda ta'lim tizimi. 63

12 AQSh va Kanada madaniyati va an'analari 65

13 Avstraliya va Yangi Zelandiya haqida umumiy

ma'lumot.
Оглавление
Урок Тема Страница
7
Предисловие.
1 Введение в страноведение. Великобритания. 8
Общая информация.
2 История Великобритании. 11

3 Правительство Великобритании. Британская 16

монархия.
4 Государственные символы Великобритании. 25
Политические партии.
5 Система образования в Великобритании. 35

6 Британские обычаи и традиции. СМИ, 40

экономика, спорт в Великобритании.
7 США. Общая информация. 42

8 История США. 49

9 Правительство США. 52

10 Государственные символы США 54

11 Система образования в США. 63

12 Культура и традиции США и Канады 65

13 Общая информация об Австралии и Новой

Зеландии
 Introduction
There are thousands of countries in the world where people speak
thousands of languages and use dozens of scripts. In this methodological guide,
we will study the history, culture, traditions and customs of the English-
speaking countries of the world, as well as the educational system and lifestyle.
This manual can be used by every student studying the country's language.
Language is part of culture. Of course, it is impossible to learn the
country, its customs and culture without knowing the language.
This study guide serves as a program for students in learning the English
language to form the place and speed of the United States of America, Great
Britain, New Zealand, Canada and Australia in the world. The educational
methodical manual helps to form and develop the linguistic and cultural features
of language formation, its etymology, as well as socio-cultural competence by
language students. The pursuit of communicative competence, as the final result
of learning, includes not only the acquisition of relevant foreign language
technologies, but also the assimilation of vast non-linguistic information.
Among the speakers of different languages, this information is mainly
determined by the various material and spiritual conditions for the existence of
the respective peoples and countries, their history, culture, socio-political
system, and the specific features of the political system.
The prepared study guide is aimed at providing students with literature
related to the specialty, teaching them to work with the given information. This
literature is intended for 26 hours.
The authors hope that this literature will facilitate the understanding and
study of the countries whose language is being studied for the students of the
faculties specializing in the field of language, and express their immense
gratitude to the friends who contributed to its creation and expressed their
opinions.
Theme: 1. Introduction to Country Study. Great Britain. General
Information.

1. The climate and environment of the Great Britain

2. The population and landmarks of the Great Britain
The largest insular nation in Europe is Great Britain. The North Sea
islands border France in the southeast and Northern Ireland in the east. They
are situated there. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland make up
the union known as Great Britain. Additionally, Great Britain has 800 little
islands. Approximately 245 000 square kilometers, or almost two thirds of
Germany's surface, make up Great Britain. The largest city in Great Britain
and the country's capital is London.
United Kingdom's climate
Great Britain has a rather temperate climate. Compared to other
European nations in the same latitude, the golf stream has a warmer climate.
Greater Britain's southern and eastern regions experience a warmer and drier
climate than its western and northern regions. Snow is extremely uncommon
in Great Britain during the winter since temperatures rarely dip below
freezing.
Flora and Fauna in the Great Britain
 Great Britain is home to a wide variety of plants because of its diverse
soil types and moderate climate. The vegetation is made up primarily of
thick woods in Scotland, Wales, and the southern and eastern regions of
England. They support a variety of oak species, as well as common beech,
ash, and elm trees. The three main tree species in Scotland are scots pine,
spruce, and birch. In addition, Great Britain's terrain is characterized by
marshland and heathland.
The forests and valleys of Great Britain are home to the common animal
species of European forests, including red deer, roe deer, fallow deer, Red
Fox, hedgehog, European hare, and European otter. Grey seals and common
seals can also be seen in coastal locations.
 The United Kingdom is made up of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales,
and Northern Ireland. It is located in northwest Europe.
 The United Kingdom is primarily situated on Great Britain and Ireland, two
sizable islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
 No place in the UK is more than 125 kilometers (77 miles) from the sea!
 The United Kingdom is somewhat smaller than the state of Oregon in the
United States and slightly larger than Ghana, with the only land border with a
non-UK nation being the border with Ireland in Northern Ireland.
 The Greenwich meridian timezone (GMT) is marked by the prime meridian,
which passes through the UK. Rugged hillsides and rolling plains make up the
majority of the area.
 The Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands are in the Caribbean, Gibraltar
is on the Iberian Peninsula, and Saint Helena is in the South Atlantic Ocean. The
UK owns 13 British overseas territories.
 From 1973 until the conclusion of "Brexit" on December 31, 2020, when new
agreements between the EU and the UK came into effect, the United Kingdom
was a member of the EU.
 England is the largest nation in the UK. Northern Ireland is the tiniest of all
the nations.
 After Norway and Denmark, the UK boasts the third-longest coastline in
Europe at 12,430 km/ 7,723 miles (Greenland)
 Ben Nevis, a mountain in Scotland, is the highest point in the United
Kingdom at 1,345 meters (4,412 feet).
 The largest freshwater lake in the UK (by volume) is Loch Ness, which is
located in Northern Ireland's Lough Neagh.
 The Severn River, at 354 kilometers (220 miles), is the UK's longest river.
 The largest airport in Europe is located in London, and there is only one land
border with Ireland.
 The smallest island in the UK is Bishop Rock, which located off the Scilly
Isles in southern England.
LANDMARKS
 London: The nation's capital has a lot to offer visitors. The highest structure
in Europe is London's Shard, which is 310 meters (1,015 feet) tall.
 Windsor: This charming town in Southern England is renowned for its
castle, an 11th-century royal home.

Windsor Castle was founded in 1070 by William I on a hill in the Thames

Valley, 30 kilometers from London. Initially, it was a wooden fortress, which
was surrounded by a stone wall. A little later, an additional wall of wood was
erected to the east of the hill (now the Upper Courtyard is located in its place),
and by the end of the century, a similar wall was erected near the western slope
of the hill, where the Lower Courtyard is now located. Later, all these buildings
were rebuilt several times, but the layout itself has survived to our times - two
four-corner buildings (courtyards), and in the middle there is a round tower on a
hill.
 Stonehenge is regarded as the oldest monument in the world, dating back
more than 3,000 years, making these enormous rocks older than the Pyramids.
Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world.
 Loch Ness: Quite a large freshwater lake Loch Ness is located 37 km west of
Inverness. It was formed in the Great Glen geological fault, is part of the
Caledonian Canal, which connects the eastern and western sea coasts of
Scotland. Most of the lakes in this part of the country are of glacial origin,
Loch Ness is no exception. The water in the lake is muddy and has a specific
shade due to the high content of peat in the bottom soil.
The lake is the second largest in Scotland, and the largest in terms of
water volume. The local landscapes are nothing outstanding, but the views of
the mountains and the ruins of Urquhart Castle make them picturesque in
their own way.

 Cardiff: The "City of Arcades" is a common moniker for Wales' capital city.
In the UK, Cardiff has the most indoor shopping malls. The Welsh city does,
however, also include a large number of interesting old homes and castles.
 Belfast: On the banks of the Lagan River is where much of Northern Ireland's
commercial activity takes place. One of the largest ports in the UK is located in
the city. A significant industry for the city in the 20th century was shipbuilding,
and it once boasted the largest shipyard in the world, where the RMS Titanic
was constructed in 1912. Learn about the tragic ship's history and journey at the
Titanic Belfast.
The UK is a country with a diverse and multiethnic population. People
from all over the world have made this country their home.
Only approximately 20% of people in the UK reside in rural areas,
making up the majority of the country's population (83%). In and around the
major cities of London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff,
and Belfast are where the bulk of Britons reside.
London is the largest city in the UK. Glasgow, Manchester, and
Birmingham are more cities with populations above a million.
The most widely-played sports are cricket, rugby, soccer, and rugby. The
UK is credited with creating all of these sports. According to legend, golf was
created around 1457. The oldest golf course is the one at St. Andrews, Scotland.
The most prestigious universities, Oxford and Cambridge, are among the more
than 130 institutions in the UK.
King Charles III, who was born on November 14, 1948, took the throne
on September 8, 2022, the day after his mother Queen Elizabeth passed away.
He is the leader of 14 Commonwealth nations in addition to the United
Kingdom. King Charles III's second wife is Queen Consort Camilla; he wed
again in 2005 following the passing of Princess Diana after divorcing her in
1996.
Up to her passing on September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II held the
record for the longest reigning queen in history. She ruled the UK for 214 days
and 70 years. King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II's father, died in 1952, and she
took the throne as of that time. As the monarch of 16 Commonwealth nations
and the world's longest-reigning royal, Queen Elizabeth II.
 Questions.
1. What are the most played sports in the Great Britain?
2. What are the greatest landmarks in the Great Britain?
3. Where is situated Loch Ness?
4. What percentage of people live in rural areas in the UK?
5. How many institutions are there in the Great Britain?
Literature.
1. David Mc Dowall. An illustrated history of Britain. – Longman, 2006
2. Зайцева С.Д. Англия в далеком прошлом. – М., Просвещение, 1981
3. Британия. Учебное пособие по страноведению для студентов ин-тов и
фак. иностр. яз. – Л.: Просвещение, 1977
4. Нестерова Н.М. Страноведение: Великобритания / Н.М. Нестерова.
Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, 2005
5. A. Room. An A to Z of British Life. Oxford University Press, 1992
6. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman, 2000
7. Усова Г.С. История Англии: тексты для чтения на английском языке. –
Спб.: Изд-во «Лань», 1999
8. Токарева Н.Д. Страницы истории Великобритании и США. – М.:
Высшая школа, 1985
 Theme: 2. The History of Great Britain
1. The first settlers on the British Isles.
2. The Roman invasion.
3. The first king of England.
4. The conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity.
5. The Norman conquest.
6. The English Bourgeois Revolution.
7. The Industrial Revolution. Chartism.
8. Victorian Britain.
The people who now live in Britain are descended from various peoples
who inhabited the British Isles many centuries ago. From the earliest times
known a long succession of invaders and colonizers moved to the British Isles as
they lay within the easy reach of the continent. The first settlers on the British
Isles were Iberians who came from the Iberian Peninsula (the area of Spain and
Portugal) between 3000 BC and 2000 BC. The Iberians stayed comparatively
long before they were attacked, slain or driven westwards by the numerous
Celtic tribes (Picts, Scots and Britons), which came from central Europe and the
Rhine valley in the period between the 6th and 3d centuries BC. They were
pagan, with priests known as Druids. In the middle of the 1st century AD Britain
was successfully invaded by the Romans who stayed on the island for four
centuries, living in military camps, building towns, roads, walls and bridges, so
that to defend their gains (seized territories) from other invaders.
The Romans left behind them in the language of Britain many words
denoting the names of things such as street, port, wall. After the Roman legions
left Britain at the beginning of the 5th century to defend their own Empire from
the barbarians, the British Isles were almost immediately attacked by numerous
invaders from all sides. Germanic tribes — the Jutes, the Saxon and the Angles
attacked Britain from the south and east, Danes and Norsemen from Scandinavia
in the north-east. Again, the native population was driven to the west (Wales)
and north (Scotland). These tribes gave the name to the country, and their
language formed the basis of the old English language. In the 9th century the
greatest kingdoms Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex struggled for
predominance. In 829 Egbert, King of Wessex, was acknowledged by Kent,
Northumbria and Mercia and Egbert became the first king of England. Under his
rule all the small Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were united to form one kingdom
which was called England from that time on.
The conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity began at the end of
the 6th century (597) and was completed, in the main, in the second half of the
7th century. In 597 the Roman Pope sent about forty monks to Britain to convert
the Anglo-Saxons. The first church was built in the town of Canterbury, the
capital of Kent, that is why the Archbishop of Canterbury is now Head of the
Church of England.
The last in the long successions of invaders on the British Isles were the
Normans, the Norsemen who had assimilated in France. In 1066, led by Duke of
Normandy (who went into history as William the Conqueror), they crossed the
Channel and conquered England, subduing the Anglo-Saxons. For almost two
centuries there were two languages, two nations and two cultures in the country.
Norman-French was the language of the ruling class, the official language of the
country, while Anglo-Saxon (old English) was spoken by the majority of the
oppressed native population. The victorious Normans gradually broke their ties
with France and by the 13th century had mingled in blood and language with
Anglo-Saxons and united into one nation, speaking one language, born as a
result of the marriage of the two nations and the two languages. The new
English (Middle English) greatly enriched and changed under the influence of
Norman-French, had become the language of educated classes and the official
language of the state by the end of the 13th century. Such words as baron, serve,
court, battle, victory appeared in the English language.
The basis of feudal society was the holding of land, and its main purpose
was economic. The central idea was that all land was owned by the king but it
was held by others, called "vassals", in return for services and goods. The king
gave large estates to his main nobles in return for a promise to serve him in war
for up to forty days. The nobles also had to give him part of the produce of the
land. The greater nobles gave part of their lands to lesser nobles, knights, and
other "freemen". Some freemen paid for the land by doing military service,
while others paid rent. The noble kept "serfs" to work on his own land.
These were not free to leave the estate, and were often little better than
slaves. There were two basic principles to feudalism: every man had a lord, and
every lord had land. The king was connected through this "chain" of people to
the lowest man in the country. At each level a man had to promise loyalty and
service to his lord.
One of the most important events in the British history was the English
Bourgeois Revolution (1642—1648) which marked the beginning of capitalism
in the country. The bourgeoisie and the gentry led the peasants and the
townsmen against the absolute monarchy. The struggle between Charles I and
Parliament finished with the victory of the second. Oliver Cromwell was the
leader in the English Revolution.
He created an army of a New Model — of educated people, with able
leaders, iron discipline and regular pay. He consolidated his position by
subjugating Ireland and Scotland and uniting them with England. The fact that
popular masses took the side of Parliament (Roundheads, as they cut their hair
short) against the Royalists (or Cavaliers) decided the results of the Civil War:
The monarchy was overthrown, Charles I was beheaded, the House of Lords
was abolished as "useless and dangerous", the Commonwealth (or Free State, or
Republic) was proclaimed.
Cromwell, now titled the Protector, enforced justice and order at home
and made England stronger and more respected abroad. The following
democratic ideas initiated by the Levellers were proclaimed: all men should
have equal opportunities and should make or mar their fortunes by their own
efforts, not by accident of their birth and the class to which their parents
belonged; all the citizens of the state should have a voice in making of its laws;
no attempt should be made to interfere with sincere and honest views of any
man about religion, if they did not tend to popery.
After the death of Cromwell, the monarchy was restored. Well before the
end of the eighteenth-century Britain was as powerful as France. This resulted
from the growth of its industries and from the wealth of its large new trading
empire, part of which had been captured from the French. Britain now had the
strongest navy in the world; the navy-controlled Britain's own trade routes and
endangered those of its enemies. It was the deliberate policy of the government
to create this trading empire, and to protect it with a strong navy. This was made
possible by the way in which government had developed during the eighteenth
century. For the first time, it was the king's ministers who were the real policy
and decision-makers. Power now belonged to the groups from which the
ministers came, and their supporters in Parliament. These ministers ruled over a
country which had become wealthy through trade. This wealth, or "capital",
made possible both an agricultural and an industrial revolution which made
Britain the most advanced economy in the world.
However, there was an enormous price to pay, because while a few people
became richer, many others lost their land, their homes and their way of life.
Families were driven off the land in another period of enclosures. They became
the working "proletariat" of the cities that made Britain's trade and industrial
empire of the nineteenth century possible. The invention of machinery destroyed
the old "cottage industries" and created factories. The development of industry
led to the sudden growth of cities like Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and
Liverpool and other centers in the north Midlands.
Several influences came together at the same time to revolutionize
Britain's industry: money, labor, a greater demand for goods, new power, and
better transport. By the end of the eighteenth century, some families had made
huge private fortunes. Growing merchant hanks helped put this money to use.
By the early eighteenth century simple machines had already been
invented for basic jobs. They could make large quantities of simple goods
quickly and cheaply so that "mass production" became possible for the first
time. Each machine carried out one simple process, which introduced the idea of
"division of labour" among workers. This was to become an important part of
the industrial revolution. By the 1740s the main problem holding back industrial
growth was fuel. There was less wood, and in any case, wood could not produce
the heat necessary to make iron and steel either in large quantities or of high
quality. But at this time the use of coal for changing iron ore into good quality
iron or steel was perfected, and this made Britain the leading iron producer in
Europe. This happened only just in time for the many wars in which Britain was
to fight, mainly against France, for the rest of the century. The demand for coal
grew very quickly. In 1800 Britain was producing four times as much coal as it
had done in 1700, and eight times as much iron. Increased iron production made
it possible to manufacture new machinery for other industries. No one saw this
more clearly than John Wilkinson, a man with a total belief in iron. He built the
largest ironworks in the country. When James Watt made a greatly improved
steam engine in 1769, Wilkinson improved it further by making parts of the
engine more accurately with his special skills in ironworking.
In this way the skills of one craft helped the skills of another. Until then
steam engines had only been used for pumping, usually in coal mines. But in
1781 Watt produced an engine with a turning motion, made of iron and steel. It
was a vital development because people were now no longer dependent on
natural power.
One invention led to another, and increased production in one area led to
increased production in others. Other basic materials of the industrial revolution
were cotton and woolen cloth, which were popular abroad. In the middle of the
century other countries were buying British uniforms, equipment and weapons
for their armies. To meet this increased demand, better methods of production
had to be found, and new machinery was invented which replaced handwork.
The production of cotton goods had been limited by the spinning process, which
could not provide enough cotton thread for the weavers. In 1764 a spinning
machine was invented which could do the work of several hand spinners, and
other improved machines were made shortly after. With the far greater
production of cotton thread, the slowest part of the cotton clothmaking industry
became weaving. In 1785 a power machine for weaving revolutionized
clothmaking. It allowed Britain to make cloth more cheaply than elsewhere, and
Lancashire cotton cloths were sold in every continent. But this machinery put
many people out of work. It also changed what had been a "cottage industry"
done at home into a factory industry, where workers had to keep work hours and
rules set down by factory owners.
In the Midlands, factories using locally found clay began to develop very
quickly, and produced fine quality plates, cups and other china goods. These
soon replaced the old metal plates and drinking cups that had been used. Soon
large quantities of china were being exported. The most famous factory was one
started by Josiah Wedgwood. His high-quality bone china became very popular,
as it still is. The social effects of the industrial revolution were enormous.
Workers tried to join together to protect themselves against powerful employers.
They wanted fair wages and reasonable conditions in which to work. But the
government quickly banned these "combinations", as the workers' societies were
known. Riots occurred, led by the unemployed who had been replaced in
factories by machines. In 1799 some of these rioters, known as Luddites, started
to break up the machinery which had put them out of work. The government
supported the factory owners, and made the breaking of machinery punishable
by death. The government was afraid of a revolution like the one in France.
The stronghold of Chartism, as of Trade Unionism, lay in the industrial
North, but its origin was among the Radical artisans of London. The London
Working-Men's Association was formed in June 1836 as a political and
educational body intended to attract the "intelligent and influential portion of the
working class". In February 1837 the Association drew up a petition to
Parliament in which were embodied the six demands that afterwards became
known as the People's Charter. They were: equal electoral districts; abolition of
the property qualifications for MPs; universal manhood suffrage; annual
Parliaments; vote by ballot; the payment of MPs. These demands were
accepted with enthusiasm by hundreds of thousands of industrial workers who
saw in them the means to remove their intolerable economic grievances. In the
spring of 1838 the Six Points were drafted into the form of a Parliamentary Bill,
and it was this draft Bill which became the actual Charter of history. It was
endorsed at gigantic meetings all over the country. At all these meetings the
Charter received emphatic approval and the tactics by which it was proposed to
secure its acceptance soon took shape. These were a campaign of great
demonstrations, a mass petition to Parliament and, if the petition were rejected, a
political general strike. A Reform Bill was rejected by Parliament and a number
of demonstrations swept the country. Parliament had to use troops. The failure
of Chartism was partly a result of the weaknesses of its leadership and tactics.
But they were only a reflection of the newness and immaturity of the working
class. Politically, the twenty years after 1848 afford a striking contrast to the
Chartist decade. The attempt to create a great, independent party of the working
class was not repeated: political activity became more localized, or was confined
to some immediate practical issue, but it never ceased to exist. Its strength was
that while in Europe the working classes were still dragging at the tail of the
industrial bourgeoisie, in England the workers were able by 1838 to appear as an
independent force and were already realizing that the industrial bourgeoisie were
their principal enemy.
Queen Victoria (1819—1901) came to the throne in 1837. Because of the
growth of parliamentary government, she was less powerful than previous
sovereigns. However, she ruled over more lands and peoples than any previous
sovereigns and enjoyed the respect and affection of her British subjects. Her
reign is called “the golden age” in the history of Britain. No other nation could
produce as much at that time. By 1850 Britain was producing more iron than the
rest of the world together.
 Britain had become powerful because it had enough coal, iron and steel
for its own enormous industry, and could even export them in large quantities to
Europe. With these materials it could produce new heavy industrial goods like
iron ships and steam engines. It could also make machinery which produced
traditional goods like woolen and cotton cloth in the factories of Lancashire.
Britain's cloth as cheap and was exported to India, to other colonies and
throughout the Middle East, where it quickly destroyed the local cloth industry,
causing great misery. Britain made and owned more than half the world's total
shipping. This great industrial empire was supported by a strong banking system
developed during the eighteenth century.
By the end of the nineteenth century Britain controlled the oceans and
much of the land areas of the world. Most British strongly believed in their right
to an empire, and were willing to defend it against the least threat. But even at
this moment of greatest power, Britain had begun to spend more on its empire
than it took from it. The empire had started to be a heavy load. It would become
impossibly heavy in the twentieth century, when the colonies finally began to
demand their freedom.
Questions for self-check
1. Who changed the royal family name and when did it happen?
2. What kind of monarch was George V?
3. How did World War I start?
4. In what way was Great Britain involved in WW I?
5. Speak about the growth of independence movement in British colonies in the
beginning of the 20th century.
6. Describe the development of trade unions.
7. What was the situation in Ireland?
8. The danger of a new war made the country to rebuild its armed forces and
economy, didn’t it?
9. Who inspired the nation to the victory in WW II?
10. What steps to rebuild the national economy were made under Clement
Attley?
11. Speak about the division of Europe into two parts after WW II.
12. What two opposite alliances were formed?
13. What changes occurred in the British monarchy in the 1950s?
Literature.
1. David Mc Dowall. An illustrated history of Britain. – Longman, 2006
2. Зайцева С.Д. Англия в далеком прошлом. – М., Просвещение, 1981
3. Британия. Учебное пособие по страноведению для студентов ин-тов и
фак. иностр. яз. – Л.: Просвещение, 1977
4. Нестерова Н.М. Страноведение: Великобритания / Н.М. Нестерова.
Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, 2005
5. A. Room. An A to Z of British Life. Oxford University Press, 1992
6. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman, 2000
7. Усова Г.С. История Англии: тексты для чтения на английском языке. –
Спб.: Изд-во «Лань», 1999
8. Токарева Н.Д. Страницы истории Великобритании и США. – М.:
Высшая школа, 1985
 Theme: 3. The Government of Great Britan. British Monarchy.
1. The British monarchy
2. Parlament in the Great Britain
3. The constitution in the Great Britain
In a unitary state like Great Britain, the structure of administration is tied
to long-standing customs. The English monarchs enjoyed unlimited power for a
very long period, yet they also had no real authority; they were only symbolic
individuals who served primarily as representatives. But officially, the monarch
continues to be in charge.

