Why everyone loves the underdog (EPISODE 240328 / 28 MAR 2024)

Introduction

Could being the underdog help you succeed? Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.

This week's question:

Which club overcame odds of 5000-1 to be beat top clubs to win the 2015-16 English Premier League title. Was it:

a) Charlton Athletic?

b) Leicester City? or,

c) Crystal Palace?

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary

underdog - 

person or team in a competition or situation who seems least likely to win;

look down your nose at (someone) - 

think you are better than or superior to (someone);

choking - 

failure of a sports player or team to perform their best due to psychological pressure or social expectation;

top dog - 

(informal) most successful, powerful or authoritative person in a group;

on the flip side - 

the opposite, less positive, or less popular side of something;

underperform - 

perform worse than expected;

TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Neil:

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.

Georgie:

And I’m Georgie. Whether it’s Cinderella, David and Goliath, or the Rocky movies, we all love an underdog story. The underdog in a situation is the person who seems least likely to win. Nevertheless, with some luck and plenty of hard work, the underdog sometimes ends up the winner.

Neil:

Sport is full of underdog stories, minor teams and sportspeople who play with courage and end up beating the superstars and multi-million pound clubs. But if you were given a choice between your team being the favourite to win or being the underdog, it’s pretty obvious you’d want to be the favourite, right?

Georgie:

Well yes, being the favourite gives a team confidence. But maybe the fact that no-one expects the underdog to win is actually an advantage which could help them to a surprise victory. In this programme, we’ll be hearing about an underdog football club doing just that, and, as usual, we’ll be learning some useful new vocabulary too.

Neil:

Great. But first I have a question for you, Georgie. One of the biggest underdog stories in sports history happened in the 2015-16 English football season when a little known club beat top clubs like Manchester City and Liverpool, overcoming odds of 5000-1 to win the Premier League. But which club? Was it? 

a) Charlton Athletic?

b) Leicester City? or,

c) Crystal Palace?

Georgie:

I’ll guess it was Crystal Palace.

Neil:

OK, Georgie, I’ll reveal the correct answer at the end of the programme. The English football Premier League is a good place to find underdogs. Each season the three best clubs in the second league are promoted up, while the three weakest Premier clubs are relegated down. One club that knows all about relegation is Luton Town FC.

Georgie:

In 2009, Luton Town were relegated entirely from the English League. Slowly their fortunes improved however, and they've now become the first English team to progress from non-league to the Premier League. Here’s Luton fan, Alex, talking about his team’s chances to BBC Radio programme, Mental Muscle:

Alex:

…But some of these elite Premier League clubs will look down their nose at us and just think we shouldn't be there, and we are there on merit and we’ve just gotta prove it this season. So we are the underdog, certainly financially, but on the pitch I don't think we will be.

Neil:

Alex thinks some of the rich Premier League clubs look down their noses at Luton. If you look down your nose at someone, you think you’re better than them. But underdogs, Luton, have done better than expected, even beating some of the big clubs like Newcastle United.

Georgie:

The question is how? Is there something about being the underdog that improves a team’s chances of winning? To answer that, sports psychologist, Gillian Cook, spoke to BBC Radio programme, Mental Muscle:

Gillian Cook:

So, you can find that when the newly promoted team comes up they've got high confidence 'cause they just come from a season of winning - so they've got the belief that they can do it. But on the flip side it's just as important to look at the top dog’s performance who… everyone expects them to win, they’re playing the newly promoted team. So we might think of Man City who might be about to come up against Luton Town… So what we can see from that is what in psychology literature is known as choking, and that's when pressure gets to an individual or a team and they underperform.

Neil:

Clubs newly promoted to the Premier League are used to winning and start the season confidently. On the flip side, they have to play much stronger teams than before. The phrase, on the flip side, is used to show the opposite, less positive side of something.

Georgie:

Of course it’s not just the underdog playing, there are also top dogs, the most successful or powerful person or team. No-one expects underdogs to win and this gives them freedom to relax and play naturally. Top dogs, on the other hand, experience a lot of expectation, and this sometimes leads to choking, a sports term which describes the failure of a player to perform their best because of psychological pressure or social expectation.

Neil:

Choking causes teams and players to underperform, to perform worse than expected. It’s also true that neutral fans - people watching a match when their team isn’t playing - tend to support the underdog as well. In football, it’s tough at the top!

Georgie:

I think it’s time you reveal the answer to your question, Neil. You asked me about the famous Premier League winning underdogs of the 2015-16 football season, and I guessed it was Crystal Palace…

Neil:

Which was… the wrong answer, I’m afraid, Georgie. In fact it was Leicester City, nicknamed the Foxes, who became the unexpected champions of the Premier League. OK, let’s recap the vocabulary we’ve learned from this programme about the underdog, the person in a competition or situation who seems least likely to win.

Georgie:

If you look down your nose at someone, you think you are superior to them.

Neil:

The phrase, on the flip side, is used to show the opposite, less positive, or less popular side of something.

Georgie:

The top dog is an informal way of saying the most successful or powerful person in a group.

Neil:

In sports, choking happens when a player or team fail to perform their best because of psychological pressure or social expectation.

Georgie:

And finally, the verb to underperform means to perform worse than expected. Once again, our six minutes are up! Remember to join us again next time for more topical discussion and useful vocabulary, here at 6 Minute English. Goodbye for now!

Neil:

Bye!

Why sitting is bad for health (EPISODE 240328 / 04 APR 2024)

Could sitting be damaging to our health?

Introduction

Could sitting be damaging to our health? Phil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.

This week's question

On average, how many hours a day do British adults spend sitting down? Is it: 

a) 7 hours?

b) 9 hours? or,

c) 12 hours?

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary:

engineer (something) out - 

design or plan in such a way that something is not required;

this/so much - 

in such large amounts;

blood circulation - 

the flow of blood through the heart and blood vessels which carries oxygen around the body;

geared around - 

organised and prepared towards a certain activity or purpose;

swim against the tide - 

not follow what most people are doing; do the opposite of most people;

drive (someone) towards - 

push someone towards accepting a new condition or situation;

TRANSCRIPT.

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Phil:

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Phil.

Georgie:

And I’m Georgie. We all know how important exercise is to stay fit and reduce the risk of heart disease. Do you exercise much, Phil?

Phil:

I try to. I ride my bike at the weekend. But to be honest I do spend a lot of time sitting down.

Georgie:

Sitting too much is becoming an increasing problem in the modern world. Maybe you take the bus or train to work, then sit at a desk all day, then go home feeling tired and just sit in front of the television all evening as well. Added together, that’s hours of sitting every single day.

Phil:

In this programme, we’ll be finding out exactly how much sitting is too much. And, of course, we’ll be learning some useful new vocabulary.

Georgie:

But first, are you sitting comfortably, Phil? Because I have a question for you. On average, how many hours a day do British adults spend sitting down? Is it: 

a) 7 hours?

b) 9 hours? or,

c) 12 hours?

Phil:

I’ll guess it’s 7 hours.

Georgie:

OK, Phil, I’ll reveal the correct answer later. Charlotte Edwardson is a professor of health and behaviour studies who has investigated the link between sitting and health problems in her lab at Leicester University. Here, she talks to BBC Radio 4 programme, Inside Health:

Professor Charlotte Edwardson

If we think about our daily activities, a lot of activities are done sitting down. Movement in our everyday lives has really been engineered out with advances in technology, and our bodies just weren't designed to sit this much, so it's going to cause problems with our health.

[...]

So when you sit down you're not using the largest muscles in your body. So, these are the ones in your legs and your bum. So, that means that your muscle activity goes down. When your muscle activity goes down, your blood circulation reduces.

Georgie:

Throughout history, humans have always walked and moved their bodies. Now, modern technologies like motorised vehicles and office jobs, mean we spend more and more time sitting. Modern life has engineered out the need for us to move. When you engineer something out, you design things in such a way that it is no longer required. For example, CD drives have been engineered out of laptops because downloads are more popular.

Phil:

Charlotte says humans are not used to sitting this much. Here, the words this much mean in such large amounts. It’s a negative thing, one negative being the harm to blood circulation, the flow of blood through the heart and blood vessels which carries oxygen around the body.

Georgie:

When we sit, we stop using important muscles. This reduces blood circulation and causes a range of other effects like increased levels of glucose and fat, and decreased energy levels. The body uses 20% more energy when simply standing than when sitting down, and walking uses 92% more energy. And that’s not to mention the damage sitting too much causes to muscle movement and blood pressure.

Phil:

But the hard truth is that sitting is a big part of modern life. Everything is geared around sitting, it’s organised towards that particular activity, and that makes it hard to stop. Here’s Professor Edwardson again, talking with James Gallagher, presenter of BBC Radio 4 programme, Inside Health:

James Gallagher:

How much do you feel like you're just swimming against the tide with all of this? Like the whole of society is like driving us more and more towards, you know, sitting down all the time, and you're like, ‘please don't!’

Professor Charlotte Edwardson

Sitting is so much part of our everyday activities. You know, you go into a meeting and someone’s, ‘Come and take a seat’, you're going to your GP surgery, ‘Come and take a seat’. Everything's geared around sitting, and as technology advances and it tries to make our life easier, it then leads to us sitting even more.

Georgie:

James asks if Charlotte is swimming against the tide of modern life. If you’re swimming against the tide, you’re doing the opposite of what most people are doing. He also says that society is driving us towards sitting more. To drive someone towards something means pushing them to accept a new situation, even when the situation isn’t so good.

Phil:

Luckily, there’s some simple advice to help. Break up periods of sitting 30 minutes or more with a few minutes of walking or moving your arms. Also try to spend less than half of your waking hours sitting down. Good to know. Now how about your question, Georgie.

