a_Ê VĂN sự

Giáo TRìnH

Văn Hlỉnh

GI-108T

mn-im tmim
Gồm:

Geography
History
Culture

2011 | PDF | 169 Pages

NHÃ XUẤT BẢN THÔNG TẤN


LÊ VĂN Sự
Giảpg viên Tiêng Anh
Trường Cao đẳng Sư phạm Đồng Nai
Trường Đại học Dân lập Lạc Hổng

GIÁO TRÌNH
VĂN MINH ANH - MỸ
BRITISH - AMERICAN
CIVILIZATION
Gồm:

GEOGRAPHY
HISTORY
CULTfcttỄ0C
[trung ĩtì THỒNgm - THƯ VIỆN
Số:........ AWt,..

NHÀ XUẤT BẢN THÔNG TẤN
2001



PREFACE
This course of British - American Civilization is prepared for the
B.A programme, and aims at providing the students with a general
understanding of the multi-faceted British and American life.
The lectures are concentrated on these three domains:

1. GEOGRAPHY: with some insights into the topography or
natural regions of the British Isles and the U.S.; and some
general views of other related fields, namely: climate population - industry - agriculture - transport and cities.

2. HISTORY: with some main facts from the history of Britain
and America alongside with the political and social
institutions of each country.
3. CULTURE: with typical lectures on education - tradition customs - sports - entertainment and prominent people.

This material should be dealt with in reference to the test format
which usually comprises these two common parts:
đ Identification of geographical, historical and cultural items.


ã

Essay writing on one of the burning issues concerning British
and American civilization.

The students, therefore, are expected to ensure regular class
attendance, make a summary of what they have learnt and practise
writing on significant matters. In this way we bet they will achieve
success in the course.

Last but not least, we hope to hear all the hearty remarks and
suggestions from the users of this coursebook.
LE VAN SU
Dong Nai Teachers’ College
Lac Hong University

5


LOI NOI DAU
Giáo trình Vàn Minh Anh - Mỹ này được biên soạn dành cho
bậc học cứ nhân với mục tiêu cung câp cho sinh viên sự hiểu biết tổng
quát về đời sông nhiều mặt của nước Anh cũng như nước Mỹ.

Các bài giảng tập trung vào ba lãnh vực sau đáy:
1. ĐỊA LY: với những khái niệm về địa hình hay các miền tự
nhiên của Đáo Anh Qc và Mỹ Quốc cùng với cái nhìn tổng quan về
những lãnh vực khác liên quan như là: Khí hậu - dân sô' - công nghiệp
- nông nghiệp - vận tải và các thành phố.


2. LỊCH SU: với một vài sự kiện chính về lịch sử Anh - Mỹ,
cùng với những định chê chính trị xã hội của mỗi nước.

3. VĂN HĨA: với những bài giảng tiêu biểu về giáo dục - truyền
thơng - phong tục - thế’ thao - giái trí và những con người kiệt xuất.
Giáo trình này nên được sứ dụng có tham khảo đêìi dạng thức đề
thi với hai phần thường gặp:

- Phần nhận biết các sự kiện địa lý, lịch sử và văn hóa.
- Phần tự luận về một trong những vấn đề nóng bỏng liên quan
đến văn minh Anh - Mỹ.

Vì vậy sinh viên phải đảm bảo việc tham gia đều đặn các giờ
giảng, tóm tắt những điều đã học và luyện viết về những vấn đề đáng
quan tâm. Bằng cách này chúng tôi tin họ sẽ thành cơng trong khóa
học.
Điểm cuối cùng nhưng khơng kém phần quan trọng là chúng tòi
hi vọng nhận được những nhận xét và đóng góp chân tình từ các bạn
đọc.
LÊ VĂN Sự
Trường CĐSP Đồng Nai
Trường Đại Học Lạc Hồng

6


MỤC LỤC
PREFACE..................................................................................................................................... 5
LỜI NÓI ĐẨU............... ................................................................................................................ 6
MỤC LỤC............................................................................................................. ?.......................7

BOOK1: BRITISH CIVILIZATION........................................................................................... 11
Part One

: GEOGRAPHY...............

