Краткий рассказ о великобритании на английском. Великобритания - страна будущего

The History of Britain - История Великобритании

Two thousand years ago the Celts, who had been arriving from Europe, mixed with the peoples who were already in Britain Isles. The Roman province of Britannia covered most of the territory of present day England and Wales. The Romans imposed their own way of living, culture, and language. But inspite of their long occupation of Britain, there isn"t much they left behind. Even most of temples, roads and cities were later destroyed. But such place names
like Chester, Lancaster, Gloucester remind us of the Romans.
The Romans influenced mainly the towns. In the country (where most people lived) Celtic speech dominated. The farming methods remained there unchanged. We can"t speak about Roman"s occupation as a large-scale settlement.
Later (during the 5th century) two tribes (the Angles and the Saxons) settled in Britain. They settled on a very vast territory. Only in the west of the country King Arthur and his army halted the tribes. But in the 6th century the way of life of these tribes predominated in England. The Celtic Britons" culture and language survived in Southwest
Scotland, Wales and Cornwall.
If the Romans had great influence on towns, the Anglo-Saxons influenced the countryside. There new methods of farming were introduced and a number of villages were founded.
The Anglo-Saxons were pagans, when they arrived in Britain. Christianity came from Rome in 597.
In the 8th century Britain was invaded by the Vikings, who came from Scandinavia. They settled in the North and West of Scotland and in some regions of Ireland. Later they were defeated by King Alfred.
Normans invaded Britain in the 11th century (1066). But this invasion wasn"t a large-scale one. Still this invasion influenced the life of Britain greatly.
At that time a feudal system was imposed. Lords and barons were French-speaking Normans. The peasants were the English-speaking Saxons.
Barons were responsible to the king, lords - to a baron. Under them were peasants. That was the beginning of the English class system. The Anglo-Norman kingdom was the most powerful political force at that time. In this period the Germanic language (Middle English) dominated in England. As Northern and Central Wales was never settled by Saxons and Normans, the Welsh language and culture dominated there.
In the 13th century Parliament included elected representatives from urban and rural areas.
During the 16th century the power of the English monarch increased. The Tudor dynasty (1485-1603) established a system of government which strongly depended on the monarch. Parliament was split into two Houses. The House of Lords consisted of the aristocracy and the leaders of the Church. The House of Commons consisted
of representatives from the towns.
During the 17th century Parliament established its supremacy over the monarchy in Britain. The conflict between the monarchy and Parliament led to the Civil Wars, which ended with the victory of Parliament. The leader of the parliamentary army was Oliver Cromwell. But after his death his system of government became unpopular. The son of the executed king was asked to take the throne.
In the 18th century the Scottish Parliament joined with the English and the Welsh Parliaments.
In that century the increased trade led to the Industrial Revolution. People from rural areas moved to towns. The population of London was close to a million at that time.
In the 19th century Britain controlled the biggest Empire in the world. The Empire was made up of Ireland, Canada, Australia, India and large parts of Africa. These countries had internal self-government, but recognized the authority of the British government. Britain was the greatest economic power. The British spread their culture and
civilization around the world.
The beginning of the 20th century can"t be called stable. Women struggled for their rights. The situation in Ulster wasn"t stable. At the beginning of this century the working class became stronger. In Parliament, the Labour party replaced the Liberals. Trade unions organized themselves. Until 1980s the Trades Union Congress was the most powerful political force outside the institutions of government.

Упражнения

I. Answer the questions.
1. What reminds people of the Romans?
2. How did the Anglo-Saxons effect the countryside?
3. Who invaded Britain in the 8th century?
4. When was a feudal system imposed?
5. When was Parliament split into two Houses?
6. Who was the leader of the parliamentary army in the Civil Wars?
7. In what century was the Britain the greatest economic power?

II. Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions.
1. a large-scale settlement
2. to halt the tribes
3. pagan
4. to be responsible to the king
5. internal self-government

III. Fill in the gaps.*
1. The Roman province of Britannia covered the territory of present-day . . . and . . . .
2. During the 5th century the tribes of . . . settled in Britain.
3. In the . . . century Britain was invaded by the Vikings.
4. Lords were responsible to . . . .
5. The . . . dynasty established a system of government, which depended on the . . . .
6. The conflict between the monarchy and Parliament led to . . . .
7. In the . . . century the increased trade led to . . . .
8. The beginning of the 20th century can"t be called . . . .
9. The British empire was made up of . . . .
10. The . . . party replaced the Liberals.

About three thousand years B efore C hrist (BC ) people came from the north of Spain (the Iberian Peninsula) to many parts of Europe including the British Isles.

So, those people who lived on the territory of Great Britain in the earliest times were of the Iberian origin. The Iberians used stone weapons and tools.

One of the mysterious monuments of prehistoric Britain is . It was constructed before 2000 BC and is a trace of the ancestors of the British people. Stonehenge is a circle of huge stone slabs. It is situated in the southern part of England.

Why exactly it was built is unknown, but it may have religious and political significance. No one can tell for sure how these large stones were moved or from what places they were brought. Stonehenge is still a mystery to scholars and to all the descendants.

The Tribes of Celts

In the 7th century BC the Iberians faced a great problem because the British Isles were invaded by the Celts. The Celts may originally have come from eastern and central Europe.

Celtic people lived in tribes. Each tribe was ruled by its own queen or king who represented a warrior class. The priests, called druids , were important members of Celtic tribes. These druids could not read or write but they memorized all the religious teaching, the tribal laws, history, medicine and natural philosophy.

According to the Romans, the Celtic men wore shirts and bridges and striped or checked cloak fastened by a pin. It is possible that the Scottish tartan and dress developed from this type of cloak.

Celtic tribes were represented by the Picts, the Scots and the Britons .

The Picts settled in the mountains in the North. Some Picts and several tribes of the Scots settled in Ireland. But later the Scots decided to return from Ireland to the larger island of present-day Great Britain. They chose its northern part. Now this part is called Scotland.

The Britons were the most powerful of all the Celtic tribes and they occupied most of the country including islandТs southern half. It was named Britain after them. The Britons chose land for living along the rivers or near the coasts of the sea. What they did was fishing, growing wheat and breeding sheep in the meadows.

The Iberians were weak compared to the Celts. They could not fight back because the Celts were well-armed with metal spears, swords and axes.

Hardly anything is left of the Celtic languages except for the names of some rivers — the Thames, the Mersey, the Severn and the Avon and two large cities — London and Leeds.

Читайте также другие темы раздела "Some historical facts about Great Britain / Некоторые исторические факты о Великобритании" :

• The Tribes of Celts / Некоторые исторические факты о Великобритании. Племена кельтов

15 Сен

Тема по английскому языку: Выдающиеся события в истории Великобритании

Топик по английскому языку: Выдающиеся события в истории Великобритании (Оutstanding events in the history of Great Britain). Данный текст может быть использован в качестве презентации, проекта, рассказа, эссе, сочинения или сообщения на тему.

Остров

В истории Великобритании было множество выдающихся событий. Тысячи лет назад Великобритания была соединена с Европой и покрыта льдом. Страна превратилась в остров 8000 лет назад. Первые люди пришли в Великобританию два с половиной миллиона лет назад. Они были охотниками и добытчиками пищи, которые использовали простые каменные инструменты и орудия.

Часть Римской Империи

В 43 году римляне вторглись в Британию, и она стала частью Римской Империи, что несомненно наложило свой отпечаток на Британию и, даже сегодня, кое-где можно увидеть руины римских построек, крепостей и дорог.

Вторжения

Позже были вторжения анго-саксов и викингов, но самым важным было нормандское завоевание, которое началось в 1066. Нормандцы сильно повлияли на британскую цивилизацию. Они построили много замков и внедрили феодальную систему.

Пандемия

Черная смерть, или бубонская чума, которая обрушилась на Англию в 1348 и продолжалась до 1349, унесла жизни почти половины населения страны.

Объединение

Акты объединения 1536, 1707 и 1800 объединили Англию с Уэльсом, Шотландией и Ирландией. В 1606 государственный флаг Соединенного Королевства был принят в качестве национального флага Британии.

