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Е. В. Захарова язык и культура великобритании в условиях европейской интеграции предисловие данное учебное пособие

Вид материалаУчебное пособие
Unit ii. england or britain?
Ii. vocabulary focus
Iii .interpretation.
Iv .speaking personally
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UNIT II. ENGLAND OR BRITAIN?



I. READING COMPREHENSION

A. Pre-reading task. Answer the following questions:

  1. Do you know anything about the formation of the United Kingdom?
  2. Why do you think people from other countries often refer to Britain as ‘England’?



    1. Now read and translate the text. You can make use of the words and expressions given below:

Entity – единый организм

Indicative – свидетельствующий

Balance of power – баланс сил

Dissolve – распустить (парламент)

Dominant – преобладающий, доминирующий

Expansion – расширение

Impede – препятствовать, затруднять, задерживать

Gain – получить

Homogeneous – однородный

Assume – предполагать, допускать

Assumption – предположение

Artificial – искусственный
be charged – быть насыщенным, наполненным

Infuriate – приводить в ярость

Evoke – вызывать, пробуждать

Misleading – обманчивый, вводящий в заблуждение


diversity – разнообразие

landscape – пейзаж

tend – иметь склонность, свойство

reviving – возрождающийся

loyalty – привязанность


Great Britain , as a single political entity, dates from 1 May 1707, when the Kingdoms of England and Scotland were formally combined by the Act of Union. This marked a new stage in the complex relationship between two nations, each having centuries of tradition behind it and a powerful sense of separate identity from the other. It is indicative of the balance of power in 1707, however, that Scotland’s Parliament was the one to be dissolved. Wales, the other constituent part of Britain, had long before been absorbed into the English political system. Thus, England was clearly the dominant partner.

The geographically logical expansion of the English Kingdom into one embracing the whole of the island of Britain was impeded for many centuries by the absence of any over-riding sense of cultural unity between the English, Welsh and Scottish peoples. (It should be noted that English attempts to gain control over Ireland were also taking place from the twelfth century onwards). Not only were the Welsh and Scots substantially different from the English in terms of ethnic origin – they also differed from each other, and they experienced quite separate historic relationships with the English kingdom.

It is widely assumed that now the British form a relatively homogeneous society with a strong sense of identity, but it is an assumption that requires considerable qualification. Even after 300 years the terms “British” and “Britain’ , which are used for official purposes, can seem very artificial. For centuries it has been the idea of England (or Scotland, or Wales), rather than of Britain, which has been charged with patriotic emotion,.

Many people call Britain “England” and the British “English” , as if Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland were merely outer additions to England. Nothing infuriates the Scots, Welsh or Irish more than to be called English, or for all Britain to be referred to as England. They have their own distinctive identities.

The idea of England evokes images of the Queen, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and the soft landscape of the southern counties of England.

But these popular images of England are very misleading. The United Kingdom is a land of great diversity, partly in its landscape, but more importantly in the human sphere. In addition to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland , the regions of England also have their special identities, which tend to be stronger the further one travels from London and the south east. In Cornwell, in the far south west, there is a reviving sense of Celtic identity. Communities in the north often have a strong sense of loyalty and identity. As one moves closer to London, community loyalties weaken and society is both more homogeneous and yet more individualistic, the twin characteristics of a highly integrated modern society.


C. Answer the following questions:

  1. What does the date 1. May 1707 signify?
  2. Which of the two parliaments was dissolved?
  3. What did the absence of any overriding sense of cultural unity between the English Welsh and Scottish peoples impede?
  4. When did the English start their attempts to gain control over Ireland?
  5. Is Britain considered a homogeneous society?
  6. Why can the terms ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ seem artificial?
  7. What images does the idea of England usually evoke?
  8. Why are the popular images of England misleading?



II. VOCABULARY FOCUS

.

A. Translate the following word-combinations into Russian:

Constituent part; to be absorbed; onwards; to require qualification; to be charged with patriotic emotion; in terms of; to evoke images; outer additions; soft landscape; in the human sphere.