12

Lecture 1: ENGLAND IN THE BRITISH ISLES..................................................................... 13
Lecture 2: SCOTLAND IN THE BRITISH ISLES.................................

16

Lecture 3: WALES IN THE BRITISH ISLES..........................................

17

Lecture 4: NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE BRITISH ISLES.............................

19

Lecture 5: INDUSTRY OF BRITAIN....................................................................................... 20
Lecture 6: INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.........................................................

23

Lecture 7: AGRICULTURE IN GREAT BRITAIN.......................

Lectures: TRANSPORT..........................................................................................................24
Lecture 9: CLIMATE - THE ENVIRONMENT AND POLLUTION............... ......................... 26


27

Lecture 10: THE WEATHER IN ENGLAND.....................

Lecture 11: POPULATION AND THE CITY OF LONDON....................................................28
Lecture 12: LONDON, THE CAPITAL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM................................... 30
Lecture 13: OXFORD & OXFORD UNIVERSITY.................................?.................................32
Lecture 14: THE GREAT OF LONDON FOG......................................................................... 33
Lecture 15: CAMBRIDGE.........................................................................................................34
Lecture 16. EDINBURGH..........................................................................................................35
Lecture 17: MANCHESTER......................................................................................................36
Lecture 18: THE COUNTIES AND COUNTY TOWNS OF THE BRITISH ISLES............... 37
Part Two

: HISTORY............................................................................................................ 43

Lecture'19: OUTSTANDING DATES IN THE HISTORY OF BRITAIN................................ 44

Lecture 20: THE ROMAN TIMES IN BRITISH HISTORY.....................................................47
Lecture 21: THE ENGLISH KINGDOMS................................................................................48
Lecture 22:' KING ALFRED THE GREAT...............................................................................49
Lecture 23: ENGLAND UNDER FOREIGN KINGS...............................................................50
Lecture 24: THE GREAT CHARTER (1215) AND THE BEGINNING OF THE
ENGLISH PARLIAMENT.............................................
'

51

Lecture 25: THE PEASANTS' REVOLT IN THE 14th CENTURY........................................52
Lecture 26: FRANCIS DRAKE (1540-1596).......................................................................... 53

Lecture 27: THE ENGLISH BOURGEOIS REVOLUTION AND THE

7


COMMONWEALTH (1629-1660).................................................................................... 56
Lecture 28: THE PLAGUE....................................................................................................... 57

Lecture 29: THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON........................................................................ 58
Lecture 30: CHARTISM (1832-1848)..................................................................................... 59
Lecture 31: THE RISE & FALL OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE................................................ 60

Lecture 32: POLITICS IN BRITAIN.....................................

Part Thr

ee: CULTURE.....................................................................................

Lecture 33: SCHOOLS IN BRITAIN.......................................................................

62

64
65

Lecture 34: THE STONE OF DESTINY..................................................................................67
Lecture 35: THE THEATRE ROYAL...................................................................................... 68
Lecture 36: FIREPLACES.........................................................................................................69
Lecture 37: BIG BEN................................................................................................................ 69
Lecture 38: AN EISTEDDFOD................................................................................................. 7?

Lecture 39: A ROBIN HOOD DANCE..................................................................................... 72
Lecture 40: GUY FAWKES DAY.............................................................................................73
Lecture 41: THE FIRST OF MAY.'..........................................................................................74
Lecture 42: BANK HOLIDAYS IN BRITAIN........................................................................... 75

Lecture 43: CALENDAR OF SPECIAL OCCASIONS......................................................

