Лондон на английском

    LONDON

             London, the capital of Great Britain is a large and ancient city with the population of about 9 million. It lies on the Thames. It is the seat of the Government, a great industrial and cultural centre, and one of Britain’s most important ports. It is more than two thousand years old. London was not built as a city. It began life as a Roman fortification at a place where it was possible to cross the River Thames. The wall was built around the town for defence. Afterwards people built outside the walls.

    London has been the home of many outstanding Englishmen. One of them is Geoffry Chaucer, a poet. He lived most of his life in London, held official posts and is buried in Westminster Abbey. W. Shakespeare lived in London for more than 20 years. He acted at the Globe, wrote his plays. But London’s famous men are not only writers. Ch. Wren, a well-known English architect, designed many palaces, fine houses, beautiful churches including St. Paul’s Cathedral. Another famous London figure is admiral Nelson, whose memorial is in Trafalgar Square. Equally famous is the general who led the army at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. This was the Duke of Wellington. His house stands at Hyde Park Corner. Like admiral Nelson he is also buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The British capital is proud of such glorious people.

    These days not many people live in the city centre. London has spread into the country. It grows and that is why it doesn’t have one centre: there is the City — its financial and business centre, the West End is the shopping and entertaining centre, the government centre is in Westminster. London’s industrial centre is the East End.

    The City, which is the centre of Britain’s banks and monopolies, occupies only a small part of the Metropolis. Over a million people enter the City in the daytime on business. At night it is practically deserted. In keeping with tradition, no reigning monarch may enter the City without the permission of the Lord Mayor, whose functions are mainly ceremonial nowadays. The Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor during his term of office. His term of office is only one year. Elections take place every year and there’s a great ceremony on that day. The Lord Mayor in traditional clothes drives slowly through the crowded streets to receive the keys of the city.

    The richest part of London is the West End where you can find the expensive hotels, museums, galleries, theatres, fashionable shops, music-halls, night-clubs, restaurants. The contrast between the West End and the East End is striking though the district of factories and slum houses has changed.

    London is also a large educational and scientific centre of the country. The University of London, the Polytechnic College provide education on the University level. There are also some Royal Academies of art, music, drama, etc. and numerous scientific institutions and societies in all branches of science, engineering and humanities.

    London is a big cultural centre. It is an international centre for theatre, opera and dance. The Royal National Theatre stages modern classical plays. The Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera, Covent Garden and the English National Opera are the main opera companies. There are about 2,500 museums and art galleries. Among the picture galleries of London the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery are the most famous. The National Gallery houses a rich collection of paintings which represents more schools of painting than any other European Gallery. It exhibits paintings by almost all the great European masters. The Tate Gallery exhibits paintings by English, French and other famous masters. Among the museums the British Museum and the National History Museum are worth visiting. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

   Washington

   Washington, the capital of the United States of America, is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. The district is a piece of land ten miles square and it does not belong to any separate state but to all the states. The district is named in honour of Columbus, the discoverer of America. The capital owes much to the first President of the USA -George Washington. It was G. Washington, who chose the place for the District and laid in 1790 the corner-stone of the Capitol, where Congress sits.

   Washington is not the largest city in the USA. It has a population of 900 000 people. Washington is a one-industry town. That industry is government. It does not produce anything except very much scrap paper. Every day 25 railway cars leave Washington loaded with scrap paper.

   Washington has many historical places. The largest and tallest among the buildings is the Capitol with its great House of Representatives and the Senate chamber. There are no skyscrapers in Washington because no other building must be taller than the Capitol. The White House is the President's residence. All American presidents except George Washington (the White House was not yet built in his time), have lived in the White House. It was built in 1799. It is a two-storied, white building.

   Not far from the Capitol is the Washington Monument, which looks like a very big pencil. It rises 160 metres and is hollow inside. A special lift brings visitors to the top in 70 seconds from where they can enjoy a wonderful view of the whole city.