In which situations are they given in the text? Reproduce them


B. Find the English equivalents in the text:

Сложные взаимоотношения; использоваться в официальных целях; значительно отличаться; ослабевать; единая политическая общность; новая стадия; весь остров; следует отметить; попытки; южные графства.

.

Think of your own sentences with these expressions.


    1. Match the words which collocate with each other:

1. political a. origin

2. homogeneous b. landscape

3. ethnic c. society

4. patriotic d. entity

5. soft e. emotion

    1. Match the words which are close in their meaning:

1. homogeneous a. characteristic

2. powerful b. external

3. dominant c. strong

4. outer d. uniform

5. distinctive e. primary

    1. Match the words having the opposing meaning

1. powerful a. miscellaneous

2. outer b. subordinate

3. homogeneous c. similar

4. distinctive d. inner

5. dominant e. weak


    1. Match the words and their definitions:

1. a separate unit that is complete and has its own character
a. artificial

2. more important, powerful or successful than the other people or things of the same type
b. entity

3. to bring a particular emotion, idea or memory into your mind
c. misleading

4. intended or likely to make and believe smth that is incorrect or not true

d. dominant

5. caused or created as a result of human influence or action
e. evoke



    1. Translate the following sentences into Russian:
  1. The two countries fought for the right to become separate entities.
  2. The company cannot preserve its dominant position in the market.
  3. The recent flood evoked memories of the great flood of 1972.
  4. Statistics, as we know, can be very misleading.
  5. The new policies are designed to break down artificial barriers to women’s advancement.



    1. Use the negative prefixes (un-; in-; dis-;). Translate the words into Russian.


1. ___formally 6. ___charged

2. ___ considerable 7. ___ qualification

3. ___ official 8. ___ importantly

4. ___ distinctive 9. ___ human

5. ___ patriotic 10. ___ loyalty


    1. Insert prepositions where necessary: (over; in; with; to; from; of)



  1. to date ___
  2. to be indicative ___ smth
  3. to gain control ___ smth
  4. ___ terms of smth
  5. to differ ____ smth
  6. to be charged ___ smth
  7. to refer ___ smth
  8. to evoke ___
  9. partly ___ smth
  10. in addition ___ smth



    1. Complete the sentences using the words in the box:

Dominant political entity

Balance of power indicative

Artificial official purposes

Assumed homogeneous

Misleading images



  1. Great Britain as a single _____ dates from 1 May 1707
  2. England was clearly a ______ partner
  3. It is ____ of the ___ in 1707
  4. Even after 300 years the terms ‘British’ and ‘Britain’, which are used for ___ , can seem very ____ .
  5. It is widely---- that now the British form a relatively ____ society.
  6. These popular ___ of England are very ____ .



    1. In which meanings are the following words used in the text:



  1. to charge
  1. to ask smb to pay money
  2. to accuse smb of a crime
  3. to attack
  4. to make smb filled with a strong emotion



  1. artificial
  1. made by people and used instead of smth natural
  2. caused or created as a result of human influence or action



    1. Make up phrases and translate them. Think of your own sentences with them


Authority

Responsibility

To assume Command

Control

Leadership

Power


III .INTERPRETATION.

  1. Answer the questions:



  1. What historical developments led to the formal union of England and Scotland?
  2. Why do you think England was the dominant partner?
  3. How was Wales absorbed into the English political system?
  4. Is it true that Ireland is considered the oldest colony of England?
  5. It is assumed that the British form a relatively homogeneous society. What do you think is meant by this?


B. Paraphrase and explain the following statements:


1 )Many people call Britain “England” and the British “English”, as if Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland were merely outer additions to England.

2) The United Kingdom is a land of great diversity, partly in its landscape, but more importantly in the human sphere.

3) For centuries it has been the idea of England (or Scotland, or Wales) rather than of Britain, which has been charged with patriotic emotion.


IV .SPEAKING PERSONALLY

Discuss with your partner how you understand the most typical images of Britain, what they symbolize and why they have become British icons.


V. EFFECTIVE WRITING


Write an outline of the historic events leading to the formation of the United Kingdom.

To connect the ideas in your piece of writing, use the following expressions:


Firstly Secondly

Meanwhile In the second place

Eventually In the meantime

First of all To sum up

To begin with In short