Georgie:

Right, my question was how long does the average British adult spend sitting each day. Phil guessed it was 7 hours which was…close, but not right, I’m afraid. In fact, on average we spend 9 hours per day sitting down, that’s about 60% of our waking life. So, remember to take regular breaks, even just a minute or two.

Phil:

OK, let’s recap the vocabulary we’ve learned, starting with, to engineer something out, meaning to design or plan in such a way that something is no longer needed.

Georgie:

The phrase this much or so much means in such large amounts.

Phil:

Blood circulation is the movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels which carries oxygen around the body.

Georgie:

If things are geared around a certain activity or purpose, they’re organised to support it.

Phil:

The idiom to swim against the tide means to not follow what most people are doing.

Georgie:

And finally, to drive someone towards a new situation means to push them towards accepting it. Once again, our six minutes are up! Remember to join us again next time for more topical discussion and useful vocabulary, here at 6 Minute English. Goodbye for now!

Phil:

Bye!

Nudges: The secrets of persuasion (EPISODE 240411 / 11 APR 2024)

Are nudges good or bad?

Introduction.

Nudges are something that governments and other companies use to persuade us and influence our behaviour, but are they good or bad? Beth and Neil discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.

This week's question:

In 2011, what did the local authority in Woolwich, London decide to paint pictures of on shop windows to stop antisocial behaviour? 

a) cute kittens?

b) babies’ faces? or,

c) barking dogs?

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary

profitable - 

making (or likely to make) a profit; money-making

manky - 

(slang) dirty; filthy; unattractive; used up;

in (someone’s) best interests - 

the most advantageous, helpful and beneficial thing for someone

;

paternalistic - 

making decisions for other people, rather than letting them take responsibility for their own lives;

infantilize - 

treat someone as if they were a child;

autonomy - 

the ability to make your own decisions about what to do, rather than being influenced by someone else or told what to do;

TRANSCRIPT.

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Neil:

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.

Beth:

And I’m Beth.

Neil:

Have you ever been sent a text reminding you about a doctor’s appointment? Or impulsively bought something on the internet because there was “only one left”? If any of these have happened to you, then you’ve been nudged.

Beth:

A nudge is a subtle way of altering human behaviour. It’s a powerful way for governments, advertisers and social media companies to encourage, or nudge, people into making choices that benefit themselves and society as a whole.

Neil:

Imagine the government want people to eat better. It might encourage supermarkets to put healthy snacks in easy-to-reach shelves near the checkout, and hide the chocolate bars out of sight on the top shelf. Shoppers are being nudged to eat better.

Beth:

Well… that’s the idea, anyway. But often nudging is used less to benefit society, and more to make money for big business. And it happens more often than people realise. So in this programme, we’ll be asking whether the idea behind nudging - to influence human behaviour for good - is still true today. And, as usual, we’ll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well.

Neil:

But first I have a question for you, Beth. Another example of nudging happened in Woolwich, an area of London which in 2011 had a problem with anti-social behaviour, and particularly with shop windows being smashed. The local authority decided to use nudging to fix the problem by painting pictures on the shop windows, but what did they paint? Was it:

a) cute kittens?

b) babies’ faces? or,

c) barking dogs?

Beth:

I guess barking dogs would keep the window breakers away.

Neil:

OK, Beth, I’ll reveal the correct answer later in the programme. Nudging started in 2008 with the publication of a book by Nobel Prize winning economist, Professor Richard Thaler.

Beth:

Professor Thaler’s ideas about how to gently persuade people into making good decisions became known as ‘nudge theory’. Advertising executive, Rory Sutherland, introduced nudge theory to his agency, Ogilvy. Here’s Rory explaining more to BBC Radio 4 programme, Analysis:

Rory Sutherland:

Let's say you make the profitable option button green and highly attractive, the less profitable option, you make it kind of grey, and kind of manky looking, okay… That would be an example of something which is, you know, a nudge not necessarily used in the best interests of the consumer.

Neil:

Advertisers use colours to nudge customers towards the profitable option, the one which is most likely to make money. These appear brightly coloured and attractive on the screen, whereas less profitable options are made to look manky, a slang word meaning dirty and unattractive.

Beth:

Here, nudging isn’t being used for the public good. These ‘dark nudges’, also called ‘sludge’, make money for a company, but are not always in the best interests of the consumer. If something is in your best interests, it’s the most advantageous and beneficial thing for you to do.

Neil:

Dark nudges have caused many to question the morality of nudging, including Neil Levy, professor of ethics at Oxford University, speaking here to BBC Radio 4 programme, Analysis:

Professor Neil Levy:

The big one, the one people have concentrated on, is that it's paternalistic - that is that nudge might be in our interests but we want to make our own decisions. People worry that nudges infantilize us, it’s undermining our autonomy.

Beth:

Critics of nudging call it paternalistic, meaning it wants to make decisions for people, rather than letting them take responsibility for themselves. They also claim nudging infantilizes people, it treats them like children, and, as a result, people lose autonomy, the ability to make your own decisions about what to do, rather than being told by someone else.

Neil:

I guess nudging itself is neither good nor bad, it just depends how you use it.

Beth:

Well, let’s look on the positive side by revealing the answer to your question, Neil.

Neil:

Right, I asked you how authorities in Woolwich, in south-east London, nudged anti-social window breakers to behave nicely.

Beth:

I guessed it was by painting pictures of scary barking dogs on the windows…

Neil:

Which was… the wrong answer, I’m afraid, Beth! In fact, Woolwich council hired graffiti artists to paint pictures of local babies' faces onto the window shutters. Not even the most hard-hearted criminal smashed those windows, and anti-social behaviour fell by 18% in one year! OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this programme about nudging, ways of gently persuading or encouraging someone to take decisions.

Beth:

Something which is profitable makes a profit, or is likely to make money.

Neil:

Manky is slang for dirty and unattractive.

Beth:

If something is in your best interests, it’s the most advantageous, beneficial thing for you to do.

Neil:

A paternalistic person prefers making decisions for other people, rather than letting them take responsibility for their own lives.

Beth:

To infantilize someone means to treat them as if they were a child.

Neil:

And finally, autonomy is the ability to make your own decisions about what to do, rather than being told by someone else. Once again our six minutes are up! Remember to join us again next time for more topical discussion and useful vocabulary, here at 6 Minute English. Goodbye for now!

Beth:

Bye!

Dancing for the brain (EPISODE 240418 / 18 APR 2024)

Do you love to dance?

Introduction.

Not a dancer? You might change your mind once you hear the benefits! Beth and Neil discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.

This week's question:

What is the name of a traditional English folk dance where performers wear black hats and colourful waistcoats and hit sticks together while moving in patterns?

a) The Highland fling?

b) Flamenco? or,

c) Morris dancing?

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary:

boogie / strut your stuff / throw shapes / hit the dance floor - 

(modern idioms) to dance;

like nobody's business - 

(idiom) very well, or very quickly, or in very large amounts;

a release - 

a process of freeing emotions, feelings or tension from the body;

at all costs - 

whatever happens used to emphasise that something must (not) be done, even if this requires a lot of effort, time, money etc.

sit on the fence - 

(idiom) delay making a decision; avoid deciding in favour of one action over another;

twitch - 

sudden small jerky movement or spasm in a part of your body;

TRANSCRIPT:

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Neil:

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.

Beth:

And I’m Beth.

Neil:

Do you love to boogie on down, strut your stuff and throw shapes, Beth? What I mean is: do you like dancing?

Beth:

Yes! I love to dance, just listening to the music and letting it move my body. What about you, Neil, do you often hit the dance floor?

Neil:

Sometimes, but I’m not a great dancer. To be honest, I get a bit embarrassed. But maybe I shouldn’t, because it’s been proved that dancing has many physical and mental health benefits, including releasing stress, boosting your mood, or just enjoying a fun night out.

Beth:

In this programme, we’ll be hearing how dancing can benefit our brains and emotions at every stage of life. And, as usual, we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well.

Neil:

Of course, another great thing about dance is that there are so many different styles, from ballet and ballroom dancing to tap, hip hop and jazz. But my question is about a very unusual style, a traditional English folk dance where performers wearing black hats and colourful waistcoats hit sticks together while moving in patterns. But do you know the name of this unusual dance, Beth? Is it:

a) The Highland fling?

b) Flamenco? or,

c) Morris dancing?

Beth:

I think the answer is Morris dancing.

Neil:

OK, we’ll find out later in the programme. Besides Beth, someone else who loves to dance is Julia Ravey, presenter of BBC Radio programme, Mental Muscle. Here, Julia tells us exactly why she loves dancing so much:

Julia Ravey:

I love nothing more than a night or a day out where I can just dance like no one's business. To me, it's just such a release and it's something that I definitely rely on to get the stress out of my body. And I now absolutely love to move. Any chance I get, I'll dance. Now, I know everyone is not a fan, 'cause some people can find dancing to be awkward or uncomfortable… and I've seen people who just avoid the dance floor at all costs, but dancing is so good for us and potentially our brains.

Beth:

Julia can dance like nobody’s business, an idiom meaning very well, or very quickly. For her, dancing is a release, a way of freeing emotions, feelings or tension from her body.

Neil:

Not everyone is the same as Julia though, and if, like me, the thought of dancing makes you uncomfortable, you might avoid the dance floor at all costs, no matter what happens.

Beth:

That’s a pity, Neil, because the benefits of dancing are huge – just ask Dr Peter Lovatt, also known as, Dr Dance. Over four decades he’s studied how dancing helps improve brain function in everyone from children and adults to older people living with diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Dr Lovatt’s dance therapy involves spontaneous movements, closing your eyes and letting the music move you. It promotes divergent thinking leading to happier, more creative brains.

