ASPECTS OF BRITISH HISTORY (0)

N. A. Vavilov
ASPECTS OF british HISTORY
Н. А. Вавилов
КРАТКАЯ ИСТОРИЯ
великобритании
Учебное пособие на английском языке
Москва
Институт международного права и экономики имени А. С. Грибоедова
2008
УТВЕРЖДЕНО
кафедрой лингвистики
и переводоведения
Вавилов Н.А.
Краткая история Великобритании: Учебное пособие на английском языке. – 2-е изд., пересмотр. и испр. – М.: ИМПЭ им. А.С. Гри­боедова, 2008. – 88 с.
Пособие содержит краткий очерк важнейших событий в истории Великобритании – от первых документально засвидетельствованных вторжений на остров (кельтов, римлян и англосаксов) до создания и распада Британской колониальной империи.
Основными целями системы упражнений являются усвоение фактического материала, закрепление словаря и развитие навыков ведения беседы по тематике пособия. Пособие предназначено для студентов гуманитарных специальностей.
Подготовлено на факультете лингвистики.
The book contains an overview of the most important events in British history – from the first documented invasions of the island to the formation and fall of the British colonial empire .
A series of exercises will help to remember the subject matter , practise the vocabulary and contribute to skills work . The book is intended for the Humanities students.
Вавилов Н.А., 2008
Contents

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Настоящее пособие содержит краткий очерк истории Великобритании от первых документально засвидетельствованных событий, имевших место на острове, до создания и распада Британской колониальной империи. В нем освещены пять известных завоеваний острова, создание сильного централизованного государства и превращение абсолютной монархии в конституционную, возникновение английского языка, рождение парламента, создание Англиканской церкви.
Уроки пособия состоят из основного текста и примечаний к нему (содержащих дополнительные исторические сведения, биографические данные и т. п.), словаря с лексико-грамматическими комментариями и серии упражнений.
Основные цели системы упражнений – помочь активному усвоению фактического материала и тематической лексики и научить студентов вести беседу по тематике пособия, высказываясь четко и аргументированно. Часть упражнений посвящена отработке отдельных лексико-грамматических явлений, представляющих определенную трудность для некоторых учащихся.
Пособие будет полезным для учащихся языковых и неязыковых вузов и школ, а также для всех изучающих английский язык и желающих пополнить свои знания о стране, являющейся родиной английского языка, ставшего ведущим мировым языком, и парламентаризма, который переняли большинство стран мира.

INTRODUCTION

Aspects of British History presents a brief outline of the most significant milestones in the long and eventful history of Great Britain , such as the five successful invasions of the island, the birth of Parliament and transformation of an absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy, the origin of the English language , the rise and fall of the British Empire.
The units contain an informative reading text on an important issue , preceded by preparatory discussion questions and followed by notes offering some additional information, and a vocabulary with relevant language notes. The main reading text is accompanied by comprehension, vocabulary and grammar exercises and discussion activities. Some of the units include reading passages.
The book is intended for university and school students as well as other English learners wishing to acquire more knowledge about the country whose tongue became the world’s leading language, and which is considered as the Mother of Parliaments.