76

Lecture 44: ISAAC NEWTON (1642-1727)........................................................................... 78
Lecture 45: CHARLES DICKENS.......................................................................................... 79
Lecture 46: GEORGE STEPHENSON (1781-1848)............................................................ 80
Lecture 47: HARRY POLLITT (1890-1960)........................................................................... 81

Lecture 48: BENJAMIN BRITTEN (1913-1977)...................................... ■............................ 83
Lecture 49: SPORTS IN BRITAIN............................................................................................84
Lecture 50: THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL.......................................................................... 85
BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................87

BOOK 2: AMERICAN CIVILIZATION..................................................................................... 88
Part One

: GEOGRAPHY.................................................................................................... 89

Lecture 1

NATURAL REGIONS.............................................................................................90

Lecture 2: A TRIP FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO NEW YORK............................................ 91
Lecture 3: THE MAIN GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE

PACIFIC........................................................................................................................93
Lecture 4: POPULATION & MAIN CITIES..............................................................................97
Lecture 5: WASHINGTON...................................................................................................... 99
Lecture 6. NEW YORK...........................................................................

101

Lecture 7: NEW YORK. THE CITY OF THE YELLOW DEVIL........................................... 102

8


Lectures: CHICAGO ............................................................................................................ 104

Lecture 9: SAN FRANCISCO................................................................................................ 105
Lecture 10: THE AMERICAN ECONOMY............................................................................106
Lecture 11: INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE.................................................................... 108

Part Two

: HISTORY.......................................................................................................... 110

Lecture 12: THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.................................................................. 111
Lecture 13: OUTSTANDING DATES IN THE HISTORY....................................................113

Lecture 14: INDIANS IN NORTH AMERICA....................................................................... 116
Lecture 15: THE COMING OF THE WHITE MEN TO NORTH AMERICA........................117
Lecture 16: THE BOSTON TEA PARTY .............................................................................118

Lecture 17: THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE................................................................... 119

Lecture 18: SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES...............................................................120

Lecture 19: THE CIVIL WAR BETWEEN THE STATES(1861-1865)................................121
Lecture 20: THE POLITICAL SYSTEM................................................

122

Lecture 21: AMERICAN SYSTEM........................................................................................124
Part Thr

ee: CULTURE..................................................................................................... 127

Lecture 22: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE................................................................................128
Lecture 23: THE MELTING POT: MANY NATIONALITIES............................................... 130
Lecture 24: THE COLOUR PROBLEM................................................................................. 132
Lecture 25: THE CHURCH IN AMERICA..............................................................................134
Lecture 26: AMERICAN FAMILIES...................................................................................... 135
Lecture 27: NICKNAMES OF THE STATES....................................................................... 136
Lecture 28: LEISURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS...................................................... 138
Lecture 29: AMERICAN SPORTS AND GAMES................................................................139
Lecture 30: BASKET BALL (1)..............................................................................................140
Lecture 31: ON THE INVENTION OF BASKET BALL (2)................................................. 141
Lecture 32: AMUSEMENT FOR THE MASSES..................................................................142
Lecture 33: PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN THE U.S.A (1)........................................................... 144
Lecture 34: A SUMMARY TABLE OF SPECIAL DAYS IN THE U.S.A (2)........................146
Lecture 35: AMERICAN SCHOOLS (1)................................................................................147
Lecture 36: AMERICAN SCHOOLS-(2)................................................................................149
Lecture 37: SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES...................................................................... 151
Lecture 38: YOUTH ORGANIZATION IN THE U.S.A.......................................................... 153
Lecture 39: AMERICAN ENGLISH...................................................................................... 154

Lecture 40: THE CELEBRATION OF MAY 1 IN AN AMERICAN SCHOOL..................... 155
Lecture 41: HALLOWEEN - OCTOBER 31...........................................................................157
Lecture 42: ST. VALENTINE'S DAY - FEBRUARY 14....................................................... 158

9


Lecture 43: APRIL FOOL'S DAY - APRIL 1 ........................................................................ 159