Neil:

So how can we get more people dancing? That’s exactly what Julia Ravey asked Dr Lovatt for BBC Radio programme, Mental Muscle:

Julia Ravey:

What would you say to the person listening who maybe doesn't dance at all right now, maybe would like to dance a bit more, maybe for them they're still a little bit on the fence about whether they want to dance? How can everyone get a little bit more movement into their daily life?

Dr Lovatt:

OK, so the very first thing to do, I would suggest, is to lay on your bed with your eyes closed, and to find a piece of music that you like… close your eyes and then just hear the beat and feel the rhythm, so think about where in your body do you feel a twitch?

Neil:

Julia mentions people who are sitting on the fence, who still haven’t decided if they will do something or not, in this case, dance. Dr Lovatt’s advice is simple – get comfortable, close your eyes and listen to some music. Soon, you’ll feel a twitch, a small sudden and involuntary movement somewhere in your body. From there, it’s only a few steps to dancing!

Beth:

It seems a dance a day keeps the doctor away! So what do you reckon, Neil, are you ready to give it a go.

Neil:

Hmm, maybe after I’ve revealed the answer to my question.

Beth:

Right. You asked for the name of the traditional English folk dance where dancers wear colourful waistcoats and hit sticks, and I guessed it was Morris dancing…

Neil:

Well, that was… the correct answer, Beth! Morris dancing is the name of the unusual English folk dance, not flamenco which of course is Spanish, or the Highland fling which comes from Scotland. OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned starting with boogie, strut your stuff, throw shapes and hit the dance floor, all modern idioms meaning to dance.

Beth:

If you do something like nobody's business, you do it very well, or very quickly.

Neil:

A release is the act of freeing emotions, feelings or tension from the body.

Beth:

If something must be done at all costs, it must be done whatever happens, even if it involves a lot of difficulty, time or effort.

Neil:

Someone who sits on the fence, delays making a decision or choosing one course of action over another.

Beth:

And finally, a twitch is a sudden jerky movement or spasm in your body, often involuntary. Once again our six minutes are up! Join us again soon for more trending topics and useful vocabulary, here at 6 Minute English. Goodbye for now!

Neil:

Bye!

Eating for two. (EPISODE 240425 / 25 APR 2024)

Is it OK to eat unhealthy food during pregnancy?

Introduction.

Mums-to-be often feel guilty about the food they crave in pregnancy. Georgie and Phil discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.

This week's question.

According to NHS recommendations, which of these foods should pregnant women NOT eat? Is it:

a) chips?

b) oily fish? or,

c) smoked salmon?

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary:

(to be) eating for two-

(idiom) to be pregnant;

go haywire-

stop working properly;

could count (something) on one hand-

used to emphasise that something does not happen very often, or that there are only a few such things;

binge-

occasion when you do something to excess, for example eat, drink, or spend money;

cat-o’-nine-tails -

(in the past) a whip made of nine strings used to punish prisoners (now) means by which someone criticises themselves as a form of self-punishment or because they feel guilty;

give (yourself) a hard time-

treat (yourself) badly by criticising or blaming yourself;

TRANSCRIPT:

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Phil:

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Phil.

Georgie:

And I’m Georgie.

Phil:

If you ask a woman, ‘Are you eating for two?’, the phrase has a very specific meaning. You’re asking, ‘Are you pregnant?’ And like many of the idioms we commonly use in English, this phrase contains a little bit of truth. A pregnant woman really is eating for two – herself and the baby growing inside her.

Georgie:

The female human body is amazing. During pregnancy, it protects the growing baby by allowing it to take whatever nutrients it needs from the mother. This means it’s the mum-to-be, not the baby, who experiences any nutritional problems. It’s also the reason why it’s so important that pregnant women eat well.

Phil:

In this programme, we’ll be finding out how a woman’s relationship to food changes during pregnancy. And, as usual, we’ll be learning some useful new vocabulary too.

Georgie:

But first I have a question for you, Phil. For some pregnant women, finding reliable information on what food to eat can be hard. Finding out about harmful foods to avoid, on the other hand, is much easier. So, according to NHS recommendations, which of these foods should pregnant women NOT eat:

a) chips?

b) oily fish? or,

c) smoked salmon?

Phil:

I think the answer is c) smoked salmon.

Georgie:

OK, Phil. We’ll find out the correct answer at the end of the programme. Although eating healthy and nutritious food is important for mums and babies, the story gets complicated because of the changes a woman’s body goes through during pregnancy. Here’s Jaega Wise, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s, The Food Programme, reporting on her experience of pregnancy:

Jaega Wise:

I feel like throughout this pregnancy my body has just gone a bit haywire, and there are things that my body is doing [laughs] that are frankly weird… Nosebleeds is a really good example. I can count the amount of nosebleeds prepregnancy I’ve had on one hand and now I seem to get them all the time.

Phil:

Jaega says that during pregnancy, her body went haywire – it stopped working properly. For example, she had lots of nosebleeds whereas before being pregnant, she could count the number of nosebleeds she had on one hand. The idiom to count the number of something on one hand emphasises that this does not happen very often, or that there’s a small number of something – after all, you can only count to five on one hand!

Georgie:

Many pregnant women experience cravings, the strong desire for some particular food, anything from ice cream to sardines. When these cravings are for food that’s not so healthy, some women feel guilty, thinking “I know I should be eating healthily, but all I want is chips!” Here’s Jaega Wise again speaking with nutritional therapist, Henrietta Wilson, on the best way to deal with guilty feelings:

Jaega Wise:

How guilty should you feel…is more the question for that late night chocolate binge when your body is telling you, ‘I need cake!’

Henrietta Norton:

Listen, I think the most important thing is to not get out the cat-o’-nine-tails, is to absolutely be kind to yourself, particularly that first trimester. It is a very critical window, but at the same time it can be the time when all you want to do is to eat chips because your body is going through what it perceives to be physiological stress. So it's doing the best that you can, and it's absolutely not about giving yourself a hard time.

Phil:

Jaega’s food cravings led to a chocolate binge. A binge is an occasion when you do something in an extreme way, like eating or drinking too much.

Georgie:

Henrietta’s advice is to not use the cat-o’-nine-tails. In the past, the cat-o’-ninetails was a whip made of nine strings which was used to punish prisoners. Nowadays when someone talks about the cat-o’-nine-tails, they are probably talking about the ways people sometimes use to punish themselves if they feel guilty.

Phil:

But, says Henrietta, pregnancy isn’t about giving yourself a hard time, treating yourself badly or criticising yourself. Pregnancy is a special time of life, and all a baby can ask is that mum does her best. And, of course, avoids some foods, which reminds me of your question, Georgie – which food does the NHS recommend pregnant woman do not eat? I guessed it was smoked salmon…

Georgie:

Which was… the correct answer! Smoked salmon is best avoided because of the risk of bacteria, but oily fish is good, and even a bowl of chips now and then are  fine. Right, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in the programme, starting with the idiom eating for two which means to be pregnant.

Phil:

If something goes haywire it stops working properly or becomes difficult to control.

Georgie:

If you say you could count something on one hand, you’re emphasising that something does not happen very often, or that there are only a few of those things.

Phil:

A binge is an occasion when you do something to excess, for example eat, drink, or spend money.

Georgie:

In the past, the cat-o’-nine-tails was a whip used to punish prisoners, but nowadays it usually refers to the ways in which someone criticises themselves as a form of self-punishment.

Phil:

And finally, to give yourself a hard time means to treat yourself badly by criticising or blaming yourself. Once again our six minutes are up! Remember to join us again next time for more topical discussion and useful vocabulary, here at 6 Minute English. Goodbye for now!

Georgie:

Bye!

British Homes. Жилища англичан.

 British Homes.

There are 22 million homes in Britain — big homes and small homes, old cottages and new buildings, houses and flats. (Americans say "apartment" but British people say "flat"). Many British people love old houses and these are often more expensive than modern ones. They also love gardening and you will see gardens everywhere you go: in towns, villages and out in the country. Some are very small with just one tree and a few flowers. Others are enormous with plenty of flowers and enough vegetables and fruit trees. Two third of the families in Britain own their houses. Millions of these houses are the same with two or three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs, dining-room and kitchen downstairs. To pay for their house, home owners borrow money from a "building society" and pay back a little every month.

There are a great many different kinds of homes in Britain, but there are not enough! It is often very difficult for young people to find a home when they want to start a family. British homes are usually smaller than American homes. But like Americans old people, young families and unmarried people do not usually live together.

Questions:

1. How many homes are there in Britain?

2. Two thirds of families own their own houses, don't they?

3. What do these families do to pay for houses?

4. Is it difficult or easy for young people to find a home?

5. What can you tell about British homes?

Vocabulary:

owner — владелец

to borrow — занимать

enormous — огромный 

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Жилища англичан.

В Британии существует 22 миллиона домов — больших и маленьких, старых коттеджей и новых зданий, домов и квартир (американцы говорят "апартаменты", a am личане — "квартира"). Многие англичане живут в старых домах, и это чаще дороже, чем жить в современных домах. Они также любят садоводство, и вы увидите сады, куда бы ни шли: в городах, деревнях и вне деревень. Некоторые очень маленькие, с одним деревом и небольшим количеством цветов. Другие — огромные, с большим количеством цветов, а также овощей и фруктовых деревьев. 2/3 английских семей владеют своими домами. Миллионы таких домов одинаковы — с двумя или тремя спальнями и ванной наверху, столовой и кухней внизу. Чтобы заплатить за дома, владельцы их занимают деньги в строительном обществе и возвращают понемногу каждый месяц.

