| Comprehension Questions
1. In what country did the English language originate?
2. How many people now speak English as their first language?
3. Why do so many people not from England speak English now?
4. In what countries is English an official language?
Discussion Questions
1. Where do you hear English spoken in Uzbekistan?
2. Where do you see English written in Uzbekistan?
3. Why do you study English?
4. Why do you see and hear English in Uzbekistan, even though it is not an official language?
EX 170 RETELL THE TEXT
GREAT BRITAIN
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) has been the official name of the British Kingdom since 1922. It includes England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and a number of smaller islands. Other names for the UK are Great Britain and the British Isles. A poetic name for Britain is Albion. It is an ancient name given to Britain by the Romans. The Romans associated this term with albus, which means white, and identified it with the Dover chalk cliffs. Not long ago Britain was the home country of a huge colonial empire. Almost 500 million people were subjects of the British Empire. The term the British Commonwealth of Nations was used starting in 1931 to describe the relations between Great Britain and its colonies. Now the days of colonialism are over. The former colonies have become politically independent. But they still have some links with Great Britain. These countries are associated under the British Crown. The British Queen is proclaimed to be the head of state and is represented by a governor general. The flag of Britain is called the Union Jack. It has the red cross of St. George of England, the white cross of St. Andrew of Scotland and the red cross of St. Patrick of Ireland, all on a blue background."God save the Queen/King" is the British national anthem. The words and tune probably date to the 16th century. The tune has also been used for patriotic songs in the USA and Germany. The British currency is the pound sterling. One pound consists of 100 pence. The British Isles lie off the north-west coast of the continent of Europe. They include Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), Ireland (Northern Ireland and the Independent Irish Republic) and some 5000 smaller islands. The biggest island is Great Britain, which lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. It is separated from the European continent by the English Channel. To the west the Irish Sea separates Great Britain from Ireland. The chief rivers are the Thames, the Severn (the longest river at 350 km), the Clyde and the Mersey. The highest point on the British Isles is Ben Nevis, a mountain in Scotland. The northern part of Scotland is called the Highlands and the southern part is the Lowlands. Most of the lakes are found in Scotland and north-west England. Northern Ireland contains many plateaux and hills. he UK can be divided into four large historical areas: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The chief regional administrative units are called "countries" in England and Wales, "regions" in Scotland, and "districts" in Northern Ireland.
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