Lecture 44: NIAGARA FALLS...............................................................................................160
Lecture 45: ABRAHAM LINCOLN.........................................................................................162
Lecture 46: THOMAS EDISON............................................................................................. 163

Lecture 47: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (1706-1790)................................................................164
Lecture 48: LUTHER KING................................................................................................... 165

BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................................................................167
CÙNG TÁC GIẢ SÁCH ĐÃ XUẤT BẢN................................................................................168

1

10


BOOK 1

BRITISH
CIVILIZATION

I


11


Part One
GEOGRAPHY

12


Lecture 1:

ENGLAND IN THE BRITISH ISLES
I. GENERAL NOTIONS
1. Britain can be referred to in several different ways: Britain, Great
Britain, the British Isles, the U.K.
2. The British Isles is the name given to England, Scotland, Wales and
the whole of Ireland in the geography books.
3. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the
name of the land the Queen reigns over. The U.K is its shortened
form.

4. Britain - or Great Britain - is England, Scotland and Wales, but it is
often used to include Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is also
referred to as “Ulster”.
5. The Republic of Ireland is Southern Ireland. It is independent and
has its own government in the capital city, Dublin. It is called Eire.
6. The United Kingdom can be divided into four large historical areas
ENGLAND; SCOTLAND; WALES; NORTHERN IRELAND .


II. ENGLAND
England is often sub-divided into three parts:
1. The South: including the South-West.
2. The Midlands.
3. The North.

HI. THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND

A. Some special features:
1. The climate is warmer than in the other areas.

13


2. The landscape is most varied. There are hundreds of miles of sea
coast which vary from flat, sandy or stony beaches to high rocky
cliffs.

Inland, the landscape is gentle and green. The farmland is like a
vast park with trees. The Thames Valley is a reminder that you are
never far from a river in England.

3. The coastal resorts of the south are famous for holidays.
4. London spreads its influence over much of the area. London’s
suburbs stretch for miles, around the capital.
5. Transport between Britain and the continent of Europe is provided
largely by ferries from ports in the south: Dover, Portsmouth,
Southampton, Plymouth... across the English Channel (the sea
between England and France).
6. In general, the south is wealthier and the price of goods and houses

is higher than in other areas of Britain.

B. Sonic places of interest.:
1. Stonehenge: a prehistoric stone monument on Salisbury Plain.

2. Eton: the famous public school founded in 1440.
3. Canterbury: the cathedral and the residence of the Archbishop of
Canterbury, who is the religious head of the Church of England.
4. Bath: a beautiful town in the West Country.

5. Oxford and Cambridge: the oldest university towns in Britain.

IV. THE MIDLANDS
A. Sonic special features:
1. The climate is cooler and wetter than in the South. The Midlands do
not have so much sea coast.

2. The Midlands have large indurstrial areas which are very distinct
from the rural area. The Black Country of the West Midlands is
one. It is the area where the Industrial Revolution began in Britain.
14


However, the Midlands also have much farming land.

3. Birmingham is the chief city of the Midlands. It is the second
largest city in the U.K. It IS famous for car production.
4. The East Midlands has the most productive pits in the British coal­
mining industry.


5. Farming in the Midlands is varied: the keeping of animals and the
raising of crops.

BpSome places of interest:
1. Stratford-on-Avon:
Shakespeare.

the birth-place

and

burial

place

of w.

2. Coventry: the fine modern cathedral.

V. THE NORTH OF ENGLAND
A. Some special features:
1. In general, it gets colder the further north-east you go, and wetter in
the west. There is almost always snow in winter.

2. There is a great contrast in the North between the beautiful open,
hilly countryside and the industrial towns and mining villages.
3. Some famous industrial centres are: Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds,
Newcastle-on-Tyne.

4. The North has coal fields in almost all its counties.


5. The chemical industry is well established in the North.

B. Sonic places of interest:
1. The Roman Wall, Hadrian’s Wall: a huge fortification all along the
Scottish border.

2. The Lake District.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Explain the different names of Britain.
15


2. What are the four large areas of the United Kingdom?
3. Describe the three parts of England: special features and some
places of interest.