Monarchy
The king, who has the authority to dissolve parliament and appoint
ministers on the prime minister's recommendation, nominally oversees all three
institutions of government as well as the Anglican Church. In his capacity as
commander in chief, he is also responsible for making war on foreign nations.
Queen Elizabeth II currently reigns over Great Britain, as is well known.
A bill presented to Parliament may be approved or rejected, but an existing
legislation cannot be repealed. Great Britain doesn't have a constitution as a
matter of fundamental law, and the term "parliamentary monarchy" is used to
describe its system of administration. There isn't a constitution; instead, the
nation is governed by a body of laws.

Parliament
The parliament, which is comprised of the upper house of lords and the
lower house of commons, is where the nation's laws are created. Territorial
constituencies are used to elect members of the House of Commons, but the
Prime Minister also nominates members of the government who are known as
titular subjects and members of the House of Lords. Surprisingly, the House of
Lords has more members than the House of Commons, typically numbering
750. Because it avoids aspects of voluntarism, a multi-level management
structure like this is completely legitimate. The prime minister is chosen by the
king, who then forms the new government. However, all of these characteristics
are merely symbolic and have no bearing on how the country's political conflict
develops.
 Each minister's party affiliation plays a significant role in the Cabinet of
Ministers. The prime minister must assemble his cabinet from members of the
party to which he belongs, per the rule. The prime minister and his cabinet hold
the majority of the executive power in the nation. Theresa May, the head of the
Conservative Party, is the current premier.
The three major political parties—Conservatives, Labor, and Liberals—
represent the majority of the 650 members of the House of Commons. This
variety of parties guarantees the continuation of the debate in parliament about
whether switching from the current parliamentary monarchy to a constitutional
monarchy is the best option for Britain. But so far, these lengthy discussions
have produced little. The speaker is responsible for facilitating communication
between the two chambers of the parliament. He holds a responsible job, hence
he occasionally displays political bias. The speaker stays with the ruling party if
it wins the election and is given a new 5-year term. Additionally, the
management structure will be maintained for an additional five years. The newly
chosen prime minister appoints the cabinet, which typically consists of 20
portfolios, at his discretion. Appointments to personal positions are made by the
prime minister personally.
Perhaps Great Britain's democratic system of government accounts for its
stability. A separate "inner cabinet" comprising ministers in charge of
significant economic sectors is always present in parliament, working closely
with the prime minister. In the organization of the Cabinet of Ministers,
committees are formed on a variety of topics, including international and
domestic policy, defense, the economy, and legislative concerns.
Elizabeth II is actually a direct descendant of Abraham, the patriarch!
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Antigua
and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon
Islands, Tuvalu, and the word "BRIT-ANIA" itself is translated from Hebrew as
"Land of the Covenant." The 12 stones on British rulers' crowns are an obvious
reference to the "12 tribes of Israel."
Great Britain is formally a "constitutional monarchy." as if constrained
However, the English Queen has the authority to DECLARE WAR (without any
legal limitations or justifications), to sack the government (likewise), to dissolve
Parliament, and to address in front of lawmakers once a year to make requests
for the near future (that is, he really shapes state policy). The crown has
extensive authority over internal matters. Ministers, officials, executive body
members, and other officials are appointed.
The monarch also serves as the commander of the armed forces (British
Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Intelligence). The sovereign has the
authority to make war, make peace, and use force directly. Regarding the
Queen's privileges in regard to foreign affairs, Parliamentary approval is not
required for the negotiating of terms or the ratification of treaties, alliances, or
international agreements. The sovereign also receives foreign diplomats and
accredits British high commissioners and ambassadors. The Sovereign is
respected as the source of justice and names judges for all types of trials.
According to common law, the monarch "must not be tried in court for criminal
offenses" because the Crown "cannot err." In actuality, the queen has complete
influence over the legislative, executive, and judicial. The monarch is the
Anglican Church's Supreme Ruler and has the authority to name bishops and
archbishops (that is, the head of not only secular, but spiritual power, which is
not found anywhere in the world, not even in Iran).
 Since there is no formal constitution for the nation, laws are based on
conventions and Acts of Parliament, which are widely accepted guidelines for
what should be done and how. The UK is controlled by two different types of
laws: the laws of low (Rules of Low) and the laws of custom (Rules of Custom).
The Magna Carta (1215) and renowned Acts of Parliament that
commemorate significant moments in British history, including the Bill of
Rights (1689), the Settlements Act (1701), the Reform Act (1832), and Act of
Parliament (1911).
A document like Magna Carta is regarded as a component of the
Constitution merely because it represents a significant turning point in national
history and established the idea that the king is subject to the law, not above it.
The majority of these acts were approved by Parliament. The Bill of Rights and
the Settlements Act make it clear that the king does not reign by divine right but
rather with the consent of Parliament. The Reform Law allowed the upper
middle class to vote, thus setting in motion a mechanism that would inevitably
lead the country to democracy. An Act of Parliament stripped the Lords of their
former power and the House of Lords ceased to be the determining factor in
legislation, many of the principles of the British Constitution being principles of
common law or rules of custom.
The Reform Law initiated a process that would inevitably bring the nation
to democracy by granting the upper middle class the right to vote. Since many of
the tenets of the British Constitution were common law or customary standards,
an Act of Parliament delegated the Lords' former authority and eliminated their
role as a deciding factor in legislation.
These are precepts that are rulings of (judicial) individual cases, not laws
that were established by any statute or that were approved by Parliament.
However, in actuality, precedents are equally significant and binding as the law's
norms. A British monarch, for instance, is not permitted by one of the laws to
wed a Roman Catholic. After a general election, it is customary for the Queen to
seek advice on the formation of a new government from anyone other the leader
of the ruling party. The laws of custom, or conventions as they are often known,
are crucial since breaking them would constitute a legal infraction in such a
serious case.
The development of individual rights and freedoms throughout the British
Constitution's history can be seen as a result of conceptions of traditional
freedoms and precedent rather than legal requirements.
The monarch is a symbol of the state and is depicted on banknotes, coins,
and postage stamps. The monarch is formally regarded as the head of state.
The support of Parliament allows the king or queen to rule without having
any real power. By the grace of God, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland and the nations and territories subject to her,
defender of the faith, and sovereign of the British orders of chivalry is how the
current monarch, Elizabeth II, is referred to in official documents. In addition to
being the head of the English Church, Elizabeth II also serves as the
Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces.
Only seven monarchs still reign in Europe, four of whom the British
Queen shares a family connection with through her great-great-grandmother
Queen Victoria. No other European nation has the same regard for the institution
of the monarchy as Great Britain, where royal customs are upheld through
religious events and the presence of a large titled aristocracy.
The Windsor dynasty is the family of Elizabeth II. The royal family's
forebears were Germans, despite the surname's "English" sound. Queen Victoria
(1819–1910), the great-great-grandmother of the current Queen Elizabeth II,
was born in Britain but married a German. After her marriage, Queen Victoria
adopted the surname Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The royal family used to go by this
last name until the First World War (1914–1918), when King George V
(1865–1936) made the decision to change it to Windsor, named after one of the
royal castles, in order to seem more English.
Elizabeth II, the daughter of the Duke of York, King George V's second
son, was born in London in 1926. Elizabeth became the successor to the throne
in 1936 after her uncle Edward VIII abdicated in favor of his father. She wed
Prince Philip, a distant relative, in 1947, and succeeded to the throne in 1952
following the unexpected death of her father, King George V.
The constitutional function of the queen is primarily symbolic. The prime
minister and his cabinet have real power (Tony Blair). The speech the Queen
delivers while seated on the throne, which discusses the government's future
goals, is written by the Prime Minister. The Queen traditionally starts Parliament
every autumn. The queen has never so far declined to sign a measure approved
by Parliament, despite the fact that no law can be made into law without the
king's approval. The Prime Minister is formally chosen by the Queen, but
customarily the leader of the party with the most Commons votes confers with
her first. The monarch's authority is thus so constrained that it is accurate to say
that he "reigns, but does not govern."
The queen's primary role is ceremonial; she opens and closes Parliament,
approves the appointment of the prime minister, grants royal assent to laws,
presents awards and honorary titles (such as peerage and knighthood), welcomes
important visitors to the nation, and gives the annual Christmas speech.
Elizabeth II's working day starts at 8:30 when she receives the most recent
information compiled by the secretariat, a report on the meeting of Parliament
that just took place, as well as paperwork for her to sign. The Queen visits
different parts of the nation and attends groundbreaking events for landmarks,
hospitals, and ships. The queen peruses the paperwork in the evening.
Hundreds of letters addressed to the Queen arrive daily at Buckingham
Palace, the royal family's official residence. They arrive to Elizabeth II in huge
bags that have not been opened. She chooses a few of letters at random, reads
them, and asks the recipients to respond. All letters addressed to the Queen are
responded to by secretaries and assistants. The amount of the pay that the Queen
of Great Britain receives is set by Parliament. Elizabeth II makes roughly £1
billion sterling each year, of which 10% is used to support her personal
requirements and the remainder to pay royal bonuses and the expense of upkeep
of the court. Elizabeth II is one of the richest women in the world; she
personally owns Regent's Park, Carlton House Terrace, Pall Mall, Piccadilly,
Hallbourne, and Kensington in London, as well as 182,313 acres of land in
England and 85,290 acres in Scotland. To cover the costs incurred by the state in
maintaining the monarchy, taxes from a portion of the enormous income from
these lands are paid to the state coffers.
The Duke of Edinburgh is the official title of Elizabeth II's husband,
Prince Consort Philip. Greek island of Corfu is where Philip, the son of Greek
Prince Andrew, was born in 1921. Philip was brought to England at the age of
1.5 because Greece was at war. The child received his diploma from Dartmouth
Naval College and the Gordon Stone School in Scotland. Philip gave up the
Greek throne before getting married and adopted British citizenship, assuming
the title of Duke of Edinburgh at the same time. The Queen's husband is not
considered the current monarch in accordance with British law. It's not an easy
situation for him because he needs to uphold his own dignity while also
highlighting the fact that he is a target of his crowned wife.
A significant figure in society is the Duke of Edinburgh. He has a keen
interest in issues related to science, technology, and business, is concerned about
the upbringing and education of the younger generation, and is the most well-
known authority on issues relating to nature preservation, wildlife, and rural
areas. He inadvertently foresaw the vast environmental movements of today in
this area of public activism.
A monarch or queen's eldest son who is the successor to the English
throne is granted the title of Prince of Wales. Charles Philip Arthur George, the
present Prince of Wales, was born in Buckingham Palace on November 14,
1948, the same location where all royal children were born beginning in the 18th
century. When he was ten years old, Charles acquired his title. In the raising of
the successor to the throne, a break from convention was permitted for the first
time: the prince received his education from Gordon Stone School, renowned for
its Spartan traditions, where his father studied, rather than being tutored at
home. Charles studied abroad in Australia for the second semester.
The prince enrolled in St. Trinity University in Cambridge in 1967 and
graduated with a bachelor's degree in history after studying history, archaeology,
and ethnography there. The Prince of Wales played the lead role in the solemn
event that marked his invitation to office in 1969. One of the most well-known
Welsh castles, Carnavol Castle, served as the scene of the action. This event
contributed to the increased interest of the British in the monarchy. The
Duchy of Cornwall is required to provide Prince Charles a 200 000 pound
annual income. Charles refused to give the state half of his salary on the day he
reached majority (21 in Britain), which, of course, paid off handsomely
politically.
The House of Lords is made up of people who have been given the title of
lord for life as well as secular peers who hold seats by right of succession,
bishops of the English church, some chief justices or lards - judges of appeal.
Life peers are mostly former members of the House of Commons or other
notable individuals who have excelled in a variety of spheres of public life,
including science, the arts, and business.
There may be more than 1,100 Lords in the country, but only roughly 320
of them are estimated to attend daily chamber meetings; the actual number is
unknown. Few of them focus solely on politics. Many people do not have any
clear political allegiances, however some do belong to political parties and
express their opinions. The Lord Chancellor serves as the House of Lords'
president.
The House of Commons, the country's lower house, is made up of 650
members who represent every region of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A
candidate who wins more votes than his closest challenger is regarded as elected
to Parliament. They are chosen by the populace for a term of five years in an
uninominal (i.e., one person from each constituency) majoritarian election. The
Speaker of the Commons is the President of the chamber.
 There are typically 80 to 100 members of the UK government, including
cabinet ministers (some of whom are referred to as secretary of state), non-
cabinet ministers, and junior ministers. The majority of ministers are House of
Commons members, but some are also Lords members.
The prime minister, who is in charge of the government but is actually the
leader of the party that got the most votes in the elections, was chosen by the
monarch but serves in that capacity. The party with the most seats in the House
is chosen to serve as the government, while the party with the next-highest
number of seats is referred to as the "official opposition."
The cabinet of ministers, which consists of the senior leaders of the same
party, is the highest body of the executive branch and has roughly 20 members.
The administration is accountable for its actions in front of the House of
Commons and is required to resign in the event of a vote of no confidence. All
crucial government decisions are made by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Only 437 people can fit in the little chamber where the House of
Commons meets. The speaker is seated at the front of the House on a separate
platform. He or she usually wears a wig and a black robe. The House of
Commons' members elect the Speaker, often known as the President.
Additionally, despite the fact that he is a political party member and a member
of Parliament, he is required to be unbiased in his decisions and not support his
own political party.
The speaker's right is occupied by lawmakers from the government party,
and the speaker's left is occupied by lawmakers from the opposition party. The
front row is occupied by representatives of the formal opposition and
government ministers, together known as the "shadow cabinet." They are
permitted to speak while standing in front of a table that is situated at the
speaker's chair. The other lawmakers will take the floor from their places in the
back rows. They are known as "backbenchers" because of this.
Parliament meets year-round, only taking breaks for shorter durations
during holidays and lengthier summer vacations. The average number of days
the House of Commons and House of Lords meet each year is around 170 to
180. Although debates occasionally go past midnight, the House of Commons
meets from Monday through Thursday from 14:30 to 22:30.
 THEME: 4. The State Symbols of Great Britain, Political Parties
1. The union Jack
2. UK’s Patron Saints
3. Floral Emblems
4. National Anthem
5. Parliament
6. Political Parties
The British National Flag is the Union Flag, commonly known as the
Union Jack. It has the flag of England (St. George‟s Cross), the flag of Scotland
(St. Andrew‟s cross) and Saint Patrick‟s cross, representing Northern Ireland.
Wales is not represented in the Union Jack.
The flag of the United Kingdom is made up of three crosses. The upright
red cross on a white background is the cross of the 1st George, the patron saint
of England. The white diagonal cross on a blue background is the cross of St.
Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, the red diagonal cross on a white
background is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The Welsh
flag, called the Welsh dragon, represents a red dragon on a white and green