В Британии много разных видов домов, но их недостаточно! Многим людям очень трудно найти дом, когда они хотят завести семью. Жилища англичан обычно меньше американских. Но, как и у американцев, старики, молодые семьи и неженатые люди обычно не живут вместе.

Newspapers in Britain. Газеты в Британии.

 Newspapers in Britain.

If you get on a bus or catch a train in Britain, especially during the morning and evening "rush hour", you'll see a lot of people reading newspapers. The press tells us about various political views, interest and levels of education. Papers are usually divided into "quality" papers which are serious with long, informative articles and "popular" which have smaller size. They are less serious and contain more human interest stories than news.

More daily newspapers, national and regional are sold in Great Britain than in most other developed countries. There are about 135 daily papers and Sunday papers, 2000 weekly papers and about 100 papers produced by members of ethnic groups.

A lot of people buy a morning paper, an evening paper and a couple of Sunday papers. On an average day two out of three people over the age of 15 read a national morning paper, about three out of four read a Sunday paper. So it's not surprising to learn that national newspapers have a circulation of 15.8 million copies on weekdays and 19 million on Sundays.

Newspapers are almost always financially independent of any political party. However, during general election campaigns many papers recommend their readers to vote for a particular political party. Ownership of the national London and regional daily newspapers is concentrated in the hands of large press publishing groups.

Questions:

1. What do press tell us?

2. What kind of papers do you know?

3. "Popular" papers are usually smaller that "quality" ones, aren't they?

4. What can be read in "quality" newspaper?

5. Who is the owner of newspapers in Britain?

Vocabulary:

rush hour — час пик

level of education — уровень образования

ethnic group — этническая группа

election — выборы

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Газеты в Британии.

Если вы попадете в автобус или поезд в Британии, особенно во время утреннего или вечернего часа пик, вы увидите много людей, читающих газеты. Пресса сообщает нам о различных политических событиях, пользе и уровнях образования. Газеты обычно делятся на "качественные", которые содержат серьезные, содержательные статьи, и "популярные", размер которых меньше. Они менее серьезны и содержат больше интересных историй для людей, чем новостей.

В Великобритании больше, чем в других развитых странах, продается дневных, национальных и региональных газет. Существует около 135 дневных и воскресных газет, 2000 еженедельников и около 100 газет, издаваемых членами этнических групп.

Много людей покупают утреннюю, вечернюю и несколько воскресных газет. Ежедневно двое из трех человек старше 15 лет читают национальную утреннюю газету, три из четырех читают воскресную газету. Поэтому не удивительно, что национальные газеты издаются тиражом 15,8 миллиона экземпляров в будни и 19 миллионов — по воскресеньям.

Газеты почти всегда независимы в финансовом плане от политических партий. Однако во время общей выборной компании многие газеты предлагают своим читателям проголосовать за определенную политическую партию. Владение национальными, лондонскими и региональными дневными газетами сосредоточено в руках больших издательских групп прессы.

The British Media. Средства массовой информации.

 The British Media.

The British Media consists of the press and radio and TV broadcasting.

Now a couple of words about papers. First of all there is no subscription. You may buy any on sale. There are two main types of newspapers: the "popular" papers and the "quality" papers.

The popular papers are less in size, with many pictures, big headlines and short articles. They are easy to read. They are such papers as "Daily Express", "Daily mail", "Daily Mirror", "Daily Star", "The Sun" and others.

The "quality" papers are for more serious readership. These papers are bigger in size, with larger articles and more detailed information. The "quality" papers are — "The Times", "Daily Telegraph", "The Guardian", "Financial Times", "The Independent".

In addition to daily papers we have just mentioned above there are Sunday papers. They have a higher circulation than the dailies. Sunday papers in Great Britain are such "quality" papers as "Observer", "Sunday Times", "Sunday Telegraph" and such "popular" papers as: "News of the World", "Sunday Express", "Sunday Mirror", "Mail on Sunday".

As far as broadcasting and telecasting are concerned there are two radio and TV stations. The first one — wellknown BBC — British Broadcasting Corporation, and the second — IBA — Independent Broadcasting Authorities.

The newspapers in Britain are proud of the fact that they are different from each other — each tries to have a definite profile.

 Questions:

 1. What does the British Media consist of?

 2. What are two main types of newspapers in Britain?

 3. Who are the "quality" papers for?

 4. Which newspapers have a higher circulation than the dailies?

 Vocabulary:

 subscription — подписка

 on sale — впродаже

 readership — читатели

 circulation — тираж 

 Средства массовой информации.

Великобритании Средства массовой информации Великобритании включают прессу, радио, телевидение. 

Несколько слов о газетах. Прежде всего, в Британии нет подписки на газеты. Вы можете купить любую газету в продаже. Существует два различных вида газет: "популярные газеты" и "качественные газеты". 

"Популярные" газеты небольшие по размеру. В них много фотографий, крупных заголовков и коротких статей. Они легко читаются. Это такие газеты, как "Ежедневный экспресс", "Ежедневная почта", "Ежедневное отражение", "Дневная звезда", "Солнце" и другие. 

"Качественные" газеты предназначены для более серьезного прочтения. Они большие по размеру, с более длинными статьями и дают более детальную информацию. "Качественными" газетами являются: "Время", "Ежедневный телеграф", "Гардиан", "Финансовое время", "Независимая". 

Кроме упомянутых нами ежедневных газет имеются также воскресные газеты. Они имеют больший тираж, чем ежедневные газеты. Воскресные газеты в Великобритании - это такие "качественные" газеты, как "Наблюдатель", "Воскресное время", "Воскресный телеграф", и такие "популярные" газеты, как "Новости мира", "Воскресный экспресс", "Воскресное отражение", "Воскресная почта". 

Что касается радио- и телетрансляций, существует одна радио- и одна телевизионная станция. Первая — хорошо известная Би-би-си — Британская трансляционная корпорация, вторая — НТС — Независимая трансляционная служба. 

Газеты в Британии гордятся тем, что они отличаются друг от друга — каждая из них стремится иметь свое лицо.

"Unwritten Rules" of Great Britain. Неписаные правила Великобритании.

 "Unwritten Rules" of Great Britain.

Good and bad manners make up the social rules of a country. They are not always easy to learn because they are often not written down in books. For example, British women didn't go into pubs at the beginning of this century because it was not considered respectable behaviour for a woman. Now both women and men drink freely is pubs and women are fully integrated into public life. Visitors to Britain are often surprised by the strange behaviour of the inhabitants. One of the worst mistakes is to get on a bus without waiting your turn in the queue. The other people in the queue will probably complain loudly! Queuing is a national habit and it is considered polite or good manners to wait for your turn. 

In some countries it is considered bad manners to eat in the street, whereas in Britain it is common to see people having a snack whilst walking down the road, especially at lunchtime. Britons may be surprised to see young children in restaurants in the evening because children are not usually taken out to restaurants late at night. And if they make a noise in public or in a restaurant it is considered very rude. In recent years children are playing a more active role and they are now accepted in many pubs and restaurants. 

In recent years smoking has received a lot of bad publicity, and fewer British people now smoke. Many companies have banned smoking from their offices and canteens. Smoking is now banned on the London Underground, in cinemas and theaters and most buses. It's becoming less and less acceptable to smoke in a public place. It is considered rude or bad manners to smoke in someone's house without permission. 

Social rules are an important part of our culture as they passed down through history. The British have an expression for following these "unwritten rules": "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".

 Questions:

 1. What make the social rules of a country?

 2. What was respectable behaviour for a woman in 20th century?

 3. What do you know about queuing?

 4. What do you think about smoking?

 5. What is the important part of our culture?

 Vocabulary:

 society — общество

 queue — очередь

 to complain — ругаться, жаловаться

 to ban — запрещать

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 Неписаные правила Великобритании.

 Хорошие и плохие манеры составляют общественные нормы страны. Их нелегко выучить, потому что обычно о них не пишут в книгах. Эти правила также могут меняться с развитием общества. Например, английские женщины не ходили в пабы в начале столетия, так как это не считалось хорошим поведением для женщины. Сейчас и женщины и мужчины свободно пьют в пабах, и женщины полностью включились в общественную жизнь. Приезжие часто удивлены странным поведением жителей Британии. Одна из ужасных ошибок — сесть в автобус, не выстояв очереди. Люди в очереди будут громко ругаться. Стояние в очереди — национальная привычка, и считается хорошей манерой вежливо дождаться своего череда. 

 Еда на улице в некоторых странах считается дурным тоном, хотя в Британии в порядке вещей увидеть людей, перекусывающих по дороге, особенно во время ланча. Британцы удивятся, увидев маленьких детей в ресторане вечером, потому что детей обычно поздно вечером не берут в ресторан. И если они шумят в обществе или ресторане — это признак невоспитанности. В последние годы дети играют более активную роль, и сейчас их пускают во многие пабы к рестораны. 

 В последние годы курение стало дурным тоном, и сейчас мало англичан курят. Многие компании запретили курение в офисах и столовых. Курение сейчас запрещено в лондонском метро, в кино и театрах и в большинстве автобусов. Становится все более и более неприемлемым курить в общественном месте. Считается грубостью и плохой манерой курить в чьем-нибудь доме без разрешения. 

 Общественные нормы — важная часть нашей культуры, так как они прошли через историю. У британцев есть выражение для следования этим неписаным правилам: "Если ты в Риме, делай по-римски".

Transport in Britain. Транспорт в Британии.

 Transport in Britain.

 You can reach England either by plane, by train, by car or by ship. The fastest way is by plane. London has three international airports: Heathrow, the largest, connected to the city by underground; Gatwick, south of London, with a frequent train service; Luton, the smallest, used for charter flights. 

