История Великобритании

 

Task 2.

Explain the meaning of the following statements.

1. Britain in the nineteenth century was at its most powerful and self-confident. After the industrial revolution, nineteenth-century Britain was the "workshop" of the world.

 2. Britain enjoyed a strong place in European councils after the defeat of Napoleon.

3. Most of the colonies established in the nineteenth century were more to do with political control than with trading for profit.

4. Lords feared that the collapse of political and civil order might lead to revolution.

5. The "Chartists" were divided between those ready to use violence and those who believed in change by lawful means only.

6. Robert Peel, the Prime Minister of the time, believed that changes should be made slowly but steadily.

7. Britain's success in avoiding the storm of revolution in Europe in 1848 was admired almost everywhere.

8. The greatest example of Britain's industrial power in the mid-nineteenth century was its railway system.

9. Democracy also grew rapidly outside Parliament. In 1844 a "Co-operative Movement" was started by a few Chartists and trade unionists.

10. By the time Victoria died the monarchy was better loved among the British than it had ever been before.

11. But even at this moment of greatest power, Britain had begun to spend more on its empire than it took from it. The empire had started to be a heavy load.

12. The authority of the Church was also weakened. In the country, the village priest no longer had the power he had had a century earlier." Churches were now half empty.

13. It soon became very clear that the freedom of factory owners to do as they pleased had led to slavery and misery for the poor, not to happiness or freedom.

      14. The dangers of political evolution were far less than those of revolution.

15. Suddenly Britain realised that it no longer ruled the seas quite so assuredly, and that others had more powerful armies and more powerful industries.

16. The war at sea was more important than the war on land, because defeat at sea would have inevitably resulted in British surrender.

17. The war in 1914 changed everything.

18. Alongside the social effects of the war were far-reaching economic ones.

19. While Britain became more fearful of Soviet intentions, it also became more unhappy with the forceful attitude of its ally, the United States.

20. Winston Churchill had told the nation, "We are not fighting to restore the past. We must plan and create a noble future."

21. During the 1950s and 1960s Britain remained a European leader economically as well as politically. But Britain suddenly began to slip rapidly behind its European neighbours economically.

22. When looking at Britain today, it is important to remember the great benefits from the past. It is also important, however, to remember the less successful aspects of the past. 

Task 3.

Comprehention – true or false.

1. Britain wanted two main things in Europe: a "balance of power" which would prevent any single nation from becoming too strong, and a free market in which its own industrial and trade superiority would give Britain a clear advantage.

2. Until about 1850, Britain was in greater danger at home than abroad. The Napoleonic Wars had turned the nation from thoughts of revolution to the need to defeat the French.

      3. For much of the nineteenth century Britain was the envy of the world.

4. In spite of the idea of "class", the Victorian age was a time of great social movement.

5. 100 per cent of the population went to church.

6. Britain's empire had first been built on trade and the need to defend this against rival European countries.

7. Between 1875 and 1914 the condition of the poor in most of Britain greatly improved as prices fell by 40 per cent and real wages doubled. Life at home was made more comfortable.

8. By the end of the century it had become clear that Britain was no longer as powerful as it had been.

9. From 1915 German submarines started to sink merchant ships bringing supplies to Britain.

10. France and Britain met to discuss peace at Versailles in 1919. Germany was invited to the conference, and was not forced to accept its punishment, which was extremely severe.

11. Britain would have been unable to continue the war without the women who took men's places in the factories. By 1918 29 per cent of the total workforce of Britain was female.

12. Many people realised how strong the German army was.

13. Britain could not possibly have defeated Germany without the help of its stronger allies, the Soviet Union and the United States.

14. Like much of post-war Europe, Britain had become economically dependent on the United States.

15. In 1936 the monarchy experienced a serious crisis when George V's son, Edward VIII, gave up the throne in order to marry a divorced woman. 

Task 4.

Find the right explanation of the following words. 

Self-confident, to consider, increasingly, superiority, to succeed, to encourage, to occupie, to be included, a possession, an anxiety, in spite of, a concern, a supplie, sever, barely, to fail to do smth., a riot, an owner, a shortcoming, a recognition, urban, a violence, a property, to abolish. 
 
 
 

Task 5.

Look up in a dictionary and write short definitions of the following words. 