background.
St. George's Day falls on 23 April and is regarded as England's national
day. On this day some patriotic Englishmen wear a rose pinned to their jackets'.
A red rose is the national emblem of England from the time of the Wars of the
Roses (15th century). St. Andrew's Day (the 30th of November) is regarded as
Scotland's national day. On this day some Scotsmen wear a thistle in their
buttonhole.
As a national emblem of Scotland, thistle apparently first used in the 15th
century as a symbol of defence. The Order of the Thistle is one of the highest
orders of knighthood. It was founded in 1687, and is mainly given to Scottish
noblemen (limited to 16 in number). St. Patrick's Day (the 17th of March) is
considered as a national day in Northern Ireland and an official bank holiday
there.
 The national emblem of Ireland is shamrock. According to legend, it was
the plant chosen by St. Patrick to illustrate the Christian doctrine of the Trinity
to the Irish. St. David's Day (the 1st of March) is the church festival of St.
David, a 6th-century monk and bishop, the patron saint of Wales. The day is
regarded as the national holiday of Wales, although it is not an official bank
holiday. On this day, however, many Welshmen wear either a yellow daffodil or
a leek pinned to their jackets, as both plants are traditionally regarded as
national emblems of Wales.
The Royal Coat of Arms depicts the symbols which represent the parts of
the country. Three lions symbolize England, a lion rampant — Scotland, and a
harp — Ireland. The whole is encircled and is supported by a lion and a unicorn.
The lion has been used as a symbol of national strength and of the British
monarchy for many centuries.
The unicorn, a mythical animal that looks like a horse with a long straight
horn, has appeared on the Scottish and British royal coats of arms for many
centuries, and is a symbol of purity.
God Save the Queen is the national anthem of the UK. In fact, it was a
patriotic song, first performed in 1745. It became known as the national anthem
at the beginning of the 19th century. The national anthem is played whenever
the British monarch makes a public appearance. It is also played by the British
Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC) every night before closedown. Besides, it
is sung at the end of all-important ceremonies, including football matches and
other sports events.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen:
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
 God save the Queen.
O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all.
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen.
When the monarch is a man, “Queen” is replaced by “King”.
The motto of the UK is Dieu et mon droit (French) that means God and
My Right
Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom. The
overriding function of Parliament is legislating bills, making bills lawful. But
Parliament is not only lawmaking body, it is also a law-enforcing body, i. e. it
has judicial functions. Other functions of Parliament are to raise money through
taxation so as to enable the government to function, to question and examine
government policy and administration, particularly its financial program, and to
debate or discuss important political issues.
Every parliament is limited to a 5-year term of work. The work of
Parliament is divided into sessions. Every session starts at the end of October or
the beginning of November and lasts 36 weeks up to late August. British
Parliament is composed of two houses — the House of Lords and the House of
Commons. The House of Lords appeared first as King's council of the nobility.
The House of Commons originated later, in the second half of the 14th century.
The Houses work in different places, in the opposite parts of Westminster
palace, but their debating Chambers are shaped in the same way which is vitally
important. The arrangement of seats in both is of great significance, reflects and
maintains the two-party system of Britain. Both the Houses are rectangular (not
semicircular as most European Chambers) in shape with rows of benches on
either side and a raised platform for the throne in the House of Lords, which is a
joint present of Australia and Canada, and the Speaker's Chair in the House of
Commons.
The seats for the Government and its supporters are to the Speaker's right, and
the seats for the Opposition are to his left. As a result, the discussions are literal
and not hypothetical. Cross benches for Independent members, or those who do
not belong to either of the two major political parties, are located in front of the
Speaker. The House of Commons has 5 rows of benches on both of its sides (4
rows in the Lords' Chamber). The Government (Cabinet members) and the
Opposition are seated on the front benches on either side (Shadow Cabinet
members). Consequently, Legislators are divided into front- and back-benchers.
Both Houses' proceedings are open to the public, and guests are allowed in the
Strangers' Gallery. The House of Commons is currently chosen by a national
vote. Of its 659 members, 529 represent constituencies in England, 40 in Wales,
72 in Scotland, and 18 in Northern Ireland (119 MPs are women). The House of
Commons is typically mentioned when referring to the British Parliament. Only
members of t he House of Commons are referred as "MP." With the majority of
its members being career politicians, attorneys, economists, etc., this House is
the hub of genuine political power and activity.
The majority in the House of Commons is made up of the winning party, which
also forms the government. The official Opposition is made up of the party with
the next-highest number of members in the House, or occasionally a coalition of
other parties, and the Leader of the Opposition is a recognized post in the House
of Commons.
 There are only enough seats for 437 MPs. The Speaker of the House of
Commons, who, despite his title, rarely speaks, is one of the most significant
members of the body. The Speaker serves as the House of Commons' chairman
or presiding member. He is chosen to preside over the House and uphold the
rules of order by a vote of the House at the start of each new Parliament. He is
unable to participate in discussions or elections. He only casts a vote when there
is a tie, or when the votes are equal, and in this instance, he votes in favor of the
government. The main job of the Speaker is to maintain strict control over
debates, to keep fair play between the parties, the Government and opposition,
between back-benchers and front-benchers.
The House of Lords is the upper house that is hereditary and unelected.
There are 26 Lords Spiritual (of whom two are the archbishops of Canterbury
and York, and the remaining senior bishops of the Church of England), 91
hereditary peers, and 568 life peers and peeresses established by the Life
Peerages Act of 1958 as rewards for very excellent service. Their offspring do
not inherit the title. Life peers comprise one-fourth women. More than 703
people, including the Supreme Court of Judicature justices, are so qualified to
serve in the House of Lords (the Court of Appeal and the High Court of Justice).
The Queen belongs to the House of Lords so there is a throne in the Lords'
Chamber from where she makes her State Opening Speech.
The Lord Chancellor's chair, which serves as the chair of the House of
Lords, is also a woolsack. The Lord Chancellor, who preside over the
administration of justice and is a Cabinet member by default, is not impartial,
unlike the Speaker of the House of Commons. Despite being the House's leader,
he has no interest in maintaining order. Any peer has the right to get up from his
seat and move, showing his disagreement with a fellow peer who is speaking.
Nobody raises the alarm. The majority-Tory House of Lords is made up of of
business executives, landlords, bankers, steel and oil barons, newspaper owners,
etc. Its primary duty is to protect the interests of the wealthy, criticize the
Labour Government, and postpone, alter, or completely bury measures that were
against their best interests. It is frequently referred to as "the House of
obstruction" or "a hangover from a former age" due to its entirely conservative
nature. The Lords still enjoy a huge luxury in being able to postpone a bill for a
year. During a year, the political climate may shift in the Conservatives' favor,
propaganda efforts could distract from the unsettling measure, it could be
forgotten about or drastically changed, losing all traces of its original intent.
The British House of Lords has the lowest quorum requirement of any
parliament in the world in order to pass a resolution. A quorum of three Lords
will be present and be able to make any decision. Members of the Commons are
much less free to vote in accordance with their personal convictions than are
members of the Lords. Only approximately 300 people attend on average per
day, and the majority are peers from real life.
In addition to being a body responsible for passing laws, the Parliament
also has judicial duties. The House of Lords currently does the majority of the
judicial work for Parliament on a daily basis. The last Court of Appeal for Great
Britain and Northern Ireland is this House. Appellations may be heard in the
House Chamber or the Appellate Committee. Decisions are always made in the
House itself, typically during a morning session that is specifically scheduled for
this purpose. Hearings on appeals are limited to peers who currently hold or
have held high judicial office, and they are occasionally presided over by the
Lord Chancellor, who is in charge of the English judicial system. The Queen's
name is used to govern, and Her Majesty's government is in charge of managing
the country's affairs. On the Prime Minister's advice, the Queen appoints every
minister. The number of ministers in the Government can range from 80 to 100;
all of them are members of one of the two Houses, with the House of Commons
constituting the majority. Of course, the Prime Minister is not eligible to serve in
the House of Lords. Ministers can be categorized into two categories based on
how they operate:
1) departmental ministers, or ministers "without portfolio," who are in control of
specific government agencies and are also referred to as secretaries of state; and
2) non-departmental [Link] include the holders of traditional offices: the
Lord Privy Seal, the Lord President of the Council, the Chancellor of the Duchy
of Lancaster;
3) ministers of State — usually appointed as subordinate to government
departments where the work is particularly heavy or complex and where it
involves frequent travelling abroad;
4) junior ministers, or Parliamentary Under-secretaries — assistants of
Secretaries of State.
The Cabinet is the key institution and the essence of the British
government. The Prime Minister, who is the leading head and force of the
Cabinet as well as of the entire government, personally selects roughly 20
ministers to make up the Cabinet. Making a cabinet is a crucial component of a
prime minister's duties, and a cabinet continues to be a strong reflection of the
prime minister's character. He can demand the resignation of ministers in
addition to just appointing them. He has the power to remove a minister or
dissolve the entire Cabinet. He is in charge of setting the order of business for
Cabinet meetings. At any time, he has the power to call for a general election by
dissolving the House of Commons. The Cabinet is the most powerful and
strongly rooted organ of government in Britain. The powers of the Cabinet are
immensely large in every sphere of government. The Cabinet of Ministers
introduce legislation, control finance, arrange the time-table of the House of
Parliament, conduct foreign affairs, control the colonies, exercise supervision
over every department of administration.
Even though Britain is a multiparty democracy, there are only two major
parties on the political scene: the one in power and the other in opposition. The
Conservative and Labour Parties are what they are today. Since the 18th century,
when the opposing factions of Parliament created the Conservatives and Whigs,
the two-party system has evolved.
The Conservative party was founded to protect the interests of powerful,
reactionary landowners, cavaliers who sided with King Charles I during his
conflict with Parliament, conservative gentry, and Church of England clergy. As
the word Tories meant "Irish thief," it was an insult with a hint of ethnic hatred.
The Conservative Party is now the party of the Right, associated mostly with the
ideology of opposition to change and the concept of economic freedom. The
Party's objectives are to uphold religion, maintain defense forces sufficient for
the preservation of freedom and the avertance of war, provide freedom and
opportunity by promoting free enterprise and initiative in opposition to the
socialist system of state-trading and nationalization, encourage a greater
diversity of property ownership, raise living standards, encourage better health,
and provide more opportunities for education. The Conservative party has done
a good job of positioning itself as the patriotic party. Wealthier classes support it
because it makes an appeal to a "property-owning democracy," and it receives a
lot of funding from important commercial and financial firms. It gives emphasis
to the importance of law and order, and it is highly disciplined, tending no
dissent from the leadership publicly.
The Labour Party has more open disagreements between the leadership and
other party members and is less orderly but more democratic. Labour is the
social justice party, but it places more of a focus on achieving wellbeing and
opportunity for all members of society than it does on equality. At least in the
realm of economics, it prioritizes societal welfare over individual freedom. It
has historically been dedicated to economic planning and to the nationalization
of important industries. By 1990 and thereafter, its politics had drifted to the
center, making them nearly identical to those of the Liberal Democrats in many
respects. It currently supports diversity, individual initiative, and decentralized
economic organization and has accepted a greater reliance on market forces and
less on centralized control. Yet in contrast to its previous stance, it now
wholeheartedly supports Britain's membership in the European Community as
being necessary for the nation's political and economic future.
By its officially stated ideas and purposes the party has claimed to be
progressive. Its central ideal has been the brotherhood of men. It has rejected
discrimination on grounds of race or color, it has defended the right of all
peoples to freedom, independence and self-government, it has supported the
work for world disarmament, it has affirmed the duty of richer nations to assist
poorer ones, it stood for social justice and the creation of the socialist
community with a classless society and with planned economy. It claims to
obtain and hold power only through free democratic institutions, by reforms.
The beginning of the Liberal Party goes back to the end of the 17th century as it
descended from Whigs, an opposition to the Tory Party in Parliament. Officially
it was formed in 1877. During the second half of the 19th century many working
people looked to the Liberal Party to provide a policy different from that of the
Tory Party and their supporters. So in the middle of the 19th century the
Liberals represented the trading and manufacturing classes, supported by
popular elements, who pressed for social reforms and extension of the
franchise". "Civil and Religious Liberty" was taken as the Party's slogan. For
long periods up to 1914 the Liberals had a parliamentary majority. While in
power they introduced a number of reforms and innovations including free
elementary education.
Following World War I, the Liberal Party was becoming weaker as many
members of the working class and bourgeoisie defected.
The party was never able to recover from the impact of multiple electoral
failures. Its influence in parliament quickly waned, and the Labour Party, which
is now the Tories' main adversary and rival for power, quickly took its place.
The Liberal Party and the newly formed Social Democratic Party joined in 1988
to establish the Liberal Democrats.
In an effort to challenge the dominance of the Conservative and Labour
parties, a new party was founded in 1981. Several Conservatives and members
of the extreme right of the Labour Party defected to the newly formed Social
Democrats. The new party agreed to fight elections in alliance with the small but
long-established Liberals, forming the Alliance.
 After the disastrous 1987 election, the Liberal Party and Social
Democratic Party combined to form the Liberal Democrats in 1988. Its objective
is to win over voters who fall somewhere between Labour and the Conservatives
as well as opposition to both parties and those who are fed up with their
platforms. Yet, as of now, their parliamentary representation is essentially
nonexistent (26% of the vote, but 8% of MPs in the 2001 General Elections). It
advocates for a proportional representation system in parliament because of this.
However the Party does have some influence and has the power to tilt the
balance between the two biggest parties.
The Liberal Democratic Party aims to build a liberal democratic society in
which every citizen shall possess liberty, property and security and none shall be
enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.
Questions for self-check
1. How does the British electoral system operate?
2. List the British country's major political parties.
3. Exactly when was the Labour Party founded? What served as its foundation?
4. How were the Labour Party's founding principles reflected in its policies and
program?
5. How does the Labour Party currently fit into the evolution of British society?
6. What was the foundation of the Conservative Party?
7. Who supports the Conservative Party today and whose interests did it
represent in the past?
8. Throughout the 20th century, how long was it in power?
9. What does "top-down" organization mean?
10. How did the Social and Liberal Democratic party come into existence?
11. How are the Liberal Democrats doing in the current British government?
12. Why are they referred to as a “centre” party?
13. What are the main nationalist parties in Britain today? Whose interests do
they voice?
14. Name major parties of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Literature.
1. David Mc Dowall. An illustrated history of Britain. – Longman, 2006
2. Британия. Учебное пособие по страноведению для студентов ин-тов и
фак. иностр. яз. – Л.: Просвещение, 1977
3. Нестерова Н.М. Страноведение: Великобритания / Н.М. Нестерова.
Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, 2005
4. A. Room. An A to Z of British Life. Oxford University Press, 1992
5. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman, 2000
6. Хьюит К. Понять Британию. – М., Высшая школа, 1994
7. Парахина А.В., Базилевич В.Г. Познакомьтесь – Великобритания и
США. – М.: Высшая школа, 1988.