If you go to England by train or by car you have to cross the Channel. There is a frequent service of steamers and ferryboats which connect the continent to the south-east of England. 

People in Britain drive on the left and generally overtake on the right. The speed limit is 30 miles per hour (50 km/h) in towns and cities and 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) on motorways. 

When you are in London you can choose from four different means of transport: bus, train, underground or taxi. The typical bus in London is a red double-decker. The first London bus started running between Paddington and the City in 1829. It carried 40 passengers and cost a shilling for six kms. 

The next to arrive were the trains; now there are twelve railway stations in London. The world's first underground line was opened between Baker St. and the City in 1863. Now there are ten underground lines and 273 underground stations in use. The London underground is also called the Tube, because of the circular shape of its deep tunnels.

 Questions:

 1. What is the fastest way of traveling?

 2. How many airports are there in London?

 3. What kind of service helps to cross the Channel?

 4. What are some "rules" of driving in Britain?

 5. What does typical bus in London look like?

 6. Where was the first underground opened?

 7. Why is London underground called the Tube?

 Vocabulary:

 to reach — достигать

 underground — метро

 charter flight — чартерный рейс

 steamer — пароход

 ferry-boat — паром

 to overtake — обгонять

 shilling — шиллинг

 shape — форма

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 Транспорт в Британии.

 Вы можете достичь Англии как угодно: самолетом, поездом, автомобилем или кораблем. Самый быстрый способ — самолет. В Лондоне есть три международных аэропорта: Хитроу, самый большой, соединенный с городом метрополитеном; Гетвик, на юге Лондона, с частым обслуживанием поездами; Лютон, самый маленький, используемый для чартерных рейсов. 

Если вы приехали в Англию на поезде или на автомобиле, вы должны были пересечь пролив. Он обслуживается частыми корабельными рейсами и паромами, которые соадиняют континент с юго-востоком Англии. 

Люди в Британии водят автомобиль по левой стороне и, в основном, обгоняют по правой. Ограничение скорости — 30 миль в час (50 км/ч) по малым и большим городам и 70 миль в час (110 км/ч) на автостраде. 

Когда вы в Лондоне, вы можете выбирать один из четырех видов транспорта: автобус, поезд, "подземка" или такси. Типичный автобус Лондона — двухэтажный омнибус красного цвета. Первый лондонский автобус начал ходить между Паддингтоном и Сити в 1829 году. Он перевозил 40 пассажиров и проезд стоил один шиллинг за 6 километров. 

Следующими появились поезда; сейчас имеется двенадцать главных железнодорожных станций в Лондоне. Первая в мире линия метрополитена была открыта между Бейкер-стрит и Сити в 1863 году. Сейчас в эксплуатации находятся десять линий метрополитена и 273 станции метро. Лондонская "подземка" также носит название "Труба", из-за круговых очертаний ее глубоких туннелей.

Sport in Great Britain (3). Спорт в Великобритании (3).

 Sport in Great Britain (3).

British people are very fond of sports. Sport is part of their normal life. The two most popular games are football and cricket. 

Football, also called soccer, is the most popular sport in the United Kingdom. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own Football Leagues said national teams. Games are played on Saturday afternoons from August to April. In addition to the FL games there is a competition called the Football Association Cup. The Cup Final is played at Wembley Stadium (London) in May. 

Cricket is considered to be the English National game. Its rules are very complicated. It is played by two teams of eleven men each, the player at a time tries to hit the ball with a bat. Golf is the Scottish national game. It originated in the 15th century and the most famous golf course in the world, known as the Royal and Ancient Club, is at St. Andrew's. 

Lawn tennis was first played in Britain in the late 19th century. The most famous British championship is Wimbledon, played annually during the last week of June and the first week of July. 

Those are the most popular kinds of sport in the UK. But there are many other sports such as rugby, swimming, golf, horse-racing and the traditional fox-hunting.

Questions:

 1. Are British fond of sports? 

 2. What is the most popular game in the UK? 

 3. Do all the parts of the UK have their Football Leagues and teams? 

 4. When and where the Football Association Cup final is played? 

 5. What is considered to be the English national game? 

 6. What is the name of the Scottish national game? When did it originate? 

 7. What are the other sports popular in the UK?

 

Vocabulary:

 league — лига 

 team — команда 

 rule — правило 

 championship — чемпионат 

 complicated — сложный 

 

Спорт в Великобритании (3).

Британцы очень любят спорт. Он составляет часть их жизни. Два самых популярных вида спорта — футбол и крикет. 

Футбол — самый популярный вид спорта в Соединенном Королевстве. В Англии, Уэльсе, Шотландии и Северной Ирландии есть футбольные лиги и национальные команды. Матчи проводятся каждую субботу с августа по апрель. Помимо игр футбольной лиги, существует чемпионат, называемый Кубком Футбольной Ассоциации. Финал Кубка проводится на стадионе Уэмбли (Лондон) в мае. 

Крикет считается национальной английской игрой. Его правила очень сложны. Он играется двумя командами, по одиннадцать человек каждая; игрок пытается забить мяч битой. 

Гольф — шотландская национальная игра. Он берет свое начало в XV веке, и самая известная в мире школа гольфа — Королевский и Древний Клуб, находится в СантЭндрю. Теннис впервые появился в Британии в конце XIX века. Наиболее известный британский чемпионат — Уимблдон, который проводится ежегодно в последнюю неделю июня — первую неделю июля. 

Это наиболее популярные виды спорта в Англии. Но существуют и другие, такие как: регби, плавание, гребля, скачки и традиционная охота на лис.

Sport in Great Britain (2). Спорт в Великобритании (2).

 Sport in Great Britain (2).

 The British have a reputation for being mad about sports. In fact they like watching sports more than playing them. The British are spectators and the most popular spectator sports are cricket and football.

 Football is the most popular game. Football, or soccer, is an example of a professional game. The game of football was first played in Britain, and later people began to play football in other countries.

 There are many amateur soccer players in Britain who play the game on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Amateur clubs often play against professionals.

 Almost every school has its football team and every boy in Britain knows a lot about the game. He can tell you the names of the players in the most important teams, he has pictures of them and knows the results of many matches.

 Rugby is another popular British sport which is played in other countries. It is also called rugby football. The story is told that in 1823 boys at Rugby school in England were playing football in the normal way, when suddenly one boy picked the ball up and ran with it. That was how a new game was born. There are two forms of rugby football: the amateur game and the professional game. The two games have different rules.

 Football is the favourite winter game in Britain and cricket is the favourite summer sport. Amateur cricket has the same rules as the professional game. A typical amateur cricket match takes place on a village green, an open space in the centre of the village. It is played between two teams — the "home" team and the "visitors" who come from another village.

 Questions:

 1. What reputation do the British have?

 2. What is the most popular game in Britain?

 3. Where was the game of football first played?

 4. When do amateur soccer players play in Britain?

 5. What can every boy in Britain tell you?

 6. How was rugby born?

 7. What is the favourite summer sport?

 8. Where does a typical cricket match take place?

 Vocabulary:

 reputation — репутация

 to be mad about — бытьбез ума от...

 soccer — футбол

 amateur — любитель

 rugby — регби

 rules — правила

 village green — деревенская лужайка

 Спорт в Великобритании (2).

 Британцы имеют репутацию людей, которые без ума от спорта. На самом деле они больше любят смотреть, как кто-то занимается спортом, чем заниматься самим. Британцы — зрители, а наиболее зрелищные виды спорта — крикет и футбол.

 Футбол — наиболее популярная игра. Футбол — это образец профессиональной игры. Впервые в футбол начали играть в Британии, а позже люди стали играть в футбол и в других странах.

 В Британии много футболистов-любителей, которые играют в субботу или в воскресенье. Любительские клубы часто играют с профессиональными.

 Почти каждая школа имеет свою футбольную команду, а каждый мальчик в Британии много знает о футболе. Он может назвать вам имена игроков наиболее известных команд, у него есть их фотографии и он знает результаты многих матчей.

 Регби — еще один популярный вид спорта в Британии — игра, в которую играют и в других странах. Его также называют регби-футбол. История рассказывает о том, что в 1823 г., когда мальчики школы Регби в Англии играли в обычный футбол, один мальчик вдруг схватил мяч руками и побежал. Так родилась новая игра. Есть два варианта регби: любительский и профессиональный. Правила игры в этих двух видах отличаются.

 Футбол — любимая игра, в которую играют зимой, а летом в Британии любимая игра — крикет. Любительский крикет имеет те же правила, что и профессиональный. Обычный любительский матч крикета происходит на деревенской лужайке — открытом месте в центре деревни. В крикет играют две команды — команда жителей деревни и команда гостей из другой деревни.

Sport in Great Britain (1). Спорт в Великобритании (1).

 Sport in Great Britain (1).

 Sport plays such a large part in British life that many idioms in the English language have come from the world of sport. For example, "that's not cricket" means "that's not fair" and "to play the game" means "to be fair". The most popular sport in England is football. A lot of people support their local clubs at matches on Saturday afternoons or watch the matches on television. 

The football league in England and Wales has four divisions. Each division contains twenty teams. There are two main prizes each season. The football league championship is won by the team that is top of the first division. The final of this competition takes place every May at the famous Wembley stadium, in London. Some of the best-known clubs in England are Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. But many clubs have problems with money at the moment. Some people say that the league is too big and that the players get paid too much. Others say that television is making the crowds stay at home. 

Sport has for a long time been a very important part of a child's education in Britain, not just — as you may think to develop physical abilities, but also to provide a certain kind of moral education. Team games encourage such social qualities as enthusiasm, cooperation, loyalty and unselfishness.