UNIT
1

The
Island

Pre-reading questions
What is the name of the island group Britain belongs to?
Where is it situated ?
What seas surround it?
What kind of climate do you think Britain has?
What is its surface like?
What countries are situated on the islands ?
Which country are we going to study? Why?
Location
Land and climate affect life in every country. Britain is no exception.
Britain is the largest island of the British Isles1. It is just under 1,000 km long and just under 500 km across in its widest part . Britain is separated from the mainland of Europe by the North Sea on the east and the English Channel on the south – by only about 35 km of water at its closest point (the Strait of Dover2). Most of the coastline is so broken by bays and inlets that no point on the island is more than 120 km from the sea.
Climate and Surface
Britain has a mild climate which is influenced by the Gulf Stream , an ocean current which flows past the British Isles and brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico. Steady south- west winds blow across the current and bring warmth in winter . In summer, the ocean waters are cooler than the land. Winds over the waters come to Britain as refreshing breezes. The sea winds also bring plentiful rains .
Britain is not as cold as most places so far north. Summers are mild, with daytime highs about 220C in the south, about 180C in Scotland . Winters are cool – night -time temperatures drop nearly to freezing, but rarely much below , except in the colder Scottish highland areas .
Within Britain there are differences of climate and rainfall between north and south, east and west. The north is on average 50C cooler than the south. The heaviest rains fall in the highland areas of the west and north. The surface is varied too. The north and west are mountainous or hilly. Much of the south and east is flat or low- lying . That means that the south and east on the whole have better agricultural conditions , and it is possible to harvest crops much earlier than in the north. So it is not surprising that south-east Britain has always been the most populated part of the island. For this reason it has always had the most political power .
Protected by the Sea
Britain is an island, and the sea has helped shape the character and history of the British people. More than once it has helped protect the island from invasion, and it has given the people a feeling of security . Since 1066, no enemy has crossed the Channel and invaded the country.
The Age of the Island
Britain has not always been an island. It became one only after the end of the last ice age, by about 5000 BC. The temperature rose and the ice sheet melted, flooding the lower -lying land that is now under the North Sea and the English Channel. The improving climate changed the environment. Vast forests covered most of the lowlands and highlands, which were rich in various animals . Rivers teemed with fish . The island became a very comfortable place to live in.
Albion
The most ancient name for Britain was Albion which was first used by a Greek author in the 6th century BC. Though Celtic in origin, it was supposed by the Romans to come from Lat. albus (white), with reference to the chalk cliffs at Dover . White cliffs are the first and last sight of land for visitors who come to Britain by sea.
Notes
1. The British Isles is a geographical term for the islands bounded by the English Channel, the Strait of Dover, the North Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. The islands in the group are Great Britain, Ireland , the Isle of Man, the Isle of Wight, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides, the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands, and about 5,500 small islands and islets.
Britain is also the largest island in Europe and the eighth largest in the world. It covers 218,980 sq. km. The second largest in the British Isles is the island of Ireland (area 83,694 sq. km.).
2. In 1875 Matthew Webb was the first to swim across the Channel. And in 1907 Louis Blériot made the first air crossing in a plane. There are memorials to both at Dover. A tunnel under the English Channel (the Channel Tunnel) linking France and England was opened in 1994.
Vocabulary
1. affect (v)
effect (n)
syn. influence (n/v)
воздействовать, влиять
воздействие, влияние; результат, эффект
влияние; влиять
2. exception
Every rule has its exceptions .
with rare exceptions
Present company (is) excepted.
исключение
Нет правил без исключений.
за редким исключением
О присутствующих не говорят.
3. The British Isles
isle [aIl]
island ['aIlənd]
islet ['aIlIt]
Британские острова
поэт. остров (тж. в названиях островов, принадлежащих Англии; см. Notes)
остров (используется также в названиях островов, не являющихся частью Англии: Manhattan Island, the Falkland Islands)
островок
4. the North Sea
Северное море
NB. Географические названия, обозначающие одно целое, самостоятельную единицу, обычно включают в свой состав North, South и т.д.: North America, West Virginia , East Anglia, South Africa , the North/South Pole. Так же называются части стран, разделенных по политическим причинам: West Germany , South Korea. Название части страны, континента и др. содержит northern , western и т. д.: Northern Ireland, eastern Europe, northern South America.
5. the Strait of Dover
пролив Па-де-Кале
Dover ['dəVvə], a ferry port on the coast of the English Channel. Its chalk cliffs are world- famous . It is mainland Britain’s nearest point to the сontinent, being only 35 km. from Calais ['kæleI], a ferry port in France. Дувр. Кале.
6. mainland
1. материк; 2. большой остров (среди группы небольших)
7. coastline
береговая линия
8. broken by bays and inlets
изрезанный заливами и бухтами
9. the Gulf Stream
stream
теплое течение Гольфстрим
поток, река, ручей; струя
10. current
поток, течение
11. the Gulf of Mexico
Мексиканский залив
12. steady winds
постоянные ветры
13. refreshing breeze
освежающий ветерок / бриз
14. plentiful rains
rainfall
cp. snowfall
обильные дожди (осадки)

количество осадков;