Lecture 2:

SCOTLAND IN THE BRITISH ISLES
I. SOME SPECIAL FEATURES
1. Scotland was once an independent kingdom. In 1603 the king of
Scotland inherited the English throne. He ruled as James I of
England and James VI of Scotland.

2. In 1707 the Scottish parliament was merged with the English
parliament, and Scotland lost its political independence.
3. The Scots are a proud, independent people. They have some freedom
from the rule of the central government in London, especially in

running their educational, legal and local government systems.

4. There are three large geographical areas in Scotland: the Highlands,
the Lowlands and the Islands.

Five million people live in Scotland. Three-quarters of them live
in the Central Lowlands.
Edinburgh is the capital.
administered from Edinburgh.

The

regions

of Scotland

are

Glasgow is the chief industrial and commercial city.

5. The bagpipes: the Scottish national musical instrument.
6. Religion: At the Reformation in the 16th century, many Scots
became protestants. But in places like Glasgow the Roman Catholic
Church is very strong.
7. The landscape: Scotland is a large country. It is beautiful. It has

16


mountains (the highest = Ben Nevis, 1342 metres), lakes (called

“lochs”), forests, hundreds of kilometres of seashore and hundreds of
islands.

II. PLACES TO VISIT
1. The Edimburgh Festival for music and drama.
2. The Western Isles for the beauty of their highland and wide seas.
3. Loch Ness, to catch a glimpse of the monster?

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Cite the history of Scotland in a few lines.
2. Summarize the geographical features of Scotland.

3. Name some places-to visit in Scotland.

Lecture 3:

WALES IN THE BRITISH ISLES
I. SOME SPECIAL FEATURES
1. For centuries, Wales was a rebellious
Henry Tudor, became king of
his. sonTHeHry^ilTTinited,
JtRUNG ĨẪỐ THONG TIN. THU VIỆN
England and Wales under ojie
2. The capital is Cardiff.

Số:.... ..................

There are 2.8 million inhabitants in Wales.

The highest number live in the industrial areas of South Wales.

The main Welsh industries have been coal-mining, iron and steel
making, tin-plate manufacturing.
3. The architecture of the towns and mining villages can be very ugly
but the Welsh countryside is beautiful.

17


4. Wales is popular with tourists.

IL SOME SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST
1. The Welsh love to sing. Choirs are established in villages, in pubs,
in working men’s clubs, in chapels. Wherever the Welsh meet, they
sing.

2. Welsh folklore and the language strengthen each other. Every year a
national festival of traditional poetry and music is held: it is called
the EISTEDDFOD. There is a competition for the best new poem in
Welsh.
3. There are a lot of Welsh people with the same family names: Jones,
Evans, Lloyd, Hughes. This can be confusing so they are sometimes
called, according to their jobs:
® Jones the post (postman)

» Jones the meat (butcher)

ã Jones the milk (milkman)
đ Jones the song (choirmaster).

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Talk about Wales from the political and geographical points of view.

2. What do you know about the Welsh festival “EISTEDDFOD”?
3. What is special about the names in Wales?

18


Lecture 4:

NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE
BRITISH ISLES
I. HISTORICAL FEATURES
1. The whole of Ireland, sometimes called “The Isle of Érin”, used to be
under the British monarchy. It was ruled from London. It had a
long history of rebellion until 1921.
2. In 1921, Southern Ireland became independent. It is called Eire.
Northern Ireland remained united with the rest of Britain.
Northern Ireland is a province. It is often called by the name of the
province ULSTER. It is also referred to as the Six Counties. It is
now governed directly from London.
3. Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. Dublin is the capital of
the Irish Republic (Southern Ireland).
4. The settlers were protestants; the native Irish were'Catholics. The
protestants are determined to remain politically united with
Britain. The Catholics feel under-privileged. Many of them look to
the Republic in the South for support. The Republic in the South is
mainly Catholic. The protestant community controls the economic
and political life in the North. The Catholics resent this.