Theme: 5. Education System in Great Britain

6. General overview of the education system of Great Britain
7. Secondary education
8. Professional education
9. Higher education
The British are persuaded that everything good in our lives can be traced
back to England. Like all English, the UK's educational system is regarded as
the gold standard. At the very least, the educational systems of other nations are
frequently contrasted with those in Britain. It hasn't undergone many significant
alterations since it was formed many centuries ago. Examples of distinguishing
characteristics of British schools include "iron" discipline, traditional teaching
techniques, a well-established educational process, and a flexible curriculum to
prepare pupils for life in the workplace and society.
In the UK, the system of elite education is particularly well-represented.
High-ranking families from all over the world work hard to get their kids
accepted into prestigious British schools or universities because doing so
ensures not only the acquisition of in-depth knowledge but also the acquisition
of secular manners, the British way of acting, and extensive connections in the
business and political worlds.
The British system is very adaptable. You can always find the exact
training course that suits you among the various options, and if you'd like, the
subjects can be modified. Anyone who passes the entrance exams, regardless of
age, nationality, or religion, is eligible to enroll in a UK institution of higher
learning. To do so, you must pass the international English proficiency test,
provide documentation from the institution, and occasionally pass the
institution's own test.
Secondary education
In the UK, there are four stages of education: primary (Elementary
School), secondary (Secondary School), post-secondary (Further Education),
and higher education (Higher Education). Early childhood education is delivered
in kindergarten and preschool settings. Primary education is provided to children
from the ages of five to eleven or twelve. Five-year-olds can enroll in two-year
toddler schools (pre-preparatory school), which are for pupils ages 7 to eleven
(primary, elementary or preparatory school). Kids begin secondary education
between the ages of 11 and 12. There are both public and private schools in the
UK. Every school adheres to the same minimal educational standard. A law
requiring free secondary education for all pupils under 16 was passed. Final
exams are taken by school graduates, who then get a secondary education GCSE
certificate (General Certificate of Secondary Education). This certificate
satisfies the requirements for beginning self-employment but does not grant
admission to higher education facilities.
State schools are free and meant to educate both English-speaking kids
and international kids between the ages of 8 and 18, provided that their parents
have the legal right to live in the UK permanently. Only foreign students
between the ages of 14 and 18 are admitted to international colleges, which are
secondary educational institutions. Both host families and on-campus dorms for
students are available as places to stay. The British high school system is used to
deliver instruction in international colleges. Math, physics, algebra and
geometry, chemistry, biology, geography, human anatomy, sociology, political
science, basic legal concepts, statistics, history, music, fine arts, computers and
programming, English, English literature, basic religious concepts, and one or
more foreign languages are all covered in class (French, German, Spanish, etc.).
In addition to the required courses, each institution also offers electives
including Latin, accounting, business principles, economics, and a few more.
For students interested in attending universities abroad, international
colleges also offer foundational programs. Graduates who complete their studies
successfully enroll in universities with whom there is a recognition agreement
for the standing of these courses. For foreign nationals who want to pursue
higher education in the UK, this is a very convenient opportunity.
The main prerequisite for enrollment in a British university is a certificate
of proficiency in the English language internationally. A year of study in the
preparatory courses is a helpful practice period and preparation for university-
level independent English study. Also, it offers the option to prepare for and
pass the required language exam.
For most English-speaking youngsters (85%), private schools (also known
as independent schools) are a more prestigious type of education. No more than
15% of the pupils should come from other countries. Between the ages of eight
and eighteen are served by these schools. Excellent private schools are
independent, well-equipped educational establishments with a land holding area
of several hundred hectares, on which there are instructional structures, athletic
facilities, a swimming pool, and residential dwellings. The majority of
accommodations are in residences, however some schools also provide housing
with local families.
Boarding schools, both public and private, typically have a solid
reputation, a rich past, and traditions.
Professional education
There are Tertiary Colleges in Britain in addition to schools that provide
professional (Vocational) education as an alternative to A Level courses. While
A Level programs prepare students for university entrance, professional
education gained at tertiary colleges incorporates professional activity after
graduation.
Education curricula are always evolving. The credentials granted at the
conclusion of these programs are likewise evolving. The most typical
professional credentials are listed below.
NVQ(National Vocational Qualification (National Vocational
Qualification). For practical work, this qualification is required. It verifies a
graduate's aptitude for carrying out a certain task in a specific field of business
or production. The NVQ standards are based on the actual needs and
requirements of employers. It is currently possible to earn an NVQ qualification
in the majority of manufacturing and commerce. Foundation Skills (NVQ 1)
through Professional are the first five levels of the NVQ (NVQ 5). The ability to
carry out work in accordance with specified standards must be demonstrated in
practice in order to qualify. The training takes place right there at the job. The
training course is divided into discrete parts that can be mastered separately. The
program does not have to be finished within a predetermined amount of time.
GNVQ (General National Vocational Qualification) (General National
Vocational Qualification). It is suitable for students who enjoy practical tasks,
unlike A Levels. The GNVQ is a multi-level qualification, similar to the NVQ,
that offers a foundation of knowledge in the selected field that the student can
use to continue their studies in colleges of further education, university
admission (GNVQ). Around two years of study are needed to pass the Advanced
level.
ND (National Diploma). The GNVQ Advanced qualification is
comparable to this qualification. You can complete a further education program
at a college of further education that culminates in tests and the award of the
highest national diploma (Higher National Diploma, commonly abbreviated -
HND). After two years of study in practically any academic or professional
discipline, an HND is possible.
The three principal examination committees whose certificates are most
highly valued and accepted in the field of vocational education are the CGLI
(City & Guilds of London Institute), RSA (Royal Society of Arts), and BTEC
(Business and Technical Education Council) diplomas. Many colleges allow the
awarding of degrees on behalf of one of these examination boards. Some
colleges either create their own degrees and certifications or obtain them from
other examining bodies. The HND diploma is very important for those who will
immediately enter the workforce after receiving a bachelor's degree. This
diploma, from the perspective of a professional job, enables you to advance
within the medium technical or junior management of a company, enterprise,
institution.
The HND diploma enables you to enter one of the bachelor's degree-
granting programs and finish in in two years.
Vocational education that does not result in a degree or its equivalent is
included in the UK definition of "Further Education." In the UK, "higher
education" (Higher Education) is defined as courses or programs that lead to the
award of a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree (Doctoral or PhD Degree).
Higher education
 A bachelor's degree involves three years of study in England and Wales
and four years in Scotland. The total time will be increased if earning a degree
necessitates not only academic study but also practical experience (Sandwich
courses). Students who want to major in a particular field, like art or design,
may need to take a foundational course first and then devote three years to it,
according to several institutions and schools.
In disciplines including medicine, dentistry, and architecture, bachelor's
degree programs typically run seven years..
Bachelor degree. The bachelor's degree conferred in the UK can be
obtained in a number of ways. Their name varies depending on the specialty.
The four primary degrees are a bachelor's in arts (BA), a bachelor's in science
(BSC), a bachelor's in engineering (BENG), and a bachelor's in law (LLB)
(Bachelor of Law). A Bachelor of Medicine and Dentistry is also offered. After
three or four years of full-time, intensive study at a university or college, the
bachelor's degree is granted. The international recognition of the British
bachelor's degree increases the likelihood of a successful professional career in
any nation. The initial stage of higher education is the bachelor's degree. The
Master's Degree is the next step.
Postgraduate Courses. A bachelor's degree is the first step in this level
of study, which leads to master's and doctoral degrees.
Master's Degree. Programs can be divided into two categories: those
centered on research activities and those centered on professional advancement
within a particular expertise. Typically, master's programs include a series of
lectures and seminars, followed by tests and a graduating project. A master's
degree is given based on the outcomes of exams and the defense of a thesis. The
Master of Philosophy ([Link].) is the name of the master's research degree
(Master of Philosophy). After 1-2 years of autonomous scientific work under the
supervision of a supervisor, this degree is earned. A master's degree is granted in
response to the findings of this work.
 Doctoral degree (Doctor of Philosophy - Doctoral or PhD Degree). The
majority of PhD programs in the UK are solely research endeavors. There are
typically no lectures or training seminars. The supervisor decides the student's
area of scientific research and offers the opportunities required for research at
the department or laboratory where the student is pursuing a doctorate
(workplace, equipment and materials). A research program is completed in two
to three years. The student must provide official reports, articles in specialized
publications, and a dissertation based on published materials by the end of this
time period. After a dissertation is successfully defended, a doctorate is granted.
Questions.
1. How many years do students study for doctoral degree?
2. What categories are there in the Master`s program?
3. Typically how many years do Bachelor`s degree last?

Literature.
1. David Mc Dowall. An illustrated history of Britain. – Longman, 2006
2. Британия. Учебное пособие по страноведению для студентов ин-тов и
фак. иностр. яз. – Л.: Просвещение, 1977
3. Нестерова Н.М. Страноведение: Великобритания / Н.М. Нестерова.
Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, 2005
4. A. Room. An A to Z of British Life. Oxford University Press, 1992
5. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman, 2000
6. Хьюит К. Понять Британию. – М., Высшая школа, 1994
7. Парахина А.В., Базилевич В.Г. Познакомьтесь – Великобритания и
США. – М.: Высшая школа, 1988
Theme: 6. British Customs and traditions. Mass Media. Economy. Sport in
the UK
1. National days
2. Mass Media
3. Economy
4. Sport in the UK
In the United Kingdom, there are eight days off from work called public
holidays each year. The following holidays fall under this category: Christmas
Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day,
Spring Bank Holiday, and Late Summer Bank Holiday. Despite the fact that the
most of these holidays have religious roots, it is correct to claim that for the vast
majority of people, they no longer have any religious importance and are now
merely occasions for celebration, rest, and relaxation. All of the public holidays
—aside from Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which are marked on December
25 and 26, respectively—are moveable, meaning they don't always fall on the
same day. Easter Sunday, which occurs on the first Sunday following a full
moon on or after March 21st, determines Good Friday and Easter Monday. May
1st is recognized as May Day. The last Monday in May is the Spring Bank
Holiday, and the final Monday in August is the Late Summer Bank Holiday.
Besides public holidays, there are other festivals, anniversaries and
celebration days on which certain traditions are observed, but unless they fall on
a Sunday, they are ordinary working days. They are: St. Valentine's Day,
Pancake Day, April Fool's Day, Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes' Night),
Remembrance (or Poppy) Day, Halloween and many others including Royal
Ascot — the biggest horse race in Britain, the Proms — a series of classical
music concerts, the London Marathon, Harvest Festival, Dog Shows and so on.
The national capital, London, is known for its pageants and festivities,
which are highly beloved by the British people. Many of them are
internationally renowned and draw large numbers of visitors from all over the
world. These include yearly celebrations and daily rituals. The most well-known
daily events are the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace at 11.30 a.m.,
Ceremony of the Keys in the Tower at 10 p.m., and Mounting the Guard at
Horse Guards Square. The illustrious spectacle of Trooping the Color, which
commemorates the official birthday of the Queen and is held on the second
Saturday in June, is among the oldest and most cherished of those events that
take place every year. The Lord Mayor's Show, held on the second Saturday in
November, is when the newly elected Lord Mayor is driven in the stunning
guilded coach drawn by 6 white horses to the Royal Court of Justice where he
takes his oath of office and becomes second in importance in the City only to the
Soverei. These events commemorate the Queen's accession on February 6 and
her birthday on April 21. They also mark the start of the legal year (Queen).
Christmas
From decorating Christmas trees and hanging up stockings to pulling
crackers and eating mince pies, us Britons celebrate the festive season with a
range of rituals and traditions, yet we seldom stop to ask why. Discussion of the
origins of such holiday customs tend to stall with: “Wasn’t it all invented by the
Victorians? Or the Germans? Or was it Coca-Cola?” In fact, many date back to
ancient times and have been influenced along the way by religion, pop culture
and the commercialisation of Christmas. Here is everything you need to know
about Christmas traditions, including the history behind the festive practices and
the story of the beloved Santa Claus.
You might have trouble getting a seat if you try to board a train on
December 24. On this day, December 25, many people will be returning home to
spend Christmas Day with their family. For the majority of British families, this
will be the most significant winter holiday. Several churches have carol services
with specific hymns on the Sunday before Christmas.
On occasion, carolers can be heard singing on the streets as they solicit
donations for charitable causes. They are reminded of the Christmas Carol story
by Charles Dickens.
Most families use holly or brilliantly colored paper to decorate their
homes, and they frequently place a Christmas tree in the front room's corner that
is glistening with ornaments and lights. The story of Father Christmas starts with
Saint Nicholas, a bishop who lived in Myra, Asia Minor (what is now known as
Turkey) in the fourth century. He had a reputation for giving to the poor and
being kind to children.
Legend has it that Saint Nicholas dropped a bag of gold down the
chimney of a poor man who could not afford his daughter’s dowry. The bag fell
into a stocking that had been left by the fire to dry. He also dropped a bag of
gold for the second daughter. The father tried to find out who this mystery
benefactor was, and when he did, Saint Nicholas begged him not to reveal his
identity. Word soon got out, and when anyone received a secret gift, it was
always thought to be Saint Nicholas.

Hogmanay and First Footing

People lock hands in a big circle and sing "Auld Lang Syne" at the stroke
of midnight on December 31 to mark the beginning of the New Year "The
phrase "for auld lang syne" (which translates to "in recollection of former
times") was coined by Robert Burns, Scotland's most renowned poet. He used
the Scotch dialect of English to write a lot of his poems.
In Scotland, New Year's Eve is a bigger holiday than it is in England, and
it even has a unique name. The origin of the phrase Hogmanay is unclear
"arrives from, but it has to do with making sure that everyone who comes to
your house on December 31 has food and drink. On New Year's Day, it was
thought that the first visitor to one's home could either bring good or ill luck.
Many so tried to make arrangements for the chosen individual to be waiting
outside their homes to be let in as soon as midnight arrived. Typically, a guy
with a dark complexion was picked; a woman was never considered since she
would be unlucky. A lump of coal for warmth, some bread for food, and a silver
coin for riches were needed items for the first footer to take. These lovely
practices are still practiced in some areas of northern England.
Mass Media
There are no official government newspapers in the UK. The majority of
English newspapers are quite proud of their distinctive styles, and the
government does not formally oversee the newspaper sector. The British
population reads newspapers more than any other nation in the globe. This
explains why there are so many distinct editions available. The majority of
newspapers are split into two categories.

On the one side, there are "quality" newspapers that publish insightful
pieces on important subjects like politics, business, and the economics.
The Times, The Guardian, The Financial Times, and The Independent are
a few of the "excellent" publications. Despite their little circulation, they have a
solid reputation.
On the other hand, there are "tabloids," or "popular" publications, which
are seen as amusing rather than educational. Consumers purchase these
publications in order to stay up to date on gossip, celebrity scandals, and
sporting events.
Compared to "quality" newspapers, their circulation is far greater. In order
to report sensational news, they often are smaller and employ large lettering for
the headlines. The word "Daily" appears in the name of the newspaper of this
type. There are usually a lot of photographs, crosswords, sketches and com
mixes in these papers. Among them the most popular are Daily Express, The
Sun, Daily Mail, Private Eye, Daily Mirror, Daily Star and others.

In addition to daily newspapers, there are also Sunday publications. They

could be either the daily newspaper' supplements or separate Sunday
publications, which are usually larger and contain numerous separate pieces on
various topics. These can be referred to as family papers because there is
something for every member of the family to read, including love stories,
mystery stories, historical information, sports, art, and much more. The word
"Sunday" appears in the titles of these publications.
Quality newspapers are national, daily publications with a serious tone
that primarily appeal to the upper and middle classes. They are typically
distributed as broadsheets. "Financial Times," "The Times," "The Guardian,"
and "The Daily Telegraph" are among them. Reports on local, national, and
international news are available in "The Daily Telegraph," along with
comprehensive coverage of sports and other subjects. Due to its thorough
coverage of business, government, and public affairs, "Financial Times" is read
primarily by professionals and business people. The news is extensively covered
by "The Guardian," including pieces on social issues, the arts, education, etc.
The Times is the most well-known publication. It is renowned for its mail
column and represents the institutional viewpoints.

Also, there are several magazines of all kinds. In the UK, every
newspaper and magazine is owned privately. The offices of numerous
newspapers have migrated out of London due to the costly rent, which has
diminished the prominence of Fleet Street in London, which was once
recognized as the home of many publications. Mass market tabloids, often
known as red-tops, middle-market tabloids, and quality broadsheets are the three
main, albeit historical, categories into which UK newspapers fall.
Quality broadsheet "The Independent" started publishing a tabloid-sized
compact version in addition to its usual broadsheet-sized daily in October 2003.
This had a remarkable impact on circulation; sales increased by 20% year over
year. "The Times" then launched its own tiny edition in response. Both
newspapers are now exclusively available in compact form.
 The "Guardian," which opposed the initial transition to compact, is rumored to be
converting to the "Berliner," a mid-size format that falls between tabloid and broadsheet.
Although their introduction has been delayed due to ownership changes, "The Daily
Telegraph" may also utilize this format in the future.

1. 2. Television
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Independent Broadcasting
Authority are in charge of overseeing broadcasting in the United Kingdom
(IBA). The IBA is in charge of overseeing local independent TV networks and
those they have acquired from other regions.
UK-based media outlets and broadcasters Two public broadcasters, the
BBC and Channel 4, as well as two private broadcasters, ITV and Five, make up
analogue terrestrial television in the United Kingdom. BBC One, BBC Two,
ITV, Channel 4, and Five are the top five free-to-air analog channels. The
transition from analog terrestrial transmissions to digital terrestrial, cable, and
satellite television is now taking place. The Independent Broadcasting Authority
(IBA) and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) are in charge of overseeing
broadcasting in the United Kingdom (IBA). Local independent TV businesses in
each region, as well as those they have acquired from other regions, are under
the supervision of the IBA.
BBC, ITV, and other UK media outlets The BBC and Channel 4 are two
of the public broadcasting organizations that make up analogue terrestrial
television in the UK. ITV and Five are two of the commercial broadcasting
organizations. ITV, Channel 4, BBC One, BBC Two, and Five are the five main
free-to-air analog channels. In favor of digital terrestrial, cable, and satellite
television, analog terrestrial transmissions are currently being turned off.
Economy of UK
The UK's economy has not changed as much as the population structure
or the ethnic composition since 2001:

Between 2001 and 2015 there has been a decline in primary and
manufacturing industries and an increase in services.
Decline in primary and secondary industries
This decline is also known as deindustrialisation, and has been happening
since the 1980s. One reason for this deindustrialisation is the increase in food
imports, mechanisation of farming and the consequent decline in agricultural
activity in the UK. In addition, raw materials such as coal are in abundance and
are more affordable overseas, and are therefore imported, reducing these
primary industries in the UK. The increase in competition from emerging and
developing countries (EDCs) (particularly China) and cheaper transportation
costs has caused manufacturing, such as textiles to be outsourced. This has
caused secondary industries in the UK to close.
Growth in services
There has been a rise in the importance of the service industries -
particularly the quaternary sector, also known as knowledge-based industries
(KBI). This is as a result of the growth of financial services based in London as
well as the development of new KBI jobs such as web design.
The north-south divide in the UK
It has long been recognised that there is a north/south divide in the UK.
Although there have been attempts to attract investment into the north,
many businesses are choosing to set up in the south. This creates a large wealth
divide and those living in the north of the country experience significantly
different social and economic conditions from those living in the south.
Strategies to resolve regional differences
Resolving regional differences is a difficult task. The government have
agreed devolution measures, which gives additional power and money to
councils in the north. An example is the NTCA (North of Tyne Combined
Authority.) The NTCA was established in North East England in 2018. It allows
the area to make some of their own decisions about how to spend money. The
government have agreed a devolution deal, where an investment fund worth
£600m has been promised to the NTCA over the next 30 years.