ливень, снегопад
15. a daytime high
максимальная дневная температура
16. highland
highland area
syn. mountainous area
плоскогорье, нагорье
горная местность
17. within ( prep )
1. (~ the law) в рамках, в пределах;
2. (~ the building ) в, внутри;
3. (~ a year ) в течение, не более
18. difference
разница, различие
19. average (n)
The average of 3, 8 and 10 is 7.
on (the) average
above / below the average
среднее число, средняя величина
в среднем
выше / ниже среднего
20. 50C (five degrees Celsius / Centigrade)
Water freezes at 320 Fahrenheit (320F)
or zero degrees Celsius (00C).
пять градусов по Цельсию / по 100-градусной шкале
21. surface ['sE:fIs]
поверхность
22. varied
vary ['veəri] (v)
разнообразный
меняться, изменяться
23. flat (ground, land)
плоский, нерельефный, слабо пересеченный
24. low-lying
lower-lying land
lowland
низменный
более низкие земли
низкая местность
25. on the whole
в целом
26. harvest a crop
crop
a record crop of wheat
Wheat is a widely grown crop in Britain.
собирать / убирать урожай
1. урожай
рекордный урожай пшеницы
2. с.-х. культура
27. it is not surprising
неудивительно
28. much / more / the most power
большая/'большая/наибольшая власть
29. shape (n)
What shape is the table, round or square ?
The team is in very good shape.
shape (v)
форма; состояние
формировать
30. more than once
не раз, неоднократно
31. invade (v)
invader
invasion
вторгаться
захватчик
вторжение
32. se'curity
безопасность; уверенность
33. ice age (the Ice Age)
ice sheet
ледниковый период
ледяной покров
34. most of present-day England
(NOTthe most part of)
He spends most of his time travelling.
большая часть нынешней Англии
Большую часть времени он проводит в путешествиях.
35. melt (v)
таять; растапливаться
36. flood (n)
the (Great) Flood
flood (v)
наводнение
Всемирный потоп
затоплять
37. environment
окружающая среда
38. vast
обширный; безбрежный
39. teem with
кишеть, изобиловать чем-л.
40. ancient ['eInSənt]
древний
41. Albion ['ælbiən]
misty Albion
perfidious Albion
поэт. Альбион, Англия
туманный Альбион
коварный Альбион
42. origin
Celtic ['keltIk] in origin
1. источник, начало
2. происхождение
кельтский по происхождению
43. suppose (v)
полагать; предполагать
44. with reference to sth
имея в виду что-л., ссылаясь на что-л.
45. chalk cliffs (at Dover)
the White Cliffs of Dover
меловые скалы (около г. Дувра)
Белые скалы Дувра
Exercises
1. Read the text. Look up new words in the vocabulary.
2. Read the following phrases aloud. Find the sentences with these phrases in the text. Translate them into Russian .
a) The largest island in the British Isles; separated from the European mainland; about 35 kilometres of water; at its closest point.
b) A mild climate; influenced by the Gulf Stream; to bring warmth in winter; a refreshing breeze in summer; plentiful rains; daytime highs; to drop to freezing; differences of climate and rainfall; 50C cooler; in the highland areas; mountainous or hilly; flat or low-lying; better agricultural conditions; it is not surprising; the most popular part; the most political power.
c) To shape the character and history; to protect the island from invasion; a feeling of security; to cross the Channel.
d) The end of the last ice age; the ice sheet melted; to flood the lower-lying lands; to change the environment.
e) The most ancient name; in the 6th century BC; Celtic in origin; with reference to the white cliffs; the first and last sight of land.
3. Comprehension check : Answer the following questions. Check your answers with the text.
1. Where is Britain situated?
2. What kind of climate does Britain have?
3. Why does it have such a climate?
4. Is it uniform throughout the island?
5. Which part has better agricultural conditions?
6. Which part of Britain has been the most populated?
7. What factor has shaped Britain's history and the character of the British people?
8. Has Britain always been an island?
9. Why is Britain (England) often called Albion?
4. Put a preposition in each gap. Underline the prepositions in your notebooks.
Britain is separated _____ the mainland ____ Europe ____ the English Channel. Britain’s climate is influenced ____ the Gulf Stream, which flows _____ the British Isles and brings warm water _____ the Gulf ____ Mexico. There are differences ___ climate ____ Britain. The south is ___ average 50C warmer _____ the north. ____ the whole, agricultural conditions ____ the south and east are better _____ ___ the north. _____ this reason, this part ____ the island has always been the most populated. Britain’s history has been affected ____ the sea. More _____ once, it has been saved _____ danger ____ the sea.
Britain became an island ____ the end ____ the last ice age, when the surrounding lower-lying lands were flooded ______ ____ the melting ___ the ice sheet. The word Albion is ____ Celtic origin. But the Romans supposed it was derived _____ Lat. albus, _____ reference ____ the White Cliffs ____ Dover. They are the first sight ____ land _____ visitors who come ____ Britain ____ sea.
5. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense and voice . Underline the verb forms in your notebooks.
Only about 35 kilometres of water (to separate) Britain from France. Quite a number of people (to swim) across the Strait of Dover. The climate of Britain (to affect) by the warm ocean current which (to call ) the Gulf Stream. South-east Britain always (to be) the most populated part of the island because it (to have) better agricultural conditions. The sea (to protect) the island from danger for over nine centuries and (to give) the people a feeling of security.
You should not think that Britain always (to be) an island. It (to become) one after the last ice age (to end) and the ice cap (to melt). It (to happen ) because the lower-lying lands (to flood), and the North Sea and the English Channel (to form).
6. Change the following sentences to passive . Underline the verb forms in your notebooks.
Land and climate affect life in every country. The sea surrounds Britain. Southwest winds bring warm air in winter. The sea winds also bring plentiful rains. They harvest crops in the south much earlier than in the north. The sea has shaped the character of the British people. More than once it has saved the island from danger. Since 1066, no enemy has invaded Britain.
The rising temperature improved the climate. The improving climate changed the environment. A Greek author first used the name Albion some 2,500 years ago. White cliffs are the first thing that visitors to Britain see when they cross the Channel.
7. Write questions to these answers.
1. It has a mild climate. 2. It is affected by the Gulf Stream. 3. No, there are differences of climate and rainfall. 4. The north and west are. 5. They are flat or low-lying. 6. The south and east. 7. Because it has better agricultural conditions. 8. They have been affected and shaped by the sea. 9. After the end of the last ice age. 10. Because the surrounding lower lands had been flooded.
8. Give the English equivalents to these phrases.
a) Самый большой остров среди Британских островов; почти 1,000 километров в длину; отделена от европейского континента.
b) Влиять на климат; нести теплые воды с юга; обильные дожди; различия в температуре и осадках; в среднем на 50C теплее; разнообразная поверхность; в целом; лучшие условия для земледелия; убирать урожай; неудивительно; по этой причине; наиболее населенный регион; наибольшее политическое влияние.
c) Формировать характер; неоднократно; защищать кого-либо от опасности; внушать чувство безопасности; вторгнуться в страну (на остров).
d) Последний ледниковый период; около 5,000 лет до новой эры; затопить низменность; улучшить климат; изменить окружающую среду.
e) Древнейшее название острова; греческий автор; кельтского происхождения; происходить от латинского слова albus; белые скалы Дувра.
9. True or false ? Give an adequate response to each statement. Do not content yourselves with saying ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. (See Appendix 1 at the end of the book.)
1. Land and climate affect life in island countries.
2. Britain’s climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream.
3. It is so called because it flows to the Gulf of Mexico.
4. The climate and surface of Britain are not uniform.
5. The south-east of the island has always been the most populated because it is closer to the European mainland.
6. Britain has always been an island. It became one after the Great Flood.
7. The island was named Albion by the Romans.
10. Points for discussion. (Summarize the text according to the following suggestions).
1. The location of Britain.
2. Its climate and surface.
3. The effect of the sea, climate and surface upon the life on the island.
4. The age of the island and of its ancient name.
11. Translate into English.
Британские острова расположены около северо-западного побережья Европы между Атлантическим океаном на севере и западе и Северным морем на востоке. От материковой Европы они отделены Английским каналом (или Ла-Маншем). Британские острова состоят примерно из 5,500 островов, больших и малых. Самыми большими из них являются Великобритания и Ирландия. Соединенное королевство включает в себя Великобританию (где находятся Англия, Шотландия и Уэльс) и Северную Ирландию. Большую часть второго по величине острова занимает независимая Республика Ирландия.
Географически Великобритания подразделяется на две основные части – низменную (юг и восток Англии) и гористую (Шотландия, Уэльс и Озерный край). Озерный край стал широко известен благодаря Вильяму Вордсворту, который основал Озерную школу поэтов и долго жил и работал там. Климат Англии обычно характеризуют как прохладный, умеренный и влажный (humid). Погода меняется так часто, что англичане говорят: «У нас нет климата, а только погода». Она является любимой темой разговора в Англии. В другой шутке говорится: «У нас три вида погоды: Когда дождь идет утром. Когда дождь идет после полудня. Когда льет весь день».

