Read the text about the flag and symbols of the country

Ask and answer the questions working in pairs.

Make up six questions to the text.

Name the adjectives from the text. Form degrees of comparisons

Read the text.

THE BRITISH CLIMATE

Britain has a variable climate. The weather changes so frequently that it is difficult to forecast.

Due to the geographical location the type of the climate is oceanic. There are no extreme contrasts in temperature in Britain because of the warm water flowing from the Gulf of Mexico called Gulf Stream.

Average British temperature does not rise above 32 degrees in summer and does not fall below 10 degrees in winter.

The winds from the oceans to the south- west bring rainfall. But, contrary to popular opinion, it does not rain all the time. Thanks to the rains, Britain’s countryside is famous for its deep green colour.

The months from March to June are the driest months, from September to January – the wettest.

Winters are generally mild, with the most frequent snowfalls in the Scottish Highlands, where it is possible to go skiing.

Since the 1950s, most British cities have introduced clean air zones. Factories and houses can’t burn coal and must use smokeless fuel. The dirt, caused by smoke used to cause terrible fogs, particularly in London.

Such fogs are now a thing of the past, but you can still see them in old films.

3.1. Find Russian equivalents to the following English words:

1. variable

2. frequently

3. gulf

4. deep green

5. wet

6. smokeless

7. cause

3.2. Find English equivalents to the following Russian words:

1. туман

2. погода

3. предсказывать

4. подниматься

5. сухой

6. известен

For example: variable – more variable – the most variable

3.6. Make up your own sentences with the words:

Climate, weather, temperature, degrees, rainfall, to be famous for, snowfalls, fog.

Each country has its flag. The UK is not an exception. Besides, each part of the country has its saint and symbol.

The British flag, known as the Union Jack, is a combination of three flags:

the Saint Andrew's cross, the Saint Patrick's cross and the Saint George's cross.

The Saint Andrew's cross is the Scottish flag. Saint Andrew, a fisherman, was one of the 12 apostles who followed Jesus Christ. Paintings of Saint Andrew often show him being killed on an X-shaped cross. Saint Andrew's Day is celebrated on 30 November. He is the patron saint of both Scotland and Russia. The symbol of Scotland is thistle.

The Saint Patrick's cross is the former flag of Ireland. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born about AD 390. He converted the Irish to Christianity and is supposed to have got rid of all the snakes in Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on 17 March. The symbol of Northern Ireland is shamrock.

The Saint George's cross is the English flag. Saint George is the patron saint of England. He was a soldier famous for saving the Princess Cleolinda from being eaten by a dragon. He wounded the dragon and took it back to the city of Silene on a lead like a dog. Saint George's Day is celebrated on 23 April. Saint George is also the patron saint of Germany, Portugal and Greece. The symbol of England is rose.

The Welsh flag shows a dragon. Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, started a number of monasteries in the country. Paintings of Saint David normally show him with a dove on his shoulder. His relics are now in Saint David's Cathedral in Wales. Saint David's Day is celebrated on 1 March. The symbol of Wales is daffodil.

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