Download The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom. Geographical Features
The official name of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
It is made up of four countries, each with a distinct culture: England, Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland. London is the capital of England and the UK. The capital of Scotland is
Edinburgh. Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and Belfast of Northern Ireland.
1
An island nation
5
10
The UK is situated in the British Isles, a group of islands to the north-west of continental
Europe. It is bordered by the English Channel to the south, which separates it from
continental Europe, by the North Sea to the east and by the Irish Sea and the Atlantic
Ocean to the west. The UK has a total area of approximately 244,000 square kilometres,
with 12,429 kilometres of coastline. No one in the UK lives more than 70 miles from the
sea.
Landscape
15
Scotland and Wales are the most mountainous parts of the UK, and home to its twenty
highest mountains. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain in the British Isles, at
1,344 metres above sea level. The rest of the UK is made up of lowland terrain with
distinct areas of higher ground such as the Cumbrian Mountains in the north-west of
England or the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland. Many coastal areas are low-lying,
especially in the south and east of England.
2
Inland water
20
Northern Ireland is home to the UK's largest lake, Lough Neagh. There are many beautiful
lakes in the Lake District and in Scotland. The Severn is the UK's longest river, at about
338 kilometres in length. Other major rivers include the Thames, which flows through
Oxford and London, and the Trent and Mersey rivers. The UK has an intricate network of
canals and rivers, making up thousands of miles of navigable waterways.
Climate
25
The climate of the British Isles is temperate maritime. It is more strongly influenced by
the ocean than the climate in continental European countries. South-westerly winds
blowing off the Atlantic bring rain and moisture, particularly to the west of the country.
The Gulf Stream helps to keep winters milder than on the continent. Temperatures rarely
drop below -10°C in winter and don't climb much higher than 30°C in summer. July and
August are the warmest months, while February is the coldest. Probably the best months to
visit the UK are May, June and September.
Vocabulary
border (v)
/'bɔː də/
межувати
separate (v)
/'sep(ə)reɪt/
розділяти
approximately (adv)
/ə'prɔksɪmətlɪ/
приблизно
mountainous (adj)
/'mauntɪnəs/
гірський
terrain (n)
/tə'reɪn/
місцевість
distinct (adj)
flow (v)
intricate (adj)
/dɪ'stɪŋkt/
/fləu/
окремий
текти
заплутаний
navigable (adj)
temperate (adj)
maritime (adj)
/'nævɪgəbl/
/'temp(ə)rət/
/'mærɪtaɪm/
судноплавний
помірний
морський
moisture (n)
/'mɔɪsʧə/
волога
/juː 'naɪtɪd'kɪŋdəm/
Сполучене Королівство
the North Sea
/ˌ nɔː θ'siː /
Північне море
the Irish Sea
/ˌ aɪ(ə)rɪʃ'siː /
Ірландське море
the English Channel
/ˌ ɪŋglɪʃ'ʧænl/
протока Ла-Манш
the Gulf Stream
/'gʌlfˌ striː m/
Гольфстрім
/'brɪtɪʃˌ aɪlz/
Британські острови
Ben Nevis
/ben'neɪvɪs/
Бен-Невіс (гора)
the Cumbrian Mountains
/'kʌmbrɪən'mauntɪnz/
Камберлендські гори
the Mourne Mountains
/ˌ mɔː n'mauntɪnz/
гори Моурн
the Thames
the Trent
the Mersey
/temz/
/trent/
/'mɜː zɪ/
Темза (річка)
Трент (річка)
Мерсі (річка)
Lough Neagh
/ˌ lɔh'neɪ/
Лох-Ней (озеро)
/ˌ leɪk'dɪstrɪkt/
Озерний край
/'ɪntrɪkət/
Geographical names
Countries and cities
the United Kingdom
Oceans and seas
Islands
the British Isles
Mountains
Rivers and lakes
Regions
the Lake District
The United Kingdom. Geographical Features
Write the answers to the following questions.
1
What is the official full name of the UK?
2
What parts does the United Kingdom consist of?
3
Where are the British Isles situated?
4
What are the most mountainous parts of the UK?
5
What is the highest mountain in the British Isles?
6
Which part of the country is home to the UK’s largest lake?
7
Where are there many beautiful lakes in the UK?
8
What are the UK’s longest rivers?
9
What type of climate do the British Isles have?
10
Why are winters in the UK milder than on the continent?
11
What are the winter and summer temperatures in the UK?
12
What are the best months to visit the UK?