UNIT
2

The Celts (8th c. BC – 5th c. AD)

Pre-reading questions
Are there any Celtic peoples in Europe at present?
Where do you think they live?
What territories did they occupy in ancient times ?
What happened to them?
The first real civilization was brought to Britain in the third millennium BC by the Iberians who arrived from the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe. The Iberians were skilled in the use of copper and gold ; they made copper daggers and axes, traded in gold and copper ornaments. In the second millennium they started using bronze . The Iberians were farmers who bred cattle and probably tamed horses .
The Celtic Settlement
Towards the Christian era, there was an Iron Age Celtic culture throughout the British Isles. The Celts1 had been arriving from Europe from the eighth century BC onwards. The Celts began to control all the lowland areas of Britain and, with new waves of settlers coming one after another , gradually spread all over Britain and the other islands.
It seems that the Celts mixed with the Iberian peoples who were already there. It is also possible that they drove many of the older inhabitants westwards into Wales , Ireland and Scotland where they were eventually assimilated2.
Celtic Culture
The Celtic tribes continued the same kind of agriculture as the Bronze Age people before them. But the use of iron technology and more advanced ploughing methods made them highly successful farmers, the Celts used ox-drawn wheeled ploughs and this meant that richer, heavier land could be farmed. Under the Celts Britain became an important food producer. It now exported corn and animals, as well as hunting dogs and slaves, to the European mainland.
The two main trade outlets eastwards to Europe were the settlements along the Thames River in the south and on the Firth of Forth in the north. It is no accident the present-day capitals of England and Scotland stand on or near these two ancient trade centres . For money the Celts used iron bars , until they began to copy the Roman coins they saw used in Gaul (France).
According to the Romans, the Celtic men wore shirts and breeches (short trousers) and striped or checked cloaks fastened by a pin. It is possible that the Scottish dress and tartan developed from this cloak.
Notes
1. The Celts [kelts] (Gr. Keltoi, Lat. Celtae) were a group of peoples and tribes (belonging to the Indo-European language group) which had come from Central Europe or further east and settled all of Western Europe including present-day France (Gaul, called Gallia by the Romans), the Iberian Peninsula (Lat. Hispania) and the British Isles. By the Christian era the Celtic peoples on the mainland were conquered by Rome and later gradually Romanized, that is they took on the language of the Romans ( Latin ), their culture and institutions . Their Celtic Latin developed into the three modern Romance languages – French , Spanish and Portuguese. All the Celtic tribal names disappeared. Belgian (Lat. Belgi ), Briton, Eire ['eərə], Scot are rare exceptions.
The only places where the Celtic languages and elements of their culture have survived are Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Brittany in north-western France (in the last instance largely as a result of immigration from Britain during the Anglo- Saxon invasion and settlement of present-day England – from the 5th to the 7th century AD; see Unit 4).
2. The Iberians on the European mainland were also assimilated, by the Celts or the Romans. The Basques living on the Iberian Peninsula (in Spain ) perhaps are the only surviving people of the Iberian race.
Vocabulary
1. civilization [-laI'zeI-], US [-lI-]
цивилизация
2. the Iberians [aI'biəriən]
the Iberian Peninsula
иберы
Пиренейский полуостров
3. millennium
тысячелетие
4. copper
медь
5. dagger
кинжал
6. axe, pl. axes
топор
7. bronze
бронза
8. breed (bred) cattle
breed (n)
разводить скот
порода
9. tame (v)
приручать; дрессировать
10. toward the Christian era
in the Christian era
in the 8th century BC (before Christ)
in the 1st century AD (Anno Domini [-naI])
к началу новой эры
после Рождества Христова
в VIII века до Р.Х. (до Рождества Христова, до новой эры)
в I века христианской эры (новой эры)
11. the Iron age
the time when iron was used for making tools, weapons, etc., which is a more advanced period than the Bronze Age
the Bronze Age
the Stone Age
железный век
бронзовый век
каменный век
12. Celt [kelt]
Celtic ['keltIk]
кельт
кельтский
13. the Indo-European group of languages – includes most of those spoken in Europe, Iran and India
индоевропейская группа языков
14. Gaul
1. ист. Галлия 2. ист. галл
3. шутл. француз
15. take on sth syn. adopt (v)
перенимать, усваивать что-л.
16. Romance [rəV'mæns]
романский, восходящий к латинскому языку
17. throughout
The disease spread throughout the country.
syn. all over
He travelled all over India.
It rained throughout the night.
1. через, по всей территории
Болезнь распространилась по всей стране.
Он объехал всю Индию
2. в продолжение (всего времени)
Дождь лил всю ночь.
18. from the 8th century on-wards
cp. from now on
начиная с VIII века
с этих пор, отныне
19. in' habit
inhabitant
settle
settler
жить, обитать, населять
житель; обитатель
селиться, обосновываться; заселять
поселенец
20. as'similate smb.
ассимилировать кого-л.
NB. В глаголах (а также в сущ. и прил.), оканчивающихся на -ate, ударение падает на третий слог от конца. Распространенной ошибкой является перенос ударения на последний слог.
21. - ward suff. (in adjectives)
a westward movement
a southward advance
-wards (in adverbs )
to drive sb westwards
We travelled northwards.
в указанном направлении
движение на запад
наступление на юг
в указанном направлении
прогонять кого-л. на запад
Мы ехали на cевеp.
22. gradually [-dZu-]
eventually [-t∫u-]
постепенно
со временем; в конце концов
NB. Буквосочетания -du- и -tu- в заударнoм слоге читаются [dZu] и [t∫u] соответственно, а не [dju] и [tju] (за исключением малоупотребительных слов).
23. plough [plaV] (n)
wheeled plough
plough (v)
ploughing method
плуг
колесный плуг
пахать
способ вспашки
24. to farm land
farmer
farming
обрабатывать землю
земледелец
земледелие
25. corn
1. зерно
2. US кукуруза ( Indian corn)
26. trade outlet to Europe
центр торговли с Европой
27. the Firth of Forth
залив Фёрт оф Форт
28. It is no accident
не случайно
29. iron bar
cp. a bar of gold / of chocolate
брусок (плитка) железа
слиток золота / плитка шоколада
30. breeches ['brIt∫Iz] pl.
бриджи
31. striped
полосатый
32. checked
клетчатый
33. cloak
плащ (без рукавов)
34. tartan
тартан, шотландский плед
Exercises
1. Read the text. Look up new words in the vocabulary.
2. Read the following phrases aloud. Find the sentences with these phrases in the text. Translate them into Russian.
Real civilization; in the third millennium; skilled in the use of copper; copper daggers and axes; to trade in gold ornaments; to breed cattle and tame horses.