   The Jefferson Memorial was built in memory of the third President of the USA, Thomas Jefferson, who was also the author of the Declaration of Independence. The memorial is surrounded by cherry-trees. The Lincoln Memorial devoted to the memory of the 16th President of the US, the author of the Emancipation Proclamation, which gave freedom to Negro slaves in America.

   On the other bank of the Potomac lies the Arlington National Cemetery where President Kennedy was buried. American soldiers and officers, who died in World Wars I and II are buried there too. 

    The USA

    The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada, and China). It occupies the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a seaboarder with Russia.

    The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is about 250 million.

    If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera, and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley, which is located in Alaska.America's largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande, and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.

    The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part of the country is continental. The south has subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.

    The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It is the leading producer of copper and oil and the worlds second producer of iron ore and coal. On the industrial enterprises of the country they produce aircrafts, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, weapon, furniture, and paper.

    Though mainly European and African in origin, the Americans are made up from nearly all races and nations, including the Chinese and the native Americans — Indians. The largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco, and others.

    The United States is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, each of which has its own government. The seat of the central (federal) government is Washington, D. C. According to the Constitution of the USA, the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive, headed by the President, the legislative, exercised by the Congress, and the juridical. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

    Great Britain

    Great Britain formally known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles that lie tj the north-west of the continent of Europe.

    The British Isles consists of Great Britain, Ireland and some 5600 smaller islands.

    The total area of the United Kingdom which consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is 244 thousands square km. GB is divided into 55 administrative counties. The English Channel separates the country from the continent of Europe. The narrowest part of the English Channel is called the Strait of Dover. It is only 31 km wide. The North Sea washes the eastern coast of the country/ The Irish Sea is situated between Great Britain and Ireland. The western coast of the country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The country is known for its typically maritime climate with frequent rains, strong winds and continuous fogs.

    There many rivers in GB, but none of them is very long. The surface of England and Ireland is rather flat. The mountains in GB are not high. They are all in the North and West.. The highest mountains are in Scotland and Wales Ben Nevis and Snowdon. GB is one the most populated countries in the world. It has the population of 56 million.

    GB is a parliamentary monarchy. The supreme legislative body is Parliament. The Parliament in GB which is by the way one of the oldest in Europe consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

    The British democrative system depends on political parties. The main political parties are: the Conservative Party (Tory), The Labour Party, The Liberal Party, the Social Democrative Party. The Party which weans the majority of seats forms the Government and its leader usually becomes the Prime Minister. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

    Ukraine

    Ukraine is the self contained sovereign state. The Declaration of Ukrainian independence was proclaimed on August 24, 1991 by the Ukrainian Parliament.

    Ukraine has its own territory, higher and local bodies of state power (the Supreme Council and local Councils), government, national emblem, state flag and anthem.

    Our country is situated in the south-east of Europe. Its territory is 603.7 thousand square km. Ukraine borders on Russia, Belorussia, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. Ukraine is washed by the Black Sea and the sea of Azov in the south. The major part of Ukrainian area is flat and only 5 % of it is mountainous. The Carpathian Mountains in the West and the Crimean Mountains in the south are extremely picturesque. The major rivers are the Dnipro, the Dnister, the Buh, the Desna and others.

    Ukraine is a well developed industrial and agricultural country. It is richly endowed by nature, possessing such resources as coal, natural gas, iron ore, salt and other minerals. The country has a big metallurgical, machine-building, fuel and power base. Ukraine is blessed with potentially rich agro and forestry land recourses.

    The population of Ukraine is 48 mln people. It is the Motherland of representatives of more than 100 nationalities. It has a very rich and varied culture and history. There are a lot of higher educational establishments in Ukraine, many professional theatres, public libraries and state museums. Nowadays people of Ukraine display a keen interest in Ukrainian history and cultural heritage. 
 