5. The hope is that the Northern Irish will agree to share power
amongst themselves. They can then run their country peacefully
through a reformed parliamentary system; direct rule from London
will end.
A

II. GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
1. The landscape of Northern Ireland is gentle. It is green because it
rains a lot.

19


2. The mountains roll gently down to the sea.

3. Northern Ireland is a land of lakes, rivers and a varied sea coast. It
is never more than an hour’s car drive to get to the sea from any
point in the province. It is a great place for outdoor sports, and for
tourism. Above all, the Northern Irish people are friendly and
generous. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What happened in Ireland in 1921.

2. Why does the religious devision still remain in Northern Ireland?
3. State the geographical features of Northern Ireland.

Lecture 5:

INDUSTRY OF BRITAIN

I. NATIONAL INDUSTRY
1. The Midlands have large industrial areas. The Black Country of the
West Midlands is one. It is the area where the Industrial Revolution
began in Britain.

2. The East Midlands has a thriving coal-mining industry. Coal is used
to produce electricity.
3. London does not at first look like an industrial city. Indeed, industry
has been encouraged to move out of London, particularly during the
last ten years. Nevertheless, manufacturing and the service
industries still provide Londoners with jobs, especially if they are
skilled workers.
4. Still nationalized industries are: coal, railways, nuclear research and
development, nuclear fuel, postal services.

5. Birmingham is the second largest city in the United Kingdom. It is
20


famous for engineering, especially car production.

6. Other famous industrial centres are Manchester (making textiles,
engineering), Sheffield (steel-making), Leeds (textile), Newcastle-onTyne (ship-building and repairing).

IL PRIVATE INDUSTRY
1. A private agency is run by individuals or companies for profit. Both
the employer and the job-seeker often have to pay for its services. A
private agency usually specializes in one kind of employment.

2. Some of the privatized industries:

• British Gas
• British Telecom
• British Airways

o British Airports Authority
• British Aerospace

® Rolls Royce Engineering
® National Freight Corporation
® Coach Transport.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Which area of Britain occupies the large part of the British
industry? Support your answer with evidence.

2. What are the nationalized industries in Britain?
3. Name some privatized industries in Britain.

21


Lecture 6:

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
1. Formerly England was chiefly an agricultural country where
thousands of farmers grew corn and produced other foodstuffs for
the population.

2. Industry was very poorly developed. There were only small factories
scattered over the country, near the places where the raw materials

were found in plenty, and along the rapid rivers that provided
power.
3. The discovery of coal lying side by side with iron-ore, the invention
of the steam-engine and its general use in industry, caused a
revolution that made England the workshop of the world.

4. Canterbury, York, Durham, Lancaster, have been famous, but are
now just villages in comparison with the huge towns that have
gathered round the tall chimneys with columns of smoke rising to
the sky.

5. People came to cities, leaving the country. In the fields and
meadows, where sheep once quietly grazed, or where the farmer
used to drive his plough, one could only hear the deafening din and
shriek of railway engines, the clang of steam-hammers, the
rumbling of spinning mules and looms.
6. Cheap coal, cheap iron and steel from numerous blast furnaces and
smelting works led to a rapid development of industry.
7. A large network of railways covered the country and carried
passengers and goods quickly to the most distant places, while
numerous ships brought in raw materials and took them away in
the form of manufactured goods.

22


REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. By what did English people chiefly live in old times?
2. Where did small factories gather in the old days?


3. On what did English industry depend in order to develop?

Lecture 7:

AGRICULTURE IN GREAT BRITAIN
1. Agriculture is one of the largest and most important activities in
Great Britain.

2. In the forefront of British agriculture is dairy farming.
3. Milk and milk products, and British dairy cattle - such breeds as, for
instance, British Shorthorn - are famous all over the world.