An Iron Age Celtic culture; throughout the British Isles; from the eighth century ВС onwards; to intermix with the Iberians; the older inhabitants; westwards into Wales; to control all the lowland areas; new waves of settlers; to spread all over Britain.
The same kind of agriculture; the Bronze Age people; the use of iron technology; advanced ploughing methods; highly successful farmers; ox-drawn, wheeled ploughs; to farm heavier land; an important food producer; to export corn and animals; the main trade outlets; ancient trade centres; the present-day capitals; to use iron bars for money; to wear shirts and breeches; striped or checked cloaks; the Scottish dress and tartan.
3. Comprehension check: Answer the following questions. Check your answers with the text.
1. Has Britain ever been invaded?
2. When was the first real civilization brought to Britain? By whom ?
3. What kind of culture did they have?
4. Who inhabited Britain towards the Christian era?
5. What happened to the older inhabitants?
6. Did it take the Celts long to settle throughout the British Isles?
7. In what way did they differ from the Iberians?
8. Did Britain change under the Celts?
9. Did the Celts trade with the European mainland?
10. What did they use for money?
11. Where were the main trade outlets?
12. What did the Celtic men wear?
4. Put a preposition in each gap. Underline the prepositions in your notebooks.
A real civilization was brought ___ Britain ___ the Iberians who were skilled ___ the use ___ copper. They traded ___ gold and copper ornaments.
Twenty centuries ___ there was a Celtic culture _______ the British Isles. The Celts had arrived ___ Britain ___ the Christian era. They intermixed _____ the Iberian people or drove many ____ them westwards. _____ new waves ____ settlers coming one _____ another _____ the mainland, the Celts spread ____ _____ Britain and the other islands.
Owing ___ the use ___ iron, ox-drawn ploughs and new ploughing methods Britain became an important food producer and exporter ______ the Celts. The settlements ___ the Thames River ___ the south and ___ the Firth of Forth ____ the north became the main trade outlets ____ Europe. The present-day capitals ___ England and Scotland stand ___ or _____ these ancient trade centres. _____ money the Celts used iron bars.
5. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense and voice. Underline the verb forms in your notebooks.
Before they (to start) using bronze, the Iberians (to use) copper for about a millennium. They (to bring) their metal - working skills from the continent . When the Romans first (to arrive ) in Britain in 55 ВС, it (to inhabit) by Celtic tribes. The latter (to arrive) from the European mainland for several centuries. The Celts probably (to mix) with the Iberians who (to come) there much earlier. They also (to drive) many of the older inhabitants westwards and northwards. They gradually (to spread) all over the British Isles.
Britain (to become) an important food producer because the Celts (to use) iron technology and advanced ploughing methods which they (to bring) with them from the mainland. They (to export) agricultural products through the two trade centres which (to situate) on the Thames River and on the Firth of Forth. The Celts long (to use) iron bars for money before they (to learn) to copy the Roman coins.
6. Change the following sentences to passive. Underline the verb forms in your notebooks.
The Celts settled the British Isles before the Christian era. They drove many of the older inhabitants westwards and northwards or made them slaves. They probably assimilated most of the Iberians. The Celts used ox-drawn ploughs, so they could farm richer, heavier land. They produced various agricultural products and exported them to the mainland. For money they used iron bars.
7. Write questions to these answers.
1 They arrived from Europe. 2. They had been arriving for several centuries. 3. No, they spread throughout the British Isles. 4. They were eventually assimilated. 5. It was iron technology and new ploughing methods. 6. It happened under the Celts. 7. Various food products. 8. To the European mainland. 9. They were on the Thames River and on the Firth of Forth. 10. No, they didn't. They used iron bars for it.
8. Give the English equivalents to these phrases.
Умение использовать медь и бронзу; изготавливать бронзовые топоры; разводить скот; во втором тысячелетии до н.э.; к началу новой эры; культура железного века; начиная с VIII века до н.э.; завладеть низменными областями; расселиться по всем Британским островам; смешаться со старожилами; прогнать коренных обитателей на запад в горы; тот же вид земледелия; передовые методы вспашки; железный колесный плуг, запряженный волами; обрабатывать землю; при кельтах; вывозить зерно и другие продукты; использовать плитки железа вместо денег; по свидетельству римлян; полосатые и клетчатые плащи.
9. True or false ? Give an adequate response to each statement . Do not content yourselves with saying ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. (See Appendix 1 at the end of the book.)
1. The Celts were a Bronze Age people, like the Iberians.
2. They arrived in Britain from Europe in a single wave .
3. The Iberians had to leave Britain for Europe.
4. The Celtic tribes continued the same kind of agriculture as the people before them.
5. They became more successful farmers than the older inhabitants.
6. The Celts exported various agricultural products to the mainland.
7. They used banknotes in trade.
10. Points for discussion. (Summarize the text according to the following suggestions).
1. The first real civilization in Britain.
2. The Celtic settlement of the British Isles.
3. The Celts as farmers and traders.
4. The fate of the Iberians and the Celts.
11. Translate into English.
Иберийцы прибыли в Британию в третьем тысячелетии до н.э. и принесли с собой навыки обработки металлов и первую настоящую цивилизацию. Затем их покорили кельты, которые стали селиться на острове начиная с VIII века до н.э. Известно, что кельты прибыли в Британию с материка, где они заняли всю Западную Европу, включая нынешние Францию и Испанию. Наши знания о кельтах невелики. Мы даже не знаем точно, вторглись ли они в Британию или прибывали мирно в результате оживленной торговли. Вполне вероятно, что они вытесняли коренных жителей в горные местности и заселяли их земли на юге и востоке страны. К началу новой эры кельты расселились по всем Британским островам. Когда Юлий Цезарь впервые посетил Британию в 55 г. до н.э., он увидел, что внутренние районы (the interior ) населены людьми, которые считают себя коренными жителями, а побережье – людьми, которые недавно прибыли из Бельгии. Кельты обладали навыками изготовления железных орудий и оружия. Островные кельты имели общее название, но делились на несколько разных племен.