    Kiev

    Kiev is the capital of Ukraine. It is the largest city in Ukraine. More than three million people live there. Kiev was founded more than 1500 years ago. It is the political, economic, industrial and cultural centre of our country. There are many factories in Kiev. They make different products. In Kiev there are many museums, monuments, theatres, cinemas, libraries and palaces. Thousand of students study at Kiev-Mohila academy, at Kiev University, many institutes and colleges. Kiev is a large transport centre. Kiev metro is very beautiful. Kiev is on the banks of the river Dnieper. The city is very green. It is one of the most beautiful cities of Ukraine. Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, president and government are in Kiev. Ambassadors of many countries live in the capital of Ukraine too. We are proud that our capital is one of the best and oldest cities in the world. Khreschatyk is the main street in Kiev. It is not very long, but it is wide and straight. You can see many cars and trolley buses in Khreschatyk. There are many big green trees in it. A lot of people go to Khreschatyk every day. Some of them go shopping because there are many good shops and big market there. Other people go to the cinema, look at the fountains or sit on the benches. In the evening many people walk in Khreschatyk. There you can see many bright lights. People like the main street of Kiev because it is nice and green. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

    Odessa

    Odessa is a young city, but in the year 1994 Odessa celebrated its 200^th anniversary. All these years Odessa was surrounded by popularity and love. On May 22, 1974 Russian Queen Catherine II signed the order prescribing to the town on the shores of Khadzhibey bay. Soon Odessa became the chief port for the south of Russia. Odessa when then called – The Southern Window into Europe.

    Odessa is famous for its cultural traditions and architecture. On a sightseeing tour of the city the visitors become familiar not only with the most original and known part of Odessa but also with its rich history. Many wonderful buildings of Russian architecture were built in old Odessa, especially at the beginning of the 19^th century. Practically every building of the Primorsky Boulevard is a monument of architecture.

    Walking along the Primorsky Boulevard you have a chance tj see the monument to Duke de Rishelieu, the governor of Odessa, the monument tj Russian famous poet A.S. Pushkun, the Cannon, the City Council. Not far from the City Council there are the Archeological and Marine museums, the museum of western and Oriental Art, the Philarmonic society.

    The monument to Duke de Rishelieu was unveiled in 1826 and belong tj the project of a famous Russian sculptor Martos. Catherine II appointed Duke de Rishelieu the first mayor of the new town. In one of his hands Rishelieu holds a manuscript which proclaimed  Odessa port of Franco for 40 years. With his richt hand Rishelieu invites quests to visit Odessa. He calle Odessa ’’the best pearl in the Russian crown’’.

    Potyomkin Steps are the pride of Odessa. It is the central entrance to Odessa from the seaport. It has 192 steps.

    The building of the Opera and ballet Theatre in Odessa is one of the best theatres in oyr country. The theatre is perfomed in Baroque style.

    Odessites are very proud of their city. 
 
 

    About myself, university, my speciality

    Let me introduce myself. My name is …. I’m … years old. I’m a student-bachelor of the Odessa state environmental university. I study full time. My future job is dealing with hydrology. Next one and a half year I will study in magistracy, as our university has three-level graduated system. It means that students are able to choose the level of their professional training: they could get the diploma of bachelor, specialist or master’s degree. I go to university six times a week. Every day I have 3 or 4 classes. I’m interested in …. I’m found of reading, listening to music, visit cultural events.

    Our university was founded in 1932 in Kharkov as Hydrometeorological Institute. During the World War II it was evacuated to Ashkhabad and then transferred to Odessa as the most suitable place for it. In 2001 the Hydrometeorological Institute was proclaimed the Odessa state university. In 2007 our university celebrated its 75^th anniversary. It used to prepare the specialists of hydrology and meteorology in our university, but nowadays it has a wide range of faculties to choose, such as management, computer science, water biological resources, ecology. The territory of our university is big and it situated not far from the Black Sea. There are two educational buildings, and the sport centre with the swimming pool and different sport equipment. The buildings of university have convenient lecture rooms, computer classes, laboratories for chemical, biological and physical studies, dining room, library and reading room. The professor stuff of our university teaches students such common studies as math, physics, chemistry, biology, philosophy, psychology, foreign languages, physical training. Students of different nationalities are studying in the university. The students have the ability to take part in scientific conferences and amateur talent activities.

    Our university plays a great role in the development of personality and moral qualities of the youth in and out, show the importance of solving ecological problems throughout the world.