MediaCity UK, Salford

 Some people believe that professional jobs need to be created in the north.
The popularity of universities such as Manchester and Leeds has encouraged
professionals to settle in the north. The relocation of some businesses and
organisations can also help. For example, the BBC built MediaCityUK in
Manchester and moved many of its offices there in 2011. A recent report has
suggested that MediaCityUK has helped Salford to become a “creative and
digital cluster”. It also found that employment in Salford grew by 142% between
2010 and 2019. Since 2011, the multiplier effect has led to other companies
locating close by, eg the Holiday Inn.
Sport in UK
Sports of all kinds play an important part in many people's lives. There are
several sports that are particularly popular in the UK. Many sporting events take
place at major stadiums such as Wembley Stadium in London and the
Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Local governments and private companies provide sports facilities such as
swimming pools, tennis courts, football pitches, dry ski slopes and gymnasiums.
Many famous sports, including cricket, football, lawn tennis, golf and rugby,
began in Britain.
The UK has hosted the Olympic games on three occasions: 1908, 1948
and 2012. The main Olympic site for the 2012 Games was in Stratford, East
London. The British team was very successful, across a wide range of Olympic
sports, finishing third in the medal table.
The Paralympic Games for 2012 were also hosted in London. The
Paralympics have their origin in the work of Dr Sir Ludwig Guttman, a German
refugee, at the Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire. Dr Guttman
developed new methods of treatment for people with spinal injuries and
encouraged patients to take part in exercise and sport.
Cricket
Cricket originated in England and is now played in many countries.
Games can last up to five days but still result in a draw. The idiosyncratic nature
of the game and its complex laws are said to reflect the best of the British
character and sense of fair play. You may come across expressions such as 'rain
stopped play', 'batting on a sticky wicket', 'playing a straight bat', 'bowled a
googly' or 'it's just not cricket', which have passed into everyday usage. The
most famous competition is the Ashes, which is a series of Test matches played
between England and Australia.
Football
Football is the UK's most popular sport. It has a long history in the UK
and the first professional football clubs were formed in the late 19th century.
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have separate leagues in
which clubs representing different towns and cities compete. The English
Premier League attracts a huge international audience. Many of the best players
in the world play in the Premier League. Many UK teams also compete in
competitions such as the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)
Champions League, against other teams from Europe. Most towns and cities
have a professional club and people take great pride in supporting their home
team. There can be great rivalry between different football clubs and among
fans.
Horse Racing
There is a very long history of horse racing in Britain, with evidence of
events taking place as far back as Roman times. The sport has a long association
with royalty. There are racecourses all over the UK. Famous horse racing events
include: Royal Ascot, a five day race meeting in Berkshire attended by members
of the Royal Family; the Grand National at Aintree near Liverpool; and the
Scottish Grand National at Ayr. There is a National Horseracing Museum in
Newmarket, Suffolk.
Golf
The modern game of golf can be traced back to 15th century Scotland. It
is a popular sport played socially as well as professionally. There are public and
private golf courses all over the UK. St Andrews in Scotland is known as the
home of golf. The Open Championship is the only 'Major' tournament held
outside the United States. It is hosted by a different golf course every year.
Water Sports
Sailing continues to be popular in the UK, reflecting our maritime
heritage, A British sailor, Sir Francis Chichester, was the first person to sail
single-handed around the world passing the Cape of Good Hope (Africa) and
Cape Horn (South America), in 1966/67. Two years later, Sir Robin Knox-
Johnston became the first person to do this without stopping. Many sailing
events are held throughout the UK, the most famous of which is at Cowes on the
Isle of Wight. Rowing is also popular, both as a leisure activity and as a
competitive sport. There is a popular yearly race on the Thames between Oxford
and Cambridge Universities.
Motor Sports
There is a long history of motor sport in the UK, for both cars and motor
cycles. Motor car racing in the UK started in 1902. The UK continues to be a
world leader in the development and manufacture of motor-sport technology. A
Formula 1 Grand Prix event is held in the UK each year and a number of British
Grand Prix drivers have won the Formula 1 World Championship. Recent
British winners include Damon Hill, Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button.
Questions for self-check
[Link] many kinds of newspapers there are in the UK?
[Link] British people categorize newspapers?
[Link] magazine is tend to be the best-selling in UK?
[Link] organizations are responsible for the broadcasting system in UK?
[Link] is analogue terrestrial television?
[Link] there any difference in programming between London and other sides
of England?
[Link] many analogue channels there are in UK?
[Link] are the most popular kinds of sport in UK?
[Link] many days can last Cricket up to the end of the game?
 [Link] many national teams in football there are in UK?
[Link] is the most oldest sport in UK?
Literature.
1. David Mc Dowall. An illustrated history of Britain. – Longman, 2006
2. Британия. Учебное пособие по страноведению для студентов ин-тов и
фак. иностр. яз. – Л.: Просвещение, 1977
3. Нестерова Н.М. Страноведение: Великобритания / Н.М. Нестерова.
Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, 2005
4. A. Room. An A to Z of British Life. Oxford University Press, 1992
5. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman, 2000
6. Хьюит К. Понять Британию. – М., Высшая школа, 1994
7. Парахина А.В., Базилевич В.Г. Познакомьтесь – Великобритания и
США. – М.: Высшая школа, 1988.

Theme: 7. United States of America. General Information

1. Geographical position of the USA.
2. Population and density
Area - 9519.4 thousand km2.
Population (2018) - 328 million.
The capital - Washington.
The United States of America is the third most populous country in the world
and ranks fourth in terms of area. The United States is also one of the most
powerful nations in the modern world in terms of its economy, politics, and
science and technology. The United States of America's territory is divided into
three sections: the continental states in the center of North America, Alaska in
the northwest, and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
The Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans are all accessible to the United States.
On land, it has only two borders: Canada and Mexico. The longest border in the
world is that which separates the United States from Canada. The USA shares a
border with Russia through the Bering Strait.
The president is the head of state and government in the United States.
The 50 states that make up the United States of America are united under
a federal structure with the district of Columbia acting as its capital. There are
48 states in the continental states plus the District of Columbia, with Alaska
being the 49th state and Hawaii being the 50th state (Washington).
Resources and environmental conditions.
The USA's vast geography results in a wide range of natural conditions.
Most of the continental states' eastern and central regions are made up of plains,
and their western region is traversed by various branches of the Cordillera
mountains. The topography of the states of Alaska and Hawaii is also mainly
mountainous. Denali (formerly McKinley) is located in the territory of Alaska,
the highest point of the North American continent - 6194 meters high.

The lowest point of the continent - Death Valley (-86 m) is also located in
California, USA. The USA has large reserves of coal, oil, natural gas, iron, ores
of various non-ferrous metals, and mineral salts. Especially the western
mountainous regions of the country are rich in mineral resources. But due to the
large volume of industrial production in the USA, the country imports many
types of mineral raw materials.

The territory of the continental states is mostly temperate and subtropical,

most of Alaska is subarctic and arctic, and the Florida peninsula and the
Hawaiian Islands are in the tropical climate region. Tropical storms (tornadoes)
often occur in areas adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. The USA is rich in water
and hydropower resources. The largest rivers of the country are Mississippi,
Missouri, Rio Grande, Colorado, Columbia.
 The indigenous people of the United States are the American Indians. But
at present, Hindus make up a very small part of the country's population. The
majority of Americans are descendants of those who immigrated from European
countries at different times. At the same time, the share of immigrants from
Latin American countries (especially Mexico), blacks, mulattoes and other racial
groups in the population of the United States is much higher and is increasing.
In the USA, since 1790, censuses have been conducted regularly every 10
years. From 1790 to 2010, the population of the United States increased almost
80-fold and continues to grow. At the current stage, the natural increase of the
population of the United States is 0.3-0.4% annually, which is much lower than
the world average (1.2%), but the average of developed countries (0 .0%) is
relatively high.
Migration growth is equal to 1-1.5% annually. In the USA, the share of
urban residents is higher than 80%. The largest cities are New York, Los
Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia. 3 megapolises were formed in the
USA: "Boston-Washington" (Boswash) in the northeast, "Chicago-itsburg"
(Chipits) along the Great Lakes and "San Francisco-San Diego" along the
Pacific Ocean ( Sansan).
The official language of the USA is English. Also, 50million of its
population. Almost every person speaks Spanish in everyday life. The share of
Spanish-speaking Americans is especially high (20-45%) in the states of New
Mexico, California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, which are located near the
Mexican border. The average population density in the USA is 35 people per 1
km2, but it varies greatly in different parts of it. This is mainly influenced by
natural conditions. The Northeastern, Southeastern, and Western oceanic states
have the highest population density, while mountain states, especially Alaska,
are sparsely populated.
 Interesting facts
“We trust in God” was adopted as the nation's official slogan in 1956. All
American banknotes today bear this design, which most likely developed during
the American Civil War.
The Statue of Liberty's crown has seven rays, which stand for the seven
continents. They each measure 2.75 m in length and weigh 68.5 kg.
You are wealthier than 25% of Americans if you have $10 in your pocket
and no debt. Almost $21 trillion of US debt is held abroad, and that burden is
only increasing. In the US, almost 40% of babies are born outside of marriage.
Interestingly, every 8th couple met on the Internet.
Statistics show that even though 74% of Americans believe in God, 42%
of them also believe in ghosts, 26% in witches, and 24% in reincarnation. In
addition, with around 30% of all scientific articles published worldwide, the
United States leads the globe in terms of production.
The USA has a special four corners monument (Four Corners Monument).
Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado intersect here for the first time,
making it unique among American states. The original marker was erected as a
concrete platform in 1912, then a bronze disk in 1931, and finally a
contemporary four-cornered monument in 1992.
 The official state language of the USA is not English. It has been
suggested multiple times to give English, which is spoken by 80% of
Americans, official status. But a federal level decision of this nature has never
been taken.
Interracial unions were outlawed in the United States from 1776 through
1967.
Questions
3. When was Four-corner monument built in USA?
4. Who were indigenous people of the United States?
5. Where is the lowest point of the continent in the USA?
6. What does the climate of USA like?
7. What are the largest rivers in the USA?
Literature.
1. David Mc Dowall. An illustrated history of Britain. – Longman, 2006
2. Британия. Учебное пособие по страноведению для студентов ин-тов и
фак. иностр. яз. – Л.: Просвещение, 1977
3. Нестерова Н.М. Страноведение: Великобритания / Н.М. Нестерова.
Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, 2005
4. A. Room. An A to Z of British Life. Oxford University Press, 1992
5. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman, 2000
6. Хьюит К. Понять Британию. – М., Высшая школа, 1994
7. Парахина А.В., Базилевич В.Г. Познакомьтесь – Великобритания и
США. – М.: Высшая школа, 1988.

THEME: 8. History of the USA

1. America before colonial times
2. European Discovery
 3. The Colonial Heritage
4. The Movement for Independence
5. The Civil War and Reconstruction
6. A New Place in the World.
7. The United States in World War II
The history of the United States is the story of a great nation that was
carved out of a wilderness by a brave and freedom-loving people. The men and
women who built the United States came from almost every part of the world,
They represented many different nationalities and religions.
Through the years, the people and their descendants learned to live and
work together, and to take pride in being Americans. This spirit of cooperation
and pride helped make the United States the huge, powerful, and wealthy nation
it is today. It also helped the country and its people survive many challenges and
hardships - including dangers in the wilderness, wars, social turmoil, and
economic depressions.
For thousands of years, Indians were the only inhabitants of the Western
Hemisphere. Most scientists believe they wandered into North America from
Asia about 15,000 years ago. They spread across the hemisphere to the tip of
South America. Probably about 6,000 years ago, Eskimos - another Asian
people - moved to the Western Hemisphere. They soon spread eastward across
the Arctic part of North America. They remained only in the far north, near the
Arctic Circle.
The main historic events of the USA. The Vikings visited the continent of
North America almost a thousand years ago, but they were seamen and fighters
and they did not try to settle on the land or make its discovery known. It was not
really discovered until Christopher Columbus, exploring for the King and Queen
of Spain, arrived in 1492. He didn't know that the big continents of North and
South America blocked the way. He was sure that because the Earth was round,
he could reach India, China and Japan by sailing west. He died believing that he
had found the Far East, and never understood that he had discovered new
continents.

After Columbus, there were many trips of exploration by the Spanish, the
Dutch, the French and the English, but the first permanent English colony was
not started until 1607. This was in Virginia, where the settlers found out from
the Indians how to grow tobacco. Tobacco was very popular in Europe and
Virginia became a rich colony. Farther north, in New England, the land was
being settled by people who left their homes in England, and England had
several growing colonies along the Atlantic coast. Most of the settlers were
English and they brought the English language, culture and customs to the new
land.
The Movement for Independence
The colonists bitterly opposed the new British policies. They claimed that
the British government had no right to restrict their settlement or deny their
freedom in any other way. They also strongly opposed British taxes. The
colonists were not represented in Parliament. Therefore, they argued, Britain had
no right to tax them.

The Declaration of Independence

Thirteen colonies sent delegates to the Philadelphia Continental Congress
in 1774. The Declaration of Independence, which the delegates signed on July 4,
1776, announced the founding of the United States of America. Since that time,
Americans have observed July 4 as an official national holiday known as
Independence Day.
The Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of
Independence on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.
Written by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, the declaration was a sweeping
indictment of the king, Parliament, and the British people. It also set forth
certain self-evident truths that were basic to the revolutionary cause. It said that
all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with rights to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To protect those rights, men organized
governments, and the governments derived their powers from the consent of the
governed. But when a government ceased to preserve the rights, it was the duty
of the people to change the government, or abolish it and form a new one.
The war of Independence or the American Bourgeois Revolution (1775-
1783). The rapid development of the British colonies in America in the 18th
century gave rise to the so-called "American problem". The French and Indian
War was over in 1763. The American colonies helped England in this war. The
northern country of Canada now belonged to England and the French were
driven out of the fertile western river valleys. George III, King of England,
wanted to draw the American colonies closer to the mother country. New laws
were passed and the colonists had to pay new high taxes to support England.
These post-war decisions stimulated an evergrowing movement of protest which
exploded into the War of Independence.

The Continental Congress authorized an American army appointing

George Washington its commander. But Britain didn't agree with the
Declaration until 1783, when the American colonists won in the War of
Independence. So after the years of bitter fighting the United States at last were
recognized as a new independent country. George Washington had led the army
in its successful fight. He was elected the new country's first president.
Forming a New Nation
The initial 13 states of the United States were composed of the original 13
colonies. America's territory west of the Appalachians was eventually split up
into territories. The United States Constitution was drafted by American
statesmen in 1787. The Constitution established the nation's fundamental laws
and united it into a strong political entity. Some of the most illustrious and
significant personalities in American history were among the ones who penned
[Link] included Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Alexander Hamilton of
New York, and George Washington and James Madison of Virginia.
Establishing a Government
As soon as the Americans proclaimed their independence, they started
establishing a new form of government. Before the Revolutionary War was
over, each of the newly formed states had its own constitution. People were
granted various liberties by the state constitutions, most frequently including
freedom of speech, religion, and the press. The Articles of Confederation, a set
of laws, were used by the states to create the federal government in 1781.
Expansion
During the early 1800s, settlers by the thousands moved westward over
the Appalachian Mountains into the new states and territories. Many of these
pioneers even settled beyond the country's western boundary. They flocked into
Texas, California, and other western lands belonging to Mexico. Americans also
settled in the Oregon Country, a large territory between California and Alaska
claimed by both Britain and the United States. During the mid-1800's, the
United States gained control of the Mexican lands and the southern part of the
Oregon Country, and the nation extended from coast to coast. The pioneers were
brave, hardy people who went west in search of a better life. They were attracted
by the West's open land, good farmland, and rich mineral and forest resources.
Through hard work, they settled the
Western wilderness - as earlier Americans had done in the East. The
pioneers included Easterners from both the North and South. Many other
pioneers came from Europe. Some people went west in search of religious
freedom. The best known of these were the Mormons, who settled in Utah in
1847
The Civil War (1861-1865).
The American Revolution opened a new stage in the transformation from
feudalism to capitalism, but it failed to abolish slavery. The struggle of the
American colonies for political and economic freedom from Great Britain
activated the anti-slavery movement. Slavery as a source of cheap labour was
instituted in America as early as the 1660s. Many poor people came to America
to escape political oppression and economic exploitation. They had to work on a
master's land for some years as payment for their transportation from Europe.
But it was impossible to enslave the entire working population and therefore the
enslavement of black Africans became a source of cheap labour available.
Negroes brought by force from their African homeland to America were turned
to slaves. Almost all of them were in the South where southern planters made
them plant and pick the great cotton crops. Cruelty was an integral part of the
slave system. Slave revolts were frequent.
Slavery became a shame to the American nation. Many people in the
North opposed slavery and took part in anti-slavery actions. The problem was
not solved even in Congress. The southern states left the Union and the Civil
War between the North and the South broke out.
 The Civil War greatly affected the course of American history. President
Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which committed the nation to
stamp out slavery in the southern states. The American slavery was crushed, the
nation was unified. But the fight for Negro rights has not been yet ended.
Reconstruction
Toward the end of the Civil War, the North set out to establish terms
hinder which Confederate States would be readmitted to the Union. The process,
through which the South returned, as well as the period allowing the war, is
called Reconstruction.

Northerners divided into two groups over Reconstruction policy, One

group, called the moderates, wanted to end the bitterness between the North and
South and favored avoiding harsh treatment of the rebels. Members of the other
group, the radicals, believed tin; South should be punished. They also wanted a
policy that would ensure that blacks received better treatment in the South than
they had before the war.
Industrialization and Reform
The industrial growth that began in the United States in the early 1800s
continued steadily up to and through the Civil War. Still, by the end of he war,
the typical American industry was small. Hand labor remained videspread,
limiting the production capacity of industry. Most businesses served a small
market and lacked the capital needed for business expansion.

The Great Depression did not just affect Americans. Almost every other
nation in the globe was affected. The difficult times in certain nations aided in
the election of dictators who pledged to revive the economy. Adolph Hitler ruled
Germany as one of the dictators, and a collection of military officials ruled
Japan. After gaining control, both Hitler and the Japanese emperors started
annexing neighboring countries. They caused World War II, the worst conflict
in human history, as a result of their acts. From 1941 through 1945, the US
participated in the war as a combatant and was crucial to its victory.

Japan and Germany. The United States experienced a huge sense of relief
and satisfaction after winning World War Two. The economy flourished after
World War II. A big, prosperous middle class was formed as more individuals
than ever before shared in the prosperity.
Yet, issues persisted for Americans. The expanding Communist danger,
the new nuclear threat, and the resentment of Americans who did not benefit
from the affluence were the three main ones.
The United States in World War II
 The German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, marked the start of
World War Two. The Allies, which included France, Great Britain, and other
countries, declared war on Germany. America initially stayed out of the conflict.
Yet on December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft attacked the US military installation
in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On December 8, the United States declared war on
Japan. Three days later, it did the same for Germany and Italy, which was
Germany's main ally.
The War Effort
The American people gave the war effort their unwavering support. In the
armed forces, about 15 million American males participated. They included
individuals far over 40 and men in their teens. Over 338,000 women served in
the military. At home, companies that made cars and other goods were
transformed into defense facilities that produced aircraft, ships, guns, and other
supplies for fighting. Due to a lack of civilian men in the country, hundreds of
women worked in the defense industries. They jokingly and admiringly referred
to the female defense workers as "Rosie the Riveter." Even young people
participated in the fighting effort. Used tires, empty tin cans, and other items
that could be repurposed and utilized to make supplies for the fight were
gathered by boys and girls.