 Questions:

 1. Sport plays a large part in British life, isn't it?

 2. What is the most popular sport in England?

 3. How many divisions does league in England and Wales have?

 4. What are the most famous football clubs in England?

 5. What role does sport play in a child's education?

 Vocabulary:

 idiom — идиома

 to support — поддерживать

 local — местный

 league — лига

 loyalty — преданность

 Спорт в Великобритании (1).

 Спорт занимает такое важное место в жизни британцев, что много идиом английского языка пришли из мира спорта. Например, "это не крикет" означает "это нечестно" и "сыграть в игру" обозначает "быть честным". Самый популярный вид спорта в Англии — это футбол. Многие люди болеют за местные клубы по субботам или смотрят матчи по телевизору. 

Футбольная лига в Англии и Уэльсе имеет 4 подразделения. Каждое подразделение содержит 20 команд. Каждый сезон разыгрывается два главных приза. Первенство футбольной лиги, выигранное командой, — это вершина первого подразделения. Финал этого соревнования проходит в мае на знаменитом стадионе Уэмбли в Лондоне, Некоторые из самых известных команд в Англии — это "Манчестер Юнайтед", "Ливерпуль" и "Арсенал". Но во многих клубах сейчас проблемы с деньгами. Некоторые объясняют это тем, что лига слишком большая и что игроки получают слишком много. Другие говорят, что из-за телевидения масса людей сидит дома. 

Спорт был долгое время очень важной частью воспитания детей в Британии, не только — как вы могли бы подумать, — развивая физические способности, но и обеспечивая определенное моральное воспитание. Игры в команде развивают такие качества как преданность и неэгоистичность, энтузиазм, коллективизм.

Christmas in Great Britain. Рождество в Великобритании.

Christmas in Great Britain. 

For most British families, this is the most important festival of the year. This is the day when many people are travelling home to be with their families on Christmas Day. If you try to catch a train on 24th December you may have difficulty in finding a seat. There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but the most important one is the giving of presents. Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them at the bottom of the Christmas tree to be "bound on Christmas morning. At some time on Christmas Day the family will sit down to a big turkey dinner followed by Christmas pudding. In the afternoon they may watch the Queen on the television as she delivers her traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. Then they enjoy a piece of Christmas cake or eat a hot mince pie. On the Sunday before Christmas many churches hold a service where special hymns are sung. Sometimes singers can be heard on the streets as they collect money for charity. Most families decorate their houses with brightly-coloured paper or holly, and they usually have a Christmas tree in the corner of the room, glittering with coloured lights and decoration. 26th December is also a public holiday, called Boxing Day. This is the time to visit friends and relatives or be a spectator at one of the many sporting events. Everyone in Great Britain is waiting and enjoying this holiday very much!

 Questions:

 1. What is the most important festival in Great Britain?

 2. Is it difficult to catch a train on 24th December?

 3. Are there many traditions connected with Christmas in Great Britain?

 4. What do the family do during this holiday?

 5. Do you like the way Christmas is celebrated in Great Britain?

 Vocabulary:

 to wrap up — заворачивать, упаковывать

 gift — подарок

 turkey — индюшка

 charity — милосердие

Рождество в Великобритании. 

Для большинства британских семей это самый важный праздник года. Это день, когда многие люди едут домой, чтобы быть вместе на Рождество. Если вы стараетесь попасть на поезд 24 декабря, вы рискуете столкнуться с трудностью найти место. Существует много традиций, связанных с Рождеством, но наиболее важная из них — дарение подарков. Члены семьи упаковывают свои подарки и оставляют их под рождественской елкой, чтобы они были найдены рождественским утром. На Рождество вся семья собирается на обед с большой индюшкой, за которой следует рождественский пудинг. Днем они могут увидеть по телевизору королеву, посылающую свое традиционное рождественское поздравление в Соединенное Королевство и в Содружество. Затем они наслаждаются куском рождественского пирога или едят сладкий пирожок с начинкой из изюма. В воскресенье перед Рождеством во многих церквях проходят службы, где поют специальные гимны. Иногда певцов слышно на улице, когда они собирают пожертвования. Большинство семей украшают свои дома яркой цветной бумагой и венками из листьев остролиста, и обычно в углу комнаты ставится рождественская елка, сияющая огоньками и украшениями. 26 декабря — также всеобщий праздник, называющийся Днем подарков. Это время навестить друзей и родственников или стать зрителем одного из множества спортивных событий. Каждый в Великобритании ожидает этого праздника и наслаждаетсяим!

British Cuisine. Английская кухня.

British Cuisine.

 Some people criticize English food. They say it's unimaginable, boring, tasteless, it's chips with everything and totally overcooked vegetables. The basic ingredients, when fresh, are so full of flavour that British haven't had to invent sauces to disguise their natural taste. What can compare with fresh pees or new potatoes just boiled and served with butter? Why drown spring lamb in wine or cream and spices, when with just one or two herbs it is absolutely delicious? If you ask foreigners to name some typically English dishes, they will probably say "Fish and chips" then stop. It is disappointing, but true that, there is no tradition in England of eating in restaurants, because the food doesn't lend itself to such preparation. English cooking is found at home. So it is difficult to find a good English restaurant with a reasonable prices. In most cities in Britain you'll find Indian, Chinese, French and Italian restaurants. In London you'll also find Indonesian, Mexican, Greek... Cynics will say that this is because English have no "cuisine" themselves, but this is not quite the true. 

 Questions: 

 1. What do foreigners say wnen they criticize English food? 

 2. Do English people use a lot of sauces? 3. From a foreigner's point of view, what are typically English dishes? 

 4. Do all English eat in restaurants? 

 5. What kind of restaurants can you find in Britain? 

 6. Is it the true that English have no cuisine? 

 

 Vocabulary: 

 to criticize — критиковать 

 tasteless — безвкусный 

 overcooked — переваренный 

 ingredient — ингредиент, составная часть 

 to invent — изобретать 

 sauces — соус 

 to disguise — скрыть 

 spice — специя, пряность 

 herb — трава 

 delicious — очень вкусный 

 disappointing — обидно 

 to lend — одалживать 

 cuisine — кухня  

 

 Английская кухня.

 Некоторые критикуют английскую еду. Они говорят, что она невозможна, безвкусна, что это — чипсы ко всем блюдам и ужасно переваренные овощи. Основные ингредиенты, если они свежие, так вкусны, что англичанам не нужно было изобретать соусов, чтобы испортить их натуральный вкус. Что может сравниться с зеленым горошком или молодым картофелем, только что сваренным и заправленным сливочным маслом? Зачем вымачивать молодую баранину в вине или сливках со специями, если всего с несколькими травами она очень вкусна? Если вы попросите иностранца назвать типично английские блюда, он, скорее всего, скажет "Рыба с чипсами" и, потом остановится. Как ни обидно, но это правда, что в Англии не принято есть в ресторанах, так как сами блюда не подходят для такого приготовления. Английская кухня основана дома. Поэтому трудно найти хороший английский ресторан с разумными ценами. В большинстве английских городов вы найдете индийские, китайские, французские и итальянские рестораны. В Лондоне вы также найдете индонезийские, мексиканские, греческие... Циник скажет: это потому, что у англичан нет своей собственной кухни, но это не совсем так. 

The Telephone (by Kornei Chukovsky). Телефон.

The Best of translation "The telephone" by Kornei Chukovsky. Translated by D. Rottenberg. Equirithmic translation.

"The Telephone"

My telephone rang.

"Hello, Who's speaking?"

"The Elephant."

"Oh, Where do you happen to be?"

"Jungle-Town, Camel-Street, 3."

"What do you want?"

"Some chocolate, sweet,

To give my sonnie a bit of a treat."

"A pound or two?"

"Oh, a ton will do.

He just wants a bite,

He's a wee little mite."

The Crocodile phoned me next.

And his voice was terribly vexed:

"I'm sorry, dear friend,

But I wish you could send

A couple of pairs of galoshes

For me and my wife and Totosha."

"You do wear them fast!

Why, Wednesday last

I sent you a dozen or two,

Splendid ones too, quite new!"

"Ah, those that you sent us

On Wednesday last

Were all eaten up very fast.

And now we are waiting

(I hope not in vain)

To have some galoshes

For dinner again.

A dozen of sweet new galoshes!"

Then some Bunnies called, wheezing and sneezing:

"Send us mittens,

Our paws are freezing."

Then a call came from two Chimpanzees:

"Send us some books, will you please."

The next one to call was Bruin:

"My ear-drums were threatened with ruin."

"Now look here, my friend, don't bellow!

Can't you speak like a decent old fellow!"

But he kept on mooing and booing,

Such a worrisome, bothersome Bruin!

"Hang up the receiver, please!"

Next called some Cranes from the bogs:

"We've got indigestion from frogs,

And the pain in our tummies is hateful!

Besides, we've got chills,

Do send us some pills

We'll be awfully, awfully grateful!"

Then the Sow called: "Hullo, hullo!"

And she asked me: "Perhaps you may know

Some Nightingale who would agree

To sing a duet with me.

If you do, please send him along

And we'll sing a nice little song."

Well, I felt like starting a row.

"A Nightingale sing with a Sow?

Better call for a Crow right now!"

Then again from the Bear:

"Come and rescue the Seal.

He's touched an electric eel!"

All day long it's the same old thing:

Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling —

They ring,

And they ring,

And they ring.

Not so long ago a pair

Of Gazelles rang in despair:

"What has happened with the fair?

Are the seesaws no more there?

It's a loss we couldn't bear!"

"Tut-tut-tut! There, there, there!

Nothing's happened to the fair!

Swings and seesaws are all there.

All this racket, I declare,

Is too much for me to bear!

Off with you, now, to the fair!"

Still those silly good-for-nothings

Whined and wailed about the fair.