Freely, to stricer, to be discouraged, misery, enormous, a knighthood, to escape, an outbreak, evidence, to expand, a rebellion, orthodox, confusing, a voter, conservative, radical, to establish, a committee, a strike.

Task 6.

Summarise your factual knowledge of the subject. 

1. The years of power and danger.
2. Workers revolt.
3. The rise of the middle classes.
4. The growth of towns and cities.
5. Politics and the Queen.
6. Social and economic improvements.
7. Britain at war.
8. The rights of women.
9. The great depression.
10. The Second World War.
11. The new international order.
12. The loss of empire.
13. Nothern Ireland.
14. Britain – past, present and future.

 
 
 
 

Glossary

   

 

A 

To abandone – терять, оставлять, покидать

to abolish – отменять, уничтожать

to accept- принимать

to be accused – быть обвиненным

to achieve – достигать, совершать, доводить до конца

admiration – восторг, восхищение

an adviser - советчик

in addition – в дополнение

an advantage – преимущуство

aircraft- самолет, авиация

agricultural - сельскохозяйственный

an agreement – соглашение

amount – сумма, итог

ancient- старинный

annual - ежегодный

anxious – озабоченный, обеспокоенный

an alliance- союз, соглашение

alongside - вдоль

an arrangement- подготовка, пригоовление, приведение в порядок

an authority – власть, полномочия

an anniversary- годовщина

to appear- появляться

to attract - привлекать

an argument- аргумент

appointment – назначение, предписание

an apprenticeship – учение, ученичество

assotiation - объединение

assuredly - уверенно

astonishing – поразительный, удивительный, изумительный

to avoid – избегать 

B 

 Barely- просто, только, едва лишь

a battle-field- поле сражения

to belong - принадлежать

bitter – горький, резкий, ожесточенный

to be blamed – быть обвиненным

a bonfire- костер

borrowing – заимствованный

brass – латунь, желтая медь

broom – метла, веник 

C 

to be captured- быть захваенным

casual – случайный, небрежный

cavalry- конница, кавалерия

to carry out- выполнять, осуществлять

cheap- дешевый

a challenge- оклик, вызов

characteristic – характерная черта, особенность

a charter- хартия, грамота

to chase- гоняться, преследовать

to claim- требовать, претендовать, предъявлять претензии

a committee- комитет, комиссия, опекун

completely- полностью

 conservative- консервативный, традиционный

confusing- беспорядочный, спутанный

to consider-рассматривать, обсуждать

to be conducted- быть руководимым, сопровождаемым

contradiction - противоречие

to conquer - завоевывать

a concern- дело, отношение, касательство

a courage- храбрость, отвага, мужество 

D 

a damage- разрушение

decisively - решительно

a definition-определение

to decline – отказываться, отклоняться

to delay- задерживать,откладывать

to deny- отрицать

to be deposed- быть смещенным, свергнутым

to be descended – быть наследуемым, спущенным

a determination- решение, решительность

a destination- назначение, место назначения

a destruction- разрушение, разорение

to be disapproved -  быть осуждаемым

disappointment – разочарование, обманутая надежда

to discourage- обескураживать, отговаривать, отсоветовать

a discontent- недовольство

to dissolve- растворяться, разлагаться

disorder- беспорядок

to be disturbed – быть нарушенным, побеспокоенным

divorce - развод

drains - канализация

dreadful – ужасный 

E 

an earthwork- земляное укрепление, земляные работы

To be encouraged- быть одобренным, поощренным

Ensure – обеспечивать, гарантировать

Entirely- полностью, всецело, вполне

Entertainment - развлечения

Enormously- в огромном количестве

to establish - устанавливать

To escape- удаляться, устраняться

Essential – неотъемлемый, существенный

Establishment – установление, основание

to execute- исполнять, выполнять, казнить

to be exhausted – быть обессиленным

 to expand- расширять

to expеnd - тратить

an explanation- объяснение, толкование

 an expectancy- ожидание, предвкушение, надежда

extent – пространство, протяжение

Evidence- очевидность 

F 

to fail to do smth- не удаваться, не сбываться

fair - справедливо

falter – спотыкаться, идти неуверенно

familiar – близкий, хорошо знакомый

fancy – фантазия, воображение

Firework- фейерверк

Freely- свободно, вольно

Frequently- часто, обычно 

G 

gain- увеличение, прирост

a gang- партия, набор, банда

a graveyard- кладбище

gradually - постепенно

Greedy- жадный