Бедствия

Среди других выдающихся событий стоит отметить Великую чуму в Лондоне (1664-1665), когда люди заболевали один за другим и умирали за один день. Они пытались убежать из города, но специальный караул их не выпускал. В городе умерли почти 100 000 человек. За этой трагедией последовал Великий пожар, разразившийся в Лондоне в 1666. Он разрушил две трети города: 13 200 домов, 430 улиц и 89 церквей.

Важные события 20 века

Самыми важными событиями, произошедшими в 20 веке были Первая и Вторая мировые войны, начало правления королевы Елизаветы II в 1952 и вступление в Евросоюз в 1973.

Скачать Топик по английскому языку: Выдающиеся события в истории Великобритании

Outstanding events in the history of Great Britain

Island

There were lots of outstanding events in the history of Great Britain. Thousands of years ago, Great Britain was joined to Europe and was covered with ice. The country became an island about 8000 years ago. The first men and women came to Britain over two and a half million years ago. They were hunters and gatherers of food who used simple stone tools and weapons.

Part of the Roman Empire

In 43 A.D. the Romans invaded Britain and it became part of the Roman Empire, which made its mark on Britain, and even today, the ruins of Roman buildings, forts and roads can be found all over Britain.

Invasions

Later, there were invasions of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, but the most important was the Norman Conquest, which began in 1066. The Normans influenced the British civilization greatly. They built lots of castles and imposed a feudal system.

Pandemic

The Black Death or bubonic plague, which arrived in England in 1348 and continued till 1349, killed nearly half of the population.

Acts of Union

Acts of Union of 1536, 1707 and 1800 joined England with Wales, Scotland and Ireland respectively. In 1606 the Union flag was adopted as the National Flag of Britain.

Disasters

Among some other outstanding events we should mention the Great Plague in London (1664-1665), when people fell ill one after another and died in one day. They began to run out of the city but the special guard didn’t let them go. Nearly 100,000 people died in the city. The tragedy was followed by the Great Fire, which broke out in London in 1666. It destroyed two thirds of the City: 13,200 houses, 430 streets and 89 churches.

Most important events

The most important events that took place in the 20th century were the Fist and the Second World Wars, the beginning of Queen Elizabeth’s II reign in 1952 and joining the European Community in 1973.

The United Kingdom or The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the island state in the Western Europe.

The capital of Great Britain is London. It`s the cultural center of the country. There is an International London Heathrow Airport, a famous Tower Bridge over the river Thames, a Westminster Abbey, the National Gallery of Art and many other beautiful places to visit.

London is situated on the British islands and it is settled down on a zero meridian which is also called Greenwich.

The English sometimes callLondon The Big Smoke or The Great Smoke.

The are about 60 million people living in Great Britain. Most of them are English, Scottish and Irish.

They also have many traditions,like wearing kilts in Scotland and cooking special food for festivals. They celebrate many events in different ways. But all the members of the family take part in it.

People in Great Britain are kind and polite.

Many famous people was born and lived in Great Britain.

The best writer of his time was as good actor as a writer. He appeared in his own plays at the Globe Theatre and other London theatres.

I know Great Britain is by the right considered The state of the future and I would like to go to London and see the most beautiful sights in the capital of this country. I hope my wish will come true.

Перевод:

Соединённое Королевство или Соединённое Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии - островное государство в Западной Европе.

Столица Великобритании - Лондон. Это культурный центр страны. Основные воздушные ворота страны - международный аэропорт Хитроу, знаменитый мост Тауэр через реку Темза, известное во всём мире Вестминстерское аббатство, Национальная Галлерея Искусств и множество других достопримечательных мест для посещения туристами находятся в Лондоне.

Лондон расположен на Британских островах, находится на нулевом меридиане, который также называют Гринвичским.

Англичане иногда называют Лондон Большим Дымом.

Приблизительно 60 миллионов человек проживают в Великобритании. Большинство из них является англичанами, шотландцами и ирландцами.

У них много традиций, таких, как надевание клетчатых юбок "килтов" в Шотландии и приготовление особой пищи для фестивалей. Люди празднуют различные события по-разному. В этом принимают участие все члены семьи.