4. The raising of cattle for beef, too, is an important farming activity in
all parts of the country.

5. Sheep which provide botli wool and meat flourish in a land where
nearly a third of the area given over to farming consists of hill
pasture where they can graze.
6. Pig and poultry farms are common in all parts of Britain. Indeed,
most farmers and many people who are not farmers at all will keep
a few of them either as a source of additional income or for their
own tables.
7. The chief grain crops are wheat and barley. The latter is used for
the brewing of beer which is an important industry in Britain.

8. In certain parts of the country, where soil and climate are right,
many varieties of fine fruit are grown, particularly in the country of
Kent, south-east of London, which has been justly described as “the
garden of England”.


23


9. But there are some fruits and vegetables which it is impossible to
grow in the open air in Britain without serious loss. So this problem
is solved on many fruit farms by the use of glass-houses, heated
within.
1Ọ. The largest assembly of glass-houses in
largest in the world - is to be seen a few
where one firm of growers has over two
employing a thousand people, and having
£4,000,000 a year.

Britain - probably the .
miles north of London,
hundred acres of land,
an output worth about

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What type of farming occupies the forefront of British agriculture?

2. Name the chief grain crops in Britain.
3. Which parts of Britain is called “the garden of England”? What is
the use of glass-houses?

Lecture 8:

TRANSPORT
1. Transport between Britain and the Continent of Europe is provided
largely by ferries from ports in the South: Dover, Folkestone,

Portsmouth, Southampton, Plymouth across the Channel;
Felixstowe and Newcastle across the North Sea. This is cheaper
than going by air.
2. Visitors to London often prefer’ to travel bv bus because they can see
so much of the city from the top deck of a double-deck»er.

3. Travel by the Underground - often called “the Tube” - is quicker. A
network of underground lines covers most London districts and
reaches out into the suburbs a long way from Central London. Some
24


of the Underground lines linking North and South London go under
the River Thames. In the outer suburbs, where there is more space,
the Underground trains emerge from their tunnels and run above
ground.
4. Taxi is a more expensive way to travel.
5. The train is usually quicker than the coach. The railways in Britain
are nationalized: that is, they are state owned.
6. It is cheaper to travel by coach than by rail. For long-distance
journeys people should book in advance. The coach system is no
longer nationalized but run by private coach companies.
7. Qoing by air: Because distances within the British Isles are quite
short, internal air travel is not very important for the average
Briton. There is a domestic flight programme and a special service
called “shuttle”. You do not have to book in advance for this.
Heathrow is the great international airport. The number of
passengers passing through Heathrow is nearly 35 million a year.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What do you know about sea transport in Britain?
2. State what you know about other means of transport in Britain.
3. Write something about air travel within and beyond the British
Isles.

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Lecture 9:

CLIMATE - THE ENVIRONMENT
AND POLLUTION
I. CLIMATE
1. The climate of Britain is more or less the same as that of the north western part of the European mainland.

2. The popular belief that it rains all the time in Britain is simply not
true. In fact, London gets no more rain in a year than most other
major European cities, and less than some.
3. The amount of rain that falls on a town in Britain depends on where
it is. Generally speaking, the further west you go, the more rain you
get.
4. The mild winters mean that snow is a regular feature of the higher
areas only. Occasionally, a whole winter goes by in lower lying
parts without any snow at all.

5. The winters are in general a bit colder in the east of the country
than they are in the. west, while in summer, the south is slightly
warmer and sunnier than the north.

II. THE ENVIRONMENT AND POLLUTION

1. It was in Britain that the word “smog” was first used to describe a
mixture of smoke and fog. As the world’s first industrialized
country, its cities were the first to suffer this atmospheric condition.

2. The situation in London reached its worst point in 1952.
3. Water pollution was also a problem. People used to talk about the
awful smell of the River Thames.
4. At one time, a scene of fog in a Hollywood film was all that was
necessary to symbolize London. This image is now out of date, and
by the end of the 1970s it was said to be possible to catch fish in

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