A Brief Introduction of the United Kingdom

Chapter1ABriefIntroductionGeographyPeopleLanguageGeographyI.DifferentNamesforBritain1.geographicalnames:-BritishIsles-GreatBritain-England2.theofficialorfullname:-theUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland3.theabbreviatedname:theUnitedKingdomorBritain,theUKII.GeographicalFeatures1.locationandarea(1)location:ItliesinthenorthAtlanticOceanoffthenorthcoastofEurope.ItisseparatedfromtherestofEuropebytheEnglishChannelinthesouthandtheNorthSeaintheeast.(2)area:242,910km2(3)constituentparts:England,Scotland,Wales,NorthernIrelandandnumerouscoastalislands2.naturalregions(1)highlandzoneinthenorthandwest(2)lowlandzoneintheeastandsoutheast3.geographicalfeaturesofeachconstituentpart(1)England-situation:withWalestoitswestandScotlandtoitsnorth-area:130,410sqkm-thesouthwestandwest:plateau-thenorth:Pennines-theNorthwestLakeDistrict:Scafell---thehighestpeakofEngland-theeastandthesoutheast:plainsPenninesScafell(2)Scotland-area:78,789sqkm-situation:inthenorthofGreatBritainwithmanymountains,lakesandislands-threenaturalzones:*theHighlandinthenorth:BenNevis(1343)---thehighestmountaininBritainBenNevis*theCentralLowlands:theForthandClydevalleys,coalandironfieldsanddairypasture*theSouthernUplands:arollingmoorland-largestcity:Glasgow-capital:Edinburgh(3)Wales-situation:inthewestofGreatBritain-area:20,758sqkm-MostofWalesismountainous;6%ofWalesiscoveredbyforestandmuchofthecountryispasture.Only12%ofthelandisarable.-thehighestmountain:Snowdoniainthenorthwest(1085m)-capital:CardiffSnowdonia(4)NorthernIreland-area:14,144sqkm-Physically,itismostrural,withlowhills,abeautifullakedistrictinthesouthwestandaruggedcoastline.-capital:BelfastIII.RiversandLakes1.rivers(1)theSevern(thelongestriver,354km)(2)theThames(the2ndlongestandmostimportantriver,336km)(3)theClyde(themostimportantriverinScotland)theSeverntheThamestheClyde2.lakes(1)thelargestlakeinBritain---theLoughNeagh(islocatedinNorthernIreland)(2)theLakeDistricttheLoughNeaghtheLakeDistrictIV.Climate1.amaritimetypeofclimate(1)mildwinters(2)coolsummers(3)plentyofrainfall2.factorswhichinfluencetheclimateinBritain(1)surroundingwaters(2)prevailingwestwind(3)theNorthAtlanticdrift3.threeprincipalfeatures(1)frequentfog(2)alargenumberofrainydays(3)instabilityorchangeability4.naturalcalamities:fog,frost,severegales,floodingV.MajorCitiesLondonEdinburghCardiffWalesmapBelfastPeopleI.FeaturesofPopulation:1.denselypopulated2.unevenlydistributed3.highlyurbanizedII.CompositionoftheBritishPopulation:ThepopulationofBritainismadeupmainlyoftheEnglish(80.5%),theScottish(9.6%),theWelsh(1.9%),theIrish(2.4%),theNorthernIrish(1.8%)andotherpeoples(2.8%).III.CharacteristicsoftheEnglish:cautious,silent,deference,conservative,aggressiveIV.CharacteristicsoftheWelsh:emotionalandcheerfulpeople;aremusicloversandareproudoftheirpast;lovedanceandfestivals.V.characteristicsoftheScots:TheScotsaresaidtobeserious,cautiousandthriftypeople.Theyarehospitable,generousandfriendly.TheScottishpeoplehavebeenfamousfortheirclose-knitclans,colorfulplaidkiltsandskillasfiercewarriors.VI.CharacteristicsoftheIrish:TheIrishareknownfortheircharmandvivacityaswellasforthebeautyoftheirIrishgirls.VII.ImmigrantsandtheirProblems:Thereareabout3millionimmigrantsinBritain,mainlyfromWestIndies,IndiaandPakistan.Theyarestilldiscriminatedagainst.TheEnglishLanguageI.LanguageFamilyofEnglish:GermanicgroupoftheIndo-EuropeanfamilyTheGermanicFamilyofLanguagesII.ThreePeriodsoftheDevelopmentofEnglish1.OldEnglish(450-1100AD)PartofBeowulf,apoemwritteninOldEnglish.2.MiddleEnglish(1100-1500)AnexampleofMiddleEnglishbyChaucer.3.ModernEnglish(1)EarlyModernEnglish(1500-1800)•theprintingpress•thefirstEnglishdictionary•theRenaissanceHamlet'sfamousTobe,ornottobelines,writteninEarlyModernEnglishbyShakespeare.(2)LateModernEnglish(1800-present)•theIndustrialRevolutionandtechnology•theriseoftheBritishEmpire&thegrowthofglobaltradeIII.StandardEnglish•basedonthespeechoftheupperclassofsoutheasternEngland•widelyusedinmediaandtaughtatschools•preferredbytheeducated,middle-classpeople•amodelforcorrectBritishEnglish•thenormcarriedoverseas