The Japanese bombed U.S. naval bases in a surprise attack on Pearl

Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The next day, President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, as commander in chief of the military, obtained an official
declaration of war from Congress. Japan’s partners in the Axis, Italy and
Germany, then declared war on the United States. The Allies fought against the
German Nazis, the Italian Fascists, and Japan’s military empire. This was truly a
world war, with battles fought in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Ocean.
Questions
[Link] did the history of the USA begin?
[Link] are Paleoamericans?
3. When did settlers by the thousands move westward over the
Appalachian Mountains into the new states and territories?
[Link] are the results of the first English settlement of 1607?
[Link] did George Washington contribute to the American Revolution
and what kind of strategy did he lead?
6. In early years of Republic (19th century), there were Jeffersonian
Republican era, era of Good feelings and Reconstruction era. What can you say
about each of these periods?
7. When did Japanese bombe U.S. naval bases in a surprise attack on
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii?
Literature.
1. Нестерчук Г.В., Иванова В.М. США и американцы.- Минск,
Вышэйшая школа, 2004
2. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman,
2000
3. Токарева Н.Д. Страницы истории Великобритании и США. – М.:
Высшая школа, 1985
4. Парахина А.В., Базилевич В.Г. Познакомьтесь – Великобритания и
США. – М.: Высшая школа, 1988
5. Письменная О.А. Окна в англоязычный мир. М.: Логос, 2005.
6. Барановский Л.С., Козикис Д.Д. Здравствуй Америка. Минск:
Вышейшая школа, 1997

Theme: 9. The Government of the USA

 The United States of America and its states.
 The Constitution of the USA.
 The Congress of the USA
 The fifty states that make up the United States of America are governed
by a federal constitutional republic, along with the federal district of Columbia,
where Washington, D.C., is located, and several territories with special status,
including Puerto Rico, the American Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam,
the Northern Mariana Islands, and Palmyra Atoll.

The US Constitution establishes the structure of the US government. The

US federal government structure, relations between the federal and state
governments, and relations with individuals are all governed by the
Constitution. The division of powers into the legislative, executive, and judicial
branches is a principle outlined in the US Constitution. Such a strategy is
intended to maintain the current democratic system by balancing all the
institutions of power without favoring any of them.
The capital of the United States, Washington, a city created specifically to
house the supreme authority, is where the federal government of the United
States of America is headquartered. Washington is situated in the District of
Columbia, which is not one of the country's 50 states.
The US Congress is the American state's highest legislative body.
Congress has the authority to coin money, establish the postal service, choose
the units of measurement, establish courts (subordinate to the Supreme Court),
establish the military and maintain it, declare war, set federal taxes, all of these
things, as well as many other things. Additionally, Congress creates the laws
required for the US federal government to execute all the authority entrusted to
it by the US Constitution.

In circumstances when it is expressly permitted by law, Congress may

institute impeachment procedures, which result in the removal of the President
of the United States, federal judges, and other government officials from their
positions. The District of Columbia may also be directly administered by the US
Congress (although in practice the city is governed by a mayor and city council).
The Capitol, a stunning structure in the heart of Washington, serves as the
US Congress's headquarters.
Two chambers make up the US Congress. There are 100 senators who are
chosen to serve terms of six years in the Senate, the upper house of Congress.
The upper house of Congress has two senators from each of the fifty states that
make up the United States. The House of Representatives, the lower chamber of
Congress, is composed of 435 members. State representation in the House of
Representatives is based on population and is determined by constituencies, and
they are elected for two years. The President of the United States, who serves as
both the head of state and the federal government, is in charge of the executive
branch. One person is only permitted to serve as President of the United States
for a maximum of two terms.
 Any law enacted by Congress or any executive order issued by the
President may be overturned by the US Supreme Court. A US Constitutional
Amendment must be passed in order to reverse the Supreme Court's ruling (this
has occurred three times in American history. Washington, D.C., is home to the
US Supreme Court as well as other federal and state government offices.
Based on state population, the composition of the House of
Representatives is determined. There are now 6 non-voting members and 435
voting members of the House (congressmen and congresswomen). According to
a law passed by Congress in 1842, each congresswoman (congresswoman)
represents a particular congressional district. The number of districts (1 district
= 1 congressman or congresswoman), as determined by the United States
Census, which is conducted in the United States every ten years, depending on
the population in the states, previously determined the makeup of the House of
Representatives (that is, the number of congressmen is directly related to the
size of the population that elects them). So, 30,000 votes were counted for each
electoral district at the time of their creation in 1842, and each district
nominated one congressman. By the middle of the 19th century, 65 congressmen
elected in this way were seated in the US House of Representatives.
The formula for evenly distributing the 435 mandates among the states
according to their populations was created in 1929 after the number of delegates
was set at 435 in 1913. (Act on Reapportionment of 1929) Every state has at
least one representative in the House of Representatives. Age (must be at least
25 years old), citizenship (must have been a US citizen for at least 7 years), and
residency are requirements for passive suffrage in the House of Representatives
(the obligation to reside in the state you represent). A congressman may run for
reelection an unlimited number of times during their initial two-year tenure. ix
non-voting members (five delegates each from the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the
Federal District of Columbia) represent US territory that do not have statehood.
 The Senate has a fixed membership of 100 senators, two from each state,
regardless of population. The term of office for senators is six years, as opposed
to four for representatives. The Senate's membership is changed by a third every
two years. Senators were appointed by state legislatures prior to 1913; however,
as of that year, they have been chosen by popular vote. The US Senate's passive
suffrage system is similar to that of the US House of Representatives' passive
suffrage system. The majoritarian election method is used to elect senators and
members of congress with a reelecting majority. Louisiana, Georgia, and Maine
and Alaska are the outliers, which allow rating voting and conduct ballot-only
elections, respectively.

Section 8 of Article I of the U.S. Constitution of 1787 outlines the

authority of the U.S. Congress:
 to authority to impose and collect taxes, charges, levies, and excises on the
United States' behalf;
 To set units of measurement and weights, produce coins, and control their
value and the value of foreign currency;
 To impose sanctions on those who counterfeit currency or securities;
 To erect postal infrastructure, including roads;
 To give authors and inventors temporary patents to protect their intellectual
property;
 To establish federal courts under the Supreme Court's jurisdiction;
 To combat acts of piracy and robbery on the high seas as well as crimes
against international law;
 to start of war;
 to create and keep armies;
 to assemble and supply a fleet;
 to establish rules for the conscription, organizing, arming, and discipline of
the militia to ensure that the Union's laws are followed, uprisings are put
down, and invasions into its territory are repelled;
 exercise exclusive legislative authority over the District of Columbia;
control trade with both domestic and international entities;
 Make legislation that the executive branch must abide by.
 The Constitution's limitations on Congress' authority must be followed.
The House of Representatives and the Senate are equal chambers of the
bicameral Congress, but each of them has its own special exclusive powers and
prerogatives. For example, the Senate must approve (with the wording "advice
and consent"; English "advice and consent") many important presidential
appointments, including US Cabinet officials, federal judges (including Supreme
Court judges), federal ministers (heads of industry bodies of federal executive
power - "departments", in the Russian translation usually referred to as
"ministries"), senior officers of the US Armed Forces and ambassadors in
foreign countries (section 2 of article II of the Constitution). All revenue bills
must originate in the House of Representatives (Section 7 Article I of the
Constitution). The President must sign the measure into law after it has been
adopted by both houses of Congress (a presidential veto may be overridden by a
2/3 majority in each house, at which point the President's signature is no longer
necessary) (section 7 of article I of the Constitution). The President and federal
judges are among the federal authorities who can be impeached by Congress.
While the impeachment process itself and the final judgment about this
procedure belong to the Senate, the House of Representatives always initiates
the impeachment (section 3 of article I of the Constitution).
Questions
8. What rights does the USA Congress have according to the
Section 8 of Article I of the U.S. Constitution of 1787?
9. How many chambers does the USA Congress have?
10. When is the President`s veto not necessary?
11. How many senators are in the Senate of the USA?
12. Where is the headquarter of the US Congress?

Theme: 10. The State Symbols of the USA

1. Symbols of the United States
2. National anthem and National motto
 Every country has symbols, which are particular artifacts that stand for the
ideals, traditions, or other intangible concepts that define that nation. Even while
these emblems may alter with time, they can serve as a unifying force within a
country by serving as a reminder of its past and core values. The following is a
list of the national emblems of the United States of America, one of the oldest
democracies in the world: The American bald eagle has long served as the
country's emblematic bird. The Great Seal of the United States, which features a
bald eagle holding 13 olive branches in one talon and 13 arrows in the other,
was adopted by the Continental Congress in 1782. The olive branch stands for
the power to make peace, while the arrows stand for the power to make war.
The bald eagle's appearance on the United States' Great Seal in 1782 led
to its status as a national emblem. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and
John Adams were tasked by the Continental Congress with creating the new
country's official seal shortly after the Declaration of Independence was
formally adopted on July 4, 1776. The three Founding Fathers, as well as two
subsequent committees tasked with creating a design, were unable to produce
one that was accepted by Congress.
In mid-June 1782, the work of all three committees was handed over to
Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress. Thomson chose what he thought
were the best elements of the various designs and made the eagle—which had
been introduced by artistically inclined Pennsylvania lawyer William Barton in
a design submitted by the third committee—more prominent. (Since ancient
times, the eagle has been considered a sign of strength; Roman legions used the
animal as their standard, or symbol.)
 Thomson also recommended that the small, white eagle used in Barton’s
design be replaced with an American bald eagle, and Congress adopted this
design on June 20, 1782. (Contrary to legend, there’s no evidence Ben Franklin
protested to Congress about the choice of the bald eagle and lobbied for the
turkey, although in a 1784 letter to his daughter he did label the bald eagle “a
bird of bad moral character.”)
As the design went on to appear on official documents, currency, flags,
public buildings and other government-related items, the bald eagle became an
American icon.
Despite its symbolic significance, America’s majestic national bird has
faced a real-life threat of extinction. In the late-1800s, the country was home to
100,000 nesting bald eagles, but the number of birds soon dwindled due to such
factors as habitat destruction and hunting.
In 1940, Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act, making it illegal
to possess, kill or sell the birds. A new threat arose when they began eating prey
contaminated with DDT, a pesticide that came into wide use following World
War II. In the 1960s, there were only around 400 breeding pairs left in the
continental U.S., and in 1978 the bald eagle was put on the endangered species
list.
Thanks to federal protections as well as regulations involving DDT, in
1995 the bald eagle population had recovered enough for the bird’s status to be
changed from endangered to threatened, and in 2007 it was removed completely
from the list.
The Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem, has a fascinating past.
Following his observation of the British Navy shelling ships during the Battle of
Fort McHenry in the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key composed the poem that
would become the National Anthem's lyrics in 1814. The melody was "stolen"
from a well-known British song's melody. In 1931, the song replaced a number
of other songs that were frequently sung at public ceremonies as the official
national anthem. The picture of conflict in the song and the difficulty the music
presents to singers make it rather divisive.
Uncle Sam is a representation of the American government that first
appeared during the War of 1812. He is shown as an older, bearded man wearing
attire that is reminiscent of the American flag. Uncle Sam is frequently depicted
in political cartoons and commercials. Uncle Sam's use as a World War I army
recruitment tool is arguably his most well-known image. Uncle Sam is depicted
sternly pointing at the viewer on a James Montgomery Flagg poster with the
phrase, "I Want YOU for the U.S. Army."
The French people gave the United States the Statue of Liberty, formally
known as Liberty Enlightening the World. The statue of Libertas, the Roman
goddess of freedom, was dedicated in 1886. The statue, which is in New York
Harbor, is holding a torch in one hand and a law tablet in the other.
The tablet bears the date of the Declaration of Independence. At Liberty's
feet is a broken chain. The statue is a well-known emblem of liberation. A
replica of the statue was built in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989, and
protesters from all over the world have used it as inspiration in their battles for
political freedom.

The 50 stars (representing the 50 states) and 13 stripes (representing the

13 colonies that rebelled against British authority and formed the first states of
the Union) in red and white make up the national flag of the United States of
America. As getting ready for the Battle of Baltimore, the flag's initial
production was ordered. With 15 stars and 15 stripes in honor of the 15 states
that made up the Union in 1812, it measured 42 feet in length and 30 feet in
height. The stars on this flag were slightly tipped to the left and right, while the
stars on the current national flag are all directed upward taken on in 1960.
National Motto: In God, We Trust. "In God, we trust" was adopted to be
the motto of the United States in 1952 by a joint resolution of the Congress. It
replaced the common but unofficial motto of 'E pluribus unum' (Latin for 'one
out of many') that is inscribed on the great seal. It appeared on the country's
coins in 1864. The motto was printed on paper currency (one-dollar note) in
1957. It is also the motto of the Republic of Nicaragua and the American state of
Florida.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted 396 to 9 to reaffirm
the U.S. national motto: “In God We Trust.”
“Some public officials have stated incorrectly that there are different
national mottoes. We heard the president make that mistake,” explained Rep.
Randy Forbes (R-Va.), who sponsored the bill. Forbes was referring to a speech
President Obama delivered in Indonesia last year in which said, “In the United
States, our motto is E pluribus unum — out of many, one.” (Forbes and a
number of other members of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, including current
presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) sent a letter (PDF) to
the president, taking him to task for the error.)
As The Washington Post noted, Congress has reaffirmed the motto several
times in recent years:
The motto has withstood legal challenges from groups that said it violated
the separation of church and state. Courts have held that the motto is
“ceremonial Deism,” not an official endorsement of religion.
Still, just to be sure, Congress voted to reaffirm the motto in 2002. In
essence, it passed a new law that said the old law should not be changed one bit.
“Make no change in Section 302, Title 36, United States Code,” it ordered then,
citing the passage that created the motto.
Then, in 2006, the Senate voted another time, to reaffirm “the concept
embodied in the motto.”
 Last fall in God in America, our joint production with AMERICAN
EXPERIENCE, we examined how “In God We Trust” came to be our national
motto in 1956. At the heart of the story is an alliance between Rev. Billy
Graham and Dwight Eisenhower, who together melded Christianity and
patriotism into a weapon to be used against “godless Communism” during the
Cold War. The motto, explains historian Frank Lambert, “reclaims this notion
that we’re a chosen people and that we were conceived under God and that we
flourish under God, and we turn our backs on God at our own peril.”
Liberty Bell, a representation of freedom. The liberty bell, which can be
found in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, is recognized as a universal emblem
of freedom. It is constructed of copper and tin and weighs about 2000 pounds.
The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, and the bell had rung in
1774 to signal the start of the First Continental Congress. It requested that the
people of Philadelphia read the Declaration of Independence. The words
"Proclaim liberty throughout all the country unto all inhabitants thereof" are
etched on it.

A well-known emblem of freedom in the United States is the Liberty Bell.

In order to mark the 50th anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of
Privileges, the Pennsylvania Legislature ordered it in 1751. It was scheduled to
be put in the Pennsylvania State House, today known as Independence Hall, in
1752. After being cast in London, England, the bell was sent to Pennsylvania.
The English bell cracked not long after it arrived. In 1753, a new bell was
cast from the metal of the England bell by local craftsmen John Pass and John
Stow. On the bell are written their names and the year in Roman numerals,
MDCCLIII. Moreover, it has the following Bible verse: "Proclaim LIBERTY
throughout all the Land unto all its inhabitants" (Leviticus 25:10).
On June 7, 1753, the bell was hung in the tower of Independence Hall. In
1777, during the American Revolution, British troops captured Philadelphia. For
safekeeping, the bell was moved to Zion's Reformed Church in Allentown, PA.
It was returned to Philadelphia in 1778.
Those who advocated for the abolition of slavery referred to it as the
"Liberty Bell" and used it as a symbol for their cause in the early 1800s.
The bell was cracked again in 1846, and this time it was fixed. On
February 23, 1846, it rang for George Washington's birthday before breaking
once more. In order to fix the bell, a groove that stopped the bell's two sides
from vibrating against one another was carved along the length of the crack. To
manage the vibration of the two sides and improve the bell's tone, two rivets
were placed in this slot.
After the Civil War (1861–1865), the bell toured the nation, but since
1915 it has remained in Philadelphia. Now, a visitor facility next to
Independence Hall has the Liberty Bell on permanent exhibit.
Liberty Bell facts and figures:
The bell is an alloy, or a mix of metals; it is made of 70% copper, 25%
tin, and also has zinc, lead, arsenic, silver, and even gold.
It is very heavy and weighs about 2000 pounds, or 1 ton.
The bell is suspended on what is believed to be its original yoke of
American elm wood.

Questions
1. What are symbols of the USA?
2. Who wrote the lyrics to the anthem of USA?
3. When did the image of Uncle Sam appear?
4. What's the meaning of the Statue of Liberty?
5. Who constructed the Statue of Liberty?
 6. What is the National Motto of the USA?
7. How much does weigh The Liberty Bell?
Literature.
1. Нестерчук Г.В., Иванова В.М. США и американцы.- Минск,
Вышэйшая школа, 2004
2. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman,
2000
3. Токарева Н.Д. Страницы истории Великобритании и США. – М.:
Высшая школа, 1985
4. Парахина А.В., Базилевич В.Г. Познакомьтесь – Великобритания и
США. – М.: Высшая школа,
1988
5. Письменная О.А. Окна в англоязычный мир. М.: Логос, 2005.
6. Барановский Л.С., Козикис Д.Д. Здравствуй Америка. Минск:
Вышейшая школа, 1997.

Theme: 11. The Education system in the USA

1. Kindergarten and Middle school
2. Higher education and professional education
3. Studying at the University
 Government-approved subjects in the nation include science,
math, English, and social sciences. First aid and sex education
seminars are becoming required in several areas. Elsewhere, however,
the activities and schedule are set by the schools themselves. Foreign
language, art, ecology, and other courses can be added. Also,
universities have a great deal of freedom in selecting their academic
members and research areas.
K-12. The term "American school system" is used frequently. In
the United States, students attend school for 13 years: one year of
kindergarten (K) and 12 years of secondary education (primary and
secondary levels together). K-14 (kindergarten + two-year college)
and K-16 (kindergarten + bachelor's degree) are other terms that are
occasionally used.