What a very stupid pair!

Last Friday the Kangaroo called:

"This is Wash 'Em Clean's flat, I am told."

I got frightfully angry at that,

So I yelled, "No, it isn't his flat!"

"Then where's Wash 'Em Clean?"

"I'm afraid I don't know

Try seventy-seven-six-o."

I've been burning the lights

Three nights,

I'm dreaming of bed,

I'm half dead.

When will it leave me alone,

That phone?

"Who is it?"

"The Rhino."

"Well?"

Come quickly, It's dreadful to tell!"

"What's happened?

Earthquake or fire?"

"No — Hippo's got stuck in the mire."

"Stuck in the mire?"

"And how!

He'll be up to his ears by now.

Oh dear, if you don't hurry here

Poor Hippo will soon disappear,

Ah, Hippo will die

Like a fly!"

"Now, now, I'm coming, don't shout,

I'll help you to pull him out."

By golly, it is quite a job

Pulling Hippo out of the bog.

-----

Телефон.

У меня зазвонил телефон.

— Кто говорит?

— Слон.

— Откуда?

— От верблюда.

— Что вам надо?

— Шоколада.

— Для кого?

— Для сына моего.

— А много ли прислать?

— Да пудов этак пять

Или шесть:

Больше ему не съесть,

Он у меня еще маленький!

А потом позвонил

Крокодил

И со слезами просил:

— Мой милый, хороший,

Пришли мне калоши,

И мне, и жене, и Тотоше.

— Постой, не тебе ли

На прошлой неделе

Я выслал две пары

Отличных калош?

— Ах, те, что ты выслал

На прошлой неделе,

Мы давно уже съели

И ждем, не дождемся,

Когда же ты снова пришлешь

К нашему ужину

Дюжину

Новых и сладких калош!

А потом позвонили зайчатки:

— Нельзя ли прислать перчатки?

А потом позвонили мартышки:

— Пришлите, пожалуйста, книжки!

А потом позвонил медведь

Да как начал, как начал реветь.

— Погодите, медведь, не ревите,

Объясните, чего вы хотите?

Но он только «му» да «му»,

А к чему, почему —

Не пойму!

— Повесьте, пожалуйста, трубку!

А потом позвонили цапли:

— Пришлите, пожалуйста, капли:

Мы лягушками нынче объелись,

И у нас животы разболелись!

А потом позвонила свинья:

— Нельзя ли прислать соловья?

Мы сегодня вдвоем

С соловьем

Чудесную песню

Споем.

— Нет, нет! Соловей

Не поет для свиней!

Позови-ка ты лучше ворону!

И снова медведь:

— О, спасите моржа!

Вчера проглотил он морского ежа!

И такая дребедень

Целый день:

Динь-ди-лень,

Динь-ди-лень,

Динь-ди-лень!

То тюлень позвонит, то олень.

А недавно две газели

Позвонили и запели:

— Неужели

В самом деле

Все сгорели

Карусели?

— Ах, в уме ли вы, газели?

Не сгорели карусели,

И качели уцелели!

Вы б, газели, не галдели,

А на будущей неделе

Прискакали бы и сели

На качели-карусели!

Но не слушали газели

И по-прежнему галдели:

— Неужели

В самом деле

Все качели

Погорели?

Что за глупые газели!

А вчера поутру

Кенгуру:

— Не это ли квартира

Мойдодыра? —

Я рассердился, да как заору:

— Нет! Это чужая квартира!!!

— А где Мойдодыр?

— Не могу вам сказать…

Позвоните по номеру

Сто двадцать пять.

Я три ночи не спал,

Я устал.

Мне бы заснуть,

Отдохнуть…

Но только я лег —

Звонок!

— Кто говорит?

— Носорог.

— Что такое?

— Беда! Беда!

Бегите скорее сюда!

— В чем дело?

— Спасите!

— Кого?

— Бегемота!

Наш бегемот провалился в болото…

— Провалился в болото?

— Да!

И ни туда, ни сюда!

О, если вы не придете —

Он утонет, утонет в болоте,

Умрет, пропадет

Бегемот!!!

— Ладно! Бегу! Бегу!

Если могу, помогу!

Ох, нелегкая это работа —

Из болота тащить бегемота!

1924 г.

Meals in Britain (2). Еда в Британии (2).

Meals in Britain (2).

Traditionally English people have three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served in the morning. It used to be a large meal with cereal, eggs and bacon, sausages, tomatoes. But such a large breakfast takes a long time to prepare and is not very healthy. Nowadays, Britain's most popular breakfast consists of cereal, toast with marmalade, juice and yogurt with a cup of tea or coffee. Lunch is a light meal. Most people have no time to go back home for lunch so they eat at school, cafes, pubs or restaurants. The main meal is dinner, which is usually between 6 and 7 p.m. A typical evening meal is a meat dish with vegetables and dessert. The most important meal of the week is the Sunday dinner, which is usually eaten at 1 p.m. The traditional Sunday dish used to be roast beef, but nowadays pork, chicken or lamb are more common. On Sunday evenings people have supper or high tea. The famous British afternoon tea is becoming rare, except at weekends. 

 Questions: 

 1. How many meals a day do English people have? 

 2. What did they use to eat for breakfast? 

 3. What do they usually eat nowadays? 

 4. Is lunch a large meal? 

 5. Where do English people eat lunch? 

 6. What dishes are served for dinner? 

 7. What is the most important meal of the week? 

 8. Is British afternoon tea still popular? 

 

 Vocabulary: 

 meal — еда 

 cereal — овсянка, кукурузные хлопья 

 to prepare — готовить 

 to consist — состоять 

 light — легкий 

 lamb — баранина  

 -----------

 Еда в Британии (2). 

Традиционно англичане едят три раза в день: завтрак, ленч и обед. Завтрак подается утром. Раньше это был обильный прием пищи с овсянкой, яйцами и беконом, колбасой, помидорами. Но такой большой завтрак отнимает много времени на приготовление и не очень полезен. Сейчас наиболее распространенный английский завтрак состоит из овсянки, тоста с мармеладом, сока и йогурта с чашкой чая или кофе. Ленч — легкая пища. Большинство людей не возвращается домой на ленч из-за нехватки времени, а едят в школьных столовых, кафе, барах или ресторанах. Главный прием пищи — обед, который обычно происходит между шестью и семью вечера. Обычная еда вечером — это мясное блюдо с овощами и десерт. Главный прием пищи недели — воскресный обед, который обычно бывает в час дня. Традиционным воскресным блюдом раньше была жареная говядина, но сейчас свинина, цыпленок или баранина более распространены. В воскресенье вечером — ужин (называемый high tea). Знаменитый английский дневной чай становится менее популярен, исключая выходные. 

Meals in Britain (1). Еда в Британии (1).

Since the 1970's eating habits in Britain have undergone a change. People have been encouraged by doctors, health experts and government advertisements to eat less fat and more fibre. Fat is believed to be one of the major causes of obesity and heart disease. Forty per cent of adults in Britain are overweight and Britain has one of the highest death rates due to cardiovascular disease in the world. Britons have also become more aware of calories, the energy value of food. Some people count the number of calories they eat every day, so that they can try to take in fewer calories and lose weight. Food manufactures have started to help the general public to make more informed choices about what they eat. 

So the traditional British breakfast is bacon, eggs or sausages, preceded by fruit and followed by toasts. Britons may eat this breakfast at weekends or on special occasions but prefer a smaller and healthier meal to start a day. Lunch is a light meal and is eaten at school or work. Lunch takes 30—40 minutes. Dinner is usually the main meal of the day and consists of two courses. 

In recent years, foreign foods have become a regular part of the British diet. Indian and Chinese dishes are particularly popular for evening meals. Take-aways became extremely popular in the 1980's. The traditional British take-away is fish and chips eaten with salt and vinegar and served in an old newspaper. 

The British are famous for their love of sweet things and afternoon tea with sandwiches; scones, jam and several kinds of cake, was once a traditional custom. Most working people don't have tea as an afternoon "meal", but they do have a short break in the middle of the afternoon for a cup of tea. Tea is often also drink with lunch and dinner. 

 Questions: 

 1. Eating habits in Britain have undergone a change, haven't they? 

 2. Why do some of people count the number of calories they eat? 

 3. What is the traditional British breakfast? 

 4. What do the British have for the main meal of the day? 

 5. What are Britons famous for? 

 Vocabulary: 

 fat — жир 

 fibre — грубая пища 

 obesity — ожирение 

 cardiovascular disease — сердечно-сосудистое заболевание 

 to be aware of — быть осведомленным 

 vinegar — уксус 

 scone — лепешка 

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С 1970-х годов в британских вкусах в еде произошла перемена. Люди были проинформированы докторами, экспертами по здоровью и правительственными рекламами о том, что нужно есть меньше жира и больше грубой пищи. Жир считается одной из самых главных причин ожирения и заболеваний сердца. 40% взрослых в Британии имеют избыточный вес, и в Британии один из самых высоких в мире показателей смертности из-за сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний. Британцы стали более осведомленными относительно калорийности и энергетической ценности пищи. Некоторые люди подсчитывают количество калорий, которые они съедают за день, получая возможность употреблять меньше калорий и сбросить вес. Пищевые предприятия начали помогать публике стать более осведомленной о том, что она ест. 

Традиционный английский завтрак состоит из бекона, яиц и сосисок, которым предшествуют фрукты, затем следуют тосты. Но британцы едят такой завтрак по выходным или в особых случаях; они все же предпочитают начинать день с меньшего количества более здоровой пищи. Ланч — обычно легкая еда, и едят его в школе или на работе. Ланч занимает 30—40 минут. Обед обычно основной прием пищи дня и состоит он из двух блюд — мяса или рыбы с овощами, за которыми следуют десерт или пудинг. 