Люди в Великобритании добры и вежливы.

Много выдающихся личностей родились и жили в Великобритании.

Уильям Шекспир - является одним из них. Он написал много величайших пьес, как "Ромео и Джульетта", "Гамлет", "Макбет" и другие. Большинство из них - трагедии.

Шекспир родился в 1564 и умер в 1616. Он жил в Стратфорде - он-Эйвон с его женой Энн Хэтэвэй и его детьми.

Лучший писатель своего времени был столь же хорошим актером, сколько и автором.

Он появлялся в собственных пьесах в Театре Глобус и других Лондонских театрах.

Я знаю, что Великобритания по праву считается Страной будущего, и я хотела бы поехать в Лондон и увидеть самые красивые достопримечательности столицы этой страны. Я надеюсь, что мои желания осуществятся.

Гумерова Адель

England is the largest and the richest country of Great Britain. The capital of England is London but there are other large industrial cities, such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and other famous and interesting cities such as York, Chester, Oxford and Cambridge. Stonehenge is one of the most famous prehistoric places in the world. This ancient circle of stones stands in Southwest England. It measures 80 metres across and made with massive blocks of stone up to four metres high. Why it was built is a mystery.

Not far from Stonehenge stands Salisbury Cathedral. It is a splendid example of an English Gothic Cathedral; inside there is one of four copies of Magna Charta and the oldest clock in England. Chester is very important town in the north-west of England. In the past it used to be a Roman fort; its name comes from the Latin word castra, meaning "fortified camp". In Chester there is a famous museum which contains over 5000 ancient and modern toys.

Oxford is the home of the oldest university of England. The most famous college is Christ Church. It has a great hall which was built during the reign of Henry VIII and its chapel has become the Cathedral of Oxford. Cambridge is the home of Britain"s second oldest university. York was the capital of Northern England. It is one of the best preserved medieval cities of Europe. It was built by Romans, conquered by Anglo-Saxons and ruled by the Vikings. Birmingham is often called the "City of 1,500 trades" because of the great variety of its industries.

Перевод текста: England - Англия

Англия - самая большая и самая богатая страна Ве-ликобритании. Столица Англии - Лондон; но существуют и другие важные города, например Бирмингем, Ливерпуль и Манчестер и другие известные и интересные города, такие как Йорк, Честер, Оксфорд и Кембридж. Стоунхендж - одно из самых известных доисторических мест в мире. Это древний круг из камней, находящийся на юго-востоке Англии. Его диаметр равняется 30 метрам, и сделан он из массивных каменных блоков до четырех метров высотой. Почему он был построен - загадка.

Недалеко от Стоунхенджа стоит Солсберийский собор. Это прекрасный пример английского готического собора; внутри него хранится одна из четырех копий Великой Хартии и самые старые часы Англии. Честер - очень важный город на северо-западе Англии. В прошлом это был римский форт; название его происходит от латинского слова "castra", что означает "укрепленный лагерь". В Честере находится знаменитый музей, в котором собрано более 5 000 древних и современных игрушек.

Оксфорд - это родина самого старого университета Ан-глии. Самый известный колледж - Крайст Черч. В нем сохранился холл, построенный во время правления Генри-ха VIII, а его часовня стала Оксфордским собором. Кембридж - родина второго самого старого британского университета. Йорк был столицей Северной Англии. Сейчас это один из наиболее сохранившихся средневековых городов Европы. Он был построен римлянами, завоеван англосаксами и управлялся викингами. Бирмингем часто называют "городом 1500 ремесел" из-за большого количества отраслей промышленности.

Использованная литература:
1. 100 тем английского устного (Каверина В., Бойко В., Жидких Н.) 2002
2. Английский язык для школьников и поступающих в ВУЗы. Устный экзамен. Топики. Тексты для чтения. Экзаменационные вопросы. (Цветкова И. В., Клепальченко И.А., Мыльцева Н.А.)
3. English, 120 Topics. Английский язык, 120 разговорных тем. (Сергеев С.П.)