Sport. In the US educational system, physical development is

heavily weighted. both at the university and outside of the classroom.
Scholarships are generously offered to athletes by universities.
Academic performance and athletic participation are the only two
criteria used to grade students (athletics). Several clubs are available at
schools, including those for basketball, football, rugby, volleyball, and
other sports.
Conditions for visitors. Most international students attend
private schools. This is owing to the fact that they are only permitted
to join the state from grades 9 through 12 (high school) and only for
one academic year, according the law. Universities frequently charge
varying fees to incoming students. Foreign nationals and residents of
other states pay 2-3 times more for education than locals do.
Orientation for practice. The American educational system
equips pupils with useful skills for everyday life. This is
demonstrated, among other things, through teaching classes on
nutrition, health, and other topics.
Change of institution. There is typically only one educational
level represented in American schools. That is, there is a primary
school in one structure, a middle school in another, and a high school
in a third. Students may switch between two and three schools once
every 12 years.
Since preschool is not seen as a required component of
education, the federal government does not provide funding for it.
However many states themselves make budgetary allocations and
provide education at a modest cost (or even free). To run such apps, a
particular license is not necessary in all states.
Pre-kindergarten is another name for this level. Children at
preschool are those younger than five. Children typically attend
classes for no longer than a half-day. They attend a variety of
educational institutions, including private schools, public schools,
community-funded schools, religious institutions, and special
childcare facilities.

Preschoolers attend quite diverse classes. Their sociability and

kindergarten readiness are the key objectives. Children learn through
play. There is a lot of peer interaction. Standard set of lessons in
preschool:
 mathematics;
 reading;
 drawing;
 cubes;
 a table for games with sand and water;
 pretend play.
Every item helps children acquire the life skills they will need.
Reading and maths make things plain. Drawing develops creativity
and imagination as well as abstract thinking. Constructing blocks
improve fine motor abilities, attention to detail, and visual-figurative
thinking. The initial introduction to physics is a table with water and
sand. Moreover, role-playing games let you develop emotional
intelligence and experiment on various roles.
Children start kindergarten at age five and progress through the
K–12 system from there.
Kindergarten is the name given to the first year of elementary
school. Therefore, calling it zero would be more appropriate. The
phrase actually translates as "kindergarten," although prep classes are
more like it. These take place in schools, and American kids often
attend them for the entire school day. Typically, it runs from 8:30 till
13:30. Children only spend one year at these "kindergartens." Here,
the curriculum is already more rigorous than in preschool education,
and it gets students ready for entry into primary school.
In contrast to preschools, kindergarten is required in the US
educational system. As a result, each state has an approved schedule
and a list of disciplines that are necessary. Children must learn
reading, speaking, and writing abilities throughout the course of a year
in "kindergarten," including how to express themselves clearly,
comprehend the meaning of the text, read aloud rapidly, and other
skills. Kids also study counting and shape shapes, the fundamentals of
algebra and geometry, and other subjects. Moreover, natural and
social sciences, art, music, health, and safety are taught in
"kindergartens."
Children finally start attending primary school (also known as
elementary school) after kindergarten. It covers grades 1 through 6.
All subjects are taught by the same teacher during this time. Main
disciplines: English, mathematics, geography, history and natural
sciences. Well-funded schools hire individual music, art, or foreign
language teachers. On average, children stay at school until 6-7 pm.
They study extra or do their homework during the after-school
program.

The grading system for the first two years is very simple:
E (excellent);
S (satisfactory);
N (needs improvement);
U (unsatisfactory).
The typical American school grades of A, B, C, D, and F—
where A is excellent and F is failure—are then gradually introduced.
Children successfully complete their first standardized assessments as
early as elementary school. They monitor students' progress and get
them ready for the SAT, which will be used to enter institutions in the
future. There are no primary school final exams.
Middle School / Junior High School
Despite the fact that they were first developed as several types of
high school, these ideas are frequently used interchangeably. Sixth
through eighth graders attend middle school, while seventh through
ninth graders attend junior high school. It is also thought that junior
high is more like high school in that there is a concentration on
mandatory studies, test preparation, and a set schedule. Middle school
places a strong emphasis on kids' overall development, including their
social and emotional health. Instructors allow kids more latitude to
choose their courses and hold small-group lessons. The distinctions
between middle school and junior high are less pronounced today.
Several teachers, each an authority in their field, give lessons in
high school in the United States. English, science, and mathematics
are prioritized. These three topics, together with history and athletics,
should not be missed. Yet, the choice of level—basic or advanced—
remains with the pupils. The final option is for people who desire to
learn a subject thoroughly. Furthermore required for all students are
one or two other disciplines. They can range greatly, from STEM to
debating. Because of the personalized schedules, there are no
permanent classes in American schools; instead, all pupils "mix." ‎
Regular tests and controls are performed. These determine the
student's ultimate grade for the full high school academic year. Here,
there are no final exams. It is enough to have “satisfactory”‎ in all
subjects.
High school is the last phase of secondary education. Youngsters
as young as 14 are brought there. In mixed junior and senior high
schools in America, students attend classes for six years before
graduating. Also, there are distinct ones that are housed in various
structures. 9th through 12th grades make up senior school. Also, this
is the sole chance that foreigners have to attend a public exchange
school (only one year). They can only access private institutions the
remainder of the time. Nonetheless, even in public universities,
foreign students must pay between $3,000 and $10,000 every year of
study.
Throughout high school, every subject is geared on getting into
the university. Students check their GPA average and get ready for the
SAT or ACT. Compulsory disciplines:
 mathematics;
 English;
 story;
 natural sciences;
 sport;
 art.
Students have the option to enroll in Honors or Advanced
Placement courses in addition to their core classes (AP). The former
are classes at the university level, whereas the later are advanced
subject areas. Six scientific fields are divided into a total of 33
disciplines. Even Japanese is available, along with macroeconomics
and mechanics[5]. Students take an oral or written test at the
conclusion of the course. The likelihood of admission to a prominent
university increases with excellent grades in AP courses.
The importance of AP courses is most likely to rise sharply in
the near future. The SAT Subject Test has been permanently
discontinued by the College Board as of 2021. He assisted graduates
in presenting their expertise in fields like physics or chemistry. For
entry into particular specialties, they served as prerequisites. The SAT
Subject Exam can be a fantastic substitute for advanced placement
courses.
Final examinations are not given in senior schools. Instead, they
take the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or ACT, which are
standardized exams (American College Testing). For entry into
American universities, they are needed. Due to the COVID-19
epidemic, several American universities—including those in the Ivy
League—made the SAT and ACT optional in 2021. Maybe we'll stick
with this choice in the future. In the US, standardized assessments
have long drawn criticism.
Higher education
In the United States, higher education is regarded as one of the
most respected. The QS rating places five American universities
among the top ten worldwide. Several overseas students choose to
attend American universities each year in the hundreds. There were
more than a million of them in 2019–2020.

Professional education
Community colleges offer quick access to a professional
education for recent graduates. They undergo two years of instruction.
There, the emphasis is on practical skills, and the workload is a little
bit lighter than at universities. In these, the student earns an associate's
degree and is hired for a position in his field of study.
Another choice for the course of events after community college
is to transfer right away to the university's third year. You need an
overall GPA of 3.5 and great grades in all core classes to be able to
achieve this. Sometimes a TOEFL and SAT certificate is required for
foreigners.
It won't work to transfer from a community college to Harvard
or Yale, but there will be other mid-tier universities available.
Guaranteed admission contracts are frequently signed between
community colleges and universities. You can transfer, for instance,
from Bergen Community College to New York University. Visit the
College Transfer page for details on agreements between universities,
where and for which programs there are transfers.
Studying at the University
There are three levels in the US university system:
Bachelor's degree - 4 years.
Master's degree - 2 years.
Doctorate - 4-6 years.
At US universities, the educational process is adaptable.
Students choose their own schedules and hold seminars and debates in
place of lengthy lectures. After being accepted, applicants select their
major, or primary speciality, and move on to their minor. The latter
can be used to the primary occupation in a productive way. For
instance, robotics is a minor and engineering is a major. As an
example, biology as a major and French literature as a minor could
reflect the student's personal interests. It makes sense for American
universities to offer both alternatives.
In particular graduate and professional schools, instruction on
master's and doctoral programs is provided. The former combine a
number of academic disciplines, whilst the later are more intensely
specialized. They impart expertise in a particular field, such as
nursing, law, or business. Along with research and the theoretical
component, regular practice and work on the dissertation topic are
also a part of the learning process. PhD degrees are most frequently
given to PhD graduates. There are DBA, JD, MD, and other
professional programs available.
20,000–50,000 USD per year are spent on education in the
United States. Moreover, living expenses add another 10,000 USD per
year. Fortunately, a lot of American universities offer grants and
scholarships to students. Some of them, like the Ivy League, offer up
to 100% tuition reimbursement.
Foreign applicants who wish to enroll in an American university
must have a strong GPA, a TOEFL or IELTS certificate, have passed
the SAT or ACT, have written a motivational letter, and have received
recommendations.
Questions
1.
 Theme: 12. The Culture and Traditions of the USA and
Canada
1. American folk, jazz and popular music.
2. American holidays.
3. American customs and way of life.
4. Traditions and culture of Canada
It is not surprising that classical music and folk songs were transported to
the United States from that continent given that Europeans made up a substantial
portion of the population. European composers including Bach, Mozart, Bartok,
Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Verdi, and Debussy are
just a few of the names frequently found on orchestra or opera programs. Folk
songs from England, Ireland, and Scotland are frequently sung in America and
have been for so many generations that Americans aren't even aware that these
songs are from outside.
Several folk tunes originated from labor. Worker-specific love songs and
ballads exist. The Blacks in the South, however, have made the biggest impact
on American music. The most priceless musical history of the country today
includes racial songs.
Jazz is arguably the Negro people's greatest musical contribution to
America. Following the Civil War, several brass instruments used by the
Confederate military bands ended up in the hands of Black people, which led to
a variety of rhythmic and lyrical experiments. Jazz was thus created without
rules or written arrangements. American jazz has impacted composers like
Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, and Ravel in America, as well as Stravinsky
and Ravel in Europe.
The greatest creative contribution to American folk and popular music was
made by the black people. Near the middle of the 19th century the New Orleans-
born Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869) who studied music in France and
became an outstanding virtuoso pianist, created a number of little piano pieces
treating Negro, Creole and Latin-American motifs with affectionate freshness
and life.
In the 1890s the great Czech composer, Antonin Dvorak, then teaching in
New York, declared that American composers should study their folk music,
that the most beautiful American folk music he knew for this purpose was the
Negro spirituals.
In the post-war period Walligford Piegger, Walter Piston, Roger
Sessions, Virgil Thomson, Henry Cowell, Roy Harris and Aaron Copland
struggled through their compositions, and in most cases through critical writing
and teachings, to establish large- scale composition in American cultural life.
They taught, each in his own way, to make it American.
US national holidays. The 59 American states each created their own
holidays. Only federal employees and residents of the District of Columbia are
legally allowed to have holidays designated by the federal government, through
the President and Congress.
However, most states recognize the official federal holidays. As follows:
Christmas Day (January 1), the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King (third
Monday in January), President's Day, also known as Washington's Birthday
(third Monday in February), Veterans Day (last Monday in May), Day of
Independence (July 4), Day of Labor (first Monday in September), November
2nd (second Monday in October), Thanksgiving Day (November 11), Day of
Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November), Thanksgiving Day (December
25).
Even if believers observe many religious holidays, such as Good Friday,
Hanukkah, or Ramadan,, they are not recognized by the government or the legal
system. As a result, each state is free to enact its own legislation, and labor
agreements determine whether an employee is granted leave.
There are many traditional holidays, observed by a large number of
Americans, which are also neither legal nor official. Among these are St.
Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day (not just people with Irish roots celebrate it),
Mother's Day and Halloween Day (the last day of October).
Thanksgiving and Independence Day on the Fourth of July are arguably
the two "most American" holidays. The Declaration of Independence was
ratified on July Fourth. It resembles a large national birthday celebration.
Parades with bands and flags are held in some towns and cities. The
biggest summer party in the country takes place on the day the country was
founded.
On Thanksgiving, families typically get together. For the meal,
traditional fare such as turkey or ham, corn dishes, breads and buns, and
pumpkin pie are cooked. Thanksgiving is also a sad occasion and a moment to
recognize those who are less fortunate in America and around the world.
American customs. Americans are very punctual. It is important to be on time at
business, social and public events. If you must miss an appointment for any
reason, telephone ahead to the person you were supposed to meet, saying that
you won't be able to come. In some homes the atmosphere is quite formal. In
others, it is informal and you may sit at the kitchen table to eat dinner.
Informality is a way of taking you into the warmth of the family circle.
The Americans may have a party on one occasion in several houses at a
time. The party starts in one house where they have some light wine and snacks,
and then move on to another house and still another, travelling from house to
house, taking drinks and food with them; and previous arrangements are made
about what food each family cooks. Normally three or four houses are involved.
Such a party is called progressive dinner.
Generally Americans tend to be fairly informal. They often (but not
always) address each other by their given names on first meetings. They also
tend to abbreviate a lot. For example, Mass. means Massachusetts Avenue. Do
not be surprised and ask what these abbreviations mean.
New Year's Day has traditionally been the occasion for starting new
programs and giving up bad habits. People talk about "turning over a new leaf."
Many Americans make New Year's resolutions, promising themselves and their
families to improve their behaviour. The most common New Year's resolutions
are to cut back on spending, quit smoking, start a diet, or have better self-
control. The end of one year and the beginning of the next are important yet
joyful occasions for Americans.
The American variant of the English language. Of all the many kinds of
difference that exist among the myriad varieties of English, few give rise to
fiercer discussion and greater speculation than those which differentiate British
and American English. Both form part of the 'family' of English. Speakers of the
one immediately recognizes speakers of the other as being fellow English-
speakers, and yet also as members of a distinct culture.
It is customary to think of English before about 1700 as being one
language with no specifically American characteristics yet visible, since the
British settlements were so young and so small. It is after this date that the
history and development of English in America began to diverge from that of
English in
Great Britain, because of the geographical isolation of the settlers, their
growing feelings of social and political independence, their intimate contact
with American Indian, Spanish, and French cultures, and their assimilation of a
large population of former slaves and of great numbers of immigrants of diverse
linguistic and cultural origins. Undoubtedly this separate development and the
distinctive
American culture which it produced were sufficient to ensure separate
modes of speech and writing. But the rate of change of the language was greater
than one would expect on the basis of contemporary experience, for two
reasons: 1) there was no such thing as a single Elizabethan English, so that
among the early settlers there existed a wide range of dialects and accents,
reflecting the diversity of forms of Elizabethan English but offering no single
form from which deviations could be charted; and 2) in the early eighteenth
century there existed few of the pressures for standardization and conformity in
speech and writing—such as universal literacy, a large literature, the media of
press, radio, and television—which in Britain and North America today slow
down the innate tendency for English, like all languages, to change.
During the first 200 years of separate development, one of the most
striking features specific to English in America was the large number of
borrowings from other cultures. For example: from the American Indian came
hickory, hooch, totem, and squaw; from French came prairie, depot, cache, and
rotisserie; from Spanish came bronco, rodeo, patio, and vigilante; from Dutch
and German came boss, dumb (meaning stupid), and Santa Clous; and from
African came gumbo, voodoo, and okra (see Marckwardt 1958; Mencken 1963).
The contemporary situation, then, is one of two distinct yet cognate
cultures in Britain and America, each possessing a form of English as the mother
tongue. The differences of vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, orthography,
semantics, and usage between the two reflect both the similarities and the
differences between the cultures.
The culture of Canada embodies the artistic, culinary, literary, humour,
musical, political and social elements that are representative of Canada and
Canadians. Throughout Canada's history, its culture has been influenced by
European culture and traditions, especially British and French, and by its own
indigenous cultures. Over time, elements of the cultures of Canada's immigrant
populations have become incorporated to form a Canadian cultural mosaic. The
population has also been influenced by American culture because of a shared
language, proximity, television and migration between the two countries.
Canada is a country of considerable diversity born from the immigrant
heritage of its people. Canadian traditions were brought over the centuries by its
millions of immigrants and their customs were mixed successfully with those
already established by the indigenous peoples. The traditions of individual
Canadian families can vary greatly based on which customs they’ve decided to
import from their former homeland. Generally speaking, all different areas in
Canada have their own traditions and customs. The different ethnic groups in
Canadian districts have their own traditions. Some are shared with the USA, like
the celebration of Thanksgiving, while some are shared with most countries
across the world, like Christmas. Most of Canada’s rituals and traditions involve
commemorating significant dates in someone’s life. Weddings, birthdays,
funerals or school graduations are celebrated with some of the most well-known
Canadian traditions.
Canadian couples generally announce their pregnancy with great pride to
friends and family as soon as they’re aware, and it’s common for friends of the
expecting mother to organize a baby shower – a small, lighthearted house party
– to honour the new mom sometime before she gives birth. Shortly after the
child is born, it’s similarly customary for friends of the parents to visit and give
at least one baby gift, usually a toy or clothes, to express congratulations. When
it comes to naming baby, it’s a relatively common Canadian tradition for
children to be given names from within the family. A son might be named after
his father or uncle, for instance; a daughter for her sister or grandmother. Middle
names, which most Canadians have, are very often chosen this way. Children
usually take the last name of their father. If children are born to parents who
aren’t married, or simply don’t use the same last name, they are sometimes
given a hyphenated last name combining the names of both parents.
WEDDINGS
Most Canadians generally get married in a lavish public ceremony in a
church or banquet hall before about a hundred or so close friends and family
members. The bride typically wears a beautiful white wedding dress purchased
especially for the ceremony, while everyone else wears their finest formal wear.
Once the gang is assembled, a legally-certified wedding officiant, usually a
religious leader or judge, publicly leads the bride and groom through special
wedding vows expressing loyalty to one another, and then proclaims them
officially married. The event usually concludes with an equally lavish, but more
relaxed wedding reception, dinner, or after-party.
FUNERALS
In most Canadian families, the moment someone dies their corpse is
shipped to a mortician for embalming and preparation. Once that’s done, there
usually is a viewing — where close family can quietly look at the presented
body in a special decorative casket — followed by a full funeral a few days after
that. Depending on the religiosity of the family, funerals may be held in either a
church or some manner of secular funeral parlour, and will feature dozens of
guests who knew the deceased during life. A few short speeches, or eulogies, by
close friends or family may be given, followed by another processional viewing
of the body.
Canadian Holidays
CHRISTMAS
Christmas is by far the biggest holiday on the Canadian calendar. It’s a
religious celebration commemorating the birth of the Christian savior Jesus
Christ. In the month-long leadup to the big day, most Canadians decorate their
homes with traditional decorations, the centerpiece being a Christmas tree in the
family living room. There may be Christmas parties with friends, family, or co-
workers, as well as some traditional activities like baking special Christmas
cookies, or watching Christmas-themed television shows or movies. The night
before Christmas, Christmas Eve, is usually a quiet evening spent with family,
while on Christmas Day family members exchange wrapped gifts with one
another and dine on a lavish Christmas dinner.
NEW YEAR'S EVE
New Year’s Eve is a chance for Canadians to drink and party one final
night before the year changes over. New Year’s parties traditionally run until
midnight or later, and usually feature fancy clothes, hors d’oeuvres and copious
amounts of champagne. When midnight approaches, everyone loudly counts
down the final few seconds, then kisses their romantic partner. New Year’s Day
begins the first second after midnight, but has no real customs or celebrations
associated with it. Some may enjoy a leisurely breakfast or brunch with friends
or family while others may simply savor a day to relax after so much late-night
partying the night before.
EASTER SUNDAY & GOOD FRIDAY
Easter is one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar. According
to Christian religion, Easter commemorates the day when Jesus Christ was
resurrected, making it a particularly important day of recognition for those who
believe in Christ’s divinity. In the non-religious version, Easter is a mere
celebration of things associated with spring, including daffodils, bunnies, baby
chicks, and rolling hills of fresh green grass. Kids celebrate it by getting gifts of
special seasonally-themed candies from the “Easter Bunny” and by hunting for
decorated Easter eggs hidden around their house or backyard. Easter is
celebrated on wildly different days in either March or April, since its schedule is
based on the spring equinox (the day when the Sun passes Earth’s equator). In
addition to Easter itself, Canada also recognizes the Friday immediately
preceding it as Good Friday, a statutory holiday in most provinces that
commemorates Christ’s crucifixion.
VICTORIA DAY
During her final years of life, Britain’s longserving monarch, Queen
Victoria (1819-1901), enjoyed quite an extensive cult of popularity across the
Empire, and her death prompted the Canadian Parliament to declare her birthday
(May 24) a national holiday. Regardless of its royal origins, in modern Canada
Victoria Day is typically viewed as little more than a convenient long weekend
(in some provinces, the nickname is simply the “May Long“), and an excuse for
short spring vacations and camping trips.
CANADA DAY
July 1, 1867 was the date the Canadian Constitution was adopted and
ever since, July 1 has been celebrated as the birthday of the Canadian nation,
and the day “Canada became a country.” Held in early summer, Canada Day
(known as “Dominion Day” until 1983) offers an opportunity for Canadians to
have large parties outdoors, and is usually celebrated with neighbourhood or
family barbecues, picnics, and fireworks. Many big Canadian cities organize a
whole host of official Canada Day festivities for their community, including
parades, live music, and outdoor festivals, ensuring the streets are packed with
patriotic revelers from sunup to sundown.
LABOUR DAY
First Monday in September In the late 19th century, when Canadian
workers were not always afforded full rights and dignity from their employers,
Canadian governments created a new holiday known as Labour Day to
acknowledge the contribution of the nation’s labourers. Today Labour Day is
mostly a generic day off work perhaps best known for signaling the begining of
the academic year for school-aged children. People very involved in the
organized labour movement, sometimes stage parades or protests to raise
awareness of contemporary issues relating to Canada’s working men and
women.
REMEMBERANCE DAY
 On November 11, 1918, World War I (1914-1918) formally came to a
close when a truce was declared between the fighting nations, including Canada.
On every November 11 since, Canadians have celebrated peace and remembered
the horrors of war by observing Remembrance Day, the most sombre holiday of
the year. At 11 o’clock on November 11, all Canadians are expected to stop
what they’re doing and observe a moment of silence in memory of the soldiers
who have given their lives in the various wars in which Canada has fought. Most
cities organize a special public ceremony at the town hall or local war memorial
as well, at which representatives of various groups, such as the veterans’ legion,
the Boy Scouts, and the municipal, provincial and federal governments lay
wreaths of commemoration.
THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving is a uniquely North American holiday, celebrated in
Canada and the United States to commemorate the traditional autumn harvest
and give thanks for the wealth and bounty of the New World. The main event of
Thanksgiving is an enormous, lavish Thanksgiving dinner composed of turkey,
sweet potatoes, corn, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Next to
Christmas, Thanksgiving is the most important family day of the year for most
Canadians, and many travel great distances in order to dine with their relatives.
Thanksgiving foods are unusual, many families put great effort into making
them look extra beautiful and exotic on the table, with the creation of a
Thanksgiving table centerpiece of flowers, candles, gourds, dried corn and more
a popular holiday art project.
HALLOWEEN
Halloween is a day to celebrate all things scary and ghoulish. The
main event is trick-or-treating, where children dress up in costumes and walk
from door to door in their neighbourhoods all night and are given candies from
adults. In recent years, it’s also become very popular for teenagers to celebrate
the day by setting off fireworks and firecrackers and for adults to host late-night
costume parties. In the lead-up to Halloween, spooky decorations of pumpkins,
skeletons, witches, and other such creatures begin to pop up everywhere,
particularly in schools, department stores, and bars. One of the oldest Halloween
traditions is carving a pumpkin into a scary face — known as a jack-o'-lantern
— and putting a lamp in it to greet trick-or-treaters.
[Link]'S DAY
Valentine’s Day is now a secular celebration of all things romantic.
Canadian couples, either married or just dating, are expected to buy small gifts
for each other, usually cards, chocolate or a special dinner out, and enjoy a
romantic evening together. The holiday has also become very popular with
elementary school-aged children, who usually give their classmates cheap, mass
-produced cards on February 14.
LUNAR NEW YEAR
As Canada's Asian population grows, celebrations of the Lunar New
Year (sometimes called "Chinese New Year") is starting to become a bigger
event in many Canadian cities. Celebrated for six days straight from January 28
to February 2, traditional events include Asian cultural parades and gifts of
money in red envelopes.
GROUNDHOG DAY
One of Canada's least important, but nevertheless most famous,
informal holidays is Groundhog Day (February 2). Every year, various zoos and
parks across Canada stage a special event where a local groundhog is observed
coming out of his burrow. If he "sees its shadow" then it's declared Canada will
have "six more weeks of winter." If he doesn't, then an early spring awaits.
TERRY FOX DAY
The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held in
numerous regions around the world in commemoration of Canadian cancer
activist Terry Fox, and his Marathon of Hope, and to raise money for cancer
research. It takes place on August, 3. The run is informal which means that the
distance often varies, usually between 5 and 15 kilometres; participation is
considered to be more important than completing the set distance. There are also
runs set up by schools of every level, often with shorter distances than the
"official" ones.
CANADIAN LUCK TRADITIONS
Thirteen is considered an unlucky number and most Canadian
apartments, hotels, storage units and parking lots do not have a 13th floor,
locker, or stall. Friday the 13th in turn, is considered a uniformly unlucky day
and people usually avoid scheduling important events, such as weddings or
plane trips, on it. Christians associate the number 666 with Satan, while many
Asian-Canadians associate the number four with death. A wide variety of odd
actions are considered unlucky. Opening an umbrella indoors, walking under an
open ladder, knocking over a salt shaker, killing a ladybug, or having a black cat
cross your path are all fairly common omens of bad luck, while finding a lone
penny in the street, picking a four-leafed clover, spotting a shooting star,
throwing money in a decorative fountain, or blowing a lone eyelash off your
finger are considered as examples of good luck.
Questions:
1. What language is spoken as the national language in Canada?
2. What does the word "Canada" mean?
3. How many people live in Canada?
4. How does the climate in Canada and the USA differ?
5. The number of parties in Canada.
6. What city serves as Canada's capital?
7. What is Canada's biggest export?