UNIT 3

The Roman Period (43 – 410 AD)

Pre-reading questions
Do you think Rome was founded in 43 AD and lasted until 410?
What language did the ancient Romans speak ?
How large do you think the Roman Empire was?
Why do you think the Romans came to Britain? Why do you think they left it?
What do you think they left behind ?
How do you think the island came to be called ‘Britain’?
The First Contact
In 58–51 BC, the Roman general and political leader Gaius Julius Caesar1 completed his conquest of Gaul. But Gallic resistance was hard to break and was strengthened by help from Britain. Caesar led two military expeditions to Britain in 55 and 54 BC. So the Romans became directly acquainted with Britain. In 54 BC Caesar advanced deep inland. His chief aim in invading Britain was to destroy the druids – influential Celtic priests who were the main organizers of help for the Gauls. He also knew that further conquests would boost his popularity in Rome. But a rebellion in Gaul forced him to withdraw from Britain. And the Civil War in Rome forced him to put off the idea indefinitely.
The Conquest
The Romans did not invade Britain again until nearly 100 years after Caesar’s two expeditions. A large Roman army landed there in 43 AD. The tribes of south-eastern Britain were defeated. The Romans then advanced northwards and westwards from London, building roads and establishing forts. They had little difficulty because they had a better- trained army and because the Celtic tribes fought among themselves. By AD 61, the Romans controlled most of present-day England and Wales. They then occupied the southern part of the island for more than 350 years.
The Romans failed to conquer Scotland. In the 120s the Emperor Hadrian built a strong wall to defend Roman Britain from raids by the Scots , Picts and other tribes from the North2. Twenty years later Roman forces built a second defensive wall further north but they could not hold it against Scottish raiders and eventually abandoned it.
To fight with the raiders and to put down frequent armed rebellions, Rome had to keep an army of about 40,000 men in the province3.
Roman Britain
The Romans named their new province Britannia . The name was derived from the tribal name of Britons (or Brits) who inhabited most of the occupied territory. The Roman name eventually lost its ending and became shortened to ‘Britain’.
The basis of Roman civilization and administration was the towns. Many grew out of Celtic settlements, military camps or market centres. The Romans built most towns to a standardized pattern of straight , parallel streets that crossed at right angles. The paved streets4 had drainage systems, and fresh water was piped to many buildings. There were three different kinds of town in Roman Britain. Some were peopled by Roman citizens. In others the native townspeople were given Roman citizenship. The third kind included the old tribal capitals through which the Romans administered the Celtic population in the countryside . By AD 300 all towns had thick stone walls5. The towns were connected by roads which were so well built that they continued to be used long after the Romans had left, and became the main roads of modern Britain. Six of these roads met in London, a capital city of about 20,000 people.
Outside the towns, the biggest change was the growth of large farms called ‘ villas ’. Many of these belonged to the richer Britons, or ‘New Britons’, who were, like the townspeople, more Roman than Celt in manners. The villas had many workers and were usually close to towns so that the crops could be sold easily.
The Romans made use of the Celtic aristocracy to govern the province and encouraged the ruling class to adopt Roman dress and the Roman language. They brought the skills of reading and writing to Britain. They trained the sons of tribal chiefs in the liberal arts. Eventually many townspeople and the richer landowners in the country began to use Latin in their speech and writing, and the toga came into fashion. But most of the population, the peasantry, remained illiterate and Celtic-speaking.
Roman soldiers and traders brought Christianity, and in the fourth century, the Christian Church was established in Britain. It survived in Wales and Cornwall.
The End of Roman Rule
Roman control of Britain came to an end as the empire began to collapse. In the late fourth century the Roman legions found it more and more difficult to stop the Scots from crossing Hadrian's Wall. On the mainland, Germanic tribes began to raid the coast of Gaul6 and even northern Italy . In 409 AD Rome pulled its last soldiers out of Britain. They were soon followed by the colonists. The Romanized Britons were left to fight alone against the Scots and the Saxon raiders. The following year Rome itself fell to the raiders.