В последние годы зарубежная кухня стала неотъемлемой частью британского стола. Индийские, итальянские и китайские блюда особенно популярны в качестве ужина. Отпускаемая на дом пища стала очень распространенной в 1980-х годах. Традиционная английская пища, отпускаемая на дом, — это рыба и чипсы, которые едят с солью и уксусом, положив их на старую газету. 

Англичане знамениты своей любовью к сладостям и дневному чаю с бутербродами; лепешки, джем и несколько видов пирожных были раньше традиционными. Большинству работающих людей чай не заменяет обед, но у них есть маленький перерыв в середине дня на чашечку чая. Чай также обычно пьют за ланчем и обедом. 

The Rainy Day (By James W. Whilt)

In Fairy Town, in Fairy Town,

Where Fairy folk go up and down,

Where Fairy children, wee and gay,

Frisk and romp in Fairy play,

Every day’s a holiday!

And every night is sweeter still,

For when, behind the Fairy hill

The tiny Fairy sun goes down,

It’s sleepy time in Fairy Town!

Sleepy time in Fairy Town!

Sleep, sleep–sleep–

While the stars of Fairy Town

Safe watch keep.

All the Fairy babies, so,

Off to Dreamland softly go–

Sleep–sleep–sleep!

In Fairy Town, in Fairy Town,

Each baby in a moonlight gown,

Lies and dreams the livelong night.

Fairy babies are so white,

White and pink and wee and bright!

Petals of a rose a-curl

Make a Fairy baby girl;

Autumn leaves, all dear and brown,

Make the boys of Fairy Town!

Sleepy time in Fairy Town!

Sleep, sleep–sleep–

While the stars of Fairy Town

Safe watch keep.

Like the Fairy babies, go

Off to Dreamland, softly, so–

Sleep–sleep–sleep!

(https://rainydaypoems.com/poems-for-kids/fairy-poems/fairy-town-carolyn-wells/)

My nose (by Dorothy Aldis)

It doesn’t breathe;

It doesn’t smell;

It doesn’t feel

So very well.

I am discouraged

With my nose:

The only thing it

Does is blows.

Cats sleep anywhere (by Eleanor Farjeon)

Cats sleep anywhere,

Any table, any chair

Top of piano, window-ledge,

In the middle, on the edge,

Open drawer, empty shoe,

Anybody's lap will do,

Fitted in a cardboard box,

In the cupboard with your frocks -

Anywhere! They don't care!

Cats sleep anywhere.

Britain's Ecological Activity. Экологическая деятельность Британии.

Mankind long believed that, whatever we did, the Earth would remain much the same. We know now that is untrue. Nature is under threat. One country's pollution can be every country's problem. So we all need to work together to safeguard our environment. We have a moral duty to look after our planet and hand it on in good order to future generation. That does not mean trying to halt economic growth. We need growth to give us the means to live better and healthier lives. We must not sacrifice our future well-being for short-term gains, nor pile up environmental debts which will burden our children. Where there are real threats to our planet we have to take great care. Prevention can often be better and cheaper than cure. But action in Britain is not enough. The Government will play a full part in working out international solutions through bodies like the United Nations, the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the European Community. 

The British Government will aim: 

to preserve and enhance Britain's natural and cultural inheritance; 

to encourage the more prudent and efficient use of energy and other resources; 

to make sure that Britain's air and water are clean and safe, and that controls over wastes and pollution are maintained and strengthened where necessary. 

The world's population doubled between 1950 and 1987. More people means more mouths to feed, and that demands more agricultural land. That in turn can lead to deforestation and soil erosion. By burning forests, draining wet lands, polluting water courses and overfishing mankind is rapidly driving many species to extinction. The Government is supporting international efforts for a global agreement to protect species of plant and animal life. The Government is also supporting projects to conserve endangered species of wild life such as the black rhino and the African elephants. Action Taken Britain attaches particular importance to the environmental policy of the European Community. Much has already been achieved: since Britain joined, the Community has adopted some 280 environmental measures, including far-reaching-legislation to combat acid rain, curb pollution from cars and industry, conserve wildlife and ensure public access to information about the environment. 

 Questions: 

 1. What do we know no 

 2. What do we all need to do? 

 3. What moral duty do we have? 

 4. Why do we need economic growth? 

 5. What will the Britain's Governtment aim to do? 

 6. What demands more agricultural land? 

 7. What does Britain attach particular importance to? 

 8. What has already been achieved? 

 

 

 Vocabulary: 

 to enhance — увеличивать 

 prudent use of energy — экономное использование энергии 

 deforestation — уничтожение лесонасаждений 

 soil erosion — эрозия почвы 

 species — виды 

 extinction — исчезновение 

 rhino — носорог 

 wildlife — природа 

 to avert — избегать 

 to combat — бороться против 

 to curb — сдерживать 

 access — доступ 

 

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 Экологическая деятельность Британии. 

 Человечество всегда верило в то, что, что бы мы ни делали, Земля останется неизменной. Теперь мы знаем, что это неверно. Природа в опасности. Загрязнение одной страны может стать проблемой всех стран. Поэтому нам всем нужно работать вместе, чтобы сохранить нашу окружающую среду. Наша моральная обязанность — заботиться о нашей планете и передать ее будущему поколению в хорошем состоянии. Это не означает пытаться приостановить рост экономики. Нам нужен экономический рост, чтобы лучше жить и быть здоровыми. Мы не должны жертвовать нашим будущим благополучием ради кратковременных приобретений. Мы также не должны накапливать долги перед природой, которые лягут на плечи наших детей. Нам нужно проявить особое внимание к тому, что представляет реальную угрозу нашей планете. Профилактика всегда лучше и дешевле, чем лечение. Но деятельности одной Британии недостаточно. Правительство и впредь будет играть важную роль в разработке международных соглашений через такие органы, как ООН, Мировой банк, Организация экономического сотрудничества и развития, Европейское сообщество. 

 Правительство Британии будет нацеливать: 

 1. На сохранение и расширение естественного и культурного наследия Британии. 

 2. На поощрение разумного и эффективного использования энергии и других ресурсов. 

 3. На контроль за чистотой и сохранностью воздуха и воды в Британии, а также на усиление контроля за отходами и уровнем загрязнения при необходимости. 

 С 1950 по 1987 гг. население Земли удвоилось. Больше людей означает больше нуждающихся в еде. А это требует больше сельскохозяйственных угодий. Это, в свою очередь, может привести к уничтожению лесонасаждений и эрозии почвы. Сжигая леса, осушая земли, загрязняя водоемы, отлавливая рыбу, человечество обрекает на вымирание многие виды животного мира. Правительство Британии поддерживает международные соглашения по защите редких видов растительного и животного мира. Правительство также поддерживает проекты сохранения видов дикой природы, находящихся под угрозой исчезновения, таких как черные носороги и африканские слоны. Меры по охране окружающей среды, предпринятые Британией Британия придает особое значение политике охраны окружающей среды Европейского сообщества. Многое уже достигнуто. С тех пор как Британия вошла в сообщество, было принято 280 мер по охране окружающей среды, включая долгосрочное соглашение о борьбе с кислотными дождями, о предотвращении загрязнений автомобилями и промышленностью, сохранении дикой природы и обеспечении общественности информацией о состоянииокружающейсреды. 

The Problem of Environmental Protection in Great Britain. Проблема защиты окружающей среды в Великобритании.

Environmental protection is an international issue of great importance and Great Britain pays much attention to it. There are nearly 500 000 protected buildings and 7000 conservation areas of architecture of historical interest in Britain. The Government supports the work of the voluntary sector in preserving the national heritage. Total emissions of smoke in the air have fallen by 85 per cent since 1960. Most petrol stations in Britain stock unleaded petrol. The Government is committed to the control of gases emission, which damage the ozone layer. They also contribute to the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming and a rise in sea levels. Britain stresses the need for studying the science of climate change. Green belts are areas where land should be left open and free from urban sprawl. The Government attaches great importance to their protection. National parks cover 9 per cent of the total land area of England and Wales. The National Rivers Authority protects island waters in England and Wales. In Scotland the River purification authorities are responsible for water pollution control. Great Britain takes care of its nvironment for themselves and next generations. 

 Questions: 

 1. What is an international issue of great importance? 

2. What are green belts? 

3. Who is responsible for water pollution control in Scotland? 

4. What is the total emission of smoke in the air? 

5. Is it easy to buy unleaded petrol in Britain? 

 Vocabulary: 

 issue - проблема

purification — очистка 

voluntary — добровольный 

petrol — бензин 

emission — выброс 

layer — слой 

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Проблема защиты окружающей среды в Великобритании. 

Защита окружающей среды — международное дело огромной важности, и Великобритания уделяет этому большое внимание. В Британии около 500 000 зданий, которые охраняются государством, и 7000 закрытых зон, представляющих архитектурный и исторический интерес. Правительство поощряет работу добровольцев по сохранению национального наследия. С 1960 года общий выброс дыма в атмосферу снизился на 85%. Большинство бензоколонок в Великобритании продает бензин без примеси свинца. Правительство контролирует выброс газов, которые разрушают озоновый слой. Они также способствуют парниковому эффекту, что ведет к глобальному потеплению и поднятию уровня моря. Британия подчеркивает необходимость изучения науки об изменениях климата. Зеленые пояса — это области, где земля должна оставаться свободной от городских застроек. Государство придает большое значение их защите. Национальные парки составляют 9% общей площади Англии и Уэльса. В Шотландии общество по очистке рек контролирует загрязнение воды. В Великобритании заботятся об окружающей среде ради самих себя и будущих поколений.