Literature
1. Нестерчук Г.В., Иванова В.М. США и американцы.- Минск,
Вышэйшая школа, 2004
2. Longman Dictionary of English language and Culture. – Longman,
2000
 3. Токарева Н.Д. Страницы истории Великобритании и США. – М.:
Высшая школа, 1985
4. Парахина А.В., Базилевич В.Г. Познакомьтесь – Великобритания и
США. – М.: Высшая школа, 1988
5. Письменная О.А. Окна в англоязычный мир. М.: Логос, 2005.
6. Барановский Л.С., Козикис Д.Д. Здравствуй Америка. Минск:
Вышейшая школа, 1997.

Theme: 13. General information of Australia and New Zealand

1. General information about Australia, its geographical position,
climate and population
2. General information about New Zealand, its geographical position,
climate and population
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world in terms of land area.
The Australian continent and its islands, the largest of which is Tasmania.
Australia is the only country in the world that controls the entire continent
of the same name, as well as Tasmania and adjacent islands. The country is in
the southern and eastern hemispheres, bordered by the Pacific and Indian
oceans. The Timor, Arafura, and Torres Straits wash it in the north, the Coral
and Tasman Seas in the east, the Bass Strait and the Indian Ocean in the south,
and the Indian Ocean in the west. The coastline has a slight indentation.
 Australia is a continent of deserts, semi-deserts and dry woodlands,
occupying vast inland spaces, only on the east coast of the country does the low
mountain range of the Great Dividing Range rise with the country's highest
point - Mt. Kosciuszko (2228 m.). Along the east coast for almost 2000 km.
stretched cluster of small islands, underwater hills and coral reefs - the Great
Barrier Reef.
The relief of most of the country is low-lying plains, their average height
is about 215 m. Vast territories are occupied by deserts: the Great Victoria
Desert, the Great Sandy Desert, the semi-desert of the Great Artesian Basin. In
the east rise old dilapidated mountains - the Great Dividing Range, a zone of
ancient folding. Here is the highest point of the mainland of Australia - Mount
Kosciuszko (2228 m), the highest point of the country - the active volcano
Mawson (2750 m) on Heard Island in the subarctic zone of the Indian Ocean.
The lowest point in the country is Lake Eyre (-15 meters below sea level)...
The significant ancient age of the continent, the variety of weather
conditions and its long geographical isolation from the outside world
contributed to the accumulation of the richness and diversity of the flora and
fauna of Australia. More than 12 species of representatives of the animal and
plant kingdoms live here, and 9 thousand of them are endemic. Woody
vegetation is represented mainly by such evergreens as eucalyptus and acacia,
adapted to survive in constant conditions of drought and high temperatures. In
cool Tasmania with a temperate type of climate, in addition to the eucalyptus
trees typical of Australia, evergreen southern beeches grow.
The total area of the country is about 7.7 million square meters. km. The
capital of Australia is Canberra.
Climate
Due to its vast size and unique geographic location, the country enjoys the
widest variety of climates, from sub-equatorial regions in the north to temperate
maritime regions in the south. The hot and humid northern parts of the country
are replaced by semi-desert tropical central regions, while the southern and
southeastern coasts already belong to the subtropical zone, with a rather pleasant
warm climate. Tasmania is the "coldest" region of the country with a temperate
climate, but there are enough areas that are excellent for recreation. Therefore,
you should carefully consider the choice of a vacation spot, taking into account
the climatic features of the country.
The hottest time of the year is from November to January, at this time
throughout the country the temperature ranges from +20 C to +32 C, and in the
central regions it can reach + 38-42 C. At the same time, after 1.5 - 2 hours after
sunset, the temperature can drop by 10-12 C. On the Pacific coast and the
islands of the Great Barrier Reef, the weather is milder at this time.
Relatively cold in June - August, the temperature rises no higher than + 15
-18 C, and in the temperate zone sometimes drops to 0 C. In winter, rains are
frequent. From May to August is the ideal time for a trip, September - December
is the peak of the yachting season.
 Time
The country has 3 time zones (ahead of Moscow by 6 - 8 hours). Time in
Sydney is ahead of Moscow by 7 hours in winter, by 8 hours in summer. In
addition, time also varies from state to state, where half an hour is sometimes
added to standard time.
Population
As of July 1, 2007, Australia's population is over 20 million. The
population as of December 31, 2018 was estimated at 25,180,200, most of
whom live in cities on the east coast. The majority of the Australian population
are descendants of 19th and 20th century immigrants, with most of these
immigrants coming from Britain and Ireland.
The official language is English (a special variant known as Australian
English). About 80% of the population of Australia have British roots, because
since 1770 it was a colony of Great Britain, then the Australian type of English
was formed. The intensive formation of Australian culture as such actively took
place in the middle of the 19th century, when an influx of immigrants from
various countries of the world (Germany, Spain, Greece, the Netherlands, the
USA, Canada) poured here, which was associated with the discovery of gold
deposits in the southeastern part of the country, the second influx of immigration
from Europe and Asia was observed after the Second World War in the
twentieth century. Thus, modern Australia is characterized by a multiculturalism
based on the principles of equality and good neighborliness. Earlier in Australia
there was a problem of oppression and infringement of the rights of the local
population - the indigenous aborigines of Australia, whose culture is now one of
the main values of this country.
At present, the descendants of the indigenous aborigines of Australia
make up a little more than 1.5% of the total population of the country, who, in
order to survive, have to assimilate with other residents of the country, many
work in tourism, on various farms and ranches, some, like their ancient
ancestors hunt and live in harmony with the wildlife that surrounds them.
One of the ancient traditions of the Australian Aborigines is the conduct
of ritual dances and chants to the accompaniment of the unique Australian
didgeridoo wind instrument. The Aborigines of Australia believed that the
whole world around them was created by their ancestors in the sacred "Age of
Dreams", with the help of their dances, songs, drawings on the bark of trees and
fabric, each tribe told about the history of their ancestors and their deeds, which
were passed down from generation to generation .
Holidays
In addition to Christmas (December 25) and Easter, Australia celebrates:
The Queen's Birthday - the second Monday of June, Australia Day - January 26,
Labor Day - the first Monday of October, ANZAC Day - April 25, when
veterans of all wars are honored, and the Day is also widely celebrated. Mother's
Day is the second Sunday in May, and Father's Day is the first Sunday in
September. There were no wars in Australia, so the country attaches particular
importance to the battle of April 25, 1915 at Gallipoli, where the Australian and
New Zealand military army corps stormed Turkish fortifications and many
Australian soldiers died. World military encyclopedias define this battle as a
local clash.
General information of New Zealand
New Zealand is the relatively large North and South Islands, as well as
almost 700 tiny islands of Polynesia, washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean
and the Tasman Sea. Despite the fact that, due to its remoteness, the country is
considered one of the most inaccessible travel destinations, the tourism business
here is at a decent level. If earlier a distant corner was strongly associated with
herds of sheep and meditative green landscapes, today New Zealand is
increasingly mentioned in conjunction with such concepts as extreme rides,
ecotourism and water sports.
In the early 2000s, Peter Jackson presented his cult Lord of the Rings
trilogy, which delighted fantasy fans and became the most expensive
promotional video for New Zealand beauties. Actually, thanks to the cinema, the
small island state survived its first tourist moment of glory - after the release of
the film, every Tolkienist considered it his duty to mark himself in the regions
where the adventures of Frodo and his associates were filmed.
In the past decade, New Zealand has been attracting foreign visitors not
only with its connection to the epic saga, but also with endless opportunities for
hiking, skiing and diving. And while for the Russians, due to the expensive
flight, the direction remains rather experimental, almost 5 million tourists from
other countries are ready to replenish the New Zealand budget annually in
exchange for the opportunity to get acquainted with the nature and culture of the
country.
 It's hard to believe, but on the territory of such distant New Zealand, you can
discover a second Europe and find almost Norwegian fjords, almost French
vineyards and one to one Icelandic volcanoes and geysers. What is there! The
country even has its own Alps, which complement the glacial lakes that
overshadow the ultramarine expanse of the famous Austrian Wörthersee. If you
want a calm contemplation of the surrounding reality and a million “juicy”
photos from various natural areas, the Milford and Te Araroa trails, protected
valleys with waterfalls and ideal beach landscapes are at your service.
The wildlife of the islands amazes and pleases. Funny kiwi is a living national
symbol of the country, flightless kakapo parrots, thick-billed penguins, as well
as dozens of other species of birds and animals that are not found anywhere else
in the world, live in the vastness of New Zealand. Fans of photo hunting for blue
whales, sperm whales and killer whales in these parts also have more chances
than anywhere else - giant mammals visit the country's shores regularly.
It's hard to believe, but on the territory of such distant New Zealand, you can
discover a second Europe and find almost Norwegian fjords, almost French
vineyards and one to one Icelandic volcanoes and geysers. What is there! The
country even has its own Alps, which complement the glacial lakes that
overshadow the ultramarine expanse of the famous Austrian Wörthersee. If you
want a calm contemplation of the surrounding reality and a million “juicy”
photos from various natural areas, the Milford and Te Araroa trails, protected
valleys with waterfalls and ideal beach landscapes are at your service.
The wildlife of the islands amazes and pleases. Funny kiwi is a living national
symbol of the country, flightless kakapo parrots, thick-billed penguins, as well
as dozens of other species of birds and animals that are not found anywhere else
in the world, live in the vastness of New Zealand. Fans of photo hunting for blue
whales, sperm whales and killer whales in these parts also have more chances
than anywhere else - giant mammals visit the country's shores regularly.

History of the country

The first settlers reached New Zealand by the middle of the 13th century.
Having dispersed over the islands, they formed several tribal unions, which
either conflicted with each other, or entered into shaky truces, ending in new
military skirmishes. In 1642, the Dutch landed in New Zealand, led by Abel
Tasman, but the travelers failed to get along with the Maori tribes, so James
Cook visited the islands next. The captain made his second round-the-world
voyage 127 years after the unsuccessful landing of Tasman, but with the same
diplomatic results - angry natives with a fight expelled Cook's crew from their
own territories.

Following the English navigator, this part of Polynesia was discovered by

European businessmen who began to supply the indigenous population with
potatoes and weapons in exchange for products made of precious metals and
valuable wood species. As a result, already in 1788, New Zealand acquired the
status of an English colony, territorially becoming part of New South Wales
(Australia). Until the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the Maori tribes
were very aggressive about British attempts to take away their independence.
But since the natives were unable to resist the troops of the empire, the islands
quickly came under the rule of the British.
In the middle of the 19th century, New Zealand became a self-governing
colony, and by 1907 it was called a dominion of the British Empire, which
formally made it an independent state, which left England to decide its foreign
policy issues. Today, the head of the country is the English Queen Elizabeth II -
a symbolic figure in all respects, given the fact that the administration of the
state is fully entrusted to the New Zealand Prime Minister and Governor
General.
Questions
1. When did New Zealand become a self-governing colony?
2. When did the first settlers reached New Zealand?
3. How many tourists visit New Zealand every year?
4. How many population had Australia in 2007?
5. What kind of holidays are celebrated in Australia?
6. What kind of continent is Australia?