Despite their long occupation of Britain, the Romans left very little behind. Unlike Gaul or Spain, they left here neither their system of law and administration nor their language. Latin completely disappeared both in its spoken and written forms when the Anglo- Saxons invaded Britain in the fifth century AD. Moreover , most of the Roman villas, baths and temples , the cities they had founded were soon destroyed or fell into disrepair. Almost the only lasting reminders of their presence are place names like Chester, Lancaster and Gloucester which include variants of the Roman word castra (a military camp).
Notes
1. In the 1st с. BC – the 4th c. AD Rome founded the greatest ancient empire whose provinces extended from the Caucasus in the east and Egypt in the south to Spain and Gaul in the west and Britain in the north-west. In 395 the empire was divided into two parts – the Western (Rome) and the Eastern (Constantinople, Byzantium) empires. The former collapsed in the 5th century (476). Byzantium lasted for another thousand years and fell to the Turks in 1453.
Gaius Julius Caesar ['si:zə] (100 – 44 BC), the Roman statesman, general and author. He conquered Gaul, Egypt, defeated his political opponents and became an absolute dictator (49 BC). Killed by Republican conspirators (M.J. Brutus and G. Cassius). His Commentaries on the Gallic War contain important information about the Celts. He introduced a new, Julian calendar in 46 BC; the seventh month of the year was named after Julius Caesar after his death . To have some idea of J. Caesar and his time, you can see the famous film Cleopatra (especially its first half).
Remember these quotations :
Alea jacta est.
The die is cast .
Жребий брошен.
Vini, vidi , vici.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
Пришел, увидел, победил.
Tu quoque, Brute !
You too, Brutus!
И ты, Брут!
2. A few centuries later, Hadrian’s Wall marked the border between the two countries, England and Scotland (the land of Scots, the Celtic people that inhabited the country).
3. Retired Roman soldiers were given land, and settled in Britain.
4. The English word ‘street’ comes from Lat. strata via (paved road ).
5. The Romans left about 20 large towns of about 5,000 inhabitants and almost 100 smaller ones .
6. In the 6th century Gaul was conquered, and for over 300 years controlled by the Francs, a Germanic people, from whom the country received the name of France.
Vocabulary
1. By (the year) 56 BC
in (the year) 43 AD
к 56 году до Р.Х. (до новой эры)
в 43 году христианской / новой эры
NB. 1. И в устной, и письменной речи the year обычно опускается (исключением являются, например, некоторые официальные документы).
2. Даты начала нового тысячелетия произносятся: in (the year) 2001 – in two thousand one, in two thousand seven (in 2007); начиная с 2010 года, очевидно, будем говорить: twenty-ten, twenty-fifteen и т.д.
3. Аббревиатуры BC (B.C.) и AD (A.D.) могут употребляться и перед датой: in BC 44, in AD 61.
2. general
зд. полководец
3. conquer (v)
conqueror
conquest
покорить, завоевать
завоеватель
завоевание
4. Gallic ['gxlIk]
галльский
5. break resistance
сломить сопротивление
6. advance (v)
advance (n)
наступать, продвигаться
наступление, продвижение
7. chief aim
главная цель
8. druid (D.) ['dru:Id]
ист. друид, жрец у древних кельтов
9. boost popularity
способствовать росту популярности
10. rebel [rI'bel] (v)
armed rebellion
восставать
вооруженное восстание
11. withdraw (-drew, -drawn)
уходить; отзывать (войска)
12. land (v)
высаживаться
13. defeat (n/v)
поражение; разгромить
14. fail
потерпеть неудачу, не иметь успеха
15. empire ['empaIə]
emperor
the Emperor Hadrian ['heIdriən]
империя
император
император Адриан
NB. Современные титулы, названия должностей, научные и воинские звания и т.п., употребляемые перед фамилией (или перед именем: King John, Prince Charles, Queen Anne, Duke William, Sir Arthur ), пишутся с заглавной буквы и без артикля. Например: Field- Marshal Montgomery, Lord Byron, Doctor Watson, Senator Kennedy.
16. defend
defence (US defense )
defensive
оборонять
оборона
оборонительный
17. Picts
Scots
пикты
скотты
18. raid (n)
raid (v)
raider
набег, внезапное нападение
совершать набег, налет, нападение
участник набега
19. abandon
оставлять, покидать
20. frequent
частый
21. Britons, Brits
бритты
22. be derived from
происходить от
23. shorten (